KEFRNOUTA.
192
a half, the road begins to ascend : the Emir Beshir has had a new
road made the greater part of the way up to Deir el Kammar, to facilitate ¬
the communication between his residence and the provinces ¬
of Kesrouan and Djebail. At the end of four hours is a fine
spring, with a basin shaded by some large oak trees ; it is called
Ayn Besaba (e). At four hours and a half, the road still ascending, ¬
is the village Ayn Aanab (ee), remarkable for a number ¬
of palm trees growing here at a considerable elevation above
the sea. The mountain is full of springs, some of which form pretty
cascades. On the front of a small building which has been erected ¬
over the spring in the village, I observed on both sides two
figures cut upon the wall, with open mouths, and having round
their necks a chain by which they are fastened to the ground.
Whether they are meant for lions or calves I could not satisfy myself, ¬
nor could I learn whether they have any relation to the religious -
mysteries of the Druses.
The country from Kefr Shyna is wholly inhabited by Druses.
The village of Aanab is the hereditary seat of the family of Ibn Hamdan, ¬
who are the chiefs of the Druses in the Haouran. At five
hours and a half is the village Ayn Aanoub (Se qe); a little
above it the road descends into the deep valley in which the Nahrel -
Kadhi flows. The mountain is here overgrown with fine firs.
Six hours and a half, is a bridge (Djissr el Khadhi) under which
the Nahr flows in a rocky bed. The Franks on the coast commonly
give to the Nahr Kadhi the name of Damour, an appellation not unknown ¬
to the natives. On the other side of the bridge the road immediately ¬
ascends to the village Kefrnouta, on the N. side of the
river, where it turns round the side of the mountain to Deir el
Kammar, distant seven hours and a quarter from El Mellaha. Irode
through El Kammar, without stopping, and proceeded to the village ¬
of Beteddein, where the Emir Beshir is building a new palace.
