First view of the coast of Judea. Anxieties as we approached. State
of the Country. Recent Rebellion. Investment of Jerusalem. Character
of the Natives. Earthquakes. Taking of the City. English and American
Missionaries. Death of Mrs. Thompson. Defeat of Ibrahim Pasha.
Re-capture of the City. Conscription. Strange conduct of our Consul
at Jaffa. He is dismissed from Office. Jaffa. Large clusters of
Grapes. Eastern Story-tellers. Gardens and Watermelons of Jaffa. The
Cactus.
We left the coast of Egypt on the 10th of August. Early on the morning
of the 12th we had the pleasure of seeing the hills of Palestine
emerging from the waters. What a thrill was occasioned by the sight!
The birth-place of a wide-spread and wonderful religion--the land of
a thousand miracles--the original home of a people now spread every
where, and every where a miracle; and every where, from Lapland to
India, still yearning towards their father-land--the mountains, the
plains of Judea were before us. In our earliest infancy we had tried to
picture them--they were mingled with the deepest and warmest feelings
of our maturer years; in imagination how often had we wandered over the
hallowed ground, and here before us was now the reality itself.
A stretch of low and whitish coast gradually developed itself; and
beyond this, at the distance of several miles, rose a chain of
hills, as our glasses informed us, under pretty good cultivation, and
sprinkled with villages. By and by the sun was reflected from a mass
of white houses on the shore, encircled with walls and towers; this
was Jaffa--the Joppa of the Scriptures, and the ancient as well as the
present seaport of Jerusalem. I believe I may say there was a very
strong sensation excited universally throughout the ship by the scene
before us; for the religion of Judea had at least been that of our
childhood, and there was probably scarcely an individual among us, in
whose mind it was not connected with the tenderness of a good parent,
or the kindness of some early friend still dear to our memory.
Our noble ship glided on, and began to approach the coast. She was
the first American vessel that had ever entered these waters; and in
her joyous motion, as she pushed the ripples aside, and threw back
the morning rays from a cloud of canvass, we could almost imagine a
participation in the feelings of her inmates. The stripes and stars
were presently replied to by a similar ensign over the house of our
consul at Jaffa; and the other consuls following suite, there was
presently a display of nearly all the European flags in that ancient
city.
The city of Jaffa is built on the side of a hill that rises immediately
from the water’s edge; the houses are white, rising tier above tier;
many are covered with whitewashed domes; and the white being now
relieved by the consular flags, it had quite a pleasing appearance;
its walls and towers, and a castle at the upper extremity, gave it also
a show of strength; and had we found time for it, this proud array of
pennon and battlement, assisted as it was by an encampment of soldiers
in the neighborhood, might easily have carried the mind back to the
days of chivalry and romance.
But we were occupied chiefly with ourselves; for with our pleasure at
seeing the Holy Land was mingled an apprehension that, after all, we
should not be permitted to set foot on shore. At Alexandria we had
dire accounts of earthquake and war; and, what alarmed us more, of
the plague; for although not one of us but would have been willing to
meet this disease in his own individual case for the sake of seeing
Jerusalem, yet the risk of introducing it into the ship was not to
be thought of, and we knew that if there was any danger of this, the
commodore would at once decide to have no communication. With these
anxieties we approached the coast; and as the ship speeds onward, it
may be well to state to the reader what was the state of Palestine at
this time.
The ever-restless Pasha of Egypt had, about two years previous,
without any warning to his master the Sultan, marched a large army
into the country; and, on pretence of settling some difficulties among
the natives, had seized on its strong places; after which he set the
Turkish power at defiance. The Egyptian soldiers are almost universally
men of light, but active and well-knit frames; and are capable of
enduring fatigue, and fitted for any kind of warfare. The restlessness
of their sovereign keeps them also in a state of constant activity;
and many of them, though young, are already veterans in the field. The
Turkish soldiers, on the other hand, are unused to motion--are mostly
without experience, and lack confidence both in themselves and in
their new system, which they but imperfectly understand. They have no
particular attachment to their officers; while the Egyptians, though at
first disliking military service, are said in a short time to become
so fond of it, as to have and to desire no other home than their tent;
they feel also, universally, a strong attachment both to Ibrahim Pasha
and to Mahomet Ali.
