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30 Oriental Cairo
med AH on the east, and the Sharia Seyyida-Zeynab and
the Derb-el-Gamamise on the west. It divides itself naturally
into two parts, the El-Hilmiya district and the district
round the mosque of Ibn-Tulun, which at the time that this
great Sultan established his palace there was called El-Katai.
This is very high ground ; it was the Citadel of Cairo as
well as Royal Palace, until Gohar founded El-Kahira on the
site of the present Beit-el-Kadi. Gohar was the General who
conquered Egypt for the Fatimite Caliphs of Tunis.
XXXVI. The Derb-el'Gamamise and its Sights
It is convenient to take the Hilmiya district first. Drive
down the Sharia Mohammed Ali till >-ou come to the site
of the old canal, which divides Cairo into two portions. The
next street beyond it and parallel to it is the old Derb-el-
Gamamise, which is called the Sharia Ilabbaniya as it ap-
proaches the Sharia Mohammed Ali. It contains some fine
old mameluke houses and a Dervish tekkiya before you
come to the palace of the Derb-el-Gamamise, which is now
occupied by the Ministry of Instruction, and one of the three
great Royal Colleges which have staffs of English University
men.
XXXVII. The Antique Arab Palace of the Sheikh Sadat
A little beyond this a small street called the Haret-el-
Sadat leads to the palace of the late Sheikh Sadat, who was a
lineal descendant of the Prophet, and the most holy person-
age in Africa. His palace is in some ways the most notable
in Cairo ; it has a large and splendid courtyard, immense old
stables, a wonderfully picturesque harem, and is noted for the
hall of its Sclamlik. This is lined with blue porcelain tiles,
and in it the late Sheikh bestowed titles of honour like " Well
of Truth " on Mohammedan notables. It is the lareest and
most unique hall in Cairo, if it is not comparable in beauty,
architecture, and decoration with those of Sultan Beybars and
the Gamal-ed-Din.