Chapter I: Preface

The matter contained in the following pages has been gathered from a diary, in which the incidents of each successive day had been regularly noted down, not with any intention of subsequently submitting them to the public, but from a belief that the practice, if not actually instructive, is at least sure to repay the little trouble it occasions.

As the writer had not been attracted either to Egypt or Italy, by any of the usual inducements which influence the generality of travellers, but had been suddenly transplanted, by a somewhat singular chain of circumstances, from the yellow fogs of the great Metropolis, to the bracing air and cloudless skies of the Desert, it was suggested that a relation of his experiences, might possibly present something new, even upon _those_ countries, without encroaching upon themes already exhausted by able and experienced travellers. He has not therefore, carried the reader into the midst of scenes with which he is already well acquainted, nor are his pages filled with elaborate descriptions of churches, temples, and palaces--he has not indulged in rhapsodies upon the pleasant prospects which greeted him, as well as his predecessors, in a ramble through the garden of Italy, neither does he seek to parade his own opinions upon the many glorious works of art, it has been his good fortune to fall in with. All that awaits the reader, is a simple narrative of adventures during a few months’ active employment in Egypt, and a description of such places and things, in Rome and other Italian cities, as are more immediately connected with modern Art and its numerous votaries.

The writer trusts that the title of the present volume is too ambiguous to allow of any feeling of disappointment being engendered in the minds of those who may take it up for curiosity’s sake, and as Sand and Canvas are at the best but dry subjects, it will be hardly fair on the part of such as consent to follow him to the end, to retaliate on the score of any previous misconception.

_London, December, 1848._

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

PAGE.

The author meets with an advertisement in “The Times”--Finds an
unexpected charm in his wig--Undergoes a cross-examination--Receives
his credentials--Mistakes his road, and is set right
by a friend--Eats a farewell dinner at Blackwall--And finally
embarks in a new line of business 1

CHAPTER II.

Discomforts of the Channel--An unpleasant discovery--Horrors
of the Rotonde--A traveller’s toilette--Chalons sur Soane--Lyons--A
transplanted engineer--The Rhone--Arles--The
Mediterranean--Marseilles 8

CHAPTER III.

The “Minos”--English and French appetites--Leghorn--Towting
Jews--Civita Vecchia--Naples--Formalities of landing--Malta--Mr.
Portenier--The “Lycurge”--Syra 16

CHAPTER IV.

The harbour of Alexandria--Mr. Furner--Scene at the Hard--A
donkey stand--Triumphal entry into the Great Square--The
“India agency”--The English Okella--Plague seals--Confidential
talk--Mr. Raven--Hassan, the dragoman--The Bazaars--Arab
shopkeepers--The Harraat--Pompey’s Pillar--The baths of Cleopatra 24

CHAPTER V.

The Café--Arab music--Artful expedient--The Ghawazee and
Kowal--Change of costume--The lady from Beyrout--Odd
procession--Showers of rose water--Arrival of the “Tagus”--The
Overland Mail--Departure of the India-bound passengers--The
Mahmoudieh--Atféh 35

CHAPTER VI.

The Nile steam boat--A deck dinner--Boulac--The Esbekier--The
“Grand Eastern Hotel”--Mr. Raven’s office--The
transit-business--Loading of the camels--Departure of the
caravan--The Desert--The Stations--Water 45

CHAPTER VII.

Desert fare--The Bawaub--No. 4 Station--A siesta--The solitary
tree--Pestilential breezes--A dry well--Suez--Waghorn’s
Hotel--The “Berenice”--Return to Cairo--A thirsty driver--Cool
reception at a warm bath--The pendant rag 58

CHAPTER VIII.

An Egyptian hammam--Inhuman tortures--The barber--The
chiropodist--Delightful respite--Pale ale and Manillas--Raven’s
collection--Dr. A.--Antiquities--Mr. Bell--His African adventures--The
White Nile expedition 70

CHAPTER IX.

The Nile boat--Voyage down the river--Defensive preparations--Sudden
squall--Narrow escape--Alexandria--Rival hotels--Lessons
in donkeyship--Domestic cookery--The “Great Liverpool”--Physiology
of the Seis 82

CHAPTER X.

Cairo--The Turkish bazaar--Test of a sword blade--The “Little
Nile”--Recollections of the plague--The Eglintoun tents--Proceedings
in the “Great Square”--Astonishment of the Pasha--A
Mahomedan Dinner-party--Novel dishes--A Jewish wedding--Impertinent
curiosity--The bride’s dower--A cunning Hebrew 93

CHAPTER XI.

Dwarkanauth Tagore--Storm in the Mahmoudieh--A chapter of
accidents--The half-drowned cadet--Arab knavery--Effects of the
murrain--Donkey-chairs--A midnight gallop--Alteration in prospect--My
van and its occupants--An enraged Portuguese--Disagreeable
situation--Christmas-eve--Midnight interruption--Goose
and Champagne 106

CHAPTER XII.

Influx of travellers--Provision stores--The preserved “round”--New
Year’s-day--Melancholy opening of New Year--Visit to
the Pyramids--Old Selim--A moonlight walk--The Sphynx and German
savans--Ascent of Cheops--The interior of the Pyramids--Unceremonious
intruders--Trial of skill--A crack shot 123

CHAPTER XIII.

The village of Sakhara--Sheik’s house--The brick
pyramids--Mummies--The sacred ibis--Return to Cairo--An agreeable
billet--Preparation for a voyage--Disappointment--A parting--The last
journey across the Desert--A dilemma--Bedouin Arabs--No. 4
Station--Departure from Cairo--Dinner at Mr. L.’s--Alexandria 140

CHAPTER XIV.

