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brow of the mountain, and we did not wonder how the Church of old saw in its features of calm and immovable majesty, an emblem of the great Redeemer-' His countenance is as Lebanon!' The snow was gleaming in many of its highest crevices, reminding us of the prophet's question, Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon ?' In coming through the bazaar we had seen large masses of it exposed for sale. The merchants slice it off the lump, and sell it to customers for cooling wine and other liquors, and it is often mixed with a sweet syrup and drunk in passing, as a refreshing beverage. Not far from Sannin the ancient cedars are found- —a memorial of the glory of Lebanon. Cedars of smaller size are found also in other parts of the mountain. There are nearly 200,000 inhabitants in the villages of Lebanon, a population exceeding that of all the rest of Palestine. This may give us an idea of the former glory of Lebanon, and may explain the ardent wish of Moses, 'I pray thee let me go over and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon!'

Not

many miles east of Beyrout, over the ridge of Lebanon, lies the beautiful vale of Cole-Syria (hollow Syria), between Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon. It is said to be most fertile, and abounds in plentiful springs of water. -Mission to the Jews, pp. 240, 241.

CLEAR ATMOSPHERE OF LEBANON.

"THE clearness of the air is a most striking characteristic of these regions. It is seen in looking at the starry heavens. The stars are numerous, and the face

of the heavens has a clearness in it that makes the impression on the mind, that we can see further into the deep and pathless abyss by which our little earth is surrounded, than we can in other countries. It agrees in this with the Italian sky, but is, I think, still more clear. This clearness of the air is also manifest in

looking at distant objects. They appear much nearer than they really are."-PAXTON's Letters, p. 31.

ASCENT OF LEBANON.-VALLEY OF BEKAA.

"WE began the ascent of Lebanon, and having reached an elevation sufficient to command a view of Beyrout and the surrounding country, the picture was charming in the extreme. Palm groves, mulberry forests, vineyards, convents, and cottage habitations, combined to produce such an effect as cannot easily be forgotten; and the blue waters of the Mediterranean sparkled in the distance. The passes of Lebanon at length became very fatiguing and difficult. We were on the high road, the ancient one, to Damascus. At noon we rested in a mulberry-grove, in front of a miserable khan, about which were gathered many of the shepherds with their flocks. We continued till eleven o'clock at night, pausing only for a short time to re-adjust our baggage. Some parts of our route were really formidable, the more so as the twilight gathered round us. The declivities down which we passed were sometimes so fearfully steep and precipitous, the ascents so abrupt, and frequently so like the sloping roof of a slated house, that, as I sat on my horse, I positively wondered how I was borne along so safely. We made no false steps. In one place, however, I was glad to dismount, and trust to my own hands and knees, while my horse gaily followed at his ease. We were excessively weary at the end of this day's journey; but happily had mastered the main difficulties of the way, and pitched the tents for the night in a field on the eastern brow of Lebanon, from whence, next morning, we could look down into the vale of Bekaa, a broad expanse, as far as the eye could reach north and south, and many miles in breadth, dotted over with villages, and skirted on the east by Anti-Libanus, showing in a south-easterly direction Mount Hermon, with its snowy peaks. This plain is the Cole-Syria of anti

quity. During our afternoon ride, about an hour before sunset, we saw congregated in a deep valley, large masses of clouds, connected with others, resting on the surrounding summits. The low beams of the sun illuminated them in a very remarkable manner. There were no clouds upon the face of the sky. While the sun was setting, they extended themselves on all sides, and advanced rapidly upon us, till we were completely enveloped. When the sun gave forth his last gorgeous rays, the clouds seemed to march away from side to side, taking up their positions as for the night, with the sun-glow resting upon their sides and summits. There they stood like Alpine heights, and, to all appearance, as firm; a new mountain-region towering above the mightiness of Lebanon. In about an hour after sunset the darkness was dense indeed; but as we passed on, with a bold peak of Lebanon before us-a dark, black mass-suddenly the moon rose up from behind, and stood like a brilliant beacon-light to guide us. In this way we reached the place of encampment, on the eastern side of Lebanon. Hassenein professed that he saw a wolf steal along before him, as he was a little in advance; but before he could fire, the creature scampered down a valley.

"We slept soundly on Lebanon; and when we arose with the early morning the scene before us was very charming. The place of encampment was on a high elevation; and there, in front, stood the range of AntiLibanus, rose-tinted. The snows of Hermon sparkled in the sun light. At about six o'clock we began to descend toward the Vale of Bekaa. We met several parties of Arabs and Syrians, with their laden asses bearing various merchandise from Damascus; for hereabouts the road thither bends off to the right, and runs over Anti-Libanus, while the way towards Baalbec is to the left. We continued along the plain northward, with the magnificent heights of Lebanon westward. There lay the snow-wreaths around its towering summit, from whence is procured that perpetual abundance of ice

which enables the poorest man in Beyrout to cool his frequent draught of water or sherbet, and the richest his wine-cup. The plain or valley of Bekaa is but little cultivated, except in small patches around the many villages. It abounds in springs and fountains of delicious water; and though yielding only thistles and other such like wild produce, on which the sheep, camels, and neat cattle browse, attended by parties of Beda ween, yet, like the rich plain of Esdrælon, it is a soil which would respond to every effort of agriculture in an astonishing manner."-FISK's Pastor's Memorial.

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THE CEDARS-TRIPOLI-VILLAGE OF EDEN.

"QUITTING Baalbec, we proceeded directly across the plain of Bekaa, in a north-westerly direction, for the purpose of visiting the far-famed cedars of Lebanon.

In various parts of the plain we saw large herds of camels and flocks of goats grazing, attended by parties of Bedaween, armed and watchful. And though travellers have often been obliged to repel the attacks of the wild tribes who inhabit the region of the Lebanon, we experienced no inconvenience whatever, and were many times saluted with 'Peace be with you,' or, 'You are welcome; the ancient and accustomed salutations of these people.

"At a pleasant village at the foot of Lebanon we laid in a store of provender for our horses, and a supply of coarse bread for ourselves. There is an extensive cultivation of tobacco, here and about other villages of the Lebanon. The villagers were stripping its broad, long leaves from the stalks, and hanging them, strung upon thread, in the sun to dry. Having supplied as many wants as this poor village admitted of, we began the ascent of Lebanon; and after continuing our ride for about three hours more through a charming winding road, overhung by fine woods of prickly oak and other forest-trees, made vocal by the songs of joyous birds, we reached a second village, the greater part of which, like many others in Lebanon, was in ruins. . . . This was the highest part of the lower ridges of the mountain, from which the steep and difficult ascent begins. The darkness overtook us before we reached it; when, right and left, before and behind, fires were quickly lighted up on the heights and in the valleys by the wandering dwellers in this vast mountain territory, whose home is frequently beneath the spreading oak, or the remains of a ruined wall, a new home, it may be, for every succeeding night. As we passed on amidst the forests, great numbers of fire-flies glanced with their brilliant glitter across our path, with fantastic elegance and beauty, winging their way sometimes to a distance before us, and then suddenly disappearing. The fire-fly is one of the most graceful things in nature. We were not long in darkness, before the moon relieved us, and made our route distinctly

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