THE ORIGIN OF THE SUEZ CANAL. 19 



anything which might alienate the inhabitants. Ex- 

 amine all affairs submitted to you ; do justice to all 

 men without partiality and in all equity. If any man 

 deserves imprisonment for any misdeed, you will have 

 the matter tried at once, so that the culprit may not 

 remain long in prison ; for even when it is necessary 

 to punish a man for a bad action, so that he may not 

 again fall into evil, my pity and clemency would not 

 have him remain in prison longer than is absolutely 

 necessary. Although, considering all that I have just 

 done in favour of the inhabitants of this country, either 

 by diminution of the taxes and the abolition of forced 

 labour, or by preventing injustice and oppression, it 

 does not seem necessary to maintain troops there, inas- 

 much as the inhabitants will necessarily be compelled, 

 for the preservation of their properties, to defend 

 themselves against attack, I have nevertheless quar- 

 tered a sufficient number of regiments in the different 

 localities. Be on your guard, therefore, to repel 

 whomsoever attacks you, and if it is necessary that 

 the provinces should come to one another's help, let 

 this be done so that no harm may befall any of those 

 under your charge. 



" ' It is always a matter of urgent necessity, and it is 

 also my desire, that you should keep me constantly 

 informed of the condition of the country, and of any- 

 thing which occurs in it. You must therefore organize 

 a postal service for the Ghezire (Sennaar), Kordofan, 

 and Taka, from Ghezire to Abu-Khama. At each 



