Six Weeks in Egypt. Fugitive sketches of Eastern travel, etc

Preface

. My first thought in publishing these " Fugitive Sketches " is to gratify those of my oldest friends whose wish it is that I should place before them some record of a tour undertaken in the early spring of 1891, when, accompanied by a young relative and her friend, I visited Egypt, Palestine and Syria, as far east as Baalbek. The return journey was occupied in coasting the Southern Shores of Asia Minor, while it also embraced visits to Athens, Smyrna, Ephesus and Constantinople. These pages are concerned with Egypt only, and of those who read them I would ask the indulgence due to a first attempt. I have, it is true, from time to time given lectures, by request, upon Egypt and Palestine, and it is in the kindly expressed appreciation of these minor efforts that I have found encouragement.

But even for those who are successful by word of mouth in producing photographs from the negatives in their own brain on the minds of others, it is quite another thing to do so tied by the grammar and logic of a written composition. The mere names of books already written upon Egypt would fill a volume, and were it not that during the last ten years a revolution had taken place, a " blood less revolution " in which the spade and the mattock played the principal part, little more would remain to be said. About 70 years ago Champollion, by deciphering the

PREFACE.

. IV hieroglyphics of Egypt, turned the key in the lock which first set free her literary and historical treasures. His efforts have been nobly seconded by a host of able men and women, who, while spending the best of their lives in exploration and excavation work, have been instru mental in spelling out for us the leaves of its most interesting chapters. They have interpreted the obelisks and pylons, measured the pyramids and temples, opened the sarcophagus, and unwrapped the papyrus, and, while engaged in unearthing the " foundation deposits " of the most wonderful structures in the world, have themselves laid foundations upon which are built theories that bid fair to subvert and shatter many pre-conceived ideas with regard to this wonderful land. It is probable that scarcely yet has the bearing of the true history of the Nile upon the civilization of the world been rightly apprehended.

Certain recent dis coveries, notably those at Tel-el-Amarna and Naukratis, appear to indicate that the Greeks learnt in Egypt the arts of sculpture and engraving, and there acquired the skill of the lapidary and cunning of the artificer in precious metals for which they were afterwards so greatly distinguished. While again, other researches would rather favour the theory that the ancestors of those known later as the Greeks, the ancient sea-rovers of the Mediterranean and Ægean, whose " seed was in all waters," found a home by the Nile at the very earliest historic period, and were themselves the parents instead of the inheritors of those arts and sciences for which this country was renowned ; as

PREFACE.

. V stated by Sir John Evans at the recent meeting of the British Association, in Nottingham, " Whereas we have been accustomed to believe that Egypt and Assyria had been the origin of the earliest arts, it might yet be found that these countries had been the recipients from Southern Europe." These and kindred subjects are of deep interest, and if, as has been conjectured, half of Egypt still remains underground, it will be some time before the last word has been spoken respecting them. Meanwhile, the land where Abraham sojourned, where he became " rich in cattle, in silver and gold ; " the adopted country of Jacob, in which Joseph attained to high honours, and married an Egyptian wife ; where also the Child-Christ spent his infancy and lisped his earliest words, must always be of supreme importance to the most Bible-reading people in the world.

For it seems as if the chosen of God, the people of His inheritance, have all along, down the ladder of the ages, been in intimate connection with Egypt, either sojourn ing there or called thence ; so inextricably does their history twine and intertwine with that of the land of the Nile. Even in these " last days " it is invested with a special and absorbing interest to Englishmen, for to this country has been entrusted the Protectorate of Egypt. The mantle of Joseph has descended upon Great Britain, and she is now, what Joseph was once, " Nourisher of the land of Egypt." If, for the passing moment, our good work on the Nile seems interrupted, if intrigue is rife, and the cry of enemies, both at home VI

PREFACE.

. and abroad, bids us " Scuttle out of Egypt," it must be remembered that this cannot be done without inflicting great injury upon that country and a recoil of danger and dishonour to ourselves. Egypt is within a few days sail of our shores, there is no undue risk or expense in visiting it, and the charms of novelty, bright climate, and much and varied interest fully repay the traveller. If the panacea prescribed for the tranquillity of that country be applied which is recommended by a patriotic Egyptian in a recent letter to the "Times" newspaper, it will naturally lead to increased intercourse between the two countries. Fully alive to the dangers of Turkish jealousy and the fanatical intrigues of Ulemas and Mohammedan priests, he desires " that every man in the service of the Government should be a true Englishman or a true Egyptian, from the chiefs of departments down to the humble policeman."

