his principal finely ; by which confiderable Turns difap- 
pear, which never again return into circulation. By ap¬ 
pearing in rags and tatters, and with a fhidied difplay ot 
wretchednefs, he can alone hope to Tecure from the grafp 
of tyra nv what lie lias hoarded together. It behoves 
him to i'nfpire pity ; and not to cotysmiferate his lot would 
be do denounce him. Anxious to amafs his dangerous 
wealth, and unhappy when in the poffe#on of it, his life 
is fpent between the di Tap point merit w-hich refults from 
not having procured it, and*the fubfequent dread of fee¬ 
ing it (hatched from him. 
It is nevertlielefs true, that the Bedouin Arab, badly 
armed, and incapable of ferious refiftance, having no 
other ramparts than the fluffing fands, no other lines than 
the wide.expanfe, and no other retreat than the immen- 
fity of the deferts, is a. more pitiable object. Sloth and 
independence are the bales of his character; and to in¬ 
dulge the one, and proteft the other, he is unceafingiy 
in an agitated (late, allowing himfelf to be haraffed and 
pinched by want. Envy, that torment from which the 
abode of want itfelf is not exempt, hovers alfo over the 
burning fands of his retreat. The Bedotiins, in waging 
<war againfl all the nations of the univerfe, confine their 
hatred and their envy to thofe Bedouins alone who do 
not belong to their tribe. To them all wars are alike; 
and as loon as the tranquillity of Egypt is diflurbed, 
either by an intefline quarrel, or by a foreign enemy, they 
take the field. Without attaching themlelves to either 
party, they take advantage of the coated to plunder both. 
Wherever the booty is, there the tribe of Bedouins is to. 
be found. Never backward to treat, becaufe all the fli- 
pulations made with them are accompanied by prefents, 
they are true to no other engagement than the one which 
necefiity impofes. They are. however, neither cruel nor 
vindictive. The French, whom they have made prifon- 
ers, in deferibing the hardfhips they fuffered during their 
captivity, confidered them ra'heras the effect of the mode 
of living adopted by this wandering nation, than as the 
refill t of their barbarity. Several officers who had fallen 
into their hands, fay, that the labour which was required 
of them was neither cruel, nor exceflive: 'they had to at¬ 
tend on the women, and to load and drive the alTes and 
camels. It is true that it was neceffary to encamp and 
decamp continually, for which purpofe all the camp equi¬ 
page was kept conflantly packed up, and in lefs than a 
quarter of an hour after notice given, the cavalcade was 
in motion. This equipage confided of a mill to'grind 
xrorn and coffee, of around iron plate on which to bake 
cakes, of a large coffee-pot, a fmall onej a few dried goat- 
fkins to hold the water, a few facks of corn for their 
horfes, and the tent cloth, in which all the articles are 
wrapped. A handful of roafled corn, and a dozen of 
dates, were the ettdomary ration on the marching days, 
accompanied by a fmall allowancefof water, which, on 
account of its f'carcity, had been applied to every other 
purpofe before it was employed to allay the third. They 
are for the mod part well mounted, and always prefer 
mares, becaufe they can bear more fatigue, and, when 
going on a predatory excurdon, are not liable to lead to 
a dilcovery by their neighing. Their drefs is very light, 
and their arms either a rnufket or a long fpear, and a 
fabre or dagger. Tliefe Bedouins, deditute ofAeligious 
prejudices, and without any external form of worlhip, are 
friends, to toleration. Among them a few revered culfoms 
fupply the place of laws; and their principles bear the 
refemblance of virtues which anfwer all the purpofes of 
their partial affociations, and of their paternal govern¬ 
ment. We fltall here cite a trait of their hofpitalily. A 
French officer had been leveral months prifoner to a chief 
of the Arabs, whofe camp was furprifed in the night by 
the French cavalry, and. who had barely time to efcape; 
and lodng his tents, cattle, and provifions, he was on 
the following day fugitive, folitary, and without any re- 
fources; yet he drew from his pocket a cake, and, pre¬ 
senting the half of it to his prifoner, he laid to him, “ I 
, Vox.; VI, No. 357. 
