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HOUSE OF LADY MARY WORTLEY MONTAGUE.

Illustration of title-page
DIARY OF A TOUR IN GREECE, TURKEY, EGYPT, AND THE HOLY LAND. BY THE HON. MRS. G. L. DAWSON DAMER. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: HENRY COLBURN, PUBLISHER, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 1841.

TO THE READER.

I HAD originally intended printing a few copies of part of my Journal for private distribution, believing that its numerous imperfections would be overlooked by those for whose eyes it was intended, and that it would hereafter prove a source of interest to my children, for whose perusal the record of our journey had been principally made. Having been since led to believe that, from its sale, profits would accrue, which might be beneficially employed in forwarding an object of great public charity

and utility in this county, I have overcome the reluctance I naturally felt, to obtrude so unpretending a narrative upon the general reader, being further encouraged by the consideration that, at the present time, the notes of any recent journey in the East may not be entirely devoid of interest.

The illustrations which are inserted in these volumes have been engraved from original drawings taken of the objects represented, by Monsieur Chacaton, a French gentleman, who accompanied us on our tour.

M.D.D. Came House, Dorchester, May, 1841. CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
CHAPTER I. Pleasurable anticipations of the author when about to visit Greece—voyage from Trieste, in “The Prince Metternich” —Ancona—Trajan's Arch—Island of Ulysses— Corfu—Patras—Picturesque groups of the Greek inhabitants —The Corsair and Giaour—The Jew 1 CHAPTER II. Entrance into the Ægean Sea—The Duke of Wellington's fac-simile—A ball at Athens—Wretched appearance of the town—The King's new Palace—Ruins of the Temple of Jupiter Olympus—The Acropolis—The Parthenon 11 CHAPTER III. Another visit to the Acropolis—Situation of the Areopagus— Ruins of the Temple of Bacchus—Bas reliefs on the Temple of Minerva—State of the Temple of Theseus— Choragic monument of Lysicrates—Syria impracticable for travellers—An evening at Athens—Athenian women 19
CHAPTER IV. Excavations at the Parthenon—Recent surmises relating to Greek architecture—Curious bas-relief—Head-dress worn by ancient Greek warriors—Expense of restoring the fallen columns—A proposal from an English gentleman to raise one at his expense 26 CHAPTER V. Expedition to Cape Colonna—Crocusses on the rock of the Areopagus—Monument to Philopapas—The rostrum of Demosthenes—Palace of Adrian—Temple of the Winds— Attending church at Athens—Groves of Academus— Military band—The King and Queen of Greece in the Hyde Park of Athens—Dancing the romaika—Romantic adventures 32 CHAPTER VI. Account of an interesting Syrian tour—The miracle at Mount Horeb—New view of the Pnyx and the Peiraeus—Projected excursion in the Morea—The villa and garden of Comte B.—Ruined chapel at the foot of Mount Hymettus —Dr. Bendiner—An Attic villa—A Greek artist 41 CHAPTER VII. Convent of Daphne—Visit to Princess S——.—An excursion —The tomb of Agamemnon—Start for Corinth—Verd Antique—Bracebridge Hall—The Protestant cemetery— The Maid of Athens—Our last Athenian ride—Schools of the American missionaries 50
CHAPTER VIII. “The Mahmoudiè”—Her passengers—Syra—The British consul—Present state of Greece—Misgovernment—Conduct of King Otho towards England—Count A.—Evils of Bavarian rule—Re-embark on board the “Prince Metternich”—Smyrna—The bazaar—Again at sea—The French fleet—The young pacha 69 CHAPTER IX. Approach to Constantinople—Impressions on landing— Turkish carriage—Lodgings—The Burnt Column— Dancing dervishes—Excursion on the Bosphorus—Mosque of Ayoub—Turkish tombs—Mosque of Solyman—Mosque of Sultan Achmet—The Brazen Column—Tree of Justice 88 CHAPTER X. Visit to Scutari—Barracks—Kiosk—Procession of the Sultan to prayers—His appearance—Greek watermen— Palace of the British Embassy—Prince G——e of C——e and Prince de J——.—Visit to the mosque of St. Sophia—Slave Market—An Abyssinian beauty—Our Consul-General: 104 CHAPTER XI. A Greek wedding—Bride and bridegroom—The ceremony— Dinner at our Consul-General's—The plague—Turkish dogs—The Sweet Waters of Asia—Turkish carriages— Turkish women—Visit to the house of the Austrian Legation—The Hatti Scheriff 125
CHAPTER XII. Bargains—The Seraskier's Tower—Panoramic View—Turkish accommodations—Greek Church—Walls of Ayoub— The Seven Towers—Difference of sensation produced by the organs of smell and sight—Prince's Island by sunset —Visit to the Howling Dervishes at Scutari—Their ceremonies—Bridge connecting Pera with Constantinople —Turkish artillery 139 CHAPTER XIII. Embark for Therapia—Belgrade—House formerly occupied by Lady Mary Wortley Montague—Disappointment— A Greek group—Ancient Plane tree—A new acquaintance —The late Hatti Scheriff—The population of Constantinople —Difficulties of the Turkish language— Situation of Therapia—Impertinence—Discomforts of a Winter in Therapia 153 CHAPTER XIV. A Turkish execution, and Turkish justice—Fatality—Character of the Turks—Rechid Pacha's harem—Expedition to the Giant's Mountain—Magnificent view—The Giant's Grave—An attack of fever—Garden of the French Embassy —English newspapers. 170
CHAPTER XV. Second expedition to Buyakderé—Genoese Castle—Ovid's tower—Wooden kiosks—Our new attendant—Assemblage of the Turkish beau monde—The young Sultan unprepossessing in appearance—Beautiful children—Count N——.—A Turkish funeral—An Armenian funeral 183 CHAPTER XVI. The Grand Seignior's favourite dwarf—The Grand Vizier— His excessive cruelty—Frequent use of torture—A Turkish repast—Spieler Lockner—Kosrow Pacha—” The last of the Turks”—The late Sultan Mahmoud—The government —Salaries of the Pachas—The revenue—Expenses of a Turkish nobleman—Fire at Pera—Officers of the Belle Poule 195 CHAPTER XVII. The Armenian Burying-ground—Letters from home—Our invalid—Access of fever—Dr. M'G——, an English physician, at Constantinople, called in—The young Sultan's nurse—The plague not considered infectious 209 CHAPTER XVIII. Visit to the harem of Nourri Effendi—His daughter—Magnificent robe—His mother, Madame Nourri—Harem of Osman Bey—His three wives—Coffee in the harem— A dejeuné—A Turkish bath—Amusement of the ladies and slaves of the harem whilst examining the various parts of English dress—Interesting child—Turkish hospitality —Increase of commerce in the Eastern Turkish provinces—The Sultan's copper-mines in Asia Minor 215
CHAPTER XIX. The Sultan's state caique—Leave Constantinople by the Stamboul steamer—The harem of the Pacha of the Dardanelles—Our fellow-passengers—The Archbishop of Cyprus—Arrive off Smyrna—Apprehension of plague— The Dutch consul—The consul's wife—Re-embark—A Jew—Arrive off Cos—The French consular agent— Famous platane—The fountain of Hippocrates 236 CHAPTER XX. Rhodes—Its architecture—The interior of the island—Persian prince—The Greek patriarch—Beyrout—Beyrout women —Singular head-dress—A fresh passenger—Reading at sea—English, French, and Austrian steamers 251 CHAPTER XXI. Jaffa—Our lodging—Napoleon and his alleged poisoning— Our caravan—Ascent of the mountains of Judea—Approach to Jerusalem—Influence of Russia through the Greek church—Our reception at the Latin convent—Visit to the Holy Sepulchre—An eccentric Englishman—Converts—Traditions—Mehemet Ali 266
CHAPTER XXII. The Temple—The Mosque of Omar—Interesting view— Ophthalmia—One-eyed regiment—Tombs of Hezekiah, Nehemiah, and Zachariah—The Mount of Olives—Armenian chapel and convent—Garden of Gethsemane— Conversion of the Jews—Intolerant Jewish laws—The rabbis—Population of Jerusalem 296
ILLUSTRATIONS.

VOLUME I.

PAGE House of Lady M. W. Montague, at Belgrade Frontispiece Areopagus Rock, from which St. Paul preached to the Athenians 33 Interior of St. Sophia, at Constantinople 116 Portrait of Abdhul Medjid, the present Sultan of Turkey 188 View of Beyrout 258 View of Jaffa 266 Ramla, (the ancient Arimathea) 271 Exterior of the Holy Sepulchre 280 Mosque of Omar, on the site of the Temple of Jerusalem 298

VOLUME II.

Bivouac in the Desert Frontispiece View of Suez and the Red Sea 129 Portrait of Mehemet Ali 224 Egyptian and Turkish Fleet, at Alexandria 240
DIARY. CHAPTER I.

Pleasurable anticipations of the author when about to visit Greece—Voyage from Trieste, in “The Prince Metternich”—Ancona — Trajan's Arch— Island of Ulysses—Corfu—Patras—Picturesque groups of the Greek inhabitants—The Corsair and Giaour—The Jew.
TRIESTE, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1st, 1839.

The long-expected day had at length arrived on which we were to commence that part of our travels, to which we had so eagerly looked forward; for, delighted as we had been with all we had hitherto seen, we could not help anticipating a great increase of pleasure

in visiting countries which could afford us such a total change of scene, and interest of so different a character.

By the friendly aid of Count Walstein, we secured the best places on board “The Prince Metternich,” and sailed from Trieste at four o'clock, on a most delightful afternoon. The accommodation was much more roomy than I had dared to hope for, and I was much pleased to find the dispositions of the three lady passengers on board as airy as my own, with respect to cabin arrangements. Mrs. Joyce, one of them, with whom I had made acquaintance the day before, was proceeding with her nice little boy, to join her family at Alexandria, in company with Madame Pastré and her husband, who is one of the principal merchants of Marseilles, and who was now going to Egypt on business connected with the Pacha.

The weather is perfect, and the vesse

without disagreeable motion, so that we shall rest most comfortably; but such a temperature, and such general bien-etre, we can hardly venture to think will continue.

WEDNESDAY, OCOTOBER 2ND.

Arrived, at eight in the morning, off Ancona, where we landed, in the hope of going to Loretto, but were much disappointed to find that we had little more than six hours to spare, for an expedition which required at least seven. We, however, saw Trajan's Arch, which is characterized by great simplicity, and beauty of proportion. The bas-reliefs have been stripped from it, but the marble looks as pure and as white as on the day it was first set up.

On a promontory above the town is an interesting duomo, with a facade of the 11th century, built on a most commanding position, where formerly stood the Temple of Juno, of which a dozen columns, still to be seen in the interior, are evident remains.

The evening passed off most delightfully on board; but in the night the wind changed, as did our spirits in proportion.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3RD.

A sad day for unpractised sailors: our poor doctor so unwell as to require all the nursing we might have looked for at his hands. A small party only met at dinner, in consequence of the weather; but, in the evening, the wind lulled, and enabled us to get on deck once more.

We did not catch a glimpse of land during the whole day.

 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4TH.

A quiet night, followed by a lovely morning; all the ladies working and reading on deck: but the wind being still against us, prevented our arriving at Corfu before sunset.

We passed the very beautiful little isle of Ulysses,* and almost immediately the view * So called because the vessel of Ulysses is supposed to have struck on a rock near this place, from whence he saved himself by swimming to the neighbouring island of Corfu.

of the approach to Corfu opened upon us, which is perfectly enchanting. The citadel is perched on the summit of a high rock, which is almost touched by another, equally picturesque; but the effect is a little diminished by the straight line caused by the erection of a new military hospital.

The coast of Albania is only four miles distant, and the forms of its mountains, most beautifully traced by the setting sun, furnished a back ground worthy of the rest of the landscape.

Sir George B——y came out for us in his boat; and the effect of seeing arms presented by English troops, and English signs and names attached to the shabby little shops, was satisfactory after so considerable an absence from our own country. Luckily for us we were comfortably lodged by Sir George B——y; for the alberghi of

the Cavallo Bianco and Bella Venezcia are described as very dirty, and thickly populated.

M. and Madame Pastré had also been fortunate enough to escape these bad inns: a very amusing fellow-passenger, one Signor Steffano, having afforded them hospitality. He was, in appearance, a perfect Sir John Falstaff; and even when a little paled from the effect of the roughness of the sea, was still busy with his basket, which he had taken care to store at Trieste with all kinds of good things; which, however, he dispensed with a most liberal hand.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER, 5TH.

While George went to examine the fortifications with Sir G. B——y, Minney and myself accompanied Mrs. R——y on an expedition into the interior of the island.

We drove to the governor's campagne, now abandoned on account of the malaria, which has prevailed there since July. The hedge-rows were composed of cactus and

aloes, at least seven feet high. The situation of the house somewhat reminded us of the Villa Rocca Romana, at Naples.

We drove to several points, each commanding a varied, but equally fine view; but our expedition was a little abridged by our being obliged to be on board by half past twelve.

The view of Corfu, for the first two hours after leaving it, seemed quite as magnificent as the approach the day before; but we had no little island so pretty as that of Ulysses to pass. Cephalonia and St. Mauro we saw , but at some distance.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6TH.

Arrived at Patras, at seven in the morning; and now, for the first time, we set foot in real Greece.

We walked up to Mr. C., our consul's house, which is situated at the highest point of the town. The effect produced upon us by the variety and beauty of the oriental costume served to cheat the length and heat

of the walk; for, at every step, I was longing to have some striking group committed to our sketch-book.

It being Sunday, the Greeks were in their best costumes; that of the women was not so striking as the men's, owing chiefly to their caps being so unbecoming. Some of the groups were playing at cards, which at the cafés was the universal occupation. Many of them were sketched by Mons. Chacaton, and they generally included one or more fine and venerable-looking heads, which, till now, one had never seen but in a Rembrandt or a Titian.

The brightness of the atmosphere, and the beauty and variety of the tints around us, would of themselves have almost repaid us for our week's voyage.

The wind was too high and unfavourable for our projected voyage down the gulf of Lepanto, whence we had hoped to get across to Parnassus and Delphi, and to reach

Athens by this route; but after having made arrangements for guides and horses, and caused a perfect massacre in the poultry-yard, we were forced to make up our minds to put off this project until after our arrival at the Grecian capital, where we had the satisfaction of hearing that Lords A——y and R——y had arrived a few days before.

The delightful calm has accompanied us from Trieste, and our agreeable society on board has made our voyage really a party of pleasure.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 7TH.

In the night we passed Zante, and, in the course of the morning, Modon and Coron, the western points of the Morea. Here the Corsair and Giaour furnished us with all the names of the promontories and islands.

We did not fail to look into Navarino, as we passed close to it; but the coast, generally speaking, even of Arcadia, was not very striking.

We doubled Cape Matapan very successfully; but off the island of Cerigo, within twelve hours of the Peiraeus, the wind changed, and blew directly in our teeth so strongly, that the pitching of the vessel made it impossible for us to enjoy a moment's rest during the night, and finally lengthened our voyage by at least seven hours.

George had much curious conversation with one of our fellow-passengers, who is a Jew, on his way to Smyrna on a trading speculation. He spoke only English, and wherever he went depended on his Talmud and his own nation for friends and protection. He appeared a sincere enthusiast, and wrapped up in his mysticism.

CHAPTER II.

Entrance into the AEgean Sea—The Duke of Wellington's fac-simile—A ball at Athens—Wretched appearance of the town—The King's new Palace —Ruins of the Temple of Jupiter Olympus—The Acropolis—The Parthenon.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8TH.

We passed close to the island of Ægina, and had a fine view of its Temple, of which sixteen columns of marble still remain standing.

The entrance into the AEgean Sea is very fine. The island itself, with the mountains of the Morea and the Acropolis of Corinth in the distance, were on our left. In front lay Salamis, and the mountains above

Megara and Eleusis. The Acropolis of Athens was plainly visible; and behind it, Hymettus and Pentelicus. To the right, the range of hills in which were situated the celebrated silver mines of Laureium, and which terminate in the promontory of Sunium, or Colonna.

We reached the Peiraeus at two o'clock, and were told, on our arrival, that Lord R——y, with Sir A. B——d, and Mr. H——y, were in quarantine.

The boat which put off to take us on shore, contained in it a most striking likeness (or rather fac-simile) of the Duke of Wellington, in the person of the harbour-master's Greek clerk. He spoke English perfectly, and, to complete the illusion, his very tone and accent reminded one of the Duke.

On landing, our classical anticipations were sadly put to flight by observing on one side of the street large advertisements of

Guinness's porter and Hunt's blacking; and on the other, a notice of the hours of arrival and departure of the omnibus which runs between Athens and the Peiraeus.

We soon after had the pleasure of seeing Lord A——y drive up in his carriage, which he had brought to fetch us. He told us that we had arrived a day too late to attend a ball at court, where he had been the night before.

He described the room as full of Greek heroes, and ladies in every variety of their national costume, of which the Hydriote was very remarkable. The queen was pre-eminent in youth and beauty, and danced a figure alone in the cotillion, in the most graceful manner possible.

We drove to Athens, passing on our right the remains of the old wall which formerly connected the city with its harbour; but could hardly believe our eyes, when we first

beheld a wretched little town, which reminded me of those one occasionally meets with in the north of England. Many houses were still building, and some, though finished, as yet uninhabited; trees were standing in the midst of the road, and shops full of half-unopened goods were to be seen. George said it brought to his recollection towns he had seen commencing business in the far-west of America.

We quickly installed ourselves at Bruno's small, but comfortable hotel, and then drove to the Acropolis, passing on our way through the bazaar, a tolerably wide street of shops, situated among the few remains still to be discovered of the ancient town.

The other streets are narrow, full of sharp turns and deep holes; but our Greek coachman made his way, in spite of every obstacle, at a rapid pace, shouting, in bad German, to the people who thronged the streets, to get out of his way.

The king's new palace looks at present as if it were being built very much on the plan of an hospital, or a union workhouse.

It was altogether quite a relief when we lost sight of modern Athens, and when a few moments more brought us to the ruins of the temple of Jupiter Olympus, of which, alas! only sixteen columns remain standing: they are of white marble, of the Corinthian order, and of the finest proportions.

The Temple itself was begun by the Greeks, but the Romans had the honour of putting the finishing stroke to it. Their descendants maintain to this day, that one of its columns was afterwards removed to Rome, and now stands in front of the Chiesa of St. Maria Maggiore; but at Athens the fact is disputed.

We next proceeded to the Parthenon, which we reached after about five minutes drive. The Acropolis is surrounded on all sides by barren and rocky ground, and is

itself finely situated on a lofty oblong hill, commanding a view of everything in its neighbourhood It includes on its site, besides the Parthenon, the beautiful temple of Erechtheus, the portico of which is supported by caryatides, one of which forms part of the collection of Elgin marbles at the British Museum, and which are exquisitely sculptured; also the remains of the Temple of Victory without wings, the Pinacotheca, or library, and other ruins lately recovered.

It was fortunate we did not make our tour a year sooner, or we should have missed seeing in so satisfactory a manner the Temple of Victory, and various portions of the Parthenon, which have only very recently been excavated.*

* Colonel Leake says that it is difficult, from the short and imperfect description of Sponn and Wheeler, to ascertain on what part of the platform of the outwork, before the southern wing of the Propylaea, the Temple of Victory stood, and in what direction it faced; and he adds, that the tenth of the spoils of the days of Marathon and Chalcis was destined to two magnificent dedications in the citadel, and that there is every reason to think that the little Ionic Temple (of Victory) was built at the exact period when these two victories were the most recent and the most glorious of which the Athenians had to boast.

We had the pleasure of seeing this very temple nearly restored (that is, its exterior,) to its pristine beauty.

Some bas-reliefs were lying about, which had been also lately discovered. The first we saw represented two persons proceeding to a sacrifice, one of whom is endeavouring to check the impetuosity of a bull.

Another was Neptune, with his trident in one hand, while the other hangs down by his side, and is of such exquisite sculpture, and in such perfect preservation, that every vein is distinctly visible. He appears to be joining some ancient hero, or demi-god, in upbraiding a woman, whose profile and head-dress mark her as an Egyptian.

It was now getting late, so we prepared

to descend; and whilst passing through the Propylsea had the good fortune to catch a view of the setting sun through its magnificent columns, as it sank into the Gulf of Ægina, throwing a different hue on each of the Peloponnesian mountains forming the back ground. It exceeded anything I had ever seen, in vividness and beauty of colouring. The first effect was much like that of the sunset from the Pincio; but the bright red dissolved into the most beautiful shades of violet and lilac, and the only things I could think of to compare them with, were the colours produced by artificial means at a good exhibition of fireworks. The last broad blaze of light which illumined the whole horizon, none of us, I think, can ever forget.

The shortness of twilight at this season of the year in Greece hastened our movements, and we returned to our hotel, asking ourselves, “Are we really in Athens?”

CHAPTER III.

Another visit to the Acropolis—Situation of the Areopagus —Ruins of the Temple of Bacchus—Bas reliefs on the Temple of Minerva—State of the Temple of Theseus—Choragic monument of Lysicrates —Syria impracticable for travellers—An evening at Athens—Athenian women.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 9TH.

Re-visited the Acropolis, which we examined more in detail. It was surrounded with a wall by the Venetians; and the Turks have since built their houses and a small mosque there; so that, altogether, a strange jumble of architecture is presented to the eye.

The Areopagus was pointed out to us by our Greek servant, and seems to be the very

spot which would have been selected by St. Paul to prove to the Athenians their too great “superstition,” looking as it did upon the many temples which crowned the city, and, above all, upon the colossal statue of their tutelary goddess Minerva, which stood, as is very probable, within the Propylaea.

The temple or theatre of Bacchus, the scene of the triumphs of all the great poets and actors of antiquity, has scarcely a vestige left; and the remains of a large Turkish bastion disfigure even the hill round which the religious processions passed to the temple.

An adjoining theatre, however, supposed to be on the site of the Odeum of Regilla, is tolerably entire. It was rebuilt by a rich Roman citizen, named Herodes, a son of Atticus, in honour of his wife; and the interior was said to have been lined or covered entirely with cedar wood, curiously carved.

On the frieze of the cella of the temple of Minerva are still to be seen exquisite bas-reliefs,

which neither time nor barbarism have as yet been able to efface.

The small temple dedicated to King Erechtheus was very perfect until the last attack on the Parthenon, when, a number of persons having sought shelter within its walls, it attracted the fire of the enemy. A shell at length penetrated it, and, at one blow, nearly levelled what had been so long respected by time.

On our return, we visited the Temple of Theseus, which is in good preservation, and reminded us much of Paestum, but is as much inferior in point of size, as it is superior in the quality of its materials. It is now used as a repository for various interesting memorials which are being daily excavated in its immediate neighbourhood. Amongst other things are some fine sarcophagi, with various strange devices on them; one we noticed in particular bore a spirited and very tipsy little Bacchus. But the most beautiful bas-relief we have yet seen is a

very graceful figure of Victory, untying her sandal, it is supposed, after the battle of Marathon. Would that she had not lost her head — though enthusiastic amateurs might their hearts and purses had she been more perfect!

A little to the east of the Acropolis is a small building, commonly called the Lantern of Demosthenes, but now known to have been a Choragic monument of Lysicrates. It has escaped the accidents of war much better than the surrounding monuments of antiquity, from having been protected by the walls of a convent, in which Lord Byron resided whilst at Athens.

We were so interested by all we saw , as almost selfishly to demur at going down to the Peiraeus to see our imprisoned friends in quarantine. We found Lord R——y grown very thin: he had been at the point of death from a fever at Damascus. He described the present state of Syria as perfectly impracticable for travellers, or at least highly

dangerous, from the united obstacles of marauders and pestilence.

He saw a party of deserters marched in near Damascus, chained to each other, and occasionally a man free from plague joined hand in hand with one who was infected. Some enterprising travellers, who had persevered in going on to Palmyra, had actually been robbed of all they had, stripped, and then left to make their way on foot nearly three hundred miles back to Damascus.

Mr. H——y and Sir A. B——d had had either more luck or less enterprise, for they appeared to have escaped all interesting adventures, though they had seen almost as much of Syria as those who had so severely suffered. One thing appeared too evident, that no père, much less mère de famille could venture on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem at the present period; which imparted a feeling of disappointment, that even the interest and charm of Athens could not wholly dispel.

We stayed at home in the evening, which we passed most agreeably. Mr. de L—— dined with us, and we received visits from Sir E. L——and his son, and from Mr. G——, the Austrian consul-general, a gentleman of great research, and a well-known antiquarian, who had resided at Athens for the last forty-five years. Mr. F——, a very intelligent Scotchman, and a resident here of twenty years' standing, brought us Sir W. Gell's and some other works on Greece, which they all looked over with us, and drew out an itinerary for some expeditions into the Morea. So much for our première soirée d'Athènes.

I must not omit, in the list of our adventures to-day, our having passed, on the road from the Peiraeus, the most beautiful woman I ever beheld, carrying her infant in her arms. Her profile was perfectly Grecian, and she united great brilliancy of eye to the utmost clearness of complexion. In the

latter respect she was like Lady H——n, when still Miss W——y, whom she also resembled in height.

I should have thought her age at least twenty-five; but in this country, we are told, that even the old-looking women are not more than thirty, so that it is as difficult to judge of ladies' ages in Greece, as it is unpolite to do so in England.

CHAPTER IV.

Excavations at the Parthenon—Recent surmises relating to Greek architecture—Curious bas-relief —Head-dress worn by ancient Greek warriors— Expense of restoring the fallen columns—A proposal from an English gentleman to raise one at his expense.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10TH.

WE did not forget our appointment with M. Pittakys, who shewed us over the Parthenon in the most detailed and satisfactory manner.

He had been instrumental in excavating some very interesting inscriptions; one of which, on a marble tablet, contained the public record of the expenses incurred by the people in building the temple of Erechtheus.

The whole sum was not computed to be above 20,000 l., which, considering the size of the building, seems a mere trifle.

Minney succeeded in obtaining a lead pencil, or rather plummet, a great many of which, with colours, &c., in a wooden box, had just been dug up in what had evidently been formerly the habitation of an artist. >From various data they were supposed to have lain there about two thousand years.

It is really quite surprising to observe the effect which the Greeks contrived to throw into all their buildings. The Parthenon strikes one as being larger every time one sees it.

Mr. G——s gave us an interesting account of the discoveries of an English architect on this subject. He found, in studying the ancient authors with attention, that all the great Grecian buildings were in a very slight degree irregular in their construction; and this seems to have been the secret which

enabled them to furnish models which the whole world has been since unable to imitate.

For instance, all their buildings receded slightly in the centre; the columns were made to incline, and to swell rather towards the middle, &c. The degree was very small, merely extending to perhaps a portion of an inch in a great number of feet; but this is said to have been the cause of the extraordinary and beautiful effect observable in their buildings.

The Englishman on his arrival found, to his mortification, that a German architect had, by actual measurement of the Temple of Minerva, discovered the same fact, but was at a loss to account for the irregularity till it was explained to him by the learning of the other. It is to be hoped they will amicably agree in laying before the world the result of their labours.

Our curiosity was also gratified as to the manner in which the ancients contrived to erect their columns of so many blocks, and

yet with so much art that the divisions were invisible.

A fallen column explained the mystery; it seems that in the centre of each block was a square cavity filled up with olive-wood, of which some original pieces are still to be found; in this wood was a peg, made to fit into a corresponding hole in the next block, which was turned round on this pivot, till, with the addition of water, so much of the marble was ground into dust, as completely to fill up the interstice.

A very curious bas relief, the date of which was antecedent to the time of Pericles, shewed us that Napoleon was not the first warrior distinguished by wearing a little cocked hat. In the foreground of this group is a very graceful equestrian figure, with an Anglesey seat and helmet, and behind him are three soldiers, whose heads are protected by what very much resembles the cocked hat in which Buonaparte is usually represented.*

* “In Carey's drawing,” says Colonel Leake, “several are represented with the broad-brimmed, low-crowned hat, called the Arcadian Pilus, but none of them are in the Elgin collection.”

