The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-09-06
VOL. XIX.-NO. 43.
THE BAsTINADo.
How Arabs ARE Punished by Turkisis
Pnchas i'm Egypt.

How Arabs are Punished by Tdrkist
Pachas i'm Egypt.
NJ. Hilaire Gay, a Geneva gentleman,
has published brochure, in which he re
lates his experiences of torture in Egypt
"The second time that presented myself
at the Prefecture" he writes, II was COM
PEELED to witness, much against my will,
the punishment of the bastinado inflicted
on three unfortunate Arabs, and on several
subsequent occasions [ had to undergo
similar ordeal: 1 hesitate to describe these
horrors, which to us Europeans recall the
darkest days of medieval times but it
being my duty as a faithful chronicler to set
forth the most striking facts that come
under my observation, 1 must ask my
readers to overcome their repugnance and
accompany me to the place of torture.
His Excellency, Osman Bey, is seated on
the divan of large room of cold and sin
lister aspect, the floor covered with large
slabs and lighted by high windows looking
on the street He wears the StramJouliae,
or official costume, black frock coat with
a straight collar, white waistcoat, black
trousers, and tarbouche. His face, of
light olive tint, is adorned with scanty
black beard and whiskers; the nose is
strong, the lips are thick, the eyes dark
and deep. Though rather stout, he is
well formed and above middle height
When Osman Bey smiles his countenance
becomes pleasing and amable, but when
the smile is absent his regard is cold and
stern. Near him, before little table
covered with green baize, sits his secretary.
As I walk up the room clock strikes
the hour of ,. The Project offers me his
hand, and at his invitation take seat by
his side. Then a negro, clad in long
white robe and wearing on his head an
enormous yellow turban, brings me little
cup of coffee and bundle of cigarettes
As hand back my cup to this imposing
servitor three Arabs, escorted by two
guards, are led before the Project. These
unfortunates seem to belong to the poorest
of the people; their feet are bare, their
clothing is worn and ragged, their hands
tremble convulsively, their eyes are bag
gard, and their faces twitch in apprehen-
sion as they listen in mournful silence to
the words addressed to them by the Pre-
feet. But they answer his questions with
feverish vivacity, and after the exchange
of a few words two Of the prisoners are led
from the room. Then five men enter
These are the torturers, and nothing more
fell or hang-dog than their looks can be
imagined Four of them seize the Arab,
who is still standing before the Project,
and the poor wretch, as he is cast on the
ground, throws at him glance eloquent
with agony and fear, but the great mans
countenance remains fixed and impassive,
and he makes no sign of grace.
The victim was then placed on one of
the slabs, with his chest resting on the
stone, in which position he was held by
two of the executioners. Two others next
raised his legs until his feet were in a hori-
zontal position-a position in which they
were retained by means of cord fastened
to either end of stick. Each man held
the stick with one hand, while with the
other he kept fast hold of one of the Arabs
legs. In the grip of these four powerful
and expert men it was impossible for him
to move and almost impossible for him
to writhe. On this the fifth torturer, who
had taken no part in the preliminary pro-
ceedings, came forward, holding in his
hand sort of lash consisting of five strands
of twisted gut or hide The face of this
man was singularly hideous and repulsive
the yellow and tawny skin, the low fore
head, the round eyes, dull and fixed, the
thick, black eyebrows, the unbearded chin
retreating from coarse, thick lips, the
creased and furrowed cheeks, impaired to
the countenance of the chief executioner
an air of ferocious and bestial stupidity.
The tormentor raised his arm and struck
with the regularity of pendulum the up
turned feet of his helpless victim. At the
fourth stroke the Arab uttered a cry of
pain, and at every fresh stroke the cry was
repeated. But soon the cry became
scream, the fagellated flesh visibly shud-
dered, and the soles were scanned with red
and livid streaks. Sitting silently on my
cushion, chewing mechanically the tobacco
of my extinguished cigarette, could not
help shivering with horror at the sight of
so much suffering, | felt as if l were
under the influence of some terrible night
mare. Osman Bey, his secretary, the five
executioners, with their stern and sinister
features, looking unmoved on so cruel
sight, seemed for a moment rather the
creations of disordered imagination than
beings of flesh and blood but the heavy
thud of the strokes and the screams of the
victim recalled me to the sad reality which
| was so reluctantly witnessing. Then the
punishment ceased and the Arab, with
CHASTITY face and body shaken with fe-
verish trembling, had to incline himself
respectfully before the man by whose order
he had been so cruelty tormented. Helped
by guard, for his manned and bleeding
feet refused to support him, he was then
led, still moaning with agony, from the
torture.chamber, The two other Arabs
were afterward punished in like manner,
1t was now past o'clock, and his Excel
lency, putting on his usual pleasant smile,
gave me his orders concerning the service
of the police. | then saluted him and
hurried away from the place where had
seen the practical application of barbarous
Jurisprudence.
OVER CoNFIDENCE.-Don't be over
confident, young man. Don't carry your
FN