Produced by Annie R. McGuire
[Illustration: Book Cover]
[Illustration]
THE BOY TRAVELLERS IN THE FAR EAST
_PART FOURTH_
* * * * *
ADVENTURES OF TWO YOUTHS IN A JOURNEY
TO
EGYPT AND THE HOLY LAND
BY
THOMAS W. KNOX
AUTHOR OF
"THE YOUNG NIMRODS" "CAMP-FIRE AND COTTON-FIELD" "OVERLAND THROUGH ASIA"
"UNDERGROUND" "JOHN" "HOW TO TRAVEL" ETC.
Illustrated
NEW YORK
HARPER & BROTHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE
1883
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1882, by
HARPER & BROTHERS,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
* * * * *
_All rights reserved._
PREFACE.
The favorable reception, by press and public, accorded to "The Boy
Travellers in the Far East" is the author's excuse for venturing to
prepare a volume upon Egypt and the Holy Land. He is well aware that
those countries have been the favorite theme of authors since the days
of Herodotus and Strabo, and many books have been written concerning
them. While he could not expect to say much that is new, he hopes the
form in which his work is presented will not be found altogether
ancient.
The author has twice visited Egypt, and has made the tour of Palestine
and Syria. The experiences of Frank and Fred in their journeyings were
mainly those of the writer of this book in the winter of 1873-'74, and
in the spring of 1878. He has endeavored to give a faithful description
of Egypt and the Holy Land as they appear to-day, and during the
preparation of this volume he has sent to those countries to obtain the
latest information concerning the roads, modes of travel, and other
things that may have undergone changes since his last journey in the
Levant.
In addition to using his own notes and observations, made on the spot,
he has consulted many previous and some subsequent travellers, and has
examined numerous books relating to the subjects on which he has
written. It has been his effort to embody a description of the Egypt of
old with that of the present, and to picture the lands of the Bible as
they have appeared through many centuries down to our own time. If it
shall be found that he has made a book which combines amusement and
instruction for the youth of our land, he will feel that his labor has
not been in vain.
Many of the works consulted in the preparation of this book are
mentioned in its pages. To some authors he is indebted for illustrations
as well as for descriptive or historical matter, the publishers having
kindly allowed the use of engravings from their previous publications.
Among the works which deserve acknowledgment are "The Ancient
Egyptians," by Sir Gardner Wilkinson; "The Modern Egyptians," by Edward
William Lane; the translation of "The Arabian Nights' Entertainments,"
by the same author; "From Egypt to Palestine," by Dr. S. C. Bartlett;
"The Land and the Book," by Dr. W. M. Thomson; "Boat Life in Egypt," and
"Tent Life in Syria," by William C. Prime, LL.D.; "The Khedive's Egypt,"
by Edwin De Leon; "The Desert of the Exodus," by Professor E. H. Palmer;
"Dr. Olin's Travels in the East;" "Our Inheritance in the Great
Pyramid," by Piazzi Smith; and "The Land of Moab," by Dr. H. B.
Tristram. The author is indebted to Lieutenant-commander Gorringe for
information concerning Egyptian obelisks, and regrets that want of space
prevented the use of the full account of the removal of "Cleopatra's
Needle" from Alexandria to New York.
With this explanation of his reasons for writing "The Boy Travellers in
Egypt and the Holy Land," the author submits the result of his labors to
those who have already accompanied Frank and Fred in their wanderings in
Asia, and to such new readers as may desire to peruse it. He trusts the
former will continue, and the latter make, an acquaintance that will
prove neither unpleasant nor without instruction.
* * * * *
P.S.--This volume was written and in type previous to July, 1882.
Consequently the revolt of Arabi Pasha and the important events that
followed could not be included in the narrative of the "Boy Travellers."
T. W. K.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
FROM BOMBAY TO SUEZ.--THE RED SEA, MECCA, AND MOUNT SINAI. 13
CHAPTER II.
SUEZ.--WHERE THE ISRAELITES CROSSED THE RED SEA.--THE SUEZ CANAL. 24
CHAPTER III.
FROM SUEZ TO CAIRO.--THROUGH THE LAND OF GOSHEN. 38
CHAPTER IV.
STREET SCENES IN CAIRO. 52
CHAPTER V.
A RAMBLE THROUGH THE BAZAARS OF CAIRO. 65
CHAPTER VI.
MOSQUES, DERVISHES, AND SCHOOLS.--EDUCATION IN EGYPT. 78
CHAPTER VII.
THE CITADEL.--THE TOMBS OF THE CALIPHS.--THE NILOMETER.--THE
ROSETTA STONE. 90
CHAPTER VIII.
WONDERS OF THE EGYPTIAN MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES. 104
CHAPTER IX.
THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZEH AND SAKKARA.--MEMPHIS AND THE APIS
MAUSOLEUM. 117
CHAPTER X.
AN ORIENTAL BATH.--EGYPTIAN WEDDINGS AND FUNERALS. 133
CHAPTER XI.
ASCENDING THE NILE.--SIGHTS AND SCENES ON THE RIVER. 145
CHAPTER XII.
SUGAR PLANTATIONS AND MILLS.--SNAKE-CHARMERS.--SIGHTS AT
BENI-HASSAN. 155
CHAPTER XIII.
SIOOT, THE ANCIENT LYCOPOLIS.--SCENES ON THE RIVER. 167
CHAPTER XIV.
GIRGEH AND KENEH.--THE TEMPLES OF ABYDUS AND DENDERAH.--AN
EGYPTIAN DANCE. 177
CHAPTER XV.
ARRIVAL AT LUXOR.--THE GREAT TEMPLE OF KARNAK. 190
CHAPTER XVI.
THE RAMESEUM, MEDINET ABOO, AND THE VOCAL MEMNON. 204
CHAPTER XVII.
THE TOMBS OF THE KINGS.--RECENT DISCOVERIES OF ROYAL MUMMIES. 214
CHAPTER XVIII.
HAREM LIFE IN THE EAST.--FROM LUXOR TO ASSOUAN. 226
CHAPTER XIX.
A CAMEL JOURNEY.--THE ISLAND OF PHILÆ, AND THE FIRST CATARACT
OF THE NILE. 240
CHAPTER XX.
FROM ASSOUAN TO ALEXANDRIA.--FAREWELL TO EGYPT. 253
CHAPTER XXI.
VOYAGE FROM EGYPT TO PALESTINE.--JOURNEY FROM JAFFA TO RAMLEH. 267
CHAPTER XXII.
FROM RAMLEH TO JERUSALEM.--THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE. 280
CHAPTER XXIII.
IN AND AROUND JERUSALEM. 295
CHAPTER XXIV.
FROM JERUSALEM TO BETHLEHEM.--CHURCH AND GROTTO OF THE NATIVITY. 310
CHAPTER XXV.
FROM BETHLEHEM TO MAR SABA AND THE DEAD SEA. 326
CHAPTER XXVI.
FROM THE DEAD SEA TO THE JORDAN, JERICHO, AND JERUSALEM.--THE
VALLEY OF THE JORDAN. 342
CHAPTER XXVII.
FROM JERUSALEM TO NABULUS.--HISTORIC PLACES ON THE ROUTE. 355
CHAPTER XXVIII.
FROM NABULUS TO NAZARETH, SAMARIA, JENIN, AND THE PLAIN OF
ESDRAELON. 368
CHAPTER XXIX.
ASCENT OF MOUNT TABOR.--AROUND AND ON THE SEA OF GALILEE. 385
CHAPTER XXX.
FROM GALILEE TO DAMASCUS.--A RIDE THROUGH DAN AND BANIAS. 399
CHAPTER XXXI.
SIGHTS AND SCENES IN DAMASCUS. 411
CHAPTER XXXII.
DAMASCUS TO BEYROOT.--THE RUINS OF BAALBEC.--FAREWELL. 425
ILLUSTRATIONS.
A Scene in Egypt. _Frontispiece._
Coast of the Red Sea. 13
View in Jeddah, on the Red Sea. 17
Captain Burton in Native Dress. 19
Encampment of Pilgrims at Mount Arafat, near Mecca. 20
View of Medina (from a Drawing by a Native Artist). 21
Scene near Suez. 22
Travelling in the Sinai Desert. 23
A Shop in Suez. 25
The Northern End of the Gulf of Suez. 26
"Ayoon Moosa"--the Wells of Moses. 28
Preaching in a Mosque. 29
A Landing-place on the Fresh-water Canal. 31
Oriental Ships of Ancient Times. 32
Ferdinand De Lesseps. 34
Suez Canal and Eastern Egypt. 35
Night Scene on Lake Menzaleh. 37
Camel and Young. 38
Desert Scene in Eastern Egypt. 40
The Modern Shadoof. 41
An Ancient Shadoof. 42
A Sakkieh, or Water-wheel. 42
A Ploughman at Work. 43
An Ancient Plough. 44
An Egyptian Thrashing-machine. 45
Ancient Process of Treading out the Corn. 45
Egyptian Lentils. 46
The Pyramids. 47
A Question of Backsheesh. 48
A Street in Cairo. 50
A Projecting Window. 51
A Caliph of Egypt on his Throne. 53
Part of Old Cairo. 54
A Peddler of Jewellery. 56
A Lady in Street Dress. 57
A Woman Carrying Water. 57
The Fountain of a Mosque. 58
A Beggar at the Way-side. 59
A Man Carrying his Keys. 60
An Oriental Band of Music. 61
The Nay (Flute) and Case. 62
Ancient Egyptian Playing the Nay. 62
The Tamboora. 63
A Darabookah. 63
Coffee-pot and Cups. 64
Oriental Shopkeeper Examining his Books. 65
Interior of a Caravansary. 66
Gate-way of a Caravansary. 67
A Street in a Bazaar at Cairo. 68
Shopping Scene in the Hamzowee. 70
Eastern Necklaces. 71
Weighing Gold in the Jewellers' Bazaar. 71
Kitchen Utensils. 73
Basin and Ewer. 74
Bottle for Rose-water. 75
Oriental Guns. 75
Bab-el-Nasr. 76
Street Scene near the Bab-el-Nasr. 77
The Mosque of Tooloon. 78
Mihrab, Pulpit, and Candlestick in a Mosque. 79
A Begging Dervish. 81
A Whirling Dervish. 82
Performance of the Whirling Dervishes. 83
A Whirler in full Action. 84
Arabic Writing, with Impression of a Seal. 85
Scene in a Primary School. 86
Instruction at Home. 87
Entrance to the El-Azhar. 88
Professors of the El-Azhar. 89
The Citadel, Cairo, with Mosque of Mohammed Ali. 90
View from the Citadel, Cairo. 92
The Tombs of the Caliphs. 94
The Tomb of Keit Bey. 95
The Ferry at Old Cairo. 96
The Dress of an Egyptian King. Form of Crown and Aprons. 98
Menes. 99
Rameses II., from an Inscription. 99
Meneptah, the supposed Pharaoh of the Exodus. 100
The Name of Egypt in Hieroglyphics. 101
Ptolemy in Hieroglyphics. 101
The Rosetta Stone, with Specimen Lines from the Inscription. 102
Specimens of the Three Forms of Writing Used by the Egyptians. 102
Dedication of the Pylon of a Temple. 103
Egyptian Sculptors at Work. 104
Wooden Statue Found at Sakkara. 105
Wooden Dolls. 106
Children's Toys. 107
Positions in Playing Ball. 107
Balls of Leather and Porcelain. 108
Playing Ball Mounted. 108
Playing Checkers. 109
Sand-bag Exercise. 109
A Bull-fight. 110
Goddesses of Truth and Justice. 110
The Name of Apis, an Egyptian God, in Hieroglyphics. 111
King and Queen Offering to the Gods. 111
Different Forms of Mummy Cases. 112
Transporting a Mummy on a Sledge. 112
Goddess of Truth, with her Eyes Closed. 113
Lady's Head-dress on a Mummy Case. 113
Rings, Bracelets, and Scarabæi. 114
Stone Scarabæus with Wings. 114
Jeweller with Blow-pipe. 115
Egyptian Goldsmiths (from a Painting at Thebes). 115
Golden Baskets (from the Tomb of Rameses III.). 116
Dresses of Women of Ancient Egypt. 116
Camels and their Burdens. 117
Old Mode of Transport on the Nile. 118
Near View of the Pyramids. 119
The Battle of the Pyramids.--"Forty centuries look down on you". 121
Egyptian Captives Employed at Hard Labor. 122
Removing Stone from the Quarries. 123
Cutting and Squaring Blocks of Stone. 124
Section of the Great Pyramid. 125
The Sphinx. 126
The Sphinx by Moonlight. 127
Egyptian Captives Making Bricks. 128
Ploughing and Sowing. 129
Taking it Easy. 129
A Hunting Scene. 130
Bronze Figure of Apis. 131
Huntsman with Dogs and Game. 131
An Arched Tomb at Sakkara. 132
Central Room of the Bath. 134
The Man who didn't Like it. 135
The Barber. 137
The Bath among the Ancient Egyptians. 138
A Khatibeh, or Marriage-broker. 140
Preparing for the Wedding. 141
A Marriage Procession at Night. 142
Unveiling the Bride. 143
Blind Musicians among the Ancient Egyptians. 144
View on the Nile near Cairo. 145
Ancient Boat on the Nile. 146
A Village on the Bank of the River. 148
General View of an Eastern City. 149
A Plague of Flies. 151
A Kangia. 151
The Captain. 152
A Gourd Raft. 154
The Raft seen from Below. 154
View on a Sugar Plantation. 156
Interior of a Sugar-mill. 158
A Secure Point of View. 159
Interior of a Tomb at Beni-Hassan. 161
Section of a Tomb. 162
Spinning and Weaving. 163
Artists at Work. 164
Fishing Scene at Beni-Hassan. 164
An Ancient Donkey. 165
A Respectable Citizen. 165
An Old Inhabitant. 166
A Scene near Sioot. 167
A Scene in the Bazaars. 168
Room in an Oriental House. 170
An Oriental Gentleman. 170
An Egyptian Lamp. 171
Pigeon-houses. 173
The Oriental Pigeon. 173
A Watchman's Booth. 174
Inflated Skin Raft (from Assyrian Sculpture). 174
An Ancient Life-preserver. 175
Modern "Keleks," or Skin Rafts. 176
Girgeh. 177
Scene during the Inundation. 178
A Camel on his way to Pasture. 179
Heads of Captives of Rameses II. 180
A Lunch-party of Other Days. 181
Ancient Potters at Work. 183
Ancient Vases, Cups, and Water-jars. 184
Date-palms, near Keneh. 185
Ancient Dancers and Musicians. 186
A Modern Musician. 186
An Egyptian King on his Throne. 187
Front of the Temple at Denderah. 188
Egyptian Prince Carried in a Palanquin. 189
A Complete Egyptian Temple. 191
A "Baris," or Funeral-boat. 192
An Egyptian War-chariot of Ancient Times. 194
Luxor from the Water. 195
Entrance to the Temple of Luxor. 197
Approach to Karnak from Luxor. 198
The Great Hall of Karnak. 199
Grand Court-yard of the Temple. 200
A Body of Archers. 201
Making a List of Captives. 201
Obelisk and part of Grand Hall at Karnak. 202
Egyptian Soldiers. 203
Dry Footing. 204
Ruins in Old Thebes. 205
Grand Hall of the Memnonium. 206
View in the Memnonium, with Ruined Statue of Rameses the Great. 207
The Phalanx of the Sheta. 208
Medinet Aboo. 209
An Egyptian War-boat. 210
The Colossi during an Inundation. 211
Egyptian Priests clad in Leopard-skins. 212
Rear View of the Colossi, with Luxor in the Distance. 213
Sacred Musicians, and a Priest Offering Incense. 214
Valley of the Tombs of the Kings. 215
View in Belzoni's Tomb. 216
An Egyptian Harper. 219
A Chair from Bruce's Tomb. 220
Section of Papyrus. 222
Coffin and Mummy of a Royal Princess. 223
Coffin of Queen Nofretari. 224
Coffin of Rameses II. 225
An Oriental Lady at Home. 226
Eastern Ladies Listening to Music. 228
An Oriental Dancing Girl. 230
An Eastern Story-teller. 231
A Reception in a Harem. 233
Sculptures Mutilated by the Persians. 234
A Thing of Beauty. 235
View in the Temple of Edfoo. 236
Hagar Silsilis. 237
The Foot of the First Cataract. 238
The Ship of the Desert. 241
Bedouin Arabs with their Camel Herds. 242
Camels (from an Assyrian Sculpture). 243
A Bactrian Camel in Good Condition. 243
Foot and Stomach of the Camel. 244
Head of a Camel. 244
The Dromedary Regiment of Napoleon I. 245
View of Philæ from the Head of the Cataract. 247
The Bank of the River below Philæ. 248
Pharaoh's Bed and the Ruins of the Temple. 249
View from Philæ, looking Up the River. 250
The Papyrus Jungles of the Nile. 251
An Ancient Poultry-shop. 253
An Arab and his Camel. 255
Colossal Heads in Front of the Temple of Abou Simbel. 256
Public Square at Khartoom. 258
Egyptian Soldiers on Camels. 259
The Barrage of the Nile. 262
General View of Alexandria. 262
Cleopatra's Needle at Alexandria. 264
Pompey's Pillar. 265
View of Alexandria from the Sea. 266
Front of an Eastern Summer-house. 268
One of the Dragomen. 269
Joppa. 271
A Second-class Horse. 272
The City Gate of Jaffa. 273
Women at a Well. 275
Public Fountain at Jerusalem. 276
One of the Wells of Beersheba, with its Watering-troughs. 277
Interior of a Cistern. 278
Cistern Under the Temple of Jerusalem. 278
A Syrian Horseman. 280
The Tower of Ramleh (from Thomson's "The Land and the Book"). 282
Road in the Foot-hills. 284
View of Jerusalem from the East. 285
Plan of Jerusalem. 287
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. 290
