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

2$0 TRAVELS IN ASIATIC TURKEY,
dercd to Aboukir, to diminish the chance of the infection spread-
ing among the other troops. Dr. White, at that time employed
with the Indian army, who had maintained with great obstinacy
an opinion that the plague is not infectious, had at length been fa-
tall v convinced of the danger resulting from the erroneous doctrine
he had supported. Having been attacked by very suspicious
symptoms, he had written to General Baird to be relieved, expressing
the strongest apprehensions of the perils which surrounded
him. It will be seen in die historical account of plague, that this
unfortunate man fell a victim to the absurd theory he had endea-
voured to establish, and to the experiments he tried with a view to
its support.
On the morning of the 19th, Lord Cavan, accompanied by Mr.
Stratton, secretary of legation, arrived at Giza. His Lordship was
received by the British troops encamped there with a salute pf
nineteen guns. The Pacha of Cairo, late Kia to the Capitan Pa-
cha, arrived at the same time, and encamped with his troops near
Boulac.
On the 20th, in the afternoon, Colonel Hollo-xay, and Majors
Hope and Cookson, of the royal artillery, arrived at Kassim Bey
from Alexandria. In the evening Lord Cavan and Mr. Stratton
had audiences of the Vizier.
On the 20th the Pacha of Cairo made his public entry into that
city.
The Mamelukes removed their encampment on the 24th, to the
south of Giza;, and on the following day the Vizier's tail was sent
forward to be fixed to the north of Cairo, where his encampment
was immediately to be formed, with a view to the arrangements
which were to be made preparatorily to his Highness quitting
Egypt, on his return to Constantinople, by the route of On the same day,
the
Syria.
25th, the Mamelukes, whose numbers
were conjectured to amount to about three thousand, privately
quitted Giza, and set out for Upper Egypt. It was greatly
to be
apprehended that a civil war would be the result of this defection,
as the
negotiations which had been commenced with a view to the
reconciliation of the Turks and Mamelukes were thus thwarted in
their intention. So sudden and extraordinary a movement, indeed,
gave reason to conjecture that they had entirely failed.
In the evening the Turks were busily engaged at Boulac in
loading germs with guns, ammunition, and every description
of stores, for the service of the detachments which were ordered to
proceed instantly to Upper Egypt, in pursuit of the Mamelukes.