They left Alexandria on June 14th on board the steamer Le Caire, arriving at Beyrout on the 16th, where they entered the Lazaretto for twelve days.
Sir Moses presented Lord Palmerston's letter to Mr Niven Moore, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul General, who assured him of his readiness to assist him in the object of his journey to Damascus. Deputations arrived from all parts of the Holy Land, and especially from Damascus, offering their greetings of welcome and their services, but it was found desirable, in order to avoid any unnecessary excitement, to request the representatives of the deputations to return to their respective towns and await the arrival of Sir Moses there.
Dr Fränkel, the doctor in charge of Sir Moses' dispensary at Jerusalem, was sent for to accompany the party to Damascus, and letters were written to the four Holy Cities, viz., Jerusalem, Hebron, Tiberias, and Safed, apprising the communities of the arrival of the travellers.
They passed twelve days in quarantine, not altogether without anxiety on account of Lady Montefiore, who was confined to her apartments for several days by illness. The heat of the weather was very oppressive, and the presence of the graves of some unfortunate travellers who died whilst in quarantine, affected their spirits very much, and conjured up gloomy reflections.
One morning a very large black snake was killed close to the door of their house. It measured six feet ten inches in length, and its bite would have been fatal. They were told that great numbers of them might sometimes be seen in the grounds of the Lazaretto.
Happily the number of letters which required their attention, and the frequent calls from their friends, did not allow them to remain long in this desponding state.
June 19th.—Colonel Moore communicated to them some news which afforded them much pleasure. The Emperor of Russia had conceded to all his subjects in the Holy Land, whose passports had expired, the right of placing themselves under British protection, which, in fact, was allowing them to become British subjects. The British Government had approved of the measure, and at this moment, the Consul said, the Russians and Poles in Syria might, if they chose, be British subjects.
June 27th.—They left the Lazaretto, proceeding to Damascus, where they arrived on July 3rd, taking up their quarters in the house of Isaac Haim Farhhi.
Her Majesty's Consul, Mr (now Sir) Richard Wood, was foremost in his attention to them. The members of the Hebrew community were rejoiced beyond description on seeing those who had made so many sacrifices for them; but, while these manifested their great happiness, there were others, still under the influence of the ancient prejudice against the Hebrews, who could not suppress their chagrin at the presence of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore in Damascus.
Sir Moses being desirous of ascertaining for himself whether the objectional inscription was still in existence, repaired to the Church of the Capuchins, where, to his great sorrow, he saw the stone, bearing the inscription in Italian and Arabic. He immediately had it copied in the presence of Fratre Giovannida Termini Prefo. dei Mis F. Cappucciai, and Fr. Domenico de Sewazzo Mis F. Aposco. Cappño, and determined to return, with as little delay as possible, to England, in order to appeal to the English Government, and, through them, to the French and Turkish Governments, for the removal of the tablet.