DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5295#0140
HOLY LAND, AND CYPRUS. 10.9
myself fortunate in escaping so well; as it is not at all an
uncommon thing for a boat to be completely emptied of its
valuables, by the dexterity of the Nile pirates, in the course
of a night, even when the boatmen are on board. When I
applied to the caimacan of the village to assist me to recover
my loss, he seized on two unfortunate peasants, formerly sus-
pected of theft; and, unknown to me, put them into heavy
irons, and gave them the bastinado on the soles of the feet,
to induce them to confess themselves guilty. After in vain
offering a reward and promise of pardon, to give some in-
formation relative to my loss, I obtained their release. A
word from me would have sent them to Siout, where they
would most likely have been executed.
The state of subjection to which the peasants of Egypt
are reduced, even at this distance from Cairo, may be con-
ceived, when it is known that in none of the villages is there
more than one Turk who acts as caimacan, or lieutenant to
the cashief of the district. He rules with absolute sway,
imprisons, bastinadoes, and casts into irons at pleasure;
though the punishment of death is left to the award of the
Pasha or his minister.
The chief mode of subsistence of the Troglodites of
Goornoo seemed from the pillage of the tombs, of which they
daily discover new ones; whence, the dead bodies being
taken, they are broken up, and the resinous substance found
myself fortunate in escaping so well; as it is not at all an
uncommon thing for a boat to be completely emptied of its
valuables, by the dexterity of the Nile pirates, in the course
of a night, even when the boatmen are on board. When I
applied to the caimacan of the village to assist me to recover
my loss, he seized on two unfortunate peasants, formerly sus-
pected of theft; and, unknown to me, put them into heavy
irons, and gave them the bastinado on the soles of the feet,
to induce them to confess themselves guilty. After in vain
offering a reward and promise of pardon, to give some in-
formation relative to my loss, I obtained their release. A
word from me would have sent them to Siout, where they
would most likely have been executed.
The state of subjection to which the peasants of Egypt
are reduced, even at this distance from Cairo, may be con-
ceived, when it is known that in none of the villages is there
more than one Turk who acts as caimacan, or lieutenant to
the cashief of the district. He rules with absolute sway,
imprisons, bastinadoes, and casts into irons at pleasure;
though the punishment of death is left to the award of the
Pasha or his minister.
The chief mode of subsistence of the Troglodites of
Goornoo seemed from the pillage of the tombs, of which they
daily discover new ones; whence, the dead bodies being
taken, they are broken up, and the resinous substance found