Disperse in all directions, in order to multiply the
chances of finding shallow water, and was thus enabled to discover
a line by which he and his people were extricated. The story told
by the people of Suez is very different: they declare that
Napoleon parted from his horse, got thoroughly submerged, and was
only fished out by the assistance of the people on shore.
I bathed twice at the point assigned to the passage of the
Israelites, and the second time that I did so I chose the time of
low water and tried to walk across, but I soon found myself out of
my depth, or at least in water so deep, that I could only advance
by swimming.
The dromedary, which had bolted in the Desert, was brought into
Suez the day after my arrival, but my pelisse and my pistols, which
had been attached to the saddle, had disappeared. These articles
were treasures of great importance to me at that time, and I moved
the Governor of the town to make all possible exertions for their
recovery. He acceded to my wishes as well as he could, and very
obligingly imprisoned the first seven poor fellows he could lay his
hands on.
At first the Governor acted in the matter from no other motive than
that of courtesy to an English traveller, but afterwards, and when
he saw the value which I set upon the lost property, he pushed his
measures with a degree of alacrity and heat, which seemed to show
that he felt a personal interest in the matter.
