The Old world. Palestine, Syria, and Asia Minor. Travel, incident, description and history

Front matter

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Chapter I

Our last View of Alexandria— Steamers — First Glimpse of Palestine— Landing at Jaffa— Reflections — Town of Jaffa — Marriage Incident— Maronite Wedding— American Colony— Plain of Sharon — Arrival at Ramlah— Ancient Lydda— Latrone — Emmouse — Terrible Roads — Valley of Ajalon— Valley of Elah — First Glimpse of the Walls of Jerusalem — Views of Other Travelers over the Same Route 1*9

Chapter II

Disappointment in First View of Jerusalem — First Impressions — ■ Tradition, how Estimated — Church of the Holy Sepulchre- Fanaticism of the Monks — Ceremony of the Crucifixion — Pilgrims to the Tomb — The Holy Fire — Easter, or Palm Sunday — Chapels and Altars — Thoughts on the Identity of the Tomb

and Holy Places 42

Contents.

Chapter III. In And About Jerusalem

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Incidents of Travel — Garden of Gethsemane — The Mount of Olives — View from the Minaret — Tomb and Chapel of the Virgin — The Greek Grotto — Place of St. Stephen's Martyrdom — Via Doloroso — Pilate's House — Church of Flagellation — Ecce Homo — Lazarus and Dives— House of Veronica — The Virgin Mary's Residence — House of Caiaphas — Door of Sepulchre and Stone on which the Cock Crew — Old Coptic Books — Armenian Convent — English Hospital

Chapter IV. Past And Present Of The Holy City

Difficulties of Sight-seeing in Jerusalem — The Walls of the City- Valley of Jehoshaphat — Room of the Last Supper — Tomb of David — The Jews' Wailing Place — Robinson's Arch- — The Lepers' Quarters — Pool of Bethesda- — Fountain of the Virgin — Pool of Siloam — Pool of Hezekiah — Upper and Lower Pool of Gihon — The Tombs of Absalom, Jehoshaphat, St. James, and other Open Tombs on the Hillsides — The Tombs of the Kings, the Judges, and the Prophets — The Mosque of Omar

Chapter V. Off For The Jordan And Dead Sea

Off for the Jordan and Dead Sea — A Difficulty with our Dragoman — Village of Bethany — Tomb of Lazarus — Road from Bethany to Jericho — The Wilderness — The Fountain of Elisha— Jericho — An Arab Funeral — Falling Among Thieves — The River Jordan — Easter Baptismals — Greek and Russian Pilgrims — Baptism of Jesus — The Bedouins of the Jordan — Their Wonderful Horses — Anecdotes Thereof — Oriental Tradition of the Building of Solomon's Temple — Bedouin Customs — Attack and Defence — The Dead Sea — Bath Therein — Peculiarity of the Waters — Ancient Accounts — Apples of Sodom — General Description .

Con tents,

Chapter VI. Over The Hills To Bethlehem

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Laughable Situation — Bathing under Difficulties — Off for Mar Saba — Examination of" the Convent — General Description — Views of Other Travelers — From Mar Saba to Bethlehem — The Town and its Surroundings — The Convent, Within and Without — Burial-ground — Milk Grotto — Pools of Solomon — The Fountain— Abraham's Oak — Hebron, its People and Surroundings — Valley of Eshcol — Rachel's Tomb — The English Church at Jerusalem— Something of its History and Workings 123

Chapter VII. Northward Through Samaria

Reflections on Leaving Jerusalem — El-Bir and the Gibeonites — Mr. Skinner's Experience Among Them — "Hewers of Wood"' — The Fuel of Palestine — Bethel, Past and Present — Mosque of Settein — Ancient Shiloh — Mount Hermon — Jacob's Well — Tomb of Joseph — Valley of Xablous — Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal — Nablous — Ascent of Mount Gerizim — Ruins of Ancient Samaritan Temple — Ancient Samaritans, and Something of their History — Present Synagogue — Why they Never Quit Nablous 143

Chapter VIII. Desolation And Beauty

Copy of Old Law — Ancient Samaria and Present Sebustieh — Church of St. John — Other* Ruins — Sanur — First View of Esdraelon and Mountains of Nazareth — Jenin — A Sabbath in the Holy Land — A New Experience — The Plain of Jezreel — Valley of Esdraelon — Past and Presents the Country — Ancient Shunem — Nain — Endor — First View of Nazareth — Mr. Skinner's Narrative 167

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Contents.

