INFLUENCED by an ardent desire to visit the indestructible monuments of ancient grandeur at Thebes, Napoleon was on the point of setting out from Cairo, for Upper Egypt, when a courier from Marmont, governor of Alexandria, announced the disembarkation of a large body of Turks in Aboukir Bay. They appeared there on the 10th of July, 1799, and effected a landing under the protection of the British navy; taking possession of the fort of Aboukir, and of a redoubt placed behind the village of that name. This intelligence was received by Napoleon on the evening of the 15th; he sat up all night, dictating orders for the direction of all the divisions of his army, and on the 16th, at four in the morning, he was on horseback, and all his troops VOL. I. in full march. On the 23rd he arrived at Alexandria with the divisions of Murat, Lannes, and Bon, where he joined the garrison under Marmont, which had not ventured to leave its intrenchments in presence of such formidable enemies. The division of Desaix was at the same time ordered to fall back to Cairo from Upper Egypt, so that, if necessary, the whole French force might be brought to the menaced point. Mourad Bey, in concert with the Turks at Aboukir, descended from Upper Egypt with three thousand horse, intending to cut his way across to the forces which had landed at Aboukir; but he was met and encountered near the Lake Natron, by Murat at the head of a body of cavalry, and after a severe action, obliged to retrace his steps, and take refuge in the Desert. G The army, which landed at Aboukir nine thousand strong, consisting of the forces which had arrived at the close of the siege of Acre from Rhodes, and had been transported thence to the mouth of the Nile by Sir Sidney Smith's squadron, though almost destitute of cavalry, was much more formidable than any which the French troops had yet encountered in the East. It was composed of intrepid Janizzaries, admirably equipped and well disciplined; accustomed to discharge their firelock and throw themselves on the enemy, with a sabre in one hand and a pistol in the other. The artillery was numerous and well served; and they were supported by the British squadron. Napoleon arrived within sight of the peninsula of Aboukir on the 25th of July, and though his force did not exceed eight thousand men, he no sooner saw the dispositions of the enemy, than he resolved to make an immediate attack; and so strongly was his mind already impressed by the great destinies to which he conceived himself called, that he said to Murat, "This battle will decide the fate of the world."- "At least of this army," replied the other; " but you should feel confidence from the circumstance, that all the soldiers feel they must now conquer or die. The enemy have no cavalry; ours is brave; and be assured, if ever infantry were charged to the teeth by cavalry, the Turks shall be to-morrow by mine." hours of repose, and establishing a battery to protect their operations, he commenced a new attack. At three o'clock the charge was beat, and the troops advanced. They were led gallantly forward; but the Turks, transported by their ardour, advanced out of their intrenchments to meet them, and a bloody conflict took place in the plain. In vain the Janizzaries, after discharging their fusils and pistels, rushed to the attack with their formidable sabres in the air; their desperate valour at length yielded to the steady pressure of the European bayonet, and they were forced back, contesting every inch of ground, to the foot of the intrenchments. Here, however, the plunging fire of the redoubt, and the sustained discharge of musketry from the top of the works, arrested the progress of the French soldiers, and they recoiled in disorder from the dreadful carnage. When the cavalry attempted to pass the narrow defile between the works and the lake, they were assailed by a murderous fire from the gun-boats, and were repeatedly forced to retire. This attack having failed, Napoleon was doubtful whether he should continue the battle, or rest contented with the advantage already gained. He was relieved from this perplexity by the imprudent conduct of the Turks themselves. No sooner did they see their assailants retire, than they rushed out of the fort of Aboukir, and commenced cutting off the heads of the dead bodies which lay scattered over the plain. Napoleon instantly saw The dispositions of the general were soon made, and his measures speedily crowned with success. The Turks main-his advantage, and quickly turned it to tained their ground, till they saw it turned by Murat's cavalry; but the instant that was done, they fled in confusion, and being charged by the French horse, rushed tumultuously into the water, where almost the whole were either drowned or cut down by