BETEDDEIN.
203
food in the palace of the latter, nor even smokes a pipe there, always ¬
asserting that whatever the Emir possesses has been unlawfully -
obtained. There are different degrees of Akal, and women
are also admitted into the order, a privilege which many avail
themselves of, from parsimony, as they are thus exempted from
wearing the expensive head-dress and rich silks fashionable among
them.
A father cannot entirely disinherit his son, in that case his will
would be set aside ; but he may leave him a single mulberry tree
for his portion. There is a Druse Kadhi at Deir el Kammar,
who judges according to the Turkish laws, and the customs of the
Druses ; his office is hereditary in a Druse family ; but he is held
in little repute, as all causes of importance are carried before the
Emir or the Sheikh Beshir.
The Druses do not circumcise their children ; circumcision
is practised only in the mountain by those members of the Shehab
family who continue to be Mohammedans.
The best feature in the Druse character is that peculiar law of
hospitality, which forbids them ever to betray a guest. I made
particular enquiries on this subject, and I am satisfied that no
consideration of interest or dread of power will induce a Druse to
give up a person who has once placed himself under his protection. ¬
Persons from all parts of Syria are in the constant practice
of taking refuge in the mountain, where they are in perfect security ¬
from the moment they enter upon the Emir's territory ; should
the prince ever be tempted by large offers to consent to give
up a refugee, the whole country would rise, to prevent such a
stain upon their national reputation. The mighty Djezzar, who
had invested his own creatures with the government of the mountain, -
never could force them to give up a single individual of all
those who fled thither from his tyranny. Whenever he became
