distinction to the travelling dragoman, who bears the same relation as a
courier in Europe. They also had a certain number of kawwasses, who look
like cavalry soldiers. The Consulate at Damascus was then quite like a
diplomatic post, and I felt like a Minister's wife, and was treated
accordingly. For instance, every time I went outside my door I was
attended by four kawwasses, with swords and uniforms much ornamented,
also a dragoman interpreter. The duty of these four attendants was to
clear the way before and behind me, and I assure you it was far more
pain than pleasure to me to see mules, horses, donkeys, camels, little
children, and poor old men thrust out of the way, as if I were sacred and
they were all dirt. How they must have cursed me! I told my kawwasses
that I did not wish them to show themselves officious by doing more than
was absolutely necessary for the dignity of the British Consulate and the
custom of the country. But their escort certainly was necessary to a
great extent. When the common people saw a kawwass, they knew one was of
importance, and made way for one; otherwise a woman could not walk the
streets of Damascus without being molested: even the famished herds of
dogs seemed to know the difference between kawwass and no kawwass. The
danger from dogs was that they collected and ran in packs, and you were
almost caught in the eddy of wild and half-starved dogs if you were
not guarded.

I hate pomp and ceremony of all kinds, except where it is absolutely
necessary; but in this case I could not dispense with it. The French
Minister's wife was hissed in the streets of Constantinople because she
chose to dispense with her escort. A Protestant clergyman's wife was
nearly struck by a Turkish soldier for brushing against him with her
petticoats, thus rendering him, according to his religion, unclean.
Besides, women in the East want a guard. A missionary young lady who
came up in the _coupe_ of the diligence from Beyrout to Damascus had an