A Diary in the East during the tour of the Prince and Princess of Wales. ... With illustrations

Front matter

A DIARY IN THE EAST. LONDON : PRINTED BY WOODFALL AND KINDEB, MILF0ED LANE, STKAND, W.O. Vincent, brouks.Day.4c Soil, London SHI PS OF THf. DE SE RT A DIARY IN THE EAST DUBING THE TOUR OF THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES. BY WILLIAM HOWARD ETJSSELL. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. SECOND EDITION. LONDON: GEORGE BOUTLEDGE AND SONS. THE BROADWAY, LUDGATE. 1869. TO HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PKINCESS OF WALES. Madam, The gracious permission I have received from your Royal Highness to dedicate this Volume to you, causes me to feel regret that it is not more worthy of that great honour ; but I trust that the goodness which induced your Royal Highness to confer such a favour on the Work, will lead you to regard with an indulgent eye this Record of the interesting Tour in part of which I accompanied the Prince of Wales.

I am, Madam, with profound respect, Tour Royal Highness's Most faithful, obliged, and humble Servant, WILLIAM HOWARD RUSSELL- TO THE EEADEE. It will be seen from the concluding paragraph of the Breface, that I intended to include in this work a chapter on the Nile Basin and on the Suez Canal from a scientific point of view, as wed as some observations on the Ornithology and Natural History of Egypt, for which I would have been indebted to Erofessor Owen and others. The size of the volume has, however, far execeded my original design, and I am obliged, very unwil lingly, to omit the contributions to which the Breface refers. W. H. EUSSELL. PAGE CONTENTS. Preface . 1

Chapter I

Departure of the Prince and Princess from London — Paris — At Compiegne — A day's shooting — On board the Freya — Stockholm — Fredensborg — -Arrival at Hamburgh — Departure of the Royal children — Order of the Black Eagle — Arrival at Vienna — Skating at Vienna — Departure of the Ariadne — Reception at Alexandria — Cairo 8

Chapter II

Modern travelling — The Mont Cenis route — St. Michel — The trout of Mont Cenis — A haze of neuralgia — The friend of Garibaldi — A dirty place — Juvenile labourers — Brindisi — The harbour — Ad Brundusii gloriam — Ionian fishermen — The gregale — "Malta mafeesh!" — Sea talk — The welcome — Alexandria — The Consular tribunals — Reception at Cairo — Our residence 22

Chapter III

A Cairo dejeuner — Haussmannization of Cairo — The Nile Flotilla — The Arsenal — Visit to the Viceroy — A difficult start — Ophthalmia — The sugar-cane season — In the streets — Looks and words — Boulak — Wild ducks — The Grand Barrage of the Nile — A peaceful scene — An intrenched camp — The inevitable lunch — The Professor and the ass — In equilibrium — A sunset in Cairo CONTENTS. X

Chapter IV. Fage

Tewfik Pasha— Departure for Ismailia— The Cairo station— M. de Lesseps— Ismailia— Lake Timsah— Port Said— A view from the lighthouse— The town and its resources — Lake Menzaleh — The Desert smiles — Departure from Port Said — Back to Ismaiha— Departure for Suez — Sheik Ennedek's tomb— The great dredges— Strange fish— Chalons— Old and new canals — The great cuttings — Suez in sight — On the Red Sea — Works at Suez — The docks — Port Ibrahim — Troops from India — Arrival in Cairo — General impressions ........... 67

Chapter V

Hekekyan Bey — The Bey's theories — A Cairene interior — Voluntary slavery — The Museum at Boulak — Egyptian philosophy — A false alarm — Egyptian barracks — Egyptian soldiers — The preparations — Kasr-el-Nil — The Royal squadron — The Consular tribunals — The plague of Egypt — The Royal approach — Arrival at the Palace — The Esbekiah Palace — The Cairo Theatre — The Harem boxes — Street Arabs — Smiting the Egyptians — The Mecca pilgrimage* — Mahmal and Kisweh — Route to the Citadel — The bazaars — Women in the streets — The crowd — The Citadel — The procession — The revolving head — The chief of the caravan — The procession in the streets — The pilgrims — Egyptian troops ■ — The end — Donkey riding — The new Palace — Dancing dervishes — The Cairo Grisi — Ameahs 97

Chapter VI

Departure from Cairo — The flotilla — The start — The Nile near Cairo — The quarries — The tourists — Ruins and sights — A false alarm — Our crew and company — The first halt — The bagpipes — The first night — Nile scenery — The warning voices — The hippopotamus — Benisoueff — Hamed — The natives — The bazaar — A school — Voluntary slavery — Infant slavery — The weather — Wind and dust — Feshn — Sheik Fodl — Mummy dogs — Coptic clergymen — Coptic convent— The Church iu Egypt— Sport on the river — Minieh — Sugar factory — Sugar manufacture — The tomato merchant — The telegraph in Egypt CONTENTS. XI PAGE 219

