HOPE. Our HOPES what are they? Flowers of Peace and Faith, J. C. FROM THE JOURNAL OF A HOMEWARD-BOUND TRAVELLER IN 1839. CAIRO TO ALEXANDRIA, AND A FEW DAYS' RESIDENCE IN THE LATTER PLACE. April 30th.-Having hired Gliddon's little despatch boat, we left Cairo with regret; and passed swiftly down the Nile till we had gone by Shoobra, when a strong north wind brought us up for the day. May 1st.-Our industrious crew had rowed and pulled our boat on for the greater part of the day ere, towards evening, we made Sel-hajar, where are the mounds of ancient Sais, which form an enclosure soucibing similar to that of Elithyas-a small lake occupies part of the square. The land all around was in a high state of cultivation, yet the thistle ose luxuriantly wid more profitable verdure and quickened our steps as we regained our boat in a couple of miles' walk across a deeply ploughed field. The national skrub of Scotland could not have been more vigorous in its own homestead. 2nd. In the morning we were at Atfee, where travellers usually disembark and take boat on the Mahmoudich canal for Alexandria; but being anxi.. ous to see Rosetta and Aboukir, we continued in our swift little vessel up to the former place. At noon we landed to inspect the position where the present Pacha defeated our little detachment at ElHamet. The spot of our defeat is easily recognized, and my military companion was lavish in bis abuse of the general officer who could so rashly have exposed his troops to disgrace and slaughter. At 3 we landed at AboolMandour and ascended to the telegraph to take a view of the surrounding country which is rich in the extreme-the water at this place is famed even beyond that of any other portion of the Nile for its salubrious qualities. At 4 we anchored in front of the new fabrics in process of building by Americans, and destined for the clearing of rice and pressing of oil. Considering that these works have scarcely been in progress a twelvemonth, they are very far advanced; the four Americans occupied with the building and in putting up the engines for the Pacha, complain of the difficulty of obtaining materials. They were kind and attentive, escorted us through the town and attended us into the cotton fabrics, and into the rival steain-concern for the clearing of rice erected by Mr. Galloway-the latter being deprived of European superinten. dence, is found far less efficient than it was, and ought to be. The cotton fabric is worked by oxen and occupies 400 persons, chiefly boys or youths, who all bear the stamp on their arms which marks their servitude. Rosetta has many houses still remaining which shew its former consequence, but it is now dirty, ruinous and fallen; its custom-house lately the size of a watch. man's box, has been increased to the magnitude of a small guard room: the new canal carries off trade to Atfee, and were it not for the factories kere, which cannot be removed, old Raschid would perhaps speedily be deserted. The Viceroy shuns a visit to it, having had it predicted to him by an Arab Astrologer that at Raschid he will meet his death. We passed a pleasant evening with the American mechanics, and returned, ancle-deep in mud, to our boat. 23rd. We started at four, ourselves, our baggage and suite being conveyed by eight donkeys, not of the fumed breed of Cairo, but superior to those of Upper Egypt. It was sharply cold when we passed through the gate, and bore across a plain which reminded us of the desert-pillars at convenient distances point out the line of route, and at 6 o'clock we first saw the Mediterranean, an old acquaintance of wine, and one on whose shores my happiest days have been spent. At 1 we halted for breakfast, and then sending our bagage onwards to Alexandria, diverged from the road to have at least a look at Aboukir-now a shipless bay, but one bow proud to our memory! "Nelson's island," which forms a portion of the curve, is called · Groua by the natives-I was disappointed in not hearing our gallant countrymau's name given to it by our guide. A new palace has been built by the Governor on the height immediately in front of this island and which appears to have been the station occupied by the French when our troops land. ed on the 8th March 1801; we did not go into the town, but after having studied the position from our notes, hastened to join our people, that we might not be too late for the Alexandrian gates, which close shortly after sunset. We reached the capital at 5, having ridden our poor little donkeys 42 miles in 13 successive hours-and they appeared at coming in less fatigued than we were a cold wind in the morning and the whole day's sun had given us a repetition of the peeling of the desert-exposure appears not to harden the skin. Finding the Hotel d'Europe full of English travellers, wớ put up at the Orient in the New Street, a comfortable inn where we spee. dily renewed acquaintance with French entremêts, aud European gatables of all kinds. 5th. Sunday-There is a Protestant Chapel in Alexandria, but no Chaplain or Missionary, and the residents are not disposed to adopt the seusible prace tice of reading prayers alternately. In a country like Egypt or Turkey, where mosques stand always open, and the believer enters whenever the fixed daily hour of prayer reminds him of his duty, the English more than any other pation, must appear to merit the name of Giaour which is given them. It is truly said, to our reproach, that we first build a Custom House in our own colonies, and then a palace for our Governors, but a Church is seldom erected. The French scarcely share in this condemnation: their's is of a mere serious nature: a young officer has just said to me "Moi je ne suis rien, Monsieur: mais si je fus quelque chose en fait de religion, je serais Catholique: il est si agréable de pouvoir se faire absoudre quand on a commis quelque peché extraordinaire."—In the afternoon, we went to Cleopatra's obelisk: it is very similar to that at Heliopolis: the hieroglyphics are perfect on three sides, but on the fourth they are much worn from the action of the sea—a second obelisk lies near the erect one, it is now nearly embedded in sand-They are more than 60 feet high, and of a pale red granite. The cartouches of Thothmoses III, and Remeses Amuure, appear on the flat surface whilst those of much later Pharaohs occupy spaces along the edges of both obelisks-Pliny says they stood in front of a temple of Cæsar. 