Page:"Round the world." - Letters from Japan, China, India, and Egypt (IA roundworldletter00fogg 0).pdf/269

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eatching an English word I uttered,he quick- ly adds, “of Wales. Prince of Wales, sah’— if nad uttered a French word the name would have been “Prince Napoleon.” Oth- ers behind him taking the ene call out, “Mine Billy Button,” “’Tom Jones,” “Wa- tertoo,” “Duke Wellington? ete. But one bright-eyed little urchin (was he so much brighter than the rest?) calls out “Mine Berry good Juckass Yankee Doodle” “Gen- eral Grant.” Thatlast shot told, and I fol lowed the boy to take my first ride on the “donk” with so illustrious a name.

Before I had been long in Cairo I dis coyered that it would be a matter of eeond- my 2s well as comfort to Invest in a fez, My friends at home will understand that to wear a fez in the Bast doesnot necessarily make one a Purk; but it will save by sbout one- half what you have to pay in the bazaars, as if implies that you are not u stranger to be taken in. English travelers are everywhere the least inclined to adopt the costume or language of a foreign country, and are made to pay aceordinugly, The French and italians have that happy facility of identifying themselves with the people wherever they may be, whieh in the east has very much increased their popularity and influence. Here the nationality of a stove- pipe hat is recognized on sight. Yn order to see und understand the peculiar customs and life ofa strange people one should drop that haughty air of disdain and superiority, and so far as is consistent with propriety and comfort, mlx with the people in a dress that will not attract the special attention of every- one he meets.

The bazaars of Cairo are only surpassed by thase of Damascus and Constantinople in the extent, riehness and vrriety of the thousand- and-one articles of oriental manufacture; and can best be seen on foot and donkey. The streets are so narrow anid crooked that the older part of the city resembles a huge honeycomb. The uppcr stories project over fhe one next below, and the front is usually of lnitice work, which enables the bright-eyed darnsels to ‘watch all that passes in the street without being seen themselves. There are no sidewalks or pavement, bnt the strects are coo! and moist, the higb projecting buildings shutting ont the heat of the sun, and in many places canvus or boards completely roof in the nar- row space at the top and form an arcade. Troops of hungry dogs do duty as scavengers and keep the streets in tolerable sanitary