The World and Its People Part 60

At the present time there is no trace of these unique tombs, but the memory clings to these ancient sacred rites rather tenaciously, and many of the present customs may be traced back to them. It but serves to show the influence of superst.i.tion even in the light of modern days.

It cannot be denied that some of these customs may be regarded, however, in the light of kindness to animals. Not so very many years ago quite a large sum of money was bequeathed in Cairo for the support of homeless and friendless cats.

Until within comparatively a few years pilgrimages were made to Mecca.

Each caravan had for its leader an old woman who was accompanied by a number of cats. In all honor, she was named "The mother of cats."

Even at the present time a man laden with cats accompanies each band of pilgrims to Mecca--a relic of the old time ceremony, which doubtless grew out of the custom of carrying the embalmed bodies of cats to Bubastis.

Herodotus tells us that the temple of the G.o.ddess at Bubastis was considered one of the most beautiful of all the Egyptian temples, and that it was the custom of the people in his age to make annual pilgrimages to it.

Nothing remains now of the former beauty of the temple. A few stones of the purest and finest grade of red granite are the only relics of its past splendor.

There are some ruins and mounds which, doubtless, are remains of what were once brick houses, and specimens of ancient pottery.

CHAPTER Lx.x.xII.

CAIRO, THE GREATEST CITY IN AFRICA.

Cairo is situated at the head of the Delta of the Nile, where the river emerges from among the hills and makes its course through the alluvial plain formed by the annual deposits of silt. Its name, in the Arabic tongue, signifies "The victorious capital."

Below Cairo the Delta spreads out in the form of a half-opened fan to its broadened base on the Mediterranean Sea.

Standing at the citadel, which occupies the highest ground in the city, we may from this elevation perceive the dividing line between the barren sandy hills of the desert and the well-watered fertile plains of the Nile basin. Spread out before us is a royal panorama of city, river, plain, and hill.

Just across the river we behold the pyramids of Gizeh rising toward the east, together with the Great Pyramid, which is next in size, and another much smaller. Close by is the Sphinx, but we cannot discern it at this distance.

A few miles farther to the south rise the pyramids of Sakkarah, which are nearly as impressive as the others. They are near the site of the ancient city of Memphis.

As we look down upon the city of Cairo, we perceive a hundred or more minarets pointing upwards to the sky. On the outskirts of the city the desolate hills rise to a considerable height. It is here that the hills on either side approach each other so closely as to narrow the valley between them to a width of but five miles.

The citadel of Cairo was built by the famous Saladin in the twelfth century; he took the stones with which to build it from the small pyramids of Gizeh. It stands at the southeast corner of the city, which it seems to crown. The imposing effect of the citadel would be much greater, did not the barren hill in the rear tower over it, thus dwarfing its height.

The citadel is well worthy of description. It is really a small town containing several objects of interest. The old palace of Saladin is no longer in existence. On its former site stands the rich and imposing mosque of Mohammed Ali. It is of modern construction, built after the style of the mosques of Constantinople. So lofty and airy is its interior that the effect is most pleasing.

The court is paved with square blocks of white marble. Cloisters, supported by columns of alabaster, surround it on three sides. The interior of the mosque is also of alabaster and is surmounted by a lofty dome supported on four ma.s.sive square pillars. Unlike many of the mosques of Cairo, this mosque is clean and well kept.

The old mosque--for centuries the royal mosque of Cairo--still stands in the center of the citadel. It is, however, in an advanced state of decay and ruin. Near by is St. Joseph's Well, some two hundred and ninety feet deep. Tradition says that the well, which was built by the ancient Egyptians, was, when discovered by Saladin, nearly choked with sand, which he caused to be removed.

The well is about twelve feet square. A gently sloping staircase on the outside descends to the level of the bottom of the well, which is said to be at the level of the Nile. This staircase is no longer used.

Travelers, by payment of a small fee, have the privilege of looking at it.

