who were the victims of diffenfion.

Bands

of rafcals, profiting by the disorder, ran through all quarters of the city, forced doors, entered houfes, and put all to fire and fword. The French merchants were terrified, expecting every inftant to see the gate of their district forced, their fortunes ruined, and themfelves perifh amid their wives and children. I was an actor in this tragedy, and with fome young people determined to defend the entrance of the street to the last drop of blood, and, at leaft, to dię fighting. Our alarms were not ill founded; about two hundred banditti, with hatchets and arms of all kinds, came to break down the only gate that defended us, but, as it was very strong, and they expected to find refiftance, they took another route, and pillaged the neighbouring houfes. This horrid fcene lafted two days and two nights, during which the noise of cannon and mufquetry, and the fhricks of defpair, never ceafed. We had time to liften, for not one of us could fleep. At last, on the third day, we perceived, from the top of our terraces, Haffan Bey, with two hundred Mamluks, fabre in hand, forcing a paffage through his enemies,

and

and escaping from Grand Cairo. Flying towards Syria, he met a body of three thoufand Arabs in the defert, of the enemy's party, who cut off his retreat. They tried to force their way through thefe fquadrons, and fought defperately. The Mamluks all perished by his fide, and he, covered with blood, defended himfelf for an hour. Being taken, the Arabs brought him back to the capital, and Haffan, at Boulac, entreated them to fuffer him to go, for a moment, into the house of a Sheik, one of his friends, and take a last farewell. They granted his requeft, and dispatched a courier to inform Mourad they brought his enemy prifoner, who immediately fent two hundred foldiers to bring him his head. They surrounded the house, and loudly demanded him; but the Sheik, refufing, declared he would never violate the laws of hospitality, by giving up his friend. They were propofing to use force, when Haffan faid, I will not fuffer you to expofe yourself to the brutality of thefe madmen; they will murder you, your wife, and children. Let me go. So saying he tore himself from the arms of the Sheik, mounted the terrace, paft to another,

and

and perceiving the door of the house was guarded only by one foldier, defcended foftly, opened it, curbed the arm that was lifted to ftrike him, pulled the foldier off his horfe, forced his fabre, and fled full gallop to away The foldiers, feeing this,

Grand Cairo.

ftood fixed in amazement, but, coming to themselves, fired after the fugitive, and purfued him with all fpeed. Two of them having overtaken him, he cut them down with his fabre, and continued his course. All the streets of Grand Cairo have gates for the public fecurity; feveral of these he fhut, and, carrying the keys with him, ftopped his enemies. Being come to the palace of Ibrahim, he entered the court of the haram, and covered his face with his fhawl, that he might not be known. The wife of the Sheik El Balad was his kinfwoman, and he entreated her to intercede in his behalf; fhe, accordingly, fell on her knees, and begged her coufin's life; and Ibrahim, relenting, took Haffan under his protection, had his wounds cured, and long refifted Mourad, who demanded his death: but feeing-the Emir Hadge prepared for war if his demand was refused, he came to terms with him,

and

and confented the prifoner should be banished to Gedda. Accordingly he was taken to Suez, and delivered to the mafter of a fmall veffel, who received orders to transport him to his place of exile. Two of his flaves, the voluntary companions of his ill fortune, knew the captain had a firman, figned by Mourad, which condemned their master to death when he should land, and immediately informed him of it. Haffan feigning ignorance, begged the captain to land him on the coaft of Egypt, instead of taking him to Gedda; but neither his threats nor promifes could prevail. This refufed,

he feized the arms that were on board, in the night, and, affifted by his flaves, killed the captain and three failors, flung the others overboard, and taking charge of the veffel, fteered her to Coffeir, and from thence to the Said, bearing with him the fum of fixteen thousand pounds, which he found in the veffel; fince when he has endeavoured to make partizans, and, perhaps, may hereafter return to Cairo victorious according to the defires of the people.

The death of fix Beys of Ifmael's faction, and the flight of the reft, rendered Ibrahim and Mourad abfolute in Grand Cairo. All obftacles

obstacles removed, the Emir Hadge made ready, according to cuftom, to conduct the caravan of Mecca. Pilgrims affembled from all parts, in the plain of Hellai, near the city, where about ten thousand tents were erected, covering a great extent of ground. Thofe of the officers and chiefs were of painted cloth lined with filk and fattin, and adorned with cushions of embroidered stuff in gold and filver. Great numbers of small, coloured, glafs lamps were lit round each tent at night, which produced a brilliant and diverfified illumination; and the reflected light, gilding the foliage of the orange and date trees, difperfed over the country, had a charming effect. The relations and friends of the pilgrims came to pass this night with them, and, at break of day, the Emir Hadge gave the fignal with drums and trumpets. The tents were all ftruck, camels were loaded with provifions and baggage, and the march began. The van-guard, escorted by a body of horfe, well mounted, went firft; next followed the camel which carried the carpet deftined to cover the caaba, or house of God; his head adorned with a fuperb plume of feathers, and his body covered with cloth of gold, while priests

Lung