vernments.

Sheik Daher alfo wrote to his

friends at Grand Cairo, preffing them to haften the recal of Ali Bey; and Rahiph, become Vizir, openly efpoufed his caufe, and employed the credit he poffeffed to effect his re-establishment. i hefe various means fucceeded to the wish of Ali Bey. The Sangiaks invited him to return to Grand Cairo, refume his dignity, and, immediately departing, he was received amid the acclamations of the people.

Thus re-established, he was perfectly fenfible of his precarious fituation; knew he could not depend on tranquillity, and that hatred flumbered, but was not extinct. The thunder rumbled over his head, and those who had become difaffected after the murder of Ibrahim the Circaffian, were inceffantly fpreading fnares for him, which required all his penetration to avoid. A favourable occafion, only, was wanting for them to manifeft their refentment, which the death of Rahiph, in 1765, fupplied. The mask then dropped off, and they declared open war. In danger of finking before his enemies, he fled into Arabia Felix, vifited the coafts of the Red Sea, examined the ftate of the coun

try,

try, and again took refuge with Sheik Daher, who received him with all his former affection. The Sheik, taught wisdom by the experience of eighty years, and a variety of fortunes, was very capable of giving confolation to the wertched. His difcourfe relieved the cares of his gueft, encouraged him to hope for happiness, and to forget present pains. Mean time, the Sangiaks, of the faction of Ibrahim the Circaflian, fuppofing their enemy utterly incapable of molesting them farther, abandoned themselves to every fpecics of oppreffion, and perfecution, towards the friends of Ali Bey; which imprudence did but increafe their number, and, perceiving they had been the tools of certain ambitious Sangiaks, they refolved to ftrengthen themfelves, by recalling their friend, the former Sheik El Balad, whom they engaged to fupport with all their power.

Ali Bey departed, having first received the affectionate embraces of Sheik Daher, who ardently prayed for his profperity, and, in 1766, returned to Grand Cairo; where, confulting with his partizans, he reprefented to them that his former moderation had but excited the vengeance of the friends of Ibra

him, from whofe confpiracies flight only had faved him, and that their common fecurity required the facrifice of the most turbulent. The refolution was unanimously applauded, and, on the morrow, four of the profcribed were beheaded. This execution restored tranquillity to Ali; who, fecure in his government, in fix years, made fixteen of his Mamluks Beys, and one of them Aga of the Janiflaries. The principal of these were Mahamed Abou Dahab, Ifmael, Mourad, Haffan, Tentaoui, and Ibrahim. The firft was his countryman, whom he had bought in 1758, and for whom he had a particular affection. Become chief of the republic, he took measures to render his power lafting, Not satisfied with encreafing his Mamluks to the number of fix thoufand, he alfo maintained ten thousand Mograbi (d). His discipline was fevere, and, by continually exercifing his troops, he formed excellent foldiers: he attached the youth of his houfhold to himself by the parental care he took of their education, and, particular

(4) Mograbi fignifies weftern, which general name the Egyptians give to the people of the coast of Barbary.

ly, by kind behaviour, and conferring favors on the most worthy; fo that his party became fo powerful that thofe of his colleagues, who were not his friends, feared him, and durft not oppofe his defigns. Imagining his authority well established, he directed his cares to the publick good. The Arabs, difperfed over the deferts, and on the frontiers of Egypt, committed ravages which an unfettled government could not reprefs. Against thefe Ali fent bodies of cavalry, that every where vanquished and drove them back to their former folitudes. Egypt now began to profper, and encouraged agriculture flourished. The chiefs of each village were made refponfible for the crimes of the whole, and punifhed till fuch time as the delinquent was rendered up to justice; by which means the principal inhabitants watched over the public fecurity; and, for the first time fince the Turks had governed, the merchant and the traveller might procced over the whole country, without fear of infult. Knowing how prone mercenary foldiers are to excefs, both in the capital and the provinces, he ordered the injured to direct their complaints immediately to him

felf,

felf, and never failed to render them juftice. Among the numerous inftances which are related of his impartial equity, I fhall mention only one. A Bey, meeting a Venetian merchant, near Old Cairo, made him alight, and forcibly took his fhawl; Ali, being informed of this, fummoned the culprit, severely reprimanded him in prefence of the Venetian, obliged him to afk public pardon, and was near ftriking off his head. The fame integrity obferved in every part of his administration reftored the golden age to the happy Egyptians, who do not cease, to this day, to bless his memory, and fing his praises.

Ali Bey had bought a female flave from Red Ruffia, who was very beautiful: her flaxen hair reached to the ground, her figure was tall and noble, her complexion of the pureft white, her eyes blue, and her eyebrows black: but these were the least of the treasures nature had beftowed on the youthful Maria; her mind was fuperior to her form. Her unhappy fate never could make her condefcend to gratify the defires of her master he fpoke of his power; the fhewed fhe was free, though in chains; he wished to dazzle

;

by