waiting to receive us. They all rose as we approached; and after the ordinary salutations the chief turned and led the way into his house, with all the grace and dignity of a hereditary prince. He is a man of some seventy years, but still hale and strong. His appearance is dignified, perhaps a little pompous, but his voice is gentle and his manners easy and affable. He was the only Druze sheikh I met in the Haurân who used tobacco. He and the four others whom I had already visited are the acknowledged leaders of the Druzes in this province.

Our first inquiries during the evening were as to the practicability of penetrating the Lejah from this place on the following day. The sheikh answered with considerable hesitation, though he assured us there was no danger so long as a Druze was with us. After some time he advised us to go to Edhra direct, and then proceed from that place to Dâma, and thence to Khubab. This, he assured us, would take up less time than the route we had proposed, and would also enable us to see the Lejah to more advantage. Mahmûd also urged this new plan upon us now, though he had agreed to the other before our arrival. Sheikh Fâres 'Amer had strictly charged us not to enter the Lejah unless Sheikh Kâsem or some of his sons would go with us. When I proposed this to the sheikh he laughed, and said there would be no difficulty in entering from Edhra. We resolved to adopt the new plan of route thus proposed, and before twenty-four hours had passed we were able to see the reason of Sheikh Kâsem's hesitation; and we were also able to see that if we had gone to Dâma, as we first proposed, there is a strong probability that we should never have been permitted to leave it.

February 9.-We spent this morning in examining the extensive ruins of Nejrân, and in making a survey of the environs from the top of the steeple of the old church. The notes I here made were afterwards taken from me, and it is only from memory I can give an account of this section of the Lejah. This town is built near its southern border. Around the ruins, and so far as I could see from the west round to the north, there are no fields or open spaces, but all is a vast wilderness of jagged rocks. Toward the north-east, in the direction of 'Ahîry, are some spots of soil which appear to be carefully cultivated. In the interior of the Lejah I observed numbers of trees among the rocks, principally consisting of the dôm or terebinth and wild olive.

Nejrân has still a large population of Druzes and Christians in about equal numbers, who occupy what remains of the ancient buildings. The ruins I estimated at nearly two miles in circumference. The most important building remaining is a large church, with two square towers; it appears to have been latterly used as a mosk. Upon the walls are several Greek inscriptions. On one of them is the date 458, A.D. 564, being the latest I have anywhere seen in the Haurân. The extent of these ruins, and the magnitude of the church in the midst of them, render it highly probable that this was at one time an episcopal city, but its ancient name is now lost.*

We mounted our horses at 8.30, and, bidding adieu to our aged host, took a path leading among the rocks, in a south-westerly direction, towards the village of Dûr. In

4 An account of Nejrân may be seen in Buckingham's Travels among the Arab Tribes, pp. 263-65. Some of the inscriptions are given by him, very incorrect, as usual. See also Ritter, Pal. und Syr., ii. 865-67.

half an hour we entered the plain, and then turned westward, along the well-defined side of the Lejah. At 9.15 we reached a rocky tell covered with prostrate ruins, on the north side of which is a verdant meadow, with a large and fine fountain of pure water in the midst of it, called 'Ain Kirâtah. Seetzen here copied a Greek inscription from the door of a church. Gesenius suggests that this may be the site of Coreathes, an episcopal city, mentioned under the metropolis Bostra in the Notitia Ecclesiastica.' The name certainly suggests the identity; and the extent of the ruins, among which is a large church, favours the supposition. Its situation beside a large perennial fountain would always make it a place of importance in this thirsty land. About half an hour south-west of this place is the village of Dûr, with many remains of former opulence and taste. From an inscription copied by Seetzen it appears that the ancient name was Doroa.

Forty minutes after leaving 'Ain Kirâtah we crossed the dry bed of the Wady Kunawât, which makes a sharp turn to the north, and runs close to the side of the Lejah. A magnificent plain now opened up before us, perfectly flat, and entirely free from stones and rocks. A few minutes on our left was the ruined village Ta'ârah on a tell; and some distance on our right we saw the square towers of another large village rising up from among the rocks of the Lejah. I do not remember its name, but from the position I think it was Duweirah. We continued our course in a straight line to Busr el-Harîry, which we reached in 1h. 5 m. from 'Ain Kirâtah. It is situated

5 Ritter, Pal. und Syr. ii. 866. The Kwun Kwgraons is mentioned in S. Paulo, Geog. Sac. Not. Ant., p. 51, and in Reland, Pal., p. 218.

6 Ritter, id., 868. In the inscription are the words Kauns Aogoa.....

on a tongue of rocks projecting from the Lejah. The entrance is by a very difficult winding path, first crossing the Wady Kunawât, and then ascending the confused heaps of rocks. As we crossed this rugged natural barrier, Mahmûd pointed out some lofty crags on the right, and said that on those fell two brothers and a nephew of his master Sheikh Fâres, in the first battle with Ibrahîm Pasha. On entering the village, which is wholly inhabited by Muslems, we were received with scowling looks and muttered curses. We took no notice of this ungracious and unexpected reception, but rode up to an open place beside a large tank, and there dismounted. Two of our horses required to be shod, and this was our only object in stopping here. We soon discovered that we had left behind us, in the Druze country, friendly greetings and generous hospitality, and that we had entered the region of fanatical Muslems, who only sought a favourable opportunity to cut our throats. The crowd who gathered round us rudely demanded our business, and, on requesting them to send for the blacksmith, not a man would move. Yûsef the muleteer went in search of one, and speedily returned with him. Mr. Barnett had in the mean time gone round among some of the half-ruined houses, and was proceeding to the upper and principal part of the village, when he was peremptorily ordered back, and we were all told to remain where we were. Mahmûd could

ill brook such commands from men he despised; but prudence whispered caution, and he told me we had better mount our horses, keep together, and proceed as soon as our business was done. One of our number rode out a few yards, but was met by a shower of stones from women

VOL. II.

L

and boys, The mob now numbered fifty or sixty, and they began to press closely upon us, and to ask, or rather demand, to see our arms. Mahmûd was evidently uneasy; and I also observed that a respectably dressed old man, apparently from Damascus, was endeavouring to keep the younger men away from us. So closely did the people press upon us, that we were compelled to keep our horses in motion in order to have a little open space in case of an attack. The village sheikh in his scarlet robe came up at this time and invited us to take coffee, but in such a tone that we at once declined. He asked our object in coming here, and Mahmûd briefly answered him. After conversing a few minutes he walked away, without making any effort to check the insolence of the mob.

Our horses being shod, we rode off amid a perfect shower of curses. As we were winding among the lofty rocks on our way out, we met several horsemen, who rudely demanded where we were going. Mahmûd rode on and did not deign to reply. They drew up as we passed, and I heard one of them say "Let them go." After we had cleared the rocks and entered the plain another larger party of horsemen demanded where we had been; but as our guide did not deign to reply to such haughty questions even when amid the defiles, he treated them with manifest contempt now when in the open plain. He was in fact in a towering passion, and turning round he cursed the whole village and its inhabitants for many generations back.

The difficulty of penetrating to the now began to be evident to us all.

centre of the Lejah

Dâma I knew was