The herald., 1896-06-07
"REMINISCENCES OF THE KHEDlVE'S LAND

TO change bearers. AS each one CT them
went at a different trot, and the c.lalr
moved and creaked with every motion,
the after sensations of that memorable
ride were as bad as those caused by rid
ing donkey would have been.
Sakkara, perhaps the prettiest set
tlement on the Nile, is like an oasis in
the Desert, with the spots of brilliant
turf in which 1t abounds, the luxuriant
waving palm trees which offer so CRATE
full shade and the general air of fer
tility that is a delight to the eyes grown
weary of the barren Cairo landscape.
Sakkara has peculiar interest for tour
lists, apart from its great historical
charms, because it gives them their first
glimps of real Nile life. Our dragoman
proved to have such a respect for it's
wonders that he was on the point of
dragging cne of the ladies who refused
to crawl into tomb on her hands and
knees into the small entrance by sheeS
force, accompanying his excited gestic-
ulation with such wrathful remarks as
What for you here? You have no
tonbs In your country. Why you here
and no 30 in?"
At the temple of Denderah, g. nagni-
cent edifce which seems to have been
Grented lragely vita a view to glorify-
ing the tnemory of various Cleopatras
(onIy one 10 said {. represent the queen
so famous in history. to judge from the
frequency Nllll WllC-l L. AtAis-toS' 90
hewn in the rich stone. the S"dan- chair
mode of conveyance excited IS much
curiosity and jeering among the n.. 'lves
as il had done at s,akkara. We Wee
soon surrounded by innumerable sn1ah
urchins whose only garments were gar
lands of leaves. and who looked like
bronze figures in the cleaning sunshine,
and our progress was impeded by lit
tie girl who held parley with the drago-
man, whom she bade give us the mes
sage, which ran as follows in his Ian
Suage: ''She say Nubian ladies all
laughing at you. She never saw Eng
lishman carried before-Nubian girl she
say you get out-she like ride-she say
you ride often, she never" Another
"Nublan lady" remarking that the oc-
eupant Of the chair had put UP her veil
for a moment, asked how the English
man" dared to have her face uncovered,
adding contemptuously, Shame upon
her who goes unveiled" This was GER
tainIy Q unique sentiment for a country
maiden upon whom custom does not en-
force the wea,i"g of the dreadful VEIL
which must sadly mar ones enjoyment
of life.
Cripples are the exeep,scn in Egypt,
but on our arrival at Ltixoi we were
greeted by horribly deformed Creature
whom our dragoman designated as tie
gentleman what is broke" and whose
mother and father were finished" that
is. dead. Gu drag0man. a tall, gaunt,
mournful looking, one-eyed being. with
an uncommonly good English accent,
was character After assuring us Of
his affection 70 us all. he took us to call
on his family. consisting of his old
mother his homely wife. ana his SUI
premely beautiful sister all of whom
live In small roofless hut, herded to-
gether with their beasts. Such is the
physical and moral degradation of the
race which peoples the historic chores
of the Nile. The dragonafl embarrassed
us by asking which we liked the better,
his wife or his sister and saying. IF
you no like my wife, l shange her. How
you do in America II you no like wife
you no shange her?" Then he told us
how strong he was. which ne ascrbed to
his living chiefly on tea, and how su-
perior to his women folk, who imbibed
coffee only, and ended with contempt
uous wave of his hand toward his fam
lily, and the scornful remark, Il clean
they dirty-I take bath every 6ay-they
never"
True beauty is rarely met with among
Egyptian women. The Fellahine, or
peasant women. are decidedly the most
picturesque. particularly when they car
ry their babes in baskets which they
wear something after the fashion OF our
Indian women, or guide the sturdy buff
falo cows w no plough the field. The ease
and grace with which Egyptian women
balance on their heads weights which
1t requires great strength to lift with the
hands is all the more astonishing be-
cause they are all well-grown and as
straight as arrows. 1t is a habit to which
they become Injured when so young that
it soon ceases to be a hardship, as with
the little water-carriers of ancient
Thebes. who run along as swiftly as ga
zelles with a heavy earthen jar filled
with water on their heads. These be-
witching maidens, who accompany the
tourist over miles and miles of burning
sand, put one in mind of the sirens in
fairy love lore who lure unhappy NOR
tails on to destruction with their bland
ishments. Their ways are irresistibly
taking. and their musical voices like
caresses when they say with an intona-
tion of inimtable sweetness, Mice lady,
good lady, I love you. and am very glad
to come with you, me lady. 1 stop for
you today" In Alexandria we saw wo-
men who carried mortar and we heard of
women BARRIERS, but nowhere else did we
see women who had any employment
other than that afforde by work in the
field. The office of professional mourn
er, which is so gladly filled by women
who are allowed to attend funerals only
in that capacity, can hardly be called
an occupation. II. E.. V.