He was, however, rewarded by valuable discoveries, and subsequent travellers have been contented to rely on his statements rather than repeat his labours. The Sphynx is peculiarly exposed to the inundations from the Desert, from its position, which I should think 100 feet below the base of the Pyramids.

CHAPTER VIII.

Visit to the Lunatic Asylum.-Situation.-Detestable Management.-Donkeys.-Donkey Boys.-Their Character and Habits.-Skill in Languages. -Competition.-Gains.-Precocity.-Advancement.-Thronged Streets. -Smoking.-Pipes.-An Official and his Suite.-Progress in the Crowd. -Market-day.-Aspect of the Throng.-The Arabs.-Copts.-Nubians. -Negroes.-Bedouins.-Franks.-Condition and Character of the Copts. -Benefits of Christianity.-Bigotry.-Armenians.-The Mohammedans. -Growing Skepticism.-Zeal of the Populace.-Call to Prayer.-Religious Fidelity.-Remissness of Christians.-Of Protestants.-Prostrations.- Publicity.-God acknowledged.- Predestination.- Religion of Boatmen.- Mohammedan Clergy.-Schools.-El Azhar.-Mosques.Respect for the Poor.-Amusements.-Charities.-Fountains.-Asylum for Cats.-Dogs.- Egyptian Women.-Veils.- Riding-dress.-Tattooing.-Painting. Precocity.-Ornaments.- Blindness.-Its Causes.— Mutilations.-One-eyed Corps.-Public Labourers.-Police.-Dread and Hatred of the Viceroy.-Oppressions.-Missionary Efforts.-The. Wesleyans.-American Missionaries in Egypt.-English Mission and Schools -Restoration of the Jews.

No traveller should leave Cairo without visiting the Lunatic Asylum, which is situated in a very crowded part of the city, near the Turkish bazar. It is not an extensive establishment. I saw only a small portion of it, which I was assured, however, was a fair specimen of the whole. It occupies a quadrangular edifice, which encloses an open or unroofed court. Into this court we were conducted through a long narrow passage, itself no part of the asylum, but rather a public way, at least for a part of its length. Having entered the court, we were in the midst of the es

92

ABOMINATIONS OF THE ASYLUM.

tablishment, surrounded by the keepers and the patients. The latter were confined in cells which are entered from the court. They are very small, hardly more than three feet high, and, with the exception of the faint light which shines through the grated door from the court, perfectly dark. The court itself is very imperfectly lighted. The entrances to these dungeons are not much larger than the mouth of a common brick oven. The unfortunate patientsthey would more properly be called victims-were seated or recumbent close to the iron bars which shut them in. They had not room to stand. A heavy iron collar was locked around the neck of each. To this a chain was attached, which passed through the grate and fastened to a staple in the court. One of these poor wretches was quite naked, having thrown off the scanty rags that constituted his only covering. All were nearly in a state of nudity, and disgustingly filthy. The foul styes in which they wallowed sent forth a horrible and sickening stench, which made our visit short, and our inspection superficial and imperfect. I saw enough, however, to satisfy me of the unspeakable horrors of the place, and I left it deeply disgusted and sick at heart. I never beheld such a sight before; and I would fain believe that the world does not contain another such spectacle of horror. I thanked God for the blessed influences of Christianity, which have banished scenes like this from so many lands, and offered a fervent prayer that its humanizing power might speedily be felt in these ends of the world. I have been told that these poor creatures are subjected to a discipline in keeping with the abominations I have enumerated. If they fail in obedience or good order, the keeper seizes the chain which is attached to the iron collar around the neck, and drags them up to the grate, where such chastisement is administered as passion, or hardened and cold-blooded cruelty may dictate.

I have already mentioned the mode of riding in Egypt.

DONKEYS AND THEIR DRIVERS.

93

A few public officers and men of wealth are seen on horses, but ninety-nine in a hundred of those who ride at all, ride upon donkeys. These are the finest animals of the species I have anywhere seen. They are small, seldom exceeding the size of a colt six months old, but their strength and powers of endurance are truly wonderful. They gallop for two hours with little apparent fatigue, and will carry a man or a heavy burden for half a day without intermission, with no more symptoms of suffering than a horse exhibits from the same labour. I think, too, they are much more lively than the animals of the same species which I have seen in Europe. The donkey, as well as the horse, is always accompanied, in Egypt, by the person who has the management of him. He is armed with a whip or rod, which he is wont to use without mercy. The poor animal has commonly a raw place upon the haunches, which is kept bleeding by the cruel driver.

