The great difference between Egypt and more civilized countries is the lack of inns. Alexandria and Cairo abound with hotels, and there are two or three at Luxor. Regular inns are to be found at most of the main towns in the Delta, and at Assuan, Assiut, Medinet el Fayum, and other large places, though mostly of a rough kind. Below these there are the Greek wine-shops in most towns, where some sort of shelter can be had. The country station-masters are often very obliging, and will allow a traveller to sleep in the waiting-room; and—in the Delta at least—the village shekhs are very hospitable, and generally have a good guest-room, sometimes with European furniture. Some good pocket-knives, silver spoons, and such articles, should be taken for presents, if this accommodation is needed. Also, if going to places where rock tombs abound, excellent quarters can be had in them; no dwelling is so warm at night and so cool in the day. But for any extended journey it is best to take a small tent, if not travelling by boat. Convenient little tents, seven feet square, with two poles, weighing altogether only about 30 lbs., can be had in Cairo for about twenty-five shillings: such an one can be pitched or packed in a few minutes, and goes on a donkey with all the other baggage.
Some servant is needful to look after the things when one is absent; a grown-up donkey-boy will be useful, if the traveller does not speak Arabic easily, as he will have a smattering of English; but he will be perhaps a doubtful character, and will want about 3 francs a day. Far the best is to get an unsophisticated fellah from some village; he will be more trusty, and will be glad of 1 or 1½ francs a day without food. If there was no other means convenient for finding a man, I should go to some country station, and ask the station-master or postmaster to recommend some fellah whom they knew; there would thus be a hold upon him; and an advance of wages could be left with his guarantor, to satisfy him of one’s good faith in the bargain. For going about away from the railway or Nile steamers, a donkey must be hired for the baggage; there is no difficulty in getting one anywhere, and with the boy or man 1½ to 2½ francs a day is plenty in the country, though 3 or 4 francs is the Cairo rate. If by any chance one is wanted for riding, remember that though there are native saddles, there are no stirrups in the villages.
As to food, if constantly moving about, not much can be taken in the way of stores. But fowls (4-5 piastres), eggs (twelve to twenty-four a piastre), rice and lentils can be bought anywhere. Bread is not always eatable, as some villages only make dirty little pats of maize; but good (though heavy) flap bread is made at nearly all towns and most villages (four to eight flaps a piastre), and a day’s supply in advance should be carried. If staying for some weeks at one place, or going in a boat, it is best to order out from England assorted boxes of stores, each box to contain all that is wanted for three weeks or a month; tinned tongues, soups, salmon, jams, cocoa, tea, biscuits, &c. Otherwise some tinned goods (sardines, peas, &c.) can be got in most large towns; and some canisters should be taken for sugar, salt, pepper, tea, and coffee; the latter can be made in the cup as wanted. The essential articles of canteen are:—Petroleum stove (‘Hero’ size is most useful), with saucepan, kettle, and frying-pan, and a tin can with cork to carry petroleum (gaz, Arabic), as the stove must be emptied when travelling. Gaz can be bought in any large village, and if constantly moving, the kettle and frying-pan are not needful: the stove may be bought in Cairo, but perhaps not the best size. Cups, plates, spoons, forks, candles, matches, dusters, and galvanised pail can be got in any large town. For sleeping, a mattress is a mistake, as the same weight of blankets are as soft, more easily aired and packed, and can be used for warmth if needful. Take six blankets, laid one on the other and then folded over down the middle, and there are twelve thicknesses, of which three or four will serve for warmth above, and eight or nine for softness below, and the wind cannot get in on the turned-over side. To pack these, roll them tightly, with the crockery in the midst, and lash round with two cords; then wrap in a sheet of oiled cloth, large enough to spread between the blankets and the ground when sleeping, and rope up the bundle. All this may be bought in Cairo.
For medicines not much is needful; but in case of emergencies take sulphate of zinc (1 per cent. solution) for the eyes; quinine (5-10 grs. for fever, ½ p. c. sol. alone, or mixed with the previous, for eyes); carbolic acid (1 to 3 of oil for scrapes and cuts, &c.), and any special remedies needed. In general, diet is the main matter; aperients are needless with plenty of native bread and cooked tomatoes; and, on the other hand, if necessary, live on rice (very well boiled with a large amount of water), and avoid fat and sugar. The less clothing is used by day, and the more at night, the better; the clear nights are usually down to freezing in the winter, even far up the Nile, while the day may be 70° to 80°. The main matter is to avoid being out at sunset; or at least keep moving then, and avoid any chill, as fever is generally caught at that time. All drinking water should be boiled thoroughly; excepting perhaps when taken from the middle of the Nile, and not just below a town.
