Chapter I: Preface

The TRAVELS now presented to the public are intended to complete the MEMOIRS of Lady Hester Stanhope; and the author trusts that the interest excited by his former work--shown by the rapid sale of an extensive first edition, and the demand for a second--will be manifested equally for this. Indeed, he cannot doubt that the reader will be anxious to learn by what steps an unprotected woman progressively gained so marked an ascendency in a strange land, the language and the usages of which were altogether contrary to her own, whereby the attempt became so much the more difficult. As, then, the MEMOIRS embraced a period of about fifteen years, in which the author endeavoured to trace the causes that led to the “decline and fall” of her ladyship’s somewhat visionary empire in the East, the TRAVELS will now take up her history from the time she quitted England, and, by a faithful narrative of her extraordinary adventures, show the rise and growth of her Oriental greatness.

A distinct line may at once be drawn between this and other books of peregrinations in the East. The reader will here find no antiquarian research, no new views of the political relations of sects and parties: but these Travels exhibit what others do not--a heroine who marches at the head of Arab tribes through the Syrian desert; who calls governors of cities to her aid, whilst she excavates the earth in search of hidden treasures; who sends generals with their troops to carry fire and sword into the fearful passes of a mountainous country, to avenge the death of a murdered traveller; and who then goes, defenceless and unprotected, a sojourner amidst the people on whom these chastisements had fallen.

This work embraces a period reaching from the thirty-sixth to the forty-third year of Lady Hester’s life. It fills up an interval so far important, as connecting her residence with Mr. Pitt and the occurrences which marked the last fifteen years of her existence; and enables those, who may be disposed to blame or applaud her conduct, to speak at least upon certain grounds: and, though her enemies may find eccentricities enough to satisfy their inclination to ridicule her, her friends will dwell with pleasure on such of her actions as must, in the eyes of unbiassed persons, excite praise; whilst the undoubted marks of a superior mind, which, every now and then, show themselves, will bring into evidence the talents and energy which she inherited from her ancestor, the great Lord Chatham.

Some apology may seem necessary for the paucity of incidents in the first six or eight chapters. Twice had the author to lament the loss of what is most precious to a traveller, supposing him to have noted down from day to day the occurrences of his route. Up to the early part of the year 1812 the narrative is compiled from letters, written to friends in England, and from notes fortunately preserved. All that is subsequent to May, 1812, is copied from a journal kept unbroken for four or five years, during an intercourse which afforded the same facilities for observation as he enjoyed in preparing his former work.

On the criticisms which were passed on that work, the “Memoirs of Lady Hester Stanhope,” he feels bound, in justification of himself, to make a few observations. Unacquainted with the motives which actuated the writers of them, the public will, perhaps, when these are explained, entertain a different opinion from what, otherwise, it might be led to do.

Mr. Pitt, during his long administration, was surrounded by many coadjutors, who were raised by his patronage and favour to high places in the government. His generous nature led him to tolerate in some of them a line of conduct based on principles and motives less pure than his own. These men, in becoming the channel of advancement to others of an inferior class, created a host of followers, who thought it, and, where they survive, may think it still, a party duty to support the reputation of those persons to whom they owed their advancement. Mr. Pitt’s niece and companion, Lady Hester, endowed with a finer discrimination of character than her uncle, and enabled from her position as a bystander to take a just measure of the abilities and motives of those who seemed to be acting with him, could scarcely bear with the stupidity of some, the duplicity of others, and the baseness of almost all. Gifted by nature with a most retentive memory, so as to be able to compare men’s actions and assertions from time to time, just in her appreciation of their designs, fearless of their anger and a match for their ridicule, disclaiming all compromise with insincerity and vice, she aimed with an unerring hand the shafts of her disdain at all those whose vices and perfidy called forth her execration.

What then must have been the rage of these persons, who, finding their patrons unmasked in conversations related with strict fidelity, had no resource left them, but, where the narration was unimpeachable, to malign the narrator! All this is well understood by the higher classes of society in England: they may read the critic’s vituperation, but they know why he is enraged, and they leave out his observations in the estimate which they form of the author’s claim to their attention: but the mass of the public, who are less in the secret, pity the author, or perhaps even join in the ridicule against him.

