excellent English. He proved to be one of the "To the visitor from India, there is nothing at young Felláhín, who had been sent to Europe for first sight very striking in the interior of Cairo, exhis education by Muhammad 'Ali. He had been cept in so far as the large and dense town itself seven and a half years in Britain, and principally contrasts with the absolute desolation and solitude educated at Glasgow, where he had embraced of the desert through which he has just passed. Christianity, and been baptized. He remembered His eye is accustomed to narrow, irregular, and with affection his Christian friends in that city, dirty streets, crowded bázárs, lofty minarets, and mentioning particularly the names of Drs. Brown swelling domes, and to a people of varied hue and and Smyth, two of its most distinguished and re-romantic costume. Yet he does soon perceive that spected ministers. He still held fast, he said, the in Cairo he is not in an Indian city. Its houses profession of his faith, though he had been induced he finds higher, larger, of more durable material, to unite himself in marriage to a young woman, a more crowded together, more sombre and shaded, member of a Muhammadan family. He was en- with their overjutting upper stories, than those of gaged for the present as an assistant to Mr. Levick, Hindustán. Its bázárs and shops are constructed the English vice-consul at Suez; but he expected and fitted up with far more order and taste, and to be soon called to Cairo by the Páshá, who re- better adaptation to their object, than those in which tained a claim to his services, as to those of all per- the Wánís and Borahs dispense their wares. Its sons whom he educates, both at home and abroad. men are more substantially and gracefully clothed, Muhammad 'Ali he represented as tolerant to the but less cleanly in their persons, than those with young men who embraced Christianity when in whom he has been familiar in the further east. Europe, and as determined to keep in abeyance the women he cannot at all compare with the daughters law of the Musalmáns, which requires converts to of India, for by their impenetrable and frightful Christianity to be put to death. Complaints against veils, and shapeless mantles and robes, inflated with them by the bigoted devotees of the Kurán, he and floating on the breeze, their face and form are said, he had more than once dismissed. Similar alike rendered invisible. The distressing grunt favorable testimonies respecting his highness I else- and heavy tread of the pálkhí-bearer have given where received. I was told that on one occasion, way to the yelling, and poking, and lashing of the when a woman was taken before him to be con- donkey-boy. The gádís, buggies, and hurly-gigs demned to death for apostasy from Islám, he dis- of all shapes and sizes, such as are seen in Bombay, missed her by merely saying that she had merely are so completely wanting, that whole days may acted a foolish part; and that after her departure he pass without seeing a single wheel vehicle. The severely reprimanded her accusers, adding that he streets, in fact, are so narrow, that most of them do hoped that no similar case would again be brought not permit a carriage, even of the smallest dimento his attention, as it was enough for him to see that sions to pass along. The courtesy and sycophancy his subjects did their duty to him as their ruler, and of the multitude have entirely disappeared. Though refrained from injuring their neighbors."-Vol. i., he is not now insulted on the highways, as before the pp. 41, 42. days of Muhammad 'Ali he would not have failed to be, he sees none of that deference shown to him Its in public which he experiences in India, where the submissive and peaceable Hindú hails him as at once his lord and benefactor."—Vol. i., pp. 54, 55. In the journey from Suez, our author saw the mirage of the desert in much greater distinctness than in India. "This was a phenomenon," says Dr. Wilson, "which we afterwards frequently Mohammed Ali, whose capital is thus described, witnessed in our journey through Arabia Petræa, is one of the most extraordinary men of our time. and in such a state of perfection, that nothing but He was born at Cavalla, in Roumelia, in 1769. a knowledge of our locality, and an experience of His father was a chief of police. He came into its deceitfulness, could induce us, at a little dis-Egypt in 1800, as second in command with 300 tance from it, to believe that it was anything else than an extensive sheet or copious lake of water, of crystal purity, reflecting the forms of the mountains and other surrounding objects, and even the clouds of heaven, sometimes in their proper position, and sometimes inversely." The Arabic word saráb, given to this appearance, is the same with the Hebrew word 1, the word used by Isaiah with great propriety and beauty— "For in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert, men, to resist the French. Amidst the confusion and perils of that juncture, his sagacity, courage, and promptitude gave him such paramount influence, that in the rebellion of 1805, when the Mameluke sheikhs refused to receive the new representative of the sultan, Kourchid Pacha, they called Mohammed Ali to the supreme command, an appointment which the sultan himself deemed it expedient to confirm. But six years later, the Mameluke beys were detected in conspiracies against him; he did not conceal from them his knowledge of their plottings, and had urged them, it is said, to withdraw, and to find better employment in Upper Egypt, previous to the memorable day when they were treacherously surrendered to the bullets of his guards in Cairo. Not content with the subsequent confirmation of his authority by the Porte, Mohammed Ali extended his conquests over Syria, and had made inroads in Asia Minor, when he was checked by the intervention of the cabinets of Europe. His successes threw Dr. Wilson