43
BANIAS.
I was told that the ancient name of the river of Banais was Djour,
which added to the name of Dhan, made Jourdan; the more
correct etymology is probably Or Dhan, in Hebrew the river of
Dhan. Lower down, between the Houle and the lake Tabaria,
it is called Orden by the inhabitants ; to the southward of the lake
of Tabaria it bears the name of Sherya, till it falls into the Dead
Sea.
October 15th.—My guide returned to Zahle. It was my intention -
to take a view of the lake and its eastern borders ; but a tumour, ¬
which threatened to prevent both riding and walking,
obliged me to proceed immediately to Damascus. I had reason
to congratulate myself on the determination, for if I had staid a
day longer, I should have been compelled to await my recovery
at some village on the road. Add to this, I had only the value of
four shillings left, after paying my guide : this alone, however,
should not have prevented me from proceeding, as I knew that
two days were sufficient to enable me to gratify my curiosity, and
a guide would have thought himself well paid at two shillings a
day; as to the other expenses, travelling in the manner of the
country people rendered money quite unnecessary.
There are two roads from Banias to Damascus : the one lies
through the villages of Koneitza and Sasa; the other is more
northerly; I took the latter, though the former is most frequented,
being the route followed by all the pilgrims from Damascus and
Aleppo to Jerusalem ; but it is less secure for a small caravan,
owing to the incursions of the Arabs. The country which I had
visited to the westward is perfectly secure to the stranger: I might
have safely travelled it alone unarmed, and without a guide. The
route through the district of the Houle and Banias, and from thence
to Damascus, on the contrary, is very dangerous : the Arabs, as well
as the Felahs, are often known to attack unprotected strangers, and
