396 



MODERN EGYPT. 



night at the head of a well-armed guard. The appointment is not 

 hereditary, but is made by the government from regard to wealth or 

 personal qualities ; in fact, the office at Alexandria must always be 

 filled by one in whom these two qualifications are united ; for there 

 is much consequence and power attached to it. Sheik Gazan held 

 the office at each time of our occupying Alexandria, but from his 

 attachment to us and his consequent fear of Mohammed Ali, he 

 emigrated to Malta when we last evacuated that city. 



With respect to the economical arrangement of their families, we 

 found that the Arabs seldom have more than two wives ; commonly 

 but one. The second wife is always subservient to the elder in the 

 affairs of the house. The women colour their nails, the inside of 

 their hands, and the soles of their feet with a deep orange colour, 

 sometimes with one of a rosy appearance. This is done by means 

 of henna. They likewise apply a black dye to their eye-lashes, 

 eye-brows*, and the hair of their head; a brilliancy it is supposed, 

 is thus given to the eye, and the sight is improved. The women in 

 general, I believe, can neither read nor write ; but the better sort 

 are taught embroidery and ornamental needle work, in which they 

 mostly pass their time. An Arab merchant of property made me a 

 present of an elegantly embroidered handkerchief, worked, as he 

 said, by his wife's hands. The women of rank are seldom seen 

 abroad ; many of these were murdered by the Turks after we 

 evacuated Alexandria in 1803 ; but some of them, and in particular 

 two Bedouin girls succeeded in escaping to Malta. 



The features of the Arab-Egyptian women are by no means 



* Both these customs arc of great antiquity ; some of the nails of the mummies have 

 been found dyed with henna; and Shaw saw a joint of the donax taken out of a catacomb 

 at Saccara, containing a bodkin, and an ounce or more of powder used for the purpose of 

 ornamenting the eyes. Bodkins, which were employed in the same manner, are found at 

 Herculaneum, made of ivory. Dr. Russell describes the kohol used for the eye-balls, or 

 inside of the eyelids ; it is a kind of lead ore, and is brought from Persia. It is so much in 

 request that the poets of the East in allusion to the instrument used in applying it, say, 

 " The mountains of Ispahan have been worn away with a bodkin." — Vol. i. 36/. 