We may find in all this the secret of their success whenever brought
into contact with the Turkish soldiery; and there can be little doubt,
that if foreign powers had not interfered, Mahomet Ali, if he had
chosen, might have seated himself on the throne of Constantinople.
Some of the Turkish soldiers taken in the recent expedition toward the
Turkish capital, were sent to Egypt as prisoners; and we were informed,
excited universal ridicule in their passage through Syria by their
sluggish and awkward movement. But I have wandered a little from my
subject.
On getting possession of Syria, Mahomet Ali began there the same
system that he had been pursuing in Egypt, but without having properly
weighed the difference in the native character. He first laid heavy
exactions on the purses of the inhabitants, who indeed had little to
spare, the country producing scarcely more than enough for their own
support. This they bore, though with grumbling: tax after tax was laid,
and with difficulty raised; and a general dissatisfaction was the
consequence. At length he demanded their sons for his army and navy,
and at once, the whole infuriated populace rose into rebellion. “Take
our purses,” they cried, “if it must be so; we can part with them; but
our children we will not give.” Jerusalem, where the Egyptian garrison
was strongest, was in a few days invested by a force of 20,000 men,
fierce and lawless people, and now maddened into phrenzy. This was
eleven weeks previous to our visit. The rebels were badly provided with
ammunition, and had no cannon, but spread themselves over the hills
around, hoping, perhaps, to starve the garrison into terms, or succeed
by stratagem; or more probably, scarcely knowing themselves what they
wanted, or whither to direct their efforts. It seems to have been a
sudden and universal outburst of indignant feeling, almost without
aim and without hope. The reader, to form a conception of the scene,
must fancy a people, in color, costume, and disposition, very much
like the Indian tribes bordering on our white settlements; for such,
in a striking degree, are the appearance and character of the country
population of Palestine.
I have selected for this comparison the Indians dwelling on our
borders, as their debased character and squalid appearance bring them
nearer to the Arabs of Palestine than are their brethren further back;
and except that the Arab lacks the broad face and high cheek bone of
the Indian, I could almost have fancied the wild looking beings whom I
have seen stalking into Jerusalem, to be a portion of the same wretched
people we often meet in the streets of our frontier towns. Their dress
consists of a _hyck_, a species of long blanket wrapped around them, in
the manner that the blanket is used by our Indians; and, as with them,
under garments are sometimes employed, and sometimes the _hyck_ is the
only garment; over the head a handkerchief is thrown so as to leave
the face exposed, and falls over the neck and shoulders, and this is
kept in its place by a small fillet drawn tight over the temples. From
beneath the handkerchief peep out dark elfin locks and black uneasy
eyes, while the expression of the face is any thing but gentle or
attractive. A large part of them are indeed robbers by profession, and
plunder without scruple whenever any one more helpless than themselves
may happen to fall in their way.
The condition of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, when they found
themselves encircled by this wild and lawless host, was, as may be
imagined, a very uncomfortable one; but another horror was immediately
added, one of a more frightful, because more mysterious character.
It seemed as if heaven itself was about to fight for their enemies.
During the very night which succeeded the investment of the city, it
was shaken by an earthquake--the shocks were repeated during the next
day and night--many of the houses in the city were shaken down, and
the massive walls of the convent at Bethlehem were split from top to
bottom. The affrighted inhabitants took refuge in the yards of their
falling tenements, and in the open places of the city; and thus, while
the hills were rocking to and fro, and wailing was going up from every
part of Jerusalem, some of the enemy found admittance one night, it is
said, by subterranean passages, and these throwing open the gates, the
hordes rushed in, and the place was given up to pillage and outrage.
