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CHARACTER OF THE ARABS.

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lay every where in our path. From among the heaps of mummies we picked up a thigh-bone about three feet in length; but to what animal it belonged my ignorance of anatomy disabled me from deciding.

CCCCLXXXI. In all these excursions we were accompanied by a number of Arab lads, to whom our asses belonged, and who, besides their business of donkey driving, traded a little in antiquities. Belzoni, and other travellers, complain greatly of the roguishness of the people of Gournou. Their experience may have warranted the charges they make, but I cannot corroborate their testimony. It is no doubt true that they endeavour, in their dealings with Europeans, to obtain the most they can for their goods; but is there any dishonesty in that? Belzoni himself, without perceiving it, absolves them. It is a fixed point in their minds, he observes, that the Franks would not be so liberal, unless the articles were worth ten times as much as they pay for them. If, therefore, these poor people suppose, no matter whether correctly or not, that they only receive a tenth part of the real value for the articles they dispose of, with what justice can they be charged with dishonesty? In my opinion, many of the trading antiquarians with whom they have to deal are more unprincipled by far than they. At all events, I found them very moderate in their demands. Accustomed to find and set a price upon idols, mummies, and scarabæi, they know much better than the traveller the value of the things in

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their possession; I mean the arbitrary value which custom has settled, for, in themselves, the greater part of all such objects are utterly worthless. Whenever they saw me riding across the plain, in my way to or from the ruins, several individuals would come forth to meet me, with all the portable antiquities they possessed; and as I sometimes gave a few paras to the women or children whom I met, and who were so unlucky as to have nothing to sell, I observed that it was this part of the population that generally accosted me on my way.

CCCCLXXXII. Though rude, uninformed, and poor, the natives of Gournou are not wholly destitute of the means of instruction; a school having been established for the use of these Troglodytes by the charity of some holy mana santon or dervishwho having, in his rambles through the world, amassed what in those countries is esteemed riches, returned home in his latter days, and bestowed upon his poorer and more ignorant neighbours a portion of that which he had received from the bounty of others. True piety, in all religions, manifests itself in benevolence. And I have observed that, throughout the Mohammedan world, the most celebrated sheïkhs, or saints, have shown their good will towards mankind, by establishing schools; in which, though little sound knowledge may be taught, the mind receives some tincture of letters and humanity. Ignorance, however, is a plant hard to kill. The Mohammedans generally regard Europeans as magicians, superior to them

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selves in knowledge, but deriving that knowledge from an unlawful source, and withal capricious, mischievous, uncertain in their tempers. They therefore confide in them reluctantly. But when disease comes upon them, and the superstitious practices of people of their own religion are found to be of no avail, prejudice generally gives way to the dread of death, and the arts of the Frank magicians are resorted to. Nevertheless, bigotry sometimes prevails. A short time before our arrival at Thebes, the infant child of an Arab having been stung by a scorpion, the poison rapidly diffused itself through the body; and the child appeared to be racked by the most excruciating tortures. In this state it was seen by Mrs. Hay, who, happening to be passing by the tomb, was induced by her kind and charitable disposition, which on all occasions leads her to pity and relieve the wants of the poor, to interest herself more deeply than ordinary in its fate. She therefore desired the afflicted mother to follow her immediately, that not a moment might be lost in applying the proper remedies. Having waited some little time, and perceiving that she did not arrive, Mrs. Hay again rode to the tomb, where she found that the infant was dead;-an ignorant prejudice against the medical practice of the Franks having prevented the mother from availing herself of the aid of her benevolent neighbour; no other motive can account for so criminal a neglect.

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CCCCLXXXIII. Scorpions are said to be ex

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their possession; I mean the arbitrary value which custom has settled, for, in themselves, the greater part of all such objects are utterly worthless. Whenever they saw me riding across the plain, in my way to or from the ruins, several individuals would come forth to meet me, with all the portable antiquities they possessed; and as I sometimes gave a few paras to the women or children whom I met, and who were so unlucky as to have nothing to sell, I observed that it was this part of the population that generally accosted me on my way.

CCCCLXXXII. Though rude, uninformed, and poor, the natives of Gournou are not wholly destitute of the means of instruction; a school having been established for the use of these Troglodytes by the charity of some holy mana santon or dervishwho having, in his rambles through the world, amassed what in those countries is esteemed riches, returned home in his latter days, and bestowed upon his poorer and more ignorant neighbours a portion of that which he had received from the bounty of others. True piety, in all religions, manifests itself in benevolence. And I have observed that, throughout the Mohammedan world, the most celebrated sheikhs, or saints, have shown their good will towards mankind, by establishing schools; in which, though little sound knowledge may be taught, the mind receives some tineture of letters and humanity. Ignorance, however, is a plant hard to kill. The Mohammedans generally regard Europeans as magicians, superior to them

STING OF THE SCORPION.

109

selves in knowledge, but deriving that knowledge from an unlawful source, and withal capricious, mischievous, uncertain in their tempers. They therefore confide in them reluctantly. But when disease comes upon them, and the superstitious practices of people of their own religion are found to be of no avail, prejudice generally gives way to the dread of death, and the arts of the Frank magicians are resorted to. Nevertheless, bigotry sometimes prevails. A short time before our arrival at Thebes, the infant child of an Arab having been stung by a scorpion, the poison rapidly diffused itself through the body; and the child appeared to be racked by the most excruciating tortures. In this state it was seen by Mrs. Hay, who, happening to be passing by the tomb, was induced by her kind and charitable disposition, which on all occasions leads her to pity and relieve the wants of the poor, to interest herself more deeply than ordinary in its fate. She therefore desired the afflicted mother to follow her immediately, that not a moment might be lost in applying the proper remedies. Having waited some little time, and perceiving that she did not arrive, Mrs. Hay again rode to the tomb, where she found that the infant was dead;-an ignorant prejudice against the medical practice of the Franks having prevented the mother from availing herself of the aid of her benevolent neighbour; no other motive can account for so criminal a neglect.

CCCCLXXXIII. Scorpions are said to be ex

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