forced to flee from Cairo, and to give place to various competitors, he had always the good fortune to return to it in triumph. There was never a Sheick-el-Belled, whofe reign was of longer duration. From the year 1776, a few interruptions excepted, he retained poffeffion of the fupreme power; and him the French found reigning in Egypt. For this continuance in the exercife of the fovereignty, in a country where authority feldom remains long in the fame hands, he was indebted to his liberality and courage. The one of thefe qualities rendered him feared and respected, the other attached to him a number of partifans.

Mourat furpaffed all his predeceffors in magnificence. His Mamelucs were richly clothed: opulence reigned in his houfhold: his horfes were the fineft, and most fuperbly caparisoned. His money flowed from him in full ftreams; but then he filled his coffers with the fame facility by frequent and deteftable extortion.

A few days after he had compelled Ismaël Bey to take flight, by whom he had before been obliged to retire into Saïd, he refolved to drive from the caftle a bey, who had fided with his enemy. He encamped in the plain, fent for one Robinfon, an Englishman, who ferved him in the office of engineer, and ordered him to burn down the caftle.

The

The engineer observed to him, that he had neither mortars nor bombs. The barbarian knew neither the forms nor ufe of thefe implements of war, and inquired where they were to be procured. On being told, that the neareft place, at which they could be obtained, was Venice, he difmiffed Robinfon, after having ordered him a purfe of a thoufand fequins. In a fit of ill-humour the fame man would have cut off his head.

I have visited the camp of Mourat. Vaft tents were erected for the accommodation of him and his principal officers. Thefe were divided into feveral apartments, the infides of which were ornamented with the richest gold and filver ftuffs that the manufactories of Lyons could furnish, while the bottom was covered with the most beautiful carpets. Nothing could equal the magnificence of his cavalry. Gold, filver, and rich embroidery on Morocco leather, glittered in the rays of a fervid fun with a dazzling luftre; and the houfings of the faddles were made of thofe pretty, fmall figured velvets, the delicate and pleafing workmanship of the artifts of Lyons, furrounded with a broad border of gold lace.

Sometimes, too, I have gone to the palace of Mourat Bey, with a young Frenchman, who enjoyed his confidence. The bey received me with

a kind of civility, made me fit by him, and gave me his own pipe to finoke, taking it from his mouth to prefent it to me. This was an honour, according to the cuftoms of the country, which I never received from any other perfon. He put a hundred queftions to me, cach exceeding in fillinefs that which preceded it, and all teftimonies of his extreme ignorance. At length, in confequence of the account he had received from the friend who introduced me, and the fatisfaction I gave him by my answers, he was refolved to have me enter into his service, in the double capacity of phyfician and engineer. He offered me a fpacious houfe at Cairo; domeftics of all forts, as fervants and guards; a daily allowance of provifion far beyond my wants; and a confiderable falary. His offer might have feduced any one ignorant of the capricious humours of thefe unprincipled men, who to-day will load a man with favours, and tomorrow order him fuddenly into irons, or perhaps to lofe his head.

Mourat, who has not been afraid to combat the French, is a very fine man. He has a martial appearance. His chin is covered with a thick black beard; and large eyebrows form arches of ebony over his eyes full of fire. A long fear, feaming one of his cheeks, heightens the fiercenefs of his countenance. With great bravery, he poffeffes ex

traordinary

traordinary ftrength and address: he has been feen, paffing an ox on horfeback, to cut off his head with a single stroke of his scimitar. An intrepid warrior, capable of fupporting the fevereft hardships, an excellent horfeman, dexterous and powerful in handling the fcimitar, courageous in adverfity, bold in his enterprifes, cool in action, and terrible in an on fet, Mourat, with a little inftruction, might have become a great general. His proud and generous mind gave him the of fovereign dignity; but injustice, ignorance, and barbarity, rendered him a cruel tyrant.

appearance

(See the portrait of this Mameluc, Pl. XXIII*.)

CHAP.

CHAP. XXXIV.

Generous actions of certain Mamelucs—Their wives, warlike qualities, and cavalry-Egyptian and Arabian Horfes-Audience of the Pacha.-Caftle of Cairo-Jofeph's Well-Moors.

T has been seen, that two beys of the Mameluc race have exhibited gleams of bold conceptions, fome qualities fitting them for able governors, good difpofitions, and particularly greatnefs of mind. Thefe virtues were not fo rare as might be fuppofed among a number of ftrangers, brought from all parts, and assembled in Cairo, to reign there as mafters. A warlike education, with the example of pomp and prodigality placed before their eyes, unfolded and enlarged the few good propenfities, with which they were endowed by nature: while the total abfence of every other fpccies of tuition, want of learning, profound ignorance of the fundamental principles of all fociety, grofs fanaticifm, infpired by the new religion which they were forced to embrace, a life wholly military, and the examples of injuftice, cruelty, and treachery, given them by their patrons, rendered them in reality a herd of barbarians. Hence the aftonishment and even admiration excited by the noble actions, which, to

their