There were, at that time, an American, and also an English missionary
family, living in the city. Mrs. Thompson, the wife of the American
missionary, was in feeble health, and had an infant but a few months
old to increase her anxieties; her husband was absent, and after
repeated but unsuccessful attempts to join her during the siege, had
been compelled to return and wait the issue at Jaffa. She took refuge
with their English missionary friends, Mr. and Mrs. Nicholayson; and
they had all, at the early part of the war, shut themselves up in
Mr. Nicholayson’s house, subsisting in a rude way on some grain and
dried fruits, which he had providentially on hand. Mrs. Thompson, in a
letter to her husband, has touchingly described their situation, the
horrors of the earthquake, and their greater horror when the cries of
terror and triumph arose on the taking of the city; and when, on the
following morning, they heard the Arabs forcing their own doors, and
soon after met them peering among the chambers below. Mr. Nicholayson,
who speaks the native language; and understands their habits well,
immediately bribed some of the intruders, and, by paying them well,
engaged a dozen of them to act as guardians of his house and premises,
and thus saved the families and his effects from injury, except a few
articles which the guardians themselves took a fancy to and carried off
in their subsequent hasty retreat. Mr. Thompson’s house was stripped,
not a single article escaping their hands. The Egyptian soldiers who
had formed the garrison of the city took refuge in a strong castle
at the Jaffa gate, which is near Mr. Nicholayson’s dwelling, and the
invaders seizing on all the neighboring houses, a fire was kept up
between the two parties, which I believe did little injury, except to
the houses, some of which were riddled by the balls from the castle;
among them was that of Mr. Nicholayson, and his family were once more
compelled to take refuge in the yard. Mrs. Thompson about this time
began to sink under the effects of such repeated alarms, and of the
fatigues and exposure operating on her feeble health; a violent attack
of ophthalmia succeeded, by which she lost her sight, and was reduced
to extreme feebleness; at length, after much suffering, borne with
meekness, she yielded her spirit with soothing hope into the hands of
Him who gave it. Just previous to her death she was heard to say,
“native, native, native land.” She was a lady of superior endowments
and great excellence of character; but doubtless, in the hands of a
wise Providence, from this seeming evil good will yet arise.
Ibrahim Pasha, on the first news of this rebellion, had hastened from
Jaffa for the relief of the city; but he seems to have underrated his
enemy, and to have acted without his usual prudence. The rebels took
post in a narrow pass about seven miles from the city, and starting
suddenly up from amid the steep and broken ground, poured upon his
troops such a deadly fire, that they broke; and it was only by hard
fighting, and a masterly retreat, that he saved his army from entire
destruction. He retired to Jaffa, and having, as soon as possible,
provided himself with sufficient force, once more advanced upon the
city. But he found no enemy there. The natives, the excitement of
their first fury now past, and probably despairing of success against
a foe of such formidable resources, dropped gradually away from the
city; and, with their plunder, retired to the distant fastnesses of
their mountains. They were, however, not allowed to rest. The Egyptian
leader, binding his field pieces to the backs of camels, crossed the
Jordan in pursuit, and, at the time of our visit, was ferreting them
out, though not without great risk to himself. He advanced so far that
the communication between him and Jerusalem was for some time cut off,
and serious fears were entertained for his safety; but he at last
succeeded, not only in subduing, but what was a matter of greater
hazard, in disarming the people. Camel loads of guns and attaghans or
swords were sent to Jerusalem and Jaffa; and, relentless to the last,
he forced from them the conscripts whom he judged necessary for his
wide and ambitious military schemes. I saw some of the latter marched
into Jaffa one day, between files of soldiers, and forced into the
boats waiting to convey them on board his fleet, then lying off to
receive them. Poor fellows! they looked heart-broken, and probably a
large portion of them were destined never again to visit their native
hills. A more melancholy company I think I have never seen; they
dragged themselves along mechanically, without noticing any one, and
some were able to keep on only by clinging to the garments of those
before, or by being supported by a companion on either side. After
traversing the city they came to the water-gate, which is a narrow
passage between two towers, and is terminated by a wooden platform six
or eight feet square, and projecting about five feet above the water.
