Memoirs of Sir James Campbell, of Ardkinglas [2]

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MEMOIRS OF

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL, OF ARDKINGLAS.

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.

IN

TWO VOLUMES. VOL.

II.

LONDON:

-*

HENRY COLBURN AND RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON 1832

STREET.

cr 788

LONDON: PRINTXO BT SAMUEL BKNTLKf, DorPt Strert, Meet Strict.

MEMOIRS OF

SIR JAMES CAMPBELL.

CHAPTER

I.

Progress of the Author's Commission in the Ionian Isles. The Island of Corfu. Popular commotion. A singular Handsome entertainment. Turkish customs. character.

-The Capize Bache. the Greeks.

Female

The Turkish bow.

Character of

Venetian and Turkish mar-

society.

Seminaries of learning. Amusing anecdote. Marriage ceremonies. Baptismal rites. Receive fresh instructions. Approbation of the Commander-in-chief.

ried ladies.

General Pigott.

Tropical

fruits.

Climate.

Wine.

Game.

A

Peculiarities of the Seven Islands. Flights of birds. tale of jealousy. Turkey in Europe. General Lau-

The Suliotes. Ferocity of the mountaineers. Anecdotes Insubordination. Methods of discipline

riston.

and reform.

WHEN

the government of Zante had

in

some degree been settled, and when external quiet had taken place of those quarrels and commotions which before VOL.

II.

my arrival had perpetually B

MEMOIRS OF

4

was a wine-house, and the women were to be seen walking about the streets with their bosoms

exposed to view.

My

immediate object was to

prevent a repetition of the scene of slaughter. I

pacified

lice

of the

him with an assurance town would be

and

future,

1 prevailed

cessary orders for the

Turkish

that the po-

better attended to in

on him to give the ne-

immediate

sailing of the

ships.

was suspected that the Capize Bache had been sent to Corfu for the purpose of watching It

the movements of the celebrated Ali Pasha,

whose residence on the main-land was not

Whatever was

distant.

his errand,

while at Corfu in considerable

state.

far

he lived After the

disturbance created by the Turkish sailors had

some degree subsided, I went repeatedly to visit him, knowing he was not likely to exer-

in

cise his official

functions on

my

person,

and

found him to be a man of general knowledge and information superior to most of the Turks

whom At

I

had then known.

the

commencement of our

acquaintance,

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

me

he gave

a very

The number four

in attendance

were

handsome entertainment.

of the party was exactly twenty-

five or six of

;

them being English Three

on me.

set out, each of

from the

5

them

different tables

raised about a foot

The usual number

floor.

officers

of eight per-

sons was allotted to each table, and cushions

were placed for them to

was served in true Turkish or spoons,

who

;

sat

and

I

;

knives, forks,

remember that

next to

me was meat

tear a piece of roasted gers,

style

formed no part of the arrangements

of the table

Molla

The dinner

on.

sit

for

a Turkish

so obliging as to

me

with his

fin-

having observed, I suppose, some indica-

tions of

awkwardness

in

my manner of handling

the viands. I should

have mentioned, that in the room

adjoining to that in which

and just before

number of a

sitting

we were

down

to dine,

to table, a great

servants attended us, each carrying

wash-hand basin of

silver,

piece of Jerusalem soap.

a

The

napkin, and a basin

is

covered

with a grating, and the servant pours water on

MEMOIRS

6

0*

your hands from a ewer, the usual manner of performing this ordinary kind of ablution.

The same ceremony was repeated after dinner. As soon as we were seated at table, the chief cook made his appearance very splendidly tired.

-He was followed by three

at-

servants, car-

rying three dishes composed of the same meats,

one for each

was the

This

table.

first dish,

I observed,

was followed by others, to the number of forty or fifty one being always roast.

It

;

removed

as its successor

was brought

in,

and

the master-cook regularly assisting in placing

them on the

table.

i

At

a Turkish feast, the

are always the

and the rice

last

and

same

the

first

and

last dishes

being the

roast,

the pilau, which consists of boiled

fowls.

Thus the

signal that dinner

were yet

;

first

is

pilau becomes the

concluded.

at table, the Capize

While we

Bach6 addressing

himself to me, in very good Italian, observed, that he

knew we must

dine badly without our

usual accompaniment of fermented liquors.

He

added, that he had them of every kind in the house, and that if

we were

so disposed, they

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

were very much

my

at

our service.

7 I consulted

English friends on the subject, but they

agreed with

me

in declining the obliging offer.

We knew that his

own

liberality

was

sufficient

to sanction such an infringement of the law of

Mahomet, but we

also

knew

that his giving

countenance to the use of wine at his table,

might be liable to misconstruction in the eyes of his numerous domestics, of whom there were not

less

upon

than a hundred in constant attendance

us.

When we

had repeated our ablutions after dinner, we were presented in a separate apartment with pipes and coffee. After a certain interval,

the Christian part of the

company

were requested to remain by themselves, while the Turks retired to another apartment of the suite to

perform their evening devotions.

room

allotted for this purpose

over,

and we could

see the

The

was matted

all

Turks kneeling

down, with their faces directed towards Mecca, while they repeated the words of the prayer of Assera.

we

They then returned

to us,

when

continued our smoking and our coffee until

MEMOIRS OF

8

the period arrived for our retiring

for

the

night.

Next morning

I received a present

from the

Capize Bache of several baskets, containing various kinds of wine, accompanied

message that

it

suffered

polite

was intended to make up for

our privations of yesterday.

we had

by a

no

privation,

I answered, that

but of course I

accepted the present, and sent an equivalent in return.

had afterwards opportunities of conversing with the Capize Bache on a variety of subjects, I

and found him very well instructed, not merely on ordinary topics, but in several of the exact sciences.

but

this

He

was

also

an excellent linguist

;

was rendered necessary by the nature

of his duties, which required that he should be able to

communicate

in almost every language

spoken by the subjects of the Porte. all

these advantages he

from prejudice. stance,

was

far

With

from being

free

In speaking of arms, for in-

he contended for the superiority of the

bow and arrow

to the musket,

and adduced a

variety of arguments in support of his idea.

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

Above

all

he urged

its

9

and when

lightness,

I suggested the greater range of the

musket,

he said that that was a reason which could only

He

weigh with a coward.

was

lame that

so

he could not leave the divan on which he without pain and difficulty

me

convince

and with

it

of

my

error,

but in his zeal to

;

he called for his bow,

shot an arrow through the long

me

range of apartments, desiring if I

to

go and

see

would have gone through a On my return I was forced to it

thought

man's body.

admit that in his hands missile, as the

it

was a very powerful

arrow had entered a door with

such force that I could not extract

Turkish

bow

terial is

not of wood, but

is

it.

about three feet long

Before

together.

;

its

The ma-

a composition of

is

sinews and other elastic substances

combined

sat

it

is

curiously bent,

the

horns are turned outwards, in the direction opposite to that in which the

and

I

was curious to

the

is

to be used,

in consequence of this inversion of the arc,

spring, of course,

its

bow

instrument,

is

see for

just so

much

the greater.

manner of bending such was its apparent his

MEMOIRS OF

10

was persuaded an untaught Hercules could not have adjusted the string intractability, that I

to

its

The bow was put across his with the string before him he then

place.

shoulders,

:

brought up his knees in such a position be embraced by the

string, and, pressing

them

forward, employed

as to

them most

as a lever, the

human body bow to bend to

powerful perhaps which the nishes, so as to force the string.

Even

in

this

manner

it

require a great exertion to adjust length,

by a sudden

chuck into

jerk,

fur-

the

seemed to it

;

but at

the string came

its place.

If I were called

upon

to give an opinion of

the character of the Greeks in general, I should say that they are vain, petulant, and witty civil

and fawning, hospitable,

sanguinary.

Such, in so

irreligious,

many

words,

result of a pretty close observation of

a good

many

years

;

and

is

them

;

and the for

I believe that it is

some measure confirmed by the writings of their oldest and greatest poet, as well as in the

in

biographical productions of one

be considered as

less

who

cannot

than the friend of their

Silt

Homer and

If

country.

JAMES CAMPBELL.

Plutarch have ac-

knowledged some dark shades character, I shall not be less friendly in

with

whom

fine arts

in

thought

the Greek less just,

or

observations, because I have

my

not been able to close faults in the

11

my eyes

to

some grievous

manners and habits of a people our

of taste in the

earliest ideas

and gallantry

timately associated.

in the field are so in-

With

all

their faults they

are a very agreeable people to live with, they

are always ready to

oblige,

and

in their en-

tertainments they affect a great deal of show

and splendour. population

The lower

affect,

classes of the rural

and perhaps, sometimes

feel,

a strong attachment to their superiors, and they are uniformly profuse in their professions of

gratitude for any favour which

may be done

to them.

The manners

of the female population of

the Seven Islands are a singular the Venetian and the Turkish

;

compound of

married ladies

allow themselves to be sometimes seen by the

male

visitors of their

husbands, but that part

of the mansion which

is

appropriated to the

MEMOIRS OF

women

of the family

is

never seen by strangers.

Ladies of the better ranks

are,

I

believe, in

exemplary in their attention to the

general

domestic virtues

;

with great

and seldom or never change

care,

they govern their families

The

their servants.

children, as soon as they

complete their seventh year, are sent for their education to public seminaries of learning, and

when they return, are never seen by any but their own sex until the day of their A widow generally retires to a conmarriage. the

girls,

vent,

where she enjoys the utmost freedom

mode

to her

of

life,

as often as she will,

going out and returning

and

at all times enjoying

the various society of the convent state of a

widow

enviable condition

As men

in

is

The

itself.

thus comparatively a very

among

some other

as

the Greek ladies.

countries, the

Greek wo-

are married at a very early age,

seldom happens that the bride

is

seen

and

it

by the

bridegroom until they meet for the performance of the marriage ceremony.

This perhaps would

be best illustrated by one of the numerous stances

which

I

in-

had an opportunity of witness-

SIR

A

ing.

mined

JAMES CAMPBELL.

13

gentleman of some fortune had deter-

to marry,

and having heard through the

usual channel of some married female friend, that a

young

lady, with

whose family he was

disposed to connect himself, possessed the qua-

which he thought desirable in a wife, such that she was handsome, well bred, and of a

lities

as,

good temper, he made the parents.

When

were completed,

it

his proposals in

form to

the necessary negotiations

only remained to

fix

the

day and to invite the company to the wedding. When we were all assembled in expectation of the appearance of the bride, and had waited for her

with some degree of impatience, the

bridegroom arrived in great haste, on the supand never position that he had been too late ;

having seen the lady, he walked directly up to the head of the apartment, where two ladies,

one of them a young married woman, were

and supposing, from her situation near to one of his own relatives, that she had been the

seated

bride,

;

he approached her with great empresse-

ment, and deposited the marriage presents in

her lap.

MEMOIRS OF

14

To

his great mortification, as she

was a very

handsome young woman, she returned them to him, observing, that she was not the happy person.

At

this intimation

he seemed a good

but the bride being just then announced, all eyes were turned upon her as deal

startled,

she walked

up with great dignity

As

of the apartment.

the bridegroom went

her

veil,

to the head

soon as she was seated, to her,

up

and taking

put the presents into her

lap, as

off

the

Unfortunately, the coun-

ceremony required.

tenance was quite a contrast to the other,

seemed to be the plainest Never, perhaps, was a

taken by surprise

;

it

I

had ever

man more

was

it

seen.

completely

clear that, as to her

he had been grossly deceived, and he gave expression to his feelings a la Grec, face at least,

without any attempt at disguising them, walking about the room in a state of the greatest perturbation, and never even approaching the bride, less

who was

thus left in a predicament not

awkward than

his.

ceeded, notwithstanding.

The ceremony

pro-

I do not pretend to

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

remember the

details,

but

it

15

was followed by

music, dancing, and a supper.

The

ceremony of baptism, like that of marriage, is attended with a great variety of forms, ber,

some of which

I

have reason to remem-

from an incident which occurred

at a chris-

tening at which I had been asked to officiate as godfather.

In the middle of the room where

the ceremony was to be performed, there was

placed a basin of water of very large dimensions,

round which the company, led by the priest, walked seven times in procession, chanting

hymns

all

the while, and stopping at each round

to hear a short prayer

and to drink hippocras, or

other liquor peculiar to the ceremony, the

name

of which I forget.

All this time the child was lying as naked as

was born, in a napkin, two ends of which were tied round my waist, and the other two it was

it

necessary to support with

my

hands.

At

the

seventh round, a long prayer was said by the priest or bishop

the child from

who

officiated.

me and immersed

He it

then took

three times

MEMOIRS OF

16 in the font,

its

keeping

water that I thought

Replacing

it

course of

its

he made sundry

and concluded the ceremony with

another long prayer relief,

in danger of drowning.

in the napkin,

genuflections,

great

it

head so long under

when

;

the nurse, to

took the child from me,

as,

my

in the

entrance into the pale of the church,

had completely ruined a very handsome uniform which I wore on the occasion. To this

it

annoyance was added a

my

sponsorial

duties

civil

suggestion that

included a gratuity to

the nurse, and a present to the priest and his assistants, corresponding, I suppose, to

might entertain either of my own. I

The Greeks seem stinctive

and

They cannot bear

emblems of

to look

upon a

their funerals are not attended

relatives or friends. is

dignity or

to entertain a sort of in-

horror of the ordinary

mortality. corpse,

his

the sense

Under every church

by

there

a great vault for the reception of dead bodies,

and the opening to

it,

after every funeral,

is

covered up as closely as possible, the interstices

between the stones being

filled

up with geesh,

a

Sill

JAMES CAMPBELL.

and forming a

sort of lime of the finest quality,

cement

like

wax, well suited to the purpose.

Before the interment, the body a bier, over

which the

when

is

out upon

laid

priests in attendance con-

psalms and to pray until mid-

tinue to sing night,

17

it

is

carried

the opening of this

by the attendants

to

charnel-house,

frightful

and thrown among the general mass of mortality.

After the Commander-in-chief had gone to

Egypt, I had seldom an opportunity of communicating with him, or of receiving fresh instructions,

but I had ultimately the

tion to learn, that all that I

had done

government of the Islands was sonance

with his

own

I

make

con-

met with

was enabled

also to

these islands of use to his Majesty's other

possessions in

the Mediterranean.

particular stood in great fact

in the

strictly in

views, and

his entire approbation.

satisfac-

want of fire-wood, a

which was communicated to

neral Pigott, the Governor.

I lost

supplying his wants, and besides fire-wood,

VOL,

II.

I

sent

Malta in

me by Geno time

many

in

loads of

a considerable quantity of

C

MEMOIRS OF

18

another species of fuel which was probably to him.

It

was no other than the

new

stones, or

bones, as they are called, of the olive, after the

expression of the

and

fuel,

It is a favourite

oil.

for various

greatly preferable

to

kind of

culinary purposes

even to

or

fire-wood,

it is

charcoal.

Currants are the staple of Zante, as

oil is

These two are the principal of the Seven Islands, and the difference of climate

of Corfu.

between them

is

so mild as to produce all the tropical

Zante

is

fruits,

such as oranges, lemons,

figs,

yans, while at Corfu not one of

This

raised.

That of

very remarkable.

is said,

and

and ban-

them can be

I believe

it,

to arise

from the vicinity of Corfu to the high and cold mountains of Thessaly and Albania.

Wine in

made

Zante of good quality, and very considerable quantities, but none what-

ever

is

is

name

in

produced in Corfu.

its

to the great staple of Zante, from its

being the place which grape which

The

Corinth gives

we

call

first

exported the small

the currant.

mildness of the climate

is

exemplified

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

in rather a peculiar manner,

19

by the contrivance

which has been adopted for the detection of depredation on the fruit in the process of drying.

The

tities,

exposed to the influence of the sun, and

a cloth

name

currants are laid out in large quan-

laid over

is

them, out of which the

of the proprietor has previously been cut

in large

and

The name

legible characters.

then dusted over with

flour, so

imprinted on the currants

withdrawn, and

I hold

it

as to leave it

when

the cloth

precaution

safeguard for so

is

much

is

to be complimen-

when such

tary to the morals of the people, trifling

is

considered

a

a sufficient

The

valuable property.

stalks are carefully picked off before the cur-

rants are packed

up

for exportation,

and

it is

probably in the procees of drying that they receive the sandy particles which give so

much

trouble to our cooks.

The Seven

Islands are not

by any means

plentifully

supplied with game.

enjoyment

for

the

sportsman

Barbary pigeon, which arrives

numbers

at a certain period of

is

in

The

chief

the

small

incredible

the summer.

MEMOIRS OF

20

Birds of passage, in general, are supposed to

take their flight and to arrive in the last

and

first

instance in a vertical direction, darting

right

up

into the

so as to afford

place from

air,

no

and descending from

it

definite indication of the

whence they have come, or whi-

The

ther they are bound.

which make

flights of

pigeons

their periodical appearance

on the

Ionian Islands, arrive with a rushing noise like

when

a rocket, and the sportsmen, at the time

they are expected, conceal themselves in huts until their actual arrival.

As

soon as the cloud makes

the sportsmen get out and general mass, killing

cannot

appearance,

away at the such numbers that they

be counted.

They

come from the African

coast,

fire

are supposed

and

must be amazingly rapid, excellent condition and very

flight

in

its

if so,

as fat.

to

their

they arrive It

is

cer-

they come from a country produced, as I had an opportu-

tain, at least, that

where gold

is

nity of proving

remarked that of sand

by personal observation. I numbers of them had particles

sticking

to

their

feet,

which

were

SIR

sometimes I

JAMES CAMPBELL.

pellucid and

had some of

this

21

generally glittering.

sand collected, spread upon

when

paper and carefully analysed,

I

ascer-

tained that the result produced a considerable

proportion of gold.

Birds of passage probably

drink immediately before setting out on their migration, and the aureous particles were pro-

bably brought

down by some

stream which

must have passed through a country impregnated with the metal which is the object of This

such universal pursuit. ing

is

Islands.

shoot-

pigeon

only to be had on the coast

The sportsman

gets out

soon after day-break, and

may have

constant

work

if

of the

of his hut

so disposed, he

for the

whole

fore-

noon.

The Greek

Islands,

and indeed,

the Is-

all

lands in the Mediterranean, have their houses

near the coast strongly

fortified,

very

much

like those ancient habitations of the Scottish

gentry called Peels, of which so are

still

used by people of coast,

These

to be seen.

from the

fear

all

many

fortified

remains

houses are

ranks, residing near the

which

is

entertained of the

MEMOIRS OF Barbary Sardinia, beinsj o

When

corsairs.

I

I

was

at

one time in

remember two hundred people from a small island on the

carried off

coast in a single night.

When

the

affairs

been settled to

my

of Zante and Corfu had

satisfaction, I

made

a pro-

gress to all the other Islands, but with

had comparatively Santa Maura

is

little

is

trouble.

situated so very near to the

coast of Asia Minor, nel

them

and the intervening chan-

so shallow in this tideless sea, that the

inhabitants had frequently alarm, lest they

communicated

their

should be attacked by the

unruly population of the adjacent continent,

through the caprice of their extraordinary chief Ali Pasha. In former times, a castle had been *

built for the protection of the strait, still

which was

capable of repair, and the people were very

desirous that I should

come

to see

it,

in the

hope that I might be induced to make for the reception of a garrison.

Santa it

Maura

is

it fit

The town

of

singularly situated, the half of

being built on

piles, so

as to

water flowing under the houses.

admit of the In the neigh-

SIR

bourhood

JAMES CAMPBELL.

the rock from which Sappho took

is

her celebrated leap. I leave if

he will on the following little

told

the

The I

the reader to generalize and moralize

me by

tale,

which was

a lady at the table of a family of

note in the Island of Santa Maura.

first

conversation having turned on jealousy,

was told that the master of the house had

formed an unwarrantable attachment sin of his

own, and that

his wife,

for a cou-

on discovering

had invited the lady to pay her a visit. " fair informant thus ended her statement, it,

My

We

poisoned her, and afterwards we were very " Era envelenato e doppo a state happy."

molto I

felice

had

!"

several times occasion to visit the coast

of that part of the continent, which

Turkey

in Europe.

The towns

is

called

in general

may

be said to consist of independent communities, as they are all strongly fortified, and did not

acknowledge subjection to Ali Pasha, of whose

power they were very jealous. them, the Souliotes came to

gunpowder

;

and

as I

The

me

bravest of

begging for

had instructions to look

MEMOIRS OF

24 Ali, I

after

thought

it

my

duty to supply

them, as they would be a thorn in his

side,

and might probably find him employment in his

own

territories.

Albania, Thessaly, and Macedonia, indeed the whole country, from the Bocca de Catera to the

upper parts of the Adriatic, has great

natural capabilities for defence so

the surface

;

mountainous and unequal,

as

to

make

is it

impossible to transport any kind of artillery.

The

had long sustained themselves against Ali Pasha, and with the assistance Souliotes

which their

was able to render them, joined to great natural advantages, they were able I

to put all his

When

power at defiance. the French General Lauriston, who,

by the way, was grandson

to the celebrated

Law, of Lauriston, who imagined the famous South Sea bubble, and the Mississippi scheme, made a descent on this coast, he found the same difficulty

with others in transporting his can-

non, and was ultimately obliged to abandon the attempt.

General Lauriston

an excellent

officer,

is

well

known

as

but he was also a good and

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

25

times anxious to serve

kind-hearted man, at

all

the English, and

more the Scotch.

still

When

afterwards a prisoner of war in France, I applied through

him

for leave to

I have reason to believe that

be exchanged.

he did what he

could to forward an object in which I had so

deep an

interest,

but

his efforts

were

finally

unsuccessful in consequence, as he explained to me, of

gineer

;

my

education, and services as an en-

which Bonaparte did to be exchanged, from the supposed

a species of force

not suffer

superiority of the

num-

in

compared with the English.

bers, as

The

French engineers

inhabitants of these mountainous regions

are in general of a fierce

and violent

disposition,

but quarrelsome and disunited among themIf they were

selves.

somewhat more

the strength of their country

them

far

The

principal towns are situated

and the character of

on the

coast,

tion

much more

ture.

such as to place

above the need of being subservient

to strangers.

is

is

civilized,

their popula-

gentle and pacific in

its

Ragusa, for instance, which was

merly an independent

republic, but

is

nafor-

now

MEMOIRS OF

26

absorbed in the Austrian dominions, although in apparent amity with the Montenegrians, or

Black Mountain people of the vicinity,

accustomed to repose

good

of

faith

its

much

is

not

confidence in the

neighbours.

The market-

where the towns-people and the Montenegrians meet for the purposes of traffic, is situplace,

ated outside the walls, so as to be

commanded

by the guns of the two

which over-

bastions,

look the esplanade, and the distrust of the people of Ragusa their Black

covered

is

such, that they will not permit

Mountain

way with

friends to approach the

the goods which they bring

for sale.

I

had a corps of these Montenegrians, and

another of Souliotes, per management, to

worthy

soldiers.

ed, however,

we is,

with

whom

I found, with pro-

make very good and

trust-

They must not be confoundwhich

soldiers in the sense

are accustomed to apply to the term, that

with

men who have

sions to will,

relinquished

all

preten-

and who are considered the more

valuable, in proportion as they approach in re-

semblance to a piece of mere mechanism.

The

SIR

Montenegrian

who

hands, rior, it,

JAMES CAMPBELL.

soldier

is

a

27

man with arms

in his

submits to the orders of his supe-

not because he feels himself bound to do

but because he

is

so

Coercion

inclined.

must not even be attempted with them, and the infliction of corporal punishment on the meanest of the race would be speedily followed with the most signal and unhesitating vengeance.

may, perhaps, have been discovered

It

in the course of these pages, that

has always savoured of osity,

which, joined to

light troops,

my

temper

warmth and impetu-

my

long service in the

made the command of

these dar-

ing and uncultivated mountaineers more easy to

me

dier,

might have been or a wiser man. than

it

Such was

my

confidence in them, that I had

constantly three or four of

immediate attendance on guard, and I

to a better sol-

am

my me

mountaineers in as

death in rare

among

and resolute

would have induced them

my

personal

persuaded that their strong

sense of duty, joined to their rude disposition,

a

defence. soldiers,

They had

to

go to

a virtue very

of the strictest sobriety,

MEMOIRS OF

28

and indeed they are the only troops served with I

who

never drank.

As

it,

and

Deity in any form,

manner

if

it

ever

to religion,

do not remember to have observed the

est indication of

I

slight-

they did worship the

must have been

in a

singularly free from those ceremonious

observances which are so often a substitute for true devotion.

As

a farther illustration of the character of

these mountaineers, and of their superior fidelity

and

trust-worthiness, I

may mention what

place on the occasion of a Italians at Zante.

I

was

took

mutiny among

my

fully persuaded of the

necessity of checking the

symptoms of insuborof promptitude and firm-

by some act The mountaineers and Italians being both

dination ness.

on parade, I walked up to the ringleader of the mutiny, and seizing him by the collar, pushed

him suddenly among the Albanians, calling out to them at the same time, " Matzata quel birbante,"

"

Put the

scoundrel to death."

The

mountaineers had their arms raised to put the order in execution, but perceiving on the instant that

no attempt was to be made

at rescue

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

29

was spared the necessity for the effusion of blood, and afterwards found myself

or revenge, I

in safety to pardon the mutineer, although at

the

moment

of

my

interference the affair

somewhat of a threatening

I

aspect.

was

tainly the only individual within hearing

had cer-

who

understood a word of English, and I addressed the mountaineers in Italian, because diate object

those

was to make myself

who had countenanced

my

imme-

intelligible to

the prisoner's act

of insubordination.

After

I

had

retired for the night,

and was busi-

whose

ly occupied with writing, the Albanian,

immediate duty

my

person,

arms in

it

was to be

walked into

his hand,

my

in attendance

on

apartment with his

and addressing

me

with great

never attempt gravity, beseeched that I should to treat

any of

his

had acted to the are not Italians,

countrymen

in the

manner I

Italian in the morning.

he

said,

We

and are not to be

governed by intimidation. He concluded by assuring me that he spoke in this manner for the love he bore me, and from the fear

lest

on

any occasion I should hazard such an attempt

MEMOIRS OF

30

upon an Albanian and as a testimony of his to cross my thumbs, sincerity, he desired me ;

and with great solemnity he came to

kiss this

simple symbol of the cross.

At

another time, some symptoms of mutiny

appeared

among

the Albanians themselves.

1

have said that they were paid according to their individual merits, a higher rate being given to

the veteran soldier, and to the stout, well-armed

man, than to

others.

It

was understood among

them, from some indiscreet observation by one of the

members of the Presidency,

that

it

was

in contemplation to reduce or to equalize their

pay, measures which would have been resented as equally

those at

an insult and a breach of faith by

whom

they were likely to

affect.

I

was

one time seriously apprehensive that they

would have

upon the Presidency and plundered the town, but by assuring them after their

own

risen

fashion that their customs

would be

respec-

and that they would be severally paid according to the rates for which they had indi-

ted,

vidually bargained with their

own

captains, I

succeeded in restoring order and confidence

among this peculiarly constituted body of troops.

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

CHAPTER

31

II.

Fortification of the Island of Zante.

Affair of Egypt.

Sin-

Spirited conduct.

Duke Andrea de

Doria.

gular visitors.

Lord Elgin.

dress to the President. island.

The

Vernal season.

Cypriots.

power.

Excessive draught.

Jealous character.

Curious instance.

to cross the Desert.

rations.

A

Aspect of the

Sail for Cyprus.

Latikea in an Arab vessel.

van

Ad-

Leave the Presidency of the Islands.

-

Fertility.

Effects of arbitrary

Turkish costume. Tradition.

The Arabs.

The English Consul.

Wait

Sail for

Travellers.

The Bashaw.

for

a cara-

Prepa-

A

firman.

Maronite Christian. *h

IN obedience

me by Lord of

my

Nelson, I had occupied a great part

time in fortifying the harbour of Zante,

and putting this

to the orders originally given

it

in a defensible condition.

purpose I had constructed a

fortress,

For and

erected several batteries, one of which was situ-

ated so as to

command

the usual and most con*

MEMOIRS or

32

venient point in the bay for embarking supplies

of

wood and

thus been

when

Before the harbour had

water.

fortified,

and previous to the period

the protection of Great Britain had been

extended to these exposed to the

islands, the

visits

bay of Zante was

of every passing cruizer,

for the purpose of obtaining supplies of

wood

and water, which were often taken without the

ceremony of asking

leave.

During the affair of Egypt, two Salletine rovers made their appearance in the bay, and sent two officers ashore with the rank of Sikh and Keis, to

desire

might be sent

to them.

been excited in

my

visitors,

that the

my mind

Some

usual supplies suspicion

had

as to the quality of

and I desired to have an interview

with them in the apartment of the Lazaretto constructed for the purposes of oral intercourse

between persons under quarantine public at large.

I inquired if they

and the had any

one on board the two ships but their ordinary crews, to which they answered in the negative* I then

mentioned that

I could not spare

them

the use of boats and water-casks from the shore,

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

33

an accommodation which such vessels were ac-

customed to enforce before the Islands had enjoyed the protection of the British flag said, that if

;

but I

they chose to warp their vessels to

the point alluded to, which was within point-

blank distance of

battery of long thirty-

my

twos, their wants might be easily supplied.

This arrangement was agreed early

to,

and

at

an

hour on the following morning a person

was brought to me who had made his escape from one of the rovers during the night by dropping overboard and swimming ashore.

He

proved to be a Frenchman, whose object was to ask the assistance of the British Governor in obtaining the liberation of forty-five prisoners, chiefly

Frenchmen and

Italians,

whom

he de-

scribed as in close confinement on board the ships in the harbour.

made

prisoners

They had been

by the English

in

two

originally

Egypt, and

had been re-taken by the rovers in a neutral vessel on their return. They were naturally apprehensive of being either carried into

sla-

very, or at least of being detained for the sake

of extorting from

VOL.

II.

them exorbitant ransoms.

D

MEMOIRS OF

34 ,

As

soon as I heard that the two

had returned to

officers

commanding the Lazaretto, I went

meet them with a very strong guard, and renewed my conversation with them in

there to

such a manner as to leave them in ignorance of the discovery I had made.

In the course of

the previous night I had also taken care that several vessels

which lay between the rovers

and the battery, should be hauled

astern, so as

to be out of the range of the shot. telling

them, that, as

I

began by the Island was now under

the protection of Great Britain, they could not

have the supplies without paying for them. This produced some altercation, on which they proposed to return to their ships, but I observed that, before that could be permitted, I

had another matter to

settle

with them.

I

then made them aware that I was well acquainted with

all their

proceedings

;

and

as the

on board belonged to the English, I that they should be instantly restored

prisoners insisted

to me.

They and

persisted,

I then

however, in denying the

carried

them

fact,

into the battery to

SIR JAMES-

which

their vessels,

CAMPBELL.

now warped

35

into the water-

were exposed, and showed them the furnaces and the red-hot shot in readiness for ing-place,

They were

action.

sible of the

of course immediately sen-

nature of their situation

;

and

see-

ing the sort of person they had to deal with,

they made a virtue of necessity, and consented

A strong-built

to set their prisoners at liberty.

British frigate

might perhaps have

safely dis-

regarded such a threat as I held out to the

but they were

rovers,

their slender

and

fragile barks

speedily annihilated I

had thus the

shore,

aware that

would have been

by the red-hot

shot.

satisfaction of receiving

and providing individuals

forty-five

perfectly

on

for the

wants of some

the

French army,

of

them being gentlemen of very conrank. Among their number was the

several of siderable

Duke Andrea of high

The

de Doria, a Neapolitan nobleman

character

and distinguished descent.

fear of infection induced

me

to leave the

baggage of the liberated captives by way of douceur to the Turks, so that on their coming ashore they found themselves in want of every

D 2

MEMOIRS OF

36 thing

;

but I took care that they should be provided with

erally

Duke

and the and

all

that

lib-

they required,

de Doria, on behalf of himself

his fellow-captives,

gave

me

a draft for the

amount on the Marechal Lannes, then comopposite coast, which was

manding on the

afterwards duly honoured.

Before leaving the island, the gentlemen

whose

liberation I

had thus been the means of

achieving, were pleased to present

me

with an

which they spoke in very flattering terms of the service I had been able to render address, in

them in

;

and

I

have reason to believe that

it

was

consequence of the opportunity which I

took,

when

afterwards a prisoner of war, of

causing this address to be brought under the notice of the

Emperor Napoleon, that I ed so many marks of attention from members of the Imperial Government.

The

fortifications

were not completed

of which

I

receivseveral

have spoken

for less than 30,000/.

;

but

.

here, as in every instance

where

I

have had oc-

casion to superintend the expenditure of public

money,

I

made

it

a rule that a separate officer

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

37

should be appointed, whose business

make

it

was to

the disbursements, and keep the neces-

sary accounts

;

and

I refer to the archives of

the Presidency for the truth of what

I

have

said.

Soon

after the

Peace of Amiens in 1802,

received a letter from

Ambassador that, in

his

Lord Elgin, the

at Constantinople,

British

informing me,

consequence of the general pacification,

Majesty was to withdraw his protection

from the Ionian Republic, and to leave the habitants under their

On

I

own form

of government.

receiving this communication,

mained

for

me

to haul

lours wherever they

down

it

only re-

the English co-

had been hoisted,

withdraw myself from the

islands

my

my

departure, I thought

it

in-

;

arid to

but before

duty to prepare

a memorial, of which I sent duplicates to the

Commander-in-chief, and to the Secretary of

which apthe propriety and ad-

State, detailing a variety of reasons

peared to

me

to establish

vantage which would mutually result to Great Britain and to the Republic,

by the continu-

ance of his Majesty's protection.

And

it is

MEMOIRS OF

38

very satisfactory to me, that the reasons which I then submitted to the Government, have

by the keeping of Malta,

since been acted on, as well as

by the renewal of the

British protec-

tion to the Ionian islands.

When I finally took leave of the Presidency, I received a statement from them, also in the form

of an address, expressive of their regret at the resolution of his Majesty's

Government, and

assigning a variety of additional reasons their connection P

why

with Great Britain should be

allowed to continue.

They

offered to

pay the

whole expenses of the Government, and to have dealings with no other country but this, provided only that they enjoyed the protection of the British

They concluded

flag.

dress in terms of personal civility to

ing

me

of their regret at

my

their ad-

me, assur-

departure,

and of

the peace and happiness which the islands had

experienced under

my

administration of the

laws, according to the benign principles of the

British Constitution.

At

the same time they presented

me

with a

sword and cane, both mounted with gold, the

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

39

value of which, although inconsiderable in

itself,

was greatly enhanced by the expressions of attachment with which the gift was accompanied, as well as

by the circumstance of the presents being exact fac-similes of those which the Presidency had previously given to Lord Nelson. Unfortunately I

lost

them

when

both,

wards taken prisoner by the French. " :

The

in-

on the sword was to the following

scription effect

after-

The Presidency

public to His Excellency

of the Ionian Re-

James Callander, Ba-

ron of Craigforth, and Commander-in-chief of the Forces of the Republic."

After I had thus restored the

command

the Seven Islands, I began to consider

could best, or most usefully employ

time in a season of peace. a curiosity to see

I

resolved,

make

for

I

my own

Partly induced by

more of Eastern

and partly with a view to benefit which had not

how

of

countries,

my

health,

some time been very

robust,

before returning to England,

to

a journey into Syria, from which I was

not very far distant idea, the result

;

but when I adopted

this

which the journey was to have

MEMOIRS OF

40

on

my

stances

future interests, and the train of circum-

which arose out of

never present to

At Zante

my

it,

were, of course,

thoughts.

engaged a trader to carry me to Cyprus, where 1 arrived after an expeditious and delightful voyage. Of a country so well

known

as

I

Cyprus, I shall be excused for sparing

The

the description.

most striking to a visitor is

circumstance which

is

stranger, particularly to a

from the cloudy regions of the North,

the great disadvantage which

they suffer

from the want of rain and moisture. course of

the

century there

last

continuous period of thirteen

In the

was one

years,

during

which the island never experienced the benefit of a single shower.

In the season of spring,

the country has, nevertheless,

a verdant

and

agreeable aspect,

and the heavy dews which

occasionally

in

fall,

general, produce at

that

delightful season of the year a most luxuriant

vegetation.

Indeed I

am

fully

persuaded, that

if

the

had the advantage of a government under which the inhabitants could be assured island

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

41

would reap the fruits of and enjoy even a moderate

that they

dustry,

personal

there

liberty,

duction which, with excessive drought,

produce.

But

is

all

it

scarcely

its

it

in-

share of

any pro-

disadvantages of

could not be

so long as

their

made

to

remains under the

yoke of Turkey, at least so long as it continues to be made the temporary patrimony of a

Capudan Pasha, who takes from the wretched inhabitants, not what they can spare, but what they have

in such a state of things it

wonderful that the

efforts

may

not

of industry should

be paralysed, since for the chief the slave there

is

as well as for

truly be said to be no to-

morrow. In saying that the island might be made to produce whatever

is

necessary for the use of

the inhabitants, I say no more than justified

by

its

now

perfectly

former productions, under a

better state of things. pital, is

is

Nicotia, its ancient ca-

a wretched place, nor

is

any thing to be found in it which may not be had at any of the villages. The place where the There principal trade is carried on is Larneca.

MEMOIRS or

42

some merchants

are suffered

to

become

rich

them

are

and even

opulent,

Cypriots.

In general, they are Jews from the

but none

of

Levant.

While in the least

remained at Larneca, I was lodged

I

house of a wealthy man,

suspected

to the Turkish

he carefully concealed his lineage

and the better to the

at

being a Jew, but as that

of

would have afforded a pretext authorities,

who was

effect that object,

I

;

found

dish produced at his table was a soup

first

the chief ingredient of which was the flesh of

an animal regarded

as

unclean by the law of

Moses.

Another dish was produced which could at least,

at

his

table,

not, in a moral or religious sense

be considered offensive to either Chris-

tian or Jew.

It consisted of ortolans, served

in great quantity in the oil in

The

preserved.

ortolan

is

so very rich as to

melt in the mouth like jelly for the first

the wine

time, with a

of the

exception of

all

island

which they are

;

and when eaten

due proportion of the richest without

the vinous tribe

it

generally

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

proves too

Such, at

retain.

on

much

my

for

any ordinary stomach to

least,

was the case with

acquaintance with

first

43

these luscious

condiments in too close a combination

became perfectly reconciled are

preserved in

after receiving as

many

years,

way

to

but

The

them.

which,

large jars,

of the birds as they

will contain, are then filled

in that

;

the influence of habit, I

afterwards, through

ortolans

me

up with

oil,

and

the ortolans will keep for several

being in general served up without any

culinary preparation. If the

women

of Cyprus are the descendants

of the Paphian damsels of old, they are sadly fallen off in

gant

their appearance.

women who now

the Jewesses.

My

reside

The most

ele-

on the island are

landlady was a descendant

of that persecuted race, and a very beautiful

woman, although addicted to fits of passion and violence which no provocation could jusShe suspected her husband of an intrigue with a female shopkeeper of the town and as

tify.

;

soon as she had satisfied herself of the truth of the report which had reached her ears, she

went

MEMOIRS OF

44 to the

woman, without saying

a

word

to her

husband or any one else, and having taken a dagger with her, she upbraided the woman with her

guilt,

to the heart.

and immediately stabbed her

This was probably in consonance

with the manners of the country, since no notice whatever was taken of ities

of the place.

at that the

It

women

is

of the native population, of

the race of peasantry at

and ill-favoured

by the authornot to be wondered it

in

least,

their

should be coarse

faces

and persons,

since they are compelled, as in other semibar-

barous nations, to the performance of labours of the

The

island

noxious

all

the

field.

abounds with serpents and other

animals,

arising

great scarcity of rain

;

probably from the

and to guard against

legs of the female peasants

their attacks, the

are universally cased in boots,

which are always

of a yellow colour.

The houses

of the Cypriots are built of

mixed with straw their

;

construction,

and from the

mud

carelessness of

they would look like so

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

heaps of mud,

many

if

windows, which are of

it

45

were not for the

glass.

The

houses of

the most respectable inhabitants are composed

of the same rude materials, in consequence of their apprehension of danger

The only

which are not uncommon. is,

that

from earthquakes,

the better sort of houses

and more commodious

;

difference

are larger

indeed some of them

are raised to a height of

two and even three

stories.

The

greatest

modicum of

liberty

to the merchants, because without erate degree of

is

accorded

some mod-

freedom they could not amass

the treasures out of which the Capudan Pasha is

accustomed to levy contributions at his plea-

sure

;

and

it

may be

permitted to observe that

the whole Government of the island presents

most hideous and revolting picture of the consequences which arise from the practice of a

arbitrary power.

