CHAPTER XVI.

Bonaparte's assumption of Mahometanism-His victory over the Turks His flight from Egypt-Successes of the English and their Allies-Kleber's proposition to evacuate Egypt-The Convention of El Arish.

WE are sincerely grieved that it falls to our lot so often to be compelled to mention the delinquencies of our once inveterate and at last conquered foe, the late Emperor of the French. We do this in no spirit of detraction, as we trust that there is sufficient of credit accruing to Sir Sidney Smith, without being compelled to place his conduct in striking contrast with his then infuriated enemy. But some of the unjustifiable acts of Bonaparte we must relate, in order that the measures undertaken by Sir Sidney to counteract their effects may be fully understood.

About a month after the defeated and disorganised republican army reached Cairo, a Turkish squadron came to an anchor off Aboukir. In announcing this event to the Egyptian Mussul

mans Bonaparte had recourse to the following unwarrantable and absurd expressions in his proclamation: "On board that fleet are Russians, who hold in horror all who believe in the unity of God, because, in their lies, they believe in three Gods; but they will soon see that it is not in the number of gods that strength consists. The true believer who embarks in a ship where the cross is flying, he who hears, every day, the one only God blasphemed, is worse than an infidel."

This assumption of credence in the Mahomedan faith was despicably mean, and wholly unworthy of the talents of a great general. He needed not this paltry deceit, for he conquered this force honourably and fairly in the field.

On the 11th of July, the Turkish army disembarked at Aboukir, and soon made themselves masters of the fort, the garrison of which they put to the sword, in retaliation of the massacre which disgraced the French at Jaffa. It is earnestly to be wished that English influence had prevented this last useless atrocity-useless to the momentary conquerors, but replete with evil consequences to them in the sequel.

Confident of victory over a rash and undisciplined army, which had thus commenced its inauspicious career by a gratuitous cruelty, Bona

parte immediately commenced his preparations by augmenting his cavalry with a number of fleet Arabian horses, and immediately set forward to meet his enemy.

In the meanwhile, Sir Sidney Smith, after the dispersal of the French army from before Acre, leaving every assistance in his power to the Turkish forces to enable them, with spirit, to follow up their advantages, had repaired to the different islands in the Archipelago, in order to refit the vessels and to recruit the health of the crews of his little squadron, and to Constantinople also, to concert such measures with the Ottoman government that might lead to the final expulsion of the common enemy from Egypt. He returned to Aboukir bay just in time to witness the encounter between the Turks and the French, which proved so disastrous to the former, and which defeat was the more mortifying to him, as he was unable to render any assistance to his rash allies.

At six o'clock on the morning of the 25th, the French made their appearance before the lines of entrenchment that the Turks had thrown up before Aboukir. At the first onset the French, who immediately attempted to storm the works, were repulsed with great loss to themselves. But the Mussulmans, though individually brave,

had not yet learned to act in combined masses with success, even against a beaten enemy. Elevated by the partial advantage that their bravery and physical strength had procured, they rushed out tumultuously from their entrenchments, and, according to their custom, began lopping off the heads of the slain and wounded. In the dispersion necessary to this barbarous operation, they exposed themselves to an impetuous attack of the republican generals, Lannes and the afterwards celebrated Murat. A dreadful carnage ensued, which terminated in a total defeat of the Turbans, and the recapture of Aboukir.

In this sanguinary conflict the greatest part of the Turkish army perished, for those who escaped the sword were mostly drowned in their fruitless attempt to get off to the vessels in the bay. As they had so lately refused quarter to the enemy, they expected and they received

none.

of

Disastrous as was this defeat to the common cause, it was productive of one advantage, the freeing of the Egyptian soil from the presence Bonaparte. This last victory of his forces afforded him the means of making his flight appear the less dishonourable. He immediately sent home a splendid despatch of his victory, and, four days

after its receipt by the Directory, he astonished them by his presence, having left Egypt on the 24th August, and landed at Frejus on the following 7th of October, to commence a career of military glory, for long unchecked until the fatal opposition of the English in Spain.

Towards the conclusion of this October, a considerable reinforcement of troops and ships having arrived from Constantinople, Sir William Sidney Smith, accompanied by the Turkish vice-admiral, Seid Ali Bey, resolved to proceed to the Damietta branch of the Nile, and to make an attack on that quarter, which, by thus occupying the attention of the enemy, would leave the Grand Vizier more at liberty to advance on the French, with the grand Egyptian army, on the side of the Desert. This plan of operations had been previously arranged between the commanders of the two forces. The result of this we will give in the commodore's own words, in his despatch to Lord Nelson, dated November 8th, 1799. It is a melancholy recital, and goes completely to prove how inadequate were the Turkish troops to act in masses.

"I lament to have to inform your Lordship of the melancholy death of Patrona Bey, the Turkish vice-admiral, who was assassinated at Cyprus in a mutiny of the Janissaries on the 18th October.