The

hundred and fifty covers. French colours were united with the Turkish, the cap of liberty was placed by the fide of the crefcent, and the rights of man by the Koran. The gaiety of the French was tempered with the gravity of the Turks. The Muffelmen were left to their own choice of meats and drinks, and expreffed great fatisfaction with the attentions that were fhewn them. After dinner, feveral toafts were drank. The commander-in-chief gave, for a toaft, To the three hundredth year of the French republic. One of his aides-de-camp, To the giflative bodies, and the executive directory. Mongé, prefident of the Egyptian inftitute, To the perfection of the human underfanding, and the advancement of knowledge. General Berthier, To the expulfion of the Mammalukes, and the profperity of the people of Egypt. Other toafts were given, but these were the chief. Each toast was received with unanimous plaudits, and fuitable airs of mufic, Patriotic couplets, fung by the foldiery, concluded this civic feaft.

At four o'clock, foot and horfe races began, and the prizes were adjudged to the victors, who were borne in triumph around the circus. At the clofe of the day, the whole of the circumference of this was illuminated in the moft brilliant manner. The pillars, the intermediate garlands, and the triumphal arches were hung with chryftal lamps, which produced the happiest effect. At eight o'clock, there was a beautiful difplay of fire-works, accompanied, at different intervals, by difcharges of mufquetry and artillery. A confiderable number of Turkish ladies enjoyed the fpectacle from the windows and tops of the houfes that

furrounded the place of Elbecquier, The intent of this entertainment, it will readily be perceived, was, to imprefs the minds of the Egyptians with a fenfe of the power, art, and magnificence of the French nation, and of their respect for Muffelmen, and good-will towards all the Egyptians. Nor was it by profeffions alone, that Buonaparte ftudied to gain the attachment and confidence of the people among whom, according to his own phrafe, the French had come to dwell, but by actions, In order to please the people, and difpel their apprehenfions of fome unknown impending calamities; the opening of the canal of Cairo, was this year accompanied by even greater ceremony and pomp than ufual. On this occafion the general diftributed confiderable fums, in alms, among the poor, and gave an entertainment to the notables of Cairo. In like manner he gave a confiderable fum for defraying the expenfe of a magnificent feaft, in honour of the birth-day of the prophet. Having, on that occafion, declared himself the protector of all religions, he received, from the Muffelmen, the name of Ali Buongparte. But the overt-act, by which The moft fignally difplayed regard to the grand feignior, the head of Muffelmen on earth, was his permitting all the Turkish veffels in Alexandria, as well as all neutral veffels, either to remain or fet fail for their refpective deftinations, at their pleafure, and fetting free and fending to Conftantinople, on board thofe veffels, with a letter to the grand vizier, fraught with many profeffions of regard and even fubordination to the Porte, the Turkish flaves, in number of three. hundred, whom he had found at

Malta.

Malta. He made prefents to Turks, Greeks, and Arabs. He patronized ftrict juftice between man and man: he gave free paf fage and protection to the pilgrims going to and from Mecca, and encouraged all kinds of commerce. On the filth of Auguft, when in purfuit of Ibrahim Bey, he had the good fortune to fall in with different parties of Arabs, who had taken a great part of a caravan, on its return from Mecca. He fent the pilgrims and merchants, under a proper efcort, to Cairo.

He found a number of prædial flaves whom he encouraged, and endeavoured to raife, by hope, to induftry, and the dignity of men, by giving them lands to be cultivated on their own account. He gave equal rights of inheritance to all the children of the fame parents. He improved the condition of women, by giving them a certain portion of their husband's goods, at their decease, and the right of difpofing of it. He encouraged mar riages between his foldiers and the natives, and endeavoured to re

ftrain polygamy. He established fchools for the inftruction of the young French, Cophts, and Arabs, in French, Arabic, geography, and mathematics. He was a friend to fhews, feftivities, games, and other diverfions; in all which he wifhed the French and the natives to mingle together. And he submitted, as a problem, to the inftitute by what inftruments and airs, the minds of these last, might be the most readily and effectually impreffed through the power of mufic.

