16 MEMOIK. 



Visited Pompeii, Herculaneum, and went to the bottom of 

 the crater of Mount Vesuvius. We also took the ship round 

 to Bahia Bay, a very pretty place, with a great number of 

 temples. Thence we went to Malta, passing through the Straits 

 of Messina. Becalmed for a night off Mount Stromboli, 

 which was flaming and bellowing loudly. Visited Ehodes and 

 Alexandria, where I saw old Mehemet Ali, a white-haired old 

 patriarch, mounted on a mule, riding through the streets of his 

 capital with little ceremony. 



In September the British fleet commenced active operations 

 in aid of the Sultan against his rebellious vassal Mehemet Ali. 

 That very clever man, having raised the character and efficiency 

 of the Egyptian troops by introducing European discipline and 

 the assistance of European officers, was much more than a match 

 for the Turkish army. The Egyptians, under the command of 

 Ibrahim Pacha (son of Mehemet Ali), a very brave soldier, had 

 driven the Turks completely out of " Palestine, and no doubt that 

 if it had not been for foreign interference they would have forced 

 their way to the walls of Constantinople, and there have enforced 

 the demands of Mehemet Ali. 



The greater part of the Turkish fleet had deserted and gone 

 to Alexandria to join the pacha. Our naval instructor met some 

 of the native officers on board this fleet who had been at Ports- 

 mouth under his instruction. The remainder of the Turkish 

 fleet was under the command of Admiral Walker, a captain in 

 the British navy. The Egyptian ships, though well manned and 

 equipped, never ventured out of the port of Alexandria. 



Operations commenced at the ancient town of Beyrout. 



