FEVLAII (plural EL FELL AILIN), an Arabic word meaning peasant or agriculturist, specially applied to the agricultural or laboring population of Egypt by the Turks, in a contemptuous sense, as "clowns," or "boors." They form the great bulk of the population, and are descendants of the ancient Egyptians, intermingled with Syrians, Arabs, and other races who have been converted to Islam. In their physical conforma tion and features, they differ among themselves, those of the northern provinces of the Mediterranean being of whiter hue, while at Assouan they are almost black. They are described as having a large skull, facial angle almost 90 degrees, oval face, arched eye brows, deep eyes, projecting lips, large mouth, thin beard, short nose, large chest, and small belly; arched back, and small hands and feet, and being of mean height. They form the fourth class of the population, and are distinguished from the Bedouin or free Arabs, who have entered the country later than the Saracenic conquest, and the Arabs of the towns and villages. Their dress consists of a shirt and linen drawers, over which is a larger blue shirt (herie), girdled by a leather or stuff belt, which is in the winter for a coat with sleeves (=bout). On their head, they wear the tarboush, turban, or a black or gray cap; the women tattoo themselves, and are nubile at an early age. being often married at 11 years, mothers at 12, and grandmothers at 24. The food of the Fellahin consists entirely of vegetables, which they eat in a crude state, dhourra bread, and beans. Even rice is too dear for them, and animal food unattainable. 'rheir
drink is limited to the waters of the Nile and coffee, and the only luxury which they enjoy is the green tobacco of the country; yet on this diet they are robust and healthy, and capable of much labor and fatigue. In their social position, they are inferior to the Bedouin, who, although they will marry the daughters of the Fellahiu, will not give to them their own iu marriage. They appear to exhibit the moral qualities of the ancient Egyptians, being intelligent, grave, and calm, docile, pliable, and sober on the one hand; and idle, jealous, quarrelsome, satirical, licentious, and of unbending obstinacy, on the other, and inherit the traditional hatred of their ancestors to the payment of taxes, which are often only extorted by the bastinado. Their political condition is most miserable. Each village is governed by a sheik-el-beled, who is responsible to the nazirs and mamours, or district officers, for the conduct of the inhabitants, and their due payment of taxes. So oppressive, indeed, is the taxation and extortion, scarcely of the produce falling to their lot, that it would not be possible for them to live if it were carried to a higher pitch, and none cultivate the lands with diligence unless compelled by their superiors.—Gliddon, Types of Mankind, p. 319; Lepsius, Egypt and Ethiopia, p. 76; Lane, Manners and Customs of Modern Egyptians, pp. 125, 126, 192, 193; Clot Bey, Apercu genirale, i. pp. 159, 160.