The “Minos” again--Café Francais--The Enfield stage--Departure
from Egypt--Change of boats at Syra--A gale in the
Mediterranean--Malta--The quarantine harbour--Fort Manuel--Inquisitive
guardiano--Travellers’ collections--sanitary regulations and low
diet--The parlatori--Resources in quarantine--Happy release 156

CHAPTER XV.

Choice of a route--The “Ercolano”--Syracuse--The Albergo del
Sole--Sicilian cobbler--The ear of Dionysius--Beautiful
gardens--Museum--Messina--Ancient
fresco--Tropea--Stromboli--Naples--“Hotel de New
York”--Herculaneum--Pompeii--Streets--Shops--Private houses--Progress
of excavation 168

CHAPTER XVI.

The Campo Santo--Churches--The Miserere--Curious
sculpture--Agnano--Grotto del Cane--Frogs--Pozzuolo--Cave of the
sybil--Hot springs--Boiled eggs--Hot sand--No end of
phenomena--Baiæ--Vesuvius--Resina--The hermitage--Fatiguing
ascent--The crater--Coming down with a run--The “Mongibello”--Civita
Vecchia--Rome 183

CHAPTER XVII.

The Roman Douane--The Hotel Cesarj--Meditations--The Caffé
Greco--Its occupants--Morning walk--Wine carts--The
Ruspoli--Bellamy’s toilet--Preparations for the Cervaro--The
robing-room--Choice of a dress--The livery stable--Porta
Maggiore--The Torre dei Schiave--A grand review--The
quarries--Incantation to the sybil--The dinner--Return to Rome 199

CHAPTER XVIII.

The “Ponte Molle” club--Technical alphabet--Moccoletti--The black
board--Election of candidates--The illustrated
chorus--Harmonies--Change of domicile--The Via Sistina--The Pincian
promenade--Trasteverini--The French Academy--High art and its
votaries--Roman models--Pifferari--Pietro Pombo--The Via
Margutta--L----, and his painting--Extraordinary model--Pictures
and studios 216

CHAPTER XIX.

The “Greco”--Signor Giovanni--Frequenters of the
Barcaccia--Pietro--The Roman cigar--Caffé du’ Bon Gout--“Punch a la
Romaine”--Italian eating-houses--The Lepri--Old
Aurelio--Terribile--Roman bill of fare--Sweets--English
errors--Dessert--The Lepri Garden--The “Gabbione”--Its
neighbourhood--Fried fish--Alessio--“Una Bomba Alla Cerito” 235

CHAPTER XX.

The tombola--Mausoleum of Augustus--The montgolfier--Curious
finale--The bigliardo--Pool--Sir T. B.--An amusing acquaintance--The
bewildered barber--The dog “Pincio”--Preparations for
Carnival--Bombarding in the Corso--Characters--Charlatans--The
Festini 247

CHAPTER XXI.

Journey to Florence--My friend Luish--A suspicious
landlady--Monterosi--Nepi--The hotel--Luish’s hat--Civita
Castellana--Otricoli--My washerwoman’s cousin--The merchandize
cart--Narni--Terni--Pie-di’-Luco--The echo--Strittura--Egg
diet--Fuligno--Perugia--Boarding-houses--Florence 264

CHAPTER XXII.

The “Porta Rossa”--Journey to Bologna--The Belli
Arti--Arcades--Certosa--Our fellow-travellers--The parrot--Austrian
Douane--Ferrara--Padua--Caffé Pedrocchi--Venice--The Casa
Raffaelli--Gondolas--Luish’s professional pursuits--My friend
D. again--Titian--Military salute--The Passeggiata 280

CHAPTER XXIII.

The Caffés of Venice--The “Florian”--The “Imperatore
D’Austria”--Piazza--Venetian hawkers--Musicians--Merchants of
Caromel--The Schiavoni--Italian cards--The Birrarie--San Moise--An
accordeon player--Quintavalle--Queer
fish--Dining-rooms--Serenades--Night on the Grand Canal--The
Rialto--San Lazzaro--Malamocco--Chioggia--Captain Rovere in danger 298

CHAPTER XXIV.

The Ducal Palace--Bridge of Sighs--The Pozzi--Campanile--View
from the summit--Swifts--The pigeons of St. Marks--Departure
from Venice--The Ancona steamer--The Adriatic--Vicissitudes
of a sea-voyage--The unfortunate friar--Pola--Its
antiquities--The hotel--Ancona--The Custom-house--Disappointment--A
village in the Appenines--Fuligno--Assisi--The
boarding-house--San Francesco--Musical shoemakers--Spoleto--My
countrywoman--Terni--Rome 313

CHAPTER XXV.

Change of domicile--Francesco--Friends from
England--Picture-shops--Old painting--Artists and their
patrons--Mr. Titmarsh--Anecdote of N---- --The dinner at
Bertini’s--The English Academy--Table talk--Harmony--The
Americans--Roman gaieties--Torlonia’s--The Festini--Hospital of
San Michele--The Quirinal--Via Gregoriana--Mr. Raven again--The
English church--The Friends’ meeting-house--Illumination of St.
Peter’s 333

CHAPTER XXVI.

Tivoli--Country excursions--Ciciliano--Hospitality of the
mountaineers--The Porta San Lorenzo--Visit to the Governor--Another
start northward--Florence--The Uffizii--S----, and his head of
Velasquez--The flood of the Arno--Mr. M.--Lord D.--Unexpected
summons--Pisa--Leghorn--Genoa--The
“Diligence”--Alessandria--Turin--The railway deputation--Expedition
to the Mont Cenis--Susa--Bardoneche--My friend B.’s
mountain ramble--Successful “Jodeln”--The valley of the
Dora Susa--Departure from Turin--Conclusion 351