the Druses. Bishop
Tubia gave his bond for a round sum, but afterwards recalled it; Bishop
Joseph Djezini came into Sidon with his pockets full, and told the
people that a prince of the House of Shehaab would soon be at their
head, but explained on a subsequent occasion that he went thither merely
to distribute charity.

In this state of affairs, in May, 1845, the civil war broke out. The
Christians attacked the Druses in several districts on the same day. The
attack was unprovoked, and eventually unsuccessful. Twenty villages
were seen burning at the same time from Beiroot. The Druses repulsed
the Christians and punished them sharply; the Turkish troops, at the
instigation of the European authorities, marched into the mountain and
vigorously interfered. The Maronites did not show as much courage in the
field as in the standing committee at Deir el Kamar, but several of the
Shehaab princes who headed them, especially the Emir Kais, maintained
the reputation of their house and displayed a brilliant courage. The
Emir Fakre-deen was at Canobia at the time of the outbreak, which, as it
often happens, though not unpremeditated, was unexpected. He marched to
the scene of action at the head of his troops, and, when he found
that Kais had been outflanked and repulsed, that the Maronites were
disheartened in proportion to their previous vanity and insolence, and
that the Turkish forces had interfered, he assumed the character of
mediator. Taking advantage of the circumstances and the alarm of all
parties at the conjuncture and its yet unascertained consequences, he
obtained for the Maronites a long-promised indemnity from the Porte for
the ravages of the Druses in the civil war of 1841, which the Druses
had been unable to pay, on condition that they should accept the
geographical scheme of government; and, having signed, with other Emirs
and Sheikhs, the ten articles of peace, he departed, as we have seen, on
that visit to Jerusalem which exercised such control over the career
of Lord Monta-cute, and led to such strange results and such singular
adventures.

CHAPTER XLIII.

_Festivities in Canobia_

GALLOPED up the winding steep of Canobia the Sheikh Said Djinblat,
one of the most popular chieftains of the Druses; amiable and brave,
trustworthy and soft-mannered. Four of his cousins rode after him: he
came from his castle of Mooktara, which was not distant. He was in the
prime of manhood, tall and lithe; envelope