Evening star., 1899-10-07
IN AN EGYPTIAN HAREM
A Visit to an Establishment That is Not
Often Inspected.
Preppring for and Eating Meal In
True Egyptian Style-Quaint
and Interesting Jeweiry.
Ernm Good Words.

From Good Words.
The harem in which we spent a couple
of days stood few miles out of Cairo IN
the center of large wall-surrounded gar
den. planted with date palms, olive trees,
orange groves with melon and gourd beds
running among them. on arriving at the
harem garden We were admitted into its
paradise of shade and rest by heavy
doorway and a venerable old potenta-e,
VINO had headed our procession on an ass,
and at this juncture our bodyguard aban-
doned US, remaining without the walls,
while We're left TO make our way alone
toward the group of women whom we saw
approaching by the stonc-hagged walk
that led to the house. They were evidently
the wives of our friend whose invitation to
visit his harem had given US an opportunity
Of satisfying in slight degree the inter-
est had long felt 10 private life in
eastern countries
THESE ladies were dressed in loose gowns
OF figured cotton, red and yellow shoes
without heels, and ScarfS Of all co'ors.
Some OF the younger ones We're handsome,
being not much broWner in the face than
those Of Spanish origin. while their mar
velouSly erect figures gave them an ap
pearance of great dignity. One of the
ladies' present, Mira by name "a niece Of
the Turks, who had been born in Con-
Gated than the others, and able to talk
French. and when preliminary greetings
We're over we followed her and our new
friends through an archway into a square
! court whence We proceeded on a
tour of inspection through many large
rooms on the ground floor. all of which
were empty except the innermost cham
Der
on seeing our interest in their customs
they became very friendly. and allowed us
to examine their ornaments, generally
necklets made of gold zequins strung to-
gether. and bracelets worn much larger
and heavier than 1t is ordinary to see in
our country. Mira. our Interpreter, told
us she was engaged to be married to her
cousin Arten, her uncles son, and showed
Us ring that he had given her. 1t was
large dull red stone in the shape of a
cartouche. worn by her on the first finger
and ii bore the inscription written in Per-
Sian characters, There is a flower in Iue
garden of Arten. and her name is Mira
Some of the other Jewels We're intended
TO keep off the influence of demons and
night monsters, as remedy against dis
ease, curses. Sorcery and vengeance. y
Young lady, daugh;er-in-law of the pasha
insisted on our retaining an amulet of hers
as a present 1t was small piece of shiny
ebony, shaped in the form of a first and
second finger extended as if to bless, and
its special property to keep off the
evil eye. We We're sorry by accepting it to
expose our friend to any risk in deprivin;;
her Of the benefit of its protection, although
glad to receive SO curious an example of a
superstition almost too absurd to believe
possible. They are a strange mixture of
credulity and devoutness. though one would
have both to understand their languag ge
and live with them before being able to
know how far these superstitons emanate
from their convictions, or arise simply from
long-descended habits
As hour after hour Of the afternoon
passed in conversation, sightseeing and
undisturbed starvation, our 10y may be
u he hafN w.
were requested to condeSCend TO wash our
hands in preparation for the principal meal
of the day. We entered a room with taps
round the wall; this whole apartment was
the bath house for the water fell from the
pipes straight to the floor. and the fash
ionable harem way of dressing for dinner
was to remove all clothes, and sit. stand
or lie under a spout Of running water II
was a lengthy business. as. in addition tc
their own abiutiops, two or three dozcr
children had to be caught and scrubbed
though this operation after their canture
was attended with less difficulty Than al
first would be supposed. for there is pracri
caliy little trouble in dressing and undress
ing children that have nothing on. Thest
preparations concluded. followed Ou!
hostesses into room on the opposite side
OF the court. with a long, low table tlowr
the middle. We seated ourselves round i
on cushions, and each took possession o
the Nat piece of scone which supplied Tie
place Of plate during the meal those ar
uc!es not being considered a necessary lux
ury- In the center of the table stood
large bowl full of white soup, from which
everybody ate. taking as many spoonful.
as they chose from the common turcer
with the long-handled wooden ladies' pro
vided for each guest When this was re.
moved large piece of meat boiled te
rags. took its place, and was speedily di
mtnished under the violent treatment II
received from us ALL each one pulling a
lump OF meat from the joint with the fin.
gers. and eating 1t off her own fiat scone
of fot
lowed by the Zagazlg pudding fruit anf
rice. called so from a native of that villa %
having brought the receipt to the harem
Our meal was concluded by coffee. made ir
corner OF the room over red-hot char r,oa
IN copper pot. and poured thick INTO small
glasses fitted In gold filigree cups
When We had washed our hands in tn.
basin handed round for that purpose every
body went to bed. some to the roof other,
to the court. garden. or house 1t was {
very hot night with a glorious full moon
and we asked to have our beds placed out
side at short distance from the haren
buildings, the stones Of which seemed neye