grape-shot. -The Janizzaries defended themselves bravely, but the French at length routed them, and carried the village at the point of the bayonet; and its defenders, who refused all quarter, were either put to the sword or drowned in the water. The extraordinary success of this first attack, inspired Napoleon with the hope, that by repeating the same manoeuvre with the second, the whole of the remaining army might be destroyed. For this purpose, after allowing the troops a few the best account. Advancing rapidly, and in admirable order, the French arrested the sortie, and returned to the attack of the intrenchments, by this time in a great measure stripped of their defenders. All proved successful, and the whole line of redoubts was captured; while several squadrons, in confusion, penetrated through a narrow opening, and got into the rear. The Turks now fled in confusion towards the fort of Aboukir, but the French cavalry, which now inundated the space between them and the fort, charged them so furiously in flank, that they were thrown into the sea, and almost all perished in the waves. The enemy penetrated into the camp of Mustapha Pacha, where Murat, with his own hand, made that commander prisoner, and shut up the remnant of the army, amounting to about two thousand men, in the fort of Aboukir. Heavy cannon were immediately planted against the fort, which surrendered a few days after. Five thousand corpses floated in the bay of Aboukir, two thousand had perished in the battle, and the like number were made prisoners of war in the fort. Hardly any escaped, a circumstance almost unexampled in modern warfare. rocks, came with a fearful sound upon the wind, which rushed past in hurried gusts, and now and then a half-stifled groan burst from some poor creature who yet survived the carnage, and was recovering sensibility. I had reached about half way to my first place of destination, when my faculties became in a great measure paralysed, on hearing something behind which emitted a strange and unnatural noise. I determined to face it, and turned round for that purpose. The atmosphere was dense and hazy, enveloping the earth in darkness; but amidst the gloom, a most horrible figure kept rising up to more than mortal height, and then again sinking to scarcely half the stature of man; two immense projections issued from its hideously formed head, and a pair of burning eyes glared with vengeful fierceness upon me: Thus ended this memorable battle, all my old feelings returned; dismay which, though it did not repair the im- crept upon my spirit, and making one mense losses and fatal consequences of desperate effort, I ran with amazing rathe naval conflict of the same name, will pidity from this terrifiic object. But always recal to the memory of French-alas! I had not run far, when I stumbled men one of the most brilliant achievements of their arms. Mustapha Pacha, the general, being brought into the presence of his victor, was saluted with these words: "It has been your fate to lose this day; but I will take care to inform the Sultan of the courage with which you have contested it." "Spare thyself that trouble,” answered the proud pacha, " my master knows me better than thou." GHOST STORIES. 66 (Extracted from Tough Yarns.") "MIDNIGHT came,-a dark, dreary, cold, starless midnight, and I was ordered to visit all the outposts to see that the sentinels were alert upon their duty. The dead bodies of those who had fallen in battle remained unburied. I looked upon many a bleeding and mangled form during the day; I had seen many a poor wretch writhing in the last pang of mortal agony; I had gazed with a sort of desperate wildness on the convulsive contortions which expiring nature had left upon the countenance: and now, in the stillness and solitude of night, to traverse the spot where they lay in promiscuous heaps as they had fallen, my very soul was harrowed up! I would not disobey, and I did not dare to ask for attendance, lest my secret should transpire. "Alone then I departed, every nerve agitated with the commotion that shook my trembling frame. Alone I took my way to the nearest outpost, often starting aside as some stiffened corpse lay stretched across my path. The hollow moaning of the waves breaking against the rugged over a dead body, and fell in the midst of several others. I stretched out my hands to assist me in rising, and they rested upon the cold clammy face of a corpse! Once more upon my feet, I looked round; the monster was close to me, rising and falling as it had done before, and again I bounded away, not knowing whither. A building presented itself, which I hoped was one of the outposts, and hastily entering it, I fell about twelve feet into a space below, but sustained no bodily injury, as the floor was covered