To this I think that every right minded Englishmen would willingly say Amen. Should this personal narrative of a few weeks spent in the land of the Pharaohs attract others thither, or result in an increased interest in the history, religion and traditions of that venerable country, it will not have been told in vain. The " Key of the Nile " has been placed by the Almighty in the hands of Britannia. In acknowledge ment of so great a gift, involving so grave a trust, it is not too much to ask that Englishmen should scan with watchful eyes events as they rise in Egypt, so that no careless act of unconsidered legislation may imperil the new relations which happily exists between the two countries for their mutual welfare and advantage.

PREFACE.

. VII To the Rev. C. H. Plummer, U.S., to Professor Flinders Petrie, M. Mariette, Mr. A. Milner and also to Colonel Sir Charles Wilson, R.E., Editor of " Picturesque Egypt," I owe my best thanks, and to the talents of that accomplished Egyptologist, the late Miss Edwards, I would pay a tribute of respectful admiration. Their works have animated these pages. I desire especially to thank Sir Bruce L. Burnside, late Chief Justice of Ceylon, for the kindly interest he has taken in my book from its inception to its publication. $ix Week^ ij^i EJqypt.

Chapter I

En Route for Egypt The date of our departure for the East was fixed for the 26th of January, 1891, and all arrangements made by Messrs. Gaze, who were sending an excellent Courier with us as far as Brindisi. Our trysting place was under the clock at the Charing Cross Railway Station, where, on the morning appointed, I met the two young ladies who were to be my cotnpagnons-de -voyage, and also Mr. K., the Courier who was to escort us. While he was engaged in looking after our luggage and se curing a good carriage, we were bidding good-bye to relatives who had kindly come to see us off. These partings are always a little sad, even if one undertakes such a journey in the best of health and good spirits ; but I had also a little special grief of my own, not yet confided to my young friends. I had lost my box !

Although Messrs. Gaze had already done their utmost to arrange that it should meet me at Cairo, I was not quite happy, and if the truth must be told, not a little mortified as well, that the " Faultless," as they had named the trunk only the day before, had gone astray, and that through my own carelessness. Happily all my worldly goods were not in this paragon. I remembered that I had made a judicious distribution of the mustard leaves, quinine and insect powder considered necessary by experienced advisers, and as I reflected that my supplementary portmanteau and " hold-all " contained everything needful for my wants until I reached Egypt, I became gradually soothed, and even complacent, as I found further, that by its absence the charge for excess of luggage to our party was reduced to a minimum.

This state of satisfaction lasted until I saw the box at Cairo, shabby and dilapidated, with the lock hopelessly estranged from its companion key. A pleasant run to Dover, a crossing as delightful as crossings ever are, and we soon found ourselves in the railway carriage at Calais, in which we were to spend the rest of the day and travel all night. Our rush for dinner at Tierne was somewhat unsuccessful, followed by a quiet time which we much needed after the excitement and fatigue of the journey, and one by one we dropped asleep. The banging of doors as the porters changed the hot tins, and their frequent demand for tickets, seemed hardly to have allowed us any real rest, before Mr. K. appeared to tell us that we must at once change trains. This unexpected announcement caused us a hasty toilet, a hurried pack of light luggage, and a flight in dressing-gowns across the platform ; which ended happily in our being " all right " for Lucerne.

Increasing cold and sundry patches of snow seen through the gloom confirmed our idea that we were not far from the Swiss mountains ; still, the lovely views of LUCERNE. 3 the Bernese Alps which the early dawn revealed, were a delightful surprise, and we were soon revelling in one of nature's grandest scenes. The pine trees fringing the serrated tops ofthe lower hills brought out in strong relief their weird fantastic shapes, while giant forms behind, clothed in purest white, glittered in the rising sun. Clusters of dark trees nestling in some dell or crevasse, added, now and again, new effects of beauty, and it was with regretful feelings that we were torn from all this, and put into an omnibus for the Schweitzerhof. True, the panorama of Lake Lucerne, encircled by its snow capped mountains, almost made amends for the loss.

Two Englishmen, of unusual stature, entered the omnibus at the same time, both so tall that we surmised that they were relatives, father and son perhaps, but any imaginings concerning them were cut short by our arrival at the hotel, where rooms had to be chosen, friends written to, and luncheon partaken of. It then became a question how were we to spend the afternoon ? Should we hire a sledge or go upon the lake? My companions M. and K. inclined to the sledge, but kindly gave way when they found that I wished to see the changes time had made at Vitznau, where I had not been since 1854, when there was no railway up the mountain. Our courier happening to have friends at Lucerne, we were very glad to spare him to visit them, after he had taken our tickets and brought our wraps on board the boat.

