THE

HE good fortune of Buonaparte in escaping from a scene of inglorious misery, at a moment so propitious to the gratification of his ambitious designs, was strikingly contrasted by the fate of Kleber, whom he had entrusted with the chief command of an army exhausted by fatigue, reduced in numbers by a series of sanguinary conflicts, afflicted by all the privations and diseases peculiar to the climate, and deprived by a concurrence of mortifying events of the last consolatory hope that they might yet return to their native country. The soldiers were destiued to endure the torments of the Egyptian ophthalmia, and were exposed to the effects of the sultry and destructive Siroc, of which the following pathetic and impressive account is given by an intelligent eye-witness. "I had often heard speak of the Kamsin, which may be termed the hurricane of Egypt and the desert. It is equally terrible by the frightful spectacle which it exhibits when present, and by the consequences which follow its ravages. We 1799. had already passed in security one half of the season in which it appears, when, in the evening of the 18th of May, I felt myself entirely overcome by a suffocating heat: it seemed as if the fluctuation of the air was suddenly suspended. I went out to bathe, in order to overcome

VOL. I.

so painful a sensation, when I was struck on my arrival at the bank of the Nile with a new appearance of nature around me. The sun without being concealed, had lost its rays; it had even less lustre to the eye than the moon, and gave a pale light without shade: the water no longer reflected its rays, but appeared in agitation; every thing had changed its usual aspect; it was now the flat shore that seemed luminous, and the air dull and opaque; the yellow horizon shewed the trees on its surface of a dirty blue; flocks. of birds were flying off before the cloud; the affrighted animals ran loose in the country, followed by the shouting inhabitants, who vainly attempted to collect: them together again; the wind, which had raised this immense mass of vapor, and was urging it forward, had not yet reached us; we thought that by plunging our bodies in the water, which was then calm, we could prevent the baneful effects of this mass of dust, which was advancing from the south-west; but we had hardly entered the river when it began to swell all at once, as if it would overflow its channel; the waves passed over our heads, and we felt the bottom heave up nuder our feet. Our clothes were couveyed away. along with the shore itself, which seemed to be carried off by the whirlwind, which....

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now reached us. We were compelled to leave the water and our wet and naked bodies being beat upon by a storm of saud were soon encrusted by a black mud, which prevented us from 'dressing ourselves. Enlightened only by a red and gloomy sun, with our eyes smarting, our noses stuffed up, and our throats clogged with dust so that we could scarcely breathe, we lost each other on our way home, and arrived at our lodgings one by one, groping our way, and guided only by the walls which marked our track. The next day the same mass of dust, attended with similar appearances, travelled along the desert of Lybia; it followed the chain of mountains and when we flattered ourselves that we were entirely rid of this pestilence, the pestilence, the west wind brought it back and entirely overwhelmed us with its scorching torrent; the flashes of lightning appeared to pierce with difficulty through its dense vapor; all the elements were still in disorder; the rain was mixed with whirlwinds of fire, wind, and dust, and the trees and all the other productions of nature seemed to be plunged into all the horrors of chaos."

It was not long before the commencement of actual operations afforded Kleber an opportunity of appreciating the skill and spirit of his troops. The grand vizier had been already dispatched with a numerous army to Asia Minor, from whence he was to proceed through Syria towards Egypt. He spent six months in marching from Scutari to Damascus, and in his rout levied enormous contributions on the people of Anatolia. At Ervan he learned the issue of the battle of Aboukir. The intelligence produced so powerful a sensation among his troops that more than one half of them deserted and on his arrival in Syria his army had dwindled to an inconsiderable number. His efforts to obtain the assistanec of the janissaries were partially and reluctantly acceded to, and Djezzar Pacha influenced by jealousy, prudence, or caprice, refused him a passage through his dominions. Informed of the vizier's movements, Kleber in the month of October, left ElArisch with 2000 dragoons, and a regiment of 1000 men mounted on dromedaries

each with a foot soldier behind him and making a circuit in the desert, arrived at day-break in the rear of the enemy's camp. At the same time a body of 10,000 of his infantry reached the wells of Sebabiah, at the distance of a league and a half from the Turkish army. The vizier alarmed at his own critical situation made little resistance, but precipitately abandoned his camp, the greater part of his baggage, and several thousand prisoners retreating with the wreck of his army towards Damascus. Kleber imposed upon the prisoners the task of completing, under the superinten dence of able engineers, the fortifications of El-Arisch, where he left a garrison and returned with the rest of his forces to Egypt.

