EGYPT AND THE EGYPTIANS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 716, 15 January 1910, Page 13

EGYPT AND THE EGYPTIANS.

CBt Est. B. BtdbbsJ

S-W'^y^.^W l ! S twelve K ;^Si|r?w^r^ sl ' Mi:M^S^tvjsey°id^ 3$ * jti-tbirerv could 'i be ■; no f, fertility/ ■;y3n£bancfccent;'wk of>NatureVh'as been''aided dams ■S:^>kw:py/}neans'of ;which ; tUe'oultivatablb. •B^yso^:iW ; :j»"«j<loublediVr-The:;v^sf6iian : C?^ ; .?^ vhas' ■■•■; '■. yaluo'of t ; the :^; : irngat«d' wishes' i;.:rsi';.K».to;.ni>dersbind;the' problem f df-'E|y'pf mast : ifa«t^that;-thit" , V^v':*:s^'° BWndentvon'firrigation;!8Wndentvon'firrigation; ! : -ira r *. £iPosse9ses :-praetictilly:, no' wateri'except : gW\;'?ttaty ; \jiicb4is v.f irtVf-A-Ewo'^in- Cairojit.raina.o'nlTJfrbm four to S^-y|i^loayß^;yeS:*lf ; : thevNiJ«!wero^tb.fail ) ; %>'i\: Egypfe:as'ia/c-ipopulatod: V country -''would: 1 ,;;%s,,y : eea»'( to; exist ;■ :i ; 9.;J)^ i;fe|^Ewpt ; ''jn£F!BUT«; ftt%s3££ S»wtf| SMfevM? l^ T^«> w SstnP of' J^^^f'^i fertile;m;tbel^btldJ'The ?- ?* ':■ covers yyV ;if;X,soa,ooo v;iotei'V:.iaiid at i$ SoropKarb! r-«r^v-ite^i^»^tt;rjnai^^feleyj<;and4'beans: ; oj, ?vj;ttlw*irioist|:valnaWe. the' date rM&'ff^ I vrj?" 'or.; 'thb/nsands. ■•.bf.-yMrs'.has w* •MreprpMjmburishment 'and :; shelter-to .the of f,thb'^dessftiS l: Wherever |4«»iisV;av spring* "of -iwafer, : £thero.4 ; the i&rdiP&.-iVfPi - : ■floiirisKMi'Jand '• yields/ito; 'deli- : WSA%f&W .n;int.'> ; 'B':'-is,"'6oifiputedi'.'th'at vthere ii;s;^W» > OTer,lo,ooo,oo(),;ofithesa-trees'itfEOTt; : *nd sag j each:: fruit-bearing ':tre»v is ■; taxed. ';.' i of ■ 5;:,!.^.?. ■.Manges;: Jembas/ifM,tgTapes^ r and;pojDe-, •:^>B4ffiOMjlmngvbn'll2^ v&&?4J*TO>#uia-va^ * S -V- j-'Wohamraedaiiß f form.:-9li:por:^cerit.i'df.ithe polatidn;, thb:;Copts: ; (an' ancient Chris-; :i A'■:s}'. iiao:?sect," (descendants': of ithesold iEgyp/ ■i^^tiaßSj^lei-ipericent/; ; whilstHb'fr::the ! -re-: ffi ;W^aindWabout^63,oCo«arei:Greek^3s^oo WK'sJialm^ Sfeiv;; : HThe? totals trade ttfc.-Egyp'frStadunts'S to ''tho'/iimports ■<; tb« ; 1£25;i00,3!)7/ l per' gAj'V'^yJcentjFrcnch, '; and \ only i s'per.' cent;'; Gcr-' . ;g& ; :;fiie Council ;;of. "Mi nistcrs, &:v.Hß'ftj;lieieiala"tfveVW^ :%. v;«^mbjfe'but; aV- aVmatter.iof f f act; the'last syi ; {^-itne'!adTi'&.:bfs'tHe";iepresßntatiYG ; :&h'4 Bntairi.Sf annually: l as.Va ■Tnrkoyl-iThe. climate .of; Egypt: ■=v:;-:''5>3[oif9-of.the; healthiestin'.thbVworld.'rOw-. \ B J; J;.in£-: to j;-;iy:'.f air J: ;it-:-is/\.oi (course/ ;S'<iv^£ks*V^»''V a ' n |'e;?k!^n^^; : ,bf:sErir'opeans'arrive tin/i'vpuiv Pfi;:s;;Vßmigp^"fealft:'and:amuM nlife:W®^??^(^^^ ;^B : ;is:-:a;:great/:.:'a. VVJ^^derful;-city/,OTientalf.and;yet inbderh; r "r!K ft*^laca' ; ,where,yEast"and /Westi'nieetJAto-

