Travels in Africa, Egypt, and Syria, from the year 1792 to 1798Browne, William George
History
Travels in Africa, Egypt, and Syria, from the year 1792 to 1798
Browne, William George
Egypt -- Description and travel; Sudan -- Description and travel; Syria -- Description and travel
I remained in that city till the 30th, when we set sail for Kahira, or
rather trusted ourselves to the current, the wind blowing constantly
from North-west. I stopped a night at Benesoef, intending to have
passed thence to Feiume: but finding it not easy to meet with a
conveyance, declined that journey, and arrived in Kahira on the 8th
of December.
The wind, which was high during our excursion to Cossîr, and
afterwards on the Nile, contained such penetrating cold, that, on
coming to Assiût, I found myself affected strongly with a fever. A
large dose of James’s powder however removed it.
A short time before my arrival at Ghenné, two Greeks, who were
going to seek their fortune, as they reported, in Habbesh, came
to Kous. The one had a small supply of money, of which the other
was destitute—Words arose between them, and some good friend
advised them to have recourse to the Cashef of the place to settle
their difference. This officer, who was a young man, and noted for
the violence of his character, heard their respective narratives,
and then, finding that money was the cause of their disagreement,
terminated the hopes of the one, and the fears of the other, by an
order for the instant death of both.
The report, in reaching Kahira, was charged with various circumstances
of aggravation, and even the persons of the sufferers were changed. It
was there said, that the Frank who was in Saïd was one of the two
massacred, and the Cashef’s master was among the number of those who
had been deceived. _Keid Aga_, in whose department Kous was situated,
sent word of this event, accompanied with a suitable comment, and,
as was said, an offer of any reasonable reparation, to the Austrian
Consul, the only one resident in Kahira. The latter had forwarded
it to the British Consul at Alexandria, when I arrived at Kahira
in time personally to contradict it. The death of the two Greeks,
it was said, remained unnoticed.
CHAP. XI.
OCCURRENCES AT KAHIRA.
_Arrival of the Pasha — Death of Hassan Bey — Decline of the
French factory in Kahira — Expulsion of the Maronite Christians
from the Custom-house — Riot among the Galiongîs — Obstruction
of the canal of Menûf — Supply of fish in the pools of Kahira
— Expedition of Achmet Aga, &c._
On the 13th October 1796, the newly-appointed Pasha made his entrance
into the city, in a manner more public than has been usual for some
years. His name is Bekîr: he is a Pasha of three _tôk_ or tails,
and was formerly Grand Wizîr. The procession consisted of, first,
the great officers of the city, and among them the Janizary aga, then
some bostangîs, two and two. Several of the Beys, superbly mounted,
two and two, preceded and followed by a body of Mamlûks. Twelve
fine led horses, richly caparisoned. The band of music belonging to
the Pasha. The tails, the officers and servants of his house-hold;
and lastly, the Pasha himself.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account