siege were now
pushed forward with great ardour, but yet nothing denoted the immediate
reduction of the place. The defence of Ab-dallah Pasha was marked by
the most determined energy. He had sworn, it was reported, that he would
blow up the town. It was, however, of the utmost importance to push
forward the operations with the greatest activity. The first disposition
of the population, which had been favourable, might undergo a change
should not Ibrahim succeed in striking a great blow. The mountaineers of
Lebanon and of Naplonsia had sent their chiefs to the Egyptian camp, and
were ready to furnish a contingent of their warriors.

The news of the invasion of Syria by the army of Mehemet Ali, spread
terror at Constantinople. The Porte, with her usual craft, dissimulated,
and feigning to see in this event but a quarrel between two Pashas, she
summoned them to lay before her their respective griefs; but finding her
orders were disregarded, she made preparations for war. On the 16th of
December, 1831, Mehemet Pasha, already governor of Racca, was appointed
governor of Aleppo, and Seraskier of Syria and Arabia. Orders were sent
to the directors of the Imperial Mines, Osman Pasha, to the Musselims
of Marash, of Sevas, of Adana, and of Payas, to levy troops. Strict
injunctions were also given to the governors of Caramania, and of
Caesarea, to hold themselves in readiness; but this movement of Tartars
was insufficient to produce a numerous army; the lukewarm devotion of
the subjects of the Porte found ample means of evasion; and every
day the efforts of the Turkish government in Syria to reestablish its
authority, encountered new obstacles.

The son of the Emir Bechir assembled troops in the mountains, and held
out for Mehemet Ali. Damascus armed itself through fear, but retained as
an hostage the Pasha appointed to conduct the caravan to Mecca. Memiran
Osman Pasha had been selected by the Porte for the government of
Tripoli, but it was necessary to take possession of it by force of arms.
-This port was already occupied, in the name of Mehemet Ali, by Mustapha
Agar Barbar, a man of considerable note in the country. The Seraskier
Mehemet Pasha consented to furnish Osman with some thousand irregular
horsemen, and fourteen small field-pieces.

The latter arrived before his capital early in April. Believing the
Egyptian Commander-in-Chief still occupied with the siege of Saint
Jean d'Acre, all his dispositions of attack consist