STATE OF FEMALE SOCIETY IN EGYPT. 27 
the women to touch it. He durst not trust them with any thing, as 
he knew of .their monkeyish tricks whenever he turned his back. He 
seemed to pride himself much on his great knowledge of the world, 
when he corrected the rough curiosity of the women, when they at- 
tempted to examine my dress too rudely. 
“ I made a sign I wished them to sit down, and in particular that 
the wife should take coffee with me ; but he treated them very harshly, 
made me understand that coffee would be too good for them, and 
said water was good enough ; at the same time he held the coffee-pot, 
pressing me to drink more : on my refusing, he locked it up in a 
small room, that the women might not drink it. By this time I had 
been so much among the women in Egypt, and compelled to smoke, 
that I could easily finish my half ’ pipe. After having smoked for 
some time, I laid it down ; one of the women took it up, and began 
to smoke: on seeing such a horrid profanation, the man took it from 
her with violence, and was going to beat her, which I naturally pre- 
vented. He filled it again, and offered it to me ; but, as I did not 
w'ish to smoke any more, he went and carefully locked it up, making 
me understand, when I wanted it, it was at my service, I must con- 
fess, 1 felt hurt to see the distinction he made, but afterwards I saw 
the necessity of so doing. 
‘‘ They always behaved to me not only with respect, but even with 
humility, so that their roughness seems not directed towards women 
in general ; and I have often heard them remark to me, that if they 
treated these women as I was treated, they would become quite unruly. 
“ A short time afterwards, the aga came in, and inquiring if they had 
served me with coffee and a pipe, he w^ent to his treasury, and brought 
out some dirty bruised grapes, as a great treat, which he presented me, 
the poor women looking with wistful eyes towards the basket. In 
the impulse of Ihe moment, I took it, and offered them to his wife, and 
then to the rest, w^ho all refused ; and though they did not dare to 
take any themselves, yet they pressed me to eat, and seemed aston- 
ished, when, on account of their dirt, I only took a small bunch. I 
kept the grapes in my hands for sometime before I could muster reso- 
lution to eat them. I began at last, one by one, trying to wipe them 
in an handkerchief without their perceiving it; but I was mistaken, 
for their eyes was fixed upon me very closely. An old woman saw 
what I was doing, and ran and fetched me a burdock of water. I 
did not ask for water at first, as I was afraid to do any thing to 
offend them. 
“ I now gave my little present of beads and a looking glass, which 
contained a drawer ; the beads pleased them, and the glass, being the 
largest they had ever seen, and made to stand by itself, was to 
them a matter of astonishment. To describe the tricks the women 
played with it, tearing it from each other, and setting it in any way 
but the right, would be thought a caricature. I at first attempted to 
shew them the right way to use it, but there is no other method with 
those women than letting them have their own way ; and I believe 
it is pretty well so in more civilized countries, or I am much mistaken. 
When the wife perceived they had got the glass out of its frame, she 
put it in a little room, and locked it up with the beads. 
