his father of Edgar's return, and of the events that he had
witnessed. The sheik had come back with him on the following day,
accompanied by some of his followers, and their tents were pitched on a
sand-hill a short distance in the rear of the British lines.

Until April 13th nothing was done. The army was too small to undertake
any operations, and was forced to remain in its position, as it might at
any moment be again attacked.

In the pocket of General Roiz, who had been killed in the battle, was
found a letter from General Menou, expressing fear that the English
would cut the Canal of Alexandria and let the waters of it and Lake
Aboukir into the old bed of Lake Mareotis. It was evident that an
immense advantage would be gained by this. Our own left would be secure
against attack. The French would be nearly cut off from the interior,
and the British army be enabled to undertake fresh operations. General
Hutchinson, however, hesitated for a long time before taking the step. A
tract of rich country would be overwhelmed, and none of the Arabs could
say how far the inundations would reach. However, the step was evidently
so much to the advantage of the army that at last he gave the order,
and on the 13th of April the work began, and that evening the water
rushed out from Lake Aboukir through two cuts. Others were opened the
next day. The rush of water quickly widened these, and soon the
inundation spread over a large tract of country behind Alexandria.

A considerable force was at once detached to support Colonel Spencer,
who was menacing Rosetta, and marched to El Hamed. Sir Sidney Smith
ascended the Nile with an armed flotilla as far as El Aft, and on the
19th aided the Turks in capturing Fort St. Julian, a strong place
between Rosetta and the mouth of the Nile. After the fall of St. Julian,
Rosetta was taken possession of with but little difficulty. Soon after
this, to the deep regret of the navy, Sir Sidney Smith was recalled to
his ship. The Grand Vizier had a serious grudge against him. This arose
from a capitulation that had, shortly after the retreat of the French
from Acre, been agreed upon between the Turkish authorities and the
French, by which the latter were to be permitted to evacuate Egypt.

Sir Sidney Smith had not been consulted, but considering, and justly,
that the advantages were great, had signed it. Lord Keith, as
commander-in-chief, had refused to ratify the treaty, and the English
government, w