general-Speech of the old Jew concerning Proselytism-Pas-

sage granted me by a British Man of War--Inscription on the

Tomb of Pisistratus-Smyrna, the Birthplace of Homer-Ruined

Castle of the Knights-Scio-Its present Appearance-Reflec-

tions suggested by it-Samos-Ruins of the Temple of Juno-

Antony and Cleopatra-Cos-Esculapius born here-And

Apelles-The Painter and the Cobbler-Arrive at Rhodes-

Present Government of the Islands-Favour shown by the

Porte to Christians-What they may one day become Opinion

of Mr. Titmarsh as to the Quality of Samian Wine

PAGE

281

CHAPTER XIV.

Rhodes-How it verifies the idea previously formed of it-The

Walls Harbour - Where the Colossus probably stood-

Knights' Street-Description of some of the Houses there-

Mosque near the Church of St. John-Hospital-The Quarter

of the Jews-Visit to a Wealthy Jew-Hebrew Marriage-

Jewish Ladies of my Host-Their Skill in plaiting Silk-My

large Dog-The Personage to whom he was the means of intro-

ducing me-Beder Khan Beg-Conversation with him-Origin

of the Order of St. John-Some Account of that Saint-The

Hospitallers become wealthy-They become a Religious Order

-Of whom composed-Celebrity of the Knights of Rhodes-

Turks besiege the Island-Heroic Bravery of the besieged-

Siege renewed-Immense Army of the Sultan-Rhodes at

length taken Praise of the Order and of the Knights by an

eye-witness-Departure from Rhodes-Arrive at Cyprus-

Short stay there-Embark for Beyrout

. 299

CHAPTER XV.

The Foot of the Lebanon-Beyrout-The Inn there changed for

the better-Time-tied Travellers off to explore Syria-My own

Disinclination to move- -My Departure at last-An Invitation

from a Friend-Journey to his House-My Reception there-

Visitors of my Friends-Some Account of an old emigrant

Farmer-Diurnal Life in the House of my Friend-Idleness,

the Offspring of Ease-Whether Wine brings out the real Feel-

ings of Men-The Language of Flowers-Turkish Marriages-

Character of the Turks and Eastern Christians-Radical Cor-

ruption of the Turkish Government-Oppression of the Turkish

Great, acquiesced in by the Poor-Hospitality of the Arabs-——

Instances of it-Brummanah-Sanatory Qualities of the

Climate of the Lebanon-Beauty of the Eastern Sunrise and

Sunset.
. 328

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XVI.

Travellers to the East-What they are to expect when they get

there; or how their Expectations will be disappointed-Life

with the Turks-Life with the Arabs-The Missionary-His

success-Arguments of a young Convert-Missionaries unsuc-

cessful with the Druses-My Hostess-Her Stories-The Par-

venu and the Door of his new House-The Frank and the

Devil-Return of Fever-And to Beyrout-Scenes there-The

Lady and the Mercer-Relations, by the Old Man, of Lady

Hester Stanhope-Progress of Civilisation in Beyrout-Illus-

trated by several particulars-Frank Doctors and Azrael the

Angel of Death-Final Destination of Lawyers, as prescribed

by the Turks-Fountains of the East-Regard in which Water

is held there-Turkish Burials and Tombs-Visits of Relatives

to the Graves-Ceremonies of Marriage in the East-Some

strange Customs on such occasions-The Ansayrii-Refuge of

their Mountains-Marriages of Christians amongst each other

-The Practice of Mussulmans in that particular-Character of

Eastern Wives-Beyrout, as a Picture of the Turkish Govern-

ment.

xi

PAGE

349

TRAVELS IN THE EAST,

1850-51.

CHAPTER I.

Residence of the Pasha-Foundation of Mosul-Its Situation-Its Mode of Communication with the other side of the River-Reside at the Encampment of Mr. Layard-Tiyari Nestorian Christians— Their Assassination by the Koords-Antiquity of the Chaldean Christian Church-An Appeal on behalf of those that yet remain— The Jabour Tribe.

THE Pasha resides in a large serai some half mile lower down the river; it is, as most serais are, a vast pile of building which has probably never been repaired since the day it was built. This is one of the things that cannot fail to strike a traveller he mounts to a Pasha's palace through a court full of dirt, loungers of all sorts sitting about, up rotten stairs that totter with his weight, to a room whereof the walls are whitewashed,—or rather have been, and ought to be again-and so also with the room where sits the great man. The

curtains, of the commonest stuff, are held by a

VOL. II.

B

2

THE FOUNDATION OF MOSUL.

couple of nails over the windows, which are half broken, and patched with paper or rag; the floor covered with rude mats, the divan probably of red baize, ill-fitting, and out of order. The character of the natives here-the type,-it would be impossible to describe they are so various, and so dissimilar. Their dress, also, is peculiar in each of the races.

The Turks, as elsewhere, also the Christians and the Koords, wear the short, straight-cut felt jacket, and an enormous turban of the native manufactured handkerchiefs, of brilliant colours. The Yezidis seemed neater and cleaner than any, with their many-coloured garments and large dark turban.

The foundation of Mosul is veiled in obscurity. Gibbon assumes it to be the western suburb of Ninus, the city that succeeded Nineveh. There is at Mosul a curious old Syriac MSS., which says it rose on the ruins of that great city, and that but little space intervened between the fall of the one, and the rise of the other. Had we the book of Xisuthus,* buried at Sippara, these things would be plain to us; but this antiquity of Mosul must be exaggerated, or else Nineveh can hardly be the

*The history of the world before the flood was written by Xisuthus, who was warned in a dream by the god Cronos to do so. He was told to bury it in the city of the Sun at Sippara. This is the Perisabora of ancient geographers, and Anbar, the ruins of which are still to be seen close to the castle of Felugra, south-west of Bagdad on the road to Babylon.