34 MEMOIR OF BURCKHARDT. 



come among us," " God send you a happy even- 

 ing,* &c., were compliments which hailed them 

 from every quarter. The rich merchants treated 

 them with coffee, ice- water, and lour, which is a 

 drink made of water mixed with the juice of 

 liquorice. A musician sung some Turkish airs, ac- 

 companying himself upon a sort of mandoline. The 

 inhabitants, though strict Mussulmans, were care- 

 less of their religious duties, and showed a great 

 indifference to the precepts of the Koran. The 

 place is mean in appearance, and its trade incon- 

 siderable, being sadly fallen off since the days of 

 Jonah and Ezekiel. 



On the 2d of July, Burckhardt took his passage 

 to Latikia on board an open vessel, resembling 

 those that ply on the Nile, of which Bruce and 

 other travellers have given descriptions. At Suedieh 

 he had the satisfaction to fall in with a caravan 

 from Aleppo, which had come down to the coast 

 with Indian goods. He soon formed an acquaint- 

 ance with the muleteers, and bargained with one of 

 them for the whole journey. Antakia (Antioch) 

 lay at no great distance, the road to which passed 

 through a country famous for the beauties of its 

 landscape scenery. That ancient capital of the 

 Greek emperors is situate very picturesquely in a 

 plain encompassed with two chains of mountains, 

 and surrounded with gardens and well cultivated 

 fields. A strong-built bridge leads across the 

 Orontes immediately into the town. 



Instead of going to the khan of the merchants, 



