4^

/^

r

_^

4

//^ ^

VOYAGE

AND

TRAVELS

In the LEVANT

In the Years 1749, fo, 51, 52*

V O Y A G E S

AND

TRAVELS

In the LEVANT; In the Years 1749, 50, 51, 52.

CONTAINING

Obfervatlons in Natural Hiftory, Phyfick, Agriculture, and Commerce :

PARTICULARLY

On the Holy Land, and the Natural Hiflory of the

Sc RIPTURE S.

Written originally in the Swediih Language,

By the late Frederick HasselquistTM. D.

Fellow of the Royal Societies of Upsal and Stockholm.

Publilhed, by Order of her prefent Majefty the Queen of Siueden By CHARLES LINN.EUS, ^

Phylician to the King of Sweden, Profeffor of Botany at Upfal, and Member of all the Learned Societies in Europe.

LONDON,

Printed for L. Davis and C. Reymers, oppofite Gray's-Inn- Gate, Holborn, Printers to the Royal Society.

MDCCLXVL

•:0J -gan .

"■•-^ fi 'gnibnft .

. .Yio:friH f':

ADVERTISEMENT.

A Few Copies of Dr. Hasselquist's Travels into the Holy Land, &c, in the Swedilh Language, having found their Way into this Kingdom, AppHcation v/as made to an ingenious Gentleman, who had lived fome Time in ^^.v^den, to tranJlate them into Englifi. An Opportunity of furnii'hing the Learned of this Country with fo curious a Work, was not difpleafmg to Orje, who had been well acquainted with the Merits and Abilities of the Author, being himfelf a Pu- pil of the celebrated Dr. Linnaeus. He ac- cordingly undertook, and before his Depar- ture from London finilhed, the followins: Tranflation ; which indeed fuffers in point of Stile, from the Tranflator's not being a Native of England, and from his adhering too clofely to the Idiom of the Swedhh Language: but it is hoped that when the candid Reader confiders the great Difficulty of finding a Per- fon Tufficiently verfed in Natural Hiftory, and the Swedifh Language, and at the fame time wilHng to undertake fuch a Tafk, he will rather forgive Imperfedions, than wifli to have deprived the Republic of Letters of fo agreeable an Acquifition.

ERRATA.

		For	Read
Fage 17, Sec.		raturaliiu	?ic:fU'al Cmiofitles,,
29 line	'9	not.	//fa'.
32	18	was.	as.
77	i?	February,	September.
73	35	Officers,	Officers blades.
ro9	4	even.	ever.
I lO	21	unfit,	only fit.
132	I	1 2 th of April,	gth tf April.
1^-7	2		here againji the Be
1S5	2	Mahhalia,	Maimnalia.
593	10	Pirus,	Picus.
594	8	Nuonida,	Numic/a.
200	8	Pirus,	Picus.
222	17	fcolubrina.	coluhrina.
225	4	Echencis	Echeneis.
251	20	veticum.	(reticufn.
274	27	Aga-onyx	Jgat ■ cnyx.
^17		Ichneumon	Ichneumon.
' 441-	7	Crab-Treee,	Caroh-Tree,
450	20	Mofes,	Moffes.
1S2	J?	a fruit.	a fruitfuL

C O N T E N TS.

VOYAGE to Smyrna. Page I

Travels in Natolia to Magnefia, 33

Alexandria. 5 2

Rofetta. 54

From Cairo to the Pyramids. 66

Defcription of the Mecca Caravan. 77

The Sepulchres of the Mummies, ^4.

Damiata. 108

The Holy Land. 116

Jerufalem. 120

Jericho. 125

Bethlehem. ^43 Paleftine, Syria, Nazareth, Tyre, Sidon, &c, 151

Voyage to Cyprus. 169

Voyage to Rhodes, Chio and Smyrna. 17^

Natural Curiofities,

Quadrupeds. 183 Birds. - 193

Amphibia, 214

Fifh. 223

Infers. 228

Worms. 239

Plants. 240

Stones. 273

Natural Hiflory of Paleffine. 276 Plants, Animals, &c. mentioned in the Scriptures. 286

Materia Medica. 293

Difeafes and their Remedies. 380

Obfervations on Commerce. 395

The Author's Letters to Dr. Linnseus. 403 The Map to face the Title.

Books printed for L. Davis and C. R e y m e A s'.

THE Antiquities of Egypt and Nueia ; engraved by the famous Mark Tufcher, of Nurenburg, from near 200 Defign'^,- accurately takfen on the Spot, by Capr. Norden, F. R. S. elegantly printed on a Writing Royal Paper, 2 vol. Folio, Price bound 4I. 4s.

_ Capt. Norden's Travels in Egypt and Nubia, printed in one Volume Oftavo, with Platesy 6s.

The Natural Hiftory of Norway, by the Right Rev. E. Porr- toppidan, BiHiop of Bergen ; with 28 Copper-plates, Folio, Ptice bound, il. is.

Mr. Bingham's Antiquities of the Chrifiian Church, in Twenty-three Books ; together with his other Pieces. In 2 voh. Folio, iiluftrared with Maps, &c. Price i8s. bound.

The Hillory of England ; as it relates to Religion and the Church. By F. Warner, D. D. Reaor of Queen Hithe, London, and of Barnes in Surry. 2 vols. Folio, pr. 2I. 2s.

An Ecclefiaftical Hiftory ; from the Birtl\ of Chrift, to the prefent Time. Written originally in French, by Mr Formey, Secretary to the Accademy of Sciences at Berlin. To which is added, an Appendix, giving an Account of the People called Methodifls. 2 vols, price bound, los.

A Key to the NewTeftament; giving an Account of the feveral Books, their Contents, their Authors, and the Times, Places, and Occafions, on which ihey were refpe£livel/ written. V/ith an Introduction, c'oneerhing the Jewifh Sedts or Parties alluded to in the Gofpels. Price zs.' 6d. bound.

The Beauties of England, comprehended in a pocket volume : Giving a fuccindl Defcription of the Antiquities of this Kingdom; the Seats of the Nobility and Gentry; ti.e Remains of Palaces, Monalleries, Camps, and Caftles ; the Market- towns. Cities, Sec. the two Univerfities ; London and WeftmiDfter. Inrended as a Travelling Pocket Companion, pointing out whatever u curious in Art and Nature. Price bound 3s.

A Voyage to South America, defcribing at large the Spanifh Cities, Towns, and Provinces on that Continent, with their Flif- tory, natural, commercial, &c. by George Juan and Ant. de Ulioa, F. R. S. &c. 2 vol. Svo. with Plates, price bound 1 2s.

Travels through part of Europe, Afia Minor, Syria, PaleiHne, Mount Sinai, &c. by the Hon. Mr. Van l^gmonci and Profcflbr lleyman, 2 vol. Svo. with Plates, price bound los.

Dr. Kjempfer's Hillory of Japan and Siam, natural and civil, with 45 Copper-plates, 2 vol.-. Folio, price bound il. los.

Ant.quitates Afiaticffi, per Edm. Chilhull, Folio, Royal Paper, price boimd il. is.

Mr Chifhul's Travels in Turkey, with a Preface by Dr. Mead, Fol:o, prict bound 1 5s.

SOME

A G C O U N T

O F

Dr. HASSELQ^IST,

Written by

CHARLES LINN^US, M. D.

FREDERICK HafTelquift was born the third of January 1722, at Toernvalla in Eaft Gothia. His father Andrew HalTelquiftj was curate there, and had the leaft income of any clergyman in the diocefe. He died during the minority of his fon, in indigent circumftances ; his mother Maria Helena Pontin, being weak both in body and mind, was put into the infirmary at Vad- ftena. This Frederick therefore would have been unnoticed in life, if his uncle, the Rev. Mr. Pontin, had not taken cpmpafTionon him.j and kept him wiih his children at the fchool in Linkceping -, but he was foon deprived of this Benefaflor, and obliged to fupport himfelf by teaching young children, until he was of age to go to the Univeriity.

In the year 1741, he came to the Univerfity of Upfala, where he was obliged to content himfelf with inftru6ling others for trifling gratifications, but by this had the advantage of living conftantly at the Univerfity, and daily hearing the ledures of the Profeflbrs. His inclination v;as immediate- ly bent for Phyfic, and Natural Hiftory foon be- came his favourite Hudy j he had alio fome talents

A for

ii SOME ACCOUNT OF

for Poetry. The Faculty perceived the fervour with which our youth ftudied thofe Sciences his inclination led him to, and therefore in 1746 gave him a royal ftipend. In 1747, he gave the firft proof of the proficiency he had made in his ftudies, in his Differtation on the Virtues of Plants, which he wrote well, and defended flrenuoufly. In one of my botanical leftures in the fame year, I enu- merated the countries of which we knew the Na- tural Hiftory, and thofe of which we are ignorant. Amongft the latter was Paleftine ; with this wc were lefs acquainted than with the remoteft parts of India-, and though the Natural Hiftory of this remarkable country was the moft neceffary for Di- vines, and Writers on the Scriptures, who have ufed their greateft endeavours to know the animals therein mentioned, yet they could not, with any degree of certainty, determine which they were, before fome one had been there, and informed himfelf of the Natural Hiftory of the place. This is the more furprizing, as Botany is much indebted to feveral induftrlous Divines, who have ftridly examined the plants of other coun- tries •, but though many of the Romifti clergy travel to Paleftine every year, not one has ever troubled himfelf upon this fubjeft. Hafielquift was very defirous of being the firft who fhould in- form the Public of the Natural Hiftory of Pa- leftine, and was determined to accomplifli it. He imparted his defign to me foon after, but, furprized at his enterprifing fpirit, I reprefented to hirn the length of the way, the great diffi- culties, the many dangers, and the very confi- derable expences which would attend fuch an un- dertaking, and laftly, his indifferent ftate of health, in particular his weak lungs, as he was fub-

jed

Dr. H as SEL Q^U 1ST. iii

jed to fpitting of blood : bur he urged it the more, as weak lungs can only be cured by travel- ling and change of climate, and was enough de- termined in his refolution, to fay, he would ra- rather walk all the way, than have his purpofes croffed. His mind was fixed on the voyage ; he therefore folHcited for fome of the legacies left by perfons of diftinftion for thofe who intend to tra- vel, but fortune did not favour him in this attempt. He prevailed on his countrymen to contribute fomething towards this journey •, when he had got this, he follicited the Faculty of Phyficians and they gave him two of the King's ftipends, the Faculty of Civilians gave one, foon after the Phi- lofophic, and at length the Theologic, gave him each a ftipend. But how little was this propor- tioned to fuch an expenfive undertaking Haf- felquift in the mean time was preparing : he began to fludy the Arabian and other eaftern lan- guages •, and that this enterprize might not ob- Itrucl his academical ftudies and defigns, he gave the ufual fpecimens of his abihties, viz. he was examined, he wrote, and defended his Differration, for the Degree, read Lectures, &c. that he might, though abfent, receive thofe honours in Phyfic, which a youth of his merit and learning had a right to claim ; therefore the degree of Doftor of Phyfic was conferred on him on the 8th of March 1 75 1, at which time he was in Cairo. The Fa- culty was well, acquainted with his induftry and narrow circumftances, and therefore gave him gratis all Lectures, Examinations, Prsfidii and the Promotion.

In the fpring 1749, Hafielquift already a licen- tiate went to Stockholm, having firft finifiied hig academical ftudies, where he read Ltdures on Bo-

A 2 tany

IV SOME ACCOUNT OF

tany during the fummer, and got the good graces of every lover and patron of this Science. He pre- pared himfelf every day for his Voyage, and the Levant Company offered him a free paflage to Smyrna.

The 7th of Auguft he went on board, and ar- rived at Smyrna on the 26th of November. It was his good fortune to find Mr. Andrew Ryde- lius, Conful General from Sweden, at Smyrna, who was his countryman and relation, and re- ceived him with paternal kindnefs, and forwarded his undertaking by every means in his power. He llaid in Smyrna all the winter, and beheld all the produdions of nature in that temperate chmate. In March 1750, he travelled to Magnejia in Na- tolia^ viewed mount Sipylus^ and returned again to the worthy Rydelius in Smyrna.

In the beginning of May 1750 he left Smyrna, travelled by way of Alexandria and Rofetta, arriv- ed, in July, at Cairo, the capital of Egypt ; here he remained near a year, and had the befl op- portunities of informing himfelf of the fingu- larity of the climate for which it has always been famous. Here he viewed the Pyramids, one of the feven wonders of the world -, de- fcended into the fepulchres of the Mummies; ob- ferved the ftrange rifing and falling of the Nile; colleded the fcarcefl produ£bions of Nature ; and this he did with more attention, than any one had done before him. During this time he cor- refponded diligently with his friends in Sweden, and filled his letters with curious Experiments and Obfervations, which were inferted in the papers printed twice a week in Stockholm under the tide of Literary News, and all who read them, were prepofTefTed in favour of this attentive tra- veller. Our HalTelquift therefore was not forgot

in

Dr: HASSELaUIST. v

in his own country. The Faculty of Phyficians propofed him as Profeflbr extraordinary of Phyfic to the vacant place, and the Royal Academies at Upfala and Stockholm chofe him a Member of their Societies ; he made himfelf worthy of thefe honours, by the excellent Obfervations, which he fent to both Societies, which are printed in their Tranfadlions. In thofe of Upfala for the year 1750, are inferted his Obfervations and Treatifes on the Egyptian Acacia, which affords the Gum Arabic, page 9. The Camel-Beer,^. 15. The Jumping Moufe, p. 17. Tht Oriental Thrujh., p. 2:. The Coote, p. 22. The Viper of the Shops, p. 24. The horned Viper, p. 27. The horned Snake., p. 28. The Seine, p. 30, and in the tranfadions of Stock- holm for I j^o. The Endemical Difeafe of Aleppo, p. 136. 1751. The H^w/^, p. 196. The i^it^d.- Tuition of Sal Ammoniac, p. 259. 1752. The Locujis, being ufed for food in Arabia, p. 76. The moun- tain Rat, p. 123. It was furprifing to fee how anxious the nation was to fupport Dr. HafTelquift, when he lived in an expenfive place, where he could not advance a ftep without confiderable charges, and wanted money to accomplifli his de- fign. The lovers of Science contributed feveral times, and raifed in a very fhort time about one hundred and ninety pounds ; an inflance, fcarcely to be met with amongft the raoft opulent nations. Dr. Hasselquist at length left Cairo in March 1751, and went over Damiata, Jaffa, and the Holy Land, Hence he travelled to Jerufalem with the Pilgrims who intended to celebrate their Eafter there-, and thence he went X.Q Jericho, J or dan, Bethlehem, Acra, Nazareth, 'Tiberias, Cana, Galilee, Tyre, Sidon ; thence he failed over to Cyprus, Rhodes, Cbio, and arrived fafe at Smyrna, laden with an

incr%

vl SOME ACCOUNT OF

incredible quantity of curiofities collefted in the three kingdoms of Nature, being the produdions of the Eaft, Egypt and Paleftine.

Nothing now remained but to wait for a pro- per opportunity of returning home with his riches ; but his ftrength was fpent by the difficulties he had undergone in his travels, as well as by the violent heat of the climate in Paleftine •, and whilft he in- tended to recover it by tarrying in Smyrna, the ferpent which he had long harboured in his bofom awoke, and a confuming hedtic fever with weak- nefs, reftleflhefs, fpitting of blood and fhortnefs of breath, confined him to his bed, but he ftill pof- feffed that hope, which is peculiar to thofe in his condition. He defired to be removed out of the city into the country, to enjoy the free air, and ufe milk as his only refource, which was accordingly done ; but notwithftanding all this, our beloved Dr. Hafielquift wafted away daily like a lamp ■whofe oil is fpent, and departed this life^ the 9th of February 1752, to the inexpreiTible grief of all who knew him.

We were immediately informed of his death by Mr. Rydelius, whofe love for Hafielquift was not to be extinguifiied by his departure •, this gentle- man alfo added to our forrow by giving us to un- derftand, that the late Dr. Hafifelquift, had con- tradled a debt of 350/. on his travels, and that his creditors had at the time of his death taken pof- fefllon of all his colletflions of natural curiofities, obfervations and manufcripts, v*hich they would not part with, until their demands were fatisfied. Thus did we lofe our v/crthy and dear country- man ; his name was in the like danger •, and his la- bours were threatened with deftruftion by the hands of Barbarians. We knew no means of col-

leding

Dr. H a S S E L QJJ I S T. vii

letting on a fudden fuch a fum of money, but the worthy Dr. Bseck, firft Phyfician to the Queen of Sweden, who has always loved the Sciences, and patronized learned men, undertook to pre- fent thefe unhappy circumftances to her Majefty Queen Louisa Ulrica, who gracioufly prote6ls Science, and is pofleffed of a moft refined tafte for the produdions of Nature. Her iMajefty im- mediately refolved to pay the debt out of her own purfe, and redeem the Colle6tion, without which the Public would very late, if ever, have enjoyed this Work. The next year all thefe treafures ar- rived fafe and well preferved at her Majefty's palace of Drottningholm^ at which time I was ordered to attend, and was aftonifhed at the fight of fo many unheard of curiolities. The col- lections of dried plants from Natolia, Egypt, Pa- leftine, Cyprus, &c. all the Stones and forts of earth from fo many remarkable places in Egypt and the Holy Land ; the many rare FiJJjes out of the Nile, and poifcnous Serpents from Egypt, the rare Infe^s^ the extenfive coUediions ot Oriental Drugs, Arabian Manufcripts, Egyptian Mummies^ &c. could not but excite the admnration of the beholder.

Last year Dr. Hafielquift's own original Ma- nufcripts arrived, with the principal Obfervations he had made. Her Majelly was moft gracioufly pleafed to order me to arrange and publifh them for the fatisfa6lion and advantage of mankind. I have accordingly digefted the Work in the beft manner 1 could, ranged every thing under its pro- per Tribe ; added Names to plants and animals, altered the Technical terms and manner of writing, without changing in the ieaft the Author's meaning: 1 had the work corrected at the prefs, and myfelf in-

fpeded

viii SOME ACCOUNT, &c.

fpe6led its publication. I imagined it needlefs to add Synonyms^ which would have fwelled the book j efpecially as they may eafily be found in the tenth edition of my Syftem of Nature, in which I have introduced thefe names.

There is an incredible number of curiofities from the three kingdoms of Nature in the Collec- tion of our late Author, which have been incor- porated with the cabinets of their Majefties, and are already defcribed, and may foon be publillied with pther wonderful produftions of Nature*.

Her Majefty has been pleafed to give me a fpecimen of every plant, in which there were above two, thefe I have defcribed in another Treatife, un- der the title of Flora Palafiina ; and therefore think it needlefs to enumerate them here, as I would not infert any thing, which did not come from the Author's pen. I fhall think myfelf happy, if I have fulfilled her Majefty's command, and anfwer- ed the expedlations of the Public.

* Thefe have been fince publiihed in Oftavo, under the title of Mufaeum Reginae.

[ I ]

TRAVEL

T O

HE EAST.

AUGUST tKe 7th, 1749J 1 went on board the lliip Ulrica, belonging to the Swediili Levant company, which was now about making the 8th voyage to Smyrna, under the com- mand of Captain Ekeroth. We failed from Stock- holm at ten o'clock, and came to Skaggeharan in the evening, where we lay that night.

The next day we came to Diurhamn. The wind was fbutherly, which obliged us to tack fre- quently ; but the weather was very fine. Here we lay wind-bound to the 13 th.

I HAVE always had a great inclination to botanize on the fea coafl of Sweden, and now a fine oppor- tunity offered ; but this opportunity proved inef- feftual, as the hufbandmen had already cut down the flowers of this fummer. I was neverthelefs in hopes that the fliore would in fome meafure gra- tify my curiofity, and therefore on the 12 th went on an illandj but found nothing there except the Glaux

B raaritima

2 1:'RAVELS TO tHE EAST.

maritima, Or Sea Milk Wort, and Arenaria fd^ plaides, or Sea Chick Weed, which was already in feed.

The rocks here feemed to be fplit by the waves in large perpendicular clefts, which were filled up tl'ith cleaf quartz, or cryftallirie matter, by whteh one might plainly difcover traces of the generation of this flone. The 1 3th, at two o'clock in the morn- ing, we came to DalerOen', where We anchored, in Order to fhew our pafs at the fort, and get cuftom- houfe officers on board to vifit us. Both fides of the harbour were built with fmall wooden-houfes, Ivhich gave the place the appearance of a little town* Thofe on one fide are called lutholmen and the other Dalereon. The inhabitants of both places are chiefly pilots and filhermen. They catch here, fometimes in large quantities, a kind of fifli, called by LinnseuSjCottus quadricornis (Four-horned Bull's bead). The fituation of the place was very difa* greeable, being furrounded with barren mountains and fandy hills. I could not learn that they had any other fign here of the change of the wind; but when the fea fwells towards the fliore they are fure of a northerly wind, which our pilots faid they knew from long experience.

The i4?;h, we failed by a gentleman's feat called Sandmar: here there is an elegant garden and a fine view of the fea. On the 1 6th, we left the harbour of Daleroe, and weighed anchor at five o'clock in the morning, in hopes not to anchor again in the Baltic, which happened luckily according to our wiilies.

Land SORT was the lafl: land we faw on the Stockholm coalf ; there is a light-houfe here for the fervice of feamen. Our pilots left us here, and our teamen took charge of the fliip. The Captain, among other accounts he gave us of his travels, as we

were

t O S M Y R N a; 5

^'ere Vvralking the deck on the 17th, acquainted us, that he had carried the famous King Theodore to Holland. He was delivered to him near Corfica by Captain Blix, a commander of a Swedifli man of war, who had taken him under his protection, when he fled from Corfica. Captain Ekeroth put him in a Dutch fifliing boat in the Texel. His retinue confided then of a footman and a cook. I relate this circumftance for the fake of fome future Bio- grapher, to whom it may happen to be unknown.

