474 OBSERVATIONS ON THE 
belongs, but really under the influence of Osman Bey Bardessi,who 
is a man of talent, and the representative of the famous Murad Bey. 
As the government of the Beys was ever much more mild than that 
of the Turks, this province does not suffer so much from oppression 
as from the deprivation of every article which they were accustomed 
to receive from Lower Egypt, all trade with which has been cut 
off by Mohammed Ali. 
Eifi Bey has possession of the Faiume, a fertile province, over 
which he tyrannises, and has extended his incursions to Damanour, 
which he might easily take, were he not afraid of sacrificing his 
Mamelukes in the assault, and thereby of comparatively diminishing 
his consequence with the other Beys. Many Albanians have deserted 
to him, and he has a very large Arab force, which he has influenced 
by the assurance that he is closely connected with England, and 
expects a large army from that country, to place him at the head 
of the government. Were Damanour to fall, Alexandria would be 
at his mercy, as he commands all the supplies of provision which 
come in from the desert. He, at one time, stopped every thing at 
the Peninsula, and obliged Emim Aga to consent secretly to his 
sending his officers into the town, to purchase cloth and other arti- 
cles, for which he was in the greatest distress. 
Excepting from the alarm excited by the plans of Elfi, Alexandria 
is in perfect tranquillity. The garrison consists of the Turkish sol- 
diers, disciplined after the European manner, who are, in general, 
reasonable men. The export of such articles as Lower Egypt pro- 
duces, still keeps the town and harbour alive, and a Christian can 
walk about the town, without fear or danger of insult, It is here 
alone that the Grand Signor can be said to reign. 
