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to rest, I observed, from my cabin windows, a phenomenon not often witnessed on the Nile.

Volumes of white mist were rolling down the stream, obscuring its broad surface and the country on the opposite bank, where the palm trees seemed to rise out of a sea of vapour. The moon, just then rising behind the Arabian mountains, and dimmed by a thin veil of clouds, cast its pale light over this unsubstantial mass, which appeared to be converted by its touch into waves of liquid pearl, transparent and bright, like the curled clouds in a calm summer sky.

CXX. This morning, immense flights of pelicans and wild ducks, the latter coming apparently from the Libyan desert,—were seen hovering over the river. The boats descending towards Cairo from the Thebaid, having both wind and current in their favour, seemed to shoot down the stream like arrows; while we, on the other hand, moving up the river with our tracking line, resembled so many logs. The navigation of the Ganges is better managed than this. However, from the slowness with which we proceeded, one important advantage was derived, we were almost constantly on shore for weeks together; indeed, I may truly say I have travelled through the greater part of Egypt on foot, at the rate of about ten or twelve miles a day, stopping at every village, conversing with the peasants whom we met at work in the fields, leisurely observing every thing; so that there was scarcely a hut or a palm tree from Cairo to Minieh which was not familiar to our eyes.

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CXXI. In the course of the afternoon we walked to the village of Iksoor, our path lying through fields of dhourra, the straw or stalk of which was nine or ten feet high, strong and tough, though not sufficiently so to have enabled an Arab girl to rival the Amazonian Rajpootni, who speared a wild boar with a sharpened stalk of maize. The dhourra straw, however, is exceedingly useful to the Fellahs, who employ it as bedding for their cattle, and to cover the flat tops of their huts, upon which it is laid across, over slender rafters of palm wood. We passed on the road a party of travellers, cooking their meal by the way side, while their camel was lying down close by them in the field. Iksoor, situated in a noble grove of date trees, appears to be inhabited by a Bedouin tribe, who have become stationary; and though more than half deserted,-the Pasha having taken away most of the young men to serve in the it is army, still larger, better laid out, and cleaner, than the generality of Egyptian villages. Its cemetery, which covers a large space of ground, and seemed to have been neatly kept, is close to the dwelling-houses, towards the north. The poverty of all these hamlets is extreme; for nothing could here be procured for money, neither bread, meat, butter, milk, nor eggs. Fowls, indeed, might have been purchased, but small and ill fed, like their owners. Half the village, as usual, flocked about us, at the first report of our fowling-piece, expressing great delight at seeing the flying bird brought down; and, notwithstanding their hereditary respect for doves, derived from the

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old pagan notions of the East, ran with singular alacrity to pick up such as were killed. Here were some remains of what appeared to be ancient arches, half buried in the ground; with three small elegant pillars and capitals in the Saracenic style, though the shafts probably belonged to a more remote age.

CXXII. From this village we proceeded, by a tolerably good cross road, bordered, at intervals, with rows of mimosa trees, to the village of El Wuddi, where the same poverty prevailed. Milk, however, the principal object of our inquiries, is only to be obtained in the mornings and evenings, when the buffaloes, cows, and goats are milked. It was here that I, for the first time, observed twelve large and very fine palm trees growing from a single root. In all these villages we hear execrations poured forth against the Pasha for the oppressive way in which he recruits his armies: and the practices to which the Fellahs resort to elude his despotism, prove at once their intense love of home, and their aversion to a military life; not their cowardice, for, when brought into the field, they commonly fight with great bravery. However, as soon as the news reaches a village that a recruiting party is abroad, — and it spreads over the country like wildfire, many men blind themselves with arsenic, others thrust a spear, or some other sharp instrument, into one of their eyes, or chop off the fore-finger of the right hand. We had one day thirteen Arabs in our service, who were all thus mutilated. Nay, mothers, forgetting that the Pasha's

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wars cannot last for ever, have even been known to blind or maim their own children. And to such an extent has this practice been carried, that it has been at length thought necessary to make it punishable. An order was issued at Cairo, July 30th, 1832, to each of the principal persons in the city commanding them to produce a certain number of men for the army, under pain of forfeiting 700 piastres* for every deficiency. The consequence, says an eye-witness, was, that the streets presented the desolate appearance observed during the plague; the shops were closed, business was suspended, and women wailed as for the dead; the soldiers and inspectors employed in seizing the men, soon discovered the lucrative trick of pressing invalids, and other persons unfit for service, from whom menaces and their own fears extorted money for their release. †

CXXIII. But even this tyrannic order was found to be insufficient; for men still contrived, by practising on themselves, to elude the grasp of their oppressors; and at length the Pasha, in a moment of extreme irritation, issued the following circular, dated March 12th, 1833, printed in Turkish, and addressed to the military governors of districts:-"With respect to the men whom we take for the service of our victorious armies and navies (war department), on their way to us, some draw their teeth, some put out their

* About 10%. sterling.

The substance of this information respecting the order of July was furnished me in writing at Cairo, and came from an old resident.

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eyes, and others break their arms, or otherwise maim themselves; thus laying us under the necessity of sending back the greater part, and causing the deficiency in the report of the war department which I always perceive. Make up those deficiencies, by sending immediately all the men who are wanting, all fit for service, able-bodied, and healthy; and this you must do in concert with the sheïkhs. And when you forward them, let them know that they must not maim themselves, because I will take from the family of every such offender men in his place; and he who has maimed himself shall be sent to the galleys for life. I have already, on my part, issued written orders* on this subject to the sheïkhs; and do thou, also, take care, in concert with them, to levy the consripts demanded, and send them immediately; informing me at the same time, and with the least possible delay, of the number of men who remain in your department. This is what I demand." These circulars were all sealed with the signet of Mohammed Ali, and duly distributed. †

* These circulars were printed, to the number of thirty.

+ His Highness, who, no doubt, laments the necessity of having recourse to measures of this rigorous description, understanding the characters of the persons with whom he has to deal, adopts a language suitable to the occasion. With Europeans, or in his diplomatic character, he would be very far from employing these "swelling and gigantic words:" but, beset by difficulties, forced to overcome, at all hazards, the aversion of the Arabs for distant wars, and knowing, moreover, that with such a people, accustomed, unfortunately, to harshness, gentler means would be of none effect, he may, perhaps, be excused for clothing his mandates in so unamiable a costume. Two other circulars, still more remarkable for their style, were, during the spring of this year, forwarded from the divan of Alexandria to the municipal authorities; and these, also, will be introduced in a future chapter.