this, begged them not to be alarmed, since he could contemplate no dangerous results from their dinner; but if they thought it would sit uneasy on their stomachs, there was an apothecary's shop in the next street. The hint was taken: an idea of personal safety subdued the rising throbs of indignation. Seizing their hats, away flew the whole bevy down the stairs, and along the street to the place advised, where ipecacuanha and other provocatives were speedily procured, and the "Siamese soup" (and all its concomitants) was speedily disgorged.

WEBSTER'S TRAVELS.+

[There is a melancholy interest attached to these travels of a very young man-of one who aspired

to distinction, and who, if he had lived, would most probably have gained it. He was the fifth of seven sons of a Scottish clergyman, the Rev. John Webster, and was born on the 7th of November, 1802. Traces of superior intelligence appear in every passage of his life; as a child, he was full of gentleness and sensibility; as a youth, he was active, ambitious, indefatigable in his studies. Having completed his education at St. Andrew's, he was destined for the Scottish bar. In the year 1823, he was entered one of the Inner Temple, but wishing to see the world before he became tied down to a profession, and having, in truth, a great repugnance to the study of the law, he visited the continent. Fascinated by the charms of foreign travels, he gradually extended his peregrinations beyond the beaten routes of France, Italy, and Germany. Mr. Webster proceeded from Constantinople to Alexandria and from thence to Egypt, and the Holy Land. After visiting Mount Sinai, he returned to Cairo, where, overcome by his fatigues, and by a sudden fever which was the effect of them, he died in the twenty-sixth year of his age; he was interred without the city walls in the burying-ground of the Greeks, and thus, by a singular fatality, were his ashes mingled with those of a nation, the false lustre" of whose name was so soon, in his opinion, to perish The account of his last journey and death by his friend and companion Mr. Newnham, will be read with painful interest.]

WE followed the route taken by the Israelites on their quitting Egypt, visiting all the interesting spots mentioned in Scripture. In eight days we arrived at the solitary convent which stands between Mounts Horeb

and Sinai, and resolved to remain there five days. The first day was entirely given up

to rest; the we next ascended the mountain and descended on the other side, visiting all the sites mentioned in the Bible, which were pointed out by a friar who accompanied us. The day after we took a general view of the mountain, and, when it became cool, ascended it, and slept in a ruined Christian'

+From Travels through the Crimea, Turkey, and Egypt, performed during the years 1825-1828, By the late James Webster, Esq., of the Inner Temple. London, 1830. VOL. V. 2 I

chapel, which stands by the side of a Turkish mosque on the summit, that we might see the sun rise. We made sketches of the interesting parts as we descended. He then complained of a slight indisposition, and left the mountain before me, saying he was afraid of the sun, while I remained behind to finish a sketch I had begun. I reached the convent two hours after him, found he had already dined, was smoking his pipe on the divan, and seemed perfectly recovered. Attributing his indisposition to fatigue, he remained within the rest of the day. The following day we completed the rest of the sketches, and on the next morning left the convent. Two days after he complained of want of sleep. The third day we stopped to visit some Egyptian ruins; the day after there was a change in the atmosphere, and the hot winds of the desert began to blow. When these winds commence, the burning heat which they bring with them does not become oppressive till after the sun has passed the meridian. On the next day we pitched our tents rather earlier than usual, resolving to start at three o'clock in the morning. About the time agreed we left. As his dromedary was ready before mine, he took the bridle and walked forward; on overtaking him I found him still dismounted. I endeavoured to persuade him to ride fast in the cool of the morning, that he might go slowly towards the latter end of the ride, and by that means reach the springs of Moses by mid-day. His answer was-" Get on yourself; I warrant my dromedary will overtake you, and pass you too." Upon which I rode on. Our route lay along the shores of the Red Sea, clear and open over the sand, with the exception of a few small vallies. My dromedary being a very fleet one, I soon left him behind, and, at mid-day, arrived at the well. Concluding Mr. Webster's dromedary had fallen lame, as is often the case from the feet being cut by the stones, I ordered the dinner to be cooked, that every thing might be ready when he came up, which

was in about an hour afterwards. On his after I left him, he had a return of a pain in arrival he complained, that a short time

his head, which induced him to send the mained behind, intending to come on slowly servant forward with the tent, while he rewith the camels bringing the luggage.

