The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-17
WOMEN IN EGYPT.
A Glimpse of the Domestic Life OF y 40
People of Cairo.


Glimpse of the Domestic Life OF y 20
People of Cairo.
Egypt exhibits the spectacle, of which
l know no other example, of people
utilized for centuries solely for the
profit, not of conquering foreign race,
but of individual foreigners, born in
ruder climates. The condition of a
handle the sword and never resists
force in the presence Of brutal barbara
ans, like the Turks or the Mamelukes,
cannot be far removed from a state of
servitude. Such has been, for CEN
turtles, the lot of the Egyptians. In a
race sunk SO low, to what degree OF
slavery must we not expect to see the
women reduced? The condition Of
women, among any people whatever, is
always difficult to determine with pre-
cision, and especially difficult among
Mussulman people. In Egypt, in all
classes of society, they try to keep
women hidden, and when the income
permits they lock them up Among the
rich the seclusion from the world is al
most absolute; their houses in Cairo
are generally square edifces one story
high and surmounted by a terrace.
Great numbers of such are seen in the
quarters of Ismailieh and Bab-el-luk.
They are surrounded by gardens, which
separate them from the street. The
windows, large and numerous enough,
all have blinds, which are kept hermet-
icallv closed. The balconies and ter
races communicating with the apart
ments are closely surrounded with
wooden gratings rising about six feet
and a half from the ground, through
which nothing can be seen from the
outside The house is entirely devoted
to the hafem, the master being the only
man who enters it. He may have bust
ness with other men, and find it eces-
sary to receive them. For that purpose,
special wing, completely isolated, very
small, corresponding in aspect to d
porter's lodge among US, is placed along
side of the entrance door. This wing
constitutes the 'selamlik" or apartment
of reception. 1t is generally a single
room, of which the limited dimensions
and shabby appearance testify how
daily lifeof the owner. In the street, be-
fore the entrance, squat some chatter
ing servants; but the principal edifce.
so far as can be seen, is deserted. All
these Affiliations, some of which are
magnificently built, do not seem to be
made for the living; accompanied by
cypress trees and entire silence, they
have the appearance of huge mauso-
leums.
In proportion as the means of the
householder diminish, the space oc-
cupied by the dwelling becomes less.
Men are in closer contact. without
gaining anything in sociability or the
houses losing their appearance of being
prisons. In those streets of Cairo in
which the houses are contiguous. the
outside walls are pierced with few and
small openings. When the low doors
are open, you see nothing but wall
short distance back, at the side of
which is a narrow, dark, and tortuous
passage. giving access to the interior.
In such houses there is no room accessi-
BILE to strangers. One day. during an
excursion in the suburbs, | met dis
tinguished professor belonging to one
of the great educational esta blishments
of Cairo, and we exchanged some
words of politeness. On our return to
the city, he very courteously invited
me to take coffee with him. accepted
his invitation and followed him. Here
we are. he said, suddenly stopping in
the narrow lane in which we were
walking; "be good enough to wait a
few minutes" He entered his house,
from which he soon emerged, bringing
with him some chairs, for which he
searched for level place in the street
Then. inviting Us to sit, he called
out his neighbor. the coffee house
keeper, to bring some coffee. This is
what he styled receiving US at his
house. Certainly it was far removed
from an English home or even from the
hospitality which you will find at
French peasants; il is one of the re-
suits of the position Of women. Among
people quite poor it is impossible 10
have sufficient space to allow their
women TO go about without being seen.
Such are no longer protected By their
wells, and often, when engaged in hard
work. they seem 10 be Indifferent as 10
keeping their faces covered.
1t must not be supposed that the Gus
toms which led men To hide women
from all eyes were the result % luascu-
line Jealousy alone; such customs were
necessary. The social state IN which
they originated. and which lasted long
enough TO cause them 10 become deeply
rooted in the manners Of the people,
was altogether different from that
0eaceable and well regulated state
which we too readily imagine To be the
normal state OF al society. In Egypt,
On the contrary. the normal condition,