Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-11-29
CHAPTER XII

Three days later the leading columns of Bonaparte's army reached the foot of Carmel, where they were attacked by the Tigers boats and forced to pass to the north side of the mountain, instead of continuing their march by the shore. Shortly afterwards, moreover, the Tiger captured seven gunboats which were bringing from Jaffa the battering-train of artillery, ammunition and other SUD- plies destined for the siege of Acre. They were used for the defense of Acre. So were the gun-boats.
 Meanwhile, Sir Sidney Smith (who arrived at Acre the day before the French arrived at Mount Carmel) had ordered me to leave the Kangaroo in charge of my first officer and come on shore with half of my ships company, the other half being quite equal to working her guns. This order I re- ceived with pleasure and obeyed with alacrity, for it was evident that the post of danger was inside the town and the hottest fighting would fall to the lot of those who manned the ramparts. 1 had also to act as aide to the seras- lxier, at his own request.
 ''He has taken great fancy to you" said Sir Sidney; "and, as he has few subordinates who are good for any thing, and you speak Arabic so ad- mirably-"
 "No, not admirably by any means, commodore; very indi1fercntly." "Djezzar says you speak it admirably; so does Miller. l like young men to be modest, but it is not always well to hide your light under bushel. As I was saying, you will be very useful You will take the pasha's orders, of course. and he, on his part, will be guided by me and the colonel. Try to keep him and his people up to the mark. They are brave enough, I dare say, but, like all Orientals, they lack energy and order, trust too much in destiny and Providence and all that nonsense. You1 principal duty will be to repel boarders assaults, I mean, and take part in sal lies Do all you can to protect prison. CTS and the wounded. You know, suppose, that the Turks make practice | of refusing quarter and decapitatinp their prisoners. The pasha is rightly called Ahmed the Butcher. But we must just make the best of him. He is as necessary to us as we are to him, anc 'pon my soul I don't think he is half as bloodthirsty as that villain Bonaparte.' could not agree with the commo dore's estimate of Djezzar. Whatever else he might be, the pasha was certain ly not wanting in energy; and he pos sessed many of the qualities which gc to the making of great captain. It ii | quite possible, nay, highly probable and his sailors, Acre would have fallen ' hut foIl The pasha had sworn to bury himself in the ruins rather than surrender; anc there Is no question that he would have been as good as his word.
 On the other hand, he counted men.
 lives as nothing, and was cynically con temptuous of the rules of civilized war fare. Bonaparte, having made fruit less attempt to induce Diezzar to re ceive him as a friend, sent an envoy with summons to surrender and al offer of terms. For answer Djezzar cu off the mans head and sent it back tG Bonaparte as gage of defiance. Meanwhile the French were digging their trenches, bringing up their guns and constructing apartments, to protec themselves from the ships and gunboats which enfiladcd all their positions anC kept up a continual fire.
 It presently became evident that the principal battery was to be opposite tn, great tower.
 ''There! Did I not tell you SOP" ex claimed Phelippeaux, with great satis faction, pointing to this part of the enc my's work.
 '"Ten me what?'
 That Bonaparte is bad hand at { siege. He will try to breach the tower before he attacks the curtain" (thar part of the wall between the flankine bastions); land the tower is precisely the strongest of our defenses. The cur tain is not worthy to be called de 1anAa."