The Virginia Gazette

A Letter from Scandervan brings the following Account.

"It is well known over Europe that the Basha, Governor of Egypt, having paid very little Regard to the Orders of the Turkish Court, has been for some Time raising Forces, as it was imagined, to maintain himself in a State of Independence. About the Middle of June, having filled Magazines, and collected Carriages from all Parts of the Kingdom, he drew his Troops together and began his March towards Arabia, with a Design, was supposed, to plunder Mecca, or perhaps to make himself Master of some Provinces in that wide extended Tract, where he might have enjoyed Pleasures of Royalty without the Crime of Rebellion. A Band of Janissaries, which he had persuaded to follow him, when they came to the Edge of the Desert, began to mutiny. This he had foreseen, and for this he had prepared. He immediately assembled the rest of the Army round them, and seizing upon those Officers who had been most refractory, punished them with their Beards shaved and their Robes cut short, a Punishment equivalent to that of being drummed out of a Regiment in European Service. He then distributed Money throughout the Army, and all promised to go forward with him. When he had advanced fifteen Days March into the Desert, a Messenger arrived in his Camp with the following Letter from Niareddin, an Arabian Prince, the Son of him who a few Years ago intercepted the Caravan of Pilgrims:

To the riot illustrious and proud Basha of Egypt.

That thou hast thus far advanced into Countries through which neither thou nor thy Master have a Right to pass, consider as the Effect of Niareddin's Clemency. I hoped that the Sight of the Desert would have taught thee Wisdom, and have therefore granted thee Time for Reflection and Retreat. The Line of Suspension now draws. In two Days March is the Camp of Niareddin. On arriving at it, if thou canst give me the Water of the Well, thou mayest pass through the Caravans, thou arrivest then beyond the Desert. But the Sun affects the Lunatics, and to the sharpest Arrows; and he who dares to pass the Line must encounter the Nation whose Prowess ne'er has yet been told."

The Basha sent no Answer to this Letter, but continued his March through the Desert with as much Alacrity as ever. In a short Time one of his Sons met with the Army, and informed him that the Mamlukes had revolted, and that the Turks being joined, they had obtained some Ground, and in the Night attacked the Basha's Camp in his Tents. The Turks being routed, they have otherwise admitted. treated to a small Distance. The Turks, pursuing their Victory, pushed forward, did incite their Baggage a little behind them; when a fresh Party of the Enemy, from another Point, set Fire, on a sudden, to their Carriages. Fire in a sandy Desert is not easily quenched. The Turks, thus entrapped on all Sides, saw their Provisions and their warlike Stores almost totally destroyed. Nothing now remained but to return, and that was made yet more difficult by the Interposition of their Pursuers, and the Want of Water. Almost the third Part of the Army has perished, and the rest have regained the Frontier of Egypt.