Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

ties, and a recommendation of the bath, with directions for ufing it, to the French foldiers. At Cairo, a theatre was established for the amufement of the French; and music was introduced on all occafions. But, in fpite of every effort of this kind, the French army muft be diminished by the accidents of war in the procefs of time, and that not very long, and by natural deaths and difeafe moulder away at laft to nothing, unless it fhould, from time to time, be recruited by fresh fupplies of men. Buonaparte,therefore, in imitation of the Romans, and of Alexander the Great, whofe examples were ftill before him, determined to arrange, under his standard, the inhabitants of the country, which, as yet he had over-run, and that only in part, rather than conquered. He allured into his fervice, by liberal pay and the profpect of plunder, corps of Arabs and Greeks, and even a company of Janiflaries. The fons of the Mammalukes, who had fallen in battle, or fled from the country, above eight but under fixteen years of age, as well as thofe of their flaves, white or black, he brought into the demi-brigades to fupply the place of the French drummers, and players on the fife, whom he placed in the ranks, as fufileers. The young Mammalukes, from fixteen to twenty-four, were incorporated with the battalions.

The predominant paffions of the inhabitants of Egypt, were religious bigotry and fuperftition, and a jealoufy and indignation against any degree of familiarity with their women. Buonaparte, therefore, deemed it neceflary to inftruct and caution his army on these two important and delicate fubjects. In a proclamation, dated at head-quarters, on board the L'Orient, June 22,

1798, after declaring the object of the expedition, which was, to promote the general interefts of civili zation and commerce, and humble the naval power of England, and confidently promifing, after feveral fatiguing marches, and fome hoftile encounters, complete fuccefs, he told them, that the people, among whom they were going to live, were Mahometans; the firft article of whofe religious creed was, that "There is no God, but God, and Mahomet is his prophet." Do not contradict them, faid he. Conduct yourselves towards them, as we have done towards the Jews and the Italians. Shew refpect to their muftis and their imans, and the ceremonies preferibed by the Koran; as you have fhewn to the rabbis and the bifhops. Cherifh the fame fpirit of toleration for the mofques that you have entertained for the convents and the fynagogues, for the religion of Mofes, and of Jefus Chrift. The Roman legions protected all religions. You will find here ufages different from those of Europe. You will reconcile yourfelves to them by cuftom.

[ocr errors]

The people of the land into which we are about to enter differ from us in their mode of their treatment of women: but, in every country, he who offers violence to the women is a monfter. Buonaparte proceeded next to warn them againft giving way to a spirit of plunder. Pillage, which can enrich only a very few, reflects difhonour on the whole; it dries up our refources, and converts into enemies thofe whom it is our intereft to have for friends." In conclufion, he reminded them that the city they were going to attack was built by Alexander, and that grand recollections, fitted to excite the [B4] emulation

emulation of Frenchmen, would be recalled to their minds at every step. At the fame time, orders were iffued that every individual of the army who fhould pillage or fieal fhould be fhot; that the punishment of death fhould alfo be inflicted on every individual of the army who fhould impofe contributions on towns, villages, or individuals, or fhould commit extortions of any kind; and that, when any individuals of a divifion fhould have committed any diforders in a country, -the whole divifion, if the offender fhould not be difcovered, fould be -refponfible, and pay the fum neceflary to indemnify the inhabitants for the lofs fuftained.

Nothing but neceffaries for the. foldiers, hofpitals, tranfports, and artillery, was to be put in requifition; and, when once the requifitions were made, the objects required were to be put into the hands of the different adminiftrations, who fhould give receipts for them, and receive others from thofe to whom they fhould diftribute them, and be accountable for every thing. Thus, in no cafe, could officers or foldiers receive directly the objects required. While Buonaparte was anxious to reftrain his officers and foldiers from giving any offence to the people of Egypt, he was farther folicitous to gain their forbearance and good will by the ftrongest profeffions of regard for both their religious fentiments and civil interefts, endeavouring to perfuade them that they and the Great Nation could have no other than the fame objects in view, the fame friends, and the fame enemies. In a letter to the bafhaw of Egypt, June 30, he fays, "The executive directory of the French republic have

5

frequently applied to the Sublime Porte to demand the punishment of the beys of Egypt, who oppreffed, with their vexations, the merchants of France; but the Sublime Porte declared that the beys, an avaricious and fickle race, refufed to liften to the principles of justice; and, not only, that the Porte did not authorize thefe infults, but withdrew their protection from the perfons by whom they were committed; the French republic has refolved to fend a powerful army to put an end to the exactions of the beys of Egypt, in the fame manner as it has been feveral times compelled, during the prefent century, to take these meafures against the beys of Tunis and Algiers. You, who ought to be the mafiers of the beys, and yet are kept at Cairo, without power or authority. You ought to regard my arrival with pleafure; you are, doubtlefs, already apprifed that I come not to attempt any thing against the alcoran or the fultan. You know that the French nation is the only ally which the fultan has in Europe. Come, then, and meet me, and curfe along with me the impious race of the beys."