M. Pittakys is a perfect enthusiast, but most simple in mind and manners, as well as in his descriptions. He calculated that the expense of restoring each magnificent column, so far as replacing les tambours as he called them on their pediments, would not exceed five hundred drachms, about 20l. Lord A——y proposed raising one, on condition of his own statue being placed on it, an offer which I suspect M. P——took in good earnest.

Nine temples, it is affirmed, existed formerly in this confined area; but one must imagine most of them to have been of the small though graceful proportions of that of the Nike, to have allowed space for the processions and religious ceremonies.

The day was oppressively hot, and we only got home in time to dress for Sir E. L——'s, where, besides his intended son-in-law,

we met Capt. G——, R.N., of this station, whose account of Mrs. R——y's spirit of enterprise, in pursuing her travels as far as Sennaar, was very amusing.

CHAPTER V.

Expedition to Cape Colonna—Crocuses on the rock of the Areopagus—Monument to Philopapas—The rostrum of Demosthenes—Palace of Adrian—Temple of the Winds—Attending church at Athens— Groves of Academus—Military band—The King and Queen of Greece in the Hyde Park of Athens —Dancing the romaika—Romantic adventures.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11TH.

—Lord A——y and George set off at six in the morning on a day's expedition to Sunium, now Cape Colonna. Minney, the doctor, and myself, took our usual afternoon's walk to the Acropolis, where I am writing this journal, from the Propylaea, while they are wandering about, making sketches.

AREOPAGUS ROCK FROM WHICH ST PAUL PREACHED TO THE ATHENIANS

London Pubd by Henry Colburn 13 Gt Marlborough St 1841.

After having watched the sunset, we made our way up the sixteen steps cut in the rock of Areopagus, which Dr. Wordsworth believes to have led to the exact spot whence St. Paul preached. On it we gathered crocuses, a flower we little expected to have met with in such a position, and at such a season of the year.

We had a few visitors in the evening, and we were all much surprised by the return of our travellers, after only eighteen hours' absence, perfectly delighted with their whole excursion, which afforded abundant matter of conversation for the rest of the evening.

They had ridden thirty miles through a most romantic country, full of interesting remains, and abounding in little hollows covered with trees and shrubs of every variety, the scent of which was almost oppressive.

They went out in a boat to see the temple to the greatest advantage. It stands on the

summit of a rock 600 feet above the level of the sea, and forms a landmark which is visible from an immense distance.

They said that from whatever point they looked at it, from sea or land, it always gave them the impression of being far larger than it actually is. On their return, which was by water, they were glad to partake of the boatmen's fare, which was humble enough, as it consisted of plain bread and water, but both were excellent.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12TH.

—With the aid of a steady donkey I got up to the monument of Philopapas, whence is the finest view of the Parthenon, as well as of the Peiraeus, &c.

We descended from thence to the Pnyx, an object of the highest interest, which had been excavated by Lord Aberdeen, and which is very distinctly marked by rows of steps cut in the rock, and a terrace on a level below, capable of containing five or

six thousand persons, on which we could clearly discern the spot where the rostrum of Demosthenes is said to have formerly stood; a sight which roused all the classical enthusiasm of the gentlemen of our party.

A little further on, but in a situation which does not command a view of the sea, we were shewn what is called the new Pnyx, which is said to have been chosen on that very account by the thirty tyrants, for the scene of their debates.

We next followed the line of the Agora, which took us to the remains of a statue of Erechtheus, king of Athens, recently discovered by Sir E. L——, and distinguished by its terminating in a fish's tail. From thence we proceeded to the Stoa, or portico of the palace of Hadrian, against the remaining columns of which the Turks have built a mosque.

We returned by the Temple of the Winds, supposed to have stood in the centre of the

Agora, and which was surmounted by the figure of a Triton, whose movements would of course have great influence on the commercial affairs of the Athenians.

The temple itself is nearly perfect, and of an octagonal form. On each of its sides a figure representing some one of the winds is sculptured, and in a very spirited manner. Mr. G——and Sir E. L——came to us in the evening, to talk over our sight-seeing of the morning.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13TH.

—We went to church at Sir E. L——'s; a very limited congregation of thirty-six people. From his room, by the aid of a glass, we could distinguish the king and queen in the palace opposite. She is very pretty, and was leaning most affectionately on his shoulder.

We went afterwards to the so-called groves of Academus, where however not a tree now remains, but the view of Athens from thence is beautiful. In the midst of it the Turks

had built a small mosque, now deserted; and on the right and left our eyes were refreshed by the first appearance of vegetation I had seen, proceeding chiefly from mulberry trees, which afforded from the brightness of their foliage a great contrast to their neighbours, the gloomy olives.

We went back to hear the music at the Hyde Park of Athens, a very dusty road on a piece of bare land or down, less picturesque, if possible, than Salisbury Plain.

The band was very indifferent, but all Athens were assembled there, and the king and queen appeared on horseback; she all smiles and gaiety, and he much better looking than he had been described to us, and dressed in the Greek costume, which he has lately assumed in compliment to his people.

I fancied him a younger, but unfavourable likeness of Lord Durham; but Lord R——y pronounces him to be a handsome likeness of Macready, and I believe we are both right.

Mademoiselle Botzaris' (the maid of honour) animated and beautiful countenance seemed to me to eclipse that of her majesty.

In one barouche was a party of Greeks, which we particularly noticed; it consisted of two gentlemen and three ladies, all handsome, but especially the one who was acting bodikin, perhaps only because she was the youngest. We thought her a likeness of Lady H. C——n, but on a larger scale, and with a most fascinating smile. The real Greek cap is so little becoming to a woman, that it requires very decided beauty to carry it off.

In our road home to dinner we were attracted by the sound of music, and stopped at a café, before which two men were very actively engaged in dancing the romaika, which is very graceful, but has much of the character of the tarantella and the bolero.

Dined at Sir E. L——'s; no ladies except

Mrs. G—— and Mrs. N——, both Armenians, and the latter the heroine of a very romantic adventure. She had been run away with by her husband, who, having chanced to fall into Lord Byron's society, had made up his mind, it seems, to distinguish himself in the East by some bold enterprise in love or war.

He therefore commenced operations by making love from his own window to the inhabitant of the opposite one, and made such good use of his time that a communication was shortly opened between them, and the lady agreed to attempt her escape, which she at length effected in the disguise of a midshipman.

Having surmounted difficulties of every description, and managed to compromise half the authorities of Constantinople in their flight, they were at length overtaken by the lady's brother, from whom they had the satisfaction of learning that their interesting

adventure had been wholly uncalled for, as his family would not have offered the slightest opposition to a match which the relative fortunes and position in society of the parties rendered so perfectly suitable.

We found Mrs. N——a very piquante, agreeable little woman, but not looking in the least like a lady of romance.

CHAPTER VI.

Account of an interesting Syrian tour—The miracle at Mount Horeb—New view of the Pnyx and the Peiraeus—Projected excursion in the Morea— The villa and garden of Comte B.—Ruined chapel at the foot of Mount Hymettus—Dr. Bendiner— An Attic villa—A Greek artist.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 14TH.

—Our friends being emancipated from quarantine, we sat at home the whole morning, greatly interested in the description which Lord R——y gave us of his Syrian tour.

He differed much from Sir Andrew B——d in his account of its perils and difficulties, which may arise from the different seasons at which they travelled, as well as from the changes in political affairs, which of late

have proved the chief drawback to the security of the roads.

The sight which appears to have made the deepest impression on Lord R——y was the rock of Mount Horeb, cleft by the rod of Moses, the chasm in which, he said, was of such a peculiar character that it was not to be accounted for by any effort of human art, or by the shock of an earthquake, or in fact, by anything less than supernatural agency.*

We acted as ciceroni to the travellers in the afternoon, and took them to the Acropolis, where by dint of scrambling over loose stones and rubbish, we obtained a new view * The stone to which tradition has attached the sanctity of being the self-same rock that poured forth water at the touch of Moses's rod, possesses a peculiarity which would in any place attract attention, and if beyond the reach of fraud, would require some miraculous interpretation. It is a block of pink granite, standing apart, of irregular form, of about ten feet high, and is intersected diagonally by a vein of lighter coloured stone, which presents the appearance of a band about a foot broad, and is equally visible on each side. This band is indented by several orifices of the depth of a few inches, of which the under margins are smooth, and have all the appearance of having been submitted to the action of running water. These indentations exist on both sides of the block, but are strictly confined to the vein of lighter material that intersects the granite.—Extract from Lord Claude Hamilton's Journal, and inserted with his kind permission.

of the Pnyx and the Peiraeus, which quite rewarded our exertions.

We all dined together in the most sociable manner, and spent the evening as we had the morning, in tales of travel, till Lord A——y, George and M. de L——decided that it was time to profit by the evening breeze, and to sail for Epidaurus, which was the point from which they were to commence their projected excursion in the Morea.

I had settled with Mrs. G. to accompany her, in King Otho's cutter, to Nauplia, whence we were to get across to Argos, when we were to join the other party; but, on second thoughts, I was deterred by the

uncertainty attending the period of our return, for which we must necessarily be dependent on the wind.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15TH.

—Minney and I ventured to ride some little Thessalian horses, belonging to Sir E. L——, to the villa of Comte B——, a Milanese refugee.

The garden is very well laid out, and a creation of only three years, which shews the rapid progress of vegetation here when the slightest culture is applied. The walks through treillages of vines were quite lovely, and the luxuriance of the fruit was such as quite to weigh down their branches.

Pomegranates were also very plentiful, as well as other extremely graceful plants. After the barrenness and dust of Athens and its immediate neighbourhood, this garden seemed quite an oasis.

The evening I spent alone in reading M. de Marcellus' agreeably written account of Jerusalem.

 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16TH.

—We again rode out with Sir E. L——to a ruined chapel at the foot of Mount Hymettus, from which we had a fresh, but always beautiful view of Athens.

Mons. Chacaton spent the whole morning in drawing, in spite of the wind, dust, and glare; and brought home a sketch of that beautiful view of the Parthenon from Philopapas which we all had so much admired.

Dr. Bendiner, our physician, had spent his morning somewhat differently. Interested, as he was, in the magnificent ruins of Athens, his whole heart was evidently in his own profession.

He came up to me on my return, with his eyes sparkling with such delight that I thought he had at least discovered the little finger of the golden Minerva. His salutation however, “Je viens de decouvrir un vrai lépreux,” soon undeceived me.

It seems that the king's physician

had taken him to see an unhappy man afflicted with this disorder, who was dwelling by himself in a sort of cave near Academus, and who had been lately robbed of all his little store by some brigands, who had cruelly taken advantage of his helplessness and isolated situation.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17TH.

—We rode to Academus with Lord R——y and Sir A. B——1, and on our return passed by a house worthy of notice, as having been the occasion of drawing forth a most glowing and spirited description from the eloquent pen of Mr. George R——.

To use his own words as nearly as possible, “It is a lovely Attic villa, admirably suited for the occupation of any nobleman or gentleman possessed of a large fortune and classical reminiscences, situated within the precincts of the ancient Academus,” &c. &c.

It was impossible to let slip an opportunity of viewing such a villa, so we boldly

encountered the perils of a nettle garden attached to it, and also “within the precincts of the Academus.”

Having passed this, we came to the building itself, which we found to consist of a tower containing three stories, and as many rooms, each eight feet square, and communicating with the others by means of a trap-door and a ladder; the space for a staircase having been, rather unaccountably, omitted in the original design; though some supposed it might have been contrived by the proprietor himself, to put him in mind of his former profession, as he had been purser to Captain Robert Spencer. The only pieces of furniture which we could discover in the sitting room were two pictures of his late master. The house was at present uninhabited, its last occupier having been driven out by mal aria.

Sir E. L——shewed us in the evening some extraordinary productions of the pencil

of a Greek, Col. M——, who has also illustrated the late war and revolution in Greece in the most primitive style, the soldiers being occasionally drawn as large as the buildings; and, in the battle of————General Church's horse being made about the size of a man-of-war.

Still they are interesting, as being probably the only original illustrations of the Greek war; and some of them really offer a resemblance to the early paintings of Cimabue. Indifferent as they are, the like of Marathon might be invaluable.

Col. M——is quite an enthusiast, and his first sheet is a dedication to their majesties Louis Philippe, Queen Victoria, and the Emperor Nicholas. Their portraits are also attempted; and it is evident that, “quoique brave comme son epée,” he is no courtier, for it is impossible to imagine anything more un-flattering than the one intended for our queen, who is made to look very much

as if she had flourished in the last century. On the opposite side of the same sheet stand King Otho and Queen Amilie, little less hideous.

Sir E. L——has promised, at the gallant Greek's request, to forward this modern specimen of the fine arts to Lord Palmerston, for her majesty's acceptance.

CHAPTER VII.

The Convent of Daphne—Visit to Princess S— —An excursion—The tomb of Agamemnon—Start for Corinth—Verd Antique—Bracebridge Hall— The Protestant Cemetery—The Maid of Athens— Our last Athenian ride—Schools of the American missionaries.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18TH.

—We rode again to Comte B——'s garden, to introduce Lord R——and Sir Andrew B——. The Comte told us that his patience was severely tried by his Athenian gardeners; for that in spite of three years' training, if his vigilance did but relax one moment, they invariably relapsed into their primitive modes of culture.

We dined again with the party of the

day before; and the only occurrence of today worth noting was, that the gentlemen were presented at court, a ceremony which, including departure and return, lasted almost a quarter of an hour.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19TH.

—We took our longest and prettiest ride to the ruins of the Convent of Daphne. The sea shews itself at the foot of the mountain which separates the Peloponnesus from Attica. The convent has now become a station house; and on looking down on the sea from hence, the latter appears completely imbedded in mountains; and one might have supposed it a calm and placid lake in Switzerland, instead of a branch of the occasionally stormy AEgean.

Minney's horse became a little frisky on our return; and on her referring to Sir Edmund's Bavarian groom as to the cause of his wonted equanimity of temper being disturbed, his explanation was, “Er hat

ein stein im munde.” Minney translated this into his having a stone in his mouth, which puzzled us all extremely, particularly when on asking him to be so good as to take it out, he answered that it was “ganz unmöglich,”—quite impossible. We therefore satisfied ourselves that poor Minney's German was in fault; but on asking our doctor, she had the triumph of announcing to us that it was a familiar German expression, answering to “le mors au dent.”

Sir E—— and his son drank tea with us, and the evening passed off so agreeably, that we found ourselves far advanced into to-morrow morning before we separated.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20TH.

—Mr. L——, the clergyman, performed the service at the ambassador's; after which we came home to pass the hottest hours of the day, and I then proceeded to pay my first real Greek visit to Princess S——'s, where I found the pretty Marie, promised to the

Lord Palmerston of Greece, who is a sallow-looking gentleman, nearly thirty years older than his fianceé. The eldest daughter, Helène, who is married to a cousin, is extremely handsome, and her beauty much more Grecian than that of Marie.

The arrangement and furniture of the house bespoke an acquaintance with English and French comforts; and a beautiful portrait of the Prince C——, the father of the lady of the house, enabled us to recognise him in our drive. He was the very type of oriental and patriarchal beauty, and costumé, as his picture represented him, in a dress more resembling the Turkish than the actual Greek. At the promenade to day we met general Hesse and Count Victor Zichy, who were just out of quarantine, after having performed their mission of compliment to the young sultan on his accession.

We went on the road towards Corinth in hopes to meet my lord and my master,

but only met their baggage, they themselves having taken to boating, and having had, in consequence, the usual allowance of calms and contrary winds, which kept them at sea fourteen hours.

We found them arrived, however, on our return, and perfectly delighted with all they had seen and done. The excitement of recounting their various adventures kept them from feeling their fatigues; and the recital was some compensation to us for having been debarred the pleasure of visiting with them places of such interest. They had, it seems, led a complete life of bivouac during their six days' absence; but as their servant, Jean, was a tolerable cook, they had, at least, fared well in general.

Having landed at Epidaurus, the first place they visited was the remains of Hiero, an ancient town that may have been a fashionable watering-place, built for the convenience of those who frequented the baths of Esculapius in the neighbourhood.

Its amphitheatre is still to be seen, built against the slope of a hill, and was said to have contained 30,000 spectators. From thence they rode to Napoli di Romania, the acropolis or Palamidhi of which they compared to Edinburgh Castle, and spoke with the greatest delight of the views from thence, over the rich plains of Argos and the beautiful gulf of Napoli.

The next day they started for Argos, halting on the road thither to inspect the ruins of an old Cyclopian fortress, at Tiryns, which was more perfect than those they had seen in the Greek colonies in Italy.

Argos they found a straggling town, of three or four thousand inhabitants, containing a few good houses. The ruins of the old town lay on a hill above, on the rugged sides of which are still to be traced the remains of its theatre, where, after heavy rains, coins are frequently brought to light. The fort or the acropolis, which is perched, as usual, on a rock overlooking the whole

neighbourhood, was built by the Venetians, as was that of Napoli. Some Roman baths, of considerable size, also attracted their attention.

George was here received by an old military friend who had become a resident proprietor in Argos, and who was possessed of the best house in the place.

Fortunately, however, their guns had abundantly provided them with the wherewithal for soup and supper, which fortified them in some measure for the horrors of the night, sleeping, as they did, on the ground, in a little cabin, and overrun by rats and vermin of every description. In the morning they proceeded to Mycenae, the head-quarters of Cyclopian architecture.

The fortress here was very large, and vast masses of its débris were to be seen scattered about, as well as the ruins of the town itself; but the building which

called forth the most curiosity and discussion, was one dug out and excavated by Lord Elgin.* It is called by some the tomb of Agamemnon, by others the treasury of Atreus.

There were two other buildings of similar construction, but not so perfect; this one is very much the shape of an egg, with a flat bottom, is of fine workmanship, and will probably last for ever. It was formerly lined with brass; and some bronze nails have been even of late years taken from its walls. A cavern adjoining was

* Since this work has gone to press, I have learnt that when Lord Elgin visited this interesting monument of antiquity, there were still remaining many beautiful bas reliefs, and other pieces of sculpture.

The most remarkable of these were carried away by Lord Elgin, and deposited by him with his other marbles in the British Museum. They were, however, cast aside, and lay for many years, as it was supposed, lost. A distinguished antiquary endeavoured to recover them; and, after repeated inquiries, discovered that they had been thrown away as rubbish, and broken up for the use of Mr. M'Adam!

lighted up by their guides with good effect.

On leaving Mycenae, their way led them up a valley, through which ran a clear stream, with its banks lined with the finest oleanders and arbutus in flower; but their people had not had the good sense to prepare their luncheon in this inviting spot, to their great annoyance. They made a détour to Nemea, which is situated on a plain surrounded by mountains, one of which resembled in form that which overlooks Cape Town.

At Corteria, a small village where they again joined the high road, a sort of corn and cattle fair was being held, which had brought together a concourse of about fifty people, and the scene, they said, appeared quite bustling, compared with the solitude and desolation of the places they had lately visited.

At starting for Corinth their gendarme examined his pistols, and seemed to apprehend

an attack from brigands; and on arriving at a narrow pass with high shelving rocks overhanging the road, he called out to some one above, when immediately two peasants appeared on the look-out, and made a sort of signal. They of course expected an instant attack, but nothing further occurred to alarm them, and they were much amused at the end of their ride to find out that the supposed robbers were only gardes nationaux.

They at length reached a hill, commanding a view of the Acropolis of Corinth and the gulf of Lepanto, just as the sun was setting behind the Spartan mountains. This effect they described as magical, and the more so, perhaps, because momentary. Beneath them lay the plain of Corinth, glittering in the golden rays of light; to the right, Corinth itself, with its acropolis rendered more than usually striking by a rainbow; on the left the gulf of Lepanto, with the bold lofty mountains behind it, and

its waters of the deepest blue. But in a few minutes the sun had sunk beneath the horizon, and with it vanished all the splendour of the scene, which the travellers described as the most remarkable for splendour of colouring they had ever witnessed. Corinth they found a sorry place; not a vestige remaining to remind them either of its ancient glories, or of the apostle's preaching there, with the exception of what remains of one temple, and the trace of the canal once attempted to be cut through the isthmus.

At Kalamaki they imprudently took boat for Megara at one o'clock in the day, and had the satisfaction of being landed near the same spot at three the next morning. They were, however, repaid by witnessing a most magnificent meteor, which for a short space lighted up the whole horizon, they said, as if by an immense rocket. Megara is an inconsiderable place, chiefly remarkable for the beauty of its female population. Its in-

habitants are very fond of the ancient Greek names, and in the house in which George lodged was a Pericles and a Solon. They returned by way of Salamis, and partook of the hospitality of a convent on the island. Crossing from thence to the plain of Athens, they passed over the scene of the celebrated battle of Salamis, and rejoined us towards nightfall, to our great delight.

Jean produced almost a block of what was supposed to be Verd Antique, which he had picked up near Napoli di Romania; but, alas! on sending it the next day to the statuary's, it turned out to be of the most ordinary grain, and the quality iron. Still Minney and I are almost as much over-whelmed by his good intention, as Jean must have been with the weight.

MONDAY, 21ST OCTOBER.

—Set off on a ride to Mr. B——'s villa, which commonly goes here by the name of Bracebridge Hall; but I was attracted by the fine light gleaming on the columns of the Temple of Jupiter

Olympus, which I admire excessively, in spite of Mr. Grossius, and all the other savans of Athens, who universally depreciate the graceful Corinthian architecture, as belonging to an age whose taste had been perverted, and will only allow us to express our admiration of the pure Doric.

We rode to the Stadium through the bed of the Ilyssus, which is not above ten or twelve feet wide, very stony and slippery, and quite dry during the summer and autumn months. The outline of the Stadium is clearly to be traced, as well as the raised gradins, and the platform from which the prizes were delivered to the successful competitors. An excavation in the rock was shewn us, which is supposed to have served as a den for wild beasts in the days of the Romans, for the combats of animals were never tolerated by the more civilized Greeks.

We found ourselves close to the Protestant Cemetery, which is as yet thinly populated; the Guardiana, a very handsome Greek, is

married to an Englishman, and surrounded by a large family, who answered to the names of Themistocles, Aristides, Demetrius, Helen, and Lycurgus.

Some families have lately imported a dancing-master into Athens, an event of no small interest here; and we were much amused by an account of a rënion at Mrs. Black's, (the original Maid of Athens,) for the purpose of instructing some of the younger branches in the art; where Mrs. S——, a Scotch lady, observed that little Epaminondas——improved rapidly in his quadrilles, but dear little Plato Black put all the rest out in his dos-à-dos. Our last dinner at Sir E. L——'s was most agreeable, as had been all the others.

TUESDAY, 22ND OCTOBER.

—We took our last Athenian ride, and revisited, with the exception of the Acropolis, all the most interesting remains, including the supposed prison of Socrates; the authenticity of which being questioned, Mr. L—— offered the

convincing remark, “If this be not the true prison, where else is it?”

In the evening we gave a farewell dinner to our Athenian friends, which was wound up by our sallying forth at midnight to see the Parthenon by a beautiful moonlight, which had the usual effect of adding new charms to the ruins, as well as of increasing their size.

We were much struck while on this expedition by the sudden appearance of a bright pink light on a pale grey cloud; I might best describe it perhaps as a lengthened blush, and it was as new to the rest of our party as to ourselves. The Custodes alone seemed to be in the secret, and unanimously declared it to portend some change of weather, though unfortunately they could not quite agree as to what, one holding it to foretel great heat, another excessive cold, and the third being as strongly persuaded that it could portend nothing but rain.

We were told the next day that it was probably the reflection of a meteor, which had been observed about the same hour, from the deck of a steamer, whilst doubling Cape Matapan.*

WEDNESDAY, 23RD OCTOBER.

—We had the happiness of receiving a most satisfactory account of the children, but this pleasure was damped by hearing that the wound which poor Mr. J——m received at the Tournament had assumed a most alarming appearance, and that he was in imminent danger.

Minney and I went to see the admirable schools established by some American missionaries, Mr. and Mrs. Hill, for Turkish and Greek children of all ages and classes of society. They began their work of education, as they told us themselves, in a * We afterwards ascertained that this was the distant effect produced by a very remarkable appearance of aurora borealis, accounts of which we found in all the newspapers.

vaulted cellar, and under every species of discouragement, about seven years ago; but by perseverance their school now numbers seven hundred boys and girls, who are lodged in separate houses of the best description in Athens, but so far united as to form one establishment. Even the four hundred children who belong to the poorer classes are educated in a style of comfort very superior to many of our English schools.

The class which was more immediately superintended by Mrs. Hill herself was composed of about fifty girls, young ladies I may call them, from ten to fifteen, not one without a considerable share of beauty, and looking as happy as they were busy. Music had made considerable progress in the community; but Mrs. Hill told us that throughout the whole of Greece, till within the last two years, that science appeared to have been quite forgotten, and that as yet no Greek professor had been formed, though from their natural and general quickness of character

this would not long be the case, as already several young women had become great proficients.

The greatest proportion of the first class of girls were from Constantinople—a remarkable fact. I never saw such a collection of pretty, clean-looking, and merry children, and I longed to run off with a laughing, black-eyed, dimpled Demosthenes.

I missed seeing Miss Baldwin, who is described as a most interesting person, and who carries out Mrs. Hill's plan admirably. I asked Mrs. H—— if the religious part of the education was not attended with great difficulties, to which she answered, that they had met with none, and that she believed that in no school in England was more general religious instruction afforded; that no reasoning on the Scriptures was allowed on the part of the children, and no illiberality or suspicion shewn towards them.

She thought that the same system might

be carried on in Ireland, were cavilling wholly discouraged, and no attempts made by either protestants or catholics at conversion, or, what was perhaps more dangerous, the licence allowed children by their instructors of using opprobrious epithets, such as heathens, idolaters, and heretics, to their playmates.

We called on Sir E. L——, to take our leave of him, and at the same time to make acquaintance with Lady L—— and her daughter, who had just arrived by “The Mahmoudiè,” the same packet which is to take us away.

After a hasty meal, sadly disturbed by the fear of arriving too late, we drove down to the Peiraeus, and found that our immense exertions had given us a quarter of an hour to spare, for stowing away our baggage comfortably.

CHAPTER VIII.

“The Mahmoudiè”— Her passengers—Syra—The British consul—Present state of Greece—Mis-government — Conduct of King Otho towards England — Count A. — Evils of Bavarian rule —Re-embark on board the “Prince Metternich” —Smyrna — The bazaar — Again at sea — The French fleet—The young pacha.

“THE Mahmoudiè” proved a most excellent steamer, and, in point of space, superior to our dear “Prince Metternich;” the captain, if possible, as obliging, and the Giovanni much more so, — very few passengers on board; but a poor Smyrniote lady, with three very troublesome children, made up in quality what was wanting in quantity.

Lady L——had indeed warned us to prepare our minds for a squalling child; but she had told us nothing of the severe sufferings of poor Madame Delta, who, between fear and sickness, never allowed us a moment's repose; so that our good cabin and excellent beds were completely thrown away on our tired limbs; and even poor Minney could not close her sleepless eyelids on the writhings and groans of the unfortunate Madame D——, whom I should have pitied more had she not begun her voyage on a cigar and raw apples!

THURSDAY, 24th OCTOBER.

—Arrived very early off Syra, which is situated much in the same manner as Algiers is described to be, but more surrounded by mountains. It is a most picturesque-looking town, built on a steep hill, which is divided by a valley from another which rises still higher above it; the valley forming a religious separation between two sects as well as a

physical one. It is a very flourishing place, full of bustle and business.

We followed our captain's advice, and remained on board during the thirty-six hours which we were condemned to lie at anchor off Syra. We went on shore however for a short time, and were much disgusted at the dirty and wretched appearance of the interior of the town.

We called on Mr. W——, our consul, who owns a very comfortable house; his wife is a Smyrniote, and was dressed in the costume of her country; the daughters looked like French young ladies, one of them very handsome, with a pretty little smiling niece, who seemed to speak as many languages as she was years old.

Mr. W——is a very intelligent person, and a remarkable linguist; he shewed us some pretty paintings in oil by a Mr. G——, a young English artist, who was just returned from Egypt. One, the interior of a harem,

and the portrait of almost the only handsome woman he had seen during his stay in Africa.

