Thursday, May 21st.—Count Pisamani, the Austrian Consul, informed him that he would proceed in a fortnight to Constantinople to get a firman for a highway or carriage road from Jaffa to Jerusalem.
The Emperor of Russia, he was told by the same gentleman, had sent £50 to the poor Jews of the Warsaw congregation at Jerusalem. His Imperial Majesty had also given permission to his Jewish subjects in Poland to send money to the Holy Land. Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore were much pleased with this gratifying news.
The Loan Society, established by the Appeal Fund Committee, was next examined, and found to have done much good. The necessity of having such an institution was proved, and it was decided by Sir Moses to continue it, although in some cases the loans could not be recovered on account of the abject poverty of the borrowers.
Sir Moses received and paid visits to the Governor, the Consul, the patriarchs of various religious communities, visited, as on former occasions, most of the places held in veneration, and having obtained all the information in connection with the institutions established by the Appeal Fund, left Jerusalem on the 7th June, arriving at Alexandria on the 11th of that month.
The attention shown to Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore by the Pasha of Egypt has already been described by me when referring to their visit to Alexandria in the year 1849. On the present occasion the friendly feeling of His Highness was, if possible, even more strongly displayed.
Sir Moses was impressed with the idea that any act of kindness shown to him by the Pasha might leave a favourable impression on the Egyptian population, inasmuch as the latter would notice His Highness' friendly sentiments towards a member of the Hebrew community, and it might possibly induce them to cultivate more friendly relations with his co-religionists. He had entered in his Diary full particulars of the reception given to him also on the present occasion by order of His Highness. One of the Pasha's palaces was prepared for him, the viceregal boats, manned by sailors and soldiers in full uniform, were sent to meet Sir Moses, and royal carriages were in waiting to drive his party to the Palace. Magnificent entertainments were arranged for him. There were elegant repasts served by thirty attendants. The Governor of Alexandria came to offer his services, and carriages and horses with runners at the side were continually at his disposal.
"The morning after our arrival," Sir Moses writes, "the Governor sent to inquire after our health. In the course of the day Lady Montefiore, accompanied by Mrs Tibaldi, paid a visit to the Princess, who received her with the utmost kindness, and made her promise to spend a day with her.
"I returned the Governor's visit, accompanied by my friends and the officer appointed to attend me during my stay in Egypt. His Excellency received me at the Grand Palace, came to the top of the staircase to meet me, and showed every possible mark of respect.
"He invited me to pay him a visit at Cairo, which I promised to do."
June 15th.—In accordance with a previous arrangement with the Governor, Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore proceeded to Cairo; there they again had a princely reception in the palace. "The breakfast," Sir Moses says, "was magnificently served in truly regal state; not less than thirty-two servants were in attendance."