B 4 Sie 37L 
 
X>inil)am Cuitrt IfUn-ani. 
 
THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 rill: UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 PRESENTTD BY 
 
 PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND 
 
 MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID 
 
(ilMFFlX AlloV! 
 
 A YACHT CllUISM TO THE LEVANT. 
 
 WANDERlNliS IS KGVIT. SVllIA. THE HOLY UXD. 
 GREECE, A.SD IIALV. IN' 1881. 
 
#: 
 
 %t 
 
CililFFlN Alln\ : 
 
 A VAC III ( iMi<K T(» Tin: I. i:\A.\T 
 
 WA.NDP.RISliS IX EGYPT, SYBIA. THK HuLY L\XD, 
 GliKFXE. AND ITALY. IN IS.SI. 
 
 •.I.M.l; \|. i:. 11. MAXWi;!.!.. ( .1! 
 
 IN <>M: \nI.lMK. 
 
 I,ONt>ON. 
 
 lirilST AM) III.ACKKTT. I'lItMSlIKKS. 
 
 n, (illKAT M MU-llOItDtiill STKKKT. 
 
M3l 
 
 JOHN HAIUI), KSQ. 
 
 or KXiiTDAKT, 
 
 IV nEMT.iniRANCF. OF MANY HAPPY nOims 
 ON' OOARD THE " (JIUFKIN." 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 ( IIAITMR I. 
 ON noAnn the "oriffin." 
 
 ITic "(jnllin" and her Cruw — KiJbjr, tbo Stcwonl — Arr&ngcincnt 
 of oar Time — Our Fimt Kiijlit on Iknnl — Thv liny of UUcay — 
 'ITio Cbanncl Flwt— 'Hio " UrilFui " iu a UkIl^— Slieltcrul by iho 
 IWrlongfrn — (JibmlUir — t'liaiigm in the Anuy — Dinappcaraucv 
 of Kjijirit (If t'oqm — VUit to AlKcxirait — The Arrna for 
 Hullllslil*— Mal.iL-a— I >ran— Algicn — Amuaiiig Mistake — Arab 
 tiuartor ..... 
 
 CHAPTER 11. 
 
 PROGRESS OF OITR CRn.SE. 
 
 Malta— OKI Reminiicvncc»— Tbo New Forest — Story of a Ikar— 
 Itumuila— Ttio In>|uijiitoni' ralac«>^A Strong (ialo— A l'»>culi- 
 arity of the Mi'<litvrTaiit'an — Our Cook — A Fine Morning at 
 Sva — Auchorwl off Cyjinu*— (Jiiaint Trailltion — C'liai*-! of St. 
 I.a2ani»— Ancient Kngliab Tonib»— IjUKl-binU .it Sc-a— II M.S. 
 " Coquette "—Tnnlition of Omah — AlcxamlrxtU— A Sjvrting- 
 party— A Slonny Day a& 
 
 MJJOfVM? 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 IN EASTERN CLIMES. 
 Walk to L.1 Fontaine — Alexandretta — The Ship of the Desert — 
 Madame Cottoni's Soiree Dansante— Gun Practice in Beyas 
 Bay — A Pilgrimage to Autioch — The Beilan Pass — Country 
 frequented by Brigands— The Syrian Gates — Hospitably 
 entertained by a Jew — Antioch — The Church of St. John — 
 PubUc Baths— Palace built by Antiochus — Grateful old 
 Lady 47 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 EASTERN EXPERIENCES. 
 
 Visit of Mr. Martin, the Missionary — The Bazaar at Antioch — 
 Journey to the Groves of Daphne— A Grotto and Cascade — 
 The Orontes — Mr. Essom, the Missionary — Our Jewish Host 
 and his Family — Legend of the Lake— Ascent of the Defiles of 
 Amanus — The Syrian Gates — The Beilan Pass — A Sporting- 
 party — A Picnic to Beilan — Accident to Parker — Quarantine 
 at Alexandria — Process of Fumigation . . . . C7 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE PYRAMIDS. 
 
 Cairo — Shepherd's Hotel — Eastern Scenes — Cairo becoming Galli- 
 cised — View from the Platform of the Citadel— Heliopolis — 
 Ancient Obelisk — Ostrich Farm — The Virgin's Tree— The Mu- 
 seum — The Nile — Road to the Pyramids — The Pyramids — 
 Temple of the Spliinx — Exj^loration of a Pyramid — Village of 
 Geezeh— EgjriJtian Soldiers 89 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 EGYPTIAN ANTIQUITIES. 
 The Island of Roda — The Kilometer — Palace of Ibrahim Pasha — 
 
 I 
 
(JUI Cairu, or Itabyluu— Mumiia' o( Amor — T««t Coluuiiut— 
 Siii|wtluxjtiu>; — Umlint; Kgyiitiou I)oukvy» — 'I1u: TynuuitU u( 
 Sakkaruh — tilxpturatiuu u( thu Svra|N;Uiu — llto Tuuib uf Tik — 
 Kinploymriit of Mlu Hoam — IV- Untlu oi lIulicoD— Arclueo- 
 
 lot;ical Diaoovuri™ 111 
 
 C IIAI'TKU Vll. 
 VISIT TO THE IIOLy LAM.. 
 A Jounii-y to Syria— PruiKanil Moilo of Truvilliiit;— The Cu<nuM>- 
 dorv'it {'am|>— l>iiii>«rwou of our I'nrty — Aiichorwi off Jaffa, or 
 Jopjtu — All oU Sailor— Howanl'B Hotel— Ibmliim IKIiroiiy, 
 our Uroifoiuiut — I'artiut; Look at llio " tlriinn "— Onuigut of 
 Jopjia — Scripturu liocalitiot — llamluh —Tomb of the Moccabo* 
 — Latruu — III Juruiutk'tii at loKt 1-"^ 
 
 C1IA1*TKU VIII. 
 
 IS J K K IT S A L K M . 
 
 Tho Stroota of Jcnualt-iii — I'ilj^riuu — St. Stephen'! GBt«— Gctbae- 
 uwnu — Tnulitioiu aoU Prupbocioi rulatiog to Jcnualcm— 
 Daviil'ii Tower— .V Cclcbrotwl Hobrvw Scholar — PhylnctcricB — 
 .\ii Aimricaii rnrty— The Mount of Olivoii — Iloapitol of St 
 John— Church of tho 8«pulchn.— TouibB of tho King« and of 
 till' Juilt;v>— Valley of Jchuihaphat — Church of tho ^Uccnaion— 
 Tomb of David 147 
 
 CIIAITKK IX. 
 
 SCENE.S IN TUE lIOLY UV.SU. 
 
 I'll^'hiuagu tu J orichu— Captain Oman and Uic ** UrilUn "— Iltc 
 Tomb of Abaulom- iivtbany- Wiidcnion of Judca— A rolialnii 
 Slieik— rhiiiui of Jonlaii aixl the Dooil S«« — Wo moi-t ajjaiii 
 our American Kriviidt— Women from a Itodouiu Cam|>— Jericho 
 — Uaukji of the JonUu— Story of a S|>ort«uao— Tlio Tomb of 
 MoMi — Convent of Maraabo — We 1'"t ""i ■'■<' K«cort — Au 
 oVI Story— Bethlch«m—Tr*litiou. 166 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE JEWS IN SYRIA. 
 
 Mosque on the Site of tlie Temple — ^The Mosque of Aksa — Fountain 
 in the Court — ^The Cradle of Jesus — Descent of the Holy Fire — 
 Departure from Jerus;ilem — A Self-willed old Lady — The 
 Russian Hospice — Pilgrims — Jews — The Jews' Wailiug-place — 
 Smoking in the East — In the " Griffin " again — Departure from 
 Joppa — St. Jean d' Acre— Anchored off Haifa . . .191 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 IN THE FOOTSTEPS OP CHRIST. 
 Preparations for our Start — Ibrahim indignant — Our Steeds and 
 their Kiders — Expedition to Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee — 
 Mount Carmel — Appearance of the Country — The River 
 Kishon — Destruction of Trees in Syria — The Plains of Es- 
 draelon — Ploughing Operations — Nazareth — The Latin Con- 
 vent — Brother John of Nazareth — Visits to various Memorials 
 of Christ — Mount Tabor — Sea of Galilee — Tiberias — Ibrahim's 
 Wound 213 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE LEBANON AND ANTI-LEBANON. 
 
 St. Jean d'Acre — Cross-grained Turks — The Tyrian Ladder — Tyre 
 — Prophecies Confirmed — Sidon — Beyrout— Lady Hester Stan- 
 hope — Eccentric Coachmen — We Part with Ibrahim — Ibrahim 
 Dehrony — Tradition of St. George — The Oriental Hotel — Start 
 for Damascus — Ascent of Lebanon — Chalcis — Valley of Wady- 
 el-Kurn— The River Abana— The Anti-Lebanon— Approach to 
 Damascus 24.3 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 DAMASCUS. 
 Damascus compared with Constantinople — Our Hotel — Horse Fair — 
 
CONTENTS. n 
 
 iUzun of the Different Tr».k«— *I^o Itraai lUiaar— The Onunl 
 Mi«ilUi>^'niu Street collvil Stroii;!)!— I'ruBtrato (.'uluiiiiut — iluUM: 
 of Aimuia*— 'Ilic Gate Uab-cl-Jabyeh~SccUc of I'aul'a Couvef- 
 ■ioa— I'cnccution of Chrutiau*— (invc of Buckle, the IliKtorian 
 — llouwa of tbu VVvalliiy luiiubibuitit — 'V\u> I'ubltc (jsnlciu— 
 Circowiaii iCcfuti'ixa — Drive aktug tliu lloiilu uf the Abtuia — 
 Arrival at Itejrout . 2i'J 
 
 CllArii.H \IV. 
 
 '.KKKCE UE-VISITKU. 
 
 Uur l'ili,'niuai;i-' Accouiplijihcil — Viewn of rarioiu UlaixU — The Ijilca 
 uf (irevcv — AthciM — 'Ilio I'irwua — The Moowcru uf Kugliali 
 (ii-ntli'inoii — A KiMiian Frion<l— Trainn l>t:lwr»'ii the I'inDiu 
 aii<i AtbciM — Athvniau Caba — C'haD(,'c in the Aspect of Atlwua 
 
 — Kvuituiu of Autiijuity — Diicuvcry of au Aucieut Cvuelvry 
 — 'Iliu 'I'otnb of Af^amotuiioii— 'Hie Kxcavationa of Dr. 
 Scblieinaun 286 
 
 ( IIAI'THU XV. 
 
 FAREWELL TO THE " ORIFFIX." 
 
 l>o|wrtiiru fruiu Atbeiu — Not<a uf our Voyage — StroniboU — Story of 
 a l<<tti-r — VapltM ai^'ain — Soil to Ijichia — View of .Sorrento — .V 
 (rrim oil Uuililinj;— Tcrriblo Dijcovory— A Woariaome AjcpuI 
 —A i'vrfcctly-uluaUil lloUl '.' f an K.«rtb<|UAkc 
 
 — A .«M.l .Story— IWuti.* •, Xi.-,.l.>— Pic 
 C'omintxioro an<l I'rincoM > uination of our 
 Crui*) — Ibo Cmt'i Yacbt— a tew Hour* in Na|>li»— 'I1ie 
 Aquarium 307 
 
CIIAl'TKK I. 
 
 ON ll()AUI> TIIK M'.KIFFIN'.* 
 •• QRimN " Asm iicR CRtw— KiDUT, THE sriwARD— Aniuxr,cMr.vr 
 
 Of OUR Tim— OUR nBST XIOIIT OJC BOARD — THE DAY Of niSCAT — 
 Tilt CIIAifNEL riXET— TIIE " OKimX " IN A QAIX— SIIELTEREO BT 
 TUE BEKUDJOERS— OIBRALTAR— CJIAJIOES IH TUE ARMT— DlS-iP- 
 rEARANCE or rsrRIT DE CORTS — VISIT TO AL0E5IRAS— TIIE ARENA 
 roR nULL-naim— ILVLAOA— OR.\X— ALOICRS — AMISIXO III5TAKE 
 — AIUB 1)UARTKK. 
 
niAiTKi: I. 
 
 ^"^inO sun shono bripjhtly on tho snow-covort-d 
 -*- ground as wo loft our comfortable homo to 
 proceed on our travels. Wo had boon invited to 
 accompany our kind friends of Knoydart, in their 
 yacht tho (Irijjin, on a cruise to tho Mediter- 
 ranean, and tho hope of basking in sunshine on 
 tho calm blue sea made us accept with pleasure 
 this welcome invitation. 
 
 I will pass over our long journey from tho 
 north to Falmouth. Tho train dashed along 
 through a snow-covered country ; sometimes the 
 white mantle was deeper at one place than at 
 another, but the wholo of Scotland and England 
 was lying under a virgin pall, and the cold was 
 intense. 
 
 On tho morning of tho 19th of January, 1891, 
 we all assembled at breakfast in the Falmouth 
 Hotel. Our host will appear in these pages as 
 
4 GRIFFIN AHOf ! 
 
 the Commodore, our j^cntle hostess as the Princess. 
 Then there were Miss Ilarc, and Susan, Kiklonan, 
 and Parker, my wife and self ; all told, a party of 
 eight. 
 
 The snowstorms everywhere were very severe 
 about this time, and the papers were full of 
 disasters by sea and land. 
 
 On the 22nd of January we embarked on board 
 the Griffin. The shades of evening were closing 
 around, and intense frost was in the air. "We 
 bade farewell to England, and we could liut 
 wonder what our fate would be as we steamed 
 out of Falmouth Harbour, and big waves beat 
 against us and made us all tumble about, for we 
 had not yet got our sea-legs. 
 
 The Griffin is a fine, barque-rigged yacht of 
 three hundred and fifteen tons, with auxiliary 
 screw. She is built as strong as a gunboat, and 
 is very fast. Often we have gone by the log 
 thirteen knots. She has a deck saloon, and im- 
 mediately facing the door of this cabin are the 
 stairs leading down to where the sleeping-berths 
 are, as well as to dining-saloon, pantry, &c. The 
 ladies' cabins are divided from the gentlemen's by 
 a wooden partition which extends along the centre 
 
OCU ( UEW. 
 
 of tlio vessel, and on each side is a sea-water hath. 
 My cahin was most luxurious, and was next to 
 my wife's, from which it was separated by a 
 curtain. 
 
 The crew consisted of Captain Oman, first and 
 second mate, and seven able-bodied seamen, as 
 fine a sot of fellows as you could meet anywhere. 
 The engineer had three men under him in his 
 department, one cook and cook's mato, one stew- 
 ard and two undor-stewards. There were also 
 the Princess's maid and her sister. Besides all 
 these belont^inpr to the yacht, was worthy 
 M'Gregor, Kildonan's gamekeeper, whose bag- 
 pipes were often heard on the wide Atlantic 
 Ocean. 
 
 " Kidby " the steward was a most attentive 
 man, most civil on all occasions, and always ready 
 with any restorative. He had a sligh.t inijwdi- 
 ment in his speech, which rather imparted zest to 
 his remarks. 
 
 Our day began generally about half-past seven 
 a.m., when a knock at my cabin-door was followed 
 by the announcement that the bath was ready. 
 A plunge into the salt water was very refreshing. 
 This wa."* followed by a cup of tea. Breakfast 
 
D UHIFI'IN AllOV ! 
 
 was at niue, luucbeon at two, ami dinner at seven. 
 In the evening dominoes, chess, and literature, 
 combined with cigars and cigarettes, made the 
 time pass pleasantly ; but I must own that in 
 rough weather chess was impossible, and domi- 
 noes sometimes not very practicable. 
 
 The sea was very rough during our first night 
 on board. The waves curled up like wild demons 
 agaiust the round port in my cabin, which was 
 firmly fixed, and then retired, seemingly baffled, 
 to bang against the vessel's sides, and leap fran- 
 tically on to the deck and rush madly back into 
 the sea. Hour after hour passed, and this maniac 
 dance continued ; yet in the morning when we 
 got on deck, instead of meeting gloomy faces, we 
 were told that we had made a splendid run during 
 the night. As the day went on, strange, oil- 
 skinned figures, whom it was difficult to recog- 
 nise except by their voices, appeared staggering 
 about in solemn pomposity. 
 
 This first day was Sunday. The Commodore 
 read prayers in presence of the men off duty and 
 as many of our party as could face the ordeal of 
 remaining in the cabin. "We rolled and tumbled 
 through the Bay of Biscay till Monday night. 
 
A80D-WK8TKU. 7 
 
 On Tuesday wo wore (jlad to learn that wo bad 
 left the bay, aud wero no less pleased to hail the 
 beautiful morning which grootod our appoaranco 
 on dock. The Channel Fleet wero exercising on 
 our port bow, aud a school of porpoises gambolled 
 and played before our ship. Wo wero all in great 
 spirits, now that tho droadod bay was passed, and 
 wo woro noar tho coast of sunny Portugal. All 
 storms woro over, but tho wind blew in gu.sts 
 from tho south-west, dead against us. The sea 
 got up, tho breozo froshoncd. At length a gale 
 camo on, and wo woro ox|K)3od to all tho fury of 
 a 80u'-wostor right in our teeth. Tho 6V///(« be- 
 haved nobly. Sometimes she dashed her head 
 against a huge wave, and tho soa leaped over her 
 bows and swept along tho docks, liut, appar- 
 ently rovivod by her plunge, sho rose over tho 
 next wavo and shook herself free from tho effects 
 of tho former attack. Tho wind moaned in tho 
 f'gg'Dgt o»d wavo after wavo succeeded each 
 other; sometimes a great fierce one, followed 
 occasionally by a tremetulous roll of green water. 
 As wo looked around, tho whole ocean appeared 
 as a series of dark caverns, from which tho spray 
 Hew like srooko from a gun, and tho heavens were 
 
8 GlUKl'lN AUOV ! 
 
 gloomy and loweriog above us. The galo was so 
 violent that we were unable to proceed, but hove 
 to, and so passed the night. Wednesday morn- 
 ing broke dull and stormy. The wind was still 
 blowing a strong gale from the south-west. We 
 were near the Berlengers, lonely, barren rocks on 
 which is a lighthouse. The sea dashed against 
 them, mounting high up into the air and breaking 
 into cascades of snow-white spray. 
 
 The Commodore thought, if we could get to 
 leeward of these rocks, we might have a com- 
 paratively quiet time for dinner. The attempt 
 accordingly was made, and, having changed our 
 course, we had the wind on our beam for a short 
 time, and staggered towards the slight protection 
 these rocks afforded. The shelter was very small, 
 still it was a change, and we all appeared at 
 dinner and voted it quite smooth. But when our 
 lively repast was over, and we faced the open 
 again, we had a dismal foretaste of the dreary 
 night we wei'e condemned to pass, the seas break- 
 ing frantically over us, and the Griffin shivering 
 as if she were weary of her continued battling 
 with the storm. 
 
 For seven days and seven nights from our date 
 
of ilo|jarturc from Faliuouth, wo had a succofision 
 of galos, and tho wind was always against us. As 
 wo nearod Gibraltar, wo saw three great ocean 
 steamers putting about niid returning to port, 
 unable to face the heavy sea and fierce wind. On 
 tho 2')th of January we approached the rock of 
 Ciibraltar, and, according to directions, we hoisted 
 t':io yellow ((uarnntino flag and cruised about tho 
 harbour in an aimless way, no one taking any 
 notice of us. The Commodore got tired of this, 
 and decided to go to the new mole and anchor 
 there. This wo did, in a position not far from 
 several other yachts, among which >vero Mr. 
 IJrassey's Sunl)eam and Lord Macdonald's Lady 
 of the Isles. 
 
 As none of the officials came near us, our Com- 
 modore hauled down tho yellow flag and sent a 
 boat on shore. But wo wore premature, for in 
 this first-class fort thoy are very particular. Our 
 boat was sent back, and Kidby, who had gone off 
 for the letters, came back with the information 
 that wo must " wait for product," so there wore 
 no letters that evening. Next morning, January 
 tho 30th, pratique came, and soon after tho captain 
 of the port. At first he had a little of the oiricial 
 
10 
 
 GEIFFIN AHOY 
 
 manner on, but that soon passed away, and he 
 was ever afterwards most courteous and kind. 
 The fact is we had broken through all rules ; first, 
 in having anchored without permission near the 
 new mole, and second, in sending a boat on shore 
 before receiving pratique. 
 
 It was Sunday morning, and the rain poured 
 incessantly. Still we went to the cathedral, and 
 the strange sensation never left me that tlie whole 
 building was tossing on a stormy sea. This feel- 
 ing was so strong that I had to hold on to the 
 back of the bench in front of me. 
 
 On our return on board, my dear old friend and 
 comrade, Lieutenant-Colonel H. G. Moore, V.C, 
 Major 93rd (Sutherland) Highlanders, came to 
 see me. It was a pleasure meeting him again, 
 and, as I warmly shook his hand, how many 
 scenes came back to my memory ! When I got 
 command of my old regiment, the Connaught 
 Rangers, in 1864, I offered the adjutancy to 
 Moore, which he accepted, and he held that post 
 as long as I i-emaiued in the SSth licgimeut. 
 Since then his career has been along a path of 
 glory and honour, and it was with pride and 
 
CilANiiES IS TUt: AUUY. 11 
 
 ploasuro that I mot him again after somo years of 
 absence. 
 
 That fooling of brotherhood which existed in 
 old days wlien a regiment was a home, and the 
 ulficora formed a largo and ha[)i)y family bound 
 together by bonds of friendship and gsprlt de corps, 
 must necessarily now bo extinct. The lieutenant 
 of to-day cannot look forward to servo probably 
 a lifetime under the colours of tho regiment to 
 which ho has boon first appointed, and in duo 
 time to command it, as was my happy lot. Tho 
 tlat has gone forth, and thq old isprit tU corps 
 must pass away. God grant that other evils 
 ' I used by short service may not bo added to tho 
 total abolition of "pride in one's regiment " which 
 was the boast of otFicers and men before those 
 •iilical changes were introduced. Tho ollicers 
 Slid men may bo equally good as those of tho 
 " old army," but it is impossible that tho samo 
 love for their regiments can exist in tho breasts 
 of men who one day arc in ono corps and tho 
 next in another. 1 belonged to tho " old army," 
 which was proud to bo called royal, and whicii 
 looked to tho sovcroigo as tho fountain of honour 
 and reward. 
 
12 GEIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 Under Moore's guidance, we visited the gal- 
 leries of Gibraltar, which arc burrowed in the 
 rock. As the rain poured without stopping, it 
 was a damp expedition. 
 
 Owing to the severe weather we had experi- 
 enced, the whole yacht was very damp, so the 
 Commodore and Princess and the whole of their 
 party took up quarters at the Royal Hotel. Time 
 passed merrily enough in the society of old and 
 new friends belonging to the different regiments 
 quartered at Gibraltar. 
 
 One morning we embarked on board the 
 steamer which plies between Gibraltar and 
 Algesiras. The day was fine, and a fresh breeze 
 swept away all clouds and mist. "We took about 
 an hour to reach the opposite coast, and, after 
 landing at the pier, proceeded to the hotel, where 
 luncheon and excellent Amontillado fortified us 
 greatly. The Princess, attended by the Commo- 
 dore, Susan, Kildonan, and Parker, mounted on 
 donkeys, rode to some orange-groves a few miles 
 from the town. They had several amusing ad- 
 ventures. One of their long-eared chargers lay 
 down when crossing a stream, and another one 
 fell while passing over a boggy place. 
 
ALUKSIUAH. 13 
 
 Midd Hare, my wifo and 1, haviuj^ prociiivd a 
 .,'iiitle, oxplorod tho town, which is a clean Span- 
 ish city. Tho stroots arc hard to walk along, but 
 tho cuthudral is an interosting building in tho 
 piazza. 
 
 Having always understood that Algesiras was a 
 great place for bull-fights, wo told our guide to 
 take us to tho arena, which is quite now, and was 
 now in Bolitudo, for tho games do not take place 
 till July. A man came and conducted us all over 
 it, explaining with groat gusto the names and 
 uses of tho different holes and corners where the 
 matadors escaped whou tho enraged bull attacked 
 thom. lie became quite olo(iuont in his descrip- 
 tions, but the impression left on my mind was 
 that every advantage was given to tho men, and 
 that poor " Toro " was treated with the greatest 
 cruelty, anil iiad no chance. 
 
 Wo loft tho building, and proceeded to an 
 esplanade overlooking tho sea, where wo re- 
 mained somo time, fanned by the breeze, enjoy- 
 ing the view of tho rock in tho distance, and 
 watching tho whito-soilod foluccas flitting to and 
 fro. 
 
 The Princess, having returned, collected her 
 
14 ORTFFIN AUnV ! 
 
 followers, and we embarked in a launch sent for 
 the Commodore by the Peninsular and Oriental 
 Company. We steamed back to Gibraltar, where 
 the Commodore and I were engaged to dine with 
 the 93rd Highlanders. 
 
 The yacht having been declared ready, we re- 
 embarked in her. Several dinner-parties were 
 given on board, and the evening always ended 
 with music, for there was a good piano in the 
 Griffin, and the Princess had a sweet voice. 
 Parker also sang many good songs. At a quarter 
 to twelve on Friday night, February the 4th, after 
 one of these pleasant parties, we said farewell to 
 Moore. The anchor was weighed, and we started 
 for Malaga. Kildonan had left us a day or two 
 before on a visit to Granada and the Alhambra, 
 and was to rejoin us at Malaga. 
 
 We had a good passage, and anchored again at 
 half-past seven on the morning of February the 5th. 
 After luncheon we landed and sauntered through 
 the town. Malaga is a most thriving place. 
 There is a look of business in the streets, which 
 were crowded with carts and carriages. We paid 
 a visit to a merchant in the hope of seeing the 
 
OBAN. 15 
 
 Malaj^a raisins packfil in hoxos, hut wo wore too 
 late. 
 
 Wo wont to 800 the fino old cathodral, and, 
 liavinjj had chocolate at tho hotel, wo returned 
 on board. Tho only disagrooablo thing in Malaga 
 was tho dust, which How in clouds and nearly 
 blinded us. 
 
 Soon after our return on hoard, Kildonan ap- 
 poarod, after a most pleasant visit to tho Alham- 
 bra; so that same night we put to sea again. 
 Tho sea ran high, and tho wind blew very fresh. 
 Wo raado for Oran, on the coast of Africa On 
 Sunday, the Gth of February, the Commodore road 
 prayers. A fino broozo was blowing, and wo 
 coasted along tho African shore. Wo passed 
 Ilabalor Uocks, which looked like tho mainland. 
 In tho evening, as the night was coming on, wo 
 made tho narrow entrance to tho harbour, and 
 shortly afterwards anchored in tho snug port of 
 Oran. 
 
 After breakfast wo landed at Oran, which is a 
 busy French port. We walked up a steep ascent 
 to tho esplanade, which overlooks tho harbour. 
 There are some trees planted on it, and a groat 
 
16 riHii'i'iN A HOY ! 
 
 number of benclies are conveniently placed for 
 those who seek shelter and rest. A fine band- 
 stand is also erected. 
 
 On a high hill which rises abruptly above the 
 town is a fort, near which on a rock is a shrine 
 to the Virgin. In it is a statue of Mary, who 
 appears as if blessing the buildings and harbour 
 which nestle at her feet. 
 
 We passed through dirty, smelly streets which 
 are built on the side of a hill. Several houses 
 were marked by a bloody hand, an emblem which, 
 we were informed, gave warning that fever and 
 other diseases prevailed in these dwellings. Oran 
 is said to be a very feverish place, the people 
 looking pallid and weak. On the top of the 
 mountain is a fort, into which we tried to enter, 
 but were stopped by French sentries ; so we re- 
 traced our steps, and, having refreshed ourselves 
 at a cafe near the landing-place, we were not 
 sorry to return on board again. In consequence 
 of its unhealthiness, Oran is not an inviting spot 
 to remain at, but our visit to it was an amusing 
 interlude in our voyage. 
 
 We steamed away at two p.m., with a strong 
 north-west blowing and a lively sea. We danced 
 
ALiilBBH. 17 
 
 over tlio wuros till evening, when the sun set in 
 gorgeous beauty. After dinner I sat on the deck 
 and Binokod a cigar. What a starlit sky and 
 restless sea ! Tliero is an ecstatic feeling comes 
 over rao when bounding along with a fresh breeze 
 filling the sails. But the moon sank and the 
 wind changed, and I loft the deck not qiiito 
 satisfied with the look of the weather. 
 
 Wo coasted along the African shore all night. 
 In tho raorning tho wind was dead against us, but 
 wo steamed against tho current, and we had a 
 good view of tho mountains, and with a glass saw 
 plainly tho Christian's tomb, a high monumental 
 ilifice much venerated by tho Arabs. 
 
 About one in tho afternoon we entered tho 
 harbour of Algiers, and anchored near a Russian 
 man-of-war. The l)ukv nj lulitdiurijh. 
 
 Tho appearance of tho town is most dazzling, 
 for tho houses are all white. We landed on tho 
 morning of February tho 9th, and walked through 
 'ho arcades, which remind one of Paris. Indeed 
 tho new part of tho town is quite French. As 
 wo sauntered along, wo were struck with tho 
 French look of everything . the names of the 
 streets were all French. 
 
 
 
18 cKii'i'iN Alloy ! 
 
 One of our party pointed out a grand building, 
 and informed us that it was a fort, for on the gate 
 was written " Sonnez Fort" — " Ring loudly." The 
 shouts of laughter with which this news was 
 received must have astonished the grave-looking 
 Arabs who were loitering near. It recalled to 
 me a similar mistake made by a brother-officer of 
 mine called " Joe," who, when we wore quartered 
 in Malta, informed us that the best man in the 
 island for gloves was Gants, from Paris. 
 
 Leaving the French part of the town, we went 
 into the Arab quarter. The climb is very steep, 
 up a street of many steps. Everything is differ- 
 ent here from what it is in the other part of the 
 city. The shops are more Oriental, and tho 
 divans full of Arabs. At the summit of the hill 
 we came to the old palace and citadel of the Dey 
 of Algiers, now in possession of the French, and 
 by a different road we descended to the harbour 
 again. 
 
 In the afternoon, when it became cooler, we 
 landed and hired one of the little open carriages 
 of the place, drawn by a pair of clever ponies, 
 and had a most pleasant excursion to Bou-Zaree, 
 
THE JAKUIN d'kSsAI. 1'.> 
 
 by Muataj)lia tlirough Kl-Hiar. It was a lovely 
 ilrivo up a stoop mountain, nmon{» liolds of 
 /.•raniiiras and trees just beginning to bud in the 
 .arly spring. Tlio sun had nearly sot. and it 
 became cold, as wo turned to go home. Tho 
 road down tho mountain zigzagged in a truly 
 Kronch manner. We trotted at a good pace along 
 a rough road, and finally arrived safely in tho 
 I'laco du Gouvernemont. 
 
 Tho Jardin d'Essai is well worth a visit. It is 
 situated near tho soa, about half an hour's drive 
 from tho town. Every species of palm-troe grows 
 thero, and, owing to tho climate and tho care 
 taken by those in charge, tho whole garden is a 
 most interesting place, and wo wandered with 
 pleasure through tho greon alleys down to tho 
 shore of the Mediterranean, whose beach there is 
 composed of nothing but shells. 
 
 On two difforont occasions I drove there. The 
 first time was on a calm and beautiful afternoon ; 
 tho .second, a strong breeze was blowing the dust 
 in clouds, but, on entering the gardens, all was 
 ▼ory ploa.sant. 
 
 The captain of the Russian man-of-war, who 
 
 c2 
 
20 GEIITIN Alloy ! 
 
 had called in our absence, left his card. On it 
 was written : 
 
 ' ' Capitaine Paul Novissikky, 
 
 Freijate ' D^ic d'Edimbourg.' " 
 
 The Commodore returned his visit, and asked 
 him to dinner. The gallant officer's English was 
 not of the best, for when the Commodore invited 
 him to feed on board the yacht he replied, " I 
 have not been so well, I cannot eat, but I can sit 
 under the table." He was a cheerful man, and full 
 of talk. 
 
 Having handed the Princess to dinner on the 
 occasion of his honoui'iug us with his company, 
 when we were all seated, in walked two good- 
 looking Russian sailors, bearing a huge basket of 
 flowers, which they presented to the Princess in 
 the name of their captain. Next morning he sent 
 his steam-launch, and placed it at our disposal. 
 The young officer in charge was Prince Bores 
 Galetzine. We embarked, and proceeded to the 
 old harbour, landing near the dungeons where 
 the prisoners were confined during the time of 
 the Algerian pirates. Dark, dismal prisons, 
 whose walls must often have re-echoed with 
 
MAONISTir 1.1011X8. 21 
 
 Bounds of angiiish and wot<. Owing to tho 
 continual iraprovoments made in tho harbour, 
 those old tomples of cruelty are vanishing away. 
 
 In tho evening tlio Russian frigate was lit up 
 with magnetic lights, most useful for discovering 
 the approach of boats at night. 
 
CHAl'TKIf II 
 
 I'U()(;UKSS OK OfK CUIISK. 
 
 t»LTA— «IJ> RtmSISCEJICtS— Tilt KEW rOBUT— aTOBT OF A BtAU— 
 
 bi;rmol.\— Tiic ix^LiiiToiai' palace— a stuono oale— a i-tciu- 
 
 AKin or TIIE MtJllTKItKANU-lS— Ont 0)OK— A KrSK MnKMSti AT 
 
 SEA— AXCiiuUEb orr cri-uis— niAisfT Tn-^nmoN— chm-kl o» sx. 
 
 IMLAUVi — AXCIEXT EKUUlUI TuMIUI — LAKD-BIKDS AT tEA— II. M. ». 
 " rixjirtTE "— TUADmoM or oMAII— ALEXAXbRTTTA — a SI-UITTIMl 
 
 I m:iy— A .fri)m«v i>Ar. 
 
25 
 
 C'UAl'TKIi II. 
 
 VFTKIl pussin^ a ffw pleasant days at Alj,'ioM, 
 finally, on the 11th of Fobruary, at mid- 
 night, wo put to 3oa, which, as soon as wo got 
 (uitsiiU' tho bay, became very rough, tho breeze 
 freshening and tho wind whistling through tho 
 rigging. It blow so fiercely that some of U8 
 would willingly have tried to put into Tunis, but 
 •'10 Commodore wisely hold on, and wo flew before 
 t ho gale, going thirteen knots. We heard after- 
 wards at Malta that tho gunboat Decoy was out 
 in this storm near Tunis, and that the captain 
 was washed from her bridge and drowned. What 
 i-i man when lighting with tho elements? The 
 good angels watched over us, and, on the afternoon 
 of Sunday, February tho 13th, we were abeam 
 of Pantaleria. Tho moon shone brightly, and 
 
IFI'IN AllOV ! 
 
 the big waves followed after us, the Griffin tear- 
 ing along as if avoiding the too near approach of 
 the breaking sea. 
 
 The morning of the 14th of February found us 
 still going merrily before the strong breeze, but a 
 steamer which had left Malta made bad weather 
 of it, for the waters seemed to wash right over 
 her. The signal-station at Gozo asked our 
 number as we dashed past. 
 
 We coasted the island of Malta, and at one p.m. 
 entered the harbour of Valetta. The surf was 
 dashing high over San Elmo Point, but we went 
 on till we arrived at Isola, where we anchored 
 near that noble fleet of ironclads under the com- 
 mand of Sir Beauchamp Seymour, and close to 
 several yachts. Malta was full of old memories 
 to me, for I began my soldiering in foreign parts 
 at Fort Ricasoli. The bright sky, the sunshine, 
 the actual smell of the air, recalled old times. 
 
 We had not been long anchored before my 
 wife's nephew, a midshipman in the flag-ship 
 Alexandra, came to welcome us. We chartered a 
 shore boat belonging to " Bubbly Joe," son of 
 our old regimental boatman, and landed at Nix 
 Mangiare Stairs. But everything is changed 
 
THK NKW mHKST. 27 
 
 now. In forrnt-r times thero was no wiiy of 
 pottin{» into Stnitla Uealo except by the very 
 Bteep stairs called Xix Maiigiaro. These stairs 
 received the name after the battle of Nuvarino, 
 vvliou many beggars used to sit near there and 
 
 iv, "Nix mangiaro since the battle of Navarin." 
 Why they had been without food since that par- 
 ticular date, I never could discover. Now a fine 
 road comes down to the lunding-placo, on wliich 
 •virriages are driven in considerable numbers. 
 
 We hired two, and drove for n long distance. 
 A small plantation of trees has been planted near 
 Flurian, and has received the grand-sounding 
 
 line of the New Forest. When the proposed 
 rtiks first made to have these trees, n deputation 
 of Maltese waited on the Governor, and prayed of 
 him not to sanction the planting of the forest, as 
 it would bo a harbour for brigands. 
 
 The cold was very great during the whole of 
 our stay in the island. Once wo went on board 
 the AUxatulra, and wore courteously received by 
 the admiral, who had a boar on board, a great 
 pet, but no rosju'ctor of persons, for it gambolled 
 playfully up to its master and soi/.ed him by the 
 leg. It i.s difficult to be dignified under such 
 
28 CIMFKIN AHOY ! 
 
 circumstances, but the gallant olHcer was equal to 
 the occasion, and turned to a small midshipman 
 and coolly said, " Tell some one to take away this 
 bear." Easier said than done. The poor boy 
 mumbled, in a great fright, " Pooa fello, come ! 
 pooa fello, come !" But the bear refused to 
 release the captured leg. 
 
 At length a flight of lieutenants, midshipmen, 
 sailors, and marines extricated the admiral from 
 his unpleasant position, while the bear rolled 
 away apparently delighted, and laid hold of one 
 of the ladies of our party in the same affectionate 
 manner. Another flight of lieutenants, midship- 
 men, sailors, and marines, headed by the admiral, 
 got her free, and we all, without losing any time, 
 went up on the poop, where we were safe. 
 
 We visited all the decks of this wonderful ship. 
 The powerful ordnance, the enormous engines, 
 give one a feeling of surprise and awe difficult 
 to describe. Memory recalls the war-vessels of 
 bygone days. How beautiful they were, sailing 
 with a grace these ponderous demons of war 
 never can attain ! 
 
 On our return on deck, we found that the bear 
 had jumped overboard and pursued some of the 
 
TUK AUMIBAL8 IIKAIU 29 
 
 Miiltoao boats which hover round a man-of-war. 
 Uruin wont too far, howovor, for ho oxjjosod him- 
 self to considorablo risk, and ho ondoavourod to 
 climb up on a buoy ; but his weight was too f^oat, 
 ami ho fell back into tho water. Ho was ovi- 
 ' iitly growing woakor, and everyone on board 
 wiia becoming anxious on account of him. Two 
 inon went olT in a small boat to save tho poor 
 animal clinging with desperation to tho buoy. 
 Tho boat approached. It was so small that, 
 if tho sailors wore not very careful, there was 
 danger that tho frail craft would bo upset. 
 But the bear was not quite so lively as ho had 
 boon a short time before, and they got him into 
 tho dingey without much difficulty. IIo at onco 
 proceeded to shako himself vigorously, a process 
 which wet his deliverers to tho skin. On arriv- 
 ing on board tho Alexandra, ho raced furiously all 
 over the ship, and on his way embraced a Maltose 
 washerwoman, who fainted on the spot. Ho toro 
 into shreds tho trousers of a marine who wont to 
 tho help of tho woman, and when we left tho 
 vessel ho was flying everywhere, pursued by 
 sailors and marines, now really anxious to catch 
 liiin :uii| f\\:\vA \\\m up. 
 
30 GEII-FIN AUOY ! 
 
 Tlic Priuccss went often to the opera, attended 
 by some of us. The musical attraction was not 
 great, for the singing was wretched, but the boxes 
 and stalls were generally well filled by the elite 
 and fashion of the island. The Princess and her 
 jjarty were entertained at luncheon by Sir Beau- 
 champ Seymour, after which we all went to the 
 racecourse to see a match at polo. We visited 
 all the sights in Malta; but these are so well 
 known that it is needless to describe them. 
 
 Once Susan, Kildonan, my wife and I landed 
 on the Burmola side of the harbour. Burmola 
 was the original city before Valetta was built, 
 and is much more picturesque. We passed old- 
 fashioned houses, and crossed in a boat to the 
 dockyard side. We pulled close to the Decoy, 
 whose captain was lost in that gale olT Tunis. 
 On reaching the opposite landing-place, we went 
 through many ancient gates to the Inquisitors' 
 Palace, an old place in which I had occupied 
 quarters for many months in former years. 
 
 The Inquisitors' Palace has been used for a 
 long time as officers' quarters, but was now 
 empty, owing to a change in the strength of the 
 garrison. We knocked at the big gate, which 
 
 J 
 
HIUUT TUK UUA8T UP UUKKCtl. 31 
 
 was opt-nod by ati iiitelligcut private of the 20tb 
 ( 'iimuronians, who usbcrod us in, and I took my 
 
 ifo straijjbt to my old quarters, wbich wore little 
 ultorud since I occupied tbcm many years ago. 
 Most of my old comrades who were <|uartered 
 with mo in those barracks have, alas ! passed 
 away. Some rest in the West Indies, while 
 others sleep in their honoured graves on tho 
 heights of Sebastopol and tho plains of India. 
 Uut, leaving old memories behind us, wo pro- 
 ceeded on our walk to Fort San Angelo. 
 
 Wo remained at Malta till Sunday, February tho 
 20th, when wo steamed away against a heavy sea. 
 We were sorry to part with our midshipman, who 
 came with us till wo loft tho harbour and had 
 passed Ricasoli, and then dropped into " Bubbly 
 Joe's " boat, which was hove alongside. 
 
 The wind was in tho east, and dead against us. 
 During the night the sea was very rough. Mon- 
 day the 2l8t broke fine, but the wind increased 
 
 ' II galo, which lasted all night. Tuesday tho 
 -Jnd it moderated a little, but during tho day it 
 
 irac on to blow harder than ever, and dead 
 against us. On Wednesday tho 23rd wo sighted 
 land, whieli provwl to Iw tho coast of Greece, near 
 
32 GUIl'KJN AHOY ! 
 
 Capo Matapan. For a short time we were under 
 the lee of Cerigo, but it blew heavier than ever, 
 and we ran down the western coast of Candia in 
 as strong a gale and as big a sea as we had 
 encountered in any of our former experiences. 
 
 We changed our course, and got under the 
 shelter of Candia. What a marvellous alteration ! 
 The wind howled and shrieked, but the high laud 
 of Crete protected us, and we were in smooth 
 water. We ran along the southern coast till we 
 reached Makri-Zalo Bay, where we anchored for 
 the night, j^eacefully and quietly, although the 
 storm-fiend roared above us. How pleasant that 
 evening was ! The natives lit fires on the shore, 
 apparently to attract our attention ; but we 
 heeded them not, although they shouted at us, 
 whether in welcome or defiance, we knew not and 
 cared not. The sailors had a good night's rest, 
 and I can answer for myself I slept like a 
 top. 
 
 In the morning we started again. Mount Ida 
 showed a snowy crest crowned with dark clouds; 
 but the gale had moderated, and the sea was 
 going down in that wonderful manner peculiar to 
 the Mediterranean, which rises one moment in 
 
OCR COOK. 33 
 
 fury aud in a short time bocornes amoother and 
 ritnoothur. 
 
 Our cook was a facutious character, besiilcs 
 l)L'iiig a tirst-rato artist. During tho galo ofl 
 ('audia, my wifo addressed some kindly words to 
 him as ho passed her on the dock. To her quos- 
 tion if ho had over seen worse weather he replied. 
 Oh, this is nothink, ma'am, t/tis is nice," and, on 
 hor asking him if ho was not often wot in tho 
 i^illoy, ho answered, " Vos, ma'am ; if not soused 
 
 ith cold water 1 ham with 'ot !" A pleasant 
 time ho must havo there. 
 