Previons to abandoning Egypt Buonahad opened a negotiation with the vizier, and with the view of gaining time directed Kleber to continue it. The dissatisfaction of the troops impressed Kleber with the necessity of entering with sincerity into negotia tions, which had been at first intended to relax the vizier's preparations for war. General Desaix and citizen Poussielgue, on the proposal therefore of sir Sidney Smith, went on board the Tigre, and proceeded to the camp of his highness, who had again advanced from Gaza with a new army of 45,000 men and fifty pieces of cannon all directed by European officers. The fort of El-Arisch was given up to him by the cowardly and deluded garrison, who, as the reward of their treachery and fatuity, were beheaded by the Turks.

The forces of general Kleber did not amount to more than 15,000 men, and of these a considerable number were employed in the defence of Rosetta, Aboukir, and Alexandria, were stationed at Lesbe, to collect provisions and keep the country in subjection, or were scattered along a line of 150 leagues in Upper Egypt, to oppose the desultory attacks, and repress the insolence of the beys and partisans. Aware of his own inferiority of force, alarmed and distressed by the clamors, the priva tions, and the afflictions of his soldiers, he concluded on the 24th of January 1800, the memorable treaty of El-Arisch, of which the subjoined is an authentic copy.

Convention for the evacuation of Egypt, agreed upon by citizens Desaix, general of division, and Poussielgue, administratorgeneral of finances, plenipotentiaries of the Commander-in-chief Kleber, and their excellencies Moustapha Raschid Effendi Tefterdar, and Moustapha Rassiche Effendi Riessul Kuitar, ministers-plenipolentiaries of his highness the supreme izier.

The French army in Egypt, wishing to give a proof of its desire to stop the effusion of blood, and to put an end to the unfortunate disagreements which have taken place between the French republic and the Sublime Porte, consents to evacuate Egypt on the stipulations of the present convention, hoping that this concession will pave the way for the general pacification of Europe.

I. The French army will retire with its arms, baggage, and effects, to Alexandria, Rosetta, and Aboukir, there to be embark ed and transported to France, both in its own vessels and in those with which it will be necessary for the Sublime Porte to furnish it; and in order that the aforesaid vessels may be the more speedily prepared, it is agreed, that a month after the ratifi cation of the present convention, there shall be sent to the fort of Alexandria a commissary, with fifty purses, on the part of the Sublime Porte.

II. There shall be an armistice of three morths in Egypt, reckoning from the time of the signature of the present convention; and in case the truce shall expire, before the aforesaid vessels to be furnished by the Sublime Porte shall be ready, the said truce shall be prolonged till the embarkation can be completely effected, it being understood on both sides, that all possible means will be employed to secure the tranquillity of the aruies and of the inhabitants, which is the object of the truce.

III. The transport of the French army shall take place, according to the regula tions of commissaries appointed for this purpose by the Sublim Porte and general Kleber; and if any difference of opinion shall take place between the aforesaid commissaries respecting the enbarkation, one

shall be appointed by commodore sir Sidney Sanith, who shall decide the difference according to the maritime regulat ons of England.

IV. The forts of Catchich and Salachich shall be evacuated by the French troops on the eighth day, or, at the least, on the tenth day, after the ratification of this convention. The town of Mansoura shall be evacuated on the fifteenth day; Damietta and Belbeys on the twentieth day; and Suez shall be evacuated six days before Cairo. Cairo. The other places on the east bank of the Nile shall be evacuated on the tenth day. The Delta shall be evacuated fifteen days after the evacuation of Cairo. The west banks of the Nile and its dependencies shali remain in the hands of the French till the evacuation of Cairo: and in the mean time, as they must be occupied by the French army till all the troops shall have descended from Upper Egypt, the said western bank and its dependencies will not be evacuated till the expiration of the truce, if it is impossible to evacuate them sooner. The places evacuated shall be given to the Sublime Parte in the situation in which they are at present.