Englishwomen, no less than Englishmen, like freedom and adventure, and after having been cooped up for so many hours in a hot railway carriage, it was delightful to taste the keen fresh air of the mountains, tempered as it was by brilliant sunshine. Ofthe large party at the hotel, consisting of Americans and foreigners, none came on board the steamer except the two Englishmen whom we already knew as Sir B. B. and Mr. P. As K's cough became troublesome, Sir B. very kindly insisted upon sending for some lozenges of his from the hotel. The speed with which Mr. P. covered the distance between the boat and the hotel astonished us, until we learnt that he had won his " blue," and that the feats of " the long-legged Sahib ' were the admiration of the natives of Ceylon. It is not greatly the fashion for young men to put themselves out of the way for others now-a-days, so we doubly appreciated this little act of courtesy — if men did but know how fascinating this good-natured attention to the wants of others is, it would be more generally practised and I should, perhaps, not have to record an incident which happened in Spain, of which I was an unwilling spectator.

Two young Englishmen happened to be the first comers of a large party who had engaged a balcony overlooking the Hotel-de- Ville at San Sebastien, from a window of which the Queens of England and Spain were watching the national sports and dances of the Bearnais. The men wore our university ribbons on their hats, and would have been greatly astonished and angry if any one had suggested that they were not gentlemen, but although many ladies, accompanied by some elderly gentlemen, went out on to the balcony which all had engaged and paid for, these young men sat unmoved and unmovable, their arms outstretched A TRAGEDY. 5 over as much railing as they could cover, occupying the only chairs, and smoking ! forgetful of the fact that their selfishness made the enjoyment of others impossible. I do not say that this state of things lasted all the afternoon, because a strong protest was made, — but it will be a long time before those ' sitting ' gentlemen are forgotten by those ' standing ' ladies !

The little act of kindness I have before referred to, having broken the ice, we were all soon gaily chatting and admiring together the majestic Alpine scenery of the lake in its wintry garb. The bluest of blue skies, the calm rippling of the transparent waters in which hundreds of seagulls dipped their white wings as they wheeled round the vessel, now and then flying athwart the deck, in search of food thrown out by the sailors. Ail this was sufficiently engrossing until we reached Vitznau, where, after climbing some few hundred feet up the Rigi on the railway track, we were obliged to descend on account of the depth of snow. Houses and restaurants were shut up for the winter, and at Vitznau we looked in vain for a place where we could get a cup of tea, but this necessity of woman's life was procured for us on the boat.

A game at billiards and an interest ing talk with the chaplain, who I found knew many of my home people, occupied the evening. Mr. S. (the chaplain) gave us a sad account of a most tragic occurrence which had just taken place at Lucerne, and thrown a gloom over the British commu nity there. A young schoolmistress had been murdered in mistake for another lady. Mrs. W., a wealthy Englishwoman was in the habit of attending a friend's ' at home' on Thursdays, wearing handsome jewelry. The ruffian who had planned robbery, if not murder, did not know her by sight, and meeting the young teacher at the place where he expected to find Mrs. W., shot her dead upon the spot. The ladies here are in great alarm and some of them arm themselves with pistols before venturing out alone. Leaving Lucerne next morning by the St. Gothard route we had enchanting views of the lakes of Lucerne and Zug, and afterwards of Maggiore and Lugano ; all this, with just a peep of lake Como besides, revealed to us some of the most charming of Swiss and Italian scenery.

It added not a little to our enjoyment, that our new friends, foregoing for a time the delights of smoking, joined us, and " The Chief," by his wit and wisdom, and intimate acquaintance with the principal objects of interest as we passed along, enhanced for us the pleasures of the way. The ever varying views of snowy peaks, dark pine-clad ravines, and anon the waterfall frozen in mid-air, with the rushing torrents, contrasted with the placid lakes below bathed in glowing sunshine, presented a series of pictures never to be forgotten ; and as we looked at the sky with its dark blue depths, the thought would come that the Master-mind and Designer of all this beauty, is the same who has also endowed man with those finer chords of his being, which vibrate in subtle sympathy with Nature's touch, producing that wondrous harmony between the soul and its Creator, which is the inspiration of the poet's noblest themes in each successive age.

SOCIAL EVENING AT MILAN. 7 Our little party of five seemed lost in the spacious empty salon of the Hotel Grande Bretagne at Milan. We were calculating after dinner upon the chances of hearing some of the great singers for which this most musical city is renowned. Our courier made enquiries and returned with the information that " La Scala," the Grand Opera House, was closed for the night, and when we asked him if there was no other good music we could hear, he said " Yes, but it was his opinion that in a city famed for its opera we should hear the best or none." With this dictum we all agreed, the Chief remarking, as the man turned away "that's a sensible fellow, he's fit to be a judge !" An evening stroll in the Galleries of the Arcade, the largest in Europe, was our alternative ; the streets were crowded, but hardly a woman was to be seen, as it is not the fashion for Italian ladies to walk out much.

