On reaching the river Litani, (the classic Leontes, and named the
"Kasimiyeh" when debouching to the sea near Tyre,) we found it to be a
strong stream, and the dark border, which from a distance had seemed to
be low bushes, were in truth gigantic and numerous trees; on our way to
the bridge, along the river side for some distance, were parapets erected
for the safety of travellers and flocks of cattle.

It was after sunset, but we rested awhile to stretch our limbs after the
cramp brought on by the steep and long descent.

The moon was shining as we crossed the bridge, and its light was broken
in the heady dashing of the stream; the land swelled gradually upwards as
we proceeded S.-E. till we passed a ridge and turned N.-E. to the village
of _Cocaba_ on the great plain, which has the river _Hhasbani_ flowing
through it, from which village we got directions how to find Hhasbeya.
Thoroughly tired as we all were, the rest of the way was most wearisome,
though not so much so as it would have been in the heat of day, after so
many hours on horseback. The night was bright and clear.

Reached _Hhasbeya_ in thirteen hours from Joon in the morning.

The town is perched up in the line of the Anti-Lebanon, at the end of a
_cul-de-sac_ running inwards from the plain, and stands at an elevation
of more than 2000 feet above the sea-level, though this is scarcely
apparent by reason of the lofty mountains everywhere around, especially
Hermon, under the shadow of which Hhasbeya is nestled. This was the
cleanest town and the one in best repair at that time that I had hitherto
seen in Palestine or Syria; what it may be since the calamities of 1860,
I know not. The majority of the inhabitants were Christian, with a good
many Druses, and a few Moslems and Jews.

We had a most friendly reception from the native Protestants, and from
the governor, Ameer Saad ed Deen Shehab and his family.

In the afternoon of the next day we passed on to _Banias_. How different
a matter is travelling in that country from merely drawing a pencil line
across the map from one point to another, and measuring the distance of
that line. By such a method of making a journey it is but a trifle of
thirty miles from Soor to Hhasbeya, and less than a hundred and twenty
from the latter to Jerusalem. (I mention these places because they
belong to the journey here described,) and it may be said by stay-at-home
travellers in a carpeted saloon, at a mahogany tabl