EMDIEH, we then turned to our left into a valley, which again conducted
us directly northward, and at sunset arrived at EL ʾAIN, a small village
near a spring, situated at the upper end of the valley, at a considerable
height above the great plain. From our having followed the circuitous
road to Zachleh and Kerak, we were somewhat beyond the day that we had
calculated on, and therefore determined, to the disappointment of our
mule driver, to go on still farther to ZEBEDÊNI, which was said to be
situated on the eastern declivity of Anti-Libanon, two hours from hence.
As none of our people had ever gone this road across the mountains, we
took a guide with us, who very soon led us out of our valley, which
ascended towards the north, between the lower mountains and the principal
ridge, and led us up a steep, toilsome, and endless rocky path on our
right hand. The moon rose, hours passed on, and the ardently-desired
Zebedêni would never make its appearance. At length we stood on the
precipitous border of another deep valley, up which we were compelled to
clamber painfully on foot, for another whole hour, leading our animals;
and it was not before midnight that we reached Zebedêni, after a march of
six hours. All here were plunged in the most profound slumber; we were
obliged to knock at several houses to inquire our road to the convent,
where we hoped to find some shelter. At length we were told that there
was indeed a church, but no room in the adjoining convent to receive us.
We therefore quartered ourselves in the last house, which was opened to
us after knocking at it for a long time. It only contained _one_ large
room, but there was sufficient space for ourselves and our servants,
after the whole of the numerous family of men, women, and children, had
retired to one corner. The people were, however, friendly and courteous,
the next morning received their backshish, and took leave of us, with
an invitation to repeat the visit on our return. We now proceeded down
the beautiful fertile valley of Zebedêni towards the south, for an hour
and a half, when we again turned eastward, into the precipitous rocky
defile, where the rippling brook, beside which we had hitherto been
marching, swelled into a small river, called BÁRADA, opening a path for
itself, in most beautiful and picturesque cascades, through luxuriant
verdure, to the great plain of Damascus. We rode for several hours along
its precipitous banks, sometimes in the very bed itself, till we came
to a lofty pointed arch, which, as a bridge, conducted us from the left
to the right bank. Here the road went up the mountain, and disclosed a
number of ancient rock-tombs, opposite the continuation of the steep
rock-precipice we had just left. Soon afterwards the wild ravine opened
into a broader valley, through which the rushing river winds more
quietly, passing several pleasantly situated villages. It had hitherto
pierced in an easterly direction, through a mountain ridge, passing from
north to south, from which it now issued through a lofty rock-gate. Two
single mountain masses rose up like mighty pylons towards the east; on
the summit of the one to the south, rising almost perpendicularly several
thousand feet, was a small sepulchral edifice, surrounded by trees. This
place is worshipped as the tomb of Abel, NEBBI HABÎL, who, according to
tradition, was buried here. The summit is said to be almost inaccessible,
and so it appeared, at least from this side, we therefore omitted to
investigate whether a tomb, 40 ells in length, had been also erected to
the youth Habel. At the foot of the mount the ancient city of ABILA was
formerly situated, whose name has probably given rise to the story.
We now quitted for several hours the enchanting valley of the Bárada, and
rode over bare rocky plateaus, till at GEDÎDEH we again descended to it,
and rested a short time upon its bank, in the shadow of tall plane-trees
and silver poplars of changing hue. At length we once more quitted the
river, which had become gradually fuller, and more rapid, by the addition
of various brooks, and ascending a high mountain, we suddenly stood in
front of the illimitable plain, which lay spread out before us unbounded
by mountain ranges, and covered like one large garden with innumerable
leafy green trees, and intersected by roads and streams. In the midst of
this garden, and immediately at our feet, lay glorious DAMASCUS, with its
cupolas, minarets, and terraces. We knew that we were about to see one of
the most celebrated prospects in the world, but we were, nevertheless,
astonished, and found our expectations surpassed by the magnificent
picture which, like a stroke of enchantment, unfolded itself before us in
the direction of the lovely but narrow valleys, alternating with barren,
rocky deserts. We lingered nearly an hour at this point, which has been
rendered prominent by a magnificent dome, resting upon four isolated
pillars, called QUBBET E’ NASR, the “victorious cupola.”
Damascus is one of the holiest and most lauded cities of the East. The
prophet Mohammed considered it thrice blessed, because the angels spread
their wings over the city, and at the glorious sight are said not to
have taken possession of it for this reason, that _one_ Paradise only is
intended for man, and that one he will find in heaven. In the Koran, God
swears by the fig and the olive-tree, that is by Damascus and Jerusalem,
and the Arabian geographers call it the mole on the cheek of the World,
the plumage of the peacock of Paradise, the necklace of beauty, and among
the Sultan’s titles, “the Paradise-scented Dimischk.”[117] In accordance
with the legend of the Oriental Christians, Adam was here formed out of
the reddish earth of the district; and tradition places the spot where
Cain slew Abel on Mount KASIUN, near this.
