The Lands of the Saracen

Lands of the Saracen, The

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Title: The Lands of the Saracen Pictures of Palestine, Asia Minor,
Sicily, and Spain
Author: Bayard Taylor
Release Date: February 3, 2004 [EBook #10924]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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THE LANDS OF THE SARACEN
or, Pictures of Palestine, Asia Minor, Sicily, and Spain.
by
Bayard Taylor.

Twentieth Edition.

1863

To Washington Irving,
This book--the chronicle of my travels through lands once occupied by
the Saracens--naturally dedicates itself to you, who, more than any
other American author, have revived the traditions, restored the history,
and illustrated the character of that brilliant and heroic people. Your
cordial encouragement confirmed me in my design of visiting the East,
and making myself familiar with Oriental life; and though I bring you
now but imperfect returns, I can at least unite with you in admiration of
a field so rich in romantic interest, and indulge the hope that I may one
day pluck from it fruit instead of blossoms. In Spain, I came upon your
track, and I should hesitate to exhibit my own gleanings where you
have harvested, were it not for the belief that the rapid sketches I have
given will but enhance, by the contrast, the charm of your finished
picture.
Bayard Taylor.

Preface.

This volume comprises the second portion of a series of travels, of
which the "Journey to Central Africa," already published, is the first
part. I left home, intending to spend a winter in Africa, and to return
during the following summer; but circumstances afterwards occurred,
which prolonged my wanderings to nearly two years and a half, and led
me to visit many remote and unexplored portions of the globe. To
describe this journey in a single work, would embrace too many
incongruous elements, to say nothing of its great length, and as it falls
naturally into three parts, or episodes, of very distinct character, I have
judged it best to group my experiences under three separate heads,
merely indicating the links which connect them. This work includes my
travels in Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor, Sicily and Spain, and will be
followed by a third and concluding volume, containing my adventures
in India, China, the Loo-Choo Islands, and Japan. Although many of

the letters, contained in this volume, describe beaten tracks of travel, I
have always given my own individual impressions, and may claim for
them the merit of entire sincerity. The journey from Aleppo to
Constantinople, through the heart of Asia Minor, illustrates regions
rarely traversed by tourists, and will, no doubt, be new to most of my
readers. My aim, throughout the work, has been to give correct pictures
of Oriental life and scenery, leaving antiquarian research and
speculation to abler hands. The scholar, or the man of science, may
complain with reason that I have neglected valuable opportunities for
adding something to the stock of human knowledge: but if a few of the
many thousands, who can only travel by their firesides, should find my
pages answer the purpose of a series of cosmoramic views--should in
them behold with a clearer inward eye the hills of Palestine, the
sun-gilded minarets of Damascus, or the lonely pine-forests of
Phrygia--should feel, by turns, something of the inspiration and the
indolence of the Orient--I shall have achieved all I designed, and more
than I can justly hope.
New York, October, 1854.

Contents




Chapter I.
Life in a Syrian Quarantine.
Voyage from Alexandria to Beyrout--Landing at Quarantine--The
Guardians--Our Quarters--Our Companions--Famine and Feasting--The
Morning--The Holy Man of Timbuctoo--Sunday in
Quarantine--Islamism--We are Registered--Love through a
Grating--Trumpets--The Mystery Explained--Delights of
Quarantine--Oriental _vs._ American Exaggeration--A Discussion of

Politics--Our Release--Beyrout--Preparations for the Pilgrimage




Chapter II.
The Coast of Palestine.
The Pilgrimage Commences--The Muleteers--The Mules--The
Donkey--Journey to Sidon--The Foot of Lebanon--Pictures--The Ruins
of Tyre--A Wild Morning--The Tyrian Surges--Climbing the Ladder of
Tyre--Panorama of the Bay of Acre--The Plain of Esdraelon--Camp in
a Garden--Acre--the Shore of the Bay--Haifa--Mount Carmel and its
Monastery--A Deserted Coast--The Ruins of Cæsarea--The Scenery of
Palestine--We become Robbers--El Haram--Wrecks--the Harbor and
Town of Jaffa.




Chapter III.
From Jaffa to Jerusalem.
The Garden of Jaffa--Breakfast at a Fountain--The Plain of
Sharon--The Ruined Mosque of Ramleh--A Judean Landscape--The
Streets Ramleh--Am I in Palestine?--A Heavenly Morning--The Land

of Milk and Honey--Entering the Hill Country--The Pilgrim's
Breakfast--The Father of Lies--A Church