DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.10358#0436
time, and thus induce the peasants to
begin payment. Long before even this
official date a public crier goes about,
accompanied by a boy, announcing the
portentous height of the river. " God
preserve the master of this house," he
cries, stopping before your door, " and
increase upon him His favours. O
Bountiful, O God!" "Ay, please God!"
choruses the boy. " God preserve to
me my mistress, the chief lady among
brides, such a one " [naming your wife,
perhaps] " for a long period! O
Bountiful, O God! " "Ay, please God!"
from the boy. Then comes the in-
formation that the Nile is rising
abundantly. " Five digits to-day : and
the Lord is bountiful ! " To which the
acolyte adds, " Bless ye, Mohammad ! "
to avert the possible effects of the evil
eye. The people do not, however, pay
much attention to, or at least place
much credence in, the crier's daily an-
nouncements, until the last day before
the government proclamation of " Full
Nile," which is signalised by cutting
the dam of the canal. On that day the
crier goes about with additional pomp,
accompanied by a crowd of little boys
carrying coloured flags, and announces
that it is now the " Wefa en Nil " (the
Fulness of the Nile), and that the Dar
en Nahas, the old building between
the aqueduct and Masr El-'Atikah,
whence the governors of Egypt used to
inspect the height of the river, is filled.
" The river hath given abundance," he
cries, " and fulfilled (its measure)."
At which the boys shout, " God hath
CAIRO. 401
STREET IN MASR EL-'ATIKAH.
The man in the foreground is selling water flavoured with orange blossom.
begin payment. Long before even this
official date a public crier goes about,
accompanied by a boy, announcing the
portentous height of the river. " God
preserve the master of this house," he
cries, stopping before your door, " and
increase upon him His favours. O
Bountiful, O God!" "Ay, please God!"
choruses the boy. " God preserve to
me my mistress, the chief lady among
brides, such a one " [naming your wife,
perhaps] " for a long period! O
Bountiful, O God! " "Ay, please God!"
from the boy. Then comes the in-
formation that the Nile is rising
abundantly. " Five digits to-day : and
the Lord is bountiful ! " To which the
acolyte adds, " Bless ye, Mohammad ! "
to avert the possible effects of the evil
eye. The people do not, however, pay
much attention to, or at least place
much credence in, the crier's daily an-
nouncements, until the last day before
the government proclamation of " Full
Nile," which is signalised by cutting
the dam of the canal. On that day the
crier goes about with additional pomp,
accompanied by a crowd of little boys
carrying coloured flags, and announces
that it is now the " Wefa en Nil " (the
Fulness of the Nile), and that the Dar
en Nahas, the old building between
the aqueduct and Masr El-'Atikah,
whence the governors of Egypt used to
inspect the height of the river, is filled.
" The river hath given abundance," he
cries, " and fulfilled (its measure)."
At which the boys shout, " God hath
CAIRO. 401
STREET IN MASR EL-'ATIKAH.
The man in the foreground is selling water flavoured with orange blossom.