is more substantial than that of any other we had seen along the coast. I went twice into the town, and saw the only remains of antiquity which are now pointed out, viz. the numerous ancient columns lying as a foundation beneath the quay, and the ancient road cut in the rock outside of the southwestern wall. South of the city gate, near the way side, is a little cemetery, in which one reads the names of Mr Abbot formerly British consul at Beirut, and of Pliny Fisk, the missionary and man of God.

The city lies on a gradual slope, so that the streets have a descent towards the sea; but back of the town, the ground rises towards the south and west with more rapidity, to a considerable elevation. Here, and indeed all around the city, is a succession of gardens and orchards of fruit and of countless mulberry trees, sometimes surrounded by hedges of prickly pear, and giving to the environs of Beirût an aspect of great verdure and beauty; though the soil is perhaps less rich, and the fruits less fine, than in the vicinity of Saida. These gardens and orchards are all reckoned to the city, and were enclosed in the cordon; in them dwell at least one third of the population. The dwellings of the Franks are scattered upon the hills towards the south and southwest, each in the midst of its garden; they are built of stone in the southern European style, and exhibit many of the comforts of the west, heightened by the luxuries and charm of the east.

+

The houses of our friends were in this quarter; and commanded a superb prospect. From our windows the eye took in the whole great bay north of the promontory of Beirût, extending to the point near Nahr Ibrahim, the ancient Adonis. On the right the mighty wall of Lebanon rose in indescribable majesty, with one of its loftiest summits, Jebel Sunnîn, in full view; while beneath, between us and its foot, lay spread out a broad region covered with green trees and full of beauty. Along the bay, where it sets up to the very foot of Lebanon, we could distinguish the mouth of the Nahr el-Kelb, the ancient Lycus, with its celebrated pass marked by Latin inscriptions and Assyrian and Egyptian monuments;' near the southern corner is the Nahr Beirût, perhaps the Magoras of Pliny; while still more at hand was pointed out the region where, according to the legend, the combat took place between St. George and the dragon.3

milieu où vont les chevaux, et deux chemins de chaque costé relevés où marchent les hommes." The same form of narrow street is seen also in Jerusalem.

1 Maundrell March 17th. Pococke II i. p. 92. Burckhardt p. 190. The Latin inscriptions are given by Maundrell and Burckhardt.

2 Plin. H. N. 5. 20. Comp. Pococke II. i. p. 91. fol.-There seems to be not the slightest foundation for regarding the name Magoras as a corruption for Tamyras, as supposed by Mannert; Geogr. von Paläst. etc. 1831. p. 293.

3 Maundrell 1. c. Pococke ib. p. 91. Turner's Tour. etc. II. p. 61.-The legend

1

Yet what interested me most of all, perhaps, was the view of the towering heights of Lebanon, so rich in delightful associations drawn from scriptural history. As its ridges here present themselves to the eye, there is no difficulty in accounting for the name Lebanon, signifying in Hebrew the "White Mountain." The whole mass of the mountain consists of whitish limestone; or at least, the rocky surface, as it reflects the light, exhibits everywhere a whitish aspect. The mountain teems with villages; and is cultivated more or less almost to the very top. Yet so steep and rocky is the surface, that the tillage is carried on chiefly by means of terraces, built up with great labour and covered above with soil. When one looks upwards from below, the vegetation on these terraces is not seen; so that the whole mountain side appears as if composed only of immense rugged masses of naked whitish rock, severed by deep wild ravines running down precipitously to the plain. No one would suspect, among these rocks, the existence of a vast multitude of thrifty villages, and a numerous population of mountaineers, hardy, industrious, and brave. The great number of convents scattered over Lebanon, will be noticed in the next section.

The celebrated cedar grove of Lebanon is some three days' journey from Beirût, near the northern and perhaps highest summit of the mountain, six or eight hours north of Jebel Sunnîn. As I was able to visit the spot during a subsequent journey, a description of it belongs rather to another volume."

To say nothing of the rich mines of discovery in physical science, still to be explored in Mount Lebanon, the mountain well deserves further examination in a matter of historical import. I refer to the various ancient temples found in several parts of Lebanon, on both sides; some of them high up, in places where it must have been difficult to build; and exhibiting a style of architecture similar to the wonderful structures of Ba'albek. The site of one of these temples was visible from our windows, near the village Beit Miry, half way up the mountain, at the distance of three hours from Beirût. It is called Deir elKul'ah; and was described as built of immense hewn stones. without cement, with large columns in front; which, as well as the walls, are now mostly overthrown. Burckhardt visited not less than four other like temples in different parts of the mountain; and a sixth is marked by Mr Bird at Husn es-Sufiry, in

has been attached to this spot at least ever since the crusades, and is often mentioned by travellers; see de Suchem Itin. p. 102. Reissb. p. 828. Breydenbach in Reissb. p. 124. Quaresmius II. p. 909. Monconys I. p. 334, etc. etc.

