DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6551#0165
RETURN FROM UPPER EGYPT.
129
every description. He gave me a very civil reception,
and, after the usual ceremony of coffee, and pipes, I pro-
duced my firmaun, and requested his assistance in visiting
the interesting province over which, he presided. This
he readily promised; but how the important affair was
to be performed gave rise to a discussion of nearly two
hours, in which every person present participated. At
length, however, an arrangement was made, and I accom-
panied the Madyr to his own residence. We passed
through a court, in which there were several horses,
and then through long passages and a dirty staircase to
a spacious, but cold apartment, as the large windows of
lattice-work were but partially covered with oiled paper.
A well-grated window, over a door into the hareem,
afforded to its inhabitants an opportunity of observing
what took place. The floor was paved with red tiles,
but a carpet was laid before a low sofa covered with
cushions, and extending round two thirds of the room.
These, together with a small mirror, and a basin and ewer,
constituted the furniture ; and the whitewashed walls
were adorned with a solitary group of three small prints
of Britannia, cut out of an English shop-bill. The room
was not particularly clean, although probably the best in
the whole province. After pipes, and coffee had been
introduced, a plentiful supper was served in the usual
manner; and as the Madyr, myself, and the janissary,
who served as interpreter, sat together on the floor,
round a circular tray in front of the latticed window of
the hareem, we must have presented an amusing spectacle
to those within, whose lights from time to time appeared,
although their persons could not be distinguished. The
Madyr was an old man, and had been a considerable
VOL. I. K
129
every description. He gave me a very civil reception,
and, after the usual ceremony of coffee, and pipes, I pro-
duced my firmaun, and requested his assistance in visiting
the interesting province over which, he presided. This
he readily promised; but how the important affair was
to be performed gave rise to a discussion of nearly two
hours, in which every person present participated. At
length, however, an arrangement was made, and I accom-
panied the Madyr to his own residence. We passed
through a court, in which there were several horses,
and then through long passages and a dirty staircase to
a spacious, but cold apartment, as the large windows of
lattice-work were but partially covered with oiled paper.
A well-grated window, over a door into the hareem,
afforded to its inhabitants an opportunity of observing
what took place. The floor was paved with red tiles,
but a carpet was laid before a low sofa covered with
cushions, and extending round two thirds of the room.
These, together with a small mirror, and a basin and ewer,
constituted the furniture ; and the whitewashed walls
were adorned with a solitary group of three small prints
of Britannia, cut out of an English shop-bill. The room
was not particularly clean, although probably the best in
the whole province. After pipes, and coffee had been
introduced, a plentiful supper was served in the usual
manner; and as the Madyr, myself, and the janissary,
who served as interpreter, sat together on the floor,
round a circular tray in front of the latticed window of
the hareem, we must have presented an amusing spectacle
to those within, whose lights from time to time appeared,
although their persons could not be distinguished. The
Madyr was an old man, and had been a considerable
VOL. I. K