Decidedly the greatest nuisance in Beyrout is the existence of the military barracks in the very centre of the town, close to the habitations of some of the most respectable merchants. Next to this I must reckon the hosts of fleas, mosquitoes, &c., in the hotels; but in the private mansions of the better class of inhabitants, continual attention to cleanliness and frequent scrubbing out of every corner have expelled these intruders.

The barrack nuisance commences at eight o'clock, A.M., when two drum-majors range their aspiring pupils in couples all the way down a large room, on either side of a thick deal table, upon which they beat retreats and roll-calls, practising, uninterruptedly, till four o'clock in the afternoon. Meanwhile, there is a fife-major instructing a squadron of young fifers in a peculiarly shrill piece of music, which any one might learn to whistle in half a second, but which they have been at for half a year; and it haunts the audience, waking and sleeping, for the remainder of their days upon earth. Others are hard at

work in the bugle department, and break out into wretched attempts at cavalry calls, but which fail from unmistakable weakness of chest. The perpetual din occasioned by these professors of music produces an effect upon the nervous system not to be described.

Beyrout, from its surrounding scenery, appears to great advantage as a picture, but a residence there is by no means enviable. I left it without a single regret, though with many amusing reminiscences of the ludicrous scenes I witnessed in the temporary inconveniences undergone by others as well as myself.

CHAPTER XIV.

TRIPOLI AND RUAD.

Description of Tripoli-Its gardens and fountainsFertility of the soil-Character of the Syrians— Doctor N.-The Union Jack-A Consul's consternation-A contrast-The ague-Unpleasant incidentDeparture from Tripoli-Arrival at Ruad-Its inhabitants-Enormous cistern-Tortosa.

TRIPOLI is the next seaport town, after passing Beyrout, of any consideration or importance. In a commercial point of view, it is, however, of but small consequence, though celebrated for its manufactures of silk sashes and boshias, which are in great demand

amongst the native population of Syria and parts of Cyprus. A few bales of European goods are landed at the port, just sufficient to meet the demands of the town itself, and the villages in its immediate vicinity. Here the traveller first observes the cultivation, to any extent, of the useful and ornamental mulberrytree; for, though in Beyrout the silk-worm is reared, the mulberry plantations are situated too far from the town to be discernible to the naked eye, whereas, at Tripoli, they reach almost to the water's edge. The roadstead, though better than that of Beyrout, is very insecure, but the landing-place is far less exposed, and at no time of the year absolutely dangerous for boats. Horned women, as well as horned cattle, are more scarce than at Beyrout; and the only beasts of burden one sees on landing, are mules, donkeys, and porters-the latter the most stubborn and most vile of all.

The passage from Beyrout to Tripoli is not a long one, lasting only six hours. The

native boatmen are more accustomed to Europeans, and even some of the boats are owned by the Syro-European inhabitants of the Syrian ports. Hence they are very civil and obliging, and never deceive you in any way, being fearful of the punishment such deceptions might entail upon them; for in Syria everybody is known, and Europeans (with the single exception of the English) cling together, and act in concert. But this is not the fashion with our own countrymen; and if there were only two Englishmen in the world, and these two were aware that their power and their influence would be irresistible, if exercised in accord with each other, it is very probable that they would not be able to agree. This joint action, however, has a very salutary effect upon the natives, who, knowing the great friendship that exists between Europeans, are disposed to respect everybody with a hat, as, for all they know, the wearer thereof may chance to be a brother or a cousin or a son of somebody they are connected with, or from