The Thistle and the Cedar of Lebanon Part 19

{92} This is made either of raisins, or a kind of sweet pod. These are crushed in a mill worked by a camel and afterwards mixed with a small portion of alkali and a kind of soft earth, placed in a vessel with a vent. Over this a certain quant.i.ty of water is poured again till all the juice is extracted, then evaporated by heat till a ma.s.s resembling mola.s.ses, is left, which has a delicious flavour.

{97} This tobacco, when gathered, is hung up while it is green in a chamber, and exposed to the fumes of a particular kind of wood, which grows only in this neighbourhood, and which imparts to it a mild and much admired flavour.

{107} I have this fact on the authority of an English traveller.

{119} Another story prevalent was, that the Sultan had written to the Queen of England, commanding her to send her fleet to subdue the Egyptians and threatening, if she refused to do so, to dethrone her, as he is the Padischah of all kings.

{157} Since the above remarks were placed in the hands of the printer, Mr. Brady has, I am happy to see, obtained permission of the minister to introduce a bill into the House of Commons, for the registration of all duly qualified medical pract.i.tioners. This is, at least, one step in the right direction. Short though it be, nevertheless we must look upon it as an earnest of greater regard on the part of the Government than they have hitherto evinced; and we may receive it as a first instalment of more valuable boons yet to come.

{175} M. Musurus, Prince Callimaki, and Prince Caradja.

{178} Reschid Pasha, Aali Pasha, and Fuah Effendi, the ablest men in the empire, were many years in this country, and are eminently distinguished by their advocacy of reform, and by carrying on improvements in all branches of the public service.

{210} EUPHRATES AND THE EAST.-On Sat.u.r.day last, a lecture announced under the above t.i.tle, was delivered at the a.s.sembly Rooms in this city, by Dr. J. B. Thompson, a gentleman who has just returned from a medical mission in Turkey. Capt. Saumarez, R.N., presided, and a very numerous audience of ladies and gentlemen attended on the occasion. The lecture was so desultory in its course, that it will not admit of a.n.a.lysis; nevertheless, it was exceedingly interesting, and formed an important addition to our information respecting a country which is the cradle of the world. Dr. Thompson, it appears, was sent to Asiatic Turkey on a medical mission by an a.s.sociation of English gentlemen, amongst whom was the Earl of Ellesmere; and having opened a free hospital at Damascus, and acquired the Arabic language, he enjoyed rare facilities for obtaining a knowledge of the manners, feelings, and circ.u.mstances of the population.

There is not only more toleration for Christians in Turkey, but less corruption and injustice than under the powers which seek to dismember it. He described the Turkish rulers as sensible men, ever ready to carry on any improvements suggested to them. The missionaries would effect far more if, instead of teaching doctrines to adults, they educated the females prior to their seclusion in the harems. There was no impediment to the establishment of female schools; and, therefore, if these secondary means were adopted, the condition of the young might be raised, the prejudices of the parents might be abated, and a foundation might be laid for the civilization of the East. The princ.i.p.al feature of the lecture, however, was the description of a new route to India. Instead of pa.s.sengers proceeding by Alexandria, Cairo, across the sandy Egyptian Desert, and through the Red Sea, it was suggested that they should land at the mouth of the river Orontes, near Antioch, in Syria, and pa.s.s through a rich and beautiful country to Belis. There, embarking on the river Euphrates, they would descend through the land of Paradise to Bussora on the Persian Gulf and from thence proceed straight to Bombay or Calcutta. The advantages of this new route were healthiness and rapidity. The journey to India by Suez occupied twenty-eight days, and entailed much suffering in crossing the Desert, and in traversing the unhealthy Red Sea. The transit from Antioch to Belis would occupy two days by railway through a country so rich and fertile that it would become peopled if communication were opened up. The entire journey to India would be shortened seven days, the route being not only better but shorter by at least 300 miles. The saving of time would be still greater if a railway were formed along the bank of the Euphrates from Belis to Bussora. Dr. Thompson addressed himself to the objections which had been made to the route by the Euphrates. It had been said, that Col.

Chesney's exploring expedition failed; but this was incorrect. Col.

Chesney's difficulties arose partly from his having fixed upon Barick, higher up than Belis, as his terminus, and partly from the want of native pilots. The river is subject to squalls, the signs of which are familiar to those who live on its banks; but Col. Chesney employed none of the navigators, and one of his steamers having been upset, the river in consequence got a bad name. It had been said, too, that the Bedouin Arabs are ill-disposed towards the navigation of the Euphrates. This Dr.

Thompson denied on his own knowledge, having visited all the chiefs along the banks, and he declared, contrary to the general opinion, that the Bedouins are a benevolent, generous, n.o.ble-hearted race. It might be true, he observed, that during the progress of Col. Chesney's expedition, the Bedouins were prejudiced against the navigation of the river; but the fact was, there were powers which thought they had an interest in misrepresenting the intentions of the English in the East. This feeling had, however, been dissipated by more correct knowledge. Dr. Thompson added, that he had submitted the plan of the Euphrates route to the Turkish Sultan, who immediately perceived its advantages over the old route through Egypt, and would strongly support it. One feature of the plan, he also stated, would be the establishment of a school for children at Antioch, the climate of which is delightful; and while officers in India might come there on furlough, without losing certain advantages, as they would still be within the confines of Asia, their friends in Europe would find it an easy and delightful trip to visit them at that place.

