towns on the Sea of Marmora, when Edgar was able
to join parties who, hiring horses at the landing-place, took long rides
over the country, starting sometimes from Pera, and sometimes from
Scutari on the other side of the water. He was certainly not less glad
than his comrades when the order came to prepare for sailing. The wind
was favourable, the voyage was a speedy one, and the _Tigre_ arrived off
Alexandria on the 7th of March. Here they remained for some days. News
had already been received by sea from Jaffa of the capture of El-A'rich,
and of the approach of the French army to Jaffa.

This had caused no uneasiness, as the town, having a garrison of 8000
men, was believed to be able to resist any assault. When, however, on
the fifth day after the arrival of the _Tigre_ off Alexandria, a small
Turkish vessel brought the news that Jaffa had been captured, and some
3000 of the garrison killed in cold blood, besides a large number of the
inhabitants, Sir Sidney decided to start instantly, in order to aid in
the defence of the important stronghold of Acre, which would certainly
be the next object of assault by the French. Committing to the captain
of the _Lion_ the charge of continuing the blockade with the gun-boats
under his command, sail was at once hoisted, and the _Tigre_ started for
Acre.

On her way she picked up the _Theseus_, which was out cruising, and the
two men-of-war arrived off Acre on the 15th of March, and, to the
satisfaction of all, found that Napoleon had not yet appeared before the
town; Sir Sidney Smith, owing to the terms of the convention, at once
assumed the command of the operations. The arrival of the men-of-war
excited great enthusiasm among the garrison and inhabitants, who, now,
for the first time, believed in the possibility of beating off the
French, and of being spared the horrors that had befallen Jaffa.

On the following morning the French were seen marching along between the
lower slopes of Mount Carmel and the sea, and the men-of-war boats,
running in close to the shore, opened fire upon them, and compelled them
hastily to change their course and to ascend the hill until beyond the
range of the guns.

As no attempt had been made to return the fire by the artillery, Sir
Sidney Smith was convinced the French must be unprovided with a siege
train. Having learned from people who had escaped by boat from Jaffa,
that only field-pieces had there been employed to batter the wall, he
orde