and who at once sent to
acquaint Bonaparte with what was taking place.

The latter returned at once, found the first two gates at which he
arrived in the hands of the insurgents, and making a detour, entered the
town by that of Boulak, and, joining Junot, he ordered the whole of the
troops to be concentrated in the great open space known as the Square of
El-Esbekieh, where were the headquarters and barracks occupied by a
portion of the troops, and the houses in which the staff-officers,
servants, and others lodged. Cannon were placed at the mouth of all the
streets leading from it, and the troops were ordered to remain under
arms all night. The Arabs had, soon after the sheik's party joined them,
entered the town by one of the gates that had been seized by the
insurgents, and established themselves in one of the large open spaces
near the walls. Parties galloped down into the town, and from time to
time brought back news of what was being done.

They reported that no attacks had been made on the troops, but that the
whole town was in a state of insurrection; that the keepers of the
French restaurants had been, for the most part, killed, and all their
houses pillaged; and that the insurgents had gathered in great force in
the cemetery, near the Square of El-Esbekieh. The sheik, with his
followers and many of the other Arabs, rode down to this spot in
readiness to take part in the attack that would, he supposed, be at once
made on the French. Finding that nothing was done, the sheik rode to the
Mosque of Gama El Ashar, where the leaders of the insurrection were
gathered. He dismounted and went in. He found a tumultuous debate going
on, a few being ready for instant attack, while the others urged the
advisability of waiting until the next morning, when many more Arabs,
and the inhabitants of Old Cairo and other places, would have joined
them.

The sheik at once took part in the debate, and urged strongly that the
attack should be made without an instant's delay.

"You are giving time for the Franks to prepare themselves," he said.
"You have already lost the advantage of surprise. After the first shot
was fired there should not have been a moment of delay; but no shot
should have been fired until you had given us notice. Then together we
should have flung ourselves upon them when they were confused and
dismayed, and had no time to form plans or to gather themselves in one
place. You have already lost that advantage, but