E-text prepared by Peter Vachuska, Chuck Greif, Greg Bergquist, and the
Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
(https://www.pgdp.net)
Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this
file which includes the original illustrations.
See 24971-h.htm or 24971-h.zip:
(https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/9/7/24971/24971-h/24971-h.htm)
or
(https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/9/7/24971/24971-h.zip)
TRAVELS IN THE FAR EAST
[Illustration: _The Pyramids from the Nile, Cairo_]
TRAVELS IN THE FAR EAST
by
ELLEN M. H. PECK
(Mrs. James Sidney Peck)
New York
Thomas Y. Crowell & Co.
Publishers
Copyright 1909
By Ellen M. H. Peck
The University Press, Cambridge, U.S.A.
OZYMANDIAS
I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings;
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
--PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY
TO MY DAUGHTER
FOREWORD
As the inspiration which caused the making of this "Tour" came from my
daughter (the "you" of my story), and as she wished a record of the same
published, my desire has been to give her as complete an idea of my
journeyings as is possible by descriptive text and illustrations. The
interest of friends in the plan has caused them to be included in my
thought, and if the public desire to be added to the personal
acquaintances whom I regard as my readers it will prove a pleasant
recognition of a modest plan.
The nine months tour included Egypt, Northern India, Burma, Southern
India, Ceylon, Malay Peninsula, Java, Siam, Southern China, Japan,
Northern China, Manchuria, and Korea.
Realizing that impressions suddenly formed are not always to be trusted,
an attempt has been made to have them tested by comparison with those
formed by a longer residence.
In like manner only statements have been made on the authority of those
who claimed to have knowledge and experience. The lack of guidance of
either a Baedeker or a Murray has been felt in Java, Siam, China,
Manchuria, and Korea, small local guide books and guides not being an
equivalent as regards accurate testimony.
May these pages prove a pleasant reminiscence to those who have visited
the scenes described, and an introduction to those who have not thus
travelled, but some of whom may plan to "do likewise."
E.M.H.P.
MILWAUKEE, December, 1908
CONTENTS
PAGE
MILWAUKEE 1
CHICAGO 1
NEW YORK 1
THE AZORES 4
GIBRALTAR 4
MARSEILLES 5
PORT SAÏD 7
CAIRO 9
SUEZ CANAL 34
ADEN, ARABIA 36
BOMBAY 37
JEYPORE 48
DELHI 56
AGRA 67
FATEHPUR-SIKRI 76
CAWNPORE 79
LUCKNOW 80
BENARES 82
SILIGURI 88
DARJEELING 89
CALCUTTA 93
BURMA 97
PROME 109
RANGOON 109
SHWE DAGON 111
MADRAS 116
TANJORE 118
TRICHINOPOLY 120
MADURA 122
TUTICORIN 124
COLOMBO 124
NUWARA ELIYA 127
KANDY 129
ANURADHAPURA 132
CEYLON 141
BATAVIA, JAVA 145
BUITENZORG 147
GAROET 150
DJOKJAKARTA 154
MAOS 166
BANGKOK 174
SINGAPORE 201
JOHORE 201
HONG-KONG 204
CANTON 209
MACAO 216
SHANGHAI 225
NAGASAKI 229
KOBE 231
ONOMICHI 232
OSAKA 233
KYOTO 234
NARA 246
YAMADA 248
NAGOYA 250
YOKOHAMA 251
NIKKO 252
TOKIO 260
A VISIT TO NORTH CHINA 264
PEKING 273
TIENTSIN 301
SHANHAIKWAN 302
MUKDEN 305
NIUCHWANG 309
DALNY 310
PORT ARTHUR 310
CHEMULPO, SEOUL 317
TOWARD YOKOHAMA 326
HOMEWARD BOUND 345
ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
The Pyramids from the Nile, Cairo _Frontispiece_
Meshrebeeyeah windows 6
A bridge spanning the Nile at Cairo 11
The peculiar head-dress of the Cairo women 13
The Mosque of Amr 17
The interior of the Tomb Mosque of Kalaûn 20
Fountain in the Mosque of Sultan Hasan 24
Openwork dagobas 26
Citadel and Mosque of Mahomet Ali 28
The obelisk marking the site of Heliopolis 33
The Suez Canal near Port Saïd 36
Aden, Arabia 39
Victoria Station at Bombay 41
Queen's Road at Bombay 43
Country scene in Bombay 44
A Tower of Silence 46
Entrance to one of the Caves of Elephanta 48
Street scene in Jeypore 51
A Hindu woman of Jeypore 53
Interior view of Amber Palace 55
General view of Amber Palace and fort near Jeypore 57
A gateway built during the seventeenth century in Delhi 59
The Pearl Mosque at Delhi 59
The Hall of Private Audience in the Palace, Delhi 61
Jumma Musjid, Delhi 61
The tomb of Emperor Humayun 64
Northern colonnade of the Islam mosque, showing ruined arch 66
Kutub Minar, the Tower of Victory in Old Delhi 68
Gateway leading to Taj Mahal 70
Taj Mahal 70
Screen in Taj Mahal 70
Shah Jahan and his wife in whose memory the Taj was built 70
Agra Palace and part of wall and gateway to the fort 73
An Octagon Tower of the Agra Palace 73
The Pearl Mosque 74
Akbar's tomb in Sikandra 74
General view of Fatehpur-Sikri 77
A column in the Audience Hall (Diwan-i-Khas) 78
Jasmine Tower and distant view of the Taj 81
The ghat at Cawnpore 81
The Residency at Lucknow 82
Bathing ghat, Benares 84
