“Get out of my way, there,” cries an aspirant after high places to one of more humble elevation; and the way being cleared, on sweeps the dromedary at a rapid pace, the saucy occupant of his back now beginning to bob up and down, and trying in vain to find something by which he may steady himself and in his efforts to check his beast, only making it go the faster. “Which is the way?” cry at once half a dozen travellers, lost in the mazes of the streets, and each, advising a different course, only heightening the embarrassment; till at last they yield the reins to their more sensible mules, which in a brief space succeed in extricating them. “Johnny Turk, here, lengthen this stirrup for me,” says another; when the Arab groom, understanding only the gesture, and his eyes already offended by its unwonted and ungraceful length, draws it up still higher, till he brings the rider in the graceful attitude of the Turkish horseman, with the knees up almost to the chin. “What an unsightly attitude,” the Arab murmurs to himself, “with the legs sprawling about, when he can bring them close up to the breast.” To our great satisfaction we emerged at length from the narrow streets, and had the pleasure of riding on without incessant danger of scaling our ancles and knees. Arriving at Old Cairo, we were ferried across the river, passing in our course the head of the island already noticed, and by the edifice with the famous Nilometer. Opposite to Old Cairo, as I have elsewhere remarked, is the village of Ghizeh, from which the largest Pyramids, which we were now about to visit, take their distinctive name; Ghizeh is celebrated also for its ovens for hatching chickens. Passing this, we had now the Pyramids in full view before us, nine miles distant, but separated from us only by the level plain. The morning air was cool and pleasant, our animals travelled well, and we left the ground rapidly behind us. But as we journeyed on, disappointment took possession of every one of us. The fabrics of which we had been reading with wonder and admiration from our childhood, were before us; there were the Pyramids; but how diminutive!