Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-01

Redbuck ............ - BuShbuck 81
OF the 1.34O animals reported 9b3 We're
killed by officers and 3S7 by visitors. More
than half of those killed by officers were
the various kinds of deer and antelope
which were needed for food by expeditions
sent by the government to remote parts OF
the reserve. One rhinoceros was killed by
an officer in self-defenSe, one giraffe was
shot by Prince Henry of L:chensteln at the
request of the Berlin Museum, and several
hippopotami were killed by boatmen in Or
der to prevent them from upsetting and de-
Stroying boats. Mr.. Butler says:
Il am inclined to afford less protection to
hippOpotami. They are extremely destruct-
i've to cultivation; they are dangerous to
small boats at all times and frequently
cause accidents to the rudderS and the ad-
die wheels of steamers. In swamp reg ons
they exist in enormous numbers; they
abound in the White Nile and are in no
danger of determination. On the contrary,
they are positive pest, and should be
treated as such and shot on sight"
Hunting the Hippopotamus.
To those who desire to participate in the
determination of the hippopotami suggest
journey to Egypt. The steamer will take
you to Alexandria or Port Said, whence you
can go to Cairo, secure credentials from the
United States consul general and purchase
an outfit, with the aid of one of the many
British officers who have had experience in
hunting big game. Judge Somerville TUCK
the American member of the Mixer court,
will take pleasure in putting you up at the
Turf Club, where you can get plenty of adj
vice. Then. when you have good ready,
take the train up the Nile or boat, If you
have plenty of time, as far as khartum
where you will make your headquarters at
good hotel and obtain guides, boats and
other equipment. That, however, is as tar
as l assist you. Whoever goes Will
have to find out the rest for himself.
BY reference to my note book l discover
that / have omitted to tell you of many
interesting things have seen and heard in
Egypt, but there is SO much to see and SO
much to hear that one would be compelled
to stay here all winter in order to make a
thorough job of 1t. There is an immense
amount of interest and pleasure to any one
who can afford winter in Egypt, and L
feel that 1 have imperfectly described only
a few of many attractions. The antiquities,
which, of course, are of foremost import
ance to students and serious minded peo-
pie, / have scarcely touched, and to more
frivolous .amusements l have not even re-
ferred.
During the winter season there is italian
opera in Cairo and regular performances at
two respectable theaters, but the low vau
devilleS and cafe chantants run all the year
around, and are well patronized. OF course,
strangers are expected to go to them, but
they are not provided for tourists. The
principal patrons are natives. who seem to
enjoy the disgusting shows.
The Modern Family Life.
The harem is going out Of style. The
position of women in Egypt is gradually
changing. During the last twenty years,
since the English Occupation" there has
been a remarkable evolution in the social
life of the higher classes of the Egyptians.
and nowadays few of them have more than
one wife. This change is attributed to sew
esal causes. First to the education of the
women, for an English governess is now as
necessary to the household Of a well-to-do
family as a cook, and every girl is taught at
least the common branches. Several board
Ing and day schools have been established
for the foreign population, which are also
patroniZed by the natives. and In them the
latter come in contact with and absorb the
ideas and adopt the customs of their En-
glish and French associates. In the second
place, a similar change has been going on
with regard to dress and housekeeping, and
unless an Egyptian has an unusually large
income it is impossible for him to maintain
an old-fashioned harem with half dozen
wives and forty or fifty children. Hence
economic and social reasons instead of
moral have brought about the change.
1t should be said also that the example
of the khedive and his father his uncles
and his aunts has had great influence in
setting the fashion. Few of the men of the
present dynasty have had more than one
wife, and none of the women have married
men who have other wives. l believe the
single exception is that of Ismail Pasha
the spendthrift khedive. who had about 800
women in his harem. including choice col
lection of European professional beauties.
He was connoisseur.
The educated women OF the higher fami-
lies, however, are very conservative, and
adhere to ancient customs with great te-
nacity, Notwithstanding their education and
their knowledge of the world. They do not
appear in public much more than they ever
did, and continue to wear wells over their
faces. They teach their daughters to do
So because they consider 1t immodest for
a woman to show her face outside of her
own household, ana it will take another
generation to break down that inherited
prejudice.
The informality of divorce is still the sub
ject of criticism, but, although an Egyp-
tan can get rid of an unloved wife by re-
peating to her the words II divorce thee"
three times In the presence of witnesses.
and returning to her the full amount of
her dover, l am told that among the edu-
Gated classes this form of separation Is
very rare. Among the common people It is
still quite common, and when they get tired