with piles of seal skins. Here, in thick darkness and insensibility, I lay for several hours, when I was accidentally discovered by a party who had clandestinely left the main body to seek for plunder, and were attracted to the spot by seeing an enormous he-goat near the entrance to the building. By the light of the lantern which they carried, I was readily recognised, and soon rescued from my uncomfortable situation. The fresh air and human voices soon restored me to animation, and almost the first thing I saw, quietly standing amid the group of seamen, was the innocent cause of my alarm and misfortune, the great he-goat! My fall was attributed to accident; and, attended by the party, I visited the outposts and made my report to the commanding officer. The account unheeded. In vain I struggled to supof my adventure soon spread, but the oc- press my emotion,-trembling imbecility currence was attributed to any thing ex- was rapidly creeping upon my system,― cept the real cause, as the different tale- all my former terrors were reviving, when tellers had each a story of his own to at that moment the devices of the guemagnify my intrepidity; and thus my rillas recurred to my recollection, and weakness not only escaped detection, | cocking the lock of the pistol, I stood in but I actually gained approbation for my perfect readiness. Again the crate moved, courage. From that hour my determin- so as to get more into my rear: but a ation became more and more strength- picket-guard passing through the street ened to resist the pusilanimity, which in below, I called to the officer, and instantly spite of every effort would at times at- sprang over the breastwork_that_divided tack me. the two roofs, and ran to that part which was most likely to cut off a retreat if the crate had been moved by human agency, of which, I confess, I entertained strong doubts. These, however, were soon dispelled; for I had scarcely reached my station, when the crate was thrown up, and the tall gaunt figure of a guerilla was for an instant seen against the dim light of the sky. But it was only for an instant; our pistols seemed to be discharged at the same moment of time. I heard his ball whistle by my ears, and it left a tingling sensation that indicated how very close it had passed to my head: the smoke hindered me from seeing more, but I felt the sharp point of a knife graze down my breast,-I heard a heavy ketry succeeded;-then followed a wild shriek, and the guerilla was a corpse! His knife had been intended for my heart, but a backward step on my part, saved me: the skin was slightly scratched, and the instrument remained in my coat without doing further injury. "Iwas next employed in the capture of Monte Video, or ralher the city of San Philip, which is the proper name, Monte Video being a lofty mountain on cne promontory of a deep bay, as the city of San Philip stands on the extreme point of the other promontory. After the city was taken, I was stationed at night on the flat roof of a house which communicated with several others; having received orders to be very vigilant, and in case of any thing material occurring, to forward immediate information to the officer in command of the party, who was to dispatch the intelligence to headquarters. The post was one of extreme importance, and had been entrusted to me on account of my apparent fearless-fall into the street below, a fire of musness. It overlooked the gates leading to the shores of the bay, which, though in our possession, were frequently visited by guerilla bands, who secretly dealt death to the incautious sentinels. I had been about one hour upon the look-out, and had suppressed the rising sensations of terror which had more than once attacked me; when, to my great surprise, a large empty earthenware crate, that stood in the corner of the next flat, began to move slowly along the roof. I had been leaning over the parapet of the house, with my back towards the crate, but the slight rustling made by the movement caused me to glance over my shoulder without appearing to turn my head. The motion ceased: but I could not doubt the fact, for the crate was not in the situation where I had first seen it. I still remained in my position without stirring, but kept my eyes directed by a sidelong glance towards the object. Again it moved, but so slowly and so noiselessly, that by a person possessing a mind of any other stamp than mine, it would have passed unheard, and consequently "In what manner the desperado had gained the roof, I could not divine; and I felt certain that he was not under the crate on my first taking the post, as I had carefully examined it. I had afterwards an opportunity of witnessing the mode by which he had accomplished it, and it was simply through the efforts of a number