 It was seven in the morning when we bid adieu 
 to Candia, a strong wind blowing; we were going 
 eleven knots. We sailed most pleasantly over a 
 dark blue sea, and could seo tho island of Rhodes 
 in tho far distance. Tho cook informed tho 
 Princess ho had been in a cyclone on his way to 
 India, and had escaped. " So, nui'ani," added he, 
 " ' nil desperandum !' " 
 
 Tho day passed in reading, writing, ami walk- 
 ing on tho dry dock, in the warmth of tho sun, 
 which when it sot sank in unclouded glory. Tho 
 night was beautiful and calm, and our beorts were 
 filled with ji»y and gmtituilo. Nest morning was 
 
 t> 
 
3 t r.HIFKIN AHOY ! 
 
 one of those wliich come back to one's mcmor}' 
 even after years are passed. It was, in fact, the 
 hour I like the best, the sun shining brightly on 
 the blue sea, just rippled by a favouring breeze. 
 There was a buoyancy in the air, for the day was 
 young, and the weather had not become coarse 
 and wild. The canaries were full of song, and 
 even Wallace the dog appeared less bored and 
 more content than usual. The ladies came out 
 on deck looking fresh and well. The Commodore 
 was tracing our course on his chart, and the 
 captain was full of glee, for he had suffered 
 severely from toothache, and my wife had iriven 
 liira a cure for it. 
 
 There is something heavenly in a fine morning 
 at sea. The breakfast-bell sounded, and we met 
 in radiant good-humour. At twelve, noon, we 
 were fifty-two miles from the nearest point of 
 Cyprus, so the day slipped away into evening, 
 and, when night came on, the brightest stars 
 hung out like lamps in the heavens, and the 
 Griffin gently pushed her way through a sea of 
 glistening phosphorescent light. 
 
 On Sunday, February the 27th, we anchored off 
 
ANfllOBKIi OKK TYI'ttUH. 3S 
 
 liarnnca, in tlio isliimi of Cyprus, a very insfcun- 
 nnchorafjc. Tho ftp|K<aranct' of tlio towu in not 
 itnposiiijj from tho soa, ami the whole place has a 
 ruinous aspect. After luncheon wo f»ot pratique 
 and landed. The assistant commissioner, Mr. 
 Cobham, received us most courteously at the 
 consular house near the landiuj^-place. He 
 kindly accompanied us in our walk, and showed 
 us tho various sights of the place. 
 
 Passing through tho ba/aar, wo camo to tho 
 Orcok Church of St. Ijazarus, where tradition 
 says Lazarus is buried. Wo wore quaintly in- 
 formed " that, after Li/.arus was raised from the 
 dead, ho did not i/el on with hi.i friendi, so thoy 
 sent him to Cyprus, where ho died." There are 
 some interesting tombs, in good preservation, of 
 members of old Knglish families. Palmer and 
 Barton. The dato is a.p. 15—, and tho arms of 
 both these families are vrry well cut on the 
 marble tombs. 
 
 Tho Princess made many purchases of old 
 curiosities which had been dug up in various parts 
 of tho island. One beautiful glass tear-bottle, 
 tho date of which was at least 200 B.C., shortly 
 
 d2 
 
36 GlilFl'IN AHOY ! 
 
 after it was brought on board was knocked over 
 and broken, and, before I could rescue the pieces, 
 they were thrown into the sea. 
 
 Wo left Cyprus at half-past three, when it 
 began to rain, which deprived us of the view of 
 Famagosta promised to us after passing the point 
 beyond Larnaca. The sea was calm, and there 
 was no gale. The Commodore read prayers in 
 the saloon, and all attended whose duties did not 
 prevent them. 
 
 Before we arrived at Cyprus, we were all on 
 deck, when Susan exclaimed, " There is a snipe !" 
 We were far from laud, and the poor wauderer 
 must have been borne away on an easterly gale. 
 It fluttered round our ship, and at length came 
 on board and was caught. Susan was most 
 tenderly careful of it, and the Scotch gamekeeper 
 promised to look after it ; but the poor bird was 
 too weak, and died. It is wonderful how far 
 land-birds will fly over the sea. 
 
 Once I was in command of a wing of the 
 Connaught Rangers proceeding to India round 
 the Cape. We were going merrily before a breeze, 
 some five hundred miles from any land. I was 
 seated on the deck of the good ship Ulysses, read- 
 
.VLEXANbUKTlA. 37 
 
 ing, whon suddenly a littlu laud-bird flow into my 
 busom mid nestled itself in the folds of luy wui.st< 
 coat. Everyone on board did all tUoy could to 
 save the life of the poor little wanderer. The 
 soldiers brought a huge hon-coop, in which they 
 made a nest for it. It was of no avail, the worn- 
 out little traveller died. 
 
 On the 28th of February, at eight in the morn- 
 ing, wo were passing Capo Ilazal Khanzar, near 
 the entrance to tho Bay of Scandaroon. The 
 wall of mountains was covered with snow, and 
 tho sharp air breathed of frost. As wo ap- 
 proached Ale.xandrotta, tho miserable town near 
 a swamp became plainer to view. A man-of-war 
 which was lying at anchor proved to be II.M.S. 
 Coiptelle, Commander Burr, and a merchant 
 steamer was preparing for sea. The snow- 
 covcrcd mountains towered over the mean-looking 
 village, and overhead was tho blue sky, and 
 beneath the deceitful Mediterranean Sea. 
 
 In process of time, I landed with the Commo- 
 dore, and proceeded to call on tho English Consul, 
 Signer Cot ton i ; but ho was in bod, so we went to 
 tho Italian Consul's house, but ho also was ati lit. 
 What could it mean ? wore they nil ill ? At length 
 
38 GEIFFIN AnOY ! 
 
 the Bi-itish Consul appeared, and, with many 
 apologies, explained that a marriage had taken 
 place in his family the day before, and that the 
 ball to celebrate the nuptials had kept him up till 
 seven in the morning. Nothing could exceed the 
 civility, courtesy, and hospitality of these consuls. 
 
 We made the acquaintance of the officers of 
 the Coquette, and a real friendship sprang up 
 between the two ships, not only among ourselves, 
 but also between the two crews. The officers of 
 the Coquette had made a lawn-tennis ground on 
 the sandy plain above the beach, and often after- 
 wards, when the shades of evening were closing 
 round us while a hardly-contested game was being 
 played, the on-lookers were drinking tea and eat- 
 ing cakes provided by the hospitable Coquettes. 
 Sometimes the kettle was upset and the tea some- 
 what strong, but the fun was greater owing to 
 these mishaps. 
 
 Not very far from this impromptu tennis- 
 ground are two pillars at the extreme end of a 
 cape, the dark shade of whose wooded banks are 
 clearly seen in the rays of light cast by the fast 
 setting sun. These pillars mark where Jonah 
 was thrown on shore by the whale. There is 
 
rtOOIETY Of ALKXANMifTTA. 39 
 
 moi'o apparuDt truth in tliiti traditiou than in most 
 sturios of tho kind, for Jonah was going from 
 Joppa to Tarsus, and this would naturally bo his 
 route, for Tarsus is at tho end of tho bay. 
 
 Tho sunsets woro most magnificent. In tho 
 glowing light wo could soo tho field of Issus, 
 whore Alexander fought Darius. When tho sun 
 was disappearing in grandeur unspeakable, tho 
 whole air was filled by tho noise of millions of 
 frogs, whoso loud music proclaimed the pro.ximily 
 of fever-ladon marshes. Tho society of Alexan- 
 dretta, tho seaport of Scandaroon, is composed 
 entirely of consuls and their families, most truly 
 hospitable people, who did all they could to bo 
 courteous and attentive. Several dances woro 
 given by them, to which tho Cot/ueltes and 6Vi//iw.v 
 woro always iuvited. 
 
 Our Commodore, being very anxious to show 
 some sjMjrt to Kildonan and Parker, hud made 
 in(iuiries, but had received a not very satisfac- 
 tory account. Tho best ground was near Aya« 
 l^iy; so on tho Jud of March, at four in tliu 
 morning, wo left ScamlaiMoii. :inil inadi^ A\as 
 Hay at half-past six. 
 
 Tho bay is oncloseu i>y a ii>w iynu' i'Miiuiv. 
 
40 GRIl'l'lN AllOY ! 
 
 To the westward of wbere wo were anchored is a 
 higli hill, on the other side of which Tarsus is 
 situated. An ancient castle in ruins stands near 
 the entrance of the bay, noble and dignified in 
 appearance, but weak and useless from old age. 
 Many flocks of sheep and droves of cattle were 
 feeding near the shore. We landed on this Asia 
 Minor coast at a stair cut in the soft rock by the 
 men of H.M.S. Monarch, who had passed many 
 weeks in this bay. The banks above were thickly 
 covered by prickly bushes, but at their base grew 
 flowers in great profusion, anemones and 
 cyclamen. The balmy, fresh air was most en- 
 joyable, and the sunset was wonderful in its 
 beauty. 
 
 For several days preparations had been going 
 on for a shooting excursion into the country. 
 Everything being ready on the 3rd of March, the 
 thi^ee sportsmen, the Commodore, Kildonan, and 
 Parker, together with M'Gregor, paraded in the 
 early morning on the deck of the Grifm. They 
 were to be accompanied by two native shikarrees, 
 one of whom was described as a good man, but 
 the other as a sneak. It had come on to blow 
 hard, and, as the sea was getting up, our sports- 
 
A SCUUKS SgUALL. 41 
 
 mull had rathur u dilliculty iu getting into tlio 
 cutter. Apparently they did not mind, or could 
 not help, what part of their person arrived first 
 in the boat. Their rifles, guns, and baggage had 
 boon sent on shore to go round by land, on horses 
 and camels, to moot tho party at tho end of a 
 twenty miles' sail. Five sailors went with tho 
 cutter, which reduced tho number of our crow 
 very much. 
 
 Wo saw them start on their stormy voyage, 
 and hoard no more of them till next day. In tho 
 meantime, one of those sudden squalls from tho 
 mountains came down upon us; tho attention of 
 everyone was occupied hauling down tho awning, 
 and wo wore five men short. Tho lifeboat had 
 boon lowered that morning to take tho baggage 
 on shore, and was still in tho water. A terrible 
 scono of confusion ensued ; everyone hauling and 
 pulling, but without being able to do much. Tho 
 lifeboat was stove in, and, when at length she was 
 raised on dock, sho was sorely crippled. The 
 captain gave orders to let go another anchor, and 
 all day a series of squalls more or loss heavy con- 
 tinued. At sunset it blow a strong gale from 
 S.iJ.E., which moderated at midnight, and at 
 
42 GRIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 sunrise the sea was calm, as the wiod had veered 
 rouud to the north, and in tlic bay, where we 
 anchored, we were sheltered, but our anxiety 
 about the cutter was great. 
 
 Kidby went on shore in the dingy, in hopes of 
 getting some news, and returned with a native, 
 who brought a note to the Princess from the 
 Commodore, informing her that they- were safe, 
 but, owing to the difficulties they encountered, 
 the men and the cutter would not return for 
 three days, and demanding provisions and clothes 
 to be sent for them. All this was done, and the 
 supplies were dispatched under the charge of the 
 native who had brought the note. 
 
 So we were left to occupy our time as well as 
 we could. That day passed, as days will pass, 
 whether in solitude and grief or in happiness and 
 joy. Wc could not land, as not only was the 
 cutter away and the lifeboat a wreck, but our 
 hands were short. When night came the stars 
 shone bright and beautiful, and the young moon 
 lit up the calm and treacherous sea. 
 
 The morning of Saturday was full of sunshine, 
 but cold. The rain poured and the thunder 
 rolled in the hills, but the bay was quiet and 
 
UKTUUN OK THK 6rOUTlS(i I'AUTV. li 
 
 siuootli. Sunday, Murch tlio Ctb, in tho abgonco 
 of tho Commodoro, I road prayers, and tho day 
 passed peacefully, although wo wore exposed to 
 thunderstorms and sfjualls which kept up in tho 
 mountains, and all this time we could not land. 
 
 Tho next day tho cutter returned with the five 
 inon, who looked as if they had undergone some 
 rough work. Tho morning they left tho yacht it 
 blow a strong gale, and they had to leave tho bay 
 and go out into tho open before thoy could enter 
 tho river Pyramus, up which thoy were to sail for 
 twenty miles. Tho river is broad and deep, 
 except at the entrance, which is very shallow. 
 Thoy were obliged to take out everything from 
 tho boat to lighten it, and, when they got over 
 tho bar, thoy reloaded again. Tho strong galo 
 favoureil them once thoy were into tho deep river, 
 enabling the cutter to face the current, which was 
 very strong against them. The Commodore and 
 his party had seen many wild boars, and had 
 killed several. Two fine ones were brought back 
 by the sailors ; besides which they had captured 
 numerous tortoises of all sizes, from tho dimen- 
 sions of a largo plato to that of a small saucer. 
 
 As every sailor on board possessed a tortoi.se, 
 
44 OKIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 each man, in order to distinf^uish his property, a 
 few days afterwards painted the backs of these 
 very stupid pets ; one appearing with a red, blue, 
 and white back, while the shell of another was 
 painted black and white, according to the taste of 
 the owner. 
 
 As soon as the returning boat was seen ap- 
 proaching, the captain ordered steam to be got 
 up, and shortly afterwards we started for Scan- 
 daroon, and in three hours anchored near the 
 Coquette, a bright moon lighting up the snow- 
 covered hills. 
 
 Captain Burr came on board to welcome us. 
 During our absence at Ayas Bay, he had made an 
 official visit to Larnaca, where, while we were 
 lying snug in Ayas Bay, they encountered a 
 perfect storm. The green seas washed over them 
 ■when at anchor, and their best boat was smashed 
 to pieces. Verily the Mediterranean is not the 
 calm lake some people fondly suppose it to be. 
 
CIIAPTKR III. 
 
 IN EASTKKN CI.I.MKS 
 
 WALK TO U\ rOJITAINE— ALEX.VXDnirrTA— TllE SHIP OF T1IE OmitT — 
 MAPAUK COTTDSl'S !li1IHEE DASMSfTT— fll'S PRACTICE IN BtT.« 
 
 B.1T— A piumiMAue To Ayriocii— Tiic dcil.vx p.w*— col•^fTl(T 
 
 rKE^lKSTTlU nT BRIOANM— TIIE SYRIAN GATES— niWMTABLT 
 ENTEKTAISEn BT A JEW— ASTtOCII— Tilt CIII'RCII or ST. JOHN— 
 PlIILIC BATltS— PaL.\CE BflLT UT ASTHKIK »— OIUTErtL iiU> 
 
("IlAl'TKIt III 
 
 HAV1N(J ivtiinii'tl to Alexamlrctta on the 
 night of Momliiy, MarcU tlu- 7tli, wo liindod 
 next day. My wife and I walked to La Fontiiini', 
 to roach which wo had to pass through tho town 
 by tho narrow, ill-paved streets, and then to cross 
 tho swamp. 
 
 Ia\ Fontaine is n fine spring of tho purest water. 
 It Hows into a tank, which is surrounded by a 
 wall, l)ut when it leavos this coufincd space it 
 spreads itself over tho low ground botweon it and 
 Aloxandrolta, and forms a marsh whero frogs are 
 continually croaking, and which is tho causo of 
 deailly fover. Hy ihe expenditure of a few 
 thousand pounds this swamp might bo drained, 
 nnd tho valuo of tho land would repay tho outlay. 
 But decay and ruin scorn everywhere to be the 
 effect of Turkish misrulo. 
 
48 OltlKl'lN AHOY ! 
 
 Alexaudretta might be made a first-rato har- 
 bour by building a mole as a protection against 
 the only wind which is severely felt. Except 
 Haifa, there is no other good place of anchorage 
 on the Syrian coast. 
 
 Just outside the town, near the Coquette's lawn- 
 tennis ground, there is a camp where the camels 
 arriving from Aleppo laden with goods generally 
 halt. It was a curious sight, watching the " ships 
 of the desert " returning to their station in the 
 evening. During the day they go out to feed on 
 green leaves, and, when sunset approaches, long 
 strings of them are seen coming home. Some of 
 them look quite cheerful, and canter along in a 
 most ungainly manner ; while others walk calmly 
 and deliberately, reminding one of a fine lady 
 sailing across a room. When a railway is made 
 to Aleppo, the complaining camel's " occupation's 
 gone." Till that event takes place, however, 
 the moaning, grumbling animal must still be 
 employed. 
 
 The Princess entertained the officers of the 
 Coquette at dinner, after which the piano was 
 brought up from the saloon, and we had dancing 
 on deck. I had retired into the deck cabin with 
 
SOIKKK nANSANTK. 49 
 
 ft prize, tho latest nowspajKT. Oiico I tried to 
 got out, but found tlio passajje blocked by the 
 piano, so I resumed the study of my paper. But 
 I had visitors. Tho active young officers of the 
 Co'iudtf came iu ut thu wiuduw, and after a little 
 diaappearod by tho sarao way. I was quite flat- 
 tered at their kindness in coming to see me 
 during my imprisonment, till I discovered that 
 their visit was not altogether to mo, but partially 
 to tho rofroshmonts, which had got confined with 
 me in tho deck saloon. 
 
 Madame Cottoni also gavo a soiree damnnU; 
 which was a great success, and everyone .seemed 
 pleased; but dancing a (juadrille at Ale.\andretta 
 is really hard work. Tho Greek Consul, a fine, 
 soldier-like man, generally took command ; he 
 shouted, out tho different figures to bo danced, 
 and it was interesting to observe how cleverly his 
 orders were obeyed. But the last figure was a 
 puzzler, and to a looker-on it scomod rather a 
 romp. All kinds of different manrouvrcs were 
 executed in obedience to the word of command, 
 and the quadrille lasted for at least half an hour. 
 
 On tho 10th of March we started for Ayas Bay 
 to njcot the sportsmen. Wo anchored at nine in 
 
50 ORII'|-IN AHOY ! 
 
 tJie morning, and tJie sliooting-party rcturnod 
 during the day. Though sunburnt and unshaved, 
 they all looked well, but evidently had been hard 
 worked. The sport had l)ccn very good so far 
 as pigs went. They brought the carcases of two 
 boars, besides several other victims of their skill 
 as shots. Poor Wallace the dog had been acci- 
 dentally shot. While running mute after a boar 
 which got up in the jungle, a bullet aimed at the 
 object of his pursuit unfortunately^ hit him, and 
 he fell dead. 
 
 That same evening we returned to Scandaroon, 
 and a most unpleasant voyage we had. The wind 
 and sea got up, and the Griffin showed her ten- 
 dency to roll in the most aggravating way. 
 
 From this date, the 11th of March, time fled 
 fast at Alexandretta. What with walks, lawn- 
 tennis, and dinner-parties, it was difficult to 
 believe that we were anchored off the " most un- 
 wholesome part on the Syrian coast." The 
 weather, too, was variable, fine weather alternat- 
 ing with storms and gales, smooth seas with 
 rough and boisterous tempests. 
 
 OnMonda}^ March the 14th, we were all invited 
 on board the Coquette, where a large party of the 
 
IlKYAK IIAY. 61 
 
 consuls, tlioir wivos, sisters, and chiMrt'n, wen- 
 assomblt'il. Captain Burr liml particularly re- 
 (|uestt'tl that tlio cliililrt'ii should itol Iw brought ; 
 but I suppose the not had osca|)ed the notice of 
 the fond mothers, for they all were there. 
 
 The most romarkal)le peculiarity of these 
 forfij,'n ladies was that they became sea-sick the 
 moment they came on board, and in no way con- 
 coaled their symptoms, but wore very open in the 
 expression of them. The men shouted, sang, and 
 smoked cigarettes, and seemed to enjoy them- 
 selves very much. 
 
 " Come to my cabin, we shall have a (juiet 
 talk," said Captain Hurr t<> me ; but, on his open- 
 ing the door, there was a stout lady oxtendoil on 
 bis sofa, with a largo bucket near her I 
 
 When wo approached Beyas Bay, gun-practico 
 began, and the foreign ladies screamed and were 
 sick altornatoly. We landed near an old castlo 
 which had been built by the Crusaders, and, 
 climbing a steep bank, we walked about half a 
 mile to the village of Beyas, where tho Kairaa- 
 kan had placed his house at our disjxjsal. Four 
 of us sauntered nway to tho old castlo, now used 
 as a prison, and were shown up to tho top of a 
 
 k2 
 
52 niuFFiN A HOY ! 
 
 tower, from which \vc saw, assembled iu a court 
 below, about sixty prisoners, who shouted and 
 yelled as they gazed up at us, begging for " back- 
 sheesh." We threw some small silver change 
 among them, and the struggle that ensued was 
 like that of wild boasts. 
 
 After wandering through the bazaar and in- 
 specting the remains of the old Roman road, we 
 returned on board. Once more the foreign ladies 
 resumed their morning occupation, whilst the 
 others danced on the deck to the music so sweetly 
 given by " the doctor " on the piano, lent for the 
 occasion by the Princess. 
 
 The sun had set and the frogs were chanting 
 their evening song when we got back to Scan- 
 daroon, and the Coquette anchored in her old 
 position. 
 
 On the morning of the 15th of March, we had 
 no sooner left our berths than we began to rush 
 up and down the companion-ladder in the ener- 
 getic manner so emblematical of a proposed trip. 
 There were, in fact, two different parties, the one 
 consisting of Susan, Kildonan, my wife, and my- 
 self, bound for Antioch ; while the other, which 
 included the Commodore and Parker, was pro- 
 
FILTfRIUAGE TO ANTIOCII. 1)6 
 
 ceodiiig 0!i an expedition against boars among tho 
 mountains. Ijjinded at tho wooden pior, wo woro 
 soon asaerablod at tho English Consul's house, 
 whore a string of miserable-looking ponies woro 
 soon in every kind of pensive attitude. Theso 
 poor boasts, however, proved thomsolvos, when 
 warmed to their work, to bo tho most sure-footed 
 animals in creation, and carried us over rocky 
 paths and muddy plains without tho slightest 
 accident. 
 
 Monsieur Cottoni, with his usual courtoous 
 kindness, had made every arrangement for our 
 comfort, providing tho two ladies with side- 
 saddles and sending two of his own men with us. 
 Constantin, who spoko French, acted as our 
 dnigoman and intcrprotor, while the other man, 
 tho gaily.caparisoned " cavass," armed to tho 
 teeth and mounted on a free-going Arab, cur- 
 vetted in front of tho line. The four travellers 
 followed in single fde, tho rear being brought up 
 by Constantin, mounted on a baggager, and fol- 
 lowed by another pony for tho baggage, and a 
 donkey, whose wonderful feats of agility wero 
 tho surprise of us, tho pilgrims to Antioch. 
 
 We scrambled and slipped over the roughly- 
 
54 GlilFl'l^J AUOY ! 
 
 paved streets of Alexandretta, aud, baviug left 
 the town and crossed the swamp, whose million 
 frogs were silent in this morning hour, we passed 
 La Fontaine and turned to the left, leaving the 
 broad, uneven road for a bridle-path, and soon 
 commenced the ascent of the Beilan Pass.* The 
 track was one mass of rocks, with occasional bits 
 of the old Roman road, aud here and there a 
 piece of the thickest mud; but our ponies struggled 
 on, and for three hours we were still ascending, 
 and at length arrived at the village of Beilan, 
 which is situated in a gorge. We descended a 
 very steep incline before we entered the village. 
 Its narrow streets are badly paved, but it is a 
 picturesque spot, and the Italian Consul has a 
 house here, where he passes the unhealthy 
 months. 
 
 There are bits of an aqueduct to be seen here, 
 and the traces of an old Roman road. This place 
 
 * "It was by this pass that Alexander the Great cntcrci,! 
 Syria after defeating Darius on the phiius of Issus below. It 
 was along this road Barnabas went from Antioch to TiU-sus 
 to seek Saul (Acts xi, 25). It was along it the Crusaders 
 defiled after their weaiy march through Asia Minor, and along 
 it caravans pass and re-pass between Aleppo and Scandarocn." 
 — Murray's '• Syria.' 
 
rUK SVttlAN tiATKS. 00 
 
 lias liouu identitifd as tho " Syrian Gates." The 
 roail ascends for about u mile, and to our surprise 
 we came on a most excellent highway ; but this 
 did not last long. A considerable sum had been 
 collected to make a good road ; but, as usual, the 
 most part of tho money got into tho Turkish 
 ollicials' pockets, and so no progress was made. 
 At the top of the pass the way divides, one branch 
 going to Aleppo, tho other descending through 
 tho " Defiles of Amauus " to Antioch ; tho latter 
 tho one by which wo went. Wo had two mule- 
 teers, who were armed with pistols and swords. 
 
 Tho country through which we were now pass- 
 ing has been for centuries noted as the abode of 
 brigands, and tho shepherds of Amanus have been 
 always notorious. When we arrived at a certain 
 jKjint, the muleteers fired off their pistols twice — 
 I daresay, as a signal that we had paid black- 
 mail by hiring them. 
 
 The scenery was wild in the e.\tremo, ami the 
 patli looked like tho bed of a torrent. When wo 
 arrived at the foot of one mountain, we generally 
 had to cross a deep stream, and then toil up 
 another hill. Some very stiff bits of mountain- 
 climbing wo and our ponies had to get over before 
 
56 , GIUFFIN Ano\ ! 
 
 wo came in view of the lake, with its marsliy 
 border, called " Bahr-el-Abyed," " The "White 
 Lake," and also " The Lake of Antioch." After 
 sighting it from the heights, we descended to a 
 stream, leaving the ruins of a large fortress on 
 our right, and were glad to halt at the kliau on 
 the other side. No doubt our ponies were as glad 
 of the rest as we were, after five hours' continual 
 march. 
 
 Kildonau exerted himself to get luncheon out 
 of the basket, for we only allowed ourselves half 
 an hour's halt, and then we were in our saddles 
 and off again. 
 
 For some miles after leaving the khan we rode 
 over level, grassy ground, then we came again on 
 the old Roman road, which was diflficult for the 
 ponies to keep their feet on. It is about four 
 feet wide, and is composed of smooth, round 
 stones. We always rode beside it when we 
 could ; but the peculiarity of the ground for miles, 
 on the journey to Antioch, was the sticky mud of 
 which it was composed. The ponies sank in it in 
 many places when they diverged from the slip- 
 pery, painful stones. The sun set while we had 
 still many weary miles of this muddy road be- 
 
OUU JEWISH HOST. 0/ 
 
 twooii U8 aiul Antitich. In tho growing darkDcss 
 wo lost our way, but tho gallant ponioB floundered 
 in tlio marsh, and scrambled up banks and over 
 ditches. At length the bridge over the Orontes 
 was seen in tho increasing gloom, and, once across 
 it, wo wore in Autioch. We turned to tho right, 
 and at half-past eight in tho evening we dis- 
 mounted at the hospitable Jew's house, whore wo 
 wore oxpoctod. 
 
 Tho vonorablo old man was dressed in a long, 
 sky-blue sort of dressing-gown lined with white 
 fur. His grey hair appeared under a curious- 
 shaped cap, and his handsome faco and graceful 
 manners were very prepossessing. He ushered 
 us into his reception-room at the end of a long 
 corridor — a splendid, long room lined with divans, 
 and, at tho extreme end, a balcony hanging over 
 tho rushing waters of the Orontes. Wo wore 
 introduced to his wife and three sons and their 
 wives, also to a son-in-law. Wo could not havo 
 much conversation with him, as Italian was tho 
 only European language ho spoke, and, from long 
 di.suse, my Itali.in had become rusty, and none of 
 tho others spoke it at all ; but, by dint of signs 
 und a few words, wo got on very well. Although 
 
58 UEIFFIN AUOY ! 
 
 wearied with our long thirty-three miles' ride, 
 we men had to smoke a cigarette and drink the 
 inevitable cup of coffee, while my wife and Susan 
 underwent a catechetical examination from the 
 Arabic ladies as to their families, the conversa- 
 tion being carried on in French. If we had then 
 left the house, the remembrance of that benign 
 old man would have remained as a pleasing 
 memory ; but this could not be, we had to remain 
 all night. 
 
 Kildonan and I were shown into a bed-room in 
 which were a bed and a cot. To reach this 
 apartment we had to pass through an ante-room, 
 in which the cavass and Constautin smoked and 
 slept. 
 
 The process of dressing and washing was en- 
 livened by the company of one or two sons of the 
 house, who, with cigarettes in their lips, saun- 
 tered in at unexpected moments. My wife and 
 Susan shared another room, the privacy of which 
 was not very great, for Susan was busy button- 
 ing her boots, when Constantin walked in and sat 
 down. After contemplating her occupation for 
 some time, he at length observed, between a puff 
 of his cigarette, "Mademoiselle, yon have too 
 
OLD ANTIOCH. OV 
 
 luaiiy buttons to your boots." Tbo hospitality 
 sliown by all was very groat, but I must write 
 the truth. No words cau express the dirt and 
 filth of those rooms. 
 
 Wearied and lotijfing for sleep, we retired to our 
 bods. At first tired nature sjink to rest, but, oh ! 
 the awakening ! Myriads of floas hopjwd and 
 crawled about and pricked ; but hero I pause, and 
 only adil, if any soldier of the old Crimean cam- 
 paign recalls to mind the inmates ho met in his 
 ([uartors there, he will understand and enter into 
 the feelings of the pilgrims to Antioch. 
 
 Old Antioch is no more. Sieges and oarth- 
 (juakes wrecked the ancient city, and the new 
 town is outside the former site. Beyond tho 
 present boundary, on tho way to " Paul's Gate," 
 " Uab Hulus," where tho Church of St. John is 
 found in a rock, ruined walls everywhere and 
 broken pillars testify that, where now are gar- 
 dons, once stood the great city of Antioch, where 
 the followers of Christ were first named Chris- 
 tians, and when- Paul and Barnabas dwelt so 
 long. 
 
 The church is on the hill-side in a grotto. Wo 
 procured th»> key from the Greek Papa, ami, 
 
60 
 
 GRIFFIN AHOY 
 
 having been told there was no distance to walk, 
 we started on foot, piloted by the son-in-law of 
 our host, who spoke French fluently. He looked 
 quite a boy, but he had risen in importance in 
 the last two days, his wife having given birth to 
 a son, the first grandson who had yet gladdened 
 the eyes of our patriarchal host, though we saw 
 any number of granddaughters. 
 
 The afternoon was very hot, and the pavement 
 of Autioch was excessively painful to walk on. 
 We passed through the narrow, crowded streets, 
 objects of interest to all who gazed. Our im- 
 portance was undoubted, for not only had we our 
 own magnificently-attii'cd cavass and dragoman, 
 but also the cavass and janissary of our consul at 
 Antioch. The two unveiled ladies of our party, 
 too, were an unusual sight in far-away Syria. 
 
 "We were called on to halt at the baths, and my 
 wife and Susau were invited to enter the building 
 to see them. We men were not permitted to 
 accompany the ladies, as the women have exclus- 
 ive possession of the baths in the afternoon, while 
 the men occupy them before midday. We waited 
 in the shade, and in a short time our ladies re- 
 appeared, escorted by a number of perfectly nude 
 
TIIK nillTRni OF 8T. JOIIH. C,l 
 
 ri'^iiros, who vaiiislioil with much uCfccted con- 
 fusioii whon thoy saw us. My wife Bai<l she 
 thouj,'ht most of tho ladies of Antioch must have 
 boon iu tho baths, whoro thoy apparoutly spoiul 
 tliL'ir aftui'uoous. Dulightoil to wulcomo Susan 
 and her, thoy were (juito di8aj)pointed bocaiiso 
 thoy wouhl not remain with them for the rest of 
 tho ilay. 
 
 From tho baths wo wont on, passing out of tho 
 town into tho highway to Aleppo. Orchards 
 lined tho road, but tho trees cast no shade on tho 
 Rliirin}», uneven track. Continual strings of 
 camels and laden ponies passed us, the men in 
 charge all armed. 
 
 The Church of St. John was always " encoro 
 cinq minutes " away. Much wo regretted not 
 having ridden. At last tho wall was reached 
 that we had to climb, and our walk continued 
 over a hard, ploughed field till we arrived at 
 another steep ascent, on tho top of which is a 
 high wall. Our active guide mounted this wall, 
 and, mnn.iging to unlock a door half-way up, he 
 drew forth a wooden ladder, the only way of 
 ascending to the church, which stands back in a 
 gri)tlo in the mountain side. We found a green 
 
62 fllMFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 enclosure, in which are several t()ml)s, Ijiit none 
 of any antiquity. The dome and part of tlic 
 supporting pillars are very ancient ; but the altar 
 was erected by I'io Nono. A marble slab with 
 an inscriptiou states " that Pio Nono, &c., erected 
 this altar in memory of St. Peter, Bishop of 
 Antioch." To the left of the altar is a deep 
 cavern, and our guide informed us that there is a 
 covered way communicating with the ruins of the 
 palace, built by Antiochus on the hill above. 
 
 How often Paul and Barnabas must have gazed 
 on these hills from the grotto's mouth ! This 
 church on the rock is the only speaking remem- 
 brance of these old times. Remains of the walls 
 of Antioch stretch all the way up the mountain 
 side. 
 
 Kildonan and Susan bravely climbed to the 
 palace, and were rewarded by the extensive view 
 which they had from it, and the loud applause of 
 all the people, who were much surprised at 
 Susan's activity. I did not care for attempting 
 such a daring feat, so my wife remained with me, 
 and we rested for some time in a grotto near a 
 stream enjoying the shade, and our minds occu- 
 
'JUATKKUI, 0M> I.AUY. 63 
 
 pit'il \ty tliu tliouglits which riuch ati ititoroAting 
 -<pot must suggost. 
 
 But tho aftfrtiootj was passing, and it was time 
 to rotraco our steps. Our pleasant guide was 
 till with us, and led us along terraces made fur 
 •ultivation on tho hill-side. I was rejoiced wla-n 
 \v<« came on a road from which there was a liiu' 
 view of Antioch. 
 
 As wo descended the hill, an old woman passed 
 carrying an earthen jar of water. Wo asked her 
 fur a drink, which she gladly gave, a courtesy for 
 which my wife rewarded her with some small 
 change. The |)Oor old lady was most grateful, 
 iind our guido said she was much surprised, as it 
 is not the custom in Antiuch to pay for any 
 civility. 
 
CIIAITKU IV. 
 
 nsrr "ir mj:. mamFI!*, TllE MUSIONAHT— TtlC BAZaai: \i • 
 
 jovtmty TO Tue oitoves o» D.vru\r.— a orittto a.si' < v 
 Till oRONTES— iin. rsaoji, t!I» i«i.<wiosai:t— <>t:it ji wimi i 
 
 IIM rAMILT— LCOKXD Of TllE LAKB— ASCCMT or Tilt DETILEA or 
 AMAXl-!)— TIIC STKIAM OATKS— TltC BEIUUI PAM— A SPotrTIN.;- 
 rAITT— A PICNIC TO HCILAN— ACCIDENT TO PAKKU— gl A \ 
 AT ALEXANDRIA— PROCESa or riMKlATtoN. 
 
67 
 
 ClIAl'TKU IV. 
 
 /~\^ arriving at our old Jew's house, wo found 
 ^^ a lar^o party assembled to congratulate our 
 guide on the birtb of a son. 
 
 In the evening Mr. Martin, a missionary, came 
 to call upon us, and furuisbed us with mucli 
 information. Tberc are very few Cbristians now 
 at Antioch, once the largest of the Seven Cburches. 
 Mr. Martin bad been preacbing that day in the 
 street. His bearers were respectful and quiet, 
 and, as be moved away, two men followed him 
 and said, " Sir, wo bolievo that Jesus Christ was 
 the Son of God." With the Mahomeilans bo has 
 little success. The Greek Church oppose him in 
 every way. Those who listen to him are idolaters, 
 who worship the sun and moon, and whose ntt>s 
 are secret. Mr. Martin is a bold little man, a 
 
68 fiiuKFiN AHoy ! 
 
 Scotchman by biilb, aud liis wife is an American, 
 and a worthy help-meet. 
 
 It is sad to hear of the raisgovernmeut of this 
 fine country, of which bribery is the ruHng power. 
 Justice is awarded to the highest bidder. An 
 honest man in office cannot remain in it. The 
 very fact of being truthful is enough to prevent 
 him remaining in authority. He is removed, and 
 the subservient man takes his place. This is a 
 fact, not a surmise. The lower orders are a fine- 
 looking, and powerful, industrious race, who, if 
 properly governed, would cultivate the land, 
 which is fertile even without any care. 
 
 The bazaar at Autioch reminded me of Pom- 
 peii, for up the centre of the street is that deep 
 kind of way through which the laden animals 
 proceed, while on each side is the paved way for 
 foot-passengers. Crowds of armed men in pic- 
 turesque costumes were lounging about the shop 
 doors, but they did not stare rudely at our party, 
 as would have been the case at home. They may 
 have thought a good deal, but they did not ex- 
 press their sentiments ; these, however, were 
 strangers to the town who had come in from the 
 country. The usual dwellers in the bazaar fol- 
 
THK filJOVES OK DAIIINK. C9 
 
 lowed US in tiuiubers, and Komctiines it was dit1i> 
 cult to got on afttT stopping for a moment to 
 examine anytliing on the nliop counters. 
 
 Kiliionan mudt.' many purchasi-s, and the inter- 
 est tlio crowd took in Ids bargains was most 
 amusing. 
 
 On the 17th of March, at eight in the morning, 
 wo assembled in front of the Jew's house, and, 
 having been joined by Mr. Martin, we proceeded 
 on our way to the groves of Daphne. For some 
 miles the roads were bad, a combination of the 
 old Roman road and holes of thick and sticky 
 mud ; but, as we approached Daphne, imagination 
 recalled lanes at homo. Tbo young spring leaves 
 were peeping forth. In another ten days these 
 banks would bo covered with flowers. 
 
 There are no remains of the temples erected in 
 honour of Daphne. Even the woods and groves 
 have all boon swept away by the destroying Turk 
 but the cascade which comes out of tho rock in 
 the grotto flows clear and pure as it did in tho 
 days of Julian tho Apostate, and rushes down 
 to tho valley beneath, undefiled by idolatrous 
 rites. 
 
 Wo scramblo<l up to tho grotto, and then.' had 
 
70 GRIFFIN AHOY 
 
 our luDcbeoi]. Susan and Kildonan, accompanied 
 by Mr. Martin, departed on an exploring expedi- 
 tion ; but my wife and I remained by the foaming 
 torrent, and were almost sent to sleep by the 
 sound of the rushing waters. The worst part of 
 these expeditions is that one cannot loiter on the 
 way, for in seemingly a very short space of time 
 the dragoman becomes fussy, and anxious to get 
 on. So we two toiled up a very steep path by 
 which we had descended, as the site of the groves 
 of Daphne is in a valley, and there waited for the 
 explorers, who had not seen much more than we 
 had. 
 
 Having mounted our horses, we bid adieu to 
 Mr. Martin, who then returned to Antioch, while 
 we continued our journey to Suweidiych. It was 
 a lovely country we rode over ; the paths were 
 steep and precipitous ; but our confidence in our 
 ponies' sure-footedness was unbounded, for they 
 never made a false step. 
 
 We crossed the Orontes, a couple of miles 
 below Daphne, in a ferry-boat ; the river here, a 
 swiftly-flowing, deep, brown-coloured stream, is 
 much more narrow than at Antioch. And now 
 we passed through a valley and forded another 
 
TCBKlSll ttArAClTV. / 1 
 
 river, ruahing to join the Orontcs. So our patli 
 continued up hill and down bill, till wo reached 
 the orchards and gardens of Suweidiych. 
 
 Mr. Barker, a former English Consul, built a 
 house hero, and made many gardens. lie is now 
 dead, and his dwelling is in ruins ; but the 
 orchards remain. 
 
 Wo wore received at a nice-looking cottage, 
 once tho property of a well-to-do man who was in 
 the Consular Agency ; but he died, and now his 
 widow reigns in his stead. Alas I tho Turkish 
 authorities have somehow got hold of her money, 
 and, with tears in her eyes, she explained through 
 Constantiu that her house and property wore for 
 sale. 
 
 Slie most hospitably entertained us with all she 
 had, and refused any remuneration. Wc had 
 begun tho dinner which Constantin and tho 
 widow's united efforts had provided ; he having 
 cooked and dressed tho tough fowl, while she had 
 concocted tho various sour salads, a menu to 
 which was added a tin of potted beef we carried 
 with us. A table had been drawn up in front of 
 tho divan, with which tho sides of the room was 
 lined, and we sat in a row to eat, when visitors 
 
72 GEIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 were announced, and in walked Mr. Essom, a 
 missionary, witii his two assistants. The news 
 of our arrival had reached him, and, glad no 
 doubt at the prospect of meeting some European 
 strangers, he had come to welcome us to 
 Suweidiych. 
 
 Mr. Essom is an Amei'ican, and served during 
 the war in the Northern Army, but now devotes 
 his life to missionary work. His two companions 
 were natives of the country, who, having become 
 Christians, help him now in his labours. They 
 remained some time with us, and, before leaving, 
 Mr, Essom pressed us to take breakfast with him 
 nest morning, when he would make us acquainted 
 with his wife, and show us the school under his 
 charge. So early next morning we walked to his 
 pretty house, situated on the brow of a hill within 
 view of the sea. 
 
 Mrs. Essom, also an American, is a most 
 charming woman, who for several years has 
 turned her attention to missionary work. She 
 was delighted to meet English ladies again, and 
 was most kind and friendly to Susan and my 
 wife. She told us that she never sees an Ameri- 
 can or English stranger's face, except when they 
 
A 8YKIAN SCHOOL. 73 
 
 take tbuir ycarl}' suinmur Lolidays to tboso places 
 wbero many of thu missionaries of Northuru 
 Syria have built houses, and it is the great point 
 in their year's work meeting together and com- 
 paring progress. 
 
 It was extremely interesting seeing the school 
 and hearing the scholars read. The eldest class 
 read English with the greatest fluency, and all of 
 them seemed to a cortain extent familiar with 
 the language. Children of all creeds were there, 
 almost all of whom were boarders, and many of 
 them, Mrs. Essom told us, orphans. One nico 
 little girl wo saw, whoso father and mother had 
 died, and, she being left utterly destitute, Mrs. 
 Essom adopted her. Wo might have spent 
 another hour among the children, but time had 
 to be thought of, so wo went to breakfast, which 
 was excellent. The gentle American and her 
 fine, stalwart husband regaled us grandly. Tho 
 remembrance of the " sally luns " will long last 
 in our memory. 
 
 The day looked very dark and stormy, and the 
 rain swept up from tho sea. We had proposed 
 going on to Soloucia, where Paul and Harnabas 
 embarked ; but we gave it up. So, saying farewell 
 
7i> GEIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 to our graceful hostess, we began our return 
 march to Antioch. We diverged from our former 
 route, and crossed over a steep ascent by a rocky 
 road. Mr. Essom, who accompanied us for some 
 distance, was mounted on a wild little Arab, 
 whose great dread of a camel made him go off in 
 a scare when we met a string of these animals on 
 the road, laden with goods for Antioch. 
 
 Soon after Mr. Essom had taken leave of us, 
 we came to the banks of the same river we had 
 crossed going to Suweidiych, where we halted 
 for luncheon. Kildonan proposed having cocoa, 
 and we all hunted for sticks among the low 
 brushwood by the river's bank. A fire was soon 
 lit, and our cocoa proved excellent. A cup of it 
 was given to the head man in charge of the 
 baggage, whose pony had fallen under him cross- 
 ing a stream, and was shivering with ague. Too 
 soon was the order given " Prepare to mount," 
 and we continued our way, sometimes along 
 fields, but oftener on stony roads. To my 
 regret, my old horse fell lame, and I discovered 
 he had lost a shoe. 
 
 The sun was setting, and its fading glory 
 tinted the hill above Antioch. The modern town 
 
TUE JEWISH 8ABBATU. 75 
 
 ap[)earcd (juito Eastern in its aspect, and had an 
 imposing appoaranco, not tho loss so when the 
 old Jow recoivt'd us dressed in his picturo8(|uo 
 costumo, and bid us welcome once more to his 
 home. 
 
 Karly next morninjj; wo bid a final adieu to 
 our hospitable host. It being Saturday, tho 
 service of tho synagogue was being hold in one 
 of his rooms. I trust our early departure did 
 not inconvoniencu tho worshippers, who sat with 
 opon door, their attention divided botwoon the 
 reader and our party, who were fastening port- 
 manteaus and fuming over tho delay in bringing 
 tho ponies. 
 
 " Sabbath " is very strictly kept among tho 
 Jews of Antioch. When wo returned on Friday 
 evening from Suweidiych, our own servants had 
 to light our lamps, and do other necessary house- 
 work, and Coustnntin had somo fears that wo 
 should got no dinner ; but these, happily, were 
 not realised, for wo had our usual abundant meal, 
 and both our host and his young-looking wife 
 joined us at it. Tho lady could speak nothing 
 but Arabic, but she took a lively interest in our 
 doings. She reigned supremo in tho household, 
 
76 GRIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 her two daughters-in-law being entirely under 
 her control, and not being allowed to have any 
 share oven in the management of their own 
 children. They were pretty young women, in 
 spite of the disfigurement of the stiff wigs which 
 they wore, having at their marriage to sacrifice 
 all their own beautiful and abundant hair. 
 
