Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1852-12-23
q Sword of Lath.


Life in Egypt, narra'es the following about
a crazy burst of old Mahommed Ali, an in
cideut which will recall one of the heroic
acts Of the noble Don QuixoGe
" Apropos of these galey-slayes it hap
pened during one of Alahommed Ais last
visits TO his dock-yard--at period when
his intellectual powers having faded before
his physical-they were compelled TO fill
his scabbard with a sword of lath, lest he
might be tempted to hack and hew at his
faithful seryants--that the poor old prince
was moved to exercise the royal prerogatye
OF mercy. Despisng the routine which he
had himself established, he raised his voice
aud cried, We are al! free; 60 your ways
This general amnesty took the couriiers by
surprise, and no less so the galley-sldyes.-
The latter first recovered their presence Of
mind and began knocking off their chains.
Olners took 20 flight as they were Muir
derers, thieves, bankrupts, rebeilous ser
wants, unexact shelkhs, eXtortionate COVER
nors, the quarries Of justice, the victims of
caprice all began TO break away indiscrim-
inately Some vigorous person saw the dan
GER aud whispering orders to lead away the
old ylceroy, whose hawk eye flashed with
the enthusiasm Of last exertion Of power,
put a stop to this general goa! delivery
Several hundreds however, had already got
away--the worst of the lot-aud for many
days there was q regular hunt in Alexan-
drla for escaped conycts. Most were
caught again. though some got of clear 1t
was thought decent to carry out the ACT Of
mercy to a certain extent. As usual, how
ever, in Egypt, the boom of liberty was
granted not exactly to thosb who deserved
but to those who could pay for it. The
sheiks were ioI the most part N the latter
category, aud returned 10 their villages, &c
!, which absence had, perhaps, endeared them
Mr. John ycriies, by occular inspection
the feat of the Deerweeshes at Cairo of tho
Doseh or Trampling.
a HUMAN BRIDGE.
Aner about ten minutes of unusual anl
nation we saw, coming from the Director
of the Iron Gate, number of flags, princI
, pally green aud inscribed with letters from
The Koran The bearers, preceded by club
men, soon succeeded in piercing through
the crowd and forming an alley about SIS
feet wide, IN the front line Of which | wa
fortunate enough TO get The flags were
! still huuerng ia sight, when long column
of young dcrweeshes, two-and-two, holding
: one to the other, aud those behind viii
their hands on the shoulders of those before
came rushing down the alley As they pass
ed they swayed like one man from side L
side, altering in deep, grasping tone, th'
: word " Allah I" The eyes of some wer,
, closed but others glared frightfully Al
t were very pale, and perspred proiuselY.-
They seemed intoxicated, and were so
, some by fanatacism; Others 10y hashlsh.-
Most wore llbdehs, or pointed felt caps
some tarbooshes; none turbans. The
I passed too rapidly to enable me to coun
$ them but they must have been above tw
/ hundred in number.
! could not see either end ofthe columns
when they stopped, and without much NOR
a ado, threw themselves flat on their faces
a side by side, forming human pavement, T.
, the lane Several individuals, with oiiica
5 hustle, now began running to aud iro, ar
ranging shoulder here, an arm there,
4 leg further on; aud ascerlaInlng that n
spaces were left between the sides Of th
paving men. These all the time kept up
h kind ofconyulsiye witchipa motion through
out their bodies, and rubbed their noses Vi
y olently in the dust from side TO side, as the
/ grunted forth the name OF God in most avs
- fully bestal accents, as the moment Of tria
4 drew near.
, What followed was the work of an instant
D, a stout man, on powerful horse, proceed
t ed, supported and followed by about doz
4 en- attendants, moved with quick, lSel
e walk over the bodies of the PROSTATE der
= weeshes. There was no juggling IN tn
! case. Every one oithe victims received th
= tread about the small of the back and SOM
| of them threw up their heads aud feet, as
a the very life had been crushed out OF them
5 Away rode the shiekh; and the friends an
u relations Of the performers rushed iorwar'
c to snatch them up, aud whisper in their ear
IVahed,' that Is, Declare the UNITY q
God" Some of the poor wretches, thong
half insensibe, murmured the response
with bleeding or loamIng lips Many @
3 them we're in an undlsgulsed swoon, aud la
u senseless aud ghasily others responder
= with groans. Their general appearance wa
; that OF drunken men taken iron under tn
wheels Of carriage.