THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 27 



the like, who are but fubje&s in refpecT to the Beys, yet ex- 

 ercife unlimited jurifdiction over the people in the city, and 

 appoint others to do the fame over villages in the. country. 



There are perhaps four hundred inhabitants in Cairo, who 

 have abfolute power, and adminifter what they call jufiice ? 

 in their own way, and according to their own views. 



Fortunately in my time this many-headed monfcer was 

 no more, there was but one Ali Bey, and there was neither 

 inferior nor fuperior jurifdiction exercifed, but by his offi- 

 cers only. This happy ftate did not lafl long. In order to 

 be a Bey, the perfon mufl have been a flave, and bought for 

 money, at a -market. Every Bey has a great number of fer- 

 vants, flaves to him, as he was to others before ; thefe are 

 his guards, and thefe he promotes to places in his houfe- - 

 hold, according as they are, qualified.., 



The fir ft cf thefe domeftic charges is that of hafnadar;,, 

 or treafurer, who governs his whole houfehold ; and When- 

 ever his matter the Bey dies, whatever number of children \ 

 he may have, they never fucceed him; but this man mar-t- 

 ries his wife, and inherits his dignity and fortune*. = 



The Bey is old, the wife is youngs fo is thehafnadar, upom 

 whom fhe depends for every thing, and whom ihe muft .; 

 look upon as the prefumptive hufband ; and thofe people 

 who conceal, or confine their women, and are- jealous, up- 

 on the moft remote occafion, never feel anyjealoufy for the 

 probable confequences of this pafiion, from the exiitence of 

 ftich connection, 



B'2; • _ It. 