6th. The Consul, Mr. Larkins, having spared us his junissary, and given us a letter to Mahommed Bey, superintendent of the arsenal, we proceeded thither, accompanied by Mr. Fraser of the Bengal civil service, and Mr. Sonnenkalb, a Bombay merchant. Mohammed Rey was brought up in England, remained there nine years, and returned to Egypt four years ago with Seim Bey, the present Minister of public instruction, and others; he married an English lady at Southampton, and has several children by her. He was very obliging in his attentions, but the arsenal appeared to we only worth seeing on account of the extent of its buildings, which are appropriated to the manufacture of every thing requisite for the fleet, even including the clothes and shoes of the seamen-indeed these rooms seemed the best ate tended and to have the greatest produce of industry in them. The ropewalk which is indoors, is 1290 feet long-I say nothing of the other divisions: the whole seemed to me a toy-shop on an extensive scale. The Bey was no doubt glad when his task of escorting such active enquirers was ended-hid last obligation was to send us in his own boat on board the new corvette, the equipment of which is not yet completed. Speaking as a landsman, I should say she is a splendid concern: so clean, so large a deck, spacious cabins, noble guns and so forth: but I should like to have an experienced sailor's opinion on the subject of this and the Pacha's other ships. There are about 20 vessels of the line in the port of Alexandria: we went from the corvette to see one of 100 guns, the Fayoom: it was strongly manned, but more than one-third of its crew were boys from 8 to 14 years of age, nasty, ragged Hule whelps: hlear eyed and dirty-nosed. These vessels make a great display in the harbour: but they seldom put to sea, and whenever they do so, they are obliged to unship their guns, and take them in again outside, the channel of Alexandria not affording sufficient depth for the exit or entrance of a first rater fully equipped; they tell us most, if not all, of those fine looking ships are broken-backed, and that to satisfy the Pacha's impatience, they are generally built of green timber, which would open after two or three broadsides, even of their own guns! but if the Viceroy is contented with this semblance of strength, so much the better for his enemies he is not likely to have any actual contest except with his own master, and then I cannot help wishing success to the Osmaulee over his crafty subject. From the arsenal we went to the new palace which is being prepared for the Pacha-its outside appearance is like an English gentleman's mansion,neat but not striking: inside, the staircase is low and paltry-ihey were painting the balustrade to resemble variegated marble; it is in exceedingly bad taste-but the dining and bed rooms, the drawing and sitting rooms, are handsome in the extreme, and the English furniture and mirrors which fill them could not be better selected: the chambers are smaller but more elegant than those of the Cairo palaces and as for the bath, it is a ne plus ultra of comfort and good taste→→→ I almost longed for an ablution in its marble basins and repose on its stuffed leather couches. This palace has not yet been tenanted by the Pacha-hitherto in Alexandria he has always resided in one immediately opposite, in which his harem is lodged, and which he has now given up to his son Seyd Bey. Two years ago, Mohammed Ali gave the notice usual among Turks of high rank, that he intended to dispense with his female establishment, and with the ceremonies customary on such occasions he took public leave of his wives and mistresses. Those who were present say it was an affecting scene-to some he gave the means of returning to the homes from which they had been brought, and a maintenance for their lives-for others still in the bloom of youth he provided husbands-whilst to such as preferred the remembrance of the life which was closing on them, he secured a comfortable residence in the palace which he himself abandoned-And this is the domestic life of the East-the social comfort which attends the evening of polygamy. Indeed, in deed, "Joe Anderson, my joe," with its pathetic simplicity, would be little understood among these orientals. On returning to the town we went to the "Cancellaria" of the Consul to obtain passports; all its subalterns, including the Vice Consul, were foreigners; a French. man, a Pole, an Italian, but not an Englishman was there! There's your passport, Sir, pay 22 piastres!!!" We did so, and thus armed, proceeded to the agency of the "Lloyd Austriaco," and took our passage in the steamer" 11 principe Metternich" for Rhodes, Smyrna, and Constantinople-paying about £8. 14.-for first places, which does not include living on board, the expence of which is about five shillings per diem. 7th. We passed the greater part of this day in reading the latest numbers of the Galignani, coming up to the 17th of last month, and which had just been received by the French Steamer from Marseilles. The Cabinetto Litterario has papers from almost all parts of the Continent and is a quiet comfortable book-room-Three piastres (84.) are paid for a read. 8th. We rose very early, and passing through the Rosetta gate, proceeded to Abercrombie's battle-field, It is about four miles distant from the town, and two from the French lines; there are several small knolls in the plain which bear traces of having been occupied by troops, and the purposes of which were well made out by reference to Walsh's sketch which we had with us. The Roman ruins must have been the principal station; in front of them is the position of the redoubt, and a still green hillock at a small distance Not a tomb can at pre marks the spot where the 30th distinguished itself. sent be made out-the ploughshare is already in many places busy on this plain of our victory. We were most anxious to discover the memorials said to have been raised by their companions in honor of Sir Ralph, and Col. Dutens, and a little Bedouin lass, who had joined us from a black tent pitched near the ruins, gave us to understand that she knew well the "maktoob hagger" or written stone. Leading us through thistle and bramble, the former sharper edged than any Scotch tree of the same growth, she conduct. ed us to some small Roman catacombs, and bidding us follow her, preceded us; but her "writing on the wall" turned out to be the representation of a ship in charcoal traced by some lazy vagrant, who had here perhaps turned aside to cover his feet. She seemed surprized at our not being delighted, but was overjoyed at getting her promised fee. Our donkey-boy now Came forward and swore he knew where the objects of our search were, and I was foolish enough to follow him for an hoar, when, up to the very ancles in mud, I found myself at an inbreak of the lake, not far from the French lines, where Syenite columns, slabs, and capitals were lying in numbers around me. a small pool of water lay an excellent head, unmutilated except at the nose, and alongside of it were the limbs and trunk of a statue of very large pro portions. We thought we had made a discovery, but we were afterwards in |