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MAHOMMEDAN DEVOTIONS.

eighty miles long, and twenty broad; and is computed to have nearly three hundred thousand inhabitants, who, as of old, bear but an indifferent moral character. Formerly, there were about equal numbers of Greeks and Mahommedans; but since the transfer of the territory to the Pasha of Egypt, Mehemet Ali, the number of Mahommedans has considerably increased. In the capital, there are fourteen Turkish Mosques, a Greek Cathedral and Church, an Armenian Church, and a Roman Catholic Monastery. St. Paul, quoting the character given of them by one of their own poets, supposed to be Epimenides, says, "The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies;" and Mr. Hartley, in his Researches in Greece, says, "The Cretans of the present day are precisely what they were in the day of the Apostle Paul; they are notoriously, whether Turks or Greeks, the very worst characters in the Levant."

Crete was at an early period the site of a Christian Church, of which Titus was the first bishop.*

It was on board the Lycurgus, just at sunset, that I first witnessed the performance of Moslem devotions. At the fore part of the vessel there was a group of Mahommedans, with an appearance of devoutness about them worthy of a better creed. They spread out their segaddehs, or prayer-carpets, which those who can afford it always carry with them, and which are of the size of a large hearth-rug, of beautiful materials and pattern. Pulling off their slippers, they stand on these carpets with their bare feet, repeating a certain order of prayers in a very low voice, accompanied by a number of genuflexions and prostrations, touching frequently the ground with their forehead-with the face turned always towards Mecca, the shrine of Mahomet. I could but respect the apparent devotedness of manner, though in connection with a system in which truth holds but little place. When, thought I, will they be followers of the Lamb! And will the drying up of the Euphrates,† be the opening of the well-springs of salvation to these slaves of the false prophet?

* Titus, i. 5.

+ Rev. xvi. 12.

FIRST VIEW OF ALEXANDRIA.

67

The next night passed serenely, and the next day-during which we made successful progress towards Alexandria. The morning of the twenty-fifth of April opened with a fresh and stirring breeze; and the whole crew and passengers, even our poor sick companion, seemed all animation, at the prospect of reaching the destined port-the ancient, far-famed city of Egypt, before sunset. I freely partook of the general exhilaration; and felt that I was indeed nearing the most deeply interesting parts of the inhabited globe. My imagination was very creative; and I became at last almost impatient, as if the "leaden-winged" hours were moving far too slowly. Twelve o'clock came, and the stronger sighted of the crew were able, they said, to descry something in the distance. Was it the land of mystery and of miracle in reality; or did their imagination shape forth things that were not yet visible to the bodily eye? I could discern nothing, however willing to believe that the land of Egypt was in sight. Another hour passed; and I thought I could perceive somewhat that had the appearance of a thin narrow strip of land. Others were quite sure they could. At length a low range of irregular buildings-more like shadow than reality, presented itself; and to the right of it I could trace a long narrow ridge of sand, more like a deeply defined horizon line than anything else. Soon it became distinct enough to be recognized as an ocean-boundary; but so low, that it seemed wonderful it should not be covered by the waters of the sea. Above the horizon, a remarkable appearance presented itself as if the whole atmosphere were impregnated with sand, borne by the breezes from the Lybian desert. And this probably was the case, as the sands are thus carried onwards to an immense distance. Soon my imagination began to act upon the idea of crossing trackless deserts, amidst wild and lawless tribes. I seemed at once to lose sight, in my memory, of the interesting European scenes through which I had passed; and Egypt and Palestine, with all their rich associations, rose before my excited fancy; while home itself, with all its objects of affection, seemed at a vast distance indeed. I was in

68

ARRIVAL AT ALEXANDRIA.

sight of the land of the Pharaohs-the scene of Israel's bondage and deliverance—the burial-place of the mighty Alexander.