Chapter IX. Onward Through Galilee

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Nazareth — Latin Convent — Place of Annunciation — The Synagogue in which Jesus Taught — The Place to which they led Him out — The Stone on which He ate — Fountain of the Virgin — Lamartine's View of Convents in Palestine — The Present Town • — Peculiar Features of its Inhabitants — View from the Hill-top back of Nazareth — From Nazai-eth to Mount Tabor — Ascent — Ruins Thereon — View Therefrom — Descent — Deborah — Onward to the Sea of Galilee — First View — Reflections — Mount of Beatitude — Dr. Robinson's Reflections on the same Route — Lord Egerton's Experience — Our first Bath in the Sea — Unexpected Bath in the Jordan — Hot Springs and Bathing-Houses — Six Days on the Sea-shore — Wanderings and Reflections.. . 183

Chapter X. The Sea Of Galilee

Its Size and Situation — Calm and Storm — Its Different Names — Views of Ancient Writers — Past and Present Appearance— Magdala — Gennesaret — Fountain of the Fig — Capernaum — Bethsaida — Of other Ancient Cities — Tiberias — Walls and Citadel — Convent of St. Peter — Illustrations of Moslem Respect for Power and Position — Call from the Commandant — Call from the Governor — Return Call by Ourselves — Manners and Customs of Turkish Officials 201

CHAPTER XL

DESOLATE PLACES.

On leaving Tiberias— Where Joseph was cast into the Pit — Stephens' Views as to its Identity — The City of Safed — Description— The Ruins throughout Palestine — Cause and Effect — Measurement of Distances in Palestine — Lake of El Huleh —

Contents.

Syrian Cultivation — The Mill of Malaha — Hasbeiyah River — Banias, the Ancient Caesarea Philippi — Castle of Banias — View from the Ruins — The Great Fountain — Historical and Biblical Associations — Leaving the Footsteps of Jesus 220

Chapter XII. Among The Druses

The Cold Winds of Hermon— Arrival at Beit-Jin — Among the Druses — Their History and Religion — Domestic Virtues and Vices — But One Wife — Marriage Ceremony — Origin of the Druses — Strange Incidents and Superstitions — Arrival at Kafr- Howaran — Tent-life in Palestine ' 234

Chapter XIII. " The Garden Of Eden."

Valley of Damascus — " Garden of Eden" — Getting within the Walls of the City — Dr. Robinson's Experience — Also that of Maj. Skinner — Our Tents Pitched on the Banks of the Abana — The Surroundings of the City — Sights without the Walls — Something of its History — Population and General Appearance — Interior Decorations — The English Lady — Truth Stranger than Fiction — Coffee-shops — The Recitation of Fables 254

Chapter XIV. 'sights Of Damascus

A Man Hanging at the Street Corner — The Moslem's Theory of Punishment — Mosque of St. John — The Old Castle — Government Mill — Convents and Monkish Tales — The Bazaars — Lost Arts — The Saddlers of Damascus — The Barbers — Style of Shops — Restaurants — Gold and Silversmiths — The Street called " Straight" — The City Wall — Where Paul was let down — Orientalism of Damascus — Life and Adventures of Assaad and Abdallah-el-Satadgi 273

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Contents.

Chapter XV. Anti-lebanon

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Leaving Damascus — Last View from the Dome of Victory — Mohammed's Paradise — Fountain of the Barada — Ancient Temples— Robinson's and Prime's Comments — Cliffs of Abila — Grave of Abel — Tents Pitched in Wrong Place — Remedy — Ravine and River — Old Tombs — Remarkable Road — Zebdani — Home-like Appearance of Valley — Village of Bludin — Mountains of Anti-Lebanon — Valley of Baalbec — Fountains of Baalbec 294

Chapter XVI. Baalbec

The Ruins at Baalbec — Theories as to their Origin — The Platform on which Built — The Temple of the Sun — Quadrangular Court ■ — Hexagonal Court— Temple of Jupiter — The Great Stones — Queries and Answers — Inscriptions - 306

Chapter XVII. Among The Maronites

Faces Westward — Thoughts of Home — The Circular Temple- Mosque of Salah-e'deen — Modern Baalbec — Moslem Temple and Convents — Tomb of Noah — Village of Maalakha — The Maronites and their Peculiarities — Eatin Convent — The Great French Road from Damascus to Beyrout— Turkish Governor and Suite — Beautiful Views from the Mountains of Lebanon — Arrival at Beyrout 319

Chapter XVIII. Beyrout

Suggestions as to Change of Route — Reasons therefor— Opinions of another Tourist — Syria as a whole — Beyrout and its Sur-