gethcr. Ita population of 500,000 is con Jiosod of almost every race h under th onn. rlet 03 stand aside and watch thi motley throng of all races and l nabonali tea pouring along the busy highwaj The kaleidoscopic variety of bnllian ' «oloor and fantastio costume is at fiis perfectly bewildering Here are solemn looking Torts ambling past on gaily caparisoned moles, black athletic-lookin, 'Soudanese, melancholy looking fellahs 12 their long, eeantv blue kaftans, craning featured Levantines, grcen-turbanet fiheroefs and stately, picturesqu Bedouins from the desert, stalking pas an their flowing bernouses, every now am again yon meet a sakknh, or water-car !ner, with his ancient goatskin filled witl SoTile water, still finding a sale, notwith standing the fact that Cairo now has ai excellent water supply, and many pubh fountains For a slightly larger fee th ijratar is flavoured with orange flower JEqnorice, or raisins Interspersed with iuid giving variety of colour to, this hv fog kaleidoscope are gorgeously arrayei Jewesses; fieree-lookw Albanians, thei many-coloured sashes bristling with wca jpona: v petfacoated Greeks, njhtly-ap jpareUed Algerians; swarthy Frenchmei Und Italians, with carefully-waied mous 1 laches, and, least m number though not 11 importance, helmoted British ofiieiali tfcnd p khaki-olad Tommies. Driving pas to in handsome carnages will be som JbhSbs of tho harem, with white gauzjreib from the nose downwards, and at fended by huge eunuchs. These will pro 1 pably be Chreasszans, and belong to som tesafihy pasha or merchant. Bui, jostlin, test you on the street there will b other women of the poorer olasspj, thei feces almost completely hidden by larg plaek or blue voifi, which hang £om th i Ryes to tiie waist, whilst ornaments 0 phror or copper gleam from their ankles Jmsfa, and ears. On tho pavemonts thousands of Btreekscllers ply thei Various trades. I have never seen any Srhero else Buch a vanoty of goods sole pn the streets. Here you may buy overj jkfatd of native food, bread, cakes, fruit anilk, fish, metal work, household utenaU jboo&s, clothing, ornaments, curios—al (most anything and everything m fact, end having no rent to pay tho hawkers tell cheaply, except to the unwary, who pnnst of course pay for their inexperience (As a rule, five tunes the value of an jsrfaolo is asked, and if you pay what 13 Bamanded, the seller goes away dhsatutfied that he did not ask more. The tanghbourhood of the fish-markst is the |tzcimu quarter, a *Vashiwara" indeed, Saough unofficial, and here, I am informed, revolting unmorakttes take [place that would not exist fcr a day were St not for a csrtaoa class of tourists