of men, who were raised up successively on each other's shoulders. His design was assassination and plunder. For my share in this transaction, I obtained the approval of Sir Home Popham, and was raised in temporary rank. "The next trial of my nervous system was at Sierra Leone. I was then in a frigate, and as fears were entertained that the French were about to make a descent upon some part of the settlement, (a "Several times did I repeat the same attempt; and though a chilling awe crept through my veins, and made my blood run cold, yet nothing had presented itself to my sight, though it was evident that the eyes of the horse were fixed upon something supernaturally terrific. French squadron having been seen ho- | bow, continued his fleet career; when, vering off the coast,) the free negroes in a moment, he stopped, threw out his were armed and enrolled as volunteers. forelegs, and reared upon his haunches, To effect this at a village about six miles while steaming foam issued from his in the interior, I was despatched with nostrils. It was with considerable difproper orders, and the boat landed me ficulty that I retained my seat; and as at the nearest point to my place of desti- the creature refused to proceed, I rode nation. It was late in the evening be- back a short distance and again made an fore my duty was completed; and as I effort to pursue my direct road, but in was particularly desirous to return to the vain; the animal stopped at the same ship and make my report, an officer of spot, and flew from side to side of the the York Rangers lent me a beautiful highway, nor could the whip and spur and spirited horse, which I mounted, urge him to advance. though not without a few misgivings, which were much increased when I was jocosely requested not to fall in love with the "ghost" on my road. On the wayside stood a lone and uninhabited house, where a trafficker in human flesh had murdered his wife; and ever since, the lady or her apparition had presented herself, after dark, before the gate. Beyond this house were the remains of a negro village, which previously to colonization had been attacked by slavedealers, and burned. The aged inhabitants were massacred, the young were borne to slavery; and now it was asserted that the former visited their old habitations, and called aloud for vengeance to redress, their wrongs. Such tales were not calculated to inspire composure: but I strove to laugh at the jokes passed on me, and started off at full speed, declaring that "the ghosts should have a long chase, if they felt inclined to sport." "The empty boast still faltered on my heart, and my tremulous hand could scarcely hold the rein, when the house of death, all desolate, appeared in view. Striking the spurs into the sides of the generous animal, he sprang forward on his way, and passed the dreadful spot without my witnessing any thing to excite horror. "Although the moon was up, yet storms were on the wind, and heavy clouds obscured her light. Often in imagination did I hear the shrieks of the slaughtered negroes as they came howling on the gale, whilst I rapidly approached the ruined village which had been the terrific scene of blood. A black cloud thick with darkness overshadowed the picture, and spread a gloomy wildness over every object. The horse buried his hoofs deep in the sand, and, like an arrow from a "At length the moon shed her dim light through the fleecy cloud, and then with horror and amazement I beheld the cause of terror; for right in the middle of the road appeared a long black coffin, and the pale beams of the moon glanced on the white escutcheons fixed on the top. Every feeling of the soul was racked to the extreme; every fibre of the heart was nerved to desperation; and, mustering all my breath, I uttered the great and awful name to which all, both quick and dead, must pay obedience. The lid of the coffin was thrown up,-a figure slowly raised itself and gazed upon me, whilst my whole existence seemed quivering on the verge of eternity. The horse pawed the ground with uncontrolled fury; the howling of the gale seemed more dreadful;-when a hollow voice, with distinct utterance, vociferated, "Don't be alarmed, 'tis only Uncle Joey!-So, so, poor fellow! so, so!” "The horse, hearing a well-known sound, became pacified; and then I ascertained that Uncle Joey, a corporal in the newly-raised volunteers, had been to town to fetch an arm-chest, which had been made by a carpenter to deposit the muskets in. Having, however, drank rather freely, he had found himself drowsy on his way back; so getting into the chest (which was painted black, with a tin plate on the lid) and shutting himself in, he had enjoyed a comfortable nap, till the snorting of the animal and my shouting brought about his resurrection." |