James and an Arab; and though Mr. Baghos endeavoured to persuade me to
stop with him all night, I insisted on returning almost immediately. I
went off unperceived by any one in the house; but at the gates of the
quarter I found great difficulty in having the door opened; and no
sooner was I out, than it was instantly closed after me. I took the same
road that I came, and had not gone far, when I met a body of armed
soldiers running towards the centre of the town. Advancing further, I
heard several muskets discharged in a street near, and many others at
some distance; indeed there was a continual firing kept up. On my
approaching the Esbakie, I saw several soldiers running towards the
seraglio, and others hastening towards me. When they came up, one seized
the bridle of my donkey, while another took me by the collar, and the
rest were busied in rifling my pockets. I had but a few dollars in my
possession; and my pocket-book contained only letters and passports, of
which I know not how they have disposed: but what principally drew their
attention was a white topaz brooch, which I had in the frill of my
shirt, and which they took for a brilliant. I kept in good humour with
them; and when I perceived their attention to the topaz, I began to move
in order to depart. I do not know whether I had reason to fear they
would call after me, suspecting that I marked them so as to recognise
them again: but I proceeded, and nothing further happened to me on the
road.
For several days we kept ourselves close in the house, as we were
advised by a friendly Turk, our neighbour, not to be seen. During this
time, the soldiers plundered the shops in Cairo, and the Bashaw sent the
Syrian horse against them, now known under the appellation of Tartoor.
These were the only troops faithful to him; but being mounted, they
could not follow the Albanians, who were posted in ploughed fields
between Cairo and Boolak. One day the cavalry advanced and the Albanians
retired towards Boolak. Our house was so situated, that from the upper
part of it we could see the firing of the troops on one side, and on the
other the confusion of the people, who had taken to the boats, which
were soon crowded with them, and in the hurry many of them went adrift.
It was expected, that the troops would plunder the place, if they
entered it: in such case, I depended on the appearance and ruined state
of our habitation, which I had reason to think, would rather deter the
soldiers from entering it, lest it should fall on their heads, than
invite them to plunder. Besides, we had no treasure with us, unless they
had taken our kitchen furniture of earthen pots, &c. There was a
universal cry among the people, and the troops advanced to the very
entrance of the town; but, fortunately, they were prevented from coming
in by the cavalry, who, by making a circuit, had taken post on the road.
The confusion continued in this manner for several days: at last, after
having plundered and ravaged Cairo at their pleasure, the troops retired
to their camps, and in a few days more matters were arranged again. I
have reason to think, that the Bashaw knew who the chief instigators of
this insurrection were, for we found that several persons shortly after
died of sudden deaths; and, indeed, many of the Chiefs and Beys
disappeared. The discontented troops were all sent to encampments in
various stations at a distance from Cairo, and part towards Mecca; but
the European exercise, which was said to have been the cause of the
revolt of the troops, was wholly abandoned, and consigned to oblivion.
Turks are averse to control of any sort, and particularly to what is not
the result of Mahommedan customs. I was never more amused, than when I
saw our military evolutions attempted by men, whose large trowsers are
peculiarly unsuited to our light motions.
When all was quiet again, I recommenced my hydraulic preparations. The
place, where I was to erect my machine, was in Soubra, at the garden of
the Bashaw, on the Nile, three miles from Cairo. We went to reside
there, in a small house within the walls of the governor’s palace, which
was closed at night by large gates, something like the Occales in
Alexandria. I had many provoking difficulties to encounter, before I
became acquainted with the people of the place, as they supposed, that
the introduction of such machines into the country would throw many of
them out of work; consequently I was not welcome among them; and the
very persons who were to furnish me with what was necessary in wood,
iron, carpentry, &c. would be the first to suffer by it, if the machine
succeeded. It may, therefore, easily be imagined that I had to contend
with many obstacles, besides the prejudice against all strangers, or
innovations in the customs of the natives. As a proof of this may be
cited the iron hydraulic machine already in Soubra, sent as a present
from England to the Bashaw of Egypt, which is said to have cost ten
thousand pounds. It was neatly put up, though the engineer, who was in
charge of it, met with many difficulties before he effected it. At last
it was set to work; but as it was imagined that an English machine would
inundate the whole country in an hour, the quantity of water raised was
not adequate to their expectation, and it has been left useless ever
since. For my own part, I have no doubt, that the machine might have
been made to draw up more water, if the person who constructed it could
have seen the place and situation in which it was to act. The failure in
this instance had given me an early surmise of what might be my own
fate; and I was not mistaken.
