Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-10-12
saying that "He who hath not seen
Cairo hath not seen the world"

ICdlTo habn not seen the world.
But the gem of the whole. panorama
is the citadel itself, which stands upon
a steep rocky bluff overlooking tile town.
| True. the massi We walls are fast crurp-,
bling to decay, and a military sngineer
wouldb sanything but satisfied either
with the condition of the defense or
with THAT of the guns upon them. But
lthe most resolute faultfindef could hard
ly object to the stately white front and
tapering minarets of the great mosque,
or to the wealth of coloring lavished
upon the graceful columns and frvtted
cornices and deep, shadowy archways of
Its beautiful interiOr-a fit monument
of the greatness of its founder, Mehelnet
All Pasha, the Napoleon of Egypt, who
ruled the country with a rod of iron in
the earlier part of the present century.
Beyond the mosque, in the outer an
gle OF the fortress, and Just at the point
where the rocky face OF the hill upon
which it stands falls away into a sheer
precipice, lies a spacious qnadrangular
court yard, paved with broad fat stones,
and encincled by a quiet, shady coienade,
/ The back Of which is formed by tile
parts themselves. AS you enter this
quadrangle a gray haired Arab, who
seems to haunt 1T. tells you in q tone of
sOmber meaning that it is the court of
the Mamelukes. j. s.4. Il J..
The name recalls at once the half for
gotten details of modern times, and for
any one who wishes to know what
Egypt really is, it is worth while to look
back and see what deeds were done in
this quiet spot on a certain tne summer
evening within the memory of men who
are still alive. .!a.. E t..;..! .,... 3,
The evening. sun is just beginning to
redden the bold ridges of the Mokattan
Hills (Which flank Cairo Oh the East)
as troop of hOrsemeni mounted on su
pefb Arab. eoursers and arrayed In all
the barbaric splendOr of Eastern war
riors. ride CALAMITY up the winding
path leading to the gate of the citadel.
All are stout and stalwart men, armed
to the teeth. and seemingly qnite ready
TO use their weapons at a moments mo-
tice either against friend or foe. i
These are the famous Egyptian Mann
elukes, the herditary aristOcracy of the
land, who once faced the best soldiers
of Bonaparte himself beneath the shad
Ow of the pyramids, and from whose
ranks came the renowned .Sultans that
formerly ruled all Egypt from the sea
to the cataracts of the Nile. Proudly
do they file in through the gloomy old
gateway, rejoicing to think that even
Mehemet, Ali Pasha himself, the dread
ed Governor of Lower Egypt, thinks it
prudent to stand well with the Name
iukes and to bid them to feast in his |
own citadel at Cairo. |
Little do they dream what manner of !
feast it is to be. Mehemet Ali is not the |
man to let any one stand in his way,
and these naughty chiefs, with their |
fierce courage and uncomfortable no.
tions OF independence, have long been a |
burden to him. If he intends Gas he |
does) to become absolute master or all |
Egypt, he or they must go; and he has
already made up his mind which of the |
two it shall be.
In all their pride and splendor the |
doomed men march calamity into the |
fatal court yard whence they are never
to return. The gate shuts unperceiYed |
behind them as they enter, while a
crowd of Obsequious servante press
around them to aid in dismOunting, tie |
up their horses and marshal "the noble |
chiefs to their appointed palaces. 4
In the last glow of sunset (for this
strange banquet hall had no roof but
the open sky), the Widespread tables andiI
colored lamps, the crimson hangings of
the encircling colonade. the dark, hand
some faces and rich dresses Of the Nam
elukes, made goOdly show. But, al,
though most of the guests seemed in
good humOr with everything, one scar
red veteran, with a long gray beard
Managing over ms brawny chest, looked
OminoHsly grave and gloomy
"What ails thee, Father Hassan ?" ask
ed tall, handsome lad beside him.
Thy face is as dark as the peaks of the
Mokattan before Storm
81 am but ill at ease, friend Said, an
swered the old warrior. Last night III
dreamed that a wild hare ran past mo.
and thou knowest what that forbodes."
Evidently Said did know, by the sud- !, /,
1en clouding of his bright young face.
well said the wise man, that an en-
emy's gifts bring evil" pursued Hassan.
'Mehemet Ali Pasha loves us not, and !.
here, in his own stronghold, who knows
what he may dO?" Il
Hal think'st thou that the Pasha
means treachery p cried the young chief,
with a fierce rgleam in his large black
yes and a significant clutch of mis- Jew =
led sword hilt. "If it be so, let him a
'eware for he who beats the, thicket for q
N antelope may chance To rouse a lion n
But this is idle talk he dares notr y
.He daEes not,r echoed three or four L
{ the .othess, with q disdaiHful laugh,
HdZthe feast begxngg9s
Long and merrily did they revel |; but y
ist of their mirth was at, its height, a d
brill whistle, sllarp'antl 0minous as the g
cream of aiivulture pierced the still y
ight air. Instantly the -hangings of the Is
fell and itffom' behind the *
illars, with flash and roar like the "
of IA thunderstorm. u deadly q
olleyj Of musketryl came 7erashing1
mong the revelers. e.-s. D Il ~
in a moment all was confusion. Thej y
etrayedi iManeiukes spr7ing to their feet q
nd grasped,stheir swords and dagpers:
ut what could these, avail against the
erciless bullets that hailed upon them. !
own they went, man on man, and ,:
nORg the first that fell was poor old
assam, whose gloomy prophecy was ke
1t too truly fulfilled. 81 sscf,-i -:ti tu
Yet even in this deadly peril; the
ave young Said did not lose his pres t,h,
ice of mind. AT the first alarm he had in
'rIng to his horse and united it, but
% outer gate was shnt:A, There was
lly zone chance left.G5o a 1a ...t ca ca
AS the h0wling murdererers closed In 'n'
finish their work, Said sspurred his
darted like an, arrow through ins
9 doorway; leading from the colonnade DC
the rampant that .overhung the preci- gia
CO. o.. stss. .t..,!ua... ... ~
An exulting yell broke from the enc in
les as they rushed afber him, thinking vii
at now they had him fast, hemmed in, jus
he was between. their levelcd weap -
s and the fearful gulf beyond But dis
ey little knew Said. the Mamel axe. sal,
le defiant shout, one headlong bound snt
rward into the empty air, and the We
rse and man vanished into the faith c
lless depths of the blackness below. g.
Even the savage soldiers turned AWAY -,