Days and Nights in the East; from the original notes of a recent traveller through Egypt, Arabia, Petra, Syria, Turkey and Greece

Preface

For the notes, from which tbe facts in the following volume are drawn, I am indebted to another ; but, for the rematks, reflections, or opinions, arising out of the subject, I alone am responsible; and on me alone must the wader charge any error apparent in either. MATILDA PLUMLEY. London, May 19th 1845. CONTENTS.

Chapter I

Leave England. ..Bay and town of Syra. ..Land at Alexandria, Asses in Egypt. ..Obelisks. ..Pompey's Pillar... Mourning Wo men...leave Alexandria. ..Plague of Insects. ..Afte... First Night on the Nile — Appearance of the Country and Tillages, and their Women ..Pigeon-Shooting ..first sight of the Pyramids Reach Boulac and Cairo. ..Slave Market ..Manner of progres sing through the Bazaars and Streets. ..the Bazaars. ..View of Cairo... Mosque of Abdel Hassan... Conscientious scruples of its keeper... Death of a fellow traveller.

Chapter II

Petrified Forest.. .Pyramids of Ohizeh... Appearance of the Valley of the Nile thence... Sphinx... Eagles.. .ovens for hatching Eggs. ..Women of Cairo. ..Law of Divorce. CHAPTER HI. Leave Cairo. ..Moonlight on the Nile. ..our Boat's Crew... Religious Scruples... Bad Weather... Arrangements for personal Comfort ... Beni Souef ..Labour not of Love ..Tastes of the Crew ...Produce of the Valley. ..first sight of Crocodiles... Failure of our Reis in his Agreement... the Governor's treatment of him .. Temple of Denderah. ..Dogs. ..Arrival at Luxor. CONTENTS.

Chapter IV

Temple of Karnac... Dancing Girls. ..the Memnons... Temple of Medinet Abou.. .Mummy Pits... Traffic in their contents... The Memnonium... Tombs of the Kings ..General Remarks on the Ruins... Leave Thebes.

Chapter V

Kenneh.. Crocodile-shooting ..Chants of the Crew.. Sugar versus Treacle... Crocodiles again. .Ruins of Abydos, and the horse that conveyed me thither... appearance ofthe Country... half the crew decamp.. .Siout. ..Tombs in Djebel el Koperi... Baths of Siout, and manner of enjoying them... complete our Crew. ..Tombs in the Lybian range.. Arrival at Boulac.

Chapter VI

General remarks... Produce of the Country, and its price... practical Hints... First Essay at Camel-riding ..Shooborough the Pasha.

Chapter VII

Start for Suez... Partridges ..unexpected Summerset ..Suez... Wells of Moses... Track of the Israelites... Fountain of Marah ...an uninvited companion ..Wilderness of Sinai... Wady Feiran ...Arab musket practice... Beauty of the Wilderness... Manner of Encamping... Cold Tea.

CHAPTER VI

U. Wady Feiran ..Sheiks in full dress.. .Manner of entering the Convent. ..its interior.. Ascent and summit of Mount Sinai... Stinginess of the Superior. ..Camel-riding. ..Tents ofthe Bed ouins. ..annoyed by sand and heat. ..Wady Ine. ..The Khamseen ...an Overturn. ..Arab Fisherman... Picturesque appearance of ■our caravan... approach Akaba. CONTENTS. IX

Chapter IX

The great Hadj at Akaba. ..Visit the Bey, and some ofthe pilgrims, their kindness. ..Dying Camel ... Interview with the Governor and Alouin chiefs; their complaisance, and the reason of it ..leave-taking of an old sheik, difficulty of coming to terms with the new ones. ..Scene in our Tent, and a very lively one out of it... Wady el Ghor... sand again ..enter the Land of Mora.

Chapter X

Ascents and descents. ..Thirst.. .Dangerous Track. ..Situation of Petra.. .encamp there. ..visit of the Arabs of Wady Moussa, who exact tribute... confusion of an Arab Council — El Khasne... Magnificent Ravine El Syk.

Chapter XI

Theatre at Petra, and view thence, how truly pictured in the prophecies. ..Doric Temple in the Eastern range. ..its con templation disturbed... disputes among the tribes... El Deir in the Western range... Corinthian Temple. ..Eastern range... Desolation of Petra... Last view of its remains.

