Little Else Remains Than The Foundations, Which
Are Twenty Paces In Breadth, And Thirty In Length; Within The Area Of
The Temple Are The Foundations Of A Circular Building.
Many fragments of
columns are lying about, and a few extremely well formed capitals of the
Ionic order.
Upon two larger stones lying near the gate, which probably
formed the architrave, is the figure of a bird with expanded wings, not
inferior in execution to the bird over the architrave of the great
temple at Baalbec; its head is broken off; in its claws is something of
the annexed form, bearing no resemblance to the usual figure of the
thunderbolt. On the exterior, wall, on the south side of the temple, is
a large head, apparently of a female, three feet and a half high, and
two feet and a half broad, sculptured upon one of the large square
stones which form the wall: its features are perfectly regular, and are
enclosed by locks of hair, terminating in thin tresses under the chin.
This head seems never to have belonged to a whole length figure, as the
stone on which it is sculptured touches the ground. Near the ruins is a
deep well. A few hundred paces to the south, upon an eminence, are the
ruins of another edifice, of which there remain the foundations of the
walls, and a great quantity of broken columns of small size. Around
these edifices are the remains of numerous private habitations; a short
column is found standing in most of them, in the centre of the
foundations of the building. In the neighbouring rocks about a dozen
small cells are excavated, in some of which are cavities for bodies. I
found no inscriptions.
KATANA.
[p.50]S.W. from Rahle, one hour and a half, are the ruins of the castle
of Bourkush [Arabic]. We passed the spring called Ain Ward (the rose
spring), near a plain in the midst of the mountains called Merdj
Bourkush. The ruins stand upon a mountain, which appeared to me to be
one of the highest of the lower chain of the Djebel Essherk. At the foot
of the steep ascent leading up to the castle, on the N.W. side, is a
copious spring, and another to the W. midway in the ascent. These ruins
consist of the outer walls of the castle, built with large stones, some
of which are eight feet long, and five broad. A part only of the walls
are standing. In the interior are several apartments which have more the
appearance of dungeons than of habitations. The rock, upon which the
whole structure is erected, has been levelled so as to form an area
within, round which ran a wall; a part of this wall is formed by the
solid rock, upwards of eight feet high, and as many broad, the rock
having been cut down on both sides.
To the E. of this castle are the ruins of a temple built much in the
same style as that of Rahle, but of somewhat smaller dimensions, and
constructed of smaller stones. The architrave of the door is supported
by two Corinthian pilasters. A few Druse families reside at Bourkush,
who cultivate the plain below. On the S.E. side of the ascent to the
castle are small caverns cut in the rock. From this point Katana bore
S.E.
We returned from Bourkush to Katana by Ain Embery, a rivulet whose
source is hard by in the Wady, with some ruined habitations near it. The
distance from Bourkush to Katana is two hours and a half brisk walking
of a horse. The summit of the mountain was covered with snow. I heard of
several other ruins, but had no time to visit them. There are several
villages of Enzairie in the mountain. On the third day from my departure
I returned to Damascus.
[p.51]JOURNAL
OF AN
EXCURSION INTO THE HAOURAN
IN THE AUTUMN AND WINTER OF 1810.
November 8th.--On returning from the preceding tour, I was detained at
Damascus for more than a fortnight by indisposition. As soon as I had
recovered my health I began to prepare for a journey into the plain of
the Haouran, and the mountains of the Druses of the Haouran, a country
which, as well from the reports of natives, as from what I heard that
Mr. Seetzen had said of it, on his return from visiting a part of it
four years ago, I had reason to think was in many respects highly
interesting. I requested of the Pasha the favour of a Bouyourdi, or
general passport to his officers in the Haouran, which he readily
granted, and on receiving it I found that I was recommended in very
strong terms. Knowing that there were many Christians, chiefly of the
Greek church, I thought it might be equally useful to procure from the
Greek Patriarch of Damascus, with whom I was well acquainted, a letter
to his flock in the Haouran. On communicating my wishes, he caused a
circular letter to be written to all the priest, which I found of
greater
DEPARTURE FROM DAMASCUS.
[p.52]weight among the Greeks than the Bouyourdi was among the Turks.
Being thus furnished with what I considered most necessary, I assumed
the dress of the Haouran people, with a Keffie, and a large sheep-skin
over my shoulders: in my saddle bag I put one spare shirt, one pound of
coffee beans, two pounds of tobacco, and a day's provender of barley for
my horse. I then joined a few Felahs of Ezra, of one of whom I hired an
ass, though I had nothing to load it with but my small saddle-bag; but I
knew this to be the best method of recommending myself to the protection
of my fellow travellers; as the owner of the ass necessarily becomes the
companion and protector of him who hires it. Had I offered to pay him
before setting out merely for his company on the way, he would have
asked triple the sum I gave him, without my deriving the smallest
advantage from this increase, while he would have considered my conduct
as extraordinary and suspicious.
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