During my stay at Soubra I became acquainted with many Turks, and in
particular with the governor of the palace, as we had our house within
his walls. The garden of the Bashaw was under his care, and a guard was
kept at the gates. The seraglio is so situated, that the front looks
over the Nile: at the back of it is the garden, which is under the care
of Greeks, who in a few years have brought it to great perfection. There
are beautiful alcoves, made in form of cupolas, entirely covered with
plants; and the water machines, which are constantly at work, keep up a
perpetual verdure. There is a fountain in the European style, and a
great quantity of fruit, particularly grapes and peaches; but they never
grow to any size like ours, for many get rotten and fall before they are
ripe; in consequence, the Turks eat them green.
The Bashaw is in continual motion, being sometimes at his citadel, and
sometimes at his seraglio in the Esbakie; but Soubra is his principal
residence. His chief amusement is in the evening a little before sunset,
when he quits his seraglio, and seats himself on the bank of the Nile,
to fire at an earthen pot, with his guards. If any of them hit it, he
makes him a present, occasionally of forty or fifty rubies. He is
himself an excellent marksman; for I saw him fire at and hit a pot only
fifteen inches high, set on the ground on the opposite side of the Nile,
though the river at Soubra is considerably wider than the Thames at
Westminster Bridge. As soon as it is dark, he retires into the garden,
and reposes either in an alcove, or by the margin of a fountain, on an
European chair, with all his attendants round him. Here his numerous
buffoons keep him in continual high spirits and good humour. By
moonlight the scene was beautiful. I was admitted into the garden
whenever I wished, by which means I had an opportunity of observing the
domestic life of a man, who from nothing rose to be viceroy of Egypt,
and conqueror of the most powerful tribes of Arabia.
From the number of lights I frequently saw through the windows of the
seraglio, I supposed the ladies were at such times amusing themselves in
some way or other. Dancing women are often brought to divert them, and
sometimes the famous Catalani of Egypt was introduced. One of the
buffoons of the Bashaw took it into his head one day, for a frolic, to
shave his beard; which is no trifle among the Turks; for some of them, I
really believe, would sooner have their head cut off than their beard:
he borrowed some Franks’ clothes of the Bashaw’s apothecary, who was
from Europe, and, after dressing himself in our costume, presented
himself to the Bashaw as an European, who could not speak a single word
either of Turkish or Arabic, which is often the case. Being in the dark,
the Bashaw took him for what he represented himself to be, and sent
immediately for the interpreter, who put some questions to him in
Italian, which he did not answer: he was then questioned in French, but
no reply; and next in the German and Spanish languages, and still he was
silent; at last, when he saw that they were all deceived, the Bashaw not
excepted, he burst out in plain Turkish, the only language he was
acquainted with, and his well known voice told them who he was; for such
was the change of his person, particularly by the cutting off his beard,
that otherwise they could scarcely have recognised him. The Bashaw was
delighted with the fellow; and, to keep up the frolic, gave him an order
on the treasury for an enormous sum of money, and sent him to the
Kaciabay, to present himself as a Frank, to receive it. The Kaciabay
started at the immensity of the sum, as it was nearly all that the
treasury could furnish: but upon questioning this new European, it was
soon perceived who he was. In this attire he went home to his women, who
actually thrust him out of the door; and such was the disgrace of
cutting off his beard, that even his fellow buffoons would not eat with
him till it was grown again.
