ugh not before some unpleasant arguments as to their
right of giving or withholding had taken place. Our people, having
slaked their thirst, returned the jars to the Metoualis, who took
them, and immediately dashed them against the stones, where they were
shattered to pieces. The strangers assigned as their excuse for doing
so, that their religion forbade their using any vessel after it had
been touched by a person of a different creed.

_July 4th._--We rose soon after midnight, and started at two o'clock.
Our road lay for some distance along the sands, close to the sea, and
over rocks, from which we obtained fine views of the distant
mountains. We reached "Chadi" at eight, and reposed there till 4 P.M.,
when we again set forward, and proceeded as far as "Bir Khassan," a
small tavern on the road side. Here we recited a prayer of thanks for
our safe return. A number of our brethren came to meet us, and in
their company we continued our journey to Beyrout, which place we
reached at eight o'clock. The afternoon's ride had been extremely
beautiful, our route taking us through what seemed a succession of
gardens. Sir Moses, however, felt very weak, and thought he could not
have endured another day's journey. We found a house, which had
formerly been inhabited by the Rev. Mr Thomson, comfortably prepared
for us.

_Friday, July 5th._--_Beyrout._--Sir Moses received a visit from the
Governor of the town, who said he was happy to see us safely returned,
as he had been uneasy on our account. "Indeed," he observed, "you
displayed more courage than prudence in attempting such a journey
under existing circumstances, and I am delighted to think you met with
so little inconvenience." He also gave us the official account he had
received of the victory. He said 12,000 prisoners had been captured,
besides 140 pieces of cannon, and 25,000 stands of arms, the killed
and wounded on both sides being 9000. The victory had been most
decisive, and the whole of the Turkish army was annihilated. "Before
this battle," the Governor continued, "the country was in a state
little short of open rebellion. There being no troops left to keep
the Druses in check, they came down from the mountains, and pillaged
the towns at their pleasure. Many of the inhabitants of Damascus and
Safed fled to Beyrout and Acre for refuge."

The residence which Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore occupied was so
pleasant, that it contributed greatly towards their recovery from