Soyer's Culinary Campaign: Being Historical Reminiscences of the Late War.: With The Plain Art of Cookery for Military and Civil Institutions

principal authorities were present. Lord W. Paulet soon joined us; we started, forming a very formidable and brilliant cavalcade, everybody being in full costume. The Pacha had sent a mounted escort to accompany us, consisting of six cavaliers. Our first halt was at Ismail Pacha’s, who received us cordially at his pretty kiosque. He spoke excellent French, and invited us to be seated in his large and elegantly-furnished drawing-room, where a chibouque was presented to each guest, with the indispensable Turkish thimble-cup of coffee. We had a very interesting conversation with the Pacha about the war, and his opinion upon it; also a short review of Paris and London, as he had visited both. We then walked under very delightful foliage, where fountains were playing, Asiatic and aquatic flowers growing--plants of rare beauty--orange and lemon trees, &c. We all fancied we had arrived at our destination, when the Pacha’s horse was brought into the yard where ours had been left. The signal was given: we all mounted, and started afresh. A very coquettish square kiosque erected in the garden, and well latticed round, seemed to be very animated within. It was the Pacha’s harem, from whence no doubt the imprisoned odalisques were enjoying the lively scene passing in the yard, by peeping, not exactly _à la_ Peeping Tom, but from behind the railings, or, more properly speaking, lattice. Headed by the Pacha and suite, with Lord W. Paulet, Major Sillery, &c., we again started. In ten minutes we reached another kiosque, not by any means so luxurious as the first. We alighted, and were received in the garden by Hiera Bey, to whom the place belonged. In the drawing-room the same ceremony of chibouques and coffee was performed. The Bey and his suite joined our party, and we went to the residence of another pacha, where the same ceremony was about to be renewed, but to which we unanimously objected. His pachaship and suite, altogether about twelve persons, also joined us, thus doubling the number of our cavalcade, which, as we passed along the narrow lane bordered on either side