Another hour brought us to a tolerably distinct view of the city. We still made way; and in due time hoisted the usual signal for an Egyptian pilot to come and steer us into the very difficult and dangerous port: a port which needs always to be approached by a skilful and experienced hand, on account of the many rocks but slightly covered by the sea. The signal was answered by the putting off from Alexandria of a pilot-boat, with its graceful latteen sail, which bounded like a bird, over the rather heavy swell of the bay. It soon neared us; and it was quite an exciting picture when we saw its little crew in their graceful Arab costume-their turbaned heads and flowing garments, managing their little bark with the greatest tact, and putting on board our vessel the pilot—a fine, middle-aged Arab, as brown as a berry, and with a full black beard, who at once assumed the management, giving direction upon direction, till the signal was made for casting anchor, and our voyage was complete. Boats in great numbers were quickly around us; and, taking possession of one, we got our luggage cleared with all possible celerity. Loud was the clamor, and wild the scene. We had then a distance of nearly two miles ere we could get on shore; and when we fairly came to land, what a picture was presented. The oriental appearance of the city and of its population spoke for itself at once; and we felt that an African climate was about us. Throngs of half-naked Arabs, clamorous for employment as porters, stood around. The harsh guttural of the Arabic tongue sounded strangely in our ears. Asses-some saddled for riding, and others prepared to carry baggage, together with guides and servants proffering their services, all pressed upon us together, as we first set our feet on the shores of Egypt; while, somewhat in the background, a long string of camels, laden with timber, stones for building, and water skins, passed along, with their slow, dreamy, yet majestic step; and here and there the "feathery palm-trees" waved

gracefully in the slightly moving breeze which swept over them from the desert. It was indeed a heart-stirring moment when we first stepped ashore-in a strange land, and such a land as this, where every thing is a subject for the painter, and tends to realize to the mind all the orientalism which one has been accustomed to contemplate through the medium of books and pictures.

It would have amused our friends in England, could they but have seen us on our arrival, with our baggage laid upon asses, guided by attendant Arab men and boys—a troop of them, all jealous of each other on account of the few piastres which were to be the price of the accommodation; the selected ones exulting—the rejected ones growling and fuming--and all going in uproarious procession through the narrow and squalid-looking streets and avenues of the Arab quarter, amidst crowds of the most picturesque figures that can be conceived some gravely and silently smoking their long pipes some squatting on the dust in the shade of the low. mud-walled dwellings, in earnest conversation-some playing at games, and others carrying on their heads and crying various articles of small merchandize. Women were seen bearing their half-naked babes astride on their shoulders, and others riding on donkeys, which are the "hackney-coaches" of Alexandria. Winding our way slowly through the overhung and confined streets, with a sense of entire novelty and strangeness, we reached at length the European Hotel, rejoicing at finding ourselves once more in a condition to enjoy rest and repose.

Here ends the first stage of my pilgrimage. I scarcely know which is more delightful-the experience, or the recollection. Both have their peculiar charms. The former was transient ; the latter will be permanent, so long as memory shall retain the power of calling up her visions of the past.

CHAPTER II.

EGYPT.

Alexandria-Bazaars-Female Costume-Pompey's Pillar-Cleopatra's Needle-Arab Cemetery-Egyptian Funeral Procession-Travelling Apparatus-Marriage Procession-Mahmoudi Canal-Arab Horsemen-Mehemet Ali-Atfeh-The

Nile-Boat crew-Shubra-Pyramids-Boulakh-Grand Cairo-Rhoda Island-Bath-Bedaween Arabs-Sheikh Hussein-Sheikh Suleiman Mengid-Preparations for the Desert-Cairo-Slave Market-Greek Convent-Pyramids of Ghiseh -Old Cairo-Dervishes-Egyptian Harvest-Pyramids of Ghiseh-The SphynxThe Camel-Camel-riding.

It was part of our original plan to have made an excursion in Upper Egypt, for the purpose of visiting those noble antiquities which have absorbed so much attention in late years; but an opinion expressed by Caviglia, at Paris, was confirmed by others at Alexandria—that the season was too far advanced to admit of our fulfilling this intention with safety and comfort.

At Alexandria we resolved to make such a brief sojourn, as should enable us to get the best advice as to our route through the Arabian Desert, and to make some of the needful preparations for that expedition. I am therefore prepared to sketch only a few particulars in reference to that celebrated locality, now so faded, and shorn of its ancient splendor and importance. As I have less to do with Alexandria as it was, than as it is, I shall just follow the order of my journal.

Our first visit was to the bazaars, which in oriental towns are the centre of all activity, and the scenes in which national character is variously displayed. They are contained in close and confined streets, in the midst of which there is an indescribable admixture, and an incessant stir of all orders and classes-picturesque in the extreme; and to the European, unpractised in the thing, it is at first a matter of difficulty to