Wilson, Robert Thomas: The British expedition to Egypt: carefully abridged in two parts (London, 1803)

127



Mamelukes remained on the island of Rhoday
dreading the effects of tre
the French were in force at Cairo.
During the march of the British and’
French towards Alexandria, the order and
regularity of the former excited so much of
the admiration of the French officers, that
one of the oldest of them declared, that .the
' ' v*' l - ’Ar- -- 7 ."jS* jjz'j a- * '-r. ':S. 2' A /’yiA'A: 9 •- &
toute ensemble was a most beautiful instance
of excellent disposition and graceful move-
ment. ■
To be in readiness for embarkation, the
French advanced before the English at De-
route ; and there, to be satisfied of the real
effective state of their army, the principal
English officers stationed themselves in such
a manner, in a narrow pass, that, as the
former defiled along, they could scarcely cre-
dit their own eyes, on beholding an army
upwards of 10,000 in number, with fifty
pieces of artillery, and its portion of ammu-
nition, exclusive of the people in the dgerms.
Jt was this moment of conviction which

ichery, as long as*

made the surrender of Cairo of much


eater

consequence than was at first imagined ; es-
pecially as the rising of the Nile, then near
the top of its banks, would have stopped any
effective operations;
Brigadier-General Oakes being sent to Lord
Keith to arrange the intended embarkation of

the French at Rosetta by the 31 st of July,
such was the expedition made use of, that a
sufficient number of transports were vic-
tualled and prepared to receive them.

V