THE RISING IN CAIRO.
As soon as a meal had been eaten the Arabs mounted again, rode to a
ferry two miles above the city, crossed there, and joined a large party
of their countrymen, who were gathered at a short distance from the
city. There was much excitement among them, for one of their number had
just returned, bringing news that there was fighting in the town.
Napoleon had gone in the morning to examine the ruins of Old Cairo. On
hearing that there were armed gatherings in various parts of the town,
General Dupres started from the barracks of Birketelfi with a detachment
of dragoons. On his approaching one of these gatherings fire was opened
upon him. He and some of his dragoons were shot, and the rest galloped
with the news to Junot, who was in command, and who at once sent to
acquaint Bonaparte with what was taking place.
The latter returned at once, found the first two gates at which he
arrived in the hands of the insurgents, and making a detour, entered the
town by that of Boulak, and, joining Junot, he ordered the whole of the
troops to be concentrated in the great open space known as the Square of
El-Esbekieh, where were the headquarters and barracks occupied by a
portion of the troops, and the houses in which the staff-officers,
servants, and others lodged. Cannon were placed at the mouth of all the
streets leading from it, and the troops were ordered to remain under
arms all night. The Arabs had, soon after the sheik's party joined them,
entered the town by one of the gates that had been seized by the
insurgents, and established themselves in one of the large open spaces
near the walls. Parties galloped down into the town, and from time to
time brought back news of what was being done.
They reported that no attacks had been made on the troops, but that the
whole town was in a state of insurrection; that the keepers of the
French restaurants had been, for the most part, killed, and all their
houses pillaged; and that the insurgents had gathered in great force in
the cemetery, near the Square of El-Esbekieh. The sheik, with his
followers and many of the other Arabs, rode down to this spot in
readiness to take part in the attack that would, he supposed, be at once
made on the French. Finding that nothing was done, the sheik rode to the
Mosque of Gama El Ashar, where the leaders of the insurrection were
gathered. He dismounted and went in. He found a tumultuous debate going
on, a few being ready for instant attack, while the others urged the
advisability of waiting until the next morning, when many more Arabs,
and the inhabitants of Old Cairo and other places, would have joined
them.
The sheik at once took part in the debate, and urged strongly that the
attack should be made without an instant's delay.
"You are giving time for the Franks to prepare themselves," he said.
"You have already lost the advantage of surprise. After the first shot
was fired there should not have been a moment of delay; but no shot
should have been fired until you had given us notice. Then together we
should have flung ourselves upon them when they were confused and
dismayed, and had no time to form plans or to gather themselves in one
place. You have already lost that advantage, but do not give them any
longer time. You may be sure that already swift horsemen have been sent
to order the divisions that have just marched to return at once, and by
to-morrow evening they may be here."
"You have spoken truly," one of the leaders said, "that no shot should
have been fired until all was in readiness, and that we should then have
attacked at once with all our force. But the impatience of individuals
has destroyed our plans. The evil has already been done; the Franks are
gathered together. They can receive no reinforcements until to-morrow
night, while in the morning we shall be joined by fully 10,000 men;
therefore nothing would be gained, and much lost, by attacking to-day."
The majority of those present agreed with this opinion, and the sheik
returned to the cemetery.
"You were right," he said to Edgar moodily. "To be successful, such a
rising should have been prompt. They should have wasted no time in
killing tradesmen and plundering their shops. They should have hurled
themselves at once upon the troops and cut them to pieces before they
had time to recover from their surprise. Had they acted thus they might
have succeeded. Now they have allowed the whole of the French to gather,
with their guns, and after what happened in the battle, I fear there can
be little doubt of what will occur when we attack them; but this does
not alter my determination to do my best towards gaining a victory.
"Even if defeated the affair will not be without advantage. The Franks
will begin to see that, easy as was their first victory, the Egyptians
are not a flock of sheep to be maltreated and robbed without even
venturing to murmur, and that they cannot afford to scatter their forces
all over the country. Moreover, the news that Cairo is in insurrection
will spread through the country and excite a feeling of resistance. Many
will die, but their blood will not have been shed in vain. The French
think that they have conquered Egypt--they have, in fact, but marched
to the capital. They only hold the ground they stand on, and it will
not be long before they feel that even that is trembling under their
feet."
