Oriental harems and scenery
Princess Belgiojoso
Carleton
I can recall many days of the period of my sojourn in the East which possess for me a certain charm, notwithstanding the fatigue and excitement with which they were filled; days of painful journeyings alternating with still more painful stoppages that occurred between my departure from Anatolia in January, 1852, and my arrival at Jerusalem in the spring of that year. Within a few months l was able to observe the bright and dark sides of that oriental life of which a somewhat long residence in a quiet valley of Asia Minor had disclosed to me only the severest aspects. Of aIl the souvenirs bequeathed to mc by the Orient, there are none accordingly that l investigate with more cheerfulness than these, none that l yield to more readily when I strive to fix my ideas concerning the strange people amongst whom l was for a moment transported. A few episodes detached from this period of my life will perhaps justify the preference with which my thought now recurs to it. They will furthermore show, in certain particulars, the physiognomy of the populations which this journey permitted me to observe, and whereof the accounts up to this day made public gave me but a very faint idea.
.....
Contents
Preface / xiii
Introduction / xvii
Chapter I
The Déré-beys - The mufti of tcherkess
The valley of Ciaq-mak-oglou / 15
Verandchier / 16
Osman-Pasha /17
The Pasha's Heirs / 21
Idcas of hospitality / 25
The Mufti's house / 27
The harem / 27
Rouging / 29
A model mussulman / 31
The Mufti's wives / 32
Paternal tenderness / 33
Polygamie morality / 35
Asiatic Towns / 37
Chapter II
Angora and the Dervishes
Journey from Tcherkess to Angora / 38
A troublesome official / 39
The Mufti of Teherkess / 40
Character of the Dervish / 41
A novel stove / 45
Angora goats / 46
Angora cats / 47
Docility of Animals / 49
A visit from the Dervishes / 50
Miraculous feats / 53
Risks of Travel / 55
Chapter III
Caesarea and tile towns of the Taurus
Kupru / 57
A Feline Malady / 58
Kircheir / 60
Arab impudence / 63
Caesarea / 65
An Armenian festival / 67
Armenian costume / 69
Dancing / 71
A Greek school / 73
A Night in the Taurus / 76
Lead Mines / 77
The Taurus / 78
Chapter IV.
The mountains of the Giaour (the Djaour-daghda)-a Fellah village-the pasha of Adana
Djaour-Daghda / 80
Mussulman love of nature / 81
Mountaineers / 83
A Grand Seignior / 84
Colonized Fellahs / 85
Syrian Fellahs / 87
A Courtyard Picture / 88
Turkish ideas of chairs / 92
The Pasha of Adana / 93
Financial generosity / 97
Leave-taking / 98
Chapter V
The Bey of the Djaour-daghda and his harem
Compliments / 101
Dédé-Bey / 102
The Gate of Shadows / 103
Wayside Hosts / 106
Varieties of Harems / 107
Turkish Character / 108
A Blind Patient / 110
Domestic Habits 113
Abnormal Practices / 115
The Turk of the middle classes / 117
Georgians and Circassians / 119
Juvenile Depravity / 121
Painful Contrasts / 123
Mustuk-Bey / 125
Madame Mustuk / 126
The limit of curiosity / 129
A Turcoman Beauty / 131
Chapter VI
The valley of Antioch – Latakieh - Syrian women
Alexandretta / 135
House - eleaning / 138
Standard of mcasurement / 141
Environs of Antioch /143
Military companions / 145
Instincts of a Horse / 147
A Turkish Office-holder / 149
A Panic / 151
A traveller's comforts / 155
The houses of Latakieh / 157
Costume of Syrian Ladies 159
Syrian Beauty / 161
Chapter VII
The legend of sultan Ibrahim-a halt at Tripoli – Badoun - English missionaries in Syria
Gublettah / 163
Arab mendicants / 167
An oasis / 169
Tortosa / 171
A repulse / 173
A cool reception / 175
Human nature / 179
Mishaps / 181
Missionaries / 183
Character of converts / 185
Beyrout 186
Chapter VIII
The mountains of Galilee and the ancient kingdom of Judea
Sidon / 189
Sur / 190
A massacre / 191
Illness of our horses / 193
Monastic hospitality / 197
Nazareth / 198
Nablous / 200
Hatred of Christians / 203
Chapter IX
The monuments of the Bible and the New Testament in and about Jerusalem
Jerusalem / 205
Abyssinian Christians / 206
The walls of Jerusalem / 207
Sacred Localities / 209
The Mosque of Omar / 211
Dangers of curiosity / 213
Solomon's gardens / 215
A trip to the Dead Sea / 217
San Saba / 218
The river Jordan / 221
Jericho / 223
Chapter X
Protestants and Jews at Jerusalem-hospitals-lepers
Hospitality of Christians in the Orient / 224
Wailing-place of the Jews / 225
