Diary of A Tour in Greece, Turkey, Egypt, and The Holy Land/Volume 2/Chapter 3

CHAPTER III. Our deaf and dumb guide—The country about Jerusalem —Ramla—Arrival at the Latin convent— Illness of the superior—A sociable monk—Delightful garden—Esdoud—One of Mehemet Ali's messengers—Uncomfortable quarters, and troublesome visitors—Dummy's good qualities—Splendid appearance of the sky—Our lodgings at Gaza— The inspector of quarantine, and his adventures.

DECEMBER 11TH.

—We reposed in great safety in the robber's house, and we might have been aux reprèsailles with him, as all the goods and wearing apparel were left scattered and unprotected. In the confusion of departure, I was quite afraid lest we should carry off our neighbour's goods. 44

Dummy constituted himself my chevalier, pointing out the resort of wild boar and gazelle in the most ingenious manner, assuming by turns the allure of these animals, and making his ungainly person almost graceful in personating the latter animal. There was soon an opportunity of judging of the merit of his pantomime, in the shape of three pretty gazelles close to our path; I was very glad that our padrone cacciatore was too far beyond us to try his gun.

The agreeable but threatening weather at last declared itself in a heavy shower; and poor Minney, on unfurling her umbrella, so frightened her horse that he started, and threw her upon her face. She fortunately escaped with a scratched nose and chin, and very bravely called out she was not hurt.

Our poor Dummy touched me much as soon as he saw she was not hurt: he looked 45

earnestly at me, and then pointed towards Heaven, as if to direct my gratitude thither. As Syria is not likely to have produced an Abbé de l'Epée, this poor man's sense of religion must have been innate, and its impression was the more pure and remarkable; no Christian of our party would have thus immediately referred to a superintending Providence. I had observed it on another occasion: on dividing some bread with him, he first kissed it, and looked upwards most devoutly. Minney's little accident made the rest of our journey less lively.

We found Denino installed at the Latin convent, to which our Jerusalem community had begged us to go, instead of to our former quarters at the Greek convent. We had been told by some monks, who had passed us on the road coming from Cairo, that we had been expected at Ramla the night before. We had hardly got off our 46

horses before our doctor was summoned to visit the superior, and our, or rather the hakim's arrival, was of most fortunate occurrence, as he found the reverend Padre suffering under a violent attack of brain fever, of the character of which the monks were so entirely ignorant, that they were sitting round his bed laughing at the incoherencies and ravings of his delirium: luckily, our provision for blisters had not been all converted into soup, but there were no means of making a plaster, till I devoted a glove for the purpose; no stock of medicine of any kind was to be found in the convent.

The approach to Ramla, from Jerusalem, is much more favourable to its appearance than from Jaffa; the mixture of olive, cactus, pomegranate, and fig-trees, occasionally dotted by palm trees, had such a pretty effect among ruined mosques, illuminated by the setting sun. All nature seemed 47

refreshed by the late rain, and the brightness of the vegetation formed a striking contrast to the aridity of the country about Jerusalem, which, at this season, is without a blade of grass, and the soil is as closely overlaid with flints as the environs of Brighton; however, all this is said to disappear in the early spring, and the green corn, and abundance of flowers, are described as making the country appear a perfect garden; there is a fearful report of a cordon sanitaire making Al Arish, one of our next points, impassable; and we are now in all the anxiety of trying to ascertain the safest direction for our journey.

We of womankind are entirely separated from the rest of the convent, and not even allowed to cross the court. I suppose we ought to be flattered at being considered so dangerous; a fat, merry old Spaniard, however, trusts himself with us in an unflattering manner, very anxious to restore our 48

energies with Rosoglio, particularly those of La poveretta stracciata, as Minney is described with her scratched face.

The doctor's remedies have already proved efficacious for the superior, as, after six days and nights insomnie, the poor sufferer has had an hour's sleep, to-morrow being the seventh day, and the crisis, we have determined to remain at Ramla, and we shall be rewarded by George riding over to Jaffa, to gain all possible intelligence with regard to our missing letters and future movements.

