320

LIFE OF COLONEL MACEEONI.

did with success. After the victory of the Pyramids,Murat was sent in pursuit of Ibrahim Bey, towards Belbeis,and during that service he was on one occasion so surroundedalone by Mamalukes, that, but for the prompt charge of asquadron of his own troops, he must speedily have perished.As it was, he slew several of the enemy with his own hand.The battle of Salabich was gained entirely by Murat andhis cavalry; the French infantry not being at all engaged.His personal example caused his troops to perform far morethan they thought themselves capable of. Such was theindividual and physical superiority of the Mamalukes andArabic cavalry over the French , that I am convincedMurat found it necessary to set the brave example he isblamed for, in order to raise the confidence of his men.Every man who killed an Arab had his horse; Murat setthe example by procuring in that way a complete stud.

Such was the admiration of the Mamalukes for theperson of Murat, that Murad Bey not a little prided himselfon the similitude of the two names. At the battle ofAboukir , in the desperate conflict with the Turkish cavalry,Murat and the son of Mustapha Pacha met. The formerendeavouring to take the latter prisoner if possible withoutshedding his blood, received a pistol bullet through hislower jaw, when notwithstanding the irritation of the wound,the second he had that day received, he persisted, andsucceeded in capturing the young Pacha, after havingdisabled him by a stroke which cut off two of the fingers ofhis right hand. Mustapha Pacha ever after expressed themost lively gratitude to Murat for the manner in which, touse the Pacha’s own words, “ his son’s life had been pre-served by such spontaneous, cool, and obstinate generosity.”

I believe it is not generally known that Murat (themBrigadier General) obtained, with much difficulty, fromNapoleon , permission to head the storming of the breach of