At four o'clock, the Arabs came to us to say, that if we would go to Suez in an hour and a half, it would be necessary to arrive opposite the town before sunset, as we should have to ford the sea for about a mile, the water being in most parts up to the camels' bellies; that such a thing was impracticable by moonlight; and that if we went in the night, it would be necessary to take another route, which instead of an hour and a half, would require five. Upon

this I proposed instantly starting myself, with an Arab, for the town, and, on my arrival, to send a boat with the servant, to wait for Mr. Webster on the shore, that on his coming there in the evening, he might leave his dromedary with the caravan, which would go on by the other route, and he would pass over direct in the boat. To this he objected, observing, it would be so interesting to cross on the dromedary the spot on which the Egyptian army was overthrown, and that we would make the time going two hours, instead of an hour and a half. We accordingly ordered the things to be removed, and wrapping ourselves in our Bedouin cloaks, and tying handkerchiefs over our faces, and putting another over our mouths, we mounted and left the spot. This was the only way in which we could face the wind: it seemed to blow, as it were, from a furnace. In consequence of exposing our faces the day before, our eyes had become rather inflamed, our lips cracked, and our mouths completely parched. By clothing ourselves in this manner, we guarded against it in a great measure, and by drinking much water, I kept up a profuse perspiration. I could not prevail on Mr. Webster to do so, as the water had become so very bad and thick, that we were obliged to suck it out of the leathern bottles through our handkerchiefs. To add to our 'misfortunes, on our arrival at Suez, we found that our servant had received a coup de soleil, and was very ill. The next day we performed but half a day's journey, and obtained wholesome water. We went on slowly, and arrived at Cairo in two days and a half; which distance can be done by a dromedary, with ease, in eighteen hours. On entering the house, we sat down to lunch, and Mr. Webster partook of a water melon, and some bread and cheese with ine. 1 cannot say he was ill; perhaps indisposed would better express his state, as, when I proposed to send for Dr. Dusappe, he said it was useless then-it would suffice if he came after dinner. I must here observe, that during the whole journey, but particularly towards the latter part, he ate and drank very sparingly, having always a great fear of fever. We arrived on Tuesday, the 29th of July. In the afternoon Dr. Dusappe called, but declined prescribing, thinking the indisposition probably arose from the heat and fatigue of the journey, and said he would call again in the morning. In the night Mr. Webster complained of being feverish, and of sleeplessness. In the morning Dr. Dusappe put leeches on his stomach, and also on his head, which relieved him. At mid-day he had a violent attack of fever, upon which I instantly sent for the doctor; but before he had arrived it had passed, and he felt himself perfectly well, complaining only of weakness. On Thurs

day morning, while sitting with him, so far from danger being apprehended, on either his part or mine, we were then concerting to leave Cairo in about a week for the Pyramids. At a little after two o'clock I came to dinner, leaving him without any alteration. At three next day, Dr. Dusappe said the patient was much the same. I then told him I thought he was kept on too low a diet, and that Dr. Bryce coincided in my opinion: that I had prepared some broth for him, which he had objected to take, until he had seen him (Dr. Dusappe), who said he had no objection to his eating some, provided he first took some sulphate of quinine, which we had by us. He went up to administer it. He descended the stairs shortly after, and then, for the first time, said there was danger, leaving the room to seek for Dr. Bryce. In an instant I was up stairs, and found the patient senseless. I took his hand, begged he would speak to me, called to him, but received no answer; and tried to restore him by means of cold water on his temples. I then rushed out of the house, in a state of despair, to the inn, to request the immediate attendance of Dr. Dusappe and Dr. Bryce, and despatched messengers for another Italian physician, and also the physician of Abbas Pacha, Dr. Gong. Dr. Bryce came instantly. Every restorative was used, but it was too late. His reduced state was unable to resist the fever, which had, on a sudden, returned, and he sank under it! I have had the painful duty of following his remains to the tomb. He was interred at Old Cairo, in the Greek burial-ground, the English not having a burial-ground for private interments. An acacia-tree overshadows his grave, and I have given orders for a plain monument to be erected, with a marble tablet, containing his name, age, day of death, &c.

A SCOTCH SULTANA.

[Mr. Webster's papers appear to have been all preserved. On arriving at Symperapol, the capital of the Crimea, he had the happiness to meet with a lady of his own country, placed in a situation somewhat novel for a native of Edinburgh.]

