GRAND CAIRO. 279 
began its march to Mecca. Every house in chap. 
Cairo, upon this occasion, displayed the most . ^ ' ■ 
gaudy hangings; but the principal colours were 
blue, scarlet, crimson, and yellow. The whole 
city was one scene of festivity. In several 
houses we saw a figure made up of wool or 
cotton, to resemble a sheep, but could not learn 
for what purpose it was so placed. 
On Wednesday, September the second, at 
twelve o'clock, we set out from Cairo, passing 
along the Canal in our djerm, and having on 
board four ladies, recommended to us for pro- Escape 
tection by the Propaganda Missionaries. Mr. Ladies, 
Hammer was also on board, and rendered us 
great service in this dangerous undertaking, by 
being in his Oriental habit. We placed the 
women in our cabin, concealed by lattice-work 
and boughs, Mr. Hammer and the rest of our 
party standing before the entrance. The banks 
of the canal were covered by Galeongies and 
Turkish troops, carousing, and discharging their 
tophaikes. Had they only suspected the pre- 
sence of females in our boat, the consequences 
would have been dangerous to us ; but the lives 
of these ladies depended upon the success of 
the plan adopted for their escape ; many women 
being daily sacrificed by the Turks, in conse- 
