Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-27
A MOHAMMEDAN MOB.
ADVENTURES OF AMERICAN SAILORS
AT ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT.
Row They Escaped with Their Lives
from the Egyptians Some Days Before
the Bombardment by the Vessels OF
the English Fleet

from the Egyptians Some Days Before
the Bombardment by the Vessels OF
the English Fleet
While lying at anchor of Alexandria dur
ing the few days previous to the lombard
nent of that city by the vessels Of the En-
giish feet under command Of Admiral Sey-
nour. several Of our party who had never
seen the sights about the place decided to so
! ashore, hire carriage, and do the town as
! thoroughly as the summers heat and an af-
;ernoon would permit.
AS we drove up from the landing there
seemed to be a much larger crowd than
usual in the streets and much more excite
ment than We expected An enlploye Of one
| OF the stores at which we had been accus-
toned to DEAL in fact the house TO which We
were consigned, seeing our party, came run
ming toward our carriage to tell US that some
thing OF an unusually serious character was
| about to happen, and that there was already
! fighting ina neighboring street; that large
| numbers Of soldiers had recently come in
| from the country; that the best, and, in
. fact, the only wise thing for Us to do was TO
! return to our vessel. As there was always
some sort of a street row going on we
! thanked him for his kindness, told him that
thus FAR American had been comparatively
free from complications, and that as we had
come ashore 10 see the things of interest we
thought that we would keep on, particularly
as our road ley outside Of the city, where
| we would be beyond the troubles that
caused such great excitement.
| After looking Ct Pompeys Pillar and one
/ or two other places Of more or less interest,
| all Of which are well described in the COM
! p!ete guide to Alexandria and its surround
| Ings, we drove out to the Khediye's garden,
! where we intended to pass the remaining por-
! ton OF our stay ashore We found quite
number Of officers, both American and Eng
! lash, out az the garden, all in uniform, which
/ iatterly they had been obliged to wear when
over they cams ashore, to guard against the
iESults daily offered TO foreigners, and here
Tor the first time we had & comparatively
clear account Of the troubles which termi~
mated IL the horrible butchery already going
OF n the city. Later il the day several men
Ia the party at the khedive's gardens that
beautiful summer afternoon, fell victims of
the mob. We decided that the best thing
now to be done was to jump into our car
riaees and, by taking the shortest route, en-
deaVor to reach the landing, where we hoped
TO find our boats
Our carriage was fortunately not able to
leave Until the party of English officers had
started, and as we drew near the town it
WINS quite evident that we were in for some
thing, very serious, and the aspect was any
thing but pleasing as the other carriages
passed into the crowd Of yelling and gesticu-
iatlnG demons, through which they vainly
suoye to force their way, only to have their
occupants dragged from their seats and
butchered in cold blood. The few who es-
capped found refuge in guard house close
by, where they remained until after night
fall As we drew up We were told by man,
evidently interested in our well being, to
elight at once and follow him. This time
discretion came to our aid, and, jumping out
Of cur carriage, we ran after our new found
friend up a side street. and, after making a
turn or two, found ourselves at the side en-
trance Of the building in which was the store
Of our business friend already alluded TO,
the doors and windows OF which were al
ready carefully barricaded. A few pound
ings on the door resulted in a head being
cautiously put out Of window up stairs,
and after its owner WAS assured that the
party below was of friendly disposition it
was withdrawn. IN a few moments the bar
ricades were removed and the door opened
just far enough for us to squeeze through in
single file. After the party had passed in the
house the door was again carefully secured
and not moment too soon, as q crowd of
yelling, hooting, turbaned Egyptians came
along carrying knives, firearms clubs and
weapons of all sorts, who, had they caught
sight OF lis, would have made extremely short
work of it, oS Death to the foreigners"
XIII them! kin tnecln were the cries again
and again repeated.
As the excitement became wilder and the
crowd moro unmaIaseabIe. our unpleasant
situation was all the more serious, for should
il become known that we were in the neigh
borhood our lives would not be worth the
toss of a penny. Great was our relief to SEQ
q regiment Of troops march into the square,
and 70 know that even if they could not &C
comDlish much toward breaking up the mob.
they probably would prevent our house be-
ing broken into, as one Of the members Of
the firm WAS related 10 an officer Of the regi-
ment Our oaly plan now was to wait until
a comparatively quiet time; then. watching
or opportunity, send our guides out to COM
D2unicate our predicaner. to this officer, and
ask his assistance. The guide az first de-
clared ho would not SO, as should he 10 dis
covered leaving a baITicaded house suspicion
would at once DO fastened upon him as being
connected with place in which there was
something that the mob Was not allowed to
get hold OF, and that his life would pay The
forfeit. It was not Unit, threats and suppl /
cations had been supplemented by brides that !
be consented to be lowered to tia ground /
from one of the back windows into the yard, (
from which be was 10 pass through door |
i,y no !. ~
the adjoining lot, and SO on By another street |
to the square.
It was long after dark when we heard him !
return. He told Us that the officer and three 1
Trustworthy men would be on hand as soon
as they could be procured and the street .
sufficiently cleared for them 70 pass. We J
were directed to change our clothing for (
such native garments as we could find so tibet .
our passing through the streets would create I.
no additional disturbance. and We were to I
pass from the house by the rear entrance to /
another street than tina, on which cur house
Tss situated, where We would find the car
riages waiting. twas after II o'clock before
we heard tho signal agreed upon &c inform
is that it was time to start, when donning
our multi, we were sooa IL the carriages
and under escort Of our guard passed without
trouble or adventure TO the custom house.
Here we were II another trouble, as moSI
stringent orders had been given net 10 allow
any boats to approach the landing, and it
began TO look Is Il we should have tc roman
IL our unpleasant situation the remainder of
the night; but seeing cur boat pulling toward
the landing, and assuring the customs officials
thai We were not English, az the same time
adding a liberal bsssowal of that open
sesame" which accompiisheS so much in that
sunny land, we were soon sfioat, after having