Travels in Turkey, Asia Minor, Syria, and across the desert into Egypt ...

102 TRAVELS IN ASIATIC TURKEY,
led to make the enquiry, to which every one who should have visit-
ed the spot would naturally have been directed, respecting an act of
such singular, and, it should seem, wanton inhumanity. It concerns
me to have to state, not onlv that such a circumstance was
positively asserted to have happened ;
but that, while in Egypt, an
individual was pointed out to us, as having been the executioner of
these diabolical commands.
After the French had retreated from Syria, the Turks filled up
the breach which had been made, and repaired the wall and other
damages.
Owing to its rocky and shelving coast, Jaffa is prettv secure from
an attack
by sea, which would be rendered
extremely hazardous by
the violence of the surf, and
The anchorage off the is port
the
heavy swell from die westward.
very bad, owing to the extreme un-
evenness of the ground, which abounds in rocks and shoals for a
considerable extent of coast.
There are at Jaffa two convents, or monasteries, one belonging
to the Greek, the other to the Julhi church. In these religious
establishments the pilgrims reside, on their way to Jerusalem,
which is distant about twelve leagues, or hours journey ; but are
obliged to pay for the hospitality with which they
are welcomed.
As well as Jerusalem, Jaffa makes a part of Palestine or the
The inhabi-
Holy Land, and is the Jappa of the sacred
writings.
tants, before the place fell into the hands of the French, consisted
almost exclusively of Arabs: they are now a mixture of Arabs and
Turks; but the former are still the most numerous. On the successful
progress of the French in Syria, the principal and more
wealthy of the inhabitants fled to Jerusalem, with their effects and
merchandize, in consequence of which trade was altogether at a
stand during our stay there. In times however, of greater tranquillity,
its commerce cannot be otherwise than flourishing, since, inde-
pendently of the advantages of a sea-port,
it maintains an intercour
by land with Damascus, Jerusalem, and several other places of \ j
little importance in its vicinity. Its present population may be esti-
mated at from one thousand to fifteen hundred souls. The streets
are very narrow, uneven, and dirty, and are rather entitled to the
appellation of alleys,
than of streets. The houses are constructed
rt a white, friable, calcareous stone, and terraced ; but on the score
of filth, as well as of want cf space, many of them are little bet-
ter than pig-sties.
It is not unusual, indeed,
the cattle herd together in these dwellings.
to see the inmates an/1