226

IBRAHIM PASHA AND THE LOCUSTS.

they now possess; his government was just and prompt, and far less venal than that of any the Sultan can form for years to come; and from my own experience I perfectly agree in the truth of his own expression: "Were it not for the conscription I should be adored." The troops he levied in Syria were generally hurried to Egypt, while, vice versa, the Egyptians garrisoned Syria. The Christians under him were first rendered eligible for all public offices, and though relieved, as now, from all military service, they were levied as rigidly for other works. It is related of Ibrahim, that the plain (near Aleppo, I think,) being infested by locusts, constant complaints were made of their devastations: hearing this, Ibrahim sallied forth with his whole army, armed with sticks, and their morning's work was probably more productive of good than some of their victories.

When the sun had nearly run his course, we entered the house and drank water and sherbets. The raisin is mostly used for sherbets in Aleppo; and the grapes once so famous for their excellence, have now so degenerated as not to be worth the trouble of making into wine. Two dishes of

MUSICIANS AND THEIR INSTRUMENTS. 227

Arabic sweets figured advantageously-bucktoua, made of honey, walnuts, butter, and flour; the other, knaffee, made of a grain so called, mixed with butter, cream (or cheese), sugar, and honey. Each occupied an enormous flat brass tinned dish. The economy of using cheap substitutes, such as honey, grease, &c., spoils most Arabic sweets, and they make mixtures which we, who are unaccustomed to them, can hardly find palatable. Four musicians had sounded noisily all the day, nor must they now be forgotten; they formed the best company of musicians at Aleppo. No fantasia could be good where they were not. No. 1 played on a small instrument of wood hollowed out, rounded towards the bottom, the top covered by a tight drawn skin; these he beat wlth two sticks, called Na Areat. No. 2 played the tambourine, called dira. In addition to the noise produced by shaking it, he struck the skin and played on the cymbals set in the edges. No. 3 played the violin; this is now in common use all over the East, having probably superseded some less sonorous instrument of their own of a similar description: it is called kamangee, and they stoutly maintain it to be their own inven

228

ABOUT TO START FROM ALEPPO.

tion. The next plays a flute without covers to the notes, called nare, and tones of singular sweetness are produced by it. The last, a lively fellow, played the kannoon, a species of harp it has seventy-two strings. Each sang a verse, the whole then joining in chorus; and this they kept up untiringly; being refreshed (though they were Mussulmans) by frequent draughts of ardent spirits. Some of the gay ones of the party danced, and so the evening wore on. The frogs outcroaked the music; the dark came on; and then we sauntered home, to other divans, to continue the same lazy sort of amusement, till we felt inclined to go to bed.

It seemed quite impossible to quit Aleppo, and any attempt at it was met by so many difficulties that we half thought our journey was finished. At last, however, we slipped off, having dismissed our dragoman for most frequent robberies. Fresh servants were hired, and, our own horses being insufficient, some baggage animals were added to the train.

Except the castle, Aleppo offers few antiquarian attractions; its few inscriptions are of the Lower Empire, or Arabic. Its history may be comprised

HISTORY OF ALEPPO IN A WORD.

229

in the same words as will relate that of most other Oriental towns-built, besieged, taken, retaken, &c.; to which may be added its destruction by earthquakes. The last one, which happened in the memory of youth, was frightful, and the people of the town have hardly recovered from the effects of it. Its plains and wells have drunk deep of blood. It has heard that dreadful cry, "Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar; Alhamlah, Alhamlah; Aljannah, Aljannah!" "God is great, God is great; fight, fight, Paradise, Paradise!" And recent events teach us that the sound still lurks in the throats of the Turks. A word will bring it forth, and then they will spring on the Christian, hateful, ferocious savage, as of yore. Well then can we feel how proud was Othello's boast, when in fair Venice's palmy days :

"In Aleppo, once,

Where a malignant and a turban'd Turk
Beat a Venetian, and traduced the State,
I took by the throat the circumcised dog,
And smote him."

230

SMOKING IN THE EAST.

CHAPTER XV.

Universality of Smoking in the East-Smoking in Persia-Story of the Young Widower and the Holy Man-Substitute recommended by the latter for a good Wife-When was Tobacco introduced into the East? Old Arabic MS. on Smoking - Nimrod alleged to have been a Smoker-Mode of Smoking in Ceylon-Antiquity of the use of Tobacco in China-Sale on an alleged Prophecy by Mahomet that Tobacco would at some future time be smoked in the EastLegend of Mahomet and the Viper-Pipes used as Projectiles in War-Bhang and Hashish-Sultan Mahomet IV. prohibits Smoking -The Sultan and the Saphi-Modes of Smoking in the East— Tobacco used-Water-pipe-Nargilleh-How made-Their occasional Richness and Beauty of Manufacture-Persian Pipes.

IT is rare in the East to find a man or woman that does not smoke. Enter a house, and a smoking instrument is put into your hand as naturally as you are asked to sit down. Among the Persians it is had in greater luxury than elsewhere; particularly the water-pipe, for which Shiraz produces the best tobacco. There is a story, often heard at the dekkans (shops), which may not be out of place here. In the good old days when time was young, and all men had comforts, or plenty of money to buy them, there lived a young man good and virtuous, as young men