HISTORY OF THE WAHABEES. 303 



decapitation of some of the insurgent chiefs, liad the 

 effect of restoring order. One of the Arab sheiks 

 was punished by liaving his teeth drawn, and another 

 was blown from the mouth of a cannon. 



The news of Abdallah's death spread universal 

 grief among the inhabitants of Deraiah : and their 

 consternation was increased when the orders of Ali 

 were communicated, that the place must be razed to 

 the ground, and the whole family of their chief sent 

 captives to Egypt. A group of 500 exiles, including 

 several of the brothers, uncles, and sons of Abdallah, 

 were transported to Cairo, where small pensions , 

 were assigned them. As it became desirable to 

 evacuate the place, an epidemic, the consequence 

 of fatigues and privations of all kinds, having begun 

 to commit the most frightful ravages, the work of 

 demolition was enjoined without delay. The date- 

 trees in the gardens and suburbs were cut down ; 

 and the soldiers set fire to the houses the moment 

 the inmates had made their escape, many of whom 

 clung affectionately to their homes until they were 

 nearly buried in the ruins. As the season of the 

 year was at the hottest, and disease and devastation 

 doing their work at the same time, the spectacle 

 was truly afflicting. In the space of twenty days 

 Deraiah was completely unpeopled, and not one 

 stone left upon another. 



Before quitting the scene of devastation, Ibrahim 

 traversed the country to ascertain that the extermi- 

 natory decree had been executed against all the 

 fortresses that might serve as future strongholds or 

 rallying-points for the heretics. This done, he 

 repaired to Medina, having already despatched the 

 artiller}'' and part of the troops to that place. Here 

 and at Mecca he returned thanks to the prophet for 

 this signal triumph over his enemies ; after which 

 he departed with the sickly and exhausted remains 

 of his army for Eg}'pt. 



The disturbances which had broken out in the 