The lepers' quarter / 227
A leper family / 230
Departure / 231
Chapter XI
The Koran, and reform in Turkey
Reflections / 232
The Koran and reform / 233
Chapter XII
Nablous - the Plain of Esdraelon, Nazareth – Tiberias - Asiatic beauty - English travellers
Untoward incident / 247
Arab sympathy / 251
A canine adventure / 252
Mohammed Zaffedy / 254
Nazareth / 255
English obtuseness / 257
A celebrated beauty / 259
Tiberian landscape / 260
War / 262
Chapter XIII
Safed - piety and misfortunes of the English consul adventures on the desert - Seiffa
Safed / 264
A Pious Consul / 265
Trouble with a Dragoman / 268
Forced Companions / 273
A Picturesque Region / 275
Seiffa / 277
A Thieving Governor / 279
Chapter XIV
Damascus and its environs - oriental houses - dancing girls
Damascus / 282
Dog Rights / 283
Beautiful residences / 285
Gardens / 289
Christian Refugees / 290
The dancing festival / 293
Khadoun / 295
A re-engagement / 297
The last act / 299
Remorse / 301
Chapter XV
Damascus continued - political refugees – Santons – Hasheesh – Bludan - an American boarding - school on its travels.
Damascus continued / 302
Social Contrasts / 303
Santons / 304
A Hasheesh Entertainment / 305
Litters / 309
The Plain of Damascus / 311
A tragedy / 312
The English Consul at Bludan / 314
A travelling boarding Sehool / 315
Arab hospitality / 317
A night adventure / 318
Chapter XVI
Baalbec - the Metualis - genuine Arab hospitality - mount Lebanon and the cedars
Ride to Baalbec / 321
A Metuali family / 323
Baalbec / 325
Specimens of Accuracy / 327
More Show than substance / 329
Trials of patience / 331
Scenic Peculiarities / 333
The village of Bàkriya / 335
The Cedars of Lebanon / 337
Every one his own Architect / 338
Chapter XVII
Homs - a bashi-bozouk garrison of Brothers – oriental gardens and nights - Kurdish and Turcoman shepherds
Governor of Homs / 341
Wives and Slaves / 343
The Ten Brothers / 345
Hama / 351
Heat and Sleep / 353
Nights in Syria / 354
A caravan of invalids / 357
Legal resources / 359
Hovels / 361
Furniture / 363
Water rights / 365
An invalid dog / 366
Chapter XVIII
Aleppo-a peculiar malady - a ball and a wedding - instinct of horses - a Turcoman shepherd lord
Houses of Aleppo / 368
The Aleppo button / 370
Dancing at Aleppo / 373
A wedding - manners of the bride / 374
The ceremony / 376
Military honors / 378
Treatment of Lunatics / 381
.A colt's gratitude / 383
The dangers of ignorance / 385
Strange patients / 387
Turcoman tants and customs / 389
Progress of constitutional law / 391
Chapter XIX
Mustuk - Bey and the muleteer - various phases of hospitality - the Pasha of Konieh and his harem - Kurdish females - Kurdish horses - home
A victim of suspicion / 395
The workings of conscience / 397
Quarantine / 399
Ruins / 401
Erreghli / 403
The mirage / 405
A model Pasha / 407
A princely household / 409
An adventuress / 411
Woman's rights / 413
Funereal monuments / 415
Intelligence of muleteers / 417
Kurdish women / 419
Conclusion / 421
PREFACE
The intelligent traveller is generally the precursor of the historian; the first gives the materials, the latter works them up and explains them. The authoress of the work now given in a translated form to the public, is a very close observer, and very artistic in giving the results of her observations. Being a woman, family life in the East seems to have had great attraction for her, and forms the most charming and instructive part of her work.
Nothing seems to stand in more startling contrast than the domestic, social and political condition of the East when compared to that of the West. And if we inquire as to what this strange contrast is due, we are sorely perplexed to form an answer. Is it due to difference of climate, of race, of religion, of government, or to all these combined? Are the people capable of absorbing the elements of western civilization and consequently of attaining the same point of moral and intellectual culture? Before a general history of the world can be written so as to explain these anomalies, the questions here propounded must find a satisfactory answer. Meanwhile we may all take pleasure in recurring to the pages of every intelligent traveler by way of seeing to what extent the state of our own country may correspond to that of others, and in what important particulars the conditions of life on this planet differ.
