AnorderwhichhadbeenissuedonourarrivalinCairoforwatchingthecriersofthemosqueshadforsomeweeksbeenneglected.AtcertainhoursofthenightthesecriesaddressprayerstotheProphet.Asitwasmerelyarepetitionofthesameceremonyoverandoveragain，inashorttimenonoticewastakenofit.TheTurks，perceivingthisnegligence，substitutedfortheirprayersandhymnscriesofrevolt，andbythissortofverbaltelegraph，insurrectionaryexcitementwastransmittedtothenorthernandsouthernextremitiesofEgypt.Bythismeans，andbytheaidofsecretemissaries，whoeludedourfeeblepolice，andcirculatedrealorforgedfirmansoftheSultandisavowingtheconcordbetweenFranceandthePorte，andprovokingwar，theplanofarevolutionwasorganisedthroughoutthecountry.
Thesignalfortheexecutionofthisplanwasgivenfromtheminaretsonthenightofthe20thofOctober，andonthemorningofthe21stitwasannouncedatheadquartersthatthecityofCairowasinopeninsurrection.TheGeneral—in—Chiefwasnot，ashasbeenstated，intheisleofRaeuddah：hedidnothearthefiringofthealarm—guns.Herosewhenthenewsarrived;itwasthenfiveo’clock.Hewasinformedthatalltheshopswereclosed，andthattheFrenchwereattacked.AmomentafterheheardofthedeathofGeneralDupuis，commandantofthegarrison，whowaskilledbyalanceinthestreet.Bonaparteimmediatelymountedhishorse，and，accompaniedbyonlythirtyguides，visitedallthethreatenedpoints，restoredconfidence，and，withgreatpresenceofmindadoptedmeasuresofdefence.
Heleftmeatheadquarterswithonlyonesentinel;buthehadbeenaccuratelyinformedofthesituationoftheinsurgents;andsuchwasmyconfidenceinhisactivityandforesightthatIhadnoapprehension，andawaitedhisreturnwithperfectcomposure.ThiscomposurewasnotdisturbedevenwhenIsawapartyofinsurgentsattackthehouseofM.
Esteve，ourpaymaster—general，whichwassituatedontheoppositesideofEzbekye’hPlace.M.Estevewas，fortunately，abletoresisttheattackuntiltroopsfromBoulaccameuptohisassistance.
Aftervisitingalltheposts，andadoptingeveryprecautionarymeasure，Bonapartereturnedtoheadquarters.Findingmestillalonewiththesentinel，heaskedme，smiling，\"whetherIhadnotbeenfrightened？\"——