As a vulture scents carrion from afar, so the Greek scents any possible opening for trade with the natives. The gum trade, the feather trade, the corn trade, all are in his hands. There is nothing that a native wants, however humble, from beads and kerosene-tins to silver, that he will not sell, exactly in the form required. Naturally a gambler, there is no speculation that he will not undertake, no risk he will not run. He can stand any climate, he can live in native huts, and eat native food. He may be unscrupulous in his dealings, and he has to be sharply watched by those in authority, but as a trade pioneer in a new country he is invaluable, and his enterprise contributes largely to make life possible for more exacting Europeans in desolate places. Some day, perhaps, when the Arab has mastered his methods of trade, he will find his match, but at present he holds the field. CHAPTER XXI TAXATION, REVENUE, AND EXPENDITURE At the beginning of every year the Soudan Budget, with the estimates of receipts and expenditure for the year, has to be submitted to the Egyptian Council of Ministers. The total amount to be granted to the Soudan from the Egyptian revenues is then decided, and any consequent alterations in the Budget made. The Governor-General and the Financial Secretary are responsible for seeing that the total sum so granted by Egypt is not exceeded, but while this limit is observed, credits can be transferred from one head to another without reference to Cairo. Any special or unforeseen expenditure can be defrayed by Egypt by special grants sanctioned by the Egyptian Council of Ministers, and the Egyptian Minister of Finance has at all times the right of inspection, audit, and supervision of the Soudan Government accounts. Practically, of course, this means that the finances of the Soudan are subject to the control of the British Financial Secretary and the British Consul-General at Cairo, but that the Soudan Government exercises a very wide discretion as to the disposal of its revenues once realized. The revenues of the Soudan are therefore at present made up from three sources: first, taxation, fees, licenses, etc.; secondly, the receipts of certain earning departments—_e.g._, railway, steamers, post, and telegraphs; and thirdly, the contribution from Egypt. Of these the third is still, it must be confessed, the most important, but the first is steadily growing. Strictly speaking, the second should not be included, for although the earnings of these departments are materially increasing, and although without them very little could be done, their annual accounts do not as yet show a profit, for various reasons that will be explained.