CORNELE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Cornell University Library DT 70.L88 3 1924 028 659 369 Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028659369 EMMELIKE LOTT. THE "ENGLISH GOVEENESS" IN EGYPT. HAEEM LIEE IN EGYPT AND CONSTANTINOPLE. BY EMMELIIE LOTT. LATE GOVERNESS TO HIS HIGHNESS THK OKAND PACHA IBRAHIM, SON 01' HIS HIGHNESS ISMAEL I'ACHA, VICEROY OF EGYPT; AUTHORESS OF " NIGHTS IN THE HAEEM." "What precious things I found in Oriental lands, Keturuing home, I brought them in my votive hands." Algee. PHILADELPHIA: T. E. PETERSON & BROTHERS; 306 CHESTNUT STREET. DEDICATED TO HIS HIGHNESS ISMAEL PACHA, &c.. &c., * VICEROY OF EGYPT, BY HIS HIGHNESS'S MOST HUMBLE AJSD DEVOTED SERVANT, THE AUTHOKESS. PEE E A CE. Upwaeds of a century has rolled away since that grace- ful, unaffected epistolary writer, the accomplished and " charming Lady Maiy Montague," accompanied her caro sposo, Mr. Edward Wortley Montague, to Constantinople, when he was appointed Ambassador to the Sublime Porte. In the eighteenth century, that "Princess of Female Writers " published in her Letters an account of her visits to some of the Harems of the elite of the Turks of that period. She had no need to propitiate that aU-powerful Sovereign Prince of the Ottoman Empire, " Baksheesh,"—^who, what- ever may be his demerits as a statesman, stands forth, in the present age, most prominently as the precursor of civili- zation in the Turkish dominions, and for whom a most bril- liant future is in prospect—^to obtain ingress. Her rank and position were the Telecem, " talisman," which threw open to her the heavy ponderous portals, drew back the massive double-bolted doors, and gave her access to those (21) " ; VY11 PREFACE. forbidden " Abodes of Bliss " of the stolid, sensual, and in- dolent Blue Beards of the East. Nevertheless, her handsome train, Lady Ambassadress as she was, swept but across the splendid carpeted floors of those noble Saloons of Audience, all of which had been, as is invariably the custom, well " swept and garnished " for her reception. The interior of those Harems were to her Ladyship a terra incognita, and even although she passed through those gaudy haUs like a beautiful meteor, aU was couleur de rose, and not the slightest opportunity was per- mitted her to study the daily life of the Odalisques. True, she had witnessed the "Strange fascination of Eastern gorgeousness, reverie, and passion ; but yet, as she had not been allowed to penetrate beyond the reception halls, nor to pollute the floors of the chambers of those " Castles of Indolence " with her defiling footsteps, the social manners, habits and customs of the Creme de la Creme of both Turkish and Egyptian noblesse, and the Star Chamber of Ottoman intrigue, were to her aU unex- plored regions. It was reserved to a humble individual like myself, in my official capacity as Governess to His Highness the Grand Pacha Ibrahim, the infant son of H.H. Ismael Pacha, the Viceroy of Egypt, the grandson of Mehemet AH, and the son of that gallant warrior, the renowned Ibrahim Pacha, to become the unheard-of instance in the annals of the Turkish Empire, of residing within those foci of intrigue, the Imperial and Viceregal Harems of Turkey and Egypt and thus an opportunity has been afforded me of, Asmodeus- PREFACE. XXlll like, uplifting that impenetrable veil, to accomplisli which had hitherto baffled all the exertions of Eastern travellers. The object of the following Work is to disclose to European society " Life in the Harems of Egypt and Constantinople." It has been my aim to give a concise yet impartial and sympathetic account of the daily life of the far-famed Odalisques of the nineteenth century—those mysterious impersoniflcations of Eastern loveliness. With what suc- cess I have achieved this difficult task is left to the judg- ment of the public to determine. HAREM LIFE. CHAPTER I. After a quick but tempestuous voyage from the busy port of Marseilles, on board the Peleuse, one of the fleetest steamers in the service of the Messageries Imp^riales, I ar- rived in the land of the Pharaohs, at the harbor of Alexan- dria, in the month of April, 186—. I proceeded to the Pen- insular and Oriental Hotel, where I took up my quarters for a few days. As a host of travellers have miautely but yet not, according to my impressions, very accurately described that Liverpool of Egypt, Alexandria—^for Egypt as it was and Sgy-pt as it is are vastly different—^nevertheless I shall not attempt to give any topographical account of that wonderfully improving country and its ancient capital, the whole length and breadth