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the CITIES OF THE DAWN:
the CITIES OF THE DAWN:
NAPLES—ATHENS—POMPEII—CONSTANTINOPLE— SMYRNA—JAFFA—JERUSALEM—ALEXANDRIA— CAIRO—MARSEILLES—AVIGNON— LYONS—DIJON . by J. EWING RITCHIE (‘ christopher crayon ’), author of ‘crying for the light,’ ‘east anglia,’ etc., etc. ‘Ye glittering towns with wealth and splendour crown’d; Ye fields where summer spreads profusion round; Ye lakes whose vessels catch the busy gale; Ye bending swains that dress the flowery vale; For me your tributary stores combine; Creation’s heir, the world—the world is mine.’ w
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PREFACE.
PREFACE.
In this new publication, consisting chiefly of articles which appeared in the Christian World , the Echo , and the East Anglian Daily Times , the author makes no pretence to original information, or to have acted the part of an antiquarian explorer. He has simply gone over ground familiar to many, and to which all holiday-makers will turn in increasing numbers, partly for pleasure, and partly on account of the absorbing interest attaching to the route here briefly described. To such he offers
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CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER I.
A RUN ACROSS FRANCE. To leave London one day and to arrive in Marseilles the next would have been deemed impossible—the dream of a madman—in the age in which I was born, when steamships and railways were unknown. Yet it is a fact, to the truth of which I can testify. Half a century has elapsed since the fair fields, leafy woodlands, and breezy chalk downs of Kent were invaded by a band of navvies, who, under the skilful direction of the late Sir William Cubitt, built up the main line of the So
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CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER II.
OFF TO NAPLES. I left off my last letter opposite Corsica. Since then—and this is the charm of coming to Naples in the Midnight Sun —we have passed quite a cluster of isles more or less renowned in history—such as Caprera, the rocky home of the great Italian, Garibaldi—of which, alas! we see nothing. In old times Caprera derived its name from the wild goats, its original inhabitants. Later on it was colonized by monks. ‘The whole island,’ says a contemporary writer quoted by Gibbon, ‘is fill
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CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER III.
NAPLES OF TO-DAY. Once more I am in Naples, with its houses rising one over another, in front of me, and Vesuvius looking down on me, and across the loveliest bay the world has yet seen. There is little to see in Naples beyond its museum, which no one should omit to visit, and Pompeii, to which you are conveyed by train, where you come face to face with ancient civilization and ancient life. For the traveller the city is rich in hotels, and at one of them—the Hôtel Vesuve, a magnificent struct
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CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER IV.
POMPEII AND VESUVIUS. It is needless to write that no one can go to Naples without paying a visit to Pompeii, if he would get a true idea of a Roman city, with its streets, and shops, and baths, and forum, and temples; and it is as well to read over Bulwer’s ‘Last Days of Pompeii’—that master work of genius, compared with which our present popular novels are poor indeed—and then let the reader spend an entire day, if he can, among the Pompeiian remains, in the museum at Naples, which Garibaldi,
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CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER V.
THE ISLES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN. Remember, as the great Dr. Johnson remarks, how life consists not of a series of illustrious actions or elegant enjoyments; the greater part of our time passes in compliance with necessities in the performance of daily duties, in the procurement of petty pleasures; and we are well or ill at ease as the main stream of life glides on smoothly, or is ruffled by small obstacles and frequent interruptions. This is emphatically true as regards life at sea. But as we s
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CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VI.
ABOUT ATHENS. For the first time in my life, I realize the fact that the Mediterranean is a lake—calm and blue as the eyes we love. What astonishes me is the absence of life in these waters. All is barren as that dreary sail across the Indian Ocean from Ceylon to West Australia. Really, if it were not for the photographers, who are always at work on board, we should be rather dull. It is really wonderful the number of amateur photographers who have come out in the Midnight Sun , and are dail
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CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VII.
