at the number of meanly-dressed persons whom he meets in the streets of
Cairo. Blue is the prevailing colour; as the principal article of dress,
both of the men and women of the lower orders, is a full shirt of cotton
or linen, dyed with indigo, which is the production of the country. The
blue shirts of the men, particularly of the servants, often conceal
vests of silk and cloth. Some persons are so poor as not even to possess
a ragged turban; their only head-dress being a close-fitting cap of
white, or brown felt, or an old tarboosh;[24] and many are without
shoes. Christians and Jews are distinguished by a black, or blue, or
light-brown turban. The costumes of the women, and especially of the
ladies, are the most remarkable in the eyes of the European stranger.
The elegant dress which they wear at home is concealed whenever they
appear in public by a very full silk gown (called tób), and a large
black silk covering (called habarah) enveloping almost the whole person;
or, instead of the latter, in the case of unmarried ladies, a _white_
silk covering: the face veil (burko’) is of white muslin; it is narrow,
and reaches from the eyes nearly to the feet. Thus encumbered, it is
with some difficulty that the ladies shuffle along in their slippers;
but they are seldom seen in the crowded streets on foot: well-trained
donkeys are hired for their convenience, and are furnished, for this
purpose, with a high and broad saddle, covered with a carpet, upon which
the lady sits astride, attended by a servant on each side. A long train
of ladies, and female slaves attired in the same manner, one behind
another, a whole hareem, is often seen thus mounted; and passengers of
all ranks make way for them with the utmost respect. The women of the
inferior classes wear a black face veil, which I think much more
becoming than the white. It is sometimes adorned with gold coins and
beads; or they draw a part of the head veil before the face, leaving
only one eye visible.
Footnote 24:
The red cloth skull-cap, round which the turban is wound.
Numbers of blind persons are seen in the streets of Cairo; and many more
with a bandage over one eye; but I seldom see a _woman_ with diseased
eyes.
Shops, which (I have before remarked) are merely small recesses, and
most of which are poorly stocked, generally occupy the front part of the
ground-floor of each house in a great street; and the houses, with few
exceptions, are two or three stories high. Their fronts, above the
ground-floor, projecting about two feet, and the windows of wooden
lattice-work projecting still further, render the streets gloomy, but
shady and cool. On either side of the great streets are by-streets and
quarters.
A darb, or by-street, differs from a shárë’ in being narrower, and not
so long. In most cases, the darb is about six or eight feet wide, is a
thoroughfare, and has, at each end, a gateway, with a large wooden door,
which is always closed at night. Some darbs consist only of private
houses; others contain shops.
A hárat, or quarter, is a particular district consisting of one or more
streets or lanes. In general, a small quarter contains only private
houses, and has but one entrance, with a wooden gate, which, like that
of a darb, is closed at night.
The sooks, or markets, are short streets, or short portions of streets,
having shops on either side. In some of them, all the shops are occupied
by persons of the same trade. Many sooks are covered overhead by
matting, extended upon rafters, resembling those I observed at
Alexandria, and some have a roof of wood. Most of the great
thoroughfare-streets, and many by-streets, consist wholly, or for the
most part, of a succession of sooks.
Many of the kháns of Cairo are similar to the sooks just described; but
in general, a khán consists of shops or magazines surrounding a square
or oblong court.
Khán El-Khaleelee, which is situated in the centre of that part which
constituted the original city, a little to the east of the main street,
and occupies the site of the cemetery of the Fawátim (the Khaleefehs[25]
of Egypt), particularly deserves to be mentioned, being one of the chief
marts of Cairo. It consists of a series of short lanes, with several
turnings, and has four entrances from different quarters. The shops in
this khán are mostly occupied by Turks, who deal in ready-made clothes
and other articles of dress, together with arms of various kinds, the
small prayer-carpets used by the Muslims, and other commodities. Public
auctions are held there (as in many other markets in Cairo) twice in the
week, on Monday and Thursday, on which occasions the khán is so crowded,
that, in some parts, it is difficult for a passenger to push his way
through. The sale begins early in the morning, and lasts till the
noon-prayers. Clothes (old as well as new), shawls, arms, pipes, and a
variety of other goods, are offered for sale in this manner by brokers,
who carry them up and down the market. Several water-carriers, each with
a goat-skin of water on his back, and a brass cup for the use of any one
who would drink, attend on these occasions. Sherbet of raisins, and
bread (in round, flat cakes), with other eatables, are also cried up and
down the market; and on every auction day, several real or pretended
idiots, with a distressing number of other beggars, frequent the khán .