Chapter VII

Beni Hassan— The grottoes— The pictures on the walls— Writings on the walls — An incubus — A small incident — Dolce far niente — Birds and beasts — Egyptian poor laws — Labour in vain — Drawing a blank — Land slips — The water-carriers — Birds on the banks — Manfaloot — Sioot — The jereed — The city — Course of the river — No crocodiles — The stuffing box — Pigeons 176

Chapter VIII

Gebel Hareedi — Souhadj — Misneah and Girgeh — Good behaviour Native notions — Italian domestics — Crocodiles — Keneh — An escape — The donkey boys — The Enlevement — The fantasia — The watchman — An Almeah — Dendera — The ruins — Turks and bees — Coptos — Shooting 199

Chapter IX

Hamed — Hippopotamus Johnny — The discovery — Luxor — Mustapha Aga — Karnak — The procession — Avenue of Sphinxes — Rameses his temple — The learned Lepsius — The great hall — The sanctuary — Exploring — Rest in the ruins — Rameses II. — The obelisk — Night at Luxor. — The tombs of the Kings — A genuine antique — Bab-el-Molook — Osiri's bed — Bruce's tomb — Epiphany's nil adinirari — The witching hour — The return — Mummy pits — The decay of ruins — Pharaoh now and then — A night surprise — The illuminations — The halls of dazzling tight — The return to the ship

Chapter X

Leave Thebes — The citizens — The temple — Leave Esne — Ababdeh Arabs — Temple of Edfou — Hard aground — Our Roj^al dinner — Ovis ammon — Assouan — The reception — A tragedy on the Nile — The impending separation — River scenes — The start for Philæ — A trying position — Shooting the rapids — The Island of Philæ — Inscriptions — Farewell banquet — Preparations — The separation CONTENTS. XII

Chapter XI. Page

A dilemma— Lady Duff Gordon— The telegraph and the tourists— A slight mistake— Karnak again— Keneh— Nile swimmers- Sand-banks— Fellaheen— Village police— A judgment— Midnight musketry— Two obstinate animals — Abydus abandoned— A fly-phylactic— Souhadj— Nile emigrants— An order for turkeys — Teme 275

Chapter XII

Ali Captan — Off and on again — Incidents of Nile travel — A victory — The conquering Mudir — Children of Ishmael — An adventure — Forcing the pass — The storming of Sioot — A Sioot Cerito — An Egyptian special — A Cairo concert — The Citadel — The Egyptian Parliament — The Pyramids — State ball — Alexandria — The Ariadne — Farewell — Alexandria at night .297

Chapter XIII

Preparing for pilgrimage— The tourists again — Why do they do it? — Abstract and concrete — The pros and cons — The Russian steamer — Imperial Navigation Company — Where is it ? — Port Said — The inner port — Jaffa — Hamed in the gate — Fortifications — The Ramleh convent — Fra Giovanni — Road to Jerusalem — The Arabs — Turkish traffic-taker — Church of St. George — Recruits — Jerusalem — The Jaffa Gate — Inside the Holy City — Turks in possession — Hotels at Jerusalem — A Jerusalem guide — Mount of Olives — Gethsemane — Tomb of the Virgin — Shutout — "Rob Roy" — Jordan water — A vision . 318

Chapter XIV

The explorations — Lieut. Warren — The road — A new crusade — A suspicious accident — The Haram — Dome of the Rock — Bethlehem — Holy places — Departure from Jerusalem — An enthusiast — Departure from Ramleh — Ramleh mendicants — Bashi Bazouks — Gardens of Jaffa— Streets of Jaffa— The Consular agent CONTENTS. XIII PAGE 426 452

Chapter XV

Departure from Jaffa — RunawayS — The slaves' return — A rude joke — Port Said once more — The Khedive's arrival — The popular reception — The restaurant — Borrowed plumes — The Khedive's ball — The Khedive's reforms — Sir Samuel Baker Bey — A suspicious incident 373

Chapter XVI

The voyage to the Second Cataract — Crocodiles in sight — Hyænas — Waiting in vain — A crocodile at last — Abou-Simbel — Wady Halfeh — The desert lunch — The tents — The derelict boy — Expectations — Sand-banks again — Arrival at Philæ — Departure from Assouan — The Faid Rabanie abandoned — Dance at Mustapha Aga's — 'Treasure trove — At Sioot — A shipwreck — Minieh — Return to Cairo — Visits in Cairo — Visit to the Khedive — The Boulak Museum — The two Pharaohs — State banquet — The British school — The races — An invitation — The Viceroy's request — The harems — The bazaars — Bairam — The Khedive — The procession — The reception — The Viceregal Harem — The last day 386

Chapter XVII

Baksheesh — Departure from Cairo — The Desert — Suez — Chalouf — Serapeum — Ismailia — The city — The pioneers of the canal — Life in the Desert — Port Said — Sand accumulations — Selection of Port Said — The Suez Canal — The workshops — Three hard rolls — Arrival in Alexandria — Transfer to Ariadne — The parting — The Arab boy — Native divers — Farewell to Egypt .

