12 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA, 
But the impatience of the people was too great to wait for 
night, and they were compelled to depart inftantly, the Cafhef 
by land, and the Chriftian by fea. 
Orders were given to repair the walls, plant cannon, and put 
every thing in a ftate of defence. Shech Mohammed advifed 
the citizens to divide themfelves into diftrids ; which being 
complied with, it was refolved that every man fhould provide 
himfelf with arms, who fhould be able to purchafe them ; and 
that thofe who could not fhould be armed at the public expence. 
At the end of about a month, notice was brought that two 
Cafhcfs were on their way, with a body of troops, to punifli the 
inhabitants for their contumacious behaviour. When their ar- 
rival at Rafliid was known, the Alexandrians fent them word, 
that if they came without hoftile intentions, they would be 
peaceably received : but if it were their defign to have recourfe to 
violent meafures, the whole force of the city would be oppofed 
to their entrance. One of thefe Cafliefs afterwards proved to be 
the fame who had before been fent back. The other was a man 
of the firfl rank, having formerly filled the ofHce of Yenktchery 
Aga. They were in fad: unattended, except by the domeflics 
of this latter, perhaps in all two hundred men, chiefly on foot. 
The Cafhef declared he had no view but to certify that the 
minds of the citizens were not alienated from the government, 
nor their intentions hoftile to it; which from the news, that they 
were putting themfelves in a flate of defence, Murad Bey had 
been led to imagine. Yet he recommended it to them, in proof 
of their pacific difpofition, to depute three or four of the chief 
citizens to Kahira, who might have an opportunity of inform- 
ing 
