At _'Ain 'Anoob_, where a copious supply of water issues from three
spouts, the fountain has on each side the representation of a chained
lion, sculptured in stone. One's first impression would be that this
were a relic of the Genoese or Venetian crusaders; but these figures,
whatever their meaning or origin, are not infrequent upon fountains about
the Lebanon, even when only rustically daubed in red ochre; and it has
not been often noticed that there are similar lions facing each other,
only without the chains, one on each side of St Stephen's Gate at
Jerusalem. Some of the women at the fountains wore the horns on their
head, the fashion for which is gradually passing away. The terraces on
the hills were in the highest state of cultivation, and gave abundant
promise of fruit for the coming season; the sun was near setting, the
rooks cawing overhead, and we saw two little girls each bring a lamb to
the fountain to drink and then proceed to wash them.
Sidi Ahhmad, a Druse 'Akal, with, of course, a white turban, undertook to
be our guide as far as 'Abeih.
Fresh air to breathe! how different from the oppressive heat of Bayroot!
We all drank of every spring by the way, and by consequence lifted up the
drooping head, (Ps. cx. 7,) thinking each fountain colder than that
before it.
The most rugged portion of the road was between _'Ain 'Anoob_ and
_'Ainab_, and zigzag were the worn tracks of the way. Sometimes a
musical jingle of bells announced the coming of travellers in front, who
were however invisible till they pounced upon us from between two
pinnacles of rocks. On the steepest ascents it was necessary to halt and
await the coming up of our baggage mules.
From mountain heights it is often difficult to distinguish the blue
expanse of the Mediterranean Sea from the similar blue expanse of the
sky, until the actual moment of sunset, when the bright orb becoming
suddenly flattened on its lower curve reveals the exact horizon line; and
so it was this evening.
Wearied with the climbing position of the saddle, hour after hour, I
passed _'Ain Kesoor_ on foot, the 'Akal leading the horse. This was
shortly before 'Abeih, but there I rode up to the mansion of Kasim Bek,
the local governor, to ask hospitality; it was dark night, and Saturday.
My intention was to spend the Sunday in a Christian manner among the
American missionaries. The journey had been one of five hours and a half
from Bayroot.
We were heartily received into a fine old house, in which were shaikhs
and chiefs of sundry grades seated on the divan with the host, and
immediately the means for washing were brought by the domestics with
great respect. A good supper was prepared, the Bek eating with us, to my
surprise, but I afterwards learned that this is not uncommon with a
non-'Akal Druse, as he was.
_Sunday_.--Quiet morning. Bell of the Capuchin Convent almost adjoining
the house. From the windows there is a fine prospect of Bayroot and the
coast-outline.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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