Chapter I: Preface

The Author had no intention during the cruise of writing such a book. His reasons for now engaging in it are, in addition to those common on such occasions, a belief that the public take a very deep interest in the countries which he has visited, and would be pleased to have further means of information respecting them. The circumstances under which his excursions into Egypt and Syria were made, though limiting his observations to a few cities, gave him some unusual advantages in examining those to which he was allowed access.

The reader, he believes, will be surprised to see the changes which the energetic government of Mohammed Ali has wrought in Egypt and Syria; and these are only the beginning of changes. The whole East seems destined before long to a wonderful revolution, if not political, at least mental and moral. It is pleasing to see the present dawnings of light upon two countries the most celebrated in the world; the one for its ancient science, the other for its religion. The night appears to be past, and the day-spring at hand.

The Author has given a chapter on Jerusalem, which may appear to some of his readers better suited to a book of romance than of travels. His object was to place vividly before the reader the ancient city, which he believes to have had a splendor and a beauty of which few persons are aware. Though the scene is supposed to be raised up by a spell of fancy, yet there is nothing presented in the picture for which there is not authority in ancient writers, with the single exception of the arrangement of the hymns at the Paschal sacrifice.

The author, for reasons not necessary to be stated here, kept no journal during this cruise; but the events and scenes occurring in these visits made an impression so deep that the memory has kept a record of them sufficiently faithful. At the commencement of his attempt to put them on paper, he wrote to Commodore Patterson to ascertain whether such a design would meet with his approbation; and the Commodore, in a very kind letter in reply, was good enough to offer him the use of his own private journal and of his official letters. From these he has drawn much valuable statistical matter as well as hints on other subjects; and he takes this mode of publicly making his acknowledgments for the favor.

Through oversight, the year of these visits has not been mentioned in the body of the work; they were made in the year 1834.

INDEX.

EGYPT.

CHAPTER I.

Approach to Egypt. Plague in Alexandria. Determination
to visit Cairo and the Pyramids. Boghaz Bey. Canal of
Mahmoudieh. Policy of Mohammed Ali. The abject state of his
subjects, and his apology for it. Night on the Canal. First
view of the Nile. Angelina’s opinion of it. Page 13

CHAPTER II.

Boats on the Nile. Our enjoyments on the river. Water of
the Nile. Villages. Ovens for hatching chickens. Egyptian
bricks, and case of the Israelites. Singular costume of
the females. Thievish boatmen. First view of the Pyramids.
Stupendous undertaking of Mohammed Ali at the Barage.
Approach to Cairo. Moonlight scene. 25

CHAPTER III.

Cross to Boulac. Splendid hospitality of the government. Our
cavalcade. Kindness of Mr. Gliddon. Description of his
house. The Baldac. 44

CHAPTER IV.

Visit to the Governor of Cairo. Court of the Mamelukes. Their
massacre. Schools in the Citadel. Court of Justice. Palace
of the Pasha. View from it. The “City of Tombs.” A human
monster. Plain of Memphis. Heliopolis. Mosque of the bloody
baptism. Joseph’s Well. Mint. Manufactory of Arms. The
Citadel. “The Lions.” 50

CHAPTER V.

Visit to the Cotton factories. Iron foundries. Palace of
Ibrahim Pasha. English garden on an island in the Nile.
Stables of Ibrahim Pasha. Arabian horses. Bazaars. Slave
market. Madhouse. The maniac butcher. 67

CHAPTER VI.

Preparations to visit the Pyramids. Audience of leave with the
Governor of Cairo. Visit of the ladies of our party to the
Sultana. Description of the Harem. 77

CHAPTER VII.

Visit to the Pyramids. Their diminutive appearance as we
approached. Effect when we reached the base. Pyramid of
Cheops. Visit to the interior. Pyramid of Cephrenes.
Belzoni’s forced passage. His successful researches. Large
stone enclosure east of this Pyramid. Tombs adjoining on
the west. Dine in one of them. 84

CHAPTER VIII.

Some interesting facts in our own country in connexion with
these Pyramids. Pyramids of Micocatl in Mexico, and of
Quanhuahuac and Cholula. Their history. Notices of a deluge,
and confusion of languages, in the picture writing of
Mexico. Pyramids in the Polynesian islands. “High Places”
of Scripture. Temple of Belus. Universality of this kind
of structure explained. Our western mounds. View from the
Pyramids of Ghizeh. The Sphinx. Visit to the plain of
Memphis, and to the Military and Naval School at Toura. 96

CHAPTER IX.

