The strength that the enemy brought to the field on the 21st March, showed that they were far more numerous in Egypt than we had been led to believe. The greatest number that had been calculated to be there was 15,000; but they had 27,000. As soon as the action of the 21st was over, the army made trenches along the whole position, and completed and increased the batteries and redoubts with all possible haste. The left was the weakest part of the position. The bed of Lake Mareotis was in front of it, but it was nearly dry, and passable in many parts both for horse and foot. Lake Maadie[12] was in the rear of the left, being only separated from the bed of Lake Mareotis by the banks of the canal[13] of Alexandria; and its waters were considerably above the level of Lake Mareotis and the surrounding country. On the 13th April a large opening was made in the banks of the canal; the water rushed into Lake Mareotis with a fall of six feet, and it continued to rush in for a month, when it nearly found its level; but there continued always a fall of about a foot, owing to the sand absorbing the water. By this measure a large extent of country was inundated; the front of the position was contracted, and the left protected from assault; and Lord Hutchison, who had succeeded Sir Ralph Abercrombie, was enabled to proceed with a part of the army to Rosetta, which had been previously taken by a detachment, assisted by 4,000 Turks; General Coote being left with the remainder to blockade Alexandria. The force assembling at Rosetta was destined to march against Grand Cairo. The Grand Vizier was advancing with an army from Syria to co-operate in the same object. Our regiment was ordered to join the troops at Rosetta. Most of the men belonging to it, who had been left on board ship sick of the fever, at the time we landed, had by this time recovered, so that it was now pretty strong. I continued in the convalescent tents about a fortnight. To enable me, when necessary, to go abroad, I procured a rough piece of wood, upon which I got the head of a tent mallet fastened, to serve for a crutch. By the help of this, and a stick in the other hand, I made a shift to go out of the tent; but, not being very expert at the use of the crutch, as I was going out one day, the tent cords catched the lower end of it, and I fell down, with the wounded leg undermost. This was to me a serious accident; for my wound immediately began to get worse, and in a few days it was greatly inflamed, and discharging black matter. I was then removed to the hospital tents, to be near the surgeon. Orders came for the regimental hospital to be moved to Rosetta, and such cases as were not fit to be moved were sent to the general hospital, which was now an extensive establishment; for the sick and wounded that were on board the fleet were sent on shore, and lodged in large sheds. Into one of these I was taken, along with another, who had been in the same convalescent tent with me.