15 
he has quick lively eyes, and a certain air of defiance. 
Although he is possessed of good sense and wit, he 
wants education, and is frequently embarrassed. It is 
then that Seid Omar, who has a remarkable influence 
over him, renders great services to the Pacha and the 
people. 
The Arnaut troops under the command of Mehe- 
med Ali amount to 5,000 men. They are riotous and 
dissatisfied; but the people put up with them patiently, 
because they would gain nothing by the Mamelukes 
or the Turks; and as they are not in a state to give to 
themselves a national government, they bear the yoke 
in silence. On the other hand, Mehemed Ali, who owes 
his elevation to the courage of his troops, tolerates 
their excesses, because he does not know how to or- 
ganize them, to render himself independent of them. 
As the grand Scheiks of Cairo enjoy more influence 
and power under this species of government than any 
other, they support the existing system with all then- 
means. The soldier tyrannizes; the people suffer; the 
great do not feel any evils; and the machine goes on 
as it can. The government of Constantinople has not 
sufficient energy to keep this country in complete 
submission. It has here only a sort of sovereignty, 
contributing very trifling subsidies, which it tries to 
augment every year by new stratagems. The few re- 
maining Mamelukes are banished to Upper Egypt ? 
where Mehemed Ali cannot extend his dominion. If 
is a singular circumstance in nature, that this people 
do not propagate by generation in Egypt; and as 
others are not permitted to arrive from Asia, they will 
ere long be completely annihilated in the country. 
Elfi Bey, with his body of Mamelukes, Arabs, Turks, 
and renegadoes, ravages the desert of Damanhour. 
