The evening of the 21st of July, 1798, had cast its shadows on the Nile.
Although the day had been excessively warm, the air was now cool and
pleasant. The full moon was gradually deepening the placid splendor of
her light, and giving a silvery sheen to the winding waters of the
river. On an elevated terrace, in the distance, could be distinguished
the bold and gorgeous minarets and gilded domes of Cairo. The villages
of Bulak and Shoubra were nestled on the river banks, overlooking a vast
extent of cultivated plain, rich in vineyards and grain. The great
obelisk of Heliopolis stood out against the eastern sky; and the vast
Lybian desert stretched away in desolation to the west. In the midst of
this sea of sand, could be faintly distinguished the awful forms of the
great pyramids of Ghizeh, from which that day, “forty centuries had
looked down,” upon the victory achieved by Bonaparte over the Mameluke
tyrants of Egypt.
The French were encamped upon the banks of the Nile; and the light of
their watch-fires could be seen for a great distance along the river.
The victorious general was at Ghizeh, having fixed his quarters in the
country-seat of Murad Bey. But although the watch-fires were burning,
the soldiers of the conquering army were not gathered around them. No;
the spoils of victory would not let them rest. They had suffered much in
the dreary march towards Cairo, and fought bravely in overcoming the
gallant cavalry of the Egyptian army, and now very naturally sought to
repay themselves for their hardships and toils. The field of battle was
covered with the troops, who were engaged in stripping the valuable
articles from the bodies of the slain Mamelukes. Among the spoils thus
obtained were splendid shawls, weapons of fine workmanship, purses, some
of which contained as many as two and three hundred pieces of gold; for
the Mamelukes carried all their ready money on their persons. More than
a thousand of these Egyptian warriors had been drowned in the Nile; and
even now, by the light of the moon, the French troops were engaged in
dragging for the bodies, to swell the amount of their booty. A more
indefatigable set of spoil-seekers never won a victory.
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[Illustration: TURKISH ENCAMPMENT.]
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[Illustration: NAPOLEON AT THE PYRAMIDS. Page 93.]
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The Mamelukes had sixty vessels on the Nile, containing the bulk of
their riches. In consequence of the unexpected result of the battle,
they lost all hope of saving them, and set them on fire. The great blaze
suddenly rising to the sky, caused the French troops to pause in the
midst of their search for valuables. They knew the contents of those
vessels, and they beheld the gradual destruction of those vast treasures
with feelings of disappointment not easily delineated. During the whole
night, through the volumes of smoke and flame, the French could perceive
the forms of the minarets and buildings of Cairo and the City of the
Dead; and the red glare was even gloriously reflected by the Pyramids.
To increase the terrors of the scene, the wild and treacherous populace
of Cairo, learning the disasters of their countrymen, set fire to the
splendid palaces of the Beys, and these great edifices blazed and
crackled up against the sky throughout the night.
About nine, in the evening, Bonaparte, accompanied by Berthier, Desaix,
Lannes, Regnier, and nearly all his principal officers, and even a
number of the privates, entered the country-house of Murad Bey, at
Ghizeh. This residence presented a magnificent appearance at a distance,
and a close inspection disclosed many additional beauties. But it was a
point of some difficulty at first to make it serve for a lodging, or to
comprehend the distribution of the apartments. But what chiefly struck
the officers with surprise, was the great quantity of cushions and
divans covered with the finest damasks and Lyons silks, and ornamented
with gold fringe. For the first time, they found the luxury and arts of
Europe in Egypt—the cradle of luxury and arts. Bonaparte and his staff
explored this singular structure in every direction. The gardens were
full of magnificent trees, but without avenues, and not unlike the
gardens in some of the nunneries of Italy. The soldiers were much elated
at the discovery of large arbors of vines, burdened with the finest
grapes in the world. The rapid vintage excited the laughter of the
French generals, who, themselves, joined in the scramble for the
delicious fruit.
In the meantime, the two divisions of Bon and Menou, which had remained
behind in an entrenched camp, were equally well supplied. Among the
baggage taken, had been found a great number of canteens full of
preserves, both of confectionary and sweetmeats, besides carpets,
porcelain, vases of perfume, and a multitude of little elegancies used
by the Mamelukes. All these luxuries had been purchased by the
oppression of the mass of the Egyptians, and it was but a stroke of
justice which took them from the oppressor.
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[Illustration: BATTLE OF THE PYRAMIDS. Page 94.]
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[Illustration: COSTUMES OF CAIRO.]
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The French troops, who had murmured much while traversing the hot sands
of the desert, now fell in love with Egypt, and began to hope for a
career of easy conquest and rare enjoyment. Their general was pleased at
their change of tone, and permitted them to revel amidst the fruits of
their labor and endurance.
Bonaparte and his officers spent the greater part of the night in
exploring the residence of Murad Bey. Towards morning they reclined upon
its luxurious couches, and while the conflagration raged without, and
the soldiers were revelling among the spoil, these veteran officers
indulged in repose. A short time previous these gallant men had shared
Bonaparte’s doubt and anxiety as he stood upon the deck of a vessel, in
the harbor of Alexandria, viewing the shores of the land of the
Pharoahs. Now they could sleep in the confidence of continued victory.
On the 20th of July, the young conqueror of the Pyramids, entered Grand
Cairo, receiving the humble submission of the sic and the shouts of the
thronging populace. The capital of Egypt was in the power of the French.
[Illustration]
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[Illustration: NAPOLEON ENTERING CAIRO. Page 97.]
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[Illustration]