EATON EAU. 



781 



1791, he taught a school in Vermont, devoting him- 

 self, at the same time, to the classics, in order to 

 qualify himself for the degree of bachelor of arts, 

 which he obtained from the college in the last men- 

 tioned year. In October of the same year, he was 

 chosen clerk to the house of delegates of the state of 

 Vermont, and, in 1792, received a captain's commis- 

 sion in the American army. He proceeded with his 

 company down the Ohio, to the western army, at 

 Legionville, with which he continued until 1794. In 

 1797, he was appointed consul for the kingdom of 

 Tunis. Here he became involved in negotiations 

 and altercations with the bey, which he conducted 

 with extraordinary spirit, and at the frequent risk of 

 his life. The history of them, as left by himself, is 

 not a little entertaining and curious. His official 

 correspondence and private journal are full of striking 

 anecdotes and descriptions. War was declared by 

 the bashaw of Tripoli against the United States, in 

 1801. The reigning chief was a usurper, and the 

 lawful one, his brother, happened to be at Tunis, in 

 exile. W ith him Eaton concerted a project for attack- 

 ing the usurper by land, while the American squadron 

 in the Mediterranean operated against him by sea. 

 In 1803, he returned to the United States, and open- 

 ed his plan to the government ; but, finding that no 

 aid could be had from the government, he set out for 

 Egypt, merely with the character of American agent. 

 He sailed with the squadron for the Mediterranean in 

 July, 1804, and proceeded to Alexandria, in Egypt, 

 where he arrived in November. In the following 

 month, he was at Grand Cairo, where he learned that 

 Hamet Bashaw, after a series of vicissitudes and dis- 

 asters, had been reduced to the alternative of joining 

 the Mamelukes, and that he was actually with them, 

 commanding a few Tripolitans and their Arab auxi- 

 liaries, in Upper Egypt. Eaton contrived to obtain 

 from the viceroy of Egypt an amnesty for Hamet 

 Bashaw, and permission for him to pass the Turkish 

 army unmolested. A rendezvous was appointed ; 

 they met near Alexandria, and formed a convention, 

 in the eighth article of which it was stipulated, that 

 Eaton should be recognised as general and commander- 

 in-chief of the land forces which were or might be 

 called into service against the common enemy, the 

 reigning bashaw of Tripoli. The forces consisted of 

 nine Americans, a company of twenty-five cannoniers, 

 and a company of thirty-eight Greeks, the bashaw's 

 suite of about ninety men, and a party of Arab caval- 

 ry ; which, including the footmen and camel-drivers, 

 made the whole number about 400. Such was the 

 land expedition against Tripoli. The march was 

 pursued with a great variety of adventure and suffer- 

 ing, and Bomba was reached April 15th, where the 

 I nited States' vessels, the Argus, captain Hull, and 

 the Hornet, had arrived with provisions, to enable 

 the almost famished army to proceed to Derne. April 

 25, they encamped on an eminence which commands 

 tais place, and immediately reconnoitred. On the 

 morning of the 26th, terms of amity were offered the 

 bey, on condition of allegiance and fidelity. The flag 

 of truce was sent back with this laconic answer 

 " My head or yours !" Derne was taken, after a 

 furious assault, but its possession was not secure. 

 An army of the reigning bashaw of Tripoli, consist- 

 big of several thousand troops, approached the town, 

 and gave battle to the victors, May 13, but were 

 repulsed, with considerable loss. June 2, they re- 

 turned to the assault, and met with no better fate. 

 On the 10th, an engagement took place, in which 

 there were supposed to be not less than 5000 men on 

 the field. The hopes of Eaton were, however, sud- 

 denly blasted by the official intelligence, received on 

 the IJth, that the American negotiators, in the squa- 

 dron before Tripoli, had concluded a peace with the 



usurper. Eaton was required to evacuate the post of 

 Derne, and with his Greek and American garrison, 

 ,o repair on board the ships. It was necessary for 

 liim to do this clandestinely, lest his Arabian auxili- 

 aries should endeavour to prevent him. Hamet 

 Bashaw embarked at the same time ; the Arabians 

 fled to the mountains ; and thus ended this gallant 

 and romantic affair, which is stated, in the official 

 correspondence of the American commissioners, who 

 negotiated the peace, to have had the effect of bring- 

 ing the Tripolitans to terms. Eaton returned to the 

 United States in August, where he received the most 

 flattering marks of public favour. The president, in 

 his message to congress, made honourable mention of 

 his merit and services. A resolution was moved in 

 the house of representatives, at Washington, for pre- 

 senting him with a medal ; but the motion, after 

 being warmly debated, was rejected by a small ma- 

 jority. The legislature of Massachusetts bestowed 

 upon him a tract of land, of 10,000 acres, in testi- 

 mony of their sense of his " undaunted courage and 

 brilliant services." In the winter of 1806-7, Aaron 

 Burr endeavoured, without effect, to enlist him in his 

 conspiracy. On the trial of Burr at Richmond, he 

 gave full testimony against him. About this period, 

 he was elected a representative in the legislature of 

 Massachusetts. A few years after, this bold and 

 enterprising man fell a victim to habits of inebriety, 

 which he contracted soon after his return. His death 

 took place in 1811. Mr Eaton was well acquainted 

 with French and Italian, and with history, geography, 

 and tactics. His official and private correspondence 

 is marked by great acuteness and energy. The 

 letters and journal in which he has left the history of 

 his life on the coast of Barbary, and his celebrated 

 expedition to Derne, denote no common powers of 

 observation and description. They are replete with 

 curious remarks and incidents, and may be found in 

 an octavo volume, entitled The Life of General 

 Eaton, and published by one of his friends in Mas- 

 sachusetts. 



EAU ; a French word, signifying water, and used 

 in English, with some other words, for several spiritu- 

 ous waters, particularly perfumes ; as, eau de Cologne, 

 eau de luce, eau de Portugal, &c. The two most cele- 

 brated are the 



Eau de Cologne, or water of Cologne, a fragrant 

 water, made originally, and in most perfection, in 

 Cologne. Formerly many wonderful powers were 

 ascribed to this water, but it was probably never so 

 much in demand as at present, in Europe and 

 America, and numberless recipes have been given 

 for its manufacture. It was invented by a person 

 named Farina, in whose family the secret, as they 

 say, continues to be preserved, since chemistry has 

 not been able, as yet, to give the analysis of it. It 

 is imitated, however, everywhere. The consumption 

 of this perfume has increased much ever since the 

 seven years' war ; and there exist, at present, fifteen 

 manufactories of it in Cologne, which produce 

 several millions of bottles yearly; much, also, is 

 manufactured at Paris, in Saxony, and other places. 

 One of the many recipes to make eau de Cologne is 

 the following : 



Alcohol.or spirit of wine, at 3(1" 

 Oleum neroli* 



Uleum neroli* -i 



- de cedro 



de cedrat | 



2 pints. 



drops. 



- citri 



- bergamot I 



- roftmarin J 



Seed of gmall cardamum 2 drachms. 



Distil it in the Mary-bath, until three-fourthi of the alcohol 

 hare evaporated. 



Ethereal oil of orange-flowers. 



