lfi was
besieging Damanhur, and the other beys were returning towards Cairo,
Khorshid having called them to his assistance; but Mehemet Ali forced
them to retreat.

Soon after this, a squadron under the command of the Turkish high
admiral arrived at Aboukir Bay, with despatches confirming the firman
brought by the former envoy, and authorizing Mehemet Ali to continue to
discharge the functions of governor. Khorshid at first refused to yield;
but at length, on condition that his troops should be paid, he evacuated
the citadel and embarked for Rosetta.

First massacre of the Mamelukes.

Mehemet Ali now possessed the title of Governor of Egypt, but beyond the
walls of Cairo his authority was everywhere disputed by the beys, who
were joined by the army of the silahdar of Khorshid; and many Albanians
deserted from his ranks. To replenish his empty coffers he was also
compelled to levy exactions, principally from the Copts. An attempt was
made to ensnare certain of the beys, who were encamped north of Cairo.
On the 17th of August 1805 the dam of the canal of Cairo was to be cut,
and some chiefs of Mehemet Ali's party wrote, informing them that he
would go forth early on that morning with most of his troops to witness
the ceremony, inviting them to enter and seize the city, and, to deceive
them, stipulating for a certain sum of money as a reward. The dam,
however, was cut early in the preceding night, without any ceremony. On
the following morning, these beys, with their Mamelukes, a very numerous
body, broke open the gate of the suburb al-Husainia, and gained
admittance into the city from the north, through the gate called Bab
el-Futuh. They marched along the principal street for some distance,
with kettle-drums behind each company, and were received with apparent
joy by the citizens. At the mosque called the Ashrafia they separated,
one party proceeding to the Azhar and the houses of certain sheiks, and
the other continuing along the main street, and through the gate called
Bab Zuwela, where they turned up towards the citadel. Here they were
fired on by some soldiers from the houses; and with this signal a
terrible massacre began. Falling back towards their companions, they
found the bye-streets closed; and in that part of the main thoroughfare
called Bain al-Kasrain they were suddenly placed between two fires. Thus
shut up in a narrow street, some sought refuge in the collegiate mosque
Barkukia, while the remainder f