tually disabled me from the undertaking, and nothing but the absolute necessity of making the attempt enabled me, with a sort of desperation, to surmount the difficulties of the situation into which I had unwarily drawn myself.
On our return we passed close by the wall erected by Colonel Murray at the time the British troops were stationed at Aden, preparatory to their expedition into Egypt. The plan appears to have been formed with judgment, and would have effectually protected the town on the only point where it was before assailable.
On the 8th of October a brig came in sight at day-break, steering direct into the harbour as if her pilot had been accustomed to the bay. As we could not distinguish the flag she carried, the Dola hastened with a party of soldiers to the water-gate, while I proceeded with a few others to the ship. Our alarm arose from the fear that it might be a French privateer, as the ships of that nation have been in the habit of frequently running to this port for refreshment, notwithstanding it has been repeatedly refused; an instance of which occurred in the early part of this year. Fortunately on the present occasion the vessel proved to be an American, which gratified us with the pleasing intelligence of the continuance of peace between our respective nations, a circumstance which we had strong reason to doubt, from information received in the Mosambique.
This occurrence led me to notice the exposed situation of the anchorage in this bay, where a French privateer or pirate might, with facility, cut any vessel out of the harbour, without the possibility of her receiving aid from the shore. The means of remedying this evil are very obvious, and might be accomplished at a small expense; I therefore ventured to suggest to the Governor of Bombay, in a subsequent visit to that Settlement, that it should be carried into effect at the charge of the East India Company. The plan which I proposed was that the Governor should send two pieces of cannon, (many of which are now lying useless at Bombay) as a present to the Sultaun of Aden, on condition of their being placed on a point near the tomb of Sheik Hamed, in which position they would completely command and protect the
