,' as we say. I find that accordingly a vast number
of disputes are settled by private arbitration, and Yussuf is constantly
sent for to decide between contending parties, who abide by his decision
rather than go to law; or else five or six respectable men are called
upon to form a sort of amateur jury, and to settle the matter. In
criminal cases, if the prosecutor is powerful, he has it all his own way;
if the prisoner can bribe high, he is apt to get off. All the appealing
to my compassion was quite _en regle_. Another trait of Egypt.

The other day we found all our water-jars empty and our house
unsprinkled. On enquiry it turned out that the _sakkas_ had all run
away, carrying with them their families and goods, and were gone no one
knew whither, in consequence of some 'persons having authority,' one, a
Turkish _cawass_ (policeman), having forced them to fetch water for
building purposes at so low a price that they could not bear it. My poor
_sakka_ is gone without a whole month's pay--two shillings!--the highest
pay by far given in Luxor. I am interested in another story. I hear
that a plucky woman here has been to Keneh, and threatened the Moudir
that she will go to Cairo and complain to Effendina himself of the unfair
drafting for soldiers--her only son taken, while others have bribed off.
She'll walk in this heat all the way, unless she succeeds in frightening
the Moudir, which, as she is of the more spirited sex in this country,
she may possibly do. You see these Saeedes are a bit less patient than
Lower Egyptians. The _sakkas_ can strike, and a woman can face a Moudir.

You would be amused at the bazaar here. There is a barber, and on
Tuesdays some beads, calico, and tobacco are sold. The only artizan
is--a jeweller! We spin and weave our own brown woollen garments, and
have no other wants, but gold necklaces and nose and earrings are
indispensable. It is the safest way of hoarding, and happily combines
saving with ostentation. Can you imagine a house without beds, chairs,
tables, cups, glasses, knives--in short, with nothing but an oven, a few
pipkins and water-jars, and a couple of wooden spoons, and some mats to
sleep on? And yet people are happy and quite civilized who live so. An
Arab cook, with his fingers and one cooking-pot, will serve you an
excellent dinner quite miraculously. The simplification of life possible
in such a climate is not conceivable unless one has seen it. The Turkish