Kept upon our guard till near sun-rise, when
we proceeded, and saw upon the wet ground the traces of men and dogs,
who had passed the night in the church, probably as much in fear of
strangers as we were ourselves.
November 22d.--I took a view of the town, after which we descended into
the plain, called here Ard Aaszaf [Arabic], from a Tel named Aazaf, at
half an hour from the Khudher. The abundant rains had already covered
the plain with rich verdure. Our way lay S. At the end of an hour and a
quarter we saw to our left, one mile distant from the road, a ruined
castle upon a Tel called Keres [Arabic]; close to our road was a low
Birket. To the
AYOUN.
[p.97]right, three or four miles off, upon another Tel, stands the
ruined castle El Koueires [Arabic]. From Keres to Ayoun [Arabic], two
hours distant from Zahouet el Khudher, the ground is covered with walls,
which probably once enclosed orchards and well cultivated fields. At
Ayoun are about four hundred houses without any inhabitants. On its west
side are two walled-in springs, from whence the name is derived. It
stands at the eastern foot of the Szfeikh [Arabic] a hill so called, one
hour and a half in length. I saw in the town four public edifices, with
arches in their interior; one of them is distinguished by the height and
fine curve of the arches, as well as by the complete state of the whole
building. Its stone roof has lost its original black colour, and now
presents a variety of hues, which on my entering surprised me much, as I
at first supposed it to be painted. The door is ornamented with grapes
and vine leaves. There is another large building, in which are three
doors, only three feet high; over one of them are these letters:
[xxxxx].
Over an arch in its interior is this:
[Greek].
From Ayoun ruined walls of the same kind as those we met with in
approaching Ayoun extend as far as Oerman [Arabic], distant one hour and
a half, in the open plain. Oerman is an ancient city, somewhat larger
than Ayoun. In it are three towers, or steeples, built in the usual
mode, which I have described at Kuffer. On the walls of a miserable
building adjoining the S. side of the town are the following six
inscribed tablets, built into the wall; the second is inverted, a proof
that they have been placed in this situation by modern barbarians as
ornaments:
OERMAN.
[p.98]
1. [Greek].
2. [Greek].
3. [Greek].
4. [Greek].
5. [Greek].
[p.99] [Greek].
Between the first and second inscriptions is a niche in the wall, about
four feet high; resembling the annexed figure: [xxxxx].
Over a door in the western part of the town is the following:
[Greek].
Oerman has a spring; but my guides, afraid of prolonging our stay in
these desert parts, denied its existence when I enquired for it. I was
informed afterwards that a large stone, on which is an inscription, lies
near it. There are also several Birkets.
From Oerman we proceeded one hour and a quarter, to the town and castle
called Szalkhat [Arabic]: the intermediate country is full of ruined
walls. The soil of the desert, as well here
SZALKHAT.
[p.100]as between Zahouet and Oerman, is black; and, notwithstanding the
abundant rains, the ground was intersected in every direction by large
fissures caused by the summer heat. The castle of Szalkhat is situated
upon a hill at the southern foot of the Szfeikh. The town, which
occupies the south and west foot of the castle hill, is now uninhabited;
but fifteen years since a few Druse and Christian families were
established here, as well as at Oerman: the latter retired to Khabeb,
where I afterwards saw them, and where they are still called Szalkhalie.
The town contains upwards of eight hundred houses, but presents nothing
worthy of observation except a large mosque, with a handsome Madene or
Minaret; the mosque was built in the year 620 of the Hedjra, or A.D.
1224, as appears from an inscription upon it; the Minaret is only two
hundred years old. But even the mosque seems to have been nothing more
than a repaired temple or church, as there are several well wrought
niches in its outer walls: and the interior is vaulted, with arches
supported by low pillars similar to those which have been before
described. Several stones are lying about, with Greek inscriptions; but
all so much defaced as to be no longer legible. Within the mosque lies a
large stone with a fleur-de-lis cut upon it. In the court-yards of the
houses of the town are a great number of fig and pomegranate trees; the
former were covered with ripe fruit, and as we had tasted nothing this
day but dry flour, we made a hearty dinner of the figs. There is no
spring either in the castle or town of Szalkhat, but every house has a
deep cistern lined with stone; there is also a large Birket.
The castle stands upon the very summit of the hill, and forms a complete
circle; it is a very commanding position, and of the first importance as
a defence of the Haouran against the Arabs. It is surrounded by a deep
ditch, which separates the top of the hill
[p.101]from the part immediately below it. I walked round the outside of
the ditch in twelve minutes. The upper hill, except in places where the
rock is firm, is paved with large flat stones, similar to those of the
castle of Aleppo: a number of these stones, as well as parts of the
wall, have fallen down, and in many places have filled up the ditch to
half its depth.
