CAIRO. 
369 
every thing in his power for them all, and particularly for a person 
of my consequence. It was also his duty, since he knew that we 
were the steadiest friends of the Porte. We conversed on the reports 
which had circulated of Bonaparte having taken Vienna ; he said 
he could hardly believe it, though every thing was possible in such 
wars as these. He told me that the French Agent had been to notify 
it to him, and to inform him, that it was now the great Emperor's 
intention to reconquer the Crimea from Russia, and restore it to the 
Porte: that he had answered, " the Porte does not want the Crimea; 
she has already so widely extended an empire, that she cannot 
manage the whole of it ; she only wants friends." I told his 
Highness, that if Bonaparte got the Crimea, he would restore it to 
the Porte as he did Egypt. He replied, he k new that very well ; 
and if France should be victorious, he was very much afraid they 
should have to fight again for this country, and that the Turkish 
troops were not capable of resisting the French ; that they were 
not now what they were formerly. I observed, that they had 
fought bravely, and resisted successfully, the Emperor Joseph in 
the last war. He replied, " aye, yet they were then much divided 
among themselves." He offered me every assistance in his povver to 
visit the Pyramids, and desired 1 would not scruple to apply to him 
for every thing I wanted. Coffee was served on our entry ; the cup 
out of which he drank was set with diamonds ; our cups were of gold 
embossed. When sherbet was served, we took the hint to retire. 
He said, he hoped to see me again, and should any thing particular 
occur, he would send to me. His Highness was plainly dressed, 
and wore no jewels of any kind. On quitting the house, a salute 
was fired. 
VOL. III. 3 B 