Contents.

ii roundings— Coffee-houses -Turkish Baths— Our Consul— Excellent Treaty Stipulation — Missionary Station — Departure from Holy Land — Reflections 345

Chapter XIX. Coast-towns Of Syria

Once more on the Sea — Russian Pilgrims — Tea-drinking — Praying — Singing — Dress — Spirit of the Crusaders — Tripoli— Latakiah — On Minaret — Latakiah Tobacco — Ancient Laodicea — Alexandretta — Bath — Consequences — Warning 368

Chapter XX. The Cedars Of Lebanon

Syrian Dwelling-houses — The Simplest and Best Forms — Flat Roofs and Incidents — Heights and Cedars of Lebanon — Beautiful Views — " Trees of Eden" — The Metualis — Their Peculiarities— Legends and Incidents 387

Chapter XXI. Asia Minor

From Alexandretta to Mersyn — Rhodes — Islands of the Archipelago—Accident to our Steamer — Smyrna— American Mission- Tomb of Polycarp— The Old Castle— View Therefrom— The City and its Suburbs — Ephesus — Ancient Lesbos — Ancient Troy— Dardanelles— Metropolitan Bishop— Abydos— Hero and Leander — Byron — Sea of Marmora— First View of Constantinople— Its Situation— Style of Architecture — Real Condition . . 406

Chapter XXII. Constantinople

Constantinople : its Situation and Commerce— American Consul- American Minister Resident— Mosque of St. Sophia— Mosque

Contents.

of Sultan Achmed — The Hippodrome — The Janizaries — The Thousand-and-one Columns — Mosque of Mohammed II. — The Seraglio — Burnt Pillar — Pigeon Mosque— Mosque of Suleiman the Magnificent — The Bazaars 417

Chapter XXIII. Closing Sights

Constantinople continued — English Chapel — Lord Lyons — The Whirling Dervishes — Sultan's Palace, Mosque, and Barracks- Public Gardens — Scutari — View Therefrom — Palace of Sweet Waters — The Sultan Himself— View of the " Houris" — Street Amusements — Bazaar Shopping — Departure 431

Chapter XXIV. General Directions For, And Peculiarities Of, Eastern Travel

General Directions for Visiting Syria — A Christian Dragoman Preferable— None needed from Cairo to Jerusalem — Landing at Jaffa or Beyrout — Thence to Jerusalem — Plans of Future Travel — Contract with Dragomen — A Third Plan Possible — Dragomen at Jerusalem and Beyrout — Arms — Clothing — Customs of the Country — Horseback and Muleback — Urquhart's Experiences — Baking Bread — Modes of Salutation — Saddles, where and how best Procured — Lines of Steamers 441

ILLUSTRATIONS.

BETHLEHEM Frontispiece.

POOL OF SILOAM Vignette Title.

page

HOLY SEPULCHRE 45

GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE 68

VALLEY OF JEHOSAPHAT 78

MOSQUE OF OMAR go

CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY 129

PLOUGHING IN SYRIA 225

DRUSE MARRIAGE PROCESSION 240

RUINS OF BAALBEC 306

FLAT HOUSE-TOPS OF SYRIA , 39o

CEDARS OF LEBANON 394

Preface

He who would write understandingly of Palestine must know of it, see it and feel it : — must know of it from a careful perusal of the Book of books ; must see it for himself with all its beauties and deformities, and must feel within himself the hallowed associations which cluster around its mountains and valleys, lakes and rivers, towns and cities.

Thus knowing, seeing, and feeling, no one can make the tour of the Holy Land without pleasure and profit. He may, and indeed must, suffer more or less of personal discomfort while traveling day after day and week after week over paths the most rugged, mountains the most desolate, and plains the most sterile of all the world beside ; but with every step new scenes and associations will open before him, making more vivid the mental pictures his readings have produced of the days of the ancient patriarchs, prophets and kings of Israel ; the birth, the life, the death and the resurrection of a once crucified, but now glorified, Redeemer ; the trials and triumphs of the apostles, whom Christ "chose as his own ;" the weary days and watchful nights of the early Christians, who suffered rebukes, buffetings and even death in maintaining the faith « once delivered to the saints ;" and the oft-repeated struggles of the Crusaders, who, to rescue the cross from the hands of infidels, poured out their life-blood on the plain of Esdraelon, around the walls of Jerusalem, and wherever else they could meet the Moslem face to face and hand to hand.

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Preface.