Let those, therefore, who are open to conviction, correct their judgment and be undeceived. Let them be persuaded that, although the adherents of a Heliogabalus, of a versatile, or an insincere minister, a pompous Lord, or an intriguing Duchess, may for a time be successful in their abuse, truth at length will prevail, and the indignation of a noble-minded, upright, and virtuous woman, become matter of history.

Among a host of critics, the Memoirs have been pronounced by some of another class as devoid of artistic excellence. The author’s total abnegation of self, and his steady adherence to the rule he had laid down of shadowing the background on which he stood, in order to throw greater light on the more prominent figure in front, seems to have availed him nothing! Surely these critics might have had the sense to perceive that the author, if he had been so disposed, could have given to himself a much more flattering costume, and have arrayed himself in a garb of Eastern glitter as imposing as the most vivid fancy could desire. What was to prevent him from describing his familiar visits to the great people of the country, and the intercourse which he enjoyed with many of them--from recounting his pleasant adventures with lords and princes--from enumerating the ambassadorial gaieties of Constantinople, the frivolities of Smyrna, Cairo, and other cities, in which he bore his share--or from colouring incidents calculated to impose on the reader, too far removed from the scene of action to be able to decide what degree of credit was to be given to them? But it was not the author’s purpose to divert attention from the heroine of his story; and in all the adventures which the reader may peruse in the following pages, he wishes his own share in them to be lost sight of, excepting where his presence is necessary for making the description complete.

One word more remains to be added as to the credit which is to be attached to what Lady Hester Stanhope says of herself and others. The author of this narrative can conscientiously affirm that, after an intimate knowledge of her ladyship’s character for upwards of thirty years, he was always impressed with the highest respect for her veracity. Indeed, her courage was of too lofty a nature ever to allow her to condescend to utter a falsehood.

May 1, 1846.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

VOL. I.

Shipwreck near the Island of Rhodes (see p. 99) _Frontispiece_.

Giorgio Dallegio, page to Lady Hester (see p. 131) xx

A Drùze Aakel 334

Drûze Women 345

VOL. II

Lady Hester Stanhope’s Arrival at Palmyra
(see p. 130) _Frontispiece_.

Village of Yabrud 42

Bridge over the Orontes 47

Calat El Medyk 236

Convent of Mar Elias 309

Interior of a Syrian Cottage 313

A Greek Monk 333

Interior of a Greek Sepulchre 340

Various Sarcophagi hewn out of rocks 346

Meshmushy 375

Costume of the Drûzes 377

Geser Behannyn 381

VOL. III.

Portrait of the Author in his Bedouin Dress _Frontispiece_.

Ras el Ayn, Bâlbec 21

Statue found at Gebayl, and presented to Lady Hester
Stanhope by the Prince of the Drûzes, now in the
possession of the Earl of Lonsdale 73

Princess of Wales’s Tent 127

Statue found at Ascalon 162

Palace of the Shayhh Beshýr at Muktara 319

English Consul’s House, at Larnaka 363

CONTENTS

OF THE

THE FIRST VOLUME.

CHAPTER I.

Departure from England--Danger of
Shipwreck--Gibraltar--Malta--City of La Valetta--Public
Edifices--General aspect of the Island--Commerce--Character
of the Inhabitants--Island of Goza--Mansion of the Governor
at San Antonio occupied by Lady Hester Stanhope--English
Visitors--Lady Hester resolves on an Eastern Tour 1

CHAPTER II.

Zante--Earthquakes--Patras--The Marquis of Sligo joins Lady
Hester’s party--Corinth--Visit of the Bey’s harým to Lady
Hester--Indiscreet curiosity--Women of the East--Isthmus of
Corinth--Kencri--The Piræus 22

CHAPTER III.

Athens--Residence there--Accommodations--Researches of Lord
Sligo--Embarkation for Constantinople--Sunium--Temple of
Minerva--Zea--The Hellespont--Greek Sailors in a gale of
wind--Erakli--Constantinople 38

CHAPTER IV.

Procession of the Sultan to the Mosque--A Dinner
party--Therapia--Visiters there--Lady Hester seeks
permission to reside in France--Turbulence of the
Janissaries--Pera--Visit to Hafez Aly--Captain
Pasha--Mahometan patients attended by the Author--Princess
Morousi--Disagreeable climate of Constantinople--Return
Lord Sligo to Malta 50

CHAPTER V.

