oard themselves, by four
o'clock in the afternoon.

Had the order been given two days before, there would have been little
for the Turks to have purchased; but the town was already full of
natives from the hills, many chiefs having come down to assure the pasha
of their fidelity, and to inform him that bands of their horsemen were
hanging on the rear of the retreating French. Great numbers of the
villagers had come in to inspect the scene of the desperate struggle
that had for upwards of two months gone on unceasingly. Many were
anxious to obtain employment in the work of burying the dead and
clearing away the ruins. Almost all brought in something to sell--sheep,
goats, and chickens, eggs and vegetables. Of the latter Edgar had
ordered that a large supply should be brought for the use of the crew;
for although native boats from the north had, while the siege went on,
often arrived with fresh provisions, the supply had been insufficient
for the demand, and many of the sailors were suffering alike from the
want of fresh food and from their hard work, and most of all from the
horrible effluvia from the unburied bodies that bestrewed the ground
over which the fighting had taken place.

As the heavily-laden boats rowed out to the brig they were overtaken by
the water-boats, which were now making their third trip; they reported
to Edgar that what they now carried would completely fill up the tanks.
Wilkinson was on board, having come off with the boats with the stores
from the _Tigre_. It had been a hard morning's work, but both were well
satisfied with it; and as they sat down to a lunch composed of a loaf of
bread and a bottle of wine Edgar had brought off with him, they chatted
over the future prospect in high glee.

"This is not so spacious as the room you have been occupying for the
last two months," Wilkinson said, "but it beats the cockpit hollow."

"Yes, it is a very snug little cabin, and the French skipper evidently
knew how to make himself comfortable. It is lucky that everyone has been
so busy since we took her that no one has thought of stripping it. There
are his telescope, a big roll of charts, and two brace of pistols, all
in their places. I know the French officers were all permitted to take
their clothes away with them; so no doubt the lockers are empty."

This, however, on examination, proved not to be the case, for in them
were found three or four dozen of wine, two dozen of brandy, a good
supply of