MOHAMED ALL 243 



runs the whole length of the church. It was to us 

 somewhat amusing to see all the men wearing through- 

 out the entire service the little red (fez) caps. 



We visited the Mosque of Mohamed AH. The tomb 

 of this cruel wretch is within, draped in red. When 

 we went to the door of the mosque at Suez we were 

 asked to remove our boots or we could not go in, so we 

 decided to stay out. Here at Cairo, all that is required 

 of you is to put a pair of "great big" red leather 

 slippers over all. What a nice thing it is to find a 

 religion that can accommodate itself to everybody's 

 convenience ! Our feet being shod with an ungainly 

 preparation of Mohammedan goloshes we were per- 

 mitted to enter into the courts of this rascally prophet, 

 especially when it was remembered that we would 

 liberally backsheesh the guide. 



Close by is the tomb of the unfortunate Mamelukes, 

 whom Ali treacherously slaughtered at the feast to 

 which he had invited them. 



From present appearances the old backsheesh busi- 

 ness is about done. The people of Cairo seem pros- 

 perous and happy, in a commercial sense. We saw very 

 little evidence of real poverty and very little begging. 

 The children along the turnpike road from the city to 

 the Pyramids follow your carriage for a mile at a 

 stretch, crying, " Backsheesh, backsheesh !" but the 