 Clouds enveloped the surrounding mountains 
 when we left Antioch, and several drops of rain 
 looked so suspicious that wc dreaded a shower ; 
 but the weather cleared, and except that the 
 wind from the hills, newly covered with snow, 
 was piercingly cold, the day was otherwise fine. 
 
 We halted for luncheon at the same old khan 
 where we had stopped before, and Constautin told 
 me the following legend about the lake : " Many 
 years ago there was no lake there, but a prosperous 
 village amid beautiful gardens. One day a weary 
 beggar carrying a child approached the door of a 
 house in the hamlet. He asked for alms, but the 
 poor widow to whom the cottage belonged said 
 she had no money, only a little flour. The 
 beggar told her to make a cake, which she did, 
 and it proved a very large one. Avarice entered 
 her heart. ' I will keep this cake for myself,' she 
 
DBHLKS or AUANOS. 77 
 
 Hiiid, ■ it will luit many days.' Ho slie turuoil ilio 
 bogj^ar and the child away from hor door. Hardly 
 had they left, wheu a little spring burst out in 
 the widow's home, which gradually increased in 
 extoul, till it swallowed up the whole village, and 
 the lake which is still there was thus formed." 
 
 " Such is the story of the lake," said Constan- 
 tin, as ho throw away the end of his cigarette ; 
 " at least, he says so," he added, looking at the 
 gay cavass with a glance of supreme contempt. 
 
 As wo ascended tho defiles of Araanus, the 
 road seemed long and weary, for hour after hour 
 in a saddle, to those who for years have not 
 crossed the pig's skin, is trying and fatiguing. 
 Kildonan and Susan went on in front, not having 
 observed that wo wore detained by my wife's 
 saddle not being properly girthed, and her stirrup- 
 leather in tho wrong buckle. Tho cavass was 
 greatly dismayed when ho discovered their ab- 
 sence, and galloped on in pursuit of them, leaving 
 us in charge of Constantin. When wo made up 
 to them, wo found tho cavass impressing on them 
 the risk they had encountered of capture by 
 tho brigands of Amanus, who are not to be 
 trusted by stragglers. 
 
78 GltFFFTN AHOY ! 
 
 As we passed through Beilan, from an arch- 
 way in the narrow street, to our surprise, emerged 
 M'Gregor, Kildonan's keeper. He was rejoiced 
 to see his master, and informed us that the Com- 
 modore and Parker had had no sport, and that 
 we were sure to overtake them, for they had just 
 gone out. 
 
 Soon after we came up to the sportsmen. 
 Certainly they had seen no bears, but they had 
 passed through a most interesting country, and 
 had found a Crusader's tomb. I asked the 
 Commodore what sort of quarters he had in 
 Beilan, and he replied, " Oh ! very good, ouly if 
 I dropped my hat it would disappear through 
 one of the holes in the floor." 
 
 Parker's face and wrists bore marks that he 
 had gone through lively encounters with the 
 " creepers of the East." They both looked very 
 well, however, and, as they were not going to be 
 beat, they intended to start next day to some 
 fresh ground in pursuit of bears, the native 
 shikarree having assured them that " plenty to 
 be got in new country." When I heard of these 
 bears, I recalled a conversation I had in Cashmere 
 with a native official. In reply to my question. 
 
ARAB l-OIJTKBM. 79 
 
 " Wliat sort uf miiii is tlio .Muliiirujuli of (,'a«h- 
 moro ?'* ho replied, " lie very good man; l>nt all 
 meu are liars !" 
 
 On leaving the Syrian Gates, small patches of 
 snow wore lying on the banks near the road. 
 Wo gnidually doaconded through the Boilan Pass 
 to the plains. Wo could soo the roadstead and 
 the (irijjin, lying apparently quiet beside a largo 
 paddlo-steamer, but " distance lends oQchantmont 
 to the view," as wo discovered later. The sun 
 had sot, and a bitter cold wind was blowing from 
 the sea as wo crossed the marsh, and a most 
 poisonous smell impregnated the air. 
 
 Wo rode to tho Custom House, whore one of 
 those kindly consul.s, to whom wo have already 
 referred, did all ho could to help us, for wo 
 needed aid. A steamer was being laden, and tho 
 pier was crowded with Arabs carrying enormous 
 weights and throwing them down, heedless 
 whether any person was in the way of them or 
 not. Tho waves dashed against the wooden 
 piles, and with some difficulty we were almost 
 thrown into a shore boot. 
 
 How thankful wo wore to find ourselves once 
 more on board the Grijjtn, where we were most 
 
80 GKIKFIN AlIUY ! 
 
 kindly welcomed by the Princess and her sister. 
 
 As the Alexandretta society was formed alto- 
 gether of consuls and their families, the continual 
 mention of Consul This and Consul That recalled 
 to my memory an old Scotch maid of my mother's 
 who never could master Italian during our long 
 residence in Italy, and who always spoke of Mon- 
 sieur La Croix, the then Consul of Nice, as " Mr. 
 M'Craw the Counsel." 
 
 The Italian Consul got up a picnic to Beilan, 
 to show off some of the beauties of the mountain 
 scenery to the Princess and Miss Hare. Some of 
 the officers of the Coquette joined them in this 
 expedition, and through our glasses we watched 
 the party assemble near the landing-place and 
 ride away. The Commodore and Parker were 
 expected back that afternoon, and had joined the 
 picnic at Beilan. In due course they all returned, 
 the ladies having enjoyed the trip very much. 
 
 The Commodore and Parker had preceded the 
 others on their return. No bears had been seen 
 or heard of. Parker came on board a ghastly 
 object, his head bound up in a handkerchief, and 
 very hazy in his intellect. The Commodore soon 
 explained how he had got into such a condition. 
 
ACCIDENT TO PAKKER. 81 
 
 '['hey were racing their j)ouiea homo along the 
 level, when heels over head went Parker's nag, 
 and on to his head wont the rider. lie lay 
 stunned and in.sensiblc for a minute or two; but 
 the Commodore, with great presence of mind, got 
 him up on his pony the minute ho oiwnod his 
 eyes, feeling sure that, if ho delayed, ho might 
 not bo able to got him on board at all. The 
 Burgoon of tho C<.>*pullf, on his return from the 
 picnic-party, kindly came over to see the wounded 
 man, and prescribed perfect rest and cold water, 
 till ho could decide whether there was concussion 
 of tho brain or not. 
 
 Parker, with untold obstinacy, would join the 
 dinner-party, would drink claret when champagne 
 was sternly refused him, and, finally, would not 
 go to bed till his usual hour. However, ho was 
 all right in a few days, but his arm and side were 
 black and blue and stiff for a long time. Moral : 
 It is hard to knock out of time a hunting-man in 
 good condition. 
 
 Our time for leaving Scandaroon had come. 
 It must have been felt by moat of us that we 
 should never again visit these kindly consuls and 
 their families. 
 
 o 
 
82 gbiffinahoy! 
 
 The future of Scandaroon may be very pros- 
 perous, should the Euphrates Valley railway 
 terminus be there; but money is required to 
 make a harbour and drain the swamp. Turkey 
 never will supply the necessary funds. Let us 
 hope that some other nation may open out this 
 hidden source of wealth, and that the abode of 
 the croaking frog may be cultivated so that 
 Alexandretta may be raised to a condition of 
 healthy prosperity. 
 
 On the 25th of March, at six in the morning, 
 we left Scandaroon. A heavy sea, without any 
 wind, made the Griffin roll tremendously ; but 
 we staggered on against contrary wind and tide. 
 Several battles at chess were fought under great 
 difficulties in the deck saloon. Sometimes, at a 
 most important event in the engagement, a 
 violent lurch would send all the kings, queens, 
 knights, and pawns rolling away in every direc- 
 tion, the tone of the " Oh !" uttered when such a 
 calamity happened differing in cadence according 
 as it was given by the winning or the losing 
 combatant. 
 
 On the 27th we arrived at Port Said, the in- 
 tention being to leave the yacht there and to go 
 
' 
 
 IN UDAUANTINE. 88 
 
 up tlio caual ua fur as Ismailia, aud tht-uco by 
 rail to Cairo ; but tho authoritios would uot lut 
 us laud, owiujj to tho appearance of tho plague 
 at Bagdad, every vessel from tho Syrian coast 
 having to undergo throe days' (juaranlino. An 
 Egyptian soldier was sent on board to be our 
 guard, and prevent all communication with the 
 shore, our enforced seclusion beginning from the 
 moment he joined tho ship. So wo " up anchor," 
 and made for Alexandria, cruising along the flat, 
 uninteresting coast, and soon getting into tho 
 brown water marking tho proximity of the Nile. 
 
 In tho early morning of tho 23th of March, wo 
 were all on deck watching tho entrance to Alex- 
 andria. Tho harbours are magnificent ; but wo 
 had to drop anchor in tho outer one, beside some 
 other vessels, like ourselves, H}iug the yellow 
 quarantine flag. 
 
 As our (luarantine had two days to run, the 
 authoritios sent a steamer and a large barge to 
 take us to tho lazaretto; but the Commodore 
 rofuaed to go, and we remained among our own 
 possessions in our comfortable floating home. A 
 pleasant breeze blow during tho day, and, what 
 with book.H and letters (for here we got all tho 
 
 o2 
 
S4 GlilFKIN AHOY ! 
 
 letters that we had missed since our cruise bc<^aii), 
 the time did not seem long. Our correspondence 
 had been addressed to Corfu and other places we 
 had never visited, and contained news of various 
 events of more or less interest to us, which 
 afforded us much amusement while imprisoned 
 in quarantine. 
 
 Wednesday, the 30th of March, was our day of 
 liberation ; but, before being set free, wc had to 
 undergo fumigation. A boat came alongside 
 with a batch of quarantine officials and their 
 followers. Three large eai'thenware bowls, hav- 
 ing been placed near the companion-ladder, were 
 filled with a stinking concoction of sulphur and 
 water, and were then gravely carried through 
 every part of the ship, from the engine-room to 
 the forecastle, after which the horrid mixture 
 was sprinkled everywhere. 
 
 Our worthy Scotch captain's face was a picture 
 when he saw his decks polluted by what he called 
 the vagaries of " these heathens and Turks." 
 
 All the men were tlien assembled on deck, and, 
 with their various pets under their arms, marched 
 past a bowl of burning sulphur. The Princess 
 and the ladies refusing to submit to tliis process, 
 
KUMhlvriMN. oo 
 
 u coinpromLsf was miulf by carryitifj tlie howls 
 paat thorn. 
 
 After tliia aboraituiblo farco, we were pro- 
 nounced " safe," anil the (luurantino was over, 
 strict injunctions being given that all clothing 
 that hail been worn was to bo dippoil in the soa ; 
 but I am not aware that this order was complit-d 
 with. For fumigating the yacht and crew, to- 
 gether with the cost of bringing the steamer and 
 bargo to take us to the lazaretto, which we did 
 not use. the Commodore received a bill for fifteen 
 |)ounils, which he declined |)aying, but eventually 
 bad to do so. 
 
ClIAPTKU V. 
 
 IIIK I'VKAMIKS 
 •Aiijo— siir.piirRn's iioti:l—eastirh SCENES— CAino decomino oai.i.i- 
 
 CISED — VIEW IKDM T1IE rUVTEUUM OK THE CITAKEI.— HlXInPOUS — 
 ANClK'n OIIEI.ISK — OSmilCII EAItM— THE VII:i!ISS TISI.E— T1IE MV- 
 SEUM— TllE NILE— KOAD Ttl THE rTRAMIKS — THE rriatllttS— 
 TEMI'LE or THE iii-HINX— CXI>U>IL\TIUN uF A i'YUAMID — VILLAOE OP 
 
 liEEZEii— EorrriAN suloiers 
 
99 
 
 CIIAITKU V. 
 
 I N till- iiftornoon wo stoamptl into the graiiil 
 ■ lmrl)our of Aloxandrin, and landoil at tlio 
 lUistom House, whero carriages awaited us, and 
 wo drove to tlie railway-station, whicli wo left at 
 six in the afternoon, arriving at ('airo at ten at 
 night. We took up our quarters at Shepherd's 
 Hotel, tho half-way house of many Indian travel- 
 lers on their way either to or from Europe, and 
 also tho starting-point of many for tho Holy 
 L'uid. We found it a most comfortable rcsidonco 
 for the fortnight we passed there. 
 
 It is built in two stories on four sides of an 
 inner court, and a broad corridor runs right 
 round tho square, rooms opening off each side of 
 the passage. During tho winter, tho apartments 
 to tho south occupy the best situation ; but, when 
 
90 aiUFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 we were there in April, they were too hot. The 
 thermometer in our room was constantly at 85°, 
 and that with windows closed and curtains care- 
 fully drawn iu the early morning, according to 
 the most approved Indian fashion. The broad 
 verandah in front of the hotel is full of arm- 
 chairs, occupied by men and women in varied 
 costumes. 
 
 The pith helmet and bronzed complexion, to- 
 gether with an erect and soldier-like appearance, 
 betoken the officer of India's irregular cavalry, 
 ready for any required work, but equally pleased 
 enjoying a cigar while seated iu a comfortable 
 arm-chair. The fair boy fresh from England, 
 full of excitement and wasting bis energy in 
 riding donkeys in the hottest part of the day, 
 affords a remarkable contrast to him. Llany of 
 the ladies, who were of all kinds, were evidently 
 visitors to the East for health, the languid, droop- 
 ing figure and frequent cough showing that they 
 had been compelled to avail themselves of the 
 last resource open to them. Others again, radi- 
 ant in health and happiness, were touring for 
 pleasure's sake. Then we were not without a 
 " happy couple," whose distinctive mark was that 
 
f'AlUO. 91 
 
 tlu>y alwiiys ciiriiL' itito a room uiul loft it arin in 
 arm. 
 
 W.I weru such a largo party that at tho labld' 
 tfftute we hail a tnblo to ourselves, and so had tujt 
 tho opportunities wo should otherwise have had 
 of making acquaintances among tho old resident.^ 
 in the hotel. Many of the people who wore still 
 left had spent tho whole winter at Cairo ; others 
 had been up the Nile, and wore resting for awhile 
 before taking tlight to more tem|)erato regions. 
 
 The part of Cairo where tho hotel is situated is 
 coraplotoly French, and quite now. To get to 
 tho K.istorn part of tho town tho bazaar must bo 
 visited, and there from Europe you step into 
 Asia. Those narrow streets of shops are truly 
 Oriental. The water-carrier goes past crying, 
 " Come buy from me tho purest nectar 1" Tho 
 sellers of flowers hold towards you the loveliest 
 of roses, saying, " Pink and rosy like tho sotting 
 sun." Riders on wonderful asses nearly run over 
 you, and the veiled women, dressed in tho long 
 robes which stick out over their donkey's hind 
 quarters, turn towards you those beautiful eyes 
 which make you speculate on tho features con- 
 coaled by tho veil. Fierce-looking men, armed lo 
 
92 (!HII TIN AllUY ! 
 
 the teetli, swagger past. It is an extraordiuary 
 sight, and reminds one of a vvell-got-up fancy 
 ball. 
 
 Cairo is full of antiquities, though it is becom- 
 ing quickly a French town. There are many 
 drives and rides in the neighbourhood, and much 
 money is spent in building new houses and 
 making modern squares. Many of the ancient 
 mosques are tumbling to decay, and the beau- 
 tiful tombs of former rulers are shamefully 
 neglected. 
 
 One afternoon we went over a road composed 
 of deep sand to the tombs of the Khaliffs, situ- 
 ated on the border of the desert. They are fine 
 even in their ruin, and must have been magnifi- 
 cent when first erected. 
 
 One of the noblest of these relics is the tomb 
 of Sultan Berkook, who died a.d. 1398. Part of 
 the interior of the building is used as a mosque. 
 It is wonderful how well the wooden lattice-work 
 is still preserved ; at least, our dragoman assured 
 us that it was as old as the rest of the building. 
 
 The lattice-work in Cairo is very beautiful in 
 the narrow streets of bazaars. While seemingly 
 a never-ending bargain was being carried on, I 
 
MoSgOE OK MOHAMMKli ALL 03 
 
 used to iritorost myself looking up at the rare 
 winilows of curious carving, bchiml which douht- 
 loss beautiful oyos were watching ray companion's 
 attempts at getting things for a fair price. Some 
 of our party purchased screens and other things 
 made of these old Arabian carvings ; but the 
 shopkeepers cannot be called a very honest set of 
 men, and always ask four times more than they 
 expect to receive. 
 
 Hy another deep and sandy road we proceeded 
 to the citadel built by Saladin A.n. 1100. Wo 
 entered by one of the gateways called *' Bab-cl- 
 azab." In the narrow place beyond the entrance 
 the Momlooks wore massacred by Mehemot AH 
 A.D. 181 1. P'arther, on the platform of the citadel, 
 we saw where the one warrior who escaped saved 
 his life by jumping his horse over the parapet, a 
 fearful drop. The gallant steed was killed, but 
 the man reaped the reward of his daring venture. 
 
 The mosque of Mohammed Ali is built on the 
 site of Joseph's Hall and the palace of Saladin. 
 The view from the platform on the south side of 
 the mosque is quite magnificent, especially in the 
 evening, which is the best time to visit it. In 
 the far distance apjvared the pyramids, with a 
 
04 QEIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 background of the glorious Eastern sunset. Be- 
 neath us lay Cairo, with its white mosques and 
 busy streets. The hum of the distant wayfarers 
 rose up to us, borne on the soft northern breeze ; 
 and above us the dark blue sky, with its golden 
 fringe, the light of the setting sun. It was diffi- 
 cult to tear Susan away from this entrancing 
 view ; but time and table-dhote wait for no man. 
 
 Another day we drove to Heliopolis. The road 
 passes at first through a line of European-looking 
 houses, and soon after we came to an avenue of 
 trees. The way is well watered, and skirts 
 bazaars, barracks, and palaces. After several 
 miles we reached the village of Mataruyeh, 
 through which we continued our drive for a short 
 distance, and finally came to our destination, the 
 obelisk and the site of Heliopolis. 
 
 Heliopolis was the most learned city of Egypt, 
 corresponding to our university towns of the 
 present day. Moses studied here, and Joseph 
 married the daughter of a priest of the temple 
 of the sun, called On in Scripture, which once 
 stood here. The obelisk is said to be the oldest 
 in Egypt. The name in the inscription is " Osir- 
 tasen I., who was the second king of the Twelftli 
 
OBELISK OP DKLIOI'OLrS. 96 
 
 Dyiiuiity." The iuscription records tlio erection 
 of the obelisk, atul has been deciphered by Dr. 
 Hrugsh Boy. The obelisk is about sixty-two feet 
 high, and is in wonderful prosorvation, only Bomo 
 bootlo has filled tlio various fijjuros in the inscrip- 
 tion with mud. The following is what has been 
 deciphered : 
 
 ■■ The llor oi ilic >uti 
 riiu life for thoM who nro boni 
 Tlie kill;; of Uie upper and lower hind 
 
 Kho|H.«r-ka-ra. 
 The Lord of the Double Crown 
 The life of those who are boni 
 Tlic Hon of the sun-god, lU 
 
 UairtAJton, 
 Tho friend of the spirita of On, 
 
 Ever living 
 
 TIio ^Idcn Ilor 
 Tho life of those who arc bom 
 
 Tlio soo<l go«l 
 
 Khe|icr-kn-ni 
 Una executed this work 
 In the lM>i;inning of llic thirty jeftr;«" rvi )■ 
 IIo tlio dijiftcnscr of life for cvunuoru."* 
 
 Wo passed some timo in this most interesting 
 place, but at length wore fairly driven away by 
 the numbers of children, whoso coatinual cry for 
 • Vide MiRiur's '• I'pypt." 
 
9G GEIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 " backsliccsh " was most distracting. Tlioy pur- 
 sued us even after we were in the carriage, and 
 the road was so rough we could not escape from 
 them. Suddenly the coachman pulled up his 
 horses and jumped down. Our tormentors fled 
 en masse, while our defender threw clods of earth 
 at them. 
 
 From the old-world scenes we drove to new. 
 Not far from Heliopolis is an ostrich farm, which 
 at the time of our visit had only been established 
 for eighteen months by a French company. 
 Leaving our carriage, we struggled on foot for 
 some way along a deep sandy road, when we came 
 to a gate. This was opened by a smiling native, 
 who welcomed us with great effusion, and led us 
 to a cottage resembling an Indian bungalow. We 
 were received by a nice-looking man, a Spaniard, 
 who took us round to see the ostriches. He led 
 us first to a large kind of loose box, fit to contain 
 the winner of the Derby, and pointed to two 
 little round balls like ostrich eggs on legs ; these 
 were young ostriches six weeks old. There were 
 in other parts of the farm fifty older birds. The 
 company began operations with only one cock 
 and two hens. There have been no deaths 
 
0«TltII!U KAUM. 97 
 
 amoiif^ tlie birds. Wlieii we vi.sitod t\w farm in 
 April thero were three cock-birds. One witli 
 black logs, which came from Abyssinia, was con- 
 sidorod very rare. Our guide informed us that 
 thero is a specimen of this ostrich in the British 
 Museum (perhaps ho meant the Zoo). The other 
 two male ostriches camo from Soudan. The 
 hens lay sometimes twenty eggs, but do not sit. 
 The whole of the birds, except the original lot, 
 have been brought to life by artificial means. 
 The first take of feathers would be in June of 
 this year, 183 1. 
 
 Our polite host inforaieil us that the ostriches 
 are very stupid birds, and do nut rucogniso oven 
 their feeders. They eat greon food, and, when 
 that is scarce, they take from two to three litres 
 of dry grain a day. 
 
 Wo went to the top of the house, tho view 
 from which was uncommon, but hardly pleasing. 
 Situated on tho border of tho desert, nothing is 
 to bo seen beyond the farm but a wide vista of 
 sand, while within tho walls tho ostriches aro soon 
 stalking about in their roomy compartments. Wo 
 said adieu to the solitary man who had enjoyed 
 showing us the fnrni. for he said he lived tho 
 
 II 
 
98 r.uipriN ahoy ! 
 
 life of a hermit, and saw no one but natives. 
 
 On regaining our carriage, we had not very far 
 to drive to the " Virgin's Tree." In a garden 
 near a well grows an old and venerable sycamore, 
 surrounded by a wooden fence to prevent visitors 
 from cutting the bark or otherwise defacing it. 
 The tradition connected with this most ancient 
 tree is that Joseph and Mary and the young 
 child rested under its shade when they lived at 
 Matareeh for two years, at the time the holy 
 family were in Egypt. 
 
 Matareeh has been identified as On, or Heli- 
 opolis. It is more than probable that they pa^ssed 
 this way, for it was then the direct road between 
 Syria and Egypt. There is no reason why they 
 should not have rested here near the well. Let 
 us not quarrel with the fond belief of centuries. 
 
 In driving home along the Abassayeh road, 
 the air was soft and balmy, and the perfume of 
 orange blossoms came from the gardens in this 
 evening hour. 
 
 Fashionable Cairo comes out at five o'clock to 
 " eat the air ;" the smart carriages have running 
 footmen befoi'e the horses, and as they run they 
 clear the way with their wands. The favourite 
 
THE Ml.K. 99 
 
 (Irivu is along the " Shoobrn road," a long, shady 
 avenue, the troos on each side of which wcri' 
 planted by Mahomod Ali, and the principal even- 
 ing of the week for everyone to go there is Fri- 
 day. The Pyramids can bo plainly seen in the 
 distance, but in flat Kgypt thoy are a !an<lmark- 
 from many points. 
 
 As wo approached the town, we met many 
 enrriagofl, whoso owners wore enjoying the cool 
 evening air. We were hurrying homo to dress 
 for a long and wearisome dinner in a close and 
 airless room. 
 
 The museum is well worth a visit. There arc 
 valuable jewels torn from the tombs, mummies 
 brought away from their resting-places, all most 
 wonderful ; but I was most interested in humbler 
 objects — old chairs, old rojws, old cloth, more 
 than two thousand years old, all of which had a 
 strange fascination for me. From the museum 
 there is a drive through shady avenues across 
 the bridge over the Nile. How strange it was 
 to find oneself on the banks of that river, whoso 
 name alone brought so vividly to our memory old 
 tales of Biblo history and modern travel ! The 
 Nile is a broad, muddy river, and, in spite of its 
 
 112 
 
100 nniKHN AHOY I 
 
 associations, I must certainly call its banks 
 hideous. From the river the road takes a circu- 
 lar course, and passes palaces of the Khedive and 
 of the Khedive's mother, returning over the 
 bridge past a large barracks. 
 
 Over this same bridge we drove early one 
 morning, when going to visit the Pyramids. Our 
 party consisted of the Commodore and self in 
 one carriage, while my wife, Susan, and Miss 
 Hare went in another. The air was cool, and 
 we rattled along the road which has taken the 
 place of the sandy path the sight-seers of former 
 days used to follow ; but these were the days 
 when everyone rode donkeys, which are now 
 comparatively little used, as there are few places 
 where carriages cannot go. A long avenue of 
 trees shades the way, and the fertile plains 
 watered by the Nile, so green and pleasant to 
 the eye, extend for miles in the distance. Groves 
 of fine date palms are also to be seen in numbers, 
 growing to a great height and size. The road 
 to the Pyramids was finished when the Prince 
 and Princess of Wales visited Cairo in 1868. It 
 only took us one hour and a half to reach the 
 pavilion which stands under the mighty pyramid 
 
THE PYUAU1D8. 101 
 
 of CiuzlIi, and wheru the Empress Eugunio rested 
 and was ontortained wliou she came to ojwu tlie 
 Suez Canal. 
 
 The Pyramids had become familiar to us from 
 the first day wo were in Cairo. We saw them in 
 every drive we took and from every height we 
 climbed, and oven when wo looked at them for 
 the first time they were not strange to us ; we 
 seemed to have known them all our lives; and 
 now, standing immediately under them, the same 
 feeling of old accjuaintance remained. They are 
 most wonderful in their massive grandeur, and 
 there is a mystery about them which is no less 
 astonishing that the object of their erection is 
 not fully determined. That these magnificent 
 works of human hands should remain for cen- 
 turies, and that no one can positively stato why 
 they are, is a proof of the vanity of all ambition. 
 However, I leave others to debate what these 
 solemn-looking monuments are, and proceed with 
 our experiences in our visit. 
 
 The hot morning sun on that 8th of April was 
 beating fiercely on their massive sides. The ad- 
 venturous traveller, who was already on the sum- 
 mit, looked a very mite on the elevated perch 
 
102 GKIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 where he stood. Arabs surrounded us, offering 
 to take us to the top, or to conduct us into the 
 interior, and lastly expressing their desire to run 
 up and down again for a — consideration. We 
 turned a deaf ear to all, and gave our first atten- 
 tion to the basket of refreshments, which con- 
 tained a large block of ice. It was carried care- 
 fully up to the pavilion dining-room, and we went 
 forth to explore. 
 
 The Commodore had been in Egypt before, and 
 wherever he went he met friends among sheiks 
 and donkey-boys. On this occasion, besides 
 Abdul, the clever donkey-boy, who was always 
 in attendance on him, we were joined by the 
 sheik belonging to the village below the Pyra- 
 mids, also an old acquaintance of the Commodore, 
 and a most intelligent man, who had worked 
 under Colonel H. Vyse when he was occupied 
 with his explorations. We toiled through sand 
 down a steep bank, till we came to a large exca- 
 vation, with cells cut in the rock. On we strug- 
 gled till we arrived at the temple of the Sphinx, 
 as this wonderful ruin is called. Situated in a 
 hollow, within ten minutes' walk of the Pyramids, 
 its original object, like that of so many of the 
 
TIIK SMIINX. 103 
 
 mafjiiificeiit remains iti the East, was oviilwitly 
 tliat of a sepulchre, all the jfroiind round it Ijeing 
 burrowed with tombs. We went down a sloping 
 paved path into tho temple, the aisles of which 
 are still intact, and wo marvelled as we looked at 
 tho huge blocks of granite that compose its wall.*, 
 one of them measuring eighteen feet in length 
 and seven in height. From this temple we toiled 
 through tho deep sand till wo stood under the 
 Sphinx, that wonderful monument of a long-past 
 age, which will remain there for many a year yet 
 to come, with its calm, mysterious countenance, 
 ballling all investigations as to its origin. All 
 that is now to bo seen of the Sphinx is its head 
 and shoulders and back ; tho rest is buried in tho 
 sand. Several times the figure and remains of 
 buildings near it have been cleared, but no sooner 
 is tho tedious work over than the wind from tho 
 desert covers all with sand agnin. An altar was 
 discovered between the paw."), which shows that 
 the Sphinx was an object of adoration, for tho 
 smoke of the sacrifice must have ascended to the 
 nose of tho mighty idol, a feature which now, 
 alas I is gone. Tho Sphinx is hewn out of the 
 natural rock, and some idea of its enormous size 
 
104 GRIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 is suggested by tlic measurement of tbc face, 
 which, from forehead to chin, is thirty feet long. 
 Each one of our party was differently impressed 
 by the Sphinx ; my own feeling was that of as- 
 tonishment that such a battered and frightful 
 countenance could convey such an idea of 
 grandeur. 
 
 Our guide having invited us to rest in his 
 house, we descended the hill to the Arab village, 
 and were most hospitably welcomed by the sheik, 
 who gave us coffee, and told us that all he pos- 
 sessed was ours. Pour passer U temps, he opened 
 a box and produced his wife's dresses and jewels. 
 The former were too complicated for male com- 
 prehension, but the jewels were very curious. A 
 necklace, composed of square and round pieces 
 of solid gold, was a present for a queen. The 
 sheik with great courtesy conducted us back to 
 the pavilion near the Pyramids, the shaded room 
 of which was most refreshing after exposure to 
 the heat of the sun. In the luncheon-basket we 
 found everything we could wish to eat, but the 
 servant had forgotten to send anything stronger 
 than soda-water to drink. We discovered that 
 the juice of an orange squeezed into a tumbler 
 
EXl'LOBATIOS OV A HYRAMIK. l0& 
 
 witli icod soda-water is most invigorating. 
 Sorao of our party entered the Pyramid. I did 
 not, but remained satisfied with looking at the 
 grand pile of giant stones towering up against 
 the dark blue sky. The explorers came back 
 delighted with their adventures. Each of them 
 had two guides told off by tht-ir sheik to look 
 after them. Thoy climbed up forty-Gve feet over 
 some rough stones to the ontranco to the Pyra- 
 mid, and, looking in, saw a perfectly smooth and 
 IKjlishod incline, going down to a small aperture. 
 With boots on it was impossible to attempt walk- 
 iiig down. One Arab put his hand under one 
 arm of the adventurer, the other guide put 
 his hand under the other, and so supported, 
 guided, and hold up, each one glisscid down the 
 slope. My wife said that her heart failed her, 
 and she wished she had not come, when she saw 
 how small the hole was, and that she had to bend 
 nearly double in order to get through it. Before 
 her was pitch darkness, and a dread of suffoca- 
 tion possessed her. But once through the nar- 
 row^ entrance, all was right, for the ventilation is 
 jH'rfoct throughout. The guides lit their candles 
 and handed their charges up the very steep steps 
 
106 GRIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 to the great gallery— another long, inclined slope 
 of the slipperiest and most polished stone. As 
 they pursued their way upwards, the guides loudly 
 encouraged them in their broken English, con- 
 stantly inquiring, "You pleased with me? — you 
 like me ?" At last they came to a short, narrow 
 passage, which only lasted for a minute, and they 
 emerged into the King's Chamber, a lofty, square 
 room, and the principal apartment in the Pyra- 
 mid. In it, at the upper end, is the sarcophagus, 
 without a lid, and with no hieroglyphics or any 
 writing that can throw light upon its use. When 
 struck, it gives forth a fine sound, like that of a 
 bell. 
 
 One of the guides offered for " one shilling " to 
 burn a magnesium light, showing them a long 
 piece of wire, and much vaunting the sight which 
 should be disclosed to them. The bargain was 
 struck; the wire was lighted, and a moment of 
 brightness showed the wonderful stone roof, each 
 stone fitting the other with marvellous exactness. 
 
 They retraced their steps, and branched off to 
 the Queen's Chamber. The descent of the great 
 gallery was even more difficult than the ascent. 
 A guide went in front to check the too rapid 
 
(JEEZEH. 107 
 
 steps of the explorer, and another behind acted 
 as a drag. An Arab, throwinj^ himself on the 
 generosity of the sightseers, burnt another piece 
 of magnosiiim wire, showing the full length of the 
 gallery, one hundred and fifty-one feet, and its 
 height, twenty-eight feet. There was groat clam- 
 ouring for "backsheesh" when they emerged into 
 the light of day. There is a regular and high 
 charge made for each man, which is paid to the 
 sheik, who is responsible for conduct and 
 civility. But, besides this, according to the 
 fashion of the East, something more is expected. 
 At last, everyone more or less satisfied, we bid 
 adieu to the sheik, and drove homewards. 
 
 Our jounjey to Cairo was even cooler than in 
 the very early morning, for a breozo was blowing 
 in our faces. We passed the village of Geezoh, 
 near which is a palace under the shade of trees. 
 The village was once the summer retreat of the 
 Memlooks ; now there is a barracks, and some 
 nice-looking young soldiers were lounging about. 
 
niAPTKR VI. 
 
 K(;VrilAN AMIijLlllKS 
 i.Hi.\si> or Ri>t>\— TiiK sii.i)MKrr.it— r.\i_*cK or iiutviiiM r.\.MiA— 
 
 (>U> CAIItO, OK IIAIIYLO.S — IIOS4)l'E OF AMEK— T>:;n' COLl'MN»^ 
 
 sNire siiouTiNo— LUAUiNo cuvrriA}! doxkcvs— nii: rriuMius or 
 SAKKAiuii— cxrLuHATio.s or TJir. aERAPCiii— nic tomb of vih — 
 
 EUrU>VME.<(T OP IbLC HOIKS— Till BATIU OP UCUCON— ARCIIXO- 
 LOOICAL 1>ISCUVEJ(IES. 
 
Ill 
 
 C 11 AIT EH VI 
 
 WK crossoil tho bridge nx t in. .Nile, aud 
 shortly afterwards drove up to the steps 
 in front of Shepherd's Hotel, and found we were 
 in time for tho Uible-dlu'ite breakfast at twelve 
 o'clock. How easily ono accommodates oneself to 
 circumstances, however different from his usual 
 routine! Tho rule at " Shepherd's " was coffee, 
 tea, rolls, and butter at any hour between seven 
 and ten ; dejeuner a la fourchetk at half-past twelve ; 
 dinner at half-past six. On board the (irijj'm wo 
 kept homo hours, but here was a complete change ; 
 yet wo all ate our dressed dishes and drank our 
 claret at twelve in tho day. This system is only 
 adapted to warm countries, and would bo im- 
 possible in country bouses at home. 
 
 Tho sun was too powerful to permit us with 
 
112 GJUITIN AriOY ! 
 
 any comfort to make an expedition at any time, 
 except early in the morning or in the afternoon, 
 
 A carriage was ordered at half-past four, and we 
 started to visit the Island of Roda, which, how- 
 ever, was not an island when we went there, for 
 the river Nile had almost deserted one side, so 
 that it was again connected with the mainland, 
 but at the time of the inundations the waters 
 surround it. We passed through old Cairo, and, 
 leaving our carriage, walked down a short, 
 sandy road, and crossed the dried-up watercourse 
 to the Island of Roda, where, according to the 
 tradition of the place, Moses was found by 
 Pharaoh's daughter. But the most interesting 
 sight is the nilometer, used for measuring the 
 height of the river Nile. Passing through a 
 garden, we came to what seemed to be a deep, 
 square well, in the middle of which is a pillar 
 with cubic numbers on it. 
 
 The first nilometer at Roda was built a.d. 70n. 
 The rise of the Nile is of vast importance, and is 
 proclaimed once every day when the inundation 
 takes place. Twenty-four to twenty-six feet is 
 the usual rise at Cairo. 
 
 The palace of Ibrahim Paslia, which is in the 
 
MOHQUK OK AMRK. 113 
 
 j,'afdun of the nilometer, ig dosortod, and falling 
 to docay. Tlio dragotuau iuforniod us that it 
 was haunted, and cortainly it had all tho api>oar« 
 anoo of a placo with a dismal story attached to it. 
 
 On rugaining our carriago, wo drove to old 
 Cairo, or Habylon, whuru thi'ro aro many old 
 Christian churches. Wo entered Sitt Aliriani, 
 which id upstairs in ono of tho towers in tho 
 Roman gJiteway of Habylun. Those Coptic 
 churches aro very ancient, and most of thorn 
 have traditions. Wo were shown, in the Coptic 
 Cathedral, stone seats, on which they say that 
 .Joseph and Mary and Our Ixjrd onco rested. 
 The altars, pulpits, and pictures aro very old. 
 
 Leaving tho Coptic part of old Cairo wo pro- 
 ceeded to tho Mosque of Amor, ono of the most 
 venerated by the Mahomedans, though now nut 
 used as a placo of worship. The court is sur- 
 rounded by columns, two of which, placed close 
 together, aro called " Test Columns," and anyone 
 who can squeeze between them is sure of heaven 
 (so said tho dragoman). This mosque was 
 founded by Amer, a. P. 6-13. There is a tradi- 
 tion that tho downfall of Moslem [wwer will take 
 placo when this mosque decays away. 
 
114 GRIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 We drove home through old Cairo, in which we 
 had some curious experience of tlie narrow streets 
 and horrid smells of Eastern cities. During our 
 stay at Cairo, on more than one occasion the 
 Commodore, accompanied by Kildonan and Parker, 
 went out snipe-shooting. The heat was very 
 great, but they brought back the largest bags that 
 were made, and the snipe were a great addition 
 to the menu of our table. 
 
 An expedition was next proposed to the Sak- 
 karah Pyramids. I could not go, but my wife 
 did, and I leave her to tell her own story. 
 
 Four of us settled one evening that an expedi- 
 tion to the Sakkarah Pyramids should no longer 
 be delayed. Abdul, the Commodore's special 
 donkey-boy, was summoned to attend and be con- 
 sulted. Although called a "boy," Abdul was a 
 man about thirty years old, and the owner of 
 some very fine donkeys. He acted rather as 
 dragoman than as donkey-driver to the Commo- 
 dore, constantly going out with one of the car- 
 riages ; and he made much better bargains in the 
 bazaar than anyone else. He recommended an 
 early start next morning, and proposed that we 
 should go by train to Bedreshayn, take our 
 
LOADIVO ROTITIAN DONKEYS. 115 
 
 (loiilcpys with iis thoro, and tlion ride on to the 
 Pyramids, roturninp homo by another route. It 
 is a pleasure being able to settle "on a certain 
 (lay wo shall do so and so," without the home 
 addition of '* if it is fine." 
 
 Vory cloudless the day broke. Wo were up ho- 
 timos, and the little French-speaking waiter, 
 exact to a minute, knocked at our door, with the 
 breakfast-tray. Wo had two miles to drive to 
 the Boolak Station across tho Nile. Wo mot tho 
 market-people coming in, driving their donkeys 
 laden with garden produce. An Egyptian donkey 
 carries a greater weight in proportion to its size 
 than any other animal, a fact which I know from 
 my own observation. Tho plan in loading, is to 
 put on him a bulk greater than himself, and, when 
 tho load appears more than he can by any possi- 
 bility carry, then the loader gets on tho top of all. 
 and tho poor little beast is compelled to go on his 
 way. Strings of camels wo also met ; but they 
 will not submit to carry more than is good for 
 them, so they fare better. The road from the 
 Nile bridge to the station is pleasantly shaded by 
 lobbokon-troos, and there wore still pools of water 
 hero and then' loft by the inundations. A tnick 
 
 I 2 
 
116 • fiRIl'FIN AnOY ! 
 
 full of donkeys, saclclled and bridled, was the first 
 that we saw as we reached tlio station. Our 
 journey by rail only lasted one hour. We travelled 
 through a strip of flat, green country, past magni- 
 ficent forests of date palms, with monotonous 
 brown sand hills on either side. Susan, who had 
 been in Egypt before, and was familiar with 
 some of the Pyramids, pointed them out to us as 
 we passed. First came the Pyramids of Geezah 
 (already described), and then within a few miles 
 of each other those of Abooseer, Dashoor, and 
 the Sakkarah. There was no wind, but there 
 was any amount of dust. We were glad to leave 
 the hot carriage at Bedreshayn and get on our 
 donkeys. Mine, " Dr. Kenealy," was a very fine 
 animal, and the side-saddle was comfortable. 
 From the very beginning our donkey-boys were 
 threatened with severest pains and penalties if 
 they touched our donkeys with their sticks, so 
 we went along quite happily. Donkeys walk a 
 very good pace if left to themselves, and not hit 
 and prodded to go at a speed beyond their powers. 
 For the first half mile we were on a raised road- 
 way with steep banks. In the fields on each side 
 was waving corn, but earlier in the year the river 
 
TDK BTEr PYUAMIU. 117 
 
 had boon all over thorn. Wo passed through a 
 grovo of beautiful date palms, and paused before 
 a mighty statue prone on its nose in a hole, the 
 colossal statue of Rameses II. Wo were passing 
 anciorit Memphis. Some of us wished to stop 
 and admire, but the sun was getting hotter and 
 the Pyramids were not in sight, so we pushed on, 
 across fertile plains and by more date plantations, 
 till wo reached the village of Mitrahenny, where the 
 villagers were on the watch for travellers, with 
 old rings and coins, tear-vases and mummies of 
 the Ibis rifled from old tombs. 
 
 We entered on the deep sand of the desert, at 
 a point where we had above us the curious Step 
 Pyramid, which looks very battered. It is shajied 
 like tho others, only it is not so high, and the 
 sides are made in a succession of steps. The 
 track now turned away to tho left, up a hill of 
 sand. My donkey-boy worked on my feelings, 
 by assuring mo that " Dr. Kenealy " would have no 
 drink all day if wo went up there ; but, by going a 
 little farther on the level, there was a pool of 
 water, where ho could slake his thirst, so I went 
 on, and liad the pleasure of seeing " the Doctor " 
 walk into a pool. I toiled up the sandy hill for a 
 
118 ■ GRIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 short distance on foot, but I was very glad to ffct 
 on my donkey again. 
 
 We were now fairly in the desert, out of sight 
 of anything green, nothing to be seen but hills 
 and waves of sand. The advanced party I found 
 already alighted, and collected under the roof that 
 was to shelter us during the heat of the day. It 
 was literally a roof only ; for we sat in a large, 
 stone-floored room, open to the front, and one 
 side to the desert, while, at the back and the 
 other side, were rooms occupied by the owner, 
 and doubtless intended for the accommodation of 
 travellers. Monsieur Mariette, who principally 
 discovered the wonders of the Sakkarah Necro- 
 polis, lived in this house while engaged in his 
 work of excavation. The Pyramids of Sakhara 
 are the most ancient monuments in the world. 
 The north, south, and east Pyramids are the 
 tombs of a long line of kings, and the museum 
 at Cairo is enriched with the spoils taken from 
 them. 
 
 On what is called the Sakkarah Plateau are 
 eleven pyramids. The largest of them is the 
 " Step Pyramid " I have already mentioned. 
 They are all in various stages of ruin. Adven- 
 
THIUBAPKUM. 119 
 
 turous travellers, as a rule, are content with 
 ascending the more lofty summit at Goezah. 
 Our object was to oxpluro tbo vast tomb called 
 the " Serapoum," about five minutes from the 
 house. There was once upon a time a templo 
 hero, but only sufTiciont remains have boon found 
 to prove there was such a building. The sun 
 was very hot, and the sand felt burning through 
 our boots, so that it was a relief to enter, by the 
 gate at the end of the inclined plane, the dark, 
 vaulted passages, built to hold the remains of the 
 Sacred Bull, whose life was passed in splendour 
 at the neighbouring city of Memphis, and who, at 
 his death, was embalmed, and placed in the won- 
 dorful tomb in which we now were. Candles had 
 been forgotten, and there was .some delay while 
 they were begged and borrowed. 
 
