  LETTER I. | Approach to Alexandria—Old and new harbours—General aspect of the town—Costume and appearance of the inhabitants—Shops and shopkeepers—European part of town—Pharos (or lighthouse) | 13 | LETTER II. | Situation and construction of Alexandria—Supply of water—Climate and degree of salubrity—Telegraphs—City wall—Cleopatra’s Needle—Pompey’s Pillar—Tradition respecting the burning of the Alexandrian Library—Necropolis of Alexandria | 21 | LETTER III. | Voyage from Alexandria to Cairo—Canal from Alexandria to the Nile—Boats on the Nile—Town of Fooweh—Village of Shubra Kheet—Ancient town of Sais, and present state of the remains—Egyptian festivals—Voyage up the Nile—Boats and boatmen—Instances of mirage—Banks of the Nile—Arrival at Boulak, and equipment in Egyptian costume—Ride from Boulak to Cairo | 31 | | | LETTER IV. | Arrival at Cairo—Bridal processions—Funeral processions—General form of construction of the better class of houses in Cairo—Annoyance arising from the supposed visits of an ’efreet (evil spirit or ghost)—Extraordinary noises made by the supposed ’efreet—Want of cleanliness of the female servants | 43 | LETTER V. | General physical sketch of Egypt—Lower Egypt—The Nile—The valleys of the Nile—Soil and cultivation—Annual inundation of Lower Egypt by the Nile—Gradual rise and decrease of the river—Use of the water for drinking—Rapidity of the current, and navigation of the river | 52 | LETTER VI. | Physical sketch of Egypt, continued—Climate of Egypt—Heat—Infrequency of rain—Prevalence of northwesterly winds—Other winds—KhamÁseen winds—The Samoom—Whirling pillars of sand—The ‘sarÁb,’ or mirage—Irrigation of the fields—Physical and agricultural calendar of Egypt for each month of the year | 59 | LETTER VII. | The RamadÁn, or month of abstinence—Severity of the fasting—Imposing effect of the night-call to prayer by the Mueddins—Meals at night during the RamadÁn—Oppressive heat, and annoyance occasioned by insects and vermin—Flies, musquitoes, bugs, fleas, rats, lizards, spiders, scorpions—Extraordinary storm of wind—Unusual rise of the Nile—Murrain among the cattle | 70 | LETTER VIII. | Danger in travelling through the streets of Cairo—Prejudice against Europeans, and oppressive treatment of Christians and Jews—Procession of the Mahmal, preparatory to the departure of the great caravan of pilgrims for Mekkah—Origin of the ceremony of the Mahmal | 76 | LETTER IX. | General appearance of Cairo—Narrowness of the ‘shÁrËs,’ or great thoroughfare-streets, and inconveniences of transit through them—Costume of the inhabitants, as seen in the streets—Shops—‘Darbs,’ or by-streets—‘Sooks,’ or markets—KhÁns—KhÁn El-Khaleelee—‘WekÁleh-el-GellÁbeh,’ or market of the slave-merchants—Quarters of the Jews, Greeks, Copts, and Franks—Vacant spaces, lakes, cemeteries, and gardens of the city—‘El-Khaleeg,’ the canal which traverses the city—General description of the mosques | 81 | LETTER X. | Difficulty experienced by Europeans of obtaining access to the interiors of the principal mosques—Mosque of the Hasaneyn—Custom of taking off the shoes or slippers—El-ZÁme-el-Azhar, or ‘the splendid mosque’—Paupers supported in the mosques—Variety of scenes presented by worshippers, lecturers, and students—Mosque of Mohammed Bey—Ruinous state of the mosque of the Khaleefeh El-HÁkim | 91 | LETTER XI. | Collegiate mosque called Barkookeeyeh—Tomb, mosque, and hospital of the SultÁn KalÁ-oon—State and treatment of the lunatics confined in the mÁristÁn, or hospital—Anecdotes concerning the lunatics—Mosques of the SultÁn El-GhÓree, the SultÁn El-Mu-eiyad, and the SultÁn Hasan—Mosque of Ibn-Tooloon—Ruined castle or palace called Kal’at-el-Kebsh, or Castle of the Ram—Sebeels, or public fountains—Hods, or watering-places for beasts of burden—HammÁms, or public baths—Kahwehs, or coffee-shops | 97 | LETTER XII. | Citadel of Cairo—Ruins of the old palace called Kasr Yoosuf, or DeewÁn Yoosuf—Remarkable view of Cairo from the edge of the hill on which are the remains of ‘the house of Yoosuf SalÁh-ed-Deen’—The celebrated well of Yoosuf
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