rte immediately sent on shore for the
French consul. He learned that the English had made their appearance
two days before, and, supposing them to be not far off, he resolved that
very moment to attempt a landing. It was impossible to enter the harbour
of Alexandria, for the place appeared disposed to defend itself;
it became necessary, therefore, to land at some distance on the
neighbouring coast, at an inlet called the Creek of the Marabou. The
wind blew violently and the sea broke with fury over the reefs on the
shore. It was near the close of the day, but Bonaparte gave the signal
and resolved to go on shore immediately. He was the first to disembark,
and, with great difficulty, four or five thousand men were landed in
the course of the evening and the following night. Bonaparte resolved
to march forthwith for Alexandria, in order to surprise the place and
to prevent the Turks from making preparations for defence. The troops
instantly commenced their march. Not a horse was yet landed: the staff
of Bonaparte, and Caffarelli himself, notwithstanding his wooden leg,
had to walk four or five leagues over the sands, and came at daybreak
within sight of Alexandria.

That ancient city no longer possessed its magnificent edifices, its
innumerable houses, and its immense population. Three-fourths of it was
in ruins. The Turks, the wealthy Egyptians, the European merchants dwelt
in the modern town, which was the only part preserved. A few Arabs lived
among the ruins of the ancient city: an old wall, flanked by towers,
enclosed the new and the old town, and all around extended those sands
which in Egypt are sure to advance wherever civilisation recedes. The
four thousand French led by Bonaparte arrived there at daybreak. Upon
this sandy beach they met with Arabs only, who, after firing a few
musket-shots, fled to the desert. Napoleon divided his men into three
columns. Bon, with the first column, marched on the right towards the
Rosetta gate; Kleber, with the second, marched in the centre towards the
gate of the Catacombs.

The Arabs and the Turks, excellent soldiers behind a wall, kept up a
steady fire, but the French mounted with ladders and got over the old
wall. Kleber was the first who fell, seriously wounded on the forehead.
The Arabs were driven from ruin to ruin, as far as the new town, and
the combat seemed likely to be continued from street to street, and
to become sanguinary, when a Turkish captain served as a medi