Sir Stratford Canning, to whom I related this adventure confidentially on my arrival, made known to the Porte that I had received hospitality and great kindness from this Bey when benighted on my return from Broussa, and expressed a hope that the Porte would in some suitable form mark approval of such kindness shown to a member of the Embassy.
The Turkish Government announced their satisfaction and thanks for the report I had presented, through the Ambassador, giving the result of my inquiry into the conduct of Pasha and Consul, and sent to H.E. a Sultan’s ‘berat’ or edict, placing the Bey under the special protection of the Porte and of His Imperial Majesty, and recommending him to the good offices of the Pasha and other officials.
This ‘berat’ I forwarded in a letter to the Bey; but, alas! I could not send the messages I should have wished to have done to Fatima and the ‘dil bere’ (heart-robber) Aisha.
That year Sir Stratford Canning, accompanied by all his family and all the members of the Embassy except myself, who was left in charge for a few days, made an excursion to Broussa and were received with great attention and hospitality by the Pasha. In 1844 the latter was removed from his government and returned to Constantinople, where he resided in a large kiosk on the Bosphorus.
In the summer of 1844, having obtained leave of absence from Her Majesty’s Government, I made arrangements to embark in a French steamer bound for Marseilles.
On taking leave of the Ambassador, he told me he had ordered his ‘kaik’ to convey me from Buyukdere, where his Excellency then resided, to the steamer in Pera harbour, but that he was anxious I should call on the ex-Pasha of Broussa and present to him a gold chronometer, worth about £60, as a token of his—Sir Stratford’s—friendship, and acknowledgement of the hospitality shown to himself and family on his visit.
His Excellency added, ‘I am especially anxious you should present this gift, and renew your acquaintance with the Pasha, and thus remove any feeling that might possibly exist in his mind regarding the inquiry made by you into his and the Consul’s conduct, and the decision that was come to by the Porte in consequence of your report; for the Pasha will probably be employed again by the Government, and when you return to the Embassy it is desirable that you should both be on friendly terms.’ In pursuance of these instructions I called on the Pasha, who received me very kindly and told me he had a lively recollection of my visit to Broussa, and of my statement in the report that both he and the Consul were in the wrong and had been quarrelling upon trivial matters.
He laughed and added, ‘You were quite right; the Consul and I made it up and became good friends, so I feel indebted to you for not having unduly taken the part of your Consul.’
I presented the chronometer, with a suitable message from the Ambassador, and then told the Pasha I could not wait for the usual pipes and coffee, as I had to embark in a steamer which was about to start. He replied that he should only detain me for a moment, and left the room. He returned immediately, bringing a small green leathern case, suspended in a little muslin kerchief, which he put into my hands, saying, ‘You are going to your own country and you may not return, so I beg you to keep this as a little souvenir of my friendship.’
Though I knew not what were the contents of the leathern case, I thought by the shape it was a ‘finjan’ or Turkish saucer for holding a small cup; but as it is against the established regulations for a diplomatic officer to accept presents from a foreign official, I told the Pasha my scruples, and that it would affect me injuriously if I accepted even the smallest gift.