The high fandy mountains of the ifland of Goth- land appeared to-day on our left, looking like {o many great columns at a diflance. We could dif- cover nothing from hence through our glalTes, but the fleeple of a church *.

Charles's iflandswere in fight on the 1 8th, in the forenoon. The mountains of limeftone on the fliore ftood like high broken walls towards the fea. Both iflands were fo barren, that we could only fee two ilirubs on one of them. .

The 19th, we had CEland on our right.

About one o'clock on the 20th, a httle grey bird, of the fparrow tribe, came flying clofe after our fliip. The Captain faid immediately, that it fignified a llorm. Half an hour had fcarcely paflTed, before we had foil rong a gale, that the fea beat over our gunnel. I have afterwards obferved feveral times, both in the Baltick, the North and Spanifli feas, that as of- ten as birds came on board, we had hard weather, which induces me to believe that the Peteril (Pro- cellaria) is not the only forerunner of bad weather.

The ifland Bornholm was the firfi: Danifli land we faw on the 2ifl:. We had Scania on our flar-board, and were in fight of both the whole day.

The 2 2d, we came near the fliore of Scania, and in the evening were within a cannot fliot of Trsellc^ ' Linnsei Iter Gothland. 282.

B 2 Wr

4 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

borg. The fields of Scania were covered with Iheav^^ of corn, and afforded the agreeable fight of a fertile country.

We lay to all the night of the 23d within fight of Scania, for fear of running a-ground near the Sound in the night, and at day-break had two fine views : one on fliore, of the white chalk mountains of Seel and : the other at fea, of fome llijps which had come up with us whilft we lay by in the night. Drakoe is a handfome village, with a church to the left. V/e hoifted our flag here, and got three Da- iiifli pilots on board, who carried us paft Copen- hagen for fix rixdollars. We faw that the road was dangerous ; for a Dutch fliip had yefterday run s-ground here in fine w'eather, and was now fur- rounded with a number of fmall craft from Drakoe, which were employeti in getting her off. We faw a fine foreft of oak between this village and Copen- hagen, where there is penalty on any one who at- tempts to cut the timber. About noon. We were within cannot fliot of Copenhagen, and could fee the palace, fleer, arfenal, and fome fine churches. Here the Danifli pilots left us, after they had truly fore- told us fine weather^ We could fee the city of Malma^ with its churches, and large houfes from the ftarboard^ oppofite Copenhagen. A handfome beach wood came in otir view, in which were fome fine houfes; this was laid to be the royal Danilli deer park. The whole coaff IVom Drakoe is very beautiful from the fea, and Icems contrived by nature to refrefli and give plea- fure to feamen, long ufed to the melancholy prof- peel of nothing but fea and flvy. We faw Land- fi. rona from the flarboard at tvvo o'clock, and went quite near under Hven, which was entirely unin- habited tovv-ards this fide. In the afternoon, we came to an anchor in the road between Helfing- borg and Helfingneur, to pay toll to the Danes.

liclfin?-

TO S M Y R N A, 5

Heifingneiir is a little town, the v/alis of the hoiifes ' are framed v/ith timber, and the void fpaces filled up with either brick or clay, and near it lies the fortrefs Cronenburg, which, from its outward ap- pearance, feems fufficient for what it is intended, a key to the Baltick.

I WENT up to town the 24th, where every thing that can accommodate feafaring peo|:le is fold in fuch plenty, that the town really merits the name of a Mart for feamen.

We went early under fail the 2 6tb, and fleered for Gottenburgh, where we were to take in fome Eaft-India goods and carry them for the Levant com- pany's account to Smyrna. Sullen was the lad hind of Scania, about thirty Englifli miles from the Sound, confifting of high hills, upon which there is a light- houfe.

TuE 27th, I faw animals and vegetables, the like pf which I had never before feen. The former were Sea-nettles (Medufe), which, yeflerday and to-day, (hone by thoufands in the fea, and in calm weather and a ferene fky afford an agreeable appearance from their fkining green colour. The latter were fea weeds, called Fuci Veficulofus, Faftigiatus, Sac- charinus, to which hurig a vail: number of the (luall- eft fliells. We could fee the coail of Halland before us. The 28th, early, we failed pafl the town and fortrefs of V/arberg and Nidingen, which is the firil iiland on the Gottenburgh coall, where there is a ijght-houfe.

On the 29th, v/e knew we were not far from Gottenburgh, by difcovering the iiland of Vinga and its light-houfe, foon after which a pilot came on board us.

VV £ filled pafl the fortrefs of Elffborg about noon, and there came to an anchor. This fort ap- peared to be in a good flate, and well fituated to B 3 (;oranian4

6 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

command the harbour of Gottenburgh. The road» without Gottenburgh, hath many httle rocks lying clofe to one another ; fome of them being under water, makes the navigation dangerous. The Swedifli Eafl-India company's fliip Gottenburgh, was lod three years ago in her voyage home, on one of them, within the fort, which cohjfirms this account of them. We faw Gottenburgh the 30th, which is known to be a Ilrong and famous trading town, and the befl in Sweden next to Stockholm. We had fix miles to row from the fort to the town. The firfl; objefts that prefented themfelves to our view in the harbour, which is large and fafe, furrounded with high mountains, were fpmt fmall men of war and fri- gates ; farther up five Eafl-India fliips j then three or four dock yards.

The faw mill is built on a rifmg ground, clofe by the harbour ; it is furnifhed with many faws, which are worked by the wind ; and is fo contrived, as to raife the timber put pf the fea. We came out of the large harbour, through a flood-gate, into a ditch or walled canal, which runs through the town. In this lay fmall craft, efpecially Dutch fmacks that were em- ployed in exporting Eaft-India goods. The town is of middling extent. The houfes are generally of wood, fpme few of ftone. The buildings are very neat; they are covered v/ith deals, which are painted yellow or red : there are hnall narrow yards to each houfe, which make the place dangerous in cafe of fire. The court-houfe, flate houfe, and Eaft-India houfe, are the largeft and handfomefl: buildings in the town.

Here I fortunately met with my relation Mr. Guf- ftaviis Tollander, who had returned this fummer from the Eaft-Indies : he was fo kind as to fliew me many curious obfervations, which he had made during his flay there, efpecially among the Chinefe. I viewed at-^ tentively the Chinefe weight, apd was informed, that

the

TO SMYRNA, 7

til e weight China was divided in i catche, which con- tains 16 teel; I teel 10 mees; i mees locandrin; i can- drin 10 caas. A catche is equal to i i-lb. A hundred catche make 1421b. The common money weight contains 50 teel in China, which make 3 catche and 2 teel. A Spanifh piece of eight contains 7 mees and 4 candrin. On comparing it with the medical weights, J find that i ounce is equal to 8 mees.

I WAS not a little glad to meet two more perfon$ from the Eafl-Indies the ill of September. They were clergymen, and had returned this year ; Mr. Thoren in the fliip Freden, and Mr. Hiortberg in the fliip Hoppet. They had both, befides the duty of their office, purfued the fludy of natural hiftoiy, agreeable to their inflruftions from the direftors of the Eaft-India company, which they performed with honour and applaufe. Mr. Hiortberg was now bufy in finifliing his journal ; he could draw, which made it an eafy matter for him to adorn his book with the figures of what he had feen in natural hiftory. He had in particular chofen filjies, and hath made fome fine obfervations and figures of them, but efpecially on the Hoimd-iifh (Squalus Acanthis) Scomber Duftor, and R.smora (Echeneis). He had likewife coliefted fome iniecls and vermes. He promifed to prefent the whole to j:he Royal Swediih Academy of Sciences. Mr. Tho- ren has fhewn himfelf in botany a worthy difciple of his mafter Dr. Linnaeus. His coUeilion of piiiatj was faid to be very confiderabie, v*-hich he had 3.1- ready delivered to Mr. Lagerflroera, who fent it to Dr. Linnceus, by him to be made public, to ^he ho- nour of the coli^ftor and pleafure of the lovers of nature.

The 2d of September T faw feveral natural curi- ofities from Eail-India and China, at Mr. Lager- (Iroem's, one of the Dirciflors of the Eaft-India cora-

B 4 pany,

8 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

pany. This gentleman has for feveral years been making colle6lions of natural curiofities. Halle would not permit mc to fee more than a large col- lection of fhells and handfome corals, efpecially one that had a large piece of the balls left, which was clay. This gentleman had got home, in the lalt fhips, four gold filh in frefh water ; they were from Canton, and quite lively. They eat wafers : the manner of bringing this fifh to Europe is defcribe4 by Dr. Linnaeus, in the royal Swediili academy of Sciences for 1746. A heifer, nine months old, from China, which differed in nothing from our cows but that flie feemed more lively and fprightly, as if ilie had been bred up in the fields and in the open air, and not confined in a narrow hut or a dark ftable, which always give creatures a fad and poor appear- ance. She was of a red brown, fat and merry, and the voyage feemed to have had no bad effect on her, A live plant of the Bamboo reed, fo much ufed by the Chinefe; the item was an inch thick, articulated, a fpan's length between the joints ; the leaves fword- iliaped, the whole plant was two feet high. Mr. Ar- vidfon, the librarian, {hewed me the library of the college. Seba's excellent book was the dearefl and bell they had. They had already made a handfome collechon of natural curiofities, amongft which were the Flying-filli, an Eel of an enormous fize, the teeth of a Sea-horfe, a very handfome Lithodendron, a Hair Bali ( iEgagropila) of a Cow, the bignefs of one's fill, a Parcel of Petrefadtions given by the late Dr. Stobcrus.

The cloaths which women here ufe in bad wea- ther appear ftrange to travellers. They throw a piece of black fluff, four feet long, over their heads and half their bvodies, fo as likewife to cover their faces. It is ufed by all people of middling fortunes, and hath without doubt been introduced by the foreigners,

that

T O S M Y R -N A, 9

that firft built the town, nor has it yet undergone the change, to which the drefs of women is liable.

The yth infliant, I went to a peafant's houfe in the country, where the window was. in the roof, which 'made the rooms dark, but much warmer: In Scania, SmOland and Bohus,they ufe the fame method. Cab- bages were planted here in large quantities by every farmer ; and I am told that this ufeful plant is more ufed here than in any other place.

Early in the morning of the 8th, we hove up our anchor and fet fail from Elffbprg fort. We faw Marftrandln the afternoon, and at night Skagens light-houfe.

The 9th, we had Jutland on our larboard.

On the ioth, we took the Efox Roftro Cufpi- dato, Artedi fpec. 2. (Garfilli). The defcription comes very near the common Pike ; but is eafily diflinguiftied by its long rollrum. The fcales were green, the whole body was of a green colour, and its back and fide bones were green, which I have hot obferved in any other fifli.

Thf 1 3 th, we had a Wefterly wind and hard weather.

On the 15th, fome little birds, fuch as the Red- ftart, common Swallow, and a Sea Swallow, were driven by bad weather on board us, before we per- beived it ; not long after we had a violent florm from theN.W. which lafted for three days.

The 20th, fome Chaffinches and a Sea Swallow, the common forerunners of bad weather, came oil board us. In the evening it blew a flrong cold wind from the Weft, which was foon over.

The 2 1(1:, in the morning, a failor, at the mad head, faid, he faw the Dutch coaft ; our Captain believed us not fo far in our way, and therefore re- garded it not : before three in the afternoon, we ^' '" faw

Id TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

faw the Englifh coafl about Yarmonth, from th«; mafl-head, by which we knew where we were, and that it was necefTary to be upon our guard, as we were between the EngUfli banks. The founding lead is in fuch a cafe a failor's right hand ; and it was now much ufed between fear and hope. Wq fopnded, and found twenty fathom, and immediately after five, which continued for feveral hours, and wa? a fign of the uncertain ground on which we were, The failors believed us to be out of our true courfe, and upon fome bank not put down in their chart. We were fo lucky as to have excellent weather, and the wind proving favourable, which brought us be- fore night in our true courfe.

The Dutch havp here their gold mines, for fo We may juftly call their herring fifliery ; nqr can it be idenied that they keep nearer their neighbours than their own properties. We failed by numbers of their boats on the 2 2d, and could once count above t\iiTty on a little fpot.

On the 23d, we entered the narroweil part of the channel, between France and England, and could fee the coafts of both thefe powerful kingdoms at the fame time. We were very near the latter, and could without a glafs fee its chalky hills, covered with ilints, and Dover fort fituated pn the fummit of them. A gopd wind and excellent weather drove us over thofe dangerous fhoals, that have been fp fatal to failors. The 25th, about noon, we came into the Spanifhfea, having in two days and a half failed 540 jnile§, being the whole length of the channel.

OuK Swedifh jBag hath nothing to fear from the rovers of the co^ift of Barbary, as long as the Swediih crown, to the great advantage of our trad^, keeps at peace with the moil powerful of them. A fe^v fmall rovers, from the ports of Salee and

Tangier,

TO SMYRNA. u

Tangier, that Ibmetimes infefl: thefe feas, are the only pirates againft whom the Swedes fhould be particu- larly cautioned : and as an enemy ought never to be defpifed, we put our cannon in order, and the 2 6th gave arms to as many as were on board. In this pofture our velTels commonly fail until they have palTed Gibraltar.

The 28th, at noon, we were in fight of the fa- mous head, beyond which the ancients thought there was no land, and were fo near the fliore that fome Linnets (Fringilla) reached us, and wearied out, fought a night's reft in the fhelter of our fails.

The 30th, as we were failing in the Spanifh feas, the weather was fo fine, that it feemed as if the fky and fea ftrove to excel each other in beauty. The little knowledge I had, was confined to the three kingdoms of nature, and therefore I found myfelf in the fame fituation, as a perfon who walks in a park filled with the finefl animals and plants, without un- derftanding natural hiftory. Such a one can fay no more, but that it is very handfome. I doubL not but many fine opportunities paiTed unobferved by me, which might have given hints for ufeful obferva- tions to a perfon who had any knowledge in aftro- nomy and natural philofophy. We had now paffed by St. Vincents head, which is a head-land wellknowii tQ failors, when we, .the 9th of October in the morning, overtook a Dutch frigate of war, which was carrying home a Tripoline Aii Effendi, who returned from his embafly to the Dutch republic, and was the fame that fqme years before had been in Stockholm on the fam.e errand. It feemed very fuipicipus, confidering the place we were in, to fee Turks on board a fliip, and a number of armed men, who hoifted no flag when we did ; this occa- fiQned qUr feamea to anii themfelves for their de-

:e;

12 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

fence ; but our fufpicions ended, when the lleute? nant, with a fubahern and eight men, came on boar4 to enquire whence we came, and whither we were bound.

Here we obferved large droves of PorpulTe? coming from the W. towards the S. E. which were the firft we had feen fmce we left the North fea. The failors fay they foretell bad weather, when they appear on the furface of the water, efpecially in thofe places to which they direct their courfe. But they were miHaken this time ; for the fine weather, which we had through the Spaniili feas, continued with violent heat for fome days.

The 1 1 th, we were the whole day in fight of the African coafl:, and towards evening had the Spanifli coafl on our right as before. We were no'yv yery near going into the Mediterranean fea ; but were obliged to be content, and cruize for two days between the Spanifh and African coaft, on account of a briflv: Eafterly wind.

The 14th, in the afternoon, we went througli the ftrait that divides Africa from Europe. High limeflone mountains were to be feen on both fides of the channel, out of which there came the fraoak: of many fires, which are lime-kilns, that they have in the clefts of the rocks of both coafis. Befides thefe lime-fiione mountains, we could fee others of loofe fand. which were not fo deep, but more gra- dually declining to the fea. They were quite green, covered with fome flirubs, and had fome vineyards. The profpeft of thefe mountains was far from being agreeable. The ornament of the Northern moun- tains, Ever-green Pines and Jimipers, are not to be feen here.

Vf E faw the town and fortrefs of Gibraltar the 15th; they are fituated on a high rock, that termi'

" ■' • • • <■ natej^

^r 6 SMYRNA. ii

Hates the Spanifh mountains towards the fea. Ceuta lies ahnoft facing it on the African coaft. When thefe are out of fight, the Straights are paffed, and another fea is entered.

We faw the Mediterranean by fun-rife, and failed along the Spaniili coaft, to which feamen always keep nearer than the African. A beauti- ful little bird (Motacilla Hifpanica) came on board lis from the Spaniili coaft. It was the forerunner of hard weather, which happened to us a few hours after, with a flrong N. E. wind, which lafted all night. We had violent thunder and lightning, with hail and rain, in the night of the i8th, which was an uncommon fight for Swedes. We were yet in fight of the high Spanifh mountains, which by day we faw covered with fnow, and at night fhining with fires, which are partly thofe of the guards, and partly thofe of the lime-kilns. We caught a Lark and a Wagtail (Motacilla corpore e fufco viride- fcente, peftore ferrugineo) on board. Many of thd former were drowned ; only this one came in a mife-^ table weak condition on board.

The 25th, in the forenoon, we had Forraentera on our left. This is an ifland in the Mediterranean, over-againft the Spanifh coaft, upon which we cotild only fee a few buflies j its fliores rife perpendicular from the fea.

We experienced for fome days the autumn of this climate ; ftorm, cold weather, rain, and at night terrible lightenings ; but at nine o'clock, in the night between the 28th and 29th, twelve miles to the Weft ward of Sardinia, we had the moft terrible and fevere weather that we had yet fuffered in our voy- age. The wind from the North, attended with violent hurricanes and lightening from all parts of the iky, with fome thunder : then a fhower of rain,

with

14 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

with liail ; but this did not lafl above half an hour.; The hail flones which fell, were partly of an ova! form, fome round, fome elliptical, others angulated. The largeft were bigger than walnuts, the leffer like liiitmegs. The outfide was white and clear, with a kernel in the infide, Which was blueifli, and the big- nefs of a pea. I found fome of them that weighed an ouncei

The ill of Novemiber we could fee the African coaft from the mad-head ; from thence a bird called Emberiza africana came on board us.

The 2d, we failed by Sicily, with a ftrdng North wind : jufl before this we had feen fome PorpuiTeSi

An innumerable flock of Sparrows (Emberiza melitenfis) furrounded our vefTel on the 3d, and im- mediately after we had a hard gale that lafled all the following day.

The 7 th, we were in fight of the coaft of Mo* rea, when a Levant, i* e. a N. E. wind met us, and obliged us to Cruize to the nth, without gaining the leaft.

Early on the 1 2th, we had Candia and Cerigo on our left.

The 13th, we faw Morea to the left> and Milo to the right, when we were in hopes foon to end our voyage, and the fine weather we now had^ made fome amends for the difagreeable neceffity of being fo long at fea. But our happinefs was at an end in the afternoon. The nearer a failor comes to the fliore, the furer he may be of inconftant wea- ther. A North wind met us with a moft dreadful ftorm, and obliged us to drive about for two days*

It was lucky for us, that on the 15th we were fo near Milo, that we could run in during fuch a fu- rious ftorm. The harbour of Milo is one of the beft in the Archipelago, furrounded with mountains on all fides, of which one hath a ruined caftie and

%

To SMYRNA. Ijf

a village at the entrance, which without doubt hath one of the higheft fituations, and moft exten* five horizons of any in the univerfe. We came to an anchor in full twenty fathom water. The depth bf the water in this harbour, makes it of much more confequence in bad weather.

The 1 6th, in the forenoon, we rowed a {hore, and went up to the town of Milo. I was glad to find fome plants in bloflbm at this time of the yeaf ^ though autumn had already taken hold of the greater part, and of thofe the withered remains were only now to be feen. The firfl I faw was the au- tumnal Dandelion, which grows in Sweden, and flowers about the fame time. The Anemone Coro- tiaria was in full blolTom, fome of which were white, others blue. Nerium (Oleander) flood in two places in large bufties befide the road, and adorned the place with its fliff green leaves and long pods, buc had not yet ripened feeds. A Fig-marigold, half a foot high (Mefembryanthemum Nodiflorum) grew in all the fields, with little obtufe and fucculent leaves, without flowers. In the wall, grew two Ihrubs or buflies four feet high ; one of them had little oval green leaves, without flowers (Pihamni Species) ; the other had hoary leaves, which I like- Wife defcribed. The road was full of pebble flones and clear quartz in fmall pieces, red and white fpar, befides fand-ftone and hard lime-flone. On both fides, the walls round the gardens were built with a rough fand-fl:one, with which was mixt with fome coarfe light yellow clay in large pieces ; this was in fome places turned quite red by the heat of the fun.

After walking near a mile from the fliore, we came into the town. The fight of it could not but excite the compalfion of the beholder, as nothing

i^ TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

was to be feeii but the remains of ruined houfes* ibrmerly ilately, built of fquare lime-ftone. Withirf thefe poor walls, lived miferable inhabitants, whofe dwellings differ from the word of prifohs, only as thefe receive light through the door, inflead of the windows, and have the liberty of going in and out of them. We went immediately to the Dutch Con- ful, and after dinner with the Venetian Conful, to fee the principal church. On the iliore I found the Nerium (Oleander), Erigeri S'pecies, Fig-marigold, &c. In the gardens, which are bad, are very large Palm-trees, fome Fig-trees, fome large old builies of Rofemary, Narciffus, Marjoram', which was there reckoned a rare plant, and was almofl the only one kept in pots. Wild fowl they have in' plent)^ Amongft them they had a black game, larger than the Swedifli j this Was a rare bird, fo far to the Southward. The town, though poor, is full of people. Children come out of every corner, but all miferable. The better fort dwell in the firil floor, but their dwellings were alike bad. Here are two Greek churches ; but no' Romiih' chapel or miffionary. I went into one of the above churches, which made a tolerable appearance. They fhewed me a curiofity, which deferved attention. It was a piece of a fliip's plank, bored through by a fiilibone, which was part of the tooth of the Monodoii (Unicorn fifli); A French Cap- tain had found it in the keel of his' lliip, as fhe was careening iti Moirea. He cut out the piece and took it to this place, to be hung up in the church. It was curious, but not miraculous, as thefe good people imagined. The French have here a Conful of their nation ; the Duch and Ve- netians have each one from among the Greek in- habitants. There is no Turk in this ifland. The

Captain

TO SMYRNA.

17

captain Pafcha fends a galley here while he cruizes in the Archipelago to fetch the Turkifli emperor's yearly tax, which is high enough confidering the poverty of the country and the fcarcity of money. It is governed by primates, who colieft and ac- count for the taxes, and compound differences. The people in general are very friendly and polite. The women's drefs is one of the oddeft and lead becoming of any of the iflanders in the Archi- pelago. They were naked from the neck to the waifl, and had ailiort petticoat reaching to the mid- dle of the thigh, a loofe garment covered the head, and their plaited hair hung down to the fmali of the back. The ifland produces fome cotton, which the French and Venetians buy. They alfo have bad wine.

The 1 8th, after taking a pilot, who was to conduft us through the Archipelago, we fet fail.

The 19th, we faw the ifland Parfo. The 20th, Tins, Negropont ; and the 21 ft, we anchored on the coaft of Karuburno, which is on the continent of Natolia ; we had Natolia on the one fide and Scio on the other. I went on fliore the fame day, but found nothing to reward my labour, except the common wild Thyme. Haliotis (Scar Ear) and Pu- mex (Pumice ftone) were the other naturalia found here.

The 25th, we failed under Scio, and had an opportunity of feeing its handfome town, which makes a fine appearance ; but the plantations and gardens are a more material ornament, as they produce the famous Maflix.

The 26th, we came in the Gulph of Smyrna, and had Natolia on both fides.

The 27th, we had like to have made an unfortunate . end of our vova^e. at a time we thought our mif-

C ""■ fortunes

i8 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

fortunes were all over. Wc had the wind con- ftantly a-head, which obliged us to beat up be- tween two fliores; this is dangerous in a narrow chan- nel. By failing too near the land, at day break, we run aground. A Greek and a Turk, who were fiihing on the fliore, came immediately on board, and offered us their aiTiflance in procuring fmall veffels to lighten ours; but a land breeze filled our fails and help'd us off. At noon, we anchored without the Caflle of Smyrna, which commands the en- trance, when Meffieurs Palm and Hebbe, our Swe- dilli merchants, came on board. We went into the harbour, and were faluted, according to cuftom, 'by the guns of all the velTels, except the French, who never honour any nation with a falute, nor re- ceive it from them.

We went on (liore in the afternoon with the .captain, and were, by our conful Mr. llydelius, re- ceived with a politenefs to be expelled from a gentleman of his noble qualifications.

The 29th, I waited on Mr. Peyfonel, the French conful, and member of the Academy of infcri ptions und belles lettres. To his great knowledge I am indebted for the following obfervation relating to natural hiftory. Corals have in our age been e- lleemed a proper fubjeft for the pens of the greatefl naturahfts. Nature hath fo contrived this part of her works, that Corals have had a contrary lot from other naturalia, and have been claffed under the different kingdoms of nature. And it is yet uncertain, to which they properly be- long. In Mr. Peyfonel's company, the learned Count MarGgli had the good fortune to overcome all the doubts he had entertained about thefe na- turalia, when in his invaluable HifLoria Maris he laid before the world what he took to be the flowers of

the

TOSMYRNA. ip

the Corals. At that time they were thought to be vegetables. We know of none who immediately diiTented from this opinion. Mr. Peyfonel, by fome obfervations he made on the French coaft, before Marfigli printed his book, had reafon to think otherwife, experience convincing him that Corals were inhabited by worms. Mr. Peyfonel did not make natural hiftory his chief ftudy ; he did not fet much value on thefe obfervations, yet communicated them to his brother, a learned phyfician, who intended to publifli them.

At length, Count Marfigli anticipated Mr. Pey- fonel, who fupprelTed his and his brother's obferva- tions; but afterwards informed Mr. Reaumur of them, who knew hov/ to make ufe of fuch a con- fiderable fpeculation. Mr. Reaumur gave it in to the Royal Parifian Academy of Sciences augmented with his own obfervations; nor omitted to attribute the ho- nour to the real difcoverer. This was the rife of an opinion about Corals, that fmce hath been thought worth the enquiry of the learned, and has received an almoft univerfal applaufe, which the inventor ne- ver expefted

A TRAVELLER, who, either for his pleafure or fome ufeful purpofe, v/ould chufe to be acquainted with the ceremonies of thofe religions which have claimed the attention of mankind, fhould vifit fome city in the Levant, where he will fee them all, except idolatry. Many Chriilians imagine that the Greek church comes nearefl with refpe6l of ceremo- nies, to that, which was predominant at the begin- ning of chriftianity. I faw thofe of the church of Smyr- na fo remarkable for her antiquity, andyet more for having preferved herfelf in the tolerable fituation {lie now is in, though perfecuted by the Pope and Turk, while her fillers are fcarcely known here!

C 2 Thel

20 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

The ehurcli of Smyrna hath a billiop, fucceflbr to him who received this remarkable title from the fupreme Shepherd. His poAver is limited to thofe who live in this city, of whom, by contributions and money for ceremonies,. he hath his revenue, which is one of the mofl confiderable among the Greek clergy.

Few of thofe, who have publiilied travels, have given us any account of the ftate of phyfick out of Europe. Few phyficians have travelled out of the circle of the learned world; though others have been attentive to what regards their refpe£tive pro- feffions. I have thought it my duty to make myfelf acquainted with what regards medicine in thofe pla- ces through which I went. Smyrna, in the time the Grecians made phyfick a part of heavenly doctrine, was adorned with temples, facred to the God of Health and Medicine. They ftruck medals in honour of thofe who praclifed this facred fcience, and with judgement adminiftered thofe remedies, which Providence had revealed to them \ Time hath greatly changed the ftate of this Science here. The Greeks have yet remaining fome fparks of that fire, which fhone in their fore-fathers ; but which would, without doubt, be extinguiilied, if a few, more en- couraged by the hope of getting a living than out of love for the fcience, had not determined to acquire knowledge in our learned Europe. There are fome Greeks to be found in Conftantinople and Smyrna, who have fludied phyfick, chiefly in Padua : mofl of them born on fome iiland in the Archipelago. Scio, in particular, has a number of tolerable phyficians, and alfo fupplies other places with them; I know not what pretenfions iflands have to furniHi good

» See Mead, Orat. de Honor. Med.

phy-

TOSMYRNA. 21

phyficlans: Stanchio (Cous) and England afford us remarkable examples. I had an opportunity of making thefe obfervations, on the 9th of De- cember, when I was called to a confultation, to enquire into the difeafe of their chief brother phyfician, a Greek from Scio, who died vrithin a few days of an Aflhma convulfivura. He obler- ved flri^lly the rule he had followed in his praclice, to leave all to nature, without ufmg any drugs, un- iefs dicetetical. Thefe are almoft the only drugs prefcribed by the phyficians in Smyrna, and the diet confifls in a fort of failing. They give for reafoa, that the air is nouriiliing, and fufficient to keep the fick in life; but this convinced me of my former experi- ence, that the moil falutary rules may prove detri- mental, when carried too far, and not apphed to circumilances. The phyficians here, in my time, were Doctor Demetri, who was above 80 years old, was born in Scio, had travelled through England and Germany, praftifed nine years in St. Efprit, the chief hofpital in Rome, and in his youth had acqui- red fome knowledge in botany, which he did not negleft, as he at this age had a complete knowledge of Ray's and Tournefort's fyltems. I gave him fome idea of Dr. Linnseus's famous fyflem. He re- ceived my informations in the fame manner, as an aged foldier, incapable of attending battles and fieges, is yet rejoiced to hear of new expeditions. Dr. Zani was the other of the faculty in Smyrna ; he appeared to be ayoung, handfome, and naturally- ingenious man, provided with fuch learning as is required for knowing common difeafes : he had great hopes to gain the peoples confidence, towards which he was already pretty well advanced.

The 16th, I made my firfh jaunt on Iiorfcback,

which gave me no favourable opinion of the iaiia-

C 3 bi:aii:5

22 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

bitants of the Eafl:. The miferable roads, over hills and dales, full of Hones and mud, put me in mind of the incomparable roads in Sweden, and gave me a much worfe. opinion of the celebrated Southern countries, than I before had. But what on this journey caufed a woeful remembrance to a Swede, was the place, where five years ago, Mr. Kierman, merchant in Smyrna, and fon to Mr. Alderman Kierman in Stockholm, was lliot dead by fome highwaymen. The lofs our trade fuffered by the death of this young man, was not to be repaired by the lamentations of the Turks or the punifliment of the murderers. The former however ihews that, amongfh thofe we efteem barbarians, there arc lovers of virtue, and the latter confirms to us, that the Turks have learn'd the wife rule, that juftice is due to all men. Budgia, an agreeable country- feat of the Dutch Conful Hochpied, to which "we came, expelled thefe melancholy reflexions. Its Cyprefs park, filled with Gazellas, Peacocks, Phea- {cuns. Partridges and Nightingales, is incompa- rable.

The diverfior.s of the Carnaval began amongfl: the Franks, the beginning of the year, with balls and genteel fuppers. I was prefent, the 5th of Ja- nuary, at the entertainment the Dutch Conful Hochpied gave to all the Europeans. Every thing was well conducted, after the European manner. Mufick is the only thing, we muft put up with, after the manner of the country, which is bad enough. It confifted of two miferable violins, and two lutes, nei- ther of which was well played. This noble art is now no more to be found, in a country where it once had arrived to the higheil perfection. In vain may we now look for an Orpheus among the Greeks; but ^ dance, a remain of the Grecian age, performed by

the

' TO SMYRNA. 23

the Greek women, afforded me infinite pleafure. They were about fifteen in number, the foremoll of which conduced the dance, by making fignswitha garment ilie held in her hand. The art confift ed in keeping an equal half-circle, to be obferved un- der all their different turnings. They likewife fe- veral times made a labyrinth, but immediately re- affumed their former flation. There was fome- thing particular in this dance, which at firil fight, convinced me it was ancient. My conjeflures were confirmed by Mr. Peyfonell, the French Conful, who hath much knowledge in what relates to Gre- cian antiquities. He told me, that fome monuments of marble had been found, on which this dance was fculptured. It is fo agreeable when danced by Greeks, dreffed in the ancient manner and con- formable to the dance, that no modern invention of this kind feems to equal it. The mufick ufed on this occafion did not appear to me to have been de- figned for it by the antients. What J afterwards heard them fing, feemed to mt better applied.

The hard frofl, which had lafted a whole week, (the like was not remembered by the oldefl men li- ving) was now fo far broke, that I in the afternoon of the 2d of February could venture myfelf in the gardens, without the town, to fee what havock win- ter had made amongft my flowers, which I a Ihort time before had feen in their glory. They had withflood the cold pretty well, fo that Chryfanthe- mum and Calendula, with feveral others, yet adorn- ed the fields; but fome of the Syngenefifls had fuf- fered a Httle. Art has been but of fmall affiflance to the gardens here, except in planting a few Orange-trees, which do not grow wild. Nature in this place is amiable ; but, if a little art was ufed, the gardens here would foon poffefs much greater C 4 beauties

2.4 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

beauties, than tliofe in our Northern Europe, which require (o much coil and labour ; Orange-trees grow here in abundance, nor does any body care to pluck the fruit, which remains on the trees the whole year, until the flowering feafon, when it falls off. Some Fig, Olive, and Pomegranate-trees, ftand here and there, wiihout order. Poplar-trees are common enough few Dates and Palm-trees are to be feen, and thofe feem to be very old. Cyprefs trees grow in fome places, and mount towards the i]<y, like tall Pyramids. Such are the greateft ornaments nature has given to thefe countries. Pledera Helix (Ivy) grows in fuch abundarc^ about and within all the gardens of Smryna, that it can fcarcely be more common in any place. It makes the greatefl part of their hedges, and creeps about every where in their gardens, to which it is an ornament but of little fervice. I faw fome of nature's mafter-pieces, of this plant, which confirm'd me in -my former o- pinion, how ufeful it is to adorn gardens, efpecialiy if art leads it to proper places, where it is moil wanted. I faw an Ivy and a Vine together, cover a Pome-granate tree, which made a noble appear- ance. In another place, four Vines had crept up a Fig-tree, and with their librous roots faftened to the bark, which was not lefs agreeable ; but the handfomeft of all was a gateway, nature had made of Ivy, which had twilled itfelf together, over^ a miferable crarden ^ate, to the thicknefs of three feet, and the length of eight. The gate confifted of foraeunplaned and rough deals nailed together, ordi- nary enough for a common (table door ; but the cover- ii]g might have been an ornament to the .entrance of a royal garden. The fences round gardens are moilly fuch as the want of wood taught them to make. They are chiefly hedges, and therefore

perma-

T O S M Y R N A. 25

permanent. They make them of Willows, which are planted at the fides of a ditch, at four feet di fi- ance; or of Caprificus, which is yet handfom- er, and peculiar almofl to this country, planted in the fame manner. I beheve, that our Swedifh huf- bandmen will not dare to plant fuch fences; but I know the former hath been under confideration, and I wiih it was done in the fame manner it is here, as I am perfuaded it may. •

Banks are more common here. Ivy, and a parcel of other builies grow on them, with common Reed, Arundo Phragmites, (Donax) much larger than the Swediili, and make them durable and a good defence. I was curious to know how this Reed came to grow in fuch quantities on thefe banks, and enquired of the inhabitants whether it had been fown or planted there ? They anfwered in the ne- gative. I allied whether they had carried the earth from the fea fliore, and the roots in it, which afterwards grew up ? This they likewife denied. The earth for the banks is dug on the fpot, and thrown out of the ditches on both iides. It was not however very difficult to difcover whence this plant came. It is not long fmce the fea v/ent up to thefe gardens, which runs now a cannon-lliot from them, and then, as now, Reed grew on the *fhore. The fea decreafed, and its bottom became dry land, whereby the roots of this Reed remained with its former lliores, which, after the ground was dug up for banks, were at liberty to fpi;ead, grow up and feed, like the largefl wood; but this was not i'o ea~ fy, whilft they lay hid in the ground under a high- way. Clay walls are the worfl kind of fences ufed here. The fpring began already, on the 12th of Februa'ry, to bring forth the beauties of the South- ern regions, owing to the mild climate. The x4l1-

mond-tree

26 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

mond-tree flowered around Smyrna on bare boughs. Anemones and Tulips adorned the fields, and grew fpontaneouily in valleys, and at the foot of mountains. The former are pretty, of different colours, purple and deep red, cochineal red, with a white ring at the bafis of the petals. I defer ibed to day a Solitaire, a bird kept in a cage in our Swedifli houfe. It is a kind of Thrulh (Turdus folitarius), highly eiteemed by the Eaft- ern nations for its fong; and they have told me, that it fells to the Turks at Conftantinople, for 200 Pi- afters. It whiftles, and can learn to fmg entire airs, if it be kept to it, and exercifed. They are found in the Grecian iilands. Whence they are brought over and fold by the Greeks, who in their language, call it hhyaXa. If kept in a cage, it is fed with frejQi meat, infe6ls and currants,

I was defirous to fee Opobalfamum or Balfam of Mecca in a place where I was certain to find it good and genuine. This is feldom found genuine in Europe, and perhaps never entered an Apothecary's fliop in Sweden, unadulterated. It is a drug that is feldom to be had genuine, even in Turkey ; for the bullies from which it is taken are fcarce in Arabia, and the quantity they yearly afford is barely fufEcient for the court of the Turkiih Emperor, and the gran^ dees of the empire. A few of the common Turks, who make pilgrimages to Mecca, may chance to get a fmall quantity not mixed, but fcarcely one in a thoufand that yearly go there return without fome mixture, which they fell for the true Balfam, though they have made it of Turpentine, &;c. Of this kind f take the greatcft part to be, which the Druggifls and Apothecaries in Europe have; as I faw their merchants in Smyrna buy fuch mixtures, and fend them to Europe, there to be difpofedof under the

name

TO SMYRNA. 27

name of the trueBalfam of Mecca. I faw fome the 13th of February, which lam fure was of the true khid ; as it agreed with the defcriptions the befl au- thors have given us, and what I myfelf have learn'd concerning its tranfportation. I had frequently op- portunities to fee, what was called Balfam of Mecca, but I never beheved any to be the true, except this, which I have defcribed.

Spring was now advancing apace: and as the heat encreafed, I went without the town on the 14th, to fee what effeft this fine weather had on na- ture, and what fort of plants the fpring afforded. I went to the burying-places of the Turks, to fee whether they contained any thing worth notice. They bury mod of their dead without the town, they have however near fome of their churches, and even private houfes places fiU'd with graves. But the largefl and moft numerous are without the town. They occupy a large terrace around the town, and therefore make an incredible quantity of earth ufelefs, which they encreafe daily, by digging new graves and fearching for other places, when they bury their dead. They have their burying- places furrounded with fine walls, and handfomer than thofe about their gardens and vineyards. At each grave they had raifed up a flone of coarfe marble, for the moll part grey, but fome brown. On thefe they had beflowed more or lefs art, ac- cording to the eflate and efleem the deceafed enjoy- ed while living. I concluded thofe were grandell, over whom was built a triangular monument of ftones. Next were thofe with oblong flones, on the farther end of which was engraved a turban or Turkifh h.eaddrefs ; if this is green, it fignifies that an Emir or relation of Mahomet lies here. The pogrefl had plain flones withoiit any art and la- bour.

^8 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

bour, except cutting them out of a rock and fmoothing. There Avere fome that had infcrip- tions. The burying-places of the Turks are handfome and agreeable, which is owing chiefly to the many fine plants that grow in them and which they carefully place over their dead: Cypreffes of remarkable height, and an innumerable quantity of Kofemary, were the plants chiefly found here. The latter were now in full bloflbm and afforded a de- licious odour. The former, which the Turks ef- teem mourning trees, were in fruit, and are agree- able both fumraer and winter to the fight and fmell. The Turks a6i: much more confident than the Chriflians, when they bury their dead without the town, and plant over them fuch vegetables, as by their aromatick and balfamick fmell can drive a- way the fatal odours, with which the air is filled in fuch places. I am perfuaded, that they by this ef- cape many misfortunes, which aifecl Chrifl:ians, from their wandering and dwelling confliantly among the dead. A large and fine variety of Ranunculus Ficaria; the Androfaceof Linnceus were new flowers of this year, which I faw, and the Almond-tree which was fnow-white with bloflfoms. Why does the Almond-tree, which hath white flowers, blof- fom on bare boughs ? not for the fame reafon as the hazel ; perhaps the fruit, having a ftone, requires a longer time to grow ? They adorn the rifmg grounds, and according to nature's order ought TO afford much fruit, as they bloom at a time of the year when the ll^y is confl:antly ferene, and it neither rains nor is there any kind of bad weather, which in many countries prevent a fine bloflbm from giving the wiflied-for fruit.

The 17th, I found Hyacinthus Mufcari grow in common round the town, and in full bloflbm. The

Turks

TOSMYRNA. 29

Turks call it Mufcharumi, and it ferves them in their love affairs in this manner : A young man fends this flower to a girl he loves ; When flie fees it is Mufcharumi, flie mufl remember a word in rhime to anfwer this, which is Ydilcerumi, and puts her in mind by implication what her lover expects from her. This is properly called an allegorical manner of fpeaking. This evening I learned an ingenious method of giving wine a good and pleafant tafle, from the French conful Mr. Peyfonell, who had late- ly got it from the Greek billiop in Smyrna. I have defcribed it in my colleclions, and took care of the thing with which it is to be done : this Mr. Peyfonell likewife gave me.

The 24th in the afternoon, I had an opportunity of feeing the Jews fynagogue. I went there with Mr. De Colla, the principal Jew merchant in Smyr- na, -and a man of knowledge acquired both by obfervation and reading. There are not about fix fynagogues in Smyrna ; there were more formerly, which were deflroyed by fire, and not fmce rebuilt. Thofe remaining are fmall, but handfome. In the middle of the fynagogue was an elevated place furrounded with a clofet, within which were benches. I took thofe, who fat there, for holy men. Piound the walls v/ere likewife benches, upon which the men fat, and on the fides on the floor and in galleries were feparate clofets, in w^hicli the women performed their devotions. From the cieling hung a quantity of glafs lamps and fome metal candle- fticks. In one of thefe fynagogues I was fliewed the books of Mofes, wrote in a fine Hebrew let- ter on parchment, covered with filk, roiled up and tied round with ribbands. They had about four clofets filled with fuch volumes ; thefe clofets flood in the wall 5 and on the pannels of the doors the '2 Law

30 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

Law of Mofes, the ten commandments, and oth^r parts of the Pentateuch, were worked with letters cut out of black cloth, and fewed on cloth of different colours. In each fynagogue fat a man on one fide of the door, dreffed in black or white, reading in the books of Mofes; and feveral people that fat on the benches likewife had them and read after him. Coming home, I got an Iris (tuberofa) imberbis, corollis apice purpureis.

Barnaba is one of the prettleft villages round Smyrna, being about two hours journey from the town, whither we went on horfeback the 2d of March. An Aga had the command of this, as well as fome other villages hereabout ; but the lafl poffeflbr of this office having feveral times furnifli- ed the Franks with occafion of complaint, at the beginning of this month they petitioned the Porte to difmifs him. He was accordingly difcharged, by v/hich means, the Franks became more at liberty to enjoy the pleafures the country might afford. The hufbandman was now ploughing the land that had been fallow laft year. The foil is here quite loofe and eafy to till, and therefore requires little labour in cultivation. It confifls chiefly of a loofc clay mixt v/ith fand and covered with rich mould. They always ufe oxen to plough the field ; the con- ftru6tion of the plough I have defcribed in another place. It is amufmg to fee them take off the plough-fliare when they have done their work, and put in on again when they have occafion. We paffed by the burying-ground of this place, than which many of our ccmntry pariflies in Sweden have not larger. It fliou'd therefore feem, that it was more than fufficient for a village, which contains not ahove 20 or 30 families j but, to bury after the I Turkifli

T O S M Y R N A. 31

Turkl{h manner, who never lay a corpfe where another before hath been burled, fuch a place mufl been larged every year; and probably, all the land belonging to the village will in time be filled with grave-ftones and bones of the dead. The iargenefs.of the place, and the number of monu- ments ftiew, that the village muft have been acon- fiderable time inhabited, as people live to a great age, and few die in a year. We alighted at the houfe of Mr. Begler, the chief Grecian merchant in Smyrna, a man v/hom I ought to mention with refpe^ ; he had good lenfe, had lived long in Holland, and now had an extenfive trade to that country in company with a Dutch merchant. His houfe was built in the Dutch tafte, and furrounded with a fmall garden, where no other plants grew than thofe of the country. Marjoram (Origanum Majorana) which almoft every farmer in Sweden has growing in his garden, was reckoned the fcarceft plant, and kept in a pot near the entrance of the houfe, with Cheiranthus Incanus over againft it, on the other fide were Fig-trees, Almond-trees, Orange-trees, Oriental Plane-tree, (Platanus orien- talis) &c. which with us are kept in hot-houfes and pots, but here in the open air left to nature ; I took however notice, that the hard frolt towards the latter end of February had ravaged the Orange- trees, whofe leaves and fruit were entirely deflroy- ed. This had likewife happened in the town, a- mongil the trees that were there. On our return we faw Storks, that were traveUing from the South- ward to the Northward, who took up their lodg- ings in a wheat-field, where they v/alk as gentle and fearlefs as if they were tame, Thefe birds are znofl favoured in Turkey. The Turks are their

greateft

32 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

greatefl defenders ; and if a Chriilian fliould hap- pen to kill one of them, he would endanger his fafety. Thofe who own a houfe where Storks have nefted, are fuppofed to receive great bleffings from heaven, and to be free from all misfortunes. A nefl of them is efleemed by a bigoted Turk, more than a field full of Sheep and Camels.

The I ft of March in the afternoon, I viewed the dock-yard in Smyrna, as they were about laying down a Swediflr fliip. This is a miferable place, built by the Turks, where fliips can be laid over to clean them, but a middling veflel will not be hove down for lefs than 150 to 200 piaflers. The place over which we went and returned took up my attention more than the dock : It confifted of a pretty fpacious field, which, as well as I can guefs, may contain little more than one acre. I be- held this field was anew world, or a new enlargement of the inhabited world ; it may be difficult to find a place which fo clearly proves the decreafe of the fea, as this: Here I could plainly fee a dried bot- tom of the fea, which confided of clay fiU'dwith fliells and all forts of fea-infeds; around its extremities, on the former fliore, lay all forts of pebble-fi:ones, which the fea had thrown up. Here no plants had yet had time to root, and be changed into mould ; but I am perfuaded that within a few years one may walk here as in a garden, fetch fruit out of a vine- yard, or mow a corn-field. Towards the latter a good beginning was already made by the Turks at the weft-end of the place, where a little ftripe was fown with barley, which grew freely. The place on which Smyrna is built hath had the like origin and appearance, with its gardens, vineyards and corn-land : I could never have found any thing more agreeable than our Swedifh arrow-headed grafs

(Triglochin

TO SMYRNA. ^

(Trlglochin paluftre) which I found to the north- ward of this field. If I had not been able to dif- cern with my eyes, and confirmed by the inhabi- tants that this place formerly flood under water, this plant had been fuificient to convince me and others, who know its nature, and that through the whole world it grows in fuch places, where it can receive nourilhment from an -earth that hath fome remains of fea fait.

I HAD an inclination to fee the inland fituation of Natolia, before I left its coafls, and therefore fet out on the nth of March for Magnefia, v/hich is 8 hours travelling from Smyrna. I fet cut at fan-rife, accompanied by a Drogman, an Arminian fervant and a guide. We were all well armed, which is cuftoraary in this country, and fre- quently neceffary in the fiiortefl journey. We took horfes from the caravan, which goes every Wednef- day and Sunday from Smyrna to Magnefia. In one hour's travelling from the town we came to a large field, covered with Olive-trees, and in fome places turned into corn land. Round thefe fields were fe- veral villages, under the command of an Aga, who had his feat in Barnaba, one of the largeft and handfomefl. After this we fav/ a quite diiFerent profpedl, and this fo odd, that I doubt whether any one who has not feen the Eaftern countries can have any idea of it : a mixture of hills and vallies, like the high billows and gulphs in a boifterous fea. In no place was it more evident that the continent, we call earth, was in the beginning the bottom of the fea. The hills were in their form unequal, fome being flat towards the top ; others of a conick figure. At a diilance they feemed com- pofed of fand, gravel, clay, or fome other earth, being covered with mould and plants. But at a

D nearet

34 TRAVELS TO THE EAST,

nearer view they are found to confill of a dark brown, coarfe, loofe flate, compofed of thin flates, and which may eafily be broke by the fingers. I found hills of flate at the road fide, with breaches cut through them to make paffages for travellers. The other hills of Natolia confifled of Lime-flone, which was whitifli, and of a coarfe grain : in thefe I hkewife faw fome large breaches; but an innu- merable quantity of loofe ft ones of this kind covered both hills and roads. Nor were there wanting loofe ftones of (^artz, Spart, reddiih Lime-ftone, Sand-ftone, Spars mixt with Quartz; yet unmixed Quartz was fomewhat fcarce, and always in fingle pieces. Such mountains as we moftly have in the North, are not to be feen here. Mould makes the upper furface of all hills, in which grow various plants, but none fo common as Arbmus Andrachne. This bufh covers the hill in every place^ and grows in fuch quantities, that I have never feen any plain fo covered with Juniper-buflies in Sweden. The latter were fo fcarce, that I fcarce faw ten on the whole road. The Spanifh Pine (Pinus Picea) was fomewhat more common, and occupied the moft barren places ; but moft of thefe trees were young. All the hills lay uncultivated, a fign of a country badly till'd. If Natolia was well inhabited, good hufbandmen would certainly make the hills turn out to fome account. Here might be planted good vineyards of the fine vines that grow about Smyrna. Here a number of flieep might feed in places that agree well with them, where the llieep's Fefcue grafs (Feftuca ovina) grows fufiiciently. Goats might feed here to a much greater number than are now found here, there being plenty of food for them. And if all other places, which here lie uncultivated, were to be turned into corn land,

a careful

T O S M Y R N A. 35

a. careful hufbandman might raife the fineft crops on thefe hills. The vales between the hills did not appear very remarkable to me. They rather con- fifted of fmall vales dividing one hill from another, than of large and level plains. I faw no more than two or three fuch plains, but they were not large, or elfe over-run with the Andrachne. The profpeft of the country is rather flrange than pleafnig ; and the roads are very bad, as travellers muft ride amongfb broken Hones up and down the highefl: hills. In fome places the roads were paved, which feem to be the remains of the ancients care for the conve- niency of travellers. We met alfo with fl: one- bridges, which feemed too good to be built by the people who now inhabit the country. They were formerly of more ufe than at prefent, as the river muft have been larger; for we could now conve- niently crofs it without palling the bridge. Taverns were frequent on the road. We came to three or four, but they have nothing to give travellers but coffee, and water, which every one might fetch fromi the well. The coflee-houfe confifted of a heap of flones piled, covered with boughs. Here a Turk made a fire for the coffee-pot, and to light pipes ; thefe, with a cup, were all we could get for our bo- dily wants. Wine and brandy are flrange things for a Turk to give or fell to a traveller ; but if he be treated with a glafs by a traveller, he will forget the rigour of his rehgion during the time he drinks it. A Turk of the better fort commonly makes it a matter of confcience not to tranfgrefs the law that - forbids them the ufe of fpirituous liquors. There are however more to be found that regard this as a commandment not rigoroufly enforced ; and when the number of Turks" who believe drunkennefs no fin, comes to equal that of the Chriflians, Hfe will be D 2 ranch

^6 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

much more miferable both for them and ftraiigers. We ahghted to reft at one of thefe places, and I feized the opportunity to fee what plants the fpring had brought forth. Saffron (Crocus fativus Linn.) was the iirft, and the moft remarkable I found. I fliould have been well fatisfied with feeing this plant grow in its native country, if I had found no- thing elfe in this journey. The oriental Saffron is not a diftinft fpecies from the European ; but its gcodnefs and virtue in phyilc hath always been more efteemed than the latter, therefore the dofe of it is lefs as it is ftronger. It grew here, but in no confiderable quantity, amongft the Arbutus An- drachne ; not at the top, but towards the decline of the hills ; nor expofed to the heat of the fun, but in fliady places. The colour was a pale yellow; but I faw fome near Smyrna of a more dark and almoft deep yellow. Natolia is well ftored with this pre- cious plant, without culture; and in certain places, as round Magnefia, towards the confines of Bruffa, large quantities are gathered and exported to dif- ferent places in Afia and Europe ; I have however good reafon to fafpect that all our apothecary {hops have not the fort to fell that is gathered here, when oriental Saffron is prefcribed. The phyfician as well as the apothecary cannot but fufpecl its genuinenefs, after having gone through the hands of fo many druggifts, who, as I myfelf have feen, underftand the art of encreafmg a drug they cannot gain by when fold genuine. Therefore, if any one is de- firous of having the true oriental Saffron, which is fuch a noble medicine, he muff endeavour to get it from the iirft hand, which can beft be done by or- dering it from any of the above-mentioned towns, and fome iflands in the Archipelago, where it grows in yet larger quantities. A phyfician, who is not

certain

TOSMYRNA. 37

certain of this drug, will find it confiftent with pru- dence, rather to prefer ibeEngliili Saffron in a larger dofe, than to prefcribe one thing and get another. The Hyacinth (Hyacinthus) and Star-flower (Orni- thogalum) were the other fpring flowers I found here. We came to Magnefia at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and got lodgings in the firft Khan or Caravanferai place, which for its ufe anfwers to an inn in Europe; and where a traveller hath the fame kind of accommodations, according to the cuftoras of the country. The houfe was well built, but kept in bad repair, covered with lead, and over the whole roof Vv^ere raifed arches at the diflance of 12 feet from each other. The building was two {lories high. The upper were lodging rooms, and the lower ma- gazines for goods and {landing for horfes. It con- fifled of a quadrangle which enclofed a fine large yard, in the middle of which was a good fou tain, affording excellent water. This the Eaftern nations are always follicitous to keep in order, for themfelves and travellers. I here firft experienced how a tra- veller is lodged in Turkey. We were led to a chamber, the palfage to which was more difficult than the high hills I afterwards afcended ; as on the latter I had firm ground to ftand on, but here loofe ftones. The inward appearance was fuch as might be expe£i:ed in a place which has not been cleaned for rooo years, viz. from its beginning, and perhaps fome thoufands of people have lodged in it. A rufli matt was laid on the floor for each of us, on which we put the bed-clothes we had taken with us ; and this was all our furniture, table, chairs and bed. They make no great preparations here to accom- modate travellers, and yet they live tolerably well, though not very agreeably, in the beginning, to thofe who are not accu{lomed to it. Mufelem (thus

D 3 the

38 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

the chief commander of a town in Turkey is called) was the firft I had to wait on, to deliver him my letters of recommendation from his friends in Smyrna, and to let him know my intention of feeing the town and places adjacent. I went immediately to him, and made him fome prefents I had brought with me. No traveller approaches a Turkilli of- ficer, efpecially if he has any bufmefs with him, without bringing him fome prefents. This is thq CLiflom of the country, and was the fame in ancient times, as may be feen by the travels in the Old Teflament. Sweetmeats, tea, or fome fuch mat- ters, are what a traveller had bell offer, as they are acceptable. When I fu'll came in, he was engaged in more important bufmefs than to be at leifure for me. He was at his prayers, which were thofe, that after the Mahometan religion are performed an hour before fun fet, and no Mufulman will on any account omit or poflpone them. I therefore went away, and was by his fervant brought into a houfe where a Turkifli wedding was celebrating. I was politely received here, as well as in every place I went to in the town. I could not fee the marriage performed, nor the married couple. Very few Turks, much lefs a Chriflian, are allowed to be prefent. But I was at liberty to behold the diver- sions of the guefts, who were in a large room, which always is before the Turks chamber. They con- fifted here, as in other places, in mufic and dancing, tho' quite foreign to our tafle. The mufic were two fmall kettle drums of copper, and a kind of rough and ill-founding dulcimer. The muficians beat both fo hard, that in a very large room, open on all fides, none could hear what another faid, tho' he fpoke loud ; but there was nothing like order ©r time kept. The dance was performed by one

perfon^

TOSMYRNA, 39

perfon, who might juflly be faid to dance for alL He was dreiled in a iliort jacket, was bare footed, and looked like a Turkifh foldier. He held in each hand two wooden fpoons. Thus accoutred, he lldpped about the middle of the room, and moved his head and arms as much as his feet, at the fame time often bending his body backwards, forwards, and fideways. He held the fpoons, two in each hand, in fuch a manner between his fingers, that he could frequently ftrike them together, which with the rough mufic made a noife no ways agreeable to our ears. As far as I could comprehend, the chief pleafure confifled in feeing a perfon for full three quarters of an hour perfift in a motion fo ftrong, as to put the body and every limb at once in full aftion. By this we may fee that fomething of the cufloms of the ancient inhabitants of thefe places, whofe greatefl diverfions confided in feats of ac- tivity, ftill remains. I v/ent back to Mufelem, and being now admitted to a hearing, was received with much politenefs. He was fo young that his whiflcers had but jufl begun to grow, and was therefore early enough appointed to fuch a confiderable em- ployment. The road to preferment is the fame amongft the Turks as amongft other nations. Merit is fometimes of fervice, but connections, riches and power bed avail. Kara Ofman Oglou, one of the moft remarkable perfons at this time under the Turkiih government, was his father. He had found means to get the command over all this part of Na- tolia, which reaches from Smyrna to Burfa, and had, at the change the Turkifli Emperor m.ade this year amongd his officers, prevailed fo far as to be ap- pointed Mufelem in Magnefia, where he put his fon in his room, and fent his fon-in-law, who had hi- fhprto been in Magnefia, to Smyrna. Himfelf lived D 4 in

40 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

in Kyragatch, a village two days journey from Mag- iiefia, where are the richefl and fineft Cotton plan- tations in Natolia. He could immediately raife 20,000 men, which were under his command; and it was rumoured that his revenue were 1200 piaflers a day. It was now about fun fet, when the Turks eat fupper ; I therefore took ray leave, after being defired to call again after fupper. I had fcarcely time to go from the fopha to the door, before the cloth was laid and two difhes cleared. The Turks eat extremely faft. I have known a dinner of above twenty difhes to have been finiflied in a quarter of an hour.

I COULD not undertake any thing before I had made another vifit to the Mufelem. Being a phy- lician, I was much regarded by him; and his example was not only followed by his fervants, but through the v/hole town wherever I went: fo far from point- ing at me or my fervant, and calling Jaur (unbe- liever) which is other wife cuffcomary amongft the Turks when they fee a Chriflian, efpecially a ftranger, I f;aw and heard myfelf called and taken notice of as Hekim Packi : however, I had not this complaifance for nothing. Mufelem, as the chief of the town, began very carefully to think about his health ; which was not only followed by his fer- vants, but by all in the town whom I had occafion to converfe with. It is common enough amongft: the Turks, and even Greeks, to be fick as often as they have an opportunity of fpeaking to a phyfi- cian. Mod: of them are fubje6i: to the hypochon- driac diforders; and as this difeafe always occafions perfons to be fufpicious of their health, efpecially in the country, and in little towns, where they feldom have an opportunity of conveding with them who

can

T O S M Y R N A. 41

can give them any fatisfa^llon, it is no wonder they fliould be curious, and that a phyiician ihould be both welcome and employed. There is no occafion to defire to feel the pulfe. The firft thing the per- fon does who confuks a doctor, is to put forward his naked arm. I know not where they leariied this, as perhaps neither they, nor their fathers before them, ever appeared before a phyfician capable of judging by the pulfe. If I may guefs, I fliould think it tranfmitted by the parents to their ofF- fpring, and to have been jBrfl introduced by that great phyfician who lived here, and put fuch great and jufl confidence in the pulfe. It is not difficult to imagine that the great doftor from Stanchio (Cous) to acquire perfeft experience, on which he built his fcience, here introduced the cuftom, that, when any difeafed perfon confulted him he felt his pulfe, which he taught his difciples ; of whom the peo- ple learned it, and have retained it to this day without knowing the reafon ; in the fame manner as hath happened with religious ceremonies amongil fome nations, who now, tho' they ftill ufe them, know not whence or why they were introduced, thofe who introduced and propagated them having through the change of times been extirpated. I gave my Mufelem fome medicines I had taken with me from Sweden in order to fi:rengthen his ftomach, A Seraglio of fifteen women, which at fo early an age he kept, was enough to hurt it ; but I would not advife any phyfician, who may chance to be in my fituation, and is confulted by a Turkilh grandee, to tell him this, as he might perhaps become a martyr to truth. It is beil to think and do what appears to be of fervice, and talk as little as pofiible. By way of recompence he gave me, as Lord of the

Town^

42 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

Town, liberty to go whither I pleafed, and pro- iiiifed to take care that the mountains and places where I intended to botanize (liould be clear, which I efteemed the befl: reward I could defire.

The Greek and Armenian churches kept this week (April 12) holy. They ufe the Old Style as we do in Sweden ; but our Celfian amendment of the Swedilh almanack brings ourEafter ^nd Lent at the fame time with the Roman Catholics and others that follow the New Style. The ceremonies, which certainly make the greatell part of the divine wor- fliip amongft the Chriilians here, v/ere better to be feen this week than at any other time, becaufe now they were to be more devout. They all tend, and were by the ancients evidently inftituted, to fliew and reprefent all which the Scriptures hiftorically tell us of Chrifl's fuiferings, refurrection and his great works. On Thurfday preceding Good Fri^ day, was celebrated a commemoration of Chrifl's wailiing the difciples feet, in both churches. On Good Friday, they reprefented the burial according the Scriptures. On Eafter, was per- fonally fliewn the Refurre^lion of Chrift ; however, the perfon of our Saviour was not reprefented by any body, but painted on a table with an enfign in his hand, which was carried by priefts. The , Greeks have likewife proceffions, but dare not go farther than round the church, though the Roman Catholics go through all French-Street, from the Capuchins to the Jefuits Convent. They have this liberty as fubjects of European powers; but the Grecians are not allowed, as they are fubjefts of the Turkifh Emperor. I faw the ceremony of wafliing the feet performed by the Greek Bifhop at 1 1 o'clock in the forenoon, in their largefl church St. Pholini, which was done in this manner : After mafs had been read in the veflry, where the priefts and

Billiop

T O S M Y R N A. 43

Bifliop alone had taken the Lord's Supper, there came forth twelve priefts dreffed in habits of cere- mony ; ihey had mitres on their heads covered with jcrape, which is the head drefs of the Greek priefts. Thefe took their places on a fquare flage raifed three Heps from the ground, and feated therafelves on two benches, fix on each fide. The Bifhop foon fol- lowed dreffed in his epifcopal habit, with two, if not three, palls and fmall bells hanging to them, and a Biiliop's mitre of gilt filver and richly fet with pre- cious ftones. He niounted the theatre and took a a front place, fo as to have his Abbots before him on each fide. At the fame time an aged man that had been Bifhop in another place, but depofed by the Turks, afcended the pulpit which was oppofite to the ftage, dreffed in a pall, accompanied by four priefts, and had with him the writings of the Evan- gelifts wrote in folio in literal Greek, and bound magnificently in filver. So foon as he had left his epifcopal chair, I was permitted to feat myfelf in it by fome of the chief of the Greeks, whence I could plainly fee all the ceremonies. Any one that will reprefent to himfelf the Bifliop as Chrift, and the twelve priefts as the twelve Apoftles, and then read the account the Evangelifts give us of this act, may eafily conceive how all was conduced. The prieft in the pulpit read the hiftory of Chrift's wafliing the difciples feet; and as faft as he read what Chrift did, the other imitated. There was even occafion for Judas to be prefent to make up the number; but no prieft will voluntarily take upon him to aft his perfon if he is not paid for his trouble; wherefore he that takes upon him to reprefent the perfon of Judas for a little while, re- ceives fifteen piaftres. It would be but of fmall confe- quence, if he had only the name of Judas during the pme his feet are waftied, but he commonly retains

'it

44 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

it for life. Peter politely refufed when that part of the text was read which concerned him, wherefore eleven only were wafhed. The Billiop again put on his pall, and finiflied with a bleiling, after he had waflied, dried, and kiifed the feet of his meanefl brethren; and they in return had the honour to kifs his head or rather mitre, with which the fcene concluded. During the whole fcene, many large and fmall wax candles, and a prodigious number of lamps were burning. TheBifliop held three fmall wax can- dles, and each prieft held one. The congregation fung in chorufes their hymns, but in their Greek method, which is the mofl: pitiful that can be heard, Noife and riot, which proceeded even to blows on the head, were not wanting whilft this fcene lafted. In a Greek church the people cannot fleep, which often happens in the churches of other perfuafions, as thefe are obliged to ftand up, and be in a con-^ flant motion by croffmg and bowing ; but they fall into the other extreme, and are too much awake going out of church. I faw the Greeks receive the Lord's Supper. Married priefls only receive with their own hands the bread and wine, which is given them by the Billiop. This was alfo done, as I have already noticed, before the wafliing of the feet. The bread was of wheat, thick, hard, in fmall cakes of three inches diameter, and feemed to be of the kind the European mafters of velfels have baked in Smyrna for fliip-bread, which otherwife never is ufed by the inhabitants of the country. The cake was by the Biiliop broke into fmaller bits, which were taken by the priefts that flood round the altar, who bit off a piece and took the wine, which was likewife given them by the Billiop. The people received the commu- nion from a prieft after the waflimg of the feet. He ftood in a little chapel befide the veftry,. and through

a window

TO SMYRNA. 45

a window reached out to them the Sacrament. He had bread and wine mixt together in a lilver cup, of which he gave a tea fpoonful to every body that advanced. This was done as the people were pref- fing out of the church. The confeffion had been before made, which is done here as in the Latin church, each confeffing by himfelf (Confeffio Au- ricularis). The Greek church enjoins children to be confeifed as foon as they can fpeak, and they even give them the Lord's Supper. The Armenians performed this a£l in the afternoon; but it was far from making the appearance which that of the Gre- cians did. It was done before the altar in the church by one of their chief priefts, as they have no Biihop living here, but are fubordinate to the Bifhops of other congregations w^ho now and then vilit them. Mafs v/as firft read; the priefl was drelTed in a pall, and had an epifcopal mitre of filver ; he feated himfelf on a carpet ; before him flood a chair, in which fuch as were to be waflied feated themfelves one by one. The firll that Avere wafhed were twelve priefts, but the humility was carried farther than with the Greek's ; for here the whole congregation had this liberty, without dif- tinguifliing the richeft merchant from the lowefl fervant of the flable, of which two conditions this congregation chiefly confifts. The priefts waflied and dried the feet, and anointed them with frefli butter, which they faid was made out of the firft milk of a young cow. The perfon waflied and anointed kiiled the prieft's head, went chearfully away, and made room for another, which they told me would laft a good part of the night. On each fide of the prieft was a number of people, old and young, who fung in the fame difagreable tone as the Greeks had done ; but in the literal Armenian

tongue,

4^ TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

tongue^ which is likewife ufed in their public wor- ftiip, and differs as much from the Armenian they commonly fpeak as the literal Greek does from the modern Greek. They had lefs regard to order and decency here than amongft the Greeks. He that came iirft began to fmg ; and if any thing was to be done, as dreffing and undreffmg the prieft, lighting the candles, &c. they ran to and fro without order. They had not fo many lights in proportion to the fize of the church> which is large, handfome and magnificent, and by far furpaifes the Greek church. The fair fex never ihewthemfelves openly in any of the Chriftian churches in the Eaft, or mix amongft the men; but are always prefent in the church, where they have galleries for themfelves, before which are fixed lattices through which they may fee all that paiTes in the church, but cannot be feen.

The burial of our Saviour was celebrated by the Greeks in the afternoon of the 1 3th. The daughters of Eve have, by virtue of the Evangelic Hiftory, re- ferved this ceremony to themfelves, which is but right, as nature has made them propereft for what is here required, namely, to weep. I know not how many there were that fulfilled their duty, as I dared not to go there. Their bowlings were difagreable enough at a di (lance, and nothing amiable could be feen, as they were veiled.

The Armenians had a large and magnificent mafs on the afternoon of the 14th, Eafler eve, at which I was prefent. In the choir beneath the altar was placed a de/k, on which were laid the books of the Evangelifls, wrote in literal Armenian, bound in foho in red and gold tiiTue. On one fide of the deflc was placed an armed chair, which was occupied by the chief prieft (who was to dire£l the aft inflead of the Bilhop) drelTed in his black prieftly habit, and a

cowl.

TO S M Y It N A. 47

cowl. On each fide of him fat a prieil on the floor* drelfed in the fame habit. Six married priefts went forward to the pulpit, one after the other, fome of which read, others chanted, foraething out of a booL They were dreifed in their black prieflly habits, and when they began theiroffice, a handfome pall was put on them. On each fide of the pulpit flood a prieft, having a pall and mitre, who held fome wax candles, near whom were fome boys drelfed in white furplices adorned with crolfeSi When thefe had made the round, twelve handfome young men came up to the fame place drelfed in white furplices, which reached to the ground, adorned on the back and ileeves with red croifes. They were bare-headed, fnaved to the ears, and the crown bald like the Romifli Monks. As far as I could learn, fome of thefe were difciples to the clergy, the others common fervants, but who had the advantage to have been at the hallowed places near Jerufalem, and acquired the name of Hadgi. They were all handfome and well-made youths, and feeraed to be fitter to be under the command of a Colonel than a Bilhop. They kiifed the Vice- Bifhop's arm as they went forward, and obferved the fame at their return. Each of them chanted or read fomethiiig out of a book, in the fame manner as the former ; and betwixt each of their chanting, one of the priefts who fat on the floor rofe up, and repeated fome words thrice over. I underftood not what they were, but was told they were Gloria. Their fong ended, one of them that had before chanted mounted one of the (leps, and flood before the altar, which was hid by a curtain. After he had chanted a piece out of the fame book, the vocal and inftrumental mufic began below the altar. The latter confided of fmall iron pipes, not unlike a kind

of

48 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

of dulcimer, which were ftruck againft one another; and two round brafs plates, which were, according to true time, {truck together. This is Turkifti mufiG, and does not found very bad in a fong. At certain times fmall bells might be heard. After the mufic had lafted awhile, the curtain which hid the niche of the altar was opened, when an old venerable priefl was to be feen, having on a gilt epifcopal mitre adorned with precious flones, (landing a fmall diflance from the altar. On each fide of him flood a priefl in black habit, and nearer to him flood the pricfts who had before been at the pulpit with the incenfe pot and candles in his hands. The priell began to chant and give benedidlons, which were anfwered with fmging and mufic by the congrega- tion. A little while after the Sacrament was brought forth from a little clofet behind the altar. It was borne by one of the above-mentioned difciples, who carried It as high as his head, and placed it on the altar. At the fame time came another, who took the mitre off the prieft, who was now to pro- nounce a benediftlon over the Sacrament and ex- hibit it to the congregation. Every one lighted the candles, which were before diftributed through the whole church for money, and were large and nu- merous. Two were lighted at a time, as fad as the ceremony advanced. The largeft, which flood on the front of the altar, and were about fix inches diameter, were feemingly lighted when the Sacra- ment was blelTed. It was however not they that burned, but fmaller candles fixed to the top were lighted in their (lead. The priefls chanted and the congregation fung, until the fcene was concluded. The priefls on each fide had a plate faflened to a long flaff, with which they made a tinkling when any thing of confequence was performing j nor did

the

TO SMYRNA. 49

the pflefl with the incenfe pot omit his duty, for he often waved and diftributed his odours both towards the akar and choir. The curtain at length was let down, to fignify that all was ended, and for every one to return home. On each fide of the principal altar were two fmaller, on which no ceremonies were per- formed; but in a handfome large chapel without the church, there was mafs read by other priefts, for thofe who had not room in the church.

The 15th, Eafler-day, the feftival of the Arme- nians and Greeks began. The manner in which it- was celebrated by the latter was worth notice, as it teftified how much this nation retains of its former inclinations for diffolute diverfions at feflivals. He that knows what is related about Bachanals, &c. of their anceftors, may here fee the remains of them in their offspring. They purchafe from their mafters the Turks, the liberty of purfuing their pleafures uncontrouled ; for which they pay to their Mufelem in Smyrna one purfe (500 pieces of eight); but in Conftantinople they give five or fix purfes. In confideration of this, they are at liberty, iu their houfes and in the ftreets, to get drunk, fight, dance, play, and do every thing their hearts defire. An Eafler feldom palfes in Conftantinople, without fome perfons being murdered. There was a high mafs in both churches on the night before Eafter. This concluded about midnight; and fcarce was it ended, before the whole congregation cried X^iro? dvis-vi, becaufe then their great and long fad had ended, wherefore they in that very moment begsn to eat of what they had taken to church with them; and having begun their joy in church, they ruflied out, in order to return with pleafure to their ordi- nary food; and this ib violently, tha^-am perfuaded many received raiferable Eafter Wrks, who were 1^ juil;

50 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

JLift beginning their joy. A high mafs and magni- ficent procelTion was performed by the Billiop of St. Trinity church about noon on Eafler day, to the honour of our Saviour's refurreftion. There was nothing wanting in point of magnificence and fliew, which could attract the attention' of the audience.

The 1 6th and 17 th, nothing was to be heard but the Greeks Eafter frohcks, in the flreets and alleys, houfes and yards. They ftrove, efpecially the mob, who lliould eat and drink moft. They danced their Greek dances through Frank-ilreet, after bagpipes, drums, and inllruments unknown to us, but neither fo tuneful or agreeable as to merit much attention. They had a fort made of the peritoneum of oxen, fpread on a circle of ^wood, which they beat with their fingers. They invent feveral tricks to get money from thofe that chufe to look on, to defray the expences for liquors. Amongll the refl, I faw one who could ballance fo well with his head, as to fet a large bottle of wine on it, on which he laid a roll, upon this a glafs of water, in which he put a ix)fe bufh, and with thefe he danced through the whole ftreet, hopp'd and kept good tim.e. In their fongs they often cried X^ifog dvis-y\. No murder was heard of, this feftival, as the Bifliop had oh Eafter-eve ufed the precaution to declare him excommunicated, who fl:iould, during the holi- days, carry a knife or piflol about him. The Ar- menians are a more fedate and wife people, and don't celebrate their holidays with fuch fuperfluities. I never faw them dance, drink, or make a noife in the flreets; but if they divert themfelves, it is done in fome houfe or chan, where the Armenian fervants affemble and enjoy innocent diverfions, or a company ride out on horfeback, in which they

greatly

T O S M Y R N A. 51

greatly delight, and fliew that they inherit of their forefathers the art of good horfemanfliip.

Sedekio near Smyrna, is a remarkable place, becaufe the great Sherard, who in his time was Re^ gent of the Botanic world, here gave Flora a feat, wherefore it cannot but be viewed with plea- fure by a Botanifl. I determined to vifit this place on the 20th. This great lover and patron of Bo- tany fpent his time agreeably here every furamer, during his flay in Smyrna as Conful from England. I have feen the houfe where he hath enjoyed the greateft pleafure of perhaps any European that ever was in this country, when he employed his time in making the great Botanical colleftions, by which he rendered himfelf immortal. Near the houfe is a little garden laid out by him, "in which he introduced no foreign plants, nor was at great pains in adorning it. He knew it was better to fpend his time and money on fuch matters in his native country, than in a barbarous place, in which his flay was fo uncertain.

E 2 ALEX-

52 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

ALEXANDRIA.

AY the 15 th, I rode out to fee the gardens of Alexandria, which were the firfl places I faw after my arrival. I procured an equipage which I had never ufed before. It was an afs with an Arabian faddle, which confided only of a cufliion on which I could fit, and a handforae bridle. On each fide of the afs walked an Arab, and another followed, who took care to help me along. The beaft Vv^as one of the handfomeft to be feen of the kind, lively and well kept. I here miffed the ad- vantage I had a fortnight before of riding on horfe- back. The great opinion Turks have of themfelves, and contempt for Chriftians, Jews, and Moors, are in Egypt very evident ; of which this is a proof, that they never permit any of the above-mentioned peo- ple to ride on a horfe, which they efleem too noble a creature to bear fuch defpicable wretches, and which ought only to ferve a Mufelman. A few Arabs or Moors, who are in forae efleem, lawyers or the like, are permitted to ride on a mule. The Chrifllans laugh at this foolifh behaviour, which is only the height of flupidity. Since cuflom has in- troduced the ufe of thefe creatures, they can fcarcely be deemed defpicable : but on the contrary, one may in fome meafure be well fatisfied with this in- ftitution. No town has better conveniences of

going

TO ALEXANDRIA. 53

going from place to place than Cairo or Alexandria. The ilreets are almoft all full of alTes. A perfon who chufes not to walk, mounts the afs he likes beft, and gets on apace. For one, two, at the moft three para, he may ride through the whole town. The Moors own thefe beads, and value them high enough. Few would imagine that they pay more for fuch a miferable beaft, than a fine horfe cofts in Europe or here. The perfon who owned that I rode on, faid it cofl him 20 ducats, and that he would not take double the money for it, as it fup- ported him. In the place I had hitherto refided, I had walked in gardens of Lemon, Orange, Fig and Mulberry trees. I had feen whole fields filled with the fined vines. 1 had travelled through forefts of

O

Olive-trees, and reded myfelf in the agreeable groves of CyprefTes ; but I faw not one of thefe Eadern glories in Egypt. Here I met a garden filled with other forts of plants, which the Creator hath given to the Southern countries. Palm or Date trees now defended us with their agreeable fhade. I began immediately to enquire of the in- habitants what they knew concerning the quaiities of this vegetable, in order to encreafe the hidory of them, which is yet fo defective araongd Botanids : As whether they knew any thing about a male and female of the Dates, and their fecundation? But the French interpreter interrupted m^y enquiries by changing the difcourfe.

The gothj at two o'clock in the morning, I left Alexandria in a little boar. At 1 2 o'clock I came into the opening of the Nile that leads to Rofetta, where it is about a cannon fliot over. The fliores were at fird dry and covered with fand ; but farther Vip the country, which is level, they were full of fine Palni^-^r^es. Tiie ihores afterwards begame nar-

S 3 rawer,

54 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

rower, and were elegantly adorned with Rullies and the fineil Rice-fields ; yet farther in were clofe Palm-woods. We failed by two fmaii caflles. Some villages lay on our left hand, fituated on Delta. Dolphins and PorpoilTes tumbled about in the water. I came at two o'clock to Rofetta, and was well re- ceived by the French Conful Du Salauze. Towards evening I went out in the fields, which had been fowii with Rice eight days before. The Rice was three inches high; the water flood four fingers high on the ground, and was raifed by wheels worked by oxen, and conducted on the fields in channels. Tliis is done during the time the Rice grows and ripens. I heard a found which feemcd artificial; for example, as if fomebody had knocked together hard wooden flicks. I ailvcd . what it was, and was told that my- riads of little frogs which kept under water emitted this found. We were on the road perfecuted by two kinds pf creatures of different nature, tho' both in- tended to hurt us ; they were Gnats and Buflaloes. The latter efpecially feemed to be angry with me and the interpreter I had with me, as we were dreffed in red. Our JanifTary was obliged to drive the animals from us with his cudgel. Under the Turkifli Government one mufl always be ready for attack and fence. The people in Rofetta are tolerably civil ; therefore a perfon is in no danger of being attacked by them. Our other-enemies, the Gnats, tho' they were much weaker, yet could not be fubdued by this guard. Their num.ber made them intoler- able and invincible. The Rice-fields, becaufe they are conft:antly under water, occafion a fwampy ground, fit for the fupport of thefe vermin, and in thefe they lay their eggs. They were a different fort from thofe we have in Europe, being lefs ; but bit worfe, and left great boils in the ikin, with an in- tolerable

TO ALEXANDRIA. ss

tolerable itching in the place they bit. They are quite different from thofe I fawat Alexandria, which were as larsre as we have them in Sweden, but of a different colour, namely, aili-coloured with white fpots on the joints of the legs.

The nth of June, I faw at Mr. Bai'ton's, the Englifh Conful, Tamarinds which clofed their leaves every evening towards fun-fet. A variety of a Cat head, foraething more oblong than in the common Cats. She was of a confiderable fize, being the length of five fpans, three and a half high, and two and a quarter broad. This fort is found in Egypt. I got forae information concerning Sal Armoniac, and how it is made in Egypt in large quantities. It is made of Soot, which is gathered of the burnt dung of Oxen and Camels, and is carried hence in great quantities by the Venetians. The manner and place of making it is kept fecret. The Seine, a me- dicine which is ufed in Europe, but its hiflory fcarce known, is a Lizard, found on the Ihcres of the Nile in Egypt, and even in the houfes up in the country. It is dried and fold to the Venetians and Genoefe, who powder it, becaufe then m.ore con- venient for tranfportation; wherefore it was difficult to know whence this drug came. The inhabitants of Egypt in general fear this animal, and few are to be found that for the fake of gain catch and fell them to the Europeans. The Egyptians ufe this drug to excite venery, and of them the Europeans have without doubt learned to make the fame ufe of it.

I SHOULD mention fomething concerning the hatching of Chicken in Egypt. The method the women ufe is extremely odd. They put the eggs under the arm pits, and have the patience to keep them there until they are hatched by the natural

E 4 be.iL

5^ TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

heat of the body. I got fome corals that were taken in the Red fea.

A WHOLE company of us rode out on afTes on the 1 2th of June, to take an airing with the Con- ful. We faw an incredible number of peafants on the road driving afles laden with dung, and fome with Saf-flower (Carthamus) which had already been reaped. Both were defignedfor firing, to fup- piy which article every thing is taken in Egypt, CajfTia fiflula, Oily grain, Bammia, were now in blof- fom. On our return, we faw a number of women, who went about inviting people to a banquet, in a fmgular, and, without doubt, very ancient man- ner. They were about ten or twelve, covered with black veils, as is cuftomary in this coun- try. They were preceded by four eunuchs : after them, and on the fides, were Moors with their ufual walking ftafFs. As they were walking they all joined in making a noife, which I was told fignified their joy; but I could not find it to referable a joyful or pleafmg fong. The found was fo fingular, that I am at a lofs to give thofe an idea that have not heard it. It was fhrijl, as womens voices commonly are ; but it had a quavering which was much dif- tinguifhed, and which they had learned by long praftice. It was much like the found I heard the frogs make near Rofetta.

At fix o'clock in the evening, we went with the French Conful to fee a feftival, which was cele- brated by a rich Turk, whofe fon was to be circum- cifed. The father was one of the richeft private perfons in Egypt; he therefore fpared no coft to celebrate this fefiival, which is by the Turks done with all imaginable grandeur. The iefiival lafted 30 days before the circumcifion of the child, and this was the lafl day. The preparations had been

alike

TO ALEXANDRIA. 57

jilike each day with open table for every body, fire- works, illuminations, mufic and dancing, &c. We went to fee the illuminations, which were made in a large plain before the father's houfe. They were not like thofe made in Europe ; but were pretty enough confidering they were made by the inhabit- ants of this country. They were three : To the right in a corner of the place was reprefented a Rhombus, which was terminated by a fquare, the .corners of which were cut off. To the left in the other corner was reprefented the machine, in which the Coran every year is carried to Mecha, when the caravan with the pilgrims travels thither. Here were prettily reprefented the carpets raifed and divided into pinnacles, with the Camel that bore them. In the middle or near the houfe of the Turk, at whofe expence this fellival was celebrated, was a large portico ; the whole was conftrufled of lamps hung on cords, without any other building. The fireworks confifted chiefly in a great number of rockets, which mounted well; fome wheels and fountains, with two boys who had f aliened round their waifts two machines refembling horfes, out of which poured forth fire on all fides. It was plea- fant to fee the people who had aifembled in great numbers, fit ftill on the field in a ring, without making the leafl noife, quite contrary to what is done in Europe on the like occafions. The mufic was to the tafte of the country, with hautboys and kettle-drums. They brought us Coffee, which was of the beft kind, and Carpets in cafe we woul4 fit down. It was believed that the expences of this circumcifion amounted to 8000 ducats. Thefe ex- pences are in a great meafure paid by the large prefents he receives from all his friends. It was. rumoured that this man had received twenty or I thirty

58 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

thirty camels laden with prefents. On fuch occa- fions, all thofe that depend on him mud fliew their duty with fome prefents, which confift in camels, iheep, oxen, or fomething of the kind that belongs to their eftate.

About noon on the 2 2d of June, appeared fome Egyptian dancers under the windows of the French houfe, where I had an opportunity of feeing them. Each country hath its peculiar pleafures, which from times immemorial have been adapted to the people's difpofitions. The Egyptians, inclined to a loofe life, are pleafed with the tricks and inventions of thefe common dancers, as they are entirely adapted to ex- cite fenfual defires. It is furpriling, that in a country where all other women are locked up and guarded, thefe fhould be permitted by the government, not only to {hew themfelves to the people, but even to appear in the commoneft, and, as we Europeans fhould think, moft unbecoming habits and geftures. Thofe that follow this pradice, and by it acquire money, are young country laffes, and fometimes married women, all dark-brown, and little better than naked, being dreifed in a blue linnen garment adorned with different kinds of bells, together with a parcel of hollow filver machines which ring when they move themfelves, and make part of the mufic that ferves them in their folly. They were veiled according to the cuflom of the country, with a cover- ing which only left an opening for the eyes, and hang loofe over the face, which they adorned with all forts of tinkling pieces of brafs, filver, and even gold if they could afford it. They feldom appeared barefaced, but made no fcruple to difclofe thofe parts which our European ladies never expofe to public view, though they iliew their faces without blulliing. It is a cuitom introduced in later times,

which

TO ALEXANDRIA. S9

which the greatefl part of the old men imagine as unbecoming as we think it ridiculous when we fee it, but retained to this day by their offspring in the Eaft. The mufic they ufed on this occalion, befide their rattHng-fluff, was a kind of drum with one head, or parchment extended on a wooden circle, which a woman beat with her fingers; and a kind of violin with two firings to it, which founded more like a wind inftrument than a violin.

