844 Maun DR 
13. Gen. X. 18. U%eh xxvlL l i.) and thtAradus of the 
Greeks and Romans., which feem’d to be fillM with Build- 
ings like Caftles, and to have been anciently famous for 
Navigation. About a Quarter of an Hour further we 
came up with our Muliteers., who had pitchM our Tents 
at a Place where we found feveral notable Antiquities, 
having in it a Fountain call’d Serpent Fountain. The 
firft Antiquity that we obferv’d was a large Dike thirty 
Yards over at Top, cut into the firm Rock, whofe Sides 
went Hoping down with Stairs form’d out of the Rock; 
and this was on theNorth-fide of the Fountain ; but on 
the other Side we found a Court of fifty five Yards fquare, 
cut in the natural Rock, and compafs’d about with Walls 
of the fame Rock on three Sides, but to the North it 
lay open. In the Center of this Area was a fquare 
Part of the Rock left Handing, being three Yards high, 
and five Yards and half fquare, which ferv’d for a 
Pedeftal to a Throne made of four large Stones, two 
at the Sides, one at the back, and another hanging 
over the Top like a Canopy, which was five Yards 
and three (garters fquare, carv’d round with a hand- 
fome Cornifh. The Court we imagin’d to be an Idol- 
Temple, and the Pile in the Middle to be the Throne 
of the Idol, which Teem’d the more probable, becaufe 
Hercules., i. e. the Sun, the great Abomination of 
the Phanicians, was wont to be adored in an open 
Temple. 
6. On the 8th : We got up early to take a nearer View 
of the twoTowers we fawthe Night before, whereof one 
was thirty three Foot high, on a Pedeftal ten Foot high, 
and fifteen fquare ; the other was thirty Foot high, on 
a Pedeftal fix Foot high, and fixteen Foot fix Inches 
fquare, fupported by four Lyons, the upper Part rear’d 
upon the Pedeftal, being all one Tingle Stone. Under 
thefe Monuments were leveral Sepulchres, to which we 
defcended by Steps, having feveral Cells for Corps 
hewn out of the Rock, fome of which we found to be 
eight Foot and half long. Having parted from thefe 
Antiquities, we entred into a fpacious Plain between the 
Sea and the Mountains, reaching almoft as far as Tri- 
poly, which the Natives call Junta. We were feven 
Hours in pafling it, and found it all along very fruit- 
ful, by reafon of the many Rivers that are in it ; of 
which the firft being about fix Hours from Tripoly, 
has a Stone Bridge of three Arches, and is called the 
Great River. 
About half an Hour further we came to another, cal- 
led the LepeAs, River : In three Quarters of an Hour 
more we came to a third, called Nahor Acchar ; and 
two Hours more brings you to a fourth, called the 
Cold Waters. Which Rivers I do particularly mention, 
becaufe it is probable, according to the Defcription of 
the Ancients, that one of them is the River Eleutherus, 
though the , Moderns do all agree, that it is the fame 
with a River between Tyre Sidon, called by the 
Turks Cafmeer, contrary to the Account of Strabo and 
Pliny, who place it near Orthojia, or between that and 
Tripoly ; and of Ptolomy, who places it yet more Nor- 
therly between Orthojia and Balanea. 
On the 9th, our Muliteers were afraid left their Beafts 
fhould be prefs’d for publick Service, as indeed they 
were, in Spight of all their Caution ; and fo we left 
them in the Plain of Junia, and arrived at Tripoly 
about Sun-fet. It is feated about half an Hour from 
the Sea, and the major Part of the City lies between 
two Hills, one on the Eaft, on which Hands a Caftle 
that commands the Place, and the other on the Weft, 
between the City and the Sea, which is laid to be firft 
rais’d, and ftill increas’d by Sand blown to it from 
the Shore ; whence arifcs a Prophecy, that the whole 
City fhall in Time be burled with this Tandy Hill. 
Qn the 10th, we were treated by M.r. Fi(her in a 
narrow pleafant Valley by a River Side, about a Mile 
from the City : A-crofs the Valley there runs, from 
Hill to Hill, a lofty Aqu^duft, carrying upon it fo 
great a Body of Water as fuffices the whole City. It 
was called the Prince’^ Bridge, and is fuppofed to be 
built by Godfrey of Bulloign. 