CONSTANTINOPLE. I am in Constantinople, founded 658 b.c. by Byza, King of Megara, after whom it was called Byzantium. After some hundreds of years it fell into the hands of the Romans, who, like the Scotch, kept everything they could lay their hands on; and then came Constantine the Great, whose mother, some people say, lived in East Anglia, who enlarged and beautified the city, built the Hippodrome (one of the wonders of the place), and would have made it the capital of his enormous empire. N
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CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER VIII.
SMYRNA. I write now from one of the most ancient cities in the world. There is a wonderful lot of ancient history in these parts. The mind quite staggers under the ever-accumulating load of facts and figures and legends. The Æolians, who founded on this site the first Greek city, claimed it as the birthplace of Homer. It was there that his poetry flourished; then, under the successors of Alexander, it became celebrated for its schools of science and medicine. Christianity early made its way
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CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER IX.
JAFFA TO JERUSALEM. You see nothing of Jerusalem till you get inside the city, and to enjoy a visit requires a greater enthusiasm than any to which I can lay claim. We were safely landed at Jaffa, which by this time ought to have a more decent landing-place; thence, after a glance at the house where Simon the Tanner carried on business, I made my way—along tortuous roads, more or less blocked with stones and rubbish, and more or less exposed to a burning sun—to the station, whence we were to st
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CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER X.
THE HOLY CITY. The three principal sights in Jerusalem are the Mosque of Omar, now standing on the site of Solomon’s Temple, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Muristan, which is the conglomerate remains of numerous edifices raised on the same spot in the course of ages, from Charlemagne to Saladin, but named from the madhouse built there by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre should be visited in the sunniest part of the day, as the interior is awfully
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CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XI.
BETHLEHEM. The one spot in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem which one must visit is Bethlehem, the birthplace of the Christ, the music of whose voice and the lustre of whose life have brightened and bettered all the ages, dark and dreary as many of them have been, ever since. It is difficult to visit such a place alone; it is impossible to visit it in company with a garrulous and credulous crowd. I had for companions an esteemed clergyman from Leeds and an Oxford scholar, a man of infinite learn
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CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XII.
THE JEW IN JERUSALEM. One of the most interesting evenings I spent in Jerusalem was in listening to a lecture by Dr. Wheeler, of the English Hospital in the city, who is now seeking to build a hospital for the Jews there. He is also, I believe, connected with the London Society which is seeking to bring over the Jew to the knowledge of the Messiah, a task by no means easy, as the conviction of the Jew—that the promised Messiah is yet to come—is not easily to be dispelled. I came over with a co
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CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIII.
ALEXANDRIA. We left Jaffa on the Monday, and in twenty-four hours after were landed at Alexandria. Alexandria is not a desirable place to land at; travellers have to trust generally to native boatmen, who are a race of robbers. For instance, an American gentleman described to me how it fared with him on attempting to land a few years since. He and a friend made a bargain with a respectable man to put them ashore. He called a boatman, into whose boat they got with their luggage. No sooner ha
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CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XIV.
IN CAIRO. Covered with dust, parched with thirst, exhausted with hunger, burnt up with heat, I am landed at the charming Hôtel du Nil, in the gardens of which, filled up with American rocking-chairs, and trees bearing gorgeous red flowers and bananas and palms, and eucalyptus and banyan-trees all around, I realize as I have never done before something of the splendour and the wondrous beauty of the East. It must have been a fairy palace at one time or other, this Hôtel du Nil, with an enchanted
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CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XV.
