32

VILLAGE OF TARSUS.

silvery thread through sand and rock, the galley of Cleopatra floated in all her pride, in the height of her beauty and magnificence; there freighted with conquest, she sailed when she went to subdue the bravest general of Rome, the Conqueror of Conquerors.

The few houses were mostly those of the consuls, who, residing in the town of Tarsus about 20' inland, come here merely to transact business. Under the guidance of a health officer we were permitted to land and walk freely about, even to enter the houses and take sherbet and coffee, though his voice warned us from stuffs, sofas, and clothes. To the north of the plain are the fine ruins of Pompeopolis, and in other parts are many objects well worthy of a visit. Near our anchorage stood a venerable tree, surrounded by a low wall, venerated as of peculiar sanctity by the Ansaryii, as marking the burial-place of St. George, one of their most venerated saints.

They are the most prevailing people from this to Tripoli; of their religion nothing hardly is known; their books they keep from prying eyes, and their faith seems a mixture of that of the surrounding people-an obscure Christianity; an impure

NEW ALEXANDRETTA.

33

Mahometanism. They esteem St. Peter as their spiritual chief, and even venerate our Saviour in a lesser degree. To the south, along the coast, are vast cemeteries which were described to us, (for, much to our regret, we were unable to visit them,) as of ancient Jews, and even crusaders.

Again we were off, as evening closed in. This is indeed talismanic-to sleep at Tarsus, to rise at Alexandretta-and so we journey for days cach eve the land recedes, each morn we enter on new and varied scenes, with no fatigue save sleeping, no discomfort save repose. It was strange to remark how little the native passengers cared to see; many did not even rise from their beds to look; others glanced up, then sank again grumbling to sleep. Dark and cloud-wrapped as we came on deck, the Amanus lay before us. Rossius and Cassius frowned over the low swamps on which stand the ruins of old, the skeleton of new Alexandretta.

The present town, a wreched collection of hovels, save the few houses of the consuls, stands on the beach. Behind it, in every direction, stretches a swampy plain, below the level of the sea: it is

* I knew as little then as others of this singular people. This was what a native passenger told me of them.

VOL. I.

D

34

TOWN OF ALEXANDRETTA.

fetid and stagnant; no wonder, then, that the plain is unhealthy, and that fever of the most malignant kind rages from May to October. There are few remnants of antiquity near, though several are scattered over the plain. Our Levant company had a fine khan, in whose vaulted stores the water now lies stagnant and putrid: the swamp was caused by a pleasant stream, whose pure, good waters can little contemplate the mess they make. Draining would remove this, and the fertility of the place would soon repay the expense; but the jealousy of the Porte, and the unfortunate position between two Pashalics-those of Adana and Aleppo-have hitherto caused all overtures from Europeans to be rejected. The Pashas each claim it when good or gain is to be got; but as inconsistently reject it when for trouble or loss.

It is a port of some importance, as the port of Aleppo, and the whole of Upper Arabistan. The harbour is splendid: then what a pity some means are not taken to render it healthy. Our consul can name the day on which the fever will attack him; and as he is ill, the view of the grave-yard whither his predecessors have gone in regular and rapid succession, must be far from pleasant.

MURDER OF SIR WILLOUGHBY JONES.

35

About three miles to the northward of the town, a marble pillar marks the spot where Jonas was disgorged by the whale. If this event happened during the fever months, he had not much to congratulate himself on the change. In the passages above, the famous robber-chief Kutchuk Aliliterally little Ali-long held an independent sway, stopped travellers, robbed vessels, and a natural death alone relieved the Porte and visitors from his unconquerable rule. At present even the people are semi-independent, and are now resisting the conscription with success; though a large body of troops are in the mountains to enforce it. This coast, in fact, may be deemed the most dangerous to travel on of all the Sultan's dominions. Mountainous and thinly inhabited; nominally reduced, but really factious; not worthy of an army, but evading policy; its easy opportunities of escape and impracticable fastnesses, render it the abode of the bandit and the pirate.

On this coast, though very much further north, poor Sir Willoughby Jones was shot. Justice was sought in vain; the utmost interest could not at that time induce the Porte to convict a Mussulman on the evidence of Christians.

The man was

sentenced to the galleys for life; but obtained his manumission on a jail-delivery on the occasion of some joyful event to the Sultan. He may now be seen at Makri, an oracle among his fellows, and a living proof that Franks may be murdered with impunity. It was my good, or rather evil fortune to meet him at a coffee-house. On quitting the room he swaggered against me; being about to enter from the street, I pushed him down the steps with some violence. Being well armed at the time, he only threatened me; whether he would have dared attempt to injure me or not, I had no means of judging, as I left the place some few hours afterwards. My servants, however, were fearful he would, and rode with great caution for two or three days.

On the north-east portion of the bay is the Issus. Here history seems to have fixed the spot where Darius and Alexander met. A tel and a few stones alone remain, on the north of the Pindarus, now a petty stream: they probably mark a flank or centre of the Persian position. From these positions, the right bank being hilly and difficult, and the left, from whence Alexander led his force, flat and low, the danger of the attack is evident;