DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11715#0020
THE LAND OF THE PHARAOHS.
It had passed its prime when David and Solomon sat upon the throne of Israel. It
had sunk into decay when Rome rose to power, and at the dawn of modern history it
had ceased to exist as a nation. Hebrew patriarchs, Greek philosophers, Persian,
Macedonian, and Roman conquerors, have all been drawn hither, and its annals are in-
extricably interwoven with theirs. It played an important part in the greatest event
in our world's history, when Joseph "arose and took the young Child and His mother
by night, and departed into Egypt: and was there until the death of Herod : that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt
have I called My Son." 1 In later ages the
land of the Pharaohs is ever comma- into
prominence. Among the early Christians,
Cyril, and Athanasius, and Origen ; among
the early Mohammedans, Amrou and Omar ;
among the Crusaders, St. Louis of France,
and Saladin, the chivalrous enemy of Richard
Cceur de Lion, all lead our thoughts to Egypt.
What wonder, then, that it was with a feeling
of almost reverential awe, that I first gazed
upon the soil which, for four thousand years,
had been the scene of so many memorable
deeds?
The gravity of those of our party who
were for the first time visiting- Mohammedan
countries was somewhat disturbed by the ap-
pearance of the pilot who now came along-
side. His dress was a curious combination
of eastern and western attire, very character-
istic of the mongrel population of Alexandria.
It consisted of a Turkish fez, an Arab abba,
baggy linen knickerbockers, and a pair of un-
mistakable English boots with elastic sides.
Having seated himself cross-legged on the
gangway of the steamer, pipes and coffee
were served, and he steered us through the in-
tricate channel into the harbor of Alexandria.
The usual scene of confusion now ensued.
Scores of boats came round us, manned, as
at Jaffa, by half-naked negroes and Arabs.
I was seized by half-a-dozen fellows at once,
each endeavoring to appropriate me. A similar conflict was going on over every ar-
ticle of my baggage, and it was only by a vigorous application of the dragoman's whip
that I and my belongings were rescued from them and stowed away in one of the boats.
We only escaped from the hands of the boatmen to fall into those of the donkey-
boys, who effectually dissipated whatever feelings of reverence yet remained. These
Arab lads are surely the cleverest and most impudent little urchins on earth. Our city-
1 Matthew ii. 14, 15. Hosea xi. 1.
16
POMPEYS PILLAR.
It had passed its prime when David and Solomon sat upon the throne of Israel. It
had sunk into decay when Rome rose to power, and at the dawn of modern history it
had ceased to exist as a nation. Hebrew patriarchs, Greek philosophers, Persian,
Macedonian, and Roman conquerors, have all been drawn hither, and its annals are in-
extricably interwoven with theirs. It played an important part in the greatest event
in our world's history, when Joseph "arose and took the young Child and His mother
by night, and departed into Egypt: and was there until the death of Herod : that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt
have I called My Son." 1 In later ages the
land of the Pharaohs is ever comma- into
prominence. Among the early Christians,
Cyril, and Athanasius, and Origen ; among
the early Mohammedans, Amrou and Omar ;
among the Crusaders, St. Louis of France,
and Saladin, the chivalrous enemy of Richard
Cceur de Lion, all lead our thoughts to Egypt.
What wonder, then, that it was with a feeling
of almost reverential awe, that I first gazed
upon the soil which, for four thousand years,
had been the scene of so many memorable
deeds?
The gravity of those of our party who
were for the first time visiting- Mohammedan
countries was somewhat disturbed by the ap-
pearance of the pilot who now came along-
side. His dress was a curious combination
of eastern and western attire, very character-
istic of the mongrel population of Alexandria.
It consisted of a Turkish fez, an Arab abba,
baggy linen knickerbockers, and a pair of un-
mistakable English boots with elastic sides.
Having seated himself cross-legged on the
gangway of the steamer, pipes and coffee
were served, and he steered us through the in-
tricate channel into the harbor of Alexandria.
The usual scene of confusion now ensued.
Scores of boats came round us, manned, as
at Jaffa, by half-naked negroes and Arabs.
I was seized by half-a-dozen fellows at once,
each endeavoring to appropriate me. A similar conflict was going on over every ar-
ticle of my baggage, and it was only by a vigorous application of the dragoman's whip
that I and my belongings were rescued from them and stowed away in one of the boats.
We only escaped from the hands of the boatmen to fall into those of the donkey-
boys, who effectually dissipated whatever feelings of reverence yet remained. These
Arab lads are surely the cleverest and most impudent little urchins on earth. Our city-
1 Matthew ii. 14, 15. Hosea xi. 1.
16
POMPEYS PILLAR.