1 The name is sometimes said to have

come from the perennial snow upon the mountain; but this does not exist in sufficient quantity, to present any permanently marked appearance.

2 See in Vol. III. Sect. XIII, under June 16th, 1852.

the district of ed-Dunnîyeh, northeast of Tripoly. Not improbably more exist in various other places.1

2

Beirût is the ancient Berytus of the Greeks and Romans, and by some is supposed to be also the Berothai or Berothah of the Hebrew Scriptures. The notices, however, respecting the latter, are such, that the name alone suggests an identity. As Berytus it is mentioned by the Greek and Latin geographers.3 Under Augustus it became a Roman military colony by the name of Felix Julia; and was afterwards endowed with the jus Italicum. It was at Berytus, that Herod the Great procured the flagitious mock trial to be held over his two sons. The elder Agrippa greatly favoured the city, and adorned it with a splendid theatre and amphitheatre, besides baths and porticos; inaugurating them with games and spectacles of every kind, including shows of gladiators." Here too, after the destruction of Jerusalem, Titus celebrated the birth day of his father Vespasian, by the exhibition of similar spectacles, in which many of the captive Jews perished."

5

In the next succeeding centuries, Berytus became renowned as a school of Greek learning, particularly of law; and was visited by scholars from a distance, like Athens and Alexandria. Eusebius relates, that the martyr Appian resided here for a time to pursue Greek secular learning; and the celebrated Gregory Thaumaturgus, about the middle of the third century, after having frequented the schools of Alexandria and Athens, repaired to Berytus, to perfect himself in the civil law. A later Greek poet describes Berytus in this respect as "the nurse of tranquil life."9 It was early likewise made a Christian bishopric, under

1 For Deir el-Kŭl'ah, see Vol. III. Sect. I. Of the four temples seen by Burckhardt, one is not far from Zahleh, and the rest in the vicinity of the convent Deir Dimitry in the district el-Kûrah southeast of Tarâbulus or Tripoly. Travels pp. 29, 173, 175-In 1852 I was able to visit a large number of similar temples in Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon, and in the Bukâ'a. See in Vol. III, passim.

22 Sam. 8, 8. Ez. 47, 16. In the former passage Berothai is spoken of as belonging to the kingdom of Zobah, (comp. vs. 5,) which appears to have included Hamath; comp. vs. 9. 10. 2 Chr. 8, 3. In the latter passage (Ez. 47, 15. 16), the border of Israel is drawn in prophetic vision, apparently from the Mediterranean by Hamath and Berothah towards Damascus and Hauran. The Berothah here meant, would therefore more naturally seem to have been an inland city.

8

3 Strabo 16. 2. 18, 19. p. 755; where he relates that Berytus was taken by the Romans after having been destroyed by Try phon. Ptolem. 15. 4. Plin. H. N. 5. 20.

4 Plin. ib. "Berytus colonia quæ Felix Julia adpellabatur." Joseph. B. J. 7. 3. 1. Leg. 7, Dig. de Censibus: "Juris Italici sunt Troas, Berytus, Dyrrachium." 5 Joseph. Antiq. 16. 11. 1-6. • Ibid. 19. 7. 5.

7 Joseph. B. J. 7. 3. 1; comp. 7. 5. 1. › Euseb. de Martyrib. Palæst. c. 4, de Apphiano: Ts 'Eλλńvwv Taidelas évekα κοσμικής . . . τὸν πλείονα κατὰ τὴν Βηρυτὸν diarpiyas Xpóvov.--Socrat. Hist. Ecc. 4. 27, de Gregor. Neocæs. ouros ws TŴY Αθήνησι παιδευτηρίων ἀναχωρήσας ἐν τῇ Βηρυτῷ νόμους ἐμάνθανεν. See too Cave Scriptorum Ecc. Hist. p. 82. Genev. 1705. 9 Nonnus Dionys. XLI, fin. Bnpuròs βιότοιο γαληναίοιο τιθήνη.

the jurisdiction of the patriarch of Antioch; and is mentioned by Jerome, as one of the places visited by Paula.1

Under the reign of Justinian, in the sixth century, Berytus was regarded as the most beautiful city of Phenicia; its academy continued to flourish, and was visited by many young men of wealth and rank, who pursued here the study of the Roman law in its Greek form. Under the same reign, Berytus was laid in ruins by an earthquake, and the school removed for a time to Sidon. In a later and more legend-loving age, in the eighth century, Berytus became the reputed seat of the noted miracle, according to which, when an image of Christ was once mocked and crucified by the Jews in scorn, and the side pierced with a spear, there issued from it blood and water in great quantity.3

2

5

4

The crusaders, in their first progress along the coast from Antioch to Jerusalem, in A. D. 1099, passed by Beirut, as they did other cities, without any attempt to get possession of it; indeed its commander is related to have furnished to them sup plies of provisions and money, on condition that they would spare the harvest, the vineyards, and the trees around the city. The place was not captured until A. D. 1110; when king Baldwin I. took it, after a protracted siege of seventy-five days. It remained long in the hands of the Christians; and is described as surrounded by a strong wall, and as lying in the midst of orchards, and groves, and vineyards. Beirût was made a Latin bishopric, under the archbishop of Tyre, and the patriarch of Jerusalem. In A. D. 1182, Saladin besieged the town by sea and land, and made violent efforts to take it by storm; but withdrew on the approach of the Christian forces from Sepphoris, after laying waste the adjacent orchards and vineyards. Five years later, immediately after the battle of Hattîn, Beirût surrendered to him on the eighth day after it was invested.'

