by his fplendor; but he was infenfible to pomp and grandeur. Charmed with a haughtiness fo congenial to his nature, he became a lover, and offered her his hand, if The would renounce Chriftianity; but, though not without affection for a man who had treated her according to her deferts, she still had the fortitude to refufe. At last, he per mitted her to retain her religion, provided The would not profess it publicly, and obtained her confent; and, fo great was his love for her that, while he lived, he never had any other wife. Though at the fummit of grandeur, Ali forgot not his parents. Having made his peace with the Porte, he confided the escort of the Khafna, which is annually fent to Conftantinople, to Tentaoui, and charged him to go into Natolia, and bring back his father and family. Hearing of their arrival at Boulac, he went to meet them, with a numerous train; and, as foon as he perceived the aged Daoud, he defcended from his horse, ran, and fell on his knees, and kiffed his feet. The father wept with joy; it was the happiest day of his life, and Ali embraced his fifter and nephew. This tender

fcene

féene over, he conducted them to his palace, in the fquare of Lefbekia (e), and the Mamluks contended who should wash the feet of their master's father. When they had cloathed him in magnificent robes, he was led into the harem, and received the most affectionate careffes from the wife of Ali. Daoud, mounted on a fine horfe, was conducted to the hall of the Divan; the Beys, and even the Pacha, complimented and made him prefents. After remaining feven months in Egypt, he wished to return to his native country, whither Ali fent him, on board a veffel, loaded with riches, but detained his fifter and nephew. You perceive, Sir, incidents which have a great resemblance to the history of Jofeph are often renewed in Egypt (f).

The Sheik El Balad, defirous of giving a ftill farther proof of his friendship for Mahamed Abou Dahab, and attaching him by

(e) The largest fquare in Cairo, where most of the Beys have palaces.

(f) And Jofeph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet his father in Gofhen; and prefented himself unto him and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. Genefis XLVI. 29.

indiffoluble

indiffoluble ties, gave him his fifter in marriage, and the nuptials were celebrated, during three days, by illuminations, horse races, and banquetting. He was but heaping benefits on a traitor, who filently confpired the ruin of his benefactor. Secretly uniting himfelf to the remains of the houfe of Ibrahim, he afpired to fovereign power; corrupted by ambition, and the love of gold (g), he thought no means unjuft by which he might attain the dignity of Sheik El Balad. The Beys of his faction, knowing his avarice, gave him confiderable fums to rid them of Ali; but he, confcious of his brother's vigilance, the love of his adherents, and the difficulties of the enterprize, fearing for his life if he were discovered, kept the gold, and waited a more favorable opportunity; but, in order to ingratiate himself, and blind his friend still farther, he difcovered the confpiracy The confequences exceeded his hopes, and the affection of Ali, for the man to whom he thought he owed his life, became exceffive. Abou Dahab, however, never loft fight of his deteftable intents, but endeavoured

(g) He had been named Abou Dahab, father of Gold, on account of his avarice.

to

to feduce Tentaoui, and offered him twelve thousand guineas to affaffinate his patron, when they should play at chefs. Tentaoui immediately informed Ali of the propofal, at which, fo much was he prejudiced in favor of Mahamed, he did but laugh. Failing in this project, he tried another, and wished to force his wife to poison a brother she loved in a dish of coffee. She rejected the propofal with horror, and fent a faithful flave to conjure Ali to keep on his guard, and to fear Abou Dahab as his most dangermany warnings ought to have rendered him fufpicious, but his affection was extreme; nor could he credit crimes which his heart disclaimed: befide that the benefits he had conferred rendered him confident.

ous enemy.

So

In 1768, the Ruffians declared war against the Turks, and fent their fleets into the Mediterranean. The Sheik El Balad, according to custom, raised twelve thousand men to aid the Porte, which circumstance his enemies endeavoured to turn to his deftruction. They wrote to the Divan that the troops he had affembled were to ferve in the Ruffian armies, with whom he had entered into an alliance, and the letter was figned by several VOL. II.

L

of

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of the Beys. The calumny was credited, without examination, and a Capigi-bachi immediately fent, with four attendants, for the head of Ali. Happily for him, he had a faithful agent in the council, who immediately fent off two couriers, the one by land, the other by fea, to advertise him of the treachery. They outstripped the messengers of the Grand Seignor, and Ali fent for Tentaoui, in whom he had great confidence, informed him of the fecret, ordered him to affume the disguise of an Arab, and, with twelve Mamluks, wait the arrival of the meffengers from Conftantinople twenty miles from Cairo, feize their difpatches, and put them to death. Tentaoui performed his miffion having waited, fome time, at the appointed place, he faw the Capigi-bachi and his attendants approach, feized them and their fatal order, murdered them, and buried their bodies in the fand.

Having the firman in his poffeffion, the Sheik El Balad affembled the Beys; and, after reading it to them, faid "How long shall we be the victims of Ottoman defpotifin; or what faith can we put in the treaties of "the Porte? Not many years fince feveral