CHAPTER V. The Citadel of Cairo-Mosque of Mehemet AliMoslem Carnival - The College of DervishesCurious religious ceremony-Presentation to the Viceroy-The Nepaulese Ambassador-Visit of the ladies to Ibrahim Pasha's hareem. ON the heights, behind Cairo, rises the citadel, commanding a splendid view of the city, and of the surrounding country. It forms the eastern boundary of Cairo, and is strongly fortified and garrisoned. From its ramparts, the spectator may survey all the public buildings, which rear their stately minarets and cupolas on every side. Chief among these, is a mosque founded by Mehemet Ali, and now nearly completed. It is an extensive structure of stone, supported by twelve massive pillars, formed of large pieces of Oriental alabaster, and surmounted by a lofty and capacious dome, and two minarets of great height and beauty. A large quadrangle, in the centre of which is a covered fountain, of polished alabaster, gives a character of solemn quietude to the whole. But it is impossible to do justice to the grandeur and beauty of the interior of the edifice, which, when finished, will exceed in magnificence the far-famed mosque of St. Sophia. The majestic proportions of the dome, empanelled to the very top with blue and gold, rise from many rows of stately pillars, superbly polished, and gleaming in the light like mirrors, while the vast walls and floor are of purest marble. The expansive ceilings are overlaid with gold, and rich blue mosaic, producing a most imposing effect, subdued by the chaste elegance of the alabaster columns. Hundreds of gilt chains hang down from the roof, to which lamps may be attached during festivals. The structure is in the form of a Maltese Cross, and I should suppose the interior to be larger than our St. Paul's; but as hundreds of men were at work there at the time of our visit, I could only make a guess at its dimensions. Only three of the mosques are open to the inspection of Europeans; and these have, from some circumstance or other, almost lost their sacred character in the eyes of the natives. One was polluted by Napoleon, who converted it into a stable, quartering a regiment of cavalry in its holiest precincts. Another is the mosque of Hassan—a very large building, inclosing a square, in the centre of which is a magnificent fountain, where the devout, carrying out the Moslem ritual, may perform their ablutions before they enter the place of prayer. spacious arches surround the quadrangle, one of which spans the pulpit, and another extends itself over the readingdesk. Four Our stay at Cairo was enlivened by a Moslem festival, which lasted four days. It seemed to be a sort of carnival, and booths were erected under the trees, the coffee-houses were crowded, every one turned out in holiday attire, and some of the dresses were magnificent. No one could be induced to work, and the feasting was general and lavish. I witnessed a curious religious ceremony at the college of Dervishes. Entering a large court-yard, I found between twenty and thirty persons seated on cane divans, smoking pipes, and apparently apparently waiting the time appointed for commencing the service. A young boy offered me a seat, and invited me to take a pipe and some coffee; so indiscriminate and spontaneous are Eastern hospitality and courtesy, displayed even to strangers, in the most public places. After a considerable interval, we took off our shoes, and entered a spacious hall, rising to a dome of great height, and hung round with knives, bucklers, and bows. Five Dervishes were seated in a circle in the centre, on sheepskins; and round the sides of the hall, bear and tiger skins were spread for visitors. The Dervishes were now joined by others, and by a crowd of devotees, on which they all |