PLAYING THE CADI. • 63 barrassing to sit cross-legged so long, and to look so severe. My face was of the color of a boiled lobster, from tbe sun, and in order to protect my eyes, I bad taken off my cravat and bound it around tbe red tarboosb. My friend bad swathed bis felt hat in like manner, and when tbe shekb looked at us from time to time, while Achmet spoke of our friendship with all the Consuls in Cairo, it was almost too much to enjoy quietly.

However, the shekh, who wore a red cap and a single cotton garment, treated us with much respect. His serene, impartial demeanor, as he heard the testimony of the various witnesses who were called up, was most admirable. After half an hour's delay, the messenger returned, and tbe guilty parties were brought into court, looking somewhat alarmed and very submissive. We identified the two ringleaders, and after considering tbe matter thoroughly, the shekb ordered that they should be instantly bastinadoed. We decided between ourselves to let the punishment commence, lest the matter should not be considered sufficiently serious, and then to show our mercy by pardoning the culprits.

One of the men was then thrown on the ground and held by the head and feet, while the shekh took a stout rod and began administering the blows. Tbe victim had prepared himself by giving his bornous a double turn over his back, and as tbe end of tbe rod struck the ground each time, there was much sound with the veriest farce of punishment. After half a dozen strokes, he cried out, (< ya salaam ! " whereupon tbe crowd laughed heartily, and my friend ordered the shekb to stop. The latter cast the rod at our feet, and asked us to continue tbe infliction ourselves, until we were satisfied. We told him and the company in general, through Achmet, that