118 AFRICAN WANDERINGS.

the city and its environs. Thus, one of them, without the least scruple, murdered a poor girl, who from her yellow slippers was easily known as a Turkish female, because she would not yield ta his brutal wishes.

Our favourite Bellad-Sudan has also consumed a number of Arnauts, who had been attracted thither by the tempting promises of Ismail Pascha, and of the monster Mohammed Bey Defterdar*, and son-in-law of Mehemet Ali. They were the principal agents in the horrible and unequalled cruelties of the Defterdar, and this tiger had even three or four hundred of these fellows as his body guard, and paid out of his own pocket. These were the elite of and pattern for the rest, and their master was the most inhuman miscreant of all. Even yet there may be found here and there in Bellad-Sudan, some one or two of these executioners, but old, worn out, and, by sufferings of many kinds, humbled and tamed down.

Sulky and disinclined to talk, they are only to be stirred up by awakening their recollections of past times; by these can their quenched fire be again momentarily revived; at such tales again do their eyes gleam, and sparkle as the old lust for blood is aroused, and the trembling hand grasps the well-blooded weapon. Tlie Defterdar is still their idol, and many other soldiers show their admiration of him ; Mograbin and Schaigie have over and over again assured us that his like is no where now to be found. In truth, these are men who know nothing of regular work or orderly occupation, who lead a wild unrestrained life, and support themselves by robbery and murder. In these respects the Defterdar was the very man to satisfy them ; he kept them in constant employment, knew well how to reward them, for he was liberal and generous to his own men us he was harsh and cruel to a conquering or conquered foe. No sooner did he sit down before a town, than forth went the order to burn, murder, and plunder,— for the dread his name inspired, and his successes in his many and bold enterprises, checked all attempts at resistance. The plunder he shared with his soldiers, as well as their cruelties and excesses.

Defterdar, keeper of public accounts, minister of finance.