grown persons were actually to be seen for
sale—at least, such was the reason given for
the eagerness with which the sight was
sought—were compelled to hire a guide
acquainted with the back-slums of the city.
They then learned that the trade, instead of
being carried on in the open street, was
confined to certain small houses adapted for the
purpose—ranges of rooms or cells round low
courts. It was not customary, even for
natives, to visit these places: a man in want
of a slave used to send for four or five specimens,
male or female as the case might be,
and examine them deliberately as he sat
smoking his pipe in his own divan; the jellab,
or dealer, squatting by, ready to answer all
questions as to age, temper, or origin.
Europeans, however, obtained admission into the
private slave-markets with tolerable ease.
There was always some grumbling and
affectation of resistance, but a few piastres
smoothed all difficulties. It was worth while
going once or twice in order to appreciate
the vulgar reality of the scene. Whilst
passenger-philanthropists were praising the
great step towards emancipation taken by
Mohammed Ali—supposed to have repented
of his slave-hunts—here was evidence that not
the slightest real change was contemplated.
Serving men and serving maids, of all classes
and degrees, were constantly on hand,
constantly coming or going. In most cases, they
were fresh from Soudan, clothed in a single
rag, with their hair in a thousand plaits. It
is not from avarice that the jellabs make their
slaves preserve this miserable dress, but
because they well know that new arrivals are
most prized. Families like to educate them
in their own way. It is not uncommon for
girls already well civilised to be compelled to
re-assume their native dress, pretend
ignorance of Arabic, and affect pristine
stupidity.

We have glided into the use of the present
tense, because the same observations still
apply. Indeed, in speaking of Eastern
manners the past tense is almost superfluous;
and, for that matter, perhaps, so is the future.
Nothing seems to change there but names—
there is no progress, no development. When
we hear, therefore, that slavery is to be
abolished in Egypt by the will of that new
jovial pasha—that man-mountain invested
with authority, and besieged by rival
influences—we remain perfectly unmoved. The
statement has the appearance of a contradiction
in terms. Abolish Egypt, you may; but
not slavery in Egypt, for many a long day.
The whole of society is constructed on the
supposition that in every family above the position
of a common labourer there shall be, at
least, one bought assistant. Take away the
slave-girl, and who shall grind the corn, or
pound the coffee or the meat, or blow the fire
with her breath, or turn the kababs, or wash
the floor, or carry master's dinner to the shop
in the bazaar? Who shall light the pipes of
the great, or bring their slippers, or watch
over the women, if there be no more
memlooks or eunuchs? We will not absolutely
despair of the future: but change must come
by slow degrees.

What, too, would the rich Turk or the
merchant who cannot afford to take a wife
from amongst his own people do without
Abyssinian or Georgian slaves? Let us not
have false ideas on this subject. In most
cases the Orientals do not buy odalisques, but
housewives. When white or bronze-coloured
ladies are introduced into a harim, the
transaction very much resembles a matrimonial
one. The victims, as we are accustomed to
call them, are very willing parties in most
cases. They are eager to obtain an establishment.
We remember once—during the time
when it was said that no more slaves were
to be publicly sold in Alexandria—being told
that there was a Georgian girl to be
disposed of in the Broker Bazaar. We went to
see her. The poor thing sat a little back in a
shop, closely wrapped up in a white woollen
mantle, and only allowing her dark glancing
eyes to be seen. Her owner was not then
present, but the master of the shop, Sidi Abn
Hassan, sat smoking his pipe before her,
dilating, from imagination, on her innumerable
perfections. The moon, the palm branch,
the pomegranate, and the gazelle were, as
usual, brought in as comparisons for her face,
her figure, her form, and her eyes. The chief
thing on which he dwelt, however, was the
fact that the ornaments of her person were
worth three thousand piastres (thirty pounds).
We saluted him at the first period, and he
made way for us by his side, jocularly
informing his auditors that we should be the
successful purchaser. Two or three scowled
tremendously; but the rest laughed, saying
that the Frank was very unfortunate that he
could not buy so beautiful a companion. We
learned that the girl's name was Nazlet;
and it was added that she was fresh from her
mother's side in Georgia. This we knew to
be untrue, and, having shown our incredulity,
we gradually ascertained that she had been
lately sold out of the harim of a Turk. When
the crowd had dispersed, we tried to talk
to the girl, but she did not understand Arabic,
and Abn Hassan was a poor Turkish
scholar. She contrived, however, to ask
whether the Frank intended to purchase her,
and said—interested flatterer—that she had
always desired to be the slave of a Frank.
Her voice was sweet, and her gestures were
pretty and expressive; but when, in accordance
with the usual coquetry of Eastern
women, she allowed us to take a rapid glance
at her face, we discovered that care or sickness
had made surprising inroads on her
youth. We shall never forget that anxious
and pallid countenance, lighted up for a
moment by a fascinating smile—we fear
not genuine, for it was expiring before the
veil rapidly returned to its place. Her