This is the only landing place; the boats were lying below; and forced
along the platform, they were driven by the point of the bayonet, or
caught by the shoulders and tumbled unceremoniously into a heap at the
bottom of the boat, to extricate themselves and find a better place
as well as they might be able. In spite of my commiseration, I could
scarcely help smiling at their horror, when, in turning the angle
of the gate-way, they found themselves in such proximity to the salt
water. Some of them shrank back with all their might; but it availed
them nothing; the boats were successively filled, and pulling off,
presently reached a sand-bar crossing the road-stead, where they began
to plunge in the breakers;--then each sought its separate vessel,
and the mountain recruits were swallowed up in the vortex caused by
Mohammed Ali’s wild ambition.
I must now carry the reader back to our own ship, which he will
recollect we left, only yet approaching the coast. When within a few
miles of it, our motions became cautious, for we knew nothing of
the sea from experience, and our charts and books gave but little
information. The schooner Shark was, by and by, ordered to approach,
and directed to run in and inquire about the health of the city and
the country adjoining. I got permission, and availed myself of a boat
sent with the flag-lieutenant to her, determined if I should not be
permitted to touch the Holy Land, at least to have a better view,
and to get as near to it as possible. As we approached the shore,
we saw a boat putting off with our national ensign, and concluding
that it contained the consul, laid to till it came sufficiently near
for parley. His answer to the first question, “What is the health of
Jaffa and Jerusalem?” produced a sensation of thrilling joy. “Both
enjoyed good health,” he replied, “and the country was in a state of
tolerable quiet.” So we invited him on board, and right glad he seemed
to be, to get out of his small vessel and find himself on board of
a larger one. But alas for our new-fledged joy! The Shark presently
got out to sea, and began to roll and pitch among the waves; our
consul got sea-sick, and we thought frightened too; and now alarmed
us with news that they had the plague in Jerusalem, and more than
half suspected it to be in Jaffa; that a Frank of distinction had
just died of it in the former place--that the monasteries had put
themselves in quarantine, and that for us to venture there, would be
highly dangerous and imprudent. We did not know what to make of this,
but carried him on board the Delaware; and now, in that large ship, as
quiet and as firm as the solid land, he came to himself, and declared
once more that the country was safe, and the cities healthy. As night
was approaching, we ran out to sea to avoid the dangerous proximity
of the shore; and though in the morning we were some distance off,
the consul, who had remained on board, still adhered, I believe, to
his last opinion; but the Commodore, not knowing what to make of
him, turned for information to another source. The Egyptian fleet
cruising here in aid of Ibrahim Pasha, had come down, and anchored
in the evening about a mile from Jaffa, and the schooner was sent to
the Admiral with Commodore Patterson’s respects, and with inquiries
respecting the health of the cities and the country between. The result
was gratifying; the Admiral said he had not heard of the plague
having been at all at Jerusalem--that it certainly was not there now,
nor did he know of any other sickness in the country. The reply was
accompanied with the compliments and offers of service usual in such
intercourse of men of war. He advised us also to run in till within a
mile or a mile and a half of the shore, and there anchor, as there is
a strong current setting to the northward, and we might be in danger
of getting entangled in some shoals lying eight or ten miles in that
direction. This we accordingly did; and then, forthwith, began to make
preparations for our long-talked of visit. A word more, however, about
our consul, before he is dismissed. He accompanied us to Jerusalem, and
was a great annoyance from first to last. The Commodore had reason from
other sources to suppose him unworthy of his office, and took measures
immediately to have him removed, and another person, one of merit,
to be put in his place; and before long we had the pleasure of being
informed that all this was done; and Americans who may hereafter visit
Jaffa, will doubtless meet with courteous and gentlemanly treatment.
