LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF 
 CALIFORNIA 
 
 SAN DIEGO
 
 .
 
 1 iiat tn flit 
 
 ~ 
 
 BY MADAME IDA PFEIFFER. 
 
 LONDON. 
 
 INGRAM COOKE & Co. 
 1852.
 
 VISIT 
 
 HOLY LAND, EGYPT, AND ITALY. 
 
 BY 
 
 MADAME IDA PFEIFFER, 
 
 AUTHOR OF "A WOMAX'S JOUBNBY ROUX'D THB WORLD," " VISIT TO ICBLAJfD," ETC. 
 
 from tlje German 
 BY H. W. DULCKEN. 
 WITH EIGHT TINTED ENGRAVINGS. 
 
 SECOND EDITION. 
 
 LONDON: 
 INGRAM, C O O K E, AND CO. 
 
 227 STRAND. 
 
 1853.
 
 PRtSTED BY LEVEY. ROBSOH, AXD FK AH KLTH, 
 Great New Street and Fetter Lane.
 
 PKEFACE 
 
 BY THE VIENNA PUBLISHER. 
 
 FOE two centuries the princes and nations of the West were accus- 
 tomed to wander towards the land of the morning. In vain was 
 the noblest blood poured forth in streams in the effort to wrest 
 the country of our heavenly Teacher from the grasp of the infidel ; 
 and though the Christian Europe of the present day forbears to 
 renew a struggle which, considering the strength that has been 
 gradually increasing for the last six hundred years, might prove 
 an easy one, we cannot wonder that millions of the votaries of 
 Christianity should cherish an earnest longing to wander in the 
 paths the Redeemer has trod, and to view with their own eyes the 
 traces of the Saviour's progress from the cradle to the grave. 
 
 In the generality of cases, however, the hardships, dangers, 
 and difficulties of such a journey were sufficient to overthrow the 
 bravest resolution ; and thus the wishes of the majority remained 
 unfulfilled. 
 
 Few men were found to possess the degree of strength and 
 endurance requisite for the carrying out of such an undertaking ;
 
 yiii PREFACE. 
 
 but that a delicate lady of the higher classes, a native of Vienna, 
 should have the heroism to do what thousands of men failed to 
 achieve, seemed almost incredible. 
 
 In her earliest youth she earnestly desired to perform this 
 journey ; descriptions of the Holy Land were perused by her with 
 peculiar interest, and a book of Eastern travel had more charms 
 for her than the most glowing accounts of Paris or London. 
 
 It was not, however, until our Authoress had reached a riper 
 age, and had finished the education of her sons, that she suc- 
 ceeded in carrying into effect the ardent aspiration of her youth. 
 
 On the 2d of March, 1842, she commenced her journey alone, 
 without companions, but fully prepared to bear every ill, to bid 
 defiance to every danger, and to combat every difficulty. That 
 this undertaking should have succeeded may almost be looked 
 upon as a wonder. 
 
 Far from desiring publicity, she merely kept a diary, in order 
 to retain the recollections of her tour during her later life, and to 
 impart to her nearest relatives the story of her fortunes. Every 
 evening, though often greatly exhausted with heat, thirst, and 
 the hardships of travel, she never failed to make notes in pencil 
 of the occurrences of the day, frequently using a sand-mound or 
 the back of a camel as a table, while the other members of the 
 caravan lay stretched around her, completely tired out. 
 
 It was in the house of my friend Halm that I first heard of 
 this remarkable woman, at a time when she had not yet com- 
 pleted her journey ; and every subsequent account of Madame 
 Pfeiffer increased my desire to make her acquaintance.
 
 PREFACE. IX 
 
 In manners and appearance I found her to resemble many 
 other women who have distinguished themselves by fortitude, 
 firmness of soul, and magnanimity ; and who are in private life 
 the most simple and unaffected, the most modest, and conse- 
 quently also the most agreeable of beings. 
 
 My request to read our Authoress's journal was granted with 
 some timidity ; and I am ready to assert that seldom has a book 
 so irresistibly attracted me, or so completely fixed my attention 
 from beginning to end, as this. 
 
 The simple and unadorned relation of facts, the candour, 
 combined with strong sound sense, which appear throughout, 
 might put to shame the bombastic striving after originality of 
 many a modern author. The scheme and execution of the work 
 are complete and agreeable ; strict truth shines forth from every 
 page, and no one can doubt but that so pure and noble a mind 
 must see things in a right point of view. This circumstance is 
 sufficient in itself to raise the book above many descriptions of 
 travel to the Holy Land, whose authors, trusting to the fact that 
 their assertions could not easily be disproved, have indulged their 
 fancy, seeking to impart interest to their works by the relation of 
 imaginary dangers, and by exaggeration of every kind, for the 
 sake of gaming praise and admiration. Many such men might 
 blush with shame on reading this journal of a simple, truth- 
 loving woman. 
 
 After much trouble I succeeded in persuading the Authoress to 
 allow her journal to appear in print. 
 
 My efforts were called forth by the desire to furnish the read-
 
 X PBEFACE. 
 
 ing public, and particularly the female portion, with a very inter- 
 esting and attractive, and at the same time a strictly authentic 
 picture of the Holy Land, and of Madame Pfeiffer's entire 
 journey.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Departure from Vienna Scene on board the steamer Hamburg 
 Presburg The " Coronation-mount " Pesth Ofen The steamer 
 Galata Mohacs The fortress Peterwardein Discomfort and bad 
 management on board the steamer Semlin Belgrade Pancsova 
 Austrian soldiers The rock Babakay Drenkova Falls of 
 Danube Alt-Orsova The "Iron Gate" Cattle-breeding Cal- 
 lafat Vexatious delay 17 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Giurgewo Interior of the town Braila Sanitary precautions Galatz 
 Scarcity of good water Ridiculous fear of the plague The 
 steamer Ferdinand Entrance into the Black Sea Stormy wea- 
 ther and sea-sickness Arrival at Constantinople Picturesque 
 appearance of the city Mosques The dancing Dervishes The 
 Sultan and his barge Pera The great and little Campo Wild 
 dogs Dirty state of the streets Preparations in case of fire . 32 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Scutari Kaiks The howling Dervishes The Achmaidon, or place 
 of arrows The tower in Galata The bazaar at Constantinople 
 Mosques Slave-market The old Serail The Hippodrome 
 Coffee-houses Story-tellers Excursion to Ejub Houses, thea- 
 tres, and carriages 48
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Walks and drives of the townspeople The " Sweet Waters" Chalce- 
 donia Baluklid The great and little Campo Feasts in Con- 
 stantinople Anniversary of Mahomet's death Easter holydays 
 of the Greeks Gladiators and wrestlers Excursion to Brussa 
 Olive-trees Mosques at Brussa Stone bridge Wild dogs Baths 
 and mineral springs Return to Constantinople .... 62 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Contradictory reports Departure from Constantinople on board the 
 Archduke John Scene on the steamer Galipoli The Darda- 
 nelles Tschenekalesi and Kilidil Bahar The field of Troy Tene- 
 dos Smyrna Halizar The date-palm Burnaba The Acropolis 
 Female beauty Rhodes Strong fortifications Deserted ap- 
 pearance of the town Cyprus 75 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Arrival at Beyrout Fellahs Backsheesh Uncomfortable quarters 
 Saida Tyre St. Jean d'Acre Csesarea Excursion among the 
 ruins Jafla An Eastern family The Indian fig-tree An Orien- 
 tal dinner Costume of the women of Jafia Oppressive heat 
 Gnats Ramla Syrian convents Bedouins and Arabs Kariet el 
 Areb, or Emmaus The scheikh Arrival at Jerusalem . . 91 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Residence at Jerusalem Catholic church The "Nuova Casa" Via 
 dolorosa Pilate's house The Mosque Omar Herod's house 
 Church of the Holy Sepulchre Disturbances at the Greek Easter 
 feasts Knights of the Holy Sepulchre Mount of Olives Adven- 
 ture among the ruins Mount of Ofience Valley of Jehosaphat 
 Siloam Mount Sion Jeremiah's Grotto Graves . 109 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Bethlehem Rachel's grave Convent at Bethlehem Beggars Grotto 
 of the Nativity Solomon's cisterns St. John's Franciscan 
 church at Jerusalem Mourning women Eastern weddings 
 Mish-mish Excursion to the Jordan and the Dead Sea Wilder- 
 ness near Jerusalem Convent of St. Saba 123
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Hide through the wilderness to the Dead Sea The Dead Sea The 
 river Jordan Horde of Bedouins Arab horses The Sultan's well 
 Bivouac in the open air Return to Jerusalem Bethany De- 
 parture from Jerusalem Jacob's grave Nablus or Sichem Se- 
 basta Costume of Samaritan woman Plain of Esdralon Sagun . 137 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Arrival at Nazareth Franciscan convent Tabarith Mount Tabor 
 Lake of Gennesareth Baths Mount Carmel Grotto of the pro- 
 phet Elijah Acre The pacha's harem Oriental women Their 
 Hstlessness and ignorance Sur or Tyre .'.'.'. . 152 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 River Mishmir Saida Arnauts Desert-path Residence of Lady 
 Hester Stanhope Beyrout The consul's Uncomfortable quarters 
 Sickness The Bazaar Vexatious delays Departure from Bey- 
 rout Beautiful views Syrian costumes Damascus Aspect of 
 the city House of the consul 167 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 The bazaar at Damascus The khan Grotto of St. Paul Fanaticism 
 of the inhabitants Departure from Damascus The desert Mili- 
 tary escort Heliopolis or Balbeck Stupendous ruins Continua- 
 tion of our voyage through the desert The plague The Lebanon 
 range Cedar-trees Druses and Maronites Importunate beggars 
 Thievish propensities of the Arabs . . . . ' . 183 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 The Lebanon Druses and Maronites Illness of Herr Sattler Djebel 
 or Byblus Rocky passes Dog's-river Return to Beyrout Sick- 
 ness Departure for Alexandria Roguery of the captain Disa- 
 greeables on board Limasol Alarm of pirates Cowardice of the 
 crew Arrival at Alexandria . ... 200
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Alexandria Keeping quarantine Want of arrangement in the quaran- 
 tine-house Bad water Fumigating of the rooms Release 
 Aspect of the city Departure by boat for Atfe" Mehemet All 
 Arrival at Atfe" Excellence of the Nile water Good-nature of 
 the Arab women The Delta of the Nile The Libyan desert 
 The pyramids Arrival at Cairo ....... 214 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Cairo Quarrel with the captain Rapacity of the beggars The cus- 
 tom-house The consulate Aspect of Cairo Narrow and crowded 
 streets Costumes The mad-house Disgusting exhibition Jo- 
 seph's well Palace of Mehemet Ali Dates Mosques at Cairo 
 Excursion to the pyramids of Gizeh Gizeh Eggs hatched by ar- 
 tificial heat Ascent of the pyramids The sphynx Return to 
 Cairo 230 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Christian churches at Cairo The Esbekie-square Theatre Howling 
 dervishes Mashdalansher, the birthday of Mahomet Proces- 
 sion and religious ceremony Shubra Excursion through the de- 
 sert to Suez Hardships of the journey Scenes in the desert 
 The camel Caravans Mirage The Red Sea Suez Bedouin 
 Camp Quarrel with the camel-driver Departure for Alexandria 245 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Return to Alexandria Egyptian burials Catacombs of Alexandria 
 Viceroy's palace Departure from Alexandria The steamer Eu- 
 rotas Candia Syra Paros and Antiparos The Morea Fire on 
 board Malta Quarantine St. Augustine's church Clergymen 
 Beggars Costumes Soldiers Civita Vecchia .... 260 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 The steamer Hercules Syracuse Neapolis Ruins Catanea Convent 
 of St. Nicholas Messina The Duke of Calabria Palermo The 
 royal palace Church of St. Theresa St. Ignazio Catacombs of 
 the Augustine convent Skeletons Olivuzza Royal villa " Fa- 
 vorite " St. Rosalia Brutality of the Italian mob Luxuriant 
 vegetation Arrival at Naples 272
 
 CONTENTS. XV 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Sojourn at Naples Sickness Laziness of the people Royal palace 
 Rotunda Strada Chiaga and Toledo St. Carlo Theatre Largo 
 del Castello Medina Square Marionettes St. Jesu Nuovo St. 
 Jesu Maggiore St. Maria di Piedigrotta Public gardens Aca- 
 demy " degli Studii" Cathedral of St. Januarius St. Jeronimi 
 St. Paula Maggiore St. Chiara Baths of Nero Solfatara Grotto 
 "del Cane" Resina Ascent of Vesuvius Caserta . 289 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Caserta Costume of the peasants Rome Piazza del Popolo Dogana 
 St. Peter's Palaces Borghese, Barberini, Colonna, &c. 
 Churches Ancient Rome The Colliseum Departure for Flo- 
 rence Bad weather Picturesque scenery Siena Florence 
 Cathedral and palaces Departure from Florence Bologna 
 Ferrara Conclusion . 308
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 JERUSALEM (FRONTISPIECE). 
 
 NAZARETH (TITLE). 
 
 CHURCHYARD AT SCUTARI ... .48 
 
 THE DEAD SEA ...... 1 3 8 
 
 MOUNT CARMEL ..... l6o 
 
 LEBANON .... 190 
 
 BALBECK .... 194 
 
 ISTHMUS OF SUEZ 257
 
 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 ETC. ETC. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Departure from Vienna Scene on board the steamer Hamburg Pres- 
 burg The " Coronation-mount" Pesth Ofen The steamer Galatcb 
 Mohacs The fortress Peterwardein Discomfort and bad manage- 
 ment on board the steamer Semlin Belgrade Pancsova Austrian 
 soldiers The rock Babakay Drenkova Falls of the Danube Alt- 
 Orsova The "Iron Gate" Cattle-breeding Callafat Vexatious 
 delay. 
 
 I HAD for years cherished the -wish to undertake a journey to 
 the Holy Land; years are, indeed, required to familiarise one 
 with the idea of so hazardous an enterprise. When, therefore, 
 my domestic arrangements at length admitted of my absence for 
 at least a year, my chief employment was to prepare myself for 
 this journey. I read many works bearing on the subject, and 
 was moreover fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of a 
 gentleman who had travelled hi the Holy Land some years be- 
 fore. I was thus enabled to gain much oral information and 
 advice respecting the means of prosecuting my dangerous pil- 
 grimage. 
 
 My friends and relations attempted in vain to turn me from 
 my purpose by painting, in the most glowing colours, all the dan- 
 gers and difficulties which await the traveller in those regions. 
 

 
 18 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 " Men," they said, " were obliged gravely to consider if they 
 had physical strength to endure the fatigues of such a journey, 
 and strength of mind bravely to face the dangers of the plague, 
 the climate, the attacks of insects, bad diet, &c. And to think 
 of a woman's venturing alone, without protection of any kind, into 
 the wide world, across sea and mountain and plain, it was 
 quite preposterous/' This was the opinion of my friends. 
 
 I had nothing to advance in opposition to all this but my 
 firm unchanging determination. My trust in Providence gave me 
 calmness and strength to set my house in every respect in order. 
 I made my will, and arranged ah 1 my worldly affairs in such a 
 manner that, in the case of my death (an event which I considered 
 more probable than my safe return), my family should find every 
 thing perfectly arranged. 
 
 And thus, on the 22d of March 1842, I commenced my 
 journey from Vienna. 
 
 At one o'clock in the afternoon I drove to the Kaisermuhlen 
 (Emperor's Mills), from which place the steamboats start for 
 Pesth. I was joyfully surprised by the presence of several of 
 my relations and friends, who wished to say farewell once 
 more. The parting was certainly most bitter, for the thought 
 involuntarily obtruded itself, " Should we ever meet again in this 
 world?" 
 
 Our mournful meditations were in some degree disturbed by a 
 loud dispute on board the vessel. At the request of a gentleman 
 present, one of the passengers was compelled, instead of flying, 
 as he had intended, with bag and baggage to Hungary, to return 
 to Vienna in company of the police. It appeared he owed the 
 gentleman 1300 florins, and had wished to abscond, but was 
 luckily overtaken before the departure of the boat. This affair 
 was hardly concluded when the bell rang, the wheels began to 
 revolve, and too soon, alas, my dear ones were out of sight ! 
 
 I had but few fellow-passengers. The weather was indeed 
 fine and mild ; but the season was not far enough advanced to
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 19 
 
 lure travellers into the wide world, excepting men of business, 
 and those who had cosmopolitan ideas, like myself. Most of those 
 on board were going only to Presburg, or at farthest to Pesth. 
 The captain having mentioned that a woman was on board who 
 intended travelling to Constantinople, I was immediately sur- 
 rounded by curious gazers. A gentleman who was bound to the 
 same port stepped forward, and offered his services in case I 
 should ever stand in need of them ; he afterwards frequently took 
 me under his protection. 
 
 The fine mild weather changed to cold and wind as we got 
 fairly out into the great Danube. I wrapped myself in my cloak, 
 and remained on deck, in order to see the scenery between Vienna 
 and Presburg, which, no doubt, appears lovely enough when na- 
 ture is clad in the garment of spring ; but now I only saw leafless 
 trees and fallow ground a dreary picture of winter. 
 
 Hamburg with its old castle on a rock, Theben with its re- 
 markable fortress, and farther on the large free city of Presburg, 
 have all a striking appearance. 
 
 In three hours' time we reached Presburg, and landed in the 
 neighbourhood of the Coronation-hill, an artificial mound, on which 
 the king must stand in his royal robes, and brandish his sword 
 towards the four quarters of the heavens, as a token that he is 
 ready to defend his kingdom against all enemies, from whatever 
 direction they may approach. Not far from this hill is situate the 
 handsome inn called the " Two Green Trees," where the charges 
 are as high, if not higher, than in Vienna. Until we have passed 
 Pesth, passengers going down the river are not allowed to remain 
 on board through the night. 
 
 March 23d. 
 
 This morning we continued our journey at six o'clock. Im- 
 mediately below Presburg the Danube divides into two arms, 
 forming the fertile island of Schutt, which is about forty-six miles 
 long and twenty-eight in breadth. Till we reach Gran the scenery
 
 20 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 is monotonous enough, but here it improves. Beautiful hills and 
 several mountains surround the place, imparting a charm of variety 
 to the landscape. 
 
 In the evening, at about seven o'clock, we arrived at Pesth. 
 Unfortunately it was already quite dark. The magnificent houses, 
 or rather palaces, skirting the left bank of the Danube, and the 
 celebrated ancient fortress and town of Ofen on the right, form a 
 splendid spectacle, and invite the traveller to a longer sojourn. 
 As I had passed some days at Pesth several years before, I now 
 only stayed there for one night. 
 
 As the traveller must change steamers here, it behoves him 
 to keep a careful eye upon the luggage he has not delivered up 
 at the office in Vienna. 
 
 I put up at the " Hunting-horn," a fine hotel, but ridiculously 
 expensive. A little back room cost me 45 kreutzers (about one 
 shilling and eightpence) for one night. 
 
 The whole day I had felt exceedingly unwell. A violent 
 headache, accompanied by nausea and fever, made me fear the 
 approach of a fit of illness which would interrupt my journey. 
 These symptoms were probably a consequence of the painful ex- 
 citement of parting with my friends, added to the change of air. 
 With some difficulty I gained my modest chamber, and imme- 
 diately went to bed. My good constitution was lucidly proof 
 against the attacks of all enemies, and waking the next morn- 
 ing, on 
 
 March 24th, 
 
 in tolerable health, I betook myself on board our new steam- 
 boat the Galata, of sixty - horse power : this boat did not, 
 however, appear to me so tidy and neat as the Marianna, in 
 which we had proceeded from Vienna to Pesth. Our journey was 
 a rapid one ; at ten o'clock in the morning we were already at 
 Feldvar, a place which seems at a distance to be of some magni- 
 tude, but which melts away like a soap-bubble on a nearer ap-
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 21 
 
 preach. By two o'clock we Lad reached Paks; here, as at all 
 other places of note, we stopped for a quarter of an hour. A boat 
 rows off from the shore, bringing and fetching back passengers 
 with such marvellous speed, that you have scarcely finished the 
 sentence you are saying to your neighbour before he has van- 
 ished. There is no time even to say farewell. 
 
 At about eight o'clock in the evening we reached the market- 
 town of Moha'cs, celebrated as the scene of two battles. The for- 
 tress here is used as a prison for criminals. We could distinguish 
 nothing either of the fortress or the town. It was already night 
 when we arrived, and at two o'clock in the morning of 
 
 March 25th 
 
 we weighed anchor. I was assured, however, that I had lost 
 nothing by this haste. 
 
 Some hours afterwards, our ship suddenly struck with so severe 
 a shock, that all hastened on deck to see what was the matter. 
 Our steersman, who had most probably been more asleep than 
 awake, had given the ship an unskilful turn, in consequence of 
 which, one of the paddles was entangled with some trunks of trees 
 projecting above the surface of the water. The sailors hurried 
 into the boats, the engine was backed, and after much difficulty 
 we were once more afloat. 
 
 Stopping for a few moments at Dalina and Berkara, we passed 
 the beautiful ruin of Count Palffy's castle at about two o'clock. 
 The castle of Illok, situate on a hill, and belonging to Prince 
 Odescalchi, presents a still more picturesque appearance. 
 
 At about four o'clock we landed near the little free town of 
 Neusatz, opposite the celebrated fortress of Peterwardein, the out- 
 works of which extend over a tongue of land stretching far out 
 into the Danube. Of the little free town of Neusatz we could not 
 see much, hidden as it is by hills which at this point confine the 
 bed of the river. The Danube is here crossed by a bridge of 
 boats, and this place also forms the military boundary of Austria.
 
 22 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 The surrounding landscape appeared sufficiently picturesque ; the 
 little town of Karlowitz, lying at a short distance from the shore, 
 among hills covered with vineyards, has a peculiarly good effect. 
 Farther on, however, as far as Semlin, the scenery is rather mono- 
 . tonous. Here the Danube already spreads itself out to a vast 
 breadth, resembling rather a lake than a river. 
 ^ " ." At nine o'clock at night we reached the city of Semlin, in the 
 vicinity of which we halted. Semlin is a fortified place, situated 
 at the junction of the Save with the Danube; it contains 13,000 
 inhabitants, and is the last Austrian town on the right bank of 
 the Danube. 
 
 On approaching Semlin, a few small cannons were fired off 
 on board our boat. Unfortunately the steward did not receive 
 notice of this event early enough to allow of his opening the win- 
 dows, consequently one was shattered: this was a serious mis- 
 fortune for us, as the temperature had sunk to zero, and all the 
 landscape around was covered with snow. Before leaving Vienna, 
 the cabin stove had been banished from its place, as the sun had 
 sent forth its mild beams for a few days, and a continuance of 
 the warm weather was rashly relied on. On the whole, I would 
 not advise any traveller to take a second-class berth on board 
 a steamer belonging to the Viennese company. A greater want 
 of order than we find in these vessels could scarcely be met 
 with. The traveller whose funds will not permit of his paying 
 first-class fare will do better to content himself with a third-class, 
 i. e. a deck-passage, particularly if he purposes journeying no far- 
 ther than Mohacs. If the weather is fine, it is more agreeable 
 to remain on deck, watching the panorama of the Danube as it 
 glides past. Should the day be unfavourable, the traveller can go, 
 without ceremony, into the second-class cabin, for no one makes a 
 distinction between the second and third-class places. During the 
 daytime, at any rate, it is quite as agreeable to remain on deck 
 as to venture below. Travelling down the river from Pesth, the 
 women are compelled to pass the night in the same cabin with the
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 23 
 
 men; an arrangement as uncomfortable as it is indecorous. I 
 afterwards had some experience of steamers belonging to the 
 Austrian Lloyds, on whose vessels I always found a proper sepa- 
 ration of the two sexes, and a due regard for the comfort of 
 second-class passengers. 
 
 The cold was so severe, that we would gladly have closed 
 every window, but for the close atmosphere engendered by the 
 number of poor people, mostly Jews, who form the larger portion 
 of passengers on board a Hungarian steamer. When the weather 
 is unfavourable, these men are accustomed to hasten from then' 
 third-class places to those of the second class, where their presence 
 renders it immediately desirable to open every outlet for purposes 
 of ventilation. What the traveller has to endure on board these 
 vessels would scarcely be believed. Uncushioned benches serve 
 for seats by day and for beds by night. A separation of the two 
 sexes is nowhere attempted, not even on board the Ferdinand, 
 in which you enter the Black Sea, and are exposed to the mer- 
 ciless attacks of sea- sickness. 
 
 Considering the high rate of passage-money demanded on this 
 journey, I really think the traveller might expect better accom- 
 modation. The first-class to Constantinople costs 120 florins, a 
 the second 85 florins, exclusive of provisions, and without reckon- 
 ing the hotel expenses at Presburg. 
 
 March 26th. 
 
 Last night was not a period of rest, but of noise for us travel- 
 lers. Not one of us could close his eyes. 
 
 Semlin is a place of considerable importance as a commercial 
 town : above 180 cwt. of goods were unloaded here from our ves- 
 sel ; and in exchange we took on board coals, wood, and wares of 
 various descriptions. The damaged wheel, too, had to be repaired ; 
 and every thing was done with so much crashing and noise, 
 that we almost imagined the whole steamer was coming to pieces. 
 A florin is worth about 2s. Id.
 
 24 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 Added to this, the cold wind drove in continually through the 
 broken pane, and made the place a real purgatory to us. At length, 
 at six o'clock in the morning, we got afloat once more. One ad- 
 vantage, however, resulted from this fortuitous stoppage : we had a 
 very good view of Belgrade, a town of 20,000 inhabitants, situate 
 opposite to Semlin. It is the first Turkish fortified city in Servia. 
 
 The aspect of Belgrade is exceedingly beautiful. The fortifi- 
 cations extend upwards on a rock from the Danube in the form 
 of steps. The city itself, with its graceful minarets, lies half a 
 mile farther inland. Here I saw the first mosques and minarets. 
 The mosques, as far as I could observe from the steamer, are 
 built in a circular form, not very high, and surmounted by a 
 cupola flanked by one or two minarets, a kind of high round 
 pillar. The loftiest among these buildings is the palace of Prince 
 Milosch. From this point our voyage becomes very interesting, 
 presenting a rich and varied succession of delightful landscape- 
 views. The river is hemmed in on either side by mountains, 
 until it spreads itself forth free and unrestrained, in the neigh- 
 bourhood of Pancsova, to a breadth of 800 fathoms. 
 
 Pancsova, on the left bank of the Danube, in the territory of 
 Banata, is a military station. 
 
 As the stoppages are only for a few moments, h'ttle oppor- 
 tunity is afforded of seeing the ulterior of the towns, or of visiting 
 most of the places at which we touch. At such tunes all is hurry 
 and confusion ; suddenly the bell rings, the planks are withdrawn, 
 and the unlucky stranger who has loitered on board for a few 
 moments is obliged to proceed with us to the next station. 
 
 At Neusatz this happened to a servant, in consequence of his 
 carrying his master's luggage into the cabin instead of merely 
 throwing it down on the deck. The poor man was conveyed on 
 to Semlin, and had to travel on foot for a day and a half to regain 
 his home. A very pleasant journey of two hours from Pancsova 
 brought us to the Turkish fortress Semendria, the situation of 
 which is truly beautiful. The numerous angles of its walls and
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 25 
 
 towers, built in the Moorish style, impart to this place a peculiar 
 charm. As a rule, the Turkish fortresses are remarkable for 
 picturesque effect. 
 
 But the villages, particularly those on the Servian shore, had 
 the same poverty-stricken look I had frequently noticed in Galicia. 
 Wretched clay huts, thatched with straw, lay scattered around ; 
 and far and wide not a tree or a shrub appeared to rejoice the eye 
 of the traveller or of the sojourner in these parts, under the 
 shade of which the poor peasant might recruit his weary frame, 
 while it would conceal from the eye of the traveller, in some 
 degree, the poverty and nakedness of habitations on which no 
 feeling mind can gaze without emotions of pity. 
 
 The left bank of the river belongs to Hungary, and is called 
 the " Banat ;" it presents an appearance somewhat less desolate. 
 Much, however, remains to be desired ; and the poverty that reigns 
 around is here more to be wondered at, from the fact that this 
 strip of land is so rich in the productions 'of nature as to have 
 obtained the name of the " Garner of Hungary." 
 
 On the Austrian side of the Danube sentries are posted at 
 every two or three hundred paces an arrangement which has 
 been imitated by the governments on the left bank, and is carried 
 out to the point where the river empties itself into the Black Sea. 
 
 It would, however, be erroneous to suppose that these sol- 
 diers mount guard in their uniforms. They take up their positions, 
 for a week at a time, hi their wretched tattered garments ; fre- 
 quently they are barefoot, and their huts look like stables. I 
 entered some of these huts to view the internal arrangements. 
 They could scarcely have been more simple. In one corner 
 I found a hearth ; in another, an apology for a stove, clumsily 
 fashioned out of clay. An unsightly hole in the wall, stopped 
 \\ith paper instead of glass, forms the window ; the furniture is 
 comprised in a single wooden bench. Whatever the inhabitant 
 requires in the way of provisions he must bring with him ; for 
 this he is allowed by the government to cultivate the land.
 
 26 "VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 Throughout the Russian territory the soldiers at least wear 
 uniform. 
 
 Our journey becomes more and more charming. Frequently 
 the mighty river rushes foaming and roaring past the rocks, which 
 seem scarcely to allow it a passage; at other times it glides 
 serenely onwards. At every turn we behold new beauties, and 
 carcely know on which side to turn our eager eyes. Meanwhile 
 the ship sails swiftly on, gliding majestically through wildly 
 romantic scenery. 
 
 At one o"~clock in the afternoon we reached Pasiest. where 
 there is nothing to be seen but a large store of coals for the 
 steamers and a few huts. Of the town itself nothing can be 
 distinguished. 
 
 A couple of miles below Pasiest we enjoy an imposing spec- 
 tacle. It is the solitary rock Babakay, rising from the midst of 
 the waters. Together with the beautiful ruin Golumbacz, on the 
 Servian shore, it forms a magnificent view. 
 
 March 27th. 
 
 How unfortunate it is that all advantages are so seldom found 
 combined ! We are now travelling amid glorious scenery, which 
 we hoped should recompense us for the manifold discomforts we 
 have hitherto endured ; but the weather is unpropitious. The 
 driving snow sends us all into the cabin. The Danube is so 
 fiercely agitated by the stormy wind, that it rises into waves Hke 
 a sea. We are suffering lamentably from cold ; unable to warm 
 ourselves, we stand gazing ruefully at the place where the stove 
 stood once upon a time. 
 
 At four o'clock we reached Drenkova without accident, but 
 completely benumbed: we hurried into the inn buflt by the steam- 
 boat company, where we found capital fare, a warm room, and 
 tolerably comfortable beds. This was the first place we had 
 reached since leaving Pesth at which we could thoroughly warm 
 and refresh ourselves.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 27 
 
 At Drenkova itself there is nothing to be seen but the inn just 
 mentioned and a barrack for soldiers. We were here shewn the 
 vessel which was wrecked, with passengers on board, in 1839, in 
 a journey up the Danube. Eight persons who happened to be in 
 the cabin lost their lives, and those only who were on deck were 
 saved. 
 
 March 28th. 
 
 Early in the morning we embarked on board the Tiinte, a vessel 
 furnished with a cabin. The bed of the Danube is here more and 
 more hemmed in by mountains and rocks, so that in some places 
 it is not above eighty fathoms broad, and glides with redoubled 
 swiftness towards its goal, the Pontus Euxinus or Black Sea. 
 
 On account of the falls which it is necessary to pass, between 
 Drenkova and Fetislav, the steamer must be changed for a small 
 sailing vessel. The voyage down the stream could indeed be 
 accomplished without danger, but the return would be attended 
 with many difficulties. The steamers, therefore, remain behind 
 at Drenkova, and passengers are conveyed down the river in 
 barks, and upivards (since the accident of 1839) in good com- 
 modious carriages. 
 
 To-day the cold was quite as severe as it had been yesterday ; 
 so that but for the politeness of a fellow -passenger, who lent me 
 his bunda (great Hungarian fur), I should have been com- 
 pelled to remain in the little cabin, and should thus have missed 
 the most interesting points of the Danube. As it was, however, 
 I wrapped myself from head to foot in the fur cloak, took my seat 
 on a bench outside the cabin, and had full leisure to store my 
 memory with a succession of lovely scenery, presenting almost 
 the appearance of a series of lake views, which continued equally 
 picturesque until we had almost reached Alt-Orsova. 
 
 A couple of miles below Drenkova, near Islas, the sailors sud- 
 denly cried, " The first fall !" I looked up in a fever of expec- 
 tation. The water was rising in small waves, the stream ran 
 somewhat faster, and a slight rushing sound was to be heard. If
 
 28 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 I had not been told that the Danube forms a waterfall here, I 
 should certainly never have suspected it to be the case. Between 
 Lenz and Krems I did not find either the rocks or the power of 
 the stream much more formidable. We had, however, a high 
 tide, a circumstance which diminishes both the danger of the 
 journey and the sublimity of the view. The numerous rocky 
 points, peering threateningly forth at low tide, among which the 
 steersman must pick his way with great care, were all hidden 
 from our sight. We glided safely over them, and in about twenty 
 minutes had left the first fall behind us. The two succeeding falls 
 are less considerable. 
 
 On the Austro-Wallachian side a road extends over a distance 
 of fourteen to sixteen miles, frequently strengthened with ma- 
 sonry, and at some points hewn out of the solid rock. In the 
 midst of this road, on a high wall of rock, we see the celebrated 
 "Veteran Cave," one of the most impregnable points on the banks 
 of the Danube. It is surrounded by redoubts, and is admirably 
 calculated to command the passage of the river. This cave is 
 said to be sufficiently spacious to contain 500 men. So far back 
 as the time of the Romans it was already used as a point of 
 defence for the Danube. Some five miles below it we notice the 
 " Trajan's Tablet," hewn out of a protruding rock. 
 
 On the Turco-Servian side the masses of rock jut out so far 
 into the stream, that no room is left for a footway. Here the 
 famous Trajan's Road once existed. No traces of this work remain, 
 save that the traveller notices, for fifteen or twenty miles, holes 
 cut here and there hi the rock. In these holes strong trunks of 
 trees were fastened ; these supported the planks of which the 
 road is said to have been formed. 
 
 At eleven hi the forenoon we reached Alt-Orsova, the last 
 Austrian town on the military frontier of Banata or Wallachia. 
 We were obliged to remain here for half a day. 
 
 The town has rather a pretty effect, being composed mostly of 
 new houses. The house belonging to the steamboat company is
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 29 
 
 particularly remarkable. It is not, however, devoted to the accom- 
 modation of travellers, as at Drenkova. Here, as at Presburg and 
 Pesth, each passenger is required to pay for his night's expenses, 
 an arrangement which I could not help finding somewhat strange, 
 inasmuch as every passenger is made to pay twice ; namely, for 
 his place on the steamer and for his room in the inn. 
 
 It was Sunday when we arrived, and I saw many people pro- 
 ceeding to church. The peasants are dressed tolerably neatly and 
 well. Both men and women wear long garments of blue cloth. 
 The women have on their heads large handkerchiefs of white 
 linen, which hang down their backs, and on their feet stout boots; 
 the men wear round felt hats, and sandals made of the bark 
 of trees. 
 
 March 29th. 
 
 After having completely refreshed ourselves at the good inn 
 called the " Golden Stag," we this morning embarked on a new 
 craft, the Saturnus, which is only covered in overhead, and is 
 open on all sides. 
 
 So soon as a traveller has stepped upon this vessel he is 
 looked upon as unclean, and may not go on shore without keeping 
 quarantine : an officer accompanied us as far as Galatz. 
 
 Immediately below Alt-Orsova we entirely quit the Austrian 
 territory. 
 
 We are now brought nearer every moment to the most dan- 
 gerous part of the river, the " Iron Gate," called by the Turks 
 Demir kaju. Half an hour before we reached the spot, the rushing 
 sound of the water announced the perilous proximity. Numerous 
 reefs of rocks here traverse the stream, and the current runs eddy- 
 ing among them. 
 
 We passed this dangerous place in about fifteen minutes. 
 Here, at the Iron Gate, the high tide befriended us, as it did at 
 the former falls. 
 
 I found these falls, and indeed almost every thing we passed, 
 far below the anticipations I had formed from reading descriptions,
 
 30 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 frequently of great poetic beauty. I wish to represent every 
 thing as I found it, as it appeared before my eyes ; without adorn- 
 ment indeed, but truly. 
 
 After passing the Iron Gate we come to a village, in the 
 neighbourhood of which some fragments of the Trajan's Bridge 
 can be discerned at low water. 
 
 The country now becomes flatter, particularly on the left bank, 
 where extend the immense plains of Wallachia, and the eye finds 
 no object on which it can rest. On the right hand rise terrace- 
 like rows of lulls and mountains, and the background is bounded 
 by the sharply- denned lines of the Balkan range, rendered cele- 
 brated by the passage of the Eussians hi 1829. The villages, 
 scattered thinly along the banks, become more and more miserable ; 
 they rather resemble stables for cattle than human dwellings. 
 The beasts remain hi the open fields, though the climate does not 
 appear to be much milder than with us in Austria ; for to-day, 
 nearly at the beginning of April, the thermometer stood one de- 
 gree below zero, and yesterday we had only five degrees of warmth 
 (reckoning by Eeaumur). 
 
 The expeditious and easy manner in which cattle are here de- 
 clared to be free from the plague also struck me as remarkable. 
 When the creatures are brought from an infected place to one 
 pronounced healthy, the ship is brought to some forty or fifty 
 paces from the shore, and each animal is thrown into the water 
 and driven towards the bank, where people are waiting to receive 
 it. After this simple operation the beasts are considered free from 
 infectious matter. 
 
 Cattle-rearing seems to be here carried on to a considerable 
 extent. Everywhere I noticed large herds of horned beasts and 
 many buffaloes. Numerous flocks of goats and sheep also appear. 
 
 On the Saturnus we travelled at the most for two hours, 
 after which we embarked, opposite the fortress of Fetislav, on board 
 the steamer Zriny. 
 
 At five o'clock in the evening we passed the fortress of Wid-
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 31 
 
 din, opposite which we stopped, in the neighbourhood of the town 
 of Callafat. It was intended merely to land goods here, and then 
 to proceed immediately on our voyage ; but the agent was no- 
 where to be found, and so we poor travellers were made the vic- 
 tims of this carelessness, and compelled to remain here at anchor 
 all night. 
 
 March 30th. 
 
 As the agent had not yet made his appearance, the captain 
 had no choice but to leave the steward behind to watch over the 
 goods. At half-past six in the morning the engines were at length 
 set in motion, and after a very agreeable passage of six hours we 
 reached Nicopolis. 
 
 All the Turkish fortresses on the Danube are situated on the 
 right bank, mostly amid beautiful scenery. The larger towns and 
 villages are surrounded by gardens and trees, which give them a 
 very pleasant appearance. The interior of these towns, however, 
 is said not to be quite so inviting as one would suppose from a 
 distant view, for it is asserted that dirty narrow streets, dilapi- 
 dated houses, &c., offend the stranger's sight at every step. We 
 did not land at any of these fortresses or towns ; for us the right 
 . bank of the river was a forbidden paradise ; so we only saw what 
 was beautiful, and escaped being disenchanted. 
 
 Rather late in the evening we cast anchor opposite a village 
 of no note.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Giurgewo Interior of the town Braila Sanitary precautions Galatz 
 Scarcity of good water Ridiculous fear of the plague The steamer 
 Ferdinand Entrance into the Black Sea Stormy weather and sea- 
 sickness Arrival at Constantinople Picturesque appearance of the 
 city Mosques The dancing Dervishes The Sultan and his barge 
 Pera The great and little Campo Wild dogs Dirty state of the 
 streets Preparations in case of fire. 
 
 March 31st. 
 
 WE started early this morning, and at eight o'clock had already 
 reached Giurgewo. This town is situate on the left bank of 
 the Danube, opposite the fortress of Rustschuk. It contains 16,000 
 inhabitants, and is one of the chief trading towns of Wallachia. 
 We were detained here until four o'clock in the afternoon ; for we 
 had to unload above 600 cwt. of goods and eight carriages, and 
 to take coals on board in exchange. Thus we had time to view 
 the interior of this Wallachian city. 
 
 With what disappointed surprise did my fellow-passengers view 
 the ugliness of this town, which from a distance promises so much ! 
 On me it made but little impression, for I had seen towns pre- 
 cisely similar in Galicia. The streets and squares are full of pits 
 and holes ; the houses are built without the slightest regard to taste 
 or symmetry, one perhaps projecting halfway across the street, 
 while its neighbour falls quite into the background. In some 
 pkces wooden booths were erected along each side of the street 
 for the sale of the commonest necessaries of life and articles of 
 food, and these places were dignified by the name of " bazaars." 
 Curiosity led us into a wine-shop and into a coffee-house. In both 
 of these we found only wooden tables and benches ; there were 
 hardly any guests ; and the few persons present belonged to the
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 33 
 
 humblest classes. Glasses and cups are handed to the company 
 without undergoing the ceremony of rinsing. 
 
 We purchased some eggs and butter, and went into the house 
 of one of the townspeople to prepare ourselves a dish after the 
 German fashion. I had thus an opportunity of noticing the inter- 
 nal arrangements of a house of this description. The floor of 
 the room was not boarded, and the window was only half glazed, 
 the remaining portion being filled up with paper or thin bladder. 
 For the rest, every thing was neat and simple enough. Even a 
 good comfortable divan was not wanting. At four o'clock we 
 quitted the town. 
 
 The Danube is now only broad for short distances at a time. 
 It is, as it were, sown with islands, and its waters are therefore 
 more frequently parted into several streams than united into one. 
 
 In the villages we already notice Greek and Turkish costumes, 
 but the women and girls do not yet wear veils. 
 
 Unfortunately it was so late when we reached the fortress of 
 Silistria that I could see nothing of it. A little lower down we 
 cast anchor for the night. At an early hour on 
 
 April 1st 
 
 we sailed past Hirsova, and at two o'clock stopped at Braila, a 
 fortress occupied by the Russians since the year 1828. Here 
 passengers were not allowed to land, as they were considered 
 infected with the plague; but our officer stepped forward, and 
 vouched for the fact that we had neither landed nor taken up any 
 one on the right bank of the river ; thereupon the strangers were 
 allowed to set foot on terra firma. 
 
 By four o'clock we were opposite Galatz, one of the most 
 considerable commercial towns, with 8000 inhabitants, the only 
 harbour the Russians possess on the Danube. Here we saw the 
 first merchant-ships and barques of all kinds coming from the 
 Black Sea. Some sea-gulls also, heralds of the neighbouring ocean, 
 soared above our heads. 
 
 c
 
 34 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 The scene here is one of traffic and bustle ; Galatz being the 
 place of rendezvous for merchants and travellers from two quar- 
 ters of the globe, Europe and Asia. It is the point of junction of 
 three great empires Austria, Russia, and Turkey. 
 
 After the officer had repeated his assurances as at Braila, we 
 were permitted to leave the ship. I had a letter of recommenda- 
 tion to the Austrian consul, who accidentally came on board ; after 
 reading my letter he received me very kindly, and most obligingly 
 procured quarters for me. 
 
 The town promises much, but proves to be just such a miser- 
 able dirty place as Giurgewo. The houses are generally built 
 of wood or clay, thatched with straw ; those alone belonging to 
 the consul and the rich merchants are of stone. The finest build- 
 ings are the Christian church and the Moldavian hotel. 
 
 Though Galatz lies on the Danube, water for drinking is a 
 dear article among the inhabitants. Wells are to be found neither 
 in the houses nor in the squares. The townspeople are com- 
 pelled to bring ah 1 the water they require from the Danube, which 
 is a great hardship for the poor people, and a considerable expense 
 for the rich; in winter a small tub of water costs from 10 to 12 
 kreutzers (about 4d. or 5rf.) in the more distant quarters of the 
 town. At every corner you meet water-carriers, and little wagons 
 loaded with tubs of water. Attempts have frequently been made to 
 procure this indispensable element by digging ; water has, indeed, 
 in some instances gushed forth, but it always had a brackish taste. 
 
 In Galatz we made a halt of twenty -four hours : the delay 
 was not of the most agreeable kind, as neither the town itself 
 nor its environs offer any thing worthy of remark. Still I always 
 think of these days with pleasure. Herr Consul Huber is a po- 
 lite and obliging man ; himself a traveller, he gave me many a 
 hint and many a piece of advice for my journey. The air of quiet 
 comfort which reigned throughout his house was also not to be 
 despised by one who had just endured many days of privation ; at 
 Herr Huber's I found relief both for body and mind.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 35 
 
 April 2d. 
 
 The scenery round the town is so far from being inviting, that 
 I did not feel the least inclination to explore it. I therefore re- 
 mained in the town, and went up hill and dowa dale through the 
 ill-paved streets. Coffee-houses appear in great abundance ; but if 
 it were not for the people sitting in front of them drinking coffee 
 and smoking tobacco, no one would do these dirty rooms the 
 honour of taking them for places of entertainment. 
 
 In the market and the squares we notice a great prepon- 
 derance of the male sex over the female. The former are seen 
 bustling about every where, and, like the Italians, perform some 
 duties which usually fall to the lot of the softer sex. We notice 
 a mixture of the most different nations, and among them a parti- 
 cularly large number of Jews. 
 
 The bazaar is overloaded with southern fruits of all kinds. 
 Oranges and lemons are seen here in great numbers, like the com- 
 monest of our fruits. The prices are of course very trifling. The 
 cauliflowers brought from Asia Minor are particularly fine. I 
 noticed many as large as a man's head. 
 
 In the evening I was required to repair to the harbour and 
 re-embark. 
 
 It is almost impossible to form an idea of the confusion which 
 reigns here. A wooden railing forms the barrier between the 
 healthy people and those who come from or intend travelling to 
 a country infected with the plague. Whoever passes this line 
 of demarcation is not allowed to return. Soldiers, officers, go- 
 vernment officials, and superintendents, the latter of whom axe 
 armed with sticks and pairs of tongs, stand at the entrance to 
 drive those forcibly back who will not be content with fair words. 
 Provisions and other articles are either thrown over the barrier 
 or left in front of it. In the latter case, however, they may not 
 be touched until the bearers have departed. A gentleman on the 
 " plague" side wished to give a letter to one on the other ; it was 
 immediately snatched from his hand and handed across by means
 
 36 
 
 of a pair of tongs. And all this time such a noise and hubbub is 
 going on, that you can scarcely hear the sound of your own voice. 
 " Pray hand me over my luggage !" cries one. " Keep farther 
 away! don't come near me, and mind you don't touch me!" 
 anxiously exclaims another. And then the superintendents keep 
 shouting " Stand back, stand back !" &c. 
 
 I was highly entertained by this spectacle; the scene was 
 entirely new to me. But on my return, when I shall be one of 
 the prisoners, I fear I may find it rather tedious. For this time 
 I was not at all hindered in the prosecution of my journey. 
 
 On the whole, these timid precautions seemed to me exceed- 
 ingly uncalled for, particularly at a time when neither the plague 
 nor any kind of contagious disease prevailed in Turkey. One of 
 my fellow-passengers had been banished to our ship on the pre- 
 vious day because he had had the misfortune to brush against an 
 official on going to see after his luggage. 
 
 At seven o'clock the tattoo is beaten, the grating is shut, and 
 the farce ends. We now repaired to the fourth and last steamer, 
 the Ferdinand. From first to last we changed vessels six times 
 during a journey from Vienna to Constantinople ; we travelled by 
 four steamers and twice in boats ; a circumstance which cannot 
 be reckoned among the pleasures of a trip down the Danube. 
 
 Though not a large boat, the Ferdinand is comfortable and 
 well built. Even the second-class cabin is neatly arranged, and 
 a pretty stove diffused a warmth which was peculiarly grateful to 
 us all, as the thermometer shewed only six to eight degrees above 
 zero. Unfortunately even here the men and women are not sepa- 
 rated hi the second-class cabin ; but care is at least taken that 
 third-class passengers do not intrude. Twelve berths are arranged 
 round the walls, and in front of these are placed broad benches 
 well cushioned. 
 
 April 3d. 
 
 At five o'clock in the morning we steamed out of the harbour 
 of Galatz. Shortly afterwards basins and towels were handed to
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 37 
 
 us ; a custom totally unknown upon former vessels. For provi- 
 sions, which are tolerably good, we are charged 1 fl. 40 kr. per diem. 
 
 Towards ten o'clock we reached Tehussa, a Bessarabian vil- 
 lage of most miserable appearance, where we stopped for a quarter 
 of an hour ; after which we proceeded without further delay to- 
 wards the Black Sea. 
 
 I had long rejoiced in the expectation of reaching the Black 
 Sea, and imagined that near its mouth the Danube itself would 
 appear like a sea. But as it generally happens in life, " great 
 expectations, small realisations," so it was the case here also. 
 At Galatz the Danube is very broad ; but some distance from its 
 mouth it divides itself into so many branches that not one of them 
 can be termed majestic. 
 
 Towards three o'clock in the afternoon we at length entered 
 the Black Sea. 
 
 Here the arms of the Danube rush forward from every quar- 
 ter, driving the sea tumultuously back, so that we can only dis- 
 tinguish hi the far distance a stripe of green. For above an hour 
 we glide on over the yellow, clayey, strongly agitated fresh water, 
 until at length the boundary is passed, and we are careering over 
 the salt waves of the sea. Unfortunately for us, equinoctial gales 
 and heavy weather still so powerfully maintained their sway, that 
 the deck was completely flooded with the salt brine. We could 
 hardly stand upon our feet, and could not manage to reach the 
 cabin- door, where the bell was ringing for dinner, without the as- 
 sistance of some sailors. 
 
 Several of the passengers, myself among the number, did little 
 honour to the cook's skill. We had scarcely begun to eat our 
 soup, before we were so powerfully attacked by sea-sickness, that 
 we were obh'ged to quit the table precipitately. I laid myself down 
 at once, feeling unable to move about, or even to drag myself on 
 deck to admire the magnificent spectacle of nature. The waves 
 frequently ran so high as to overtop the flue of our stove, and 
 from tune to time whole streams of water poured into the cabin.
 
 38 YISTT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 Aprfl4tk- 
 
 Since yesterday the stain has increased considerably, so that 
 we are obliged to hold fast by our cribs to avoid being thrown out 
 This misfortune really happened to one of the passengers, who was 
 too ffl to hold sufficiently tight. 
 
 As I already felt somewhat better, I attempted to rise, lot 
 was thrown in the same instant with such force against a table 
 which stood opposite, flat for a long time I felt no inclination to 
 try again. There was not the slightest chance of obtaining any 
 sleep all night. The dreadful howling of the wind among the 
 masts and cordage, the fearful ^Miing of the ship, which seemed 
 as though its timbers were starting, the continual jifalfrig and 
 rolling, the Ty*fl"g of the heavy cables above us, the cries, orders, 
 and flhimfing of the captain and his sailors, all combined to form 
 a din which did not allow us to enjoy a moment's rest. In the 
 morning, 21 as I felt myself, I managed to gain the deck with the 
 help of the steward, and sat down near the steersman to enjoy the 
 npnrt of that grandest of nature's phenomena a storm at sea. 
 
 HMRnfr tightly on, I bade defiance to the waves, which broke 
 over the ship and wetted me all over, as though to cool my feverish 
 heat I could now form a dear and vivid conception of a storm 
 at sea. I saw the waves rush fa**"g on, and the ship now div- 
 ing into an abyss, and anon rising with the speed of lightning to 
 the peak of the highest wave. It was a thrflfing, fearful sight ; 
 absorbed in its contemplation, I soon ceased to think of my sickness. 
 
 Late at night the violence of the storm abated in some degree ; 
 we could now run in and cast anchor in the harbour of Varna, 
 which under ordinary circumstances we should have reached twelve 
 hoars sooner. 
 
 April 5tiu 
 
 This morning I lad leisure to admire this fine fortress-town, 
 which was besieged and taken by the Russians in 1828. We 
 remained here several hours. The upper portion of the ship was 
 here loaded with fowl of afl descriptions, to such a degree that the
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 39 
 
 space left for us travellers was exceedingly circumscribed. This 
 article of consumption seems to be in great demand in Constanti- 
 nople both aniong Turks and Franks ; for our captain assured me 
 that his vessel was laden with this kind of ware every time he 
 quitted Varna, and that he carried it to Stamboul. 
 
 April 6th. 
 
 The shades of night prevented my seeing one of the finest 
 sights in the world, hi anticipation of which I had rejoiced ever 
 since my departure from Vienna the passage through the Bos- 
 phorus. A few days afterwards, however, I made the excursion 
 hi a kaik (a very small and light boat), and enjoyed to my heart's 
 content views and scenes which it is totally beyond my descriptive 
 power to portray. 
 
 At three o'clock in the morning, when we entered the harbour 
 of Constantinople, every one, with the exception of the sailors, lay 
 wrapped in sleep. I stood watching on deck, and saw the sun rise 
 in its full glory over the imperial city, so justly and universally 
 admired. 
 
 We had cast anchor in the neighbourhood of Topona; the 
 city of cities lay spread out before my eyes, built on several hills, 
 each bearing a separate town, and all blending into a grand and 
 harmonious whole. 
 
 The town of Constantinople, properly speaking, is separated 
 from Galata and Pera by the so-called " Golden-Horn ;" the 
 means of communication is by a long and broad wooden bridge. 
 Scutari and Bulgurlu rise in the form of terraces on the Asiatic 
 shore. Scutari is surrounded, within and without, by a splendid 
 wood of magnificent cypresses. In the foreground, on the top of 
 the mountain, lie the spacious and handsome barracks, which can 
 contain 10,000 men. 
 
 The beautiful mosques, with their graceful minarets the 
 palaces and harems, kiosks and great barracks the gardens, 
 shrubberies, and cypress-woods the gaily painted houses, among
 
 40 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 which single cypresses often rear their slender heads, these, 
 together with the immense forest of masts, combine to form an 
 indescribably striking spectacle. 
 
 When the bustle of life began, on the shore and on the sea, 
 my eyes scarcely sufficed to take in all I saw. The " Golden 
 Horn" became gradually covered as far as the eye could reach 
 with a countless multitude of kaiks. The restless turmoil of life 
 on shore, the passing to and fro of men of all nations and colours, 
 from the pale inhabitant of Europe to the blackest Ethiopian, the 
 combination of varied and characteristic costumes, this, and much 
 more which I cannot describe, held me spell-bound to the deck. 
 The hours flew past like minutes, and even the time of debarca- 
 tion came much too early for me, though I had stood on deck and 
 gazed from three o'clock until eight. 
 
 I found myself richly repaid for all the toils of my journey, 
 and rejoiced in the sight of these wonderful Eastern pictures ; I 
 could only wish I were a poet, that I might fitly portray the mag- 
 nificent gorgeousness of the sight. 
 
 To land at Topona, and to be immediately surrounded by 
 hired servants and hamaks (porters), is the fate of every traveller. 
 The stranger is no longer master either of his will or his luggage. 
 One man praises this km, the other that. a The porters hustle and 
 beat each other for your effects, so that the custom-house officers 
 frequently come forward with their sticks to restore order. The 
 boxes are then searched, a ceremony which can, however, be 
 considerably accelerated by a fee of from ten to twenty kreutzers. 
 
 It is very advisable to fix on an hotel before leaving the boat. 
 There are always passengers on board who are resident at Con- 
 stantinople, or at least know the town well, and who are polite 
 enough to give advice on the subject to strangers. By this means 
 you rid yourself at once of the greedy servants, and need only tell 
 a porter the name of your inn. 
 
 a They receive a dollar from the landlord for every guest whom they 
 bring to his house.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 41 
 
 The inns for the Franks (a term used in the East to designate 
 all Europeans) are in Pera. I stayed at the hotel of Madame 
 Balbiani, a widow lady, in whose house the guests are made com- 
 fortable in every respect. Clean rooms, with a beautiful view to- 
 wards the sea, healthy, well-selected, and palatable fare, and good 
 prompt attendance, are advantages which every one values ; and 
 all these are found at Madame Balbianf s, besides constant readi- 
 ness to oblige on the part of the hostess and her family. The 
 good lady took quite a warm interest in me ; and I can say, with- 
 out hesitation, that had not my good fortune led me under her 
 roof, I should have been badly off. I had several letters of intro- 
 duction ; but not being fortunate enough to travel in great pomp 
 or with a great name, my countrymen did not consider it worth 
 while to trouble themselves about me. 
 
 I am ashamed, for their sakes, to be obliged to make this con- 
 fession ; but as I have resolved to narrate circumstantially not only 
 all I saw, but all that happened to me on this journey, I must 
 note down this circumstance with the rest. I felt the more deeply 
 the kindness of these strangers, who, without recommendation or 
 the tie of country, took so hearty an interest in the well-being 
 of a lonely woman. I am truly rejoiced when an opportunity 
 occurs of expressing my sincere gratitude for the agreeable hours 
 I spent among them. 
 
 The distance from Vienna to Constantinople is about 1000 
 sea miles. 
 
 KESIDENCE AT CONSTANTINOPLE. THE DANCING DERVISHES. 
 
 I arrived at Constantinople on a Tuesday, and immediately 
 inquired what was worth seeing. I was advised to go and see 
 the dancing dervishes, as this was the day on which they held 
 their religious exercises hi Pera. 
 
 As I reached the mosque an hour too soon, I betook myself in 
 the meantime to the adjoining garden, which is set apart as the 
 place of meeting of the Turkish women. Here several hundred
 
 42 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 ladies reclined on the grass in varied groups, surrounded by their 
 children and their nurses, the latter of whom are all negresses. 
 Many of these Turkish women were smoking pipes of tobacco with 
 an appearance of extreme enjoyment, and drinking small cups of 
 coffee without milk. Two or three friends often made use of the 
 same pipe, which was passed round from mouth to mouth. These 
 ladies seemed also to be partial to dainties : most of them were 
 well provided with raisins, figs, sugared nuts, cakes, &c., and ate 
 as much as the little ones. They seemed to treat their slaves 
 very kindly ; the black servants sat among their mistresses, and 
 munched away bravely : the slaves are well dressed, and could 
 scarcely be distinguished from their owners, were it not for their 
 sable hue. 
 
 During my whole journey I remarked with" pleasure that the 
 lot of a slave hi the house of a Mussulman is not nearly so hard 
 as we believe. The Turkish women are no great admirers of 
 animated conversations ; still there was more talking in their 
 societies than in the assemblies of the men, who sit silent and half 
 asleep in the coffee-houses, languidly listening to the narrations 
 of a story-teller. 
 
 The ladies' garden resembles a churchyard. Funeral monu- 
 ments peer forth at intervals between the cypresses, beneath which 
 the visitors sit talking and joking cheerfully. Every now and 
 then one would suddenly start up, spread a carpet beside her com- 
 panions, and kneel down to perform her devotions. 
 
 As no one of the male sex was allowed to be present, all were 
 unveiled. I noticed many pretty faces among them, but not a 
 single instance of rare or striking beauty. Fancy large brilliant 
 eyes, pale cheeks, broad faces, and an occasional tendency to cor- 
 pulence, and you have the ladies' portrait. Small-pox must still 
 be rather prevalent hi these parts, for I saw marks of it on many 
 faces. 
 
 The Turkish ladies' costume is not very tasteful. When they 
 go abroad, they are completely swathed in an upper garment,
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 43 
 
 generally made of dark merino. In the harem, or in any place 
 where men are not admitted, they doff this garment, and also the 
 white cloth in which they wrap their heads and faces. Their cos- 
 tume consists, properly speaking, of very wide trousers drawn' 
 together below the ancle, a petticoat with large wide sleeves, and 
 a broad sash round the waist. Over this sash some wear a caftan, 
 others only a spencer, generally of silk. On their feet they wear 
 delicate boots,, and over these slippers of yellow morocco ; on 
 their heads a small fez-cap, from beneath which then: hair fells 
 on their shoulders in a number of thin plaits. Those Turks, 
 male and female, who are descended from Mahomet, have either 
 a green caftan or a green turban. This colour is here held so 
 sacred, that scarcely any one may wear it. I would even advise 
 the Franks to avoid green in their dresses, as they may expose 
 themselves to annoyance by using it. 
 
 After I had had more than an hour's leisure to notice all these 
 circumstances, a noise suddenly arose hi the courtyard, which pro- 
 duced a stir among the women. I considered from these appear- 
 ances that it was time to go to the temple, and hastened to join 
 my party. A great crowd was waiting in the courtyard, for the 
 Sultan was expected. I was glad to have the good fortune to 
 behold him on the very day of my arrival. As a stranger, I was 
 allowed, without opposition, a place in the front ranks, a trait of 
 good breeding on the part of the Turks which many a Frank 
 would do well to imitate. In a Turk, moreover, this politeness 
 is doubly praiseworthy, from the fact that he looks upon my poor 
 sex with great disrespect ; indeed, according to his creed, we have 
 not even a soul. 
 
 I had only stood a few moments, when the Sultan appeared 
 on horseback, surrounded by his train. He alone rode into the 
 courtyard ; the others all dismounted at the gate, and entered on 
 foot. The horse on which the Sultan rode was of rare beauty, 
 and, as they told me, of the true Arabian breed ; the saddle-cloth 
 was richly embroidered with gold, and the stirrups, of the same
 
 44 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 precious metal, were in the form of shoes, covered with the finest 
 chased work. 
 
 The Sultan is a slender slim-looking youth of nineteen years 
 of age, and looks pale, languid, and blase. His features are 
 agreeable, and his eyes fine. If he had not abandoned himself at 
 so early an age to all the pleasures of the senses, he would, no 
 doubt, have grown up a stalwart man. He wore a long cape of 
 dark-blue cloth ; and a high fez-cap, with a heron's plume and a 
 diamond clasp, decked his head. The greeting of the people, and 
 the Sultan's mode of acknowledging it, is exactly as at Vienna, ex- 
 cept that here the people at intervals raise a low cry of welcome. 
 
 As soon as the Sultan had entered the temple, all flocked in. 
 The men and the Franks (the latter without distinction of sex) 
 sit or stand hi the body of the temple. The Turkish women sit 
 in galleries, behind such close wire gratings that they are com- 
 pletely hidden. The temple, or more properly the hall, is of in- 
 considerable size, and the spectators are only separated from the 
 priests by a low railing. 
 
 At two o'clock the dervishes appeared, clad in long petticoats 
 with innumerable folds, which reached to their heels. Then- heads 
 were covered with high pointed hats of white felt. They spread 
 out carpets and skins of beasts, and began their ceremonies with a 
 great bowing and kissing of the ground. At length the music 
 struck up ; but I do not remember ever to have heard a perform- 
 ance so utterly horrible. The instruments were a child's drum, 
 a shepherd's pipe, and a miserable fiddle. Several voices set up 
 a squeaking and whining accompaniment, with an utter disregard 
 of time and tune. 
 
 Twelve dervishes now began their dance, if indeed a turning 
 round in a circle, while their full dresses spread round them like a 
 large wheel, can be called by such a name. They display much 
 address in avoiding each other, and never come in contact, though 
 their stage is very small. I did not notice any " convulsions," of 
 which I had read in many descriptions.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 45 
 
 The ceremony ended at three o'clock. The Sultan once more 
 mounted his horse, and departed with Ms train and the eunuchs. 
 In the course of the day I saw him again, as he was returning 
 from visiting the medical faculty. It is not difficult to get a sight 
 of the Sultan ; he generally appears in public on Tuesdays, and 
 always on Fridays, the holiday of the Turks. 
 
 The train of the young autocrat presents a more imposing ap- 
 pearance when he goes by water to visit a mosque, which he gene- 
 rally does on every Friday. Only two hours before he starts it is 
 announced in which mosque he intends to appear. At twelve, at 
 noon, the procession moves forward. For this purpose two beau- 
 tiful barges are hi readiness, painted white, and covered with 
 gilded carvings. Each barge is surmounted by a splendid canopy 
 of dark-red velvet, richly bordered with gold fringe and tassels. 
 The floor is spread with beautiful carpets. The rowers are strong 
 handsome youths, clad in short trousers and jacket of white silk, 
 with fez-caps on their heads. On each side of the ship there are 
 fourteen of these rowers, under whose vigorous exertions the barge 
 flies forward over wave and billow like a dolphin. The beauti- 
 fully regular movements of the sailors have a fine effect. The cars 
 all dip into the water with one stroke, the rowers rise as one man, 
 and fall back into their places in the same perfect time. 
 
 A number of elegant barges and kaiks follow the procession. 
 The flags of the Turkish fleet and merchant-ships are hoisted, and 
 twenty-one cannons thunder forth a salutation to the Sultan. He 
 does not stay long injthe mosque, and usually proceeds to visit a 
 barrack or some other public building. When the monarch goes 
 by water to the mosque, he generally returns also in his barge ; if 
 he goes by land, he returns in the same manner. 
 
 The most popular walks in Pera are " the great and little 
 Campo," which maybe termed "burying-places in cypress-groves." 
 It is a peculiar custom of the Turks, which we hardly find among 
 any other nation, that all their feasts, walks, business-transactions, 
 and even their dwellings, are in the midst of graves. Every
 
 46 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 where, in Constantinople, Pera, Galata, &c., one can scarcely 
 walk a few paces without passing several graves surrounded by 
 cypresses. We wander continually between the living and the 
 dead; but within four and twenty hours I was quite reconciled to 
 the circumstance. During the night-time I could pass the graves 
 with as little dread as if I were walking among the houses of the 
 living. Seen from a distance, these numerous cypress-woods give 
 to the town a peculiar fairy -like appearance; I can think of 
 nothing with which I could compare it. Every where the tall 
 trees appear, but the tombs are mostly hidden from view. 
 
 It took a longer time before I could accustom myself to the 
 multitude of ownerless dogs, which the stranger encounters at all 
 corners, in every square and every street. They are of a pecu- 
 liarly hideous breed, closely resembling the jackal. During the 
 daytime they are not obnoxious, being generally contented enough 
 if they are allowed to sleep undisturbed in the sun, and to devour 
 their prey in peace. But at night they are not so quiet. They 
 bark and howl incessantly at each other, as well as at the passers- 
 by, but do not venture an attack, particularly if you are accom- 
 panied by a servant carrying a lantern and a stick. Among them- 
 selves they frequently have quarrels and fights, in which they 
 sometimes lose their lives. They are extremely jealous if a 
 strange dog approaches their territory, namely the street or square 
 of which they have possession. On such an intruder they all fell 
 tooth and nail, and worry him until he either seeks safety in flight 
 or remains dead on the spot. It is therefore a rare circumstance 
 for any person to have a house-dog with him in the streets. It 
 would be necessary to carry the creature continually, and even 
 then a number of these unbidden guests would follow, barking and 
 howling incessantly. Neither distemper nor madness is to be 
 feared from these dogs, though no one cares for their wants. 
 They live on carrion and oflal, which is to be found in abundance 
 in every street, as every description r>f filth is thrown out of the 
 houses into the road. A few years ago it was considered expe-
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 47 
 
 dient to banish these dogs from Constantinople. They were trans- 
 ported to two uninhabited islands in the Sea of Marmora, the males 
 to one and the females to another. But dirt and filth increased 
 in the city to such a degree, that people were glad to have them 
 back again. 
 
 The town is not lighted. Every person who goes abroad at 
 night must take a lantern with him. If he is caught wandering 
 without a lantern by the guard, he is taken off without mercy to 
 the nearest watch-house, where he must pass the night. The gates 
 of the city are shut after sunset. 
 
 In proportion as I was charmed with the beautiful situation of 
 Constantinople, so I was disgusted with the dirt and the offensive 
 atmosphere which prevail every where ; the ugly narrow streets, 
 the continual necessity to climb up and down steep places in the 
 badly-paved roads, soon render the stranger weary of a residence 
 in this city. 
 
 Worse than all is the continual dread of conflagration hi which 
 we live. Large chests and baskets are kept in readiness in every 
 house; if a fire breaks out in the neighbourhood, all valuable 
 articles are rapidly thrown into these and conveyed away. It is 
 customary to make a kind of contract with two or three Turks, 
 who are pledged, in consideration of a trifling monthly stipend, to 
 appear hi the hour of danger, for the purpose of carrying the boxes 
 and lending a helping hand wherever they can. It is safer by 
 far to reckon on the honesty of the Turks than on that of the 
 Christians and Greeks. Instances in which a Turk has appropri- 
 ated any portion of the goods entrusted to his care are' said to be 
 of very rare occurrence. During the first nights of my stay I 
 was alarmed at every noise, particularly when the watchman, 
 who paraded the streets, happened to strike with his stick upon 
 the stones. In the event of a conflagration, he must knock at 
 every house-door and cry, " Fire, fire !" Heaven be praised, my 
 fears were never realised.
 
 48 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Scutari Kaiks The howling Dervishes The Achmaidon, or place of 
 arrows The tower in Galata The Bazaar at Constantinople 
 Mosques Slave-market The old Serail The Hippodrome Coffee- 
 houses Story-tellers Excursion to Ejub Houses, theatres, and car- 
 riages. 
 
 I CHOSE a Friday for an excursion to Scutari, the celebrated 
 burying-place of the Turks, in order that I might have an 
 opportunity of seeing the " howling dervishes." 
 
 In company with a French physician, I traversed the Bospho- 
 rus in a kaik. a We passed by the " Leander's Tower," which 
 stands in the sea, a few hundred paces from the Asiatic coast, and 
 has been so frequently celebrated in song by the poets. We soon 
 arrived at our destination. 
 
 It was with a peculiar feeling of emotion that for the first time 
 in my life I set foot on a new quarter of the globe. Now, and 
 not till now, I seemed separated by an immeasurable distance from 
 my home. Afterwards, when I landed on the coast of Africa, the 
 circumstance did not produce the same impression on my mind. 
 
 Now at length I was standing in the quarter of the earth 
 which had been the cradle of the human race ; where man had 
 risen high, and had again sunk so low that the Almighty had al- 
 most annihilated him in his righteous anger. And here in Asia it 
 was that the Son of God came on earth to bring the boon of re- 
 demption to fallen man. My long and warmly- cherished wish to 
 tread this most wonderful of the four quarters of the earth was at 
 
 a Boats built very slenderly, and which have a great knack of upset- 
 ting, a circumstance which renders it necessary for the occupant to sit 
 like a statue ; the slightest movement of the body, or even of the head or 
 arm, draws upon you a reproof from the boatman.
 
 
 BUItlAI, PI.ACK AT SCUTAIU.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 49 
 
 length fulfilled, and with God's help I might confidently hope to 
 reach the sacred region whence the true light of the world had 
 shone forth. 
 
 Scutari is the place towards which the Mussulman looks with 
 the hope of one day reposing beneath its shade. No disciple of 
 any other creed is allowed to be buried here ; and here, therefore, 
 the Mahometan feels himself at home, and worthy of his Prophet. 
 The cemetery is the grandest in the world. One may wander 
 for hours through this grove of cypresses, without reaching the 
 end. On the gravestones of the men turbans are sculptured ; on 
 those of the women fruits and flowers : the execution is in most 
 cases very indifferent. 
 
 Though neither the chief nor the tributary streets in Scutari 
 are even, they are neither so badly paved nor quite so narrow as 
 those at Pera. The great barracks, on a height ha the foreground, 
 present a splendid appearance, and also afford a delicious view to- 
 wards the Sea of Marmora and the inimitably beautiful Bosphorus. 
 The barracks are said to contain accommodation for 10,000 men. 
 
 THE HOWLING DEBVISHES. 
 
 At two o'clock we entered the temple, a miserable wooden 
 building. Every Mussulman may take part in this religious 
 ceremony ; it is not requisite that he should have attained to the 
 rank and dignity of a dervish. Even children of eight or nine 
 stand up in a row outside the circle of men, to gain an early pro- 
 ficiency hi these holy exercises. 
 
 The commencement of the ceremony is the same as with the 
 dancing dervishes; they have spread out carpets and skins of 
 beasts, and are bowing and kissing the ground. Now they stand 
 up and form a circle together with the laymen, when the chief 
 begins in a yelling voice to recite prayers from the Koran ; by 
 degrees those forming the circle join in, and scream in concert. 
 For the first hour some degree of order is still preserved; the 
 performers rest frequently to husband then: strength, which will 
 
 D
 
 50 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 be exerted to the utmost at the close of the ceremony. But then 
 the sight becomes as horrible as one can well imagine any thing. 
 They vie with one another in yelling and howling, and torture 
 their faces, heads, and bodies into an infinite variety of fantastic 
 attitudes. The roaring, which resembles that of wild beasts, and 
 the dreadful spasmodic contortions of the actors' countenances, ren- 
 der this religious ceremony a horrible and revolting spectacle. 
 
 The men stamp with their feet on the ground, jerk their heads 
 backwards and forwards, and certainly throw themselves into 
 worse contortions than those who are described as having been 
 in old times "vexed with a devil." During the exercise they 
 snatch the coveiing from their heads, and gradually take off all 
 their clothes, with the exception of shirt and trousers. The two 
 high priests who stand within the circle receive the garments one 
 after another, kiss them, and lay them on a heap together. The 
 priests beat time with their hands, and after the garments have 
 been laid aside the dance becomes faster and faster. Heavy drops 
 of perspiration stand on every brow ; some are even foaming at 
 the mouth. The howling and roaring at length reach such a 
 dreadful pitch, that the spectator feels stunned and bewildered. 
 
 Suddenly one of these maniacs fell lifeless to the ground. The 
 priests and a few from the circle hurried towards him, stretched 
 him out flat, crossed his hands and feet, and covered him with a 
 -cloth. 
 
 The doctor and I were both considerably alarmed, for we 
 thought the poor man had been seized with apoplexy. To our 
 surprise and joy, however, we saw him about six or eight minutes 
 afterwards suddenly throw off the cloth, jump up, and once more 
 take his place in the circle to howl like a maniac. 
 
 At three o'clock the ceremony concluded. I would not advise 
 any person afflicted with weak nerves to witness it, for he cer- 
 tainly could not endure the sight. I could have fancied myself 
 among raving lunatics and men possessed, rather than amidst rea- 
 sonable^ beings. It was long before I could recover my compo-
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 51 
 
 sure, and realise the idea that the infatuation of man could attain 
 such a pitch. I was informed that before the ceremony they 
 swallow opium, to increase the wildness of their excitement ! 
 
 The Achmaidon (place of arrows) deserves a visit, on account 
 of the beautiful view obtained thence ; the traveller should see it, 
 if he be not too much pressed for time. This is the place which 
 the Sultan sometimes honours by his presence when he wishes to 
 practise archery. 
 
 On an open space stands a kind of pulpit of masonry, from which 
 the Sultan shoots arrows into the air without mark or aim. Where 
 the arrow falls, a pillar or pyramid is erected to commemorate the 
 remarkable event. The whole space is thus covered with a num- 
 ber of these monuments, most of them broken and weather-stained, 
 and all scattered in the greatest confusion. Not iar from this 
 place is an imperial kiosk, with a garden. Both promise much 
 when viewed from a distance, but realise nothing when seen from 
 within. 
 
 THE TOWER IN GALATA. 
 
 Whoever wishes to appreciate in its fullest extent the charm 
 of the views round Constantinople should ascend the tower in 
 Oalata near Pera, or the Serasker in Constantinople. According 
 to my notion, the former course is preferable. In this tower 
 there is a room with twelve windows placed hi a circle, from 
 which we see pictures such as the most vivid imagination could 
 hardly create. 
 