l SBazaar. ; and \M ::;/',';/j'/'i'.'Co-nrjr.immd/the/most intarestrog sight : vJj?i:foiCai»-.ia;.tha.;Bas3tar. I ,;/Here/'is'>.to ;be ;X'; ; »'r|wmd^aVnfiimork ;; : v/'natrve/SBtallaV' and'^'shops, :/'/;/,:;- ; ;aationaliiy,.'/ and : '/ presenting/■ /.-an '* ever//i/K «bAngingjpicture Nifhich /".'^//:^ ; ;neveT «:.;/; ':V;':*' ; §e''^ry,VaiK)thcr,to "brass-ware,-a'.third W ; W' *> jslothing,- ftjfburth/to'scenta vandspie'esi' i-.W. / ;.«^'BOjOllL:;:The.seU»yntsi6r6ss-leggcd. : on- '& - ! 7 &**&• jhuyer ;takes. another' .-commences// a,bargainingsthat-may' : y;; : yaas*rfor>;an rhour./ is/'taken /.; ; :f'3'dof.-tiine.;in; : Eastern.^^countTies;.//./,;:;'/''-'. 11 -■' ■• ,"//'/ : ! 'v/SThare/:'are i;4M^mosques/ : :in:fCairo; V, I- ■ "••: a«o°^ j ?I:. am -:Burprised/';/both//' i at /their i; ;/.-;;' aramber; and.b'eaufy;-;; Pointing' with'' tHeir/ ?./ ; V y to>the;'sky;vthcy'form' ;-jf,;\-,japßiCi tbe'.most.;charming features of'the ; :~yy' *atT,% f ,The through . ; '.:::-;l'*^^j^^rT^v':'do'bhray^"-Inade.-.' thero : :',-;.-/;/ : mll.;be 'a < :courtjard'with5 i a i'fountairi..iri- /..;;/'; tte:centre/at':whioh;V the/; .faithful;;' wash .';'-K;-;.;'Hi«ir;,fertKand/..leg9'."il»ior«-Ventering.''/tho'' /i/U'';/ BK)sque.'prbper:://Ih ; the;' latter. an*altar, : ; ;v-i'V;K <i *) ,:Pyj./^Minmedan.obeying/the Commandment/ -'/-/?//w/bow,down,to;no'graven./ ;:;;4;;.«3id literally.- ;..They ;cloM/thati /. their- :,;,..: -is'..spiritual,'./directed /only to '■-- ; /S-^.^'>«fi;ypd.V'BD.t :. though' entirely: ;./■: ■'•/■'.-=:. «e^d;iM^fTrHutureV.'. : ;tbi:';hiMqnes'--aw' 'A Sly ■?&*s&>&&- costlr./ carpets, I'oiuwhich' the ; ./,';'. : ;, ; genunenons.recite.;thcir. prayers'./;lt, ; niay. %. , "A:;'.«orp^|.to;TOdeT>t6.'leain , ;;v:3v;39m\aoes ;pray/,for,; specific/ objects,' /s?;'f.:!i'bnt simply.;repeats set;formulae '0f..-adora---•.V/.''//'j/tieni!/;'During;'the:'four/weeks';;fast 'jof S;- '/JjßnJnadan,/ he, 'j'duririg/'theVdayy/neitHer' >.;;• ../:-:,' , «tts,.- drinks,-;nor;.smokes,;'but-//indul|jes ris;;;/'|without rrestraiht;;at/night; /iHe" is :; ccr r ~'?:&>/tainly.fnbt; ashamedSo'f/vhhvireligions stih-; ■;.--../"//timents.:' ; He vihajrl'-Jie-'.' seen'at''any hoiir A ';;/;'/;6f./.the;/ day :;read:ng; v the./Koran .in /;. 'the : "^ ,; ; ■;..-. Btreeti'.:and"at-.rcertain/• hours/, wherevbr /he may-be, he';goes down, on-his'khees and : -recites,liis //■/.////prayers.vl;haye'seenvftien■ (lb this in.the/ ?'v'-:.;-d ;/;:':>:; midst-of//a:.bnsy-;thoroughfare;''/Pbr:: the //,;.;'v.';..;;"tinie 'being,* the'wprshipper's. thoughts are. h-;'//'.;.;/withdrawn'from //all//'earthly .things' aid 5/^);'> : fis«l/on'/thb. supraynundane.' Ahd'.yet, as ''■■£'&:>^ n .;: ma ?y-Cnristinhs,ivl/;'fear/ his. re-; /./;;•:'.;:wligioh/.ha's bec6me;/iv:.' ; inere /ceremony; a 'AAAA: forniiwithout life,- and-'.with/littlo 'bencfi-; :'; : ■-///?/:cent result',','lts: ethical'results .'seem nil.

The .very,; words ; ' : wMcli-: ho 'repeats, with euoh outward show/of < devotion frequently' convey Ano>;inteUigibl«'';'iueaningv.'to" -his mind, :> and..ho swill' rise .from,.' his .knees aridourse,; orlio, : br/oheat,' without .the Slightest;;sense/; of. incongruity. ■•:' Such; 3eoni9;.tp; bo ilia tendency of all-religious ceremonies :•' a'' superstitious meaning nt : ;' taohes. itself to. tho;,fornijwhilst -the ,eth- ; ical...content disappears/'/ '•■'.', ;.::\;; ■ -''..'//;