Burning ghat, Benares, where cremations occur 84
The Tope of Sarnath and the Jain Temple near Benares 86
A view of Darjeeling and the Kanchanjanga Range 89
A Nepaulese group 91
The Government House in Calcutta 94
An avenue of palms in the Botanical Gardens 96
Fort Dufferin and the moat, Mandalay 98
Mandalay palace and its tower, called The Centre of the Universe 98
The Arakan Pagoda 100
One of the four gateways to the 450 Pagodas 100
The Queen's Golden Monastery 103
Karen women in Mandalay 103
Burmese country house near Mandalay 104
A national dance at Mandalay 107
On the Irrawaddy River, near Sagoing 109
General view of Rangoon 111
Shwe Dagon Pagoda at Rangoon 112
Entrance gateway, Shwe Dagon Pagoda 112
Chapels on platform around Shwe Dagon, Rangoon 112
Elephants carrying logs at Rangoon 115
The Gilded Sule as seen from Hytche Square 115
General view of Madras 117
The Great Subrahmanya Temple at Tanjore 119
Fort Rock, Trichinopoly 121
The Golden Lily Tank, Madura 123
Entrance to the Madura Temple 123
Street Scene in Colombo 124
General view of Nuwara Eliya 129
General view of Kandy 131
Entrance to the Botanical Gardens, Kandy 132
Temple of the Sacred Tooth in Kandy 132
Ruins of Anuradhapura 135
Near the Sacred Road, Thuparama Dagoba 136
The Moonstone Steps 139
Mihitale Steps 141
Street scene in Kandy, Ceylon 143
The canal in the old city of Batavia 144
Batavia, Java 147
View of Mt. Salak from the Hotel Belle Vue 149
A village scene in Garoet, Java 151
The crater of Papandajang 153
The ruined temple of Prambanam 155
Bas-reliefs in the Siva Temple, Prambanam 155
The stairs leading to a Prambanam temple 155
The Three Graces in the Lara Jongram Temple, Java 157
The old temple at Mendoet 159
Boro Boedor, in Java 162
Stairway of Boro Boedor, Java 162
Boro Boedor, Java, showing one part of the gallery 162
A public square in Djokjakarta, Java 165
Designing sarongs in Batavia 167
Landscape near Batavia 169
Javanese vegetable sellers 170
A Javanese dignitary and his attendants 172
The King of Siam 175
In the Royal Palace of Wang Chang, Bangkok 180
Entrance to Prakeo, the Royal Temple 182
The Klong Canal at Bangkok 185
The famous Elephants' Kraal 189
Tower of Royal Palace at Ban-Pa-In 190
A Siamese girl 193
A royal barge at Bangkok 194
The collier quay at Singapore 201
The Sultan's Palace at Johore 202
A general view of Hong-Kong 205
The public gardens in Hong-Kong 205
A typical street in a Chinese city 207
A five-story pagoda 211
Temple of the Five Genii at Canton 212
The San Paulo Façade 215
The bund at Macao, called Praia Grande 216
The bund at Shanghai 224
Mogi Road at Nagasaki 228
The main street in Kobe 231
The fort and castle at Osaka 232
The rapids near Kyoto 235
Bamboo Avenue in Kyoto 235
The Golden Pavilion 237
The largest pine tree in the world at Lake Biwa 238
Kasuga Temple 243
The Temple of Ise (Yamada) 249
Nagoya Castle 250
The way to the Temple, Ieyasu 254
Kokamon: Iemitzu Temple 254
A five-story pagoda 257
The gate called Yomei-mon 259
The Imperial Palace at Tokio 261
Court of the Temple Shiba at Tokio 263
Gate of Chionin in Kyoto 264
Ueno Park pagoda 264
The Little Orphan Rock in the Yangtse River 268
Road to Kaling above Kia-Kiang 270
The Hankow bund 272
The Great Wall at Peking 274
Hata-men Gate 277
Peking girls 278
Llama Temple 278
A Peking cart 281
The Confucius Temple 281
Temple of Classics 281
The Inner Temple of Heaven 282
Outer Heaven, Temple of Heaven, Peking 285
The White Pagoda of the Yellow Temple 286
The Winter Palace of the Forbidden City 289
View from the Forbidden City 288
Marble Terrace of the Summer Palace 291
Marble Bridge of the Summer Palace 291
Nankow Pass 292
A tower of the Great Wall 295
Five Arch: First pailow of the Ming Tomb 295
Emperor Yunglo's tomb 297
Emperor Kwangsu of China 298
The Dowager Empress of China 300
Gordon Hall at Tientsin 303
Old gateway of Tientsin 303
The Temple at Mukden 306
Dalny 310
Port Arthur before the siege 313
Tiger-Tail Promontory and Port Arthur during the conflict 315
203-Metre Hill, Port Arthur--The last point to be taken 317
The city wall and gate of Seoul 319
A group of Koreans 320
An old tomb of a high official 323
A white marble pagoda in Seoul 324
Street scene in Seoul 326
Torii Miyajima 328
Stone lanterns, Miyajima 330
Islands of the Inland Sea 332
Mississippi Bay 335
View of Miyanoshita 336
Theatre Street in Yokohama 340
Mountains around Hakona 343
Mount Pali, Honolulu 344
TRAVELS IN THE FAR EAST
Milwaukee, _October 27th_, 1907: The adieux have been said, the friends
have departed, and the train is moving slowly out of the station; a
profusion of flowers, tempting new books, and other gifts are visible
proofs of the thoughtfulness of friends on the eve of a long journey in
untried fields, and it seems as if I had lost my moorings and was
drifting out on an unknown way.
