some method of bringing our uncertainty to an end, we suddenly descried a solitary Arab slowly wending his way along the sandy beach, distant about half a mile from the ship. A brilliant idea flashed across the brain of the Reis, his eye twinkled with sudden inspiration, and he gave instant orders to lower the ship's boat and give chase to the individual whom Providence had sent for our succour. The order was obeyed with unusual alacrity, and in a few moments the boat, manned by two sailors, was dashing towards the shore, while leaning over the bulwark in a row, we awaited the result with intense interest.

For some time after the boat left the vessel, the Arab continued to pace on slowly as before; but as he saw it get nearer the shore, he suddenly paused and regarded it with evident uneasiness. It touched the beach at last, and one of the sailors leaving it in the care of the other, jumped ashore and advanced in the direction of the chase. At first, not to startle his man, he walked on gently; but finding that the Arab quickened his pace in proportion, he suddenly broke into a run, at the same time shouting and waving his arms towards the fugitive, who, his suspicions being now fully confirmed, started off at the utmost speed of which he was capable. In fact, the terrible conscription, dreaded above all things by the Syrians, was then in full operation, and the man supposed that our object was to kidnap and carry him off in chains as a recruit. He dashed. on, then, furiously, madly, as if the avenger of blood was behind him, while we watched the result of the race with an anxiety produced by the conviction, that possibly our very lives depended on his capture. The same conviction seemed to animate the legs of the pursuing boatman, who after almost superhuman efforts at length came up with the fugitive, and after running neck and neck with him for some minutes, bawling all the while to him to stop, but bawling in vain, finally clutched his hand upon his shoulder, and adroitly tripping him up, sent him rolling over and over in the sand. On jumping to his legs, the

man was about to defend himself, when the explanations of his captor seemed to satisfy him, for he came to a stand still, and after a quiet parley resumed his onward way, while the boatman retracing his steps, regained the boat, and both plying their oars with vigour, in a few moments more were climbing up the side of the vessel. There was a general rush-and "where are we?" was the eager demand. The captain's long face seemed longer and yellower as he learned the fact, communicated to ourselves by the dragoman, that we had been running all day away from Jaffa, of which we must have been nearly abreast in the morning, and that had we but continued our southward career during the night, we should by daylight have been off the Pelusian mouth of the Nile, and in a fair way to regain the port from which we had started. With such a system of navigation, and with no harbours to run for besides, one ceases to be startled at the number of wrecks with which the coast of Palestine is studded.

There was of course nothing for it but to get back again to the latitude of Jaffa as quickly as possible, which we happily contrived to do about noon on the following day. As we drew near, the gloomy old city, encircled by its heavy wall, stood out upon its hill-side, overlooking one of the most ancient sea-ports in the world, so old that Noah is traditionally supposed to have selected it for the building of his ark, and a more miserable place he could hardly have chosen for the purpose, since it is exceedingly confined, and imperfectly defended from the sea by only a natural ledge of rocks, over which the surf, in heavy weather, breaks with tremendous violence, and only approachable through a passage between them. Several distressing casualties have occurred in effecting the entrance in small boats, and many a ship has been dashed to pieces upon the perilous shore. Within this ledge we perceived what seemed an unusual number of small boats, and we were no less surprised at the quantity of tents pitched among the thickets and gardens that environ the

INSURRECTION IN PALESTINE.

9

up the passengers

town. As a pilot-boat came off to take through the reef- for the vessel remained outside—we ascertained the meaning of these unexpected appearances. The whole country, we learned, was in a state of insurrection. The hill chiefs of Palestine, accustomed, under the old standard of the sultan, to enjoy virtual independence, were not disposed to bend to the yoke of Ibrahim Pasha; and taking advantage of the general disaffection occasioned among the inhabitants by the conscription, had raised the standard of revolt, occupied the mountain passes, and prepared for a desperate and sanguinary struggle. At that moment Ibrahim Pasha was encamped with a small body of forces in the vicinity of the town, awaiting the arrival of succours from Egypt before venturing to measure his strength with the rebellious chieftains.

