Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-10-27
LAND OF WONDERS.
BISHOP KAHN DELIVERS AN INTERESTING LEI
TURE ON EGYPT.
Strange People and Strange Customs-Som' O
the Mohammedan Habits-Views Along the
Nlls-A Stroll Up the Principal Street.

Last evening kt. heN' Di0""P
took large assemblage on delightful
stroll through the land of sphinx, ODE
lisks and pyramids. 1t was the Secohu
in the series of lectures on his foreign
travels. 1t was delivered before most
appreciative gathering in the Church OIL
Immaculate Conception.
The Bishop star ed out by saying that
it was on Sunday afternoon on the
10th of March, a day preceding the
feast of st. Patrick, that he took pass
age on a steamer from ae Arabian port
on the Adriatic Sea to Alexandria,
Egypt. 1t was voyage of three days.
1t was at o'clock on the morning OF
the following Thursday the steamer
landed in the harbor of Alexandria.
And what a sight.
There was the harbor, full Of boats
of all kinds and people Of various ma
tionalities, all clamoring to take us
ashore. We were finally
TAKEN TO LAND,
and then how strange to feel that we
were in the land of Egypt. You must
not suppose that being in city so thor
oughly foreign, with people so different
in habits, customs and language, that
one has to conform to them. Not so.
A cosmopolitan spirit pervades the
land, and the hotels and other accom-
modationS for travellers are much the
g., -, bn Uannla
and more modern European cities.
Referring to the Mohammedan women,
the Bishop said that some are under the
impression that they never go out Of
doors. This is not so. They 90 out,
but are always yelled, and even their
houses are screened, living as they do
on the principle that they are to see,
but not to be seen. Speaking Of the
practice of polygamy in vogue among
this religious sect, the Bishop said
the rules governing its practice
were somewhat peculiar from the
fact that one or more OF the
wives could be dismissed summarily at
any time, the only provision being that
the husband shall continue
to support her at least a week after her
dismissal. Nothing will better Illus
trate the cosmopolitan character of the
place than the fact that at the Church
of st. Catharine five sermons are
preached every Sunday morning in five
different languages. After referring to
his rambleS through the principal
streets and the many odd and quaint
sights he saw, he spoke of the great
prevalence of beggarS in the country.
and then took up the city OF Cairo.
On the DIST of March our party left
Alexandria for Cairo, and We made the
distance of 100 miles in 81 houGs On
our way we crossed the Nile, getting
the first glimpse of
THE GREAT RIVER
which has figured so conSpicuouSly in
the history Of Egypt. The color Of the
water is brown, the river being not
much longer than the Ohio. and not so
wide. After giving beautiful word
picture of this noted river the Bishop
remarked incidentally that DR.. Tai
mage was very much mistaken when he
said last Sunday that he went around
the old brick ruins of Jericho. There
isn't brick in the town.
The Bishop then referred to a feast
that he encountered while he was there
that was being held in honor Of some
Mohammedan official, and notable cir
cumstancc of the carnival was the fact
that no one appeared elated with drink.
Drink is rare among the followers OF
the false prophet, as wine is strictly for
hidden in the Koran, one example, at
least, from which Christians might learn
a salutary lesson.
Cairo. of all places, is most cosmopol-
itan. Stores in many parts OF the city
are much like our own here i'm America.
And mngling with the tawnY Egyptian
ladies may be seen Germans, French,
English and many others, all dressed in
the garb of their respective countries.
Society in Cairo is said to be superior to
that of most Eastern cities. The Bishop
here referred to the hospitality with
which he was received by several per-
sons of rank to whom he was intro
duccd. and also of the general courtesy
and Difference which was every
where apparent among the rep
rcsentativc people. The Bishop. after
describing the commercial features OF
the place, went on to speak OF the great
pyramid wonders, which the speaker
termed the nearestapproach to noun
tain man has ever made. IL j. lmpoSSl-
BILE not to feel thrill as you approach
these immense pyramids. lie spoke OF
the enormous sphinx which looms up in
the air fully 20 feet, the giant repre-
sentation of royalty. After giving an
outline of the history Of these wondrouS
structures, the speaker called attention
TO
\ MoHAMMADAN WEDDING,
which he had witnessed, the noise of
which reminded him of a calathumpian
band, and on another occasion he
CHANGED to be the witness of a Moham-
MADAM wedding, in which the corpse is
carried through the streets in plain view
of the people, aud is not put in the
coffin until the cemetery is reached.
The Bishop gave 1 most interesting /