An American among the Orientals

Front matter

GrIFT OF

HENRY DOUGLASS BACON.

Accessions No. __/.{:£<?£.... Shelf No... .A

Preface

In the summer of 1855 I left America for Egypt. The immediate object which I had in view was the prose cution of a favorite study. The kindness of my respected and distinguished friend, Joseph Henry, LL.D., of the Smithsonian Institute, and other gentlemen occupying positions in the service of the Government at Washington, provided me with such introductions as enabled me to prosecute my explorations in Egypt with satisfactory success, while the accomplished scholarship of my com panion, J. Hammond Trumbull, Esq., of Hartford, not only contributed to this success, but added more than I can tell to the pleasure of the voyage.

The results of my studies are but hinted at in these pages, which are devoted almost exclusively to incidents of travel along the Nile.

The dreams of childhood realized, the hopes of early manhood fully accomplished, I returned home with stories of travel for ears which, alas the day ! were closed to my voice by the solemn seal of death.

Whether, that I have seen the sunrise flush the brow of Remeses at Abou Simbal, and touch with passionate, yet gentle and trembling caress — as a lover would touch the lips of his maiden love, dead in her glorious beauty— the cold lips of Memnon at old Thebes ; that I have wan dered through the stately halls of Karnak, and looked up the stream of time from the summit of Cheops ; that I have knelt at the Sepulchre, and felt the night wind on my forehead in Gethsemanc — whether all this is sufficient

PREFACE. Vli

to repay me for the loss of the last gaze out of the eyes of a young, noble, and beloved brother, and, yet more, of the last words of lips whose utterances were the guide of my y°ung years, whose teachings made me love the coun tries of which old Homer sang, of which old historians wrote, old philosophers discoursed eloquently, whoso morning and evening prayers had made dear to me every inch of land that was hallowed by the footprints of the Lord — judge ye, who have heard the blessing of a dying father, or ye who, like myself, have been far wanderers when the God of Peace entered the dear home circle !

to. or. p.

NEW YOKE, March 27, 1857.

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Page ARLES— MALTA— CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN, , ..... 15

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THE NUBIA — THE PENTAPOLIS — A SUN-WORSHIPER — SLEEP AND DREAMS- LAUGHTER OF THE WAVES— CAPE AKABAT— ALEXANDRIA, . . . 20

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DONKEYS — POMPEY'S PILLAR — AN ARAB GIRL — BUCKSHEESII — CUSTOM-HOUSE

— A FIRMAN — NEEDLES OF CLEOPATRA — CATACOMBS — OPENING TOMBS — VASES — A PAINTED TOMB — A LARGE TOMB, ....... 32

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EHACOTIS — AN ANCIENT LAMP — SAINT OR MARTYR — STREET COSTUMES — FE MALE MODESTY — MYCERINUS — MESHALKS — BAILWAY — THE NILE — MOSLEMS PRAYING — SPECTRES AND ANGELS, ...... • . .50

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DR. ABBOTT— SULEIMAN EFFENDI— ORIENTAL METHOD OF REASONING — STREETS — LATTICES — DARK EYES — MOSK OF SULTAN HASSAN — CITADEL — MOSK OF MOHAMMED ALI— SULEIMAN AGA AND THE COFFEE— FAMILY TOMB OF MOHAMMED ALI— MURAD BEY— BAZAARS OF CAIRO— BUYING A DRESS, . 60

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HAJJI ISMAEL, A DRAGOMAN — FOUNDING OF CAIRO — TOPOGRAPHY — MEMPHIS

— HELIOPOLIS — OLD CAIRO — RIIODA — MATAREEYEH — FIG-TREE OF JOSF.PH AND MARY — HELIOPOLIS — GATEWAY OF TIME OF MOSES — OBELISK — AGRI CULTURE—CANALS, AND METHODS OF IRRIGATION— SHOOTING ALONG THE DESERT — TOMBS OF THE MEMLOOK SULTANS, . . . '• ' • .71

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C ONTENTS.

