The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1895-05-11

deavor looked more and more to the crea-
ton of a Continental power which should
countervail British supremacy on tho deep,
The result to him of the battle of the Nile
was in every way disastrous. The effect
Of it was calculated to inspire distrust in
France. encourage the Coalition, and in
particular to rekindle the smouldering
hatred of the M~amelukes.
Complaints broke out in the French
army. Though victory came, deprivation
came also. The soldiers were scorched on
the blistering plains, and had little to eat
but watermclons. Nevertheless, Napoleon
went steadily on with his scheme. On the
2lst of August, he founded in Cairo an in
stitute of arts and sciences. The savants
who had come with the expedition laid
the foundations of modern Egyptology.
B%onaparto had the dyke opened, by which
the canal Of Cairo receives its supply from
the Nile. Then he participated in the an
nual festival of Mohammcd. He made
common cause with the Islamite priests;
put himself-at least for a day-into
Turkish dress; visited the mosques, and
attempted in every way to confirm his in
fluence with the people. Volumes could
not contain the story of what was said
and planned by this extraordinary person.
age on the sands of Egypt.
On the 22nd of October, at a preconcert-
ed signal, Cairo broke into instruction.
For a while the French occupancy was en-
dangered; but the revolt was suppressed,
and a terrible vengeance was wreaked on
its authors. Meanwhile, Napoleon con-
ceived the project of making n campaign
into Syria, and attacking the English
stronghold of Jaffa and st. Jean d'Acre.
The situation was this: France and Tur-
key were nolninally at peace. Napoleon
had overthrow the Sultan's rebellious
beys in Egypt. Therefore he was a friend
Of the Sultan; and he of him, But the
thick brain of the Porte at length cleared
sufficiently to sec that Murad and Ibra-
him Boys were not half so dangerous as
the foreign lion that now sat on his
launches at Cairo, licking his mouth for
moro. The Sultan perceived that the
French must be expelled. Napoleon had
seen that this conclusion would be reached,
and that a Turkish army might be expect
ed to come against him out of Syria.
Therefore he would better preoccupy Syria.
Moreover, the hated English had got the
coast of the Eastern Mediterranean. The
Turkish army might not be expected dur
ing the winter; but the English were
there already. Hence the Syrian expedi.
ton.
Napoleon divided his forces. He left
about twelve thousand men to occupy
Egypt, and with a like number set out, on
the 18th of February, 1899, in the direc.
ton of Suez and Palestine. The march
was accompanied with great hardships.
AT the wells of Messoudiah the French
found water; n soon afterwards the
green and fertile plains of Syria arose tc
view. El-Arish was taken on the 18th OF
February, On the 1st of March, Napoleon
slept at the convent of Ramleh. He passed
within IA few miles of Jerusalem, and ther
made his way to Jatfa. A siege was i'm
mediately begun, and IN the 9th of Marcel
the place was taken, with pillage and mas
sacre. About four thousand of the pris
oners were, after three days of delibera
ton, set in lines on the seashore and shot
This was done under the terrible neces
sity of the French to preserve themselve.
in the enemy's country.
Next came the horror of the plague
With the fall of Jaffa, the march was be
gun against st. Jean d Acre. The Arab!
now made common cause with the Turks
Lannes, pursuing the wild men into the
passes of Nablous, was ambushed, and
lost a considerable number of men. Or
the 18th of March the French arrived al
Acre, and found that the Pasha Diezza,
had cut off the head of Napoleon's envoy,
and thrown his body into the sea. Tn,
English under Sir Sidney Smith, as wei
as the Turks, held the fortress and town
The civilized enemies had some ~fruitles.
negotiations, ending in a challenge o
Bonaparte by Sir Sidney to fight a duel
a la P~lantagenet! To this Napoleon an
swered that he had too many affairs on hi
hands to trouble himself with so small
matter!
Acre was besieged until the 4th of Nav
when the French ammunition began t,
fail. General Catfarelli, one of Napoleon
favorite officers, already one-legged from
horoism, died from the amputation of al
arm On the 10th of the month the Frencl
made an assault, II gained the trenches
During the sixty days of the siege eigh
storming parties were sent against the de
lenses, and on one occasion the town wa
partly occupied; but General Duroc, VIII
led the assault, was wounded, and the tw
hundred men who had gained an entranc
were driven out through the breach.
Twelve sorties were made by the b.
sieged, only to meet repulse. About til
middle of May news came that one of til
many Mahdis, who have so %fre4uentl
arisen in Egypt, had appeared in the Nil
valley. Intelligence came also that tn