“To Admiral the Honourable Sir Robert Stopford, G.C.B.” Half the garrison were immediately embarked, and arrived at Beyrout the same evening, thus keeping our word to the Admiral twenty-four hours sooner than we had promised. In taking a town by storm, much confusion necessarily arises, accompanied by plunder and other barbarities, but to the honour of the Marines, the Austrians, and the Turks, I believe there never was an occasion where less blood was spilt, or disorder easier put an end to, which was to be attributed in a great degree to the exertions and excellent arrangements of Captain Berkeley (to whom I gave command of the town,) assisted by the Archduke and the Captains of the squadron. Souliman Pacha’s family embarked in a French steamer before the attack began; his house, situated in one of the positions first assailed, I regret suffered much, in spite of all the efforts of the officer to save it. Next morning many wounded Egyptians were found in various parts of the town, and it was extraordinary to see the patience with which they endured their sufferings; a black man I particularly observed, with his leg broken, lying in a corner without uttering a murmur, though he appeared in much pain: a shutter was procured, on which he managed to place himself, holding the wounded leg with both hands, (for he would not accept assistance,) and in this manner he was safely carried to the hospital. In the afternoon I embarked the remainder of the garrison, and returned to D’Jounie Bay, after an absence of forty-eight hours, leaving a battalion of Turks in the town, and the squadron under Captain Berkeley. -------------- CHAPTER VIII. State of Affairs at D’Jounie—Effect of the Capture of Sidon—The Emir Bechir Cassim joins the Allies—Overtures from the Emir Bechir—Movements of Ibrahim Pacha—Capture of Caiffa, and of Tyre; Captain Collier’s Report—Conflicting opinions as to future Operations—Letter from Sir R. Stopford—Insufficient boating of War Steamers. On the following morning I examined our positions, and found the enemy had again established themselves on the heights of Boharsof, and set fire to the habitations of the mountaineers of that district, (who had assisted in the first attack,) and driven their wives and families across the Nahr-el-Kelb, to Antoura, Argentoun, and the adjacent villages. War at all times is the parent of misery and destitution, and in this instance I found none of its horrors alleviated; it was heart-rending to see the unfortunate women and children encamped under trees in the mountains, without the means of subsistence, and on our part, without being able to offer them much relief.