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were born; how gently at first, ushered by the warm rays of the sun, they parted out of the bosom of the snow bank; anon how joyously they flung themselves from crag to rock, till joined by others, young and fresh as themselves, they disdained restraint and roared down towards the plains. Meanwhile, the poor mother exhausted by the labour, melts away her snowy bosom, dries, and, her offspring gone, dies out. The snow lay in every gulley, and following the track of a man who had luckily gone before us, we passed-not, however, without many falls and bruises-and arrived at the further side. The plain of the Bekaa or Colo-Syria lay before us, and sending the baggage on, we lighted our pipes and made kief,* while our eyes feasted on the view.

At our feet was the Bekaa, tinted to every shade; here red from the plough, there whitening with advancing harvest, there green with fresh pastures; the Anti-Libanus rose before us, with Mount Hermon towering up. To the north the plain stretched away beyond the ken; while,

*Kief: this word it is quite impossible to translate: it means repose, perfect, thorough and complete.

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ARRIVAL AT JEB JENIN.

south, blue mountains, faint from distance, closed in the view. The descent was easy, taking an hour or so; and then a smart gallop over the plain brought us to the Liettiani, a pretty, though lazy stream, the ancient Leontes, which takes its rise a few miles north-east of Baalbec, and flows into the sea, a large river north of Tyre, which we crossed by a long, badly-built, worse-kept bridge; from thence a quarter of an hour brought us to Jeb Jenin, one of the principal villages of the Bekaa.

The keen evening air drove us from our tent, and we gladly sat over a fire, in a house prepared for us. Burckhardt divides this plain into two districts, the Bekaa and Belbech; but doubt may be entertained if they are not two names for the same place. Bekaa means, in Bekaa means, in the Hebrew,

mulberry, which constitutes one of the principal sources of its wealth. The natives frequently call the northern portions also Bekaa. Its principal inhabitants are Mussulmans, with some few Greck Christians. It is, however, scarcely half in cultivation. This arises from the indolence of the Mussulmans, who are sedentary Arabs; the oppression to the Christians; the enormous rents

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levied by the holders of the property which, belonging principally to the Sultan, is farmed out

to inhabitants of Damascus; and, worse than all, particularly in the northern districts, the incursions of the Metualis, who are a restless, lawless people.

It is disputed whether this is the ancient ColoSyria, some ancient geographers giving that name to the country east of the Anti-Lebanon, commonly known as the Haoran, while some give the name to more northern plains.

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AN INTIMATE COMPANION.

CHAPTER VI.

Zea-Some Account of him-Prejudice of Jews against Dogs-Hills around the Anti-Lebanon-Pharpar and Abana-The KeblahWhat are its Points-Mahomet and his Commentators-First View of Damascus-Four Paradises of Persian Poets-Damascus one of them-Arrival at Damascus-Certain social Changes in the CityMultitude of Dogs-Their Persecution-Take Refuge in the Hotel de Palmyra.

APRIL 5TH.-Job Jenin to Damascus, thirteen. hours. The morning was keen; went off early, and, leaving the baggage, pushed on at a fast walk. Zea chose our company in preference to that of the more slothful baggage.

It would be but a poor tribute to his worth to pass over this companion of many wanderings, without a more lengthened description. He was one of the most intelligent of his species, and more travelled than any. Originally a gift from an Albanian chief, he was the perfection of a Grecian greyhound. Well-built, tall, and strong, of a perfect white, of great speed, bottom and pluck, he kept up with my horses for many

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months. Conscious of his worth, he insisted on the lion's share of my bed and board; and when we occasionally stopped in houses, he ensconced himself in the best corner of the best divan. Unfettered by religious prejudices, he was friendly, as occasion served, with Turks, Koords, and Jews. Now, these several races will not touch, nor hardly tolerate dogs near them, A Turk considers a dog's nose impure, but will, if he wishes for a favour, condescend to pat him elsewhere; but to the Jew and Koord, any contact is a profanation. Zea's irruptions on their carpets was a perfect plague to them, so much so as to compel us to tie him up while visiting them. If, however, they came to us, he kindly patronised them; nor was he easily driven away, for he knew perfectly who was master, and often dislodged the usurper.

On one occasion, a Jew who had imbibed liberal notions with a Russian, whose protection he enjoyed, established himself at my door, and, in spite of threats, refused to move, unless compelled by force. Unwilling to indulge my servants in what they would have delighted in, throwing the intruder, traps and all, into the river, we shut the dog out; and he, finding no access to his usual

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