The herculean form of Sir B. (head and shoulders taller than any one else) seemed to excite the wonder of the Milanese ; but we soon returned to the hotel where K's cold had kept her prisoner, and tea being brought in, sat listening to descriptions of Ceylon, and to the Chief's tales of adventure in many lands. He painted the wonders and beauties of Ceylon so vividly, and made that island so real to us, that we almost scented the spicy breezes, and saw in imagination its grand mountains, its temples, and tropical luxuriance of vege tation, and still he said " the half had not been told us !" Our friends, for by this time we regarded them as such, were leaving for Venice next day, but our route lay through Bologna and Ancona to Brindisi. As they had arranged to go by the mid-day train, we settled to visit the Cathedral together first.

The outside of the church is disappointing, the facade, which looks so grand in photograph, being particularly so, but the beautiful Gothic pillars with their decorated capitals, and the fine proportions of the Nave are very impressive. The tomb of St. Charles di Boromeo, of massive silver, is well worth seeing. Emeralds of large size form a cross, which is suspended over the em balmed body of the Saint, and a crown of pearls and diamonds hangs over his head. It seems curious that men, who in their saintly lives and by their efforts for the sick and suffering of their fellow-creatures have plainly shown that earthly baubles had no charm for them, should after death be surrounded by such votive offerings. The wealth of gold, silver, and jewels is so great, that one could not help having the same feeling that Blucher expressed when he saw opulent London, " What a place this would be to loot."

Let us hope that the irreverent hand ofthe materialistic spoiler may never touch this shrine. Many such collections, the gathering of centuries, have before now been trampled underfoot, or scattered to the winds ; may this be pre served as a monument of past ages — ages, superstitious overmuch, perhaps — but not destitute of great and good men, vv<ho by their self-abnegation and holiness of life, set noble examples to those whose right was might, but who still reverenced goodness in others. Such stores of sacred furniture and costly tapestry as we see here, afford vivid illustrations of history, and give object THE SHRINE OF A SAINT. 9 lessons of a time when men went to war for such spoil (as in the middle ages they frequently did), decorating their own churches and abbeys at the expense of a neighbour's shrine.

Those were times when the finger of a saint, or relic of a martyr enhanced the value of a crown. The moral of this being, perhaps, that goodness is nobler and better than greatness, even in the estima tion of those who have pursued the latter to the neglect of the former. On our return to the Hotel we looked into the deserted " La Scala," and the young people deplored again the hard fate that obliged them to leave Milan, instead of lingering, as they willingly would have done, to hear one of the finest operas in the world ; but Sir B. and his companion had even now to hurry back to the hotel in preparation for their departure, and we parted after luncheon with mutual regret, in true German fashion, with clinking of glasses and " Aus Wiedersehn." We felt so flat when they were gone and the pleasant companionship of the last two or three days was ended, that it needed one of the masterpieces of Leonardo-da-Vinci to rouse in us any enthusiasm for more sight-seeing, but when we were once before the great master's picture, our feelings were divided only by admiration of the wonderful fresco, and sadness that the traces of decay were so evident.

It is fading away. Surely the custodians of this treasure should look to it, and take measures for its preservation against the damp ; the world will scarcely forgive them if this work of art should perish from sheer neglect. After seeing the Museum and its collection of " Old Masters," of which the gem is Raphael's Marriage of the Virgin, six p.m. found us en route for Bologna. The brightness of the day was gone, and we saw little or nothing of the fertile agricultural plains of Lombardy, which were desolate enough under their wintry covering of snow. We missed our cheery companions of the day before, who were now far on their way to Venice, and silent by consent, we retired each into our corner, to get such sleep as we might until Bologna was reached. The cosy suite of rooms at the Hotel d' Italie, an old palace with a large courtyard and wide staircase, was well lighted, and the bright wood fires soon dissipated gloomy feelings, while a good night banished fatigue.

When we found there was another Cathedral and Old Museum to be seen early next morning, I am afraid our sympathies were with the traveller who on being told that the town he had arrived at was "just an ordinary place," threw himself down on the grass and said " thank heaven, there is nothing to be seen here." But we could not afford to miss the paintings, and Guido's sacred picture, " The Head of Christ," was our reward. Crowned with thorns, the pathos of suffering and nobility of expression of this beautiful work of art could not well be excelled. However, we did miss something all travellers ought to see, for I learnt after wards, that a most valuable collection of Etruscan tombs and pottery exists here, to which Dr. Schliemann often refers in his works ; hardly any such perfect memorials of this interesting people being elsewhere to be found.