of which I was enabled to traverse during my residence with the viceregal family. The Viceroy's agent in London had consigned me, " bag and baggage," to the care of an eminent banking firm at Alexandria, who are also reported to be associated with Ismael Pacha in his private capacity as the billionaire East- em merchant prince. Upon forwarding my biH of lading—^letter of introduction —I received instructions to proceed to Cairo by the express train, and there to report myself, on arrival, to Mr. B., who, independently of being associated with the Viceroy in mercan- tile pursuits, also holds the lucrative, yet by no means sine- (25) — 26 HAKBM LIFE IN EGYPT AND CONSTANTINOPLE. cure, appointments of Keeper of the Privy Purse and Pur- for it must veyor General of His Highness's Households ; be observed tbat the Viceroy maintains numerous establish- ments, both at several palaces and harems. After having visited every nook and corner of " JSl Ishen- dereeyeh," I proceeded to the railway-station, entered a first- class carriage, and was whirled away by the iron king era route for the capital. That journey has been so often de- scribed by abler pens than mine, that I shall merely give an account of my fellow-passengers and their conversation, which furnished me with an insight into the characters of many individuals with whom it was my fate afterwards to be mixed up. Scarcely had I made myself comfortable in the carriage, when in stepped two gentlemen. Both were of middle age, most agreeable ia manners, and rather chatty. The younger one was a Greek merchant, of the name of Xenos, who resided in Alexandria, and Vfho was proceeding to Cairo, and thence up the NUe, to purchase cotton, which at that period was realizing most fabulous prices both in England and Prance. The other was much his senior: he was of the Jewish persuasion, and a native of the good city of Prank- fort. On our arrival at Tantah, where the annual fair was be- ing held—and at which my two fellow-travellers assured me that slaves were sold in 186 , notwithstanding that there existed a treaty abolishing the slave-trade—^the train was shunted off the Une, to admit of the Viceroy's private despatch train passing on its route. Here we were detained twenty minutes ; and as I watched that despatch train ap- proach the terminus, thinking that I might be gratified with a glimpse of some of the Cabiuet ministers, who I naturally concluded were seated in it, I was surprised at beholding the heads of several young ladies thrust out of the first- class carriage which was attached to the tender. My curi- HABEM LIFE IN EGYPT AND CONSTANTINOPLE. 27 osity was considerably excited when I saw that their cast of countenance was either Levantine or German. They wore no bonnets ; long black veils were thrown carelessly over their heads ; and they were attired in black latarahs. Turning round to my fellow-passenger, Mr. Xenos — who sat, ruminating, perhaps, on the state of the cotton market, in the corner of the carriage nearest the main-line —I inquired of him why that train was designated " the Viceroy's private despatches." He smiled, and said, " Well, I cannot exactly teU you ; but, in all probability, it is be- cause it is always appropriated for the purpose of conveying aU fair damsels who may chance to come an flying visits to Ismael Pacha ; and as foreign ladies are generally the very essence of iutrigue, may it not be possible that they are the bearers of secret despatches ? But as it is not my province to unfold the mysteries of the Viceroy's private despatches, aU I can say upon the subject is, that I hope that that courteous prince wiU enjoy the pleasure of their society." The private despatch train rushed on at full speed, and we followed, about ten miautes afterwards, in its trail, at a snail's pace. The ice having been broken between myself and my fellow-traveUers, the conversation naturally led to the pur- port of my visit to the " Land of Dates " and its merchant ruler. In reply to a few trivial questions I had put to the Greek merchant, Mr. Xenos very kindly explained to me that his twenty years' experience of life in Egypt led him to regard my position as one fraught with considerable per- plexity; and, as I afterwards found that his observations were perfectly correct, I shall give them in detail, as their purport bears directly on Harem Life and the intrigues of the Egyptian Star-Chamber. " But," added that amiable gentleman, " much depends upon the conduct of the Viceroy towards yourself, and that of his confidential advisers. Perhaps I err in using that 28 HAEEM LIFE TN EGYPT AND CONSTANTINOPLE.