THE “MINOS” AGAIN--CAFE FRANCAIS--THE ENFIELD STAGE--DEPARTURE
FROM EGYPT--CHANGE OF BOATS AT SYRA--A GALE IN THE
MEDITERRANEAN--MALTA--THE QUARANTINE HARBOUR--FORT MANUEL--INQUISITIVE
GUARDIANO--TRAVELLERS’ COLLECTIONS--SANITARY REGULATIONS AND LOW
DIET--THE PARLATORI--RESOURCES IN QUARANTINE--HAPPY RELEASE.
On inquiring of my friend Furner, at the office, I found that the
“Minos” French steamer was to start on the 7th, and that I had only one
clear day to make my final arrangements for quitting Egypt. The packing
of my few boxes was speedily accomplished, and my passport, which had
so long laid dormant, was now once more drawn forth, and sent to the
Consulate for the necessary stamps and signatures. I spent a portion of
my last evening in Alexandria at my old quarters in the English Okella,
now occupied by Mr. Portenier and his wife, and so thoroughly repaired
and decorated, that I should scarcely have recognised it for the same
dwelling. The improvement had, however, been entirely confined to the
interior of the house. The Okella and its dark-covered gallery were
unchanged, and on the outer-door of Portenier’s house, I could still
remark the red plague-seal, which, on my first arrival in Egypt, had
often caused a shudder.
I could not resist the inclination, before the evening had quite
closed in, to pay a final visit to some old and well-known spots, so
I strolled through the Café Français, as yet almost untenanted, and
down its dirty stone-staircase to the back of the Okella, close to the
sea-shore. There, in its cobwebbed solitude, stood the old Enfield
stage, umwhile the pride of Glover, who little thought, as he rumbled
along to and from the Bank twice a-day, with his six insides, that his
rickety old machine was ever destined to run from Enfield Wash to the
Red Sea. Such had nevertheless been the intention of Mr. Waghorn in
purchasing it, and sending it out to Egypt, though if it ever get there
now, it must certainly be through the intervention of miracle.
I had a long chat with Furner, who told me that he also was meditating
a change, and that he looked either towards Bombay or Calcutta as
his next location, waiting only for the transit business changing
hands, which would be the signal for his departure. He and Mr. Raven
accompanied me the next morning on board the “Minos,” where I found
Lord E. and his suite, and a good sprinkling of passengers, among whom
I recognised most of those of the dinner-party at Mr. L.’s, on the
Mahmoudieh. I had just time to bid my kind friends a hearty farewell,
when the bell was heard, and we were off. I lingered to take a parting
look at the quaint windmills and low sandy shores of Iskander, and
then turned my back upon Egypt: with regret, it is true, for in that
strange land I had been kindly received and treated, and had found
friends, whose value appeared greatly enhanced now that I was leaving
them behind, and with many of whom I should scarcely ever meet again.
However, as the deck of a French war-steamer is one of the spots least
suited to quiet reflection, I made my way to the cabin, where some of
my countrymen had already betaken themselves to their sleeping-places,
as a precautionary measure against _mal de mer_. There was in truth but
little inducement to remain above, for the wind was high and in our
teeth, giving promise of an unfavourable passage.
On the night of the 10th, we anchored at Syra, and were there
transferred to another boat of the same enterprise, called the
“Rhamses,” parting company at the same time with several of our
fellow-passengers, who were bound for Constantinople. On again standing
out to sea, the wind had increased to a gale, which tossed us about
most unpleasantly, and I shall not easily forget the appearance of
things on the morning of the 12th, when I ascended to the deck before
the breakfast hour. The hatchways closely battened down, benches lashed
together, and guns carefully encased in tarpaulin, while the pumps
were got into readiness, and an extra tiller-bar fished up from below,
looked, to my unpractised eye, like symptoms of an impending storm,
whilst our skipper, having laid aside his gold-laced cap and swallow
tails, had donned a stiff pea-jacket and indisputable sou’-wester, and
was now darting a rapid but penetrating glance at the disposition of
things aloft, as he held on to the rail of the companion-ladder. The
aspect of the sea was terrific, and I really could scarcely venture
to keep my eye upon waves, over which it seemed morally impossible
that our ship could ride. Now, the horizon would appear limited to the
compass of a few acres only, and then again, elevated upon the crown of
some gigantic sea, we seemed poised, as it were, in mid-air, surrounded
by an interminable boundless waste of waters. Our good ship struggled
gallantly with the waves, but it was evident, with all her puffing
and groaning, that she made no way whatever, and our captain at length
reluctantly gave the order to put about and go before the wind. This
proceeding altered things for the better: the heavy seas no longer
broke over our deck, and the severe shocks against our bows, which
had previously thrown the whole ship into convulsions, were felt less
frequently. Thus we passed the ensuing day and night, by which time the
gale had somewhat abated, and we resumed our course.
