DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11610#0188
176
TEN YEARS' DIGGING IN EGYPT
flame up to the straw overhead. Of course it was soon
all in flames, and the whole of a large proprietor's har-
vest was destroyed. Even when it was blazing, within a
hundred feet of the canal, the only attempt to fetch
water was by two or three women slowly filling their
great pitchers and carrying them up on their heads as
usual; no notion of a chain-gang ever seemed to occur
to them. The same lack of any co-operation is seen
when robbers are about. I asked why, when a house
was attacked by thieves, the other villagers did not all
come out and seize the men, being ten or twenty to
one. The reply was, 'When anyone hears another
house being robbed, he keeps as quiet as possible, and
does nothing, for fear of attracting the thieves to his
own house.'
This belief in kismet, and lack of co-operation, tells
favourably in one way—the fellah is not revengeful.
No matter whether he deserves what ill befalls him,
or is an innocent sufferer, he never goes about for
simple vengeance, but yields, and is ready to act as if
no grudge or ill-feeling rested in his mind. What might
be the case in an affront to their religion or family I
would not say; but in all minor matters the fellah
may be dealt with regardless of an idea of revenge.
The cardinal principle to remember in dealing with
Egyptians is that they have no forbearance, and know
no middle course. The notion of means exactly
meeting an end, is outside of the fellah's sense. If
he is careless about a danger, he is so careless in
many cases as to be killed ; if he thinks about it, he is
so afraid that he will not face it at all. If he has to
make anything secure, no amount of surplus security
TEN YEARS' DIGGING IN EGYPT
flame up to the straw overhead. Of course it was soon
all in flames, and the whole of a large proprietor's har-
vest was destroyed. Even when it was blazing, within a
hundred feet of the canal, the only attempt to fetch
water was by two or three women slowly filling their
great pitchers and carrying them up on their heads as
usual; no notion of a chain-gang ever seemed to occur
to them. The same lack of any co-operation is seen
when robbers are about. I asked why, when a house
was attacked by thieves, the other villagers did not all
come out and seize the men, being ten or twenty to
one. The reply was, 'When anyone hears another
house being robbed, he keeps as quiet as possible, and
does nothing, for fear of attracting the thieves to his
own house.'
This belief in kismet, and lack of co-operation, tells
favourably in one way—the fellah is not revengeful.
No matter whether he deserves what ill befalls him,
or is an innocent sufferer, he never goes about for
simple vengeance, but yields, and is ready to act as if
no grudge or ill-feeling rested in his mind. What might
be the case in an affront to their religion or family I
would not say; but in all minor matters the fellah
may be dealt with regardless of an idea of revenge.
The cardinal principle to remember in dealing with
Egyptians is that they have no forbearance, and know
no middle course. The notion of means exactly
meeting an end, is outside of the fellah's sense. If
he is careless about a danger, he is so careless in
many cases as to be killed ; if he thinks about it, he is
so afraid that he will not face it at all. If he has to
make anything secure, no amount of surplus security