Jogging round the world

These camels seem very much dressed up, don’t they, with their richly ornamented coverings; and see, the front one has a net over his head with tassels hanging from it. The carriage, too, is very elaborately carved. See the women in it, with veils over their faces. The Egyptian women of the higher classes always wear veils like these out of doors, so that only their eyes can be seen.

The buildings that these “ships of the desert” (as camels are sometimes called) are passing are the tombs of the Khalifs, just outside of Cairo, Egypt. They were built centuries ago, for you know Egyptian history goes back farther than that of almost any other country in the world, and many interesting old buildings still remain. In the tombs shown in the picture are buried some of the Khalifs, or rulers, of Egypt, who lived thousands of years ago. The tomb of Keit Bey, which we see in the middle of the picture, has a beautiful minaret or tower with three balconies. Can you count them? The top of the tower is shaped something like a pear, with a straight spire at the top. Most of the other domes have a half-moon at the top. Do you see them, and do you notice the lace-like patterns carved on the domes? In olden times the Egyptian people did much carving, and painted a great deal too, so their houses and buildings were all beautifully decorated and coloured. You have probably seen Egyptian designs many times in the museums near your home, or in books, haven’t you?