The life history of Egypt lies before us, and we have but to read the interesting pages of the past, open to our view.
The city of Cairo was founded in 969. It was for ten generations under the rule of the Fatimite califs of Africa, who came from Kairon bringing the bones of their ancestors with them.
Towards the close of the twelfth century Saladin usurped the government.
In the middle of the thirteenth century a descendant of Saladin was deposed. Cairo then remained, until the early part of the sixteenth century, under the government of a line of Mameluke kings, when it was stormed by Sultan Selim.
Under the new rule, Cairo became somewhat European in its character. The ambition of the khedive was to make his capital into a Paris of the East.
A STREET SCENE IN CAIRO.
Cairo still retains, however, many features strongly suggestive of Arabic origin. We find still its labyrinth of narrow lanes, its flat-roofed houses without chimneys, or windows, its large bazaars, in which all kinds of Oriental ware are exposed for sale, and its forests of minarets.
The narrow streets are in many places arched over; the bazaars are dark and gloomy, and the houses are built of variegated brick with interlinings of wood.