Dr. Thompson pointed out other and more general advantages, which would arise from the adoption of the new route, as regards trade and civilisation.

On the conclusion of the lecture, Habeeb Risk Allah Effendi, a Syrian, who is at the present sojourning in this city, presented himself to the meeting, and addressed it in a few sentences expressive of his desire that the Euphrates route might be adopted, as it would be the means of civilising his native country. The Syrian women, he said, are entirely uneducated, and this is one of the princ.i.p.al causes of the ignorance which pervades the great ma.s.s of the people. He gracefully thanked the audience for their attendance, regarding it as a manifestation of warm interest felt in the progress of the East. A vote of thanks having been given to Dr. Thompson, on the motion of Sir Claude Wade, the audience separated, and, we may fairly add, that, though the manner of the lecturer was clearly unpremeditated, his matter gave considerable satisfaction to a large, intelligent, and influential audience.-_Extract from the Bath Chronicle_.

{233} This method of practice is in all respects the same as that of the Egyptian midwives alluded to in Exodus i.16.

{236} The Hebrews appear to have had a similar tradition, as we read in the _History of Tobit_, vii. 4, 6, 7, 16, 17. viii. 2, 3,

{242} During a recent visit to Walton-on-Thames with Azimullah Khan, who is here on a mission from the Peishwa to the Right Honourable East India Directors, and who, I may remark, is highly talented, and possesses an extensive knowledge of the English language, we attended the service at the church there. Azimullah left his golden slippers at the door, not presuming to enter a temple with them on. Afterwards they were brought to our pew by the beadle, who said that, if he did not take them, they would be stolen. By my friend's zealous adherence to Eastern custom, he caught a severe cold.

{284} A false conclusion of the same nature arose in my own mind on entering an English Church; when I observed a picture of the Saviour over the altar, and various monumental effigies round the walls, I rashly concluded that the English wors.h.i.+pped pictures, etc., and laid their dead in the Church to pray for them.

{306} Latterly, the Jesuits at Beyrout, as, indeed, at all the princ.i.p.al towns in Turkey, and even in Cyprus, have succeeded in introducing the use of bells, even in some instances, for schools, factories, and private families.

{318} It may be as well here to relate an anecdote in connection with the late Lady H. Stanhope, whose eccentric life has already excited so much interest all over Europe. It came to the knowledge of some Metawali chiefs that her ladys.h.i.+p, like themselves, kept apart two beautiful mares ready caparisoned, on which no one had ever yet ridden; attributing this to a religious prejudice similar to their own, they came to the conclusion that she ought to be considered as one of themselves. A council was accordingly held, but after many pros and cons the vote was unfavourable to her ladys.h.i.+p's election, because, as one of the chiefs a.s.serted, she was so excessively eccentric, as to ride on one side of her horse, and not to wear trousers. I believe that this occurred before her ladys.h.i.+p had adopted the Oriental style of dress.

{371} Since writing the above, the small cloud has gathered to a storm, which threatens to involve the world in the dispute. I am grieved to say, that the true state of the facts reflects the usual disgrace on human nature, incident to all religious quarrels. For what, after all, is the present question? Not any point of faith, morality or benevolence, but a contention between two parties for the exclusive possession of the fees obtained from pious pilgrims visiting spots, whose situation if precisely ascertained, would be doubly calculated to make an impression never to be effaced from the minds of those who tread them; but that the places actually shown are probably not the real ones, modern research has greatly tended to prove, both from measurement as well as historical evidence. The matter is thus left doubtful; and it is painful to think that no record, to be relied on, should have been preserved of spots hallowed by the more remarkable incidents in the earthly career of that Holy Presence, so all-important to mankind. The real point in dispute was between the priests of the Greek and Latin Churches, for the possession and care of those places which are shown as the scene of the birth, crucifixion and burial of our Lord, from the exhibition of which a large revenue accrues. Majority of numbers and better management, had for some time secured the greater share of the advantages to the Greek priests. Hence arose, on their respective sides, the opportunity for French and Russian interference; the Czar claiming the exclusive protectorate of the Greek Christians throughout Turkey. In the question of the keys, the Turks had no interest; but the pretence of international protection on the part of the Russians, was a wedge of destruction, and hence the war.

{375} While I was going from Trieste to Constantinople, we had very bad weather, and the sea very rough. We put into a port, to remain at anchor. I was so tired of the sea that I went on sh.o.r.e, and proceeded to a _cafe_, where I saw two Albanians of ferocious aspect, each carrying two pistols, a dagger, and carbine. When I made my appearance, they enquired, "What countryman are you?" I replied, "I come from the Holy Land." Both arose and rushed towards me. I was at first alarmed, but the words, "Welcome, stranger!" rea.s.sured me. They hugged me with enthusiasm. They then desired the host to provide the best dishes he had, and requested me to join their repast. Finally, they offered me a home in their house, and the best apartment they had.