Indeed, the only virtue of

which I could perceive any satisfactory evidence, was the habitual and pervading influence of

filial

piety, of

which

it

would be easy to

MEMOIRS OF

46

adduce a variety of remarkable instances. occurred to myself which struck

me

One

very for-

cibly.

A

Cypriot servant having committed some offence of a nature which called for the demonstration of

when

I

my

displeasure,

at a

moment

was out of doors with a gun

hand, I presented

it

in

my

to him, without of course

any other idea but that of intimidation, which was indeed completely verified. But such was the abject state of debasement to which he had

been reduced by long habits of bondage, and such the strong attachment which he bore to his parents, that in place sistance, as

of offering any re-

an English hind would have done,

he simply exclaimed in accents of the most perfect resignation to his fate

my

poor father and mother

man was

!"

" Alas

Yet

!

this

alas

!

very

from being destitute of a strong feeling of attachment to his superiors for, some far

;

time afterwards,

when about

to leave

me, he

threw himself on the ground, and kissed the

hem

of

my

garment, to testify his feelings of

regard and devotion.

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

those

By

who have

47

not been accustomed to

the use of the Turkish habit,

it is

generally

regarded as cumbersome and inconvenient

;

but

an experience of several years, I can only The Greeks, in say that I did not find it so. after

general, are not permitted to

wear the Turkish

but those engaged in merchandize have

dress,

found

it

their interest to purchase the privilege

from their Moslem masters. is

But no firman

them to wear the

ever given

turban, although

other Christians are not disturbed in the use

of

During

it.

tries,

I

my

residence in Turkish coun-

generally wore a white one, which in-

Those worn by the common people are red, and the descendants of Madicates rank.

homed

are distinguished

Some

idea

stuff

which

by

may be formed is

a green

turban.

of the quantity of

required in making even the

lower garments of the Turkish

dress,

when

I

mention that a Greek servant of mine had a complete suit made out of a single pair of breeches.

They

are so contrived as to include

and cover up the long

ment when

tails

of the upper gar-

occasion requires, as in travelling

;

MEMOIRS OF

48

and over the whole a large sash or shawl of

many

worn,

is

them of the most expensive

kinds.

After a short stay at Cyprus, I sailed for Latikea, the nearest point of the continental coast,

in a real

Arab

The crew

vessel.

consisted of

four or five Arabs, the Reis or master himself

and we made the voyage in safety, although there was not even a compass on board. The town of Latikea, which is known to have

being one

;

been the Laodicea of the ancients, able for the

is

remark-

numerous ruins which surround

and by which

it is

marked

as

having been

it,

for-

merly of very great extent. If tradition

may be

credited, the sea

must

have made considerable encroachments on part of the coast.

there

is

Among

other proofs of

precisely square,

This tower is

is

marble,

all

and arranged with the great-

est regularity, in the

it

it,

a singular square tower, built of alter-

nate blocks of white and black

but

this

manner of a chessboard.

at present

said to

surrounded by the

sea,

have formerly stood on dry

land, at a considerable distance

from the

shore.

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

The mortar employed the kind

still

in

its

49

construction

by the Moors, which

vised

so

is

of

com-

pletely identifies itself with the other materials,

that

it

is

easier to break

two

stones together,

than to separate them at the joints of the building.

This

is

strikingly exemplified in

some of

the ancient Moorish fortifications at Minorca,

where I have seen the whole

side of a castle

tumble down and remain unbroken.

Around the town

of Latikea the extensive

ruins are certainly of great antiquity, and

many

of them of very curious construction

but I

had not the necessary

;

leisure, nor, I fear,

any

portion of the antiquarian lore which was necessary for their examination with the care and at-

tention which they deserved. cicerone,

you employ a be a Greek or a Turk

he must either

and when you or stupendous,

;

arrive at it

is

If

any thing magnificent

ascribed

by the one

to the

influence of the Virgin Mary, and to

by the other the wonder-working hand of the Caliph Ha-

roun Alraschid. I

was detained

for

some time

at

Latikea

waiting for a caravan to cross the desert.

VOL,

II.

E

In

MEMOIRS OF

50 Syria the land

may be

said in

many

places to

a desert; not from any sterility in the is

soil,

be

which

almost every where composed of a remarka-

bly rich black loam, and in the early part of the

year

is

covered with verdure, but simply from

the want of inhabitants, or at least of any fixed or permanent population.

a country as

this, it is

In traversing such

necessary to assemble in

sufficient force to repel the attacks of ders.

The

quality of the

soil,

and

its

marau-

capability

of yielding a great variety of valuable productions,

joined to the extensive ruins which are

every where to be seen, impressed

me

strongly

with the conviction that in ancient times, when

among the inhabitants must have been much more popu-

Sylla raised his legions

of Syria,

it

lous than

it is

There

is

who make

at present.

a class of persons it

among

the Arabs

their business to supply the cara-

vans with camels for carrying the

travellers'

baggage and provisions. The person entrusted with the charge of the camels, and who is generally also their proprietor, is called the

Mockra

SIR JAMF.S

of the caravan. all

It

is

CAMPBELL.

51

his province to regulate

the details of the journey, the hour of start-

ing, the

time allowed for stoppages, &c.

of course an Arab, and

and trust-worthy. caravan son

is

is

generally

He

is

civil, sedate,

Before departing, the whole

mustered by the Mockra, each perasked whether he is a fighting man, is

and whether he

is

of defence, so that attacked he

supplied with the means if

the caravan should be

may know what he

has to depend

upon. It

is

usual on the day of departure to

but a short stage, and there to in order to collect as

many

make

rest for the night,

of the people as

may

not have been prepared for the journey at the

moment

of setting out, as well as to complete

the other arrangements, and put every thing in *

order.

The gentleman who at Latikea,

him-

1

acted as English Consul

was by birth an

received

many

Italian,

and from

flattering attentions.

I

with marked distinction by the Bashaw of the town, and indeed I generally

was

also treated

E 2

MEMOIRS OF

52

remarked that

Turks of respectable

all

who were accustomed gers,

were uniformly

A favourite

station,

to intercourse with stran-

civil

and attentive to them.

attendant of the Bashaw, not per-

haps exceeding twelve years of age, was

fre-

quently seen with a train of inferior domestics,

parading the streets of the town, distributing

alms to the people

known

;

and although the boy was

to be the son of a water-carrier, yet, in

consequence of the situation which he held in the family of the Bashaw, and which in colder

would no doubt be thought rather equivocal, he was uniformly treated with the climates

greatest deference

and respect by the populace

of Latikea.

On

the eve of

my

embarking

Latikea, an application was

at

made

Cyprus to

for

me by

person attired in European costume, and

a

who

spoke very good French and

Italian, for a pas-

sage to the continent in the

little

I

had engaged.

he afforded

Having agreed

me some

vessel

to carry him,

idea of the rapacity of the

government under which he

me

Arab

lived,

by asking

before landing to take charge of a group

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

53

of sequins which he had with him, amounting, perhaps, to five hundred, as he

would

certainly

be searched on his arrival and robbed of at least a part of his wealth,

I

while he

knew

that

should be protected from scrutiny or mal-

treatment by the firman which

I

had procured

from the Grand Seignor, by which the Turkish authorities were commanded to respect my person,

and expedite

my journey

in the territories

of the Porte. I consented to

take charge of the money,

and was surprised to find that he did not return for it for several days after our arrival at Latikea.

When

had some

he did make his appearance,

difficulty in recognizing

the change which he had

made on

I

him from his dress.

In place of the round hat and the close-cut coat of the European, he was now attired in the

little

red cap and the ordinary costume of the Greeks.

He

told

Latikea,

me

that his father was a merchant of

who had

and Marseilles, to

correspondents at Leghorn

whom

he had been sent for

the purpose of acquiring a more general

know-

ledge of business, and of enabling him to con-

MEMOIRS OF

54

duct the future correspondence of his father's

house in the languages of France and Italy,

with

which their chief intercourse was

car-

ried on.

After

all

the anxiety he discovered for the

money, he was not aware how near he was to the loss of life itself. Soon after his safety of his

visit to

me, he was seized with an

some suspected

illness

which

to be the plague, but as I

had

conceived a feeling of kindness for the young

went notwithstanding to see him, and found that he was considered in great danger.

man,

I

The

diseases of

warm

climates are in general

too violent to be of long continuance, and in fact the

young man died

before

my

departure

from Latikea.

The Mockra Arab by

birth,

of the caravan, although an

was a Maronite Christian of

the sect called Druses,

who

are supposed to

be named after the celebrated Count de Drus of the Crusades.

Yet, although himself pro-

fessing the Christian religion, for

it

was necessary

him, as the conductor of a Turkish ca-

ravan,

to observe

some of the ceremonies of

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

the Mosleman faith

;

and

I

may

55 observe

of

the Turks in general, that they are uniformly attentive

of their

and even scrupulous in the discharge Our journey from religious duties.

Latikea was accordingly commenced by the

Mockra's repetition of the morning prayer.

MEMOIRS OF

56

CHAPTER Description

Moral Phenomenon.

of Caftini.

Arab customs.

Mollahs and Missionaries.

An Adventure.

Female Curiosity. Its

to Aleppo.

Wealth

Curious

crous incident.

Houses, and climate of

The Rabbis.

Journey

Society and

Pleasant Ludi-

Delightful retreats.

The Porcupine. River, Aleppo. The modern race of fish.

Books of the Old Testament.

The Sheik.

Cara-

Dish of ceremony. Obligation Remarkable character. Fast of the Ramadan.

Payment

of an oath.

of dues.

Hospitable Robber. Architecture.

AFTER

Arab Tribes.

The Dutch Consul.

Jewish Opinions. vans.

Anecdote.

arid Magnificence.

Public Gardens.

Abraham.

Priests.

Residence at the British Consul's.

Ceremonies.

dilemma.

III.

Arab

girl.

Continue our route. Peculiar customs.

Styles of Travellers.

about three days travelling,

we

ar-

rived at a large village called Caftini, which

the

Mockra

there

told

me was

we remained

for

his native place,

three

or

four

and

days.

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

What

chiefly struck

sort of

moral phenomenon, of which

met with world

me

57

at this place, I

was a

have not

a parallel, either in books or in the

They had no

at large.

cognized form of religion, and lished law of the place, that

received or reit

was an estab-

no person should

be permitted to teach the forms or tenets of any faith whatever.

was induced to make some enquiry into the cause of so remarkable a regulation, and I

was informed that the inhabitants had been visited in

succession

by Catholic

priests,

by

Turkish mollahs, and by missionaries from the sects of the Maronites,

with such a

spirit

to overturn the

who had

inspired

them

of discord and dissension, as

good understanding which had

formerly existed

among

the different families

of the village, and even to excite feelings of bitterness

and

hostility

among

members of the same domestic

the individual

circle.

In consequence of these broils and

differences,

the elders of the town interfered for the pur-

and good-will pose of restoring the harmony which had previously

existed,

and to accom-

MEMOIRS OF

58

plish this object, they

adopted the extraordi-

nary resolution of banishing

all

the priests, mol-

and missionaries, including the teachers

lahs,

of religion of every denomination, and declar-

ing

it

penal for the future to attempt to

proselytes to

any

particular faith, or

make

by argu-

ments or otherwise to hold out inducements to others to change their religion.

No

indi-

vidual was to be prevented from holding any tenets he

might think

He

fit.

was only

for-

bidden to declare his sentiments to others, or to disturb the general peace

by any approach

This state of things had

religious controversy.

existed for thirty years before tini,

but

I

to

my

visit to

Caf-

have not since had the means of

forming myself whether

it

still

in-

continues, or

whether the Sultan permits such an anomaly to exist in the dominions of the Porte.

On

our approach to the place,

my

curiosity

was excited by the appearance of three large buildings, which at first I mistook for churches, but which

I

afterwards ascertained to be mere

pigeon-houses, erected on

dinary magnitude.

1

a scale of extraor-

was informed that

at

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

59

certain seasons of the year, the inhabitants of

town had no other food but pigeons and

the

when continued

which,

rice,

daily,

is,

I have

reason to believe, an insipid and even nauseous

The pigeon -houses

diet.

common

the

are

good of the town, and each family

receives a

daily allowance, corresponding to the

of

its

inmates.

The pigeons

number

are eaten during

a period of three months, immediately preced-

when

ing the time

the lambs come into season,

and during the remainder of the year the

in-

habitants subsist on the produce of their flocks,

which are very numerous and extensive.

Among

the Arabs, I think

I

have observed

that they uniformly abstain from the use of fish

;

indeed I have often been told that they to

are thought

be unwholesome, and in the

course of this journey

we

travelled for several

days along the banks of a dently abounded in disregarded

fish,

river,

which

evi-

but they were wholly

by the people of the

caravan.

At

the village of Caftini, a fish of any kind would

have been considered as antelopes

as a natural curiosity,

and other wild animals are

and rare,

MEMOIRS OF

60 they

may be

to

said

subsist

their sheep, their pigeons,

and

neighbourhood of Caftini

on

exclusively

The

their rice.

may

be said to be

a pastoral country, but the cultivation of their rice requires also the attention of the

husband-

man.

While the men the to

field,

the

engaged in the duties of

are

women

are left at

their domestic concerns

;

home to

but

attend

as in other

Eastern countries, they are so completely domesticated as to be seldom seen beyond the precincts of their

own dwellings, and never with-

out being so enveloped in their dress, as to it

make

impossible to recognize the person of your

nearest neighbour or relation.

passion which seems to be

But

curiosity

common

in every quarter of the world,

had a striking instance during

a

to the sex

and of

my

is

this I

short stay at

Caftini.

Each house of the town had an

closure of

its

in-

own, and opposite to that of the

Mockra's where I was lodged, I observed a

woman who eyed me curiosity, as I

with evident marks of

was placing a common bottle on

the window-sill of

my

apartment.

It struck

SIR

me

JAMES CAMPBELL.

that the bottle

and on holding

had been

it

might

up

right, she

61

to her be a novelty,

to ascertain if

my

guess

made me understand by

signs that she wished

me

this I readily agreed,

and she seemed to find

it

it

to her.

To in

an object of the greatest wonder and admira-

tion. it

to give

The Arabs in general would have thought

unclean from

its

having belonged to a Chris-

her case, curiosity got the better

tian, but, in

of prejudice, and she went into her house, as understood, to hide

it

I

there.

After leaving Caftini, I was induced on one occasion to ride out about a mile in advance of

I should have stated before, that

the caravan.

the

men

are

women on

all

asses;

mounted on horseback, the but so muffled up

as not

to allow themselves to be seen or recognized.

Finding myself alone in the midst of an extensive plain, I chanced to look about me, and found that a number of

my own

domestics were hastening after

they could.

me

immediate as fast as

I halted, of course, to ascertain

the cause of their haste and apparent anxiety,

when they pointed out

to

me

in the distance, at

MEMOIRS OF

62

the very verge of the horizon, four or five de-

who seemed to be dismount-

tached individuals,

ed and leading their horses. These persons were described to me as of the Courdine race of Arabs, whose trade

it is

watch the progress

to

of the caravans, and to look out for stragglers,

whom,

if

they are able to overpower, they never

The Courdines

and murder.

hesitate to rob

most dangerous of the Arab horse and arms would probably

are considered the tribes,

and

my

have presented a

sufficient

duce them to attack me, terrupted in

my

temptation to in-

had not been

in-

wanderings by the care of

my

if I

trusty followers.

When we

had approached within a day's journey of Aleppo, a gentleman came out to meet the caravan, dispatched by the European

me

that the Consuls

different States of

Europe, and the

residents, to

from the

announce to

other Christian inhabitants, were to be in wait-

ing at a church or monastery, about two miles

from Aleppo, to conduct

me

into the town.

This mark of respect was not peculiar in case,

but

is,

I

my

understood, pretty generally

SIR

paid by

all

any respectable member of

community of and to

policy,

63

the European inhabitants, without

distinction, to

great

JAMES CAMPBELL.

nations,

this

from motives of

inspire the natives with an idea

of their union, and with a respect for the Christian

body

The

in general.

arrival of a

occurrence, and

is

European

is

indeed a rare

consequently regarded as a

circumstance of note.

When we

approached the

monastery, I rode out with the gentleman

had come

me

who

as the

deputy of the general body of Europeans, and found a great cavalcade to

of at least an hundred persons, arranged in processional order, to conduct

When we

me

into the town.

were about to join them, the whole

body dismounted, and English Consul, for

was presented by the whom I had the necessary I

introductions, to the other

European Consuls,

and to the chief of those who composed the Christian cavalcade.

Eastern custom,

on the

spot,

we

In compliance with an first

coffee,

prepared

then smoked a pipe, and after-

wards proceeded to the

we

took

city.

In our progress

passed a kiosk which looked very handsome,

MEMOIRS OF

64

and on enquiring to whom it belonged, I was told it was the summer-house of the Pasha of Aleppo,

who had come

out with his

women

to

see the procession.

Aleppo may be considered porium of the

as the great

the East.

of

interior

em-

It

is

singularly situated on a river which rises out

of the sands of the desert, and again loses itself in a sort of

or marsh, a

few miles below

the

population

is

swamp town. The

300,000 souls, of

Turks

;

whom

and Aleppo

is

estimated at

the great majority are

chosen as a favourite

place of residence for people of rank and opulence, not

merely from

but from

its

great distance from

empire, which brings tice,

them

or the caprice, of

ment. ituated

an

less

must have been

it,

and gives

the seat of

under the no-

arbitrary

The ground on which

oasis in the desert.

through

natural advantages,

its

govern-

the town

is

originally a sort of

The stream which it all its

value and

passes all its

and bright, and its banks are ornamented with gardens and shady groves,

beauty,

is

clear

JAMES CAMPBELL.

65

the

respectable

number of wealthy

individuals

SIR

which are

to

open

always

inhabitants.

From

the

town has acquired an air of grandeur and magnificence which readily recalls the idea we are so apt to form of Oriental residing in Aleppo, the

but in consequence of the grave and solemn deportment by which the Turks splendour;

are so

much

distinguished, there

is

nothing like

gaiety to be seen in the very limited inter-

course which the native inhabitants maintain

with one another.

The

visits

of the

men

take

place so seldom, that they can only be considered as meetings of ceremony.

indeed, with the

women

;

It

is

different

but when a lady

proposes to pay a visit to a female friend, is

it

necessary to announce her intention on the

of the house and previous day, that the master all the male inmates of the family may be out of the way.

When

the lady sets out to pay

the visit which she has previously announced,

with a preceded by her janizary, who, stick shod with iron, presents himself at your she

is

VOL.

II.

F

MEMOIRS OF

66

and gives three or four knocks on the

door,

opposite pavement, as a renewal of the notice to the

male part of the family to

During

retire.

stay at Aleppo, I resided in the

my

house of the British Consul, who, although an

Englishman by

He

the country. to me,

and

under

his roof.

had married a native of

hirth,

was very

civil

and attentive

I enjoyed a great deal of comfort

On

one occasion, however,

I

subjected myself, from the impulse of a par-

donable curiosity, to rather an irksome degree of restraint, in consequence of the announce-

ment of

a visit to the Consul's lady from the

daughter of the Pasha.

I asked leave to retire

to the roof of the house, in the hopes of seeing

the fair visitor and her train of attendants, in the course of the perambulation which I understood they were accustomed to all

make through

the corners of the mansion.

was previously warned, indeed, that

I

if I

chose to adopt this resolution, I must content

myself to remain on the roof during the whole course of the

but

I

however long it might last, did not reckon on its continuing,

visit,

certainly

JAMES CAMPBELL.

67

as it did, for three or four hours.

The only

SIR

place where I could find a peep-hole

was over

the cooking-apartments, and there I had an

opportunity of seeing that the young lady was

about eighteen years of age, and rather goodlooking, but certainly not

handsome. attired,

what we should

call

She was elegantly and very richly

and discovered the greatest curiosity

in

inquiring into the use of every thing she saw.

In conformity with the customs of the country, the lady of the mansion had prepared a repast for the entertainment of her visitor, consisting

principally of fruits

invited several

honour to the

On

and sweetmeats, and had

of her female

visit

friends

to

do

of so distinguished a guest.

leaving the house, she distributed presents

of considerable value

among

the female inmates

of the family, in conformity with a custom

which seems to be universal tries

in Eastern coun-

of the perpetual interchange of presents.

In this instance they were estimated to amount to above 200/. in value.

At

length, to

my

unspeakable

satisfaction, I

received the announcement that I was at liberty

F 2

MEMOIRS OF

68

to return to the shelter of the house

from the

scorching heat of the sun, which in such a tuation was

be

much more

appreciated

si-

intense than can well

by the

inhabitants

of

our

northern latitudes.

The

public gardens in the neighbourhood of

Aleppo have not much resemblance to what

by the name which I have applied to them for want of a better. The river of Aleppo, which is here about

we

are accustomed to distinguish

and seven or eight feet deep, passes through these gardens, which makes them comparatively cool and pleasant. thirty or forty feet broad,

They

are besides plentifully stocked with fruit

trees

and other shady and ornamental

plants,

and there are houses scattered through them which may be taken by families or individuals for the season.

As I have already said,

the gardens themselves

are open to every body,

and there the Turks,

both male and female, are seen to resort in groups or parties, each in general consisting of a single family.

They bring

carpets with

them

to

sit

upon, and refreshments wherewithal to enjoy

SIR

themselves

JAMES CAMPBELL.

coffee, sherbet,

particularly the first

and

6*9

and tobacco

last,

these,

being the prevail-

ing and indispensable ingredients at every Turkish entertainment,

and indeed

at almost every

interview where Turks are present.

dens

may be

said to

These gar-

be almost a perpetual source

known

of enjoyment, as winter

is

Aleppo, and the cold

seldom so severe as to

is

scarcely

forbid the enjoyment of the open

at

air.

Scenes are constantly occurring which to a stranger at least are exceedingly pleasant it

may be

;

and

doubtful whether their enjoyment

would be increased even there were to oblige us

if

the ladies

who go

their faces.

by showing

I recollect an instance which struck

me

novelty as singularly ludicrous.

had gone to

I

from

its

the gardens with the family of the Consul, and after

we had

seated ourselves on our carpet,

there

came a

party, consisting obviously of a

Turkish gentleman, with two of their

attendants,

close beside us.

who

his

squatted

wives and

themselves

The gentleman was an

elderly

person, of rather a dignified deportment,

and

while the servants were making coffee for them,

MEMOIRS OF

70

the two ladies had a dispute, in which they

seemed to be both exceedingly noisy and

lo-

quacious.

At

length,

when they had

ceased to abuse

one another, the younger of the two turned to-

wards the gentleman, and began a volley of the

most opprobrious

epithets, stopping at the

end

of every sentence to ask the other lady for a corroboration of

what she had

said

;

elder of the two, although just before in so

warm

and the engaged

a controversy, never hesitated to

second what her younger neighbour advanced.

At

that time I was not sufficiently acquainted

with the language of the country to understand all

that was said, but I was informed

who were with me, two

ladies

by those

that the observations of the

were of a nature both singular and

provoking.

The Turk, however, maintained

his tacitur-

nity and composure, and after he had listened for at least an

hour to the tirade which was ad-

dressed to him, he got

up with

great delibera-

and observing that the coffee was very good, he walked quietly away, the ladies foltion,

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

71

lowing, and their attendants bringing up the

But although thus

rear.

patient with

women,

from a consideration probably of the inferiority in which they are held in the scale of inteUect, the Turks are far from being passive under any

thing like personal provocation.

It

is

probable,

on the contrary, that if a tythe of what was advanced by the two ladies had been hinted at by a person of his

own

sex, the result

would have

been extremely different.

In the river of Aleppo there

which

fish

I

which to me,

The head say,

the

is

at least,

tail is

flesh is

was new and anomalous.

is

but strange to

wanting, the ordinary length

being about a foot.

its

a species of

have never seen described, and

like that of a pike,

the porcupine

is

On

the banks of the river

found in great abundance, and

regarded by the inhabitants as a

very great luxury, an opinion in which I perfectly

disposed to concur.

weight of the porcupine

is

The

ordinary

from eight to ten

pounds, and the flesh eats very

you could suppose

am

it

much

like

larded with ba-

lamb,

if

con.

Its habitation is in holes of considerable

MEMOIRS OF

72

extent on the banks of the river, and

brought to market they cost

as

much

when

as half-a-

crown a pound.

The town

of Aleppo

been produced by

which

it

may

this extraordinary river,

certainly depends for

tence, receiving

be said to have

from

it as

it

on

present exis-

its

does a plentiful

supply of water, in a country where the value

common

of a

What

spring

a revolution

river were,

is

would

estimated so highly. it

make

if this little

by some convulsion of Nature,

to

alter its course, or to seek, as it does elsewhere,

some subterraneous channel. see an instance, of

more than one east,

which

We might

I think I have seen

parallel in other parts of the

of a town being deprived of

water,

and

then

left in its ruins as

a

its

supplies of

monument

of

the presence of a former race of inhabitants.

The houses with

of Aleppo are uniformly covered

flat roofs,

in the

open

air,

on which the inhabitants sleep

without other bed-clothes than

their ordinary garments. at all seasons of the

known, excepting

The

climate

year that

fires

is

such

are un-

for culinary purposes,

and

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

the houses in general are not even supplied

with chimnevs. /

Several of the European Consuls at Aleppo

were of the race of Abraham, and

at the house

particularly of the Austrian Consul,

by

who was

had frequent opportuof meeting with Jews of the highest

birth an Italian, I

nities

Pechotto himself, the Imperial

respectability.

Consul, was a most generous, benevolent, honest-hearted man, and

it

was

his ambition to

entertain those individuals of his nation ^

who

were most distinguished for their learning and With such persons I was someerudition. times induced to talk on the subject of those

books which

we

are accustomed to distinguish

by the name of the Old Testament, and if their account of the matter was to be adopted, they would cut

down our canon

of Scripture

to a very narrow compass.

The books

ascribed to their great lawgiver,

including the account of the creation, and, indeed,

all

the books professedly antecedent to

the Babylonish captivity, they reject as spurious, or at least, as not entitled to the character

MEMOIRS OF

74

which we

ascribe to

as

works of

inspi-

found these Rabbis in possession of

I

ration.

them

most of the Christian versions of the

Scriptures,

which, in general, they profess to regard as

conveying a poor and inadequate idea of the original, in so far as

they admitted the authen-

and genuineness of the text from which our versions are taken. So far as they allowed

ticity

the history of their nation to be authentic, they

held that

went no

it

farther

riod of the captivity, all their

back than the pe-

when they

conceive that

more ancient records were destroyed. wondered

Song of Solomon should be regarded by the Jews without any reference to the interpretation which is It

is riot

put upon admitted

to be

it it

by

all classes

at,

that the

of Christians

;

they

to be genuine, but denied that

it

was capable of an indirect or metaphorical construction.

As

to

the Apocryphal writings,

they regarded the three

first

books, together

with the wars of the Maccabees, canonical, at least, that they

ed

as faithful histories,

as

genuine and

were to be regard-

and not

as fanciful or

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

75

spurious, according to the opinion of

some of

our Christian writers.

When

I pointed out

book of Job, and

the passages in the

in the prophecies of Isaiah

and Jeremiah, which we consider

as applicable

to our Saviour, they of course denied the application,

and

impossible.

said the idea

The Messiah

was far-fetched and is

*

yet to come they

contended, and he will arrive at

last,

not of a

spurious race, or as a wandering mendicant.

I

record these statements as I heard them, and I pass

them by with the

single remark, that if

the individuals in question had given a different account of the matter, they

must have

ceased to be what they were, professors of the

Jewish tenets,

religion,

and

in

abandoning their own

must have become,

like myself, a Chris-

tian.

Dining one day with the Dutch Consul, I was surprised to observe the extraordinary marks of respect which were paid to a strangelooking little old man, who had joined us, and

who was

in rags. literally dressed

The

Consul,

MEMOIRS OF

76

whose

at

table

we were

seated, started

up on

and received him with the greatceremony but in compliance with a cus-

his entrance, est

tom

;

universal in the East, he abstained from

any enquiry

as to the nature of his business,

until after his guest had partaken of the hospi-

of his table, which

talities

is

held to constitute

A

a sacred guarantee of safety. afterwards, I was

still

more

little

while

surprised to notice

the extreme degree of deference which was

paid to the old

man by two

persons

who

en-

tered some time after, respectably attired, and

who

objected to be seated in the presence of

the old man, on tend,

whom

they appeared to

at-

do so by the

although requested to

Consul.

The

principal stranger

was represented to

me

as the Sheik, or Prince of a considerable territory

in

what

is

called the Desert, situated at

some dis-

tance from Aleppo ; and that it was a right claim-

ed by him, arising from inveterate usage, to exact a considerable contribution

van which might traverse direction.

from every

his territory in

In consideration of

cara-

any

this exaction, it

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

77

was understood that the caravan was to the protection of the Sheik

from any

entitled sort of

depredation within the limits of his principa-

and

lity,

in this respect the practice appears to

present a strong analogy to the ancient usage in Scotland, of levying

what was

called black

mail, with an understood condition of similar

protection.

was farther informed, that an instance had

I

occurred of a very strong caravan having at-

tempted to pass through the territory of the Sheik without the payment of his accustomed dues.

He

had

fallen

upon them with a strong

body of men, and levied the contribution

A great part

matter of right.

had belonged

to

as

a

of this caravan

the inhabitants of Aleppo,

who

were, of course, very

this

unceremonious attack oh their property,

under pretence of a

right,

much

incensed at

which they did not

recognize; as they held, that the long practice of

payment was only the price of protection from external aggression, and that it was not exigible

when they found

to protect themselves.

themselves strong enough

MEMOIRS OF

78

The appearance

of the Sheik in his present

tattered habiliments

was partly a

sort of incog-

and partly a tribute of deference to public opinion, and to the irritated feelings of the in-

nito,

habitants of Aleppo. his visit to the

The

professed object of

Dutch Consul was,

of the same idea, to borrow a

in pursuance

sum

of money,

although there was nominally a price set on his

head by the authorities of the

place,

and

was

I

given to understand that he would certainly be

accommodated with whatever he required. .

This incident presented so

my

to

much

of novelty

imagination, that I was curious to see

the issue, and having expressed

my

wishes on

the subject, the Consul was so good as to ask

me

to return next

morning

We

to breakfast.

then parted for the night, after saying the prayer of Asseras, or evening prayer of the Turks, in

which the Sheik appeared to join with the greatest fervour and devotion.

Next morning, in

was

at the ordinary hour, I

punctual attendance at the house of the

Dutch Consul, and found with more than ordinary

a repast served state.

In the

up

first

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

79

course was presented the regular dish of cere-

mony, which is a roasted lamb basted with honey, and I always found it extremely palaThe Consul informed me that he had table. transacted the Sheik's business for

him, and

had got him the sum he required but that he meant to remain for some days in the town for ;

*^

The Consul

the purpose of making purchases.

then invited

me

to return to dinner,

readily agreed to do,

from a wish

which

to see

of this singular character, and through

I

more

him of

acquiring a better knowledge of the manners

and habits of the people. Mr. Baxter, the English Consul, was one of the dinner-party ;

and, in the course of the evening, the Sheik invited us and several of the principal Christian inhabitants of

Aleppo who were present

entertainment, to to his living.

own

make an

territory,

at the

excursion with

and to see

his

him

mode

of

This proposal was particularly agreeable

to me,

and Mr. Baxter and several others very

readily

consented to undertake the journey,

and

for this purpose

we made

the necessary

preparations on the following day.

MEMOIRS OF

80

Here

I

may

mention, as an illustration of the

which

respect

paid in this country to the

is

obligation of an oath,

that the only security

required from the Sheik for the payment of the

money which had been advanced

to

him was,

that he should promise, and swear to the

ment of his promise,

money should be

that the

returned upon a certain day

it

ever,

be

will

;

seen

yet, strange to

From

were Jews.

say, the lenders

fulfil-

that

a

this,

how-

character for

honesty and integrity will be duly appreciated

even in the deserts of Arabia.

At the commencement

of our journey,

it

was

the fast of the Ramadan, the condition of which is

so strict

and

Mussulman

severe, that a true

will neither eat nor drink, nor even take his

pipe

till

after the

Sheik was a

going down of the sun.

strict

observer of fasts and cere-

monies, but in the religions, there

which

it is

observance.

The

Mahomedan

as in

other

appear to be loop-holes out of

possible to escape

He

was a man,

from

as it

their rigid

appeared to

me, on the borders of eighty years of age, and he rode as we did all day on horseback, but

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

81

i

without venturing to indulge, so

far as I could

observe, in the infringement of the abstinence

which the Ramadan required.

At

length,

when

the afternoon was pretty

well advanced, he began to

grow exceedingly

impatient, without however appearing fatigued

with the long journey repeatedly of

me and

we had made.

He asked

the other strangers around

him whether the sun was not already thpugh still

far

been

was obvious to every one that he was above the horizon but it seems to have it

;

sufficient

to

appease

his

scruple that any one should say to

sun was actually

set,

to the evidence of his

the

me

al-

set,

conscientious

him

that the

although in contradiction

own

senses.

Dutch Consul took me

Seeing

this,

and begged to try him when he should next ask the

question,

by giving him the answer which

was obvious he object, "

aside,

desired.

To

this

I did

it

not

and when he next repeated the inquiry,

Giaour,

is

the sun yet

down ?"

I

made

a

response in the true style of oriental ambiguity,

saying

"Sheik, a blind

a speck of the sun."

VOL,

II.

By G

man would this

not see

time his impa-

MEMOIRS OF

82 tience

had become

so great, that

he resolved

to content himself with this oracular sort of

answer, and exclaiming in a tone of appro" Ha, ha !" or yes, yes immediately bation, !

and began to smoke with greatest industry and perseverance.

called for his pipe the.

We continued fall,

until

we

our journey long after night-

arrived at a decent-looking village,

which I was told was the residence of a

cele-

brated chief, in some degree dependant on our friend the Sheik, and connected with his

Highness in those marauding expeditions which had given so

much

Aleppo.

The

offence to the inhabitants of

residence of this chief was to

be our station for the night, and the entertain-

ment he prepared

for

us was in

comfortable and agreeable. supper,

We

all

had a good

good beds, and the greatest

of our horses.

The wife

respects

care taken

of this robber, as

some of the gentlemen were disposed to call him, was a very handsome woman, and did not conceal her face with the same degree of care

which Turkish women usually

The

do.

higher classes of the Arab females are

Silt

JAMES CAMPBELL.

83

indeed equally observant of this custom with those of Turkey, but the lower ranks are not so scrupulous.

had

We

were told that our host

originally possessed himself of the village

which we passed the night by force of arms, arid that on the first attempt he had not been in

successful,

but such was

its

value as a watering

not far from the borders of the desert,

station,

that he had renewed the attack, and

had

suc-

ceeded in securing the possession of the place.

Such indeed was the force under the command of this person, that he had overpowered a ca-

ravan consisting of 4,000 persons, and exacted the full amount which was due to his superior chief.

These considerations did not hinder enjoying a sound night's

rest.

me

from

The whole

party had slept in the same apartment, and on

awaking struck

me

his face

The

in the morning, the first object

was the Sheik

towards the

distance

which

at his devotions

with

east.

we had completed on

the

first

day of our journey was at least seventy miles, and such are the habits of the horses of the

G

2

MEMOIRS OF

84

country, that they effected ease,

On

and without

it

with apparent

either eating or

drinking. to

make

a halt with our friend the robber, not so

much

the second day

we were induced

for the sake of refreshing the cattle, as to afford

us an opportunity of examining a remarkable ruin which was situated in the neighbourhood

of the village.

It

had been a Christian church,

of magnificent dimensions, and the cupola, with

many entire.

of the details of the tracery, was

Although a mixture of the

still

oriental

and gothic styles of architecture, the general effect was exceedingly good, and its erection may doubtless be dated as far back as the time of the Crusades.

The

climate

is

so perfectly

dry as to have scarcely had any influence on the materials of the building, which consisted

of a fine grey freestone, and even on the pieces

which had

fallen,

the carving was so sharp and

pointed, as to wear the appearance of the work-

manship of yesterday. Not far from the church were of a bath in tolerable preservation.

also the ruins

It appeared

to be of equal antiquity with the other build-

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR ing,

but

its

85

form was not materially

from the baths which are

different

in use in the

still

Close by these ruins there were se-

country.

which appeared to be inhabited, and was in the interior of the bath, a stout-

veral huts,

while I

looking girl came in with a herd of

cattle.

I

observed that she wore a large ring suspended over her

mouth and attached

to her nose, large

enough, indeed, to have enabled

through

had she been

it,

her

so disposed.

to eat -

It

was

probably the same sort of nose jewel which

gave so

much

offence to the prophet Isaiah.

In other respects the

much feet

girl

was dressed very

in the style of a Scotch peasant, with her

and

legs uncovered.

Her appearance being

strange to me, I gazed at her involuntarily

with more steadfastness than perhaps to have done,

serving

it,

ought

and one of the gentlemen ob-

very prudently cautioned

more upon

I

my

guard,

as

the

rally of a jealous disposition,

men

and

me

to be

are natu-

in such

mat-

ters rather sharp-sighted.

Of

course,

I

would not willingly offend

against the manners of any country through

MEMOTKS OF

86

which

I

turned

my

happened to

travel,

and immediately

attention to the examination of the

ruins which had brought I fear that

many

of

my

me

to the spot.

But

English countrymen

are not sufficiently attentive in this particular,

and that from an idea of the their

into

own

superiority, of

customs, or from some other cause

which I do not pretend to

inquire, they

are too apt to offend against the national pe-

of the foreigners with

culiarities

associate

whom

both at home and abroad.

they

In the

instance I have mentioned, such a degree of inattention

even

fatal,

might have proved dangerous and and it is surely not too great a li-

berty to direct their attention to a subject in

which

I

have often

felt that

racter

is

placed in a

much

than

it

really deserves.

our national cha-

less

favourable light

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

CHAPTER Tomb

of the Prophet Jeremiah.

The Templars

of old.

terns of Water.

87

IV.;,

Peculiar custom.

Wells.

Repositories for the dead.

Excavations.

Pigeon

Cis-

A

shooting.

merry Sheik. His wife and family. The encampment. Trades. Anecdote* Amusing characters. True hospitality.

Good manners.

merchant.

A

A

Admirable maxims.

pleasant dialogue.

Splendid dresses.

A

Striking incident.

The Pasha.

The

good paymaster.

Mode of life. Contending

tribes.

ladies' request.

Peculiar ideas.

Instance of courtesy.

Journey with the Sheik.

Return to Aleppo. Generosity of the Sheik. A tame hyaena,

Approach Antioch.

tailor.

mosques.

NEXT

The

Bazar.

The

Baths.

travelling

Eastern

Presents.

An Aleppo

beauty.

The

service.

day, in the course of our journey, a

heap of stones was pointed out to me, which by the traditions of the country, is said to have ?

been the tomb of the prophet Jeremiah.

It

was

MEMOIRS OF

88

arranged with a certain degree of regularity, the top being

flat,

and the base

and

parallelogram,

in the

form of a

was composed of rough

whole being above thirty feet high, feet broad, and one hundred feet long. In

stones, the fifty

compliance with the custom of the country, each one of us, although of various religious persuasions,

here I

added a stone to the heap.

And

again observe the similarity of this

may

custom with a practice which

is

common

various parts of the world, particularly

in

among

the Celtic nations, of raising a heap of stones

over the remains of the illustrious dead, and of

monument by

enlarging the

the casual contri-

butions of every passing traveller. vation

may

The

obser-

be applied indeed to a great variety

of nations, in times both ancient and modern,

from Pontus, the country of Mithradates, to our

own

sister

kingdoms of England, Scotland, and

Ireland.

At

the

tomb of Jeremiah

tortoise, the first I

Our path was

had seen

I

took up a land

in the country.

necessarily directed

by such

a

route as to embrace those points where water *

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

89

and refreshments could be had.

Near to one

of the wells which thus

way, we ob-

fell

in our

served some ruins of a peculiar form, and evi-

dently built for purposes of defence.

Accord-

ing to tradition, they were occupied by the plars of old,

and they were probably

Tem-

built for

the purpose of securing the water produced

the neighbouring well. wells have

become

At

all

by

periods these

objects of contention.

We

have the authority of the Old Testament in various passages with reference to remote eras ; the fortified houses of the Templars afford evi-

dence to the same purpose with respect to the

middle ages, and daily experience assures us that in modern times they are not less the objects of controversy. I have already hinted,

and

I

have the strong-

est reason to believe the fact, that the supplies

of water in this country occasionally alter their site

and

their course.

In the route of

this jour-

ney, for instance, I found in several places considerable ruins,

where a large population must

have formerly subsisted, but where that would

now be

impossible from the total want of water.

MEMOIRS OF

90

In the neighbourhood of one of these ruinous

towns which stood upon an eminence,

I obser-

ved the remains of a bridge across an adjoining hollow, where no water has been known to run for time

immemorial, although, from the general

aspect of the country,

highly probable that

it is

a considerable stream

had formerly flowed

in

that direction through the arches of the bridge,

of which two were

standing, while there

still

was a considerable appearance of others under the sand, which had been bedded up at one end of the bridge.

