The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-08-31
DIR. ScIlWeinfurth's Narrow Escape at
Alexandria

The traveller DIR. Schweinfurth narrowly es-
capped losing his life at the hands of the Egypt
ian mob during the bombardment of Alexan-
dria. He gives graphic description of his ad-
ventures in q letter to his brother, published in
the Cologne Gazette. Echweinfurth and friend
were watching from the terrace of their house
the course of the British missiles when crowd
gathered in the street, who accused them OF
giving signals to the feet. All attempts to con-
vince the Egyptian soldiers of their innocence
were futile, andtthey. finally endeavored to es-
cape to the Coptic Church. about two hundred
feet distant, by lowering themselves from the
rear window OF the balcony into the garden.
Their fight however, was discovered, and the
crowd pushed angrily toward the garden,
where, fortunately, wall eight feet IN height
impeded their progress. Shoot them" the
mob shouted, and three soldiers leveled their
guns at the two men, who now stood on the
balcony. revolver in hand. - Five of you shall
die before me-" Schwenfurth exclaimed, and
then attempted to appeal to the reason of the
mob, telling them that he and his friends were
not Englishmen, but Germans, friends of the
Sultan; that they had been twenty years in
the country, and remained, relying on the
good faith of the Mohammedans, trusting to
the proclamations of the Khedive, of Ragheb,
of Arabi Pasha, etc. "Why do you try to es-
escape, then?'' shouted the mob ag1in. 1--WE do
not fee from the soldiers was their reply,
"but from the mob, who four weeks ago
chased Europeans in the street like SO many
wild beasts by similar harangues and lib
eral hourishing of their revolvers Schwein-
furth and his companion kept for some time
the mob at bay, who repeatedly attempted
to force an entrance. Suddenly Police Can
tain and a spy in the guise of Consular en-
ploye appear before the door, the expression
of their eyes plainly indicating a desire for
''bakshish." The door is carefully opened,
and the two worthless are dispatched with q
few gold pieces. Not relying on their graft
tude, however, Schweinfurth and his friend
now barricade the door, and again retire to
the balcony. The crowd, growing more furi-
GUS, shout to them with curses to surrender
their revolvers. Schweinfurth throws the
leather case into the garden, and q yell of
triumph from below proves to him how little
would be gained by surrender. Again the re-
volvers are hourished, and again the heads
disappear for a moment Now Schwefnfurth
shouts at the top of his voice to the trembling
Christians assembled in the Coptfc Church:
g Listen, Christiansl We are going to die
here, but you are Witnesses OF our miserable
death; you will tell the Sultan, the Khedive
and the Consuls that we, innocent Germans,
friends of Egypt have died through the
soldiers and the police" These words at last
had their effect, and the mob slowly dispersed,
quarreIing with the police, whom they ac-
cused of having been bribed by the Christian
dogs. Hours of anxiety followed, but the
danger was over, and the next day, July I2,
Zulflcar Pasha came personally to Schwein-
furth 90 advise him to seek safety IN the
Hospital Of the Deaconesses at the Moharrem.
Bey Gate. There schweinfurth and his friend
spent two days, until the arrival Of the Ger
man marines, the hospital sisters meanwhile
displaying wonderful GOODNESS and energy.