DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4995#0033
LECTURE ON EGYPT. 19
who have neither chimney-pot hats, beer, nor parish
vestries.
The travellers up the Nile are numerous, and of
two classes:—those who travel in the steamers rented
from the Egyptian Government by Mr. Cook, and those
who still continue to patronise the dqar old daha-
beeahs.
The difference between the two classes is seen in a
moment. Cook's people are brisk and business-like in
all they do. Clear instructions are given about their
letters, their friends, and their return to Cairo. Nothing
is left in doubt.
The dahabeeah travellers, on the contrary, are elabo-
rate in their preparations, careful and even tedious
with their dragoman, and in their contracts with him.
They make frequent visits to their dahabeeah, lay in
stores of tinned meats, wine, beer, and small luxuries,
and decline to commit themselves to any date for
their return to Cairo, or to have letters forwarded;
but they take numerous books and a piano, for fear
of being bored, which they are told is a complaint
that often appears in a severe form on board a daha-
beeah.
Having ' done' Cairo, the Pyramids, the Boulac SuezCanal.
Museum, and the lions generally, I started with the
Duke of Sutherland, M. de Lesseps, and other friends
for the Suez Canal, and we commenced our work of
inspection at Isma'ilia, the residence of M. de Lesseps.
As an engineer, I valued highly the opportunity of
c 2
who have neither chimney-pot hats, beer, nor parish
vestries.
The travellers up the Nile are numerous, and of
two classes:—those who travel in the steamers rented
from the Egyptian Government by Mr. Cook, and those
who still continue to patronise the dqar old daha-
beeahs.
The difference between the two classes is seen in a
moment. Cook's people are brisk and business-like in
all they do. Clear instructions are given about their
letters, their friends, and their return to Cairo. Nothing
is left in doubt.
The dahabeeah travellers, on the contrary, are elabo-
rate in their preparations, careful and even tedious
with their dragoman, and in their contracts with him.
They make frequent visits to their dahabeeah, lay in
stores of tinned meats, wine, beer, and small luxuries,
and decline to commit themselves to any date for
their return to Cairo, or to have letters forwarded;
but they take numerous books and a piano, for fear
of being bored, which they are told is a complaint
that often appears in a severe form on board a daha-
beeah.
Having ' done' Cairo, the Pyramids, the Boulac SuezCanal.
Museum, and the lions generally, I started with the
Duke of Sutherland, M. de Lesseps, and other friends
for the Suez Canal, and we commenced our work of
inspection at Isma'ilia, the residence of M. de Lesseps.
As an engineer, I valued highly the opportunity of
c 2