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A DERWEESII AND AN ARGUMENT— I CONVERT HIM— PUNCH AND JUDY— A DONKEY DERWEESU — MOSK OF AMER — THE NILOMETER, AND ISLAND OF KIIODA — HOWLING AND WHIRLING DERWEESIIES — DESCRIPTION OF THEIR SERVICES— THE AMERICAN MISSION. . . 80

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MOSK OF TOOLOON — SHAPES AND SHADOWS — THE DESTINY OF MOHAMMEDAN ISM—ENGLISH EGYPT— MARK THE PROPHECY,

AN ARAB MARE — THE OLD SHEIK — MOHAMMED ABD-EL-ATTI — How SHEIK

HOUSSEIN CAME TO CAIRO — PRISONERS — SlIEIK HOUSSEIN 18 ARRESTED— I ACCOMPANY HIM TO THE TRANSIT OFFICE— SCENE THERE— A FURIOUS

CROWD — A BAIL BOND — A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE SHEIK, . . •. Vf fub anu

A STREET Row— TREATIES WITH TURKEY— THEIR INJUSTICE— A MURDERER— THE BLOOD REVENGE — PROCESSION OF THE MAKIIMIL — THE BAB ZOUAILEH AND THE KUTB— PARTING WITH SHEIK HOUSSEIN— HEARING OF HIM AGAIN, 109

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BUYING PROVISIONS AND FURNITURE — ABD-EL-ATTI — CONTRACT FOR THE NILE VOYAGE— THE PHANTOM, MY BOAT— DESCRIPTION OF THE BOAT- SERVANTS— FERRAJJ— HASSAN— HAJJI MOHAMMED, THE COOK— MONEY CHANGER— THE DEPARTURE— ALL ABOARD— FIRST NIGHT ON THE NILE, 120

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SOUND OF THE MUEZZIN CALL— AN OBLIGING GOVERNMENT— NILE MUD- FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE NILE — BENISOEF — ABD-EL-ATTI THRASHES A NA TIVE—WILD PIGS— ABOU-GIRG— GOING FOR MILK— MOONLIGHT SCENE IN A MUD VILLAGE— REMAINS OF ANCIENT HABITATIONS, 130

KALOUSENEH — A COFFEE SHOP — BOOSA — DANCING-GIRLS — A DISGUSTING DISH— A LAW QUESTION— I TURN KHADI AND DECIDE IT— A COSTLY HEAD DRESS—PALM-TREES AND MOONLIGHT— MOHAMMED HASSAN— A BOY NEARLY DROWNED, AND A Row— CONVENT OF THE PULLEY— SWIMMING MONKS- MEDICAL ADVICE, . . • f 143

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14. UJanfuIooi mtb (Es Sfiont.

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CBOCODILES— BEKI HASSAN— A NEW PASSENGER— ABOU MESHALK— REIS HASSANEIN AMD ins WIFE — MANFALOOT — Es SIOUT— LATIF PASHA — A RE CEPTION—BEDOUIN THROATS— TOMBS NEAR Es SIOUT— A VISIT TO THEM, 156

SUGAB-CANE AND COTTON — PRODUCTS OF THE NlLE VALLEY — CHIBOUKS AND LATAKEA — AMERICANS — AN AMERICAN BABY — BRICK-MAKING — ANCIENT BRICKS — A VERY INTERESTING PICTURE IN A TOMB — LATIF PASHA LEAVES Es SIOUT— SALUTES— THANKSGIVING MEMORIES— A NEW POSTAL AR-

EANGEMENT — A DROMEDARY EXPRESS, . . ... . :. . 1CT

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BAKING BREAD — SHEIK HERREDDEE — PELICANS — CROCODILES — BENEFITS OP A FIRMAN — MENSUEEH — PIPES OF TOBACCO — HAJJI-MOIIAMMED — HASSA- BO'S FRIGHT— FISHING IN THE NILE— A LONG PULL— A DEVIL, » . .178

