Item 01: Walter Lawry Waterhouse diary, 15 January-27 March 1916 - Page 88

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[Page 88]

take us for the 20 P.T. We went down the steps from the stone-wall to the water's edge, & were immediately surrounded by a jabbering crowd of watermen each declaring that his boat was "very nice, very clean, very good". We chose one, & just before going on board I said "Remember, 20 P.T." & was immediately informed that 50 P.T. was wanted. The youth who had agreed to the 20 P.T. was an irresponsible who, if we had engaged a "veluka", would have come & demanded backsheesh for getting it for us.

Thoroughly disgusted we started to go away: imagine our surprise when, apparently the merry-faced youth with whom we first came in contact at Boulak, who smilingly suggested that he was right in saying that 50 P.T. was the fare, but was now willing to take us for the 20. After a good deal of hesitation we got a garry & drove back to Boulak, went on board the "velouka" when again we met a rebuff in the form of a demand for the 20 P.T. at once.

Utterly disgusted we refused, went ashore & decided to go up by train to Barrage. Having trammed to Cairo Station we found at 1.50, when we arrived, that a train had left at 1.30 & that there was not another until 4 pm! It was quite evident that we were not to go to Barrage that day, so garryed back to Pension Wales lest Rid had unexpectedly put in an appearance, but finding no sign of him unpacked our eatables & had lunch, deciding that we should spend the afternoon at the Citadel.

A tram ride of perhaps 25 min. to the south of the city brought us there, & after passing thro' the usual filth & squalor it was good to get out into the open space in front of the Citadel. This is a large fort built abt 100 yrs ago on an eminence from which it commands Cairo.

It is quite a landmark round Cairo, being distinguished by the large mosque of (?)Mohammet Ali

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