[FN#14] “Abu Tabak,” in Cairene slang, is an officer who arrests by order of the Kazi and means “Father of whipping” (=tabaka, a low word for beating, thrashing, whopping) because he does his duty with all possible violence in terrorem.

[FN#15] Bab al-Nasr the Eastern or Desert Gate:  see vol. vi. 234.

[FN#16] This is a mosque outside the great gate built by Al-Malik al-’Adil Tuman Bey in A.H. 906 (=1501).  The date is not worthy of much remark for these names are often inserted by the scribe—­for which see Terminal Essay.

[FN#17] Arab. “’Amir” lit.=one who inhabiteth, a peopler; here used in technical sense.  As has been seen, ruins and impure places such as privies and Hammam-baths are the favourite homes of the Jinn.  The fire-drake in the text was summoned by the Cobbler’s exclamation and even Marids at times do a kindly action.

[FN#18] The style is modern Cairene jargon.

[FN#19] Purses or gold pieces see vol. ix. 313.

[FN#20] i.e.  I am a Cairene.

[FN#21] Arab.  “Darb al-Ahmar,” a street still existing near to and outside the noble Bab Zuwaylah, for which see vol. i. 269.

[FN#22] Arab. “’Attar,” perfume-seller and druggist; the word is connected with our “Ottar” (’Atr).

[FN#23] Arab.  “Mudarris” lit.=one who gives lessons or lectures (dars) and pop. applied to a professor in a collegiate mosque like Al-Azhar of Cairo.

[FN#24] This thoroughly dramatic scene is told with a charming naivete.  No wonder that The Nights has been made the basis of a national theatre amongst the Turks.

[FN#25] Arab.  “Taysh” lit.=vertigo, swimming of head.

[FN#26] Here Trebutien (iii. 265) reads “la ville de Khaitan (so the Mac.  Edit. iv. 708) capital du royaume de Sohatan.”  Ikhtiyan Lane suggests to be fictitious:  Khatan is a district of Tartary east of Kashgar, so called by Sadik al-Isfahani p. 24.

[FN#27] This is a true picture of the tact and savoir faire of the Cairenes.  It was a study to see how, under the late Khedive they managed to take precedence of Europeans who found themselves in the background before they knew it.  For instance, every Bey, whose degree is that of a Colonel was made an “Excellency” and ranked accordingly at Court whilst his father, some poor Fellah, was ploughing the ground.  Tanfik Pasha began his ill-omened rule by always placing natives close to him in the place of honour, addressing them first and otherwise snubbing Europeans who, when English, were often too obtuse to notice the petty insults lavished upon them.

[FN#28] Arab.  “Kathir” (pron.  Katir)=much:  here used in its slang sense, “no end.”

[FN#29] i.e.  “May the Lord soon make thee able to repay me; but meanwhile I give it to thee for thy own free use.”

[FN#30] Punning upon his name.  Much might be written upon the significance of names as ominous of good and evil; but the subject is far too extensive for a footnote.