Horses were picketed, arms piled, groups of soldiers in the picturesque white dress and red caps of the Nizam, were thickly scattered about; while their officers, in dresses of the same cut, but gorgeous in crimson, blue, and gold, were smoking and reposing themselves among thickets of palm and pomegranate. From the universal air of enjoyment that prevailed, one would hardly have imagined that the soldiers were on the eve of a bloody campaign, from which half of them, at least, were never destined to return. But a few months since and the greater part of these men had been peasants on the Nile, dragged from their homes by arbitrary power, and marched in chains to Cairo, where they had been drilled by French officers, and sent into Syria to carry out the ambitious designs of the pasha. Yet to all appearance they seemed quite to have forgotten their troubles, and from the victims of a degrading tyranny, to have passed easily into its readiest instruments.

On a sandy hillock slightly dominating the whole encampment, a small mosque or tomb, surmounted by a dome, was pointed out as the head-quarters of Ibrahim, and to this we accordingly directed our steps, receiving many cordial salutes from the Egyptian or Frank officers as we threaded our way through the scattered tents. On reaching the spot, a sentinel made known our arrival to an aide-de-camp, who at once conducted us into the interior of the building, in which a few divans and carpets had been hastily arranged. Seated upon one of these was the redoubtable conqueror of Syria, whose name, like that of Cœur de Lion in the days of the Crusades, thrilled like a spell of terror through the hearts of his adversaries. There was something, we thought, of the pride of conquest in his flashing eye, which redeemed what was otherwise a rather vulgar and butcherly aspect, as he bowed in return to our respectful salutations, and beckoned us, with an ill-suppressed smile at our sublime conductor, to be seated on an opposite divan. Sad to say, on this occasion, upon which he had been calculating for a

display of his eloquence, poor Damiani found his occupation gone, and himself reduced to a mere dummy by the presence of Omar Effendi, an aide-de-camp, and intimate friend of the pasha's, who had been sent to England when a youth by Mehemet Ali, who spoke our language with surprising fluency, and whose deportment exhibited not a little of the polish of European society. With him therefore, to the vexation of the poor vice-consul, we entered at once upon the business that had brought us to the place.

After complimenting the pasha upon the success of his arms and the vigour of his administration, in terms which we were well assured lost nothing by being translated to him, inasmuch as they elicited a gracious smile and bow, we inquired more particularly the chances of our being able to visit Jerusalem. In reply, the effendi assured us that unless we went in the train of the pasha, the thing was simply impossible, the mountain passes, through which the road runs, being strongly guarded by the insurgent Arabs, who, as he informed us with a satirical smile, regarding the Franks as the natural allies of Ibrahim, and especially as known to be the advisers of the detested measure of the conscription, would not fail to pick us off from their lurking-places, as first-fruits of their grateful regard. Ibrahim's eye was upon us as this announcement was made; he observed our blank and disappointed expression, and with great animation and heightened colour, addressed a few words to the effendi, which the latter immediately translated for our benefit. "Why," said the pasha, "should they not march up with us, and witness the discomfiture of the rebels, who will fly like chaff before the face of our victorious troops? Even at this moment the sails are in sight, which bear the expected succours sent from Alexandria; as soon as they are landed we shall march without delay; the campaign will be short and vigorous, and the English effendi will speedily enter Jerusalem in triumph. Horses and tents shall be freely furnished, and every necessary provided, as is the pleasure of his Imperial

14

PREPARATIONS FOR WAR.

Highness, our father. What say they?" We looked in each other's faces, but reading therein nothing like unanimous assent to this gracious proposition, and conscious that the present was not the place to enter upon a discussion of its merits, we arose, and bowing our respectful thanks, with a promise to decide before the army should be ready to march, we retraced our steps towards the city.