 "Wide and high subterranean passages, branch- 
 ing in perplexing numbers in all direction.**, made 
 us keep close together, and well within hearing of 
 our guide's voice. On each side wore the tombs — 
 largo chambers below the level of the surface, 
 each containing a huge sarcophagus — empty, and 
 with the lid pushed on one side. This particular 
 part of the mausoleum, for it is only a p:itf, i»oe< 
 
120 GRIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 back to five hundred years before Christ. When 
 the vaults were first opened, the walls were 
 covered with stone tablets, placed there by wor- 
 shippers, generally bearing the name of the reign- 
 ing king, so that there has been no difficulty in 
 fixing the date. Most of these stones have been 
 removed to the Louvre and Boolak Museum, but 
 there are still some left. 
 
 From the depths of the earth we ascended into 
 the fierce glare of the sun, from which we were 
 protected by blue spectacles that were a great 
 relief to our eyes. "We walked through the red- 
 hot sand to the tomb of " Tih," the outer part of 
 which is in ruins, but the inner chambers are 
 perfect. It is marvellous to see the painted illu- 
 strations on the walls as brilliant in colours as 
 though ages had not passed since they were 
 executed, representing the life of " Tih " and his 
 family. His story is a simple one to read. 
 
 We see him on his farm among his labourers ; 
 out in a boat catching swarms of fish ; in his 
 poultry-yard with geese and birds innumerable, 
 and shooting from a boat with a decoy bird. 
 " Tih," the inscription at the entrance informs us, 
 was a Priest of Memphis, who married a member 
 
TttPATUENT or DOKKEYS. 121 
 
 of tho royal family. lie lived " to a prolonged 
 old ago." 
 
 Wo spent a long timt" in this old-world place, 
 and then passed out again into tho heat, and 
 Tuado tho road as short as wo could to our haven 
 of rest, stopping, before we went in, to make tho 
 donkey-boys loosen tho bridles, which, according 
 to their cruel and senseless custom, were tied so 
 tightly back that the donkeys stood with their 
 mouths open. The worst case of bearing-rein in 
 tho Park could not bo more distressing. Most 
 unwillingly did thoy lot tho poor donkey's head 
 free, assuring us that whon they were tired it 
 rested them. Mahommcd and Abdul had un- 
 packed the luncheon basket, and in spito of tho 
 heat we managed to eat, but tho oranges were the 
 boat part of the entertainment. Wo had four 
 hours of idleness before us, and our only book 
 was " Murray's Egypt." We read, by turn.s, tho 
 history of the Pyramids and the tomb.s. Miss 
 Hare sketched a pyramid ; some of us slept an 
 uneasy sloop on tho hard stone floor, with tho 
 lunchcon-bn.sket for a pillow. The donkey-boys 
 stretched themselves on the sand in any shade 
 they could find, and slept too, while the donkeys 
 
122 QEIKFIN ATI07 ! 
 
 seized the opportunity of tlieir heads being free 
 to roll about with their saddles on. Some of the 
 more restless spirits of our party, defying sun- 
 stroke and heat, went forth to examine the " Step 
 Pyramid," and so the long, hot hours of the day 
 passed. 
 
 Four o'clock came, and we were all delighted 
 to get once more on our donkeys, and turn our 
 backs on the desert. Our road was the same as 
 the one we had followed in the morning, but, 
 when we got to the railway station, we passed it, 
 and held on our way to the banks of the Nile. 
 There we dismounted, and the donkeys were 
 taken down a perpendicular path on the face 
 of the steep cliff to the river, where they were 
 hustled on board the boat we were to cross in. 
 When we had followed the donkeys on board, the 
 large sail was hoisted, and we were gently wafted 
 over to the other side. The landing was easily 
 effected, as the shore was flat. After a two or 
 three miles' ride over a level, sandy plain, we 
 were at the baths of Helwan, whicli are held in 
 high reputation. The springs, which are sul- 
 phurous, are supposed to be the place where 
 King Amenophis sent the " leprous and other 
 
DINN8B AT HKLWaN. 123 
 
 curoloss poreons, in order to separate tlicm from 
 the rest of the Egyptians." Tliero is a very fine 
 hotel here, whore wo dismounted. 
 
 A telegram had been sent from Cairo ordering 
 dinner, so wo wore expected. The sun wont 
 down as wo reached Ilelwan, but the hoat was 
 still intense. In the courtyard of the hotel not a 
 loaf stirred, and the air was so still that we wore 
 almost breathless. Wo had a very good dinner. 
 Owing to some mistake in the telegram, prepara- 
 tions bad been made for ten people, and, as wo 
 were only five, everything was on a most abun- 
 dant scale. We had not very long to oat it, as 
 we had a train to think of, and the station is ten 
 minutes' walk from the hotel. Some of us rode, 
 the others walked. Wo found all the first-class 
 carriages occupied, so we preferred getting in 
 all together into a second-class compartment, which 
 much disturbed tho station authorities. I be- 
 lieve, if thoy had had time, they would have com- 
 (>ellod us to travel in tho class our tickets entitled 
 us to. Our journey was short, only fifteen miles, 
 but it took us about an liour. In the clear night 
 wo could plainly distinguish tho qunrrii'S of Toora 
 and Masanih, whicli for four thousnnd ycnrrt have 
 
124 GRIFFIN AUOY ! 
 
 supplied stones for the great cities of Egypt. I 
 tbiuk nothing is more striking in Egypt than its 
 age. We are accustomed to think of ourselves 
 as a nation with a pedigree, but wo are new and 
 modern, with our many centuries of history, when 
 we come to Egypt with its antiquity. 
 
 AVe reached Cairo by the station below the 
 citadel, and found carriages waiting. We drove 
 to Shepherd's Hotel, where we heard it had been 
 the hottest day of the season, the thermometer 
 on the verandah in the shade having been con- 
 siderably over 90° 
 
 Since writing the above, I find the following 
 interesting information in the Edinhurjjh Coiirant, 
 August 5th, 1881 :— 
 
 " Writing from Cairo on the 24th July, the 
 Tunes correspondent says : ' The saying that it 
 never rains but it pours may be now fairly applied 
 to archa3ological discoveries. Long before the 
 savants have had time to peruse, ponder over, or 
 profit by the wonders recently unearthed at Sak- 
 karah, they are now suddenly overwhelmed with a 
 fresh supply of material in the form of the largest 
 papyri yet known, and by the apparition of the 
 mummies, with all their mortuary appendages 
 
ItDYAI. MUMMIKM. 125 
 
 ami iiidcriptioiirt, of rjo loss tluiii thirty royal pt-r- 
 sonafjos. This discovery, which has just boon 
 raado, calls for special iiitorost in England, for 
 among tho thirty royal mummies are to be found 
 those of King Th(ttmes III. and King llamsos 
 IF., tho former of whom ordered tho construction 
 of tho obelisk which now stands on tho Thames 
 Kmbankment ; and it wjis the latter who, two 
 huiidrod and seventy years afterwards, caused 
 his own oHicial titles and honours to bo inscribetl 
 ii|)on tho faces beside those of Thutraos III. 
 Those two monarchs now lie side by side in tho 
 Hoolak Museum, and even tho flowers and gar- 
 lands which were placed in their cofiins may be 
 to-day soon encircling tho masks which cover tho 
 faces of the deceased, just as they wore left by 
 the mourners over three thousand years ago."' 
 
CIIAITKU VII. 
 
 VISIT ro THK HOLY L.VN1). 
 
 joiMtr TO sYKu— rttoroACD mode or tkavixuxo— tiik comvo- 
 uoiu's CAMr— DurutsiuN or our rjum— axciiuuu> urr jatta 
 
 OR Jon-A— AM OU> SAILOR— HOWARD'S UOTtl^lBRAIIIM DCIIRDXT, 
 OIR bRAQUHAN— PARHNl) UlOK AT TUK " ORirriN "— ORAXOES 
 or JOITA— sCKim RE LOCALHIU — lUMLUI— TuMB Or TUl MAC- 
 CAULl-S — 1_VTI:ijS — IS JEIU i.lLlM AT LA5T. 
 
129 
 
 (MIAl'TKIl VII. 
 
 "fTTE had all along ilotormiiiod that, when in 
 * * tho East, wo wore to visit tho lloly Land. 
 Eastor Sunday this year foil on tho 17th of April, 
 and wo nil wished, if possible, to bo in Jerusalem 
 on that day. 
 
 Shepherd's Hotel is haunted by dragomans 
 looking out for travellers requiring their services 
 in Palestine. Tnivclling there is oxponsivo; two 
 pounds a head is generally charged for a small 
 party, a slight reduction being made for numbers. 
 This charge includes tents, food, servants, horses, 
 baggage animals, and, in short, every cxponso 
 that may bo incurred. Tho Commodore finally 
 engaged a good-looking Copt as his dnignman. 
 ITis testimonials were excellent, and I believe in 
 every way he gave satisfaction. 
 
 Wo had reluctantly resolved to part company 
 
 K 
 
130 GBIFI'IN AHOV ! 
 
 during tho ride tlirougli the Holy Land, as we 
 did not wish to incur the fatigue of travelhng the 
 whole way from Jaffa to Beyrout on horseback. 
 Our plan was to cruise along the Syrian coast, 
 the Commodore having so kindly handed the 
 yacht over to us, and to stop at any convenient 
 port, and make excursions into the interior. 
 
 The Commodore's camp was pitched for in- 
 spection one day on a vacant plot of ground, and 
 we all went over to look at it. There were two 
 sleeping-tents, a drawing-room tent, and a kitchen 
 one. " Bishai," the dragoman, had evidently done 
 well, for the tents were new, and everything very 
 nice. 
 
 The days were becoming hotter and hotter; 
 everyone was leaving Cairo, so the Commodore 
 and Princess assembled their party, and we all 
 prepared to depart from the old Egyptian city. 
 
 At six p.m., April the 12th, we steamed away 
 in the train for Alexandria, and that night we 
 found ourselves once more in our comfortable 
 cabin on board the Griffin. 
 
 The pleasure of returning was lessened by the 
 dispersion of our party ; Kildouau and Susan 
 were about to leave us. The former was re- 
 
nUKAK-tll" OK n(7n PAUTY. 131 
 
 ttirniDg home by Naples, while Susan intended 
 proceeding all the way to Liverpool by sea. 
 
 The break-up of a party is always a source of 
 regret, and particularly so it) our case, for wo had 
 all boon on the most friendly terms. Wo were 
 (|uitt' sorry that unavuidablo circumstances should 
 take two of our number away. The next day, 
 Susan wont on shore, and then embarked on 
 board the steamer which was to take her homo. 
 Kildonan, with some friends, returned to Cairo, 
 while wo who remained put to sea at six p.m.. on 
 April tlio l:Uh. 
 
 There was a heavy sea outside the bar, and wo 
 pitched and rolled a groat deal. The moon rose 
 bright and clear, but the wind was dead ahead. 
 I sat on deck smoking a cigar and watching tho 
 waves as they appeared to run jwist us in an 
 endless race. Sometimes the moon was hid be- 
 hind a cloud, and tho ghost-like, troubled sea was 
 dark and gloomy ; then the moonlight burst 
 forth again, and tho white-crested water-spirits 
 seemed to roll and tumble in an ecstasy of joy. 
 
 Tho next day tho sun shone brightly on a very 
 rough sea. Tho sailors said "there must have 
 been a blow somewhere to make such n terrible 
 
132 GEIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 jumble." We basked in the doligbtfiil boat, and 
 read, and smoked, and ate, and talked all day. 
 Tbe sun set in a most glorious golden sky, some 
 treacberous-looking clouds surrounding bim. As 
 tbe night wore on, tbc sea became wilder, and tbe 
 wind increased every bour till tbe soutb-west 
 breeze became half a gale of wind. 
 
 We cast anchor at seven in tbe morning on tbe 
 15tb of March (Good Friday) off Jaffa. Tbe 
 roadstead is quite unprotected, and when tbe 
 wind blows from the soutb-west tbe waves dash 
 upon tbe shore in great surf rollers. A large 
 shore-boat, with some six or eight men, bad come 
 off, bringing an agent from Mr. Howard, the 
 tourists' friend, to see if we required anything. 
 Tbe Commodore's camp, as be reported, was 
 pitched close to his hotel, and tbe dragoman 
 was expecting tbe yacht. Tbe boatmen strongly 
 recommended our landing as soon as possible, as 
 the surf always increases as tbe day wears 
 on. 
 
 We bad intended taking things easily, and 
 landing in the afternoon, but when we beard that 
 wo might not got off later we decided to laud 
 with the others. Very hurriedly was our packing 
 
A WILD SKA. 
 
 133 
 
 effoctod. It was surprising bow fow tbiugs were 
 forgottou, as wo found afterwards. 
 
 Tho roar of tbo surf ou ibo sboro was getting 
 louder, and tbo big boat alongside was rising 
 bigber and sinking lower tbau it was pleasant to 
 seo wlicn wo stood ready for tbo "Now!" tbat 
 made us spring from tbo rolling 6V///i;i to tbo 
 uusteady boat. Tbo boatmen were accustomed 
 to tbis wild sea. Tbo great waves appeared very 
 angry. Sometimes wo were upon tbe summit of 
 a rolling mountain, tbon down in tbo valley. 
 No wave broke over us, so cleverly was tbo boat 
 managed. I could not bolp tbinking of an old 
 sailor's advico to an aunt of mine. Sandy Coid 
 was balf smuggler, balf fisborman, and lived ou 
 tbo sca-sbore, near Port William, iu Galloway, 
 ily aunt often wont out in bis boat for a sail iu 
 Glenluco Bay. Once it camo on to blow a sudden 
 gale, and one of tbo ladies got very frigbtoned, 
 and annoyed Sandy by many (jucstions. 
 
 " Hoy, Sandy, wbat sball I do, if we are upset?" 
 
 " Do, mem," quotb Sandy, fairly driven wild 
 
 by ber appeals. " Put yor beed doon under tbo 
 
 water, and ilroon as fast as yo can, for I couldna 
 
 bolp yo." 
 
134 GRIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 At length we got into the ruined harbour, safe 
 and dry. Jaffa, once Joppa, was a most import- 
 ant port. It is one of the oldest towns in the 
 world. Tn the Bible it is mentioned as marking 
 the borders of the tribe of Dan,* and it became 
 the Port of Jerusalem. To it was conveyed the 
 timber from Lebanon for the construction of both 
 first and second temple.f Jonah sailed from it. X 
 St. Peter came from Lydda to Joppa, and raised 
 Tabitha from the dead. There also was the 
 house of Simon the tanner, " which was by the 
 sea-side," and in which he saw the vision that 
 showed him the future extent of Christianity.§ 
 
 We landed among a crowd of dragomans and 
 natives, and with difficulty scrambled along the 
 ill-paved streets till we arrived at Howard's Hotel, 
 situated near the sea, from which it is divided by 
 an Arab cemetery. The day being Friday, the tombs 
 were surrounded by women in many-coloured 
 dresses, forming a coup cTceil of light and shade. 
 
 The Commodore, Princess, Miss Hare, and 
 Parker were to part from us here for one month. 
 The Commodore had, with the greatest kindness, 
 
 * Josh, six, 46. j Snd Chron. ii, U ; Ezra ii, 7. i Jonah i, 8. 
 § Acts ix, 36 ; x, 1—7. 
 
ADIED TO THE CAMP 1 AKTV. 135 
 
 told US that wo might take the yacht anywhere 
 we pleased, only trystinfj us to meet him at 
 Hoy rout on the IGth of May. Wo took up our 
 nuartora at Howard's Hotel, while tho Princess 
 iiiid lu'r followers wont to their camp, which was 
 pitched close to our garden. It was with a pang 
 of real regret that wo waved adieu to tho camp 
 party as it rode past tho balcony, from which wo 
 watched their start. 
 
 As wo looked beyond the Arab cemetery to tho 
 sea, wo wero distressed to see the dniiln pitching 
 and tossing at anchor, and wo wore informed that 
 no communication could bo hold with her till the 
 Koa went down. Wo dined at the tablc'itliCk, at 
 which there were only three other guests; tho 
 season was not a good one, the alarm of plaguo 
 having deterred many from coming to I'.ilostine. 
 Wo soon retired to our rooms, as we were to 
 mako an early start. 
 
 On landing from tho yacht we had been be- 
 sieged by dragomans, anxious to bo engaged, but 
 wo decided on making an arrangement with Jlr. 
 Howard, who has for many years acted as con- 
 ductor, adviser, and manager to many of the 
 hundred pilgrims to the Holy Land. Wo (ound 
 
136 aitii'i'iN AHoy ! 
 
 that Mr. Howard's terms were most liberal and 
 satisfactory. Before dinner, lie asked us to go 
 out and see the carriage he intended us to travel 
 in. It was a small but comfortable vehicle, with 
 a roof on four poles, and leather curtains. In 
 attendance was a little, active man, whom Mr. 
 Howard introduced to us as Ibrahim Dehrony, a 
 dragoman. As we became quite attached to this 
 man, I may as well describe him here. He was a 
 Latin Christian, little and active, dressed, I must 
 own, in a very peculiar costume. His head was 
 generally wrapped up in a kefiah, or shawl ; " for 
 de travel," at other times he wore the Turkish 
 fez. The kefiah was put on so as to cover his 
 whole head, neck, and shoulders, and gave his 
 intelligent face a fierce and rather savage look, 
 for his moustaches stuck out with a defiant curl, 
 and he had a large scar on his forehead, the mark 
 of a pistol wound. His coat was a kind of drab 
 overcoat, and his trousers were loose. On foot 
 he looked like a fly ; on horseback he was a 
 warrior of the desert, with a perfect seat and 
 very light hand. I never met a more attentive 
 man, or one who had a better knowledge of the 
 country. Add to all this, thorough honesty, 
 
JOHPA. 137 
 
 and yon huvu Ibrahim Dehrouy, our dra;,'oman. 
 
 At sovon o'clock on the morning of the 16th of 
 April, wo were ready to start. Before leaving, I 
 took a parting look at the Grijin from our 
 balcony. She was plunging in the waves, and 
 rolling fearfully. Through my glass, I saw no 
 one ou dock, and could well believe what dis- 
 comfort all on board were enduring. The wind 
 was blowing full on shore, and the waves were 
 tumbling in a high wall of surf. 
 
 Our baggage was declared too heavy for the 
 springs of our carriage, so we left it to follow on 
 a mule. The distance to Jerusalem being forty- 
 two miles, wo were assured it would reach us the 
 same night, but it did not, though the mule arrived 
 at break of day next morning. 
 
 Wo ntttled along the ancient streets of Joppa 
 till we came to the new road, which passes 
 through orchards of orange-trees, whoso boughs 
 were laden with fruit. The oranges of Jaffa are 
 famed for their si/.e, being enormously large, but 
 not such a delicate fruit as the Maltese or 
 Sicilian. 
 
 Wo enjoyed the cool morning air. Ibrahim 
 called our attention to a strongly-built house 
 
138 (IRIFl'IN AHOY ! 
 
 near a garden, which is named " Tabitha's House." 
 A road branching to the left leads to Lydda, from 
 which St. Peter came when summoned to Tabi- 
 tha's aid. AVe kept straiglit on, and passed on 
 our I'ight the plain where Samson tied the " foxes' 
 tails." A little farther on was " Beth Dagon," 
 the House of Dagon. On our left we could see 
 in the distance Lydda. We were traversing the 
 " Plain of Sharon," and in a short time trotted 
 into Ramleh, nine miles distant from Joppa. 
 Ramleh has been the scene of many battles be- 
 tween the Crusaders and the Moslems, and its 
 ruined buildings testify to its former grandeur. 
 It has generally been considered the first halting- 
 place for camping parties, so we were not sur- 
 prised to hear that the Commodore had pitched 
 his tents there the night before, but they had 
 started from Ramleh before we arrived. 
 
 It is singular how little is known at Cairo, by 
 travellers, of the facility of reaching Jerusalem 
 from Jaffa. Of course, it is the interest of the 
 dragomans to ignore the possibility of driving in 
 a comfortable carriage, for then the tents, horses, 
 and equipage would not be required, and two 
 days' joui'ney becomes the affair of a day. When 
 
UUWAKU'S HOTEL. 189 
 
 WO wore at Cairo, we could got no certain infor- 
 miition on the subject. We were told that there 
 was no public conveyance, no carriapjofl bctwoon 
 JafTa and Jerusalem, and that the road was infa- 
 mously bad. It was only on our arrival at JafTa, 
 when Mr. Howard's agent came off and gave us 
 all details, that wo ascertained the road waa 
 |>racticablo all the way for wheels. A lady at 
 Cairo was most an.xious to go to Jerusalem, but 
 told me she could not stand the fatigue of riding. 
 
 " Oh, if there were carriages, I would not hesi- 
 tate," sho said, "but my dragoman tells me there 
 are none." 
 
 Our strong little horses trotted merrily along 
 till wo came to the village of Kubab, which is 
 surrounded by olive groves. Hero we drove 
 down a steep declivity into a valley called Merj 
 Ibriomeir — the valley of Ascalon. Having crossed 
 this valley, wo ascended a hill, and observed to 
 our right a lonely house, with the sign " Howard's 
 Hotel." Hero we woro to halt, in order to rest 
 the horses after a twenty mile drive. Our car- 
 riage drove up to its door, and the solitary waiter 
 was so much occupied hoisting the British flag in 
 honour of our approach that ho was not present 
 
140 OEIITIN Aiioy ! 
 
 at the door to welcome us. However, after hav- 
 ing managed to get the flag half-mast high in a 
 disordered kind of condition, ho hurried down 
 and gracefully ushered us into a comfortable 
 room, where in due time we were served with 
 omelette, beef stew, and potatoes for luncheon. 
 While it was getting ready, Ibrahim requested 
 us to follow him downstairs and out into the 
 open. He led us to what appeared to be a well. 
 Down a ladder he asked us to go, and when we 
 had both descended into a subterranean chamber, 
 he said, in solemn tones, 
 
 " Here, Milady and General, is the tomb of the 
 Maccabees. It was discovered only a few years." 
 
 The vault is in a rock, and several empty 
 niches round prove that it was used as a tomb. 
 
 Near the hotel is a village called Latron, where, 
 tradition states, the repentant thief on the cross 
 was born. 
 
 At luncheon the solitai'y waiter, glad to hear 
 the sound of his own voice, informed us that his 
 life was dreadfully triste. He was alone for days 
 — he saw no one but the cook ; theu came a rush 
 of visitors. Last week Prince Rudolph of Austria, 
 
ilODNTAlNS OF JUDAII. 141 
 
 with thirty followers, :irrivf<|. Ho was the only 
 waiter. He had so much to do that ho got a 
 coup tit' santj. The poor man looked ill. 
 
 " I am not afraid — no," he said, " but the evil 
 people in the neighbourhood steal my fowls. I 
 have sent in my resignation." 
 
 We said good-bye to this unhappy boing. 
 
 The two hours' rest the Italian coachman had 
 rcfjuired for his horses having passed, they 
 seemed (juite refreshed, and started gamely on 
 the worst half of the journey. A couple of miles 
 after leaving the hotel, wo entered the valley of 
 Wady Aly. The terraced slopes of the moun- 
 tains of Judah rose on each side of us. For 
 several miles wo toiled up the glen, recalling the 
 Highlands of Scotland to our memory. It is not 
 so long ago since this part of the journey was a 
 terror to travellers, but now the road is considered 
 safe, though hero, as everywhere else in Syria, every 
 man carries his matchlock, and often, in addition 
 to that, a pistol and long knife. From hero wo 
 descend through olivo groves to Kerjath-jearim. 
 This village has some fine houses, once the pro- 
 perty of a great robber chief, Abu-ghash, who 
 
142 niiiri'FN ahoy ! 
 
 was defeated by Ibrahim Paslia, and hanged, but 
 his body reposes in a grand mausoleum near the 
 scene of his atrocities. 
 
 Our Ibrahim made us alight and visit a par- 
 tially restored Gothic church of the Crusade 
 period, which is very massive. " The ark rested 
 in tlie house of Abinadab, on the hill," on the 
 ridge above the village. The road whicli we 
 passed along to Jerusalem was the same track 
 by which David travelled. 
 
 The sky had gradually become darker and 
 darker, and the clouds were hurrying from the 
 sea to the mountains. We had now readied 
 the highest point in our journey. The wind 
 still blew fiercely from the south-west ; the rain 
 came down in torrents, but all we could do was 
 to close the curtains of our little carriage amid 
 exclamations of regret. We remembered at the 
 same time, with anxiety, that it was the worst 
 point in the compass for a vessel anchored off 
 Jaffa. 
 
 It was eight o'clock in the evening, and quite 
 dark when we stopped at the Damascus Gate 
 of Jerusalem. There we had to alight, for no 
 carriages can pass through the streets. In a 
 
TICK PAMASi'OS ll(»TF.r.. 14^} 
 
 downpour of rain, wo Htumbled and slipped along 
 tho ilUpavod and ill-lighted way till we arrived 
 at tho Damascus Hotel. Tho sweet reraembrance 
 camo over us, in spito of stones, and dirt, and 
 rain, " At last wo are in Jerusalem !" 
 
 I'p a narrow stouo stair, wo followed Ibrahim 
 to a pavod court, open to tho weather, with 
 windows all round it ; up another flight of stairs 
 to an irregular court, part of it surrounded by 
 tho house, tho other part overlooking tho street 
 below and tho country beyond. Our guide 
 openoil a door, struck a light, and wo found 
 wo had reached our rooms. I think a laundry 
 at homo would give tho best idea of their bare- 
 noss. Tho walls wore white-washed, as was also 
 tho ceiling ; tho floor was stone, and tho actual 
 necessaries of life were there, but nothing more. 
 A small, deep window looked into tho courtyard, 
 another one, so high up that, oven standing on 
 a chair, I could not roach it, looked in another 
 direction, and there was a fooling of dampness 
 in everything. Only tho bed-room door separated 
 us from tho dripping courtyard and tho |K)uring 
 rain. Armed with umbrellas, wo made a dash 
 across to tho tal>U-(r/u'>tt' room, and that first night 
 
144 GEIl'FIN AHOY ! 
 
 wc dined alone. Wo were too late to get any- 
 thing hot to eat, and too early for the food to 
 be quite cold. 
 
 After a day or two at the hotel, we moved 
 up another flight of stairs to a most delightful 
 habitation. We were quite at the top of the 
 house, and our sitting-room and the bed-room 
 beyond it were the only ones opening off the 
 court. We were perched, as it were, on the sum- 
 mit of the hotel, and the view was most interest- 
 ing, for immediately in front, and only divided 
 from us by houses lower than ourselves, and by 
 the Valley of Jehoshaphat, was the Mount of 
 Olives. There it was, always before us : in the 
 early morning, in the daytime, and at night — 
 there was that mount ; the same in shape as it 
 was when our Lord came down that steep path 
 which we could see quite plainly from where we 
 were stationed. 
 
CHAl'TER VIII. 
 
 IN .IKKrSALK>r. 
 
 !mims OK jEki'SALXM — riLTiiiius — sr. STtriiESs fSATi— litTiiM.- 
 
 HASE— TlLVUmoMS ASU PROPIIECIM KCLATINO TO JEhl SALEll— 
 
 havik's toweu— a CEi.EnitATi:i> iiibkew .scholar— riniACTEBiu 
 —AM auebu-an paktv— the iiolnt of ouve*— uosiital or spt. 
 
 JnllH— cm KCH <)»• THE SEPl LCHItE— TOMM l>» TlIE KIXOS ASH OF 
 Tin: JIDGK:^— VALLEY or JEilUSUArtUT—CUl'RCU OF T1IE ASCKNSIOM 
 —TOMB or DAVIU. 
 
147 
 
 CIlAITKIt VIII. 
 
 T7^A8TF!R Sunday was ualiorod in by rain. Wo 
 ■*-^ went to tlio Episcopalian church in tho 
 citadul, near David's Towor. It was about ten 
 minutes' walk from our hotel. Tho streets of 
 Jorusalom are very badly paved with round 
 stones, polished, not worn by the weather and 
 trafllc, and laid together with a small well of mud 
 Ik'lween each one. This gives some faint idea of 
 what our diflicultios wore when wo attempted 
 walking. Riding was oven worse; there is no 
 foothold for a horse, and it was distressing to sec 
 the laden animals struggling along, slipping and 
 stumbling. Part of our way was up Christian 
 Street. We got to know it very well before wo 
 left Jerusalem, with its many shops of olive 
 wood. Then we passed along a lino of covered 
 ba/aars, and so up to the church. Tho .streets 
 
148 OBIKFIN AHOY ! 
 
 were thronged with pilgrims, Ijut a way was 
 instantly made for us, as our imperious dnigoraan 
 elbowed his way along through the crowd. 
 
 In the afternoon, when the rain ceased and the 
 sun shone out, we went along the Via Dolorosa 
 to Stephen's Gate, and, descending the steep path, 
 crossed the Brook Kidron and came to Gethse- 
 mane. It is a sweet, sad place at the sunset time. 
 The venerable olive-trees carry one's thoughts 
 into far-back ages, and everyone must be im- 
 pressed when lingering in this garden full of 
 tender reminiscences. 
 
 While of course there is a great deal of reality, 
 there is also a vast amount of fable about Jerusa- 
 lem. But there can be no doubt that somewhere 
 near here our Lord often went, so every spot is 
 holy in spite of man's inventions. 
 
 On that Easter evening there was something 
 very soothing in our visit to Gethsemane. The 
 rain which had fallen in the morning had passed 
 away, and the colouring of the heavens was very 
 pleasing to the eye. The walls of Jerusalem 
 appeared rugged and forlorn, but the hills on 
 which they are built were dotted here and there 
 with bright spots. And how quiet was Gethso- 
 
WANDKUINU AlWUT JKULSALKM. 1 H» 
 
 mano, witli its venornblu old trees and /,'ardon of 
 flowers, 80 sad and so silent, and abovo all how 
 solemn wore its reminiscences contrasted with the 
 clash of the Turkish baud and the distant hum 
 of modertj Jerusalem. 
 
 Wo remained several days wandering about 
 through the narrow streets or riding out into the 
 neighbourhood, and never for one njoment felt 
 that disappoititment which I have heard many 
 people say they have experienced when in the 
 Holy liund. No doubt the city is changed by 
 sieges and earthquakes. The valleys are filled 
 with the debris of ruined buildings. No doubt 
 our Ijord never trod the Via Doloro.sa, and many 
 other places have been associated with remini- 
 scences of his life which have no claim to such dis- 
 tinction, but there is quite enough loft to increase 
 our faith in all that is past, not only as regards 
 the accuracy of the prophecies concerning this 
 city which have been already accomplished, but 
 also of what is yet to come. So I do not intend 
 to question the truth of any of their traditions. 
 SulRco it for mo to mention and briefly de.'«cribo 
 the places that wore shown to us, satisfied that 
 tlie iiioiiiit.'iinfl and hills :»n> the sritii.' as wIi.mi 
 
150 OKIFI-'IN AUOY ! 
 
 our Lord lived and suiTercd in Jerusalem. 
 Ibrahim was always in attendance, ready to 
 accompany us on our expeditions ; indeed wo 
 could not find our way alone, for the streets are 
 difficult to understand, they are all so like each 
 other. We visited David's Tower. The enorm- 
 ous blocks of stone of which it is built are proof 
 positive of its antiquity. It is easy to see the 
 difference between the ancient and more modern 
 masonry. At the entrance to the tower a guard 
 of Turkish soldiers were lounging about, but they 
 did not stop us, and we went up the steep stair 
 till we got on the top of the tower. This tower 
 has had various names ; Josephus states that it 
 was built by Herod the Great and called by him 
 Hippicus, after a friend who was killed in battle. 
 When Titus took Jerusalem he spared it. The 
 historian of the Crusades, in writing of the 
 citadel, names it the Tower of David, and it has 
 remained till now much the same as it was in 
 those days, having escaped destruction when the 
 Moslems destroyed the city in the thirteenth 
 century. On the top of the tower are placed 
 small guns suitable for firing salutes. The view 
 from its summit is very interesting. This tower 
 
l'nyLA(TKRIK8. 15l 
 
 is tho commcnccmont of the first wall oi* walls of 
 Zion. We visitud on our way homo tbo shop of 
 Sliorpur, tho wolUkuowii Hebrew scholar, llu 
 has a very interesting collection of old and raro 
 nmnuHcripts, and many other curious thinj^s con- 
 nected with tho Jews. Ho showed us two kinds 
 of phylacteries worn by tho Pharisees. Formerly 
 nothing was more ditticult than to get them, and 
 Mr. Shorpur told us that long ago ho gavo thir- 
 teen pounds for a pair, but now ho finds the Jews 
 quite willing to part with them for a small sum. 
 
 The idea conveyed to my mind by the expres- 
 sion "making broad their i)hylacteries" was 
 increasing the border of some upper garment, on 
 which texts from Scripture wore emblazoned. A 
 phylactery is a small leather case (very like 
 one of those square leather ink-bottles that cost a 
 shilling each at homo), containing verses from Deu- 
 teronomy, written on parchment ; those are worn 
 under the arm, pressed against tho heart of tho 
 wearer, and kept in their places by long leather 
 thongs. The ostentatious wearing of phylacteries 
 consisted in doubling or trebling tho size of tho 
 loathor case, and in placing them above the fun- 
 hoad, where they were conspicuous to all be- 
 
162 CiUIFlLN AHOY ! 
 
 holders. Mr. Shorpur also produced au ancient 
 parchment which was rolled up and fastened by 
 many seals, all of which had to be broken before 
 the parchment could be opened and read, making 
 clear the meaning of the opening of the seals in 
 Eevelation. We bought some Bibles bound in 
 olive wood, which he certified were made from 
 trees that had grown on Mount Olivet. 
 
 When we got back to the hotel wc found an 
 American party at luncheon, whose acquaintance 
 we made, and whom we met often afterwards. It 
 is one of the pleasant features in a journey 
 meeting agreeable people. There is a pleasure in 
 comparing notes, 'and much information is gained 
 if the people are intelligent and good-natured. 
 We were particularly fortunate in our American 
 acquaintances, whose usual residence was at Nice. 
 
 In the evening how delightful it was to sit out 
 on our platform and see the Mount of Olives 
 growing darker and darker, while the crash of 
 the unmusical Turkish baud, which always played 
 at nine at night, reminded us that the Moslems 
 rule in old Jerusalem ! 
 
 Another day Ibrahim took us to the Hospital 
 of St. John, near the Church of the Sepulchre. A 
 
ouDucu oi ruK HOLY Atvvumat. Ib'-i 
 
 niap^nificuiit gateway id tlio ontrauce to this 
 palaco of the Kniglits of St. Johu. It is iu 
 ruins, but graud iu its decay. It was establishod 
 in the eleventh century by the merchants of 
 Naples. Two hospitals were formed, and were 
 the origin of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, 
 ouco so powerful, now faded away. 
 
 And hero we are in the cradle of this grand 
 institution, among the fallen columns and noble 
 galleries. All was silent where the mailed warrior 
 had made these magnificent but now roofless hulls 
 re-echo with the sound of his voice and of his 
 clattering sabre. From this monumout of a noble 
 order we crossed the narrow street to the Church 
 of the Holy Sepulchre. 
 
 The Grook Easter Sunday was near, and the 
 pilgrims crowded the Holy City, especially the 
 neighbourhood of the sepulchre. Never before 
 did I behold such a touching sight as the ox« 
 pression of faith in these poor people's faces. 
 Most of them were Russians, and they came into 
 the church with a look of joy. They knelt 
 down and rose up, and knelt down again, and 
 finally entered the chapel where they bolievetl the 
 tomb of our Ix)rd is situated. 
 
154 GBIFPIN AHOY ! 
 
 Wc went into different chapels sparkling with 
 gems and gold and silver ; but nothing seemed so 
 real as the look of faith in these poor pilgrims' 
 eyes. 
 
 Wc returned very often to the Church of the 
 Sepulchre. In the court outside there are ven- 
 dors of rosaries, made of shells from the Dead 
 Sea, of beads and crosses from Bethlehem, and 
 others of beads which have been to Mecca. 
 These the faithful buy, and, after laying them on 
 the sacred sites in the church, carry them home, 
 to be treasured doubtless from generation to 
 generation in the far away countries of Russia, in 
 the islands of the seas, and in burning Egypt. 
 For there are pilgrims from all lands. Ibrahim 
 could tell us their nationality at once by some 
 peculiarity in their dress. The Russians were 
 always unmistakeable with their long, unkempt 
 locks, the full skirts the men wore, and the heavy 
 shoes they generally carried in their hands in the 
 church. Some of these pilgrims, Ibrahim told us, 
 had walked every foot of the way it was possible 
 to walk, carrying with them bread sufficient to 
 last them on their pilgrimage. 
 
 The Turkish soldier and Moslem peasant may 
 
TOMUS or THK KlNi.S. 155 
 
 wander about unnoticoJ in tho chiircli, but the 
 Jew is not allowed within the precincts. lie may 
 not come near the tomb of Christ. 
 
 In the afternoon wo went for a ride. Ibraliitn 
 was very anxious that wo sliould try the horses 
 ho had provided for our expedition to Jericho and 
 the Dead Sea. My wife had a free-goinfj young 
 bay mare, which carried her very well. My 
 Ro.sinauto was not .so young as ho once had been, 
 but ho was very sure-footed, and awoke up somo- 
 timos from a ruminating study, when some fast- 
 going maro passed him on the road. On these 
 occasions bo neighed ferociously, curved his nock, 
 and made believe that he was a young and gallant 
 Arab, like Ibrahim's nag. It was a pleasure to 
 see our dragoman on any horse's back. 
 
 We wont out by the Damascus Gate, and made 
 for tho tombs of the kings, situated about ono 
 mile and a half from tho city. Wo got off our 
 liorses and descended a broad marble staircase of 
 many stops, at the foot of which there is a wide, 
 open area. On turning to tho left, wo passed into 
 n largo square excavation, out of which there is 
 an entrance to a dark chamber, in which wo 
 lighted our candles and pas.'«od into tho tomb of 
 
166 GRIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 the kings. This vast place is also called the Tomb 
 of Helena. 
 
 The cover of a sarcophagus taken from this 
 tomb is in the Louvre. There is not much to be 
 seen except the vacant niches all round, but the 
 massive structure of a by-gone age fills one with 
 wonder. Wc left the tombs by the same marble 
 staircase, and, mounting our nags, proceeded to 
 the tombs of the judges. 
 
 We rode along the Valley of Jehoshaphat. All 
 the way is lined with tombs and caves in the rocks. 
 The tombs of the judges are more ornamental 
 than the others, having an architrave with flowers 
 and tracery, but, alas ! the entrance to the first 
 chamber is very open, and goats and cattle have 
 made it a stable, so that the state of the interior 
 is not what it ought to be. Here, as in the other 
 tombs, there are deep niches at regular intervals, 
 in the various chambers opening out of one 
 another. The earthen floor was slippery with 
 dirt, and we were not sorry to leave it. 
 
 We remounted our nags, and, turning to the 
 right, we went across country up the stony Valley 
 of Jehoshaphat. It was a lovely spring day — all 
 nature rejoiced to feel the warm sun after the 
 
liKAliTlttll, JEBII«ALKM. 157 
 
 latu culil raiu of last week. Tlio country was 
 jjreeu with younj^ growing corn. Uotli riders 
 and horses felt the exhilarating effect of warmth 
 and sunshine. Ibrahim made his charger execute 
 sovoimI ui;iU(Ouvii's iti a L'racoful and masterly 
 
 W 1 . 
 
 Wr iiuw I. It, ill.' vaiU'V, and crossing the road 
 to Xabuliis, ascended along fields of young barley 
 till wo camo to Mount Scopus, where Titus en- 
 camped when ho attacked Jerusalem. The after- 
 noon was far advanced, and the wliole sky wa.s 
 softened by the setting sun. Wo rodo to the 
 highest heights above Jerusalem, whence, on our 
 loft, wo could percoivo tho Dead Sea, and Jordan, 
 guarded by tho mountains of Moab, and on our 
 right beautiful Jerusalem. Yes, I repeat, beauti- 
 ful Jerusalem ! At this evening hour tho whole 
 country round was bathed in tho golden light of 
 tho sotting sun. Tho clear air brought out 
 mosquo and temple, church and minaret, in tho 
 most softened colouring. Tho remombranco of 
 our Lord's evening walks upon tho Mount of 
 Olives fdlod our minds. Wo wore near tho spot 
 where Ilo wept over Jerusalem. Tho sound of 
 tho Turkish bugles was borno on the breeze; the 
 
158 fiRiFFm AnoY ! 
 
 bolls of tlie Christian churches ]jculed sadly ; and 
 the noiso of distant traffic was distinctly heard. 
 
 Down the steep path we descended to Geth- 
 semane, and then, ascending the other side, we 
 rode round the walls of the city, till, by the 
 Damascus gate, wo rogained our hotel. 
 
 On the Mount of Olives is the Church of the 
 Ascension, a small chapel, quite bare iuside. 
 Ibrahim knelt reverently before the mark on the 
 rock, which, according to tradition, is the print of 
 our Lord's foot, as He ascended to the heavens ; 
 but the Bible says : " And He led them out so 
 far as Bethany, and He lifted up his hands and 
 blessed them. And it came to pass, while He 
 blessed them. He was parted from them and 
 carried into heaven." (Luke xxiv, 50-51.) The 
 chapel is built in close proximity to a mosque. It 
 is a Moslem who has the key of the Christian 
 place of worship. 
 
 Near the top of the hill, not far from the other 
 chapel, there is a convent, built a few years ago 
 by a French princess, on the spot whore it is 
 supposed our Lord taught His disciples the 
 Lord's Prayer. There is an open gallery, enclos- 
 ing a court, reminding one of the Campo Santo 
 
TOMn OK PAVID. 160 
 
 ill Italy. Tlio liOrd'H I'niyor is paiiitod on tl»08«' 
 walla in ovory known lanjjuago. The young 
 Syrian nun who was showing us round tho place 
 next led us to a subterranean chamber of con- 
 sidorablo extent, consisting of a broad, high pas- 
 sage, ending in what now is a small chapel. 
 IIi>ri', as ovory where else at this Easter season, 
 wo found pilgrims on their knees. Our Lord is 
 said to have instructed Ilis disciples in this 
 chamber. 
 
 Wo visited tho Tomb of David. I liavf myself 
 no doubt that this roally is tho tomb of the great 
 king, and, I think, Scripture confirms it as being 
 on Mount Zion.' Tradition says that David and 
 Solomon were buried in tho rock near the Ccena- 
 cidum. Wo ascended some steps, and wore 
 ushered into a passage. Through a trellised, 
 wooden partition, to prevent tho profane from 
 pressing too near, wo were told to look, and 
 there wo saw two large tombs, covered with a 
 rod and white drapery. The real sepulchres 
 must be far below. This place is entirely in 
 the bauds of the Moslems, and they jealously 
 guard it from the Christians. 
 • A.I* ii, '10. 
 
160 GItlKl'IN AHOY ! 
 
 The " Cocnaculum " i,s under the same roof, 
 and, doubtless, is above tlie vault where King 
 David reposes. It is a large room, and for 
 centuries it has been held to be the place where 
 the disciples assembled at Pentecost, and where 
 the sound like a mighty, rushing wind was heard, 
 and this, too, is " the uj^pcr chamber " where it 
 is said the Lord's Supper was instituted. It is 
 a large room, fifty feet long by thirty. This also 
 is in the hands of the Moslem. 
 
 During our stay at Jerusalem we frequently 
 met the Commodore and his party. They arrived 
 the same day as we did, having taken the usual 
 two days to ride from Jaffa. Their camp was 
 pitched in an orchard not far from the Damascus 
 Gate. No better ground for camping could have 
 been found in ordinary weather, but, alas ! it was 
 quite extraordinary. It poured steadily from 
 Saturday afternoon, clearing for a few hours on 
 Easter Sunday, and then coming down harder 
 than ever on Monday. The tents did their duty 
 gallantly for a long time, but the ground was 
 getting hopelessly slopjoy ; and who that has tried 
 it does not know the discomforts of tent life in 
 bad weather ? and, in addition to the rain, it was 
 
AOOOIIIIOUATION KOH PI L-. Ill US. 101 
 
 bitterly cold. My wife rmlf out on Mouday to 
 HLH' how tlify were jjottiug on ii» tlicir camp, and 
 found thcni just starting to take up their (juar- 
 tors at the Austrian hospice. A frioud of tho 
 Commodore's liad niunagLd it for thorn, as tliis 
 hospico is meant especially for Austrians. Jeru- 
 salem has several houses, built by the various 
 foreign nations, to accommodate the pilgrims be- 
 longing to them. No charge is made, but it is 
 e.xpectod that those who can afford it shall pay 
 lil)eially for tho hospitality accorded to them. 
 
