"Between 1834 and 1837, Curzon visited Egypt, Syria, Albania and mount Athos, in order to examine and collect ancient manuscripts. A dozen years later, sitting among these books, he entertained his solitary evenings in an English country house by writing 'some account of the most curious of these MSS. and the places in which they were found, as well as some of the adventures which I encountered in the pursuit of my venerable game'. The result was a charming flow of reminiscence, the expression of an engaging personality. His account of Egypt under Mehemet Ali has distinct historical value; and, in chapter XVI, he describes, as an eye-witness, the shocking scene of confusion, panic and death which took place in the church of the Holy Sepulchre on the occasion when Ibrahim pasha was present at the Easter ceremony of the holy fire. In a pleasanter and lighter vein, Curzon relates with a certain quaint simplicity his odd experiences in remote monasteries."--From The Cambridge History of English and American Literature (1907-21), Vol. XIV.

Table of Contents

• Preface
• Introductory Chapter
• Navarino - The Wrecks of the Turkish and Egyptian Fleets
• Rapacity of the Dragomans - The Mahmondieh Canal
• National Topics of Conversation - The Rising of the Nile
• Early Hours in the Levant - Compulsory Use of Lanterns in Cairo
• Interview With Mohammed Ali Pasha - Mode of Lighting a Room in Egypt
• Mohammed Bey, Defterdar - His Expedition to Senaar
• Visit to the Coptic Monasteries near the Natron Lakes - The Desert of Nitria
• View From the Convent Wall - Appearance of the Desert
• The Convent of the Pulley - Its Inaccessible Position
• Ruined Monastery in the Necropolis of Thebes - "Mr. Hay's Tomb"
• The White Monastery - Abou Shenood
• The Island of Philoe - The Cataract of Assouan
• Journey to Jerusalem - First View of the Holy City
• The Via Dolorosa - The House of Dives and of Lazarus
• Expedition to the Monastery of St. Sabba - Reports of Arab Robbers
• Church of the Holy Selpuchre - Procession of the Copts
• Albania - Ignorance at Corfu concerning that Country
• Start for Meteora - Recontre with a Wounded Traveller
• Meteora - The Extraordinary Character of its Scenery
• The Great Monastery of Meteora - The Church
• Return Journey - Narrow Escape
• Constantinople - The Patriarch's Palace
• Coom Calessi - Uncomfortable Quarters
• Monastery of St. Laura - Kind Reception by the Abbott
• The Monastery of Caracalla - Its Beautiful Situation
• The Monastery of Stavroniketa - The Library
• The Monastery of Russico - Its Courteous Abbott
• Caracalla - The Agoumenos