Morning journal and courier., 1889-11-19
mems to exhibit to the children of their re-

Spectlve sunday SCHOOLS.
The ride to Cairo proved positive delight
and surprise in some respects. Coming, as
we did, from the arid and ashen desolation
Of Palestine, where vegetation, deprived OF
water for several months, was seemingly ex-
tinct, nought but heated limestone and dust
being visible, Egypt blushed in verdant
beauty like the very Garden of Eden. On
every hand abundant harvests were manis
tested. Limitless fields of Indian and sugar
corn-with cotton and other crops--stretched
far away In the distance. Even now, as in
the days of Joseph, there was abundant corn
in Egypt. For weary weeks no green thing
had been witnessed save the dust covered
olive, fig and a sprinkling of other tropical
trees. How marvellous the change.
The secret of it all was the Nile. Irriga-
tion here is pronounced success. 1t re-
minded us OF the famous painting at the
Vatican, Rome, where the Nile is symbol
lied by female with children in her arms
and various animals at her feet, denoting
unlimited supply for man and beast.
In the wayside fields grazed peacefully the
African buffalo and occasionally the camel,
with focks of large black goats and sheep.
The date palm laden with luscious fruit lift
ed it's lofty form on high as if conscious of
being an important if not Indispensable con-
tribation to the public good. Low and
squatty houses of adobe brick were common.
Their mean appearance seemed utterly out of
harmony with the prodigality and grandeur
of nature which surrounded them.
: The road-bed of the railway was In bad
repair. Such swaying Of cars, bouncing and
discomfort had been nowhere else expert
enced. To add to the misery binding clouds
and 80 did the journey to Cairo. Thorough
ablutions, a substantial table d'hote dinner
at seven p. M, followed by refreshing sleep,
prepared us for the duties of the succeeding
day.
The Boulak Museum Of Egyptian curiosi-
ties and antiques presented few novelties to
those who had witnessed similar displays at
the British museum and at various points in
New York city. Rameses II, who fourished
contemporary with Moses, and other num-
mics of Egyptian monarchs were included in
the collection.
On Nile boat, adjoining the museum, was
being loaded huge stone statue of the
Pharaoh of the exodus during the career of
Moses. Apparently, the huge block would
weigh fully one ton. Yet it was fastened to a
series Of poles placed on the soulders of per-
haps q score Of dusky and stalwart Arabs
and Nubians, and was carried along slowly
while all Joined in CHEEKY chorus which
sounded like "Allah is great; Allah is great"
The image was to be transported to another
locality on the Nile to embellish public gar
den in that region.
Women in Egypt, as In other Mohamme-
dan countries, conceal their faces by ugly
wells of black or variegated hues, according
to their age, but unlike other lands, expose
the eyes and portion of the forehead. A
brass or wooden cylinder about the size of a
spool of thread is shown on the forehead.
This is for the purpose of concealing the tape
fastening the veil to their heads and possesses
no religious Specification, Is many mistak-
enly suppose. Hordes of donkey boys
make ones life miserable by incessantly
dogging your footsteps around the city cry
ing in fair broken English, "Donkey, sir;
very goot donkey" You pause at bazaar
window to inspect an article therein display
ed, or to see some object across the street,
but the everlasting din of Donkey, sir, !"
goes on. Even when our entire Palestine
party have just taken long line Of carriages
for distant drive, the clamor continues,
though it should be obvious even to an
Egyptian donkey boy, that traveller cannot
be in two remote places at once.
Various mosques about Cairo were duly
visited. One morning in particular We re-
moved our shoes three times to enable us to
enter these structures, peculiar sanctity
being attached to the spot. While visiting
the mosque of Omar at Jerusalem one of the
party thoughtlessly expectorated on the floor.
Our Mohammedan guide immediately threw
himself on his knees, bowed his head to the
nOOr ana KlsSou tne very spot W puflAy Inc
premises. The interpreter absolutely de-
clined to translate the personal epithet ap-
piled by the devotee to the thoughtless Of
| fender lest religious outbreak shoald occur.
| 1t might serve as lesson to Christian wor-
shippers everywhere, however, to preserve
their places of worship from desecration and
defilement as far as is consistently practi-
cable.
The mosque of Mohammet Ali is the hand
soonest and costliest structure of the Moham-
medan faith at Cairo, unsurpassed alone by
the mosque of St. Sophia, Constantinople.
The architecture is exceedingly grand and
imposing. Much of the outer and inner
wallis are composed of solid alabaster.
Within costly Mossics adorn the building,
while precious stones of many attractive COL
ors shone resplendently in the beautiful
dome. Various worshippers were at prayer
in portions of the building, the "dim relig
ious light, and the murmur of distant voices
at devotion produced sensations of an i'm
pressive character. Costly Turkish carpets
covered the floor.
The tombs of the kings of Egypt were also
grand, and well deserve visit. Millions of
dollars were expended upon these beautifully
decorated sarcophagi to commemorate the
name and fame of these ancient and terrible
tyrants. Among the most modern of them
was one containing the body of the mother
of the present Khedive of Egypt.
Included in the list Of strange sight in
Cairo should be mentioned the presence of
| women in the streets with broad shallow
baskets poised on their heads, picking up the
animal dripping with their naked hands and
placing it In the baskets on their heads.
Here, there and yonder they dart, absorbed
in their humble and filthy employment, never
removing the basket or spilling it's contents.
NATHAN HUBBELL.