To reach the well we must be willing to wade through deep sand, and to slide down a steep incline some forty feet, before we can hope to gaze down into the ill.u.s.trious hole. Probably no vertical shaft was ever so impressive as this.

Cairo contains nearly three hundred mosques, the minarets of which are not only the most beautiful, but the most imposing of any the traveler sees in the Mohammedan world.

To one standing in the citadel, the city presents some of the most striking and picturesque views to be found in the East. Looking beyond the mosques and their towering minarets, some built of alternate layers of red and white stone, we behold the graves of the califs, the white mountains of Mohattan, the gigantic pyramids, the fertile plain of the Nile, and the dreary stretch of the desert.

The life history of Egypt lies before us, and we have but to read the interesting pages of the past, open to our view.

The city of Cairo was founded in 969. It was for ten generations under the rule of the Fatimite califs of Africa, who came from Kairon bringing the bones of their ancestors with them.

Towards the close of the twelfth century Saladin usurped the government.

In the middle of the thirteenth century a descendant of Saladin was deposed. Cairo then remained, until the early part of the sixteenth century, under the government of a line of Mameluke kings, when it was stormed by Sultan Selim.

Under the new rule, Cairo became somewhat European in its character. The ambition of the khedive was to make his capital into a Paris of the East.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A STREET SCENE IN CAIRO.]

Cairo still retains, however, many features strongly suggestive of Arabic origin. We find still its labyrinth of narrow lanes, its flat-roofed houses without chimneys, or windows, its large bazaars, in which all kinds of Oriental ware are exposed for sale, and its forests of minarets.

The narrow streets are in many places arched over; the bazaars are dark and gloomy, and the houses are built of variegated brick with interlinings of wood.

The city is divided into different quarters; one being appropriated to the Turks, one to the Christians, one to the Jews, etc.,--each separated from the adjoining one by a strong gate at the end of the streets. These gates are closed at night and are guarded by a porter, who opens them when any one wishes to pa.s.s out.

The great bulk of the population of Cairo consists of Arabs. Their ancestors were the original conquerors of the land. The ruling cla.s.s of the city now consists of Turks. The tradesmen and the cultivators of the soil are all of Arabic ancestry. Then, too, we find the Copts, descendants of the ancient Egyptians, the original lords of the soil.

Jews, Syrians, Africans, and Europeans make up the residue of the population.

As we pa.s.s through the streets of Cairo, we cannot fail to notice the great number of blind persons among those who throng these narrow thoroughfares. Here, as in other parts of Egypt, ophthalmia is prevalent.

It has been stated that out of every four Egyptians there will be found one blind man, another with only one eye, another blear-eyed, and one with perfect sight. The intensity of the light does not seem to cause this blindness. It seems due, rather, to the great amount of dust and to a general want of cleanliness from infancy.

Another cause, too, is a.s.signed for this misfortune. As far back as the days of Mohammed, fathers looked forward with dread to the time when their sons would be obliged to enter military service.

Many a father, to avert this fate for his children, preferred to destroy their eyesight in infancy, or to injure the eyes by cutting the pupils, rather than to see his sons claimed as soldiers when they had reached manhood.

About a mile beyond the walls of the city are the tombs of the califs.

These are magnificent, imposing buildings, and may be considered beautiful specimens of Arabian architecture.

The public gardens of the city are also an attractive feature, consisting, as they do, of groves of orange, citron, and palms, intermingled with vines.

CHAPTER Lx.x.xIII.

EDUCATION IN CAIRO.

Cairo may be called the seat of learning in the East. It is celebrated for its eminent professors, particularly those of Mohammedan theology and law.

Attached to the mosque of Ezher is a university, or college, with quite a large Oriental library. Grammar, arithmetic, algebra, rhetoric, and other branches are taught in the university; while lectures on logic, theology, law, and the articles of the Koran are delivered there.

Students from all parts of the Mohammedan world congregate to the number of two thousand to receive this instruction, which is free to all. The professors draw no regular salary, but are dependent upon presents from the wealthy and upon what they may receive from private pupils.