on of the commission had already been carried almost to
a successful termination by his brother, and the treaty was signed on
the first week of January, 1799. The details of the latter were arrived
at in the course of several meetings between Sir Sidney Smith and the
Turkish pasha and admiral. To these latter meetings Edgar always
accompanied his chief as interpreter, Sir Sidney preferring his services
to those of the dragoman of the embassy, as he was better able to
understand and explain the naval points discussed.

The Porte, indeed, was able to do but little towards aiding in the naval
operations. Two bomb ships and seventeen gun-boats were all the vessels
that they were able to produce, but it was some time before they would
agree to place these entirely under Sir Sidney Smith's command. Ahmed
Pasha, or, as he was generally called, Djezzar Pasha--Djezzar meaning
the butcher, from the cruel and brutal nature of the man--the Governor
of Syria, was in Constantinople at the time, and was present at these
meetings. He was aware that Napoleon was marching against him; and
although usually he paid but little attention to the Porte, or
recognized any orders received from it, he had now hurried there to
represent the situation and ask for assistance.

Bonaparte lost no time after hearing that Djezzar had sent forward a
force to occupy the fort of El-A'rich in the desert, between Syria and
Egypt, and on the 8th of February set out with 12,428 men for the
conquest of Syria. Djezzar, who had returned to his pachalik, having
early news of the movement, despatched a force, consisting principally
of cavalry, to support the garrison of El-A'rich, and they were joined
there by Ibrahim Bey with a force of Mamelukes. The march of the French
was painful, and they suffered greatly from thirst. However, they
defeated the Turk and Mameluke cavalry with heavy loss, and El-A'rich at
once surrendered. The garrison were allowed to depart on undertaking not
to serve again, and four days later the army entered Palestine, and
believed that their fatigues and sufferings were at an end.

Two days later, however, a cold rain set in, and the troops, who had
been suffering greatly from heat, felt the change painfully. On the 3rd
of March they arrived in front of Jaffa. A Turk was sent in to summon
the garrison to surrender. The commandant simply ordered his head to be
struck off and sent no reply. The fire of the field artillery in a few
hours eff