On the 14th, about midnight, we espied the friendly and cheering light
of Malta, and I believe we all felt considerably grateful to find
ourselves riding in the smooth water and safety of the quarantine
harbour. We were however destined to pass another day and night on
board the “Rhamses,” as the Lazaretto was not ready for our reception,
but on the 16th, we were landed at Fort Manuel, and consigned in lots
to the care of the health officers, every three persons having a
separate _Guardiano_.
The first appearance of the Lazaretto is by no means pleasing to one
who knows that he must there undergo a three weeks’ imprisonment,
but I have often heard it affirmed, and can in my own case bear
ample testimony to the truth of the assertion, that under ordinary
circumstances, the term of quarantine may prove a period of great
enjoyment. Of course, much depends upon the character of the persons
with whom you are associated, but it would be strange indeed, if among
the large and mixed party thus thrown together, there were not some one
more gifted than the rest with the power and will to amuse or instruct
his companions, whilst for the development of character, few places
are better situated than Fort Manuel. Our steamer’s boats landed us
and our baggage at the stairs, from whence we were escorted, by our
guardians, through a formidable sort of fortification, and across a
large quadrangle, to an opposite building, where we were shown into a
series of empty rooms, and requested to make our selection. I found one
in an angle of the building, containing an iron bedstead and table, and
no sooner had I thrown my bag upon the brick-floor, in token of right
of possession, than a functionary from below put into my hands the
price-current of the furniture-broker of the Lazaretto, who undertakes
to supply, for a trifling sum, the wherewith to furnish your chamber.
Having made my selection, I was next waited upon by the cuisinier of
the establishment, who likewise solicited my patronage. I got rid of
him by ordering dinner.
The next visitation that I experienced, was on the part of my own
particular guardian, who having begged the key of my portmanteau,
most unceremoniously exposed the whole of its contents. My linen he
unfolded and hung on a clothes-horse, whilst from pegs in the wall,
he suspended an array of coats and trousers, giving my furnished
lodging the appearance of an old-clothes shop. Nothing escaped his
vigilance. Dressing-case and drawing-box were fished out and opened,
and the secret recesses of my writing-desk, which it almost puzzled
_me_ to arrive at, flew apart as if by magic, at the “open-sesame”
of my unnatural guardian, who finished up by taking the tops off my
pill-boxes, and the stoppers out of my medicine-bottles. On visiting
some of my neighbours, I found that they had been served in the same
way, and the odd mixture of articles in an apartment called the _mess
(!)_ room, which contained five or six beds, was quite laughable, and
as a museum, was perfectly unique, each individual’s private collection
giving a sufficiently good clue to his tastes and character. There were
enough of cherry-sticks and chibouques to have stocked a cigar-divan,
whilst we might easily have managed a bal-costumè with the variety of
Oriental dresses which were here brought to light. One of our company
was highly indignant, and I thought, justly ashamed of the exposè made
of a quantity of chippings from the glorious temples of Upper Egypt,
which had been cracked off during his antiquarian ramble, to serve as
trophies and mementos when he should regain his own fireside.
Whilst viewing his collection, we were summonsed by the sound of
the dinner-bell, and repaired to the common-hall, somewhat curious
to test the powers of the Maltese restaurateur, who was to feed us
in quarantine, at the rate of four-and-sixpence for dinner, and
fourteen-pence for breakfast. From the price of the former, we
naturally expected a substantial meal, but finding the sanitary
authorities decidedly in favour of low diet, such as weak broth with
salads and sour-krout, and no end of gherkins and beet-root, and an
appeal to the cook proving unproductive of better fare, I resolved to
send over the way to my friend Baker, of the “Princess Royal,” and
trust to his discrimination to send me something more substantial.
