What We Saw in Egypt Part 4

"It is beautifully painted," said Hugh, when giving us an account of it afterwards. "And inside there are pillars of marble and mother-of-pearl."

"Those are in the niche for prayer," his father said. "The windows and walls of the mosque, and the roof, are ornamented with stone carved like lace-work. But I think, Hugh, that what I admire most are the horseshoe arches, and the four grand columns which look as if they had belonged to some ancient temple."

"What did the man call that niche for prayer?" Hugh asked.

"The Mahrab. In every mosque the Mahrab looks in the direction of Mecca, where Mohammed was born; and which is therefore to the Mohammedans the most sacred of cities."

"Do they pray towards Mecca, then, just as Daniel prayed towards Jerusalem?"

"Yes, they do. When we were looking at the Mahrab, I, like you now, thought of Daniel, and wished for the day when the knowledge of the gospel shall have spread over the earth, and when all places for prayer shall be used for the service of the only true G.o.d, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent."

"I should like to make one little Egyptian girl a Christian," said Lucy; "would not you, Hugh?"

"But how could we, Lucy?"

"Oh! we could talk to her, and teach her our hymns, and tell her about our Bible pictures."

"Only," Hugh answered, thoughtfully, "she would not understand what we said, and we should not understand her."

"I forgot that. Mamma, may we learn Egyptian?"

"That would take a long time, and I think you can do something better than that. There is a mission already at Cairo, where the children are taught by persons who understand the language."

"May we see it?"

"Yes, and you can give some of your money and time in buying and making clothes for those who are very poor. And something else you can do."

"What is that? Can I do it?" asked Hugh, "for I cannot hem and sew the clothes."

"Yes, we can all do it. We can pray every day for the Egyptian children, that G.o.d will give them hearts to serve him, and to love our precious Saviour Jesus Christ, who came to save little children as well as grown-up people."

It was a happy thought that we could all begin that very night to do something for the Egyptian children. Hugh and Lucy said so, and we all felt it.

CHAPTER VII.

HELIOPOLIS, AND OTHER SIGHTS AND SCENES.

The next morning we set off for Heliopolis.

Heliopolis, or the "City of the Sun," is the same which is called "On"

in the Bible. Joseph's wife came from On, where her father was a man of wealth and importance.

The ride from Cairo to Heliopolis is delightful. We went across the edge of the desert, and on our way were struck by a solitary dome marking a tomb. This is the tomb of Saladin's brother, Malek Adhel, to whom Richard Coeur de Lion wished to marry his sister Matilda.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ARAB SITTING IN FRONT OF HIS TENT.]

Beyond this our road lay through green fields and shady avenues of acacias. The air was filled with a delicious perfume and with the humming of the wild bees. We saw Arabs, with bare legs and turbaned heads, tilling the ground, oxen treading out the corn, long strings of camels and a.s.ses bringing home provender.

It was, indeed, a living Bible picture.

The land of Goshen was opening before us. We were looking at the same scenes among which Joseph and his brethren had moved. The strings of a.s.ses laden with corn were like the strings of a.s.ses which Joseph's brethren had taken back laden to their dear father in Canaan.

It was a solemn feeling to be treading the very ground, and looking at the very fields over which the patriarchs once trod.

A village called Matarieh stands near where the city of Heliopolis once stood. Here a sycamore was shown to us under which Joseph and the Virgin Mary and Infant Saviour are said to have rested when they fled into Egypt from King Herod. The gardens of Matarieh were in former times famed for their balsams. They were first brought from Judea, and were of the same species as trees from which was made the "Balm of Gilead" that we read of in the Bible.

Heliopolis, the "City of the Sun," was so called because in ancient times there was a magnificent temple in it which was dedicated to the sun. Besides the temple of the sun, there was in Heliopolis another temple, dedicated to the bull Mnevis.

Cambyses, a king of Persia, took the city about five hundred years before the birth of our Lord. He burnt the temples and destroyed the palaces. Some of the obelisks escaped, and were afterwards taken to Rome and Alexandria. One is still left. It is about sixty-five feet high.

