52 BASHAN. 



centre of tlie Lejah, and leaving another village behind 

 us on the left, we came to a tract bristling with lava-crags, 

 and scantily covered with gaunt deciduous trees. This 

 kind of country continued till we came in sight of Ahireli, 

 which is situated in a sort of oasis with a good deal of 

 corn-land to the westward. The village is built at the 

 foot of Tell Alimar, a green mound about the size of 

 Primrose Hill, which is crowned by a Mahommetan ' wely,' 

 or tomb. It is the highest eminence in the Lejah, of 

 which it commands a complete view. The x^roportion of 

 green grass and brown rock seemed pretty equal : here and 

 there a black spot showed the position of a village. "VVe 

 spent the afternoon in rambling about among the houses of 

 Ahireh, and came upon four Greek inscriptions, some heavy 

 stone doors, and fragments of carving from a small temple. 

 The people, far from showing any jealousy of our copying 

 the inscriptions, took pains to point them out. The only 

 other curiosity we lighted upon was a great cave, probably 

 used as a tank. The Sheikh of the village came down to 

 our tents, but his looks were not prepossessing, and we did 

 not cultivate his acquaintance. He was, however, reputed 

 to be a gallant soldier, and a deep sabre-cut across his face 

 confirmed his reputation, although it increased the ugli- 

 ness of an otherwise ruffianly countenance. 



March 2Mh. — The nig-ht was disturbed by rain-storms 

 and howling dogs ; the latter we quieted by firing ofi' a 

 revolver at one of the noisiest. No more formidable 

 animals made their appearance, and we had not the luck 

 of Mr. Porter and his friends, who, during the night they 

 spent withm the Lejah, were surrounded by jackals, wolves, 

 and hysenas, and afterwards somewhat naively congratu- 

 lated themselves on the fulfilment of Isaiah's remarkable 

 prediction : ' The wild beasts of the desert shall also 

 meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satjTP 



