The cause of this second Emir’s disgrace was his having fallen into disrepute with the government, by not immediately joining the Seraskier Pasha on the occasion of the expulsion of the Egyptians from Syria. But the cause of the poor man’s conduct was one that few can help sympathising with. His son was at that time with Ibrahim Pasha; and had it been known to that warrior that the Emir had joined the forces against him, there is little doubt but that he would have caused the son to be cut to pieces. Under these circumstances, the Emir was constrained to remain on the mountains till the expulsion of the Egyptian troops had been effected. He then went down to Sidon and surrendered himself to the English, and was by them conveyed in a frigate to Beyrout.
The Seraskier having given out that he was in possession of a Firman, by the authority of which, could he lay hold of the Emir, he would undoubtedly behead him, and send his head as a trophy to Constantinople, the English authorities strongly recommended his departure for Malta, where once on English ground his safety would be ensured. The Emir accordingly came to that island, and was very well received by the governor, who placed a palace at his disposal. I must acknowledge that all that the Emir said about Sir Frederic Bouverie redounded much to his Excellency’s credit. He spoke of him as a humane and kind governor, and one who knew how to respect fallen dignity.
I have already said the Emir ultimately left Malta for Constantinople. On arriving at Stamboul he was exiled to Zafron Boli, a place notorious for the animosity of its inhabitants towards Christians, and where his eldest son, pining on account of the miseries endured by his father, soon succumbed to misfortune. Here he remained some time subjected to much mental suffering. Often in after years he told me, in familiar conversation, that what afforded him some small consolation was the similitude between his own fate and that of the late King Louis Philippe.
After some time, through the kind intervention of one of the European ambassadors, the Emir was brought to Broussa, and ultimately removed to Constantinople, where, within a short time, himself and his remaining son sunk into the grave. Every respect was paid to his memory; by the Sultan’s order a public funeral was awarded him, and masses said for the repose of his soul at the government expense, a striking proof of the liberality and toleration of the government of the Sublime Porte.