Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1851-06-12

being at home to receive his guests at the
hour appointed for them to re-assemble; as he
had been to procure a permit for us to pass
through the doors on the way to our lodgings,
at the conclusion of the entertainment; but
being unsuccessful, the table was abandoned
at the latest moment, and away we rushed for
fear of being locked in. The gate closed /;
luckily however the servant who ran before
us with lanthron, declared doctor must
pass through Immediately, which the Janitor
probably supposed it meant a physician was
wanted in a sudden emergency, pushed the
bolt. and we fortunately reached our quarters
without further interruption. Alexandra
is walled, but the streets within are not con-
trolIed by separate gates. A few soldiers are
posted in different parts of Cairo, when the
daylight disappears; but there is no patrol as
in Alexandra, in which watchmen are as
thick as grasshoppers. In the centre of the
Consular square one of them cries out once
in half an hour at the top Of his voice-a sig-
nal for all the rest--a terrible noise follows
simultaneously over the whole length and
breath of the city. These two cities, the
first with presumed population of over 200,-
600, and the latter 100000, have neiter May
ors, Boards of Aldermen, Common Council,
debt or any of the municipal machinery with
which we are familiar. A military officer in
command of a fortress is the medium through
which communication is held with home de-
partment-near the Paska, from whence yes
or no comes. A police Court takes cogniz-
ance of the citizens, while it takes care of
rogues; but the crimes are comparatively few,
bearing no sort of relation to many which ap-
pertain to Christian settlements.
Some of the guide books speak in terms of
admiration of public fountains, and they eth
er wilfully or ignorantly misrepresent them.
All the water in Egypt raised above the lev
el of the Nile, is in an earthen pot on the
rim of a wheel, or by pole and bucket
Thus elevated, there are throughs in mosks,
rarely any where else, to which it is conduct
ed-unless the sakias near the gardens are
as fountains Water is poured out
of the skins into tanks within very many of
the mosks, with which two small tubes COM
that jut through the wall. These
are the gift of pious Mahome-
dams, who looked for favors in return from the
prophet, for such charities on earth.
No statistics Of the population are collect
ed by the government-consequen nothing
is certainly known of the resources of the
country or of individuals. Parents, ordinari-
ly, are ignorant of their own ages, and their
children inherit dislike to all records. If
the taxes are forthcoming which have been
very well, if not the delinquent is
iogged till the money is paid An English
gentleman related the case of fellow who
had been repeatedly punished and released,
because his inability was declared over and
over again, till the collectors were on the
whole convicted of his hopeless poverty
Rumor, however, bruited it about that he
could meet the demand, and consequently he
was again subjected to a cruel beatng-as
on all former occasions, he plead inability
After allowing breathing time few minutes,
the minions of despotism resumed the lash,
giving him hundred stripes. In rising from
the lock, small gold coin fell from his
mouth where it had been concealed. The
tormentors instantly applied another hundred,
and he was told to 60. With a chuckle of
self satisfaction he was afterward overheard
telling his wife they did not get all the mon
ey till they were obliged to give him all those
stripes.
An account of the manner of conducting
schools, studying the koran to become priest,
lawyer, or anything else-for it is the book
of books to Mahomedans-must be passed o.
yer. So also the way and manner Of hear
ing and deciding suits of the various courts
of law, must have the go by at present A
courbash-a whip from the hide of the hippo
tamus-is the chief instrument for settling
difficulties between contending parties. The
head of the police in Alexandria equivalent
to our city marshal-carries one of them
mounted with silver, the emblem Of his au-
thority. a blow from it is comprenended by
an Arab. They listen to no proposition, nor
are they restrained from evil acts by any 9TH
er punishment. When Christianity takes the
place of the faith which was established by
the cruelties that accompany the
of justice, will be less inhu-
man, but not before.
Domestic comfort is unknown to the Egyp-
tians. There is no family circle of affection
ate fathers, mothers, brother and sisters-no
happy home where are concentrated the CON-
forts and refnements of Christian family
Men and women never visit together,
eat at the same table, or associate in a way
to improve or create respect for each other.