“On the 25th, five regiments of infantry arrived, and on the day following, five more, each consisting of four battalions; they were evidently much fatigued and reduced in numbers, and stated that they had not had rations for the last seven, nor water for the last three days.
“This day Captain Houston Stewart arrived in the Hecate, with Colonel Rose, who came to go in search of Ibrahim, Rechid Pacha, and Lieutenant-Colonel Napier. We all went to the General Achmet Menekli Pacha’s quarters, to urge the propriety of not obliging the Syrians to return to Egypt, but, as he said he had no powers to interfere, it was determined on sending off a letter to Commodore Napier[[57]], for an order from Mehemet Ali to this effect, as well as to order Ibrahim to retire in columns of 3000 men, and not assemble a large force at Gaza.
“On the 28th a council was held, at which Captain Stewart and myself attended.
“We requested that a pledge should be given that Ibrahim would, on his arrival, carry into execution the orders of his father, Mehemet Ali, for the evacuation of Syria. This was at once done without the slightest hesitation. Indeed Hourschid Pacha, a fine old man, with a magnificent white beard, who commanded the irregular force, stated he had been forty years in Mehemet Ali’s service, and during the whole of that period had never once known Ibrahim to refuse to obey his father’s orders.
“On receiving this guarantee we, in the name of the united forces of Great Britain, pledged ourselves that no molestation or obstacle should be put in the way of such evacuation, nor any advance of the Turkish troops at Medjdel take place, until I had reported the evacuation complete.
“This pledge was approved and confirmed by the Seraskier at Jaffa[[58]], and the evacuation went on afterwards with confidence.
“This measure had become absolutely necessary from the Egyptians’ evident want of confidence in the Turks; they feared that as soon as they had so far weakened their force at Gaza as to be incapable of resistance, the Turks might attack them.
“Colonel Rose having been also sent in search of Ibrahim, with a copy of the Convention, and a letter from General Michell and Captain Stewart, after much disappointment, arising from the determination on the part of the Arabs not to conduct any one to Ibrahim, if indeed they knew where to find him, fell in with him on the 31st (January), in the Desert, about four hours from Gaza, which town he entered with him between 4 and 5 P.M. the same afternoon.
“The General-in-Chief appeared much fatigued, and very unwell, and had no doubt suffered much on the journey round the east and south sides of the Dead Sea. He brought with him about 5000 troops.”
Colonel Rose, soon after this, went to Constantinople, and upon his arrival at Therapia, made a report to Lord Ponsonby on the state of Ibrahim’s army, which differs a good deal from that of the other officers. I give a short extract from the document[[59]].