together to prevent flight, and are guarded by numbers of soldiers. The
slightest show of resistance on the part of a prisoner is punished by
flogging. Unless the Khalifa gives special orders to the contrary,
prisoners are allowed to receive visits from their friends and
relatives. There are no fixed periods of imprisonment, except in the
case of smokers and marissa-drinkers, the usual punishment for them
being confiscation of property, eighty lashes, and forty days
imprisonment; but latterly a fine, estimated at the value of their
property, is levied instead of complete confiscation; the two other
portions of the sentence are, however, always inflicted.

Prisoners are generally divided into three classes: the first class
comprise those who are sentenced by the chief of the beit el mal, and
although there is a special prison for offenders against the beit el
mal, all serious cases are brought to the Saier.

Second-class prisoners are those undergoing sentences of the judges;
both these classes hope for release whenever a sufficiently influential
person will pay a sum of money for them, which sum must also be
accompanied by a certificate from the Saier that they have been
conducting themselves properly during their stay in prison.

The third class are those on whom the vials of the Khalifa's wrath have
been poured out; their crimes are for the most part political, and all
mediation in their cases is quite useless, no one, not even the judge,
is allowed to say a good word for them to the Khalifa. It is only when
his wrath is somewhat abated that it may occur to himself to make
inquiries about them, and then, perhaps, he may consider recommendations
for their release; but the Saier's opinion goes for much more than any
other person's, and therefore it is a great point to secure this
individual's favour and get into his good graces. One bad word from the
Saier can do an infinity of harm, and may indefinitely postpone a
release which has been on the point of being made.

The Saier thoroughly understands how to work his influence, for he
benefits considerably by his exercise of power; he receives no pay, and
therefore he is entirely dependent on what he can make out of the
prisoners. The richer his victims, the more pleased he is, for he knows
he can wring money out of them freely. Once a month the judge or his
representative goes with a clerk to the Saier and makes a list of all
the prisoners, showing how long each pris