on was now exhausted, but they lost a good
many men by the fire of some British cutters, which had during the whole
action maintained their position a short distance in advance of the
British right, and greatly aided the defenders of the redoubt by their
fire.

By ten o'clock the action was over. Until the firing ceased altogether
Sir Ralph Abercrombie remained in the battery paying no attention to his
wounds, and, indeed, the officers who came and went with orders were
ignorant that he had been hit. Now, however, faint with loss of blood,
he could maintain his position no longer, and was placed in a hammock
and carried down to the shore, and rowed off to the flagship. As soon as
the French had withdrawn, attention was paid to the wounded. The total
loss was 6 officers and 230 men killed, 60 officers and 1190 men
wounded. The French loss was heavier. 1700 French, killed and wounded,
were found on the battlefield, and 1040 of these were buried on the
field. Taking the general proportion of wounded and killed, the French
loss, including the prisoners, amounted to 4000 men; one French standard
and two guns were captured.

The total British force was under 10,000 men, of whom but half were
seriously engaged. The French were about 11,000 strong, of whom all,
save the 800 who made the feint on the British left, took part in the
fighting. On the 25th the Capitan Pasha, with 6000 men, arrived in the
bay, and landed and encamped. Three days later the army was saddened by
the news of the death of Sir Ralph Abercrombie. He was succeeded in his
command by General Hutchinson. For some time Edgar had an idle time of
it. The French had failed in their attack, but they had not been
defeated, and their position was too strong to be attacked. The Capitan
Pasha had with him an excellent interpreter, and therefore his services
were not required in that capacity.

The night before the battle he stopped up all night talking with Sidi,
relating all that had happened since he had left him, and hearing from
him what had taken place on land. This was little enough. A great number
of the Arabs had gathered in readiness to sweep down upon the French
when they attacked the Turkish army at Aboukir, but when the latter had,
with terrible slaughter, been driven into the castle, they had scattered
to their homes. The next day the young Arab witnessed with delight the
repulse of the French attack, and at the conclusion of the fight rode
away to tell