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[Page 13]
Tel-elKeber, which stretched for miles in the sand, and as the 5th Brigade is there I suppose we will also sample it later. At last we reach the Nile region affected by the irrigation and the change is marvellous, for mile after mile is one huge carpet of green with only dashes of brown where there are roads and native houses, the latter being made of mud or sand in clusters of about a dozen with apparently nothing but branches for roofs. There are no fences visable except along the railway line and I do not know how the boundaries of the different farms are known. The method of drawing water from the wells is very curious and interesting. Two huge wooden cog wheels are used, one paced perpendicularly and directly turning the winding shaft round which the rope is wound, and this is turned by the other cog wheel placed horizontally and turned by a bullock or camel walking round and round. These animals have to be blindfolded so as not to get giddy, a chain of buckets is fastened to the driving wheel. Although it was Sunday the Natives worked just as hard, for their real Sabbath is over Friday and at sunset the natives kneeling here and there in the long green stretches of waving lucerne, bowing reverently before the setting sun, presented a pretty sight, and made me think that perhaps they are better in their religious matter than us careless Christians, for although the lower natives of the city are moral wrecks, the agricultural class seems quieter. All day we only had a small piece of cheese and four biscuits issued, but luckily Tad, Miers and I had a loaf of bread from the ship.
Tuesday 25/1/16. This morning they took us for a route march to Heliopolis and although we only had a hurried view, I was particularly struck by the beautiful large white buildings, every one of which was of good proportions, with only dirty or pokey little shops on the ground floor forming a strange contrast.
Wednesday 26/1/16. We were enoculated for cholera to-day – also had leave from 3 p.m. till 10 p.m. and as Ted, Kiers, Guild and I went into Cairo, had tea at Soldiers Rest and then looked round the town. The Opera Place is a beautiful square with very fine buildings on two sides and Ezbekieh Gardens on the others. It looks especially pleasing when one comes out of the squalid native