and drench him with its contents; this was the
signal for all the children to throw mud and dust at the culprit until
he became almost unrecognisable; he was then dragged before the kadi (or
judge) in the market-place, where he received eighty unusually heavy
blows, the first of which generally drew blood. The place was full of
spies, who were always on the look-out to report smokers and drinkers to
the Mahdi. Sometimes they forced their way into the houses, and finding
nothing, would surreptitiously throw some tobacco on the floor, which
they would then suddenly discover, and declare it to be the property of
the owner of the house, who would be forthwith dragged off and thrashed
unmercifully although perfectly innocent.

Justice was administered according to the Moslem law. Blasphemers of God
or the religion were punished with instant death, as well as all those
who disbelieved in the Mahdi. A murderer was at once beheaded, no
extenuating circumstances were ever admitted. A thief was deprived of a
hand and a foot; adultery between married persons was punished by
beheading the man and stoning the woman, but in the latter case a
necessary proof was that the woman should be with child. Illicit
intercourse between unmarried persons was punished with eighty lashes;
these laws regarding immorality were, however, in the case of slaves,
relaxed to some extent, and they were, as a rule, punished by flogging
only. Persons found concerned in the making of eunuchs were beheaded,
though curiously enough the khalifas and emirs all retained eunuchs for
their harems. Slaves freed by the Egyptian Government were not
recognised as such, and were again forced to become slaves. A slave's
witness was not accepted in a trial. All important cases were judged
before the Mahdi, who sentenced persons as he thought fit. The Mosaic
law--an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth--was generally practised.
The relations of murdered persons generally carried out the sentences on
the criminal, provided that the judge approved. Punishment could be
modified or cancelled altogether by the payment of money. In addition to
the Mahdi, his relatives and the khalifas were permitted to judge
cases--a proceeding which resulted in great confusion and miscarriage of
justice. The market-place was the chief centre of activity; here the
judge held his court, and a profitable business he made of it by
substituting money for punishments.

Shortly after the fall of El