On the fame day, the general-inchief, affuming the air and character of a true Muffelman, addrefled a proclamation to the people of Egypt. As it ferves to display the character of the Egyptians, as well as that of Buonaparte, it may be acceptable to the reader that it fbould be inferted here, at full length, rather than receive a tincture of any other mind, even by. abridgement. It is a curious fpecimen of that moral artillery with which Buonaparte, "becoming all things to all men," propofed to fpread the power of the French republic over the world. "In the

gracious.

[blocks in formation]

"For a long time, the beys who govern Egypt have infulted the French nation, and opprefled their merchants with exactions.

"For a long time, this heap of flaves, purchafed in the mountains of Caucafus and Georgia, have tyrannized over the fairest part of the world.

"But God, upon whom all depends, has directed that their empire fhould cease.

Inhabitants of Egypt, when the beys tell you I come to destroy your religion, believe them not: anfwer them, that I come to refcue the rights of the poor from the hands of their tyrants; and that the French refpect, more than the Mammalukes, God, his prophet, and the Koran.

"Tell them that all men are equal in the eyes of God. Underftanding, ingenuity, and fcience alone, make a difference between them; and what wifdom, what talents, what virtues, diftinguish the Mammalukes, that they thould have exclufively all that renders life fweet and pleasant?

"Is there a beautiful woman? fhe belongs to the Mammalukes. Is there a handfome flave, a fine horfe, a fine houfe? they belong to the Mammalukes.

"Is Egypt their farm? let them fhew the leafe which God has given them. But God is juft and merciful to all his people. All the Egyptians are entitled to the poffeffion of all places. The wifeft, moft enlightened, and moft virtuous, will

govern, and the people will be happy. You had once great cities, large canals, much trade: who has deftroyed them, but the avarice, injuftice, and tyranny, of the Mammalukes?

[ocr errors]

Cadis, cheiks, imans, tcherbadjies, tell the people that we are the friends of true Muffelmen. Did we not destroy the pope, who faw that it was neceffary to make war against the Mutlelmen? Did we not deftroy the knights of Malta, because thofe foolish men thought that God wifhed war to be carried on against the Muffelmen? Have we not been, at all times, the friends of the grand feignior, (may God accomplish his withes!) and the foe of his foes? The Mammalukes, on the contrary, are not they ever revolting against the authority of the grand feignior, whom they ftill refule to acknowledge? Thrice happy thofe who are with us! they fhall profper in their fortune and rank; happy those who are neuter! they will have time to learn, to know us, and will be with us. But miferable, thrice miferable those who shall arm for the Mámmalukes, and fight against us; there fhall be no hope for them, they fhall perifh!

Article I. All places which hall be three leagues diftant from the route of the French army fhall fend one of their principal inhabitants to the general, to declare that they fubmit, and will hoift the French flag, which is blue, white, and red.

II. Every village which fall arm against the French army thall be burned to the ground.

III. Every village which fha!! fubmit to the French thall hoist the French flag, and that of the Sublime Porte, their ally.

IV. The

IV. The chieks, cadis, and imans, fhall continue to exercife their refpective functions: each inhabitant thall remain in his houfe; and prayers fhall continue as ufual: every one fhall return thanks to God for the deftruction of the Mammalukes. Glory to the fultan; glory to the French army, his friend! curfes to the Mammalukes; and happinefs to the people of Egypt!"

To the fame effect, but with the brevity of a conqueror, Buonaparte, after he was master of Cairo, addreffed the bafhaw and the people of Cairo. He confirmed, when mafter of Egypt, by means of the fignal victory which his army had gained, his former declaration, to preferve to the bafhaw of the grand feignior his revenues and appointment; and begged of him to affure the Porte that it would fuffer no kind of lofs, and that he would take care that it should continue to receive the tribute heretofore paid to it.

