New-York tribune., 1883-03-18
ACROSS THE NILE DELTA.
FROM ALEXANDRIA TO CAIRO.

IRON An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
CAIRO, February q.
To those interested in destructive energy the forts
of Alexandra present admirable results for study
and the vast pile of white glaring calcined ruins in
| the Grand Square illustrates the risk Europeans
must take who elect TO inve,t their capital on that
historic SITE The Paus is repaired and the harbor
again brstles with foreign sails. but the town wears
detected aspect, which is shared by the natives
the donkey, and even the camels who have patent
for equanImty even under the most trying circum-
stances. Hotekeepers grasping for customers hold
out inducements of fabulous wonders to be seen
about but the first train leaves in an hour, so by
that train we has on toward "Masr Ell Kahira."
The depot has dilapidated, ghastly appearance
and the locomotives and coaches run " for all
they are WORTH" so that two-thrds of the rolling
stock always in hospital in various stages of dis
solution. Our Arab driver, however, ratified along
at about thirty miles hour. that almost five
hours were consumed by the trip, and those the
briefest five remember. few miles from Alex
andria we passed Ramleh, the place which
Cesar fortified where Abercromble fell. and
where so recently Arab Bey barred the way against
the British. The brilliant green of the young crops
dazzling in the clOudless sunlight, the delicious
Odor of the lowering bean fields and the eyer-recurr
ing groups of lofty palms, waving graceful leaves
in the gentlest Of all zephyrs, lend TO the low undu
lating lands the rich appearance of blooming prai-
re. But the best interest is added to ILe picture
by the moving lines Of variegated life, IN every
possible condition of dress and undreSs. Donkeys
trot along nimbly under q portly Arab of 200
pounds, and frequently with a child or two thrown
IN; solemn camcls march by with loads of fodder or
masses Of cornstaks, beneath which their legs and
noses are just visible. The wheel he shadOof and
the swinging basket are everywhere Piled by man
and buffalo, feeding through a thousand little chan
nes the ever-thirstysol with draughts from Father
Niles big barrel The white ibises SIT IN reflective
rows in the green patches. The heron 6 gIthers up
his long legs aud sails away through the air at the
approach OF the locomotive, while the black and
white kingfshers and the twnkng wagtai,
seem to skim by our side and court
our company on the journey. At each stoppage
ged crowd Of both sexes proso iaIso mandarin
oranges upon the travellers, and here and there
among the sycamores the trees themselves. with
their golden burthen peep through. Tie train
slows and we look down upon tao the Nile and
realize how majestic is the stream This is but the
Rosetta arm, but soon after we glide ever the
Damietta branch to the eastern shore Of the parent
stream, and then in the distance loom up the pyra-
mlds and soon afterward pull up in the station
Of Cairo The familiar hotel I" tout" appears and
we select hostely. There are but two stories III
the building there garden and fountain III the
quadrangle and the whole is surrounded by park
of palms and Towering shrubs so that from every
window there is a pleasant green prospect. The
hours and manner of meals are French, the cHsine
excellent and the cost of board less than that al any
frst-class hotel in New York.
At ease ones inn the next thing TO be done IL to
discover prime donkey and driver for explorations,
and to attach them to your person for future
locomotive needs. The Arab driver, like negro,
s called boy no matter what his aye. and as "a
rule he has a smattering of all languages, and Of
course an intimate knowledge OF the city More
over, both driver and donkey may be hired for the
entire day for less than a dollar. Some OF the
donkcys have a spirited AIR. cock their ears and put
on the style OF a racehorSe but this is the beast
rarely to be reckonoi on tor speed and endurance.
As for the bow he endures forever, for trot, gaop,
or amble he is ever at the animals heels TO scream
"Allah.D to twist the brute's tail 10 accelerate
his pace by plentiful application of rattan.
The Mouski is the main business artery of Cairo,
and every turn Of 1t leads into some bazar or pic
turesaue alley crowded with the dealers, tho work
ers and the buyers, and moving mass of animal
life. Grave merchants. Turk. Arab. Armenian and
Copt squat on the shelves of their small shops dick
eriug with customers also squatting beside them,
calmly smoking their water pipes, apparently indif-
ferent. but m reality watching for the advent of a
purchaser Tie crowd, as it passes, is kaleidoscope
In its changes, owing TO the thousand and one
varieties of dress shades of complexion and colors.
The only exception is the black garb worn by toe
women be il silk for ladies of the harem. or n COM
mon cotton for the lower classes. All OF them are
robed somewhat alike and all are partially covered
by black wells hanging bv brass pipes from their
foreheads or the cOwls that cover their heads. But
from that little exposed space two
lusrous eyes blaze out, heightened IN ehect
hn
10 the lasles and when the woman doesnot sqnlnt |
and one optic is not dcfaced by cataract the effect
~ their ewes is n new " sensation Most OF tho |
baTkers conceal their features wrnbled old hags
very ndciously do 40. and tho Nublan slaves cover
their jet black races with snowy Vells. Inc COptlc |
women are more free in the display oi their charms,
and they may be- easily picked out from the genuine
Arab population by their greater cleanliness ana |
SUPERIOR stye of dress. Still the custom OF Ven@ |
seems univ, rsal ard littlo maldens OF ten, aiter
gaping curiousy at the stranger, hurrledR ont |
coguettIshy cover their pretty features with the |
Fhc bazhrs seli everything but few things that
may not he better bought III Europe; indeed n we
may Judge of the rugs and carpets dlSpayed ana
the prlces demanded better articles could be GOT IN
Nev-York at Twenty-Five per cent less cost. In one
dark aey nothing was offered Tor SAFE put req anu
yellow leather slippers, but leSpied at one END the
out of -the-way entrance to rIckety mosque. ZIP
Dprs were i'm thousands, but thus was not snow
place for strangers so there were some on s'raW os
a. a. hand things Ras can n be elected here, how
over nv n bribe so the gilt OF ten cents caused TWO
nieces Of rag to be produced and bound round un-
holy boots. and then the Stranger waS an selc" r W
the artist over the rulnous houses waved an IN,
mense palm and above all lowered the great striped
ga 70 of Es Zeweyleh, and the magnificent carved
tons - minarets of the mosque FL Ashraz. To the
eTt under portico, the faithful were at thelr de-
yotons in tho foreground lay the sacred fountain,
and on The right the splendid portal OF the ottering
coIonnade showed superb columns OF polished mar
O'0' ~ ''' GEORGE FAwcETT ROWE.