My Lord,
A curious document, once in the hands of the church, fell by accident into mine. It was an indication to considerable treasures in Syria. Having made this known to the Porte, a confidential person belonging to the sultan’s household was sent from Constantinople to investigate the business. I proceeded with him to Ascalon: but the mosque, in which the treasure was said to be hidden, was no longer standing. One wall only remained of a magnificent structure, which had been mosque, church, and temple at different periods. After having traced out the South West and North foundation walls, and after digging for several days within them, we came to the under-ground fabric we were looking for: but, alas! it had been rifled. It was, as nearly as one could calculate, capable of containing three millions of pieces of gold—the sum mentioned in the document. Whilst excavating this once magnificent building—for such it must have been by the number of fine columns and fine pavements we discovered under ground—we found a superb colossal statue without a head, which belonged to the heathens. It was eighteen feet below the surface. Knowing how much it would be prized by English travellers, I ordered it to be broken into a thousand pieces, that malicious people might not say I came to look for statues for my countrymen and not for treasures for the Porte.
This business has taken up a good deal of my time for these three months past. I have had a thousand honours paid me, which it is not worth while to enter upon. The authenticity of the paper I do not doubt; but, as many centuries have elapsed since the Christians hid treasure there, it is not very surprising that it should have been removed. Had it escaped observation, in the same way the statue did the eyes of the Turks, when this spot was converted into a mosque, it would have been a fine thing for the Turkish government.
I have the honour, &c.
H. L. Stanhope.
During these fourteen days many circumstances took place which were not mentioned, in order that no interruption should take place in the narrative. It happened that the time of auditing the accounts of the district over which Mohammed Aga was governor occurred during this period; and the katibs, or under-secretaries, of the pasha were sent for that purpose. They and the katib of Mohammed Aga were for two days closely at work. When they had concluded, and all was found right, the two secretaries were dismissed, with a present from Mohammed Aga, between them, of 700 piasters, and their servants with 100. It is certainly matter of surprise with how few books they manage very extensive concerns; such as must be those of the civil and military command of a district vested in the same person; and it is equally a cause of astonishment to an Englishman to hear gentlemen put the question one to another, at the close of a pecuniary arrangement, of “Well, how much did the governor give you, and what did your servants get?”
On the 12th, Signor Catafago left us, upon pretext of business at Damascus.
It was said, in a former page, that Mohammed Aga was a fatalist: a conversation, which took place in the presence of Mâlem Mûsa, the dragoman, and myself, will prove it. I had attended professionally on him and one or two of his people; and I observed to him, “One of your Excellency’s servants has the itch; it would be well if you kept him at a distance from your person.” “Oh, my good sir,” he replied, “I take no precautions against this sort of thing; it were a matter of indifference to me if I even wore the shirt just pulled off his back. Who created that disorder, if you please?—was it not God? and, if so, it is of very little consequence what precautions I take; for, if God intends me to have it, &c., &c.” At this time, there were so many of his people infected with it, that I avoided feeling any one’s pulse until I had first closely inspected his fingers.
The race of peasants in the villages near Ascalon is ugly, with skins of a dirty brown. I saw not one pretty nor even one engaging woman; a rare occurrence in those parts, where the human form has generally some one feature to boast of, and where all the females strove to be pleasing in their manner of speaking.