THE CEDAES OF LEBANON 529 
of the Faith — a phase dated by the popular tune ' Partant 
pour la Syrie ' — ^were chief in organising the Powers' campaign 
against the Druses. Hooker and his party reached Damascus 
only a day after the sacking of the Christian quarter of the 
city. Happily the English were not the object of popular 
resentment, and no untoward incidents happened to them, 
save that all the decent horses had been commandeered. 
A few quotations from the diary illustrate things noted. 
Thus the Ionian Islands appear to dread the exchange of 
British administration for Greek misrule : the meanness of 
the Europeans' houses in Smyrna and the lack of hot country 
comforts are such as no one in India of far inferior rank 
would put up with. Indeed, the relative standard of native 
habits is higher in India. 
Even under the deplorable conditions of Turkish rule, 
Ehodes is superb : and its ' old fortifications are far too grand, 
tumultuous, extensive, and picturesque to give any account 
of.' Two days after reaching Beyrout they were in the 
mountains. On Lebanon, at a height of 3000-4000 feet, the 
* general character of scenery Tibetan and wretched.' On the 
29th they reached the ' great shallow amphitheatre of bare, 
red, rounded sloping hills, at bottom of which the Cedars stand. 
These form one small clump, like a black speck in the great 
amphitheatre, and there is no other tree or shrub near them.' 
The youngest of the trees standing appeared to be about 
fifty years old. Some seedlings were found, but all dead. 
Good cones there were in plenty, so that ' with very httle care 
this grove may be indefinitely increased and made to cover 
all the moraines.' 
Two days were spent here ; the cedars were sketched 
and planned by the surveyors while Hooker botanised to the 
summit of the mountain. 
Baalbek (October 2) was most impressive. A glorious sun- 
set on the mountains was followed by bright moonhght. He 
notes : ' Magnificence of ruins in spite of earthquakes and 
Turks. Hanging keystone of Arch in Temple of Jupiter. 
Crawl into temple on hands and knees. Columns 7 feet 
through. Wolf among ruins.' 
