Mulligatawny Soup.
Salt Fish and Egg Sauce.
Roast Haunch of Mutton.
Boiled Shoulder and Onion Sauce.
Boiled Beef.
Roast Fowls1.
Pillau ditto.
Ham.
Haricot Mutton.
Curry2 and Rice.
Cabbage.
French Beans.
Boiled Potatoes.
Baked ditto.
Damson Tart3. Rice Puddings.
Currant ditto. Currant Fritters.
We were just at the port’s mouth — and could see the towers and buildings of Alexandria rising purple against the sunset, when the report of a gun came booming over the calm golden water; and we heard, with much mortification4, that we had no chance of getting pratique that night. Already the ungrateful passengers had begun to tire of the ship — though in our absence in Syria it had been carefully cleansed5 and purified; though it was cleared of the swarming6 Jews who had infested7 the decks all the way from Constantinople; and though we had been feasting and carousing8 in the manner described above.
But very early next morning we bore into the harbour, busy with a great quantity of craft. We passed huge black hulks of mouldering9 men-of-war, from the sterns of which trailed the dirty red flag, with the star and crescent; boats, manned with red-capped seamen10, and captains and steersmen in beards and tarbooshes, passed continually among these old hulks, the rowers bending to their oars11, so that at each stroke they disappeared bodily in the boat. Besides these, there was a large fleet of country ships, and stars and stripes, and tricolours, and union Jacks12; and many active steamers, of the French and English companies, shooting in and out of the harbour, or moored13 in the briny14 waters. The ship of our company, the “Oriental,” lay there — a palace upon the brine, and some of the Pasha’s steam-vessels likewise, looking very like Christian15 boats; but it was queer to look at some unintelligible16 Turkish flourish painted on the stern, and the long-tailed Arabian hieroglyphics17 gilt19 on the paddle-boxes. Our dear friend and comrade of Beyrout (if we may be permitted to call her so), H.M.S. “Trump,” was in the harbour; and the captain of that gallant20 ship, coming to greet us, drove some of us on shore in his gig.
I had been preparing myself overnight, by the help of a cigar and a moonlight contemplation on deck, for sensations on landing in Egypt. I was ready to yield myself up with solemnity to the mystic grandeur21 of the scene of initiation22. Pompey’s Pillar must stand like a mountain, in a yellow plain, surrounded by a grove23 of obelisks25 as tall as palm-trees. Placid26 sphinxes brooding o’er the Nile — mighty27 Memnonian countenances28 calm — had revealed Egypt to me in a sonnet30 of Tennyson’s, and I was ready to gaze on it with pyramidal wonder and hieroglyphic18 awe31.
The landing quay32 at Alexandria is like the dockyard quay at Portsmouth: with a few score of brown faces scattered33 among the population. There are slop-sellers, dealers34 in marine-stores, bottled-porter shops, seamen lolling about; flys and cabs are plying35 for hire; and a yelling chorus of donkey-boys, shrieking36, “Ride, sir! — Donkey, sir! — I say, sir!” in excellent English, dispel38 all romantic notions. The placid sphinxes brooding o’er the Nile disappeared with that shriek37 of the donkey-boys. You might be as well impressed with Wapping as with your first step on Egyptian soil.
The riding of a donkey is, after all, not a dignified39 occupation. A man resists the offer at first, somehow, as an indignity40. How is that poor little, red-saddled, long-eared creature to carry you? Is there to be one for you, and another for your legs? Natives and Europeans, of all sizes, pass by, it is true, mounted upon the same contrivance. I waited until I got into a very private spot, where nobody could see me, and then ascended41 — why not say descended42, at once? — on the poor little animal. Instead of being crushed at once, as perhaps the rider expected, it darted43 forward, quite briskly and cheerfully, at six or seven miles an hour; requiring no spur or admonitive to haste, except the shrieking of the little Egyptian gamin, who ran along by asinus’s side.
