from this, on the journey in which these names were collected, we stopped, for a night, at Zahleh. 1. Places on the West side of the Bukâ'a, from the southern extremity northward to Zahleh. Kullâya Lebbâya Zellâya Yahmur Sahmur Bej'ah 'Azzeh Bâb Mâri'a Deir Tuhnith | بجعه دیر طحنیث 4 عميق 5 .Ammik, Mus. Cath | عزه .Juditheh, Mus. Chr | باب مارع جديثة مكسة Mekseh, Mus. Mar. عيثنیت .el-Muallakah, Cath | مشغرة 3 Mar. Gr. Met. سغبين 'Aithenît Meshghurah Sughbîn, Mar. Cath. 2. Places on the East side of the Bŭkâ'a, in the same order from South to North. دوخا عيثى .Dûkha, Mus | الحيده el-Muheiditheh, Mus Mejdel Belhis | البيرة " مجدل بلهيص .el-Kar'an, Mus خماره Lâla, Mus. er-Rufid, Mus. el-Bîreh, Mus. Hummarah, Mus. es-Suweirah, Mus. Mar. 8 es-Sultan Ya'. .Balal, Mus | السلطان يعقوب { .kob, Mus Kâmid el-Lauz, Mus. 1; ok Mejdel 'Anjar 3. Villages in the Plain of the Bŭkâ'a, also enumerated from South He says: From . مدينة كامل Abulfed كامل اللوز .Burkh (1) Saida to the city of Meshghŭrah (see No. 1), one of the most agreeable places in that region, in a valley of extreme beauty for its trees and rivers, is a distance of 24 miles. And from the city of Meshghurah to the city called Kamid, which was anciently the capital of that country, is six miles. And from the city of Kâmid to a village called 'Ain el-Jürr ('Anjar, see note 2), is 18 miles. And from 'Ain el-Jurr to the city of Damascus, is 18 miles." Tab. Syr. p. 93. "At 'Ain el-Jurr, mentioned in speaking of Saida, there are great ruins of stones. It is a long day's journey to the south of Ba'albek; near it is a village called el-Mejdel, and it lies on the road leading from Ba'albek to Wady et-Teim. From 'Ain el-Jürr springs a large river, that runs into the Bukâ'a." Tab. Syr. p. 20. From el-Mejdel and 'Ain el-Jurr, is evidently derived the modern Mejdel 'Anjar. II. Ba'albek, le. Coele-Syria. The country of Ba'albek includes the remainder of the great valley between Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon, from Zahleh northwards. So far as can be seen from Ba'albek, it is terminated in that direction only by gentle hills. In going from Zahleh to Ba'albek, you do not find the Lîtâny. Only two small streams are crossed in the plain, tributaries to that river; the easternmost of which, you trace to its source in a copious fountain. 'Anjar, I was told, is regarded as the source of the Lîtâny; the natives here, as in many other cases, considering not the most distant, but the most copious fountain, as the source of the river. Ba'albek has the finest fountain I ever saw ; but I was assured its waters do not run beyond the precincts of the city. The province, as well as the city, of Ba'albek, is inhabited chiefly by Metâwileh (x), i. e. Muslims of the sect of 'Aly. Its feudal lords are a family of Emîrs of the same sect, called the house of Harfish (). They were formerly nearly as independent as the princes of Mount Lebanon. Between the two provinces, there reigned almost perpetual enmity; and bloody battles from time to time occurred. The Emîrs of el-Harfûsh live now in the village of Nebha. Our route through this district, was from Zahleh to Ba'albek, and from thence along the foot of the eastern mountain to Neby Shit. Of the route from thence, Tannûs says in his notes: "From Neby Shit we ascended the mountain eastward, and then turning south descended into a very deep Wâdy called Yahfüfy (is), in which is a river of the same name. From this Wâdy, we ascended another which unites with it, called Kûta (US); then another branch named Wady ed-Dirdar (f); and finally a fourth named Wady el-Haura (,). After reaching the end of this, the road passes, for a short distance, over a plain, and then descends into Wady ez-Zebedâny, which it follows to ez-Zebedâny." 1. Places on the West side from Zahleh northwards, both along the foot of the mountain, and in the plain. The latter are marked thus (II). el-Kerak, Met. Cath.1 el-Furzul, Cath. الفرزل 1) Edh-Dhâhiry, in Rosenm. Analecta Arab. P. III. p. 22, writes it .el-Hadeth, Met | الحبيس el.Habis * .Ker Dan, Met النبی یلدا .en-Neby Eila, Met Ablah, Cath. || Niha, Met. Gr. Mar. Husn Niha * Temnîn the upper, Met. Temnîn the lower, Met.]] Kusurneba, Met. Beit Shama, Met. Bednaya, Met. Haush er-Râfikah Met. || Kefr Debish Shemüstar, Met. Tareiya, Met. er-Neby Reshâdy Met. || الحدث کفر دان جبعا السعيدة بودی شليفا دير الاحمر بجيمة شعل جوش بردا حوش سنید یاعات الكنيسة نجا حريتا الهرمل : 2. Places on the East side, beginning at the North. el-Kâ'a, Cath. .el-Fikeh, Mus. Cath | القاع الفيكة عين .Ain, Met | راس بعلبك .Bas Baalbek,Cath so called because it contains what the Muslims كرك نوح (for) كركنوح called(كرك believe to be the grave of Noah. 1) Burckh. Gfer for s 2) Abulfeda. Tab. Syr. p. 150. The beginning [of the river 'Asy] is a small . الراس Abulfeda (3) river from a village near Ba'albek, called er-Râs, to the North of Ba’albek about a day's journey. Thence it runs northward (?) till it reaches a place called Kâim Hurmul (see No. 1, note 2,) between Jûsieh (Sec. XVI. 2) and er-Râs, where it passes through a Wady. There most of the مغارة الراهب) river springs from a place called Mugharat er-Rahib the Monk's cave,) and thence it goes on northwards till it passes Jûsieh ;" III. Ez-Zebedâny, and Wâdy Burada. This district occupies the eastern declivity of Anti-Lebanon, on the road from Ba'albek to Damascus. Commencing almost at the very top, where ez-Zebedâny is situated, it extends along the banks of the Burada (15) to Dummar, where only a range of low mountains separates it from the plain of Damascus. Tannûs in his notes describes this district as follows: «The region of Zebedâny is a plain, which may be four hours long, from North to Tab. Syr. p. 150.—Tannûs, in his notes on Hums, has the following paragraph: "The river 'Asy comes from the extremity of the country of Ba'albek, to the West of Ras Ba'albek, from a place called Deir Mâr Mâron (the Convent of St. Mârôn,) whence it runs northwards into the Lake of Hums, distant from the said source, [evidently the one at Hürmul,] three hours." |