Chapter XII

Aaron's Tomb. ..Lizards. ..View from Mount Hor. ..An un comfortable bed-fellow ..fatiguing day. ..Gazelles. ..our tent alive... traces of War. ..Wady Ilwaller... Roman Wells there... Arabs at the well. ..A Sheik exacts tribute. ..Valley of Hebron ...Tomb of Abraham and Sarah... View of Hebron ..Return of our Sheik to Akaba.

Chapter XIII

General Remarks. ..The necessary preparations to be made for crossing the desert, and practical directions to travellers. CONTENTS. X

Chapter XIV

Leave Hebron. ..change in the appearance of our caravan... Turkish saddles. ..Solomon's Pools ..Bethlehem. ..approach to Jerusalem. ..threatened with quarantine. ..our quarters in Jeru salem...appearance of the city, within the walls... Mosque of Omar. ..English Church. ..Church of the Holy Sepulchre... Garden of Gethsemane... part of the valley of Jehoshophat — Tombs there. ..the prophesied place of the Last Judgment.

Chapter XV

Mount of Olives, view of Jerusalem thence ..Great Hadj .. accompany the English Bishop in their track. ..rushing of the Pilgrims towards the Jordan... their Immersion ..the Jordan... Dead Sea. ..Convent of St. Saba. ..return to Jerusalem by Siloam ..view ofthe City thence... Lower part of the Valley of Jehoshophat... visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.. .descent of the Holy Fire. ..disgraceful scenes there. ..state ofthe Pro testant Church in Jerusalem.

Chapter XVI

Start for Damascus. ..noisy Pilgrims ..Nablous.. .country .. Valley of Esdrelon... river Kishon... native encampments... Caypha, Convent there ; Acre... interview with the Pasha. ..its fortifications — a merry monk. .. Mass ...Nazareth. ..Beauty ofthe women... Insects.. .Lizards.. .Mount Tabor... Tiberias.. .Slumber disturbed.. Capernaum... Lake of Genesaret.

Chapter XVII

Ancient paved road. ..native Tents. ..reach Damascus... our host there ; his house. ..the bazaars, their contents and visitors ..Fine specimens of Architecture... Ladies of Damascus... Baths. ..Sherbet... exceedingly beautiful appearance of Damas cus, as we leave it.. .Baalbec. .its Temples... Sirocco. CONTENTS. XI

Chapter XVIII

Ascend Mount Lebanon. ..the Cedars... lovely village of Beshirai ..its Inhabitants. ..Convent of Konobin... highly cul tivated Country ..Tripoli... Beyrout... General remarks on Syria, its products and Inhabitants.

Chapter XIX

Sail from Beyrout. ..Cyprus ..Coast of Asia Minor... Smyrna ...Dardanelles.. .Turkish Forts. ..Hellespont... Sea of Marmora... First sight of Canstantinople.. .Quarantine quarters... Spoglio ...Bosphorus... quit the Larazetto for Constantinople. ..the Mosques. ..Slave-market. ..Alarm of Fire... Caiques... Bazaars Dogs... Dancing Dervishes ..leave Constantinople.

Chapter XX

Return to Smyrna. ..Syra. ..Quarantine. ..fine Bathing... Centipedes... leave Syra. ..reach the Piræus. ..Acropolis. ..Natural situation of Athens. ..Parthenon. ..Olympeum. ..Tower of the winds... Temple of Theseus... Lantern of Demosthenes. ..Stadium ...Theatre of Herodias Atticus. ..Theatre of Bacchus. ..Pynx... Hill of Mars. ..Mount Musæum... Agora. ..Mount Lycabettus ...Thoughts on Ancient Greek Art. ..Modem Athens. ..Leave for England.

Chapter I

The following pages are not intended for the perusal, or at least for the information of those who are already familiar with the laboured works which treat at large of all that the East holds ; but it is presumed, that at a time when universal attention is directed thither, a fami liar, circumstantial, and authentic account of the great things we delighted to look on, and of the little things that would sometimes hap pen to annoy, in our progress through Egypt, Syria, Arabia, — Petra, and Greece, cannot but be interesting to a numerous class. B facilities afforded to travellers in these our days, have left them little chance of in curring the imminent dangers which beset the path of earlier pilgrims ; let not the reader therefore prepare for a chronicle of " moving accidents." I have described everything as we found it ; and if " stations" and " hotels" have taken something from the peril and ro mance of the way, I cannot admit they abstract from the inherent beauty and interest of the objects to which they lead ; and invite all who hold the same opinion, to dip with us into a journal, which, if it convey to them but a small portion of the pleasure which the writer felt in looking on the scenes it attempts to describe, will not have been penned in vain.

