HISTORY OF THE WAHABEES. 277 



native of Edinburgh, named Thomas Keith. He 

 had served as a gunsmith in the 92d Highlanders, 

 during the English expedition into Egypt, where he 

 was taken prisoner, and purchased from a common 

 soldier by Ahmed Bonaparte, in whose service he 

 changed his rehgion and became a Mussulman. A 

 favourite Sicihan Mamlouk of his master having 

 offered him some insult, the indignant Scotchman 

 drew his sword ; blows ensued, and the aggressor 

 fell. To escape the consequences, Keith, who now 

 bore the name of Ibrahim Aga, implored the protec- 

 tion of Mohammed Ali's lady, who befriended him, 

 and recommended him to her son, Toussoun Bey. 

 Here again, on account of some trifling neglect of 

 duty, he incurred the displeasure of his master, who 

 gave orders that he should be put to death. His 

 room was beset with slaves, ready to execute the 

 capricious mandate of the prince ; but the brave fel- 

 low defended the entrance with his sword for half 

 an hour against the assailants, and then threw him- 

 self out of the window, and escaped to his kind pro- 

 tectress. Toussoun was soon reconciled ; and being 

 sensible of Ibrahim's merit and approved courage, he 

 made him chief of his Mamlouks. Keith was one 

 of the two horsemen that stood by the young prince 

 at the pass of Jedeida, on which occasion he was 

 promoted to the office of treasurer, — the second in 

 rank at the court of a pasha. At Medina he fought 

 with equal courage, being the first man that mounted 

 the breach, and after distinguishing himself on several 

 other occasions, he was made governor of that city 

 in April, 1815. 



The success of the expedition in northern Hejaz 

 encouraged Ali Pasha to despatch another of 1000 

 horse and 500 foot against Jidda and Mecca, under 

 the command of his brother-in-law Mustapha Bey. 

 The Sheriff Ghaleb, intimidated by the fall of Me- 

 dina, had renewed his offers to the Turks, and sent 

 messengers inviting their chief to enter the town 



Vol. II.— a a 



