against every one who dared to consider himself something better
than they. They considered themselves the advisers of the princes of
their own race, and without their approval, these princes could
undertake nothing whatever. And worse than this ambition, were the
machinations and plundering of the intriguing men who surrounded the
throne of the Mamelukes. Even Allah's wrath was aroused by this
corruption, and the prophet grew angry. Allah punished them for
their horrid deeds, and sent down famine, pestilence, and misery,
upon the degraded land. The people lay in dust and ashes. In their
despair they wrung their hands, and implored Allah to rescue them
from this misery and torment.

"At last, after two and a half centuries, Allah sent them relief
through the Ottomans.

"They could not be worse than the Mamelukes; for nothing on earth
could be worse; the dagger was the only law of these slaves, who
called nothing their own, and had neither family ties, fatherland,
nor religion.

"Had they not come from Circassia? Had they not been purchased as
slaves and brought to Egypt? Had they not been Christians, and were
they not of Christian descent? But they had been forced, the slaves,
to assume the holy religion of Mohammed. The prophet, however, does
not incline his ear to enforced service. He who does not willingly
lay down his faith and fidelity upon the altar can expect no
blessing from Allah. The Mamelukes learned little, except to read
the Koran, to handle the sword, to ride, and to be pitiless against
everybody. They also learned to flatter the master who had purchased
them, to bow down in the dust before him, and to be nothing for him