MEMOIR OF BURCKHARDT. 51 



the streets run. The principal commerce is in silk, 

 produced upon the mountains ; the next chief article 

 of exportation is sponges, which are procured on 

 the sea-shore, the best being found at little depth 

 of water. The territory of this Pashalik extends 

 over the greater part of IMount Lebanon ; the 

 Pasha derives a considerable income from the duties 

 levied on the peasants who rear silk- worms, and 

 who are reckoned to pay about twenty or twenty- 

 five per cent, each, estimated according to the an- 

 nual produce of the worms. The taxes on the 

 mulberry trees are calculated in proportion to those 

 on the silk. After a pleasant sojourn of ten days at 

 Tripoli, Burckhardt returned to Damascus, visiting 

 on his way the mountainous district of Kcsrouan, 

 and its chief the Emir Beshir, who received him 

 very politely, and spoke with the highest satisfac- 

 tion of his alliance with Sir Sidney Smith, while 

 commanding upon that coast, during the expedition 

 to Egypt. Along this route, a considerable pro- 

 portion of the inhabitants consists of that remark- 

 able people the Druses, whose manners and habits 

 are quite different from those of the Turks and 

 Christians. They make a public profession of Mo- 

 hammedanism, and perform the rites prescribed by 

 that religion; but in private they curse the Pro- 

 phet, indulge in wine, and eat food forbidden by 

 the Koran. They have a special antipathy against 

 the Franks, chiefly in consequence of a tradition 

 current among them, that the Europeans will one 

 day overthrow their commonwealth. This hatred 



