The Holy Land and the Bible; . close under the western hills, is called, is a broad plain,known anciently as Coele-Syria, or Hollow Syria. In ages longpast every part of this magnificent sweep of country, and far up themountains on each side of it, was richly cultivated; and it is still atmany ])arts green with crops, or rich with vineyards and gardens,though the population is not sufficient to use more than a small spaceof its wide surface. The road to Baalbek, simply a track with noartificial improvement, runs to the north along the foot of the hills,some of which, on both sides, rise into m
The Holy Land and the Bible; . close under the western hills, is called, is a broad plain,known anciently as Coele-Syria, or Hollow Syria. In ages longpast every part of this magnificent sweep of country, and far up themountains on each side of it, was richly cultivated; and it is still atmany ])arts green with crops, or rich with vineyards and gardens,though the population is not sufficient to use more than a small spaceof its wide surface. The road to Baalbek, simply a track with noartificial improvement, runs to the north along the foot of the hills,some of which, on both sides, rise into magnificent mountains. Ourconveyance was a wretched affair, with seats of American cloth, sonnrrow and smooth that it was almost impossible to keep ones seat onthem, and the two sides so close together that they could only havebeen occupied by passengers fitting their knees into each other, liketlie teeth of two combs. Lnckih^ there was only one other passengerbesides the doctor and myself, so that this trouble was escaped. The. Fcrtal ot tbe Temple or the Sua at Baalbek- CSee page 618.) ^^?i BAALBEK AND THE CEDARS OF LEBANON. 617 roof barelj allowed us to sit up straight, but we could lean to oneside. Had there been six travellers, as there are, I suppose, at times,figs in a box would not have been packed more closely than we shouldhave been. Flat-roofed villages, chiefly built of stone, with greatcattle-houses, brightened the slopes at intervals. Stems of vinestrained along the ground, but not yet budding, spoke of future grapegatliering; orchards of apricots, peaches, figs, pears, and many otherfruit-trees abounded; brooks rushed down the hills, or flowed peace-fully on their course to the Litany through fields which they fertilized;shining in great bends in the midst of the plain. The men weresoberly dressed in jackets and baggy trousers; but the women werelike so many tulips in their brightness and variety of color. The driver, a mere lad, showed himself an adept at roguery
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookpublishern, booksubjectbible
