The Country From Kefr Shyna Is Wholly Inhabited By Druses.
The village
of Aanab is the hereditary seat of the family of Ibn Hamdan, who are the
chiefs of the Druses in the Haouran.
At five hours and a half is the
village Ayn Aanoub [Arabic]; a little above it the road descends into
the deep valley in which the Nahr el Kadhi flows. The mountain is here
overgrown with fine firs. Six hours and a half, is a bridge (Djissr el
Khadhi) under which the Nahr flows in a rocky bed. The Franks on the
coast commonly give to the Nahr Kadhi the name of Damour, an appellation
not unknown to the natives. On the other side of the bridge the road
immediately ascends to the village Kefrnouta, on the N. side of the
river, where it turns round the side of the mountain to Deir el Kammar,
distant seven hours and a quarter from El Mellaha. I rode through El
Kammar, without stopping, and proceeded to the village of Beteddein,
where the Emir Beshir is building a new palace.
BETEDDEIN.
[p.193]The town of Deir el Kammar is situated on the declivity of the
mountain, at the head of a narrow valley descending towards the sea. It
is inhabited by about nine hundred Maronite, three hundred Druse, and
fifteen or twenty Turkish families, who cultivate mulberry and vine
plantations, and manufacture all the articles of dress of the
mountaineers. They are particularly skilful in working the rich Abbas or
gowns of silk, interwoven with gold and silver, which are worn by the
great Sheikhs of the Druses, and which are sold as high as eight hundred
piastres a piece.
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