Jaffa, to which we made several visits while preparing for the journey,
proved, on closer inspection, to be a filthy and wretched-looking,
place. The streets were of course narrow, that is common in all eastern
towns; in addition, however, those of Jaffa go straight up a hill so
steep as to require steps cut in the rock, and as these steps are
worn, and often slippery and covered with filth, a walk through the
town is one of some labor, and we did not often attempt it. Indeed
there is little to tempt a person to do so, as the city is not large,
and has not a single building of any importance. I ought to mention
one street as an exception to the general character. It starts at the
water-gate, and stretching along by the city wall, on the sea shore,
is sufficiently level; on the land side of this are ranges of small
warehouses, which were nearly empty at the time of our visit, and
in no wise abstracted from the dull monotony of the place. By and
by, this street turns into the city, and beginning to ascend a low
eminence, becomes the principal bazaar, or, I believe I should say,
_the_ bazaar, of the place. The shops which line it on either side
were poorly furnished, and I found nothing to interest me in the whole
bazaar, except some bunches of grapes. But these _did_ interest me.
One of them I am certain was two feet in length, not, however, with
grapes thickly clustering along, but scattered at intervals; it was
thus not so remarkable for the quantity of fruit, but for its length;
and I can easily imagine that where such clusters are common, some of
similar length, and fully charged with fruit, may easily be found. On
my speaking of this cluster to some of the officers, they told me that
they had seen others in the market still larger.
Along this bazaar I witnessed a scene, the evening of my return from
Jerusalem, which caused the place, with all its previous dulness,
to leave a pleasing impression on my mind. Darkness had, on this
occasion, gathered round us, while yet some distance from the city,
and I had been riding on, engaged in sad musings about the country and
its melancholy history; we crossed at length the open waste between
the gardens and the city, and then passing beneath the dark archway of
the gate, and over its pavement of loose and slippery stones, I found
myself suddenly amid a group, which conjured up at once all that I had
read in the Arabian Nights. Just inside this gate is a coffee house,
in front of which the street spreads out into two or three times its
usual width. The place was now all lighted up with lamps, hung upon
pillars, or amid the trellis work supporting a large grape vine, or to
the overhanging vines themselves; mats were strewed around, and thickly
occupied with groups in the rich and striking costume of the east; some
were sipping coffee or sherbet, and others engaged with their pipes;
but all were gazing with kindling eyes and animated features on a man
who stood in the midst, with outstretched arms and great volubility of
tongue. He was an oriental story-teller, and, to judge from the deep
and unusual interest stamped on the features of his audience, must have
been one of quick sagacity and considerable eloquence. Further on I
passed another company similarly employed.
But though Jaffa may have but little to attract a stranger, its gardens
will have much, particularly if he happen to be there in the season
for its water-melons, as was the case with us. We had heard a great
deal about the Jaffa watermelons, and our expectations were so highly
raised, that any thing short of the highest perfection would have
disappointed us. But we were not disappointed. The melons are not
unusually large, but of a richness and delicacy which, I believe, is no
where surpassed, if it can be equalled. Some of our officers thought
they had sometimes met with as good melons at home, but most of them
were decided in the preference for those from the Jaffa gardens.[13]
These gardens commence a few hundred yards from the walls of the city,
and are from a quarter to half a mile in length; the soil is almost
a pure sand, and seems incapable of producing any thing at all; but
wherever watered, rewards the labor of the operator with abundance of
fruits and vegetables of the greatest variety. Pomegranates here are in
the highest perfection, and the cactus, or prickly pear, grows to the
height of twelve or fifteen feet; along the road to Jerusalem it forms
a hedge for the gardens, and a most effectual one it is. Its fruit
grows on the edge of the leaf, and in these countries is oval in shape,
and about three inches in length; it is full of seeds, but is cooling
and refreshing, and has, to me, an agreeable taste. Back of the gardens
of Jaffa, the country is generally open and deserted; but in spots it
is cultivated, and appears to be sufficiently productive.
FOOTNOTE:
[13] A very large number of the seeds were sent home by us that autumn,
and were planted by our friends last summer. They produced vines in
abundance, and fruit; but I have heard of but one melon that came to
maturity; this one was spoken of as very delicious. The failure of the
others was perhaps owing to the shortness and coldness of the season.