The sun was not hid under a cloud all of that day, for during the afternoon it shone beautifully, which brought joy to our hearts. We did not remain indoors long, for all were anxious to see the great ruins of Baalbek, which at one time were temples erected for the worship of Baal. They have been the wonder of all ages, and nowhere in the world can more extensive ruins be seen. People travel thousands of miles to see them. The largest cut stones in the world are to be seen in these temples, and it is a great mystery to know how they were placed there. A quarry from which they were taken is not very far from the village, and one large stone is still there, having never been removed by the workmen. The stone chips lie about and one can scarcely realize the fact that many, many years have gone by since the chisel and hammer have been used upon it. I shall not begin to describe the ruined temples, for it might not interest the greater number of the little readers, and to tell you about the finely chiseled marble columns would occupy too much space. The population of Baalbek was not very large, and there was nothing attractive about the dwelling houses, for they were free from ornamentation, low, and covered with flat straw roofs. After a hard rain men go on the housetop with large wooden rollers to press out the water. If it were allowed to remain in the straw long it would drip down into the living rooms and be unpleasant for the family. As a result of the exposure of our trip from Damascus to Baalbek, I was taken sick with a hard chill and high fever; but with the free use of medicines the fever was broken and I was enabled to travel on with the rest of the party. After the ruins of the village were seen there were no further attractions for tourists. So one bright beautiful morning we left with everybody in a cheerful mood and very anxious to go on to the next place, which would end our horseback riding. We went direct from Baalbek to Beyrut, camping by the way and taking two days for the journey. All of the party were in good humor and quite cheerful, as I said before, and even the horses traveled better; so the good feeling seemed general. We camped on the mountains and had pure fresh air to breathe. Luncheon was eaten in a stone khan, and when I look back to that time I can see sixteen weary travelers sitting on benches against the wall, listening to the dragoman talk, telling us how much money was due him. We knew he had no right to demand it, yet for the sake of peace the money was handed over to him. After a short rest we all moved onward toward a large town by the name of Zableh. The road was rocky and steep, and the horses’ feet clattered as they walked up the street, which seemed more like a stairway.