Some sheep that had been brought, slung across the horses, were cut up,
fires lighted, and supper eaten, and when two men had been posted as
sentinels, the rest wrapped themselves in their burnooses and lay down
to sleep. Edgar's reflections were not pleasant, and he sat up for some
time talking to Sidi.
"You think that we shall be beaten," the latter said, after they had
talked for some time. "There is no reason, brother, why you should take
part in a fight that you think will end badly. Why should you not leave
us, and go out of one of the gates in the morning?"
"I cannot do that, Sidi. I have, of my own free-will, cast in my lot
with your people. It is thanks to them that I have escaped a prison and
perhaps death, and I cannot withdraw now because there is danger. To
tell you the truth, I am more disgusted at the murder of all the
unfortunate shopkeepers than thinking of any personal danger to-morrow.
There is nothing brave or patriotic in slaying unarmed men, and the
deeds done yesterday are rather those of street ruffians thirsting for
plunder than of men trying to shake off subjection to foreigners. Such
doings as these bring disgrace upon a cause."
This view of the case was new to Sidi. In the wars that the Arabs
carried on with each other, or with the tribes of Morocco, there was no
fine distinction between combatants and non-combatants: women as well as
men were killed or carried off as slaves, and that there was anything
wrong in this had never occurred to him.
"But they are enemies," he ventured to protest.
"They were foreigners, but not enemies," Edgar replied. "Many of them
were settled here long before the French landed, and, like my father,
lived peaceably among you. They are not in any way responsible for the
action of the French government, or of Bonaparte and his army. Among
civilized people, save that after the capture of a town by storm, the
soldiers become maddened and behave sometimes like demons, the lives of
peaceful people are never menaced. Soldiers fight against soldiers, and
not against quiet traders or cultivators of the ground. To me all that
has been done to-day is nothing short of a murderous butchery, and
to-morrow I would much more willingly join in a charge on the rabble who
have done these things than upon the French soldiers, who are for the
most part honest fellows and have injured no one since they came into
the town, though they may have looted houses which they found deserted
by their inhabitants.
"However, as my country is at war with them, and I have an opportunity
of fighting them, I shall do so, but I would rather have done it with an
Arab force alone out on the desert than in conjunction with these
blood-stained ruffians. However, the matter is settled now, and at any
rate it will be a satisfaction to fight by the side of yourself and your
brave father, who sees as well as I do that defeat is almost certain."
So saying he lay down to sleep, but with sore forebodings of what was
likely to take place the next day.
When daylight broke it soon became evident that the insurgents had
neither a leader nor fixed plans. Some were in favour of attacking at
once, while others urged that it would be better for the French to do
so. The argument was, that whereas at present the French were all
assembled, ranged in order, and ready for an attack, they must be broken
up as soon as they issued from the various streets leading into the
square. The sheik, after talking the matter over with Edgar, rode with
some of his followers to the spot where the leaders were discussing the
matter.
"There is much in what you say," he exclaimed, when one of those who
urged delay had spoken; "but if we are to await their attack let us
prepare for it. All who have firearms should go on to the roofs of the
houses of the streets through which they will march, and fire down into
them as they pass along. Those who have other arms should take their
places in the lanes, running out of them and break into the column as it
comes along, while we Arabs will charge them in front."
Some strongly approved of this advice, others said that the question
must be referred to the council at the mosque, and things remained as
they were before.
The French had made a move early. Soon after daybreak Captain Sulkouski,
one of Napoleon's aides-de-camp, started with two hundred cavalry to
make a circuit of the town, and to reconnoitre the position of the
insurgents. He rashly charged into the middle of a large party of Arabs,
but was killed with many of his men. Two hours later scouts rushed into
the cemetery, and announced that the French were in movement along the
streets leading towards it, and almost immediately afterwards several
batteries, which had been placed during the night on spots commanding
the cemetery, opened fire.
There was no hesitation now on the part of the insurgents; they rushed
forward in confused masses to meet the enemy. As they did so the leading
ranks of the columns opened, and cannon, which were being dragged along
by the infantry, poured volleys of grape into the crowded mobs. Many of
the Egyptians ran into the houses, and from there kept up a heavy fire.
