im
temporarily by another midshipman, and leaving Wilkinson with a report
from himself to Lord Keith strongly recommending Marmorice as being
suitable in all respects for a rendezvous for the fleet and transports.

On the 28th of December the first division of the fleet arrived, and was
at once ordered to proceed to Marmorice, the _Tigress_ sailing ahead to
show the way. The second division arrived four days later. Tents were at
once erected ashore. The sick were landed and encamped; whole regiments
were also put under canvas, while the ships which carried them were
careened and cleaned. Sir Sidney Smith had already returned with the
news that there was practically nothing that could be called an army in
Syria, and his report was so discouraging that General Abercrombie and
Lord Keith resolved that it would be far better to land the army in
Egypt than to disembark at Jaffa and take the long and fatiguing march
across the desert, merely in order to gain the aid of a few thousand
useless Turkish troops.

Great disappointment was occasioned by the remounts for the cavalry that
had been purchased at Constantinople, for when these arrived they were
such wretched animals that they were for the most part found to be
absolutely useless, and the greater portion were either shot or sold for
a dollar each. On the 8th of February one of the most terrible
hail-storms that ever was experienced, took place, and lasted for
forty-eight hours. The thunder rolled without intermission; the
hailstones were as big as large walnuts, and lay two feet deep in the
camp. The scene of confusion there was terrible; horses broke loose and
rushed wildly about seeking shelter from the hail. The men dared not
venture out, so terrible was the force with which the lumps of ice came
down. Ships drove at their anchors, and many lost their upper spars, and
the _Swiftsure_ was struck by lightning.

The weather continued violent for some time, and it was not until the
23rd of February that the ships weighed anchor, and, numbering a hundred
and seventy-five, set sail, and made their way out of the harbour. The
expedition on which the troops were about to embark was a most
adventurous one. They had by this time learned that the French had
received very considerable reinforcements, and that the force was a much
larger one than had been reported. The Turkish army with which they were
to operate was non-existent, and the only gleam of satisfaction was that
Bona