The Bárada, which we had followed from its first source, enters the great
plain a little south of Damascus, turns to the left towards the city,
through which it flows in seven branches, and then passes into a lake.
It was the gold-streaming Chrysorrhoas of the ancients, the much-praised
Farfar of the Eastern poets. It was this river that, calling forth the
whole idea of Paradise, gave at all times to this most ancient city—known
even by Abraham, and conquered by David—its great importance. Damascus
was formerly one of the chief seats of Arabian literature and learning,
and a disciple of the Prophet is said to have given instruction in
reading the Koran to 1600 of the faithful at once (after the method of
Joseph Lancaster) in the great mosque of the Ommiads. The city at first
seemed but little to correspond with the glorious country surrounding
it. We entered streets of considerable breadth, but bare, closed in by
low houses, whose mud walls had small doors, and scarcely any windows.
None of the beautiful wood-carvings of Cairo, or stone decorations, were
to be seen on the windows and doors. Some of the mosques and fountains
which we passed were the only exceptions; and the number of single trees
in the streets and in the squares had a pleasant appearance. Farther in
the interior of the city we came to the long bazaar, consisting mostly
of massive building. The well-filled booths, the abundance of fruits
of every kind that were heaped up, finally, the crowd of people, of
all ages and of every description, in all sorts of costumes, and the
endless turnings from one street into the other, impressed us with the
feeling that we were in a large and wealthy capital of the East. We first
rode to our Prussian consul, who was, however, prostrated with fever.
We therefore proceeded still farther, to an inn, lately established.
Here also, as in the consul’s house, we passed through a narrow door
in a plain outer wall into a small dark court, and out of that into
another low and angular passage. But then a beautiful spacious court was
disclosed, surrounded on all sides by magnificent shining marble walls,
in the centre of which was a fountain, overshadowed by tall trees. On
the farther side was a vaulted niche, the entrance-arch of which was
five-and-twenty feet high. To this we ascended by some marble steps, and
now found ourselves in a somewhat narrow but lofty saloon, which was open
to the court, and had commodious divans placed along the inner walls. On
the left of this niche was the dining-room; on the right a staircase,
by which we ascended to the rooms above, which we occupied. They were
wainscoted all round, and the walls, as well as the ceiling, were adorned
with a variety of decorations painted in gold and silver. We afterwards
saw several more of the finest houses in Damascus, all of which appeared
externally almost mean, but in the interior displayed Oriental splendour
more like a fairy tale than anything which I have since seen in these
countries. And occasionally, even at the present day, they build their
houses in this style, at least if we may judge by some of these small
palaces, which were only erected between ten and twenty years ago. There
is a lavish display of marble, and other costly stones, in these courts,
halls, and rooms, such as with us is only seen in royal palaces. The
beautiful open hall, which is always formed in front simply by a lofty
arch, sometimes appears on two, or even three, sides of the court, and
not unfrequently has also a small fountain to itself, independent of the
larger one, which is never absent, and is usually shaded by trees, which
grow up from the midst of the slabs of marble.
The following day we spent entirely in viewing the city, and especially
the rich bazaars, in which beautiful silks embroidered in gold and
silver, splendid weapons, and other brilliant articles of Eastern luxury
are exposed for sale. We visited the great Khan, with its nine immense
domed chambers, a kind of exchange frequented by the most considerable
merchants; then the mighty Mosque of the Ommiads, regarded as very
sacred, whose Hall of Pillars is 550 feet long and 150 broad. It was
formerly a Christian church, which itself was said to have been built on
the foundation of a Roman temple to Juno. We were not permitted to enter,
and therefore could only survey it through the numerous open gates, and
were even prevented from mounting on the roof of a neighbouring house by
a fanatical Mussulman, so that we were obliged to defer doing so till
our return on the following day. We were shown the enormous plane-tree,
thirty-five feet in circumference, standing in the middle of a street
near a fountain, called after an old Sheikh, Ali, who is said to have
planted the tree. We also stepped into the inviting coffee-houses on the
cool bank of the river. Next morning we rode to the southern gate of the
city, called BAB ALLAH, to which a street above an hour long leads in
a direct line between magnificent shops, mosques, workshops, and other
buildings; this is probably the so-called “Straight-street” (ἡ ῥύμη ἡ
καλουμένη εὐθεῖα) in which Saul dwelt when he was converted by Ananias.
(Acts ix. 11.)
