THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES IN EGYPT.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1928, 10 July 1869, Page 2

THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES IN EGYPT.

The Prince of Wales left Port Said at eight o’clock on March 26, and arrived at Alexandria at a quarter to ten on the following morning. Their Royal Highnesses afterwards left for Constantinople. The Prince and Princess were met at Old Cairo by Taufick Pacha, son of the Viceroy, some of the ministers, and the principal members of the Consulate. There was no ceremony, but hearty greetings and glowing accounts given and easily listened to of the travels up the river. The Prince—in light-colored travelling dress, and an Indian puggaree round his pith helmet —looked the very picture of health ; so likewise did the Princess, as she stood underneath her

sunshade, talking gaily with the young Pacha. The Prince of Wales related how, between the two cataracts, ho had shot a crocodile. He seemed proud of his exploit, and so he may be, for crocodiles are toughskinned, and it recpiires a very unerring aim to make the wound a mortal one. The sacred animal — symbolical of the Nile, or abundance and luck—was stuffed on the spot, and is to be taken in triumph to England. When at Thebes, the Prince was informed of the existence of a tomb not yet come to light. Excavations were commenced, and a sarcophagus of red granite, in the form of an Osiride figure, covered with hieroglyphics and cartouches —the feet, partly broken —was found. The Prince and Princess have been travelling in Egypt under very favourable circumstances — and were able to lay aside the baguette of royalty—the Princess for a charming abandon , and the Prince, for the lamer otter of any ordinary Nile traveller. Nothing can be better in taste, form, substance, and spirit, than the reception given by the Sultan to the Prince and Princess of Wales in Constantinople, where they arrived on April 1, They are lodged in His Majesty’s Palace of Salih Bazaar, which is built on the edge of the Bosphorus, above Tophaneh, and below the Sultan’s present residence of the Dolmabakshi. There are guards of honor, carriages, saddle horses, caiques, and an immense staff of servants for ever on duty. The Sultan’s own band of eighty-four admirable musicians, all Turks —drilled, however, by an Italian master—play every evening at dinner; the bandmaster is a Pasha, and there are twenty officers in the band of different ranks, from lieutenant-colonel down to lieutenant. The table is covered ■with gold and silver plate. Every morning there comes a present from the Sultan of the most exquisite flowers, and trays laden with the finest fruit. The valetaille, in green and gold liveries, with white cuffs and collars, throng the passages and corridors, and black : cpated phibouquejc.es are ready at a clap of' the hands to bring in pipes, with amber mouthpieces of fabulous value, crested with hundreds of diamonds and rubies, and coffee in tiny cups, which fit into stands blazing with similar jewels. The cuisine cannot be surpassed, and the wines are of most celebrated vintages. But the great event of this Eoyal visit was the State dinner of the Sultan at Dolmabakshi Palace. This was the first dinner evergiven by the Sultan at Court. It was also remarkable as being the first occasion on which any Minister, except a Grand Vizier, has ever sat down in His Majesty’s presence. His Royal Highness the Prince attended a cricket match at Constantinople on April 8. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess visited the Grand Vizier on the 9th. Tire Prince and Princess left on April 14- for the Crimea, returning to Constantinople on the following Friday. They then proceeded immediately to Greece, and arrived at Athens on April 20, where they were received with great ceremony. Their Royal Highnesses are expected in Paris on April 29.