 | Lady Layard’s Journal Go to a Date Search the Journal |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |
28 March 1895 — Cairo | |
Thursday. 28th March [1895]. I left Ghesireh at 9 o’cl & went by the hotel break to town & walked up the mosque to Nazli Khanum’s. I had to wait a little while for her & then she appeared in her large black silk mantle & white muslin yashmak. We were joined by her sister Khanum & then abt 10 we went off to see the widows of Ismail Pasha. The two sisters went in a landau together & I followed in Nazli’s carriage. We drove to the large Palace on the Nile & found ourselves in a fine garden where many carriages were already waiting. We went into the house & soon found ourselves in an enormously long hall quite devoid of furniture. The chandelier & mirrors were all covered with black & there were a few black cushions on the ground on one side against the wall on which sat in utter silence the family of Ismail Pasha & on the opposite side of the hall sat cross legged on the floor a quantity of women all in black—shouting, wailing, sobbing & crying. We silently walked across the hall & squatted down on a black cushion by the side of the Pasha’s daughter—& there we sat. It was a most curious sight. The 3 widows & the daughter looked calm but sorrowful– Women came & went all the time—& the newcomers seemed to renew the wailing. Nazli & her sister Fatma kept dabbing their dry eyes with their black edged pocket handkerchiefs and their maids brought them relays of clean handkerchiefs. Nazli whispered to the family who I was but otherwise no one noticed me—& after abt ½ hour by Nazli’s advice I got up quietly & went away. It was a relief to get back into the daylight for the scene began to affect ones nerves. Nazli’s carriage took me to the Hotel Continental where I paid a short visit to Frida Biddulph & then went to shop & to enquire at Cook’s abt our passage in the Caledonia & found it was all settled & so returned to Ghesireh to lunch. Elaine had gone in search of the Mosque Ibrahim & had not found it & so did not sketch & was disappointed. It was a disagreeable blowing day. After lunch Mme von Fischer was telling me that she was going off to see the Barrages in a steam launch with Mr Wilcox the Squire & regretting that Mrs Stopford Sackville could not go she offered me & Elaine to go instead so we accepted & took Katherine Arbuthnot with us. We started & Lady Hope & Mr Denny were of the party also Mr & Mrs Oswald Crawford & a lady & gentleman from our hotel. When we got a little way the wind blew with redoubled violence and at last Mr Wilcox began to look anxious so I suggested to him that we should turn back– He at once consulted with the Arab captain & we turned back. They got under the lee of the bank & stopped & we then had tea—& returned to Cairo by 5 oclock. Elaine & I concocted a telegram in answer to Ivor’s to me telling us he was to meet Elaine at Bologna– We said we did not think of being there till 13th. | |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |