70 LEBANON AND THE LEVANT. 



crowded witli Russian pilgrims returning from Jerusalem, 

 wlio occupied themselves alternately by eating salt-fisli 

 and fighting ; hideous females, perpetually smoking cigar- 

 ettes, were strewn all over the deck, and from time to 

 time neglected infants raised dismal howls. Happily the 

 sea was calm ; what the state of things must have been 

 during the run from Alexandria to Rhodes, when the vessel 

 encountered a severe gale, it was easy but not pleasant to 

 imagiiie. The poor pilgrims had been terribly frightened 

 during the storm, but were now rather elated, as they 

 attributed their safety to the prompt piety of a man who 

 threw into the waves a taper lit from a candle kindled in 

 its turn from the sacred fire in the Church of the Holy 

 Sepulchre on Easter Sunday. 



We entered Constantinople at sunrise on Monday, and 

 admired, as everyone must, the enchanting aspect of the 

 city from the water. We spent six days at the Hotel de 

 Byzance, during which we were fully occupied in sight- 

 seeing, and making the necessary arrangements for our 

 journey in the Caucasus. Of course we did the ' lions' ; were 

 first hurried round the mosques, perhaps the most tiring 

 day's sightseeing in the world ; and afterwards paid a quiet 

 visit, by means of ' backsheesh,' to Santa Sophia, which 

 more than realised our expectations. While admiring 

 the effect of the vast unbroken area under the dome, even 

 when merely dotted with the bright dresses of Turkish 

 worshippers, we could form some faint idea of what must 

 have been the splendour of a state ceremonial of the B}^- 

 zantine Court in this noble basilica. The old walls, the 

 seven towers, the burial-ground at Scutari, all had to be 

 visited. 



One evening we were recommended by a gentleman, 

 staying at our hotel, to visit the Persian Khan, to hear 

 the wailing for Hassan. We found a lono- room deco- 



