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the sea. The demand for them during the last two years has been
very trifling ; but I was told that fifty bales of twelve thousand
sponges each might be yearly furnished ; their price is from
twenty-five to forty piastres per thousand. Soap is exported to
Tarsous, for Anatolia and the Greek islands, as well as alkali for its
manufacture, which is procured in the eastern desert. It is a curious ¬
fact, that soap should also be imported into Tripoli from
Candia ; the reason is that the Cretan soap contains very little alkali;
here one-fourth of its weight of alkali is added to it, and in this state
it is sold to advantage. The other exports are about one hundred
or one hundred and twenty quintals of galls from the Anzeyry mountains ¬
: of yellow wax, from Libanus, about one hundred and twenty
quintals, at about one hundred and fifty piastres per quintal; of
Rubia tinctorum (»,3), which grows in the plains of Homs and Hamah, ¬
about fourteen hundred quintals, at from twenty to twentyfour -
piastres per quintal ; of scammony, very little; of tobacco,
a few quintals, which are sent to Egypt.
The territory of Tripoli extends over the greater part of Mount
Libanus. The Pashalik is divided into the following districts, or
Mekatta (), as they are called : viz. El Zawye (4,)), or the
lower part of Mount Libanusto the right of the Kadisha,—Djebbet
Bshirrai ( 4), which lies round the village of that name near the
Cedars.—El Kella (z13l),—El Koura („,M), or the lower part of Mount
Libanus to the left of the Kadisha.—El Kattaa (zall), or the mountains ¬
towards Batroun;— Batroun (),— Djebail (L),—El Fetouh, ¬
over Djebail, as far as Kesrouan.—Akkar (,61), the northern
declivity of Mount Libanus, a district governed at present by Aly
Beg, a man famous for his generosity, liberality, and knowledge of
Arabian literature.—El Shara („1), also under the government
of Aly Beg.—El Dhannye (a).—The mountains to the N. and
N. W. of Bshirrai.—El Hermel (.,M), towards Baalbec, on the