But pressing steadily forward, the French fought their way into the
cemetery, and opening out, poured such heavy volleys into the Egyptians
that these speedily ran up the streets leading from it, leaving numbers
of dead behind. The Arabs had fallen back before the French entered the
square, as the crowded tombstones rendered it impossible for them to act
with any effect there, and the sheik's party, with several others, took
up their position at some distance up the principal street leading
towards the mosque.
As soon as a heavy French column entered this street fighting began in
earnest. From roof and window a deadly fire was poured into them, bodies
of men armed with sword and dagger rushed out of the narrow lanes and
threw themselves on the flanks of the column. Many French soldiers were
killed, but the bayonet did its work, and the assailants who had pierced
the column fell to a man.
The blood of the French soldiers was now up. The sudden attack upon
them, the killing of many of their comrades, and of several
distinguished officers who had been caught riding unguardedly through
the city, had exasperated them to a pitch of fury. They had been under
arms all night, and the sight of many shops gutted, and their late
inmates lying dead at their doorway or in the road, filled them with a
thirst for vengeance, and they moved forward eagerly.
"Now it is our turn!" one of the Arab sheiks said sternly, then raising
his war-cry he led the way down the street, followed by a hundred of his
followers. Behind them rode Ben Ouafy, with Sidi and Edgar beside him,
and his own band following closely. There was only room for eight men to
ride abreast. Although their front ranks were swept away by the fire of
the leading ranks of the French column, the Arabs charged with splendid
bravery, but when within twenty paces of the column there was a sudden
movement, the ranks opened, and two cannon loaded to the muzzle with
grape poured a murderous discharge into them.
The effect was terrible. The greater portion of the band that led the
charge was swept away; the others would have turned, but the Beni Ouafy
were racing forward. "Charge," the sheik cried, "before they can load
again!"
"Forward, forward!" the Arabs' war-cry pealed out loud and shrill from a
hundred throats, and the whole then dashed down upon the French column.
The leading ranks were cut down, the cannon were for the moment
captured, and the Arabs pressed forward with shouts of victory; but the
French in front, pressed upon by those behind, could retreat but a short
distance. Those in front defended themselves with bayonet and clubbed
muskets, those behind poured their fire into the Arabs, who, being
raised above their comrades' heads, offered an easy mark.
The road was speedily blocked with fallen men and horses, but the
struggle continued until there was a movement from the French column,
and pressing their way along, a number of soldiers dragged two more guns
to the front. Then the head of the column opened sufficiently for the
muzzles to project between those of the first line, and again the storm
of grape swept the street. This was too much for the Arabs, and those
who survived turned their horses and galloped back. The sheik and his
party had just reached the French line, all in front of them having
fallen, when the cannon poured their contents down the street. Edgar had
caught sight of the guns just before, and uttered a warning shout.
"To the right, sheik, to the right!" while he himself, with a sharp pull
at the bridle, caused his horse to wheel to the left, and thus when the
guns were fired, their contents passed between Edgar and his two
friends. The sheik gave a cry of dismay as he saw that the greater part
of his followers were destroyed, and shouted to Sidi and Edgar to fly
for their lives. Riding at a mad gallop they dashed along, but the
bullets of the French pursued them vengefully, and half-way down the
street Edgar felt a sudden sharp pain in his right arm, and at the same
moment his horse gave a sudden spring and then rolled over. He was at
the time somewhat in rear of the sheik and Sidi, and they were for the
moment unaware of what happened to him. Fortunately the horse did not
fall upon him, and in an instant he was upon his feet again.
