“Success attends our operations; we attacked on the 24th the enemy’s advanced posts on the left bank of the Dog River, and made between 400 and 500 prisoners. On the 26th I attacked and took Sidon, and made nearly 3000 prisoners. On the 4th of October the little Emir Bechir attacked and destroyed Osman Bey’s army, who have retired on Balbec, and this morning he has entered the province of Kata, and I have moved forward the Turkish troops. We are now preparing to attack Souliman Pacha, and if we succeed, the whole of the country, with the exception of the position of the Grand Prince, will be cleared and armed. We have then Tripoli to turn our attention to, which I think will be an easier conquest. Acre will be a tougher job, but I believe within our power to accomplish, unless more forces are brought against us; we expect 4000 more Turkish troops every day, which will be a great assistance. Sir Charles Smith, I hear, is better; if he is able to take the command, my functions cease, which I am sorry for. I hope, in the final settlement of this question, some attention will be paid to the mountaineers of Lebanon; they ought to have added to their territory the seaports of Sidon, Beyrout, and Tripoli; this would be most advantageous to them, and most beneficial to the interests of England. They would pay a tribute to the Porte, and have the sea open to the export of their produce without the vexatious exaction of the Turks.

“Your Lordship will excuse this letter, I have hardly a moment to myself.

After a very fatiguing journey of eight hours, I found the Prince encamped in a glen surrounded by the most rugged and savage rocks, perched on the top of which were many mountaineers to prevent surprise. From 1500 to 2000 men were in the camp, dressed in the gay costume of the Mountain. The Prince himself was in a small tent, surrounded by his Emirs and Scheiks, and received me with the greatest kindness. After complimenting him on his victory, through the medium of my interpreter, the tent was cleared, and I pointed out to him the plan of operations I meant to pursue to gain possession of Beyrout, which he quite approved of, and promised his cordial co-operation the moment he was supplied with ammunition and provisions, which the Turkish Commissary was most negligent in doing; they were almost in a starving state, a few goats being all they could procure in the mountains, and the horses were entirely without barley. After staying an hour, we returned to Argentoun; the road was strewed with dead and dying Egyptians, some of them stark naked, and it was with the utmost difficulty I could persuade the mountaineers to assist in getting the poor wretches crammed into a small cottage on the road-side; they did not put the prisoners to death, but they stripped them, and left these poor creatures to die of cold and want.

At Argentoun we did not find our quarters at all improved since our last visit; in addition to the bed-fellows we had to encounter, we were obliged to turn in supperless; having calculated on getting back to the camp the same night, we brought no provisions with us, and not even an egg was to be had for love or money. Next morning, at daylight, we were on horse, and by noon arrived at D’Jounie.

On the morning of the 7th I sent a battalion across the Nahr-el-Kelb to support some of the mountaineers who had collected there, and other preparations were made to move on Beyrout by sea and land. The Grand Prince was also directed to cross higher up, and to keep me regularly informed of all his movements.