Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp2.djvu/103

 The premature conclusion of Captain Beaufort’s scientific operations, in 1812, is satisfactorily accounted for at p. 301 et seq. of his narrative.

“Arrived within a few leagues of the confines of Syria, we were now entering on a part of the coast which surpassed in interest all that we had already explored. In the celebrated plains ot Issus, Alexander and Severus had each decided the empire of the world; and to have been able to elucidate the various accounts of those victories by an accurate survey of the field of battle, would have been highly gratifying. The altars erected by the conqueror of Darius might probably have eluded our search; but the course of the Pinarus, and the disposition of the country, must have been still obvious. Nor would it have been a less important service to historical geography, could we have determined the position of Myriandrus, and the contested situation of the famous Pylae Amanicae, where the Persians and Macedonians had unknowingly passed each other. But all these flattering hopes were disappointed.

“On the 20th June, while embarking the instruments from a little cove to the westward of Ayas, we perceived a number of armed Turks advancing towards the boat. Turks always carry arms; and there was no reason to suppose that this party had any other object than curiosity, for several of the officers were at that time dispersed in the neighbourhood, and accompanied by the villagers; some of whom, about an hour before, had shewn the most good humoured assiduity in pointing out to me the inscriptions on the tower and other places: neither had their conduct to the watering boats, the preceding evening, led to any kind of distrust.

“As they approached, however, an old dervish was observed haranguing them; and his frantic gestures, with their reiterated shouts of ‘Begone,’ ‘Infidel,’ and other offensive expressions, left the hostility of their intentions no longer doubtful. The interpreter was absent with the officers, and all my little store of friendly words and signs seemed to irritate rather than to appease them. To quit the place seemed, therefore, the most probable means of preventing a fray; and as the boat was ready, we quietly shoved off. The mob now rushed forward; their voices assumed a shriller tone; and spurred on by the old fanatic, they began to level their muskets: the boat was not yet clear of the cove; and if they had succeeded in reaching the outer points, our retreat would have been cut off. It was, therefore, full time to check their progress, and the unexpected sight of my fowling-piece had for a moment that effect; but as they again endeavoured to close, I fired over their heads. That expedient saved us. They immediately halted; most of them fell on the ground; the dastardly Dervish ran away; and we had gained sufficient time to get the boat’s head round, and almost disentangled from the rocks, when one ruffian, more resolute than the rest, sprang forward to a rock on the shore, which covering his person allowed him to take deliberate aim. His ball entered near