have suppressed these sentiments of reproach: as it is, I have acquited myself to my God and my conscience." He then renewed his oath of allegiance to the Bashaw. May 18th. Three, A. M. The Nautilus sailed with dispatches to Malta. At 9 in the morning the enemy advanced in order of battle to the declivity of the mountain, but could not bring themselves to a resolution to meet the vast numbers who showed themselves with Hamet Bashaw; and retired in about an hour: they had daily showed themselves since the 18th, but not so conspicuously. May 20th. Eight o'clock, A. M. the enemy appear in all their force; and seem resolute for a display of gallantry. At 10 they disappeared. At 6, P. M. a woman from their camp states that it was the intention of the Beys to have attacked our works: this morning; but the Arabs refused to advance to the charge. The Beys attempted to compel them. They said they had not only the preservation of their own lives but the existence of their families to keep in view. Hamet Bashaw had possession of the town and the Christians of the batteries; these, with the great guns of the shipping, would destroy every thing that approached them. They would remain with the camp till reenforcements came from Joseph Bashaw; and would then fight the Christians. The Beys then demanded their camels to be moved as covers to their front and flanks. This they refused. The Beys were obliged to give up the project of a victory today. The flocks of the Beducin Arabs have been under the protection of our guns since the morning of the 13th. There has hitherto been no instance of this confidence being deceived. Their women bring us mutton, milk, eggs, and traffic with our soldiers without any apprehensions of violence or fraud. We have several days been reduced to the necessity of bartering prize goods of the Argus for meat for the garrison. A humiliating traffic; but we have no cash. May 21st. A woman from the enemy's camp states that a reenforcement joined them yesterday of 150 cavalry; that they expect another today or tomorrow, when they calculate on taking the town and be sieging the Christian post. May 22d. An Arab chief who had been chained as a hostage with the enemy to insure the fidelity of his troops, escaped to us. Says the Arabs absolutely refuse to risk another assault on the town. He promises to bring his people, to the number of eighty, over to the Bashaw. WE WANT NOTHING BUT CASH TO BREAK UP OUR ENEMY'S CAMP WITOUT FIRING ANOTHER SHOT! May 23d. Hassien Bey, the commander in chief of the enemy's forces, has offered by private insinuation, for my head, six thousand dollars, and double the sum for me a prisoner; and $30 per head for Christians. Why dont he come and take it? Five o'clock, P. M. Overwhelmed with the scyroc or hot wind of the desert. It come in a hurricane and brought with it a column of heated dust, which resembled the smoke of a conflagration, and turned : the sun in appearance, to melted copper, swept every thing to the ground that had life; and filled every thing with a hot, subtile saud, or rather powder. We were distressed for breath the lungs contracted: blood heated like a fever and a relaxing perspiration covered the surface of the body. It lasted 3-4 of an hour. May 25th. The Scyroc wind blew in a gale from the south west all day. So piercing was the heat that the white pine boards of our folding table and book coverings in our tents warped as if before a close fire. The heated dust penetrated every thing, through our garments; and indeed seemed to choak the pores of the skin. It had a singular effect on my wound, giving it the painful sensations of a fresh burn. The skin, after perspiration became dry and parched, and the lungs compressed and inflamed. Water standing in tumblers in a few minutes became heated to such a degree as not to be borne in the hand; and even stones, naturally cold, were so hot that the soldiers were obliged to suspend labor at the trenches. May 28th. Attacked and defeated a detached party of the enemy, of about sixty foot and a troop of horse, with only thirty five Americans and Greeks, including officers. Mr. O'Bannon, Maun and Farquhar, and Capt. Constantino, were with me. May 29th. The enemy feinted an attack. See dispatches of this date. Six o'clock, P. M. a mirabout (saint) who had experienced some charities from me-now from the enemy, states that two women, one at camp and the other in town, have engaged to take me off by poison; and that the commander in chief of the enemy, has already made them large presents, among other things, a diamond ring, brelleant solitaire, in anticipation of this service. The saint cautioned me against accepting any presents of pastry corking, preserves, or fruit, from any persons of the town. June 11th. The following is a statement of the enemy's forces, as given by Selim, Chiek of Mensurat who deserted to us the 16th ultimo. 1. Hassien Bey, commander in chief. Imselletti 270 Vicinity of Mensurat do. 90 OWING to impediments too tedious to detail, but chiefly to delinquency in our quartermas-. ter's department, which I had confided to Richard Farquhar, I did not leave Alexandria till the third of last month. The host of Arabs, who accompanied the Bashaw from that place and joined him on the rout, moving chiefly with their families and flocks, rendered our progress through the desert slow and painful; add to this the ungovernable temper of this marauding militia, and the frequent fits of despondency, amounting sometimes to mutiny, occasioned by information, almost every day meeting us, of formidable reenforcements from the enemy for the defence of this place, and it will not seem unaccountable that it was not till the fifteenth instant we arrived at Bomba. We had now been twenty five days without meat, and fifteen without bread, subsisting on rice. Happily, the next morning, discovered the Argus, to whom I made signals by smoke, which were discovered and answered. The Hornet soon after appeared. Capt. Hull sent off a boat. I went on board, and had the honor and inexpressible satisfaction of receiving your communications of 22d ult. The timely supplies which came forward in these vessels gave animation to our half famished people; and no time was lost in moving forward. On the morning |