Mr. W——had lately found in Milo a very graceful little figure in a tomb of very remote date. It represented a female playing on a musical instrument of a perfectly original character. The material was of terra cotta; but the ornaments, bracelets, and necklace, retained their original gilding as freshly as if they had just come out of the artist's hands.

* * * * chose to be very much amused at my inviting our half-hour's acquaintance to drink tea with us on board “The Mahmodiè,” that I might shew them the impressions of the Daguerreotype, of which they had heard, but had not seen any of the results. As the sea was a little rough the young ladies did not venture, but Mr. W—— and his friend, Mr. G——, arrived punctually; and, from their conversation, we

learnt many interesting particulars of this part of the world.

The population of Greece at the last census was, by their account, somewhat under 700,000; its revenue ten and a half millions of drachmes. The king had been inclined to extravagance; but lately, re- trenchments have been adopted, and thus means have been found sufficient for the actual expenses of the government. Various were the attempts made by the ministers, at one time, to appear ruined, at another, flourishing; but all their attempts were adroitly frustrated.

The country is becoming depopulated and impoverished by bad government; an island that formerly paid only six hundred pounds taxes to the Turks, is now compelled to pay six thousand a year to its present rulers. We learnt that within the last seven years sixty-five thousand Greeks

had left their country, and gone into the Turkish dominions, where they are now well treated.

The land taken from the Turks has not been legally granted to any one, and the consequence is, as might be expected, that no one will lay out money on estates, for the possession of which no security is given him. Some Englishmen bought land in Negropont, but in consequence of taxation, it brings in only one and a half per cent, instead of eight, which it should do in such a country.

Their army is in a wretched state, and is very ill-disciplined. Capo d'Istria had kept terms with the old palicari (banditti), and had retained them in the service, hoping to succeed sooner or later in forming an army out of this noyau, who had fought in the war of the revolution.

The conduct of Otho has driven some of

them into revolt; the consequence of which has been the massacre of great numbers, and of the rest, ten thousand old soldiers have been driven across the frontier into the Turkish dominions.

Insults have been publicly offered to our countrymen—British subjects have been imprisoned, and two have been even suffered to die in confinement. An English groom was taken up for being found intoxicated in a café, and various of our Ionian subjects have been injured or impeded in their affairs. All this seems to have been done for the purpose of disgusting a sagacious, intelligent, and active minister.

There are still about seven millions of Greeks in the Turkish dominions, and in the two principalities. One able head directing them from Greece might unite them all, and

might form, indeed, a sufficient counterpoise, should the Turkish dominions in Europe come to an end; but from such a king and such a government nothing can be expected, either of advantage to the people or of credit to the rulers.

We were told that there have recently been great attempts made by Russia to gain over the priests to acknowledge the patriarch at Constantinople as the head of their church, thus effectually to possess itself of the mind of the country, to impede all improvement, and to assimilate it to Moldacia or Wallachia. But the king's eyes are said to be at last open to these dangers, and this seems to have been the first glimpse of intelligence that has broken upon him.

It was wished that the object of the treaty by which their government was constituted

should be carried out, but patiently and moderately. Liberal institutions were promised, and not a despotism.

Count A——g commenced his career in office by the institution of trial by jury, and by granting to the people the election of their own municipal officers in towns and communes. He then wished that a council should be formed, which might admit the Greeks into a share of the government of their own country, and enable them to suggest what they might think or know to be conducive to its interests. But this project was nipped in the bud by the abrupt dismissal of Count A——g without sufficient reason, while he was on board a British man-of-war, on his return to the country after a few months' absence.

The trial by jury has since been abrogated, and torture has been introduced in criminal and political causes. Great cruelties have been exercised in transporting parts of the

population from their own province to some other one, even though there may have long existed a bitter enmity between them and the inhabitants of the place they are sent to; and, finally, a private ordinance has been promulgated, forbidding the departure of any Greek from his native land, without leaving, as pledges, his wife, his children, and his property. To such a state is Greece at present reduced. The produce of the loan is said to have been chiefly distributed amongst the handful of needy Bavarians who rule this unhappy land, and which finally finds its way, with little deduction, to the bank at Munich.

Modern Athens has been rapidly built up, as has been the Pyraeus, where the capital ought to have been placed. Syra, however, looks like a rich and thriving community, as does Patras, which possesses an extensive commerce, and where land, our

gentlemen were told, is valuable, the common price being eight years' purchase, and varying from that to as high as twenty-five years' purchase, if in a good situation, and one that admits of being irrigated.

FRIDAY, 25TH OCTOBER.

—We left “The Mahmoudiè,” and got on board our old friend the “Prince Metternich,” where we felt quite at home, and found the little Deltas rather less noisy. We passed between Myconi and Tino, both islands seemingly very fertile, and on each were numerous white villages scattered about. We left Delos on our right, where no remains now exist of its once celebrated temple of Apollo.

 SATURDAY, 26TH OCTOBER.

—At six in the morning, we passed the English fleet at Vourhla Bay, where it had just arrived, on being withdrawn from Tenedos on the approach of winter. At about eight, we arrived off Smyrna, which we found as riant

and gay as can be conceived; the sight of the verdure of its tall cypresses, and of a few palm trees, &c. was very refreshing, after the disagreeable aridity of Athens and Syra.

We landed at a kind of market-place, where about fifty huge camels were quietly resting themselves, while their owners were bargaining. Soon after landing, we went to Mr. B——, our consul, who good-naturedly offered us his pink-turbaned and yellow-shod Dragoman to conduct us to the bazaar, while Lord A——y rode up to the castle, which commands the town completely. Mr. B——also gave us an armed janizary to protect us, should any insult be offered.

Thus escorted we set out, and passed through narrow, dirty, and ill-paved streets to the bazaar, at every step meeting with something new and interesting, and pleased even with the odour of the tobacco, with

which the air was thoroughly impregnated, as being a preservative from worse inflictions.

The bazaar itself amused and interested us exceedingly. Everything so Oriental and un-European;—here, a knot of Turks sitting in front of their shops on a raised platform, all smoking, yet at the same time puffing off their goods to veiled women; there, one writing a bill from right to left, resting it on his knee; here, a string of camels; there, a man loaded beyond measure; every variety of costume and character, black slaves, and Moolhahs, and Arab-looking men, on horseback; and such a dense mass of foot-passengers that it seemed quite perilous to encounter them, particularly as it is their custom not to get out of the way for any one. To crown all, there is such a Babel of confused cries and noises continually sounding in the ears from camel-drivers and venders of orgeat, and a thousand

other things, that it is difficult to hear oneself speak, much less make oneself heard by others.

We went into a mosque which contained nothing remarkable, and then wound our way to a silk merchant's; and while Minney and I were bargaining, George sent for a chiboque and some coffee from a neighbouring café, and sat in great state to gaze on the striking scene around him. Such were the novelty and excitement of it that I did not feel fatigued, though I had been walking for three hours.

While we were resting ourselves at a most comfortable hotel, the Pension Suisse, Mr. Van L——p, the Dutch Consul General, came and calledonus, and we returned with him to visit his sister. His house was perfectly Oriental, with the open verandah round the court. Soon after our entrance, we were served with coffee and sweetmeats à la Grecque, which

were admirable; I thought I had never tasted coffee in such perfection.

Our shopping, or rather the payments for our purchases, joined with this visit, made us so late that we nearly lost our passage, as we only returned in time to see the “Metternich” smoke and paddle off without us, and to hear Lord A——y calling out to us to follow in the “Stamboul” the next day. Our agony of mind was intense; but after hard rowing, the “Metternich” condescended to slacken her pace, and we reached her breathless with agitation, having abandoned our breakfast, provisions of fresh milk and fruit, to the boatmen. The weather continued enchanting, and we remained late on deck, passing Mytilene about ten at night.

SUNDAY, 27TH OCTOBER.

—After a most comfortable night, Minney and I being the only ladies on board, we were roused at six

in the morning by a message from the captain to tell us that the French fleet was in sight.

On coming on deck, we found ourselves opposite the plains of Troy, with nine French ships of the line, and an English frigate, the “Tyne,” lying in Besika Bay, where we also stopped, to take in wine and fresh fish.*

The sea now began to be thickly studded with ships, and we soon reached the Dardanelles, the entrance to which was not so striking as I had expected. A good many Turks had come on board at Smyrna; some who were charged with sixty large baskets of melons, (a present from the Pacha of Magnesia to the Sultan,) did not take the * We heard it said at Smyrna, that the young officers of the French squadron, when there, strut about the cafés, declaring that they only require two hours and a quarter to take Sir Robert Stopford and all his fleet into Toulon!

slightest notice of anything which was going on, but continued smoking their pipes in the most imperturbable manner. We stopped off the town of the Dardanelles, where the son of Youssuf Pacha came on board, attended by a numerous suite. Youssuf's government had just been transferred to Constantinople, and he was sending off this portion of his establishment with quantities of hard and un-Turkish looking furniture, in the shape of chairs and sofas.

The young Pacha was an uncouth lad, of about fourteen, dressed in the modern costume, which contrasted most unfavourably with the dress of the Moolhah who accompanied him, and whom we observed performing his devotions and ablutions three times in the course of the day. The boy prayed with him, kneeling on the same carpet; and both, every now and then, touching the ground with their heads, being

turned towards Mecca. They seemed quite in earnest, and did not regard our presence in the least.

A boat had put off to see the boy safe on board; at one end were half a dozen women, closely veiled, with, probably, his mother amongst them; in the centre was a venerable old man, the Pacha himself; and then came the rowers. We looked at the famous Sestos and Abydos in passing with great interest.

In the course of the day, we shewed the little Pacha our pictures, and some of M. Chacaton's drawings, which he was curious to see; but he betrayed very little observation or intellect, though he pored over them for half an hour. At length, he said he thought Minney's portrait very like her. As his attendants would not allow themselves to pay the additional price of a bed for the little nobleman, who looked very cold, he rolled himself up in his rug

and lay down on the deck. They brought their own provisions with them, which we suspected must have fallen somewhat short, as we observed one of the attendants pick up from the deck, which was, by-the-bye, pretty well begrimed with soot from the chimney, little pieces of biscuit which we had chanced to let fall. We presently reached Gallipoli, and were before sunset in the sea of Marmora.

CHAPTER IX.

Approach to Constantinople—Impressions on landing —Turkish carriage—Lodgings—The Burnt Column —Dancing dervishes—Excursion on the Bosphorus—Mosque of Aioub—Turkish tombs —Mosque of Solyman—Mosque of Sultan Achmet —The Brazen Column—Tree of Justice.
28TH OCTOBER.

—We were roused at five in the morning with the pleasant intelligence that we were fast approaching Constantinople; and we hastened on deck, though shivering with cold, that we might catch the first beauties of the far-famed Golden Horn.

At the dawn of day, or what should have

been so, a thick fog presented itself to our eager gaze, through which neither the minarets nor the domes of the several mosques could be discerned, with the exception of that of St. Sophia, which produced on us the same impression which I should conceive would be made on a foreigner landing at the Custom-house, and thence viewing St. Paul's for the first time through a November fog. The dampness and chilliness of the atmosphere had produced in us feelings so corresponding to it, that we could not help asking one another, “Can this be the city we have taken such pains, and come so far to visit?”

Lord A——y and George landed at eight, and spent nearly two hours before they could obtain lodgings for us in the quarter allotted to Franks. On leaving the ship, we had much difficulty in reaching the shore, owing to the innumerable boats which were passing to and fro in every direction

on the Golden Horn; the number of those in use is said to amount to many thousands.

A portentina, which is a kind of sedan, conveyed me through dirty streets, and a very extensive cemetery, to Pera, where our lodgings were situated, and which we found very inferior even to those about which we had so grumbled at Athens. Hotels, we understood, were not to be met with at Pera, but merely boarding-houses, at which tables d'hôte are kept, which, moreover, we found to be by no means so well served as they ought to be.

The best of these establishments is Mademoiselle Roboli's, at which we unfortunately failed in procuring apartments. As, however, the reporters of two London Journals had taken up their quarters there, we comforted ourselves with the reflection that we should at least be free from the apprehension of seeing our observations

on people and things appear against us in print, as otherwise might possibly have happened.

As soon as our bouillon was despatched, Minney and myself proceeded to the bazaar in a Turkish carriage, without either springs or seats, in which, as the usual precaution of spreading mattresses and comfortable cushions had been neglected, our inexperienced bones were exposed without protection to all the horrors of a continual jolting up and down the most ill-paved streets imaginable. Our araba, as this sort of carriage is called, was drawn by a pair of horses, and painted in a picturesque though somewhat gaudy style.

We were probably less struck by the sight which presented itself to us at the bazaar, from having been prepared by that of Smyrna for all its solemn bustle, and striking varieties of costume.

It being near the fast of the Rhamazan,

(the MahommedanLent,) the eagerness of the Turks to obtain ready money was such that they were willing to let us have things at a third of the price which they would at first ask. The reason of this eagerness to sell is, that they are in the habit of indemnifying themselves during this period of fasting for their strict abstinence from food between sunrise and sunset (for the more devout abstain even from smoking) by the most unbounded indulgence in every kind of festivity during the night.

In passing through the streets, we observed many of the finest mosques and residences of the grandees, and amongst other things took particular notice of the Porphyry or Burnt Column, so called from its having been nearly consumed by the fire of 1779. It is now supported almost entirely by iron cramps. It bears a Greek inscription, was originally of immense size, and still remains a striking record of Roman magnificence in

the days of Constantine, of whose palace it is supposed by some to have formed a part; the palace itself extending from this spot to the mosque of St. Sophia.

At seven o'clock, we found a small party assembled at the table d'hóte, and among them a very intelligent Scotch couple, Captain and Mrs. C——, who had made the voyage from Vienna, and who spoke very favourably of the accommodation on board the Danube steamers, when compared with the accounts we had received of them on inquiring at Vienna respecting the different modes by which we might prosecute our travels. I believe the extreme civility and attention of all the Austrian employés in the steam-boat department make up a good deal for any inconveniences one may have to put up with.

OCTOBER 29TH.

—On the return of the gentlemen of our party from the Turkish bath, which they described as most luxurious,

we went to see the very curious performance of the Dancing Dervishes. They continued spinning round, for at least half an hour in the same attitude, with both arms extended, and at length stopped simultaneously on a signal from a priest, who had taken no share in the tee-totuming. He then assisted each devotee in putting on a large cloak, after which they all fell on their faces, and kissed the ground, in which position they remained some time, while the chief Dervish appeared to be repeating an exhortation. All this was accompanied by a monotonous but not unpleasing sound of music proceeding from a pipe and tabor.

We then rode on towards the customhouse, where we embarked in one of the light, but somewhat dangerous, caiques, and in about an hour and a half we reached the Sweet Waters of Europe, which flow in a pretty valley, shaded with cypresses, and in

which is situated one of the Sultan's summer kiosks, the approach to which is carried over two wooden bridges.

The earlier part of our voyage almost reminded me of an expedition to Greenwich, owing to the crowd of boats and shipping in this part of the Bosphorus, and to the continued density of the atmosphere, which corresponded but too well with that of our own dear country.

Such being the state of the weather, it was not surprising that on our first arrival we were disappointed with the general effect of the city. In vain did we look for the anticipated succession of minarets, and palaces, and gilded domes sparkling in the sun, of which last I had formed very magnificent expectations, drawn from my remembrances of the Church des Invalides, which was the only specimen of them I had yet seen during my travels.

We landed at the Validia, so called from

the celebrated mother of Mahomet IV., who is buried here, and who, from her vigorous government during her son's long minority, and her after-influence on his counsels, has always been considered an eastern Catherine de Medicis. Adjoining is the mosque of Aioub, (Job,) where is performed the ceremony (a very interesting one, as well as most imposing and magnificent,) of investing the Sultan with the sword of state on his accession to the throne. The investiture takes place in presence of the Ullemas and Muftis, and is the formal declaration that he is intrusted with supreme power as the successor of Mahomet.

Several other Sultanas and Sultans are here buried. Their tombs are gaily and beautifully painted; and many of them are surmounted by what in France would be called Jardinières, supported by columns, and inclosed with gilt wires, so as to add the beauties of an aviary to the charms of the

flowers and shrubs with which they are filled.

The reason of all this care being bestowed on objects which usually inspire us with far other sentiments, is the wish of gratifying the spirits of their departed friends (which they suppose to be still hovering round the spot) with the pleasures they so dearly loved while on earth. Nor is this idea of the Mahommedans, vain as we know it to be, by any means destitute of grace and beauty; and with all our superior knowledge it would not be amiss were we to take a lesson even from them, in the tender and enduring regard they shew to the memory of their dead.

We finally landed at Tophana, after a most beautiful, though cold, expedition, having gone nearly the entire length of the Golden Horn, and passed the ruins of the Palace of Belisarius, said to have been built and inhabited by Constantine the Great,

and which on our slight appercu of its character and colouring reminded us much, and not unnaturally, of those we had seen at Rome.

OCTOBER 30TH.

—We went first to the mosque of Sulyman the Magnificent, which is the finest in Constantinople, though not so interesting as that of St. Sophia. It is comparatively modern, as it cannot have been built above 300 years. The architecture is somewhat of a Moorish character, and the edifice covers a large space of ground; but the exterior presents no very striking beauty of sculpture or ornament.

The preparations for the illumination attendant on the Rhamazan, consisted merely of a shabby collection of little glass lamps, like those used at Vauxhall, hung at great intervals on wires across the mosque, which produced a most meagre effect. The floor was entirely covered with rich carpeting, but in a sad dusty state.

The adjoining burial place of the two Sulymans, and three of their favourite Circassian slaves, was very singular, and I am almost tempted to say comfortable, as the circular apartment in which the tombs have been erected is perfectly well aired, lighted, and carpeted, having well-stuffed divans surrounding the walls. On each Sultan's tomb were placed his turban, heron's feather, and the cashmere which he had worn round his waist, together with a fine copy of the Koran. In the chapel were two wax tapers of about twenty feet in height, which were lighted during a short time each day, and were said to last a whole year.

The roof was pointed out to us as studded with diamonds, but it would have required an imagination far more brilliant than were the stones to have enabled one to give credit to the assertion.

We proceeded to the magnificent mosque of Sultan Achmet, at which the Sultan

generally attends prayers on state occasions, but they would not suffer us to penetrate further than the porch; for high in the air above us was at that instant unfortunately heard the sonorous cry of the muezlim, summoning the faithful to prayers.

We had thus, however, an opportunity afforded us of admiring at our leisure the magnificent court which forms the principal entrance of the mosque, and round which are built lofty arcades of great beauty, supported by fine antique columns of porphyry and granite. Under these arcades are handsome and well-supplied fountains, which serve for the ablutions so strictly enjoined by the Koran, previous to entering the mosque, or, indeed, to the performance of any act of devotion.

This external edifice adds an elegance to the principal structure, which materially increases the beauty of the whole. I do not remember to have seen this construction

applied to our churches in Europe, except in the case of the old convent of St. Augustine, at Milan.

As we were leaving the spot, we met a little man actually sinking under the burthen of a far heavier person than himself, whom he was carrying on his shoulders. This evolution was explained to us to be an act of police, the larger of the two having committed some breach of the peace: all agreed that we had never before witnessed so literal a take up.

The Atmeidan or Hippodrome, as the Place in which this mosque is situated is called, is very handsome, and of considerable extent. It contains the granite obelisk of Theodosius, the broken pyramid of Constantine, the date of the erection of which we could not correctly ascertain; and close to them is the low but celebrated brazen column, formed by twisted snakes, and thought to have anciently composed part of

the tripod at Delphi, whence it was removed to Rome, and subsequently brought to this spot by Constantine.* The popular tradition about the disappearance of the serpents' heads which originally formed the summit of the column, is, that Mahomet II. at his triumphant entry into Constantinople, in order to shew the strength of his arm, felled them with one stroke of his

* Sir John C. Hobhouse says, “Only one of the master-pieces which adorned this sacred spot (Delphi) can be said now to remain; but this is by far the most ancient and the best authenticated Grecian relic at present in existence.

“The triple twisted serpentine column of brass, where three heads supported the tripod, dedicated by the Greeks after the battle of Plataea to Apollo, is still to be seen, though mutilated, in the spot to which it was conveyed from Delphi by Constantine, to adorn the hippodrome of his new capital. The column, as much of it as is seen above ground, is now about seven feet in height, and of a proportionate thickness. It is hollow, and the cavity has been by the Turks filled up with stones.”
weapon; which sacrilege was immediately followed by the scourge of the plague, from which their dominions have never since been free. Thus strangely do the superstitious Turks attribute to a relic of Grecian idolatry, the idea of sacredness which justly belongs to whatsoever is dedicated to the service of the Almighty.

Not far distant is the large Plantain, which they call the Tree of Justice, from disputes having been formerly heard and adjusted under its spreading branches. So exposed is this situation to the rays of the sun, that one could form a good idea how grateful must be the shade afforded by such a tree, at any but the present season of the year.

CHAPTER X.

Visit to Scutari — Barracks — Kiosk — Procession of the Sultan to prayers — His appearance — Greek watermen — Palace of the British Embassy — Prince G——e of C——e and Prince de J—— Visit to the mosque of St. Sophia—Slave Market —An Abyssinian beauty—Our Consul General.
OCTOBER, 31ST.

—We rode to Galata, where we embarked for Scutari, but arrived too late to see the Howling Dervishes. We proceeded to visit the Barracks of Selim, which are of very large dimensions, being capable of containing ten thousand men; and from which situation the view is of remarkable extent and beauty, embracing

the Seraglio Point, and the entire length and breadth of the Golden Horn. Even the dim outline of the snow-capped Olympus was discernible from this spot.

Adjoining the barracks is a beautiful kiosk, situated on the verge of a rock, overlooking the Propontis, and which was much frequented by the late Sultan, whose desire was to have been removed there during his last illness, from a superstitious idea that the climate of Asia would prove more efficacious to his recovery than that of the Seraglio Point, which is immediately opposite, but in Europe.

On landing at Galata, upon our return, we met Lord F——y, and Mr. L——n, who, not being aware of having any acquaintance or fellow-countryman at Pera, were on the point of taking advantage of the fine day to embark for Therapia. On meeting us, however, they agreed to postpone their expedition, in order to witness

the young Sultan's procession to the mosque the following day, which happened to be the Mahommedan Sabbath.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST.

—We set off very early to secure a good station at the Mosque of Lalileh (the Tulip), which was the one selected for the young Sultan's first procession to prayers by land, for hitherto he had always gone in a state caique.

Nothing could less answer one's ideas of eastern magnificence than this procession, which consisted merely of a dozen led horses, though these were handsomely and richly caparisoned, followed by a suite of not above thirty or forty officers of rank, and a body-guard, who were but a mean-looking set of men, little superior to the ordinary Turkish troops. They have adopted the European dress; but this being ill-fashioned, ill-made, and still worse put on, gives them a very slovenly appearance.

Last of all came the Sultan himself,

Abdul Medjed, (son of the Most Glorious,) riding alone through the entrance porch of the mosque. He had the distinction of a magnificent diamond aigrette in his scarlet fez, and of a large jewelled clasp, which fastened his long brown cloak tightly about the throat. The cloak itself covered the back of his horse, and nearly touching the ground produced almost a grotesque effect.

Although but sixteen, Abdul Medjed looks at least ten years older; he has a sallow complexion, with a most melancholy expression of countenance, which you could hardly call either interesting or disagreeable. The most striking point about him was his extreme apathy to all surrounding objects; his eyes seemed rivetted between his horse's ears; he never bent in the least from his erect position; and even in descending from his horse, every movement seemed like that of a piece of clockwork. This, however, is considered as a proper

attribute of regal dignity; but one felt surprised at its early attainment by a prince, who, till now, had never emerged from his school-room, or rather the harem nursery; for from his very birth he has been completely a state prisoner.

We returned by the Bazaar, which we always contrived to make out to be our nearest road home as it certainly was by far the most amusing one. We afterwards took a walk in the desolate and overgrown garden which formerly belonged to the palace of the British Embassy; but which, since the destruction of the house by fire in Sir R. G——n's time, has been totally neglected. One cannot help regretting that Lord P—— should not have encouraged the rebuilding of the palace; as it hurts one's national vanity that England should be only represented at Pera by the consulate.

Our walk occupied us till the time came for embarking in the charming caique which

Lord P——had sent for us. We were rowed by twelve well-looking men, who wore the Greek vest and scull-cap, and who, from being handsomely appointed servants of the embassy, afforded a most favourable contrast to the rest of the lower orders among the Turks. This remark, also, generally extends to the appearance of the watermen on the Bosphorus.

Two full hours elapsed before we reached Therapia, as we had to contend against a very contrary wind. We found the hotel much more comfortable than our lodging-house at Pera, but situated most inconveniently for us, being nearly a quarter of an hour's walk from the Embassy; and as neither portentina nor donkey, nor in fact any legs were to be procured as substitutes for our own, we were obliged to trudge on foot and in darkness, as the wind had extinguished the flambeaux borne by the footmen of the Embassy, on a perfectly November

evening, and stumbling every moment over the broken pavement of the streets, to what is called (by courtesy) the Palace, the outward appearance of which more nearly resembles that of a wooden barrack. The contrast, however, which presented itself to us on entering was most delightful.

We were ushered into a drawing-room completely fitted up with English chintz; and the comfortable arm-chairs and sofas, as well as a blazing coal fire, produced on us a most reviving effect, which was not a little heightened by Lord and Lady P——'s courteous and hospitable manner of receiving us.

In the evening we had a good deal of conversation and a little whist; and we much regretted being obliged to return to Pera at so late an hour. This arose from our supposing that the following morning was the one chosen by the Prince de J——for viewing the mosque of St. Sophia, for which a firman is granted to any illustrious personage visiting

Stamboul. It is considered as an acknowledged privilege of all foreigners, who may be there at the time, to profit by these occasional permissions, and follow in the train of the distinguished possessor of the firman, who is not circumscribed as to the number of his suite.

Prince G——e of C——e, who was the last illustrious foreigner who had obtained permission to enter the mosque, had made the fact known some days preceding for general advantage; which was a great contrast to the mystery preserved on the subject by the attendants of the Prince de J——, from some of whom our officious hostess had in vain attempted to extract the knowledge of the probable day and hour which would be selected for His Royal Highness's visit to this (to Christians) forbidden mosque.

It is only within the last few years that exception has been made in favour of any one; and great resentment has been felt and

manifested towards the Sultan Mahmoud for his impious tolerance toward unbelievers. On arriving á casa, we were informed that our return to Pera was as unnecessary as it had been inconvenient, the Prince de J—— having no firman for the next day.

NOVEMBER 2ND.

—We were hurriedly roused from our repose at half-past seven, by a messenger who came to tell us that Count P——i had arranged with the Prince de J——'s dragoman that we should join his suite in their visit to St. Sophia's, but that if we wished to be in time we must find ourselves at the mosque by eight o'clock! Our hurry and confusion may be imagined;—no horses ready to take us a distance of two miles— no time for breakfast—no time for anything but for running, at the risk of our necks, down the steep and wretchedly paved streets to the place at which we were to get on board our caique.

We felt that, in spite of our best efforts,

the half hour must be already exceeded, and that all our haste would only prove the worse speed; nor could I think of anything else to trust to, but my proverbial good luck in always arriving in good time for any interesting sight, which my procrastinating propensities had exposed me to the just penalty of forfeiting.

At the very instant that I was presumptuously indulging in this impression, the boat of the Belle Poule shot by us, and revealed the identical Prince de J——and his suite rowing towards the quay. We breathed again, and now first allowed ourselves to eat the dry toast which we had snatched from the breakfast table at the moment of departure.

We landed at precisely the right moment, escaping the usual number of hours of attente which visitors by sufferance are generally exposed to, and which had been so feelingly described to us at Athens by

Lord R——y. I was somewhat ruffled at the French dragoman selecting me (the only lady of the party) to communicate his opinion of the deficiency in good breeding which we had shewn, in neglecting to have asked to be presented to the Prince's aide-de-camp.

