The number 5 is emblematical of the hand of power or tyranny; so that the poor Jews, who are treated in this country somewhat worse than dogs in Christian countries, have a hand with the fingers spread out, painted on their doors or houses, as an amulet to charm away oppression. Accordingly (Khumsa alik), “Five be upon thee, or the hand of power be upon thee,” is a curse or malediction frequently conferred by the Moors on the oppressed Jews.
The imperial revenue consists of the following imposts:
1st. (Ska u Lashor,) Two per cent. on camels, horses, mules, asses, cattle, sheep, goats, &c. and ten per cent. on corn and the produce of land. The payment of this branch of the revenue which is the most considerable, is made either in cash or in kind, optional in the subject.
2nd. (Daira’s and Sokra’s,) Fines and presents, viz. Fines levied at discretion by the bashaws of provinces, alkaids of cities and towns, and douars, and others employed by them; these consist in satisfaction for offences; thus, if two men quarrel, and blood be spilt in the fray, half the property of the aggressor is often exacted as a fine for disturbing the peace. If a traveller be robbed, the douar, or encampment, where the robbery was committed, is fined in double the sum, viz. the sum stolen is returned to the robbed, and an equal sum is paid to the bashaw for the imperial treasury. The inhabitants of the douar are then left to discover the robbers, and recover of them the property stolen; the beneficial effects of this salutary law must be evident to every man, but particularly to those who have frequently travelled through this country, and by their own experience have seen and felt the influence which it has on every individual, and the interest that is diffused throughout the community to protect travellers from plunder. In an extensive champaign country like this, where the population of the provinces consists of encampments in the plains, open to the attack of robbers, and undefended, there would be no security were it not for the good effects of this law, which renders every individual a guard to the property of the person sojourning in the district of which he is an inhabitant.
A traveller may exact a fine from a douar for inhospitable treatment, by making a complaint to the bashaw under whose government the Sheik of the douar lives.
3d. Legal disputes. Considerable sums are presented to the bashaws, alkaids, &c. to procure their attention to the interest of the parties disputing, and to accelerate the termination. Thus a douceur to a bashaw of a few hundred dollars, will sometimes give a man as much advantage over his antagonist, as would be gained in England by the retaining of an eminent counsel to plead his cause. These douceurs are often paid to ministers by persons desirous to obtain some privilege from the Emperor, and are usually regulated according to the rank of the applicant, and the importance of the favour to be conferred. The ministers, and other persons in authority, do not conceal their operations; but will tell you what you are to pay for such a privilege or favour, which has at least this good effect, that you have a certain quid pro quo, and you are not seduced, under false promises, to attend on ministers ineffectually: your business is expedited generally to your satisfaction. A knowledge of the ministers, and of the spirit of the court, as well as the character of the Emperor, is, perhaps, indispensibly necessary to ensure success. When these sums and douceurs have been repeatedly given, and have, by accumulation, become considerable, a pretext is seldom wanting to attack these bashaws, cadis, alkaids, and other officers, for some misdemeanor, or for mal-administration of justice, and they are accordingly heavily mulcted; but they readily pay the fine, which thus ultimately forms a part of the imperial revenue, that they may again enter into their oppressive offices.
In cases of dispute, which come into the province of the civil law, the cadi determines the case; and the retaining, in such cases, able (Lokiels) pleaders, is attended with similar advantages, as with us. In these disputes, however, a paper or two, written in the most concise manner, is all that is necessary; the wheels of justice are not clogged with such volumes of cases and briefs as with us.
4th. Immense presents are occasionally made by the bashaws, alkaids, &c. to the Emperor, to secure the imperial favor, and to enable them to hold their places against the attacks continually made by others, who spare no expense in presenting, through the ministers, their claims for preferment. The bashaw Ben Hammed, who governed Duquella in the reign of the present Emperor’s father, Seedy Mohammed, every Friday, as the Emperor came out of the mosque, presented him with a large wedge of pure gold of Soudan.
5thly. The fish called Shebbel (similar to salmon), the produce of the great rivers, viz. the El Kose, the Seboo, the Morbeya, the Tensift, and the river Suse, pay to the imperial treasury a heavy duty; but that duly is generally farmed to some wealthy individual, who pays about 20 per cent. on the value of the fish caught, or gives so much per annum for the privilege of fishing in the rivers.
6th. El Beb, or gate-duty, an impost of from (one blanquil to two ounces) 1½d. to 1s. on every camel-load of merchandize carried out or brought into any city or town.