be filled up. Use thy utmost exertion to bring in the men to the minister of war without loss of time, otherwise, thy punishment shall serve as an example to the inspectors of the other provinces."

DCCXLVII. Meanwhile, general Muravieff, considering his mission as accomplished, and the Pasha as thoroughly humbled by the threats of Nicholas, had embarked on board the Standard frigate, and only waited for a favourable wind to set sail from Egypt. Here he received an intimation that Mohammed Ali, far from relaxing in his military preparations, had, since the conclusion of their conferences, despatched several new regiments into Syria, which were immediately to be followed by others. Such conduct appeared to require an explanation. Muravieff, therefore, returned on shore, and, proceeding to the palace, which is always accessible, reproached his Highness with want of sincerity, since it had been understood that no additional troops should be sent into Syria until the pending negotiations were at an end. "Oh, replied the Pasha, with his characteristic readiness, I will explain that matter in two words: In Syria I have many officers, who, from deaths in their regiments, have few or no soldiers to command. Here, on the contrary, I had men without any officers to instruct them. It was, therefore, a more economical measure to send these men into Syria, as to a school, than to maintain them here, and create a number of fresh officers on their account." With this explanation the Russian ap

peared to be satisfied; and Mohammed Ali, perceiving how narrowly his movements were watched, redoubled his activity in urging forward preparations for continuing the war.

DCCXLVIII. Before the departure of general Muravieff, Halil Pasha arrived at Alexandria. He was received with great distinction by Mohammed Ali, who prudently desired to act upon the principle recommended by the Divan-that Egypt and the Porte should settle their dispute between themselves. "It is greatly to be lamented," were his expressions, "that they should call in the Franks to intermeddle with our domestic misunderstandings." Negotiations were accordingly commenced in this spirit, and the result despatched to Constantinople; where the Sultan, with signal bad faith, and still worse policy, was secretly treating with the natural enemies of both parties but this was what the Pasha had foreseen. In the utter uncertainty of the issue of things, he, therefore, in order to be prepared for the worst, endeavoured, by a characteristic mandate, to hasten the levying of the contributions. You have already been ordered to send in immediately," he observed, "your contribution for last month. Hitherto it has not arrived. Ramadan is over, and my expectations are still deluded: from this it clearly appears, that you are a negligent blockhead-an ass. But, since you cannot comprehend how urgent it is that the treasury should be supplied, I send you my kawas: on his arrival, let him not be detained one instant;

530

INCLEMENCY OF THE WINTER.

but remit into his hands the contribution due on the expiration of the month Shaban: for if you either detain my officer, or delay your payments, as soon as it comes to my knowledge, I will tear you to pieces. Now act accordingly: this is my will."

DCCXLIX. Meanwhile, the sufferings of the people, occasioned principally by the vast expenses of the war, had been much augmented by the unusual inclemency of the winter. At Rosetta there was a fall of snow and hail, and at Cairo the frost was so severe as to kill, in Ibrahim Pasha's garden, some of the hardy plants of the north. The weather indeed was exceedingly tempestuous throughout the whole of Lower Egypt, more especially at Alexandria, where, during many days, the whole city was deluged with rain and hail, which poured down night and day, with little or no intermission. The houses of the principal inhabitants, even the Pasha's harem, became almost uninhabitable. Part of the Shoonah, and many other large buildings, fell down, crushing and burying numbers of robust men beneath the ruins. The frail huts of the Arabs, scarcely formed to resist the severity of an ordinary winter, were washed away, or overthrown by the wind; and many children and persons of infirm health perished, through the united rigour of hunger and cold. The Pasha himself, without a dry divan, was moved with compassion for his suffering people. He ordered his vast magazines and all the mosques to be thrown open for their reception, and, at the same

CHARITY OF THE FRANKS.

581

time, commanded the distribution of provisions, fuel, and clothing. In the meanwhile an appeal was made to the charity of the Franks; and, in less than twelve hours, a subscription exceeding ten thousand piastres had been raised. No time was to be lost; but the generous individual who had so successfully appealed to the humanity of the Christian residents, through deference to the government, defeated his own object, by applying to the prime minister, Boghos Bey, to obtain the Pasha's permission for the distribution of the money, supposing the action might otherwise be considered indelicate. During the delay thus occasioned, the rain ceased, the sun appeared again; and the distresses of the Arabs were forgotten. Whether or not the minister ever laid the matter before the Pasha, I am ignorant; but the money raised for the relief of the wretched natives was converted to the use of the Frank hospital.

DCCL. In Europe the political movements of the East were daily beheld with increasing anxiety. France, whose consul had previously been the channel of communication between Mohammed Ali and the Porte, either feeling a deeper interest than the other powers in the affairs of the Levant, or conceiving that it possessed superior influence to compose them, immediately despatched an ambassador to Constantinople. The British government appointed a diplomatic agent to reside permanently at the court of Egypt; and Austria, perceiving that the Pasha despised her menaces, followed reluctantly the ex

532

BRITISH POLITICAL AGENT.

ample of England. Colonel Campbell, the British political agent, made his public entry into Alexandria early in the spring. An Arab guard of honour led the procession; these were followed by the dragomans in their flowing robes, the consul, and ex-consul; a number of naval officers, and the whole body of the British residents were present. The British flag, hoisted on the consulate, was saluted with the cannon of the Great Pharillon; a line-of-battle ship was launched; the harbour was crowded with boats, the shore with long lines of infantry, and French and Arab bands, which executed successively many martial airs. Such were the circumstances which accompanied the agent's march to the palace, where he was received, and admitted to an audience with the Pasha, whom he addressed in a formal speech.

DCCLI. "I have solicited the honour of an audience of your Highness," he observed, "in order to present the commission by which the King, my august sovereign, has appointed me his agent and consul-general in Egypt. His Majesty, my master, has been induced to invest me with this honourable employment, at the court of your Highness, by the persuasion that much reciprocal benefit would accrue from strengthening the relations already existing between his Majesty's dominions and the countries governed by your Highness. And his Majesty expects that your Highness will grant me the enjoyment and exercise of all those privileges, immunities, and prerogatives which have at any time been conceded to the agents and consuls of any other European