Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-09-10
ARAB A SPANIARD.
Sketch Of His Career by His Cousin
Romance from Zeal Life.

1t has hitherto been believed that Arab
Pasha was born in a villsge of Lower Egypt
az the son of a fellah. Spanish journal,
the Valencia Unirerso, however, publishes a
letter by Senior ]. Esteve Arab, who
claims TO be nephew of Arab Pasha, and
gives the following information concerning
his uncle:
"Arabi Pasha was born at Denia, in the
province OF Valencia. His parents, now both
deceased, were Dionisio Arab, who was
engaged in the manufacture of wooden
boxer, and Maria Medina, native of Gran
ada. OF their three sons, the eldest has been
for the last eighteen years imprisoned for
murder in the penitentiary of Ceuta, and the
second has been peddliDg small wares in the
villages of Valencia. The youngest, Manuel
Arab, surnamed Nelet, the subject of this
sketch, was employed until his thirteenth
year in his fathers workshop. Having early
evinced an unusual fondness for study, and
given proof of an excellent memory, he was
taken by his parents TO Valencia, where he
entered the elementary schools. He subse
quently attended, for four years, lectures on
jurisprudence at the university, uutil he sud
denly disappeared in the company of a
Young actress, after which nothing was
heard OF him for long time. 1t was
not until 1862 that his parents received
news of their son from a Spanish Cavalry
officer, Francisco del Moral, also a ma
tive of Denia. From his accounts they
learned that Nelet had, in 1853, enlisted at
Malaga in the regiment of Lapcers belonging
to the division Of General Kos de ol H ana
takeu part In The war IN Morocco. There he
had given repeated proofs OF reckless bravery
which gained for him the rank of ensign.
Shortly after the Spanish troops quilted
Tetuau, Nelet deserted the ranks and re-
turned to that city, where he sued for the
hand Of the daughter of rich Hebrew mer-
chant. apparently without success He was
finally recognized as former Spanish officer
and forced to leave Tetuan. Alter long wan
behring's in the interior of the country, in the
course of which he acquired thorough
knowledge of Arabic, Nelet enlisted a
sailor on board the English coastipg vessel
Cognait. The ship having been wrecked
soon after in the straits OF Bab-el-Mandeb,
he led for long time wandering and ad-
venturous life in Abyssinia and Nubia, and
at last reached Lower Egypt, where he sgain
enlisted"
The statements of Senior Esteve y Arab
regarding Arabs subsequent career coincide
with what ia known of him from other
sources. Arab Pasha, who Is now in his
forty fifth year, is rather stout, and has
large, black eyes, large mouth, and
beaked nose. He knows several languages,
and is amiable in his social intercourse.
He has several wives. He corresponded with
his parents from Egypt to the last; and only
as late as last year he sent his photograph,
with an Arabic dedication, 10 Denia for his
brothers, of whose whereabouts he had then
Just learned. The author of the letter re-
fers in confederation of his statements TO the
baptismal register of Denia, the matricula-
ton lists of the University OF Valencia, the
Spanish army register for 1860, and 10
the proprietors of the wrecked Cognait. The
Madrid journals also reprint the letter in
full, remarking that there is no reason 10
doubt the veracity Of the author.