162 THE HOLY LAND. 
IV. 
^^^^^' danger is not so great as it is generally- 
believed to be. The rumour prevalent in 
the neighbourhood of Asiatic towns, where 
the plague exists, of the number carried off 
by the disorder, is always false; and this 
gaining strength as it proceeds to any distance, 
causes the accounts which are published in 
the gazettes of Europe, of whole cities being 
thereby depopulated. The towns of the Holy 
Laxd are, it is true, often emptied of their 
inhabitants, who retire into tents in the environs 
when the plague is rife ; but they quickly 
return again to their habitations, when the 
alarai subsides. A traveller in these countries 
will do well to be mindful of this; because, 
were he to halt or to turn back upon the event 
of every rumour of this nature, he would soon 
find his journey to be altogether impracticable. 
We had reason to regret that we were thus 
prevented from visiting Baffa in the Isle of 
Cyprus. In a subsequent part of our travels 
•would not suffer any of his slaves to approach her person ; but gave her 
food and medicines with his own hands; and, in the hour of death, 
impressed a parting kiss upon her lips, as he wept over her. In a similar 
state of indifference as to the consequences of his temerity, the celebrated 
Dr. White, physician to our anny and navy, when in Egypt, resided in 
the Plague Hospital at Grand Cairo, and escaped, until he actually 
inoculated himself with the purulent virus of the disorder. 
