added, "let us meet them fearlessly: if they allow us to pass, well; but if they attack us, we must fire upon them, it is our only chance; and let no one fire until he is sure of at least bringing down a horse." This was no very comfortable address to men of peace like ourselves, and we half wished we had gone with our servants; but wishes were useless at this stage: we had calculated on a clear route, and now it seemed we were to be disappointed ; and thus, while hoping the best, we prepared for the worst. We assured Mahmûd he might rely upon our standing by him whatever occurred. Turning to the village, we saw rather formidable numbers collected on the house-tops, while some horses appeared picketed below. Mahmûd bound up his flowing kefiyeh, loosened his sword in its scabbard, and carefully examined his pistols. Desiring us to await his return, he galloped across the fields to the ruin, now less than half a mile on our right. We observed a man coming out to meet him, and a few seconds only elapsed, when, waving his hand for us to proceed, he set out at a quick pace toward our road again. Our fancied foes proved to be several families of peasants who had come here only a few days previously to cultivate the fine fields around.

We passed Burd at 9.30. Immediately beyond it the country becomes very stony, but all the loose fragments have been carefully collected into large piles and broad dikes; and the intervening patches of soil completely cleared. We had been ascending gradually from Busrah over fertile ground, having a uniform and very gentle slope. Now, however, the aspect of the country changed completely. The whole has a savage and barren appear

ance on account of the vast quantities of stones, while it is broken and undulating, with rugged tells at intervals. We had reached the southern spurs of the mountainrange, which stretch out far into the plain. Still continuing to ascend gradually we reached at 11.10 a few large patches of clear soil, where a number of Druzes were engaged in agricultural pursuits-each man carrying his gun slung across his shoulders, and pistols in his belt. One might well feel surprised that they should cultivate with such industry and care little patches like these among the wilderness of rocks, while thousands of acres of the richest soil lie waste only a few miles westward. The reason is obvious. Arab horsemen cannot so easily make a raid in broken ground, and Druze muskets are doubly dreaded behind rocks. From this place we saw the extensive ruins of Kureiyeh, nearly two miles distant on our left, situated in the centre of a broad stony valley. About half an hour on the right of our road is the deserted town of Beka.

We soon afterwards gained the summit of the broad ridge from whence we had a commanding view over the whole country. This ridge runs out from the mountains in a south-westerly direction. On its north-western side is the broad valley of the Zêdy, in which Kureiyeh and several other towns and villages are situated. On the south and south-east the ground stretches away almost level, and is intersected at the distance of about a mile by the deep bed of a winter torrent flowing south-west. At 10.35 we had the deserted town of Deffen two miles on our right, and three-quarters of an hour afterwards the village of Muneidhirah was a few hundred yards distant

on our left. From the moment we gained the summit of the hill the ruins of Sulkhad formed a conspicuous object directly in front. The ancient road runs like an arrow over the stony ground in the interval, direct towards the towering cone, on the top of which the old castle stands. The whole slope along its southern side is covered with the buildings of the city; tapering minarets and square towers shoot up at intervals over the terraced roofs. After passing Muneidhirah we crossed two little rivulets winding among the rocks in very tortuous channels, and then set out at a faster pace, urging our horses to a round canter wherever the road was sufficiently clear. We soon commenced to ascend the hill. The slope, gradual and gentle at first, becomes steep, and we were glad at last to wind back and forth among the tombs of a long-forgotten people that here cover the hill-side. At 12.15 we reached the lower moat which encircles the whole castle hill, and turning to the right we rode along it, above the ruins of the city, till we reached a point on the south side where a narrow lane turns down among the houses; following this for a few hundred yards, we at last arrived at a spacious paved court in front of a large mosk, and there dismounted.

Here we picketed our horses and left Mahmûd in charge of them. He told us, ere we attempted to explore, to put our pistols in our belts, lest some hidden Arabs should suddenly pounce upon us. The building beside which we now stood is apparently one of the largest in the town. It is square, and its flat roof is supported by four rows of square piers supporting arches. The windows are very small, and are formed of one stone, pierced in pattern-work,

Over the door is a bunch of grapes in relief, badly sculptured. According to Burckhardt this mosk was erected in A.H. 6201 (A.D. 1223), but I did not see the inscription from which he got this date. In front of the building stands an isolated minaret of considerable height. Round it, about twenty feet from the ground, is a row of white stones, perhaps marble, on which is a long Arabic inscription. The minaret is evidently of recent date, but the stones of which it and the surrounding buildings are constructed were taken from the ruins of more ancient structures.

My first object being to get a general view of the city as well as the immediately surrounding country, I ascended the terraced roof of the mosk, from which I was able to command the whole panorama. I estimated the circumference of the city at from two to three miles, including the castle. There is no building of great extent or architectural beauty now remaining. A number of square towers and a few mosks are the only public structures. A large number of the private dwellings are still perfect, with their massive stone walls, stone roofs, and stone doors. Three or four hundred families could settle in this place at any time, and find ample accommodation. There are no fountains in or around the city, nor is there any stream or even winter torrent; but on the eastern side of the castle hill are large reservoirs. While I was thus engaged Mr. Barnett wandered through the streets and lanes in search of inscriptions, but without success. Burckhardt says he saw several which were so much defaced as to be illegible. On his return we all ascended to the castle, 1 Travels in Syria, p. 100.

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situated on the summit of a conical hill, from three to four hundred feet above the city. This hill was at one time the crater of a volcano, and its sides are still in many places covered with light cinders and blocks of lava similar to those on Tell Shûhba. Buckingham observed these remains of ancient convulsions, but strangely enough ascribes them to the destruction of the castle by fire, though there is not the slightest mark of fire on the walls, either external or internal! Still his remark is quite correct, that there are all around it traces of cinders and ashes in such quantities as could only have been produced by a fire of great intensity and some duration." The fire most probably burned for many a long century; and some idea of its intensity may be formed by those who have stood on the brink of Etna or Vesuvius. One other remark I may be allowed to make in reference to Buckingham. A sketch is given in his book, purporting to represent the castle and ruins of Sulkhad, and it is copied and beautifully engraved in Keith's Land of Israel.' Now, this sketch, be it known, does not bear the most remote resemblance to this country, city, hill, or castle. Fancy sketches may be tolerated where they are not calculated to mislead as to facts, but to represent a bridge of four arches, and a broad river or lake, at a place where there is not one drop of water save that collected in reservoirs during the winter, is carrying the ideal a little too far! His sketch of Kunawât, also copied in Dr. Keith's work, is just as purely fanciful, and is so utterly unlike the character of the ruins there, that it never could

2 Travels among Arab Tribes, p. 216.