The character of the houses by which you pass is scarcely Eastern at all. The streets are busy with a motley population of Jews and Armenians, slave-driving-looking Europeans, large-breeched Greeks, and well-shaven buxom44 merchants, looking as trim and fat as those on the Bourse or on ‘Change; only, among the natives, the stranger can’t fail to remark (as the Caliph did of the Calenders in the “Arabian Nights”) that so many of them HAVE ONLY ONE EYE. It is the horrid45 ophthalmia which has played such frightful46 ravages47 with them. You see children sitting in the doorways48, their eyes completely closed up with the green sickening sore, and the flies feeding on them. Five or six minutes of the donkey-ride brings you to the Frank quarter, and the handsome broad street (like a street of Marseilles) where the principal hotels and merchants’ houses are to be found, and where the consuls49 have their houses, and hoist50 their flags. The palace of the French Consul-General makes the grandest show in the street, and presents a great contrast to the humble51 abode52 of the English representative, who protects his fellow-countrymen from a second floor.
But that Alexandrian two-pair-front of a Consulate53 was more welcome and cheering than a palace to most of us. For there lay certain letters, with post-marks of HOME upon them; and kindly54 tidings, the first heard for two months:— though we had seen so many men and cities since, that Cornhill seemed to be a year off, at least, with certain persons dwelling55 (more or less) in that vicinity. I saw a young Oxford56 man seize his despatches, and slink off with several letters, written in a tight neat hand, and sedulously58 crossed; which any man could see, without looking farther, were the handiwork of Mary Ann, to whom he is attached. The lawyer received a bundle from his chambers59, in which his clerk eased his soul regarding the state of Snooks v. Rodgers, Smith ats Tomkins, &c. The statesman had a packet of thick envelopes, decorated with that profusion60 of sealing-wax in which official recklessness lavishes61 the resources of the country: and your humble servant got just one little modest letter, containing another, written in pencil characters, varying in size between one and two inches; but how much pleasanter to read than my Lord’s despatch57, or the clerk’s account of Smith ats Tomkins — yes, even than the Mary Ann correspondence! . . . Yes, my dear madam, you will understand me, when I say that it was from little Polly at home, with some confidential62 news about a cat, and the last report of her new doll.
It is worth while to have made the journey for this pleasure: to have walked the deck on long nights, and have thought of home. You have no leisure to do so in the city. You don’t see the heavens shine above you so purely63 there, or the stars so clearly. How, after the perusal64 of the above documents, we enjoyed a file of the admirable Galignani; and what O’Connell was doing; and the twelve last new victories of the French in Algeria; and, above all, six or seven numbers of Punch! There might have been an avenue of Pompey’s Pillars within reach, and a live sphinx sporting on the banks of the Mahmoodieh Canal, and we would not have stirred to see them, until Punch had had his interview and Galignani was dismissed.
The curiosities of Alexandria are few, and easily seen. We went into the bazaars65, which have a much more Eastern look than the European quarter, with its Anglo-Gallic-Italian inhabitants, and Babel-like civilisation66. Here and there a large hotel, clumsy and whitewashed67, with Oriental trellised windows, and a couple of slouching sentinels at the doors, in the ugliest composite uniform that ever was seen, was pointed68 out as the residence of some great officer of the Pasha’s Court, or of one of the numerous children of the Egyptian Solomon. His Highness was in his own palace, and was consequently not visible. He was in deep grief, and strict retirement69. It was at this time that the European newspapers announced that he was about to resign his empire; but the quidnuncs of Alexandria hinted that a love-affair, in which the old potentate70 had engaged with senile extravagance, and the effects of a potion of hachisch, or some deleterious drug, with which he was in the habit of intoxicating71 himself, had brought on that languor72 and desperate weariness of life and governing, into which the venerable Prince was plunged73. Before three days were over, however, the fit had left him, and he determined74 to live and reign75 a little longer. A very few days afterwards several of our party were presented to him at Cairo, and found the great Egyptian ruler perfectly76 convalescent.
This, and the Opera, and the quarrels of the two prime donne, and the beauty of one of them, formed the chief subjects of conversation; and I had this important news in the shop of a certain barber in the town, who conveyed it in a language composed of French, Spanish, and Italian, and with a volubility quite worthy77 of a barber of “Gil Blas.”
