THE LEDJA. 
113 
many places are ruined walls ; from whence it may be conjectured 
that a stratum of soil of sufficient depth for cultivation had in an 
cient times covered the rock. 
We had lost our road, when we met with a travelling encamp 
ment of Medledj, who guided us into a more open place, where 
their companions were pitching their tents. We breakfasted with 
them, and I was present during an interesting conversation be 
tween one of my Druse companions and an Arab. The wife of 
the latter, it appeared, had been carried off by another Arab, who 
fearing the vengeance of the injured husband, had gone to the 
Druse Sheikh of Khabeb, and having secured his Dakhil (Ls), 
or protection, returned to the woman in the Ledja. The Sheikh 
sent word to the husband, cautioning him against taking any violent 
measures against his enemy. The husband, whom we here met 
with, wished to persuade the Druses that the Dakhil of the 
Sheikh was unjust, and that the adulterer ought to be left to his 
punishment. The Druse not agreeing with him, he swore that 
nothing should prevent him from shedding the blood of the man 
who had bereft him of his own blood ; but I was persuaded that 
he would not venture to carry his threat into effect; for should 
he kill his enemy, the Druses would not fail to be revenged upon 
the slayer or his family. 
The outer Ledja is to be distinguished from the inner, on this 
side as well as on that by which we entered it, the former being 
much less rocky, and more fit for pasturage than the latter. On the 
borders of the inner Ledja we passed several places where the 
mill-stones are made, which I have mentioned in a former part 
of my journal. The stones are cut horizontally out of the rocks, 
leaving holes of four or five feet in depth, and as many in circum 
ference ; fifty or sixty of these excavations are often met with in 
the circumference of a mile. The stones are carried to be finished 
at Ezra, Mehadje, Aeib, Khabeb, and Shaara.