About noon on the 23d, I faw a burial, which was one of the mofli remarkable procelTions in the country. It was a Scheik, for fo they call the Law- yers of the Moors and Arabs. This man was up- wards of eighty years of age ; who by a pious and honefl life had acquired much love whilfl; living, and was greatly lamented when he died. It was thought that he had acquired fo much refpeft by a virtuous life, as to be pronounced a Saint at his burial, which is cuilomary amongft the Mahome- tans as well as Chriftians. He had been warden of a Mofque lituated in the Chriilian quarter; where- fore he had an opportunity of making himfelf known and efteemed by the Chriftians, to whom he did good fervices on thofe occafions wherein they needed his alTiilance, which is very necelfary in a tyrannical country. Thefe Scheiks conilantly endeavour to gain the confidence of the populace, by which they make themfelves necelfary and even dangerous to the Tarkiili Regency, as being capable of railing a mob.

The proceffion was as follows: An old worthy Dervice marched foremoft, bearing an enfign, fucli as they have on the Minarits of their Moiques at feftivals. On each fide of him walked a confider- able Moor : An innumerable croud of people fol- lowed, all men, without any order, fome lining the

flreets.

<5o TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

flreets. Amongft thefe were feme Scheiks who carried enfigns. Then came the corpfe laid in a miferable coffin without a lid, covered with a piece of coarfe linnen. After which followed a pretty large number of v/omen, all veil'd with their cufto- niary black garments. Some men carrying enfigns and walking in ranks clofed the proceiTion. All the men cried with a loud voice, and called to God in behalf of the deceafed and themfelves, which occa- fioned a terrible and difagreeable npife ; but the women made the fame noife I heard when they in- vited to a banquet. It is fmgular enough that they fhould not rather fmg mournful tunes : I ailced the reafon, and was anfwered, they imagined that joy agreed better than fadnefs when a righteous man died, at whofe happy ilate every body ought to be well pleafed. At other burials in Cairo I faw wo- men lamenting. It was extremely odd to fee how anxious every one was to touch the corpfe. It was with miuch trouble the bearers advanced, on ac- count of the number of people that thronged upon them to enjoy this benefit. After they had touched the corpfe, they raifed their hands to their fore- head, at the fame time lifting up their eyes very de- voutly. The proceffion went through the ftreet where the French have their houfe, as the deceafed was to be carried to a Mofque at the end of the ftreet. This was very difagreeable to the Mufel- men who attended, on account of the Chriflians be- holding their devotion; and for every bleifmg they bellowed upon the dead, they uttered a curfe againll the enemies of their faith. Conjurers are com-: mon in Egypt. They are peafants from the coun- try, who come to Cairo to earn money this way. I faw one the 24th, who was expert enough, and in dexterity ec^ualled thofe we have in Eurppej

but

TO ALEXANDRIA. 6i

but the Egyptians C9.n do ;one thing the Europeans . are not able to imitate; namely, fafcinate fer- pents. They take the mod poifonous vipers with their bare hands, play with them, put them in their bofoms, and uie a great many more tricks with them, as I have often feen. The perfon I faw on the above day, had only a Imall viper ; but I have frequently feen them handle thofe that were three or four feet long, and of the mod horrid fort. I enquired and examined whether they had cut out the vipers poi- fonous teeth ; but I have with my own eyes feen they do not ; we may therefore conclude that there are to this day Pfylli in Egypt; but what art they ufe is not eafily known. Some people are very fu- perftitious; and the generality believe this to be done by fome fupernatural art, which they obtain from invifible Beings. I do not know whether their power is to be afcribed to good or evil; but I am per- fuaded that thofe who undertake it ufe many fuper- ilitions. I fhall hereafter give a plainer defcrip- tion, with fome obfervations on this fubjeft.

The 2d of July, I waited on the Greek Pa- triarch, who hath his feat here inftead of Alex- andria, and is the fucceflbr of St. Athanafms. He was a pious man, of about fixty years of age, feemed to underfland the principles of his religion well, and was greatly inclined to the Evangelical doftrine. He fpoke no language but the Greek, and was dreffed in the habit of the Greek clergy. I went after- wards to the Coptite Patriarch, an Egyptian of the Cophtite nation, abont forty years old. He was not to be diftinguifhed by his habit, vv^hich was fuch as are worn by an Arab or Turk. He was very po- lite, and was employed at ray arrival in adjuiting dif- ferences between his followers ; being in matters of fraall confequence a Judge, or, in virtue of his office,

a Mediator.

6i TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

a Mediator. He ordered fome perfons to (liew me his Patriarchal church : the entrance to it was in a narrow dark ftreet, through a miferable little gate, which indeed was only a hole cut through a brick wall. The church confilled of two ftories; the under ilory being pretty large divided into five rooms, with clofets that went acrofs, one joining the other. In the foremofl flood the altar in a niche under an arch, on which lay a manufcript Ritual in the Cophtite language. The clofet with- out this room was elegant enough, and well con- ftructed after the tafle of the country, with coftly woods from India in all parts inlaid with large croffes and other ornaments of ivory. On the altar flood a few candleilicks, which partook of the fim- plicity of the firll church. The feet of them were of Sycamore; and a fmall bough of the fame tree ferved for an arm or pipe, to the fide of which the candle was faflened: from the cieling hung feveral lamps, the cords of which were adorned with Oilriches eggs : on the walls were a parcel of painted pannels ; the Virgin Mary with the infant Jefus ; St. George on horfeback, fighting with the dragon ; St. Antony, with a great many more of their Saints, were reprefented in the ancient manner of painting. Among the reft of the pannels fome naked women were painted ; which they faid were in remembrance of fome Indians, by their church regarded as Saints. There were no carved images. It was remarkable to fee amongft other things in their church, a number of crutches, made of un- barked boughs of Sycamore and other trees, about three feet long, and of moderate thicknefs, with a crofs at the upper end about a foot long. A parcel of them ftood in the choir or foremoft room, and in every other place in the church; but. in the room 2 neareft

TO ALEXANDRIA. 63

nearefl the door, lay thoufands of thefe flafFs. I en- quired for what ufe they were defigned ; and was anfwered by a Cophti, that in former times, in the beginning of the church, the Chriftians had ufed them for arms, to defend themfelves from their ene- mies when they came upon them during divine fer- vice; and from that time it has been cuflomary for every ©ne to have fuch a ftaif during the time mafs is read ; which now ferve only to lean on with the arms, for which they are commodious and neceffary in a church where no benches are to be feen.

The 3d. Now was the time to catch all forts of Snakes to be met with in Egypt, the great heats bringing forth thefe vermin : 1 therefore made pre- paration to get as many as I could, and at once re- ceived four different forts, which I have defcribed and preferved in Aqua Vit^e. Thefe were the com- mon Viper, the Cerafles of Alpin, Jaculus, and an Anguis marinus. They were brought me by a Pfilli, who put me, together with the French Conful Lironcourt and all the French nation prefenr, in conflernation. They gathered about us to fee how ftie handled the moll poifonous and dreadful crea- tures alive and brifk, without their doing or even offering to do her the leafl harm. "vYhen llie put them into the bottle where they were to be pre- ferved, file took them with her bare hands, and handled them as our ladies do their laces. She had no difficulty with any but the Vipers Ofiicinales, which were not fond of their lodging. They found means to creep out before the bottle could be corked. They crept over the hands and bare arms of the woman, without occafioning the leail fear in her ; Ihe with great calranefs took the fnakes from her body, and put them into the place deftined for their grave. She had taken thefe Serpents in the

field

6^ TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

field with the fame cafe flie handled them before us ; this we were told by the Arab who brought her to us. Doubtlefs this woman had fome unknown art which enabled her to handle thofe creatures. It was impoffible to get any information from her; for on this fubjeft llie would not open her lips. The art of fafcinating Serpents is a fecret amongft the Egyptians. It is worthy the endeavours of all naturalifls, and the attention of every traveller, to learn fomething decifive relative to this affair. How ancient this art is amongft the Africans, may be concluded from the ancient Marii and Pfylli, who Were frcm Africa, and daily fliewed proofs of it at Rome. It is very remarkable that this fhould be kept a fecret for more than 2000 years, being known only to a few, when we have feen how many other fecrets have within that time been revealed. The circumflances relating to the fafcination of Serpents in Egypt related to me, were principally, i. That the art is only known to certain families, who propa- gate it to their offspring. 2. The perfon who knows how to fafcinate Serpents, never meddles with other poifonous animals ; fuch as Scorpions, Lizards, &c. There are different perfons who know how to faf- cinate thefe animals ; and they again never meddle with Serpents. 3. Thofe that fafcinate Serpents eat them both raw and boiled, and even mal<:e broth of them, which they eat very commonly amongfl them ; but in particular, they eat fuch a difli when they go out to catch them. I have even been told that Serpents fried or boiled^ are frequendy eat by the Arabians, both in Egypt and Arabia, though they know not how to fafcinate them, but catch them either alive or dead. 4. After they have eat their foup, they procure a bleffing from their Sckeik (Priefl or Lawyer) who ufes fome fuperftitious cere- monies.

TO ALEX AN D R I A. 6s

monies, and amongft others, fpits on theni feveral times with certain geftures. This matter of getting a bleffing from the Priefl is pure fuperflition, and certainly cannot in the lead help to fafcinate Ser- pents ; but they believe, or will at lead perfuade others, that the power of fafcinating Serpents de- pends upon this circumftance. We fee by this, that they know how to make ufe of the fame m^eans ufed by other nations ; namely, to hide under the fuper- ftitious cloak of religion, what may be eafily and naturally explained, efpecially when they cannot or will not explain the natural reafon. I am inclined to think that all which was formerly, and is yet reckoned witchcraft, might come under the fame ar- ticle with the fafcination of Serpents. The difco- very of a fmall matter may in time teach every body to fafcinate Serpents ; and then this power may be exercifed by thofe who have not got it from the hands of a holy Scheik, jiifl as the heat would na- turally hatch chicken in an Egyptian oven; whether a Scheik did or did not lay himfelf naked on it, when the eggs are'jufl put in; yet to this ceremony do the fuperft itious Egyptians afcribe the happy event of the chicken being hatched, when they are aiked the reafon. I have been told of a plant with which they anoint or rub themfelves before they touch the Serpents ; but I have not hitherto received the leall defcription of it, therefore I regard it as fabulous^*

* Mr. Jacquin, in a letter to Sir Charles Linnsus, fays, that the Indians in the Weft-Indies charm Serpents with the Arilto- lochia Anguiceda ; and the late Mr. Forfkohl on his travels to the Eaft, likewife informed Dr. Linnsus, that the Egyptians ufe a fpecies of Arillolochia (Birthwort) but does not determine which ipecies it is.

F From

66 TRiVVELS TO THE EAST.

From Cairo to the Egyptian

PyR A MIDS.

I Left Cairo at four o'clock in the afternoon of the 17 th, accompanied by a Janiffary and my fer- vant. I had befides for companions a traveller, born in Aleppo, and bred at the court of the German Emperor, who was entitled a Baron, furnamed Bur- kana, and had lately arrived from Rome j a Geor- gian Chriftian, who was a phyfician here, and a Jew Rabbi from Nuremberg. We all rid on alTes. After we had rid through the miferable, narrow, foggy, and unpaved flreets of Cairo, we came into a pretty fpacious and uninhabited plain, which re- fembied a little defart; but with this difference, that fome Sycomore and Tamarilks adorned this dry and fandy plain with their green leaves.

We afterwards came to Old Cairo, which is a fuburb to Cairo. We faw fome large, and accord- ing to the tafte of this country, handfome houfes, as we paffed by, which are the fummer habitations of the Turkifli grandees. Adjoining to each was a large, handfome, and fpacious garden, with fine trees of Caffia, Acacia, Plaintain, Dates, Tamariik, Senfitive plants, and many others, but all in diforder, being entirely left to nature. Thefe feats were fituated 4 on

TO THE PYRAMIDS* 67

on the Nile, and were fuch as might certainly pleafe the poffelTors of thenL

The moft remarkable thing at Old Cairo, was the place where the depth of the water is taken^ when the Nile encreafes. This is a pretty large houfe, built in a fquare near the river. Its roof terminates in a white pyramid : in the foundation wall are holes, through which the water has a free entrance : in the middle of the building is erected a marble obelilk, on which is a fcale of inches. Here they daily fee whether the river decreafes or in- creafes, till the water is let into the town and over the country. The Regency fends fomebody hither to take the mark every hour; and at this time their fuperftition will not permit any but Mahometans to enter it. It was therefore impoffible for us now to fee the infide of this holy place, but I had an oppor- tunity of feeing it another time. We went in a flat- bottom boat over the Nile, with our aifes and all our equipage, and landed on the other fide at Gifa, one of the handfomefl villages round Cairo, where they make Sal-armoniar. We continued our journey to another village fome diflance from this, where we lay that night. It gave me fmgular pleafure to fee the perfeft hufbandry praftifed here, in a level country, with villages, peafants, women, fields, cat- tle, hufbandry, utenfils, &c. in them. Egypt re- ferables entirely our fiat country in Europe. At this time every thing was like our autumn : the fields were dry and bare, and in the plains was fcarce a green leaf to be feen, except in fome places where the fields were fown with Cucumbers and Se- famum (oily grain). It is in our winter and fpring, from December to the month of March, that Egypt is in its glory ; for then the Nile is confined within its banks, and the fields are fown. Then a perfon

F 2. ' can

68 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

can fee from a little hill a ftriking refemblance of a green fea, I mean the verdant earth, without being able to fee the end. "We came to our quarters, and were politely received by the Sheick, who was the principal man in the Village. He ordered us to be conduced to a large room of a ftone houfe, which was the property of a Turk in Cairo. After fome time we got our fupper, which, after the manner of the country, was fparing. Our Sheick had killed two kids. In the fame water they were cooked, was alfo boiled a quantity of wheat-bread to a pudding : of this they filled two veffels, each as large as two men could carry. In the middle, and upon the bread, was boiled rice ; round the edges the meat was laid, cut into fmall pieces ; the floor ferved for a table ; a rufli mat for a table cloth ; the palm of the hand for a fpoon, and the fingers for knives and forks. A perfon that cannot be fatisfied with this treatment from Arabs, will fare but indifferently amongil them : but if he takes in good part the well-meaning manner in which they treat ftrangers, I doubt whether more good will, franknefs, and hof- pitality, is to be met with amongft any nation than amongfl them. This hath been the manner of their fathers, whofe hiftory we have in the Scriptures; and fuch it is to this day, and will remain fo for ever. We fet out at break of day for the place of our dellination. After we had travelled an hour and a half over plains, and near feveral villages, we came to the Arabian tents, who have their camp round the Pyramids. Their chief is a Scheck, and without his permiffion none can approach the Pyra- iTiids. He fent his eldeft fon out on foot to meet and welcome us, and he conduced us to a little houfe, built for travellers, at fome diflance from their tents. I there ordered him the prefents I had

brought

TO THE PYRAMIDS. 6^

brought with me ; and after he had given us coffee, we mounted our affes. The Scheck came then him- felf from his quarters, accompanied by his youngeft fon, both mounted on excellent horfes, and con- duced us to the Pyramids. There I learned the difference between a real and imaginary idea, be- tween feeing a thing with one's own eyes, or thofe of others. I had read all the defcriptions travellers have given of thefe Pyramids ; I had feen drawings of them ; I had heard them defer ibed by thofe who had been here : and more than that, I had myfelf feen them at various diftances fmce I came to Egypt; but with all this, I knew not what the Egyptian Pyramids were until I came within twenty yards of them ; and lefs yet did I know of their inward ap- pearance until I had been in them. We firil went round the largeft and handfomeil Pyramid, to con- template its height, breadth, form and conllruftion. After the entrance had been opened, and we had lighted our flambeaus, and difcharged fome piftols at the entrance, we went in. The Scheck and his fon faithfully kept clofe to my fide through all the vaults, walks, and rooms. We went in at feven, and came out half an hour before nine o'clock. After we had come out, I began alone, whilft the others were taking fome refrefliment, to climb up on the out-fide, and gather what natural ia I there found of flones and petrifaftions. I chofe the Weft fide, and kept neareft the left corner, becaufe it was eafieft there to afcend. I had already got to the middle of the Pyramid, and between each ftep found fome- thing worth notice ; when the ftones, heated by the fun, began to burn through my boots, and therefore were much lefs to be touched with the hands, which prevented me for this time from reaching the top, and obliged me to content myfelf with gathering

F 3 at

70 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

at the foot of it whatever I could find worth notice. We afterv^ards went to the fmaller Pyramids, round which I rid, and beheld attentively their appear- ance. I was determined to know whether ftones alone muft fatisfy my curiofity, and if a burning fand had excluded every thing that had life from this place. If I had not fearched attentively, I Ihould certainly have been of the opinion, and con- firmed what I was told in Cairo, that no living crea- ttire, much lefs a plant, was to be found near the Pyramids. The earth is of fuch a nature here, that it would appear to many a miracle, if any animal or plant could here find nourifhment and fuftenance. I found however both; namely, one fmgle plant, which was Gum Succoury(Chondrillajuncea). Of ani- tnals, I found the little Lizard, which I had every where feen running on the walls in the Levant, run- ning here in numbers on the fand. But what moft pleafed me was a Lion Ant (Hemerobius Formicaleo) which infects have their own republic. Thefe run by hundreds in the fand, in the fame manner as Pifmires. Each held ftone, fand, or rotten bits of wood between their curious jaws or maxillae, and haftened with them to the dwellings they had made in the fand. I fav/ numbers of this infecl's nefts. They were thrown up in tufts in the fand, about the bignefs of the two fifts, and a little deprefied at the top. In the middle of this depreilion was a little hole, about the bignefs of a fmall pipe flem, through which they went in and out. I attacked them within their intrenchments, in hopes of feeing the inward conflru£lion of their nefts, but I was de- ceived, and only demoliflied their outworks ; from which went a private pafl'age, fo artfully conduced, that it was in vain to endeavour to come to their in- uermoft dwelling. All the architecture, magnifi- cence,

TO THE PYRAMIDS. jt

cence, and expence that fliine in the excellent Py- ramids, cannot give a contemplator of nature fuch high ideas, as the art of thefe Httle creatures can excite.

Between the tents of the Arabs and the Pyra- mids, I faw the dreadful large image, mentioned by every author. It was now fo much abufed that no- thing like a face was to be feen. The Arabs, who as Mahometans fuffer no images, have entirely ruined the face, by calling their lances at it. It mufl have been an excellent piece formerly, as the whole image was cut out of one part of a iimeftone mountain.

We returned to the Arabian tents. I was curious to fee in perfon their manner of living, of which I will give a fliort defcription. The Arabians alTem- ble in certain families, who occupy a place where they ereft their tents. Thefe chufe a Scheck or Leader. His office is to compromife quarrels be- tween them, and lead them on when they are at- tacked. Their ceconomy is compendious, but quire fufficient to make life agreeable : they dwell in tents, which commonly are made of camels hair : they are divided in fuch a manner, that the women live in different rooms from the men ; as both fexes, according to the cuftom of the Eaft, are not per- mitted to live conflantly in the fame room ; nor are women permitted, by the Mahometan religion, to fhew themfelves to other men. The furniture of the rich confifls of a mat, which they fpread over the ground in their tent; upon which they place a fofFa which ferves them for table, chairs, and bed. They have fome copper veiTels in which they boil their viftuals, and fome wooden diflies in which thev ferve them up. Their eflate confifts in cattle, as horfes, ailes, camels, oxen, cows, fheep and goats, of wh'ch each family hath their own before the

F 4 tent.

72 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

tent. For this reafon they keep a number of dogs. At this time the Arabs had all their cattle at home, and fed them with cuttings of flraw and dried tre- foil, but the horfes with barley. At the time of the year when Egypt is verdant, they fearch for fuch places as will afford food for their cattle. The greateft property of the Arabians confifls in horfes. They have reafon to fet a great value on them, as they are certainly the fined and bed in their kind that can be feen. An Arabian horfe is .(lender, has a long neck, clean legs, fine fkin, is full of fire, and runs very fafi:. They are raoflly forrel or brown bay, but fome are white and iron grey mixt. A black horfe is very rare to be feen. If they get one of this colour, without fpots, they reckon hira un- lucky, and part with him. The Arabs are excel- lent horfemen ; they fit faff and well on a horfe, being ufed from their youth to it. Their faddles are almofl made in the fame manner as ours; but the hindmoft tree is fo high, that it covers more than half-way up the rider's back. The ftirrups are flat in the Turkifli manner, and hide the whole foot. They never ufe a girt, ^vhich makes it fo much the more difficult to ride and mount. The Arabian youths often ftand fi:raight in the faddle, whilfi: the horfe runs in full career, and keep themfelves in a juft ballance, throw their lances, and turn backwards and forwards ; fome of them whihl the horfe runs in full fpeed, throw themfelves over and fi:and on their heads in the faddle. Their cloaths are not very elegant. Over the body they have a piece of white woollen cloth, which they cafl feveral times up and down from the feet over the flioulders, fo that they always have their arms at liberty : they likewife ufe linnen. Thofe with whom 1 was, had red gampaches rotind their legs, and a turban

round

TO THE PYRAMIDS. 73

round the head. Then' arms are a lance, commonly twelve feet long, with a point at one end, which they ufe in battle, and when they take a long ride ; a battle-ax faftened to a flick of three feet length, with a little edged oblong iron club failened to fuch another Hick; thefe they conftantly carry with them. They ufe no fire arms, nor fabres, nor knives.

The Arabs are of a middling fize, full of flefh, but not fat ; they have flrong mufcies and a rough fkin ; their countenance is dark brown ; and after they are married they let their beards grow, which are always black.

