The Frankfort roundabout. [volume] (Frankfort, Ky.) 1882-1908, 1895-05-25
THE CITY OF CAIRO
AS Seen Through Mr.. Darsie's
Eyes.

el1ng III Egypt lot WEEKS has turH-
ed his face homeward. Yesterday
he left Pireas by steamer for
Athens, where he arrives to-day
and will remain until Wednesday
seeing the sights, when he will
take steamer for Constantinople.
The following letter, written from
Cairo. is descriptive Of that city,
which he styles
THE METROPOLIS OF EGYPT.
OF course l mean Cairo, and
after ten days sojourn therein I
am very willing to concede the ad-
jective and say, Grand Cairo.
Not only Egypt's metropolis but
Africas as well, it has close upon
half a million inhabitants and ranks
the second city of the Ottoman
Empire. Seven thousand tourists
come hither every year, and the
half Of them go no further, think
ing, l suppose, that when they
have seen the Delta and Cairo,
they have seen Egypt. To speak
accurately they have seen about
half of Egypt, the easiest and per-
haps the pleasantest half to see.
But no one can appreciate tins
half like those who have first seen
the other half. A trip up the Nile
staightens out many things in and
about Cairo that else were confus-
ing to the tourist.
The first thing that strikes you
on entering the city is the goodly
size of the buildings. They are
mostly Of light-colored stone and
loom up in imposing proportions.
Arriving on hot day, as we did,
you are surprised at the delicious
GOODNESS OF your hotel and you
soon discover that the secret lies
in thick walls, high ceilings and
large piazzas. On the street we
had found a temperature OF O.
degrees. but within the New Hotel
we revelled in temperature. Of 72
degrees. 1t was a most agreeable
change from the cramped quarters
OF Nile steamer to its spacious
apartments. The most distinctly
American thing we found at the
New was ice aVatfr, the first we had
seen in Egypt. The New fronts
on the quarter known as THE
Ezbekieh," the finest part of the
city, and connects with the street
by series of large. covered
porches that stand high above it
and give you the best view Of the
street. life to be found in Cairo.
We really did not need to 60
about in order to see the sights.
The sights all passed by us as we
sat un. er the canopies Of our
roomy front porch. There is the
snake charmer showing off his live
cobras and crocodiles. There are
the vendors Of canes, roses, beads,
fly brushes and dear only knows
what all. There goes the water
seller, clanking two bowls together
with the fingers Of one hand, and
making them sound exactly like a
bell. Yonder passes the khedive
in his carriage. Here comes pair
Of fleet Nubian runners, gaily at
tired in loose white garments, but
with legs bare from the knee
down. Each has a long staff in
his hand, and with a peculiar cry
of warning. they clear the way
before the rich-looking turnout
that is rapidly advancing. They
are the sais. the most stylish and
the most characteristic street sight
in Cairo. The sidewalk never lacks
supply of beggars, who hold up
the stub of an arm, or point at
sightless eyes. and appeal in
pleading tones for charity. Bare
footed women with black wells
from their eyes down, and the
inevitable cylinder Of brass over
the nose, pass continually. Donkey
boys from the curbstone with
saddled donkeys stand ready to
trot you round the city. White
turbans and red tarbooshes, ac-
companied by black, blue, green