DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6272#0131
128
VOYAGE UP THE NILE.
from my friend's boat for the dance, before it reached tho
dancing-room.
Our curiosity upon the subject led to the explanation by a
little Georgian girl, whose dancing and singing was far better
than that of any, as to how it was disposed of. She could not
speak a word of any language we could understand. She
had been banished from Cairo or Alexandria, as the eighteen
hundred women of Esne were, for too unrestrained construction
of Turkish conjugal relations; but had been brought up in
Stamboul, and was a present from a Bey there. She succeeded
in showing us, by the most expressive gestures and flashings of
the eye, that our dragoman had given the stores of wine and
brandy to Hanim, as a gift of friendship; and at the conclu-
sion of her story, looked into my face, and uttered, " Wallah
thayeeb "—" By Allah ! that is a good joke, is it not ?"
The Arnaouts scattered through Esne are the terror of all;
but I saw only ten or a dozen prowling about, and am rather
inclined to think that Warburton's romantic incident with
them borders upon the imaginative. Those I saw gathered
around the Governor's house were a wild-looking set of dogs,
not at all doing justice to their brother Albanians who had so
charmed me in the Gulf of Corinth. As to Thackeray's*
recommendation, that Mohammed Ali should serve them up
the same sort of breakfast that he did the Mamelukes, I
think it would be a very foolish affair, for the poor Greeks
who are scattered through Egypt have the worst enemies in
(heir own vices and passions.
The Bishop of Esne is one of the noble pillars of the Chris-
tian Church of Egypt. He has enjoyed a high reputation for
many years ; and I have heard many Copts speak of him in
* Cornhill to Cairo.
VOYAGE UP THE NILE.
from my friend's boat for the dance, before it reached tho
dancing-room.
Our curiosity upon the subject led to the explanation by a
little Georgian girl, whose dancing and singing was far better
than that of any, as to how it was disposed of. She could not
speak a word of any language we could understand. She
had been banished from Cairo or Alexandria, as the eighteen
hundred women of Esne were, for too unrestrained construction
of Turkish conjugal relations; but had been brought up in
Stamboul, and was a present from a Bey there. She succeeded
in showing us, by the most expressive gestures and flashings of
the eye, that our dragoman had given the stores of wine and
brandy to Hanim, as a gift of friendship; and at the conclu-
sion of her story, looked into my face, and uttered, " Wallah
thayeeb "—" By Allah ! that is a good joke, is it not ?"
The Arnaouts scattered through Esne are the terror of all;
but I saw only ten or a dozen prowling about, and am rather
inclined to think that Warburton's romantic incident with
them borders upon the imaginative. Those I saw gathered
around the Governor's house were a wild-looking set of dogs,
not at all doing justice to their brother Albanians who had so
charmed me in the Gulf of Corinth. As to Thackeray's*
recommendation, that Mohammed Ali should serve them up
the same sort of breakfast that he did the Mamelukes, I
think it would be a very foolish affair, for the poor Greeks
who are scattered through Egypt have the worst enemies in
(heir own vices and passions.
The Bishop of Esne is one of the noble pillars of the Chris-
tian Church of Egypt. He has enjoyed a high reputation for
many years ; and I have heard many Copts speak of him in
* Cornhill to Cairo.