afterwards, that they proceeded to cut the head off, and, representing it as a Mameluke's, got the reward.

As for those who had been driven out into Nubia, they were very restless, and desirous of making fresh incursions into Egypt, which obliged Ibrahim Bey still to keep a very large force with him in the Upper Province; from whence, after repelling every attempt at invasion, he followed them up even into the country which they had occupied, and there worsted them so much in various encounters, as to oblige them at length to retire still farther southward, to the city of Dongola, of which, after assassinating the native sovereign, they made themselves masters, and retained the dominion there for about seven years.

Such is a slight picture of the state of Egypt, externally and internally, about the time when we were preparing to set out for Arabia; for six months had now passed away from the time that we were first encamped; and we were in daily expectation of receiving marching orders: preparatory to which, all the troops received the pay of three months in advance, and the task devolved upon me of providing what would be necessary by the way, as well for the six privates under my charge, as for myself.

I therefore put my affairs in order at Cairo, and took leave of my wife, whom I left there decently lodged.

The details of the march, and the campaign that followed upon it, will be better reserved for another chapter.

CHAPTER III.

Suez-Voyage on the Red Sea-Siege and capture of Yambo-Wells dug and fortified-Heat-Insects— Scorpions-Battle and defeat at Jedeed Bogaz-Flight of the army and of the author-Embarkation at Mobrek-Return to Yambo-Reviews-Reinforcements--Sickness of the Author-He returns by Suez to Cairo.

THE march of the army on the Mecca expedition was gradually commenced*, a division setting out every day, and so, within no long space of time, the whole force, including as well such troops as were drawn off from remoter parts of Egypt, as those from the capital and its immediate

* According to Mengin, vol. i., p. 375, Tossoon

Pasha, by his father's orders, gave the signal for departure from the camp at Birket el Hadji on the 6th of October, 1811.

neighbourhood, was assembled at the place appointed for a general rendezvous, upon the coast of the Red Sea, not far from the little town of Suez *.

Here they found, for the most part, vessels prepared to convey them to Yambo †, which was the point upon the Arabian shore fixed on for their landing; but it would be indispensable for them to touch here and there by the way, for the sake of water and provisions.

* Mahomet Ali had got ready eighteen vessels in ten months on the Red Sea.—Mengin, voł. i., p. 343.

+ I have thought it best to retain the common spelling, though the author always writes it Lembi, Ali Bey Jenboa, and Mengin Janbo, who represents it as having been in danger from the Wahabees so early as 1804, when a special firman from the Porte was received in Egypt for sending 500 men to its protection; but the particulars of this siege, described in the text, seem very incorrectly given by him. There is a view of Yambo, the 66th print in Ali Bey's Travels.

I shall say nothing of the remainder of the army in their transit, but confine myself to the vessel which I myself was on board, which being in less readiness than most of the others, and the turn for em barkation of my company being one of the last, by far the greater part sailed before us.

The figure and construction of all the larger craft at Suez differ totally from anything European. The hull is large, and of an awkward appearance, and is furnished with only one mast, to which yards and sails of different figures are adapted, according to the circumstances of the different winds to which that perilous navigation is subject; add to this description the most lazy crew of sailors imaginable, and the reader has then a very just picture of a