ClIAI'TKK IX. 
 
 SCKXES IN Tin: IIOI.V LAND. 
 rii.oRiMviii; m jericiio— CArrAiN omax a.vd nrE "griffin' 
 
 TutlU UF ABauLUM — BETIIA.SY — WIUii:K.SES!l OF Jl'DEA- 
 !illi:lK— PLAINS OF JOKbAN AM) T1IE DUID SEA— WE MEET AOAIM 
 iiLK AMCIUCAN FUIENDS— WOMEN FROM A BEOOf m CAMf-^EUOIO 
 — BANIU OF TIIE JORDAN— STOttY OF A STORTSMAN— TIIE TOMB OF 
 
 misE.'k— coNvrvr or maI£s.\iia — we i'akt «;'•• •■' ■• ■-■■■•'• -s 
 
 "LO SrroRT— BETIILEUEM— TRADITIONS. 
 
 m2 
 
ICo 
 
 CIIAPTKU IX. 
 
 \TTIIKN wo went to our rooms that night, the 
 ' ' 'JOth of April, wo looked up at the starlit 
 sky with greakr anxiety than usual, for the next 
 day wo wore going on our pilgrimage to Jericho. 
 According to all ordinary rules, there ought to 
 have boon brilliant sunshine and no rain, so far 
 on in April, but the weather in tho Holy I^nnd, as 
 in other parts of tho world, has changed, and 
 Ibrahim would not go farther in his promises of a 
 line day than " in former year.><, it irill not fi'ire 
 rained." 
 
 So we roUeti up wm \\;iU'lpn>ul".s, ami 1 imllgiiL 
 
 :i pair of oilskin overalls in tho bazaar, which I 
 never had on, and we felt that wo could defy tho 
 weather. 
 
 We were up betimes, and were much pleased 
 to find that Captain Oman and the steward had 
 
1G6 (IKlFFiN AHOy ! 
 
 amved during the uiglit. The worthy captain of 
 the Griffin had a great wish to see Jerusalem, and 
 now it was gratified. We heard from him that 
 they had had a terrible time at their uneasy 
 anchorage at Jaffa. For five days there was no 
 possibility of communicating with tlie shore. Our 
 old friend, H.M.S. Coquette, had passed on her 
 way to Port Said, signalling that she had been 
 ordered to Alexandria, where there was a row 
 going on between the Jews and the Mahom- 
 medans, to quell which an English and a French 
 man-of-war had been ordered up to see fair play. 
 The Moslems asserted that the Jews had taken 
 a Turkish boy at Christmas time and drained his 
 blood to mix with their bread, afterwards throw- 
 ing the lifeless body into the canal, whence it had 
 been picked quite full of water ! Proof positive 
 of the crime. We had not much time to talk, as 
 the horses were ready, and Ibrahim anxious for 
 the start. But, on our return to the yacht, wc 
 heard what a perfect success the captain's ex- 
 pedition had turned out. 
 
 We left the hotel, promising to be back in 
 three days. We pursued our way through tlie 
 stony streets, our horses slipping and making 
 
MOSLKM I'lUiUlilS. 167 
 
 a groat clatter till wo passod tlirougb the 
 Duiuuscus Gate, and, turning tu uur riglit, kept 
 along tbo outaido of tho walls till wo came tu 
 Stephen's Gate, wliero wo descended tho hill to 
 Gethsemane, and continued on tho low road to 
 Ik'thany. This is tho way our Lord camo on 
 ilia triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Tho road 
 was thronged by Moslem pilgrims returning from 
 Mount Niibo, where they had been on their yearly 
 visit to the tomb of Mosos. They carried enorm- 
 ous green flags and banners, and every now and 
 thou a gun was fired off. As we passed above 
 Absolom's tomb, which is at some distance from 
 tho road, wo saw an old woman thruvsing stones 
 in that direction, and saying words wc could not 
 understand. Ibrahim told us that it was a cere- 
 mony she was performing, throwing stones and 
 cursing Absolom's memory as a bad eon. Wo 
 mot a continual stream of people. Whole families 
 woro out ; tho men on horseback, tho ladies 
 sometimes huddled together in a sort of palanipiin 
 fastened on a mule, and looking very uncomfort- 
 able and hot in their uneasy and cramped {K)si- 
 tioQ. Then wo met a gallant warrior in an 
 ■ i..».>ii> iln<89. who, wo were informed by Ibrahim, 
 
168 ciiui'i'iN Aiioy ! 
 
 was a " Knight of Jorusalom." " Is he a soldier r" 
 I asked. " No, my general, a seller of cloth," 
 said Ibrahim. 
 
 As we rode along this ancient road, suddenly 
 Ibrahim turned his horse and said, " General, 
 look !" And there was Zion clear and distinct 
 in the morning light. The crowd of pilgrims 
 pressing on towards Jerusalem were shouting to 
 each other, and filling the air with sounds of 
 exultation on their return from their pilgrimage 
 to Mount Nebo. The congratulations of their 
 friends who lined the banks, dressed in gay attire, 
 made one think of the day when the Saviour came 
 along this same road, riding on an ass, amid cries 
 of " Hosannah to the Son of David." 
 
 It would have been a strange sight anywhere 
 this multitude of rejoicing people, but here much 
 more impressive from associations connected with 
 the spot whereon we were standing, for it was 
 the first glimpse of Jerusalem that anyone can 
 behold coming from Bethany, 
 
 We turned our horses, and continued on our 
 way. When we arrived at the village of Bethany, 
 the first feeling was that of disappointment, for 
 it is a very poor place, and very dirty. We left 
 
 \ 
 
IIIK lOMU OK LAZAUUB. lO'J 
 
 our liorsL'S at the ontruuco of the humlt-t, and 
 woro couductt'd to a ruined house without a roof, 
 not larger than a hibouror's cottage. Here it is 
 said lived Mary and Martha with La/arus; and 
 here, in two small rooms with ruined walls, our 
 Ijord dwelt when Ho visited Bethany. U this 
 bo not the house, yet it must bo near the real 
 abode of the sisters, and they must often have 
 looked ou the road beneath, which leads to 
 Jerusalem. 
 
 The tomb from which I>Ji/.arus was raised from 
 the dead is shown ; but there are great doubts 
 whether it is the real one or not. But, if not 
 the actual place, it must bo at no great distanco 
 from it, and the tradition which connects it with 
 the two sisters and Lazarus is one which may 
 well have been handed down from generation to 
 generation. 
 
 The road after leaving Bethany was rocky and 
 steep. The hills ou each side wore barren and 
 rugged. The apparently endless cavalcades of 
 Moslem pilgrims at last stopped when we reached, 
 at the foot of a precipitous descent, an ancient 
 well, round which were collected numbers of the 
 faithful, their bright costumes relieving the dull- 
 
170 CiUU'FIN AHOY ! 
 
 uoss of tlie sceuo. Their road led tbcm to the 
 right, while ours lay to the left. We were now 
 entered on the Wilderness of Judea, and it was, 
 indeed, a dreary country, the white, desolate hills 
 witnessing to the curse pronounced against it. 
 
 It is not considered safe to travel in this region 
 unarmed. Ibrahim had a revolver fastened round 
 his waist, I also carried one. Besides this pre- 
 caution we were attended by a guard consisting 
 of a sheik, the chief of a tribe, and two men. 
 
 The sheik was a most polished gentleman in 
 his manners. When he first joined us he ad- 
 vanced with a most graceful bow, and kissed my 
 hand, thereby swearing fealty to us. He was a 
 very picturesque figure in his costume, and was 
 armed to the teeth. He rode a handsome mare, 
 that disturbed the usual placidity of my venerable 
 Eosinante, and made him caper and squeal in a 
 most irritating way, whenever he caught sight of 
 her. 
 
 We continued our journey through the glen 
 for some distance, and ascended a long hill, till 
 we arrived at a ruined khan, in the most dangerous 
 part of this wild country. It is here that the 
 scene of the parable describing the traveller falling 
 
A SON-UKATE.N UOO.NIUY. 1/J 
 
 uiuon(» thieves is laid. The sun bad become very 
 powerful, and the only sbeltor wo had was in a 
 cave not far from the road. Ibrahim had always 
 looked forward to having this cave for our noon- 
 day's rest, and was (juito distressed when he found 
 it already occupied by a French lady and two 
 gentlemen. Wo had to make tho best of it, and 
 take up our tjuarters at an angle of the rock 
 which tho sun was rapidly reaching. Wo had 
 just time to eat the luncheon Ibrahim had pro- 
 vided, when tho enemy was on us, and wo were 
 compelled to go forth in search of shade. 
 
 The blazing mid-day sun BUed tho whole land 
 with light. Wo looked at tho top of the hill 
 above us, and, bringing our experience of Scotch 
 hill-sides to boar on tho present occasion, climbed 
 up, making certain some overhanging crag would 
 be found that would afford us shelter till tho 
 fierce glare of the next few hours wore past. V^ain 
 hojw. Tho higher we climbed tho wider was tho 
 extent of sun-beaten country stretched before 
 us. Hut so far our climb was rewarded, for wo 
 discovered below some ruined houses, close to tho 
 place where wo had lunched. 
 
 Almost overcome by tho heat wo descended, 
 
172 QBIFJ'IN AilOY ! 
 
 and, full of hope, turned to the ruins. The sun 
 was so exactly above us that only one hand's 
 breadth of shade could be obtained. Here we 
 sat down, and I smoked, while Ibrahim, much 
 disturbed by our discomfort, brought us some 
 coffee to raise our spirits — but it was too hot to 
 enjoy anything. As the slow hours passed, we 
 had no amusement beyond that of watching the 
 marks we had put to show when the shadows 
 began to lengthen. My remembrance of the good 
 Samaritan will always be associated with Khan- 
 el- Ah m ah. 
 
 Whenever we could, we got on our horses, 
 which all this time had been standing with bridles 
 tied to a stone, pictures of patient resignation, 
 without food or water. The scenery, which was 
 the wildest imaginable, soon disclosed to us the most 
 magnificent ravine, several hundred feet deep, and 
 very narrow. A little further on, and before us, 
 were the plains of Jordan and the Dead Sea. 
 Deep down in the ravine is the Brook Cherilh, 
 where Elijah was fed by ravens. As we rode past, 
 numbers of black birds were soaring through the 
 air. 
 
 The descent towards Jericho is very steep, 
 
HILl op yCABANTAISA. 1 7:J 
 
 down thf roc'ky, slippery road, and tho lieat \va« 
 iiittinso as wo rodo along thu plain. Wo passed 
 several largo mounds, which have boon oponod by 
 the Knglish Exploration Society, but, as Ibrahim 
 told us, they found nothing. 
 
 It was delightful to find ourselves once more 
 ill sight of anything green; tho brushwood and 
 trees showed that wo were now near water, and 
 soon our horses were kneo-deep in a rushing 
 brook, after crossing which wo had only a little 
 way to go, when we wore on the sito of Old 
 Jericho. Our tents were pitched close to the 
 clear stream — behind thorn rose the Ilill of 
 Quarantaina, tho scene of our Lord's temptation, 
 and not far off was the fountain, which once was 
 bitter, and now is the sweetest water I overdrank. 
 On a mound overlooking our camp wore French 
 and Austrian tent.s, their national flag flying above 
 them, as our I'nion Jack did over us. 
 
 We were unpacking in our tent, when we heard 
 a familiar voice saying, "There is a new camp 
 since we went out this morning. English by the 
 dag." So wo knew our American friends from 
 Jerusalem were also halting at Jericho. It was 
 just the hour wlnn people concluded n d:iv's 
 
174 GEIFKIN AHOY ! 
 
 march. The next riders that appeared wore the 
 Commodore and Parker, who had already passed 
 one night at Jericho, and now approaclicd, fol- 
 lowed closely by the ladies of their party, all very 
 well mounted on showy little Arabs. They had 
 gone in the early morning to the Dead Sea, and 
 returned by the river Jordan, resting and bathing 
 there. 
 
 Their camp was some ten minutes beyond ours, 
 and, as we proposed turning in early, we saw no 
 more of them that night. Our next visitors, the 
 women from a Bedouin camp not very far off, 
 came in the dark of the evening, when they 
 appeared like ghostly figures in their dark blue 
 robes. I rather mistrusted them, remembering 
 the adventures of a lady who, during her travels 
 in Palestine, had everything, even to her riding- 
 habit, stolen out of her tent. Ibrahim assured 
 me that he had not the least intention of sleeping, 
 and our tent was well guarded. The sheik's 
 sentries called out every now and then, and some 
 one coughed at intervals, a forced cough, to 
 show that he was there and awake all the night 
 through. It was frightfully hot, not a breath of 
 air to be had. 
 
NKW JKUICUO. 175 
 
 Wlion tliroo ft.m. camo, wo wore ready to say, 
 "Ay, ay!" to Ibrahim's Hiimraons. Wo had decided 
 to start early, dreading tho hoat of the Dead Sea, 
 lyirifj as it does thirteen hundred feet below the 
 Mediterranean. We finished breakfast before the 
 dawn had asserted itself; our tents were striick, 
 and wo wore on our horses winding our way 
 through the bushes of Old Jericho before the sun 
 even pooped over the distant hills from which the 
 Israelites looked down on tho land flowing with 
 milk and honey. Tho curso pronounced against 
 Jericho is fully nccoroplished. No one would 
 imagine that a groat city oncn existed where now 
 shrubs and a few mounds of earth mark tho spot 
 upon whicli it was built. 
 
 Half an hour's ride brought us to Now Joricho, 
 consisting of a few squalid hut.«<, a Groek convent, 
 white-washed and uninteresting in appearance, all 
 that now mark tho site of the place where our 
 Lord camo on His way to Jerusalem, and where 
 He lodged with Zaccha?us (Luko xix, 2). After 
 leaving tho fertile land watered by tho stream 
 passing Joricho, wo camo to n long, weary reach 
 of sand. Before us in the distance was a line of 
 green, marking the hanks of tho Jordan, but 
 
176 GlUl'FIiN AJIOY ! 
 
 everywlioro else nothing was to be seen but white, 
 dazzling sand. How much more glaring it must 
 be under the full power of the summer sun ! 
 
 While we were contemplating the scene before 
 us, Ibrahim pointed out a convent where a few 
 monks of the Greek church strive to forget tlio 
 world and to win heaven by a life of self-sacrifice. 
 
 "We were now on the edge of the line of green 
 that denoted the river, though it was still at some 
 distance, " for the Jordan overflows his banks at 
 the harvest season," and, wherever the water had 
 been, brushwood had sprung up thick and dense. 
 
 The morning breeze was cool, and when we 
 arrived at the banks of the river, sacred as the 
 place where our Lord was baptised by John, the 
 Jordan was flowing past, a rapid stream. Fine 
 trees grow on its banks, and as we looked on this 
 river, with which to every Christian so many 
 interesting events are associated, one tree covered 
 with flowers, being shaken by the breeze, anointed 
 us with sweet-scented blossoms. Some of these 
 shrubs may be the balsam which at one time grew 
 here in great profusion. 
 
 After a short halt we had to bid adieu to the 
 Jordan with all its memories. Before we left, we 
 
APHUOAi'll TO THK LiKAU SKA. J < / 
 
 loaruoJ that wild boar and hyenas aru found 
 occasionally in the junglo near. A good story is 
 told of a distinguisliod sportsman who, not long 
 ago, killed many pigs when encamped at Jericho. 
 
 Hcing anxious to shoot a hyena, his attendants, 
 to please their master, placed a dead cow filled 
 with poison in a likely place for the stinking 
 beast to come. The gallant sportsman proceeded 
 to a concealed spot, there to await the hyena's 
 approach. The day was hot, the stillness great ; 
 anyway, the watcher fell asleep, but awaking 
 afterwanl.s rode home without ever firing a .sliot. 
 Having returned to his tent, he was surpriseil to 
 hear a noise and shouting, ami still more disgust- 
 ed to see a dead hyena brought into camp, amid 
 great demonstrations of joy, and laid down before 
 his tent as a trophy of his good aim, when in 
 reality he had never seen the beast, which had 
 committed suicide by eating the poisoned cow ! 
 
 The approach to the Dead Sea, which is among 
 sandy hillocks, is dreary in the extreme. For- 
 tunately for us, the fresh breeze that was blowing 
 tempered the intense heat that has been so often 
 described. Dull waves lappcil the sandy beach, 
 which was strewn with whitened branches that 
 
178 r.RlKKIN AllOY ! 
 
 had been swept into tlio sea's hori'id oml)race by 
 the river. We dipped our hands into the water, 
 and then held them to our lips. The taste is 
 horrible. We saw no birds skimming over the 
 surface of the lake, and the hills around seemed 
 powdered with sulphur. It is a dreadful place, 
 and we had no wish to linger on its shore. My 
 most anxious desire was, " Let us be gone at 
 once." 
 
 We rode across the plain for about an hour, 
 and passed many pools of brackish water, in 
 which canes seemed to flourish. Then com- 
 menced the ascent of the mountain, by a steep, 
 narrow path. The higher we went the more we 
 could see of the Jordan, a green ribbon marking 
 its way to the Dead Sea, which was dazzling in 
 the sun. To our right, in the far distance, on 
 the top of a hill, Ibrahim pointed out the highly 
 venerated, so called Tomb of Moses, the object 
 of Moslem adoration. We were now on the sum- 
 mit of the highest hill, and from it there is a fine 
 view. We presently began descending a slippery 
 path, over very rocky ground. My wife's marc 
 had, heretofore, proved herself a most sensible and 
 quiet animal, but, for some reason or other, she 
 
\ TIIIKSTY I.ASO. 179 
 
 now bogau to kick viciously going tlown one of 
 those steep descents. Iler muleteer rushed for- 
 ward to her help in time to prevent any caUi- 
 strophe which might have happened on this dan- 
 gerous road. My steed walked and slipped 
 alternately in a resigned way. Hy the look of 
 his ears, I gathered that ho folt ho had a certain 
 way to go with a weight on his back, and he was 
 blowed if ho would go faster or slower for any- 
 one. So I let him have his own way. 
 
 Wo had now Ih-imi iti our .saddles for more than 
 a\x hours, and, having only had a very light l)r«'ak- 
 fast before leaving Jericho, we were (juitc ready 
 for rest and food, "if" only a patch of shade 
 could be found, or even a place where we might 
 got a breath of air. Truly .ludca is a sliade- 
 les.s, thirsty land. The only water wo saw in the 
 de.solato, liilly region between the Jordan and the 
 (y'onvent of Marsaba was about half way. In a 
 hollow below the path there wa.s a small reser- 
 voir, covered with green scum. The muleteer 
 let down a mug by a string, and drank some of it. 
 I asked Ibrahim if it was good water. Ho 
 replied, 
 
 " No, general. Too batl." 
 
 n2 
 
180 GUIFFIN AnOY ! 
 
 He carried two " gurglcts " of drinking water 
 for us, but it got tepid and undrinkable as the 
 hours went by. At last, as there was evidently 
 no shade to be found, we called a halt, and, 
 endeavouring to shelter ourselves under um- 
 brellas, had luncheon spread on a rock. I can- 
 not say that we had much appetite, for the 
 unfailing hard-boiled eggs and cold fowl, and 
 lukewarm lemonade is not refreshing. There 
 was no use attempting to rest, and, as our horses 
 could get neither food nor water till their jour- 
 ney's end, it was better to push on. 
 
 In time we arrived at the valley below Mar- 
 saba, and then began our final ascent. On 
 each side of the gorge rise high cliffs, and, near 
 the top, the road appeared to have been more 
 carefully made, at any rate it had been paved, 
 and our horses slipped and stumbled along. Sud- 
 denly we came on the Convent of Marsaba, ris- 
 ing like a fortress before us, its lofty towers 
 casting a broad shadow across our road. We 
 had ridden the long march so quickly that the 
 baggage animals had only arrived a short time 
 before us, although they had come straight from 
 Jericho, and had not diverged, like us, to Jordan 
 
TUB CONVKNT UK MAUSAIIA. 181 
 
 or tho Dead Soa. So our camp was not pitched. 
 Till that was done, wo bivouacked by the road- 
 side, under tho walls of the convent, for wo could 
 not go in, as no ladies are admitted. At last 
 Ibrahim informed us that everything was ready, 
 and wo were not sorry to go to our tents. 
 
 Our camp was pitched in a gully, hills all round 
 it. It had a picturesipio effect, with tho horses 
 and mules picketed in rear. Tho wild figures 
 of our armed followers contrasted with the peace- 
 ful character of the scene. Tho sheik occupied 
 a prominent position on a crag, with his long 
 gun like a field-piecu at rest beside him. How 
 thoroughly wo enjoyed the ice-cold water from 
 the depths of the convent well ! 
 
 Tho Convent of Marsaba is built on a rock 
 above thu ruvinu of Kidron. It is quito a 
 puzzle how so enormous a building could havo 
 boon erected in such a place. Tho founder was 
 Si. Sabas, who was boru a.d. 439, and died a.d. 53:2. 
 With a letter of recommendation from tho proper 
 authority at Jerusalem the hospitality of tho con- 
 vent is extended to men, for, being a Greek con- 
 vent, as I have already said, no ladies are permitted 
 to enter its gates. 
 
1S2 (ittlFl'JN AliOV ! 
 
 As it was a breathless niglit, my wife liad un- 
 tied the strings that fastened the walls to the 
 roof of the tent, to try to get as much air as was 
 ])ossible ; but we were suddenly awakened by a 
 squidl which had rushed down the gully, and 
 finding our tent in its way, with full liberty to 
 enter, was now committing wild havoc among our 
 property. The roof was straining at the ropes, 
 and we were within an ace of being left homeless 
 and clothesless. The hubbub was tremendous. 
 
 Gallantly, Ibrahim, cook, waiter, sheik, escort, 
 and muleteers had rushed to the rescue. Tent 
 pegs were beaten down, and huge stones placed 
 on the ropes to keep them steady — every loosen, 
 ed cord was tied again, and all missing property 
 recovered. It was all over in a short time. The 
 storm cooled the air, which was fresh and pleasant 
 when we started on our homeward journey in the 
 morning. 
 
 We had arranged to start at six a.m., so Ibrahim 
 had us up very early. Here we parted with our 
 guard, the sheik bidding us a friendly adieu, and 
 not refusing the backsheesh I offered him. 
 
 At the commencement of our I'ide the road was 
 very precipitous, and continued so for some time ; 
 
BKDODIN BNCAMl'MEXT. 183 
 
 hut at length wo camo upon fields of barloy, fast 
 riponinfT, near which wcro camped a tribo of 
 Ik'iIouiiiP. These people, who are the real 
 cultivators of the soil, seem to liavo no villages, 
 hut only camps. Their tents, which are low and 
 black, arc made of camel's hair. The first en- 
 campment we camo to had evidently been settled 
 there some time. Women and children were in 
 and outside the tents, and the dogs flew out and 
 bnikcd at us, while some of the boys asked for 
 hackshoosli. Most of the men were out in the 
 fields. 
 
 "Are they not great robbers, Ibrahim r" I 
 asked. 
 
 ''No, general," replied Ibrahim; "they very 
 good men, they very </«//»'" (quiet). 
 
 How old stories come back to me ! Many 
 years ago my regiment was quartered at Corfu. 
 A detachment was at Vigo, and the orderly 
 captain's duty was to turn out the guard at night 
 and rccoivo from the sergeant in charge a written 
 rejwrt of absentees. To ix»rform this duty ho 
 had to go in a boat. On " Patrick's day " tho 
 captain proceeded as usual to Vigo, and received 
 tho writf.n report from tho non-com mi.ssionod 
 
Ib4 oiiai'i'iN AUOY ! 
 
 officer. Curious to kuow how many men were 
 absent on this Irish festival, ho examined the 
 paper, and read, " etc., etc., etc., all drunk, but 
 quite" which said as little for the sobriety of the 
 detachment as for the spelling of the sergeant. 
 
 We came soon after to another Bedouin camp, 
 which was in the process of being pitched. A 
 difference of opinion evidently existed between 
 the sheik of the tribe and a very randy-looking 
 woman, for they were both speaking in the loud- 
 est tones. Of course we could not tell what they 
 were saying or disputing about, and all Ibrahim 
 said on the subject did not contain much informa- 
 tion : " Ah ! general, it is a womans !" We rode 
 on through green fields, in which the fresh morn- 
 ing air was exhilarating. At length, at a turn in 
 the road, high up on the mountain before us, 
 appeared a line of light. As the sun shone 
 forth, the line was clear and bright, but when 
 the clouds darkened its rays, the line became dull 
 and grey. This was Bethlehem. The approach 
 to it is up a gradual ascent through olive-trees 
 and vineyards. Before us was the scene where 
 Euth gleaned in the fields of Boaz (Ruth ii.), and 
 
iitiTiaeiiKu. 185 
 
 whoro tho shophcrda kept their watch by night, 
 aDc] do so still. 
 
 Wo rodo up to tho convent door, and were 
 admitted by an Italian monk, who took {xissession 
 of us, and was very kind. First ho showed us 
 into the refectory, where luncheon was ordered, 
 and then he took us to soo tho sacred sights. 
 Tho way by which we wore conducted led through 
 what thu monk called tho Basilica, said to havo 
 been erected by Helena, and consequently very 
 ancient. Several marble columns surround tho 
 court. But tho Christian sects cjuarrel terribly, 
 and tho Armenians, Latins, and Greeks have each 
 their difToront chapels. 
 
 Descending a stair, our attendant took us to 
 St. Joromo's tomb, and then to his study. Tho 
 chapel of tho nativity is hewn out of the rock, 
 and on a slab is written. 
 
 Hie dc Virginc Miirin 
 Jcaus Chrifltu* natus csi. 
 
 Near here, in this chajxjl, if not on this spot, our 
 Saviour was born. Tho inventions to which ouo 
 listens are distressing, and, like au untruthful 
 acquaintance, annoy odo coutinuolly ; but aa wo 
 
186 
 
 GRIFFIN AHOY 
 
 turn with pleasure and confidence to a trusty 
 friend, so the one fact is always a comfort — that 
 our Lord Jesus Christ was born at Bethlehem. 
 
 "We were taken to chapel after chapel, and were 
 told many thinofs. But the most interesting 
 sight was the country round, the olive-trees, and 
 the vines. Our Italian monk brought us back to 
 the refectory, where we had luncheon, and he 
 produced a bottle of wine called Bethlehem, 
 made by the monks from the convent vineyards. 
 At the hotel at Jerusalem we had tasted some hor- 
 rid decoction going by that name, so it was with 
 fear I drank some out of the monk's bottle, but it 
 was excellent. As we left Bethlehem when the 
 sun was very high there were not many people 
 moving about the streets, but the men we ob- 
 served were fine, handsome fellows, and the wo- 
 men lovely. We passed Rachel's tomb, of which 
 there is no doubt, 'And Rachel died and was buried 
 on the way to Epratha, which is Bethlehem." We 
 rode on past Mara Elias, a convent at the top of 
 a hill, from which there is a view of Jerusalem on 
 one side and of Bethlehem on the other. At the 
 side of the road, Ibrahim pointed to a rock with 
 an indentation in it about the size of a man, 
 
HKTUB-V TO JBBUSAI.KU. 1«7 
 
 which tradition assorts was inado by HIijali, who 
 rusted thoro and left that mark. Wo skirted 
 woll-cultivated fields till we arrived at a well. 
 Ajjain tradition states that the wise men, when 
 sent away by Herod, came to this place, and, 
 leaning down to draw up water, saw the star that 
 was to guide them reflected in its depths. 
 
 As wo approached nearer the city, wo followed 
 a road to tho loft, and, descending a stoop hill, 
 came to a spot whore Mr. Cook is said to bo 
 going to build an hotel. A littlo farther on tho 
 Russian hospice is seen, and, following the track 
 along the outside of tho city walls, wo arrived at 
 tho Damascus Gate, and at twelve o'clock on tho 
 2.ird of April wo were established ouco more in 
 the hotel at Jerusalem. 
 
CllAl'TKU X. 
 
 THK JKWS IN SVKIA. 
 
 MOSQIC ON THE SITK OF THE TEMPLE— TIIE MOSt^lE OF AK.SA— roiVTAlN 
 
 IN Till: cinirr — Tin: citAni,E of jesi'»^i>escevt of the holt fibe 
 
 — KEPAlnillE FKOM JEltl'SALEM— A SELF-WIIXtl) OLD LAUT— TIIE 
 mWIAN IIU»PICE—PIU)ltll«— JEWS— THE JEWS' WAIL1N0-PL.\CE— 
 SMOKINU IN THE EA5T— IN T1IE '■OKIFFIN" AGAIN— DCTAKTl'IU 
 FKOM JOPPA— ar. JEAN U'aCKX— AXCUOKCD OFF UAIFA. 
 
191 
 
 CllArTKU X. 
 
 NKXT day wo attendoil tbo Pipiscojmliun church 
 nviw Duvid'a Tower. In tho nfternoou we 
 ^ot ail ordiT to visit tho inoscjuo built on tho site 
 of tho tomplo. Tho first tomplo stood four hun- 
 dred and twonty-throo years, and was destroyed 
 by Nebuchadnezzar. Tho second temple was begun 
 ii.f. 634, and, after sufTeriiijj both from foreign 
 invaders and from tho Jews themselves, it was 
 rebuilt by llerod tho Groat, but not completetl 
 for many years. Tho Jews siwko tho truth when 
 they sjiid " forty and six years was this temple in 
 building." 
 
 For the first week that we were in Jerusalem, 
 tho mosquo was closed to all but the followers of 
 the prophet, our Easter week being also a sacred 
 time to tho Moslems. Tt is not many years since 
 
192 GKII'I'IN AHOY ! 
 
 permission has been given to the Christian to 
 enter even the precincts of the mosque, but uow- 
 a-days an order from the consul of the nation to 
 which the visitor belongs is sufficient. The consul 
 sent his cavass as escort. Attended by him and 
 a Turkish soldier, we entered the walls of the 
 Haram by the Gate Babes Silsilah. We found 
 ourselves in a long oblong enclosure, the eastern 
 side measuring fifteen hundred and thirty feet, the 
 southern nine hundred and twenty-two, the west 
 and north sides being somewhat longer. The 
 grass was green and untrampled, though many 
 hundreds press it daily. The mosque itself stands 
 nearly in the centre of the enclosure, on a raised 
 platform of five hundred feet by four hundred 
 and fifty. Crossing over the site of the Citadel 
 of Antonia, of which there are no remains, we 
 ascended the flight of steps to the higher ground 
 on which the mosque stands. There is no doubt 
 that the whole plan of the Temple of Solomon is 
 changed. The site is the same, but beautiful as 
 the mosque is, and extensive as the court outside 
 may be, yet the splendour of the temple is no 
 more, and there is the usual look of decay every- 
 where so characteristic of all that is Turkish. 
 
TIIK rM)«K OK THK ROf'K. 10^ 
 
 Wo entered tlii* '' Kiibbi't-cH-Sukmfi," the 
 Domo of tho Rock. This beautiful building 
 crowns tlio summit of Mount Morinli, and was 
 built by Khalif Omar. It is octagonal in shape, 
 and tho walls aro of marbles all diffcront in colour. 
 At fiomo height aro numerous windows of stained 
 glass. Beautiful inscriptions in Arabic grace tho 
 walls. Four doors, facing north, south, east, and 
 west, form tho entrances. Tho dorao is over tho 
 rock, which is protected by a rather high balus- 
 trade. So high is it, that I had to get on an 
 elevated platform before I could .see the whole of 
 the rock, which looks rugged and unhewn beside 
 the e.xquisitely-colourcd marblos and tho bril- 
 liantly-stainod windows above it. Tho shoik of 
 tho mosipjc showed us round tho building, and, 
 having led us over the upper part, bo conducted 
 us to a cave immediately below the rock, and 
 there pointed out the round hole which pierces the 
 rock overhead, and through which he told us 
 Mahomet ascended to heaven. 
 
 Tho floor of the cave sounded (piite hollow. 
 Kvery corner has its own tradition. If tho Ex- 
 ploration Society were jwrmitteil to examine 
 carefully underneath, they no doubt would discover 
 
 
 
194 GRIFI'IN AHOy ! 
 
 much that is now hidden, and which wouhl throw 
 great light upon the history and structure of the 
 temple. On again ascending to the mosque, the 
 sheik took us to a slab of jaspar, and informed us 
 that Mahomet had driven nineteen golden nails 
 into it. One of these nails falls out at the end of 
 an epoch. Three and a half nails arc all that 
 now remain, and when all are gone the knell of 
 El-Islam and of the world will have sounded. 
 From this place will be heard the trumpet blast 
 announcing the Judgment. The sheik also told us 
 that, if a silver coin was thrown by anyone and 
 hit one of the nails, the thrower would assuredly 
 go to heaven, which I suppose was a delicate way 
 of hinting that a little backsheesh would be ac- 
 ceptable. Leaving the Mosque of the Rock, we 
 crossed the area by the graceful little dome, where 
 tradition says Solomon stood to pray when the 
 temple was completed, and entered the Mosque 
 of Aksa. This is a very grand building, " and has 
 the form of a basilica of seven aisles. It is two 
 hundi'edand seventy-two feet long, by a hundred 
 and eighty-four feet wide, thus covering about 
 fifty thousand square feet, or as much space as 
 
PKAVISO STVTI0N8. lO'j 
 
 many of oiir cathodriils." • Whfii we entero<l, 
 several women wore at their dovotions. 
 
 On our way we passed the marble fountain 
 called Kl Kar, " The Cup." Henenth this there is 
 a subterranean reservoir, into which the water 
 from the Pools of Solomon was onco conveyed. 
 It is nearly fifty feet deep, and interspersed with 
 little islands of rock, upon which similar shaped 
 tapering rock-work has been raised to support 
 the ground above. When wo visited it, numlwrs 
 of the faithful were washing their feet in the 
 fountain. In our rambles wo saw several praying 
 stations, on whicli were rows of Moslems krueliiig. 
 They reminded me of soldiers being exei-ci.scd at 
 " o-xtonsivo motions," for, at a certain word or 
 sign, the two kneeling ranks bowed thoir hond.o, 
 touching the ground together, and springing up 
 to the standing jwsition, till the word was given, 
 and down they went again. 
 
 South of Aksa there are some magnificent 
 fragments of columns of verde antique and por- 
 phyry, on one of which, projecting from the wall 
 above, the Moslems say that Mnhomet will sit at 
 
 • MiKHATs "Hand-Book." 
 
 o2 
 
196 GEll'FIN Aiioy ! 
 
 tlio day of judgment, and direct affairs in tho 
 valley beneath. 
 
 The sheik procured a key, and opened a door 
 through which we descended by steps to a subter- 
 ranean chamber, where we saw a sculptured 
 sarcophagus called the Cradle of Jesus. By 
 another flight of steps we wont down to the vaults, 
 the roof of which is supported on many columns. 
 Each of these pillars has a hole in it, by which 
 the crusaders fastened their horses, when these 
 vaults were used as a stable. The place is lit high 
 up at one end of it. 
 
 On leaving these vaults we walked round tho 
 area and examined the golden gate, now built up. 
 The sheik told Ibrahim that by it a Christian 
 warrior would enter Jerusalem and seize the city. 
 Although we were in Jerusalem during the Greek 
 Easter, we did not care to witness the strange 
 scene of the " descent of the holy fire," which 
 takes place in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. 
 Our friends were present, and described what 
 they saw to us. 
 
 The ladies were high up in a gallery, in which 
 there were seats only in front, already appropri- 
 ated by first-comers. The men got places lower 
 
DE8CKNT OK TDK HOLY HBK. 197 
 
 down, in what looked like tho boxes at an opera, 
 bcfiitlo thoir consuls. Tho whole area of tho 
 church was thron{»od with pilgrims in tho wildest 
 state of excitement. 
 
 Tho chapel within the church in which our 
 Lord's tomb is erected has, I think, two, per- 
 haps throe or more holes, which are pierced 
 through tho walls that support the domo-Bha|>cd 
 covering. Tho pilgrims believe that at a certain 
 moment tho Holy Ghost descends in flames of 
 fire, which issuo from those holes. Crowds of 
 enthusiastic men, and women, and youths were 
 huddled together in tho j)laco surrounding tho 
 tomb. Kach one had a candle, which he strove 
 to light at tho holy flame. Tho noise they made 
 was deafening. They shouted, " The religion of 
 tho Jews is that of dogs ; wo alone are true !" 
 " Tho service of tho Jews is the service of mon- 
 keys, etc., etc.," and this goes on without inter- 
 mission tho whole of the weary hours of waiting. 
 A strong guard of Moslem soldiers which sur- 
 rounded tho tomb had thoir ranks repeatedly 
 broken by tho yelling, soothing crowd. They 
 finally linked their arms together, and fought 
 thoir way baok to thoir places. Our friends said 
 
198 (JRIl'l'lN AHOY ! 
 
 tbeir forbcarauco and good-humour were won- 
 derful. At length the long-looked-for fire rushed 
 out of the holes, and then the scene during the 
 wild fight to get the candles lighted baffled all 
 description. People in tlie galleries let down 
 their candles by strings, and got them lit, and 
 soon the whole place was full of lighted candles. 
 
 As our friends said, the miracle to them did 
 not consist in tlie fire, but in the church escaping 
 conflagration. They saw one woman, who had 
 succeeded in lighting her candle, fall back im- 
 mediately afterwards dead. The excitement was 
 too much for her. Perhaps this moment had 
 been for years the hope of her life. One other 
 death we heard of, that of a boy who was 
 trampled down by the crowd. 
 
 We had just returned from a long ride when 
 the triumphant clash of the church bells an- 
 nounced to us that the imposture had been ac- 
 complished. 
 
 Late that afternoon we wandered up to the 
 Church of the Sepulchre. The precincts and 
 the court in front were crowded with pilgrims, 
 but the church itself was nearly deserted. The 
 floor was slippery with the wax of a thousand 
 
END OK OOB IMUiBIMAOK. 199 
 
 tapers. Tfio tomb of our Lord and the varioiiB 
 clmpcls of Grocks, Ijatins, and Artnonians were 
 Itf'ing illuminated for the great event of the year, 
 the festival of Easter. 
 
 With great regret wo remembered, on tlie 
 night of the '2'jth of April, that it was perhaps the 
 last time wo should ever look on that ijuiet Mount 
 of Olives. 
 
 The cries which rose from the street came from 
 pilgrims from every land. The dream of their 
 life had come true, ami they were nturning to 
 their homes, having accomplished the long voyago 
 by sea, and the weary march on land. The 
 musio of that Turkish band will fill the air with 
 horrid sounds night after night when these pil- 
 grinjs are far away, and wo have returned to our 
 distant homo and countr}*. The question sug- 
 gests itself: Are these pilgrims satisfied? Are 
 we content? The remembrance of all we have 
 seen cannot pass away. Our pleasant pilgrimage 
 to Jerusalem is over. The recollection of the 
 hours 8|wnt in these scenes must leave their mark 
 for ever. 
 
 At seven a.m. on tho -Joth of April we h>ft Jeru- 
 salem. Wo had said good-bye tho night before 
 
200 GRIFFIN AUOY ! 
 
 to our American friends, and now we parted in 
 the most friendly manner with the attendants at 
 the hotel. The same carriage that had brought 
 us from Jaffa awaited us at the gate. When we 
 engaged it to take us back again, the Italian 
 di-iver, with many gesticulations, said that he 
 himself was unable to wait on us, but that bis 
 wife would drive us, and he added that for two 
 years she had been studying equitation! So a 
 stout female was on the box the morning of our 
 departure, and drove us, with great care, to Jaffa. 
 Before passing the Russian hospice, and at 
 the entrance to the suburbs, we were stopped by a 
 Turkish guard, demanding toll. While Ibrahim 
 was getting out his money, our attention was 
 directed to an old woman on a donkey. The 
 poor old pilgrim x-efused to pay the toll, declaring 
 she had no money. The Turks became impatient, 
 and hit her donkey over the head, while the 
 muleteer besought her to pay. " Oh ! hadgi 
 (pilgrim), jjay the men!" But the old lady 
 either would not, or could not do so. I was 
 afraid the " brutal soldiery " would hurt the 
 ancient dame, so I told Ibrahim to pay her toll ; 
 and we drove away, leaving all parties satisfied. 
 
TUB JEWS OF JBKD8ALEU. 201 
 
 Tho Russian hospice is an immense IniiMing, 
 afFordinj; accommodation to hundreds of pilj^rims. 
 The i)iljirims are divided into three cUissos, the 
 first consisting of tho rich Russians, who pay 
 muuiticuntly, tho second chiss are those who pay 
 a small fixed sum, and the third are lodged free 
 of any charge. Some of the pilgrims, generally 
 of tho second class, have made a vow to pass one 
 or two years in the Holy City. 
 
 Kxtonding on one side of the road for a long 
 way, there is a lino of now houses, solely inhabit, 
 od by Jews. They livo a life totally apart from 
 both tho Moslem and tho Christian ; tho followers 
 of both creeds despise thorn. Tho Jews' quarter 
 within tho walls of Jerusalem is the filthiest part 
 of tho city, and the uncleanncss of tho Jew is a 
 byword. They are unmistakoablo in api)caranco, 
 the men slouching along in what looks liko a 
 dressing-gown ; their caps are generally sur- 
 rounded with fur. Tho long curl tho men wear 
 on each side of the face gives them an ofTeminato 
 appearance. Their features aro almost always 
 good, and their complexion fair. Some of the 
 women aro very lovely ; they aro to bo soon on a 
 Sunday afternoon sitting by tho roadside up near 
 
202 (ilUFFIN AHOy ! 
 
 the Russian liospice, watchiiifr tlie people coming 
 and going. One of the saddest sights in Jeru- 
 salem is the Jews' wailing-place. Any afternoon 
 they are to be seen. But it is more especially 
 on Friday that they gather under the huge and 
 venerable stones of the old temple wall, and 
 there, with streaming eyes, they call upon the 
 God of Israel to remember His promises to His 
 ancient people. 
 
 The stream of pilgrims we passed interested 
 me very much. As we drove down the hill, we 
 overtook long strings of mules and ponies. Ac- 
 cording to Eastern fashion, the rider and his 
 property were generally on the same animal. It 
 was not, therefore, surprising to pass two of 
 those overladen beasts dead by the wayside. 
 Some of the more wealthy pilgrims had camels 
 to carry their baggage, and we recognised the 
 picture cases whose contents we used to watch 
 being carried about in the holy places at Jerusa- 
 lem. These pictures are mere daubs, represent- 
 ing the Virgin in golden attire. I believe the 
 Russians venerate them very much. 
 
 Once, when we were in the Church of the Holy 
 Sepulchre, we saw a poor Russian carrying in his 
 
I.Kl'KHS. 203 
 
 nrms some liidcous pictures of tlic Virpi'in. IIo 
 placed thorn one after another on all the differont 
 shrines in tho various ohapcis, and knelt down at 
 each altar. IIo looked so happy and so hot! 
 His face expressed anxious but delighted faith. 
 This poor man, who had como all the way from 
 far-off Russia to bring those miserable daubs to 
 Jerusalem, was a sight wo could not laugh at, for 
 tho dream of his life was over, and ho would have 
 to toil back again with his treasures to his distant 
 homo. 
 
 At I^tron wo again put up at the lonely inn on 
 tho hillside, and found tho poor waiter suffering 
 from fever and very low-spirited, as Mr. Howard 
 could not dispense with his services till tho season 
 was over. After luncheon, wo once more got 
 into our little carriage and drove merrily down 
 the hill till wo reached Uamkh, whore wi- wcro 
 pursued by |)oor lepors. holding up fmgorless 
 hands and imploring help, a most awful and 
 dismal sight. 
 
 At length wo trotted pleasantly into ancient 
 Joppa, and alighted at Howard's Hotel. On en- 
 tering the hotel, some woll-drossed women socmed 
 to bo waiting for us. Ono of them, a vory pretty 
 
204 GlllFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 creature, most charmingly dressed, rushed for- 
 ward, her whole face beaming with delight, seized 
 Ibrahim's hand, and kissed it. He looked so 
 very pleased, and, turning to us, made a grace- 
 ful salute, saying, "General and my lady, my 
 wife." 
 
