Day & Haghe, Lithrs to the Queen.
LADY HESTER STANHOPE’S ARRIVAL AT PALMYRA.
London,, Henry Colburn, Gt. Marlborough St 1846
TRAVELS
OF
LADY HESTER STANHOPE;
FORMING THE COMPLETION
OF
HER MEMOIRS.
NARRATED BY
HER PHYSICIAN.
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. II.
LONDON:
HENRY COLBURN, PUBLISHER,
GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
1846.
Frederick Shoberl, Junior, Printer to His Royal Highness Prince Albert, 51, Rupert Street, Haymarket, London.
CONTENTS
OF
THE SECOND VOLUME.
| CHAPTER I. | |
|---|---|
| Damascus—Ramazán—Visit to the Jews—House of theHayms, brothers of him of Acre—Visit to the Pasha—Complimentof Hadj Mohammed to Lady Hester—Curiosity ofthe women to see her Ladyship—Their dress—Inefficacy ofpersonal restraints upon women—Fanaticism of the inhabitantsof Damascus—Lepers—Amusements of Ramazán—Patientsattended by the Author—Sulymán Bey—Hismalady—His cure—Rural fête—Sister of Ahmed Bey—Chieffamilies in Damascus—Visits to the sick—TheMerge, or place of amusement—Women at prayer | [1] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| Lady Hester’s intended journey to Palmyra—Objections toit—Hanah Fakhah—Difficulties of a journey to Palmyra—Illnessof Mr. B. on his road from Aleppo to Damascus—TheAuthor goes to his assistance—Osman Aga—Masûd Aga—Villageof Yabrûd—Author’s reception by Osman Aga—Carahburgh—Characterof Masûd Aga—Use of Narkyly—Aspectof the Desert—Hamlet of Hassiah—Dûrra bread—City ofHems—River Orontes—City of Hamah—Mûsa Koblán—Visitfrom him—Arrival of Mr. Barker and Mr. B.—Descriptionof Hamah—Clogs—Waterwheels—Coolness and heat producedby the same means—Costume of the female peasants—Doors ofhouses—Air—Panoramic prospect—Manufactures—Christiansof Hamah—Inundations—Messrs. B. and Barker go to Bâalbec—Descriptionof Hems—Pyramidal sepulchre—Tomb of Khaled—Citadel—Lakeof Hems—Orontes river—Cara—March oftroops—Yabrûd—Springs of Ras el ayn—Mâlûla—Grottoesand Sarcophagi—Michael Rasáti—Account of M. Lascaris andof Madame Lascaris—Nebk—Dress of M. Lascaris—Hischaracter—Return of the Author to Damascus | [31] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| Precautions against riots—Emir Nasar visits Lady Hester—Hedissuades her from going to Palmyra with an escort—Descriptionof Nasar—How entertained—Lady Hester quitsDamascus—Reports of her wealth—She takes Monsieur andMadame Lascaris with her—Her interview with the EmirMahannah—She arrives at Hamah—Departure of Mr. B. andMr. Barker from Damascus—The Messieurs Bertrand dismissed—Billsof exchange—The Author sets out for Hamah—Modeof travelling—A Caravansery—Gabriel, the poet—Kosair—Kelyfy—Nebk—Turkishadventurer—Khan of Nebk—Modeof washing in the East—Carah—Hassiah—Hamah—TheAuthor lodges with Monsieur and Madame Lascaris—Opportunityfor entering the Desert—M. Lascaris resolves toaccompany the Author—Bedouin costume—First departurefrom Hamah | [68] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| The author enters the Desert—Hostile tribes of Bedouins—BeniKhaled Arabs—Their tents, manners, &c.—Arabian hospitality—Telsor Conical mounds—Aspect of the Desert—Wantof Water—Hadidyn Arabs—Mountains of Gebel elAbyad—Bedouin horsemen—Bedouin encampment—Mahannah,the Emir—Bedouin repasts—Character of Mahannah—Natureof his authority—His revenue—Means used by theBedouins to obtain gifts—March of a Bedouin tribe—Contrivancefor mounting camels—Gentleness of the camel—Snow—Searchfor Water—Detention of the author by Mahannah—Heis suffered to depart for Palmyra—Encounter with robbers—Plainof Mezah—Disappointment at the distant sight ofPalmyra—Arrival there | [92] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| Reflections on the ruins of Palmyra—Wood and Dawkins’splates—Fountain of Ephca—Castle—Tombs—Cottage selectedfor Lady Hester—Visit to a curious cave—Justinian’s wall—Climateand diseases—Salt marshes—Causes of fevers—Airand climate of Palmyra—Gardens, corn-fields, and trees—Sulphureouswaters—Dress of the men; and of the women—Departurefrom Palmyra—Lady Hester sends Giorgio to lookfor the Author—Fall of snow—The party lose themselves,and sleep in the snow—Encampment of Beni Omar Bedouins—Hassan’sunfeeling conduct—Pride of the Bedouins to rideon horseback—Encampment of Ali Bussal—False notions ofthe hospitality of Bedouins—Partridges of the Desert—Emirof the Melhem—M. Lascaris’s scheme of traffic—Arrival ofMadame Lascaris—Attack of the Sebáh—Wounded Bedouin—Giorgiogoes to Palmyra—The Author returns to Hamah—Ruinsof a triumphal arch—Snow-storm—A night in a cavern—Ruinedvillage—Selamyah—Ruined mosque—Hardshipsendured by Bedouins—Miscellaneous observations on theircharacter and manners | [132] |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| Hamah—Inclemency of the weather—Preparations made byLady