connexion, he sent a person to Constantinople to buy for him three young Georgian slaves to choose from: for the sum of forty-three thousand piastres, his commission was executed. The youngest was selected, instructed in religion, baptized, and united to the prince: the two others became her servants. Magnificent presents, including diamonds of great value, were made to the bride. She was worthy of the attentions and the generosity of her husband for her amiable disposition, her prudence, and, above all, for an extraordinary modesty, that is not affected by the high rank to which she has been raised. But what is, perhaps, still more remarkable, her two companions, who had an equal right to hope to become princesses, content with their lot, wait upon her most assiduously, without envying her better fortune.

From Bechir's palace, I went to the residence of the emir Amin. He was that day giving audience. Among the throng which filled the hall, I remarked the grandees of the mountain, whom it was easy to distinguish, because they were seated, while all the other persons present were standing. Amin received me very graciously, made me sit down by him, and asked me a great number of questions, but with such volubility, that my dragoman had scarcely time to interpret them, and I to utter a few words in reply. The ravages of the cholera made him uneasy; indeed to me he appeared greatly alarmed. Our conversation took place in the presence of the whole assembly: grandees, servants, slaves, all listened, laughed, or looked grave, according to the nature of the subjects spoken of. Most of them joined in the conversation: this is customary; and, to judge from the impression

130

THE EMIRS KHALIL AND KASSEM.

produced upon me, nothing is more embarrassing for a stranger.

I then went to the emir Khalil's. I found him superintending the wainscoting of a room. The prince has a mania for building. It is a great chance that a room pleases him for six months; he is frequently tired of it sooner: he then pulls it down, builds another on a new plan, decorates it with fresh ornaments; and, before he has inhabited it many weeks, he begins to dislike that. Seated on a velvet cushion, he was smoking his pipe, amidst cabinet-makers, carpenters, and locksmiths; who, with hatchets, hammers, and files, made a noise that stunned you and set your teeth on edge. Like his brother, he desired me to sit down by him, ordered refreshments to be brought me, and talked to me about war. I have already told you that he is a good soldier: he has distinguished himself in the service of Ibrahim ; and, when his father, the emir Bechir, had to fight the parties which disputed the supreme authority with him, he was ably seconded by Khalil. The latter is, nevertheless, without appointment and without authority.

My last visit was to the emir Kassem, who resides in a separate palace. He received me with the utmost politeness. He is considered as the least clever of the prince's three sons. All I know is, that I thought him the most amiable of the whole family. He presented to me his son and his daughter, both extremely well-bred. The young princess, who is sixteen, possesses extraordinary beauty, and, what is more, extraordinary modesty. I was not a little surprised to see her wear on her head a prodigious horn; this is an article of

HORN WORN BY WOMEN.

131

dress with almost all the married women of the Lebanon. The horn is longer or shorter, according to the rank of the individual; that of the princess is full two feet and a half long; they alone have a right to wear it before marriage. This singular ornament is in the shape of a speaking-trumpet. It is of silver or gold. The ladies of Mount Lebanon put a large veil over it. Their attachment to this appendage amounts in some even to passion. They never lay it aside, either in health or in sickness, or even on the bed of death: they expire in this head-dress. The horn is then sold, and the produce of it is usually spent in having masses said for the peace of the soul of the deceased: hence, perhaps, the affection which they manifest for this object.

There is another sort of horn, which some women wear on the side of the head. This covers the ear and the cheek, and its point projects beyond the shoulder. It nearly resembles, in form, the horn used by deaf persons.

The emirs Amin, Khalil, and Kassem, have a strong resemblance to one another, and are all remarkable for extraordinary corpulence. Their wives are the only society of their young stepmother.

These three brothers, and the prince, their father, as I have told you, are catholics; they are very punctual in the performance of their religious duties, but they do not go publicly to the church at Bteddin: they hear mass in a private chapel. This conduct appears to me the more extraordinary, since the greater part of the inhabitants of the mountain are catholics, and since the Turks are now without power, and the Egyptians very tolerant. The emir Bechir and his whole family pay

132

M. DE LAMARTINE.

the utmost respect to the bishop: I even observed, when I visited the emir Kassem, that the princess, his daughter, kissed the hands of the prelate.

A magnificent catholic church is at this moment building at Bteddin: the expence is defrayed by the prince.

I had seen all that could interest my curiosity in this residence. Having determined to set out at night, on my return to Beyrout, I went to take leave of the emir. The prince lavished upon me marks of honour and distinction, in the presence of his court, and offered to give me not only letters of recommendation to the different authorities, but some of his guards for an escort, so long as I should be in his territories: but, as this would have been at once expensive and useless, I thanked him, and declined the offer.

I set out, at eleven o'clock, by magnificent moonlight. At noon, next day, I was at Beyrout. There I found Monsieur and Madame de Lamartine, with their young daughter, Julia. I cannot tell you how much I was delighted to see the illustrious author of the "Meditations." His poems have procured me many happy moments, and, in particular, his beautiful verses of Hope" have often soothed and comforted my heart. It was a real happiness to me to have an opportunity of expressing my gratitude to him.

M. de Lamartine was going to make the same tour which I was finishing as a pilgrim. As I could stay but a few days at Beyrout, during that short interval I omitted no occasion of profiting by his society and enjoying his interesting conversation.

DEPARTURE FROM BEYROUT.

133

LETTER XLIV.

DEPARTURE FROM BEYROUT-TRIPOLI - M. LAFOND-ITALIAN RENEGADO- - SPONGE FISHERY-MOUNTAINS OF LEBANON - VILLAGE OF EDEN-REMARKABLE WALNUT-TREES-SHEIK OF EDEN; HIS FAMILY -CEDARS OF LEBANON-MARONITE HERDSMEN - VALLEY OF BEKAA -BALBECK-CHARITY OF THE CATHOLIC ARABS-TEMPLE OF THE SUN-DAMASCUS - THE LAZARIST AND FRANCISCAN FATHERS - THE VIA RECTA-HOUSE OF ANANIAS-WINDOW FROM WHICH ST. PAUL WAS LET DOWN BY THE CHRISTIANS; CAVERN WHERE HE SECRETED HIMSELF- CATHOLIC CHURCHES - DESCRIPTION OF DAMASCUS BAZARS-KHANS-MOSQUES CARAVAN OF MECCA-POPULATION

FANATICISM.

Damascus, October 13, 1832.

I left Beyrout, my dear Charles, on the 14th of last month, and embarked at eleven o'clock for Tripoli. Though I have a great dread of sea-sickness, from which I always suffer exceedingly, still I preferred that mode of travelling to a journey on horseback, for two long days, on a scorching beach. It was not long before I repented my choice. At midnight, the sea, at first calm and tranquil, became so rough, that the master of our vessel, who had stood out too far from land, began to be very uneasy. The waves, following one another with frightful rapidity, came roaring around the vessel, frequently rising above it and threatening to engulph us. I looked sorrowfully at them, holding by the ropes, and regretting that I had not adhered to the resolution which I had more than once formed, not to expose myself again, unless in case of absolute necessity, to the fickleness of an element which had already involved me in serious dangers.

Near me was an Egyptian colonel, a man of most remarkable aspect, who had been severely wounded at