8

To the new host of crusaders, chiefly from Germany, who reached the Holy Land in A. D. 1197, the possession of Beirût

2

1 Reland Palæst. p. 216. Le Quien Oriens Chr. II. col. 815 sq.-Hieron. Ep. 86, ad Eustoch. Epitaph. Paulæ, p. 672. Agathiæ Hist. lib. II. p. 51. ed. Paris. In here speaking of Berytus, Agathias remarks among other things: Пoλλol dè νέοι ἐπήλυδες εὐπατρίδαι τε καὶ παιδείας ἄριστα ἔχοντες, οἳ δὲ παρῆσαν τοὺς Ῥωμαίων αὐτοῦ ἀναλεξόμενοι νόμους.

3

See the tract of the doubtful Athanasius Junior, exhibited at the second council of Nicea, A. D. 787. Act. IV. Comp. Cave Scriptor. Eccl. Hist. pp. 416, 428 sq. Genev. 1705. Jac. de Vitriac. c. 26. The story is quoted in full by Quaresmius, II. p. 910.

4 Albert. Aq. 5. 40. Will. Tyr. 7. 22.

Wilken Gesch. der Kr. I. p. 267.-The crusaders sometimes call Beirût also Baurim; Alb. Aq. 5. 40. ib. 10. 8.

5 Alb. Aq. 11. 15-17. Fulcher Carnot. c. 36. Will. Tyr. 11. 13. Wilken ib. II. p. 212.

6 Edrîsi par Jaubert p. Vitr. c. 26.

355. Jac. de

7 For the bishopric and bishops of Beirût see Will. Tyr. 14. 13. ib. 15. 16. ib. 16. 17. ib. 17. 1. ib. 21. 9. Le Quien Oriens Chr. III. col. 1325 sq.

8 Will. Tyr. 22. 17, 18. Bohaed. Vit. Sal. p. 49. Wilken ib. III. ii. p. 212.

9 Bohaed. p. 72. Jac. de Vitr. c. 95. Wilken Gesch. der. Kr. III. ii. p. 295.

became an object of importance. It was now a seat of trade; it occupied a favourable position; and the Saracen galleys which harboured in and near its port, committed great ravages upon the Christian commerce, capturing and making slaves of thousands of pilgrims as they approached the Syrian coasts.1 The Christian army marched from Tyre upon this enterprise; and after a general battle with the Saracen forces, near Sidon, appeared before Beirut. They found the gates open; for, on the preceding day, the Christian slaves within the walls had risen upon the Saracens, and delivered the city over to the Christian fleet. It was now given up to Amalric, as king of Cyprus and Jerusalem, and reannexed to the latter kingdom."

In the later strife between the emperor Frederick II. and the regent John, of Ibelin, Beirût was seized and occupied for a time, in A. D. 1231, by the imperial forces; but was again abandoned without taking the citadel.3 The city remained in possession of the Christians, until the final and terrible overthrow of the Frank dominion in Syria, in A. D. 1291, in the siege and storm of 'Akka. After the abandonment of Tyre and Sidon by the Christians, the troops of the Sultan Ashraf approached Beirût. The Emîr in command announced to the inhabitants, that the former truce, which they had not broken, should be continued to them; and, at the same time, summoned them to come out and meet him with confidence, as he drew near. They went forth accordingly in procession, to receive him on their borders; but, false to his word, he caused them to be seized and put to death or thrown into chains, took possession of the city and castle, and laid them both in ruins.1

5

4

In the next following period, Beirût, like Saida, appears to have recovered from its desolation, and continued to be a trading city. Abulfeda describes it as surrounded by a rich soil and gardens, and as the port of Damascus. So, too, edhDhâhiry, in the fifteenth century. Frank travellers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, speak of the beauty of its environs, full of fruits and gardens of all kinds; among which, however, the mulberry already predominated; the culture of silk being, even then, the chief occupation of the inhabitants. Like Saida, this city also revived somewhat in the beginning of

6

Mar. Sanut. p. 232. Reinaud Extr. p.
Wilken ib. VII. 772.

5 Abulf. Tab. Syr. p. 94. Edh-Dhâhiry in Rosenmüller Analect. Arab. III. p. 22. Lat. p. 47.

* Baumgarten in A. D. 1508; p. 225. Villamont in 1589, p. 225. Neitzschitz, in 1635, speaks expressly of the culture of silk; p. 207. Monconys I. p. 335.