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history rapacity and misgovernment have always obtained. 

 Names, reUgions, languages have changed, and yet the workman, 

 as in ancient days, is " charmed " to his labour by the magic of 

 the switch, handled by men but one degree removed from his 

 own appearance of abject misery. Even yet the up-country 

 farmers dare not acknowledge aught but poverty, and the children 

 of those who are privately known to be well-to-do run in a naked 

 and dirty state at the heels of travellers uttering the magic word 

 "backsheesh." Babies make this word their first earthly utter- 

 ance, and it clings to them throughout life, and is an Arab's 

 " last farewell." "Backsheesh," in understandable English, is 

 nothing but an Oliver Twistian cry for " more." Its survival in 

 the mouths of those no longer in need is an apt illustration of 

 the laws of heredity, because in Egypt for ages past "half- 

 starved spiders have fed on half-starved flies," and will long 

 continue so to do, unless British occupation developes into some- 

 thing more than an occasional military parade. Justice in Cairo 

 to those without friends is not a farce merely. It is a bitter 

 mockery ; and our policy of non-interference — of anything but 

 masterly inactivity — is rapidly making the large cities of Egypt 

 into a happy hunting-ground for the scum of Europe. Deeds 

 that would raise a thrill of horror if committed in England or 

 France, are passed by unnoticed in Cairo or Alexandria, and fre- 

 quently the only results of murder are the rapidly shuffling away 

 of the victim and the replenishment of the purses of those who 

 sit in high places. Instance has been piled upon instance prov- 

 ing these accusations to the hilt. They are never challenged, 

 because they are unfortunately too true. Before closing the 

 introduction, it may be interesting if I di'aw attention to the 

 presence in Egypt of many of the world's greatest commanders. 

 Alexandria was foimded by Alexander the Great. In Egypt 

 Pompey was murdered, and here Juhus Caesar and Mark Antony 

 were successfully caught in the toils of Cleopatra. Saladin — a 

 striking figure in the histoiy of the Crusades — made of this 

 country for a time a mighty empire. Napoleon held possession 

 of Egypt from 1798 to 1801, and " 'twas in the Nile's proud 

 fight " that Nelson first took rank as a naval commander. Eng- 

 land of late years has taken a decisive step with regard to Egypt, 

 and British occupation is entailing upon this country vast and 

 far reaching responsibihties. But my wish to-night is not to 

 plunge into the maze of our Egyptian poUcy, but to ask you 

 kindly to follow for an hour or so the first impressions of a 

 journey made last winter from Alexandria to Cairo by rail, and 

 afterwards from Cairo to the first cataract by steamer — a distance 

 of 580 miles. I can promise you no hairbreadth 'scapes. We 

 saw just one hyena, led in a string at Siout ; one jackal, which 

 " met us by moonlight alone," amongst the ruins of Karnak, 



