WHERE THE MUEZZIN CALLS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 69, 22 March 1915, Page 6

WHERE THE MUEZZIN CALLS.

EGYPT AND ITS CUSTOMS. NEW ZEALANDERS IN OLD PLACES. (Special to Star.") ZEITUN. February 13. This is a land of mosques. There are hundreds of them dotted round in all part* of this big city, where 75 per cent, of the populace worship Mahomet. The traveller dTops across tnem sandwiched in between the hovels in the meanest native quarters. The distinctive dome flanked by the two minarets cannot be mistaken. In all the mosques is found a little bay in the wall towards Mecca. The advantage of this is seen when a blind man comes to make his prayers. He feels round the wall till he "finds the bay. He then knows that his direction is correct. If. after prayer on a boat, a native finds that the vessel has swung on the t'.de, turning his face from Mecca, he begins all over again. Guides form almost a separate class here in Cairo. This year they bemoan the absence of the tourists, though the soldiers have admittedly been a considerable recompense. They all have an intimate knowledge of l'pper and Lower I'-gypt; some speak as many as six languages. At present they deem it advisable to deny all knowledge of (ierman. and condemn the "squareheads'' in fluent English. The crescent moon and three white stars on a red ground was Egypt's flag under Turkey. It is still flown a great deal, but it is thought likely that the Sultan and his Minigtens may decide on a new design. Transport over the canals is confined almost entirely to flat-bottomed snubnosed dhows, in some respects similar to the Auckland scows. The yard on the mast is of great length, often being four or five times as long as the mast itself. I'nder a fair breeze these craft make good headway, carrying a large oblong or triangular Bail. Against the wind and tide they are pulled by the crew, who take a line along the towpath. Mules and donkeys arc found in all sorts of transport vehicles. They are sturdy animals, much loved by their drivers, who decorate them with brilliant bead bangles and other gaudy trinkets. The drivers even chip patches off the coat and tattoo the skin green or red. It is only the very wealthy tourist who can afford the trip on the old Nile to l'pper F.gypt. An excursion of any length costs several hundred pounds. Some of the fellows had hoped that they might be required in that region, but the hope has proved a vain one. There, among other wonderful sights, are tlie Colossi of Thebes. Unaffected by changes in men and nations these colossal guardians of the L'pper Nile have stood since time immemorial. In the street the women of this land invariably wear tbe black hood and mantle with tbe lower part of the face covered. The wealthy, although dressed in the same style, use most beautiful material, lustrous, and doubtless costly. Occasionally these women of the wealthy or upper class are seen out walking with smartly gowned French women. The status of women generally in this, as in most Eastern countries, is ignoble, the men regarding their womenkind more in the nature of chattels than as fellow beings. So far as the stranger can observe they do not appear to suffer much actual abuse, but are used as drudges, to fetch nnd jarry. They are very clever at balancing large water pots, baskets and trays on their heads. If the load is particularly heavy they use a pad of greens or a piece of sacking over the hair. A donkey ride through the bazaars and then through the Arab graveyards took a party of us, the other day, to the tombs of the Caliphs. The keepers of one of the mosques showed an imprint of a foot in stone. This is said to be an imprint left by the prophet Mahomet himself. The picture in the school books of the barefooted native climbing the tall date palm by leaning out against a loop of rope will be recalled by many. We find that the operation is not nearly so difficult as would be. supposed. The palm is notched all the way up where the old leaves have fallen away. Therefore there is an easy foothold and successive grooves for the rope as the native works it up the stem. Methods that are ingenious but antiquated are frequently followed by the native. Water is drawn from wells and canals by bullocks, donkeys or mules walking round in a circle to drive a big wheel, which in turn draws a chain of buckets up from the water. The principle is similar to that of the bucket dredge. Often the animal is blindfolded, so that it then naturally walks in a circle. It will be observed that Zeitun camp is still our address. Naturally, we have many regrets that the address is not Suez Canal, where our infantry arc receiving their first taste of real fighting. It seems likely that there will be very little fighting for our boys, but the ordeal for those in the sun-baked trenches will be a trying one. Many of the reinforcements just arrived arc already down at the Canal. FIRST SERIOUS FIGHT. News of the first serious fight created intense interest in Cairo, it was learned with regret that some Indian soldiers and two of the Canterbury infantry men were killed, lt is stated that other New Zealanders have been hurt, but we have no confirmation of the report so far. The Turkish prisoners, trapped in their foolish attempt to bridge tbe Canal, are now in the Kafr-el-nil barracks. They are dressed, some in a cheap suit of khaki slacks, and some in ordinary native clothes. Their officers are little more respectably dressed. They wear the belt worn by British officers. Few of the prisoners have boots, and officers and men alike look hungry and badly in need of a shave. Still, they look men of good physique, and should be useful if well trained and officered. We hope it will soon be over at the Canal, as the trouble there complicates the position. Many New Zealanders who have been accustomed to confined city, civilian life have learnt what it is to be really physically tired. For instance, after completing (wenty-four hours' picket on Thursday at n.35 p.m., we left at 6.45 p.m. for a live-mile march to the desert. On arrival we were detained to pnt in a line of I trenches. I struck tbe 10 p.m. to 2 ajn. . beat. We finished with pick and shovel at 2 a.m.. and got to bed in the open I at 2.30 a.ru. At 6 a.m. we got up and | marched back. There vu a-j*ur_ae lor

cleaning harness in the morning, and a mobilisation parade in the afternoon. After all that work, lied was welcomed on Saturday night. At night work must lie conducted as quietly as possible. Tliere must be no smoking, and fires are out of the question. While we were at bridging and pontooning in Ismailia Canal a few clays ago a Moslem gentleman returned with a considerable and hilarious following from Cairo. He brought with him a new wife. She sat blushing amid uncomfortably crowded other wives in a very narrow motor carriage. Otherwise, the following was distinctly native. The music was most dreadfully weird and nerve-racking. Arabic horses pranced and danced to the music, and everybody stamped the refrain. Amid the general confusion and excitement, our fellows .were highly amused and not a little interested. Fortunately, the party seemed to welcome rather than resent their inI quisiliveness.