returned to Egypt, and Buonaparte's rage knew no bounds. He, however, mastered it so far as to send to Djezzar, by two, Arabs, the following letter: "I do not wish to go to war with you, if you are not my enemy ; but it is time that you explain yourself. If you continue to afford refuge to Ibrahim-Bey, and, allow him to remain on the frontiers of Egypt, I shall consider that as an act of hostility, and march to Acre. If you are disposed to live in peace with me, you will remove Ibrahim-Bey 40 leagues from the frontiers of Egypt, and let there be a free commerce between Damietta and Syria. In that case, I promise to respect your sovereignty, and to allow a free commerce, by land or sea, between Egypt and Syria." *

This letter met no better fate than the message sent by Colonel Beauvoisins. Buonaparte now commenced preparations for fulfilling his promise to Djezzar. This he felt the more inclined to do, conceiving it would gain him favour with the grand signior, to whom the pacha of Acre, as was well known, had long been a rebellious subject. Djezzar had anticipated Buonaparte, by throwing a body of troops into the castle of El-Arich, situated just within the frontiers of Egypt. The news of this quickened the movements of Buonaparte ; and early in January, an army consisting, in effective strength, of 12,995 men, with 27 field-pieces, and 11 howitzers, � marched from the neighbourhood of Cairo to effect the conquest of Syria. The generals under Buonaparte in this army were Regnier, Kléber, Bon, Lannes, and Murat. The remainder of the army, which probably amounted to about 17,000 men, was scattered over the different provinces of Lower and Upper Egypt. On the 18th of February, the whole of the army destined to invade Syria, had assembled before El-Arich ; where we will leave it awhile, until we have given some account of the proceedings of the British squadron cruising off the Egyptian coast.

On the 2d of February Captain Troubridge, in the Culloden 74, with the Theseus of the same force, Captain Ralph Willett Miller, bomb-vessels Bull-dog and Perseus, Captains Adam Drummond and James Oswald, and Alliance frigate armed en flûte, Captain David Wilmot, arrived off Alexandria, to relieve Captains Hood of the Zealous, and Hallowell of the Swiftsure 74s, from their long and unproductive cruise on that station. On the following day, the 3d, at 3 p.m., the Bull-dog and Perseus stood towards the town of Alexandria, throwing in their shells as they approached. At 6 p.m. they discontinued the bombardment ; but resumed it for three or four hours at a time, on, the 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 13th, and 22d. On the last-named day there were two bombardments, one at 4 h. 30 m. a.m., and the other at 8 p.m. The latter had not continued long, before the

* See Appendix, No. 19.
� Victoires et Conquêtes, tome x., p. 76.

^ back to top ^