Footnote 45: See _Levant Papers_, Part III., p. 272. Footnote 46: Ibid., p. 276. Footnote 47: “The latter,—by the bye,—being no pass at all, but an open place in the plains to the eastward of Gaza.” Footnote 48: Although these instructions from Sir Charles Smith were so termed,—and Colonel Napier has documents from his successor, General Michell, to prove that they were satisfactorily executed,—it appears strange that this mission of the Colonel’s should never have been publicly made known. Footnote 49: “Moïadjumah, literally meaning the ‘meeting of the waters.’” Footnote 50: “He had lately succeeded Sir Charles Smith.” Footnote 51: “Mr. Wood, in one of his official reports, gives General Jochmus the credit of this reconnoissance, whereas I am not aware that the latter was, at this period, ever across the Jordan.” Footnote 52: This title was conferred in consequence of a promise made by the Sultan, through Lord Ponsonby, that Colonel Napier should receive the nishan or order of that rank—which promise has as yet been kept with true “Turkish faith.” CHAPTER XII. Conduct of Mr. Wood—His Letter to the Seraskier examined—His Advice disregarded by the British Officers—Mission of Colonel Alderson to Gaza—Colonel Rose’s Account of the State of Ibrahim’s Army—Colonel Alderson’s Character of Ibrahim Pacha—Death of General Michell. I do not think blame can be attached to General Jochmus for having done all he could to cripple Ibrahim, if he was acting under proper authority; but whether his orders were from the English Ambassador or the Sultan is not clear: both General Michell and Captain Stewart speak of the Ambassador’s orders[53]. If so, I do not think he was justified in obeying them; on the other hand, if his orders were from the Sultan’s minister, or from the the Seraskier, he was quite right. I think, however, he put too much reliance in the reports that were made to him of numerous loss inflicted on the Egyptian army, which he speaks of with much complacency, and which I hope and believe was very much exaggerated. As to Mr. Wood, he was quite in a different capacity, and what right he had, as a British subject, to put the interpretation he did on Sir Robert Stopford’s orders, I do not know. In the first paragraph of his letter[54], he says the women and sick were to be embarked, and that Ibrahim Pacha must provide other means of withdrawing his army; now the despatches say, women, sick, and others of the Egyptian army, which meant any portion that Ibrahim thought proper; but even if the term was not clear, as Syria was to be evacuated without delay, why was Mr. Wood to take upon himself to point out the way in which it ought to be done?