He even endeavoured to obstruct our entrance to the mosque, with the exception of two or three of our party whose names he had imperfectly retained; and the general insolence of his manner made all my English blood tingle in my veins to such a degree, that I had only just presence d'esprit sufficient to recollect the necessity of qualifying his communication in repeating it to the gentlemen of our party, lest the discussion should become too serious.

The very great civility of General——, the Prince de J——'s aide-de-camp, calmed the general disposition amongst us to feel ourselves aggrieved, and we proceeded at

length to make the most of our present opportunity of seeing St. Sophia to the best advantage, as well as the other adjoining parts, which are equally interdicted to Christians. The beauty as well as the extent of the mosque excited much more admiration among us than we had anticipated, and the interior decorations and ornament seemed to us much finer than that of its neighbour Achmet, though this latter is preferred by the Turks.

We were a little disturbed by the evident ill-will with which the few Mussulmen, who still lingered at their devotions, bore our presence. They scowled dreadfully at what they deemed the profanation of their holy place; and one old man went so far as to scold me into getting up from a stone seat on which I was resting myself.

The description of one mosque at Constantinople would serve equally for all the others, with the exception of this of St.

Sophia, which, from having been a Christian church, is strikingly different from the rest in its structure and general appearance.

Its form is that of a contracted Greek cross, and consists of a vast cupola, supported by pilasters of gigantic dimensions; the space beneath is magnificent. Surrounding the dome are galleries raised on columns, which are mostly composed of a single block of granite; but many of them betray evident marks of the action of earthquakes, being much out of the perpendicular.

The galleries themselves are very high; and when standing in them you are not far removed from the base of the dome. It was with some difficulty that we ascended one of them, by means of an inclined plane contained in a square tower on the outside of the mosque.

The surface of the interior of the dome is

INTERIOR OF ST. SOPHIA, AT CONSTANTINOPLE

On stone by R.J. Hamerton. Printed by P. Martin, 26 Long Acre

London: Pubd by Henry Colburn, 13 Gt Marlborough St 1841

composed of rough mosaic work, formerly gilt; and we could trace on it figures of archangels, &c., which seemed to have adorned the building when a Christian church in the days of its founder, Constantine, but which the Turks have done their best to obliterate. The mosaic work is altogether very like that of St. Mark's at Venice; and the floor, which is completely covered with Turkish matting, is said to be ornamented in the same manner with the roof. The galleries are inhabited by a vast quantity of doves, which are cherished with superstitious veneration by the Turks.

On looking down upon the interior from the gallery, wherever the eye rests, the just and noble proportions of the building are, I think, quite as striking as those of any other I ever beheld, not excepting St. Peter's, (although the diameter of the former is twenty-five feet less than that of the Basilica at Rome,) the great room of

Vicenza, Westminster Hall, York Minster, or even the Pantheon itself.

On entering the mosque, we were shewn the pillar noticed by Lady M. W. Montague, and other travellers, which goes by the name of the sweating column, which, singularly enough, is reverenced by both Turks and Christians; the former attributing to it certain miraculous healing powers, which they say arise from the hand of the prophet having rested on it; the latter maintaining that ever since the Christian church came into the hands of the infidels, the pillar has been endued with the property of, as it were, shedding tears in witness of its horror at the profanations to which it is forced to be a spectator. On placing the hand on it, it certainly appeared quite moist and warm to the touch; we also fancied it in some measure scented, which inspired a few not unreasonable suspicions as to the supposed natural phenomenon.

The east end of the mosque, which formerly contained the Christian altar, is semicircular; and in the wall is still to be seen a kind of niche in which it stood; but what seemed very curious to us was, that the place so marked out was not at right angles with the rest of the building, but rather on one side. The Turks have placed here a sort of reading desk, furnished with a seat and several books, which are probably copies of the Koran.

The colouring and tone of this building is more sombre than that of the other mosques, which gives it an air of antiquity, and makes it accord better with our notions of solemnity.

What greatly enhanced the pleasure of the whole sight was our having abundance of leisure to view everything; and by the great politeness of the aide-de-camp to the Prince, our French artist, Mons. Chacaton, was permitted to return the next day under

the protection of an additional firman, to make some sketches, in which, however, to his great discomfort, he was continually interrupted by the abuse which the Turks, and especially the old women, did not cease to pour on him.

The outside of St. Sophia's is, though interesting, neither so handsome in itself, nor so conspicuous as that of many other mosques, which, placed on one or other of the seven hills on which Constantinople, in imitation of Rome, is built, present themselves to the beholder with admirable grandeur and effect.

We took the slave-market on our road home, where, however, we saw none of the disagreeable objects which such a name usually conjures up in the imagination from the descriptions one hears of slavery in other parts of the world. The countenances of the poor women here expressed nothing of that extreme dejection at being torn from

their country and their friends, which one would naturally look for in slaves; on the contrary, they seemed quite reconciled to their fate, and were chiefly excited by hope, or depressed by disappointment, as they seemed likely or not to obtain a purchaser; for, in fact, their only prospect of advancement in life is dependent upon their becoming inmates of a wealthy harem, where its master's caprice may lead to the lowest slave becoming its mistress. The Sultana Validi herself is said to have been purchased from a Georgian merchant at the Tifflis market. They betrayed, however, no eagerness to attract our attention, as it is well known that no Giaours are permitted to make purchases.

We only saw one female slave of great beauty, who, though very young, was already a mother, and had her infant in her arms. She was described to us as an Abyssinian, but had much more of the light

copper colouring of the far East. Her hair was smooth and black, her features small and exquisitely proportioned, and the shape of her head faultless; so that if the phrenological criticism on the Venus de Medicis be correct, that a woman with a head so formed would be deficient in understanding, this beautiful little Abyssinian must have been a perfect idiot.

To me she seemed the personification of our first mother, and to combine the expression of youth, beauty, and innocence in the highest possible degree. So struck indeed was I, that my mind was at once made up as to the supreme beauty of light-copper complexions over all the lilies and roses of Europe; and from that time I considered the dispute concerning the colour of Eve as completely settled.

In another part an old Turk was bargaining for a negress servant, and was examining her arm with the closest attention, as a surgeon

looks for a vein before applying his lancet, while she held it out at full length, shewing her white teeth with a grin that betrayed the utmost confidence that her arm possessed all the muscle that could be required.

The only really melancholy object was a poor little infant, swathed, as they always are here, and placed in an upright position in a corner of a wretched divan, evidently in a dying state. Its dark eyes were already glazed and fixed, and the flies were settling on its poor little sallow face, without a parent or even a human being near, to attend on its last moments

I never felt more utterly knocked up than I was by our incessant pursuit of subjects of interest for the last thirty-six hours; and it was only a European bath, for I had not resolution to make the first essay in a Turkish one, which enabled me to join our party at dinner, when we were reinforced by our

Consul-General, a very agreeable and original character, who looked extremely like an English country gentleman who had never stirred ten miles from his own fireside, though, in point of fact, he has resided during the last forty years of his life in the East. His first official employment was as purser to Sir Sidney Smith in the Tigre.

One felt that it would be impossible to select two better contrasted, and more characteristic representatives of our Embassy and Consulate-General, than is afforded in the persons of Lord P—and Mr. C—-.

CHAPTER XI.

A Greek wedding — Bride and bridegroom — The ceremony—Dinner at our Consul-General's—The plague—“The Scavengers of the City”—Turkish dogs—The Sweet Waters of Asia—Turkish carriages — Turkish women—Visit to the house of the Austrian Legation—The Hatti Scheriff.
NOVEMBER 3RD.

—We were preparing to set off for morning church, when our servant proposed that, as we had still three quarters of an hour to spare, we should go a little out of our way to look in at a Greek house where a marriage was to be celebrated according to the rites of his church. We accordingly acted on the suggestion, but,

instead of finding it a picturesque noce et festin of the lower Greek class, it turned out to be one of a more refined description.

The bridegroom, a well-looking, gentlemanlike man, came up to us and expressed, in good French, his hope that we would condescend to remain during the ceremony. All our attempts to make him understand that we were on our way to our own church seemed lost upon him; and, at length, to get away became a physical impossibility, so surrounded were we by the bridal party, who vied with each other in making us pretty speeches in tolerably intelligible Italian.

The bride herself, who was a widow, and rather a pretty woman, only spoke Greek. She was named Helen, which somewhat suited her previous history, as she had been the cause of great contention between her former and present husband The first, whom she had been obliged by

her parents to accept as a good parti, had turned out but a mauvais sujet, and had been killed in a private quarrel; and she had now, after a whole three months' widowhood, consented to become Mrs. Dionysius L. P——.

The ceremony itself consisted chiefly in their walking round and round the very small apartment, followed by the bishop, muttering an exhortation, part of which was evidently of so pathetic a character as to draw tears from the bridegroom, while the bride only reddened and bit her lips. Two little boys also, with lighted tapers, formed part of the procession.

At length they all stopped, and a couple of large crowns of artificial flowers, interspersed with gold tinsel, (not unlike those worn by our chimney-sweeps on May-day,) were produced, and placed on the heads of the contracting parties; but they were so large and clumsy that they each required the support of a compére. Again the couple

were paraded round the room, followed by the supporters of their floral honours; and when at last they stopped, the bishop touched their foreheads with his ruby ring, and made them drink wine from the same goblet.

A great quantity of paras of the new Abdul Medjid coinage was then thrown over them and the rest of the company; and so abundant was the silver shower, that it almost amounted to a storm, the elements of which were eagerly scrambled for by the children and servants of the family, which greatly interrupted the gravity of the ceremony.

Sweetmeats and coffee, with pipes of a prodigious length, were next brought in, but all the smoking was carried on as a duet between the bridegroom and his guest George: and I found it rather difficult to control Minney's inclination to indulge her risible faculties a little at her respected parent's appearance, sitting gravely as be was,

téte-à-téte with the bridegroom in the midst of the room, and apparently a chief object of contemplation to a large assemblage, among whom a perfect silence had succeeded to the late uproar.

We at last found a possible moment for escaping, which we embraced, declining a very courteous offer of supping at the marriage feast.

As we were walking home through the Pera burying-ground, the fashionable promenade, we heard very loud cannonading, which proceeded evidently from the Seraglio Point, and only learnt, when it was too late to profit by the information, that it was in honour of the promulgation of the Hatti Scheriff of Goulane, on an occasion of no less importance than the young Sultan's presenting his people with a new and liberal constitution.

We had a very merry dinner to-day at Mr. C——'s, our Consul-General, who entertained

us most hospitably. Among other good things, a roasted pig made its appearance, which, as he informed us with a hearty chuckle, he often treated himself with; it was such a satisfaction to beard the insolent Turks with the presence of a pig in their own country, where, whether alive or dead, it is an unclean animal.

He told us that he had been himself twice at the point of death from the plague; and seemed to be a decided non-contagionist, as he said he had attended the last moments of poor young Mr. M——, who had been taken ill and had died in his house but a few months before, and that his case, though one of confirmed plague, had proved an isolated one.

It is singular how indifferent one becomes on the subject of this dreadful malady when once in its neighbourhood; for I believe there is no doubt of its always existing in some quarter or other of Constantinople or

Pera. What we had formerly so dreaded approaching, we now scarce ever thought of, though we were living almost over a cemetery, where no distinction would be made in the burial of those who died of plague, from those who were carried off by a common disease.

The graves are made so shallow that it is dreadful to remark how much the burying-grounds are the resort of what are justly called “the scavengers of the city,” a sort of animal, half dog, half wolf, which is constantly to be seen prowling about among the new made graves. Our doctor describes the effluvia arising from the Pera cemetery in the early part of the morning as quite overpowering, so that one is only surprised at this quarter being so comparatively healthy.

There is something very peculiar about the race of Turkish dogs; they appear to maintain a complete system of police among

themselves, keep together in large troops, never stray from the limits which they themselves seem to have established, and no one of them owns a master. The inhabitants of the city are obliged to provide them with water, which they place in troughs at their street doors; for other sustenance they depend on the offal which the Turks trust entirely to their care to remove, and for this service look on them as public benefactors, though public gratitude is only exercised in a very negative way towards them.

The Turks do indeed abstain, even superstitiously, from positive dog-slaughter, but they never think of taking any care to prevent their horses treading on the lazy animals as they lie at full length in the road, basking in the sun; and in every frequented quarter there is a constant sound of howling and suffering going on among the canine breed. Their appearance, however, is so

savage and unprepossessing, that it is only when one's horse is about to tread on innocent blind puppies, that I find my sensibilities very much called forth.

NOVEMBER 4TH.

—Lord A——and George took a long ride to the Sweet Waters of Asia, which they described as quite enchanting. A large proportion of the female population, they said, were assembled to enjoy the beauties of the scene, some of whom were amusing themselves with smoking in the shade, while a few pères de families were playing with their children at some little distance. Very many of the ladies must have been of the higher orders, so numerous were the carriages which they noticed to be in attendance.

There are three distinct kinds of conveyances to be met with in Stamboul. Some are so entirely closed by gilt lattice-work, that it is impossible to perceive the occupiers;

these are considered to belong to the élite, and are called coochy.

The second class of carriages have on each side two circular openings, and one in front, but are without glasses; and you can distinguish three or four Turkish ladies reclining in them on soft cushions, covered with cashmere, silk, or chintz: they are called talika.

The third kind, of which the name is araba, is a large, light sort of waggon, capable of holding a dozen people; it is gilt and painted, and drawn by from four to ten bullocks, harnessed two and two, whose tails are tied up to a sort of shaft projecting from the front of the carriage. These oxen are decorated with coloured fringe, ribbons, bells, and amulets of bright glass beads, for the purpose of keeping off the Evil Eye.

The coochy seems destined for the wives of the jealous; the talika for the conveyance

of those whose husbands do not care to keep them in so strict a state of concealment; while the araba belongs to the bourgeoises.

Everywhere one sees handsome women; all, at least, who possess fine eyes, or foreheads, or teeth, or pretty hands, contrive to display these advantages in despite of the yashmack (face-covering), supposed to be for the purpose of concealing the features, which they do not scruple to shew to Europeans when no Mussulmen are near.

Minney and I, during the time that the gentlemen were absent, received a very agreeable visit from Lady P——, whom we accompanied to see Madame de S——, the wife of the Austrian minister, or internonce, as he is styled.

The house of the Austrian legation is the only handsome one in Pera that has escaped fire; and from its interior arrangements and furniture one might suppose oneself in a Vienna palace. Madame S——herself is

very tall, and more than proportionably gifted in embonpoint. She has a very small head, and reminded me strongly of Lady H. B——g, both in person and manner. Her conversation shewed a good deal of point, and she made us regret more than ever that Lord P——had not included in his suite, as the French minister had done, such of his countrymen as were at Constantinople, on the occasion of his attending the ceremony at the seraglio the day before.

The hatti scheriff is, in sound at least, the very beau ideal of justice and moderation; but is said to be difficult, if not impossible, to be carried into effect, and utterly unsuited to the mass of the Grand Seignior's subjects. But the sight of a young sultan presenting his people with a constitution abridging his own despotic authority, lessening the burthen of taxes and the hardships of conscription, and entirely abolishing the use of torture, would have been interesting as a coup

de théatre, and can never be repeated with the same effect.

The spectacle was described as one that displayed every kind of eastern magnificence; there were fifteen hundred special invitations, including all the diplomatic bodies. All the different classes of the clergy attended; and amongst them the Moollahs, in their white robes and high caps, had a most striking effect. Five thousand military, with the representatives of all the national authorities, were also present; and, in short, whatever was most brilliant or otherwise remarkable in Constantinople, was that day collected within the exterior precincts of the seraglio, to add dignity and splendour to the scene.

Everything which I heard on the subject did but deepen the impression of regret in my mind that the lady ambassadresses should not have had a place assigned them in the seraglio, from which to witness the ceremony,

in which case Lady P——might have been attended by the few English ladies of her acquaintance, including myself, who were at the moment in this part of the world.

CHAPTER XII.

Bargains—The Seraskier's Tower—Panoramic view —Turkish accommodations—Greek church— Walls of Ayoub—The Seven Towers—Difference of sensation produced by the organs of smell and sight—Prince's Island by sunset—Visit to the Howling Dervishes at Scutari—Their ceremonies —Bridge connecting Pera with Constantinople— Turkish artillery.
NOVEMBER 5TH.

—We rode, escorted by Lord F——, to the Seraskier's Tower; and in our way I made some purchases at the bazaar, where I had the mortification to discover that my previous bargains from an Armenian merchant had cost me nearly double what they should have done.

Not that I had much cause for astonishment at having been overreached, considering the proverb, “that it takes two Jews to cheat a Greek, and three Greeks to be a match for an Armenian;” but the idleness of the Turks in displaying their goods, and their repugnance to lay aside their pipes for the purposes of communication, when sitting cross-legged on their counters, makes the agency of the Armenians very convenient: and as after a certain early hour the bazaar is as closely barricaded as a citadel, one is often reduced to the alternative of either wanting an article, or obtaining it from the cheating but plausible Armenian pedlar.

The ascent of the Seraskier's Tower is very steep, even more so than that of the Campanile at Venice, and, like that, presenting at each turn of the stair a new and beautiful point de vue through the successive loop-holes. The view from the top really

repays one for the fatigue one has undergone, to say nothing of some most excellent coffee that is to be procured there; in the art of making which we profited by this opportunity of taking a regular lesson.

The panoramic effect from this tower is finer than that from the Tower of Galata; and though you here lose the beautiful object of the Seraglio Point, which lies immediately underneath it, yet, to compensate, the sea of Marmora, the Prince's Islands, and Mount Olympus, are clearly discernible from hence, with every point, edifice, and minaret, of Constantinople and its dependencies.

The bright rays of the evening sun tinted all the beautiful objects around us to a degree which I never saw equalled; and I now, for the first time, was willing to admit that the gorgeous and almost dazzling representations of those who had visited these scenes were not overcharged.

We were much tempted to linger on to see the sun sink into the Bosphorus; but the invariable and barbarous custom of closing at sunset the Frank communication between Pera and Stamboul, obliged us to turn our steps towards our lodgings—I cannot call home what so thoroughly reminded me of its absence; for here we had not even the means of warming ourselves during these cold evenings. As for fire-places, there were none in ordinary rooms; and the kitchen, which might have proved a resource, was at some distance from the house. The Turkish substitute for fire, the manghal (Anglicè, brazier), filled with wood ashes, was so oppressive and headachy in its effects, that we were obliged, in self-defence, to leave it off, and betake ourselves to bed at an earlier hour than otherwise our inclination for sleep would have led us to choose.

NOVEMBER 6TH.

—We sent on our horses

to wait for us at the cemetery of Validi, and, having obtained a broader-bottomed boat than the caiques usually are, we ourselves proceeded to make as complete a survey as possible of various interesting objects on this side the Bosphorus, taking the road which led by Ayoub.

Our loquacious cicerone assured us of the advantage of beginning our route by visiting a small Greek church, which he insisted had been built by Constantine, and had ever since continued a Christian place of worship. That it had not been a mosque was very evident, but it offered no trace of antiquity or interest, beyond being very prettily ornamented; it reminded me of the little primitive church still to be seen behind the Colosseum. We could not imagine our servant's motive for making this the first point of our expedition till a plate was brought, to which we were informed all visitors and foreigners were expected to

contribute; and we then perceived that Giovanni, like a good churchman and wily Greek, had obliged us to make this détour that we might have an opportunity of contributing somewhat to a church of the communion to which he himself belonged.

We next landed at Ayoub, and proceeded to make the tour of the beautifully picturesque walls of the city. They are of Roman construction, and though higher, yet considerably resemble those of Avignon.

They are flanked, at intervals of about fifty yards, by square towers with battlements, which, from their partial decay and the richness of the vegetation surrounding them, afford the most refreshing studies to an artist who, like Mons. Chacaton, has been lately occupied only in dry architectural drawings of mosques and columns.

We fancied we could trace on the left flank, near the ancient gate of St. Romanus,

the marks of the breach made by Mahomet II., and by which he entered the city in 1453.

From hence, after a ride of nearly four miles along these walls, we reached the point which commands the view of the Seven Towers, the Sea of Marmora, and the outlines of the mountains beyond. The Seven Towers now present a most uninteresting object, consisting merely of a whitewashed pile of building, of which two towers only remain in any preservation; and on these are mounted a few cannon, as if to attest their former importance.

The place altogether looked very unlike that which afforded so much terror to the foreign ambassadors but a few years ago, and where Obreskoff, the envoy of Catherine the Great, was, from some misunderstanding with the Osmanli government, kept during three days in a dry well.

What a change from fanaticism to apathy

in their political conduct; which, however, may be well paralleled by the change from their striking national costume to a bastard European dress! On re-embarking a little beyond the Seven Towers, to which point our caique came round to meet us, our eyes were perfectly dazzled by the combination of beauties which this spot presented.

It was the very scene which we had missed enjoying on the morning of our arrival at Stamboul, when the fog so cruelly shut out every surrounding object from our view; but in proportion to the gratification of sight, was the offence offered to our olfactory organs. In vain we tried to conceal from ourselves and each other the insupportable smell which assailed us; and although this was decidedly the most lovely spot I had ever beheld, it was impossible to continue in it.

The indifference of our guides was quite astonishing. They appeared altogether

unconscious of that which gave us so much annoyance; and coolly answered our inquiries by informing us that this spot had been selected as the receptacle of dead horses, dogs, &c. The vegetation produced by the cultivation of the trenches at the foot of the walls was so luxuriant, that it entirely concealed any disgusting object.

I am only surprised that pestilence is not oftener produced by such dreadful negligence and indifference; which is the more strange among people who consider cleanliness of person to be a religious obligation.

During our sail from the Seven Towers to the Seraglio Point, the lovely Prince's Island lay on our right, the back ground being filled up by a splendid view of the lofty Asiatic mountains.

The sunset illumined the whole scene, and the colour of the sea, which was perfectly calm, was exactly like that of a brightly tinted opal. Numberless dolphins were

disporting themselves in the water, and so regardless were they of our presence as to approach within a yard of our boat, making such high bounds from the surface as to give us full time to observe the infinite variety of their hues, which changed momentarily with the rays of light.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH.

—We waited for some time for Lord F——y, and Mr. L——n, who, previously to embarking for Athens, had settled to go with us to Scutari, to make a second attempt at seeing the exhibition of the Howling Dervishes. We had to wait some time for their appearance, owing to the difference between our computation of time and that of the Turks, which constantly leads to confusion on the part of uninitiated Europeans.

The ceremony began with what might have been mistaken for a military exercise, a continued and, even to us sitters-by, most wearisome motion of the body, which, for at

least half an hour, they bent violently backwards and forwards to the sound of a kind of reed pipe. These people are no longer allowed to indulge themselves in the practice of inflicting severe wounds on their bodies, stabbing themselves in the hands, or piercing their noses with red-hot irons.

Their chanting is correctly described as a continued howling, and some little neophyte Dervishes were conscientiously imitating all the contortions and attitudes of their elders.

Various cripples and invalids of every description were then brought in, and laid with their faces downwards on a sheep skin at the chief Dervish's feet, who by-the-bye had hitherto set the example of the various turnings and twistings they were to perform, but had stopped as soon as his disciples were fairly in motion. After the sick had been suffered to remain for some time in their humble position, the attempt at curing them was begun by the said Holy Dervish passing his

foot over the back and head of the patients as if he were ironing them, muttering all the while a species of incantation. The great mass of the devotees consisted of beggars, old men, soldiers, and children of all ages.

From the great tediousness and general monotony of the ceremony, we became so weary of it as to retire before its conclusion to the cemetery of Scutari, which appeared of interminable length, and in which the most striking monument proved on inquiry to be dedicated to the memory of Sultan Amurath's favourite horse. I imagined I perceived, in the general appearance of the Asiatic inhabitants of Scutari, even to the very dogs, a more uncourteous and forbidding expression of countenance than in those of Turkey in Europe.

In the afternoon we again rode to the Bazaars; and while crossing the floating-bridge, which connects Pera with Constantinople, (which bridge, by the way, is of immense

extent, being, I believe, nearly one thousand yards in length, as well as of very modern construction, the Turks not having, till a very recent period, imagined the possibility of establishing a communication between the two quarters of the city by so simple a contrivance,) we were met, to our great annoyance, by a detachment of artillery, whose horses became so unmanageable in consequence of the noise caused by the passage of the guns, which made the wooden fabric resound and vibrate as they were drawn over it, that even our jaded hacks became animated by their bad example.

Our attendants, instead of shewing any anxiety about our several fates, most undutifully attached themselves to the opposite party; and, as my little Turk chose to lay hold of an ungovernable military steed, some ill-accoutred soldier was good enough to return the compliment, by checking our horses with force sufficient to have pitched

us into the Bosphorus; and altogether we reckoned ourselves very fortunate to have escaped from everything but alarm.

These artillery whom we met to-day are the only Turkish soldiers who have a martial bearing, for their European dress is much against the ordinary troops. It is sometimes curious to witness the gambols of a corps de garde, which is often composed of a set of black boys, half clothed, who have been accepted in lieu of some fine levied by the state.

CHAPTER XIII.

Embark for Therapia—Belgrade—House formerly occupied by Lady Mary Wortley Montague—Disappointment —A Greek Group—Ancient Plane Tree—A new Acquaintance—The late Hatti Scheriff —The Population of Constantinople—Difficulties of the Turkish Language—Situation of Therapia—Impertinence—Discomforts of a Winter in Therapia.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH.

—Owing to a series of mal entendus, having missed the caique which Lord P——had most kindly sent for us, Minney and myself were compelled to embark alone for Therapia, from whence we were to go on to meet the gentlemen of our party at Belgrade, to which

village they had already proceeded on horseback.

The place of appointment was the campagne of Mrs. H——, which indeed formed our chief subject of interest at Belgrade, as it is shewn as the house formerly occupied by my husband's great-grandmother, the celebrated Lady Mary Wortley Montague. There are some doubts as to the authenticity of the fact, but it is the best, largest, and oldest house in the place; and Mrs. H—— tells us, that the family to whom it had previously belonged had been in possession of it more than a hundred years, and that it had been always considered by them as the identical one in which Lady Mary Wortley had resided.

On landing at Therapia, we were informed by the Tyrolese hostess of the Golden Lion that Captain M——and Mr. B—— had been waiting some time to escort us, on seridgis (post-horses), to Belgrade, where they had been invited by Mrs. H——to

meet our party; and, to avoid being benighted, we must set off immediately.

The ride through the forest was very pretty, but quite of a character to be met with any day in France or Germany, or even in some parts of England. I could not help remarking, owing perhaps a little to the roughness of my monture, that our six miles were rather of the longest; but I was told that we had made a considerable circuit to see the Bendt, or modern aqueduct, a beautiful construction of the late sultan's for the better supply of Stamboul. On arriving at our rendezvous, rather cold and very hungry, we found, to our dismay, the house secured against our entrance by a most substantial padlock, and that its proprietress was already on her way back to her winter house at Pera, which it was necessary for her to reach before nightfall; so that our anticipations of a little luncheon and a great deal of welcome were cruelly disappointed.

We were the more annoyed, as we could only guess at the cause of Mrs. H——'s absence, and that of the gentlemen of our party; for the person entrusted with Mrs. H——'s message of explanation did not make his appearance.

Captain M——proposed that we should try our fortunes at a neighbouring campagne, belonging to another English merchant, which also proved deserted by all but the gardener, who hospitably presented us with a glass of cold water.

Belgrade is completely a Greek colony, and is not remarkable for much natural beauty; we learnt, however, from some of its inhabitants, of whom Captain M—— made inquiries, that our Lord——and our master had been seen taking the short road to Therapia.

Near a kind of fountain, not far removed from Lady Mary Wortley's house, were a group of very handsome Greeks dancing the

romaika to the accompaniment of a drum and pipe; and the presence of several gilt, and otherwise prettily ornamented, arabas containing ladies, evidently on a junket, gave a very lively effect to the scene.

A little further on, we came to the village of Baghtche-kem, I think it was pronounced, where a little inn presented such an attraction, that we stopped and refreshed ourselves with some excellent coffee. The place, we were told, had been nearly depopulated two years ago by the plague; and the sickly looks of its inhabitants strongly confirmed the account we received of its malaria.

