Cairo, Petra, and Damascus, in 1839. With remarks on the government of Mehemet Ali, and on the present prospects of Syria

Front matter

CAIRO, PETRA, AND DAMASCUS. CAIRO, PETRA, AND DAMASCUS, in 1839. HITH REMARKS ON THE GOVERNMENT OF MEHEMET ALI, AND ON THE PRESENT PROSPECTS OF SYRIA. BY JOHN G. KINNEAR, Esq. LONDON: JOHN MURRAY", ALBEMARLE STREET. MDCCCXLI. LONDON : BRADBl'RY AND EVANS, PRINTERS, WIIITEFRIARS. TO DAVID ROBERTS, ESQ. A.R.A. My dear Roberts, The interesting scenes through which we passed last year must become better known in this country from the admirable pro ductions of your pencil, so full of truth, so redolent of the very atmosphere of Egypt and Arabia, than any written description can make them. But however little others may feel interested in reading the following pages, I may hope that you will find here and there some few words of conversation with our old friend Sheich Hussein, or some httle incident, unheeded by other readers, which shall recall to your mind scenes that could not be made the subject of your art, and were too dramatic, perhaps, for ordinary prose description.

Memory will fill up these meagre outlines, supply all the accessories of the picture, and impart to it the colouring of nature In inscribing this little volume to you, the companion of my wanderings, I offer but a slight expression of my sincere regard of my value for your friendship, and my admiration of your talents. JOHN G. KINNEAR. Glasgow, October 1, 1810.

Preface

. The object of my visit to the Levant was entirely mercantile. Circumstances, unforeseen before my arrival at Alexandria, induced me to visit Cairo, instead of proceeding directly to Beyrout, as I had originally intended ; and until I met with my friend, Mr. Roberts, I had never entertained the design of making the journey through Arabia Petrea, which is related in the following pages. These are little more than a transcript of letters written to my own family during my absence, after suppressing those passages which were of a purely domestic character, and adding some observations, from notes taken on my journey, and during my residence at Beyrout. In alluding to topics of sacred topography, or to the prophecies so signally fulfilled in the present condition of Idumea and Palestine, I may have added nothing to what is already well known ; but

PREFACE.

. where others have borne their testimony to this evidence for the truth of Scripture, I could not but add mine, though at the risk of appearing trite and common -place. I am aware that my opinion of the government of Mehemet Ali in Syria is more favourable than those entertained by many persons in this country; but it has not been hastily adopted ; it is the result of many inquiries and observations made in the country. I have no desire to appear as the eulogist of Mehemet Ali ; I would only show that his government in Syria has not been productive of such unmitigated evil as has been represented — that it is, on the whole, better than that of the Turkish pachas who formerly ruled in that country, and that Mehemet Ali himself is by no means so universally hated as is imagined. I know that similar opinions are entertained by many travellers who have visited Syria lately, and who have taken some trouble to investigate this subject. Glasgow, October 1, 1840. PAGB CONTENTS.

Letter I

Alexandria, its outward aspect, Inhabitants, and Streets — Pompey's Pillar and Cleopatra's Needles 1

Letter II

Passage on the Mahmoudi Canal — Atfee — Egyptian village — The river Nile, its importance to the Egyptians — Agriculture — Interior of a Sheich's house — Arrival at Cairo — Buildings, mosques, bazaars, and inhabitants of that city — The Egyptian ladies — Jews and Copts — Tolerant municipal sway of the Pacha — Mehemet Ali's palace and gardens — Hospitals — Madhouse — Slave-market — Egyptian magician — The Pyramids — The Sphynx — Projected Journey to Palestine by way of Petra — Social condition of the Egyptians ........ 8

Letter III

Commencement of journey across the Desert — Deceptio visus — Suez— Ruins of Serabat el Chadem — Valley: panic of its inhabitants — Mounts Sinai and Horeb — Convent and monks — Approach to the Red Sea — Arrival at Akaba — Change of escort ........ X CONTENTS.