As soon as we had settled ourselves at the inn, we sent our cards, to inquire if we might wait on the Sultan Krim Gherri Katti Gherri, to present our letters of introduction. The answer returned was, that the sultan was from home, but that the sultana would be happy to see us. The sultana, who is a native of Edinburgh, daughter of Colonel --, received us with great affability and attention, quite in the English style. The history of her marriage with the sultan is curious. When about fifteen years of age, the sultan became acquainted with some missionaries, who had

taken up their station near the Caucasus, on which occasion he embraced the Christian religion, left his native country, and proceeded, under their protection, to St. Petersburgh, which he shortly after quitted for Scotland, and there he soon acquired the English language, habits, and manners. It was in Edinburgh that his acquaintance commenced with his lady, and eventually ended in. marriage, though against the consent of her family. As he is literally descended from the ancient Khans of the Crimea, the throne of the present sultan Mahmoud will be his on the extinction of the reigning family. He has sons, and should any of them hereafter ascend the Ottoman throne, the singular fact will be presented, of a prince of British descent and Christian profession governing an empire of Turkish infidels.

CHARACTER OF THE GREEKS.

The Greeks are as abandoned as their country is desolate. The vaunted valour of their forefathers has passed away, and, ere long, the very name of "Greek' will be a by-word for all that is base and worthless. Never have the English people been so egregiously_gulled, both in public feeling and political conduct, as when they destroyed the only barrier which could be opposed to Russia in the East, and weakened the confidence reposed in them by Persia, which must needs feel mistrust at so unaccountable a proceeding. Never again, be her measures what they may, will England possess that influence which she has heretofore exercised at the Ottoman court: years must elapse before the Turks can regard her in any other light than as a faithless ally, who has forfeited all claims to confidence-and for what, and for whom? For scoundrels, who, while she was shedding her blood at Navarino, were pillaging her merchants, and committing, on the bodies of her captains and seamen, acts of barbarity and outrage which an Englishman would shudder to hear named. Might all the vile qualities of degraded human nature be summed up in one word-ingratitude, lying, beastliness, piracy, and murder-they could find no more comprehensive term than " a Greek." If any Englishman still retain the enthusiastic and ridiculous notions about the Greeks, which have led to such incalculable mischief, let him proceed to the Archipelago without a convoy; no more efficient corrective needs be prescribed for his opinions. We left England full of aspirations for Grecian freedoin-and painful experience has thoroughly convinced us that the establishment of Greek independence will afford a striking illustration of the proverb which deprecates the saving a thief from the gallows. It will be the opening of a second Pandora's box,

fraught with more palpable and distressing evils than poetic fiction ever feigned. Nor should the conduct and writings of Lord Byron be left out of view, in estimating the causes which led to the senseless excitement in favour of the worthless Greeks. His lordship had travelled through the country, and had seen the Pass of Thermopylæ, a haunt for banditti; he had

Stood upon the rocky brow

That looks o'er sea-born Salamis;"

and had seen the private vessels prowling for their unoffending prey. He had seen Pireus a port for pirates, and Egina a den of thieves. That he knew the Grecian characfaithfully, when telling the Greeks that they ter well, is evident, for he pourtrayed it

were

"Callous, save to crime;

Stained with each evil that pollutes
Mankind, where least above the brutes;
Without even savage virtue blest,
Without one free or valiant breast."

And yet, with this knowledge, he lent the
sanction of his noble name, exalted talents,
and personal endeavour, to propagate the
farce of Grecian freedom! One of our most
intelligent missionaries, a Mr. Hartly, was
shot at Napoli di Romania. So much for
their regard for religion: people who wish
to reside in this classical country cannot do
so without the certainty of being robbed, and
the chance of being murdered; and as for
the patriots of Bartholomew Lane,
have had their reward."

A MANUFACTURED MUMMY.

they

An English traveller in Egypt, who had rendered himself conspicuous for his cupidity and meanness in his search for antiquities, of which, by the way, he understood nothing —had repeatedly pressed an Italian gentleman, then employed in excavating for the Swedish consul, to give him sundry of the specimens which he happened to discover. But this gentleman, Signor Piccinini, understood matters too well to give what might be sold; still, to pacify the persevering applicant, he occasionally presented him with trifling subjects, till, at length, wearied with importunities, he resolved on the following method of sending the Englishman home in triumph :

