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

I £2 TRAVELS IN ASIATIC TURKEY,
thousand in the Vizier's encampment; two thousand at Gaza; and
four thousand at El-Avish.
In a conversation with the Reis EfFendi on the 6th, he informed
me that, notwithstanding cases of still
plague occurred in the Ottoman
camp, the disease was become much milder, and
consequently
less fatal in its effects, insomuch that several of those who had been
recently attacked, had recovered. The same circumstance has been
known to occur at Constantinople when the disease was upon the
decline.
The Camelion sloop of war arrived at Jaffa on the morning of
the 9th, with General Moon; Captain Anderson his aid-du-camp,
and Mr. JSlorier secretary to Lord Elgin, all of them from the
British army. They had an immediace audience with the Grand
Vizier and Reis EfFendi, to whom thev were the bearers of import-
ant despatches. We learned from them, with much satisfaction,
that the whole of the British forces had reached Marmariee Bay
in good health and spirits.
The bodies of several persons who had died of the plague, eight
of them from the Vizier's own particular camp, were on the 10th
carried for interment in our view. To demonstrate, however, that
the disease was mitigated in its effects, the Reis Effendi stated, that
of five of the slaves of the Grand Vizier who had been latterly at-
tacked by this disease, three had recovered.
On the 12th I rode across the plains of Jaffa and in Lydda, com-
pany with Captain Maitland, of the Camelion, and several of his
officers. We approached the town of Lydda, or Loudda, and
saw the Arab inhabitants busily employed in sowing their barley.
The soil of these fine and extensive plains is a rich black mould,
which, with proper care and industry, might be rendered extremely
fertile.
Dr. Bosari, physician to the Grand Vizier, died of the plague
on the morning of the 13th, being the third day
of the attack.
General Moore his aid-du-camp, and Mr. Mario; left Jaffa on
the 1 4th, to rejoin the British army. During his stay
at the en-
campment, the General had, as well as Colonel Holloivay, daily
conferences with the Vizier and Ottoman ministers. Our expectations
were, that we were to remain with the Turkish army, which
it was thought would very soon break ground, either to co-operate
with the British forces, or to attack the common enemy at such
points as should be found advisable in the sequel.