The most interesting thing was the Tombs. These
were characteristic of Palmyra, and lined the wild mountain-defile
entrance to the city, and were dotted about on the mountain-sides. It
was a City of Tombs, a City of the Dead. I was much struck too with the
dirtiness of the people of Palmyra, which dirtiness results in
pestilence, ophthalmia, and plagues of flies.
The third day two officers, the Shaykh of Palmyra and another, dined
with us in our tents, and after dinner we strolled about the ruins by
moonlight, and when we were tired we sat down in a large ring on the
sand, and the soldiers and muleteers danced a sword-dance with wild cries
to musical accompaniments and weird songs. I shall never forget the
exceeding beauty of the ruins of Palmyra by moonlight. The following
day we explored the caves, and found human bones and things, which I
helped Richard to sort, much to the disgust of the Vicomte de Perrochel,
who was shocked at my want of sensibility, and said that a Frenchwoman
would certainly have had hysteria. We also explored the ruins, and wrote
descriptions of our journey to Palmyra. We had all retired to rest, when
I was aroused by hearing a roaring like that of a camel. I ran out of
my tent to see what was the matter; and being guided by a noise to the
servants' quarters, I found the kitchen assistant in convulsions, and
the rest holding him down. It was a Syrian disease, a sort of epilepsy.
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