On the road we stopped at the small cupola building which is usually
regarded as the tomb of Saladin, but which is only a place of worship
built to his honour by Sultan Selîm. The real tomb is said to be twelve
hours to the south of Damascus, near a place called GIBBA; this was
confirmed by the Sheikh whom we met here. From BAB ALLAH, the “gate
of God,” through which the pilgrims to Jerusalem and Mecca pass, we
rode to the left round the city through the pleasant gardens of olives,
poplars, mulberries, and gigantic apricot-trees; these last produce those
delicious apricots which, when dried, are sent to all quarters of the
world under the appellation of Misch-misch. We then came to the cemetery
of the Jews, where a corpse was being lowered into the grave; and,
according to the custom here, the virtues of the deceased were called
to mind and eulogised. Not far off is situated the Christian cemetery,
near which the spot is marked where Saul was struck to the ground by the
heavenly vision. Thence our road led over a small bridge to the city
wall, in which, near a gate now built up, we were shown a window from
which Paul was let down. We followed the wall as far as a beautiful
ancient Roman gate with three entrances, the _porta orientalis_, through
which we came to the house of Ananias, with the rock-cave, which is now
converted into a Latin chapel. We then rode through the gardens of fruit
and olive-trees to a neighbouring village, GÔBA, where Elisha crowned
King Hazael of Syria, and where Elijah was fed by a raven in a chamber of
the rock.
On our departure from Damascus we also visited SALHÎEH, a place in the
neighbourhood, the tomb of the greatest of the Arabian mysticists, the
celebrated Sheikh MOHIEDDIN EL ARABI, and were here also reminded of his
teacher, SCHEDELI, who invented the beverage of coffee, and who was in
the habit of keeping his disciples awake with it.
In Palestine we had wandered among the tombs of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, of Rebecca, Leah, and Rachel, of Joseph, David, Solomon, and the
prophets, of Christ, his parents and disciples. Here we came to the tombs
of Noah and Abel, and soon after to Seth also, and set foot on the fields
of Paradise, which belonged to the first pair. What a strange sensation
to travel in these regions, where tradition deals with such materials!
We halted the first night after our departure in SUK EL BÁRADA, at the
foot of Nebbi Habîl. From this point we again crossed over the old
pointed arch bridge, which, like most early structures in this country,
is said to have been built by the Empress Helena; and this time we
examined the ancient rock-tombs somewhat more accurately. We reached them
by a difficult path, partly by an ancient aqueduct hewn in the rock. Some
of these tombs were planned in a singular manner, and appeared to be very
old; farther on followed several from the Greek period, with bas-reliefs
and gable-ends, and some steles upon the rock, on which we were still
able to decipher some Greek words. Not far from this, up the river, we
found a mighty Roman work, the great, ancient, now deserted high-road
hewn for a considerable distance through the living rock, and two Roman
inscriptions, each in two copies, on the flat lofty wall behind. The
longer one ran as follows:—IMPerator CAESar Marcus AVRELius ANTONINVS |
AVGustus ARMENIACVS ET IMPerator CAESar Lucius AVRELius VERVS AVGustus AR
| MENIACVS VIAM FLVMINIS | VI ABRVPTAM INTERCISO | MONTE RESTITVERVNT PER
| IVLium VERVM LEGatum PRO PRaetore PROVINCiæ | SYRiæ ET AMICVM SVVM |
IMPENDIIS ABILENORVM. The other:—PRO SALVTE IMPeratoris AVGusti ANTONI |
NI ET VERI Marcus VO | LVSIVS MAXIMVS | Ↄ (centurio) LEGionis XVI Flaviae
Firmae | QVI OPERI IN | STITIT Vota suscepto.[118]
Since that time the rock has no doubt been twice hollowed out and broken
away by the torrent, which has certainly great force every spring;
for, in the immediate neighbourhood of the second copy of the two
inscriptions, the rock-road is terminated by a sudden precipice. By four
o’clock we had mounted Anti-Libanon, and at NEBBI SCHÎT, that is SETH,
we again entered the great plain of the Leontes. We immediately went in
search of the tomb of Nebbi Schît, and were not a little surprised to
find here also, as at Nebbi Noëh, a solid ancient Arabian building, with
a small cupola standing beside it, and within, a tomb _forty_ ells long.
It was even broader than that of Noah, because three steps led up to the
height of the monument on either side, the whole way along, which in the
former case were wanting. By bestowing on them such an unusual size of
body, the legend evidently wished to distinguish these two patriarchs
as having lived before the Flood, and the number 40, which is used so
frequently both in the Old and New Testament as an undetermined sacred
number, has not, as is here exemplified, lost its application among the
Arabs.