* * * * *
CHICAGO is reached, and after a hurried transfer of trains I am speeding
on to my objective point, New York. An interval of two days and there is
a hurried departure for the pier and "the die is cast."
There is always a sense of exhilaration on the sailing of a steamer from
New York, despite the sadness of the leave-taking; and the receipt of
many gifts, telegrams, and letters keeps up the excitement until after
the departure of the pilot. But as the shore line recedes and we drift
out to sea, there comes a realization of an entire change of environment
and of the rending of former interests, which is, of itself, a fine
preparation for the mental equipment necessary to assimilate the new
scenes to be visited.
The November Second party of Collver Tours "Round the World," sailing on
the _Friedrich der Grosse_, North German Lloyd line, was to embrace ten
individuals, aside from an accomplished Director, each to be independent
of the other, but all supposed to fit into a harmonious whole. After the
formal presentations were over, there came a sense of relief, for
refined manners, culture, and the experience of much travel were
apparent, and promised well for the months of companionship which were
to ensue.
The localities represented by the several members in the party were as
follows: Boston, three; Philadelphia, four; New York, one; Lafayette,
Indiana, one; Ottawa, Illinois, one; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, one. This
is an indication of varied personality and diversified taste.
The elements did not prove propitious in the days that followed our
departure, and we were forced to bear the stress of wind and storm with
becoming resignation, feeling personally thankful for indemnity from
fatal results. Such a voyage does not lend itself to much diversion or
variety of interests, but there were the usual attempts at gayety in the
line of dancing, music, and the exhilarating "Captain's dinner"; hence
with congenial people the days were pleasantly whiled away. Among the
fellow passengers were some former friends, but I will mention only
those who in a sense belong to the public.
There was Mr. Edward P. Allis with his family; he was formerly of
Milwaukee, but for many years has been a resident of Mentone, France,
where he has continued his researches along biological lines, and where
he has also superintended the publication of a valuable magazine
relating to his special subject. I am happy to state that he has
received, in consequence, distinguished recognition from the French
Government, even the decoration of the Legion of Honor. He is also the
recipient of orders from other foreign governments, and the Wisconsin
University has conferred a high degree upon him.
Another friend was Dr. Baldwin, of Rome, Italy, who has an international
reputation as a specialist on diseases of the heart.
A new acquaintance was Mr. Theodore M. Davis, of Newport, Rhode Island,
who from November to April, on his finely appointed dahabiyeh, makes the
Nile his home, at Luxor. For some years he has superintended valuable
excavations in the Tombs of the Kings at Thebes, defraying the expense
of the work himself. He holds the only concession granted by the
Egyptian Government, on condition that the result of his discoveries
become the property of the State; these so-termed "finds" are very
valuable, and a special room has been devoted to them in the Museum of
Gizeh at Cairo.
Our arrival at the Azores was the first excitement of the voyage, and I
had expected to renew the pleasant associations of the day we passed
together on San Miguel, at the picturesque city of Ponta Delgada. But,
alas! we sailed on and there was only a memory; by the subtle power of
association another memory haunted me also, that of Funchal, Madeira,
with its balmy air and luxuriant vegetation.
* * * * *
GIBRALTAR: The world-renowned fortress of Gibraltar was reached after
some hours' delay, and we were welcomed by sunshine and a June-like
temperature.
The attractions there are not numerous, but they are unique;
unfortunately, a visit to the fortified galleries is now denied to
visitors, but a beautiful drive to Europa Point and to the neutral
ground, together with a walk through the park called the Alameda, is a
fair compensation. The shops which line the narrow streets possess an
Oriental aspect, and the general view of the massive fortifications
afforded much interest to those who had not made a previous visit. But
the picturesqueness of former visits--the motley crowd of Moors, Arabs,
Spaniards, and Turks at the wharf--was lacking; while the venders of
fruit, flowers, and laces were far less numerous, but quite as
persistent, as of old.
* * * * *
_November 12th_: The steamer _Magnolia_, of the P. & O. line, became our
home to Port Saïd, named for the Viceroy of Egypt, who granted the
concession for the building of the Suez Canal. We were at once charmed
with the general arrangement of the vessel, the salons for ordinary use
being large and airy; the staterooms were smaller than those of the
Atlantic service, but were finely ventilated.
The passage to Marseilles, France, consumed about thirty-six hours, and
the time was spent partly in planning a sight-seeing expedition to take
place immediately after our arrival. The Gulf of Lyons, however, gave us
a stormy reception; and, as the gale (mistral) increased, the harbor was
reached. To be near a destination and yet unable to enter the port was
most tantalizing!
* * * * *
MARSEILLES: The approach to Marseilles is rather disappointing, as there
are intervening islands of bare rocks; but later the heights appear, the
Church of Notre Dame de la Garde being a prominent feature of the view.