has favored us with an account of the usual prestige about him. He was believed his impressions on entering Cairo And the mirage shall become a lake, and the thirsty land springs of water." The cruel deception shall become a merciful reality. Mohammed makes a similar use of this term "The works of the unbelievers are like the seráb in the plain, Which the thirsty imagines to be water, till he goes and finds it to be nought." to be invincible. Such was probably his own con The children are taught to read, seldom to write, and the instruction given is almost everywhere of the most frivolous and worthless description, relating, for the most part, to trivial things connected with the Mohammedan worship and superstitions -a sort of training which no doubt passes as being very religious.. viction. Wherever his power has extended, his own power and influence, are the grand objects authority has swallowed up the petty authorities which Muhammad Ali has in view in his support between which the country was divided; the effect of education, he still deserves great praise for the of which has been, greater protection, greater or- hands. It must in many ways ultimately tell on encouragement which the cause receives at his der, and wonderfully greater production, both in the elevation of the country, and the advancement arts and agriculture, but withal an extraordinary of his people. How much it is needed must be amount of exaction, to enable him to realize the apparent from a glance at the indigenous and relischemes of his ambition. The plague and war gious schools of the country."—Vol. i., pp. 71, 72. have repeatedly threatened him with destruction; These "religious schools" are all connected his projects have often brought on him an expen-with the mosques, and are in the hands of priests. diture, to which even his enormous demands in the shape of revenue have been unequal-still there he is, not menacing Asia Minor, it is true, nor any longer the master of Syria, but the recognized sovereign of a country which forms the great passage between the east and west; and if no longer astir in arms, signalized by no less activity in more humane pursuits, as the protector of commerce, the friend of education, and the strong hand which has substituted order almost European, in the place of anarchy worse than Asiatic. Certain of our readers will probably be interested with some account of the educational doings of Mohammed Ali. "The scheme of public instruction in Egypt, I may take this opportunity of mentioning, embraces primary, preparatory, and polytechnic, and special schools. The primary amount to four in Cairo, and one in Alexandria, of 200 pupils each, and We shall not accompany Dr. Wilson in his visit to the pyramids in the neighborhood of Cairo, nor shall we attempt a critical estimate of the speculations presented in his pages concerning the march of the Israelites in the direction of the Red Sea. Great obscurity rests, and was, perhaps, designed to rest, on the question concerning the precise locality of events so pregnant with religious interest. We cite the following incident, for the reason mentioned by Dr. Wilson, and for other reasons that will readily occur to the biblical student : forty-five in the provinces of 100 each, making altogether 5500 pupils, who are instructed in reading "About mid-day we came to a chasm running to and writing Arabic, the first rules of arithmetic, the right, and still narrower than that through which and religious instruction.' A suitable set of books we were passing. One of our guides reported that has not yet been prepared for them. The prepara-water was to be found in it, and there was a gentory schools are only two, one being at Cairo with eral rush to the place where the precious treasure 1500, and one at Alexandria with 500 scholars. was to be procured. The water, all derived from They receive their pupils from the primary. Their recent rains, was found collected in pools among course embraces four years, which are devoted to the rocks; and one of these pools, called by our the Arabic, Turkish, and Persian languages, arith- Arabs Bír-Ramliyah, or the well of Ramliyah, conmetic, elementary algebra, elementary geometry, tained a quantity more than sufficient to supply a caligraphy, and lineary design and drawing. The large body of men and cattle. We replenished our polytechnic school receives its pupils from the pre-skins with it, as we found it perfectly sweet and paratory schools. Its course is one of three years, pure. Its occurrence suggested to us the rains of and directed to elementary geography, algebra, heaven, overlooked by infidels and rationalists, as rectilinear and spherical trigonometry, descriptive geometry, statics, analytical geometry, differential and integral calculus, mechanics, geodesy, physics, chemistry, astronomy, mineralogy, architecture, geology, construction of machines, drawing, engineering, and mining. The polytechnic pupils who finish their curriculum satisfactorily, become sub-lieutenants in the army, at the call of the Páshá, and those who are rejected become non-commissioned officers. Among the special schools is one, the object of which is to furnish translators for the different public departments, and monitors for the preparatory schools. The others are respectively devoted to The point at which the Israelites crossed the the training of persons for the different branches of Red Sea can be determined with a nearer approach the army, and the medical service. The standard to certainty than the route by which they arrived of proficiency at all of them is most respectable. The youths attending them are generally selected, when necessary, by conscription, but some of them are volunteers; and they are fed and clothed at the expense of the government, which thus establishes its demand on their services. A vigilant system of superintendence is maintained, and periodical