ounded, and which proved of essential utility.

"On the 2d, the Arabs and Mamelukes, who had, during the battle,
lined the shores of the bay, saw with transport that the victory
was decisively on the part of the British fleet: an event, in which
they participated, with an exultation almost equal to that of the
conquerors; and, on that and the two following nights, the whole
coast and country were illuminated as far as the eye could
penetrate, in celebration of the happy event. This had a great
effect on the minds of the prisoners; as they conceived that this
illumination was the consequence not entirely of the defeat of
their fleet, but of some signal success obtained by the Arabs and
Mamelukes over Bonaparte.

"Though it is natural to suppose, that the time and attention of
the admiral, and all the officers of his squadron, were very fully
employed in repairing the damages sustained by their own ships, and
in securing those of the enemy which their valour had subdued, yet
the mind of that great and good man felt the strongest emotions of
the most pious gratitude to the Supreme Being, for the signal
success which, by the Divine favour, had crowned his endeavours in
the cause of his country; and, in consequence, on the morning of
the 2d, he issued the following memorandum to the different
captains of his squadron--

"MEMORANDUM.

"Vanguard, off the Mouth of the Nile, 2d Aug. 1798.

"Almighty God having blessed his majesty's arms with victory,
the admiral intends returning public thanksgiving for the same
at two o'clock this day; and he recommends every ship doing the
same, as soon as convenient."

"To the respective Captains of the Squadron."

"At two o'clock, accordingly, public service was performed on the
quarter-deck of the Vanguard, by the Reverend Mr. Comyn; the other
ships following the example of the admiral, though not all exactly
at the same time. This solemn act of gratitude to Heaven, seemed to
make a very deep impression on several of the prisoners, both
officers and men: some of the former remarked--"That it was no
wonder such order and discipline were preserved in the British
navy, when the minds of our men could be impressed with such
sentiments after a victory so great, and at a moment of such