Ground-plan of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. 291
The Holy Sepulchre. 292
Ancient Arch in Jerusalem. 295
Arms of Jerusalem. 297
Knights of St Catherine. 297
The Via Dolorosa. 298
The Damascus Gate. 299
View of the Mosque of Omar and the Mount of Olives. 301
Wall at South-east Corner of the Temple Area. 303
Wailing-place of the Jews. 304
The Pool of Bethesda. 306
The Pool of Siloam. 307
Quarries Under Jerusalem. 308
View on the Mount of Olives. 311
Gethsemane. 312
A Sycamore-tree. 313
The Road from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. 315
The Tomb of Rachel. 316
Entrance to Bethlehem. 317
View in Bethlehem. 319
Interior of the Church of the Nativity. 321
The Place of the Nativity. 322
The Manger. 323
Adoration of the Wise Men. 323
The Flight into Egypt. 324
An Arab Encampment. 327
A Bedouin Sheik. 328
Modern Bedouins of Mount Sinai. 329
Scene in the Wilderness. 330
An Arab Guard in Palestine. 331
Mar Saba (from Thomson's "The Land and the Book"). 332
Russian Pilgrims in the Holy Land. 334
Road to the Dead Sea. 334
The Dead Sea from the North. 335
Map of the Dead Sea. 337
Lynch's Expedition to the Dead Sea. 338
Lynch's Levelling Party. 339
The Cavern of Usdum. 340
Reeds and Rushes on the Jordan. 342
An Arab Skirmish in the Land of Moab. 343
Bathing-place of the Pilgrims (from Thomson's "The Land and
the Book"). 345
Source of the Jordan. 347
Passage of the Israelites. 347
Map of the Jordan. 348
Recent Aspect of the Plain of Jericho. 350
Ain-es-Sultan, or Fountain of Elisha (from Thomson's "The Land
and the Book"). 351
The Village of Bethany. 353
The Hotel-keeper. 355
Scene on the Overland Route from Jerusalem. 357
By Babel's Stream. 358
The Grapes of Eshcol. 359
Hebron. 360
Street Scene in Bireh. 362
A Native Group at a Fountain. 363
Beasts of Burden. 365
Roof of a House in Nabulus. 366
The Woman of Samaria. 367
View of Nabulus. 369
An Ancient Olive-press. 370
Women Working an Olive-press. 370
Ancient Lamps (Matt. xxv. 1). 371
Modern Lamps. 371
Samaritans Bearing Tribute--an Assyrian Sculpture (2 Kings
xvii. 3). 372
Sebustieh, the Ancient Samaria. 374
View of Jenin, the Ancient Engannim. 376
Map of the Valley of Esdraelon. 377
The Plan of Nazareth. 378
View of Nazareth. 380
The Annunciation. 382
The Country near Nazareth, with the Town in the Distance. 383
Home of a Cave-hermit in Palestine. 386
Mount Tabor. 387
Distant View of Kefr Kenna. 388
The City and Lake of Tiberias. 390
Map of the Sea of Galilee. 392
Magdala and Plain of Gennesaret. 393
Herod's Plan of Attack. 394
Battle with the Robbers. 395
A Galilee Fishing-boat. 396
Ruins at Tell Hum. 397
View of the Lake from the Western Shore. 398
The Rock Partridge. 399
The Plain of Huleh. 400
Huts near Lake Huleh. 401
An Army of Kedesh. 402
Head-spring of the Jordan near Hasbeiyah. 405
Map of the Sources of the Jordan. 406
Terebinth-tree at Banias. 406
Substructions of the Castle of Banias. 407
View from the Castle of Banias. 409
A Street in Damascus. 410
General View of Damascus. 411
Interior of a House in Damascus. 413
Bedouin Camp near Damascus. 416
A Scene in Damascus. 419
Portrait of Abd-el-Kader. 420
Sword-blades of Damascus. 421
Damask Goods. 422
Attack on the Citadel of Damascus before the Invention of
Gunpowder. 423
Paul Led into Damascus. 424
A Caravan near Damascus. 425
The River among the Rocks. 426
The Fijeh Source of the Abana. 427
The Ruins of Baalbec. 429
Modern Wine-press. 431
Bridge Over the Litany. 432
The Cedars of Lebanon. 433
View of Beyroot, looking toward the Harbor. 435
Mission School in Syria. 436
Fountain at Beyroot. 437
Lebanon. 438
MAP OF EGYPT. _Front Cover._
MAP OF THE HOLY LAND. _Back Cover._
CHAPTER I.
FROM BOMBAY TO SUEZ.--THE RED SEA, MECCA, AND MOUNT SINAI.
"Here we are in port again!" said Fred Bronson, as the anchor fell from
the bow of the steamer and the chain rattled through the hawse-hole.
"Three cheers for ourselves!" said Frank Bassett in reply. "We have had
a splendid voyage, and here is a new country for us to visit."
"And one of the most interesting in the world," remarked the Doctor, who
came on deck just in time to catch the words of the youth.
"Egypt is the oldest country of which we have a definite history, and
there is no other land that contains so many monuments of its former
greatness."
Their conversation was cut short by the captain, who came to tell them
that they would soon be able to go on shore, as the Quarantine boat was
approaching, and they could leave immediately after the formalities were
over.
When we last heard from our friends they were about leaving Bombay under
"sealed orders." When the steamer was fairly outside of the beautiful
harbor of that city, and the passengers were bidding farewell to Colaba
Light-house, Dr. Bronson called the youths to his side and told them
their destination.
"We are going," said he, "to Egypt, and thence to the Holy Land. The
steamer will carry us across the Indian Ocean to the Straits of
Bab-el-mandeb, and then through these straits into the Red Sea; then we
continue our voyage to Suez, where we land and travel by rail to Cairo."
One of the boys asked how long it would take them to go from Bombay to
Suez.
"About ten days," was the reply. "The distance is three thousand miles,
in round numbers, and I believe we are not to stop anywhere on the way."
The time was passed pleasantly enough on the steamer. The weather was so
warm that the passengers preferred the deck to the stifling cabins, and
the majority of them slept there every night, and lounged there during
the day. The boys passed their time in reading about the countries they
were to visit, writing letters to friends at home, and completing the
journal of their travels. In the evenings they talked about what they
had seen, and hoped that the story of their wanderings would prove
interesting to their school-mates in America, and to other youths of
their age.[1]
[1] "The Boy Travellers in the Far East." Parts I., II., and III.
Adventures of Two Youths in a Journey to Japan, China, Siam, Java,
Cambodia, Sumatra, the Malay Archipelago, Ceylon, Burmah, Borneo, the
Philippine Islands, and India. By Thomas W. Knox. Published by Harper &
Brothers, New York.
[Illustration: COAST OF THE RED SEA.]
Soon after entering the Red Sea they passed the island of Perim, a
barren stretch of rock and sand, crowned with a signal station, from
which the English flag was flying. As they were looking at the island,
and thinking what a dreary place it must be to live in, one of the
passengers told the boys an amusing story of how the English obtained
possession of it.
"Of course you are aware," said he, "that the English have a military
post at Aden, a rocky peninsula on the shore of Arabia, about a hundred
and twenty miles from the entrance of the Red Sea. They bought it from
the Sultan of that part of Arabia in 1839 by first taking possession,
and then telling him he could name his price, and they would give him
what they thought best, as they were determined to stay. Aden is a very
important station for England, as it lies conveniently between Europe
and Asia, and has a fine harbor. The mail steamers stop there for coal,
and the government always keeps a garrison in the fort. It is one of the
hottest and most unhealthy places in the world, and there is a saying
among the British officers that an order to go to Aden is very much like
being condemned to be shot.
"Soon after the Suez Canal was begun the French thought they needed a
port somewhere near Aden, and in 1857 they sent a ship-of-war to obtain
one. The ship touched at Aden for provisions, and the captain was
invited to dine with the general who commanded at the fort. During
dinner he became very talkative, and finally told the general that his
government had sent him to take possession of Perim, at the entrance of
the Red Sea.
"Perim was a barren island, as you see, and belonged to nobody; and the
English had never thought it was worth holding, though they occupied it
from 1799 to 1801. As soon as the French captain had stated his business
in that locality the general wrote a few words on a slip of paper, which
he handed to a servant to carry to the chief of staff. Then he kept his
visitor at table till a late hour, prevailed on him to sleep on shore
that night, and not be in a hurry to get away the next morning.
"The French ship left during the forenoon and steamed for Perim. And you
may imagine that captain's astonishment when he saw a dozen men on the
summit of the island fixing a pole in the ground. As soon as it was in
place they flung out the English flag from its top, and greeted it with
three cheers. In the little note he wrote at the dinner-table the
general had ordered a small steamer to start immediately for Perim and
take possession in the name of the Queen, and his orders were obeyed.
The French captain was dismissed from the navy for being too free with
his tongue, and the English have 'hung on' to Perim ever since."
The Doctor joined them as the story of the occupation of Perim was
concluded. There was a laugh over the shrewdness of the English officer
and the discomfiture of the French one, and then the conversation turned
to the Red Sea.
"It may properly be called an inlet of the Indian Ocean," said the
Doctor, "as it is long and narrow, and has more the characteristics of
an inlet than of a sea. It is about fourteen hundred miles long, and
varies from twenty to two hundred miles in width; it contains many
shoals and quicksands, so that its navigation is dangerous, and
requires careful pilotage. At the upper or northern extremity it is
divided into two branches by the peninsula of Mount Sinai; the western
branch is called the Gulf of Suez, and is about one hundred and eighty
miles long, by twenty broad. This gulf was formerly more difficult of
navigation than the Red Sea proper, but recently the Egyptian government
has established a line of beacons and light-houses along its whole
length, so that the pilots can easily find their way by day or at
night."
One of the boys asked why the body of water in question was called the
_Red_ Sea.
The Doctor explained that the origin of the name was unknown, as it had
been called the Red Sea since the time of Herodotus and other early
writers. It is referred to in the Hebrew Scriptures as _Yam Suph_, the
Sea of Weeds, in consequence of the profusion of weeds in its waters.
These weeds have a reddish color; the barren hills that enclose the sea
have a strong tinge of red, especially at the hours of sunset and
sunrise, and the coral reefs that stretch in every direction and make
navigation dangerous are often of a vermilion tint. "You will see all
these things as you proceed," he continued, "and by the time you are at
Suez you will have no difficulty in understanding why this body of water
is called the _Red_ Sea."
The boys found it as he had predicted, and the temperature for the first
two days after passing Perim led Frank to suggest that the name might be
made more descriptive of its character if it were called the Red-hot
Sea. The thermometer stood at 101° in the cabin, and was only a little
lower on deck; the heat was enervating in the extreme, and there was no
way of escaping it; but on the third day the wind began to blow from the
north, and there was a change in the situation. Thin garments were
exchanged for thick ones, and the passengers, who had been almost faint
with the heat, were beginning to shiver in their overcoats.
"A change of this sort is unusual," said the gentleman who had told them
of the seizure of Perim, "but when it does come it is very grateful.
Only in January or February is the Red Sea anything but hot; the winds
blow from the sandy desert, or from the region of the equator, and
sometimes it seems as though you were in a furnace. From December to
March the thermometer averages 76°, from thence to May it is 87°, and
through the four or five months that follow it is often 100°. I have
frequently seen it 110° in the cabin of a steamer, and on one occasion,
when the simoom was blowing from the desert, it was 132°. Steamers
going north when the south wind is blowing find themselves running just
with the wind, so that they seem to be in a dead calm; in such cases
they sometimes turn around every ten or twelve hours and run a few miles
in the other direction, so as to let the wind blow through the ship and
ventilate it as much as possible. The firemen are Arabs and negroes,
accustomed all their lives to great heat, but on almost every voyage
some of them find the temperature of the engine-room too severe, and die
of suffocation."
[Illustration: VIEW IN JEDDAH, ON THE RED SEA.]
Our friends passed by Jeddah, the port of Mecca, and from the deck of
the steamer the white walls and towers of the town were distinctly
visible. Frank and Fred would have been delighted to land at Jeddah and
make a pilgrimage to Mecca, but the Doctor told them the journey was out
of the question, as no Christian is allowed to enter the sacred city of
the Moslems, and the few who had ever accomplished the feat had done so
at great personal risk.
[Illustration: CAPTAIN BURTON IN NATIVE DRESS.]
"The first European who ever went there was Burckhardt, in 1814," said
Dr. Bronson. "He prepared himself for his travels by studying the Arabic
language, and went in the disguise of an Arab merchant, under the name
of Sheikh Ibrahim ibn Abdallah. Then he travelled through Syria, Asia
Minor, and Egypt for several years, and became thoroughly familiar with
the customs of the people, so that he was able to pass himself
successfully as a learned Moslem. Captain Burton went to Mecca in 1852,
and since his time the city has been visited by Maltzan, Palgrave, and
two or three others. Captain Burton followed the example of Burckhardt
and wore the Arab dress; he spoke the language fluently, but in spite of
this his disguise was penetrated while he was returning to Jeddah, and
he was obliged to flee from his companions and travel all night away
from the road till he reached the protection of the seaport."
"What would have happened if he had been found out?" Frank inquired.
"The mob of fanatical Moslems would have killed him," was the reply.
"They would have considered it an insult to their religion for him to
enter their sacred city--the birthplace of the founder of their
religion--and he would have been stoned or otherwise put to death. Some
Europeans who have gone to Mecca have never returned, and nothing was
ever heard of them. It is supposed they were discovered and murdered."
"What barbarians!" exclaimed Fred.
"Yes," replied the Doctor; "but if you speak to any of them about it,
they will possibly reply that Christian people have put to death those
who did not believe in their religion. They might quote a good many
occurrences in various parts of Europe in the past five hundred years,
and could even remind us that the Puritans, in New England, hanged three
men and one woman, and put many others in prison, for the offence of
being Quakers. Religious intolerance, even at this day, is not entirely
confined to the Moslems."
Frank asked what could be seen at Mecca, and whether the place was
really worth visiting.