Looking round he saw that he had fallen close to the open door of a shop
with an Italian name over it; he ran into it. The shop had been
completely ransacked, and three bodies, those of the proprietor and two
lads, lay on the floor. There was no door leading out behind, and he ran
up the stairs. The rooms were littered with the remains of the furniture
and belongings. The bedding, curtains, and everything that could be of
use to the spoilers were gone, but the European clothes, which could not
be worn by them, were still about. The only windows looked into the
street. There was no apparent means of escape; the only hope was in
disguise. Tearing off his Arab garments and thrusting them into a
cupboard, he threw on without a moment's delay, trousers, a coat that
buttoned up, and a pair of European shoes, thrust a cap on his head, and
then ran downstairs again. Fortunately the column, after defeating its
assailants, had paused for two or three minutes, while the soldiers
broke into the houses from which they had been fired upon and slew all
they found in them, and its head was still a hundred yards away when
Edgar looked cautiously out. He had time to throw off his coat and to
hastily bandage the wound in his arm, from which the blood had been
streaming down; then as he heard the tramp of the advancing column he
ran down to the door, and as the troops came up, waved his hand, danced
as if for joy, and shouted a welcome in Italian, mingled with a few
words of French, pouring at the same time a voluble string of
maledictions on the ruffians who had killed his master and his two
comrades. A mounted officer riding at the head of the column shouted to
him to go in and to remain quiet, saying that there was no fear that he
would be molested now. Edgar drew back a little, but remained at the
door, sometimes shouting encouragement to the soldiers, sometimes
apparently weeping convulsively, and acting as if half out of his mind
with relief at his deliverance.
As soon as the column had passed he returned upstairs, bandaged his
wound much more carefully than before, put on a shirt, and chose the
best garments that he could find. All these had no doubt belonged to the
proprietor, and he now went boldly out and followed the French column.
These met with very slight resistance on their road towards the Mosque
of Gama El Ashar. When they neared this spot they halted until the other
columns should reach the point of attack. Before they had left the
square General Gonmartin had moved round from Boulak with ten guns and
taken post on the height near Fort Dupres, and at mid-day thirty guns
from this fort and the citadel opened fire on the town. As it was known
to the French that great numbers of the fugitives from the cemetery had
fled to the mosque, where already a strong body of armed men were
assembled, it was deemed imprudent to attack it until secure that there
was no danger of a great mass of the insurgents falling upon them while
so engaged.
Shells fell fast on the mosque, and fires broke out in several parts of
the town. Edgar joined a group of several civilians, who, having either
been hidden during the massacre or having escaped to the French lines,
now came up, deeming that they would be safer near the troops than
elsewhere. All had stories of hairbreadth escapes to relate, but,
feigning not to be able to follow their narratives, Edgar, after a few
words in Italian, joined the troops, who were engaged in eating the food
that they had brought with them.
At three o'clock a tremendous roar of fire in the direction of Fort
Dupres burst out, as some seven or eight thousand of the insurgents,
among whom were a number of Arabs, poured out from the nearest gate to
endeavour to carry the battery, while at the same moment a tremendous
musketry fire from the minarets and roof of the Mosque of Hassan, and
from the houses near the wall, was poured at the French artillerymen, to
prevent them from working their guns upon their assailants. Gonmartin,
however, had with him three battalions of infantry and 300 cavalry, and
with these he charged the advancing crowd. The Arabs fought bravely, but
were, for the most part, slain, and the insurgents, unable to stand the
heavy volleys, followed by a bayonet charge of the infantry, fled back
to the gate from which they had sallied out, 400 of them being taken
prisoners and sent to the citadel.
A great number of the fugitives fled to the Mosque of Gama El Ashar,
which was now crowded. Their reports of the disaster shook the courage
of those already there, and when four columns of French infantry emerged
simultaneously from the ends of as many streets, the fire opened upon
them from the roof of the mosque was but feeble. Six guns were instantly
placed commanding its gate, which was shattered after two or three
rounds had been fired, and then, with a shout, the infantry rushed in
and commenced the work of slaughter. This was terrible, no quarter was
given, and some 6000 Moslems perished there, while 2000 had been killed
in the previous fighting.
Satisfied with this terrible act of vengeance, the French troops were
marched back to the square they had left in the morning, Bonaparte being
sure that there would be no more rioting after the terrible lesson that
had been taught the inhabitants. Late in the evening, indeed, the chief
men waited upon him and implored mercy for the town. Several of them had
been members of the council who directed the movement, but they
represented that they had been compelled to act against their will, and
Napoleon, satisfied that there would be no more troubles, pardoned them
on condition of their at once issuing a proclamation condemning the
rioters, and ordering all to return to their ordinary avocations, and to
hand over to the authorities any who should preach mischief.
After the capture of the mosque, Edgar went down to the great square
occupied by the French, and gathered from the talk of the officers there
the result of the sortie. All agreed that the Arabs had fought bravely,
and that few indeed had left the field alive. Edgar made his way out of
the town by the Boulak gate, which was still open, and found the two
Arabs still at the spot where he had left them when he and Sidi rode off
to meet the chief at the Pyramids. They were full of excitement at the
battle that had raged all day.
