Cairo
Sending 1600 sailors ashore, for two days, to transit between cities without officers is something that today's navy would certainly think twice. It appears that there were no incidents of discipline problems during this part of the journey.
In Cairo sailors quickly adopted the wearing of the bright red fez and traded for them freely with their white caps. They were then seen parading through the streets on donkeys and camels with the new headgear.
The Pyramids
Many of the sailors rode the train out to see the pyramids. They swarmed over the Sphinx, which had it's nose shot off by Napoleon in 1798. They were photographed perched on all portions of the monuments having had their Bedouin guide assist them in climbing to all portions of the Sphinx for their photos.
They then went to the pyramids to be photographed again to show folks back home they had seen one of the seven wonders of the world. One of the sailors was Milton Willard, of the USS Georgia who wrote a detailed letter of his visit to the pyramids and Cairo.
This rare letter describes the overland journey arranged by the ship's Chaplain to visits the sites of Egypt. Milton was one of the lucky 39 crewmembers from the USS Georgia to make this $25 trip. The actual letter is 28 pages long and provides a very detailed account of the trip.
“Port Said, Egypt
Fri. Jan 8, 1909
Dear Folks:
As we are coaling ship today and I have nothing in particular to do will try and get a letter off to you today. This will be chiefly relating to my trip to Cairo and the pyramids which no doubt you will see by the cards I sent some time ago. Our chaplain got up a party to visit Cairo and asked $20 from every man. Of course I then seen that it was a trip I would never regret so down went my name and the $20.
Well things went all right until he got word that we was not going to be in Port Said long enough for the trips then he got permission to leave the ship at Suez and when we returned meet the ship at Port Said. Well that went through all right. Then he asked for another days leave which cost $5 more and he got it.
Everything was arranged so when we arrived at Suez Sunday January 3, we had no sooner dropped anchor than we left the ship and went ashore. The Chaplain had charge and he was our business manager. We met our guide who was waiting for us at the station. We had the best guide in Cairo and many officers & tourists tried to get him but the Consul General had secured him for us before we reached Suez. We got on the train at Suez and went to Cairo a distance of about 150 miles which took us four or five hrs. It was a sight going across the desert by train and as soon as we arrived in Cairo carriages were waiting for us at the depot which did not take us long to pile in them and go to Sheppards Hotel. Now two of the best hotels in Cairo are the Continental and Sheppards which cost from $5 to $25 a day. We were already booked for the Sheppards but they could not accommodate us because 39 men is quite a few so we had to go to the Continental where we soon got rooms and began to clean up a little.
We dined at 8 p.m. and then after dinner we separated and went out on the streets of Cairo and did not get back to the hotel till 1 a.m. The married women wear the black veil and when girls get old enough or when they think they want a husband they wear white veils so do the girls in the harem but these harem girls all ride in closed carriages and never walk. When a woman gets so old that she does not want to marry or when she is a widow she does not wear any veil. Monday morning we were up bright and early and got into carriages as soon as we had lunch and drove to the depot. From there we took the train to Memphis where camels and donkeys awaited to take us across the Sakira Desert to the great pyramids.
We soon got under way. Every donkey and camel had a boy to take care of it. It was sixteen miles across the desert and the sand in some places was awfully thick. My donkey boy kept right behind my donkey all the way and when ever the donkey would run he would run too. We passed a good many tourists on our way. Our first stop was at the palace of King Mira and his wife. Our guide told us all about it and it was some thing like 1800 yrs. B.C. that it was built. Queen Mira statue was still there. On the wall was all engravings of soldiers of King Mira and great things he done and all about the sacred Ox. It did not take us long to go through there and soon we was on our way again. Our next stop was at the Tomb of the Sacred Ox which is all under ground in big long tunnels. There was no light in there and we had to use candles. The tombs of the Sacred Ox is made of granite and the sacred ox has been taken out so you can see on the inside. Here is an idea of the shape of the tomb.
We soon got out and was on our way again. I forgot to say that we also stopped at the Mummy of Ramises II which is something worth seeing. Our only regret was we could not get into the museums in Cairo on account of it being a holiday. Our next stop was at the Sphinx but along the trail we passed several graveyards. At the Sphinx we had our picture taken. You will notice the face of the Sphinx is damaged up. I will tell you how that happened later. It is to long a story now. As soon as we had our picture taken we got underway to visit the Pyramids. One of these pyramids is 400 and some feet high while the other is 300 and some feet. After our sixteen mile ride across the desert we were all to tired to stop at the pyramids but instead went right on to the Mira House Hotel where we had breakfast (dinner) at 2 p.m. As soon as our meal was finished we gathered together outside and walked to the pyramids.
It was then so late that we did not all have time to go to the top and go inside too, so we split in two bunches and the ones who wanted to go to the top went with the guide while those who wanted to go inside went with the chaplain. Of course me having that climbing nature I was one who started to the top of the one over 400 ft. high. If you had never seen this vast amount of stone which cover 13 acres and some one explained things to you, you could not believe them. To think of anything like getting big rocks, some which are 6 & 8 feet long by 3 & 4 ft. square it seems impossible that at such could have been the case before Christ. But never the less it is true. The chaplain on coming in the train remarked that he was glad our crowd had behaved as they had and he said that he always believed in setting the pace. One of the boys spoke up and said “Yes chaplain I always believed that way until I got halfway up that pyramid then I let the guide set the pace.” You see before you can go up you have to have two guides with you, one hold of each hand to prevent you from falling. I had to rest twice before I got to the top. On reaching the top I rested again to tired to move.