 Two quarters of the globe, on the shores of two seas united 
 by the Bosphorus, lie spread before us. The glorious hills with 
 then: towns and villages, the number of palaces, gardens, kiosks, 
 and mosques, Chalcedon, the Prince's Islands, the Golden Horn, 
 the continual bustle on the sea, the immense fleet, besides the 
 numerous ships of other nations, the crowds of people in Pera, 
 Galata, and Topana all unite to form a panorama of singular 
 beauty. The richest fancy would fail in the attempt to portray
 
 52 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 such a scene ; the most practised pen would be unequal to the task 
 of adequately describing it But the gorgeous picture will be 
 ever present to my memory, though I lack the power of present- 
 ing it to the minds of others. 
 
 Frequently, and each time with renewed pleasure, I ascended 
 this tower, and would sit there for hours, in admiration of the 
 works of the created and of the Creator. Exhausted and weary 
 with gazing was I each time I returned to my home. I think 
 I may affirm that no spot in the world can present such a view, 
 or any thing that can be compared with it. I found how right 
 I had been in undertaking this journey in preference to any other. 
 Here another world lies unfolded before my view. Every thing 
 here is new nature, art, men, manners, customs, and mode of 
 life. He who would see something totally different from the 
 every-day routine of European life in European towns should 
 come here. 
 
 THE BAZAAB. 
 
 In the town of Constantinople we come upon a wooden bridge, 
 large, long, and broad, stretching across the Golden Horn. The 
 streets of the town are rather better paved than those of Pera. 
 In the bazaars and on the sea- coast alone do we find an appearance 
 of bustle ; the remaining streets are quiet enough. 
 
 The Bazaar is of vast extent, comprehending many covered 
 streets, which cross each other in every direction and receive light 
 from above. Every article of merchandise has its peculiar alley. 
 In one all the goldsmiths have their shops, in another the shoe- 
 makers ; in this street you see nothing but silks, in another real 
 Cashmere shawls, &c. 
 
 Every dealer has a little open shop, before which he sits, and 
 unceasingly invites the passers-by to purchase. Whoever wishes 
 to buy or to look at any thing sits down also in front of the booth. 
 The merchants are very good-natured and obliging ; they always 
 willingly unfold and display their treasures, even when they no-
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 53 
 
 tice that the person to whom they are shewing them does not 
 intend to become a purchaser. I had, however, imagined the 
 display of goods to be much more varied and magnificent than 
 I found it ; but the reason of this apparent poverty is that the 
 true treasures of art and nature, such as shawls, precious stones, 
 pearls, valuable arms, gold brocades, &c., must not be sought in 
 the bazaars ; they are kept securely under lock and key in the 
 dwellings or warehouses of the proprietors, whither the stranger 
 must go if he wishes to see the richest merchandise. 
 
 The greatest number of streets occupied by the followers of 
 any one trade are those inhabited by the makers of shoes and slip- 
 pers. A degree of magnificence is displayed in their shops such 
 as a stranger would scarcely expect to see. There are slippers 
 which are worth 1000 piastres* a pair and more. They are 
 embroidered with gold, and ornamented with pearls and precious 
 stones. 
 
 The Bazaar is generally so much crowded, that it is a work 
 of no slight difficulty to get through it ; yet the space in the mid- 
 dle is very broad, and one has rarely to step aside to allow a car- 
 riage or a horseman to pass. But the bazaars and baths are the 
 lounges and gossipping places of the Turkish women. Under the 
 pretence of bathing or of wishing to purchase something, they 
 walk about here for half a day together, amusing themselves with 
 small-talk, love-affairs, and with looking at the wares. 
 
 THE MOSQUES. 
 
 Without spending a great deal of money, it is very difficult to 
 obtain admittance into the mosques. You are compelled to take 
 out a firmann, which costs from 1000 to 1200 piastres. A guide 
 of an enterprising spirit is frequently sufficiently acute to inquire in 
 the different hotels if there are any guests who wish to visit the 
 mosques. Each person who is desirous of doing so gives four or 
 
 a A piastre is worth about \ld.
 
 54 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 five colonati b to the guide, who thereupon procures the firmann, 
 and frequently clears forty or fifty guilders by the transaction. 
 An opportunity of this description to visit the mosques generally 
 offers itself several times in the course of a month. 
 
 I had made up my mind that it would he impossible to quit 
 Constantinople without first seeing the four wonder-mosques, the 
 Aja Sofia, Sultan Achmed, Osmanije, and Soleimanije. 
 
 I had the good fortune to obtain admittance on paying a very 
 trifling sum ; I think I should regret it to this day if I had paid 
 five colonati for such a purpose. 
 
 To an architect these mosques are no doubt highly interest- 
 ing ; to a profane person like myself they offer little attraction. 
 Their principal beauty generally consists in the bold arches of the 
 cupolas. The interior is always empty, with the exception of 
 a few large chandeliers placed at intervals, and furnished with a 
 large number of perfectly plain glass lamps. The marble] floors 
 are covered with straw mats. In the Sofia mosque we find a few 
 pillars which have been brought hither from Ephesus and Baalbec, 
 and in a compartment on one side several sarcophagi are depo- 
 sited. 
 
 Before entering the mosque, you must either take off your 
 shoes or put on slippers over them. The outer courts, which are 
 open to all, are very spacious, paved with slabs of marble, and 
 kept scrupulously clean. In the midst stands a fountain, at which 
 the Mussulman washes his hands, his face, and his feet, before en- 
 tering the mosque. An open colonnade resting on pillars usually 
 runs round the mosques, and splendid plantains and other trees 
 throw a delicious shade around. 
 
 The mosque of Sultan Achmed, on the Hippodrome, is sur- 
 rounded by six minarets. Most of the others have only two, and 
 some few four. 
 
 The kitchens for the poor, situated in the immediate neigh- 
 
 b About one pound sterling'.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 55 
 
 bourhood of the mosques, are a very praiseworthy institution. 
 Here the poor Mussulman is regaled on simple dishes, such as rice, 
 beans, cucumbers, &c., at the public expense. I marvelled greatly 
 to find no crowding at these places. Another and an equally 
 useful measure is the erection of numerous fountains of clear good 
 water. This is the more welcome when we remember that the 
 Turkish religion forbids the use of all spirituous liquors. At many 
 of these fountains servants are stationed, whose only duty is to 
 keep ten or twelve goblets of shining brass constantly filled with 
 this refreshing nectar, and to offer them to every passer-by, be he 
 Turk or Frank. Beer-houses and wine-shops are not to be found 
 here. Would to Heaven this were every where the case ! ^How 
 many a poor wretch would never have been poor, and how many 
 a madman would never have lost his senses ! 
 Not far from the Osmanije mosque is the 
 
 SLAVE-MARKET. 
 
 I entered it with a beating heart, and already before I had 
 even seen them, pitied the poor slaves. How glad, therefore, was 
 I when I found them not half so forlorn and neglected as^ we 
 Europeans are accustomed to imagine ! I saw around me friendly 
 smiling faces, from the grimaces and contortions of which I could 
 easily discover that their owners were making quizzical remarks 
 on every passing stranger. 
 
 The market is a great yard, surrounded by rooms, in which 
 the slaves live. By day they may walk about in the yard,*pay 
 one another visits, and chatter as much as they please. 
 
 In a market of this kind we, of course, see every gradation of 
 colour, from light brown to the deepest black. The white slaves, 
 and the most beautiful of the blacks, are not however to be seen 
 by every stranger, but are shut up in the dwellings of the ^traf- 
 fickers in human flesh. The dress of these people is simple in 
 the extreme. They either wear only a large linen sheet, which 
 is wrapped round them, or some light garment. Even this they
 
 56 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 are obliged to take off when a purchaser appears. So long as 
 they are in the hands of the dealers, they are certainly not kept 
 in very good style ; so they all look forward with great joy to the 
 prospect of getting a master. When they are once purchased, 
 their fate is generally far from hard. They always adopt the 
 religion of their master, are not overburdened with work, are 
 well clothed and fed, and kindly treated. Europeans also pur- 
 chase slaves, but may not look upon them and treat them as such ; 
 from the moment when a slave is purchased by a Frank he be- 
 comes free. Slaves bought in this way, however, generally stay 
 \vith their masters. 
 
 THE OLD SEKAIL 
 
 is, of course, an object of paramount attraction to us Europeans. 
 I betook myself thither with my expectations at full stretch, and 
 once more found the reality to be far below my anticipations. 
 The effect of the whole is certainly grand ; many a little town 
 would not cover so much ground as this place, which consists of a 
 number of houses and buildings, kiosks, and summer-houses, sur- 
 rounded with plantains and cypress-trees, the latter half hidden 
 amid gardens and arbours. Everywhere there is a total want of 
 symmetry and taste. I saw something of the garden, walked 
 through the first and second courtyard, and even peeped into the 
 third. In the last two yards the buildings are remarkable for the 
 number of cupolas they exhibit. I saw a few rooms and large 
 halls quite full of a number of European things, such as furniture, 
 clocks, vases, &c. My expectations were sadly damped. The 
 place where the heads of pashas who had fallen into disfavour 
 were exhibited is in the third yard. Heaven be praised, no 
 severed heads are now seen stuck on the palings. 
 
 I was not fortunate enough to be admitted into the imperial 
 harem ; I did not possess sufficient interest to obtain a view of it. 
 At a later period of my journey, however, I succeeded in viewing 
 several harems.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 57 
 
 THE HIPPODROME 
 
 is the largest and finest open place in Constantinople. After those 
 of Cairo and Padua, it is the most spacious I have seen any where. 
 Two obelisks of red granite, covered with hieroglyphics, are the 
 only ornaments of this place. The houses surrounding it are 
 built, according to the general fashion, of wood, and painted with 
 oil-colours of different tints. I here noticed a great number of 
 pretty children's carriages, drawn by servants. Many parents 
 assembled here to let their children be driven about. 
 
 Not far from the Hippodrome are the great cisterns with 
 the thousand and one pillars. Once on a time this gigantic 
 fabric must have presented a magnificent appearance. Now a 
 miserable wooden staircase, lamentably out of repair, leads you 
 down a flight of thirty or forty steps into the depths of one of 
 these cisterns, the roof of wliich is supported by three hundred 
 pillars. This cistern is no longer filled with water, but serves as 
 a workshop for silk- spinners. The place seems almost as if it had 
 been expressly built for such a purpose, as it receives light from 
 above, and is cool in summer, and warm during the winter. It is 
 now impossible to penetrate into the lower stories, as they are 
 either filled with earth or with water. 
 
 The aqueducts of Justinian and Valentinian are stupendous 
 works. They extend from Belgrade to the " Sweet Waters," a 
 distance of about fourteen miles, and supply the whole of Con- 
 stantinople with a sufficiency of water. 
 
 COFFEE-HOUSES STORY-TELLERS. 
 
 Before I bade farewell to Constantinople for the present and 
 betook me to Pera, I requested my guide to conduct me to a few 
 coffee-houses, that I might have a new opportunity of observing 
 the peculiar customs and mode of life of the Turks. I had already 
 obtained some notion of the appearance of these places in Giurgewo 
 and Galatz ; but in this imperial town I had fancied I should find
 
 58 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 them somewhat neater and more ornamental. But this delusion 
 vanished as soon as I entered the first coffee-house. A wretchedly 
 dirty room, in which Turks, Greeks, Armenians, and others sat 
 cross-legged on divans, smoking and drinking coffee, was all I 
 could discover. In the second house I visited I saw, with great 
 disgust, that the coffee-room was also used as a barber's shop; 
 on one side they were serving coffee, and on the other a Turk 
 was having his head shaved. They say that bleeding is some- 
 times even carried on in these booths. 
 
 In a coffee-house of a rather superior class we found one of 
 the so-called " story-tellers." The audience sit round in a half- 
 circle, and the narrator stands in the foreground, and quietly be- 
 gins a tale from the Thousand and One Nights ; but as he con- 
 tinues he becomes inspired, and at length roars and gesticulates 
 like the veriest ranter among a company of strolling players. 
 
 Sherbet is not drunk in all the coffee-houses ; but every where 
 we find stalls and booths where this cooling and delicious beverage 
 is to be had. It is made from the juice of fruits, mixed with that 
 of lemons and pomegranates. In Pera ice is only to be had in 
 the coffee-houses of the Franks, or of Christian confectioners. All 
 coffee-house keepers are obliged to buy their coffee ready burnt 
 and ground from the government, the monopoly of this article 
 being an imperial privilege. A building has been expressly con- 
 structed for its preparation, where the coffee is ground to powder 
 by machinery. The coffee is made very strong, and poured out 
 without being strained, a custom which I could not bring myself 
 to like. 
 
 It is well worth the traveller's while to make an 
 
 EXCURSION TO EJUB, 
 
 the greatest suburb of Constantinople, and also the place where 
 the richest and most noble of the Turks are buried. 
 
 Ejub, the standard-bearer of Mahomet, rests here in a mag- 
 nificent mosque, built entirely of white marble. None but a
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 59 
 
 Mussulman may tread this hallowed shrine. A tolerably good 
 view of the interior can, however, be obtained from without, as 
 the windows are lofty and broad, and reach nearly to the ground. 
 The sarcophagus stands in a hall ; it is covered with a richly em- 
 broidered pall, over which are spread five or six " real" shawls. 
 The part beneath which the head rests is surmounted by a turban, 
 also of real shawls. The chief sarcophagus is surrounded by 
 several smaller coffins, in which repose the wives, children, and 
 nearest relations of Ejub. Hard by the mosque we find a beau- 
 tiful fountain of white marble, surrounded by a railing of gilded 
 iron, and furnished with twelve bright drinking- cups of polished 
 brass. A Turk here is appointed expressly to hand these to the 
 passers-by. A little crooked garden occupies the space behind 
 the mosque. The mosques in which the dead sultans are de- 
 posited are all built in the same manner as that of Ejub. In- 
 stead of the turban, handsome fez-caps, with the heron's feather, 
 lie on the coffins. Among the finest mosques is that in which 
 repose the remains of the late emperor. In Ejub many very 
 costly monuments are to be seen. They are generally surrounded 
 by richly-gilt iron railings, their peaks surmounted by the shining 
 crescent, and forming an arch above a sarcophagus, round which 
 are planted rose-bushes and dwarf cypresses, with ivy and myrtle 
 clinging to their stems. It would, however, be very erroneous 
 to suppose that the rich alone lie buried here. The poor man 
 also finds his nook; and frequently we see close by a splendid 
 monument the modest stone which marks the resting-place of the 
 humble Mussulman. 
 
 On my return I met the funeral of a poor Turk. If my atten- 
 tion had not been attracted to the circumstance, I should have 
 passed by without heeding it. The corpse was rolled in a cloth, 
 fastened at the head and at the feet, and laid on a board which a 
 man carried on his shoulder. At the grave the dead man is once 
 more washed, wrapped in clean linen cloths, and thus lowered 
 into the earth. And this is as it should be. Why should the pomp
 
 60 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 and extravagance of man accompany him to his last resting-place ? 
 Were it not well if in this matter we abated something of our 
 conventionality and ostentation ? I do not mean to say that in- 
 terments need be stripped of every thing like ornament ; in all 
 things the middle way is the safest. A simple funeral has surely 
 in it more that awakes true religious feeling than the pomp and 
 splendour which are too frequently made the order of the day in 
 these proceedings. In this case are not men sometimes led away 
 to canvass and to criticise the splendour of the show, while they 
 should be deducing a wholesome moral lesson for themselves, or 
 offering up a fervent prayer to the Almighty for the peace of the 
 departed spirit ? 
 
 HOUSES THEATEES CAEEIAGES. 
 
 The houses in the whole of Constantinople, in which we may 
 include Pera, Topana, &c., are very slightly and carelessly put 
 together. No door, no window, closes and fits well ; the floorings 
 frequently exhibit gaps an inch in breadth ; and yet rents are very 
 high. The reason of this is to be found in the continual danger 
 of fire to which all towns built of wood are exposed. Every pro- 
 prietor of a house calculates that he may be burnt out in the course 
 of five or six years, and therefore endeavours to gain back his 
 capital with interest within this period. Thus we do not find 
 the houses so well built or so comfortably furnished as in the 
 generality of European towns. 
 
 There is a theatre in Pera, which will hold from six to seven 
 hundred spectators. At the time of my sojourn there, a company 
 of Italian singers were giving four representations every week. 
 Operas of the most celebrated masters were here to be heard ; 
 but I attended one representation, and had quite enough. The 
 wonder is that such an undertaking answers at all, as the Turks 
 have no taste for music, and the Franks are too fastidious to be 
 easily satisfied. 
 
 The carriages which are, generally speaking, only used by
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 61 
 
 women are of two kinds. The first is in the shape of a balloon, 
 finely painted and gilt, and furnished with high wheels. On each 
 side is an opening, to enter which the passenger mounts on a wooden 
 stool, placed there by the coachman every tune he ascends or 
 descends. The windows or openings can be closed with Venetian 
 blinds. These carriages contain neither seats nor cushion. Every 
 one who drives out takes carpets or bolsters with him, spreads 
 them out inside the coach, and sits down cross-legged. A carriage 
 of this description will hold four persons. The second species of 
 carriage only differs from that already described in having still 
 higher wheels, and consisting of a kind of square box, covered in 
 at the top, but open on all sides. The passengers enter at the 
 back, and there is generally room for eight persons. The former 
 kind of vehicle is drawn by one horse in shafts, and sometimes by 
 two ; the latter by one or two oxen, also harnessed in shafts, 
 which are, however, furnished in addition with a wooden arch 
 decorated with flowers, coloured paper, and ribbons. The coach- 
 man walks on foot beside his cattle, to guide them with greater 
 security through the uneven ill-paved streets, in which you are 
 continually either ascending or descending a hill. 
 
 Wagons there are none ; every thing is carried either by 
 men, horses, or asses. This circumstance explains the fact that 
 more porters are found here than in any other city. These men 
 are agile and very strong ; a porter often bears a load of from one 
 hundred to a hundred and fifty pounds through the rugged hilly 
 streets. Wood, coals, provisions, and building-materials are 
 carried by horses and asses. This may be one reason why every 
 thing is so dear in Constantinople.
 
 62 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Walks and drives of the townspeople The " Sweet Waters" Chalcedonia 
 Baluklid The great and little Campo Feasts in Constantinople 
 Anniversary of Mahomet's death Easter holidays of the Greeks 
 Gladiators and wrestlers Excursion to Brussa Olive-trees Mosques 
 at Brussa Stone bridge Wild dogs Baths and mineral springs 
 .Return to Constantinople. 
 
 ON Sundays and holydays the " Sweet Waters" of Europe are 
 much frequented. One generally crosses the Golden Horn, into 
 which the sweet water runs, in a kaik. There is, however, another 
 way thither across the mountains. 
 
 A large grass-plat, surrounded by trees, is the goal towards 
 which the heaving multitude pours. Here are to he seen people 
 from all quarters of the globe, and of all shades of colour, reclining 
 in perfect harmony on carpets, mats, and pillows, and solacing 
 themselves, pipe in mouth, with coffee and sweetmeats. Many 
 pretty Jewesses, mostly unveiled, are to be seen among the 
 crowd. 
 
 On Friday, the holiday of the Turks, the scene in the Asiatic 
 Sweet Waters is just as animated ; and here there is much more 
 to interest us Europeans, as the company consists chiefly of 
 Turks, male and female. The latter have, as usual, their faces 
 covered : the most beautiful feature, the flaming eye, is, however, 
 visible. 
 
 The trip across the sea to the Asiatic Sweet Waters is incom- 
 parably more beautiful and interesting than the journey to the 
 European. We travel up the Bosphorus, in the direction of the 
 Black Sea, past the splendid new palace of the Sultan. Though 
 this palace is chiefly of wood, the pillars, staircases, and the
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 63 
 
 ground-floor, built of marble of dazzling whiteness, are strikingly 
 beautiful. The great gates, of gilded cast-iron, may be called 
 masterpieces ; they were purchased in England for the sum of 
 8000/. The roof of the palace is in the form of a terrace, and 
 round this terrace runs a magnificent gallery, built only of wood, 
 but artistically carved. We also pass the two ancient castles 
 which command the approach to Constantinople, and then turn 
 to the right towards the Sweet Waters. The situation of this 
 place is most lovely ; it lies in a beautiful valley surrounded by 
 green hills. 
 
 Very interesting is also an excursion to Chalcedonia, a penin- 
 sula in the Sea of Marmora, on the Asiatic side, adjoining Scutari. 
 We were rowed thither in a two-oared kaik in an hour and a 
 quarter. The finest possible weather favoured our trip. A 
 number of dolphins gambolled around our boat ; we saw these 
 tame fishes darting to and fro in all directions, and leaping into 
 the air. It is a peculiar circumstance with regard to these crea- 
 tures, that they never swim separately, but always either in pairs 
 or larger companies. 
 
 The views which we enjoy during these trips are peculiarly 
 lovely. Scutari lies close on our left ; the foreground is occupied 
 by mountains of moderate elevation ; and above them, in the far 
 distance, gleams the snow- clad summit of Olympus. The unin- 
 habited Prince's Island and the two Dog Islands are not the 
 most picturesque objects to be introduced in such a landscape. To 
 make up for the disadvantage of their presence we have, however, 
 a good view of the Sea of Marmora, and can also distinguish the 
 greater portion of the city of Constantinople. 
 
 On Chalcedonia itself there is nothing to be seen but a light- 
 house. Beautiful grass-plats, with a few trees and a coffee-house, 
 are the chief points of attraction with the townspeople. 
 
 An excursion by sea to Baluklid is also to be recommended. 
 You pass the entire Turkish fleet, which is very considerable, and 
 see the largest ship in the world, the " Mahmud," of 140 guns,
 
 64 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 built during the reign of the late Sultan Mahmud. Several three- 
 deckers of 120 guns, some of them unrigged, and many men-of- 
 war mounting from forty to sixty cannons, lie in the harbour. For 
 an hour and a half we are riding through the Sea of Marmora, to 
 the left of the great quay which surrounds the walls of Constanti- 
 nople. Here, for the first time, we see the giant city in all its 
 magnificent proportions. We also passed the " Seven Towers," 
 of which, however, only five remain standing ; the other two, I 
 was told, had fallen in. If these towers really answer no other 
 purpose than that of prisons for the European ambassadors during 
 tumults or in the event of hostilities, I think the sooner the 
 remaining five tumble down the better ; for the European powers 
 will certainly not brook such an insult from the Turks, now in the 
 day of their decline. 
 
 We disembarked immediately beyond the " Seven Towers,' 3 
 and walked for half an hour through long empty streets, then 
 out at the town-gate, where the cypress-grove for a time con- 
 ceals from our view a large open space on which is built a 
 pretty Greek church. I was told that during the holidays at 
 Easter such riotous scenes were here enacted that broken heads 
 were far from being phenomena of rare occurrence. In the church 
 there is a cold spring containing little fishes. A legend goes, that 
 on the high days at Easter these poor little creatures swim about 
 half fried and yet alive, because once upon a time, when Con- 
 stantinople was besieged, a general said that it was no more likely 
 that the city could be taken than that fishes could swim about half 
 fried. Ever since that period the wonderful miracle of the fried 
 fish is said to occur annually at Easter. 
 
 On our return to our kaik, we saw near the shore an enormous 
 cuttle-fish, more than fourteen feet in length, which had just been 
 taken and killed. A number of fishermen were trying with ropes 
 and poles to drag the monster ashore. 
 
 The walks in the immediate neighbourhood of Pera are the 
 great and little Campo, and somewhat farther distant the great
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 65 
 
 bridge which unites Topana with Constantinople ; the latter is a 
 most amusing walk, during which we can view the life and bustle 
 on both shores at the same time. In the little Campo are two 
 Frankish coffee-houses, before which we sit quite in European 
 fashion on handsome chairs and benches, listening to pleasant 
 music, and regaling ourselves with ices. 
 
 FEASTS IN CONSTANTINOPLE. 
 
 During my residence in Constantinople I had the good fortune 
 to be present at some very entertaining festivities. The most 
 magnificent of these took place on the 23d of April, the anniver- 
 sary of Mahomet's death. 
 
 On the eve of this feast we enjoyed a fairy-like spectacle. The 
 tops of all the minarets were illuminated with hundreds of little 
 lamps ; and as there are a great many of these slender spires, it 
 can be readily imagined that this sea of light must have a beauti- 
 ful effect. The Turkish ships in the harbour presented a similar 
 appearance. At every loop-hole a large lamp occupied the place 
 of the muzzle of the cannon. At nine o'clock in the evening, 
 salvoes were, fired from the ships ; and at the moment that the can- 
 nons were fired, the lamps vanished, flashes of light and gunpowder- 
 smoke filled the air ; a few seconds afterwards, as if by magic, the 
 lamps had reappeared. This salute was repeated three times. 
 
 The morning of the 23d was ushered in by the booming of 
 the cannon. All the Turkish ships had hoisted their flags, and 
 garlands of coloured paper were twined round the masts to their 
 very tops. 
 
 At nine o'clock I proceeded in the company of several friends 
 to Constantinople, to see the grand progress of the Sultan to the 
 mosque. As with us, it is here the custom to post soldiers on 
 either side of the way. The procession was headed by the officers 
 and government officials ; but after every couple of officers or 
 statesmen followed their servants, generally to the number of 
 twelve or fifteen persons, in very variegated costumes, partly 
 
 E
 
 66 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 Turkish, partly European, and withal somewhat military ; in feet, 
 a perfect motley. Then came the Emperors state-horses, splendid 
 creatures, the majority of them of the true Arabian breed, deco- 
 rated with saddle-cloths richly embroidered with gold, pearls, and 
 precious atones, and proudly moving their plumed heads. Then- 
 spirited appearance and beautiful paces excited the admiration of 
 all the learned in such matters. They were followed by a num- 
 ber of pages on foot ; these pages are not, however, youths, as in 
 other countries, but men of tried fidelity. In their midst rode 
 the youthful Emperor, wrapped in his cape, and wearing in his 
 fez-cap a fine heron's plume, buckled with the largest diamond in 
 Europe, As the Sultan passed by, he was greeted by the accla- 
 mations of the military, but not of the people. The soldiers closed 
 the procession ; but their bearing is not nearly so haughty as that 
 of the horses. The reason of this is simple enough no one dares 
 look upon the Arabians with an evil eye, but the soldiers are 
 entirely subject to the caprice of their ofiicers. I would certainly 
 rather be the Sultan's horse than his soldier. 
 
 The uniforms of the officers, in their profusion of gold em- 
 broidery, resemble those of our hussars. The privates have very 
 comfortable jackets and trousers of blue doth with red trimmings ; 
 some have jackets entirely of a red colour. The artillerymen wear 
 red facings. Their chaussure is pitiable in the extreme : some 
 have boots, not unfrequently decorated with spurs ; others have 
 shoes, trodden down at heel and terribly tattered ; and some even 
 appear in dippers. All are without stockings, and thus naked feet 
 peer forth every where. The position of the men with regard to 
 each other is just as irregular ; a little dwarf may frequently be 
 seen posted next to a giant, a boy of twelve or fourteen years 
 near a grey-headed veteran, and a negro standing next to a white 
 
 At this feast a great concourse of people was assembled, and 
 every window was crowded with muffled female heads. 
 
 We had been advised not to be present at this ceremony, as
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 67 
 
 it was stated to be of a purely religious nature, and it was feared 
 we should be exposed to annoyance from the fanaticism of the 
 Mussulmen. I am glad to say, however, that the curiosity of my 
 party was stronger than their apprehensions. We pushed through 
 every where, and I had again occasion to feel assured that grievous 
 wrong is frequently done the good Turks. Not only was there no 
 appearance of a disposition to annoy us, but we even obtained very 
 good places without much trouble. 
 
 On their Easter days the Greeks have a feast in the great 
 Campo. On all the three holidays, the hamaks (water-carriers 
 and porters), after the service is over, march in large numbers to 
 the Campo with songs and music, with noise and shouting, waving 
 their handkerchiefs in the air. Arrived at their destination, they 
 divide into different groups, and proceed to amuse themselves much 
 after the manner of other nations. A number of tents are erected, 
 where a great deal of cooking and baking is carried on. Larg 
 companies are sitting on the ground or on the tombstones, eating 
 and drinking in quiet enjoyment. We see a number of swings 
 laden with men and children ; on this side we hear the squeaking 
 of a bagpipe, on that the sound of a pipe and drum, uttering such 
 dismal music that the hearer instinctively puts] a finger into each 
 ear. To this music a real bear's dance is going on. Six or eight 
 fellows stand in a half circle round the musician, and two leaders 
 of these light-toed clodhoppers continually wave their handker- 
 chiefs in the air as they stamp slowly and heavily round in a 
 circle. The women are allowed to appear at this feast, but may 
 neither take part in the swinging nor in the dancing. They there- 
 fore keep up a brave skirmishing with the sweetmeats, coffee, and 
 delicacies of ah" kinds. The more wealthy portion of the com- 
 munity employ these days in riding to Baluklid, to gaze and 
 wonder at the miracle of the half-baked and yet living fishes. 
 
 As the Greeks are not so good-natured as the Turks, the 
 latter seldom take part in their festivities. Turkish women never 
 appear on these occasions.
 
 68 VISIT TO THE HOLT LA>T>, 
 
 On the 8th of May I saw a truly Turkish fete in the neigh- 
 bourhood of the Achmaidon (place of arrows). 
 
 In a plain surrounded on all sides by hills, men of all nations 
 formed a large but closely-packed circle. Harasses (gens darme] 
 were there to keep order among the people, and several officers 
 sat among the circle to keep order among the kavasses. The 
 spectacle began. Two wrestlers or gladiators made their appear- 
 ance, completely undressed, with the exception of trousers of strong 
 leather. They had rubbed themselves all over with oil, so that 
 their joints might be soft and supple, and also that their adversary 
 should not be able to obtain a firm hold when they grappled to- 
 gether. They made several obeisances to the spectators, began 
 with minor feats of wrestling, and frequently stopped for a few 
 moments in order to husband their strength. Then the battle 
 began afresh, and became hotter and hotter, till at length one of 
 the combatants was hailed as victor by the shouting mob. He 
 is declared the conqueror who succeeds in throwing his opponent 
 in such a manner that he can sit down upon him as on a horse. 
 A combat of this kind usually lasts a quarter of an hour. The 
 victor walks triumphantly round the circle to collect his reward. 
 The unfortunate vanquished conceals himself among the spectators, 
 scarcely daring to Eft his eyes. These games last for several 
 hours ; as one pair of gladiators retire, they are replaced by an- 
 other. 
 
 Greek, Turkish, and Armenian women may only be spectators 
 of these games from a distance ; they therefore occupy the ad- 
 joining heights. For the rest, the arrangements are the same as 
 at the Greek Easter feast. People eat, drink, and dance. No 
 .signs of beer, wine, or liqueur are to be discovered, and conse- 
 quently there is no drunkenness. 
 
 The Turkish officers were here polite enough to surrender the 
 best places to us strangers. I had many opportunities of noticing 
 the character of the Mussulman, and found, to my great delight, 
 that he is much better and more honest than prejudices generally
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 69 
 
 allow us to believe. Even in matters of commerce and business 
 it is better to have to do with a Turk than with a votary of any 
 other creed, not even excepting my own. 
 
 During my stay at Constantinople (from the 5th of April until 
 May 17th) I found the weather just as changeable as in my own 
 country ; so much so, in fact, that the temperature frequently 
 varied twelve or fourteen degrees within four-and-twenty hours. 
 
 EXCURSION TO BRUSSA. 
 
 The two brothers, Baron Charles and Frederick von Buseck, 
 and Hen- Sattler, the talented artist, resolved to make an excur- 
 sion to Brussa; and as 'I had expressed a similar wish, they were 
 obliging enough to invite me to make a fourth in their party. But 
 when it came to the point, I had almost become irresolute. I 
 was asked by some one if I was a good rider ; " for if you are 
 not," said my questioner, " it would be far better for you not to 
 accompany them, as Brussa is four German miles distant from 
 Gemlek, and the road is bad, so that the gentlemen must ride 
 briskly if they wish to 'reach the town before sundown, starting as 
 they would at half-past two in the afternoon, the general hour of 
 landing at Gemlek. In the event of your being unable to keep 
 up with the rest, you would put them to great inconvenience, or 
 they will be compelled to leave you behind on the road." 
 
 I had never mounted a horse, and felt almost inclined to con- 
 fess the fact ; but my curiosity to see Brussa, the beautiful town 
 at the foot of Olympus, gained the day, and I boldly declared that 
 I had no doubt I should be able to keep pace with my companions. 
 
 On the 13th of May we left Constantinople at half-past six 
 in the morning, on board a little steamer of forty-horse power. 
 Passing the Prince's and Dog Islands, we swept across the Sea of 
 Marmora towards the snow-crowned Olympus, until, after a voyage 
 of seven hours, we reached Gemlek. 
 
 Gemlek, distant thirty sea miles from Constantinople, is a 
 miserable place, but nevertheless does some trade as the harbour
 
 70 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 of Bithynia. The agent of the Danube Navigation Company was 
 civil enough to procure us good horses, and a genuine, stalwart, 
 and fierce-looking Turkoman for a guide. This man wore in his 
 girdle several pistols and a dagger ; a long crooked scimitar hung 
 at his side ; and instead of shoes and slippers, large boots decked 
 his feet, bordered at the top by a wide stripe of white cloth, on 
 which were depicted blue flowers and other ornaments. His head 
 was graced by a handsome turban. 
 
 At half-past two o'clock the horses arrived. I swung myself 
 boldly upon my Rosinante, called on my good angel to defend me, 
 and away we started, slowly at first, over stock and stone. My 
 joy was boundless when I found that I could sit steadily upon my 
 horse ; but shortly afterwards, when we broke into a trot, I began 
 to feel particularly uncomfortable, as I could not get on at ah 1 with 
 the stirrup, which was continually slipping to my heel, while some- 
 times my foot slid out of it altogether, and I ran the risk of losing 
 my balance. Oh, what would I not have given to have asked 
 advice of any one ! But unfortunately I could not do so without 
 at once betraying my ignorance of horsemanship. I therefore took 
 care to bring up the rear, under the pretence that my horse was 
 shy, and would not go well unless it saw the others before it. 
 My real reason was that I wished to hide my manoeuvres from 
 the gentlemen, for every moment I expected to fall. Frequently 
 I clutched the saddle with both hands, as I swayed from side to 
 side. I looked forward in terror to the gallop, but to my surprise 
 found that I could manage this pace better than the trot. My 
 courage brought its reward, for I reached the goal of our journey 
 thoroughly shaken, but without mishap. During the tune that 
 we travelled at a foot-pace, I had found leisure to contemplate 
 the scenery around us. For half the entire distance we ride from 
 one valley into another ; as often as a hill is reached, there is a 
 limited prospect before the traveller, who has, however, only to 
 turn his head, and he enjoys a beautiful view over the Sea of Mar- 
 mora. After a ride of two hours and a half we arrived at a little
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 71 
 
 khan, a where we rested for half an hour. Proceeding thence a 
 short distance, we reached the last hills ; and the great valley, at 
 the end of which Brussa is seen leaning against Olympus, lay 
 stretched before our eager eyes, while behind us we could still 
 distinguish, far beyond hill and dale, the distant sea skirting the 
 horizon. Yet, beautiful as this landscape undoubtedly is, I had 
 seen it surpassed in Switzerland. The immense valley which lies 
 spread out before Brussa is uncultivated, deserted, and unwatered ; 
 no carpet of luxuriant verdure, no rushing river, no pretty village, 
 gives an air of life to this magnificent and yet monotonous region ; 
 and no giant mountains covered with eternal snow look down 
 upon -the plain beneath. Pictures like these I had frequently 
 found in Switzerland, in the Tyrol, and also near Salzburg. Here 
 I saw, indeed, separate beauties, but no harmonious whole. Olym- 
 pus is a fine majestic mountain, forming an extended barrier ; but 
 its height can scarcely exceed 6000 feet ; b and during the present 
 month it is totally despoiled of its surface of glittering snow. 
 Brussa, with its innumerable minarets, is the only point of relief 
 to which the eye continually recurs, because there is nothing be- 
 yond to attract it. A little brook, crossed by a very high stone 
 bridge, but so shallow already in the middle of May as hardly to 
 cover our horses' hoofs ; and towards Brussa, a miserable village, 
 with a few plantations of olives and mulberry-trees, are the only 
 objects to be discovered throughout the whole wide expanse. 
 Wherever I found the olive-tree here, near Trieste, and in Sicily, 
 it was alike ugly. The stem is gnarled, and the leaves are nar- 
 row and of a dingy green colour. The mulberry-tree, with its 
 luxuriant bright green foliage, forms an agreeable contrast to the 
 olive. The silk produced in this neighbourhood is peculiarly fine 
 in quality, and the stuffs from Brussa are renowned far and wide. 
 
 a A khan is a stone building containing a few perfectly empty rooms, to 
 receive the traveller in the absence of inns, or shelter against the night air 
 and against storm. Generally in these khans a Turk is found, who dis- 
 penses coffee without milk to the visitors. 
 
 b Its height is 9100 feet. ED.
 
 72 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 We reached the town in safety before sunset. It is one of 
 the most disagreeable circumstances that can happen to the tra- 
 veller to arrive at an Oriental town after evening has closed in. 
 He finds the gates locked, and may clamour for admittance in vain. 
 
 In order to gain our inn, we were obliged to ride through the 
 greater part of the town. I had here an opportunity of observing 
 that it is just as unsightly as the interior of Constantinople. The 
 streets are narrow, and the houses built of wood, plaster, and some 
 even of stone ; but all wear an aspect of poverty, and at the same 
 time of singularity; the gables projecting so much that they 
 occupy half the width of the street, and render it completely dark, 
 vrhile they increase its narrowness. The inn, too, at which we 
 put up, looked far from inviting when viewed from the outside, so 
 that we had some dark misgivings respecting the quality of the 
 accommodation that awaited us. But in proportion as the out- 
 side had looked unpropitious, were we agreeably surprised on 
 entering. A neat and roomy courtyard, with a basin of pure 
 sparkling water in the midst, surrounded by mulberry-trees, was 
 the first thing we beheld. Hound this courtyard were two stories 
 of clean but simply-furnished rooms. The fare was good, and we 
 were even regaled with a bottle of excellent wine from the lower 
 regions of Olympus. 
 
 May 14th. 
 
 Next morning we visited the town and its environs, under 
 the guidance and protection of a kavasse. The town itself is of 
 great extent, and is reported to contain above 10,000 houses, 
 inhabited exclusively by Turks. The population of the suburbs, 
 which comprise nearly 4000 houses, is a mixed one of Christians, 
 Jews, Greeks, &c. The town numbers three hundred and sixty 
 mosques ; but the greater portion of them are so insignificant and 
 in such a dilapidated condition, that we scarcely observed them. 
 
 Strangers are here permitted to enter the mosques in company 
 of a kavasse. We visited some of the principal, among which 
 the Ulla Drchamy may decidedly be reckoned. The cupola of
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 73 
 
 this mosque is considered a masterpiece, and rests upon graceful 
 columns. It is open at the top, thus diffusing a chastened light 
 and a clear atmosphere throughout the building. Immediately 
 beneath this cupola stands a large marble basin, in which small 
 fishes swim merrily about. 
 
 The mosque of Sultan Mahomed I. and of Sultan Ildirim 
 Bojasid must also be noticed on account of their splendid archi- 
 tecture ; the latter, too, for the fine view which is thence obtained. 
 In the mosque of Murad I. visitors are still shewn weapons and 
 garments which once belonged to that sultan. I saw none of the 
 magnificent regal buildings mentioned by some writers. The im- 
 perial kiosk is so simple in its appearance, that if we had not 
 climbed the hill on which it stands for the sake of the view, it 
 would not have been worth the trouble of the walk. 
 
 A stone bridge, roofed throughout its entire length, crosses 
 the bed of the river, which has very steep banks, but contains 
 very little water. A double row of small cottages, in which silk- 
 weavers live and ply their trade, lines this bridge, which I was 
 surprised to see here, as its architecture seemed rather to apper- 
 tain to my own country than to the East. During my whole 
 journey I did not see a second bridge of this kind, either in Syria 
 or Egypt. 
 
 The streets are all very dull and deserted, a fact which is 
 rather remarkable in a town of 100,000 inhabitants. In most of 
 the streets more dogs than men are to be seen. Not only in Con- 
 stantinople, but almost in every Oriental town, vast numbers of 
 these creatures run about in a wild state. 
 
 Here, as every where, some degree of bustle is to be found in 
 the bazaars, particularly in those which are covered in. Beautiful 
 and durable silk stuffs, the most valuable of which are kept in 
 warehouses under lock and key, form the chief article of traffic. 
 In the public bazaar we found nothing exposed for sale except 
 provisions. Among these I remarked some small, very unpalat- 
 able cherries. Asia Minor is the fatherland of this fruit, but
 
 74, VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 I did not find it in any degree of perfection either here or at 
 Smyrna. 
 
 Brussa is peculiarly rich in cold springs, clear as crystal, which 
 burst forth from Mount Olympus. The town is intersected in all 
 directions by subterranean canals ; in many streets, the ripple of 
 the waters below can be distinctly heard, and every house is pro- 
 vided with wells and stone basins of the limpid element ; in some 
 of the bazaars we find a similar arrangement. 
 
 On a nearer approach, the appearance of Mount Olympus is 
 not nearly so grand as when viewed from a distance. The 
 mountain is surrounded by several small lulls, which detract from 
 the general effect. 
 
 The baths, distant about a mile from the town, are prettily 
 and healthfully situated, and, moreover, abundantly supplied with 
 mineral water. Many strangers resort thither to recruit their 
 weakened frames. 
 
 The finest among these baths is called Jeni Caplidche. A lofty 
 circular hall contains a great swimming bath of marble, above which 
 rises a splendid cupola. A number of refracting glasses (six hun- 
 dred, they told me) diffuse a magic light around. 
 
 Our journey back to Constantinople was not accomplished en- 
 tirely without mishap. One of the gentlemen fell from his horse 
 and broke his watch. The saddles and bridles of hired horses are 
 here generally in such bad condition that there is every moment 
 something to buckle or to cobble up. We were riding at a pretty 
 round pace, when suddenly the girths burst, and the saddle and 
 rider tumbled off together. I arrived without accident at my desti- 
 nation, although I had frequently been in danger of falling from 
 my horse without its being necessary that the girth should break. 
 
 The gentlemen were satisfied with my performance, for I had 
 never lagged behind, nor had they once been detained on my ac- 
 count. It was not until we were safely on board the ship that I 
 told them how venturesome I had been, and what terror I had 
 undergone.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 75 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Contradictory reports Departure from Constantinople on board the ArcJt- 
 duke John Scene on the steamer Galipoli The Dardanelles 
 Tschenekalesi and Kilidil Bahar The field of Troy Tenedos Smyrna 
 Halizar The date-palm Burnaba The Acropolis Female beauty 
 Rhodes Strong fortifications Deserted appearance of the town 
 Cyprus. 
 
 nnHE extremely unfavourable reports I heard from Beyrout and 
 -L Palestine caused me to defer my departure from day to day. 
 When I applied to my consul for a " firmann" (Turkish passport), 
 I was strongly advised not to travel to the Holy Land. The dis- 
 turbances on Mount Lebanon and the plague were, they assured 
 me, enemies too powerful to be encountered except in cases of 
 the most urgent necessity. 
 
 A priest who had arrived from Beyrout about two months 
 previously affirmed positively that, in consequence of the serious 
 disturbances, even he, known though he was far and wide as a 
 physician, had not dared to venture more than a mile from the 
 town without exposing himself to the greatest danger. He advised 
 me to stay in Constantinople until the end of September, and then 
 to travel to Jerusalem with the Greek caravan. This, he said, 
 was the only method to reach that city in safety. 
 
 One day I met a pilgrim in a clnu'ch who came from Palestine. 
 On my asking his advice, he not only confirmed the priest's report, 
 but even added that one of his companions had been murdered 
 whilst journeying homeward, and that he himself had been de- 
 spoiled of his goods, and had only escaped death through the 
 special interposition of Providence. I did not at all believe the 
 asseverations of this man ; he related all his adventures with 
 such a Baron Munchausen air, assumed probably to excite ad-
 
 76 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 miration. I continued my investigations on this subject until I 
 was at length fortunate enougli to find some one who told an 
 entirely different tale. From this I felt assured at least of the 
 fact, that it would be almost impossible to learn the true state of 
 the case here in Constantinople, and at length made up my mind 
 to avail myself of the earliest opportunity of proceeding as far as 
 Beyrout, where there was a chance of my getting at the truth. 
 
 I was advised to perform this journey in male attire ; but I 
 did not think it advisable to do so, as my short, spare figure would 
 have seemed to belong to a youth, and my face to an old man. 
 Moreover, as I had no beard, my disguise would instantly have 
 been seen through, and I should have been exposed to much an- 
 noyance. I therefore preferred retaining the simple costume, con- 
 sisting of a kind of blouse and wide Turkish trousers, which I then 
 wore. The further I travelled, the more I became persuaded how 
 rightly I had acted in not concealing my sex. Every where I 
 was treated with respect, and kindness and consideration were 
 frequently shewn me merely because I was a woman. On 
 
 May 17th 
 
 I embarked on board a steamboat belonging to the Austrian 
 Lloyd. It was called the Archduke John. 
 
 It was with a feeling of painful emotion that I stood on the 
 deck, gazing with an air of abstraction at the preparations for the 
 long voyage which were actively going on around me. Once 
 more I was alone among a crowd of people, with nothing to de- 
 pend on but my trust in Providence. No friendly sympathetic 
 being accompanied me on board. All was strange. The people, 
 the climate, country, language, the manners and customs all 
 strange. But a glance upward at the unchanging stars, and the 
 thought came into my soul, " Trust in God, and thou art not 
 alone." And the feeling of despondency passed away, and soon I 
 could once more contemplate with pleasure and interest all that 
 was going on around me.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 77 
 
 Near me stood a poor mother who could not bear to part with 
 her son. Time after time she folded him in her arms, and kissed 
 and blessed him. Poor mother ! wilt thou see him again, or will 
 the cold ground be a barrier between you till this life is past ? 
 Peace be with you both ! 
 
 A whole tribe of people came noisily towards us ; they were 
 friends of the crew, who bounced about the ship from stem to 
 stern, canvassing its merits hi comparison with French and Eng- 
 lish vessels. 
 
 Suddenly there was a great crowding on the swinging ladder, 
 of chests, boxes, and baskets. Men were pushing and crushing 
 backwards and forwards. Turks, Greeks, and others quarrelled 
 and jostled each other for the best places on the upper deck, and 
 in a few moments the whole large expanse wore the appearance 
 of a bivouac. Mats and mattresses were every where spread 
 forth, provisions were piled up in heaps, and culinary utensils 
 placed hi order beside them ; and before these preparations had 
 been half completed the Turks began washing their faces, hands, 
 and feet, and unfolding their carpets, to perform their devotions. 
 In one corner of the ship I even noticed that a little low tent had 
 been erected; it was so closely locked, that for a long time I. 
 could not discern whether human beings or merchandise lay con- 
 cealed within. No movement of the interior was to be perceived, 
 and it was not until some days afterwards that I was informed 
 by a Turk what the tent really contained. A scheick from the 
 Syrian coast had purchased two girls at Constantinople, and was 
 endeavouring to conceal them from the gaze of the curious. I 
 was for nine days on the same vessel with these poor creatures, 
 and during the whole time had not an opportunity of seeing either 
 of them. At the debarcation, too, they were so closely muffled 
 that it was impossible to discover whether they were white or 
 black. 
 
 At six o'clock the bell was rung to warn all strangers to go 
 ashore ; and now I could discover who were really to be the com-
 
 78 VISIT TO THE HOLT LAXD, 
 
 panions of my journey. I had flattered myself that I should find 
 several Franks on board, who might be bound to the same desti- 
 nation as myself ; but this hope wared fainter and Muter every 
 moment, as one European after another left the ship, until at 
 length I found myself alone among the strange Oriental nations. 
 
 The anchor was now weighed, and we moved slowly out of 
 the harbour. I offered up a short but fervent prayer for pro- 
 tection on my long and dangerous voyage, and with a calmed and 
 strengthened spirit I could once more turn my attention towards 
 my fellow-passengers, who having concluded their devotions were 
 sitting at their frugal meal. During the whole time they remained 
 on the steamer these people subsisted on cold provisions, such as 
 cheese, bread, hard-boiled eggs, anchovies, olives, walnuts, a great 
 number of onions, and dried " mishmkli/' a kind of small apricot, 
 which instead of being boiled is soaked in water for a few hours. 
 In a sailing vessel it is usual to bring a small stove and some wood, 
 in order to cook pilau, beans, fowls, and to boil coffee, <fcc. This, 
 of course, is not allowed on board a steamboat. 
 
 The beauty of the evening kept me on deck, and I looked with 
 a regretful feeling towards the imperial city, until the increasing 
 distance and the soft veil of evening combined to hide it from my 
 view, though at intervals the graceful minarets were still dimly 
 discernible through the mist. But who shall describe my feelings 
 of joy when I discovered a European among the passengers? 
 Xow I was no longer alone ; in the first moments we even seemed 
 fellow-countrymen, for the barriers that divide Europeans into 
 different nations fall as they enter a new quarter of the globe. 
 We did not ask each other, Are you from England, France, 
 Italy ; we inquired, Whither are you going ? and on its appearing 
 that this gentleman intended proceeding, like myself, to Jerusalem, 
 we at once found so much to talk about concerning the journey, 
 that neither of us thought for a moment of inquiring to what 
 country the other belonged. We conversed in the universal 
 French language, and were perfectly satisfied when we found we
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 79 
 
 could understand each other. It was not until the following day 
 that I discovered the gentleman to be an Englishman, and learned 
 that his name was Bartlett.* 
 
 In Constantinople we had both met with the same fate. He 
 had been, like myself, unable to obtain any certain intelligence, 
 either at his consul's or from the inhabitants, as to the feasibility 
 of a journey to Jerusalem, and so he was going to seek further 
 information at Beyrout. We arranged that we would perform the 
 journey from Beyrout to Jerusalem in company, if, indeed, we 
 found it possible to penetrate among the savage tribes of Druses 
 and Maronites. So now I no longer stood unprotected in the wide 
 world. I had found a companion as far as Jerusalem, the goal of 
 my journey, which I could now hope to reach. 
 
 I was well satisfied with the arrangements on board. I had 
 made up my mind, though not without sundry misgivings, to take 
 a second-class berth ; and on entering the steamer of the Austrian 
 Lloyd, I discovered to my surprise how much may be effected by 
 order and good management. Here the men and the women 
 were separately lodged, wash-hand basins were not wanting, we 
 fared well, and could not be cheated when we paid for our board, 
 as the accounts were managed by the first mate : on the remain- 
 ing steamers belonging to this company I found the arrangements 
 equally good. 
 
 Crossing the Sea of Mormora, we passed the " Seven Towers," 
 leaving the Prince's Islands behind us on the left. 
 
 Early on the following day, 
 
 May 18th, 
 
 we reached the little town of Galipoli, situate on an eminence 
 near the Hellespont. A few fragments of ruins in the last stage 
 of dilapidation cause us to think of the ages that have fled, as we 
 speed rapidly on. We waited here a quarter of an hour to 
 increase the motley assemblage on deck by some new arrivals. 
 
 * The well-known artist and author. ED.
 
 80 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 For the next 20 miles, as far as Sed Babe, the sea is confined 
 within such narrow bounds, that one could almost fancy it was a 
 channel dug to unite the Sea of Marmora with the Archipelago. 
 It is very appropriately called the STKAIT of the Dardanelles. 
 On the left we have always the mainland of Asia, and on the 
 right a tongue of land belonging to Europe, and terminating at 
 Sed Babe. The shores on both sides are desert and bare. It is 
 a great contrast to former times, a contrast which every educated 
 traveller must feel as he travels hither from the Bosphorus. 
 What stirring scenes were once enacted here ! Of what deeds of 
 daring, chronicled in history, were not these regions the scene ! 
 Every moment brought us nearer to the classic ground. Alas, 
 that we were not permitted to land on any of the Greek Islands, 
 past which we flew so closely ! I was obliged, perforce, to content 
 myself with thinking of the past, of the history of ancient Greece, 
 without viewing the sites where the great deeds had been done. 
 
 The two castles of the Dardanelles, Tschenekalesi and Kilidil 
 Bahar, that on the Asiatic shore looking like a ruin, while its 
 European neighbour wore the appearance of a fortress, let us 
 steam past unchallenged. And how shall I describe the emotions 
 I felt as we approached the plains of Troy ? 
 
 I was constantly on deck, lest I should lose any portion of 
 the view, and scarcely dared to breathe when at length the long- 
 wished-for plain came in sight. 
 
 Here it is, then, that this famous city is supposed to have stood. 
 Yonder mounds, perchance, cover the resting-places of Achilles, 
 Patroclus, Ajax, Hector, and many other heroes who may have 
 served their country as faithfully as these, though their names do 
 not live hi the page of history. How gladly wouM I have trod- 
 den the plain, there to muse on the legends which in my youth 
 had already awakened in me such deep and awe-struck interest, 
 and had first aroused the wish to visit these lands a desire now 
 partially fulfilled ! But we flew by with relentless rapidity. The 
 whole region is deserted and bare. It seems as if nature and
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 81 
 
 mankind were mourning together for the days gone by. The in- 
 habitants may indeed weep, for they will never again be what 
 they once were. 
 
 In the course of the day we passed several islands. In the 
 foreground towered the peak of the Hydra, shortly afterwards 
 Samothrace rose from the waves, and we sailed close by the island 
 of Tenedos. At first this island does not present a striking ap- 
 pearance, but after rounding a small promontory we obtained a 
 view of the fine fortress skirting the sea ; it seems to have been 
 built for the protection of the town beyond. 
 
 After passing Tenedos we lost sight of the Greek islands for a 
 short time (the mainland of Asia can always be distinguished on 
 our left), but soon afterwards we reached the most beautiful of 
 them ah 1 Mytelene, which has justly been sung by many poets 
 as the Island of the Fairies. For seven hours we glided by its 
 coast. It resembles a garden of olives, orange-trees, pomegranates, 
 &c. The view is bounded at the back by a double row of peaked 
 mountains, and the town lies nearly hi the midst. It is built in a 
 circular form, round a hill, strengthened with fortifications. In 
 front the town is girded by a strong wall, and hi the rear extends 
 a deep bay. A few masts peered forth and shewed us where the 
 bay ended. From this point we saw numerous villages prettily 
 situated among the luxuriant shade of large trees. It must be a 
 delightful thing to spend the spring-time on this island. 
 
 I remained on deck till late in the night, so charming, so 
 rich in varied pictures of verdant isles is this voyage on the 
 /Egaean Sea. Had I been a magician, I would have fixed the sun 
 in the heavens until we had arrived at Smyrna. Unfortunately 
 many a beauteous island which we next morning contemplated 
 ruefully on the map was liidden from us by the shades of night. 
 
 May 19th. 
 
 Long before the sun was up, I had resumed my post on deck, 
 to welcome Smyrna from afar. 
 
 F
 
 82 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 A double chain of mountains, rising higher and higher, warned 
 us of our approach to the rich commercial city. At first we can 
 only distinguish the ancient dilapidated castle on a rock, then the 
 city itself, built at the foot of the rock, on the sea-shore ; at the 
 back the view is closed by the " Brother Mountains." 
 
 The harbour is very spacious, but has rather the appearance of 
 a wharf, with room for whole fleets to anchor. Many ships were 
 lying here, and there was evidently plenty of business going on. 
 
 The "Franks' town," which can be distinctly viewed from 
 the steamer, extends along the harbour, and has a decidedly 
 European air. 
 
 Herr von Cramer had been previously apprised of my arrival, 
 and was obliging enough to come on board to fetch me. We at 
 once rode to Halizar, the summer residence of many of the citizens, 
 where I was introduced to my host's family. 
 
 Halizar is distant about five English miles from Smyrna. 
 The road thither is beautiful beyond description, so that one has 
 no time to think about the distance. Immediately outside the 
 town we pass a large open place near a river, where the camels 
 rest, and where they are loaded and unloaded; I saw a whole 
 herd of these animals. Their Arab or Bedouin drivers were re- 
 clining on mats, resting after their labours, while others were still 
 fully employed about their camels. It was a truly Arabian pic- 
 ture, and moreover so new to me, that I involuntarily stopped my 
 long-eared Bucephalus to contemplate it at my leisure. 
 
 Not far from this resting-place is the chief place of rendezvous 
 and pastime of the citizens. It consists of a coffee-booth and a few 
 rows of trees, surrounded by numerous gardens, all rich in beau- 
 tiful fruit-trees. Charming beyond all the rest, the flower of the 
 pomegranate-tree shines with the deepest crimson among the green 
 leaves. Wild oleanders bloomed every where by the roadside. 
 We wandered through beautiful shrubberies of cypress-trees and 
 olives, and never yet had I beheld so rich a luxuriance of vegeta- 
 tion. This valley, with its one side flanked by wild and rugged
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 83 
 
 rocks, in remarkable contrast to the fruitful landscape around, has 
 a peculiar effect when viewed from the hill across which we ride. 
 I was also much amazed by the numerous little troops of from six 
 to ten, or even twenty camels, which sometimes came towards us 
 with their grave majestic pace, and were sometimes overtaken by 
 our fleet donkeys. Surrounded on all sides by objects at once 
 novel and interesting, it will not be wondered at that I found the 
 time passing far too rapidly. 
 
 The heat is said not to be more oppressive at Smyrna during 
 the summer than at Constantinople. Spring, however, commences 
 here earlier, and the autumn is longer. This fact, I thought, ac- 
 counted for the lovely vegetation, which was here so much more 
 forward than at Constantinople. 
 
 Herr von Cramer's country-house stands in the midst of a 
 smiling garden ; it is spacious and built of stone. The large and 
 lofty apartments are flagged with marble or tiles. In the garden 
 I found the first date-palm, a beautiful tree with a tall slender 
 stem, from the extremity of which depend leaves five or six feet in 
 length, forming a magnificent crown. In these regions and also 
 in Syria, whither my journey afterwards led me, the date-palm 
 does not attain so great, a height as in Egypt, nor does it bear any 
 fruit, but only stands as a noble ornament beside the pomegranate 
 and orange trees. My attention was also attracted to numerous 
 kinds of splendid acacias ; some of these grew to an immense size, 
 as high as the walnut-trees of my own country. 
 
 The villas of the townspeople all strongly resemble each other. 
 The house stands in the midst of the garden, and the whole is 
 surrounded by a wall. 
 
 In the evening I visited some of the peasants, in company with 
 Herr von C. Tliis gentleman informed me that these people 
 were very poor, but still I found them decently clad and comfort- 
 ably lodged in large roomy dwellings built of stone. Altogether, 
 the condition of affairs seems here vastly superior to that in Galicia 
 and in Hungary near the Carpatliian mountains.
 
 84 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 I reckoned the day I spent with this amiable family among 
 the most pleasant I had yet passed. How gladly would I have 
 accepted their hearty invitation to remain several weeks with 
 them ! But I had lost so much tune in Constantinople, that on the 
 morning of 
 
 May 20th 
 
 I was compelled to bid adieu to Frau von C. and her dear 
 children. Herr von C. escorted me back to Smyrna. We 
 took the opportunity of roaming through many streets of the 
 Franks' quarter, which I found, generally speaking, pretty and 
 cheerful enough, and moreover level and weh 1 paved. The hand- 
 somest street is that in which the consuls reside. The houses 
 are finely built of stone, and the halls are tastefully paved with 
 little coloured pebbles, arranged in the form of wreaths, stars, and 
 squares. The inhabitants generally take up their quarters in 
 these entrance-halls during the day, as it is cooler there than in 
 the rooms. To nearly every house a pretty garden is attached. 
 
 The Turkish town is certainly quite different ; it is built of 
 wood, and is angular and narrow ; dogs lie about in the streets, 
 just as at Brussa and Constantinople. And why should it be other- 
 wise here ? Turks live in all this quarter, and they do not feel the 
 necessity of clean and airy dwellings like the fastidious Franks. 
 
 The bazaars are not roofed ; and here also the costlier portion 
 of the wares is kept under lock and key. 
 
 It is well worth the traveller's while to make an excursion to 
 Bumaha, a place tying on the sea-coast not far from the town, 
 and serving, like Halizar, as a retreat for the townspeople during 
 the summer. The views in this direction are various, and the 
 road is good. The whole appearance of the place is that of a 
 very extended village, with all its houses standing in the midst of 
 gardens and surrounded by walls. 
 
 From the Acropolis AVC have a fine view in every direction, 
 and find, in fact, a union of advantages only met with separately 
 elsewhere.
 
 EGYPT, AXD ITALY. 85 
 
 In Smyrna I found the most beautiful women I had yet seen ; 
 and even during my further journey I met with few who equalled, 
 and none who surpassed them. These fairy forms are, however, 
 only to be sought among the Greeks. The natural charms of 
 these Graces are heightened by the rich costume they wear. They 
 have a peculiarly tasteful manner of fastening their little round 
 fez-caps, beneath which their rich hair falls in heavy plaits upon 
 then: shoulders, or is wound with a richly embroidered handker- 
 chief round the head and brow. 
 
 Smyrna is, however, not only celebrated as possessing the 
 loveliest women, but also as the birthplace of one of the greatest 
 men. a Homer, in the Greece of to-day thou wouldst find no 
 materials for thine immortal Iliad ! 
 
 At five o'clock in the afternoon we quitted the harbour of 
 Smyrna. In this direction the town is seen to much greater 
 advantage after we have advanced a mile than Avhen we approach 
 it from Constantinople ; for now the Turks' town lies spread in all 
 its magnitude before us, whereas on the other side it is half 
 hidden by the Franks' quarter. 
 
 The sea ran high, and adverse winds checked the speed of 
 our good ship ; but I am thankful to say that, except when the 
 gale is very strong, it does not affect my health. I felt perfectly 
 well, and stood enjoying the aspect of the waves as they came 
 dancing towards our vessel. In Smyrna our company had been 
 augmented by the arrival of a few more Franks. 
 
 May 21st. 
 
 Yesterday evening and all this day we Lave been sailing 
 among islands. The principal of these were Scio, Samos, and 
 Cos, and even these form a desolate picture of bare, inhospitable 
 mountains and desert regions. On the island of Cos alone we 
 saw a neat town, with strong fortifications. 
 
 Smyrna is one of the cities that claim the honour of being the birth- 
 place of Homer. ED.
 
 86 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 May 22d. 
 
 This morning, shortly after five o'clock, we ran into the superb 
 liarbour of Rhodes. Here, for the first tune, I obtained a correct 
 notion of a harbour. That of Rhodes is shut in on all sides by 
 walls and masses of rock, leaving only a gap of a hundred and 
 fifty to two hundred paces in width for the ships to enter. Here 
 every vessel can lie in perfect safety, be the sea outside the bar as 
 stormy as it may ; the only drawback is, that the entering of this 
 harbour, a task of some difficulty in calm weather, becomes totally 
 impracticable during a storm. A round tower stands as a protec- 
 tion on either side of the entrance to the harbour. The vener- 
 able church of St. John and the palace of the Komthur can be 
 distinguished towering high above the houses and fortifications. 
 
 Our captain imparted to us the pleasant intelligence that we 
 might spend the hours between this and three o'clock in the after- 
 noon on shore. Our ship had for some time lain surrounded by 
 little boats, and so we lost no time in being conveyed to the land. 
 The first thing we did on reaching it was to ask questions concerning 
 the ancient site of the celebrated Colossus. But we could gain 
 no information, as neither our books nor the people here could 
 point out the place to us with certainty ; so we left the coast, to 
 make up for the disappointment by exploring the ancient city. 
 
 Rhodes is surrounded with three rows of strong fortifications. 
 We passed over three draw-bridges before entering the town. 
 We were quite surprised to see the beautiful streets, the well-kept 
 houses, and the excellent pavement. The principal street, con- 
 taining the houses of the ancient Knights of St. John, is very 
 broad, with buildings so massively constructed of stone as almost 
 to resemble fortresses. Heraldic bearings, with dates carved in 
 stone, grace many of the Gothic gateways. The French shield, 
 with the three lilies and the date 1402, occurs most frequently. 
 On the highest point in the city are built the church of St.- John 
 and the house of the governor. 
 
 All the exteriors seem in such good preservation, that one
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 87 
 
 could almost fancy the knights had only departed to plant their 
 victorious banner on the Holy Sepulchre. They have in truth 
 departed departed to a better home. Centuries have breathed 
 upon their ashes, scattered in all the regions of the earth; But 
 their deeds have been chronicled both in heaven and among men, 
 and the heroes still live in the admiration of posterity. 
 
 The churches, the house of the governor, and many other 
 buildings, are not nearly so well preserved inside as a first glance 
 would lead us to imagine. The reason of this is that the upper 
 part of the town is but thinly inhabited. A gloomy air of silence 
 and vacancy reigns around. We could wander about every where 
 without being stared at or annoyed by the vulgar and envious. 
 Mr. Bartlett, the Englishman, made a few sketches in his draw- 
 ing-book of some of the chief beauties, such as the Gothic gate- 
 ways, the windows, balconies, &c., and no inhabitant came to 
 disturb him. 
 
 The pavement in the city, and even in the streets around the 
 fortifications, consists wholly of handsome slabs of stone, often of 
 different colours, like mosaic, and in such good preservation that 
 we could fancy the work had been but recently concluded. This 
 is certainly partly owing to the fact that no loaded wagon ever 
 crushes over these stones, for the use of vehicles is entirely un- 
 known in these parts ; every thing is carried by horses, asses, or 
 camels. 
 
 Cannons dating from the time of the Genoese still stand upon 
 the ramparts. The carriages of these guns are very clumsy, the 
 wheels consisting of round discs without spokes. 
 
 From our tower of observation we can form a perfect esti- 
 mate of the extent and strength of the fortifications. The city is 
 completely surrounded by three lofty walls, which seem to have 
 been calculated to last an eternity, for they still stand almost un> 
 injured in all their glory. In some places images of the Virgin, 
 of the size of life, are hewn out of the walls. 
 
 The neighbourhood of Rhodes is most charming, and almost
 
 88 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 resembles a park. Many country houses lie scattered throughout 
 this natural garden. The vegetation is here no less luxuriant 
 than in Smyrna. 
 
 The architecture of the houses already begins to assume a 
 ne^ character. Many dwellings have towers attached, and the 
 roofs are flat, forming numerous terraces, which are all huilt of 
 stone. Some streets in the lower part of the town, inhabited 
 chiefly by Jews, are bordered with cannon-balls, and present a 
 most peculiar appearance. 
 
 I was also much struck with the costumes worn by the coun- 
 try-people, who were dressed quite in the Swabian fashion. It 
 was in vain that I inquired the reason of this circumstance. The 
 books we had with us gave no information on the subject, and I 
 could not ask the natives through my ignorance cf their language. 
 
 By three o'clock in the afternoon we were once more on 
 board, and an hour afterwards we sailed out into the open sea. 
 To-day we saw nothing further, except a high aud lengthened 
 mountain-range on the Asiatic mainland. It was a branch of the 
 Taurus. The highest peaks glistened like silver in the evening 
 light, enveloped in a garment of snow. 
 
 May 23d. 
 
 To-day our organs of vision had a rest, for we were sailing 
 on the high seas. Late in the evening, however, the sailors des- 
 cried the mountains of Cyprus looming in the far distance like a 
 misty cloud. With my less practised eyes I could see nothing 
 but the sunset at sea a phenomenon of which I had had a more 
 exalted conception. The rising and setting of the sun at sea is not 
 nearly so striking a spectacle as the same phenomenon in a rocky 
 landscape. At sea the sky is generally cloudless in the evening, 
 and the sun gradually sinks, without refraction of rays or prisma- 
 tic play of colours, into its ocean-bed, to pursue its unchanging 
 course the next day. How infinitely more grand is this spectacle 
 when seen from the " Rigi Kulm"' in Switzerland ! There it is 
 really a spectacle, in contemplating which we feel impelled to fall
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 89 
 
 on our knees in speechless adoration, and admire the wisdom of 
 the Almighty in his wondrous works. 
 
 May 24th. 
 
 On mounting to the deck this morning at five o'clock I could 
 distinguish the island of Cyprus, which looks uglier the nearer we 
 approach. Both the foreground and the mountain-peaks have an 
 uncomfortable barren air. At ten o'clock we entered the harbour 
 of Larnaka. The situation of this town is any thing bnt fine ; the 
 country looks like an Arabian desert, and a few unfruitful date- 
 palms rise beside the roofless stone houses. 
 
 I should not have gone on shore at all, if Doctor Faaslauc, 
 whose acquaintance I had made at Constantinople, and who had 
 been appointed quarantine physician here four weeks before my 
 departure, had not come to fetch me. The streets of Larnaka are 
 unpaved, so that we were obliged literally to wade more than 
 ankle-deep in sand and dust. The houses are small, with irre- 
 gular window's, sometimes high and sometimes low, furnished with 
 wooden grated shutters ; and the roofs are in the form of terraces. 
 This style of building I found to be universal throughout Syria. 
 
 Of a garden or a green place not a trace was to be seen. The 
 sandy expanse reaches to the foot of the mountains, which viewed 
 fivm this direction form an equally barren picture. Behind these 
 mountains the appearance of the landscape is said to be very fruit- 
 ful ; but I did not penetrate into the interior, nor did I go to Niko- 
 sia, the capital of the island, distant some twelve miles from Lar- 
 naka. 
 
 Doctor Faaslanc took me to his house, which had an appear- 
 ance of greater comfort than I had expected to find, for it con- 
 sisted of two spacious rooms which might almost have been termed 
 halls. An agreeable coolness reigned every where. 
 
 Neither stoves nor chimneys were to be seen, as winter is here 
 replaced by a very mild rainy season. The heat in summer is 
 often said to be insiipportable, the temperature rising to more than 
 30 Reaumur. To-day it reached 30 in the sun.
 
 90 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 We drank to my safe return to my country, in real old Cy- 
 prian wine. Shall I ever see it again ? I hope so, if my journey 
 progresses as favourably as it has hegun. But Syria is a bad 
 country, and the climate is difficult to bear ; yet with courage and 
 perseverance for my companions, I may look forward to the accom- 
 plishment of my task. The good doctor seemed much annoyed 
 that he had nothing to offer me but Cyprian wine and a few Ger- 
 man biscuits. At this early season fruit is not to be had, and 
 cherries do not flourish here because the climate is too hot for 
 them. In Smyrna I ate the last for this year. When I re- 
 embarked in the afternoon, Mr. Bartlett came with the English 
 consul, who wished, he said, to make the acquaintance of a lady 
 possessing sufficient courage to undertake so long and perilous a 
 journey by herself. His astonishment increased when he was in- 
 formed that I was an unpretending native of Vienna. The consul 
 was kind enough to offer me the use of his house if I returned by 
 way of Cyprus ; he also inquired if he could give me some letters 
 of recommendation to the Syrian consuls. I was touched by this 
 hearty politeness on the part of a perfect stranger an Englishman 
 moreover, a race on whom we are accustomed to look as cold and 
 exclusive !
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. <J1 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Arrival at Beyrout Fellahs Backshcesh Uncomfortable quarters Sakla 
 Tyre St. Jean d'Acro Ctcsarca Excursion among the nuns 
 Jaffa An eastern family The Indian fig-tree An Oriental dinner 
 CosLumo of the women of Jaffa Oppressive heat Gnats Ramla 
 Syrian convents Bedouins and Arabs Karict cl Arcb, or Emmaus 
 The Seheikh Arrival at Jerusalem. 
 
 May 25th. 
 
 rpnis morning I could discern the Syrian coast, which becomes 
 JL more glorious the nearer we approach. Beyrout, the goal of 
 our voyage, was jealously hidden from our eyes to the very last 
 moment. We had still to round a promontory, and then this Eden 
 of the earth lay before us in all its glory. How gladly would I 
 have retarded the course of our vessel, as we passed from the last 
 rocky point into the harbour, to have enjoyed this sight a little 
 longer ! One pair of eyes does not suffice to take in this view ; 
 the objects are too numerous, and the spectator is at a loss whither 
 he should first direct his gaze, upon the town, with its many an- 
 cient towers attached to the houses, giving them the air of knights' 
 castles upon the numerous country-houses in the shade of lux- 
 urious mulberry plantations upon the beautiful valley between 
 Beyrout and Mount Lebanon or on the distant mountain-range 
 itself. The towering masses of tliis magnificent chain, the pecu- 
 liar colour of its rocks, and its snowclad summits, rivetted my atten- 
 tion longer than any thing else. 
 
 Scarcely had the anchor descended from the bows, before our 
 ship was besieged by a number of small boats, with more noise 
 and bustle than even at Constantinople. The half-naked and ex- 
 citable Arabs or Fellahs are so ready with offers of service, that 
 it is difficult to keep them off. It almost becomes necessary to
 
 92 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 threaten these poor people with a stick, as they obstinately refuse 
 to take a gentler hint. As the water is here very shallow, so that 
 even the little boats cannot come quite close to shore, some others 
 of these brown forms immediately approached, seized us by the 
 arms, took us upon their backs amidst continual shouting and 
 quarrelling, and carried us triumphantly to land. 
 
 Before the stranger puts himself into the hands of men of this 
 kind, such as captains of small craft, donkey-drivers, porters, &c., 
 he will find it a very wise precaution to settle the price he is to 
 pay for their services. I generally spoke to the captain, or to 
 some old stager among the passengers, on this subject. Even 
 when I gave these people double then- usual price, they were not 
 contented, but demanded an additional backsheesh (gratuity). It 
 is therefore advisable to make the first offer very small, and to 
 retain something for the backsheesh. At length I safely reached 
 the house of Herr Battista (the only inn in the place), and was 
 rejoicing in the prospect of rest and refreshment, when the dismal 
 cry of " no room" was raised. I was thus placed in a deplorable 
 position. There was no second inn, no convent, no place of any 
 kind, where I, poor desolate creature that I was, could find shel- 
 ter. This circumstance worked so much on the host's feelings, 
 that he introduced me to his wife, and promised to procure me a 
 private lodging. 
 
 I had now certainly a roof above my head, but yet I could get 
 no rest, nor even command a corner where I might change my 
 dress. I sat with my hostess from eleven in the morning until 
 five in the afternoon, and a miserably long time it appeared. I 
 could not read, write, or even talk, for neither my hostess nor her 
 children knew any language but Arabic. I had, however, time to 
 notice what was going on around me, and observed that these 
 children were much more lively than those hi Constantinople, for 
 here they were continually chattering and running about. Ac- 
 cording to the custom of the country, the wife does nothing but 
 play with the children or gossip with the neighbours, while her
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 93 
 
 husband attends to kitchen and cellar, makes all the requisite pur- 
 chases, and besides attending to the guests, even lays the table- 
 cloth for his wife and children. He told me that in a week at 
 furthest, his wife would go with the children to a convent on the 
 Lebanon, to remain there during the hot season of the year. What 
 a difference between an Oriental and a European woman ! 
 
 I stilt found the heat at sea far from unendurable ; a soft wind 
 continually wafted its cooling influence towards us, and an awning 
 had been spread out to shelter us from the rays of the sun. But 
 what a contrast when we come to land ! As I sat in the room 
 here the perspiration dropped continually from my brow, and now 
 I began to understand what is meant by being in the tropics. I 
 could scarcely await the hour when I should be shewn to a room 
 to change my clothes ; but to-day I was not to have an oppor- 
 tunity of doing so, for at five o'clock a messenger came from 
 Mr. Bartlett with the welcome intelligence that we could continue 
 our journey, as nothing was to be feared from the Druses and 
 Maronites, and the plague only reigned in isolated places through 
 which it was not necessary that we should pass. He had already 
 engaged a servant who would act as cook and dragoman (inter- 
 preter) ; provisions and cooking utensils had also been bought, 
 and places were engaged on an Arab craft. Nothing, therefore, 
 remained for me to do but to be on the sea-shore by six o'clock, 
 where his servant would be waiting for me. I was much rejoiced 
 on hearing this good news : I forgot that I required rest and a 
 change of clothes, packed up my bundle, and hurried to the beach. 
 Of the town I only saw a few streets, where there was a great 
 bustle. I also noticed many swarthy Arabs and Bedouins, who 
 wore nothing but a shirt. I did not feel particularly anxious to 
 see Beyrout and its vicinity, as I intended to return soon and visit 
 any part I could not examine now. 
 