By his orders, illued about the middle of September, a general affembly was to be held, on or before the twelfth of October, of all the nota

bles throughout the fourteen pro vinces, into which Egypt is divided, Deputations from each of thefe provinces were to form a general council, or divan, for the government of the nation at the capital, Grand Cairo. Each deputation was to confift of three men of the law, three merchants, and three fheicks, or chiefs, of Arabs. The French generals, commanding the different provinces, had it in charge to choofe the perfons who fhould form the affemblies of notables, in the particular provinces, out of those perfons who had most influence with the people, and were the most diftinguifhed for their knowledge, their talents, and the manner in which they had received the French: They were charged to take fpecial care not to name any perfons for notables, who had declared against the French: but to take a note of their names, and tranfmit them to the general-in-chief. A registeroffice was eftablished for titles to eftates, and other deeds that might be produced as evidence. The members of the divan allowed liberal falaries, and every measure was taken that might tend to reconcile the Egyptians to the government of their new mafters.

In purfuance of the orders of the general, deputies from all the provinces of Egypt, affembled at Cairo, on the eight of October, and held their first fitting under the title of the general divan. In this aflembly Mongé and Bartholet performed the functions of commiflaries on the part of the French. The beauty of the Turkish drefs, the gravity of the perfons who wore them, and the numerous domestics in their train, confpired to faed on the general divan an air of majesty. The

Arabian

was chofen prefident. The only bufinefs tranfacted in the divan was the paffing into laws, or the giving confent to the decrees of the general.

But this fhew of freedom could fcarcely be expected to impofe on the weakest minds. Befides the presence of the French commiffioners, and the manner of the appointment of the notables, there were other circumstances which brought the fubjection of the Muffelmen ftill more forcibly to their recollection. Orders had been given, that the whole of the inhabitants of Egypt fhould wear the three-coloured cockade; that all the Egyptian veffels (called germes) navigating the Nile, fhould hoift the three-coloured flag. And this flag was flying from the great pyramid, the pillar of Pompey, and the loftieft minaret of the caftle of Cairo, and the highest minaret of all the places of note in the fourteen provinces. To the members of the divan alone it was permitted to wear, by way of diftinction, if they chofe it, threecoloured fhawls on their fhoulders. A government refembling, as near as circumftances would admit, the form of the French republic, was organized throughout Egypt. A land-tax was impofed on all the villages in all the provinces. And a tax on houses in Grand Cairo, and other cities.

Though it has been an easy matter to produce fudden effects on the minds of barbarians and femi-barbarians, it is extremely difficult, by any powers of reafoning or improvements, however beneficial, to produce

any permanent change in their fyftem of thinking; which, in proportion to the paucity of their ideas,

Neither the grand divan at Cairo, nor the fubordinate councils, anfwered the fanguine expectations of Buonaparte. Murmurs of difcontent were foon intermingled with the deliberations of the national affembly of Muffelmen. Every innovafion, it was generally agreed, though not at firft refolutuly expreffed, was contrary to the Koran, which had forefeen and provided for all cafes, worthy of confideration. Thefe murmurs did not elcape the vigilance of the French commander, who had his fpies in every place, and was informed of every thing that paffed. He endeavoured to preferve peace and good order, by meafures of prevention. Out of the numbers of individuals who were followers, and employed in various fervices of the government and army; and all the Europeans, of whatever nation, refiding at Cairo, he formed, about the beginning of October, ten companies of national guards, not to be employed as regulars, but to occupy and maintain certain appointed pofts in the city, on any announced emergency.

It was not long before the infurrection apprehended burft forth. On the twenty-fixth of that month, immenfe crowds, armed with fpears and fharp ftones, affembled in and around the grand mofque, and every other mofque in Cairo. These were the fortreffes in which they were to make their stand, and from which to make their attacks. A fecret correfpondence was established between the Mahometan priests and the Mammalukes; fome of whom were concealed in different houses, in the garb of women. General Dupuy, at the head of a regiment of dragoons, repaired to the grand

mofque,

mofque, to disperse the multitude that was every moment increafing. He was furioufly attacked, and mortally wounded. Not a few of his men were killed. The reft carried back the general to his quarters, where he died in a few hours thereafter. The alarm being given, the whole of the French were immediately under arms. The gene ral gave orders for a battalion to march against the grand mofque, where the Turks were affembled, to the number of eight or ten thoufand. They were fummoned, but decidedly refufed to furrender. The citadel then fired on the city, particularly the grand mofque, into which there fell feveral bombs, exciting terror and defpair. Other battalions were fent against the other mofques, in the avenues and approaches to which the Turks were attacked, and driven back into the mofques. The doors of these were forced by the French, who made a dreadful flaughter. But the Muf fulmen, though defeated, were not yet conquered. The place of the flain was fupplied by new combatants, and the conteft was prolong ed, This was a terrible day, and fcarcely was that which followed lefs bloody. Not a Turk who was armed with fo much as a club, or a ftone, escaped with life. The Turks, on their part, affaffinated every individual, or fmall party of French, whom they found in the ftreets. They burst into the houfes of the French, and plundered them; and, if any European domeftics were found, they were put to the fword. Some traces of the infurrection remained till the twenty-third of October: towards the evening of which the city began to refume the appearance of tranquillity, The lof of the VOL. XLI.

