352 EGYPT. 
CHAP, copper and brass; generally deemed a disho- 
.- - -' • nourable practice, as calculated only to gratify 
cruelty and malice. The slightest wounds so 
inflicted are said, with what truth others 
may determine, to be mortal. This species of 
ammunition was obtained from the sheathing of 
ships in the port of Alexandria. Several of 
those balls were exhibited in the fleet, and some 
of them we afterwards found in the sand where 
-the action took place. An opinion then pre- 
. vailed, that if the action of the thirteenth had 
been properly followed up, the English would 
have been the same day in possession of Alex- 
andria. We had reason afterwards to believe 
this would have been the case, by information 
from the people of the city; stating, that no 
reinforcement having arrived from Cairo, the 
merchants, tradesmen, and other inhabitants, 
were compelled to mount the ramparts, and 
attend the gates as sentinels; who would gladly 
have cast away their arms to receive the English, 
or would have turned them upon the French 
during their retreat. Instead of this being- 
done, the enemy were allowed to establish 
themselves, in a very advantag*eous position, 
upon some heights before the walls, whence it 
• was found exceedingly difficult to dislodge 
them. To this place our army pursued them; 
and then retreated to an eminence near some 
