55 
SZANAMEIN. 
Ghabarib has a ruined castle, and on the side of the road is a 
Birket or reservoir, with a copious spring. These cisterns are met 
with at every station on the Hadj route as far as Mekka ; some of 
them are filled by rain water; others by small streams, which if 
they were not thus collected into one body would be absorbed in 
the earth, and could not possibly afford water for the thousands of 
camels which pass, nor for the filling of the water-skins. 
At one hour beyond Ghabarib is the village Didy, to the left of 
the road: one hour from Didy, Es-szanamein (), the Two 
Idols; the bearing of the road from Kessoue is S. b. E.* Sza 
namein is a considerable village, with several ancient buildings 
and towers; but as my companions were unwilling to stop, I could 
not examine them closely. I expected to revisit them on my ré 
turn to Damascus, but I subsequently preferred taking the route 
of the Loehf. I was informed afterwards that many Greek inscrip 
tions are to be found at Szanamein. 
From Szanamein the Hadj route continues in the same direc 
tion as before to Tafar and Mezerib ; we left it and took a route 
more easterly. That which we had hitherto travelled being the high 
road from the Haouran to Damascus, is perfectly secure, and we 
met with numerous parties of peasants going to and from the city; 
but we had scarcely passed Szanamein when we were apprised by 
some Felahs that a troop of Arabs Serdie had been for several 
days past plundering the passengers and villages in the neigh 
bourhood. Afraid of being surprised, my companions halted and 
sewed their purses up in a camel’s pack saddle; I followed their 
example. I was informed that these flying parties of Arabs very 
rarely drive away the cattle of the Haouran people, but are 
satisfied with stripping them of cash, or any new piece of dress 
* The variation of the compass is not computed in any of the bearings of this journal.