ARABS-ORIENTAL POLITENESS.

123

babes up there took the pelting rain merrily as unfledged ducklings. Last of all came large flocks, with their surly canine guards and insolent shepherds. Over the bridge rushed the whole caravan, as if the avenger of blood was behind them.

A circumstance which occurred the evening before explained the reason of this hasty migration. The captain of a band of horsemen, a few miles back, called to me and inquired if my companion could read Arabic, handing to him a letter which contained an order from Saied Beg to capture all the men of a particular Arab encampment, as they were accused of robbing the house of a Maronite priest. The Arabs, however, had got the start of the officer, and by sunrise were on the south side of the Owely, and within the jurisdiction of the Governor of Sidon. I was amused with the way in which my companion reproved the captain, and, by implication, his master. It was thoroughly Arabic-a genuine specimen, which you may preserve for future use. "Why," said he, "can't the keeper of this khan read? No! Well, that's a pity. It would be better if every khanjy could read, and then it would not be necessary for an officer of Saied Beg to show his letters to any chance traveler that comes along. They might contain things which ought not to be published. I would advise the Beg not to rent any of these khans to one who can't read.' "Now," said I, as we rode along, "why not tell the officer himself that it was a shame for one in his station not to know how to read?" "What! would you have me insult the of ficer of Saied Beg? Of course, that is what I meant, and he understood it; but it would never do to come straight up to the point, and say all this to his very beard."

Though it rained hard, I pursued my journey to Hasbeiya, for I had no courage to repeat the experiment of the past night in this abominable hole. Our host, with his cats and kittens, his barley and straw, bread and olives, leben and oil, and every other article of his trade, shared with us, our saddles, baggage, and beds, this one low, dark vault. A few burning brands, or brands that would not burn, enabled us, with a great deal of coaxing, to boil a little water for tea, with no other penalty than that of being nearly blinded by

a cloud of pungent smoke. The privacy of our apartment was farther invaded by a curious bridal party, who appeared determined, bride and all, to partake with us in the privileges of our smoky vault. They kept up a violent row with our host until a late hour, when, buying a few cents' worth of bread, they kindled a fire in that field on the other side of the road, and, huddling round it, kept up a dismal concert of singing, shouting, and clapping hands until morning, when, cold, and wet, and wo-begone, they set off to find the bishop, not, as it now appeared, to be married, but to get unmarried. The young lady had been betrothed, nolens volens, to a man she abhorred, and was now, with her friends, going to get his lordship to cancel the espousals. Being a friend of emancipation in such cases, I heartily wished her success. And, now our active Salîm has got every thing ready to march, let us cross the river on this fine bridge, and turn down to Sidon, where we shall find a home and a shelter during the storm which I see is gathering fast, and will soon burst in fury upon the coast.

The ride from Beirût to Sidon is one of the most tedious and least interesting in Syria. You wade through leagues of deep sand, flounder over rocky headlands, or wind along the shore with the noisy surf dashing over the horse's heels and your own, to the discomfort of both. And to pass from one to another of these annoyances in endless succession is the traveler's only relief. The sea at your side never tires. With a monotony that varies not, wave chases wave toward the shore; then hesitate, swell up, and topple over with a heavy fall, which sends them, in quivering beds of feathery foam, to the beach. In the soft light of a midsummer moon the thing is beautiful; but utter solitude saddens, ceaseless repetition wearies, and the traveler rejoices to escape into the green alleys of old Sidon's fragrant orchards.

It is difficult to realize that yon little city, which we are approaching with no more reverence than if it were a village of yesterday on the banks of the Ohio, is Sidon-great Zidon of Joshua.

Ancient cities, like prophets, are not without honor except in their own country; and yet, though Sidon is my

home, I never ride along this pretty beach, with the gamboling surf on one hand, tall tamarisks on the other, and the city before, without somewhat of that enthusiasm which glowed and burned within me twenty-three years ago, when first I drew near this venerable metropolis.

As we are in no hurry, let me hear something about this home of yours-this "mother of all the Phoenicians," before we enter it. She looks beautiful enough, sitting in the sea, and blushing with the warm, rosy light of the evening sun.

Must I begin at "the beginning?" The story is long and old, and much is forgotten or mixed with fable. It starts off in this fashion. One morning, soon after the floodbut here comes a lad with golden oranges just gathered from Sidon's luxurious gardens. Let us buy them to give relish to our dusty narrative. Well, the great-grandson of Noah, emigrating westward when men were few and earth a wilderness, crept timidly round the low cape of Sarepta, and gazed earnestly on the plain that stretches this way along the shore. At length he moved forward, and pitched his tent on that castle-crowned Tell, which now overlooks the city. "Here," exclaimed the patriarch, "my wanderings cease. This mound shall be the stronghold of my future city. It meets my wants in all respects. The surface declines gently northward to the beach, where it falls back eastward, forming a little bay open to the north; and that line of low rocks, parallel with the shore, incloses a quiet basin for the ships I mean to build after the model of my grandfather's ark. That long, narrow island affords a secure retreat for the time of danger. This broad plain we will cover with orchards and gardens; and the water of yon limpid stream shall be made to visit, by a thousand rills, every tree, and shrub, and flower of our new paradise. The sea will yield her varied stores in such abundance, that the very art of fishing will take its name, said, from our metropolis; while over these eastern hills our sons will hunt the boar and fleet gazelle, or snare the feathered fowl, to increase our stores and enrich our feasts."

The venerable patriarch did not live to see all his prophetic anticipations realized. Sidon, however, soon grew