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CHAPTER VII.

Ghaleb, Scheriff of Mecca-Toussoun, Pacha in Arabia-His first Successes-Medina re-captured, and the Keys of the City sent to the Divan at Constantinople-The Porte's Gratitude-Successes against Sehood-Mahomed Ali in Arabia-His Conduct towards Ghaleb The Sheik banished to Salonica-His Death-the Death of Sehood-Abdallah, his eldest Son and Successor-Mahomed's return to Egypt-Toussoun follows-Ibrahim Pacha in Arabia— Final Subjugation of the Wahabees-Death of Abdallah.

FOR the purposes of the Wahabite war, a small fleet was made ready at Suez, and messengers despatched into Arabia, to report to the Viceroy the state of public feeling. The army consisted of eight thousand horse and foot, and Mahomed himself went to Suez, in order to see that proper attention was paid to the expediting all necessaries for the war.

The Scheriff of Mecca, who, only a short time previously, had declared for the Wahab Scheik, sent secret information to the Pacha, that immediately on the disembarkation of the Turks, he

would declare against the Puritans of Mahomedanism.

The

Toussoun Pacha captured Jedda and Yambo, but failed woefully before Safra, where half of his army perished. The young chief fortified his position at Yambo, and informed his father of the miserable issue of his first measures. Mahomed had recourse to every expedient to collect money. He taxed, heavily, all religious establishments, and laid heavy contributions on all towns, villages, and agricultural produce. Toussoun's army being thus reinforced, again took the offensive, regained Safra, and, marching on, after a siege of seventyfive days, gained Medina, where he appointed his own governor, and marched back to Jedda. country between the two holy cities of pilgrimage was, by these last successes of the young general, completely cleared of the enemy. The keys of Mecca were sent to the Viceroy, and by him transmitted to Constantinople, while public rejoicings testified the feelings of the inhabitants of Cairo. The Wahabite governor of Medina too was arrested, sent to be adjudged by his Sublimity's self, and beheaded. Fresh reinforcements were ordered into Arabia, and Mahomed's bribes spread treachery amongst the Arab clans, and undermined imperceptibly the power of the Wahabees.

The Porte was so gratified at the offering of the keys of Medina, that he despatched one of his

household, the Cawedjy, or coffee bearer, with rich presents for the Viceroy's acceptance. Nor was Ghaleb, the Scheriff, forgotten by his delighted master. Toussoun seized Taif, and Sehood, the Wahab, sent one of his sons to repel the invaders. The opposing forces met near Tarabeh, in the circumjacent plains, thickly covered with date trees, and intersected with ditches. The Turks were under a subordinate leader, Mustapha Bey, the Wahabees under Ghalyeh, the Scheik's wife, of the tribe of Sobeyeh. The former were entirely routed, leaving with their adversaries their artillery and their baggage.

But the victory gained against Sehood in person more than compensated for the late defeat. Sehood had laid siege to Medina, and had been eminently successful against the Turkish forces in that quarter. Salah Aga was ordered by Toussoun against him, and he vanquished the main body of Sehood's army, under the conduct of that chief himself.

But still the Arabs, like a swarm of angry wasps, surrounded and harassed the Turkish army. While Sehood was discomfited and obliged to retreat on one side, tribes of hungry Bedouins on the other, emerged, at the instigation of the Wahabees, from the depths of Yemen, and spread their numbers in every direction, even to the very walls of Mecca and Jedda. All communication was destroyed; convoys were arrested; caravans plundered. Mahomed's soldiers could not contend

against want.

Food failed them; they were un

able to bear up against constant fatigue and sore privations. They, therefore, died off like cattle seized with a murrain, to the number of some ten thousand, while of beasts of burthen there perished no less than forty or fifty thousand. The prodigious expenses consequent on these losses would have smitten a mind of second-rate capacity and strength, with doubt and imbecility; they came like harmless hailstones against the iron soul of Mahomed Ali. With individuals constituted like the Viceroy of Egypt, repeated successes so inflame the imagination, that mortal obstacles are disregarded, and the End only is kept constantly in view. For, in their pride of heart, they think themselves the chosen children of destiny, which, like an overfond mother, will gratify the most extravagant longing of their hearts. So was it with the youth of Macedon; so with the first bald Cæsar; so with him whose airy bubbles were destroyed at Waterloo. The prosperous chances of one successful adventure are sufficient enticement for a thousand desperate candidates for earthly preeminence; keeping in view the rule of the Greek poet

Τι δ' αν φοβοιτ' ανθρωπος, ῳ τα της τυχης
Κρατει ; προνοια δ' εστιν ουδενός σαφης ;

Exn

κρατιστον ζην, όπως δύναιτο τις.

With this conviction, the Pacha determined on joining his son Toussoun in Arabia.

Mahomed arrived, in August, 1813, at Jedda, and was received by his son and the Scheriff. This officer, in the eyes of the Pacha, possessed not sufficient energy for his situation; to depose him, therefore, became in his consideration an act of necessity. Abstract notions of injustice were never suffered to play the part of bugbears to the conscience of the Viceroy, who sent for his son Toussoun to Mecca, and determined on striking a blow against the chief of the holy city. The young general arrived, and Ghaleb came to pay him a visit of ceremony. After a long conference, as he was on the point of departure, from an adjoining apartment issued an officer and guard, and laid him under arrest. The Scheriff surrendered without resistance, while Toussoun assured him that, so far from an act of treachery or hostility, it was one of pure friendship! Mahomed, his father, had laid him under arrest, that he might the better be enabled to enact the mediator between Ghaleb and the Sublime Porte. Yielding a blind credence to these honied words of promise, the Scheriff sent for his children, who had shut themselves up in the citadel, and desired them to yield obedience to the Pacha's orders. They did so, were arrested, and cast into prison. They were afterwards hurried to Jedda, carried on shipboard, and taken to Cosier, to await the orders of Mahomed Ali. From Cosier, Ghaleb was escorted to Cairo, and there, with his children, confined.