258 DR. HOOKER’S MISSION TO INDIA. 
gateway was crowded with tame-looking, fiercely-armed Egyptians, 
equipped with gorgeous sashes, diamond-hilted scymetars, and the 
like. Behind stood plainly-dressed attendants, on a dais, each 
wearing a gold badge on his breast,—the Crescent and Star of | 
Egypt; they passed us on through gorgeously-furnished apart- 
ments, divaned all round, and covered with the richest Turkey 
carpets, to the private audience chamber. It was splendid, hung 
with looking-glass; the walls, above the mirrors, are covered with 
pale satin worked with crimson and gold flowers. The windows 
were fifteen feet high, having transparent blinds wrought with 
most exquisite groups of flowers, admirably imitated. Atl round 
were sofas and cushions of satin, embroidered with Carnations, 
Fuchsias, and Roses. Mehemet, an old, cunning-looking man, in 
a plain olive-green braided coat, sat on the right hand corner, 
near the window, but he received us standing. He conversed with 
Lord Dalhousie by means of a Dragoman interpreter, we being 
all arranged round, and forming a gorgeous cortège. Behind were 
several gentlemen, including the Pacha’s son and son-in-law, and 
many plainly attired domestics. In a few minutes each of us, 
including Lady Dalhousie, was furnished with a pipe six feet 
long, its amber mouth-piece as thick as my wrist, and eight 
inches long, studded with brilliants. The bowl was placed in à 
silver dish on the ground, and we all whiffed away. The servants 
then brought coffee in little egg-cups, set in gold filagree holders, 
blazing with diamonds. The coffee is not made like ours, the 
beans being ground to paste, the liquid thus consisting of 
coffee grounds and all, for nothing is thrown away. In this form 
it is tolerable, but to an English palate not so good as ours, 
being turbid. The same attendants removed the pipes and coffee 
cups, and we retired much pleased with the novelty and magnifi- 
cence of the scene. 
* * * * * * 
= The city of Cairo is built at the fork of the Delta, on the advancing 
spur of the first range of hills we had seen on our passage UP — — 
from Alexandria, and which reaches from the Eastern Desert to — 
the left bank of the Nile, there sloping down rather abruptly — — 
and presenting a fine site for the citadel, with its beautiful mosque 
