sisted in their abandoned courses. When the people were almost driven to madness, a firman arrived, appointing Mahomed Ali Pacha of Djedda, on the other side of the Red Sea, and the Port of Mekka. Mahomed refused to enter the citadel, in order to assume the paraphernalia of his new dignity, but agreed to meet the Viceroy and the Cadi, in a private house in the city. As he issued from the door, after having assumed the mantle and the cap, peculiar to his rank, the mutinous soldiery met him boldly, threatening violence unless their wants were immediately satisfied. "What can I do for you?" cried the vulpine Cavalliot, "I am merely a servant of the Pacha, and the Pacha is here, turn therefore to him." He then mounted his Arab, and scattering some money amidst the crowd, departed. The Albanians followed up Mahomed's advice to the very letter. They turned on the Pacha like hungry wolves. They laid hold of him—accused him of peculation—ill-treated him -and would have deprived him of his liberty, until all the arrears of pay had been made good: but, most fortunately for himself, the governor, by the assistance of some prompt friends, effected his escape, and shut himself up in the citadel. Being thus baulked of their prey, the armed mob harassed and drove the people to despair by their intolerable behaviour.

This happened about May, 1805. The Sheiks

VICEROYALTY OFFERED TO MAHOMED ALI. 55

became exasperated, and laid a representation of the condition of the people-of their situation, and of the numberless tyrannizing acts, not only on the part of the Pacha, but of the undisciplined, licentious soldiery, which had driven them to despair, before the principal officers of Kourchid, and the Cadi of Cairo. The only redress which they obtained, was an assurance that their memorials had been transmitted to the Pacha, who kept himself locked up in the citadel, and who, after considering their case, would grant the needful reparation. This was cold comfort for men in their miserable circumstances, and they determined on decided measures. They proceeded in a body to the Cadi's court of justice; but the Cadi, like a well disciplined functionary, shut his doors in their faces. They turned away in disgust, and directed their steps to the residence of Mahomed Ali. To him they explained their grievances, and their horror at the tyranny of Kourchid; they besought him to take pity on the wretched people, whose chiefs they were, and who were dying under the inflictions of the Pacha and his ravenous myrmidons; to, in fact, take on himself the office of Viceroy. The simulating Mahomed seemed to be thunderstruck at their proposal, and refused them, but in so faint a tone, and with so meaning a sideglance, that the petitioners were induced to repeat and urge, yet more strongly, their request.

On this he was

At length, he yielded consent. clothed with the mantle of viceroyalty; and the Cavalliot captain was, to the satisfaction of the sheiks and fellahs, proclaimed the new representative of the Sublime Porte.

57

CHAPTER IV.

Kourchid Pacha - His Services against Ali Pacha of Jannina - His miserable Death-the Mamlukes-Their Opposition to Mahomed Ali-Their Defeat-Elfy Bey-Arrival at Alexandria of the Capitan Pacha-Proceedings of Mahomed Ali-Death of Elfy Bey and of Osman Bey Bardissy-Hostilities between Great Britain and the Porte-Colonel Sebastiani-Admiral Duckworth's Expedition --Defeat of the English.

mons.

STILL Kourchid Pacha, as was to be anticipated, held out in the citadel. Mahomed prepared to force him to a capitulation, by attacking him in his strong hold, but the latter invoked the assistance of the Mamlukes, and they obeyed the sumThe Capitan Pacha, however, cast anchor before Alexandria; and, by his selikdar, sent an instant summons to Kourchid, not only to place the citadel in the hands of Mahomed, but to repair, without delay, to his head-quarters. The slave of the Sultan knew no will but that of his master, as pronounced by this high. delegate. Yet, this compliance was not given with readiness: he

would have resisted, but he lacked courage, and that "prudence" which is "the better part of valour," and which, in Egypt, has always the fear of the capidji-bashy, and the bowstring before its eyes, as timorous children, in western countries, have the rawhead and bloody-bones of nursery fable, whispered him to yield assent to the summons of the admiral's deputy. He, accordingly, capitulated. Alas! unfortunate Kourchid-little did he know the fate that awaited him. After he quitted Egypt, he headed a body of men in the war against Russia. Subsequently, being appointed to the Pachalic of Aleppo, he wished to harass that city with his customary exactions, but the populace rose against him, and drove him from the walls. He was then despatched against old Aly Pacha, of Jannina; and, after the fall of that bold Albanian rebel, the Porte suspected their own servant of having appropriated to himself, and concealed, the treasures of the audacious and slaughtered outlaw. There is only one fate that invariably awaits all the suspected by the Sultan-Death. It was Kourchid's lot to lose his head by a blow of the yatagan.

The spirit of Kourchid, however, was, in the person of his lieutenant, active amongst the malcontent Mamlukes, who held out in Dgize, and threatened the "Great City" with a siege. They absolutely approached Cairo, and commenced negotiations with some of the principal