mmittee, to
explore the country eastward of the Jordan, and also that bordering
on the eastern range of Lebanon. Accordingly, soon after his
arrival, he and Dr. Dodge visited Damascus, and then went into the
Hauran, which was never before explored by Protestant missionaries,
and until the publication of Burckhard's travels, twelve years
before, was almost unknown in modern times. The Bozrah of the
Scriptures was the limit of their travels southeastward, and marks
the limit of habitation towards the great desert. Thence they
traversed the region of Bashan to the southwest, as far as the river
Jabbok, now called Zerka, beyond which the country is surrendered to
the wild Bedawin. Turning to the north, they crossed the Jordan not
far from the lake of Tiberias, ascended the western shore, visited
the numerous Greek Christians on the west of Mount Hermon, and
returned to Damascus. The health of the mission now called Dr. Dodge
back to Beirut, and Mr. Smith completed the survey of Anti-Libanus
alone; visited a village of Jacobite Syrians in the desert towards
Palmyra; passed through Homs, and as far north as Hamah, or "Hamath
the great;" then, bending his course homeward, he crossed Lebanon in
the region of the Ansaireea, through Tripoli to Beirut. Of this
whole deeply interesting tour Mr. Smith, as was his custom, kept an
accurate journal, which he intended to elaborate for publication as
soon as he should have opportunity. The learned world heard with
deep regret, in the year 1836, of the loss of this valuable
manuscript in the shipwreck of Mr. and Mrs. Smith on their voyage to
Smyrna. The Arabic press arrived in 1834, and passed without
objection through the customhouse. Indeed, there were at that time
no less than six presses in Syria and the Holy Land, belonging to
Jews and Papists, and no one of them was subjected to hindrance,
censorship, or taxation.

It could not truly be said, that any material change had taken place
in the character and condition of the people at large, as a
consequence of Protestant missions. But this at least was true, that
the impression given by the Jesuits, that Protestants had no
religion, no priesthood, and no churches, had been extensively
removed. The missionaries unite in their testimony, that the
circulation of the Scriptures is not alone sufficient to regenerate
a people. A very considerable number of copies had been put in
circulation from Aleppo to Hebron and Gaza, and many of them h