THE CEDAR OF LEBANON. 



415 



Here are some very old, and of a prodigious 

 bulk; and others younger, of a smaller size. 

 Of the former I could reckon up only sixteen ; 

 the latter are very numerous. I measured one 

 of the largest, and found it twelve yards six 

 inches in girth, and yet sound, and thirty-seven 

 yards in the spread of its boughs. At about 

 five or six yards from the ground, it was divided 

 into five limbs, each of which was equal to a 

 great tree."* 



" We are informed, from the ^ Memoirs of the 

 Missionaries in the Levant,' that, upon the day 

 of Transfiguration the Patriarch of the Maronites 

 (Christians inhabiting Mount Libanus), attended 

 by a number of bishops, priests and monks, and 

 followed by five or six thousand of the religious 

 from all parts, repairs to these Cedars, and there 

 celebrates the festival that is called ' The feast 

 of Cedars.' We are also told, that the Patriarch 

 officiates pontifically on this solemn occasion ; 

 that his followers are particularly mindful of the 

 Blessed Virgin on this day, because the Scripture 

 compares her to the Cedars of Lebanon ; and that 

 the same Holy Father threatens with ecclesias- 

 tical censure those who presume to hurt or 

 diminish the Cedars still remaining." f 



The famous Cedars of Lebanon are situated 

 on a small eminence, in a valley at the foot of 

 the highest part of the mountain. The land 

 on the mountain's side has a sterile aspect, and 

 the trees are more remarkable, as they stand 

 altogether in one clump, and are the only trees 

 to be seen in this part of Lebanon. There may 

 be about fifty of them, but their present appear- 



* Maundrell. 



t Dr. Hunter. 