Another of the principal khán of Cairo is that called the Kamzáwee,
which is the principal market of the drapers and silk-mercers.
Footnote 25:
The bones of the Khaleefehs were thrown on the mounds of rubbish
outside the city.
There are few other kháns in Cairo, or rather few other buildings so
designated; but there are numerous buildings called wekálehs, which are
of the same description as most of the kháns, a wekáleh generally
consisting of magazines surrounding a square court.
The Wekálet el-Gellábeh (or Wekáleh of the slave-merchants), which is
near the Khán El-Khaleelee, has lately ceased to be the market for black
slaves. It surrounds a spacious square court, in which were generally
seen several groups of male and female slaves, besmeared with grease (of
which they are very fond), and nearly in a state of nudity, excepting in
winter, when they were better clad, and kept within doors. As there is a
thoroughfare through this wekáleh, the slaves were much exposed to
public view. The market for black slaves is now at Káid-Bey, which is a
city of the dead, comprising a few old habitations for the living,
between the metropolis and the neighbouring mountain. The
slave-merchants were obliged to transfer their unfortunate captives to
this cemetery in the desert in consequence of its having been
represented to the government that epidemic diseases originated in the
slave-market in Cairo. I have not visited them, nor do I intend to do
so; for although slavery in the East is seen under the most favourable
circumstances, I am not disposed to try my feelings when I can do no
good. But I am told that they appear careless and happy; for their
greatest troubles are past, and they know that the slave of the Muslim
fares even better than the free servant. Some of the more valuable of
the female slaves (as the _white_ female slaves, to whom another wekáleh
is appropriated) are only shown to those persons who express a desire to
become purchasers.
Having now described the streets and markets of Cairo, I may mention
some particular quarters, &c. There are some parts which are inhabited
exclusively by persons of the same religion or nation. Many quarters are
inhabited only by Muslims.[26]
Footnote 26:
About three-fourths of the population of Cairo are native Muslims.
The quarter of the Jews (Hárat el-Yahood) is situated in the western
half of that portion of the metropolis which composed the original city.
It is very extensive, but close and dirty. Some of its streets, or
rather lanes, are so narrow, that two persons can barely pass each other
in them; and in some parts, the soil has risen by the accumulation of
rubbish a foot or more above the thresholds of the doors.
The Greeks have two quarters, and the Copts have several, of which some
are very extensive. The Franks inhabit not only what is called the
quarter of the Franks (Hárat el-Ifreng), but are interspersed throughout
a considerable district, situated between the canal (which runs through
the city) and the Ezbekeeyeh, of which latter I shall presently give you
a description.
The motley population of the part of the metropolis where most of the
Franks reside, gives it the appearance of a quarter in a sea-port town,
like Alexandria. Some of the Franks retain their national costume;
others adopt partly or wholly the Turkish dress. The chief thoroughfare
street in this part of the town is the market, called the Mooskee, where
are a few shops fitted up in the European style, with glass fronts, and
occupied by Franks, who deal in various European commodities. The Hárat
el-Ifreng is a short street leading out of the Mooskee, on the southern
side.
There are several vacant spaces of considerable extent in the interior
of the metropolis, some of which, during the season of the inundation
(the autumn), become lakes. The principal of these I must here mention.
The great place which bears the name of the Ezbekeeyeh is an irregular
tract, the greatest length of which is nearly half a mile, and the
greatest breadth about a third of a mile. It is a very favourite resort
of mine, as my children are there secure from the many dangers which I
fancy surround them in the crowded streets.
On the south are two modern Turkish palaces, with gardens. On the west
is a plain wall (part of the wall of the metropolis), and another
Turkish palace, occupying the site of the mansion of the famous Memlook
Bey El-Elfee, which became the residence of Napoleon, and of Kleber, who
was assassinated in the adjacent garden. On the north side is a
Christian quarter, presenting a long row of lofty but neglected houses.