Buonaparte not only declared himfelf a difciple and friend to Mahomet, but, by means of his emiflaries, as well as no obfcure hints in metlages and letters to different parties of Muffelmen, infinuated, that he was acquainted with their inward thoughts and defigns, and endeavoured to propagate a perfuafion that he had been actually and exprefly commiffioned, by the prophet, to refift, repel, and overthrow, the tyranny of the beys, to reform certain errors and abufes, and to promote juftice, mercy, and piety; the great ends of the Mahometan and only religion.

He was careful to pay homage, on every occafion, to the prophet. By his dedre, and according to his

example, the French officers and fol diers were in the habit of affifting at the great feftivals and ceremonies in honour of the prophet. The whole army took the tone of outward refpect for Ifmaulifm.

In a few days after the reduction of Cairo, accompanied by feveral of his principal officers and feveral members of the Egyptian inftitute, he went to fee the grand pyramid, called Cheops; in the interior of which he was attended by feveral muftis and imans. In a curious and interefting converfation, which took place between himself and thofe religious characters, on this occafion, Buonaparte fuftained his part fo well as to imprefs on their minds, at once, a refpect for his own understanding and knowledge, and an idea, at least for a time, that he entertained a refpect for the faith of Muffelmen. Having faluted the ftrangers and fat down with them, in their manner, on the ground, he faid, "God is great, and his works are marvellous. Here is a great work accomplished by the hands of man. What end had he in view who conftructed this pyramid?” One of the priefis anfwered, "It is the work of a great king of Egypt, called Cheops, who wished that his afhes might not be difturbed by facrilegious intrufions." "Cyrus, the Great," replied Buonaparte, "gave orders, that his inanimate body fhould be expofed to the open air, on purpose that it might be the more easily and completely diffolved, and be re-united to the natural elements. Dont you think that he did much better? What think you? one of the muftis bowing his head faid, "Glory to God to whom all glory is due." Buonaparte added,

"

Honour to Allah," (who was the

caliph that gave orders for the opening of this pyramid, and difturbing the afhes of the dead.* The mufti and imans made anfwer, "According to fome, Mahomet, the commander of the faithful, who reigned, many centuries ago, at Bagdad; but, according to others, Haroun al Refchid, who fancied, that he fhould find treafures in it; but when those whom he had fent had entered this apartment, as the tradition is, they found nothing but mummies, with the following infcription on the wall, written in letters of gold, "The impious commit iniquity without fear, but not withcut remorfe." Buonaparte applied a proverb, well known to the perfons with whom he now converfed, "The bread that is taken by violence fiils the mouth of the robber with gravel."

It was not only in Epypt that Buonaparte laboured to propagate a belief of his attachment to Muffelmen and the Sublime Porte. He fent letters, to this end, to different agents of France, in different parts of the Turkish empire, and one written, in Arabic, to the fhereef of Mecca, to whom he entrusted another to their friend, Tippo Sultan. This letter was received at Judda, early, firft of July, 1799, and thence forwarded to the Holy City. But Buonaparte, who pol feled much difcernment, was at great pains to ftudy characters, and who varied his tone according to that of the perfons whom he addreffed, feemed to confider the hierophant of Mecca rather as a political prince, concerned for the profperity of his place and people,

1

than as a devotee to the religion of Mahomet; he told him, that every thing was quiet at Cairo and Suez, and between thofe places, and peace established among the inhabitants; not a fingle Mammaluke oppreffor, he faid, remained in the country, and the inhabitants, without dread or fear, employed themfelves in weaving, cultivating the ground, and other trades, as formerly. The duties on merchandize were now the fame as they were prior to their being raised by the Mammalukes; the merchants had every afiftance granted them; and the road between Suez and Cairo was open and fafe. He therefore requested of the fhereef to affure the merchants of his country, that they might bring their goods to Suez and fell them without dread or apprehenfion, and might purchafe, in exchange for them, fuch articles as they might with.

It is impoffible to afcertain the degrees of faith that was reposed in different places, and by different perfons, in the religious profeflions of Buonaparte. Perhaps they were wavering, and different at different times in the fame perfons. The prefence and authority of Buonaparte, and his literary ftaff, if we' may borrow a metaphor from arms to arts, as well as military, no doubt, detracted fomewhat from the con pliments which were paid to him, and them, by the mufti and imans with whom they met and converfed, as he had done before, with the priests at Rome, on fundry oceafions: yet they might probably be impreffed with a temporary conviction of his fincerity, until they

The ancient Egyptians believed that the foul never wholly forfook the body, wille any part of it hung, or was held together.

compared

« ZurückWeiter »