The Orientals are strong and athletic men, capable of enduring the greatest bodily fatigue.
The hamals or porters, both Mussulman and Armenian, have been known to carry on their backs immense weights; and one of these Oriental Hercules has been seen carrying, on a wager, a load of no less than a thousand pounds to a distance of a quarter of a mile!
The heavier hardens are suspended from long poles, the number of which increases in proportion to the weight. And when the contents are of glassware, instead of being marked Fragile, a full size representation of a bottle is painted upon the package. The ends of these poles rest on the shoulders of the hamals, and they walk in a steady and measured soldier-like step. One of them once accidentally slipped and fell, and the end of the pole striking him on the chest, he became senseless. His companions raised him up, whilst one of their number stood back to back with the injured man, and locking his arms within those of his comrade, repeatedly raised him from the ground, thus expanding the chest, until he recovered his breath, when, to the astonishment of the bystanders, the man, after taking one or two long inspirations, smiling at the funny incident, shouldered his pole and marched on as if nothing had happened!
These very men live habitually on the simplest diet, consisting of the coarsest brown bread, in the middle of which they make a cavity, and fill it with equal proportions of olive oil and molasses, and it is really a pleasure to see them enjoy their simple meals with a relish that would kill all dyspepsia doctors from sheer envy.
The native intelligence of the people is evinced by their aptitude in acquiring the arts of civilized life; for after a residence of a couple of years in the metropolis, the rudest peasants become accomplished soldiers and skillful artisans.
The facility with which they have adapted themselves to the European style of music is very remarkable, and certainly implies much talent or cleverness.
Indeed, many of those who have risen to the higher ranks of society, evince no signs, in their general deportment, of plebeian origin, save the peculiar brogue of local rusticity.
Nothing is more erroneous and unjust than the idea that the Orientals are indolent or inactive.