Few hints for Ladies

Directions have been given in abundance by preceding travellers to those who may follow them up the Nile and across the Desert, about preparations for the expedition. Without repeating what Sir G. Wilkinson and others have said as well as possible, I may give a few hints which may be of use at least to ladies.

Every traveller who is going to the East must, if he values health and comfort, take the sleeping apparatus which is called Levinge’s bag. A full account of it is to be found in Sir G. Wilkinson’s “Modern Egypt and Thebes.” The makers must not persuade the purchaser to desert the original make, – with one circle of canes, – for a more complicated and expensive one. The simplest is the most convenient, and, as I can testify, answers every purpose. The comfort of this bag, to those who are nervous about vermin, or easily annoyed by them, is inestimable. The certainty that one is safe from every intruder tends of itself to give one good nights. The traveller will, of course, see that his bag is never left open for a moment; and that no one is ever allowed to put a hand within it who cannot be trusted for cleanliness. It is sufficiently aired by being shaken out of doors, – the muslin of the canopy being coarse enough to admit the air freely. The coarser the muslin the better, as long as it keeps out fleas.

The traveller should not be alarmed if he finds he sleeps little during such a journey. If he is kept awake by vermin or by fever, of course, that is a great evil: but an easy quiet sleeplessness will do him less harm than he might suppose. There is, I imagine, something in the mode of life, – the absence of one’s ordinary business, and the stimulating influences of an open air life which makes sleep less necessary than at home. However this may be, I know many travellers who found, as I did, that less sound sleep, and much less of it, than at home, did them no harm while abroad; and that they resumed their regular sleeping habits, on their return. It is worth mentioning this, to save any inexperienced traveller from the supposition that he is or will be ill, because he cannot sleep as he does at home.

As to the very disagreeable subject of the vermin which abound peculiarly in Egypt, – lice, – it is right to say a few words. After every effort to the contrary, I am compelled to believe that they are not always, – nor usually, – caught from, the people about one: but that they appear of their own accord in one’s clothes, if worn an hour too long. I do not recommend a discontinuance of flannel clothing in Egypt. I think it is quite as much wanted there as anywhere else. But it must be carefully watched. The best way is to keep two articles in wear, for alternate days; – one on, and the other hanging up at the cabin window, – if there is an inner cabin. The crew wash for the traveller; and he should be particular about having it done according to his own notions, and not theirs, about how often it should be. This extreme care about cleanliness is the only possible precaution, I believe, and it does not always avail; but it keeps down the evil to an endurable point. As far as our experience went, it was only within the limits of Egypt that the annoyance occurred at all. Fleas and bugs are met with, but not worse than at bad French and Italian inns.

The traveller should carry half a dozen gimlets, stuck into a cork, and daily at hand. They serve as a bolt to doors which have no fastenings, as pins to anything he wants to fasten or keep open, as pegs to hang clothes, or watch, or thermometer upon; as a convenience in more ways than could be supposed beforehand. Two or three squares of Macintosh cloth are a great comfort, for keeping bedding dry, for ablution, and for holding one’s clothes in bathing. By substituting them for carpets, also, in Nile boats, there is a relief from danger of vermin.

As for dress, – the first consideration, both for gentlemen and ladies, is to have every possible article made of material that can be washed – gloves, among the rest. Cotton or thread gloves are of no use, unless of the stoutest kind. The hands are almost as much burned with these as with none. Woodstock gloves (which bear washing well) are good, though, of course, they do not look very handsome. Brown holland is the best material for ladies’ dresses; and nothing looks better, if set off with a little trimming of ribbon, which can be put on and taken off in a few minutes. Round straw hats, with a broad brim, such as may be had at Cairo for 4s. or 5s., are the best head covering. A double-ribbon, which bears turning when faded, will last a long time, and looks better than a more flimsy kind. There can hardly be too large a stock of thick-soled shoes and boots. The rocks of the Desert cut up presently all but the stoutest shoes; and, there are no more to he had. Caps and frills of lace or muslin are not to be thought of, as they cannot be “got up,” unless by the wearer’s own hands. Habit-shirts of Irish linen or thick muslin will do; and, instead of caps, the tarboosh, when within the cabin or tent, is the most convenient, and certainly the most becoming head-gear; and the little cotton cap worn under it is washed without trouble. Fans and goggles – goggles of black woven wire – are indispensable. No lady who values her peace on the journey, or desires any freedom of mind or movement, will take a maid. What can a poor English girl do who must dispense with home-comforts, and endure hardships that she never dreamed of, without the intellectual enjoyments which to her mistress compensate (if they do compensate) for the inconveniences of Eastern travel? If her mistress has any foresight, or any compassion, she will leave her at home. If not, she must make up her mind to ill-humour or tears, to the spectacle of wrath or despondency, all the way. If she will have her maid, let her, at all events, have the girl taught to ride – and to ride well; or she may have much to answer for. To begin to ride at her years is bad enough, even at home, where there may be a choice of horses, and the rides are only moderate in length. What is a poor creature to do who is put upon a chance horse, ass, or camel, day by day, for rides of eight hours’ long, for weeks together? The fatigue and distress so caused are terrible to witness, as I can testify; though we were happily warned in time, and went unincumbered by English servants altogether. Of course, the lady herself is sure of her ability to ride to this extent; or she will put herself into training before she leaves home.

As to diet – our party are all of opinion that it is the safest way to eat and drink as nearly as possible as one does at home. It may be worth mentioning that the syrups and acids which some travellers think they shall like in the Desert are not wholesome, nor so refreshing as might be anticipated. Ale and porter are much better – as remarkably wholesome and refreshing as they are at sea. Tea and coffee are pleasant everywhere. Ladies who have courage to do what is good for them, and agreeable to them, in new circumstances, in disregard of former prejudices, will try the virtues of the chibouque while in the East; and if they like it, they will go on with it as long as they feel that they want it. The chibouque would not be in such universal use as it is in the East, if there were not some reason for it; and the reason is that it is usually found eminently good for health. I found it so; and I saw no more reason why I should not take it than why English ladies should not take their daily glass of sherry at home – an indulgence which I do not need. I continued the use of my chibouque for some weeks after my return, and then left it off only on account of its inconvenience; and in the East it is not inconvenient. The traveller there finds that his reasonable disgust at the cigar-smoking of our streets does not apply to the Eastern practice. The quality of the tobacco, and the length of the pipe (in which the essential oil is condensed, instead of being imbibed by the smoker) make the whole affair something wholly different from any smoking known in England. I need not say that every traveller is absolutely obliged to appear to smoke, on all occasions of visiting in the East; and if any lady finds refreshment and health in the practice, I hope I need not say that she should continue it, so long as she is subject to the extraordinary fatigues of her new position.

She must not expect health in those countries; and she had better not be discouraged or alarmed if she finds herself seldom in a state of bodily ease. If she takes rational care, and makes up her mind cheerfully to the temporary indisposition, she will probably be as well as ever when she gets home. Her chief care should be to look to the health of her mind – to see that she keeps her faculties awake and free, whether she is ill or well; that in the future time she may hope to be at once in possession of her English health, and the stores of knowledge and imagery she is laying up by her Eastern travel.

From Eastern Life
by Harriet Martineau, 1848.