In the round of gayety that goes on at Luxor the British consulate played the leading part. Mustapha Aga entertained all the English dahabeeyahs, and all the English dahabeeyahs entertained Mustapha Aga. We were invited to several fantasias at the consulate, and dined with Mustapha Aga at his suburban house the evening before we left Luxor.
The appointed hour was 8.30 P.M. We arrived amid much barking of dogs, and were received by our host in a large empty hall surrounded by a divan. Here we remained till dinner was announced. We were next ushered through an ante-room where two turbaned and barefooted servants were in waiting; the one with a brass basin and ewer, the other with an armful of Turkish towels. We then, each in turn, held our hands over the basin; had water poured on them; and received a towel apiece. These towels we were told to keep; and they served for dinner-napkins. The ante-room opened into a brilliantly lighted dining-room of moderate size, having in the center a round brass table with an upright fluted rim, like a big tray. For each person were placed a chair, a huge block of bread, a wooden spoon, two tumblers, and a bouquet. Plates, knives, forks, there were none.
The party consisted of the happy couple, the director of the Luxor telegraph office, L——, the writer, Ahmed, and our host.
“To-night we are all Arabs,” said Mustapha Aga, as he showed us where to sit. “We drink Nile water and we eat with our fingers.”
So we drank Nile water; and for the first time in our lives we ate with our fingers. In fact, we found them exceedingly useful.
The dinner was excellent. Without disrespect to our own accomplished chef, or to the accomplished chefs of our various friends upon the river, I am bound to say that it was the very best dinner I ever eat out of Europe. Everything was hot, quickly served, admirably dressed, and the best of its kind. Here is the menu:
MENU. MARCH 31, 1874.
White soup:—(Turkey).
FISH.
Fried Samak.[236]
ENTRÉES.
Stewed pigeons. Spinach and rice.
ROAST.
Dall.[237]
ENTRÉES.
Kebobs[238] of mutton.
Tomatoes with rice.
Kebobs of lambs’ kidneys.
Kuftah.[239]
ROAST.
Turkey, with cucumber sauce.
ENTRÉE.
Pilaff[240] of rice.
SECOND COURSE.
Mish-mish.[241]
Kunáfah.[242]
Rus Blebban.[243]
Totleh.[244]
These dishes were placed one at a time in the middle of the table and rapidly changed. Each dipped his own spoon into the soup, dived into the stew and pulled off pieces of fish or lamb with his fingers. Having no plates, we made plates of our bread. Meanwhile, Mustapha Aga, like an attentive host, tore off an especially choice morsel now and then and handed it to one or other of his guests.