A very pretty girl, standing at one of the doors in her holiday dress, was indeed an exception; but the vividness of her complexion was so very striking, that we uncharitably ascribed the tricoloured combination of red, white, and very black eyebrows to the assistance of art, in which both the Greek and Turkish women are great proficients.

Still her features were sufficiently good to establish for her a very just claim to a perfectly Greek profile.

Our next object of interest was a magnificent kind of plane-tree near Buyakdire; for this seems the general way of speaking of it, as they consider it only one tree, though it has several trunks, which are very distant from each other, and is called, I believe, by the Turks “The Seven Sisters;” and is celebrated as being the tree under whose shade Godefroi de Bouillon pitched his tent, and Peter the Hermit roused the enthusiasm of the first Crusaders. But apart from such historically interesting associations, the tree itself is of most singular beauty.

From this point Captain M——pointed out to us his ship, the “Carysfoot,” which is now lying off Therapia in attendance on the ambassador. By this time it was nearly dark; and the narrow horsepath leading

from Buyakdire to Therapia was so slippery, and so immediately over the water's edge, that I believe we had rather dangerously shortened the road to the hotel, where we made a hasty toilette for our ambassador's dinner.

I had much agreeable conversation with my neighbours Lord P——and Mr. S——. The latter had been for some time a traveller over Turkey, and shewed great intelligence and observation. From his name and connexions, one would be led at once to decide on his religious faith; but my endeavours to make out whether he was Jew or Gentile were quite baffled, as he quoted, with equal knowledge, texts from the New and Old Testaments, and did not hesitate to speak on points both of Jewish and Christian doctrine.

I wished to convince myself that he had become a mis-humid from Judaism, as the example of so intelligent a nephew might

tell on his family, whose importance is so generally acknowledged.

After dinner, Lady P——shewed us some beautiful embroidery of Turkish manufacture, in which she employed many of the poorer class at Therapia; and by disposing of it for their immediate benefit, secured them from the extortions of the sellers at Stamboul.

The subject of the late proclamation or hatti scheriff was this evening much canvassed. It begins by an acknowledgment of the errors of Abdul Medjid's immediate ancestors, which had brought the country to its present state of humiliation, and even to the very brink of ruin. Its articles guarantee equal protection to the lives and properties of all classes of the Sultan's subjects, establish a new method of levying imposts and taxes, as also a more just method of recruiting the army.

All ranks of people are to be enabled to hold private property; and a high court of justice will be established, composed of an assemblage of the nobles of the empire, whenever the Sultan shall judge it convenient.

The old Turks have fully made up their minds, in the four days which had intervened since the promulgation of the decree, that it is a dangerous and impolitic innovation; the young are all anxiety to see it carried into execution; but it is imagined that all will end in mere words, leading to no practical effect, but perhaps that of rendering Mehemet Ali's army discontented.

Lord P——appears very sanguine as to the ultimate success of this measure, and seems alone to believe in the possibility of the regeneration of the Turkish empire.

He assured us the Turks were both able and willing to learn; that their army is again getting into order; and that they will

be capable of their own defence; in short, that this hatti scheriff will call forth public spirit, and form new men; that England could settle the Eastern question, if she thought fit, in two months; that neither France nor Russia would oppose her, they being bound by treaties to preserve the Turkish empire intact; and that the best plan would be to send a squadron or two to the coast of Syria, with a supply of arms, and a few marines to assist; and that Ibrahim Pacha, having then his communication and resources cut off by sea, would be forced to retreat with his whole army. That Syria would rise in arms against him, from the detestation in which Mahomet Ali and his oppressive government are held, which is chiefly caused by the conscription, and the army having been two years in arrears of pay and clothing.

Lord P—— seemed to think that the powers who had agreed to preserve the integrity

of the Ottoman empire, can never permit so considerable a province as Syria to be detached from it; nor could they, on the principle of legitimacy, sanction the scheme that Arabia, whose land gave the title to the Caliphat, should belong to any other than the Sultan, the descendant of the Prophet, but that Egypt would probably be left to Mehemet Ali. Lord P——seems to take the deepest interest in the welfare of this unhappy country.

To us, the population of Constantinople appears to be an abject, ignorant, indolent race—difficult, if not impossible, to be revived from its present state of decrepitude; the people accustomed to depend on Providence, without any exertions on their own part; unwilling to obey their governors, and not sufficiently imbued with the necessity of enlightening themselves, so as to keep up with the other nations of Europe

in the march of civilization; and as they believe that the day is at hand when fate has predicted their return to Asia, they seem to be awaiting this crisis with folded arms, and without either the power or the disposition to help themselves.

Lady P——is at present employed in learning Persian, not being satisfied with encountering the difficulties of the Turkish language, which, to acquire to any real extent, is a task of immense labour.

A Mr. C——ch, a very intelligent young Englishman, who has resided for some years at Pera as chancellor to our consulate, and is said to have a perfect knowledge of Turkish, told us that his master had brought him a copy-book in which he was to insert the several voluminous alphabets, the study of which the teacher calculated would occupy him some three years.

The language is divided into many branches, each of which has a cypher peculiar

to itself. Thus one is used in common parlance; another, I suppose, of a sacred character, used in recording the memorials of their dead; another kind still is reserved for the sultan, and for state occasions, or the uses of law.

Mr. C—— describes the study as very interesting, and the language as rich and forcible to the greatest degree; and assured us that the best translations of the Koran and other works quite failed in giving an adequate notion of their several beauties.

I was cruel enough to take advantage of my horse having been hired by the day, to make use of it again in the evening to transport Minney and myself to our hotel quarters, where we resolved to remain a few days in order to profit by the agrémens and society of the embassy.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH.

—An incessantly rainy day, which precluded the possibility of undertaking any expedition, gave

us full leisure for making up the arrears of our various journals, nor did we find it a disagreeable change from the constant state of activity in which we had lately lived.

We received a good many visits from members of the embassy, at least I hope the billiard table adjoining our apartment was not the real attraction.

The situation of Therapia is lovely, and the view from our windows very animated, from the number of kachankees (pleasure-boats, chiefly used by Harem ladies) and caiques passing and repassing. This quarter, however, is very much exposed to the wind and sun, and one could not hear, without much sympathy, the account of Lord and Lady C——n's anxious sufferings,. when, during their residence here in the very heat of the season, their eldest son lay between life and death in a twenty-one days' fever.

From all I can gather, this climate is very

prejudicial to European children; how much we rejoice at having, at the last moment, determined only to bring our more elderly Minney. We dined with the Secretary of Embassy, Mr. B——d, who has a ménage very comfortably monté. Mrs. B——d was a great invalid, having been a sufferer from the same species of early autumnal fever as that which attacked young Lord P——r.

We met at dinner the newly-appointed French Minister, M. de P——, a most good-humoured, lively, and agreeable person, who abounded in very amusing American anecdote, in which he was ably seconded by our host, whose colleague he had been during his mission at Washington.

It is worth while to suffer the discomfort of our Pera lodging and living, to be able so fully to appreciate the return to comfort which our Therapia diners priés afforded.

The night proved very rainy, and as neither horses, clogs, nor servant were

forthcoming, we reached our hotel in high dudgeon, where we found Giovanni, who with great nonchalance explained that it was only at Pera, where he was hired, that we could expect him to perform regular service, and that it would suit neither his health nor habits to be out in the night air, to which hardship we must recollect he could not be subject at Pera, where no opportunity was afforded Madame for going into society.

This cool impertinence was the more provoking, from being in many points unanswerable, and from our knowing the difficulty we should have in procuring a substitute for him. However, George immediately dispensed with Giovanni's further services either in or out of Pera, and at least we reaped the advantage of being warmed by this ridiculous discussion, in which we all took a lively part.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH.

—The day, too stormy to allow of Capt. M——'s sending

his boat for us to attend the church service on board the Carysfort. It is quite impossible to guess how the inhabitants of Therapia contrive to get through the winter unfrozen, for never did I feel such piercing, or sustain such unrelieved cold, and we are told it has not yet reached its winter climax.

Riding to dinner in an evening dress, in pouring rain, and on a slippery pavement, without any bad consequences following, proves how really uncalled for are half the luxuries which we are apt to consider as le strict necessaire.

CHAPTER XIV.

A Turkish execution, and Turkish justice—Fatality— Character of the Turks—Rechid Pacha's harem— Expedition to the Giant's Mountain—Magnificent view—The Giant's Grave — An attack of fever —Garden of the French Embassy—English newspapers.

CAPTAIN M—— dined at the Palace. From his lengthened residence in Turkey, or rather cruise in these parts, he had obtained great insight into Turkish habits and customs. He gave us a curious account of an execution which he had lately witnessed of a Turkish woman and her Greek inamorato.

The evidence against them was so little conclusive, that the judge had attempted to save the supposed culprits, till he was assured by the Turk of a husband that he would take justice into his own hands, if he failed in obtaining it otherwise.

The unfortunate pair, therefore, were condemned, and hung, side by side, to a beam in front of a warehouse in the bazaar, selected from its being known to belong to a wealthy merchant. The object of this choice is the petition that naturally ensues for liberty to remove so dreadful a nuisance, and perhaps a bribe of 100 piastres (1l. of our money) is offered for this purpose. A larger sum is demanded; and matters not being brought to a conclusion, it is deferred till the morrow.

The next day finds circumstances aggravated; a larger sum is proposed, and a still larger required; and the bidding goes on increasing till perhaps the fifth or sixth day,

when the visitation becomes so intolerable to the rich man and his neighbours, who are already suffering from the desertion of their customers, that they make common cause, and the affair is concluded by the payment of what is in fact an absolute fine of, perhaps, 20,000 piastres. How extraordinary that such a government can be not merely tolerated, but apparently respected!

Nor is, I fancy, the doctrine of fatality as much lessened among the Mussulmen as it is generally reported to be; and though no stranger could, I think, visit Constantinople, and not be impressed with the opinion that the Turks no longer feel the jealousy of foreigners, which has hitherto distinguished them, yet this does not arise from their progress in civilization, nor from the gradual extinction of their prejudices, but from mere apathy, springing in a great measure from the notion so prevalent among

them, that it is their kismet (destiny) to be encroached on by Europeans.

The Sultan's having given up the power of inflicting instant death has, for the most part, violently shocked their feelings, and the property of Greeks and Armenians having also been made secure to them, these abrogations of their laws lead to the worst anticipations among the Turks for the future.

The Osmanlis have the character of being liberal, generous, and charitable, and old patriarchal customs still prevail among them which are highly interesting; for instance, as soon as the grapes are ripe and plucked, any poor man may break through the fence, and turn his cattle into the enclosure; and on the very next day after that appointed by the magistrates for gathering in the olive crops, people have the right of coming to glean up what may be left.

If a stranger should enter a Turkish

garden, even without leave asked, the proprietor would give him free permission to partake of its contents; should he take the same liberty with a Greek, he would probably meet with a very different reception. Their indifference to worldly ills and privations, and their contempt of death, are manifested on all occasions. A boatman would see his nearest comrade fall into the water without offering him the least assistance, though perhaps he would go so far as not to quit the spot till his fate was decided one way or the other.

Lady P——'s description of Rechid Pacha's harem, which was the only one she had ever seen, during her seven years residence in Turkey, seemed after a century's interval to be the very counterpart of Lady M. W. Montague's visit to the lovely Fatima at Adrianople, although the beauty of the present fair one was less characterised by extreme youth.

Her diamonds, Lady P—— said, were magnificent, though in less profusion than those in Sultan Amurath's time, and the beauty of three of Madame Rechid's little boys proved another point of resemblance to that of Fatima's young family.

Madame Rechid (I wish I knew her prettier name) was suffering at the time from the presence of the green-eyed monster, as Rechid Pacha was on the point of taking to himself a new and younger bride, and was about adding to her trousseau some of the pretty purchases he had made in his recent visit to England.

He appeared, however, on very tolerable terms with his older wife, and she told Mrs. B——-d, who had accompanied Lady P—— on her visit, with an air of most complete satisfaction, that her eldest son, whom his father had taken with him to London, had brought her a piece of English cloth for her ferigee (vest) of ceremony.

The coffee-cups and stands were described as being of exquisite gold filigree work, but they could not have vied with those which were used at the seraglio during last Sunday's ceremony, and which were composed of blue enamel, incrusted with little bouquets of diamonds!

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH.

—Just as the arrival of Captain M——'s boat was announced, which was to assist us in taking the first step of our expedition to the Giant's Mountain, George's chilly symptoms of the last twenty-four hours amounted to so decided a shivering fit, that, in spite of the fineness of the day, we discouraged his being of our party. We therefore proceeded without him in the pinnace of the Carysfort across the Bosphorus, and landed at the point of the Sultan's Valley, where an araba, yoked with white bullocks, which was in attendance, and which was furnished with a comfortable mattress, proved to be

a conveyance as easy as it was picturesque. The animals which drew it were, as usual, laden with talismans and amulets.

I think I never took a more enjoyable drive, the road lying through a most fertile valley, thickly studded with magnificent sycamores. The ascent of the Giant's Mountain is very gradual, and employs about an hour; and the hedge-rows, and, indeed, the whole of this portion of the mountain, were brightened by the varied colours of the heath, and the abundance of the arbutus trees in rich fruit, as well as displaying its early and delicately-tinted blossom, looking as if it had been cherished by spring and autumn, while it had escaped the withering influences of both summer and winter.

The view we gained by a sudden turn in our path was unexpectedly beautiful, though very different in character, revealing the gloomy countenance of the Black Sea, with a most picturesque old

Genoese castle placed at the very entrance of the Bosphorus. As we ascended further, the general prospect enlarged on us, but I thought it less striking than the first effect of that old castle, which appeared to be proudly guarding and overlooking the two seas.

The very beautiful turn of the Bosporus at this point is so remarkable, that I think no painter could imagine a more lovely combination of outline and colouring. Adjoining the little coffee-house where we remained to rest our araba cattle, they shewed us what might be described as either a long slip of garden or a cemetery, and which was pointed out as the Giant's Grave, or the bed of Hercules, upwards of fifty feet long

From the general appearance of the place, the Giant's Grave must have been of rather a modern date; it was clear he had been a great man; but further than this, no account could we gather of either his birth, parentage, or education.

On our réturn we found our invalid very uncomfortable and feverish, and his head, in some degree, affected; so that we lamented with good reason having left our doctor at Pera, on the very first occasion which had offered itself for profiting by his services.

All the descriptions of the first symptoms of the plague flashed across me, and every sinister image was conjured up in my mind during the time I felt the beatings of a most irregular pulse; but as I could not, of course, give expression to all my imaginings, I at once insisted on sending for the surgeon of the Carysfort, as our own doctor could not possibly be summoned to Therapia before five hours were elapsed.

Denino, our courier, therefore went off in a caique on this mission, and brought back with him the assistant surgeon of the Carysfort, a very obliging and intelligent young man, who decided upon the symptoms only presenting the appearance of

those attending on a chill, which we supposed George to have caught in the damp forest of Belgrade, where he sat down to superintend M. Chacaton's drawing of the apocryphal residence of Lady M. W. Montague.

Some James's Powders, of which, by the advice of some of our friends, who had been Eastern travellers, we had laid in a large supply, were then administered; and before night the fever was much diminished, and my plaguy suspicions entirely removed.

NOVEMBER 12TH, TUESDAY.

—The fever was quite gone down; and we lamented that our patient could not venture to profit by so fair though cold a day, to visit the very picturesque environs of Therapia. Our own doctor at length arrived, and approved of our English treatment, though he evidently considered it very severe.

We met with every sort of kind prévenance

from both embassy and legation; but we determined on dining upon the produce of their good cuisines at our own quarters. I walked with Mrs. B—— in the garden of the French embassy, which is so pretty in winter that in summer it must be quite a paradise. I next paid Lady P——a morning visit. The view from the drawing-room of her wooden palace, into which I was first ushered, was most riant and animated.

The aimable Polish General C——y, an attaché to Lord P——, received me, and indulged his taste for speaking English, by inquiring, “Whether the domestic had prevented the lady ambassadress of my presence?”

I left the palace laden with English newspapers to delight the heart of my invalid, with regard to whom our doctor prognosticates a return of fever for the morrow. One's great eagerness to receive the papers,

when at this distance from home, seems always followed by some disagreeable intelligence, which they are sure to convey, of people and things in England. In our packet of to-day, that of the Chartist disturbances greatly preponderates; but though the account appears quite awful in the papers, yet, strange to say, not a mention of them occurs in our private letters.

CHAPTER XV.

Second expedition to Buyakderé—Genoese castle— Ovid's tower—Wooden kiosks—Our new attendant— Assemblage of the Turkish beau monde— The young Sultan unprepossessing in appearance —Beautiful children—Count N ...—A Turkish funeral—An Armenian funeral.
NOVEMBER 13TH, WEDNESDAY.

—We were detained some time from setting out on a second expedition to Buyakderé, to look at another view of the entrance to the Euxine, by George being again attacked violently with fever, which confirms our doctor in his opinion of its being of an intermittent aguish character.

We at length set off in a boat belonging to the Carysfort, whose crew of well-appointed sailors afforded a great contrast to those of some Turkish and other frigates lying at anchor here. Our horses were in waiting at a summer palace belonging to M. B——, the Russian Ambassador.

The first part of our road lay through Brunck-deré, the Valley of Roses, represented by bare slippery rocks, which, had we been mounted on English horses, would have been anything but agreeable. The miserable pavements of all Turkish towns, however, accustom their horses to every kind of clambering, and they are universally sure-footed.

We soon after attained a position from which we had a new view of the old Genoese castle, which formed such a beautiful feature in our ride to the Giant's Mountain. To-day it was brightened by there being a good deal of sea, the waves of which broke

over the walls of the citadel in a very impetuous manner.

We passed a small isolated building, of which it would be difficult to describe the character or architecture. Its name alone, Ovid's Tower, made it interesting, and it is said to have been inhabited by the poet during the period of his long exile.

We returned through part of the forest of Belgrade, where we visited the two modern Brents, to each of which the sultan attached wooden kiosks, where he spent many of his long summer days. He built, at different times, upwards of fifty of these palace-kiosks in the environs of Constantinople, which has been attributed to the influence of a prophecy made to Mahmoud, that his good star should predominate so long as he continued to ornament his capital in this manner.

I found our ride very long, and as usual proposed restoring at a café in Baghtchekenï, or “the garden of the valley.” Minney

and I dined at Lord P——'s, leaving the doctor with his patient, or rather patients, as our landlady, a Tyrolese, claimed him for fellow-countryman, which, I believe, led to the discovery of innumerable ills, for the purpose of consultation and conversation.

She recommended her head-waiter as a remplaçant for Giovanni, telling us that his only drawback, as her servant, had been his possessing a roving disposition, which would suit our present habits better than her stationary ones.

Demetrius was a young Spartan, who had been to Petersburgh with I forget what great person, and to England for the coronation in Count Strogonoff's suite. In fact he had travelled a good deal, obtained good certificates, and a smattering of the languages of all the different nations he had visited; but, having spent his money, was desirous of following our fortunes for whatever remuneration we might choose to bestow on him

from time to time; and as his honesty and activity were vouched for by Frau Spilling, our bargain with Demetrius was soon concluded.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH.

—We profited by the day which intervened between the attacks of the ague, to leave Therapia at an early hour, for the purpose of removing our invalid to Pera. We heard, on our arrival, that this day was a sort of Mi Careme in the Rhamazan, and that the sultan had proceeded after mosque to what may be described as the Turkish Corso.

We set out under Lord A——y's escort, not knowing exactly where we should find the assemblage of Turkish beau monde, as we had no longer the advantage of our late Giovanni's instructions. As we were about to give up our imperial search in disappointment, and were threading the mazes of the bazaar, on our return we came suddenly upon the whole cortège in the place fronting the Seraskier's tower.

The sultan and his retinue appeared here to much greater advantage than they had done in going to mosque the Friday before; but the impression I then received of his absence of good looks was quite confirmed, for there was not even the beauté du Diable to redeem it.

The talikas and coochys were in great abundance, and contained smarter dressed ladies than we had as yet seen, for although clothed in their unvarying costume, the yashmac and ferigee, they contrived to display also their gay inner garment, which was in many cases richly adorned with diamonds and other jewellery.

I do not think that there was a carriage which did not contain children, and these of a character of loveliness superior to any I had ever seen before, and from brilliancy of complexion, luxuriance of hair, and brightness of eye, reminding me exceedingly of the style of beauty of the J——m family. Their mothers appear to lose these advantages

ABDHUL MEDJID.

Published by Henry Colburn, 13 Great Marlborough Street 1841.

while quite young, for their complexions were generally sallow, and hardly susceptible of improvement even from the rouge, which they apply in so unnatural a manner.

As we were admiring a particularly well-appointed equipage, a woman with her child while crossing the road was knocked down by it, and actually remained under the wheel without the slightest assistance being afforded her, the ladies in the carriage looking on with the greatest indifference, till Sir H. W——y, like a preux chevalier, rushed forward and lifted her up.

He described her hand to have been as pretty as her grasp was strong and convulsive, and her eyes to have been most brilliant. We were too far off to judge of the justice of this description, but quite near enough to be stunned by the screams of her little boy, which increased in proportion as the danger lessened.

The wheel had entirely crushed her slipper,

from which, however, she had had time to withdraw her foot uninjured, which told in my mind greatly in favour of the slip-shod system. The whole scene of the promenade was excessively lively and pretty, but we were told that a closer acquaintance with the individuals composing the throng would have revealed much impatience for the setting of the sun to terminate their long protracted fast—long, even at the present season of the year—and which in summer (when the Rhamazan happens to fall in that season) is almost unbearable, and to the labouring classes not unfrequently even fatal, though not the less strictly adhered to, since it is deemed a transgression even to partake of the refreshment afforded by a glass of water or a chiboque.

On getting home we found that quinine had not produced its usual good effect on our invalid, whose mal-aise was very much aggravated by the extreme cold of our apartment.

Count N——and Mr. S——I called upon us to-day. The brother of the former had lately been the hero of a very amusing story. In the official position which he occupied, he had been recently promoted both in fortune and honours, and was consequently very desirous to present the fashionable circle at Pera with a Comtesse N——. For this purpose he transported himself to Smyrna, where he considered that his opportunities of selection would be more numerous and extensive, and lost no time in offering his hand, heart, and new coat of arms to Mademoiselle Z——. She, however, declined these flattering proposals, softening her refusal by assuring him of her conviction, that almost any other signorina in Smyrna would gladly embrace such combined advantages.

This afforded the Count great consolation; and he requested the lady to make him out a list of what she considered the

most desirable Smyrniote partis, which she accordingly did, and followed up this act of kindness by undertaking to forward, by her own interest and her father's servant, any epistolary proposition which he might choose to make.

In consequence of this suggestion, he wrote five letters, the counterparts of each other, and entrusted them to the first Dame de ses pensées, to be forwarded as occasion might require, hoping that four of the number would prove waste paper. This might possibly have been the case had not an officious servant intervened, who, seeing the five letters lying on the divan, proceeded immediately to deliver them at their several destinations.

The fatal consequences that ensued may be imagined: the young ladies met, and having communicated to each other the contents of their several epistles, they agreed to consider the whole affair as an impertinent

mystification, and soon made the élite society of Smyrna too hot for poor Count A. N——'s further residence there; so that, disappointed and crest-fallen, he was fain to return by the very steamer that had brought him out on his matrimonial speculation.

The impossibility of our leaving Stamboul by to-morrow's packet, in consequence of its being the day on which the fever revisits our poor invalid, is a very tantalizing circumstance, as the simple change of air proves generally the best remedy for his disease, and every day's progress towards the south would materially improve our climate.

Mr. S—— gave us an account of a Turkish funeral which he had seen that morning, and which he said was conducted with the utmost rapidity, and with very little regard to the respect which we consider due to the dead; for, on finding that

the grave which they had dug was too short, acting on their usual system of expediency, instead of setting themselves to lengthen it, they actually cut off several inches from the end of the coffin, completely exposing the feet of the deceased, which only escaped mutilation by the body happening to be none of the longest.

We had also an account of an Armenian burial from Sir H. W——y. It was that of a child, whom he described as very beautiful and richly dressed, with flowers in its little hand; but to his surprise, after the service was performed, it was stripped of everything, save an inner vest, and placed in a wooden box, preparatory to being consigned to the earth.

The father, he said, appeared quite broken-hearted at this part of the ceremony. One cannot understand why so unnecessary a despoiling should be suffered at all.

CHAPTER XVI.

The Grand Seignior's favourite dwarf — The Grand Vizier—His excessive cruelty — Frequent use of torture — A Turkish repast — Spieler Lockner— Kosrow Pacha — “The last of the Turks” — The late Sultan Mahmoud—The government— Salaries of the Pachas—The revenue—Expenses of a Turkish nobleman—Fire at Pera—Officers of the Belle Poule.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH.

—Under the guidance of the Consul's celebrated Mustapha, Minney, Christine, and myself, went bazaaring at an early hour; but, while stopping at the counter of a silk merchant, and as I was concluding my most interesting purchases, I found myself and my horse nearly upset together by the push of a

Kavass, who was clearing the way for an important cavalcade, attending on no less a person than the very least of the Grand Seignior's subjects, his favourite dwarf. My first impression, on recovering my equilibrium, was, that a train as imposing as that which escorted the Sultan himself could only be in attendance on his younger brother, of whom he is said to be extremely fond. The dwarf looked about five years old in point of size, but with a shrivelled countenance. I pointed him out to Minney as a spoiled, sickly-looking child, dressed in uniform, with a pair of false moustaches on to amuse him; but I was well pleased, on Mustapha pointing out my mistake, with having an opportunity of beholding the sublime favourite.

I never saw a countenance in which haughtiness and arrogance more predominated than in that of this little being; and it was very amusing to see the tall Kavass

lifting him off his horse, apparently with his finger and thumb, as the imp's shopping caprices dictated his movements.

A little further on, we had the good luck to meet the Grand Vizier, Kosrow Pacha, who was accompanied by a retinue of about twenty people. He bowed to us as he passed, which was a rare exception to the usual absence of courtesy towards Europeans among the Mussulmen.

He is a fresh-coloured and healthy-looking old man, with a very intelligent, though unprepossessing expression of countenance, and very round shouldered, or bent, more likely, by the eighty years which have passed over him. He has been raised from the lowest class to the very highest honours, as so often happens here, having been originally a Georgian slave.

We heard of a late instance of his cruelty in the case of a young man who was brought before him by his master, a silversmith,

under suspicion of having purloined some valuable pearls. Kosrow condemned him to be put to the torture by the application of a hot iron to the head first, and then to the chest of the ill-fated youth; but this producing no confession, the barbarous vizier ordered that his head should be thrust into a sort of box filled with smoke, and there held during some seconds. The effect produced was so little short of suffocation that the poor wretch broke a blood vessel, and death ensued in less than twenty-four hours; soon after which, to make the case still more shocking, his innocence of the theft was clearly proved.

Torture is of daily occurrence, unless indeed the late proclamation for its abolishment has already begun to come into operation. Captain M—— saw a woman bastinadoed but a few weeks ago on the shoulders, which is more common now than its being inflicted on the feet, since they find

that it less impedes bodily labour in this than in the former way.

We reached home too late for my intended essay of a Turkish bath, preparatory to our Turkish repast, for the arrangement of which we had engaged the services of the best Armenian cook that was to be found. The result was highly successful, and, in European precedence, some of the dishes would have proved excellent; but beginning our dinner with puff-pastry, soup in the middle, and salt-fish for dessert, was rather a surprise to our digestive organs.

Capoma, a sort of blanc-mange, composed of the breasts of chicken, finely powdered and reduced to the most ethereal substance, with its rose-water sauce, was delicious; and Backlasan, which in England would have been described as an Irish stew, was very appétissant. Everything, too, looked exceedingly clean, and was served in the best possible order.