The Bashaw seems to be well aware of the benefits that may be derived
from his encouraging the arts of Europe in his country, and had already
reaped some of the fruits of it. The fabrication of gunpowder, the
refining of sugar, the making of fine indigo, and the silk manufacture,
are introduced, much to his advantage: he is constantly inquiring after
something new, and is delighted with any thing strange to his
imagination. Having heard of electricity, he sent to England for two
electric machines, one with a plate, the other with a cylinder. The
former was broken by the way; the latter was dismounted. The physician
of the Bashaw, an Arminian, did not know, though it was so easy a
matter, how to set it up. Happening to be at the garden one evening,
when they were attempting it, and could not succeed, I was requested to
put the several pieces together; and, having done so, I made one of the
soldiers mount on the insulating stool, charged the machine, and gave
the Turk a good shock; who, expecting no such thing, uttered a loud cry,
and jumped off, as much terrified as if he had seen the devil. The
Bashaw laughed at the man’s jumping off, supposing his fright to be a
trick, and not the effect of the machine; and when told, that it was
actually occasioned by the machine, he affirmed positively that it could
not be, for the soldier was at such a distance, that it was impossible
the small chain he held in his hand could have such power. I then
desired the interpreter to inform his Highness, that if he would mount
the stool himself, he would be convinced of the fact. He hesitated for a
while whether to believe me or not; however he mounted the stool. I
charged well, put the chain into his hand, and gave him a pretty smart
shock. He jumped off, like the soldier, on feeling the effect of the
electricity; but immediately threw himself on the sofa in a fit of
laughter, not being able to conceive how the machine could have such
power on the human body.
The governor of Soubra, Zulfur Carcaja, was a Mamelouk of about
sixty-five years of age, and an instance of the promotion of one of that
body of men, who for so many centuries ruled Egypt. His political
conduct towards the Bashaw procured him the place of governor of a
village, which contained the residence of the Bashaw himself, and a vast
tract of land, the cultivation of which was entirely under his
direction. He was a learned man among the Turks, and had a considerable
portion of knowledge in agriculture, which I suppose to be the cause of
his continuing to enjoy the Bashaw’s favour. He had travelled a great
deal in the Ottoman dominions, and had acquired much information; which
is uncommon for a Turk: but the prejudices of his nation, and the
superstitions of his religion, notwithstanding all this, did not quit
him an instant. At night I used to go to his divan, or _conversazione_,
to chat, drink coffee, and smoke a pipe. We agreed in many points; but
on that of the hydraulic machine I could make no impression upon him, as
it was against his interest to be convinced. He was one day taken very
ill; and as there was no physician nearer than Cairo, he sent to know
whether we could do something for him. As it was only a violent cold,
Mrs. Belzoni sent him a negus, which he liked so well, that he continued
the medicine for several days.
Some time after this, Mrs. Belzoni had a pain in her side. One evening,
I went to his divan; and as he always inquired after the health of his
physician, I informed him of the circumstance: upon which he assured me,
that it was nothing but what he would find a remedy for immediately; and
he rose and went into an inner room, from which with all imaginable pomp
and devotion he brought out a book. The Sheik of the mosque was present;
and, after turning over and over again the leaves of this book, they
concluded on what was to be done. Three pieces of paper were cut in a
triangular form, the size of a playing card, and the Sheik wrote on them
several words in Arabic. Of these pieces of paper, he told me, that Mrs.
Belzoni must fasten one to her forehead by a string, and one to each
ear. He then fetched a piece of the skin of a lamb, that had been
sacrificed during the feast of Bairam. The Sheik wrote on this also, and
it was to be applied to the part affected. I thanked him very much for
his kindness, and brought away the amulets, which we keep to this day,
as a memorial of the Turkish method of curing pains. It happened, that
Mrs. Belzoni was somewhat better a day or two after, and the old Turk
exulted in having repaid the obligation he had incurred, when cured by
her of his cold.
The Arabs of Soubra exhibit as much festivity, when a marriage of
consequence takes place, as those of any of the villages in Egypt.
