The Lehi sun. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1913-1949, 1922-05-11
View Of Cairo.

prepared by the National deoSrhphc
Society, Washington, ID. CO
II is difficult TO shake the dust OF
the ages from the land OF the Nile
and to realize that there is an Egypt
Of the vibrant present. The recent
announcement Of the withdrawal OF
the British protectorate from the
country. however, and the setting up
of its first king In more than 1900
years turns the spotlight squarely on
the modern aspect Of this long civil
lied region.
The map lacks much Of giving one
the true picture OF Egypt. The coun-
try is shown covering a large area OF
northeastern Africa. This Is the nom
inal Egypt, The real Egypt is mar
row, tortuOus strip on either side or
the Nile and the fan-shaped delta sur
rounding its mouth. Save for few
oases outside the river valley. the rest
OF Egypt is but sea Of sand prac-
tically uninhablted. Figures confirm
this, for of the more than 35O,OOO
square miles of Egyptian territory
only about 1900 can ever be cult
waited; and considerable part Of this
tillable area has not yet been re-
claimed.
Looking only at the surface Of
Egypt's institutions, one Is likely to
decide that the changes since the days
Of the Pharnohs have been great, but
when certain fundamentals are con-
sldered the wonder may well be at
the lack of change. To be sure, the
Egyptian Of today speaks Arabic In
stead Of his old tongue; and Osiris.
isis and Horus have been long forgot
ten for Allah and MOhammed. But
In spite Of numerous invaslons, the
blood Of the great majority OF the
population has been altered hardly at
all.
agricultural and in the agricultural
scheme the millions of fellaheen are
the ultimate units. They work long
hours scratching the soil with crude
implements, or tediOusly raising water
in skin buckets attached to pivOted
poles that the thin stream may save
their plants from parching. Taxes
are heavy. and II is the lOwly fellaheen
who keeps the treasury supplied. Liv-
Ing conditions are very poor; mud
huts house most Of Egypt's thirteen
millions. In the fields they wear lit
tie more than lOin cloth. and the
younger children Of the Villages go
naked. When the fellah is dressed
up he, wears rough shirt and loose
trousers.
Cairo the Wonder City.
The stamp Of the outside world and
Of the Twentieth century on Egypt is
to be seen chiefly In Cairo. that won
derland which has superseded Bag
dad as 'the city of Arabian Nights"
Cairo Is living Kaleidoscope. with
Its cleaning and drab human frng-
ments nmblIng into changing pat
tern not merely FROM East and West.
but from North and South ms well.
Nhite-robed BedOuin, ill-clad felIah,
shiny-black Soudanese and central
African negro, swarthy Turk, Persian,
Hindu, Monaghan. dusky Moor, Ital-
Ian. Greek, jew. Armenian. and the
whittier folk from Europe America
and the antlpOdes--Hll are Jumbled
together In Cairo. their various tongues
making babel that can hardly be
duplicated mt amy other spot on earth,
The life that flows along the streets
Of Cairo could not be duplicated any.
where else In the world. At time.
the Western observer Is likely To be
reminded forclbiy Of circus pnrade4
on Main street back home. Swaylnp
camels move along with brightly
dressed riders perched upon chem on
WIN suspended cars In which are
veiled damsels. while drummers thun
der their rhythm and FIFE blowers emit
their shrlll notes. Snake-charmer,
pass along with their bags Of snakes
mngicions perform In some nook
oullock-carts and laden donkeys com
pete Tor space with shining llmou
sInes.
Cafes In the Streets.
The al fresco cafe is one Of m,
most characteristic marks OF Cairo
II Is not ne more or less well.ordere,
anair OF the bouleynrds Of Paris
NldewalkA and streets overflow win
seemingly innumeraLle chairs an,
tables until often a single Ole Of pedes
Ir'ans can hardly force It's wn,
through One gets the impression
lhai Few people need 20 work In Cairo
nv"n III lhe mornings the chairs ar,
h'led wllh apparently prosperous
ueh S'hIhrg coffee OF swcetened wa