y little
interval, a space of three or four miles. It is very difficult to form
an estimate of their number, but there must, of course, have been
many thousands. They advanced in grand style, and produced an immense
agitation: the snorting, spouting, and splashing, and the wild panting
rush, I shall never forget. As it was late, no other caique was in
sight, and my boatmen, apprehensive of being run down, stopped to defend
themselves with their oars. I had my pistols with me, and found great
sport, as, although the dolphins made every effort to avoid us, there
were really crowds always in shot. Whenever one was hit, general
confusion ran through the whole line. They all flounced about with
increased energy, ducked their round heads under water, and turned
up their arrowy tails. We remained thus stationary for nearly
three-quarters of an hour, and very diverting I found the delay. At
length the mighty troop of strangers passed us, and, I suppose, must
have arrived at the Symplegades about the same time that I sought the
elegant hospitality of the British Palace at Pera.

AN INTERVIEW WITH A GREAT TURK

WHEN I was in Egypt the great subject of political speculation was the
invasion of Syria; not that the object of the formation of the camp at
Alexandria was generally known; on the contrary, it was a secret,-but a
secret shared by many ears. Forty thousand well-disciplined troops were
assembled at Cairo; and it was whispered at Court that Abdallah Pasha of
Acre might look to himself, a young and valiant chief, by-the-bye, whom
I well know, but indulging in dissipation, extraordinary even in the
Levant. I was exceedingly anxious of becoming in some manner attached
to this expedition; and as I was not without influence in the proper
quarters, there appeared little probability of my wish not being
gratified. With these views I remained in Egypt longer than I had
intended, but it would seem that the invaders were not quite as ardent
as their intended volunteer, for affairs at Alexandria progressed but
indifferently. Orders and counter-orders, marches and counter-marches,
boats pressed on the Nile for the passage of troops from the capital,
which were all liberated the next day, many divans and much smoking; but
still the troops remained within pistol-shot of the citadel, and months
glided away apparently without any material advancement.

I had often observed that although there was in most subjects an
excellent under