Left London on the 2nd of December ; whence, I will not ask the reader to go with me on the beaten track from Calais to Mar seilles, or thence to Malta; but we will join company on this 31st of December, as we are merrily seeing the old year out and the new one in, in the bay of Syra. This town is mi* serable enough, the houses small, and their k-oofs flat ; but like many other wretched as semblages of the like, it has quite a different aspect from the water, which is without a ripple, and reflects Syra with the truth of a mirror ; but this was not to last, — a tremendous storm arose, which all the day and night of the lst, tossed us about in the bay, which is much exposed : on the 2nd we started, the Sea still running very high. In our progress we passed a great many islands ; those of the Archipelago have a barren appearance.

On the 4th, about 10 a.m., caught sight of the land of Egypt, and found it difficult to \vithdraw my gaze : within an hour after the first glimpse, Pompey's pillar could be distinguished, and at 12 we passed through the Pasha's fleet, and dropped our anchor before Alexandria. We saw but little of the town on entering b harbour, and on landing were assailed hy a drove of donkeys and their drivers, and were obliged to mount to save our toes; our bag gage (which was not examined) was placed on camels, and we proceeded through a miserable part of the town to the great square and the hotel. The heavy storm which ushered in the morning of the 5th havi»g passed away, we all mounted donkeys (which are not here the wretched-looking creatures that go by that name in England, but handsome, high, and spirited), and visited the arsenal, where we met with a young Egyptian who had been educated in England, and spoke our language perfectly.

We saw hundreds of fellahs work ing in gangs, many of them minus a finger or an eye, cut off, or put out, in order that they may escape the service ; but the Pasha does not allow even this to exempt them. We went thence to view the obelisks, one of which was thrown clown by the British troops ; bus though they are larger than any I have seen in Europe, they are by no means so perfect ; for the hieroglyphics are entirely effaced on the side, which that one which retains its original posi tion presents towards the East. Indescribably miserable was the part of the town through which we passed. The next day we went over the Pasha's palace, which is furnished partly in the European style ; the divan is circular, and splendidly fitted up : from its window the whole harbour is to be seen. We were anxious to pay our tribute of ad miration to the most beautiful object in Alex andria — Pompey's pillar.* This magnificent column we regretted to observe disfigured by the names of travellers written in large cha racters, in some instances half way up the shaft.

I could not help muttering to myself something about " throwing pearls before * This is now universally admitted to be a misnomer. swine," and wondering that among civilized nations, beings could be found to come hither to desecrate in such a manner, a monument made so beautiful by art, and so deeply hal lowed by time, and by every association that connects the present with the past. In Egypt it seems to be the peculiar pri vilege of women to mourn over the departed ; and in the cemetery in which Pompey's pillar stands, we saw many singing or crying over the tombs, it would be difficult to say which : they bury their dead in graves not more than two feet and a half deep. On the 8th, our baggage was conveyed on camels to the canal, which is about a mile and a half from the town ; a 7 a. m. we left Alex andria, and in another hour were sailing on the fine canal, (the Mamhoudie,) which lies much above the low level of the country.

We had two boats, Colonel and I took possession of one, and the remainder of our party of the other, which being the largest we used as a salle a manger. Saw great quantities of wild fowl, but could not get a shot. Sleep was out of the question, for the whole insect army of Egypt was down upon us ; we were obliged to resort to fire to repel them, and ac cordingly lighted our lamp and pipes, and chatted away the night. About 5 a. m. we arrived at the curious village of Afte, on the Nile, and I was glad to escape from my berth which had been anything but a comfortable one. We went to the French consul, for whom we had a letter ; he appeared anxious to do all in his power for us, and soon found a reis who agreed to convey us to Cairo for three hundred piastres ; and after signing the agreement, we returned to the inn kept by an Italian, and enjoyed a better breakfast than I had promised myself.

