Evening star., 1898-03-31
THE EGYPTIAN VILLAGE,
1t ts Built of Mud, without Ventfla-
tiOn and Full of Vermfn.

1t ts Built Of Mud, without ventila-
tiOn and Full of Vermin.
From the Century.
The typical Egyptian village is built en-
tirely of sun-dried mud the small, low
huts. from considerations of economy and
space, Joining one another whenever pos
sible- Narrow and tortuous lanes, left at
haphazard, form the only thoroughfares I'm
which at first appears to be a huge mound
Of mud, surmounted by heaps of cotton and
durra stalks. which serve the dual purpose
OF thatch and fuel. Many of these lanes
are merely culs-de-sac. ending abruptly in
nefghbor's court yard, and forcing one to
retrace his steps and try again Experi-
ence has taught me that it is never wise 10
assume that the streets lead in the direc-
ton at first suggested; II is often safer to
start the other way. and trust to the wind
Ing OF the path to bring one out somewhere
near the desired spot
AS rule, the villages have the appear
ance or fortifcations. the outside walls be-
Ing frequently without doors or windows.
and the lanes of the village terminating In
massive wooden doors. which are usually
closed at nightfall and guarded on the in
SIDE by the village guffrah, or night watch
men.
Each house" has usually one door. OPEN
ing into the lane. small and low; and the
Few windows. IL provided at all are merely
Sits In the mud wall, innocent of glass or
shutter. but ornamented with a lattice of
splt bamboo, placed crosswise during
building. Ventilation there is virtually
none. the smoke of the fire OF dung or corn
cobs finding its egress by the door and
well-nigh choking the inhabitants, which
include not only the family. but chickens.
turkeys, pigeons, goats, and whatever live
stock the Inhabitants possess
Every effort to exclude air seems to be
made. the houses being too low to feel the
preezes. and the streets too narrow to al
low OF any air circulation. The roofs. COW
cred with piles Of rubbish for fuel. afford
accommodation for a second instaIlment of
goats, pigeons, cats. and especially dogs
One wonders how life can be supported in
such conditions; yet the people are WELL
conditioned and healthy. living their lives
In the fields, and returning to their houses
only to eat and sleep. Insect life naturally
abounds, the Egyptian flea particularly be-
ing a prodigy of manly vigor and activity:
but the Fellah has a hide like a gamos (the
Egyptian buffalo), and even travellers like
myself eventually become impervious to fs
onslaught. Outside the village, and al
most at their very doors. the filth and offaI
OF the place are deposited. resulting in the
development of that plague peculiar to
Egyptian lfe-"fi4'-disgusting but very
necessary as scavengers. without which
ana the equally valuable rat these villages
would quickly become uninhabitable
The country about Kahboona is. think
the most beautiful in Egypt Being the
center Of the date-growing industry. large
6ioNSo VI pdffis are so numerous he
almost one continuous forest broken here
and there by small open patches of bercime
ana vegetables. principally beans, the fra
GRANGE of which In the early spring fs de-
licious. and. under the hot sun and with
the drowsy hum Of the wild bees, makes
one long to lie In the shade OF the trees ma
dream forever. The town itself fs buried
In the midst Of particularly dense grove.
ana on one side IL the usual birkeh, or pooi
OF innitrateo water. common to all Villages.
ana meaning so much illness and epidemic
among the people These birkeh are FORM
ed by the excavation OF the mud with
wnicn the houses are built. and f1lline with
water, they usually become open cesspoois
Into which all the filth of the Village ner'
coiates. breeding millions of mosquitoes a,
wen as malaria. As IL this were NOT
enough: the village cemetery was nlacsd
on the brink Of the pool. the graves hes.e
below the water level; and I actually saw
women craving water from the pool -for
domestic use! Needless to saw tonchyS
no water In this village. except that which
my own men brought from a distance.