This information threw a sudden cloud over the bright anticipations of spirits highly excited with the expectation of reaching Jerusalem in a few hours. Nevertheless, embarking our effects and taking leave of the old captain, we descended into the boat, pushed through the reef, crossed the harbour, and jumped upon the shore of Palestine, amidst a crowd of vociferous Arabs and yelping dogs, the latter race, hereditary persecutors of Frank traveliers, raising a tenfold clamour at the sight of our grotesque habiliments. Preceded by our dragoman, we hastened through a maze of dark and tortuous alleys to the abode of the British vice-consul, to seek from his authentic lips the confirmation or denial of the evil tidings we had just heard. We speedily reached his house, which differed little from the dilapidated edifices we had already passed; but having over its sombre portal the welcome inscription, "Consolato Inglese," with some rude attempt at an imitation of our national arms. We were ushered into a room furnished, although rather meanly, with divans and mats; but from its latticed windows, overlooking the port with its picturesque jumble of shipping, its rugged reef, and our old vessel, riding at anchor on the bluest of blue seas,

10

BRITISH VICE-CONSUL.

canopied by a cloudless sky of similar intensity of colour, gemmed by a few barks with huge white sails, flitting birdlike across the outstretched expanse,-the scene, simple as were its elements, was lovely, the sea-breeze blew freshly into the apartment, we had got rid of the old ship, and in spite of sinister forebodings we could not but rejoice at feeling our feet on terra firma, and on the threshold, at least, of the land which we had come so far to see.

Our reflections were interrupted by the entrance of a figure even more grotesque than our own, who saluted us with an infinity of airs and graces. He was a tall, gaunt, hairy individual, invested in a long purple gown of state, which had grown exceedingly shabby, hurriedly and in honour of our visit thrown over an under garment, which had once been white; his naked hairy legs were partially invested in a pair of dirty socks, terminating in yellow buskins; while in his hand, as he bowed and bowed again, he waved theatrically to and fro a tarnished three-cornered cocked hat, which had been bestowed on him, as we understood, by Napoleon Bonaparte. After a ceremonious interchange of obeisances between ourselves and this dignified representative of our country, we plunged at once "in medias res," and earnestly inquired of him, through our dragoman, if the report we had heard was indeed founded in truth. As he assured us it was, our hearts sank within us. We had come three thousand miles, through all manner of hindrances and impediments, to see Jerusalem, and found ourselves balked when almost within sight of the place. Compassionating our distress, Signor Damiani (such was the name of the vice-consul) proposed that we should wait upon the pasha, and learn from himself the actual state of affairs, at the same time offering to act as our guide and interpreter, not sorry, perhaps, to have an opportunity of displaying his dignity as agent to a nation with which he well knew, as in fact we did all, the pasha desired to be upon the best of terms. We closed instantly with the proposal;

the vice-consul mounted his three-cornered hat, and with a mock heroic dignity escorted us into the street, along which, headed by himself and his dragoman, as well as our own, we filed in solemn procession, to the evident satisfaction of the grinning gamins, and the fearful irritation of the canine part of the population, who followed at our heels three deep in howling chorus to the outskirts of the town, in spite of objurgations both loud and deep, and notwithstanding a volley of stones and brickbats, with which we attempted to give effect to them.

The streets along which we passed, were like those of most modern oriental towns,-nests of filth and nurseries of plague, close, fetid and gloomy, bordered by stone-built houses with small latticed windows and heavy portals, and in some places covered over to exclude the glaring sun. The town is of small extent, and in a few minutes we reached the gate and emerged into the open country. The change was so perfectly magical that we all uttered involuntarily an exclamation of surprise.

Indeed, the scene before us was one that could never be forgotten. A range of long billowy swells of deep red earth arose from the verge of the blue Mediterranean, which was rimmed by a border of fine white sand, upon which the crisped waves, as they chased each other to the brink, broke into long lines of silvery spray, lighting up the whole landscape with their flashing brilliancy. The wavy surface of deep ochre was everywhere dotted with gardens and bosquets of the most vigorous verdure, in which the palm, fig, olive, pomegranate, carob and other oriental trees were matted together into a mass of deepest green. Roses and jasmines of rare beauty, "the rose of Sharon," adjacent to Jaffa, being mentioned in Solomon's Song as the very type of beauty, trailed at will among these verdurous clumps, and perfumed the air on all sides. But it was not alone the face of nature which attracted us, for everywhere, perched upon little monticules or half-hidden among the bowery thickets, were reared the white and green tents of the Egyptian army.