"I have bad news," he said. "I rode with the sheik and his son against
the French. My horse was killed, and I received a wound in the arm, but,
as you see, I obtained a disguise, and have escaped without further
harm. You heard that there was a great fight outside the walls?"
"Yes, my lord. Many men came running past here, and said that the French
had beaten them."
"I greatly fear," Edgar went on, "that the sheik and his son took part
in that fight. Many Arabs went out with those who attacked the battery,
and I think it almost certain that the sheik and his son were among
them. Most of the tribesmen were killed in the fight in which I was
wounded. The sheik would have joined his countrymen, knowing that there
would be no mercy shown the Arabs taken in the town. I hear that almost
every one of those who rode out were killed, and I want you to come with
me to search among the dead, for doubtless there are many wounded among
them, and one or other may yet be alive. There will be a bright moon,
and we shall have no difficulty in recognizing them. It will be
necessary only to search among those in white."
The two men were greatly moved at the thought of the fate of their
chief, his son, and so many of their followers, and assented at once to
his proposal.
"We must wait until it gets quite dark," Edgar said. "Have you any food,
for I am faint with hunger and loss of blood?"
After he had finished his meal, the horses were handed over by the Arabs
to the care of one of their neighbours, with whom they had made
acquaintance. The rough tent was pulled down in order that they might
wrap the dark blankets over them to conceal their white clothing.
"You had better leave your pistols behind," Edgar said, "but take your
knives; we may come across some ruffians engaged in robbing the dead,
and the knives may come in useful. I hope that, as is most likely, the
French have sent down parties from the forts to watch the gates, so as
to prevent any of the leaders in the trouble from making their escape;
but some plunderers may well have come across from Old Cairo, so it is
as well to be armed. Take your lances also, not for fighting, but to
make a litter with, should we find either the chief or his son."
The sun had set a short time before they started, but the moon would not
rise for another hour, and they were unnoticed, or, at least,
unquestioned as they went round towards Fort Dupres. Indeed, they
encountered no one on the way. The din of battle had been succeeded by a
dead silence, no sound was heard from the city, whose population were
awe-stricken by the events of the day, and terrified by the expectation
of further acts of vengeance by the French. Those in the suburbs had
heard but vague rumours of the fighting in the streets and of the
massacre at the mosque, but they had learned from fugitives of the
defeat of the great sortie, and knew that the insurrection had been
completely crushed. The moon was just rising when Edgar and his
companions reached the spot between Fort Dupres and the city walls,
where the fight had taken place.
The bodies lay thickly piled here at the spots where the struggle had
been fiercest. For a time they found none save those of the men of the
city, but after two hours' search they came upon a number of Arabs,
whose white garments showed up clearly in the moonlight. Lying among
them were many bodies of French cavalrymen, showing that the Bedouins
had sold their lives dearly. Body after body was carefully examined, a
few were found to be still living, and as the Arabs had, at Edgar's
orders, brought water-skins with them, they were able to give some
little aid to these. Presently they came to a spot where the bodies were
more closely heaped than elsewhere and almost as many French as Arabs
lay together.
"Now, search most carefully," he whispered, "this is where the last
stand was evidently made."
The greatest caution was indeed necessary, for the fort lay a couple of
hundred yards away, and the French sentries could be plainly made out
against the sky-line as they marched backwards and forwards. Presently
one of the Arabs uttered a low exclamation. Lying by the side of his
dead horse, and surrounded by the bodies of five or six French
cavalry-men, lay the sheik. His white dress was dabbled with blood, one
side of his face was laid open by a sabre cut, and four or five patches
of blood at various points of his dress pointed to the existence of
other wounds. Edgar knelt beside him and placed his ear to his heart.
"Thank God, he still lives!" he exclaimed; "give me your water-skin;
Hassan, lift his head." Edgar poured a little water between the sheik's
lips, sprinkled some on his face, and then, tearing off a strip of his
garment, brought together the edges of the wound in the face, from which
blood was still slowly oozing, laid a wad of rag along it, and then
bound it tightly with the bandage.
"We must see to the other wounds after we have got him away," he said.