Part of a Sphinx was found near it some time ago, so that it is supposed that an avenue of Sphinxes led up to it, and that it is one of two obelisks which probably stood at the entrance of the Temple of the Sun.

Wild bees had made their nests on the top of the obelisk, and came down upon us in swarms, as is their wont to travellers. Lucy was frightened; and though Hugh tried to look very brave, he did not feel quite at ease any more than myself. However, we came to no harm, though they buzzed all about us. The obelisk stands in a garden of rosemary and other herbs, which perhaps attracted the bees to it as their home.

In vain we wandered hither and thither, searching for some other traces of the bygone glories of this City of the Sun. Here it was that Joseph once lived. Here it was that Moses was made "learned in the wisdom of the Egyptians." Here the wise and learned men of Egypt used to a.s.semble.

Here was once heard "joy and the voice of melody." Where is it now? All is silent, still. This solitary pillar alone stands to mark the scene of long-forgotten pomp and glory.

Thus do earthly cities vanish. But the heavenly city which our Saviour has prepared for them that love him, will endure for evermore. Its glories are far brighter than ever were those of this City of the Sun, and are unfading; be it ours to have a part in that new and blessed city!

The next morning we met some travellers who had been to a Copt wedding, of which the lady gave us an account.

"The family was a rich one," she said, "and everything was most splendid. The inner court of the house was beautifully lighted, and was crowded with guests. In the middle were the musicians, with all sorts of instruments: Arab flutes, dulcimers, fiddles; the noise was deafening.

"The master of the house took us to an up-stairs room in which were the guests of higher rank. These were all men. Though the Copts are not Mohammedans, it seems the custom for their women to live in as great retirement as the Mohammedan women do, and also for them to cover their faces when they go out of doors.

"We were taken into a large room covered with rich carpets, and lighted by a number of wax candles and a large chandelier. We were led to a large divan, where pipes, coffee, sweetmeats, and sherbet were handed to us, whilst we listened to the songs of the singing women.

"These singing women are called 'Alme.' They attend the weddings of all the rich people in Cairo, and are paid by contributions from the guests.

Generally they make a good sum at a wedding, especially those who are clever enough to invent songs at the moment.

"We stayed in this room for a long time, and then I was taken to that part of the house where the ladies of the family live. At the entrance some negress slaves were waiting to receive me and lead me to the room in which the lady of the house awaited me. She was mounted on a complete throne of cus.h.i.+ons, and some eighty or ninety guests, all ladies, were with her. They were dressed in every variety of colour, and their dresses were all embroidered in gold. The young ladies wore pretty gauze veils, pink, white, or blue. These were all edged with needlework; some in gold, some in silver. The elder ladies wore gorgeous Cashmere shawls thrown over their heads and shoulders, and most of them wore diamond ornaments.

"I was conducted to the seat of honour by the side of the lady of the house, and a narghile (a sort of pipe) was brought to me. Then a china saucer was filled with bonbons from a tray covered with all sorts of confectionery, and was handed to me with some rose sherbet.

"After this I was taken into another room to see the bride. She was a girl about twelve years old. She lay on a sofa, with her face m.u.f.fled up in some kind of white stuff which was ornamented with diamonds, and was bound on by a band of diamonds. Her nurse was with her. The poor child was very tired, and more than half asleep. When the covering was removed that I might see her face, she moved uneasily, as if she did not like to be disturbed. She was dressed in satin, scarlet, and gold, and had a white cashmere shawl round her waist. She wore a number of splendid ornaments.

"It was nearly midnight when we came away. The cool night air was delicious after all the heat and glare of the house. It was a glorious night, the sky radiant with stars which sparkled more brightly than the little bride's diamonds."

[Ill.u.s.tration: VISIT TO THE HAREM.]

It was now time for us to go to the mission schools, which we all very much wanted to see.

We went first to the girls' school, where we saw a number of children copying portions of Holy Scripture in Arabic. They wrote beautifully.

Lucy took a great fancy to one little girl, and stood beside her, watching her, for a long time. The child stole a shy glance at her now and again; a kindly feeling sprang up between them, though they could not understand each other's language.