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CHAPTER VIII.

Ismael Pacha appointed General of the Army of Nubia and Sennaar -Death of Toussoun Pacha - Ismael's Army - Dongola - the Sheygya-Berber-Shendy- Nimir Malek-The White RiverDissensions in Sennaar-Submission of King Mahomed-Rebels impaled-Turks excite the Disgust of the People of Sennaar— The Cruelty of the Turks to the Negroes of the White River-Sennaar ruined-Negro Population driven to Syene-Epidemic in the Turkish Army-Ismael's Fears-Joined by Ibrahim Pacha-Their Progress-Fazogeh-Cruel Death of Ismael-Reflections.

MAHOMED ALI had now a short interval of peace, which he employed most usefully in effecting improvements. These improvements will be given in due time; for the present, we will confine ourselves to the course of his martial achievements. In order to ensure his own independence, Mahomed Ali, on principle, could never allow of an independent power in anything like approximation to himself. It might become an instrument in the hands of the Sultan; it might work him much mischief on its own independent score; at all events, such a thing was not to be endured.

He, therefore, determined on the conquest of Nubia and Sennaar. For this purpose, Ismael Pacha, the Viceroy's youngest son, was appointed general. This nomination must be explained by mentioning the death of Toussoun in Lower Egypt. From being a hardy soldier, he had sunk into the lowest debauchery, and died an early victim to his excesses. Some assert that he was poisoned

by a favourite Georgian slave.

Ismael's army consisted of nearly four thousand men, fifteen hundred horse, besides about a thousand Arab auxiliaries. His train of artillery numbered twelve pieces. His army was of the oddest compound; a more motley group was never before visible, not even in the ranks of the old Moorish invaders of Spain, which, in the graphic language of Mr. Southey, were

"Syrian, Moor, Saracen, Greek Renegade,

Persian, and Copt, and Tartar."

The leader was only twenty-two years of age, and as raw as any recruit in the service of the field. The expedition, however, was undertaken, and was successful, though it cost Ismael his life.

He

In the autumn of 1810, Ismael passed with his forces the second cataract of the Nile, and took possession of Dongola without opposition. next acted against the Sheygya, a bold, independent race of Arabs, who were the dread of the whole country between the Cataracts and Sennaar.

Their custom was to attack caravans, and take the inhabitants of the country into slavery. They were as intrepid as the Norman pirates are represented to have been, for they were gay in the moment of danger, and sang songs of gladness while engaged in the conflict. When called upon by the young Pacha to yield, they laughed him to scorn; but, after two severe encounters, their numbers were broken, and their forces dispersed; they were overcome, and their country was subjugated. Ismael next proceeded to Berber, which he reached through the desert, with his cavalry only. The infantry followed slowly and in detachments. At Berber Ismael's army recruited its strength, and rested two months. This delay was necessary, for Ismael wisely determined to wait for his boats and artillery; at the same time he treated for the submission of the Malek of Shendy, by name Nimir. This chief yielded to the Turkish Pacha with the greatest reluctance; he would have resisted, but resistance was in vain. On the 9th of May, 1821, Ismael Pacha entered the city of Shendy. Here the chief of Sheygya, who, with fifty of his followers, had taken refuge at the court of Nimir Malek, proffered his services to the Viceroy's son, and, from an active foe, became one of the most faithful adherents of the Egyptian Viceroy. Ismael remained only five days at Shendy, and then proceeded towards the White River. There they encamped, rested themselves, and continued

on to Sennaar. The Civil dissensions to which this country was a prey, placed it, without any effort on his part, in Ismael Pacha's hands; for the rightful king Mahomed had been dethroned, and cast into prison by two brothers, Hassan Regeb, and Adlân. Regeb, desirous of an unpartitioned kingdom, slew his brother; but on news of the approach of the Egyptian army, betook himself to a precipitate flight. The rightful king was liberated, came forth to meet the invaders, and yielded his possessions into their hands, holding himself as the mere fiduciary of the Sublime Porte. Ismael received the king in his tent; when the monarch made over the country to Sultan Mahomed, swearing fealty to him, as a faithful vassal. Ismael gave him robes of honour, conferred on him the title of Sheik, and promised him protection and support. He sent a detachment of five hundred men after the surviving rebel, seized him and his partisans, and impaled the latter, keeping their leader close prisoner: though, after a time, and with the consent of the sons of Adlân, he was set at liberty. The act of impalement, which was a sight wholly new to the simple people of Sennaar, had the effect of creating an insurmountable dislike against the Turks. This, however, was partly excited by the want of faith manifested towards the harmless negroes of the White River, who, after they had yielded to the Mussulman commander, (one of Ismael's lieute

nants) were seized, bound hand and foot, without any regard to sex or age, and dragged in the most brutal manner to Sennaar, the capital. These poor wretches were afterwards sent home by the young Pacha; and this act his eulogizers, after the usual fashion of oriental hyperbolism, have been pleased to extol as a grand piece of generosity on the young man's part!

Generosity has not, however, by any means been the boon of the Viceroyalty of Egypt to Sennaar. The country was a thriving, flourishing, happy region, but Ismael's approach had all the deadly effects of the samiel of the desert. Thistles and brushwood grow where once were vegetation, and the harvest. The best of the inhabitants of the country have been driven northwards, to serve as soldiers in the ranks of Mahomed Ali. They were taken to Assuan in herds; when there, the healthy countrymen were forced away from their weeping wives, and clinging children, and put into unwholesome barracks, where numbers fell victims to plague, pestilence, and famine!

The thirst of conquest in the Viceroy of Egypt was still unappeased: he sent a body of men under Mahomed Bey, his son-in-law, to take possession of Kordofan. The country submitted, and the same atrocities were committed on the people as had already attended the victorious arms of Ismael in Sennaar. Herds of slaves were driven into Egypt: they, whose strength failed them, lay down