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[Page 310]

During the afternoon we visited the Citadel of Cairo. An imposing stronghold truly built on the Western end of the Mokhattan [Mokattam] hills. It commands the City, a frowning fort which seems to say: Here am I armed to the teeth let no man or woman stir a finger or a foot against the powers that be, else will my cannons open wide their mouths, my rifles spring to soldiers shoulders, my machine guns have their belts filled, all ready at the word of command to deal out death to all and sundry. Beware! Beware!!!

Many a grim tragedy has been enacted neath its walls and within its boundaries, the blood of the best has flowed along its passages and spurted against the walls, while over the parapets has been hurled many a valliant soul and brave body. The story of the Mammelukes is not old, as such go here, but 'twill live long adown the page of time – "Mahommed Aly the Turk invited the Mammelukes, the rulers here for centuries, to a banquet at the Citadel, when he had fed them his men fell upon them to murder all, one escaped without the room sprang to a horse, set the beast at the parapet, the fall to the ground outside was at least fifty feet, the animal took the spring, when he almost reached the ground the rider disengaged himself from the steed, falling free, while the poor brute was killed. Aly was so taken with the brave act that he pursued the horseman no further, & he afterwards gave the sole remaining Mameluke a property some distance up the Nile."

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