arbitrary toll from those who pass through it, if they do not esteem
the property of all who enter upon their territory as confiscated.
This the traveller styles robbery; and to avoid it he arms himself,
associates with others, and a numerous caravan is formed. The
bedoween chief, conceiving himself thus defrauded of his dues,
assembles his tribe; and, if he be strong: enough, attacks the cara- 7 7 O O 7
van openly; if too weak, endeavours to surprise it, cut off some
of the stragglers, or carry off a part of it’s camels by night. To
pursue a regular commerce in such a mode, however, exposes the
merchant to hazards he would willingly avoid, and to free himself
from which he agrees to pay a certain tribute. But perhaps
the love of gain prompts him to endeavour to evade what he
deems an imposition, the arab finds the compact infringed, fresh
feuds arise, and a state of warfare commences, terminating in a
new accommodation.
In this manner the principal part of the trade of Egypt is carried
on. Every year two caravans arrive at Cairo from the south
and western parts of Africa, bringing slaves, gum, ivory, gold-
dust, ostrich feathers, ebony, civet, musk, the leathern thongs used
for giving the bastinado, leathern water-bags, parrots, and monkeys.
That from the south consists of nubians, the other of jalofs.
A third caravan comes from Morocco with pilgrims for Mecca,
who pass through Cairo.
That the bedoweens are addicted to plunder, whenever a favourable
opportunity offers, is not to .b e denied; but they are
certainly capable of executing with fidelity any engagement into
which they enter, they hold the laws of hospitality sacred, and
they have been known to succour and convey to the place of their
destination those whom they have robbed. There, i^ ail oriental
proverb, which says, the people of Aleppo are splendid, those of
Syria are sordid, the egyptians are thieves, and the hindoos- are
the favourites of God. To which of the different races that inhabit
Egypt this particularly applies, we know not;; or whether it be
common to them all. I t should seem the latter, according to a
celebrated traveller of Florence, abate Sestini, who observes; | the
climate of this country, though esteemed the best in the world,
has both a moral and physical influence on the inhabitants; so
that, without disparagement to the probity of any particular person;,'
Egypt may be styled a den of thieves.’ Possibly, however,
the oriental proverb is of no very ancient date, and this characteristic
may be less ascribable to the climate, than to the government,
of which we have already spoken, and of which the same italian
writer says: ‘ when a government once good arrives at a certain
pitch of depravity, it’s annihilation must ensue, and probably the
period is not far distant, in which this country will experience a
great revolution.’ I t may not be amiss: to observe, that this prediction
was published above thirteen years ago.
The hospitality of the arabs has always been a subject of praise,
and is a virtue still practised among them, in common with all people
whose life approaches to the state of nature. The civilities they
show the passenger, and the invitations he receives to whatever
they may have to bestow, are no unwelcome circumstances of his
journey; though in a country where villages are thinly scattered,
and the peasant has seldom much beyond a bare sufficiency of