DEIR EL AKHMAR
[p.17]these countries and the town of Baalbec, all the Christian
families quitted the town, and encamped for six weeks around these
springs.
From Djoush we crossed the northern mountain of the valley, and came to
Wady Nahle, near the village of Nahle, situated at the foot of the
mountain, and one hour and a half E.b.N. from Baalbec. There is nothing
remarkable in the village, except the ruins of an ancient building,
consisting at present of the foundations only, which are strongly built;
it appeared to me to be of the same epoch as the ruins of Baalbec. The
rivulet named Nahle rises at one hour's distance, in a narrow Wady in
the mountain. The neighbourhood of Baalbec abounds in walnut trees; the
nuts are exported to Zahle and the mountains, at two or two and a half
piastres per thousand.
In the evening we left Baalbec, and began to cross the plain in the
direction of the highest summit of Mount Libanus. We passed the village
of Yeid on the left, and a little farther on, an encampment of Turkmans.
During the winter, the territory of Baalbec is visited by a tribe of
Turkmans called Suedie, by the Hadidein Akeidat, the Arabs Abid, whose
principal seat is near Hamil, between El Kaa and Homs; and the Arabs
Harb. The Suedie Turkmans remain the whole year in this district, and in
the valleys of the Anti-Libanus. All these tribes pay tribute to the
Emir of Baalbec, at the rate of twelve or fifteen pounds of butter for
each tent, for the summer pasture. At the end of three hours march we
alighted at the village Deir el Akhmar, two hours after sunset. This
village stands just at the foot of the mountain; it was at this time
deserted, its inhabitants having quitted it a few weeks before to escape
the extortions of Djahdjah, and retired to Bshirrai. In one of the
abandoned houses we found a shepherd who tended a flock belonging to the
Emir; he treated us with some milk, and made a large fire, round which
we lay down, and slept till day-break.
MOUNT LIBANUS
[p.18]October 2d.--The tobacco of Deir el Akhmar is the finest in Syria.
There is no water in the village, but at twenty minutes from it, towards
the plain, is a copious well. After ascending the mountain for three
hours and a half, we reached the village Ainnete: thus far the mountain
is covered with low oak trees (the round-leaved, and common English
kinds), and has but few steep passages. Nearly one hour from Ainnete
begins a more level country, which divides the Upper from the Lower
Libanus. This part was once well cultivated, but the Metaweli having
driven the people to despair, the village is in consequence deserted and
in ruins. A few fields are still cultivated by the inhabitants of Deir
Eliaout and Btedai, who sow their seed in the autumn, and in the spring
return, build a few huts, and watch the growing crop. The walnut tree
abounds here.
There are three springs at Ainnete, one of which was dried up; another
falls over the rock in a pretty cascade; they unite in a Wady which runs
parallel with the upper mountain as far as the lake Liemoun, two hours
west of Ainnete; at this time the lake was nearly dry, an extraordinary
circumstance; I saw its bed a little higher up than Ainnete.
From Ainnete the ascent of the mountain is steep, and the vegetation is
scanty; though it reaches to the summit. A few oaks and shrubs grow
amongst the rocks. The road is practicable for loaded mules, and my
horse ascended without difficulty. The honey of Ainnete, and of the
whole of Libanus, is of a superior quality.
At the end of two hours and a half from Ainnete we reached the summit,
from whence I enjoyed a magnificent view over the Bekaa, the Anti-
Libanus, and Djebel Essheikh, on one side, and the sea, the sea shore
near Tripoli, and the deep valley of Kadisha on the other. We were not
quite upon the highest summit, which lay half an hour to the right.
Baalbec bore from hence S. by E,
[p.19]and the summit of Djebel Essheikh S. by W. The whole of the rock
is calcareous, and the surface towards the top is so splintered by the
action of the atmosphere, as to have the appearance of layers of slates.
Midway from Ainnete I found a small petrified shell, and on breaking a
stone which I picked up on the summit, I discovered another similar
petrifaction within it.
Having descended for two hours, we came to a small cultivated plain. On
this side, as well as on the other, the higher Libanus may be
distinguished from the lower; the former presenting on both sides a
steep barren ascent of two to two hours and a half; the latter a more
level wooded country, for the greater part fit for cultivation this
difference of surface is observable throughout the Libanus, from the
point where I crossed it, for eight hours, in a S. W. direction. The
descent terminates in one of the numerous deep valleys which run towards
the seashore.
I left my guide on the small plain, and proceeded to the right towards
the Cedars, which are visible from the top of the mountain, standing
half an hour from the direct line of the route to Bshirrai, at the foot
of the steep declivities of the higher division of the mountain. They
stand on uneven ground, and form a small wood. Of the oldest and best
looking trees, I counted eleven or twelve; twenty-five very large ones;
about fifty of middling size; and more than three hundred smaller and
young ones.
