EGYPT. 365 
long white cloaks for the night. The French ^Y^^' 
and Enslish videttes were stationed within an '- v '' 
hundred paces of each other, and often con- 
versed ; the French party coming frequently 
over to ours, to ask for water. At that time, 
the enemy occupied a lofty mound opposite to 
our line, and a deep valley separated the two 
armies. This valley reminded us of the neutral 
territory in America where Major Andre was 
taken, while endeavouring to effect his escape 
from the enemies' works, which he had been so 
hardy as to reconnoitre. As we returned to the 
station occupied by the twelfth, we passed the 
Ruin where the action was hottest during the 
battle of the twenty-first : visiting its interior, 
an old soldier, one of the heroes who had there 
distinguished himself, pointed out the heaps of 
sand raised over the bodies of those who fell 
during the terrible conflict, and shewed us the 
dark traces of their blood, yet remaining upon 
the walls. Afterwards, we rode to examine the 
sluices made through the Alexandrian Canal, and 
beheld the torrent still rushing, with unabated 
force, from the Lake oi Ahoukir. We had a 
tent allotted to us for the night : it was double- 
lined; yet so copious are the dews of Egypt, 
after sun-set, that the water ran plentifully 
down the tent pole. We slept upon the sand, 
not without dread of scorpions, which are here 
