Egypt and Iceland

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1879 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VIII. A TRIP TO THE FYOOM. Cairo, April 2, 1874. AS a region which is in Egypt, but in many striking respects not of it; which is as fertile as the Nile-valley, yet never inundated; which has been known and inhabited for five thousand years, is within a day's journey of Cairo, and still remains unvisited by the annual throng of tourists--the Fyoom may claim to be something of a curiosity. Among the English and American residents of Alexandria and Cairo I have found, it is true, several who intend making shooting excursions thither (water-fowl being very abundant at certain seasons), but not one who has ever carried out his intention. The last description of the region was written a year ago by a French artstudent, who accompanied his master, Gerome. Its inaccuracies are as evident as they are fantastic, yet of the kind which stimulates the reader to go and see for himself. Wilkinson and Mariette Bey supply the necessary archaeology--which is not very extensive--and this is the end of preparation, unless the traveller be of luxurious habits. There were two young Americans in Cairo who were willing to venture with me beyond the frontier of hotels, without taking tents and camp equipage with us. An old, devout, one-eyed Moslem, named Hassan Suleyman, was engaged by Achmet as attendant and interpreter; shawls and Bedouin capotes constituted the only baggage. In such light travelling order we set forth four days ago on a cool morning for the railway station of Boulak-Dakrour, beyond the Nile, where the daily train for Upper Egypt starts whenever it gets ready, without regard to the published timetable. Bridge and highways were crowded, at that early hour, with country-people bound for market, camels laden with bales of freshly-cut clover, and donkeys ha...