infurgents was calculated, by the French, at five or fix thousand men : that of the French themfelves, in killed and wounded, was ftated by them not to have exceed a hundred, in killed and wounded. And this lofs, it was alfo ftated, was owing to a fhower of heavy stones thrown on the French, from the tops of houfes. In this affair the Greeks, at Cairo, took a decided and active part on the fide of the French. Some of them took up arms in their caufe, while its iffue was yet dubious: a greater number, after it was decided, were active in the difcovery of fugitives. All the prifoners, whom they brought to the different military ftations in Cairo, and who were found guilty on evidence, we may prefume not very fcrupulous, were put to death. The difguifed Mammalukes, conformably to a former decree, underwent the fame fate. Several parties of the infurgents retaining their arms, endeavoured to efcape death by a precipate fiight; but thefe unfortunate men were affailed by double terrors. While they were purfued by general Danourt, at the head of a body of cavalry, they were met in front by the Arabs of the defart, who are equally hoftile to all ftrangers, Turks, Europeans, and Egyptians, and fometimes parties of their own nation; all ftrangers not of their own tribe. They are always on horfeback, and live in the midst of the defart. Their ferocity is equal to the wretched life they lead, expofed for whole days to the burning heat of the fun, without a drop of water to drink. They are perfidious, and, maintaining a conftant ftruggle for the maintenance of their own exiftence, are but little fufceptible of humanity and compaffion for others. [C]

They

They prefent the most hideous pic, ture of barbarians that can be conceived. The unhappy fugitives from Cairo, hemmed in between fuch enemies, and the avenging French, had no retreat. The fate of the whole was ruin, flavery, or death. Buonaparte, having inflicted fevere, though in his circumftances perhaps not unneceffary, punishment, published an amnefty to all peaceable people, and held the fame language of conciliation, and affected confidence, as ufual. While the infurrection was brewing at Cairo, the French arms were employed in the fuppreffion of plots of lefs moment, and in fubduing open refiftance in other places. Scarce a day paffed without fome fkirmishing between the French and Arabs. At Sombat, capital of a diftrict of Gambia, the inhabitants affaffinated a detachment of French, confifting of one half of a demibrigade, and a part of a regiment of dragoons. On the thirteenth of September, the village, by orders of the generals Dugua and Verdier, was burned. About the fame time there was an engagement at Mitcamar, between the Arabs and the troops under general Murat, in which the former were completely routed. On the night between the fifteenth and fixteenth of September, the French garrifon of Damietta was attacked by a number of Arabs, joined by infurgents from feveral neighbouring provinces. The generals Vial and Andreoffi attacked them in their turn, at their head-quarters in the village of Schouarra, fituated within cannon flot of Damietta. The Arabs, to the number, as ftated by the French, of about ten thousand, were ranged in one

line, extending from the Nile to the lake Menzales. The number of the French did not exceed five hundred. Fifteen hundred of the Arabs were killed or drowned, in the inundation of the river, and in the lake. The village Schouarra was taken, and committed to the flames. Columns of light troops fcouring the country, between Damietta and Manfoura, punished the chiefs of the revolt. On the feventh of October the divifion of the French, under general Deflaix, who, having driven the Mammalukes before, had paffed fome weeks in the neighbourhood of the cataracts, in fearch of the ruins of Thebes, defeated Mourad Bey, at Sediman, in Fayoum, a province of Upper Egypt. The French had been greatly haraffed on their march by the troops of the bey, who endeavoured to ftraiten the quarters of the French, and cut off their provifions. At day break they found themfelves in front of the army of the bey, five or fix thousand ftrong, compofed of nearly an equal number of Mammalukes and Arabs, and a corps of infantry, which guarded the entrenchments of Sediman where there were placed four pieces of cannon; general Deffaix formed his infantry into a fquare battalion, which he flanked with two finall divifions of two hundred horfemen each. The Mammalukes and Arabs, after long hefitation, formed their refolution, and charged a small platoon on the right, commanded by captain Valette, with horrible cries, and the greatest valour; and, at the fame time, the rear of the fquare. They were every where received by the French with the greatest

coolneís.

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