my fellow-traveller, was even
insulted in the street, not by a peasant, but by one of these
military fellows. These ill-disciplined troops are assembled every
where, in order that they may be ready to attack whenever a
disturbance occurs between the Druses and Maronites. I consider,
however, that the Arnauts are much more to be feared than either the
Druses or the Maronites, through whose territories we afterwards
journeyed without experiencing, in a single instance, either insult
or injury. I hardly think we should have escaped so well had we
encountered a troop of these wild horsemen.

Among all the Turkish soldiers the Arnauts are the best dressed;
with their short and full white skirts of linen or lawn, and tight
trousers of white linen, a scarf round the middle, and a white or a
red spencer, they closely resemble the Albanians.

June 21st.

This was a most fatiguing day, although we did not ride for more
than ten hours; but this ten hours' journey was performed without
even a quarter of an hour's rest, though the thermometer stood at 33
degrees Reaumur. Our path lay through a sandy desert, about two
miles in breadth, running parallel with the mountain-range from
Saida to Beyrout. The monotony of the steppe is only broken at
intervals by heaps of sand. The surface of the sand presents the
appearance of a series of waves; the particles of which it is
composed are very minute, and of a fine yellowish-brown colour. A
beautiful fertile valley adjoins this desert, and stretches towards
Mount Lebanon, on whose brown rocky surface several villages can be
descried.

This mountain-range has a most imposing appearance. White rocks and
strata of white sand shine forth from its broad and generally barren
expanse like fields of snow.

The residence of the late Lady Hester Stanhope can be seen in the
distance on the declivity of the mountain.

During our long ride of ten hours we did not pass a single tank,
spring, or even pool, and all the river-beds on our way were
completely dried up by the heat. Not a tree could we see that could
shelter us for a moment from the glaring heat of the sun. It was a
day of torment for us and for our poor beasts. Two of our brave
horses sank from exhaustion, and could go no farther, though
relieved of their burdens; we were obliged to leave the poor
creatures to perish by the wayside.

At three in the afternoon we at length arrived at Beyrout, after
having bravely encountere