In the neighbouring town,

also,

there were

baths of large dimensions in very good preservation.

I

know

it

is

held by some, that the

massy blocks of marble, which are often used in

modern times as

cisterns for holding water,

originally excavated as repositories for the

and the

inscriptions

which

still

were

dead ;

remain on some

of these soroi, such as that of Alexander the Great, in the British sive evidence of the

Museum, afford conclufact. But the size of the

baths to which I allude

is

of

itself sufficient to

exclude the idea of their having ever been em-

SIR

JAMKS CAMPBELL.

ployed as repositories for the dead.

them were

large

enough

91

Some

of

to hold six persons,

although each composed of a single block of marble.

The same this

feelings

which prompt a man

in

country to endow an hospital, or engage in

some expensive undertaking

for the benefit of

posterity, suggest to the rich

and charitable in

these parched

up

countries to dig a well, or

Here

erect a cistern of water.

and the

fact afford the

trations of each other,

also the Bible

most interesting illusand indeed, I may say

with the greatest truth, that a person travelled

in

these

countries,

who

has

has secured to

himself a peculiar source of satisfaction in the perusal of the Scriptures.

The

wells

which

are

thus scattered over

the country, are in general works of extraor-

dinary magnitude. in the

The

excavations are

made

form of a cone, the apex of which

is

Every one who draw water brings his own rope and

about three or four feet wide.

comes to

bucket, and quarters

come

when shepherds from

different

to one of these wells with their

MEMOIRS OF

92

frequently happens that they decide

it

flocks,

the question of precedency by

first

coming

to

Excavations, exactly similar in form,

blows.

are used in these countries for the preservation

of their corn, and for the sake also of conceal-

ment, as the opening as to

make

its

may be

so covered

up discovery a matter of some

difficulty.

Whether these dry excavations have formerly been

wells

which are now deserted by the

springs which supplied

them with

water, or

whether they have been formed expressly for the purpose to which they are now applied, I

do not pretend to decide.

with a simple statement of

I content myself

facts, as I find

them,

accompanied by such occasional reflections as have arisen in my mind from a consideration of the facts which were thus the object of

my

examination.

When

such places have ceased to be used

either as wells or as granaries, they resort of

we had tions, in

immense

become the

flocks of pigeons,

and when

occasion to pass such deserted excava-

the course of our route,

we

generally

SIU

JAMES CAMPBELL. amusement of

halted to enjoy the

93 shooting.

was sometimes necessary to disturb the inmates by throwing in stones, and on one of It

these occasions our old friend the Sheik, in his

eagerness for the sport, and in his haste to

pick

up

a stone, threw his purse accidentally

along with as

an

it

the purse being generally

article of external dress

The

sash.

worn

twisted into the

old gentleman laughed very heartily

at

the accident, and continued the sport with

all

the keenness of youth.

In leaving Aleppo we had proceeded in an easterly direction, and on the third day we reached the spot where the tents of the Sheik

had been placed, and where his wife, his family and attendants were in waiting for his return. These tents were of considerable dimensions that

which

served

as

;

the residence of the

Sheik himself was about sixty feet long, twenty feet wide,

and eight

feet high.

There might

in all be about fifteen others belonging to the

Sheik of similar dimensions, which served for the accommodation of his family, his attendants,

and

his horses.

There were

besides, a

MEMOIRS OF

94

number of

great

smaller tents, which were oc-

cupied by the casual followers of the Sheik's

encampment, who formed a

sort of

wandering

population, but were always in sufficient bers and variety to give to the

the idea of a moveable and

Among

these followers

num-

encampment

moving town. there is in some

de-

gree a division of labour, and a distinction of trades

some

;

are tentmakers,

some make

car-

and some are engaged in other pursuits consistent with their wandering mode

and

pets

of

cloaks,

The women

life.

in general are the tailors

and the carpet-makers. tus

of a very simple construction, and they

is

may air at

be constantly seen at work in the open the doors of their tents.

selves are

stuff

Their weaving appara-

is

composed of

The tents them-

goats' beards,

and the

of so close a texture as to be impervious

to rain, but nothing will serve to exclude the

heat of the sun, which pressive.

They

is

often extremely op-

are of such durability as to be

calculated to last for sixty or seventy years.

Soon

after

our arrival at the

stance occurred

tents, a

circum-

which serves to show how cau-

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

tious

we should be

been

familiar.

95

drawing conclusions from manners and customs, with which we have not in

A gentleman who attended the English Consul, in first fit

quality of surgeon, was a dandy of the

water

;

and by way of

distinction,

to dress himself in the latest

thought

European

tume, while every other person had,

cos-

some

in

degree, conformed himself to the habits of the

country.

The

fashion of the day was to wear

the lower garments extremely tight, so as to close to the person,

fit

and the wife of the Sheik,

who, although she had three daughters approaching to womanhood, was herself a person scarcely arrived at her prime,

made

the appear-

ance and dress of the surgeon the subject of re-

In justice to the lady, I am bound to observe, that as she had never seen

peated remark.

a house in the whole course of her

life,

and

now, a European, the appearance of the tight pantaloons must naturally have struck her as something very extraordi-

never, probably

nary.

she

till

But the remarkable

plainness with

made her remarks, and

which

the inconveniences

MEMOIRS OF

96

which she suggested dress,

me

impressed

as

resulting

from the

very strongly with the

was a person of should have said that

idea that the lady

herself

doubtful modesty.

I

married ladies are accustomed to see company of both sexes, but the privilege to others, so that

we had

ters of the Sheik,

is

not extended

never seen the daugh-

although

we

understood that

they resided in an adjoining tent.

In looking for

my

day into the tent

horse, I

wandered one

allotted to the use of the

and found them seated on carpets without their veils. They got up on my enprincesses,

trance, and, perceiving

me

strangers, they

gave

hands on the

breast,

my

Seeing

me

to be one of the

the salam, crossing the

and making a low bow.

mistake on the instant, I made a

The

hasty excuse, and immediately retired.

hour was sion

early,

and having made a short excur-

on horseback,

when

I

1

to breakfast,

mentioned the mistake which

committed

in the morning.

the Sheik was to take

having

returned

left

me

The

first

I

had

feeling of

seriously to task for

the tents unattended.

SIR

The dently

truth

JAMES CAMPBELL.

the old gentleman was evi-

is,

much out

97

of

humour

at the sad solecism

had committed in point of politeness, in leaving him to be charged with a neglect of his I

duties, as the entertainer of strangers, if

accident had befallen

wanderings. cause to

At

first

me I

which he addressed me.

how

in the course of

was

at a loss to

the obvious

assign

any

irritation

my

what with

He

began by asking I could think of using him so ill ? and on

inquiring in what manner I had given him of" Do fence, he continued, you not know that

every body sees you are a Giaour, though dressed like us as

;

and that

you might have been

if

killed,

for the value of

shining arms, the curse of

on me and mine

you had been

your

God would have

lit

!"

Although exceedingly irascible, the old man was easily appeased by the deference which I naturally paid to his age and

station.

while I readily ascribed the error

mitted to

my own

I

But

had com-

ignorance and inexperience,

I could not conceal

from myself that these

wanderers over the desert are deeply imbued VOL.

II.

H

MEMOIRS OF

98

"

with the truest principles of hospitality. said the old

man, in a tone of

good-humour,

"

you Giaours

Ah,"

and

reconciliation

are sadly ignorant

of correct usages."

Although the mistake

I

had committed

in

the morning, in entering the tent of the ladies, sels,

who were

had been

deny that just

their

what

stances to

it

really

young very good-looking dam-

totally overlooked, I could not

deportment on the occasion was

should have been under circum-

them

so unusual.

I

was

satisfied

from their demeanour that they must have been educated with care, and with a due attention to instil into their

minds becoming sentiments

of modesty and propriety.

At

the same time, I was

miss from

my

recollection

still

unable to

dis-

the extraordinary

observations which had been

made by

their

mother, in speaking of our dandy surgeon and his

European habiliments, and

I could not help

regarding her with very different sentiments.

Soon afterwards,

in the course of conversation

at the door of our tent, the subject of marriage

became a topic of

discussion,

and

I took the

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

opportunity of expressing

my

99

surprise to the

had no more children, they were so great a blessing. Perhaps, I added, with princess that she

becoming gravity for there no one smiles, and a laugh would be ascribed to the grossest rudeness or folly

"

my

the prince

is

too old.

she said, " but I am.

Not

so,"

sons,

they are almost men,

my

Look

daughters,

How

they are growing up to womanhood. could

I,

with the modesty or dignity of a mo-

ther, appear before these state

you

allude to.

be justly considered

Thus sion,

I

at

found that

and not

young people

" No," she added, as a it

I

in the

should

woman without shame." was only

in the expres-

in the idea that there

was any

appearance of deficiency in the purest senti-

ments of propriety and decorum, and I was heartily ashamed of my own want of penetration in not having sooner observed such a well-

defined distinction.

In the course of our stay with the Sheik, there arrived at the tents a sort of travelling merchant,

with twelve or fourteen

two

asses,

each loaded with

bales of goods, proportioned to the ani-

H

2

MEMOIRS OF

100

*

The hour

mal's strength.

of his appearance

was just before dinner, and leaving the

asses in

the care of his attendant, he walked upon his arrival to the principal tent,

received bless

him with the usual

you

!"

bestowing.

where the Sheik salute of "

which the old man never

He

God

failed in

then assured him of welcome,

that he should have fodder for his cattle, and

that his tent was always open to the traveller.

The man and

his attendant ass-driver appeared

to be regarded as having been raised into an

equality with the Sheik, his family and guests,

from the mere circumstance of strangers,

and

I could not refuse

their

my

being

tribute of

admiration to the patriarchal manner in which

In seating ourselves at the

he received them. board, he sit

down

tilious

made

the merchant and the ass-driver

beside him, and attended with punc-

observance to

all their

wants.

After dinner he caused them to be presented

with pipes and

coffee,

in

common with

Consuls and the other guests. too, the invariable

He

the

followed,

custom of the country, by

abstaining from the proposal of a single ques-

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

tion until the strangers

were assured of hospi-

and protection, by having

tality

He

drank.

101

"

then inquired,

first

eaten and

From whence

come you ? Whither are you going ? And what are the goods you have got to dispose

To which

of ?"

from the

fair

the other answered, " I

of Bagdad

come

I travel through this

;

country, and have arrived at your tents in the

hope of

my

goods, which consist of the

productions of Bussorah, and Guzerat,

finest

the

selling

kingdom of Cambai, and the more

parts of India."

" It

well," said the Sheik,

is

and the merchant took

distant

his leave to look after

his cattle.

The same I

had

evening, the

seen, sent a

young

ladies

message to their

whom

father, to

ask that they might be allowed to see the

goods which had been brought by the merchant a request which was readily granted, and, indeed, in this country

it is

deny any request which

by

is

quite unusual to

made

to a parent

grown-up children. Two of the richest were accordingly sent into the tent appro-

his

bales

priated to the ladies,

who

each selected four or

MEMOIRS OF

102 five dresses of

the rarest kinds of gold and

muslins.

Their mother joined us, and

silver

expressed her admiration of the dresses in the strongest terms, but not, as

it

appeared to me,

from any wish to add to her own wardrobe, but

an inducement to the Sheik to enlarge

as

the order which his daughters had given to the

merchant.

ladies sent

By-and-by the young

another message to their father, asking leave to purchase

some additional

articles

he observed, that he liked to make

;

on which

his children

happy, and said to their messenger, that they

might keep the two

bales

for their inspection.

mate the value of

manner

in

do not attempt to

I

this princely gift,

greatly enhanced in less

which had been sent

my

which

eyes it

by the

esti-

which was pretention-

was bestowed.

He

asked no question of the merchant as to the price of his goods, but simply said to

"

Go I

to

my Sheraff, and

desire

him

him to pay you."

had a good deal of conversation with

this

merchant, as to the nature of

his

travelling traffic,

which he

said

he had carried on over

an extensive tract of country for a number of

JAMES CAMPBELL.

Sill

103

Every where, he said, he met with a good and hospitable reception, that he was protected in his dealings, and was honestly paid years.

for all that

was taken from him.

I inquired if

he never went down to the coast of the Mediterranean,

"

God

where

forbid

so

he

!"

strangers resorted.

many

said,

" that I should ever go

there again, or have farther dealings with the

Giaours.

I

thought them good and honest,

found them

but

They took every thing from me, promised me my own

price,

and gave

Aga

to complain

no

far otherwise.

me ;

nothing.

he told

men

justice against these

came from

distant countries,

ject to his control.

they

me

let

In

this country,

them

is

to the

he could do of the

sea,

me

who

and were not sub-

not therefore won-

they take

my

goods or

alone, at all events they receive

kindly, and

The

It

went

have never since revisited the

derful that I coast.

me

I

peculiar

what can

I ask for

ideas of the

more

?"

people of this

country in regard to honour and good faith in pecuniary transactions, have often themselves on

my mind

impressed

with permanent

effect.

MEMOIRS OF

104

But while many circumstances present themselves to illustrate the impression, I could not

readily mention a

what occurred tillery,

more

striking incident than

to an officer of the

who was

Bengal Ar-

charged with dispatches from

When

India to Constantinople.

he arrived at

Bagdad, he found that his finances were about to be exhausted,

who

and sent

transact all

the

for

money

one of the Jews business of the

country to supply his wants.

From an inspection of the officer's papers, the Jew was satisfied of the truth of his representations,

but observed, that

it

was not per-

mitted to transact with a stranger, without the authority of

the Governor of

Pasha of the

city.

went together

to the

necessary sanction, it,

The

Pasha

when

he pointed to one of

officer

Bagdad, the and the Jew

to

obtain

the

in place of granting

his attendants,

and said

would supply what was necessary for the officer's journey, at the same time directing that he

the

Jew

to attend

this person,

who was

treasurer of the Pasha's household,

the 4000 piastres, the

sum

at

the

and receive

which the Bengal

Sill

JAMES CAMPBELL.

had estimated

officer

his

were then brought

coffee

Pipes and

wants. in,

the Pasha pro-

posed a number of questions on

and

if

indifferent

whether he had been com-

subjects, inquired fortable,

105

he were in want of any personal

service.

In the mean time, the Sheraff and the Jew

money, when the Pasha observed to the officer, that he was no doubt

returned with

the

fatigued with his journey, and that he would

do well to go to his lodgings and seek for some repose but before his departure he asked for ;

ink and paper and a reed, which being brought to

him he began

on

his

knee

as

he

to write, leaning as sat

on

his carpet.

is

usual

The Pasha

inquired the meaning of this proceeding,

when

the officer explained that he was writing an order for the repayment of the

money by

the

agent at Constantinople for the British East India

Company.

At

the greatest surprise.

be a singular people. ger to desires

tell

;

me

his

Pasha expressed " "This," he said, must

this the

He

wants

he has eaten

;

arid

comes to

me

a stran-

I give

him what he

drank

at

my

board,

MEMOIRS OF

106

and now he seeks to cancel the favour which he has received at

Teach him that

hands.

not agreeable to our Eastern usages, and

this is

bid

my

him go

in peace."

when

I omitted to mention that the Sheik, so

much

offended with

to ride out unattended,

me

for

having ventured

had sent for

his

immediately on being appeased, and

me,

nephew said

to

" This

young man has orders to attend you With him you may go in safety in

always.

any direction and to any distance;" and in order to assure

me

of the unlimited hospitality

with which I was entertained, he desired me, with an Oriental latitude of lodged in

man

if I so desired

made

I

licence, to sell the tents I

a

found that from

it.

number of

of

young

excursions,

and I

my

was no limit

where I would.

inquiries as to the

mode

of these people at other seasons of the

life

year, I

was told that they moved from one

district to another, in

ation

this

this period there

to the liberty of travelling

In answer to

With

consequence of one

situ-

being favourable to the cultivation of

their crops,

and others

far distant

being only

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

suitable for the

pasture for their

107

more important purposes of numerous flocks. The place

where we found the tents of the Sheik, the

at

commencement of our journey, was what

may be

called their agricultural district,

where

and other kinds of grain were raised in considerable quantities but I was told maize, and

rice,

;

that the wealth of the Sheik consisted chiefly in his flocks,

and that he was owner of not

than 100,000 sheep, besides horses, a vast

less

many hundreds

number of black

of

and about

cattle,

What

he chiefly valued himself upon was an hundred brood mares of a race sixty camels.

which were held

in

very high estimation.

In what I have called the agricultural trict,

at

the ground

is

one season, when

of harvest.

number

The

dis-

prepared and the seed sown it is left

tribe

until the approach

then return or send the

necessary for cutting

down

the crop,

and securing it in those subterranean barns which I have already described. Some years before I saw him, he had a war with a neighbouring

was

told,

tribe,

and mustered,

above 15,000 horse.

as I

Part of his

re-

MEMOIRS OF

108

venues

which

arise is

from a

capitation

tax,

paid by the inhabitants of his ter-

ritory, in return

affords

of

sort

protection which he

for the

them, but in conformity with the feudal

system, they are also liable to the performance

of personal services to

when

the chief has occasion

go to war. In the course of our journey with the Sheik,

we came

within sight of Antioch, but for a

reason, perhaps similar to that

which made him

so chary of a public appearance at Aleppo, con-

with his rank and

sistent

station,

he did not

approach nearer than six miles to the town, although with some of the other strangers I

had the

At

curiosity to approach

another time,

it

we went

more

nearly.

out to hunt the

wild boar, and killed, I think, fourteen or fifteen,

but did not take up one of them, since

in these countries, as all the world knows, the flesh of the

hog

is

held in abhorrence, and

had learned enough of

their

we

manners to avoid

doing violence to the feelings or prejudices of our hospitable entertainer.

At

length

we made our

preparations for re-

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

109

turning to Aleppo, the principal of which was the arrangement of the presents, which,

cording to the custom of the country,

it

ac-

was

necessary to give to the attendants of the Sheik. I

had always been a

made

fancier of horses,

and had

a purchase of one from a person con-

nected with the Sheik's household, and while

making the

purchase, I had expressed some

admiration of another which was standing by. It is possible that the

one I bought had really if it

did I was ig-

norant of the fact at the time.

Having em-

belonged to the Sheik, but

braced the Sheik, and proceeded on our journey

towards Aleppo to a considerable distance,

it

was announced to us by one of our attendants, that

we were pursued by

a person at speed.

This proved to be a favourite attendant of the Sheik,

who

in his hand,

the

rest,

galloped

up

and singling

requested

me

so without reflection,

a single speed,

to us with a led horse

me

out from

to hold the bridle

and

among ;

I did

he, without saying

word more, disappeared with equal

and

his abrupt

left

us to conjecture the cause of

and extraordinary

visit.

The

horse

MEMOIRS OF

110

he

left

with

me

proved to be the same I had

casually admired in

making

my

previous pur-

was agreed on all hands that I had no alternative but to retain it as a gift from chase,

and

it

the Sheik.

During

my

former stay in the house of the

had a proof that an animal, thought to be the most untamable of

British Consul, I

which

is

the savage tribes, strict

may by

proper treatment, and

attention to the nature of

its

food, be

brought completely under subjection, and

suf-

fered to go about like other domestic animals.

had a hysena brought to me about three or four weeks old, which I caused to be fed exI

clusively

on bread and milk, taking care that

he was never suffered to

For myself,

1

taste

was quite

safety of permitting

any animal food. satisfied as to

him the range of my

ments, but I confess, that I never in felt so

much

the

apart-

my

life

alarm as when sitting one day

with the Consul's lady, in one of the public rooms of the mansion, my wild-looking protege entered the apartment, his eyes glaring in a style well suited to alarm a lady

who had

at

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

the

moment an

up

to him, and pushed

\

infant in her arms.

Ill

I hastened

him gently out of the the attendants, I had the

room, and calling for

satisfaction to find that the lady's

alarm had

subsided without any serious consequences.

The hyaena remained

in this

tame

several months,

but in the course of

from Aleppo,

found that

I

my

state for

my absence

servants

had not

attended to his regimen in the manner I had I

prescribed.

was assured that he had been

permitted to gorge himself with animal food.

At as

all

events, his state

make

to

it

on

my

return was such

impossible to keep

him any

longer, but the result of the experiment con-

firmed

me

in the idea so quaintly expressed

by

the author of Hudibras, that any wild animal

may be tamed by mere " Was

ever

man

attention to diet.

For,

yet fierce or cruel

Upon the strength of water gruel But who '11 withstand the rage and ;

Of him who

rides,

Before taking

my

force

then eats his horse."

final leave

of Aleppo, I

must notice one or two circumstances which took some hold of

my

imagination, and

may

MEMOIRS OF therefore afford a moment's interest to others as

they did to me.

When I sent me of

for a tailor, for instance, to

a suit of clothes

my

;

make

he took a cursory survey

person, not, indeed, with the precision of

him of Laperta with

his quadrant,

but

ciently it seems for the purpose in view.

suffi-

He

then presented his patterns for the different parts of the dress, I

and made the salam to

depart.

mentioned the omission he had made in not

taking

measure, but he answered that that

my

was unnecessary, and in clothes,

fact it

proved

from the great amplitude of

so;

the

their form,

being sufficiently exact.

The

bazar of Aleppo

richest in the East, the

is

perhaps one of the

town being

situated in

the centre of trade in that part of the world.

Here you may find commodities from all parts of the world, and in every imaginable variety.

The

bazar

is

to include a for the

sale

a covered space of such extent as

number of of

streets,

and

different kinds

as the shops

of wares are

to memingled together without any attention thod or arrangement, the sight of the traffic

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

affords to a stranger a scene

amusement.

Among

113

of very various

the purchasers there

a great proportion of females, but their dress

is is

make the concealment of

so constructed as to

their persons complete, so

much

so that they

could not be recognized by their nearest con-

Women

nections. dislike to

as well

as

be confined in close

men attire

appear to ;

and the

appearance of the females, as they are seen walking in the bazar, I can compare to nothing so well as to so

on yellow

many

feet, for

sugar-loaves

such

is

moving about

uniformly the colour

of their boots.

The

baths are very magnificent structures,

and those used by the women receive of stained glass. light through cupolas

their

I never,

of course, had the privilege of entering these,

although I have heard of travellers

They are heated,

of such advantages.

by vapour, which

raised

is

hot water traversing the

ments

who boasted

from

floors

little rills

take the bath,

VOL.

II.

first

of

of the apart-

like a miniature meadow-field

process of irrigation.

I believe,

under the

The person who

is

to

enters an apartment very I

MEMOIRS OF

114 little

above the temperature of the open

The next Next

of the suite

to that

is

the

first

air.

the dressing-room.

is

of the range of baths,

which gradually rise in temperature through a long series of rooms to any degree of heat

The

which may be required. in

any or each of them

convenience

may

as

bather remains

long as pleasure or

and returns through

dictate,

the same suite of apartments in which the degrees of heat, although constantly

the same,

affect the bather in a regular, decreasing ratio.

The antichambers and

dressing-rooms

are

very extensive, and there the slaves remain in attendance to dress and undress the bathers.

When

they come out of the bath, their faces

are swelled

and

florid,

and there

is

something

about the expression of their eye which gives

you the idea of some degree of mental trangement.

Corpulency they consider a de-

cided beauty, and they think

the bath, although in to

es-

my

it

promoted by

opinion the use of

it

excess produces a flaccidity of the skin,

and other disagreeable appearances, so fact to accelerate that

as

in

premature old age to

Silt

JAMES CAMPBELL.

115

which the women of Eastern countries are otherwise peculiarly

Thick ankles are

liable.

also

considered a point of beauty, and to increase it,

it

common

said to be a

is

Turkish

women

to

scarify

practice

among

the skin,

which

thus becomes thick and callous.

remind the reader that

women

need not

I

of a certain

rank are never seen, but such of these parti-

had not an opportunity of witnessperson, I state on the authority of Mrs.

culars as I

ing in

Baxter, the wife of the English Consul,

who

had the best opportunities of observing, and was herself a very beautiful and intelligent

young woman.

The mosques

are accessible to every stranger.

In these buildings there

but the

priest, or

is

nothing to be seen

mollah, saying prayers, and

the audience kneeling on the mats with which

the floor is covered. There are no

no symbols of

religion,

altars,

no

nothing but the

seats,

priest,

the audience, and the mats on which they kneel.

The

service

on each occasion

is

of short

continuance, being repeated seven times a day,

and each time accompanied by ablution. i

2

The

MEMOIRS OF

116 lower

classes

public fountains plies

;

of water are not to be procured, I under-

stand that earth that

ceremony at the and in places where the sup-

perform this

it

is

substituted from the idea

contains water.

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

117

II

CHAPTER Intelligence from England.

V.

Set out for England.

The Arabian Horse.

of the Caravan.

Adventures of an Arab.

Route

Anecdotes.

Description of an Arab horse-

man

Mode of Progress of a Caravan. Weapons. making Arab breads An Encampment. Reception from an Arab Chief. His Establishments. Arrival through the Hamah.

Desert at the district. dotes.

Mode

Ceremonies and Presentations.

Arab Anec-

of living and passing

-An agree-

Odd

able Visit. Prescription.

The Sheraff of

Latikea

Orontes.

A Fair

Mistake.

Sudden

my

time.

Patient.

influx of Patients,

A

Soldier's

and Professional

Fame. ^

AFTER I

had been about a year at Aleppo, received intelligence from England which I

was calculated

to inspire

uneasiness and alarm.

me

My

with the greatest eldest son,

George

Callander, had married the daughter of a Scotch

VOL.

II.

I

3

MEMOIRS OF

118 advocate,

who had

stipulated to give a marriage

portion with his daughter.

Subsequently he thought of examining the titles

and muniments of

one of those liar to

estate at Craigs

me

had descended to

which

forth,

my

strict

under

which are pecu-

entails

Scotland, through a long series of gene-

rations.

In the communication which I received Aleppo,

I

at

was told that certain proceedings

had been instituted in the Courts of Scotland, in the

name of my

son George,

who was

of

course the next heir of entail, for the purpose

of setting aside vesting

it

my

right to the estate,

and

under pretence of a which declared that the

in his person,

clause in the entail,

right of any heir in possession should be liable i

to be irritated and resolved, (according to the

Scotch law-phrase,) at the suit of any succeed-

ing heir, so long as any debt of the

first

maker

V

of the entail should remain a burden on the property.

Now

it

appeared that the father-in-law

of George Callander, had discovered that a debt

SIR

of this kind

JAMES CAMPBELL.

119

existed to the amount, I think,

still

of 200/. and although I had never heard of

it,

made at all acquainted with its influence

nor was

or tendency, I was informed that

would be

liable to suffer

my

very severely

interests if I

did

not return immediately to Scotland and oppose the proceedings which had been taken in son's

my

name.

On

the receipt of this intelligence, I was not

long in making to England.

my

The

preparations for first

my

return

caravan which was to

proceed to the Mediterranean coast had Tripoli, in Africa, for its destination.

And

here again

I

have to express the deep sense I have always entertained of the kindness and warmth of heart of

me

my

friend Mr. Baxter, in providing for

the necessary supplies for

my journey

on

a very short notice, an obligation which was

poorly repaid by a mere pecuniary remittance

on

my The

return to Europe.

caravan stopped as usual for a day at a

place about six miles from Aleppo, for the pur-

pose of completing the arrangements for the journey.

There

I

joined

it

on the following

MEMOIRS OF

120

morning, attended, town, by

all

on

as

my

entry into the

the European Consuls and principal

Christian inhabitants.

The

route of the caravan lay at

first

through

the great Desert of Syria, and then through the

country of Hamah, the most celebrated in the

world for

breed of horses

its

;

and

was a

this

circumstance peculiarly agreeable to me, as desirous of

horse of that unequalled race.

was

home with me

things to carry

all

I

The purity

a

of the

and preserved in this country with greater precision and facility, in consequence of the horses and mares, to the number breed

is

ascertained

of one hundred and upwards, being uniformly

held in

common

or tribe.

with of a tree its

all

The

property by a particular family line of succession

the care and

Welsh

all

is

preserved

the accuracy perhaps

and in the genealogical of the horse which I ultimately purchased, pedigree

;

descent was professedly traced to the famous

black mare of

Mahomed, and

of the fact, subscribed

by

I

had a

certificate

five or six Sheiks,

who

have an obvious interest in keeping up the va-

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

lue of their breed of horses

by

121

this exactness in

their pedigree. It

is

and through them it is that puof blood is most depended on. The sister

value rity

on the mares, however, that the chief

is

placed,

home with me, made the purchase.

of the horse which I brought

was I

for sale at the time I

examined her with the greatest

care,

and could

not detect the semblance of a fault in any one of her points.

Like

all

the others of the race,

she was under fifteen hands high

put upon her by the tribe ed was 10,000

The

money.

piastres,

and the price to which she belong;

equal to 2,500/. of our

value of the mare

is

always

much

greater than that of a horse of equal symmetry,

from the idea of her greater influence in preserving the purity of the race.

paid for the horse,

own

The

price I

brother to this mare,

was 800 Venetian sequins, equal to about 400/. and I incline to think it was not far sterling ;

out of proportion, according to their ideas, to the price of the other.

While

I

was yet

in the district

where these

MEMOIRS OF horses are bred, an agent arrived from the

of Prussia, commissioned to

He

his Majesty.

make

purchases for

me

agreed with

King

in admiring

the mare, and declared she was the handsomest

animal he had ever seen.

He

to give the 10,000 piastres for

was even willing her, but the tribe

had come to the resolution of preserving her as a brood mare, and refused that sum when offered.

It

are

two

is

to be observed, however, that there

distinct races in the country, the noble

and the common.

Among

the

many

latter,

beautiful horses are often to be found, but they

never possess those qualities in perfection for

which the noble race of Arabia fleetness,

distinguished

is

so peculiarly

wind, and bottom.

Here too I must observe, that the horses brought from Barbary are not to be compared

any good quality with the noble breed of Hamah. Many of the Barbs have radical faults,

in

and some of them

are very ugly, goose-rumped,

The

differ-

unknown

in this

cat-hammed, and narrow-chested. ence of the breeds was long country, but

Barb

I

now

believe

is

it is

better understood,

seldom bred from.

and a

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR I

shall here

mention

123

a circumstance,

on the

authority of persons in that country whose good faith

and

I

respectability

had no reason to

doubt, as illustrating in rather a striking point

of view the marked distinction between the dif-

which are

rear-

pitched his tent in a

soli-

ferent races of this noble animal,

ed in the same

An

Arab,

district.

who had

tary spot of the desert, his family,

had occasion to leave

with his stock of the

common

of horses and mares, for a single night.

breed

On

his

return to the place in the morning, he found

and

whole property had been carried off in the night. He was mountthat his family

his

ed on a horse of the noble breed, and of the highest qualities, and having a

he

set

rifle

with him,

On

out alone in pursuit of the robbers.

coming up with them, he found that their numbers were considerable, but he had reason to believe that they

were not possessed of

fire-

arms, which proved to be the fact.

Approaching near enough to within the range of his

wounded one

or

bring them

gun, he fired and

more of them, and waving

his

MEMOIRS OF

124

hand he dared them to follow him. attempted, but found

it

fruitless.

This they

He

then re-

turned to the attack, and again succeeded in singling out one or

two of them with

his rifle.

Once more they pursued him with the fleetest of their horses, but to overtake him was imposThus he hung upon their rear, woundsible. ing and killing several of them, until he at length compelled them to restore the booty.

The accoutrements

of the

Arab horsemen

are

simple in their construction, and well suited to

The

his wants.

saddle

is

generally large, and

The

always easy to ride on.

straps are

made

of untanned leather, and are fastened without

A ring

buckles. girth,

is

attached to the end of the

and another to the corresponding part of

the saddle.

Through these rings a strap is repeatedly passed, and drawn together with such force as to bring them near to each other, after

which, the strap

is

fastened

by twisting the ends

round the part thus tightened. The saddle thus never displaced, and, indeed, seldom

fixed

is

taken

off,

except for the temporary purpose of

grooming, when

it

is

again immediately re-

placed, although there be

no intention of

rid-

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

125

Cruppers are seldom used, because they

ing.

are not necessary to

keep the saddle in

its place,

and because they never carry any thing behind

The

it.

shoes are a thin

flat

piece of iron, with

a hole in the middle to keep the foot cool,

something in the form of our shoe,

but extremely

as to yield

stone.

light,

common

and even

bar

flexible, so

with the foot when pressed upon a

The numerous

diseases to

horses are liable are scarcely

which our

known

in these

countries.

Sometimes, indeed,

I

have seen a lame horse,

upon inquiry, the cause was generally to be traced to some accident, either in a skirmish, but,

or from riding violently, which they do with-

out hesitation over the roughest ground.

Al-

though never a very timorous rider, I have frequently felt somewhat uneasy at the style in

which they carried

me

over a country which

the boldest rider in England would hesitate to follow.

In going down a declivity not

less,

perhaps, than forty-five degrees, where stones as large as a table

directions, I

to guide

my

were scattered about

in all

was proceeding with some caution horse over the difficulties of th e

MEMOIRS OF

126

ground, when an Arab called out to me, and I

was induced ever afterwards vice,

" Give

as well as

you

him

to follow the ad-

he

his head,

sees the stones

do."

Every body has seen the Turkish

bridle;

they never use a curb, but the ring which

is

put into the mouth serves the same purpose the

bit,

which

is

very

so light, acting

power-

by means of the lever attached to force the mouth open and keep it so

fully,

to

it,

as

nei-

:

ther do they ever use the snaffle, or bridoon I tried

it

in the

hope of

but to horse and rider

its it

;

;

easing the mouth,

proved equally

in-

Although they use such powerful bridles, the Arabs ride with a heavy hand, so as to sustain the horse in advancing, and to

convenient.

curb him in action.

This they are able to do

very effectually, and in throwing the jereed is

absolutely necessary.

Perhaps the most

markable point about the Arabian horse

is

it

re-

the

extraordinary smallness of the head and mouth, so small indeed

is

the

think they might use a water bucket.

latter,

that

you would

common tumbler

for a

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

The short,

but the seat of the rider

account the rising strike

by the Arab

stirrup used

on

less

secure,

and

it

127

is

singularly

not on that

is

enables him, in

throw the jereed, or to a blow, to do it with an infinitely inhis stirrup to

The sudden jerk which

creased effect.

is

often

given in these exercises to the stirrup-leather,

makes

it

secure

necessary to

we

firmly than

This

do.

much more

it

done by ten or

is

twelve straps or thongs, and the stirrup-iron, in place of being a

bar, is so constructed

whole foot to

as to allow the

on a plate of

rest

from the toe to some distance

iron reaching

behind the

narrow

where

heel,

it

is

sharpened so as

to serve the purposes of a spur.

The Arab

feels that his safety

depends on

the quality of his accoutrements, and this a

point to which his

is

constantly

In action they never dismount, so

directed.

when you ment without that

that he

attention

is

is

see a horse during an engage-

a

you may conclude In the badly wounded.

rider,

killed or

hands of a European habits of the

Arab

unaccustomed to the

horse,

and unacquainted

MEMOIRS OF

128 witli the

manner of

treating him, the animal

appears to be extremely vicious, but let the

same horse be mounted by a native horseman,

and he

will

be found to be gentle,

docile,

and

obedient. I need say nothing of the their favourite

weapon, and

which

sabre,

is

always light and

is

handy, of a curved form, and of considerable strength, the best being

made

But the use of the jereed

known; steel

It

is

its

is

length

is

Damascus.

at

about four

feet,

in

a small case under the

thigh of the horseman, so as to enable

is

with a

head well-tempered and well-sharpened. used as a missile, and four of them are

generally carried

seize

much

not so

him

to

one of them very quickly, and the case

fastened to the saddle

by

loops behind and

before.

They have

also a

kind of reed

in the

form

of the jereed, with which they are accustomed to

amuse themselves

in sham-fights, yet even

these are often thrown with such force, celerity,

and

precision, as to

to parry the stroke.

make

it

extremely

They assemble

difficult

in parties

SIR to enjoy

JAMES CAMPBELL.

this

which they

and the speed with and still more the dexterity

exercise,

gallop,

with which they turn their horses, description or belief.

catch the jereed

Arab

his horse

The is

in his

beyond

Frequently they will

of their adversary

darted through the see an

is

It

air.

is

as

it

is

then that you

true character

a part of

a real centaur.

ordinary rate at which a caravan travels

about thirty miles a day.

this journey,

after

with the route,

I

In the course of

making myself acquainted was induced on one or two

occasions to leave the caravan for a day's journey to the right or left,

farther advanced.

me is

and to join

it

again

when

One of these rambles brought

acquainted with the manner in which bread

baked

in the

Arabian

at the caravanserai

villages.

where

I

lodge for the night, I found

On

arriving

had intended to it

on the borders

of the territory of two neighbouring tribes, be-

tween

whom

there existed

the caravanserai was state

filled

some

dispute.

with armed

men

As in a

of bustle and excitement, I resolved to

proceed to a village some miles farther in adVOL.

II.

K

MEMOIRS OF

If30

meal was prepared in the apartment where I sat, and as is usual in In this village

vance.

my

the country, the bread was kneaded as well as

baked just It is

and

is

as it

was about

composed of the rolled without

cakes extremely thin. is

made of

iron, in the

to be used.

wheaten

finest

any yeast or leaven into The oven is movable and

form and about the

which opens downwards,

made

is

to

fit

to a circular opening in the floor, in

of charcoal

is

a narrow grating

somewhat

which a

by one person with

fire

similar to

The oven

a gridiron, and also movable. lifted

exactly

prepared, and over the is laid,

size,

The mouth,

or rather larger, than a bee-hive.

fire

flour,

two

its

is

handles,

while another spreads the cake like a lining over

its interior surface,

baked the bread

falls

and being always eaten immediate use.

and when

off

sufficiently

upon the

hot, it

is

gridiron,

served up for

Partly from curiosity to see an encampment of the Courdine Arabs, and

partly from

a

desire to avoid the danger of remaining over-

night exposed to the unhealthy vapours of a

Sill

marshy halted,

JAMES CAMPBELL.

situation I

caravan had

which the

in

resolved in another instance to se-

parate myself from

for the

it

a mile distant from the

had been fixed

About

night.

*

swampy

spot which

for the night's station of the

caravan, I observed a

number of

tents,

on an eminence where there was

pitched

at least

no

danger of malaria, whatever there might be of personal violence, and I mentioned to the

Mockra night.

my He

intention of going there to pass the

attempted to dissuade me, by the

alarming accounts which are generally given of this

savage tribe

of the race

but

;

as I

who had made good and Aleppo and

domestic servants in

bourhood

;

had seen individuals

as it

between two

its

faithful

neigh,

was here but a compromise

sorts of danger, the

one obvious

and immediate, the other only problematical; and as the hazards

pointed out by the Mockra are

generally greater in description than in reality, I resolved to take I

might meet with

my

chance of the reception

at this warlike

encampment.

Seeing that I did not listen with

much

at-

tention to the arguments he urged on me, the

K 2

MEMOIRS OF Mockra then recommended least

lake nothing with

that I should at

me

to

tempt the cu-

pidity of these wandering savages.

I agreed

accordingly to divest myself of

with nothing but

my

pipe in

my arms, my hand, I

and pro-

ceeded on foot to the tents of the Courdines.

There aspect,

was

saw a vast number of people, but their although in general somewhat ungainly,

I

from being

far

had represented.

so hideous as the

Mockra

I inquired for their chief,

when they pointed out to me a hard-favoured man who had lost an eye, and who appeared from

his

manner

as if

he had just returned

from some excursion. sence were far

His demeanour and prefrom prepossessing, and he car-

ried a club of rather a formidable size leaning

over his shoulder.

and with an

air

However,

of as

much

I approached him,

frankness as I could

assume, I said that I came to ask his hospitality for the night. tent,

to

He

and ordered

make our

part to

invited

coffee

and

acquaintance.

show no want of

me

to

cakes,

walk into the which served

I took care on

confidence,

my

from a

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

conviction that a proportional

would have

resulted from

When we

had

133

want of

safety

it.

finished our coffee,

and were

taking our pipes, he began to inquire whence I

had come, and whither

satisfied

I

When

was going.

on these points, he observed that

this

was probably the first encampment of the tribe which I had had an opportunity of seeing and on my acquiescence in the observation, he ;

proposed that I should walk out with him to

and other objects of he presented me to two

see his tents, his cattle, curiosity.

But

young men

first

his sons,

who brought with them

a

fine little savage his grandson.

We showed said

out together, when he

then walked

me

first

a

number of

were excellent

cattle.

camels, which he

His horses

I

ad-

mired extremely, and seeing that I was pleased with the sight, he carried to the place

where

his

me

to

some

distance,

brood mares were

col-

amounting in number to at least an hundred some with foal, and others with foals lected,

;

at their feet,

but

all

kept in such excellent order,

MEMOIRS OF

134 as

to

cleanliness

and

I could

care, that

not

choose but admire them, knowing, as I did, that if these mares had been in Europe, their

value would have been incredible.

On

our return to the

tents,

he pointed out

on the neighbouring hills, we had arrived, he observed that

his flocks of sheep

and it

soon as

as

was time

among

for evening prayer

this savage race,

;

so that, even

they are not inatten-

tive to their religious observances.

came was

to the tent,

we found

a fire lighted,

for the purpose of keeping

quitoes,

and soon

after,

When we which

away the mos-

supper was served.

Meantime he observed

to

me, that the fur-

thermost part of the tent, which was in

from sixty to seventy tation of the

feet long,

women and

was the habi-

children,

must not approach it. The supper a roasted lamb dressed with honey,

and that

made

into syrup,

lent sweetmeat,

As

and

I

consisted of in the

man-

ner of the country, afterwards a plate of berries,

all

bil-

which made an excel-

finally a dish of dates.

soon as our repast was finished, which,

our drink being water, was not attended with

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

135

any intemperance, the chief pointed out to me the place where I should sleep, and observed, at the same time, that his two sons should

on each side of me,

lest, as

lie

one

he was pleased to

should want any thing during the night.

say, I

The bed was soon made, as it consisted of a number of carpets, the upper one being of Persian manufacture, of the

I then

went

to sleep,

and addressed myself to

the drowsy god with so I did not

awake

Mockra came

most valuable kind.

much

good- will, that

until a messenger

from the

to inquire for me, and to an-

nounce that the caravan was ready to depart. My toilette and my preparations were easily made, self

;

as all that

but the

was wanted was to shake my-

I could not leave

and smoking a This being

nothing about sent, in

who was

chief,

at hand, said that

him without taking

coffee

pipe.

done,

me

I

which

reflected that

I

had

I could offer as a pre-

compliance with the manners of the

country, but the pipe which I had just been

was fortunately of some value, the mouth-piece being of the purest amber, and

smoking

;

it

MEMOIRS OF

136 the bowl

of the best

He

manufactured

sort

at in-

accepted

it

readily

deed the refusal of a present

is

supposed to

Constantinople.

infer hostility little

;

but, on turning

fellow, his grandson,

;

round to the

and finding that I

had nothing to offer him but money, I took a few piastres from my pocket, and gave them to the boy

;

but the chief took them gently from

him, and, without any remark, returned them to me.

my

I then

bethought myself of the chain of

watch, which was a

several branches I twisted off seals

common

gold one, with

and trinkets attached to each.

one of the branches, to which two

were suspended, and presented

boy, on which the grandfather

it

to the

made me the

salam with an expression of satisfaction. ^

I

next approached to take leave

braced me, thanked

wished

me

me

for

a good journey

;

my

:

he em-

society,

at the

and

same time,

one of his attendants delivered to the messenger

who came from

the caravan a bag of choice

tobacco as a present for me, and to the great surprise of the

Mockra

turned in safetv to

tell

I soon afterwards re-

him the adventures of

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

He

the night.

was

he

not,

said,

great apprehension of their taking

he had no idea of

my

under any

my

life,

but

being permitted to leave

the

camp of the Courdines

my

horses,

until I

and the greater part of

as the price of

137

had sent

my

for

baggage,

my liberty.

This opinion was strongly confirmed by a

who was

respectable Jew,

travelling with the

and who perfectly agreed with the Mockra, that I was much more fortunate in the

caravan,

issue of the adventure, than wise or

prudent

He

had enjoyed various opportunities of observing the manners of the

in

undertaking

Courdines, and

it.

when

table reception I

I told

him of the

hospi-

had met with, he observed

that that was just in keeping with their general character, in

moderation, or

bad It

which there was no medium or

all

that they did being either good

in the extreme.

was agreed, however, on

all

hands, that in

the result I had greatly the advantage of fellow-travellers, as

my

they had passed a very bad

night in the low marshy ground in which the caravan had been stationed.

MEMOIRS OF

138 It

that

was within a few days

we

district

adventure

arrived at the populous and pleasing

of

the desert.

Hamah, after having The town of Hamah

the Orontes, and

its

the heights by which beautiful. trees,

after this

The

fairly cleared is

seated on

aspect on seeing it is

surrounded

it

from

is

truly

groves of orange and almond

with the numerous water-mills which are

moved by

this rapid

and noisy

character to the scene of the

river,

give a

most picturesque

and interesting description, particularly to those who have just crossed the desert, and like me, perhaps, had not seen any similar object for so

long a period before.

Latikea was the

last

had seen which

at all corresponded

with

place it,

I

and the view had the additional charm of

coming unexpectedly upon me in crossing the bite of a hill just at the hour of sunset. Immediately on

my

arrival I

waited on the

Sheraff, or Treasurer of the district, for

I

had fortunately been furnished with

of recommendation, as

it

whom letters

was necessary to make

some stay in the place, from its being a central station where caravans from various quarters

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIK

139

assemble, and after being disorganized are

up

afresh, according to the business

and destina-

The

tion of each individual traveller.

made

Sheraff

was a young man, not above twenty-four years of age, and I found that he was not acquainted

The

with any language but the Arabic.

come

from him was of the most

I received

cordial description

and assured me,

had sent him a

wel-

;

he embraced

Arab

in the

me

warmly,

fashion, that

God

blessing in directing a stranger

to his house.

He

showed

me my

apartments, which ac-

cording to our ideas had but indeed,

little else

room where

I

furniture,

but a few carpets, and in the

was

to dine, a divan raised about

a foot from the ground. tage,

little

They had

however, of being

the advan-

spacious

and

airy,

although the access from the house to the street

The

was awkward and inconvenient. fertile

territory of

Hamah

is

rich

and

surrounded by

the desert, from which the inhabitants are in constant

and

alarm, lest they should be attacked

pillaged, as they

sometimes

of wandering marauders.

are,

by bands

In consequence, the

MEMOIRS OF

140

houses of the town are so constructed as to

some

present

The is

obstacle to

any sudden

immensely thick

walls are

;

attack.

the outer door

only about three feet high, and so narrow

that only one person can enter at a time.

The day after my newed the ceremony

arrival,

of

the Sheraff re-

receiving me, and

brought with him several of his friends to After taking coffee and smok-

present to me.

ing with the strangers, he renewed the expression of his

laying hold of

happiness at

my

arm, he led

my me

arrival,

and

towards the

of the mansion, saying, " These are yours

pillars

house

this

make

is

yours;"

and

he would

as if

a symbolical delivery to strengthen the

warmth of

his expression,

of the pillars and said to " phasis,

You may

sell it."

he laid hold of one

me

with great em-

This seems to be

a sort of idiomatic expression characteristic of

the people, and of the language in which is

it

used, and serves to indicate the intensity of

that

feeling

which

is

said to exist

among

a

people in the inverse ratio of their civilization.

While

I

was yet

at

Hamah, and a

resident in

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

141

the house of the Sheraff, the duties of his office

him

required

to leave

home

for a considerable

Before his departure he repeated the

time.

ceremony of welcome, desiring me to regard the house and every thing in it as my own but ;

mentioning that I should on no account approach the back part of the mansion, which was occupied by his mother and his

Soon

after

sisters.

he was gone, I called

my own

ser-

vants to give orders for purchasing some supplies for

my

table,

when one

of them,

who was

better acquainted with the manners of the country,

inquired

to offend me,

if

the Sheraff had done any thing

and observed that such an

inter-

ference with the arrangements of the household

could not

fail

to be taken very seriously amiss.

In this opinion I concurred, and found that at the usual hour of ten o'clock in the forenoon

an elegant repast was served up, more nearly analogous to our dinner than any other meal.

At

supper, which

is

served

about

six

in

the afternoon, immediately after the prayer of Assera, I

generally found myself visited

some of the principal inhabitants of the

by

place.

MEMOIRS OF

142

The

principal standing dish

was

either a roasted

porcupine or a lamb, followed by a dish of clotted milk, with sugar, dates,

repast

more agreeable and

salubrious than the practice

of indulging in strong liquors. life I

ably

my

continued to pass

my

In this

way

of

days rather agree-

nor would the time have hung heavy on

;

hands, had I not been labouring under so

much of

fruits.

was concluded with pipes and cofof excellent quality, which to me was much

Every fee

and dried

anxiety and apprehension as to the state

my The

affairs in Scotland.

inhabitants of these countries have

a

strange idea that a knowledge of the healing art

is

a universal accomplishment

and

among

had the greatest

the

natives of

Europe

ficulty in

attempting to persuade them that I

;

I

was not a physician, but a mere

commander of

troops,

dif-

seraskier, or

who knew nothing

of medicine or the practice of physic.

at all

On

all

occasions, however, I listened with

attention to

becoming the statements which were made to

me, and answered their questions with care and precision,

and above

all

with the most iinper-

JAMES CAMPBELL.

Sill

turbable gravity

and

;

T

143

never allowed myself to

forget that their observations, although some-

times sufficiently ludicrous, were probably not

more

so than those of a

European might appear In other respects I was an object of

to them.

considerable curiosity, as an infidel, they assu-

red me, had not been seen in that quarter for a

period of twenty-five years.

One day

I

was

my

visited, to

great surprise,

by three females, who being ushered into

my

apartment, I seated myself in the corner, as representing the master of the house, and begged of them to so,

sit

down by me.

One

of them did

but the other two declined, from which I

perceived

that they stood in the relation

each other of mistress and slave, that Oriental sense of these terms.

were veiled and sat

down began

infidels all

she had

in

is

to

in the

The three females

mean attire, but

to observe that,

she

who had

knowing that we

understood the art of the physician,

come

to

me

to

beg that I might cure

her of a complaint which had lean and very miserable.

made her very

I tried, as usual, to

to do persuade her that I was quite unqualified

144

MEMOIKS OF

her the service she required

but she persisted

;

in her solicitations with the greatest importunity,

and

throwing back her

at length,

brought forward her

veil,

she

which was very long

hair,

and very richly braided, with diamonds and pearls interwoven in

you

for

By

" it,

saying,

what you may do

this

time

I

See, I can

pay

for me."

perceived from her complexion

that her disorder proceeded from a weakness

and on inquiry as found that it consisted

of the organs of digestion to her ordinary food, I

;

of zukees, water-melons, and other vegetables

which

are generally eaten raw.

I

still

endea-

voured to defend myself from her importunity, but was

at length constrained to agree to give

her something on the morrow, but at the same

time observed, that what I should prescribe for her,

be

without a radical change of regimen, would

totally useless,

and that

it

would be neces-

sary for her to have her vegetables dressed, to eat with

them

a

and

due proportion of animal

food.

After she was gone, I began to

awkwardness of my

situation.

reflect

on the

Like most other

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

145

Europeans, I had, indeed, with me, a small chest

was now pretty nearly exhausted; and, besides I was unwilling to attempt of medicine, but

it

the use of remedies which might be attended

with pernicious, or at therefore

doubtful

least

mixed up some

effects.

I

grains of bark with a

large proportion of flour, so as to

make it bulky

;

whole into papers, each of which might contain about three grains of the medicine, and gave it to her, when she returned next I divided the

day with her attendants.

It could not, I should

hope, under any circumstances, do her

harm, and I have not the

least

much

doubt that the

change of diet would be highly beneficial to her.

From

this period I

was annoyed with

to such a degree that

able to me.

The

it

reason

visitors

became very disagreeis

obvious

;

they have

no physicians, no medical knowledge whatever some content themselves with the assurance :

that

all

things are already arranged

by the

su-

and perintending care of the Supreme Being, that any thing like medical aid infers the greatest arrogance

VOL.

II.

and presumption

L

;

while others

MEMOIRS OF

146

place implicit reliance on the efficacy of amulets

and charms to ward off the approaches of

The

ease.

better-informed

dis-

among them have

already ceased to confide in such absurdities,

but they have not the

human body so that it is not wonwhen afflicted with internal diseases, that

ture of the derful,

least idea of the struc;

they should

assail

those

whom

they believe to

be acquainted with such subjects, and with the proper remedies.

A man

came

to

me

with

a dropsy, and absolutely would not leave

without a prescription. gre

lui

Like

le

profession

best,

he answered, to drink water

I

Medecin mal-

of Moliere, I was heartily sick of

new

shall I

;

me

my

and asking him what he liked " ;

Then," said

be pardoned for the confession?

drink plenty

!"

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

CHAPTER Proceed towards Tripoli.

dilemma.

VI.

Appearance of Mount Lebanon.

Pursuit of Antelopes.

A

147

Lose sight of the Caravan.

Providential escape.

A

Maronite Convent.

Savage character of the Maronite race. The Cyclamen. Conclusion of the Piercing cold. Mountain Cedars. journey.

ment. test

Application to the British Consul.

Extreme

anxiety.

Disappoint-

Description of Tripoli.

Con-

Anecdotes of the inhabitants.

of rival Pashas.

Alarm of the plague. Predestinarian ideas. Precautions of the Author. Method of communication. Plan adopted by the Consul. Time and manner of its disappearance.

The Pasha's apology.

Alarming incident. modity.

Gorgeous

of embarking, Sail for

Arrival of a vessel.

Reach Cyprus.

Rhodes.

ascendancy.

attire.

Convents.

Privileges.

Staple comDifficulty

Fresh disappointments. Country-houses.

Turkish

Aspect of the Island.

Sports.

Anecdotes of birds.

I

HAD

the satisfaction to find that the caravan,

which was now made up to proceed towards Tripoli, was to be guided by the same Mockra

who had brought me from Aleppo. L 2

Soon

after

MEMOIRS OF

148

leaving the district of

Mount Lebanon

the summit of

appeared over the verge of the

we

horizon, long before

The heavy

Hamah,

arrived at

rains of spring

its

had swelled the

mountain brooks into so many in

some

caravan,

base.

torrents,

and

impeded the progress of the the way became nearly impassable.

places till

About the

first rise

of the mountain, 1 had

stopped some distance behind the caravan, in the hope of getting a shot at a herd of antelopes

Not

which had approached within our view. having succeeded, I of the mountain as

set out,

my

keeping the summit

guide to rejoin the ca-

ravan, but unfortunately took the

wrong

side

of one of these mountain torrents, which, after I

had crossed

it

in the morning,

to such a height as to forbid situation

my

had swelled return.

was such, that I had no resource but

to ascend the course of the stream, in the

of

its

and

diminishing as I approached

that,

by the following day,

its

hope

source

;

at least, I should

be able to overtake the caravan, which

was

My

to proceed in the direction of

I

knew

Mount Le-

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

banon, and to wind

its

way,

149

at a considerable

elevation, along the side of the mountain.

I

had with

me

a single

just before night-fall

Arabs,

whom I

Greek

we were

knew, from

servant,

joined

and

by two

their small turbans,

to be of the tribe of Courdines.

They seemed

desirous of entering into conversation,

and I

was rather uneasy at their approach, but took care to keep them on our left, which is the side most convenient to fire at ; confess that I

and

as I

was better armed than

I thought

we might

they should prove

After

we had

either of them,

possibly escape, although

hostile.

proceeded for some time

to-

began to bethink myself of some pretence for shaking them off, and perceiving at

gether, I

length some houses at a distance, although not exactly in our route, I observed that I had

something to say to these people, and put my horse on the sudden to a hand gallop, accompanied, of course,

by

my Greek servant. Had

I

been in an open country, and had I known precisely

which way to go,

I should

have

felt

MEMOIRS OF

50

befel us

we

;

and when I

As

safe.

myself perfectly

continued to

it

move on

my

horse to determine the direc-

The mountain was

tion of our future progress. sufficiently conspicuous,

me

at a gallop,

I perceived that they did not follow,

puUed up

served

was, no accident

even after sunset, and

found myself

for a guide, until I

entangled in a piece of marshy ground the mountain torrents, where

it

was impossible

any longer to pick my steps with In this awkward predicament content myself, and sitting

with

my

my

bridle in

among

safety. I

resolved to

down on

a stone,

hand, I waited patiently

the approach of morning.

I chose

my

resting-

place near something like a beaten path, in the

hope of some one passing who might be useful to me, but heard nothing during the night but the stork, the swan, and the pelican, many of

which came

to me, as if to

examine the

cause of so unusual an intrusion.

Remount-

ing at the

close

up

dawn of

day, I pursued the beaten

track in the direction of the mountain, which after

some time

I

began to ascend, and

in the

course of the day I reached a village, where,

Sill

to

JAMES CAMPBELL.

great joy, I once

my

151

more overtook the

caravan.

Although not altogether without apprehension, I was not aware at the time of the extent of the danger I had incurred.

That

had passed the be inhabited by a savage and

part of the mountain where I

night 1 found to

inhospitable race,

who

take their name, and

are said to have taken their descent

from the

bands which were led by the Count de Drus to the Crusades.

They

profess the Christian

religion according to the doctrines of the sect

of Maronites, but their depredations are not the less violent on that account, whenever they

Their name

find themselves to be strongest.

seem to give some probability to the descent which they claim and it is cerand

their religion

;

tain that a person called the

made some

figure at the siege of Acre.

caravan was just on the at the village,

direct

at

move when

The

I arrived

but the Mockra, who expressed

great uneasiness for

men

Count de Drus,

my

safety,

had

left

two

the village to inquire after me, and

me on my

road.

MEMOIRS OF

152

The

escape which I

illustrates

tion

made on

this occasion,

very strikingly that sort of interposi-

which shows the weakness and

On

ency of human prudence.

insuffici-

that very even-

ing several other stragglers from the caravan

were picked up by the Druses, and were never more heard of; so that, if I had not wandered the others, so as to be on the

farther than

wrong

have

side of the river, I should probably

shared their

fate.

For two days

after this adventure,

we

con-

tinued to ascend the mountain, by a winding

which brought us to a very considerable elevation, but from the want of instruments, I course,

had no means of measuring

it.

Here we

reach-

ed a plain of such extent as to require some three or four hours to traverse

it,

the summit

of the mountain being considerably to our

left.

This plain was covered with cyclamen, a flower

on which we

are accustomed

value, but here

we found

it

to

place

the most noisome

weed we had ever encountered, and odour was so preserve

my

some

to

me

the

insufferable, that I could scarcely

seat

on

my

saddle.

SIR

Far beneath

JAMES CAMPBELL. us,

on our

153

right, a large square

building was to be seen, apparently in perfect repair.

and

I

was told

it

was a Maronite convent,

like others in that country, it

was

built

without any doors, so as to be inaccessible to

The windows

the wandering Arabs.

are at a

by them their provisions are drawn up by means of a crane, which also enables them to leave the

great height from the ground, and

convent and return to

have occasion to do

A

so.

any time they small chapel was

if at

it,

pointed out at a distance, where prayers were said in quiet times for the convenience of the

Maronite inhabitants of the neighbourhood

But such

is

the savage character of the race,

do not always find themselves in safety from spoliation by the

that

it

is

said the priests

members of

their

own

flock.

Travellers are

sometimes received into the convent, and are believed to be well treated

;

but as the build-

big contains no accommodation for horses or other beasts of burthen, and as safe to leave

it

would not be

such property at the mercy of the

neighbouring population, the monks in these

MEMOIRS OF

154 fortified

convents are not often troubled with

visitors.

The

plain on

plentifully,

mand an The

was

which the cyclamen grew so

com-

at such a height as to

extensive view of the Mediterranean.

cold was piercing, and the

dew during

the

night so heavy as to penetrate our leathern boots

;

and even the bales of goods, so

packed, could not effectually exclude the camels and other cattle were so

come with the

To

sleep

as,

formerly a la

But

it.

much

fatigue of the ascent, that

impossible to proceed, and here liged to lodge

closely

over-

it

we were

was ob-

belle etoile.

was out of the question, and would

have been dangerous

we

if

could, so that

we

passed the night in smoking and conversation. I confess,

however, that I

poor horse as for myself.

we had

felt as

much

From

the time that

for

my

quitted the low ground, to the east of

the mountain, he had had nothing to eat

now bethought myself

;

and

I

of applying to the ca-

mel-drivers for a bolus of rice, which, in such situations,

they push

down

the throats of their

SIR camels,

JAMES CAMPBELL.

and found that

greatly refreshed

When

by

my

155

noble steed was

it.

the sun has risen about half an hour

on the mountain, the ground becomes perfectly so that, with the exdry, and even parched ;

ception of the great field of cyclamen,

seen no

symptom

we began

the

we had

of vegetation from the time

ascent.

The upper

part of

the mountain was, indeed, so utterly barren, that

we

could not find even

thistles,

kind of vegetable matter to serve

making our

coffee.

It

or any

as fuel in

was otherwise

in the

course of our descent, and as soon as the

was given

to halt, the

word

whole caravan might be

seen engaged with great earnestness in the preparation of that wholesome and invigorating

beverage, which I need not say

is

uniformly

used without either milk or sugar. It

may be

expected that I should here say

something of the celebrated cedars to which this

side

mountain has given a name, but on the of the mountain next the sea there is, I ^

believe,

no growing timber of any kind.

I

MEMOIRS OF

156

was

told,

however, by an intelligent

Jew who

travelled with the caravan, that in a former

journey which he had made by the landward

from Tripoli to Damascus, he had seen some remains of

side of the mountain, in travelling

these stately cedars, but from the

little

care

that was taken of them, he seemed to be appre-

hensive that in a very short time no trace of

them would be

As we journey,

left.

approached the conclusion of our

my

anxiety to find a vessel at Tripoli

going down the Mediterranean, increased to a very painful degree.

I hastened to the house

whom

of the English Consul, for

I

had

letters

from Aleppo, and expressed my anxiety to embark in the first vessel that might sail with the probability of carrying

me

of the British shore, but to

in the direction

my

unspeakable

disappointment, I found that there was not a vessel in the

down

harbour whose destination was

This feeling of

dis-

appointment was no doubt shared with

me

in

the Mediterranean.

common by many

but I will venture to

of

my

fellow-travellers,

say, that

few of them

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

had cause of uneasiness mine, or

felt, as I did,

at all analogous

#

Patience in this dilemma was

my

only re-

had much more opportunity or inclination to examine the town

so that I

medy,

than taste

neighbourhood, and observe the man-

its

of

ners

which was

a period

rapidly passing by. * *

and

inhabitants.

its

place of

some

The town

trade, although not

is

remained

in

it,

still

a

on so ex-

While

tensive a scale as in former times.

I

the peace of the inhabitants was

greatly disturbed

Pashas,

to

the paramount necessity

home within

of reaching

157

by the

who were

contests of

equally

two

unwelcome

rival

to the

people, because they were regarded as alike the

instruments of oppression. either party, in general

ended

when they met

engaged

in blows,

The in

in altercation,

retainers of

the

streets,

which often

and when such skirmishing

occurred, the inhabitants withdrew within then-

own

houses,

VOL.

II.

and shut up L 7

their shops,

which in

MEMOIRS OF

158

small towns are open to the street, and not as in cities, like

Aleppo, inclosed in extensive

The salesman

bazars.

legs across,

patiently with his

sits

and never opens

his

mouth

to

any

one until addressed by a purchaser. Soon after my arrival at Tripoli, I wanted

some

trifling

and seeing

matter connected with

and, saluting the cross-

it,

legged inhabitant, he desired

and to ascend two

others, in

my

hand,

which "

sit

down

walking about,

and

and then

tobacco,

me

to

advance

steps of a platform, on

he was elevated, and

in

saddle,

a shop containing such articles as I

wanted, I entered

Like

my

of

first

dish

a

all

I

which

beside him.

had

my

pipe

he offered rne

of coffee, both of

I accepted.

Effendi," said the saddler, when we had finished our coffee, " in what can I serve

Now,

you ?"

I

showed him

matter of so

trifling a

help regretting that so

it

was a

strap,

indeed a

nature that I could not

much

civility

had been

thrown away on so poor a customer, but afterwards I found that such was the universal practice of the place

;

for

having occasion to

SIR

make

JAMES CAMPBELL.

159

purchases of various kinds, I uniformly

experienced the same sort of treatment.

About

to return

after a long absence, I

make for

as I

home,

fondly imagined

had many purchases to

of shawls and other articles for presents

my

family and friends, and Tripoli was a

place where articles

were to be had

of Eastern manufacture

at rates comparatively cheap.

Although the English Consul, in whose house I lodged, was extremely civil to me, yet I could not bring myself to enjoy the flattering attentions I received even before the

town was

overtaken by that dreadful malady the plague.

As

soon as the

first

indications of

had

it

appeared, the alarm became general and intense

among the higher It

classes of

people in the place.

was otherwise with the lower

you would constantly hear exclaiming passed along the streets, the will of

God; and

little

or

as

Mash Alia !

they It

is

o far did they carry

these predestinarian notions, that

took

These

orders.

many

of

them

no precaution against the spread-

ing of the contagion.

After shutting up the house in which

we

MEMOIRS OF

160

lived, the first object of

troy, as

far as

our care was to desfurred animal

possible, every

about the premises, such as cats and dogs, and even rats and mice and other vermin, for it is generally believed that the contagion

may be

communicated even by a mouse running over the bed of an infected house and carrying it on

rough coat to the dwellings of the healthy through which it may pass in quest its

of food.

In towns like

Tripoli,

which are frequently

by the plague, precautions are taken the manner of constructing the houses for

visited

in

excluding, as far as possible, the danger

of

contagion, at the same time that arrangements are

made

without.

for holding

communication with those

In the wall of the court-yard, for

instance, a cistern is generally fixed, so as that

one end should project each way beyond the plane of the wall, and

when

filled

with water,

every other avenue being shut, the master of the house enjoys the assurance that nothing

can reach him this purifying

until

medium.

it

has

passed through

Large

stores of flour,

JAMKS CAMPBELL.

SIR

and other

161

least perishable articles, are

every house, ready against the

such a calamity

;

and on the

kept in

approach of

first

alarm, these

stores, if deficient, are so increased as to

plete the necessaries of

life.

com-

Fowls, meat, and

other articles, are received through the cistern,

and

letters

are passed through a grill in the

outer door of the court-yard, and immediately

on being received are carefully fumigated or soaked in vinegar, when they may be read without apprehension. After these precautions are taken, the inhabitants within doors gradually cease to dis-

cover any symptoms of alarm. Consul,

who was

Soon

after the

a person considerably advanced

had ascertained that the plague was actually in the town, and that we must necesfor a considerable sarily be locked up together in

life,

time,

he abated the rigorous custom of the

country, which imposes an absolute separation

of the sexes, and was so good as to present to his wife, a

young person

twelve years of age.

We

II.

M

more than

were accustomed to

go to her apartments to drink VOL.

little

me

coffee after din-

MEMOIRS OF

162

and found her pretty and well-behaved

ner,

but

it

would have been wonderful

a person,

who had

all

mured within four intelligence or

her

life

walls,

if so

;

young

perhaps been im-

had possessed much

knowledge of the world.

was yet in the month of February when the plague began, and we were kept by it in It

durance

till

the middle of summer.

seemed

It

end suddenly, and the day on which its ravages were arrested was St. John's day, and

to

long before that period it

would terminate

there

is

it

was predicted that

at the time it did

so that

;

probably some connection, as the non-

contagionists allege, between the appearance of

the plague and the state of the atmosphere. I can only say, that at the time of

its

disap-

pearance the Etesian wind blew regularly and strongly.

When

I first

walked out, I was attended by

the secretary of the Consul,

me

a

who

pointed out to

number of empty shops and houses

so little did the inhabitants in general care for this dreadful malady, that

;

but

seem to

we saw them

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

163

actually selling the old clothes of those

expired under

its

influence.

Many

who had

scenes of

misery were of course the result of this awful

Walking one evening in the Congarden, we heard, in the arbours of one ad-

visitation. sul's

joining, the plaintive accents of a female voice.

They were

those of a lady of rank bemoaning

herself to a friend on the loss of her

and three children, who had

all

husband

been carried off

by this indiscriminating scourge of humanity. She was left alone, she said, to deplore her loss ;

and she complained

in her

misery of the injus-

Providence in not permitting her to ac-

tice of

company

those with

whom

she had

bound up

the whole affections of her heart.

The

dissensions

of the rival Pashas

scarcely

interrupted by

plague.

One

the

r

of the

of them was in possession of the

castle;

and

nist, a

cannon shot had taken

la

ravages

w ere

in firing

on the troops of

his antago-

effect in the

cupo-

of the Consul's house, to the great alarm of

the family. the party

As

soon as

it

was made known to

who had committed

M

2

the aggression,

MEMOIRS OF

164

a deputation was sent to us with a long-winded excuse, which was accepted the it

more

readily, as

did not happen to do us any serious harm. Silk

is

the great staple of Tripoli and

neighbourhood

:

the country around

to produce the finest in the world. ly prized partial to

tains,

It

is

said

is

great-

by the Turks, who are known to be gorgeous attire; and this silk is said to

be remarkable for the receives,

it

its

facility

with which

and the permanence with which

it

it re-

the brightest colours.

At length

a small ship arrived in the harbour,

which had come from Candia, the ancient Crete,

and on sending ship,

for the Reis, or master of the

he informed

Cyprus.

me

that he

was bound

for

That, indeed, was a course far different

from that which

I

was

so desirous of pursuing

;

Cyprus were much more frequented than those on the continent, and as I was heartily sick of Tripoli, where I had suffer-

but

as the ports of

ed so much disappointment and anxiety, I resolved to avail myself of the opportunity which

was thus presented of leaving the place which had been so long my prison.

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

The harbour

of Tripoli

with rocks, that the

vessel,

is

incommoded

so

from

165

its

draught of

water, could not be brought near to the shore.

Thus, after I had completed the necessary

ar-

my departure, I found the greatin embarking my horse, which I

rangements for est difficulty

should not, probably, have been enabled to accomplish, but for the ingenuity and dexterity of

an English I

was

so

and with

sailor

much

who happened

to

be on board.

pleased with this man's address,

his general character, that I afterwards

engaged him as a servant, and had every reason to be contented with the fidelity and zeal with

which he continued to discharge

his domestic

duties.

He

was

not, indeed, very deeply read in the

mysteries of the Christian religion.

one day

as to the nature of his faith,

I asked

and his know-

ledge of Christ and Christianity; but, like others of his country

and

his profession,

much more on feeling and

him

many

he acted

sentiment, than from

knowledge or reflection. Among those classes of the Greek population with whom he associated, he found a great deal of suppleness and

MEMOIRS OF

166

ning, which placed

them

in very unfavourable

contrast with the general character of the for honesty

and

After we had

Turks

integrity.

put to

fairly

sea, I

was rather ap-

prehensive as to the fate of my horse, for

whom

him away, and who would probably have proved unmanageable had there was no place to stow

we been

overtaken by foul weather.

expected, indeed, to see

him

I scarcely

safe ashore; but, fa-

voured by summer breezes, we made a fortunate passage to Cyprus, and

my

fears

were removed

by the dexterity of the English sailor. My first object at Cyprus was to inquire for a vessel going

down

the Mediterranean, but

again disappointment awaited me. plied to the Reis of the vessel

me

from

when he

I

then ap-

which had brought

Tripoli, as to his farther destination,

would depend upon the loading he should get at Cyprus, but that it would probably be for Rhodes. Thus I was once more said it

down, with what patience I might, await the issue of his tardy movements and

obliged to to

;

in the

due

sit

mean time

to

such of

I paid the visits

my

which were

old friends as were within

SIR

my

JAMES CAMPBELL.

At

reach.

length I was assured by the

Reis that he was ready for to sail for

16?

sea,

Rhodes with the

and that he was wind.

first fair

I

then purchased half a dozen jars of ortolans,

and for

as

many

my

casks of Cyprus wine, as presents

friends at

home

;

and

as

no other vessel

had arrived with a more desirable destination, once more embarked with

was soon under

When we

as I

sail,

my former

I

Reis, and

imagined, for Rhodes.

had stretched along the

coast of

Anatolia for a considerable distance, I observed that, a land-breeze

having sprung up, the Reis

seemed to bear away and

as there I

to suit his

my

for the Island of

Candia

;

should have no chance of a vessel

purpose,

I

insisted

agreement and carrying

on

his fulfilling

me to Rhodes. But

in all probability I should not

have succeeded

with him, if the British power, by the possession of Malta, had not at that period been para-

mount

in the Mediterranean.

assume a very serious aspect,

was obliged to and to threaten

I

to denounce his vessel to the English cruizers,

by whom, I told him, she would sooner or later After some altercation he be made a prize.

MEMOIRS OF

168

gave way, and bore up for Rhodes

at length

we might

where, that

;

not part on bad terms, I

succeeded in saving him from the payment of

which he wished to avoid, from the

certain dues

influence which I happened to possess with the British authorities at that time in possession of

the island.

At Rhodes

I

found the same

difficulty as at

other places in finding a vessel going

down

the

Mediterranean, as at this season of the year they

were

all

upward bound it

Thinking I

to receive their cargoes.

probable that by leaving Rhodes

might abandon the best chance of reaching

home,

I resolved to

submit with patience to the

cruel state of suspence in

At

first,

as is

which

the convent in Rhodes.

It is

;

at

of these estab-

company, and

true, that

are civilly

they are expected to

accommodations with becoming but no demand is made on the vi-

for their

liberality

One

went to lodge

Strangers are always welcome,

are permitted to see

pay

I

if

generally to be found in every con-

is

siderable town.

treated.

was placed.

customary in those countries,

you mean to be comfortable,

lishments

I

SIR

who make

sitors,

monks

may

JAMES CAMPBELL.

their

as

169

such a remuneration to the circumstances or

disposition

dictate.

These convents are protected by the Turks for their own convenience. As compared with those parts of Asia which I had an opportunity

of visiting,

vanced in

Turkey may be regarded

as far ad-

but, so far as

my obser-

civilization;

vation extends, the as a better

Arab

is

to be considered

and more trustworthy man than the ?:^r:oo:r

Turk.

After I had made some stay in the convent,

and seeing no hope of immediate thought

some

it

little

relief,

I

better to take a house for myself at

distance from the town.

try-houses in the neighbourhood of

The counRhodes

are

usually built on the same general plan.

They

are strong, massy, square buildings, with

narrow

entrances so contrived as to present a variety of obstacles to a forcible entry.

corners there

mand

is

always a

little

At one

of the

tower to com-

a view of the country, and enable the in-

habitants to observe every object that approaches.

Every thing necessary

for the convenience

MEMOIRS OF

170

of the inhabitants

included within the four

is

walls of the building

so that, in the strictest

;

sense of the term, a rural mansion at

what would be within

itself,

Houses of

called in

Rhodes

is

a house

Edinburgh

or a self-contained house. this

description are occupied

by

the Jewish and Greek inhabitants of the island,

from the constant apprehension under which they live of insult and aggression from their

Such attacks would not

Turkish neighbours.

be openly sanctioned by the public authorities, but the degraded

casts are treated, nevertheless,

with unyielding hauteur and contumely,

if

not

with actual violence and oppression, by their

more fortunate countrymen. Greek, mounted on his ass mitted to ride on horseback

them

so

mounted were

way, they must until the

Turk

all

to

When a Jew or a for

he

is

not per-

nay, if a dozen of

meet a Turk

in the

dismount and stand

still

thinks proper to pass.

In consequence of degradation, the

this

more

and

similar badges of

respectable and wealthy

of the Greek and Jewish inhabitants are ac-

customed to apply to the ambassadors of the

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

European powers

great

for

some nominal ap-

pointment in connection with

Such

are

appointments

Turks

as

among

others an

conferring

171

the

recognized

certain

embassy.

by the and

privileges,

immunity from such marks of

degradation as I have just alluded

to.

In con-

formity with the manners of the country, a present, of

more

or less value,

to the ambassador

is

always given

on receiving the appoint-

ment, and some are so considerable as to add very materially to the emoluments not merely of the envoy himself, but of several officers attached to his suite.

The country around Rhodes abounds with game. dale,

the

It is beautifully diversified

shade and water. last,

islands.

are

rare

hill

and

These, and particularly

advantages

At Rhodes

by

in

there are no

the Greek

game

laws;

and, for myself at least, I can say, that I

met

with no obstruction in the enjoyments of the sports of the field.

The

chief objects of pur-

suit are the hare, the partridge,

This

last is a

but of the

and the jelinote.

bird not unlike our

size of a partridge.

I

moor game,

had not seen

MEMOIRS OF

172

them elsewhere, excepting hood of Spa, the island

land

is

in

in

the neighbour-

The

Germany.

partridge of

twice as large as ours in

Eng-

plumage is beautiful, his legs red, of and he is as bold as he is handsome. In

his

;

course,

the convent at Rhodes I had a tame one in

room, so tame that the windows were

left

my

open,

and he would frequently go out and return to

The weather being hot, I with my chamber window open me.

generally slept ;

ing he would sometimes hop on disturb me,

when

away and go

to sleep again.

On

I

morn-

in the

my

bed and

would gently push him

one occasion I thought him more trouble-

some than

and on looking about

usual,

me

I

perceived that he had got a companion in the

room with him, a wild tracted

by the

call

sequence of the partridge

is

of

one,

my

facility

old inmate.

tamed, they have

to an indolent sportsman. call,

upon

by the sportsman.

at-

In con-

with which the cock

shooting at Rhodes which

trained to

who had been

is

manner of

very agreeable

The tame

a signal

He is

a

given

bird to

is

him

put into a cage and

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR carried

where the mastic berry

a thicket

to

The sportsman

abounds.

173

conceals himself be-

hind a bush adjoining to an opening in the thicket and gives the signal.

In a favourable

I

have seen so

twenty and thirty round the cage. mark down and shoot the most distant,

many

You

situation,

as

and with good management you may kill the whole covey, or rather collection of coveys gathered by the

call,

for as soon as the jerk is

repeated they are sure to return. of training partridge

mode

called the dressing of the cock

is

I

:

This

have not heard of

its

being at-

tempted in England, but I do not see should not succeed.

From

why

it

such excursions

I

never failed to comp- home loaded with game. I

began to shoot early in the morning, and

adapting myself to the manners of the country, I

had

my

pipe,

carried out

my

carpet,

with me.

and

my

coffee-pot

After taking some

re-

freshment, I went to sleep during the heat of

the day, and in the afternoon renewed sport before returning home.

my

MEMOIRS OF

174

CHAPTER Departure from Rhodes. of the vessel,

Old Rhodes.

of

Empire.

carried into

The

John

Jervis.

Count 'de Lauriston.

Alexander Don.

Madame

lasted for

of

Sassen.

life,

A

Keith.

for France.

The Russian

The Arabian Horse.

Companions

Mr. Hamilton.

-Sail

Police.

Prince of Conde.

Imperial courtesy.

mode

Female

Lord

Loss of a vessel.

Galley Slaves.

Armenian Residents.

Offer of Buonaparte.

MY

Boarded and

corvette.

Answer of

Hulan, Desaix.

Ambassador.

Boyle.

Turkish Tombs.

Bowstring.

Treatment of Prisoners.

tilly.

Grandees

Perform quarantine. Provider Ludicrous and affecting incident.

Port of Marseilles. Sir

of

St. John,

Marseilles.

of the Lazaretto. Generals

Of

Ruins and Paintings.

Meet an armed

Monuments.

Tardy progress

Malaga.

Knights of Rhodes.

Malta. the

Sail for

VII.

Visit to

Chan-

in captivity.

Mr. Fitzgerald.

Sir

Lord

general custom.

as before described,

some time, when

at length, to

had

my

great contentment, a Ragusine vessel arrived in

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

175

whose destination was Malaga, I went immeor some other port in Spain. the harbour,

and concluded a bargain for the passage of myself, my horse, and two servants, the one a Greek, named George, the diately to the town,

other

my

Christian

John Smith the

friend,

sailor.

John Smith had more than those national peculiarities

trymen

his

due share of

by which

his coun-

are supposed to be distinguished

these were

;

to

superadded the bluntness of the

and the gravity of the Turk. In his hatred of Greek cunning, he had acquired a sort of veneration for the Turkish character, sailor

and he rejoiced

at the instance

which occurred

during our stay at Rhodes of comparing the

two

races to the disadvantage of the Greeks.

Immediately on our asked

my

leave to

arrival at

Rhodes, he

go to Candia, to claim

some wages which were due to him by a Turkish master-mariner, his former Reis. sailed in a

Greek

boat,

and was charged ex-

orbitantly for his passage at

He

;

but on

his arrival

Candia he received what was due to him,

MEMOIRS OF

176

amounting to about twenty pounds, and was hospitably

entertained

by the

Reis, until he

found a Saccolava, or large Turkish sloop, to He embarked in carry him back to Rhodes. it,

and arrived

tunity

When

in safety long before the oppor-

occurred for

my

leaving the

island.

he went down to the port on the follow-

ing morning to pay for his passage and provisions, the people absolutely refused to take

any of his money. That he might not be outdone in civility, he invited the whole of the crew to a repast on

A

shore.

number of

them came and partook of what was

offered to

them, with the exception of wine and

spirits,

which were presented but declined.

