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longing to our caravan ascended the heights, which 
border the road, and remained there under arms until 
the whole of the caravan had passed; from hence, is 
seen at a great distance to the north, the village of Has- 
sia, where we arrived at a quarter before ten o'clock in 
the morning. We had passed near a khan, which was 
falling in ruins, at a short distance from the village. 
The whole country from Damascus is a barren desert, 
in the midst of which stands Hassia, a miserable village, 
containing however a few small gardens. 
Thursday y 3d September. . 
A little before one o'clock in the morning we re- 
sumed our march towards the north. Three hours 
afterwards we passed a small village; then turning to- 
wards the N. i N. W. we arrived at Horns at half past 
eight. 
We had traversed a round-topped mountain, with a 
very gentle declivity towards the east; from this emi- 
nence, bounded on the west by the high mountain- chain 
of Lebanon, we discovered a vast horizon. The whole 
country is deserted; but we began to perceive a reddish 
earth, of a d liferent quality from that which I had re- 
marked the preceding days, and covered at this period 
with small parched plants. The soil seemed susceptible 
of good tillage. 
At sun-rise we found ourselves suddenly enveloped 
in a thick fog, which disappeared in about ten minutes 
as suddenly as it had risen. 
The women in this country are generally provided 
with a long pipe as well as the men. I this day per- 
ceived one of those belonging to our caravan, seated 
very gravely on her horse smoking a pipe four feet in 
length, with her face completely uncovered. She was a 
Vol. II. 2T 