Hester for her journey to Palmyra—Conical cisterns—NazyfPasha—Abdallah Pasha—Muly Ismael—The governorof Hamah—Appearance of the Plague in Syria—Motives ofLady Hester Stanhope for visiting Palmyra—Price paid tothe Bedouins for a safe conduct—Pilfering; particularlyby their chief Nasar—Order of march—Sham fights—Tribe ofthe Sebáh—Arabs on their march—Rude behaviour of Nasar—Gebelel Abiad, or the White Mountain—The Author ridesforward to Palmyra—Alarm at Lady Hester’s encampment—Herentry into Palmyra—Inspection of the ruins—A wedding—Dressof the women—Faydân Bedouins made prisoners—Theescape of two of them causes Lady Hester to leave theplace | [166] |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| Departure from Palmyra—Suspicions of Nasar—Encampmentin a beautiful valley—Tribe of the Sebáh and theirShaykh Mnyf—Assembly of Bedouins at Lady Hester Stanhope’stent—The women—Traits of Bedouin character—Tribeof the Beni Omar—Affray between the Bedouins—Their war-cry—Aqueducts—Salamýah—Clottedcream and sour milk—Meatof the Desert—Castle of Shumamýs—Medical assistancerequired by Bedouins—Entry of Lady Hester into Hamah—Sum paid to Nasar for escort—Salubrity of the air of the Desert—Stateof Lady Hester’s health—Professional aid of theAuthor in requisition—Yahyah Bey—Rigid abstinence of aSyrian Christian—The bastinado—Pilgrimage to the tomb ofa shaykh—Treatment of horses in spring—Precautions againstplague—Custom of supporting great personages under thearm—Schoolmasters—Doctors and their patients | [203] |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| Departure from Hamah—Encampment on the bank of theOrontes—Transformation of aquatic to winged animals—Valeof the Orontes—Calât el Medyk—Bridge and village ofShogre—Topal Ali makes himself independent of the Pashaof Aleppo—Singular application of a Jewess—Poverty of theinhabitants of Shogre—Visit to Topal Ali—Gebel el Kerád—BeautifulScenery—Tribe of Ansáry—Lady Hester staysbehind among them—Latakia | [231] |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| Residence at Latakia—Remains of Antiquity—Port—Gardens—Sycamore—Birdlimetree—Vegetables and fruit—Tobacco—Salttanks—Sponge fishery—Hanah Kûby—Fanaticismof the Turks of Latakia—A Barbary Shaykh—ThePlague—Habits of the Mahometans accordant with commonsense—Epidemic illness—Impalement of a Malefactor—Ravagesof the Plague—Mr. Barker, British Consul atAleppo, comes to spend some time near Latakia—Hard fate ofa Christian—Experiment on a fruit diet—Imprudence of smokingin the streets during Ramazán—Amusements—Sporting—Departureof Mr. B. for England—Civility of the GreekPatriarch—Illness of Lady Hester, and of the Author—Shesupposes her disease to be the Plague—Illness of servants—Scarcityof provisions—Departure for Sayda—Turkish Lugger—Tripoli—Aspectof Mount Lebanon—Arrival at Sayda—Seamanshipof the Turks | [252] |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| Mode of Life of Lady Hester Stanhope—Imaginary treasuresof Gezzàr Pasha—Road to the Convent of Mar Elias—Descriptionof the Convent—Village of Abra—Interior of acottage—Poverty of the people—Change in the character ofLady Hester—Abra purchased by a Greek Patriarch—Revenues—Tenureof land—Occupations of the peasantry—Herdsmen—Villageoverseer—Notions of propriety in the behaviourof females—Dread of the plague—Precautions against theinfection suggested by Lady Hester to the Emir Beshýr—Visitof the Shaykh Beshýr to Abra—Good breeding of theTurks—Greek monasteries—The patriarch Macarius—M.Boutin—Hanýfy, a female slave sent to Lady Hester—Specificationof her qualities—Discovery of an ancient sepulchre—Paintingsin it copied by Mr. Bankes, and by the Author—Variousforms of sepulchres | [304] |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| Plague at Abra—Terror occasioned by it—Peasants forsakethe village—Alarm of Lady Hester—Imaginary virtues ofbezoar and serpent stone—Funerals—Embarrassment of theAuthor—Illness of his servant—Increase of the contagion—MedicalTreatment—Arrival of the Kite sloop of war—Numberof victims of the plague—Pilgrimage to the shrineof St. Haneh—Prickly heat—Lady Hester goes to reside atMeshmûshy—Costume of the Drûzes—Maronite monastery—Camel’sflesh eaten—Bridge of Geser Behannyn—Journeyof the Author to Bteddyn—Sons of the Emir Beshýr—Weddingat Abra—Moorish Conjuror—Return of Giorgio—Vineyards—Wines—Dibs—Raisins—OliveHarvest—Figs—Countrybetween Abra and Meshmûshy | [358] |
TRAVELS
OF
LADY HESTER STANHOPE.
Τὴν Ἀσίην δὴ πλεῖστον διαφέρειν φημὶ της Ευρώπῆς ἐς τὰς φύσιας τῶν ξύμπαντων, τῶν τὲ ἐκ τῆς γῆς φυομένων και τῶν ἄνθρωπων· πουλὺ γαρ καλλιόνα καὶ μεῖζόνα πάντα γίγνεται ἐν τῃ Ἀσίῃ. Ἡτὲ χώρη τῆς χώρῆς ἡμερωτέρη καὶ τὰ ἠθεα τῶν ἄνθρῶπων ἣπιωτέρα καὶ εὐεργοτέρα. [Hippocr. 72 ¶, cap. 5. Περὶ ἀερῶν, ὑδατῶν καὶ τοπῶν.]