To Each Of The Towers The Natives Have Given A Name.
The most
northern is called Berdj Ras el Nahr, from its being near the Kadisha;
those to the south
Are Berdj el Dekye, Berdj el Sebaa [Arabic], or the
lion's tower;[The natives say, that on the shield carved above The
gateway of this tower two lions were formerly visible.--These were the
arms of Count Raymond de Thoulouse. I saw at Tripoli a leaden seal of
the Count, with a tower, meant probably for the Berdj el Sebaa, on the
reverse.] Berdj el Kanatter [Arabic]; Berdj el Deyoun [Arabic], and
Berdj el Mogharabe [Arabic].
The harbour of Tripoli is formed by a line of low rocks, stretching from
the point of the Myna about two miles into the sea, towards the north;
they are called by the natives Feitoun [Arabic]. On the north the point
of Tartous in some measure breaks the impetuosity of the sea; but when
the northern winds blow with violence, vessels are often driven on
shore. In a N.N.W. direction from the harbour extends a line of small
islands, the farthest of which is about ten miles distant from the main
land. They are named as follow: El Bakar [Arabic], which is nearest to
the harbour, Billan [Arabic], about half a mile in circumference, with
remains of [p.166]ancient habitations, and several deep wells; there are
several smaller rocks, comprised under the general name of El Mekattya
[Arabic], whose respective appellations are, [Arabic]--next is Sennenye
[Arabic], Nakhle, or El Eraneb [Arabic], with several palm trees,
formerly inhabited by a great number of rabbits; El Ramkein [Arabic],
and Shayshet el Kadhi [Arabic].
The inhabitants of the Myna are chiefly Greek sailors or ship-wrights; I
found here half a dozen small country ships building or repairing. There
is also a good Khan. On the southern side of the triangular plain is a
sandy beach, where the sand in some places has formed itself by
concretion into rocks, in several of which are large cisterns. In the
bottom of the bay formed by the plain and by the continuation of the
shore to the south, is a spring of sweet water, and near it large
hillocks of sand, driven up from the shore by the westerly winds. The
sea abounds in fish and shell fish; the following are the names of the
best, in French and Arabic; they were given to me by a French merchant,
who has long resided in Tripoli; Dorade [Arabic], Rouget [Arabic], Loupe
[Arabic], Severelle [Arabic], Leeche [Arabic], Mulaye [Arabic], Maire
noir [Arabic], Maire blanc [Arabic], Vieille [Arabic]; these are caught
with small baskets into which bait is put; the orifice being so made
that if the fish enters, he cannot get out again. It is said that no
other fish are ever found in the baskets. The names of some others fit
for the table are Pajot ([Arabic or Arabic]). [Arabic]. [Arabic], and
[Arabic].
Half an hour north of Tripoli, on the road we came by, is the tomb of
Sheikh El Bedawy, with a copious spring near it, enclosed by a wall; it
contains a great quantity of fish, which are considered sacred by the
Turks of Tripoli, and are fed daily by the guardians of the tomb, and by
the Tripolitans; no person dares kill any of them; they are, as the
Turks express it, a Wakf to the tomb. The same kind of fish is found in
the Kadisha.
[p.167]The commerce of Tripoli has decreased lately, in proportion with
that of the entire commerce of Syria. There are no longer any Frank
establishments, and the few Franks who still remain are in the greatest
misery. A French consul, however, resides here, M. Guys, an able
antiquary, and who was very liberal in his literary communications to
us. He has a very interesting collection of Syrian medals. Mr.
Catziflis, who is a Greek, is a very respectable man, and rendered
considerable services to the English army during the war in Egypt. He is
extremely attentive and hospitable to English travellers.
The principal commerce of Tripoli is in silk produced upon the mountain,
of which it exports yearly about 800 quintals or cwt., at about £80.
sterling per quintal. Formerly the French merchants used to take silk in
return for their goods, as it was difficult to obtain money in the
Levantine trade; it is true that they sold it to a disadvantage in
France; yet not so great as they would have done had they insisted on
being reimbursed ready money, upon which they must have paid the
discount. The silk was bought up at Marseilles by the merchants of
Barbary, who thus procured it at a lower rate than they could do at
Tripoli. This intercourse however has ceased in consequence of the ruin
of French trade, and the Moggrebyns now visit Tripoli themselves, in
search of this article, bringing with them colonial produce, indigo, and
tin, which they buy at Malta. The sale of West India coffee has of late
increased greatly in Syria; the Turks have universally adopted the use
of it, because it is not more than half the price of Mokha coffee; a
considerable market is thus opened to the West India planters, which is
not likely to be interrupted, until the Hadj is regularly re-
established, the principal traffic of which was in coffee.
The next chief article of exportation is sponges; they are procured on
the sea shore; but the best are found at a little depth in
[p.168]the sea. The demand for them during the last two years has been
very trifling; but I was told that fifty bales of twelve thousand
sponges each might be yearly furnished; their price is from twenty-five
to forty piastres per thousand. Soap is exported to Tarsous, for
Anatolia and the Greek islands, as well as alkali for its manufacture,
which is procured in the eastern desert.
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