"Now, Hassan, do you two bind one of those spare blankets to the shaft
of the two spears, wind it round them until the sides are not more than
three feet apart."
While the men were doing this he continued to allow a few drops of water
to trickle between the sheik's lips. When the stretcher was ready it was
laid on the ground beside him; he was gently lifted on to it, the cloak
strapped to his horse's saddle was placed under his head, and the other
spare blanket thrown over him. Then the two Arabs lifted the ends of the
spears on to their shoulders, and, led by Edgar, made their way from the
scene of conflict. When they had gone half a mile they laid the sheik
down.
"Do you stay here, Ali; pour a little water between his lips
occasionally. Hassan and I will go back and look for Sidi."
The sheik was lifted from the blanket, and Hassan, shouldering the
litter, they returned at a rapid pace to the spot where they had found
the sheik. They had already made a hasty search here before leaving, but
without success, and now examined with the greatest care the body of
every Arab who had fallen near the spot, for Edgar made sure that,
unless he had been previously stricken down, Sidi would have fallen near
his father. Again their hunt was unsuccessful. Then they widened their
circle until after three hours' search they became convinced that he was
not among those who had fallen on the field, that he had either been
killed in the city, made prisoner, or escaped altogether. When at last
convinced that further search would be useless, they returned to the
spot where they had left the sheik.
"He has opened his eyes," Ali said, "and murmured two or three words,
but I could not hear what he said."
"There are hopes at any rate that he is not mortally wounded," Edgar
said. "Now let us go on again with him; do you two each take one of the
spears at his head, I will take my place at his feet; we shall get on
faster so."
Bearing down towards the river, they reached, after an hour's fast
walking, a grove of palm-trees near a village.
"We will leave him here," Edgar said; "it must be five miles from the
town. The French will have enough to do to-day without searching for
wounded. Do you two stay with him. If he becomes sensible and wants
anything, here is some money, and one of you can get food from the
village, but beyond some fresh fruit to make him a cooling drink with,
he is not likely to need anything. I shall return at once and enter the
town by the Boulak gate as soon as it is open. I heard in the town that
there were three or four hundred prisoners taken, and that they were
confined in the citadel, and would be tried in the morning. The first
thing to do is to find out if Sidi is among them, in which case I shall
do all in my power to save him. Pour a little water over my hands, Ali.
Wait a moment," and he took up a double handful of the sandy soil, "now
pour it on to this. I must get rid of these blood-stains."
After a vigorous rubbing with the wet sand his hands were, as far as he
could see in the moonlight, clean, and with a few last words to the men,
he started back for the city. It was with difficulty that he made his
way to the spot where the horses had been left. It had been a terrible
twenty-four hours, with their excitements and emotions, and he had lost
a good deal of blood from the flesh wound in his arm. The gray light was
just stealing over the sky when he arrived there, and he threw himself
down on a secluded spot a short distance from his old camping-ground,
and slept for a couple of hours. Waking, he went to the hut, by the side
of which the horses were tethered. He and Sidi had spoken several times
to the man who lived there, and he possessed two donkeys which worked
for hire in the city.
"You do not recognize me?" he said.
The man shook his head.
"I am one of the young Arabs who were staying in the little tent close
by. You see I am in disguise. It was not safe to be in the city
yesterday in Arab dress, nor is it to-day."
"Of course I remember you now," the man said. "Where are those to whom
the horses belong?"
"They are not likely to come here to-day. A friend of theirs was
wounded in the fight at Fort Dupres, and they have found him and carried
him off. I have been with them. Tell me, is there any blood on my face?"
The man shook his head.
"Now I want you to go to one of the shops near the gate and get food for
me. It matters not what it is some kabobs, or a pillau, or anything they
may have, and a large bowl of milk. I am faint and weary. Here is
money."
In a quarter of an hour the man returned, and Edgar, after eating a
hearty breakfast and drinking a quart of milk, felt greatly better.
He now entered the town. There were no signs of renewed fighting, and
listening to the talk of the officers near the headquarters, he gathered
that Bonaparte had granted a pardon to the inhabitants, but that the
prisoners taken in the attack on Fort Dupres, among whom were many of
those most deeply concerned in the rising, were to be tried at ten
o'clock by court-martial, and that probably a great part of them would
be shot.