Our social monk is the perfect representation of a lazy friar, whose only occupation is teaching Flora, a young hound, her exercise. He is from Saragossa, where, he says, the national proverb is, “La notte per dormire, il giorno per riposare.”

DECEMBER 12TH.

—We passed a very good night, and the morning's light revealed all the cobwebs and dust, of which we were last night unconscious. I was rather disturbed 49

by, what I thought, the noise of camels, but I found it proceeded from a dove-cot close to my window; and certainly Asiatic turtledoves coo much more mournfully than those of Europe: it is a sort of wail and moan, like a discontented, peevish wife. I think the monks must have added this establishment to the monastery, to put them out of conceit with domestic life.

Our gloomy apartment led to a tiny garden, full of lemon-trees in full bearing; the air was quite perfumed by the cedrate, and Minney and the Doctor went through the German lesson without hat or cloak, out of doors, in the middle of December.

George rode off to Jaffa, and we found a very pretty walk through an avenue of ficus indicus, which brought us to a grassy hillock, where we took up our quarters, and sent for our work and books; a good many of the female inhabitants of Ramla had made the same choice, and appeared to have sufficient 50

occupation in watching our movements. Some little Arabs were playing at soldiers, with sugar-canes for muskets; and some little girls were made quite happy by my presents of needlefuls of red worsted. We had hoped to have our broken chairs repaired, but all the workmen of Ramla had been sent off to assist at the restoration of the fortifications of St. Jean d'Acre.

We anxiously expected the result of George's visit to Jaffa, and he found that the obliging Mons. Cuisinier, who, unasked, had proffered his services to forward our letters, had sent a large packet by a common muleteer conducting some pilgrims to the Greek convent, without a more specific direction; so we are now more tantalized than ever, from knowing that the letters are arrived, but having no means of communicating with the Greek convent.

We cannot ascertain what will be our fate about the Al Arish quarantine, but we 51

shall set off to-morrow for Esdoud (the ancient Ashdod.) I felt struck at this convent, with the reflection, how the monks have the power of supporting privations, or rather the monotony of a monastic life, without a spark of religious enthusiasm, or at least without any deep respect and reverence for its truth. Indeed there is no sign of either among such of the monks as we have seen; they only appear like secluded and retired Bourgeois, without any intellectual or actual pursuit.

DECEMBER 13TH.

—We left Ramla about twelve, after the monks had afforded us every possible hospitality; the now convalescent superior sent for George, to express his gratitude for the attentions of his doctor; to the latter he gave a pretty Bethlehem snuff-box.

The weather was charming on our first setting off; the Viaggiatore Piccola, as the monks named Minney, was a little shy of the 52

umbrellas, which we were soon obliged to déployer, as the rain descended in torrents; and although our impenetrable cloaks proved worthy of their names, we saw our beds getting a sad soaking. The afternoon again proved fine, and a variety of game appeared so inviting, that our padrone thought himself justified in disregarding our nerves for the sake of savoury meat for our evening's repast. We found Esdoud two miles further distance than had been reported, and we hoped so much might be gained on our journey of the next day.

The night had just closed in before we reached Esdoud; we could hardly see our way, when, on, approaching the village, we were all startled, by a person coming up on horseback at full gallop. The darkness added to the surprise we all felt, when we perceived that it was an Arab soldier, who flew by, calling out loudly, and apparently regardless whom he rode over; he proved 53

to be one of Mehemet Ali's messengers, conveying despatches to his son.

He passed us like lightning; we could only discern his large white teeth under the capuchin of his bernouss, which covered him in a most picturesque manner. The sudden manner in which he just appeared and then vanished, caused, I believe, an impression on all our minds, which I can no otherwise describe, but as of a phantom that whirled by us, or, as what one may conceive, to illustrate the idea of Death on the Pale Horse.

