“But whatever their originally proposed destination might have been, under this goodly escort, the first batch of Syrians arrived in safety at Beyrout on the 14th of September, and being duly handed over by me to the British and Turkish authorities,—Col. Rose and Selim Pasha,—were shortly afterwards followed by the remainder of their unfortunate fellow exiles, to the amount of 10,000, who returned to their native shores in the most miserable plight, without pay, many in rags, and the greater part with several months’ arrears due to them, some even to the extent of from twenty to twenty-four months! “So much for the faith, justice, and honour of His Highness Mehemet Ali Pacha!” Footnote 123: See Vol. I., pp. 254-278. Footnote 124: “_Maronite Emirs or Princes._—1. Emir Hyder of Solymah. 2. Emir Faoul Shehab. 3. Emir Faris Shehab. 4. Emir Youssouf Shehab. 5. Emir Mahmoud Shehab. 6. Emir Abdallah Umrad. 7. Emir Ali Kaid Bey. 8. Emir Ali Faris. “_Druse Scheiks or Chieftains._—9. Scheik Hamoud Naked. 10. Scheik Kassim. 11. Scheik Abbas. 12. Scheik Nickul el Cassim (a Christian). “And about sixty followers.” Footnote 125: See the correspondence on this subject in Vol. I., pp. 254, 258, _et seq._ Footnote 126: “The Emir Youssouf, the son of the Emir Solyman Shehab, of El Haded, who died of fever in Upper Egypt.” Footnote 127: _Viscount Palmerston to Lieutenant-Colonel Napier._ (Extract.) Foreign Office, May 14, 1841. I have to instruct you, immediately on the receipt of this despatch, to proceed to Alexandria to demand from Mehemet Ali the release of the Syrian soldiers, whom he promised Sir Charles Napier to dismiss; and you will accompany those soldiers back to Syria. I have applied to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to provide you with a passage on board the steam-vessel which conveys the mail from Gibraltar to Malta; and the Admiral at Malta will be instructed to send you on to Alexandria, and also to make arrangements for conveying the Syrian soldiers, when released by Mehemet Ali, from Egypt to the coast of Syria. You will report your proceedings in execution of this instruction directly to me, and also to Colonel Bridgeman, or the officer commanding the British detachments on shore in Syria, to whose orders you will be subject while employed on this service; and who will be instructed to direct you to return to your regiment when the service is completed. I inclose a despatch to Colonel Hodges, directing him to join you in demanding from Mehemet Ali the release of these Syrians; and you will deliver the same to Colonel Hodges, if he should be at Alexandria, when you arrive there. But you will not delay making the demand, if Colonel Hodges should not have arrived. CHAPTER XXI.