Proceeded to the village Daerteen, and were admitted into the mosque Atarenabee; and to a view of all the ladies of the village. Omnia vincit AR

GENT.

Returned.

Dec. 21st. Egaged in the service a German engineer, late a Colonel in the Tyrol battalions, by name Eugine, [alias Leitensdorfer.] Advanced him fifty dollars.

At evening an exhibition at the English house of the almee, dancing women. Haggard prostitutes, disgustful, obscene monsters, who exhibit savage na ture in jestures of studied and practised depravity : something resembling the Spanish balario, from which the latter probably originated.

26th. Visited the mountain Catan and the devil's coffeehouse.

TO MR. SMITH, SECRETARY of the NAVY.

Grand Cairo, December 13th, 1804. LETTERS of recommendation from Sir Alexander Ball, to his Brittanic Majesty's Consul at Alexandria and resident at Cairo have had the effect to give security, and perhaps I may add success to this expedition.

On the 30th ult, we sailed from Alexandria for Rosetta, and arrived the day following. Found there Major Misset, the British Resident, who had left Cairo in consequence of the war which rages between the Mamelukes and the Turks; and which renders a residence here, at this moment, both dangerous and disagreeable; for nothing can be more Hluctuating and capricious than the Government in this country, except the disposition of the slaves over whom it dominates.

The attention of Major Misset, the resident, though it cannot exceed my gratitude, far exceeds any means I have of expressing it. Finding him a frank, open hearted, generous soldier, I unreservedly

opened to him the object of my voyage. He took every step, which the nature of his situation would justify, to facilitate that object. And, to render our passage on the Nile and stay at Cairo safe and agreeable, he directed his Secretary, Capt. Vincents, to accompany us, and to lodge us in the English

house.

I also fell in at Rosetta, with Doctor Mendrici, of whom honorable mention is made in my Communications to Government from Tunis as the Bey's chief Physician, The Doctor was sent out of that Regency about a year before me, and for reasons, if not analogous, equally cogent myself for wanting dispositions congenial to the interest of the Bey; he for possessing dispositions congenial to the interest of the Bey's wife. He is here chief Physician to the Vice Roy, Kourchek, Ahmet Pacha, and also to the British commission.

Having chartered a marche, species of schooner peculiar to the river, of about forty tons burthen, on the fourth instant we embarked for this place; our strength consisting of Lieutenant O'Bannon of the Marine Corps, Midshipmen George Mann, and Eli Danielson, [son in law of GEN. EATON] Mr. Farqu. har, Selim a Janisary, Alli, a drogoman, with six ser. vants, all armed; Capt. Vincents, and Doctor Mendrici, in another boat mounting two swivels, besides muskets, pistols, and sabres, and about an equal number of people: precautions necessary to resist the predatory attacks of the wild Arabs, who infest the river's banks, and, during this general suspence of justice, prey upon the defenseless; as well as the outrage of the Albanian Turkish soldiery, who, restrained by no discipline, ravage and murder indiscriminately every where. The English and American flags were displayed upon their respective ves

sels.

At 3 in the afternoon of the same day, without having obtained any certain intelligence concerning the object in pursuit, we departed from Rosetta;

sailed tranquilly along the beautiful banks of the Nile; and, on the evening of the 7th, arrived at Bulac, in front of Cairo, without accident; though we were at one time under some apprehensions from a troop of wild Arabs, which we saw fall furiously upon a herd of camels, buffaloes and cattle, near the village Sabour, and drive several of them off udannoyed. The shrieks of the villagers demonstrated their consternation and anxiety, while they offered no resistance to these mounted marauders of the desert: and these, on the other hand, appeared to aim no mischief towards the persons of their inactive brethren of the plain. We had just returned on board from visiting the village; the Arab camp were within half a league; but the fire we raised from our fowling pieces upon the vast numbers of pigeons and other small fowl in its environs must have deterred them from attempting to examine our baggage. They however assailed and robbed several boats just after we had passed. This same village was but the day before plundered by five hundred Albanians, who had deserted from the Vice Roy's army and taken their rout to Damietta. Fortunate for us, perhaps, that they had not stayed a day longer; for it is doubtful whether our appearance would have been formidable to their avarice; or our resistance to their force. I make this digression to show the deplorable situation of the inhabitants of Egypt. Their prayer for the return of the English is universal; and humanity prays with them.