We were received by Denino with an unfavourable account of our quarters, which impression was indeed fully justified; the little room was so full of smoke, sheep and lamb skins, that we were some time before we could effect an entrance: anything so close as the atmosphere I never felt, from the combined smells of wool, oil, and tobacco. My first step was into a puddle. 54

When the smoke was a little dispersed, by the pan of ashes being removed, we discovered that the upper end of the room was raised, so that our beds could be placed out of the mud, but how, and where our baggage was to be disposed of, was a fresh puzzle; at last, another room was offered, in the village, for the gentlemen, smaller, and even less ventilated, but the ground was too damp to allow the alternative of encamping; so we determined to look on the amusing side of the question—viz., the dismay of Christine, and the surprise of the Arabian women, who had evidently never before seen a Christian woman.

No sooner was our supper concluded, and Minney and I had been left alone, than the whole female population of the neighbourhood poured in upon us, and they were more difficult to eject than either the sheep or the poultry. The shiek's wife had a very agreeable countenance, and inquired, by 55

signs, the number of my children, which question I returned, and admired her pretty little girl, who then disappeared, as I hoped, for the night, and I trusted that the mother would quickly follow.

I was disappointed in both expectations; the little daughter returned, with a baby in her arms, whom I was obliged to admire, and I felt they intended to pass the night in my room, or rather in hers, as she was the proprietor of this wretched cabin; at last we were obliged to summon Denino, and make him interpret our wish of going to bed, with a civil hope of seeing them the next day.

Although at the risk of suffocation, we then fastened our door, which there was a constant attempt to open for a long time. At last Christine, being fairly awakened, got up to remonstrate; but the interloper turned out to be a remarkably fat sheep, that had evidently been accustomed to the 56

shelter of our apartment. Our musquito nets, I fancy, saved us from being perfectly devoured.

DECEMBER 14TH.

—After a very much better night than we could have hoped for, we rose with unusual alacrity to get out of our den. George arrived with an indifferent account of his night's rest, and we heard a sad narrative on the part of the poor doctor, who, in addition to the winged enemies, had (in fancy, as we thought) seen a rat running over his coverlid, and the conviction (as he said) of the presence of many others “qui soupiroient à mes oreilles.”

He was soon assailed by all the sick and fanciful of the village for consultation; his principal patient was a handsome Arab, who had nearly lost the sight of one eye, and who had hitherto been satisfied that a talisman, in the shape of a fine-sized pearl, hanging from his turban above the eye in question, would effect his cure. The doctor 57

recommended as a substitute the constant use of cold water, with some little accessory, as there is no doubt that the want of cleanliness is the great aggravation of this species of ophthalmia.

After superintending for three hours the loading of our mules, the arrangements of which would by a European have been accomplished in as many quarters, we were fairly off, and passed in less than two hours a much better village than Esdoud, which last, remarkable in ancient history for resisting for months the invasion of Alexander, retains now no distinction but that of harbouring scorpions of a most venomous species.

We fortunately were in advance of the black and threatening clouds of rain which we saw bursting over the mountains of Judea; and our day's journey lay through a pretty country, richly cultivated. A good deal of ploughing was going forward, and in 58

one instance a camel was engaged, that looked quite out of character, in agricultural pursuit: the labour of turning the camel every two minutes must have been much greater than the mere manual labour of turning up the ground where the rich yet light soil offers such facility.

Dummy was more active than ever in running up trees to gather switches to punish our lazy mules, and then crouching to make his back a firm support for mounting on our awkward Turkish saddles; he was the perfect illustration of the dumb slave in the Arabian Nights, and his quickness of perception perfectly astonishing. In coming into our room in the morning, he had caught sight of himself in the little looking-glass belonging to my dressing-case, and looked perfectly bewildered; but at last ascertaining the cause of reflection, shrugged up his shoulders with a mixed expression of pity and dismay at his appearance. 59

During the day's journey he acted as pointer to our chasseur, who found plenty of sport in a country abounding in partridges, plovers, and rock and wood pigeons. We passed through forests of olives, not thickly planted, but affording very desirable shade and contrast to the country we had lately passed.

