Benbow—Killed, 2 seamen; 3 royal marines.—Wounded, 9 seamen; 3 royal marines severely.—Wounded, 1 seaman; 1 royal marine, slightly.
Zebra—Wounded, 2 seamen; 1 royal marine, slightly.
Total killed—5.—Total wounded—17.
CHAPTER XIV.
Interview of the Author with the Admiral and Sir Charles Smith—Returns to Beyrout—Urges various enterprises upon the Admiral, which are disapproved of—Correspondence with the Emir Bechir Cassim—Surrender of the old Emir Bechir—Retrospect of the Successes of the Expedition—Speculations as to the Attack upon Acre—Visit to the Emir at Ammanah—Scenery of Lebanon—Reconnoissance of Ibrahim’s Position—Letter to the Admiral—Conduct of the Turkish Authorities—Visit to the Emir’s Palace at Ibteddin—Accident to the Young Prince—Departure of the Squadron for Acre.
The day after the action of Boharsof I had an interview with the Admiral and Sir Charles Smith on board the Princess Charlotte. I then stated my opinion, that Ibrahim should be followed up to Zachle, but this opinion was ill received, and I retired with the determination of mixing no further with the military affairs.
After being confined for two days on board the flag-ship with a slight illness, the natural consequence of the excitement I had been in for a month too rapidly subsiding, I proceeded to D’Jounie Bay, where the Powerful and Admiral Walker were still at anchor, and after embarking all the troops and stores, returned to Beyrout. The weather had been threatening for some days, and after a few heavy squalls and a slight gale, which proved to us the insecurity of the anchorage, it again became fine. The troops were now stationed at Beyrout, Sidon, and Tyre, and everything indicated a cessation of active measures for the present; but Acre was still within the reach of the British fleet, and every officer looked forward with great anxiety for an attack on that celebrated fortress.
Tripoli was also in the hands of the Egyptians, as was Latakia, and I repeatedly urged the Admiral to allow me to proceed there, which was declined; he seemed to have resigned the military authority entirely, though I never understood that the firman given by the Porte to Sir Charles Smith, which was merely an authority over the Turkish officers, in any way superseded the power of the Commander-in-Chief of the allied forces by sea and land, as he styled himself.
On the 13th October, the Grand Prince arrived at Ammanah with the mountaineers, to watch Ibrahim and Souliman Pachas, who had intrenched themselves at Zachle and El Malaka, with upwards of 6000 men and seven field pieces; they had sent the sick, amounting to 1000, to Damascus. The advanced posts of the Grand Prince had fallen in with, and made prisoners, the Emir Meshud and two of his horsemen.
On the 16th the Emir wrote to me as follows:—