 Before sunset we had already embarked on board the craft 
 that was to carry us to the long-wished-for, the sacred coast of 
 Joppa. Every thing was in readiness, and we lacked only the one 
 thing indispensable a breeze.
 
 94 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 No steamers sail between Joppa and Beyrout; travellers 
 must be content with sailing vessels, deficient alike as regards 
 cleanliness and convenience ; they are not provided with a cabin, 
 or even with an awning, so that the passengers remain day and 
 night under the open sky. Our vessel carried a cargo of pottery, 
 besides rice and corn in sacks. 
 
 Midnight approached, and still we were in harbour, with not 
 a breath of wind to fill our sails. 
 
 Wrapping my cloak tightly round me, I lay down on the 
 sacks, in the absence of a mattress ; but I was not yet sufficiently 
 tired out to be able to find rest on such an unusual couch. So I 
 rose again in rather a bad humour, and looked with an evil eye on 
 the Arabs lying on the sacks around me, who were not " slumber- 
 ing softly," but snoring lustily. By way of forcing myself, if 
 possible, into a poetical train of thought, I endeavoured to con- 
 centrate my attention on the contemplation of the beautiful land- 
 scape by moonlight ; but even this would not keep me from 
 yawning. My companion seemed much in the same mood ; for 
 he had also risen from his soft couch, and was staring gloomingly 
 straight before him. At length, towards three o'clock in the 
 morning of 
 
 May 26th, 
 
 a slight breath of wind arose, we hoisted two or three sails, and 
 glided slowly and noiselessly towards the sea. 
 
 Mr. B. had bargained with the captain to keep as close to the 
 shore as possible, in order that we might see the towns as we 
 passed. Excepting in Cscsarea, it was forbidden to cast anchor 
 any where, for the plague was raging at Stir (Tyre) and in several 
 other places. 
 
 Bargains of this land must be taken down in writing at the 
 consulates, and only one-half of the sum agreed should be paid 
 in advance ; the other half must be kept in hand, to operate as a 
 check on the crew. After eA r ery precaution has been taken, one 
 can seldom escape without some bickering and quarrelling. On 
 these occasions it is always advisable at once to take high ground,
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 95 
 
 and not to give way in the most trifling particular, for this is the 
 only method of gaining peace and quietness. 
 
 Towards seven o'clock in the morning we sailed by the town 
 and fortress of Saida. The town looks respectable enough, and 
 contains some spacious houses. The fortress is separated from the 
 town by a small bay, across which a wooden bridge has been 
 built. The fortress seems in a very dilapidated condition ; inany 
 breaches are still in the same state in which they were left after 
 the taking of the town by the English in 1840, and part of the 
 wall has fallen into the sea. In the background we could descry 
 some ruins on a rock, apparently the remains of an ancient castle. 
 
 The next place we saw was Sarepta, where Elijah the prophet 
 was fed by the poor widow during the famine. 
 
 The Lebanon range becomes lower and lower, while its name- 
 sake, the Anti-Lebanon, begins to rise. It is quite as lofty as the 
 first-named range, wliich it closely resembles in form. Both are 
 traversed by fields of snow, and between them stands a third 
 colossus, Mount Hermon. 
 
 Next came the town of Tyre or Stir, now barren and de- 
 serted ; for that mighty scourge of humanity, the plague, was raging- 
 there to a fearful extent. A few scattered fragments of fortifi- 
 cations and numerous fallen pillars lie strewed on the shore. 
 
 And now at length I was about to see places which many 
 have longed to behold, but which few have reached. With a 
 beating heart I gazed unceasingly towards St. Jean d'Acre, wliich 
 I at length saw rising from the waves, with Mount Cannel in the 
 background. Here, then, was the holy ground on which the 
 Redeemer walked for us fallen creatures ! Both St. Jean d'Acre 
 and Mount Carmel can be distinguished a long distance off. 
 
 For a second tune did a mild and calm night sink gently 
 on the earth without bringing me repose. How unlucky it is that 
 we find it so much harder to miss comforts we have been used to 
 enjoy, than to acquire the habit of using comforts to which we have 
 been unaccustomed ! Were tliis not the case, how much easier
 
 96 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 would travelling be ! As it is, it costs us many an effort ere we can 
 look hardships boldly in the face. ' But patience !" thought I to 
 myself; " I shall have more to endure yet; and if I return safely, 
 I shall be as thoroughly case-hardened as any native/' 
 
 Our meals and our beverage were very simple. In the morn- 
 ing we had pilau, and in the evening we had pilau ; our drink 
 was lukewarm water, qualified with a little rum. 
 
 From Beyrout to the neighbourhood of St. Jean d'Acre, the 
 coast and a considerable belt of land adjoining it are sandy and 
 barren. Near Acre every tiling changed ; we once more beheld 
 pretty country-houses surrounded by pomegranate and orange 
 plantations, and a noble aqueduct intersects the plain. Mount 
 Carmel, alone barren and unfruitful, stands in striking contrast 
 to the beauteous landscape around ; jutting boldly out towards 
 the sea, it forms the site of a handsome and spacious convent. 
 
 The town of St. Jean d'Acre and its fortifications were com- 
 pletely destroyed during the last war (in 1840), and appear to 
 sigh in vain for repairs. The houses and mosques are full of 
 cannon-balls and shot-holes. Every tiling stands and lies about 
 as though the enemy had departed but yesterday. Six cannons 
 peer threateningly from the wall. The town and fortifications 
 are both built on a tongue of land washed by the sea. 
 
 May 27th. 
 
 During the night we reached Cscsarea. With the eloquence 
 of a Demosthenes, our captain endeavoured to dissuade us from 
 our project of landing here ; he pointed out to us the dangers to 
 which we were exposing ourselves, and the risks we should run 
 from Bedouins and snakes. The former, he averred, were accus- 
 tomed to conceal themselves in hordes among the ruins, in order 
 to ease travellers of their effects and money; being well aware 
 that such spots were only visited by curious tourists with well- 
 filled purses, they were continually on the watch, like the robber- 
 knights of the good old German empire. " An enemy no less
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 97 
 
 formidable," said the captain, " was to be encountered in the per- 
 sons of numerous snakes lurking in the old walls and on the weed- 
 covered ground, which endangered the life of the traveller at 
 every step." We were perfectly well aware of these facts, having 
 gleaned them partly from descriptions of voyages, partly from 
 oral traditions ; and so they were not powerful enough to arrest 
 our curiosity. The captain himself was really less actuated by the 
 sense of our danger, in advising us to abandon our undertaking, 
 than by the reflection of the time it lost him ; but he exerted himself 
 in vain. He was obliged to cast anchor, and at daybreak to send 
 u boat ashore with us. 
 
 Our arms consisted of parasols and sticks (the latter we car- 
 ried in order to beat the bushes) ; we were escorted by the cap- 
 tain, Ids servant, and a couple of sailors. 
 
 In the ruins we certainly met with a few suspicious-looking 
 characters in the shape of wandering Bedouins. As it was too 
 late to beat a retreat, we advanced bravely towards them with 
 trusting and friendly looks. The Bedouins did the same, and so 
 there was an end of this dangerous aftiir. We climbed from one 
 fragment to another, and certainly spent more than two hours 
 among the rums, without sustaining the slightest injury at the 
 hands of these people. Of the threatened snakes we saw not a 
 single one. 
 
 Ruins, indeed, we found every where hi plenty. Whole side- 
 walls, which appeared to have belonged to private houses, but not 
 to splendid palaces or temples, stood erect and almost unscathed. 
 Fragments of pillars lay scattered about in great abundance, but 
 without capitals, pedestals, or friezes. 
 
 It was with a feeh'ng of awe hitherto unknown to me that I 
 trod the ground where my Redeemer had walked. Every spot, 
 every building became invested with a double interest. " Per- 
 chance," I thought, " I may be lingering within the very house 
 where Jesus once sojourned." More than satisfied with my ex- 
 cursion. I returned to our bark. 
 
 G
 
 98 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 By three o'clock in the afternoon we were close under the 
 walls of Joppa. To enter this harbour, partially choked up as it 
 is with sand, is described as a difficult feat. We were assured 
 that we should see many wrecks of stranded ships and boats ; 
 accordingly I strained my eyes to the utmost, and could discover 
 nothing. We ran safely in ; and thus ended a little journey in 
 the course of which I had seen many new and interesting objects, 
 besides gaining some insight into the mode of life among the 
 sailors. Frequently, when it fell calm, our Arabs would recline 
 on the ground in a circle, singing songs of an inconceivably inhar- 
 monious and lugubrious character, while they clapped their hands 
 in cadence, and burst at intervals into a barking laugh. I could 
 not find any thing very amusing in this entertainment ; on the 
 contrary, it had the effect of making me feel very melancholy, as 
 displaying these good people hi a very idiotic and degrading light. 
 
 The costume of the sailors was simple in the extreme. A 
 shirt covered them in rather an imperfect manner, and a handker- 
 chief bound round their heads protected them from a coup de soleil. 
 The captain was distinguished from the rest only by his turban, 
 which looked ridiculous enough, surmounting his half-clad form. 
 Their diet consisted of a single warm meal of pilau or beans, eaten 
 in the evening. During the day they stayed their appetites with 
 bread. Their drink was water. 
 
 The town of Joppa, extending from the sea-shore to the sum- 
 mit of a rather considerable and completely isolated hill, has a 
 most peculiar appearance. The lower street is surrounded by a 
 wall, and appears sufficiently broad ; the remaining streets run up 
 the face of the hills, and seem at a distance to be resting on the 
 houses below. Viewing the town from our boat, I could have 
 sworn that people were walking about on flat house-tops. 
 
 As Joppa boasts neither an inn nor a convent which might 
 shelter a traveller, I waited upon the Consul of the Austrian 
 Empire, Herr D , who received me very kindly and intro- 
 duced me to his family, which comprised his lady, three sons, and
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 99 
 
 three daughters. They wore the Turkish costume. The daugh- 
 ters, two of whom were exceedingly beautiful, wore wide trousers, 
 a caftan, and a sash round the waist. On their heads they had 
 little fez-caps, and their hair was divided into fifteen or twenty 
 narrow plaits, interwoven with little gold coins, and a larger one 
 at the end of each plait. A necklace of gold coins encircled their 
 necks. The mother was dressed in exactly the same way. When 
 elderly women have little or no hair left, they make up with arti- 
 ficial silk plaits for the deficiencies of nature. 
 
 The custom of wearing coins as ornaments is so prevalent 
 throughout Syria, that the very poorest women, girls, and children 
 strive to display as many as possible. Where they cannot sport 
 gold, they content themselves with silver money ; and where even 
 this metal is not attainable, with little coins of copper and other 
 baser metals. 
 
 The Consul and his son were also clothed in the Turkish garb ; 
 but instead of a turban the father wore an old cocked hat, which 
 gave him an indescribably ludicrous appearance. A son and a 
 daughter of this worthy patron of the semi-Turkish, semi-European 
 garb, had but one eye, a defect frequently met with in Syria. 
 It is generally supposed to be caused by the dry heat, the fine 
 particles of sand, aud the intense glare of the chalky hills. 
 
 As I reached Joppa early in the afternoon, I proceeded in 
 company of the Consul to new the town and its environs. In dirt, 
 bad paving, &c., I found it equal to any of the towns I had yet 
 seen. The lower street, near the sea, alone is broad and bustling, 
 with loaded and unloaded camels passing continually to and fro. 
 The bazaar is composed of some miserable booths containing com- 
 mon provisions and a few cheap wares. 
 
 The neighbourhood of Joppa is exceedingly fertile. Numerous 
 large gardens, with trees laden with all kinds of tropical fruits, and 
 guarded by impenetrable hedges of the Indian fig-tree, form a half- 
 circle round the lower portion of the town. 
 
 The Indian fig-tree, which I here saw for the first time, has
 
 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXI>, 
 
 an odd appearance. From its stem, which is very dwarfish, 
 leaves a foot in length, six inches in breadth, and half an inch in 
 fftMnBEMj shoot forth. This tree seldom sends forth branches ; 
 the leaves grow one out of another, and at the caLtaaafty the fruit 
 is formed. Its length is about two or three inches. Ten or twenty 
 such figs are frequently found adhering to a single leaf. 
 
 I could not conceive how it happened that in these hot 
 countries, without rain to refresh them, the trees all looked so 
 healthy and beautiful. This fact, I found, was owing to the 
 numerous channels cut through the gardens, which are thus arti- 
 ficially irrigated. The heavy dews and cool nights also tend to 
 restore the drooping vegetation. One great ornament of our gar- 
 dens was, however, totally wanting a lawn with wild flowers. 
 Trees and vegetables here grow out of the sandy or stony earth, 
 a circumstance hardly noticed at a distance, but which produces a 
 disagreeable effect on a near view. Flowers I found none. 
 
 The whole region round Joppa is so covered with sand, that 
 one sinks ankle-deep at every step. 
 
 Consul D fulfils the duties of two consulates, the Austrian 
 
 and the French. From both these offices he derives no benefit 
 but the honour. By some people this honour would be highly 
 valued, but many would rate it at nothing at aH. This family, 
 however, seems to have a great idea of honour ; tor the consul's 
 office is hereditary, and I found the son of the present dignitary 
 already looking forward to filling his place. 
 
 In the evening I was present at a real Oriental entertainment 
 in the house of this friendly family. 
 
 Mats, carpets, and pillows were spread out on the terrace of 
 the house, and a very low table placed in the centre. Bound this 
 the family sat, or rather reclined, cross-legged. I was accommo- 
 dated with a chair somewhat higher than the table. Beside my 
 plate and that of the Consul were laid a knife and fork, that ap- 
 peared to have been hunted out from some lumler closet ; the rest 
 ate with a species of natural knife and fork, namely fingers.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 101 
 
 The dishes were not at all to my taste. I hail still too mucj 
 of the European about me, and too little appetite, to be able to 
 endure what these good people seemed to consider immense 
 delicacies. 
 
 The first dish appeared in the form of a delicate pilau, com- 
 posed of mutton, cucumbers, and a quantity of spice, which ren- 
 dered it more unpalatable to me than common pilau. Then 
 followed sliced cucumbers sprinkled with salt ; but as the chief 
 ingredients, vinegar and oil, were entirely wanting, I was obliged 
 to force down the cucumber as best I could. Next came rice-milk, 
 so strongly flavoured with attar of roses, that the smell alone was 
 more than enough for me ; and now at length the last course was 
 put on the table stale cheese made of ewe's milk, little unpeelod 
 girkins, which my entertainers coolly discussed rind and all, and 
 burnt hazel-nuts. The bread, which is flat like pancakes, is not 
 baked in ovens, but laid on metal plates or hot stones, and turned 
 when one side is sufficiently done. It tastes better than I should 
 have expected.* 
 
 Our conversation diuing dinner was most interesting. Some 
 of the family spoke a little Italian, but this little was pronounced 
 with such a strong Greek accent, that I was obliged to guess at 
 the greater portion of what was said. No doubt they had to do 
 the same with me. The worthy Consul, indeed, affirmed that he 
 knew French very well ; but for this evening at least, his memory 
 seemed to have given him the slip. Much was spoken, and little 
 understood. The same thing is said often to be the case in learned 
 societies ; so it was not of much consequence. 
 
 There are many different lauds of cucumber in Syria, where 
 they are a favourite dish with rich and poor. I found numerous 
 varieties, but none that I found superior to our German one. An- 
 other favourite fruit is the water-melon, here called "bastek."' 
 These also I found neither larger in size nor better flavoured than 
 the melons I had eaten in southern Hungary. 
 
 * Cakes or "scones" in Scotland are ba'ted in the same way. ED.
 
 102 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 The Consul's house seems sufficiently large ; but the architec- 
 tural arrangement is so irregular that the extended area contains 
 but few rooms and very little comfort. The apartments are 
 lofty and large, extremely ill-furnished, and not kept in the best 
 possible order. 
 
 I slept hi the apartment of the married daughter ; but had it 
 not been for the beds standing round, I should rather have looked 
 upon it as an old store-closet than a lady's sleeping-room. 
 
 May 28th. 
 
 At five o'clock hi the morning Mr. Bartlett's servant came 
 to fetch me away, as we were at once to continue our journey. 
 I betook myself to the house of the English Consul, where I found 
 neither a horse nor any thing else prepared for our departure. It 
 is necessary to look calmly upon these irregularities here in the 
 East, where it is esteemed a fortunate occurrence if the horses 
 and mukers (as the drivers of horses and donkeys are called) 
 are only a few hours behind their tune. Thus our horses made 
 their appearance at half-past five instead of at four, the hour for 
 which they had been ordered. Our baggage was soon securely 
 fixed, for we left the greater portion of our effects at Joppa, and 
 took with us only what was indispensably necessary. 
 
 As the clock struck six we rode out of the gate of Joppa, and 
 immediately afterwards reached a large well with a marble basin. 
 Near places of this description a great number of people are 
 always congregated, and more women and girls are seen than 
 appear elsewhere. 
 
 The dress of females belonging to the lower orders consists 
 of a long blue garment fastened roucd the throat, and reaching 
 below the ankle. They completely cover the head and face, fre- 
 quently without even leaving openings for the eyes. Some fe- 
 males, on the other hand, go abroad with their faces totally un- 
 covered. These are, however, exceptional cases. 
 
 The women carry their water-pitchers on their head or shoul-
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 103 
 
 der, as their ancestors have done for thousands of years, in the 
 manner we find represented in the oldest pictures. But unfor- 
 tunately I could discover neither the grace in their gait, the dig- 
 nity in their movements, nor the physical beauty in their appear- 
 ance, that I had been led to expect. On the contrary, I found 
 squalor and poverty more prevalent than I had thought possible. 
 
 We rode on amid the gardens, every moment meeting a little 
 caravan of camels. Immediately beyond the gardens we descry 
 the fruitful valley of Sharon, extending more than eight miles in 
 length, and to a still greater distance in breadth. Here and there 
 we find villages built on hills, and the whole presents the appear- 
 ance of an. extremely fertile and well-populated region. In all 
 directions we saw large herds of sheep and goats ; the latter ge- 
 nerally of a black or brown colour, with long pendent ears. 
 
 The foreground of the picture is formed by the Judsean moun- 
 tains, a range apparently composed of a number of barren rocks. 
 
 A ride of two hours through this plain, which is less sandy 
 than the immediate neighbourhood of Joppa, brought us to a 
 mosque, where we made halt for a quarter of an hour and ate our 
 breakfast, consisting of some hard-boiled eggs, a piece of bread, and 
 a draught of lukewarm water from the cistern. Our poor beasts 
 fared even worse than ourselves they received nothing but water. 
 
 On leaving this place to resume our journey across the plain, 
 we not only suffered dreadfully from the heat, which had reached 
 30 Reaumur, but were further persecuted by a species of mi- 
 nute gnats, which hovered round us in large swarms, crept into 
 our noses and ears, and annoyed us in such a manner that it re- 
 quired the utmost of our patience and determination to prevent us 
 from turning back at once. Fortunately we only met with these 
 tormentors hi those parts where the corn had been cut and was 
 still in the fields. They are not much larger than a pin's head, 
 and look more like flies than gnats. They are always met with 
 in great swarms, and sting so sharply that they frequently raise 
 large boils.
 
 104 VISIT TO TILE HOLY LAND, 
 
 The vegetation was at this season already in so forward a 
 state that we frequently passed stubble-fields, and found that the 
 wheat had in several cases been already garnered up. Through- 
 out the whole of Syria, and in that part of Egypt whither my 
 journey afterwards led me, I never once saw com or vegetables, 
 wood or stores, carried in wagons ; they were invariably borne by 
 horses or asses. In Syria I could understand the reason of this 
 proceeding. With the exception, perhaps, of the eight or ten 
 miles across the valley of Sharon, the road is too stony and un- 
 even to admit the passage of the lightest and smallest carts. In 
 Egypt, however, this is not the case, and yet wagons have not 
 been introduced. 
 
 A most comical effect was produced when we met long pro- 
 cessions of small donkeys, so completely laden with corn, that 
 neither their heads nor their feet remained visible. The sheaves 
 seemed to be moving spontaneously, or to be propelled by the 
 power of steam. Frequently after a train of this kind has passed, 
 lofty grey heads appear, surrounded by a load piled up to so great 
 a height, that one would suppose large corn-wagons were approach- 
 ing rather than the " ship of the desert," the camel. The tra- 
 veller's attention is continually attracted to some novel and curious 
 object totally dissimilar to any thing he has seen at home. 
 
 Towards ten o'clock we arrived at Eamla, a place situate on 
 a little hill, and discernible from a great distance. Before reach- 
 ing the town, we had to pass through an olive-wood. Leaving 
 our horses beneath a shady tree, we entered the coppice on the 
 right : a walk of about a quarter of a mile brought us to the 
 " Tower of the Forty Martyrs," which was converted into a 
 church during the time of the Knights Templars, and now serves 
 as a dwelling for dervishes. It is a complete ruin, and I could 
 scarcely believe that it was still habitable. 
 
 We made no stay at Ramla, a place only remarkable for a con- 
 vent built, it is said, on the site of Joseph of Arimathea's house. ' 
 
 The Syrian convents are built more like fortresses than like
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 105 
 
 peaceful dwellings. They are usually surrounded by strong and 
 lofty walls, furnished with loopholes for cannon. The great gate 
 is kept continually closed, and barred and bolted from witliin for 
 greater security ; a little postern is opened to admit visitors, but 
 even this is only done in time of peace, and when there is no fear 
 of the plague. 
 
 At length, towards noon, we approached the mountains of 
 Judasa. Here we must bid farewell to the beautiful fruitful valley 
 and to the charming road, and pursue our journey through a stony 
 region, which we do not pass without difficulty. 
 
 At the entrance of the mountain-chain lies a miserable village; 
 near this village is a well, and here we halted to refresh ourselves 
 and water our poor horses. It was not without a great deal of 
 trouble and some expense that we managed to obtain a little water ; 
 for all the camels, asses, goats, and sheep from far and wide were 
 collected here, eagerly licking up every drop of the refreshing 
 element they could secure. Little .did I think that I should ever 
 be glad to quench my thirst with so disgusting a beverage as the 
 muddy, turbid, and lukewarm water they gave me from this well. 
 We once more filled our leathern bottles, and proceeded with fresh 
 courage up the stony path, which quickly became so narrow, that 
 without great difficulty and danger we could not pass the camels 
 which we frequently met. Fortunately a few camels out of 
 every herd are generally provided with bells, so that their ap- 
 proach is heard at some distance, and one can prepare for them 
 accordingly. 
 
 The Bedouins and Arabs generally wear no garment but a 
 shirt barely reaching to the knee. Their head is protected by a 
 linen cloth, to which a thick rope wound twice round the head 
 gives a very good effect. A few have a striped jacket over their 
 shirt, and the rich men or chiefs frequently wear turbans. 
 
 Our road now continues to wind upwards, through ravines 
 between rocks and mountains, and over heaps of stones. Here 
 and there single olive-trees are seen sprouting from the rocky
 
 106 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 clifts. Ugly as this tree is, it still forms a cheerful feature in the 
 desert places where it grows. Now and then we climbed hills 
 whence we had a distant view of the sea. These glimpses increase 
 the awe which inspires the traveller when he considers on what 
 ground he is wandering, and whither he is hending his steps. 
 Every step we now take leads us past places of religious import- 
 ance ; every nun, every fragment of a fortress or tower, ahove 
 which the rocky walls rise like terraces, speaks of eventful times 
 long gone by. 
 
 An uninterrupted ride of five hours over very bad roads, 
 from the entrance of the mountain-range, added to the extreme 
 heat and total want of proper refreshment, suddenly brought on 
 such a violent giddiness that I could scarcely keep myself from 
 falling off my horse. Although we had been on horseback for 
 eleven hours since leaving Joppa, I was so much afraid that Mr. 
 B. would consider me weak and ailing, and perhaps change 
 his intention of accompanying me from Jerusalem back to Joppa, 
 that I refrained from acquainting him with the condition in which 
 I felt myself. I therefore dismounted (had I not done so, I should 
 soon have fallen down), and walked with tottering steps beside my 
 horse, until I felt so far recovered that I could mount once more. 
 Air. B. had determined to perform the distance from Joppa to 
 Jerusalem (a sixteen hours' ride) at one stretch. He indeed 
 asked me if I could bear so much fatigue ; but I was unwilling to 
 abuse his kindness, and therefore assured him that I could manage 
 to ride on for five or six hours longer. Fortunately for my repu- 
 tation, my companion was soon afterwards attacked with the same 
 symptoms that troubled me so much ; he now began to think that 
 it might, after all, be advisable to rest for a few hours in the next 
 village, especially as we could not hope in any case to reach the 
 gates of Jerusalem before sundown. I felt silently thankful for 
 this opportune occurrence, and left the question of going on or stop- 
 ping altogether to the decision of my fellow-traveller, particularly 
 as I knew the course he would choose. Thus I accomplished my
 
 EGYtT, AJS'D ITALY. 107 
 
 object without being obliged to confess my weakness. In pur- 
 suance of tins resolve, we stayed in the neighbouiing village of 
 " Kariet el Areb," the ancient Emmaus, where the risen Saviour 
 met the disciples, and where we find a ruin of a Christian church 
 in a tolerable state of preservation. The building is now used as 
 a stable. Some years ago this was the haunt of a famous rob- 
 ber, who was scheikh of the place, and let no Frank pass before 
 he had paid whatever tribute he chose to demand. Since the 
 accession of Mehemet Ali these exactions have ceased both here 
 and in Jerusalem, where money was demanded of the stranger for 
 admission into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and other sacred 
 places. Even highway robberies, which were once on a time of 
 daily occurrence among these mountains, are now rarely heard of. 
 
 We took possession of the entrance-hall of a mosque, near which 
 a delicious spring sparkled forth from a grotto. Seldom has any 
 thing strengthened and refreshed me so much as the water of this 
 spring. I recovered completely from my indisposition, and was 
 able to enjoy the beautiful evening. 
 
 As soon as the scheikh of the village heard that a party of 
 Franks had arrived, he despatched four or five dishes of provisions 
 to us. Of all these preparations we could only eat one the but- 
 ter-milk. The other dishes, a mixture of honey, cucumbers, hard- 
 boiled eggs, onions, oil, olives, &c., we generously bestowed upon 
 the dragoman and the muker, who caused them quickly to disap- 
 pear. An hour afterwards the scheikh came in person to pay his 
 respects. We reclined on the steps of the hall ; and while the men 
 smoked and drank coffee, a conversation of a very uninteresting 
 kind was kept up, the dragoman acting as interpreter. At length 
 the scheikh seemed seized with the idea that we might possibly 
 be tired with our journey. He took his leave, and offered un- 
 asked to send us two men as sentries, which he did. Thus we 
 could go to rest in perfect safety under the open sky in the midst 
 of a Turkish village. 
 
 But before we retired to rest, my companion was seized with
 
 108 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 the rather original idea that we should pursue our journey at mid- 
 night. He asked me, indeed, if I was afraid, but at the same 
 tune observed, that it would be much safer for us to act upon his 
 suggestion, as no one would suspect our departure by such a dan- 
 gerous road at midnight. I certainly felt a little afraid, but my 
 pride would not allow me to confess the truth ; so our people re- 
 ceived the order to be prepared to set out at midnight. 
 
 Thus we four persons, alone and totally unarmed, travelled 
 at midnight through the wildest and most dangerous regions. 
 Fortunately the bright moon looked smilingly down upon us. and 
 illuminated our path so brightly, that the horses earned us with 
 firm step over every obstruction. I was, I must confess, grievously 
 frightened by the shadows ! I saw living things moving to and 
 fro forms gigantic and forms dwarfish seemed sometimes ap- 
 proaching us, sometimes hiding behind masses of rock, or sinking- 
 back into nothingness. Lights and shadows, fears and anxiety, 
 thus took alternate possession of my imagination. 
 
 A couple of miles from our starting-place we came upon a 
 brook crossed by a narrow stone bridge. This brook is remark- 
 able only as having been that from which David collected the five 
 stones wherewith he slew the Philistine giant. At the season of 
 my visit there was no water to be seen ; the bed of the stream 
 was completely dry. 
 
 About an hour's journey from Jerusalem the valley opens, and 
 little orchards give indication of a more fertile country, as well as 
 of the proximity of the Holy City. Silently and thoughtfully we ap- 
 proached our destination, straining our eyes to the utmost to pierce 
 the jealous twilight that shrouded the distance from our gaze. From 
 the next hill we hoped to behold our sacred goal ; but " hope de- 
 ferred" is often the lot of mortals. "We had to ascend another 
 height, and another ; at length the Mount of Olives lay spread 
 before us, and lastly JERUSALEM.
 
 EGYl'T, AN'D ITALV. 109 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 llc.sMence at Jerusalem Catholic church The "Nuova Casa" Via dolo- 
 rosa Pilate's house The Mosque Omar Herod's house Church of 
 the Holy Sepulchre Disturbances at the Greek Easter feasts Knights 
 of thejHoly Sepulchre Mount of Olives Adventure among the ruins 
 Mount of Offence Valley of Jehosaphat Siloam Mount Sion 
 Jeremiah's grotto Graves. 
 
 miiE red morning dawn had begun to tinge the sky as we stood 
 JL before the walls of Jerusalem, and with it the most beauteous 
 morning of my life dawned upon me ! I was so lost in reflection 
 and in thankful emotion, that I saw and heard nothing of what 
 was passing around me. And yet I should find it impossible to 
 describe what I thought, what I felt. My emotion was deep and 
 powerful ; my expression of it would be poor and cold. 
 
 At half-past four o'clock in the morning of the 29th May we 
 arrived at the " Bethlehem Gate." We were obliged to wait 
 half an hour before this gate was opened ; then we rode through 
 the still silent and deserted streets of the Nuova Casa (Pilgrim- 
 house), a building devoted by the Franciscan friars to the recep- 
 tion of rich and poor Roman Catholics and Protestants. 
 
 I left my bai'gage in the room allotted to me, and hastened 
 into the church, to lighten the weight on my heart by fervent 
 prayer. The entrance into the church looks like the door of a 
 private house ; the building is small, but still sufficiently large for 
 the Roman Catholic congregation. The altar is richly furnished, 
 and the organ is a very bad one. The male and female portions 
 of the congregation are separated from each other, the young as 
 well as the old, and all sit or kneel on the ground. Chairs there 
 are none in this church. The costume of the Christians is pre-
 
 110 VISIT TO THE HOLT LAXD, 
 
 dsely the same as that of the Syrians. The women wear boots of 
 yellow morocco, and over these slippers, which they take off on 
 entering the church. In the street their faces arc completely, in 
 the church only partially, muffled, and the faces of the girls not 
 at all. Their dress consists of a white linen gown, and a large 
 shawl of the same miterial, which completely envelopes them. 
 They were all cleanly and neatly dressed. 
 
 The amount of devotion manifested hy these people is very 
 small ; the most trifling circumstance suffices to distract their at- 
 tention. For instance, my appearance seemed to create quite a 
 sensation among them, and they made their remarks upon me to 
 . one another so openly both by words and gestures, that I found it 
 quite impossible to give my mind to seriousness and devotion. Some 
 of them pushed purposely against me, and put out their hands to 
 grasp my bonnet, &c. They conversed together a good deal, and 
 prayed very little. The children behaved no better ; these little 
 people ate their breakfast while the service was going on. and oc- 
 casionally jostled each other, probably to keep themselves awake. 
 The good people here must fancy they are doing a meritorious 
 work by passing two or three hours in the church ; no one seems 
 to care how this time is spent, or they would assuredly have been 
 taught better. 
 
 I had been in the church rather more than an hour when a 
 clergyman stepped up to me and accosted me in my native lan- 
 guage. He was a German, and, in fact, an Austrian. He pro- 
 mised to visit me in the course of a few hours. I returned to the 
 Nuova Casa. and now, for the first time, had leisure to examine 
 my apartment. The arrangement was simple in the extreme. 
 An iron bedstead, with a mattress, coverlet, and bolster, a very 
 dingy table, with two chairs, a small bench, and a cupboard, all 
 of deal, composed the whole furniture. These chattels, and also 
 the windows, some panes of which were broken, may once, hi very 
 ancient times, have been clean. The walls were of plaster, and 
 the floor was paved with large slabs of stone. Chimneys are no
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. Ill 
 
 more to be found in this country. I did not see any until my 
 return to Sicily. 
 
 I now laid myself down for a couple of hours to get a little 
 rest; for during my journey hither from Constantinople I had 
 scarcely slept at all. 
 
 At eleven o'clock the German priest, Father Paul, visited me, 
 in order to explain the domestic arrangements to me. Dinner is 
 oaten at twelve o'clock, and supper at seven. At breakfast we 
 get coffee without sugar or milk; for dinner, mutton - broth, a 
 piece of roast kid, pastry prepared with oil or a dish of cucumbers, 
 and, as a concluding course, roast or spiced mutton. Twice in the 
 week, namely on Fridays and Saturdays, we have fast- day fare ; 
 but if the feast of a particular saint falls during the week, a thing 
 that frequently occurs, we hold three fast -days, the one of the 
 saint's day being kept as a time of abstinence. The fare on fast- 
 days consists of a dish of lentils, an omelette, and two dishes of 
 salt fish, one hot and the other cold. Bread arid wine, as also 
 these provisions, are doled out in sufficient quantities. But every 
 thing is very indifferently cooked, and it takes a long time for a 
 stranger to accustom himself to the ever-recurring dishes of mut- 
 ton. In Syria oxen and calves are not killed during the summer 
 season ; so that from the 19th of May until my journey to Egypt 
 in the beginning of September, I could get neither beef- soup 
 nor beef. 
 
 In this convent no charge is made either for board or lodging, 
 and every visitor may stay there for a whole month. At most it 
 is customary to give a voluntary subscription towards the masses ; 
 but no one asks if a traveller has given much, little, or nothing 
 at all., or whether he is a Roman Catholic, a Protestant, or a 
 votary of any other religion. In this respect the Franciscan order 
 is much to be commended. The priests are mostly Spamards and 
 Italians ; very few of them belong to other nations. 
 
 Father Paul was kind enough to offer his services as my guide, 
 and to-day I visited several of the holy places in company with him.
 
 112 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 We began with the Via Dolorosa, the road which our Lord 
 is said to have trodden when for the last tune he wandered as God- 
 man on earth, bowed down by the weight of the cross, on his way 
 to Golgotha. The spots where Christ sank exhausted are marked 
 by fragments of the pillars which St. Helena caused to be attached 
 to the houses on either side of the way. Further on we reach 
 the " Zwerchgasse," the place whither the Virgin Mary is said to 
 have come in haste to see her beloved Son for the last time. 
 
 Next we visited Pilate's house, which is partly a ruin, the 
 remaining portion serving as a barrack for Turkish soldiers. I 
 was shewn the spot where the " holy stairs " stood, up which our 
 Lord is said to have walked. On my return, I saw these stairs 
 in the church of S. Giovanni di Laterani. They also pretend to 
 shew the place where the Saviour was brought out before the 
 multitude by Pilate. A little distance off, in the midst of a dark 
 vault, they shew the traveller the stone to which Jesus was bound 
 when " they scourged Him." 
 
 We ascended the highest terrace of this house, as this spot 
 affords the best view of the magnificent mosque of Omar, stand- 
 ing in a large courtyard. With this exterior view the traveller 
 is fain to be content ; for the Turks are here much more fanatical 
 than those in Constantinople and many other towns, so that an 
 attempt to penetrate even into the courtyard would be unsuccessful ; 
 the intruder would run the risk of being assailed with a shower 
 of stones. But hi proportion as the Turks are strict in the observ- 
 ance of their own ceremonies and customs, so they respect those 
 Christians who are religious and devotional. 
 
 Every Christian can go with perfect impunity to pray at all 
 the places which are sacred in his eyes, without fear of being 
 taunted or annoyed by the Turkish passers-by. On the contrary, 
 the Mussulman steps respectfully aside ; for even he venerates the 
 Saviour as a great prophet, and the Virgin as his mother. 
 
 Not far from Pilate's house stands the building designated as 
 that of Herod; it is, however, a complete ruin. The house of
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 113 
 
 the rich man, at whose gate the beggar Lazarus lay, has shared 
 the same fate ; but from the ruins one may conclude how magni- 
 ficent the building must originally have been. 
 
 In the house of Saint Veronica a stone is pointed out on which 
 they shew you a footprint of the Saviour. In another house two 
 footprints of the Virgin Mary are exhibited. Father Paul also 
 drew my attention to the houses which stood on the spot where 
 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were born. These houses 
 are all inhabited by Turks, but any one may obtain admittance 
 upon payment of a small fee. 
 
 The following day I visited the church of the Holy Sepulchre. 
 The way lies through several narrow and dirty streets. In the lanes 
 near the church are booths hike those at Maria Zell in Steiermark, 
 and many other places of pilgrimage, where they sell wreaths of 
 roses, shells of mother-of-pearl, crucifixes, &c. The open space 
 before the church is neat enough. Opposite lies the finest house 
 in Jerusalem, its terraces gay with flowers. 
 
 Visitors to this church will do wisely to provide themselves 
 with a sufficient number of para, as they may expect to be sur- 
 rounded by a goodly tribe of beggars. The church is always 
 locked ; the key is in the custody of some Turks, who open the 
 sacred edifice when asked to do so. It is customary to give them 
 three or four piastres for their pains, with which sum they are 
 satisfied, and remain at the entrance during the whole time the 
 stranger is in the church, reclining on divans, drinking coffee and 
 smoking tobacco. At the entrance of the church we noticed a long 
 square stone on the ground ; this is the " stone of anointing." 
 
 In the centre of the nave a little chapel has been built ; it is 
 divided into two parts. In the first of these compartments is a 
 stone slab encased in marble. This is vehemently asserted to be 
 the identical stone on which the angel sat when he announced our 
 Lord's resurrection to the women who came to embalm his body. 
 In the second compartment, which is of the same size as the first, 
 stands the sarcophagus or tomb of the Saviour, of white marble. 
 
 H
 
 114 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 The approach is by such a low door that one has to stoop exceed- 
 ingly in order to enter. The tomb occupies the whole length of 
 the chapel, and answers the purpose of an altar. We could not look 
 into the sarcophagus. The illumination of this chapel is very grand 
 both by night and day ; forty-seven lamps are kept continually 
 burning above the grave. The portion of the chapel containing 
 the tomb is so small, that when the priest reads mass only two or 
 three people have room to stand and listen. The chapel is entirely 
 built of marble, and belongs to the Roman Catholics ; but the 
 Greeks have the right of celebrating mass alternately with them. 
 
 At the farther end of the chapel the Copts have a little mean- 
 looking altar of wood, surrounded by walls of lath. All round the 
 chapel are niches belonging to the different religious sects. 
 
 In this church I was also shewn the subterranean niche in 
 which Jesus is said to have been a prisoner ; also the niche where 
 the soldiers cast lots for our Saviour's garments, and the chapel 
 containing the grave of St. Nicodemus. Not far from this chapel 
 is the little Roman Catholic church. A flight of twenty-seven 
 steps leads downwards to the chapel of St. Helena, where the 
 holy woman sat continually and prayed, while she caused search 
 to be made for the true cross. A few steps more lead us down to 
 the spot where the cross was found. A marble slab points out the 
 place. 
 
 Mounting the steps once more, we come to the niche containing 
 the pillar to which Jesus was bound when they crowned him with 
 thorns. It is called the pillar of scorn. The pillar at which Jesus 
 was scourged, apiece of which is preserved in Rome, is also shewn. 
 
 The chapel belonging to the Greeks is very spacious, and may 
 almost be termed a church within a church. It is beautifully 
 decorated. 
 
 It is very difficult to find the way in this'church, which 
 resembles a labyrinth. Now we are obliged to ascend a flight of 
 stairs, now again to descend. The architect certainly deserves 
 great praise for having mar aged so cleverly to unite all these holy
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 115 
 
 places under one roof; and St. Helena has performed a most 
 meritorious action in thus rescuing from oblivion the sacred sites 
 in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Nazareth. 
 
 I was told, that when the Greeks celebrate their Easter here, 
 the ceremonies seldom conclude without much quarrelling and 
 confusion. These irregularities are considerably increased when 
 the Greek Easter happens to Ml at the same time as that of the 
 Koman Catholics. On these occasions, there are not only nume- 
 rous broken heads, but some of the combatants are even frequently 
 carried away dead. The Turks generally find it necessary to 
 interfere, to restore peace and order among the Christians. What 
 opinion can these nations, whom we call Infidels, have of us Chris- 
 tians, when they see with what hatred and virulence each sect 
 of Christians pursues the other ? When will this dishonourable 
 bigotry cease ? 
 
 On the third day after my arrival at Jerusalem, a small 
 caravan of six or seven travellers, two gentlemen namely, and 
 their attendants, applied for admittance at our convent. An 
 arrival of this kind, particularly if the new-comers are Franks, 
 is far too important to admit of our delaying the inquiry from what 
 country the wanderers have arrived. How agreeably was I sur- 
 prised, when Father Paul came to me with the intelligence that 
 these gentlemen were both Austrian subjects. What a singular 
 coincidence ! So far from my native country, I was thus suddenly 
 placed in the midst of my own people. Father Paul was a native 
 of Vienna, and the two counts, Berchtold and Salm Reifferscheit, 
 were Bohemian cavaliers. 
 
 As soon as I had completely recovered from the fatigues of 
 my journey, and had collected my thoughts, I passed a whole 
 night in the church of the Holy Sepulchre. I confessed in the 
 afternoon, and afterwards joined the procession, which at four 
 o'clock visits^ all the places rendered sacred by our Saviour's 
 passion ; I carried a wax taper, the remains of which I afterwards 
 took back with me into my native country, as a lasting memorial.
 
 116 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 This ceremony ended, the priests retired to their cells, and the 
 few people who were present left the church. I alone stayed 
 behind, as I intended to remain there all night. A solemn still- 
 ness reigned throughout the church ; and now I was enabled to 
 visit, uninterrupted and alone, all the sacred places, and to give 
 myself wholly up to my meditations. Truly these were the most 
 blissful hours of my life ; and he who has lived to enjoy such hours 
 has lived long enough. 
 
 A place near the organ was pointed out to me where I might 
 enjoy a few hours of repose. An old Spanish woman, who lives 
 like a nun, acts as guide to those who pass a night in the church. 
 
 At midnight the different services begin. The Greeks and Ar- 
 menians beat and hammer upon pendent plates or rods of metal ; 
 the Roman Catholics play on the organ, and sing and pray aloud ; 
 while the priests of other religions likewise sing and shout. A 
 great and inharmonious din is thus caused. I must confess that 
 this midnight mass did not produce upon me the effect I had anti- 
 cipated. The constant noise and multifarious ceremonies are cal- 
 culated rather to disconcert than to inspire the stranger. I much 
 preferred the peace and repose that reigned around, after the 
 service had concluded, to all the pomp and circumstance attend- 
 ing it. 
 
 Accompanied by my Spanish guide, I ascended to the Roman 
 Catholics' choir, where prayers were said aloud from midnight until 
 one o'clock. At four o'clock in the morning I heard several 
 masses, and received the Eucharist. At eight o'clock the Turks 
 opened the door at my request, and I went home. 
 
 The few Roman Catholic priests who live in the church of the 
 Holy Sepulchre stay there for three months at a time, to perform 
 the services. During this time they are not allowed to quit the 
 church or the convent for a single instant. After the three months 
 have elapsed, they are reh'eved by other priests. 
 
 On the 10th of June I was present at the ceremony of admission 
 into the Order of the Holy Sepulchre. Counts Zichy, Wratislaw,
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 117 
 
 and Salm Reifferscheit were, at their own request, installed as 
 knights of the Sepulchre. The inauguration took place in the chapel. 
 
 The chief priest having taken his seat on a chair of state, the 
 candidate for knighthood knelt before him, and took the custom- 
 ary oaths to defend the holy church, to protect widows and 
 orphans, &c. During this time the priests who stood round said 
 prayers. Now one of the spurs of Godfrey de Bouillon was fas- 
 tened on the heel of the knight ; the sword of this hero was put 
 into his hands, the sheath fastened to his side, and a cross with a 
 heavy gold chain, that had also belonged to Godfrey de Bouillon, 
 was put round his neck. Then the kneeling man received the 
 stroke of knighthood on his head and shoulders, the priests em- 
 braced the newly-elected knight, and the ceremony was over. 
 
 A plentiful feast, given by the new- chosen knights, concluded 
 the solemnity. 
 
 Distant somewhat less than a mile from Jerusalem is the 
 Mount of Olives. Emerging from St. Stephen's Gate, we pass the 
 Turkish burial-ground, and reach the spot where. St. Stephen was 
 stoned. Not far off we see the bed of the brook Cedron, which 
 is at this season of the year completely dried up. A stone bridge 
 leads across the brook ; adjoining it is a stone slab where they shew 
 traces of the footsteps of the Saviour, as He was brought across 
 this bridge from Gethsemane, and stumbled and fell. Crossing 
 this bridge, we arrive at the grotto where Jesus sweat blood. 
 This grotto still retains its original form. A plain wooden altar 
 has been erected there, a few years since, by a Bavarian prince, 
 and the entrance is closed by an iron gate. Not far off is Gethse- 
 mane. Eight olive-trees are here to be seen that have attained a 
 great age ; nowhere else had I seen these trees with such massive 
 trunks, though I had frequently passed through whole plantations 
 of olives. Those who are learned in natural history assert that 
 the olive-tree cannot live to so great an age as to render it possible 
 that these venerable trunks existed at the time when Jesus passed 
 his last night at Gethsemane in prayer and supplication. As this
 
 118 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 tree, however, propagates itself, these trees may be sprouts from 
 the ancient stems. The space around the roots has been strength- 
 ened with masonry, to afford a support to these patriarchal trunks, 
 and the eight trees are surrounded by a wall three or four feet in 
 height. No layman may enter this spot unaccompanied by a priest, 
 on pain of excommunication ; it is also forbidden to pluck a single 
 leaf. The Turks also hold these trees in reverence, and would 
 not injure one of them. 
 
 Close by is the spot where the three disciples are said to have 
 slept during the night of their Master's agony. We were shewn 
 marks on two rocks, said to have been footsteps of these apostles ! 
 The footsteps of the third disciple we could not discover. A little 
 to one side is the place where Judas betrayed his Master. 
 
 The little church containing the grave of the Virgin Mary 
 stands near the " Grotto of Anguish." We descend by a broad 
 marble flight of fifty steps to the tomb, which is also used as an 
 .altar. About the middle of the staircase are two niches with 
 altars ; within these are deposited the bones of the Virgin Mar/ s 
 parents and of St. Joseph. This chapel belongs to the Greeks. 
 
 From the foot of the Mount of Olives to its summit is a walk 
 of three quarters of an hour. The whole mountain is desert and 
 sterile ; nothing is found growing upon it but olives ; and from 
 the summit of this mountain our Saviour ascended into heaven. 
 The spot was once marked by a church, which was afterwards 
 replaced by a mosque : even this building is now in ruins. Only 
 twelve years ago a little chapel, of very humble appearance, was 
 erected here ; it now stands hi the midst of old walls ; but here 
 again a footprint of our Lord is shewn and reverenced. On this 
 stone it is asserted that He stood before He was taken up into 
 heaven. Not far off, we are shewn the place where the fig-tree 
 grew that Jesus cursed, and the field where Judas hanged 
 himself. 
 
 One afternoon I visited many of these sites, in company with 
 Count Berchtold. As we were climbing about the ruins near the
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 119 
 
 mosque, a sturdy goatherd, armed with a formidable bludgeon, 
 came before us, and demanded " backsheesh" (a gift, or an alms) 
 in a very peremptory tone. Neither of us liked to take out our 
 purse, for fear the insolent beggar should snatch it from our 
 hands ; so we gave him nothing. Upon this he seized the Count 
 by the arm, and shouted out something in Arabic which we could 
 not understand, though we could guess pretty accurately what he 
 meant. The Count disengaged his arm, and we proceeded almost 
 to push and wrestle our way into the open field, which was luckily 
 only a few paces off. By good fortune, also, several people 
 appeared near us, upon seeing whom the fellow retired. This 
 incident convinced us of the fact that Franks should not leave the 
 city unattended. 
 
 As the Mount of Olives is the highest point in the neighbour- 
 hood of Jerusalem, it commands the best view of the town and its 
 environs. The city is large, and lies spread over a considerable 
 area. The number of inhabitants is estimated at 25,000. As in 
 the remaining cities of Syria, the houses here are built of stone, 
 and frequently adorned with round cupolas. Jerusalem is sur- 
 rounded by a very lofty and well-preserved wall, the lower portion 
 composed of such massive blocks of stone, that one might imagine 
 these huge fragments date from the period of the city's capture by 
 Titus. Of the mosques, that of Omar, with its lead- covered roof, 
 has the best appearance ; it lies hi an immense courtyard, which 
 is neatly kept. This mosque is said to occupy the site of Solo- 
 mon's temple. 
 
 From the Mount of Olives we can plainly distinguish all the 
 convents, and the different quarters of the Catholics, Armenians, 
 Jews, Greeks, &c. The " Mount of Offence" (so called on account 
 of Solomon's idolatry) rises at the side of the Mount of Olives, 
 and is of no great elevation. Of the temple, and the buildings 
 which Solomon caused to be erected for his wives, but few frag- 
 ments of walls remain. I had also been told that the Jordan 
 and the Dead Sea might be seen from this mountain ; but I could
 
 120 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 distinguish neither, probably on account of a mist which obscured 
 the horizon. 
 
 At the foot of the Mount of Olives lies the valley of Jeho- 
 saphat. The length of this valley does not certainly exceed three 
 miles ; neither is it remarkable for its breadth. The brook Cedron 
 intersects this valley ; but it only contains water during the rainy 
 season ; at other tunes all trace of it is lost. 
 
 The town of Jerusalem is rather bustling, particularly the 
 poor-looking bazaar and the Jews' quarter ; the latter portion of 
 the city is very densely populated, and exhales an odour offensive 
 beyond description; and here the plague always seizes its first 
 victims. 
 
 The Greek convent is not only very handsome, but of great 
 extent. Hither most of the pilgrims flock, at Easter-tune to the 
 number of five or six thousand. Then they are all herded to- 
 gether, and every place is crowded with occupants ; even the 
 courtyard and terraces are full. Tin's convent is the richest of 
 all, because every pilgrim received here has to pay an exorbitant 
 price for the very worst accommodation. It is said that the 
 poorest seldom escape for less than four hundred piastres. 
 
 Handsomest of all is the Armenian convent ; standing in the 
 midst of gardens, it has a most cheerful appearance. It is asserted 
 to be built on the site where St. James was decapitated, an event 
 commemorated by numerous pictures in the church ; but most of 
 the pictures, both here and in the remaining churches, are bad 
 beyond conception. Like the Greeks, the Armenian priests enjoy 
 the reputation of thoroughly understanding how to make a harvest 
 out of their visitors, whom they are said generally to send away 
 with empty pockets. As an amends, however, they offer them a 
 great quantity of spiritual food. 
 
 In the valley of Jehosaphat we find many tombs of ancient 
 and modern date. The most ancient among these tombs is that of 
 Absolom ; a little temple of pieces of rock, but without an entrance. 
 The second is the tomb of Zacharias, also hewn out of the rock, and
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 121 
 
 divided within into two compartments. The third belongs to King 
 Jehosaphat, and is small and unimportant ; one might almost call 
 it a mere block of stone. There are many more tombs cut out of 
 the rock. From this place we reach the Jewish burial-ground. 
 
 The little village of Sila also lies in this valley. It is so 
 humble, and all its houses (which are constructed of stone) are 
 so small, that wandering continually among tombs, the traveller 
 would rather take them to be ruined resting-places of the dead 
 than habitations of the li ving. 
 
 Opposite this village lies " Mary's Well," so called because the 
 Virgin Mary fetched water here every day. The inhabitants of 
 Siloam follow her example to this day. A little farther on is the 
 pool of Siloam, where our Lord healed the man who was born 
 blind. This pool is said to possess the remarkable property, that 
 the water disappears and returns several times in the course of 
 twenty-four hours. 
 
 At the extremity of the valley of Jehosaphat a small hill rises 
 like a keystone ; in this hill are several grottoes, formed either by 
 nature or art, which also once served as sepulchres. They are 
 called the " rock- graves." At present the greater portion of them 
 are converted into stables, and are in so filthy a state that it is 
 impossible to enter them. I peeped into one or two, and saw 
 nothing but a cavern divided into two parts. At the summit of 
 these rock-graves lies the "Field of Blood," bought by the priests 
 for the thirty pieces of silver winch Judas cast down in the temple. 
 
 In the neighbourhood of the Field of Blood rises the hill of 
 Sion. Here, it is said, stood the house of Caiaphas the high-priest, 
 whither our Lord was brought a prisoner. A little Armenian 
 church now occupies the supposed site. The tomb of David, also 
 situated on this hill, has been converted into a mosque, in which 
 we are shewn the place where the Son of Man ate the last Pass- 
 over with His disciples. 
 
 The burial-grounds of the Roman Catholics, Armenians, and 
 Greeks surround this hill.
 
 122 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 The " Hill of Bad Counsel," so called because it is said that 
 here the judges determined to crucify Christ, rises in the imme- 
 diate vicinity of Mount Sion. A few traces of the ruins of Caia- 
 phas' house are yet visible. 
 
 The " Grotto of Jeremiah" lies beyond the " Gate of Damas- 
 cus," in front of which we found, near a cistern, an elaborately-sculp- 
 tured sarcophagus, which is used as a water-trough. This grotto 
 is larger than any I have yet mentioned. At the entrance stands 
 a great stone, called Jeremiah's bed, because the prophet is said 
 generally to have slept upon it. Two miles farther on we come 
 to the'graves of the judges and the kings. We descend an open 
 pit, three or four fathoms deep, forming the courtyard. This pit 
 is a square about seventy feet long and as many wide. On one 
 side of this open space we enter a large hall, its broad portal 
 ornamented with beautiful sculpture, in the form of flowers, fruit, 
 and arabesques. This hall leads to the graves, which run round 
 it, and consist of niches hewn hi the rock, just sufficiently large 
 to contain a sarcophagus. Most of these niches were choked up 
 with rubbish, but into some we could still see; they were all 
 exactly alike. These long, narrow, rock-hewn graves reminded 
 me exactly of those I had seen in a vault at Gran, hi Hungary. 
 I could almost have supposed the architect at Gran had taken the 
 graves of the valley of Jehosaphat for his modeL
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 123 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Bethlehem Rachel's grave Convent at Bethlehem Beggars Grotto of 
 the Nativity Solomon's cisterns St. John's Franciscan church at 
 Jerusalem Mourning women Eastern weddings Mish-mish Excur- 
 sion to the Jordan and the Dead Sea Wilderness near Jerusalem 
 Convent of St. Saba. 
 
 ON the 2d of June I rode, in the company of Counts Berchtold 
 and Salm Reifferscheit and Pater Paul, to Bethlehem. Al- 
 though, on account of the bad roads, we are obliged to ride nearly 
 the whole distance at a foot-pace, it does not take more than an 
 hour and a half to accomplish the journey. The view we enjoy 
 during this excursion is as grand as it is peculiar. So far as the 
 eye can reach, it rests upon stone ; the ground is entirely com- 
 posed of stones ; and yet between the rocky interstices grow fruit- 
 trees of all kinds, and grape-vines trail along, besides fields whose 
 productions force their way upwards from the shingly soil. 
 
 I had already wondered when I saw the " Karst," near Trieste, 
 and the desert region of Gorz ; but these sink into insignificance 
 when compared to the scenery of the Judean mountains. 
 
 It is difficult to conceive how these regions can ever have 
 been smiling and fertile. Doubtless they have appeared to better 
 advantage than at the present period, when the poor inhabitants 
 are ground to the bone by their pachas and officers ; but I do not 
 think that meadows and woods can ever have existed here to any 
 extent. 
 
 On the way we pass a well, surrounded by blocks of stone. 
 At this well the wise men from the East rested, and here the 
 guiding star appeared to them. Midway between Jerusalem and 
 Bethlehem lies the Greek convent dedicated to the prophet Elijah.
 
 124 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 From hence \ve can see both towns ; on the one hand, the spacious 
 Jerusalem, and on the other, the humble Bethlehem, with some 
 small villages scattered round it. On the right hand we pass 
 " Rachel's grave," a ruined building with a small cupola. 
 
 Bethlehem lies on a hill, surrounded by several others ; with 
 the exception of the convent, it contains not a single handsome 
 building. The inhabitants, half of whom are Catholics, muster 
 about 2500 strong ; many live in grottoes and semi-subterranean 
 domiciles, cutting out garlands and other devices in mother-of- 
 pearl, &c. The number of houses does not exceed a hundred at 
 the most, and the poverty here seems excessive, for nowhere 
 have I been so much pestered with beggar children as in this 
 town. Hardly has the stranger reached the convent-gates before 
 these urchins are seen rapidly approaching from all quarters. One 
 rushes forward to hold the horse, while a second grasps the stir- 
 rup ; a third and a fourth present then: arm to help you to dis- 
 mount ; and in the end the whole swarm unanimously stretch forth 
 their hands for " backsheesh." In cases like these it is quite 
 necessary to corne furnished either with a multiplicity of small 
 coins or with a riding-whip, in order to be delivered in one way 
 or another from the horrible importunity of the diminutive mob. 
 It is very fortunate that the horses here are perfectly accustomed 
 to such scenes ; were this not the case, they would take fright and 
 gallop headlong away. 
 
 The little convent and church are both situated near the town, 
 and are built on the spot where the Saviour was born. The 
 whole is surrounded by a strong fortress-wall, a very low, narrow 
 gate forming the entrance. In front of this fortress extends a 
 handsome well-paved area. So soon as we have passed through 
 the little gate, we find ourselves in the courtyard, or rather in the 
 nave of the church, which is unfortunately more than half de- 
 stroyed, but must once have been eminent both for its size and 
 beauty. Some traces of mosaic can still be detected on the walls. 
 Two rows of high handsome pillars, forty-eight in number, intersect
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 125 
 
 the interior ; and the beam-work, said to be of cedar-wood from 
 Lebanon, looks almost new. Beneath the high altar of this great 
 church is the grotto in which Christ was born. Two staircases 
 lead downwards to it. One of the staircases belongs to the Ar- 
 menians, the other to the Greeks ; the Catholics have none at all. 
 Both the walls and the floor are covered with marble slabs. A 
 marble tablet, with the inscription, 
 
 " Hie DE VIBGINE MABIA JESUS CHBISTUS NATUS EST," 
 
 marks the spot whence the true Light shone abroad over the world. 
 A figure of a beaming sun, which receives its light from nume- 
 rous lamps kept continually burning, is placed in the back-ground 
 of this tablet. 
 
 The spot where our Saviour was shewn to the worshipping 
 Magi is but few paces distant. An altar is erected opposite, on 
 the place where the manger stood in which the shepherds found 
 our Lord. The manger itself is deposited in the basilica Santa 
 Maria Maggiore, in Rome. This altar belongs to the Roman 
 Cathoh'cs. A little door, quite in the back-ground of the grotto, 
 leads to a subterranean passage communicating with the convent 
 and the Catholic chapel. In this passage another altar has been 
 erected to the memory of the innocents slaughtered and buried 
 here. Proceeding along the passage we come upon the grave of 
 St. Paula and her daughter Eustachia on one side, and that of 
 St. Hieronymus on the other. The body of the latter is, however, 
 deposited at Rome. 
 
 Like the church of the Holy Sepulclire at Jerusalem, this great 
 church at Bethlehem belongs at once to the Catholics, the Arme- 
 nians, and the Greeks. Each of these sects has built for itself a 
 little convent adjoining the church. 
 
 After spending at least a couple of hours here, we rode two 
 miles farther, towards Mount Hebron. At the foot of this moun- 
 tain we turned off to the left towards the three cisterns of Solo- 
 mon. These reservoirs are very wide and deep, hewn out of the
 
 126 TISET xo THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 rock, and still partially covered with a kind of cement resembling 
 marble in its consistency and polish. We descended into the third 
 of these cisterns; it was about five hundred paces long, four hun- 
 dred broad, and a hundred deep. 
 
 Not one of these cisterns now contains water ; die aqueducts 
 which once communicated with them have entirely vanished. A 
 angle rivulet, across which one may easily step, flows beside these 
 giant reservoirs. The region around is barren in the extreme. 
 
 On returning to our convent at about two o'clock to par- 
 take of our frugal but welcome meal, we were surprised to find 
 that another party of travellers, Franks hike ourselves, had ar- 
 rived. The new-comers proved to be Count Zichy and Count 
 Wratislaw, who had travelled from Vienna to Cairo in company 
 with Counts Berchtold and Salm Reifferscheit. At the last-men- 
 tioned place the voyagers parted company, one party proceeding 
 to Jerusalem by way of Alexandria, Damietta, and Joppa, while 
 the other bent their course across the burning sands of Africa to- 
 wards Mount Sinai, and thence continued their journey to Jeru- 
 salem by land. Here at length they had die pleasure of meeting 
 once more. A great and general rejoicing, in which we all joined, 
 was the consequence of this event. 
 
 After dinner we once more visited all the holy places in com- 
 pany of the new-comers ; we afterwards went to the so-called 
 ' Milk Grotto," distant about half a mile from our convent. In 
 this grotto there is nothing to be seen but a simple altar, before 
 which lights are continually burning. It is not locked, and every 
 passer-by is at liberty to enter. This place is held sacred not 
 only by the Christians, but also by the Turks, who bring many a 
 cruise of oil to nil the lamps after they have cleaned them. In 
 this grotto the Holy Family concealed themselves before the 
 flight into Egypt, and the Virgin for a long time nourished the 
 infant Jesus with her milk, from which circumstance die grotto 
 derives its name. The women in die neighbourhood believe 
 that if diey feel unwell during die time diey are nursing dieir
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 127 
 
 children, they have merely to scrape some of the sand from the 
 rocks in this grotto, and to take it as a powder, to regain their 
 health. 
 
 Half a mile from this grotto we were shewn the field in which 
 the angel appeared to announce the birth of the Redeemerjto the 
 shepherds. But our newly-arrived friends were not able to visit 
 this spot, They were fain to content themselves with a distant 
 view, as it was high time to think of our return. 
 
 ST. JOHN'S. 
 
 On the 4th of June I rode out, accompanied by a guide, to 
 the birth-place of St. John the Baptist, distant about four miles 
 from Jerusalem. The way to this convent lies through the Beth- 
 lehem Gate, opposite the convent of the " Holy Cross," a building 
 supposed to stand on the site where the wood was felled^for our 
 Saviour's cross ! Not far off, the place was pointed out to^ me 
 where a battle was fought between the Israelites and the Philis- 
 tines, and where David slew Goliath. 
 
 Situated in a rocky valley, the convent of St. John is, like all 
 the monasteries in these lands, surrounded by very strong walls. 
 The church of the convent is erected on the spot where the house 
 of Zacharias once stood, and a chapel commemorates the'place 
 where St. John first beheld the light. The ascent to this chapel 
 is by a staircase, where a round tablet of stone bears the in- 
 scription, 
 
 " Hie PRECURSOR DOMINI CHRISTI NATUS EST." 
 
 Many events of the prophet's life are here portrayed by sculptures 
 in white marble. 
 
 About a mile from the convent we find the " Grotto of Visita- 
 tion," where St. Mary met St. Elizabeth. The remains of the 
 latter are interred here. 
 
 On the very first day of my arrival at Jerusalem I had made 
 some observations, during a visit to the church of St. Francis,
 
 128 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 which gave me any thing but a high opinion of the behaviour of 
 the Catholics here. This unfavourable impression was confirmed 
 by subsequent visits to the church, so that at length I felt obliged 
 to tell Father Paul that I would rather pray at home than among 
 people who seemed to attend to any thing rather than their devo- 
 tions. My FranMsh costume seemed to be such a stumbling- 
 block in the eyes of these people, that at length a priest came to 
 me, and requested that I would make an alteration in my dress, 
 or at any rate exchange my straw hat for a veil, in which I could 
 muffle my head and face. I promised to discard the obnoxious 
 hat and to wear a handkerchief round my head when I attended 
 church, but refused to muffle my face, and begged the reverend 
 gentleman to inform my fellow-worshippers that this was the first 
 tune such a thing had been required of a Frankish woman, and 
 that I thought they would be more profitably employed in looking 
 at their prayer-books than at me, for that He whom we go to 
 church to adore is not a respecter of outward things. In spite of 
 this remonstrance, their behaviour remained the same, so that I 
 was compelled almost to discontinue attending public worship. 
 
 On great festival -days the high altar of the church of St. 
 Francis is very profusely decorated. It is, in fact, almost over- 
 loaded with ornament, and sparkles and glitters with a most daz- 
 zling brilliancy. Innumerable candles display the lustre of gold 
 and precious stones. Foremost among the costly ornaments ap- 
 pear a huge gold monstrance presented by the king of Naples, and 
 two splendid candelabra, a gift of the imperial house of Austria. 
 
 I happened one day to pass a house, from within which a 
 great screaming was to be heard. On inquiring of my companion 
 what was the matter, I was informed that some person had died 
 in that house the day before, and that the sound I heard was the 
 wail of the " mourning women."' I requested admission to the 
 room where the deceased lay. Had it not been for the circum- 
 stance that a few pictures of saints and a crucifix decorated the 
 walls, I could never have imagined that the dead man was a Ga-
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 129 
 
 tholic. Several " mourning women" sat near the corpse, uttering 
 every now and then such frantic yells, that the neighbourhood 
 rang with their din. In the intervals between these demonstra- 
 tions they sat comfortably regaling themselves with coffee ; after 
 a little time they would again raise their horrible cry. I had seen 
 enough to feel excessively disgusted, and so went away. 
 
 I was also fortunate enough to visit a newly-married pair. 
 The bride was gorgeously dressed hi a silk under-garment, wide 
 trousers of peach- blossom satin, and a caftan of the same material ; 
 a rich shawl encircled her waist, and on her feet she wore boots 
 of yellow morocco leather; the slippers had been left, according 
 to the Turkish fashion, at the entrance of the chamber. An orna- 
 mental head-dress of rich gold brocade and fresh flowers completed 
 the bride's attire ; her hair, arranged in a number of thin plaits 
 and decorated with coins, fell down upon her shoulders, and on 
 her neck glittered several rows of ducats and larger gold pieces. 
 
 Costumes of this kind are only seen in the family circle, and 
 on the occasion of some great event. Seldom or never are strange 
 men allowed to behold the ladies in their gorgeous apparel ; so that 
 it is fruitless to expect to see picturesque female costumes in the 
 public places of the East. 
 
 After the marriage ceremony, which is always performed 
 during the forenoon, the young wife is compelled to sit for the 
 remainder of the day in a corner of the room with her face turned 
 towards the wall. She is not allowed to answer any question put 
 by her husband, her parents, or by any one whatever ; still less is 
 she permitted to offer a remark herself. This silence is intended 
 to typify the bride's sorrow at changing her condition. 
 
 During my visit, the bridegroom sat next to bis bride, vainly 
 endeavouring to lure a few words from her. On my rising to 
 depart, the young wife inclined her head towards me, but without 
 raising her eyes from the ground. 
 
 In Jerusalem, almost all the women" andfgirls wear veils when 
 they go abroad. It was only in church, and in their own houses, 
 
 i
 
 130 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 that I had an opportunity of Mrly seeing these houris. Among 
 the girls I iound many an interesting head ; but the women who 
 hare attained the age of twenty-six or twenty-eight years already 
 look worn and ugly ; so that here, as in all tropical countries, we 
 behold a great number of very plain faces, among which handsome 
 ones shine forth at long intervals, like meteors. Thin people are 
 rarely met with in Syria ; on the contrary, even the young girls 
 are frequently decidedly stout. 
 
 Not far from the bazaar is a great hall, wherein the Turks 
 hold their judicial sittings, decide disputes, and pass sentence on 
 criminals. Some ordinary-looking divans are placed round the 
 interior of this hall, and in one corner a wooden cell, about ten 
 feet long, six wide, and eight feet high, has been erected. This 
 ceD, furnished with a little door, and a grated hole by way of win- 
 dow, is intended for the reception of the criminal during his period 
 of punishment. 
 
 Throughout the thirteen days I passed at Jerusalem, I did not 
 find the heat excessive. The thermometer generally stood in the 
 shade at from 20 to 22, and in the sun at 28 (Reaum.), very 
 sddom reaching 30. 
 
 Fruit I saw none, with the exception of the little apricots called 
 mish-mish, which are not larger than a walnut, but nevertheless 
 have a very fine flavour. It is a pity that the inhabitants of these 
 countries contribute absolutely nothing towards the cultivation and 
 improvement of their natural productions ; if they would but exert 
 themselves, many a plant would doubtless flourish luxuriantly. But 
 here thejpeople'do not even know how to turn those gifts to ad- 
 vantage which nature has bestowed upon them hi rich profusion, 
 and of superior quality; for instance, olives. Worse oil can hardly 
 be procured than that which they give you in Syria. The Syrian 
 oil and olives can scarcely be used by Europeans. The oil is of a 
 perfectly green colour, thick, and disgusting alike to the smell and 
 taste ; the olives are generally bkck, a consequence of the negli- 
 gent manner hi which they are prepared. The same remark holds
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 131 
 
 good with regard to the wine, which would be of excellent quality 
 if the people did but understand the proper method of preparing it, 
 and of cultivating the vineyards. At present, however, they adul- 
 terate their wine with a kind of herb, which gives it a very sharp 
 and disagreeable taste. 
 
 On the whole, the neighbourhood of Jerusalem is very deso- 
 late, barren, and sterile. I found the town itself neither more nor 
 less animated than most Syrian cities. I should depart from truth 
 if I were to say, with many travellers, that it appeared as though 
 a peculiar curse rested upon this city. The whole of Judea is a 
 stony country, and this region contains many places with environs 
 as rugged and barren as those of Jerusalem. 
 
 Birds and butterflies are rarely seen at the present season of 
 the year, not only in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, but through- 
 out the whole of Syria. Where, indeed, could a butterfly or a bee 
 find nourishment, while not a flower nor a blade of grass shoots 
 up from the stony earth ? And a bird cannot li ve where there are 
 neither seeds nor insects, but must soar away across the seas to 
 cooler and more fertile climes. Not only here, but throughout the 
 whole of Syria, I missed the delightful minstrels of the air. The 
 sparrow alone can find sustenance every where, for he lives in 
 towns and villages, wherever man is seen. A whole flock of these 
 little twittering birds woke me every morning. 
 
 I was as yet much less troubled by insects than I had anti- 
 cipated. With the exception of the small flies on the plain of 
 Sharon, and of certain little sable jumpers which seem naturalised 
 throughout the whole world, I could not complain of having been 
 annoyed by any creature. 
 
 Our common house-flies I saw every where ; but they were not 
 more numerous or more troublesome than in Germany. 
 
 EXCUESION TO THE EIVEE JORDAN AND TO THE DEAD SEA. 
 
 To travel with any degree of security in Palestine, Phoenicia, 
 &c., it is necessary to go in large companies, and in some places it
 
 132 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 even becomes advisable to have an escort. The stranger should 
 further be provided with cooMng utensils, provisions, tents, and 
 servants. To provide all these things would have been a hope- 
 less task for me ; I had therefore resolved to return from Jerusa- 
 lem as I had come, namely, via Joppa, and so to proceed to Alex- 
 andria or Beyrout, when, luckily for me, the gentlemen whom I 
 have already mentioned arrived at Jerusalem. They intended 
 making several excursions by land, and the first of these was to 
 be a trip to the banks of the Jordan and to the Dead Sea. 
 
 I ardently wished to visit these places, and therefore begged 
 the gentlemen, through Father Paul, to permit my accompanying 
 them on their arduous journey. The gentlemen were of opinion 
 that their proposed tour would be too fatiguing for one of my sex, 
 and seemed disinclined to accede to my request. But then Count 
 Wratislaw took my part, and said that he had watched me during ' 
 our ride from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, and had noticed that I 
 wanted neither courage, skill, nor endurance, so that they might 
 safely take me with them. Father Paul immediately came to me 
 with the joyful intelligence that I was to go, and that I had nothing 
 to do but to provide myself with a horse. He particularly men- 
 tioned how kindly Count Wratislaw, to whom I still feel obliged, 
 had interested himself in my behalf. 
 
 The journey to the Jordan and the Dead Sea should never be 
 undertaken by a small party. The best and safest course is to 
 send for some Arab or Bedouin chiefs, either at Jerusalem or Beth- 
 lehem, and to make a contract with them for protection. In con- 
 sideration of a certain tribute, these chiefs accompany you hi person, 
 with some of their tribe, to your place of destination and back 
 again. The Counts paid the two chiefe three hundred piastres, 
 with the travelling expenses for themselves and their twelve 
 men. 
 
 At three o'clock in the afternoon of the 7th of June our caval- 
 cade started. The caravan consisted of the four counts, Mr. Bart- 
 lett, a certain Baron Wrede, two doctors, and myself, besides five
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 133 
 
 or six servants, and the two chiefs with the body-guard of twelve 
 Arabs. All were strongly armed with guns, pistols, swords, and 
 lances, and we really looked as though we sallied forth with the 
 intention of having a sharp skirmish. 
 
 Our way lay through the Via Dolorosa, and through St. 
 Stephen's Gate, past the Mount of Olives, over hill and dale. 
 Every where the scene was alike barren. At first we still saw 
 many fruit-trees and olive-trees in bloom, and even vines, but of 
 flowers or grass there was not a trace ;' the trees, however, stood 
 green and fresh, hi spite of the heat of the atmosphere and the 
 total lack of rain. This luxuriance may partly be owing to the 
 coolness and dampness which reigns during the night in tropical 
 countries, quickening and renewing the whole face of nature. 
 
 The goal of our journey for to-day lay about eight miles dis- 
 tant from Jerusalem. It was the Greek convent of " St. Saba in 
 the Waste." The appellation already indicates that the region 
 around becomes more and more sterile, until at length not a single 
 tree or shrub can be detected. Throughout the whole expanse 
 not the lowliest human habitation was to be seen. We only 
 passed a horde of Bedouins, who had erected their sooty-black 
 tents in the dry bed of a river. A few goats, horses, and asses 
 climbed about the declivities, laboriously searching for herbs or 
 roots. 
 
 About half an hour before we reach the convent we enter 
 upon the wilderness hi which our Saviour fasted forty days, and 
 was afterwards " tempted of the devil." Vegetation here entirely 
 ceases ; not a shrub nor a root appears ; and the bed of the brook 
 Cedron is completely dry. This river only flows during the rainy 
 season, at which period it runs through a deep ravine. Majestic 
 rocky terraces, piled one above the other by nature with such 
 exquisite symmetry that the beholder gazes in silent wonder, 
 overhang both banks of the stream in the form of galleries. 
 
 A silence of death brooded over the whole landscape, broken 
 only by the footfalls of our horses echoing sullenly from the
 
 134 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 rocks, among which the poor animals struggled heavily forward. 
 At intervals some little hirds fluttered above our heads, silently 
 End fearfully, as though they had lost their way. At length we 
 turn sharply round an angle of the road, and what a surprise 
 awaits us ! A large handsome building, surrounded by a very 
 strong fortified wall, pierced for cannon in several places, lies 
 spread before us near the bed of the river, and rises in the form 
 of terraces towards the brow of the hill. From the position we 
 occupied, we could see over the whole extent of wall from with- 
 out and from within. Fortified as it was, it lay open before our 
 gaze. Several buildings, and in front of all a church with a 
 small cupola, told us plainly that St. Saba lay stretched below. 
 
