BAALBEC. 
14 
The women of Baalbec are esteemed the handsomest of the 
neighbouring country, and many Damascenes marry Baalbec girls. 
The air of Belad Baalbec and the Bekaa, however, is far from 
being healthy. The chain of the Libanus interrupts the course of 
the westerly winds, which are regular in Syria during the sum 
mer months; and the want of these winds renders the climate ex 
tremely hot and oppressive. 
September 30th.—Iagain visited the ruins this morning. The Emir 
had been apprised of my arrival by his secretary, to whom I had 
a letter of recommendation. He sent the secretary to ask whether 
I had any presents for him ; I answered in the negative, but de 
livered to him a letter, which the Jew bankers of the Pasha of 
Damascus had given me for him ; these Jews being men of great 
influence. He contented himself with replying that as I had no 
presents for him, it was not necessary that I should pay him my 
respects ; but he left me undisturbed in my pursuits, which was all 
I wanted. 
Near a well, on the S. side of the town, between the temple 
and the mountain, I found upon a stone the following inscription ; 
C. CASSIVS ARRIANVS 
MONVMENTVM SIBI 
-OCO SVO VIVVS 
FECIT 
In the afternoon Imade a tour in the invirons of Baalbec. At the 
foot of the Anti-Libanus, a quarter of an hour’s walk from the town, 
to the south is a quarry, where the places are still visible from 
whence several of the large stones in the south wall of the castle 
were extracted ; one large block is yet remaining, cut on three sides, 
ready to be transported to the building, but it must be done by 
other hands than those of the Metaweli. Two other blocks, cut in