Notices of Egypt. 31 
ployments. They are very apt at the business, and appeared to be © 
cheerful and contented. In addition to the foundery at Boulac, the 
Pasha has also extensive iron works in the Citadel at Cairo, where 
he is able to manufacture one hundred muskets per day : this man- 
ufactory is also in the most active operation. He has also, schools 
preparatory for civil service, as well as for the army and navy, con- 
nected with his palace in the citadel, and has just formed the nucleus 
of a large establishment of this kind at oura, about ten miles 
above Cairo, on the right bank of the Nile. Add to this, that his 
standing army of eighty thousand men is well disciplined and well 
provided, and that his fleet of eleven one hundred gun ships and as 
many frigates afloat, is in excellent order, while his dock-yard is 
large and richly stored—recollect the struggles of Mahomet Ali, 
first with the Mamaluke Beys, then with the prejudices of his own 
subjects, and lately with the Porte, and I think you will be surprised 
at the genius and enterprize of the man. 
In strong contrast, however, with all this, is the condition of his 
subjects. This is most pitiable; I have no where seen so much 
abject misery. He makes them till every foot of cultivatable ground, 
takes from them the fruits of their labor and fills his grana- 
ries, allowing them only a bare sufficiency to live. The condi- 
tion of a slave on one of our southern plantations is far better, 
in every respect. There are no schools, and indeed I could not 
hear of a single effort to raise or improve the condition of the 
people: every thing is of a contrary tendency, and with fine active 
forms and quick capacities, they are the most abject set of beings 
any where to be found. They hate the Pashas, both Mahomet Ali 
and Ibrahim, most cordially. Now really, this is not beginning re- 
form in the right way—but I have not time to reason, I wish simply 
to give you facts. Mahomet Ali, however, does not fear his sub- 
jects. His army is effective and is strongly attached to him. When 
recruits are wanted, he sends his soldiers into the country, and a suf- 
ficient number is forced from their homes and driven down like so 
many beasts. At first, they pie and submit unwillingly to the dis- 
cipline ; but in a short time, they begin to like the new life, and soon 
after, have no other home than by their flag. The Pasha has 
three children living, but they are young, the older ones having 
been all carried off by the cholera. Ibrahim Pasha, who is the 
son of his favorite wife, but by a former husband, is to succeed him: 
this prince’s ambition is all directed towards military affairs. 