 On the farther bank, seven or eight hundred paces from the 
 convent, rose a single square tower, apparently of great strength. 
 I little thought that I should soon become much better acquainted 
 with this isolated building. 
 
 The priests had observed our procession winding down the 
 Trill, and at the first knocking the gate was opened. Masters, 
 sen-ants, Arabs, and Bedouins, all passed through ; but when my 
 turn came, the cry was, " Shut the gate !" and I was shut out, 
 with the prospect of passing the night in the open air, a thing 
 which would have been rather disagreeable, considering how 
 unsafe the neighbourhood was. At length, however, a lay bro- 
 ther appeared, and, pointing to the tower, gave me to understand 
 that I should be lodged there. He procured a ladder from the 
 convent, and went with me to the tower, where we mounted by 
 its aid to a little low doorway of iron. My conductor pushed 
 this open, and we crept in. The interior of the tower seemed 
 spacious enough. A wooden staircase led us farther upwards to 
 two tiny rooms, situated about the centre of the tower. One 
 of these apartments, dimly lighted by the rays of a lamp, con- 
 tained a small altar, and served as a chapel, while the second was 
 used as a sleeping-room for female pilgrims. A wooden divan 
 was the only piece of furniture this room contained. My con-
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 135 
 
 ductor now took his leave, promising to return in a short time 
 with some provisions, a bolster, and a coverlet for me. 
 
 So now I was at least sheltered for the night, and guarded 
 like a captive princess by bolt and bar. I eould not even have 
 fled had I wished to do so, for my leader had locked the creaking 
 door behind him, and taken away the ladder. After carefully 
 examining the chapel and my neatly -fiirnished apartment hi this 
 dreary prison-house, I mounted the staircase, and gained the sum- 
 mit of the tower. Here I had a splendid view of the country 
 round about, my elevated position enabling me distinctly to trace 
 the greater part of the desert, with its several rows of hills and 
 mountains skirting the horizon. All these lulls were alike barren 
 and naked ; not a tree nor a shrub, not a human habitation, could 
 I discover. Silence lay heavily on every thing around, and it 
 seemed to me almost as though no earth might here nourish a 
 green tree, but that the place was ordained to remain a desert, as 
 a lasting memorial of our Saviour's fasting. Unheeded by human 
 eye, the sun sank beneath the mountains ; I was, perhaps, the 
 only mortal here who was watching its beautiful declining tints. 
 Deeply moved by the scene around me, I fell on my knees, to 
 offer up my prayers and praise to the Almighty, here in the 
 rugged grandeur of the desert. 
 
 But I had only to turn away from the death-like silence, and 
 to cast my eye towards the convent as it lay spread out before 
 me, to view once more the bustle and turmoil of life. In the 
 courtyard the Bedouins and Arabs were employed in ministering 
 to the wants of then: horses, bringing them water and food ; be- 
 yond these a group of men was seen spreading mats on the ground, 
 while others, with their faces bowed to the earth, were adoring, 
 with other forms of prayer, the Omnipotent Spirit whose protec- 
 tion I had so lately invoked ; others, again, were waslung their 
 hands and feet as a preparation for offering up their worship; 
 priests and lay brethren passed hastily across the courtyard, 
 busied in preparations for entertaining and lodging the numerous
 
 13G VISIT TO THE HOLY 
 
 guests ; while some of my fellow-travellers stood apart, in earnest 
 conversation, and Mr. B. and Count Salm ReifFerscheit reclined 
 in a quiet spot and made sketches of the convent. Had a painter 
 been standing on my tower, what a picture of the building might 
 he not have drawn as the wild Arab and the thievish Bedouin 
 leant quietly beside the peaceful priest and the curious European ! 
 Many a pleasant recollection of this evening have I borne away 
 with me. 
 
 I was very unwilling to leave the battlements of the tower ; 
 but the increasing darkness at length drove me back into my 
 chamber. Shortly afterwards a priest and a lay brother appeared, 
 and with them Mr. Bartlett. The priest's errand was to bring 
 me my supper and bedding, and my English fellow-traveller had 
 kindly come to inquire if I would have a few servants as a guard, 
 as it must be rather a dreary thing to pass a night quite alone in 
 that solitary tower. I was much flattered by Mr. Bartletf s polite- 
 ness to a total stranger, but, summoning all my courage, replied 
 that I was not in the least afraid. Thereupon they all took their 
 leave ; I heard the door creak, the bolt was drawn, and the ladder 
 removed, and I was left to my meditations for the night. 
 
 After a good nighf s rest, I rose with the sun, and had beat 
 waiting some time before my warder appeared with the coffee for 
 my breakfast. He afterwards accompanied me to the convent 
 gate, where my companions greeted me with high praises ; some of 
 them even confessed that they would not like to pass a solitary 
 night as I had done.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 137 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Hide through the wilderness to the Dead Sea The Dead Sea The river 
 Jordan Horde of Bedouins Arab horses The Sultan's well Bivouac 
 in the open air Return to Jerusalem Bethany Departure from 
 Jerusalem Jacob's grave Nablus or Sichem Sebasta Costume of 
 Samaritan women Plain of Esdralon Sagun. 
 
 June 8th. 
 
 AT five o'clock in the morning we departed, and bent our course 
 towards the Dead Sea. After a ride of two hours we could 
 see it, apparently at such a short distance, that we thought half 
 an hour at the most would hring us there. But the road wound 
 betwixt the mountains, sometimes ascending, sometimes descend- 
 ing, so that it took us another two hours to reach the shore of the 
 lake. All around us was sand. The rocks seem pulverised ; we 
 ride through a labyrinth of monotonous sand-heaps and sand-hills, 
 behind which the robber- tribes of Arabs and Bedouins frequently 
 lurk, making this part of the journey exceedingly unsafe. 
 
 Before we reach the shore, we ride across a plain consisting, 
 like the rest, of deep sand, so that the horses sink to the fetlocks 
 at every step. On the whole of our way we had not met with a 
 single human being, with the exception of the horde of Bedouins 
 whom we had found encamped hi the river-bed : this was a fortu- 
 nate circumstance for us, for the people whom the traveller meets . 
 during these journeys are generally unable to resist the temptation 
 of seizing upon his goods, so that broken bones are frequently the 
 result of such meetings. 
 
 The day was very hot (33 Reaum). We encamped in the 
 hot sand on the shore, under the shelter of our parasols, and made 
 our breakfast of hard-boiled eggs, a piece of bad bread, and some 
 lukewarm water. I tasted the sea-water, and found it much more
 
 138 VISIT TO THE HOLT LAND, 
 
 bitter, salt, and pungent than any I have met with elsewhere. 
 We all dipped our hands into the lake, and afterwards suffered 
 the heat of the air to dry them without having first rinsed them 
 with fresh water ; not one of us had to complain that this hrought 
 forth an itching or an eruption on our hands, as many travellers 
 liave asserted. The temperature of the water was 33 Reaum. ; in 
 colour it is a pale green. Near the shore the water is to a cer- 
 tain extent transparent ; but as it deepens it seems turbid, and the 
 eye can no longer pierce the surface. We could not even see far 
 across the water, for a light mist seemed to rest upon it, thus pre- 
 venting us from forming a good estimate of its breadth. 
 
 To judge from what we could distinguish, however, the Dead 
 Sea does not appear to be very broad ; it may rather be termed an 
 oblong lake, shut in by mountains, than a sea. Not the slightest 
 sign of life can be detected in the water ; not a ripple disturbs its 
 sleeping surface. A boat of any kind is of course quite out of the 
 question. Some years since, however, an Englishman made an 
 attempt to navigate this lake ; for this purpose he caused a boat to 
 be built, but did not progress far in his undertaking, a sickness 
 came upon him, he-was carried to Jerusalem, and died soon after 
 he had made the experiment. It is rather a remarkable fact that, 
 up to the present moment, no Englishman has been found who was 
 sufficiently weary of his life to imitate his countryman's attempt. 
 
 Stunted fragments of drift-wood, most probably driven to shore 
 by tempests, lay scattered every where around. We could, how- 
 ever, discover no fields of salt ; neither did we see smoke rising, or 
 find the exhalations from the sea unpleasant. These phenomena, 
 are perhaps observed at a different season of the year to fiat in 
 which I visited the Dead Sea. On the other hand, I saw not 
 only separate birds, but sometimes even flights of twelve or fifteen. 
 Vegetation also existed here to a certain extent. Not far from the 
 shore, I noticed, in a little ravine, a group of eight acicular-leaved 
 trees. On tins plain there were also some wild shrubs bearing 
 capers, and a description of tafl shrub, not unlike our bramble,
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 139 
 
 bearing a plentiful crop of red berries, very juicy and sweet. We 
 all ate largely of them ; and I was the more surprised at find- 
 ing these plants here, as I bad found it uniformly stated that 
 animal and vegetable life was wholly extinct on the shores of the 
 Dead Sea. 
 
 Five cities, of which not a trace now remains, once lay in the 
 plain now filled by this sea their names were Sodom, Gomorrah, 
 Adama, Zeboin, and Zona. A feeling of painful emotion, mingled 
 with awe, took possession of my soul as I thought of the past, and 
 saw how the works of proud and mighty nations had vanished 
 away, leaving behind them only a name and a memory. It was 
 a relief to me when we prepared, after an hour's rest, to quit this 
 scene of dreary desolation. 
 
 For about an hour and a half we rode through an enormous 
 waste covered with trailing weeds, towards the verdant banks of 
 the Jordan, which are known from a distance by the beautiful 
 blooming green of the meadows that surround it. We halted in 
 the so-called " Jordan- vale," where our Saviour was baptised by 
 St. John. 
 
 The water of the Jordan is of a dingy clay-colour ; its course 
 is very rapid. The breadth of this stream can scarcely exceed 
 twenty-five feet, but its depth is said to be considerable. The 
 moment our Arab companions reached the bank, they flung them- 
 selves, heated as they were, into the river. Most of the gentle- 
 men followed their example, but less precipitately. I was fain to 
 be content with washing my face, hands, and feet. We all drank 
 to our hearts' content, for it was long since we had obtained water 
 so cool and fresh. I filled several tin bottles, which I had brought 
 with me for this purpose from Jerusalem, with water from the 
 Jordan, and had them soldered down on my return to the Holy 
 City. This is the only method with which I am acquainted for 
 conveying -water to the farthest countries without its turning putrid. 
 
 We halted for a few hours beneath the shady trees, and then 
 pursued our journey across the plain. Suddenly a disturbance
 
 140 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 arose among our Arab protectors ; they spoke very anxiously with 
 one another, and continually pointed to some distant object. On 
 inquiring the reason why they were so disturbed, we were told 
 that they saw robbers. We strained our eyes in vain ; even with 
 the help of good spy -glasses we could discover nothing, and already 
 began to suspect our escort of having cried " wolf" without reason, 
 or merely to convince us that we had not taken them with us for 
 nothing. But in about a quarter of an hour we could dimly dis- 
 cern figures emerging, one by one, from the far, far distance. Our 
 Bedouins prepared for the combat, and advised us to take the 
 opposite road while they advanced to encounter the enemy. But 
 all the gentlemen wished to take part in the expedition, and joined 
 the Bedouins, lusting for battle. The whole cavalcade rode off 
 at a rapid pace, leaving Count Berchtold and myself behind. But 
 when our steeds saw their companions galloping off in such fiery 
 style, they scorned to remain idly behind, and without consulting 
 our inclinations in the least, they ran of at a pace which fairly 
 took away our breath. The more we attempted to restrain their 
 headlong course, the more rapidly did they pursue their career, 
 so that there appeared every prospect of our becoming the first, 
 instead of the last, among the company. But when the enemy 
 saw such a determined troop advancing to oppose them, they 
 hurried off without awaiting our onset, and left us masters of the 
 field. So we returned in triumph to our old course ; when suddenly 
 a wild boar, with its hopeful family, rushed across our path. Away 
 we all went in chase of the poor animals. Count Wratislaw suc- 
 ceeded in cutting down one of the young ones with his sabre, and 
 it was solemnly delivered up to the cook. No further obstacles 
 opposed themselves to our march, and we reached our resting- 
 place for the night without adventure of any kind. 
 
 On this occasion I had an opportunity of seeing how the Arabs 
 can manage their horses, and how they can throw their spears and 
 lances in full career, and pick up the lances as they fly by. The 
 horses, too, appear quite different to when they are travelling at
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 141 
 
 their usual sleepy pace. At first sight these horses look any thing 
 but handsome. They are thin, and generally walk at a slow pace, 
 with their heads hanging down. But when skilful riders mount 
 these creatures, they appear as if transformed. Lifting their small 
 graceful heads with the fiery eyes, they throw out their slender 
 feet with matchless swiftness, and bound away over stock and 
 stone with a step so light and yet so secure that accidents very 
 rarely occur. It is quite a treat to see the Arabs exercise. Those 
 who escorted us good-naturedly went through several of their 
 manoeuvres for our amusement. 
 
 From the valley of the Jordan to the " Sultan's Well," in the 
 vale of Jericho, is a distance of about six miles. The road winds, 
 from the commencement of the valley, through a beautiful natural 
 park of fig-trees and other fruit-trees. Here, too, was the first 
 spot where the eye was gladdened by the sight of a piece of grass, 
 instead of sand and shingle. Such a change is doubly grateful to 
 one who has been travelling so long through the barren, sandy 
 deserfc 
 
 The village lying beside the Sultan's Well looks most deplor- 
 able. The inhabitants seem rather to live under than above the 
 ground. I went into a few of these hollows. I do not know how 
 else to designate these little stoneheap-houses. Many of them are 
 entirely destitute of windows, the light finding its way through the 
 hole left for an entrance. The interiors contained only straw-mats 
 and a few dirty mattresses, not stuffed with feathers, but with 
 leaves of trees. All the domestic utensils are comprised in a few 
 trenchers and water-jugs : the poor people were clothed in rags. 
 In one corner some grain and a number of cucumbers were stored 
 up. A few sheep and goats were roaming about in the open air. 
 A field of cucumbers lies in front of every house. Our Bedouins 
 were in high glee at finding this valuable vegetable in such abund- 
 ance. We encamped beside the well, under the vault of heaven. 
 
 From the appearance of the valley in its present state, it is 
 easy to conclude, in spite of the poverty of the inhabitants and the
 
 142 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 air of desolation spread over the farther landscape, that it must 
 once have been very blooming and fertile. 
 
 On the right, the naked mountains extend in the direction of 
 the Dead Sea ; on the left rises the hill on which Moses completed 
 his earthly career, and from which his great spirit fled to a better 
 world. On the face of the mountain three caves are visible, and 
 in the centre one we were told the Saviour had dwelt during his 
 preparation in the wilderness before undertaking his mission of a 
 teacher. High above these caves towers the summit of the rock 
 from which Satan promised to give our Lord the sovereignty of all 
 the earth if He would fall down and worship him 
 
 Baron Wrede, Mr. Bartlett, and myself were desirous of seeing 
 the interior of one of these caves, and started with this intention ; 
 but no sooner did one of our Bedouins perceive what we were 
 about, than he came running up in hot haste to assure us that the 
 whole neighbourhood was unsafe. We therefore turned back, the 
 more willingly as the twilight, or rather sunset, was already ap- 
 proaching. 
 
 Twilight in these latitudes is of very short duration. At sun- 
 rise the shades of night are changed into the blaze of day as sud- 
 denly as the daylight vanishes into night. 
 
 Our supper consisted of rather a smoky pilau, which we never- 
 theless relished exceedingly ; for people who have eaten nothing 
 throughout the day but a couple of hard-boiled eggs are seldom 
 fastidious about their fare at night. Besides, we had now beauti- 
 ful fresh water from the spring, and cucumbers in abundance, 
 though without vinegar or oil. But to what purpose would the 
 unnatural mixture have been ? Whoever wishes to travel should 
 first strive to disencumber himself of what is artificial, and then he 
 will .get on capitally. The ground was our bed, and the dark blue 
 ether, with its myriads of stars, our canopy. On this journey we 
 had not taken a tent with us. 
 
 The aspect of the heavens is most beautiful here in Syria. By 
 day^the whole firmament is of a clear azure not a cloud sullies
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 143 
 
 its perfect brightness ; and at night it seems spangled with a far 
 greater numher of stars than in our northern climes. 
 
 Count Zichy ordered the servants to call us betimes in the 
 morning, in order that we might set out before sunrise. For once 
 the servants obeyed; in fact they more than obeyed, for they 
 roused us before midnight, and we began our march. So long as 
 we kept to the plain, all went well ; but whenever we were obliged 
 to climb a mountain, one horse after another began to stumble and 
 to stagger, so that we were in continual danger of falling. Under 
 these circumstances it was unauimously resolved that we should 
 halt beneath^ the next declivity, and there await the coming day- 
 light. 
 
 June 9th. 
 
 At four o'clock the reveille was beaten for the second time. 
 We had now slept for three hours in the immediate neighbourhood 
 of the Dead Sea, a circumstance of which we were not aware until 
 daybreak : not one of our party had noticed any noxious exhala- 
 tion arising from the water ; still less had we been seized with 
 headache or nausea, an effect stated by several travellers to be 
 produced by the smell of the Dead Sea. 
 
 Our journey homewards now progressed rapidly, though for 
 three or four hours we were obliged to travel over most formidable 
 mountain-roads and through crooked ravines. In one of the val- 
 leys we again came upon a Bedouin's camp. We rode up to the 
 tents and asked for a draught of water, instead of which these 
 people very kindly gave us some dishes of excellent buttermilk. 
 In all my life I never partook of any thing with so keen a relish 
 as that with which I drank this cooling beverage after my fatiguing 
 ride in the ^burning heat. Count Zichy offered our entertainers 
 some money, but they would not take it. The chief stepped for- 
 ward and shook several of us by the hand in token of friendship ; 
 for from the moment when a stranger has broken bread with 
 Bedouins or Arabs, or has applied to them for protection, he is 
 fe among "their tribe, but they would defend him with
 
 144 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 life and limb from the attacks of Ms enemies. Still it is not ad- 
 visable to meet them on the open plain ; so contradictory are their 
 manners and customs. 
 
 We were now advancing with great strides towards a more 
 animated, if not a more picturesque landscape, and frequently met 
 and overtook small caravans. One of these had been attacked the 
 previous evening ; the poor Arabs had offered a brave resistance, 
 and had beaten off the foe ; but one of them was lying half dead 
 upon his camel, with a ghastly shot- wound hi his head. 
 
 Nimble long-eared goats were diligently searching among the 
 rocks for their scanty food, and a few grottoes or huts of stone 
 announced to us the proximity of a little town or village. Eight 
 thankful were we to emerge safely from these fearful deserts into 
 a less sterile and more populous region. 
 
 We passed through Bethany, and I visited the cave hi which 
 it is said that Lazarus slumbered before he came forth alive at 
 f the voice of the Redeemer. Then we journeyed on to Jerusalem 
 by the same road on which the Saviour travelled when the Jewish 
 people shewed their attachment and respect, for the last time, by 
 strewing olive and palm branches in his way. How soon was 
 this scene of holy rejoicing changed to the ghastly spectacle of the 
 Redeemer's torture and death ! 
 
 Towards two o'clock in the afternoon we arrived safely at 
 Jerusalem, and were greeted with a hearty welcome by our kind 
 hosts. 
 
 A few days after my return from the foregoing excursion, I 
 left Jerusalem for ever. A calm and peaceful feeling of happiness 
 filled my breast ; and ever shall I be thankful to the Almighty 
 that He has vouchsafed me to behold these realms. Is this hap- 
 piness dearly purchased by the dangers, fatigues, and privations 
 attendant upon it ? Surely not And what, indeed, are all the 
 ills that chequer our existence here below to the woes endured by 
 the blessed Founder of our religion ! The remembrance of these 
 holy places, and of Him who lived and suffered here, shall surely
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 145 
 
 strengthen and console me wherever I may be and whatever I 
 may be called upon to endure. 
 
 FROM JERUSALEM TO BEYROUT. 
 
 My gentleman-protectors wished to journey from Jerusalem 
 to Beyrout by land, and intended taking a circuitous route, by 
 way of Nazareth, Galilee, Canaan, &c., in order to visit as many 
 of these places as possible, which are fraught with such interest 
 to us Christians. They were once more kind enough to admit 
 me into their party, and the llth of June was fixed for our 
 departure. 
 
 June lltli. 
 
 Quitting Jerusalem at three o'clock in the afternoon, we 
 emerged from the Damascus Gate, and entered a large elevated 
 plateau. Though this region is essentially a stony one, I saw 
 several stubble-fields, and even a few scanty blades of grass. 
 
 The view is very extended ; at a distance of four miles the 
 walls of Jerusalem were still in view, till at length the road curved 
 round a lull, and the Holy City was for ever hidden from our 
 sight. 
 
 On the left of the road, an old church, said to have been 
 erected in the days of Samuel, stands upon a hill. 
 
 At six in the evening we reached the little village of Bir, and 
 fixed our halting-place for the night in a neighbouring stubble-field. 
 During my first journey by land (I mean my ride from Joppa to 
 Jerusalem), I had already had a slight foretaste of what is to be 
 endured by the traveller in these regions. Whoever is not very 
 hardy and courageous, and insensible to hunger, thirst, heat, and 
 cold ; whoever cannot sleep on the hard ground, or even on stones, 
 passing the cold nights under the open sky, should not pursue his 
 journey farther than from Joppa to Jerusalem : for, as we proceed, 
 the fatigues become greater and less endurable, and the roads are 
 more formidable to encounter; besides this, the food is so bad 
 
 K
 
 146 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 that we only eat from fear of starvation ; and the only water we 
 can get to drink is lukewarm, and offensive from the leathern jars 
 in which it is kept. 
 
 We usually rode for six or seven hours at a time without 
 alighting even for a moment, though the thermometer frequently 
 stood at from 30 to 34 Reaumur. Afterwards we rested for 
 an hour at the most; and this halt was often made in the 
 open plain, where not a tree was in sight. Refreshment was out 
 of the question, either for the riders or the poor beasts, and fre- 
 quently we had not even water to quench our burning thirst. 
 The horses were compelled to labour unceasingly from sunrise 
 until evening, without even receiving a feed during the day's 
 journey. The Arabian horse is the only one capable of enduring 
 so much hardship. In the evening these poor creatures are re- 
 lieved of their burdens, but very seldom of the saddle; for the 
 Arabs assert that it is less dangerous for the horse to bear the 
 saddle day and night, than that it should be exposed when heated 
 by the day's toil to the cold night-air. Bridles, saddles, and stir- 
 rups were all in such bad condition that we were in continual 
 danger of falling to the ground, saddle and all. In fact, this mis- 
 fortune happened to many of our party, but luckily it was never 
 attended with serious results. 
 
 June 12th. 
 
 The night was very chilly ; although we slept in a tent, our 
 thick cloaks scarcely sufficed to shield us from the night-air. In 
 the morning the fog was so dense that we could not see thirty 
 paces before us. Towards eight o'clock it rolled away, and a few 
 hours later the heat of the sun began to distress us greatly. It is 
 scarcely possible to guard too carefully against the effects of the 
 heat ; the head should in particular be kept always covered, as 
 carelessness in this respect may bring on coup de soleil. I always 
 wore two pocket handkerchiefs round my head, under my straw 
 hat, and continually used a parasol.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 147 
 
 From Bir to Jabrud, where we rested for a few hours, we 
 travelled for six hours through a monotonous and sterile country. 
 We had still a good four hours' ride before us to Nablus, our 
 resting-place for the night. 
 
 The roads here are bad beyond conception, so that at first the 
 stranger despairs of passing them either on foot or on horseback. 
 Frequently the way leads up hill and down dale, over great 
 masses of rock; and I was truly surprised at the strength and 
 agility of our poor horses, wliich displayed extraordinary saga- 
 city hi picking out the little ledges on which they could place 
 their feet safely in climbing from rock to rock. Sometimes we 
 crossed smooth slabs of stone, where the horses were in imminent 
 danger of slipping ; at others, the road led us past frightful 
 chasms, the sight of which was sufficient to make me dizzy. I 
 had read many accounts of these roads, and was prepared to find 
 them bad enough ; but my expectations were far surpassed by the 
 reality. All that the traveller can do is to trust in Providence, 
 and abandon himself to fate and to the sagacity of his horse. 
 
 An hour and a half before we reached the goal of this day's 
 journey, we passed the grave of the patriarch Jacob. Had our 
 attention not been particularly drawn to this monument, we 
 should have ridden by without noticing it, for a few scattered 
 blocks of stone are all that remain. A little farther on we enter 
 the Samaritan territory, and here is " Jacob's well," where our 
 Saviour held converse with the woman of Samaria. The masonry 
 of the well has altogether vanished, but the spring still gushes 
 forth from a rock. 
 
 Nablus, the ancient Sichem, the chief town of Samaria, con- 
 tains four thousand inhabitants, and is reputed to be one of the 
 most ancient towns in Palestine. It is surrounded by a strong 
 wall, and consists of a long and very dirty street. We rode 
 through the town from one end to the other, and past the poor- 
 looking bazaar, where nothing struck me but the sight of some 
 fresh figs, which were at this early season already exposed for
 
 148 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 sale. Of course we bought the fruit at once ; but it had a very 
 bad flavour. 
 
 A number of soldiers are seen in all the towns. They are 
 Arnauts, a wild, savage race of men, who appear to be regarded 
 with more dread by the inhabitants than the wandering tribes 
 whose incursions they are intended to repress. 
 
 We pitched our tents on a little hill immediately outside the 
 town. Few things are more disagreeable to the traveller than 
 being compelled to bivouac near a town or village in the East. 
 All the inhabitants, both young and old, flock round in order to 
 examine the European caravan, which is a most unusual sight 
 for them, as closely as possible. They frequently even crowd 
 into the tents, and it becomes necessary to expel the intruders 
 almost by main force. Not only are strangers excessively an- 
 noyed at being thus made a gazing-stock, but they also run a 
 risk of being plundered. 
 
 Our cook had the good fortune to obtain a kid only three 
 or four days old, which was immediately killed and at once 
 boiled with rice. We made a most sumptuous meal, for it was 
 seldom we could get such good fare. 
 
 June 13th. 
 
 The morning sun found us already on horseback; we rode 
 through the whole of the beautiful valley at the entrance of 
 which Nablus lies. The situation of this town is very charming. 
 The valley is not broad, and does not exceed a mile and a half 
 in length ; it is completely surrounded with low hills. The 
 mountain on the right is called Ebal, and that on the left Grissim 
 The latter is celebrated as being the meeting-place of the twelve 
 tribes of Israel under Joshua; they there consulted upon the 
 means of conquering the land of Canaan. 
 
 The whole valley is sufficiently fertile; even the hills are 
 in some instances covered to their summits with olive, fig, lemon, 
 and orange trees. Some little brooks, clear as crystal, bubble
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. I4U 
 
 through the beautiful plain. We were frequently compelled to 
 ride through the water ; but all the streams are at this season of 
 the year so shallow, that our horses' hoofs were scarcely covered. 
 
 After gaining the summit of the neighbouring hill, we turned 
 round with regret to look our last on this valley; seldom has 
 it been my lot to behold a more charming picture of blooming 
 vegetation. 
 
 Two hours more brought us to Sebasta, the ancient Samaria, 
 which also lies on a lovely hill, though for beauty of situation it 
 is not to be compared with Nablus. Sebasta is a wretched village. 
 The ruins of the convent built on the place where St. John the 
 Baptist was beheaded were here pointed out to us ; but even of 
 the ruins there are few traces left. 
 
 Two hours later we reached Djenin, and had now entered 
 the confines of Galilee. Though this province, perhaps, no longer 
 smiles with the rich produce it displayed in the days of old, it still 
 affords a strong contrast to Judaea. Here we again find hedges 
 of the Indian fig-tree, besides palms and large expanses of field ; 
 but for flowers and meadows we still search in vain. 
 
 The costume of the Samaritan and Galilean women appears 
 as monotonous as it is poor and dirty. They wear only a long 
 dark-blue gown, and the only difference to be observed in their 
 dress is that some muffle their faces and others do not. It would 
 be no loss if all wore veils ; for so few pretty women and girls are 
 to be discovered, that they might be searched for, like the honest 
 man of Diogenes, with a lantern. The women have all an ugly 
 brown complexion, then: hair is matted, and their busts lack the 
 rounded fulness of the Turkish women. They have a custom of 
 ornamenting both sides of the head, from the crown to the chin, 
 with a row of silver coins ; and those women who do not muffle 
 their faces usually wear as he ad-drcss a handkerchief of blue 
 linen. 
 
 Djenin is a dirty little town, which we only entered in con " 
 sequence of having been told that we should behold the place
 
 150 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 where Queen Jezebel fell from the window and was devoured 
 by dogs. Both window and palace have almost vanished ; but 
 dogs, who look even now as though they could relish such royal 
 prey, are seen prowling about the streets. Not only in Con- 
 stantinople, but in every city of Syria we found these wild dogs ; 
 they were, however, nowhere so numerous as in the imperial 
 city. 
 
 We halted for an hour or two outside the town, beside a 
 coifee-house, and threw ourselves on the ground beneath the open 
 sky. A kind of hearth made of masonry, on which hot water 
 was continually in readiness, stood close by, and near it some 
 mounds of earth had been thrown up to serve as divans. A ragged 
 boy was busy pounding coffee, while his father, the proprietor of 
 the concern, concocted the cheering beverage, and handed it round 
 to the guests. Straw-mats were spread for our accommodation 
 on the earthen divans, and without being questioned we were 
 immediately served with coffee and argile". In the background 
 stood a large and lofty stable of brickwork, which might have 
 belonged to a great European inn. 
 
 After recruiting ourselves here a little, we once more set 
 forth to finish our day's journey. Immediately after leaving the 
 town, a remarkably fine view opens before us over the great 
 elevated plain Esdralon, to the magnificent range of mountains 
 enclosing this immense plateau. In the far distance they shewed 
 us Mount Carmel, and, somewhat nearer, Mount Tabor. Here, 
 too, the mountains are mostly barren, without, however, being 
 entirely composed of naked masses of rock. Mount Tabor, stand- 
 ing entirely alone and richly clothed with vegetation, has a very 
 fine appearance. 
 
 For nearly two hours we rode across the plain of Esdralon, 
 and had thus ample leisure to meditate upon the great events that 
 have occurred here. It is difficult to imagine a grander battle- 
 field, and we can readily believe that in such a plain whole nations 
 may have struggled for victory. From the time of Nabucodonosor
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 151 
 
 to the period of the Crusades, and from the days of the Crusades 
 to those of Napoleon, armies of men from all nations have assem- 
 bled here to fight for their real or imaginary rights, or for the 
 glory of conquest. 
 
 The great and continuous heat had cracked and burst the 
 ground on this plain to such a degree, that we were in continual 
 apprehension lest our horses should catch their feet in one or other 
 of the fissures, and strain or even break them. The soil of the 
 plain seems very good, and is free from stones ; it appears, how- 
 ever, generally to lie fellow, being thickly covered with weeds 
 and wild artichokes. The villages are seen in the far distance 
 near the mountains. This plain forms part of Canaan. 
 
 We pitched our camp for the night beside a little cistern, near 
 the wretched village of Lagun ; and thus slept, for the third night 
 consecutively, on the hard earth. 
 
 June 14th. 
 
 To-day we rode for an hour across the plain of Esdralon, and 
 once more suffered dreadfully from the stings of the minute gnats 
 which had annoyed us so much on our journey from Joppa to 
 Eamla. These plagues did not leave us until we had partly 
 ascended the mountains skirting the plain, from the summit of 
 which we could see Nazareth, prettily built on a hill at the en- 
 trance of a fruitful valley. In the background rises the beautiful 
 Mount Tabor. 
 
 From the tune we first see Nazareth until we reach the town 
 is a ride of an hour and a half; thus the journey from Lagun to 
 Nazareth occupies four hours and a half, and the entire distance 
 from Jerusalem twenty-six or twenty-seven hours.
 
 152 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 CHAPTEE X. 
 
 Arrival at Nazareth Franciscan convent Tabarith Mount Tabor Lake 
 of Gennesareth Baths Mount Carmel Grotto of the prophet Elijah 
 Acre The pacha's harem Oriental women Their listlessness and 
 ignorance Sur or Tyre. 
 
 IT was only nine o'clock when we reached Nazareth, and repaired 
 to the house for strangers hi the Franciscan convent, where 
 the priests welcomed us very kindly. As soon as we had made a 
 short survey of our rooms (which resulted in our finding them 
 very like those at Jerusalem, both as regards appearance and 
 arrangement), we set forth once more to visit all the remark- 
 ahle places, and above all the church which contains the Grotto of 
 Annunciation. This church, to which we were accompanied by 
 a clergyman, was built by St. Helena, and is of no great size. In 
 the background a staircase leads down into the grotto, where it is 
 asserted that the Virgin Mary received the Lord's message from 
 the angel. Three little pillars of granite are still to be seen in 
 tins grotto. The lower part of one of these pillars was broken 
 away by the Turks, so that it is only fastened from above. On 
 the strength of this circumstance many have averred that the pillar 
 hangs suspended in air ! Had these men but looked beyond their 
 noses, had they only cast then: eyes upwards, they could not 
 have had the face to preach a miracle where it is so palpable that 
 none exists. A picture on the wall, not badly executed, represents 
 the Annunciation. The house of the Virgin is not shewn here, 
 because, according to the legend, an angel carried it away to 
 Loretto in Italy. A few steps lead to another grotto, affirmed to 
 be the residence of a neighbour of the Virgin, during whose ab-
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 153 
 
 sence she presided over the house and attended to the duties of 
 the absent Mary. 
 
 Another grotto in the town is shewn as "the workshop of 
 Joseph ;'' it has been left in its primitive state, except that a plain 
 wooden altar has been added. Not far off we find the synagogue 
 where our Lord taught the people, thereby exasperating the Phari- 
 sees to such a degree, that they wished to cast Hun down from a 
 rock outside the city. In conclusion we were shewn an immense 
 block of stone on which the Saviour is said to have eaten the Pass- 
 over with His disciples (!). 
 
 In the afternoon we went to see " Mary's Well," on the road 
 to Tabarith, at a short distance from Nazareth. This well is 
 fenced round with masonry, and affords pure clear water. Hither, 
 it is said, the Virgin came every day to draw water, and here the 
 women and girls of Nazareth may still be daily seen walking to 
 and fro with pitchers on their shoulders. Those whom we saw 
 were all poorly clad, and looked dirty. Many wore no covering 
 on their head, and, what was far worse, their hair hung down in 
 a most untidy manner. Then: bright eyes were the only hand- 
 some feature these people possessed. The custom of wearing 
 silver cobs round the head also prevailed here. 
 
 To-day was a day of misfortunes for me; in the morning, 
 when we departed from Lagun, I had already felt unwell. On 
 the road I was seized with violent headache, nausea, and feverish 
 shiverings, so that I hardly thought I should be able to reach 
 Nazareth. The worst of all this was, that I felt obliged to hide 
 my illness, as I had done on our journey to Jerusalem, for fear I 
 should be left behind. The wish to view all the holy^places in 
 Nazareth was also so powerful within me, that I made a great 
 effort, and accompanied the rest of my party for the whole day, 
 though I was obliged every moment to retire into the background 
 that my condition might not be observed. But when we went to 
 table, the smell of the viands produced such an effect upon me, 
 that I hastily held my handkerchief before my face as though my
 
 154 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 nose were bleeding, and hurried out. Thanks to my sunburnt 
 skin, through which no paleness could penetrate, no one noticed 
 that I was ill. The whole day long I could eat nothing ; but 
 towards evening I recovered a little. My appetite now also re- 
 turned, but unfortunately nothing was to be had but some bad 
 mutton-broth and an omelette made with rancid oil. It is bad 
 enough to be obliged to subsist on such fere when we are hi 
 health, but the hardship increases tenfold when we are ill. How- 
 ever, I sent for some bread and wine, and strengthened myself 
 therewith as best I might. 
 
 June 15th. 
 
 Thanks be to Heaven, I was to-day once more pretty well. In 
 the morning I could already mount my horse and take part hi the 
 excursion we desired to make to 
 
 TABAEITH. 
 
 Passing Mary's Well and a mountain crowned bj- some ruins, the 
 remains of ancient Canaan, we ride for about three miles towards 
 the foot of Mount Tabor, the highest summit of which we do not 
 reach for more than an hour. There were no signs of a beaten road, 
 and we were obliged to ride over all obstacles ; a course of pro- 
 ceeding which so tired our horses, that in half an hour's tune they 
 were quite knocked up, so that we had to proceed on foot. After 
 much toil and hardship, with a great deal of climbing and much 
 suffering from the heat, we gamed the summit, and were repaid 
 for the toil of the ascent, not only by the reflection that we stood 
 on classic ground, but also by the beautiful view which lay 
 spread before our eyes. This prospect is indeed magnificent. We 
 overlook the entire plain of Saphed, as far as the shores of the 
 Galilean Sea. Mount Tabor is also known by the name of the 
 " Mountain of Bliss" here it was that our Lord preached His 
 exquisite " Sermon on the Mount."' Of all the hills I have seen hi 
 Syria, Mount Tabor is the only one covered to the summit with
 
 EGYI'T, AND ITALY. li)5 
 
 oaks and carob-trees. The valleys too are filled with the richest 
 earth, instead of barren sand ; but in spite of all this the population 
 is thin, and the few villages are wretched and puny. The poor 
 inhabitants of Syria are wofully ground down; the taxes are 
 too high in proportion to the productions of the soil, so that the 
 peasants cannot possibly grow more produce than they require for 
 their own consumption. Thus, for instance, orchards are not taxed 
 in the aggregate, but according to each separate tree. For every 
 olive-tree the owner must pay a piastre, or a piastre and a half; 
 and the same sum for an orange or lemon tree. And heavily 
 taxed as he is, the poor peasant is never safe in saying, " Such 
 and such a thing belongs to me." The pacha may shift him to 
 another piece 'of land, or drive him away altogether, if he thinks 
 it advisable to do so ; for a pacha's power in his province is as 
 great as that of the Sultan himself in Constantinople. Porcupines 
 are to be met with on Mount Tabor ; we found several of their 
 fine horny quills. 
 
 From the farther side of the mountain we descended into 
 the beautiful and spacious valley of Saphed, the scene of the 
 miracle of the loaves and fishes, and rode on for some hours until 
 we reached Tabarith. 
 
 A very striking scene opens before the eyes of the traveller on 
 the last mountain before Tabarith. A lovely landscape lies sud- 
 denly unrolled before him. The valley sinks deeply down to the 
 Galilean Sea, round the shores of which a glorious chain of moun- 
 tains rises in varied and picturesque terrace-like forms. Mon- 
 beautiful than all the rest, towers in snowy grandeur the mighty 
 chain of the Anti-Lebanon, its white surface glittering in the rays 
 of the sun, and distinctly mirrored in the clear bosom of the lake. 
 Deep down lies the little town of Tabarith, shadowed by palm- 
 trees, and guarded by a castle raised a little above it. The 
 unexpected beauty of this scene surprised us so much that we 
 alighted from our horses, and passed more than half an hour on 
 the summit of the mountain, to gaze at our leisure upon the won-
 
 156 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 ilrous picture. Count S. drew a hurried but very successful 
 sketch of the landscape which we all admired so much, though 
 its mountains were naked and bare. But such is the peculiar 
 character of Eastern scenery; hi Europe, meadows, alps, and 
 woods exhibit quite a distinct class of natural beauty. In a 
 mountain region of Europe, a sight like the one we were now 
 admiring would scarcely have charmed us so much. But in these 
 regions, poor alike in inhabitants and hi scenery, the traveller is 
 contented with little, and a little thing charms bun. For instance, 
 would not a plain piece of beef have been a greater luxury to 
 us on our journey than the most costly delicacies at home ? 
 Thus we felt also with regard to scenery. 
 
 On entering the town we experienced a feeling of painful 
 emotion. Tabarith lay still half hi ruins ; for the dreadful earth- 
 quake of 1839 had made this place one of the chief victims of 
 its fury. How must the town have looked immediately after 
 the calamity, when even now, in spite of the extensive repairs, 
 it appears almost like a heap of ruins ! We saw some houses 
 that had completely Mien in ; others were very much damaged, 
 with large cracks hi the walls, and shattered terraces and towers : 
 every where, in short, we wandered among ruins. Above 4000 
 persons, more than half of the entire population, are said to have 
 perished by this earthquake. 
 
 We alighted at the house of a Jewish doctor, who entertains 
 strangers, as there is no inn at Tabarith. I was quite surprised 
 to find every thing so clean and neat in this man's house. The 
 little rooms were simply but comfortably furnished, the small 
 courtyard was flagged with large stones, and round the walls of 
 the hall were ranged narrow benches with soft cushions. We 
 were greatly astonished at this appearance of neatness and order ; 
 but our wonder rose when we made the discovery that the Jews, 
 who are very numerous at Tabarith, are not clothed hi the 
 Turkish or Greek fashion, but quite bike their brethren in Poland 
 and Galicia. Most of them also spoke German. I immediately
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 157 
 
 inquired the reason of this peculiarity, and was informed that all 
 the Jewish families resident in this town originally came from 
 Poland or Russia, with the intention of dying hi the Promised 
 Land. As a rule, all Jews seem to cherish a warm desire to pass 
 their last days hi the country of their forefathers, and to be buried 
 there. 
 
 We requested our young hostess, whose husband was absent, 
 to prepare for us without delay a good quantity of pilau and fowls ; 
 adding, that we would hi the mean tune look at the town and 
 the neighbouring baths at the Sea of Gennesareth, but that we 
 should return hi an hour and a half at the most. 
 
 We then proceeded to the Sea of Gennesareth, which is a 
 fresh-water lake. We entered a fisherman's boat, hi order that 
 we might sail on the waters where our Lord held once bid the 
 winds " be still." We were rowed to the warm springs, which 
 rise near the shore, a few hundred paces from the town. On the 
 lake all was calm ; but no sooner had we landed than a storm 
 arose between the fishermen and ourselves. In this country, if 
 strangers neglect to bargain beforehand for every stage with 
 guides, porters, and people of this description, they are nearly 
 sure of being charged an exorbitant sum in the end. This 
 happened to us on our present little trip, which certainly did not 
 occupy more than half an hour. We took our seats hi the boat 
 without arranging for the fares ; and on disembarking offered the 
 fishermen a very handsome reward. But these worthies threw 
 down the money, and demanded thirty piastres ; whereas, if we 
 had bargained with them at first, they would certainly not have 
 asked ten. We gave them fifteen piastres, to get rid of them ; 
 but this did not satisfy their greediness ; on the contrary, they 
 yelled and shouted, until the Count's servants threatened to restore 
 peace and quietness with their sticks. At length the fishermen 
 were so far brought to their senses that they walked away, scold- 
 ing and muttering as they went. 
 
 Adjoining the warm springs we found a bathing-house, built hi
 
 158 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 a round form and covered with a cuppb- Here we also met a eon- 
 aderable number of pig 1 *; mostly Greeks and Armenians from 
 the neighbourhood, who were journeying to Jerusalem. They had 
 encamped beside the bathing-house. Half of these people were 
 in the water, where a most animated conversation was going on. 
 We also wished to enter the building, not for the purpose of 
 bathing, but to view the beauty and arrangements of the interior, 
 which have been the subject of many laudatory descriptions ; but 
 at the entrance such a cloud of vapour came rolling towards us 
 that we were unable to penetrate far. I saw enough, however, 
 to feel convinced, that in the description of these baths poetry ox 
 exaggeration had led many a pen far beyond the bounds of fact. 
 Neither the eytarinr of this building, nor the cursory glance I was 
 enabled to throw into the interior, excited either my curiosity or 
 my astonishment- Seen ft"p" without, these baths resemble % 
 snail-sized house buflt in a very mediocre style, and with very 
 slender claims to beauty. The interior displayed a large quantity 
 of marMe,- for instance, in the floor, the sides of the bath, Ae. 
 But marble is not such a rarity in this country that it can raise 
 this bathing-kiosk into a wonder-building, or render it worthy of 
 ace than a passing glance. I endeavour to see every thing ex- 
 actly as it <aanjy before me, and to describe it in my simple diary 
 without yH'tyw or ornament. 
 
 At <^gftt o'clock in ijie evening we returned tired and hungry 
 to our comfortable quarters, flattering ourselves that we should 
 find the plain supper we had ordered a few hours before Banting 
 on the covered table, ready for our arrival. But neither in the 
 hall nor in the chamber could we find even a table, much less a 
 covered one. Half dead with exhaustion, we threw ourselves on 
 chaos and benches, looking forward with impatience to the MygBa 
 and the welcome rest that was to follow it- Messenger after 
 messenger was J TTTrr < "T M ^ to the culinary regions, to inquire if 
 the boiled fowls were not yet in an eatable condition. Each time 
 we were promised that supper would be ready " in a quarter of
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 159 
 
 an hour," and each time nothing came of it. At length, at ten 
 o'clock, a table was brought into the room ; after some time a 
 single chair appeared, and then one more ; then came another 
 interval of waiting, until at length a clean table-cloth was laid. 
 These arrivals occupied the time until eleven o'clock, when the 
 master of the house, who had been absent on an excursion, made 
 his appearance, and with him came a puny roast fowl. No mi- 
 racle, alas, took place at our table like that of the plain of Saphed ; 
 we were but seven persons, and so the fowl need only have been 
 increased seven tunes to satisfy us all ; but as it was, each person 
 received one rib and no more. Our supper certainly consisted of 
 several courses brought in one after the other. Had we known 
 this, we certainly should soon have arranged the matter, for then 
 each person would have appropriated the whole of a dish to him- 
 self. Li the space of an hour and a quarter nine or ten little 
 dishes made their appearance ; but the portion of food contained 
 in each was so small, that our supper may be said to have con- 
 sisted of a variety of " tastes." We would greatly have preferred 
 two good- sized dishes to all these kickshaws. The dishes were, a 
 roast, a boiled, and a baked chicken, a little plate of prepared cu- 
 cumbers, an equally small portion of this vegetable in a raw state, 
 a little pilau, and a few small pieces of mutton. 
 
 Our host kindly provided food for the mind during supper by 
 describing to us a series of horrible scenes which had occurred at 
 the time of the earthquake. He, too, had lost his wife and chil- 
 dren by this calamity, and only owed his own life to the circum- 
 stance that he was absent at a sick-bed when the earthquake took 
 place. 
 
 Half an hour after midnight we at length sought our resting- 
 places. The doctor very kindly gave up his three little bedrooms 
 to us, but the heat was so oppressive that we preferred quartering 
 ourselves on the stones hi the yard. They made a very hard 
 bed, but we none of us felt symptoms of indigestion after our 
 sumptuous meal.
 
 160 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 Juno 16th. 
 
 ' : At five o'clock in the morning we took leave of our host, and 
 returned in six hours to Nazareth by the same road on which we 
 had already travelled. We did not, however, ascend Mount Tabor 
 a second tune, but rode along beside its base. To-day I once 
 more visited all the spots I had seen when I Avas so ill two days 
 before ; in this pursuit I passed some very agreeable hours. 
 
 June 17th. 
 
 In the morning, at half-past four, we once more bade fare- 
 well to the worthy priests of Nazareth, and rode without stopping 
 for nine hours and a half, until at two o'clock we reached 
 
 MOUNT CAKMEL. 
 
 It was long since we had travelled on such a good road as 
 that on which we journeyed to-day. Now and then, however, a 
 piece truly Syrian in character had to be encountered, probably 
 lest we should lose the habit of facing hardship and danger. An- 
 other comfort was that we were not obliged to-day to endure 
 thirst, as we frequently passed springs of good clear water. At 
 one tune our way even led through a small oak-wood, a pheno- 
 menon almost unprecedented in Syria. There was certainly not 
 a single tree in all the wood which a painter might have chosen 
 for a study, for they were all small and crippled. Large leafy 
 trees, like those in my own land, are very seldom seen in this 
 country. The carob, which grows here in abundance, is almost 
 the only handsome tree ; it has a beautiful leaf, scarcely larger 
 than that of a rose-tree, of an oval form, as thick as the back of a 
 knife, and of a beautiful bright green colour. 
 
 Mount Carmel lies on the sea-shore. It is not high, and half 
 an hour suffices the traveller to reach its summit, which is crowned 
 by a spacious and beautiful convent, probably the handsomest in 
 all Palestine, not even excepting the monasteries at Nazareth and
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 101 
 
 Jerusalem. The main front of the building contains a suite of six 
 or seven large rooms, with folding-doors and lofty regular windows. 
 These rooms, together with several in the wings, are devoted to 
 the reception of strangers. They are arranged in European style, 
 with very substantial pieces of furniture, among which neither 
 sofas nor useful chests of drawers are wanting. 
 
 About an hour after we arrived our reverend hosts regaled us 
 with a more sumptuous meal than 'any of which I had partaken 
 since my departure from Constantinople. 
 
 In proportion as our fare had been meagre and our accommo- 
 dation indifferent at Nazareth and Jerusalem, did we find every 
 thing here excellent. In an elegant dining-room stood a large 
 table covered with a fine white cloth, on which cut glass and clean 
 knives, forks, and china plates gleamed invitingly. A servant in 
 European garb placed some capital fast-day fare on the table (it 
 was Friday), and a polite priest kept us company ; but not in 
 eating, for he rightly considered that such a hungry company 
 would not reqiiire any example to fall to. 
 
 During the whole remainder of our journey through Syria 
 this convent occupied a green spot in our memory. How capi- 
 tally would a few days' rest here have recruited our strength ! 
 But the gentlemen had a distant goal before their eyes, and " For- 
 ward !" was still the cry. 
 
 After dinner we went down to the sea-shore, to visit the large 
 grotto called the " Prophets' school." This grotto has really the 
 appearance of a lofty and spacious hall, where a number of dis- 
 ciples could have sat and listened to the words of the prophet. 
 
 The grotto in which Elijah is said to have lived is situated in 
 a church at the top of the mountain. Mount Carmel is quite bar- 
 ren, being only covered here and there with brambles ; but the view 
 is magnificent. In the foreground the eye can roam over the 
 boundless expanse of ocean, while at the foot of the mountain 
 it finds a resting-place in the considerable town of Haifa, lying in 
 a fertile plain, which extends to the base of the high mountains, 
 
 L
 
 162 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 bounded in the distance by the Anti-Libauus, and farther still by 
 the Lebanon itself. Along the line of coast we can distinguish 
 Acre (or Ptolemais), Sur (Tyre), and Soida (Sidon). 
 
 June 18th. 
 
 This morning we sent our poor over-tired horses on before us 
 to Hese, and walked on foot at midday under a temperature of 33 
 to Haifas, a distance of more than two miles. Heated and ex- 
 hausted to the last degree we reached the house of the Consul, 
 who is a Catholic, but seems nevertheless to live quite in Oriental 
 feshion. This gentleman is consul both for France and Austria. 
 Although he was not at home when we arrived, we were imme- 
 diately shewn into the room of state, where we reclined on soft 
 divans, and were regaled with sherbet of all colours, green, yellow, 
 red, &c., and with coffee flavoured with roses, which we did not 
 like. Hookahs (or tchibuks) were also handed round. At length 
 the Consul's wife appeared, a young and beautiful lady of an 
 imposing figure, dressed in the Oriental garb. She smoked her 
 tchibuk with as much ease as the gentlemen. Luckily a brother 
 of this lady who understood something of Italian was present, and 
 kindly acted as interpreter. I have never found an Oriental 
 woman who knew any language but that of her own country. 
 
 After we had rested ourselves, we pursued our journey in a 
 boat to Acre. On my road to Jerusalem I had only seen the out- 
 side of this monument of the last war, now I could view its inte- 
 rior ; but saw nothing to repay me for my trouble. Considering 
 how ugly the Turkish towns are even when they are in good pre- 
 servation, it may easily be imagined that the appearance of one of 
 these cities is not improved when it is full of shot-holes, and the 
 streets and interiors of the houses are choked up with rubbish. 
 The entrance to the convent lies through the courtyard of the 
 Turkish barracks, where there seemed to be a great deal of bustle, 
 and where we had an opportunity of noticing how wretchedly clad, 
 and still more miserably shod, the Turkish soldiers are. These
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 163 
 
 blemishes are not so much observed when the men are seen singly 
 at their posts. 
 
 The convent here is very small, being in fact only a dwelling- 
 house to which a chapel is attached. Two monks and a lay bro- 
 ther form the whole household. 
 
 Scarcely had I established myself in my room, before a very 
 polite lady entered, who introduced herself to me as the wife of 
 a surgeon in the service of the pacha here. She stated that her 
 husband was at present absent at Constantinople, and added that 
 she was in the habit of spending several hours in the convent 
 every evening to do the honours of the house ! Tins assertion 
 struck me as so strange, that I should certainly have remained 
 dumb had not my visitor been a very agreeable, polite French 
 lady. As it was, however, we chatted away the evening plea- 
 santly together, until the supper-bell summoned us to the refec- 
 tory. All that I saw in this convent was hi direct contrast to the 
 arrangement of the comfortable establishment of the Carmelites. 
 The refectory here is astonishingly dirty ; the whole furniture con- 
 sists of two dingy tables and some benches; the table-cloth, plates, 
 &c. wore the prevailing livery ; and the fare was quite hi keeping 
 with every thing else. We supped at two tables ; the gentlemen 
 and the reverend fathers sitting at one, while the French lady and 
 myself occupied the other. 
 
 June 19th. 
 
 As we were not to travel far to-day, we did not set out until 
 ten o'clock, when we started in company of several Franks who 
 were in the pacha's service. They led us into a park by the road- 
 side belonging to the mother of the Sultan. Here the pacha usually 
 resides during the summer. In half an hour's time we reached 
 this park." The garden is rather handsome, but does not display 
 many plants except lemon, orange, pomegranate, and cypress trees. 
 The display of flowers was not very remarkable ; for not only could 
 we discover no rare or foreign plants, but we also missed many
 
 164 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 flowers which grow plentifully in our gardens at home. A few 
 Mosks are here to be seen, but every thing seemed miserably out 
 of repair. 
 
 The residence of the pacha, situated outside the gardens, has a 
 more inviting appearance. "We paid our respects to his highness, 
 who received us very graciously, and caused us to be regaled with 
 the usual beverages. No sooner had the high ladies in the harem 
 learnt that a FranMsh woman was in their territory, than they 
 sent to invite me to visit them. I gladly accepted this invitation, 
 the more so as it offered an opportunity of gratifying my curiosity. 
 I was conducted to another part of the house, where I stepped into 
 a chamber of middle size, the floor of which was covered with 
 mats and carpets, while on cushions ranged round the walls re- 
 clined beauties of various complexions, who seemed to have been 
 collected from every quarter of the globe. One of these women, 
 who was rather elderly, appeared to be the pacha's chief wife, for 
 all the rest pointed to her. The youngest lady seemed about 
 eighteen or nineteen years of age, and was the mother of a child 
 eight months old, with which they were all playing as with a doll ; 
 the poor little thing was handed about from hand to hand. These 
 ladies were dressed exactly like the daughters of the consul at 
 Joppa, whose costume I have described. I did not see any signs 
 of particular beauty, unless the stoutness of figure so prevalent here 
 is considered in that light. I saw, however, a woman with one 
 eye, a defect frequently observed in the East. Female slaves 
 were there of all shades of colour. One wore a ring through her 
 nose, and another had tastefully painted her lips blue. Both mis- 
 tresses and slaves had their eyebrows and eyelashes painted black, 
 and their nails and the palm of the hand stained a light -brown 
 with the juice of the henna. 
 
 The Oriental women are ignorant and inquisitive in the highest 
 degree ; they can neither read nor write, and the knowledge of a 
 foreign language is quite out of the question. It is very rarely 
 that one of them understands embroidering in gold. Whenever I
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 165 
 
 happened to be writing in my journal, men, women, and children 
 would gather round me, and gaze upon me and my book with 
 many signs and gestures expressive of astonishment. 
 
 The ladies of the harem seemed to look with contempt upon 
 employment and work of every kind ; for neither here nor else- 
 where did I see them do any tiling but sit cross-legged on carpets 
 and cushions, drinking coffee, smoking nargile', and gossiping with 
 one another. They pressed me to sit down on a cushion, and 
 then immediately surrounded me, endeavouring, by signs, to ask 
 many questions. First they took my straw hat and put it upon 
 their heads ; then they felt the stuff of my travelling robe ; but 
 they seemed most of all astonished at my short hair,* the sight of 
 which seemed to impress these poor ignorant women with the idea 
 that nature had denied long hair to the Europeans. They asked 
 me by signs how this came to pass, and every lady came up and 
 felt my hair. They seemed also very much surprised that I was 
 so thin, and offered me their nargile, besides sherbet and cakes. 
 On the whole, our conversation was not very animated, for we 
 had no dragoman to act as interpreter, so that we were obliged 
 to guess at what was meant, and at length I sat silently among 
 these Orientals, and was heartily glad when, at the expiration of 
 an hour, my friends sent to fetch me away. At a later period of 
 my journey I frequently visited harems, and sometimes consider- 
 able ones ; but I found them all alike. The only difference lay 
 in the fact that some harems contained more beautiful women 
 and slaves, and that in others the inmates were more richly clad ; 
 but every where I found the same idle curiosity, ignorance, and 
 apathy. Perhaps they may be more happy than European women ; 
 I should suppose they were, to judge from their comfortable figures 
 and their contented features. Corpulence is said frequently to pro- 
 ceed from a good-natured and quiet disposition ; and their features 
 are so entirely without any fixed character and expression, that 
 
 * I had cut my hair quite close, because I was seldom sure of having 
 time and.ppportunity during my long journey to dress and plait it properly.
 
 I do not think these women capable of deep passions or feeling 
 either for good or evil. Exceptions are of course to be found 
 even among the Turkish women ; I only report what I observed 
 on the average. 
 
 This day we rode altogether for seven hours. We passed a 
 beautiful orange-grove ; for the greater part of the way our road 
 led through deep sand, close by the sea-shore ; but once we had 
 to pass a dreadfully dangerous place called the " White Mount," 
 one extremity of which rises out of the sea. This once passed, 
 we soon come upon the beautiful far-stretching aqueduct which I 
 noticed on my journey from Joppa to Jerusalem. It traverses 
 a portion of this fnritral plain. 
 
 We could not enter the little town of Sur, the goal of this 
 day's journey, as it was closed on account of the plague. We 
 therefore passed by, and pitched our tents beside a village, in 
 the neighbourhood of which large and splendid cisterns of water, 
 hewn in the rock, are to be seen. The superfluous water from 
 these cisterns Mis from a height of twenty or thirty feet, and 
 after turning a mill-wheel, flows through the vale hi the form of 
 a brook.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 167 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 River Mishmir Saida Arnauts Desert-path Residence of Lady Hester 
 Stanhope Beyrout The consul's Uncomfortable quarters Sickness 
 The Bazaar Vexatious delays Departure from Beyrout Beautiful 
 views Syrian costumes Damascus Aspect of the city House of the 
 consul. 
 
 June 20th. 
 
 SHORTLY after five this morning we were in our saddles, and a 
 few hours afterwards arrived at the beautiful river Mishmir, 
 which is as broad as the Jordan, though it does not contain nearly 
 so much water. Next to the Jordan, however, this river is the 
 largest we find on our journey, besides being a most agreeable object 
 in a region so destitute of streams. Its water is pure as crystal. 
 
 In ten hours we reached the town, and at once repaired to 
 the convent, as not one of these cities contains an inn. The little 
 convent, with its tiny church, is situate at the end of a large court- 
 yard, which is so thronged with horses and men, particularly with 
 soldiers, that we had great difficulty in forcing our way through. 
 When we had at length cleared a passage for ourselves to the 
 entrance, we were received with the agreeable intelligence that 
 there was no room for us. What was to be done ? We thought 
 ourselves lucky in obtaining a little room where we could pass 
 the night in a house belonging to a Greek family ; beds were, 
 however, out of the question ; we had to lie on the hard stones. 
 In the courtyard a kind of camp had been pitched, in which twelve 
 state-horses of the Emir* of Lebanon (creatures of the true Arab 
 breed) were bivouacking among a quantity of Arnauts. 
 
 The Arnaut soldiers are universally feared, but more by friend 
 
 a This Emir could not maintain his position on Mount Lebanon, and 
 was summoned to Constantinople. At the time of our visit they were still 
 awaiting his return, though he had been absent more than six months.
 
 168 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 than foe. They are very turhulent, and behave in an overbearing 
 manner towards the people. The Count, my fellow-traveller, was 
 even insulted in the street, not by a peasant, but by one of these 
 military fellows. These ill-disciplined troops are assembled every 
 where, in order that they may be ready to attack whenever a dis- 
 turbance occurs between the Druses and Maronites. I consider, 
 however, that the Arnauts are much more to be feared than either 
 the Druses or the Maronites, through whose territories we after- 
 wards journeyed without experiencing, in a single instance, either 
 insult or injury. I hardly think we should Lave escaped so well 
 had we encountered a troop of these wild horsemen. 
 
 Among all the Turkish soldiers the Arnauts are the best 
 dressed ; with their short and full white skirts of linen or lawn, 
 and tight trousers of white linen, a scarf round the middle, and a 
 white or a red spencer, they closely resemble the Albanians. 
 
 June 21st. 
 
 This was a most fatiguing day, although we did not ride for 
 more than ten hours ; but this ten hours' journey was performed 
 without even a quarter of an hour's rest, though the thermometer 
 stood at 33 Reaumur. Our path lay through a sandy desert, 
 about two miles hi breadth, running parallel with the mountain- 
 range from Saida to Beyrout. The monotony of the steppe is 
 only broken at intervals by heaps of sand. The surface of the 
 sand presents the appearance of a series of waves ; the particles 
 of which it is composed are very minute, and of a fine yellowish- 
 brown colour. A beautiful fertile valley adjoins this desert, and 
 stretches towards Mount Lebanon, on whose brown rocky surface 
 several villages can be descried. 
 
 This mountain-range has a most imposing appearance. White 
 rocks and strata of white sand shine forth from its broad and 
 generally barren expanse like fields of snow. 
 
 The residence of the late Lady Hester Stanhope can be seen 
 in the distance on the declivity of the mountain.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 109 
 
 During our long ride of ten hours we did not pass a single 
 tank, spring, or even pool, and all the river-beds on our way 
 were completely dried up by the heat. Not a tree could we see 
 that could shelter us for a moment from the glaring heat of the 
 sun. It was a day of torment for us and for our poor beasts. 
 Two of our brave horses sank from exhaustion, and could go no 
 farther, though relieved of their burdens ; we were obliged to leave 
 the poor creatures to perish by the wayside. 
 
 At three in the afternoon we at length arrived at Beyrout, 
 after having bravely encountered, during ten consecutive days, 
 the toil and hardship inseparable from a journey through Syria. 
 
 The distance from Jerusalem to Beyrout is about 200 miles, 
 allowing for the circuitous route by way of Tabarith, which tra- 
 vellers are not, however, compelled to take. From Jerusalem 
 to Nazareth is 54 miles ; from Nazareth across Mount Tabor to 
 Tabarith and back again 31 miles; from Nazareth to Mount 
 Carmel, Haifas, and Acre, 46 miles ; and from Acre to Beyrout 
 69 miles ; making the total 200 miles. 
 
 Our poor horses suffered dreadfully during this journey ; for 
 they were continually obh'ged either to climb over rocks, stones, 
 and mountains, or to wade through hot sand, in which they sank 
 above the fetlocks at every step. It would have been a better 
 plan had we only engaged our horses from Jerusalem to Nazareth, 
 where we could have procured fresh ones to carry us on to Beyrout. 
 We had been told at Jerusalem that it was sometimes impossible 
 to obtain horses at Nazareth, and so preferred engaging our beasts 
 at once for the whole journey. On arriving at Nazareth we cer- 
 tainly discovered that we had been deceived, for horses are always 
 to be had there in plenty ; but as the contract was once made, we 
 were obliged to abide by it. 
 
 During the ten days of our journey the temperature varied 
 exceedingly. By day the heat fluctuated between 18 and 39 
 Reaumur ; the nights too were very changeable, being sometimes 
 sultry, and sometimes bitterly cold. ,
 
 170 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 BEYROUT 
 
 lies in a sandy plain ; but the mulberry-trees by which it is sur- 
 rounded impart to this city an air of picturesque beauty. Still we 
 wade every where, in the streets, gardens, and alleys, through 
 deep sand. Viewed from a distance, Beyrout has a striking effect, 
 a circumstance I had remarked on my first arrival there from 
 Constantinople ; but it loses considerably on a nearer approach. I 
 did not enjoy walking through the town and its environs ; but it 
 was a great pleasure to me to sit on a high terrace in the evening, 
 and look down upon the landscape. The dark-blue sky rose 
 above the distant mountains, the fruitful valley, and the glittering 
 expanse of ocean. The golden sun was still illumining the peaks 
 of the mountains with its farewell rays, until at length it sunk 
 from view, shrouding every thing in a soft twilight. Then I saw 
 the innumerable stars shine forth, and the moon shed its magic 
 light over the nocturnal landscape; and that mind can scarcely 
 be called human which does not feel the stirring of better feelings 
 within it at such a spectacle. Truly the temple of the Lord is 
 every where ; and throughout all nature there is a mysterious 
 something that tells even the infidel of the omnipresence of the 
 Great Spirit. How many beautiful evenings did I not enjoy at 
 Beyrout ! they were, in fact, the only compensation for the grievous 
 hardships I was obliged to endure during my stay in this town. 
 
 In the inn I could again not find a single room, and was this 
 time much more at a loss to find a place of shelter than I had 
 been before ; for our host's wife had gone out of town with her 
 children, and had let her private house ; so I sat, in the fullest 
 sense of the word, " in the street." A clergyman, whose acquaint- 
 ance I had made in Constantinople, and who happened just then to 
 be at Beyrout, took compassion upon me, and procured me a lodg- 
 ing in the house of a worthy Arab family just outside the town. 
 Now I certainly had a roof above my head, but I could not make 
 myself understood ; for not a soul spoke Italian, and my whole
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 171 
 
 knowledge of Arabic was comprised in the four words : taib, moi, 
 sut, mafish beautiful, water, milk, and nothing. 
 
 With so limited a stock of expressions at my command, I 
 naturally could not make much way, and the next day I was 
 placed in a very disagreeable dilemma. I had hired a boy to 
 shew me the way to a church, and explained to him by signs 
 that he was to wait to conduct me home again. On emerging 
 from the church I could see nothing of my guide. After waiting 
 for some time in vain, I was at length compelled to try and find 
 my way alone. 
 
 The house in wliich I lived stood in a garden of mulberry- 
 trees, but all the houses in the neighbourhood were built in the 
 same style, each having a tower attached, in which there is a 
 habitable room ; all these dwellings stand in gardens planted with 
 mulberry-trees, some of them not separated from each other at all, 
 and the rest merely by little sand-lulls. Flowers and vegetables 
 are nowhere to be seen, nor is the suburb divided into regular 
 streets ; so that I wandered in an endless labyrinth of trees and 
 houses. I met none but Arabs, whose language I did not under- 
 stand, and who could, therefore, give me no information. So I 
 rushed to and fro, until at length, after a long and fatiguing pil- 
 grimage, I was lucky enough to stumble on the house I wanted. 
 Unwilling to expose myself to such a disagreeable adventure a 
 second time, I thought it would be preferable to dwell within the 
 town ; and therefore hired the young guide before mentioned to 
 conduct me to the house of the Austrian Consul-General Herr 
 von A. Unfortunately this gentleman was not visible to such an 
 insignificant ' personage as myself, and sent me word that I might 
 come again in a few hours. This was a true " Job's message'' 
 for me, as far as consolation went. The heat was most oppressive ; 
 I had now entered the town for the second time, to be sent once 
 more back to the glowing sands, with permission to " come again 
 in a few hours." Had I not been uncommonly hardy, I should 
 have succumbed. But luckily I knew a method to help myself.
 
 172 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 I ordered iny little guide to lead me to the house in which the 
 wife of Battista the innkeeper had lived. 
 
 During my previous residence at Beyrout I had accidentally 
 heard that a French lady lodged in the same house, and occupied 
 herself with the education of the children. I went to call on this 
 French lady, and was lucky euough to find her ; so I had, at any 
 rate, so far succeeded that I had found a being with whom I could 
 converse, and of whom I might request advice and assistance. 
 My new acquaintance was an extremely cordial maiden lady about 
 forty years of age. Her name was Pauline Kandis. My unfor- 
 tunate position awakened her compassion so much, that she placed 
 her own room at my disposal for the tune being. I certainly saw 
 that my present quarters left much to be desired, for my kind 
 entertainer's lodging consisted of a single room, divided into two 
 parts by several tall chests; the foremost division contained a 
 large table, at which four girls sat and stood at their lessons. 
 The second division formed a land of lumber-room, redolent of 
 boxes, baskets, and pots, and furnished with a board, laid on an 
 old tub, to answer the purposes of a table. My condition was, 
 however, so forlorn, that I took joyful possession of the lumber- 
 room assigned to me. I immediately departed with my boy- 
 guide, and by noon I was already installed, with bag and baggage, 
 in the dwelling of my kind hostess. But there was no more 
 walking for me that day. What with the journey and my morn- 
 ing's peregrinations I was so exhausted that I requested nothing 
 but a resting-place, which I found among the old chests and 
 baskets on the floor. I was right glad to lie down, and court the 
 rest that I needed so much. 
 
 At seven o'clock in the evening the school closed. Miss K. 
 then took her leave, and I remained sole occupant of her two 
 rooms, which she only uses as school-rooms, for she sleeps at her 
 brother's house. 
 
 My lodging at Miss K.'s was, however, the most uncomfort- 
 able of any I had yet occupied during my entire journey.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 173 
 
 From eight o'clock in the morning until seven at night four or 
 five girls, who did any thing rather than study, were continually 
 in the room. The whole day long there was such a noise of 
 shouting, screaming, and jumping about, that I could not hear the 
 sound of my own voice. Moreover, the higher regions of this 
 hall of audience contained eight pigeons' nests ; and the old birds, 
 which were so tame that they not only took the food from our 
 plates, but stole it out of our very mouths, fluttered continually 
 about the room, so that we were obliged to look very attentively 
 at every chair on which we intended to sit down. On the floor 
 a cock was continually fighting with his three wives; and a 
 motherly hen, with a brood of eleven hopeful chicks, cackled 
 merrily between. I wonder that I did not contract a squint, for 
 I was obliged continually to look upwards and downwards lest I 
 should cause mischief, and lest mischief should befal me. During 
 the night the heat and the stench were almost insupportable ; 
 and immediately after midnight the cock always began to crow, 
 as if he earned his living by the noise he made. I used to open 
 the window every night to make a passage of escape for the heat 
 and the foul air, while I lay down before the door, like Napoleon's 
 Mameluke, to guard the treasures entrusted to my care. But on 
 the second night two wandering cats had already discovered my 
 whereabouts ; without the least compunction they stepped quietly 
 over me into the chamber, and began to raise a murderous chase. 
 I instantly jumped up and drove away the robbers; and from 
 that time forward I was obliged to remain in the interior of my 
 fortress, carefully to barricade all the windows, and bear my tor- 
 ments with what fortitude I might. 
 
 Our diet was also of a very light description. A sister-in-law 
 of the good Pauline was accustomed to send in our dinner, wliich 
 consisted one day of a thimbleful of saffron-coloured pilau, while 
 the next would perhaps bring half the shoulder of a small fish. 
 Had I boarded with my hostess, I should have kept fast-day five 
 days in the week, and have had nothing to eat on the remaining
 
 174 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 two. I therefore at once left off dining with them, and used to 
 cook a good German dish for myself every day. In the morning 
 I asked for some milk, in order to make my coffee after the Ger- 
 man fashion. Yet I think that some of our adulterators of milk 
 must have penetrated even to Syria, for I found it as difficult to 
 obtain pure goats' milk here as to get good milk from the cow in 
 my own country. 
 
 My bedstead was formed out of an old chest, and my sole 
 employment and amusement was idling. I had not a book to 
 read, no table to write on ; and if I once really succeeded in getting 
 something to read or made an attempt at writing, the whole tribe 
 of youngsters would come clustering round, staring at my book 
 or at my paper. It would certainly have been useless to com- 
 plain, but yet I could not always entirely conceal the annoyance 
 I felt. 
 
 My friends must pardon me for describing my cares so minutely, 
 but I only do so to warn all those who would wish to undertake 
 a journey like mine, without being either very rich, very high- 
 born, or very hardy, that they had much better remain at home. 
 
 As I happened to be neither rich nor high-born, the Consul would 
 not receive me at all the first time I called upon lum, although 
 the captain of a steamer had been admitted to an audience just 
 before I applied. A few days afterwards I once more waited 
 upon the Consul, told him of my troubles, and stated plainly how 
 thankful I should feel if any one would assist me so far as to pro- 
 cure me a respectable lodging, for which I would gladly pay, and 
 where I could remain until an opportunity offered to go to Alexan- 
 dria ; the worthy Consul was kind enough to reply to my request 
 with a shake of the head, and with the comforting admission that 
 " he was very sorry for me it was really extremely unfortunate." 
 I think the good gentleman must have left all his feeling at home 
 before settling in Syria, otherwise he would never have dismissed 
 me with a few frivolous speeches, particularly as I assured him 
 that I was perfectly well provided with money, and would bear
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 175 
 
 any expense, but added that it was possible to be placed in posi- 
 tions where want of advice was more keenly felt than want of 
 means. During the whole of my residence at Beyrout, my country- 
 man never troubled himself any more about me. 
 
 During my stay here I made an excursion to the grotto, said 
 to be the scene of St. George's combat with the dragon ; this 
 grotto is situate to the right of the road, near the quarantine-house. 
 The ride thither offers many fine views, but the grotto itself is not 
 worth seeing. 
 
 Frequently in the evening I went to visit an Arab family, 
 when I would sit upon the top of the tower and enjoy the sight 
 of the beautiful sunset. 
 
 A very strong military force was posted at Beyrout, consisting 
 entirely of Arnauts. They had pitched their tents outside the 
 town, which thus wore the appearance of a camp. Many of these 
 towns do not contain barracks ; and as the soldiers are not here 
 quartered hi private houses, they are compelled to bivouack ha the 
 open field. 
 
 The bazaar is very large and straggling. On one occasion I 
 had the misfortune to lose myself among its numerous lanes, from 
 which it took me some time to extricate myself; I had an oppor- 
 tunity of seeing many of the articles of merchandise, and an im- 
 mense number of shops, but none which contained any thing very 
 remarkable. Once more I found how prone people are to exagge- 
 rate. I had been warned to abstain from walking in the streets, 
 and, above all, to avoid venturing into the bazaar. I neglected 
 both pieces of advice, and walked out once or twice every day 
 during my stay, without once meeting with an adventure of any 
 kind. 
 
 I had already been at Beyrout ten long, long days, and still 
 no opportunity offered of getting to Alexandria. But at the end 
 of June the worthy artist Saltier, whose acquaintance I had made 
 at Constantinople, arrived here. He found me out, and proposed 
 that I should travel to Damascus with Count Berchtold, a French
 
 176 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 gentleman of the name of De Rousseau, and himself, instead of 
 wasting my time here. This proposition was a welcome one to 
 me, for I ardently desired to be released from my fowls" nest. 
 My arrangements were soon completed, for I took nothing with 
 me except some linen and a mattress, which were packed on my 
 horse's back. 
 