7. On the nth vve all dined at Conful Hajiing*^ 
Houfe, and after Dinner we went to wait upon OJian, 
Ell’j Travels Book III. 
the Baiba of fripoly, having firft Tent our Prefent after 
the Manner of Turks, to procure us a favourable 
Reception ; for it is accounted uncivil in this Country 
to vifit without an Offering in Hand, which all great 
Men expebl as a Tribute due to their Charader And 
even the inferior People fddorn vifit without bringing a 
Flower or an Orange, or fome fuch Token of Rffpeft 
according to the ancient Oriental Cuftom, hinted in 
\ Sarn ix. j. If we go, fays Saul, what fhall we hrinw 
the Man of God ? there is not a Prefent, &c. 
On the 1 2th we went to vifit Bell-mount, a Convent 
of Greeks, about two Hours to the South of Tripoh 
and we came there juft as they were going to Evening 
Service. The Church is large but obfcure, and the Al- 
tar is enclos’d within Chancels, which none but the 
Prieft muft approach, after the Manner of the Greek 
Churches. They call the Congregation together by 
beating a Tune with two Mallets on a long Piece of 
Plank hanging at the Church Doors, Bells beino- an 
Abomination to the Their Service confifted in 
a hafty Chattering of certain Prayers and Hymns to our 
Bleffed Saviour and the Virgin, and in fome dark Ce- 
remonies, for the Prieft that officiated fpent at Jeaft a 
third Part of his Time in compaffing the Altar, and 
perfuming it with a Pot of Incenfe, and then going 
round the Congregation, tendring its Smoke with three 
Vibrations to every one prefent. Towards the End of 
the Service, there was brought into the Body of the 
Church a fmall Table, covered with a Linnen Cloth 
on which were placed five fmall Cakes of Bread crofsl 
wife ; and in a Hole made in each Cake was fixed a 
fmall lighted Wax Taper. And then the Prieft read the 
Gofpel concerning our Lord’s feeding the Multitude with 
five Loaves ; after which, the Bread was carried within 
the CancelU, and being there broke in Bits, was acrain 
brought out in a Basket, and prefented to every one in 
the Affembly, that he might take a little. 
After this Collation, the Prieft pronounc’d the Bleft 
fing, and fo the Service ended. On both Sides of the 
Church there were Seats for the Monks, being about 
forty in all, and in each Seat there were Crutches (as 
there are in moft Churches of this Country) which are 
us’d by the Prieft to eafe him, by leaning on them, in 
Cafe the Service be long, becaufe by the Rubrick he is 
forbidden to fit down. We found the Monks good- 
natur’d, but very ignorant, for the Chief of them told 
the Conful, that he was as glad to fee him, as if he 
had beheld the Meffiah in Perfon come to vifit him. 
Nor is this Ignorance much to be wondred at, fince 
they are forced to Ipend all the Time, between theic 
Hours of Devotion, in managing their Flocks, cultiva- 
ting the Lands, and pruning their Vineyards, which they 
do with their own Hands ; and this they are obliged to 
do, not only for their own Suftenance, but to fatisfy the 
unreafonable Exadions of the Turks. And to fhew 
what Kind of Men they are, I took particular Notice, 
that the fame Perfon whom we faw officiating at the 
Altar in his embroider’d Prieftly Robe, brought us the 
next Day on his own Back, a Kid, and a Goat’s Skin of 
Wine, as a Prefent from the Convent. 
On the 13th : This Morning we went again to wait 
upon Ofian Baffia, by his own Appointment, and were 
receiv’d with great Civility after their Manner, which is 
this : When you would make a Vifit to a Perfon of 
Quality, you muft fend a Prefent by a Servant, who is 
to learn what Time may be moft feafonable to wait up- 
on him : When you come to the Houfe, fome Servants 
receive you at the outermoft Gate, and .condud you to- 
wards their Mafter’s Apartment, and others in their fe- 
veral Stations meet you as you draw nearer to him. 
Coming into the Room, you find him prepar’d to re- 
ceive you, either ftanding at the Edge of the Duan,. or 
lying down at one Corner of it, as he thinks proper. 
Thefe Duans are low Stages rais’d about fixteen or eigh- 
teen Inches above the Floor, fpread with Carpets, and 
furniffi’d with Bolfters to lean upon ; on which the 
Turks eat, fteep, fmoke, fay their Prayers, receive Vi- 
fits, (Ac. Their whole Delight is in lolling on them, 
and their Luxury confifts in furniffiing them richly. 
Being 
