The Wilmingtonian., 1823-09-25
Notes during a visit to Egypt.

occurred in attempting to pass from Jeru-
salem to Jerico.
"About eight o'clock in the morning a
Janissary was in waiting; having been re,
peatedly assured there was fno danger
this side Jerco,' and scarcely believing
that there was any on the other, had re.
solved upon having no other attendant
was at the same time provided with a
letter to the governor of Jerico, command
ing him to furnish me with an escort. As
we were on the point of starting, Nicho-
lai, expressed wish to see the Jordan
a horse was procured-he girded on his
sword, and with my fowing piece in his
hand, we sailed forth. The route is over
hills, rocky, barren, and uniuteresting; we
arrived at fountain, and here my two at
tendants paused to refresh themselves
the day was so hot that was anxious to
finish the journey, and hurried forwards
"A ruined building, situate on the sum-
nit of hill, was now within sight, and
urged my horse towards it the janissary
galopped by me, and, making signs for
me not to precede him, he rode into and
round the building, and then motioned me
to advance. We next came to a hill,
through the very apex of which has been
cut passage, the rocks overhaDging ii
on either side. | was in the act of pass
ing through this ditch, when bullet whiz.
zed by, close to my head; l saw no one,
and had scarcely time to think when ano-
ther was fired, some short distance in ad-
vance; | could yet see no one the janis
sary was beneath the brow of the hill in
his descent; looked back, but my SER
want was not yet within sight. | looked
up, and within few inches of my head
were three muskets, and three men taking
aim at me. Escape or resistance were a
like impossible.--I got off my horse. Eight
men jumped down from the rocks, and
commenced a scramble for me l observ-
ed also party rounding towards Nicholai
At this moment the jaRissary galloped in
among us with his sword drawn; knew
that il blood were split should be sacri-
feed, and called upon him to fly. lie
wounded one man that had hold of me;
received two violent blows, intended be.
lieve for him: from the effect of one, was
protected by my turban-l was not arm.
ed-the janissary cut down another Arab
and all the rest scrambled up the rocks
the janissary turned his horse, and rode of
at full gallop, calling on me to follow him
which did on foot: in the mean time tht
Arabs prepared their matchlOcks, and
opened fire upon US, but only few ol
their shots came very near. We had ad.
vanced about league, when two of the
banditti made a show Of cutting US off. A
sudden panic seized the janissary, he cri
ed on the name of the Prophet, and gal
Topped away. called out to him tina
there were but two-that with his swor,
and pistols, if we stopped behind stone
we could kill them both \; he rode bacl
towards the Arabs, they had guns, and tn,
poor fellow returned at full speed. AS h
passed | caught at rope hanging iron
his saddle-I had hoped to leap upon hi
horse, but found myself unable; my fee
were dreadtully lacerated by the honey
combcd rocks, nature would support m
no longer, fell, but still clung to tn
rope; in this manner was drawn som
few yarde; till, bleeding from my ancle t
my shoulder, resigned myself to m,
fate. AS soon as stood up, one Of IN,
pursuers took aim at me, but the other ca
sually advancing between us, preyente,
his firing, he then ran up, and with hi
-swoyd aimed such blow as would M
have required second his companion
prevented it's full effect, so that it merel
cut my ear in halves, and laid open on
side of my face; they then stripped m
naked. These two could not have know
that their friends were wounded, or the
would certainly have killed me they ha
heard me vote their death, and which W
would in all probability have effected, ha
the janissary, Turk, understood me.
had spoken to him in Arabic.
1T was now past midday, and burnin
hot; bled profusely-and two cultures
whose business it is to consume corpse
were hanging over me. should scarceI
have had strength to resist, had they CHI
sen to attack me. In about twenty m
nutes Nicholai come up; his only sorro
was for my wound, and the loss of tn
sword, which was his own. 'You cam,
live, sir, you cannot live they have take
away my sword; asked them to give
back to me, but they would not He the
related his part of the adventure, ten me
had beset him, his horse was not to be d
pended upon, ths gun was not loaded, an
there were many Arabs on every side, (
that retreat was impossible. The janiss
4 ,.to