On leaving the borders of Dan, and entering upon what is more properly called Syria (as the Palestine of the Bible only extended "from Dan to Beersheba"), one meets with scenes of a somewhat different character, though scarcely less interesting. It is here that the descendants of Noah " built great cities" immediately after the flood, and whose reputed tombs remain even until this day.

Thence northward, through Asia Minor, some of the sites of the " seven churches of Asia," of which St. John wrote in the Revelation, are reached ; and not far from these are the island of Patmos, the site of ancient Troy, and Stamboul the wonderful !

It was my privilege, during the months of March and April, 1867, to spend forty-one days traveling through Palestine and Syria — the days on horseback and the nights in tents — and during all this time I spared no pains to see what was to be seen and learn what was to be learned. How well or ill I improved my opportunities the following pages will best determine.

On the first of May following I left Syria, and for some two weeks thereafter was engaged in traveling upon the sea, and in examining the towns and cities of Asia Minor, and finally reached Constantinople ; and here, too, I must refer my readers to the chapters following as proof of my industry in sight-seeing.

Next to seeing the . country for oneself is to read a faithful account given by one who has seen it ; and I think it no egotism to say that in faithfulness of description the following pages will bear comparison with others heretofore written by travelers.

Most of the chapters (originally in the form of letters for a public journal) were written at the time, and upon or near the spots described, while everything connected with them was fresh in our mind's eye. And while nothing, knowingly, has been " set down in malice," neither has any fact, deemed of importance or interest, been omitted.

The engravings are copied from views and sketches purchased

Preface.

*7 by myself in the Old World, and have in every case been selected with special reference to their faithfulness of representation.

In the preparation of this volume I have endeavored to make it instructive as well as entertaining, and to this end I have not hesitated to draw from any and all sources within my reach. It will be observed that I have quoted from the ably-written works of Robinson, Stephens, Prime, Burckhardt, Lords Lindsay and Egerton, Kelly, Olin, Russell, Skinner, Elliot, Addison, Lamartine, Perrier, Volney and others ; and if, in any instance, I have failed to give the proper credit, this general acknowledgment will suffice for all. I have no pride of authorship to subserve, and have only aimed to give the greatest amount of practical information in the least possible space.

I would also acknowledge my indebtedness to Prof. Ellis A. Apgar, the State School Superintendent of New Jersey, for carefully revising these pages before placing them in the hands of my publishers.

J. R. F.

Trenton, N. J,, 1868.

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The Old World.

PALESTINE.

Chapter I. Entrance Into Palestine

IT is near noon of the 19th of March, when our good ship Illysus starts from the harbor of Alexandria for the port of Jaffa. The day is bright and beautiful ; scores of vessels are in the harbor, and the loading and unloading of merchandise presents a busy and cheerful scene ; the waters of the bay reflect back the sunlight like a great mirror of polished glass ; the Pasha's palace and other public buildings of the city have enchantment added by " distance to the view ;" Cleopatra's Needle and Pompey's Pillar loom up in the distance like great sentinels of the mighty and far-gone past ; and thus it is that we have our last, long, lingering view of the once famous city of Philip.

Our ship is one of the French line of steamers which ply regularly between Alexandria and Smyrna, and, though not large, its appointments are unexceptionable

The Old World— Palestine.

in every particular. The officers are attentive, the staterooms clean and spacious, the tables are good, the decks are clean, and everything presents a comfortable appearance. These steamers leave Alexandria for ports north on the 8th, 18th and 28th of each month, and usually reach Jaffa about noon of the day following. The fare, first-class, is 72 francs, equaling about $14.

There are two other lines of steamers which ply between Alexandria and Jaffa and parts farther north, viz., the Austrian and Russian ; but, from the best information we can obtain, neither of these is as good as the French line.

Our boat, on this trip, has an unusually large number of first-class passengers — more, indeed, than the staterooms will accommodate, but by improvising sleepingplaces in the cabin and in the officers' quarters, all are very comfortably accommodated. Among the passengers are no less than sixteen Americans, bound for the Holy- Land, and all, like ourselves, making the tour of Europe and the East. It is pleasant to meet with friends and countrymen at home, but doubly so in a far-distant land, where everything is new, and strange, and untried ; and it gives us pleasure to add that now, more than ever before, the American, traveling in foreign lands, is proud to own himself a citizen of the Great Republic ! If in ancient days the name of Roman citizen was talismanic, that of American is doubly so in this our day ! Thanks to Victory !

