me once since.

'I wrote a letter to Lord Chatham about her as I know her family knew
little or nothing about her; in a manner I found myself called on.

'Much more could I write, but really just now my attention is so much
called off by continual calling from Capt. Hamilton, who sends for me on
every occasion, that this despatch will be curtailed, but I trust that
more particulars will come _viva voce_.

'Tyre was the next place where we anchored; no vessel of war with
English colours had visited this port in the memory of any inhabitant
living at the place, which to be sure is not many; it is little better
than the prophecy states it should be "a rock for fishers to dry their
nets upon." There are here some superb remains of antiquity, Alexander's
isthmus and Solomon's cisterns. Alexander's famous siege of this place
is too well known and it is quite out of my power to say anything new of
it, but his work will remain for ever; the isthmus he made to connect
the island on which Tyre stood with the mainland is perfect to this day
and has no appearance of being a work of art, but of nature. It is 200
fathoms wide in its narrowest part. The most ancient relic in the town
of Tyre is the east end of a Christian church which is mentioned by
Mandiel; this stands nearly as he left it. Tyre itself is a wretched
place; any little attempt that the people have lately made to improve
themselves has been thwarted by the Pacha of St. Jean d'Acre, who
squeezes them so for money that they never have a para in their pockets.
Filth, misery and starvation are the legacy of a Tyrian. The country
around is rich and superb, its produce might be enormous, but so it is
with all Syria that I have seen.