"After a little time has been devoted to conversation the hostess gives a signal, and the entertainment provided for the occasion begins. If the lady has slaves that can sing they seat themselves on the floor and begin a song, but if there is not sufficient talent among them a party of professionals is especially engaged. The singing is followed by dancing, and this is almost always by professional dancing girls, and the affair is said to be much like the one we saw at Keneh.
"Dancing follows singing, and singing follows dancing, and now and then a story-teller is introduced for the amusement of those who like them. Sweetmeats and cakes are liberally served, and so are coffee and sherbet, which are taken from tiny cups such as we would disdain in our own country.
"In addition to these amusements they have cards and checkers, and many of the Eastern ladies are said to be very skilful at these games. In various ways the afternoon or evening is worn away, and, if the affair is a specially fine one, a supper is served on a large platter placed on a stand in the centre of the room. It consists mostly of preserved fruits and other dainties, and is not so extensive as the supper at a party of the same sort in America. Nobody is expected to leave until some of the most fashionable or distinguished ladies give the signal. The hostess pretends to be very sorry to have them go, but is no doubt wishing to herself that they would make haste and leave her alone.
"So much for harem life in Egypt. I'm sorry I can't tell more about it, but all my information must come from somebody else, and therefore you must consider it second-hand. The condition of women in the East is improving, but it is yet far behind that of Europe and America. The progress is more rapid in Egypt than in Turkey and other Moslem lands, and the example of the rulers of this country in establishing schools for girls will have an effect in the right direction. But it will take a long time to overcome the prejudices that exist in consequence of the religion of the East, not only among the men but among the women themselves. Many of the Egyptian and Turkish ladies have told their foreign visitors that they would not desire to change places with them: they enjoy their life of indolence and seclusion, as it gives them a feeling of protection they would not have if the customs of Europe prevailed among them."
Esneh was the first stopping-place above Luxor, and the object of interest was a temple partly cleared out and partly covered by the houses of the town. The only part to be seen was the portico, which was reached by a flight of steps descending to it. Nobody knows the extent of the temple, as it was covered for many hundred years with heaps of rubbish. The attempts to clear it out were made quite recently, but enough has not been excavated to give even the outline of the original edifice.
SCULPTURES MUTILATED BY THE PERSIANS.
The boys observed here, as they had already done at Luxor and other places, that the sculptures were frequently injured by the destruction of the faces of the figures that had been engraved with so much care. They asked the Doctor how this was done, and he thus explained it: