“I have the honour to be, &c., “CHARLES NAPIER.” “To the Right Hon. Lord Palmerston.” After a very fatiguing journey of eight hours, I found the Prince encamped in a glen surrounded by the most rugged and savage rocks, perched on the top of which were many mountaineers to prevent surprise. From 1500 to 2000 men were in the camp, dressed in the gay costume of the Mountain. The Prince himself was in a small tent, surrounded by his Emirs and Scheiks, and received me with the greatest kindness. After complimenting him on his victory, through the medium of my interpreter, the tent was cleared, and I pointed out to him the plan of operations I meant to pursue to gain possession of Beyrout, which he quite approved of, and promised his cordial co-operation the moment he was supplied with ammunition and provisions, which the Turkish Commissary was most negligent in doing; they were almost in a starving state, a few goats being all they could procure in the mountains, and the horses were entirely without barley. After staying an hour, we returned to Argentoun; the road was strewed with dead and dying Egyptians, some of them stark naked, and it was with the utmost difficulty I could persuade the mountaineers to assist in getting the poor wretches crammed into a small cottage on the road-side; they did not put the prisoners to death, but they stripped them, and left these poor creatures to die of cold and want. At Argentoun we did not find our quarters at all improved since our last visit; in addition to the bed-fellows we had to encounter, we were obliged to turn in supperless; having calculated on getting back to the camp the same night, we brought no provisions with us, and not even an egg was to be had for love or money. Next morning, at daylight, we were on horse, and by noon arrived at D’Jounie. On the morning of the 7th I sent a battalion across the Nahr-el-Kelb to support some of the mountaineers who had collected there, and other preparations were made to move on Beyrout by sea and land. The Grand Prince was also directed to cross higher up, and to keep me regularly informed of all his movements. -------------- CHAPTER XI. March towards Beyrout—Apprehensions of the Admiral—Arrangements in case of Disaster—Letters to and from the Emir Bechir Cassim—Skirmish—Position at Boharsof—Omar Bey dispatched to join the Emir—Letter to the Admiral—Arrival of Sir Charles Smith—The Author ordered to return to the Camp. On the 8th (October) General Jochmus marched out of his position with four Turkish battalions, and occupied Ornagacuan, pushing his advanced posts as far as Boharsof, opposite to which, on the hills above, commanding a winding road, were observed a few of the enemy’s light troops. In the evening the Admiral became alarmed at our intended movement, and wrote as follows:—