The party, after this interview, proceeded to Mr. Farran’s country-seat, where we were engaged to dinner. This is a very beautiful spot. It is quite near the foot of the mountains, in a north-western direction from the city, from which it is about two miles distant. The house stands within a large enclosure, and has in front a court surrounded by immense walnut trees intermingled with the orange and lemon, overhanging a large fountain. Directly under the windows in the rear rushes the Barraday, here undivided, and a full rapid stream of the clearest water. The grounds around the dwelling are laid out in good taste, and are covered by an exuberance of foliage, some of the trees being of prodigious magnitude. The entertainment was in a style to correspond to all this; and after such a busy day, good appetites were not wanting to do it justice. It was, indeed, pleasant, away at Damascus, to meet with a hospitality so kind and agreeable, and society that beguiled the thoughts back to one’s father-land: and the party were easily induced to remain till morning. Beds, in these countries, are, easily provided, the broad ottomans only requiring a few sheets in order to make them excellent places of repose; and so they are generally used. The next day was appropriated to a lounge among the bazaars; and we spent it agreeably, under the guidance of Mr. and Mrs. Farran, in looking at the great variety of oriental productions. I have always taken great pleasure in lounging in a Turkish bazaar; and it struck me that these of Damascus, though perhaps less splendid, are more pleasing than even the great bazaars of Constantinople. One very pleasing characteristic of them is their great loftiness; while those of the Turkish capital are low. The reader will imagine a street, or any succession of streets, or rather a labyrinth of streets, about fifteen feet wide, and covered at the height of fifty or sixty feet by a wooden roof, generally tight, but sometimes allowing, through the interstices of the covering or of a huge spreading grape-vine, the sunbeams to fall in a gentle and chequered light. The sides of this street are composed entirely of shops, not very large, and quite open in front; so that the passengers can easily distinguish every article upon the well-filled shelves. The floor of the shop is raised about three feet, and is carpeted; and in the centre sits the lord of the little domain, ready for the call of customers, and in the intervals helping away the time by means of a book, or a pipe, or it may be by a nap. From the sides of partitions between the stores bits of wood project into the street, and on these are hung specimens of the articles for sale, silks of various dye, handkerchiefs covered with vines or with sprigs of gold embroidery; towels ornamented at their ends in a similar showy manner; and cashmere shawls, rich enough to turn almost any brain, except, of course, those of the reader and myself. Here, as in other oriental