The far-famed Persian ragout, called the Spieler Lockner, or the Devil's Mouthful, was not forgotten; it was invented by Veh Bey Yatzee, and was composed of a fowl stuffed with capsicums, and boiled in arak. It might well supersede the original European devil in exciting thirst, and this the Turks attempt to quench with brandy, which they affect not to class with wine as forbidden.

Our doctor would not hear of our sending his patient more than specimens of our various plats, and these in homeopathic proportions, but George found them so good that he did not at all approve of this tantalizing system, particularly on this his unaguish day.

In the evening, we had much agreeable conversation; amongst other things it was remarked that there was scarcely a man of talent among the Turkish grandees, except Reschid, the reis effendi; and no marvel

either, since the great officers of state under the late sultan owed their elevation to their good looks, or to some other fancy of his, equally absurd. Slaves from Circassia and Georgia are elevated to the highest posts, and are sometimes placed in command of both army and navy.

Kosrow Pacha, the present prime minister, is said to be cunning, false, an intriguant, and but of moderate abilities. We were informed that the late sultan had been possessed of one real friend, the ablest man in the country, and who, being gifted with strong sense and great nobleness of character, to which he had added various attainments and accomplishments, had fortunately for the empire obtained a vast influence over the mind of his royal master. His name was Perteff Pacha. But the envious and wicked at length succeeded in ruining him in the estimation of the sultan, and he was first sent into exile at Adrianople, and there,

about three years ago, strangled by order of his sovereign.

Thus perished, in the hour of need, one whom we heard mentioned as “the last of the Turks;” a man who, had he lived, would probably, from the elevation of his views and his commanding talents, have done much towards the regeneration of his country.

Mahmoud, as is well known, had contracted the habit of indulging to excess in the use of strong liquors; and in fact the malady which carried him off was one naturally occasioned by his intemperance.

The conversation turned afterwards on the utter want of centralization in Turkey. The grand vizier is nominally at the head of affairs, but in reality all power emanates from the sultan; to him do the pachas, or governors of provinces, make their reports, and from him directly do they receive their orders, if ever they are troubled with such communications.

We were furnished also with some curious statistics relative to the newly-organized system of government. It seems that the sultan formerly inherited the property of all persons executed for any crime whatsoever. These rights were invariably sold to the pachas sent to govern the different provinces, and hence, in great measure, sprung that depopulation, visible in almost every part of the empire, and the assemblages of masses of people in the towns, resolved to avoid the oppressive sway of these delegated tyrants. But now, in pursuance of the intention of the late Hatti Scheriff, the sultan has allotted regular salaries to all his employés, to check, if possible, their rapacious plunderings.

Nine thousand a year has been fixed as the stipend of each pacha with three tails; the grand vizier has thirteen thousand; the sultan's brother-in-law, Halil, the seraskier, eleven thousand; Reschid, the reis effendi,

the same as a pacha; all to be punctually paid. It is said that the first example the sultan will make, will be the pacha of Smyrna, who, in a very few months after he had obtained his pachalic, had collected eighty thousand pounds.

The public revenue paid into the treasury amounts to about six millions sterling. The sultan's privy purse to a million and a half, out of which, however, he pays his guards. The whole population, in what remains of the Turkish dominions, amounts to from ten to eleven millions.

The expenses of a Turkish nobleman are immense; besides his harem and its contingent charges, he keeps perhaps sixty servants, and as many horses; and as neither he nor his wives take on them in the least the direction of their household affairs, the Ottoman noble is naturally plus mangé than those of most other countries.

Soon after we had retired to rest, I was

awakened from my first sleep by Christine's entrance, with a request that I would not be alarmed, which naturally produced in me a strong feeling of apprehension. She then proceeded to inform me that a dreadful fire was raging near us, and all Pera awake.

It was impossible not to congratulate oneself on the opportunity of seeing a fire, if one was to take place, and we hastily went up to the highest story the house we were in afforded, that we might obtain as complete a view as possible of the whole scene.

I could not refrain from having the doctor disturbed, and still less M. Chacaton, who would otherwise have slept through the whole bustle, as I was very anxious that he should endeavour to profit by the beautiful effect which was presented from the top of the house.

The fire was at least a mile distant, and threw the most brilliant light on a minaret

near, causing it to stand out most boldly from the dark blue background formed by the smoke. As the flames advanced in the opposite direction from the minaret, they reached by degrees the cypresses and sycamores, whose branches they burst through before the trunks fell.

Luckily the wind abated in about half an hour, and we could perceive that the adjoining mosque had escaped destruction, though, from the reflected light thrown on it, it had the appearance of being actually reddened by the intense heat.

There never was, I fancy, a greater approximation of the sublime to the ridiculous, than this incendie produced, when we, its spectators, (by the only light afforded us, that of the distant conflagration,) were first enabled to judge of the generally unbecoming state of negligé, which our various and hastily-donned costumes presented. We had the satisfaction of hearing that only sixty

houses were consumed,—a small number, when we consider that it is wooden houses we are speaking of,—and no lives lost. It is remarkable that among the very numerous fires which occur here, an accident affecting human life rarely occurs, as the Turks abandon their wooden houses, and look on with the greatest nonchalance, while their property is being consumed.

This fire was at Tophana, off which lay the Belle Poule, the officers of which, as the Prince de J——had distinguished himself greatly by having assisted in putting down a recent serious conflagration at Pera, thought the present a good opportunity for following his example, during his Royal Highness's absence at Trebizonde, and accordingly set about pulling down some small houses, which had, after a severe scorching, entirely escaped the fire.

This active proceeding so enraged the apathetic Turkish proprietors, that they

vowed by the beard of the prophet they would force the Francese infidels to build up again what they had so wantonly and unceremoniously pulled down.

CHAPTER XVII.

The Armenian Burying-ground—Letters from Home —Our invalid—Access of fever—Dr. M‘G ...., an English physician, at Constantinople, called in—The young Sultan's nurse—The plague not considered infectious.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH.

—Having visited the most interesting environs of Constantinople by boat and horse, we set out to walk to the Armenian burying-ground, the situation of which is lovely, and which contains a variety of interesting memorials.

One corner seems principally devoted to English monuments, among which the two most striking are those of Mrs. Arbuthnot and Mr. Morier. In this cemetery, one does

not meet, as in the Turkish ones, groups of persons, whose interest seems identified with the dead, but here the painful contrast presents itself of tombstones neglected and overgrown with moss, though originally more richly sculptured than those of the Turks.

There was, however, no absence of visitors to this cemetery, but they were almost universally Europeans, who, like ourselves, had chosen this spot as a pretty walk, or to gratify their idle curiosity in reading the monumental inscriptions.

We had given up all hopes of the courier's arrival, when we had the satisfaction to receive some letters which gave us most pleasant intelligence of all at home. They were, however, a month old, owing to the déour they had made in coming by Athens; but the Galignanis, which had taken a different route, were only half that age, and contained accounts of the deaths of the

Dukes of Argyle and Bedford, with the contradiction of that of Lord Brougham; but these were the only subjects of interest.

We found that George had suffered during our absence from very strong paroxysms of fever, attended with much delirium. When he was again himself, he was much amused by the account our doctor gave of the line it had taken, which was that of expressing the most indignant surprise at the sultan's not having called to make his personal inquiries, and afterwards arguing with the doctor, whom he asserted to be ignorant of the fact of Napoleon having married an Archduchess of Austria.

The doctor's nationality somewhat clashed with his science on this occasion, for he acknowledged that George's pertinacity in arguing upon it was so great, that he could not resist the wish of attempting to put him

right. However, his repeated fever-attacks seemed so little to lessen in violence, that I could not help wishing that Dr. M‘G—— should be consulted, feeling as I did the value of his twenty-five years' experience of the climate.

So extensive is his practice, that it was very late in the evening before he could find time to come to us, but he afforded us the satisfaction of entirely approving Dr. Bendiner's treatment, and of recommending its being persisted in.

Dr. M‘G——'s long residence in Turkey has not at all affected his English appearance, and by it he has been enabled to attain a knowledge of Turkish manners and customs, such as, I should think, no other European possesses; for which, indeed, he has great advantages, as he has constantly attended the principal harems, and was physician to the late and present sultans, though to the latter only while heir-apparent, for since

his accession to the throne, his Armenian nurse has been his doctress, who from that circumstance has become a very fashionable hakim.

She is described as very shrewd and intelligent, and is believed not to confine her advice to medical subjects, but to be sometimes the cause of great divisions on state affairs in the influential quarter of the Sultana Validi's apartment.

Dr. M‘G——also gave us some curious particulars about the plague. He had himself never taken it, but had no hesitation in touching any one whom he even knew to be infected.

The wives and near relations of natives commonly stay with the patient. Many of these do not take it at all; and many more conceal the fact of their being infected, lest they should lose the society of their acquaintance.

Dr. M‘G——had removed poor young

Mr. M——n into his bed at the last stage of the disorder, and took no other precaution than that of changing his clothes, and keeping aloof from society as much as was in his power, for a few days following his death.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Visit to the harem of Nourri Effendi—His daughter —Magnificent robe—His mother, Madame Nourri —Harem of Osman Bey—His three wives—Coffee in the harem — A dejeuné — A Turkish bath— Amusement of the ladies and slaves of the harem whilst examining the various parts of English-dress— Interesting child — Turkish hospitality — Increase of commerce in the Eastern Turkish provinces — The Sultan's copper-mines in Asia Minor.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH.

—Thanks to the pains taken by Mr. S—— and his interest with an Armenian banker, we got an invitation to visit Nourri Effendi's harem; and, taking with us Madame Roboli for an interpretress, we set off as early as ten, that

we might avoid finding the ladies suffering from their prolonged fast.

We were received by Sahid Bey, the son-in-law of Nourri Effendi, (now Chargé d'affaires at Paris,) and after being called on to admire his apartments, which were most incongruously fitted up with a mixture of bad English and French furniture, we were conducted by him to his harem.

In a room wholly unfurnished, save by a divan, stood, leaning against the wall, a very pretty girl, about thirteen years old, to whom he had been married six months. She was the daughter of Nourri Effendi, and was likely soon to make him a grandpapa.

Her dress was beautiful: a straw-coloured ferigee, a vest of pink satin, ornamented with black braid, the sleeves of which were tight almost to the wrist, but descended from thence most gracefully to the ground, giving one quite the idea of a pair of wings; these, when they are at work, they fold up

in the neatest manner possible, and then contrive to place them quite out of sight, in the other part of the sleeve.

Her trowsers were of white sarsenet, but so long as to impede her motions, and give her a very shuffling gait. She wore neither shoes nor stockings, and we occasionally caught a glimpse of a very pretty and white foot, though not remarkably small.

Upon our expressing admiration at her dress she became more at ease than at our first entrance; and, at Sahib's desire, went to fetch her costume de fête, which was a robe of lilac cashmere, most beautifully embroidered in gold, and at the same time so massively, that it was almost too heavy to hold in one's hand.

Our admiration of it was so grateful to Sahib, that he proposed my remaining a fortnight longer; in which time, he said, he would get one worked for me of the same pattern. I hope he meant en cadeau, as it

would else have been a politesse à peu de frais.

As we were to leave Stamboul the next day he did not detain us longer, but committed us to his little wife's care, whom he called Fitmah, and who conducted us to Nourri Effendi's establishment, which was in another part of the harem.

On entering a room, surrounded on three sides by a divan, we were delighted at the completely Oriental tableau that met our view. In one corner, comfortably tucked-up between two feather beds, which were placed on the divan, lay an old woman, indifferently clean in appearance, and with a very unpleasant expression of countenance. At her feet sat a contemporary, evidently the nurse of the family, whom we found to be a very leading character here, and gifted with no ordinary flow of conversation; altogether, she seemed the very counterpart of Juliet's nurse, and amused us not a little by her remarks.

I imagine she was a Christian slave, as she was embroidering, which is a recreation not permitted to the faithful during the rhamazan, but a pair of goggles shining underneath her turban gave her exactly the look of an elderly Turk.

On the other side, but sitting on the ground, was Madame Nourri, attended by a slave, who stood near her. Fitmah was evidently not her own daughter, and seemed to stand much in awe of her, which we did not wonder at, as she had an austere and forbidding look, and features which never could have been in any degree pretty, except indeed her eyes, which, like those of the rest of her countrywomen, were large and brilliant.

She took no part in the conversation, which, so far as it was translated to me, was very lively, consisting chiefly in messages from the venerable mother of Nourri Effendi to her son, on matters connected

with herself, her daughter-in-law, grand-daughter, &c. &c.

Upon my telling the old lady that I had heard of Nourri Effendi from our ambassadress at Paris, she became very fond of me, but his wife's affection did not increase in the same proportion, and so little pains did she take to do the honours of the house to her foreign guests, whose presence in the harem, as might be easily gathered from the curiosity and eager attentions of the rest, was not an every-day occurrence, that we set her down as perfectly maussade, but I was afterwards given to understand that she was enacting the part of a malheureuse de-laissée.

The room was oppressively hot, owing to a manghal (brazier), on which was perched a parrot, who seemed to enjoy the warmth beyond measure. He and a little sister of Fitmah reigned conjointly as the pets of the harem, but we were not able to profit much by his

sage remarks, which required an interpreter more profoundly skilled in Turkish than was Madame Roboli, although she was sufficiently mistress of the language for the purposes of ordinary conversation.

On taking our leave of the ladies, we found Sahib's brother, Osman Bey, (the Sultan's private secretary,) waiting outside, having come to invite us to see his harem also, an invitation which we were too happy to accept.

His house stood near Sultan Achmet's mosque, and had all the character of a Turkish grandee's residence. Attached to it was a balcony, from which the vine was still hanging in perfect freshness, but the effect of the whole, though much more picturesque, was yet less imposing, than that of Bey Sahib's palace, which, however, it far surpassed in its interior arrangement and style of decoration.

As Osman Bey, from some official engagement,

could not conduct us further in person, he committed us to a black slave, by whom we were introduced to the harem, which was fitted up with the same species of furniture as that we had just left, but contained many more inhabitants. Standing at the door were five slaves, of various hues—black, white, and copper-coloured; further in the room was an old lady and her sister, and near them, but sitting on mattresses spread on the floor, were three beautifully-dressed women, Osman Bey's wives.

The countenance of one of them was the most perfectly amiable I ever beheld: her eyes were really beaming with kindness and good nature, and she appeared to enjoy exceedingly the interest we took in the baby she was nursing, and the praises we bestowed on it. Her figure did not correspond with her features, being rather short and stumpy, but her complexion was most brilliant, and the texture of her skin like Lady F. E——'s,

which is the general character of that of the fair dames of the East, though they are much disfigured by a puffy look, which they derive from the careful exclusion of all fresh air from their harems when at home, and even when they have occasion to go abroad, from their being no less carefully protected from all the winds of heaven, by their eternal yashmacs. Their teeth also, though exquisitely shaped, have the lustre of their enamel deadened, partly perhaps from the same cause, which gives an unhealthy look to their countenances, and partly from their habit of continual smoking.

The beauty of the most magnificently dressed of the three ladies was in somewhat the same style as that of Lady F—y S——t, but the one whom we found the most conversable of all did not enjoy external advantages in the same degree with her companions.

They looked at my rings, bracelets, &c.

with great curiosity and amusement. The ring I had, with George the Fourth's picture, had passed at the last harem for my husband's, to save explanations; but I now answered an inquiry concerning it, by telling them that it was the picture of our late sultan.

This affected one of the elder ladies to such a degree that she burst into tears, which was accounted for by her family having owed everything to their late Sultan Mahmoud's generosity. I thought this little trait very creditable; it was such a proof of natural and spontaneous feeling, and her endeavours to disguise her emotion were quite touching.

There appeared to be more blindness than spectacles in the harem, as at least five persons had recourse while we were there to a pair of goggles, which this old lady kept, together with her watch, in the folds of her turban. All their turbans disappointed me;

instead of graceful folds, they consist of a fez at the back of the head, plaits of hair, mixed with muslin embroidered handkerchiefs, pinned up à capriccio round the face, and diamond aigrettes, rings, brooches, and pins stuck into these, without any regard to symmetry. They do not look so much amiss, perhaps, when you consider the general effect of their costume, but on one of our heads they would, assuredly, at Paris be thought to be in bad English taste.

The slaves now retired, and presently returned, bringing in sweetmeats and coffee, the partaking of which was a long ceremony, as each lady walked to the door, where the slaves were still stationed, and brought back one thing at a time, which they presented us, in a most unaffected, and, consequently, graceful manner.

A black slave held the coffee. The tray on which the silver cups were placed was covered with a sort of embroidered napkin,

of a blue ground, spangled with gold. It half took away the enjoyment of our coffee to think how tantalizing it must be to the rest of the party, to see us breaking a fast which they so rigorously kept.

After our repast was concluded, I thought it high time to retire, which they very strongly opposed, insisting on my assigning a reason. I pleaded our departure the next day, and a bath I had ordered at two o'clock; upon which, they insisted upon ordering their own private bath to be prepared for me, so that retreat was impossible.

On our way to the bathing-room, we found in one apartment an excellent dejeune laid out on a low table, consisting of at least a dozen small dishes, and a little silver clasp-knife, such as we use for fruit, laid beside each, to be European. The plats consisted of salt fish cut into small pieces, potted meats, various kinds of sweetmeat, and a melon of Cassobar, of so excellent a flavour,

that one can never think another worth eating after it. I think this must have been the forbidden fruit, and its colour is as attractive as its taste.

They brought us three very uncomfortable French chairs, which were so high, that it was with difficulty we could stoop to the table; however, we were getting on pretty well, when all at once the ladies who were waiting upon us, on a word from a black slave, flew off with a kind of screech, like a flock of birds, and disappeared behind a heavy brocaded curtain.

The entrance of Osman Bey, with our two European conductors, explained this manoeuvre. He had heard of the breakfast having been prepared, and now brought his two friends to partake of it, retiring himself almost immediately. The curtain did not wholly conceal its fair inmates, as every now and then we caught sight of a bright eye, or a naked foot, or perhaps a pretty hand was

thrust forward to display a diamond ring, while a sort of suppressed giggling was going on all the time.

As soon as they perceived we had finished our dejeune, we received a signal from a black slave to join them, which we accordingly did, and found that the bath was ready. Nothing could be cleaner or in better order than we found it, and it was conducted with much more general agrement than an English bath.

A sort of silken mantle was given me for a bathing, or rather steaming, dress, and I was rubbed with soft delightful soap by a white slave, the ladies amusing themselves by peeping at us through a window above. The towels were of silk, and beautifully embroidered. They seemed much put out by my declining to wash my hair, and took it down, chiefly, I fancy, to see if it were my own. They were much surprised at its being so long, as their own hair, though thick

and of beautiful quality, is of no great length, nor is it in the profusion of the Greeks.

A black slave was much amused at all the paraphernalia of my English dress, and seemed to be very much puzzled over the stays; the pins she handled very much as if she coveted them. Neither ladies nor slaves could master a hook and eye which was to be fastened, and at length, severally, gave up the puzzle with fits of laughter.

I then returned to the old lady, with whom Minney had remained, and I found they had carried on a busy conversation by mutual inquiries, and a free use, on Minney's part, of gezul and pechi to everything she tasted or saw .

A dear little child, about three years old, whose name was Adinia, they seemed never to grow tired of caressing, and so general were the attentions paid her by all three of the ladies, that I could not make out to which of them she was daughter. Her little

fez was covered with diamonds, and she did not at all like its being taken off to shew her pretty hair.

The tact and intelligence she possessed were quite extraordinary. Upon my giving her a little bracelet, at which she had been looking, she presently returned it with a very grave face, not supposing that I meant her to keep it. I gave it her back again, and, out of joke, one of the ladies took it away from her, on which she made a great uproar, but only regained it to return it me a second time.

On my explaining that it was not of gold, the old lady smiled, and pinned it on the child's fez, who seemed perfectly satisfied at the acquisition of the treasure. It shews at how early an age they must be taught to distinguish strangers; or, could such delicacy have been intuitive?

We at last took leave, but had the greatest difficulty in getting away, even after

having partaken of coffee a second time. They were very anxious for us to remain till after sunset, and dine with them; and had I not thought that our invalid might become uneasy at our six hours' absence, I should have been very much tempted to do so.

They begged us, at parting, to wave our handkerchiefs from the Vapore, which would pass under their windows, and the old lady made me promise to write to her from Inghilterra, when I reached home. She, poor soul, looked quite exhausted by her day's fasting, which at her age must be most trying; and no exception was made even in favour of the mamma, who was acting as nurse, though I had understood that this was generally the case.

So general was the feeling of hospitality, that even the slaves all tried to make us take away the fruit and sweetmeats. After many last words we departed, and reached

home at dusk in our araba, quite delighted at having seen Turkish domestic life to such advantage.

We went, in the evening, to take leave of Mrs. H——, and at her house made acquaintance with Captain W——r and his pretty wife. Captain W——r holds a distinguished appointment in the imperial arsenal. He was on board the Capitan Pacha's ship, and was in complete ignorance of the admiral's manoeuvre, until the fleet was safely moored at Alexandria. He gave the Turks the credit of great aptitude for learning, and of being capable of becoming smart and good sailors.

We also became acquainted with a well-informed Italian, who has long been residing in this country, where he has commercial relations. He told us that trade in the Black Sea was so greatly on the increase that goods to the amount of £1,300,000, of which the greater part were of British

manufacture, were conveyed during the last year to Trebizonde by the Austrian steamers alone, from whence they were dispersed into the interior of the Eastern Turkish provinces, Armenia, Persia, &c.

He also told us, that an English company had made an offer to the late sultan of lending him six millions on easy terms, if he would consent to place in their hands, as a security, his copper mines in Asia Minor, with power to open fresh veins. The sultan, however, declined entering into the compact, fearing lest if he should do so he might not remain much longer maitre chez lui.

These mines are of certain but unknown value, and are not half worked; they are situated near Koniah. The late sultan seems by all accounts to have laboured hard to cripple his empire; and, in its present state, from whence can new revenues be derived? Where is to be found a government capable of calling into existence new sources

of wealth, now that the old ones have been dried up, by the successive relinquishment of all those expedients which formerly filled the coffers of the imperial treasury?

The pachas are no longer able to purchase their pachalics, as of old; nor can they afford to make annual payments for them, for the people in the provinces either desert the soil entirely, or at least refuse to cultivate it, not having now even the slight security they formerly had under the old-established magistrates, and Dere Beys, whom Mahmoud removed, without replacing them by any of his own. By this act he lost the means also of assembling again that formidable body of cavalry, which had performed such feats of valour, and rendered such signal service to their sovereign. He lost Greece by the endeavour to wreak his vengeance on Ali Pacha of Jenina, and his jealousy of Mehemet Ali has led to his losing a powerful ally, and to the setting

up instead, a formidable pretender to his throne.

We had a few people at dinner, and what with the length and interest of our harem-visits, our leave-takings, and our last purchasings and payings, we were quite knocked up, and enjoy the prospects of leaving our uncomfortable lodgings and this chilly climate.

CHAPTER XIX.

The Sultan's state caique—Leave Constantinople by the Stamboul steamer—The harem of the Pacha of the Dardanelles—Our fellow-passengers—The Archbishop of Cyprus—Arrive off Smyrna—Apprehension of plague—The Dutch consul—The consul's wife—Re-embark—A Jew—Arrive off Cos—The French consular agent—Famous platane —The fountain of Hippocrates.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19th.

— After making our adieu, with regret, to Mr. C——t, whom we have less chance of seeing again in England than our obliging acquaintances, Mr. C——h, and Mr. S——1, we went to the seraglio-point to look at the sultan's state caique, a sight we had hitherto missed, as during the three Fridays which

we passed at Stamboul, he always rode to mosque.

I cannot imagine anything more beautiful than its effect must be on the water. It is seventy-seven feet long by only twelve broad, is rowed by twenty-six men, and has a sort of pavilion thrown over the part which he occupies, with red velvet curtains, richly trimmed with gold embroidery. The caique itself is white and gold, and on the prow is a gilt dolphin, on whose back is perched an eagle. It is described as looking like a golden snake on the waters, as it glides along with great rapidity, and by its side everything else must look coarse and clumsy.

From hence we went on board the Stamboul steamer, where we found the ladies' cabin completely occupied by the harem of the Pacha of the Dardanelles. We were immediately pressed to visit the fair Mahometans, and we found no less than four

ladies seated in each berth. Though their stay was only to be a day, their provisions and twelve selves completely filled the cabin, and the overpowering heat, and smell of melons, seemed to be quite unperceived by their party; they all looked happy and un-sea-sick, and the noise and bustle they made in landing, at five in the morning, was quite overwhelming.

On going upon deck, nothing could be more picturesque than the assemblage our fellow-passengers presented. Two very handsome Persian princes, cousins to those we had lately seen in England, were the most prominent personages; dervishes performing their devotions, priests of some other sect chaunting theirs, and a group of Jewish women similarly engaged, and with their high head-dresses and uncovered faces presenting a complete contrast to the closely-veiled Turkish women.

A French abbé, belonging to a Smyrna

seminary, was reciting his breviary, sitting next a fine specimen of patriarchal beauty in the person of the Archbishop of Cyprus, who had just received his appointment; and, after fourteen years' residence in Europe, where he had been a pensioner on the Greek fund, he was returning to Cyprus after eighteen years' expatriation. His fine white beard and general appearance was more reverential than his conversation; although past seventy he was cruelly lamenting his single state, as, after attaining the dignity of deacon in the Greek church marriage is not allowed.

He very seriously suggested to Minney and myself, after one good hour's acquaintance, that we should not extend our voyage beyond Cyprus, but pass the winter and keep house for him at his diocese of Larnaca, and that George should return for us, or rather to us, after parliament next year. The only part of this proposition, not perfectly

flattering, was, that George should leave him his Dover chair, as he said he should then be made so comfortable in my society. I was obliged to bring forward my four deserted children as my excuse for declining this proposition, for no other would be accepted.

The weather was perfectly beautiful, and we made a good day's progress, so as to arrive off Smyrna the next evening, where we found a portion of the French fleet in harbour, with two of our own vessels, the Powerful and the Ganges, Capt. Napier.

The effect of the shipping on a fine moonlight night, which completely illuminated the harbour, was lovely, and we were in the full enjoyment of the favourable change of climate effected by twenty-four hours' voyage, when Mr. Brant, our consul, came on board, and after a little interchange of civilities, he proceeded to tell us, as an agreeable communication, that a case of

plague had occurred at Smyrna, or rather, as he added, a strong suspicion; and that, in consequence, he, the French and Austrian consuls, had issued des patentes noires, and that a quarantine of twenty-one days would ensue at Alexandria, or at whatever port we touched, and this would be independent of the ultimate quarantine at Malta, and no pratique likely to be afforded at either Beyrout or Jaffa.

Our consternation at this blow to our Syrian, and indeed Egyptian, expedition, was indescribable. Lord A——y looked aghast, our French artiste in despair, and (as we translated Mr. Brant's information) appeared quite provoked at the philosophy with which our Consul bore our griefs. Poor George, from suffering still from his aguish attack, had some time before retired for the night, but he was roused for the purpose of taking his share of the disappointment, and we all separated in the lowest spirits, from

which Minney alone escaped; as she had been left in ignorance, to dream of our visit to Lebanon and Jerusalem.

NOVEMBER 21ST, 1839.

—Almost with the morning gun arrived our good friend Mr. Van Lenep, the Dutch Consul General, whose acquaintance we had made when we had touched at Smyrna a month before, and he afforded us the delightful information that the report of the plague case was so little established that he had afforded a clean bill of health to a Dutch vessel, and he felt convinced that the other consuls would be led to follow his example. This was immediately confirmed by our new captain, who commanded the Austrian steamer, the Seri Pervas, (Rapid Bird, in Persian,) who informed us he was in possession of a patente blanche.

We were so delighted at this intelligence that we could not regret the fright we had experienced; we landed, and profited in

every way by Mr. Van Lenep's hospitality; and used his well-appointed donkeys, together with the luxury of Mademoiselle Henriette's side-saddle, to take a ride as beautiful as the day itself.