We witnessed a good thing while up there of an Arab starting from the top of one we was on 400 and some feet high going to the bottom running across a space of 400 yards and going to the top of the one over 300 feet high in 9 minutes. He holds the record for doing it in 8 4/5 minutes. I had to say 5 cents or one piaster for a cup of water hardly any larger than a thimble when on the top. Soon we started to descend again and it was a much work going down as it was going up. Now if you imagine it is an easy job to climb one of those I hope someday you have a chance: As soon as our party was together we went to the railway station and got a car back to Cairo. Our guide had intended to have carriages at the station for us and was very angry because on our arrival they was not there so we had to walk quite a distance to the hotel. We got there with plenty of time to have a good wash and get dinner which is not served until 8 p.m. After dinner four of us went out to see the streets of Cairo and bought several small articles among which I got a few postcards.
This is Tues. Dec 2 and I am still writing. Our stay in Port Said was not long enough for me to get a letter off so had to send postcards. We got back to the hotel at midnight and immediately turned in bed. The next morning we was up at 7 a.m. and had lunch. After lunch we went out inn front of the hotel where carriages was waiting for us to take us to the mosque and palace of one of Egypt’s great men who used to be Abraham Pasche. Was once ruler of Egypt and was succeeded by his son Ali Pasche. When Abraham Pashe died his son married his mother and put him in possession. There is a big long story attached to it and less I forget I will tell it to you some time. It certainly was a beautiful place. The carpet was velvet Brussels and the ceiling and walls with gold paintings or decorations. In some places the walls had gold inlaid and showed up something swell. I have sent you an interior view of the mosque so you can see what it is like. From the palace you can see the old Roman viaduct which was used or built by the Romans when they entered Egypt. After a short stay there we got into our carriages again and drove to another mosque where the topmbs of Abraham Pasche and his wife in the place. In another part is the tomb of Ali Pasche, his son, daughter and wife or mother. There was tombs there that to my idea cost quite a sum of money.
It did not take us so long to go through there and soon we entered our carriages again and drove around the streets of Cairo. Stopping at different places of interest just to catch a glimpse of them we made one long stop in the curio district buying curios. We met some people in there from the New England states who talked quite a while with us. After leaving there we drove to Phareohs place and where Mose’s was found by Phareoh’s daughter in the bulbrushes. Phareohs palace you know is quite old but the paint is still on there. You have heard the story of how Mose’s was found in a basket. Now our guide said he was found in a box. The cover of which Phareoh’s daughter maid had pry off. It is quite a long story in fact, to long to put down here.
In order to get over there we had to cross the Nile in a boat which was shoved across by hand or poles. We visited the Nileometer or meter with which they determine the rise and fall of the Nile. It is a well in which a big stone pillar is placed in the center. On this pillar is Egyptian inches which is carved in the stone and it is out there today the same as it was then. After leaving there we crossed the Nile again and got into our carriages and went across the Nile Bridge to the Zoological Gardens where we seen all kinds of animals.
It had began to get late so we had no sooner got back to the gate than we were off for the Hotel. Upon our arrival there we had a rest a wash and dinner and then went out on the streets of Cairo again. It was midnight when I got back and I was pretty tired and had no sooner struck the bed than I was sound asleep. Everyone was up bright and early next morning in order to catch that train for Port Said which would bring us into Port Said about noon. Before leaving the Hotel they had made up a little lunch for each one of us to take on the train. It was not much but it held our stomachs until we reached our destination where we had lunch. After that we went around the city which is not much to see.
Our ship had not got through the Canal so we had to report aboard the Kentucky at 5 o’clock p.m. We had supper aboard her and then turned in for the night. We got wireless that the Georgia was stuck in the mud in the Canal so that made us wait a few hrs. longer. We were soon called out on the quarterdeck ready to be transferred to our own ship. They had not even had time to lower the gangway so we had to use the sea ladder.
The whole trip only cost me $43 and I am not a bit sorry I went as there was not liberty in Port Said for anybody for as soon as we had coaled ship we got underway for Marseilles. Our account of the earthquake in Italy and many of the refugees going to Naples & Genoa. We had to change our port. The Captain wants to get in by Wed. if possible and so he has been making 12 & 14 knots since leaving Port Said. Our account of a storm which lasted for 48 hours. We could only go ten & eleven knots but we are making up for it now.
While at Port Said we seen them celebrating their last day of Xmas. They have four days of Xmas. The funeral party is very odd. First you see a big mob coming up the street swinging and hollering, and then following them is four men carrying the coffin or rough box. At the graveyard there is swings and amusements the same as at an amusement park where everybody enjoys themselves. Will have to stop now and write some more when we reach Marseilles.
We arrived here today Jan. 15, This a.m. at about 6 o’clock the light house was sighted and as soon as it was day light you could see the city or rather the outline of it as the city itself is set back in. The fog was so dense that until we had come inside of the breakwater you could not distinguish anything. We tied up bow and stern to two buoys inside and the Nebraska was right on our heels. It was about 11 a.m. before we got through mooring. The Captain wanted to get in the 14th of Jan. but the weather was to rought and delayed us. Nothing has been said about liberty so far but by Sun. they will be sending liberty parties ashore. I will of course have some more to tell you after I have been ashore but I guess this will hod you until I can bet time to write again.
I will now answer your letter Dated Dec 5, 19008, Jan 15,1909, Marseilles France. Dear Folks, In reply to my allotment which run out on the October payment was cor . . . “(letter ended)
Cheers
Sean