 JOURNEY FROM BEYROCT TO DAMASCUS, BALBECK, AXD 
 
 MOCXT LEBANON. 
 
 July 1st. 
 
 At one o'clock in the afternoon we were all assembled before 
 tLe door of M. Battista's inn, and an hour later we were in our 
 saddles hastening towards the town-gate. At first we rode through 
 a deep sea of sand surrounding the town; but soon we reached the 
 beautiful valley which lies stretched at the foot of the Anti-Libanus, 
 and afterwards proceeded towards the range by pleasant paths, 
 shaded by pine- woods and mulberry-plantations. 
 
 But now the ascent of the magnificent Anti-Libanus became 
 steeper and more dangerous, as we advanced on rocky paths, often 
 scarcely a foot in breadth, and frequently crossed by fissures and 
 brooklets. Some time elapsed before I could quite subdue my 
 fear, and could deliver myself wholly up to the delight of contem- 
 plating these grand scenes, so completely new to us Europeans, 
 leaving my horse, which planted its feet firmly and without once 
 stumbling among the blocks of stone lying loosely on each other, 
 to carry me as its instinct directed ; for these horses are exceed- 
 ingly careful, being well used to these dangerous roads. We 
 could not help laughing heartily at our French companion, who 
 could not screw up his courage sufficiently to remain on his horse 
 at the very dangerous points. At first he always dismounted when 
 we came to such a spot ; but at length he grew weary of eternally 
 mounting and dismounting, and conquered his fear, particularly 
 when he observed that we depended so entirely on the sagacity 
 of our steeds, and gave ourselves completely up to the con-
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 177 
 
 templation of the mountains around us. It is impossible adequately 
 to describe the incomparable forms of this mountain-range. The 
 giant rocks, piled one above the other, glow with the richest 
 colours ; lovely green valleys lie scattered between ; while nume- 
 rous villages are seen, sometimes standing isolated on the rocks, 
 and at others peering forth from among the deep shade of the 
 olive and mulberry trees. 
 
 The sun sinking into the sea shot its last rays through the 
 clear pure air towards the highest peaks of the mighty rocks. 
 Every thing united to form a picture which when once seen can 
 never be forgotten. 
 
 The tints of the rocky masses are peculiarly remarkable ; 
 exhibiting not only the primary colours, but many gradations, such 
 as bluish-green, violet, c. Many rocks were covered with a red 
 coating resembling cinnabar, in several places we found small 
 veins of pure sulphur, and each moment something new and won- 
 derful met our gaze. The five hours which we occupied in riding 
 from Beyrout to the village of Elhemsin passed like five minutes. 
 The khan of Elhemsin was already occupied by a caravan bring- 
 ing wares and fruit from Damascus, so that we had nothing for it 
 but to raise our tent and encamp beneath it. 
 
 July 2d. 
 
 The rising sun found us prepared for departure, and soon we 
 had reached an acclivity from whence we enjoyed a magnificent 
 view. Before us rose the lofty peaks of Lebanon and Anti-Libanus, 
 partly covered with snow ; while behind us the mountains, rich in 
 vineyards, olive-plantations, and pine-woods, stretched downward 
 to the sea-shore. We had mounted to such a height, that the 
 clouds soaring above the sea and the town of Beyrout lay far be- 
 neath us, shrouding the city from our gaze. 
 
 Vineyards are very common on these mountains. The vines 
 do not, however, cling round trees for support, nor are they 
 trained up poles as in Austria ; they grow almost mid, the stem 
 
 M
 
 178 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 shooting upwards to a short distance from the ground, towards 
 which the vine then bends. The wine made on these mountains 
 is of excellent quality, rather sweet in flavour, of a golden -yellow 
 colour, and exceedingly fiery. 
 
 "VWstill continued to climb, without experiencing much incon- 
 venience from the heat, up a fearful dizzy path, over rocks and 
 stones, and past frightful chasms. Our leathern bottles were here 
 useless to us, for we had no lack of water ; from every crevice in 
 the rocks a clear crystal flood gushed forth, in which the gorge- 
 ously-coloured masses of stone were beautifully mirrored. 
 
 After a very fatiguing ride of five hours we at length reached the 
 ridge of the Anti-Libanus, where we found a khan, and allowed 
 ourselves an hour's rest. The view from tlu's point is very splen- 
 did. The two loftiest mountain-ridges of Lebanon and Anti-Li- 
 banus enclose between them a valley which may be about six miles 
 long, and ten or twelve broad. Our way led across the moun- 
 tain's brow and down into this picturesque valley, through which 
 we journeyed for some miles to the village of Maschdalanscher, 
 in the neighbourhood of which place we pitched our tents. 
 
 It is, of course, seldom that a European woman is seen in 
 these regions, and thus I seemed to be quite a spectacle to the 
 inhabitants; at every place where we halted many women and 
 children would gather round me, busily feeling my dress, put- 
 ting on my straw hat, and looking at me from ah 1 sides, while 
 they endeavoured to converse with me by signs. If they hap- 
 pened to have any thing eatable at hand, such as cucumbers, 
 fruits, or articles of that description, they never failed to offer 
 them with the greatest good-nature, and seemed highly rejoiced 
 when I accepted some. On the present evening several of these 
 people were assembled round me, and I had an opportunity of 
 noticing the costume of this mountain tribe. Excepting the 
 head-dress, it is the same as that worn throughout all Palestine, 
 and indeed in the whole of Syria ; the women have blue gowns, 
 and the men white blouses, wide trousers, and a sash: some-
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 179 
 
 times the women wear spencers, and the more wealthy among 
 them even display caftans and turbans. The head-dress of the 
 women is very original, but does not look remarkably becoming. 
 They wear on then- foreheads a tin horn more than a foot in 
 length, and over this a white haudkercliief, fastened at the back 
 and hanging down in folds. This rule, however, only applies to 
 the wealthier portion of the community, which is here limited 
 enough. The poorer women wear a much smaller horn, over 
 which they display an exceedingly dingy handkerchief. During 
 working hours they ordinarily divest themselves of these orna- 
 ments, as they would render it impossible to carry loads on the 
 head. The rich inhabitants of the mountains, both male and 
 female, dress in the Oriental fashion ; but the women still retain 
 the horn, which is then made of silver. 
 
 The village of Maschdalanscher is built of clay huts thatched 
 with straw. I saw many goats and horned cattle, and a good 
 store of corn lay piled up before the doors. 
 
 We were assured that the roads through the mountains in- 
 habited by the Druses and Maronites were very unsafe, and we 
 were strongly urged to take an escort with us; but as we met 
 caravans almost every hour, we considered this an unnecessary 
 precaution, and arrived safely without adventure of any kind at 
 Damascus. 
 
 July 3d. 
 
 This morning we rode at first over a very good road, till at 
 length we came upon a ravine, which seemed hardly to afford us 
 room to pass. Closer and more closely yet did the rocky masses 
 approach each other, as we passed amongst the loose shingle 
 over the dry bed of a river. Frequently the space hardly ad- 
 mitted of our stepping aside to allow the caravans we met to pass 
 us. Sometimes we thought, after having painfully laboured through 
 a ravine of this kind, that we should emerge into the open field ; 
 but each time it was only to enter a wilder and more desert pass.
 
 180 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 So we proceeded for some hours, till the rocky masses changed to 
 heaps of sand, and every trace of vegetation disappeared. At 
 length we had climbed the last hill, and Damascus, " the vaunted 
 city of the East," lay before us. 
 
 It is certainly a striking sight when, escaping from the inhos- 
 pitable domains of the mountain and the sandhill, we see stretched 
 at our feet a great and luxuriant valley, forming in the freshness 
 of its vegetation a singular contrast to the desert region around. 
 In this valley, amid gardens and trees innumerable, extends the 
 town, with its pretty mosques and slender lofty minarets ; but I 
 was far from finding the scene so charming that I could have ex- 
 claimed with other travellers, " This is the most beauteous spot 
 on earth !" 
 
 The plain in which Damascus lies runs on at the foot of the 
 Anti-Libanus as far as the mountain of Scheik, and is shut in on 
 three sides by sandhills of an incomparably dreary appearance. 
 On the fourth side the plain loses itself in the sandy desert. This 
 valley is exceedingly well watered by springs descending from all 
 the mountains, which we could not, however, see on our approach ; 
 but no river exists here. The water rushes forth but to dis- 
 appear beneath the sand, and displays its richness only in the 
 town and its immediate neighbourhood. 
 
 From the hill whence we had obtained the first view of Da- 
 mascus, we have still a good two miles to ride before we reach 
 the plantations. These are large gardens of mish-mish, walnut, 
 pomegranate, orange, and lemon trees, fenced in with clay walls, 
 traversed by long broad streets, and watered by bubbling brooks. 
 For a long time we journeyed on in the shade of these fruitful 
 woods, till at length we entered the town through a large gate. 
 Our enthusiastic conceptions of this renowned^ city were more and 
 more toned down as we continued to advance. 
 
 The houses in Damascus are almost all built of clay and earth, 
 and many ugly wooden gables and heavy window-frames give a 
 disagreeable ponderous air to the whole. Damascus is divided
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 181 
 
 into several parts by gates, which are closed soon after sunset. 
 We passed through a number of these gates, and also through the 
 greater portion of the bazaar, on our road to the Franciscan con- 
 vent. 
 
 We had this day accomplished a journey of more than twenty- 
 four miles, in a temperature of 35 to 36 Reaum., and had suf- 
 fered much from the scorching wind, which came laden with par- 
 ticles of dust. Our faces were so browned, that we might easily 
 have been taken for descendants of the Bedouins. This was the 
 only day that I felt my eyes affected by the glare. 
 
 Although we were much fatigued on arriving at the convent, 
 the first tiling we did, after cleansing ourselves from dust and 
 washing our burning eyes, was to hasten to the French and Eng- 
 lish consuls, so eager were we to see the interior of some of these 
 clay huts. 
 
 A low door brought us into a passage leading to a large yard. 
 We could have fancied ourselves transported by magic to the scene 
 of one of the fantastic " Arabian Nights," for all the glory of the 
 East seemed spread before our delighted gaze. In the midst of 
 the courtyard, which was paved with large stones, a large reser- 
 voir, with a sparkling fountain, spread a delightful coolness around. 
 Orange and lemon trees dipped their golden fruit into the crystal 
 flood ; while at the sides flower-beds, filled with fragrant roses, 
 balsams, oleanders, &c., extended to the stairs leading to th e 
 reception-room. Every tiling seemed to have been done that 
 could contribute to ornament this large and lofty apartment, 
 which opened into the courtyard. Swelling divans, covered with 
 the richest stuffs, lined the walls, which, tastefully ornamented 
 with mirrors and painted and sculptured arabesques, and further 
 decked with mosaic and gilding, displayed a magnificence of which 
 I could not have formed a conception. In the foreground of this 
 fairy apartment a jet of water shot upwards from a marble basin. 
 The floor was also of marble, forming beautiful pictures in the 
 most varied colours ; and over the whole scene was spread that
 
 182 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 charm so peculiar to the Orientals, a charm combining the 
 tasteful with the rich and gorgeous. The apartment in which 
 the women dwell, and where they receive their more confidential 
 visitors, are similar to the one I have just described, except that 
 they are smaller, less richly furnished, and completely open in 
 front. The remaining apartments also look into the courtyard ; 
 they are simply, but comfortably and prettily arranged. 
 
 All the houses of the Orientals are similar to this one, except 
 that the apartments of the women open into another courtyard 
 than those of the men. 
 
 After examining and admiring every tiling to our heart's con- 
 tent, we returned to our hospitable convent. This evening the 
 clerical gentlemen entertained us. A tolerably nice meal, with 
 wine and good bread, restored our exhausted energies to a certain 
 extent. 
 
 At Beyrout we were quite alarmed at the warnings we re- 
 ceived concerning the numbers of certain creeping things we 
 should find here in the bedsteads. I therefore betook myself 
 to bed with many qualms and misgivings ; but I slept undisturbed, 
 both on this night and on the following one.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 183 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 The bazaar at Damascus The khan Grotto of St. Paul Fanaticism of the 
 inhabitants Departure from Damascus The desert Military escort 
 Heliopolis or Balbeck Stupendous ruins Continuation of our 
 voyage through the desert The plague The Lebanon range Cedar- 
 trees Druses and Maronites Importunate beggars Thievish pro- 
 pensities of the Arabs. 
 
 July 4th, 
 
 DAMASCUS is one of the most ancient cities of the East, but 
 yet we see no ruins ; a proof that no grand buildings ever 
 existed here, and that therefore the houses, as they became old 
 and useless, were replaced by new ones. 
 
 To-day we visited the seat of all the riches the great bazaar. 
 It is mostly covered in, but only with beams and straw mats. 
 On both sides are rows of wooden booths, containing all kinds of 
 articles, but a great preponderance of eatables, which are sold at 
 an extraordinarily cheap rate. We found the " mish-mish" par- 
 ticularly good. 
 
 As hi Constantinople, the rarest and most costly of the wares 
 are not exposed for sale, but must be sought for in closed store- 
 houses. The booths look like inferior hucksters' shops, and each 
 merchant is seen sitting in the midst of his goods. We passed 
 hastily through the bazaar, in order soon to reach the great 
 mosque, situate in the midst of it. As we were forbidden, how- 
 ever, not only to enter the mosque, but even the courtyard, we 
 were obliged to content ourselves with wondering at the immense 
 portals, and stealing furtive glances at the interior of the open
 
 184 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 space beyond. This mosque was originally a Christian church ; 
 and a legend tells that St. George was decapitated here. 
 
 The khan, also situate in the midst of the bazaar, is pecu- 
 liarly fine, and is said to be the best in all the East. The high 
 and boldly-arched portal is covered with marble, and enriched 
 with beautiful sculptures. The ulterior forms a vast rotunda, 
 surrounded by galleries, divided from each other, and furnished 
 with writing-tables for the use of the merchants. Below in the 
 hall the bales and chests are piled up, and at the side are apart- 
 ments for travelling dealers. The greater portion of the floor and 
 the walls is covered with marble. 
 
 Altogether, marble seems to be much sought after at Damascus. 
 Every thing that passes for beautiful or valuable is either entirely 
 composed of this stone, or at least is inlaid with it. Thus a pretty 
 fountain in a h'ttle square near the bazaar is of marble; and a 
 coffee-house opposite the fountain, the largest and most fre- 
 quented of any in Damascus, is ornamented with a fe\v small 
 marble pillars. But all these buildings, not even .excepting the 
 great bathing-house, would be far less praised and looked at if 
 they stood in a better neighbourhood. As the case i, however, 
 they shine forth nobly from among the clay houses of Damascus. 
 
 In the afternoon we visited the Grotto of St. Paul, lying im- 
 mediately outside the town. On the ramparts we were shewn 
 the place where the apostle is said to have leaped from the wall 
 on horseback, reaching the ground in safety, and taking refuge 
 from his enemies in the neighbouring grotto, which is said to 
 have closed behind him by miracle, and not to have opened again 
 until his persecutors had ceased their pursuit. At present, nothing 
 is to be seen of this grotto excepting a small stone archway, 
 like that of a bridge. Tombs of modern date, consisting of vaults 
 covered with large blocks of stone, are very numerous near this 
 grotto. 
 
 We paid several more visits, and every where found great 
 pomp of inner arrangement and decoration, varying of course in
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 185 
 
 different houses. We were always served with coffee, sherbet, 
 and argils' ; and in the houses of the Turks a dreary conversation 
 was canied on through the medium of an interpreter. 
 
 Walks and places of amusement there are none. The number 
 of Franks resident here is too small to call for a place of general 
 recreation, and the Turk never feels a want of this kind. The 
 most he does is to saunter slowly from the bath to the coffee- 
 house, and there to kill his tune with the help of a pipe and a 
 cup of coffee, staring vacantly on the ground before him. Although 
 the coffee-houses are more frequented than any other buildings in 
 the East, they are often miserable sheds, being all small, and 
 generally built only of wood. 
 
 The inhabitants of Damascus wear the usual Oriental garb, 
 but as a rule I thought them better dressed than in any Eastern 
 town. Some of the women are veiled, but others go abroad with 
 their faces uncovered. I saw here some very attractive counte- 
 nances ; and an unusual number of lovely children's heads looked 
 at me from all sides with an inquisitive smile. 
 
 In reference to religious matters, these people seem very fana- 
 tical ; they particularly dislike strangers. For instance, the painter 
 S. wished to make sketches of the khan, the fountain, and a few 
 other interesting objects or views. For this purpose he sat down 
 before the great coffee-house to begin with the fountain ; but 
 scarcely had he opened his portfolio before a crowd of curious 
 idlers had gathered around him, who, as soon as they saw his in- 
 tention, began to annoy him in every possible way. They pushed 
 the children who stood near against him, so that he received a 
 shock every moment, and was hindered in his drawing. As he 
 continued to work in spite of their rudeness, several Turks came 
 and stood directly before the painter, to prevent him from seeing 
 the fountain. On his still continuing to persevere, they began to 
 spit upon him. It was now high time to be gone, and so INIr. S. 
 hastily gathered his materials together and turned to depart. Then 
 the rage of the rabble broke noisily forth. They followed the
 
 186 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 artist yelling and screaming, and a few even threw stones at him. 
 Luckily he succeeded in reaching our convent unharmed. 
 
 Mr. S. had been allowed to draw without opposition at Con- 
 stantinople, Brussa, Ephesus, and several other cities of the East, 
 but here he was obliged to flee. Such is the disposition of these 
 people, whom many describe as being so friendly. 
 
 The following morning at sunrise Mr. S. betook himself to 
 the terrace of the convent, to make a sketch of the town. Here 
 too he was discovered, but luckily not until he had been at work 
 some hours, and had almost completed his task ; so that as soon 
 as the first stone came flying towards him, he was able quietly to 
 evacuate the field. 
 
 July 5th. 
 
 Iii Damascus we met Count Zichy, who had arrived there 
 with his servants a few days before ourselves, and intended con- 
 tinuing his journey to Balbeck to-day. 
 
 Count Zichy's original intention had been to make an excur- 
 sion from this place to the celebrated town of Palmyra, an under- 
 taking which would have occupied ten days. He therefore applied 
 to the pacha for a sufficient escort for his excursion. This request 
 was, however, refused ; the pacha observing, that he had ceased for 
 some time to allow travellers to undertake this dangerous journey, 
 as until now all strangers had been plundered by the wandering 
 Arabs, and in some instances men had even been murdered. The 
 pacha added, that it was not in his power to furnish so large an 
 escort as would be required to render this journey safe, by en- 
 abling the travellers to resist all aggressions. After receiving this 
 answer, Count Zichy communicated with some Bedouin chiefs, 
 who could not guarantee a safe journey, but nevertheless required 
 6000 piastres for accompanying him. Thus it became necessary 
 to give up the idea altogether, and to proceed instead to Balbeck 
 and to the heights of Lebanon. 
 
 At the hour of noon we rode out of the gate of Damascus 
 in company with Count Zichy. The thermometer stood at 40
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 187 
 
 Reaumur. Our procession presented quite a splendid appearance ; 
 for the pacha had sent a guard of honour to escort the Count to 
 Balbeck, to testify his respect for a relation of Prince M . 
 
 At first our way led through a portion of the bazaar ; after- 
 wards we reached a large and splendid street which traverses the 
 entire city, and is said to be more than four miles in length. It 
 is so broad, that three carriages can pass each other with ease, 
 without annoyance to the pedestrians. It is a pity that this 
 street, which is probably the finest in the whole kingdom, should 
 be so little used, for carriages are not seen here any more than in 
 the remaining portion of Syria. 
 
 Scarcely have we quitted this road, before we are riding through 
 gardens and meadows, among which the country-houses of the 
 citizens lie scattered here and there. On this side of the city 
 springs also gush forth and water the fresh groves and the grassy 
 sward. A stone bridge, of very simple construction, led us across 
 the largest stream in the neighbourhood, the Barada, which is, 
 however, neither so broad nor so full of water as the Jordan. 
 
 But soon we had left these smiling scenes behind us, and were 
 wending our way towards the lonely desert. We passed several 
 sepulchres, a number of which lie scattered over the sandy hills 
 and plains round us. On the summit of one of these hills a 
 little monument was pointed out to us, with the assertion that it 
 was the grave of Abraham. We now rode for hours over flats, 
 hills, and ridges of sand and loose stones ; and this day's journey 
 was as fatiguing as that of our arrival at Damascus. From twelve 
 o'clock at noon until about five in the evening we continued our 
 journey through this wilderness, suffering lamentably from the 
 heat. But now the wilderness was passed ; and suddenly a pic- 
 ture so lovely and grand unfolded itself before our gaze, that we 
 could have fancied ourselves transported to the romantic vales of 
 Switzerland. A valley enriched with every charm of nature, and 
 shut in by gigantic rocks of marvellous and fantastic forms, opened 
 at our feet. A mountain torrent gushed from rock to reck, foam-
 
 188 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 ing and chafing among mighty blocks of stone, which, hurled from 
 above, had here found their resting-place. A natural rocky bridge 
 led across the roaring flood. Many a friendly hut, the inhabitants 
 of which looked forth with stealthy curiosity upon the strange 
 visitors, lay half hidden between the lofty walls. And so our 
 way continued ; valley lay bordered on valley, and the little river 
 which ran bubbling by the roadside led us past gardens and vil- 
 lages, through a region of surpassing loveliness, to the great village 
 of Zabdeni, where we at length halted, after an uninterrupted ride 
 of ten hours and a half. 
 
 The escort which accompanied us consisted of twelve men, 
 with a superior and a petty officer. These troopers looked very 
 picturesque when, as we travelled along the level road, they went 
 through some small manoeuvres for our amusement, rushing along 
 on their swift steeds and attacking each other, one party flying 
 across the plain, and the other pursuing them as victors. 
 
 The character of these children of nature is, on the whole, a 
 very amiable one. They behaved towards us in an exceedingly 
 friendly and courteous manner, bringing us fruit and water when- 
 ever they could procure them, leading us carefully by the safest 
 roads, and shewing us as much attention as any European could 
 have done. But their idea of mine and thine does not always 
 appear to be very clearly defined. Once, for instance, we passed 
 through fields in which grew a plant resembling our pea, on a 
 reduced scale. Each plant contained several pods, and each pod 
 two peas. Our escort picked a large quantity, ate the fruit with 
 an appearance of great relish, and very politely gave us a share of 
 their prize. I found these peas less tender and eatable than those 
 of my own country, and returned them to the soldier who had 
 offered them to me, observing at the same time that I would 
 rather have had mish-mish. On hearing this he immediately 
 galloped off, and shortly afterwards returned with a whole cargo 
 of mish-mish and little apples, which had probably been borrowed 
 for an indefinite period from one of the neighbouring gardens. I
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 189 
 
 mention these little circumstances, as they appeared to me to be 
 characteristic. On the one hand, Mr. S. had heen threatened 
 with the fate of St. Stephen for wishing to make a few sketches ; 
 and yet, on the other, these people were so kind and so ready to 
 oblige. 
 
 This region produces abundance of fruit, and is particularly 
 rich in mish-mish, or apricots. The finest of these are dried; 
 while those which are over-ripe, or half decayed, are boiled to a 
 pulp in large pots, and afterwards spread to dry on long smooth 
 boards, in the form of cakes, about half an inch in thickness. 
 These cakes, which look like coarse brown leather, are after- 
 wards folded up, and form, together with the dried mish-mish, a 
 staple article of commerce, which is exported far and wide. In 
 Constantinople, and even in Servia, I saw cakes of this description 
 which came from these parts. 
 
 The Turks are particularly fond of taking this dried pulp 
 with them on their journeys. They cut it into little pieces, which 
 they afterwards leave for several hours in a cup of water to dis- 
 solve ; it then forms a really aromatic and refreshing drink, which 
 they partake of with bread. 
 
 From Damascus to Balbeck is a ride of eighteen hours. Count 
 Zichy wished to be in Balbeck by the next day at noon ; we 
 therefore had but a short night's rest. 
 
 The night was so mild and beautiful, that we did not want 
 the tents at all, but lay down on the bank of a streamlet, beneath 
 the shade of a large tree. For a long time sleep refused to visit 
 us, for our encampment was opposite to a coffee-house, where a 
 great hubbub was kept up until a very late hour. Small caravans 
 were continually arriving or departing, and so there was no chance 
 of rest. At length we dropped quietly asleep from very weari- 
 ness, to be awakened a few hours afterwards to start once more 
 
 on our arduous journey. 
 
 July 6th. 
 
 We rode without halting for eight hours, sometimes through
 
 190 VISIT TO THE HOLY 
 
 pleasant valleys, at others over barren unvarying regions, upon 
 and between the heights of the Anti-Libanus. At the hour of 
 noon we reached the last hill, and 
 
 HELIOPOLIS OH BALBECK, 
 
 the " city of the sun," lay stretched before us. 
 
 We entered a valley shut hi by the highest snow-covered peaks 
 of Lebanon and Anti-Libanus, more than six miles in breadth 
 and fourteen or sixteen miles long, belonging to Caelosyria. Many 
 travellers praise this vale as one of the most beautiful in all 
 Syria. 
 
 It certainly deserves the title of the ' most remarkable' valley, 
 for excepting at Thebes and Palmyra we may search in vain for 
 the grand antique ruins which are here met with ; the title of the 
 ' most beautifiil' does not, according to my idea, appertain to it. 
 The mountains around are desert and bare. The immeasurable 
 plain is sparingly cultivated, and still more thinly peopled. With 
 the exception of the town of Balbeck, which has arisen from the 
 rums of the ancient city, not a village nor a hut is to be seen. 
 The com, which still partly covered the fields, looked stunted and 
 poor ; the beds of the streams were dry, and the grass was burnt 
 up. The majestic ruins, which become visible directly the brow 
 of the last hill is gained, atone hi a measure for these drawbacks ; 
 but we were not satisfied, for we had expected to see much more 
 than met our gaze. 
 
 We wended our way along stony paths, past several quarries, 
 towards the rums. On reaching these quarries we dismounted, 
 to obtain a closer view of them. In the light hand one lies a 
 colossal block of stone, cut and shaped on all sides ; it is sixty feet 
 in length, eighteen hi breadth, and thirteen in diameter. This 
 giant block was probably intended to form part of the Cyclops wall 
 surrounding the Temple of the Sun, for we afterwards noticed 
 several stones of equal length and breadth among the ruins.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 191 
 
 Another to the left side of the road was remarkable for several 
 grottoes and fragments of rock picturesquely grouped. 
 
 We had sent our horses on to the convent, and now hastened 
 towards the ruined temples. At the foot of a little acclivity a wall 
 rose lofty and majestic ; it was constructed of colossal blocks of 
 rock, which seemed to rest firmly upon each other by their own 
 weight, without requiring the aid of mortar. Three of these 
 stones were exactly the size of one we had seen in the quarry. 
 Many appeared to be sixty feet in length, and broad and thick in 
 proportion. This is the Cyclops wall surrounding the hill on which 
 the temples stand. A difficult path, over piled-up fragments of 
 marble and pieces of rock and rubbish, serves as a natural rampart 
 against the intrusion of camels and horses ; and this circumstance 
 alone has prevented these sanctuaries of the heathen deities from 
 being converted into duty stables. 
 
 When we had once passed tin's obstruction, delight and wonder 
 arrested our footsteps. For some moments our glances wandered 
 irresolutely from point to point ; we could fix our attention on 
 nothing, so great was the number of beauties surrounding us : 
 splendid architecture arches rising boldly into the air, supported 
 on lofty pillars every thing wore an air so severely classic, and 
 yet all was gorgeously elegant, and at the same tune perfectly 
 tasteful. 
 
 At first we reviewed every thing in a very hasty manner, for 
 our impulse hurried us along, and we wished to take in every 
 tiling at one glance. Afterwards we began a new and a more 
 deliberate survey. 
 
 As we enter a large open courtyard, our eye is caught by 
 numerous pieces of marble and fragments of columns, some of the 
 latter resting on tastefully sculptured plinths. Almost every 
 thing here is prostrate, covered with rubbish and broken frag- 
 ments, but yet all looks grand and majestic in its ruin. We next 
 enter a second and a larger courtyard, above two hundred paces 
 in length and about a hundred in breadth. Round the walls are
 
 192 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 niches cut in marble, and ornamented with the prettiest arabesques. 
 These niches were probably occupied in former times by statues 
 of the numerous heathen gods. Behind these are little cells, the 
 dwellings of the priests ; and in the foreground rise six Corinthian 
 pillars, the only trace left of the great Temple of the Sun. These 
 six pillars, which have hitherto bid defiance to time, devastation, 
 and earthquakes, are supposed to be the loftiest and most mag- 
 nificent in the world. Nearly seventy feet in height, each pillar 
 a rocky colossus, resting on a basement twenty-seven feet high, 
 covered with excellent workmanship, a masterpiece of ancient 
 architecture, they tower above the Cyclops wall, and look far 
 away into the distance giant monuments of the hoary past. 
 
 How vast this temple must originally have been is shewn by 
 the remaining pedestals, from which the pillars have fallen, and 
 lay strewed around in weather-stained fragments. I counted 
 twenty such pedestals along the length of the temple, and ten 
 across its breadth. 
 
 The lesser temple, separated from the greater merely by a 
 wall, lies deeper and more sheltered from the wind and weather ; 
 consequently it is in better preservation. A covered hall, resting 
 on pillars fifty feet in height, leads round this temple. Statues of 
 gods and heroes, beautifully sculptured in marble, and surrounded 
 by arabesques, deck the lofty arches of this corridor. The pillars 
 consist of three pieces fastened together with such amazing strength, 
 that when the last earthquake threw down a column it did not 
 break, but fell with its top buried hi the earth, where it is seen 
 leaning its majestic height against a hill. 
 
 From this hall we pass through a splendid portal into the in- 
 terior of the little sanctuary. An eagle with outspread wings 
 overshadows the upper part of the gate, which is thirty feet in 
 height by twenty hi breadth. The two sides are enriched with 
 small figures prettily executed, in a tastefully-carved border of 
 flowers, fruit, ears of corn, and arabesques. This portal is hi very 
 good preservation, excepting that the keystone has slipped from
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 19O 
 
 its place, and hangs threateningly over the entrance, to the terror 
 of all who pass beneath. But we entered and afterwards returned 
 unhurt, and many will yet pass unharmed like ourselves beneath 
 the loose stone. We shall have returned to dust, while the pen- 
 dent mass will still see generation after generation roll on. 
 
 This lesser temple would not look small by any means, were 
 it not for its colossal neighbour. On one side nine, and on the 
 other six pillars are still erect, besides several pedestals from 
 which the pillars have fallen. Walls, niches, every thing around 
 us, in fact, is of marble, enriched with sculptured work of every 
 land. The sanctuary of the Sun is separated from the nave of the 
 temple by a row of pillars, most of them prostrate. 
 
 To judge from what remains of both these temples, they 
 must originally have been decorated with profuse splendour. The 
 costliest statues and bas-reliefs, sculptured in a stone resembling 
 marble, once filled the niches and halls, and the remains of tasteful 
 ornaments and arabesques bear witness to the luxury which once 
 existed here. The only fault seems to have been a redundancy of 
 decoration. 
 
 A subterranean vaulted passage, two hundred and fifty paces 
 in length and thirty in breadth, traverses this temple. In the 
 midst of this walk a colossal head is hewn out of the rocky ceiliug 
 representing probably some hero of antiquity. This place is now 
 converted into a stable for horses and camels ! 
 
 The little brook Litany winds round the foot of the hill on 
 which these ruins stand. 
 
 We had been cautioned at Damascus to abstain from wander- 
 ing alone among thes'e temples ; but our interest in all we saw was 
 so great that we forgot the warning and our fears, and hastened to 
 and fro without the least protection. We spent several hours here, 
 exploring every corner, and meeting no one but a few curious in- 
 habitants, who wished to see the newly-arrived Franks. Herr S. 
 even wandered through the ruins at night quite alone, without 
 meeting with an adventure of any kind.
 
 194 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 I am almost inclined to think that travellers sometimes detail 
 attacks by robbers, and dangers which they have not experienced, 
 in order to render their narrative more interesting. My journey 
 was a very long one through very dangerous regions; on some 
 occasions I travelled alone with only one Arab servant, and yet 
 nothing serious ever happened to me. 
 
 Heliopolis is in such a ruined state, that no estimate can be 
 formed of the pristine size and splendour of this celebrated town. 
 Excepting the two temples of the Sun, and a very small building 
 in their vicinity, built in a circular form and richly covered with 
 sculpture and arabesques, and a few broken pillars, not a trace of 
 the ancient city remains. 
 
 The present town of Balbeck is partly built on the site occu- 
 pied by its predecessor ; it lies to the right of the temples, and con- 
 sists of a heap of small wretched-looking houses and huts. The 
 largest buildings in the place are the convent and the barracks ; 
 the latter of these presents an exceedingly ridiculous appearance ; 
 fragments of ancient pillars, statues, friezes, &c. having been col- 
 lected from all sides, and put together to form a modern building 
 according to Turkish notions of taste. 
 
 We were received into the convent, but could command no 
 further accommodation than an empty room and a few straw mats. 
 Our attendant brought us pilau, the every-day dish of the East ; 
 but to-day he surprised us with a boiled fowl, buried beneath a 
 heap of the Turkish fare. Count Zicby added a few bottles of 
 excellent wine from Lebanon to the feast ; and so we sat down to 
 dinner without tables or chairs, as merry as mortals need desire 
 to be. 
 
 Here, as in most other Eastern towns, I had only to step out 
 on the terrace-roof of the house to cause a crowd of old and 
 young to collect, eager to see a Frankish woman in the costume 
 of her country. Whoever wishes to create a sensation, without 
 possessing either genius or talent, has only to betake himself, 
 without loss of time, to the East, and he will have his ambition
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 195 
 
 gratified to the fullest extent. But whoever has as great an ob- 
 jection to being stared at as I have, will easily understand that I 
 reckoned this among the greatest inconveniences of my journey. 
 
 July 7th. 
 
 At five o'clock in the morning we again mounted our horses, 
 and rode for three hours through an immense plain, where notliing 
 was to be seen but scattered columns, towards the foremost pro- 
 montories of the Lebanon range. The road towards the heights 
 was sufficiently good and easy ; we were little disturbed by the 
 heat, and brooks caused by the thawing of snow-fields afforded 
 us most grateful refreshment. In the middle of the day we took 
 an hour's nap under the shady trees beside a gushing stream ; then 
 we proceeded to climb the heights. As we journeyed onwards 
 the trees became fewer and farther between, until at length no 
 soil was left in which they could grow. 
 
 The way was so confined by chasms and abysses on the one 
 side, and walls of rock on the other, that there was scarcely room 
 for a horse to pass. Suddenly a loud voice before us cried, " Halt !" 
 Startled by the sound, we looked up to find that the call came 
 from a soldier, who was escorting a woman afflicted with the 
 plague from a village where she had been the first victim of the 
 terrible disease to another where it was raging fearfully. It was 
 impossible to turn aside ; so the soldier had no resource but to 
 drag the sick person some paces up the steep rocky wall, and then 
 we had to pass close by her. The soldier called out to us to 
 cover our mouths and noses. He himself had anointed the lower 
 part of his face with tar, as a preventive against contagion. 
 
 This was the first plague-stricken person I had seen ; and as 
 we were compelled to pass close by her, I had an opportunity of 
 observing the unfortunate creature closely. She was bound on 
 an ass, appeared resigned to her fate, and turned her sunken eyes 
 upon us with an aspect of indifference. I could see no trace of 
 the terrible disease, except a yellow appearance of the face. The
 
 196 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 soldier who accompanied her seemed as cool and indifferent as 
 though he -were walking beside a person in perfect health. 
 
 As the plague prevailed to a considerable extent throughout 
 the valleys of the Lebanon, we were frequently obliged to go some 
 distance out of our way to avoid the villages afflicted with the 
 scourge ; we usually encamped for the night in the open fields, 
 far from any habitation. 
 
 On the whole long distance from Balbeck to the cedars of 
 Lebanon we found not a human habitation, excepting a h'ttle 
 shepherd's hut near the mountains. Not more than a mile and a 
 half from the heights we came upon small fields of snow. Several 
 of our attendants dismounted and began a snow-balling match, 
 a wintry scene which reminded me of my fatherland. Although 
 we were travelling on snow, the temperature was so mild that not 
 one of our party put on a cloak. We could not imagine how it 
 was possible for snow to exist in such a high temperature. The 
 thermometer stood at 9 Reaumur. 
 
 A fatiguing and dangerous ride of five hours at length brought 
 us from the foot to the highest point of Mount Lebanon. Here, 
 for the first time, we can see the magnitude and the peculiar con- 
 struction of the range. 
 
 Steep walls of rock, with isolated villages scattered here and 
 there hike beehives, and built on natural rocky terraces, rise on 
 all sides ; deep valleys he between, contrasting beautifully in their 
 verdant freshness with the bare rocky barriers. Farther on lie 
 stretched elevated plateaux, with cows and goats feeding at inter- 
 vals ; and in the remote distance glitters a mighty stripe of bluish- 
 green, encircling the landscape like a broad girdle this is the 
 Mediterranean. On the flat extended coast several places can be 
 distinguished, among which the most remarkable is Tripoli. On 
 the right the " Grove of Cedars" lay at our feet. 
 
 . For a long time we stood on this spot, and turned and turned 
 again, for fear of losing any part of this gigantic panorama. On 
 one side the mountain-range, with its valleys, rocks, and gorges ;
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 197 
 
 on the other the immense plain of Caelosyria, on the verge of which 
 the ruins of the Sun-temple were visible, glittering in the noontide 
 rays. Then we climbed downwards and upwards, then downwards 
 once more, through ravines and over rocks, along a frightful path, 
 to a little grove of the far-famed cedars of Lebanon. In this di- 
 rection the peculiar pointed formation which constitutes the prin- 
 cipal charm of these mountains once more predominates. 
 
 The celebrated Grove of Cedars is distant about two miles 
 and a half from the summit of Lebanon ; it consists of between 
 five and six hundred trees : about twenty of these are very aged, 
 and five peculiarly large and fine specimens are said to have ex- 
 isted in the days of Solomon. One tree is more than twenty-five 
 feet hi circumference ; at about five feet from the ground it divides 
 into four portions, and forms as many good- sized trunks. 
 
 For more than an hour we rested beneath these ancient monu- 
 ments of the vegetable world. The setting sun warned us to de- 
 part speedily ; for our destination for the night was above three 
 miles away, and it was not prudent to travel on these fearful paths 
 in the darkness. 
 
 Our party here separated. Count Zichy proceeded with his 
 attendants to Huma, while the rest of us bent our course towards 
 Tripoli. After a hearty leave-taking, one company turned to the 
 right and the other to the left. 
 
 We had hardly held on our way for half an hour, before 
 one of the loveliest valleys I have ever beheld opened at our feet 
 immense and lofty walls of rock, of the most varied and fantastic 
 shapes, surrounded tin's fairy vale on all sides : hi the foreground 
 rose a gigantic table-rock, on which was built a beautiful village, 
 with a church smiling hi the midst. Suddenly the sound of chimes 
 was borne upwards towards us on the still clear air ; they were the 
 first I had heard in Syria. I cannot describe the feeling of delicious 
 emotion this familiar sound caused in me. The Turkish govern- 
 ment every where prohibits the ringing of bells ; but here on the
 
 198 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 mountains, among the free Maronites, every thing is free. The sound 
 of church-bells is a simple earnest music for Christian ears, too 
 intimately associated with the usages of our religion to be heard 
 with indifference. Here, so far from my native country, they 
 appeared like links hi the mysterious chain which binds the Chris- 
 tians of all countries in one unity. I felt, as it were, nearer to 
 my hearth and to my dear ones, who were, perhaps, at the same 
 moment listening to similar sounds, and thinking of the distant 
 wanderer. 
 
 The road leading into this valley was fearfully steep. We 
 were obliged to make a considerable detour round the lovely 
 village of Bscharai ; for the plague was raging there, which made 
 it forbidden ground for us. Some distance beyond the village we 
 pitched our camp beside a small stream. This night we suffered 
 much from cold and damp. 
 
 The inhabitants of Bscharai paid us a visit for the purpose of 
 demanding backsheesh. We had considerable difficulty in getting 
 rid of them, and were obliged almost to beat them off with sticks 
 to escape from their contagious touch. 
 
 The practice of begging is universal in the East. So soon as 
 an inhabitant comes in sight, he is sure to be holding out his hand. 
 In those parts where poverty is every where apparent, we cannot 
 wonder at this importunity ; but we are justly surprised when we 
 find it in these fruitful valleys, which offer every thing that man 
 can require ; where the inhabitants are well clothed, and where 
 their stone dwellings look cheerful and commodious ; where corn, 
 the grape-vine, the fig and mulberry tree, and even the valuable 
 potato-plant, which cannot flourish throughout the greater part of 
 Syria on account of the heat and the stony soil, are found hi 
 abundance. Every spot of earth is carefully cultivated and turned 
 to the best account, so that I could have fancied myself among the 
 industrious German peasantry ; and yet these free people beg and 
 steal quite as much as the Bedouins and Arabs. We were obliged
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 199 
 
 to keep a sharp watch on every thing. My riding-whip was stolen 
 almost before my very eyes, and one of the gentlemen had his 
 pocket picked of his handkerchief. 
 
 Our march to-day had been very fatiguing; we had ridden 
 for eleven hours, and the greater part of the road had been very 
 bad. The night brought us but little relaxation, for our cloaks 
 did not sufficiently protect us from the cold.
 
 200 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 The Lebanon Druses and Maronites Illness of Herr Sattler Djcbcl or 
 Byblus Rocky passes DogVriver Return to Beyrout Sickness 
 Departure for Alexandria Roguery of the captain Disagreeables on 
 board Limasol Alarm of pirates Cowardice of the crew Arrival 
 at Alexandria. 
 
 July Sth. 
 
 TO-DAY we quitted our cold hard couch at six o'clock in the 
 morning, and travelled agreeably for two hours through this 
 romantic valley, which appeared almost at every step in a new 
 aspect of increased beauty. Above the village a foaming stream 
 bursts from the mighty rocks in a beautiful waterfall, irrigates 
 the valley, and then vanishes imperceptibly among the windings 
 of the ravine. Brooks similar to this one, but smaller, leapt from 
 the mountains round about. On the rocky peaks we seem to be- 
 hold ruined castles and towers, but discover with astonishment, as 
 we approach nearer, that what we supposed to be nuns are delu- 
 sive pictures, formed by the wonderful masses of rock, grouped 
 one above the other in the most fantastic forms. In the depths 
 on the one side, grottoes upon grottoes are seen, some with their 
 entrances half concealed, others with gigantic portals, above which 
 the wild rocks tower high ; on the other a rich soil is spread in 
 the form of terraces on the rocky cliffs, forming a lovely picture 
 of refreshing vegetation. Had I been a painter, it would have 
 been difficult to tear me away from the contemplation of these 
 regions. 
 
 Below the greater waterfall a narrow stone bridge, without 
 balustrades or railing, leads across a deep ravine, through which 
 the stream rushes foaming, to the opposite shore. After having
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 201 
 
 once crossed, we enter upon a more inhabited tract of country, and 
 travel on between rows of houses and gardens. But many of the 
 houses stood empty, the inhabitants having fled into the fields, 
 and there erected huts of branches of trees, to escape the plague. 
 The IMaronites, the real inhabitants of these mountains, are 
 strong people, gifted with a determined will; they cannot be 
 easily brought under a foreign yoke, but are ready to defend their 
 liberty to the death among the natural strongholds of their rocky 
 passes. Their religion resembles that of the Christians, and their 
 priests are permitted to marry. The women do not wear veils, 
 but I saw few such handsome countenances among them as I 
 have frequently observed in the Tyrol. 
 
 On the first mountain-range of Lebanon, in the direction of 
 Cselosyria, many Druses are found, besides a few tribes of 
 " Mutualis." The former incline to the Christian faith, while 
 the latter are generally termed " calf- worshippers." They prac- 
 tise their religion so secretly, that nothing certain is known con- 
 cerning it ; the general supposition is, however, that they worship 
 their deity under the form of a calf. 
 
 Our way led onwards, for about six miles from Bscharai, 
 through the beautiful valleys of the Lebanon. Then the smil- 
 ing nature changed, and we were again wandering through 
 sterile regions. The heat, too, became very oppressive; but 
 every thing would have been borne cheerfully had there not been 
 an invalid among us. 
 
 Herr Sattler had felt rather unwell on the previous day ; to-day 
 he grew so much worse that he could not keep his seat in his 
 saddle, and fell to the ground half insensible. Luckily we found 
 a cistern not far off, and near it some trees, beneath which we 
 made a bed of cloaks for our sick friend. A little water mixed 
 with a few drops of strong vinegar restored him to consciousness. 
 After the lapse of an hour, the patient was indeed able to resume 
 his journey ; but lassitude, headache, and feverish shiverings still 
 remained, and we had a ride of many hours before us ere we could
 
 VEST! TO THE HOLT LAX3, 
 
 our resting-place for the night. From every hill we climbed 
 the ocean could be seen at so short a distance that we thought an 
 hoar's journeying must bring us there. But each time another 
 mountain thrust itself between, which it was necessary to climb. 
 So it went on for many hours, till at length we reached a small 
 valley with a lofty isolated mass of rock in the midst, crowned by 
 mined castle. The approach to this stronghold was by a flight 
 of stairs cut in the rock. From this point our journey lay at 
 least over a better road, between meadows and fruit-trees, to the 
 little town which we reached at night-iall. We had a long and 
 weary search before we could obtain for our sick comrade even a 
 room, destitute of every appearance of comfort. Poor Herr Sattler, 
 more dead than alive, was compelled, after a ride of thirteen 
 hours, to take up his lodging on the hard ground. The room was 
 perfectly bare, the windows were broken, and the door would not 
 lock. We were fain to search for a few boards, with which we 
 closed up the windows, that the sick man might at least be shel- 
 tered from the current of air. 
 
 I then prepared him a dish of rice with vinegar; this was 
 the only refreshment we were able to procure. 
 
 The rest of us lay down in the yard ; but the anxiety we fell 
 concerning our sick friend prevented us from sleeping much. He 
 exhibited every symptom of the plague ; in this short time his 
 countenance was quite changed ; violent headache and exhaustion 
 prevented him from moving, and the burning heat added the 
 pangs of thirst to his other ills. As we had been travelling for 
 the last day and a half through regions where the pestilence pre- 
 vailed, it appeared but too probable that Herr Sattler had been 
 attacked by it. Luckily the patient himself had not any idea of 
 the kind, and we took especial care that he should not read oar 
 anxiety hi our countenances. 
 
 July 9th. 
 
 Heaven be praised, Herr Sattler was better to-day, though
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 203 
 
 too weak to continue his journey. As we had thus some time on 
 our hands, the French gentleman and I resolved to embark in a 
 boat to witness the operation of fishing for sponges, by which a 
 number of the poorer inhabitants of the Syrian coast gain their 
 livelihood. 
 
 A fisherman rowed us about half a mile out to sea, till he came 
 to a place where he hoped to find something. Here he immersed 
 a plummet in the sea to sound its depth, and on finding that some- 
 thing was to be gained here, he dived downwards armed with a 
 knife to cut the sponge he expected to find from the rocks ; and 
 after remaining below the surface for two or three minutes, reap- 
 peared with his booty. When first loosened from the rocks, these 
 sponges are usually full of shells and small stones, which give 
 them a very strong and disagreeable smell. They require to be 
 thoroughly cleansed from dirt and well washed with sea-water be- 
 fore being put into fresh. 
 
 After our little water-party, we sallied forth to see the town, 
 which is very prettily situated among plantations of mulberry-trees 
 in the vicinity of the sea-coast. The women here are not only 
 unveiled, but frequently wear their necks bare ; we saw some of 
 them working hi their gardens and washing linen ; they were half 
 undressed. We visited the bazaar, intending to purchase a few 
 eggs and cucumbers for our dinner, and some oranges for our con- 
 valescent friend. But we could not obtain any ; and moderate as 
 our wishes were, it was out of our power to gratify them. 
 
 By the afternoon Herr Sattler had so far regained his strength, 
 that he could venture to undertake a short journey of ten miles to 
 the little town of Djaebbehl. This stage was the less difficult for 
 our worthy invalid from the fact that the road lay pleasantly 
 across a fruitful plain skirting the sea, while a cool sea-breeze took 
 away the oppressiveness of the heat. The majestic Lebanon 
 bounded the distant view on the left, and several convents on the 
 foremost chain of mountains looked down upon the broad vale. 
 
 We seemed to have but just mounted our horses when we
 
 204 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 already descried the castle of the town to which we were bound 
 rising above its walls, and soon after halted at a large khan in its 
 immediate neighbourhood. There were large rooms here in plenty, 
 but all were empty, and the unglazed windows could not even be 
 closed by shutters. 
 
 Houses of entertainment of this description barely shield the 
 traveller from the weather. We took possession of a large entrance- 
 hall for our night's quarters, and made ourselves as comfortable as 
 we could. 
 
 Count Berchtold and I walked into the town of Djaebbehl 
 (Byblus). This place is, as I have already mentioned, surrounded 
 by a wall ; it contains also a small bazaar, where we did not find 
 much to buy. The majority of dwellings are built hi gardens of 
 mulberry-trees. The castle lies rather high, and is still in the 
 condition to which it was reduced after the siege by the English 
 in 1840 ; the side fronting the ocean has sustained most damage. 
 This castle is now uninhabited, but some of the lower rooms are 
 converted into stables. Not far off we found some fragments of 
 ancient pillars ; an amphitheatre is said to have once stood here. 
 
 July 10th. 
 
 To-day Herr Sattler had quite recovered his health, so that 
 we could again commence our journey, according to custom, early 
 in the morning. Our road lay continually by the sea-shore. The 
 views were always picturesque and beautiful, as on the way from 
 Batrun to Djaebbehl ; but to-day we had the additional luxury of 
 frequently coming upon brooks which flowed from the neighbour- 
 ing Lebanon, and of passing springs bursting forth near the sea- 
 shore ; one indeed so close to the sea, that the waves continually 
 dashed over it. 
 
 After riding forward for four hours, we reached the so-called 
 ' Dog's-river," the greatest and deepest on the whole journey. 
 This stream also has its origin in the heights of the Lebanon, aud 
 after a short course falls into the neighbouring sea.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 205 
 
 At the entrance of the valley where the Dog's-river flowed lay 
 a simple khan. Here we made halt to rest for an hour. 
 
 Generally we got nothing to eat during the day, as we 
 seldom or never passed a village; even when we came upon 
 a house, there was rarely any thing to be had but coffee : we 
 were therefore the more astonished to find here fresh figs, cu- 
 cumbers, butter-milk, and wine, tilings which in Syria make a 
 feast for the gods. We revelled in this unwonted profusion, 
 and afterwards rode into the valley, which smiled upon us in 
 verdant luxuriance. 
 
 This vale cannot be more than five or six hundred feet in 
 breadth. On either side high walls rise towering up ; and on the 
 left we see the ruins of an aqueduct quite overgrown with ivy. This 
 aqueduct is seven or eight hundred paces in length, and extends 
 as far as the spot where the Dog's-river rushes over rocks and 
 stones, forming not a lofty, but yet a fine waterfall. Just below 
 tliis fall a bridge of Roman architecture, supported boldly on rocky 
 buttresses, unites the two shores. The road to this bridge is by a 
 broad flight of stone stairs, upon which our good Syrian horses 
 carried us in perfect safety both upwards and downwards ; it was 
 a fearful, dizzy road. The river derives its name from a stone 
 lying near it, which is said to resemble a dog in form. Stones 
 and pieces of rock, against which the stream rushed foaming, \ve 
 saw in plenty, but none in which we could discover any resem- 
 blance to a dog. Perhaps the contour has been destroyed by the 
 action of wind and weather. 
 
 Scarcely had we crossed this dangerous bridge when the road 
 wound sharply round a rock in the small but blooming valley, 
 and we journeyed towards the heights up almost perpendicular 
 rocks, and past abysses that overhung the sea. 
 
 The rocky mountain we were now climbing juts far out into 
 the sea, and forms a pass towards the territory of Beyrout which 
 a handful of men might easily hold against an army. Such a 
 pass may that of Thermopylae have been ; . and had these moun-
 
 206 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 taineers but a Leonidas, they would certainly not be far behind 
 the ancient Spartans. 
 
 A Latin inscription on a massive stone slab, and higher up 
 four niches, two of which contain statues, while the others display 
 similar inscriptions, seemed to indicate that the Romans had 
 already known and appreciated the importance of this pass. Un- 
 fortunately both statues and writing were so much injured by the 
 all-destroying hand of time, that only a man learned in these 
 matters could have deciphered their meaning. In our party there 
 was no one equal to such a task. 
 
 We rode on for another half-hour, after which the path led 
 downwards into the territory of Beyrout ; and we rode quietly 
 and comfortably by the sea-side towards this city. Mulberry- 
 trees and vineyards bloomed around us, country-houses and villages 
 lay half hidden between, and convents crowned the lower peaks of 
 the Lebanon, which on this side displays only naked rocks, the 
 majority of a bluish-grey colour. 
 
 At a little distance from Beyrout we came upon a second 
 giant bridge, similar to that over the Dog's-river. Broad stair- 
 cases, on which four or five 'horsemen could conveniently ride 
 abreast, led upwards and downwards. The steps are so steep, and 
 He so far apart, that it seems almost incredible that the poor 
 horses should be able to ascend and descend upon them. We 
 looked down from a dizzy height, not upon a river, but upon a dry 
 river-bed. 
 
 At five o'clock in the evening we arrived safely at Beyrout ; 
 and thus ended our excursion to the " lovely and incomparable 
 city of the East," to the world-renowned ruin, and to the vener- 
 able Grove of Cedars. Our tour had occupied ten days ; the dis- 
 tance was about 180 miles ; namely, from Beyrout to Damascus 
 about 60, from Damascus to Balbeck 40, and from Balbeck across 
 the Lebanon to Beyrout about 80 miles. 
 
 Of four-footed beasts, amphibious creatures, birds, or insects, 
 we had seen nothing. Count Berchtold caught a chameleon, which
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 207 
 
 unfortunately effected its escape from its prison a few days after- 
 wards. At night we frequently heard the howling of jackals, but 
 never experienced any annoyance from them. We had not to 
 complain of the attacks of insects ; hut suffered much from the 
 dreadful heat, besides being frequently obliged to endure hunger 
 and thirst : the thermometer one day rose to 40. 
 
 In Beyrout I once more put up at the house of the kind 
 French lady. The first piece of news I heard was that I had 
 arrived twenty-four hours too late, and had thus missed the Eng- 
 lish packet-boat ; this was a most annoying circumstance, for the 
 boat hi question only starts for Alexandria once a month (on the 
 8th or 9th), and at other times it is a great chance if an oppor- 
 tunity of journeying thither can be found. On the very next day 
 I hastened to the Austrian consulate, and begged the Vice-consul, 
 Herr C., to let me know when a ship was about to start for 
 Egypt, and also to engage a place for me. I was told that a 
 Greek vessel would start for that country hi two or three days ; 
 but these two or three days grew into nineteen. 
 
 Never shall I forget what I had to endure hi Beyrout. When 
 I could no longer bear the state of things at night hi the Noah's 
 ark of my good Pauline, I used to creep through the window on 
 to a terrace, and sleep there ; but was obliged each tune to retire 
 to my room before daybreak lest I should be discovered. It is 
 said that misfortunes seldom happen singly, and my case was not 
 an exception to the rule. One night I must have caught cold ; 
 for in the morning when I hastened back to my prison, and lay 
 down on the bed to recover from the effects of my stone couch, I 
 experienced such an acute pain hi my back and hips that I was 
 unable to rise. It happened to be a Sunday morning, a day on 
 which my kind Pauline did not come to the house, as there was 
 no school to keep; and so I lay for twenty-four hours in the 
 greatest pain, without help, unable even to obtain a drop of water. 
 I was totally unable to drag myself to the door, or to the place 
 where the water-jug stood. The next day, I am thankful to say,
 
 208 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 I felt somewhat better ; my Pauline also came, and prepared me 
 some mutton-broth. By the fourth day I was once more up, and 
 had almost recovered from the attack. 
 
 JOURNEY FROM BEYROUT TO CAIRO AND ALEXANDRIA. 
 
 It was not until the 28th of July that a Greek brig set sail 
 for Alexandria. At ten o'clock in the evening I betook myself 
 on board, and the next morning at two we weighed anchor. 
 Never haA'e I bid adieu to any place with so much joy as I felt 
 on leaving the town of Beyrout ; my only regret was the parting 
 from my kind Pauline. I had met many good people during my 
 journey, but she was certainly one of the best. 
 
 Unhappily, my cruel fate was not yet weary of pursuing me ; 
 and in my experience I fully realised the old proverb of, " out of 
 the frying-pan into the fire." On this vessel, and during the tune 
 we had to keep quarantine in Alexandria, I was almost worse off 
 than during my stay in Beyrout. It is necessary, in dealing with 
 the captain of a vessel of this description, to have a written con- 
 tract for every thing stating, for instance, where he is to land, 
 how long he may stay at each place, &c. I mentioned this feet 
 at the consulate, and begged the gentlemen to do what was neces- 
 sary ; but they assured me the captain was known to be a man of 
 honour, and that the precaution I wished to take would be quite 
 superfluous. Upon this assumption, I placed myself fearlessly in 
 the hands of the man ; but scarcely had we lost sight of land, 
 when he frankly declared that there were not sufficient provisions 
 and water on board to allow of our proceeding to Alexandria, 
 but that he must make for the harbour of Limasol in Cyprus. I 
 was exceedingly angry at this barefaced fraud, and at the loss of 
 time it would occasion me, and offered all the opposition I could. 
 But nothing would avail me ; I had no written contract, and the 
 rest of the company offered no active resistance so to Cyprus we 
 went.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 209 
 
 A voyage in an ordinary sailing-vessel, which is not a packet- 
 boat, is as wearisome a thing as can be well conceived. The 
 lower portion of the ship is generally so crammed with merchan- 
 dise, that the deck alone remains for the passengers. This was 
 the case on the present occasion. I was obliged to remain con- 
 tinually on deck : during the daytime, when I had only my um- 
 brella to shield me from the piercing rays of the sun ; at night, 
 when the dews fell so heavily, that after an hour my cloak would 
 be quite wet through, in cold and in stormy weather. They did 
 not even spread a piece of sailcloth by way of awning. This state 
 of things continued for ten days and eleven nights, during which 
 time I had not even an opportunity to change my clothes. This 
 was a double hardship ; for if there is a place above all others 
 where cleanliness becomes imperative to comfort, it is certainly on 
 board a Greek ship, the generality of which are exceedingly dirty 
 and disgusting. The company I found did not make amends for 
 the accommodation. The only Europeans on board were two 
 young men, who had received some unimportant situation in a 
 quarantine office from the Turkish government. The beha- 
 viour of both was conceited, stupid, and withal terribly vulgar. 
 Then there were four students from Alexandria, who boarded at 
 Beyrout, and were going home to spend the vacation good- 
 natured but much-neglected lads of fourteen or fifteen years, who 
 seemed particularly partial to the society of the sailors, and were 
 always talking, playing, or quarrelling with them. The remainder 
 of the company consisted of a rich Arab family, with several male 
 and female negro slaves, and a few very poor people. And hi 
 such society I was to pass a weary time. Many will say that 
 this was a good opportunity for obtaining an insight into the 
 customs and behaviour of these people ; but I would gladly have 
 declined the opportunity, for it requires an almost angelic patience 
 to bear such a complication of evils with equanimity. Among the 
 Arabs and the lower class of Greeks, moreover, every thing pos- 
 sessed by one member of the community is looked upon as public 
 
 o
 
 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 property. A knife, a pair of scissors, a drinking -glass, or any 
 other small article, is taken from its owner without permission, 
 and is given back after use without being cleaned. -On the mat, 
 the carpet, or the mattress, which you have brought on board as 
 bedding, a negro and his master will lie down ; and wherever a 
 vacant space is left, some one is sure to stand or h'e down. Take 
 what precautions you may, it is impossible to avoid having your 
 person and garments infested by certain very disgusting parasitical 
 creatures. One day I cleaned my teeth with a toothbrush ; one 
 of the Greek sailors, noticing what I was about, came towards me, 
 and when I laid the brush down for an instant, took it up. I 
 thought he only wished to examine it ; but no, he did exactly as 
 I had done, and after cleaning his teeth returned me my brush, 
 expressing himself entirely satisfied with it. 
 
 The diet on board a vessel of this kind is also exceedingly 
 bad. For dinner we have pilau, stale cheese, and onions ; in the 
 evening"] we get anchovies, olives, stale cheese again, and slu'p- 
 biscuit instead of bread. These appetising dishes are placed in 
 a tray on the ground, round which the captains (of whom there 
 are frequently two or three), the mate, and those passengers who 
 have not come furnished with provisions of then* own, take their 
 places. I did not take part in these entertainments ; for I had 
 brought a few live fowls, besides some rice, butter, dried bread, 
 and coffee, and prepared my own meals. The voyage in one 
 of these agreeable ships is certainly not very dear, if we do not 
 take the discomforts and privations into account ; but these I can 
 really not estimate at too high a price. For the voyage to Alex- 
 andria (a distance of 2000 sea-miles) I paid sixty piastres ; the 
 provisions I took with me cost thirty more ; and thus the entire 
 journey came only to ninety piastres. 
 
 In general the wind was very unfavourable, so that we fre- 
 quently cruised about for whole nights, and awoke in the morning 
 to find ourselves in almost the same position we had occupied the 
 previous evening.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 211 
 
 Tliis is one of the most disagreeable impressions, and one 
 which can scarcely be described, to be continually driving and 
 driving without approaching the conclusion of your journey. To 
 my shame I must confess that I sometimes shed tears of regret and 
 annoyance. My fellow-passengers could not at all understand why 
 I was so impatient ; for, with their constitutional indolence, they 
 were quite indifferent as to whether they spent their time for a 
 week or a fortnight longer in smoking, sleeping, and idling on 
 board or on shore whether they were carried to Cyprus or Alex- 
 andria. It was not until the fourth day that we landed at 
 
 LIMASOL. 
 
 This place contains pretty houses, some of which are even 
 provided with slated roofs, and resemble European habitations. 
 Here, for the first time since my departure from Constantinople, I 
 saw a vehicle ; it was not, however, a coach, but simply a wooden 
 two-wheeled cart, and is used to transport stones, earth, and 
 merchandise. The region around Limasol is barren in the extreme, 
 almost like that of Larnaca, except that the mountains are here 
 much nearer. 
 
 We stayed in this port the whole of the day ; and now I 
 learnt for the first time that the captain had not put hi here so 
 much on account of scarcity of provisions, as because he wanted to 
 take in wine and endeavour to take in passengers. Of the latter, 
 however, none presented themselves. The wine is very cheap ; I 
 bought a bottle containing about three pints for a piastre. As soon 
 as we were again at sea, our worthy captain gave out that he 
 wished to call at Damietta. My patience was at length ex- 
 hausted. I called him a cheat, and insisted that he should bend 
 his course to no other port than to Alexandria, otherwise I should 
 have him brought before a judge if it cost me a hundred piastres. 
 This remonstrance produced so much effect upon the captain, that 
 he promised me not to cast anchor any where else ; and, marvel- 
 lous to relate, he kept his word.
 
 212 VISIT TO THE HOLY LA>*D, 
 
 One other circumstance occurred during this journey which 
 is interesting as furnishing a sample of the heroism of the modern 
 Greeks. 
 
 On the 5th of August, about noon, our sailors discovered a two- 
 masted ship hi the distance, which altered her course immediately 
 on perceiving our vessel, and came sailing towards us. It was at 
 once concluded by all that this ship must be a pirate, else why did 
 she alter her course and give chase to us ? The circumstance was 
 indeed singular ; yet these maritime heroes ought to have been used 
 to all kinds of adventures, and not at once to have feared the 
 worst, particularly as, so for as I am aware, the pirate's trade is 
 very nearly broken up, and attempts of this kind are unprece- 
 dented at least in these regions. 
 
 A painter like Hogarth should have been on board our ship, 
 to mark the expression of fear and cowardice depicted on the seve- 
 ral countenances. It was wonderful to behold how the poor cap- 
 tains ran from one end of the ship to the other, and huddled us 
 travellers together into a heap, recommending us to sit still and 
 keep silence ; how they then hurried away and ran to and fro, 
 making signs and gestures, while the pale sailors tumbled after 
 them with scared faces, wringing their hands. Any one who had 
 not witnessed the scene would think this description exaggerated. 
 What would the Grecian heroes of antiquity say if they could 
 throw a glance upon their gallant descendants ! Instead of arming 
 themselves and making preparations, the men ran about in the 
 greatest confusion. We were in this enviable state when the 
 dreaded pirate came within gunshot ; and the reason of her ap- 
 proach turned out to be that her compass was broken. The whole 
 scene at once changed, as though a beneficent fairy had waved 
 her wand. The captains instantly recovered their dignity, the 
 sailors embraced and jumped about like children, and we poor 
 travellers were released from durance and permitted to take part 
 in the friendly interview between the two heroic crews. 
 
 The captain who had spokea us asked our gallant leader in
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 213 
 
 what latitude we were, and hearing that we were sailing to Alex- 
 andria, requested that a lantern should be hung at the mainmast- 
 head, at which he might look as at a guiding-star. 
 
 With the exception of Cyprus, we had seen no land during 
 all our weary journey. We could only judge when we arrived 
 in the neighbourhood of Damietta by the altered colour of the 
 sea ; as far as the eye could reach, the beautiful dark-blue wave 
 had turned to the colour of the yellow Nile. From these tokens 
 I could judge of the magnitude and volume of that river, which at 
 this season of the year increases greatly, and had already been 
 rising for two months. 
 
 August 7th. 
 
 At eight o'clock in the morning we safely reached the quay of 
 Alexandria.
 
 214 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Alexandria Keeping quarantine Want of arrangement in the quaran- 
 tine house Bad water Fumigating of the rooms Release Aspect of 
 the city Departure by boat for Atfe" Mehemet Ali Arrival at Atfe" 
 Excellence of the Nile water Good-nature of the Arab women The 
 Delta of the Nile The Lybian desert The pyramids Arrival at 
 Cairo. 
 
 AT first we could only perceive the tops of masts, behind which 
 low objects seemed to be hiding as they rose from the sea. 
 In a little time a whole forest of masts appeared, while the objects 
 before mentioned took the shape of houses peering forth amongst 
 them. At length the land itself could be distinguished from the 
 surrounding ocean, and we discerned hills, shrubberies, and gardens 
 in the vicinity of the town, the appearance of which is not cal- 
 culated to delight the traveller, for a large desert region of sand 
 girdles both city and gardens, giving an air of dreariness to the 
 whole scene. 
 
 We cast anchor between the lighthouse and the new hospital. 
 No friendly boat was permitted to approach and carry us to the 
 wished-for shore ; we came from the land of the plague to enter 
 another region aflh'cted with the same scourge, and yet we were 
 compelled to keep quarantine, for the Egyptians asserted that the 
 Syrian plague was more malignant than the variety of the disease 
 raging among them. Thus a compulsory quarantine is always 
 enforced in these regions, a circumstance alike prejudicial to visi- 
 tors, commerce, and shipping. 
 
 We waited with fear and trembling to hear how long a period 
 of banishment in the hospital should be awarded us. At length 
 came a little skiff, bringing two guardians (servants of the hospital),
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 215 
 
 and with them the news that we must remain in the hospital ten 
 days from the period of our entrance, but that we could not dis- 
 embark to-day, as it was Sunday. Excepting at the arrival of the 
 English packet-boats, the officials have no time to examine vessels 
 on Sundays or holidays, a truly Egyptian arrangement. Why 
 could not an officer be appointed for these days to take care of 
 the poor travellers ? Why should fifty persons suffer for the con- 
 venience of one, and be deprived of their liberty for an extra day ? 
 We came from Beyrout furnished with a Teshkeret (certificate of 
 health) by the government, besides the voucher of our personal 
 appearance, and yet we were condemned to a lengthened imprison- 
 ment. But Mehemet Ali is far more mighty and despotic in 
 Egypt than the Sultan in Constantinople ; he commands, and what 
 can we do but obey, and submit to his superior power ? 
 
 From the deck of our ship I obtained a view of the city and 
 the desert region around. The town seems tolerably spacious, 
 and is built quite in European style. 
 
 Of the Turkish town, which lies in the background, we can 
 distinguish nothing; the proper harbour, situate at the opposite 
 side of the city, is also invisible, and its situation can only be dis- 
 cerned from the forest of masts that towers upwards. The eye is 
 principally caught by two high sand-hills, on one of which stands 
 Fort Napoleon, while the other is only surmounted by several 
 cannon ; the foreground is occupied by rocky ridges of moderate 
 elevation, flanked on one side by the lighthouse, and on the other 
 by the new quarantine buildings. The old quarantine-house lies 
 opposite to the new one. In several places we notice little planta- 
 tions of date-palms, which make a very agreeable impression on 
 the European, as their appearance is quite new to him. 
 
 August 8th. 
 
 At seven o'clock this morning we disembarked, and were deli- 
 vered with bag and baggage at the quarantine-house. I now trod 
 a new quarter of the globe, Africa. When I sit calmly down to
 
 216 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 think of the past, I frequently wonder how it was that my courage 
 and perseverance never once left me while I followed out my 
 project step by step. This only serves to convince me that, if the 
 resolution be firm, things can be achieved which would appeal- 
 almost impossible. 
 
 I had expected to find neither comfort not pleasure in the 
 quarantine-house, and unfortunately I had judged but too well. 
 The courtyard into which we were shewn was closely locked, and 
 furnished on all sides with wooden bars ; the rooms displayed only 
 four bare walls, with windows guarded in the same manner. It 
 is customary to quarter several persons in the same room, and 
 then each pays a share of the expense. I requested a separate 
 apartment, winch one can also have, but of course at a higher 
 charge. Such a thing as a chair, a table, or a piece of furniture, 
 was quite out of the question ; whoever wishes to enjoy such a 
 luxury must apply by letter to an innkeeper of the town, who 
 lends any thing of the kind, but at an enormously high rate. Diet 
 must be obtained in the same way. In the quarantine establish- 
 ment there is no host, every thing must be procured from without. 
 An innkeeper generally demands between thirty and forty piastres 
 per diem for dinner and supper. This I considered a h'ttle too 
 exorbitant, and therefore ordered a few articles of food through 
 one of the keepers. He promised to provide every thing punctu- 
 ally ; but I fear he cannot have understood me, for I waited in 
 vain, and during the whole of the first day had nothing to eat. On 
 the second day my appetite was quite ravenous, and I did not know 
 what to do. I betook myself to the room of the Arab family who 
 had come in the same ship with me, and were therefore also in qua- 
 rantine ; I asked for a piece of bread, for which I offered to pay : 
 but the kind woman not only gave me bread, but pressed upon me 
 a share of all the provisions she was preparing for her family, and 
 would not be prevailed upon to accept any remuneration ; on the 
 contrary, she explained to me by signs that I was to come to her 
 whenever I wanted any thing.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 217 
 
 It was not until the evening of the second day that, perceiv- 
 ing it was hopeless to expect any thing from my stupid messenger, 
 I applied to the chief superintendent of the hospital, who came 
 every evening at sunset to examine us and to lock us in our 
 rooms. I ordered my provisions of him, and from this time for- 
 ward always received them in proper time. 
 
 The keepers were all Arabs, and not one of them could under- 
 stand or speak any language but their own ; this is also a truly 
 Egyptian arrangement. I think that in an establishment of this 
 kind, where travellers from all parts of the world are assembled, 
 it would at least be advisable to have a person who understands 
 Italian, even if he cannot speak it. An individual of this kind 
 could easily be obtained ; for Italian, as I afterwards found, is such 
 a well-known language throughout the East, but particularly at 
 Alexandria and Cairo, that many people are to be met with, even 
 among the lowest classes, who understand and can speak it. 
 
 The supply of water is also very badly managed. Eveiy 
 morning, immediately after sunrise, a few skins of water are 
 brought for the purpose of cleaning the cooking utensils ; at nine 
 o'clock in the morning and five in the afternoon a few camels come 
 laden with skins of fresh water, which are emptied into two stone 
 tanks in the courtyard. Then all fill their cooking and drinking 
 vessels, but in such an untidy way that I felt not the slightest 
 inclination to drink. One man was ladling out the water with a 
 dirty pot, while another dabbled in the tank with his filthy hands ; 
 and some even put their dirty feet on the rim and washed them, 
 so that some of the water ran back into the tank. This recep- 
 tacle is moreover never cleaned, so that dirt accumulates upon 
 dirt, and the only way to obtain clear water is by filtering it. 
 
 On the second day of my residence here I was exceedingly 
 surprised to observe that the courtyard, the staircases, the rooms, 
 &c. were being cleaned and swept with particular care. The 
 mystery was soon solved ; the commissioner appeared with a great 
 stick, and paused at the threshold of the door to see that the
 
 218 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 linen, clothes, &c. were hung up to air, the books opened, and the 
 letters or papers suspended by strings. No idea can be formed of 
 the stupid nervous fear of this commissioner. For instance, on 
 passing through the first room on his way to my apartment, he 
 saw the stalk of a bunch of grapes lying on the ground. With 
 fearful haste he thrust this trifling object aside with his stick, for 
 fear his foot should strike against it hi passing ; and as he went he 
 continually held his stick in rest, to keep us plague-struck people 
 at a respectful distance. 
 
 On the seventh day of our incarceration we were all sent to 
 our rooms at nine o'clock in the morning. Doors and windows 
 were then locked, and great chafing-dishes were brought, and a 
 dreadful odour of brimstone, herbs, burnt feathers, and other in- 
 gredients filled the air. After we had been compelled to endure 
 this stifling atmosphere for four or five minutes, the windows and 
 doors were once more opened. A person of a consumptive habit 
 could scarcely have survived this inhuman ordeal. 
 
 On the ninth day the men were drawn up in a row, to undergo 
 an examination by the doctor. The old gentleman entered the 
 room, with a spy-glass in one hand and a stick in tne other, to 
 review the troop. Every man had to strike himself a blow on 
 the chest and another in the side ; if he could do this without 
 feeling pain, it was considered a sign of health, because the plague- 
 spots appear first on these parts of the body. On the same 
 day, the women were led into a large room, where a great fe- 
 male dragoon was waiting for us to put us through a similar cere- 
 mony. Neither men nor women are, however, required to un- 
 dress. 
 
 A few hours later we were summoned to the iron grating 
 which separated us from the disinfected people. On the farther 
 side were seated several officers, to whom we paid the fee for our 
 rooms and the keepers the charge was very trifling. My room, 
 with attendance, only cost me three piastres per diem. But how 
 gladly would every traveller pay a higher price if he could only
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 219 
 
 have a table and a few chairs in his apartment, and an attendant 
 who understood what was said to him ! 
 
 So far as cleanliness is concerned, there is nothing to complain 
 of; the rooms, the staircases and the courtyard were kept very 
 neatly, and the latter was even profusely watered twice a day. 
 We were not at all annoyed by insects, and we were but little in- 
 commoded by the heat. In the sun the temperature never 
 exceeded 33; and in the shade the greatest heat was 22 
 Reaumur. 
 
 August 17th. 
 
 At seven o'clock this morning our cage was at length opened. 
 Now all the world rushed in ; friends and relations of the voyagers, 
 ambassadors from innkeepers, porters, and donkey- drivers, all 
 were merry and joyous, for every one found a friend or an ac- 
 quaintance, and I only stood friendless and alone, for nobody 
 hastened towards me or took an interest in me ; but the envoys 
 of the innkeepers, the porters, and donkey- drivers, cruel gene- 
 ration that they were, quarrelled and hustled each other for the 
 possession of the solitary one. 
 
