Wilkinson, John Gardner: Topographie of Thebes, and general view of Egypt: being a short account of the principal objects worthy of notice in the valley of the Nile, to the second cataracte and Wadi Samneh, with the Fyoom, Oases and eastern desert, from Sooez to Bertenice (London, 1835)

Chap. V.] OF THE PROVINCES. 277

the time of the Ghooz (Memlooks), but each pro-
vince has its mamoor, inferior only to the governor
of Upper Egypt, whose capital is E' Sioot. Under
each mamoor are nazers, or inspectors of districts,
whose jurisdiction extends over seven kashefs or
governors of towns and of the surrounding lands
and villages, and under each of these again are
seven or eight Qy'maqams, according to the number
of villages in the district. The office of these last
is to superintend the cultivation of the lands, and
to collect the taxes, assisted by the Shekh beled, or
native chief of each village, who is under these
Turkish officers. A superintendent, or nazer shekh
(Shekh el Meshy'kh) also overlooks the shekhs
beled, under the immediate orders of the kashef;
and the mobasher, a Christian inspector, appoints
the numerous Copt scribes and collects their ac-
counts.

The salary* of the Kiaiha Bey, now governor of
Upper Egypt, is 3000 purses, upwards of 21,000
pounds sterling a year; of the mamoor, 120 to 180

* The salaries of some of the chief officers, both civil and mili-
tary, are enormous: Ahmed Pasha Taher and Ahmed Pasha of
Mekkeh are said each to have 5000 purses; Moharrem Bey and
the Defterdar Bey each 3000. A general of division 400, a major-
general 350, a general of brigade 300 purses, &c.

The revenue of Egypt is variously estimated, some averaging
it at 25,000,000 of dollars, others at 2,100,000/. and others again
from 2,500,000/. to 3,000,000/. sterling. Under Mohammed
Khosrow Pasha it is said to have been 60,000 purses or 750,000/,
according to the value of the purse at that time.