DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5295#0257
HOLY LAND, AND CYPRUS. 223
town, I found to my mortification that orders had been given
to cut off the communication with the exterior towards Bei-
rutte, on account of the existence of the plague on that part
of the coast. It was necessary to send to the palace of the
emir or prince, still two hours distant, for permission to
enter; luckily a small hovel afforded me shelter from the
cold dewy air of the night. I alighted, sent off a messenger,
and waited patiently for his return.
Though the orders of the emir were obeyed, in as much
as I was prevented from entering the town, yet the inha-
bitants flocked around me : my hovel was filled with people,
and I could not persuade them that the object of the pre-
cautions used was now done away by their communication
with me. They appeared happy under their present ruler,
and civilized, in comparison with other Eastern people I had
met with ; were not troublesome in their curiosity, and talked
of Europeans with regard.
To attempt giving an account of the religion of the
Druzes would be presumption. The Maronites replied to
my questions respecting them by saying they were divided
into aalem and jalicl*, initiated and uninitiated, or rather
* The followers of Pythagoras were divided into two classes; those who had
made a certain progress were admitted about his person, and with them he used
plain and natural language; but to the rest, who were separated from him by
town, I found to my mortification that orders had been given
to cut off the communication with the exterior towards Bei-
rutte, on account of the existence of the plague on that part
of the coast. It was necessary to send to the palace of the
emir or prince, still two hours distant, for permission to
enter; luckily a small hovel afforded me shelter from the
cold dewy air of the night. I alighted, sent off a messenger,
and waited patiently for his return.
Though the orders of the emir were obeyed, in as much
as I was prevented from entering the town, yet the inha-
bitants flocked around me : my hovel was filled with people,
and I could not persuade them that the object of the pre-
cautions used was now done away by their communication
with me. They appeared happy under their present ruler,
and civilized, in comparison with other Eastern people I had
met with ; were not troublesome in their curiosity, and talked
of Europeans with regard.
To attempt giving an account of the religion of the
Druzes would be presumption. The Maronites replied to
my questions respecting them by saying they were divided
into aalem and jalicl*, initiated and uninitiated, or rather
* The followers of Pythagoras were divided into two classes; those who had
made a certain progress were admitted about his person, and with them he used
plain and natural language; but to the rest, who were separated from him by