CHAPTER VIII

Arabi in exile - Relations between Egyptians and English in Colombo Arabi's Mohammedan Christianity Adam's Peak and Ararat How Arabi's life was saved-The English defenders of Arabi — Arabi's situation at seventy - Conjurers - The giant turtle of Colombo - The heart and life of Buddhism in Ceylon.

A

MILE along the seashore, behind a red-turbaned Tamil and a Persian pony, then two miles through slumbrous villages and leafy lanes, brought me to a gateway marked "Bonair," the villa of exiled Arabi. The road wound through some two acres of thick palms to the pretty bungalow. On the veranda sat four or five gentlemen of the Egyptian type, and I knew that the large fine-looking man who arose to receive me was Arabi, though I had never seen his portrait. A friend had prearranged this meeting, which I desired mainly because he was the most learned representative of Islam in Egypt. He held my hand for a moment, and his eye seemed to ask, “Friend or foe?" He then turned to a young man, who spoke English and introduced us.

Arabi was a more striking figure than I had expected. The only immediate sign of his nationality was his fez; otherwise he was dressed in pure white garments of French fashion, everything about him being scrupulously neat. He was under fifty, full six feet tall, and of admirable proportions, with the lightest of eastern complexions, a large soft eye, clear-cut features, and a face so smooth, a brow so furrowless, that one could hardly associate him with any great struggle or tragedy. He offered me cigarettes, lit one himself, and through the

"From my prison in Cairo, in the day of my trouble, to John Macdonald, the friend of the oppressed, correspondent of the Daily News"

ARABI IN EXILE

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interpreter began conversation by saying that he had received many friendly expressions from England, which surprised him. I told him I had repeatedly heard influential Englishmen express friendly feelings towards him. "What is the cause?" "Because the English love freedom, and numbers believe that the Egyptians you led were under oppression." He was silent a moment, then said, "There are millions bound under one." In further conversation he said, "No, I do not feel so much mental trouble now. I have not been away from Colombo, though I may move hereafter. I have sat in this veranda every day. The house is pleasant; I am kindly treated by the English; in mind I am not troubled, because I have perfect faith that Egypt will be free. The world will find it necessary. I look on with deep feeling, but with no fear as to the final result." In another connection he said, "Well, yes; the idea has sometimes entered my mind of a visit to England; but that rests with another will than mine." He several times alluded to the kindness of the English in Colombo. No unpleasant incident of his residence there was known to him, but an English lady told me that at a ball to which Arabi and his companions were invited some ladies were annoyed, supposing they were laughed at while dancing. The custom of dancing is one to which the rigid Moslem mind cannot adapt itself; and while the English are sometimes shocked by eastern nudity, Orientals are equally shocked by the deliberately décolleté dress.

I did not know then that the life of Arabi had been privately pleaded for by John Bright, but found much satisfaction in reminding him that the great Commoner had withdrawn from the Gladstone Cabinet because of the

bombardment of Alexandria. The grand old Quaker was told by Gladstone that Arabi was a bad man and deserved the fate to which he had led so many, but the hope of getting the great popular leader back into his Cabinet was probably a potent reinforcement of the gallant English band that induced the premier to commute the Egyptian's sentence to exile.1

In common with other friends of Professor Edward 1 John Macdonald, then representative of the London Daily News in Cairo, wrote the letters that brought the English conscience and sentiment to shield Arabi from fury in Cairo, where proud Cherif Pasha was threatening that if Arabi was not executed he (Cherif) would leave Egypt. Macdonald's letters brought vividly before us the honest and heroic, albeit fanatical, prisoner, whom he constantly visited. With Macdonald and his wife (biographer of Rousseau) I have recently (1906) talked over the case of Arabi. A photograph of Arabi in prison - somewhat dim given by him to Macdonald, with an inscription in Arabic which may be thus translated: "From my prison in Cairo in the day of my trouble to John Macdonald, the friend of the oppressed, correspondent of the Daily News.Achmet Arabi the Egpytian."

Arabi always added "the Egyptian" to his signature.

→ was

Wilfred Blunt spent about £5000 to save the life of Arabi, and valuable aid in London was given by Henry Labouchere, M. P., and Jesse Collings, M. P. Mr. A. W. Broadley was very active in the whole affair, and his book, How we defended Arabi, tells the true story.

Arabi's exile in Ceylon ended about seven years after my visit, but it appears that his enemies have contrived to give him a worse exile in Cairo. In a note of June 29, 1906, Mr. Broadley writes me: "I formed a very high opinion of Arabi's patriotic conduct and absolute disinterestedness. We have corresponded ever since. I heard from him only a few days ago. He is now about seventy years old - a great age for an Egyptian and is very miserable. He gets £650 a year, and that sum is not sufficient for the wants of his abnormally large family, for Arabi is married and has seventeen or eighteen children. He is boycotted by all the official set in Cairo and is still deprived of all civil rights. He was much happier in Ceylon."

Brentano's house in Cairo sought in vain to find for me a portrait of Arabi! In the oubliette of this brave man it may be hoped will be buried the delusion that a people can successfully fight any devil with fire - his own element.