Letter IV

page Wady Araba — Gulf of Akaba — Site of Kadesh — Valley of Petra : ruins and excavations of that city — Review of prophecies concerning Edom— The Arabs, their habits, and treatment of travellers — Departure from Petra and incidents of the journey thence to Palestine — Gaza — Askelon — Jaffa — Cesarea — Mount Carmel — Acre — Tyre and Sidon — Arrival at Beyrout . . ■ . .111

Letter VIII

Journey to Damascus, first day : Khan Murad — Plain of the Bekaa — The Anti-Libanus— Village of Dumas Approach to Damascus — Public and private buildings, baths, fountains, gardens, mosques, &c. of that city . . . CONTENTS. XI PAGE 307 341

Letter I

Alexandria, its outward aspect, Inhabitants, and Streets — Pompey's Pillar and Cleopatra's Needles. Alexandria, 16th January, 1839. My DEAR , I arrived here early this morning, after a delightful run of only five days, from Malta ; and have only time to write you a few hurried lines, to acquaint you with my safe arrival, before I start again for Cairo. I sailed from Malta, about noon on the 11th, on board H. M.'s steamer Hermes, with twenty two passengers, most of them on their way to India. The weather was as fine, and the wind as fair, as could be desired. There was just enough of sea to give an agreeable variety of motion ; and although a few of the passengers were confined to R [let. I. ALEXANDRIA, ITS ASPECT, their berths, and one or two of those on deck did not at all times look very happy, we had always a pleasant party of fifteen or sixteen at dinner.

When I came on deck this morning I was told that land was in sight, but to my inexperienced eyes it was still invisible. Indeed, the coast is so low, that you can scarcely discern it until you are almost near enough to distinguish the build ings on shore ; and when it is seen, there is nothing very attractive in the prospect. As we neared the harbour, an Arab boat, with its large latteen sail, came bounding over the bright blue waves towards us ; and having taken the pilot, a grey-bearded old sheich, on board, in an hour more we had dropped our anchor in the harbour of Alexandria. My first sensations on looking towards the town were, I must confess, rather disappointing. There is nothing striking in the view of Alexandria from the harbour ; and yet, the long low reach of sand, without a tree, or a single spot of verdure, to enliven the sterility of the prospect ; the white buildings, with here and there a dome, and tall slender minarets, cutting sharply into the deep blue sky ; the harbour glowing like molten gold under the morning sun ; and the gay dresses in the boats passing to and from the shore ; were, perhaps, the very materials from which Turner AND INHABITANTS.

LET. 1.] could have produced one of his dazzling effects, and given a beauty to the scene on his canvas, which was scarcely to be recognised in the reality. But my fancy had been busy, during the voyage, forming more splendid pictures of the city of Cleopatra and of the Ptolemies. Having rowed on shore, passing the Egyptian men-of-war at anchor in the harbour, I selected the most respectable-looking of a number of donkeys, which were waiting on the quay to be hired, and rode directly to Hill's Hotel. On shore I found everything sufficiently novel and interesting. Numbers of Egyptian women, in their loose and somewhat scanty robes of coarse blue cotton, were seen, some of them veiled, and others with their tattooed faces ex posed, carrying water-jars, or baskets, on their heads, or naked children astride on their shoulders: long strings of camels were passing with logs of timber, and bales of goods ; half-naked boys were playing in the sun ; and lazy, vagabond-looking Arabs sat smoking their pipes under the shadows of the houses.

The hotel is a little way beyond the streets, and there I found a grove of date trees, the first that I had seen ; Greek and Arab servants, in a variety of costume, were waiting to be hired by the travellers ; — I was among a strange people, b ALEXANDRIA, ITS ASPECT, [let. i. a strange language was in my ears ; and the feelings of disappointment with which I had landed quickly disappeared amid the new and interesting objects by which I was surrounded. I have agreed to accompany, as far as Cairo, two of my fellow-passengers on board the Hermes, who are on their way to Bombay ; and. as we are to start this evening, I have had only a few hours to see the lions of Alexandria. Had I had time, I should have liked to visit the arsenal and naval hospital, which are said to be extensive and well-conducted ; but, except these, there is not much to detain a traveller long here, unless he be a more enthusiastic antiquary than I am.