do not know when we fhall have any more food ; but I 
fit all* not be accufed of having refufed to fhare my lad 
niorfe! with one whom 1 edeem as my friend.” Yet the 
invincible hatred of thefe tribe's towards each other is 
fometimes altonidiing, particularly where the chief or fa¬ 
ther of one tribe has been affaflinated or killed by that of 
another. This calls for what is termed the price of bloody 
then follows reprifals on reprifals, infaiiable vengeance, 
and ceafelefs warfare, until one or other of the-tribes is 
nearly extirpated. The weaker party has theri no other 
refource than flight to fave their lives, and theft to fup- 
port it; men, women, and children, blotted out from all 
connexion with the other clans, and roving from place to 
place, become the terror of tlieir neighbours, only appear 
furtively in their former habitations, which they convert 
into dens of robbers, alarming thofe who would fucceed 
them in their retreats of mifery. Thus whole villages, 
when become the afylum of crime, offer no other view 
to the paffenger than deferted fields, ruins, filence, and 
defolation. 
The Arabs of Egypt who follow hulb.andry, and a paf- 
toral life, are Mahomedans of a very peculiar cad. Not 
fatisfied with the precepts of the koran, and their abfo- 
lute devotednefs to every thing which comes from their 
prophet; and notwithdanding the anathemas pronounced 
againd every deviation from their law, they have not 
been able to refib the attractions of idolatry. They have 
their peculiar faints, to whom they do not indeed adign 
a feparate place in their paradife, where every thing is in 
common, but to whom they raife tombs, and whofe adtes 
they revere ; and from an unaccountable dupidity, thefe 
Taints do not become an object of worlhip till after death, 
and when alive, are the fubjeCt of mockery and derifion. 
Thefe Arabs attribute to the weak in underdanding, when 
dead, certain powers and influences : one is the father of 
the light, and cures complaints in the eyes; another is 
the father of generation, and preddes over lying-in wo¬ 
men, &c. The greater number of thefe faints have pafled 
their life in repeating condantly the word allah, crouched 
befide the corner of a wall, or in receiving without thanks 
what has been neceffary to their fubiidence ; others em¬ 
ploy themlelves in beating their heads with a done ; 
others, covered with garlands, in finging hymns ; others, 
like the oriental faquirs, in remaining motionlefs and na¬ 
ked, without ever tedifying the flighted emotion, and 
waiting for alms, for which they never afk, or thank, the 
donor. Belides this kind of idolatry, there are others, 
whicli are akin to magic ; for example, there are certain 
bones and trees which conceal a good or bad genius, and 
tints became facred, and cannot be removed without pro¬ 
fanation ; and to thefe, domeflic fecrets and projects of 
various kinds are entrufled in confidence, whilfl they are 
wordiipped witli myflerious fecrely, arid revered in public. 
The principal religious fedival of the muffulmans in 
Egypt, is the anniverfury of the birth of Mahomet, when 
the flreets are illuminated, and general joy diffufed among 
all the difciples of their great prophet. Denon has given 
a defeription of this fedival, which he attended with the 
French generals, at Rofetta. “ The flreet was the prin¬ 
cipal allembly-room, which was lengthened or contracted 
according to the number of guefls. An alcove covered 
with carpeting, was occupied by the mod diflinguilhed 
perfonages." Fires, combined with a number of fmall 
lamps and large tapers, formed a fplendid illumination. 
On one fide was a band of martial mu fie, confiding of 
hautboys, fmall kettle drums, and large Albanefe drums. 
On the other fide were dationed violins and lingers; and, 
in the middle, Greek dancers; and attendants provided 
with fweetmeats, coffee, fyrups, rofe.waier, and pipes, 
the never-failing accompaniment of all their plealures. 
As foon as we were feared, the martial mulic commenced. 
A kind of leader of the band played alternately two dif¬ 
ferent airs, which the other muficians repeated in chorus. 
Whether it was owing to the calmnefs of the atmafphere, 
or to a will; of introducing too many fiourilhes into it, it 
