DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5504#0035
In 1817 and 1818. \2Q
a sumptuous palace at Damascus, but received me in a small
house, where he was surrounded by his family, and a great
number of slaves. I was admitted on the following day to the
Pacha's audience. Soliman is about sixty years of age: he
was born in Georgia; and his fine figure recommended him to
Gezzar, whose slave he was. By that depraved character So-
liman was appointed Pacha of Seyde, the ancient Sidon; but
the ungrateful favourite conspired against his patron, was de-
tected, and exiled. He wandered for a long time among the
Bedouin Arabs; but, being at length wearied of this life of in-
dependence, threw himself at the feet of his master. For some
minutes, with the cimeter drawn to sever the head from the
body of the proscribed fugitive, Gezzar hesitated; but at
length pardoned him, and gave him back his pachalik.
I found Soliman squatted at one extremity of a sopha em-
broidered with gold, his officers and mumelouks being all as-
sembled on the occasion : they were silent and attentive, with
their hands laid across the breast, and scarcely dared to smile at
the jests of a buffoon who was, it would seem, a great court
favourite. The Pacha seated me at his side, and smoked while
he paid a particular attention to my side-arm, and every part
of my uniform. He politely granted what I asked of him
through the medium of the drogoman. Coffee was served up
in gold cups set round with diamonds, with which the pipe and
poignard of Soliman were covered. He put but few questions
to me; but insisted that I should inspect the new fortifications
of Saint-Jean-d'Acre, and his Arabian breed of horses, which
seemed to interest him most particularly. To his kindness,
and to the terror he inspires, I was indebted for the perfect
tranquillity and facility with which I was enabled to delineate
the most remarkable spots. The curiosity we excited in pass-
ing through the bezestans, was not productive of the slightest
affront, or the smallest menace. Wherever my curiosity led
me, I stopped to make sketches, and, among them, that of
Saint-Jean-d'Acre, at the very spot where this city was unsuc-
cessfully cannonaded by the French troops under General Buo-
naparte. With the help of the English, Gez/.a Pacha sustained
a vigorous and well directed fire, and the most desperate as-
saults : the capture of Saint-Jean-d'Acre was to be the signal
to sixty thousand Druses to join the French troops; and it is
probable that this would have decided the fate of the Turkish
empire.
The foreign consuls feel the necessity of affording each other
a mutual aid against such a government, and live together ac-
cordingly on the most amicable terms. M. Catafago, a rich
Greek'merchant, the consul of Russia, received me in a sa-
a sumptuous palace at Damascus, but received me in a small
house, where he was surrounded by his family, and a great
number of slaves. I was admitted on the following day to the
Pacha's audience. Soliman is about sixty years of age: he
was born in Georgia; and his fine figure recommended him to
Gezzar, whose slave he was. By that depraved character So-
liman was appointed Pacha of Seyde, the ancient Sidon; but
the ungrateful favourite conspired against his patron, was de-
tected, and exiled. He wandered for a long time among the
Bedouin Arabs; but, being at length wearied of this life of in-
dependence, threw himself at the feet of his master. For some
minutes, with the cimeter drawn to sever the head from the
body of the proscribed fugitive, Gezzar hesitated; but at
length pardoned him, and gave him back his pachalik.
I found Soliman squatted at one extremity of a sopha em-
broidered with gold, his officers and mumelouks being all as-
sembled on the occasion : they were silent and attentive, with
their hands laid across the breast, and scarcely dared to smile at
the jests of a buffoon who was, it would seem, a great court
favourite. The Pacha seated me at his side, and smoked while
he paid a particular attention to my side-arm, and every part
of my uniform. He politely granted what I asked of him
through the medium of the drogoman. Coffee was served up
in gold cups set round with diamonds, with which the pipe and
poignard of Soliman were covered. He put but few questions
to me; but insisted that I should inspect the new fortifications
of Saint-Jean-d'Acre, and his Arabian breed of horses, which
seemed to interest him most particularly. To his kindness,
and to the terror he inspires, I was indebted for the perfect
tranquillity and facility with which I was enabled to delineate
the most remarkable spots. The curiosity we excited in pass-
ing through the bezestans, was not productive of the slightest
affront, or the smallest menace. Wherever my curiosity led
me, I stopped to make sketches, and, among them, that of
Saint-Jean-d'Acre, at the very spot where this city was unsuc-
cessfully cannonaded by the French troops under General Buo-
naparte. With the help of the English, Gez/.a Pacha sustained
a vigorous and well directed fire, and the most desperate as-
saults : the capture of Saint-Jean-d'Acre was to be the signal
to sixty thousand Druses to join the French troops; and it is
probable that this would have decided the fate of the Turkish
empire.
The foreign consuls feel the necessity of affording each other
a mutual aid against such a government, and live together ac-
cordingly on the most amicable terms. M. Catafago, a rich
Greek'merchant, the consul of Russia, received me in a sa-