Mr. Pisani writes me word that it has made great havoc at Constantinople: upwards of twenty thousand souls have been carried off by it—a most dreadful mortality indeed! I lament the fate of this unhappy country, which suffers enough from the vexatious tyranny of its government, without having this additional scourge from Heaven.
As soon as we return from the Desert, we purpose taking refuge at Latakia, as being the most convenient situation in every respect: but if, unfortunately, the plague should come there before we can arrive, in that case we shall only have the alternative of retiring into the mountain, or of shutting ourselves up in Aleppo. Lady Hester dislikes the latter place.[45] She seems to have the same horror against the Franks as against the butter.[46] We must, however, hope for the best, and, like the Turks, submit with patience to the will of God.
In a letter which I wrote to you last November from Damascus, I begged that you would do me the honour of accepting half a barrel of wine, which came from the Dardanelles. I had hopes of being able to procure some of the celebrated Vino d’Oro, which is made at Zook, a village in the Keserwan. I gave a commission to a man to prepare a good quantity for me last summer when I passed through that place; but I have heard nothing more of it since that time, and I am afraid that he has forgotten me: I will, however, endeavour to get some before I leave the country.
By the last news which we received from Cairo, it appears that Mahomet Ali has been very successful against the Wahabees. He overcame them in a great battle, and has retaken the two holy cities of Mecca and Medina. I wish I had an opportunity of gaining some knowledge of the Wahabees. They are a very curious people, and I am inclined to think that, unless the Porte makes some very vigorous efforts to crush them at once, they are destined to bring about a great revolution, both in politics and religion, in the East. They have already extended their conquests with great rapidity over the Nedj country and Yemen. We know, too, that a nation of shepherds have always been looked upon as formidable. With them every man is a soldier; and their very amusements are the images of war. When they take the field, they move about with the whole of the nation. Their force is not diminished by being obliged to leave any of their people behind to cultivate their fields, or to take charge of the women or children. In ancient times, the Scythians and Tartars were feared by the Romans in the very zenith of their glory, and sometimes even overcame their legions.
The Turkish empire, which is in so weak and disorganized a state, and which has no regular or disciplined army to oppose them, may at some future period fall an easy prey to these numerous hordes, and the ancient Caliphate may be restored over Egypt, Syria, and Arabia. But I find that I am travelling out of my depth, and I am afraid that your patience is already exhausted. I will, therefore, conclude my letter by requesting that you will believe me,
My dear General,
Your most sincere friend,
M. B.
Lady Hester Stanhope to Lieut.-General Oakes.