As for my companions for the time, they have only one or two objects in view at present : to secure a good dinner before they start, and to get to Suez as quickly as possible. Alexandria displays all the bustle and activity which indicate a considerable trade, and has risen in importance under the government of Mehemet Ali. I am told that there are not less than forty European establishments in the city ; the harbour is full of merchant-vessels ; and the population, which was some years ago about 15,000, may now be estimated at 40,000, exclusive of 4000 Franks. This prosperity, however, has been gained, in a great measure, at the expense of Rosetta and AND INHABITANTS. LET. I. ] 5 Damietta. The former is said to be quite de serted, and the latter daily declining. The Frank quarter is a square of well-built comfortable-looking houses, occupied by the differ ent consuls and the principal European merchants ; but it has a half-Frankish sort of look, which harmonises as badly with the surrounding build ings, as the formal hats and tight trousers of the English do with the turbans and ckooftans of the natives.

The bazaars appear close and dark, and the streets are narrow and unpaved. At present they are so covered with deep mud that it is impossible to walk without sinking over the ankles at every step ; and even riding on a donkey, I have got be spattered up to the shoulders. The suburb, inhabited by the poor Arab population, is a mere collection of mud hovels of the most wretched description, too low to be entered without stooping, huddled together without any plan, interspersed with dunghills, and offending the eyes and nose with every species of abomi nation. I believe Alexandria is never quite free from the plague ; and, with such a hotbed of contagion as this, it is not to be wondered at. The people appear to be filthy, too, in their habits, and the half-naked children sit in the sun, apparently quite insensible to the flies, pompey's pillar. [let.

I. which fix in little swarms upon their bleared, in flamed eyes. The two great lions, you know, are Pompey's Pillar and Cleopatra's Needles. Of the latter, which have no connexion with " my serpent of old Nile," but were brought from Heliopolis, only one remains erect. It is a fine block of Thebaic granite sixty feet in height, and is covered with hieroglyphics. The other lies half-buried in the sand. Pompey's Pillar stands on a low sandy eminence about a quarter of a mile from the Rosetta gate. It is a beautiful column of one piece of red granite, with a Corinthian capital, and a pedestal about ten feet high. I believe the whole column is about one hundred feet in height, and is really a very beautiful and impressive object. It formerly sup ported the temple of Serapis ; and, according to an inscription lately discovered on it, was placed on its present site, and furnished with a capital, in honour of Diocletian.

This inscription, said to be legible only in the strong light of the sun, was invisible to my eyes; but other inscriptions, the work of some English sailors, are too legible at various elevations on the shaft, and add nothing to its beauty. Most unluckily, almost every boat on the canal has been seized for the transport of troops ; and LET. I.] DEPARTURE FOR ATFEE. 7 we have only succeeded, with some difficulty, in getting a very indifferent open boat to take us to Atfee, where we embark on the Nile. We shall arrive there, however, to-morrow morning, and hope to find a more commodious and com fortable vessel to take us to Cairo. JOURNEY TO CAIRO. [let. II.

Letter II

Passage on the Mahmoudi Canal — Atfee — Egyptian village— The river Nile, its importance to the Egyptians — Agriculture — Interior of a Sheich's house — Arrival at Cairo — Buildings, mosques, bazaars, and inhabitants of that city — The Egyptian ladies — Jews and Copts — Tolerant municipal sway of the Pacha — Mehemet Ali's palace and gardens — Hospitals — Madhouse — Slave-market — Egyptian magician — The Pyramids — The Sphynx — Projected Journey to Palestine by way of Petra — Social condition of the Egyptians. Cairo, 28th January, 1839. My DEAR , I arrived here on the 23rd, after a very weari some and uncomfortable journey, and am now in what is called an English hotel, kept by Mr. Hill, who has similar establishments at Alexandria and Suez. I find nothing very English about the house, except the bills, which are extravagantly high, and the passengers to Suez, who in bad dinners, khamseen winds, prickly heat, and fleas, have abundant opportunities of indulging their national privilege of grumbling.

