visit to Beyrout in the absence of the navy. The
very thoughts of it, however the English auxiliaries may have felt on
the subject, gave an attack of fever to the unfortunate inhabitants,
who devoutly prayed for a speedy fall of _tubbish_, (or snow,) by
which his dreaded approach might be impeded. "Had such a movement on
his part taken place at this critical moment, it is not improbable
that it might have proved successful; as amid the variety of religious
and conflicting interests, by which the people of Beyrout were
influenced, Ibrahim had no doubt many friends in the town; and it is
certain that he was moreover regularly made acquainted with every
occurrence which took place, through the medium, as was supposed, of
French agency and espionage."

Ibrahim, however, had had enough of red coats and blue jackets, and
left the people of Beyrout to themselves--an example which was
followed by the author, who, being foiled in his expectations of
riding down the Egyptians on the noble Arab left to him by the
commodore, determined to put that fiery animal (the Arab) to its paces
in scouring the country in all directions. It is not often that an
assistant adjutant-general sets out on a tour in search of the
picturesque; but in this instance the search was completely
successful. Rock, ravine, precipice, and dell--running waters and
waving woods, come as naturally to his pen as returns of effective
force and other professional details; and, whatever the writing of
them may be, we are prepared to contend that the reading of them is
infinitely pleasanter. But as travellers and poets have of late left
few mountains or molehills unsung in Palestine, we prefer extracting a
picturesque account of a venerable abbess, who threw the light of
Christian goodness over that benighted land about a century ago, and
must have impressed the heathens in the neighbourhood with an exalted
notion of the virtues of a nunnery:--

"Hendia was a Maronite girl, possessing extraordinary
personal charms, who, in 1755, first brought herself
into notice by her pretended piety and attention to her
religious duties, till at last she was by this simple
and credulous people considered almost in the light of a
saint or prophetess. When she had thus established a
reputation for sanctity, she next thought of becoming
the head and chief of an extensive establishment of
monks and nuns, to receive whom, with the aid of large