Proceedings in Eg}/pl and Nubia. 53 



believer. The Pasha, acquainted with the unexpected changes 

 that had taken place in France, and the general peace subse- 

 quently arranged between all the European powers, expressed 

 considerable alarm for the safety of Egypt, feeling persuaded, he 

 said, that the English had always an intention of taking posses- 

 sion of it, as a link of value in the chain by which they would 

 thus connect themselves with their Indian possessions ; and that 

 since the Russians were already making warlike movements, 

 and assembling their troops on the Russian frontier, nothing 

 could be a fairer plea for the British nation to carry its project into 

 execution, than that of checking the conquests, and opposing the 

 ambitious designs of so overgrown a power, and one so likely to 

 become a dangerous rival, as that of Russia, It was in conse- 

 quence of these apprehensions, that he looked with anxiety for 

 the termination of the Arabian war, and was desirous of obtaining 

 such advantages over the Wahabees as would enable him to re- 

 turn to the personal government of his own country, not for the 

 sake of preparing for its defence, which he must have known to 

 be in vain against an European army, under an able general, but 

 for the purpose, most probably, of so securing his wealth as to be 

 certain of possessing it in case of his being obliged to abandon 

 his province to its conquerors. 



In the course of this conversation, the Pasha so often ex- 

 pressed his doubts of Ibrahim's having passed the ordeal neces- 

 sary to be borne by all who embrace the Moslem faith, that 

 the latter found it really necessary to preserve the appearance 

 of having done so, by an offer made in the presence of the Mol- 

 lah to give ocular demonstration to any persons whom he might 

 think proper to appoint for an examination of the doubted fact. 

 The seeming frankness with which this offer was made, and the 

 readiness with which he replied to all the questions of this mem- 

 ber of the Ulema, on the sulyect of doctrinal and practical reli- 

 gion, gave full conviction, and drew from him so complete an 

 assurance of it, that he waved availing himself of the offered ex- 

 amination as perfectly unnecessary; so that the Pasha, though 

 still unconvinced, waiJ compelled to yield to the higher autho- 



