78 
ME.  HOENEE  ON  THE  ALLHVIAL  LAND  OF  EGYPT: 
ApPEISiDIX. 
Note  A,  page  54. 
That  a subject  of  the  Grand  Sultan,  and  one  resident  in  Egypt,  should  be  distinguished 
by  attainments  in  science  and  literature  is  so  rare  an  occmrence,  that  the  Society  may  natu- 
rally expect  me  to  give  some  biographical  notice  of  my  friend  and  coadjutor  in  this  -work, 
Hekekyan  Bey.  Had  I not  been  so  fortunate  as  to  make  his  acquaintance,  my  object 
could  not  have  been  attained.  Such  extensive  operations  could  not  have  been  under- 
taken by  a European,  by  any  one  not  thoroughly  inured  to  the  climate  of  Egj  pt,  nor 
by  any  one  unacquainted  with  pursuits  in  physical  science,  and  who  was  not  familiar 
udth  the  language  of  the  numerous  persons  to  be  employed,  of  whom  a large  proportion 
must  be  common  labourers.  The  researches  had  to  be  carried  on  under  a bmiiing  sun, 
and  they  were  continued  during  three  years.  My  correspondence  udth  Hekekyax  Bey 
has  been  going  on  for  more  than  five  years ; he  writes  English  like  a native,  and  it 
would  be  difficult  for  me  to  over-rate  the  value  of  his  unwearied  cooperation. 
He  is  a native  of  Constantinople,  of  an  Armenian  Eoman  Catholic  family.  His  father, 
Michiediz,  was  in  the  service  of  Mehemet  Ali,  Viceroy  of  Egypt,  in  the  capacity  of 
translator  of  political  or  other  useful  dissertations  for  the  personal  use  of  the  Pacha ; 
being  equally  conversant  with  the  Turkish  and  French  languages. 
Mehemet  Ali  having  resolved  on  sending  the  sons  of  several  of  his  officers  to  Paris 
for  their  education  in  the  year  1817,  Michiediz  solicited,  as  a reward  for  his  serHces. 
that  his  son  might  be  sent  for  the  same  purpose  to  England,  and  his  request  was  granted. 
Hekekyax  was  then  living  with  his  family  at  Constantinople,  and  was  only  ten  years  of 
age.  When  he  arrived  in  London,  the  only  language  he  knew  was  the  Tui’kish.  He 
was  placed  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Beiggs,  formerly  British  Consul  at  Alexandiia,  who 
had  returned  to  England  * ; and  to  enable  him  to  continue  in  the  religion  of  Iris  family, 
he  was  placed  at  the  College  of  Stonyhurst  in  Lancashire.  Here  he  received  the  first 
elements  of  an  English  education.  After  completing  at  the  College  the  usual  coui’se  of 
studies,  as  it  was  the  desire  of  the  Viceroy  that  he  should  be  instructed  in  the  manage- 
ment of  steam-engines  and  machinery,  he  was  placed  by  Mr.  Beiggs  with  ]\L’.  Beamah, 
with  whom  he  remained  between  two  and  three  years.  The  Viceroy  next  desired  that 
he  should  turn  his  attention  to  the  machinery  employed  in  cotton  mills,  as  Mehemet 
Ali  wished  to  establish  that  manufacture  in  Egypt,  and  he  was,  accordingly,  a consider- 
able time  at  Manchester  and  Glasgow.  The  Viceroy  was  not  yet  satisfied,  but  required 
him  to  be  instructed  in  hydraulics,  and  an  eminent  engineer  in  London  received  him  as 
a pupil,  taking  him  with  him  while  engaged  in  the  formation  of  some  canals  and  other 
works. 
After  a stay  of  twelve  years  in  England,  Heeekyan  returned  to  Egypt  in  the  autumn 
of  1830 ; but  unfortunately  he  had  forgotten  his  native  tongue,  and  as  he  could  only 
* To  this  gentleman  I am  indebted  for  most  of  the  particulars  here  given. 