V. The city of Cairo shall be evacuated after forty days, if that is possible, or at the latest after forty-five days, reckoning from the ratification of the treaty.

VI. It is expressly agreed, that the Sublime Porte shall use every effort that the French troops may fall back, through the different places on the left bank of the Nile, with their arms and baggage towards the head-quarters, without being disturbed or molested on their march in their persons, property, or honor, either by the inhabitants of Egypt or the troops of the imperial i Ottoman army.

VII. In consequence of the former article, and in order to prevent all differences and hostilities, measures shall be taken to keep the Turkish always at a sufficient distance from the French army.

VIII. Immediately after the ratification of the present convention, all the Turks, and other nations without distinction, subjects of the Sublime Porte, imprisoned or retained in France, or in the power of the Freuch in Egypt, shall be set at liberty;;

and, on the other haud, all the Frencn detained in the cities and sea-port towns of the Ottoman empire, as well as every person of whatever nation they may be, attached to French legations and conconsulates, shall also be set at liberty.

IX. The restitution of the goods and property of the inhabitants and subjects on both sides, or the payment of their value to the proprietors, shall commence immediately after the evacuation of Egypt, and shall be regulated at Constantinople by commissaries appointed respectively for the purpose.

X. No inhabitant of Egypt, of whatever religion he may be, shall be disturbed either in his person or his property, on account of any connections he may have had with the French, during their possession of Egypt.

XI. There shall be delivered to the French army, as well on the part of the Sublime Porte as of the courts of its allies, that is to say, of Russia and of Great Britain, passports, safe conducts, and convoys, necessary to secure its safe return to France.

XII. When the French army in Egypt shall be embarked, the Sublime Porte, as well as its allies, promise that till its return to the continent of France, it shall not be disturbed in any manner and on his side, the general-in-chief Kleber, and the French army in Egypt, promise not to commit any act of hostility during the aforesaid time, either against the fleets or against the territories of the Sublime Porte; and that the vessels, which may transport the said army, shall not stop on any other coast than that of France, except from absolute necessity.

XIII. In consequence of the truce of three months, stipulated above with the French army for the evacuation of Egypt, the contracting parties agree, that if, in the interval of the said truce, some vessels from France, unknown to the commanders of the allied fleets, should enter the port of Alexandria, they shall depart from it after having taken in water and the necessary provisions, and return to France with passports from the allied courts; and in

case any of the said vessels should require repairs, these alone may remain till the said repairs are finished, and shall depart immediately after, like the preceding, with the first favorable wind.

XIV. The general-in-chief Kleber may send advices immediately to France; and the vessel that conveys them shell have the safe conduct necessary for securing by the said advices, to the French government, the communication of the news of the evacuation of Egypt.

XV. There being no doubt that the French army will stand in need of daily supplies of provisions, during the three months in which it is to evacuate Egypt, and during other three months, reckoning from the day on which it is embarked; it is agreed, that it shall be supplied with the necessary quantities of corn, meat, rice, barley, and straw, according to a statement to be immediately given in by the French plenipotentiaries, as well for the stay in the country as for the voyage. Whatever supplies the army may draw from its magazines, after the ratification of the present convention, shall be deducted from those furnished by the Sublime Porte.

XVI. Counting from the day of the ratification of the present treaty, the French army shall not raise any contribution in Egypt: on the contrary, it shall abandon to the Sublime Porte the ordinary leviable contributions which remain to it, to be levied after its departure, as well as the camels, dromedaries, ammunition, cannon, and other things, which it may not think necessary to carry away. The same shall be the case with the magazines of grain arising from the contributions already levied, and the magazines of provisions. These shall be examined and valued by commissaries sent to Egypt by the Sublime Porte, and by the commander of the British forces, conjointly with those of the general-in-chief Kleber; and paid by the former, at the rate of the valuation so made, to the amount of 3000 purses, which will be necessary to the French army for accelerating its movements and its embarkation: and if the objects abovementioned do not amount to this sum, the