190 TRAVELS IN UPPER 



I was witness, one day, of the terror excited in 

 the minds of the French belonging to the factory, 

 from the idea only of a seditious tumult at Alex- 

 andria. A merchant arrived with intelligence 

 that an European had killed a native of the coun- 

 try. The gate of the factory was instantly shut ; 

 the bales began to be put in motion to strengthen 

 the bulwark ; inquiries were made on board what 

 vessel they could run for safety, by dropping from 

 the windows, when, fortunately, information was 

 received that one Mussulman had killed another. 



Nevertheless, if a perpetual communication 

 with the different nations of Europe had qot hi- 

 therto been able to soften the manners of the 

 Alexandrians, it must be acknowledged that it 

 had already disposed them to less intolerance on 

 some particular points. Alexandria was, for ex- 

 ample, with Rossetta, the only city of Egypt 

 where Europeans were allowed to retain their na- 

 tive garb. Every where else they were prohibited 

 to appear except in the oriental habit. It was 

 not safe, however, to make an imprudent use of 

 this indulgence ; for, if we shewed ourselves in 

 numerous bodies, or made any thing like an 

 ostentatious appearance, particularly at a distance 

 from the shipping, we run the risk of being in- 

 sulted. 



It 



