Travels in Turkey, Asia Minor, Syria, and across the desert into Egypt ...

SYRIA, EGYPT, GERMANY, &C. 28 1
On the 26th Colonel Holloway gave notice,
that the mission
should hold itself in readiness to embark for Alexandria on the
shortest notice.
It was reported, on the 28 th, that two men had died of the
plague in the British encampment at Giza.
Lord C'avan and suite, and Mr, Stratton, secretary of legation,
were on the 29th invested with pelices by his Highness the Vizier,
of whom they took leave.
On the 30th General Stewart left Giza to proceed to Alexandria^
and thence to England. Lord Cavan and suite, with Ma-
jor Cookson, quitted the above place on the morning of the 3 1st,
under a salute from the garrison.
Colonel Holloway, and the officers of the mission, having had,
on the 3d of February, agreeably to appointment, an audience of
his Highness the Vizier, to take leave, previously to their depar-
ture from Egypt, gold medals were presented to such of the offi-
cers as had not already received them, in testimony of the appro-
bation of the Sultan for the services they had rendered. On this
occasion coffee and other refreshments were served according to the
oriental custom.
The labours of the British military mission acting with the
Turkish army, drew at length towards a conclusion, after a series
of painful, harassing, and critical events, many of which cannot,
from obvious motives, meet the public eye. The patience, for-
bearance, and circumspection of the individuals engaged in this
long and perilous service, were manifested on a variety of trying
occasions, which required all the energy inherent in the British
military character.
I cannot, in justice and gratitude to his Highness,
omit menti-
oning, though it savours a little of egotism, that the Vizier, on this
occasion, did me the honour to express his acknowledgments and
thanks in a letter of recommendation which he sent me, to be de-
livered to the English ambassador, Lord Elgin, at Constantinople,
for the medical assistance which he, as well as many of his people,
had received during our connection with his army,
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36 )