The consternation of the town was immediate and general. Mr. BRUCE, the Assistant Resident, was sent by the Envoy to learn the particulars of its situation: he found the gates shut, and the towers manned, but he gained admittance through the wicket, and saw all the misery and confusion of the crisis. The _Sheik_’s wives and servants were embarking in great haste on board one of his ships; his _Vizir_ also, HAJEE SULIMAN, was hastening his own preparations to escape. The shops were shut, the streets were crowded with men transporting their households to the sea shore, and their wives and daughters were beating their breasts and crying in loud lamentation. Nor was there a shew of resistance, except on the walls; or a thought of defence: the only hope and the only thought of every man was the preservation of his little fortunes and the honour of his women. The same alarm prevailed in the country; all the poor date-hut villagers flocked for protection into the Factory, and trusted to its walls the security of their families and their scanty wealth. Women and children, their asses and their poultry, were all indiscriminately hurried into the enclosure; and before the evening we saw around us no common scenes of misery and terror. The Assistant Resident, who had examined this state of things in the town, was sent, on his return, by the Envoy to the _Khan_, to represent the alarm of the place; and to add, that the Envoy expected that no molestation should be offered to any of the persons belonging to his mission. The _Khan_ was extremely civil, and treated him as usual with coffee and three _kaleouns_. He informed him on the subject of his commission; that he had orders from his court to seize the _Sheik_, his cousin, and his _Vizir_: and then read to him the _firman_. The _firman_, in the first place, ordained the act of seizure; and then ordained, that not the smallest molestation should be given to the English, that every possible respect and attention should be shewn to them, and strongly denounced vengeance on any offender; and lastly ordained, that no inhabitant, either of the town or of the villages, should receive the least harm. In his own name, he assured the Assistant Resident, that he was determined to put the _firman_ in its full force; and turning to his followers and guards, cried out, “Woe be to that man who shall be found guilty of giving the smallest offence to any Englishman, or to any of his servants, or to any thing that belongs to him.” He added, indeed, that the present fate of the _Sheik_ was the punishment of his ungracious behaviour to the English;[18] and swore, that, for his own part, nothing was so strongly the object of his mind, as the good will of our nation. The _Khan_ further stated, that he had intended, in the proposed visit of the morning in conjunction with the _Sheik_, first to have read the _firman_ to the _Elchee_, (the Embassador), and then to have executed