THE PYRAMIDS AND THE SPHINX. There are two things in Egypt which amply repay the traveller for his trouble. One is the museum at Gizeh, and the other the pyramids, especially the Great Pyramid of Cheops. I did them both in one day. It is a pleasant ride from Cairo, on a road broad, well watered, and shaded all the way by large acacia-trees. I did the museum first, though it will be a matter of regret to me that I had only an hour to visit a collection where one might usefully spend weeks, an
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CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE RIVER NILE. At length I gaze on the Nile—that marvellous river, the sources of which, though many have tried to find them, have only been discovered in our day. The history of Egypt is the oldest known to us. A large portion of its history can be constructed from the native records of the Egyptians, and those records are all to be found on the banks of the Nile. Four thousand four hundred years before Christ, Mena, the first King of Egypt of whom we have a record, founded Memphis, having
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CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE RETURN TO MARSEILLES. What memories crowd on me as I step into the tug which is to take me and the rest of us, in a confused mass, stowed away amidst the luggage, to the Custom House at Marseilles, a fine, handsome building, apparently in the very heart of the town, with shipping of many nations all around; for has not Marseilles in our time come to be the headquarters of all those who, fearing the Bay of Biscay, have a mind to make their way along the historic shores, and on the blue waters
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CHAPTER XVIII.
CHAPTER XVIII.
AVIGNON. Leaving Marseilles, the place at which I tarried next was Avignon, where I had comfortable and cheap quarters at the Hôtel Grillon. It was there I saw the only drunken man that came under my notice in France. It was market-day, and the town was full of country-folk, many of whom came to my hotel for the excellent déjeuner provided for guests; amongst then was an individual—not a farmer, for he did not wear a blouse—who managed, in spite of the fact that he had had quite enough, to con
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CHAPTER XIX.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE GREAT CITY OF LYONS. In one of the first books which used to be placed in the hands of young people when I was a lad—Fox’s ‘Book of Martyrs’—we get rather an unpleasant idea of Lyons. ‘There,’ writes old Fox, ‘the martyrs were condemned to sit in iron chains till their flesh broiled. Some were sewn up in nets and thrown on the horns of wild bulls, and the carcases of those who died in prison previous to the time of execution were thrown to dogs. Indeed, so far did the malice of pagans pro
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CHAPTER XX.
CHAPTER XX.
DIJON, OR THE WINE COUNTRY. As an illustration of what a French provincial town is in the way of hotels, I would take Dijon, where I stopped a night on my way from Lyons to Paris. From Marseilles to Dijon the country is interesting, giving fine views of the valley of the Loire and hills and mountains far away. From thence to Paris the ride is uninteresting. I suppose a great many people stop at Dijon, as it abounds in magnificent hotels, all of which seem to flourish. I put up at the Hôtel d
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CHAPTER XXI.
CHAPTER XXI.
BOOKS OF REFERENCE. As possibly some of my readers may wish for a further study of some of the cities and places to which I have referred, I have added a few books of reference which they may consult with advantage. They are as follows: Plutarch’s ‘Lives.’ Gibbon’s ‘Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.’ ‘How to Visit the Mediterranean,’ by Dr. Lunn. Pollard’s ‘Land of the Monuments.’ ‘The Holy City,’ by Dr. Russell Forbes. Murray and Baedeker’s Guide-Books. Merriwether’s ‘Afloat and Ashore on
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CRYING FOR THE LIGHT; Or, Fifty Years Ago.
CRYING FOR THE LIGHT; Or, Fifty Years Ago.
By J. EWING RITCHIE ( christopher crayon ). NOTICES OF THE PRESS . ‘On the pressing social problems of the day he has much to say that is well worth listening to. There is a force of characterization in Mr. Ritchie’s sketches and a passion for human sympathy pervading his whole work.’— The New Age . ‘A thoroughly interesting romance.’— Publishers’ Circular . ‘The story is refreshing and powerful, and the characters well drawn and carefully studied. The heroine is a charming, clever, and popula
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TRAINING SHIPS ‘ARETHUSA’ & ‘CHICHESTER.’
TRAINING SHIPS ‘ARETHUSA’ & ‘CHICHESTER.’