Before nightfall we are out of sight of land, and not until near noon of the day following do we get our first glimpse of Syria ; and not until four o'clock of the afternoon of the same day do we reach Jaffa. A delay of some four hours from the usual time in leaving Alexandria, causes, of course, a corresponding delay in reaching

Entrance into Palestine.

Jaffa. Still, the time is ample for getting ourselves and baggage on shore and our tents pitched before the night comes on.

The harbor of Jaffa — if it can be called a harbor at all —is so shallow that vessels of any considerable size cannot approach within a half mile of the shore, and. as a consequence, passengers and luggage have to be taken off in row-boats. The noise and confusion of this procedure is easier imagined than described ; and a like remark is applicable to the passing of baggage through the Jaffa custom-house. Patience and bucksheesh, however, will bring both to an end ere long. Finally we reach a high hill, just outside of the town, and here our tents are pitched in company with about a dozen others.

How we unfurl the " stars and stripes" to the kisses of the soft sea breeze, and how an English flag near by flaunts jauntinglv at ours ; how dragomen, and servants, and horsemen, and muleteers chatter and splutter and frisk about ; how the natives gather on the outskirts of our camp and look on in amazement at this inordinate influx of " howadjis ;" how the dinner, steaming hot and luscious, comes ere long from off the " Egyptian cook stove," which said stove is nothing more than a piece of sheet iron, about ten inches wide by twenty-four in length, perforated with holes and standing upon four iron legs, upon which charcoal is thrown, and by the ignition of which an Egyptian cook boils and fries and roasts evensort of eatable : and how. after dinner is over, we walk out upon the sea-shore, and, while the stars look down as in days of old. think of the time when, just here, Noah built the ark in obedience to the command of the Most High — how, just here, Hiram, king of Tyre, brought the cedars of Lebanon for the building of Solomon's Temple

The Old World— Palestine.

— how, just here, Jonah embarked to flee from the command of God, but found himself, ere long, in the belly of a whale — how, just here, Peter saw the vision from the house-top of " Simon the Tanner," which taught him the lesson that God is no respecter of persons — how, just here, Peter recalled Tabitha to life — and how, just here, the first Napoleon carried on a most desperate siege, and, after the capitulation of the city, ordered four thousand Turkish soldiers to be inhumanly butchered, — are not all these things written upon our own brain and on the pages of sacred and profane history, and would a more minute description thereof add anything to the interest of the reader !

A French writer, who visited Palestine many years ago, thus describes the town and its surroundings :

" The town of Jaffa stands on a hill that rises abruptly from the sea, from which, at some distance, it has a very picturesque appearance ; though, on closer inspection, it appears a miserable place ; but it has a fine climate and a fine country round it, and the orange-gardens are the most luxuriant on the shores of the Mediterranean. It is popularly believed to have existed before the Deluge, and to have been the city where Noah dwelt and built his ark. It was the port whence Jonah embarked for Tarshish when he was thrown overboard and swallowed by a whale ; and St. Jerome himself does not disdain to record the heathen tradition which made the rocks of Jaffa the scene of Andromeda's exposure to the monster, and of her rescue by Perseus. But a more recent and a gloomier association attached to the name of this town belongs to Napoleon's history — the poisoning of the French invalids and the massacre of four thousand prisoners.

" The ancient harbor of this sole seaport of Judea is still traceable, and the rocks that formed the pier rise high

Entrance into Palestine.

out of the sea which breaks upon them with tremendous violence. This pier was, evidently, an artificial construction, and, although no mortar was used in the building of it, yet the joinings have become filled up and the whole forms a continuous mass resembling that at Rhodes and Tyre, though it is much smaller than the latter. The ships of Solomon, at least those trading on the Mediterranean, could not therefore have been very large or numerous, or they could not have found accommodation in this harbor. In common with all the cothons of that period, it is now so filled up with sand as only to allow an entrance to the small coasting craft. Trade was rather brisk at the time of our visit, and the place seemed thriving. The imports were mostly pilgrims and corn for the Pasha's army ; and the exports chiefly fruits from the neighboring gardens. There is a good bazaar, and the gate, on the land side, is remarkably handsome ; and beside it stands a noble Turkish fountain, formed of various colored marbles, pouring forth jets of the purest water. It furnishes a good specimen of the gate of an Eastern town, having within it the seat of judgment, as well as the receipt of custom, and was guarded by a strong military force, that formed a pleasing group as they surrounded its marble deewan."

