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EGYPT, AND SYRIA. 371 
the population apparently fmall. We met feveral parties of the 
Pafha's troops, both infantry and cavalry, which feemed in ex- 
cellent order. 
On the following morning we palTed the White Promontory, 
a fublime and pi<SlLirefque mountain. The road is occafionally 
cut through the rock of calcareous ftone, as white as chalk. On 
the right the rock is covered with bufhes : the left is a perpen- 
dicular precipice to the fea, which was calm when I palTed ; but 
when it rages the fcene muft be tremendous. The tradition of 
the natives afcribes this road to Alexander the Great. 
We paffed the Leontes, now an inconfiderable ftream, and 
eafily fordable : but after rain it fwells to a rapid torrent, as 
is the cafe with mofl: of the rivers that fall from the Syrian 
mountains to the fea. After croffing four fmall clear ftreams, 
running over their beds of pure gravel, and the dry courfes of 
fome rivulets, we arrived at Tyre, enchanted with the beautifut 
verdure and varied fcenery of the adjacent country. 
■! The magnificent city of Tyre, now corruptly called Sur^ is 
reduced to a few miferable huts inhabited by fifhermen, fitiiated 
in the northern extremity of the ifle. The ifthmus, which 
joins it to the continent, is about three quarters of an Englifli 
mile in length ; the ille itfelf is of an irregular form, at the 
broadeft part not exceeding half a mile, and the circumference 
of the antient city could not exceed a mile and a half. Except 
three fragments of granite columns nothing of antiquity ap- 
peared. The ifle is now defert and rocky, deftitute even of 
3 B 2 ftirubs 