Afte is a singular village, built on mounds of earth thrown out of the canal ; the habitations are miserable in the extreme, so low, that none but children can stand upright in them, and very few can boast of a door ; there are pigeon houses on the tops of most of them. Mr. C. and his lady (who were to join us here, and to prosecute the remainder of our intended journey with us.) arrived about 10, but the latter was so very ill, that we gave up the idea of sailing to-day. Everything appeared so novel that we amused ourselves very well, even in this miserable place, which, like all the villages of Egypt, is full of dogs, which bear a great resemblance to the fox. Dined on board, and attempted to sleep, but this was impossible, for the army was much stronger than the one on the canal ; our cabin was quite alive; and if ever boat did, ours "will walk the waters like a thing of life." 1 a. m, found me writing, and wondering how my com panions could possibly sleep amid this swarm of vermin : so passed my first night on the Nile.

The 10th found Mr. C's lady very ill ; about 10 a. m. we bade them adieu, (leaving Baron B with them, and left Afte, to proceed up the river. The country appeared remarkably rich ; the villages large and numerous; they all stand under clumps of palm-trees, and generally opposite each other, on either side of the river. On several occasions we were delighted to watch the parties of their women who came to the river for water. Blue is the only colour they are allowed to wear, and the arrangement of their dress is simple in the extreme; it consists of three pieces — a petticoat from the loins, a piece over the shoulders, the third, which is worn over the head, also serves for covering the face ; in height they are rather above the European standard, and graceful as the statues of Greece ; they use for transporting the water, vases of a fine antique form ; and as they moved along with these on their heads, the beauty of their figures and extreme elegance of their movements, left an abiding impression on the mind akin to that produced by some fair vision. b The beans were very high and in bloom, and the whole country beautifully green.

We burnt lamps at night in hope of keeping the *-' creeping and flying things innumerable," with which we were persecuted, at a little dis tance, but only partially succeeded ; however, I slept a little in spite of everything, for the first time since leaving Alexandria. The next day being calm, we left our boat in order to shoot pigeons, and to see a few of the villages, all of which we found finer and better built than Afte. The pigeon-houses, before mentioned, are very curious, built of mud, in the form of a sugar-loaf, the interior fitted with earthern pots, nicely arranged from top to bottom. We were so busy shooting their te nants, that we forgot all about the boat ; the reis, it appeared, taking advantage of a breeze which sprung up, had set his sails, and left us behind ; at dinner time, the old fellow was obliged to despatch half his crew in all directions to find us ; and we did not reach our boat till late in the evening, weary with the long distance we had walked.

About 11 a.m. next day, caught sight ofthe everlasting pyramids ; — certainly that first and distant view rather disappoints one's expecta tion; as children, we are taught to consider them as among the world's wonders ; we think them not the less so, when, having passed childhood, we endeavour to realize to our ardent imaginations, some idea of their magni tude, architectural perfection, and indestruct ability ; and however completely the pyramids of our creation may be revealed to us as we stand beneath them, and compare their ponderous proportions with modern fabrics, (for then and there, no one I should say, can feel disappointed), a contrary impression is produced when they are first seen at three or four hours' distance. We reached Boulac between two and three, and mounting donkeys, rode to Grand Cairo, which is nearly two miles from the river.

This city offers a pleasing contrast to Alex andria ; after passing through many of its turn ings and windings, we found ourselves at the grand eastern hotel ; after a wash, we paid a visit to the English consul, with whom we drank coffee and smoked pipes, as nearly as we could manage it, in the Turkish fashion. Walme is a good consul, perhaps, but he could give us no information whatever ; after our chat with him, we returned to our quarters, and enjoyed a delightful night's rest in the absence of all tormentors. The 14th very fine ; rode to Boulac, and engaged a boat for Upper Egypt ; signed the agreement with the reis before the American consul, who had no more information to give than our friend Walme. We next visited the slave-market, which is in the centre of the town ; it is a large square yard with cells all round it ; the cells in a gallery above on one side of this square, were filled with black slaves, and a more disgusting sight I never beheld ; they were valued at from 500 to 4000 piastres.

