"When first subjected to the new system, the soldiery evinced the greatest discontent, and even, at one time, endangered the power and life of the pasha himself.

To restore order, he proclaimed a general amnesty, and the troops returned to their duty ; but shortly after, many of the chief movers in the mutiny died, or mysteriously disappeared.

His next movement was to despatch his son into Upper Egypt and Sennaar, with instructions to capture as many of the blacks as possible.

He succeeded so well as to bring back a vast number of these unhappy creatures; but out of twenty thousand who were subjected to the improved discipline, at the end of two years, not three thousand survived.

Undeterred by the difficulty or cruelty of his project, he next levied a conscription of thirty thousand Arabs and peasants, whom lie placed under the Direction of Colonel Seve, his principal military adviser, with five hundred Mamalukes, who were to fulfil the duties of officers.