wedding-train passes, Moslim weddings being celebrated in the daytime; and a Christian must take care not to get entangled in the train, as this would give offence. The poor little bride, smothered in scarlet shawls strung with jewels, till she looks more like an idol than a human being, staggers along under a silken canopy, while her black-robed female relatives support her on each side, and a large company of both sexes follow with a band of

native music.

The variety of races and complexions among the crowds here is at first quite bewildering, but in time the eye learns to distinguish each of the principal ones, at least. These are the Caireen, or Moslim-Egyptian, the Copt, the Nubian, the Arab, the Turk, the Negro, the Abyssinian, and the Jew. As to the mixed multitude of Greeks, Italians, Maltese, and others, they go under the general denomination of Franks, and are, unhappily, too often designated by the natives as the people who drink, and who eat pork. If a fracas takes place, or a drunken man is seen, or a pickpocket apprehended, it is sure to be one of these miscalled Christians.

The most picturesque and remarkable of all the moving figures of the Eastern crowd is, undoubt

edly, the Bedouin Arab. Strong, but wiry and slender in frame, graceful in his movements, as he follows his stately camels, or stops to purchase cotton or provisions in the bazaars, his stripedabba, or white burnouse, hangs easily in heavy folds over his shoulder, and his dark skin, and prominent features, and keen black eye, all mark the unchanged son of the desert, who belongs not to the city, but passes through it, indifferent to its conveniences and luxuries, and despising its customs like his ancestors.

The Moslim-Egyptians are believed to be descended from the old inhabitants of the land, mixed with their Saracen invaders, and the Copts to be the unmixed remnant of the ancient race. The difference is not now very striking, the language, dress, and manners being so much alike, for the black turbans formerly imposed on the Copts are not now obligatory, so that many of them have adopted red or white ones. Still, there is a difference, the sharper and more prominent features of the Asiatic showing its traces in the Moslim, while the Copt has usually thicker lips and a heavier cast of countenance. The Nubians and Abyssinians, for the most part, are slaves or servants in wealthy families, or boatmen from the Nile, as are some of

the Negroes; but the Pasha has whole regiments of black soldiers, who are to be seen in the streets in numbers, their ugly features and awkward limbs forming a great contrast with the remarkable grace of the native Egyptians.

Leaving the busy Goreeah, we turn into the Turkish bazaar, or "Khan Khaleel;" nothing but wealth and splendour there, few poor people, and more foreigners than natives among the scarlet and gold horse-trappings and amber pipe-heads, and stores of trinkets from Stamboul. Then we dive into a dark little street, and are in the midst of red and yellow shoes: it is the shoe-bazaar, or rather one of them, for there are several; more lively certainly, than shoemakers' shops at home; and though these gay shoes do not fit as accurately as ours, they are better suited than our shoes for wearing on the stone floors of native houses, from the thickness of their soles.

A little circuit brings us home by the quarter called by the ominous name of " Bab-el-Sharir," or "Gate of Evil;" gate is constantly applied to a whole quarter. No grandeur is here, but plenty of business; sieve-makers, and comb-makers, and kafass-makers, all sitting at their doors working, and selling as opportunity offers, while numbers of

little, mean-looking shops sell native articles of diet, lentils and beans, masses of squeezed dates (always beset with swarms of flies, of course), pickled roots, and queer compounds in small brown dishes, name and nature unknown, and which it would probably require a native palate to relish. From the "Babel-Sharir we soon arrive at our own quarter, the "Bab-el-Bahar," or "Gate of the River," the river, or rather the canal, touching the extreme end of the region, though far enough from our street.

27

CHAPTER V.

THE HOUSETOPS.

In the winter-weather of Egypt, which is for the most part delightfully temperate, the housetop is a very pleasant perch, from whence a view of great extent may be enjoyed, as well as much "native life" seen, which could hardly be gained from any other place so well. Our roof became almost a parlour during the cool weather, and afforded the best substitute for a garden that circumstances allowed. Standing at a corner, and therefore only joined behind and on one side to other houses, and being much higher than those nearest it, our dwelling commanded a clear view of the city and of the country for miles round; on one side the graceful spires of the citadel showed against the pure blue sky, and the Mokattam cliffs changing, according to the atmosphere or time of day, from purple to