Owing to the delay in landing, only two hours' stay on shore was
granted, which was a great disappointment to many of us, but less so to
me, as I had previously visited the city, and remembered the enjoyment
derived from my stay there.
On our return to the steamer, a novel sight presented itself. The vessel
was anchored close to the dock on which is a low embarkation shed,
fronting on a wide passage-way, which was now filled with a motley
group. At the back there was a fringe of color from many baskets of
fruit, flowers, and plants in charge of dealers, clad in costumes of
varied hues, with red shawls tied over their heads. Each hawker was
intent on extracting coins from the interested spectators, who hung over
the side of the steamer. In the foreground were acrobats of every
description, dressed in all the colors of the rainbow; among them was a
group of five musicians of tender years, an acrobat in pink tights who
was exploiting the skill of his little daughter, scarcely five years of
age, and another similarly cruel father, who was compelling a little
girl to go through all manner of contortions. There was also a group of
little girl dancers. This picturesque but painful sight impressed us
with the necessity for the establishment here of a society for the
prevention of cruelty to children.
[Illustration: _Meshrebeeyeah windows_]
Two hundred and fifty more passengers were added to the steamer list at
Marseilles, and henceforth the vessel was to be taxed to her utmost
capacity. Most of the passengers were _en route_ for a five weeks'
voyage to Australia, many of them were friends, and a general spirit of
jollity prevailed, the decks presenting the appearance of a seaside
veranda, with their tables, lounging-chairs, work-baskets, and toys. A
"sports" committee was at once formed, and games of all kinds were
played (always for prizes), while a concert, dances, and bridge
enlivened the evening hours.
On the night of November 17th we passed the volcano of Stromboli (now
inactive), our steamer gliding between it on one side and the isles of
Pina on the other; some hours later the Straits of Messina were reached;
while, farther on, the island of Candida was passed. A church service
was held aboard both morning and evening (the latter in the second-class
salon), this being the invariable rule on English steamers.
* * * * *
PORT SAÏD, _November 20th_: As we approached Port Saïd, everything was
at first shadowy--the lighthouse, a group of palms, and a minaret
seeming to rise out of the sea. There were a few points of land called
Damietta, but all else was flat. At last we steamed into the harbor,
anchoring at the mouth of the Suez Canal, and were taken ashore in a
launch amidst a confused yelling of voices,--indeed a perfect Babel.
With only three or four hours in Port Saïd, there was little time for a
close survey, but we walked through some of the streets, called at a few
shops of no special interest, and had afternoon tea at one of the
hotels, to the accompaniment of music furnished by native musicians. We
had always heard Port Saïd spoken of as "the wickedest place in the
world," and we commented on the apparent absence of such a condition;
but we were assured by one of the tourists that wickedness did exist,
and we accepted the statement without an attempt to verify it.
Port Saïd gains its principal importance from being the starting-point
of that great waterway, the Suez Canal, of which we form our first
impression from the fact that ten years' time was required for its
construction and $100,000,000 were expended on the work, the payment of
which impoverished Egypt and was one of the causes that led to the
protectorate of England. This is said to be a humiliating condition to
all true Egyptians.
The monument at Port Saïd, raised in honor of Ferdinand de Lesseps, as
the founder of the enterprise, emphasizes France's contribution to the
project.
* * * * *
CAIRO, _November 20th_: A late train to Cairo caused us to arrive near
midnight, an inopportune time for first impressions, but the memory of a
former visit caused a pleasant anticipation of scenes to be revisited. A
week, however, was too short a time in which to cover the ground, but by
persistent effort on our part much was accomplished.
Having headquarters at Shepheard's Hotel--with its foreign arrangement
of rooms and furnishings, together with its gayly attired attendants,
many of them costumed in red, yellow, green, or blue silk trimmed with
gilt, and wearing silk turbans to match--gave us at once an Oriental
environment. The central location of the building, with the opportunity,
also, which the wide terrace afforded guests for making observations,
offered us an immediate insight into the unique life of the city. The
venders of fruit, flowers, postal cards, and souvenirs formed a
foreground of many colors, while beyond was an unceasing flow of motley
carriages, native vehicles, carts, donkeys, and camels, and sometimes
two resplendent outriders (called "Sikhs"), on fine chargers, heralded
the approach of some dignitary,--a custom which is, however, dying out.
The most novel sight which came to our notice was a wedding procession,
the bride being ever carefully concealed by silken curtains thrown over
either a carriage or a peculiarly constructed litter borne by two
camels, one at the front and one at the back; a band of music preceded,
followed by vehicles of many different kinds containing members of the
bridal party, all _en route_ for the bride's home.
It must be remembered that Cairo, while in one sense a modern city,
presents many clearly defined mediæval phases; this is particularly true
throughout its native quarters, as exemplified in streets and bazars in
the vicinity of the Nile, and in its old-time mosques; in this
connection I would emphasize the bazars, both Turkish and Arabic. Some
of the old irregular thoroughfares on which the bazars are situated
radiate from the wider and more important Muski; then, again, there are
narrower alley-like streets, a veritable tangle! The bazars everywhere
are similarly constructed, but vary in size and importance; they are
box-like in form, from four to six feet in width, and six to eight feet
in height, and are raised one or two feet from the ground, with three
sides enclosed and the fourth open to the street by day, but at night
closed, the fourth wall sliding into place like a folding door.
