where it arrived on the 28th. The second division followed on the 21st of December, and arrived on the 1st of January. It may be a question why the army did not sail direct for Egypt, and the event justifies the supposition that it would have experienced less resistance, since the Egyptienne, Justice, Regenerée, and Lodi, which carried out the important succours of troops and ammunition, had not at that time escaped into Alexandria. But it is to be answered, that the co-operation of the Turks, from the influence of their religion on the inhabitants, was highly essential, and that they had moreover promised to furnish gun-boats, horses to mount the cavalry, and troops under the immediate command of the Captain Pacha, provided the British fleet rendezvoused in Asia Minor. The result indeed proved that dependance on these succours to effect a landing was not advantageous.

Lord Keith's division in going to Marmorice fell in with some polacres coming from Alexandria, laden with rice, and on board of one of which was the celebrated Talien. No particular information was obtained from them, or rather the estimate they gave of the French force in Egypt was considered as grossly exaggerated.

It had been the intention of Lord Keith to rendezvous in the Bay of Macri, but finding that port was too open, and that Rhodes did not admit of the entrance of large ships of war, he reconnoitred the coast, and discovered Marmorice Bay, one of the finest harbours in the world, the entrance of which was so narrow and retired, that it could not be perceived till within a cable's length of the coast. The surprize, the pleasure of the soldiers can scarce be described, when they found themselves in a moment embayed by mountains, which formed the grandest scenery imaginable, and sailing in smooth water, although the instant before the fleet was labouring in a heavy gale

of wind, and rolling about in a tremendous sea. Even ships, which could not carry outside a top gallant sail, were now suddenly becalmed, and obliged to be towed up the harbour by the boats of the fleet.

The sick were immediately landed and encamped; for the little town at Marmorice, at the head of the harbour, afforded no accommodation. Regiments were also successively disembarked, whilst the ships were cleaning, and the whole army frequently exercised to that manœuvre they were shortly to practise before the enemy in landing. The cavalry were kept on shore to receive the horses expected from Constantinople, and officers were partially employed in the purchase of others.* The quarter-master general of the army, Colonel Anstruther, who had been sent from Minorca to prepare the Turks for the reception of the English, had not been able to procure a sufficient supply of fresh provisions to save the issue of the salted stores; but goat-flesh was yet obtained in sufficient abundance by individuals, and poultry also was plentiful. The English, however, found that their character had preceded them from Europe, for every article was advanced in price four hundred per cent.

The horses for the cavalry at length arrived, and expectation was raised with eager hope to receive some of that species for which Turkey is so celebrated; but the mortification was exces

* One of the expeditions had nearly proved disastrous to some officers sent to the rebel Aga of Cudjas, whose attendants wished to take liberties, which though not unnatural to them, were highly repugnant to British ideas. Another was more advantageous, since Major Moore, of the 26th dragoons, at Macri, an ancient city of the Greeks, obtained as a present from the Aga three gold coins found there, and in the most perfect preservation. Two of them are of Pyrrhus, and one of Lysimachus.

† A Turkish market-place is sufficient to generate a plague. It is never cleaned, and blood flows on blood until a consistency of corruption is formed. The scene at Marmorice, where the butchery was so considerable, is indescribable.

sive, to see animals naturally so bad, and in such a wretched condition, as to make the dragoons feel humiliation in being ordered to take charge of them. Every commanding officer solicited rather to serve with his corps as infantry; but the nature of the service the army was about to be employed on, rendered even such more desirable than none. However, out of several hundred horses, finally only two hundred were left for the cavalry, about fifty for the artillery, and the remainder shot, or sold for a dollar apiece. Miserable indeed would have been the state of the cavalry, had it not been amended by the horses purchased in the neighbourhood; but this supply was small, since it was a measure not pressed vigorously till too late; previously adopted, it would have rendered the whole of the dragoons an effective force, and saved an enormous expence.

