Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1883-10-28
THE EGYPTIAN ARMY.
The Unwarlike Character of the Felia-
hcen-Scenes at the ConscrIptiUn.

A correspondent of The London
Times in Egypt writes: There exists a
considerable diversity of opinion about
the national Character of the fellaheen,
but on one point all authorities have
hitherto agreed-that the fellah is one
of the most warlike types of mankind
and heartily detests military service.
Anyone who travels in Egypt during
the time of the conscription must be
painfully impressed with this fact In
the villages he may often be reused at
night by violent alteration outside,
which begins with gruff, bass male
voices and eliminates in shrill, hysteri-
cal, falsetto tones. The first time he
is SO disturbed he probably assumes
that it is case of burglary or man
slaughter and rushes out with the ir-
tention of supporting vigorously the
party of law and order, but he finds to
his disappointment that it is nothing
more serious than the capturing of n
recruit for the khedivial army; and
though it may be quite true, as the
women declare, that the village sheikh
in making the choice of his victim has
been influenced by considerations of
baksheesn, the arguments produced
pro and con involve such contradictory
statements of fact and such comph-
Gated considerations of law and morals
that as stranger he can hardly feel
justified in Interfering with the action
OF the authorities. In the principal
towns, where the recruits are collected,
similar scenes take place on a larger
scale. The conscripts are brought into
tl,n ii, A,.t NF
kavasses, armed with sticks and
switches, to be examined by the medi-
cal officer and military authorities.
Among them are good many repre-
sentatives of the halt, the MANNED, and
the blind, and these, after being separ-
ated from the others, are allowed to re-
turn to their homes. OF the remainder
a few conduct themselves with the
: apathetic, dignlfed air of the true Mus
, sulman, but the majority endeavor to
| prove by wordy arguments, solemn
, asseveratiOns, expressive GESTURES, or
revolving contortions that they are to-
tally -ntitted for military service; and,
, when arguments fail, importunate en-
t treaties, heartrending appeals, or in
| dignant protests are employed. In
vain the kavasses, with the aid of theil
. sticks and switches, endeavor to keeE
5 order and impose silence; the obstin
= ately importunate persistently breaE
from the ranks and have to be pu
s back into their places by force, till a
last rough assortment has been made
: Those who have no glaring corporal
defect and who have not succeeded /,
4 privately conciliating the authorite
@L oG l.,
q kept there until the arrival Of the trair
4 or steamer which is to transport them tC
q Cairo. When the moment of departur,
s arrives the most extraordinary heart
4 rending scenes are to be witnessed
,. Here it is not the conscripts, who ap
( pear now resigned to their fate, but tn
G women, young and old, that play tn
: chief part. Each conscript has an irol
collar round his neck, and by mean
of q long chain, which passes througl
q rlng in the collar, they are bound to
gether in groups of ten or a dozen
@ Around them stand their female rela
It tives, weeping and waiting. AS tn
= moment of separation approaches tn
,s excitement increases, their moans be
s come louder and more shrill, until, n
the train or steamer moves off, there i
No terrible moment of climax. Tn
10 wives, mothers, and sisters sit down o
70 the ground, throw dust upon thei
NJ heads, calculate, shrek, and gesticu
70 late like maniacs, while the more eN
% citable, if not restrained, literally rem
% their garments and show all the symp
70 70 toms OF the widest despair. A specta
10 tor ignorant of the cause of all this e>
% citement and grief would naturall
l] suppose that the men in chains ha
W been condemned TO death and Wer