Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1853-01-20
A SERIOUS CHARGE.

SERIOUS CHARGE.
AT Tanura an incident occurred which any
gentleman of respectable standing in society
might well be excused for passing over in si-
lence. do not believe a similar case is to be
found in all the records Of Syrian travel, though
doubtless many traveller has had personal eX-
perences of the same kind 1t was an unpleas
ant charge, TO say the least of il; provoking
and unmerited charge; one that touches the very
soul Of an honorable man in the tenderest part.
Fan would proceed on the journey and leave
Tantura to future travellers; but a desire TO
maintain that spirit of candor and truthfulness
Iby which il has been my constant endeayor 70
distinguish this narrative from all others, indu-
ces me TO give a full exposition of the facts
Tantura is a small village by the sea-side the
houses are also small and very dirty, like all the
houses in Palestine. Such a thing as a hotel is
mot known in Tantura, or even a common tav-
|ern or the remotest approach TO anything like il,
There ought to be Khan there; the travelling
public require it, and would patronze such an
establishment, but Tantura is khanless; there is
not even can Of milk TO be had for love or
money. The only place we could find TO stop
at was a small hut situated in a pond of green
and stagnant water. There was room for i'm
provement all about the house. but not much
siderng that the occupants for the single apart
mcnt Of which it consisted were already two
mules, four goats, several dozen Of chickens,
and the owner and his wife. Add TO this our
party Of Howadii servants and muleteers, and
there is little left to subtract except the vermin,
which might be continually subtracted for many
years and yet leave a remainder. The old Arab,
who claimed TO be proprietor, was cadaveropS
and unwhoiesome looking person, l4oken down
in spirits, and evidently laboring under COM
plcation Of domestic mserles. Ills wife was n
faced, sharp-featured, shrewiSh sort of
body, who seemed TO be continually squirting
the old man On TO make himself useful, never
ccasing for five minutes to keep him at work,
and always extremely enraged when he sat
down to smoke | had strong reason for believ-
ing that she had bought him with money. and
was taking the worth of it out in petty install
ments; or, it might be, that she really thought
the affairs Of the house required constant and la
borious attention, or .hey might in the course of
time become deranged,
After evening repast was over, being
rather tired, we spread our mattresses, and lay
down as we supposed for the night. But it was
not for the night, nor for more than very small
part of it; because, as | said before, the house
itself was unpromising, the landlord was unpro-
missing, his wife was unpromisng, and the
whole establishment gave no promise whatever,
except that of vermIn, which was faithfully full
filled. We had great abundance, and we're not
at all disappointed. | was SO little disappointed
myself that long after my companions fell asleep,
which they did at last, rolled about in extreme
bodily anguish, wishing that some of the genii
said TO exist in these countries would transfer
me TO the meanest stable-loft at home. There
was dim wick burning in a small earthen lamp
in one corner of the house, by which was en-
abed 10 look about and see if there was any
possibility of bettering my condition. Rubbish
and dirt abomded in every direction, that it
was some time before | could make out what
there in The opposite corner, rather dark
| ish sort of place, with some mud citPvoaTds or
shelves not very clearly defined. The thought
struck me that there might be some cavity or ell
evated hole there in which could stow myself
, away above ground. II was very happy
thought, and very brigh. thought under the
, circumstances, but not lucky one, take it alto
gelher. Wishing to disturb nobody, | crcpt eau
: tously over two or three snoring Arabs, anC
, reached the corner without waking a living sou
SO far as knew. 1t vas capital place; ,ndeeC
{ i may say such snug sort OF spot for quie
nap as would have enchanted any man of imagi
nation. In the corner, and extending along thu
{ wall TO the length Of SIX or seven feet, was
a kind of mud cupboard, with two or three largt
cavities or shelves in it, a good deal like th,
G places for dead bodies in the caacombs of Rome
G But il was not the holes | was SO pleased with
f they were all filed with old earthen vessels
, kettles, pans, and other loose rubbish; it wa
5 the space which supposed to be on top tina
:. charmed me. The mud-work was very frail
. and shook a good deal when began to climb up
o but by cropping my way cautiously and balancing
II the whole structure when il began TO give way
| | got on top at last, about ten feet from th
floor, and was greatly reioicod to find that it wa
;; "a most admirable place for nights rest. Al
n it wanted was 10 be cleared up little, the sur
n face being covered with onions TO the depth o
d two or three inches. l had thrown my coat u
d before me, which | often used as pillow, and
: having now here else to put the onions. bega
1t forthwith to gather them up in pile at one end
G and srow them under the coat, SO as TO max
it "a comfortable resting place fGF the head. 9hi
d | was doing as quietly as possible, from qdeslr
It mot TO disturb my friends who were asleep dow
a below. Wilde | was raking up the last of th
II onions, and carefully balancing myself lest tn
cupbord should fall over and kill somebody,
t. distinctly heard a voice in the opposite corne
rs or the house; a womans voice, low but shar
DR. enough to be the voice cf the old mans wifi,
re which it unquostionablywas. Then there wa
* Ia cultural responses; then the womau's voice |