[38]. During the present year [1835] more than 100,000 bales of cotton (each bale weighing a hundred-weight and three-quarters) have been shipped at Alexandria. The price paid for this quantity by the merchants exceeded £700,000. The quantity exported last year was 34,000 bales, which is considerably less than usual.—The policy above recommended is strongly advocated by Ibráheem Básha.
[39]. This term was formerly used to designate the Arabian townspeople and villagers, while the Arabs who dwelt in the Desert were called “Aaráb,” or “Aarábees.” The Arabs dwelling in houses now term themselves “Owlád-el-’Arab,” or Sons of the Arabs.
[40]. Feminine, “Bedaweeyeh.”
[41]. In the feminine, “Masreeyeh,” “Bint-Masr,” and “Bint-el-Beled.”
[42]. Feminine, “Felláhah.”
[43]. Thus commonly pronounced for “Fir’own.”
[44]. Tooth-ache is, however, a very common disorder in Egypt, as it was in ancient times. This, at least, was probably the case, as Herodotus (lib. ii., cap. 84) mentions dentists among the classes of Egyptian physicians. It is, of course, most prevalent among the higher orders.
[45]. A few of the servants, and some others, shave their beards. The respect which Orientals in general pay to the beard has often been remarked. They swear by it, and say that a man disgraces it by an evil action. The punishment recorded in 2 Samuel, ch. x., v. 4, has frequently been practised in modern times, but not so often as the shaving of the whole of the beard.
[46]. The Muslims hold it to be inconsistent with the honour that is due to everything that has appertained to the human body to leave upon the ground the shavings or clippings of hair, the parings of nails, etc., which, therefore, they generally bury in the earth.
[47]. Persons of literary and religious professions generally disapprove of the shoosheh.