I ascended one day to the citadel, which commands a superb view of
the town. The fanciful and elaborate gilt-work of the many
minarets gives a light and florid grace to the city as seen from
this height, but before you can look for many seconds at such
things your eyes are drawn westward--drawn westward and over the
Nile, till they rest upon the massive enormities of the Ghizeh
Pyramids.
I saw within the fortress many yoke of men all haggard and
woebegone, and a kennel of very fine lions well fed and
flourishing: I say YOKE of men, for the poor fellows were working
together in bonds; I say a KENNEL of lions, for the beasts were not
enclosed in cages, but simply chained up like dogs.
I went round the bazaars: it seemed to me that pipes and arms were
cheaper here than at Constantinople, and I should advise you
therefore if you go to both places to prefer the market of Cairo.
I had previously bought several of such things at Constantinople,
and did not choose to encumber myself, or to speak more honestly, I
did not choose to disencumber my purse by making any more
purchases. In the open slave-market I saw about fifty girls
exposed for sale, but all of them black, or "invisible" brown.
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