With the new moon at feven o'clock in the morning on the 27 th, began the time when all the Mahometans invert the order of nature, turning night into day, and day into night. This is their famous Kamazan or Ramadan, which lafls for thirty days, or the whole courfe of the moon. Under all this time every Mufelman refrains from meat, drink, tobacco and coffee. In a word, none can without punifliment take a drop of water from fun- rife to Jun-fet ; but no fooner is the fun gone down than they begin to eat, drink, and be merry until fun-rife. All minarets, or fleeples of their Mofques, are at this time adorned with burning lamps all the night long, as likewife are the principal flreets. I went on a balcony at feven o'clock of an evening, to fee Cairo's innumerable minarets illuminated, which afforded a fine fight.

On the 27th was celebrated a feflival, to which nature gives Cairo alone a right, and therefore can- not be celebrated at any other place in the world. It was on this day that the water of the Nile was let into the town, and therefore a beginning was made fo Egypt's fertility for the enfuing year. As the

good

74 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

good or bad fortune of the country depends on this day, in refpeft to the plenty of the water, it is juftly one of the moft folemn in the whole year. The Nile is entirely under the direftion of man : it overflows the country, but wanders not at will : it is conducted to all parts of the countries which may •want it, with prudence and circumfpeftion ; but the art of man cannot contribute to its encreafe. This is the work of nature. When the Nile begins to encreafe, a dam of earth is cafl up at the opening of the ditch, which the Emperor Trajan made from the river, and goes through the city, which for- merly ended in the fea at Rofette, after having wa- tered the whole country through which the ditch was made. When the water hath rifen to a fuf- ficient height, which can be feen by the famous l^ilometre, this dam is opened and the ditch filled with water, which is afterwards encreafed and led over the whole country. The day this is done is a feflival, and was now celebrated. The feflival was not fo remarkable this year as in others, becaufe the Turks had now begun their Ramadan, when every body is filent and devout. The fcene was com- monly performed in this manner: the Balliaw in Cairo, accompanied by a detachment of looo or more JaniiTaries, with his Kiaja and other officers, goes to the dam on horfeback at feven o'clock in the morning, where he enters a Tchioil-c (an open fum- mer-houfe) and orders thofe that are to open the dam to hold themfelves in readinefs. The honour of opening the dam is divided between the Turks, Cophti, and Jews, and is opened by them in their turn. When every thing is ready for opening, the Bafhaw throws with his own hands a fpade upon the dam. This done, it is removed by thofe who are

appointed

TO THE PYRAMIDS. 75

appointed for the purpofe, with the loudeft accla- mations of numbers of people. . The Turkifli Emperor had fent a new Bafhaw into Egypt, which happens almoft every year. Ali Bafliaw, who fix months before was grand Vizir, was now appointed Bafhaw. He came on the evening of the 1 6th, to Bulack, after a voyage of ten days on the Nile. He had been long coming a ftiort voy- age ; but thefe velTels have neither fails nor oars, being drawn with ropes by a number of people on the ihore. At the arrival of a Bafliaw, the Beys and other officers in Cairo, make handfome prepa- rations to receive him. With thefe, the Englifli Conful Mr. Barton and I rid out to fee the procef- fion. After we had come out of the city and Bu- lack, we alighted and went along the fliore on foot. We had the Nile on our left hand, which now had rifen to a tolerable height, fmooth, and agreeable to behold; and on the right, magnificent grand tents of the Beys and other grandees; before each was a fine illumination of lamps in different , figures, hung upon cords. I went into the tent of a young Bey, in which was a room capable of con- taining two hundred perfons; the whole of the in- lide covered with fine cloth of gold, with foifas of the fame kind, and fine Indian carpeting on the earth: a magnificence much more becoming a Prince, than a perfon who fome years ago was bought for fifty or fixty piaflers, whofe bufinefs was to fit on his knees, pour out coffee, and light the tobacco pipe for one who had rifen in the fame manner to honour. This is the rife of the Egyp- tian Regents. The Bafliaw had landed with his vef- fels on the other fide of the river, oppofite the tents, where he lay over night in his veffel. The next corning he came over, and was received on the

fkore

76 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

ftiore by all the Beys, with much magnificence. He mounted a horfe, and they accompanied him on foot to a houfe hard by, where the Bafliaw com- monly remains for fome days before he makes his entry into the city. He forms a wrong idea of the Turks, who imagines them to be rough, unpolite, and ignorant of what we term complaifance. They are far from wanting it. I received on this occafion, as I had often done before, feveral proofs of it. Se- veral who knew us not, defired us to walk in, and we were politely treated by them.

ADc-

THE CARAVAN. 77

A Defcription of the Mecca Caravan from Cairo.

THE Caravan goes every year from Cairo to Mecca, about this time. The Bey's march from the city, is one of the moft remarkable cere- monies of any to be feen in the Eaft. I had an op- portunity of beholding it on the i oth of February. It began at eight o'clock in the morning, and went rSpm a place below the palace, where all thofe aflem- ble who are to go to a place without the city, where the Caravan hath its encampment. They obferved the following order on this occalion : i. A number of fpare camels faddled. 2. Six field pieces on their carriages, drawn by fix horfes. 3. Six Palangains conftrufted of grand filk hangings, which covered a foffa, each carried by two camels, the one behind the other. They are for the ufe of the Bey, and the principal officers on the journey. All the others muft ride on camels. 4. About forty camels with provifions, and as many with ammunition. 5. A number of camels carrying water in leather bags, for whofe fupport handibme legacies have been left by the former Sarracenian Sultans of Egypt, which flill continue to be paid. 6. Beds for the fick, car- ried by camels, one on each iide. 7. Field mufic of drums, kettle-drums and hautboys. 8. A num- ber

78 TRAVEX.S TO THE EAST.

ber of fpare camels with empty faddles, in n» order, followed by a number of Scheks. 9. Six fine large led horfes, excellently faddled, out of the Turkifli Emperor's (table, which he keeps in Cairo, to ferve at grand ceremonies. 10. The Bafhaw's chief eunuch (Kiflar Aga) with his flaves, above twenty, on horfeback. 11. A number of fpare camels.

12. A number of fine well-faddled led horfes.

1 3. The Commiffary of the Turkifli Emperor, whom he keeps here to buy flaves of both fexes, horfes, jewels, curiofities, &c. 14. A number of fpare camels, adorned with oflrich feathers on their heads, and with {hells and pearls. On fome of them rid black flaves, 15. A number of Scheks on foot. 16. The officers led horfes. 17. The officer who hath the infpe^lion over the water on the journey, and is one of the greateft, with his flaves in armour. 18. Two pair of kettle drums ; a large one and a fmaller to- gether. 19. A number of fpare camels, about lixty. 20. A troop of Pilgrims on foot, followed by fome Scheks. 21. A troop of camels laden with water. 22. Two pair of kettle-drums, followed by a number of well-drefled camels in three troops, be- tween each a pair of kettle-drums. 23. Two guides riding on camels ; thefe were old men, each holding a red enfign, adorned with green Arabian letters, in his hand. 24. A Cadi, who is one of the prin- cipal officers of the Caravan, and manages what- ever relates to religion and juftice on the journey, followed by a number of enfigns of different colour: after which came a number of green enfigns carried by Scheks. 25. The Turkifli cavalry (Spahi) in the fame order as at the Baflriaw's entry; but with this difference, that each troop was clofed by a number of officers, flaves riding on camels, fome dreflTed in black, others in white cloaks, and numbers of led

camels

THE CARAVAN. 79

camels with rich faddles, and covered with velvet houfings. 26. The Janiffaries on foot, intended to efcort the Caravan on the journey, to the number of four hundred. 27. The Bey's two horfe tails and two enfigns. 28. The Bey's Secretary, fol- lowed by forae officers of the JanifTaries. 29. The Aga of the JanifTaries and Azapes, in his drefs of ceremony, attended by his ilaves and ordinary guard. 30. All the Beys in ceremonial habits, with their officers and attendants. 31. The corps of the Azapes, with their officers in the fame order as be- fore, with a number of Cuiraffiers on foot, armed in the ancient manner. 32. The corpfe of Janif- Taries with their officers, preceded by a number of young flaves on foot. 33. Some officers of the Bafhaw's court, in white cloaths. 34. The Bey him- felf, who commands the Caravan, followed by Seven Kiaja, and his flave Cuiraffiers. On his right was carried a green enfign, which is the one that is by the Bafliaw, in the Emperor's name, delivered him, to be hallowed, by touching Mahomet's grave with it; and he is enjoined, at the peril of his life, to carry it fafe backwards and forwards. It is after- wards fent over to Conflantinople, and is a great en- couragement to all faithful Mufelmen, as they fol- low it without fear againfl their enemies. The Bey was a man of feventy years of age, rich and well efteemed, and was now a fourth time employed as conduftor of the Caravan. 35. The treafurer of the Bey, with other officers of his court. 36, His mufic, confiding of a number of kettle-drums, trum- pets and hautboys, clofed by ten drums, all on camels. 37. I afterwards faw nothing, but an amazing number of Scheks (rulers of the church) divided into troops, and Dervices (who are the fame amongft the Turks as Monks amongft the Pap ids)

all

8o TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

all on foot. There were enfigns of differeiit colours to each troop, fome green, others yellow, others red, and others white atid red, &c. One troop car- ried long reeds, fuch as grow near the Nile, inftead of enfigns. I was told thefe were the fifliermen of the Nile. The inventions thefe people had in their inarch were innumerable, and all ridiculous, giving them more the appearance of people that had lofl their fenfes than of rational beings. All repeated in a high tone of voice, but without the lead har- mony, the Mahometan confeffion of faith. They all continually call their heads backwards and forwards. They mull either have ftronger heads than other people, or be well praclifed, to be able to continue this motion fo long, without being afFefted with fwimmings. With each troop were fome that had difguifed themfelves in different manners. 38. The cavalcade was compleated by the camel that carried the paviliion, under which are fuppofed to be the carpets the Emperor fends yearly to Mecca, to cover the magnificent mofque in which Mahomet's tomb is. The camel was moil magnificently adorned with feathers, ribbands, lace, falfe pearls. Sic. and conduced himfelf in fuch a manner as to do honour to his office. The paviliion he bore was formed like a pyramid, about fix feet high, and covered with green filk, emboifed with gold and filver letters. Under this the carpets were fuppofed to be car- ried; they were not however there, but were packed up and loaded on other camels, fo that this had only the honour, without bearing the load. A beafl; chofen for this occafion may certainly be deemed happy in comparifon to others of his kind. After he has made this journey, he is kept in a liable during the remainder of his life, a penfion being allowed for his fuftenance, and is ferved very carefully by

feveral

THE CARAVAN. 8i

feveral perfons appointed for the purpofe, being free from all future labour. The tapeflry fent to Mecca is made by Coptites in Cairo, v/ho have a certain number of rooms allowed them in the palace. They are black ftuff, woven only for this purpofe, and embofled with letters of gold. They are changed every year; and thofe that are carried there one year, are taken back again the next, being then divided into feveral pieces, moil of which are fent to the Turkiih Emperor, who gives part of them to fome Mofque for covering the doors, or to fome of his greateft favourites, as valuable prefents. The Bey of the Caravan referves fome for himfelf, and gives a piece to the principal officers. It was plea- fant enough to fee how the mob crouded towards the camel as he palfed, in order to touch the pavil- lion, which they elleemed holy. Thofe that could not come fo near as to touch it with their hands, threw their handkerchiefs or failies on it, that they might at leaft polTefs fomething which had touched fo holy a thing. I aiked my companion, who knew the cuftoms of the country, whether they did not make a fuperftitious ufe of thofe things ; but he denied it, faying, that they only keep them in teftimony of having feen a thing, for which they have fo great a veneration. Some travellers fay, that the Alcoran is carried under this pavillion; but I know not whence they have taken this rela- tion. I have aiked Turks that were well informed of every thing, but all anfwered, that no Coran is under it. The Turkifli Emperor gives of his re- venues from Egypt to the Bey 20,000 ducats, to defray the expences he is at in conducting the Caravan. A Bey, who only makes the journey once, gains nothing by it, but rather lofes, on ac-

G count

S2 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

count of the many valuable equipages he mud pro- cure, and the prefents he is obliged to make the Arabian Princes through whofe territories he marches, that may allow him a free paffage, which he hath fometimes difficulty to gain even with pre- fents. After the Bey has thus marched the Ca- ravan with all its attendants through the city, he en- camps at the diftance of about half a day's journey, in a large plain, where he waits eight days. In this time all affemble, who either out of devotion, or on ac- count of traffic, intend to go to Mecca. It was ru- moured that the Caravan would this year confiil of 40,000 fouls. A number of women alfo undertake this journey every year. The Caravan is divided into two troops; one confiils of thofe which come from the whole African coaft, from Tetuan and Morocco, to the three Ptepubhcs of Barbary. Thefe make about 1 0,000 men, Vv^ho in going bring up the rear of the Ca- ravan; but returning, they are in the front. When one refl.e£l:s on the long journey they take, who come from the remotefl: parts of Africa, and go to Arabia, and that the countries they pafs through over land are uninhabited defarts of burning fand, we cannot but conclude that they are induced to undergo thefe hardfliips by an inconceivable zeal and religious fervour. The other troop confifl s of Turks, from all parts of the Turkilh Empire, except Syria, and thofe that border on Perfia, who form another Caravan at Damafcus, which meets and joins this at an appointed place on the road. The Turks traffic confiderably on this journey. They do not all go out of devotion, that travel to Mecca : a confiderable number go for the fake of gain. They buy from the Franks in Cairo, and carry to Arabia Cloths, Co- chineal, Spices, Lead, Brafs^ falfe Pearls, and other things, together with, what iliould have been firfl

mentioned>

THE CARAVAN. 83

mentioned, an immenfe quantity of Spanllli or German Dollars. They bring back Coffee, Opo- balfamum (Balfam of Mecca) Myrrh, Frankincenfe, Zedoary, with other drugs, China ware from India, fine Cotton Stuffs, Turbans, Indian Silks and Tiffue, or Gold Stuffs, Szc. By thefe merchants the Bey gains confiderably : for the time is always fixed how long the Caravan is to be on the journey, and how long it may flay in Mecca. If the merchants cannot fettle affairs within the limited time, which is very fiiort, they defire the Bey to defer his march for fome days, to which he complies, provided they pay him a certain fura every day, which they wil- lingly do, as their profit can well afford it.

G 2 FROM

84 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

From Cairo to the burial Places of the

Mummies.

IT was now a convenient time to vifit the burial places of the ancient Egyptians, where em- bahned bodies are yet to be found, under the name of Mummies, as the journey might be made in boats acrofs the country, which was now under "Water. I fet out on the 1 6th, accompanied by Mr, Roboly, a French interpreter in Alexandria, twor janilTaries, and two French merchants. We came to Old Cairo towards evening, and lodged with fome Syrian merchants from Damafcus. Whilil we waited for fupper, we fent for one of this country's mufi- cians, who was a Chriftian Coptite, to amufe tis with his mufic. His inftrument was common m Egypt, and in many other places of the Eaft, being without doubt of great antiquity, and probably re- fembled David's harp. The Chriftian CoptiteSy and even the Franks, who trade here, call it Pfal- terium. It is in the form of an oblique triangle, fo large as to lay commodioully on the knees when they play on it. It has two bottoms, two inches from each other, with about twenty catguts of dif- ferent fizes. Our mufician, whilft he was playing, fang fome Arabian fongs on Providence, a contented mind, &c. which afforded an agreeable entertain- ment. It was perhaps with this fimple, but inge- nious, inftrum.ent, that David's Pfalms were fung

and

Sepulchres of the Mummies. 85

acid performed. We went the 17th at fun-rife, on hoard one of the veffels in the Nile, after we had encreafed our company with our landlords. We failed firfh for the large Pyramids, which I had a mind to fee once more, as well for their being fo much worth notice, as particularly for the pleafure I now had of coming to them on the water, the fame way I fome months before had gone by land. This voyage is the pleafanteft that can be imagined. We failed in from two to four feet water; and thofe places which the water hath not yet overflown, or where it had already begun to decreafe, appeared clothed with a charming verdure, a great part fowm with Turkey wheat, and fome parts, tho' but few, with Lucern,the latter not being commonly fown be» fore the water has entirely decreafed. Innumerable flocks of different kinds of birds are to be feen on the places not under water, J particularly faw the Royfl:on Crow, or common Crow (Corvus Cornix) Sand Piper (Tringa Hypoleucos) which had lately arrived, a kind of Dotteril (Charadrius) as large as a Dove, which I have defcribed; the common field Lark (Alauda arvenfis) a kind of Crane, Ardea virgo temporibus crifliatis, the oriental Crane (Ardea orientalis) which I have defcribed in Smyrna. The Pelecan (Pelicanus Onocratalus) which flew by us in large flocks : as this is rhe time of their migration, when they come to thefe Southern parts from the Black Sea and the coafl:s of Greece, the ufual places of their fymmer's refidence. All thefe excited my at-^ tention, but none fo much as the Crane, call'd Ibis : I thought this mofl; remarkable, as an incre- dible number covered the fields. A perfon that haih the leafl; knowledge of Nature's ceconomy, may eafily find why the Creator hath ordered this bird to come in fuch numbers to the marfliy Egyptiaq G 3 fields

85 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

fields at this time: here they find in great abundance their proper food, from the number of frogs that cover the country when the waters decreafe, and multiply extremely during the time of the flood. The bird, by feeking its proper food, does the country a fmgular fervice, freeing it from vermin; which, were they to remain and rot, would certainly occafion a fl:ench mortal to men and hearts. This bird never leaves Egypt. I have feen it all the time the country Was dry, but never in fuch numbers as now in certain places, as they can then range over the whole country ; but now the water obliges them to feek for dry places. When the frogs are not fo numerous, it lives on little grafhoppers, and other infects which are never wanting in the burning fields of Egypt; and they would certainly be in much greater numbers, if they had not this enemy. I have (hot it in both feafons of the year, but found a remarkable differ- ence in its fatnefs, which proves that at this time it gets greater plenty of proper nourifliment. The ac- counts of Bellonius concerning the birds that come to Egypt during the overflowing of the Nile, are very juil. About noon we came to the large Pyra- mids. Thofe of my companions who had not feen the inward conflruclion of the largeil went in, and I took the opportunity of looking for natural curio- fities. I found none but fuch as I had feen here be- fore, except a fine black Jafper,which will bear a good poliili. The remarkable Rat (Mus Jaculus) which the Egyptians call Gerbua, or Yerbua, and which I have already defcribcd (Aft. Upfal. 1750, p. 17.) and the little thin Lizard, Vv'hich I faw here for the firfl time (Lacerta ^Egypriaca). This was by the ancient Egyptians fo far honoured, as to have its image engraved on an antique jacinth in my pofTef- fellion. 1 now determined to put in execution my I intention

Sepulchres of the Mummies. 87

intention of climbing to the top of the Pyramid, which the heat prevented me from doing before; but it feemed as if forrane had refolved that the weather fliould always hinder me from reaching above the middle of its height. When I had got to the middle, there came fuch a wind, that I and my fervant were glad to find ourfelves in a part of the Pyramid where we could lay ourfelves down between the fteps, until the violence of it had gone over us. I thought it therefore too much to venture to proceed farther, as in cafe of another fuch accident 1 might not perhaps find the fame flielter. We continued our voyage, which through the carelefsnefs of the mafter was not fo agreeable as before. He carried us to places where the water was not deep enough, fo that our boat ftuck fall in the mud. It was not fo dangerous to run a-ground here, as before d^Iand or Yarm.outh. The watermen of the Nile knew a convenient method of helping the boat forward. Six of them went on each fide, put their flioulders under the gunnel, and, as it were, carried the Vv^hole boat, in which were above twenty perfons, with much baggage. In the evening we came to Abufir, a vil- lage, near which is one of the holes leading to the Sepulchres of the Mummies. Before we reached the land, the fliore was full of people, old and young, women and children, who came out of the village to fee and enquire what we wanted. Peafants are in every place curious and full of wonder, when they fee llrangers; and the Egyptians are moreover fufpi- cious. The Scheck of the village came on board, accompanied by two of his neighbours, who had the appearance of Arabs, armed with fabres and pillols. They enquired our errand, and permitted fiieep to be brought us for money, to be drefled for our fupper. The old man went away immediately, and

G 4 left

88 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

left us his companions. He was fcarce got on flaore, when he made figns to our Janiffaiies, that they were permitted to fire on thofe who remained on the fliore after him; which the boys, of whom the croud chiefly confifled, took in good earnell, and went home. Thefe two men fupped with us very, moderately and rationally. My interpreter afked one of them, who was a large and ftrong man, why he eat fo little ? He anfwered, " A fool eats more than na- " ture requires, and afterwards (ickens with it." Our guefts wiflied us a good night, and we refted in our boat, where we were better off than if we had re- moved to fome of the miferable huts of the peafants. On the i8th, in the morning, the Scheck of Abufir fent us a cake of flower, honey, butter and water. The relifli of it was heightened by the Am- ple and well-meaning manner in which we knew it was given. The greatefi: virtue the Egyptians and Arabs have retained of thofe that were to be found amongft their forefathers, is hofpitality. It would be a great error in the father of a family, to let a ftranger go away without having treated him with fomething. A perfon who is hungry, and finds them eating, may boldly feat himfelf by them, and eat with them, without fear. This is a liberty they defire to have returned, as well by their equals as others. "We walked to the cave of the Mummies. On the other fide of the village we met with a wood of the ^Egyptian Acacia, which in this dry fand was a mere flirub, whereas in good ground it grows to a large tree. It was yet in bloflbra, and at the fame time bore ripe and unripe fruit. We met with hares (Lepus timidus) round this wood in fuch numbers, that without dogs v/e killed fome of them as they run by us. This occafioned my interpreter to come hi- ther again, after we had returned to Cairo, for the

fake

Sepulchres of the Mummies. 89

fake of hunting only, and he killed above twenty within two days.

