, 1884-07-24
EGYPT'S DRAGOMEN.
How the Natives Prey Upon the
Luckless- Foreigner.
The Rrazen ImpertInsnes OF Street
Guides I'm Cairo and AIex<pdria
Some Cases In
Point.


alexandra Cor. Inter Ocean.l
In speaking OF guides. l think / must pay
those of Cairo and Alexandria a farewell
tribute. Having now performed the greater
part OF the round the world circuit, 1 feel
justified in ~pronouncipg them the most inso-
lently importunate on the face of the earth.
l think . few Illustrations will bear me out
in this statement. fell accidentally into
the hands OF a d~ragoman upon my arrival
here. Having the name of the French hotel
whcreat / desired TO stop, he assumed to rep
resent the hotel the moment he heard me
drop the name. We entered a barouche of
his hiring Il know he got a commission on
the amount OF the fare), and were driven to
the hotel, whereat he revealed his identity
and demanded remuneration for an hours
services. He followed me to my room with
brazen impertinence, and not having a
knowledge OF French adequate to the
emergency | was at his mercy. l reluctantly
feed the scoundrel, taking occasion 70 identify
him with the canine species and the fraternity
Of fabricators as did SO. As the dragomen
have as little spirit as they have principle,
this wordy fusillade fell harmlessly to the
ground.
On another occasion | Inadvertently in
quired the way to the postoffice of a pleasant
faced Egyptian, He politely accompanied
me to the place, about a block distant, despite
- a NiiNAc ho "huNSA
to know where he should go neIt-"To the
gardensl'
Then | realized with whom l had fallen in.
l peremptorily asked him what he meanti
He replied with an injured air that | had en-
gagged his services, and that of course his
time was at my disposal, subject to the Gus
tomary rates Of payment. Thereupon | told
him that We would settle and he might
e..
How much is your charge for showing me
to the postofficeP l inquired
Nothing short of a shilling, surely was
Nothing short of a shilling, surely" was
the reply-25 cents in American money
inquired with a tinge of sarcasm. "You
know there are hundreds of boys on the
streets who would walk here and back -four
times, and DO delighted with a fee of / pias-
ter therefor. II you ever come to America,
and ask a gentleman the way to a building,
when he is as well dressed as you are, you
don't want to offer him bucksheesh unless
you are anxious to get it hurled back into
your teeth"
For once | was firm, and only gave him a
single plaster. He made an awful fuss of
course, which was not enjoyable; but l had
the comfort OF knowing that all the Eu-
ropeans in the vicinity would interpret the
affair in my favor.
One more example. had occasion to
make IA trip out to one Of the steamboats, in
the harbor of Alexandria. There was a ter
rible rush for me, and the boatmen were
offering to take me for almost nothing.
Rather than prolong such a scene l selected
one man, and offered him a franc or 4 pias-
tiers eco cents. As we started out a good
many offered to perform the trip for 8 pins
tiers. But l stuck by my man. How did he
reward met When we got half way to the
steamboat he demanded his money. Know
ing the idiotic folly OF yielding such a point,
l refused. He threatened to turn the boat
about, confscats my baggage, ETC.; and we
Numbered back and forth at each other till
the steamer gangway was reached. 1 knew
it was the forotaste OF an imposition. Ac-
cordingly, / was not surprised when he de-
Inanded in parting "his 2 shillings" Being
thoroughly aroused l said no; whereupon he
sent up a terrific howl, alleging that | had
contracted to pay him that muchi Finally,
he consented to compromise for 2 francs, |
gave him | shilling only (which was 3 cents
in excess Of the stipulated price,, and he de-
parted, cursing and abusing me soundly. A
few minutes later one Of the officers OF the
boat came around to the gangwny, and told
me that half a franc was the regular price,
and was abundant compensation.