humility not paid even to sovereigns in Asiatic countries, and observed by the Christians of the East only to their bishops and their God. There were but two of the whole number who could speak Arabic, they being chiefly from the north of Asia Minor, though most of them, except the Patriarch himself, had performed their pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

At sun-set, we ascended the terrace, where we enjoyed an extensive and commanding prospect of the town, from a new point of view, in which it looked still more interesting than before. We saw from hence many of the inner courts of Christian houses, with the females unveiled; among whom, one peculiarity was pointed out to me, namely, that while virgins, they wear a red cloth of cotton over their head, to distinguish them from Moslem girls; but, that when they become mothers, their having borne children entitles them to the same privilege as the women of the country, and from thenceforward they wear white muslin, as is done by Turkish females.

I had been so pressed to remain the night here, that it would have been an ill return for my host's kindness to refuse, so that I sat down with the rest to supper. Previous to

the meal, a small plate of fried fish, (stolen, it was admitted, from the Birket el Ibrahim,) was placed before us, of which all partook. Rakhee, or brandy distilled from dates, was then served from a rude image of a bird moulded in clay, the stream being made to issue from its mouth, and each of the guests drank from ten to twelve china coffee-cups of this strong spirit, before supper began. In serving the Patriarch, the same reverence was shewn to him as had been done below. When the cup was given to him, or when it was taken away, when his pipe was presented, or when he wiped his mouth with a napkin after drinking, his hand was invariably kissed by the priests who attended him.

Our supper was composed of several good dishes, and a bright moon was the lamp by which we ate. Towards its close, a cannon was discharged to announce the execution of a Janissary, that mode of proclaiming their death being an honour reserved for their class, as beheading is for the nobility in England, while inferior persons, not belonging to this class, are here sent out of life without such a formality. One of the priests having unfeelingly exclaimed, "Ah! there is another child of the

devil gone to his father's bosom," was followed by several others, saying, "Al humd ul Illah," or "Thanks be to God;" and all prayed rather for the destruction, and utter rooting out of the Turks, than for their conversion to a purer faith. In this the Patriarch did not actually join, nor did he, on the other hand, at all rebuke it. It led to a conversation of the most fanatic and blood-breathing kind, in which they seemed to pant only for an occasion to persecute their oppressors with more than tenfold return for injuries received.

From the library of the Patriarch, a sort of General History was then produced, describing in one volume the leading events of the world, from Adam down to the first taking of Jerusalem by the Mohammedans. This was written in the Arabic language, with the Syriac character, and called therefore, “Gurshoonee;" as the Arabic and Syriac are distinct languages, having each a distinct character, while in this dialect they are both mixed together. From this book, some horrid details were read of the cruelties practised on the Christians, and it was then asked, What! if the occasion offers, shall we not revenge ourselves?" I answered, that the head of that

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religion himself had said to his followers, "Bless them that persecute you, pray for them that despitefully use you;" and, “if thine enemy smite thee on the one cheek, turn to him the other, or if he take away thy cloak from thee, give unto him thy coat also." All of them knew these passages of Scripture well enough, but said they applied only to personal injuries, and not to those inflicted on the cause of their holy faith; an interpretation which, however ingenious, served only to prove how pre-eminent are the feelings of our nature over doctrines and precepts intended to counteract them.

The remainder of our evening was passed in theological disputes, as bitter as they could well be, though between members of the same church, and on points held to be unimportant, merely appertaining to faith and doctrine, uniformity in which is considered far less essential than in ceremonial rites; for all were considered by this party to be orthodox Christians, who made the cross and took the sacrament in the same manner with themselves, however much they might differ from them in other respects.

CHAPTER V.

HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF ORFAH—THE EDESSA OF THE GREEKS, AND THE UR OF THE CHALDEES.

I ENJOYED a night of delicious rest, in a clean bed and clean linen, with the additional luxury of being undressed, and free from tormenting vermin; as we slept on the highest terrace of the house, in the open air, while the priests reposed below.

Our morning pipe was smoked beneath a fine pomegranate tree, about twenty feet in height, in the middle of the court. Its rich green glossy leaves, contrasted with the fine scarlet flowers of the fruit just budding from their stems, looked fresh and beautiful; and its boughs were visited by black starlings, of which there were a great many here, as familiar