The Arabs and Egyptian peafants are the only people that don't difturb thefe creatures, which are persecuted in all other parts of the world. Mr. Barton, the Englifn Conful at Cairo, told me that Counfellor Carlefon, during his ftay in Egypt, had there fhot the firfl hare that had been feen by the Franks in that country. Before that time it was fcarcely known that this creature was to be found in Egypt, at lead not to the Europeans, and yet iefs to the inhabitants of Cairo, v/ho neither admire the meat, nor fuch a manner of hunting. On a little iiland near this place, the French have introduced hares for the pleafure of hunting ; and I was in- formed, that they had increafed remarkably; nor are the Rock Goats (Capra Cervicapra Linn.) fcarcc in this part of the country. We faw their tracks in the fine fand that covered the ground every where, as plainly as we can difcern the tracks of different beafls in the new-fallen fnow in Sweden. If we had now been furniflied with a good long-barrel'd gun, a fwift Arabian horfe, and a ftaunch hound or a hawk, we might have diverted ourfelyes in a mari- ner truly royal, and which is here chiefly praftifed by the Arabs of quality, who kill the Rock Goats with their lances whilil running, never making ufe of fire arms. We at length came to the pit, fituated not above a cannon fhot from the village of Abufir, on a fandy plain, and refembling the fox-holes in Sweden. We defcended with much danger and dif- ficulty on a rope ladder we had brought along with us from Cairo. At the bottom of this pit, on the lide fronting the defart, was the entrance into the famous Sepulchres of the Mummies. This lime-flone rock, which I take to be the bafis of all Egypt, has

with

90 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

with an infinite deal of labour been hollowed out, for the reception of the bodies and aflies of their dead. The firft objects that prefented themfelves to us, were an amazing number of conic urns, or earthen veflels, fifteen inches long, and nine inches diameter at the bottom. They are made of a very coarfe clay, burnt in the manner of our earthen ware, but not glazed. The opening is at the larger end, covered with a lid of the fame workraanfliip, a little raifed and cemented with mortar. In fuch urns as have been well preferved, is found a piece of middling coarfe fleafy linnen, artfully wound in foldings, and kept together by twine, which is pbhquely wound over from the upper to the lower part. Within this linnen is preferved a quantity of dark grey afhes, mixed fometimes with a beak or bone of a bird. Thefe aflies, covered with the lin- nen, are in the fame conic form as the urn, and are commonly found packed clofe within it. There is often found a lump of aflies without an urn, which feems to have been deftroyed by time. It happens fometimes, tho' very feldom, that they find in the urns a bird, in which the feathers, head, legs and feet, and even the colours, are fo well preferved, as that one may know what kind of a bird it is. The Crane, call'dlbis, and Cranes (Ardea Grus) are the only kind, as I have been told, that could be linown again. I had not the fortune to find one pre- ferved, tho' I opened many fcore of thefe pots. I have been told by thofe who have found them, that their heads and legs have been laid under the wings, and thus prepared in the fame manner as ^hofe whofe aflies are to be feen. There are even found embalmed dogs, laid in linnen. I have feen one in the polTefiion of the French Conful at Cairo, Mr. Livencourt, which was (q well preferved, that I

^ould

Sepulchres of the Mummies, 91

could fee, by its hair, colour and appearance, that the fame common fort of dogs is yet in Egypt, that hath been there fome thoufand years ago; and that none of the many varieties we have in Europe have been tranfplanted here. Dogs had then a better lot in Egypt than now, as they are accounted unclean, unworthy to come under the roof of a Mahometan, killed if they touch his cloaths, and forced to live in the open air on the legacies left them by the chari- table people and alms, or feek their food from what fortune throws in their way. I have been in- formed, that the French Jefuit Sicara, who for the fake of antiquities travelled with much attention fome years ago in Upper Egypt, had there found an ox embalmed in the fame manner, which he fent over to Paris. We left the burial place of irra- tional beads, and. proceeded farther to that of man. This is not done without fome danger of iofmg the way, efpecially if one ventures too far in the paf- fages. On both fides of this palTage are niches, in which Mummies in their coffins are preferved, fland- ing upright on their feet. The niche is clofed up with a wall, fo that nothing can be difcerned on the outfide.

At ten o'clock in the morning, we returned from thefe fubterranean places, which afforded me lefs pleafure than the open plain I faw around them, where I fearched for natural curiqfities. The infers I found in the fand were the greatefl advantage I reaped from this journey. I found fome, which i am perfuaded no natural hi had ever before feen. Some of thofe I found were known to me. Of thefe I colle6led within a fhort time fiK fpecics of Libellulas (Dragon fly) four Cicad^e, and fome Grylli (Locufts and Grallioppers). Of what ufe is a wild defart, filled with burning fandJ' Can any living

creature

9^ TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

creature fubfift in it? Are not thefe defarts ufeleli: fpots on the earth? Such are the queflions of a per- fon who cafts a hafly eye on thefe wild plains. But if he remains there a little time, and is not fright^ ened by the fcorching heat of the fun, or the flying fand, bends himfelf down a little, and looks around him with attention, he will in this dry fandy wilder- nefs find a confirmation of that truth, that the Creator hath not made any thing in vain : apd that no place is to be found on our globe, which is not by nature deftined for fome living creature. In the afternoon we fet out on our return, and came to a little fine wood of the Egyptian Acacia (Mimofi^ Nilotic.) which had on one fide a large field planted with, Turkey wheat. I here faw that Acacia, like moil other trees, hath its gall (Galla) which is foft, white, confifts of feveral coats, with many cells. This was now full of caterpillars, who without; doubt bring forth a fmall fly (Cynips) which time would not permit to fee. We faw the herb Purflaiq growing in the moid places, where the water that ran from the fields had ftagnated. We came to a, fwampy defart, overgrowing with the thorny Reft Harrow, and covered with the Ibis. This plant, which occafions fo much trouble to the hufband- nien in Scania, is no lefs common in Egypt. I have feen it in many other places cover whole fields. If the Egyptians were defirous of tilling all the land fit for hulbandry, they would certainly fp?ire no pains; to deilroy this pernicious weed ; but they fplf low, with the fame religious zeal as other natiops., the footfi: eps of their anceflqrs : the fon lets the "water run on thofe fields where the father and grandfather did the fame; and the fields which fhen brought forth thorns and thifiles, continue to produce the fame weeds uu^er the children and

grand

SEfULCHRE^ OF THE MtfMMIES. 93

grand children. In many places in the fcriptures, mention is made of Thorns, but none knows the plant meant by that word, it might be worth while for Writers on the Scripture plants, to think of this Reft Harrow ; which not only grows in large quan- tities all over Egypt, but even in the bordering countries of Afia. In this defart, not far from the Water, a Mahometan hermit had his dwelling near a tomb erefted over one of his faints. Thefe are very common inTurky^but more fo in Egypt. We continued our voyage, and failed all the night the fame courfe we had taken before. I had leifure to defcribe a bird in the voyage, which my Janiffary had ihot in a wood of Acacia, near the fand heath ; it is by the Arabs . called Kervan, and highly elteemed, if they get it alive to keep in a cage. It comes into the ordo of Pic^, and is of the genus of Corvus, tho' its beak hath no fetse at the bafls. When I came home on the 19th, I met with two European tra- vellers of condition, who had lately arrived in Egypt; one of them was a Popifti prelate (Defiderio de Cafa Bafciana) who had been this three years guardian of the Popifh convent in Jerufalem, and was now on his return to Italy : a man of merit, who received me with great politenefs. I had let- ters of recommendation to him from the Dutch Conful Hochpied, and the Jefuits and Francifcans in Smyrna : it was therefore a favourable circum- flance for me to meet him on his journey. He very kindly gave me other letters to the perfon who fucceeded him in his oiSce. The other was Commiffary Lauder, a Scotchman. The Emperor of Germany, as Great Duke of Tufcany, had fent him to get neceffary intelligence relating to the Le- .Vant and India, which might contribute to forward 1 • the

^4 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

the trade, which he had eftabliftied in Trielle and Leghorn.

The water in the channel of Cairo had on the 24th of September fo evidently decreafed, that it could be Teen by the marks near the houfes on both lides of the channel, to be half a foot lower. This remarkable decreafe is occafioned by a channel about a day's journey from Cairo being opened, which leads the water on a fpacious country between Cairo and Alexandria. The weather was now remarkably altered. It had changed from being burning hot, to moift and cold, equal to what we have in Sweden in the months of September and Oftober, accompanied with a flrong wind and cloudy iky, but without rain ; for this is a very uncommon thing at Cairo, and is efteemed a wonder if fome drops fall in No- vember and December ; but in fome years it rains in Alexandria for feveral whole days together. The Turks begin now to drefs in furs. It is greatly con- ducive to preferving health, to change cloaths ac- cording to the different feafons. Flies were now feen in much greater numbers, and more briik than before. This was without doubt owing to the ex- cefTive heat in the fummer months, which robbed them of a great part of their vivacity, and forced them to keep in their retreats, where they had ihade ; but cool weather gives them air and liberty to try their fortunes -every where. Migrating birds of different kinds arrived at this time, Cranes, Peli- cans, Sand-pipers, a kind of Petti-chaps.

On the 29th, I went to fee the Well of Jofeph, which is one of the curiofities vifited by all flrangers that come to Cairo. This Well is dug and cut in the lime-flone rock, on which the palace of Cairo is built. On the fide of its opening is the famous

labyrinth.

Sepulchres of The Mummies. pj

labyrinth, which is about three-quarters of a mile deep, and two fathoms wide, being fquare : it clofes continually from the upper to the lower part, and at length anfwers to the depth of the Well : it is fix feet wide in the narrowed places, but in fome places wider. In feveral parts of the wall on the right- hand, are cut holes through which the light comes in. At the end of the labyrinth is the bottom of the Well, out of which water is taken up, by the ufual manner of drawing up water in Egypt, and thence led to a large Mofque, and a large Bagnio at the Balliaw's palace. The water is brought to the Well from another refervoir which lies deeper, from whence the water is drawn by oxen. To the lowed of thefe refervoirs, the water is brought by aqu£edu£l:s from the Nile, near Old Cairo. This is the remains of a work which teflifies the magnifi- cence of the ancient Sovereigns of Egypt. The inconceivable labour and incredible coil which have been bellowed on this labyrinth, certainly merit the attention of travellers. The rock is of the fame kind with that on which the Egyptian Pyramids are built, viz. a whitiih lime-flone, filled with different kinds of iliells and fea infects, entire and not changed. The greatefl part of the palace, formerly in a good flate of defence, is now defiroyed ; fome towers only being left, of which one hath been entirely preferved, but it is without a garrifon or ammuni- tion ; the whole of it built of hewn Hone, of the kind I have already mentioned. We beheld at lall the ruined building, which was formerly the palace of the Sarraeen Sultans. Here we faw magnificent Granite columns, above two fathoms or twelve feet in length, of one piece, with well wrought capitals and handfome foliages, cut in Hone, and fome ob- fcarc remains of painting in water colours, hand- fome

96 TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

fome enough for the time in which they were exe- cuted ; fome palm boughs were the mofi: vifible. The roof and columns of a very large hall were yet entire, in which was alfo to be feen a number of Arabian infcriptions, with Coptic letters round the cornifh of the roof. From the ruins of this palace, almoft the whole city of Cairo may be feen. As far as I can judge, I fuppofe Cairo to be twenty-four miles in circumference. The view is far from being agreeable: ill-built houfes with flat roofs, grey, dully and dirty walls, with a number of minarets of Mofques (landing up amongft them, cannot, do not, make it more agreeable.

The 1 2th, the verdure began to appear in Egypt, the greatefl part of the water having drained from the fields. At this time the country appeared in its full beauty, wherefore I went to Old Cairo, to havci ai^ opportunity of feeing what vegetables this fea-- fon could afford worthy of obfervation. Bladder Ketmia or Venetian Mallow, is a plant eaten in Egypt, contrary to the cuflom of other countries. It was now in full growth, and had already finiflied its flow- ering, when the country people took it up, tied it in fmall bundles, and carried it to the city for fale.

The Turks, being fond of war, are not ignorant of military exercifes. In Cairo they order their flaves, who are all young Chriilians, moftly bought from Circaflia and Georgia, to be inflru6led in thofe exercifes to which they are moft accuflomed, which confifl in riding well, firing on foot, but moflly on horfeback. The latter is not unworthy of atten- tion. They hold their gun in one hand clofe to the thigh, and in the other they have the bridle and a match : they touch the fufe when the horfe is in full fpeed, and if they are well trained, hit the mark, which is ajar fetup at a certain diltance. The per-

fon

T O C A I R d. 9:?

foil wtio beats down the jar, receives a reward from the officer who commands the troop. Their third axercife is to throw a lance. Inllead of lances, whilft they are learning, they ufe branches of palm-tree, with which they ride after one another in full gal- lop. I faw all their revolutions as I was riding by the place of exercife, between Old and New Cairo, where they affemble three days in the week, undetr the infpection of an officer of diftinflion.

I SPENT the T^th, on an iiland direftly oppofite Old Cairo. I had here an opportunity of feeing the Reed of the Nile, of which frequent mention is made in the fcriptiires. There are two forts of Reed growing near the Nile : one of them has fcarce any branches, but numerous leaves, which are narrow, fmooth, channeled on the upper furface, and the plant is about eleven feet high. The Egyptians make ropes of the leaves* They lay them in water like hemp, and then make good and ftrong cables of them, which with the bark (Integumxentum) of the Date tree, are almofl the only cable ufed in the Nile. They make floats of this Reed, which they ufe when they fifli with nets. The other fort is of great confequence. It is a fmail Reed, about two or three feet high, full branched, with fliort, fharp, lancet-like leaves : the roots, which are as thick as the flem. Creep and mat themfelves together to a confiderable di fiance. This plant feems ufelefs in ordinary hfe ; but to this is the very foil of Egypt owing, for the matted roots have flopped the earth which floated in the waters, and formed out of the fea a country that is habitable. Before I left this place, I obferved attentively the fliore of the Nile. It chiefly confifts of fand, which is compofed of a whitifh Quartz, or Cridalline particles, united to

H feme

98 TRAVELS TO THE EAST,

fome oblong lamlnse of black Mica, and a very fmall proportion of ruft-coloured Spar.

During my (lay in Old Cairo, I ventured to do a thing, wliich I believe very few travellers before me have done; neither would I advife any one to follow my example, for it might not perhaps be attended with equal good fortune. It was my going on the 15th, into a Turkifh Mofque. Accord- ing to the laws of Turky, a Chriflian, who goes in one of their places of worfhip, mufl either turn Mahometan, or be burnt ahve. Money will fcarcely obtain a mitigation of the law in this cafe, tho' it helps in all other cafes, even in the mofl: notorious offences, except when any perfon hath been too free with their women ; for this offence is as heinous in their eyes, as feeing their Mofques. The Mofque in which I went, is jufl befide the mark-hdufe of the Nile : I chofe a time when none of the Turks who live there were prefent ; and en- tered it, accompanied by a French interpreter, Mr. le Grand, and a good honefl JanifTary, who was devoted to me, after I had given the door-keeper a handfome fee. Such things may have good and bad confequences, therefore a traveller fhould never un- dertake them, without great circumfpeftion; and the more, as all the advantage he derives from his curiofity is, that he may fay he has feen a place of this kind; for there is indeed nothing remarkable in them. The Mofques are almofl all built in the fame manner, confifling of four galleries, which form an open fquare i but the galleries are covered and fupported by columns. If thefe are of marble, porphyry, or granite, in thefe confifls the greatefl beauty of the Mofque. In the middle of that fide which points towards Mecca, is an oblong niche cut in the wall, in which the Coran Ues, and d'lix^lj op-

pofite

T d C A I k 0* 99

poCitt to it, is a fmall gallery between two columns, pretty high from the ground; from which theirScheiks orPriefts read to the people fome part of the Coran, or fomething elfe which may excite them to obferve their doftrine, and live accordingly. In fome of the other galleries are the fleps that lead to the minaret or fleeple, from which the hours of prayer are pro* claimed fix times a day, viz. at fun-rife, at noon* three o'clock in the afternoon, at fun-fet, half an hour after feven in the evening, and at midnight. If the minaret is well built, it makes the outward appearance of the Mofque agreeable, and contri- butes a little to the beauty of the city, if fuch a thing is to be found amongfl a people who defpife archite£lure, and glory more in deflroying than erecting. Their fteeples are cylindrical, with one or more balconies, and four doors, one from each quarter of the world. In Old Cairo is a grotto much efleemed by the Chriftians, as Chrifl and his mother were concealed in it when they fled to Egypt. Over this the Coptites have built a church, they keep in tolerable repair, and ufe the grotto for a chapel.

Near Mataree is a well of fweet water; all the others are fait. Here is likewife an obelii]<:, which is the handfomefl in Egypt. I never believed na- tural hiftory was fo ufeful in the fludy of antiqui- ties, as I experienced on the 25 th. A perfon v/ho is acquainted with birds^ may fee at firfl fight of what kind thofe are, which are carved on it. I could know a Strix (Owl) which Hood upperraofl on the top of the obeliik ; a Scolopax (Snipe) much like the pluvialis, an Anas (Duck) and, what I think more remarkable, could plainly difcern the Ardea Ibis alba in the pofition it is yet to be feen in all

H 2 the

loo TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

the fields of Egypt, carrying its head high and tail low.

The entrenchments of Selim's camp, who took Egypt from the Mahometans, were yet plainly to be feen. They were built of brick, dried in the fun, made of clay and ilraw, in the manner the Ifraelites were obliged to make them during their flavery in Egypt, in the time of Pharaoh j of thefe bricks, the remains are to be feen to this day in a Pyramid at Sacchara, which was built of them.

The Egyptian peafant now continues plowing and fowing the field, which he has begun with the month. Their utenfils are of the mofl fimple kind, but they are fuiEcient for tilling the lighteft ground under the fun. Their principal inftrument is a plow, which confifls of a long handle, two uprights to which the reins are faflened, with a fmall ill-made fliare. They ufe oxen for their works of hufbandry ; their inftruments are indifferent, when they cafl up clods too large to be left entire, they break them with a kind of hoe, which they alfo ufe in pre- paring the beds in a garden, and to clean the fmall partitions in the fields. Before I left Mataree, I defired to fee the Sycamore, which, as they relate, afforded our Saviour fliade when he fied into Egypt. I regarded this tree as a lover of nature. It is only four fathoms thick, fo that it is not fo large as others I have feen in Egypt. It was a little hurt on the Eaflern fide, and lefs in that part. By comparing it with young trees of this kind, whofe age I knew, 1 imagine this, and the other trees of its fize, to be about three hundred years old ; an age that will not warrant us in regarding it as a relique.

The Janilfaries gate is on the left hand of the entrance to the palace of Cairo, vdiere they have a guard room for officers and common foldiers. In

the

TO C A I R O. loi

the afternoon of the 2 6th, I went thither to fee an edifice, which was ere£ted by the ufurping go- vernor, to tranfmit his name to pofterity. It con- fided of a handfome hall for the Janiflary Aga, clofing at the top in a dome, and had the walls adorned with feftoons, but the roof was fupported by fome fine marble columns from Italy. On each fide of the hall was a gallery, with a flat roof and painted walls.

We mufl not expect to find any traces in the Turkilh architecture, of the magnificence which is yet vifible in that of the ancient Egyptians, Grecians, and Saracens. A Turk underflands not how to lay a ftone properly, much lefs how to raife a wall. The Armenians are their architects, who, by their natural inclination for the art, ajffifted by what they have feen on their travels in the Eaft, build as well as can be expefted from people who owe all their knowledge in a manner to nature. If thefe people were to travel to Europe, and there cultivate their parts, we might fee in the Eail, mailers in every ufeful fcience, who might proba- bly vie with the ancients, and furpafs many of the moderns. In the entrance to this place, are to be feen a number of various kinds of arms, ufed in the holy wars ; being the remains of trophies which the Saracens and Turks took from the Chriflian forces after their viftories: fuch as helmets, harnelfes, battle axes, pikes, partizans, and fome bows, one of v/hich was of a prodigious fize. Thefe were the dellruftive inftruments of thofe times, before an unlucky che- mical invention taught men a Ihorter way to fend one another to the other world. The Janiifary Aga, the Kihaja, who fliould direft the police, and a Tchiauz, are the officers that are obliged to live conftantly in their guard-rojm, which I faw. A

H 3 number

102 TRAVELS TO THE EAST,

number of Capigi, or fubalterns, are conftantly in their ftations. There is no fixed number of Janif- faries ; they come and go as they think proper, The foldiers think therafelves too good to be obliged to keep a ftri^t guard. They find their account better by keeping in the city, where they have an, opportunity of robbing and abufing whom they pleafe. This is the employment of thofe who ought to proteft people from violence and injuflice.

On the 27 th, I faw black flaves fold in the Aurel in Cairo; they were brought from Abyifinia, Ethi- opia and Dongala. The greateft part were women, almoft, naked, having only their private parts con-- cealed : they had their hair plaited in fmall locks, anointed with fome kind of greafe, and adorned with corals and coral beads, which hang in the nofe and e^rs. Ornaments are neceffary to all nations.

On the 6ih. of December, advice came to Cairoi that the German Emperor's CommiiTary, Mr. Lauder, ]iad returned to Egypt, which he had left two months before to travel to Smyrna. In the Archipelago he met with three of the Emperor's iliips of war, bound for Alexandria, and with them returned, The fame day we heard that Captain Jacobfon, of