Rest on the Sabbath. Visit to the Pasha’s summer residence at
Shubra. Exceeding beauty of the ground. Lake, and sports of
the Pasha. Pic-nic in one of the Kiosks. Pear tree from the
Pasha’s place of nativity. Brief history of Mohammed Ali.
Departure from Cairo. Regret at parting with Mr. Gliddon. 112

CHAPTER X.

Return to Alexandria. Ruins about that city. Pompey’s pillar.
Cleopatra’s needles. Modern improvements in Alexandria.
Arsenal. Harbor of Alexandria. Rail road to Suez. New law
for protecting the people. Presentation to the Pasha.
Description of his person. 119

SYRIA.

CHAPTER XI.

First view of the coast of Judea. Anxieties as we approached.
State of the Country. Recent Rebellion. Investment of
Jerusalem. Character of the Natives. Earthquakes. Taking of
the City. English and American Missionaries. Death of Mrs.
Thompson. Defeat of Ibrahim Pasha. Re-capture of the City.
Conscription. Strange conduct of our Consul at Jaffa. He
is dismissed from Office. Jaffa. Large clusters of Grapes.
Eastern Story-tellers. Gardens and Watermelons of Jaffa.
The Cactus. 129

CHAPTER XII.

Start for Jerusalem. Appearance of our Cavalcade. Djerid
play near Jaffa. Plain of Sharon. Night ride. Ramla. The
Cadi’s theory about Earthquakes. Beth-Horon. Entrance to
the Hill-Country. Aboo Ghoosh. David’s Brook. First view
of Jerusalem. Difficulty in getting accommodations. Greek
Monastery. Distressful night. 146

CHAPTER XIII.

Morning view of the city. Glance at the localities. Question
with regard to the place of the Crucifixion. Its practical
nature. Scene usually sketched in the mind. The event
probably more humiliating in its attendant circumstances.
Traditions forced upon the visitor to Jerusalem. Their
effect on the mind. Danger of such visits to those who will
not separate truth from error. “El Devoto Peregrino.” Dr.
Clarke. 167

CHAPTER XIV.

Localities in Jerusalem that are certain. Valley of Kedron.
Mount Moriah. Valley of the Cheesemongers. Mount Zion, its
ancient limits. Present remains of its northern boundary.
Line of the “Old wall.” Acra. Gate of the Gardens. Limits
of the city at the time of the crucifixion. Bezetha and the
wall of Agrippa. Monument of John. Whither our judgment,
unassisted by tradition, leads us as regards the place of
the crucifixion. Rocky Knoll. Not called _Mount_ Calvary
in the Scriptures. Tradition. Conclusion to which all this
leads us. Circumstances and scene of the crucifixion. The
question with regard to the spot of our Saviour’s burial. 179

CHAPTER XV.

Commencement of our visits. Hospital of the knights of St.
John. Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Reputed tomb of the
Saviour. Marble sarcophagus. Effect of this visit on
us. Question whether this is the real tomb, or only a
representation of it. Removal of the floor two centuries
since. Greek chapel “the centre of the world.” Origin of the
various incredible traditions. Charity to be exercised. Cave
where the cross is said to have been discovered. Fissure
in the rock. Tradition about the head of Adam. Calvary.
Holes for the crosses. Another fissure in the rock. The
humiliation in the tomb, and resurrection. 202

CHAPTER XVI.

Dimensions of the Modern City. Ground within the city, and
in its environs. Its picturesque appearance. Continuation
of our visits. Via Dolorosa. Sentence of the Saviour from
Salignatius. House of Veronica and Picture of the Napkin.
House of “the Rich Man.” Arch of the Ecce Homo. Pilate’s
House. Mosque of Omar. The Locked-up Stone. Pool of
Bethesda. Place of Stephen’s Martyrdom. The Golden Gate.
The Emperor Heraclius in a dilemma. 222

CHAPTER XVII.

Valley of Hinnom. Potter’s field. Singular properties
attributed to its earth. Will not act on the citizens of
Rome. Gloomy character of the valley. Job’s well. Pool
of Siloam. Fountain of Siloam. Periodical in its flow.
Stones and columns belonging probably to the court of
the ancient temple. Monuments of Zachariah and Absalom.
Tomb of Jehoshaphat. Burial-place of the Jews. Valley of
Jehoshaphat. View of the Mount of Olives, Plain of Jordan,
and the Dead Sea. Garden of Gethsemane. Tomb of the Virgin.
Tradition about her death and ascension. 233

CHAPTER XVIII.

