280 ARRIVAL AT ORFA. worked. The butter is sweet and good, but thin. The whole fuel used is dung, dried in the sun in flat cakes. The men as usual, supremely idle, sat and watched us. Our washing afforded them great amusement. Riding We rode to Orfa in six and a half hours; the baggage took eight or nine. The Turkomans endeavoured to rob us, but were detected. over the plain till we regained the road, we pursued our way. The country was of exactly the same description as before; here and there we came upon a covered well. There is generally a flat surface with stone in the direction of prayer below; a few steps lead down to the water; seldom deep down, an inscription, containing the name of him who built it, and near, several stone troughs to contain the water for the cattle. We passed another tel, with remains of a modern village. Leaving the open plain, we rode amidst rocks and barren places over a paved road for miles. In places the road was cut in the solid rock. From thence we descended into a plain, covered with here and there brown dusty olive trees. On turning to the right we observed a low wall run ENGLISH CONSULAR AGENT AT ORFA. 281 ning along the hill in front, and then, on the left, the ruins of a castle. And this was the Ur of the Chaldees, the Edessa of the Romans, the Orfa of our day. Here God spake to Abram! Passing through the gardens, we rode to the house of the English consular agent, who pressed us most warmly to remain with him; but we preferred the convent, so were soon established in the Nestorian one, which is without the town, or rather in a suburb on the other side of the water. The kind old man sent us a dinner, saying, if we would not eat his dinner at his house, we must eat it at our own. He received the honorary distinction as a tribute for his humane and kind protection of the Nestorian Christians. We explained to him our resolution to go by the Desert to Mosul: this he could not understand; the regular way was enough for him, and he spoke long and fearfully of the Arabs-the bad, savage Arabs. 282 VISIT FROM THE CONSULAR AGENT. CHAPTER XVIII. Eastern Bath-How thoroughly to enjoy it-Visit the Pasha-Incongruous Dresses of his Attendants-Arrangements for crossing the Desert-Town of Orfa-Well of Abraham-Sacred Carp-Inquiry as to the ancient Worship of Fish-Mosque and College of the Patriarch described-Birthplace and Tomb of Abraham-Moslem Veneration for Abraham-Account of the Patriarch in the Book of Jasher-Terah and Nimrod - Caves and Tombs in the Rocks described-Pillars of the Throne of Nimrod-Castle of Orfa-Its present Condition-Vicissitudes of the City in ancient times-Its various Conquerors-Present Sate of Orfa-Its rude Cotton Printing -Its Manufactures-Dresses of the People-Diversity of Languages heard at Orfa. MAY 15th.-At daylight the worthy representative of her Majesty paid us a visit. As we showed no inclination to rise, he grew dreadfully impatient, opened all the windows, and finally pressed us to visit the Pasha off-hand. We compromised the matter by going to the bath. Here his kindness led him, and he even washed with us. The bath is certainly a great luxury; few Englishmen, however, enjoy it properly: they hurry over the process, and as the bath-men know they do it from a species of curiosity, they act accordingly. But voyagers extend the luxury thus :-Send a HOW TO ENJOY THE EASTERN BATH. 283 servant before you to warn the bath-keeper you are coming, or, if the bath is small, have it cleared altogether; send your own carpets, clothes, soap, scents, nargilleh, coffee, and sherbet. I need not describe the bath (vide Titmarsh, "Cornhill to Cairo;" vide Warburton's "Crescent and Cross"). The one is a caricature, the other is as he and I enjoyed our bath at Deir el Khamar. Spend in it two or three hours, having previously settled your affairs, so that nothing may interrupt the perfection of the kief. Well, we saw the consul dirty, we saw him washed, and then, after breakfast, at all of which delays he complained sadly, we walked to the serai. They The Pasha received us kindly, in a wretched room, hung with a dingy curtain, and furnished with a red baize divan. He was dressed in the semi-European dress of Stamboul. The dress of a Pasha's attendants is a curious melange. wear embroidered coats, faded, a little torn; straps probably cut, no socks, or huge Persian socks; their clothes unbrushed and unfitting; some European waistcoats, some native; some had shirts, others not. Why not have preserved their own handsome flowing robes and Oriental costume? 281 THE TOWN OF ORFA. After the grandiloquent compliments were over, we stated our desire to cross the Desert; he offered us fifty horsemen if we needed them, but at the same time said he thought we could not do it safely with five hundred; finally, he begged to refer the matter to the Medjelis, which was to sit next day. To this we agreed, and thanking him for his civility on the road, retired. On reaching the convent we found the Rev. Mr. M had arrived. He proved indeed a welcome addition to our party, which he kindly consented to join. Accompanied by our constant friend the consul, we then sallied out to see the place. I was much struck by the numbers of green turbans here: it shows either more wealth, or more disposition to spend it in the purchasing such a now nominal distinction. Also there were no dogs in the streets. The town is clean for an Eastern town, and has fewer bare places than most. We visited first the Birket el Ibrahim el Khaled, or the Well, literally, of Abraham the Beloved. This is a large reservoir, filled by means of a channel from a small stream, rising a short distance S. W. of the town. The reservoir is thus fresh, the water being supplied by the river. In this water are preserved carp, which |