[p.212]Bedouins, inured to fatigue, and not indisposed to favour my
pursuits; I had indeed reason to be contented with my choice of this
man, though he was of little further use to me than to take care of my
horse, and to assist in intimidating the Arabs, by some additional fire-
arms.
We left Damascus on the morning of the 21st of April, 1812; and as my
first steps were directed towards those parts of the Ledja which I had
not visited during my first tour, we took the road of El Kessoue, Deir
Ali, and El Merdjan, to the description of which in my former journal I
may here add the following particulars: The N.E. part of Djebel Kessoue
is called Djebel Aadelye [Arabic]. From Kessoue our road bore S.S.E. In
one hour and a quarter from that place we passed the small village
called Haush el Madjedye [Arabic]; Haush being an appellation applied to
small villages enclosed by a wall, or rather to those whose houses join,
so as to present by their junction a defence against the Arab robbers.
The entrance to the Haush is generally through a strong wooden gate,
which is carefully secured every evening.
At an hour and three quarters from Kessoue is Deir Ali, to the north of
which, upon the summit of Djebel Kessoue, is situated the Mezar el
Khaledye [Arabic]; Deir Ali is a village inhabited by Druses, who keep
the Arabs in great awe, by the reputation for courage which they have
acquired upon many occasions. It seems rather extraordinary that the
Druses, the known enemies of the Mohammedan faith, should be allowed to
inhabit the country so near to the gate of the holy city, as Damascus is
called; for not only Deir Ali, but three or four villages, as Artous,
Esshera, Fye, and others, at only three hours distant from Damascus, are
for the greater part peopled by them. Numbers of them are even settled
in the town; the quarters called Bab Mesalla and El Hakle, in the
Meidhan, or suburbs of the city, contain