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ſand eight hundred priſoners,[1] ordered them to be marched to a riſing ground near Jaffa, where a diviſion of French infantry formed againſt them When the Turks had entered into their fatal alignement, and the mournful preparations were completed, the ſignal gun fired. Vollies of muſquetry and grape inſtantly played againſt them; and Bonaparte, who had been regarding the ſcene through a teleſcope, when he ſaw the ſmoke aſcending, could not reſtrain his joy, but broke out into exclamations of approval; indeed, he had juſt reaſons to dread the refuſal of his troops thus to diſhonour themſelves. Kleber had remonſtrated in the moſt ſtrenuous manner, and the officer of the Etat Major who commanded (for the general
- ↑ Bonaparte had in perſon, inſpected previouſly the whole body, amounting to near 8000 men, with the object of ſaving thoſe who belonged to the towns he was preparing to attack The age and noble phyſiognomy of a veteran Janiſſary attracted his obſervation and he aſked him ſharply, "Old man, what did you do here" The Janiſſary undaunted replied, "I muſt anſwer you that queſtion by aſking you the ſame your anſwer will be that you came to ſerve your Sultan; ſo do I mine." The entrepid frankneſs of the reply excited univerſal intereſt in his favour. Bonaparte even ſmiled. "He is ſaved," whiſpered ſome of the aids de camp 'You know not Bonaparte obſerved one who had ſerved with him in Italy "the ſmile, I ſpeak from experience does not proceed from benevolence; remember what I ſay.' The opinion was too true! The Janiſſary was left in the rank doomed to death, and ſuffered!