There is one incident of the evening of which we must speak more in detail, since it illustrates the manners and customs of the people, and the striking similarity of the present with the past. We refer to a Syrian marriage ceremony, or, rather, the taking home of the bride after the marriage. While standing on our camp-ground in the early evening, we hear, at a distance, a loud sound of voices and rude instruments, and pretty soon observe lights approaching on the road which passes our tents. We wait with some anxiety to see what it is, and, when the procession comes near, we are informed by our dragoman that it is a newly-married husband taking home his bride. The first part of the procession consists of men, old and young, bearing lighted torches, and in their midst two or three are playing upon pipes and drums. Next follow some half dozen men and boys carrying large glass lighted lanterns, and immediately behind, or, as it were, in the midst of these, walks the bridegroom. The bride, with her face closely covered and with one hand resting upon the shoulder of the bridegroom, walks closely behind him, while, immediately behind her, fifty or more women and young girls follow, singing and shouting continually. Close to the bridegroom is a man carrying a chair, and whenever the procession halts, as it does frequently, the bridegroom sits down upon this chair, while the men shout and dance around him. When the husband sits the bride still stands with her hand resting on his shoulder. She utters no sound, and, by her pensive, silent tread, seems more like a lamb going to the slaughter than a new-made bride going to the home of her liege lord.

We follow them some distance as the procession wends its way to a small village just outside of the city, but observe nothing in addition to the above. One of the natives says that the husband gave " twenty French pounds" (Napoleons) for the bride, and thinks he has paid a high price for her. He says she is " mush-tieb," which means not good, but it may be that he is a rejected suitor or has some other reason for speaking thus slightingly of the bride.

While upon the subject of marriage ceremonies as observed throughout Palestine and Syria, it may prove of interest to our readers to quote Russell's account of the ceremony of fetching a bride on the eve of a nuptial-day,

Entrance into Palestine.

together with a general description of a Maronite wedding :

" The priests," he says, from their easy access to families, have a principal share in matrimonial negotiations ; and, having opportunities of being acquainted with the tempers of the children, they are supposed to be sincere in their reports. The female relations of the youth, too (as among the Moslems) , are employed in the search of a bride. When the choice is determined, flowerS and other small presents are, from time to time, sent from the family of the bridegroom to that of the bride, and the relations interchange visits ; but the girl, before company, will not so much as touch a flower that has come from the other house ; and, if the bridegroom happens to be named in her presence, she suddenly assumes a reserved air, becomes silent, or retires. The women know this so well, that, when the young lady happens to be rather pert, they threaten to make her soon change her tone, and the hint is sufficient to silence her.

" After the bride has been demanded in form, and other matters have been adjusted, a certain number of the male relations are invited to an entertainment by her father, in order to settle the wedding-day, which is usually fixed at the distance of a fortnight.

" In the afternoon of the day preceding that of the nuptials the same company again repair to the bride's house, and proceeding thence, after supper, to the house of the bridegroom, they find most of the persons assembled who have been invited to the wedding. The bridegroom and shebeen, or brideman, do not, at first, make their appearance, but, after a short search, are discovered lurking, as it were, on purpose, in a dishabille not suited to the approaching ceremony. From their refuge they are led in triumph round the court-yard, amid the shouts

The Old World— Palestine.

of the assembly, and then conducted into a chamber to dress, where the wedding garments are ready displayed ; but, before these are put on, a priest pronounces a long benediction over them. When the bridegroom is dressed, he is again obliged to make several turns in procession, in the same manner as before. The women all this time remain in a separate apartment.

" About midnight all the men and most of the women, each carrying a wax taper, set out in procession, preceded by a band of music, in order to fetch the bride. Upon their arrival at her house they are refused admission, a party of the bride's kindred standing ready to dispute the entrance ; and, in consequence of this, a mock skirmish usually ensues, in which the bridegroom's party is always victorious. The women, now advancing to the inner apartments, soon return in triumph with the bride, who is entirely covered with a large veil, and attended only by her shebeeny, or bridesmaid, and one or two female relations, for the mother and nearest kindred are not, by custom, allowed to accompany her. The paternal house is in deep affliction at her departure, but she is received by the expecting crowds with repeated shouts of joy, and in that manner conducted to the bridegroom's house. Their course, however, is extremely slow, for decorum imperatively requires that every step of the bashful bride toward the abode of her destined spouse should be made with the utmost seeming reluctance. A very bad opinion, indeed, would be conceived of the girl who, on such an occasion, did not consume an hour, at least, in walking a distance of ten minutes. Just in the inverse ratio of her speed is the honor due to her virtuous breeding and maiden modesty.