332 
as that of the preceding evening; the plane of it is more 
vast, and there is an almost unbounded horizon towards 
the east, terminated to the west by the chain of Leba- 
non, the ascent to which commences at two leagues 
and a half distance from the road. The second and most 
elevated range of mountains is covered with snow. 
Although the greater part of the soil is uncultivated, 
it is composed of a fine vegetable earth, and is covered 
with the same parched up plants, which I have already 
mentioned. 
Rastan is a poor village, inhabited by husbandmen, 
situated upon the edge of a frightful precipice, the foot 
of which is washed by the Wad-el- Aassi. When seen 
from above, this river appears narrow; it makes in this 
place a current from the west to the north-east, across 
a narrow and deep valley. The village stands upon the 
right bank of the river. All the houses are built of black 
trapp, as at Horns. The ploughs are made of wood 
without any iron. There was a period, without doubt, 
when this village enjoyed a degree of grandeur; of this 
I found several vestiges in the numerous fragments of 
marble columns, enormous blocks of granite, and ruins 
which indicated the last period of decomposition. The 
whole appears to have belonged to a very 1 distant period. 
May not these ruins be of the same date as those of 
Palmyra? May not the important position of this point 
have been chosen formerly as a military station? I can- 
not decide the question, for want of materials to enable 
me to make researches. 
I descended at sun-set to the bank of the river, where 
the caravan was encamped, and went to visit a khan, 
which is a fine building, a mill, and afterwards a bridge 
of eight or ten arches. The river is intersected by large 
and well-construOted banks, that serve to supply the 
♦ 