A short time before this mendicant traveller's arrival at Thebes, a Doctor Bonavilla, who was in the service of the pacha, at Hordofan, finding himself incapacitated by illness for the duties of his office, had obtained leave of absence; but on reaching Thebes, was unable to proceed, and gladly accepted the hospitable offers of his countryman Piccinini. In his house the doctor was attended, till, worn to the bone by disease,

he expired. Among the vast number of surrounding sepulchres, there could be no lack of a burying-place, but wood being less abundant, Signor Piccinini was at a loss how to procure a coffin for his departed friend. To supply this want, he bethought him of a mummy case, and, having dislodged the ancient tenant, he deposited Dr. Bonavilla in its stead, and placed him in a tomb near the house. Finding, as has been already said, that small presents to the English traveller only increased the cravings of his antiquarian appetite, and that nothing short of a mummy would satisfy him, Signor Piccinini decided that Doctor Bonavilla should serve his turn. Accordingly, he sent for the traveller, and, with due mysteriousness, informed him that he had in his possession one of the most singular mummies which it had ever been his good fortune to meet with; and that for the great regard entertained by him for the English nation generally, and for the said traveller in particular, he begged to present it to him. Overwhelmed by such apparent generosity, our countryman poured forth grateful acknowledgments on his own behalf, and that of all Englishmen, assuring the signor that his name should be honourably mentioned to the antiquarians of Britain. It should be here observed, that Doctor Bonavilla having adopted the Turkish costume, had worn his beard long, and thus the supposed mummy presented the additional and rare attraction of a flowing white beard. To account for the absence of the bandages by which mummies are usually enveloped, the Italian stated that they had been removed in searching for papyri, and he further affirmed that, from general appearances, the mummy in question could have been no less a person than one of the high priests of Jupiter Ammon. The bait was eagerly taken; our traveller wished to have immediate possession of so invaluable a treasure, but Piccinini represented that should the consul hear of his having parted with it, he would in all probability discharge him. The removal was, therefore, deferred till night, when Doctor Bonavilla was safely lodged in the cangia of the traveller, from whose importunities Piccinini was thus effectually released. However, he could not forbear the gratification of giving publicity to the joke: it was served up to every traveller who visited him, and many a bon voyage has been wished to the antiquary and the high priest of Jupiter Ammon, who, ere this, have, in all probability, arrived in England.

REASONS FOR TRAVELLING.

People travel from "divers, sundry, and various," motives, many of which seem strange enough to those not actuated by them. But the inducement which led a

young gentleman belonging to " Modern Athens" to visit ancient Jerusalem, is indisputably droll. Jerusalem is usually sought by the learned, the devout, or the curious, in neither of which classes the Caledonian in question can be ranked. He would visit the holy city, though he recked not of its memories, its sanctity, or singularity. He had no thought of writing a book, of saying a prayer, or of exploring an unknown spot. No: yet was he undismayed by the difficulties of the journey, and the probabilities of the plague, for his soul was hungering and thirsting-after justice? Not a bit of it but after a regular succession of substantial Scotch dinners. "I will go to Jerusalem,' he exclaimed, "for having seen it, I shall, on my return to Edinburgh, be asked to dinner every day in the week. For Jerusalem, therefore, he set out, but on ar riving at Gaza, a frontier dividing the two Pachalics, he was detained, and as he had no firman, the authorities put him under arrest, while a despatch was forwarded to the Pacha at Acre. Till the answer should arrive, he was confined to a room, and given to understand that strong suspicions existed of his being a Russian spy: and, as he was unable to make himself understood either in Turkish or Arabic, he had no means of expressing his wishes but through a servant, who was occasionally allowed to visit him. During this perplexing confinement, he was occasionally favoured with a

look in,' by Turks, who very significantly indicated what punishment they thought to be awaiting him. One of these true believers was particularly punctual in such visits. Daily would he enter the room, and stand before the prisoner grinning and drawing his fore-finger from ear to ear, till he supposed the Englishman fully sensible of his meaning. After four days, an answer arrived from the Pacha at Acre, permitting him to return without further molestation, but forbidding his proceeding on his in tended journey. To this, however, he would not consent, but persisted in going to Acre, accompanied by an escort; and there he obtained leave to visit Jerusalem, still under an escort, which so diligently attended him, that he was unable to see the principal attractions of the place, and also prevented from travelling in Syria. He returned to Cairo, and gave a full account of the issue of his attempt from which he had been dissuaded by his friends. But he was content; he had seen Jerusalem, and Edina's dinners were secured. One circumstance of his trip, however, he could not think on with patience. Indeed, he declared, that of all the annoyances he had endured, none gave him an uneasy reflection, excepting the diurnal visits of the d-d Turk, with his ominous digit."