The more beautiful and highly-priced slaves are not thus publicly exposed to view ; but among those exhibited for sale was one girl rather pretty ; she was much lighter than the rest and delicately formed, and she appeared very shy ; the owner saw me looking at her, and offered to sell her for 3000 piastres ; she had a most beautiful mouth, and the rascal knew it well, for he repeatedly opened it to shew me her fine teeth ; I felt a great in clination to knock out his, and in order that I might not be tempted to make a useless exhibi tion of the indignation I could not but feel, hastened off in another direction. We directed our course through the town ; the pace at which the donkeys carry you through the ever-crowded alleys of Cairo is quite astonishing ; to be sure, a few were upset by us, but the people regain their legs with great composure, and take no notice whatever.

If at any time we came to a standstill, the drivers cried, " Kalic, kaluc, shemarluc," 8tc, applied their sticks vigorously, and the donkeys, in spite of our efforts to restrain them, bore down in their way. Cairo is certainly a fine city ; its bazaars are endless, and many of them at a first view can not but strike the stranger as extremely rich and picturesque, particularly those devoted to arms, carpets, shawls, and jewellery, (for every article of use or ornament is to be purchased only in the bazaar set apart for that particular class of merchandize.) They are for the most part roofed with rafters, and are open at each end ; and through the centre a mixed multitude is incessantly pouring. On either side are the stalls of the merchants whose rich wares are spread with lavish hand around, and above too, for if the nature of his commodities ad mits, they are displayed hanging, waving, or festooned towards the roof; there hangs the golden-broidered scarf or shawl, the luxurious carpet, the dainty silk, or the flashing and jewelled scimitar ; and in the midst of this profusion, on a raised and carpeted platform, sits the turbaned, bearded proprietor ; who, when a frank attended by his dragoman, comes to treat for his wares, seats himself opposite him on his carpet, presents him with coffee and a pipe, (with which he is also himself supplied) and, as they sip and smoke, the bargain is discussed and concluded, the dragoman acting, of course, as interpreter, and invariably taking charge of his master's purse, which he resigns only with his engagement.

Buyers and sellers thus engaged, added to the motley costumes of the passing throng, make altogether a scene, of which it is difficult to give a complete de scription. On our return we found that our friend, whom we had left at Afte with his sick wife, had arrived ; she was better, but still very ill. The next morning we paid a visit to the citadel, which stands high above the town, and from this elevation the view of Cairo is splendid. The most conspicuous object in the town itself, is the great mosque of Abdel Hassan, with its immense domes and graceful minarets; and the peculiar characteristic ofthe houses is their flat roofs : the eye, however, does not rest long upon either of these objects, but ranges over the varied and extensive scene beyond. On that side of Cairo where stand the tombs of the caliphs, lies the desert, and its arid sands at that point come close to the very walls of the city.

In the distance are the pyramids, and more distant still, the moun tains ; and to this wilderness, the broad Nile and cultivated valley, and the beautiful gar dens of the Pasha offer an agreeable relief. The Pasha was building a beautiful mosque on the site of Saladin palace, the only remains of which are a few broken pillars ; the marble they were raising had the external appearance of alabaster. The palace is not worth seeing; the citadel contains the Mint, the Hall of Justice, and Jo seph's Well, which supplies it with water. We next visited the largest mosque in Cairo, that of Abdel Hassan ; its immense size and the absence of all decoration, strike a stranger forcibly on entering ; and his eyes and ears are greeted by the sight and sound of the silver waters of the large fountain which rises under the dome.

Beyond is the tomb of Abdel Has sen, on which is placed an immense and richly ornamented copy of the koran. I glanced with some little apprehension at my boots, on having the fact brought to my recollection, that it is customary to uncover the feet on entering a mosque ; but this was soon relieved by my guide, who thrust a pair of slippers over them ; and thus qualified, I walked in. As there were no more slippers to be had, my friend remained at the threshold ; but we had not advanced many paces when he bethought himself of holding up a 3-piastre piece ; this overcame their scruples, and (booted as he was) they beckoned him to follow. Our first inquiry on reaching home, was for Mrs. C. ; we found her gradually sinking, and at 11 that night she died. She was beautiful and amiable, and only 23 ; her loss cast a gloom over us all.