Here is usually to be found, for a certain distance, but one kind of
goods, be it slippers, brass-work, or embroideries, alternating with
eatables, fruit, pipes, and the like, there being no attempt at
classification. Woe be to the unwary who approach these bazars without
the ability to "bargain"; for there is ever a scale of prices, and the
topmost one is usually exorbitant!
[Illustration: _A bridge spanning the Nile at Cairo_]
Within the open space of his shop sits the dealer, ready for the
contest, sometimes complacently sipping his coffee, or smoking a
cigarette, the long Turkish pipes having been largely abolished. The
courtesy of coffee or a cigarette is often extended to the purchaser,
which possesses a mollifying effect if the discussion over a purchase
has waxed high.
It is said that the scenes in the Turkish bazars on a fête day are like
a picture from the "Arabian Nights," the places being illuminated by
many candles or chandeliers, and covered by awnings formed of rich
shawls, scarfs, and embroideries brought from the interior. This gives
each bazar the appearance of a reception room, with the dealer seated
within, dispensing hospitality, every one being dressed in holiday
attire. The bazars in Cairo are considered an important feature of the
life of the city (as they are in every place throughout the Eastern or
Western Orient), but they are less attractive than those I visited in
Tunis, Constantinople, or Damascus.
The crowd that is passing the shops often proves more interesting than
the display within, as there are natives of all ages and descriptions,
Arabs, Bedouins, Turks, and Egyptians, some mounted on donkeys and some
driving heavily laden camels. Water-carriers with jars, mostly women,
are among them, while the natives usually carry under the arm the
characteristic pigskin, filled with water. These are the sights to be
seen, together with the venders of fruit and vegetables, alternating
with richly equipped carriages, and funeral or bridal processions. Men
and women in their Oriental dress jostle the crowd of sight-seers who
ever throng these ways.
In these, but more often in a better class of streets, we pass the
lovely meshrebîya windows, with their intricate turned lattice-work
designs; they are very frequently oblong projecting windows, but instead
of glass there is used the fine tracery or lattice-work in wood. Sad to
relate, this fine work is sharing in the general decay to be found in
the old quarters of Cairo, and, in a few years, the tourist will only be
able to view the specimens even now being sent to the Arabian Museum,
which institution is, by the way, doing a splendid work in preserving
and classifying all artistic remains, notably those from the crumbling
mosques.
Except in the matter of decay, I found little change in the native
portion of the city since my visit in 1898; but the aspect of the city
proper has grown modern. Fine new streets, public buildings and
residences, are seen everywhere in the Ezbekieh and Ismailian quarters
of the city, while certain sections suggest a European capital. The
Ezbekieh Gardens, opposite the Continental Hotel, form really a small
park in the centre of the city, and are a great resort for tourists as
well as residents.
[Illustration: _The peculiar head-dress of the Cairo women_]
The Ismailian is the fashionable quarter of the city, and it is said
that many wealthy citizens have left their former luxurious native homes
for a modern residence in the new section. Hence many dealers in the
bazars have secured the deserted Oriental homes, and now live in
comparative luxury, showing that conditions and residential centres
change in the Old World as well as in the New.
But note how much more attractive the original home must appear to
native eyes. A passage leads from the street to a spacious court, and
grouped around the court, which usually has a fountain in the centre
(with sometimes one or two trees), are the rooms for general use and
those assigned to guests. The apartments occupied by the women of the
family, commonly called the harem, are not visible, but are generally
spacious and well furnished, even luxuriously appointed, with inlaid
floors, decorated walls, and rich rugs. The light filters through either
meshrebîya or flat latticed windows, for no profane eye can gaze on the
supposed loveliness of damsel and dame, nor can they, in their turn,
gaze outward for any distance, which shows the restricted social
condition of the women.
It is said that they are virtually regarded with contempt, and, though
usually kindly treated in the harem, they are considered only as
ornamental appendages of the home; hence they are rarely educated, and
never in more than those accomplishments, such as music and dancing,
which tend to add to their attractiveness.
The better classes of women are always seen veiled, and, with the
peculiar covering over the nose, one can only judge of their appearance
by their often very beautiful eyes. Oh, the infinite sadness to be found
in the depths of many of them!
I was, however, told by a gentleman, long resident in Cairo, that there
are indications of a gradual change as regards education, the wives of a
few high officials having been educated on broader lines than mere
accomplishments; hence it is to be hoped that the leaven will work in
time. It may also be found later that the transference of the harem from
an Oriental home to a Number 9 residence on a fashionable street will
lessen the seclusion heretofore imposed.
The Nile is always a centre of interest, not only for those who explore
it to the cataracts or Khartoum, but for natives and tourists who throng
its banks to catch a glimpse of the queer sailing craft, and to watch
the never-ending procession that passes over it,--men, women, vehicles,
and animals filling every available space.
It is quite the fashion for parties of tourists to repair to the bridge
at 5 A.M. in order to watch the marketmen, venders of all kinds, and the
heavily laden donkeys and camels fulfilling their part in the labor of
supplying the city markets.
Once across the bridge, the procession from the country is even more
picturesque; and, viewed from a waiting "tram" in the late afternoon,
when all are homeward bound, the scene is most incongruous. Sometimes
four or five heavily veiled women in black robes are seen on one of the
long two-wheeled carts, drawn by an emaciated horse with a native at his
head as a propelling power; next, follow a flock of geese, two or three
score of goats, a group of sheep, four or five camels looking down with
a superior air on the donkeys, as well as pedestrians of many
complexions and of varied dress--Arabs, Bedouins, Soudanese, and
Egyptians,--their queerly shaped turbans and brilliant colors lending
the finishing touch to the scene. Nowhere else in the Orient does such a
view present itself, and its setting is the Nile!