examinations, at which rewards are distributed, test the attainments, and encourage the application, of the pupils. Though the advances of the public services of the country, and the maintenance of his the possible means by which the Israelites were at it. "Near the north-east corner of the Badíya, there are a few high detached rocks which lie close to the shore. Most of our party left them to the right on rounding the corner of Jebel Atákah, or the Mountain of Deliverance; but Mr. Sherlock and 1 proceeded straight to the Red Sea before turning northward. We believed, for reasons to be afterwards stated, that when we were within the water mark there, we were near the spot where Moses east at the Divine command, stretched his hand over the | duce a required result.' He ventures to do this, sea, and where at the blast of God's nostrils, the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.' We had no wish to rid ourselves of the sacred associations of the place, or to detract from that miraculous agency by which the way was thus marvellously prepared for the passage of God's people. We made an estimate of the distance across, with a view to our disposal of the objections of those who maintain that the Israelites could not have crossed the sea here in a single night as recorded in Exodus. We reckoned the width at about eight miles; but we formed our judgment merely from the eye, and were not inclined to lay much stress upon its accuracy. It appears, however, from Captain Moresby's admirable survey and chart, published by the East India Company, that we were not guilty of error."*Vol. i., pp. 135, 136. Dr. Wilson, while doing full justice to the eminent service rendered to sacred geography by Dr. Robinson, in his well-known Biblical Researches, complains seriously, and, we think, very justly, of the opinions of that writer concerning both the place and circumstances of this memorable transit. We deeply regret the tendency evinced by many theological critics, reputed orthodox and evangelical, to admit the rationalistic method of dealing with facts of this nature-so far, at least, as to reduce the miraculous to the lowest possible minimum, if not, in many cases, to preclude it altogether. No doubt, orthodox interpretations may be unsound, and may be perpetuated through prejudice or subserviency; but prejudice may have respect to the new no less than to the old, and what results from obstinacy in one case, may result from vanity in another. Suez, it should be remembered, is situated at the point where the Red Sea is bounded by the Isthmus of Suez-the waters which ascend higher than that town being very inconsiderable; while the point of the transit, according to Dr. Wilson, is some twelve or fifteen miles lower down, and there, as we have seen, the width of the sea is between six and seven miles. To suppose the passage to have taken place through the arm of the gulf above Suez," is to preclude the necessity of a miracle; while the supposition, that it took place at the lower point mentioned, implies the necessity of such an intervention. The following passage is somewhat long; but we make space for it, as presenting an instance of the unwise sort of concession on the part of good men, to which we have adverted : 66 6 though there is not a syllable in the Bible explana- 6 "But the doctor has to do with the interval of time during which the passage was effected, as well as with the means or instrument with which "Dr Robinson, though he does not deny the the miracle was wrought. He has spoken of an miracle recorded in Exodus, considerably detracts extraordinary ebb thus brought about by natural from its magnitude. He ascribes a particular char-means; and he cannot assume' that it would acter to the strong east wind' of Moses, represent-continue more than three or four hours at the most.' ing the miracle in which it originated as 'mediate,' 'The Israelites were probably on the alert, and ennot a direct interference with the laws of nature, tered upon the passage as soon as the way was but a 'miraculous adaptation of those laws to pro- practicable; but as the wind must have acted for some time before the required effect would be produced, we cannot well assume that they set off before the middle watch, or towards midnight. Before the morning watch, or two o'clock, they had probably completed the passage; for the Egyptians had entered after them, and were destroyed before *I have already remarked (p. 36) that the Badiya', or Wádi Tawarik bears the Arabic name of Wadi Musá, or Valley of Moses, in Captain Moresby's map. When I asked our sheikh if this name was correct, he said, "This is indeed the path of our Lord Moses." On cross-examination, he continued to make the same affirmation. · the morning appeared. As the Israelites numbered along the shores of that Wádí, where the gulf more than two millions of persons, besides flocks widens, and making even the deduction of a few and herds, they would of course be able to pass but hours from the night, we do not assign them anyslowly. If the part left dry were broad enough to thing like an impossibility, when we suppose that enable them to cross in a body, one thousand abreast, they could perform a journey before the morning, which would require a space of more than half-a- of twelve or fifteen miles, especially when we admile in breadth, (and is perhaps the largest suppo-vert to their probable excitement and animation, by sition admissible,) still the column would be more the gracious and wonderful interposition of Provithan two thousand persons in depth; and in all dence which had been made in their behalf. probability could not have extended less than two "Connected with the main points' of 'means' miles. It would then have occupied at least an hour and time' which Robinson brings to our notice. in passing over its own length, or in entering the there is one of space to which he does not sufficientsea; and