For a trip up the Nile the most thorough way is to take a small native boat, with a cabin on it, entirely to yourself, or with only a like-minded companion. Such a boat can generally be found at the main towns, Cairo, Minia, Assiut, &c.; when more pretentious, with several cabins, it ranks as a dahabyieh. The boat should be hired with a written English, French, or Italian agreement in duplicate, some European shopkeeper known to the boatman serving as his translator, to assure him of the terms. The actual terms of a boat I hired at Minia were ‘A. B. agrees to hire a boat with cabin from C. D., with a reis, two sailors, and boy, at ten francs per day. Ten days’ hire guaranteed; after that by the day. To be discharged anywhere below the first cataract (Assuan) without any return pay. No food provided. Payments to be made as demanded, taking receipts.’ If they dawdle, and it is needful to push on quicker, a promise, of say 50 francs on reaching the terminus by a certain day, less 5 francs a day for all time after that, will be effectual. Always stay for the night above a town or village, for the sake of cleaner water.
If only the principal places are to be visited, the postal steamer will suffice, taking tent, blankets, &c., to stay where desired. From Assiut to Assuan costs £5, without food; the cabins holding two or four, well fitted; and if all places are taken it is quite practicable to go on deck, sleeping in blankets (only 85 piastres). Passage can be taken between any two stations at proportional rates. When pitching tents, always stay by a village, and the shekh is responsible for your safety; look out for one of the little huts in which the village guards stay at night, and pitch ten or twenty yards in front of it; thus the guards will not come and sleep by the tent, for if they do their incessant talking or snoring will prevent any sound sleep. At Thebes the best camping ground is in the Ramesseum (the guards’ head-quarters) and under a tree by the pylon of Horemheb; and at Assuan in the bay above the town.
There is no need to carry much money about, as the post-offices serve for banks; and the regular bankers and agents generally charge (by exchange, &c.) nearly or quite the 1 per cent. of the post. Postal money orders should be taken in England for £10 each, one or more as probably required, on each of the main towns visited. The best address for receiving the actual Egyptian orders (for English forms are useless) is Poste Restante, Alexandria, as any enquiries about them should be made there. The money is paid in English gold at the offices. All accounts are, however, paid in piastres, at 97½ to the sovereign.
In case of taking luggage about by train or steamer, remember that nothing goes free except what is carried. All heavy things must be weighed, paid for, and a receipt obtained before the train leaves; and baggage is only given up in exchange for the receipt (= bolicy Arab.). Exactly the same must be done for goods, which are usually despatched within twelve hours by goods train, at half the rate of passenger train. There is no delivery of goods; everything must be claimed with the bolicy and fetched away. Carts cost about 1 to 2 francs the hour, and a bargain should be made with the driver for the whole business. If passenger luggage is left at stations the charge is heavy (3 p. each day or part for each parcel), but the station cleaner will look after things for a few hours. Goods are charged 1 p. per parcel per day at Cairo and Alexandria, but Sundays and 24 hours after arrival, free. At country stations the charges are next to nothing, and things may be sent by goods train and left for a week or two if necessary. Receipts are always given for every legal charge, however trifling; but see that the amount asked for is what is written.
The above details are of course only supplementary to the usual guide-book information. But there is no real difficulty likely to be met with in roughing it thus; and in case of emergencies the station-masters or post-masters can be appealed to, as they all understand English or French. Many of them have been in Europe, and I may say that I have received much kindness and friendliness from these excellent officials, who are largely Coptic Christians. They are above the common greed for petty bakhshish; though of course kindness may be recognized by a book, photographs, or other presents, as to a European official. In most bargains for services, as with donkey-boys, camel-men, boats, guides, &c., it should be remembered that 5 to 10 per cent. extra is expected as bakhshish in a lump at the end, subject to good behaviour; and this gives an excellent hold on the people.