A STUDY IN CONTRASTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 5883, 1 April 1915, Page 8

A STUDY IN CONTRASTS.

THE MODERN CAIRO. AUCKLAND ER'S IMPRESSIONS. Training for war is one thing, and playing the tourist quite another, writes a Herald correspondent in a letter dated February 21. Ihe New Zealanders who are now in Egypt have been fortunate enough to be able to blend the two, and thus tho monotony of camp routine has been relieved appreciably. Although the rigours of military training have kept sight-seeing within fairly narrow bounds, "Tommy Fernleaf " has succeeded in seeing many of the antiquities of the Egypt of the Pharoahs. His colonial point of view—a matter-of-fact curiosity mingled with a strong practical tendency in the direction of knowing why and how, and pushing on to study the tilings of the presentmay not fit in exactly with that of many visitors to Egypt, but that is his affair. He has visited the pyramids, or some of them, explored those wonderful chambers in which the dust of ancient tyrants lays, and has damaged his bayonet in a vain endeavour to secure a chip of marble or alabaster from the huge blocks which help to commemorate the name of Cheops. In the heat of mid-day lie has climbed " the big pyramid " for tho sake of saying he has done so, and for the same reason has ridden on a camel to tho Sphinx, whose missing nose—shot off by one of Napoleon's cannonshas given him quite as much to think about as the Ancient Riddle itself. Possibly the pyramids trip would bo rounded off by a visit to Cairo's splendid zoological gardens, and the talk in the tent that night would probably be of boas,, the possibility of riding giraffes, the guide's outrageous demands for backsheesh, and what use the pyramids could ever have served.

Let it not be thought that the New Zealander is not interested in the monuments of ancient civilisation and ancient folly. He is, indeed, but he finds more to hold him in watching the life around. Cairo's street scenes are a wonderful spectacle in these days, even although there has been an absolute stoppage of tourist traffic. r lhe crowds are more cosmopolitan than any -colonial crowd could ever be, and contrasts between affluence and squalor, gaiety and woe, in dress, in customs, and in modes of life could only be found " east of Suez," and hence hold the colonial mind. It is late evening before Cairo really wakes up. Dense crowds throng the * pavements— where there are pavements, for the native streets are little more than winding alleyways filled with strange smells and unclean. These crowds in the better streets might represent half the races of the world. Egyptians of all classes, from the rich commercial-looking man to the sorriest pariah, move constantly along, but contrasted with the red tarbousch of the country is the khaki of His Majesty's soldiers, and just now the khaki appears to make half the crowd. Elegant Frenchmen and Frenchwomen, Greeks, Italians, Assyrians, Arabs, and negroes from the Soudan, add to the

picture. Along the streets move carriages and motor-cars, heavily-laden donkeys and camels, and in a few of the streets electric tram cars. The 'contrast in dress defies description. Many of the well-to-do and educated Egyptians wear the English dress, but the poor classes wear the ancient gown. Incongruous mixtures of both the Eastern and Western dress are often seen, such as a frock-coat being worn over the gown. Street-hawkers ply everywhere and sell everything. Within a few yards may be seen a water-seller with a skin bag on his back, crying in his monotonous way; a seller of green lucerne, which is carried on a donkey; hawkers of native foods and vegetables, fruit-sellers, vendors of trinkets, clothing, and many others. The young imp of a bootblack pursues his calling at every turn, and any soldier who dares to go about with dusty boots generally has half-a-dozen of these black boys around him. "Aff biasta," they yell, " Give it backsheesh," and should the soldier decide to have a shine these boys will rush round him and struggle for the job. Sometimes one sees a humorous black little face among them, but these are usually negroes of some kind. The average is the dull face of the country, which understands but one languagethe language of backsheesh. Another established institution is the donkeyman, who sells donkey rides. Gay soldiers will have races on the donkeys through the crowded thoroughfares, with the owners loudly protesting and running ■ behind. I There is a sad side to the street scenes, the squalor and misery of the poor, which, nerhaps, appeal's somewhat out of proportion to,the New Zealander who has never seen poverty. But it would take much to make one used to the sight of a woman, with a baby in her arms and others huddled around her, sitting on the side of the pavement with her head quite hidden in the folds of her loose black gown and her hand held out constantly in mute appeal for alms; or a blind negro, naked to the waist, sitting in the same v v. T'»> difference which is seen between the rich and poor people applies also to their dwellings. Up dark, unclean, alleys, perhaps only two or three yards wide, live the poor while the houses of the rich are palatial. The dark dens and insanitary native streets will make years of work for Britain.