Page:Thirty-five years in the East.djvu/60

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THIRTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE EAST.

choose. He therefore remained in his own vessel, until some soldiers were sent on board our ship to fetch him. The visitors, who were but little acquainted with politeness, set about carrying away some purses filled with crowns (dollars), during which operation a quarrel arose among them, and we saw them on the point of beginning a fight, as their swords, knives, and pistols were already held forth for the assault; but happily, no blood was shed. It was the patrol of Mahomed Ali making the round. They took our captain with them, and examined his papers, conveying him from one ship to another, which operation lasted four hours. As this happened in the vicinity of Cyprus, the captain made his complaint there to the British consul, and, on arriving at Alexandria, he immediately received satisfaction, as an imperative mandate was for- warded, and the patrol recalled.

At Cyprus, I called on my friend the French ex-Consul of Tripoli, Mr. Reynold, where I met with a kind reception, as he required my medical assistance. I had also, during my short stay at Alexandria, the opportunity of curing a countryman of mine, a Hungarian, who had been many years afflicted with ulcers on his legs. As a testimony of his gratitude, he sent me a letter, from which I copy the following lines: —

"May this serve you as a proof of my gratitude and sincerest thanks, for the complete restoration of my health; with the request that you will not, when far distant, forget your true and affectionate friend,

"ATTANAS KEPTENAK."

Alexandria in Egypt,
April I, 1823.

At this time the plague was raging dreadfully at Alexandria. The direction of the hospital was committed to a Jewish doctor, whose name was Marpurgo. Among the infected, there was an Italian, named Bellmondo, an apothecary by profession, who died the day after he was attacked with the plague, The people, on this occasion,