Visitors of another kind made their appearance this year, but were not so cordially received. These were swarms of locusts, which came to add to the distress in which the country was then plunged from the unusual drought of the season. The locusts first showed themselves in the middle of March, and flew chiefly along the border land between the mountains and the sea, forming a swarm of some miles in length. They would have gone onward, but the north wind happened to set in, and blew so strongly that, when they came to a point of land a few miles north of Sayda, past which there was no screen from the wind, they could not advance any farther; for once on the wing, so slight of body are they, that, whichever way the wind blows, they are carried irresistibly with it.
The poor husbandman slept for a few hours, and, on waking, found a track of stalks where lately he left a corn-field in full blade. Winter seemed suddenly to have succeeded spring, so completely were the trees and fields stripped of their verdure.
Locusts on the wing can be compared to nothing so well as a fall of snow. Their swarms obscure the air in just the same manner and as far as the eye can reach.
About this time news was brought that Her Royal Highness Caroline Princess of Wales had landed at Acre. Lady Hester had heard many weeks before of her approach, and, not intending to come in contact with her, had given out that she had meditated for some time past a journey to Antioch, and was resolved to put it in execution this summer. Preparations and arrangements had therefore begun as early as the month of May; and she had written to Mr. Barker, British consul at Aleppo, to meet her at Antioch, for the purpose of settling their banking accounts and other matters. Many persons thought it an instance of great rashness on the part of Lady Hester to go into a district inhabited entirely by Ansárys, a race which had lately seen such mischief accruing to it at her instigation, on account of M. Boutin’s assassination.
Lady Hester’s preparations for her departure were now so far advanced that the vessel in which she intended to sail had been hired. I know not whether her ladyship had any reason, other than the mere probability of such a thing, for believing that Her Royal Highness would extend her journey towards Sayda; but, as she had resolved not to remain herself at Mar Elias to await the result of the princess’s movements, it was thought proper that I should do so, to offer her such accommodations and entertainment as the monastery could afford. Miss Williams was left for the purpose of household arrangements, and Hanýfy, the black slave, likewise stopped behind; probably to prevent her from forming an acquaintance with so fanatic a people as the Antiochian Mahometans, who hold it to be a sin for any believer to be bought and kept in servitude by a Christian. Lady Hester furnished me with a letter of introduction to Her Royal Highness; and desired me to go and meet her as far as Tyre, supposing she came that way by land.
Lady Hester spent a few days, previous to her departure, in her cottage in the gardens of Sayda; and on the 18th July embarked on board of a shaktúr, which had been fitted up for the voyage. The vessel put into Tripoli, where she saw Mustafa Aga Berber, and other persons with whom she was in correspondence of business and friendship. Re-embarking, she arrived safely at Swadíah, and thence went to Antioch, where she was received with great honours by the authorities of the place.
CHAPTER XII.
Journey of the Princess of Wales to Jerusalem—Burial at Abra—Dismissal of Ibrahim—Padre Nicolo—M. Ruffin appointed French consul at Sayda—Great drought—Festival of St. Elias—Alarm of robbers—Visit of the Author to the Shaykh Beshýr’s wife, and to Syt Frosýny Kerasâty—Further alarms—Festival of Byrám—Cottages taken for Lady Hester at the village of Rûm—Depilation—Flight of Mâlem Dubány—Return of Lady Hester from Antioch—Result of researches after the murderers of Col. Boutin—The Ansáry refuse to give them up—Mustafa Aga Berber collects troops to punish the Ansáry—Motives of Lady Hester’s voyage to Antioch—Visit of M. Regnault, French consul at Tripoli—M. Loustaunau and his predictions—History of Michael Ayda—Return of Giorgio from England, with Mr. N., as successor to the Author—Last visit of the latter to Acre—The governor of Smyrna put to death—Hawáry soldiers—Visit to the Emir Beshýr.
In the mean time, it was told me by Abûna Saba, the superior of the monastery of Dayr Mkhallas, who was just returned from Acre, that Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales had reached Acre under the following circumstances. The vessel, on board of which she was, had put into Jaffa, as being the nearest port to Jerusalem. Mohammed Aga, the governor, was not there, and the vice-governor, Kengi Ahmed, (his father-in-law) refused to let Her Royal Highness land, saying that he respected her firmans, but dared not act upon them until they had been presented to his master, Sulymán Pasha.[98] Upon this the vessel sailed for Acre. Here the Princess inquired for Signor Catafago, of whom she had probably heard at Jaffa; but, on learning that he was absent, Her Royal Highness sent for Signor Malagamba, the English agent.
A complaint was laid against Kengi Ahmed Aga for having refused her entrance at Jaffa; but his conduct was justified by the pasha, who said that it was Her Royal Highness who had gone wrong by trying to get in at the window instead of the door; meaning that she had presented herself at a port which was not the seat of government. The pasha judged Signor Catafago to be the fittest person to act as Her Royal Highness’s conductor to Jerusalem: he therefore sent for him to Nazareth, ordering him to come immediately.