The only

luxuries in which they indulged

were sweetmeats and iced water

;

and although

the guests were sober, the company, I believe,

were each of them happy in

his

own way though ;

4

I

have no doubt

it

must have been a

ficiently ludicrous to

the

feast,

who

sight suf-

have seen the master of

did not deny himself a large pro-

portion of what he had prepared for his guests,

assuming that grave and solemn deportment

in

SIR his cups,

JAMES CAMPBELL.

177

which he had habitually borrowed from

who were

the guests

so

much

the objects of his

admiration.

The forded

tardy movements of the Ragusine af-

me ample

leisure, after I

passage, to review the parts of

The

had secured

my

town of Rhodes, many

which are well worthy of observation.

place

is

of considerable extent, and

of the houses are remarkably well built.

many The

street of the Knights, in particular, deserves a traveller's attention

;

and

I

am bound to

in justice to the Turks, that they

observe,

have not been

so barbarous as to destroy, because they could

not value, the arms and crosses by which the houses of the Knights of Rhodes are distinguished, consecrated, and adorned.

The French

discovered a very different spirit

in taking possession of Malta.

gle exception of the is

Church of

With St.

the sin-

John, which

truly a magnificent structure, they had the

barbarity to destroy every relic of the Order for

which that island has been so famous. arms of the Knights are

still

The

preserved, indeed,

on the marble pavement of the Church of VOL,

II.

N

St.

MEMOIRS OF

178

John, most curiously inlaid in a beautiful and ingenious kind of mosaic.

every

marked by some inscripwith the name and arms of the grand-

tower and bulwark tion,

At Rhodes,

is

master, or individual knight

were erected.

Towards the

by

whom

land, the

they

town

is

very strongly fortified in the ancient manner, the whole being surrounded

by a deep

ditch,

which, with the ramparts, has been cut out of rock.

The

immense works

are in

the

solid

greater part

of these

excellent preservation,

be made of very considerable strength, at a moderate expense. Such

and the place could

is

still

the dryness of the atmosphere, that the marks

of the chisel can

still

be distinctly seen on the

inclined plane of the glacis as fresh and sharp as

when

was originally formed. The town itself is built in form of a it

crescent,

the two horns or extremities of which inclosethe two harbours.

These might both be well adapted to the accommodation of ships of con-

siderable burden,

if

the Turks were only to

enact and enforce a regulation,

merchantmen who come

to

by which the them should be

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

179

compelled to deposit their ballast at some convenient station on the outside.

As

it

is,

the

harbours are in progress of being gradually filled

up; and

the practice continues, they

if

must by and by be unfitted

for

any useful

purpose.

Immediately beyond the

in

fortifications,

every direction towards the country, there

nothing to be seen

formed with great in the form of an or vacuum.

but graves.

care, of bricks

arch,

and cement,

is

distinguished

by

with a turban carved on

sort of headstone,

and frequently some symbol

whom

it is

six miles

it,

,of the profession

intended to com-

memorate, but without any name or

About

are

but without any vault

Each grave

of the individual

They

is

date.

from the town, a collection

of ruins are to be seen, distinguished by the

name

of Old Rhodes.

These remains are

situ-

ated on a considerable eminence; and although

much tions

fallen into decay, there are still substruc-

and underground work of great extent,

in a tolerable state of preservation.

The

walls

of these subterraneous buildings are covered

N

2

MEMOIRS OF

180 with

plaster,

Among

and painted with

Scripture-pieces.

others I could recognize the history of

Joseph, and the colours in general were re-

markably fresh and rian

enough to

fix

vivid.

I

am

not antiqua-

the date of these pictures,

or of the buildings on which they are preserved;

but

as the

island for

suppose

it

Turks have been

in possession of the

upwards of three hundred

be conceded that these works

will

must be of

years, I

still

They are period when

higher antiquity.

doubtless to be ascribed to the

the Knights enjoyed that wealth and distinction

which gave them so high a place in European The style, in general, seemed to me to history. be

Italian.

I

remember

in particular the face

of a beautiful woman, which in form and expression appeared to

The mantle and seemed

to be strictly European.

drapery, as well as the face,

as fresh as if the

executed.

At

work had been newly

a greater distance

about thirty miles still

me

off,

from Rhodes,

the ruins of Lindo are

to be seen.

It is generally

known

that

Rhodes has long

been a place of exile for the grandees of the

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

empire,

many

of

are sent here to

end

Their burying places are ranged

their days.

along the beach. las,

whom

181

They

consist of small cupo-

generally about twenty feet high, support-

ed by

The

pillars.

interior

is

open on

all sides,

and they are not distinguished by names or It seldom happens that a prisoner of dates. state,

who

is

Government,

sent into exile is

by the Turkish

suffered to die a natural death.

The Capize Bach

is

generally sent to

him with

the bowstring within a period which varies, I believe,

from one year to

five.

When the mes-

senger arrives with the mandate for the death

of the exile, he applies submission, kisses

Another to the

The

it,

to his head, in token of

it

and

yields to his fate.

peculiarity remains to be noticed as

mode

of interment

right of burial

the Turks.

held to be paramount to

is

the right of property

among

;

so that

when

a person

dies in a Turkish' town, his relations carry

him

and deposit his remains in any part of your property or mine they may think into the country,

fit

to select.

The

proprietor of the ground

is

not entitled to object to the proceeding, nor

MEMOIRS OF

182

even to interrupt the friends and relations of the deceased in their future access to the tomb.

Thus

it

happens that

solitary

be seen scattered over the in

situations

best

Around

effect.

monuments

are to

and generally

fields,

calculated for picturesque

these

monuments groups of

mourners are often to be seen of an afternoon, assembled to weep over their departed friends,

sometimes even it

would be

at the distance of years.

inconsistent with the Turkish cha-

racter if they departed their staid

come

But

on such occasions from

and methodical

to weep, they

come

habits.

also

When

they

with their usual

comforts of coffee and tobacco.

Of

Rhodes and Zante

that

of

all

ing,

the Greek islands, I

may

say in general

are the

most beautiful

those that I had an opportunity of visit-

and Zante has the additional advantage of

being protected by a range of mountains from the westerly winds, which in that quarter are the most prevalent.

The

ship in which I had taken

and which had taken

my

passage,

in a cargo of cotton at

Cyprus to be carried to the Spanish coast of the

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

183

Mediterranean, was at length ready for

Our voyage continued

sea.

to be prosperous until

we

approached the Gulf of Lyons, when we descried an armed corvette, which from the first

we suspected to be French, and it was not long in confirming our fears by boarding us and taking

This occurred at a

possession of the vessel.

late

hour in the evening, and on the following afternoon we were carried into Marseilles. Thus all hopes of reaching red,

and

tended

it

home were

seemed

indefinitely defer-

some

as if

me to obstruct the

fatality

progress of

had

at-

my return

from the period when I first received the intelligence which made that return so necessary.

The

first

order which reached us on our arri.

was that

val at Marseilles,

all

on board of the

corvette, as well as of the prize, should

quarantine for three months.

Our

go into bills

of

health happened to be foul, and the crew of

the corvette having boarded us without inquiry,

had

and disregarded the instructions they

received,

to

port, while they

make

us follow them into

had admitted of promiscuous

intercourse between the

two

ships' crew,

they

MEMOIRS OF

184

were necessarily involved in the danger of contagion, and ordered to observe the laws of quarantine for the same period with ourselves. I

need scarcely add, that the period of confinement might have been indefinitely prolonged

by the occurrence of a death among the crew towards the close of the time which was

first

prescribed to us. I

have known of an instance where a

ship's

company, in consequence of successive deaths, had thus been kept in durance for more than a year.

Nor, in so far as

observe, can I see

how

I

have been able to

the hardship of such a

lengthened confinement can reasonably be complained of, if it be true, as is universally .believed in those

countries

where the malady

most frequently appears, that

it is

communi-

cated exclusively, at least with a certainty

most

by contact or contagion. The least, had some reason to be cau-

invariable,

Marseillois, at tious,

from the visitation they met with about

the beginning of the last century, lost

al-

not

less

than 120,000

souls.

when they

On

that la-

mentable occasion, the clergy were most con-

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

185

spicuous for their benevolence and self-devotion,

many

of them receiving the subtle virus of the

malady when offices

for

in the performance of the last sad

These

the sick and the dying.

praiseworthy exertions are ful tradition in the place,

of the period

is

still

matter of grate-

and the old Bishop

spoken of with the deepest ve-

neration, as having personally led on his clergy in this perilous undertaking, in

which a great

proportion of them perished, while he himself outlived the general desolation to receive the

acknowledgments of the

The

survivors.

quarantine ground at Marseilles

is

of

great extent, including a space of at least three miles in circumference, and the regulations

which

it

is

by

governed, are so contrived as to

afford every possible facility for a free

commu-

nication between those in confinement

and the

world at

large.

ground, a bureau

At

the gate of the quarantine

is

established for the purpose

of facilitating parole or oral intercourse be-

tween the probationers within, and the stranThis bureau is divided longitugers without. dinally

by two rows of strong wooden

bars,

MEMOIRS OF

186

arranged in parallel floor to the ceiling,

lines,

reaching from the

and placed

at such a dis-

tance as to leave a vacant space of eight feet

between them, across which there

is

no passage.

Strangers are admitted into the gallery next

the town

;

and on that next the lazaretto the

patients have access, but always under the in-

spection of the guardians of health, siness it is to see that

whose bu-

no actual contact takes

place between the patients under different periods of probation.

Attended by one of these guardians, you are permitted to take exercise within the quarantine grounds,

and even to interchange

visits

with your fellow-prisoners, subject always to the inspection of the attendants of the lazaretto,

whose duty it I have even

is

to regulate such intercourse.

with persons whose periods of confinement were longer, sat at the dinner-table

as well as shorter,

than

my own

;

but

if

contact

had taken place between persons limited to unequal terms, that of the shortest would have been equalized with the longest.

The

provider of the lazaretto

is

a person

who

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

187

never leaves the grounds, and keeps a sort of

cookshop on a very extensive

scale,

and

fur-

nishes provisions to the inmates as they require

them.

During the period of my confinement,

there was a great deal of retto,

and

it

was

company

in the laza-

usual, for the sake of a better

dinner, that three or four should mess together.

At

the

my

associates

commencement

of the period, I had for

an English Captain, just return-

ed from India, and a French General, Hulan, afterwards Governor of Paris, with two other

French

officers.

General Hulan had a horse

with him, which he brought from Algiers, but

he readily admitted that in almost every point to

The monotony

his

my

Barb was

inferior

Arabian.

of our quarantine

life

was

some time interrupted by an incident which was at once ridiculous and tragical. In a fit

for

of heedless folly, a

young man, who had come

passenger in a ship unprovided with clean

bills

of health, having wearied of his confinement, contrived to

make

it

from the qua-

by clambering over the wall by was surrounded. The whole posse of

rantine grounds

which

his escape

MEMOIRS OF

188

and inspectors were immediately on foot to discover his retreat; as, from their extreme

police

vigilance,

no event can happen in the

without

their

with

lazaretto

becoming speedily acquainted The young man was traced to a house

it.

of more than doubtful character, and the premises were immediately surrounded, every individual in

it,

guests and inmates, visitors and

being carried indiscriminately to the

visited,

lazaretto.

The

laws of quarantine are

and

known

to be

was thought necessary on this occasion to make an example of the young man, severe,

it

who had committed sanitary regulations.

form of

trial,

so daring a breach of the

I

am

not aware of the

or whether any form

is

pursued

on such occasions, where the

fact of infringe-

ment

as that of break-

is

so

open to observation

ing out of confinement.

The

result,

however,

was made known by proclamation to the inmates of the lazaretto, who were all required to

attend and witness the execution of the

He

was brought out and exposed to the general view, under the windows of the

culprit.

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

principal building,

where a

priest attended

He

to receive his confession.

189

him

was then con-

veyed to a boat, which was towed by another containing a party of soldiers, a

from the

but so

shore,

as still to

little

way

off

be within view

of the spectators.

On

a signal from the land, the soldiers rose,

presented and

fired, after

taining the dead I

am no

which the boat con-

body was immediately sunk.

advocate, in general, for sanguinary i

punishments, but

if

measures like those of

quarantine be necessary to prevent the spread

of contagious diseases, the regulations for enforcing sition

of penal sanctions.

indeed,

ground 1

am

them must be guarded by the impocannot

always

Capital punishment,

be defended on the

either of necessity or expediency,

and

convinced that the most hardened of-

fenders

would

in general be

more

effectually

deterred from the commission of crime

by hard

labour and solitary confinement, than by the transitory terrors of a public execution.

The

ludicrous part of the transaction was to

be found in the strange discoveries which were

MEMOIRS OF

190

made by the good people of habits of

added

They

Marseilles, as to the

some of their townsmen, who were thus

to the list of probationers in the lazaretto. cut, in truth, a

very awkward figure in the

unexpected predicament into which they had

brought themselves.

They were

permitted, of

course, the usual indulgence of conversing with their friends

from the town, in the bureau

at

the entrance of the grounds, but were constrained to suffer a confinement of three

with the best grace they could. that any of the

new inmates had

months

I did not hear

contributed to

the spread of the plague.

After General Hulan and some of associates

had been

my

relieved, a party of

earlier

Jews and

>

Italian

singers

joining the in

little

arrived at the lazaretto,

mess

I

had formed, contributed

some degree to enable

less

and

me

to pass the time

irksomely.

Although not exactly

in the chronological or-

der of events, I may here mention a circumstance

which

is

recalled

been speaking.

by

that of

which

I

have now

General Desaix, on his return

to France from Egypt, was, with a

number of

,

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

191

other prisoners, brought into Leghorn, at that

time in possession of the English.

were sadly affected with ophthalmia,

soldiers

many

The French

of

them

in a state of darkness

shocking disease, so that

it

from that

was necessary to

send the whole of them to perform quarantine.

Desaix sent a message to Lord Keith, to remonstrate against the order which included him, a General

was thus

officer,

inflicted

on

in the restraint

his troops.

Perhaps the

message had reached Lord Keith in a of ill-humour, or he thought

it

which

moment

necessary to

evince the rooted dislike which he felt for the

by which France had His Lordship's answer so long been governed. was, that he regretted the fortune of war should revolutionary doctrines

have subjected a person of General Desaix's merit to so great a hardship, but the laws of quarantine, he said, were sacred, and he understood,

from the motto of

liberty

and equality

had assumed, that they had abandoned those distinctions of rank on which

the French

which the General's claims to exemption were founded.

MEMOIRS OF

192

The

port of Marseilles

well suited for the

is

accommodation of ships of moderate burden, being perfectly land-locked, and sufficiently capacious; but from its draught of water it is not capable of admitting a man-of-war.

ed to be in the Alarm, with

when

Sir

I happen-

John

Jervis,

she ran ashore in the Gulf of Lyons,

about six miles from the port.

A large hole

was struck out in her bottom, but she did not immediately go

down, from a circumstance

which was thought to be somewhat remarkable. The leak occurred immediately under the breadroom, which being

filled

ed the bread

hinder the ship from

as to

as fast as it otherwise

abled us to

with water, so softenfilling

would have done, and en-

make the port of Marseilles, although

not without

much

difficulty,

and with the

loss

of our masts, which, from the state of the weather, it

On

had become necessary

reaching the port,

derstood on shore that

we

to cut away.

caused

we were

it

to be un-

desirous of hav-

ing an anchor carried out to seaward of the ship.

In compliance with our request, a boat was sent from the shore with twenty-five galley-slaves on

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

who were promised

board,

193

their liberty if they

succeeded in accomplishing the object of their

Unhappily they did not succeed boat was swamped within our view ; the mission.

of the sea and the weather was such as to relief impossible,

The

lost.

they are

and every

still

make

on board was

life

no longer sent to sea, but employed as the means of public

;

and the practice of compelling a

culprit to labour for the public

humane

good is surely and I have not

hang him doubt that it is even more

the least

state

galleys are

punishment

quite as

the

;

as to

;

effectual for

the great object of punishment, the prevention

The

of crime. severe

;

some

and some It

is

labour of a galley-slave

are

for the

condemned

is

very

for terms of years,

whole period of

life.

true, that, like other places of confine-

ment, they are likely enough to harden the

of-

and put him in the way of acquiring a knowledge and dexterity in crime but these fender,

;

are evils

which

from every

are in

some degree inseparable

species of restraint, although they

may no doubt be alleviated by those distinctions which, are now observed in well-conducted priVOL, IL

o

MEMOIRS OF

194 sons,

between the tried and untried, the old and

the young offender.

Yet,

it

must be admitted,

that every such arrangement can only

amount

to a modification of the evil, and that the

most

guarded and selected intercourse between criminal prisoners

invariably attended with

is

some

degree of moral contamination.

Soon

after the

Alarm was got

into the har-

bour of Marseilles, she sunk in such a situation

came over her upper deck.

as that the water

Sir

John

Jervis

was known to be a

strict disci-

but his discipline was applied with

plinarian,

equal severity to himself as to those under his

command. for the

A large Swedish ship was

accommodation of the

until the

officers

engaged

and crew,

Alarm could be taken up and

repair-

and the Admiral was perhaps the only individual who never went ashore until his object ed,

When

was accomplished.

men

as well as the officers

to go into the

town

;

and

not on duty, the

had occasional leave I should

be sorry to

join in the idea which has gone abroad regard-

ing him, that he was more severe in his pline than the

good of the

disci*.

service required.

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

The world knows

195

that he was a good seaman

and a gallant officer, and these are qualities which might well atone for some little excess in

what he doubtless conceived to be an impe-

rative duty.

The Port-major

of Marseilles discovered the

and assiduity in rendering his asthe Admiral in raising and refitting

greatest zeal sistance to

the ship it

and

;

as his

impossible to offer

sation, Sir

John

rank was such as to make

him

a pecuniary

Jervis wrote

home

miralty, detailing the services

major had rendered to ving that

it

compen-

to the

Ad-

which the Port-

his Majesty's ship, obser-

would be necessary

to send

him

a

piece of plate, which, he said, should be of the

Some

value of 5001. the

objection was

made

amount of the remuneration, which,

to

to a

person of Sir John's decided character, was not

The

was immediately own expense, and the Admiralty

very agreeable. ordered at his

was informed that the service.

It

it

plate

was done

for the

was well known that

was not a rich man, and

I

good of

Sir

John

am happy to add,

that,

on reconsidering the matter, the Admiralty did o 2

MEMOIRS OF

196

not permit him to suffer by his generosity.

These events occurred on one of the occasions

when

was on

I

my way

my

regiment at

I remained at Marseilles until the

Minorca.

Alarm was

refitted,

Admiral on board. expressed rolled,

to join

my

when

when

On

surprise

Sir

I returned with the

getting out to sea, I

how desperately

the ship

John made me observe

that

it

from the smallness of her masts, which

arose

could not be had of the necessary size in the

dock-yard at Marseilles.

An

order had arrived for the transmission of

the English prisoners to Paris, on their being released from the Lazaretto. set out,

we

attended in the usual manner by an

escort of gens-d'armes.

my

Accordingly

But

I

must not

carry

reader from this scene of mercantile enter-

without offering

prise

my

tribute

of respect

and acknowledgment to those Amerian residents in the place, from whom, at the time of our departure, sally

we

received, I

may

say, univer-

the most liberal offers of service.

lower

class

To

the

of prisoners, their attentions con-

SIR sisted of real

and

JAMES CAMPBELL.

and

197

substantial benefits in

money

clothes.

Our

from the French

travelling allowance

Government was

less

than moderate

;

we were

of course deprived of our arms, and I had on this occasion the mortification to lose the

which

I

had received from the Ionian Presi-

dency, and which to its

me had

intrinsic worth.

class

a value far

beyond

Prisoners of the lowest

received the same allowance with their

superiors

;

but

sufficient for

the pittance

as

mere

the habits of gentlemen. in fact, to defray our

to travel very slow,

treated strictly

was

scarcely

existence, the hardship

of course greater to those

On

sword

who had

We were

own

charges,

was

acquired

compelled,

were made

and upon the whole were

and not

well.

our arrival at Paris,

we were

placed under

the surveillance of that abominable system of

espionage for which the government of Bonaparte was so tions

much

distinguished.

The

restric-

imposed upon us were, that we should

not pass the barriers of Paris, that

we

should

MEMOIRS OF

198

show ourselves every morning to the Police, and that such of us as were thought worthy of so

much

attention should receive one of their

an inmate in his house.

as

agents

Even

in

England it is now generally known that these agents were often women possessing the requisites

of

virtue,

and

a

decent

exterior,

consummate

unscrupulous

address.

could

I

mention many individuals well known in the world

who were

thus trammelled,

numerous detenus who were seized through the French peace of 1802. prescribed

by the

territories

among the, in passing

during the short

Acquiescence in the system police was,

no doubt,

in

some

degree compensated by a relaxation of other restraints,

and that

in particular

necessary for the prisoners to

which made

show themselves

every morning at the nearest police

At

the time of

my

I

office.

arrival at Paris, I

found

and the intelligence soon afterwards received from Scot-

myself in very bad health

which

it

land, through the

;

medium

of the American

ambassador,

who was kind enough

and receive

letters for

me

under

to forward

his envelope,

,

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

did not tend either to improve

199

my

health, or

to relieve the miseries of an imprisonment of

At

undefined duration.

length

I

became

so

was impossible for me to attend the bureau of the police, and the miserable alterthat

ill,

it

native was presented to

me

their female agents, or of I

going to the

hospital.

chose the former, and I have lived to lament

that I did so. ,

of receiving one of

was presented

It

be

may

to me,

it is

said, that as a choice

not for

me

to exclaim

who

of a government

against the principles

thus virtually sanctioned a system of immorality.

As an argumentum ad hominum,

I

bow

to

the justice of the criticism, but not as a defence

of the government by

whom

the alternative

was proposed. The female branch of the system of espionage had probably its origin in the superintendence which

is

taken, and the tax in

the form of license which is exacted from

women

and from making them the instruments of taxation, the step was easy of a certain character

to

make them The

it

;

the instruments of the police.

gradual exhaustion of

necessary

for

me

my

finances

made

to think of selling

my

MEMOIRS OF

200 horse

a measure to

;

reconciled,

when

I

which

became more

of a purchase.

easily

on the probability

reflected

of his being taken from

mony

I

me

without the cere-

I heard that the Russian

ambassador, Count Markoff, was likely to

waited on the ambassador, and told

him.

I

him

that I

had

thought might as

I

buy

a horse to dispose of,

which I

suit his Imperial master, and,

placed a large price

upon him,

it

was

only in a person of the highest that I could

hope to find a purchaser.

Count Markoff's

answer was, that he could not buy him on the instant,

but that he would write home for

instructions.

In the mean time I received

offers for the

horse from several French officers of rank, but

the sums they proposed were far from being

adequate to the most moderate idea of the animal's value.

Soon afterwards

I

met

in society

with General the Count de Lauriston, one of Bonaparte's Aids-de-camp,

whom

before as a countryman, and

who

I

had known

claimed kin-

dred with me, as being mutually related to the family of Argyle.

The

subject of the Arabian

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

was one of our

him

201

topics of conversation.

I told

that I should be under the necessity of

sell-

ing the horse, and mentioned the sums which

had been offered

him by some of his brother

for

officers.

whom

In a few days a gentleman

I did not

know waited upon me, and said that he was authorized to make a purchase of the horse, if we could agree upon terms.

had been offered

mentioned what

I

me, and

to

said, at

the same

time, that if he were in England, I should have

put 1500/. upon him situation in

which

;

I

but in consequence of the found myself at the mo-

When

ment, I was ready to conclude for 600/.

the trifling

some expression of impatience sums which had been previously

offered, the

gentleman observed, that the person

I specified with

who

sent

him

there could probably pay for the

horse according to his value

red for the

name

that

it

This disclosure afforded

liberty

;

means

was

me

the

Empe-

a ray of hope,

might obtain my personal and the idea was at least natural to a

this

by

I inqui-

of his constituent, he answer-

ed with some hesitation that ror.

and when

;

I

MEMOIRS OF

02

my situation. As soon as the thought flashed across my mind, I proposed to the

person in

had

gentleman to

offer the horse as a present to the

He

Emperor.

expressed no opinion as to the

propriety of this

proposal, but

would communicate and give

me

it in

said

that

he

the proper quarter,

He

an answer in a day or two.

returned within the time appointed, and said

was impossible for the Emperor to accept of any thing from a prisoner, but that he would give me my price. The horse was ac-

that

it

cordingly sent to the Imperial stables, and with

the fanfaronade which Bonaparte affected in his actions,

of

six,

he sent

me 1200

louis d'ors in place

a reinforcement to the

finances,

which

at the

all

weak

moment was

seasonable, as at this period I

state of

my

particularly

had very

little

prospect of being speedily able to recruit them

from home. I store

resolved, therefore, to

with the greatest care

fact, I

husband ;

my

little

and, in point of

contrived to subsist upon it for a consider-

able portion of the period of

Soon

my

imprisonment.

after the period of the first restoration,

JAMES CAMPBELL.

Sill

I

was invited to

illustrious

perhaps the most

which any nation

The Prince

boast.

early

visit a family,

life.

in

of Conde I

On my

between himself and

As

de Bourbon.

I

knew

Europe can had known in

at Chantilly, the

arrival

Prince was pleased to place me, dinner,

203

when we

his son, the

sat to

Duke

that old soldiers en-

joyed those topics of conversation which had a reference to their early exploits, I took an

opportunity of leading to the services of the

Prince in the Seven Years' War, which, without

might fairly be spoken of as highly honourable to the arms of France. The Prince any

flattery,

of Cond6 had

commanded

at

the battle of

Johannesberg against the Hereditary Prince of Brunswick, and after an obstinate combat had gained the victory.

I could not

been present at the

battle,

recollected that I

from

be said to have

although

it

may be

was sent by General Moston

his quarters,

certain the result,

about five miles

and was of some

off,

to as-

service to

the Hereditary Prince and his Aid-de-camp, Sir

Henry

Clinton,

carrying

who had both been wounded,

them from

the

field.

in

MEMOIRS OF

204

The

guest of a

man

was necessary that I should suit sation to his humour. I therefore it

that

we saw

it

was

take us in flank. I

aught it

hit the

teran

"

know

my

conver-

said to

him,

his Highness's intention to

This might be very true for

to the contrary

humour

commander

Cond,

like the Prince of

at all events,

;

of the moment, as the ve-

rejoined with great eagerness,

Exactly, that was just

my

intention."

On

Duke de Bourbon, who saw, perhaps, more clearly how the matter stood, tapped me this the

familiarly on the arm, saying

have lived too long at court."

"

Ah,

Sir,

you

If not exactly

the truth, what I had said was what the French

perhaps liked better;

it

was

at once civilly

meant,

and had the advantage of a sufficient degree of the vraisemblance, and we naturally do not wish to offend a

man who

gives us good shoot-

ing and an excellent dinner.

The

reader

may

recollect the opportunity

which I enjoyed, when

vernment of the Ionian forty prisoners

in charge of the go-

Islands, of relieving

some

from the French army from the

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

205

which they were destined on board two Salletine rovers, which had entered the bay

captivity to

of Zante in quest of address which they parture,

I

wood and

made

to

water.

me on

The

their de-

found the means of transmitting

through a channel which brought

it

under the

notice of the Emperor, and to that circumstance I

am

disposed to ascribe the attentions which I

afterwards received from

M. Fouch6,

lebrated Minister of Police. as to give

me

He

the ce-

was so good

leave to shoot over his estate of

which was situated about twenty miles from Paris, and the only condition anPonte

Carre*,

nexed to the

liberty was, that I should present

myself daily before the authorities of the neighbouring village. At this village I had made

my arrangements for eating and sleeping during my stay in the vicinity; but on the first evening of my arrival, after a day of successful sport, I was attended

by one of the

officers

of the

Duke's household, and entreated to enter the chateau, where I found supper prepared for me,

and was assured that

special orders

had been

MEMOIRS OF

206

me

received for offering

were due to a guest of

the attentions which

his Grace,

during

my

stay in the country. I did not think myself called on to decline

the offices of hospitality which had thus been

tendered in a manner so or ostentation.

I

little

savouring of state

remained at Ponte Carr6 for

about six weeks, and on

my

departure I ac-

knowledged the attentions I had received, in a manner which I believe to be peculiarly French. I

had the

feet of a brace of partridges burnished

and gilded, and sent the birds to the Duchess, with

my compliments

My

and thanks.

chief acquaintances

were the

late Sir

Sir

Don had

always obtained access

to his pecuniary resources,

had

all

lady.

Mr. Fitzgerald, and

the son of the Earl of Glasgow.

Alexander

the person

the detenus,

Alexander Don, Mr. Hamil-

ton, an Irish gentleman,

Lord Boyle,

among

who was

and in consequence,

sent to

him by the

police,

the manners and accomplishments of a

With me

it

was otherwise,

known, from the simple

style in

as it

which I

that such an inmate was not suited to

was

lived,

my

fi-

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

207

me

professed

to be able to discharge the duties of

cookmaid

nances

;

the person

in the family.

who came

to

She was by birth a German

;

and having been in England with a German family, she had the advantage of speaking the language.

Her name was

originally Haitage;

but when she came to me, she passed by the

name of Sassen. rather say,

it

It

would be

would be

difficult,

I should

to reconcile

impossible,

an English reader to those modes of

life,

which

in France are practised so generally, as to have

ceased to be remarkable, and far less to be a subject of reproach.

To me

it

would be matter

for the deepest mortification, if

it

could be sup-

posed that I should attempt to excuse, or to palliate,

tioned

the immorality which seems to be sanc-

by such general

usage.

1 claim only

some degree of mitigation of the censure which the severer morals of England would impose on such an arrangement, by pleading the

cir-

cumstances by which I was surrounded, and the disadvantages, approaching to necessity, in

which I was placed.

MEMOIRS OF

208

CHAPTER

VIII.

Annoyances of arbitrary imprisonment. Mode of life as & detenu. Embarrassments and privations. An eclaircissement.

A

liberal

Lieutenant of Police.

Attempt to escape. AnecResidence at Amsterdam.

Unpleasant adventures. Draw a dotes of a tailor. an old

Am

turf-seller.

bill

on

my

Generosity of

Mynheer

seriously indisposed.

of Amsterdam.

Tolard.

Lower

French.

Transported into France.

classes

Son.

Enmity

Fortress of

to the

Ham.

Narrow escape. A Jew physician. Method of beguiling the time. Count Hamerstaen.

Restrictions

upon

us.

English and Prussian

Campbell.

officers.

Death of

Succeed to the estate and

Sir

Alexander

title.

IN the course of our imprisonment, we had on many occasions to feel the capricious hand of despotism, and are

known

many

of the hardships which

only in their severity, under an

bitrary government.

Imperial arms

If,

met with

ar-

on any occasion, the a serious reverse,

it

SIR

was sure straint

JAMES CAMPBELL.

to be the precursor of

re-

Sometimes a

sent to distant parts of

them were

the country, where they were

kept in close

and a great number were stationVerdun, which, from its situation in the

confinement

ed

some new

on the English prisoners.

portion of

209

at

;

midst of swamps and marshes,

is

considered so

unfavourable to health, that the troops are regularly withdrawn from

tumn.

My particular situation

irksome, arising from circumstances, and

the fate of

my

Rumours at

spring and au-

was

sufficiently

my immediate

still

pecuniary

more from the

uncertainty in which I

me

it in

still

state of

remained, as to

property in Scotland.

like those

which had

first

Aleppo, continued to reach

alarmed

me

in

my

confinement, but from the extreme difficulty

of maintaining an epistolary intercourse with

home, or indeed a direct intercourse of any kind with friends at a distance from Paris, I

was

left altogether in

the dark as to the real

state of matters.

When my VOL.

II.

pecuniary resources P

were once

210

MEMOIRS OF

more exhausted,

I

had

on more than

recourse,

one occasion, to the kindness of

my

friend Sir

Alexander Don, who tendered

me

his assist-

ance in a manner which I cannot sufficiently

commend.

But the

difficulties

which were interposed by

the jealous government of Bonaparte against all

communication

with

the other detenus of

of

state

my

destitution

own.

Sassen,

It

my not

England,

had

left

acquaintance in a less

extreme than

was otherwise with the

woman

who, being in the pay of the Govern-

ment, was never suffered to want what was necessary to support her in her tion in society.

She continued

humble to

haunt

sta-

me

had anything to give, and when supplies were from time to time ex-

as long as I

my

hausted, office

at

she performed the functions of her

some distance from

The sums which ander

Don

my

dwelling.

I received from Sir Alex-

were of small account to a man

of his resources, which were such as to enable

him

to spend not less than 70,000/. during

SIR his

JAMES CAMPBELL.

forced residence at Paris.

ways ready

to anticipate

my

Although alwants, it was im-

with the feelings which I have ever cherished, to continue to live systematically on possible,

another's bounty. I resolved, therefore, to decline his farther assistance,

and to submit to the consequences

of getting into debt in a foreign country.

It

was soon obvious what these consequences were to be. I was thrown into prison, and remained there for about six weeks in a state approach-

ing to starvation,

when

thought of requesting

I

an interview with the Lieutenant of Police.

He

came to me, and

I laid before

him

a state of

my present affairs, specifying all the debts which I

owed, and the small sum which would bet^ne-

cessary to relieve them.

I also explained to

him

the peculiar hardship which I was suffering by the want of a free communication with home,

and the uncertainty in which patrimonial property.

it left

me as

to

my

This gentleman was so

good as to advance me which enabled me to pay sist for some time longer. p 2

upon my bill, debts, and to sub-

200/.

my

MEMOIRS OF

By

this

time the hardships I had suffered

made me almost whatever

at

desperate,

hazard, to

and

I determined,

attempt an

escape.

Notwithstanding the manner in which the wo-

man

Sassen had been introduced into

my house,

she contrived, after long habits of intercourse, to

my confidence, as to induce me to make her privy to my intention. She entered

creep so far into

into the idea with apparent ardour

;

she got

me

a false passport, and suggested that I should

endeavour to reach the coast of East Frieze,

which was her native country, and where, she said,

a fishing-boat

carry

me

could easily be hired to

to the island of Heligoland, at that

time in possession of the Englisji, and only a few leagues distant from the main land.

She professed to be intimately acquainted with this part of the coast, and from a readiness of belief, which others will excuse more readily than I do, I allowed myself to be persuaded of the

woman's

sincerity,

accompany

me

and agreed that she should

to the coast.

The funds which were

me

necessary for enabling

to carry the measure into effect were ad-

Sill

JAMES CAMPBELL.

vanced upon

my

able banker

in

termined

213

by M. Descot, a respectParis, and a staunch and de-

royalist,

bill,

whose

the pro-

hostility to

ceedings of Bonaparte, enlisted his feelings on

the side of the English prisoners.

We passed the barrier in safety, and : that

my

able at

I found

was equally availthe other stations where it was sub-

fictitious passport

all

jected to inspection.

At

length

we

reached a

place called Caroline-Zeal, on the shores of OstFrieze, not far from the point which

arranged as best suited to

my

had been

purpose.

We

arrived at this part of the coast in the after-

noon, and after I engaged a boatman to carry

me

to Heligoland, the

some of her

me

part,

friends in the place.

me

of seeing

She returned

without exciting any suspicion on

my

and renewed the protestations of her anxShe expressed, indeed, wish to accompany me, but suffered

iety for

some

Sassen left

purpose, as she pretended,

for the

to

woman

my

success.

herself to be persuaded that such an arrange-

ment was not

advisable at the

fixed that I should

moment.

embark on board the

It

was

fishing-

MEMOIRS OF

214

boat at an early hour in the morning, but before the hour arrived

I

found myself

In such circumstances, satellites

arrested.

was usual

it

for the

of the Imperial government to rob the

money, and take possession of his papers, and I was not an exception to the general rule. I was conducted to Amsterdam, prisoner of his

and placed in a room siderably below the

in the

common

level

of the tide.

gaol, con-

The

apartment was thirteen feet long, by ten feet In one corner was what is called a boxwide.

bed with a

little

straw in

it,

but without any

bedding or bedclothes. The prison allowance was a basin of bad soup, so nauseous to me that I could very seldom persuade myself to taste it

a loaf of

;

penny

a-day.

brown

bread, and twopence half-

With

the

money I bought

of milk and some tobacco, and thus

I

contrived

to subsist for thirteen months, while the

individuals

my

who had

a pint

worthy

contrived the spoliation of

property were indulging in the fruits of

their success.

The woman

Sassen followed

sterdam, but where, or

how

had no means of knowing.

me

to

Am-

she lived there, I

While she

re-

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

215

mained there she gave birth to a daughter, who was called from me Jemima, and the poor girl I have never ceased to consider It

paternal regard. justice, to visit

as entitled to

my

would, indeed, be sad in-

on her head the offences of her

mother.

In the prison at Amsterdam,

enjoyed the

I

poor alternative of associating with a number of

Dutch

skippers,

been engaged in

facilitating the escape of

will readily be believed that

deed

it

I did not prefer the latter.

quaintances at Amsterdam, and that if

I

Eng-

of solitary confinement, and

lish prisoners, or it

and other persons, who had

had, they

was rarely I had no

it is

in-

ac-

very certain

would not have been ad-

mitted to me, except in the presence of a couple

And

of gens-tfarmes.

yet, after

say that I was ever seriously state of privation

been more I

had I

I

in this

have often

external appearance,

it.

not casuist enough to account for the

have

theless.

all

I cannot

unhappy

restraint.

when, to

far less cause for

am

fact I

so,

and

all,

It

now

may

had absorbed

so

stated,

but

be, that

much

of

it

is

a fact, never-

mere physical wants

my

attention, as to

MEMOIRS OF

216

me no

leave

ing on

when

that ness

my

leisure or opportunity for reflect-

mental grievances.

remember,

the winter approached, the damp-

and the cold of

my

sub-aqueous dungeon

made me very uncomfortable. tailor

I

might be sent

I desired that a

By and by

for.

a decent-

looking person appeared, introduced by two gens-d'armes,

who remained

while he took

my

the dungeon

in

measure for a great

While he was doing this, I told him, as bound to do, that I could not pay him

coat.

I

was

for it r

and that I did not know when I should be able to

He

pay him.

make

answered,

the coat and send

he had worked

for

I

told

of

as

;

my

would

adding, that

countrymen,

by any of that what I

lost a stiver

him, of course,

wanted was a coat of the sufficient to

me

to

many

and that he had never them.

it

that he

plainest materials,

keep out the cold by night

as well

by day. In due time the coat was sent me.

brought by the been,

tailor's wife,

it

fitted

;

was

attended, as he had

by two gens-d'armes. She made

of seeing that

It

a pretence

and, in the act of trying

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

on, deposited something in

it

my

217

hand, which

afterwards proved to be thirty florins, equal to

about sixty shillings of our money.

Under

existing circumstances this supply was invaluable.

regret that

I

names of

must now content myself with

course, allow

my

them

their generosity,

on

my

breast,

this

imperfect

did not, of

I

gratitude.

the

and that I

this kind-hearted couple,

expression of

down

cannot set

I

to be pecuniary sufferers

which has

left

which, while

by

an impression

memory

lasts,

will

never be effaced. In the course of

my

(|

imprisonment at

Am-

sterdam, I was compelled, under various priva-

draw a

tions, to

bill

for 1001.

on

my

eldest son,

which was the only sum I ever received on count of

my

estate at Craigforth.

idea of drawing a bill on

my

my

son

attention, I did not reflect

When

ac-

the

first

attracted

on the

difficulty

of negotiating the instrument, or even of com-

VOL,

II

P 5

MEMOIRS OF

218

municating with a person who might be disposed to do so

;

and the agent whose

gaged on the occasion,

if

services I en-

not very well fitted to

transact a matter of business,

was

at least

very

unlikely to incur any suspicion from the most jealous of the constituted authorities.

cold weather, an old

During the supplied

me

bringing

me more

To

fuel,

and

insisted

than I was able to pay

on

for.

the extent of her more limited means, she

had treated berality as I

with turf for

woman had

me

my

made use of

with as

much

kindness and

worthy friend the

li-

Her

tailor.

to carry a letter to a banker,

which, in the regular course of his trade, he

forwarded to Edinburgh for acceptance, and after a long interval, as I

the

money

the old

for

it,

have

said, received

and, through the

woman, paid

it

medium

over to me.

The

vices of this kind-hearted dealer in turf not, however,

of

ser-

were

performed without some personal

SIR

The

JAMES CAMPBELL.

219

and the money were carried in the lining of her stays, and if she had been detected, she would undoubtedly have hazard.

letters

been sent to the Forbetter-house, analogous to the tread-mill,

is

as

something>

called at

Am-

sterdam.

