596 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 181^. 



sent by the CachefF to bring us to 

 Manfalout to answer tor the 

 murder of our Arab guides. The 

 two Arabs on foot were violent in 

 their threats, and continued voci- 

 ferating they wouhl have blood 

 for blood, and that they were re- 

 solved on our deaths, though it 

 might cost the lives of twenty 

 more of their countrymen. We 

 entered into a parley with the 

 Turks, and demanded of them if 

 they would answer for our safety 

 on our way to Manfalout, and 

 stipulated also that we shoidd be 

 allowed to carry with us our arms. 

 They promised us we should not 

 be molested on our road to the 

 town, and after some demur per- 

 mitted us to take our swords, 

 pistols , and double-barrelled guns . 

 On these conditions we went on 

 shore, and walked on foot under 

 the escort of the Turks to Manfa- 

 lout. When we arrived at the 

 house of the Cacheff, we found 

 him smoking in an outer court, 

 attended by a few Arnout guards, 

 and surrounded by about forty of 

 the inhabitants of Amabdi. 



The Arabs received us with a 

 shout of revengeful delight. 



The Cacheff treated us in a 

 stern and haughty manner, and 

 informed us of what we were ac- 

 cused by the people about him. 

 Through our dragoman we re- 

 lated our story, and produced the 

 firman we had received of Mach- 

 moud Ali, Pacha of Cairo. Our 

 passport ran in the usual form, 

 enjoining all the Governors of the 

 different towns through which we 

 should pass to afford us every 

 protection and assistance. A se- 

 cretary was ordered to read the 

 firman aloud, which when he had 

 done, the Cacheff reaching out 



his hand took hold of it, and 

 looking sternly at us, observed 

 sarcastically, "I do not see that 

 this firman allows you either to 

 maltreat or kill the Arabs." 



He then poured out a torrent 

 of abuse upon us in Arabic, to 

 the great satisfaction of our ac- 

 cusers, and retired into an inner 

 court, leaving us, as we conceived, 

 to their mercy. The Arabs were 

 most of them armed with swords 

 and spears, and began now to 

 surround us with menacing ges- 

 tures. Shortly however we were 

 sent for by tlie Turk, and con- 

 ducted by some of his soldiers 

 into his presence. 



The Arabs expressed great sa- 

 tisfaction at this, and appeared 

 to think our fate was decided. 

 The Cacheff received us on this 

 occasion in a nuich more friendly 

 manner than at first ; he was un- 

 observed by the Arabs, and laid 

 aside the angry tone which we 

 now perceived he had formerly 

 only affected. "My good friends," 

 said he, laying his liand on the 

 slioulder of our dragoman, " I 

 know I am, by virtue of your 

 fii'man, bound to protect you, and 

 my head must answer for your 

 safety. J believe your story, but 

 I have a guard only of 50 soldiers, 

 and the village of Amabdi is 700 

 muskets strong. Should all the 

 inhabitants take a part in this 

 affair and come over, the conse- 

 quence will be fat;d both to you 

 and myself; you must make your 

 escape secietly, and in the mean 

 time I will amuse and detain the 

 Arabs." 



We saw the force of this ad- 

 vice, thanked the Cacheff for his 

 friendly conduct, and lost no time 

 in making our retreat through a 



gate 