Fortunately, one happened while we were there; and as the window of our
house overlooked the very spot where the festival was to be celebrated,
we had an opportunity of seeing the whole ceremony. Early in the morning
of the grand holiday, a high pole was planted in the centre of the
place, with a banner belonging to the village. A large assembly of
people gathered under it, and preparations were made for an illumination
with glass lamps, &c. The Arabs from other villages came to the feast in
procession, beating their tambourines, and waving their flags. At some
distance from the pole they halted, and did not advance till a
deputation was sent to invite them to the feast. The elders of the
village seated themselves around and under the pole, and the strangers
at a little distance. One of those standing near the pole, who had an
uncommonly good windpipe, began to sing; while the rest divided
themselves into two parties, forming two circles, one within the other,
round the pole and facing each other. By each man putting his arms over
his neighbours’ shoulders, each circle formed a continuous chain. The
outer circle stood still, while the people of the inner circle kept
dancing and bowing in an orderly manner to those in the outer. Thus they
continued three hours, and those who were not in the circles made
separate rings by themselves. Some of the Hadgees, who were desirous of
exhibiting their powers in ceremonial devotion, went on positively for
two hours, and some minutes, bending their bodies nearly to the ground,
and raising them up again with such quickness, that it would be
impossible for any one, who was not accustomed to it, to undergo such
exertion a quarter of an hour. All the women were at a distance by
themselves, and among them was the bride. When the dancing and singing
ended, they all sat down in large circles; and a great quantity of
boiled rice was brought to them in large wooden bowls, beside a number
of dishes of melokie and bamies[1], and three or four large sheep
roasted, which were immediately torn to pieces and devoured. For the
drinking department they had a number of boys, who were fully employed
in fetching water in large bardacks from the Nile; but some of the party
I knew had a sly corner, to which to retire for a drop of horaky; for it
is in this private way they drink it. At night, the pole and all the
place around it was illuminated. The people seated themselves in an
orderly manner, in the form of an amphitheatre, the women forming a part
of the circle, separate from the men. A band of tambourines and pipes
was continually playing; and the entertainment began with dancing, by
two well-known and distinguished performers.
Footnote 1:
Plants eaten in common by the Arabs as greens.
This particular mode of dancing, I believe, has never been described,
and all who see it properly must be excused from giving a faithful
picture of it. When the dancing was at an end, a sort of play was
performed, the intent of which was to exhibit life and manners, as we do
in our theatres. The subject represented an Hadgee, who wants to go to
Mecca, and applies to a camel-driver, to procure a camel for him. The
driver imposes on him, by not letting him see the seller of the camel,
and putting a higher price on it than is really asked, giving so much
less to the seller than he received from the purchaser. A camel is
produced at last, made up by two men covered with a cloth, as if ready
to depart for Mecca. The Hadgee mounts on the camel, but finds it so
bad, that he refuses to take it, and demands his money back again. A
scuffle takes place, between the purchaser and the driver, when, by
chance, the seller of the camel appears, and finds that the camel in
question is not that which he sold to the driver for the Hadgee. Thus it
turns out, that the driver was not satisfied with imposing both on the
buyer and seller in the price, but had also kept the good camel for
himself, and produced a bad one to the Hadgee. In consequence he
receives a good drubbing, and runs off.—Simple as this story appears,
yet it was so interesting to the audience, that it seemed as if nothing
could please them better, as it taught them to be on their guard against
dealers in camels, &c.—This was the play; and the afterpiece represented
an European traveller, who served as a sort of clown. He is in the dress
of a Frank; and, on his travels, comes to the house of an Arab, who,
though poor, wishes to have the appearance of being rich. Accordingly he
gives orders to his wife, to kill a sheep immediately. She pretends to
obey; but returns in a few minutes, saying, that the flock has strayed
away, and it would be the loss of too much time to fetch one. The host
then orders four fowls to be killed; but these cannot be caught. A third
time, he sends his wife for pigeons; but the pigeons are all out of
their holes; and at last the traveller is treated only with sour milk
and dhourra bread[2], the only provision in the house. This finishes the
play.
Footnote 2:
Dhourra is the common grain of Egypt.
