The Express.
London, England, 1851-01-21 00:00:00

DEATH AND BURIAL OF GENERAL BEM.

A letter dated Aleppo, Dec. 10, gives the following
painfully interesting particulars of the end of this brave
soldier:—

o A higher power has interpcsed to determine the duration
of poor Bean's detention in this place. I have just returned
from his funeral. You know I stand very little upon cere-
monies, yet there is a melancholy pleasure in observing the
rites paid to a fellow exile by foreigners in a strange land.
Bem'e sickness was neither very long nor painful ; a month
before his death he was riding out. Some slight attacks of
fever gave him no anxiety; and he could not be persuaded
to take any medicine until three or four days before his death
His dwelling lay very low between gardens near the banks
of a river. According to the unanimous opinions of
physicians the spot was exceedingly unhealthy. Their
admonitions, however, were disregarded. Every physician
told him that his frame, weakened with wounds and hard-
ship', had not vital force sufficient to withstand an attack of
fever, which would be dangerous to a strong man, and
which might in all pre,babil.ty be avoided by leaving his
unhealthy dwelling. In the evening he complained of pains
in the abdomen; about eleven he said he felt better, and
slept with few intermissions until two, when he died. At
ten next mernieg, so we went to visit him, his body ley ex-
tended on a Kier, sod several persons were enacted in washing
and dressing the corpse, while mollalts were praying around.
The washings ended, the body was wound in a sheet and
placed in a coffin, at the foot of which hung his fi z. A
coloured shawl was spread over the coffin. A mili-
tary interment is a thing unknown in Turkey ;
however, on this occasion. Kerim Pasha, the com-
mandant, the French and English consult, many offi-
cers, and en immense crowd of soldiery, assembled. The
1 procession moved on without much order. From twenty to
thirty violist's marched fleet, and began a monotonous anti
Mental In illaha iliaha. We carried him to the door, and
would hays gone further to his place of rest, but Turkish
etiquette forbade. A great rush took place, and every one
wan anxious to catch a lest glimpse of the coffin. Strong
divisions of military were posted on the line of !procession,
many of the soldiers of which pressed forward to carry the
man, even old Kerlin Pasha would insist upon bearing a
band. Near Friedhofe the coffin was deposited in the
grave of a taint, where prayers were said. Arrived at the
grave the body was taken out of the coffin and deposited in
a grave fire or six feet deep, the head lying towards Mecca.
The threads by which the winding sheet was secured were
then cut, and the grave was filled up with large Sat stones.
The promise, which Bem had often repeated of I its to relate
to us the entire history of hie life, has not been fulfilled. It
is rated that he was only 56 years of age, although he
appeared much older. His body wee uncommonly weakened,
but his restless spirit retained its force and vivacity to the
last. From the moment of hie transition to lelamism, all his
efforts were directed to make hie knowledge and experience
useful to his new fatherland, and the Sultan, whom he
greatly esteemed. I can say very little of his political
belief: it is certain that he was anything but a de-
and bated socialism. He was heart and soul
a soldier. The aims which he set before himself be
followed up with great perseverance. His conversa-
tion was lively and intelleetual ; he was especially
lively when speaking in the French language, of which
he was completely master. He bore his detention with great
resignation, and was quite resolved to close his tumultuous
life here. He had laid the foundation of a saltpetre manu-
factory here, and bad sent specimens of his manufacture to
Constantinople, whence he was empowered to proceed with
his works on a great scale at the cost of the government
He was also requested by the government to give his super-
intendence to a large manufactory of arms."