After I had been sometime in prison, I be-

came

seriously

indisposed,

from change of food, and want of cise.

I inquired if I could

probably,

arising, air

and exer-

have medical

assist-

was told that the regulations of the prison did not permit the facilities which would ance, but

thus be obtained for holding communication

with the world at large. vered from an

Happily I soon reco-

which, though of short

illness,

duration, was sufficiently severe.

On

another occasion,

for a lawyer,

I sent

on some pretence

and from the person who came to

me, a Mynheer Tolard, I also received civilities,

particularly

in

the loan

many

of books,

which were a great comfort to me. M. Tolard, in showing me those marks of attention, was

no doubt actuated by those ordinary feelings which one man may be supposed to entertain

MEMOIRS OF towards another in

and

tailor

his wife,

who

dividual

distress.

With

and the no

trusted

me

for

the worthy

worthy inturf, and risk-

less

my

ed her liberty to serve me, the case was some-

what

different.

inhabitants of

The lower

classes

among

Amsterdam were more

the

hostile to

the French than those above them.

A

Dutchman

is

not easily roused, but

justly incensed,

it

is

and

it is

difficult to

when

appease him,

well known, that in general there was

not wanting good cause for resentment in those countries which had the misfortune to be over-

run by the troops of Napoleon. at

When

Amsterdam, there were numerous

I

was

instances

of French soldiers being killed in the streets, in

revenge for the wrongs they had committed on the inhabitants.

were

In proportion as the French

disliked, the people conceived

an opposite

and I was probably asrather from a sense of mutual injury and

feeling for the English, sisted

a corresponding hatred of our sors,

common

oppres-

than from any peculiar ground of commise-

ration for the circumstances in

which

I

happened

Sill

to be placed.

JAMES CAMPBELL. It will

be recollected that the

French never trusted the natives of any country which they had brought under subjection.

The system sed in

of their government

two words

pionage and force. character,

may be

expres-

the police and the army, es-

The Dutch never

but sulky and

fierce,

lost their

remained

as if

they had not become the slaves of the French.

Although

no written communication, and

was permitted to enter the walls of the prison, it was

still less

any newspaper or public

print,

impossible to hinder some vague idea of the great events which were then passing in

from reaching the inmost

recesses of

Europe

my damp

and unwholesome dungeon. At one time, there was a great bustle in the prison, taking down names, and other proceedings, which led

me

hope or suspect that the French arms had

to re-

ceived some serious check.

The

firmed by the insults and

usage which were

ill

was con-

idea

soon afterwards heaped upon the prisoners, and at length it

others

was announced that

were to be transported

I

and some

into

France.

MEMOIRS OF

222

What

had previously been mere surmise and

suspicion,

was now rapidly merging into

confi-

dence and certainty.

At

length the day of our departure was fixed.

We were

put into waggons, and escorted by a

strong body of gens-d'armes, for whose atten-

dance

we were

charged at the rate of ten

shil-

Those who had any money were obliged to pay, but mine had been extorted by a more summary process, and the re-

lings each per diem.

mittance I had received from Scotland was by this

The

time exhausted.

ney was,

I think, in

the

period of this jour-

autumn of 1813.

Our

ordinary rate of travelling was from twenty to

We

twenty -five miles a day.

were lodged

every night in the public prisons. lay through Brussels,

This fortress was built by It is situated in a morass,

able.

At

;

it

first,

exercise than I

route

and our destination we

found to be the Castle of Ham,

unhealthy

Our

in Picardy.

Edward

and

is

the Third.

considered very

was certainly most uncomfortwe were allowed more liberty for had enjoyed

at

Amsterdam.

On

the top of the walls, or ramparts, which were

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

about forty feet high, there was room for walking,

and

also in

In

the internal court-yard.

one or other of these places we were for some time permitted to take exercise for an hour every day, but

when

the rainy season arrived,

the court-yard, from the nature of the ground

on which the

fortress

was

built,

became ankle

An

deep of mud, and of course impracticable.

order was issued also for restricting the walk on

the ramparts within such narrow limits as might

perhaps have suited the habits of some of fellow-prisoners at

my

Amsterdam, but could not

be very agreeable to any one disposed to lounge

beyond the limits of a fisherman's quarter-deck. I had not heard of this new order, and on the next occasion of

my

walking on the ramparts, I

naturally passed the limited point to take

my

usual round.

The

sentinel

soldier,

on duty was

and with the

but a young

zeal of a devoted admirer

of Bonaparte, presented his piece to

when

fire at

me

;

the unintentional trespass I had com-

mitted, and the hasty action of the sentinel,

were

happily observed by the

commanding

MEMOIRS OF officer

ment to

of the fortress, to

be making

his

at the

me

latter part of

men

my

and long afterwards

I

had taken up

I think, one of

During the

imprisonment in

many

him

inci-

old soldier, of a

1 ever saw.

1 received a great

visiting

This

acquainted with the com-

manding officer, who was an very humane disposition, and, the handsomest

mo-

rounds over the space

which the prohibition applied.

dent brought .

who chanced

in the

this fortress,

civilities

from him,

kept up the intimacy, by

town of Ham, where he

his residence, after

seded in his government

being super-

by the return of

Louis the Eighteenth, and having married a

widow lady of

WOOL

the place,

with a fortune of

a-year.

The numerous

prisoners at that time in the

were allotted to different compartments of the building, and no intercourse or comfortress

munication of any kind was permitted between i

one compartment and another.

The

better to

prevent any promiscuous intercourse, the sentinels

had orders

to see that

no conversation

took place in the general airing ground, which

SIR

was

accessible

JAMES CAMPBELL. stated

at

periods

225 to

all

the

prisoners.

In the division to which 1 belonged, there

happened to be a Jew physician, who played well at the only game which can afford lasting

amusement without any sordid consideration, and which served at once to compose the mind

when over

excited,

and to furnish a salutary

degree of excitement

guor and

ennui.

I

when

sinking into lan-

need not add, that our

frequent parties at chess were to both of us a great source of relief and relaxation.

were

also in the

There

same division a Hanoverian

nobleman, Count Hamerstaen, and a general in

officer

the French service,

sent here for

some

who had been

offence against the Govern-

In the other parts of the fortress there

ment.

was great variety of company about thirty Prussian general and other officers, seventeen ;

English, most of

ber of

and a class,

them

military men, a

num-

Dutch gentlemen, Jews of all countries, great collection of Frenchmen of every

who had

given offence to the Imperial

Government. VOL.

II.

Q

MEMOIRS OF It

was not until

in this prison, that I

my

had been some time

after I

heard of the death of

first

cousin-german, Sir Alexander Campbell, of

Ardkinglas, to

who was

whom

I was

heir-at-law,

and

had always understood, by the terms of the deed of entail which had been executed by Sir James Campbell, my prohibited, as I

great-grandfather, from

Sir

succession to this estate. bell

had by

this

was not

it

month of December 1813

until the

that I received

my

remittance from a rental which had long

amounted

The

to 3000/. a year.

first

use which I

was to make

happy

as

as could

fortable dinner

many

of

little

made

my

be admitted to

me by

a com-

was enabled to

Ham

there

From

this

name and

pro-

difficulty in providing.

more company.

money

fellow-prisoners

town of

period of assuming the family perty, I

of the

on Christmas-day, which from

the neighbourhood of the

was

Alexander Camp-

time been more than three

years in his grave, but

first

the order of

altering

live better

and

to see

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

CHAPTER

227

IX.

imprisonment at the Castle of Ham. ImAtrocities committed Station at Verdun. perial system.

Bad

effects of

upon

Order from the Emperor. Louis XVIII. Arrive at Paris.

Zeithein.

Conspiracy and law-suit.

genius.

from Elba.

The hundred days.

Colonel Fabvier.

Maubreul. ment.

The Chevalier

Battle of Waterloo.

Paris occupied

Duke

of the mishes.

by the

Military Anecdotes.

relief.

Count de

d'Assize.

Released from confineDiscreet measures

Allies.

Ham,

unwholesome and

proportion of the

and

evil

Skir-

personally, I enjoyed tolerable

health in the castle of

extreme,

Seasonable

The French army. The Cossacks.

of Wellington.

ALTHOUGH,

An

Return of Bonaparte Hurried into the Con-

Privations and discomforts.

ciergerie.

a most

General

prisoners.

to others

the sick

list

of mortality for

bill

winter must have presented a

Q

was

fatal residence.

number on

the

it

2

list

The was the

of deaths

MEMOIRS OF

228

which could hardly be equalled

in a well con-

The

ducted hospital for typhus.

death of his

prisoners seemed to be brought about

by the Imperial head of the French Government on method and system, and he could hardly have chosen more

efficient

instruments for accom-

plishing his object, than a station like Verdun,

or a prison like the castle of It

Ham.

was not always, however, to these slow and

imperfect methods that the minions of des-

potism resorted for those

who

stood in the

or caprice.

murders

Due

accelerating

way

the fate of

of their convenience

I need not allude to such notorious

as those

d'Enghien

;

of Captain Wright, or the I fear that

many

such have

been committed in secret and have never reach-

ed the public ear. at an early hour

by

In the prison at Amsterdam, in the

morning, I was awoke

a noise in the adjoining apartment;

it

seemed

to begin with a violent scuffle, the noise of

which was screams

:

drowned

in

the most

these were followed

by an

frightful interval of

quiet which proved to be the stillness of death.

Between the upper part of the door of

my

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

229

dungeon and the stone which formed the lintel, there was a narrow crevice or opening which

me

enabled this I

to see into the passage.

Through

soon afterwards saw a dead body carried

forth.

I

quiries

on the

thought

prudent to make no

it

and of course

subject,

in-

I never

heard more of the transaction.

At length

a great confusion arose in the for-

tress.

An

peror,

importing

the

castle

order had arrived from the that

prisoners

To

in

the in-

the prisoners in general

was extremely welcome, not

this intelligence

merely to those

the

be marched into

should

terior of France.

all

Em-

who were

sick or convalescent,

from the assurance that no change could be for the worse, but to all the inmates, from the prevalent idea that the order for our removal iiad

onlv been occasioned by some unfavourable >

>

change

in the aspect of the

At Ham we were

Emperor's

once more put into wag-

gons, and conducted in the usual

Amiens, where we found a better well as a

more

cleanly

than that which

affairs.

manner

to

situation, as

and commodious prison

we had

left.

The

journey,

ME MO HIS OF

230

however, having been effected in open waggons, at a

very inclement season of the year, was a

very serious

affair to

those

who were

ing under fever and sickness, or

accustomed to similar

been

Amiens the rumours of Allies

became daily

telligible,

tinct

labour-

who had

not

At

hardships.

the advance of the

more

frequent and in-

until at length they

and palpable form, by the

assumed a

arrival of

who now commands

dis-

General

the

Russian

forces in the East, at the head of the

advanced

Geismar,

guard of the Allied army. The prison doors were immediately thrown open, our miseries

seemed to be

at

an end, and passports were

given us to go where

Next day General

we

pleased.

Zeithein, the

the Allied cavalry, arrived. in the

commander of

I had

Seven Years' War, when

his

known him father, the

celebrated Zeithein, and the favourite of Fre-

derick the Great, was troops.

Amiens

commander of the

light

being a situation not un-

favourable to health, I remained there for some

time to recruit, and to take the benefit of the fresh

air,

after

my long confinement

;

and during

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

had the pleasure of dining almost

stay I

my

every day with

While

old friend

my

Count Zeithein.

was yet lingering in the neigh-

I

bourhood of

my

prison, it

was announced that

Louis XVIII. was to pass through Amiens

on

his

way

and

to Paris,

I resolved to join the

royal cortege.

On my still

haunted by

my

woman who had

ed

the Imperial police. functions

;

the

found

evil genius,

myself

the wretch-

been imposed on

me by

Finding that her

official

me and my

re-

fortunes for the

she had even the hardihood to address

herself to

had by

I

were terminated, she appeared

solved to cling to

future

Paris

at

arrival

of

several

this

my

countrymen,

who

time arrived in crowds to enjoy

long-forbidden

novelties

of

Paris,

pretended that she had claims upon

would amount

in

and

me which

Scotland to a marriage, in

consequence of the manner in which she had lived with me, under the circumstances already

explained.

VOL.

ii.

Q

4

MEMOIRS OF

232

To

silence the

spread

rumours which had thus been

several

among

of

my

I

friends,

was

advised to apply to the constituted authorities

of the restored Government

was compelled

;

and

at length

to adopt this course, in conse-

quence of the violent inroads which the repeatedly

made upon me

had taken up to

whom

I

I

my

at the hotel

residence.

The

woman

where

I

magistrate

applied was not slow in laying his

hands upon

He

her.

investigated the nature

of her claims, and pronounced a judgment declaratory of their total

want of foundation.

In consequence of the breach of the peace she

had committed, he was about to send her prison,

when

I

interposed for her protection,

and gave her a sum of money enable her to return to her live in

either

to

own

sufficient

country, and

comfort in her original station.

from a perverse

disposition, or

advice, she applied the rconey I

to a very different purpose. diately to Scotland.

to

But

from bad

had given her

She went imme-

JAMES CAMPBELL.

Sill

At

she was received with some degree

first

of caution, and as

fallen,

the

after I

had

by contracting a marriage with a

young lady of nexions,

was not until

friends supposed, into a net of

my

difficulties,

it

that

woman

they to

and con-

respectable family

of encouraging

thought

institute

proceedings against

me, for having a marriage declared in conformity with the loose notions on that subject

which are

law of

said to be

Scotland.

It

recognized by the

was thought that the

terrors of a law-suit, which, if favourable to

me

in the

consequences of a charge of bigamy,

might

the plaintiff, might have involved

deter

me from

But here

I

returning to Scotland. find that I

am

permitting

my

the chronological order feelings to anticipate

of events, and since I

may

the

I

have

as well add, that the

woman upon me was

VOL. n.

Q 5

said

so

much,

attempt to fasten signally defeated,

MEMOIRS OF

234

but I was induced to accept a fixed income of

WOOL

place

a year from

Scotch estates in

of 4000/. leaving the remainder in the

hands of

my

eldest son.

Like many prise

my

others,

I

was taken

sur-

by

on Bonaparte's return from Elba, and

found myself once more a terval of liberty

prisoner.

The

in-

which preceded the hundred

days was one continued scene of bustling recognition and leave-taking. all

Europe had been drawn

centre of attraction strangers

who were

;

It

to

seemed one

as if

common

and among the numerous thus congregated in Paris,

from mere motives of

not a few

curiosity,

were to be seen who had been liberated from the Imperial dungeons, after long periods of durance,

and

appeared

amidst

gaiety and confusion, like so **

revisiting the glimpses of the

During

the

many

general spectres,

moon."

this period I lived in the

Boulevard.

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

I did

not interest myself

tics,

nor

if I

much

235

in general poli-

had, could I have formed any

correct idea as to the probable duration of the

Royal government, which at that time kept the French people in the same state of ignorance of passing events as

At

length

we were

its

Imperial predecessor.

surprised one

the well-known cry of Vive

morning by

TEmpereur !

On

inquiring into the cause of the change, for on the previous evening Vive

I'

Hoi! had been vo-

ciferated with equal fervour,

the

King had

we were

told that

with a number of his

left Paris

adherents.

For some time there was no those

who had been

released

on the advance of the without hopes that

from confinement

Allies,

we

notice taken of

and we were not

should be allowed to

escape unnoticed, but in this idea

we were

The King's

departure

speedily disappointed.

was followed by a season of profound tranquillity.

had previously reached us could not be depended on, it seemed now as If the rumours which

if

the fountains of intelligence were hermetically

closed.

Not

a whisper

was heard of the

Duke

'

MEMOIRS OF

236

of Wellington's situation, or of the

movements

by common

consent, the

of the Allies ; and, as subject

if

which agitated every

was the

breast,

only one which did not find utterance in words.

In this deceitful state of quiet, I was visited

one morning, long before

it

was

and hurried

emissaries of the Imperial police,

away

the prison

to

called

where I was detained a the hundred days.

At we

Conciergerie,

close prisoner

it

during

was

this period it

impression, and I believe

the prisoners, that

the

by the

light,

my

was general among

could not expect our

liberation until Bonaparte should be able, after

fighting

some

new nego-

battles, to enter into

tiations for peace.

The happy

termination of

was an event which scarcely entered into our contemplation, and which, at all events, his career

we

did not presume to expect.

strange that

come was

my

may seem

return to prison should have

so unexpectedly

upon me, but

in fact it

so completely a matter of surprise, that I

had not made the

least provision

contingency, and from the rest,

It

any opportunity

uch a

for

moment

of

for preparation

my

ar-

was ut-

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

me.

terly denied

was not even permitted

I

me my

to take with

237

ordinary personal comforts,

nor even any clothes besides those in which I

was allowed very hurriedly to dress myself

in

the presence of the gens-d'armes.

On

our arrival at the Conciergerie, I was

placed in

an apartment which contained six

men under

sentence of death, and but for the

humanity of these wretched convicts, I must have slept on the naked floor of the dungeon. t

They had spare

their

own

beds so arranged as to

me a palliasse on which

covering but

I slept without

my ordinary wearing apparel,

some time afterwards, when

I

any

until

was removed into

a separate district of the prison, distinct from that of

my

first

reception,

which was appro-

priated to criminals and convicts. this

of

Although

charge produced a considerable alleviation

my

immediate discomforts,

I

was not per-

mitted to see or send for any one, or to obtain

any intelligence from, without.

Among my

fellow- prisoners, however, there

were several individuals whose acquaintance I was very well pleased to have an opportunity

MEMOIRS OF

238

Of

of making.

these

I

shall

name

Colonel Fabvier, whose

is

only mention so intimately

connected with the liberation of Greece

and

;

a very worthy man, as well as a staunch royalist,

the

The

Chevalier d'Assize.

produced

his

offence

which

imprisonment was, that he had

paid for the ropes which had been used in

taking

down

the statue of Napoleon from the

celebrated brazen placed,

column on which

and that he had either

operation,

it

had been

assisted at the

or at least countenanced

it

by

his

presence.

Like many others of the old nobility, the Count had served in the armies of Bonaparte, but he was a great personal friend of the Countess de Choiseul,

who took

wearing the white ribbon Napoleon's

abdication.

He

at

the lead in

the period of

had

previously

by the duel which he fought with the notorious Count de Maubreul, in consequence of the inducements which were

distinguished himself

held out to him by that extraordinany character to assassinate

Napoleon

at Fontainbleau.

The

strange inconsistencies in Maubreul's proceed-

SIR ings, can only

JAMES CAMPBELL.

239

be accounted for by a remarkable

combination of roguery and insanity.

When

the Allies entered Paris, in 1814, he

traversed the Boulevards, exclaiming against the

usurper with extreme violence

and soon

;

after-

wards, on the pretence of being charged with a mission to recover the diamonds of the crown

from the Bonaparte family, he stopped the riages of the Princess of

car-

Wirtemberg, the wife

of Jerome,~on their route to Fontainbleau, and seized a

number of

chests containing articles

of value, but the property was ordered by the

Royal government to be restored to the Princess. For this offence he was sent to prison during the hundred days, but obtained his liberation

by publishing a

libellous

Royal government.

Memoir

against the

Since that period he has

not been idle his personal attacks on, the Prince ;

de Talleyrand, and his repeated escapes from prison and attempts at suicide, have been the subject

of frequent

comment

prints all over Europe.

ance with the Count to

trial

As

in

to

d' Assize,

the

my

public

acquaint-

he was brought

during the hvindred days for the pre-

MEMOIRS OF

240

He

tended attempt to assassinate Napoleon.

was

defended

by

the

Con ten r, who undoubtedly in saving that of his client

The

and

own

life

his friend.

Waterloo was fought, and the had been for some days in Paris, be-

it

any ray of intelligence had penetrated the

wall of the Conciergerie.

rumour lies

risked his

battle of

news of fore

advocate

celebrated

arose

among

At

length a sort of

the prisoners that the Al-

were advancing on Paris

;

but

what foundation

ginated, or on

it

how

it ori-

reposed, I

had not an opportunity of ascertaining.

It

was, moreover, understood to be dangerous to discover any unreasonable curiosity on such a subject, lest

ward

in

we

should be excluded from the

which

other's society,

the

prisoners

enjoyed

each

and condemned to the rigours

of solitary confinement.

The next berty,

indication of our approaching

was the sound of distant

afterwards the

shrill

like the sweetest soners. first

The

firing,

and soon

notes of the bagpipe

music to the

li-

came

ears of the pri-

gate nearest the Conciergerie was

entered by the 91st Highlanders, which

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

was commanded

and now

my

at the

241

moment by my

Alexander

oldest surviving son,

He

James, the major of the regiment.

my

immediately to to the prison,

and

bracing him.

On

men

banker,

second,

went

who conducted him

had the happiness of emthe arrival of the two gentleI

at the prison, the principal concierge, or

gaoler, a-year,

whose place was said to be worth 3,000/. requested them to walk into his own

apartments, saying that he would send for me.

After I had had some

little

conversation with

Major Callander, he got up and begged that I would make ready to go. To this proposal the concierge

made some

objection,

but the banker

then took up the conversation, and inquired

he wished to see a party of English the prison,

He

soldiers in

pointed out the danger which

the concierge might himself incur if he scene in the prison,

which he held

at

moment

all

a

to go,

regular go-

an end, particularly that from

his authority,

was in the possession of the

To

made

by refusing me leave

observing, that for the

vernment was

if

and that the

city

troops.

these arguments the gaoler was constrain-

VOL.

II.

R

MEMOIRS OF ed to yield a reluctant

ed to

his regiment,

assent.

and

My

son return-

I proceeded with the

banker to dispose of myself in lodgings. On reaching the hotel which I had occupied at the time of

my

found that

I

arrest,

plundered of the whole of fects,

and the only

regarding sons had

my

come

lost

my

had been

baggage and

ef-

intelligence I could obtain

property was, that some per-

to the hotel arid carried

Having been one of the liberty, I

I

first

it

away.

to obtain

my

had an opportunity of observing the

extraordinary change which took place in the

appearance of the streets of Paris by the influx

At

of the Allied troops.

the openings of the

great thoroughfares, strange troops were seen in

the exercise of military duty, and cannon was

planted at

all

license of the soldiery

considered

by many

was

At

first,

the

so great, that it

was

the principal passes.

to be unsafe to appear in

the streets at any hour in the day, and an order

was issued that no one should be permitted to go from one house to another after eight o'clock in the evening, without a regular passport.

In order to preserve the peace of the town,

SIR

the

Duke

JAMES CAMPBELL.

of Wellington, with his usual discre-

charge of

tion, entrusted the

Guard

243

it

to the National

and the public reason assigned for it was, that as these troops and the people were ;

mutually

known

to

each other,

disturbances

and commotions would, probably, be less frequent, and would, at least, be more easily quelled under their superintendence, than if the in-

habitants of Paris were brought into collision

with foreigners.

For a day

arrival of the troops, the

or

two

after the

good people of Paris

were obliged to pass their evenings without the

enjoyment of those spectacles which appeared to have life

was

;

become

but

as

to

them a

soon as a moderate degree of order

restored, the theatres

a great accession to the tors

sort of necessary of

were re-opened with

number of the

specta-

from the ranks of the Allied army.

The French army was

still

in great force in

the neighbourhood of Paris, amounting, said, to

not

less

than 130,000

men

;

it

is

but the

which had been taken up by the Duke of Wellington on the heights above St. Cloud,

position

was such

as to place

him beyond the reach of R 2

MEMOIRS OF

244 attack.

After he had thus entrenched himself,

he proceeded to open a communication with the French army, for the purpose of inducing

them

to retire

beyond the Loire and ;

it is said,

that for the purpose of promoting this negotiation,

he sent for the French Marechals, and

in-

vited them, under the protection of his parole, to inspect his position, and judge if

it

were not

tenable against any attack which they could

make upon

The attempt was pronounced

it.

and

to be hopeless,

it

French troops should requested. lessly as idol,

The

and

They

was agreed that the

retire as the

did

so,

Duke had

plundering merci-

they went, exclaiming against their calling

Prussians,

it

him a

deserter

and a coward.

was believed, with the sanc-

tion of their veteran

commander, were desirous

of burning the town

:

they had undermined

one of the bridges, that nearest to the Jardin de Plantes, and had taken other steps towards the accomplishment of their object.

But the

Commander-in-chief, with his usual promptito

tude, interfered to prevent so great a calamity,

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIB

245

by marching his English troops to the points where danger was apprehended. It

is

known

different

that there were a great

number

of Cossacks with the Russian army, at the time that the Allies

marched on

Paris,

and that

was a good deal of fighting in the neighbourhood of the capital, before the contest was there

finally

abandoned by the adherents of Bona-

happened to have an opportunity of seeing some of these skirmishes, and of reparte.

I

marking the extraordinary manner the Cossacks

made an

attack.

which

in

A pulk of Cos-

sacks consists in general of about five hundred

men, and

is,

therefore, in

some degree,

gous to our squadron of light troops. vance of the French

line,

and

analo-

In ad-

at a distance

from infantry, which the Cossacks could not have approached with safety, one or two squadrons of heavy cavalry had just formed,

when

a pulk of Cossacks suddenly galloped up within fifty

yards of their front, and halting,

loud, hollow,

and consentaneous

ha, ha,

made a ha of a !

laugh, something between merriment and deri-

MEMOIRS OF

246

which was

sion,

startle th&

well calculated to

certainly

French troops,

moment when,

at a

in place of a laugh, they were prepared to re-

ceive a charge from the enemy.

The French were

certainly not afraid of

attack which might be

any

made upon them by

a

force which, considered as light, could not be

much

regarded by heavy cavalry

;

but the

momentary feeling of hesitation, whatever it might be, made them delay their charge for an and gave the Cossacks time to discharge their carbines and pistols in a style somewhat desultory and irregular, but with instant,

sufficient precision to

bring

down

men, to wound a number of

a

good many

horses,

and

to

throw the French squadron into some degree of confusion.

The Cossacks

did not wait to

see the consequences of their volley, but wheel-

ed about, and instantaneously dispersed in directions, leaving

no

all

definite or tangible object

on which the French could make a charge. They had the imprudence, however, to follow the fugitives as they were scattered over the plain,

and in the

series

of single combats which

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

247

followed, the Cossacks had a decided advantage,

from the

horses,

and

activity

their

own

and handiness of

decided superiority, not

in horsemanship merely,

ment of the

their

but in the manage-

sabre.

remember that manoeuvres not materially different from this occurred sometimes as long I

ago

as the

A few days after

Seven Years' War.

the battle of Corbach, the 1st regiment of dra-

goon guards had some pickets advanced in front of the Allied camp. tack was

On

these pickets an at-

made by two regiments

those of Bercini and Conflans

who commanded and

in person,

spirited officer,

;

of hussars,

but Bercini,

and was an active

was perfectly aware that he

durst not attempt to charge our heavy cavalry, since

he must have known that

his horses

were

too slight, and the hussar manner of fighting

not adapted to an encounter with the force opposed to him.

They

galloped up, however, to the front of

the English troops, shouting and making a great show, as if they

the temper of the

would

men was

charge.

so

much

At

this

irritated,

MEMOIRS OF

248 that in

spite of their officers,

they galloped

after the

like the cloud of Cos-

sacks,

all

enemy, who, had dispersed in

moment they were joined

directions

in single

;

but the

files,

they

were ready to give battle ; and although there was not a better regiment in the British service than the 1st dragoon guards, the event

was just what might have been anticipated unThe corps was comder the circumstances. and yet no blame was imputable to the men but their invincible courage.

pletely ruined,

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

CHAPTER Madame

Persecutions of

presence of mind.

A

lands.

to

Spa.

The

Relics.

inhabitants.

Prince of Orange.

Public

for

Ma-

A

Profes-

Law

of the Nether-

Public

Spectacles.

Manner of

living

Burial place of Charlemagne.

Customs.

Characters.

The

Prince and Princess of

Lord and Lady Kinnaird.

Ligne.

entertainment

Admi-

alarm.

damages.

Manners.

Anecdotes.

The Prince de

Salms.

An

Aix-la-Chapelle.

Site of the town.

there.

Action

self-advocate.

Lady Campbell.

Return

Marry,

Proceed on our tour.

Unpleasant rencounter.

sional dilemma.

Defence

Catholic Order of Charity.

demoiselle Ficklamont.

rable

Accusations.

Unfounded calumnies.

set out for Beauvais.

royal chase.

X.

Sassen.

of the Author's conduct.

and

249

Ludicrous

incident.

A

gal-

lant grocer.

FOR some sided at

VOL.

II.

time after

my

liberation I re-

Maurice's hotel, but found

R 5

myself

MEMOIRS OF

250 once more so

some her

visits

way

to

of

much exposed to the troublethe woman Sassen, who made

my

apartments

under

feigned

names, that I was induced to remove to a lodging

in

Rue

the

de Bourbon

1'Eveque,

where, on her next intrusion, I sent for the

Commissary of sures

as

Police,

who took

such mea-

deterred her from returning to

in person.

#

me

SIR

In steering

JAMES CAMPBELL.

my

and quicksands of been

accused

of

course

know

I

life,

the

among

numerous

shoals

that I have

offences

against

the dictates of prudence and good manage-

ment, and I have but too fear

the

that

groundless. I

imputation

been

It has

had squandered the

had descended and that

I

to

reason to

not

altogether

is

said,

however, that

fair inheritances

me

had even

much

which

from laid

my forefathers, my hands on the

moderate provision which the fortune of Lady Elizabeth VOL.

II.

Callander

should

R 6

have

produced

MEMOIRS OF

252 her children

for

and

;

am

I

not ashamed to

acknowledge that one of my chief motives for offering these volumes to the world, ori-

state

anxiety to disclose the true

my

ginated in

of the

fact,

and

disabuse the world of

as far as

some of the calumnies

which have attached themselves to

And

here

I

may

be, to

may

as

well

my

name.

take notice of r

some other

my

slanders

expense during

which were circulated

my

at

absence in the East,

and afterwards while a prisoner in

France,

and Holland, and equally beyond the reach of reply or contradiction. At one time it

had accepted the pay of Russia, another that I was engaged in negotiations

was at

said that I

with Bonaparte I

;

it

was even asserted that

had done the work of that infamous

of which at the

moment

police,

was the victim.

I

In evidence of these aspersions,

it

was

said

i

that I had been seen at one time in French, at

another in Russian uniform, although the

only

military

dress

which

I

had worn for

twenty years before was that of the Ionian

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

253

Republic, as different as possible from

any

thing ever recognized in France or Russia. It

is

some resemblance

true that there was

between

the

tri-colour

of

blue,

Napoleon,

white, and red, and the Venetian flag of St.

Mark,

blue, red, for

stituted

and yellow, which was sub-

the English

when

I

took

my

departure from Greece.

But although, when

a prisoner in France, I

sometimes wore

old sion

Ionian uniform, raise

to

which

VOL.

I

I

II.

never had any occa-

a doubt as

had served.

R 7

my

to the flag

under

MEMOIRS OF

254

#

On

the

third of

married to

my

1815,

February,

I

was

she was then

present wife;

about nineteen years of age, and the eldest

daughter of banker, greatest restore

my

who had need,

me

to

old friend often

and

assisted

did

liberty

what

and remained there

which

we

returned

furnished a house in

Descot, the

me he

set

in

could

and home.

day of our marriage we vais,

M.

On

my to

the

out for Beau-

for six weeks, after

to

the

Paris,

Rue

and

having

de Bourbon

Villeneuve, ter,

my

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

we

set ourselves

down

255 for the

win-

son Major Callander, at the same time,

occupying a house on the opposite side of the street.

At

the end of the season, or rather

before the gaieties of the

we

set

town were concluded,

out for Compeigne, and from thence

proceeded to Cambray, the head-quarters of the British army, where we remained for six '

weeks.

The

many

scene was a very gay one, and afforded excellent opportunities for judging the

The French

characters of the rival nations.

had, as usual, the ascendancy in

all

that re-

garded the mere externals of breeding, and the

young English

officers

masters in requisition to

had a corps of dancing

mould

their steps into

From

the graceful gravity of the quadrille.

Cambray we proceeded

to Valenciennes,

Valenciennes to Mons, and from sels,

staying for a

week

intermediate stations.

or

two

Mons

from

to Brus-

at each of the

In Belgium, I had the

none of that asperity and soreness of feeling existed with reference to the English, which I had too often occasion satisfaction to find that

MEMOIRS OF

256

to witness in Paris,

The

and in other parts of France.

inhabitants of the

verbial,

besides, for

Low

their

Countries are prostrict

attention

to

which I have always held in the highest estimation. had another inducement to make some stay at Brussels, from cleanliness, a quality

We

the numbers of this

my

countrymen who had by

time taken up their residence in the capital

of the Netherlands, so that hire a house,

and stay there

we were for

induced to

some months.

r

Towards the

close of the

summer, we went

and in consequence of the delicate state of Lady Campbell's health, we were induced to to Spa,

make some

stay at that

At Spa

delightful watering

had a daughter born to me, and Lady Campbell had the advantage in that interesting situation of the greatest care and place.

I

tenderness from her friend Mademoiselle de

Ficklamont, the daughter of the governor of

This young lady was a

the

district.

of

the chapter of

member

Channoinesse, a Catholic

endowed by the general Government of Germany. The members are all order of charity,

of the highest rank, they are admitted at four-

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

teen years of age, and or withdraw from

de

it

may remain

during

life,

Mademoiselle

at pleasure.

Ficklamont had a

257

she

separate fortune,

spoke English fluently, and French and Ger-

man

like the natives of either country,

but her

filial

duty induced her to renounce

the ad-

vantages she enjoyed as a ter of Channoinesse,

member

all

of the Chap-

and brought her to stay

with the Count her father in his government at Spa.

In this neighbourhood there

which

is

partly

in

marcation

partly situated Prussia, is

and

is

in as

a royal chase,

Belgium,

the

line

and

of de-

not very accurately defined,

and

occasionally gives rise to altercation

ference between the sportsmen

who

it

dif-

enjoy the

permit de chasse from either monarch, and the officers

entrusted by the other with the pro-

tection of his interests.

I

had leave to shoot

from the king of the Netherlands, and had gone out on the 3d of October, soon after Lady Campbell's accouchement, to enjoy a few days sport,

but had omitted to carry with

me

the

written authority, or permit de chasse, which

VOL. n.

s

MEMOIRS OF

258

I had obtained at Brussels.

down

I

had

set

myself

which happened to be situated in the Prussian territory, and when I

went

in a village

to shoot over that part of the

demense to

which my authority applied, the

officer in

of the Belgic interests, accosted

me

which

I

manner

conceived to be rude and unmannerly,

inquiring

from ?

in a

charge

who

was and where I had come

I

I answered his inquiries with sufficient

precision,

but in a manner which probably

dicated that I was a good deal ruffled.

me

then menaced

moment

no

I took

with an

arrest,

but

in-

He

at the

what apbe a mere bravado, and refarther notice of

peared to

me

to

turned to

my

village inn, across the Prussian

frontier.

On my

return to Spa, I found

bell in a state of great alarm, in

Lady Camp-

consequence of

a communication she had received from the

governor that

by the

officer

had been placed under arrest of the chasse. The Count de

I

Ficklamont had of course been misinformed in this particular,

and

as his information

bably proceeded from the

officer

had pro-

of the chasse

SIR

who

JAMES CAMPBELL.

resided at Spa, I

went with Colonel Ca-

who was with me

meron, a friend

demand of

this person

conduct.

He

259

at the time, to

some explanation of

his

expressed himself very

again

rudely, and a scene ensued on which

it is

un-

necessary to dwell.

Some days entered

my

afterwards, a party of gens d'armes

house at an early hour in the morn-

and broke into Lady Campbell's apartment while I was asleep in an inner room. She ing,

was naturally a good deal agitated, and the more so from her knowledge that I was not without arms, and that I might be induced,

from the nature of the aggression, to make too She had the address, hasty a use of them. however, to enter pistols before I

room and withdraw the

was made aware of the cause of

the disturbance. the

my I

seat of judicial

was then carried to Liege, authority, escorted

by

a

party of nine men.

On

our arrival at Liege,

it

was found that

the writ, under pretence of which I had thus

was a mere order to appear on a future day, and not a mande d'arret, as the illibeen

arrested,

8

2

MEMOIRS OF

260

had supposed. course immediately liberated; but

I

was of

in

conse-

terate gens-d'armes

quence of this proceeding, which seemed to be in the nature of an action of damages, it was necessary for

me

to find security that I should

not leave the territory of the Netherlands until

Mr. Cochran,

the suit was ended. at

my

banker

Spa, an Englishman of respectability, was

good enough

to interpose his credit for

this occasion,

was

and

as

soon as

sufficiently recovered,

me

on

Lady Campbell

we went

to Liege to

remain for the winter.

When

the cause

a considerable

came on

sensation

in

for trial, it excited

the

district,

and

town of Liege, where the of the two parties which divided

particularly in the

angry feelings

the country were often in danger of disturbing the public peace.

The French

or Republican

party was more numerous, but the English or

Monarchical had the greater share of influence

and

respectability,

cause as

much

and

it

is

probably to this

as to the merits of

my

or to the talent of the learned person

ducted

it,

that the issue of the suit

is

defence,

who

con-

to be as-

SIR cribed.

The

261

JAMES CAMPBELL.

officer

was

cast in his action,

and

in consequence of the violence of his proceedings,

as disclosed at the trial,

diately dismissed

from

he was imme-

his situation.

In choosing a lawyer to conduct I

was not guided,

as

my

defence,

might perhaps have been

prudent, by his political principles or by the

immediate party to which he belonged, but solely

legal

by the opinion I had formed of knowledge and acuteness. Happily

me, but unfortunately learned advocate

M.

as

proved for

it

his

for

my

Toste, the Court was dis-

posed to distinguish between the peculiar merits

of the lawyer and the interests of his

M. Toste was

a French refugee, a great admirer

of Napoleon, and a profession.

client.

man

of some celebrity in his

In conducting

nounced a high eulogium,

my

as

defence, he pro-

may

perhaps have

been his duty, on the English character.

On

this,

however, the Court interrupted him,

observing that he had gone too

far,

and that

such general eulogiums were not necessary to his client's defence.

M. Toste was probably

displeased at the interruption,

and with greater

.

MEMOIRS OF warmth than that if he

discretion immediately rejoined,

had

said so

much

in favour of

character and English principles,

lish

it

Engcould

only be imputed to him in his professional capa-

and

city,

as necessary in his opinion to the in-

terests intrusted to his care

;

and

in

making

he expressed himself so un-

this declaration

guardedly in the heat of the moment, as to close those republican sentiments

dis-

with which

it

was well known that the populace in general were too deeply tainted. In

this

emergency I began to

fear,

from the

apparent temper of the Court, that

were about to

suffer

learned representative

through ;

my interests the sides of my

I therefore started

and began to address the Court in a

strain

which was not very agreeable to some of auditors.

I

began by expressing

in the justice of the Court,

from the character of

whom

all

justice flowed.

ed to be a German, and said

from the bench

national

merits,

I

my

my confidence

which

their

up

arose, I said,

Sovereign, from

The plaintiff happenas so

much had been

as well as the bar

on mere

took the opportunity of

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

263

drawing a contrast between the countries to

which the

parties

belonged, observing

that

while the plaintiff's countrymen were doing

what they could to involve the Netherlands in anarchy and confusion, the English nation had restored to

them a King

for

whom

it

was im-

any sentiments but those of attachment and respect. On this the Pro-

possible to entertain

cureur Fiscal interposed, observing that

my

eulogium on the government and the King was and I, with refera work of supererrogation ;

ence to the revolutionary principles and the at-

tachment to the French which were

still

so pre-

valent in the country, remarked in conclusion, that in this instance, as in

many

others, it

was

not safe or prudent to speak the truth. I have already anticipated the issue, but the

expense

I

incurred in conducting

my

defence

was very considerable, and in conformity to a custom which is not peculiar to the Netherlands,

much

but which, "

as it appears to

more honoured

observance," I was costs,

not

me, would be

in the breach than the

indemnified for

my

because the suit was conducted by an

MEMOIRS OF

264

the service of the crown, and origi-

officer in

nated in a transaction in which he had been

engaged in

his public character as

an

officer

of

the Royal Chase.

On

the day after the

trial,

M.

Toste, in con-

sequence of the imprudent disclosure of his republican sentiments, received an order to quit the territory of the Netherlands in twenty-four

He

hours.

of strictly

was a man of great ability, and honourable feeling, and with that

warmth of temperament so common to the French character, he had too hastily thrown off the advocate to assert the rights of the man, ex-

no doubt by an interruption which he be-

cited

lieved the circumstances did not justify.

