Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-04
A Much Married Pasha Forces Him
Into Miserable Quarters.
NOTES TAKEN ON HOLY GROUND.
Evidences of the Fulfllment Of Prophecies
Found on the Nile.
ODD SIGHTS AND AMUSING EPISODES

IneTe Is out one line OF steamers between
Greece and Egypt. 1t is known as the
Egyptian Packet Steamship Company's
line. There being no choice in the matter,
Alexandra having to be reached, we took
the steamer Chakkieh from Pireus, which is
the hsrbor of Athens and place of consid-
erably over 10000 inhabitants. The ship
was so crowded with passengers that our
party was compelled to divide up, some
members of it being obliged to travel, as far
as sleeping accommodations were concerned,
as second class passengers. An Egyptian
Pasha aboard had five OF his wives along,
and for their exclusive comfort and convent
ence had hired the entire ladies' saloon and
dressing room, putting others to distressing
Inconvenience.
Arabs crowded the decks. Among them
was a sheik very noticeable anywhere; he
had keen eve and commanding look.
Ashore he is at the head of force of IL, 900
men; at sea he is surely the most devout of
Mussulmans. He was nearly always en-
gagged in prayer, or in the ablutions prelim-
mary and proper to this pious exercise.
DR.. Talmage was greatly impressed with
the unabashed absorption OF the followers
of Mahomet in their practice Of the duties
prescribed for them in the Koran. He ex-
pressed himself as of the opinion that not 1
in 100000 Christians would venture in pub
lie places with scores of spectators and un-
der no undue pressure from exceptional cir
cumstances to thus openly demonstrate his
religious faith. We survived the voyage to
Alexandria, and will ever retain strong
impression of what it is to live two days in
close contact with Arabs, pent up in mar
row quarters, trying vainly to rest on miser-
able beds, and being obliged to consume
food and drink far from our liking.
A PLEASANT CHANGE.
We stopped at Alexandria two hours pur-
suing our way to Cairo with only this in
considerable break in the journey. How
ever, we did manage while at Alexandria to
eat a substantial breakfast to see Pompev's
Pillar, and to drive over to the palace of
the Khedive. His Highness was at Cairo
and we did not see HIM. We were taken
through the beautiful palace gardens, which
were in full blossom; and ate fruit from the
trees, while an attendant made bouquets of
roses for the ladies of the party. AS mat
ter Of course, we did not fail to note street
scenes in. this great city of 200, 900 inhabi-
tantS. The houses, most of them, are such
as Arabs erect everywhere. Razor-backed
donkeys, attended by halfclad jabbering
urchins, awaited fares. People were oddly
dressed, the men in the wide baggy trousers
everywhere q feature of the Orient.
WOmen's apparel consisted of loose blue
jean gowns, black head capes and wells
either black or white, held in position,
oddly enough by bamboo sticks. Very
ancient looking were the buffalo carts and
the water wheels served by men or their
faithful servants, the buffalo and the
donkey. Dust was everywhere too abun-
dant. Our most delightful reminiscence of
Alexandria is of its gardens.
We arrived at Cairo on the evening of
November 6,,,all pretty well tagged Out, and
more than ready for the really superb &C.
commodations awaiting us. We found our
hotel surrounded by garden which -four
ished in tropical luxuriance. What was
more to the purpose an excellent dinner
awaited our attention, and comfortable beds
the occupancy of people who never
needed them more. The hotel was sur
prisingly good one. 1 think should not
exaggerate in describing it as equal to the
best in New York, but the management was
not equal to the task of excluding from it
flies and mosquitoes. Fless are an Egyptian
pest of which no more need be said.
TALMAGE TAKES NOTES.
In the morning we all met at the breakfast
table greatly refreshed. After breakfast we
visited the Boulak Museum, where are the
mummies Of many ancient kings of Egypt
including the one (Menephtha) who had a
disastrous series OF interviews with Moses.
DR.. Talmage stood before ''this imperish-
able type of evanescence" at least 20 min
utes inspecting it and making notes in his
Bible This, by the way, is his COM
panion on every expedition. From |
the museum we went to the place |
whittier Mary and Joseph are said to |
have fed with the child Jesus to escape the |
wrath of Herod. The identity of the spot |
seems to be we'll authenticated and is ac- |
cepted by many of the most learned students |
Of the age. Here for the first time we set |
foot on holy ground. DR.. Talmage re- |
moved his hat and with head uncovered |
stood few moments in silent meditation, |
''My visit here shall form the subject of the |
first chapter of my liie>of Christ" said he, |
why others have passed this scene over
entirely or touched lightly upon it 1 cannot |
say; but to me 1t is one of the most sacred |
spots on earth" After examining it thor |
oughlv we left 1t to return to the hotel; but |
about 10 minutes later DR.. Talmage insisted |
on going back to it at once saying 81 must |
see II again and must see it now." So back |
we went and new inspection was begun, in
the course of which DR.. Talmage drew over
his shoes pair of rough, heavy sandals,
and stepping down into the water that COW
cred the ground, he carefully took the
dimensions of the place, the girth of the
pillars and their distance from each other,
He then drew diagram so true, as it ap-
peared to me, that it would have done
credit to an architect. Having finished this |
he said: 81 have seen all [ care to see to.
day; shall not leave the house again until
tomorrow" But rest he was not able TO
take.
A GOOD woMAN'S FUNERAL.
On his return to the hotel be found there
the notice of funeral TO take place at 8 P.
NJ, from the American Mission Church at
Cairo, the wife of Prof. G. Lansing, an
American scholar of note, eminent Egypt
ologist and clergyman, having died the day
before after active service in this mission
field Of over 80 years. Prof. Lansing being
an old friend of DR.. Talmage, the BROOKLYN
orator attended the funeral with MI, Eugene
SCHUYLER, the American Consul at Cairo.
Wilson Bey and DR.. Grant, of Scotland.
The body, clad in white. lay in front of the
pulpit; congregation had assembled, about
200 in number. People were divided into
three sections; on the one side sat the women
with veiled faces, bitterly weeping; on the
other side sat the men in their national Qarb
VI noNinR roOes, Siruleo AZ tne WalSt
and wearing the turban, while the
center aisle was occupied by foreign
ers. Every seat was taken aud the
entire audience was deeply affected. The
services were in both Arabic and English.
At the request of the family DR.. Talmaee
took part in them. In the course Of his re-
marks he expressed the sympathy Of the
entire American church. The name of
Lansing, he said, had for years been
synonymous with scholarship and Christian
conservation. Tens of thousands OF hearts
in America would bleed at the news of this
good womsn's departure. For 80 years had
she, far from her native land, been toiling
for the elevation of race 80 different from
her own in feature, in color, in customs, in
habits, that nothing bat an entirely unsel-
fish love could have inspired her. As Dr..
Talmage alluded 70 her gentle and long |