340 HISTORY OF THE WAHABEES. 



adjoining heights, in the gardens, and on the banks 

 of the dry bed of the river, had fallen into the hands 

 of the assailants. Three of the five quarters of 

 the city made a conditional surrender, and the rest 

 were cut off from communicating with the villages 

 that supplied them with provisions. In this for- 

 lorn position, Abdallah, with his guard of 400 black 

 slaves, still maintained a brave resistance in his pa- 

 lace, determined to sacrifice his life on the ruins of his 

 expiring country ; but he was at length compelled by 

 the impatient clamours of the citizens to hoist a flag 

 of truce and demand a conference, which was imme- 

 diately granted. With a retinue of 200 men he 

 repaired to the tent of Ibrahim and offered terms of 

 surrender, which the pasha consented to accept ; at 

 the same time acquainting him, that in compliance 

 with the order of his father the Wahabee chief 

 must immediately take his departure for Egypt. 

 The condition was alarming ; but it seemed to be the 

 only means of averting a more tragical catastrophe, 

 and the generous Abdallah accepted it. 



Trusting to the hopes of security expressed by the 

 conqueror, and that his family and capital would 

 be saved from destruction, in token of which he had 

 received a white handkerchief, the emblem of peace, 

 he quitted his palace amidst the tears and regrets of 

 his friends, crossed the desert with a small train of 

 attendants, and was received at Cairo by the vice- 

 roy with every outward demonstration* of respect. 

 After a short conference he was despatched to Con- 

 stantinople under an escort of Tartars. The parti- 

 sans of Ali give him the credit of interposing with 

 the sultan to pardon the obnoxious captive; for 

 such was now the situation of the too credulous Ab- 