During the season of the inundation, the Nile enters this extensive
tract by a canal, and the place is partially inundated; the water
remains three or four months, after which the ground is sown. It was
formerly, during the season of the inundation, one extensive lake, but
is now converted into something like a garden, with an agreeable mixture
of trees and water. I am told that the place has a much more pleasing
appearance when entirely clothed with green, than it had when it was a
lake; and so I should imagine, for the water is very turbid.
The Birket el-Feel (or Lake of the Elephant) also receives the water of
the Nile, during the season of the inundation. Only a small part of it
is open to the public.
There are two small lakes in the western part of the metropolis, and
several others in its vicinity. There are also several cemeteries in the
eastern part of the town,[27] and many large gardens. These gardens are
chiefly stocked with palm-trees, acacias, sycamores, oranges, limes,
pomegranates, &c. Little arrangement is displayed in them. They have
generally one or more sákiyehs, which raise the water for their
irrigation from wells.
Footnote 27:
The principal cemeteries are without the town.
The canal[28] (El-Khaleeg) which traverses the metropolis is no ornament
to it. In most parts of its course through the town, it is closely
hemmed in on each side by the backs of houses; therefore it cannot be
seen, excepting in a few places, by the passengers in the streets. Most
of the bridges over it are moreover lined with shops on both sides, so
that a person passing over cannot see that he is crossing the canal. The
water of the Nile is admitted into the canal in August, and the entrance
is closed by a dam of earth not long after the river has begun to
subside; consequently, after three or four months, only stagnant puddles
remain in it. While it continues open, boats enter it from the Nile, and
pass through the whole length of the metropolis.
Footnote 28:
This canal is the ancient Amnis Trajanus.
Of the public buildings of Cairo, the most interesting certainly are the
mosques, the more remarkable of which I have described to you. They are
extremely picturesque, and exquisite taste is displayed in the variety
and elegance of their mád’nehs or menarets: but the beauty of these and
other parts is, in my opinion, much injured by the prevalent fashion of
daubing the alternate courses of stone with whitewash and dark-red
ochre. The central part of a great mosque is, in general, a square
court, which is surrounded by porticoes, the columns of which are, in
few cases, uniform; for they are mostly the spoils of ancient temples,
as are also the rich marble slabs, &c., which have been employed to
decorate the pavements and the lower portions of the inner faces of the
walls in many of the mosques.
The domes are beautiful in form, and, in some instances, in their
decorations. The pulpits, also, deserve to be mentioned for their
elegant forms, and their curious intricate panel-work. The pulpit is
placed with its back against the wall in which is the niche; is
surmounted by a small cupola, and has a flight of steps leading directly
(never tortuously nor sideways) up to the little platform which is the
station of the preacher. The congregation range themselves in parallel
rows upon the matted or carpeted pavement, all facing that side of the
mosque in which is the niche. These few general remarks will enable you
better to understand the accounts of particular mosques, or to supply
some deficiencies in my descriptions.
Many of these buildings are doubtless monuments of sincere piety; but
not a few have certainly originated in ways far from creditable to their
founders. I passed by one, a handsome building, respecting which I was
told the following anecdote. The founder, on the first occasion of
opening his mosque for the ceremonials of the Friday prayers, invited
the chief ’Ulama to attend the service, and each of these congratulated
him before the congregation, by reciting some tradition of the Prophet,
or by some other words of an apposite nature, excepting one. This man
the founder addressed, asking wherefore he was silent. “Hast thou
nothing to say,” he asked, “befitting this occasion?” The man thus
invited readily answered, “Yes. If thou has built this mosque with money
lawfully acquired, and with a good intention, know that God hath built
for thee a mansion in Paradise, and great will be thy felicity. But if
thou raised this temple by means of wealth unlawfully obtained, by money
exacted from the poor by oppression and tyranny, know that there is
prepared for thee a place in hell, and evil will be the transit
thither.” The latter was the case; and within a few hours after he had
thus spoken, the only one among the company of ’Ulama who had dared to
utter the language of truth on this occasion—to do which, indeed,
required no little courage—suddenly died, a victim, as was well known,
of poison.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
LETTER X.
Cairo, November, 1842.
