TO ALEXANDRIA. 327 
Menou gave no bounds to his rage and mortifi- chap. 
cation. Sometimes he threatened to bury him- 
self and his troops in the ruins oi Alexandria, 
sooner than accede to the proposals he had 
received ; at other times he had recourse to the 
most ridiculous gasconade, and threatened to 
meet Lord Hutchinson in single combat. The 
valuable Tablet found near Rosetta, with its 
famous trilinguar inscription, seemed to be, 
more than any other article, the subject of his 
remonstrances ; because this, he maintained, 
was *' his private property ; and therefore as 
exempt from requisition as the linen of his 
wardrobe, or his embroidered saddles '." We 
then ventured to inform his Lordship, that we 
had reason to believe there was somethino: con- 
cealed in Alexandria, for the possession of which 
the French were more anxious than even for 
this Tablet', and making known to him the 
nature of our errand, received his orders to set 
out instantly for Alexandria ; and endeavour to 
discover, not only where the particular monu- 
ment was hid to which we alluded, but also what- 
soever other antiquities the French might have 
secreted in the city. He gave us also authority 
(l) These were nearly Menou 'i own words, as they are given in the 
sequel. 