The Author goes to Brusa--Situation of the
city--Baths--Surrounding country--Residence at Brusa--Lady
Hester mistaken for a youth--Women of Brusa--Return of the
Author to Constantinople--Sudden death of Mr. Alexander,
Lady Hester’s banker--Departure from Brusa--Residence
at Bebec--Provisions--Excursion to the village of
Belgrade--Throwing the Girýd--Fast of Ramadàn--Lady Hester
resolves to winter in Egypt--Presents to the Author for
professional attentions 73

CHAPTER VI.

Departure from Constantinople--Prince’s
Islands--Scio--Drunken Turk--Rhodes--Storm--The ship
springs a leak--Servants dismayed--Land seen--The ship
founders--Escape of the passengers to a rock--The sailors
proceed to the Island of Rhodes--They return--The crew
mutiny--The passengers gain the Island; and reach a
hamlet--Our distressed situation--The Author departs for
the town of Rhodes--Hassan Bey refuses assistance--The
houses--Lady Hester ill of a fever--Lindo--Its port--The
Archon Petraki--Reports that the party were lost--Lady
Hester arrives at Rhodes--Town--Why Lady Hester chose the
Turkish dress--Posting in Turkey--Mustafa 95

CHAPTER VII.

The Author sets out for Smyrna--Etienne--Port of
Marmora--Arabkui--Oolah--Moolah--Aharkui--Ancient
temple--Capu Rash--Sarcophagi--Chinny Su--River
Meander--Ferry--Guzel Issar--Frank doctor--Ruins of
Magnesia--Chapan Oglu’s officers--Baynder--Civility
of the governor--Pressing a horse--Smyrna--Visit to
the consul--Purchases--Renegado Welchman--Mustafa
lays a plan to rob the Author--Departure for
Rhodes--Eleusis--Scio--Stancho--Cavo Crio, the ancient
Cidus--Ruins--Wall--Temple--Theatre--Stadium--Rhodes--New
dresses--Servants cabal--Georgio Dallegio--Town of
Rhodes--Embarkation in the Salsette frigate--Harbour of
Marmora--Arrival at Alexandria 112

CHAPTER VIII.

Reception at
Alexandria--Inhabitants--Commerce--Fortifications--Battle
of Abukír--Administration of
Justice--Servants--Climate--Asses--Ruins of Old
Alexandria--Lake Madiah--Passage boats--The boat with
the Author and his party pursued and the passengers
made prisoners--Their liberation--Bay of Abukír--Lake
Edko--Porters--Rosetta--House of Signor Petrucci--Fleas and
musquitoes--The town of Rosetta and environs--Sedentary
habits of the Turks--Abu Mandur--Exportation of
corn--Mashes, a kind of barge--Voyage up the Nile--Banks
of the river--Rich soil--Villages--First sight of the
Pyramids--Bulák--Cairo--Pasha and his suite--Lodgings--Lady
Hester’s attire--Her visit to the Pasha--Mameluke
riding--Horse-market--Opening of a mummy--French
Mamelukes--Mr. Wynne--Dancing Women--The Pyramids--Narrow
escape from drowning 135

CHAPTER IX.

The Author returns to Alexandria, in company with Mr.
Wynne and Mr. McNamara--Proceeds to Rosetta--Coast of
the Delta--Deserted hamlet--Brackish water--Misery
of the Peasantry--Mouth of Lake Brulos--Dews
of Egypt pernicious--Brulos--Melons--Egyptian
encampment--Quail-snares--Arrival at Damietta--Honours
paid by the Pasha at Cairo to Lady Hester--Description
of Damietta--Rice mills--Large oxen--Salt
tanks--Papyrus--Literary Society--Abûna Saba--Lady Hester
arrives at Damietta--Tents and baggage--Servants--Fleas,
&c.--Departure from Damietta--El Usby--Sameness of
scenery in Egypt--Naked children--Increase of the Delta
denied--Martello towers--Iachimo hired--We sail for
Syria--List of the party--French Mamelukes--Wages of
servants in the Levant--Arrival at Jaffa--Customs in
seaports--Costume of Egyptian women 167