 I collected my baggage, mounted a donkey, and rode to " Co- 
 lombier," one of the best inns in Alexandria. Swerving a little 
 from the direct road, I passed " Cleopatra's Needles," two obelisks 
 of gramte, one of which is still erect, while the other lies prostrate 
 in the sand at a short distance. We rode through a miserable 
 poverty-stricken village ; the huts were built of stones, but were 
 so small and low that we can hardly understand how a man can 
 stand upright in them. The doors were so low that we had to 
 stoop considerably in entering. I could not discover any signs of 
 windows. And this wretched village lay within the bounds of the 
 city, and even within the walls, which inclose such an immense 
 space, that they not only comprise* Alexandria itself, but several 
 small villages, besides numerous country-houses and a few shrub- 
 beries and cemeteries.
 
 220 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 In this village I saw many women with yellowish-brown coun- 
 tenances. They looked wretched and dirty, and were all clothed 
 in long blue garments, sitting before then- doors at work, or 
 nursing children. These women were employed in basket-making 
 and in picking corn. I did not notice any men ;. they were pro- 
 bably employed in the fields. 
 
 I now rode forward across the sandy plain on which the 
 whole of Alexandria is built, and suddenly, without having passed 
 through any street, found myself in the great square. 
 
 I can scarcely describe the astonishment I felt at the scene 
 before me. Every where I saw large beautiful houses, with lofty 
 gates, regular windows, and balconies, like European dwellings ; 
 equipages, as graceful and beautiful as any that can be found in 
 the great cities of Europe, rolled to and fro amid a busy crowd of 
 men of various nations. Franks, in the costume of their country, 
 were distinguished among the turbans and fez-caps of the Ori- 
 entals; and tall women, in their blue gowns, wandered amidst 
 the half-naked forms of the Arabs and Bedouins. Here a negro 
 was running with argile behind his master, who trotted along on 
 his noble horse; there Frankish or Egyptian ladies were to be 
 seen mounted on asses. Coming from the dreary monotony of the 
 quarantine-house, this sight made a peculiar impression upon me. 
 
 Scarcely had I arrived at the hotel before I hastened to the 
 Austrian consulate, where Herr von L., the government coun- 
 cillor, received me very kindly. I begged this gentleman to let 
 me know what would be the first opportunity for me to continue 
 my journey to Cairo ; I did not wish to take passage on board an 
 English steamboat, as the charge on this vessel for the short dis- 
 tance of about 400 sea miles is five pounds. The councillor was 
 polite enough to procure me a berth on board an Arabian barque, 
 which was to start from Atfe the same evening. 
 
 I also learnt at the consulate, that Herr Sattler, the painter, 
 had arrived by the packet-boat a few days previously, and was 
 now at the old quarantine-house. I rode out in company with a
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 221 
 
 gentleman to visit him, and was glad to find him looking very 
 well. He was just returning from his journey to Palestine. 
 
 I found the arrangements in the old quarantine-building rather 
 more comfortable than those in the new ; the establishment is 
 moreover nearer the town, so that it is easier to obtain the 
 necessaries of life. On my return, my companion was so kind 
 as to conduct me through the greater portion of the Turkish 
 town, which appeared to be better built and more neatly kept 
 than any city of the Turks I had yet seen. The bazaar is not 
 handsome ; it consists of wooden booths, displaying only the most 
 ordinary articles of merchandise. 
 
 On the same day that I quitted the quarantine-house, I rode in 
 the evening to the Kile Canal, which is twenty-four feet broad and 
 about twenty-six miles long. A number of vessels lay there, on one 
 of which a place had been taken for me (the smaller division of the 
 cabin) as far as Atfe, for the sum of fifteen piastres. I at once 
 took possession of my berth, made my arrangements for the night 
 and for the following day, and waited hour after hour till we 
 should depart. Late in the night I was at length told that we 
 could not set out to-night at all. To pack up my things again, 
 and to set off to walk to the inn, a distance of two miles, and to 
 return next morning, would have been a rather laborious proceed- 
 ing ; I therefore resolved to remain on board, and sat down among 
 the Arabs and Bedouins to eat my frugal supper, which consisted 
 of cold provisions. 
 
 Next day I was told every half-hour that we should depart 
 immediately, and each tune I was again disappointed. 
 
 Herr von L. had wished to supply me with wine and provisions 
 for the passage ; but as I had calculated upon being in Atfe to-day 
 at noon, I had declined his offer with many thanks. But now I 
 had no provisions ; I could not venture into the town on account 
 of the distance, and found it quite impossible to make the sailors 
 understand that they were to bring me some bread and baked fish 
 from the neighbouring bazaar. At length hunger compelled me
 
 222 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAITO, 
 
 to venture out alone : I pushed through the crowd, who looked at 
 me curiously, but suffered me to pass unmolested, and bought 
 some provisions. 
 
 In Alexandria I procured beef and beef-soup, for the first time 
 since my departure from Smyrna. In Alexandria and throughout 
 the whole of Egypt the white bread is very delicious. 
 
 At four in the afternoon we at length set sail. The time 
 had passed rapidly enough with me, for there was a great deal of 
 bustle around this canal. Barques came and departed, took in 
 or discharged cargo ; long processions of camels moved to and fro 
 with their drivers to fetch and carry goods ; the soldiers passed 
 by, to the sound of military music, to exercise in the neighbouring 
 square ; there was continually something new to see, so that 
 when four o'clock arrived, I could not imagine what had become 
 of the tune. 
 
 With the exception of the crew, I was the only person on 
 board. These vessels are long and narrow, and are fitted up with 
 a cabin and an awning. The cabin is divided into two little rooms ; 
 the first and larger of these contains two little windows on each 
 side. The second and smaller one is often only six feet long by 
 five broad. The space under the awning is appropriated to the 
 poorer class of passengers and to the servants. It is necessary to 
 take on board, besides provisions, a little stove, wood for fuel, 
 kitchen-utensils and articles of this kind, a supply of water. The 
 water of the Nile is, indeed, very good and thoroughly tasteless, so 
 that it is universally drunk hi Alexandria, Cairo, and elsewhere ; 
 but it is very turbid and of a yellowish colour, so that it must be 
 filtered to render it clear and pure. Thus it happens that even 
 on the river we are obliged to take water with us. 
 
 Handsome country-houses with gardens skirt the sides of the 
 canal ; the finest of these belongs to a pacha, the son-in-law of 
 Mehemet AH. As we passed this palace I saw the Egyptian Na- 
 poleon for the first time ; he is a very little old man, with a long 
 snow-white beard ; his eyes and his gestures are very animated.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 223 
 
 Several Europeans stood around him, and a number of sen-ants, 
 some of them clothed in Greek, others in Turkish costume. 
 In the avenue his carriage was waiting, a splendid double-seated 
 vehicle, with four beautiful horses, harnessed in the English style. 
 The Franks are favourably disposed towards this despot, whose 
 subjects cherish a very opposite feeling. His government is very 
 lenient to Christians, while the Mussulmen are obliged to bend 
 their necks beneath a yoke of iron slavery. 
 
 This view of villas and gardens only lasts for two hours at the 
 most. Afterwards we continue our journey to Atfe through a very 
 uniform and unsatisfactory region of sandy hills and plains. On 
 the right we pass the Mariotic Sea ; and on both sides lie villages 
 of a very wretched appearance. 
 
 August 19th. 
 
 At eleven in the forenoon we reached Atfe, and had therefore 
 travelled about 180 sea-miles in sixteen hours. Afte is a very 
 small town, or rather a mere heap of stones. 
 
 The landing-places were always the scenes of my chief troubles. 
 It was seldom that I could find a Frank, and was generally obliged 
 to address several of the bystanders before I succeeded in finding 
 one who could speak Italian and give me the information I required. 
 I requested to be taken at once to the Austrian consulate, where 
 this difficulty was usually removed. Tliis was also the case here. 
 The consul immediately sent to inquire how I could best get to Cairo, 
 and offered me a room in his house in the mean tune. A ship was 
 soon found, for Atfe is a harbour of some importance. The canal 
 joins the Nile at this pkce ; and as larger vessels are used on the 
 stream itself, all goods are transhipped here, so that barques are 
 continually starting for Alexandria and Cairo. In a few hours I 
 was obliged to re-embark, and had only time to provide myself 
 with provisions and a supply of water, and to partake of a sump- 
 tuous dinner at the consul's, whose hospitality was doubly grateful 
 to me as I had fasted the previous day. The chief compartment
 
 224 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 of the cabin had been engaged for me, at an expense of 100 piastres. 
 On embarking, however, I found that this place had been so filled 
 with goods, that hardly a vacant space remained for the poor occu- 
 pant. I at once hastened back to the consulate and complained 
 of the captain, whereupon the consul sent for that worthy and 
 desired him to clear my cabin, and to refrain from annoying me 
 during the voyage, if he wished to be paid on our arrival at Cairo. 
 This command was strictly obeyed, and until we reached our desti- 
 nation I was left in undisturbed possession of my birth. At two 
 in the afternoon I once more set sail alone in the company of Arabs 
 and Bedouins. 
 
 I would counsel any one who can only make this journey to 
 Cairo once in his lifetime to do it at the end of August or the 
 beginning of September. A more lovely picture, and one more 
 peculiar in its character, can scarcely be imagined. In many places 
 the plain is covered as far as the eye can trace by the Nile-sea (it 
 can scarcely he called river in its immense expanse), and every 
 where little islands are seen rising from the waters, covered with 
 villages surrounded by date-palms, and other trees, while in the 
 background the high-masted boats, with their pyramidal sails, are 
 gliding to and fro. Numbers of sheep, goats, and poultry cover 
 the hills, and near the shore the heads of the dark-grey buffaloes, 
 which are here found in large herds, peer forth from the water. 
 These creatures are fond of immersing their bodies in the cool 
 flood, where they stand gazing at the passing ships. Here and 
 there little plantations of twenty to thirty trees are seen, which 
 appear, as the ground is completely overflowed, to be growing out 
 of the Nile. The water here is much more muddy and of a darker 
 colour than in the canal between Atfe and Alexandria. The sailors 
 pour this water into great iron vessels, and leave it to settle and 
 become clearer ; this is, however, of little use, for it remains almost 
 as muddy as the river. Notwithstanding this circumstance, how- 
 ever, this Nile- water is not at all prejudicial to health ; on the 
 contrary, the inhabitants of the valley assert that they possess the
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 225 
 
 best and wholesomest water in the world. The Franks are accus- 
 tomed, as I have already stated, to take filtered water with them. 
 When the supply becomes exhausted, they have only to put a few 
 kernels of apricots or almonds chopped small into a vessel of Nile- 
 water to render it tolerably clear within the space of five or six hours. 
 I learnt this art from an Arab woman during my voyage on the Nile. 
 
 The population of the region around the Nile must be very 
 considerable, for the villages almost adjoin each other. The ground 
 consists every where of sand, and only becomes fruitful through 
 the mud which the Nile leaves behind after its inundation. Thus 
 the luxuriant vegetation here only commences after the waters of 
 the Nile have retired. 
 
 The villages cannot be called handsome, as the houses are 
 mostly built of earth and clay, or of bricks made of the Nile mud. 
 Man, the "crown of creation," does not appear to advantage here; 
 the poverty, the want of cleanliness, and rude savage state of the 
 people, cannot be witnessed without a feeling of painful emotion. 
 
 The dress of the women consists of the usual long blue gar- 
 ment, and the men wear nothing but a shirt reaching to the knee. 
 Some of the women veil their faces, but others do not. 
 
 I was astonished at the difference between .the fine strongly- 
 built men and the ugly disgusting women and neglected children. 
 In general the latter present a most lamentable appearance, with 
 laces covered with scabs and sores, on which a quantity of flies 
 are continually settling. Frequently also they have inflamed eyes. 
 
 In spite of the oppressive heat, I remained nearly the whole 
 day seated on the roof of my cabin, enjoying the landscape, and 
 gazing at the moving panorama to my heart's content. 
 
 The company on board could be called good or bad ; bad, be- 
 cause there was not a soul present to whom I could impart my 
 feelings and sentiments on the marvels of nature around me ; good, 
 because all, but particularly the Arab women who occupied the 
 little cabin in the forepart of the vessel, were very good-natured 
 and attentive to me. 
 
 p
 
 226 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 They wished me to accept a share of every thing they pos- 
 sessed, and gave me a portion of each of their dishes, which gene- 
 rally consisted either of pilau, beans, or cucumbers, and which I 
 did not find palatable ; when they drank coffee hi the morning, 
 the first cup was always handed to me. In return I gave them 
 some of my provisions, all of which they liked, excepting the coffee, 
 which had milk in it. When we landed at a village, the inhabi- 
 tants would inquire by signs if I wished for any thing. I wanted 
 some milk, eggs, and bread, but did not know how to ask for them 
 in Arabic. I therefore had recourse to drawing ; for instance, I 
 made a portrait of a cow, gave an Arab woman a bottle and some 
 money, and made signs to her to milk her cow and to fill my 
 bottle. In the same way I drew a hen, and .some eggs beside 
 her ; pointed to the hen with a shake of my head, and then to the 
 eggs with a nod, counting on the woman's fingers how many she 
 was to bring me. In this way I could always manage to get on, by 
 limiting my wants to such objects as I could represent by drawings. 
 When they brought me the milk, and I explained to the Arab 
 woman by signs that, after she had finished cooking, I wished 
 to have the use of the fire to prepare my milk and eggs, she im- 
 mediately took off her pot from the fire and compelled me, in spite 
 of all remonstrances, to cook my dinner first. If I walked for- 
 ward towards the prow to obtain a better view of the landscape, 
 the best place was immediately vacated on my behalf ; and, in 
 short, they all behaved in such a courteous and obliging way, that, 
 these uncultivated people might have put to shame many a civi- 
 lised European. They certainly, however, requested a few favours 
 of me, which, I am ashamed to say, it cost me a great effort to 
 grant. For instance, the oldest among them begged permission 
 to sleep in my apartment, as they only possessed a small cabin, 
 while I had the larger one all to myself. Then they performed 
 their devotions, even to the preliminary washing of face and feet, 
 in my cabin : this I permitted, as I was more on deck than below. 
 At first these women called me Mary, imagining, probably, that
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 227 
 
 every Christian lady must bear the name of the Virgin. I told 
 them my baptismal name, which they accurately remembered ; 
 they told me theirs in return, which I very soon forgot. I men- 
 tion this trifling circumstance, because I afterwards was frequently 
 surprised at the retentive memory of these people during my 
 journey through the desert towards the Red Sea. 
 
 August 21st. 
 
 Although I felt solitary among all the voyagers on the barque, 
 these two days passed swiftly and agreeably away. The flatter 
 the land grew, the broader did the lordly river become. The vil- 
 lages increased in size ; and the huts, mostly resembling a sugar- 
 loaf, with a number of doves roosting on its apex, wore an appear- 
 ance of greater comfort. Mosques and large country-houses pre- 
 sently appeared ; and, in short, the nearer we approached towards 
 Cairo, the more distinct became these indications of affluence. The 
 sand-hills appeared less frequently, though on the route between 
 Atfe and Cairo I still saw five or six large barren places which 
 had quite the look of deserts. Once the wind blew directly 
 towards us from one of these burning wastes with such an .op- 
 pressive influence, that I could easily imagine how dreadful the 
 hot winds (chamsir) must be, and I no longer wondered at the 
 continual instances of blindness among the poor inhabitants of these 
 regions. The heat is unendurable, and the fine dust and heated 
 particles of sand which are carried into the air by these winds 
 cannot fail to cause inflammation of the eyes. 
 
 Little towers of masonry, on the tops of which telegraphs have 
 been fixed, are seen at intervals along the road between Alex- 
 andria and Cairo. 
 
 Our vessel was unfortunate enough to strike several times on 
 sand-banks, besides getting entangled among the shallows a cir- 
 cumstance of frequent occurrence during the time that the Nile is 
 rising. On these occasions I could not sufficiently admire the 
 strength, agility, and hard-working perseverance of our sailors,
 
 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 who were obliged to jump overboard and push off the ship with 
 poles, and afterwards were repeatedly compelled to drag it for half 
 an hour together through shallow places. These people are also 
 very expert at climbing. They could ascend without ratlines 
 to the very tops of the slanting masts, and take in or unloose the 
 sails. I could not repress a shudder on seeing these poor crea- 
 tures hanging betwixt earth and heaven, so far above me that 
 they appeared like dwarfs. They work with one hand, while 
 they cling to the mast with the other. I do not think that a 
 better, or a more active, agile, and temperate race of sailors exists 
 than these. Then* fare consists of bread or ship-biscuit in the 
 morning, with sometimes a raw cucumber, a piece of cheese, or a 
 handful of dates in addition. For dinner they have the same 
 diet, and for supper they have a dish of warm beans, or a kind of 
 broth or pilau. Roast mutton is a rare delicacy with them, and 
 their drink is nothing but the Nile water. 
 
 During the period of the inundation, the river is twice as full 
 of vessels as at other tunes. When the river is swollen, the only 
 method of communication is by boats. 
 
 On the kst day of this expedition a most beauteous spectacle 
 awaited me the Delta ! Here the mighty Nile, which irrigates 
 the whole country with the hundreds of canals cut from its banks 
 through every region, divides itself into two principal branches, one 
 of which fells into the sea at Rosetta, and the other at Damietta. 
 If the separate arms of the river could be compared to seas, how 
 much more does its united vastness merit the appellation ! 
 
 When I was thus carried away by the beauty and grandeur 
 of nature, when I thus saw myself placed in the midst of new 
 and interesting scenes, it would appear to me incredible how peo- 
 ple can exist, possessing in abundance the gifts of riches, health, 
 and leisure time, and yet without a taste for travelling. The 
 petty comforts of life and enjoyments of luxury are indeed worth 
 more in the eyes of some than the opportunity of contemplating 
 the exalted beauties of nature or the monuments of history, and of
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 229 
 
 gaining information concerning the manners and customs of foreign 
 nations. Although I was at times very badly situated, and had 
 to encounter more hardships and disagreeables than fall to the lot 
 of many a man, I would be thankful that I had had resolution 
 given me to continue my wanderings whenever one of these grand 
 spectacles opened itself before me. What, indeed, are the enter- 
 tainments of a large town compared to the Delta of the Nile, and 
 many similar scenes ? The pure and perfect enjoyment afforded 
 by the contemplation of the beauty of nature is not for a moment 
 to be found in the ball-room or the theatre ; and all the ease and 
 luxury in the world should not buy from me my recollections of 
 this journey. 
 
 Not far from the Delta we can behold the Lybian Desert, 
 of which we afterwards never entirely lose sight, though we some- 
 times approach and sometimes recede from it. I became conscious 
 of certain dark objects in the far distance ; they developed them- 
 selves more and more, and at length I recognised in them the 
 wonder-buildings of ancient tunes, the Pyramids ; far behind them 
 rises the chain of mountains, or rather lulls, of Mokattam. 
 
 Evening was closing in when we at length arrived at Bulak, 
 the harbour of Cairo. If we could have landed at once, I might, 
 perhaps, have reached the town itself this evening ; as the har- 
 bour is, however, always over-crowded with vessels, the captain 
 is often compelled to wait for an hour before he can find a place 
 to moor his craft. By the time I could disembark it had already 
 grown quite dark, and the town-gates were shut. I was thus 
 obliged to pass the night on board. 
 
 The journey from Atfe to Cairo had occupied two days and a 
 half. This passage had been one of the most interesting, although 
 the heat became more and more oppressive, and the burning winds 
 of the desert were sometimes wafted over to us. The highest 
 temperature at midday was 36, and hi the shade from 24 to 25 
 Reaumur. The sky was far less beautiful and clear than in Syria; 
 it was here frequently overcast with wliite clouds.
 
 230 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Cairo Quarrel with the captain Rapacity of the beggars The custom- 
 house The consulate Aspect of Cairo Narrow and crowded streets 
 Costumes The mad-house Disgusting exhibition Joseph's well 
 Palace of Mehemet Ali Dates Mosques at Cairo Excursion to the 
 pyramids of Gizeh Gizeh Eggs hatched by artificial heat Ascent 
 of the pyramids The sphynx Return to Cairo. 
 
 August 22d. 
 
 npHE aspect of this great Egyptian metropolis is not nearly so 
 _L imposing as I had fancied it to be ; its situation is too flat, 
 and from on board we can only discern scattered portions of its 
 extended area. The gardens skirting the shore are luxuriant and 
 lovely. 
 
 At my debarcation, and on the road to the consulate, I met 
 with several adventures, which I relate circumstantially, trifling 
 as they may appear, in order to give a hint as to the best method 
 of dealing with the people here. 
 
 At the very commencement I became involved in a dispute 
 with the captain of the vessel. I had still to pay him three dol- 
 lars and a half, and gave him four dollars, in the expectation that 
 he would return me my change. This, however, he refused to 
 do, and persisted in keeping the half-dollar. He said it should 
 be divided as backsheesh among the crew ; but I am sure they 
 would have seen nothing of it. Luckily, however, he was stupid 
 enough not to put the money in his pocket, but kept it open in his 
 hand. I quickly snatched a coin from him, and put it into my 
 pocket, explaining to him at the same time that he should not 
 have it back until he had given me my change, adding that I 
 would give the men a gratuity myself. He shouted and stormed,
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 231 
 
 and kept on asking for the money. I took no heed of him, but 
 continued quietly packing up my things. Seeing, at length, that 
 nothing was to be done with me, he gave me back my half-dollar ; 
 whereupon we parted good friends. This affair concluded, I had 
 to look about for a couple of asses ; one for myself, and another 
 for my luggage. If I had stepped ashore I should have been 
 almost torn hi pieces by contending donkey-drivers, each of whom 
 would have lugged me hi a different direction. I therefore re- 
 mained quietly for a tune hi my cabin, until the drivers ceased to 
 suspect that any one was there. In the meantime I had been 
 looking upon the shore from the cabin-window, and speculating 
 upon which animal I should take; then I quickly rushed out, 
 and before the proprietors of the long-eared steeds were aware of 
 my intention, I had seized one by the bridle and pointed to an- 
 other. This concluded the matter at once ; for the proprietors of 
 the chosen animals defended me from the rest, and returned with 
 me to the boat to carry my baggage. 
 
 A fellow came up and arranged my little trunk on the back 
 of the ass. For this trifling service I gave him a piastre ; but 
 observing that I was alone, he probably thought he could soon 
 intimidate me into giving whatever he demanded. So he returned 
 me my piastre, and demanded four. I took the money, and told 
 him (for fortunately he understood a little Italian) that if he felt 
 dissatisfied with this reward he might accompany me to the con- 
 sulate, where his four piastres would be paid so soon as it ap- 
 peared that he had earned them. He shouted and blustered, just 
 as the captain had done ; but I remained deaf, and rode forward 
 towards the custom-house. Then he came down to three piastres, 
 then to two, and finally said he would be content with one, which 
 I threw to him. When I reached the custom-house, hands were 
 stretched out towards me from all sides ; I gave something to the 
 chief person, and let the remaining ones clamour on. When, after 
 experiencing these various annoyances, I rode on towards the 
 town, a new obstacle arose. My Arab guide inquired whither
 
 232 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 he should conduct me. I endeavoured in vain to explain to him 
 where I wanted to go ; he could not be made to understand me. 
 Nothing now remained for me but to accost every well-dressed 
 Oriental whom I met, until I should find one who could under- 
 stand either French or Italian. The third person I addressed 
 fortunately knew something of the latter language, and I begged 
 him to tell my guide to take me to the Austrian consulate. This 
 was done, and my troubles concluded. 
 
 A ride of three quarters of an hour in a very broad handsome 
 street, planted with a double row of a kind of acacia altogether 
 strange to me, among a crowd of men, camels, asses, &c., brought 
 me to the town, the streets of which are in general narrow. 
 There is so much noise and crowding every where, that one would 
 suppose a tumult had broken out. But as I approached, the im- 
 mense mass always opened as if by magic, and I pursued my way 
 without hindrance to the consulate, which lies hidden in a little 
 narrow blind alley. 
 
 I went immediately to the office, and presented myself to the 
 consul, with the request that he would recommend me a respect- 
 able inn of the second class. Herr Chamgion, the consul, inter- 
 ested himself for me with heartfelt kindness; he immediately 
 despatched a kavasse to an innkeeper whom he knew, paid my 
 guide, and recommended the host strongly to take good care of 
 me ; in short, he behaved towards me with true Christian kindli- 
 ness. His house was ever open to me, and I could go to him with 
 any petition I wished to make. It is a real pleasure to me to be 
 able publicly once more to thank this worthy man. 
 
 I had been furnished with a letter of recommendation to a 
 certain Herr Palm. The consul kindly sent at once for this gen- 
 tleman, who soon appeared, and accompanied me to the inn. 
 
 I requested Herr P. to recommend me a servant who could 
 either speak Italian or French, and afterwards to tell me the best 
 method to set about seeing the lions of the town. Herr P. very 
 willingly undertook to do so ; and after the lapse of an hour, the
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 233 
 
 dragoman had already been found, and two asses stood before the 
 door to carry me and my servant through the whole town. 
 
 The animated bustle and hum of business in the streets of 
 Cairo is very great. I can even say that in the most populous 
 cities of Italy I never saw any thing I could compare to it ; and 
 certainly this is a bold assertion. 
 
 Many of the streets are so narrow, that when loaded camels 
 meet, one party must always be led into a by-street until the 
 other has passed. In these narrow lanes I continually encoun- 
 tered crowds of passengers, so that I really felt quite anxious, and 
 wondered how I should find my way through. People mounted 
 on horses and donkeys tower above the moving mass ; but the 
 asses themselves appear like pigmies beside the high, lofty-looking 
 camels, which do not lose their proud demeanour even under their 
 heavy burdens. Men often slip by under the heads of the camels. 
 The riders keep as close as possible to the houses, and the mass 
 of pedestrians winds dexterously between. There are water-car- 
 riers, vendors of goods, numerous blind men groping their way 
 with sticks, and bearing baskets with fruit, bread, and other pro- 
 visions for sale ; numerous children, some of them running about 
 the streets, and others playing before the house-doors ; and lastly, 
 the Egyptian ladies, who ride on asses to pay their visits, and 
 come in long processions with their children and negro servants. 
 Let the reader further imagine the cries of the vendors, the shout- 
 ing of the drivers and passengers, the terrified screams of flying 
 women and children, the quarrels which frequently arise, and the 
 peculiar noisiness and talkativeness of these people, and he can 
 fancy what an effect this must have on the nerves of a stranger. 
 I was in mortal fear at every step, and on reaching home in the 
 evening felt quite unwell ; but as I never once saw an accident 
 occur, I at length accustomed myself to the hubbub, and could 
 follow my guide where the crowd was thickest without feeling 
 uneasy. 
 
 The streets, or, as they may be more properly called, the
 
 234 VISIT TO THE HOLY LASD, 
 
 lanes of Cairo, are sprinkled with water several times in the day : 
 fountains and large vessels of water are also placed every where 
 for the convenience of the passers-by. In the broad streets straw- 
 mats are hung up to keep off the son's rays. 
 
 The richer class of people wear the Oriental garb, with the 
 exception that the women merely have their heads and faces 
 wrapped in a light muslin veil ; they wear also a kind of mAntilla 
 of black silk, which gives them a peculiar appearance. When 
 they came riding along, and the wind caught this garment and 
 spread it oat, they looked exactly like bats with outstretched 
 wings. 
 
 Many of the Franks also dress in the Oriental style; the 
 Fellahs go almost naked, and their women only wear a single 
 blue garment. 
 
 Here, as throughout all the East, the rich people are always 
 seen on horseback. I was not so much pleased with the Egyptian 
 as with the Syrian horses, for the former appeared to me less 
 slim and gracefully built. 
 
 The population of Cairo is estimated at 200,000, and is a 
 mixed one, consisting of Arabs, Mamelukes, Turks, Berbers, 
 Xegroes, Bedouins, Christians, Greeks, Jews, &c. Thanks to the 
 powerful arm of Mehemet Ali, they all live peacefully together. 
 
 Cairo contains 25,000 houses, which are as unsightly and 
 irregular as the streets. They are built of clay, unburnt bricks, 
 and stones, and have little narrow entrances ; the unsymmetrical 
 windows are furnished with wooden shutters impenetrable to the 
 eye. The interiors are decorated like the houses in Damascus, 
 but hi a less costly style ; neither is there such an abundance of 
 fresh water at Cairo. 
 
 The Jews' quarter is the most hideous of all ; the houses are 
 dirty, and the streets so narrow that two persons can only just 
 push by each other. The entire town is surrounded by walls and 
 towers, guarded by a castle, and divided into several quarters, 
 separated from each other by gates, which are closed after sunset.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 235 
 
 On the heights around Cairo are to be seen some castles from the 
 time of the Saracens. 
 
 As I rode to and fro in the town, my guide suddenly stopped, 
 bought a quantity of bread, and motioned me to follow him. I 
 thought he was going to take me to a menagerie, and that this 
 bread was intended for the wild animals. We entered a court- 
 yard with windows all round reaching to the ground, and strength- 
 ened with iron bars. Stopping before the first window, my ser- 
 vant threw in a piece of bread ; what was my horror when I saw, 
 instead of a lion or tiger, a naked emaciated old man rush forth, 
 seize the bread, and devour it ravenously. I was in the mad- 
 house. In the midst of each dark and filthy dungeon is fixed a 
 stone, with two iron chains, to which one or two of these wretched 
 creatures are attached by an iron ring fastened round the neck. 
 There they sit staring with fearfully distorted faces, then- hair 
 and beard unkempt, their bodies emaciated, and the marrow of 
 life drying up within them. In these foul and loathsome dens 
 they must pine until the Almighty in his mercy loosens the chains 
 which bind them to their miserable existence by a welcome death. 
 There is not one instance of a cure, and truly the treatment to 
 which they are subjected is calculated to drive a half-witted per- 
 son quite mad. And yet the Europeans can praise Mehemet Ali ! 
 Ye wretched madmen, ye poor fellahs, are ye too ready to join 
 in tliis praise ? 
 
 Quitting this abode of misery, my dragoman led me to " Jo- 
 seph's well," which is deeply hewn out of the rock. I descended 
 more than two hundred and seventy steps, and had got half-way 
 to the bottom of the gigantic structure. On looking downward into 
 its depths a feeling of giddiness came over me. 
 
 The new palace of Mehemet Ali is rather a handsome build- 
 ing, arranged chiefly hi the European style. The rooms, or 
 rather the halls, are very lofty, and are either tastefully painted 
 or hung with silk, tapestry, &c. Large pier-glasses multiply the 
 objects around, rich divans are attached to the walls, and costly
 
 236 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 tables, some of marble, others of inlaid work, enriched with beau- 
 tiful paintings, stand in the rooms, in one of which I even noticed 
 a billiard-table. The dining-hall is quite European in its cha- 
 racter. In the centre stands a large table ; two sideboards are 
 placed against one side of the wall, and handsome chairs stand 
 opposite. In one of the rooms hangs an oil-painting representing 
 Ibrahim Pasha, a Mehemet Ali's son. 
 
 This palace stands in the midst of a little garden, neither re- 
 markable for the rarity of the plants it contains, nor for the beauty 
 of their arrangement. The views from some of the apartments, 
 as well as that from the garden, are very lovely. 
 
 Opposite the palace a great mosque is being built as a mau- 
 soleum for Mehemet Ali. The despot probably reckons on having 
 some years yet to live, for much remains to be done before the 
 beautiful structure is completed. The pillars and the walls of 
 the mosque are covered with the most splendid marble, of a yel- 
 lowish-white colour. 
 
 The before-mentioned buildings, namely, Joseph's well, the 
 palace and gardens, and the mosque, are all situate on a high 
 rock, to which a single broad road leads from Cairo. Here we 
 behold a threefold sea, namely, of houses, of the Nile, and a sea 
 of sand, on which the lofty Pyramids rise in the distance like iso- 
 lated rocks. The mountains of Mokattam close the background, 
 and a number of lovely gardens and plantations of date-palms 
 surround the town. With one glance we can behold the most 
 striking contrasts. A wreath of the most luxurious vegetation 
 runs round the town, and beyond lies the dreary monotony of the 
 desert. The colour of the Kile is so exactly similar to that of 
 the sand forming its shores, that at a distance the line of demar- 
 cation cannot be traced. 
 
 On my way homewards I met several fellahs carrying large 
 baskets full of dates, and stopped one of them, in order to pur- 
 
 a This is a work of the young Viennese artist, Leander Russ, who visited 
 Egypt in the year 1832.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 237 
 
 chase some of this celebrated fruit. Unfortunately for me, the 
 dates were still unripe, hard, of a brick-red colour, and so un- 
 palatable that I could not eat one of them. A week or ten days 
 afterwards I was able to procure some ripe ones ; they were of a 
 brown colour like the dried fruit, the tender skin could easily be 
 peeled off, and I liked them better than dried dates, because they 
 were more pulpy and not so sweet. A much more precious fruit, 
 the finest production of Egypt and Syria, almost superior to the 
 pine-apple in taste, is the banana, which is so delicate that it 
 almost melts in the mouth. This fruit cannot be dried, and is 
 therefore never exported. Sugar melons and peaches are to be 
 had in abundance, but their flavour is not very good. I also 
 preferred the Alexandrian grape to that of Cairo. 
 
 The bazaars, through which we rode in all directions, dis- 
 played nothing very remarkable in manufactures or in productions 
 of nature and art. 
 
 From first to last I spent a week at Cairo, and occupied the 
 whole of my time from morning till night in viewing the curi- 
 osities of the town. 
 
 I only saw two mosques, that of Sultan Hassan and of Sul- 
 tan Amru. Before I was permitted to enter the first of these 
 edifices, they compelled me to take off my shoes, and walk in my 
 stockings over a courtyard paved with great stones. The stones 
 had become so heated by the solar rays, that I was obliged to 
 run fast, to avoid scorching the soles of my feet. I cannot give 
 an opinion touching the architectural beauty of this building, which 
 is built hi such a simple style that none but a connoisseur would 
 discover its merits. I was better pleased with the mosque of 
 Sultan Amru, which contains several halls, and is supported on 
 numerous columns. The mosques ha Cairo struck me as having a 
 more ancient and venerable appearance than those of Constanti- 
 nople, while the latter, on the other hand, were larger and more 
 elegant. 
 
 I also visited the island of Rodda, which is worthy the name of
 
 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 a beautiful garden. It lies opposite to old Cairo, on the Nile, and 
 is said to be a favourite walk of the townspeople, though I was 
 there twice without meeting any one. The garden is spacious, and 
 contains all kinds of tropical productions : here I saw the sugar- 
 cane, which greatly resembles the stem of the Indian maize ; the 
 cotton- tree, growing to a height of five or six feet ; the banana-tree, 
 the short-stemmed date-palm, the coffee-tree, and many others. 
 Flowers were also there hi quantities which must be cultivated 
 with great care in the hothouses of my native country. The whole 
 of this collection of plants is very tastefully arranged, and shines 
 forth hi the height of luxuriant beauty. Is is customary to lay the 
 entire island under water every evening by means of artificial 
 canals. This system is universally carried out throughout the 
 Egyptian plantations, and is, in fact, the only method by which 
 vegetation can be preserved in its freshest green in spite of the 
 burning heat. The care of this fairy grove is entrusted to a Ger- 
 man ornamental gardener ; unfortunately I was informed of this 
 fact too late, otherwise I should have visited my countryman and 
 requested an explanation of many things which appeared strange 
 to me. 
 
 In the midst of the garden is a beautiful grotto, ornamented 
 within and without by a great variety of shells from the Red Sea, 
 winch give it a most striking appearance. At this spot, towards 
 which many paths lead, all strewed with minute shells instead of 
 gravel, Moses is said to have been found in his cradle of bul- 
 rushes (?). Immediately adjoining the garden we find a summer 
 residence belonging to Mehemet Ali. 
 
 The well shewn as that into which Joseph was thrust by his 
 brethren lies about two miles distant from the town, in a village 
 on the road to Suez. Half a mile off a very large and venerable 
 sycamore-tree was pointed out to me as the one hi the shade of 
 which the holy family rested on their way to Egypt ; and a walk 
 of another quarter of a mile brings us to the garden of Boghos 
 Bey, in the midst of which stands one of the finest and largest
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 239 
 
 obelisks of Upper Egypt : it is still in good condition, and com- 
 pletely covered with hieroglyphics. The garden, however, offers * 
 nothing remarkable. The ancient city of Heliopolis is said to have 
 been built not far off; but at the present day not a vestige of it 
 remains. 
 
 The road to this garden already lies partly hi the desert. At 
 first the way winds through avenues of trees and past gardens ; 
 but soon the vast desert extends to the right, while beautiful 
 orange and citron groves still skirt the left side of the path. Here 
 we continually meet herds of camels, but a dromedary is a rare 
 sight. 
 
 EXCURSION TO THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZEH. 
 
 August 25th, 1842. 
 
 At four in the afternoon I quitted Cairo, crossed two arms of 
 the Kile, and a couple of hours afterwards arrived safely at Gizeh. 
 As the Nile had overflowed several parts of the country, we were 
 compelled frequently to turn out of our way, and sometimes to 
 cross canals and ride through water ; now and then, where it was 
 too deep for our asses, we were obliged to be carried across. As 
 there is no inn at Gizeh I betook myself to Herr Klinger, to . 
 whom I brought a letter of recommendation from Cairo. Herr 
 K. is a Bohemian by birth, and stands in the service of the 
 viceroy of Egypt, as musical instructor to the young military 
 band. I was made very welcome here, and Herr Klinger seemed 
 quite rejoiced at seeing a visitor with whom he could talk in 
 German. Our conversation was of Beethoven and Mozart, of 
 Strauss and Lanne. The fame of the bravura composers of the 
 present day, Liszt and Thalberg, had not yet penetrated to these 
 regions. I requested my kind host to shew me the establish- 
 ment for hatching eggs that exists at Gizeh. He immediately 
 sent for the superintendent, who happened however to be absent, 
 and to have locked up the keys. In this place about 8000 eggs 
 are hatched by artificial warmth during the months of March and
 
 240 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 April. The eggs are laid on large flat plates, which are continu. 
 ally kept at an equal temperature by heat applied below the sur- 
 face : they are turned several times during the day. As the 
 thousands of little chickens burst their shells, they are sold, not by 
 number or weight, but by the measure. This egg-hatching house 
 has the effect of rendering poultry plentiful and cheap. 
 
 After chatting away the evening very pleasantly I sought my 
 couch, tired with my ride and with the heat, and rejoicing at the 
 sight of the soft divan, which seemed to smile upon me, and pro- 
 mise rest and strength for the following day. But as I was about 
 to take possession of my couch, I noticed on the wall a great 
 number of black spots. I took the candle to examine what it 
 could be, and nearly dropped the light with horror on discovering 
 that the wall was covered with bugs. I had never seen such a 
 disgusting sight. All hopes of rest on the divan were now effec- 
 tually put to flight. I sat down on a chair, and waited until every 
 thing was perfectly still ; then I slipped into the entrance-hall, and 
 lay down on the stones, wrapped in my cloak. 
 
 Though I had escaped from one description of vermin, I 
 became a prey to innumerable gnats. I had passed many un- 
 comfortable nights during my journey, but this was worse than 
 any tiling I had yet endured. 
 
 However, this was only an additional inducement for rising 
 early, and long before sunrise I was ready to continue my journey. 
 Before daybreak I took leave of my kind host, and rode with my 
 servant towards the gigantic structures. To-day we were again 
 obliged frequently to go out of our route on account of the rising 
 of the Nile ; owing to this delay, two hours elapsed before -we 
 reached the broad arm of the Nile, dividing us from the Lybian 
 desert, on which the Pyramids stand, and over which two Arabs 
 carried me. This was one of the most disagreeable things that can 
 be imagined. Two large powerful men stood side by side ; I 
 mounted on their shoulders, and held fast by their heads, while 
 they supported my feet in a horizontal position above the waters,
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 241 
 
 which at some places reached almost to their armpits, so that I 
 feared every moment that I should sit in the water. Besides 
 this, my supporters continually swayed to and fro, because they 
 could only withstand the force of the current by a great exertion 
 of strength, and I was apprehensive of falling off. This disagree- 
 able passage lasted above a quarter of an hour. After wading for 
 another fifteen minutes through deep sand, we arrived at the goal 
 of our little journey. 
 
 The two colossal pyramids are of course visible directly we 
 quit the town, and we keep them almost continually in sight. 
 But here the expectations I had cherished were again disap- 
 pointed, for the aspect of these giant structures did not astonish 
 me greatly. Their height appears less remarkable than it other- 
 wise would, from the circumstance that their base is buried hi 
 sand, and thus hidden from view. There is also neither a tree 
 nor a hut, nor any other object which could serve to display their 
 huge proportions by the force of contrast. 
 
 As it was still early in the day and not very hot, I preferred 
 ascending the pyramid before venturing into its interior. My 
 servant took off my rings and concealed them carefully, telling 
 me that this was a very necessary precaution, as the fellows who 
 take the travellers by the hands to assist them in mounting the 
 pyramids have such a dexterous knack of drawing the rings from 
 their fingers, that they seldom perceive their loss until too late. 
 
 I took two Arabs with' me, who gave me their hands, and 
 pulled me up the very large stones. Any one who is at all sub- 
 ject to dizziness would do very wrong in attempting this feat, for 
 he might be lost without remedy. Let the reader picture to him- 
 self a height of 500 feet, without a railing or a regular staircase 
 by which to make the ascent. At one angle only the immense 
 blocks of stone have been hewn in such a manner that they form 
 a flight of steps, but a very inconvenient one, as many of these 
 stone blocks are above four feet hi height, and offer no projection 
 on which you can place your foot in mounting. The two Arabs 
 
 Q
 
 242 VISIT TO THE HOLY IJLNT), 
 
 ascended first, and then stretched out their hands to pull me 
 from one block to another. I preferred climbing over the smaller 
 blocks without assistance. In three quarters of an hour's time I 
 had gained the summit of the pyramid. 
 
 For a long time I stood lost in thought, and could hardly 
 realise the fact that I was really one of the favoured few who are 
 happy enough to be able to contemplate the most stupendous and 
 imperishable monument ever erected by human hands. At the 
 first moment I was scarcely able to gaze down from the dizzy 
 height into the deep distance ; I could only examine the pyramid 
 itself, and seek to familiarise myself with the idea that I was 
 not dreaming. Gradually, however, I came to myself, and con- 
 templated the landscape which lay extended beneath me. From 
 my elevated position I could form a better estimate of the gigantic 
 structure, for here the fact that the base was buried in sand did 
 not prejudice the general effect. I saw the Nile flowing for 
 beneath me, and a few Bedouins, whom curiosity had attracted 
 to the spot, looked hike very pigmies. In ascending I had seen 
 the immense blocks of stone singly, and ceased to marvel that 
 these monuments are reckoned among the seven wonders of the 
 world. 
 
 On the castle the view had been fine, but here, where the 
 prospect was bounded only by the horizon and by the Mokattam 
 mountains, it is grander by far. I could follow the windings of 
 the river, with its innumerable arms and canals, until it melted 
 into the far horizon, which closed the picture on this side. Many 
 blooming gardens, and the large extensive town with its environs ; 
 the immense desert, with its plains and hills of sand, and the 
 lengthened mountain-range of Mokattam, all lay spread before 
 me ; and for a long time I sat gazing around me, and wishing that 
 the dear ones at home had been with me, to share in my wonder 
 and delight. 
 
 But now the time came not only to look down, but to descend. 
 Most people find this even more difficult than the ascent; but with
 
 EGYPT, AXD ITALY. 243 
 
 me the contrary was the case. I never grow giddy, and so I 
 advanced in the following manner, without the aid of the Arabs. 
 On the smaller blocks I sprang from one to the other ; when a 
 stone of three or. four feet in height was to be encountered, I let 
 myself glide gently down ; and I accomplished my descent with 
 so much grace and agility, that I reached the base of the pyramid 
 long before my servant. Even the Arabs expressed their pleasure 
 at my fearlessness on this dangerous passage. 
 
 After eating my breakfast and resting for a short time, I pro- 
 ceeded to explore the interior. At first I was obliged to cross a 
 heap of sand and rubbish ; for we have to go downwards towards 
 the entrance, which is so low and narrow that we cannot always 
 stand upright. I could not have passed along the passage leading 
 into the interior if the Arabs had not helped me, for it is so steep 
 and so smoothly paved that, in spite of my conductor's assistance, 
 I slid rather than walked. The apartment of the king is more 
 spacious, and resembles a small hall. On one side stands a little 
 empty sarcophagus without a lid. The walls of the chambers and 
 of the passages are covered with large and beautifully polished 
 slabs of granite and marble. The remaining passages, or rather 
 dens, which are shewn here, I did not see. It may be very inte- 
 resting for learned men and antiquarians thus to search every 
 corner ; but for a woman like myself, brought hither only by an 
 insatiable desire to travel, and capable of judging of the beauties 
 of nature and art only by her own simple feelings, it was enough 
 to have ascended the pyramid of Cheops, and to have seen some- 
 thing of its interior. This pyramid is said to be the loftiest of all. 
 It stands on a rock 150 feet in height, which is invisible, being 
 altogether buried in sand. The height of the vast structure is 
 above 500 feet. It was erected by Cheops more than 3000 years 
 ago, and 100,000 men are said to have been employed in its con- 
 struction for twenty-six years. It is a most interesting structure, 
 built of immense masses of rock, fixed together with a great deal 
 of art, and seemingly calculated to last an eternity. They look
 
 244 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 so strong and so well preserved, that many travellers will no doubt 
 repair hither in coming generations, and continue the researches 
 commenced long ago. 
 
 The Sphynx, a statue of most colossal dimensions, situate at 
 no great distance from the great pyramid, is so covered with sand 
 that only the head and a small portion of the bust remain \isible. 
 The head alone is twenty-two feet in height. 
 
 After walking about and inspecting every thing, I commenced 
 my journey back. On the way I once more visited Herr Klinger, 
 strengthened myself with a hearty meal, and arrived safely at Cairo 
 late in the evening. Here I wished to take my little purse out of 
 my pocket, and found that it was gone. Luckily I had only taken 
 one collonato (Spanish dollar) with me. No one can imagine what 
 dexterity the Bedouins and Arabs possess in the art of stealing. I 
 always kept a sharp eye upon my effects, and notwithstanding my 
 vigilance several articles were pilfered from me, and my purse 
 must also have been stolen during this excursion. The loss was 
 very disagreeable to me because it involved that of my box-key. 
 I was, however, fortunate in finding an expert Arabian locksmith, 
 who opened my chest and made me a new key, on which occa- 
 sion I had another opportunity of seeing how careful it is neces- 
 sary to be in all our dealings with these people to avoid being 
 cheated. The key locked and unlocked my box well, and I paid 
 for it; but immediately afterwards observed that it was very 
 slightly joined in the middle, and would presently break. The 
 Arab's tools still lay on the ground ; I immediately seized one of 
 them, and told the man I would not give it up until he had made 
 me a new key. It was in vain that he assured me he could not 
 work without his tools ; he would not give my money back, and 
 I kept the implement : by this means I obtained from him a new 
 and a good key.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 245 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Christian churches at Cairo The Esbekie-square Theatre Howling der- 
 vishes Mashdalansher, the birthday of Mahomet Procession and 
 religious ceremony Shxibra Excursion through the desert to Suez 
 Hardships of the journey Scenes in the desert The camel Cara- 
 vans Mirage The Red Sea Suez Bedouin camp Quarrel with the 
 camel-driver Departure for Alexandria. 
 
 I VISITED many Christian churches, the finest among which was 
 the Greek one. On my way thither I saw many streets where 
 there can hardly have been room for a horseman to pass. The road 
 to the Armenian church leads through such narrow lanes and gates, 
 that we were compelled to leave our asses behind; there was 
 hardly room for two people to pass each other. 
 
 On the other hand, I had nowhere seen a more spacious square 
 than the Esbekie-place in Cairo. The square in Padua is per- 
 haps the only one that can compare with it in point of size ; but 
 this place looks like a complete chaos. Miserable houses and 
 ruined huts surround it ; and here and there we sometimes come 
 upon a part of an alley or an unfinished canal. The centre is 
 very uneven, and is filled with building materials, sueh as stones, 
 wood, bricks, and beams. The largest and handsomest house in 
 this square is remarkable as having been inhabited by Napoleon 
 during his residence at Cairo : it is now converted into a splendid 
 hotel. 
 
 Herr Chamgion, the consul, was kind enough to send me a 
 card of invitation for the theatre. The building looks like a pri- 
 vate house, and contains a gallery capable of accommodating three 
 or four hundred people; this gallery is devoted to the use of
 
 246 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 the ladies. The performers were all amateurs; they acted an 
 Italian comedy in a very creditable manner. The orchestra com- 
 prised only four musicians. At the conclusion of the second act the 
 consul's son, a boy of twelve years, played some variations on the 
 violin very prettily. 
 
 The women, all natives of the Levant, were very elegantly 
 dressed ; they wore the European garb, white muslin dresses -with 
 their hair beautifully braided and ornamented with flowers. 
 Nearly all the women and girls were handsome, with complexions 
 of a dazzling whiteness, which we rarely see equalled in Europe. 
 The reason of this is, perhaps, that they always stay in their 
 houses, and avoid exposing themselves to the sun and wind. 
 
 The following day I visited the abode of the howling der- 
 vishes, in whom I took a lively interest since I had seen their 
 brethren at Constantinople. The hall, or rather the mosque, in 
 which they perform their devotions is very splendid. I was not 
 allowed here to stand among the men as I had done at Constan- 
 tinople, but was conducted to a raised gallery, from which I could 
 look down through a grated window. 
 
 The style of devotion and excitement of these dervishes is 
 like that I had witnessed at Constantinople, without being quite 
 so wild in its character. Not one of them sank exhausted, and 
 the screeching and howling were not so loud. Towards the end 
 of their performance many of the dervishes seized a small tam- 
 bourine, on which they beat and produced a most diabolical music. 
 
 In the slave-market there was but a meagre selection ; all the 
 wares had been bought, and a new cargo of these unfortunates 
 was daily expected. I pretended that I wished to purchase a boy 
 and a girl, in order to gain admittance into the private department. 
 Here I saw a couple of negro girls of most uncommon beauty. I 
 had not deemed it possible to find any thing so perfect. Their 
 skin was of a velvety black, and shone with a peculiar lustre. 
 Their teeth were beautifully formed and of dazzling whiteness, 
 their eyes large and lustrous, and their lips thinner than we usually
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 247 
 
 find them among these people. They wore their hair neatly 
 parted, and arranged in pretty curls round the head. Poor 
 creatures, who knows into what hands they might fall ! They 
 bowed their heads in anguish, without uttering a syllable. The 
 sight of the slave-market here inspired me with a feeling of deep 
 melancholy. The poor creatures did not seem so careless and 
 merry as those whom I had seen on the market-place at Constan- 
 tinople. In Cairo the slaves seemed badly kept; they lay iu 
 little tents, and were driven out, when a purchaser appeared, very 
 much in the manner of cattle. They were only partially clothed 
 in some old rags, and looked exhausted and unhappy. 
 
 During my short stay at Cairo one of the chief feasts of the 
 Mahommedans namely, the Mashdalansher, or birthday of the 
 Prophet occurred. This feast is celebrated on a great open space 
 outside the town. A number of large tents are erected ; they are 
 open hi front, and beneath their shelter all kinds of things are 
 carried on. In one tent, Mahommedans are praying ; in another, 
 a party of dervishes throw themselves with their faces to the 
 ground and call upon Allah ; while in a third, a juggler or story- 
 teller may be driving his trade. In the midst of all stood a 
 large tent, the entrance to which was concealed by curtains. 
 Here the " bayaderes" were dancing ; any one can obtain ad- 
 mission by paying a trifling sum. Of course I went in to see 
 these celebrated dancers. There were, however, only two pairs ; 
 two boys were elegantly clothed in a female garb, richly decorated 
 with gold coins. They looked very pretty and delicate, so that I 
 really thought they were girls. The dance itself is very mono- 
 tonous, slow, and wearisome; it consists only of some steps to 
 and fro, accompanied by some rather indecorous movements of the 
 upper part of the body. These gestures are said to be very diffi- 
 cult, as the dancer must stand perfectly still, and only move the 
 upper part of his person. The music consisted of a tambourine, 
 a flageolet, and a bagpipe. Much lias been written concerning 
 the indecency of these dances ; but I am of opinion that many of
 
 248 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 our ballets afford much greater cause of complaint. It may, how- 
 ever, be that other dances are performed of which the general 
 public are not allowed to be spectators ; but I only speak of what 
 is done openly. I would also by far prefer a popular festival in the 
 East to a fair in our highly-civilised states. The Oriental feasts 
 were to me a source of much enjoyment, for the people always 
 behaved most decorously. They certainly shouted, and pushed, 
 and elbowed each other like an European mob ; but no drunken 
 men were to be seen, and it was very seldom that a serious 
 quarrel occurred. The commonest man, too, would never think 
 of offering an insult to one of the opposite sex. I should feel no 
 compunction in sending a young girl to this festival, though I 
 should never think of letting her go to the fair held at Vienna 
 on St. Bridget's day. 
 
 The people were assembled in vast numbers, and the crowd 
 was very great, yet we could pass every where on our donkeys. 
 
 At about three o'clock my servant sought out an elevated 
 place for me, for the great spectacle was soon to come, and the 
 crushing and bustle had already reached their highest pitch. At 
 length a portly priest could be descried riding along on a splendid 
 horse ; before him marched eight or ten dervishes with flags 
 flying, and behind him a number of men, among whom were also 
 many dervishes. In the midst of the square the procession 
 halted ; a few soldiers pushed their way among the people, whom 
 they forced to stand back and leave a road. Whenever the 
 spectators did not obey quickly, a stick was brought into action, 
 which soon established order in a most satisfactory manner. 
 
 The procession now moved on once more, the standard-bearers 
 and dervishes making all kinds of frantic gestures, as though they 
 had just escaped from a madhouse. On reaching the place where 
 the spectators formed a lane, the dervishes and several other men 
 threw themselves down with their faces to the ground in a long row, 
 with their heads side by side. And then oh horror ! the priest 
 rode over the backs of these miserable men as upon a bridge.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 249 
 
 Then they all sprang up again as though nothing had happened, and 
 rejoined the advancing train with their former antics and grimaces. 
 One man stayed behind, writhing to and fro as if his back had 
 been broken, but in a few moments' time he went away as un- 
 concernedly as his comrades. Each of the actors in this scene 
 considers himself extremely fortunate in having attained to such 
 a distinction, and this feeling even extends to his relations and 
 friends. 
 
 SHUBKA. 
 
 One afternoon I paid a visit to the beautiful garden and country- 
 house of the Viceroy of Egypt. A broad handsome street leads 
 between alleys of sycamores, and the journey occupies about an 
 hour and a half. Immediately upon my arrival I was conducted 
 to an out- building, in the yard belonging to which a fine large 
 elephant was to be shewn. I had already seen several of these 
 creatures, but never such a fine specimen as this. Its bulk was 
 truly marvellous ; its body clean and smooth, and of a dark-brown 
 colour. 
 
 The park is most lovely ; and the rarest plants are here seen 
 flourishing in the open air, in the fulness of bloom and beauty, 
 beside those we are accustomed to see every day. On the whole, 
 however, I was better pleased with the garden at Rodda. The 
 palace, too, is very fine. The ceilings of the rooms are lofty, and 
 richly ornamented with gilding, paintings, and marble. The rooms 
 appropriated to the viceroy's consort are no less magnificent ; the 
 ascent to them is by a broad staircase on each side. On the 
 ground-floor is situate the favourite apartment of the autocrat of 
 Cairo, furnished in the style of the reception-halls at Damascus. A 
 fountain of excellent water diffuses a delicious coolness around. In 
 the palace itself we find several large cages for parrots and other 
 beautiful birds. What pleased me most of all was, however, the 
 incomparable kiosk, lying in the garden at some distance from 
 the palace. It is 130 paces long and 100 broad, surrounded by
 
 250 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 arcades of glorious pillars. This Mosk contains in its interior a 
 large and beautiful fountain ; and at the four corners of the building 
 are terraces, from which the water falls in the form of little cata- 
 racts, afterwards uniting with the fountain, and shooting upwards 
 in the shape of a mighty pillar. All things around us, the pan- 
 lion and the pillars, the walls and the fountain, are alike covered 
 with beautiful marble of a white or light-brown colour ; the pavi- 
 lion is even arranged so that it can be lighted with gas. 
 
 From this paradise of the living I rode to the abode of the 
 dead, the celebrated " world of graves," which is to be seen in the 
 desert. Here are to be found a number of ancient sepulchres, but 
 most of them resemble ruins, and to find out their boasted beauty 
 is a thing left to the imagination of every traveller. I only ad- 
 mired the sepulchre ofMehemet Ali's two sons, in which the bones 
 of his wife also rest : this is a beautiful building of stone ; five cupo- 
 las rise above the magnificent chambers where the sarcophagi are 
 deposited. 
 
 The petrified date-wood lies about eight miles distant from 
 Cairo ; I rode out there, but did not find much to see, excepting 
 here and there some fragments of stems and^ a few petrifactions 
 lying about. It is said that the finest part of this " petrified wood" 
 begins some miles away ; but I did not penetrate so far. 
 
 During my residence in Cairo the heat once reached 36 
 Heaumur, and yet I found it much more endurable than I had 
 expected. I was not annoyed at all by insects or vermin ; but I 
 was obliged to be careful not to leave any provisions in my room 
 throughout the night. An immense swarm of minute ants would 
 seize upon every kind of eatable, particularly bread. One evening 
 I left a roll upon the table, and the next morning found it half 
 eaten away, and covered with ants within and without. It is here 
 an universal custom to place the feet of the tables in little dishes 
 filled with water, to keep off these insects.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 251 
 
 EXCURSION TO SUEZ. 
 
 It had originally been my intention to stay at Cairo a week at 
 the furthest, and afterwards to return to Alexandria. But the 
 more I saw, the more my curiosity became excited, and I felt 
 irresistibly impelled to proceed. I had now travelled in almost 
 every way, but I had not yet tried an excursion on a camel. I 
 therefore made inquiry as to the distance, danger, and expense of 
 a journey to Suez on the Red Sea. The distance was a thirty-six 
 hours' journey, the danger was said to be nil, and the expense 
 they estimated at about 250 piastres. 
 
 I therefore hired two strong camels, one for me, the other for 
 my servant and the camel-driver, and took nothing with me in the 
 way of pro visions but bread, dates, a piece of roast meat, and hard- 
 boiled eggs. Skins of water were hung at each side of the camels, 
 for we had to take a supply which would last us the journey and 
 during our return. 
 
 If we ride every day for twelve hours, this journey occupies 
 six days, there and back. But as I was unable to depart until 
 the afternoon of the 26th, and was obliged to be in Alexandria at 
 latest by the 30th, in order not to miss the steamer, I had only 
 four days and a half to accomplish it in. Thus this excursion 
 was the most fatiguing I had ever undertaken. 
 
 At four in the afternoon I rode through the town-gate, where 
 the camels were waiting for us ; we mounted them and commenced 
 our journey. 
 
 The desert begins at the town-gates, but for the first few 
 miles we have a sight of some very fruitful country on the left, 
 until at length we leave town and trees behind us, and with them 
 all the verdure, and find ourselves surrounded on all sides by a sea 
 of sand. 
 
 For the first four or five hours I was not ill-pleased with this 
 mode of travelling. I had plenty of room on my camel, and could 
 sit farther back or forward as I chose, and had provisions and a
 
 252 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 bottle of water at my side. Besides this, the heat was not oppres- 
 sive ; I felt very comfortable, and could look down from my high 
 throne almost with a feeling of pride upon the passing caravans. 
 Even the swaying motion of the camel, which causes in some 
 travellers a feeling of sickness and nausea like that produced by 
 a sea-voyage, did not affect me. But after a few hours I began 
 to feel the fatigues and discomforts of a journey of this kind. The 
 swinging motion pained and fatigued me, as I had no support 
 against which I could lean. The desire to sleep also arose within 
 me, and it can be imagined how uncomfortable I felt. But I was 
 resolved to go to Suez; and if all my hardships had been iar 
 worse, I would not have turned back. I summoned all my for- 
 titude, and rode without halting for fifteen hours, from four in the 
 afternoon until seven the next morning. 
 
 During the night we passed several trains of camels, some in 
 motion, some at rest, often consisting of more than a hundred. 
 We were not exposed to the least annoyance, although we had 
 attached ourselves to no caravan, but were pursuing our way alone. 
 
 From Cairo to Suez posts are established at every five or six 
 hours' journey, and at each of these posts there stands a little 
 house of two rooms for the convenience of travellers. These huts 
 were built by an English innkeeper established at Cairo ; but they 
 can only be used by very rich people, as the prices charged are 
 most exorbitant. Thus, for instance, a bed for one night costs a 
 hundred piastres, a little chicken twenty, and a bottle of water two 
 piastres. The generality of travellers encamp before the house, 
 aaid I followed the same plan, lying down for an hour in the sand 
 while the camels ate their scanty meal. My health and bodily 
 strength are, I am happy to say, so excellent, that I am ready after 
 a very short rest to encounter new fatigues. After this hour of 
 repose I once more mounted my camel to continue my journey. 
 
 August 27th. 
 It may easily be imagined that the whole scene by which we
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 253 
 
 are here surrounded has over it an air of profound and death- 
 like stillness. The sea, where we behold nothing but water around 
 us, presents more of life to divert the mind. The very rushing 
 and splash of the wheels, the bounding waves, the bustle of bend- 
 ing or reefing sails, and the crowding of people on the steamer, 
 brings varied pictures to temper the monotony around. Even the 
 ride through the stony deserts which I had traversed iu Syria has 
 not so much sameness, for there we at least hear the tramp of the 
 horse and the sound of many a rolling stone ; the traveller's atten- 
 tion is, besides, kept continually on the stretch in guiding each step 
 that his horse takes, to avoid the risk of a fall. But all this is 
 wanting in a journey through a sandy desert. No bird hovers in 
 the air, not a butterfly is here to gladden the eye, not even an 
 insect or a worm crawls on the ground ; not a living creature 
 is, in fact, to be seen, but the little vultures preying on the carcasses 
 of fallen camels. Even the tread of the heavy-footed camel is 
 muffled by the deep sand, and nothing is ever heard but the moan- 
 ing of these poor animals when their driver forces them to lie down 
 to take off their burden ; most probably the exertion of stooping 
 hurts them. The driver beats the camel on the knee with a stick, 
 and pulls its head towards him by a rope fastened to it like a halter. 
 During tliis operation the rider must hold very fast in order not to 
 fall off, for suddenly the creature drops on its fore-knees, then on 
 its liind legs, and at length sits completely down on the ground. 
 When you mount the animal again, it becomes necessary to keep 
 a vigilant eye upon him, for as soon as he feels your foot on his 
 neck he wishes to rise. 
 
 As I have already said, we see nothing on this journey but 
 many and large companies of camels, which march one behind the 
 other, while their drivers shorten the way with dreary inharmonious 
 songs. Half-devoured carcasses of these " ships of the desert" lie 
 every where, with jackals and vultures gnawing at them. Even 
 living camels are sometimes seen staggering about, which have 
 been left to starve by their masters as unfit for further service.
 
 254 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 I shall never forget the piteous look of one of these poor creatures 
 which I saw dragging itself to and fro in the desert, anxiously 
 seeking for food and drink. What a cruel being is man ! Why 
 could he not put an end to the poor camel's pain hy a blow with 
 a knife ? One would imagine that the air in the vicinity of these 
 Mien animals was poisoned ; but here this is less the case than it 
 would be in more temperate regions, for the pure air and the great 
 heat of the desert rather dry up than decompose corpses. 
 
 From the same cause our piece of roast beef was still good on 
 the fifth day. The hard-boiled eggs, which my servant packed so 
 clumsily that they got. smashed in the very first hour, did not be- 
 come foul. Both meat and eggs were shrunk and dried up. On 
 the third day the white bread had become as hard as ship-biscuit, 
 so that we had to break it up and soak it in water. Our drinking 
 water became worse day by day, and smelt abominably of the 
 leathern receptacles in which we were compelled to keep it. Until 
 we reached Suez our poor camels got not a drop to drink, and 
 their food consisted of a scanty meal of bad provender once a day. 
 
 At eight in the morning we set off once more, and rode until 
 about five in the afternoon. At about four I suddenly descried 
 the Red Sea and its shores. This circumstance delighted me, for 
 I felt assured that we should reach the coast in the course of an- 
 other hour, and then our laborious journey to Suez would be accom- 
 plished. I called to my servant, pointed out the sea to him, and 
 expressed my surprise that we had sighted it so soon. He main- 
 tained, however, that what I beheld was not the sea, but a fata mor- 
 gana. At first I refused to believe him, because the thing seemed 
 so real. But after an hour had elapsed we were as far from the sea 
 as ever, and at length the mirage vanished ; and I did not behold the 
 real sea until six o'clock on the following morning, when it appeared 
 in exactly the same way as the phantom of the previous evening. 
 
 At five in the afternoon we at length halted. I lay down on 
 the earth completely exhausted, and enjoyed a refreshing sleep 
 for more than three hours, when I was awakened by my servant,
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 255 
 
 who informed me that a caravan was just before us, which we 
 should do well to join, as the remainder of our road was far 
 less safe than the portion we had already traversed. I was at 
 once ready to mount my camel, and at eight o'clock we were 
 again in motion. 
 
 In a short time we had overtaken the caravan, and our 
 camels were placed in the procession, each beast being tethered 
 to the preceding one by a rope. It was already quite dark, and 
 I could barely distinguish that the people sitting on the camels 
 before me were an Arab family. They travelled in boxes resem- 
 bling hen-coops, about a foot and a half in height, four feet in 
 length, and as many broad. In a box of this kind two or three 
 men sat cross-legged ; many had even spread a light tent over their 
 heads. Suddenly I heard my name called by a female voice. I 
 started, and thought I must be mistaken, for whom in the world 
 could I meet here who knew my Christian name? But once 
 more a voice cried very distinctly, " Ida ! Ida !" and a servant 
 came up, and told me that some Arab women, who had made the 
 voyage from Atfe to Cairo in company with me, were seated on 
 the first camel. They sent to tell me that they were on their way 
 to Mecca, and rejoiced to meet me once more. I was indeed sur- 
 prised that I should have made such an impression on these good 
 people that they had not forgotten my name. 
 
 To-night I saw a glorious natural phenomenon, which so sur- 
 prised me that I could not refrain from uttering a slight scream. 
 It may have been about eleven o'clock, when suddenly the sky on 
 my left was lighted up, as though every thing were in flames ; a 
 great fiery ball shot through the air with lightning speed, and dis- 
 appeared on the horizon, while at the same moment the gleam in 
 the atmosphere vanished, and darkness descended once more on 
 all around. We travelled on throughout the whole of this night. 
 
 August 28th. 
 
 At six o'clock this morning we came in sight of the Red Sea.
 
 256 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 The mountain-chain of Mokattam can be discerned some time 
 previously. Some way from Suez we came upon a well of bad, 
 brackish water. Notwithstanding all drawbacks, the supply was 
 eagerly hailed. Our people shouted, scolded, and pushed each 
 other to get the best places; camels, horses, asses, and men 
 rushed pell-mell towards the well, and happy was he who could 
 seize upon a little water. There are barracks near this well, and 
 soldiers are posted here to promote peace by means of the stick. 
 
 The little town of Suez lies spread out on the sea-shore, and 
 can be very distinctly seen from here. The unhappy inhabitants 
 are compelled to draw their supplies either from this well, or 
 from one on the sea-coast four miles below Suez. In the first 
 case the water is brought on camels, horses, or asses; in the 
 second it is transported by sea hi boats or small ships. 
 
 The Ked Sea is here rather narrow, and surrounded by sand 
 of a yellowish-brown hue ; immediately beyond the isthmus is the 
 continuation of the great Libyan Desert. The mountain-range 
 of Mokattam skirts the plain on the right, from Cairo to the Red 
 Sea. We quite lose sight of this range until within the last ten or 
 twelve hours before reaching Suez. The mountains are of mode- 
 rate elevation and perfectly bare; but still the eye rests with 
 pleasure on the varied forms of the rocks. 
 
 After an hour's rest beside the well, we were still unable to 
 procure water for our poor beasts, and hastened, therefore, to 
 reach the town. At nine in the morning we were already within 
 its walls. Of the town and its environs I can say nothing, 
 excepting that they both present a very melancholy appearance, 
 as there is nowhere a garden or a cluster of trees to be seen. 
 
 I paid my respects to the consul, and introduced myself to him 
 as an Austrian subject. He was kind enough to assign me a room 
 in his own house, and would on no account permit me to take up 
 my quarters in an inn. It was a pity that I could only converse 
 with this gentleman by means of a dragoman ; he was a Greek by 
 birth, and only knew the Arabic language and his own. He is
 
 EGYI'T, AND ITALY. 257 
 
 the richest merchant in Suez (his wealth is estimated at 150,000 
 collonati), and only discharges the functions of French and Aus- 
 trian consul as an honorary duty. 
 
 In the little town itself there is nothing remarkable to be seen. 
 On the sea- coast they shewed me the place where Moses led the 
 children of Israel through the Red Sea. The sinking of the tide 
 at its ebb is here so remarkable that whole islands are left bare, 
 and large caravans are able to march through the sea, as the 
 water only reaches to the girths of the camels, and the Arabs and 
 Bedouins even walk through. As it happened to be ebb-tide 
 when I arrived, I rode through also, for the glory of the thing. 
 On these shores I found several pretty shells; but the real 
 treasures of this kind are fished out of the deep at Ton, a few 
 days' journey higher up. I saw whole cargoes of mother-of-pearl 
 shells carried away. 
 
 I remained at Suez until four in the afternoon, and recruited 
 my energies perfectly with an excellent dinner, at which tole- 
 rably good water was not wanting. The consul kindly gave me 
 a bottle, as provision for my journey. He has it fetched from a 
 distance of twelve miles, as all the water that can be procured in 
 the neighbourhood tastes brackish and salt. In the inn a bottle of 
 water costs two piastres. 
 
 The first night of my homeward jomrney was passed partly in 
 a Bedouin encampment and partly on the road, in the company of 
 different caravans. I found the Bedouins to be very good, obliging 
 people, among whom I might wander as I pleased, without being 
 exposed to injury. On the contrary, while I was in then: encamp- 
 ment they brought me a straw-mat and a chest, hi order that I 
 might have a comfortable seat. 
 
 The homeward journey was just as monotonous and weari- 
 some as that to Suez, with the additional fact that I had a quarrel 
 with my people the day before its termination. Feeling exceed- 
 ingly fatigued by a lengthened ride, I ordered my servant to stop 
 the camels, as I wished to sleep for a few hours. The rascals
 
 258 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 refused to obey, alleging that the road was not safe, and that we 
 should endeavour to overtake a caravan. This was, however, 
 nothing but an excuse to get home as quickly as possible. But I 
 was not to be frightened, and insisted that my desire should be 
 complied with, telling them moreover that I had inquired of the 
 consul at Suez concerning the safety of the roads, and had once 
 more heard that there was nothing to fear. Notwithstanding all 
 this they would not obey, but continued to advance. I now be- 
 came angry, and desired the servant once more to stop my camel, 
 as I was fully determined not to proceed another step. 
 
 I told him I had hired both camels and men, and had there- 
 fore a right to be mistress ; if he did not choose to obey me, he 
 might go his way with the camel-driver, and I would join the first 
 caravan I met, and bring him to justice, let it cost me what it 
 would. The fellow now stopped my camel, and went away with 
 the other and the camel-driver. He probably expected to frighten 
 me by this demonstration, and to compel me to follow ; but he 
 was vastly mistaken. I remained standing where I was, and as 
 often as he turned to look at me, made signs that he might go his 
 way, but that I should stay. When he saw how fearless and 
 determined I was, he turned back, came to me, made my camel 
 kneel down, and after helping me to alight, prepared me a resting- 
 place on a heap of sand, w%ere I slept delightfully for five hours ; 
 then I ordered my things to be packed up, mounted my camel, 
 and continued my journey. 
 
 My conduct astonished my followers to such a degree, that 
 they afterwards asked me every few hours if I wished to rest. 
 On our arrival at Cairo the camel- driver had not even the heart 
 to make the customary demand for backsheesh, and my servant 
 begged pardon for his conduct, and hoped that I would not men- 
 tion the difference We had had to the consul. 
 
 The maximum temperature during this journey was 43 
 Reaumur, and when it was perfectly calm I really felt as if I 
 should be stifled.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 259 
 
 This journey from Cairo to Suez can, however, he accom- 
 plished in a carriage in the space of twenty hours. The English 
 innkeeper established at Cairo has had a very light carriage, with 
 seats for four, built expressly for this purpose ; but a place in 
 this vehicle costs five pounds for the journey there, and the same 
 sum for the return. 
 
 On the following day I once more embarked on board an 
 Arabian vessel for Alexandria. Before my departure I had a 
 terrible quarrel with the donkey - driver whom I usually em- 
 ployed. These men, as in fact all fellahs, are accustomed to 
 cheat strangers in every possible way, but particularly with coins. 
 They usually carry bad money about with them, which they can 
 substitute for the good at the moment when they are paid, with 
 the dexterity of jugglers. My donkey-driver endeavoured to play 
 me this trick when I rode to the ship ; he saw that I should not 
 require his services any more, and therefore wished to cheat me 
 as a parting mark of attention. This attempt disgusted me so 
 much that I could not refrain from brandishing my whip at him 
 in a very threatening manner, although I was alone among a 
 number of his class. My gesture had the desired effect; the 
 driver instantly retreated, and I remained victor. 
 
 My reader would do me a great wrong by the supposition 
 that I mention these circumstances to make a vaunt of my cou- 
 rage ; I am sure that the fact of my having undertaken this 
 journey alone will be sufficient to clear me from the imputation 
 of cowardice. I wish merely to give future travellers a hint as 
 to the best method of dealing with these people. Their respect 
 can only be secured by the display of a firm will ; and I am sure 
 that in my case they were the more intimidated as they had never 
 expected to find so much determination in a woman.
 
 260 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Return to Alexandria Egyptian burials Catacombs of Alexandria Vice- 
 roy's palace Departure from Alexandria The steamer Earotas Can- 
 dia Syra Paros and Antiparos The Morea Fire on board Malta 
 Quarantine St. Augustine's church Clergymen Beggars Cos- 
 tumes Soldiers Civita Vecchia. 
 
 September 5th. 
 
 AT five o'clock in the evening of the 2d of September I com- 
 menced my j ourney back to Alexandria. During the fortnight 
 I remained at Cairo the Nile had continued to rise considerably, 
 and the interest of the region had increased in proportion. In 
 three days' time I arrived safely at Alexandria, and again put up 
 at Colombier's. Two days had still to elapse before the depar- 
 ture of the French steam- vessel, and I made use of this time to 
 take a closer survey of the town and its environs. 
 
 On my arrival at Alexandria I met two Egyptian funerals. 
 The first was that of a poor man, and not a soul foUowed the 
 cofiin. The corpse lay hi a wooden box without a lid, a coarse 
 blanket had been spread over it, and four men carried the coffin. 
 The second funeral had a more respectable air. The coifin, in- 
 deed, was not less rude, but the dead man was covered with a 
 handsome shawl, and four " mourning women" followed the body, 
 raising a most dolorous howl from time to time. A motley crowd 
 of people closed the procession. The corpse was laid in the grave 
 without the coffin. 
 