On the 8th of February commenced the most violent thunder and hail storm ever remembered, and which continued two days and nights intermittingly. The hail, or rather the ice stones were as big as large walnuts. The camps were deluged with a torrent of them, two feet deep, which, pouring from the mountains, swept every thing before it. The scene of confusion on shore by the horses breaking loose, and the men being unable to face the storm, or remain still in the freezing deluge, surpasses description. The ships in the harbour were in no less disorder from driving, loss of masts, &c. and the Swiftsure was struck by lightning. At night the firmament was, from the increasing flashes, in a state of constant and vivid illumination. To add to the terrific grandeur of this concussion of elements, signal guns of distress were frequently heard, and the howlings of wolves, jackalls, &c. re-echoed through the mountains at the back of the camp in the intervals, whenever the thunder ceased. It is not in the power of language to convey an adequate idea of such a tempest.

On

On the 16th of February General Moore, who had been sent from Marmorice on the 4th of January to the Grand Vizir's army at Jappa, returned with the same melancholy account of its wretched state, as Colonel Murray had brought in December. Weak as to numbers, without discipline, and infected with the plague, its co-operation scarcely offered an apparent advantage.*

The appointed time for the arrival of the Captain Pacha and the gun-boats had long elapsed. Only a few of the latter had joined; and it appeared evident from the continued delays, that the Turkish armament could not be ready for some time. Every moment became of most serious import, and particularly since the intelligence was confirmed of the escape of two frigates into Alexandria, whilst our ships, previously cruizing off, were watering at Cyprus. This news was really alarming, since it had already been ascertained that the French force in Egypt consisted of a much greater strength than Government supposed it to be, whilst the unexpected state of the Turkish army considerably weakened the projected means of attack. But the order was positive, the object urgent, and the character of the British army rested on the attempt. The weather had been very violent for some time, and all the pilots, accustomed to the Egyptian coast, declared that till after the equinox it would be madness to attempt a landing. They were till then unacquainted with the daring of British seamen, and saw, to their astonishment, the army all embarked on the 20th of February; yet it was not till the 23d that the fleet could weigh anchor, when it sailed with a very fresh breeze. The number of vessels was

* The Grand Vizir wished to muster the troops; but as each chief drew for as many rations as he chose to demand, which this inspection would have checked, a few shots were fired at his highness's tent in the morning it was to take place, which hint was well understood, and the mufter was immediately countermanded.

such,

such, about 175 sail, as to require a complete day for the whole to assemble in the roads.

A nobler sight could not be beheld. The greatness of the armament, the gaiety of the brave men on board, exciting re-flections on the awful destiny of the expedition, not only as relating to those immediately acting in it, but as affecting the dearest interests of Great Britain, afforded a scene for contemplation, in the highest degree gratifying and impressive.

To the credit of the army during its stay at Marmorice, no complaint had ever been made by the inhabitants; on the contrary, the Turks seemed to be inspired, for the first time, with an esteem for Christians.*

The army wanted for many comforts which that part of Asia Minor could not produce; although several vessels, taken on their way from France to Alexandria, had afforded a very seasonable supply, they being laden with all the epicurean luxuries which she could send out.†

The greatest misfortune was the total want of information respecting Egypt. Not a map to be depended upon could be procured, and the best draught from which information could be formed, and which was distributed to the generals, proved. ridiculously incorrect.

Sir Sydney Smith was the only officer who knew at all the locality of the coast, and he certainly, as far as he had seen, gave perfect information. But he had never been in the interior of the country. Captain Boyle, at Minorca, had given an idea of the disposition of the French army, which, considering the

* The ladies of the army might boast of animating them with the tenderest sentiments of attachment. Some attempts were made at the embarkation to surprize and carry off several ; and a French lady, taken on her way to Egypt, had a very narrow escape.

+ It is but too characteristic of the French, that on board of these ships, amongst many other fantastical packages, was a cargo of fans, most ingeniously indecent.

caution