Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-03-17
From Buckingham's Travels.

STATE OF SOCIETY IN THE HAURAN.
"All the towns OF the Hauran are considered
as subject to the Government Of Damascus,
but il is a mere nominal subsection; for when
the military make their annual tour for the col
lection OF the miri, or land revenue, it is as ge-
Morally evaded as it is paid, the parties from
whom it is due retiring for a short period with
their families and hocks into the eastern Hills
and leaving the bare land and empty dwellings
only for the lax gatherers, which, however, be-
ing immoveable, the farmers find exactly in the
same state on their return. The people are in
general tall, stout and muscular men,.wIth full
dark boards; resembling in stature and person
the finest race of the Fillahs of Lower Egypt,
particularly those Of Sharkich on the eastern
branch of the Nile, who !are superior to those
on the west. They are, however, cleaner than
the Egyptians, and generally better dressed.
their ordinary apparel being long white shirt
and trousers, with broad leathern girdle,
red cloth cap forming the centre Of their turban
and this completed by white muslin cloth roll
ed round the brow, encircling the head. All
the men, of whatever class or condition, wear
arms, consisting generally Of musKet and
dirk, or pistol and sword, it being thought
unsafe to travel, even an hours distance, with
out being thus pre- ,ared for self-defence. Dur
ing our stay at Suwarrow, there were continual
arrivals of persons from all quarters, most of
whom halted here without intending to proceed
any farther until the road was clear and by
small party OF the townsmen themselves who
came from the eastward, we learned that the
horsemen now intercepting the road in that
quarter, were preparing for movement, and in
tended making tour northward, in the course
OF the night. Many ofthe incidents OF our pre-
sent situation reminded me forcibly of being at
sea in an unprotected merchant ship in time OF
war, when every distant sail is magnifed into
an enemy, and all eyes on the stretch for disco
very. Look-outs were stationed on the terraces
Of houses, and on the heaps Of rubbish formed
in different parts Of the town; and messengers
were repeatedly sent by them TO the Sheikh's
house, to report what they saw; one man, for
instance, arrived to say that three holsemen
were in sight to the southwark, going wester-
y; another followed soon AFTER to say that FIVE
men on foot were seen in the western quarter,
apparently bound this way; then Came another
announcement, stating thattwo horsemen, stran-
gers, who had passed through Suwarrow, with
out hating, about an hour before, were seen
stopped by the plunderers to the eastward, by
whom they were stripped, and were now retur-
ming on foot TO the town; the whole OF this al
fair being distinctly seen from the terrace OF
the Sheikh's house, and without glass, SO a.
cute had nature and habit together rendered
the vision of these people; the transaction,
though on plain, taking place at the distance
of at least miles A foot passenger could make
his way at little or no expense through the
Hauran, as travellers and wayfa-ers Of every de-
scription halt at the Sheikh's dwelling, where
whatever may be the rank or condition Of the
stranger, before any questions are asked him
as to where be comes from, or whittier he is
going, coffee is served to him from large pot,
always on the fife, and meal of bread, milk, ho-
ney, oil or butter, is set before him, for which
no payment is demanded or even expected, by
the host, who in this manner feeds at least TWEEN
ty persons on an average, every day in the year,
from his own purse; at least could not learn
that he was remunerated in any manner for this
expenditure, though it is considered as neces-
sary consequence of his situation as chief OF the
community, that he should maintain the ancient
practice Of hospitality to strangers"
COsnac hraNdy etc.