Such is the drift of the preachings enjoined by the heads of the religious sects.

The "khouan," or brother preacher, is, moreover, sent on a mission to proclaim to all who will hear the near coming of a messenger from "the master of the hour." That arm of God will exterminate the Christians ("May God crush them!"). The rule of the accursed is happily approaching to its promised end; their power is crumbling, in accordance with prophecy.

Throughout the world, there are numerous Mussulman religious orders. Those in Egypt and Algeria, which have the largest number of followers are: The order of Sid Abd-el-Kader el Djilani ; the order of Si Moulai-Taieb; the order of the Assaouas and of Sid Mahommed ben Aissa; the order of Sidi Yousef el Hansali; the order of Sidi Ahmed Tidjani; the order of the Derkaouas.

The powerful order of Sidi Abd-el-Kader el Djilani was formerly established by a holy marabout whose name is held in veneration in all the countries throughout Islam. Everywhere the holy founder is looked upon as the patron of the poor, the protector of the unfortunate. For this reason most mendicants beg only in the name, and for the love of Sid Abd

el-Kader. The order has its See in Bagdad, a secondary one in Tunis, at Kairouan, and branches in every quarter of the Mussulman world. Its actual "Kélifa" (Head) is a descendant of that Mahommedes-Snouci whom we expelled from Algeria in 1849.

The brotherhood of Si Moulai-Taieb, equally important, has its official See in the neighbourhood of Tangiers; the head of it is a certain Abd-elSelam, who has the command of more than twenty millions of Mussulmans. The Sultan of Marocco trembles before this occult power. The order has for Mokaddem (Representative) in Cairo, a member of the Snouci family.

The Khouans Derkâouas publicly boast that they rigorously observe the precepts of the Koran, and their profound contempt for earthly things. A Derkaoui is known by his bernous all in tatters, or made up of bits of cloth of various colours, harlequin fashion; by his necklace of enormous beads; also by his long pilgrim's staff, and an affected pronunciation of the guttural letters. In a permanent state of conspiracy, the sect receives its instructions direct from Mecca.

Furthermore, a multitude of Mussulmans, coming from all quarters of the world, perform, as is known,

every year the pilgrimage to Mecca; to rekindle. their zeal they go to the focus of truth, according to Mahomet. These thousands of travellers in communion on religious matters, devoutly exchange news, and communicate to one another their impressions. They apply themselves, while telling their beads, to a real inquiry into the political acts and the position of the Christian powers-hereditary enemies!—and the result of this inquiry is immediately communicated to the Spiritual head of every brotherhood present on the spot. This one comes to a decision. The Pilgrims receive precise instructions; they carry away orders, which on their return to their country they forward to those persons to whom they are addressed, and this transmission is effected securely, and with a rapidity to be compared with that of our electric communications.

We have stated that by means of the press dangerous intercourse is maintained between the different sections of that Mussulman world, separated by immense spaces of land and of sea. There is actually an Arab journalist who edits, with no small talent, a Panislamist newspaper with an issue of one hundred thousand copies! . . . . These newspapers are forwarded in packages to all Mahomedan coun

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tries; they reach every place from Samarkand to Mogador; from Constantinople to Timbuctoo. They have correspondents in Morocco, Algeria, Tunis, Tripoli, Egypt; and "reporters" in Arabia, Persia, Bengal, China and Japan!

What does this paper circulate concerning the British ?—and is it known?

The Prophet has said the war will last until the Day of Judgment. Between the Mussulman and the Inglis (English) Christians there may be truces; peace, never! . . .

IV.

THE TRADE IN EBONY.

IN the magnificent basin of the Nile innumerable and hardy populations are bent under the yoke of an abominable despotism. In these regions which await only the effort of a laborious hand to develop the admirable resources of the soil, labour has no "value." Such is the economical form of Government of the Soudanese, that the only property of an individual consists in his "person" and consequently in the Soudan, the only property that can be owned is human flesh. There, a man who is considered to be in " easy circumstances" owns a thousand head of human cattle. The ordinary tax imposed by a Sheik on the people under his jurisdiction is from five to six thousand head; and a Sultan levies annually in his dominions a tax of thirty thousand.*

How are riches acquired in this extraordinary

* A few years ago the Sultan of Dar-Four was the largest owner of slaves in the Egyptian Soudan. It is no doubt on this account that Ziber was despatched on his track by the Khédive Ismail.