 We were dismayed to hear that the surf was 
 running very high, and that the hotel people 
 thought we could not get off to the yacht. But 
 we were determined to make an effort to do so, 
 having the full remembrance of the clean and 
 comfortable quarters on board the GriU'in. Ibra- 
 him was left to bring off the baggage, and my 
 wife and I started for the landing-place, accom- 
 panied by a man from the hotel. "We were 
 amused to see about forty men in European cos- 
 tume, with fez caps on their heads, sitting al 
 fresco at a caf6 near the harbour. They were 
 smoking cigarettes and drinking coifee. It is a 
 curious fact that the smoking of the long Turkish 
 jjipe is quite given up now. When I was in the 
 East on a former occasion, at an official visit to 
 any pasha, coffee and long pipes with magnificent 
 mouthpieces were produced ; in the present day 
 the pipes are banished, and cigarettes have taken 
 
ON nOAHD THK "OBIPKIN." 205 
 
 thoir plnce. Kvon tho porters and m»lcleor« 
 .mnoko cif^urottes. 
 
 When wo arrived at the landing-place, a great 
 crowd was assembled lading a sliip. We asked 
 for a boat, and tho head man told us that there 
 was a very heavy sea on ; that ho would send us 
 in a boat, but that it was at our own risk, as ho 
 considered it unsafe. Wo wore not in duty bound 
 to go, so wo returned to tho hotel, and from tho 
 balcony wo could see tho (}n[Jtii pitching and 
 rolling very badly indeed. Wo dined at the 
 tabU-d'hote, and met only ono other guest, a native 
 doctor, a most iutolligont man, in medical charge, 
 as wo were informed, of the hospital at Jaffa. 
 Tho wind howled dismally when wo went to 
 bed. 
 
 Xo.xt morning (27th of April) tho sun shone 
 brightly, and tho sea was not so rough. Kidby, 
 who had boon brought by a yacht's boat from tho 
 (Injjln, made his appearance, and recommended 
 our proceeding at once on board, as the sea 
 generally got up as the day went on. Wo again 
 wont along tho cruel pavement, and, as it was 
 very early in tho morning, tho merchants of 
 .InfFa were not assembled at tho caf6. We, with 
 
206 GIUWIN AIIOY ! 
 
 our camp furniture, got into one of the large 
 native boats with eight oars. We left the little 
 harbour, and went out into the open. The cutter 
 preceded us, but as a big sea was on, and she 
 was occasionally hidden by a huge wave, some- 
 times we could not see her at all ; now and then 
 we got a glimpse of her gracefully cresting a 
 mountain roller. I was rejoiced when we once 
 more trod the Griffi7i's deck, but she was behav- 
 ing in a most eccentric manner, rolling and toss- 
 ing like a mad thing. Poor Ibrahim did not look 
 happy. 
 
 In reply to my inquiry if he liked the sea, 
 he said, with a sort of apologetic bow, 
 
 " No, general ; on land, yes ; on sea, no !" 
 The captain welcomed us on board, and ordered 
 steam to be got up. If he had known that we 
 had arrived the night previous, all would have 
 been ready, but no communication had been 
 possible. We had a jolly pitching and tossing 
 for about two hours, a specimen of what those on 
 board had undergone for the last twelve days. 
 The exciting sound of the heaving of the anchor 
 by steam, and the occasional shiver of the screw, 
 
KUOM JOFI'A TO IIAIKA. 207 
 
 gave us notico tliat \vu wore loariug Iho roadstoad 
 of Jaffa, about tlio worst anchorajjc in tho 
 Moditorranuati. 
 
 At Olio in tho afternoon uf April the 27tlj we 
 left Jaffa for Haifa, wind and sea against us. 
 IJut the day was tine, and wo had a beautiful view 
 of the land as wo coasted alon^' tjuite near tho 
 
 Ihrahim, whose brown cheeks had somehow 
 turned groon, occasionally camo forward and 
 acted his part as dragoman. Mo pointed out to 
 us Ca*sarea and the Hills of Samaria, but it was 
 hardly fair to ask him quostioDS. It was quite 
 dark when wo entered tho Bay of Aero. As luck 
 would have it, tho wind blow from tho north, and 
 right into tho place wo wanted to anchor off 
 Haifa, which faces St. Joan d'Acrc. Had tho 
 wind blown from any other point of tho compass, 
 we should have had a calm sea, but as it was wo 
 pitched and rolled a good deal at anchor. Poor 
 Ibrahim had boon asked many questions about 
 the anchorage some time before wo had arrived at 
 it, when well out at sea. I suppose feeling un. 
 well had made him bilious, for I heard him 
 
208 CIIIFI'IN AHOY ! 
 
 answer one question, <is to the best place to an- 
 chor, in almost furious accents. 
 
 " Me do not know the sea, but I think we had 
 better slope /" 
 
 At length we did " stope," and had a lively 
 night. When we came on deck in the morning 
 it was blowing very fresh, and there was no 
 possibility of lauding. The vessels anchored 
 near to us rolled fearfully, so we resigned our- 
 selves to our fate. And there are worse places to 
 be locked up in than a fine yacht, with every 
 comfort on board. In the early morning there 
 was a lull, which was taken advantage of by 
 Ibrahim, who proceeded on shore to make arrange- 
 ments for our expedition to Nazareth and the 
 Sea of Galilee. 
 
 We were lying under Mount Carmel, at the 
 foot of which nestles the town of Haifa. The 
 surf rolled in with the deep, solemn sound the 
 sea often has. In front of us, on the other side 
 of the bay, we could see the walls of Acre. The 
 entrance to the bay was to the left of the town, 
 and the strong, northerly gale swept great waves 
 towards us. To our right was an extent of sandy 
 beach, along which wheeled vehicles passed to and 
 
A CTKONO QAM!. 2^9 
 
 from Aero. The river Kislioii empties itself into 
 the ba^ here. Wo wore (juite cut off from all 
 commimicatioii with the land, owing to the heavy 
 sea. The next ilay (29th of April) was a con- 
 tinuation of the same strong gale and breaking 
 Hoa. Ill the evening a change of wind took 
 place. 'I'he sea became calmer, and the night 
 was line. 
 
niAI'TKK XI. 
 
 IN TllK KOOTSTKl'S OF CIIUIST. 
 
 i-ntPARATioss roR our sTAirr — iB[L\niM renicNAXT — oin srccns axd 
 niKiK niDEitH— cxrrnmoM to NAURmi amd tiic sea or oauixc 
 
 — MOLNT CARMCL— API'JURA.SCi: or TIIE COIVTRT— TllE KIVtR 
 KISIIiiN— DMTKI cnoN OF TKEES IN STRIA — TIIE TtAIXH Or tS- 
 PH.\EU)X— rtOI (illlMU OI'EILSTIONS— SAlARmi— TIIE LATIS CON- 
 VENT— DKOmiEK JOHN or NA/Alimi— VIHITS TO VAUKit S m.MOttlAUS 
 or CIIUIST — Mill \r riiiiii: — -it V ut livi.ii.ii — Tliii.i;iAS — ii.i: viiiu'i 
 
 p2 
 
218 
 
 CIIAI'TKR XI. 
 
 A T spvon o'clock on tlio monung of tlic 30th of 
 •^ *- April wo rowed ashore, and wore landed at 
 the steps. A civil merchant received us, and in- 
 vited us into a long room with leather couches all 
 round it, and windows overlooking the sea, there 
 to wait till everything was ready for our start. 
 
 Wo were anxious to proceed on our journey 
 before the sun got hot. Ibrahim had vanished, 
 but at length I found him in a state of furious 
 indignation. 
 
 " Ah ! the.se peoples, those peoples !" he snarled 
 forth. " I ordered the horses, I paid some moneys 
 — two horses hero— one not — ah 1" 
 
 There were two horses and a donkey, besides 
 the baggage animals, but where was the third 
 nag? Time was pa.ssinp and the sun was getting 
 
214 GUIFI-'IN AHOY ! 
 
 higher and higher. It was at length dccirled that 
 ray wife was to ride one of the two steeds (it was 
 her liorse that was missing), and T was to take 
 the other, while Ibrahim — the Rider of the Desert 
 — was to mount the donke^^ 
 
 There was nothing to be said against our 
 chargers. Mine was a white old gentleman, who 
 had seen better days, and who retained the bridle 
 of his youth, a magnificent gold-mounted head- 
 piece, with a fearful rusty bit. My wife's mare 
 was a quiet, gentle beast, and Ibrahim's donkey 
 was one of the smallest, with weak hocks, which 
 touched each other. The contrast between the 
 ferocious and indignant Ibrahim, and the mild 
 and docile donkey, was most amusing. 
 
 We rode out of the town, which is daily in- 
 creasing in importance, owing to the number of 
 steamers calling there continually, and exporting 
 great quantities of goods collected by enterprising 
 merchants, who have lately come there. 
 
 The road, which goes along the base of Mount 
 Carmel, passes through orchards on first leaving 
 Haifa. We had not gone very far when a man 
 appeared riding the missing horse, a nice young 
 mare, with very showy action. She had wandered 
 
POOLS OV WATER. 215 
 
 Up tho moiintain-siilo, Tho saiMlo was transfcrrod 
 from tlio donkoy, and Ibrahim was once more 
 mounted as ho ought to be. 
 
 Our road for some miles was quite level, pass- 
 ing through pasture land. Then our path diverg- 
 ed to tho left, and, crossing a plain whore they 
 were making bay, wo went on to tho river Kishon. 
 Wo saw a long string of camels, which came from 
 Samaria, wciuliin' tlicit- way close under Mount 
 Carmul. 
 
 Great pools of clear water lay by our path, and 
 at one place we crossed a rushing stream by a 
 low bridge. The water was apparently pure and 
 good, but Ibrahim told us it was quite brackish, 
 and my old horse refused to drink it. Tho plain 
 is marshy, and unsafe to cross in some parts 
 farther on, but tho ground was firm and secure 
 where wo were, and, although there was no de- 
 cided road, we could trace the marks of wheels 
 tho whole way. 
 
 There is ft springless wooden carriage that 
 makes the journey from Haifa to Nazareth, but 
 wo missed seeing it, as the last throe miles we 
 travelled on horseback are too rocky for it, and it 
 has to make a long detour. The country through 
 
216 GHU'lIN AHOY ! 
 
 wliicli we were passing was very different from 
 Judea. There everything was dried up and parch- 
 ed, here the eye rested on lovely green plains and 
 wooded heights, the barley was waving luxuriantly 
 in the soft summer breeze, and up the rugged 
 sides of Carmel brushwood and copse were grow- 
 ing. We reached the ancient river Kishon — a 
 narrow, sluggish stream, with steep clay banks. 
 It is a treacherous river to ford, and we were glad 
 to find a bridge across it. Here it was that 
 Sisera's army was destroyed, after the Battle of 
 Megiddo. " They fought from heaven ; the 
 stars in their courses fought against Sisera. The 
 river Kishon swept them away, that ancient 
 river, the river Kishon." (Judges v, 20, 21.) 
 
 After we had crossed the bridge, and had ridden 
 on for a short time, the view was most beautiful. 
 Ibrahim pointed out to us on the highest point of 
 Carmel the site which tradition indicates as the 
 place where Elijah built the altar, and fire came 
 down from heaven and licked up the water round 
 the sacrifice, and lower down, on another ridge, 
 where the priests of Baal were slain. Leaving 
 the plain, we began to ascend through a richly- 
 wooded country; tlie grass was coarse, and, but 
 
I'LAINB Of K80BABLON . 217 
 
 thiit it was browiKT, we rni^^ht have Hiipposod we 
 were croBsing an Knglish park. Groat trees raised 
 their branches aloft, anil we saw some fine old 
 oaks. It is a sad pity the wanton way the trees 
 in Syria are mutilated and destroyed. Hardly one 
 is allowed to escajK'. A branch is recklessly 
 lopped off here and there, and a fire is often lit 
 close to the roots, acres and acres of wood being 
 treated in the same fashion. 
 
 As wo gained the summit of the hill we turned 
 to see the view of Haifa and the blue sea, and 
 then emerging from the trees we saw stretching 
 before us the Plains of Esdraelon. I cannot 
 imagine a finer view. For miles and miles tho 
 [ilain appears a vast field of waving barley, like a 
 calm sea moved by a gentle breeze. There is not 
 a house to be seen, nothing but growing corn. 
 We descended to the plain again and paced along 
 the ground, always keeping tho wheel-murks in 
 view, for hero various paths diverge. Before us 
 lies Little Hermon, and many places whoso names 
 recall Bible stories of great battles and wonderful 
 events. 
 
 There was no shade to bo had on this part of 
 the road, so nt eleven o'clock we turned off across 
 
218 GlUKl'IN AHOY ! 
 
 country to a wooded hill, where we took our 
 noonday's rest. The horses wandered about, 
 trying to get nourishment out of the thin, dried 
 grass and beautiful flowers, with which, towards 
 the end of April and during the month of May, 
 the whole country is carpeted. We had heard 
 much of the beauty of the flowers of Syria, and 
 nothing we had been told had been overstated. 
 On this ride there was one specially beautiful 
 flower that we repeatedly saw, a low-growing, 
 large, single couvolvolus. We were amused and 
 interested watching the ploughing operations 
 going on in the fields immediately under the hill 
 we were bivouacking on. The ploughs are so 
 light that they are lifted with the greatest ease 
 into a fresh furrow. The ground seems merely 
 to require scratching to pi'oduce its wonderful 
 crops. The teams were various. A stately camel 
 stalked along resignedly with a plough behind it, 
 a donkey and a cow harnessed together formed 
 perhaps the most common combination. The 
 farmer, a son, and a woman generally walked by 
 a plough, one guiding the animals, another driv- 
 ing the plough, and the third with a measuring 
 rod keeping the furrows straight. As far as 
 
NA/.AUKTII. 21'J 
 
 stningorrt could judgo, thoy soomod to us a very 
 indiiHtrioDB pooplo. Thoy took no notice of us ; 
 thoy arc so accustomed to see travellers from all 
 nations araon{» them. 
 
 After getting on our horses again, wo still had 
 a couple of miles io the plain, which then merges 
 into valley, soon becoming quite narrow, with 
 high, rocky banks on each side. The numljor of 
 wild flowers in the glen was surprising. Every 
 now and then the valley became broader, and at 
 these places tho peoplo wore ploughing the small 
 Holds. Tho whole vale was dotted with diminu- 
 tive treoB, oak, and hawthorn, and wild rose- 
 bushes. Clear rivulets crossed our path, birds 
 were singing happily. Wo wore delighted with 
 the scone. So many years of our Ixjrd's life 
 having been passed at Nazareth, this haugh so 
 near the town must have boon constantly visited 
 by Him. There was a steep climb at the upper 
 end of tho valley till wo gained the summit, and 
 there before us, lower down on tho hill's side, was 
 Nazareth surrounded by hills. The path was 
 difficult for the horses which, with their iron 
 shoes, could find no foothold, osjHscially as in 
 many places there was no road except over the 
 
220 GKiri'IN AHOV ! 
 
 even face of the rock. We walked down the 
 worst part, and then we entered Nazareth by no 
 grand entrance, but through a most filthy farm- 
 yard, where pigs and refuse of all kinds lay on 
 the narrow path. 
 
 In single file we passed on our way, but had 
 soou to dismount, the streets were so steep and 
 badly paved. Following Ibrahim, we descended 
 lower and lower till we halted in front of the 
 Latin convent, where we were received most 
 kindl}^ by a monk in his brown cloak, with a rope 
 round his waist. Brother John, whom we found 
 to be a most benevolent and worthy man, led us 
 into the house and upstairs to a very nice apart- 
 ment, consisting of a well-furnished sitting-room 
 and a clean bed-room opening off it, and welcomed 
 us very warmly to the convent. He left us, but 
 only to return in a few minutes with a large 
 carafe of ice-oold lemonade, which was nectar to 
 thirsty souls after our long ride. We always 
 carried a large waterproof bath with us, and the re- 
 freshment of a tub of cold water after a long and 
 dusty ride is wonderful. 
 
 When we had dressed, we sat out on the 
 balcony in front of our room. Before us a slope 
 
MOUNT OK I'BKCiriTATlON. 221 
 
 strotcliuil down to a valley looking green and 
 fertile in the spring afternoon. A short distance 
 down this glen rises a hill called the Mount of 
 I'recipitation, from which the Jews tried to cast 
 our Ixjrd after His teaching. In the .street below 
 U.S boys were playing at some merry laughing 
 game. Across the street was the gate of the 
 (.'hurch of l\w Annunciation, in the courts of 
 which wo could see the monks moving about. 
 There was a (juiot homo feeling connected with 
 the green fields and the childish voices of boys at 
 play. A strange feeling of wonder possessed us 
 when we thought that coco our Lord was a child 
 there, and no doubt entered into all the amuse- 
 ments of His boyhood's time. 
 
 Ibrahim came to announce dinner. lie had 
 washed his face and curled his moustache, and, 
 with foz in hand, conducted us to iho rofoctory, 
 where our dinner was served. 
 
 The house in which wo dined was the hospice 
 of the convent, where travellers and pilgrims are 
 received. Tlie monks provide board as well as 
 lodging for those who wish it, making no chnrge, 
 but accepting what is offered them, on the same 
 principle ns the hospices in Jerusalem. An 
 
222 CiHIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 American said at a table-dhvle that travelling in 
 the Holy Land cost very little, as he had visited 
 no end of convents all over the country and had 
 never been asked to pay one penny. 
 
 In our case, having made a bargain with Ibra- 
 him, he fed us, and paid to the convent so much a 
 night for our rooms. There were other pilgrims 
 besides us in the house ; but we had our dinner 
 alone, at the upper end of the long table. Brother 
 John received us, and sat down and entertained 
 us with his news. We became great friends, and 
 I shall always remember with a kindly feeling 
 " Brother John of Nazareth." 
 
 Later in the evening, as we sat in our rooms, a 
 sound of tom-toms, mixed with men and women's 
 voices, filled the air. I cannot say they were 
 musical voices, but they had a sound of joy. It 
 was a marriage procession. The streets were all 
 illuminated by torches, and the dogs barked, and 
 the children shouted. It was a noisy scene. 
 After a time all was quiet, and as the night went 
 on no sound was heard save the distant bark of a 
 dog. 
 
 The 1st of May at Nazareth sounds wondrous 
 sweet and strange ! The day was Sunday, and 
 
KNfwisn PROTKSTAvr rnnRrn. 223 
 
 !i l)ri}^Iit siin was ti-mporod by n fresh, dilight- 
 fill brooze. At breakfast Hrother John, in bin 
 brown monk's attire, sat bosido us and talked to 
 us, tollinpf many traditions of tho place. Nazar- 
 eth, ho said, was dreadfully hot in summer, 
 being so surrounded by hills that no breeze 
 reaches it. lie spoke of tho Jews as an accursed 
 race, and would not allow that they were ever to 
 return to Jerusalem. Ho got mo to address a 
 letter to a lady in England, who, with her 
 daughter, had passed some days at Nazareth, an<l 
 who, from tlipir distant home, had sent him an 
 Kaster canl, with wliich ho was highly pleased. 
 
 After breakfast, wo were shown the way to tho 
 Kiiglish Protestant Church, and were surprised to 
 Rnd that tho prayers were in Arabic. We were 
 afterwards informed that tho English congrega- 
 tion had not returned from spending Easter at 
 Jerusalem. Their numbers are very fow, con- 
 sisting principally of the teachers in tho schools. 
 When we returned to tho convent, wo saw from 
 our balcony a marriage procession enter tho gates 
 of the church. With my glasses, I could see 
 some very lovely faces. As they could not 8o«« 
 mo, I had the full bonoBt of watching their real 
 
224 GUIITIN AHOY ! 
 
 expression, and they were quite beautiful. They 
 seemed a happy, joyous group as they vanished 
 into the church. 
 
 We were summoned by Brother John to go 
 round the sacred places in Nazareth. Through 
 the narrow streets he led us to a chapel, the door 
 of which he unlocked, and, entering, we saw a 
 rock, oblong in shape and very rough. This is 
 called the " Table of Christ," and we were told 
 that the tradition has descended through many 
 generations that our Lord frequently ate at this 
 table with His disciples, both before and after 
 His resurrection. This is written in many lan- 
 guages on the wall. The Empress Helena erect- 
 ed the church over the place, which was de- 
 stroyed, but has now been rebuilt. We then 
 proceeded to the synagogue where Christ was 
 teaching when they drove Him out, and sought 
 to throw Him from the "brow of the hill." The 
 key was not forthcoming, the rabbi being out, so 
 we continued on our way to the " carpenter's shop" 
 where Joseph gained his bread. All these places 
 are chapels, and the pilgrims who were in Bro- 
 ther John's train devoutly knelt and kissed the 
 various shrines. From the " shop " we went on 
 
CONVFNT OF TRF ANSDNPIATIOS. 1:25 
 
 to tho Church of the Annunciation. Tho part 
 of tho convent whicu"v?to inhabited is divided 
 from tho cliurch l)y tho street. A fine gate 
 ailmittod us into tho precincts of tho church, 
 which consist of two larfjc, Hagged courts. In 
 tlie ono to tho back of tho church thoro is erected 
 a largo pillar of granite, on tho top of which is a 
 gilt statue of tho Virgin. 
 
 Tho convent, which is a very large one, is built 
 round the throe sides of this court, the church being 
 on tho fourth side. It stands on a wide, paved 
 terrace, commanding a fine view of hill and valley, 
 and within is shown tho spot sacred to the 
 Annunciation. 
 
 Opposite the door, between columns which np- 
 pear to bo under tho grand altar, a flight of steps 
 conducts us to a lower altar, with a marble slab 
 beneath it, whore tho Virgin is said to have stood 
 while tho angel spoke with her. Ilrother John 
 showed us a column which apparently is supported 
 by nothing. Tradition says that tho infidels tried 
 to cut it through, but that it is sustained in its 
 place by a miracle. A cave is shown where Mary 
 lived, and a hole in the rock is called her fire- 
 place. 
 
 Q 
 
226 GRfPFiN ahoy! 
 
 The Greek Clmrch have another cave anrl 
 another rock which thcj say are the true ones. 
 At Loretto the Church of Rome has the Virgin's 
 Cottage, which was brought there one night by the 
 angels ! 
 
 Men's traditions arc folly. The one reality is 
 that the hills and the valleys ai*e the same as 
 when our Lord ran about in His childhood among 
 the flowers, which no doubt decked then, as they 
 do now, every green spot on the mountains, and 
 where, later in life, He laboured with small suc- 
 cess among His townspeople and kinsfolk, for a 
 prophet has little honour in his own country. 
 
 In the afternoon we were present during the 
 evening function in the Church of the Francis- 
 cans, to which order Brother John belonged. It 
 was the same church in which the Chapel of the 
 Annunciation is situated. The altar was very 
 fine, and the organ was well played. The many 
 worshippers seemed very devout. There was a 
 large party of Italian priests, who had been at 
 Jerusalem, and were now visiting Nazareth. They 
 were residing in our convent, but had their meals 
 at different hours from us. In spite of all the 
 fables told and invented by priests and monk?, 
 
►•OUNTAIN Of TIIK VIKMN. 'j'J/ 
 
 thcri' is a lileuHaiit reality about Na/art'tli. The 
 tcnchingB of our cliildliooil are realized hero. No 
 place in PaloBtine seetniHl more holy and sweet in 
 its associations, totally irres|H.'ctivc' of the shrines 
 and chapels. 
 
 Early on Monday, the 2nd of May, our horses 
 wore awaiting us, and, after a six o'clock break- 
 fast, wo said farewell to Hrother John, who 
 promised to keep our rooms for us, as wo intended 
 returning to Nazareth again after visiting Mount 
 Tabor and tho Sea of Galilee. 
 
 On our way wo passed the Fountain of the 
 Virgin. There is no doul)t that this spring is the 
 same where Mary was wont to go for water. I 
 wish I could say that the young girls wo saw 
 there wore beautiful. Alas I they were very plain, 
 and several had only one eye ! Our ride was 
 through bare hills for some miles. The only 
 person we saw was a little man riding a very well- 
 brod mare, with a nice foal following its dam 
 along the stony path. Ibrahim informed me ho 
 was "a I doctor," or what we would call an ocu- 
 list. Tho people in Syria suffer much from 
 ophthalmia, and no doubt his services were 
 much required. Tho mare and foal were not 
 
 y2 
 
228 G14IFFIN Anoy ! 
 
 his property, but were only hired for the day. 
 
 After scrambling down a rocky road we came 
 to what once must have been a magnificent forest 
 of oak, but now the appearance the trees present 
 is most distressing, every one, without exception, 
 having been cut all over. There were grand 
 trunks from twelve to fourteen feet high, with a 
 few bunches of green leaves on the top, growing, 
 but dwarfed. This forest of maimed trees con- 
 tinues all the way to the base of Mount Tabor, 
 where a few have escaped the destroyer, aud we 
 bivouacked under one. It was a pleasant rest 
 before climbing the hill. 
 
 The ascent is very steep, and in some places 
 we had to cross the sheer rock, with a precipice 
 on one side. At length, after a rather tiresome 
 scramble, we reached the summit. There are 
 very extensive ruins everywhere, ruins of castles 
 and churches. The Latin convent crowns the 
 summit of the mountain, and the Greek convent 
 stands on a lower level. Though built within a 
 stone's throw of each other, the convents have no 
 dealings together. Both have done all they can 
 to ruin the appearance of the place. Stiff walls 
 have been erected everywhere, to preserve the one 
 
VIEW rUuM MOUNT TAMoU. 'J_'J 
 
 from tho oncronchmcuts of tho other — truly u 
 Bad night to sec* 
 
 Wo wore roceivud courteously by the Ijiitiu 
 mouk, who was of a more retiring disposition 
 than Brother John of Nazareth. IIo showed us 
 our rooms, clean and plainly furnished, and then 
 disappeared. Ibrahim camo and took us to tho 
 ruins of an ancient church recently opened up. 
 Wo scrambled up into a turret, and wore charmed 
 with tho view. As Mount Tabor stands alono 
 and has a round top, the view from any side is 
 most o-xtensivo. At its foot are tho Plains of 
 EsdraoloD. From where wo were seated, as it 
 wore in tho gallery of a theatre, we could seo 
 tho ridge of Carrael, Little Ilermon, Nain, and 
 
 • " For ccnturiufl Mount Tabor luui btoii con»iiliTcd ilie 
 »cenu of iho lnin»lij;un»tion of our Lortl, ntul coiiviiits luivc 
 l>ccii built luMortiti}; this to Ik- tin- ra.to ; but tho top of .Mount 
 Titbor luk-t from timo iniiucinorial bvvn n fortitktl iiml inhabitcil 
 «|K>1. Tliirtjr jriam lU'tvr ihis tiiuu, Jo.to|>hu.i on thia very 
 liiounUiin slrcn)'thunc«l the cxiMinj; fortri-M of Itnburion. ThLs 
 there/ort', wn» not the »|>ot to whirh Jesuit coultl have taken tho 
 thruc apostles • n|iiirt by thoniiM^lvM.' Mount I Icrroon iHfni.i to 
 have been tho »acrv(l phicc, tlie 'Mount Ilermon 'of Jcwisli 
 IMJCtry. Ita very mune nienn.t ' the mountain,' und the sceno 
 which it wiuicniuxl wouM well .luffloc to prtxurv for it the dis- 
 tinction of licini; tho only mountain to which in Scripture i» 
 attached the epithet ' holy." "— Faiik\k'!I " Life of Chriat." 
 
280 GIUFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 Endor. The liugoriug sun cast long shadows 
 over the groen expanse before us. It was a 
 peaceful scene now j but what battles had been 
 fought on that plain ! and fancy pictured the 
 army assembled here which was to defeat Sisora 
 and drive his warriors into the river Kishon. 
 "Go and draw towards Mount Tabor, and take 
 with thee ten thousand men of the children of 
 Naphthali and the children of Zebulon, and I will 
 draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the 
 captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his 
 multitude, and I will deliver him into thine 
 hand." * 
 
 And there, nestling under that hill, is Nain, 
 where our Lord brought to life again the dead 
 man, " the only son of his mother, and she was a 
 widow," and still farther is Endor, where Saul 
 went to see the witch when he came from the 
 fountain of Jezreel. 
 
 After remaining some time, fascinated with 
 this most interesting panorama, we scrambled 
 down from our high perch among the ruins and 
 took a short walk among the remains of the 
 crusades, churches, and fortifications, and then 
 * Deborah to Barak, Judg. iv, 3, 7. 
 
MOUNT UKUMuN. 2jl 
 
 we ruturiied to diuncM* in a very long room, moru 
 liko a tnu8S-room than tho rofcctory of a cuuvuut. 
 Wo were soon glad to retire to our own room«, 
 whore everything was so perfectly clean that we 
 enjoyed un unturluietl sleep. 
 
 Wo wore up before daylight to see the sun rise. 
 Tho air was quite cold, and a breeze was blowing 
 gently when we first emerged from our rooms. 
 The eastern sky was just assuming a pink glow, 
 and tho mountains of Uilead wore still dark and 
 gloomy; but in a short timo^ roey light bright- 
 ened tho distant view. Ilormon appeared tipped 
 with^now. towering above all. At first tho 
 T.ountain seemed to wake up from its sloop, so 
 groy and clouded it was, but all of a sudden the 
 rays of tho coming sun played around its majestic 
 head, and with, as it wore, a shout of joy, it 
 glowed in brightness, first rosy and sweet, then 
 dazzling with light. 
 
 Then n blue line camo out on tho view — tho 
 Sea of Galilee, and a» tho morning became clearer 
 tho whole distance, from where we stood to that 
 blue line, seemed liko a green park dotleil with 
 trees. Finally a curtain of clouds dropped over 
 the scene, and wo could see no more. 
 
232 GRIFFIN AHoy ! 
 
 The time for our departure being come, we 
 shook hands with the monk and bade him fare- 
 well. The path was so steep that we walked 
 down the mountain, the monks having made a 
 path the whole way. At the foot wc turned to 
 the right and continued our journey through 
 grand old oaks, dwarfed by the relentless hands 
 of Turks and Bedouins. After two hours' ride 
 we came to two very ancient buildings, loop-holed 
 for defence ; they are called the Merchants' Khan, 
 Khan-el-Tujjar. Ibrahim told us they were 
 erected for the protection of travellers on their 
 way to Egypt, as at one time the tribes were 
 " very great robbers." We had hardly passed 
 these old ruins when we overtook a long line of 
 camels moving slowly, accompanied by the usual 
 donkey, without which they never seem to travel. 
 It was a pleasant ride among the cornfields and 
 green pastures. We came to a turn in the way, 
 for we had arrived at the caravan road from 
 Damascus to Jerusalem and Egypt. Near hero 
 are deep wells which Ibrahim said were never 
 dry. Some picturesque figures were gathered 
 round them watering their flocks. A little far- 
 ther on wo saw on our left a curious shaped hill 
 
LaKK ok TIBEUIAS. 233 
 
 called the Kuriiii Ilattiii, thf Horns of Hattin. 
 towards which the ground rises. There is little 
 doubt that this is the hill whore our I/ord went to 
 pray, and continued all night in prayer to God, 
 and where He addressed the multitude. • 
 
 On this same Kurin Hattin was fought, on the 
 5th of July, 1187, a decisive battle between the 
 Crusaders and Saladiu, in which the Christians 
 were totally defeated, and all Palestine was con- 
 ([uered by the Moslems. 
 
 Wo rode on, and soon came in full view of the 
 Sea of Galileo, many hundred feet below us, and 
 the old ruined tower of Tiberias clinging to the 
 shore. The Ijako of Tiberias is most interesting, 
 
 • " The gj-cne of this hmcly vigil and of tlic Sermon on the 
 Mount wiM in hU prubahiliijr the »inguhir elevation known ni 
 thin liny oa the Kun'm ilutlin, or Ilonu of Ilattin. It is u hill 
 with n summit which closely rcAombleii nn oriontiil snJJIe, with 
 two high pcukii. On the west it rises very little nlxive the level 
 of n broiiil lutd undulnlinj; plain ; on tlie east it sinks precipi- 
 tately towards a pluteuu un which lies, immediately beneullt 
 the dilK th.' village of Ilultin, and fnim tliis pUtcnu the tmvel- 
 ler dosconils through a wild anil tropical gorge to the shining 
 levels of the [.loke of liidilec. It is the only cnnspicuoas hill 
 on the wi-stem siile of the lake, und U singularly adaple<l by 
 its conformation both to form a place for short retirement and 
 a remli'zvous for gathering maltiludcs." — Farr%r's •' Life of 
 
234 OKIFFIN AUOY ! 
 
 and, like Nazaretb, counccted with tbo happiest 
 time of our Lord's life. On the shores of that 
 lake He collected His apostles, aud on that quiet- 
 looking sea He often sailed. We descended by a 
 very steep path to Tiberias, the walls of which 
 are picturesque in tlicir ruin. Earthquakes and 
 time have shaken them so much that in some 
 places the gaps are so great that cattle were 
 going in and out through tbem. 
 
 We now began to feel the excessively close heat 
 which makes Tiberias so unhealthy, and, when we 
 arrived at the convent, my wife had an attack of 
 fever which prevented her from moving out of 
 her room. The Superior of the convent was very 
 attentive and courteous. He took us up a stair 
 into a long corridor, on each side of which were 
 many doors opening on to it, and above every 
 door a verse of Scripture was painted. Our 
 room was here, and looked out into the street. 
 The beds had no mosquito curtains, and the one 
 small window let in more sun than air. At the 
 end of the long corridor was a large window, 
 opening upon a little garden, immediately beyond 
 which was the Sea of Galilee. The view of the 
 abrupt and sterile country on the opposite coast 
 
WAUU UAiuh. 236 
 
 was very oxtonsivo. When our Lord was upon 
 the earth, Tiberias was a great city, and the Soa 
 of Galileo was covered with fleets of boats, and 
 its shores by towns and villages. Now it is a 
 small place, peopled by a miserable collection of 
 Jews, who arc the dirtiest of the dirty, and a few 
 boats are the only representatives of its former 
 greatness. 
 
 My wife could not come with us, but Ibrahim 
 and I got a boat and went for a sail. When we 
 left, the sea was very calm, and a nice breeze 
 fdlod our sails. We coasted towards the Jordan, 
 and passed the camping-ground, where four 
 camps were pitched, with distinguishing flags — 
 French, Austrian, Belgian, and English. A short 
 distance farther on, and we came to the warm 
 baths. There are two buildings, but both in u 
 ruinous state. These warm springs are men- 
 tioned by Pliny and Josepbus. Numbers of 
 jK'Oplo were lounging about. Some were arriving 
 and others leaving, mounted on horses and 
 camels. Ibrahim informed me that the season 
 for bathing had just i)egun, and that it lasted for 
 about two months, during which time crowds of 
 jH.<oplo come from the surrounding country to 
 
236 ciKiFi'iN AHOY ! 
 
 bathe. As I was alone, I did not care to go any 
 farther. I had had a sail on the Sea of Galilee ! 
 We put about, and returned to Tiberias. The 
 lake, which had been so calm, now broke in little 
 waves, the wind came in gusts, and before wo 
 landed the sea had got up, and we were buiTcted 
 about in fine style. I was glad that it was so, 
 for it confirmed the Bible account of the sudden 
 approach of these storms. 
 
 I found my wife not at all well ; the heat was 
 oppressive, and the mosquitoes were very trying. 
 I passed an anxious night. Morning broke fine, 
 and my great hope was that, if we could get up 
 the hill into the cool air, we should get above 
 the fever regions. Dressing and starting required 
 a great effort ; but once on horseback, and every 
 minute getting higher up the mountain, and feel- 
 ing the cool morning breeze, helped my wife to 
 sit her horse for four hours. She fought gallant- 
 ly against the fever, and finally won the battle, 
 though it left her very exhausted. 
 
 The ascent from the lake is very steep, but at 
 length we reached the top. Our road was the 
 same as on the day before till we came to the 
 ancient wells, when, instead of turning to the 
 
APIKr TO .NAZAttKTII. 237 
 
 loft, which would have taken us to Mount Tabor, 
 wo continued 8trai{»ht on. Tlio sun was high in 
 tho lipavons, and very powerful before wo came to 
 our halting-place, under tho shade of some olivo. 
 trees, near Cana of Galilee. My wife was glad to 
 have a rest, though it was not very lu.xurious 
 lying in a ploughed field, with the sun flickering 
 through the olive foliage above us. In tho after- 
 noon wo rode tlirough Cana. Of course there are 
 disputes as to whether this village was tho real 
 place where our Lord's first miracle happened. 
 It is now a ruined hamlet. There is a fountain 
 below it, where the wator-jars wore filled. It 
 is prettily situated in a valley, with groon trees 
 about it. Wi> passed on, and had a great climb 
 up a steep liill over Nazareth, whence tho view 
 was very extensive. Wo descended tho stony 
 road past tho Virgin's Fountain, and onco more 
 wore welcomed by Hrothor John into the com- 
 fortable I^atin Convent at Nazareth. 
 
 Karly next morning wo said a kindly farewell 
 to the friendly monk, who seemed quite sorry 
 to part with us, and it was with a fooling of 
 sadness that we bade a final adieu to Nazareth. 
 When wo reached the top of the hill a strong 
 
238 GlilKFIN AHOY ! 
 
 breeze was blowing from the nortli, so we rather 
 expected a rough sea in the Bay of Haifa. The 
 descent of the mountain was done more quickly 
 than the ascent. Our horses had improved in 
 condition, so that this, our last ride, was very 
 pleasant. Our road lay through the same fields 
 we had crossed before, and we saw the same 
 people ploughing in them. The plains of Esdrae- 
 lon were rich with ripening crops. We halted 
 for luncheon under a very fine olive-tree in the 
 forest above the plain, and then we mounted our 
 horses and proceeded onwards. 
 
 Passing through the valley, before arriving 
 at the bridge over the river Kishon, we met two 
 most ruffianly-looking men, armed with guns, and 
 carrying great bludgeons. They eyed us as we 
 passed, but they saw we had weapons too. Meet- 
 ing these men, I asked Ibrahim if travellers like 
 ourselves ought not always to carry arms ? 
 
 "My general," he replied, "all the years I 
 have wandered I never was attacked. But there 
 are bad mens. I might be. It is sometime 
 done !" 
 
 Ibrahim had a great wound on his forehead, 
 and he told me how he had received it. His 
 
IIIUAIIIJl's H-MUV. 239 
 
 parents wcrt* Cliristiiuis, and his native village 
 was in tbo mountains near Damascus. In 18G<» 
 ho was a boy, and a very bad feeling sprang up 
 between tlie Christiatis and Mohammedans. Some 
 fights had taken place on several occasions. The 
 Christians were getting the worst of it, so the 
 people of bis village went to Osman Pasha, and 
 applied for help. The Pasha told them that they 
 would b« safe in a largo barracks, if they gave up 
 their arms. This they did. Then the Druses 
 came and murdered all they could. Ibrahim's 
 father, mother, and brother were killed. He was 
 shot at, and tlio bullet scarred his forehead very 
 deeply, and ho showed mo his wrist, which bore 
 the marks of a bayonet wound. lie escaped 
 death in a marvellous manner. Lord Duffcrin 
 was sent out by the British Government, and, 
 owing to bis representations, Osman Pasha was 
 hanged. A very insecure feeling exists among 
 the Christian population. The Moslems are quiet 
 now, but a spark would rouse them again. Such 
 was the purport of Ibrahim's story. 
 
 We arrived at Haifa in the afternoon ; a strong 
 breeze and heavy sea were making the Griffin 
 dance at her anchor. The civil mercliant got us 
 
240 QKIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 a largo shoro-boat with about ton boatmen. On 
 our way to the yacht, one of these heroes caught 
 a crab, and went heels over head ! The big soa 
 that was running made this escapade not alto- 
 gether a good joke, but in process of time we 
 once more trod the deck of the Griffin, and were 
 welcomed back by Captain Oman and all the 
 crew. We had a very rough night, but the 
 pleasure of being back once more counterbalanced 
 the inconvenience of a rolling ship. 
 
n I. \ IT Kit \ii. 
 
 TIIK I.KUANUN AM» AN 1 1-LKIIANON*. 
 
 ST. JtAX IlACItt — ClMMWOILMStli TflllC.S — TUt TTKIAN LAHbER— TTRE — 
 
 mfiriiEcm coxriRMEO — sidom— detrolt— ladt iiiLTn.R »ta<i- 
 Hore — tcCKJiTRic cuaciimiuS— wi: pakt wmi ibraiiim— iuiuiiim 
 
 tiEIIROXY— TRADITION Of ST. OtORaC — TIIE ORIDfTAL HOTEL— STAlrr 
 HiR tlAJI.«Cf!l— .V.«iCEXTor LEBANON— CHALCI!^—VALU:Y OF WADT- 
 EL-KIKN— TIIE KIVElt AD.VNA— TIIE A.STI-LEBASUS — AITROACU TO 
 IIAM.VSCI*. 
 
243 
 
 CHAI'TRI? XH 
 
 A T seven a.m. on the Gth of May we loft Haifa, 
 ■^-*- and stoamod over to St. Ji-an d'Acre. Tlio 
 passage across took only about an hour. Wo an- 
 chored outside the harbour. A ruined towj-r 
 still remains, shattered by the round shot of the 
 fleet under Admiral Stopford and Commodoro 
 Napier in ISIO. A long lino of fortitications 
 looks towards the sea; but the town has a ruined 
 appearance. Wo landed after luncheon, and were 
 met by the consuls cavass, with offers of assist- 
 ance. I was anxious to go up to the fortifications, 
 but on applying for permission to the command- 
 ing officer it was refused, so wo walked through 
 the bazaar, and went to the old mosque. The 
 cavass took us to see the graves of two British 
 ofRcers, Major Oldfield, Royal Marines, who wa.i 
 killed in a sortie, in 1799, ogainst Napoleon, and 
 
 K '2 
 
244 oini''i''iN AHOY ! 
 
 Colonel Walker, Royal Marines, aged 68, who 
 died in 1840. The tombs are of marble; but the 
 natives arc no respecters of the dead, for stone 
 and debris were accumulated round those old 
 warriors' resting-places. There are few sadder 
 sights than these lonely graves, found all over the 
 world, where the soldiers and sailors of Britain 
 have served their sovereign and country. 
 
 As we were not admitted into the fortifications 
 there was not much to see, so we returned on 
 board the yacht. They are a cross-grained lot 
 at Acre. The commandant insisted on our papers 
 being produced, though we had now been lying 
 at Haifa, close by, for a long time ; but that did 
 not signify. So the captain, who was on shore, 
 had to hurry off to the Griffin and bring the docu- 
 ments required. 
 
 A beautiful moonlight night succeeded a warm 
 day. At three a.m. on the 7th of May we 
 steamed away from St. Jean d'Acre. I got up 
 at dawn to see the sun rise from behind the 
 mountains of Phoenicia. As we passed near the 
 shore we could see the path up what is called the 
 " Tyrian Ladder." The morning crept on, and 
 so did our lively craft, making slow way against 
 
TVUK. 245 
 
 a contrary wind. Villages and towns appeared 
 before us along tlio coast, and gradually faded 
 away in the distance. As wo left them, our 
 interest increased when we got near Tyre. The 
 captain shared in our feeling about this place, 
 which, in the old time, was the great seaport of 
 the world. Wo kept close in shore, and had a 
 very good view of all that remains of this once 
 prosperous city. Most picturesque, no doubt, it 
 is ; but it is strange to think that this was onco 
 the mistress of the seas. llow literally the 
 prophecies against Tyro have been fulfilled. All 
 her grand fleet now consists of a few fishing- 
 boats wo could 800 drawn up on the shore. 
 Now no vessel the size of the Griffm could 
 got close under tho town, for the sand has 
 choked the harbour. " And they shall make 
 a spoil of thy riches and make a prey of thy 
 merchandise, and they shall break down thy 
 walls and destroy thy pleasant houses, and they 
 shall lay thy stones and they timber and thy dust 
 in tho midst of tho water, and I will make thee 
 like tho top of a rock, thou shalt be a place to 
 spread nets uix)n, thou shalt be built no more."* 
 • Kick, xxvi, I:', 14. 
 
246 GRIFFIN ahoy! 
 
 There could not be a better description of this 
 fallen queen than these prophecies spoken of her 
 in the time of her grandeur. On the old ruined 
 walls we saw nets spread to dry in the sun. 
 
