ENPages
Image 1
Spring Term Essay. 1905.
"Five Days in Egypt".
Mildred E. Stuart. Simpson College Indianola, Iowa.
(The story of her trip thru parts of England, Europe and Egypt) RSH {RSH = R. Stuart Hummel}
Image 2
Five Days in Egypt.
Very early one Saturday morning, after having lived on the great ocean liner, "Darmstadt" for just four weeks, Miss Kelley and her young companions touched the shores of Egypt at the city of Port Said.
The sun had not yet arisen in the East when they descended the side of the ship to take the small skiff by which to reach land.
Sorrowful were their faces as they bid adieu to those who had become fast friends during these four weeks of close mingling together. But Miss and Esther, as we shall call her companion, had decided to take in the sights of this famous old country, from whose sacred earth the Israelites were once wont to tread.
As soon as they landed, they were besieged by offers of Hip! Hip! Hurrah! and Yankee Doodle, as the donkey boys had named their donkeys.
They went to Cook's office to procure tickets for their train passage
Image 3
II
to Cairo. At 10.30 they were seated in their compartment ready to start.
These trains are made in compartment style and are more pleasant to ride in, in these Eastern countries then our American style of car.
Miss Kelly and Esther were alone in their compartment and enjoyed to the fullest extent the passing panorama of sights and sounds.
They swept over sandy plains and hurried swiftly by large cactus plants. Off in the distance and even as far as the horizon they could see thousands upon thousands of birds: pelicans, cormorants, storks, flamingos, curlews, ducks, quail and many other smaller birds. At the horizon these larger birds appeared as a great white wall, so many were they in number.
By and by they passed into that part of Egypt which, in the days of Jacob and Joseph was called Goschen. Now the country began to look more
Image 4
III
fertile. Small villages were passed, and in the fields appeared, now and then, a man following with a donkey and a camel or an ox and a mule, hitched together to one plow.
The houses were white, and looked quaint with their flat, square roofs. They looked like ruins or unfinished buildings.
At five oclock, Miss Kelly and Esther arrived at Cairo and rode in a carriage to Pension Suisse, where they engaged a room. They started out to find Cook's office to engage passage for Italy by the steamer "Prinz Regent Luitpold (steamer)", which was to sail from Somalia, Friday, March 6th.
On their way back to Pension Suisse they met two ladies coming out of the front door of the American Mission premises. They introduced themselves to these two ladies, who, upon learning who they were and from where they came, invited them to their services on the morrow.
Arriving at the pension Miss Kelley and Esther ate their supper and went to rest early.
Image 5
IV
The next morning they went to a café for their breakfast, and then went to the American Mission to attend church service. They did not remain long, however, for the pastor preached in the Arabic tongue, and as they did not understand, they went back to the pension and ordered a carriage to drive them to Old Cairo, to see the remains of an old Coptic church.
In twenty minutes they arrived at Old Cairo, and were led by a guide through very narrow winding streets to a one story building. The large door was opened for them and they stepped in. It was only one room, with some small alters on one side, several tables in front of them, and a few chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.
They now went back to their carriage and drove to the Nile, crossed it in a ferry boat to Rhoda Island, and climbed the long flight of steps into a gardin. Here the guide showed them the nilometer and also the spot on the river bank where little Moses was taken out of the