Would you be lieve it ? there is neither bottled porter nor Harvey's sauce in the house ! Such are the dread ful privations of which I sometimes hear loud complaints. LET. II.] MAHM0UDI CANAL ATFEE. We embarked on the Mahmoudi Canal about six o'clock on the evening of the 16th. Our boat was very small, and had no cabin nor covering of any kind, and the night was bitterly cold. The excitement and novelty of my situation, how ever, might have kept me awake at any rate ; and sailing through a perfectly flat country, under the banks of a canal, there was little to interrupt my thoughts in their wanderings onward or home wards, except a passing boat now and then, and the wild chant with which the Arab boatmen cheer their labour. About six o'clock next morning we reached Atfee, where we found the same difficulty in procuring a boat as at Alexandria.

Two parties who preceded us had got very comfortable boats by writing to Mr. Waghorn ; and on these the union jack fluttered conspicuously at the mast head, while nearly all the others displayed the Pacha's red flag with the star and crescent. The place was full of soldiers in all the bustle of em barkation, one or two boats were seized before our eyes, and there appeared some danger of our being left behind altogether. It was evidently no time for us to pick and choose, or be very nice about our accommodations ; and seeing one or two boats at some distance from the more crowded part of the bank, we hastened to them, b a [let. h. PROGRESS OF THE PASSAGE-BOAT, and striking a hurried bargain with a reis, lost no time in getting our luggage and the few stores we had brought on board his vessel.

Lazy and dilatory as the Arabs generally are, there was no time lost in getting our little bark under weigh. The reis was afraid that his vessel might be seized by the soldiers ; and, as we had been unable to procure a flag at Alexandria, we were not altogether without some apprehensions of the same kind. We were no sooner on board than the boatmen pushed out into the stream, and hoisting their immense sail, we were soon stemming the current at the rate of seven or eight miles an hour. With a fine breeze in our favour, we soon left the confusion and hubbub of Atfee behind; and the reis assured us that, if the wind continued fair, Inshallah ! we should reach Cairo in three days — a truly Delphic assurance — for although the wind continued to blow steadily from the same quarter, our course was changed by every bend of the river.

Before two hours were over, the boatmen were obliged to land, and tow the boat against the stream. After toiling till ten o'clock at night, at the rate of scarcely one mile an hour, the boat was made fast to a stake driven into the bank, and we spent a most com fortless night. LET. II.] AND ITS DISCOMFORTS. Our boat was in rather a rickety condition. It had a sort of cuddy on the after-part of the deck, into which we were obliged to creep on our hands and knees, and just large enough to admit of our sleeping side by side on the floor. Having no beds of any kind, we of course turned in " all standing," and I found my great-coat and a large shaggy Greek capote a very insufficient protection against the cold night wind that whistled through a hundred openings in our miserable cabin. No sooner did daylight begin to decline than the cock roaches came creeping out of every crevice, the fleas were most incessant and voracious in their attacks, and once or twice when I fell into a sort of doze, I was startled out of it by rats scampering over me.

After four days' tedious and uncomfortable travelling, sometimes running a few miles under sail, and then towing for hours against the stream, now sauntering along the bank, and then taking shelter in the boat from heavy showers of rain ; once being nearly capsized by a sudden squall, and half-a-dozen times sticking on sand-banks in the middle of the river, we determined to abandon our boat, and find our way to Cairo with any animals that could be procured. Next morning (the 21st) we walked to a village at a short distance from the river, in search of [let. II. EGYPTIAN VILLAGE — EXACTIONS. camels or mules. It was, like all Egyptian villages, a poor place enough ; but had a mosque with a very lopsided dome and rickety white washed minaret. Wo found a party of Arabs smoking under a rude awning of dirty mats and palm-leaves, in front of a coffee-house, to whom we made known the object of our visit ; but none of them seemed inclined to take any trouble in the matter.

