PIRATICAL ATTACK ON BEYROUT.
Months rolled on. Merchants were at that period carrying on a
comparatively thriving trade at Beyrout. The novelty of the scene that
presented itself on my first arrival there had gradually worn off. In my
leisure hours I rambled along the sandy beach, gathering shells, and
wading ankle deep into the surf, at first with ill-suppressed fear and
trembling; but the example of other boys emboldening me to venture into
the water, I finished by becoming quite an adept in the art of swimming.
Then the ships were a source of wonder and surprise, as they sailed in
and out of the harbour, like gigantic swans floating over the waves.
These also had ceased to excite interest, for I had been on board,
handled the tarry ropes, walked the deck, and suffered inconvenience from
the disagreeable motion, so that these also had ceased to be a marvel.
Thus time rolled on, and I had well nigh forgotten all my regrets at
leaving Lebanon and the hospitable abode of my uncle, when the unexpected
event alluded to in the foregoing chapter, transpired.
It was on Palm Sunday, in, I think, the year 1828. The harbour had been
deserted for some few days; there was not even an Arab boat at the
anchorage: and on the eventful evening I am now describing, the eye might
have vainly swept the horizon seeking for indications of an approaching
sail. This, however, was no uncommon event in those days, when the
commerce of Beyrout was yet in its infancy. None imagined, on retiring
to rest that night, that impending danger was so close at hand. Midnight
had, however, scarcely chimed, and the last occupant of the latest open
coffee-house crept home to his hovel, when a tumult arose, and the night
air was filled with shrieks and lamentations, mingled with the startling
reports of fire-arms. There was a rush in the streets of many people
running for their lives; and all the inmates of my father’s household
being now thoroughly awakened, ran out also, and joined the flying
multitude. The Bab Yacoob, leading to Damascus and Lebanon, was open and
unguarded. We fled with the concourse towards the mountains, favored in
our retreat by the obscurity of the night; nor did any one think of
stopping to breathe or repose till they had gained the summit of one of
the neighbouring hills. Here, finding no signs of pursuit, and the
clamour and report of fire-arms having died away in the distance, the
frightened populace halted anxiously to await the first dawn of day,
which was to enable them to secure their retreat to the neighbouring
villages. All were totally ignorant as to the cause of the sudden panic,
but many laboured under the absurd notion that the place had been
attacked by Russian troops. None, however, stopped to be better informed
on the subject; but, renewing their flight with the first light of
morning, each betook himself and family to that village with which he was
best acquainted; and for the next few weeks the Lebanon district was
inundated with the scared refugees from Beyrout.
As for ourselves, we directed our steps to Shuay-fât, and accomplished
the journey as best we could; arriving there weary and half-famished, to
the utter astonishment and dismay of my uncle’s household, who were at
first quite at a loss to account for our sudden appearance in so pitiable
a condition. Soon after our arrival, official intelligence reached the
mountains of what had transpired. A ruffianly horde of piratical Greeks,
allured by the hopes of meeting with rich booty, had made this sudden
descent upon the peaceful and unsuspecting inhabitants. They had entered
the town without resistance, and once in possession of the Quai, had
unhesitatingly commenced the work of despoliation. Whole warehouses were
stripped—money and rich jewellery carried off—murder and every atrocious
crime, the offspring of villany, had been perpetrated. To secure the
gold coins and jewellery worn by the women on their heads, wrists, and
ankles, the wretches never hesitated to make use of the knife; and
ear-rings were wrenched forcibly from the ears of the hapless victims.
When the pirates were satiated with plunder, they broke and destroyed
what was left; and then, setting fire to different parts of the town,
they betook themselves with their booty to their boats, and thus
disappeared. Luckily for house-owners, most of the buildings were
constructed of solid masonry, with domes and vaulted roofs, so that the
fire, even where it had ignited, speedily exhausted its impotent rage.
The Moslem rabble, disguised as Greeks, also joined in the general foray.
By this calamity all the residents at Beyrout suffered more or less.
Many were utterly ruined; and my poor father’s losses were so severe,
that he at first wholly relinquished the idea of ever returning to that
place. For many months afterwards we resided at Shuay-fât; but here also
an outbreak amongst the mountaineers disturbed us again, and we were
compelled to retrace our steps to Beyrout, which place, from that day
forward, became my home.
With regard to the marauders, they escaped scot-free and were neither
detected nor punished, as this took place at the time of the Greek
revolution and the battle of Navarino, when the government were doubtless
too much occupied to notice it.