se.» Note 14. Page 135, line 61. paradise to well-behaved women; but by far the greater An emir by his garb of greeu. number of Mussulmans interpret the text their own Green is the privileged colour of the Prophet's nu- way, and exclude their moieties from heaven. Being merous pretended descendants; with them, as here, enemies to Platonics, they cannot discern « any fitness faith (the family inheritance) is supposed to supersede of things » in the souls of the other sex, conceiving the necessity of good works: they are the worst of a them to be superseded by the Houris. very indifferent brood. Note 23. Page 136, line 75. The young pomegranate's blossoms strew. An oriental simile, which may, perhaps, though Salam aleikoum! aleikoum salam! peace be with fairly stolen, be deemed « plus Arabe qu'en Arabie.» you; be with you peace-the salutation reserved for Note 24. Page 136, line 77. the faithful:- to a Christian, « Urlarula,» a good jour Her bair in hyacinthine flow, ney; or saban hiresem, saban serula; good morn, good Hyacinthine, in Arabic « Sunbul ;» as common a even; and sometimes, « may your end be happy;" are thought in the Eastern poets as it was among the the usual salutes. Greeks. Note 25. Page 136, line 87. The loveliest bird of Francuestan. Franguestan,» Circassia. and beautiful of the species. Note 26. Page 137, line 26. «Bismillah! now the peril's past, etc. Bismillah-« In the name of God;» the commenceAlluding to the dubious suicide of the scorpion, so ment of all the chapters of the Koran but one, and of placed for experiment by gentle philosophers. Some prayer and thanksgiving maintain that the position of the sting, when turned Note 27. Page 137, line 51. towards the head, is merely a convulsive movement: but Then curl'd bis very beard with ire. others bave actually brought in the verdict, « Felo de 'The scorpions are surely interested in a speedy A phenomenon not uncommon with an angry Mussuldecision of the question, as, if once fairly established man. Jo 180g, the Capitan Pacha's whiskers at a diploas insect Catos, they will probably be allowed to live as matic audience were not less lively with indignation than long as they think proper, without being martyred for a tiger-cais, to the horror of all the dragomans; the the sake of an hypothesis.' portentous mustachios twisted, they stood erect of their own accord, and were expected every moment to change Note 18. Page 136, line 30. their colour, but at last condescended to subside, which When Rbamazan's last sun was set. probably saved more heads than they contained hairs. The cannon at sunset close the Rhamazan. See note 8. Note 28. Page 137, line 61. Nor raised the craven cry, Amaun! « Amaun,» quarter, pardon. Phingari, the moon. Note 29. Page 137, line 70. I know him by the evil eye. The «evil eye, » a common superstition in the Levant, cup of the sun,» etc.- In the first editions «Giamschid » was Note 30. Page 137, line 124. written as a word of three syllables, so D'Herbelot has A fragment of his palampore. it; but I am told Richardson reduces it to a dissyllable, The flowered shawls generally worn by persons of and writes « Jamshid.» I have left in the text the or rank. thography of the one with the pronunciation of the Note 31. Page 138, line 51. other. His calpac rent-bis caftan red. The « Calpach is the solid cap or centre part of the head-dress; the shawl is wound round it, and forms the Al-Sirat, the bridge, of breadth less than the thread turban. of a famished spider, over which the Mussulmans must Note 32. Page 138, line 57. skate into paradise, to which it is the only entrance ; A turban carved in coarsest stone. but this is not the worst, the river beneath being hell Thc turban, pillar, and inscriptive verse, decorate itself, into which, as may be expected, the unskilful the tombs of the Osmanlies, whether in the cemetery and tender of foot contrive to tumble with a «facilis or the wilderness. In the mountains you frequently descensus Averni,» not very pleasing in prospect to the pass similar mementos; and, on inquiry, you are innext passenger. There is a shorter cut downwards for formed that they record some victim of rebellion, plunthe Jews and Christians. der, or revenge. Note 33. Page 138, line 68. At solemn sound of Alla Hu ! ways full. vant. call to prayer from the highest gallery on the exterior passes to Ephesus, Messalunghi, or Lepanto; there are of the Minaret. On a still evening, when the Muezzin plenty of us, well armed, and the Choriates have not has a fine voice, which is frequently the case, the effect courage to be thieves.»—« True, Affendi; but neveris solemn and beautiful beyoud all the bells in Chris- theless the shot is ringing in my cars.»-« The shot! tendom. not a tophaike has been fired this morning.»-«I hear Note 34. Page 138, line 77. it notwithstanding-Bom-Bom-as plainly as I hear They come-their kerchiefs green they wave. your voice.»—«Psha,»-«As you please, Affendi; if it is The following is part of a battle-song of the Turks: written, so will it be.»