man; he related all his adventures with such a Baron Munchausen air,
assumed probably to excite admiration. I continued my
investigations on this subject until I was at length fortunate
enough to find some one who told an entirely different tale. From
this I felt assured at least of the fact, that it would be almost
impossible to learn the true state of the case here in
Constantinople, and at length made up my mind to avail myself of the
earliest opportunity of proceeding as far as Beyrout, where there
was a chance of my getting at the truth.

I was advised to perform this journey in male attire; but I did not
think it advisable to do so, as my short, spare figure would have
seemed to belong to a youth, and my face to an old man. Moreover,
as I had no beard, my disguise would instantly have been seen
through, and I should have been exposed to much annoyance. I
therefore preferred retaining the simple costume, consisting of a
kind of blouse and wide Turkish trousers, which I then wore. The
further I travelled, the more I became persuaded how rightly I had
acted in not concealing my sex. Every where I was treated with
respect, and kindness and consideration were frequently shewn me
merely because I was a woman. On

May 17th

I embarked on board a steamboat belonging to the Austrian Lloyd. It
was called the Archduke John.

It was with a feeling of painful emotion that I stood on the deck,
gazing with an air of abstraction at the preparations for the long
voyage which were actively going on around me. Once more I was