These grooms possess powers of endurance even more surprising than those of the animals to which their fortunes are so closely joined. They are sometimes bearded and turbaned men, but usually boys from ten to twelve or fourteen years of age. They commonly wear a red or white cap, and a blue cotton shirt reaching a little below the knees. In this flowing and picturesque drapery, often without the encumbrance of shoes, the donkey-boy of Cairo follows, for hours together, at a quick trot or full run, urging on the patient beast with encouraging or reproachful words and incessant blows, or rather thrusts of his rod. He is usually merry and waggish, and shrewd above his years, and commonly civil and obliging. Many of these little Jehus, scarcely a dozen years of age, have contrived to acquire as much of Italian, French, and English as will meet the demands of their calling. A dozen voices salute you the moment you enter the street: "Will you ride, sir? A very good donkey: take my donkey, master." If you hesitate for a moment, twenty of these animals are driven furiously towards

94

HABITS OF DONKEY-BOYS.

you, and you find yourself completely wedged up in the narrow street, jostled from side to side, with perhaps a donkey or two on your toes. A multitude of voices, in a confusion of languages, Arabic, English, French, and Italian, vociferate at once, "Take my donkey-very good donkey. Ici, ici, monsieur, questo, questo, taib," each beating back his angry competitors, and urging himself and his beast upon your choice. The annoyance of these scenes, which are met with perpetually, is excessive, and often attended with much inconvenience. If, to avoid the tumult, a servant is sent to order a donkey to the door, it is likely that, upon descending the stairs, you will find a dozen of these animals wedged into the alley, and rendering egress impossible. The same boisterous scene is to be encountered as before, with this advantage perhaps, that by keeping your own side of the threshold you can avoid being trampled upon. It is often quite impossible to extricate one's self without a resort to force, and I have seen gentlemen compelled to open their way by a free use of the cane. The very low price of donkey-hire would, it should seem, act as an antidote to this obtrusive eagerness for employment. The usual pay for a donkey and his driver a whole day is only five or six piasters. A ride to any part of the city costs one piaster, and other times and distances in about the same proportion. seems incredible that the subsistence of these two operatives should not cost a larger sum. Provisions, however, are very cheap, and the Arab, as well as his domestic animals, especially the donkey, is inured to abstemious diet. They also make a very free use of whatever article of food may fall in the way. In my rides without the town I observed the grooms steal clover or green wheat without scruple whenever they had occasion for forage. They often made their own dinner on clover, which the Arabs eat with much relish.

It

A good donkey costs 400 or 500 piasters. Low as

APPEARANCE OF THE STREETS.

95

their hire is, it is thought a good business. One boy of perhaps twelve or thirteen years of age, whom I generally patronised, had, by good economy, saved enough money to buy four of these animals. With these, and a hundred piasters in money, he regarded himself rich. It was, at least, a pleasing instance of successful enterprise in a country where there is so little encouragement to industry. It shows also the precocity of boys here, who are at least five years in advance of American or European youths of the same age in their capabilities and comparative maturity. This humble profession has some peculiar encouragements. It is from the ranks of the donkey-boys that many waiters in hotels, servants to the Franks, and dragomen are taken. The mode of life is highly favourable to the early development of tact and impudence. I have already mentioned their skill in languages, which they mostly learn from their Frank customers, as they run along by the sidè of their donkeys. A good-natured stranger, who will answer their questions kindly, seldom rides out without adding to the knowledge of these young Peripatetics.

The streets of Cairo are filled with a teeming population, and there is no part of London or Paris where one encounters a more dense crowd than is met with in all the principal thoroughfares. There is much appearance of idleness everywhere, though there is no lack of bustle. Multitudes are seen hanging about the shops, or seated in coffee-houses with a pipe in the mouth. Smoking seems to constitute the great enjoyment of the Egyptians, as it does no inconsiderable part of their employment. Nearly every second shop sells tobacco or pipes, and you see as many persons employed in cutting tobacco for smoking, as you do of bakers or shoemakers. Cleaning pipes is a distinct profession, and many persons are seen walking the streets, carrying the implements of their craft, which consist of a number of long wires placed in a tube or hollow stick. The poorest Arab has his long pipe, and it forms a conspicuous and indis