 The catacombs of Alexandria are very extensive, and well 
 worth a visit. A couple of miles from them we see the celebrated 
 plain on which the army of Julius Csesar was once posted. The
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 261 
 
 cistern and batli of Cleopatra were both under water. I could, 
 therefore, only see the place where they stood. 
 
 The viceroy's palace, a spacious building inclining to the Eu- 
 ropean style, has a pleasing effect. Its interior arrangement is 
 also almost wholly European. 
 
 The bazaar contains nothing worthy of remark. The arsenal 
 looks very magnificent when viewed from without. It is difficult 
 to obtain admission into this building, and you run the risk of 
 being insulted by the workmen. The hospital has the appearance 
 of a private house. 
 
 I was astonished at the high commission winch is here de- 
 manded on changing small sums of money. In changing a col- 
 lonato, a coin very much used in this country, and worth about 
 two guilders, the applicant must lose from half a piastre to two 
 piastres, according to the description of coin he requires. If 
 beshliks 3 are taken, the commission charged is half a piastre ; but 
 if piastres are wanted, two must be paid. The government 
 value of a collonato is twenty piastres ; in general exchange it is 
 reckoned at twenty-two, and at the consulate's at twenty-one 
 piastres. 
 
 DEPARTURE FROM ALEXANDRIA. 
 
 September 7th. 
 
 At eight o'clock in the morning I betook myself on board the 
 French steam-packet Eurotas^ beautiful large vessel of 160-horse 
 power. At nine o'clock we weighed anchor. 
 
 The weather was very unfavourable. Though it did not 
 rain, we continually had contrary winds, and the sea generally 
 ran high. In consequence we did not sight the island of Candia 
 until the evening of the third day, four-and-twenty hours later 
 than we should have done under ordinary circumstances. 
 
 Two women, who came on board as passengers to Syra, 
 were so violently attacked by sea-sickness, that they left the deck 
 a A beshlik is worth five piastres in Turkey, and only four in Egypt.
 
 262 VISIT TO THE HOLT LAND, 
 
 a few hours after we got under weigh, and did not reappear until 
 they landed at Syra. A very useful arrangement on board the 
 French vessel is the engagement of a female attendant, whose assist- 
 ance sometimes hecomes very necessary. Heaven be praised, I had 
 not much to fear from the attacks of sea-sickness. The weather 
 must be very bad as, for instance, during our passage through the 
 Black Sea before my health is affected, and even then I re- 
 cover rapidly. During our whole voyage, even when the wea- 
 ther was wretched, I remained continually on deck, so that during 
 the day-time I could not miss seeing even the smallest islet. On 
 
 September 10th, 
 
 late in the evening, we discovered the island of Candia or Crete, 
 and the next morning we were pretty dose to it. We could, 
 however, distinguish nothing but bare unfruitful mountains, the 
 tallest among which, my namesake ilount Ida, does not look more 
 fertile than the rest. On the right loomed the island of Scarpanto. 
 We soon left it hi our wake, and also passed the Brothers' Islands, 
 and many others, some of them small and uninhabited, besides 
 separate colossal rocks, towering majestically into the sea. Soon 
 afterwards we passed the islands Santorin and Anaph. 
 
 The latter of these islands is peculiarly beautiful. In the 
 foreground a village lies at the foot of a high mountain, with its 
 peak surmounted by a little church. On the side towards the 
 sea this rock shoots downwards so perpendicularly, that we might 
 fancy it had been cut off with a saw. 
 
 Since we had come in sigat of Candia, we had not been sailing 
 on the high seas. Scarcely did one island vanish from our view, 
 before it was replaced by another. On 
 
 September llth, 
 
 between three and four in the morning, we reached Syra. The 
 terrible contrary winds with which we had been obliged to contend 
 during almost the whole of our passage had caused us to arrive
 
 EGYPT, AXD ITALY. 263 
 
 a day behind our time, to make up for wliich delay we only 
 stayed half a day here, instead of a day and a half. This was a 
 matter of indifference to those of us who were travelling further, 
 for as we came from Egypt, we should not have been allowed in 
 any case to disembark. Those who landed here proceeded at 
 once to the quarantine-house. 
 
 Syra possesses a fine harbour. From our vessel we had a 
 view over the whole town and its environs. An isolated moun- 
 tain, crowned by a convent and church, the seat of the bishop, 
 rises boldly from the very verge of the shore. The town winds 
 round this mountain in the form of several wreaths, until it almost 
 reaches the episcopal buildings. The background closes with the 
 melancholy picture of a barren mountain-chain. A lighthouse 
 stands on a little neighbouring island. The quarantine establish- 
 ment looks cheerful enough, and is situate at a little distance from 
 the town on the sea-shore. 
 
 It was Sunday when we arrived here ; and as Syra belongs to 
 Greece, I here heard the sound of bells like those of Mount Lek> 
 non, and once more their strain filled me with deep and indescrib- 
 able emotion. Never do we think so warmly of our home as 
 when we are solitary and alone among strange people hi a far- 
 distant land ! 
 
 I would gladly have turned aside from my route to visit 
 Athens, which I might have reached in a few hours ; but then I 
 should once more have been compelled to keep quarantine, and 
 perhaps on leaving Greece the infliction would have to be borne 
 a third tune, a risk which I did not wish to run. I therefore 1 
 preferred keeping quarantine at Malta, and having done with it at 
 once. 
 
 On the same day at two o'clock we once more set sail. This 
 day and the following I remained on deck as much as possible, 
 bidding defiance to wind and rain, and gazing at the islands as we 
 glided past one after another. As one island disappeared, another 
 rose in its place. Groups of isolated rocks also rose at intervals,
 
 264 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 like giants from the main, to form a feature in the changing pano- 
 rama. 
 
 On the right, in the far distance, we could distinguish Paros 
 and Antiparos, on the left the larger Chennian Isles; and at 
 length we passed close to Cervo (Stag's Island), which is par- 
 ticularly distinguished by the beauty of its mountain-range. Here, 
 as at Syra, we find an isolated mountain, round which a town 
 winds almost to its summit. 
 
 September 12th. 
 
 As I came ou deck to-day with the sun, the mainland of the 
 Morea was in sight on our right, a great plain, with many vil- 
 lages scattered over its surface, and a background of bare hills. 
 After losing sight of the Morea we sailed once more on the high 
 seas. 
 
 This day might have had a tragical termination for us. I was 
 sitting as usual on deck, when I noticed an unusual stir among 
 the sailors and officers, and even the commander ran hastily to- 
 wards me. Nevertheless I did not dare to ask what had hap- 
 pened ; for in proportion as the French are generally polite, they 
 are proud and overbearing on board their steamers. I therefore 
 remained quietly seated, and contented myself with watching 
 every movement of the officers and men. Several descended to 
 the coal-magazine, returning heated, blackened by the coals, and 
 dripping with water. At length a cabin-boy came hurrying by 
 me ; and upon my asking bun what was the matter, he replied in 
 a whisper, that fire had broken out in the coal-room. Now I 
 knew the whole extent of our danger, and yet could do nothing 
 but keep my seat, and await whatever fate should bring us. It 
 was most fortunate for us that the fire occurred during the day- 
 time, and had been immediately discovered by the engine-man. 
 Double chain-pumps were rigged, and the whole magazine was 
 laid under water, a proceeding which had the effect of extin- 
 guishing the flames. The other passengers knew nothing of our
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 263 
 
 danger ; they were all asleep or sitting quietly in tlie cabins ; the 
 sailors were forbidden to tell them what had happened, and even 
 my informant the cabin-boy begged me not to betray him. "We 
 had three hundredweight of gunpowder on board. 
 
 September 14th. 
 
 We did not come hi sight of land until this evening, when the 
 goal of our journey appeared. 
 
 MALTA. 
 
 We cast anchor in the harbour of Lavalette at seven o'clock. 
 
 During the whole of our journey from Alexandria the wind 
 had been very unfavourable ; the sea was frequently so agitated, 
 that we could not walk across the deck without the assistance of 
 a sailor. 
 
 The distance from Alexandria via Syra to Malta is 950 sea- 
 miles. We took eight days to accomplish this distance, landing 
 only at Syra. The heat was moderate enough, seldom reaching 
 28 or 29 Reaumur. 
 
 The appearance of Malta is picturesque ; it contains no moun- 
 tains, and consists entirely of hills and rocks. 
 
 The town of Lavalette is surrounded by three lines of fortifi- 
 cations, winding like steps up the hill on which the town lies ; the 
 latter contains large fine houses, all built of stone. 
 
 September 15th. 
 
 This morning at eight o'clock we disembarked, and were 
 marched off to keep quarantine hi the magnificent castle of the 
 Knights of St. John. 
 
 This building stands 011 a hill, affording a view over the whole 
 island in the direction of Civita Vecchia. We found here a num- 
 ber of clean rooms, and were immediately supplied with furniture, 
 bedding, &c. by the establishment at a very reasonable charge. 
 Our host at once despatched to every guest a bill of fare for 
 breakfast and dinner, so that each one can choose what he
 
 266 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 wishes, without being cheated as to the prices. The keepers here 
 are very obliging and attentive ; they almost all know something 
 of Italian, and execute any commission with Which they are en- 
 trusted punctually and well. The building for the incarcerated 
 ones is situate on an elevated plateau. It has two large wings, 
 one on each side, one story high, containing apartments each with 
 a separate entrance. Adjoining the courtyard is the inn, and 
 not far from it the church ; neither, however, may be visited by 
 the new-comers. The requisite provisions are procured for them 
 by a keeper, who takes them to the purchasers. The church is 
 always kept locked. A broad handsome terrace, with a prospect 
 over the sea, the town of Lavalette, and the whole island, forms 
 the foreground of the picture. This terrace and the ramparts 
 behind the houses form very agreeable walks. The courtyard 
 of our prison is very spacious, and we are allowed to walk about 
 in it as far as a statue which stands in the middle. Until ten 
 o'clock at night we enjoy our liberty ; but when this hour arrives, 
 we are sent to our respective rooms and locked up. The apart- 
 ments of the keepers are quite separate from ours. 
 
 The arrangements of the whole establishment are so good 
 and comfortable, that we almost forget that we are prisoners. 
 What a contrast to the quarantine-house at Alexandria ! 
 
 If a traveller receives a visitor, he is not separated from his 
 guest by ditches and bars, but stands only two steps from him in 
 the courtyard. The windows here are not grated ; and though 
 our clothes were hung on horses to air, neither we nor our effects 
 were smoked out. If it had not been for the delay it caused, I 
 should really have spent the eighteen days of my detention here 
 very pleasantly. But I wished to ascend Mount Etna, and was a 
 fixture here until the 2d of October. 
 
 October 1st. 
 
 The quarantine doctor examined us in a very superficial man- 
 ner, and pronounced that we should be free to-morrow. Upon
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 267 
 
 tliis a boisterous hilarity prevailed. The prisoners rejoiced at the 
 prospect of speedy release, and shouted, sang, and danced in the 
 courtyard. The keepers caught the infection, and all was mirth 
 and good-humour until late in the night. 
 
 October 2d. 
 
 At seven o'clock this morning we were released from thral- 
 dom. A scene similar to that at Alexandria then took place; 
 every one rushed to seize upon the strangers. It is here neces- 
 sary that the traveller should he as much upon his guard as in 
 Egypt among the Arahs, in the matters of boat-fares, porterage, 
 #c. If a bargain is not struck beforehand, the people are most 
 exorbitant in their demands. 
 
 A few days before our release, I had made an arrangement 
 with an innkeeper for board, lodging, and transport. To-day he 
 came to fetch me and my luggage, and we crossed the arm of the 
 sea which divides Fort Manuel from the town of Lavalette. 
 
 A flight of steps leads from the shore into the town, past the 
 three rows of fortifications rising in tiers above each other. In 
 each of these divisions we find streets and houses. The town, 
 properly speaking, lies quite at the top ; it is therefore necessary 
 to mount and descend frequently, though not nearly so often as 
 at Constantinople. The streets are bread and well paved, the 
 houses spacious and finely built ; the place of roofs is supplied by 
 terraces, frequently parcelled out into little flower-beds, which 
 present a very agreeable appearance. 
 
 My host gave me a tiny room, and meals on the same prin- 
 ciple coffee with milk morning and evening, and three dishes at 
 dinner-time ; but for all tlds I did not pay more than forty -five 
 kreutzers, or about one shilling and sixpence. 
 
 The first tiling I did after taking up my quarters here was 
 to hasten to a church to return thanks to the Almighty for the 
 protection He had so manifestly extended to me upon my long 
 and dangerous journey. The first church which I entered at
 
 268 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 Lavalette was dedicated to St. Augustine. I was particularly 
 pleased with it, for since my departure from Vienna I had not 
 seen one so neatly or so well built. Afterwards I visited the 
 church of St. John, and was much struck with its splendour. 
 This building is very spacious, and the floor is completely covered 
 with monumental slabs of marble, covering the graves of the 
 knights. The ceiling is ornamented with beautiful frescoes, and 
 the walls are sculptured from ceiling to floor with arabesques, 
 leaves, and flowers, hi sandstone. 
 
 All these ornaments are richly gilt, and present a peculiarly 
 imposing appearance. The side-chapels contain numerous monu- 
 ments, mostly of white marble, and one single one of black, in 
 memory of celebrated Maltese knights. At the right-hand comer 
 of the church is the so-called " rose-coloured" chapel. It is hung 
 round with a heavy silk stuff of a red colour, which diffuses a 
 roseate halo over all the objects around. The altar is surrounded 
 by a high massive railing. Two only of the paintings are well 
 executed namely, that over the high altar, and a piece repre- 
 senting Christ on the cross. The pillars round the altar are of 
 marble ; and at each side of the grand altar rise lofty canopies of red 
 velvet fringed with gold, reaching almost to the vaulted cupola. 
 
 The uncomfortable custom of carrying chairs to and fro during 
 church-tune, which is so universal throughout Italy, begins already 
 at Malta. 
 
 The predilection for the clerical profession seems to prevail 
 here, as it does throughout Italy ; I could almost say that every 
 fifteenth person we meet either is a clergyman or intends to be- 
 come one. Children of ten or twelve years already run about in 
 the black gown and three-cornered hat. 
 
 The streets are handsome and cleanly kept, particularly the 
 one which intersects the town ; some of them are even watered. 
 The counters of the dealers' shops contain the most exquisite 
 wares ; in fact, every where we find indications that we are once 
 more on European ground.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 269 
 
 When we see the Fachiiii here, with their dark worked caps 
 or round straw hats, then* short jackets and comfortable trousers, 
 with jaunty red sashes round their waists, and then? bold free 
 glance, when we contrast them with the wretched fellahs of 
 Egypt, and consider that these men both belong to the same class 
 in society, and that the fellahs even inhabit the more fruitful 
 country, we begin to have our doubts of Mehemet Ali's benignant 
 rule. 
 
 The governor's palace, a great square building, stands on a 
 magnificent open space; next to it is the library; and opposite, the 
 chief guard -house rears its splendid front, graced with pillars. 
 The coffee-houses here are very large ; they are kept comfortably 
 and clean, particularly that on the great square, which is bril- 
 liantly illuminated every evening. 
 
 "Women and girls appear dressed in black ; they are usually 
 accustomed to throw a wide cloak over their other garments, and 
 wear a mantilla which conceals arms, chest, and head. The face 
 is left uncovered, and I saw some very lovely ones smiling forth 
 from the black drapery. Rich people wear these upper garments 
 of silk ; the cloaks of the poorer classes are made of merino or 
 cheap woollen stuffs. 
 
 It was Sunday when I entered Lavalctte for the firsf time. 
 Every street and church was thronged with people, all of whom 
 were neatly and decently dressed. I saw but few beggars, and 
 those whom I met were less ragged than the generality of then? 
 class. 
 
 The military, the finest I had ever seen, consisted entirely of 
 tall handsome men, mostly Scotchmen. Their uniforms were very 
 tasteful. One regiment wore scarlet jackets and white linen 
 trousers ; another, black jackets and shoulder-knots, in fact, the 
 whole uniform is black, with the exception of the trousers, which 
 are of white linen. 
 
 It seemed much more the fashion to drive than to ride here. 
 The coaches are of a very peculiar kind, which I hardly think can
 
 270 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 be found elsewhere. They consist of a venerahle old rattling 
 double-seated box, swinging upon two immense wheels, and drawn 
 by a single horse in shafts. The coachman generally runs beside 
 his vehicle. 
 
 October 3d. 
 
 To-day I drove in a carriage (for the first tune since my 
 departure from Vienna, a period of six months and a half) to 
 Civita Vecchia, to view this ancient town of Malta, and particu- 
 larly the celebrated church of St. Peter and St. Paul. On this 
 occasion I traversed the whole length of the island, and had an 
 opportunity of viewing the interior. 
 
 Malta consists of a number of little elevations, and is inter- 
 sected hi all directions by excellent roads. I also continually 
 passed handsome villages, some of them so large that they looked 
 like thriving little towns. The heights are frequently crowned 
 by churches of considerable extent and beauty; although the 
 whole island consists of rock and sandstone, vegetation is suffi- 
 ciently luxurious. Fig, lemon, and orange trees grow every where, 
 and plantations of the cotton- shrub are as common as potato-fields 
 in my own country. The stems of these shrubs are not higher 
 than potato-plants, and are here cultivated exactly in the same 
 way. I was told that they had been stunted this year by the 
 excessive drought, but that in general they grew a foot higher. 
 
 The peasants were every where neatly dressed, and live in 
 commodious well-built houses, universally constructed of stone, 
 and furnished with terraces in lieu of roofs. 
 
 CIVITA VECCHIA 
 
 is a town of splendid houses and very elegant country-seats. 
 Many inhabitants of Lavalette spend the summer here, in the 
 highest portion of the island. 
 
 The church of St. Peter and St. Paul is a spacious building, 
 with a simple ulterior. The floor is covered merely with stone
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 271 
 
 slabs; the walls are white-washed to the ceiling, but the upper 
 portion is richly ornamented with arabesques. A beautiful picture 
 hanging behind the high altar represents a storm at sea. The 
 view from the hall of the convent is magnificent ; we can overlook 
 almost the entire island, and beyond our gaze loses itself in the 
 boundless expanse of ocean. 
 
 Near the church stands a chapel, beneath which is St. Paul's 
 grotto, divided into two parts : in the first of these divisions we 
 find a splendid statue of St. Paul in white marble ; the second was 
 the dungeon of the apostle. 
 
 Not far from this chapel, at the extremity of the town, are 
 the catacombs, which resemble those at Piorne, Naples, and other 
 towns. 
 
 During our drive back we made a little detour to see the gor- 
 geous summer-palace and garden of the governor. 
 
 The whole excursion occupied about seven hours. During my 
 residence in Malta the heat varied from 20 to 25 Reaumur in 
 the stm.
 
 272 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 The steamer Hercules Syracuse Neapolis Ruins Catanea Convent of 
 St. Nicholas Messina The Duke of Calabria Palermo The royal 
 palace Church of St. Theresa St. Ignazio Catacombs of the Augus- 
 tine convent Skeletons Olivuzza Royal villa "Favorite" St. 
 Rosalia Brutality of the Italian mob Luxuriant vegetation Arrival 
 at Naples. 
 
 October 4th. 
 
 AT eight o'clock in the evening I embarked on board the Sicilian 
 steamer Hercules, of 260-horse power, the largest and finest 
 vessel I had yet seen. The officers here were not nearly so 
 haughty and disobliging as those on board the Eurotas. Even 
 now I cannot think without a smile of the airs the captain of the 
 latter vessel gave himself. He appeared to consider that he had 
 as good a right to be an admiral as Bruys. 
 
 At ten o'clock we steamed out of the harbour of Lavalette. 
 As it was already dark night, I went below and retired to rest. 
 
 October 5th. 
 
 When I hurried on deck this morning I found we were already 
 in sight of the Sicilian coast, and oh happiness ! I could distin- 
 guish green hills, wooded mountains, glorious dells, and smiling 
 meadows, a spectacle I had enjoyed neither in Syria, in Egypt, 
 nor even at Malta. Now I thought at length to behold Europe, 
 for Malta resembles the Syrian regions too closely to favour the 
 idea that we are really in Europe. Towards eleven o'clock we 
 reached 
 
 SYRACUSE. 
 Unfortunately we could only get four hours' leave of absence.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 273 
 
 As several gentlemen among the passengers wished to devote these 
 few hours to seeing all the lions of this once rich and famous town, 
 I joined their party and went ashore with them. Scarcely had we 
 landed before we were surrounded by a number of sen-ants and a 
 mob of curious people, so that we were almost obliged to make 
 our way forcibly through the crowd. The gentlemen hired a 
 guide, and desired to be at once conducted to a restaurateur, 
 who promised to prepare them a modest luncheon within half an 
 hour. The prospect of a good meal seemed of more importance in 
 the eyes of my fellow-passengers than any thing else. They 
 resolved to have luncheon first, and afterwards to take a little walk 
 through the city. 
 
 On hearing this I immediately made a bargain with a cicerone 
 to shew me what he could in four hours, and went with him, leav- 
 ing the company seated at table. Though I got nothing to eat 
 to-day but a piece of bread and a few figs, which I despatched on 
 the road, I saw some sights which I would not have missed for 
 the most sumptuous entertainment. 
 
 Of the once spacious town nothing remains but a very small 
 portion, inhabited by 10,000 persons at most. The dirty streets 
 were every where crowded with people, as though they dwelt 
 out of doors, while the houses stood empty. 
 
 Accompanied by my guide, I passed hastily through the new 
 town, and over three or four wooden bridges to Neapolis, the part 
 of ancient Syracuse in which monuments of the past are seen hi 
 the best state of preservation. First we came to the theatre. This 
 building is tolerably well preserved, and several of the stone seats 
 are still seen rising in terrace form one above the other. From 
 this place we betook ourselves into the amphitheatre, which is finer 
 by far, and where we find passages leading to the wild beasts' 
 dens, and above them rows of seats for spectators ; all is in such 
 good condition that it might, at a trifling expense, be so far re- 
 paired as to be made again available for its original purpose. Now 
 we proceeded to the " Ear of Dionysius," with which I was parti- 
 
 s
 
 274 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 cularly struck. It consists of a number of chambers, partly hewn 
 out of the rock by art, partly formed by nature, and all opening 
 into an immensely lofty hall, which becomes narrower and nar- 
 rower towards the top, until it at length terminates in an aper- 
 ture so minute as to be invisible from below. To this aperture 
 Dionysius is said to have applied his ear, in order to overhear what 
 the captives spoke. (This place is stated to have been used as a 
 prison for slaves and malefactors.) It is usual to fire a pistol here, 
 that the stranger may hear the reverberating echoes. A lofty 
 opening, Tumbling a great gate, forms the entrance to these 
 rocky passages. Overgrown with ivy, it has rather the appear- 
 ance of a bower than of a place of terror and anguish. Several 
 of these side halls are now used as workshops by rope-makers, while 
 in others the manufacture of saltpetre is carried on. The region 
 around is rocky, but without displaying any high mountains. I 
 saw numerous grottoes, some of them with magnificent entrances, 
 which looked as though they had been cut in the rocks by art. 
 In^one^of these grottoes water fell from above, forming a very 
 pretty cataract. 
 
 During this excursion the time had passed so rapidly that I 
 was soon compelled to think, not of a visit to the catacombs, but of 
 my return on board. 
 
 I proceeded to the sea-shore, where the Syracusans have built 
 a very pretty promenade, and was rowed back to the steamer. 
 
 Of all the passengers I was the only one who had seen any 
 thing of Syracuse ; all the rest had spent the greater part of the 
 time allowed them in the inn, and at most had been for a short 
 walk in the town. But they had obtained an exceedingly good 
 dinner ; and thus we had each enjoyed ourselves in our own way. 
 
 At three o'clock we quitted the beautiful harbour of Syracuse, 
 and three hours brought us to 
 
 CATANEA. 
 
 This voyage was one of the most beautiful and interesting
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 275 
 
 that can be imagined. The traveller continually sees the most 
 charming landscapes of blooming Sicily ; and at Syracuse we can 
 already descry on a clear day the giant Etna rearing its head 
 10,000 feet above the level of the sea. 
 
 At six in the evening we disembarked ; but those going far- 
 ther had to be on board again by midnight. I had intended to 
 remain at Catanea and ascend Mount Etna ; but on making inqui- 
 ries I was assured that the season was too far advanced for such 
 an undertaking, and therefore resolved to set sail again at mid- 
 night. I went on shore in company with a Neapolitan and his 
 wife, for the purpose of visiting some of the churches, a few public 
 buildings, and the town itself. The buildings, however, were 
 already closed, though the exteriors promised much. We could 
 only deplore that we had arrived an hour too late, and take a 
 walk round the town. I could scarcely wonder enough at the 
 bustle in the crowded squares and chief streets, and at the 
 shouting and screaming of the people. The number of inhabi- 
 tants is about 50,000. The two chief streets, leading in differ- 
 ent directions from the great square, are long, broad, and parti- 
 cularly well paved with large stone slabs: they contain many 
 magnificent houses. The only circumstance which displeased me 
 was, that every where, even in the chief streets, the people dry 
 clothes on large poles at balconies and windows. This makes the 
 town look as though it were inhabited by a race of washerwomen. 
 I should not even mind so much if they were clean clothes ; but 
 I frequently saw the most disgusting rags fluttering in front of 
 splendid houses. Unfortunately this barbarous custom prevails 
 throughout the whole of Sicily ; and even in Naples the hanging 
 out of clothes is only forbidden in the principal street, the Toledo : 
 all the other streets are full of linen. 
 
 Among the equipages, which were rolling to and fro in great 
 numbers, I noticed some very handsome ones. Some were stand- 
 ing still in the great square, while their occupants amused them- 
 selves by looking at the bustle around them, and chatted with
 
 276 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 friends and acquaintances who crowded round the carriages. I 
 found a greater appearance of life here than either at Naples or 
 Palermo. 
 
 The convent of St. Nicholas was unfortunately closed, so that 
 we could only view its exterior. It is a spacious magnificent 
 building, the largest, in fact, in the whole town. We also looked 
 at the walks on the sea-shore, which at our first arrival we had 
 traversed in haste in order to reach the town quickly. Beautiful 
 avenues extend along each side of the harbour; they are, however, 
 less frequented than the streets and squares. We had a beautiful 
 moonlight night; the promontory of Etna, with its luxurious 
 vegetation, as well as the giant mountain itself, were distinctly 
 visible in all their glory. The summit rose cloudless and free"; no 
 smoke came from the crater, nor could we discover a trace of snow 
 as we returned to our ship. We noticed several heaps of lava 
 piled upon the sea-shore, of a perfectly black colour. 
 
 Late in the evening we adjourned to an inn to refresh our- 
 selves with some good dishes, and afterwards returned to the 
 steamer, which weighed anchor at midnight. 
 
 October 6th. 
 
 We awoke in the harbour of Messina. The situation of this 
 town is lovely beyond description. I was so charmed with it that 
 I stood for a long time on deck without thinking of landing. 
 
 A chain of beautiful hills and huge masses of rock hi the 
 background surround the harbour and town. Every where the 
 greatest fertility reigns, and all things are in the most thriving 
 and flourishing condition. In the direction of Palermo the bound- 
 less ocean is visible. 
 
 I now bade farewell to the splendid steamer Hercules, be- 
 cause I did not intend to proceed direct to Naples, but to make a 
 detour by way of Palermo. 
 
 As soon as I had landed, I proceeded to the office of the 
 merchant M., to whom I had a letter of recommendation. I
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 277 
 
 requested Herr M. to procure me a cicerone as soon as possible, 
 as I wished to see the sights of Messina, and afterwards to con- 
 tinue my journey to Palermo. Herr M. was kind enough to send 
 one of his clerks with me. I rested for half an hour, and then 
 commenced my peregrination. 
 
 From the steamer Messina had appeared to me a very narrow 
 place, but on entering the town I found that I had made quite a 
 false estimate of its dimensions. Messina is certainly built in a 
 very straggling oblong form, but still its breadth is not incon- 
 siderable. 
 
 I saw many very beautiful squares; for instance, the chief 
 square, with its splendid fountain ornamented with figures, and a 
 bas-relief of carved work in bronze. Every square contains a 
 fountain, but we seldom find any thing particularly tasteful. The 
 churches are not remarkable for the beauty of their fa9ades, nor 
 do they present any thing in the way of marble statues or finely 
 executed pictures. 
 
 The houses are generally well built, with flat roofs ; the streets, 
 with few exceptions, are narrow, small, and very dirty. An un- 
 commonly broad street runs parallel with the harbour, and con- 
 tains, on one side at least, some very handsome houses. This is 
 a favourite place for a walk, for we can here see all the bustle 
 and activity of the port. Several of the palaces also are pretty ; 
 that appropriated to the senate is the only one which can be called 
 fine, the staircase being constructed entirely of white marble, in a 
 splendid style of architecture : the halls and apartments are lofty, 
 and generally arched. The regal palace is also a handsome pile. 
 In the midst of the town I found an agreeable public garden. 
 The Italians appear, however, to choose the streets as places of 
 rendezvous, in preference to enclosures of this kind; for every 
 where I noticed that the garden- walks were empty, and the streets 
 full. But on the whole there is not nearly so much life here as 
 at Catanea. In order to obtain a view of the whole of Messina 
 and its environs I ascended a hill near the town, surmounted by a
 
 278 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 Capuchin convent ; here I enjoyed a prospect which I have seldom 
 seen equalled. As I gazed upon it I could easily imagine that an 
 inhabitant of Messina can find no place in the world so beautiful 
 as his native town. 
 
 The promontory against which the town leans is clothed with 
 a carpet of the brightest green, planted with fruit-trees of all kinds, 
 and enlivened with scattered towns, villages, and country seats. 
 Beautiful roads, appearing like white bands, intersect the moun- 
 tains on every side in the direction of the town. The background 
 is closed by high mountains, sometimes wooded, sometimes bare, 
 now rising in the form of alps, now in the shape of rocky masses. 
 At the foot of the hills we see the long-drawn town, the harbour 
 with its numerous ships, and beyond it groups of alps and rocks. 
 The boundless sea flows on the spectator's right and left towards 
 Palermo and Naples, while in the direction of Catanea the eye is 
 caught by mountains, with Etna towering among them. 
 
 The same evening I embarked on board the Duke of Calabria, 
 for the short trip of twelve or fourteen hours to Palermo. This 
 steamer has only engines of 80 -horse power, and every thing 
 connected with it is small and confined. The first-class accom- 
 modation is indeed pretty good, but the second-class places are 
 only calculated to contain very few passengers. Though com- 
 pletely exhausted by my long and fatiguing walk through Messina, 
 I remained on deck, for I could not be happy without seeing 
 Strornboli. Unfortunately I could distinguish very little of it. 
 We had started from Messina at about six o'clock in the evening, 
 and did not come in sight of the mountain until two hours later, 
 when the shades of night were already descending ; we were, be- 
 sides, at such a distance from it that I could descry nothing but a 
 colossal mass rising from the sea and towering towards heaven. 
 I stayed on deck until past ten o'clock in the hope of obtaining a 
 nearer view of Stromboli ; but we had soon left it behind us in the 
 far distance, with other islands which lay on the surface like misty 
 clouds.
 
 EGYPT, A\D ITALY. 279 
 
 October 7th. 
 
 To-day I hastened on deck before sunrise, to see as much as 
 possible of the Sicilian coast, and to obtain an early view of Palermo. 
 At ten o'clock we ran into the harbour of this town. 
 
 I had been so charmed with the situation of Messina that I 
 did not expect ever to behold any thing more lovely ; and yet the 
 remembrance of this town faded from my mind when 
 
 PALEBMO 
 
 rose before me, surrounded by magnificent mountains, among which 
 the colossal rock of St. Rosalia, a huge slab of porphyry and granite, 
 towered high in the blue air. The combination of various colours 
 unites with its immense height and its peculiar construction to 
 render this mountain one of the most remarkable in existence. Its 
 summit is crowned by a temple ; and a good road, partly cut out 
 of the rock, partly supported on lofty pillars of masonry, which 
 we can see from on board our vessel, leads to the convent of St. 
 Rosalia, and to a chapel hidden among the hills and dedicated to 
 the same saint. 
 
 At the foot of this mountain lies a gorgeous castle, inhabited, 
 as my captain told me, by an English family, who pay a yearly 
 rent of 30,000 florins for the use of it. To the left of Palermo 
 the mountains open and shew the entrance into a broad and trans- 
 cendently beautiful valley, in which the town of Monreal lies with 
 magical effect. Several of these gaps occur along the coast, afford- 
 ing glimpses of the most lovely vales, with scattered villages and 
 pretty country-seats. 
 
 The harbour of Palermo is picturesque and eminently safe. 
 The town numbers about 130,000 inhabitants. Here, too, our 
 deck was crowded with Fachini, innkeepers, and guides, before 
 the anchor was fairly lowered. I inquired of the captain respect- 
 ing the price of board and lodging, and afterwards made a bargain 
 with a host before leaving the ship. By following this plan I 
 generally escaped overcharge and inconvenience.
 
 280 
 
 Arrived at the inn, I sent to Herr Schmidt, to whom I had 
 been recommended, with the request that he would despatch a 
 trustworthy cicerone to me, and make me a kind of daily scheme 
 of what I was to see. This was soon done, and after hurrying 
 over my dinner I commenced my wanderings. 
 
 I entered almost every church I passed on my way, and found 
 them all neat and pretty. Every where I came upon picturesque 
 villas and handsome houses, with glass doors instead of windows, 
 their lower portion guarded by iron railings and forming little bal- 
 conies. Here the women and girls sit of an evening working and 
 talking to their heart's content. 
 
 The streets of Palermo are far handsomer and cleaner than 
 those of Messina. The principal among them, Toledo and Casaro, 
 divide the town into four parts, and join in the chief square. The 
 .streets, as we pass from one into another, present a peculiar ap- 
 pearance, filled with bustling crowds of people moving noisily to 
 and fro. In the Toledo Street all the tailors seem congregated 
 together, for the shops on each side of the way are uniformly 
 occupied by the votaries of this trade, who sit at work half in their 
 .houses and half in the street. The coffee-houses and shops are all 
 open, so that the passers-by can obtain a full view of the wares 
 and of the buyers and sellers. 
 
 The regal palace is the handsomest in the town. It contains 
 a gothic chapel, richly decorated ; the walls are entirely covered 
 with paintings in mosaic, of which the drawings do not display 
 remarkable taste, and the ceiling is over-crowded with decorations 
 and arabesques. An ancient chandelier, hi the form of a pillar, 
 made of beautiful marble and also covered with arabesques, stands 
 beside the pulpit. On holydays an immense candle is put hi this 
 candlestick and lighted. 
 
 I wished to enter this chapel, but was refused admittance until 
 I had taken off my hat, like the men, and carried it hi my hand. 
 This custom prevails hi several churches of Palermo. The space 
 in front of the palace resembles a garden, from the number of
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 281 
 
 avenues and beds of flowers with which it is ornamented. Second 
 in beauty is the palace of the senate, but it cannot be compared 
 with that at Messina. 
 
 The town contains several very handsome squares, hi all of 
 which we find several statues and fountains. 
 
 Foremost among the churches the Cathedral must be men- 
 tioned; its gothic facade occupies one entire side of a square. 
 A spacious entrance-hall, with two monuments, not executed in a 
 very fine style of art, leads into the ulterior of the church, which 
 is of considerable extent, but built in a very simple style. The 
 pillars, two of which always stand together, and the four royal 
 monuments at the entrance, are all of Egyptian granite. The 
 finest part of the church is the chapel of St. Eosalia on the right, 
 not far from the high altar ; both its walls are decorated with 
 large bas-reliefs in marble, beautifully executed : one of these re- 
 presents the banishment of the plague, and the finding of St. Ro- 
 salia's bones. A splendid pillar of lapis-lazuli, said to be the 
 largest and finest specimen of this stone in existence, stands be- 
 side the high altar. The two basins with raised figures at the 
 entrance of the church also deserve notice. The left side of the 
 square is occupied by the episcopal palace, a building of no pre- 
 tensions. 
 
 Santa Theresia is a smah 1 church, containing nothing remark- 
 able except a splendid bas-relief in marble, representing the Holy 
 Family, which an Englishman once offered to purchase for an 
 immense sum. The neighbouring church of St. Pieta, on the 
 contrary, can be called large and grand. The facades are orna- 
 mented with pillars of marble, the altar is richly gilt, and hand- 
 some frescoes deck the ceiling. St. Domenigo, another fine church, 
 possesses, my cicerone assured me, the largest organ in the world. 
 If he had said the greatest he had seen, I could readily have be- 
 lieved him. 
 
 In St. Ignazio, or Olivazo, near a minor altar at one side, we 
 find a painting representing the Virgin and the infant Jesus. The
 
 282 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 sacristan persisted that this was a work of Kaphael's. The co- 
 louring appeared to me not quite to resemble that of the great 
 master, but I understand too little of these things to be able to 
 judge on such a subject. At any rate it is a fine piece. A few 
 steps below the church lies the oratory, which nearly equals it in 
 size, and also contains a handsome painting over the altar. " St. 
 Augustine" also repays the trouble of a visit; it displays great 
 wealth in marble, sculptures, frescoes, and arabesques. " St. Joseph" 
 is also rich in various kinds of marble. Several of its large co- 
 lumns have been made from a single block. A clear cold stream 
 issues from this church. 
 
 I have still to notice the lovely public gardens, which I visited 
 after dining with the consul-general, Herr Wallenburg. I cannot 
 omit this opportunity of gratefully mentioning the friendly sym- 
 pathy and kindness I experienced on the part of this gentleman 
 and Ms lady. To return to the gardens, the most interesting 
 to me was the botanical, where a number of rare trees and plants 
 flourish famously in the open air. 
 
 The catacombs of the Augustine convent are most peculiar ; 
 they are situate immediately outside the town. From the church, 
 which offers nothing of remarkable interest, a broad flight of stairs 
 leads downwards into long and lofty passages cut in the rock, and 
 receiving light from above. The skeletons of the dead line the 
 walls, in little niches close beside each other; they are clothed 
 in a kind of monkish robe, and each man's hands are crossed on 
 his chest, with a ticket bearing his name, age, and the date of his 
 death depending therefrom. A more horrible sight can scarcely 
 be imagined than these dressed-up skeletons and death's-heads. 
 Many have still hair on the scalp, and some even beard. The 
 niches in which they stand are surmounted by planks displaying 
 skulls and bones, and the corridors are crowded with whole rows 
 of coffins, their inmates waiting for a vacant place. If the rela- 
 tions of one of the favoured skeletons neglect to supply a certain 
 number of wax-tapers on All-Saints' day, the poor man is banished
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 283 
 
 from his position, and one of the candidates steps in and occupies 
 his niche. 
 
 The corpses of women and girls are deposited in another com- 
 partment, and look as though they were lying in state in their 
 glass coffins, dressed in handsome silks, with ornamental coifs on 
 their heads, ruffs and lace collars round their necks, and silk shoes 
 and stockings, which however soon burst, on their feet. A wreath 
 of flowers decks the brow of each girl, and beneath all this orna- 
 ment the skull appears with its hollow eyes a parody upon life 
 and death. 
 
 Whenever any one wishes to be immortalised in this way, 
 his friends and relations must pay a certain sum for a place on 
 the day of his burial, and afterwards bring wax-tapers every year. 
 The body is then laid in a chamber of lime, which remains for 
 eight months hermetically closed, until the flesh has been entirely 
 eaten away; then the bones are fastened together, dressed, and 
 placed in a niche. 
 
 On All-Saints' day these corridors of death are crowded with 
 gazers ; friends and relations of the deceased resort thither to 
 light candles and perform their devotions. I was glad to have 
 had an opportunity of seeing these audience-halls of the dead, but 
 still I rejoiced when I hastened upwards to sojourn once more 
 among the living. 
 
 From here I drove to Oh' vuzza, to view the Moorish castle of 
 Ziza, celebrated for the beauty of its situation and of the region 
 around. Not far from the old castle stands a new one, with a 
 garden of much beauty, containing also a number of fantastic toys, 
 such as little grottoes and huts, hollow trees in which secret doors 
 fly suddenly open, disclosing to view a nun, a monk, or some 
 figure of the kind, &c. Here I still found a species of date-tree 
 growing in the open air ; but the fruit it bears is very small, and 
 never becomes completely ripe : this was the last date-tree I saw. 
 
 The royal villa " Favourite," about a mile from the town, is 
 situated in a lovely spot. It is built in the Chinese style, with a
 
 284 VISIT TO THE HOLT LAKD, 
 
 quantity of points, gables, and little bells ; its interior is, however, 
 arranged according to European design, in a rich, tasteful, and 
 artistic manner. We linger with pleasure in the rooms, each of 
 which offers some attractive feature. Thus, for instance, one 
 apartment contains beautiful fresco paintings; another, life-size 
 portraits of the royal family in Chinese costume ; in a third, the 
 effects of damp on walls and Ailing are so accurately portrayed 
 that at first I was deceived by the resemblance, and regretted to 
 find a room in such a condition among all the pomp and splendour 
 around. One small cabinet is entirely inlaid with li ttle pieces of 
 all the various kinds of marble that are to be found in Sicily. 
 The large tables are made of petrified and polished woods, &c. 
 Besides these minor attractions, a much greater one exists in the 
 splendid view which we obtain from the terraces and from the 
 summit of the Chinese tower. I found it difficult to tear myself 
 from contemplating this charming prospect ; a painter would be- 
 come embarrassed by the very richness of the materials around 
 him. Every thing I had seen from on board here appeared be- 
 fore my eyes with increased loveliness, because I here saw it from 
 a higher position, and obtained a more extended view. 
 
 An ornamental garden lies close to the palace. It is flagged 
 with large blocks of stone, between which spaces are left for earth. 
 These beds are parcelled out according to plans, bordered with 
 box a foot in height, and arranged so as to form immense leaves, 
 flowers, and arabesques ; while in the midst stand vases of natural 
 flowers. The park fills up the background; it consists merely 
 of a few avenues and meadows, extending to the foot of Mount 
 Rosalia. 
 
 This mountain I also ascended. The finest paved street, which 
 is sufficiently broad for three carriages to pass each other, winds 
 in a serpentine manner round the rocky heights, so that we can 
 mount upwards without the slightest difficulty. 
 
 The convent is small and very simply constructed ; the court- 
 yard behind it, on the contrary, is exceedingly imposing. It is
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 285 
 
 shut in on all sides by steep walls of rock, covered with clinging 
 ivy in a most picturesque manner. On the left we find a little 
 grotto containing an altar. In the foreground, on the right, a 
 lofty gate, formed by nature and beautified by art, leads into a 
 chapel wonderfully formed of pieces of rock and stalactites. A 
 feeling of astonishment and admiration almost amounting to awe 
 came upon me as I entered. The walls near the chief altar are 
 overgrown with a kind of delicate moss of an emerald-green co- 
 lour, with the white rock shining through here and there ; and in 
 the midst rises a natural cupola, terminating in a point. The 
 extreme summit of this dome cannot be distinguished ; it is lost in 
 obscurity. Here and there natural niches occur, in which statues 
 of saints have been placed. To the left of the high altar I saw 
 the monument of St. Rosalia, beautifully executed in white marble. 
 She is represented in a recumbent posture, the size of life ; the 
 statue rests on a pedestal two feet in height. In the most liighly- 
 decorated or the most gorgeous church I could not have felt my- 
 self more irresistibly impelled to devotion than in this grand tem- 
 ple of nature. 
 
 From the 15th to the 18th of July in every year a great 
 feast is held in honour of St. Rosalia, the patron saint of the city, 
 in the town and on the mountain. On these days a number of 
 people make a pilgrimage to the grotto above described, where 
 the bones of the saint were found at a time when the plague was 
 raging at Palermo. They were carried with great pomp into the 
 town, and from that moment the plague ceased. 
 
 The road from the convent to the temple, built on the summit 
 of a rock, and visible to the sailors from a great distance, leads us 
 for about half a mile over loose stones. Its construction is ex- 
 tremely simple, and not remarkable in any way. In former times 
 its summit was decked by a colossal statue of the saint. This 
 fell down, and the head alone remained unmutilated. Like the 
 statue, the fane is now in ruins, and its site is only visited for the 
 sake of the beautiful view.
 
 286 VISIT TO THE HOLY L-^NT), 
 
 On our way back to the convent, my guide drew my attention 
 to a spot where a large tree had stood. Some years before, a 
 family was sitting quietly beneath its shade, partaking of a frugal 
 meal, when the tree suddenly came crashing down, and caused the 
 death of four persons. 
 
 The excursion to St. Kosalia's Hill can easily be made hi four 
 or five hours. It is usual to ride up the mountain on donkeys ; 
 these animals are, however, so sluggish, compared with those of 
 Egypt, that I often preferred dismounting and proceeding on foot. 
 The Neapolitan donkeys are just as lazy. 
 
 I wished still to visit Bagaria, the summer residence of many 
 of the townspeople. One morning I drove to this lovely spot in 
 the company of an amiable Swiss family. The distance from 
 Palermo is about two miles and a half, and the road frequently 
 winding close to the sea, presents a rich variety of beautiful 
 pictures. 
 
 "We went to view the palace of Prince Fascello : the pro- 
 prietor appears, however, seldom to reside here, for every thing 
 wears an air of neglect. Two halls hi this building are worthy 
 of notice ; the walls of the smaller one are covered with figures 
 and ornaments, beautifully carved hi wood, with pieces of mirror- 
 glass placed between them. The vaulted ceiling is also decorated 
 with mirrors, some of which are unfortunately already broken. 
 
 The walls of the larger hall are completely lined with the 
 finest Sicilian marble. Above the cornices the marble has been 
 covered with thin glass, which gives it a peculiar appearance of 
 polish. The immense ceiling of the great hall is vaulted like 
 that of the smaller one, and completely covered with mirrors, all 
 of them hi good preservation. Both apartments, but particularly 
 the large one, are said to have a magical effect when lighted up 
 with tapers. 
 
 I spent a Sunday in Palermo, and was much pleased at seeing 
 the peasants hi their festive garb, in which, however, I could dis- 
 cover nothing handsome ; nor, indeed, any thing peculiar, save the
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 287 
 
 long pendent nightcaps. The men wear jackets and breeches, and 
 have the before-mentioned caps on then* heads ; the dress of the 
 women is a spencer, a petticoat, and a kerchief of white or coloured 
 linen round the head and neck. 
 
 The common people appeared to be neither cleanly nor wealthy. 
 The rich are dressed according to the fashions of London, Paris, 
 and Vienna. 
 
 In all the Sicilian towns I found the mob more boisterous and 
 impudent than in the East, and frequently it was my lot to 
 witness most diabolical quarrels and fights. It is necessary to be 
 much more on one's guard against theft and roguery among these 
 people than among the Arabs and Bedouins. Now I acknow- 
 ledge how falsely I had judged the poor denizens of the East 
 when I took them for the most thievish of tribes. The people here 
 and at Naples were far worse than they. I was doubly pained on 
 making this discovery, from the fact that I saw more fasting and 
 praying, and more clergymen in these countries than any where 
 else. To judge from appearances, I should have taken the Sicilians 
 and Neapolitans for the most pious people in the world. But 
 their behaviour towards strangers is rude in the extreme. Never 
 had I been so impudently stared out of countenance as in these 
 Sicilian towns 1 : fingers were pointed at me amidst roars of 
 laughter ; the boys even ran after me and jeered at me and all 
 because I wore a round straw hat. In Messina I threw this article 
 away, and dressed according to the fashion which prevails here 
 and in my own country ; but still the gaping did not cease. In 
 Palermo it was not only the'street boys who stood still to &aze at 
 me, the grandees also did me the same honour, whether I drove 
 or walked. I once asked a lady the reason of this, and requested 
 to know if my appearance was calculated either to give offence or 
 to excite ridicule ; she replied that neither was the case, but that 
 the only thing the citizens remarked in me was that I went about 
 alone with a servant. In Sicily this was quite an uncommon cir- 
 cumstance, for there I always saw two ladies walking together,
 
 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 or a lady and gentleman. Now the grand mystery was solved ; 
 but notwithstanding this, I did not alter my mode of action, but 
 continued to walk quietly about the town with my servant, for I 
 preferred being laughed at a little to giving any one the trouble 
 of accompanying me about every where. At first this staring 
 made me very uncomfortable ; but man can adapt himself to every 
 thing, and I am no exception to the rule. 
 
 The vegetation in Sicily is eminent for its luxuriant loveliness. 
 Flowers, plants, and shrubs attain a greater height and magnitude 
 than we find elsewhere. I saw here numerous species of aloes, 
 which we cultivate laboriously in hot-houses, growing wild, or 
 planted as hedges around gardens. The stems, from which 
 blossoms burst forth, often attain a height of from twenty to thirty 
 feet. Their flowering season was already past. 
 
 October 10th. 
 
 After a sojourn of five days I bade farewell to Palermo, and 
 took my departure in wet weather. This was the first ram I 
 had seen fall since the 20th of April. The temperature remained 
 very warm ; on fine days the thermometer still stood at 20 or 
 22 Keaumur hi the sun at noon. 
 
 The vessel on which I now embarked was^a royal mail-steamer. 
 We left Palermo at noon ; towards evening the sea became rather 
 rough, so that the spray dashed over me once or twice, although I 
 continually kept near the steersman. 
 
 At the commencement of our journey nothing was to be seen 
 but sky and water. But the next day, as we approached the 
 Neapolitan coast, island after island rose from the sea, and at 
 length the mainland itself could be discerned. Capri was the 
 first island we approached closely. Soon afterwards my attention 
 was drawn to a great cloud rising towards the sky ; it was a smoky 
 column from the glowing hearth of Vesuvius. At length a white 
 line glittered on the verge of the horizon, like a band through 
 the clear air. There was a joyful cry of " Napoli! Napoli!" and 
 Naples lay spread before me.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 289 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Sojourn at Naples Sickness Laziness of the people Royal palace Ro- 
 tunda Strada Chiaga and Toledo St. Carlo Theatre Largo del Cas- 
 tello Medina square Marionettes St. Jesu Nuovo St. Jesu Mag- 
 giore St. Maria di Piedigrotta Public gardens Academy "degli 
 Studii" Cathedral of St. Januarius St. Jeronimo St. Paula Maggiore 
 St. Chiara Baths of Nero Solfatara Grotto " del Cane" Kesina 
 Ascent of Vesuvius Caserta. 
 
 MY imagination was so powerfully excited, I may say over-ex- 
 cited, by the accounts I had heard and read concerning this 
 fairy city, that here once more my expectations were far from being 
 realised. This was, perhaps, partly owing to the circumstance that 
 I had already seen Constantinople and had just quitted Palermo, 
 the situation of which latter town had so enchanted me that my 
 enthusiasm was here confined within very narrow bounds, and I 
 felt inclined to prefer Palermo to Naples. 
 
 At two o'clock in the afternoon I landed, and the kind assist- 
 ance of Herr Brettschneider at once procured me an excellent room 
 iu Santa Lucia, with a prospect of the harbour and the bay, besides 
 a view of Vesuvius and the region surrounding it. As usual, I 
 \\ished to commence my researches at once ; but already in 
 Palermo I had felt an unceasing pain in my side, so that my last 
 walks there had been attended with considerable difficulty. 
 
 Here I became really ill, and was unable to quit my room. 
 I had a boil on my back, which required the care of the surgeon, 
 and kept me in my room for a fortnight, until the fever had 
 abated. 
 
 If this misfortune had happened to me in the East, or even 
 
 T
 
 290 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 while I was in quarantine at Malta, who knows whether I should 
 not have been looked upon as having a " plague-boil," and shut 
 up for forty days ? 
 
 During my imprisonment here, my only relaxation during the 
 hours when I was free from fever and it did not rain, was to sit 
 on the balcony, contemplating the beautiful prospect, and looking 
 on the bustling, lively populace. The Neapolitans appeared to 
 me very ill-behaved, boisterous, and quarrelsome, and seemed to 
 entertain a great horror of work. The latter circumstance seems 
 natural enough, for they require little for their daily support, and 
 we hardly find that the common people any where work more than 
 is necessary to shield them from immediate want ; this is particu- 
 larly the case in Italy, where the heat is oppressive during the 
 day, and the temperature of the evening so agreeable, every one 
 wishes to enjoy himself rather than to work. 
 
 I sometimes saw men employ themselves for half a day to- 
 gether in pushing bullets with a little stick through a ring fastened 
 to the ground : this is one of the most popular games. The 
 women are always sitting or standing in front of the houses, 
 chattering or quarrelling ; and the children He about in the streets 
 all day long. The veriest trifle suffices to breed a quarrel among 
 old or young, and then they kick one another with their feet a 
 very graceful practice for women or girls ! Even with then: 
 knives they are ready on all occasions. 
 
 For making observations on the Neapolitans no better post 
 can be chosen than a lodging hi the quarter St. Lucia. The 
 fishermen, lazzaroni, and sailors live hi the little side lanes, and 
 spend the greater part of the day in the large street of St. 
 Lucia, the chief resort both for pedestrians and people on horse- 
 back and in carriages. In and about the harbour we find nume- 
 rous vendors of oysters and crabs, which they bring fresh from 
 the sea. The lazzaroni no longer go about half naked, and the 
 common people are dressed hi a decent though not in a picturesque 
 manner.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 291 
 
 Here a number of handsome equipages rolled by ; their lady 
 occupants were very fashionably attired. 
 
 Even among the better classes it is usual for the men to pur- 
 chase all the household necessaries, such as fish, bread, poultry, 
 &c. Poultry is very much eaten in Italy, particularly turkeys, 
 which are sometimes sold ready cut up, according to weight. On 
 Sundays and holydays the shops containing wares and provisions, 
 and the meat and poultry stalls, are opened in the same way as on 
 a week-day. Throughout all Italy we do not see them closed for 
 the observance of a Sunday or holyday. 
 
 On the fifteenth day I had so far recovered that I could begin 
 my tour of observation, using, however, certain precautions. 
 
 At first I confined my researches to churches, palaces, and 
 the museum, particularly as the weather was unprecedentedly bad. 
 It rained, or rather poured, almost every day, and in these cases 
 the water rushes in streams out of the by-lanes towards the sea- 
 The greater part of Naples is built on an acclivity, and there 
 are no gutters, so that the water must force its way along the 
 streets : this has its peculiar advantages ; for the side-lanes, which 
 are filthy beyond description, thus get a partial cleansing by the 
 stream. 
 
 As I am not a connoisseur, it would be foolish in me to attempt 
 a criticism upon the splendid productions of art which I beheld 
 here, in Rome, and at Florence and other places. I can only 
 recount what I saw. 
 
 During my excursions I generally regulated my movements 
 according to the divisions and instructions contained in August 
 Lewald's hand-book, a work which every traveller will find very 
 serviceable and correct. 
 
 I began with the royal palace, which was situate near my 
 lodging at St. Lucia, with one front facing the sea, and the other 
 turned towards the fine large square. This building contains 
 forty-two windows in a row. I could see nothing of its interior 
 excepting the richly decorated chapel, as the royal family resided
 
 292 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 there during the whole time of my stay, and thus the apartments 
 were not accessible to strangers. 
 
 Opposite the castle stands the magnificent Eotunda, called also 
 the church of San Francesco de Paula. Adjoining this church on 
 either side were arcades in the form of a half circle, supported by 
 handsome pillars, beneath which several shops are established. 
 The roof of the Eotunda is formed by a splendid cupola resting on 
 thirty-four marble pillars. The altars, with the niches between, 
 occupied by colossal statues, are ranged round the walls, and in 
 some instances decorated by splendid modern paintings. A great 
 quantity of lapis lazuli has been used in the construction of the 
 grand altar. In the higher regions of the cupola two galleries, 
 with tasteful iron railings, are to be seen. The entire church, and 
 even the confessionals, are covered with a species of grey marble. 
 The peculiar appearance of this place of worship is exceedingly 
 calculated to excite the visitor's wonder, for to judge from its 
 exterior he would scarcely take the splendid building before bun 
 for a church. It was built on the model of the famous rotunda at 
 Home ; but the idea of the porticoes is taken from St. Peter's. 
 
 Two large equestrian statues of bronze form the ornaments of 
 the square before this church. Quitting this square, we emerge 
 into the two finest and most frequented streets in the town, 
 namely, the Chiaga and Toledo. Not far off is the imposing 
 theatre of St. Carlo, said to be not only the largest in Italy, but 
 in all Europe. Its exterior aspect is very splendid. A large and 
 broad entrance extends in front, with pillars, beneath the shelter of 
 which the carriages drive up, so that the spectators can arrive and 
 depart without the chance of getting wet. This evening there was 
 to be a " particularly grand performance." I entered the theatre, 
 and was much struck with its appearance. It contains six tiers, 
 all parcelled off into boxes, of which I counted four-and-twenty on 
 the grand circle. Each box is almost the size of a small room, 
 and can easily accommodate from twelve to fifteen people. A fairy- 
 like spectacle is said to be produced when, on occasions of peculiar
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 293 
 
 festivity, the whole exterior is lighted up. Here, as in nearly all 
 the Italian theatres, a clock, shewing not only the hours but the 
 minutes, is fixed over the front of the stage. A " particular per- 
 formance" commences at six o'clock, and usually terminates an 
 hour or two before midnight. This evening I saw a little ballet, 
 then two acts of an opera, and afterwards a comedy, the whole 
 concluding with a grand ballet. It is usual on benefit-nights to 
 give a great variety of entertainments in order to attract the 
 public ; on these occasions the prices are also reduced one-fifth. 
 
 The greatest square, Largo del Castello, almost adjoins the 
 theatre ; it is of an oblong form, and contains many palace-like 
 buildings, including the finance and police offices. A pretty spring, 
 the water of which falls down some rocks and forms a cascade, is 
 also worthy of mention. 
 
 A little to the left we come upon the Medina-square, boasting 
 the finest fountain in Naples. Between these two squares, beside 
 the sea-shore, lies Castel Nuovo, said to be built quite in the form 
 of the Bastille. It is strongly fortified, and serves as a defence- 
 for the harbour. This is a very lively neighbourhood. Many an 
 hours amusement have I had, watching the motley crowd, parti- 
 cularly on Sundays and holydays, when it is frequented by impro- 
 visators, singers, musicians, and mountebanks of every description. 
 
 Not far from the harbour is a long street in wlu'ch numerous 
 kitchens and many provision-stalls are established. Here I walked, 
 in the evenings to see the people assembled round the maccaroni- 
 pots : it is advisable, however, to leave watch and purse at home,, 
 and even one's pocket-handkerchief is not safe. 
 
 Of the shouting and crowding here no conception can be 
 formed. Large kettles are placed in front of the shops, and the 
 proprietors sit beside them, plunging a great wooden fork and 
 spoon into the cauldron to fill the plates of expectant customers. 
 Some eat their favourite dish with fat and cheese, others without, 
 according to the state of their exchequer for the tune being ; but 
 one and all eat with their fingers. The army of hungry mortals
 
 294 VISIT TO THE HOLT LAiO), 
 
 seems innumerable ; and during feeding-time the stranger finds no 
 little difficulty in forcing a passage, notwithstanding the breadth 
 of the street. Not far from this thoroughfare of the people two 
 " Punchinellos" are erected. In one of these the Marionettes are 
 a foot and a half, and in the other no less than three feet high. 
 
 There is, besides, a theatre for the people, where pieces of 
 tragic and comic character are performed, in all of which the 
 clown plays a prominent part. The remaining theatres, the 
 Nuovo, the Carlini, and others, are about the size of those in the 
 Leopold- and Josephstadt at Vienna, and can accommodate about 
 800 spectators. Their exteriors and interiors are alike undis- 
 tinguished ; but in some of them the singing and playing are 
 very creditable. In one of these theatres we are obliged to 
 descend instead of to ascend to reach the pit and the first tier 
 of boxes. 
 
 Naples contains more than three hundred churches and chapels. 
 I visited a number of them, for I entered every church that came 
 in my way. St. Fernando, a church of no great size, but of very 
 pleasing appearance, struck me particularly. The ceiling of this 
 edifice is covered with frescoes, and the walls enriched with marble. 
 At the two side altars we find a pair of very fine half-length pic- 
 tures of saints. 
 
 St. Jesu Nuovo, another exceedingly handsome church, stands 
 on the borders of the Lago Maggiore, and is full of magnificent 
 frescoes, surrounded by arabesque borders. The latter appear 
 as though they were gilded, and the effect thus produced is re- 
 markably fine. This spacious building contains a number of small 
 chapels, partitioned off by massive gratings. The great cupola 
 is exceedingly handsome, and every chapel boasts a separate one. 
 
 St. Jesu Maggiore does not carry out its appellation, for it is 
 a small unpretending church, though some splendid gothic orna- 
 ments beautify the exterior. 
 
 St. Maria di Piedigrotta, another little church, is much fre- 
 quented, from the feet that the common people place great confi-
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 295 
 
 dence in the picture of the Virgin there displayed. The church 
 contains nothing worthy of notice. 
 
 The grotto of Pausilipp, a cavern of immense length, now 
 called Puzzoli, is not far distant. This grotto, hewn out of a 
 rock, is about 1200 paces long, between 50 and GO feet in height, 
 and of such breadth that two carriages can easily pass each other. 
 A little chapel cut out of the rock occupies the middle of the 
 cavern, and both grotto and chapel are illuminated night and day. 
 As in the whole of Naples, the pavement here is formed of lava 
 from Mount Vesuvius. 
 
 Immediately above the grotto, in the direction of the town, 
 we come upon a simple gravestone of white marble the monu- 
 ment of the poet Virgil. A long flight of steps leads to the gar- 
 den containing this monument : the poet's ashes do not, however, 
 rest here ; the spot where he sleeps cannot be accurately deter- 
 mined, and this monument is only raised to his memory. The 
 prospect from these heights as well repays a visit as the grotto of 
 Pausilipp, where we wander for a long time in deep darkness, 
 until we suddenly emerge into the broad light of day, to find our- 
 selves surrounded by a most lovely landscape. 
 
 The public garden of Naples is also situate in this quarter of 
 the town. It extends to the lower portion of the Strada Chiaga, 
 is of great length without being broad, and displays a vast num- 
 ber of beautiful statues, prospects, and rare plants ; a large and 
 handsome street, containing many fine houses, adjoins it on one 
 side. I also rode to the Vomero, on which are erected the king's 
 pleasure-palace and a small convent. A glorious prospect here 
 unfolds itself: Naples with its bay, Puzzoli, and a number of 
 beautifid islands, the lake Agnaro, the extinct craters of Solfe- 
 tara, Baiae, Vesuvius with its chain of mountains, and the stu- 
 pendous ocean, lie grouped, in varied forms and gorgeously blend- 
 ing colours, before the gaze of the astonished spectator. Tlu's 
 is the place of which the Neapolitans say, with some justice, 
 " Hither should men come, and gaze, and die !"
 
 296 
 
 Still the prospects from St. Rosalia's Mount, and from the 
 royal palace Favorita at Palermo, had pleased me better; for 
 there the beauties of nature are more crowded together, are nearer 
 to the spectator : he can obtain a more complete view of them, 
 while in varied gorgeousness they do not yield the palm even to 
 the fairy pictures of Naples. 
 
 I more than once spent half a day in the Academy " degli 
 Studii," for in this place much was to be seen. The entrance to 
 the building is indescribably beautiful ; both the portico and the 
 handsome staircases are ornamented with statues and busts exe- 
 cuted in most artistic style. A door on the right leads us to a hall 
 in which the paintings from Pompeii and Herculaneum are dis- 
 played; several of these relics have no small pretensions to beauty, 
 and the colours of almost all are still wonderfully bright and fresh. 
 In the great hall at the end of the courtyard we find on one side 
 the Farnese Hercules, and on the other the Bull, both works of 
 the Athenian Glycon. These two antiques, particularly the latter, 
 have been in a great measure restored. 
 
 The gallery of great bronzes is considered the first in the 
 world, for here we find united the finest works of ancient times. 
 So many beautiful creations of art were here brought together, 
 that if I attempted a description of them I should not know where 
 to begin. 
 
 Opposite the gallery of bronzes is that allotted to the marbles, 
 among which a beautiful Venus stands prominently forth. 
 
 In the gallery of Flora, a statue of the same goddess, called 
 the Farnese, is also the principal attraction. 
 
 A statue of Apollo playing on the lyre, of porphyry, is the 
 greatest masterpiece in the hall of coloured marbles ; while in the 
 gallery of the Muses a basin of Athenian porphyry occupies the 
 first place. 
 
 In the Adonis room the beautiful Venus Anadyomene en- 
 grossed my chief attention ; and in the cabinet of Venus the Venus 
 Callipygos forms an exquisite sidepiece to the Venus de Medicis.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 297 
 
 The upper regions of this splendid building contain an exten- 
 sive library and a picture-gallery. 
 
 I also paid a visit to the catacombs of St. Januarius, which 
 extend three stories high on a mountain, and are full of little 
 niches, five or six of which are often found one above the other. 
 
 In the chapel Santa Maria della Pieta, in the palace St. 
 Severino, I admired three of the finest and most valuable marble 
 statues that can be found any where ; I mean, " Veiled Inno- 
 cence," " Malice in a Net," and a veiled recumbent figure of 
 Christ. All three are by the sculptor Bernini. 
 
 The largest church in the town is the cathedral dedicated to 
 St. Januarius. This structure rests on a hundred and ten columns 
 of Egyptian and African granite, standing three by three, em- 
 bedded in the walls. The churcli has not a very imposing appear- 
 ance. The chief altar, beneath which the body of St. Januarius 
 is deposited, is ornamented with many kinds of valuable marble. 
 Here I saw a great number of pictures, most of them of consider- 
 able merit. The chapel of St. Januarius, also called the " chapel 
 of the treasure," is one of the most gorgeous shrines that can be 
 conceived. The Neapolitans built it as a thank-offering at the 
 cessation of a plague. The cost was above a million of ducats, 
 and the wealth of this chapel is greater than that of any church hi 
 Christendom. It is built hi a circular form, and all the resources 
 of art have been lavished on the decoration of the chief altar. 
 Every spot is covered with treasures and works of art, and the 
 roof is supported by forty-two Corinthian pillars of dark-red stone. 
 All the decorations of the high altar, the immense candelabra and 
 massive flower-vases, are of silver. At a grand festival, when 
 every thing is richly illuminated, the appearance of thischapel 
 must be gorgeous hi the extreme. The head and two bottles of 
 the blood of St. Januarius are preserved here ; the people assert 
 that this blood liquefies every year. The frescoes on the ceiling 
 are splendidly painted ; and on the square before the church is to 
 be seen an obelisk surmounted by a statue of St. Januarius.
 
 298 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 St. Jeronimo lias an imposing appearance when one first enters. 
 The whole roof of this church as far downwards as the pillars is 
 covered with beautiful arabesques and figures. It also contains 
 some fine paintings, and is, besides, renowned for its architecture. 
 
 St. Paula Maggiore, another spacious church, is well worth 
 seeing on account of its magnificent arabesques and fresco-paint- 
 ings ; besides these it also contains some handsome monuments 
 and statues of marble. Two very ancient pillars stand in front of 
 this church. 
 
 St. Chiara, a fine large church, offers some fine monuments and 
 oil-paintings. 
 
 Among the excursions in the neighbourhood of Naples, that to 
 Puzzoli is certainly the most interesting. After passing through 
 the great grotto, we reach the ancient and rather important town 
 of Puzzoli, with 8000 inhabitants. Cicero called this place a little 
 Rome. In the centre of the town stands the church of St. Proculus, 
 which was converted from a heathen into a Christian temple, and 
 is surrounded by fine-looking Corinthian pillars. 
 
 Remarkable beyond all else is the ruined temple of Seropis. 
 Almost the entire magnitude and arrangement of this magnificent 
 building can yet be discerned. A few of the pillars that once sup- 
 ported the cupola are still erect, and several of the cells, which 
 surrounded the temple and were once used as baths, can still be 
 seen. Every thing here is of fine white marble. The greater 
 portion of the ruin was dismantled, to be used in the construction 
 of the royal villa of Caserta. 
 
 The harbour of Puzzoli is related to have been the finest in 
 Italy. From this place Caligula had a bridge erected to Baise, 
 about 4000 paces hi length. He undertook this gigantic work in 
 consequence of a prophecy that was made to him, that he would 
 no more become emperor than he could ride to Baiae on horseback. 
 This prophecy he confuted, and became emperor. Of the amphi- 
 theatre and the colosseum not a tiace remains. A little chapel 
 now occupies the site on wlich they stood ; tradition asserts that
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 299 
 
 it is built on the very spot where St. Januarius was thrown to the 
 bears. 
 
 Not far from this chapel we are shewn the labyrinth of Dasdalus ; 
 several of its winding walks still exist, through which it would be 
 difficult to find the way without a cicerone. 
 
 We ascended the hill immediately beyond the city, on which 
 some remains of Cicero's villa are yet to be seen : here we enjoyed 
 a splendid prospect. 
 
 In this region we continually wander among ruins, and see 
 every where around us the relics of the past. Thus a short walk 
 brought us from Cicero's villa to the ruins of three temples those 
 of Diana, Venus, and Mercury. Of the first, one side and a few 
 little cells, called the " baths of Venus," alone remain. Part of 
 Venus's temple stands in the rotunda. It was built on acoustic 
 principles, so that any one who puts his ear to a certain part of 
 the wall can hear what is whispered at the opposite extremity. 
 A few fragments of the rotunda were the only trace left of the 
 temple of Diana. 
 
 The vapour baths of Nero, hewn out of the rock, consist of 
 several passages, into which it is impossible to penetrate far on 
 account of the heat. A boy ran to the spring and brought us 
 some boiling water ; he returned from his expedition fiery red in 
 the face, and covered with perspiration. These poor lads are 
 accustomed to remain at the spring until they have succeeded hi 
 boiling some eggs ; but I would not allow any such cruelty, and 
 did not even wish them to fetch me the water, but Herr Brett- 
 schneider would have it so in spite of me. 
 
 From this place we crossed by sea to Baise, where at one tune 
 many of the rich people had then: villas. Their proceedings 
 here are said, however, to have been of so unmoral a character, 
 that at length it was considered wrong to have resided here any 
 tune. Every visitor must be enchanted with the fertility of this 
 region, and with its lovely aspect. A castle, now used as a bar- 
 rack for veterans, crowns the summit of a rock which stands pro-
 
 300 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 minently forth. A few unimportant traces can still be here dis- 
 covered of an ancient temple of Hercules. Some masonry, hi the 
 form of a monument, marks the alleged spot where Agrippina was 
 murdered and buried by order of her son. 
 
 The immense reservoir built by order of the emperor Augus- 
 tus for the purpose of supplying the fleet with fresh water, is situ- 
 ate in the neighbourhood of Baias ; it is called Piscina. This 
 giant structure contains several large chambers, their roofs sup- 
 ported by numerous columns. To view this reservoir we are 
 compelled to descend a flight of steps. 
 
 Not fer from the before-mentioned building we come upon the 
 " Cento Camarelle," a prison consisting of a multitude of small 
 cells. 
 
 On our way back we visited Solfatara, the celebrated crater 
 plain, about 1000 feet in length by 800 in breadth, skirted by 
 hills. Its volcanic power is not yet wholly extinct ; in several 
 places brimstone-fumes (whence the plain derives its name,) are 
 still seen rising into the air, which they impregnate with a most 
 noxious odour. On striking the ground with a stick a sound 
 is produced, from which we can judge that the whole space be- 
 neath us is hollow. This excursion is a very disagreeable one ; 
 we are continually marching across a mere crust of earth, which 
 may give way any moment. I found here a manufactory of brim- 
 stone and alum. A little church belonging to the Capuchins, 
 where we are shewn a stone on which St. Januarius was decapi- 
 tated after the bears had refused to tear him to pieces, stands on 
 a hill near the Solfatara. 
 
 Towards evening we reached the " Dog's Grotto." A hunts- 
 man from the royal preserve Astroni accompanied us, and fetched 
 the man who keeps the keys of the grotto. This functionary soon 
 appeared with a couple of dogs, to furnish us with a practical illus- 
 tration of the convulsions caused by the foul air of the cavern. 
 But I declined the experiment, and contented myself with viewing 
 the grotto. It is of small extent, about eight or ten feet long, not
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 301 
 
 more than five in breadth, and six or eight high. I entered the 
 cave, and so long as I remained erect felt no inconvenience. So 
 soon as I bent towards the ground, however, and the lower stratum 
 of ah- blew upon my face, I experienced a most horrible choking 
 sensation. 
 
 After we had satisfied our curiosity the huntsman led us to 
 the neighbouring hunting-lodge, and to a little lake where a num- 
 ber of ducks are fattened. This man spoke of another and a much 
 more remarkable grotto, of which he possessed the keys, and which 
 he should have great pleasure in shewing us. Though twilight 
 was rapidly approaching we determined to go, as the place was not 
 far off. The man opened the door, and invited us to enter the 
 cavern, advising us at the same tune to bend down open-mouthed, 
 as we had done in the Dog's Grotto, and at the same time to fan 
 the air upwards with our hands, that we might the better inhale 
 it, a proceeding which he asserted to be peculiarly good for the 
 digestive organs. His eloquence was so powerful, that we could 
 not help suspecting the man ; and it struck us as very strange that 
 he was so particularly anxious we should enter the cavern together. 
 This, therefore, we refused to do ; and Herr Brettschneider re- 
 mained outside with our guide, while I entered alone and did as 
 he had directed. Though the lower stratum of air in the Dog's 
 Grotto had been highly mephitic, the atmosphere here was more 
 stifling still. I rushed forth with the speed of lightning ; and now 
 we clearly saw through the fellow's intention. If Herr Brettsclinei- 
 der and myself had entered together, he would undoubtedly have 
 shut the door, and we should have been stifled in a few moments. 
 We did not allow him to notice our suspicions, but merely said 
 that we could not spend any more tune here to-day on account 
 of the lateness of the hour. Our worthy friend accompanied us 
 through a wild and gloomy region, with his gun on his shoulder ; 
 and I was not a little afraid of him, for he kept talking about his 
 honesty and the good intentions he had towards us. We kept, 
 however, close beside him, and watched him narrowly, without
 
 302 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 betraying any symptom of apprehension ; and at length, to our 
 great relief, we gained the open road. 
 
 The royal villa of Portici lies about four "miglia" from 
 Naples, and we made an excursion thither by railway. Both 
 the palace and the gardens are handsome, and of considerable 
 size. Thence we proceeded to Resina. Portici and Resina are 
 so closely connected together by villas and houses, that a stranger 
 would take them for one place. Beneath Resina lies Hercula- 
 neum, a city destroyed seventy-nine years after the birth of our 
 Saviour. In the year 1689 a marquis caused a well to be dug hi 
 his garden, when, at a depth of sixty -five feet,, the labourers came 
 upon fragments of marble with divers inscriptions. It was not 
 until 1720 that systematic excavations were made. Even then 
 great caution was necessary, as Resina is unfortunately built 
 upon Herculaneum, and the safety of the houses became endan- 
 gered. 
 
 At Resina we procured torches and a guide, and descended to 
 view the subterranean city. We saw the theatre, a number of 
 houses, several temples, and the forum. Some fine frescoes are 
 still to be distinguished on the walls of the apartments. The 
 floors are covered with mosaic ; but still this place does not offer 
 nearly so many objects of interest as another winch was over- 
 whelmed at the same time Pompeii. 
 
 Pompeii is without doubt the most remarkable city of its land 
 that exists. A great portion of the town is surrounded by walls, 
 and entire rows of houses, several temples, the theatre, the forum, 
 in short a vast number of buildings, streets, and squares lay open 
 before us. The more I wandered through the streets and open 
 places, the more I involuntarily wondered not to find the inha- 
 bitants and labourers employed in repairing the houses ; I could 
 hardly realise the idea that so many beautiful houses and well- 
 preserved apartments should be untenanted. The deserted aspect 
 of this town had a very melancholy effect in my eyes. 
 