PATENT COACH STEPS:†

AND THE ART OF STEPPING IN AND OUT OF A CARRIAGE.

"THERE is an art in every thing; and whatever is deserving of being learnt, cannot be unworthy of a teacher." Such was the logical induction of a professor of the art of stepping in and out of a carriage; who in a brief introductory lecture upon this fashionable acquirement, remarked its apparent simplicity, yet real complexity; contrasting the graceful tread of the plumed head of an elegante entering her carriage, with the clumsy stoop of the citizen's wife the calm commanding ease with which his pupils descended the steps, with the blundering haste of the untutored; and enlarged upon the importance and infallibility of this test of high fashion. The professor was an enthusiast in his art, and most critical in his judgment of the quality of persons by their manner of entering and alighting from their coaches; and he invariably posted himself at the Opera; and the entrance of the palace, to study the physiogonomy of exits and entrances.

"The most difficult point of attainment in the art of entering a carriage," the professor used to observe, "is the instinctive adaptation of the motion of the body, and the pressure of the foot, to the step of a strange carriage: to facility and perfect self-possession as regards your own carriage

will be the work of but few lessons."

As with the "fan exercise" of Steel there were various manners, particularly of alighting, the selection of which depends upon the taste of the individual-and was regulated by circumstances. There was the Amazonian step-the zephyr glide-the juvenile trip the dignified pas-the bounce -the flouncing twirl, and many others. But the most elaborate part of the science can only be brought into action on the occasion of a drawing-room, when all the skill of the pupil and all the resources of the art, are needed, in order to the due management of the hoop and train. Nor were the gentlemen left entirely neglected by the professor -he warned them seriously against such vicious manners as the "physician's bolt," the "running dart;" and the " gouty hobble ;"-inculcating coolness, propriety, and self-command. "Always,” said he with gusto, "imagine that you are a monarch, or a minister of state when you alight; and beware of fancying yourself a rat' when you enter."

The professor was patronized by that sublime dandy Beau Brummel, whose deprecation of "those horrid coach steps" he would repeat with great delight. Mr.

† From the Spectator.-No. CXIII.

Brummel used to say, that the sedan was the only vehicle for a gentleman, it having no steps; and he invariably had his own, chair. " Conceive," said he, "the horror of sitting in a carriage with an iron apparatus, afflicted with the direful, though vain apprehension, of having one's leg crushed by the machinery. Why are not the steps, made to fold outside! The only detraction, from the vis-a-vis is the double distress for both legs! Excruciating idea!"

We certainly have ourselves participated in Mr. Brummel's alarm, when after hearing what we fancied to be the overturning of a cart load of old iron, we have been told, the coach is waiting, and ascending the crazy, machinery," which bent under the body of, the vehicle with the weight of ours, heard the iron skeleton of steps rattled into the coach, and continuing the convulsive clatter close to one's shins to the journey's end. And it required an exercise of our knowledge of practical mechanics to assure us that our ankles were not to be smashed by the aforesaid iron contrivances called steps.,

These anecdotes have been recalled to our recollection by the inspection of a patent improvement in coach steps by Mr. Andrew Smith, which goes far to obviate the inconveniences SO sensibly felt by Mr. Brummel. The invention consists of the application of a simple mechanical contrivance on the principle of the lever only, by which the opening of the coach-door simultaneously unfold the steps. The contrivance is as simple as ingenious; and is applicable to all descriptions of carriages, public or private, that have a door of entrance. The footmen therefore-who instead of dislocating their arms in letting down and folding up the stiff jointed steps of their master's carriage, and venting their indignation at the inconvenience of stooping, by slamming the door under pretence of the hinges being stiff-may now shut the door calmly and without deranging the propriety. of their dress.

NATIONAL TASTES AND ANTIPATHIES.

MR. MURRAY, in his recent work on consumption, observes, that almost every thing that moves on earth, in the sea, or air, has been devoured by man. In South America nothing in the shape of life comes wrong to them-they eat serpents, lizards, and ounces; and Humboldt has seen children drag enormous centipedes out of their holes and cranch them up. At Emeraldi their delicate morceau is a roasted monkey. Puppies on the Missouri and Mississippi are choice food.