[Illustration: ENCAMPMENT OF PILGRIMS AT MOUNT ARAFAT, NEAR MECCA.]
"As to that," the Doctor answered, "tastes might differ. Mecca is said
to be a well-built city, seventy miles from Jeddah, with a population of
about fifty thousand. The most interesting edifice in the place is the
'Caaba,' or Shrine, which stands in the centre of a large square, and
has at one corner the famous 'Black Stone,' which the Moslems believe
was brought from heaven by the angels. Burckhardt thought it was only a
piece of lava; but Captain Burton believes it is an aerolite, of an oval
shape, and about seven feet long. The pilgrims walk seven times around
the Caaba, repeating their prayers at every step, and they begin their
walk by prostrating themselves in front of the Black Stone and kissing
it. The consequence is that it is worn smooth, as the number of pilgrims
going annually to Mecca is not less than two hundred thousand. The
pilgrimage is completed with the ascent of Mount Arafat, twelve miles
east of Mecca; and when a Moslem returns from his journey he is
permitted to wear a green turban for the rest of his life. The
pilgrimage is an easier matter than it used to be, as there are steamers
running from Suez and other points to carry the pilgrims to Jeddah, and
from there they can easily accomplish their journey to Mecca and return
in a couple of weeks."
Frank asked how far it was from Mecca to Medina, the place where
Mohammed died and was buried.
"Medina is about two hundred and fifty miles north of Mecca," said the
Doctor, "and is only a third the size of the latter city. It is next to
Mecca in sanctity, and a great many pilgrims go there every year. The
tomb of the Prophet is in a large mosque, in the centre of the city, and
there is an old story that the coffin of Mohammed is suspended in the
air by invisible threads hanging from heaven. Captain Burton visited
Medina, and reports that the Moslems have no knowledge of the story, and
say it must have been invented by a Christian. The tomb is in one side
of the building, but no one is allowed to look upon it, not even a
Moslem; the most that can be seen is the curtain surrounding it, and
even that must be observed through an aperture in a wooden screen. The
custodians say that any person who looks on the tomb of the Prophet
would be instantly blinded by a flood of holy light."
[Illustration: VIEW OF MEDINA (FROM A DRAWING BY A NATIVE ARTIST).]
So much for the two holiest places in the eyes of the Moslems. Frank and
Fred concluded that they did not care to go to Mecca and Medina, and the
former instanced the old fable of a fox who despised the grapes which
were inaccessible, and denounced them as too sour to be eaten.
As they entered the Gulf of Suez the attention of the boys was directed
to Mount Sinai, and they readily understood, from the barrenness and
desolation of the scene, why it was called "Mount Sinai in the
Wilderness." With a powerful telescope not a sign of vegetation was
anywhere visible.
It was late in the forenoon of a pleasant day when the ship came to
anchor, as we have described in our opening lines. The Quarantine doctor
came on board, and was soon convinced that no reason existed why the
passengers, who chose to do so, might not go on shore. Doctor Bronson
and his young friends bargained with a boatman to carry them and their
baggage to the steps of the Hotel de Suez for a rupee each. The town,
with the hotel, was about two miles from the anchorage, and the breeze
carried them swiftly over the intervening stretch of water. Half a dozen
steamers lay at the anchorage, waiting for their turn to pass the Canal;
and a dozen or more native craft, in addition to the foreign ships, made
the harbor of Suez appear quite picturesque. The rocky hills behind the
town, and the low slopes of the opposite shore, glistened in the bright
sunlight; but the almost total absence of verdure in the landscape
rendered the picture the reverse of beautiful. Not a tree nor a blade of
grass can be seen on the African side of the Gulf, while on the
opposite shore the verdure-seeking eye is only caught by the oasis at
the Wells of Moses, where a few palm-trees bid defiance to the shifting
sands of the desert.
[Illustration: SCENE NEAR SUEZ.]
Suez appeared to our friends a straggling collection of flat-roofed
houses and whitewashed walls, where the sea terminates and the desert
begins. Before the construction of the Canal it was little better than
an Arab village, with less than two thousand inhabitants; at present it
is a town of ten or twelve thousand people, the majority of whom are
supported, directly or indirectly, by the Canal or the railway. There
has been a town of some sort at this point for more than three thousand
years, but it has never been of much importance, commercially or
otherwise. The situation in the midst of desert hills, and more
especially the absence of fresh water, have been the drawbacks to its
prosperity. There is little to be seen in its shops, and for that little
the prices demanded are exorbitant. Few travellers remain more than a
day at Suez, and the great majority are ready to leave an hour or two
after their arrival.
[Illustration: TRAVELLING IN THE SINAI DESERT.]