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

SYRIA, EGYPT, GERMANY, &C IO3
On the French entering Jaffa, in the possession of which they
remained during forty days, it underwent a complete pillage, insomuch
that the women and female children lost the few ornaments
they carried about them, and with which they decorated the
head, neck and ears. These ornaments were of various descrip-
tions of coins, such as paras, sequins, piastres, o;c. The gardens
of Jaffa have been long celebrated; but since the visit the French
paid to that place, and the subsequent cantonement of the Turkish
army in its vicinity, they have ceased, in a great measure, to pos-
sess the beauties which rendered them thus worthy of notice.
While I am engaged in this description of the place, I am indu-
ced to anticipate the order of the narrative by an observation, that
Jaffa, being the principal depot for the Grand Vizier's army, and
the only port on the coast of Syria adapted to the important mili-
tary service in which he was engaged, his Highness was, from
these considerations, anxious to give it every possible security. For
this purpose plans were delivered to him by General Kceiiler, and
directions given to Lieutenant-colonel Jlollozuay, to carry them in-
to execution. They were accordingly in a great measure comple-
ted, when General Moore came to our encampment from the British
army, under the command of Sir Ralph Abcrcrombie, with the
glad tidings of its arrival at Marmarice Bay.
On the 11th, in the morning, I set out at sun-rise, in company
with Signor Jjosari, physician to the Grand Vizier, to ride through
the Turkish encampment: after visiting every part of which, we
alighted at the tent of Mc/uuued Cashef, a Mameluke chief.
We were there entertained with fruits, cheese, pipes, coffee, and
other refreshments. In the evening we went to a bath within the
camp, being the one which was frequented by the Grand Vizier.
On our entering,
the thermometer was at 86 in the shade. We remained
in the apartment of the warm bath half an hour, and went
through the usual discipline of scrubbing and washing. The heat
was very agreeable,
the thermometer not
rising higher than 104:
my pulse beat 80 strokes in a minute, and the perspiration was by
no means so profuse as on the former occasion, in the bath of Constantinople.
On our return to the outer apartment, which consisted
of a tent fitted up witli bedding and other coaveniencies, we
reposed ourselves for half an hour, during which time we were furnished
with pipes and coffee. We departed, highly .refreshed by
our bath, for which we paid each two piastres and a half. It would
appear by this recital, that (die Turks, even when in camp, do not