Page:"Round the world." - Letters from Japan, China, India, and Egypt (IA roundworldletter00fogg 0).pdf/276

 by the ladies of his harem, as beautiful as the houris of a Mohametau’s paradise. He was neratly and ambitious, but a daring and energetic vuler, [le massacred the Mame- lukes in cold blood because they stood in the way of his ambitious schemes. Having made himself master of Egypt and Syria, he would have won Consiuntinepie aud per- haps have established there a strong goveru- iment had not the Engtish interfered to save the present effete dynasty.

Tr is wu pleasant drive of six miles from Caire to feliopotis, the “ City of the Sun.* In old times, when Joseph ruled in Egypt. this was a place of much importance, Tb was Gilled * On,” and here Joseph lived ad took (he priest's daughter fora wife. All that now remains of the ancient city is a single red granite obelisk seventy feet high. eavered with hieroglyph Tt was erected four thousand years ayo, and suceessive in- undatious of the Nile have raised the sur- face of the ground 1wenty-lve feet above its haxe—perhaps eyen mutch nore, as ib was usmal to place these structures on a high mound. Near the site of this ancient eity is the old Sycamore tree under whose branches, many centuries afterward, Joseph and Mary, asthey journeyed taRgypt with their little boy,sat down and drank from a cool spring, the water of which instantly changed from auli aud bitter to Lhe pure sweet fountain which it remains to this day, Of course this is perfectly authentic, To doubt or ques- tion the genuineness of the old world’s tradi- tious and relics, \youlit not only deprive these places of half their interest. but dispel those pleasant illusions so attractive to the visitor.

In the centre of Old Cairo, is a mosque aud eollege of dancing tdervishes ox fakeers, and every Friday, they hold a seaxece. We reached the place after threading a lubarynth of crooked streets, and were ushered into a room Inabnilding adjoining the mosque, » were several other parties of foreigners were assembled. We were oifered seats on the diyan extending round the room, and 2 servant breught finy eups of coffer of dime Naver but thick und sweet as syrup. Yhen came chibouks and and cigarettes for the ladies. After a half hour's delay we were shown into the mosque, where the perfommance came off. A circular space about forty feet in diameter and smoothly floored was euelosed in a low rail ing, outside whieh were the spectators and in a small gallery seats were provided for us us specially invited guests. In the gallery