—I left this quick-eared predesciI see— 1 see a dark-eyed girl of Paradise, and she narian, and rode up to Basili, his Christian compatriot, whose cars, though not at all prophetic, by no means waves a handkerchief, a kerchief of green ; and cries relished the intelligence. We all arrived at Colonua, aloud, Come, kiss me, for I love thee,» etc. remained some hours, and returned leisurely, saying a Note 35. Page 138, line 82. variety of brilliant things, in more languages than spoiled Beacath avenging Monkir's scythe. the building of Babel, upon the mistaken seer; Romaic, Monkir and Nekir are the inquisitors of the dead, Arnaout, Turkish, Italian, and English were all exercised, before whom the corpse undergoes a slight noviciate in various conceits upon thc unfortunate Mussulman. and preparatory training for damnation. If the an. While we were contemplating the beautiful prospect, swers are none of the clearest, he is hauled up with a Dervish was occupied about the columns. I thought seythe and thumped down with a red-hot mace till pro- he was deranged into an antiquarian, and asked him if perly seasoned, with a variety of subsidiary probations. He had become a « Palaocastro » man: « No,» said he, The office of these angels is no sinecure; there are buc « but these pillars will be useful in making a stand;» (wo, and the number of orthodox deceased being in a and added other remarks, which at least evinced his own small proportion to the remainder, their hands are al- belief in his troublesome faculty of fore-hearing. On our return to Athens, we heard from Lcone (a prisoner Note 36. Page 138, line 84. set ashore some days after) of the intended attack of the To wander round lost Eblis' throne. Mainoles, mentioned, with the cause of its not taking Eblis, the Oriental Prince of Darkness. place, in the potes to Childe Harold, Canto 2d. I was at some pains to question the man, and he described the Note 37. Page 138, line 89. dresses, arms, and marks of the horses of our party so But first, on earth as vampire sont. accurately, that, with other circumstances, we could not The Vampire superstition is still general in the Le-doubt of his having been in « villanous company,» and Honest Tournefort tells a long story, which Mr ourselves in a bad neiglibourhood. Dervish became a Southey, in the notes on Thalaba, quotes about these soothsayer for life, and I dare say is now hearing more « Vroucolochas,» as he calls them. The Romaic term musketry than ever will be fired, to the great refreshis « Vardoulacha,» I recollect a whole family being ment of the Arnaouts of Berat, and his native mounterrified by the scream of a child, which they imagined tains.-I shall mention one trait more of this singular must proceed from such a visitation. The Greeks never In March 1811, a remarkably stout and active mention the word without horror. I find that « Brou Arnaout came (I believe the 50th on the same errand) colokas » is an old legitimate Hellenic appellation-at to offer himself as an attendant, which was declined : least is so applied to Arsenius, who, according to the «Well , Affendi,» quoth he, « may you live !—you would Greeks, was after his death animated by the Devil. The have found me useful. I shall leave the town for the moderns, however, use the word I mention. bills to-morrow; in the winter I return, perhaps you Note 38. Page 138, line 115. will then receive me.»-Dervish, who was present, Wet with thine own best blood shall drip. remarked, as a thing of course, and of no consequence, The freshness of the face, and the wetness of the lip « in the mean time he will join the Klephtes,» (robbers), with blood, are the never-failing signs of a Vampire, down in the winter, and pass it anmolested in some which was true to the letter.- If not cut off, they come The stories told in Hungary and Greece of these foul town, where they are often as well known as their feeders are singular, and some of them most incredibly exploits. attested. Note 41. Page 142, line 36. Looks not to priesthood for relief. The monk's sermon is omitted. It seems to have had The pelican is, I believe, the bird so libelled, by the so little effect upon the patient, that it could have no imputation of feeding her chickens with her blood. hopes from the reader. It may be sufficient to say, that Note 40. Page 141, line 36. it was of a customary length (as may be perceived from the interruptions and uncasiness of the penitent), and Deep in whose darkly boding ear. was delivered in the nasal tone of all orthodox preachers. This superstition of a second-hearing (for I never met with downright second-sight in the East) fell once under Note 42. Page 142, line 102. my own observation.