deducting this from the largest time inter-ly advert. The arm of the sea at Suez, including vening, before the Egyptians must also have entered the shallows which are left bare at ebb-tide, varies the sea, there will remain only time enough, under from a half-mile to two miles in breadth. Even the circumstances, for the body of the Israelites to supposing that it was somewhat wider in the days have passed at the most over a space of three or of old, it scarcely seems sufficient for the line of the four miles. This circumstance is fatal to the hy- Israelites, and that of the Egyptians, marching. pothesis of their having crossed from Wádí Ta- across, and the intervention of the angel of God, wárik, since the breadth of the sea at that point, and of the pillar of the cloud which was light by according to Niebuhr's measurement, is three Ger- night to the former people, and darkness to the latman, or twelve geographical miles, equal to a whole ter, so that the one came not near the other all the day's journey.' In reply to this, I have to say, that night.' Dr. Robinson, we have seen, ascribes to I do not see that the Scripture narrative suggests a the line of the Israelites alone, a length not less single one of the contingencies here referred to. than two miles,' being the whole distance from The ebb-tide' is a pure hypothesis of the doctor; shore to shore at the widest part, and leaving no and, as we have already seen, it is one not to be room for the army of the Egyptians, and their charadmitted. But supposing its occurrence by a wind iots, and the interval which the narrative requires." raised and directed miraculously-by what in the Vol. i., pp. 149–154. figurative language of the Bible is called the BLAST OF GOD'S NOSTRILS'-is it not somewhat presumpThe judgment, not only of Dr. Wilson, but of tuous in us, without direct information to guide us, his companions in travel, was decided, for these, to limit it to three or four hours at the most?" and for other reasons, which we cannot find space "The Lord,' it is said, 'caused the sea to go back to state, that the passage of the Israelites did not (or asunder) by a strong east wind all that night.' take place near Suez, and that it did take place at We have no warrant to suppose that the miracle the front of the Ras Atakah. The next stage of took any length of time to reach its perfection. It may, for anything we know to the contrary, have our travellers was from Ayun Musa, or the Wells nearly instantaneously followed the stretching out of Moses, to Mount Sinai-the place to which the of the hand of Moses over the sea, and the miracu- name of the Hebrew prophet is thus given being lous rising of the strong east wind,' diagonally the landing point in those parts on the Asiatic cutting the waters, and not merely rolling them side of the Red Sea. Entering on this portion of down the gulf as a retiring tide-as was the case his pilgrimage, the author supplies the following with the Jordan, the moment that the soles of the picture of what is called travel in the desert :— feet of the priests that bore the ark of the Lord, touched its impetuous floods. The Israelites might "I have now become quite in love with our desert have been three or four hours in the bed of the sea, life, notwithstanding the exposure and fatigue which before midnight. There is no authority even for are inseparable from our movements. We are genalleging that they had completed their passage erally awoke in the morning, about day-break, by before two o'clock,' and that the Egyptians were the cheerful and melodious voice of Mr. Waters, 'destroyed before the morning appeared.' What the African servant of Mr. Smith, whose extraordiis stated by Moses is, that in (or during) the morn-nary musical powers charm not only ourselves, but ing watch the Lord looked unto the host of the the wildest Arabs of our Kafilah, who remain in Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, the silence of enchantment till he has finished his and troubled the host of the Egyptians, and took off performance. This faithful attendant, whose duties their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily.' are principally confined to the morning watch, is This seems to have been done as if to prevent their sure to have a cup of coffee ready for us, before we overtaking the Israelites still in the bed of the sea. can leave our sandy couch. Anon, recovering from The Egyptians were destroyed only when the morn- the entrancement into which they affect to be thrown, ing actually appeared. 'Moses stretched forth his the Arabs begin to stir, and chatter, around us. hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his Their first concern is their camels, which they restrength when the morning appeared; and the call from their wanderings, if, as is most commonly Egyptians fled against it, and the Lord overthrew the case, they have not collected them together bethe Egyptians in the midst of the sea.' The time fore committing themselves to sleep at night. A of the miracle is obviously the whole night, at the piece of bread generally serves these simple and season of the year, too, when the night would be hardy people for their morning meal; and they about its average length. There was thus ample make all due haste in its mastication, that they may time afforded for the passage of the Israelites from have a little time to luxuriate among the fumes of any part of the Wádí Tawárik, the exact measure- the pipe, which they consider indispensable to their ment of which I have already given, and which, in existence. On sallying forth from our tents, we its northern part, as we have already seen, is not seek to enjoy the cool,' if not the fragrant and the twelve geographical miles in breadth, but only six'silent hour,' to ' meditation due,' and take a genand a half. Extending the line of the Israelites eral survey of the scene around us, visiting all the . |