DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4569#0041
A
JOURNEY
THROUGH THE
D E S A R T.
UR journey to Palmyra was that part-of our tour through the
Earl, in which we expected to meet with the greateft difficulties, as
it was much out of the common road, and where the protection
of the Grand Signior could .do us no fervice.
'&■
Aleppo and Damafcus feemed to be the places where we might molt
effectually confult oureafe andfafety in this undertaking. Having unfuccefs-
fnlly attempted to make the firft of thofe cities our road, we left our ifiip
at Byroot on the coaft of Syria, and croffed Mount Libanus to Damafcus.
The Bafhaw* of this city told us, he could not promife that his name,
or power, would be any iecurity to us in the place to which we were go-
ting. Erom what he laid, and from all the informations that we could
get, we found it neceflary to go to Haffia, a village four days journey
.norjrh from Damafcus, and the refidence of an Aga, whofe jurildidtion ex-
tends as fax as Palmyra.
Since we propofe this work merely as an account of the ruins of Pal-
myra, and not of our travels, we fliall here only prcmife fuch a fhort
sketch of our paflage through the Defart, as may give a general idea of our
manner of travelling in a country, which no body has defcribed.
Haffia is a fmall village upon the great caravan-road, from Damafcus to
Aleppo, iituated near Antilibanus, and at a few hours diflance from the
Orontes. The Aga received us with that hoi pkality, which is fo common
among all ranks of people in thofe countries; and though extremely fur-
prized at our curiofity, he gave us inftructions how to latisfy it in the belt
manner.
We fet out from Haffia the nth of March 1751, withanefcort of the
Aga's beft Arab horfemen, armed with guns and long pikes, and travelled
in four hours to Sudud, through a barren plain, fcarce affording a little
browfmg to antilopes, of which we faw a great number. Ourcourfe was
a point to the fouth of the eaft.
Sudud is a poor fmall village, inhabited by Maronitechriflians; its houfes
are built of no better materials than mud dried in the fun. They cultivate
as much ground about the village as is neceflary for their bare fubfiftence,
S and
JOURNEY
THROUGH THE
D E S A R T.
UR journey to Palmyra was that part-of our tour through the
Earl, in which we expected to meet with the greateft difficulties, as
it was much out of the common road, and where the protection
of the Grand Signior could .do us no fervice.
'&■
Aleppo and Damafcus feemed to be the places where we might molt
effectually confult oureafe andfafety in this undertaking. Having unfuccefs-
fnlly attempted to make the firft of thofe cities our road, we left our ifiip
at Byroot on the coaft of Syria, and croffed Mount Libanus to Damafcus.
The Bafhaw* of this city told us, he could not promife that his name,
or power, would be any iecurity to us in the place to which we were go-
ting. Erom what he laid, and from all the informations that we could
get, we found it neceflary to go to Haffia, a village four days journey
.norjrh from Damafcus, and the refidence of an Aga, whofe jurildidtion ex-
tends as fax as Palmyra.
Since we propofe this work merely as an account of the ruins of Pal-
myra, and not of our travels, we fliall here only prcmife fuch a fhort
sketch of our paflage through the Defart, as may give a general idea of our
manner of travelling in a country, which no body has defcribed.
Haffia is a fmall village upon the great caravan-road, from Damafcus to
Aleppo, iituated near Antilibanus, and at a few hours diflance from the
Orontes. The Aga received us with that hoi pkality, which is fo common
among all ranks of people in thofe countries; and though extremely fur-
prized at our curiofity, he gave us inftructions how to latisfy it in the belt
manner.
We fet out from Haffia the nth of March 1751, withanefcort of the
Aga's beft Arab horfemen, armed with guns and long pikes, and travelled
in four hours to Sudud, through a barren plain, fcarce affording a little
browfmg to antilopes, of which we faw a great number. Ourcourfe was
a point to the fouth of the eaft.
Sudud is a poor fmall village, inhabited by Maronitechriflians; its houfes
are built of no better materials than mud dried in the fun. They cultivate
as much ground about the village as is neceflary for their bare fubfiftence,
S and