REVOLT OF THE ARABS. 253 
ferior number of the Arabs drove back his highness’s forces with 
disgrace, killing and taking prisoners about three hundred. 
This unexpected disaster determined the pasha to draw together 
an army sufficient, he calculated, to quell the insurrection on 
all sides ; and, accordingly, he placed at its head the Kiahya, 
one of his greatest ministers. But the whole warlike array that 
the pashalick can of itself now send into the field, does not 
exceed 10,000 men. It may have, in addition, a few auxiliaries 
lent by the Arab chiefs who yet acknowledge its influence ; and 
those of Ktrkook, Suliemania, and Arbille, (under the name of 
Arbela, renowned for the decisive battle between Alexander the 
Great and Darius,) furnish about 8,000. The rest of the army 
would be composed of hired people ; soldiers we cannot call 
them ; though, in fact, they are put forward in the place of the 
proper troops of the pashalick-, whose regular pay and allowance 
are embezzled by the officers commissioned to command them. 
Those great men , instead of forming actual regiments, hire 
wretched substitutes to appear on days of muster, or emer¬ 
gencies ; but who, on the latter occasions, always take care to ab¬ 
scond, leaving their generals to form what excuse they can for 
having enlisted such light-winged gentry. Such, certainly, were 
not the means by which the judicious Ahmed held the Grand 
Signior and the great Shah at defiance. With respect to ar¬ 
tillery, I believe three or four guns are all the moveable train 
the state can boast. By this account, it will be seen that the 
present force of the pasha, like too many of the Asiatic arma¬ 
ments, is composed of a mixed multitude of undisciplined rabble, 
armed in various ways, and more intent on plunder than main¬ 
taining the honour of the field. I must not, however, altogether 
omit mentioning, that amidst the military parade of his highness, 
