on. The party lost their path, and, as
they were wandering, bewildered among the sands, the rapidly returning
tide surrounded them. The darkness of the night increased, and the horses
floundered deeper and deeper in the rising waves The water reached the
girths of the saddles, and dashed upon the feet of the riders, and
destruction seemed inevitable. From this perilous position Napoleon
extricated himself, by that presence of mind, and promptness of decision,
which seemed never to fail him. It was an awful hour and an awful scene.
And yet, amidst the darkness and the rising waves of apparently a
shoreless ocean, the spirit of Napoleon was as unperturbed as if he were
reposing in slippered ease upon his sofa. He collected his escort around
him, in concentric circles, each horseman facing outward, and ranged in
several rows. He then ordered them to advance, each in a straight line.
When the horse of the leader of one of these columns lost his foothold,
and began to swim, the column drew back, and followed in the direction of
another column, which had not yet lost the firm ground. The radii, thus
thrown out in every direction, were thus successively withdrawn, till all
were following in the direction of one column, which had a stable footing.
Thus escape was effected. The horses did not reach the shore until
midnight, when they were wading breast deep in the swelling waves. The
tide rises on that part of the coast to the height of twenty-two feet.
"Had I perished in that manner, like Pharaoh," said Napoleon, "it would
have furnished all the preachers of Christendom with a magnificent text
against me."

England, animated in the highest degree by the great victory of Aboukir,
now redoubled her exertions to concentrate all the armies of Europe upon
Republican France. Napoleon had been very solicitous to avoid a rupture
with the Grand Seignor at Constantinople. The Mamelukes who had revolted
against his authority had soothed the pride of the Ottoman Porte, and
purchased peace by paying tribute. Napoleon proposed to continue the
tribute, that the revenues of the Turkish Empire might not be diminished
by the transfer of the sovereignty of Egypt from the oppressive Mamelukes
to better hands. The Sultan was not sorry to see the Mamelukes punished,
but he looked with much jealousy upon the movements of a victorious
European army so near his throne. The destruction of the French fleet
deprived Napoleon of his ascendency in the Levant