MY DEAR FRIEND,
Being extremely anxious to see the interiors of the principal mosques, I
was much vexed at finding that it had become very difficult for a
Christian to obtain access to them. My brother might, perhaps, have
taken us without risk, as he is generally mistaken for a Turk; but had
he done so, we might have been spoken to in some mosque in the Turkish
language, in which language we could not have replied; whereas, if we
were conducted by a Caireen, no Turkish ladies were likely to address
us, and if any Arab ladies should do so, our Arabic would only induce
them to imagine us Turks. At length an old friend of my brother offered
to take me if I would consent to ride after him in the streets and
follow him in the mosques, and appear to be, for the time being, the
chief lady of his hareem.
It appeared to me that I should commit a breach in etiquette, by
consenting thus to displace his wife (for he has _but one_); but finding
he would not consent to take me on any other terms, and being bent on
gratifying my curiosity, I agreed to submit to his arrangement, and the
more readily because his wife expressed, with much politeness the
pleasure she anticipated in contributing to my gratification. I had
never seen my kind old conductor but once, and then through the hareem
blinds, until the morning arrived for our expedition, when I and my
sister-in-law mounted our donkeys, and submitted ourselves to his
guidance. He rode first in the procession; I next; then followed my
sister-in-law; and lastly, his wife. We endeavoured on several occasions
to induce her to take a more distinguished place, but in vain, and
therefore came to the conclusion that she must be infinitely better
acquainted with Eastern manners than ourselves, and that it would be
safer and better not to oppose her. I use the expression safer, because
I was fully aware that if we appeared in any respect _un_-eastern, or
rather if we did not _look_ like Muslims, we should incur the risk of
being turned out of any mosque we might enter, and loaded with reproach
and insult.
With (I confess) nervous feelings, we stopped at one of the entrances of
the mosque of the Hasaneyn, which is generally esteemed the most sacred
in Cairo. It was crowded with ladies who were paying their weekly visit
to the tomb of El-Hoseyn.
I felt that I had rather have been initiated before entering the _most
sacred_ mosque, and thought I had been too bold. Never did a submissive
wife walk more meekly after her husband than I followed the steps of my
governor _pro tempore_. I gained, however, some confidence by remarking
the authoritative air he assumed as soon as he had passed the threshold
of the mosque; indeed he played his part admirably.
At the threshold all persons remove their shoes, or slippers, the ladies
walking, in the mosque, in the yellow morocco socks, or boots, which I
have before described to you; and here I must remark on the scrupulous
attention which is paid to cleanliness; for the pale yellow morocco is
scarcely injured by a whole day spent in perambulating these Muslin
sanctuaries. The men generally carry the shoes in the left hand through
the mosque, placed sole to sole, and some ladies carry theirs, but we,
like many others, preferred leaving them with our servants, for the
walking-dress in itself is so exceedingly cumbrous, and requires so much
management, that two hands are scarcely sufficient to preserve its
proper arrangement.
The mosque of the Hasaneyn,[29] which is situated to the north of the
Azhar, and not far distant, was founded in the year of the Flight 549
(A.D. 1154–5); but has been more than once rebuilt. The present building
was erected about 70 years ago. The fore part consists of a handsome
hall, or portico, the roof of which is supported by numerous marble
columns, and the pavement covered with carpets. Passing through this
hall, I found myself in that holy place under which the head of the
martyr El-Hoseyn is said to be buried deep below the pavement. It is a
lofty square saloon, surmounted by a dome. Over the spot where the
sacred relic is buried, is an oblong monument, covered with green silk,
with a worked inscription around it. This is enclosed within a high
screen of bronze, of open work; around the upper part of which are
suspended several specimens of curious and elegant writing. The whole
scene was most imposing. The pavements are exquisite; some of
virgin-marble, pure and bright with cleanliness, some delicately inlaid:
and the whole appearance is so striking, that I am persuaded if a
stranger were to visit the shrine of El-Hoseyn _alone_, he would never
believe that El-Islam is on the wane.
Footnote 29:
By the Hasaneyn are meant Hasán and Hoseyn, the grandsons of the
Prophet.