During my stay in Soubra, a circumstance took place, which I shall
remember as long as I live, and which showed me plainly the country I
was in, and the people I had to deal with. Some particular business
calling me to Cairo, I was on my ass in one of the narrow streets, where
I met a loaded camel. The space that remained between the camel and the
wall was so little, that I could scarcely pass; and at that moment I was
met by a Binbashi, a subaltern officer, at the head of his men. For the
instant I was the only obstacle that prevented his proceeding on the
road; and I could neither retreat nor turn round, to give him room to
pass. Seeing it was a Frank who stopped his way, he gave me a violent
blow on my stomach. Not being accustomed to put up with such
salutations, I returned the compliment with my whip across his naked
shoulders. Instantly he took his pistol out of his belt; I jumped off my
ass; he retired about two yards, pulled the trigger, fired at my head,
singed the hair near my right ear, and killed one of his own soldiers,
who, by this time, had come behind me. Finding that he had missed his
aim, he took out a second pistol; but his own soldiers assailed and
disarmed him.
A great noise arose in the street, and, as it happened to be close to
the seraglio in the Esbakie, some of the guards ran up; and on seeing
what the matter was, they interfered and stopped the Binbashi. I thought
my company was not wanted, so I mounted my charger, and rode off. I went
to Mr. Baghos, and told him what had happened. We repaired immediately
to the citadel, saw the Bashaw, and related the circumstance to him. He
was much concerned, and wished to know where the soldier was, but
observed, that it was too late that evening to have him taken up.
However, he was apprehended the next day, and I never heard or knew any
thing more about him. Such a lesson on the subject was not lost upon me;
and I took good care, in future, not to give the least opportunity of
the kind to men of that description, who can murder an European with as
much indifference as they would kill an insect.
Some little time after this, another circumstance took place, which I
cannot omit relating. A charming young lady, about sixteen years of age,
daughter of the Chevalier Bocty, now consul-general of Sweden, went out
of her house, in company with her mother, sister, and some other ladies,
to go to a bath. They formed a cavalcade on asses, as is the custom of
the country; and had not proceeded far from their door, when they met a
soldier, a monster I should say, who took a pistol from his belt, and,
with the greatest coolness, fired and killed the young lady. She was one
of the most amiable creatures, both in her manners and person, that ever
lived; and was most deservedly lamented by every one who knew her. This
is quite enough, surely, to invite young European ladies to that
country! I must say, to the honour of Mahomed Ali, that the monster was
taken and executed: but what satisfaction could this be to her afflicted
parents?
About this time Mr. Bankes arrived in this country, and proceeded almost
immediately to Mount Sinai, and thence to Upper Egypt; but returned in
three months, and went to Syria. Mr. Burckhardt had for a long time
premeditated the removal of the colossal head, or rather bust, known by
the name of Young Memnon, to England, and had often endeavoured to
persuade the Bashaw to send it as a present to the Prince Regent; but as
it must have appeared to a Turk too trifling an article to send to so
great a personage, no steps were taken for this purpose. Mr. Burckhardt
then proposed it to Mr. Bankes; but the reason why this gentleman did
not take it away I am not acquainted with.
By this time the water machine was finished; and we waited the arrival
of the Bashaw from Alexandria, to give his opinion on the advantages
which might be derived from introducing it into the country. It was
constructed on the principle of a crane with a walking wheel, in which a
single ox, by its own weight alone, could effect as much as four oxen
employed in the machines of the country. I accomplished this
undertaking, notwithstanding the various species of intrigue and
difficulty which were incessantly thrown in my way. The Bashaw arrived
at Cairo, but did not come to Soubra till some time after.
At this period Mr. Salt, the consul-general from England, arrived in
that capital, having business to transact in Cairo. I had frequent
interviews with Mr. Burckhardt; and, knowing the wish he had for the
removal of the colossal bust of Memnon, I repeatedly told him that I
would undertake its conveyance from Thebes to Alexandria, so that it
might be sent to England. On the arrival of Mr. Salt, Mr. Burckhardt
proposed it to him; and shortly after having myself occasion to see that
gentleman, I repeated to him, before Mr. Burckhardt, that I should be
happy to undertake the removal of the bust, without the smallest view of
interest, as it was to go to the British Museum. The consul seemed
inclined to comply, but was indecisive for some time, saying he would
think about it. A few days after this, he avoided all communication,
keeping himself in strict seclusion, as the plague had begun to show
itself in the streets of Cairo.