Away down the
course to the starting point; and here the starter will no doubt
have his work cut out. A variegated crowd is lining the rails on
the opposite side of the track. Turbaned Abduls and Yussefs, boys
and little girls, men and donkeys, fruit-sellers, arabiyehs,
camels, all in brightest colours and a pandemonium of noise. Stray
pi-dogs are continually being warned off the course, and venerable
Arab Sheiks who don't understand, and start for a nice walk along
the wide grass track. Yes, there is plenty for the smart military
policemen to do, and their burnished swords and bright shoulder
epaulets flash in the sun as they 'chivvy' the crowd out of danger.
In the officers' enclosure there are many strange types. Abdul
Achmed Yussef is there with a scimitar in one hand like the Sultan
of Turkey, and a huge white umbrella in the other hand, and on his
head he wears a red tarbush. _Iskanderianabedian_ is there with his
fat wife, and two fat daughters, all the latter in black silk gowns
and white silk stockings, and if the girls' ankles aren't as thick
as my calves, call me a liar, but this is the Turkish style of
beauty you know.
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