Chapter XVIII

Impressions — Condition of Egypt — Comparisons — Slavery — Pharaoh's slaves — Ancient ejectments — Sultan and Viceroy — The Firmans — The Firman of 1867 — The capitulations — The climate — Life on the Nile — Residence in Cairo — The Nile weather — The Nile of Scripture — Want of water in the Nile . CONTENTS. XIV

Chapter XIX. Page

The Dardanelles— The big guns — The stone shot— Gallipoli— Constantinople in sight — The Golden Horn — The Grand Vizier — Saleh Bazaar — Dolmabakshi — Visit to the Embassy — The Sultan's band — Our attendants — The least wish an order — Procession to the Mosque — Turkish women — The Sultan — Omar Pasha — The Sweet Waters — Theatre Naoum — Seraglio Point — The Bagdad Kiosk — The Sultan's dinner — The menu — Visit to the Harem — Church at the Embassy — ■ The Scutari cemetery — Mr. and Mrs. Williams — The bazaars — Missirie — Palace of Beyler Bey — The new Palace — Tchamlidja — Mustapha Fazil Pasha — Halil Bey — Ball at the Embassy — The Tophaneh — The British Memorial Church — Fete at the Theatre Naoum — "L'Africaine " — The Sultan's stables — Banquet at the British Embassy — Aali Pasha's house — The Grand Vizier's daughter — Packing up — The departure — Farewell — The Bosphorus — Royal visits — Turkish prejudices — Cairo and Constantinople — Balls in Islam — The two Courts — Baksheeshia 468

Chapter XX

The Crimea — "There is Sebastopol!" — General de Kotzebue Programme— The Memorial Chapel— The Russian cemetery — Gortschakoff— The Belbek — The Telegraph Tower— The Alma — Return to Sebastopol — Bourliouk — The climate Ruins— The Redan— The right attack— Cathcart's Hill— Our camps— The Windmill— Inkerman— The "Schlacht-feld " — October the twenty-sixth — The Malakhoff— The dockyard Lazareff's monument — The Karaite Patriarch — Departure from Sebastopol — British Head-quarters — " Lord Raglan's Head-quarters"— The house— "Mother Seacole's "—Balaclava —The Light Cavalry charge— M. Plumet— The Phoros Pass —Livadia— The Palace— Morning calls— Imperial chalets— Orianda— Alupka— Departure from the Crimea— Attractions to tourists— The Tartars— The war— The results of the war— " TJp-firkin " — An accident — Baksheesh — Mustapha Fazil Tash a— The Sultan's visit— Taher Bey— Departure from the Bosphorus CONTENTS. XV PAGE 626

Chapter XXI

Anchored in the Dardanelles — Departure from the Dardanelles — The Ethiopian serenaders — The Piræus — The Royal meeting — The landing — The King's Palace — The views — Servants — Modern Athens — The Acropolis — State banquet — Theatre of Bacchus — Illuminations — Departure for Corfu — Isthmus of Corinth — Arrival at Corfu— -The Queen — Lent — Greek aspirations — Brother and sister — The King of the Hellenes — The future — The party leaders — St. Spiridion — The procession — Arrivals and departures — A political difficulty — Govino and Vido — Sporting excursion — M. Valaority — Coropiskopous — Quiet hours — Prince Napoleon — Naval inspections — The Prince's visit — The picnic — A delightful day — St. Spiridion again — Frightening the Evil One — The farewell— Illuminations — Good-bye to Greece — A man overboard — "He's lost, sh- !"—" On ahead ! Full speed!" 578 POSTSCRIPT. Brindisi — The Brindisi route — Pros and cons — Home again

Appendix

A. Scutari Cemetery 633

APPENDIX.

B. Memorial Church . .644

APPENDIX.

C. The Pera Address EEEATA. Page 34, line 10 1 ,, 35 ,, 13 / fur "Tomasio," read Toinmaso. ,, 38 ,, 3) ,, 54, headline, for "Boulaq," read Boulak. " 199 " , . 1 for "Sonhadj," raiciSouhadj. „ 200 „ and line 22 i J ,, 250, line 15, for " pyroteconic," read pyrotechnic. „ 97, headline, and line 13 j „ Hekek ,, rmd Hekek an. „ 99, line 24 i J %* Oriental words and names, such as "baksheesh" and "Boulak," admit of great varieties of spelling. The more erudite the writer, the more eccentric to our eyes is his orthography, because he seeks to render the true phonetic value of Arabic, in English, letters.