IN A PROTESTANT CONGREGATION. 247 seven ministers of religion; namely, an Armenian bishop, a baptized and unbaptized rabbi, with four Protestant ministers of three different nations and four different sects; a lay missionary and three ordained missionaries from the old and new worlds. The costumes displayed as singular a variety as the assembly. The hoary hair of the aged bishop, the black and bushy beard of the Jew, the curling mustaches of many, and the tonsured faces of others; the Turkish fez, turbans of divers forms and colors, the uncovered heads of the Franks, with the European fashions of their ladies, and the Arab costume of several boys and girls; all these united to form as picturesque and interesting an assembly as was perhaps ever exhibited by so small a number of persons. It was a moment of no ordinary interest when the first clergyman of the church of England was permitted, without fear or hindrance, to proclaim the truths of the gospel to such a congregation at the foot of that "goodly mountain" Lebanon, within twenty miles of the heritage of Israel! 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. - GarriMounGreek bishop. - Anecdote. son. Sheikh. tain 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 |