Visit to the Mount of Olives to procure olive root. Cabinet
work from it. Attempt, by a Fancy spell, to raise up
again the ancient city of Jerusalem. Its appearance.
Fortifications. Towers. Royal palace. Stupendous wall
supporting the Courts of the Temple. Outer Cloister.
Solomon’s Porch. Court of the Gentiles. Inner Cloister. Gate
called “Beautiful.” Court of the Jews. Court of the Priests.
Altar. The TEMPLE. Its dazzling façade. Noble entrance.
Skill of the Architect. Vestibule. Grape-vine of Gold. The
Sanctuary. Its furniture. Holy of Holies. Effect of this
place on Pompey. Walls of the edifice. Stones of amazing
size. Frame work of the city. Villages and gardens around.
Effect of the contrast between the Temple and Mount of
Olives. The millions coming up to the Passover. Their Hymns.
The Roman army. Titus takes a view of the city. Events
foretelling its doom. The horror-stricken prophet. 251

CHAPTER XIX.

Visit to Bethlehem. Well of the Star. Monastery of Elijah.
Rachael’s Tomb. Plain of the Shepherds. Town of Bethlehem.
Character of its inhabitants. Church and Cave of the
Nativity. Traditions. The Turpentine Tree, &c. Manufactures
of the Bethlehemites. Tattooing. Country northward from
Jerusalem. Cave of Jeremiah. Hill of Bezetha. Tombs of the
Kings. Dr. Clarke’s subterranean Chapels. Ancient quarries.
Tombs of the Judges. Thorn from which the Saviour’s crown is
supposed to have been made. Difficulty at the Gates. Yaoub
and the Soldiers. 279

CHAPTER XX.

Departure of the first party. Mohammed Ali’s firman,
and alarm of the Governor. Sickness of Mr. M. and Mr.
Nicholayson. Trials of Missionaries. Their general character
and qualifications. Moonlight view of Jerusalem, and
reflections. Arrival of the second party. Interview with
the Governor. Visit to Bethany. Departure from Jerusalem. 294

CHAPTER XXI.

Accident on our return. Visit to St. Jean D’Acre. Also to
Tyre. Prophecies respecting Tyre fulfilled. Visit to Sidon.
Lady Hester Stanhope. Her letter of invitation to us. Visit
to her residence at D’joun. Beirout. Missionary families
at Beirout. Striking feature in the Protestant Missionary
operations. Their schools and printing presses. 308

CHAPTER XXII.

Party to Damascus. Ascent of Mount Lebanon. The roads.
English carriage. Scenery of the mountain. Its inhabitants.
Maronites. The Druses. Aaleih. Horns worn by the women.
Princesses of the mountain. Beautiful night scene. Bhamdoon.
Plain of Coelo-Syria. Anti-Lebanon. Characteristic of
Americans. A dilemma. First view of Damascus. The great
plain. Gardens. The city. “Street that is called Straight.”
St. Paul. 324

CHAPTER XXIII.

Late fanaticism of the people of Damascus. Change. Mr.
Farrah’s house. Agreeable disappointment. Costume of the
natives. The Cobcob. Mr. Farran, the English Consul General.
Visit to the palaces. Palaces of Abdallah Bey, &c. Official
visit to the Governor, Sheriff Pasha. Handsome reception.
Promises of the Pasha with respect to Americans in Syria.
Mr. Farran’s beautiful country residence. Bazaars. Damascus
blades--not to be had. Departure from the city. Night at
Mr. Farran’s. 341

CHAPTER XXIV.

Sunrise on the plain of Damascus. Mountain Mosque.
Superstition of the natives of Damascus. Mountain course of
the Barrady. Tomb of Abel. Fountain of Rosalyn. Toils of
travel. Comforts on the road to Pompeii. Ruins of Balbec.
The great Temple and its courts. Stones of prodigious size.
A gem in Architecture. The circular Temple. Gleanings with
regard to their history. Pasha of Balbec. Marshal Bourmont.
Cedars of Lebanon. Town of Zahle. Night in our tents on
Lebanon. Attack by the natives. Return to the ship. 360