TYRANNICAL DOINGS OF MEHEMET ALT. 143 (best kind of Syrian tobacco) is kindled with aloe wood, and at once spreads its aroma round, while the evening passes with music, dance, and song. Thus do the rich enjoy in secret that wealth, which a barbarous government prevents their otherwise expending for should any one in the smallest degree openly display such, a revision of his accounts would at once take place, were he in office and, without, doubt, errors and deficiencies be made out, which would far exceed all his means. If he were only a merchant (Chawaga), the state would compel him to make advances that never would be repaid him; or he would be forced to purchase) to the full amount of all he possessed, some produce of the country at double the price the state had already bought it at, and so his ruin made inevitable.

While we were at Cairo, a rich Armenian firm was thus ruined by old Mehemet Ali. He compelled this Armenian, who was a rayah, to purchase from himself, at a very exorbitant price, cotton to the full amount of his means ; and as soon as he had received coin in payment, he sold out of his own magazines so much cotton, and at so low a price, that it was only after a very long time, and at less than half price, the poor Armenian could dispose of his. Such are the honest practices of this conscientious ruler, as often and wherever he can ; and by such acts of tyrannical violence he has succeeded in so well clearing out his subjects, that in the whole valley of the Nile, not one single wealthy person is to be found.

• If here and there a man yet possesses wealth, he dare not, under existing circumstances, let it one instant appear, or enter into the smallest speculation with it ; from this are now the bazaars in Cairo and other former cities of trade empty in comparison with former times, and from this arises the want of credit and small repute the Egyptian merchants command in other lands.

As badl)', if not worse, are the members of the military profession situated. They never receive their discharge ; and if they are Arabs, the very thought of it would be high treason. Lxny of these soldiers, especially the Turks, who have managed to get hold of high office, and by cheatings and extortions from the soldiery as well as from the people of their departments hav succeeded in gathering up a tolerable sum, are all most desirous to