orders received on this head, they were all fent back. On the 13th three more boats were captured endeavouring to get away, two of which were burnt, On the 15th a Neapolitan came off to us in a little boat by himself; being much irritated at the treatment he had received from the French, he offered his fervices in any way: Captain Hallowell took him on board the Zealous, to the Commodore, who fent him again on fhore in the evening to procure intelligence. Standing in near the city as ufual, we faw two boats feemingly at anchor, on which Captain Hallowell dispatched two of ours manned and armed, who found them only to be Greek fishermen, and the next day they were fent back. The enemy, as usual, threw many shells at our ships, but without effect. The following day, however, we captured a boat endeavouring to escape, in which were many French and German officers; among the rest a young Ruffian, who gave so plausible an account of himself as induced Captain Hallowell, at his earnest request, to detain him: the reft were sent back, although they entreated to be permitted to remain as prisoners, or any thing but relanded; this, however, could not be complied with. The young Ruffian informed us "that he was the son of Baron Knorring of Livonia, that he was travelling in quest of knowledge, and being unfortunately at Cairo at the time of the arrival of the French, he was compelled to remain there till this time; that at length he had received from General Bonapartè leave to quit the country, but the ftrictness of the blockade had hitherto prevented him; he had tried be fore, and had failed; if he was not permitted to remain with us now, he would again repeat his attempts to get away, as he would not abandon himself to defpair." The frankness of his manners was fo prepoffeffing that Captain Hallowell treated him with every attention and hospitality, and the youth seemed to be entirely grateful for it. On the 19th of September the Emerald failed for Naples, and the Swiftfure anchored in the Bay of Aboukir. I am concerned to ftate, that he did not treat his English friends with that candour and regard for truth which his external manners and deportment seemed to promise; for we have fince learned from feveral people of rank and character, who had met him at the Court of Naples and other places in Italy, that from love of French principles, he had actually accompanied General Bonapartè on his expedition to Malta, and from thence to Egypt; and very probably he was charged with fome fecret commiffion by that General, in cafe he could elude our vigilance, and reach Conftantinople. CHAPTER VI. Suave, mari magno turbantibus æquora ventis, Non quia vexari quemquam est jucunda voluptas, Sed, quibus ipse malis careas quia cernere suave est. LUCRET. lib. ii. v. 1. To repair the damages his fhip had fuftained in the late action, Captain Hallowell employed his crew to fish up as much of the wrecks of the ships that had been destroyed, as could be serviceable either in repairs or as fuel: the frigate that was funk, as well as the wreck of l'Orient, fupplied him with many useful pieces of timber; but as all the fhips of our fleet had been employed in the fame way while we were cruizing off Alexandria, it required more labour and industry to procure what we wanted. He also weighed up some small anchors, which, with other iron found on the mafts, was fold afterwards at Rhodes, and the produce applied to purchase vegetables and tobacco for the fhip's company; by these means the people were kept from idleness, and by their labour procured what was conducive to their comfort and health. While we lay here an Arab called Hadji Haffan, came off to us, as he pretended, with a meffage from Mourad Bey, the great leader of ASHMOLEAN OXFORD the Mamelukes; at length he gave us to understand that he came from Minich, beyond Cairo, where Murad was. He undertook to bring off a leader of Bedouins named Haffan d'Har, but in this he failed, or deceived us. His companions, in their little boat, were fent on fhore near the Arabs Tower, and he remained on board with us. h The island Aboukir, of which mention has been made, now served us as a place of relaxation and exercise, and our seamen were allowed to go thither without danger of hurting their constitutions in wine-houses, as the place was without any inhabitants but quails, and they were foon driven from thence. At this feafon of the year great quantities of them flew on board our ships. Whether they were migrating to the north or fouth, we could not afcertain for a certainty, though, as fome of them were quite exhaufted when caught, we imagined they had croffed the Mediterranean from Europe, but that might also have been the cafe in paffing over the fandy defarts of Egypt. We also found many hoopoes' on the island. There are no trees on it, but it is covered with a low fhrub bearing a round black berry. There were likewife a great quantity of bulbous roots, which our feamen at first took for onions, and were highly delighted with the discovery, but on cutting them they foon difcovered their mistake; we afterwards i Called by the Arabs wheuz. The hoopoe is a beautiful bird about twelve inches long; its head is ornamented with a large crest, which it has the power of erecting or laying back at pleasure. The neck is of a reddish brown, the belly white, the wings and back fstriped black and white in broad bars. The Egyptian or Arab name for it is afphour. |