Onthemorningofthe1stofJulytheexpeditionarrivedoffthecoastofAfrica，andthecolumnofSeptimus—SeveruspointedouttousthecityofAlexandria.OursituationandframeofmindhardlypermittedustoreflectthatinthedistantpointwebeheldthecityofthePtolemiesandCaesars，withitsdoubleport，itspharos，andthegiganticmonumentsofitsancientgrandeur.Ourimaginationsdidnotrisetothispitch.
AdmiralBrueyshadsentonbeforethefrigateJunotofetchM.Magallon，theFrenchConsul.Itwasnearfouro’clockwhenhearrived，andtheseawasveryrough.HeinformedtheGeneral—in—ChiefthatNelsonhadbeenoffAlexandriaonthe28th——thatheimmediatelydispatchedabrigtoobtainintelligencefromtheEnglishagent.OnthereturnofthebrigNelsoninstantlystoodawaywithhissquadrontowardsthenorth—east.
ButforadelaywhichourconvoyfromCivitaVecchiaoccasioned，weshouldhavebeenonthiscoastatthesametimeasNelson.
ItappearedthatNelsonsupposedustobealreadyatAlexandriawhenhearrivedthere.Hehadreasontosupposeso，seeingthatweleftMaltaonthe19thofJune，whilsthedidnotsailfromMessinatillthe21st.
Notfindinguswhereheexpected，andbeingpersuadedweoughttohavearrivedtherehadAlexandriabeentheplaceofourdestination;hesailedforAlexandrettainSyria，whitherheimaginedwehadgonetoeffectalanding.Thiserrorsavedtheexpeditionasecondtime.