ThV. ; Desert; r ;' ; : 'Uv.i;v- '■■': Oho', hour: ;'from.; Cairo ■■ in: any/ directs on you. ebuib/.upon the desert—a huge sandy wasto/,apparently.illimitable;' not a-house not; a tree.'.iot a'blade ofgrassis to'be, socbr-a vast-ocean' of "'bright; yellow sand. men/a strange: fascination;, about/the; desert. ''For;one pung/there:is/plenty,,oikit':,; tbero;.is.r'a sense/of '/spaciousness ;:■ one '.has.plen ty'. • ol .room'/ to -m'ovo .and. breathe.: : ' And ;what; delicious,Vaii;;it .is'that ; ono.breathesl so, .pure,";,dry,''-invigorating;- lilco ■the''. niouu J . ; ta'in; air iOf.'Swi&r.land,'but ..drier;; and :warmer^].,;Aid .though it; is barren,,'there. ■i.s"..mrici'ito;'see;jn:'.the:'.desert.'.v;Evo^y.nbw ; ;and(again'one.cqmes'across'anArab cara-;' :vaa .with, heavily-laden camels, the 'ladies ,bf ifthe',/harem j-:closely ■;;veiledi;//:;sitting amongst i;thb;;-stuff;>' : "And: ;thcn,;/ : therc, ;arej>-:;thc> : .::-/ancient •/:■•: Pyramids;..;...and. .Temples;., ./and : really ".wonderful,: and : cover /a; touch.' lar- : than'.■■■.is'.; generally/ Supposed.-; ' The ■ aribieni' ■ Greeks and '■' Romans : con-; sidered the .Vyramids one'bf the'seven wpiii ders ; ;'of;;the, /.world. YvWith'' a}.range."of ; twentyrfive .miles:, sis'-grbups,,aro": to;'"be found:V.-v-.Tho'v ,tne -Pyramids, ■that.of, Cheops, is;to;be found/at Ghizeh,/ and ; /;.ivas ;■ erected'/5600; years/,ag6.;'••■]■;The. prefient: measurement : 'of each side ,ia;755 feet;at/the /base.Vabd/ist feet/high;.but. formerly,'sbmewbat. larger..,.■ The ■huge- blocks of; stono/'of which./ it - is :con-; strncted numbcT.2,3oo,ooo,- measure 85,000,-; •,00(1 cubicfeet,/and; occupy■/13;aorosi'. Ac-, ibording ;.;tb: : : Herodotus.- "yip 'took : : .twraty years'to 'tnild,; and. .100,000 /men/worked' .at'it./ /There;aTe.many of. these/pyramids, although/: that :,wb.ich ; T.; have . described, is/ the;largest./ /All' of them.seem.• to./b'a. built /on; the/same;general' plan,' a .huKe' ;s'tructure/,bf;.stone- with-, chambers within ;;for//the'/ repose,'6f'?,tbe 'dead.,;': Tbese chambers; are l reached by. aarro'w. passages,. ;and.'/still/'cbntain.:magnlficent:earcophagi, ithough",most' of.i the/latter,' as -well/as. mummies,;andvothef'objects of/interestj/ have.beepjemoVed to,/museums.'.' thel ,inscriptions .and;,/drawings/bn : .:the/walls. 1 : still,' lomaiii,/ and /.are/almost;; as/ fresh /as .they /were:/ when /.first.. made/;. 5000, /years/ "ago./f/Here; every-, fonrivbf .Egyptian /life' ;'is/p^p^qtcd;,: , -;Kiws > ..biik.ersV ; :'hunte'rs, ; warriors, /priests/ /sar;rifices—all are here, represented Iwith/ al-/ most -..life-like i'fidelity,':/and' '/a /yqluire \ /to/ the; intelligent::student that is" ■ at/once: most/strange/; and /in est interesting.;;,To';find "such; .works/of./art.buried : ,undorv/vast'; piles'; ofj stone;' /and /some--dmes/deep down ib'the/very, earth itself, • whero, -unseen,".. ■they/have\fei /main'ed /foi-/; thousands iof ; years,/strikes. • the .•-.with; admiration", and' l awe./ Near:thb/Pyramid; of ;Onrios;.at;,Saklcarai; ,I;/bntered 'a/.tomb..by;a..spiral staircase,-'i :72[/.fept.;^^^deep;'.'/and ;',founu./;;beautifull.y/i carved;'and//coloured : inscriptions.";: v/Ohe, of course,'has t6:liavo : an;Arab,'guides/and'.! /artifioial;.'iJgh.t. V; H.pw:.hprrible,/raight;.be 'One's'.'fato/;.ii;the iguide:; proved 'false!/:.I .visited also /the";ruihs-'of .the /ancient, city. ;'bf ;/Me'mphis"- : -bTCfZ,SOOO. , years -old—where 1 I: saw: theZ/fambus statues,'of./Eameses.; II::