Also Eight Homes on Shore for Educating and Maintaining nearly 1,000 Boys and Girls . President: The Right Hon. the EARL of JERSEY, G.C.M.G. SUPPORTED WHOLLY BY VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS. These times of mercantile depression have made sore gaps in the usual gifts, and we now earnestly appeal for new subscribers to support this long-established Charity. Over 14,000 Boys and Girls have been rescued and trained since the foundation in 1843 by the late William Williams, Esq. CONTRIBUTIONS ARE EARNEST
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THE HOUSE-BOY BRIGADE.
THE HOUSE-BOY BRIGADE.
( For Training Orphan and Destitute Boys for Domestic Service .) 146 & 148, MARYLEBONE ROAD, and 22 & 23, ALLSOP ST., UPPER BAKER ST., LONDON. President: LADY WOLVERTON. Treasurer: LORD WOLVERTON. Hon. Secretary: E. H. M. DENNY, Esq. This Institution was founded in 1870 by the late Lady Wolverton, for the purpose of receiving Orphan and Destitute Boys, and by employing them in the houses of the gentry, in domestic work, training them for indoor servants. A boy must have passed th
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Orphanage for Little Girls, clacton-on-sea.
Orphanage for Little Girls, clacton-on-sea.
( Connected with the London Flower Girls’ Christian Mission .) Founder : MR. JOHN A. GROOM. Contributions earnestly Solicited on behalf of the above Orphanage, now sheltering, caring for and training over 120 Orphan Destitute Girls—some of whom are infants only a few months old. They are admitted irrespective of creed, nationality or physical infirmity, and remain till they are 16 years of age and are trained for domestic service. There are no elections, votes, canvassing or expense connected
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The Ragged School Union & Shaftesbury Society
The Ragged School Union & Shaftesbury Society
Is a Christian Organization designed to bring brotherly sympathy and uplifting ministries to the street child and its parents. The methods and agencies cover body, mind, and heart. The HOLIDAY HOMES FUND dealt last summer with 6,673 children. The CRIPPLE DEPARTMENT visits and ministers various comforts to about 6,000 cripples. The POOR CHILDREN’S AID BRANCH supplies Boots and Garments. The BENEVOLENT FUND aids acute distress; also helps with Soup Kitchen, Children’s Breakfasts and Dinners. The
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BIRKBECK BANK,
BIRKBECK BANK,
Southampton Buildings, CHANCERY LAME, LONDON, W.C. INVESTED FUNDS—£8,000,000. Number of Accounts , 75,061 . TWO-AND-A-HALF per CENT. INTEREST allowed on DEPOSITS, repayable on demand. TWO per CENT. on CURRENT ACCOUNTS, on the minimum monthly balances, when not drawn below £100. STOCKS, SHARES, and ANNUITIES purchased and sold for customers. Savings Department. Small Deposits received, and Interest allowed monthly on each completed £1. The BIRKBECK ALMANACK, with full particulars, post free. Tele
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EAST ANGLIA:
EAST ANGLIA:
Personal Recollections and Historical Associations. By J. EWING RITCHIE (‘ christopher crayon ’). ‘“East Anglia” has the merit of not being a compilation, which is more than can be said of the great majority of books produced in these days to satisfy the revived taste for topographical gossip. Mr. Ritchie is a Suffolk man—the son of a Nonconformist minister of Wrentham in that county—and he looks back to the old neighbourhood and the old times with an affection which is likely to communicate it
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BRIGHTER SOUTH AFRICA.
BRIGHTER SOUTH AFRICA.
By J. EWING RITCHIE. ‘The South African journalist gets a trifle wearied with the commonplace descriptions of his country usually affected by the ordinary globe-trotter, and so he will welcome a work like this all the more warmly. For trite remarks, we have original and critical analysis of affairs as Mr. Ritchie found them.’— South Africa . London : FISHER UNWIN....
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AN AUSTRALIAN RAMBLE.
AN AUSTRALIAN RAMBLE.
‘The reader who desires a clear bird’s-eye view of the country and a pleasant sketch of its many interests will do well to follow Christopher Crayon’s summer journey to Australia and back again.’— Literary World ....
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