After a considerable loss of time, we found the Sheich el Ballad, or head man of the village, who promised to bring us three camels to carry our luggage ; but neither mule nor donkey was to be found. We had just got our baggage on shore, and were in the midst of a violent altercation with the reis, who, not contented with receiving his full fare for performing little more than half the voyage, insisted on an additional backsheesh, when down came all the camels, and all the men, women, and children of the village. In vain we told them we only wanted their camels; every one knew that, but every one was ready to go, and, Inshallah ! he would go ; they fought with one another to get hold of our luggage, and we with the whole party to keep possession of it : and after an intolerable delay, spluttering of Arabic, groaning and guggling of camels, and screaming of women and children, we at last succeeded in LET.

II.] ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY. getting rid of all the party except three. No sooner were the camels loaded, however, than the fellows insisted on being paid before starting; and, in the midst of this new altercation, the reis most unadvisedly renewed his demand for backsheesh. This was too much for the patience of one of my companions, who fairly set-to and gave him a hearty drubbing ; a mode of settling the dispute which the camel-drivers appeared to approve highly, as they kept calling out "Tayeeb! tayeeb!" — " That 's right ! that 's right !" all the time. This mode of settling with the reis seemed to produce a considerable effect on the cameleers, for we had no more demands of payment before starting; and, about eight o'clock, we got fairly under weigh, passing the burial-place of the village, a group of white graves under a clump of date trees.

Our walk was less interesting than I expected. The country is quite flat, and presents no variety of landscape, though some of the villages, which are generally on a slight eminence, formed of the ruins of former buildings, have rather a picturesque appearance at a distance, with their white-washed minarets and groves of date-trees. But the illusion is dispelled on a nearer approach. They are all the same half-ruined-looking, flat roofed cottages, built of sun-burnt bricks, or mud mixed with chopped straw. The people are poor, THE RIVER NILE. [let. ii. dirty, and ill-clad ; and every kind of abomina tion lies scattered about the open spaces in and around the villages. By-the-by, I was under an impression that the straw which the children of Israel remonstrated against being deprived of, was used in burning the bricks.

It is probable, however, that it was employed as at present. The clay is compacted together by being mixed with cut straw, and dried in the sun. The Egyptians depend on the Nile not only for the fertility, but the very existence of their country. In a course of 1350 miles, it does not receive a single tributary ; and were it not for the annual inundation, which first deposited, and continues to fertilise the soil, the green valley of Egypt would soon be overwhelmed by the sands of the desert. The country is intersected by numerous canals for the irrigation of those lands which are not reached by the annual flood. The labour of the fellah, as the cultivator is called, must be easy enough. The ground is scraped up, to the depth of a few inches, with a rude plough, drawn by a couple of bullocks, and differing very little in construction from those represented in the ancient Egyptian pictures ; and the seasons are so regular and invariable, that the fellah is never disturbed by those fears about the weather, which prove LET.

II.] ARRIVAL AT A FERRY. such a fruitful source of anxiety to our farmers at home. The most laborious part of his work is raising water from the canals, to irrigate the higher parts of the land. This is done by means of an engine called the shadoof which you will find very accurately described in Mr. Lane's admirable work on modern Egypt. About five o'clock we again came to the Nile, at a ferry, where we found a party of Arabs, with eight or ten loaded camels, waiting to cross the river. We embarked with the camels, two or three donkeys, and about a dozen men, in a large boat, in which we were so crowded that we had scarcely standing-room. The animals, fortunately, were very docile and quiet, otherwise we might have run some risk of a ducking ; for the camels knelt in the boat with their loads on, and any movement among them might have upset us in a moment.

Our camel-drivers had either miscalculated the distance, or purposely deceived us ; for they had assured us that we should reach Cairo before sunset, and we now learned that we had still a distance of eight camel hours — about twenty-five miles — to travel. We determined, therefore, to proceed for a few hours longer, and sleep at one of the villages on our route, and to start at an early hour next morning. After dark, however, our EGYPTIAN VILLAGE, [let. II. guides became very cautious of approaching the villages, which, they said, were full of " bad people, who would rob us and steal their camels ;" and it was nearly eleven o'clock when we came in sight of a small town, at which they advised us to stop, as the sheich el Bellad was " a good man, and had a fine house, and would be glad to see us."