All the visitors whom I saw passed round the tomb, walking from left to
right, touching each corner of the screen with the right hand, and then
applying that hand to their lips and forehead, reciting at the same
time, but inaudibly, the Fát’hah (or opening chapter of the Kur-án), a
ceremony also observed on visiting _other_ tombs. Many were most
devoutly praying, and one woman kissed the screen with a fervour of
devotion which interested while it grieved me. For myself, however, I
can never think of the shrine of El-Hoseyn without being deeply affected
by reflecting upon the pathetic history of that amiable man, in whom
were combined, in an eminent degree so many of the highest Christian
virtues.
We next bent our steps to El-Záme el-Azhar (or the splendid mosque[30]),
which is situated, as I have said, to the south of the Hasaneyn, and not
far distant, midway between the principal street of the city and the
gate called Báb El-Ghureiyib. It is the principal mosque of Cairo, and
the _University of the East;_ and is also the first, with regard to the
period of its foundation, of all the mosques of the _city;_ but it has
been so often repaired, and so much enlarged, that it is difficult to
ascertain exactly how much of the _original_ structure we see in the
present state of the mosque. It was founded about nine months after the
first wall of the city, in the year of the Flight 359 (A. D. 969–70).
Though occupying a space about three hundred feet square, it makes but
little show externally; for it is so surrounded by houses, that only its
entrances and mád’nehs can be seen from the streets. It has two grand
gates, and four minor entrances. Each of the two former has two doors,
and a school-room above, open at the front and back. Every one takes off
his shoes before he passes the threshold of the gate, although if he
enter the mosque by the principal gate, he has to cross a spacious court
before he arrives at the place of prayer. This custom is observed in
every mosque. The principal gate is in the centre of the front of the
mosque: it is the nearest to the main street of the city. Immediately
within this gate are two small mosques; one on either hand. Passing
between these, we enter the great court of the Azhar, which is paved
with stone, and surrounded by porticoes. The principal portico is that
which is opposite this entrance: those on the other three sides of the
court are divided into a number of riwáks or apartments for the
accommodation of the numerous students who resort to this celebrated
university from various and remote countries of Africa, Asia, and
Europe, as well as from different parts of Egypt.
Footnote 30:
Some travellers have strangely misinterpreted the name of this
building, calling it the “mosque of flowers.”
These persons, being mostly in indigent circumstances, are supported by
the funds of the mosque; each receiving a certain quantity of bread and
soup at noon, and in the evening. Many blind paupers are also supported
here, and we were much affected by seeing some bent with age, slowly
walking through the avenues of columns, knowing from habit every turn
and every passage, and looking like the patriarchs of the assembled
multitude. The riwáks are separated from the court, and from each other,
by partitions of wood, which unite the columns or pillars. Those on the
side in which is the principal entrance are very small, there being only
one row of columns on this side; but those on the right and left are
spacious halls containing several rows of columns. There are also some
above the ground-floor. Each riwák is for the natives of a particular
country, or of a particular province in Egypt; the Egyptian students
being of course more numerous than those of any other nation.
In going the round of these apartments, after passing successively among
natives of different divisions of Egypt, we find ourselves in the
company of people of Mekkeh and El-Medeeneh; then in the midst of
Syrians; in another minute among Muslims of central Africa; next amidst
Maghár’beh (or natives of northern Africa, west of Egypt); then, with
European and Asiatic Turks; and quitting these, we are introduced to
Persians, and Muslims of India: we may almost fancy ourselves
transported through their respective countries. No sight in Cairo
interested me more than the interior of the Azhar; and the many and
great obstacles which present themselves when a Christian, and more
especially a Christian lady, desires to obtain admission into this
celebrated mosque, make me proud of having enjoyed the privilege of
walking leisurely through its extensive porticoes, and observing its
heterogeneous students engaged in listening to the lectures of their
professors.
To the left of the great court is a smaller one, containing the great
tank at which the ablution preparatory to prayer is performed by all
those who have not done it before entering the mosque. The great portico
is closed by partitions of wood between a row of square pillars, or
piers, behind the front row of columns. The partition of the central
archway has a wide door; and some of the other partitions have smaller
doors. The great portico is very spacious; containing eight rows of
small marble columns, arranged parallel with the front. That part beyond
the fifth row of columns was added by the builder of one of the grand
gates, about 70 years ago. The walls are whitewashed: the niche and
pulpit are very plain; and simplicity is the prevailing character of the
whole of the interior of the great portico. The pavement is covered with
mats; and a few small carpets are seen here and there.