 Though a great portion of the town has already been dug out,
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 303 
 
 only three hundred skeletons have been found, a proof that the 
 greater portion of the inhabitants effected their escape. 
 
 In many houses I found splendid tesselated pavements, repre- 
 senting flowers, wreaths, animals, and arabesques ; even the halls 
 and courtyards were decorated with a larger kind of mosaic work. 
 The walls of the rooms are plastered over with a description of 
 firm polished enamel, frequently looking hike marble, and covered 
 with beautiful frescoes. In Sallust's house a whole row of wine- 
 jugs still stands in the cellar. In the houses the division of the 
 rooms, and the purposes to which the different apartments were 
 devoted, can still be distinctly traced. In general they are very 
 small, and the windows seldom look out upon the street. Deep 
 ruts of carriages can be seen in the streets. All the treasures of 
 art which could be removed, such as statues, pictures, &c., were 
 carried off to Naples, and placed in the museum there. 
 
 VESUVIUS. 
 
 In the agreeable society of Herr M. and Madame Brett- 
 schneider, I rode away from Resina at eleven in the forenoon. A 
 pleasant road, winding among vineyards, brought us in an hour's 
 time to the neighbourhood of the great lava-field, Torre del Greco. 
 It is a fearful sight to behold these grand mounds of lava towering 
 in the most various forms around us. All traces of vegetation 
 have vanished ; far and wide we can descry nothing but hardened 
 masses, which once rushed in molten streams down the mountain. 
 A capitally-constructed road leads us, without the slightest fatigue, 
 through the midst of this scene of devastation to the usual resting- 
 place of travellers, the " Hermitage." 
 
 At this dwelling we made halt, ascended to the upper story, 
 and called for a bottle of Lacrimae Christi. The view here, and 
 at several other points of our ascent, is most charming. 
 
 The hermit seems, however, to lead any tiling but a solitary 
 life, for a day seldom passes on which strangers do not call in to 
 claim his attention in proportion as they run up a score. The
 
 304 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 clerical gentleman is, in fact, no more and no less than a very 
 common innkeeper, and partakes of the goodly obesity frequently 
 noticed among persons of his class. We stayed three quarters of 
 an hour in the domicile of this hermit-host, and afterwards rode 
 on towards the heights, along a beautiful road among fields of 
 lava. In half an hour's time, however, we were completely shut 
 in by lava-fields, and here the beaten track ended. We now dis- 
 mounted, and continued our ascent on foot. It is difficult for one 
 who has not seen it to picture to himself the scene that lay around 
 us. Devastation every where ; lava covering the whole region in 
 heaps upon heaps, fantastically piled one on the other. Here a 
 huge isolated mound rises, seemingly cut off on all sides from the 
 lava around; there we see how a mighty stream once rushed 
 down the mountain-side, and cooled gradually into stone. Im- 
 mense chasms are filled with lava masses, which have lain here 
 for many years cold and motionless, and will probably remain for 
 as many more, for their fury has spent itself. 
 
 The lava is of different colours, according as it has been ex- 
 posed to the atmosphere for a longer or a shorter period. The 
 oldest lava has the hue of granite, and almost its hardness, for 
 which reasons it is largely used for building houses and paving 
 streets. 
 
 From the place where we left our donkeys we had to climb 
 upwards for nearly an hour over the lava before reaching the 
 crater. The ascent is somewhat fatiguing, as we are obliged to be 
 very careful at every step to avoid entangling our feet among the 
 blocks of lava ; still the difficulty is not nearly so great as people 
 make out. It is merely necessary to wear good thick boots, and 
 then all goes extremely well. The higher we mount, the more 
 numerous do the fissures become from which smoke bursts forth. 
 In one of these clefts we placed some eggs, which were completely 
 boiled in four minutes' time. Near these places the ground is so 
 hot that we could not have stood still for many minutes ; still we 
 did not get burnt feet or any thing of the kind.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 305 
 
 On reaching the crater we found ourselves enveloped in so 
 thick a fog that we could not see ten paces in advance. There 
 was nothing for it but to sit down and wait patiently until the 
 sun could penetrate the mist and spread light and cheerfulness 
 among us. Then we descended into the crater, and approached 
 as closely as possible to the place from which the smoky column 
 whirls into the air. The road was a gloomy one, for we were 
 shut in as in a bowl, and could discern around us nothing but 
 mountains of lava, while before us rose the huge smoky column, 
 threatening each moment to shroud us in darkness as the wind 
 blew it in clouds in our direction. When the ground was struck 
 with a stick, it gave forth a hollow rumbling sound like at Solfa- 
 tara. In the neighbourhood of the column of smoke we could see 
 nothing more than at the edge from which we had climbed down- 
 wards a peculiar picture of unparalleled devastation. The cir- 
 cumference of the crater seems not to have changed since the visit 
 of Herr Lewald, who a few years ago estimated its dimensions 
 at 5000 feet. After once more mounting to the brim, we walked 
 round a great part of the edge of the basin. 
 
 At the particular desire of Hen* M., who was well acquainted 
 with all the remarkable points about the volcano, our guide now 
 led the way to the so-called " hell," a little crater which formed 
 itself in the year 1834. To reach it we had to climb about over 
 fields of lava for half an hour. The aspect of this hell did not 
 strike me as particularly grand. An uneven wall of lava sud- 
 denly rose fifteen paces in advance of us, with whole strata of 
 pure sulphur and other beautifully-coloured substances depending 
 from its projecting angles. One of these substances was of a 
 snowy-white colour, light, and very porous. I took a piece with 
 me, but the next day on proceeding to pack it carefully, I found 
 that above half had melted and become quite soft and damp, so 
 that I was compelled to throw the whole away. The same thing 
 happened to a mass of a red colour that I had brought away with 
 me, and which had a beautiful effect, like glowing lava, clinging 
 
 u
 
 30& VISIT TO THE HOLY LAN~D, 
 
 to the fissures and sides of the rocks. "We held pieces of paper to 
 the fissures in this wall, and they immediately heeame ignited. 
 Herr M. then threw in a cigar, which also burst into a flame. The 
 heat proceeding from these clefts was so great, that we could not 
 bear to hold our hands there for an instant. At one place, near 
 a fissure, we laid our ears to the ground, and could hear a rushing 
 bubbling sound as though water was boiling beneath us. There 
 was reafly much to see hi this hell, without the discomfort of 
 being enveloped in the offensive sulphurous smoke of the chief 
 crater. 
 
 After staying for several hours hi and about the crater we left 
 it, and returned by the steep way over the cone of cinders. The 
 descent here is almost perpendicular, and we could hardly escape 
 with whole skins if it were not for the fact that we sink ankle- 
 deep into sand and cinders at every step. 
 
 To avoid falling, it is requisite to bend the body backwards 
 and step upon the heeL By observing this precaution, the worst 
 that can happen to one is to sit down involuntarily once or twice, 
 without danger to life or limb. In twelve minutes we had reached 
 the spot where our donkeys stood. We reached Resina during the 
 darkness of night, having spent eight hours in our excursion. 
 
 My last trip was to the Castle of Caserta, distant sixteen 
 migha from Naples, in the direction of Capua. It is considered 
 one of the finest pleasure-palaces in Europe, and I was exceed- 
 ingly pleased with its appearance. The building is of a square 
 form, with a portico 507 feet long, supported by ninety-eight 
 columns of the finest marble. The staircase and halls in the 
 upper story alone must have cost enormous sums, as well as the 
 chapel on the first floor, which is very rich and gorgeous. The 
 saloons and apartments are decorated hi a peculiarly splendid man- 
 ner with a multiplicity of frescoes, ofl-paintings, sculptures, gild- 
 ings, costly silk-hangings, marbles, &c. A pretty little theatre, 
 with well-painted scenery, is to be found hi the palace. The gar- 
 den is extensive, particularly as regards length. A hill, from which
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 307 
 
 a considerable stream rushes foaming over artificial rockwork into 
 the deeper recesses of the garden, rises at its extremity. Scarcely 
 has this river sunk to rest, flowing slowly and majestically through 
 a bed formed of large square stones, before it is compelled to form 
 another cascade, and another, and one more, until it almost reaches 
 the castle, near which a large basin has been constructed, from 
 whence the water is led into the town. Seen from the portico, 
 these waterfalls have a lovely appearance. From Caserta we drove 
 ten miles farther on to the celebrated aqueduct which supplies the 
 whole of Naples with water. It is truly a marvellous work. 
 Over three stupendous arched ways, one above the other, the ne- 
 cessary quantity of water flows into the city. 
 
 This was my last excursion ; on the following day, the 7th of 
 November, at three in the morning, I left Naples. Apart from the 
 delightful reminiscences of lovely natural scenes, I shall always 
 think with pleasure on my sojourn in Naples in connexion with 
 Herr Brettschneider and his lady. I was a complete stranger to 
 them when I delivered my note of introduction, and yet they at 
 once welcomed me as kindly and heartily as though I had belonged 
 to their family. How many hours, and even days, did they not 
 devote to me, to accompany me sometimes to one place, sometimes 
 to another ; how eagerly did they seek to shew me all the riches of 
 nature and art displayed in this favoured city ! I was truly proud 
 and delighted at having found such friends; and once more do I 
 offer them my sincere thanks.
 
 308 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Caserta Costume of the peasants Rome Piazza del Popolo Dogana 
 St. Peter's Palaces Borghese, Barberini, Colonna, &c. Churches 
 Ancient Rome The CoUisenm Departure for Florence Bad weather 
 Picturesque scenery Siena Florence Cathedral and palaces 
 Departure from Florence Bologna Ferrara Conclusion. 
 
 November 7th. 
 
 I TEA YELLED by the mail-carriage. By seven in the morning 
 we were at Caserta, and an hour later at Capua, a pretty 
 bustling town on the banks of a river. Our road was most pic- 
 turesque ; we drove among vineyards and gardens through the 
 midst of a lovely plain. On the right were mountains, increasing 
 in number as we proceeded, and imparting a rich variety to the 
 landscape. At noon we halted before a lovely inn. From this 
 point the country increases in beauty at every step. The heights 
 are strikingly fertile, and in the valley an excellent road winds 
 amid pleasant gardens. The mountains frequently seem to ap- 
 proach as though about to form an impenetrable pass ; while ruins 
 crown the summits of the rocks, and give a romantic appearance 
 to the whole. At about three o'clock we reached the little town 
 of Jeromania, lying in the midst of vegetable-gardens. Above this 
 town the handsome convent of Monte Cassino stands on a rock, 
 and in its neighbourhood we notice the ruins of an amphitheatre. 
 
 To-day the weather was not in the least Italian, being, on the 
 contrary, gloomy and rough, as we generally find it in Austria at 
 the same season of the year. Yesterday it was so cold at Naples 
 that Mount Vesuvius was covered with snow during several hours.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 309 
 
 The dress of the peasants in these regions is of a more national 
 character than I had yet found it. The women wear short and 
 scanty petticoats of blue or red cloth, tight-fitting bodices, and 
 gaily-striped aprons. Their head-dress consists of a white hand- 
 kerchief, with a second above it folded in a square form. The 
 men look like robbers ; with their long dark-blue or brown cloaks, 
 in which they wrap themselves so closely that it is difficult to get 
 a glimpse of their faces, and their steeple-crowned black hats, they 
 quite resemble the pictures of the bandits in the Abruzzi. They 
 glide about in so spectral a manner, and eye travellers with such 
 a sinister look, that I almost became uncomfortable. 
 
 From Jeromania we had still a few miles to travel until we 
 entered the Koman territory near Ceprano. 
 
 In Naples, and in fact throughout the whole of Italy, the pass- 
 ports are continually called for, a great annoyance to the tra- 
 veller. In the course of to-day my passport was " vise" five times, 
 making once in every little town through which we had passed. 
 
 It was our fortune at Ceprano to lodge with a very cheating 
 host. In tiie evening, when I inquired the price of a bedroom 
 and breakfast, they told me a bed would cost two pauls, and 
 breakfast half a paul ; but when I came to pay, the host asked 
 three pauls for my bed-room, and another for a cup of the worst 
 coffee I have ever drunk ; and the whole company was subjected 
 to the same extortion. We expostulated and complained, but 
 were at length compelled to comply with the demand. 
 
 November 8th. 
 
 The landscape remains the same, but the appearance of the 
 towns and villages is not nearly so neat and pretty as in the Nea- 
 politan domain. The costume of the peasants is like that worn by 
 the people whom we met yesterday, excepting that the women 
 have a stiff stomacher, fastened with a red lace, instead of the 
 spencer. The dress of the men consists of short knee-breeches, 
 brown stockings, heavy shoes, and a jacket of some dark colour.
 
 310 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 Some wear, in addition to this, a red waistcoat, and a green sash 
 round the waist. All wear the conical hat. In cold weather the 
 dark bandit's cloak is also seen. 
 
 HOME. 
 
 As we approach Rome the country becomes more and more 
 barren ; the mountains recede, and the extended plains have a 
 desert, uncultivated look. Towns and villages become so thinly 
 scattered, that it seems as though the whole region were depopu- 
 lated. The road is rather narrow, and as the country is in many 
 places exceedingly marshy ; a great portion of it has been paved. 
 For many miles before we enter Rome we do not pass a single 
 town or village. At length, some three hours before we reach the 
 city, the dome of St. Peter's is seen looming in the distance ; one 
 church after another appears, and at length the whole city lies 
 spread before us. 
 
 Many ruins of aqueducts and buildings of every kind shewed 
 at every step what treasures of the past here awaited us. I was 
 particularly pleased with the old town-gate Lateran, by which we 
 entered. 
 
 It was already quite dark when we reached the Dogana. I at 
 once betook myself to my room and retired to rest. 
 
 I remained a fortnight at Rome, and walked about the streets 
 from morning till night. I visited St. Peter's almost every day, 
 and went to the Vatican several times. 
 
 All the squares in Rome (and there are a great many) are de- 
 corated with fountains, and still more frequently with obelisks. 
 The finest is the Piazza del Popolo. To the right rises the terrace- 
 liill Picino, rich in pillars, statues, fountains, and other ornaments, 
 a favourite walk of the citizens. On this hill, which is arranged 
 after the manner of a beautiful garden, we have a splendid view. 
 The city of Rome here appears to much greater advantage than 
 when we approach it from the direction of Naples. We can see 
 the whole town at one glance, with the yellow Tiber flowing
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 311 
 
 through the midst, and a vast plain all around. The background 
 is closed by beautiful mountain-ranges, with villas, little towns, 
 and cottages on the declivities. But I missed one feature, to which 
 I had become so accustomed that the most beautiful view appeared 
 incomplete without it the sea. To make up for this drawback, 
 we here encounter wherever we walk such a number of ruins, 
 that we soon become forgetful of all around us, and live only in the 
 past. 
 
 The Piazza del Popolo forms the termination of the three 
 principal streets in Rome ; on the largest and finest of these, the 
 Corso, many palaces are to be seen. 
 
 The splendid post-office, of white marble, rises on the Colonna 
 square. Two clocks are erected on this building ; one with our 
 dial, one with the Italian. At night both are illuminated, a very 
 useful as well as an ornamental arrangement. The ancient column 
 of Antoninus also stands in this square. 
 
 The fa9ade of the Dogana boasts some pillars from the temple 
 of Antonius Pius. 
 
 The objects I have just enumerated struck me particularly as 
 I wended my way to St. Peter's. I cannot describe how deeply 
 I was impressed by the sight of this colossal structure. I need 
 only state the fact, that on the first day I entered the cathedral 
 at nine in the morning, and did not emerge from its gates until 
 tliree in the afternoon. 
 
 I sat down before the pictures in mosaic, underneath the huge 
 dome and the canopy ; then I stood before the statues and monu- 
 ments, and coidd only gaze in wonder at every thing. 
 
 The expense of building and decorating this church is said to 
 have amounted to 45,852,000 dollars. It occupies the site of 
 Nero's circus. Two arcades, with four rows of pjllars and ninety- 
 six statues, surround the square leading to the church. 
 
 The fa9ade of St. Peter's is decorated with Corintliian pillars, 
 and on its parapet stand statues fifty-two feet in height. 
 
 The entrance is so crowded with statues, carved work, and
 
 312 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 gilding, that several hours may be spent in examining its wonders. 
 The traveller's attention is particularly attracted by the gigantic 
 gates of bronze. 
 
 I cannot adequately describe the splendour of the interior, nor 
 have I seen any thing with which I could compare it. 
 
 The most beautiful mosaics, monuments, statues, carvings in 
 bronze, gilded ornaments, in short every tiling that art can pro- 
 duce, are here to be found in the highest perfection. Oil-paintings 
 alone are excluded. Every thing here is in mosaic ; even the 
 cupola displays mosaic work instead of the usual fresco-paintings. 
 Immense statues of white marble occupy the niches. 
 
 Beneath the cupola, the finest portion of the building, stands 
 the great altar, at which none but the Pope may read mass. Over 
 this altar extends a giant canopy of bronze, with spiral pillars 
 richly decorated with arabesques. The weight of metal used in 
 its construction was 186,392 pounds, and the cost of the gold 
 for gilding was 40,000 dollars ; the entire canopy is worth above 
 150,000 dollars. The cupola was executed by Michael Angelo ; 
 it rests on four massive pillars, each of them furnished with a bal- 
 cony. In the interior of these pillars chapels are constructed, 
 where the chief relics are kept, and only displayed to the people 
 from the balcony at particular times. I was in the church at the 
 time when the handkerchief which wiped the drops of agony from 
 our Lord's brow, and a piece of the true cross, were shewn. 
 
 The pulpit stands in a very elevated position, and was exe- 
 cuted in bronze by Bernini ; 219,161 pounds of metal, and 
 172,000 doUars, were spent upon its construction. In the interior 
 is concealed the wooden pulpit from which St. Peter preached ; and 
 immediately beside this we find a pillar of white marble, said to 
 have belonged to Solomon's temple at Jerusalem. 
 
 The lions on the monument of Clement XIII., by Canova, are 
 considered the finest that were ever sculptured. 
 
 I was fortunate enough to penetrate into the catacombs of St. 
 Peter's, a favour which women rarely obtain, and which I only
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 313 
 
 owed to my having been a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. These cata- 
 combs consist of handsome passages and pillars of masonry, which 
 do not, however, exceed eight or nine feet hi height. A number 
 of sarcophagi, containing the remains of emperors and popes, are 
 here deposited. 
 
 The roof of St. Peter's covers an immense area, and is divided 
 into a number of cupolas, chambers, and buildings. A fountain 
 of running water is even found here. From this roof we have a 
 splendid view as far as the sea and the Apennines ; we can descry 
 the entire Vatican, which adjoins the church, as well as the Pope's 
 gardens. 
 
 I ascended to the ball in the great cupola, where there is no- 
 thing to be seen, as there is not the slightest opening, much less a 
 window, left hi it. Nothing is to be gained by mounting into this 
 dark narrow receptacle but the glory of being able to say, " I 
 have been there !" It is far more interesting to look down from 
 the windows and galleries of the great cupola into the body of the 
 church itself; for then we can estimate the grandeur of the 
 colossal building, and the people who walk about beneath appear 
 like dwarfs. 
 
 Two noble fountains deck the square in front of St. Peter's, 
 and in the midst towers a magnificent obelisk from Heliopolis, 
 said to weigh 992,789 pounds. Near this obelisk are two slabs, 
 by standing on either of which we can see all the rows of columns 
 melted as it were into one. 
 
 My journey to Jerusalem also obtained for me an audience 
 of the Pope. His Holiness received me in a great hall adjoining 
 the Sixtine Chapel. Considering his great age of seventy-eight 
 years, the Pope has still a noble presence and most amiable man- 
 ners. He asked me some questions, gave me his blessing, and 
 permitted me at parting to kiss the embroidered slipper. 
 
 My second walk was to the Vatican. Here I saw the im- 
 mense halls of Eaphael, the staircases of Bramante and Bernini, 
 and the Sixtine Chapel, containing Michael Angelo's masterpieces,
 
 314 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 the world-renowned frescoes. The immense wall behind the high 
 altar represents the last judgment, while the ceilings are covered 
 with prophets and sybils. 
 
 The picture-gallery contains many works of the great masters, 
 as does also the gallery of vases and candelabra. 
 
 The Biga chamber. The biga is an antique carriage of 
 white marble, drawn by two horses. 
 
 In the gallery of statues the figure representing Nero as 
 Apollo playing on the lyre is the finest. 
 
 In the gallery of busts those of Menelaus and Jupiter pre- 
 eminently attract attention. 
 
 The name of the Laocoon cabinet indicates the masterpiece it 
 contains, as also the cabinet of the Apollo Belvidere. The latter 
 statue was found in Nero's baths at Porto d'Anzio. 
 
 The celebrated torso of the Belvidere, a fragment of Greek 
 art, which Michael partly used as his model, is placed in the 
 square vestibule. Never was flesh so pliably counterfeited in 
 stone as in this masterpiece. 
 
 A long gallery contains a series of tapestries, the designs for 
 which were drawn by Raphael. 
 
 The Vatican contains ten thousand rooms, twenty large halls, 
 eight large and about two hundred small staircases. 
 
 The Quirinal palace, the summer residence of the Pope, lies 
 on the hill of the same name (Monte Cavallo), winch is quite co- 
 vered with villas and beautiful houses, on account of the salubrity 
 of the air. 
 
 I visited most of the private palaces and picture-galleries. 
 The principal are, the Colonna palace, on the Quirinal hill ; and the 
 Barberini palace, where we find a portrait of Piaphael's mistress, 
 Fornarina, painted by himself, and an original picture of Beatrice 
 Cenci by Guidosteri. 
 
 The finest of all the Roman palaces is that of Borghese ; from 
 its form, which resembles a piano, this building has obtained the 
 name of " il Cembalo di Borghese." The gallery contains six-
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 315 
 
 teen hundred paintings, most of them masterpieces by celebrated 
 artists. 
 
 The Farnese palace is remarkable for its architecture, and 
 the Stoppani for its architect, Raphael. Besides these there are 
 many other palaces. I saw but few villas, for the weather was 
 generally bad, and it rained almost every day. 
 
 I visited the Villa Borghese on a Sunday, when there is a 
 great bustle here ; for a stream of people on foot, on horseback, 
 and in carriages, sets in towards its beautiful park, situate just 
 beyond the Piazza del Popolo, in the same way that the crowds 
 flock to our beloved "Prater" on a fine day in spring. I also saw 
 the Villa Medicis and the Villa Pamfili. The latter boasts a very 
 extensive park. 
 
 I took care to visit most of the churches. My plan was to 
 go out early in the morning, and to inspect several churches until 
 about eleven o'clock, when it was time to repair to the galleries. 
 When I went to the principal churches, for instance, those of St. 
 John of Lateran, St. Paul, St. Maria Maggiore, St. Lawrence, 
 and St. Sebastian, I was always accompanied by a guide specially 
 appointed to conduct strangers to the churches. I could fill vo- 
 lumes with the description of the riches and magnificence they 
 display. 
 
 The 'church of St. John of Lateran possesses the wooden altar 
 at which St. Peter is said to have read mass, the wooden table at 
 which Jesus sat to eat the last supper, and the heads of the 
 disciples Peter and Paul. Near this church, in a building speci- 
 ally constructed for it, is the Scala Santa (holy staircase), which 
 was brought from Jerusalem and deposited here. This is a flight 
 of twenty-eight steps of white marble, covered with boards, which 
 no one is allowed to ascend or descend in the regular way, every 
 man being required to shuffle up and down on his knees. Near 
 this holy stair a common one is built, which it is lawful to ascend 
 in the regular way. 
 
 The basilica of St. Paul lies beyond the gate of the same
 
 316 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 name, in a very insalubrious neighbourhood. It is only just re- 
 built, after having been destroyed by fire. 
 
 The basilica Maria Maggiore, in which is deposited the " holy 
 gate," has the highest belfry in Rome, and above its portico we 
 see a beautiful chamber where the new Pope stands to dispense 
 the first blessing among the people. In the chapel of the Crucifix 
 five pieces of the wood of the Saviour's manger are preserved in a 
 silver urn. 
 
 St. Lorenzo, a mile from the town, is a very plain-looking 
 edifice. Here we find the Campo Santo, or cemetery. The 
 graves are covered with large blocks of stone. 
 
 St. Bessoriana is also called the church of the Holy Cross of 
 Jerusalem, from the fact that a piece of the cross is preserved 
 here, besides the letters I. N. R. I., some thorns, and a nail. 
 
 St. Sebastian in the suburbs, one of the most ancient Roman 
 churches, is built over the great catacombs, in which 174,000 
 Christians were buried. The catacombs are some stories deep, 
 and extend over a large area. 
 
 All the above-named basilicas are so empty, and stand on such 
 lonely spots, that I was almost afraid to visit them alone. 
 
 The handsome church of Sta. Maria in Trastavare contrasts 
 strangely with the quarter of the town in which it lies. This 
 part of Rome is inhabited by people calling themselves descendants 
 of the ancient Trojans. 
 
 Sta. Maria ad Martyres, or the Rotunda, once the Pantheon 
 of Agrippa, is in better preservation than any other monument of 
 ancient Rome. The interior is almost hi its pristine condition ; 
 it contains no less than fifteen altars. In this church Raphael is 
 buried- The Rotunda has no windows, but receives air and light 
 through a circular opening hi the cupola. 
 
 The best view of ancient Rome is to be obtained from the 
 tower of the Senate-house. From this place we see stretched out 
 beneath us, Mount Palatine, the site of ancient Rome ; the Capitol, 
 in the midst of the city ; the Quirinal hill (Monte Cavallo), with
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 317 
 
 the summer residence of the Pope ; the Esquiline mount, the 
 loftiest of the hills ; Mount Aventine ; the Vatican ; and lastly, 
 Monte Testaccio, consisting entirely of broken pottery which the 
 Romans throw down here. 
 
 I also paid a visit to the Ponte Publicius, the most ancient 
 bridge in Rome, hi the neighbourhood of winch Horatius Codes 
 achieved his heroic action ; and the Tullian prison, beneath the 
 church of St Joseph of Falignani, where Jugurtha was starved to 
 death. The staircase leading up to the building is called " the steps 
 of sighs." The Capitol has unfortunately fallen into decay ; we can 
 barely distinguish a few remains of temples and other buildings. 
 
 Of the graves of the Scipios I could also discover little more 
 than the site ; the subterranean passages are nearly all destroyed. 
 
 The Marsfield is partly covered with buildings, and partly 
 used as a promenade. 
 
 Cestius' grave is uncommonly well preserved, and a pyramid 
 of lar.ge square stones surrounds the sarcophagus. The aqueducts 
 are built of large blocks of stone fastened together without mortar. 
 They are now no longer used, as they have partly fallen into 
 decay, and some of the springs have dried up. 
 
 The hot baths of Titus are well worthy a visit, though in a 
 ruined condition. Here the celebrated Laocoon group was found. 
 Near these baths is the great reservoir called the " Seven Halls 
 of Titus." 
 
 One of the greatest and best-preserved buildings of ancient 
 Rome is the amphitheatre of Flavius, of the Colliseum, once the 
 scene of the combats with wild beasts. It was capable of holding 
 87,000 spectators. Four stories yet remain. TMs building is 
 seen to the greatest advantage by torchlight. I was fortunate 
 enough to find an opportunity of joining a large party, and we 
 were thus enabled to divide the expense. The triumphal arch 
 of Titus, of white marble, covered with glorious sculptures; the 
 arches of Septimus Severus, that of Janus, and several other 
 antique monuments, are to be seen near the Colliseum.
 
 318 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAXD, 
 
 The beautiful bridge of St. Angelo, constructed entirely of 
 square blocks of stone, leads across the Tiber to the castle of the 
 same name, the tomb of Hadrian. The emperor caused this large 
 round building to be erected for his future mausoleum. It is built 
 of immense stone blocks, and now serves as a fortress and state- 
 prison. 
 
 The temple of Marcus Aurelius is converted into the Dogana. 
 That of Minerva Medica lies in the midst of a vineyard, and is 
 built in the form of a rotunda. The upper part has sunk in. 
 
 There are twelve obelisks in the different public squares of 
 Rome, all brought from Egypt. 
 
 I have still to mention the 108 fountains, from which fresh 
 water continually spouts into the air. Foremost among them 
 in size and beauty is the Fontana TrevL 
 
 I was prevented by the bad weather from making trips to any 
 distance, but one afternoon I drove to Tivoli. The road leading 
 thither is called the Tiburtinian. After travelling for about six 
 miles we become conscious of a dreadfully offensive sulphurous 
 smell, and soon find that it proceeds from a little river running 
 through the Solfatara. A ride of eighteen Italian miles brought 
 us to the town of Tivoli, lying amidst olive-woods on the declivity 
 of the Apennines, and numbering about 7000 inhabitants. To- 
 wards evening I took a short walk in the town, beneath the pro- 
 tection of an umbrella, and was not much pleased. Next morning 
 I left the house early, and proceeded first to the temple of Sybilla, 
 built on a rock opposite to the waterfall. Afterwards I went to 
 view the grotto of Neptune, and that through which the Arno 
 flows, rushing out of the cavern to fall headlong over a ledge of 
 lofty rocks, and form the cascade of Tivoli. The best view of 
 this fall is obtained from the bridge. Besides many pretty minor 
 cascades, I saw a number of ruins ; the most remarkable among 
 these was the the villa of Mecaenas. 
 
 November 23d. 
 
 At six o'clock this morning I commenced my journey to
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 319 
 
 Florence with a Veturino. Almost the whole distance the weather 
 was in the highest degree unfavourable it was foggy, rainy, and 
 very cold. A journey through Italy during autumn or winter is 
 far from agreeable ; for there are generally cold and rain to be 
 encountered, and no warm rooms to be found in the inns, where 
 fires are never kindled until after the guests have arrived. And 
 the fires they light in the grates are, after all, quite inadequate to 
 warm the damp, unaired rooms, and the traveller feels scorched 
 and cold almost at the same moment. The floors are all of stone, 
 but a few straw-mats are sometimes spread beneath the dining- 
 tables. 
 
 The landscape through which we travelled to-day did not 
 possess many attractions. For about forty miles, as far as Ron- 
 ciglione, we saw neither town nor village. The aspect of Ronci- 
 glione is rather melancholy, though it boasts a broad street and 
 many houses of two stories. But the latter all have a gloomy 
 look, and the town itself appears to be thinly populated. We 
 passed the night here. 
 
 According to Italian custom, I had made a bargain with the 
 proprietor of our vehicle for the journey, including lodging and 
 board. I was well satisfied, for he strictly kept his contract. But 
 whoever expects more than one meal a day under an arrangement 
 of this sort will find himself grievously mistaken ; the traveller 
 who wishes to take any tiling in the morning or in the middle of 
 the day must pay out of his own pocket. I found every thing 
 here exceedingly expensive and very bad. 
 
 November 24th. 
 
 To-day we passed through some very pretty, though not popu- 
 lous districts. In the afternoon we at length reached two towns, 
 namely, Viterbo, with 13,000 inhabitants, lying in a fruitful 
 plain; and Montefiascone, built on a high hill, and backed by 
 lofty mountains, on which a celebrated vine is cultivated. At 
 the foot of the hill, near Montefiascone, lies a small lake, and
 
 320 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 farther on one of considerable size, the Lago de Balsana, with a 
 little town of the same name, once the capital of the Volsci. 
 An ancient fortress rises in the midst of this town, surrounded by 
 tall and venerable houses as with a wreath. 
 
 We had now to cross a considerable mountain, an undertaking 
 of some difficulty when we consider how heavily the rain had 
 fallen. By the aid of an extra pair of horses we passed safely 
 over the miserable roads, and took up our quarters for the night 
 in the little village of Lorenzo. We had already reached the 
 domain of the Apennines. 
 
 November 25th. 
 
 We had now only a few more hours to travel through the 
 papal dominions. The river Centino forms the boundary between 
 the States of the Church and Tuscany. The greater portion of 
 the region around us gave tokens of its volcanic origin. We saw 
 several grottoes and caverns of broken stone resembling lava, 
 basaltic columns, &c. 
 
 The Dogana of Tuscany, a handsome building, stands in the 
 neighbourhood of Ponte Centino. The country here wears a wild 
 aspect ; as far as the eye can stretch, it rests upon mountains of 
 different elevations. The little town of Radicofani lies on the 
 plateau of a considerable hill, surrounded by rocks and huge blocks 
 of stone. A citadel or ancient fortress towers romantically above 
 the little town, and old towers look down from the summit of many 
 a hill and cliff. The character of the lower mountain-range is 
 exceedingly peculiar ; it is split into gaps and fissures in all direc- 
 tions, as though it had but recently emerged from the main. 
 
 For many hours we almost rode tlirough a flood. The water 
 streamed down the streets, and the wind howled round our car- 
 riage with such violence that we seriously anticipated being blown 
 over. Luckily the streets hi the Tuscan are better than those in 
 the Roman territory, and the rivers are crossed by firm stone 
 bridges.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 321 
 
 November 26th. 
 
 To-day our poor Corses had a hard time of it. Up hill and down 
 hill, and past yawning chasms, our way lay for a long time through 
 a desert and barren district, until, at a little distance from the 
 village of Buonconvento, the scene suddenly changed, and a widely- 
 extended, hilly country, with heautiful plains, the lovely town of 
 Siena, numerous villages great and small, with homesteads and 
 handsome farms, and solitary churches built on hills, lay spread 
 before us. Every tiling shewed traces of cultivation and opulence. 
 
 Most of the women and girls we met were employed in plait- 
 ing straw. Here all wear straw hats men, women, and children. 
 At five in the evening we at length reached 
 
 SEENA. 
 
 Our poor horses were so exhausted by the bad rqads of the 
 Apennines, that the driver requested leave to make a day's halt 
 here. This interruption to our journey was far from being unwel- 
 come to me, for Siena is well worthy to be explored. 
 
 November 27th. 
 
 The town numbers 16,000 inhabitants, and is divided almost 
 into two halves by a long handsome street. The remaining streets 
 are small, irregular, and dirty. The Piazza del Campo is very 
 large, and derives a certain splendour of appearance from some 
 palaces built in the gothic style. In the midst stands a granite 
 pillar, bearing a representation in bronze of Romulus and Remus 
 suckled by the she-wolf. I saw several other pillars of equal 
 beauty in different parts of the town, while hi Rome, where they 
 would certainly have been more appropriate, I did not find a single 
 one. AU the houses in the streets of Siena have a gloomy appear- 
 ance ; many of them are built h'ke castles, of great square blocks 
 of stone, and furnished with loopholes. 
 
 The finest building is undoubtedly the cathedral. Though I 
 came from the " city of churches/' the beauty of this edifice struck 
 me so forcibly, that for a long time I stood silently regarding it.
 
 322 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 It is, in truth, considered one of the handsomest churches in Italy. 
 It stands on a little elevation in the midst of a large square, and 
 is covered outside and inside with white marble. The lofty arches 
 of the windows, supported by columns, have a peculiarly fine effect ; 
 and the frescoes in the sacristy are remarkable alike for the cor- 
 rectness of outline and brilliancy of colour. 
 
 The drawings are said to be by Raphael ; and the freshness 
 of colour observed in these frescoes is ascribed to the good qualities 
 of the Siena earth. The mass-books preserved in the sacristy con- 
 tain some very delicate miniatures on parchment. 
 
 Some of the wards hi the neighbouring hospital are also deco- 
 rated with beautiful frescoes, which appear to date from the time 
 of Eaphael. 
 
 The grace and beauty of the women of Siena have been ex- 
 tolled by many writers. As to-day was Sunday, I attended high 
 mass for the purpose of meeting some of these graceful beauties. 
 I found that they were present in the usual average, and no more ; 
 beauty and grace are no common gifts. 
 
 In the afternoon I visited the promenade, the Prato di Lizza, 
 where I found but little company. A fine prospect is obtained 
 from the walls of the town. 
 
 November 28th. 
 
 The country now becomes very beautiful. The mountains 
 are less high, the valleys widen, and at length hills only appear 
 at intervals, clothed with trees, meadows, and fields. In the Tuscan 
 dominions I noticed many cypresses, a tree I had not seen since 
 my departure from Constantinople and Smyrna. The country 
 seems well populated, and villages frequently appear. 
 
 At five in the evening we reached 
 
 FLORENCE, 
 
 but I did not arrive at Madame Mocalti's hotel until an hour and a 
 half later ; for the examination of luggage and passes, and other 
 business of this kind, always occupies a long time.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 323 
 
 The country round Florence is exceedingly lovely, without 
 being grand. The charming Arno flows through the town : it is 
 crossed by four stone bridges, one of them roofed and lined with 
 booths on either side. Florence contains 8000 houses and 90,000 
 inhabitants. The exterior of the palaces here is very peculiar. 
 Constructed chiefly of huge blocks of stone, they almost resemble 
 fortresses, and look massive and venerable. 
 
 The cathedral is said to be the finest church in Christendom ; 
 I thought it too simple, particularly the interior. The walls are 
 only whitewashed, and the painted windows render the church ex- 
 tremely dark. I was best pleased with the doors of the sacristy, 
 with the celebrated works of Luca del Bobbin, and the richly deco- 
 rated high altar. 
 
 The Battisterio, once a temple of Mars, with eight very fine 
 doors of bronze, which Michael Angelo pronounced worthy to be 
 the gates of Paradise, stands beside the cathedral. 
 
 The other principal churches are : St. Lorenzo, also with a 
 white interior and grey pillars, containing some fine oil paintings, and 
 the chapel of the Medici, a splendid structure, decorated with costly 
 stones, and monuments of several members of the royal family. 
 
 St. Croce, a handsome church, full of monuments of eminent 
 men, is also called the Italian Pantheon ; the sculptures are beauti- 
 ful, and the paintings good. The remains of Michael Angelo rest 
 here, and the Buonaparte family possess a vault beneath a side 
 chapel. Another chapel of considerable size contains some ex- 
 quisite statues of white marble. 
 
 St. Annunciate is rich hi splendid frescoes ; those placed round 
 the walls hi the courtyard of the church, and surrounded by a 
 glass gallery, are particularly handsome. On the left as we enter 
 we find the costly chapel of our Lady " dell' Annunciata," in which 
 the altar, the immense candelabra, the angels' and draperies, in 
 short every thing is of silver. This wealthy church contains in 
 addition some good pictures and a quantity of marble. 
 
 St. Michele is outwardly beautified by some excellent statues.
 
 324 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 The interior displays several valuable paintings and an altar of 
 great beauty, beneath a white marble canopy in the Gothic style. 
 
 St. Spirito contains many sculptures, among which a statue of 
 the Saviour in white marble claims particular attention. 
 
 All these churches are rather dark from having stained win- 
 dows. 
 
 Foremost among the palaces we may reckon the Palais Pitti, 
 built on a little hill. This structure has a noble appearance ; con- 
 structed entirely of pieces of granite, it seems calculated to last an 
 eternity. Of all the palaces I had seen, this one pleased me most ; 
 it would be difficult to find a building in the same style which 
 should surpass it. As a rule, indeed, I particularly admired the 
 Florentine buildings, which seemed to me to possess a much more 
 decided national appearance than the palaces of modern Rome. 
 
 The picture-gallery of this palace numbers five hundred paint- 
 ings, most of them masterpieces, among which we find Piaphael's 
 Madonna della Sedia. Besides the pictures, each apartment con- 
 tains gorgeous tables of valuable stone. 
 
 Behind the palace the Boboli garden rises, somewhat in the 
 form of a terrace. Here I found numerous statues distributed 
 with much taste throughout charming alleys, groves, and open 
 places. From the higher points a splendid view is obtained. 
 
 The palace degli Ufizzi, on the Arno, has an imposing effect, 
 from its magnificent proportions and peculiar style of architecture. 
 Some of the greatest artistic treasures of the world are united in 
 the twenty halls and cabinets and three immense galleries of this 
 building. 
 
 The Tribuna contains the Venus de Medicis, found at Tivoli, 
 and executed by Cleomenes, a son of Apollodorus of Athens. 
 Opposite to it stands a statue of Apollino. 
 
 In the centre* of the hall of the artists' portrait-gallery we 
 find the celebrated Medician vase. 
 
 The cabinet of jewels boasts the largest and finest onyx in 
 existence.
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 325 
 
 The Palazzo Vecchio resembles a fortified castle. The large 
 courtyard, surrounded by lofty arcades, is crowded with paintings 
 and sculptures. A beautiful fountain stands in the midst ; and two 
 splendid statues, one representing Hercules and the other David, 
 adorn the entrance. The glorious fountain of Ammanato, drawn 
 by sea-horses and surrounded by Tritons, is not far off. 
 
 In the Gherardeska palace we find a fresco representing the 
 horrible story of Ugolino. 
 
 The Palazzo Strozzi should not be left out of the catalogue ; it 
 has already stood for 360 years, and looks as though it had been 
 completed but yesterday. 
 
 In the Speccola we are shewn the human body and its 
 diseases, modelled in wax by the same artist who established a 
 similar cabinet at Vienna (in the Josephinum). In the museum of 
 natural history stuffed animals and their skeletons are preserved. 
 
 The traveller should not depart without visiting the " work- 
 shops for hard stones," where beautiful pictures, table-slabs, &c. 
 are put together of Florentine marble. Splendid works are pro- 
 duced here ; I saw flowers and fruits constructed of stone which 
 would not have dishonoured the finest pencil. The enormous 
 table in the palace degli Ufizzi is said to have cost 40,000 ducats. 
 Twenty-five men were employed for twenty years in its con- 
 struction ; it is composed of Florentine mosaic. This table did 
 not strike me particularly ; it appeared overloaded with orna- 
 ment. 
 
 Of the environs of Florence I only saw the Grand Duke's 
 milk -farm, a pleasant place near the Arno, amid beautiful avenues 
 and meadows. 
 
 DEPARTURE FROM FLORENCE. 
 
 December 3d. 
 
 At seven in the evening I quitted Florence, and proceeded in 
 the mail-carriage to Bologna, distant about eighty miles. When 
 the day broke, we found ourselves on an acclivity commanding a
 
 326 VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 
 
 really splendid view. Numerous valleys, extending between low 
 lulls, opened before our eyes, the snow-clad Apennines formed the 
 background, and in the far distance shone a gleaming stripe 
 the Adriatic sea. At five in the evening of 
 
 December 4th 
 we reached Bologna. 
 
 This town is of considerable extent, numbers 50,000 inhabi- 
 tants, and has many fine houses and streets ; all of these, how- 
 ever, are dull, with the exception of a few principal streets. Beg- 
 gars swarm at every corner an unmistakable token that we are 
 once more in the States of the Church. 
 
 December 5th. 
 
 This was a day of rest. I proceeded at once to visit the 
 cathedral, which is rich hi frescoes, gilding, and arabesques. A 
 few oil-paintings are also not to be overlooked. 
 
 In the church of St. Dominic I viewed with most interest the 
 monument of King Enzio. 
 
 The picture-gallery contains a St. Cecilia, one of the earlier 
 productions of Raphael. 
 
 A fine fountain, with a figure of Neptune, graces the principal 
 square. In the Palazzo Publico I saw a staircase up which it is 
 possible to ride. 
 
 The most remarkable edifices at Bologna are the two square 
 leaning towers at the Porta Romagna. One of these towers is 
 five, and the other seven feet out of the perpendicular. Their 
 aspect inspired me with a kind of nervous dread ; on standing 
 close to the wall to look up at them it really appeared as though 
 they were toppling down. In themselves these towers are not 
 interesting, being simply constructed of masonry, and not very 
 lofty. 
 
 The finest spot in Bologna is the Campo Santo, the im- 
 mense cemetery, with its long covered ways and neat chapels, dis- 
 playing a number of costly monuments, the works of the first 
 modern sculptors. Three large and pleasant spots near these
 
 EGYPT, AND ITALY. 327 
 
 buildings serve as burial-places for the poorer classes. In one 
 the men are interred, in the second the women, and in the third 
 the children. 
 
 A hall three miglia in length, resting on 640 columns, leads 
 from this cemetery to a little lull, surmounted by the church of 
 the Madonna di St. Luca, and from thence almost back into the 
 town. The church just mentioned contains a miraculous picture, 
 namely, a true likeness of the Virgin, painted by St. Luke after 
 a vision. The complexion of this picture is much darker than 
 that of the commonest women I have seen in Syria. But faith 
 is every thing, and so I will not doubt the authenticity of the pic- 
 ture. The prospect from the mountains is exceedingly fine. 
 
 I returned in the evening completely exhausted, and half an 
 hour afterwards was already seated hi the post-carriage to pur- 
 sue my journey to Ferrara. 
 
 On the whole the weather was unfavourable ; it rained fre- 
 quently, and the roads were mostly very bad, particularly in the 
 domains of the Pope, where we stuck fast four or five times 
 during the night. On one occasion of this kind we were detained 
 more than an hour, until horses and oxen could be collected to 
 drag us onwards. We were twelve hours getting over these 
 fifty-four miles, from six in the evening till the same hour in the 
 
 morning. 
 
 December 6th. 
 
 This morning I awoke at Ferrara, where the carriage was to 
 be changed once more. I availed myself of a few spare hours to 
 view the town, which, on the whole, rather resembles a German 
 than an Italian place. It lias fine broad streets, nice houses, and 
 few arched ways in front of them. In the centre of the town 
 stands a strong castle, surrounded by fortifications ; this was once 
 the residence of the bishop. 
 
 At nine o'clock we quitted this pretty town, and reached the 
 Po an hour afterwards. We were ferried across the stream ; and 
 now, after a long absence, I once more stood on Austrian ground.
 
 328 VISIT TO THE HOLT LAXD, ETC. 
 
 We continued our journey through a lovely plain to Rovigo, a 
 place possessing no object of interest. Here we stayed to dine, 
 and afterwards passed the Adige, a stream considerably smaller 
 than the Po. The country between Rovigo and Padua was hidden 
 from us by an impenetrable fog, which prevented our seeing fiftv 
 paces in advance. At six o'clock in the evening we reached 
 Padua, our resting-place for the night. 
 
 Early next morning I hastened onwards, for I had already 
 seen Padua, Venice, Trieste, &c. in the year 1840. 
 
 I reached my native town safely and in perfect health, and 
 had the happiness of finding that my beloved ones were all well 
 and cheerful. 
 
 During my journey I had seen much and endured many hard- 
 ships ; I had found very few things as I had imagined them to be 
 
 Friends and relations have expressed a wish to read a descrip- 
 tion of my lonely wanderings. I could not send my diary to each 
 one ; so I have dared, upon the representations of my friends, and 
 at the particular request of the publisher of this book, to tell my 
 adventures in a plain unvarnished way. 
 
 I am no authoress ; I have never written anything but letters ; 
 and my diary must not, therefore, be judged as a literary pro- 
 duction. It- is a simple narration, in which I have described 
 every circumstance as it occurred ; a collection of notes which I 
 wrote down for private reference, without dreaming that they 
 would ever find their way into the great world. Therefore I would 
 entreat the indulgence of my kind readers ; for I repeat it no- 
 thing can be farther from my thoughts than any idea of thrusting 
 myself forward into the ranks of those gifted women who have 
 received in their cradle the Muses' initiatory kiss.
 
 INDEX, 
 
 ABRAHAM, grave of, 187. 
 
 Absalom, tomb of, in the valley of 
 Jehosaphat, 120. 
 
 Academy " degli Studii," 296. 
 
 Acbmaidon, or place of arrows, at 
 Constantinople, 50. 
 
 Aqueducts, ruins of, near Rome, 
 310. 
 
 Acre, 96 ; dilapidated condition of, 
 96; convent at, 162. 
 
 Acropolis at Smyrna, 84. 
 
 ^Egean Sea, 81. 
 
 Africa, first debarkation on the 
 mainland of, 48. 
 
 Alexandria, arrival at, 214 ; ligbt- 
 house and hospital at, 214 ; Fort 
 Napoleon, 215; quarantine, 215- 
 219 ; the great square, 220; Aus- 
 trian consulate, 220 ; the old 
 quarantine-house, 221 ; Nile ca- 
 nal, 221 ; catacombs, 260 ; ba- 
 zaar, 261. 
 
 Alt-Orsova, 28. 
 
 Angelo, St., bridge and castle of, 
 Rome, 318. 
 
 Anti-Lebanon range, 95 ; ascent of, 
 176-178. 
 
 Antiparos, island of, 264% 
 
 Ants at Cairo, 250. 
 
 Apollo Belvidere at Rome, 314. 
 
 Arabs and Bedouins, 91-93; dex- 
 terous horsemanship of, HO ; 
 politeness and good-nature of the 
 women, 226 ; retentive memory 
 of, 227. 
 
 Armenian church at Cairo, 2*5. 
 
 Arnauts, 178 ; insolence and bru- 
 tality of, 168. 
 
 Arno, the river, 323 ; crossed at 
 Florence by four stone bridges, 
 323. 
 
 Artichokes, wild, 151. 
 
 Atfe, voyage to, 221 ; harbour of, 
 223 ; Austrian consulate at, 223 ; 
 animated scene at, 224. 
 
 Augustine, St., catacombs of, at 
 Palermo, 282-284. 
 
 Aventine, Mount, Rome, 317. 
 
 BABAKAY, solitary rock rising from 
 
 the Danube, 26. 
 [ Backsheesh, or alms demanded in 
 
 the East, 91. 
 i Bagaria, 286. 
 ' Balbeck, or Heliopolis, 100-195; 
 
 majestic ruins at, 191-19 K 
 I Baluklid, 63. 
 
 ! Baptist, St. John the, convent of, 
 j 127. 
 Barada, river, 187 ; stone bridge 
 
 over, 187. 
 
 Barge, the Sultan's, 45. 
 Bartlett, Mr. 79. 
 Bastek, or water-melon, 101. 
 Baths near Brussa, 74. 
 Bazaar at Constantinople, 52 ; at 
 
 Brussa, 73. 
 
 Bedouins, encounter with, 140 ; 
 camp of, 143 ; thieving propen- 
 sities of, 188, 244.
 
 330 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 jar, adventure with a, 120; 
 quantity of importunate beggars 
 in the East, 124. 
 
 Belgrade, 24 ; mosques and mina- 
 rets at, 24. 
 
 Berchtold, Count, 128. 
 Bethany, 144. 
 
 Bethlehem, 123-125 ; convent and 
 church at, 124. 
 
 Bey rout, 90-93 ; beautiful scenery 
 near, 90 ; Battista's inn at, 97 ; 
 return to, 1G9 ; scenery around, 
 170; residence at the house of 
 Miss Kandis, 172-174 ; the con- 
 sul, neglect of, 174; sickness at, 
 208 ; departure, 208. 
 
 Biga chamber at Rome, 314. 
 
 Bir, 145. 
 
 Bivouac in the open air, 148. 
 
 Black Sea, 37 ; sea-sickness, 38 ; 
 stormy weather, 39. 
 
 Boghos Bey, garden of, at Cairo, 
 238. 
 
 Bogasid, Ildiriin, mosque of, 112. 
 
 Bologna, a day spent at, 324, 325. 
 
 Borghese Palace, or " il Cembalo 
 di Borghese,'' at Rome, 314. 
 
 Bosphorus, the, 39-48 ; beautiful 
 scenery around, 40. 
 
 Braila, 33. 
 
 Brussa, excursion to, 69-74; un- 
 sightly houses at, 72 ; mosques 
 at of Mahomed I., Sultan II- 
 dirim Bogasid, &c., 73 ; stone 
 bridge, 73. 
 
 Bscharai, village of, 198. 
 
 Bulak, the harbour of, Cairo, 229. 
 
 Burnaba, near Smyrna, 84. 
 
 Butterflies and birds, absence of, in 
 the East, 131. 
 
 C..ESARGA, 96; ruins at, 97. 
 
 Caiaphas, house of, 121. 
 
 Cairo, arrival at, 229 ; narrow 
 streets, 233. 
 
 Callafat, 31. 
 
 Capitol, the, at Rome, 317. 
 
 Camels. 82 ; used for carrying corn, 
 104. 
 
 Carmel, Mount, 95, 150, 160 ; con- 
 vent on, 161. 
 
 Carriages, Turkish, 60, 61. 
 
 Catanea, 274. 
 
 Catholic church at Jerusalem, 109, 
 110. 
 
 Cedron, brook, 120. 
 
 Cervo, 264. 
 
 Chalcedonia, 63. 
 
 Chamsir, or hot winds of the desert, 
 227 ; blindness frequently pro- 
 duced by, 227. 
 
 Cities of the plain, 139. 
 
 Civita Vecchia, 270. 
 
 Cleopatra's Needles, 219. 
 
 Coffee-houses at Giurgewo, 32; at 
 Constantinople, 57, 58 ; in Pa- 
 lestine, 150. 
 
 Colombier's inn at Alexandria, 
 219. 
 
 Colonna Palace at Rome, 314. 
 
 Colliseum, the, Rome, 317. 
 
 Constantinople, harbour of, 39 ; 
 inns Mde. Balbiani's, &c., 41 ; 
 residence at, 40-76 ; narrow and 
 badly -paved streets, 57 ; danger 
 of conflagration, 47 ; mosques, 
 53-55; slave - market, 55-56; 
 old Serail, 56 ; hippodrome, 57 ; 
 coffeehouses and storytellers, 57; 
 houses, theatres, carriages, 60, 
 61 ; Sweet Waters, 62, 63 ; feasts, 
 65-69; Mahomet's birthday, 65- 
 67 ; departure from, 76. 
 
 Convents, Syrian, 101 ; Armenian, 
 at Jerusalem, 120 ; at Damascus, 
 182. 
 
 Corso, the, at Rome, 311. 
 Costumes of Servian peasants, 28 ; 
 of Turkish women, 42 ; Syrian, 
 98, 99, 102 ; of Arabs and Be- 
 douins, 105; Samaritan, 149; 
 of Italian peasants, 309. 
 Cramer, Herr von, 83. 
 Crete, island of, 262. 
 Cucumbers a favourite Eastern 
 
 dish, 101, 191. 
 Cultivation neglected in the East, 
 
 130. 
 
 Cyclops wall at Heliopolis, 191. 
 Cypress-groves at Constantinople, 
 
 46. 
 Cyprus, 88 ; wine of Cyprus, 90.
 
 INDEX. 
 
 331 
 
 D^EDALVS, labyrinth of, 299. 
 
 Dancing-girls, or bayaderes, at Cairo, 
 247. 
 
 Dardanelles, the, 80 ; castles of the, 
 Tschenekalesi and Kilidil Ba- 
 har, 80. 
 
 Damascus, residence at, 180-186; 
 scenery around, 180 ; ugly ap- 
 pearance of the houses, 181 ; con- 
 sul's house, 181 ; bazaar, 183. 
 
 Danube, voyage down the river, 20- 
 .36; dangerous navigation of, 21 ; 
 sentries posted on the banks, 25 ; 
 beautiful scenery, 26 ; falls near 
 Islas, 27 ; the Iron Gate, 29. 
 
 Dead Sea, 137-139. 
 
 Dervishes, the dancing, at Constan- 
 tinople, 41-45 ; the howling, 49- 
 51, 246. 
 
 Desert, voyage through the, to Suez 
 on camels, 251 ; dreary monotony, 
 253 ; cruelty of camel-drivers, 
 253, 254. 
 
 Devotion, want of, at Jerusalem, 
 110. 
 
 Devotional ceremony at the Mash- 
 dalansher, 248. 
 
 Djaebbehl or Byblus, 204. 
 
 Djenin, 149. 
 
 Dog's Grotto, 300. 
 
 Dogs, wild, at Constantinople, 46 ; 
 their habits, 47. 
 
 Dog's river, 204 ; stone bridge over 
 the, 205. 
 
 Donkey- drivers, dishonest practices 
 of, 259. 
 
 Drenkova, 26 ; wreck of a steamer 
 at, in 1839, 27. 
 
 Dry heat in the desert, 254-. 
 
 Druses, inhabitants of Mount Leba- 
 non, 201. 
 
 EAR of Dionysius, 273. 
 
 Eggs hatched by artificial heat at 
 
 Gizeh, 239. 
 
 Egyptian funerals, 260. 
 Ejub, excursion to, 58, 59. 
 Elmhesin, 177. 
 Emir of Lebanon, 166. 
 En/ in. monument of king, in church 
 
 of St. Dominic at Bologna, 326. 
 
 Esbekie-place at Cairo, 245. 
 Esdralon, plain of, 150. 
 Esquiline, mount, lofty hill in 
 
 Rome, 317. 
 Etna, mount, 276. 
 Eustachia, St., altar in honour of, 
 
 125. 
 Excursion to the Lake of Genne- 
 
 sareth, 157. 
 
 FAASLANC, Dr., 89. 
 
 Fachini at Malta. 269. 
 
 Fanaticism of the inhabitants of 
 
 Damascus, 185. 
 Farnese Palace at Rome, 315. 
 Favorite, villa of, 283. 
 Feasts, Turkish, 65-69. 
 Fellahs, 91. 
 
 Fernando, St., at Naples, 294. 
 Ferrara, 326. 
 
 Field of Blood at Jerusalem, 121. 
 Fig-tree, Indian, 99. 
 Fire on board the Eurotas, 264. 
 Flavius, amphitheatre of, or Colli- 
 
 seum, in Rome, 317. 
 Florence, 322 ; cathedral at, 323 ; 
 
 speccola at, 325. 
 Footprints of the Saviour, 113 ; of 
 
 the disciples, 118. 
 Fountains, 108 ; in front of St. 
 
 Peter's at Rome, 313 ; in Rome, 
 
 318. 
 Francesco, San, de Paula, Naples, 
 
 292. 
 
 Francis, church of St., at Jerusa- 
 lem, 128. 
 Funerals,Turkish, perfect simplicity 
 
 of, 59, 60. 
 
 GALATA, the tower in, 5 1 ; beautiful 
 
 prospect to be obtained from, 52. 
 Galilee, 149. 
 Gallatz, 34 ; scarcity of water at, 
 
 34 ; the bazaar, 35 ; cheap fruit, 
 
 35. 
 
 Galleries at Rome, 314. 
 Garden of Boghos Bey at Cairo, 238. 
 Gemlek, 69. 
 Gennesareth, excursion on the lake 
 
 of, 157; baths at, 158. 
 Gethsemane, 117.
 
 332 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Gherardeska Palace, with fresco of 
 Ugolino, at Florence, 32*. 
 
 Giurgewo, 32. 
 
 Gizeh, excursion to the pyramids of, 
 239-244. 
 
 Gnats, 103, 151. 
 
 Golden Horn, 39. 
 
 Golumbacz, ruin on the Servian 
 shore, 26. 
 
 Greeks, chapel of the, in church of 
 Holy Sepulchre, 114 ; Easter 
 ceremonies of, 115; church at 
 Cairo, 245. 
 
 Grotto of Annunciation at Naza- 
 reth, 152; workshop of Joseph, 
 153; Grotto of Anguish, 118; 
 of Jeremiah, 121 ; Prophets' 
 school, 161 ; of St. George at 
 Beyrout, 175 ; of St. Paul at 
 Damascus, 184. 
 
 Grove of cedars, 197. 
 
 HAIFA, 162. 
 
 Hainburg, town of, 19. 
 
 Halizar, 82. 
 
 Hamaks, or porters, 40. 
 
 Hebron, Mount, 125. 
 
 Helena, St, 152 ; chapel of, 114. 
 
 Herculaneum, 302. 
 
 Herod's house at Jerusalem, 112. 
 
 Hill of Bad Counsel, 122. 
 
 Hippodrome at Constantinople, 57. 
 
 Hirsova, 33. 
 
 Holy Sepulchre, church of the, 
 113, 114; night passed in the 
 church, 115, 116 ; order of the, 
 installation of knights, 117. 
 
 Horses of the Turkish Emperor, 
 66 ; Arabian, 146. 
 
 Host, cheating, at Ceprano, 309. 
 
 Houses at Constantinople, 60, 61. 
 
 Huber, consul, 34. 
 
 IDA, Mount, 262. 
 
 Ignazio, St., or Olivazzo, church 
 
 of, at Palermo, 281. 
 Insolence of the camel-drivers, 257. 
 Inns, uncomfortable, in Italy, 319. 
 
 JABRUD, 147. 
 
 Jacob's grave and well, 147. 
 
 Januarius, St., catacombs of, 297. 
 
 Jehosaphat, valley of, 120. 
 
 Jeromania, a little town near Na- 
 ples, 308. 
 
 Jerusalem, arrival at, 108; resi- 
 dence at, 109-145; Nuova Casa 
 at. 109; ViaDolorosa, 112; Pi- 
 late's house, 112; Mosque of 
 Omar, 112; Herod's house, 112; 
 Holy Sepulchre, church of the, 
 113-116; final departure from, 
 145. 
 
 Jesu, St., Nuovo, 294. 
 
 Jewels, cabinet of, at Florence, 324. 
 
 Jews' quarter at Cairo, 234. 
 
 Joppa v town and harbour of, 97- 
 101. 
 
 Jordan, excursion to the, 132-136, 
 139, 140. 
 
 Joseph's well at Cairo, 238. 
 
 Judges and kings, graves of the, 
 122. 
 
 Justice, hall of, at Jerusalem, 130. 
 
 KAIKS, 48, and note. 
 
 Kariet el Kareb, or Emmaus, 106. 
 
 Khans, 71, and note ; at Damascus, 
 184. 
 
 Kitchens for the poor at Constanti- 
 nople, 55. 
 
 Klinger, Herr, 239. 
 
 LACTUM.F. Christi, 303. 
 
 Lago de Balsana, near Montefias- 
 
 cone, 320. 
 Lagun, 151. 
 
 Laocoon cabinet at Rome, 314. 
 Lapis lazuli, splendid pillar of, at 
 
 Palermo, 281. 
 
 Largo del Castello, Naples, 293. . 
 Larnaka, harbour of, 89. 
 Lateran, Roman town-gate of, 310 ; 
 
 church of St. John of, 315. 
 Lavalette, 267 - 269 ; St. Augus- 
 tine's church, 268. 
 Leaning towers near the Porta 
 
 Romagna at Bologna, 326. 
 Lebanon range, 95 ; ascent of, 196, 
 
 197. 
 Limasol, 211 ; cheapness of wine 
 
 at, 211.
 
 INDEX. 
 
 333 
 
 Lions by Canova in St. Peter's at 
 
 Rome, 312. 
 
 Litany, the brook, 193. 
 Lorenzo, Italian village of, 320. 
 Lucia, St., at Naples, 290. 
 Lybian Desert, near the Mile, 229. 
 
 MADHOUSE at Cairo, disgusting 
 
 exhibition, 235. 
 
 Malta, 265-271 ; arrival at Lava- 
 lette, 26-5 ; castle of Knights of 
 St. John, 268 ; Civita Vecchia, 
 270; St. Paul's Grotto, 271. 
 Marble much prized at Damascus, 
 184. 
 
 Maronites living on Mount Leba- 
 non, 201. 
 
 Mary the Virgin, house of, 152; 
 Mary's well, 153. 
 
 Mary Magdalene, birth-place of, 
 113. 
 
 Mary's well, 121. 
 
 Maschdalanscher, village of, 178 ; 
 feast of, 247. 
 
 Medici villa at Rome, 315. 
 
 Mehemet A15, appearance of, 222 ; 
 despotism of, 223 ; his mauso- 
 leum at Cairo, 236. 
 
 Messina, 276-278 ; royal palace, 
 277. 
 
 Midnight ride through the desert, 
 107, 108. 
 
 Michele, church of St., at Florence, 
 324. 
 
 Milk Grotto, 126. 
 
 Mishmir, river, 167. 
 
 Mish-mish, a preparation of apri- 
 cots, 130. 
 
 Mob, Italian, 287. 
 
 Mocattam, mountains of, 23G. 
 
 Mohacs, town of, 21. 
 
 Money, changing, high charge for, 
 261. 
 
 Montefiascone, 319. 
 
 Monte Cassino, convent of, 308. 
 
 Mosaics at St. Peter's, 312. 
 
 Mosques at Constantinople, 53, 55; 
 difficulty of obtaining admission, 
 53 ; Sultan Achmed's, 53 ; Aja 
 Sofia, Osmanije, Soleimanije, 
 54; at Brussa, Mahomet I., Mu- 
 
 rad I., &c. 73 ; Omar at Jerusa- 
 lem, 112; of Sultan Hassan and 
 Sultan Amou at Cairo, 237. 
 
 Mourning women, 128, 260. 
 
 Mulberry-plantations on Mount Le- 
 banon, 206. 
 
 Mutualis, on Mount Lebanon, 201. 
 
 Mytelene, 81. 
 
 NABLUS, 147. 
 
 Naples, 288; Caserta near, 30G- 
 308. 
 
 Napoleon's house at Cairo, 245. 
 
 Natural phenomenon in the desert, 
 255. 
 
 Nazareth, residence at, 152-160; 
 sickness, 153. 
 
 Neusatz, 24. 
 
 Nicholas, convent of St., at Catanea, 
 275. 
 
 Nicodemus, St., grave of, 114. 
 
 Nicopolis, 31. 
 
 Nights, cold, in Palestine, 146. 
 
 Nile canal at Alexandria, 221. 
 
 Nile water turbid and discoloured, 
 222 ; cleared by throwing in ker- 
 nels of apricots or almonds, 225 ; 
 Delta of the, 228. 
 
 Nuova Casa at Jerusalem, 109. 
 
 Nuovo, Castel, 293. 
 
 OBELISK from Heliopolis in front of 
 St. Peter's at Rome, 313. 
 
 Offence, Mount of, 119. 
 
 Olivuzza and Castle of Ziza, 283. 
 
 Olive-tree, 71, 105; ancient olive- 
 trees, 117. 
 
 Olives, Mount of, at Jerusalem, 
 117-120. 
 
 Olympus, 63, 71. 
 
 Oriental entertainment at Joppa, 
 69; women, ignorance and indo- 
 lence of, 164. 
 
 PACS, town of, 21. 
 
 Palace of M ehemet Ali at Cairo, 235. 
 
 Palermo, 279 ; gothic chapel and 
 
 pillar, 280 ; cathedral, 280. 
 Palm, Herr, 232. 
 Pancsova, 24.
 
 334 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Paros and Antiparos, 264. 
 
 Pasiest, 26. 
 
 Passports continually demanded in 
 Italy, 309. 
 
 Paul, Father, 111. 
 
 Paula, St, altar in honour of, 125. 
 
 Pausilipp, Grotto of, 295. 
 
 Pera, the women's garden, 42 ; the 
 great and little Campo, 45. 
 
 Pesth, city of, 20; Hunting-horn 
 inn at, 20. 
 
 Peter's, St., at Rome, 510-313. 
 
 Petrified date-wood near Cairo, 250. 
 
 Pilate's house at Jerusalem, 112. 
 
 Pilau, 100. 
 
 Pillar of Scorn, 114. 
 
 Piscina, reservoir near Baiae, 300. 
 
 Plague,precautions against, atBraila, 
 33 ; at Galatz, 35. 
 
 Plague-struck woman at Balbeck, 
 196. 
 
 Po, the river, 327. 
 
 Pompeii, 302, 303. 
 
 Popolo, Piazza del, at Rome, 310. 
 
 Portici, villa of, 302. 
 
 Poultry much eaten in Italy, 291. 
 
 Prato di Lizza at Siena, 322. 
 
 Presburg, 19; Coronation- hill at, 
 19. 
 
 Prince Fascello, palace of, 286. 
 
 Professional story-tellers at Con- 
 stantinople, 57. 
 
 Public gardens at Palermo, 282. 
 
 Pulpit in St. Peter's by Bernini, 
 312. 
 
 Puzzoli, 298. 
 
 Pyramids of Gizeh, 240-244 ; ascent 
 of, 241 ; splendid view from the | 
 summit over the valley of the | 
 Nile, 242 ; immense blocks of ' 
 stone, 242 ; difficult descent, 243; | 
 interior of the great pyramid, j 
 243 ; Cheops' pyramid, 243. 
 
 QUARANTINE at Alexandria, 215- 
 219; discomfort and privations 
 endured, 216, 217 ; inadequate 
 supply of water, 217 ; fumigation 
 by means of brimstone, 218; ex- 
 amination by the doctor, 218 ; 
 release, 2LJ>. 
 
 Quirinal palace on Monte Cavallo 
 at Rome, 314-316. 
 
 RACHEL'S grave, 124. 
 Radicofani, town of, 320. 
 Ramla, or Arimathea, 104. 
 Rapacity of Egyptian guides, 231. 
 Raphael's halls, 313. 
 Red Sea, 256, 257 ; shallows near 
 
 Suez, 257. 
 Rhodes, 86-88 ; St. John's church 
 
 at, 86 ; ancient cannons at, 87. 
 Rome, sojourn at, 310-318; St. 
 
 Peter's, 310,311-313; the Do- 
 
 gana, 310 ; squares, Popolo, &c., 
 
 310 ; catacombs, 313 ; ancient 
 
 Rome, 316. 
 Rodda, island of, 237, 238 ; Grotto 
 
 at, 238. 
 
 Roof of St. Peter's, 313. 
 Rosalia, St., finding the bones of, 
 
 28 1 ; mount and convent, 284. 
 Rotunda, the, at Rome, 316. 
 Ruins near Cesarea, 97. 
 Rovigo, 328. 
 
 SABA in the Waste, convent of St., 
 133-136. 
 
 Saida, 94. 
 
 Sailing-vessel, voyage by, from Bey- 
 rout to Alexandria, 209-213; 
 company on board, 209. 
 
 Sailors, Eastern, 97, 98 ; cowardice 
 of, 212; on the Nile boats tem- 
 perate and hard-working, 228. 
 
 Salm Reifferscheit, Count, 126. 
 
 Samaria, or Sebasta, 149. 
 
 Samothrace, 81. 
 
 San Carlo at Naples. 292. 
 
 Sandbanks in the Nile, 227. 
 
 Sarcophagus of Ejub, 59. 
 
 Sarepta, 95. 
 
 Sattler, Herr, illness of, 201, 202. 
 
 Scala Santa, Rome, 315. 
 
 Schiitt, island of, 19. 
 
 Scio, Samos, and Cos, 85. 
 
 Scutari, 49 ; cemetery at, 49. 
 
 Sed Bahe, 80. 
 
 Semendria, Turkish fortress, 24. 
 
 Semlin, 22 ; detention at, 23. 
 
 Serail, the old, at Constantinople, 57.
 
 INDEX. 
 
 335 
 
 Seropis, temple of, 298. 
 
 Servian villages, poverty of, 25 ; 
 fertility of, 25. 
 
 Sharon, valley of, 102, 103. 
 
 Shubra, 279. 
 
 Sherbet, 58. 
 
 Siena, 321. 
 
 Sila, 121. 
 
 Silks of Brussa, 71. 
 
 Siloam, village and pool of, 121. 
 
 Sixtine chapel in the Vatican at 
 Rome, 313, 314. 
 
 Slaves, Turkish, 42 ; slave-market at 
 Constantinople, 55, 56 ; at Cairo, 
 246 ; beautiful negro girls, 246. 
 
 Slippers embroidered with gems, 
 worth 1000 piastres, 53. 
 
 Smyrna, 81-85. 
 
 Soldiers, Turkish, 66; Arnauts,148. 
 
 Solfatara, 300. 
 
 Solomon's Temple, pillars said to 
 have come from, 312. 
 
 Solomon, cisterns of, 125. 
 
 Sphynx, the, 243. 
 
 Sponge-fishery, 203. 
 
 Stanhope, Lady Hester, residence 
 of, 168. 
 
 Steamers the Galata,20; Austrian, 
 discomforts of, 22 ; the Austrian 
 Lloyds', 23 ; the Tiinte, 27 ; Sa- 
 turnus, 30 ; Zriny, 30 ; the Fer- 
 dinand, 36 ; the Archduke John, 
 75; Eurotas, 261; Hercules,272; 
 Duke of Calabria, 278. 
 
 Story-tellers, professional, 57. 
 
 Stromboli, 278. 
 
 Strozzi palace at Florence, 325 ; 
 freshness of, 325. 
 
 Suez, excursion through the desert 
 to, 251-259 ; town of, 256, '267 ; 
 scarcity of water at, 257. 
 
 Sultan, the Turkish, 43-45.. 
 
 Sultan's well, 141. 
 
 Sweet waters at Constantinople, 
 62, 63. 
 
 Syra, 262. 
 
 Syracuse, 272-274 ; ancient theatre, 
 273 ; ear of Dionysius, 273. 
 
 TABARITH, 154-158 ; earthquake 
 at, 159. 
 
 Tabor, Mount, 150. 
 
 Tehussa, 36. 
 
 Telegraphs between Alexandria and 
 
 Cairo, 227. 
 Temple of the Sun atBalbeck, 192 ; 
 
 of Marcus Aurelius and Minerva 
 
 in Rome, 318. 
 Tenedos, 81 . 
 Theatres at Constantinople, 60 ; 
 
 at Cairo, 245, 246. 
 Titus, hot baths of, at Rome, 317. 
 Tivoli, visit to, 318, 319; villa of 
 
 Mecsenas and grotto of Neptune, 
 
 318. 
 
 Toledo Street at Catanea, 275. 
 Topona, landing at, 40. 
 Tower of the Forty Martyrs, 104 ; 
 
 night in an isolated, 134-1 36 ; in 
 
 Galata, with beautiful prospect, 
 
 52. 
 Trajan's tablet, 28 ; Trajan's road, 
 
 27. 
 
 Tribuna palace at Florence, 324. 
 Troy, the plains of, 80, 81. 
 Turks, their politeness towards 
 
 strangers, 43. 
 Turkish fleet, 64 ; listlessness of the 
 
 Turks, 185. 
 Tyre or Sur, 95. 
 
 UFIZZI, palace of, at Florence, 324; 
 enormous and valuable table in 
 the palace, 323. 
 
 Ugliness of Egyptian women, 225. 
 
 Ugolino, fresco of the story of, in 
 the Gherardeski Palace at Flo- 
 rence, 325. 
 
 VARNA, 38. 
 
 Vatican, the, Bernini and Bramanti's 
 
 staircases, Sixtine chapel, &c., 
 
 313, 314. 
 
 Vecchio, Palazzo, at Florence, 325. 
 Venus de Medicis in the Tribuna 
 
 Palace at Florence, 324. 
 Veronika, St., house of, 113. 
 Vesuvius, ascent of, 303-306. 
 Veteran's cave, 28. 
 Via Dolorosa at Jerusalem, 112. 
 Viceroy's palace at Alexandria, 222. 
 Vienna, departure from, 2.
 
 336 
 
 Village, wretched, near Jerusalem, 
 
 141. 
 
 Vineyards on the Anti-Libanus, 177. 
 Visitation, Grotto of, 127, 128. 
 Virgil, monument of, 295. 
 Viterbo, 319. 
 Vomero at Naples, 295. 
 
 WAGONS not used in the East, 103. 
 Wallachian villages, 30 ; cattle, 30. 
 WaUenburg, Herr, 282. 
 Wedding, Syrian, 129. 
 White Mount, 166. 
 
 Widdin, fortress of, 30. 
 
 Wilderness around Jerusalem, 134. 
 
 Workshop of Joseph, 153. 
 
 Workshops for hard stones at Flo- 
 rence, containing masterpieces in 
 marble, &c., 325. 
 
 " World of graves" at Cairo, 250. 
 
 ZABDENI, 188. 
 
 Zacharias, tomb of, in Valley of 
 
 Jehosaphat, 120. 
 Zichy, Count, 126. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 PE1XTBD BY ROBSOJf, LEVEY, AND PEANKLtS, 
 Gnat New fCKil and Fetter I.aiie.
 
 SOUTHERN I REGIONAL LIBRARY FAOUTY