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about Syria also; for
Abraham lived there before he came into Canaan. Therefore the
Israelites were taught to say when they offered a basket of fruit to God,
"A Syrian was my father." It was a heathen land in old times; and it is
now a Mahomedan land; though there are a few Christians there, but
very ignorant Christians, who know nothing of the Bible.
Syria is a beautiful land, and famous for its grand mountains, called
Lebanon. The same clergyman who travelled through the Holy Land
went to Lebanon also. He had to climb up very steep places on
horseback, and slide down some, as slanting as the roof of a house. But
the Syrian horses are very sure-footed. It is the custom for the colts
from a month old to follow their mothers; and so when a rider mounts
the back of the colt's mother, the young creature follows, and it learns
to scramble up steep places, and to slide down; even through the towns
the colt trots after its mother, and soon becomes accustomed to all
kinds of sights and sounds: so that Syrian horses neither shy nor
stumble.
The traveller was much surprised at the dress of the women of Lebanon:
for on their heads they wear silver horns sticking out from under their
veils, the strangest head-dress that can be imagined.
There are sweet flowers growing on the sides of Lebanon; but at the top
there are ice and snow.
The traveller ate some ice, and gave some to the horses; and the poor
beasts devoured it eagerly, and seemed quite refreshed by their cold
meal.
The snow of Lebanon is spoken of in the Bible as very pure and
refreshing. "Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon, which cometh from
the rock of the field?"--Jer. xviii. 14.
The traveller earnestly desired to behold the cedars of Lebanon: for a
great deal is said about them in the Bible; indeed, the temple of
Solomon was built of those cedars. It was not easy to get close to them;
for there were craggy rocks all around: but at last the traveller reached

them, and stood beneath their shade. There were twelve very large old
trees, and their boughs met at the top, and kept off the heat of the sun.
These trees might be compared to holy men, grown old in the service of
God: for this is God's promise to his servants,--"The righteous shall
flourish like the palm-tree: he shall grow like a cedar in
Lebanon."--Psalm xc. 11, 12.
DAMASCUS.
This is the capital of Syria.
It is perhaps the most ancient city in the world. Even in the time of
Abraham, Damascus was a city; for his servant Eliezer came from it.
But Damascus is most famous, on account of a great event which once
happened near it. A man going towards that city suddenly saw in the
heavens a light brighter than the sun, and heard a voice from on high,
calling him by his name. Beautiful as the city was, he saw not its
beauty as he entered it, for he had been struck blind by the great light.
That man was the great apostle Paul.
Who can help thinking of him among the gardens of fruit-trees
surrounding Damascus?
The damask rose is one of the beauties of Damascus. There is one spot
quite covered with this lovely red rose.
I will now give an account of a visit a stranger paid to a rich man in
Damascus. He went through dull and narrow streets, with no windows
looking into the streets. He stopped before a low door, and was shown
into a large court behind the house. There was a fountain in the midst
of the court, and flower-pots all round. The visitor was then led into a
room with a marble floor, but with no furniture except scarlet cushions.
To refresh him after his journey, he was taken to the bath. There a man
covered him with a lather of soap and water, then dashed a quantity of
hot water over him, and then rubbed him till he was quite dry and
warm.

When he came out of the bath, two servants brought him some sherbet.
It is a cooling drink made of lemon-juice and grape-juice mixed with
water.
The master of the house received the stranger very politely: he not only
shook hands with him, but afterwards he kissed his own hand, as a
mark of respect to his guest. The servants often kissed the visitor's
hand.
The dinner lasted a long while, for only one dish was brought up at a
time. Of course there were no ladies at the dinner, for in Mahomedan
countries they are always hidden. There were two lads there, who were
nephews to the