We went first to the Stadium, which must have been quite as fine as the one at Athens, and which commands a view of the picturesque town, beautifully intermixed with cypresses and other graceful trees. We went a little further up the hill to see the old castle, and passed what evidently had been a Roman encampment. Underneath the castle was a very extensive Piscina of the same character as that at Baiae. We passed two Roman archways; through one we had a lovely view of the harbour, and through the other we counted fourteen mosques, and caught a glimpse of the caravan bridge, which is small but very picturesque; we only saw two camels cross

over it instead of the string usually met with going to Mecca.

We then went to pay Mrs. Moore, the consul's wife, at Beyrout, a visit, to glean information for our journey. She is a very pretty woman, like Lady Fitzharris. Her mother is an Armenian, and she has the beautifully Eastern heavy eye, with the prettiest accent possible. She volunteered accompanying us to the bazaar, where our purchases were not numerous, the shops being shut up by the hungry Mussulmen, in anticipation of sunset.

We dressed on board our new steamer, where we had the good luck of having the ladies' cabin to ourselves; and dined comfortably and agreeably at Mr. Van Lenep's whose family made us feel completely at home; and, owing to our having mutual connexions, I believe they really enjoyed our society. It was quite disagreeable to

come away with so little prospect of ever seeing these kind people again.

Before dinner we had been introduced to an American missionary; he has a very prepossessing manner and countenance, and told us when he had left Jerusalem, a fortnight ago, the rains had begun, and suspicions of plague were likely to lead to an interior quarantine. This is very discouraging, but at Beyrout we may hear better news.

NOVEMBER 22ND.

—We sailed at half-past nine in the morning—wind contrary. At six we dropped anchor at Tchesmee bay, celebrated for a battle between the Turks and Russians, in 1778. The south-wind made us all head-achy, but nothing worse, and our quiet anchorage allowed us to bring up the arrears of our various journals.

 NOVEMBER 23RD.

—The anniversary of ——was not a day productive of anecdote. Although we had been sailing

all night, the wind was so contrary we had not advanced more than three knots an hour, and for twelve hours we have anchored off Samos, in a snug little bay, surrounded by a small cluster of islands called Forni.

A Jew, who had sailed with us from Trieste to Athens, and with whom we had then had much religious controversy, confided, in a very mysterious manner, to Lord A——y and George, that he was a merchant, chiefly of sponges, in the Strand, and that his present expedition to Rhodes was connected with this merchandise. There was a little falling off from the sublime in this communication, for till now we had imagined him to be employed in some religious matter connected with his countrymen. However, his conversation was not the less interesting, and I found him very tolerant to the protestant Christians, and his conversation generally pleasing.

He gave me a book to read, on the Jewish interpretation of the Prophecies, that occupied some hours of my attention and interest. I did not know before to how great an extent the reign of their Messiah was expected to be of a temporal nature: their (or perhaps his) idea of the day of judgment was, that it would take place at the hour of death. He condemned the opinion of the Messiah's advent being at hand; as he said, all prophecy tended to prove that it was only when the Jews became worthy and purified from their dross and iniquity, that they could become an acceptable people in the Almighty's sight, and that this was far from being accomplished, and that their sins had been of so heinous a nature, that their punishments, severe as they had been, were very unequal to their deserts.

He looked at Minney's Pictorial Bible with great pleasure, and read passages in

the New Testament with respect, as containing so fine a moral code. I lent him Blunt's Elisha, which he expressed himself much pleased with, though he, of course, dissented from the connexion Blunt deduces from the subject with Christianity. He gave this little book to a Jewish rabbi on board, who praised it so highly that he pronounced it almost equal to an inspired work.*

NOVEMBER 24TH.

—After making but slow progress during the night, we arrived off Cos at mid-day. The island looked pretty and fertile, but not picturesque, and we debated whether we should land, when the consular agent came on board, a M. D'Avenant, a very civil Frenchman, who recommended our going to see a famous platane he believed to be 700 years old; * The same Jew was afterwards indirectly involved in the affair of the suspected murder of the children at Rhodes.

but it is reported that it was under its shade that Hippocrates assembled his disciples. Its trunk is enormous, and its principal branches so ponderous that they are supported by stone pillars, each forming a sort of crutch; its diameter is seventeen feet, and a little fountain of somewhat Moorish architecture gives the whole a very picturesque effect.

Mons. Chacaton came on shore to sketch it, and we ordered donkeys, to go and see the fountain of Hippocrates, so called from being built over some mineral waters he first discovered, and of so beneficial a nature that their reputation attracted many strangers. The climate is most charming and temperate, and the present Governor-Pacha, M. D'Avenant described as being very humane and unusually disinterested.

M. D'A. has been thirteen years without leaving the island, and the only events to vary his existence are the arrivals of the

steam-boats. He had a good stock of books. He dined on board with us, accompanied by his son, a boy of thirteen, who goes to Smyrna for his education, and is already in possession of four of the Eastern languages, in addition to Italian and English,—excellent étoffe for a future dragoman. Before we sailed, M. D'A. sent me a medal he had found, stamped in honour of Hippocrates, which will afford me an interesting souvenir of Stancho (formerly Cos).

CHAPTER XX.

Rhodes—Its architecture—The interior of the island— Persian prince—The Greek patriarch—Beyrout— Beyrout women—Singular head-dress—A fresh passenger—Reading at sea—English, French, and Austrian steamers.
NOVEMBER 25TH.

—On awakening, found ourselves off Rhodes; the appearance of which afforded quite a new character to that of the other islands; a beautiful white citadel, the fortifications looking as if they had just been completed, so little, in this climate, do three centuries affect the stone. We left the old port to our right, where the Colossus

is said to have stood. The highest tower at the entrance is of beautiful and graceful proportions, of stone, but with an entablature in marble, bearing the arms of the knights of Rhodes.

On landing we proceeded up the street, which is very perfect, and composed entirely of good houses, inhabited by the knights. The architecture is of the Gothic pointed arch, with a slight mixture of the Saxon, and affording some beautiful studies and effects for an architectural painter. M. Chacaton employed our few hours' stay with great zeal, in taking sketches of arches and windows, over which some very pretty and interesting escutcheons were inserted; of the latter, the Portuguese were in the best workmanship. Near what are now the barracks, and what was Maitre de 1'Isle-Adam, the governor's palace, was an entablature of the royal arms of England. Over the portcullis we remarked the escutcheon of the

arms of Amboise, representing a guardian angel, with the date of 1482.

A fortnight would not suffice for a zealous artist to draw the beautiful little objects that present themselves in this street alone; and I do not think any one of the modern travellers, but M. de Marcellus, has done the beauties of Rhodes justice.

The interior of the island, which we might have visited had we anticipated the slowness of our coal-embarking operations, is represented as perfectly lovely and a sort of Swiss scenery. Mrs. Wilkinson, whom we went to see, told us that the campagnes, in the summer, were all taken by visitors from Alexandria and Smyrna, who came for the benefit of the salubrious climate. To judge from to-day, November 25th, nothing could be more delightful.

Mrs. W. herself is a Smyrniote, with one of the most agreeable countenances, and high-bred natural manner, it was possible to conceive. She was surrounded by a very

large small family, the youngest only a fortnight old. She told us that they were in the winter nearly without society, and no physician of any kind in the place; so much so, that she vaccinated her own children, and was guided by an English medical work in her treatment of them. This system, assisted by the climate, has certainly succeeded; for I never saw a more prosperous family.

She told us that sickness was almost unknown, and that the cheapness of provisions made all classes á l'aise. Houses rented for one hundred piastres (one pound) a year! One really longed to buy a little estate, if only to furnish sweet lemons and oranges for one's desserts. We saw forty-five oranges sold for a piastre (two-pence farthing, English.) Mr. Wilkinson is brother to the consul at Syra, and, as far as we could judge from his speaking French, seems to possess his brother's gift for languages.

NOVEMBER 26TH.

—The contrary wind

entirely abated, and the little breeze was so favourable, that we made one hundred and sixty-seven knots during the twenty-four hours. For the first time during our voyage the awning could be put up, and we passed the whole day on deck with an unclouded sky; and although, for my particular taste, the sun was too powerful, yet the soft westerly breeze prevented our feeling the oppression of the preceding day's sirocco.

Our poor patriarch of Cyprus was under our doctor's care, and rather poorly; I believe partly from the regret of getting so nearly to the termination of his voyage. I suspect that at Cyprus there is no Greek national air of a “Ranz-des-Vaches” character.

Our party, in the evening, represented a maritime tower of Babel; our Persian Prince, Mirza Mahomet, (who is a living illustration of a beautiful young prince in the Arabian Nights,) attempted to enter into conversation with us, and to teach Minney

some Persian colloquial phrases. Lord A——y failed communicating with him in the Turkish he had picked up at Pera; the captain was equally unsuccessful in Greek; and at last our servant, Demetrius, proved the medium of communication in Arabic; when we learnt that he was on his road to Alexandria, to join his father and brother on their pilgrimage to Mecca. This duty once accomplished, he was bound to the West— i. e., to Paris and London; and, after that, to return and marry, and settle at Ispahan.

The passengers on board, sixty in number, spoke no less than ten different languages— Persian, Arabic, Turkish, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Spanish, German, English, French; and the individual on board most gifted in languages was Giovanni, the steward; who, probably, neither reads nor writes, but who was blessed with the greatest share of activity I ever beheld. Besides waiting perfectly on twelve at dinner, he removed

all the dishes like a conjuror; we counted eight decanters and four covers he carried off at a swoop, and without noise or apparent bustle. I believe he must have been pupil to the Escamoteur we heard so much of at Smyrna, and one longed to bribe him from his steam-boat service.

NOVEMBER 27TH.

—Before we made our appearance this morning the poor Greek patriarch had been carried off by his relations to Larnaca, and saved our adieux. We heard of his great unwillingness to leave the boat, which he clung to as his last inch of Europe. He had left his estate in trust to a friend, who had made away with his little property, so that towards seventy, the poor old man was returning to his native, but almost unknown country, only to find his sole surviving relations, nephews and nieces, whom he had left children; and evidently having embraced a profession to which his feelings were but little assimilated.

The day was very fine, but the aspect of the island offered no temptation to land, particularly as the climate was described as aguish. Set off at sunset towards Beyrout, but the wind rose and we made slow progress, and the motion made our usual soirée on deck impracticable. We were not very ill, and got into our berths as we could, and remained in them by dint of holding on, which was not very favourable to our night's rest.

We rejoiced when we arrived at Beyrout, on the 28th, where the sea was calm and favourable to our landing, and the situation of the town quite lovely. Two ruined castles, of the middle ages, were beautifully situated on the point of entrance, for it cannot be called a port, and the flat-roofed Syrian houses were of a perfectly different character to what we yet had seen. We were very civilly received by Mr. Moore, the consul, whose house is prettily fitted up; his sitting-room, in carved open-worked

BEYROUT.

London Pub by Henry Colburn 13, C Marlborough Street 1841

cedar panels, and the effect very pretty and Arabian. Mrs. Moore's little sitting-room, though rudely executed in painting and carving, would have afforded a very pretty and original model for an European boudoir; and the cedar, with which it was composed, retained still its agreeable perfume.

We obtained horses as soon as possible, as, notwithstanding our intention of visiting Beyrout in a few weeks, we wished to profit by the fine weather, to see as much as possible of the Lebanon, and also visit the grove of Stone Pines, which Monsieur de Lamartine so poetically describes, and which is only two miles from Beyrout. The absence of poetry in our compositions was, perhaps, the cause of our expectations being by no means realized.

The forest was very pretty, but the trees much too diminutive to produce any grandeur of effect; most of them barely afforded shade; and the sandy soil was so deep, our

kavasses were obliged to take off their babouches (slippers) to make any progress. Some of the huts would have afforded very pretty subjects for drawing; as we saw fruit piled up against the doors of many, and the inhabitants apparently awaiting the hour of sunset, that would, at this season of the Rhamazan, allow them to begin feasting on the grapes and water melons, which, with bread and rice, compose their usual bill of fare.

This division of the plain is pointed out as the scene where our St. George gained his victory over the dragon, and the adjoining coast disputes with Scanderoon the interest of being the spot where Jonah was swallowed by the whale.

The general and peculiar beauty of the Beyrout women, which so much impressed M. Lamartine, we unfortunately missed; as the very few uncovered faces we met with were particularly ill-favoured. The Turkish

yashmack is nothing compared to the absolute mask of the Syrian women; as they wear a black horse-ha which quite conceals their features.

The view we obtained of the general outline of the mountains of Lebanon, at the furthest point we reached, was very beautiful; the verdure and fertility were quite remarkable. The mountains stood out so boldly, that they were clearly defined to their very summits; and it pictured to one's imagination what must have been the first appearance of the promised land to the Israelites

We met several women of the Lebanon, distinguished by their peculiar costume of a silver or gilt horn, raised at least one foot and a half high, and placed most ingeniously on the head, on a sort of velvet cushion. Its chasing, value, and height, depend on the rank of the wearer; a veil hangs from its point, and only one eye is shewn, which has a very ugly effect; and some wear the

horn horizontally. On the whole the démarche of the Lebanon, women is much more graceful and erect than that of their neighbours; and their costume is evidently continued from the time they were commanded not “to exalt their horns, and be not stiff-necked,” for the purpose of repressing the pride and vanity that might be individually exercised in proving, by the height of this characteristic ornament, their superiority of station. Some other women wore what appeared like a splendidly gilt helmet. On examining some for sale, I found them not to be metal, but of massive gold embroidery.

There was great temptation at the bazaar in the shape of bernousses of the richest texture, and peculiar to the country, being such as are worn by the emirs amongst the young druses. The native merchants were inflexible against reducing their prices, and after our habits and successful bargaining

at Constantinople, we were not at all prepared for such sturdy resistance, though two of Mr. Moore's little boys seconded our efforts, with great perseverance, in both Turkish and Arabic.

The last report of the road, from Jaffa to Jerusalem, was so satisfactory, that we finally determined on our pilgrimage. We profited by Mr. Moore's hospitality, and escaped a dinner at sea, which I always think a matter of congratulation. We re-embarked at sunset, which was quite splendid, and gave to Beyrout, and its castellated approach, the most glowing and beautiful colouring.

We passed the whole evening on deck, and found we had a fresh passenger, in a young French merchant, who had been lately travelling through Syria, and who encourages us to believe we may return from Jerusalem, by Damascus and Balbec, to Beyrout; and thus secure seeing the whole line of this interesting country, as

well as our more certain passage to Alexandria, as our captain tells us he cannot positively undertake conveying us from Jaffa, as the north-west winds are prevalent at the end of December, and the roadstead of Jaffa becomes impracticable. And then what would become of us?

The only drawback to this agreeable plan is the necessary breaking up of our comfortable little society, as Lord A—y is bent on proceeding to Upper Egypt, for which this is the favourable season; and I really cannot hope to find myself on the next occasion in possession of the two ladies' cabins of the Seri Pervas, where we have all the advantages of a private yacht—space, cleanliness, attention, and an excellent library of several hundred volumes, including many classical and modern books of travels, and some of the best English novels, which last are nearly the only books I am capable of reading at sea.

This is the fourth Austrian steamer we

have been on board of, and it is impossible to pronounce which is the best appointed. The French and English steamers suffer terribly in comparison; the French are dreadful—nothing to be met with but insects and incivility.

CHAPTER XXI.

Jaffa—Our lodging—Napoleon and his alleged poisoning—Our caravan—Ascent of the mountains of Judea—Approach to Jerusalem—Influence of Russia through the Greek church—Our reception at the Latin convent—Visit to the Holy Sepulchre An eccentric Englishman—Converts—Traditions —Mehemet Ali.
NOVEMBER 29TH.

—Arrived at Jaffa, where the weather proved unusually favourable for our landing. We proceeded to engage mules and camels to make a first short day's journey of four hours to Ramla, (the ancient Arimathea.) We received great encouragement, with respect to our journey,

JAFFA

On stone by R.J. Hamerton. Printed by P. Martin, 26 Long Acre

London: Pubd by Henry Colburn, 13 Gt Marlborough St 1841

from a lady and her husband just arrived from Jerusalem.

After contending with our Arab drivers, who purposely, we believe, put all sorts of difficulties in our way, we were obliged to remain at Jaffa for twenty-four hours, and by good fortune obtained lodging in the Greek convent. Our consular agent, who is an old Arab, unacquainted with any European language, and his dragoman* only confusing the few words he possessed of several, could afford us no assistance beyond giving us his janissary, who proved a very useful and intelligent servant during our whole journey.

We found our lodging to consist of two large unglazed rooms, with one table, but no other atom of furniture. Our activity was now, for the first time, called forth. * This Arab had served as dragoman to Sir Sidney Smith, at Acre, (as Sir S. S. himself told us,) and also to Sir J. Duckworth, in 1807.

Minney and I worked like drudges, and with the help of our beds, arm-chairs, and table, performed wonders.

We found an unexpected interest, from the circumstance that our quarters proved those that Napoleon occupied, and that our rooms were actually those converted into the wards of an hospital, where so many of his unfortunate soldiers died from plague and poison; the latter, however, is apocryphal, although the idea prevailed much at the time; but there is no doubt that Napoleon proposed to the staff-surgeon, Desgenettes, to assuage by opium the sufferings of the dying men he was forced to abandon.

George became intimately acquainted with Desgenettes in the campaign of Russia, in 1812, when he had been made prisoner, and he denied the truth of the wish to poison, but acknowledged that he had himself refused administering the opium, as incompatible with conscientious medical

treatment. Although forty years had elapsed since the bodies of these unfortunate pestiférés were thrown into the well of the convent, I could not feel at my ease about the water used for our tea, till I ascertained it was taken from the spring.

The mildness of the weather prevented our suffering from the cold of unglazed apartments, and the comfort of not being exposed to be rolled out of one's berth, is so much gained in the scale of repose, although the splashing of the waves made one feel still at sea, without the tradition of this being the place whence Noah's ark first floated.

There are, however, two well-attested scriptural facts associated with Jaffa (formerly Joppa): the restoration of Dorcas to life by St. Peter, and that of his vision in the house of Simon the tanner, where he was found by Cornelius, the devout centurion of Csesarea, and made that eloquent

exposition of holy history, beginning, “Of a truth I perceive God is no respecter of persons.”

The excitement attending our first arrival in the Holy Land, with the anticipation of the share of difficulties our journey must naturally entail upon us, made me find it impossible to sleep; I could only fall into an agitated dream of Napoleon's pestiférés, with which my imagination again peopled the convent-hospital; and just as with daylight, I, like a child, began to feel less nervous and visionary, I heard the tone of Denino's preparations, and felt consoled by expecting a quieter gite at Ramla.

NOVEMBER 30TH.

—Our first day's start presented the usual difficulties of organization, and it was mid-day before we were fairly off, with six mules and nine camels rather heavily laden. It was quite distressing to hear the moaning tone of reproach assumed by one of the finest camels as it

ARIMATHEA

On stone by R.J. Hamerton. Printed by P. Martin, 26 Long Acre

London: Pubd by Henry Colburn, 13 Gt Marlborough St 1841

was laden. I believe it was one of an impatient spirit, as it had less than its neighbours to complain of.

Christine's first essay in equitation was not fortunate, as her mule dislodged her before we passed the Jaffa gate, and that of the doctor (also a novice) ran away with him, and his face of alarm and distress was quite indescribable. I was obliged to avoid any expression of condolence, lest I should betray the very risible propensities his appearance created. Our Arabic-Anglo consul accompanied us to Gas Ouf, the first village, and we arrived at sunset at the Greek convent of Ramla, of which the situation is lovely.

We passed through hedges of cactus in full fruit, which must have been at least eighteen feet high; the general vegetation was quite dazzling from its brilliancy, owing to some late showers. The perfectly Oriental character of the village and

scenery, from the flat terraced roof of our convent, was beautiful; the only trees intersecting the streets of the village (with a population of 3,000) were palms, and of as fine a description as that which always challenges one's admiration in the daily drive at Naples to the Strada Nuova.

We had an excellent dinner in the refectory of the convent, which appeared to contain no fraternity but the superior, a solitary pilgrim, a Sclavonian, who claimed our doctor as a countryman, though this consisted only in their having the same emperor, but no national language in common; Italian, therefore, proved their medium of communication. Our beds were excellent, and our sleep as deep as myriads of gnats would allow. Minney and I were quite frightened at the objects we presented to each other in the morning, from the swollen and inflamed state of our faces.

Our baggage camels had been got

under weigh at four in the morning, till which hour the Rhamazan encouraged their drivers to pass their time in eating, smoking, and disputing; but our mulish attendants knowing we did not intend setting out until seven, settled themselves to repose in such good earnest, that notwithstanding our creditable early rising, we could not get forward till after eight. We were accompanied by our Greek superior, ambling on a grey horse, armed cap-à-pie, whether from apprehension or from the vanity of displaying some handsome pistols and yataghans, we could not ascertain.

The restiveness of our mules again occurred, but the dismounted party varied, and my very tiny mule had the spirited impertinence to kick me off twice; and in George's last attempt at remounting me, his mule ran across the country, which was the signal for a general chase, and we lost at least an hour of our (to-day's) very precious

time in re-assembling our dispersed caravan.

The road for the first four hours was over plains skirted by hills, on which were a few Arab villages; the greater part of the land in cultivation, bearing grain, cotton, and sugar canes. We bought some of the latter from a poor woman, and their juice, though rather insipid, was refreshing, and had at least the charm of novelty to Min and myself.

We now began to ascend the mountains of Judea, which in fact are but hills, and very easily surmounted. We passed a steep and stony defile, through evergreen, oak, carruba, and olives, and after six hours' ride stopped to eat our luncheon at a fountain, the entrance of the Abou Gosh, (or robber's village,) so called from the famous robber who lived there, and who in Chateaubriand's time levied a regular tribute from all travellers. He was, after several

years of ineffectual attempts, captured by the present government, and is now in confinement at Jerusalem.

Our next object of interest was the brook from which David is said to have selected the five stones, when he went against Goliath. At this moment it was so dry that the spot had been chosen as a bivouac by some Arabs, who were sheltered by a picturesque and ruined arch. Just after passing it, we observed an Arab lying by the path, apparently asleep; the rein of his horse passed over his arm, and his hand shading his face, which betrayed one very bright eye open. He was evidently counting our number as we passed singly through our narrow and winding path.

We had still three hours' ride, the night shut in. Unluckily our road became more difficult of descent, and we appeared to make little or no progress; we passed

through the site of Emmaus, but could not distinguish it.

We now became very anxious to reach the hill overlooking the town, and fancied we saw a light, which only proved the rising of a bright star. We were lost in conjecture and disappointment, and for an hour I believe we did not exchange a syllable, when at last we thought we saw a wall crénéé, of comparatively modern construction. This was Jerusalem! which I expected to find surrounded only by ruins and desolation, so completely is its misery concealed on the Jaffa entrance of the city by high, handsome, and solid walls, raised by Solyman the Magnificent.

The gates are always closed at sunset, but our consul obtained permission to leave them unlocked for an hour later on our account; but as we did not appear within that hour, we had another to pass at the

gate, tired with our eleven hours' ride, cold and hungry, to await the governor's uncertain permission of entrance, which we found depended on its being ascertained that we were not Francesi (Franks); a Frenchman and his suite having lately had some personal quarrel with the governor, for which his countrymen are likely to be inconvenienced.

The influence of Russia, through the Greek church (the most numerous and powerful body of Christians here) is a great deal exercised on the Turkish government, and every opportunity is seized of oppressing the Latin church; and in this manner the French occasionally suffer, while, we few English escape by our Protestantism. Upon Mr. Young being sent for to prove our identity, we were cheered by seeing a lamp let down from the battlements, and hearing an English exhortation to patience

during the short time we had to remain till the keys were procured. In the meantime we were very much consoled by hearing that our baggage was safely deposited, and our supper prepared at the Latin convent, where our letter of introduction from the Vatican had made a great impression on the community.

We found comfortable glazed and whitewashed rooms, with our furniture and beds already placed: the monks' reception was as cheerful as it was hospitable. They were all Italians, and one who, with all the vivacity of a Neapolitan, inquired after the news of Europe, seemed a little surprised at our answer of “Niente;” at last we recollected the sultan's hatti scheriff, and the report at Smyrna of Mehemet Ali having shewn some symptom of willingness to treat with the Porte.

The monks appeared as well satisfied with our scanty information as our unready

Italian, the only language in which we could communicate. They would not dine with us, as during the season of Advent meat is not touched by the Roman-catholic clergy while residing in Palestine. They had been till within a short time in quarantine for seventeen months, but within the last two, no symptom of plague had shewn itself; and we find more and more difficulty in accounting for the panic with which our informant, Mr. Biggs, (the American Missionary,) had been seized, and had left Jerusalem at an hour's notice, lest he should be detained in quarantine. His account had almost deterred us from attempting our journey. The fatigue of the longest ride I ever took overcame with me the excitement attending our arrival in the Holy City, and I felt ashamed of acknowledging what a very good night's rest followed such an interesting event.

DECEMBER 2ND.

—Mr. and Mrs. Young

called upon us, and kindly offered to accompany us to the holy sepulchre. This spared our having a cicerone from the convent, who would have made us follow the usual routine in visiting the sacred spots; and, according to monkish legend, would have described to us even the site of Dives the rich man's house, in the parable. The court leading to the church is confined, but the effect very picturesque and striking, from the groups of pilgrims it contained, in every variety of costume, and presenting, as they did, the appearance of sincere and warm devotion; for in many their poverty was very apparent, as well as the sacrifice they must have made to provide their means of pilgrimage. Intermixed with these, were groups of sellers of rosaries and crucifixes, and a few sulky-looking Mahometans, trading in pipes and glass ornaments.

The exterior of the building of the holy sepulchre is that of the middle ages, and

EXTERIOR OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE

On stone by R.J. Hamerton. Printed by P. Martin, 26 Long Acre

London Pubd by Henry Colburn 13 Gt Marlborough St 1841.

of rather an uncertain character of architecture; nor has it, at its approach, suffered by the late fire of 1826, and is in the original state as left by the Empress Helena, which one would hardly expect to be thus preserved in the very heart of a Mahometan population. A ladder was placed against the church-door, and a priest mounting it, made his entrance through a small window above, for the purpose of procuring the key. Upon his descent we followed him into a sort of inner court, opening into various chapels of Greeks, Latins, Copts, Armenians, &c., &c. In the middle of this court a circle is described, railed round, which they point out as the centre of the world!

The first sacred spot shewn us was that of the stone on which our Saviour's body was anointed. A few yards further brought us to the holy sepulchre. The first portion is ornamented with richly gilt and silver lamps hanging from the ceiling: this

brings you to the narrow arched entrance, which you can only pass in a stooping position. The space itself is so confined, that two people only can kneel in it at the same time.

The original sepulchre, (at least the one the Empress Helena believed to be so) is covered with a slab of marble, perfectly polished and in some spots worn away by the lips and genuflections of the pilgrims. It is impossible not to feel impressed with feelings of piety and devotion at visiting ground which may be the sacred spot general belief has made it, although a tomb hewn out of a rock, at some little distance from the principal entrance, carries with it much stronger impressions of probability. This would contain at least three bodies, and one would imagine one of this extent more likely to be appropriated by Joseph of Arimathea for a family sepulchre, hewn as it is rudely out of the stone, than a mere

sarcophagus like the one shewn as the holy sepulchre, and only capable of containing one body.

Near this was a stone inclosed in marble, almost like a picture in a frame, said to be the one placed at the mouth of our Saviour's tomb, and on which the seal was set, of a coarse kind of porphyry. You are next shewn a small recess in the chapel, in which our Saviour is said to have been confined before the crucifixion, and the pillars to which he was bound during his flagellation; and next, the spot where he was nailed to the cross.

Through a glazed aperture a fissure in the rock is shewn, said to have been caused by the earthquake following the death of our Saviour. This really appears to have been produced by some convulsion of nature; but that it is Mount Calvary, all one's prior ideas conspire against the conviction.

All the objects above enumerated are crowded into a confined space, entirely roofed over, and divided off so as to allot one interesting spot to be included in the Armenian Chapel, another in the Latin, a third to the Greek church, a fourth to the Copts, and the centre of the world alone appearing general church property. These appropriations serve to confuse the very associations they are intended to define and sanctify.

