k MERAWI IN 1897 worn by natives, and the demand for small circular mirrors was steady. The Greek shops were exceedingly useful, and their keepers maintained their stock surprisingly well. This is more than can be said for some firms of another nationality, which, notwithstanding the gift of free transport by the Sirdar for their goods, allowed their stocks to dwindle to such a degree that finally officers and men were driven to buy everything from the Greeks. The Greeks were ready to take trouble, and the others were not ; within a few days of their arrival at a place they would have a soda-water machine in full work, and also an oven capable of baking long rolls of bread. Another peculiarity about the Greeks was that they did business without making use of any currency ; very few people at Merawi could get any money at all, and bills were paid by cheque.

A great deal has been said and written about the evil influence which the Greek shopkeepers have upon the lower class natives, especially in the cities and towns of Egypt where many of the drinking shops, or " brasseries," or bakkdls, as they are termed, are kept b} them. There is no doubt that they have everywhere in Egypt done harm to improvident Egyptians, whom they have helped to drink and gamble, and caused them to mortgage and sell their lands, and even the crops on them before they were grown, but there is equally no doubt that in the Sudan their business qualities were most useful to the Government authorities, and that in establishing shops in almost every place where white men are to be found, they have done a considerable amount of good work.

Certainly no other people have attempted to do in the Sudan what they have done, and done well.

Near to the market of the Greeks was the native market, which consisted of a few rows of wretched shanties, that contrasted strongly with the shops of the Greeks, with their walls whitewashed outside, and their wooden window-frames and doors. The stock-in-trade of most of these shops consisted of very bad matches, tobacco, sugar, lentils, rock salt, &c., and little gourds filled with dried native fruits, pepper pods, and seeds ; some of the last named were supposed to possess medicinal properties, and others were bought and used as aphrodisiacs. One or two shops in the native "bazaar" had a small stock of Syrian turban cloths, and 185