e niggers have had enough of the sort
of provocation which I well know, to account for the outbreak. Baker's
effusion is a very poor business. There may be blacks like tigers (and
whites too in London for that matter). I myself have seen at least five
sorts of blacks (negroes, not Arabs), more unlike each other than Swedes
are unlike Spaniards; and many are just like ourselves. Of course they
want governing with a strong hand, like all ignorant, childish creatures.
But I am fully convinced that custom and education are the only real
differences between one set of men and another, their inner nature is the
same all the world over.

My Reis spoke such a pretty parable the other day that I must needs write
it. A Coptic Reis stole some of my wood, which we got back by force and
there was some reviling of the Nazarenes in consequence from Hoseyn and
Ali; but Reis Mohammed said: 'Not so; Girgis is a thief, it is true, but
many Christians are honest; and behold, all the people in the world are
like soldiers, some wear red and some blue; some serve on foot, others on
horseback, and some in ships; but all serve one Sultan, and each fights
in the regiment in which the Sultan has placed him, and he who does his
duty best is the best man, be his coat red or blue or black.' I said,
'Excellent words, oh Reis, and fit to be spoken from the best of
pulpits.' It is surprising what happy sayings the people here hit upon;
they cultivate talk for want of reading, and the consequence is great
facility of narration and illustration. Everybody enforces his ideas
like Christ, in parables. Hajjee Hannah told me two excellent fairy
tales, which I will write for Rainie with some Bowdlerizing, and several
laughable stories, which I will leave unrecorded, as savouring too much
of Boccaccio's manner, or that of the Queen of Navarre. I told Achmet to
sweep the floor after dinner just now. He hesitated, and I called again:
'What manner is this, not to sweep when I bid thee?' 'By the most high
God,' said the boy, 'my hand shall not sweep in thy boat after sunset, oh
Lady; I would rather have it cut off than sweep thee out of thy
property.' I found that you must not sweep at night, nor for three days
after the departure of a guest whose return you desire, or of the master
of the house. 'Thinkest thou that my brother would sweep away the dust
of thy feet from the floors at Luxor,' continued Achmet, 'he would fear
never to see thy fortunate f