Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1910-04-15
BY FRANK N. KENNEY.
PORT SAID AND CAIRO.

Although we were not due in Port
Said until about nine o'clock on the
morning of Nov. I'd, we were ahead
Of time and diSembarked about eight
thirty. AS the trains did not leave
until eleven-fifteen, we had couple
of hours to while away. We were
told there was nothing to see, but we
were determined to have look at all
there was, so hired a cab and much
to our surprise the driver, a turbaned
Arab, spoke enough English under
standingly that we got an idea OF
everything that was going on. We
drove past the Governors palace,
the Mosque Church,. and other
places of interest. Our attention
was attracted to the students in
school which we were passing and as
one of the party was President of a
college in the United States, he sug-
gested we 60 in and see how the
schools were conducted. To our sur
prise. we found the man who came to
greet us spoke English very fluently
and was pleased to show US through
the school. AS we came into the
room where the larger pupils (boys)
were, another surprise awaited us.
for the teacher, in English, COM
manded them to arise. which they
did, and all sallted in military style.
He then ordered them to sit down
and came to greet us with evident
manifestations of pleasure. The pu-
pills read and were given an examina-
tion in Grammar and almost all
spoke English so we'll it was not diff
ficult to understand them. The
writing in the copy books was ex-
ceptionally good. / noticed through
out the copy book great care had
been taken to impress upon the
scholars the strength and greatness
of England. We next visited the
room where the boys, about twelve
to thirteen years old, were being
taught and here they read and also
recited poetry for us. All of this
was in understandable English, so
you can imagine our amazement.
This school is conducted under the
auspices Of the Musulman's Benevo-
lent Society OF Cairo. Next we Wis
Fited the Greek Church and found
services in progress. They were
very impressive and in many re-
spects resembled those of the Roman
Catholic. but they were not exactly
alike. The choir was composed OF
boys, and the music as good as any
have ever heard in q church. 1t
looked strange to see the Greek
priest wearing full beard and whisk-
ers. for while some priests do wear
boards in this country they are the
exception.
Port Said. previous to the opening
of the canal, was inhabited by only a
few Arab fishermen, but to-day it is
a city Of fifty thousand people. of
whom twelve thousand are Euro
peans. At this place we got our first
view OF a camel train coming in from
the desert, and of course had to get a
picture of them. No sooner had this
been done than there was a bowling
mob around us for bakseesh (tips)
and every native who happened to
be in that vicinity. whether in the
picture or not seemed to think he
was entitled to pay. We gave them
a few pennies and drove away. Be.
fore the day was over, we had re-
ceived liberal education so far as
bakseech was concerned. Having
seen the principal sights, we drove
back to our train.
The railway cars here are patterned
after those on the continent and
therefore are different from the
American. for they are divided into
compartments which hold six people
as rule, although at the ends of the
cars there are compartments holding
only three. Each compartment has
doors Oh both sides, so you can step
right off on to the platform on the
one side and on the other do likewise
by just crossing a narrow alley run
ming along the length Of the car,
which is provided so the passengers
can pass lengthwise of the cars.
For q distance Of 81 miles the Suez is
rlUht alOrycida oY> IN c;rvh< re A.