twenty-two altogether, including the bishop and archdeacon. A very récherché Russian breakfast was served. The made dishes, which were numerous, were composed of curious combinations, and those which I tasted were piquant but peculiar.
A toast for the Grand Duke was proposed, and the captain requested my brother to start an English cheer for His Imperial Highness, and "hip! hip! hurrah!" resounded again and again through the saloon, echoed by Russian, French, Prussian, Swiss, and Italian voices, which mingled strangely together, with varied accentuations; and the pilgrims, on hearing or guessing the meaning of the cry, repeated it as well and as noisily as they could. [I observed that nearly every one at the table spoke French fluently, but I think that the only foreigner present who understood English was the learned linguist, Dr. Rosen, the Prussian Consul at Jerusalem.] After a few other loyal toasts and complimentary speeches, in which the Alliance was particularly alluded to, the piano was opened, and the national anthems of Russia, England, France, and Turkey were sung in chorus, while I played the accompaniments. We arrived at Beirût in the afternoon, and when we took leave of the captain and the ship's officers, they assured us that they had never had such a pleasant passage on the Syrian coast. We went to the Hôtel de Belle Vue, with our English fellow -traveler. From the lofty terrace, after sunset, I saw the Russian steamer brilliantly illuminated. Its general form was completely marked out by lines of light, and fireworks were thrown in rapid succession from the deck; while, from the residences of some of the Greek merchants in town, rockets were rushing and whizzing high into the purple night sky, and showers of stars were falling, all in honor of the Grand Duke Constantine. His Imperial Highness had been recently traveling in Syria with the Grand Duchess and a large suite.
The next morning I was in a pleasant, many-windowed room, surrounded by oleanders and roses in full blossom,