Then we went to see the famous obelisk24 presented by Mehemet Ali to the British Government, who have not shown a particular alacrity78 to accept this ponderous79 present. The huge shaft80 lies on the ground, prostrate81, and desecrated82 by all sorts of abominations. Children were sprawling83 about, attracted by the dirt there. Arabs, negroes, and donkey-boys were passing, quite indifferent, by the fallen monster of a stone — as indifferent as the British Government, who don’t care for recording84 the glorious termination of their Egyptian campaign of 1801. If our country takes the compliment so coolly, surely it would be disloyal upon our parts to be more enthusiastic. I wish they would offer the Trafalgar Square Pillar to the Egyptians; and that both of the huge ugly monsters were lying in the dirt there side by side.
Pompey’s Pillar is by no means so big as the Charing85 Cross trophy86. This venerable column has not escaped ill-treatment either. Numberless ships’ companies, travelling cockneys, &c., have affixed87 their rude marks upon it. Some daring ruffian even painted the name of “Warren’s blacking” upon it, effacing88 other inscriptions89 — one, Wilkinson says, of “the second Psammetichus.” I regret deeply, my dear friend, that I cannot give you this document respecting a lamented90 monarch91, in whose history I know you take such an interest.
The best sight I saw in Alexandria was a negro holiday; which was celebrated92 outside of the town by a sort of negro village of huts, swarming with old, lean, fat, ugly, infantine, happy faces, that nature had smeared93 with a preparation even more black and durable94 than that with which Psammetichus’s base has been polished. Every one of these jolly faces was on the broad grin, from the dusky mother to the india-rubber child sprawling upon her back, and the venerable jetty senior whose wool was as white as that of a sheep in Florian’s pastorals.
To these dancers a couple of fellows were playing on a drum and a little banjo. They were singing a chorus, which was not only singular, and perfectly marked in the rhythm, but exceeding sweet in the tune95. They danced in a circle; and performers came trooping from all quarters, who fell into the round, and began waggling their heads, and waving their left hands, and tossing up and down the little thin rods which they each carried, and all singing to the very best of their power.
I saw the chief eunuch of the Grand Turk at Constantinople pass by —(here is an accurate likeness96 of his beautiful features [illustration] )— but with what a different expression! Though he is one of the greatest of the great in the Turkish Empire (ranking with a Cabinet Minister or Lord Chamberlain here), his fine countenance29 was clouded with care, and savage97 with ennui98.
Here his black brethren were ragged99, starving, and happy; and I need not tell such a fine moralist as you are, how it is the case, in the white as well as the black world, that happiness (republican leveller, who does not care a fig100 for the fashion) often disdains101 the turrets102 of kings, to pay a visit to the “tabernas pauperum.”
We went the round of the coffee-houses in the evening, both the polite European places of resort, where you get ices and the French papers, and those in the town, where Greeks, Turks, and general company resort, to sit upon uncomfortable chairs, and drink wretched muddy coffee, and to listen to two or three miserable103 musicians, who keep up a variation of howling for hours together. But the pretty song of the niggers had spoiled me for that abominable104 music.
