to
Bonaparte's plans the more readily because they were anxious to keep
so popular a leader, the idol of the army, at a great distance from the
centre of government. While the preparations were in process, no one
in England knew of this undertaking. The French fleet lay in various
squadrons in ports of Italy, from which thirty thousand men were
embarked.

Bonaparte arrived at Toulon on May 9, 1798. His presence rejoiced the
army, which had begun to murmur and to fear that he would not be at the
head of the expedition. It was the old army of Italy, rich and covered
with glory, and hence had much less zeal for making war; it required all
the enthusiasm with which the general inspired his soldiers to induce
them to embark and proceed to an unknown destination. On seeing him at
Toulon, they were inflamed with ardour. Bonaparte, without acquainting
them with their destination, exhorted the soldiers, telling them that
they had great destinies to fulfil, and that "the genius of liberty,
which had made the republic from her birth the arbitress of Europe,
decreed that she should be so to the most remote seas and nations."

[Illustration: 083 BEDOUINS IN THE DESERT]

The squadron of Admiral Brueys consisted of thirteen sail of the line,
and carried about forty thousand men of all arms and ten thousand
seamen. It had water for one month and provisions for two. It sailed on
the 19th of May, amid the thunders of the cannons and the cheers of the
whole army. Violent gales did some damage to a frigate on leaving the
port, and Nelson, who was cruising with three sail of the line in search
of the French fleet, suffered so severely from the same gales that he
was obliged to bear up for the islands of St. Pierre to refit. He was
thus kept at a distance from the French fleet, and did not see it pass.
It steered first towards Genoa to join the convoy collected in that
port, under the command of General Baraguay d'Hilliers. It then sailed
for Corsica, to call for the convoy at Ajaccio commanded by Vaubois, and
afterwards proceeded to the sea of Sicily to join the division of Civita
Vecchia, under the command of Desaix.

Bonaparte's intention was to stop at Malta, and there to make by the
way a bold attempt, the success of which he had long since prepared by
secret intrigues. He meant to take possession of that island, which,
commanding the navigation of the Mediterranean, became important to
Egypt and could not fail soon to fall into th