When

the order for his departure was announced to

me, I naturally tion,

because

which

is

do

I

I

felt

very deeply for his situa-

knew him

to be an emigrant,

but a convertible term for a person of reduced and narrow circumstances. I could not

I

all

wished in the way of remuneration, but

was not ungrateful

for his zeal in

my behalf,

nor unmindful of the service he had rendered me.

SIR

At

JAMES CAMPBELL.

265

the period in question, the judicial pro-

ceedings in the courts of the Netherlands were

conducted in the French language

was afterwards resident at issued

;

but while I

Brussels, an order

was

by the Government requiring that the

native dialect should be exclusively employed in their courts of Justice

the

Dutch language,

try

is

found to vary

journey.

At Liege

and German, but variety in

its

:

mean, of course,

I

for the patois of the counat

every stage of one's

it is

a mixture of French

at Brussels there

is

a greater

composition, which consists of

Flemish, Spanish, English, and French.

Campbell had a peculiar

facility in

Lady

acquiring

the different local varieties in the course of her charitable endeavours to relieve the sick

and

#

necessitous of her neighbourhood,

and in the

course of a season of scarcity which occurred

during our stay at Liege, she had unhappily occasion to see even

than was her wont.

more of the lower

classes

In consequence of these

attentions on the part of foreigners,

we had

ac-

quired some degree of popularity in the place, in

MEMOIRS OF

266 spite of the idea

which had obtained that I was

an Englishman, an

and a lover of

aristocrat,

monarchical power. It

is

known

to be customary

all

over the

Continent, on the occasion of giving a party, for the landlord to carry his

company

to the

opera or any of the public spectacles, and I

made

it

a rule, wherever I happened to be, to

make myself no exception from those about me.

Soon

the manners of

after the issue of the

had given a party, and having bespoken a piece at the theatre, I carried my com-

law-suit, I

pany to

see

it.

The popular

feelings at the

moment were by

strongly excited on our entrance a call for " God save the King," which in

general was received with anything but approbation, but in this instance

that

it

pleased

me

to find

the ebullition of popular sentiment was

decidedly in

its

favour.

In the spring of 1817

but as

it is

we

not a place of

later period of the season,

few weeks

returned to Spa,

much

resort until a

we went

to spend a

at Aix-la-Chapelle, partly to

fill

up

the time until the height of the season at Spa,

Sill

JAMES CAMPBELL.

267

and partly to enjoy the benefit of the waters for a rheumatism, with which I had been for some time

afflicted.

hour

is

somewhat

is

Chapelle

The manner

two

o'clock,

and

of living at Aix-la-

The

peculiar.

at the hotel

dinner

where we

lodged, the table-d'hote was conducted on a scale

of more than ordinary magnificence.

ing one day

how many were seated

On

at table, the

answer was, one hundred and eighty.

The

pense, including a bottle of table wine,

only forty-five sous each.

ask-

Lodgings

ex-

was

in the

more expensive. Our chambre asalon, with two other bed-rooms for

hotel were coucher,

the female servants, cost us a guinea a day, but it is

not the custom to pay for male servants'

apartments, nor for stable or coach-house.

The company and about

tomed

to

sit

at table

about two hours,

five or six o'clock

we were

accus-

go about half-a-mile out of town, to

a house on a neighbouring

hill,

which Bona-

parte had used as a telegraph station, to take

our

coffee.

From

thence

to dress for the assembly,

a concert and a ball,

we

returned in time

which was alternately

play being to each an

MEMOIRS OF

268

indispensable accompaniment. is

quite a

German town

Aix-la-Chapelle situated in a

it is

;

and having been the burial place of

valley,

Charlemagne a number of

shown

his relics are still

there, such as his crown,

which

is

still

used at the coronation of the Emperors.

The

inhabitants are not

high Germans, and

which

it

what

would be

are called the difficult to

say

faith has the ascendancy, the Catholic

or the Protestant.

At

the assemblies the gen-

tlemen are permitted to smoke, and very generally avail themselves of the privilege

practice

is

unknown at

to adjourn

in

but the

In the

Brussels or Spa.

course of the evening, the

tomed

;

company

little

parties

are accus-

from the

assembly room to an adjoining coffee-room to sup,

which

On

your

is

had on very moderate terms.

arrival at Spa, it

is

the custom to

announce yourself by sending your card to all the people of the place. In many respects the

mode

of living

is

The

simple and moderate.

roads are so bad that people do not use their

own

horses,

which

but prefer the hacks of the

are let out at a shilling a day.

place,

At

the

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

assemblies, the gentlemen

269

wear neither swords

nor decorations, and the ladies appear in the simplest attire.

The Prince move about

of Orange was accustomed to

very unassuming fashion. in the Sitting one morning at her window hotel at Spa, Lady Campbell observed a young in a

gentleman ride into the court-yard at

He

seemed to be unknown

to

full gallop.

the people of

the hotel, and was quite unattended.

His first

anxiety seemed to be for the safety of his horse,

which was greatly overheated, and when he found that the people of the hotel were not so zealous in his service as he required, he sent for the

groom of Lady

came known that the Orange.

It

Grenville,

visitor

when

it

be-

was the Prince of

was not unusual for the Prince to

travel in this unceremonious manner.

At Na-

mur, a frontier town, he was at one time detained for

want of

a passport,

and was not

re-

lieved until he had sent for the Mayor, and

showed him

On lic

his signet.

the occasion of his arrival at Spa, a pub-

breakfast was given to

him by the governor

MEMOIRS OF

270

and the other gentlemen of the town a subThis was just before our scription breakfast. departure for Aix-la-Chapelle. to

On

our return

Spa we found that the Prince had

turned, and had brought with

also re-

him the Princess

Soon afterwards we received an

of Orange.

invitation to breakfast with their Highnesses at the

house of a

M. de

Justanville, a delight-

ful residence, in the English style, about five or six miles

occupy

this

lend

to

it

M. de

from Spa.

Justanville did not

mansion, but was so liberal as to

any respectable person who wished

to give a party in

it.

breakfasted was fitted

The room up with

in

which we

a round table at

each of the four corners, which, on a preconcerted signal, rose through the floor, with

all

the necessary arrangements for the repast.

When we

were about to depart, we were

somewhat surprised by the presentation of a ticket to each of the guests for the price of the

breakfast;

a demand, which, to the English

visitors, at least, if

new

to the country,

must

have given rather an odd notion of foreign customs.

Among

the

company present were the

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

271

Prince and Princess of Salms, the Prince de

Ligne and 5

several

among whom

I

Kinnaird, &c.

English families of rank,

remember Lord and Lady

The arrangements were

con-

Those

ducted with some attention to

state.

who

sat at a sepa-

enjoyed the rank of Prince

rate table, attended

by persons of

stood behind their chairs.

The

rank,

who

Princess of

Salms was a very handsome woman, and had

been on the

stage.

She professed the Protes-

and the Prince being a Catholic, the marriage ceremony was, on that account,

tant religion,

performed by the left hand. Not long afterwards the Prince became a proselyte to the Protestant faith.

Before the departure of the Prince and Princess of

Orange from Spa, the inhabitants pre-

pared an entertainment for them, consisting of races in the morning, a subscription dinner,

a ball at night.

At

and

such public entertainments

was not customary to undergo the ceremony of presentation, and I had occasion to witness a

it

ludicrous incident which occured at the ball, in

consequence of the mixed nature of the com-

MEMOIRS OF t

pany, and the habitual want of the form of

The Prince

presentation.

of Orange was at

the time dancing, and the Princess, very simply attired,

was

sitting

on a

sofa with

Lady and

Miss Grenville, in a part of the ball-room which did not infer any pretension to

A very

state.

decent and respectable person, a grocer in the

town, walked up to Miss Grenville, and asked her to dance, and on receiving an answer from the

young lady

that she did not dance, he put

the same question to the Princess.

An

old

courtier standing by,

and observing the mis-

take, pulled the grocer

by the

him

sleeve, to

induce

to desist, when, mistaking the caution for

an imputation on his gallantry, he pressed his suit ness,

with a very laughable degree of earnest-

when some one

exclaimed, to the utter

" dismay of the poor grocer,

of Orange."

It

is

the Princess

JAMRS CAMPBELL.

SIR

CHAPTER Return to Brussels.

XI. Character of the

there.

Company

273

Tact and address of Lady Campbell.

Gens-d'armes.

Treacherous proceedings at Edinburgh.

Singular verdict

of the Scottish Courts. lor.

Rules of law.

Appeal to the English ChancelHard measure. Leave Brussels.

Challenge a Dutch Baron. ality of the Allies.

Residence at Douay

Revisit Arras, Abbeville, St. Valarie.

Recollections and Anecdotes.

Rouen.

ceed to

Mode

Scenery of the Seine. Anecdotes.

ticism.

age.

Norman

Road

to Dieppe.

Contrast between

noblesse.

Theatrical cri-

Rouen and

Provisions.

Fruit.

St.

Bever-

Large and small towns.

IN the autumn we returned took up

gyle, with

hotel

and

Belle-

Dukes of Wellington and Ar-

many

were staying II.

to Brussels,

our residence at the

vue, where the

VOL,

Pro-

Delightful society.

of living.

Different prices.

Valarie.

Cordi-

others

at the time.

T

of

my In

countrymen,

this

house the

MEMOIRS OF

274

t

table d'hote

and, as

is

is

of the most splendid description

usual on the continent, the whole bu-

siness of the establishment is

lady,

;

Madame

who

Proft,

conducted by the

looks like any thing

rather than the keeper of an hotel.

quence of Lady Campbell's delicate

In consestate of

and the death of her infant daughter, we removed to a house in the Rue de Bous health,

Sauvage, where, on the 14th of November,

my

daughter Louisa was born.

In the observations which

when M. Foste was I

had occasion to

I

made

at Liege,

by the Court, remark, with some severity, interrupted

on the proceedings of the gens-d'armes, by whom I had been arrested without any legal warrant.

They wore,

carried the arms,

I said, the uniform,

of soldiers

had been on many a

field

;

and

but although

I

of battle, I had never

met with any of them where personal hazard In allusion to the

was to be encountered. duty they had performed arrest, I applied to

them

French language,

is

in reference to

my

a term, which, in the

somewhat opprobrious

that of chasseguex, which, I suppose,

may be

Sill

JAMES CAMPBELL.

rendered in English, by whatever the retinue of a sheriff' s I heard

275

is

meanest

in

officer.

no more of the offence which

I

had

thus committed against the whole body ofgetiscParmerie until the conclusion of the year 1817,

when tions,

accidentally learned that

I

my

observa-

which had probably been repeated without /

losing

much

in point or keenness,

had given

deadly offence to the Baron Rosen, the at the

officer

head of that species of force in the Ne-

therlands.

I

was informed that the Baron had

made some remarks on

my

conduct at the

trial,

I

which was not usual among gentleand through the same channel which

in a style

men,

brought

me

the intelligence,, I caused

it

to be

reported to the officer in question, that as soon as

any one of

his station in society should es-

pouse the quarrel of the person

me

in the

manner of

who had

treated

a chassegue, I should be

take the necessary notice of it. prepared to In place, however, of any hostile message the

Baron thought

fit

to use his influence with the

local authorities to procure a fresh

my

arrest,

warrant for

which was happily discovered by the T 2

MEMOIRS OF

276 tact

and address of Lady Campbell, before

was

carried into effect.

masked

was to

attended with

known

knew

We

had gone to a which it was known

ball at Brussels, at

that the Baron

it

assist.

a party

of

Lady Campbell friends who were

to the chief of the gens-d'armes,

who

that I was on habits of intimacy with

of the party, although

Lady Campbell's person would probably have been unknown to

many

him, even

if

she had not

The Baron

worn her mask.

inquired of

Lady Campbell

if I

was of her party, to which she answered in the negative, but said that she had often seen me at the

He

house of her friend.

then observed,

that I was of a very violent temper, and that

was not

safe to

permit

naturally excited

and she succeeded

Lady in

that he had at that

warrant for in force

The

my

me

to be at large.

This

Campbell's curiosity,

drawing from him the

moment

arrest,

it

fact,

in his pocket a

which he meant to put

on the following morning.

gallant chief of the gens-d'armes, as if

had given to the force which he com-

to verify the appellation

half military, half civil

I

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

manded, attempted next morning his

threat,

but before that time,

be believed that

I

make good

to it

had crossed the

Lady Campbell had

277

will readily

frontier,

and

the satisfaction of address-

ing a note to the Baron, to caution him against so hasty a confidence in future.

About

time I began to

this

feel the effects of

the combined manoeuvres of the

woman

Sassen

and her worthy coadjutors in Edinburgh. She had been advised to institute certain proceedings in the Consistory

Court of Scotland, on the

as-

me in compel me

sumption that she had been married to France, the object of which was to

to adhere to her, as the legal phrase was, or at least to

pay her damages, or aliment,

of three hundred a-year.

It

at the rate

was soon found,

in

consequence of the judgment which had been

pronounced on

my

application

by the proper

was no pretence for holding that she had ever been married to me. But it is said to be a rule of the law of Scotofficers at Paris, that there

land, that if

two persons

live together, as

mar-

ried people, that a presumption of marriage will

thence arise of sufficient force to entitle

it

to

MEMOIRS OF

278

recognition as a valid contract

by the Courts

Law.

of

On

this idea a

inferred the

though

new

suit

was

instituted,

abandonment of the

first,

which

but

al-

in both actions, all idea of a marriage

was scouted by the Court, they came

to the

extraordinary resolution of giving the

woman

the full

amount of her pecuniary demands,

under pretence of the breach

I

had committed

of their peculiar code of morality; as

whom

if

the party

was thus proposed to reward with such distinguished liberality had not been a it

participator in the offence for

to be

mulcted so severely.

which I was thus

I caused the

ment of the Consistory Court

to be brought

under review of the Court of Session land,

which

is

judg-

in Scot-

the

Supreme tribunal in all civil country. But the Court of

matters in that

Session appeared to be guided by the same in-

explicable motives which produced the judg-

ment

against

me

in the Consistory Court,

and

all

that they could be prevailed on to do, was

to

award

mitigation

me

something in the nature of a

of

punishment, by reducing the

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

279

woman's reward from three hundred to two hundred It

to

a-year.

was not to be supposed that

down under such

sit

the country to which

have accordingly the

a flagrant piece of in-

could appeal

I

in so far as

it

me

But

to the

to

lant

when

his

it

is

a cause

by appeal from the Court of Session

House of Lords,

what

I

ample jus-

I understand

a rule of the law of Scotland, that carried

and

was possible to carry

into effect.

judgment

;

satisfaction to record that

the Chancellor of England did

is

was tamely

long as there was a higher court in

justice, so

tice,

I

is

the plaintiff

is

entitled

called execution against the appel-

pending the appeal.

The law

many just in

of Scotland, although

singular forms,

admits of

not, I believe, so un-

is

its principles, as

it

to

admit of one party's

retention of the property of another, after

it

has been declared by the Court of last resort,

VOL,

II.

T 4

MEMOIRS OF

280

that such retention

is illegal.

It

is

accordingly

an provided, that the plaintiff who, pending appeal, puts the

judgment of the Court below

execution against the appellant, shall be

in

bound

to find security for the

money,

To

repayment of the

in event of a reversal of the

this

moment

I

have never been able to

ascertain the nature of the security

found for have been

my

judgment.

which was

ultimate indemnification

told,

;

but

and I cannot help thinking

the information not very unreasonable, that

my

interests

lar so

I

have been neglected

if

in a particu-

important, as the finding of security, I

ought to have recourse against the individuals to

whom,

in

my

absence, these interests were

entrusted.

On

leaving Brussels, I directed

my

course to

the line of the Allied army, the nearest point

of which I found at Douay, the seat of the celebrated college of Scottish Jesuits, where his

SIR

Majesty the

of

JAMES CAMPBELL. and

the Netherlands,

commander of the

281 still

less,

chasseguex, could have

Finding myself then

anything to say to me.

I wrote a civil note to

upon equal ground,

the Baron, to say that I should be happy to

meet with him

at the nearest outpost.

His an-

swer was, that he would not go out of his way to seek me, but that, if I crossed his path, he

would give me the meeting. In a second note, I reminded him that he had not far to go to the nearest French post, and added that I was

ready to attend him within an hundred yards of

it

;

but to

this also

he gave

me

an evasive

answer, and I have since heard no more of the

Baron de Rosen, or the gem-d'armerie of the Netherlands.

We

remained a few weeks at Douay, and

during that time, in consequence of some

change in the French and Allied

town was

given up

to

lines,

local

the

a French garrison.

From thence we proceeded to Arras, where we stayed for a month or two, and had the pleasure of a visit from

who was

my

stationed with

son Major Callander, his

regiment about

MEMOIRS OF

82

While

troops.

on the same

distant,

twenty leagues

I

had occasion

line of

to observe the

ta

nature of the intercourse which took place be-

tween the French and the

Allies, I

am bound

to say, that the best understanding prevailed,

and that those who had in arms,

were now

of mutual

From

say that

it

we

ever visited. it

is

St.

Abbeville,

Valarie of which

I

the pleasantest place I have

The population

not great, but

is

most agreeable

residence of a stranger.

mouth

to

proceeded

just of the extent

is

rivals

and public entertainments.

and from thence to

may

been

as zealous in the interchange

civilities

Arras

so recently

It

for the

situated at the

is

of the Sornme,on the coast of Normandy,

and was formerly a considerable

seaport,

having

been the place at which William the Conqueror embarked for

England.

when he took

It is still

his departure

the seat of a custom-

house, and the residence of a commissary of

marine. lent,

The

inhabitants are in general opu-

the expense of living

derate,

is

remarkably mo-

and the English are very well received

by the gentry of the neighbourhood.

Our

CAMPBELL.

SIR JAMF.S

was to enjoy the benefit

object in going there,

of sea-bathing, for which

In early

life,

the

283

it is

very well adapted^

Emperor Napoleon had been a

frequent visitor at St.Valarie, and

it

was

that he had conceived a passion for a

lady of the place,

who was

very well

said

young

known

to

us as a respectable matron at the period of our visit.

The

good, but

hotels of the place are far it is

fair to

from being

say that the charges cor-

respond to the quality, and any one disposed to

make

a considerable stay,

accommodated

fortably

which are

to be

had

in

in the

may be

very com-

furnished-lodgings,

town both good and

cheap.

Nothing could be more delightful than the We found it indeed so society of St.Valarie.

much

to our mind, that

of the

summer and

From

the

first

we remained

the whole

part of the following winter.

day of our

arrival,

we found

ourselves well received in the best society of

the place

;

and when

I

speak of best, I would

be understood to say that the place was happily free

from

all

distinction of castes,

and from

all

those ridiculous assumptions of superiority of

MEMOIRS OF

284 one

many

An

over another, which operate in so

class

places as a bar to all rational enjoyments.

neighbourhood in England a loss to understand how it was

aristocratical

would be

at

possible to get

on in a place where the forms of

presentations were dispensed with, but certainly

we were

not disposed on that account to de-

preciate the delightful society of

Whist and

St. Valarie.

were the ordinary amuse-

ecarte

ments of the evening, but the play was for such moderate stakes, that it could not be stigmatized with the

name

Sometimes a

of gaming.

little

fete was given, as

by a

family on a favourite birthday, or by a merchant

on the

arrival of a ship,

our stay,

it

some return

and

in the course of

was necessary for us for the

numerous

ceived from the inhabitants.

we borrowed

also to

civilities

On

make

we

re-

one occasion,

the Bois de Rosiere, a villa in the

neighbourhood, for the purpose of giving an entertainment

to

our

friends

Such was the mildness of the had breakfast breakfast

we

set

of the place.

climate, that

out in the open

air.

we

After

danced, dined in the open air and

Sill

danced again, and sylvan

285

JAMES CAMPBELL. at night-fall

ball-room lighted

lamps suspended from the

we had our

up with wax and trees.

the ladies of St. Valarie outnumbered

As

the gentlemen, our amiable friend Mr. Hancock,

now Lord

Castlemain, a very good

and

ele-

gant young man, brought with him a party of the officers of the Cuirassiers d'Artois, a regi-

England would be called a crack and they certainly added very much to

ment which corps,

in

the spirit and gaiety of the day. there were

some

fifty guests,

At and

this party

at another,

which we gave in the town, there were upwards of eighty, but will it be believed, that the

first

cost us not

more than

five

the second something less than ten I

cannot

leave

St.

?

Valarie without some

notice of the hospitality

we uniformly

pounds, and

and attention which

received from the English Consul,

Mr. Saunders, with whose amiable family we had generally the pleasure of spending our Sunday-afternoons.

On

these occasions, Mr.

Saunders, after giving us a good plain dinner,

would

call in his

domestics, and read to us the

MEMOIRS OF

286

English service for the day, and

I

must do the

Catholic inhabitants the justice to observe, that

when they would

thus discover us at prayers,

they would take off their hats and pass on

with

some

of

expression

sympathy

in

our

devotions.

From

St.

Valarie

we went

to

Rouen, and

passed there the remainder of the winter. all

that regarded comfort

more with reference

and

and

still

we found

this

society,

to expense,

great mercantile and manufacturing

very reverse of blesse

St. Valarie.

the town, and in general

town the

The Norman

take to trade, but few of

In

them

we found

no-

reside in

the English

inhabitants living together on very uncomfortable terms.

In consequence of this impression,

we made no

acquaintances at Rouen, where

we

were induced to stay longer than was quite agreeable to us, in consequence of the delicate state of

Lady

Campbell's health.

The

scenery

of the Seine, and the general aspect of the country, particularly is

on the road to Dieppe, which

a continued orchard,

would no doubt have

been beautiful at any other season of the year,

SIR

but speaking feelings, I

garded

my

had nothing to regret when we found

enough

inhabitants of as

287

always do according to

as I

ourselves strong

The

JAMES CAMPBELL.

to return to Paris.

Rouen

eminent for their

are generally reskill in theatrical

criticism, so

much

the stage

successful in passing the ordeal of

their

is

so,

judgment, he

is

that

when

a debutante on

understood to be sure of

an engagement at the principal theatres in Paris.

As an

illustration of

one of the numerous shades

of difference between French and English ners, I

made

may mention

man-

an application which was

Lady Campbell by a gentleman of Rouen, who was very little known to us. Two very plain-looking girls, who were known to be to

English, were seated in a box not far from our place in the theatre, and the object of the gen-

tleman's question was very plainly to inquire as " !" said to the amount of their fortunes.

Ah

Lady Campbell, able,

"

for

these

" that question

young

ladies

is

are

not allowEnglish."

Then," said the gentleman, with an expressive

" shrug of his shoulders,

if their

not be inquired into, there

is

fortunes

may

no chance for them,

MEMOIRS OF

288

they will never go

off."

The French drama

at least as pure in all that regards

is

decorum and

morality as can well be claimed for the English,

but

it

not to be denied that an occasional

is

double entendre will

make

its

appearance, of

which no one takes any notice but those who

up

for censors of the public

was with

this view, probably, that

are anxious to set

morals.

It

the lady of an English Admiral, then resident

Rouen, thought fit to mark her sense of some slight indecorum by rising up to go away on

at

;

which a French gentleman observed, that he perceived the atmosphere of a dock-yard was

not particularly favourable to the improvement of manners. If I praised St.Valarie as a place of residence

would be disposed in almost to say the reverse of Rouen. In the

for a stranger, I all

respects

expense alone of living, the difference remarkable. scarce, dear,

Fish, for instance, at

and

far

is

very

Rouen was

from being good

;

while at

ling,

you might have a turbot for a shiland a large John Dory for a single sous.

The

poultry of

St.Valarie

Normandy

are everywhere ex-

C

cellent francs,

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

289

but a fowl, which at Rouen cost four

;

may be had

at

St.

In

Valarie for one.

the large towns, again, the ordinary price of

beef it

is

is

sixteen sous a pound, while in the small,

Rouen

good, but at

and

At

six.

only

both places butter it

is

two

dozen at

price at

Rouen.

What

is

all is,

Eggs

v

that at

Rouen, in

the midst of orchards, the price of fruit orbitantly high, the whole of to

England

grapes are

the lower

make are,

The

grown

ex-

is

being exported

table wine, as

in that neighbourhood,

who

classes,

create the

cider their only beverage.

demand

no

and

for

it,

Superior wines

of course, to be had, but at very great prices. result of the

particularly if

or commerce,

one

it

and you have no

;

are six

and double that

St. Valarie,

hardest of

very

francs a pound,

at St. Valarie twelve sous.

sous a

is

is

it

whole

is,

that a large town,

be the seat of manufactures

not to be compared with a small

as a residence for a stranger.

VOL.

II.

U

MEMOIRS OF

290

CHAPTER Visit Paris

XII.

and proceed to Switzerland.

Consult Dr. Stickleberg of Basle. Architectural beauty. ing.

Celebration of

Mode

Houses.

Anecdotes.

High Mass.

dotes of that Prince.

Mode

the Castle.

Baths.

Character of the

man

Character.

Dr. Stickleberg.

Manufactory of The Ex-King of Sweden. Anec-

Remove

to the Castle of Burglegen.

Population of the Forest.

A

of living.

Banditti.

Design upon

Leave Burglegen. The Peculiar Costume.

Mineral spring. Peasantry.

Contrast in French and Ger-

Correct morals.

Carnival.

inhabitants.

Carignan.

Teutonic order of Knights. Visitors.

Holbein's Paint-

The

Characters.

Prince

Anecdote.

Ribbons.

Pleasing society.

The Cathedral.

of fishing.

The

Lady Campbell.

Hunting.

Grand-duke

Baden.

of

Anecdote of the Grand Veneur.

FROM

Rouen,

as I

have

said,

to Paris, early in the spring, bell's

we

proceeded

and Lady Camp-

health not being yet confirmed,

solved to

make

we

re-

a short stay there, and after-

wards to proceed by easy stages to Switzerland. I

was induced to adopt

this step, as I

was told

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

by

my

solicitors, that

291

return to Scotland

my

might endanger the success of the cause which was then in progress through the Courts. At Langres

we were induced

or two, to see It

cutlery.

its

is

to remain for a

manufactures of hardware and

the Birmingham and Sheffield

of France, and in the ancient

from its elevated strength,

On

day

civil

wars

it

was,

situation, considered a place of

and was often an object of

contest.

this route the post-roads are execrable,

and the comforts of the post-house have no tendency to reconcile you to the fatigues of the journey.

At

the frontier

Befort,

town,

we

were teased about our passports, and advantageously reminded of the freedom of travelling

At

in England.

length, on reaching Basle,

and

consulting with Dr. Stickleberg, a celebrated

Swiss physician, as to health,

we

Lady

Campbell's state of

resolved to remain there for some

time, and with that view hired a furnished

house in the town.

On

farther acquaintance,

of Basle and

we remained

its

we

liked the society

neighbourhood so well, that

there for eighteen months.

u

2

It

is

MEMOIRS OF

292

needless to attempt a description of a place so

well

known

into

two equal

Basle.

as

The town

parts, that

is

divided

on the Swiss side

The

being considerably higher than the other.

an object of curiosity, not merely

cathedral

is

from

architectural beauty,

its

but from

with

historical recollections associated

particularly

from

its

the

and

it,

having been the place of

meeting of the celebrated Council of Basle. the church, which

we were accustomed

tend, a, degree of liberality ciliation

and a

of con-

which has hitherto exhibited

a very different disposition.

high mass was performed with of Popish worship.

and the

curtain,

to at-

was observable, well worthy of imita-

tion in a country

cifix

spirit

In

In the morning, all

the insignia

In the afternoon, the cru-

altar-piece

were concealed by a

and the Protestants assembled

in their

simpler fashion to say their prayers and hear a

sermon.

The

cloisters

of the cathedral

.

are

ornamented with Holbein's celebrated Dance of Death; and, indeed, the outside of every

house with any pretension to gentility, tered over, and painted

al fresco

is

plas-

with some

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

historical subject, in general liberties

On

293

connected with the

of the country.

the Swiss side of the town, the inhabi-

had a peculiar mode of fishing. The houses on that side are built on a precipice, tants

which high.

from twenty-five to thirty yards long pole is fixed on the brink pro-

varies

A

jecting over the water; at the end to

which a net

is

is

a pulley,

suspended, from ten to twelve

which are kept apart by slender pieces of wood. In the centre of feet square, the corners of

the net a quantity of bait

is

thrown, consisting

sometimes of worms and sometimes of bread,

which aniseed has been mixed to bring the fish over the net, which is so suspended as to in

have a considerable hollow in the centre. is

then lowered into the

river,

It

and sunk in

such a manner as that the circumference or

upper part

shall

be about two feet below the

surface of the water

;

and

it is

drawn up once a

day, at the proper interval before dinner, it

seldom happens

pointed of

its

that the family

regular supply of

consist of pike, trout, roach,

and

when

is

disap-

fish,

which

dace, with the

MEMOIRS OF

294

carp of the Rhine, so delicacy.

The

celebrated for

its

usual daily produce of one of

these domestic nets fish,

much

may be from

four to five

which weigh, on an average, from three to

four pounds each.

One

of our

first

acquaintances at Basle was

the physician Stickleberg, a

man

considerably

advanced in life, who had a peculiarity of humour which entitled him to the name of a character. In place of a hat, for instance, he wore a headdress in imitation of the calpack of a

interpreter to a foreign embassy fastidious

in

;

yet he was

observing that other people in

their dress attended to the reigning

our

table,

Turkish

At

mode.

one day, he met an old friend of his

own who wore

a queue, and after rallying

him

repeatedly on the singularity of this appendage,

he made some errand out of the room, and returning in a short time with a pair of sors,

had

his friend's

queue cut

scis-

off before his

return was observed.

Dr. Stickleberg was very the

much

teased

by

professional

consultations of a lady of a

who

believed herself afflicted with

certain age,

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

295

a thousand suppositions complaints, and would assail

the Doctor with a history of the

new

symptoms of her case, whenever and wherever she met with him. The bridge of Basle is, of thoroughfare, and in passing

course, a great

along on some occasion which called for dispatch, he found himself detained

by

his

hypo-

chondriacal patient, and with a view to dis-

engage himself from the expected attack, he said that

he was

sorry to

see

her

look so

and begged her to show him her tongue. With this the lady readily complied, but the

poorly,

Doctor desired to see more of her to shut her eyes close ,

and begged that she might do it it,

the better, saying at the same time that she

must not interrupt him with any remark while he was engaged in examining instantly

bridge,

it.

On

proceeded on his walk

and

left

this

along

he the

the lady to be gazed at by the

crowd, until she thought

fit

to open her eyes

to the practical joke of this eccentric old man.

Another of our Prince Carignan, his

regiment

at

early acquaintances

who was then

Nuningen, a

was the

quartered with

fortress

about two

MEMOTKS OF

296

miles from Basle, which has since been dismantled

on terms of an

article

of the treaty of peace which

had been stipulated by the Swiss Confederation. Although a person of great fortune and connected with the as heir to the

first

families of France, as well

kingdom of

Sardinia, the Prince

of Carignan was assiduous in his attention to the duties of his regiment.

He

was, besides, a

great admirer of the English, which was pro-

bably the cause of our making his acquaintance so early

he had

;

under the

all

the soldiers of his regiment

discipline of a school,

conducted on

the principles of Bell and Lancaster, and on

such account he was stigmatized by his coun-

trymen

with the taint

of Anglomanie.

He

was, nevertheless, a very intelligent and agreeable

young man, and added

materially to the

attractions of Basle.

In the town of Basle there was a great manufactory of ribbons

which are worn

women

is

of those black ribbons

so universally

of Germany.

blishment, as

:

by the peasant

The head of

the esta-

customary in Switzerland, was

of a noble family, and, besides attending to his

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

297

manufacture, he had taste and leisure for the

enjoyment of the

His residence in

fine arts.

Basle was princely, and on one occasion he re-

ceived a visit from the

Emperor Joseph the

Second, who, with an Imperial licence, inquired

where he got the money to purchase such a collection of pictures? "By my ribbons," was "

And

where do you sell them?" " In the Austrian terrejoined the Emperor. the merchant ritory, and all over Germany,"

the answer.

replied.

At

and desired

this the

his secretary to note it

serving, that there prise in his

Emperor seemed

own

surprised,

down, ob-

must be some want of

dominions,

when

it

enter-

was found

necessary to send to Basle for an article so extensively used.

The Ex-King

of Sweden,

who

styled the Colonel Gustafson,

chose to be

had been

resi-

dent for some years at Basle at the time of our arrival,

and

as

he was received by an English

family of our acquaintance,

we had

opportunities of meeting with him. a person of various accomplishments.

speak with fluency

all

frequent

He was He could

the modern languages

MEMOIRS OF

298

recognized as polite; he played with great taste

and had considerable pretento literature but I need not add that

on the sions

pianoforte,

;

his character peculiarities.

was marked by some extraordinary There was, for instance, a hotel

in the

town with a

figures

were painted, and gave the name to the

sign-board,

house, of the Three Kings.

on which the

Riding out with me

one morning in

my carriage, the Colonel begged

we might

not pass through the street in

that

which

this hotel

was

situated, as

he could not

bear to look on these phantoms of kings.

It

was evidently unpleasant for him to be reminded in any manner of his abdicated dignity ;

and when addressed by any one by the

title

of

Majesty, he would express his dissatisfaction in

terms which did not correspond with the ordinary courtesy of his

demeanour.

A

lady

of our acquaintance took a strange delight in

moving him on bell

this subject

;

and Lady Camp-

having a dog she had named Oscar,

this

lady would never cease speaking of the animal

by

this offensive

His occasional

name in the air

Colonel's presence.

of distraction was always

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

painfully aroused so that

by any

allusion of this kind,

Lady Campbell was

obliged to explain

dog had been

to him, that the

299

called

from one

of the ancient kings of Scotland, long before she had heard of the Prince of Sweden, of the revolutionary dynasty.

When

Ex-King came

the

was observed

to

first

to Basle, he

have no money, but had evi-

dently a large supply of diamonds, which

him an with

made

object of plunder to several persons

whom

he unfortunately

associated.

At

the time of our acquaintance with him, his

annual stipend of thirty thousand crowns was regularly paid, so that he could afford to live in a style superior to the

chosen to assume.

He

rank which he had

had been accustomed,

however, to a laxity of morals, which made him

amenable to the remarks of the good people of Basle;

who,

if

they are not better than their

neighbours, are at least more correct in the out-

ward observances of morality, and who do not even permit the appearance of those public

women on

the

street,

which are so much a

nuisance in other great towns, but

who

are

MEMOIRS OF

300

strangely defended

by some ingenious

casuists,

under pretence of their being a protection, a sort of fire-escape, or safety-valve, for public

morals.

Colonel Gustafson

we were

while

made

at Basle,

a visit to

and on

England

his return

we

found that he was deeply offended with his Majesty for making him wait when he went to

pay his respects at Carl ton-House. walked away without seeing the King

mind had taken such

and assigned that departure from Basle.

his conduct,

for his final first

came

to the town,

as a burgher,

for the

me

a spy

as a reason

When

he

appointment of

It is

but justice to say

that he was uniformly disposed to

inhabitants,

his

of the Artillery ; which, however,

was not given to him.

agreeable.

and

he had himself entered

and applied

Commandant

;

had

a colour from the cir-

cumstance, that he chose to think

upon

He

He

mixed a good

make

himself

deal with the

and frequently dined

at the table

d'hote.

After the birth of

my daughter

Menie, which

took place at Basle, on the 28th of May, 1820,

SIR

we went which

JAMES CAMPBELL.

301

to reside at the Castle of Burglegen,

is

situated in the Black Forest, about

eighteen miles from Basle, and near to the

This castle was of

small

town of Candern.

much

larger dimensions than

we had any

occa-

and the principal apartments were splendidly fitted-up with leather hangings, some sion

for,

with gold and others with

ornaments, in

silver

a style becoming the rank of the Teutonic

order of Knights, to

;

it

had

originally

There were no chimneys in the man-

belonged. sion

whom

every apartment was supplied with a

and those of the public rooms were of very large dimensions and richly inlaid with ornamental china. There was no furniture in stove,

the castle

when we hired it

for the

summer, but

the portraits of the Teutonic Knights

mained on the walls was a

dial,

;

and

in every

the hands of which,

still re-

room there

by some

in-

genious mechanical contrivance, for which the

Germans

are so remarkable,

great clock which

were moved by a

was situated

in

the attic

story.

The Teutonic

order of Knights has nume-

MEMOIRS OF

302

y

rous establishments, called Confreries, of which

the

Emperor of Austria

is

and from one of which,

the Grand-Master,

in ancient times, the

King of Prussia is traced. military, half monkish in their

descent of the are half

They nature,

and when the Castle of Burglegen, with other houses of the order, territory

Duke

fell

by an extension of

under the dominion of the Grand-

of Baden,

who

is

a Protestant Prince, [he

bought up these houses, and allowed the chapels connected with them to remain for the use of

by which they were

the Catholic population generally surrounded.

Having hired as much furniture at Basle as would furnish ten or twelve of the apartments,

we went main

to Burglegen, as I have said, to re-

for the

summer.

asked was only

The

61. a-year,

rent which was

but I was bound to

pay a stipend of 12$. to the Catholic Curate, who lived in one corner of the castle while his chapel was in another.

We went

occasionally

on

Sunday morning to hear mass, and after vespers we had always the curate and any friend

who might

be with him, to dine with us in the

SIR afternoon.

The

303

JAMES CAMPBELL.

peasantry were allowed in the

make

evening to dance in the hall; and to

them enjoy themselves, I was in the habit of sending them a few loaves of brown bread, a cheese,

and a small

barrel of the white

made them

the country, which

happy, at a very

all

wine of

exceedingly

When

trifling expense.

he

thought they had danced enough, the Curate

would go down to the hall to bid them disbut perse, which they generally agreed to do ;

would sometimes

affect a little

rebellion at his authority,

when

good-natured I

would

inter-

cede for half an hour's addition to their amuse-

ment. *

In consequence of these indulgences,

came great

we

be-

among the population of when I desired to invite a

favourites

the forest, so that,

few friends to a shooting-party, I could have two hundred men to beat the wood for us. Game was to be had in the

forest in great variety

wild boar, stag, and roebuck, hare, pheasant, and partridge.

The roebuck approached

the castle, that I have shot

den

;

and one had become

so near to

them from the so

tame

as to

gar-

be fed

MEMOIRS OF

304 at the

window by the hand.

numerous, and several

also

Hedgehogs were of them ran about

the house like domestic animals.

The

Castle of Burglegen

had long been a

show place in the country, so that I sometimes found myself surrounded with visisort of

tors

whom

I

had never before

elevated site on which placed,

it

was necessary

From

seen.

the castle had been for a stranger to

additional horses to his carriage, if he

drive

up

the

to the court-yard.

I

put

meant

to

was induced,

from that circumstance, to keep my own horses in the village, at the bottom of the hill. The house stood on a level of two thousand feet above that of the Rhine, so that the cold reached us at an early period of the season,

snow both itself

in

May

and we had

and October.

The house

could be seen from the windows of the

table d'hote at Basle,

and the view from

it

was

most extensive, including parts of France, Italy, Swabia, Wirtemberg, and the Swiss Cantons, besides the

Duchy

of Baden, in which

it

was

situated.

From

the

number of our

visitors,

we had one

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

day lic

305

week which was regarded as a puband those who came were expected to

in the

day,

was an arrangement

stay to dinner. This

tent with the manners of the country,

consis-

and was

conducted at a very inconsiderable expense, the cost of living

River trout was

being so very moderate.

plentiful,

quality 2^d. a pound, and

mutton of the best all

kinds of

game

in

no red wine grown in that country, but the best white wine is not more than twopence a bottle, and that was There

abundance.

what we took

is

ourselves,

We had also a

sitors.

and offered to our

very pleasant

of great strength, called kirsawaser,

the wild cherries which

grow

spirit,

vi-

and

made from

in the forest in

great profusion.

When we mer,

we

went

to Burglegen for the

sum-

did not give up our house in Basle,

but went there occasionally for a day or two, when we wished to visit our friends, or had any business to transact in the town.

nor paper-money, I found

it

is

used in that

Neither gold, district

II.

and

necessary, in returning one evening

from the town, to bring home with VOL.

;

X

me

in the

MEMOIRS OF

306

sum

carriage a

The

of 250/. in silver crowns.

weight, of course, was considerable; and on

the village where the horses stood,

arrival at

I employed a it

up

my

me

for

man who to the

lived there to carry

castle.

This

man had

bag when I went out to shoot, but was not otherwise known to me. often

He

carried

my

had, however, a sister-in-law

personal favourite of

who was

Lady Campbell, and

a

she

Ladyship to say that the man had been heard to talk of the money, and she

had come

to her

was under great apprehensions for our as she said there forest.

I

safety,

were dangerous people in the

had always

fire-arms

room, and did not adopt any

new

in

my

bed-

precaution in

consequence of the warning.

