ncient Leontes; on the west by the plain of Tyre; on
the east by the plain of Hhooleh and of the Upper Jordan; on the south by
hills around Safed: the district is very little known to Europeans, and
was much less so in 1848.

In that year I entered it from the North, after traversing the Sidon
country, crossing the pleasant river with its rose-coloured border of
oleander and wild holly-oak at a ford wider than the average breadth of
the Jordan.

There we found abundance of noble trees, and some cottages near them, the
vines belonging to which climbed up those trees to a surprising height;
and the thickness of the vines exceeded any that I had any where or at
any time seen.

In front was the village of _Boorj_, and we mounted into a high
table-land commanding prospects of indescribable grandeur, which
comprised parts of both Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon, the extreme heights of
Sannin and Hermon being visible at once.

The day was one of hot shirocco, and there were fires of lime-kilns
visible in several directions, this season (late in autumn) being that
appropriated to such employment, after all the harvests are gathered in.

There were innumerable villages appearing in every direction. We passed
_Abasiyeh_ on our right; _Dar Meemas_ and _Izereiriyeh_ distant on the
left; _Tura_ on the right; _Dar Kanoon_ we almost entered; _Bidias_ near
us on the left; _Dair Thecla_ on our right; _Bursheen_ on the right;
_Durtghayer_ on the left; _Arzoon_ further on the left; then we rested
under some olive trees, with _Dar esh Shems_ on the right; _Mezra'a_ on
the left; _Dar Zibneh_ with a castle on our right.

In the distance appeared the mighty old castle of _Shukeef_ (_Belfort_ of
the Crusaders) upon an eminence, with Jebel esh Shaikh, or Hermon, rising
majestically behind it.

As we descended into a deep glen between verdant hills, the partridges
were clucking in multitudes, and so unaccustomed to intrusion, that
sometimes they came running up towards us; magpies were flying about, and
we were told that the glen abounds in wild beasts, which there seemed no
reason to doubt. For hours we wound round and round within this cool and
refreshing labyrinth of arbutus, bellota or evergreen oak, aspen,
clematis, broom, and what looked like the sloe, besides other and unknown
vegetation. The bellota was often respectable-sized timber in girth,
though of no considerable height; sometimes our path was overshadowed by
their branches str