Nor was I disappointed; the next morning witnessed the arrival of
a well-stocked hamper, containing among other things, a formidable
“piece de resistance,” in the shape of a boiled round of beef, and
an apple-pie that excited the wonder of the whole establishment of
Quarantine officers. Some of my companions followed my example, and
thus by alternately dining with each other, we managed constantly
to vary our bill of fare, and get our meal at less expense than when
served by the Maltese cook, who viewed our private larder with great
indignation, and no doubt regretted having voluntarily submitted to a
term of quarantine destined to profit him so little.
The Lazaretto at Fort Manuel, consists of three separate buildings,
each capable of accommodating from twelve to twenty persons, one of
these being exclusively devoted to the use of such as may be reported
under the yellow flag, or taken ill subsequent to their admission. In
our case, we came with a clean bill of health, a fact which seemed in
no way to influence the vigilance of our guardians, who never came
nearer to us than was absolutely necessary; and during the whole period
of our probationary imprisonment, treated us as though we had been
really plague-stricken. On one occasion, I was severely reprimanded for
having scattered some torn fragments of letters from my window, as, had
the breeze been sufficiently strong to carry any portion over the water
into Citta Vecchia, I should innocently have placed the whole island in
quarantine. Each particle was carefully picked up and destroyed. All
letters out were duly punctured and fumigated, and our converse with
visitors from the island across the double bars of the Parlatori, where
secrets of great import were necessarily confided in the loudest key,
was curious enough.
On the Sabbath we attended Divine service in the church attached to the
Fort, two clergymen of our party officiating alternately, but for our
Catholic attendants there was no place of worship, from the fact, I
suppose, that no priest could be found sufficiently zealous to devote
himself to a perpetual quarantine. Morning mass, however, was not to
be neglected, and our good Catholics resorted to the only means within
their reach to secure its enjoyment. Rising one day somewhat earlier
than usual, I was surprised to observe a number of persons kneeling on
the stones at the end of the open corridor, extending along the front
of the building we occupied. As they simultaneously made the sign of
the cross, and appeared all to direct their attention to one particular
object, I soon discovered that their altar and officiating priest were
at least a good half-mile off on the opposite shore. Waiting until
the ceremony was over, I fetched my glass, and could then remark a
small chapel in the side of the rock, wherein the service had been
conducted, and from which the priest and a little crowd of devotees
were now departing. This was, indeed, silent worship, yet doubtless
as acceptable as though it had been offered in a gorgeous temple,
and accompanied with all the pomp and ceremony of the most elaborate
Catholic mass.
Our walks and rambles in quarantine were necessarily very limited,
being confined to the ramparts and fortifications which surrounded
us, and the spacious court-yard in front of the Lazaretto. We had
books from Muir’s Library to read, and, as Murray says, “drawings
to finish, and journals to fetch up,” and these resources occupied
the hours of daylight, whilst our evenings passed away round the
tea-table of one or other of our company, either in social chat, and
the relation of bye-gone experiences, or in the enjoyment of embryo
tales and poems from the portfolio of one of our party, who has since
given them to the world. We had besides, a very amusing companion, who
had been everywhere and seen everything, and could perform the most
astounding feats in legerdemain, so that with these resources, it is no
wonder if our time passed away pleasantly enough, and that we almost
regretted an unexpected piece of news brought to us one morning by a
smiling _guardiano_. This was to the effect, that the Board of Health
had decided upon cutting short our term of quarantine by several
days, and that we were now at liberty. Soon afterwards a servant
from the “Princess Royal” came for my luggage, and stepping into a
gaudy-coloured little Maltese boat, I was ferried across the harbour,
and was once more at large. I made the best of my way to the hotel,
for I was conscious that my appearance was anything but calculated to
excite respect in the eyes of the Maltese signory, whom I encountered
in my passage through the town. One sleeve of my frock-coat was all
but off, to say nothing of divers rents and holes in other parts of my
dress. Boots I had none, their place being usurped by a pair of Arab
slippers, whilst my head, which had not yet recovered its legitimate
thatch, was crowned with a Fez _tarboosh_. My friend Borg, who had
kindly met me at the water’s edge, though apparently ashamed of my
acquaintance, insisted upon introducing me to a tailor, who might help
me to assume a less questionable appearance, and with the prospect of
some decent apparel on the morrow, I took refuge in the hotel.