The last glimpse of the Nile, the evening before my departure, will
never be forgotten. The occasion was an invitation to indulge in
afternoon tea at the Hôtel Semiramis, near the entrance to the bridge.
We lingered on for the sunset, which first appeared as a flaming ball
of fire, succeeded by myriad shades of rainbow hues, these fading into
softer tints and later into those more delicate tones that prelude the
twilight. Then silence seemed to brood over the wonderful river, and we
departed.
If the street scenes, the bazars, and the Nile are an index to the
native life of Cairo, a greater claim may be made for the mosques, in
which the city abounds; for they represent political changes, social
evolution, and artistic development, as history proves. To substantiate
this claim of the mosques, a brief digression is necessary.
The origin of Cairo dates back to the Muslim invasion in 640; the
original Arab settlement was called Fustât, the "Town of the Tent,"
which is substantially the old Cairo of to-day. Here was erected almost
at once the first mosque, that of Amr, sometimes called Amru. In 751 a
northeast suburb was added, called El Askar; this was to be the
residence of the Governor, and here also was erected the Mosque of El
Askar. Keeping still to the northeast, another city was added, in 860,
by the first independent Muslim King of Egypt, Ibn Tûlûn, called El
Katâi; the "wards" became divided into separate quarters for various
nations and classes, and here was erected the remarkable Mosque of Ibn
Tûlûn. A fourth city still farther northeast was added a little over a
century later, called El Kâhira (the Cairo of to-day); this did not
become the commercial capital of Egypt, but occupied the same relation
to Fustât that El Askar and Katâi held. The Town of the Tent, resting on
the bank of the Nile, still remained the metropolis, as it did after the
fall of both El Askar and Katâi--the disaster to these latter cities
giving additional prestige to El Kâhira.
[Illustration: _The Mosque of Amr_]
The building of a mosque[1] was regarded by the rulers not only as an
expression of religious zeal, but as a contribution to the life of the
State. Several mosques were erected during the two centuries of Arab
rule, but Amr was the first and most important. It is situated near the
site of the old Roman city of Misr, where Amr first pitched his tent, on
the invasion of Egypt. The outside of the old mosque is not imposing,
but, with the vast court forty thousand feet in area, surrounded by
colonnades consisting of numberless columns with every variety of
capitals (taken from Christian churches), it excites our admiration.
Wooden beams, stretched from column to column, formerly supported one
hundred and eighty thousand hanging lamps which illuminated the edifice
every night, while throngs of learned men, professors, and persons of
many conditions gathered there daily for lectures and discussion. The
great convocation was on Friday, when a sermon and prayers were the
order of the day, the immense court affording ample space for the
multitude, while the large east end sanctuary gave room for persons of
distinction to kneel. The mihrab, or niche, where worshippers turned
toward Mecca, the pulpit, and the tribunal were also features of the
edifice. We now see little of the original mosque, for it has been
remodelled from time to time; but it still remains the best type of the
congregational mosque (called Gami, meaning "assembly"), and to me it
seemed, as I looked upon it, one of the most impressive monuments of a
dead past that I had ever seen.
With the political change in 868, which introduced the Turkish period,
Ibn Tûlûn became the ruler, and another era of mosque and palace and
hospital building prevailed. The Mosque of Ibn Tûlûn is the only
monument that survives; it is also a congregational type and has the
same general style as Amr; it is the earliest instance of the use of the
pointed arch throughout a building, this being two centuries earlier
than its use in England. Five rows of arches form the arcade, or
cloisters, on the Mecca end of the building, with two rows on the other
three sides. The ornaments on the arches and around the windows are in
stucco, and are worked by hand in the plaster, instead of being moulded
as is the stucco work of the Alhambra. These consist of a bud, flower,
and rosette pattern. Another century passed on, when, in 969, the
victorious Gauhar forced the passage of the Nile and assumed possession
in behalf of a Fatimid caliphate (named Fatimid, for a daughter of
Mohammed). This event presaged a religious as well as a political
change, for the Fatimids were apostates from the true faith and
advocated the doctrines of Shi'a, one of the tenets being that the Koran
had been created, and another that there had been Mohammeds or inspired
men in every century. Shi'a now became the State religion, and for two
centuries held sway over Egypt.
This period was famous for palace building, and the descriptions of the
magnificence and luxurious furnishings read like a fairy tale. Mosque
building was not neglected, and there are two notable examples of the
congregational form, El Azhar and El Hâkim. El Azhar was founded by
Gauhar on April 3, 970, and in 988 it was especially devoted to the uses
of learning. It soon became one of the chief universities of the time,
and in 1101 there were nine thousand students and two hundred and
thirty-nine professors. The foreign students even now pay no fee and are
allowed rations of food, there being an endowment for this purpose. It
is, however, still used to a certain extent as a mosque; but it does not
now preserve the regular plan of a mosque, having been remodelled and
added to several times. It has six minarets and a spacious court
covering three thousand six hundred square yards, with one hundred and
forty columns and numerous side chambers which are devoted to lectures,
libraries, and laboratories.