THE REIS BEATS THE CREW — GHENEII — A.BD-EL-KADER — His RECEPTION ROOM— THE SOUND OF CHURCH BELLS, 190

THE STORY OF SHEIK HOUSSEIN AND THE CHRISTIAN LADY WHOM HE LOVED— A DEAD MAN— AND BURIED, . . . ....... 19T

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THEBES — RUTNS — THEBAN TOMBS — TCRF ON GRAVES — THE SULKY GOVERNOR —THE GREAT TEMPLE AT LUXOR— OBELISKS— MUST APH A AGA THE AMERI CAN AGENT — A CHRISTIAN CHAPEL — COUNTERFEIT ANTIQUES — SUNRISE ON MEMNON— PILGRIM FOOTPRINTS— EXCAVATIONS, ....... 206

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THEBES TO ESNE— TEMPLE AT ESNE— MUMMIES LYING IN THE TEMPLE— I EX AMINE THEM — PRIESTESS AND PRIEST — SUMMARY JUSTICE ON A NATIVE — MEDICINE AND SURGERY — DONKEY TRADE, ..... .

SUNDAY ON THE RIVER— EL KAB, THE ANCIENT EILEITHYAS— ANTIQUES, TRUE OB FALSE — COST OF ANTIQUES — BUYING THEM — AN ARAB HORSE — RAIN IN EGYPT— RUINS OF EILEITHYAS— LIZARDS, . .* ..... 227

Xll CONTENTS.

Page A DESERT MARE— EDFOU— THE TEMPLE— SULEIMAN, THE GOVERNOR— FUNE-

KAL OF A BOY WHO DlED OF A DEVIL— BUYING MORE ANTIQUES— ANOTHER

GOVERNOR— A COURT OF JUSTICE— GOVERNMENT OF EGYPT— EASTERN TO BACCO — LATAKEA— A STRONG PULL, THANKS TO MOHAMMED EOUMALI, 236

A Eow ON SHORE— HAGAR SILSILIS— TEMPLE AT KOUM OMBOS— HASSABO ARRIVES AT HOME — ARRIVAL AT Es SOUAN — ELEPHANTINE — THE CEMETERY AT Es SOUAN — THE AMERICAN AGENT — THE EEISES OF THE CATARACT — THE CONTRACT FOR GOING UP— THE START, 247

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THE RAPIDS— ASCENT OF THE CATARACT— INCIDENTS OF THE ASCENT— BAG BOUG AND THE BRANDY — PHIL.E — MOONLIGHT ON PniL^E — THE PASS OF THE CATARACT, 2C2 rv nr <VVY If* ¥ t

JACKALS AND A WOLF — HASSAN SHELLALEE AND HIS MOTHER — OLD WOMEN IN EGYPT— MOONLIGHT ON THE RUINS— NUBIA— MISERABLE LIFE— NUBIAN VILLAGES — AN EVENTFUL HISTORY, 273 gfolwms.

MEDICAL ADVICE — A HORRIBLE CASE — A DEVOTED WIFE — KORUSKO — DERR —ABDUL KAHMAN AND HIS PHYSICIAN— HASSAN KASHEEF AND HIS HUN DRED WIVES— FRUIT AND WINE— CHAMELEONS— ABOU SIMBAL— TOMBS OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL— A FIGHT ON DECK— THE SECOND CATARACT— CHRIST MAS EVE. . . . .. , . . . . 283

27. &Ije Uttflitb Cataract.

WADY HALFEH— A DROMEDARY EIDE ACROSS THE DESERT— GAZELLES— A CHASE — ALONE ON THE DESERT — ABOU SEIR — THE SECOND CATARACT OF THE NILE — NAMES CUT IN THE KOCK — CHRISTMAS DINNER — PREPARATIONS FOR THE EETURN VOYAGE, . . , , . .295

EOCK TEMPLE AT FERAYG— I FALL INTO A TOMB— ABOU SIMBAL— ILLUMINA TION OF THE TEMPLE — BRILLIANT EFFECT — NUBIAN FELLAHEEN — THE COLOSSI — THE TEMPLES OF ABOU SIMBAL,