We crossed Lake Edko and the isthmus, and then re-embarked in another boat of a similar build. We were finally landed at the block-house, on the dyke between Lake Madia and Lake Mœris, where, three years before, I passed, in company with Mr. Henry Pearce, so disagreeable a night. We here hired asses, which were waiting on the shore for the arrival of boats, and proceeded strait to Alexandria, which we reached at sunset. Colonel Missett, the British Resident, received us both into his house, and expressed his obligations to me for coming so far on his account.
The plague had committed some ravages in Alexandria this year, but they were now over, and, in the language of the Levant, people had opened their houses; that is, those who had shut themselves up in rigid quarantine had now resumed their accustomed occupations and intercourse.[69]
Shaykh Ibrahim showed a strong disposition to revisit Syria at this time, and expressed himself as half inclined to accompany me when I should go back. My time passed away most delightfully in Alexandria. Banished so long as I had been from European society of all sorts, I entered again, with infinite relish, into the parties and evening conversazioni, which were both gay and instructive. Colonel Missett’s urbanity drew to his house whatever was respectable in talent or rank. So great was the esteem in which the British Resident was held, that the greatest title to consideration and gratitude, from all ranks at Alexandria, for me would have been in restoring to the Colonel that health of which he had been long deprived. But some dietetic rules, with a few remedies as palliatives in the most distressing symptoms, were all the relief that a confirmed paralysis of the lower extremities, now of seven years’ standing, would admit of.
As it was Ramazán, Shaykh Ibrahim, in the character of a Moslem, was bound to fast from sunrise to sunset: but, when he got to Colonel Missett’s, he thought he might resume his Frank habits without the risk of being detected. We were seated one morning at one of those sumptuous breakfasts for which the Colonel’s table was celebrated, when a young Turk, named Sadiz Effendi, and well known to Shaykh Ibrahim, suddenly entered, and caught the shaykh with his mouth full. Evasion or denial was useless: and this discovery, no doubt, did the shaykh great harm among those Moslems who had almost made up their minds to identify him with themselves.
Much amusement was afforded us about this time by the facility with which some French gentlemen, presuming on the restoration of the old nobility by the return of Louis XVIII., assumed pretended dormant titles in their families; so that Cairo and Alexandria had on a sudden many noble names to boast of.
M. Drovetti, ex-consul of France, was residing at Alexandria, and gratified us with a sight of his collection of antiquities, which he hoped one day to sell in Europe. He estimated it at three thousand guineas, probably somewhat more than its value.[70]
The commerce of Alexandria had revived since Buonaparte’s downfall. There were more than a hundred European ships in the west harbour during my stay. Of these, a few came fully laden with European commodities; but as yet there was not a market for them.
Signor Belzoni, who afterwards rendered himself so celebrated for his discoveries in Egypt, was, at this epoch, just arrived there in search of employment. But the person who excited most conversation among the Franks was Mr. J. Silk Buckingham, who to considerable natural abilities united much activity and research, which, not being well seconded in Egypt, obliged him subsequently to repair to India, where he found his talents better appreciated. There was also a Scotchman here, who was left after the affair of Rosetta, and from a soldier had made a doctor of himself. He secretly told me that he wanted to abandon Egypt and his religion; but Shaykh Ibrahim dissuaded him from doing so.
Towards the end of September, after a stay of five weeks, I quitted Alexandria. As Shaykh Ibrahim had never seen Damietta, he resolved to accompany me thither; and we jointly hired a coasting boat to convey us to that city, for which we were to pay 100 piasters.
We embarked in the evening of the 25th, but the wind was fresh, and we could not quit the port until the next day. Our boat was roomy, and we had it entirely to ourselves, such being the agreement. Both our servants became so ill the moment they were embarked, that we were obliged to dress our dinner for ourselves. The passage was favourable. Shaykh Ibrahim performed his prayers on board, but the räis never could make up his mind to address him as a Turk, and through the whole passage persisted in calling him Khawágy[71] Shaykh Ibrahim, ludicrously mixing the Christian appellation with his Mahometan designation.