Our journey to Ancona was slow and tedious. We PRIMITIVE CUSTOMS. 11 had left the snow lying in great heaps in the streets of Bologna, where the fountains were frozen into many a fantastic shape. We did not find less snow at Ancona, and the fields along the line on our way thither, divided by frozen fruit trees, ditches and ponds, made up rather an arctic looking landscape. The Hotel della Pau was not a very interesting place, the people seemed quite astonished to see us, and moved about slowly as if in a dream ; the dolce-far-niente they exhibited awoke us up to the necessity of action, and we chose our rooms and lighted a fire without their assistance. Our courier left us to pile on wood, while he helped with the prepara tions for dinner. The beds were so damp, that we had decided to remain by the warm fire in the salon all night, when the domestic appeared with some very primitive bed-warmers, which were most curious.

Earthenware jars, perforated near the top, filled with red-hot ashes, were introduced into the beds, and wooden frames placed over them to support and protect the bedclothes. The blankets were soon wet and steaming, but a couple of hours afterwards, everything was quite dry and comfortable. After a much more ceremonious dinner than we could have expected in such a place M. and I sallied forth, while K. remained indoors, nursing her cold, which by this time had become troublesome. Our object was to ascertain if we should have time next morning before starting to visit the church near the fortress, which we had been advised to see. Having decided that it was too distant, we lingered in the street, attracted by the sight of a body of students, clad in ample Italian cloaks, and carrying mandolins and other musical instruments.

As we waited, hoping to hear some of the music of the country, they seemed to divine our wish, and after a little hesitation commenced to play and sing. It is the custom here for gentlemen who join musical clubs to stroll about in the evenings giving their fellow-townsmen the benefit of their rich melodious voices. One commences with an impromptu recitative, and the rest afterwards join in chorus. All we could do was to thank them in English, but Mr. K. entered into further conversation with them, and said " what a treat it had been to us and that we had never heard anything like it before." They appeared pleased with our appreciation, and politely replied that " they had been happy to gratify the English Signores," so with mutual compliments we parted and went our ways, — we, to our hotel, and they to wander through the streets, making the night echo with their glees and pretty serenades.

We caught sight of the little church on the hill and the fine old fortifications and gates of the town, as we left in the early morning, and it was a matter of regret that our short stay at Ancona did not permit us to see more of this interesting place ; but our destination was Egypt and Palestine, and on we must go, and indeed we are no longer inclined to look back as the lovely panorama of the Italian Appenines comes into view. These snowy ranges appear, as the train passes south wards, now quite close to us, again receding into the distance. Here and there the wide valleys with their frozen streams, have an air of desolation which it is THE LOVELY LAND OF ITALY. 13 impossible to reconcile with preconceived ideas of sunny Italy, but there, close by, is the blue Adriatic on our left, and yes, — there — nestling among the nearer and lower hills, are the groves of citron and orange, the golden fruit shining through the dark glossy leaves !

Yes ! we are truly in Italy ! There are the olive groves and vineyards ! and no wonder that this is the land of music, poetry and song ! such loveliness inspires, and although I am afraid that none of us dropped into poetry or felt inclined that way, we never withdrew our eyes from the contemplation of this unfamiliar but lovely scene. Our courier carefully provided against any inroad of travelling companions, by planting himself at the door of our carriage at Ancona, and he had sturdily kept out all intruders. " We are four and there is only place for five " : the last statement was a fact, but as he travelled in another carriage the first was not. An hour-and-a-half was too long to remain in the burning sunshine at Foggia, where we stopped for dinner, so we started out by ourselves, having the most prominent building, which is always the Cathedral in these Italian towns, as our landmark.

Tempted to take a short cut from the Boulevard, we speedily repented, as we found ourselves in a most unsanitary quarter, where all the refuse of the town seemed to be collected. English cleanliness may well have passed into a proverb — we thankfully reflected that nowhere in our beloved Isle could we have lighted upon such a spot. In the church there was a gallery at the west end, an organ behind the high altar, a party of mendicants in the porch who appeared to live there, and dogs were chasing one another through the sacred edifice. We gladly beckoned to the driver of a char-a-banc who had kept us well in view, and left the Cathedral, glad to have seen one such church, but content never to see another, so dirty, so neglected and so openly profaned. On our return to the station Mr. K. had some dinner ready for us, with the most delicious little mandarin oranges for dessert that I ever remember tasting — it is quite worth going abroad, if only to eat the oranges.