The same evening we rode on two hours farther, to BRITAN; and the
following morning we started before sunrise for BÂLBECK, the ancient
Heliopolis, with its celebrated ruins of the temple of the Sun. I
lingered first at the ancient stone-quarries, in front of which the road
passed, and there measured a block of building-stone, which was not quite
separated from the rock; it was 67 feet long, 14 feet broad, and 13 feet
5 inches thick. Many of the walls in the temple ruins in Bâlbeck are
composed of similar, or not much smaller blocks. One which I measured on
the spot, and in its original position, without making any particular
selection, was 65 feet 4 inches by 12 feet 3 inches and 9 feet 9 inches
large. They are, indeed, grand ruins, but the ornamental part of the
architecture is heavy, overloaded, and some in a very barbarous taste.
Bâlbeck is associated with a sad recollection. As I approached the
scattered houses of the village, immediately adjoining the ancient temple
ruins, my faithful servant Ibrahim, who had arrived here before us, met
me with the joyful intelligence that Abeken, from whom we had separated
in Jerusalem, had just arrived. I found him, in fact, in the house of the
venerable Bishop Athanasius situated close at hand; but we had scarcely
greeted each other, when I was informed that Ibrahim was lying in the
road dying. I hastened out, and found him almost in the very spot where
he had shortly before saluted me in so friendly a manner, lying extended
with the rattle in his throat; his eyes were already dim. It was in vain
that a priest of the neighbouring convent endeavoured to give assistance;
in a few minutes he died before my face. His death seems to have been
occasioned by a chill. He was a thoroughly excellent man, with a natural
nobleness of character not often found among the Arabs. I had taken him
with me on my journey to Nubia from Assuan; he wished of his own accord,
and from his attachment to me, to accompany me to Europe, and by his
knowledge of the Nubian dialect, would have been very useful to me in my
studies of the languages of the Sudan. I was anxious to place a tombstone
to his memory at the foot of Anti-Libanon, where he was buried on the
declivity of the hill, beside a tree, but we found no stone-mason who
could execute it. I therefore sent one to Bâlbeck from Berut, with an
inscription as follows:—IBRAHIMO HASSAN SYENE ORIVNDO SERVO BENE MERENTI
P. R. LEPSIUS. D. XXI. _Novemb._ MDCCCXLV.
This news made a great impression on Gabre Máriam when I communicated it
to him in Berut; he wept bitterly, for they had been excellent friends.
Before we left Bâlbeck, the bishop advised us to take a different road
from what we intended, as intelligence had been received that there was
much disturbance on the other side of Libanon, and that the population
had revolted. But, in fact, as the whole country was in a state of great
excitement, and we had notwithstanding found no difficulty, we paid
little regard to his recommendation, and told him we should only pass
through Christian districts, whose inhabitants would look upon us as
friends. We quitted Bâlbeck shortly before sunset, and traversed the
narrow plain, in order to spend the night in DER EL AHMAR, the “Red
Convent,” and the following day, with renewed strength, ascend Libanon
almost to its highest point, so that we might again descend by the famous
cedar forest. Hitherto we had been favoured, during our whole journey in
Palestine and Syria, with the most beautiful weather. From day to day
we had been expecting increasing rain, according to the calendar of the
weather on other years, and up to the present time had only once been
drenched—on our return from the Dead Sea to Jerusalem. The wide plain of
BEQÂʾA, which we now traversed for the second time, is quite impassable
after rain at this season of the year, and the numerous mountain streams
of Libanon, so abounding in springs, generally swell these to such a
degree that, with the frequent absence of bridges, they can only be
crossed with extreme danger. The sky clouded over in a threatening
manner this evening, the obscurity of the night was impenetrable, and at
length, after we had already seen some of the lights of DER EL AHMAR in
the distance, we lost our way on a barren piece of ground rent by rugged
clefts. At length, we had hardly arrived, when the rain poured down in
torrents. Here again we shared a large room with the whole of a Christian
peasant family, but we spent a most restless night. There were constant
groans and lamentations among the women and children, who appeared to
be sick. In a short time the incessant rain had soaked through the flat
roof of the house, and trickled upon the beds; people were now sent up
to throw fresh sand upon the roof, and to ram it firm with pieces of
stone pillars, which are ready for this purpose on the top of all the
houses; but this operation sent down so much lime and dirt upon us,
that we were at length compelled to request they would discontinue this
well-intentioned repair. In a small shed near the door lay a dog with a
numerous progeny, whose bed seemed also to have been invaded by the rain,
for they began to whine and yelp in the most wretched manner. At length
our hosts were roused by repeated loud knocks, to furnish a horse for a
soldier, who was carrying letters farther on at the utmost speed for the
Pascha. Thus we got no rest the whole night through; and if an Arabian
proverb says, that the king of the fleas keeps his court in Tiberias, the
holy city of the Jews, I have now every reason to suppose that he has
since then transferred his residence hither from that spot, where we had
found good and undisturbed lodging.