European and Aaiaik Turkey, 135 



the horse is suddenly checked ; a practice they are very fond of 

 in shewing off their horsemanship. 



Observations on Eunuchs, — Dr Oppenheim'^s observations on 

 eunuchs are interesting. 



" Jealousy, the natural effect of polygamy, has rendered the 

 Mahommedans extremely watchful of their wives, and has mul- 

 tiplied the number of eunuchs. The sufferers are brought in 

 their youth from Africa, where they are purchased as slaves in 

 Sennar and Darfour, and are delivered into the hands of the 

 Coptic monks in Egypt, who almost exclusively cultivate this 

 branch of national industry. The occupation is detested by the 

 Egyptians, but the government, nevertheless, protect those who 

 are engaged in it, on account of the profits derived from so lu- 

 crative a trade. The Pascha of Egypt has conferred certain 

 privileges and immunities on the village Zawyet el Deyr^ near 

 Saout, because its inhabitants (who call themselves Christians !) 

 have obtained great celebrity in this occupation. The number 

 annually thus mutilated is certainly considerable, but it falls far 

 short of the estimate of Tavernier, who says that, in 1659, 

 twenty-two thousand eunuchs were sold in one province alone. 

 Many, no doubt, die of the operation ; the age generally selected 

 as the safest for its performance is from six to seven. The 

 operator encloses the testicles and scrotum with a tight ligature, 

 and then cuts them off at one stroke with a sharp razor. The 

 actual cautery, or styptic powders, the composition of which is 

 a secret, are used to restrain the bleeding. Although the best- 

 looking boys are selected, yet they never grow up handsome, 

 and the adult eunuch may always be distinguished, not merely 

 by his childish piercing voice and want of beard, but by a cer- 

 tain expression of premature old age, together with hollow eyes 

 and prominent cheek bones. The opinion entertained by some, 

 that eunuchs, being deprived of enjoyment themselves, hate the 

 rest of mankind, and are cruel and unfeeling, I must positively 

 deny, for I have known many of a kind and most benevolent 

 disposition, nay I have watched with surprise how contented 

 and happy they seemed to be. It is true, when provoked, they 

 are hasty and revengeful, but what African is not ? The num- 

 ber sold annually at Constantinople is about 300 ; they gene- 

 rally cost about 20,000 Turkish piastres a piece, while a com- 

 mon male slave is sold for one or two thousand." 



