144 THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XIV, 



European countries at the present day. It ac- 

 companied tliem in their walks, assisted them in 

 the chase, and was kept as a favourite in the house. 

 A similar regard is not extended to it by the 

 modern Egyptians, whose Moslem prejudices con- 

 sider it an unclean animal. Even a Mdleki^ the 

 most liberal of the four sects in favour of the dog, 

 would not touch the nose or the wet hairs of this 

 animal, without thinking himself defiled and bound 

 to submit to purification from the contact. The 

 dog is therefore seldom admitted into the houses of 

 the Moslems, who even believe that, independent of 

 its being unclean, its presence within doors keeps 

 away the good spirits from their abode. But it is 

 not ill-treated, and those which are wild in the 

 streets are fed by morsels occasionally thrown to 

 them during a repast ; and small tanks of water 

 placed at the corners of the streets are regularly 

 filled for their use. The name of dog applied to 

 any man is, as might be supposed, a great term of 

 reproach among the Moslems ("a Jew's dog," 

 the lowest caste of dog, being the unapproachable 

 climax) ; but it appears somewhat inconsistent in 

 us to choose the dog as the most uncomplimentary 

 designation, when we are disposed to speak so 

 favourably of that faithful animal. This, however, 

 may be accounted for by early impressions received 

 from the Bible*, and some other causes. 



* With tlic Jews a "dead dog" was tlic greatest term of reproach. 

 2 Sam. xvi. 9. Vide also 2 Kings, viii. 13., of the term " dog." 



