for the more than friendly reception which she there met with, Mrs
Poole professes herself indebted "to the kindness of Mrs Sieder, the lady
of our excellent resident missionary, who has gained the confidence of the
most distinguished hareems," aided in no small degree, we have reason to
believe, by the general estimation in which her brother was held among his
Muslim acquaintance. In this novel species of social intercourse, Mrs
Poole showed much tact, wearing the Turkish dress, which is admirably
adapted to the climate, in her visits to ladies of the middle class, as
well as at home; "but in visiting those who are considered the noble of
the land, I resume, under my Eastern riding-costume, my English dress. In
the Turkish dress, the manner of my salutation must have been more
submissive than I should have liked; while, as an Englishwoman, I am
entertained by the most distinguished, not only as an equal, but,
generally, as a superior." Thus, at the hareem of Habeeb Effendi, the
ex-governor of Cairo, she was received at the door of the first apartment,
on dismounting from the "high ass" on which all visits of ceremony must be
paid, by the eldest daughter of the house, who herself disencumbered her
of her riding-dress--an office left to slaves in families of rank, except
in the case of a visitor of high distinction--and was then placed by her
on the divan at the right hand of her mother, the first cousin of the late
Sultan Mahmood. The second daughter appeared soon after, and Mrs Poole
proceeds to describe her dress. "She wore on her head a dark handkerchief
twisted round a _tarboosh_, (red cap,) with a very splendid sprig of
diamonds attached to the right side, and extending partly over her
forehead. It was composed of very large brilliants, disposed in the form
of three lutes in the centre, from each of which a branch extended,
forming an oval shape at least five inches in length. High on the left
side of her head, she wore a knot or slide of diamonds, through which was
drawn a bunch of ringlets, which, from their position, appeared to be
artificial; her tarboosh had the usual blue silk tassel, but divided and
hanging on either side. Her long vest and trousers were of a dark-flowered
India fabric; she wore round her waist a large and rich Cashmere shawl;
and her neck was decorated with many strings of very large pearls,
confined at intervals with gold beads. She was in one respect strangely
disfigured--her eyebrows being