At the time of our visit this court was filled with individual groups of
about thirty students, each around a professor; they were sitting
cross-legged on the floor, and were chanting their lessons with a
swaying motion of the body. A class of small children was of special
interest, studying passages of the Koran from cards. The Mosque of El
Hâkim was completed in 1013, and was so resplendent throughout that it
was known as the "Brilliant." This mosque has suffered more indignities
than even the old Amr, but the vast, empty court, with its partly ruined
arches, still has a certain dignity. There were originally five
minarets.
[Illustration: _The interior of the Tomb Mosque of Kalaûn_]
Leaving the Mosque of El Hâkim on the right, we have Bâb El-Futûh, the
Gate of Capture, which is connected by the city wall with the companion
Bâb En-Nasr, or Gate of Victory. These two gates guard the strong
northeast extremity of the old city fortifications, and in 1799 formed a
strong position for the troops of Napoleon. With Bâb Zuweyler, they are
the most important of the sixty gates which once existed in the wall of
Cairo. They have an inner and outer entrance and resemble a Roman
gateway.
The Fatimid rulers outvied each other in embellishing Kâhira with
artistic structures; this seems surprising because, on account of the
charge of heresy, Kâhira was cut off from the Arabian centres of art and
learning,--from Bagdad, Damascus, and Cordova,--and of course the
artists and students, who formerly frequented the mosques, could not do
so when they were in the hands of heretics. This condition of affairs,
together with other causes, produced a crisis, as will be seen.
The advance of Amalric and the Crusaders, in 1168, not only resulted in
the downfall of the Fatimids, but in the destruction of old Fustât,
Shawar, the ruler, having issued a mandate for it to be burned in order
to prevent the city from becoming a refuge for the Crusaders. The fire
lasted fifty-five days, and the city in all its magnificence, having
been the metropolis for five centuries, perished, a portion of the old
Mosque of Amr alone remaining. Kâhira then took its place as the
official centre of Egypt.
Saladin, the King of Jerusalem, now became ruler of Egypt, and he at
once adopted strong measures to win the apostates back to the true
faith. With a wisdom far in advance of his time, he planned to educate
the followers of Shi'aism by the introduction of madrasah mosques and
colleges. Heretofore we have had the Gami, or congregational mosque,
with a severely plain exterior. The madrasah mosques of this period
contained a smaller court, which was frequently capped with a cupola in
the centre; the sides of the court, instead of being surrounded by
arcades, were formed of four transepts, each spanned by a single lofty
arch. The transept toward the east was deeper than the others, forming
the niche for prayer; it was also furnished with the usual mihrab,
pulpit, and tribunal. Fine façades, minarets, and domes took the place
of the usual plain exterior; the dome was generally utilized as the
covering of a tomb or was intended for future memorial use. The
religious exercises (daily prayers, except on Friday, with sermons) were
in the nature of a school training in the interest of the true
Mohammedan faith.
The exterior of the madrasah college was not unlike the mosque
described, but the interior included facilities for theological
lectures, together with classrooms and libraries for general study; the
students were received on the very terms described in connection with
the university Mosque of El Azhar. These, in general, were the means
employed by Saladin to win all back to the true faith; in time he was
successful, and Kâhira no longer rested under the stigma of heresy.
The dignity of the Fatimid age was lowered by Saladin's quartering the
officers of his army in the magnificent palaces, while he occupied the
house of the Viziers. Shortly every monument of the brilliant Fatimid
period had vanished, with the exception of four mosques and the three
gates previously alluded to. Saladin, however, inaugurated a new era of
building, and during his nominal reign of twenty-four years three
mosques and sixteen colleges attest his zeal to the "cause." He also
built the citadel, and the great wall which was to enclose not only
Kâhira but the remains of the old cities. To him the present city of
Cairo owes its form and extent.
The tomb Mosque of Kalaûn was built in 1279 by the ruler of that name,
and is adjacent to the fine hospital, bearing the same name also; while
not large, it contains exquisite examples of wood carving, marble
mosaic, and plaster ornament worked in by hand. Seventy-seven years
later, in 1356, we find that, in the Mosque of Sultan Hasan, the
sculpture was in stone; hence, the material being unyielding, the
designs are geometrical, instead of arabesque, as in the plaster. This
is one of the most important mosques of any age, and is the most
characteristic of the madrasah form. Seen from without, the walls appear
even higher than the accredited one hundred and thirteen feet; they are
built of fine cut stone, from the pyramids, and windows relieve the
monotony of bare surface. There is a fine portal, set in an arched niche
sixty-six feet high, which is decorated with geometrical designs and
which has corner columns and capitals. The interior gives one an
impression of immense size, on account of the great span of the four
arches; the one at the east end is ninety feet high and seventy feet
wide, and is unequalled. The mosaics and marbles, however, are less
artistic than in the later mosques. The tomb chamber, entered from the
east, has a finely decorated door of brass, and is encircled by a marble
dado, twenty-five feet high, above which is a verse from the Koran
carved in wood. In the centre of the room is the grave of the founder.
The original dome fell in 1660, and was replaced by an inferior one;
there were to have been four minarets, but these collapsed also. The
court is well proportioned and contains an artistic fountain for
ablution.
