159
MAR  DJORDJOS.
tions,  which  were  too  high  to  be  legible  from  below.  In  other
places,  amidst  half  effaced  inscriptions,  the  name  of  El  Melek  el
Dhaher  is  distinguished.  I  saw  no  Greek  inscriptions,  nor  any
remains  of  Grecian  architecture.  The  following  is  upon  a  stone
at  the  entrance  of  one  of  the  peasants’  huts,  of  which  there  are
about  fifty  within  the  castle  and  on  the  parapets  :
IIVETODGD
GIRRGSDICIO
LLODCR
VRGGCCOSGG
There  are  roses  sculptured  over  the  entrance  of  several  apartments.
If  Syria  should  ever  again  become  the  theatre  of  European  warfare, ¬
  this  castle  would  be  an  important  position  ;  in  its  neighbourhood ¬
  the  Libanus  terminates  and  the  mountains  of  northern  Syria
begin  ;  it  therefore  commands  the  communication  from  the  eastern ¬
  plains  to  the  sea  shore.  El  Hossn  is  the  chief  place  of  a  district
belonging  to  the  government  of  Hamah  ;  the  Miri  is  rented  of  the
Pasha  of  Damascus,  by  the  Greek  family  of  El  Deib,  who  are  the
leading  persons  here.  There  is  an  Aga  in  the  castle,  with  a  few
men  for  its  defence.  Having  examined  Hossn,  we  descended  to
the  convent  of  Mar  Djordjos  (St.  George),  which  lies  half  an  hour
to  the  N.  W.  and  there  passed  the  night.  In  the  Wady  towards  the
convent  chestnut  trees  grow  wild  ;  I  believe  they  are  found  in  no
other  part  of  Syria.  The  Arabs  call  them  Abou  Feroue  (  »),
i.  e.  “  possessing  a  fur.
March  2d.—  The  Greek  convent  of  St.  George  is  famous  throughout ¬
  Syria,  for  the  miracles  which  the  saint  is  said  to  perform  there.
It  is  inhabited  by  a  prior  and  three  monks,  who  live  in  a  state  of