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1
fowls
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| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
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curry
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| n.咖哩粉，咖哩饭菜；v.用咖哩粉调味，用马栉梳，制革 | |
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3
tart
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| adj.酸的；尖酸的，刻薄的；n.果馅饼；淫妇 | |
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4
mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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5
cleansed
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| 弄干净，清洗( cleanse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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7
infested
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| adj.为患的，大批滋生的（常与with搭配）v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的过去式和过去分词 )；遍布于 | |
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8
carousing
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| v.痛饮，闹饮欢宴( carouse的现在分词 ) | |
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9
mouldering
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| v.腐朽( moulder的现在分词 )；腐烂，崩塌 | |
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10
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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11
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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12
jacks
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| n.抓子游戏；千斤顶( jack的名词复数 )；（电）插孔；[电子学]插座；放弃 | |
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13
moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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14
briny
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| adj.盐水的；很咸的；n.海洋 | |
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15
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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16
unintelligible
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| adj.无法了解的，难解的，莫明其妙的 | |
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17
hieroglyphics
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| n.pl.象形文字 | |
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18
hieroglyphic
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| n.象形文字 | |
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19
gilt
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| adj.镀金的；n.金边证券 | |
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20
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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21
grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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22
initiation
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| n.开始 | |
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23
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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24
obelisk
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| n.方尖塔 | |
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25
obelisks
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| n.方尖石塔，短剑号，疑问记号( obelisk的名词复数 ) | |
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26
placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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27
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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28
countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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29
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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30
sonnet
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| n.十四行诗 | |
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31
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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32
quay
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| n.码头，靠岸处 | |
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33
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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34
dealers
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| n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者 | |
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35
plying
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| v.使用（工具）( ply的现在分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意 | |
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36
shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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37
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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38
dispel
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| vt.驱走，驱散，消除 | |
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39
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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40
indignity
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| n.侮辱，伤害尊严，轻蔑 | |
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41
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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43
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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44
buxom
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| adj.（妇女）丰满的，有健康美的 | |
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45
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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46
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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47
ravages
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| 劫掠后的残迹，破坏的结果，毁坏后的残迹 | |
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48
doorways
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| n.门口，门道( doorway的名词复数 ) | |
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49
consuls
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| 领事( consul的名词复数 )； （古罗马共和国时期）执政官 （古罗马共和国及其军队的最高首长，同时共有两位，每年选举一次） | |
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50
hoist
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| n.升高，起重机，推动；v.升起，升高，举起 | |
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51
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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52
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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53
consulate
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| n.领事馆 | |
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54
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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55
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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56
Oxford
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| n.牛津（英国城市） | |
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57
despatch
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| n./v.(dispatch)派遣；发送；n.急件；新闻报道 | |
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58
sedulously
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| ad.孜孜不倦地 | |
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59
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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60
profusion
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| n.挥霍；丰富 | |
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61
lavishes
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| v.过分给予，滥施( lavish的第三人称单数 ) | |
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62
confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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63
purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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64
perusal
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| n.细读，熟读；目测 | |
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65
bazaars
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| （东方国家的）市场( bazaar的名词复数 )； 义卖； 义卖市场； （出售花哨商品等的）小商品市场 | |
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66
civilisation
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| n.文明，文化，开化，教化 | |
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67
whitewashed
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| 粉饰，美化，掩饰( whitewash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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68
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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69
retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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70
potentate
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| n.统治者；君主 | |
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71
intoxicating
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| a. 醉人的,使人兴奋的 | |
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72
languor
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| n.无精力，倦怠 | |
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73
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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74
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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75
reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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76
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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77
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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78
alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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79
ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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desecrated
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| 毁坏或亵渎( desecrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sprawling
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| adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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recording
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| n.录音，记录 | |
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charing
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| n.炭化v.把…烧成炭，把…烧焦( char的现在分词 )；烧成炭，烧焦；做杂役女佣 | |
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86
trophy
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| n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品 | |
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affixed
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| adj.[医]附着的，附着的v.附加( affix的过去式和过去分词 )；粘贴；加以；盖（印章） | |
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effacing
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| 谦逊的 | |
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inscriptions
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| （作者）题词( inscription的名词复数 )； 献词； 碑文； 证劵持有人的登记 | |
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lamented
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| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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smeared
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| 弄脏； 玷污； 涂抹； 擦上 | |
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durable
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| adj.持久的，耐久的 | |
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tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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likeness
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| n.相像，相似（之处） | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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ennui
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| n.怠倦，无聊 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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fig
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| n.无花果(树) | |
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101
disdains
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| 鄙视，轻蔑( disdain的名词复数 ) | |
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102
turrets
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| （六角）转台( turret的名词复数 )； （战舰和坦克等上的）转动炮塔； （摄影机等上的）镜头转台； （旧时攻城用的）塔车 | |
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103
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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abominable
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| adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的 | |
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