Note 649 — SUPPLEMENT.

One of the less important acts of Mohammad ’Alee I should mention, as it is one which renders my description of the streets and shops of Cairo not altogether applicable to their present state. He has lately caused the mastab′ahs in most of the thoroughfare-streets to be pulled down, and only allowed them to be rebuilt in the wider parts, generally to the width of about two spans. At the same time, he has obliged the tradesmen to paint their shops, and to remove the unsightly “sakeefehs” (or coverings) of matting which shaded many of the sooks; prohibiting the replacing of them unless by coverings of wood. Cairo has, in consequence, lost much of its Arabian aspect.