violated and robbed by Belzoni.-Belzoni's Dinner to his Eng- lish Friends in the Grave of Pharaoh.-Tomb of the Harper. Temple of Dendera.-A Cook in Danger of being cooked.-Cap- ture of a Pelican.-Siout, and the "Beautiful, bright-eyed little Arab Girl." Mr. Scantletrash and Paul.-His Excellency the Governor.-Ancient Tombs, Modern Cemetery, Fox-hunt, and THE AMERICAN IN EGYPT. CHAPTER I. Voyage from Athens to Alexandria.—The Island of Syra.His reverence the Bishop. — Views of Naxos, Paros, Candia, and the Mountains of Judea. In the last days of the year 1839, while England was enveloped in rain and fog, and a large portion of the United States shivered in snow, we were approaching the coast of Egypt, under a clear sky, warmed by a summer sun, and fanned by a soft and gentle breeze. In our passage down the Adriatic, we came near being cast away upon the rocks of Cephalonia. We had bad weather, and some of the severest gales that I have ever encountered at sea. Our boat was a miserable affair; the engine old and feeble; and the captain-though sufficiently qualified to take charge of a piratical schooner, when the VOL. I.-1 . 2 HIS REVERENCE THE BISHOP. danger of the enterprise may sometimes render it necessary, to avoid being captured, to dash the vessel upon the rocks and drown all hands-possessed few of the requisite qualifications for the safe and satisfactory management of a Mediterranean steamer. He was a long, lank-sided creature, loosely built, with an Arabian face, and a careless, daredanger sort of expression about the eyes. He was a native of Italy, and received a part of his education among the Greek pirates during the late rebellion in Greece against the Turks. Happily, at last, we fell into other hands, and stood upon one of the finest boats that ever floated in the Levant. It was a French war-steamer, with ample and sumptuous accommodations, and commanded by as brave a man as ever trod a plank, who possessed all that grace and suavity of manners peculiar to his countrymen previous to the revolution. There were a number of passengers on board from Athens down to the island of Syra, including the American Consul, several Greek and Armenian merchants from Constantinople and Smyrna, Jews from Damascus, and the bishop of Syra. The last-mentioned very reverend gentleman came on board in great pomp, escorted by half a score of priests. He talked much; evidently thought little; ate and drank like a lord, and afterward smoked himself to sleep. When we anchored in the bay of Syra the next morning, he came on deck with his capacious black cloak gracefully flowing about him, his cocked hat and breeches in perfect order, a NEGLECTING THE STEWARD. 3 large gold cross on his breast, attached to a red silk cord that passed round his neck, terminating in a large clerical tassel, of the same colour, which hung down his back. Thus richly decorated, his reverence, with a firm step, and an air of much selfcomplacency, was about to quit the ship without taking that kind of leave of the honest steward which is usual in cases of value received. The bishop was well enough provided with benedictions; and, among the faithful, he was probably no niggard in his dealings in that kind of ware. But the French cook, who had brought the perfection of his skill in the culinary art to its highest tension, in his endeavours to please the taste and satisfy the voluptuous appetite of the bishop, no doubt thought, that however efficacious and precious his blessings might be in certain cases, yet, like the fine figure of Sterne's French servant Lafleur, "they did not cost his reverence one sou," nor could he turn them to any account in the market, in exchange for the meats and other edibles which he had rather lavishly devoured during the voyage. In short, whatever may have been the reflections of the bishop upon the occasion, the cook came to the determination to make a formal demand of what he considered not only a just debt, but a debt of honour. Thus resolved, cap in hand, he approached this high dignitary of the church, and presented his bill for liquidation. This produced a scene of consternation and no little ruffling among the black robes, which resulted in the bishop's sitting down to a second breakfast; after 4 THE ISLAND OF SYRA. which he paid the cook like a man, and went on shore like a hero. The bishop disposed of, and landed without accident, we were also tempted to go on shore. Ascertaining that we were not to proceed on the voyage to Alexandria that day, we promised ourselves no little pleasure in rambling over the town of Syra; which, from the deck of the steamer, appeared exceedingly picturesque and beautiful. The town is built in an amphitheatrical form, upon a cluster of hills, rising by a gentle acclivity from the water's edge to a considerable height. The houses are painted white, and appear neat and cheerful when viewed from the sea, though nothing can exceed the general filthiness that pervades most of them, which becomes disgustingly apparent when more closely inspected. The bishop's house, an elegant and extensive building, stands upon the summit of a conical hill, rising beautifully in the rear, near the centre of the curve of hills on which the city is built, overlooking the town, and commanding a fine view of the sea and surrounding islands. Syra contains more than twenty thousand inhabitants, and is the largest commercial town of Greece. It has sprung up since the Greek revolution; and, like all other towns of Greece, has an air of freshness and activity, somewhat resembling the new towns in the western part of the United States. Its situation is central, and most of the steamers up and down the Mediterranean stop there for an exchange passengers, and to replenish the stores for the re of |