ACRE. 
J17 
pardon. He was degraded from his rank as an chap. 
officer, and heard of no more. » 
The next morning, an Albanian General 
was ordered into the mountains, with a party 
of cavalry, to act against the Druses. Djezzar, Further 
, ^ . f. ^ , . . Interview 
who sent tor us to miorm us oi this cir- with 
cumstance, further told us, that he entertained "^'^'*''" 
some apprehensions on account of our journey 
to Jerusalem; but, said he, "I have already 
sent messengers into the country, that every 
precaution may be used among the Chiefs, 
in the villages." He spoke also of the news 
he had received from Egypt, by which he 
understood that the Fizler had retreated 
from before Cairo, owing to the plague. " This 
conduct," said he, '' might be justifiable in 
a Christian General, but it is disgraceful in a 
Turk '." He then informed us, that upon 
Mount Carmel he had found several thousand 
large balls % and never could discover a 
(1) 'Alluding to tlie predestinnrinn doctrines of tlie Moslems, 'vvho 
consider all endeavours to escape coming events as impious and heretical. 
(2) We supposed that, by these balls, Djezzar alluded to mineral 
concreribns, of a sphero"idal form, found in that mountain. As the 
Turks make use of stones instead of cannon-shot, it is probable 
that Djezzar, v/ho was in great ^^'ant of ammunition, had determined 
upon using ihe stalagmites of Carmel for that purpose. Maundrell, 
however, speaks of having seer, in the fields near Acre, " large balls of 
stone, 