[Illustration: _Fountain in the Mosque of Sultan Hasan_]
We saw the bronze lantern and many of the enamelled glass lamps in the
Arabian Museum, which forms a depository for ancient works of art; the
mosque has suffered greatly from devastation and abuse, but it still
retains a prestige among its class that not even time can efface. It is
said that Sultan Hasan was so delighted with the edifice that he ordered
the architect's hands cut off, for fear he might duplicate his
success,--an act committed presumably on the principle that "the end
justifies the means."
The Circassian as well as the Turkish Mamelukes were great builders of
mosques and colleges, particularly Sultan Barkûk (1382-1399) and Sultan
Kâït Bey (1468-1496). Their edifices are marvels of artistic skill, and,
by the time of Kâït Bey, perfection seemed almost to have been reached.
This is particularly true of the tomb mosques, situated in the mausolea
on the east side of the city, and known as the Tombs of the Khalifs.
That of Barkûk is noticeable, on account of its two superb domes, its
two minarets, and a carved pulpit, the latter erected by Kâït Bey. The
Mosque of Kâït Bey is, however, the finest of the group; it has a lofty
dome, adorned with bands of sculpture, minarets with galleries, and
bronze doors. There are beautiful ivory carvings over the tomb, while
the edifice is lighted by fifty colored glass windows. Near by, the
smaller modern tomb mosque of the Khedive Tewfik (the father of the
present Khedive), which is resplendent with a wealth of interior
decorations, suffers in comparison.
The defeat of the Mamelukes, and the Ottoman occupation of Kâhira in
1517, caused no cessation of mosque building; but there was a departure
from the Saracenic models, and also a still more marked return to the
congregational form than had been witnessed in the days of the great
builders just noted. This is evident in the last great mosque of the
modern period, that of Mohammed Ali (the independent monarch), begun by
that ruler, but not completed until 1857. It is situated in the citadel
and has an immense court, surrounded by arcades; but, unlike the
original type, it is covered with an immense dome, producing an
impressive effect. The exterior has also four smaller domes (one on each
side) and two very tall minarets, with shorter ones on each corner. The
mosque is likewise called the Alabaster Mosque, as the columns are built
of yellow alabaster and the walls encrusted with it; its location in the
citadel gives it a commanding position, and, being modern, it has
escaped the ravages of time.
[Illustration: _Openwork dagobas_]
Only a few representative mosques have here been outlined
architecturally (several others were visited), but an attempt has been
made to give these their political and social significance and
setting. Of the artistic side of the picture, it is claimed, on high
authority, that there have been manifested, in the construction of these
mosques, great architectural skill, perfection of ornament in wood,
plaster, and stone, and a careful adherence to Saracenic principles.
The most conspicuous point in Cairo is the citadel, erected by Saladin
in 1166, and constituting a fitting monument of his reign. From its
position and its fortification, it would seem almost invincible; but,
unfortunately, the fortress is itself commanded by the higher Mokattam
hills, as was shown in 1805, when Mohammed Ali, by means of a battery
placed on a hill, compelled Karishid Pasha to surrender the stronghold.
The mosque of Mohammed Ali, placed in the citadel, as already described,
can be seen from every side, and the barracks are also a prominent
feature; but the presence of British troops seems hardly to harmonize
with the Oriental environment.
A fine view of the city may be seen from the ramparts, but it is
surpassed by the view to be had from the Mokattam hills; on our way
there, some of the party took donkeys from near the citadel, but others
(like myself) walked, if the exercise of ploughing through the deep
furrows of sand may so be termed. A slippery climb, and all of Cairo
with its environs lay before us--and such a view! It was in the late
afternoon of a perfect day; the scene was, in the main, Oriental, the
European touches being less visible from a distance. First, a confused
stretch of domes, minarets, and roofs; then a separate mosque stood out,
and we recognized Sultan Hasan and Ibn Tûlûn. Farther on were seen the
towers above the Bâb Zuweyler gate; then the Tombs of the Khalifs,
blended together, and still farther there appeared the shadowy outlines
of the old Mosque of Amr. At our feet stood the citadel, while the
Alabaster Mosque and the line of arches marking the old aqueduct were
clearly visible. The setting sun illumined the silver line of the Nile,
touched the distant pyramids resting on the desert, and revealed the
far-away step pyramid of Sakkara. Its glory seemed all to be gathered
here, suffusing the whole panorama, and resting upon the scene like a
silent benediction.
The island of Rodda divides the Nile, and was formerly connected by
bridges of boats with both the island of Gizeh and Fustât, now old
Cairo. It was formerly a place of commercial importance, and had
extensive dockyards; according to tradition it is a place of Biblical
associations, since a palace occupied by Pharaoh's daughter is pointed
out, and also the place on the river where Moses was found in the
bulrushes.
[Illustration: _Citadel and Mosque of Mahomet Ali_]
The old Nilometer, for measuring the depths of the Nile, which was
erected in 716, is of interest. It consists of a square well, sixteen
feet in diameter, having, in the centre, an octagonal column on which
the ancient Arabic measures are inscribed. It was last remodelled in
1893. We visited old Cairo and the Coptic churches, six of which are
situated in the precincts of the ancient castle of Babylon. The Copts
are considered fine representatives of the old Egyptians, and they have
succeeded in preserving their language and liturgy through twelve
centuries of fierce oppression. The Fatimid period alone allowed them
some measure of toleration; their religious forms are similar to those
of the Greek church, but their discipline is more severe, their Lenten
fast covering a period of fifty-five days, with abstinence from sunrise
to sunset.