The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-08-01

made up OF COpts, Bedoulns, Nublans,
negroes, Levantines, Turks, Armenians,
Jews, and about 10000 Europeans. The
first two are direct descendants of the
ancient Egyptians, whom, judging from
the pictures on the monuments, they
greatly resemble. They are of slender
build, with broad shoulders and sinewy
legs and arms; dark skinned, with high
foreheads, full cheeks, flat noses, with low
bridges; slightly protuding jaws, with large
mouths and full lips. The Copts are the
better type physically, and are more Euro
pean in feature The general language is
Arabic-a rough, cultural tongue, and
unpleasant to the ear-and their writing
somewhat resembles short hand. The
dress of the natives requires but few
words The universal article is thin
cotton gown, generally dark, but sometimes
white, and open part way down the front,
longer for women than for men, and but
toned at the neck for the former and cut
V-shaped for the latter. This is the sole
article for the lowest classes. The some
what higher classes of men wear under
meath close-buttoned vest of fancy striped
material, and white cotton underelothes;
perhaps shoes, with or without socks, but
generally slippers only or nothing. The
women supplement the gown with breadth
of the same material used as a shawl over
the head, as do also the men in cold
weather, despite bare feet. Slippers and
gaudy stockings are worn by all but the
lowest among women. In the larger cities
of Lower Egypt the women invariably
wear black or white wells, covering the
face below the eyes, and held in position
by cylindrical trinket, suspended down
the centre of the forehead The fez and
turban are the universal head dress for
men. Women wear nothing but the
shawl, as above, either attached to the
gown or separate. Thus the ordinary
dress is very plain and simple. The high
est class among the men follow European
or Turkish fashion, the latter consisting of
heavy cloth bloomers of brilliant colors,
with a short, tightftting and highly
embroidered jacket of the same material
As the grade lowers curious combinations
with the native. dress are made. One
man wears light English overcoat over a
white gown, another has English trousers
under dark gown, a third has an over
coat over Turkish bloomers, with shawl
wound around his neck or over his fez, etc.
The class difference in woman's dress, as
to outward appearances, is one Of quality
only. They don't walk tho streets to
parade their clothes. The high class ladies
always ride in close carriages, attended by
a servant, never by their husbands. In
fact, counting a seat for each of the four
wives to which every Mohammedan is
entitled, there would be little room for
him even should he so condescend. Few
but the lowest are seen on the street.
The eyes belonging to those yelled faces
invariably give one the impression of un-
satisfied curiosity on your part as well us
theirs. Many of the young girls are very
pretty, and from the eyes one would judge
the same held for the older ones I saw
one of the prettiest faces on 10-year-old
girl at Luxor that have seen anywhere; she
got a halfpiastre ca cents) on the strength
of it. One or two special dresses are worn
by special classes, the most shrinking of
which is that of the 'Sais, or runners who
procede the carriages of prominent and
wealthy people to clear the way and give
tone to the equipage. They are artistically
dressed in short white linen trousers, very
full and drawn in bloomer style at the knee;
a tight-ftting jacket of the same material,
with very full sleeves and decorated down
the front and back with dark gold tinsel
cloth, sash of which encircles the waist
with turban to match. Nothing is worn
below the knees. They always carry a
long stick held upright in one hand, their
arms are kept straight and close to their
sides. This class of men appeared to be
the best conditioned of any of the native
workers and are evidently considered well
up. They are only used in driving through
the crowded city. The principal occupa-
ton in Egypt is, of course, the cultivation
of the land. In fact, it is almost the only
occupation outside of the sugar manufac-
tory and petty trades (gold, silver and
brass working, pottery and brick baking,
cloth, trinket and shoe manufacture, ETC.,
etc.
IRRIGATION AND WATER SUPPLY.
Irrigation has always been the great
problem, both to water the fertile parts in
the dry season and to reclaim more land.
The primitive means for this purpose are
interesting. The "shadoof" and Hsakkieh" "
are the most common. The former is a
skin or basket pail attached by pole
eight feet long, to the end of counter
weighted lever swung across a small ditch
at the top of the rivers bank. A pocket
is dug below for the water to enter, and
from this it is scooped up by the pailful to
the small irrigating bitches supplying the
fields. As the water lowers new osha-
doof" is built below. In this way three or
four lifts are needed when the river is low
est, each making rise of eight feet. One
man works each 'shadoof" The "sak-
kieh' is vertical wheel hung at the top
Of a wall, over which an endless rope, with
selfemptying earthenware jars attached,
runs to the water below. On the other
end of this wheels shaft cogged wheel is
geared into horizontal one turned by ami
NAL power. The whole construction is of
the rudest description; all made of wood
the cogs being projections of the spokes
The bearings give out creaking sound
that may be heard for long distance.
Water for irrigation is likewise carried in
jars and skins. The traditional picture of
group of women, with futteripg gowns.
carrying large water jars on their heads, is
frequently met with. This custom, though
severe, is conducive to excellent carriage;
one seldom, if ever, sees a round-should-
cred woman. Earthenware jars of all
shapes and sizes supply every domestic use
in this primitive civilization; they are un-
glazed, and are largely used as filters by all
classes. Their manufacture is probably
the largest purely native industry. The
English are slowly solving the problem of
irrigation by the aid Of pump works and
new canals.
ILL., f.,,,,