 As we passed on, Ibrahim pointed out a village 
 on the mountain side : this was Sarepta, where 
 Elijah went from the brook Cherith, and saw the 
 woman gathering sticks, who made him a cake. * 
 From the deck of the yacht we could not see 
 much, but the mountains were there, and the view 
 was the same as in the days of Elijah. 
 
 And now we drew near to Sidon, which did not 
 seem in quite such a ruinous condition. Sidon is 
 a very ancient city, and is mentioned in Genesis x, 
 19. Joshua calls it Zidon the Great, xix, 23. It 
 was celebrated for its arts, and now is a small 
 and half ruinous village. We could see the citadel, 
 a time-worn tower, and lower down, near the 
 harbour, on the rocks, an ancient castle. But 
 ruined walls were everywhere. The environs 
 seemed fertile, and we saw gardens and fruit- 
 trees. Once Sidon was a great harbour for mer- 
 chandise, but now all trade is gone to Beyrout. 
 
 A few miles farther on, high up in the moun- 
 * 1 Kings, xvii, 3, 24. 
 
BKYBOOT. 247 
 
 taiiia, Ibrahim tlrow our attention to a largo white 
 building. This was tho convent where Lady 
 II ester Stanhope passed tho last days of her 
 life, and whore she died, and is buried in tho 
 garden. 
 
 For a long time wo had seen before us a point 
 of land round which wo must steer before arriving 
 at the end of our day's voyage. It is curious 
 how long it takes to arrive at a certain point 
 soon for hours from tho deck of a ship. Hut at 
 length wo made tho long-lookod-at cape, and were 
 delighted with tho picturesque appearance of 
 lU'yrout. Far off in tho mountains which encircle 
 the bay, trees are to bo seen with a glass, tho 
 celebrated cedars of Lebanon. 
 
 Tho town of Beyrout is finely situated, but if 
 wo hoped to have a (juiet anchorage we were 
 mistaken. A Turkish man-of-war lay near u.s, 
 and a French frigate was also anchored not far 
 off. The wind blew into the harbour, and a heavy 
 Hwcll was rolling in, which lasted all tho time 
 the Grijjin was at Heyrout. 
 
 Tho day after wo arrived was Sunday, tho 8th 
 of May, and, pratique having been procured the 
 day before, we landed in the morning for church. 
 
248 GRIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 Kidby had ordered a carriage to meet ns at the 
 landing, so we drove up the hill to the Protestant 
 Church. It appears that the Presbyterian and 
 Episcopalian forms of worship are held on alter- 
 nate Sundays. This Sunday was devoted to the 
 Presbyterians. 
 
 After the service was over, as the post-office 
 did not open till one o'clock, we took a short 
 drive, and then returned on board with our 
 letters. 
 
 And here we were to part with Ibrahim, as our 
 future journey to Damascus was to be made by 
 carriage. My wife and I were quite sorry to 
 part with this intelligent little man. We paid his 
 passage back to Jaffa. He was to leave by the 
 Russian steamer, which went off that afternoon. 
 Ibrahim Dehrony is always to be heard of at 
 Howard's Hotel, Jaffa. 
 
 Next day, May 9th, we landed in the afternoon, 
 and took up our quarters at the Oriental Hotel. 
 Our rooms looked out on the sea, we were im- 
 mediately above it, and there was the Griffin 
 tossing about in the troubled Mediterranean. 
 
 We had engaged the coupe of the diligence, 
 which leaves Beyrout for Damascus at four a.m. 
 
(!ABKIA0R8 IN BfYROOT. 2VJ 
 
 every morning. After luncheon wo took a car- 
 riage and drove to the old mosque, on the site 
 whore tradition places St. George's fight with the 
 dragon. Tlundrods of years ago it was a Christian 
 church, now it is a Moslem mos(|Uf. There is an 
 old well close by over which is built an ancient 
 cupola. It appears that after the fight the saint's 
 sword was naturally very bloody, so he thrust it 
 into the soft ground to cleanse it, and lo ! a spring 
 of water came forth — hence th<* well. The 
 scenery round Bcyrout is very luxuriant, and the 
 many houses surrounded by trees are pleasing to 
 look upon. Many mulberries grow everywhere, 
 and silk is a great staple. 
 
 It is only very lately that carriages have been 
 started at Beyrout, so the drivers are most eccen- 
 tric. Our coachman was dressed in the usual 
 white linen Turkish blouse, with a fez on his 
 head. He gathered up his reins in a bundle, and 
 shouted at his little horses. Away they went at 
 full gallop, up hill and down dale; round corners, 
 through narrow lanes, our mad Jehu flourished 
 his whip, and screamed fiercely. Fortunately we 
 wore not upset, nor did we run over anybody, 
 which was marvellous. 
 
250 QEIFFIN AHOV ! 
 
 The Oriental Hotel is very comfortable, and tlie 
 cuisine is not bad, but there is one very great 
 nuisance. Innumerable beggars, in every state 
 oi: squalor and disease, throng the entrance, and 
 force themselves on the notice of the stranger in 
 a most revolting manner, and no one can enter or 
 leave the hotel without being attacked by these 
 poor, wretched creatures. 
 
 At half-past two o'clock in the morning of the 
 10th of May a knock at our door announced the 
 unpleasant fact that we must get up and dress. 
 It was a lovely night, with a cool, fresh breeze 
 from the sea. In the East there seems to be no 
 regular time for sleep. Servants call one and 
 bring breakfast at three o'clock in the morning, 
 just as much as a matter of course as the servants 
 call you at eight o'clock at home. And it cer- 
 tainly is much easier to get up at unearthly hours 
 there than in the West. One has not the same 
 " shivery " feeling that an early start at home 
 produces. We were able to do justice to an 
 excellent breakfast before we started. We stepped 
 out into the dark, glad to find that the beggars 
 were not there, and got into the carriage with the 
 reckless driver. We had not more than a mile to 
 
UEPABTDBE KBOM UrfBODT. 251 
 
 drive, chiefly tlirou(,'h tlio bazaar, to the place 
 from whence the dilipfonce starts. 
 
 According to the French manner of doing 
 things, ine.H^eitr.i Us royaijeurs are ordered to bo 
 at the oflico half an hour before It tlt^part, so wo 
 found all our follow-passengors assembled. A 
 very civil man in authority begged us to bo seated 
 in tho stuffy little waiting-room ; ho was desirous 
 of knowing if I was a relation of a Maxwell, an 
 engineer, whose dragoman ho had been while tho 
 English wore carrying on tho work of bringing 
 water from tho Dog River to Beyrout — it is now 
 in tho hands of tho same company, and Beyrout 
 is one of tho few towns on tho coast where tho 
 wntor is really good and safe to drink. We pre- 
 ferred strolling up and down under tho stars, 
 watching tho faint light of day rapidly increasing, 
 till it was timo to start. 
 
 At last tho team of three horses and three 
 mules were ready, and wo climbed up into the 
 couih', much congratulating ourselves on having 
 engaged tho whole of it. The coachman cmckod 
 his whip and said, " Riogh !" in true French 
 fashion, and we were off. We trotted at a very 
 good pace for several miles along the first-rate 
 
252 GEIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 road made by a FrencH company, which continues 
 the whole way to Damascus equally good. We 
 were surprised to see how very little traffic there 
 was on it ; long lines of laden waggons we passed 
 belonging to the company, and an occasional 
 gaily-dressed horseman, but the stream of don- 
 keys and camels generally to be met with followed 
 the rocky pathway, often at no great distance 
 from the highway. Much puzzled by the per- 
 verse nature of a people preferring a difficult 
 track to a well-made road, we put it down to 
 the stolidity of the Turk, who sees no good in 
 anything new. But in this case we wronged 
 him. A heavy toll on each loaded beast is the 
 cause of the preference for old paths to new 
 roads. 
 
 The sun was rising when we began the ascent 
 of Lebanon. It took five hours' continued strain 
 on the collar. The view was perfectly beautiful. 
 On the mountain sides were gardens and vine- 
 yards innumerable, and as the sun rose the soft 
 tints on green trees and brown rocks were mar- 
 vellous. Far off, as we turned a sharp corner, 
 we could see behind us, like tiny spots, the ships 
 at anchor in the bay ; before us the highest peaks 
 
A KAL8K ALAUM. 253 
 
 ni Lubaiioii were wliito witb auow. Whi-ii \w 
 arrived at the summit, wo immediatoly began the 
 dosceut oil llio other sidf l)y tlie moat wonderfully 
 engineered road, all zig-zags, till wo came to a 
 broad plain, through which we trotted at the 
 merriest of pacea. We haltetl half-way at a nice 
 country inn among trees, where wo had (juite a 
 French dtjeiiner, and, after an hour, the time to 
 start was signalled by the old familiar cry, " En 
 voiture, mosdamos et messieurs!" 
 
 We had a long trot over a regular French road, 
 straight as an arrow, till we got to Chalcis, a 
 ruined city, and then past ilejdel, where a temple 
 is soon. After a time wo camo to Wady-el-kurn, 
 a valley throe miles long, with tho wildest scenery 
 imaginable. Onco tho abode of robbers, it is 
 now tho resort of shepherds with their flocks of 
 goats. When wo drove through one of the nar- 
 rowest parts, a picturesque figure jumped into 
 tho centre of tho road with a look of " stand and 
 dolivor !" on bis faco. lie was armed witb a long 
 gun, but I presume be was peaceably inclined, 
 for a great talk ensued, which ended in a goat 
 being caught and milked, and a bowl of milk 
 being handed up to our coachman. 
 
264 (iUji'i'iN AiioY ! 
 
 After oiuorging from the valley, we aHcentlcd 
 a steep hill, and then drove along a ver^' sterile 
 plain. The sun was powerful, and the heat made 
 us sleepy. The oft-repeated question, " I wonder 
 how far we have to go now ?" was followed by a 
 yawn, when all of a sudden, at a turn of the 
 road, we left desolation behind us, and found 
 ourselves in fairyland. 
 
 We were on the banks of a swift-running river 
 among green trees, and there was the perfume of 
 flowers instead of the smell of dust. The re- 
 mainder of our journey was delightful. We 
 entered a narrow gorge ; on one side we had high 
 rocks above us, in every crevice of which grew 
 ferns, and flowering shrubs, and graceful trees. 
 The sound of rushing water was everywhere. 
 The Abana flowed clear as crystal on the other 
 side of the road, and kept us company all the 
 way to Damascus. Beyond the river were luxuri- 
 ant woods, and above all towered the mountains 
 of Anti-Lebanon. We forgot the fatigue of our 
 long drive and the dreary plain as we experienced 
 the full beauty of the scene. As we got nearer 
 to Damascus we met gaily-dressed Moslems 
 
MtUtVAr, AT DAMAS'TS, 2.j5 
 
 inountod on showy horses. At first they wen- 
 ilignifiod enough, but as our groat dilly approach- 
 ed them, we were too much for the high-spirited 
 Arabs. They turned and fled, and the graceful 
 riders became ordinary mortals. 
 
 In the green fields that border the river Abana 
 near the city well-bred mares and foals were 
 grazing, and on the river's bank were seated 
 groups of Mahometans who gazed at our dust- 
 covered vehicle with great disdain. Damascus, 
 with its gleaming white domes and minarets, 
 now appeared close before us. Wo passed num- 
 bers of cafes by the water-side, in which Turkish 
 officers were smoking cigarettes, and watching 
 the horses swimming in the river. Apparently 
 all the horses of Damascus are groomed in the 
 waters of the Abana. Naked grooms urged their 
 chargers into the deepest places, and with shouts 
 and gesticulations forced them to swim. The 
 horses probably have boon trained to this all their 
 lives, as they did not soem to offer much resistance. 
 
 And now we turned sharply to the right, and, 
 crossing the river by a low bridge, we trotted 
 through a gateway into a large open court 
 
256 GKIFFIN AUOY ! 
 
 crowded with people, who gave a shout of wel- 
 come as our guard sounded a triumphant note on 
 his rather cracked brass trumpet. And thus we 
 arrived at Damascus. 
 
CIlAl'TKK XI II. 
 
 DAMASCl'S. 
 
 DAUASCUS COMFAACD WITU COKSTAJmSOPLB— OCTl nOTCI/— OOBSE rAlB 
 
 — I).VZ.VAU!( or TIIE DirrnUEST TIUDE*— the DR.U8 BAZAAB— TIIC 
 
 ciu VXD MiMtjiri:— Tur snirrrc xiXEDsntAioirr— pitfxsnuTE conjixs 
 
 — IIOL'SC or ANANI.U — ^TIIECIATB DAn-CL-JADTCII — SCEXE OF TAIX'S 
 
 c<i<n-cB9iox— ruuEciTiox or ciiRi5nAXs— orave or occKUt toe 
 
 MISTORIAX— II01-.SCS or TIIE WEALTHY IXIUHrTAJCT*— TIIE PUBUC 
 ilAnDEXS— CtRClSSIAN REFIOEES— DBIVE ALONG TIIE tUVSKS Of Till; 
 
 Mi\SA— ARRIVAL At Dmion 
 
ClIAl'TKIJ XIII. 
 
 T ^THKN wo stopped clown from the diligenco, 
 ' ' wo bade ad ion to wostorn scones, all bo- 
 camo eastern. C'onstantinoplo is not so thoroufjlily 
 orii-ntal in appearance as Damascus, and in one 
 respect the latter city is far superior to the 
 formiT. l)amascu!< is very clean, and there aro 
 no bud smells or mangy dogs as in Constantino- 
 ple. I'ariahs there aro, but each one seems to 
 belong to the shop in front of which it basks. 
 
 Wo were conducted to the liofel by an Knglish- 
 ppeaking dragoman, who at once claimed us ns 
 his property, presenting a note from the Commo- 
 dore's party, who had only left Damascus the day 
 before, recommending him as a capital guide. 
 The distance is not more than five minutes' walk 
 from whore the diligooco stops. We entered the 
 hotfl by a wicket-gate, bending low, and found 
 
 b2 
 
260 GMFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 ourselves iu a court sbadocl by trees, in the centre 
 of which was a large fountain surrounded with 
 flowers, with a jet d'eau, the sound of whose 
 falling water was very pleasant on that hot day. 
 A very stately landlady, who spoke no language 
 but Arabic, gave orders to the dragoman, but took 
 no notice of us. We were shown into a delight- 
 fully clean bed-room looking on the court in which 
 the fountain always played. We at first demurred 
 about sleeping on the ground-floor, but were told 
 that the best rooms upstairs had been secured by 
 telegraph for an American party. We might, 
 however, go up and judge for ourselves 
 whether the bed-rooms that remained were as 
 good as the one that had been assigned to 
 us, and the result of our exploration was 
 that we thankfully came back to the room 
 below. It was a contrast to the squalid rooms 
 perched on the top of rickety wooden stairs in 
 various parts of the upper building. We were 
 conveniently situated for the table-d'hote, as it 
 was on the side of the court opposite us, and on 
 the ground-floor was also the drawing-room, with 
 its beautiful fountain of clearest water in the 
 centre, and the silver drinking-cup beside it. 
 
UOBBK-KAIK. 2C1 
 
 This was a charming novelty. When wo entered 
 tho door, before you was this beautiful spring in 
 its tnarblo bowl. On each side were elevated 
 Huors of marble, very prettily furnished with rich 
 carpets, divans, and tables. The walls and ceil- 
 ings wore handsomely decorated ; there was a 
 freshness about this place I never saw rivalled, 
 and, as mosquitoes are unknown at the time of tho 
 year when wo were there, wo enjoyed thoroughly 
 the perfumed coolness of the air. 
 
 On tho morning after our arrival wo started 
 with our dragoman to see tho sights of the place. 
 Wo passed through tho scjuaro of the town, 
 where tho horse-bazaar is situated. A mob of 
 wild horses had been driven in from far away 
 pastures. ^lany of them wore mares, with foals 
 at their feet, huddled together in graceful groups, 
 looking with alarmed defiance at their surround- 
 ings. Besides the wild, untrained animals there 
 were plenty of nice-looking nags for sale. 
 
 From this horso-fair we passed into the brass- 
 bazaar. Damascus is famcil for its brass work. 
 We bought some beautiful trays in embossed 
 work, a very curious old lamp, and some bowls. 
 Our dragoman made the bargain for us. The 
 
262 GRIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 scale ou which he paid seemed to be rather below 
 the half of what was asked. My wife took a 
 fancy to a fakeer's wallet in brass, but declined 
 to give fifteen francs for it. As the merchant 
 seemed to think her offer of five francs beneath 
 contempt we walked on, but swift repentance fell 
 upon him, and he pursued us with the article. 
 After that, I lost confidence in my former plan of 
 always paying half of what was asked. 
 
 Every trade has its own bazaar, and you may 
 walk miles in them. The inlaid-work of mother- 
 of-pearl on wood is another specialite of Damascus. 
 We bought several specimens of the work. They 
 make most lovely little tables, glistening with 
 mother-of-pearl. The price asked for these is 
 very great. And there are chests, cradles, and 
 wardrobes all in the same style, but these larger 
 articles are quite beyond the capacities of a 
 traveller's luggage. From this bazaar we passed 
 into " the street that was called straight," 
 which runs east to west, and is about one mile 
 long. The bazaars are broad, and very clean, 
 and no disagreeable smells annoyed us. There is 
 plenty of room for the strings of donkeys and 
 occasional camels to pass without jostling. The 
 
BAZAAB8. 2C;J 
 
 people aro porfoctly civil, and show no curioBity, 
 in fact, wo staro a good deal more at thi'in tlian 
 tlicy do at us. TIjo woraen aro almost all veiled. 
 In their own (|iiartor, tho Christian part of the 
 population do not veil, but they yield to tho pro- 
 judico of tho Moslems when they f^o among them. 
 
 Tho Haddlers havo a very bright street of tht-ir 
 own, with gaily ornaraontod trappings and gorge- 
 ous horse-gear of all kinds. Wo saw gem-studded 
 saddle-cloths and costly headstalls. Then w<- 
 came to tho shoemaker's ba/aar. Even it was 
 bright with red and yellow slippers and brilliant 
 sandals. Tho Knglish bazaar was not inter- 
 esting to us, though it seemed to bo doing a very 
 brisk trade. Gaudy felt carpets were in great 
 rocjuost that special morning. Wo could only 
 wonder at tho tasto of people who had tho soft, 
 rieh, porfoctly-blendod tints of Persia so constantly 
 Iwforo their eyes. Tho bazaars aro very interest- 
 ing, but thoro is a degree of sameness about 
 them. Constantinople, Cairo, Damascus are very 
 much tho same, only tho latter is free from all 
 the horrors which oven Cairo is not altogether 
 witliout. 
 
 After some hours' exploration wo gladly agreed 
 
264 GRIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 to our dragoman's suggestion that, if we were 
 to be in time for the twelve o'clock breakfast at 
 the hotel, wo had better turn homewards. 
 
 A few carriages are to be had for hire at 
 Damascus. There is really only one road fit for 
 wheels, the highway to Beyrout, but, as Demetri 
 assured us, '•' if we went slow " we might go to 
 many places. We told him to go to his dinner, 
 desiring him to be at the door with a carriage at 
 three o'clock. It was not a bad little trap which 
 be brought, with a roof and curtains, for the sun 
 was very hot, even so far north as Damascus, and 
 so early in the year. Nothing could be more 
 unlike a carriage road than that which led to the 
 places to which we went. Our dragoman took 
 his own way, and showed us many places inter- 
 esting only from association with past history. 
 The Great Mosque cannot be entered without an 
 order, but we were permitted to look in at the 
 door. It is built on the site of the house of 
 Rimmon, where Naaman attended his master.* 
 A heathen temple therefore stood here, which 
 afterwards became a Christian church, and is now 
 a Moslem mosque. 
 
 * 2 Kings, V, 18. 
 
TUE " 8TBEET CALLED STBAiaUl." 265 
 
 The " street called straight," no doubt, is the 
 barao as in the days of Paul, but the houses are 
 all more modern. The houses in old times had 
 columns in front of them, many of which, now 
 fallen, lie prostrate on the ground. Near the 
 west end of the street wc wore invited to descend 
 to SCO the house of Ananias, the disciple who saw 
 a vision,* and came to Paul.f We left our car- 
 riage and followed our guide past the bare, 
 sun-dried, mud-walled houses of the Christian 
 (juarter, to a door by which wo entered into a 
 court, and from thence went down to the house 
 of Ananias, which has the appearance of a vault, 
 but is fitted up with a'^iltar, and is used as a place 
 of worship. The inevitable backsheesh was given 
 to a woman who appeared at the right moment, 
 and wo went back to the " street called straight," 
 to the carriage. 
 
 At the west cntrnncc of this street is a very 
 ancient gate, " Bab-el-Jabyeh," which has been 
 partly built up for nearly a thousand years. Out 
 by this gate we passed beyond the walls of the 
 city to the green belt of orchards that surround 
 it. The jolting got beyond endurance, and wo 
 • Act* is. 10. t Apm xxii. >2. 
 
266 GKIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 found that, except for the name of having a car- 
 riage, we might as well have walked. We were 
 bound for the spot where St. Paul heard the 
 voice that stopped him on his career of persecu- 
 tion. The old Roman road that existed in those 
 days is all destroyed except a few yards, which 
 mark the exact place of the scene of Paul's con- 
 version. Close to this is the native Christian 
 cemetery where the victims of the massacre in 
 1860 were buried. It is a dreary, uncared-for, 
 sun-baked region, where every other place is so 
 green and bright. 
 
 "Ah! sir, these were fearful times," said our 
 dragoman, as he looked sadly on the crumbling 
 graves. " The Christians who were murdered 
 were buried there in one large grave — all, except 
 those who were eaten hy the dogs." 
 
 This dragoman, like Ibrahim, was a Christian, 
 and had been wounded. He told most wonderful 
 stories of his escape, and they might be true ; but 
 he must have been very young in 1860. One 
 was about his grandfather, an old man of 
 eighty-three. The Moslems came to him, and 
 called on him to abjure Christianity. The old 
 man asked for a few moments to consider, and 
 
VISIT TO A liBBKK UKBCHANT's U0U8K. 207 
 
 ik'VOtocl the time to pniyer. Tbt«n this old hero 
 called to his porsocutorH, and 8nid : " Now I am 
 ready to die, in the name of the Father, and of 
 the Son, and of the Holy Ghost!" and then they 
 hacked him to pieces. 
 
 I'assing on from there wo soon stood again 
 under the walls of the city, The tower is shown 
 from which St. Paul was lot down in a basket. 
 Tradition says that the porter who holjKHl him to 
 escape was put to death, and that ho lies in the 
 Christian burying-ground, in which his grave is 
 much reverenced. The English cemotory is not 
 far from hero. There are two graves of remark- 
 able men there, Dr. William Arnold Hromfiold, 
 and the historian, II. T. Hucklo. 
 
 Kutering the city again by the gate, our drago- 
 man proposed taking us to see some of the hou.ses 
 belonging to the wealthy inhabitants, who are 
 most good-natured in allowing strangers to go 
 over their dwellings. It must be worse than 
 liviiiL,' in a show-place at home, for there private 
 rooms are safe from intrusion, but at Damascus 
 every door is thrown oiH>n. 
 
 Our first visit was paid to a Greek merchant's 
 house. We drove through a narrow street till wo 
 
268 GRIFFIN ADOY ! 
 
 came to a very mean door, at which our drago- 
 man knocked, and we were admitted. We passed 
 first into a small yard, and then another door was 
 opened, and we were ushered into a magnificent 
 court surrounded by rooms opening into it. The 
 pavement was all marble, inlaid with mosaic. On 
 one side there was a raised marble platform of 
 the purest white, with a flight of steps in the 
 centre. We ascended these, and entered a very 
 tastefully-furnished reception-room, in which the 
 sight and sound of falling water gave a delicious 
 sense of freshness. A large marble tank of per- 
 petually running water, clear as crystal, was at 
 one end of the room. A richly-chased, silver 
 drinking-cup tempted one to drink, and surely 
 there can be no purer, sweeter water than that of 
 the Abana. 
 
 There were two more drawiug-rooms ; the one 
 on the left was most gorgeous, all the fittings 
 and hangings being oriental, with the exception 
 of the carpet, and there they failed, for the floor, 
 instead of being covered with their own beautiful 
 Persian rugs, was covered with a French carpet, 
 very handsome of its kind, but not in harmony 
 with the other things. The drawing-room on 
 
OBEKK MKIKIIASt'h WIKK ASH SON. 209 
 
 tho right was called tlio Kuropoan room. Tho 
 fiirnituro was all French, and tho wardrobe with 
 the glass door was vory fine, if not quite in its 
 proper place. Tho lady of tho house, tho fJroek 
 merchant's wife, received us dressed as for a ball, 
 witli splendid diamonds in her hair. She apolo- 
 pizod for not being able to go round tho house 
 with us, as tho Grook Patriarch was dining with 
 her, 80 she gracefully bowed herself away, leaving 
 her son, a boy of ton or twelve, to do tho 
 honours. 
 
 Tho boy was delighted, and waved us to corao with 
 hiiu. Wo expected to bo shown valuable pieces of 
 sculpture, or some rare pictures ; but, tho boy's 
 thou£^hts being otherwise occupied, he conducted us 
 into a dark passage, and then to a window looking 
 into a room, and, with a face radiant with delight, 
 said, *' Look !" and there, to our confusion, was 
 soatod tho lady of tho diamonds, with about thirty 
 guests, among whom was tho Greek Patriarch. 
 They scorned very jolly, and champagne was being 
 handed round in profusion. Of course wo beat a 
 retreat in haste, but wo had time to observe tho 
 beauty of the room, which was large enough to 
 be a very grand ball-room. Our youthful guide 
 
270 fllilKFlN AHOY ! 
 
 was, I fancy, disgusted at our not being more 
 excited by the sight of so many good tilings to 
 eat and drink. 
 
 From hence we passed into a perfect little 
 flower-garden at the back, completety ablaze with 
 flowers, and the air sweet with orange-blossoms 
 and rare shrubs. Our young host made a Httle 
 posy for each of us, and presented it with a 
 graceful bow and that easy grace which is so 
 natural to all classes in the East. We soon after 
 went back to our carriage. Backsheesh must 
 be given to some one, but the fashion in this 
 house was to drop it into a box at the door " for 
 the servants." 
 
 We paid a visit to another Greek merchant's 
 house, quite as grand as the former. We saw 
 the ladies of the house and some visitors, rather 
 nice-looking girls, lounging on sofas smoking 
 narguilehs. They were very civil, and showed us 
 round the place. It was on the same principle 
 as the last abode we saw — a vast marble court, 
 with magnificent rooms surrounding it. In one 
 of the drawing-rooms, on a richly-carved table, 
 there was a silver flagon, with drinking-cups like 
 " quaighs." One of the ladies insisted I should 
 
PL'BI.If5 UAKKK.VS. 271 
 
 have some of t\w contents of tbo bottlo, which I 
 accoptod, and drank thoir healths. Thi< li(|Ufur 
 was " .\rastit|iio." 
 
 After havin<; aeon over this houso, wo wore taken 
 to tho public gardens, a perfect place in which 
 to spend hours on a hot summer's day. Tho trees 
 throw masses of shade on walks and alloys. Little 
 rivulets trickle in all directions, and ono of tho 
 many bninchos of tho Abana tears alonf» at tho 
 ontl of tho garden. Tho Christian part of tho 
 population oomo hero a groat deal on 8un<lays 
 and f^to days, and this is tho place to see them. 
 
 Next day wo had another morning in tiie 
 bn/.aars, spending a long hour bargaining for 
 Persian carpets. We carried off three, paying for 
 thorn with Napoleons, and it is characteristic of 
 tho suspicious nature of tho people, that tho same 
 evening, as wo wore dressing for dinner, thocarpot 
 merchant begged for an interview. Our drago- 
 man had paiil for tho rugs, and tho merchant 
 susjMHJtod him of having charged .mo sovoroigna 
 and paid him with Napoleons ! Wo wore able to 
 clear his character ; ho was intensely disgusted. 
 
 We had a carriage again in the afternoon. 
 Our drive was through a very old part of tho city. 
 
272 (JKii'FiN Alloy ! 
 
 We passed out through the Salahiyeh Gate, and 
 up a paved road. It was most wonderful that 
 neither was our carriage upset, nor did our horses 
 founder. But how beautiful the view was when 
 we emerged from the village of Salahiyeh, and 
 came to a pause on the side of a hill which tower- 
 ed above us on one side, while, like a magic 
 dream, Damascus, with its green trees, and 
 minarets, and turrets, rose out of a frame of 
 luxuriant orchards and gardens — a vision of 
 Paradise. 
 
 We could have remained here for hours, but 
 we were obliged to tear ourselves away from one 
 of the most beautiful views imaginable. We 
 rattled down the hill in a most reckless manner, 
 and, having arrived at the bottom without acci- 
 dent, went on to see a very ancient mosque 
 on the banks of the Abana. 
 
 At the time of the Bulgarian atrocities, the 
 persecuted Circassians fled to Turkey, which gave 
 them various sites for villages. On our ride to 
 Antioch we passed close to one of those. The 
 Circassians are a very dirty people, and we saw 
 no trace of their far-famed beauty. Having no 
 goods of their own, their hand is against every 
 
nOUi-.K OK IIAROllA. 273 
 
 man, and thoy aro much dreadod as neighbours. 
 Thoy have boon allowed to settle round this old 
 inosquo, but thoy arc worse off here than in their 
 own country, having no apparent means of gain- 
 ing a livelihood. They are bigoted Mahommo- 
 dans. 
 
 Wo hud now scon all the principal sights in 
 Damascus ; the more remarkable of them I have 
 mentioned, and our last evening in this pictur- 
 esque place was come, so wo told our coachman 
 to drive us along the banks of the Abana to the 
 gorge of the Baroda. The afternoon was far 
 advanced, and the riders wore prancing their 
 horses on tho green fields which grace the bor- 
 ders of tho beautiful river. Tho sun was sotting, 
 and the colouring of the high cliffs above us was 
 lilac ; nothing could be more perfect than the 
 lovely tints of tho hills towering above tho green 
 trees which lino tho road. The whole air was 
 laden with tho perfume of blossoms on tho shrubs 
 growing all along the way. Wo took some of tho 
 branches back to tho hotel, but wo were obliged 
 to put thom outside our room, for the scent was 
 too powerful. 
 
 Wo arrived at the gorge, and remained some 
 
 T 
 
274 ORIFI'IN AHOY ! 
 
 time enjoying the cool breeze and inhaling the 
 sweet air, quite delighted with the scene, when 
 we were interrupted by a request to get into our 
 carriage. " Quick ! quick !" We obeyed, wonder- 
 ing what the matter could be, for the driver 
 looked fearfully alarmed. We soon found out 
 that the dreadful diligence was approaching, and 
 we must fly. Our little horses went like the 
 wind, but nearer came the dusty monster. A 
 broad part of the road allowed our Jehu to gain 
 a place of shelter, and there we remained while 
 the big lumbering vehicle passed us with great 
 dignity, and scattered in every direction, as it 
 rolled on its way, the riders on horses and drivers 
 in carriages. 
 
 We got back to our hotel in time to dress for 
 the tahle-d'hote. There was a large party at din- 
 ner, and we were pleased to meet again the 
 American family whose acquaintance we had 
 made at Jerusalem. Among the other strangers 
 present were an Austrian prince and the King of 
 Bavaria's Master of the Horse, with his wife, a 
 pleasant, talkative person. As we were entering 
 the dining-room, an old friend I had not met for 
 years came up and spoke to me. The last time 
 
ASTIB Bf FOB! DAWK. 275 
 
 I mot him was at a gay ball givon by my friend. 
 Colonel Kent, and the ofTicors of the 77th Rogi- 
 mont at Portsmouth. Thoro is something very 
 pleasant in those meetings in foreign lands, when 
 BO many " do you remembers " aro exchanged. 
 The old 77th is no more ; it has vanished, and its 
 time-honoured number has passed away ; but the 
 olficers who belonged to the 77th and 88th in tho 
 oM Royal Army must over bo united by a friend- 
 ship formed on tho battlo-fiold, and comentod in 
 many a garrison both at liomo and abroad. The 
 pleasure of tho last evening at Damascus was 
 therefore increased by this mooting. 
 
 We retired early to bed, for ne.xt morning one 
 of our " before dawn " starts was to bo made. 
 Still tho dark night was reigning whon tho voice 
 of tho over-wakeful </(trron was heard at our door 
 proclaiming it to bo half-past two in the morning. 
 It is marvellous now to think how promptly wo 
 were astir — how, without a grumble, we got 
 through tubbing and dressing, though the water 
 of the Abana is most chilly at that hour. Then 
 forth into the cold air wo passed, guided by lan- 
 terns, to tho break fast-room, which already showed 
 great preparations for tho morning meal, the 
 
 t2 
 
276 OKIFFIN AnoY ! 
 
 table being duly laid for twenty people, the most 
 of whom had at least five hours' sleep before them. 
 We did not linger, and soon the well-deserved 
 backsheesh had been given, and for the last time 
 we bowed our heads and passed through the lowly 
 hotel wickets. 
 
 One of the hotel servants preceded us, carrying 
 an enormous paper lantern, and we required his 
 light, for the streets were uneven, and it was the 
 time of intense darkness before the dawn. Be- 
 hind us followed our luggage, all strapped on the 
 back of our porter. The purchases we had made 
 of carpets, lamps, &c., &c., had all been sent off 
 to the diligence ofBce the night before. We had 
 secured the whole of the coupe, having felt the 
 comfort of plenty of space and our own company 
 on the journey up from Beyrout. We much con- 
 gratulated ourselves on our forethought when we 
 saw how many passengers were gathered round 
 the diligence. Among them were an English 
 lady and gentleman, who must have found it 
 rather inconvenient where they were placed. 
 
 The drive along the banks of the Abana in the 
 early morning was most enchanting, but the wind 
 ■was cold, aud we were glad to wrap ourselves in 
 
aOVEBNUE.NT OK THE LEUA.NON. 1!77 
 
 cloaks. Wo followed tho suiuo road wo had como 
 aloug from Beyrout. At thu littlu sidu ttiu wo 
 had luuchuoD, uud found u dutachinunt of Turkish 
 dragoons halted undor command of a European 
 officer who was decorated with medals, ono of 
 which was that of tho Legion of Honour. Tlio 
 men woro soldier-like in appearance, and their 
 uniform good. 
 
 After luncheon wo started again, and, as wo 
 came nearer Ueyrout, a good number uf passen- 
 gers wore taken up. At ono placo a nice-looking 
 young woman in Greek costumo entered tho 
 compartment in which the English lady was 
 travelling. After a short time wo heard loud 
 exclamations, and a voico in English exclaim, 
 " Hero is a set out 1 This lady has been sick 
 everywhere. How disgusting !" How matters 
 were arranged I know not. 
 
 Tho view coming down the mountain \i\ion 
 Heyrout, looking seaward, was most beautiful. 
 Tho vines woro all in leaf, and all tho country 
 was green ; pretty little chiilets dotted tho hill- 
 sides and cropped up in all sorts of imi>ossiblo 
 places. Tho Lebanon is well and wisely governed. 
 The paslia lives at Heyrout. He is apjwintcd by 
 
278 ouii'']'ii\ AHOY ! 
 
 tbc Portt", uLid confirmed iu the same by tbo 
 European Powers. Theft and house-breaking are 
 unknown, and the inhabitants of Beyrout go up 
 to their summer resorts in the Lebanon in perfect 
 security. As we trotted along the road, on 
 reaching the level we met numerous carriages 
 filled with gaily-dressed people. The horses were 
 all greatly dismayed at the appearance of the 
 dilly. One very well got-up phaeton and pair, 
 with coachman and footman in livery, with cock- 
 ades in their hats, nearly came to grief. The last 
 I saw of them as we rumbled away was both nags 
 going at full speed, and the gentleman inside the 
 carriage evidently not at all a son aise. 
 
 Every Friday the pasha gives a party, and the 
 band plays in the garden outside the town, and 
 these were the guests whose horses we had so 
 alarmed. 
 
 Arrived at the office in Beyrout, we found 
 Kidby with a carriage. Our baggage delayed us 
 some time, as it had to be passed the custom 
 house. We drove through the town to the 
 landing-place, where a negro employe gave us all 
 the trouble he could with a view to being bought 
 off, but sooner than give the man a penny he 
 
DIVINE SKttVICE. 'ITJ 
 
 uii^^ht have searchod all our goods ! We loft him 
 very much sold.with Kidby in charge to see the bag- 
 gage through, and, getting into a boat, in a short 
 time wo were ou board tlio Griffin, which as usual 
 was curtseying to the Mediterranean Sea. 
 
 Next morning, the 15th of May, was Sunday. 
 We had fulfdled our engagement to bo on board 
 on that date. The Commodore and his party 
 had not yet arrived, but both my wife and myself 
 agreed that, barring accidents, wo wore sure ho 
 would turn up on that day, for he never failed to 
 fulfil any agreement of the kind. The yacht gig 
 took all of us to church, including the captain, 
 Kidby, and the two maids. It was very hot. 
 The service was Episcopalian, which we were not 
 prepared for, having been in the same church 
 eight days ago, when the form was Presbyterian ; 
 but wo had forgotten that wo had been told that 
 every alternate Sunday tho service was different. 
 One side of the aisle was completely filled by 
 young native girls from one of tho Christian 
 schools; they looked pretty and modest, with 
 their thin white veils partially covering their 
 heads and faces. 
 
 After service, we went off to tho post-oflice to 
 
280 GEIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 SCO if the mail-steamer that came in early had 
 brought us letters. On our way back to the 
 boat a man met us with the information that the 
 Commodore and the Princess, with all their party, 
 were on board. Poor Kidby was in a great state 
 of distress, for he was sure " the guvner would 
 want no end of things, and he could not get 
 them !" The Princess's maid was equally dis- 
 tracted, and the captain was annoyed at being 
 absent when the Commodore arrived. As we 
 drew near to the yacht, the Princess appeared 
 and waved her welcome. And when we got on 
 deck it was like the meeting of friends who had 
 been separated for months, instead of days. 
 Each one had a story to relate, and we all 
 were as jolly as possible. The Commodore in- 
 formed us that he heard we were still at Damas- 
 cus, and he had, with great kindness, written a 
 note to tell us not to hurry, as he would be 
 at Beyrout some time. This he had sent to 
 Damascus, but it just missed us, so we never 
 received it. Perhaps, if we had, we would have 
 gone to see the ruins of Baalbeck. But we were 
 quite glad to be back again, and we often said 
 our happiness would be complete, if Kildonan and 
 Susan were with us. 
 
SATED. 281 
 
 Tho twonty-two days' jouraoyiug of tho Com- 
 modoro and his party, from Jorusalom to Boyrout, 
 liad been a comploto success. They bad beautiful 
 woathor. Tho only place where tho heat was 
 excesfiivo was down by tho Lake of Tiberias, 
 which was in immediate contrast with their next 
 halting-place, Safed, where they woro too cold. 
 Safod is a very important town to tho Jews, for 
 it is there they expect tho Messiah to rise from 
 the waters of Galilee, and to take up Ilis royal 
 residence. Beshai, the dragoman, had done his 
 work thoroughly well, and the cook, who came off 
 to tho yacht to say good-bye to his employers, 
 besides being excellent in his profession, was a 
 great wag, his face being so comical that it alono 
 was sufficient to put one in good humour. 
 
 Wo had just missed at Damascus our friends, 
 who left it tho day before we arrived there, and 
 went on to the ruined temples of Baalbcck, of 
 whoso magnificence they could not say enough, 
 far surpassing, as thoy apparently did, the ruins 
 in Egypt wo had seen. From Baalbeck thoy 
 wont on to tho cedars of Lebanon ; thoy being 
 only the second caravan that had got through 
 this year, tho snow had lain so lato, and was so 
 
282 GEIFFIN AUOY ! 
 
 deep. Ilowever, they saw the mighty trees. It 
 was too cold to camp up among them, so they 
 had to ride away, carrying a number of the cones 
 with them. The whole party looked brown and 
 healthy after their month of tent life, but, like 
 ourselves, though regretting their Syrian jour- 
 neys were over, they were glad to be again on 
 board the good ship Griffin. 
 
 On Monday some of us went to visit the Pro- 
 testant colleges of Beyrout,which are on a most ex- 
 tensive scale, many hundreds of native girls being 
 educated at them. Some wealthy English people 
 have made these schools the object of their life's 
 work, and it is impossible to say the extent of 
 good they have done among the women of the 
 Lebanon, where their influence must be felt in the 
 remotest mountain and glen. 
 
CIIAPTEU XIV. 
 
 GUKKOK KK-VISITEU. 
 
 OIB riLGIUMAGI ACCO>irUSIIEI>— VIEWS OF VAKIOl'S ISLANDS— TIIC 
 
 isLZi or ORKKce — ATiiEXs— nic riiu:i°»— Tiie hasslvciie or 
 
 KNOLIsn OEXTLCIIKM-A BL-SSIAN rHIE.\I>— TltAIKS UrrWEEX TlIE 
 rilUX'S AKD ATUENS— ATUCMAN CADS- CIIANOE IN THE ASI'ECT or 
 ATlltlNa — REMAINli UK A.VrH<LTrT— DUCOVEBY or AM AiCCIEKT 
 CEMLTEIIT— TlIE TOMB or AOAMEIINON— TIIE EXCAVATIONS OF DB. 
 .<M.IIUEMA.SN. 
 
285 
 
 rilAPTKR XIV. 
 
 AT eij^ht ill the ovoninpf on Tuesday, the 17th 
 of May, wo left the roadstead of Boyrout. 
 Our pilgriinago in the Holy Land was over. All 
 our adventures seemed like a dream, for my wife 
 and I had always looked forward to the possi- 
 bility of visiting Palestine, and now we had 
 accomplished our purpose. Everything had been 
 managed in the most agreeable way by the kind- 
 ness and consideration of our Commodore and 
 Princess, and as the darkening night obscured 
 from view the Kastern I^and it was with great 
 regret wo said farewell to its fast fading shores. 
 The night was very fine, but the wind was from 
 the north-west against us. When we left the 
 anchorage at Beyrout wo ceased to feel the long 
 roll that was so trying as we lay at anchor, and 
 
286 GEIFFIN ADOY ! 
 
 ■which always accompanies the wind from thii5 
 particular quarter. 
 
 Next day was still fine. We sighted Cyprus 
 early, and for several hours sailed in view of that 
 island. We made very slow progress, as during 
 the long anchorage at Alexandria the bottom of 
 the yacht had become covered with long grass. 
 
 The 19th of May was fine, but some thunder- 
 showers came on, and in the evening the sky did 
 not look quite so promising. On the morning of 
 the 20th of May, as we sighted Scarpanto, an 
 island near Candia, the wind increased, the thun- 
 der rolled, and the lightning flashed. At noon 
 rain fell, and what the sailors called "coarse 
 weather " prevailed. We were then two hundred 
 and fifty miles from the PirtBus. Every hour the 
 weather became worse, and at night we had rain 
 and pitch darkness, and a I'ough sea with contrary 
 wind. 
 
 Next morning there was still a very rough sea. 
 At noon we were abreast of Scarpanto, and at 
 three in the afternoon we saw Milo a long way 
 ahead. At night it again blew a strong gale 
 against us, with a very heavy sea. This lasted 
 till early on the morning of Sunday, the 22nd of 
 
flRKEOK. 287 
 
 May, wlirfi t:i.' w.ailii'P cleared, ami the isles of 
 flrooco looked wondrous fair in the bright Bun- 
 ehiijo. The wind was cold and bracing. As the 
 morning wore on, and we got among the islands, 
 the sea bocamo smooth as a mill-pond, and for 
 the first time wo saw the Mediterranean in its 
 typical state. What a perfect soa it is, when the 
 sun shines into its blue depths, and the only 
 rulllo on its surface is caused by the dip of the 
 soa-bird ! A larpfo steamer was creeping up along 
 tlie shore, and picturesque boats wore skimming 
 here and tljere. 
 
 Mount Pentelicus, with its range of heights, 
 rose high on the coast. And Athens next ap- 
 peared in the far-off distance ; and then the 
 Pineus, with its ruins, and its new houses, and, 
 alas ! its tall chimneys, was straight in front of 
 us. And now pilot-boats swarmed down on us ; 
 but we declined all their offers, and glided calmly 
 on to what seemed an impossible entrance. But 
 wo were in the full light of day, which makes all 
 tlu» difference, going into an unknown port. 
 Suddenly wo o[X'iio(l up the harbour. It was 
 crowded with men-of-war of all nations except 
 our own. Just at the entrance we passed the 
 
288 GRIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 tomb of Themistoclcs, close down at tbe water's 
 edge ; but my memory recalled it, as I had been 
 in Greece many years ago. 
 
