Travels in Turkey, Asia Minor, Syria, and across the desert into Egypt ...

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TRAVELS IN,ASIATIC TURKEY,
arrested at the same time by the Capitan Pacha. Seals were put
on the effects of those residing
at Cairo, and guards placed at their
houses. Within the palace of the Vizier large
bodies of Arnaut;
were on duty; and guards patroled the streets in the different quarters
of the town. This sudden and very important event was ef-
fected without tumult in the capital of Egypt, of which country
the Mamelukes had been in possesion nearly three hundred years,
it having fallen under the domination of the Turks in the year fif-
teen hundred.
In consequence of these proceedings, as we presumed, Selint
Bey, one of the Mameluke Beys, on the 24th, surrendered him-
self for protection to Colonel Ramsay, commandant of Giza.
The procession which accompanied the camel destined to carry
the cloth, or carpet, with which the Caaha, or house of God, at
Mecca, was to be covered, took place on the morning of the 29th,
and afforded to the inhabitants of Cairo a
very grand and solemn
spectacle. It was preceded by the chiaous of the Vizier, who was
immediately followed by the cadi, or judge, accompanied by great
numbers of dervises, with their sacred banners. Next followed
several of the Grand Vizier's principal officers, with bands of music,
and colours flying. Taker Pacha, and a considerable number
of armed men, attended the procession. Green cloths, elegantly
embroidered in gold with Turkish characters, were carried on
biers. The camel on whose back the sacred cloth was borne, had
plumes of feathers on the head, and over the body an embroidered
green cloth. In passing through the streets, the inhabitants displayed
a great eagerness to touch a portion of the cloth. Other
camels, each of them covered with a plain green cloth, followed,
with the boxes in which the treasure was to be contained. The
priests, as they proceeded, chaunted hymns from the Koran; and
the procession was closed by a body of armed men on horseback.
Before the arrival of the French in Egypt, the sacred cloth, or
carpet,' accompanied the caravan which set out annually for Mecca;
but this arrangement, which was now renewed, had been disconti-
nued during the last three years.
On the first of November a despatch was received from Alexan-
dria with the melancholy intelligence
of the death of several of the
Mameluke Beys and Cachefs, who were killed in a scufHe
by
a party
of the Capitan Pacha's troops, sent purposely
to secure them.
Several others were wounded in the contest. This disastrous cir-
cumstance having been communicated to the British commander