[641]. The custom mentioned by Burckhardt, in his Arabic Proverbs, page 117, as prevailing “among the lower classes of Muslims at Cairo,” is observed by the Copts.
[642]. Thus pronounced for “Mo’allim.” It signifies “teacher” or “master;” and is a title given to all Copts but those of the poorer class, or peasants. The registrar of the taxes of a village is simply called “the M’allim of the village.”
[643]. If the reader desire further and fuller details on this subject, he may consult Et. Quatremère’s ‘Mémoires Géogr. et Hist. sur l’Egypte,’ tome ii., pp. 220-266.
[644]. Equivalent (at that period) to about thirteen shillings, or, as some say, a little more than half a guinea.
[645]. It should be observed here, that the cases alluded to form exceptions to the general toleration exhibited by the Muslims; and that the Copts who have been converted to El-Islám by oppression have been few in comparison with those who have changed their religion voluntarily. Many have done this through love of Muslim women.
[646]. Chap. v., ver. 85.
[647]. It is surprising that Muslims should hang a Jew against a window of a mosque, when they consider him so unclean a creature that his blood would defile the sword. For this reason a Jew, in Egypt, is never beheaded.
[648]. I have transmitted a list of these works to the Royal Asiatic Society.
[649]. One of the less important acts of Mohammad ’Alee I should mention, as it is one which renders my description of the streets and shops of Cairo not altogether applicable to their present state. He has lately caused the mastab′ahs in most of the thoroughfare-streets to be pulled down, and only allowed them to be rebuilt in the wider parts, generally to the width of about two spans. At the same time, he has obliged the tradesmen to paint their shops, and to remove the unsightly “sakeefehs” (or coverings) of matting which shaded many of the sooks; prohibiting the replacing of them unless by coverings of wood. Cairo has, in consequence, lost much of its Arabian aspect.
[650]. The dress worn by the military and some other officers of the Básha of Egypt is still quite Turkish in everything but the want of the turban, which is now worn by few of those persons, and only in winter; the red cap alone, over which the muslin or Kashmeer shawl used always to be wound, being at present the regular head-dress. The trousers are very full from the waist to a little below the knee, overhanging a pair of tight leggings which form parts of them. A tight vest (the sleeves of which are divided from the wrist nearly to the elbow, but generally buttoned at this part), a girdle, a jacket with hanging sleeves, socks, and a pair of red shoes, complete the outward dress generally worn: but the jacket is sometimes made with sleeves like those of the vest above described, and the vest without sleeves; and black European shoes are worn by some persons. The sword is now hung in our manner, by a waist-belt. The dress of the private soldiers consists of a vest and trousers (the latter similar to those above described, but not so full), of a kind of coarse red serge, or, in summer, of white cotton, with the girdle, red cap, and red shoes.