HISTORY OP THE WAHABEES. 331 



of All to riot in the far-famed wealth of Yemen ; and 

 with this view he opened a correspondence with the 

 Imam of Sanaa. But the soldiers, worn out with 

 disease and fatigue, and considering the object of the 

 expedition as accomplished, openly declared their 

 wish of returning to Mecca. Instead of advancing 

 southward Ali directed his march towards Gonfode, 

 which surrendered without the slightest resistance. 

 Thence he proceeded to Mecca, with a remnant of 

 only 1500 men, moneyless and in rags, being all 

 that remained of an army of 4000. In April, he 

 visited Medina, where Toussoun was governor ; pro- 

 bably with a design to obtain information respecting 

 the affairs of the northern Hejaz, and to concert with 

 him measures for their future proceedings. But the 

 state of Egypt afforded a sufficient reason for his im- 

 mediate departure. Apprehensions were entertained 

 of an attack being made on Alexandria by the capi- 

 tan-pasha of the grand seignior. An insurrection of 

 the troops had also broken out at Cairo, originating 

 in their dislike to the attempted introduction of the 

 European system of discipline ; and when the pasha 

 reached his capital in June 1815, after an absence 

 of nearly two years, he found every thing in tumult 

 and confusion. 



The remainder of the Arabian war was now left 

 in the hands of Toussoun Pasha, who, while his 

 father was subduing the southern tribes, had con. 

 ducted operations in the north against Abdallah ibn 

 Saoud. When the news of Ali's success became 

 known to the Arabs on the frontier of Nejed, many 

 of their sheiks came to Medina, and made proposals 

 to Toussoun to join him against the Wahabees, 

 whose power they had felt more severely than others 



