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The Holy Carpet and Celebration of Bairam 241
When the Mahmal came abreast of the Khedivial pavilion
it went through various evolutions while it described seven
circles—the prescribed number. At the conclusion it
advanced right up to the pavilion steps, which were crowded
with great officials in brilliant uniforms. The Prime Minister
came forward and received it on behalf of his Prince with
deepest reverence.
After this it was proceeding at a much livelier pace, when
suddenly the great functionary, to whom I had received an
introduction, very politely held up his hand and stopped the
procession for a few moments for me to photograph the
Mahmal, which, as I have said, I considered the highest proof
of Egyptian wide-mindedness. Then the procession swept
on under the Citadel and was lost in the crowd, which no
longer made any pretence of keeping in its place, but surged
round those seven camels trapped with barbaric gold and
crimson that had such a profound significance.
To me the procession of the Malunal was not to be compared
with the Molid-en-Nebbi for either variety or impressive-
ness. One of the most interesting features was having the
principal functionaries in the robes of their office pointed out
to me by Mansfield Pasha. Cabinet Ministers in Egypt are
not unlike Cabinet Ministers in England in their uniform
except for the tarbfish. The Grand Kadi, the Grand Mufti,
and the Sheikh-ul-Azhar were much more remarkable-
looking persons.
I have never been in Egypt during Ramadan, and the
Bairam I have only seen at Luxor. It was most interesting
even there. It began in the early morning. It threatened to
begin at six, but it was nearly two hours late. I did not repine,
because every minute the light was getting better for photography
and it is none too good before eight in January even
in Egypt.
The young Mohammedan who had volunteered to take me
led me into a large enclosure behind the mosque near the
Mamuriya. Perhaps it was a mosque; it was quite as much of
a mosque as the Khalifa's at Omdurman, where Slatin Pasha
had to pray for so many hours every day with the Khalifa's
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