CAIRO. 409 



exposed except tlie eyes peeping through a slit in the veil attached to the head- 

 dress by a gold clasp. The country women, dressed in a simple flowing robe, 

 moving freely with the movements of the body, go nearly all unveiled, like their 

 Syrian, Levantine, Jewish, and European sisters, all of whom may be easily recog- 

 nised by their type, their carriage, dress, style, and manner, as they move amongst 

 the busy crowd, or stop to examine the tempting display of goods in the well- 

 stocked shops. 



The graceful Nubians in their long white smocks, Bedouins proudly draped in 

 rags and tatters, Negroes of every tribe, each with the distinctive marks of his 

 nationality stamped on his features, intermingle freely with the native Egyptians, 

 distinguished by their official garb and tarbush headdress, with Europeans of 

 every nation still more or less faithful to the costume of Western civilisation ; with 

 soldiers of all arms in helmets, turbans, or other oriental or ancient headdress. 

 Followed by their little donkey-boys shouting and gesticulating, the magnificent 

 Egyptian asses trot nimbly by, however tall or heavy be their riders. But military 

 chiefs and wealthy strangers prefer the graceful Arab steed, or elegant European 

 equipages, which drive rapidly through the crowd preceded by a sais, or running 

 footman, dressed in the gorgeous Albanian costume bedizened with gold and silk, 

 and armed with the traditional rod, which was formerly freely used to clear the road 

 of loiterers. At times, overtopping the throng, like some magnificent " wise man of 

 the East " out of a painting by Rubens, some Negro captain makes his appearance, 

 clothed in white and red silk, glittering with damascened arms and mounted on a 

 gigantic camel, with its embroidered cloths and velvet housing fringed in gold. 



At present instances of foreigners being insulted by fanatical Mohammedans are 

 almost unheard of, except when they behave in an offensive manner. They may 

 now move about freely even in the neighbourhood of the El-Azhar mosque, where 

 reside the more zealous champions of Islam. The gay wedding processions and 

 solemn funerals may be followed without any risk through the narrowest byways 

 of the native quarter. The great religious ceremonies, at which Christians could 

 not formerly be present except protected by the police and soldiers, have been shorn 

 of much of their ancient splendour, and certain parts of the original programme 

 are henceforth interdicted. 



The chief local feast is that of the " Cutting," by which the beneficent waters of 

 the rising stream are admitted to the town canals. But the essentially religious 

 solemnities are those associated with the departure and arrival of the pilgrims from 

 Mecca. At the feast of Mahmal, or the Departure, by the Europeans called the 

 " Carpet Feast," a camel decked with embroidered trappings, plumes, and burnished 

 metal ornaments, bears a sumptuous litter containing the yearly present sent by the 

 Khedive to the Kaaba of Mecca. It is preceded by musicians and troops, and 

 followed by a motley throng of pilgrims of every race and colour. On the return 

 of the sacred caravan the anniversary is celebrated of the birthday of the Prophet, 

 during which the city is given up to the dervishes, dancers, and jugglers. No more 

 favourable opportunity is afforded for studying the varied elements of the popula- 

 tion of Cairo. All the back slums and remote recesses of the native districts now 