On the 1 6th I did not leave my room ; and at 7 the next morning, the remains of our fellow-traveller were placed in a coffin, and the Church of England service performed over them. Her husband intended transporting them to America, and between 6 and 7 in the even ing we followed them to Boulac, where a boat was waiting to convey them to Alexandria. The American consul's janissary led the way, attended by Arabs, each holding high in the air blazing fires in small iron baskets ; and strange and wild was the appearance of the funeral procession, as the fitful red light flashed on the group of Arabs who assisted in convey ing the body ; their light dresses and red caps contrasting strongly with our own dark garments — for she was followed by four Europeans all of different nations. We arrived at Boulac a little before 9, and a few minutes after the boat dropped down the river with her melancholy freight, and we returned to Cairo.

Chapter II

On the 18th we visited the petrified forest which is about five miles from Cairo. Many entire trunks of palm and other trees are lying here, perfectly transformed into solid stone, and the hills for miles are covered with fragments of their branches, brittle, and glazed in appearance, and which on being struck, give forth a ringing metallic sort of sound, something similar to that elicited from the musical stones (commonly so called) quarried in Westmoreland. The 19th was a lovely day; we started at 9, to see the pyramids ; passed through some beautiful gardens belonging to Ibrahim Pasha, to old Cairo ; where we crossed the Nile, and had a delightful ride, through a very rich country. The pyramids stand on a sandy plain, about sixty feet above the valley of the Nile, and about four miles from Cairo.

Truly sublime did they appear to me as I now for the first time stood face to face before these mutely eloquent monuments ; but I will spare the reader the train of ideas which was interrupted by the offer of the guides to assist me in making the ascent : with the help of two very active fellahs I gained the top with ease in a few minutes, and found the task much lighter than I had been led to imagine. The stones are very irregular, and from two to four and a half feet in height. The space at the top, I should think about twenty feet square : the view from it is fine in the extreme. On one side flows the Nile, through one ofthe richest valleys in the world; on the other is the fearful Lybian desert. It appeared as if there were some hidden barriers against the flowing sands, and that the fertiliz ing waters of the Nile were not unaided in repelling them ; so distinct is the desert from the valley : it seems from this height quite possible to walk with one foot in either.

More distant, the domes and minarets of Cairo, rise above masses of trees against the sky ; and close beneath the enormous sphinx reveals her colossal proportions, dimly but unmistakably, through the sand, which veils, but does not quite conceal that part which lies between the shoulders and tail ; and as the clouds at this moment break, a flood of sun-light crosses the track of a company of Arabs and camels, and their many coloured dresses and picturesque arrangement contrast powerfully opposed to the uniform tone of the plain around. We gazed long on the scene I have attempted to describe, and even then turned unwillingly to make the descent. The vast proportions of the great pyramid strike you more when half Way up its side, than from any other point. Its height is 461 feet. The clouds which had screened us having dispersed, we felt much annoyed by the heat, and were glad to halt for a time in a small chamber about one third of the way down.

The descent is very easy ; but this is more than I can say for our task in the interior, to which the entrance is on the northern side. The passage inclines at the angle of 27° and is about three and a half feet square : at the end of this passage is a false entrance to the right* up which we were pulled by our guides, and found ourselves in another passage (inclining upwards,) one hundred feet in length, and five in height. In a recess at the extremity of this second passage, is the well spoken of by Pliny. A third, and very low passage, led us to the Queen's chamber — a rather large apartment, with an arched, and somewhat pointed roof: above this is the King's chamber, which is five NICHTS good strides in width, and eleven in length ; its sides are of polished granite, its roof flat, and composed of enormous stones ; at one end is a broken sarcophagus, which it is evident, (from the fact of its being too large to have en tered the apartment, either by its entrance or its approaches,) must have been placed in it as their construction was in progress.

There are several chambers above this, but the ladder which leads to them was broken, and as we had no means of supplying its place, we were fain to exchange the intense heat for the comparatively cool external air, which we reached, nearly choked with dust. We no\V approached to take a nearer view of the sphinx, Thie face is not of that order of beauty, or lo be measured by those proportions which the whole civilized world has for more than two thousand years agreed to worship; possibly it imaged forth the beau-ideal of an earlier age, and even in its present mutilated state a surprising degree of sweetness and repose dwells on every feature. The sands have been cleared from the upper part of the figure, and a wooden frame-work set up, which in a great degree has resisted their progress, and enough was to be seen to give an idea of its exquisite proportions.