"July 4th.—I went with Dr Loewe over the two hospitals at Therapia. They were in perfect order, and most of the inmates were convalescent. We saw some cholera and fever patients, and a number of soldiers, some of them most severely wounded. Later on we walked to Lord Stratford de Redcliffe's. He said my firmans were all ready, and they should be sent to the British Consul at Pera for me, as was usual; I should get them to-morrow morning. At the same time he presented me with the order the Sultan had conferred upon me. He would, he said, inform the British Government of it in his despatches, and would add his wish that Her Majesty the Queen would allow me to wear it, as he knew it would afford the Sultan much pleasure. I presented Dr Loewe to Lord Stratford. On taking leave he wished me again every success."
July 5th.—Sir Moses had now received all the letters and important papers promised to him; and not wishing to lose a day unnecessarily, gave orders for our departure, having previously expressed his warmest thanks to Mr Abraham Camundo for the hospitality he had received at his hands.
We left Constantinople on board the Impératrice, much pleased with the result of our mission, and directed our course towards the Holy Island.
Wherever practicable Sir Moses went on shore to acquaint himself with the state of the Jews in the locality, but where this was impossible, deputations came on board and presented addresses. He thus had ample opportunities to ascertain the exact condition of his brethren in Smyrna, Rhodes, Messina, Scandroon (Alexandretta), Latakia, Cyprus, and Beyrout, and at the proper time Sir Moses availed himself of his information to the advantage of those who stood in need of his intercession with their respective governments.
On July 18th we arrived at Jerusalem. On nearing the spot from which the Holy City is first seen by the traveller, we dismounted as usual for a short prayer, and were met by thousands of people who came to greet Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore. His Excellency Kiamil Pasha, the Governor of Jerusalem, sent an escort of horsemen. The Háhám Báshi, at the head of the members of his ecclesiastical court, the representatives of the congregations, deputations from schools, and the most influential citizens, came to meet the travellers and welcome them to the Holy City. A guard of honour was drawn up by order of the Pasha, and the people generally evinced their pleasure by continually firing off guns and pistols as a sort of feu de joie.
Tents were then pitched outside the city, at the corner of the Máïdân, nearest the walls.
Information having already been given to the authorities in Jerusalem that Sir Moses would be the bearer of important official documents, many persons called to ascertain their nature. To the British Consul, to whom Sir Moses had special letters of introduction from the British Government, he showed the firman he had obtained, by the intercession of Lord Napier, for the rebuilding of an ancient synagogue belonging to the German Hebrew congregation, and also a Vizierial letter, enjoining the Governor of the Holy City to give him every assistance to enable him to carry out his benevolent intentions.
Mr James Finn, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul, presented Sir Moses officially to the Pasha, who received him with great kindness.
In the presence of the Council of the City Effendis the firman was read out. The Pasha and the members of the Council remained standing whilst it was being read.