A pilgrimage to the temples and tombs of Egypt, Nubia, and ...

64 MASSACRE OF THE MEMLOOKS.
the citadel remained under arms, and orders had
been given that the gates should be closed as
soon as the Memlooks had passed through them.
Mohammed Ali received his victims with the
utmost affability, conversing cheerfully with their
chiefs, between whom and himself many civilities
passed on the subject of the alleged motive for
their interview ; and at last coffee was brought
to them, followed by pipes, the closing ceremony
of an Eastern audience. At that juncture, Mo-
hammed Ali quitted the divan, and sending for
the captain of his guard, communicated to him
his private orders, which were immediately con-
veyed to the troops within the w^alls for their
government in the approaching crisis. The
Memlooks, having been told that the Pasha had
withdrawn to his hareem, comprehended that
it was time for them to depart ; and consequently
they repaired to the court of the citadel, where
they were in the act of mounting their horses,
when a murderous volley, fired on them from
every side, stretched many of them lifeless upon
the ground. Thus taken by surprise, their first
impulse was to dash onward towards the gates,
and endeavour to effect their escape—but in
vain ! The
gates had been barricaded from
without ; the firing continued to pour unmerci-