plague, Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore went to the quarantine harbour,
where they saw the captain of the _Blazer_, lately arrived from
Beyrout. He informed them that Mr and Mrs Freemantle were in Fort
Manuel, after returning from the Holy Land. Sir Moses and Lady
Montefiore then called on Mr and Mrs Freemantle, who informed them
that while they were in Jerusalem the plague was raging there, and
they had to perform eighteen days quarantine before entering Beyrout,
but they believed the city to be now healthy, although Sir Moses would
probably find Jerusalem shut up, as the warm weather would bring back
the plague. They gave a most distressing account of the Jews under the
present government. All were more or less ill-treated, many being
actually in slavery. Mr Freemantle said that the Jews were looking
most anxiously for the arrival of Sir Moses.

_Friday, May 3rd._--Sir Moses took leave of the Admiral, and then went
to the Palace, and there met H.R.H. Prince George of Cambridge, who
received him most kindly, and they had a friendly conversation.

Soon after twelve, having taken leave of his remaining friends, Sir
Moses went with Lady Montefiore to the quarantine harbour, thence in a
boat to the _Megara_, a steam vessel. Captain Goldsmith, the
commander, received them on board, and at two o'clock we left the
harbour for Alexandria.

_Wednesday, May 8th._--This morning, soon after six, land was
discovered, the masts of the ships in the harbour being the first
objects caught sight of. A pilot came on board about eight. As we
entered the port the French steamer for Marseilles left, so that we
just missed the opportunity of sending letters by her. We were much
amused at the great precautions taken by the people who came alongside
in the boat belonging to the Board of Health. They received our Bill
of Health, which we had brought from Malta, with a pair of tongs,
every one alarmed lest he should touch it; it was opened with the aid
of the tongs and a thin iron rod; but as soon as they saw that it was
a clean bill, certifying that at the date of our leaving Malta was
free from plague and every other contagious distemper, the officers
came on board with Colonel Campbell's janissary.

Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore now landed, proceeding to an hotel,
where they remained overnight; and the next morning we all rode off to
the Custom House, opposite to which we found the _Megara's_ boat,
which Captain Goldsmith had politely sent