Lady Campbell, however, was more sensitive and in the middle of a night in the month of ;

September, she insisted on getting up, as there

was certainly some strange person moving in one of the adjoining corridors. On the servants being called and a search instituted, an

armed man was found in one of the uninhabited apartments

;

and on being brought to me, he

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

307

produced a mandate from the Baron

Grand Veneur, or requesting

me

who had been

chief

,

the

huntsman of the Forest,

to receive a

body of

men

thirty

and

sent for our protection,

in

the hope also of being able to apprehend a band

of robbers

who

who

infested the neighbourhood,

and

was known had a design on the castle. These thirty men were well-armed with carait

bines and pistols, and being joined

men from

twenty stout young remained in the at the

a

by about

the village, they

castle for three or four nights,

end of which they succeeded

number of persons who were

neighbourhood, and

who

in arresting

strangers in the

could not give us

a satisfactory account of themselves.

This circumstance probably served for our subsequent protection

at

;

least

we

did not

afterwards hear of any thing to alarm us,

al-

though the good people of Basle were not sparing in their remarks on the excessive hardihood of our venturing to reside in such a dangerous neighbourhood. charitable

enough

to

Some were even

insinuate that

I

could

only be actuated by a wish to keep a young

x

2

MEMOIRS OF

308

We

wife out of sight. as they deserved,

treated such remarks

and returned to Basle when

the winter was considerably advanced. I should have mentioned, that about eight

miles from Burglegen, there was a wateringplace,

which had been used

times, as there

were

for such in ancient

Roman

ing in good preservation.

baths

still

remain-

There was a natural

hot bath of a high temperature, and a separate mineral spring, cold and ferruginous.

It

is still

resorted to as a bathing-place, but from Burg-

legen

it

no road places

was not very for wheels,

was only

accessible, as there

was

and the track in some

practicable for the asses of the

country.

Before leaving Burglegen, I must say something of the peasantry of the neighbourhood.

They

are, in general,

very good-looking, and

their food consists of bacon with cabbage,

and

a kind of paste, like maccaroni, with a good deal

of milk.

Their kitchen utensils are of wood,

and are not kept

They ing,

in the best possible

are passionately fond of

order.

music and danc-

and scarcely attempt any movement but

Sill

JAMES CAMPBELL. It

their national waltz. as the phrase

pieces

is,

to hear

309

was quite refreshing,

them singing concerted

on their return home from the

neighbouring

from the

reverberation

accompanied by the

castle,

hills.

The peasant

dress like those of Swit-

girls

zerland, with the yellow chapeau de paille, or-

namented with broad black ribbons, a large bow on the one side of the head, and strings hanging to the

The

heel.

bodice

is

of black

velvet, with a stomacher embroidered with gold

or silver.

The

sleeves are of fine linen, reach-

ing near to the elbow, and tied up with a band.

The neck and bosom black velvet, which

is

with

The

silver chains.

worsted

stuff,

attached to the bodice petticoat

bordered with red.

and the petticoat waist extends and as

long,

;

up with

are quite covered

is

of black

The

waist

is

is

sharp cut as far as the

it

scarcely reaches to the

knee, the exhibition, with coloured stockings, green, blue, or red, embroidered clocks,

high-heeled shoes,

is

and

somewhat remarkable, par-

ticularly in a quick-tuned waltz.

I should

have

added, that over the plaits of the petticoat a

MEMOIRS OF

310

white muslin apron red flowers

is

worn, ornamented with

but certainly the tout ensemble

;

from the waist upwards

is

far

from being favour-

able to an advantageous display of the female shape.

At

Basle,

which

is

a very pretty town, and

i

was to us a most agreeable residence, there can scarcely be said to be any thing like public

They have indeed

amusement.

German

a theatre where

plays are performed, but

it

seems to

be discountenanced on religious principles, and is

little

very

frequented.

amusement appears

common

to almost

At

tinent.

Basle

it

Their only public

to be the carnival, all

begins with a procession of

On

day, they have an exhibition of ;

but what chiefly amused

representation of

mance, each character,

is

great towns of the Con-

children in their holiday-dresses.

trades

which

another of

all

sorts

us,

was the

some ancient legend or

ro-

individual assuming a separate

and the whole concluding with a

tilt

and tournay, in imitation of the ancient chivalry of the country.

The

carnival

a masquerade, with a ball

is

concluded by

and supper, the only

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

exhibition of the kind which

out the year.

For

it

is

known

They

through-

must be observed that

the sumptuary laws of Basle are force.

311

still

in full

are not indeed prohibitory, but

merely laxative, a certain price being paid for

any

special indulgence.

Thus, a fat bachelor

of our acquaintance, of rather unwieldy pro-

was prevailed on to give a dancingparty, and on applying for the necessary licence, the authorities of the place were almost portions,

driven from their propriety

by the ludicrous

inaptitude of the worthy applicant.

The

peasantry in the neighbourhood of Basle,

particularly in the direction of

Germany, have

some points of resemblance with the lower classes of

Wales and of the Highlands of

They

Scotland.

are equally pure in their morals; their

courtships are conducted with the same degree of

unhesitating confidence between the sexes, and

very

much

in the

same manner, nor are the

stances less rare than

among our own

in-

primitive

mountaineers of such confidence being abused. Farther up in the scale of society, the influence of good morals and correct feeling

is still

more

MEMOIRS OF

The domestic arrangements

observable.

more

like those of

England than perhaps any

other country in Europe. tracted

more from

Marriages are con-

feelings of attachment than

from mere motives of convenience, and seldom, indeed, that live apart. is

With

mixed up

in

are

man and

it

is

wife are seen to

good qualities, there the manners of the people a all

these

large proportion of state

and ceremony.

As

compared with the French, the Germans, in general, are certainly less polite, and perhaps in small matters less obliging;

warmth of feeling,

of heart and

the

but in goodness

common

offices

as well as in

of hospitality, they have

greatly the advantage of their

more polished

neighbours.

As

a trait of character, I shall here suggest

an instance to which I have seen

A

many

parallels

you after a walk of some extent, and you ask him with an air of great concern, if he would not desire to have in France.

friend visits

some refreshment ? proposal, and then

ring the

bell,

Your friend you

rise

accedes to the

with great

and order the attendant

alacrity,

to

open

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

313

the window, or you inquire with great earnestIf happily his answer

ness if he has dined.

prove to be in the affirmative, you have an opportunity of exclaiming at the greatness of

your disappointment

you must not

any

but

if

not so satisfactory,

case be disconcerted,

but

be understood that you have dined an

let it

hour ago.

The French mode

some excuse

for this apparent

Dinner

lity.

pittance

rateur

ham

in

;

;

is

is

is

of living affords

want of hospita-

seldom cooked at home, but a

procured from the nearest restau-

whereas, in Germany, a cold pie or a

always in readiness as a succedaneum

for better fare

;

and on

visiting a friend in the

country, the lady of the house will probably assure

you how much she

gives her such an appetite

VOL.

II.

X 5

!

loves hunting,

it

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

CHAPTER Principality.

de Bignon. of Baden.

XIII.

The reigning

Proceed to Carlsrhue.

Baron de Baner.

Prince.

M.

The Princess Tacher.

Margravine Dowager

Advantageous proposal.

Visit to Wirtemberg.

Recommendation

Mr. Hamilton.

to the Court of Admiralty.

scheme approved by the Grand-Duke. curious vehicle.

Bonaparte.

Courts of the

Strange requisition.

Mr. Cockburn, the British Minister.

A

315

Its

The Author's abandonment.

Princess of Wirtemberg.

Mysterious occurrence.

Death of

Eugene BeauharPrince Louis of Wir-

King and Queen of Bavaria. The wife of Marmont. Curious anecdotes. temberg nis.

Residence and mode of eral

Donadieu.

ney.

at

Baden.

Anecdote of Gen-

Hire a house at Bairstaen.

German Theatre. Poland.

life

The 'King of

Repair to Nantz.

Return to Paris.

Return to England.

M

.

Bailie.

Strasbourg.

A

Scotch Attor-

Family Anecdotes.

IN the spring of the year 1821, we took our departure from Basle, and proceeded to Carlsrhue, which has

become a town of some conse-

quence, and the chief residence of the Court of

MEMOIRS OF

316

the Grand-Duchy, in a manner somewhat ex-

The grandfather

traordinary.

of the reigning

Prince resided at Carlsbade, and erected a tomb for himself of the simplest construction, at an

unfrequented spot, about ten or twelve miles

from the place of greatly beloved

them a

ty,

by

built houses

town has

his residence

;

but he was so

his subjects, that

around

his remains,

many

of

and thus

arisen of considerable external beau-

which the successors of the favourite Grand-

Duke

have since adopted

as the residence of

the Court of the Principality.

On

our arrival at Carlsrhue,

we

hired a part

of the house of the Baron de Baner, the Grand

Referendaire to his Highness the Prince, and

took immediate possession of our apartments.

Next day we received a visit from an officer of some rank in the service of the Government,

who made sion,

for

a thousand apologies for his intru-

but trusted that

me

Duchy

it

would be convenient

to leave the territory of the in twelve hours.

On

Grand

inquiring into the

cause of this unexpected requisition, I found that

it

arose

from a circumstance so

trivial in

SIR its

JAMES CAMPBELL.

nature, that

much

may

it

317

excite surprise

consequence should be attached to

examining

my

passport,

the signature of a cretaries in the

it

how it.

so

On

was found to bear

M. de Bignon, one of the

department of what

relations exterieures of the

is

se-

called les

French Government.

The document had been submitted to the Grand Duke's inspection, and his Highness had perhaps some reason to be offended with a mandate under the han ds of the same under-secretary,

M. de Bignon, who had formerly been

the service of the

who,

it

in

Ex-Emperor Napoleon, and

seems, had retained his

employment

under the restored Government.

His Highness's uncle having

.rebelled against

the authority of Bonaparte, that great

manu-

and princes removed the reigning Prince from the government, and having placed the nephew on the vacant throne of the facturer of kings

Principality, condescended to give

him

to wife

the Princess Tacher de Beauharnais, the niece

of the Empress Josephine.

This lady was not

very cordially received by the proud Germans of a

Court whose pretensions

to

purity of

MEMOIRS OF

318

blood are in some degree supported by the splen-

dour of their connections

;

for it will

lected that the Margravine

Dowager

be

recol-

of Baden

was the mother of an Empress and of two Queens, those of Russia, Bavaria, and Sweden.

The

Imperial mandate was supported by argu-

ments which the Grand-Duke found

He

married the Princess of the

irresistible.

new dynasty

;

but from a feeling of repugnance to a connec-

which had thus been forced upon him, he never consummated the marriage. tion

This fact having reached the ears of the peror, a fresh

Em-

mandate, with the unwelcome

M. de Bignon, was dispatched to the Grand Duke, whose compliance with the

signature of

requisition

is

evinced by the living evidence

which every almanack records. Through the intervention of the Baron de Baner, the circumstances attending the passport were explained

to his Highness's satisfaction stacle arose to

;

and no other ob-

our enjoyment of the society at

the Court of the Grand-Duchy, unless, indeed, I except the period during

to

bed by a severe

fever,

which I was confined

which did not permit

SIR

me

JAMES CAMPBELL.

to rise for thirty-three days.

319

My recovery,

however, was so rapid, that within five days after I

upon

was

my

able, in

legs, I

Parliamentary phrase, to get

went out and shot a hare and

a

woodcock.

In the course of

my

residence at Burglegen,

two circumstances occurred

to

me

as capable of

being turned to individual as well as national

The oak timber

advantage.

in all those parts

of the Black Forest which I had an opportunity of traversing, had every appearance of being

well fitted for the purposes of naval architecture,

and from the vicinity of many parts of

this

extensive forest to a navigable river like the

Rhine,

it

seemed to

me

that an arrangement

might be entered into which might advantageous

to the

my own I

power of Great of the Principality, and

advancement.

had observed,

ness of the white

ceiving that to have into an

it

be

naval

Britain, to the interests

to

at once

it

also,

the extraordinary cheap-

wine of the country

might be

;

and con-

beneficial for all parties

burnt into brandy, so as to convert

it

exportable commodity, I resolved to

MEMOIRS OF

320

communicate on both subjects with the two

With Governments immediately interested. this view, I went to Wirtemberg to wait on Mr. Cockburn, the British

Minister at that

Court, and the brother of Sir George Cockburn,

one of the Lords of the Admiralty.

Cockburn, I

am bound

to say, that he received

manner becoming his the King's representative, and that in

my communication station as

Of Mr.

entering with

me

in a

into the investigation of the

circumstances, he discovered a high degree of ability.

I have also the pleasure of bearing

timony to the

talents

of

tes-

Mr. Hamilton, the

Secretary to the Embassy, with

whom

frequent opportunities of consulting subject.

my I

had

on the

After they had carefully examined

the details of the plan, they recommended that I should

submit the statement I had prepared,

with the result of sideration of the

my

calculations, to the con-

Board of Admiralty.

Having

followed their advice, I received a communica-

from the Board, in which a proper acknowledgement was made for the trouble I had

tion

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

321

taken, and a desire was expressed for farther

information on the subject. I

then waited on the Grand-Duke, and

opened the idea to him, when I found, fully anticipated, that the proposal larly agreeable to his

had

was particu-

He

Highness.

as I

have the necessary roads between the

offered to forest

and

own

the river immediately constructed at his

expense, as well as the temporary accommodations

the

which would be necessary

workmen employed

timber and preparing

most convenient

for the use of

in cutting

down

The

for the floats.

it

size for the floats

the

was found to

be about two hundred feet long, broad, and six or eight feet deep.

fifteen feet

A

raft of

these dimensions could be navigated as far as

Rotterdam by five men, for whom a hut erected on it would serve as a temporary residence. Such

by

floats

are guided

a sort of helm,

by long

and are

poles, assisted

carried along

by the

In cutting

ordinary current of the river.

down

so large a quantity of timber as the wants of

Great Britain would require,

it

occurred to

me

that the useless parts of the tree might be ad-

VOL. n-

Y

MEMOIRS OF

322

vantageously employed as fuel in the other part of

my

plan,

which was the conversion of

the white wine of the country into brandy.

The whole seemed so were

all

success.

project

hung so

feasible in all

well together, and

its

extremely sanguine about

But the

trees,

we

details, that

entire

its

with every external

evi-

dence of freshness and vigour, were found after

numerous

trials

number of

to be, with a small proportional

two

exceptions, not exceeding

three per cent., unsound at the core.

The

or

great

limbs of the tree were in general healthy and

much

sound, and I have reason to believe that

valuable timber might be found in the forest, well suited to supply that desideratum in ship-

building which naval architects distinguish

the

name

of knees, and for which an inferior

and more expensive substitute of iron lieve,

by

is,

I be-

sometimes employed in the dock-yards of

several nations of Europe.

After cutting down

many hundreds

finest-looking trees in the forest,

I

of the

had the

mortification to find that I could not conscien tiously report to the

Lords of the Admiralty

SIR

measure would be beneficial to the

that the British

323

JAMES CAMPBELL.

Government; and the

result was, that I

incurred a very considerable expense in experi-

menting on both branches of a scheme which

The

con-

arrived, I of course

com-

did not ultimately prove successful. clusion at

which

I

had

municated to the Ambassador

and

to the

Government

at

at

home

;

Wirtemberg, but it has not

me any remu-

been found necessary to afford

neration for the expense I incurred in this national undertaking.

From rhue,

town of

the recent rise of the

it is

of course erected in the modern taste,

with wide

streets,

parallel lines

pavement

and right

for pedestrians,

angles.

It is celebrated

for its manufactures of various kinds, ticularly for that of carriages

I

Carls-

bought a

and

and par-

for jewellery.

close carriage here of the principal

coach-maker,

who had

never fewer than eighty

in his magazines, ready for sale.

The

price of

that which I bought of him, with crane neck,

trunks, and harness complete for

was only ninety pounds. wards,

when about

two

Three years

horses, after-

to return to England, I sold

Y

2

MEMOIRS OF

324

when yet on

it,

having ever cost

its

first

wheels, and without

me a shilling of repairs,

duction of only twenty pounds from cost

;

and

it

had carried

will

me

its

at a de-

original

be seen in the sequel, that

over

it

many hundred leagues, and

over roads which were not always constructed

on the most approved principles of Mr. Mac-

The jewellery of

adam. over

all

Germany

tory in the

;

Carlsrhue

celebrated

is

and the principal manufac-

town was

so considerable

as

to

employment to upwards of two hundred male and female artizans. The head

afford constant

of the establishment makes an annual tour to the principal towns in Germany, for the sale

all

of his jewels and trinkets.

In the course of the year 1821,

I

was a

good deal annoyed with rheumatism, and was recommended to try the waters of Baden for relief.

The

principal spring

and the natural heat

is

is

a chalybeate,

so great, that

two hours

are necessary to cool the bath to the ordinary

degree of temperature. try

is

The neighbouring coun-

highly picturesque, and the celebrity of

the waters

is

go

great as to attract to

them

Sill

visitors

from

JAMES CAMPBELL.

all

325

the nations of Europe.

The

Duchess-Dowager of Baden, was then resident at the castle, which is Princess

Beauharnais,

singularly situated on a rock of peculiar form,

and had formerly been the

seat of

one of the

tribunals of the Inquisition.

During the season of our the

little

Court of

this

stay at the waters,

Princess was in deep

mourning for the recent death of Bonaparte, and her seclusion was, in consequence, so great as to prevent her

from seeing company.

Her

Highness had had three children, two Princesses

and a Prince

;

but the

latter,

direct line of succession,

who

stood in the

was murdered in

in-

fancy in a mysterious and shocking manner.

A pin and

had been driven into the

his nurse disappearing at

was never more heard

At Baden, on last

child's head,

the same time

of.

this occasion, I

saw for the

time the Prince Eugene Beauharnais, a

young man qualities.

universally admired for his amiable

He

had married a Princess of Ba-

and proved himself worthy of the connection, by the whole of his conduct, as a

varia,

MEMOIRS OF

326

husband and a offered the

father.

same

It

is

situations in

he was

said that

France under the

government which he had previously held under that of Napoleon, but that he de-

restored

clined them, from respect to the

man who, whatever

his faults,

memory

had

of the

at least

been

his greatest benefactor.

He

then retired to Bavaria, where, by the

erection of schools of art

of education, he

and other seminaries

made himself

so very popular

the inhabitants, that the Prince Royal

among

discovered such a jealousy of his influence, that

Prince Eugene had taken the resolution of retiring

from the kingdom with

suite

but the peasantry laying hold of

;

riage,

his family

and

his car-

unharnessed his horses, and with a sort of

friendly violence carried

him back

to

Munich,

where he died of apoplexy a few years ago. When we saw him at Baden, he had become a

good

deal

enbonpoint,

his less active habits,

arising

probably from

but he seemed to be in the

enjoyment of perfect health.

The

known

military talents of Prince

Eugene

to have been of a high order,

are

and the

JAMES CAMPBELL.

327

which was universally entertained

for

SIR respect his

private character,

was followed by a

cor-

responding degree of regret at his untimely death.

The

we saw him*

Prince, at the time

was, like his cousin the Duchess-Dowager, in

deep mourning for the Ex-Emperor, and appeared very unaffectedly to lament the

loss

of

that extraordinary character.

Among

the other visitors at the baths of

Baden, were the King and Queen of Bavaria,

and the Prince Louis de Wirtemberg.

King had the

The

character of being a very worthy

man, and walked about very much

like a farmer,

with the single distinction of a bit of ribbon at his button-hole. The Prince of Wirtemberg engaged so eagerly in the prevalent amuse-

he

not only his

ments of the

place, that

last shilling at

the gaming-table, but his horses,

lost

and every moveable lie possessed. There was also at this period at Baden the

carriages,

La Marechale Raguse. She of La Fitte, the banker, and was

wife of Marmont,

was the

sister

so devoted in her loyalty to the

Emperor Na-

poleon, that she separated from her husband,

MEMOIRS OF

328 calling

him

a traitor

and a monster of

ingrati-

up the capital of France She then went to reside at the

tude, for having given to the Allies.

Court of Bavaria, where she kept a splendid train.

The

fourgon, or carriage, which con-

tained her travelling wardrobe, was so peculiar

and magnificent in

its

construction, as to be an

object of general curiosity.

At Baden

the hour of dinner

table d'hote is daily

crowded with

ranks

from kings and princes

and

you have

if

there,

may

visitors

of

all

downwards; it

the

is

and to say so to the

not be troubled with any

application for payment,

two

The

two.

strangers with you,

custom to carry them waiter, that they

is

which

is

at the

mo-

and sixpence a head, including a bottle of the small white wine of the country, the vin de marquisette, which is certainly derate rate of

shillings

very pleasant to drink.

During

dinner, an ex-

band of music performs in the orchestra, but the Germans in general do not sit so long

cellent

at table as the

French, so that the repast

always concluded by four o'clock.

everywhere celebrated for

its

Germany

is is

vegetables, and,

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

329

for an inland town, the supply of fish at is

tolerably good.

Game

is

Baden

abundant, and the

ordinary viands presented at a good table are

of course not wanting.

At

five o'clock the

assembly-rooms to take their

wards there

is

like

coffee.

much

London and

them overhead.

hote

may

is

Paris,

but not covered

Twice a week there

but

also prepared for supper,

A

is

table

this

you

attend without the previous notice requir-

ed of your intention to appear at dinner. of the visitors, indeed, go a short

town

up

in the style of the

dancing, and every evening cards. d*

After-

a promenade in an area fitted

with shops, pretty arcades of

to the

company proceed

Many

way out

to sup in the open air on craw-fish

of

and

raw Westphalia ham, which are both very good. It is the custom to live very much in the bedroom, as ceive

it

formerly was in Scotland, and to re-

company

there, particularly at breakfast.

Formerly in Scotland, as now on the Continent, the bed-room was much the handsomest apartment in the house.

And

I

remember to

have been present at a great fete which was

MEMOIRS OF

330

given by an aunt of mine in her bed-chamber.

An amusing incident, arising out of this practice, was told

me by

a friend, who, I dare say, will

not be displeased to see pages.

it

recorded in these

General Donadieu, distinguished in the

French army for his bravery and talent, was known to be occasionally the object of a curand our friend having witnessed a tain-lecture ;

scene which would probably lead to some discussion of rather a piquant nature between the

General and Madame, was next morning in waiting to learn the result.

He

was shown into the lady's bedroom, where

the General and his wife, in an elegant disha-

were enjoying themselves over a luxurious It is to breakfast of oysters and white wine. bille,

be observed that one of the two French beds

was unoccupied, and when our friend was hastily retiring from a scene which he thought, had better have been kept sacred from the intruding eye of a stranger, the Gewith

justice,

neral called out to him,

Campbell, et voyez

"

Entrez,

notre felicitee

Capitaine

conjugale

!"

If an English reader shall be disposed to open

his eyes a little this kind, I

wider than usual at a fact of

would strongly recommend

the Horatian

At

331

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

maxim

to

him

of nil admirari.

the end of the bathing-season

we

return-

ed to Carlsrhue, and, for the sake of retirement, hired a house at Baerstaen, a beautiful spot

about four miles distant from the town.

The

and gentry are accustomed to go frequently to Baerstaen to admire the scenery, and the bourgeoise to enjoy, particularly on Sunday

nobility

evening, their favourite amusements of music

and dancing.

It

was

at Baerstaen,

of January, 1822, that born.

We

my

remained at

son

on the 28th

Edward was

this place until the

spring was somewhat advanced, and then pro-

ceeded to Strasbourg, on the banks of the Rhine. Strasbourg is one of the places which 1 would

not recommend as a residence for an English visitor.

The

inhabitants are neither French

nor German, but a sort of hybrid race, partaking neither of the politeness of the French nor the cordiality of the

German

constantly at variance is

character.

They

are

among themselves, which

not a circumstance particularly agreeable to a

MEMOIRS OF

332 stranger.

The

salubrious, if I

inhabitants, or

climate, besides,

so exceedingly

strength,

Being a it is

soft,

flat

looks of the

that the to be

all

The

fortifica-

gradually

town of considerable

frontier

constantly protected

ous garrison of

in the

ground

situated.

is

known

tions themselves are

sinking.

from being

from the marshy miasmata which

midst of which the town is

far

may judge from the

constantly arise from the low

soil

is

by

a numer-

kinds of force, infantry and

and engineers, that add con-

cavalry, artillery

siderably to the gaiety of the beautiful walks,

on the banks of the

called the Mall, or Mael,

Rhine, which are

much

frequented by the inha-

bitants in general.

Many

of the merchants of Strasbourg are ex-

tremely opulent, and of course are able to com-

mand

all sorts

of luxuries.

Strasbourg are sent to

when you send one

all

The famous

parts of

as a present,

the ordinary terms of

civility,

may be accompanied by it

Europe

;

is

and

you may adopt

by praying that

a good digestion.

chief ingredient in the pie

the manner of giving

pies of

goose's liver,

it

The and

that delicious bitter so

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

highly prized by the epicure, volting to ordinary

wretched animal placed before a eat of rice

is

fire,

and milk

somewhat

is

re-

the anus of the

ideas; first

333

sewed up, and being

the poor goose

is

made

to

until it acquires such a liver

complaint as to swell that viscus to the most

immoderate dimensions.

It

then supposed to

is

be in the highest perfection, and

fit

to

become

a component part of one of these celebrated pates,

which are to be had

from two guineas to

There

is

The German

but the French

tator is

ten.

a French as well as a

at Strasbourg.

tions,

at various prices

is

German theatre is

more handsome

better in

its

filled,

propor-

and more highly ornamented. Each specis accommodated with an arm-chair, which

covered with rich green velvet.

The

decora-

tions in general,

and the arabesque paintings by

which the front

is

ornamented, are in very good

taste.

The

cathedral at Strasbourg

Gothic

pile,

distinguished

height of carried

its

spire.

A

a noble

by the extraordinary great manufacture

on in the town in

bead fancy-work.

is

steel

is

ornaments and

MEMOIRS OF

334 After

we had been about

we

Strasbourg

Nancy, the

left it for

Lorraine, so celebrated

for

King of Poland.

Stanislaus

three

months

at

capital of

the residence of

The town

is

very

beautiful, but the nobility are extremely poor,

and

as a residence, I

must say that we found

it

rather dull.

To wards the end ris,

of 1822,

we

returned to Pa-

and some time afterwards took up our

dence at Cressi en Brie, about

from the

capital.

resi-

fifteen leagues

Here we occupied a very

pretty house, and enjoyed the society of the curate

M.

had lived

Bailli,

who had been an emigrant, and

some time

Edinburgh with the present King of France, when Count d'Artois. We found him a very amiable man, and we for

in

were pleased to see how much he enjoyed

his

game at billiards with a brother of Lady Campbell, who was at that time residing with us on a

visit.

When

the season of 1823 had

suffi-

ciently advanced, I resolved to visit the waters

of Bourbon, which were recommended to for the rheumatism, with

be

affected.

which

me

I continued to

JAMES CAMPBELL.

Sill

had the pleasure of a visit from Major Callander and at his suggestion

While

my son, I then

335

there, I

;

executed a deed, in virtue of the powers

conferred

on

me by

marriage,

by which

of

Elizabeth's

Lady

I

his mother's contract of

made an equal distribution

among her

fortune

five

The money had been originally secured over the estate of Lord Dungannon, a near children.

The

relation of the family.

waters of Bourbon

were, as usual, attended ion,

but I had suffered

by many people of fashso extremely from rheu-

matism, that I could not mix society.

much

in general

Lady Campbell having come

the course of the summer,

end of

to Paris at the

we

it,

to

me

in

returned together

and remained there

during the following winter.

At

the close of the season of 1824,

we

took a

country house at Meudon, in the neighbour-

hood of

St.

Cloud, which

by people of

rural, the

with vines and

and

at

much

resorted to

fashion, the aspect of the place

being perfectly

we went

is

houses covered over

rose-trees.

From Meudon

to visit Fontainebleau

the end of the

and Chantilly,

summer returned

to

MEMOIRS OF

336

where we again spent the following winter and spring. Paris,

While

I

had thus been resident in the neigh-

bourhood of the

capital, I learned accidentally,

through the medium of

my

banker, that an

attorney had arrived from Scotland on the subject of the proceedings

tuted against

of the

suit

me

which had been

insti-

in the Scotch Courts, at the

woman

Sassen.

learned that this person, Mr.

Latterly I had

John Gray, who

is,

I believe, a practitioner of the law in the inferior

Courts of Scotland, had been employed ordinary solicitors to conduct

my defence

before the Court of Commissaries,

analogous

by

in

my

some degree,

as I understand, to the Consis-

tory Courts of England; but I have never been able to understand

on

this

what was the

occasion for

special object

Mr. Gray's journey

to

Paris.

Some time view

afterwards I had a casual inter-

at Meurice's

Hotel with another member

of the Gray family, but I have no reason to believe that he was, at that time at least, at

connected with

all

my affairs. The worthy banker

Sill

who had mended

JAMES CAMPBELL.

337

seen the elder Gray, had often recom-

strongly to

it

me

to return immediately

and assume the active superintendence of my own affairs, an advice which I to Scotland,

have only to regret that I did not act upon

uch sooner than

He now

renewed

his

recommendation, with the addition of such

ar-

as

guments

I did.

induced

me

to

make immediate In the

preparations for following his advice.

mean time

from Mr. Gray, the object of which was to dissuade me from the proposed journey but I preferred to pursue I received a letter

;

my

resolution,

I arrived with

took up

my

and

in the

month of June 1825

Lady Campbell

in

London, and

residence in Fludyer-street,

minster, in the neighbourhood of solicitor

Mr. Richardson.

my

West-

worthy

As Lady Campbell

had never been in England, she resolved to leave the two youngest of the children behind her,

bringing only her eldest daughter Louisa

along with us.

We left the little boy with

nurse to whose care he had been entrusted first

brought to Paris.

the

when

She had previously held

the office of second nurse to the infant daugh-

VOL.

II.

Z

MEMOIRS OF

338

Due

ter of the

de Berri

;

and Edward

still

remembers with gratitude the kind attentions of his mamma and papa Parmentier. Our youngest daughter was

left in

Lady Campbell and I should when speaking of Rouen, that we

personal friend of

have added,

the care of a ;

had been induced to leave Jemima Campbell, the daughter of the of

Madame

Sassen, in the care

Forestier, a very respectable person

of that city, from tence, she

woman

whom, under some

was soon afterwards

by her mother.

false pre-

spirited

away

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

CHAPTER

339

XIV.

Repair to Portsmouth. Appeal from the Scottish Courts. Summer Residence Conduct of Major Callander.

General Lyon. on the Station.

Colonel and Miss Arnot

Launch of the Royal

Naval Officers

Charlotte.

Captain Ludicrous Asso-

ciations

His character arid family. A Frenchman. Anecdotes.

Choiseul

Return to Town.

Campbell.

to the

House

BY

this

New

Scotch proceedings. in

time

de

Legal delay. Application Letter of Lord Gifford Judg-

of Lords.

ment pronounced. Mr. Gray. Arrive

Madame

Edinburgh.

the

Claim.

Conclusion.

appeal

which

I

had

brought from the judgments of the courts in Scotland, was expected to sion in the

come on

House of Lords, and

I

for discus-

was induced

on that account to remain for some time in town.

At

length,

when

I

was released from

by the prorogation of Parwas recommended by my medical

farther attendance

liament, I

attendants to go somewhere to the coast for

VOL,

II.

Z 2

MEMOIRS OF

340

the benefit of sea-bathing; and having heard that I could enjoy the bath in perfection at

Portsmouth, with

the

advantage

of

agree-

go there, and found the summer months a very pleasant

able society, I resolved to for

it

residence.

While yet

London we had

in

of a visit from

my

having heard that

the pleasure

son Major Callander, who,

agents in Edinburgh had

my

to

upon my rents at quarter-day be dishonoured, was good enough to come

to

me

caused

I

my

drafts

with the

offer of

being

my

banker until

could ascertain the cause of this unexplained

proceeding on the part of the persons entrusted

with the levying of it

my

was very agreeable to

relation General

Lyon

me

in the

troops at that station.

His

Lyon of the grenadiers of who was killed at Bunker's

my

intimate friend.

At Portsmouth

rents.

to find

my

tommand father,

near

of the

Captain

the 35th regiment, Hill,

had long been

In Colonel Arnot of the

Engineers, and Miss Arnot his other agreeable acquaintances.

sister,

we had

Although Miss

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

341

Arnot had resided the greater part of her life near to

London

as

Portsmouth, she had, strange

to say, never yet been in town, telligence

summer

we

so

but the

first in-

heard of her on our arrival next

in Scotland

was dated from Rome.

We met with the greatest attention naval officers on the station,

from the

who were

uni-

formly polite and gallant, giving us a variety of fetes

to

on ship-board.

mention the

In particular, I

officers

of the

Lord

am bound Melville,

and the Victory, which at that time carried the Admiral's flag, and which is immortalized in the annals of the navy, as having been the scene of the last victory and the death of the hero of

the Nile.

During our

stay at Portsmouth,

we witnessed

the launch of the Royal Charlotte, which

is

con-

structed with a round stern, according to the

new and

scientific

principles

of

Seppings, and carries 130 guns.

Sir

She

Robert is,

per-

haps, the finest as well as the largest ship in the

world.

Among

the gentlemen of the

Navy

whose acquaintance we had the pleasure of making at Portsmouth was Captain Campbell,

MEMOIRS OF

342

whose name has already been mentioned nection with

who

is

better

by the

title

in con-

of General Donadieu, and

that

known

in the

West

of Glencleugh, the

of Scotland

name

In the navy, he

place in Ayrshire.

ably distinguished as a gallant

is

of his

honour-

and in

officer,

private life as the father of a fine family and a

most amiable man.

One and

of his sons was about to enter the army,

another

church, under the highest

the

and of the whole family I may say with truth that I never saw children better

auspices

;

brought up.

With

a

pride which leads a to

which he can have

good deal of that

man

sort of

into the best society

access,

Captain Campbell

has a peculiar vein of humour, which some-

times leads to very ludicrous associations. a table d'hote at Rouen, a French officer

At

made

a tolerable guess at Captain Campbell's profession, in

consequence of observing that he eat

manner than the Frenchman

in a less leisurely

was accustomed Sir, if

to.

May

to the

you belong

Captain Campbell

"

;

I

presume to

navy?"

"

ask,

No," said

" a physician, in haste to see

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

my

Soda-water was one of the no-

patients."

velties introduced

by the English

A

at the time of the peace.

verage

;

into France

Frenchman, who

knowledge of chemistry, was

affected a great

know

curious to

343

the composition of the be-

and Captain Campbell, carrying him

into an apothecary's shop, administered

due proportion of the

first

a

and afterwards a

alcali,

corresponding quantity of the acid, allowing the

two elements

to

combine and effervesce in

the agitated stomach

of the too inquisitive

Frenchman.

Another jokes at

on

Dover.

of

Captain

French

our

A

Campbell's

practical

neighbours

occurred

friend of his

who had never

been in England, arrived with

him

in

the

packet, and to try the extent of his credulity,

he carried him to one of the principal hotels, -

under pretence of

its

being a private house

;

and the orderly deportment of the servants, and the air of quietness and respectability which pervaded the whole establishment, compared with the houses

of public

as

enter-

tainment on the other side of the Channel,

left

MEMOIKS OF

344

no other

surmount but the

difficulty to

size of

the house, and the extent of the accommodations.

These, however, the Frenchman did not p

fail

to explain

by a reference

to the exalted idea

he had formed of the superior opulence of the English nation and when the master of the ;

hotel appeared, as

the service of the

not

fail

to

is

customary, to superintend

first

course at dinner, he did

compliment Captain Campbell on

the respectable appearance of his principal domestic.

to

He

carried his friend soon afterwards

Portsmouth to show him the British

fleet

;

but what he did show him was a collection of those splendid trophies which

the immortal

Nelson and his gallant brethren in arms have

added

to

the

wooden bulwarks

of

Great

Britain.

Of a

of the piece with the mortified feelings

Frenchman were those of Madame de the celebrated Royalist, tiating to Captain

Choiseul,

who had been

expa-

Campbell on her devotion to

the house of Bourbon.

In his turn, the Captain,

with corresponding sentiments of loyalty, pronounced an animated eulogium on his present

JAMES CAMPBELL.

SIR

345

Majesty, at that time the Prince Regent, in

which, with true French politeness, the Coun"

tess readily acquiesced.

Then," said Captain

Campbell, pulling out a handsome snuff-box, on

which there was a bear me, Prince."

portrait,

" for the love

salute the miniature

The

you

of so great a

Countess, on the impulse of the

moment, applied the papier mache to her lips. " But look what you have done !" rejoined Captain

Campbell

:

" It

is

the portrait of the

usurper Napoleon which your Ladyship has

Whether

in

resentment

for such a trial of her feelings, or

from mere

condescended to kiss

gaiete de cceur,

it is

!"

not necessary to inquire

the unfortunate portrait was immediately con-

signed to the flames, and the Captain found

himself a

snuff-box

out of

pocket by the

joke.

At

the approach of winter

we

returned from

Portsmouth to London, resolving

to wait with

a reasonable portion of patience for the expect-

ed judgment of the House of Lords.

Begin-

ning at length to fear that the Session of Parliament was to pass without a decision, I men-

MEMOIRS OF

346

tioned to Mr. Richardson, that I thought of addressing a letter to the

Lord

Chancellor, to

represent the hardship I suffered

by

delay.

The

worthy solicitor was petrified at the proposal, and endeavoured to dissuade me from so dangerous an expedient by

all

the terrors of a con-

tempt of the House. But having taken my resolution, I was not afraid of being seduced into the employment of any language which could

be regarded

as disrespectful.

I

ble

Lord who

the

Upper House of Parliament

assured the no-

at that time acted as

Speaker of

in the hearing

of Scotch appeals, that I was deeply impressed

with the conviction that I should ultimately obtain a just and equitable

But

court of last resort.

adding, that

if

my

in this world,

in the

I took the liberty of

the Session was permitted to

elapse without a decision, it

pected at

judgment

time of

life

and that

it

was not to be ex-

that I could hear of

it

would be rather a long

journey for the messengers of the House to

communicate

it

from whence no I addressed to

after I

had passed " that bourne

traveller returns."

This letter

Lord Gifford about the middle

SIR

of

May

JAMES CAMPBELL.

347

1826, and soon afterwards his Lordship

was pleased to move the following judgment.

"Die " It

is

Martis, 23

declared

Temporal

by the Lords

in Parliament

Respondent having riage, is

Man, 1826. Spiritual

and

assembled, That the

failed to establish her

mar-

not entitled, under either of the sum-

monses, to recover aliment or damages against the Appellant.

And

with

this declaration, it is

ordered and adjudged, that the several Interlocutors of the Commissaries in Scotland, of the

Lords Ordinary in Scotland, and of the Court of Session in Scotland, so far as they are complained of in the said appeal, and so far as they are inconsistent with this declaration, be,

the same are hereby reversed

:

And

it is

and

further

ordered that the cause be remitted back to the

Court of Session in Scotland, to proceed further therein, as

and

is

consistent with this

declaration,

as is just."

During

my

residence in

repeatedly counselled

London, I had been

by Mr. Gray, the Scotch

attorney, not to proceed to Scotland, in conse-

quence, as I understood, of a

new proceeding

MEMOIRS OF

348

which had been taken against

in the

name

woman.

This new claim was

fact of her

having carried away

of this unhappy

founded on the

me

her daughter from Rouen, and having deprived her of the advantages of education which I had

designed for her under the care of

Madame

She pretended to have a right to a and having large sum for the child's support instituted an action for the purpose of deterForestier.

;

mining the merits of the claim, it was represented by Mr. Gray that my defence would be

more advantageously conducted turn to Scotland.

if I

did not re-

Reflecting, however, on the

repeated cautions I had received from

my bank-

ers in Paris, I resolved at all hazards to carry

my

former intention into

effect,

and, having

taken our passage on board a steam -packet,

we

soon found ourselves in Edinburgh.

After

we had

fixed ourselves in furnished

lodgings in Princes-street, herself

unhappy at

Lady Campbell felt the great distance which now

intervened between us and our younger chil-

them

dren.

She determined on going

person,

and she made such good use of her time

for

in

SIR

JAMES CAMPBELL.

that she was again in

Edinburgh

from her departure. its

inhabitants were

much

less

in eleven

days

Although Scotland and

now

almost as

as to the rest of the family, after

not

349

new

to

me

an absence of

than thirty years, yet, having

found Edinburgh in many respects a very

desi-

rable residence, particularly as respected the edu-

cation of the children,

we

resolved to

our permanent abode.

THE END.

VOL.

II.

Z 7

make

it

ERRATA. VOL. I. "

" connu." from bottom, for corame," read " 15th " 13th Hussars," read Page 293, line 13 from bottom, for Light

Page 274,

line 12

Dragoons."

LONDON PRINTED BY SAMUEL BENTLEY, :

Dorset-street, Fleet-street.