“October 9.
“I have received your letter, and our troops to-day at ten o’clock left Merouba for Basquinta; perhaps they will get there before sunset; that place is seven hours from you. I had the fever, and could not move with the troops; but I hope to-morrow to join them. I hear Osman Pacha arrived yesterday at Suwacka-Suswat, distant from Basquinta two hours and a half; if we meet him there, we will drive him away; it will not do to leave him a march behind us. We want men on horseback to be in your service. We send the bearer Mansur.”
This intelligence was not very pleasing; it would be impossible for them to arrive in the rear of the Egyptians before the afternoon of the 10th, even if they met with no opposition and used their best exertions, and this would have given another day for Ibrahim and Souliman to concert a movement. I was, however, determined to keep my ground, and I desired Jochmus to order Omar Bey, who had been left in our position, to march on Argentoun, cross over Dog River, and endeavour to form a junction with Emir Bechir. This was a very dangerous movement, the pass was difficult, and if discovered in the act of crossing, the consequences would have been serious. Omar Bey was, however, a good soldier; I placed full confidence in him, and I wrote to the Emir Bechir as follows:—
“Prince,
“Convent, October 9, 1840.
“We are here at the convent of Ornagacuan with five battalions; the enemy is in front of us under Osman Bey, and the Emir Mourat at Caillet Medun. I have ordered two battalions to march on Argentoun, cross Dog River in the night, and get in the enemy’s rear. Leave Osman Pacha to himself, march rapidly on Bechfaya, and join Omar Bey. When I hear your firing, I shall attack.
“Chas. Napier.”
At day-light on the morning of the 10th, I observed the English Consul’s flag flying in Beyrout, and a brisk communication going on between the ships and the town; that, and the steam-boats moving from St. George’s Bay, led me to believe, that Beyrout was evacuated, and that Souliman Pacha was concentrating his troops to attack my right, while Ibrahim, who we ascertained was our opponent, attacked my front; under these circumstances it was not a pleasing sight to see the Turks and marines, who were stationed in St. George’s Bay for the express purpose of watching Souliman, removed to take possession of an abandoned town, thus leaving my right quite exposed, and I wrote to the Admiral, giving him an account of my position as follows:
“My dear Admiral,
“October 10.