good doctor when seized with his last fatal illness, seemed to me, who was then unaccustomed to the devotion displayed by English women in time of sickness, truly angelic, and quite disheartened me when drawing a comparison between them and my own countrywomen, ignorant of reading and writing, though doubtless, if educated, susceptible of all the more refined feelings of civilisation.
Though on the point of falling desperately in love with one of the fair daughters of the land, this consideration effectually checked my enthusiasm. A lady-friend had given me an eloquent description of a young Greek damsel, to which I was more than half inclined to listen, when the example I have already quoted made me suddenly remember that such things were not to be hoped for save in an English wife.
During my stay at Stamboul, I renewed my acquaintance with the Rev. Mr. Goodall, my former kind instructor, who had left Syria and come to reside in that city, where, in conjunction with the other American missionaries, he carried on his arduous duties with unremitting zeal. Though not long resident at Constantinople, I was witness, on more than one occasion, to the havoc committed by the fires that are incessantly occurring. From one of these I myself was a severe sufferer. Once, while spending the evening with Lord W. Clinton, a fire broke out in the house next to his. As mine was only a few doors further off, I hastened away to rescue my property, and with the assistance of the hammahls, or porters, succeeded in removing it into the centre of a neighbouring field, where it would be out of harm’s way. Having done this, I returned immediately to Lord William’s to give him what assistance I could in helping to remove his property to a
place of safety. The fire committed fearful ravages. A whole quarter of Pera was destroyed. When it was at last extinguished, I hastened to look after my own property, but such had been the devastation committed by the flames, that the whole face of the district was changed; and I found it utterly impossible to recognise any spot or mark which might afford the slightest clue as to the whereabouts of my late quarters, and thus lead to the recognition of the field. After a long and unsuccessful search, I was obliged to give the matter up; and I was thus deprived of the whole of my personal effects. This was in the winter of 1846.
After some months’ residence at Constantinople, through Lord Cowley’s kind exertions with the Turkish government, I was sent to England, and was furnished with letters to Prince Callimaki, then ambassador at the court of St. James’s. Lord Cowley gave me a passage to Malta in an English war-steamer. We touched at Corfu, where I was so fortunate as to make the acquaintance of Lord Seaton, who at that time held the office of Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Isles. Both himself and family treated me with the greatest hospitality. During my short stay, I had time to discover that his lordship’s popularity amongst the residents was very great.
From Corfu we came to Malta, where I had the pleasure of meeting several dear friends again. I stayed here for a fortnight; and on one occasion, I regret to say, I witnessed conduct most unusual in British officers, who, with few exceptions, I have found ever mindful of their position as gentlemen. One evening, at the theatre, a number of the junior officers were present, and, in spite of the quiet remonstrances of the audience, persisted in placing their feet on the
ledge in the front of the boxes. The Maltese at length became so exasperated that a number of them left the house and awaited the departure of the officers, when they assailed them in a most furious manner, and would certainly have inflicted serious injury upon them had not a guard arrived opportunely to separate the combatants. At the height of the riot my curiosity was much excited on observing a peasant, who had struck down an officer, and seemed apparently about to follow up his attack, suddenly desist and render the utmost assistance to his late foe. Being acquainted with the gentleman, I next day enquired what could have caused this change, and was much surprised to find that this strange occurrence arose from the peasant having, by a secret sign, discovered that the officer was a brother mason. I could not but admire a system productive of such benevolent results, and a few evenings after, happening to be dining with my friend, Captain Ford of the artillery, and understanding from him that he was engaged to attend a lodge on the island, I begged he would procure me admission. This he kindly consented to do, and I was, therefore, duly initiated. The kind feeling and brotherly love I have met with among masons, has rendered this event one of the happiest of my life.
From Malta I came to England through France, viá Marseilles. At Marseilles I put up at the Hotel de l’Europe. Being at that time ignorant of the language, I found myself awkwardly situated, for shortly after my arrival, having washed my hands, I could find no place wherein to empty the basin, and being amongst strangers, I felt great diffidence in making known my wants. In this dilemma, I resorted to the expedient of throwing the water out of the window. I did so, and was
chuckling at the success of my plan, when my attention was attracted by a great noise in the street, and, to my surprise, I heard foot-steps and angry voices approaching my bed-room door.
On their entering, I found that the water had unfortunately alighted on a French officer, who at that moment chanced to be passing in full-dress uniform. His indignation was such that I expected to be annihilated on the spot. I presume, however, that the people of the hotel would not permit him to wreak his vengeance on me, and so he contented himself by giving me into the charge of the police, who desired me the next day to appear before the magistrate (the complainant appearing in person). I of course made ample apologies through an interpreter, and the matter was at length satisfactorily settled. This officer and myself afterwards became very good friends; he explained to me that he had imagined I was an Arab from Africa, who had thus sought to revenge myself for injuries I might have received from their hands whilst in Algeria, and that this had determined him to have me punished, adding that had he known that I was a Syrian, and above all from Mount Lebanon, he would certainly have been disposed to be more lenient. This contretemps shewed me the necessity of being acquainted with the customs and languages of the places through which I might be necessitated to travel.