appearances, the mummy in question could have been no less a personage than one of the high priests of Jupiter Ammon. The bait was eagerly taken; our traveller wished to have immediate possession of so invaluable a treasure, but Piccinini represented that, should the consul hear of his having parted with it, he would in all probability discharge him. The removal was, therefore, deferred till night, when Dr. Bonavilla was safely lodged in the cangia of the traveller, from whose importunities Piccinini was thus effectually released. However, he could not forbear the gratification of giving publicity to the joke :-it was served up to every traveller who visited him, and many a bon voyage has been wished to the antiquary and the high priest of Jupiter Ammon, who, ere this, have, in all probability, arrived in England People travel from "divers, sundry, and various" motives, many of which seem strange enough to those not actuated by them. But the inducement which led a young gentleman belonging to "Modern Athens" to visit antient Jerusalem, is indisputably droll. Jerusalem is usually sought by the learned, the devout, or the curious, in neither of which classes the Caledonian in question can be ranked. He would visit the holy city, though he recked not of its memories, its sanctity, or singularity. He had no thought of writing a book, of saying a prayer, or of exploring an unknown spot. No: yet was he undismayed by the difficulties of the journey, and the probabilities of the plague, for his soul was hungering and thirsting-after justice? not a bit of it; but after a regular succession of substantial Scotch dinners. "I will go to Jerusalem," he exclaimed, "for, having seen it, I shall, on my return to Edinburgh, be asked to dinner every day in the week." For Jerusalem, therefore, he set out, but on arriving at Gaza, a frontier dividing the two Pachalics, he was detained, and, as he had no firman, the authorities put him under arrest, while a despatch was forwarded to the Pacha at Acre. Till the answer should arrive, he was confined to a room, and given to understand that strong suspicions existed of his being a Russian spy; and, as he was unable to make himself understood either in Turkish or Arabic, he had no means of expressing his wishes but through a servant, who was occasionally allowed to visit him. During this perplexing confinement, he was occasionally favoured with a "look in" by Turks, who very significantly indicated what punishment they thought to be awaiting him. One of these true believers was particularly punctual in such visits. Daily would he enter the room and stand before the prisoner, grinning, and drawing his fore-finger from ear to ear, till he supposed the Englishman fully sensible of his meaning. After four days, an answer arrived from the Pacha at Acre, permitting him to return without further molestation, but forbidding his proceeding on his intended journey. To this, however, he would not consent, but persisted in going to Acre, accompanied by an escort; and there he obtained leave to visit Jerusalem, still under an escort, which so diligently attended him, that he was unable to see the principal attractions of the place, and also prevented from travelling in Syria. He returned to Cairo, and gave a full account of the issue of his attempt, from which he had been dissuaded by his friends. But he was content; he had seen Jerusalem,-and Edina's dinners were secured. One circumstance of his trip, however, he could not think on with patience. Indeed, he declared, that of all the annoyances he had endured, none gave him an uneasy reflection, excepting the diurnal visits of the d-d Turk, with his ominous digit. |