Bonaparte returned to Suez that same night.  It was very dark when we reached the sea-shore.  The tide was coming up, and the water was pretty high.  We deviated a little from the way we had taken in the morning; we crossed a little too low down; we were thrown into disorder, but we did not lose ourselves in the marshes as has been stated.  There were none.  I have read somewhere, though I did not see the fact, nor did I hear it mentioned at the time, that the tide, which was coming up, would have been the grave of the General-in-Chief had not one of the guides saved him by carrying him on his shoulders.  If any such danger had existed, all who had not a similar means of escape must have perished.

This is a fabrication.  General Caffarelli was the only person who was really in danger, for his wooden leg prevented his sitting firmly on his horse in the water; but some persons came to his assistance and supported him.

—­[Bonaparte extricated himself as the others did from the real danger he and his escort had run.  At St. Helena he said, “Profiting by the low tide, I crossed the Red Sea dry-shod.  On my return I was overtaken by the night and went astray in the middle of the rising tide.  I ran the greatest danger.  I nearly perished in the same manner as Pharaoh did.  This would certainly have furnished all the Christian preachers with a magnificent test against me.”  —­Bourrienne.]—­

On his return to Cairo the General-in-Chief wished to discover the site of the canal which in ancient times formed a junction between the Red Sea and the Nile by Belbeis.  M. Lepere, who was a member of the Egyptian Institute, and is now inspector-general of bridges and highways, executed on the spot a beautiful plan, which may confidently be consulted by those who wish to form an accurate idea of that ancient communication, and the level of the two seas.

     —­[Since accurately ascertained during the progress of the works for
     the Suez Canal.]—­

On his arrival at the capital Bonaparte again devoted all his thoughts to the affairs of the army, which he had not attended to during his short absence.  The revenues of Egypt were far from being sufficient to meet the military expenditure.  To defray his own expenses Bonaparte raised several considerable loans in Genoa through the medium of M. James.  The connection of James with the Bonaparte family takes its date from this period.

     —­[Joseph Bonaparte says that the fathers of Napoleon and of M.
     James had long known one another, and that Napoleon had met James at
     Autun. (’Erreurs’, tome i, p. 296).]—­

Since the month of August the attention of General Bonaparte had been constantly fixed on Syria.  The period of the possible landing of an enemy in Egypt had now passed away, and could not return until the month of July in the following year.  Bonaparte was fully convinced that that landing would take place, and he was not deceived.  The Ottoman Porte had, indeed, been persuaded that the conquest of Egypt was not in her interest.  She preferred enduring a rebel whom she hoped one day to subdue to supporting a power which, under the specious pretext of reducing her insurgent beys to obedience, deprived her of one of her finest provinces, and threatened the rest of the empire.