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Corruption, if not universal, is so general that it seems to 

 exhibit itself everywhere. The very tombs, when a little 

 secluded, are not free from pollution." So wrote one fully 

 competent to judge correctly, and Miss Martineau thus 

 adds her testimony : — " There are few gayer things in 

 life for one who chooses to be gay, than a visit to Cairo. 

 The stranger must use a few precautions against the 

 disturbance of gaity ; and then he may surrender himselt 

 to the most wonderful and romantic dream that can 

 ever meet his waldng senses." But, in addition to other 

 precautions, " he must shake off any considerate humanity 

 that may hang about him, and avoid inquiring what lies 

 beneath what he sees, or thinking of any people but those 

 he meets in the bazaars." Thus " the stranger in Cairo 

 may have a short season of transport, if he will only take 

 up with the show of things and forget the roots. The 

 mere spectacle of the streets I relished more and more to 

 the last ; as for the rest I could not keep my heart and mind 

 in abeyance for many days, and before I left, I felt that 

 there is hardly a spot in what I have seen of the countries 

 of the world where I would not rather live than in Cairo." 

 Besides these ethical considerations, there are some 

 serious drawbacks in the climate which render it desirable 

 for the invalid not to spend the whole winter in Cairo, but 

 to pass up the river to the drier and more healthy region of 

 Upper Egypt and Nubia. The winds, occasionally very 

 strong, which prevail here from the end of summer 

 until April, are mostly from the north, and bring with them 

 after sunset heavy and cold fogs, which render the nights 

 chilly and dangerous to those exposed to them, without 

 being sufficiently protected by warm AvooUen clothing. 

 The lowering of the temperature after sunset is often 

 very sudden, and generally great, continuing until sun- 

 rise next day. Nearly all who have spent much time in 

 Cairo, will agree in the truthfulness of Sir James Clarke's 



