48 BASHAN. 



seems to have puzzled most travellers. The four main 

 streets are still easily traceable, and, at their point of 

 junction, the pedestals, once probably crowned with groups 

 of statuary, are still entire. From this point to the 

 southern gate of the city, a distance of full one-third of 

 a mile, the pavement is as perfect as the day it was laid 

 down. The baths were the best preserved we had yet 

 seen ; they contained several large and handsome chambers, 

 and the stucco still adhered to the interior walls. Many 

 of the pipes remain in their places, and the great aque- 

 duct which supplied the water still exists, and terminates 

 beside the building. We found a staircase which led 

 us on to the top of its arches, whence we had an excel- 

 lent general view of the bare northern slopes of Jebel 

 Hauran, and the plain, dotted with conical mounds, which 

 spreads to the east of it. South of the walls are some 

 large open reservoirs. On our way back we visited the 

 theatre, which looks spacious externally, but the building 

 is so exceedingly solid that the size of the interior is dis- 

 appointing. The massiveness of the masonry and the 

 hardness of the material (black basalt) have been the 

 causes of its preservation. The stage, the rooms and 

 passages behind it, are uninjured, and very slight repairs 

 would be wanted to make the building again service- 

 able. 



Sheikh Fares, who received Mr. Porter so hospitably, 

 was dead, and had been succeeded by his son. The Sheikh 

 of Shuhba is one of the most powerful of the Druse chief- 

 tains, and although of late we had made it a rule to avoid 

 invitations and visits of ceremony, we felt it would be 

 wrong not to call on him, especially as we wanted some 

 advice and information as to the best route through the 

 ill-reputed Lejah. Having sent notice of our intention, 

 we went in a body to pay our respects. A large gateway 