On the morning of the eighth, horses and attendants were sent from the palace to convey us to Cairo; and at nine o'clock we entered the city, followed by a vast concourse of people of all ages and sexes whom curiosity or want had collected about us; but at that respectful distance peculiar to the people of the east towards strangers of distinction. We passed as American Officers of the army and navy, whom curiosity had brought from Malta to Egypt during the winter's suspense of operations.

This and the following day were chiefly consumed in receiving and returning visits. Among others a visit from the palace by the Vice Roy's interpreter, welcoming our arrival, and signifying that it would be agreeable to his Highness to wait on us at the hall of audience in the Citadel at the third hour of the night of the next day. This unusual hour was fixed on by reason of the fast of Ramadam, during which no refreshments can be given by day.

. Mean time I employed all prudent means to put in motion the real objects of my visit here. I found the secretary of State and two Ex-Governors of Hamet Bashaw on the spot; destitute of every thing but resentment; for even hope had abandoned them. From them I learned that their Sovereign, after a series of vicissitudes and disasters had been reduced to the alternative of joining the Mamelukes; and that he was actually with them in command of a few Tripolitans and the Arab auxiliaries, besieged with Elf and the other Mamelukes Beys in the village of Miniet in upper Egypt.

Though glad to hear that the Bashaw was still active, and that the Arabs were still attached to his interest, the embarrassments which have hitherto ac cumulated to impede the execution of our plan were now heightened by the impossibility of personal access to him; the difficulty of communication ; and the uncertainty of obtaining the Vice Roy's firman for his departure, in case of succeeding to detach him from the rebel army, as the Mamelukes are here stiled. These obstacles overcome, every thing else seemed feasible. I resolved therefore to throw myself on the honor and hospitality of the Turkish sovereign of the country.

At eight in the evening of the ninth, six Arabian horses, richly caparisoned, and a numerous escort of attendants, waited in the court yard of the British house to conduct us to the palace. Capt. Vincents aud Doctor Mendrici accompanied us in their national uniform. The procession was preceded by an il

lumination of flambeaux and torches the streets for the distance of a mile and a half were margined with spectators, curious to see the men who had come from the new world. Guards, grooms and servants were stationed to receive us at the gate of the citadel. The courbose was paraded with troops regularly drawn up. The flights of stairs which lead to the grand saloon were flanked with young men superbly armed and in rich Turkish uniform. The hall was large and splendid; and the court, which attended the Vice Roy, surpassed in magnificence every thing I have ever seen of the kind. His Highness, with a dignified air of affability, rose from a sofa of embroidered purple and damask cushions; and, taking me by the hand, seated me next himself and the gentlemen in company on the right and left.

Coffee, pipes and sherbet, were served in oriental stile. The customary salutations passed and repeated. Questions on indifferent subjects asked and answered: news of the day concerning the European war enquiries relative to our nation; situation and extent of our territory; date of our independence; nations with whom we were at peace or war; pros ductions and commerce of the country? &c. &c. At length, by a signal of his hand, the court retired, leaving the Vice Roy and his interpreter alone with

us.

He now observed that it seemed to him our visit to this country, at so critical a moment, must have something more for its object than the mere gratification of curiosity. This opened the occasion, which I was determined to seek, of making to him a candid explanation of my business.

I stated, in French, which he seemed well to understand, but which was formally translated into Turkish, a detail of our intercourse and relation with Tripoli; negociations of peace with Joseph Bashaw; violation of his faith; commencement of the war, and such events in its progress as honor did not dictate to conceal then drew a flattering though just contrast between the habits of the Barbary Prin