A slave then entered very smartly dressed, half her skirt being of black satin and embroidered in gold, and the other half of yellow satin, also trimmed with gold, and with a sort of turban on her head. She had a beautifully embroidered napkin, with gold fringe, hanging on her arm, as a sort of badge of her office, which corresponded with that of a European maître-d’hôtel. She placed each dish in the middle of the table, beginning with soup—a sort of chicken broth with rice. Each visitor was given a sort of tortoiseshell spoon, with a large coral branch as a handle, but neither knife nor fork; and then, at a sign from the old Princess, everybody dipped their spoons into the tureen together. Next came an enormous piece of mutton, of which the company had to tear off bits with their fingers and put them straight into their mouths. About twenty dishes followed in rapid succession, alternately savoury and sweet, and the dinner ended with compôte of cherries. No wine or water was served during the meal, and Mrs. Grey confesses that she felt thoroughly disgusted.
Some very necessary washing of hands followed, and then there was an entertainment in the great drawing-room, given by musicians and dancing-girls, in the course of which a slave brought in a tray covered with black velvet cloth embroidered with pearls and uncut emeralds, and decorated with an enormous diamond star in the centre. This was lifted off, and then were revealed a number of cups encrusted with diamonds, and full of coffee. These were handed round, and a slave brought pipes and cigarette-holders, all lavishly ornamented with precious stones, each mouthpiece being formed of one large ruby or emerald.
After an interval the visitors were taken all through the upper rooms, a young prince who acted as interpreter being most anxious that Queen Alexandra should see everything. “La Princesse doit tout voir,” he kept saying. More music and dancing followed, and more coffee, until at four o’clock it seemed to be time to go, so Queen Alexandra rose, and the party were handed out to the door of the garden at which they had entered amid enthusiastic demonstrations of affection on the part of their hospitable entertainers.
There can be no doubt of the impression which the Queen’s graciousness and charm created. Mrs. Grey says:—
“They were all perfectly enchanted with the Princess, and about every ten or fifteen minutes une phrase de cérémonie was exchanged through the Prince [that is, the young Egyptian prince who acted as interpreter]. ‘La Grande Princesse est si contente de vous voir,’ or ‘La Grande Princesse regrette tant que cela soit contre l’usage du pays, de vous rendre cette visite’; and so on.… At last they all expressed a hope that the Princess would come and dine again on her return to Cairo.”
The same evening Queen Alexandra had the pleasure of visiting some beautiful Arab horses in the stables of Ali Sherif Pasha.
Before starting on their journey up the Nile the King and Queen took the opportunity of witnessing the curious and interesting Procession of the Holy Carpet starting from Cairo on its way to Mecca, which, strangely enough, few of the Europeans who at that time visited Cairo cared to see. Every year two carpets are sent, one of which goes to Medina to serve as a covering for the tomb of the Prophet, and the other to Mecca to be a covering for Kaabah or the central point of the Mahomedan religion. The King and Queen also witnessed the departure of the pilgrims for Mecca, or rather of that portion of the pilgrimage consisting of sheikhs and holy men, escorted by irregular cavalry and artillery, which left the city to join the other pilgrims encamped on the plain outside.
On 6th February the voyage up the Nile began. The party was a large one, and the number of vessels provided for them formed quite a little fleet, of which the following was the order of sailing:—
A large and very smartly fitted-up steamer, the Federabanee, Captain Achmet Bey, headed the squadron, and was occupied by Prince Louis of Battenberg (then a midshipman on board the Ariadne), Major Teesdale, Captain Ellis, equerries in waiting, Lord Carrington, Mr. O. Montagu, Dr. Minter, Sir Samuel Baker, and Mr. Brierley. On deck there was a large saloon, all fitted up with silk and looking-glasses and every description of luxury, and there meals were served. Outside this there was a small open saloon with a large looking-glass at the back, in which the scenery could be viewed in comfort.
The Federabanee towed a most beautiful dahabeah, or Nile boat, which was named the Alexandra, and in which the King and Queen and Mrs. Grey lived. It was all fitted up in blue and gold, with a great deal of taste, and the cabins were all large and most comfortable. Mrs. Grey mentions that the King and Queen had “a very nice sleeping cabin, with a bath-room and dressing-room apiece.” The Alexandra also contained a large sitting-room with a piano, and outside there was a place for sitting and reading, as well as the upper deck. The only inconvenience of this arrangement was that the travellers in the dahabeah had to go on board the Federabanee for every meal. This necessity was especially hard on Queen Alexandra, who resolved, however, to return to the dahabeah after breakfast as often as she could in order to have time for painting and reading; this, with the active co-operation of Mrs. Grey, she contrived to do on a good many days.