ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT, _January 10, 1842_.
A few days since, at an early hour in the morning, all hands were on
deck looking anxiously for the land of Egypt. At length we discovered
in the distance the minarets of the mosques, Pompey’s Pillar and other
objects, and soon found ourselves in the harbor of Alexandria. Our
steamer was immediately surrounded by about sixty boats, filled with
half naked Arabs and Egyptians, of all colors and complexions, whose
yells and cries for luggage would surpass those of savages. Having
heard that the plague still existed, none were permitted to board us,
but our fears in getting ashore were soon dispelled on learning that
few cases existed. After procuring camels to carry our luggage, we
were beset by another swarm in the shape of donkeys and drivers, and
in self-defence our party all mounted, and soon found ourselves going
at a fearful gallop through crowded streets, amongst loaded camels and
yelping dogs, with our half-naked, sore-eyed Arabs chasing alongside
and applying the stick in a lively manner. The Egyptian donkey is
peculiar to this country, and superior in point of speed to any I
have found in Europe. They are the omnibuses of the city, and it is
surprising to see how rapidly and easily they pass through crowded
streets.
I must first give you a better idea of Alexandria as it now is under
Mehemet Ali, and not as it once was under Alexander the Great, when it
only yielded to imperial Rome in wealth and magnificence. Formerly it
was fifteen miles in circumference, with a population of three hundred
thousand citizens and as many slaves, with four thousand palaces,
four thousand baths, and four hundred theatres and public edifices.
In different directions may be seen the ruins of ancient days. The
Frank quarter of Alexandria reminded me more of a new American city
than anything that I have seen since I left Trieste. The Pasha is
doing everything in his power to resuscitate the city and increase its
commercial importance, at the expense of Damietta, Rosetta, and Cairo.
The population, notwithstanding the fearful ravages of the plague,
is said to be fifty or sixty thousand. I must here mention that the
interior of the town is, in most places, a succession of narrow, dirty,
unpaved lanes, filled with camels, asses, lizards, and dogs, and I only
wonder the plague does not exist all the year.
My first excursion was to Pompey’s Pillar. My friend and myself mounted
on donkeys, and away we galloped through the suburbs of the city,
passing occasionally groups of Egyptian women with their heads and
faces covered with a sort of blue cotton cloth, concealing all except
their eyes, the lids of which are singularly colored with India ink.
They are particularly fond of ornaments, which are suspended from the
ears and from the forehead over the veil. On passing several groves
of palm, date, and banana trees, and feeling the powerful rays of the
sun at mid-day, I was reminded of the West India climate, from which
this does not materially differ. After passing through a long line of
Arab huts we came to this magnificent column, erected by Pompeius,
governor of Lower Egypt, in honor of the Emperor Diocletian. Standing
on a gentle elevation it rises nearly one hundred feet in height. The
shaft is of red granite, ten feet in diameter, with a clumsy Corinthian
capital on the top to crown the summit. Notwithstanding it is more than
two thousand years old, it still remains almost perfect.
We next directed our attention to the beautiful Obelisks, one of which
is commonly called Cleopatra’s Needle, and still stands erect in all
its grandeur and beauty, covered with hieroglyphics on every side. It
is sixty-four feet high and eighty-eight feet square, and was brought
from the city of Memphis to adorn the palace of the Ptolemies. The
hieroglyphics are as clear on one side as if but recently sculptured,
but the sirocco blowing from the desert two thousand years has effaced
the marks on one side considerably, and worn away the solid granite.
The other obelisk, which lies beside it, is said to have been taken
down by the English many years ago; but Mehemet Ali prevented them from
taking it away, and there it lies half covered with sand, a magnificent
piece of work.
On entering the harbor of Alexandria I was surprised at the extent of
the Egyptian fleet, and had a strong desire to visit some of the naval
vessels, the arsenal, &c. On visiting the latter we were accompanied
through every department by the commandant, a French gentleman, who
was exceedingly polite; and here we found about four thousand persons,
which is only a portion of those employed during the war. I was also
surprised at finding shipbuilding, casting furnaces, ropemaking, in a
word all that is necessary for fitting out a navy. Among the number of
officers there were some young Arabs who had been sent to England to
acquire knowledge in the arts. I observed among the workmen that many
had lost an eye, and others had the two first fingers of the right
hand cut off. I concluded that the cause of the first was ophthalmia,
which is very general in Egypt, being caused by the burning rays of
the sun upon the desert, but found on inquiry that during the war,
when conscriptions were made for soldiers in the army, hundreds and
thousands, to prevent being liable to military service, preferred
destroying the pupil of the right eye with a small rod of hot iron, or
by cutting off the forefingers of the right hand, thus preventing the
use of it in pulling the trigger; but the Pasha was not to be thwarted
in his designs, and actually formed left-handed regiments, and also
employed those conscripts in the public service.
The next day, after visiting the public works, our party visited the
palace of the Pasha, which is extensive and fitted up with taste, in
the oriental style, with high ceilings and divans extending on three
sides of the grand saloons; also the great luxury of the East, splendid
marble bathing rooms. The palace is beautifully situated, with a view
of the harbor in front, and picturesque and rich gardens in the rear.
On leaving the palace on the water side by arrangement with the Swedish
consul, under whose patronage we were, we found the captain of an
Egyptian cutter, with fourteen oarsmen, in attendance to convey us
on board of one of the one hundred gun frigates, which carries seven
hundred men. After having satisfied our curiosity in the examination
of a beautiful frigate in fine order, we repaired to the cabin and
accepted the universal civilities of the East, a pipe six feet in
length, well charged with Egyptian tobacco, and a small cup of coffee,
all of which must be submitted to, or you give offence.
My two travelling Companions and myself, who purpose visiting Upper
Egypt in going to the cataract of the Nile, taking Grand Cairo, the
Pyramids, Memphis, and the ruins of Thebes in the route, are now busily
employed in procuring a suitable boat, with supplies of all provisions
necessary for six weeks or two months.
We intend leaving to-morrow if our servants succeed in getting beds,
furniture, provisions, and all the paraphernalia of housekeeping which
are necessary for such a voyage. Therefore you may expect to hear from
me next at Grand Cairo.