The fact of Mount Calvary being without the walls of the city at the period of our Saviour's crucifixion, would be sufficient to invalidate the truth of all this circumstantial detail, were there not great probability of the ancient walls in this direction being considerably within the distance of what are now termed the old walls, which are decidedly of Roman construction, although it is evident that some of the larger stones employed are of a much earlier date,

and probably Jewish, if we may judge by the form of the stones, which are channelled, and quite distinct from Roman masonry.

These blocks are constantly met with when excavations of any depth take place. In digging lately for the foundation of the Protestant church, under twenty-seven feet of rubbish, arches were found in great preservation, composed of a considerable proportion of the beautifully-hewn stone believed to characterize the best period of Jewish architecture. The spot immediately identified with our Saviour's crucifixion is distinguished by three crosses, and representations (of the size of life) of our Lord and the two thieves.

We were shewn the spurs and sword of Godfroi de Bouillon in the vestry, which is adjoining the Latin convent, where the investiture of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre took place, and where M. de

Chateaubriand mentions having received that order.

After passing about two hours in the church, with mixed feelings of doubt and veneration, we followed the Via Dolorosa, where a ruined pillar is pointed out to you, with the supposed impression of a hand, caused by our Saviour supporting himself against it, when overcome with the weight of the cross, and where the monkish legend affirms St. Veronica presented him with the napkin that retained the impress of his features. We then crossed the street of tanners, a nuisance the Mahometans will not remove, as they consider the smell an infliction the Frank inhabitants deserve. This quarter communicates immediately with that of the Jews (Mount Zion); although within a few yards distance, no Jew dares to place his foot on this, to them, forbidden ground.

An eccentric Englishman, of the name of

Johnson, has, from motives of religious enthusiasm, taken up his abode for some years past in Jerusalem, with the avowed intention of dying in the Holy City. From living entirely alone, he is not particularly distinguished for his habits of neatness; he has, too, somewhat adopted the Jewish costume. In passing through this street some time ago, he was assailed by a shower of stones, from which he very narrowly escaped lapidation; he then took refuge in the house of Mr. Nicholaison, the English chaplain, which was at that time unoccupied; thither the mob penetrated, and with great difficulty he succeeded in making them understand he was a Christian.

A Greek priest, who was of the number present, handed him a Bible, that he might prove on his oath the truth of this statement, but was not satisfied without the further test of his kissing a painting of the Virgin Mary; and the Englishman was

compelled to lay aside whatever Protestant scruples he might have, in order to preserve his life. Mahometans, it should be observed, profess great respect to the Virgin, and class her with the sister and daughter of the prophet, as the three holy women.

Besides Mr. Johnson, there is a Miss Ovenden, a single lady, who has determined to spend her fortune, and pass the remainder of her days, at Jerusalem. She removed to Beyrout when the plague of 1838 occurred, but her return is shortly expected. These two persons are the only resident Protestants at Jerusalem, in addition to the English consul and chaplain; but it is believed that several of the Jews have in their hearts embraced our creed.

Some few (I believe only half a dozen) professed converts (Germans) attend the Hebrew Protestant service of Mr. Nicholaison, at seven in the morning, while the others are deterred from acknowledging

their conversion, through fear of the Jewish rabbins, who can deprive them of the society of their wives and children, and have also the power of causing their scanty allowance to be withdrawn from them. Consequently, for all means of existence they must be dependent on Christian charity. Their synagogues, in spite of their Mahometanmasters, are increasing, however, in number; and the richness of their dress, at the commemoration of certain festivals, contrasts singularly with their impoverished condition. Mr. Y. thinks, during his short residence at Jerusalem, he has observed great changes going forward, and an evident lessening of the superstitious prejudices of the Mahometans.

There is an impression among the Turks, that a secret treaty was made between the late Sultan Mahmoud and the Emperor Nicholas, that at Mehemet Ali's death, Palestine should, on the fulfilment of certain

conditions, be made over to Russia. Though it is not probable that the agreement was to so full an extent, there is no doubt of the constant encroachments of the Greek Church, which disputes inch by inch the Latin possessions.

Greek convents are on the increase, and in a Christian population of 6,500, there is the large proportion of 5,000 Greek residents in Jerusalem; and from 3 to 4,000 Russian pilgrims, annually visit the Holy City, and many of these are charged with valuable presents from the emperor, consisting of silver lamps, candelabras, and rich brocade, for the decoration of the altars. In the chapel of the Virgin, near the garden of Gethsemane, almost all the ornaments are furnished by the autocrat's munificence.

Without any direct attempt at conversion, the Greek clergy have infused some little education among the rising generation of Mahometans, and greatly through their

means has been propagated the notion that the Grand Duke Michael is the second Michael designed by certain Greek interpretations of the prophecies, as the person who is to wrest the sway of Syria from the Mahometans, and establish the Russian government on the ruins of the Turkish empire.

The conviction of the near approach of “le commencement de la fin” is so great, that a gate, called the Golden Gate, is walled up, and pointed out as the one through which the Christians are expected to enter when they re-conquer the Holy City; and the day of the week and the hour is considered to be that of their sabbath and hour of prayer. So much is this idea established, that on Fridays, from eleven to one, (as we reckon time,) all the gates of the city are closed for security against this surprise; and at all times that of Damascus is closed, that being the point of expected invasion.

The traditionary arguments to establish this belief, are ingeniously gathered from the Old Testament, as the sacred and patriarchal characters are equally received and admitted into the Mahometan creed.

It is singular that the animosity between Mahometans and Jews should be so much greater than between Jews and Christians, when they both alike dispute the divine nature of our Saviour, and look upon Abraham, Moses, and Elias, with equal feelings of reverence. The pilgrimage to Abraham's tomb of Macpelah at Hebron, is as strictly observed by the Mahometans as its approach is forbidden to the Jews; and the fact of Mehemet Ali having lately made an exception in favour of Sir Moses Montefiore caused great excitement, and I believe even bloodshed.

A seat excavated in the walls of Jerusalem, on the side looking down on the Valley of Judgment, or Jehoshaphat, is shewn as

the one on which our Saviour is to sit at the last day, when Mahomet is to judge the world Some reverse this, and assert, that Mahomet will occupy this seat in the character of our Saviour's assessor. Both Mussulmen and Jews unite in the impression that the Valley of Jehoshaphat will be the scene of the final judgment.

We did not hear from those competent to judge, that there was any preference felt for the anticipation of Russian domination; but the doctrine of fatality and their interpretations of prophecy, equally lead them to suppose that their hour of domination is fast approaching its close, and their wretched state of existence causes them no regret on the subject; for conscription tears them from their families, and deprives them of all means of agricultural pursuit. The few older men considered unfit for service are, through the exaction of constant levies, so impoverished, as to be positively in a starving condition.

Every check to commerce is experienced by the depreciation or crying up of the value of the coin which the governor, as he receives orders from the Pacha, proclaims in the market-place. This mistaken policy discouraging all speculations on the part of the Europeans, is thought to revert with still greater disadvantage to the general improvement and commercial interests of Mehemet Ali, in Syria; and that a crisis must be rapidly approaching, brought on by such a system of extortion and monopoly, cannot be doubted; and yet, at the same time, the Pacha has always been said to meet, with encouragement, the proposals Sir Moses Montefiore and other Englishmen have made him, with respect to grants of land, and consequent agricultural attempts of improvement, in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem. His government is just now making great efforts to strengthen and fortify St. Jean d'Acre, the ancient Ptolemais, and sixty pieces of cannon have been

lately placed on its works. Great stores too have been introduced by Solyman Pacha, (the French Colonel Selves,) who has just arrived from Damascus.

Last week, all the carpenters and smiths, together with other artizans, had been suddenly seized, chained, and marched off to Acre, and thus forced to leave their families to starve, and perhaps never allowed to return to them. The peasants are deserting the villages, and forming a corps of marauders, in the country between St. Jean d'Acre, Sidon, and Lebanon, where they are assisted by the Mituallis, in their depredations; and this makes us a little afraid of the feasibility of our journey to Beyrout, viâ Acre and Damascus.

CHAPTER XXII.

The Temple—The Mosque of Omar—Interesting view—Ophthalmia—One-eyed regiment—Tombs of Hezekiah, Nehemiah, and Zachariah—The Mount of Olives—Armenian chapel and convent —Garden of Gethsemane—Conversion of the Jews —Intolerant Jewish laws—The rabbis—Population of Jerusalem.
DECEMBER 3RD, 1839.

—As there is no cicerone at Jerusalem, except the Greek priest, who shews the church of the holy sepulchre, we should have been much at a loss in selecting the most interesting objects, if we had not been accompanied in our walks by Mr. and Mrs. Young

Our next walk was in the direction of the site of the Temple, which we first saw through the arched vista of a deserted bazaar. The end of this bazaar is crossed by a balustrade, that forms the limit beyond which no Christians can advance. A fortnight ago, however, an Englishman daringly ventured on this forbidden ground in Oriental costume, beads in hand, and entered the mosque, without exciting suspicion. A firman of the Pacha's was occasionally bestowed on a curious or distinguished traveller, but some late escapade attending Prince Puckler's visit, has now made the lock proof against even a golden key.

We obtained from the governor permission to approach the nearest point from his house, which looks immediately down upon the Temple, and were encouraged by one of his secretaries to climb up to the roof, which difficult undertaking we only achieved by stepping on decrepit stools, and by being

pulled up by mutual strength of arm. The beauty and interest of the view amply repay you for all your exertions.

The mosque of Omar, which is said to stand on what formed the centre of the temple, is of itself much more picturesque than any we had seen at Constantinople. A great variety and extent of building, apparently of the same period of construction, occupies the site of the second temple. Nothing I had yet seen struck me so much as this view, enhanced by its very interesting and scriptural associations.

A considerable portion of the pavement of the extensive court of the mosque, is that of the original, as is proved by the peculiar form distinguishing Jewish masonry; and in looking down upon it, one is impressed with the conviction, that these very stones may have been trodden by David, “Solomon in all his glory,” and their successors, to the time of our Saviour's presentation, and that,

MOSQUE OF OMAR. SCITE OF “THE TEMPLE OF JERUSALEM.
afterwards, Christ himself was here found, reasoning with the doctors, and hence expelled the money-changers, who had made it “a den of thieves;” and that one is here gazing on a spot which, from the time of its foundation to that of its final destruction, was the scene of every striking and important event connected with the Jewish and Christian dispensations.

There is something in the position so unique, that a feeling of awe and admiration would, I think, pervade the least enthusiastic mind; for this view embraces not only the site of the holy temple, but the Mount of Olives and the more distant range of the Mountains of Moab. The point on which we were standing was Mount Moriah. It was the site which the temple nearly occupied, and was that on which Abraham offered up Isaac. This latter fact is believed to have furnished the type of future sacrifice, and caused this mountain to be chosen

as the sacred spot for the erection of the temple of expiation and dedication.

We remained here till nearly sunset. The governor's permission was obtained to let Mons. Chacaton take a view from the terraced roof of his dilapidated residence, or palace as it was called. Our minds had been so much on the stretch in attempting to take in such a variety of interesting associations, that we returned home more tired with our few hours' walk than with eleven hours' ride from Ramla, and still dissatisfied with the comparative hardness of our feelings in not being still more deeply affected by the contemplation of objects of so sacred a character.

DECEMBER 4TH.

—After some difficulty in finding a horse that would allow a sidesaddle to be put on him, (for Syrian horses appear to share with their masters the impression of our inferiority in the scale of created beings,) we proceeded on our ride

by the Jaffa gate, leaving Mount Zion to our left. The valley lying on our right was that of Abomination; so designated, because there the Israelites offered up sacrifice to Baal. This valley joins the Garden of Kings, from thence again the Valley of Jehoshaphat extends to the village and pool of Siloam. Here we got off our horses, and tasted the pure waters of its source, to which many have still recourse in complaints of the eyes.

It is to be regretted that there are not other springs associated in their minds with healing power, as there is no doubt that most cases of ophthalmia are seriously increased, if not often caused, by want of cleanliness, which would remove the sharp minute particles of dust which cause constant inflammation. So general is ophthalmia, that you can hardly meet with a child that is not more or less affected by this disorder; and the general habits of the

young Arabs to deprive themselves of the sight of one eye to avoid the military conscription, deteriorates considerably from the general and characteristic beauty of the population.

To such an extent has this habit prevailed, that Mehemet Ali, unable to counteract this melancholy resource against enlistment, has raised regiments composed entirely of one-eyed soldiers; and these are generally selected as guards to the citadels.

To return to the Pool of Siloam:—Above this point, where the wall surrounding the west side of the temple terminates, considerable portions of the original materials of the temple are supposed to have been employed by Solyman the Magnificent in erecting the present wall. There is no point of view in which the temple could have presented itself in a more commanding position than from this valley, although all its approaches are fine; and here its position

on Mount Moriah is so clearly defined, that it appears the mountain must have been partially levelled at its summit, to furnish the extent of territory for so considerable a structure.

We next passed the tombs of Hezekiah, Nehemiah, and Zachariah. Of these tombs, some of the columns are in good preservation. Those of Hezekiah and Zachariah are sculptured in relief from the rock itself, out of which the tombs are hewn. At a stone's throw from thence is the temple of Absalom, a pretty little monument, but in too good condition for any one to feel well convinced that it is the identical one which Absalom reared for himself during his lifetime in the King's dale, although the distance and situation from the city agree with the position of the original building. That there are many still existing in a perfect state, of a date anterior to that of David, cannot be doubted.

We next arrived at the foot of the Mount of Olives, which is very gradual in its ascent, and from it we obtained a very clear view of the Dead Sea. The exhalation of its sulphureous vapour could even be distinguished at this distance, which was of twenty-seven miles, though the clearness of the atmosphere caused it not to appear more than three, and allowed our tracing the channel of the Jordan, as it runs into the Dead Sea, and thus enabled us also to distinguish the situation of Jericho. Bethany, although much nearer to us, was concealed by the adjoining mountain; and the village of Bethphage, in its neighbourhood, was just discernible.

We then entered a sort of chapel, enclosing the rock on which our Saviour is said to have been standing at the moment of his ascension. Its height and magnitude are inconsiderable, and the supposed print of our Saviour's foot is pointed out to you.

It is not accurately defined, but yet one feels it is the sort of impression that might have been made by a slight pressure on a soft substance, and that it has not an artificial character; and one is tempted to dwell with more conviction on the identity of this spot, than of those generally shewn to you.

Till within a few weeks, a chapel and small convent stood here, the latter belonging to the Armenians, and the former was considered as belonging in common to the Greeks and Latins; but from the general system of appropriation of the Greeks, the Latin community has been expelled. This lately caused a complaint from the Latin church, supported by the pious influence of the Queen of the French, and addressed to Mehemet Ali by the French government, which was favourably received; and an order was forwarded from Egypt to the governor of Jerusalem to expel immediately,

under forfeit of life, the Greeks from the occupation of the Chapel of the Ascension. This order was carried into execution the same night, and the conventual residence entirely destroyed in the most unjust manner, and its unfortunate inhabitants were left without shelter among the ruins of their private property. The shell of the chapel is preserved, but not a vestige of its altar and ornaments.

Unintentionally, however, the Mahometans, in their work of reform and destruction, have done this monument service, as the object of its erection now stands alone in primitive simplicity, and we entered the building without fee, key, or custode. One is only apprehensive that so free an admittance may lead to pious depredations on the part of the pilgrims, and cause pieces of the sacred stone to be broken off, as is the case with one near the tomb of the Virgin Mary, adjoining the garden of Gethsemane, which

the catholics believe to be the one on which the Virgin sat during our Lord's agony, and which they revere almost more than any other sacred object.

We now descended the Mount of Olives by the garden of Gethsemane, which contains eight olive trees of very large sizes. In the hollow of one, George, Minny, and two Arabs were able to stand. They are clearly of great age; and if the fact that Professor de Candolle told us at Geneva be correct, that the olive-tree has, with some others, the property of springing afresh from the original roots, it may reasonably be supposed that these eight venerable relics of antiquity may have sprung from the roots of the very olives that existed at the time of our Saviour, and subsequently shared the fate of all the trees, which Josephus records were levelled by Titus at the siege of the Holy City.

At the end of this field or garden is a low

rock, “a stone's throw” off, affording so distinctly the idea of being that on which our Saviour knelt, and prayed that the cup might pass from him, when he withdrew himself from his disciples, who could not watch that little hour; and the branches of the olive we gathered will afford us most interesting relics of a spot so sacred, and so undoubtedly that on which our Redeemer went through the ordeal of all human suffering for our sakes! We returned nearly the same road, passing by the brook of Hebron, which at this season was nearly dry. Our whole excursion was one of the greatest possible interest; we felt indeed that we had been treading on holy ground.

We returned Mr. and Mrs. Nicholaison's visit. Mr. N. is a German, who has resided thirteen years in Jerusalem, and was appointed by the Bishop of London, at the request of the Missionary Society for the Conversion of the Jews, as English chaplain

to the Protestant community. We passed an interesting hour in listening to their very simple and unaffected statement of facts connected with the old and new Jerusalem. As to the advance of proselytism, Mr. Nicholaison does not consider that more than five converts have been made during the last period of his residence (nine years) at Jerusalem, and these have occurred within the last three. Four rabbis are at present firmly persuaded of the truths of the gospel, but are not yet prepared for a public acknowledgment of their belief.

The oldest Jews resident here are the descendants of those expelled from Spain and Portugal during the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella. This class assume a superior right in the distribution of all grants and favours that appears tacitly acknowledged by the other Jews, and there is no sort of tyranny that is not exercised by this Spanish clique in the several communities principally

included in the four holy cities of Hebron, Sechem, Tiberias, and Jerusalem. About 2,500l. is raised in Europe for the support of the Jews in Jerusalem; the principal committee for the collection sit at Amsterdam, and the money is annually transmitted by some respectable Jewish agents.

Nothing can exceed the misery and desolation of the lower classes of Jews in the Holy City; they are entirely dependent on the Spanish Jews for their means of existence, and it is affirmed that this power is exercised to prevent Jews from frequenting the houses of the English missionaries, and those whose conversation might endanger their faith.

These elders assume a right to sell, as well as to grant the permission of allowing Christians to be buried in certain sacred spots, and this pretension is so rigidly and uncharitably followed up, that even the authority of the governor was resisted on a

late occasion, when a subscription was made among the Christians to obtain the decent burial of a poor woman whose children could not bear the expense. The affair advanced so far that the poor woman was to be buried according to the rites of her brethren, when the elders exacted one hundred piastres (1l.) more, from the family, to ensure that the body should not be placed in a grave apart from others of her persuasion.

But such is the prejudice of the Jews against Christian dust being allowed to lie near theirs, that within a twelvemonth a disgraceful instance occurred of their having, during the night, disinterred and removed the body of young Mr. N——, who had died at the Latin convent, from the spot that had been purchased from these very elders; and the body was consigned to a fresh grave, so little excavated that the discovery of this treacherous and disgusting

transaction was caused by observing some dogs (species of jackal) making their carnivorous repast on the spot.

The case respecting the poor woman came before Mr. Young, who, in his capacity of sole European consul at Jerusalem, has every species of litigation submitted to him, and his time is almost monopolized in arbitrating differences among the Jews themselves. Their divisions are interminable, and there appears an absence of every honest feeling, even the shame of admitting that such is the case.

Mr. Herschel, son of the principal rabbi in London, (and whom I knew formerly,) has lately arrived to pass the remainder of his days in the Holy Land. He affirms that had he been aware of the real condition of affairs in Jerusalem, he would not have taken so imprudent a step. So strict a police is kept upon those who are known to have European connexions, that it is well

known that agents are kept by the Spanish class to intercept their correspondence; and our consul and chaplain are constantly applied to for the object of forwarding letters to Europe, and allowing the answers to be put to their address.

Au bout du compte it is suspected that Russia has the advantage of the correspondence; as in our instance, and far from a solitary one, a packet of letters, directed to the care of Mr. Young, was, through some juggle at Jaffa, forwarded to Jerusalem by a common muleteer to the Greek convent, (with which we had had no communication,) and when, after a very inconvenient delay, the packet was forthcoming, it was opened, torn, and in a very dirty condition.

In addition to the general tyranny among the Jews, of the few over the many, they exercise the right of inheritance to all those whose parents or relations are living abroad. When the oppressed class have children

living in Jerusalem, they compound for twenty per cent.; which tax is rigorously exacted and punctually paid.

About fifteen years ago, a considerable influx of Jews took place at Jerusalem, from the announcement the rabbis had given, of the arrival of the Messiah. The next migration that occurred, was when the French invaded Algiers, and the profits and occupations of the Jews were there so completely destroyed, that they deserted the country in great numbers, and many came to Palestine. Thus they derived the advantages of arriving with French passports, and of finding themselves under the government of Mehemet Ali, free from the species of molestation and insecurity they had experienced during the Turkish dominion. Towards the support of these Jews, there had been a subscription raised on the coasts of Barbary and Italy.

The Jews chiefly come here for three

motives—to live in the land of their forefathers, to study their laws on the spot, and to be buried in the holy soil. They have the most gloomy and painful feelings respecting death. They suppose the body to suffer from the moment of the departure of the spirit, (which they believe at once wings its flight to Jerusalem,) till its re-union, which they imagine to be effected, in process of time, by the body working its way under-ground to the Holy Land, and that thus a species of purgatory must be undergone, for many years, under every circumstance, except by those who die in the Holy Land. To the Jews, death indeed appears arrayed in all its terrors. During the week following the loss of a member of their community, those nearest connected almost starve themselves, do not change their clothes, and, for forty days after touching a corpse, they are reckoned defiled.

Their preparations for the new year are very important, as even under, the circumstances

of dying in Palestine, they consider that the soul must undergo eleven months of purgatory before it can be admitted among the elect, however irreproachable the character of the deceased; and that during that period (which they allot for the flesh to be consumed) the body is in a state of suffering proportioned to its sins, and that even babes and unoffending young children are exposed to their share of expiation for the original transgression; and a species of metempsychosis generally pervades their belief.

As to their law, they have no one that calls upon them for the exercise of moral principle. The books of Moses are the ground-work of their laws; but there have been so many interpretations of them, as well as such an accumulation of oral laws, transmitted, and, after the final dispersion of the tribes (following the Babylonian captivity), committed to writing, that confusion of the worst kind has prevailed, and impregnated the mind of every Hebrew anxious to study

the Jewish law and faith. They support their arguments from the Talmud, which is not doctrinal, but consists of commentaries on the law, so crowded on each other, that the original text is at length completely obscured; even in the simple narrative of Abraham's sacrifice, the types are so multiplied, and considered as the representation of the thing figured, that in their exposition, it becomes a mere fable. Such is the sad distortion of scriptural facts, that their religion becomes a complete mysticism, and a mass of cabalistic lore.

The original Talmud may be said to be superseded by the Babylonian Talmud, the one now in use. They each consist of the Mishnah or traditional exposition of the law, and a Gemarah or commentary. The derivation of these terms I hope some day to have explained to me, by some good Hebrew friend and scholar. [Vide Appendix.]

A good many Jews have lately left Jerusalem,

who had, at great personal sacrifice, returned to the Holy Land, because this year has been blazoned forth as the one in which the great event of the restoration of the Jews might be confidently expected. This expectation is chiefly grounded on the fact of the computation of the Jewish year, which happens to be a round number, amounting, in their calculation, to about 5,600. It is believed that this conviction was so strong on the part of some Prussian and Polish Jews, that an application was made to the Emperor of Russia, signed by 30,000 of his Jewish subjects, for permission to migrate to the Holy Land, and facilities to reach it previous to the appearance of their Messiah; and so convinced were they of the accomplishment of their deliverance before the year 1843, A. D., that they offered to bind themselves to whatever conditions the Emperor would consent to exact, to return to Russia, and embrace the tenets of the Greek church, if, at the period
mentioned, their long-expected Messiah had not appeared.

The rabbis are now seeking to find plausible pretext to turn the attention of their people from the palpable failure of the anticipation, by ingenious subtleties. The argument I heard offered by an intelligent English Jew, on board our Austrian steam-boat from Beyrout, and with whom we had a good deal of conversation, was, that the accumulated sins of the Israelites made them, as yet, unworthy of their promised restoration, and that many years of expiation were still before them.

I have often since regretted that we did not inquire in what respect they considered themselves so deserving of continued punishment, for the share we consider due to them arises from their rejection of the Redeemer, and the precepts of his law, and this they can feel no cause for reproach, if, in the spirit of sincerity, they deny the truth of the Christian dispensation.

The most enthusiastic speculation as to the restoration of the Jews is, in the anticipation that the Turkish government cannot long continue the occupation of the country; that the Russians will take it; that anarchy will ensue, owing to the opposition of the inhabitants of Syria; that we shall be driven to war, and that the Protestants will eventually accomplish, by their example, and effect, through the promulgation of Scripture, the reconciliation of the Jews to their God, by their being thus brought to believe in his Son and Messenger; that the gospel will then have been preached (if not accepted) in all nations, the Millennium will be at hand, the instrument being the Protestants, and principally the English.

The reliance the Mahometans know they can place on British honour and good faith, is shewn upon all occasions; and there seems little doubt that the elevation of character conceded by common consent to the English wherever our countrymen have passed,

might, used with discretion, lead to our exercising an extended and beneficial sway over these suspicious and uncultivated people. Were this salutary influence once established, there is little doubt that those prospects of increasing population and agricultural prosperity, so sanguinely anticipated by a late writer in the “Quarterly Review,” might then be realized.

Since Sir M. Montefiore's application to the Pacha, several Europeans have sought interviews, with the same object, and, among them, an English clergyman, for the purpose of ascertaining whether he was willing to grant lands in Syria to such Jews as should be desirous and able to settle there. The Pacha's reply was, that he had no land to dispose of, but that he was willing to afford every facility for purchasing and hiring land; and if once established there, they should meet with every protection he could give them.

The fertility of that “land flowing with

milk and honey” is still to be found in those districts, where it was first described; and the valleys of Hebron, to this day, offer the most alluring prospects to the agriculturist, for there all kinds of grain and fruit are produced, with little labour and less skill.

A person, who had lately visited that neighbourhood at the vintage season, told us that he had never seen such luxuriance and abundance of grapes, and that the species itself was capable of restoring the flavour and quality of that wine so frequently alluded to in Scripture, but that the present occupation of the country by a Mussulman population, to whom the use of wine is forbidden, had completely fulfilled the prediction respecting the deterioration of the vine, that was to occur at the possession of the land by the Gentiles.

The average and actual population of Jerusalem is estimated at 15,000: 5000 Jews, 5000 Greeks, 700 Roman Catholics,

and 300 Armenians; the remainder Turks and Arabs. Mr. Young and Mr. Nicholaison do not agree as to the number of Jews living in the Holy Land. The former was ordered to make a census of them, and states the Jews to be 10,000, the latter 15,000 to 17,000; and this statement only includes the great cities of Jerusalem, Hebron, Tiberias, and Saphat. There are some few agriculturists among the Jews settled in Galilee; others since the government of Mehemet Ali have settled in Acre, Soor, and Sidon; there are 300 or 400 at Beyrout, and Mr. N. thinks from 5000 to 7000 in Damascus. In the latter place, Mahometan prejudices against the Christians have little decreased, and there was lately a representation made to Ibrahim Pacha, with respect to the encroachments of the unbelievers, who, not satisfied with the indulgence of being allowed to appear in European costume, also shewed themselves mounted
on horses, when their permitted monture had always been restricted to the humbler donkey; and a marked distinction was required between them and the infidel dogs. Ibraham Pacha is said to have gravely acquiesced in the justice of this demand, and recommended that this distinction should be effected by the true faith monopolizing the dromedary, as the more noble animal. Whether this advice was for the purpose of encouraging the race of dromedaries, or from the policy of conciliating the prejudices of the Damascenes without offending the Europeans, is a matter of doubt; but, probably, like most other motives, it was of a mixed character.

END OF VOL. I.

T. C. Savill, Printer, 107, St. Martin's Lane.

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