As we passed through the camp in returning to the town, we found the air of listless enjoyment had given place to one of serious preparation. Several ships of war were seen in the offing, and crowding all sail, with a fair wind, were rapidly nearing Jaffa. The place itself was all in a bustle, an embargo was being laid upon every boat in the port, for the purpose of landing the approaching succours. In the midst of this scene of confusion, we returned to the house of Signor Damiani, who hospitably placed before our numerous party such refreshment as the place afforded, over which we held serious consultation touching the pasha's proposal, at which our worthy host was present to assist us with his counsel. From his knowledge of the state of the country, and such information as he had picked up respecting the force of the insurgents, he had reason to believe that the struggle would be more severe and protracted than Ibrahim was pleased to imagine; and should this prove to be the case, and his arms sustain a reverse, our position as his allies would be extremely critical. On the other hand, should the pasha's anticipations of victory be fulfilled, and the country be reduced to obedience, nothing could be easier than to return again to Jerusalem by another road through the interior. We therefore decided—nem. con.—on taking a boat and visiting the coast, which was then entirely tranquil, until the issue of the quarrel should be decided.

It was too late to obtain a boat and depart that evening, as all were wanted to land the troops, and moreover, we so much enjoyed the lately acquired liberty of our legs, that we had small

disposition to deprive them of it. Leaving all arrangements therefore till next day, we accordingly sallied forth, determined to make the most of the time upon our hands.

Jaffa, or Yáfá, the ancient Joppa, is one of those places which owes more to its venerable associations than to anything else; "Vox et præterea nihil," the name is here everything. In this antediluvian sea-port, as the Phoenicians considered it, Noah, as before said, is supposed to have built the ark. Classic tradition here chains Andromeda to one of the grim rocks of the port, from which she was delivered by Perseus. Leaving the regions of fable, we know for certain that the cedar wood from Lebanon, hewn by the skilful Sidonians, and intended for the erection of Solomon's Temple, was floated hither from the Tyrian shores, and conveyed by land to Jerusalem.

By far the most interesting fact connected with Jaffa, however, is that here was the house of Simon the tanner, to which St. Peter, after being warned by a symbolical vision, that the barrier between Jew and Gentile was broken down by the new dispensation, repaired from Jerusalem, to learn the memorable lesson, as yet ignored by the world, that of a truth "God is no respecter of persons." As tradition is never at fault in Palestine, the identical house of the pious Simon is still devoutly shown, and as devoutly believed in. Nor is Jaffa without a niche in modern history. Hardly any one needs reminding that Bonaparte here put to death, in cold blood, a part of the garrison, on the ground of a breach of parole, during his short, and, thanks to the valour of our countrymen, disastrous attempt upon Syria. As Jaffa is the port of Jerusalem, from which it is distant only about forty miles, it has always been, too, the chief landing-place of the innumerable pilgrims who have repaired to the Holy City, from the earliest times even unto the present day, when large cargoes annually arrive. As the road lies through a narrow pass, affording excellent opportunity for levying a tax upon these unfortunates, the native chieftains little relished the abolition of

such a system, and the rendering the road secure by Ibrahim Pasha. "Hinc illæ lachrymæ!" One might walk all over Jaffa, and never dream that anything important could have happened there, so dull and insignificant is the place, and so destitute of anything in the shape of monumental interest. In our western towns a prison is a thing apart; here the whole town is a prison, and one only feels free in emerging from its gloomy gates. In our perambulations on the following morning, we met with one of the American missionaries of Jerusalem, who having left his wife and family there, had come down here on business. He now found himself unable to regain his home, with the knowledge, besides, that it would inevitably become the seat of hostilities, while he was unable to return and protect his exposed household. Nor were his apprehensions at all without foundation, and we had reason to congratulate ourselves that we had retired from the seat of war. It was not, of course, until some months afterwards that we learned the issue of the struggle. Ibrahim Pasha had marched up into the hill region of Jerusalem, but so far were the inhabitants from scattering like chaff, that they cut off some of his regiments, and nearly succeeded in capturing their redoubted leader himself. Some of the Arab chieftains meanwhile obtaining ingress, it is said, by creeping up through an ancient sewer or water-course, the channel of which had become dry, surprised and sacked the city, and when, at length, the unfortunate missionary was able to return, he found his home. desolated, and his wife in a state of insanity. It was only after receiving considerable reinforcements, that the pasha succeeded at length in overcoming the resistance of the insurgents.

On the next day, although hardly escaped from the tedium of a week's voyage, we were again huddled on board a small Arab coasting bark, which, with our servants and baggage, we completely filled; in the hope, however, that five-and-twenty hours at the utmost would carry us to our destination. This time the fates were propitious, for going on board as the night