the nature of mountain torrents, flowing westward into the
Mediterranean. The river next in point of size, the Nahr-el-
Kebir, waters the northern extremity of the district, and it
is formed by the confluence of several streams near Ain-el-
Labben, two of which, the Ain-el-Afschan, and the A'in-el-
Suka, descend from the Ansarian mountains; whilst the
northern and largest, which is formed by two branches, the
Moie Ham and the Moie Erdjeg, comes from the eastern
extremity of Jebel Kraad. From their junction at A'in-el-
Labben the trunk flows along a deep and narrow valley, at
the foot of Jebel Sahun, and preserves a south-westerly
direction till it carries into the sea, about two miles southward
of Ladikiyeh, a body of water which is considerable
even in summer.
Between this river and Tortosa the country is intersected
by a number of torrents, to which, a little beyond that place,
the Nahr-el-Kebir, a more considerable stream, succeeds.
The latter has, in the neighbourhood of Mar Djordjos, several
sources, which meet a little to the westward of Djopta, from
whence the trunk thus formed, which represents the ancient
Eleutherus,1 flows nearly west by south along the valley
separating the Ansarian range from that of the Lebanon, and
finally reaches the Mediterranean nearly 10 miles southward
of the town just mentioned. During the winter the Nahr-
el-Kebir occasionally becomes so much swollen that the
Hamath caravans are at times obliged to remain for weeks
on its banks before they can cross.2
The river of Tripoli, another considerable stream, is formed
by three branches, viz.: the Gubban, the Nahr Bashan, and
the Abri Ali or Kodis Chai, all of which come from the
vicinity of Bshirrai, in the valley of Eden; these having
united a little to the eastward of Tripoli, the trunk flows
through the town and into the sea at the port.
The eastern side of the district presents a succession of
steep slopes, covered with timber or pasture, and having
patches of cultivation around the villages and hamlets of the
* Plin., lib. V., cap. xx. 2 Burckhardt’s Travels in Syria, p. 161.
Kurds and Mitaulis; but the steep ridges separating deep
valleys and mountain basins, which are occupied by hundreds
of villages, constitute the features of the country on the
western side. Wherever it is practicable, the industrious
inhabitants have raised walls to support terraces, on which
are cultivated vines, mulberry, and olive trees; and interspersed
with these, are patches of tobacco, hemp, wheat, dhurrah, &c.;
the rest of the surface, being a mixture of the boldest rocks,
shaded by pines, cedars, &c., presents the most animated and
striking scenery that can well be imagined.
Marked natural separations have given rise to eighteen
subdivisions of this district. Immediately northward of
Tripoli itself is that of El Saure, peopled by Maronites; and
onward, near the foot of Lebanon, is El Akkar; again, to the
north-eastward is El Shara; and still higher, Szafeita, the
capital of the Ansaries. A little way to the westward of
this place is Mar Djordjos, an extensive Greek convent, with
vineyards and olive groves around;1 and on the coast northward
of El Nahr Kebir is the district of Tartous. Within
the town of this name, or rather Antartous,2 now small and
poor, are the remains of a gothic church and castle. In the
time of the Crusades it was a place of great strength, and it
is still defensible,3 being washed by the sea on one side, and
elsewhere defended by two lines of well-constructed walls,
with a double ditch. Outside of these, towards the south
and east, are some fine excavations and other remains of the
ancient city of Orthosia.4 Two miles westward is the
castellated island of Ruad, covered with buildings, and still
defended by walls, the highest part of which is at the
northern extremity. On the eastern side, opposite the
anchorage, are the remains of ancient piers, and on the other
is a portion of the sea-wall; it is constructed with large
stones, and probably was part of ancient Aradus5 (Arvad,6 or
} Burckhardt’s Travels in Syria, pp. 159,160. 8 Edrisi, tome IV., p. 351.
8 An attempt to carry these works was the only failure which occurred
during the late operations in Syria.
4 Strabo, lib. XVI., p. 1 53; Plin., lib. V., c. xx.
s Plin., lib. V;, c. xx. * Gen., chap. XV., v. 18.
2 g 2