DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12664#0203
192
INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.
iron collars round their necks. The governor after-
ward rode down to the river, and the American
flag streaming from the mast-head of my little boat
procured their speedy release, and saved them from
the miserable fate of Arab soldiers. Under all the
oppressions of the pacha's government, there is
nothing more grinding than this. The governor
of a town, or the sheik of a village, is ordered to
furnish so many men as soldiers. He frequently
has a leaning towards his own subjects or follow-
ers, and is disposed to save them if he can, and if
any unlucky stranger happens to pass before the
complement is made up, he is inevitably pounced
upon as one of the required number. It is useless
for the poor captive to complain that he is a stran-
ger, and that the rights of hospitality are violated;
he appeals to those who are interested in tightening
his bonds ; and when he is transferred to the higher
authorities, they neither know nor care who he is
or whence he comes. He has the thews and sin-
ews of a man, and though his heartstrings be
cracking, he can bear a musket, and that is enough.
For centuries Egypt has been overrun by stran-
gers, and the foot of a tyrant has been upon the
necks of her inhabitants ; but I do not believe that
since the days of the Pharaohs there has been on
the throne of Egypt so thorough a despot as the
present pacha.
But to return to my rais. His first request was
for medicine, which, unfortunately, I could not give
him. The Arabs have a perfect passion for medi-
cine. Early in our voyage my crew had discov-
INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.
iron collars round their necks. The governor after-
ward rode down to the river, and the American
flag streaming from the mast-head of my little boat
procured their speedy release, and saved them from
the miserable fate of Arab soldiers. Under all the
oppressions of the pacha's government, there is
nothing more grinding than this. The governor
of a town, or the sheik of a village, is ordered to
furnish so many men as soldiers. He frequently
has a leaning towards his own subjects or follow-
ers, and is disposed to save them if he can, and if
any unlucky stranger happens to pass before the
complement is made up, he is inevitably pounced
upon as one of the required number. It is useless
for the poor captive to complain that he is a stran-
ger, and that the rights of hospitality are violated;
he appeals to those who are interested in tightening
his bonds ; and when he is transferred to the higher
authorities, they neither know nor care who he is
or whence he comes. He has the thews and sin-
ews of a man, and though his heartstrings be
cracking, he can bear a musket, and that is enough.
For centuries Egypt has been overrun by stran-
gers, and the foot of a tyrant has been upon the
necks of her inhabitants ; but I do not believe that
since the days of the Pharaohs there has been on
the throne of Egypt so thorough a despot as the
present pacha.
But to return to my rais. His first request was
for medicine, which, unfortunately, I could not give
him. The Arabs have a perfect passion for medi-
cine. Early in our voyage my crew had discov-