CHAPTER XXIV.

SYRIA. FROM MOUNT LEBANON TO DAMASCUS.

Consecrated names.-Soliman pasha.-Ascent of Lebanon.Perilous road.-Khan Hussein.-Travelling in Syria.Route over Lebanon. Scenery.-Famous cedars.-Geological observations.-Sepulchres in rocks.—Coal mine.— Rail-road. Roman iron-works. Mode of smelting. Sure-footed mules.-Adventures on snow.-Heat.-Salutations. Franks.-How regarded.-Anecdote.- Tanlour. -Various modes of training vines.-Valley of Bakaah.Zahleh.-Monks.-Tombs of Noah and Elisha.-Words cupola and alcove.-Caverns.-State of country.-Ploughs. -Goads.-Anecdote.-Baalbec.-First view.-Octagonal temple.-Wall.-Enormous stones.-Quarries.- Cyclops. · Architecture of Baalbec. Semicircular buildings. — Gigantic pillars.-Temple of Sun.-Town. - Garri· Sheikh. Greek bishop.

son.

Anecdote. Mountain track. Snow. -Heat.-Levy of troops.-Tomb of Seth.

Caves-Zebedanee.-Cakes.-Distress.-Houses. -Roofs.-Illustration of Scripture.-Coffee and tobacco.Interview with sheikh.-European custom regarding names reversed. Tomb of Abel.-Abilene.-Anecdote.-Rivers. -Abana and Pharphar

CONSECRATED NAMES.

249

I WAS peculiarly fortunate in meeting at Beyroot with Mr. Nicolayson, already referred to as resident at Jerusalem. Since he, like myself, was going to the holy city, and had never visited the district through which I purposed travelling, he kindly consented to accompany me, and to give me the benefit of his acquaintance with the eastern languages. To his intimate knowledge of Hebrew and the Hebrews, and the manners and customs of Syria, I was indebted for much of the interest of the journey, and much of the information gleaned in the course of it.

While preparing for a tour in this country, a stranger cannot fail to be struck with the constant and familiar use of consecrated names which will attract his notice in some such sentences as the following; "Your road to Jerusalem, sir, lies straight through Nazareth;" or, "If you please, you may take my mules as far as Bethlehem;" or, "In going to Damascus you must sleep in a khan on Lebanon." It is some time before the mind becomes reconciled to such an application of names till then associated exclusively with sacred events and Scripture history.

Our arrangements were made for departing a day before we succeeded in quitting Beyroot.

The cause of detention was the arrival of Soliman pasha, which had induced the muleteers to fly from the town for fear of being pressed into his service at a lower rate than would remunerate them. This individual is by birth a Frenchman; but having deserted his faith and country, he has risen in the Egyptian service, and is now a general in the employ of Mohammed Ali. Though devoid of principle, yet he is a man of enlightened mind; and, as such, was appointed to decide some differences subsisting between the European consuls and the viceroy's administration; for which object he then visited Beyroot.

Provided with the requisite number of mules for ourselves, our servants, and baggage, and having exchanged the worse than useless Ibrahim for a clever Maltese, named Angelo, we wound our way between high hedges of cactus till we had cleared the suburbs of the town; then, crossing a plain, commenced the ascent of Lebanon. In the road we met several of the Druses who principally people the mountainous district between Beyroot and Baalbec; while the seacoast is about equally divided between Christians and Mohammedans.

As it leaves the valley, the road becomes

ASCENT OF LEBANON.'

251

more rocky and perilous; till, as we proceeded towards the top of the second range of Lebanon, which we attained after an ascent of three hours, the track ceased to be a road and our course was almost a scramble over rocks. Here, even in the month of March, the snow lies deep on the heights. It was night, and the only resting-place was a hut rudely built of stones, piled one upon another without the aid of mortar or tools. A hole on one side served as door; a smaller one opposite as window; and both as chimneys. A few twigs lighted in the centre of the hovel filled it with smoke, and roused, without destroying, hosts of angry insects. Our canteens supplied food and candles; the old Arab presiding over the four walls dignified with the name of Khan Hussein, but offering what in no Christian country would be called "good accommodation for man and mule," provided straw for the supper of the one and eggs for that of the other; meagre fare for both; but the mind, not the body, finds food in Syria. A piece of oil-cloth was soon spread on the mud floor; our mattresses on the oil-cloth; and the weary limbs of the unaccustomed mountain travellers on the mattresses. Sleep was not desired in vain; and the discomfort of cold, smoke, in

252

TRAVELLING IN SYRIA.

sects, bruises, filth unutterable, snoring muleteers and braying mules, were soon forgotten. So, too, was the interest of the spot on which we bivouaced.

There is but one mode of travelling in Syria. Carriages and carriage-roads are unknown; and the sure-footedness of the asinine race points out mules and donkeys as preferable to horses on the dangerous heights and almost impassable tracks which form the only communication between distant spots. A traveller in these regions has no reason to expect wholesome food, except when he may secure accommodation in a Greek or Latin convent: under other circumstances, he must depend entirely on his own provisions. A village will yield him generally sour, and sometimes fresh, milk, eggs, and dibash, unleavened cakes which he can ill digest, and bad water. In the towns he will purchase live fowls, rice, and coarse bread; the fowls must be carried ready cooked, and the stores laid in must be proportioned to his distance from the next market. The mattress he takes with him will be unique wherever he goes; and as to further luxuries, -the remembrance of the land in which he is travelling and its surpassing interest must supply to him the place of superfluities. The