A short sketch of the life of our authoress cannot but greatly increase the interest of the reader in her work. Christine, Princess Belgiojoso, is a daughter of the Marquis of Trevulzio, a nobleman of Lombardy. Born in 1808, she was married to Prince Belgiojoso in 1824. Endowed with a strong and liberal mind, the Princess gave her attention early in life to political and philosophical subjects, varying her studies by literary pursuits and travelling, and as opportunities offered, by taking an active part in the drama of Italian independence. Unable to endure Austrian rule, the Princess removed from Milan to Paris where her fortune, rank, love of arts, literature and freedom, attracted to her a select and admiring circle of friends, many of them the leading literary men of France. In 1848, when Italy took up arms against the despotism of Austria, the Princess returned to Milan to aid the cause of the revolution, raising a battalion of volunteers at her own expense, and, it is said, leading them against the Austrians in person, "displaying courage and presence of mind that would have done credit to the most experienced soldier." The revolution, however, failed. The Princess was exiled by the Austrian government and her property confiscated. She now retreated to Asia Minor and resided there three years, employing her time in collecting material for future literary labors. The Emperor of Austria having granted a general amnesty, the Princess returned again to Milan and had her property restored to her. She now remained in Italy until the glorious campaign in 1859, when Italy became forever free from Austrian dominion. Since that period the Princess Belgiojoso has proved to be one of the ablest supporters of Victor Emanuel, and especially of the patriotic Count Cavour, whose genius she fully appreciated and to whom she rendered highly important services. "She was," says the North British Review, previously quoted, "one of his most active and indefatigable agents, travelling from place to place holding conferences, soothing differences, reconciling republicans and constitutionalists, and gaining new friends and allies." A summary of her political career and character is thus given by the same authority: "Nobly born, rich and beautiful, with every temptation to a life of ease and luxury, she has again and again risked rank and wealth and life in the cause of Italian independence, … undergoing the hardships and vicissitudes of poverty and exile rather than submit to the Austrian yoke." As the reviewer remarks, "She presents one of the most striking and original figures in contemporary biography."
The literary labors of the Princess Belgiojoso consist principally of articles contributed to a political of high character called La Liberté de Penser, published at Paris in the days of the Republic, but long since extinct; Notions d'histoire à l'usage des enfants; Asie-Mineure et Syrie, the present work; Scènes de la vie Turque, and a Histoire de la Maison de Savoie, written with a view of making the world better acquainted with the Sardinian dynasty. To these must be added a translation into French of a portion of the works of Vico, a proof in itself of the Princess' intellectual ability and philosophical tendency.
Having a few years ago made a visit to the East, and having been an eye-witness of many of the scenes and peculiarities or life described by our authoress, the translator can bear conscientious testimony to the fidelity of her picture. It is her faithful description of scenes and customs open to the observation of all travellers, that justifies full confidence in her reports of oriental family relationships and of the extraordinary arrangements of the Harem which the Princess was singularly privileged in observing.
New York, May 1, 1862
Introduction
I can recall many days of the period of my sojourn in the East which possess for me a certain charm, notwithstanding the fatigue and excitement with which they were filled; days of painful journeyings alternating with still more painful stoppages that occurred between my departure from Anatolia in January, 1852, and my arrival at Jerusalem in the spring of that year. Within a few months l was able to observe the bright and dark sides of that oriental life of which a somewhat long residence in a quiet valley of Asia Minor had disclosed to me only the severest aspects. Of aIl the souvenirs bequeathed to mc by the Orient, there are none accordingly that l investigate with more cheerfulness than these, none that l yield to more readily when I strive to fix my ideas concerning the strange people amongst whom l was for a moment transported. A few episodes detached from this period of my life will perhaps justify the preference with which my thought now recurs to it. They will furthermore show, in certain particulars, the physiognomy of the populations which this journey permitted me to observe, and whereof the accounts up to this day made public gave me but a very faint idea.
The Syria l visited, for example, bears but little resemblance …
Princess Belgiojoso
Oriental harems and scenery
Carleton
Carleton
Oriental harems and scenery
Princess Belgiojoso
Translated from the French of the
Princess Belgiojoso
New York
Carleton, Publisher, 413 Broadway,
(Late Rudd & Carleton)
MDCCCLXII
Entered according to act of Congress,
in the year 1862, by
Geo. W. Carleton,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the
United States for the Southern District
of New York.
W. H. Tinson, Stercotyper. / G. Russell Printer