We reached the walls of Gaza about sunset; I never saw such a sky. On the left were masses of fleecy clouds, not of the dense character of our northern climates, but reminding us of the white smoke emitted by Mount Vesuvius at the eruption we had seen some months before. Behind a grove of beautiful palm-trees the sky appeared like a bright fire; one felt that it might have scorched the upper branches.

What a contrast between this burning climate and the country we had just left! No vegetation beyond that of palms and the ficus indicus, and everything denoting a tropical country. 60

George had remained at a little distance from the approach of Gaza, intent on adding to our pigeon pie, and on our arriving at the gates we found no Cavasse, or any one to shew us where Denino had made our quarters, and our Arabs conducted us to the khan, a regular warehouse built round a court, where we recognised our baggage, but no Denino, no Demetrius, no anybody that could tell us where to go. We all became very hungry and impatient, even to our poor horses, that tried to shake us off our saddles, for they were too tired to kick us off.

At last a figure advanced towards us, half Oriental, half European, offering his services, with a volubility truly Neapolitan, who informed us that he was the Deputatore della Sanità of Gaza, and that he was directed by the governor to express his regrets at his inability of lodging us d'una maniera convenevole al rango, but that already a warehouse was emptied for our reception, 61

and that our kitchen was most conveniently situated in the open court, where a tent was also pitched.

This description did not quite realize our sanguine expectations of better lodging at Gaza; but the sheltered though unglazed windows, and a whitewashed wall, made our quarters appear luxurious after Esdoud.

The room was large enough to allow our fixing a rope across it, which enabled us to hang shawls and cloaks upon it, to afford George and ourselves independent ménages and boudoirs. Our medico and artiste were condemned to encamp in the court, and we were soon comfortably settled round a dining-table furnished by our obliging inspector of quarantine, whom we detained to supper, and a most amusing convive he proved, giving us an account of his past life and adventures, with all his Neapolitan vivacity.

His father had been a trader between Naples and Alicant, and his son, our guest, 62

had succeeded to his father's profession, and for years with success. A storm, however, wrecked both his ships and his fortunes, and at forty he had to begin the world again. He next found himself at Algiers, where he had some commercial relations; and at the moment when the French took possession of it, owing to his having some slight knowledge of Arabic, he became dragoman and a sort of fournisseur to Maréchal Bourmont, and in his employment made four thousand dollars. He then was accused by some of the native residents of diminishing their commercial interests, thrown into prison, and condemned to twelve years' galères, but was released by Maréchal Bourmont's interference, who had then left the country, but the four thousand dollars were gone, “non c'è.”

He got transported with his family to Naples; again on the pavé, with nothing but la divina clima to console him, as the 63

relations he found alive were as poor as himself. At last an old acquaintance at the Douane obtained a situation for him at Aleppo, whence he was again transferred to Beyrout, then to Damascus, where his pitiable condition, that of having a wife and three children to support on five piastres (ls. 3d.) a day, gained for him the sympathy of an employé of Ibrahim Pacha, and obtained for him the post of inspector of health in this miserable and unwholesome spot, with an ill-paid salary of three hundred piastres a month. All this he told us without any apparent complaint or attempt to work upon our compassion.

The thing he seemed most to lament was the impossibility of having his baby christened, out of reach as he was of any Catholic ecclesiastic, and having no feeling of community with the Greek church. “Poveretta Marietta, che ha il nome ma non é Cristiana.”

He had an equally anxious feeling to contend 64

with, in the baneful effect of the climate on the eyes of his children, whom our doctor found in all the different stages of ophthalmia; his boy, whom he is endeavouring to get educated for a dragoman at an Arabic school, was the greatest sufferer; and upon the doctor betraying his apprehension for the sight of one of the poor boy's eyes, the poor father's feelings quite overcame him.

Had we given him a fortune he could not have appeared more grateful than for the ointment my little pharmacie enabled the doctor to compose. He assured us of the everlasting gratitude of la mia Moglia, la mia Sposa, la mia Metà, la mia femmina, and at last la mia Vecchia, by which variety of appellations he designated Signora Spada. 65