ct.
Sir Moses said this interview and conversation reminded him forcibly
of those he had had in 1827 with the late Mr Salt, English Consul
General in Cairo, but he felt even less uneasy than he did at that
time, as he did not apprehend war, though things looked serious.

_Wednesday, August 12th._--A French war steamer arrived from Toulon,
and returned the same afternoon to Smyrna; the reports were all very
black. We called on Colonel Hodges, but seeing he was occupied on
important business, we left him.

Mr Thorburn called, and told us that Mr Larkin had summoned a meeting
of all the British residents at his house at one o'clock, to inform
them that the four great Powers had sent their Ultimatum to Mohhammad
Ali. Colonel Hodges warned them to limit their credits as much as
possible, and to prepare for the worst. The meeting occasioned much
alarm.

In the afternoon Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore, with their friends,
visited the Turkish line of battleship _Mahmudie_, under Colonel Reale
Bey, who received them most politely, and showed them over his ship.
On their return they found that one of their party had been taken ill.

_August 13th._--Mr and Mrs Tibaldi called, and Sir Moses and Lady
Montefiore accompanied them to a small palace near the Pasha's, where
they were introduced to Sa'eed Bey, Mohhammad Ali's son, a very chatty
and good-tempered young man about eighteen years of age. He understood
English and spoke French well. He conversed about his studies, his
horses, &c., and had his favourite grey led under the window where the
party were assembled. Mr Thurburn was present. They afterwards went
over the Pasha's palace, were much pleased with the building, and
admired the elegance with which it was furnished. In the evening
Monsieur and Madame Laurin, Monsieur and Madame Cremieux, Captain
Lyons, Captain Austin, and Mr Thurburn dined with us. They told Sir
Moses that the Count de Walewski, a natural son of Napoleon, had
arrived from France, and it was confidently stated that he brought
offers of men, money, and ships from the King of the French to the
Pasha. The news was credited in the town, and it was therefore
supposed that the Pasha would not accept the Ultimatum of the Powers,
and a general war in Europe as well as in the East would be the
consequence. Sir Moses did not believe that this would be the case,
but thought the affair would be arranged satisfactorily. The Pasha had
ten days to consider his answer, a