 Nothing could bo gayer than the scene, as we 
 slowly steamed up among the crowded shipping 
 looking for a berth. Russian, French, and Greek 
 toeu-of-war fly exceptionally large flags. On this 
 occasion, which was a special one, they were 
 enormous, the Greek royal family having gone on 
 board the Russian flagship, in which the queen's 
 brother is serving as a lieutenant. Besides the 
 men-of-war, steamers from all parts were busy 
 loading or unloading, and the shouting and vocif- 
 erating and the noise of getting up steam and 
 letting it ofl^ was incessant. "We finally anchored 
 closed to the custom house, in a very snug posi- 
 tion, at eleven a.m. on Sunday, the 22nd of May. 
 
 The last time I was at the Pirteus was as a 
 young subaltern in the Connaught Rangers. It 
 was marvellous to see the change these years had 
 made in the place. The man-of-war I was in 
 then as a guest was H.M.S. Benbow, commanded 
 by the late Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Houston 
 Stewart, G.C.B. The Benhmo anchored off what 
 now is a large bathing estabhshment. In those 
 
TUB rtB.«u». 'My 
 
 (lays tho Pirajus was a very small town, and tho 
 inhabitants woro tbo Greek costume, and swag- 
 fjorod about a pjood deal, and smoked long pipes. 
 Now the small seaport has become a largo town. 
 Tho peoplo look half French. Tho Greek dress 
 is a rare sight, and tho men lounge in front of 
 tho cafes smoking cigarettes. I do not think 
 that tho present stiff and modern-looking seaport 
 is at all e(|ual in interest or beauty to tho ancient, 
 time-worn Pira'us. 
 
 Wo landed in the afternoon, and walked 
 through now streets to the public gardens, whore 
 tho band was expected to play. There were many 
 little tables under the trees at which the modem 
 Oroeks quaffed tumblers of bock-bier, and pre- 
 sented a very different appearance from what 
 they would have done had they been attired in 
 their native costume. By this time a dragoman 
 had attached himself to tho Commodore, and was 
 ready to show us all that was to be seen. Wo 
 began by sitting down at one of the tables, and, 
 having given an order for lemonade and mastique, 
 we amused ourselves watching the people as they 
 passed in and out among tho trees. Officers in 
 tight uniforms clattered past ; nurses with chil- 
 
 U 
 
290 OEIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 dren sat on benches ; Greeks in ill-made coats and 
 trousers sat in most uninteresting groups. 
 
 After a time, as the band did not appear, it 
 was suggested that we should walk up to the 
 height at the back of the town and have a view 
 of Athens. Some of us shirked the climb in the 
 heat, and only the Commodore and two ladies 
 started. They brought back such a report of the 
 beauty of the view, and of the easy ascent of the 
 road, that we who had remained behind, regretted 
 that we had done so. They had seen Athens with 
 her glorious ruins and temples, and they saw the 
 very spot where the unfortunate party of English- 
 men had been captured by the brigands, and the 
 dragoman had clearly pointed out the hills they 
 had been dragged across to the fatal place where, 
 feeling themselves hemmed in by the sea on one 
 side and soldiers on the other, the ruffians murder- 
 ed our countrymen. The feeling that was strong 
 on our dragoman's mind, was that their guide had 
 sold them into the hands of the brigands. He 
 lives in Athens ; but, though still professing to act 
 as a dragoman, his trade has deserted him. The 
 ladies said the view seaward of the thousand and 
 one isles of Greece was enchanting, and the hill- 
 
OAPTAIN NOVOBILSKT. 291 
 
 top was covprod with flowers, from which tlio far- 
 famed boos of Greoco wore busy gathering honey. 
 Not being of the dimbing party, T returned along 
 tho quay witli one of our friends, and having 
 shouted " Criffin ahoy !" wont on board again in 
 tho boat which was sent to take us off. 
 
 Wo had found out that tho Russian man-of- 
 war with whoso captain wo had been on such 
 friendly terms at Algiers was lying here. Tho 
 ('ommodoro and tho Princess wont off to call on 
 him, but found on arriving alongside tho Due 
 il' Edinlifurij that tho captain had been transferred 
 to tho flag-ship, also in tho harbour. So they 
 rowed off to hor, and wore received with open 
 arms by thoir old friond, Captain Novosilsky. 
 
 Ho l)lamed himself very much for not haying 
 found us out before we discovered him. But tho 
 ship had boon m f't'te all day, owing to tho Royal 
 visitors, tho King and Queen of Greece, having 
 been on board. Ho cnroo back with tho Commo- 
 dore, dined on boartl tho yacht, and pathetically 
 told us what his sorrow had been on being trans- 
 ferred from his own vessel to the flag-ship. 
 
 On tho morning of tho i3rd of May, wo went 
 on shore soon after eight o'clock, on our way to 
 
 U2 
 
292 nniFFiN aroy ! 
 
 Athens. Trains run between the Pirneus and 
 Athens every half hour. It is nothing of a 
 journey, the distanco by road being only seven 
 miles. Wc had agreed that we should see more 
 of the country going by carriage, so the drago- 
 man had received orders to have everything ready 
 for an early start. As we were only to be a 
 night away from the yacht, our luggage was 
 small, and went with us. At the landing-place 
 we found two very suiDerior carriages waiting for 
 us. The Athenian cabs, as far as our experience 
 goes, are first-rate. They are all landaus, drawn 
 by a pair of horses, which by no means equal in 
 excellence the carriages they draw. When I 
 last drove along the road to Athens we were a 
 very jolly party of officers of the Benhoio, " some 
 of whom are now married, and others are dead." 
 The road is the same as it was then, only it passes 
 through orchards ; then these gardens were a 
 bare plain. At two miles and a half from the 
 Piraeus we stopped to give the horses water, just 
 as we had done so many years ago. The view of 
 the Acropolis is the same as we approached nearer 
 to the city ; but a town of mean, modern houses 
 has been built as suburbs, and the Temple of 
 
UODKBN ATHENS. 293 
 
 Theseus, which was in the open when I hist wus 
 hero, is now ulmost part of a street. 
 
 Modern Athens is not interesting. As wo 
 drove on wo passed throupjli narrow streets 
 reminding one of a French town. Shops full of 
 modern wearing apparel were seen on both sides. 
 If wo had not known that wo wore in Athens wo 
 might have supposed wo were in the streets of 
 some provincial town nearer homo. We dashed 
 along Hermes Street, all new, and stopped at a 
 grand hotel opposite the palace. Wo were shown 
 to magnificent apartments att premier. Our rooms 
 looked out on the palace, which is situated on a 
 high ground, and is painfully ugly. Built of 
 Pentelican marble, it resembles a huge manu- 
 factory. In front of it is the square, where some 
 trees arc planted. There arc numbers of hotels 
 in the Placo do la Constitution. 
 
 Wo drove through the fashionable quarter of the 
 town, and had pointed out to us the llouso of 
 Parliament, which is not .striking in any way, and 
 the Post-Office. The streets are broad, and the 
 houses regular. The stone of which they are 
 built is white, and the climate docs not affect tho 
 colour, which perhaps gives the impression of 
 newness to everything. 
 
294 GRIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 We stopped at the museum, which is not ([Uite 
 finished. In it have been collected most of the 
 treasures that, when I was in Athens last, were 
 kept in the Temple of Theseus. The building is 
 plain, but it is faced with the pure marble of 
 Pentclicus, which is always beautiful. We were 
 much struck with the extreme beauty of one of 
 the busts in the collection. The excessive deli- 
 cacy and refinement of the girl's face made us go 
 back several times to gaze at it. There were 
 numbers of very interesting tombstones that have 
 been recently excavated in the vicinity of the town. 
 In every case the deceased person is represented 
 as seated, surrounded by a sorrowing family ; one 
 of them is invariably in the act of giving some 
 present to the friend who is leaving them. Urns 
 and vases of all sorts, not yet thoroughly classifi- 
 ed, formed the bulk of the collection. There was 
 a very perfect little figure of Minerva, which had 
 recently been discovered. 
 
 From the museum we went to another quite 
 modern edifice, the Academy of Arts, a very 
 beautiful building, erected at the expense of a 
 very wealthy Greek, who lived and died at 
 Vienna. There are splendid lecture-rooms and 
 
THE AMPUITHEATBE. 295 
 
 libraries; floorH, walls, roof, and bunciios, all of tho 
 whitest marble. The actual builJiiig is finished, 
 but not the ornamental part, which is really very 
 ^n-and. At the entrance, under a wooden shod, a 
 sculptor was cn^ar^ed making colossal statues of 
 Apollo and Minerva. Three gigantic figures are 
 to bo placed, at a great height, on marble pillars 
 at tho entrance to the academy. 
 
 Tho weather was now very hot at mid-day, so 
 wo stayed indoors during the heat of the day. In 
 the afternoon we drove to the old ruin of Jupiter 
 Olympus ; one of its graceful pillars lies prostrnto 
 on tho ground, tho others are apparently firm 
 in their place. Nothing is left of the temple 
 but its beautifully fluted columns. We then wont 
 across tho river Ilyssus, which was nearly dry, 
 to tho Amphitheatre. This has only been un- 
 earthed lately. It is a very large arena on the 
 same principle as they wore universally made 
 iti the times of tho gladiators' and wild beasts' 
 fights. Wo could distinctly trace the rows upon 
 rows of seats, one al)ove another, sufficient to 
 accommoilato thirty thousand .spectators, I think, 
 our guide said. Here once a year there is a 
 grand renewal of tho good old times. Tho 
 
296 OEIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 king and queen preside, and Modern Athens 
 })Ours forth its thousands to witness athletic 
 sports and the tamer amusements of the days we 
 live in. Our reflections on past scenes in this 
 vast theatre wore banished by the arrival of two 
 British youths, armed with rackets, who were 
 going to play at lawn-tennis on this classical 
 ground. So we turned and drove away, passing 
 again by the ruined columns of Jupiter Olympus 
 and Hadrian's Arch on to the theatre of Diony- 
 sius. 
 
 When I was in Athens in ]842 the present 
 beautiful marble amphitheatre was hidden by 
 earth and rubbish, and there was nothing to 
 be seen, as far as I remember, but the bare side 
 of the hill, on the summit of which the Acropolis 
 rises. But now this earth has been cleared away, 
 and the graceful marble theatre is brought to 
 view. We were told that what first led to ex- 
 cavations being made here, was the discovery 
 of a coin, having on it a perfect representation 
 of the theatre now unearthed. We left our 
 carriages, and passed up among old ruins, statues, 
 and stones, to the entrance, where a guardian 
 admitted us. The present government most 
 
THE ACBOl'OLIS. 297 
 
 carefully look after their treasures ; every temple 
 and ruiu has horao one iu charge. The theatre 
 is in most wonderful preservation ; the stage is 
 as clearly marked out as iu ancient days ; the 
 marble seats on which the assembled thousands 
 sat are all in their places. The lower tier of 
 marble seats have the names of the difleruut own« 
 ors deeply cut on them in very distinct letters. 
 Each of the judges and statesmen, and of the 
 great dignitaries, has his special arm-chair. This 
 theatre was used for daylight representations. 
 The theatre of Hadrian, to which we proceeded 
 next, and which is on the same hill, was intended 
 for night ])crformances and competitions of 
 music. There is every facility for lighting it 
 up. It is on a smaller scale than the theatre of 
 Dionysius. 
 
 From hero we ascended by all that remains of 
 the once splendid stair of seventy feet broad to 
 the Acropolis, and entered by the Propylaia, a 
 magnificent ruin of white marble. Enough cf its 
 stately columns still stands to show what it onco 
 was — it covered the whole of the western end of 
 the Acro|K)lis. The Acropolis contained all the 
 wonderful works of art of Greece in her greatest 
 
298 GEIFI'IN AUOY ! 
 
 daj's. Cliicfost of all was the Parthenon, or 
 Temple of Atliena. This magnificent building 
 was built on the site of a temple destroyed by the 
 Persians four hundred and thirty-eight years B.C. 
 Its architecture was Doric, and, like so many 
 of the beautiful ruins of Greece, it was in purest 
 marble. "Within it stood the world-famed colossal 
 statue of Athena, by Phidias, a master-piece of 
 art, the unclothed parts in ivory, the drapery in 
 plates of gold. The Parthenon remained in al- 
 most perfect preservation till a.d. 1G87, when, in 
 the siege of Athens by the Venetians, an ex- 
 plosion of gunpowder injured it much. The 
 statues in the British Museum, known as the 
 Elgin marbles, were taken from here. 
 
 The Eractheum was another very sacred build- 
 ing, which held the highly revered statue of 
 Athena, formed of wood that fell from heaven, 
 and the tombs of Erechtheus and Cecrops. On the 
 Acropolis were many other temples and statues, 
 principal among these a statue of Athena Pro- 
 machos in bronze, over fifty feet high. The 
 Temple of Victory is a very perfect little building, 
 near the entrance of the Propylaja. 
 
 The view of the surrounding country is very 
 
TUB ABE0PA0C8. 299 
 
 lino from the corner of tho walls which overlooks 
 Athens. Tho mountains near Marathon are very 
 clear, ono of them having a specially sad interest 
 now, as it is tho place where our countrymen 
 wore slain by the brigands. Then, beneath us, is 
 Modern Athens, growing larger, and encircling 
 with its now white houses tho grey old ruins of 
 temples. 
 
 Wo remained some time enchanted with this 
 wonderful view, yet grieving over the havoc that 
 barbarians, rather than time, have worked. It is 
 unfair to blame the Turk solely for tho destruc- 
 tion of these remains of antiquity, as for years tho 
 glorious ruins have boon tho quarr}' of Greece for 
 all their buildings. 
 
 Uesceiiding tho hill to whore tho famous Coun- 
 cil of Areopagus was hold, wo climbed its roughly- 
 hewn steps, and stood on tho spot whore Paul 
 addressed the Athenians. Ucre wo can plainly 
 see the judges' seat, and tho other places whcro 
 accused and accuser stood. Tho hill was used by 
 tho Turks as a burial place, and is covered with 
 monuments. Close beside it is tho Pnyx, tho 
 place of assembly for tho people, almost unaltorod 
 since Paul's time. All this part looked littlo 
 
300 OIUFFIN AII07 ! 
 
 changed since the days when I last scrambled up 
 those steps. The view from it is most interesting, 
 as it includes the Acropolis, with its noble Parthe- 
 non, the rocks on which the prison of Socrates is 
 situated and the Temple of Theseus, by which 
 we drove round. The main body of this building, 
 which is very perfect, is now used as a museum, 
 and contains an interesting collection of sculpture, 
 but when I was in Athens in 1842 all the ohjets 
 dart which have been transferred to the new 
 museum were assembled here. 
 
 One of the most interesting of recent excava- 
 tions round Athens is the discovery of an ancient 
 cemetery. A labourer was working in his field 
 in the suburbs of the city, when he unexpectedly 
 came on the head of a statue. He immediately in- 
 formed the authorities, and in a short time a mine 
 of old relics was brought to light. The cemetery 
 of olden days seems to be on exactly the same 
 principle as that of the present time — statues and 
 tablets with inscriptions are placed over the 
 graves. The statues are in most perfect preser- 
 vation. The groups represent a dying figure 
 receiving from, or presenting to, the mourners 
 standing near some remembrance. Several acres 
 
DR. BCnUBUANx's MUflRDM. 301 
 
 have boon recovered, and no doubt the oxtont of 
 this comotory is very great, but the owner of the 
 property next to the newly excavated ground 
 refuses to sell his land for the sum offered, so in 
 the moantimo the work is stopped. 
 
 Leaving Athens from this newly-discovered 
 f'ity of the Dead, we had a very pleasant drive 
 in the country to the gardens which are situated 
 on the banks of the Uyssus. The air was laden 
 with the porfurao of flowers, and, although the 
 sun was hot, the road was sheltered by trees. 
 Wo made a circuit to see a little of the country 
 before stopping at Dr. Schliemanu's museum, 
 which is one of the most interesting collections 
 I over saw. The rich tombs of mighty Agamem- 
 non have been rifled to supply its contents. 
 There is an exact model to show the state in 
 which the tomb was found. Beside the body, 
 which lies in the centre, are placed bread and 
 water, and in other comers the jewels and treas- 
 ures that were dear to the heart of the deceased. 
 There are several masks of thin gold, that evi- 
 dently are perfect casts of the features they 
 covered. They are all of excellent workmanship, 
 but gave one a sad feeling that the ornaments of 
 
302 nRrryiN ahoy ! 
 
 the great men so long dead should be exposed to 
 view under a glass case. It is strange to gaze 
 071 these old relics, for not only are the jewels of 
 the great dead there, but their bones and skulls 
 and teeth. 
 
 After remaining some time in this unrivalled 
 museum, our guide took us into the other wing 
 of the building, which is destined as a gallery of 
 modern pictures. As yet there are none worth 
 looking at, but Young Greece is ambitious, and 
 perhaps art will flourish again. We had a good 
 view of the young queen, accompanied by her 
 two sons, dressed in sailor costume, and by her 
 brothers, walking from one museum to the other. 
 
 Athens was very warlike at this time, although 
 most of the army had marched to the frontier. I 
 saw some nice-looking recruits moving about in 
 the streets, and there were a great number of 
 young officers. 
 
 We endeavoured to get some antiquities to 
 carry away from Athens, but the prices asked 
 were so exorbitant that none of us bought any- 
 thing but photographs, our stock of which was 
 very large, as we had endeavoured to get views 
 of all the places we visited as we went along. At 
 
HOTEL RXCRRSRB. SOS 
 
 Boyrout wc got very pood ones of tho Iloly Land, 
 but none of tho photof^raphs could bo cotnparc<l 
 in cIoarnoBs with those wo {»ot in Cairo. 
 
 It had Ix'on docided that wo wore to return to 
 tho Pinous by rail, leaving Athens at six in tho 
 ovoiiinf», but wo had lingered so long in Dr. 
 Schliemann's museum that wo could only haro 
 caught tho train with a scurry ; so wo took mat- 
 ters leisurely, and went back to tho hotel to settle 
 the very heavy bill. Tho Commodore certainly 
 had a fine suite of apartments, but it was a little 
 too much to bo charged for two saloons as tho 
 rooms he occupied opened out of them. On re- 
 monstrating on the price of tho bed-rooms, tho 
 landlord provoil ho could not in fairness to him- 
 self ask less, a.s, if required, each room could 
 have held another bed, so he had to charge as 
 though it actually was there! On tho whole, 
 .\thons was the most expensive place we visited. 
 Rents and taxes, the people say, are so enormous 
 tliat they have to make money when they get 
 the chance. 
 
 It was a pleasant, warm evening when wo 
 drove out of Athens. We took a farewell look 
 as wc passed at the little old RvTiantino church 
 
304 nUIKKlN AllOY ! 
 
 that stands in the heart of Modern Athens. Its 
 date is of tlie eleventh century, and nothing can 
 be quainter than its exterior. No one ought to 
 go inside to bo disenchanted bj the tawdry hang- 
 ings and painted tinsel. Another very curious 
 little church is the old cathedral — quite a pocket 
 affair ; I do not think it would hold two dozen 
 people. The largo new cathedral rises beside it, 
 quite dwarfing the other building. What has 
 become of the world-renowned taste of the old 
 Athenians ? we sadly inquired, as we stood inside 
 the edifice and looked up at the decorations made 
 by modern Greeks. 
 
 It was nearly eight o'clock when we reached 
 the Piraeus. We drove down to the boats and 
 pulled off to the yacht. It was always like 
 coming home getting back to her. The captain 
 had been doing all he could to get rid of the long 
 grass she had acquired in Egyptian waters, but 
 although they had scraped off cartloads, there 
 was still enough left greatly to impede her pro- 
 gress. The saloons were filled with flowers, a 
 present from our friend the Russian captain. 
 The Commodore timed our leaving the Pirteus 
 so that next day we might have a view of the coast. 
 
CIIAPTEU XV. 
 
 KAIIKWKI.L TO TIIK ' (aUKFIN' 
 
 DCTAICTflE ntOM ATlltXS — NOTU or OCR VOTAGC — STKOMBOLI— STuRY 
 OK A LrmR— XAPLtS AGAIN — SAIL TO ISCHIA— VIEW OF SORRCfTO 
 —A OltIM oU» Bl'ILDIXO— ITimiDLE DISCOVERT— V WCARI.<IOME 
 ASCr-VT— A PtWECTtT-SITlATEIl HOTEL — KEillM!)CE.SCU OF A!« 
 EARTIKJLAKE— A SAD STORT— BEACTIES OF ISCIIIA— MOKTC mCOLO 
 — TIIE COMMOtlORE AXIl PKINCE5S SERE.VADEI>— TERMUCATIOS OF 
 OIR CRl'ISK — TUt CZ.VH'S TACIIT— A FtW HOIKS IN SAI'LL*— TIIE 
 AQt-ARIVV. 
 
307 
 
 CnAPTHR XV. 
 
 A T two a.m. on tho morninjj of the 25th of 
 •^*- May wo got our anchor up and glidotl out 
 between tho old pier heads that guard tho 
 entrance to the harbour. A very heavy fog 
 obscured everything, tho captain told mo, as I 
 was not on dock to see it. There was a strong 
 breeze against us, but the morning was fino when 
 wo assembled before breakfast. We were off the 
 Gulf of Nauplia at half-past nine in tho morn- 
 ing, abreast of the Island of Bola Poula at twelve 
 noon, off Cape San Angolo at five in tho afternoon, 
 and rounded Capo Matapau at eleven at night. It 
 came on to blow very hard in our teeth, with tho 
 usual accompaniment of a very rough sea. This 
 lasted all night. Tho morning of tho 26th of 
 Jlay broke gloomy, with wind and sea against us. 
 At twelve noon vro were off Navarino, and two 
 
 X 2 
 
308 ORIFFIN AnOT ! 
 
 hundred and ninety miles from the entrance of 
 the Straits of Messina. We could only make 
 four knots, and sometimes during the day five. 
 The night. was calm. At eight a.m., 27th of May, 
 we were one hundred and fifty-four miles from 
 Lighthouse Messina, and at twelve noon one 
 hundred and twenty, so we were going seven 
 knots. At sunset there was lightning and 
 thunder, and on the morning of the 28th of May, 
 as we got nearer Messina, we found a current 
 dead against us. At eight in the morning wo 
 were in the Straits. Etna, with a siDrinkling of 
 snow on his crest, towered above us. The scenery 
 on each side of us was very fine. Reggio, on the 
 Italian shore, is a beautiful town, and it is much 
 frequented in summer by the Italians. A 
 railway runs from it to Naples, and, as steamers 
 ply perpetually between Reggio and Messina, it 
 makes Sicily much more accessible than in the 
 days when the only way of reaching it was by sea 
 from Naples. Very heavy squalls tore down upon 
 us, and at one in the afternoon we got out of the 
 Straits of Messina into a very heavy sea, with a 
 gale of wind right ahead. In the evening it 
 rained a good deal, so that we only saw Stromboli, 
 
8T0BY Of A LKTTEU. 809 
 
 a grim rock iu tho scu, but some of tho Huilors 
 8UW it lit a lutor hour blazing up. Oiicu on u 
 pasdago from Sicily to Naples 1 bad a very good 
 viow of Stromboli. Tho night was dark, uud 
 every now and thou u groat volumo of tlamo 
 burst forth, and thu Italians on board wcro de- 
 lighted and shouted, " Uravo, Stroniboli !" 
 
 On tho morning of tho 2'Jth of May we ucared 
 Capri, liuin fell, and a heavy sea saluted our 
 entrance into the Bay of Naples, but wo struggled 
 on and anchored at tivo in tho afternoou under u 
 very groy sky, close to a Russian man-of-war. 
 Tho Livadia, tho Czar's most wonderful yacht, 
 like a huge turtle with Noah's Ark on its back, 
 rested on the water not far from us. IVatiijue 
 having boon procured, Kidby went on shore to 
 got tho letters, which are always a cause of groat 
 an-xiety on first anchoring at any port. Some- 
 times they are pleasant, sometimes they are the 
 reverse. On one occasion I remember a letter 
 causing great consternation, and, while the 
 Princess and her party aro walking ou shore, I 
 will tell you the story of it. 
 
 My wife and I had been staying for some weeks 
 in tho Highlands with my sistor-iu-law, who had 
 
310 UEIFFIN AflOV ! 
 
 taken the manse at Abernethy. We had enjoyed 
 our sejour there very much, driving and walking 
 iu the forest, and making excursions to various 
 places of interest in that lovely neighbourhood. 
 One afternoon, on our return from one of those 
 pleasant drives, a man on horseback overtook us 
 in the avenue, the bearer of a telegram for me. 
 There was at that time no telegraph office at 
 Abernethy, so a telegram had to be sent either 
 by post or by messenger from Grantown, some 
 five miles distant. As this missive had "imme- 
 diate " on it, the postmistress who had charge of 
 the telegraph-office at Grantown deemed it neces- 
 sary to send it by a horseman, for which I had to 
 pay a small fortune. The telegram was from my 
 army agent in London, informing me that a letter 
 had been sent to me through his office from the 
 Horse Guards with " immediate " on it, and fur- 
 ther stating that the postmistress at Grantown 
 had been requested to forward the letter as soon 
 as it arrived. This request may appear superflu- 
 ous, as letters are usually delivered when re- 
 ceived ; but there are exceptions to the rule in 
 the Highlands, where posts arrive perhaps twice 
 a week, and letters are delivered through a 
 
SruBT Of A LETTCa. 311 
 
 sparsely populated district by a carrier walking 
 twenty miles a day. Sometimes the j>ost becomes 
 IMJsU rtjlank. 
 
 But Grantown is a large place on the Highland 
 railway, with its daily post. Xow the postmis- 
 tress had sent the telegram, but not the letter. 
 There was nothing for it but to wait till next 
 day, when the usual post would certainly bring 
 the missing letter. 
 
 Next day came, but not the official missive. I 
 thoQ hired a man and horse to go into Grantown 
 to bring the missing document, for which I gave 
 bim fire shillings. The man returned with a 
 message from the postmistress that no letter had 
 yet arrived, but, as soon as it did come, it would 
 bo sent off to Abernethy. My wife and I were 
 much annoyed at all these complications. Both 
 of us felt convinced that an appointment at length 
 had come, and that the offer of a command of a 
 division cither at home or abroad was what was 
 contained in the letter, for why should the Horse 
 Guards writo "immediate" on the envelope? 
 That evening was passed in speculating about 
 where the divi.siou would bo. If in India, would 
 I accept it ? We left the decision an open qucs- 
 
312 GEIFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 tion. Next moruiug tbc post arrived, but still uo 
 letter. This really was becoming very trying. 
 My sister-in-law promised that after luncheon she 
 would drive us into Grautowu to the post-office. 
 It is a pleasant drive ; but I saw uouc of its 
 beauties, nor did my wife. Our thoughts were 
 too much occupied. I sat up on the box near the 
 coachman, so as not to have to talk. I made up 
 my mind to take an English horse as charger out 
 to India, and arranged many details in my mind. 
 I feel certain my wife had been equally busy with 
 our future. We drove into Grantown, and found 
 a mild and rather frightened-looking woman at 
 the counter of the shop in which was the post- 
 office. In hurried accents I asked for the letter 
 marked " Immediate." 
 
 " Oh, sir, that letter I sent to Abernethy." 
 
 "Impossible!'' I exclaimed, "we have just 
 di'iveu from there." 
 
 " Ah ! but, sir," replied the alarmed post- 
 mistress, " the laddie that took it will have gaun 
 the short road to the manse ; ye'll have missed 
 him. I'm vera sorry !" 
 
 " Boof 1" I fear was my answer. Now this 
 was really becomiug beyond a joke. It was like 
 
STOlty OV A LKTTEB. 313 
 
 ii bud (IruJiui. Wo mu8t roturii to Abcrnethy 
 again. So wo retraced our steps. By the 
 tioiu we got there I had composed iu my mind 
 many lottora to friends, tradesmen, and horse- 
 dealers. How delightful it was to think uf being 
 once more iu hnrnoss, and what u pleasure it 
 would be to have my old friend Moore as my 
 A D C, if he would accept the office I 
 
 The approach to the manse at Abernethy is 
 very long, and up a hill. I thought the horses 
 would never arrive. At length the door was 
 reached. I jum{>ed off the box, and was quickly 
 followed by the others into the drawing-room. 
 The letter was there on the table. IIow well 
 I see the whole scene now ! My sister-in-law 
 took up a newspaper and pretended to read ; my 
 wife's colour rapidly changed from red to white. 
 I know my hand shook. But it must be done, so 
 I opened the envelope, and took out the officially, 
 folded paper, which informed mo in the usual 
 language that it had been decided that general 
 officers, having attained the age of seventy, wero 
 to bo placed on a retiroil list, and requesting mo 
 to inform the War Ofllce of the date of my birth, 
 et voilit luul. 
 
314 altJFFIN AHOY ! 
 
 Early ucxt moruing we left Naples on our last 
 expedition in the (rri^in. The beautiful bay was 
 at its brightest and best. Vesuvius was clearly 
 defined against the blue sky, and volumes of 
 smoke came from its summit. We were bound 
 for Ischia. The Commodore had passed many 
 weeks in the island a few years ago, and so had 
 the Princess, and Ischia was full of reminiscences 
 for them. We steamed quietly away. The 
 Griffin seemed to enjoy the rare luxury of a 
 calm sea after all the troubles she had gone 
 through. Sorrento and the coast along the bay 
 were lovely to look at, and as we came nearer to 
 Ischia the high hills, so green and fertile, rose 
 like enchantment above the calm, blue sea. The 
 Commodore pointed out to us a grim old building 
 on a height, in the interior of which, while he was 
 living on the island, some alterations were being 
 made. While these were proceeding, the work- 
 men came upon a walled-up cell, containing the 
 remains of some unhappy women, but what their 
 crime had been can never now be known. All 
 that could now be seen was that they had been 
 shut up with food and water. The workmen 
 hastily built up the wall again, so that their 
 
iscBu. ;il5 
 
 prison still continiios to bu tliuir tomb. Wu 
 uuchorcd outside tho littlo port, and scvontl boats 
 came off, one of thorn owned by an old acquaiat- 
 auco of the Commodore, wlio seemed overjoyed to 
 meet Lim a^aiu. 
 
 Wo all went on shore. The advent of tho 
 yacht in tho bay had brought every carriajjo in 
 the place to tho landing, also donkeys and horses, 
 all in ho{)es of obtaining a fare. Had 1 known 
 one quarter of the length of the hill wo had to 
 climb, they should have found a ready customer 
 in me, but I imagined it was only a step, and 
 leisurely followed tho rest of tho party, generally 
 arriving at a turn in tho road to see them disap- 
 jwariug round another turn considerably in ad- 
 vance, and always, as I fondly hoped, tho last. 
 The road was between high walls or stoop banks, 
 and it was oppressively hot. A boy attached 
 himself to me, who spoke English, and gave mo 
 various details of the earthquake that had wrought 
 such havoc in this fair island only a few months 
 before. But the hill was getting steeper, and wo 
 seemed no nearer our journey's end ; the boy said 
 farewell as soon as his house was reached, but 
 before ho left me I inquired, " WIhto are wo 
 
316 GEIFHN AUOY 
 
 goin^^ to?" IIo pointed up to the clouds and 
 disappeared. Excelsior ! 
 
 At last, turning aside into a long alley of 
 orange-trees, commanding such a view of sea and 
 land that no painter or poet could do justice to 
 it, wo found ourselves in the most perfectly situ- 
 atcd hotel, so full of reminiscence to some of our 
 number. We were most warmly welcomed by 
 the handsome Italian landlady, and on both sides 
 there were inquiries after the health and welfare 
 of old friends. 
 
 The fearful earthquake was the one topic of 
 conversation in Ischia. In this house, where, 
 comparatively speaking, it had done little harm, 
 many of the walls were split, costly mirrors had 
 been shattered, but here no lives had been lost. 
 The poor landlady could hardly mention the sub- 
 ject without agitation, but, like many people 
 whose nerves have been shattered by some dread- 
 ful event, could not help speaking on the subject. 
 Her dilated eyes looked as though they still saw 
 the horrors that were so visibly present to her 
 remembrance. She and her family were at their 
 midday meal, when, without previous warning, 
 the shock came. The wave of earthquake iu its 
 
KKABFtll- KABTngUAKR. 317 
 
 full force rolled down the ravine in which the 
 town is situated. The hotel, which is some dis- 
 tance off, only felt the swell of the wave, which 
 was sufficient to shako the house to its very 
 foundations, as wo saw. Rut it was in the town 
 itself that its torriblo force was felt. Tho houses 
 toppled over like a pack of cards, burying living 
 and dead in their ruins ; and, when the first dread- 
 ful panic passed, then couhl be heard tho cries of 
 those that wero engulfed in tho ruins, beseeching 
 release. Tho ik-ws was telegraphed at once to 
 Naples, and in a few hours a strong body of mili- 
 tary wero on tho spot, who began to work at dis- 
 interring tho living. Our landlady's brother had 
 two children buried alive. Ho wa.H like a mad- 
 man, sho .said, as ho listonod to tho crios, and yot 
 powerless to save his littlo ones ; for at six o'clock 
 in tho evening tho bugle sounded " Ceaso work," 
 and, leaving picka.xe and apado for food and rest, 
 tho soldiery left tho entombed victims for another 
 twelve hours. Aud so tho days wore on, and no 
 living wero rescued. It was a dreadful story to 
 listen to, and wo looked with sornnvful compas- 
 sion at tho haggard, worn man who had gone 
 through such a fearful trial. 
 
318 GRIFFIN AHOT ! 
 
 Our luncheon was sumptuous, and tlio country 
 wines were excellent. The worthy landlady 
 would not hear of receiving payment ; the pleas- 
 ure was hers, she said, entertaining her old 
 friends. 
 
 We proceeded to visit the ruins of the town. 
 We passed along a smiling road, with foliage chis- 
 tering on trellised wooden palings. All nature 
 seemed asleep in the glowing warmth of the sun. 
 It was a kind of earthly Paradise. Too earthly, 
 alas ! — for, as we entered the street of the town, 
 a ruined house met our astonished gaze ; not one, 
 but every habitation was roofless and crumbling 
 to the ground. The whole place reminded me of 
 a town which had been destroyed by bombard- 
 ment. But that takes time ; all this havoc had 
 been effected in one moment. Not one single 
 dwelling was inhabitable, although some of the 
 poor owners still fondly clung to their once happy 
 homes. Wo came to the principal church. The 
 clock had stopped at the hour, twenty minutes to 
 one, I think. The building was rent from top to 
 bottom, and the large crucifix on the altar had 
 been turned completely round. All this misery 
 
INCIDENTS OF THR FABTOQUAKK, 319 
 
 and death came on tho inhabitants of the town in 
 one moment. 
 
 Our ffuide showod us a winc-shop whore two 
 men wore phiying at draughts, both of whom 
 wore killed by tho falling walls. At another 
 house one man was writing in an inner room, and 
 another was standing at tho door; tho writer was 
 killed, the other escaped with his life. An old 
 man was leading a child by the hand ; the old 
 man was kiliod, the child was saved. 
 
 The morning had been dark and heavy with 
 clouds, but all was very still. The people wore 
 busy in their various occupations. Some were at 
 their dinners, others playing games, and many 
 strolling about. A sudden shock, a united scream 
 of hundreds of voices, and the town crumbled 
 away and swallowed up young and old in one 
 fearful catastrophe. And those who had escaped 
 made a good trade by their misfortunes. If they 
 ever had any diflidenco in begging, they have none 
 now. Women, who perhaps were modest, happy 
 mothers of families, have become bold and im- 
 portunate beggars — it was a sad and woeful sight. 
 As wo emerged from the niins wo found two 
 
320 (iini'riN ahoy ! 
 
 cari'iages, that had persistently followed us all the 
 morning, still waiting in the confident hope that 
 we should not bo able to resist driving at last — 
 nor did we disappoint them. 
 
 The zigzagging road down the hill to the sea 
 is perfectly lovely, every turn disclosing fresh 
 beauty. High above us towered Mount San 
 Nicolo, an extinct volcano of irregular shape ; it 
 rises about two thousand six hundred feet abovft 
 the level of the sea. The whole island is evidently 
 of volcanic origin; the shape of its mountains, the 
 deep chasm and fissure in the hill-sides, and the 
 constant presence of lava all point to it. The 
 surface is wonderfully fertile, and every fruit-tree 
 seems to have its home in the island. During 
 the hot months of summer visitors swarm into 
 Ischia, but we were too early to see anything of 
 the season. We embarked again in the yacht's 
 gig, and, on nearing the Griffin, found a large 
 boat full of " musicianers," who had come off to 
 serenade the Commodore and the Princess in 
 memory of old times. Largesse having been 
 distributed with a liberal hand, if one could judge 
 from the smiles of the recipients, we " hove 
 anchor" again, and proceeded to steam round the 
 
VKSOViutt. 321 
 
 Island of Ischia ou our homeward crui«o. Very 
 high cliffs frowu down ou the bold and pre- 
 sumptuous waves, which leap and tumble in the 
 perpetual attempt to ascend those rugj^od rocks. 
 As wo rounded the island, and made towards 
 Naples, the sky became dark and lowering, and 
 the white houses on the mainland stood out bright 
 and clear. 
 
 Vesuvius sent out much black smoke, and al- 
 though the sea was calm, yet it seemed to portend 
 ovil, but the white-sailed vessels pursued their 
 voyage unheeding, and the thunder showers pour- 
 ed down on the coast to leeward. It was a fine 
 sight, but not what wo hoped for in these sunny 
 climes, — storm and ruin, instead of light breezes 
 and calm sea. A.s wo came near our anchorage 
 in the harbour of Naples, it was with much regret 
 that I called to mind it was the last time that wo 
 should hear the ciptaiii's hail of " let go !" Our 
 voyage had come to a close, and soon the family 
 on board the (irilfin would cease to exist as a 
 whole. 
 
 We uuchured in a better tH)sitiou than the 
 one wo had first taken up. When night came on 
 Vosuviiia Bent forth red flames which licked tin- 
 
 V 
 
322 GRIFFIN ahot! 
 
 air, accompanied with black volumes of smoke. 
 
 Admiral Popoff, who had called on the Com- 
 modore, was on board the Livadia, that huge, 
 ugly floating monster, the Czar's yacht. I should 
 like to have gone on board of her, but neither my 
 wife nor I could join the Princess's party, as we 
 had to make arrangements for our departure 
 from Naples. So, when the Commodore pro- 
 ceeded to the Livadia, we landed at the Custom 
 House, and, having got a carriage, drove off to 
 find out about trains, etc. We were anxious to 
 be in Paris by Sunday, the 5th of June. It was a 
 long journey to take without stopping, but we 
 proposed breaking it by sleeping at Turin. We 
 found that our best route was by Rome and 
 Genoa to Turin, and then by the Mont Cenis 
 tunnel to Paris. With considerable satisfaction, 
 we discovered that, if we left Naples next morning 
 by an early train, we should be in Turin within 
 twenty-four hours, which would leave us a day 
 and a night to rest, and twenty more hours would 
 take us to Paris on Saturday morning. 
 
 As the forenoon was still young, we told our 
 coachman to take us up the Strada Emanuele to 
 have a look once again at the beautiful bay and 
 
TUB rZAU's VACIIT. 323 
 
 tho troaoboroiia bch tliat wt« wcro ho hooi» to leave. 
 An iraraenso doul has boon done to improve 
 Naples since I was last hero, six years ago, and 
 one of the greatest improvements is in tho hired 
 cabs, tliu horses of which usud to bo most misera- 
 ble animals, and were treated with great cruelty 
 with their fearful nose-bits. Now they uro well 
 groomed and in good condition. Doubtless tho 
 Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 
 has effected this. Formerly, when in Naples, I 
 never wont out without seeing some caso of 
 hideous cruelty, but now in tho few hours I was 
 there I saw none. The mania for building has 
 extended to tho south, for everywhere at Naples 
 now streets woro springing up. 
 
 Wo roturuod on board to find tho Commodore's 
 party just come back from their visit to tho 
 Livailia. Thoy had been received with tho great- 
 est courtesy by tho Admiral, and had licon shown 
 over tho whole of tho wonderful monster. The 
 luxury of hor armngomonts ama/od all who be- 
 held them — thoy said she was not like a ship, as 
 thoro was nothing to remind them of tho sea — 
 she was a floating palace. Tho navul officers 
 were very comfortably put up, which is far from 
 
 t 2 
 
324 (iiiiFriN AiiOY ! 
 
 bcinty the case in some other Russian men-of-war. 
 Tlie Admiral vowed that, during; the worst 
 weather he had been out in the Livadia, the most 
 slio had rolled was four degrees! Ho designed 
 her, — so let us congratulate him on his success. 
 
 After luncheon we all went on shore except my 
 wife, who insisted that packing must be done. 
 We drove first to the Aquarium, where we had 
 to pay two francs each for tickets of admission, 
 which at first seemed a good deal, but the price 
 was not too much for such a valuable exhibition. 
 
 I never saw a more interesting collection, and 
 the care which was taken of everything was most 
 creditable. One very curious siglit was that of 
 the coral actually in the course of construction by 
 the tiny coral insects. In one section, sea-horses 
 swam past, and I saw a cockle make a bound in 
 the water and come gently down again, to my 
 gi'cat surprise, as I always thought they were 
 most sedentary in their habits ! The guardian, 
 seeing how interested we were, took great pains 
 to show off his sea treasures — poking into sand 
 and bringing to the surface fish which lie perdu 
 on the sea-shore in the sand and only leave a point 
 exposed, on which the fishermen sometimes tread 
 
KSD OF OUB CRinSK. 1^25 
 
 and aro severely \voun<lo«l. From the Aijuarimn 
 wo drove up the hill above Naples and got anotluT 
 view as lovely as that of the morning. 
 
 IToavy black smoke came from Vesuvius and 
 we heard afterwards that an eruption had taken 
 jilace oil till' night of the 1st of Juul', the day wo 
 left Naples. 
 
 After the charming drive wo rotumod on board 
 to diuner. Our comfortable cabins now looked 
 dismantled ; i«verything was packed. How much 
 I regretted that the last night on board had come I 
 
 It is a strange thought that everything comes 
 to an end. Six months ago we were looking for. 
 ward to this cruise, and now it was over. How 
 many places we had seen — how many {xrils had 
 wo encountered — how much kindness had we 
 received I All was over now. 
 
 Very early next morning we were on deck. 
 Our always kind and courteous hosts were up to 
 see us o(T. Their cruise was to be prolonged for 
 a few days as far as Marseilles. 
 
 The first intention had been to put the (iriijin 
 in dock at Naples and have her cleaned, but a 
 man-of-war was already on the slip, and would be 
 there for another three weeks. She was ul- 
 
326 GEIFFTN AIIOY ! 
 
 timately Jry-ilocked at Marseilles, and had a 
 splendid quick passage home. 
 
 It was with much regret that final farewells 
 were said. The gig took us three on shore, 
 Parker having to be iu London on the 4th of 
 June, and when wo shook hands with the boat's 
 crew, having parted with Captain Oman and all 
 our other sailor friends on board, and took a last 
 look at the yacht, we felt very sad that never 
 again should we be called on to shout 
 " Geiffin ahoy !" 
 
 LONDON : PKINTED BY DUNCAN MACDONAU), BLENHEIM HOUSE. 
 
14 DAY USE 
 
 RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROW 
 
 LOAN DEPT. 
 
 This book is due on the last date stamped below, 
 or on [he date to which renewed. Renewals 0017: 
 
 TcI. No. 642-.^405 
 Renewals may be made 4 days prior to date due. 
 Renewed books are subject to immediate recall. 
 
 
 
 
 jL"" 1 
 
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 JUN 3 71 
 
 
 
 
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 )U» J 
 
 
 ^ -...,,,.. Penod ,cp a I'll ^S 
 
 n„» err- oU^V. 
 
 dU ii'sr- 
 
 RETURNED TO 
 
 Stf^l0l971 
 
 
 
 LD21A-50m-2 
 (P2001sl0)476- 
 
 ,'71 
 -A-32 
 
 General Library 
 
 Uaiversity of California 
 
 Berkeley 
 
YD C9579 
 
 mrnvM?