Before we reached the village, our honest guides drove their camels into a field to eat the green corn, while they gathered a sufficient quantity to feed them during the night. On arriving at the village, we had some diffi culty in protecting ourselves from a pack of half starved wolfish-looking dogs, who seemed determined to dispute our entrance ; and on coming to the sheich's house, we found the gate closed for the night, and the inmates either fast asleep, or determined not to hear our knocking. Finding a quiet civil sort of knock of no use, each of the camel-drivers seized a large stone, and beat such a summons on the wooden gate, as must have awakened everybody in the neighbourhood, and quickly produced a remonstrance from within, and a demand who we were, and what we wanted. After a tedious parley, the heavy wooden bolts were withdrawn, and we were admitted into a large court, having buildings on three sides, and on the fourth a high wall, and the gate by which we had LET.

II.] RECEPTION AND TREATMENT THERE. entered. A mare and colt were going loose in the court, and a large white camel was fastened near a stone trough in the middle ; the buildings were the same low flat-roofed cottages I have already described ; . and the whole place appeared poor enough. The sheich, a quiet-looking, grey bearded, old Arab, did not appear very well pleased at having been disturbed ; but he received us politely, saluted us after the Arab fashion, placing his hand on his forehead and then on his lips, bowing slightly, and conducted us to our apartment. The place to which we were conducted by our host appeared to be a separate building from that in which he and his household lived ; and con sisted of a single apartment, about ten or twelve feet square, without any window, the light being admitted only by the door.

The walls, which were composed of clay mixed with straw, were quite bare, and at one end of the apartment there was a raised bench of the same materials, called a mastabbah, about three feet high and four feet broad, covered with a mat. The moonlight shone through many openings in the roof of palm-leaves ; and I soon discovered that the mat on which we were seated was literally swarming with fleas. I make it a rule to appear perfectly pleased and satisfied on such occasions ; for I believe nothing can be more mortifying to a poor man than to A SHEICH's HOUSE. [let. ii. have the poverty, or even the dirtiness, of his house noticed, when he is doing all in his power to appear hospitable ; and certainly nothing can be more ungracious on the part of those who are receiving his hospitality ; but I got a little impatient of our host's inquiries — who we were ? where we came from ? whither we were going ? why we travelled on foot, &c. ; and begged to represent that we were exceedingly hungry, and that anything in the shape of supper would be very acceptable.

After waiting another weary half hour, a tray was set before us with a dish of eggs fried in oil, flaps of coarse bread, and a lump of hard salt curd, which was called cheese. As I was very hungry, and not quite so fastidious as my companions, I contrived to make a tolerably hearty meal ; and, having closed the door, and made our servant sleep inside the threshold, we stretched ourselves on the mat. The intolerable snoi'ing of my two companions, the groaning and grunting of the camels outside, and the " industrious fleas," prevented my enjoying one moment's rest. At the first glimmering of dawn, I roused the whole party ; and, having taken leave of the sheich, who came to receive his backsheesh, we were once more on the road. There was a keen frosty feeling in the air, which was beautifully clear.

The landscape LET. II.] ARRIVAL AT CAIRO. around us was very similar to what we had seen the preceding day ; but, in the distance, appeared part of Gebel Mokuttam, and the Pyramids of Ghiseh. I did not break out into any enthusiastic raptures at the first sight of the Pyramids ; for indeed there was nothing at all impressive in their appearance. They looked rather diminutive ; but the clearness of the atmosphere deceived me as to their height and distance ; for although they seemed to be within three or four miles of us, we had a smart walk of five hours before we reached the Nile opposite to Boulak. We had left the camels and luggage to be brought on by our servant ; and, having crossed the river to Boulak, which is the port of Cairo on the Nile, we took donkeys and trotted on to the city.