DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4372#0350
334
to accumulate in its neighbourhood for many centuries past;
occupying a large portion of the soil which a better directed in-
dustry might cultivate, and producing a stagnation of air highly
prejudicial to the health of the inhabitants.
In consequence of some misunderstanding between the British
and Turkish officers, respecting the arrangements for occupying
the citadel of Cairo after the capitulation, in the summer of 1801,
a body of English troops alone received the keys of the fortress from
the French commander; and were in exclusive possession of it for
one night. Some murmurs were afloat among our allies in conse-
quence of this measure; but the honourable manner in which the
Captain Pasha and those with him were the next morning received
by the English commander, and the hoisting of the united colours
under a royal salute, lulled for a time all symptoms of discontent.
Other causes, however, were not wanting to interrupt the har-
mony which had hitherto by great exertions on our part been pre-
served between the two armies. The dishonourable part which
the Turkish government was disposed to take, in the affair of the
Mamalukes, I have already alluded to; but that which more
immediately offended the mass of the Turkish army, was the
earnest manner in which it had been necessary to insist on their
entering the town, as friends, and not as conquerors. The
consequence indeed was, that, while the soldiery were, with a
few exceptions, prevented from committing any very great enor-
mities, the government was obliged to have recourse to numerous
acts of oppression, without which they would have been equally
unable to satisfy the just demands of the troops for the pay that
was their due, as well as their louder demands for extraordinary
remunerations in consequence of their success.
For many months after the conquest of Cairo, and till the
Vezir adopted the unwarrantable act of treachery againt the
Beys,
to accumulate in its neighbourhood for many centuries past;
occupying a large portion of the soil which a better directed in-
dustry might cultivate, and producing a stagnation of air highly
prejudicial to the health of the inhabitants.
In consequence of some misunderstanding between the British
and Turkish officers, respecting the arrangements for occupying
the citadel of Cairo after the capitulation, in the summer of 1801,
a body of English troops alone received the keys of the fortress from
the French commander; and were in exclusive possession of it for
one night. Some murmurs were afloat among our allies in conse-
quence of this measure; but the honourable manner in which the
Captain Pasha and those with him were the next morning received
by the English commander, and the hoisting of the united colours
under a royal salute, lulled for a time all symptoms of discontent.
Other causes, however, were not wanting to interrupt the har-
mony which had hitherto by great exertions on our part been pre-
served between the two armies. The dishonourable part which
the Turkish government was disposed to take, in the affair of the
Mamalukes, I have already alluded to; but that which more
immediately offended the mass of the Turkish army, was the
earnest manner in which it had been necessary to insist on their
entering the town, as friends, and not as conquerors. The
consequence indeed was, that, while the soldiery were, with a
few exceptions, prevented from committing any very great enor-
mities, the government was obliged to have recourse to numerous
acts of oppression, without which they would have been equally
unable to satisfy the just demands of the troops for the pay that
was their due, as well as their louder demands for extraordinary
remunerations in consequence of their success.
For many months after the conquest of Cairo, and till the
Vezir adopted the unwarrantable act of treachery againt the
Beys,