e eAthens Greece June 28^th
My dear William–Our travels since we left Egypt have
been so humid and irregular that I have been unable to give
you at any time any account of our whereabout. After leaving
Alexandria we stopped a day at Port Said in Egypt to examine
the Suez Canal. We landed the next morning at Jaffa and were
received there with military honors and conveyed to the U. States
consulate. There is not a wheel carriage of any kind in all Palestine
We left at 4 o'clock P.M. myself in a mule litter & the ladies on
horseback, for Jerusalem and rested that night in the Latin
Monestary at Ramleh, half way across the vale of Sharon—
The next morning, starting at 5 O'clock we crossed the mountains
of Judea/and entered the Holy City at 5 P.M. having had on
the way two [ ostentacous ] receptions—one by the consul the other by
the Pasha—both in tents with military and music—In six
days we explored the Holy Sepulchre—Calvary, the Mosque of
Omar the ruins of Solomon's temple—the scene of the nativity
at Bethlehem, the miracle at Betheny —the transfiguration &
ascention on the Mount of Olives–the brook Kedron [ Gethsemene ]
and the pool of Siloam — and other historical & sacred places—
We embarked at Jaffa on the Sunday following and stopped
one day at Beyroot. The fatigues of of travel about Jerusalem
had proved so severe that we relinquished reluctantly our
journey to Damascus—& Balbec – We steamed directly across to Cy-
prus where we passed an interesting day—and afterward came
through a large portion of the Grecian [ Archipelego ] not without
seeing Mt Taurus on the coast of Asia as we had already seen
Mts Carmel & Lebanon—We spent a day at Syra & arrived here
yesterday—We have spent a day in rapid explorations of Athens
& its environs—This morning we have seen some freinds—I am
now going to an audience which the Queen, in the absence of the

King has honored me—We returned visits afterward and shall
embark this evening for Constantinople expecting to arrive there the
day after tomorow. We shall stop there a few days to rest and
refit. We shall then proceed with about as much rapidity as the
condition of my health will admit, through Europe over
land—It is fairly possible that letters addressed to the Lega-
tion at London might meet me there—It is so long since I have
had any information from home that I feel very anxious in
regard to your health. I hope to be relieved of that solicitude
as well as other anxieties, by letters which will meet me at Con-
stantinople—Your affectionate father William H. Seward
Constantinople July 3d
My dear William
We arrived in this ancient & magnificent city on
Thursday June 29th, taking the Legation, consul & Turkish au-
thorities by surprise, they being engaged preparing to receive us on
Saturday. The quiet and rest which we secured in this way were
very necessary. Oppressed with a severe cold, and leg worn and
weary, I had begun to feel dispirited about my ability to finish,
without some new reinforcement, the long journey in which we
were engaged. Nor was Olive in much better or in more hopeful
condition. We are, however, now refreshed and reinvigorated
We are entertained as guests of the Sultan in fine apart-
ments at the Hotel d Angletere with carriages, servants & barges
at command. I may as well caution you against supposing that
we live altogether free of Expense while being entertained by
imperial or other eminent hosts. Every servant or officer or other
person employed around us expects a gratuity in amount pro-
portioned to the favor manifested toward us by the person whose
guests we are — All merchants accounts & others are graduated
on the same principle (especially washing bills)—full one third

being added to the amount in consideration of
our supposed importance. We purchased silk, as private
persons at 66 dollars & When we gave our name the price
was promptly advanced to 90 dollars – on the ground of an
illeged mistake—I have exchanged complimentary visits
with the cabinet ministers & we have seen an imperial pro-
cession. Moreover we have occasionally rode over the hills
Which divide the two oceans and look down upon the beau-
tiful Bosphorus which separates the two continents—but this
is all we have done—This evening we visit the Mosque of St
Sophia and tomorow commence the seeing of the lions in
full earnest. I am not yet fully resolved about the time of
our departure or the way of our journey. But I think probably
we will leave Constantinople on the 11th inst—and proceed
by the way of the Danube to Vienna thence by rail—We
shall stop in Italy & France only to take the needful rest after
so long a journey. I have not been able to make an estimate of
the cost of our journey across the continent of Europe to London.
It is probable that to guard against all contingencies that

I may draw on my own account before leaving here fifteen
hundred dollars. This with the funds I have on hand, I trust
will carry us to London—I thank you and Olive thanks you
you & Jenny & Nellie & Willie and Frederick & Augustus and
dear Aunty for the many kind, affectionate and interesting
letters which I found on my arrival here. It is especially
gratifying that the family has been blest with health, cheer-
fulness & happiness during my long absence. We are coun-
ting the days when we shall all meet again in the old
family house, to part no more, I trust, until the final but
inevitable separation
Affectionately your father
William H. Seward
e