—On my third journey to Cape And shining in her white symar. Colonna early in 1811, as we passed through the defile «Symar»-Shroud. that leads from the bamlet between Keratia and Colonna, I observed Dervish Tahiri riding rather out of the path, Note 43. Page 143, line 37. and leaning his head upon his hand as if in pain. I rode The circumstance to which the above story relates up and inquired. «We are in peril,» he answered. was not very uncommon in Turkey. A few years ago the « What peril? we are not now in Albania, nor in the wife of Muchtar Pacha complained to his father of his race. It is as if the desert-bird. son's supposed infidelity; he asked with whom, and she and I regret that my memory has retained so few fraghad the barbarity to give in a list of the twelve hand- ments of the original, somest women in Yanina. They were seized, fastened For the contents of some of the notes I am indebted up in sacks, and drowned in the lake the same night! partly to D'Herbelot, and partly to that most eastern, One of the guards who was present informed me, that and, as Mr Weber justly entitles it, « sublime tale,» the not one of the victims uttered a cry, or showed a symp- « Caliph Vathek.» I do not know from what source tom of terror at so sudden a « wrench from all we the author of that singular volume may have drawn his know, from all we love.» The fate of Phrosine, the fair- materials; some of his incidents are to be found in the est of this sacrifice, is the subject of many a Romaic « Bibliothèque Orientale;» but for correctness of cosand Arnaout ditty. The story in the text is one told of tume, beauty of description, and power of imagination, a young Venetian many years ago, and now nearly for it far surpasses all European imitations; and bears such gotten. I heard it by accident recited by one of the marks of originality, that those who have visited the coffee-house story-tellers who abound in the Levant, East will find some difficulty in believing it to be more and sing or recite their narratives. The additions and than a translation. As an Eastern tale, even Rasselas interpolations by the translator will be easily distin- must bow before it; his « Happy Valley» will not bear guished from the rest by the want of Eastern imagery; a comparison with the « Hall of Eblis.» WITH EVERY SENTIMENT OF REGARD AND RESPECT, BY HIS GRATEFULLY OBLIGED AND SINCERE FRIEND, BYRON. CANTO I. I. Are emblems of deeds that are done in their clime? Now melt into sorrow, now madden to crime? tell. II. Deep thought was in his aged eye; Not oft betrays to standers by III. « Now call me the chief of the Haram guard.» And the Nubian awaiting the sire's award. Yet not to her repeat my thought; First lowly rendering reverence meet; Still standing at the Pacha's feet: Father! for fear that thou shouldst chide That- let the old and weary sleep- The fairest scenes of land and deep, With none to listen and reply To thoughts with which my heart beat high Were irksome-for whate'er my mood, In sooth I love not solitude; I on Zuleika's slumber broke, And, as thou knowest that for me Soon turns the Haram's grating key, Before the guardian slaves awoke We to the cypress groves had flown, And made earth, main, and heaven our own! There linger'd we, beguiled too long With Mejnoun's tale, or Sadi's song:3 Till I, who heard the deep tambour 4 Beat thy Divan's approaching hour, To thee and to my duty true, Warn'd by the sound, to greet thee flew : But there Zuleika wanders yelNay, father, rage not-nor forget That none can pierce that secret bower But those who watch the women's tower.» V. At least that met old Giaffir's ear, « Son of a slave ! -reproach'd with fear! Those gibes had cost another dear. Thus held his thoughts their dark career, Flash forth, then faintly disappear, eye « Come hither, boy, - what, no reply? return d him glance for glance, And proudly to his sire's was raised, Till Giaffir's quaild and shrunk askance- Like Houris' hymn it meets mine ear: 0! more than even her mother dear, With all to hope, and nought to fear- Such to my longing siglat art thou; VI. When on that dread yet lovely serpent smiling, Whose image then was stamp'd upon her mind But once beguild-and ever more beguiling; Dazzling, as that, oh! too transcendant vision To sorrow's phantom-peopled slumber given, When heart meets heart again in dreams Elysian, And paints the lost on earth revived in heaven; Soft, as the memory of buried love; Pure, as the prayer which childhood wafts above: IV. «Son of a slave!»--the Pacha said« From unbelieving mother bred, Vaia were a father's hope to see Aught that beseems a man in thee. Thou, wlien thine arm should bend the bow, And hurl the dart, and curb the steed, Thou, Greek in soul if not in creed, Was she-the daughter of that rude old chief, Who met the maid with tears—but not of grief. Who hath not proved how feebly words essay yet Her graceful arms in meekness bending Across her gently-budding breast; To clasp the neck of him who bless'd half withio him melt: VII. « Zuleika! child of gentleness ! How dear this very day must tell, In losing what I love so well, Was never seen in battle's van. yet the line of Carasman 7 All that thy scx hath need to know: "T was mine to teach obedience still The way to love thy lord may show.» So sweet the blush of bashfulness, Resign'd his gem-adorn'd Chibouque,to With Maugrabeehand Mamaluke, massy doors. IX. look'd o'er the dark blue water Mix in the game of mimic slaughter, X. yet that heart aların d or weak, And watch'd his eye-it still was fix'd: She snatch'd the urn wherein was mix'd The fairest flowers of Eastern land- If offered by Zuleika's hand.» VIII. And if her eye was filld with tears And red to pale, as through her ears Those winged words like arrows sped, What could such be but maiden fears! So bright the tear in beauty's eye, Love half regrets to kiss it dry; |