The herald., 1893-07-18
THE ORIENT IN THE OCC|DENT.
Cairo As 1t Is Now Seen in
Chicago.
Curious Scenes to Be Observed on
the Midway Plaisance.
All enc Tone and Flavor OF Cleopatra's
Ancient Kingdom to Be Enjoyed
for the Cost of Nineteenth
Century Dollar.
specisl csrrespondepce to the HrRAIp.

Special correspondence to the HERALD,
CHICAGO, July 11th.
OF the many strange and wonderful
people Of the plaisance, and their curious
abodes and villages, perhaps the most
fascinating is the Cairo street and the
Egyptian sojourners. There ia certain
charm in all things Egyptian; perhaps
from biblical history and the stories OF
Moses and Pharaoh's daughter and all
the others of the holy tome, and perhaps
from the acknowledged glamour OF the
orient.
The Cairo street is a reproduction on
a more extensive plan OF the Rue du
Caire OF the last Paris exposition, which
met with such popular and financial
success at that time that it was decided
by the syndicate who had 1t in charge
in 1889 to reproduce and enlarge it for
the Chicago fair. So in the occident we
find the orient.
Like all Mohammedan towns, The ex-
terror is most uninviting and disap-
pointing; plastered walls, irregular
buildings and few windows give it gen.
orally dismal aspect. Catering narrow
little street, walled in by low, gaudiiy
painted houses, whose overhanging bal
comics almost roof the serpentine thor
oughfare, encountering all the nations
of the earth, one is moved by great
wondement. From behind a curtained
recess come strains of peculiar Egyptian
music, while babble OF strange tongues
comes not unmusically to the ear. Tall
minarets, surmounted by the crescent,
rise here and there amid the dazzling
houses. Glancing about, the exteriors
seem to be nearly all alike, two or three
stories high, fiat rooted, built OF varle-
gated bricks with interlinings OF wood.
Mostly all the upper stories project
over the street. and from these
oriel windows of delicate lattice work
of old brown wood, hang out like old
bird cages. The jutting stone brackets
which support the upper stones are all
true reproductions OF the Arabic style
of architecture. A few OF the residences
have curious little open balconies shaded
with gay awnings, the whole seeming
to have been added or stuck on after the
building was completed.
Perhaps the most elaborate house IN
| the street is the restored dwelling OF
rich Arab OF the 18th century-one
Camel Ell Din FL Yahbi by name-for
this is not the Cairo of today, but in the
halcyon days of it's zenith OF Hplendor.
The same huge covered balconies ex-
tend from the upper stories aud are
ernsmented with antique weshrebleh,
rich in the color OF age. The facade is
particularly intricate in design. Tne
doors themselves swinging in the low
and broad portal, are exquisitely lniald
with thread-like traceries OF ivory.
The mosque is copied after the style
of that of the Sultan Karl Bey, while
the minafe. ia a reproduction OF that OF
the mosque of Abou Bake Ma zhar,
which is said to be the most beautlful In
Cairo. The massive doors are orna,
mented with wonderful metal work and
the interior is decorated curiousFy and
embellished with rich draperies and
ieweled pendant lamps. Here the muez-
zin calls the faithful to prayer and from
the visitors gallery one can watch these
strange people at their devotions.
Then there is the Sebil or Abdurrah
an Khat Hoadi with its marble frontal
pierced with bowling windows, light ar
cades, iutting balconies and ensorotted
with arabesques. The quadrangular
court Of the Akala is fitted with bazaars
over whose heads one pointed
arch rises above another, with
galleries above for better view
; OF the motley throng as they surge
about the booths. Here the bnsy mer-
chants ply their vocations and the shops
ara piled high with the products OF the
east. Lattakia tobacco, dates OF Nubia
and Baled ell Jeria. sweetmeats of Dam
ascus and the perfumes OF Fayoom are
seen together, In another section the
satins OF Aleppo and the fabrics OF India
are mingled with richer stuffs OF native
: looms. Beautiful tasseled and EN-.
broidersd clippers, ancient prayer rugs,
scarfs, pillars of scarlet fez, ivories,
iewelry and trinkets, potteries, brass
work. Soudanese arms and draperies,
Moorish weapons ard lamps, ostrich
eggs and feather fans from the desert ol
Sahara. rosaries and crosses from the
Mount of Olives, gold and silver coins o
ancient Egyptian dynasties, national
costumes. lotus soap and myriads o.
household and toilet articles tempt tne
visitor and tend to shorten the purse o.
the sightseer. The all is laden with the
heavy perfume of ottar OF roses, which
alone carries the imagination to the
land of the lotus and palm.
Then there are to he seen the various
artisans in their witch-like shops, busy
at their work. The manufacturers Q
slippers, the silk weavers at thel
looms the siwan (tent) makers and EN-
broiderers, silver smiths making th'
famous filigree work OF the Soudan
gontahs (iars) are shaped and decorated
BY native workmen, candy-maxers
manufacturers of musical instruments
wood and ebony csrvers and man.
others, all busy at their particular IN
dustries.
, Entering through one OF the arcne'
doorways Inscribed with Arabic letter
, ing, a dark room is found. 1t may nave
no window at all, or. perhaps a stra,
sunbeam struggles through TIM
, stained glass aperture and shoots long
3 slantng ray through the blackness g
, rest on Persian rug. Rich tapestrie
! cover the walls, and low, luxuriou
j couches and divans, heaped with pal
Q lows. line the room. Quaint brass an
e ieweled lampa are suspended by chain
Z, from the gilded ceilings. Mosaics, IN
g laid tables, costly decorations and draF
cries all proclaim wealth ana ease, ye
8 the sickly odor of burning incense, auo
Q ing its vapors to the already heavy all
g soon hurries one back into the street, t
r blink at the strong light.
d Here the candy vendor IN stripe
9 green robe and turban offers hg paste
8 nougat, pistache and other swestmeat
for inspection ii not digestion. Near o
dark. eyed beauty is selling cigarette