It is difficult to reconcile this theory with the account
given in Exodus, unless we can suppose that the words "sea" and
"waters" are there used in a sense implying dry land.
Napoleon when at Suez made an attempt to follow the supposed steps
of Moses by passing the creek at this point, but it seems,
according to the testimony of the people at Suez, that he and his
horsemen managed the matter in a way more resembling the failure of
the Egyptians than the success of the Israelites. According to the
French account, Napoleon got out of the difficulty by that warrior-
like presence of mind which served him so well when the fate of
nations depended on the decision of a moment--he ordered his
horsemen to disperse in all directions, in order to multiply the
chances of finding shallow water, and was thus enabled to discover
a line by which he and his people were extricated. The story told
by the people of Suez is very different: they declare that
Napoleon parted from his horse, got thoroughly submerged, and was
only fished out by the assistance of the people on shore.
I bathed twice at the point assigned to the passage of the
Israelites, and the second time that I did so I chose the time of
low water and tried to walk across, but I soon found myself out of
my depth, or at least in water so deep, that I could only advance
by swimming.
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