Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-05-08

have three weeks riding to perform before reach Je
rusalem, mountains get over and Baalbek and
Damascus to look at the waysde OF you won't
expect any thing new, except and then common
place truth, which is all the novelty have give you
Any body stationed the roof Of Demetries hotel,
Beirut might have seem early in the morning the
2ad of November, with good spyglass, bear
ing the Austrian flag padding its way into the harbor
The decks Of that steamer crowded with pilgrims Of
all nations Turks Arabs Russian and Polish Jews, and
Greeks; but conspicuous the quarterback two
Americans, who might also have been with the spy
glass above mentioned tall slender gentleman with
red book in his hand and the other rather shorter but
not too short habited in the unpreendng garb of back
woodsman, with grave countenance. Any body might
| know in moment that the first Southerner and
the last no other than your friend and feowctzen, who
! has the pleasure Of addressing you this letter
The weather for than two months previously dur
ing wanderings in the Leyant had been unusually
fine; and for the past month, in Constantnople and
Smyrna had enjoyed coudless skies and climate of
delightful temperature. Don't imagine however, that
am going to trouble you with description of all the fine
views OF bare mountains palm trees and mosques that
along the shores of Asia Minor or the glorious
sunsets among the Greek Islands Such scenes are for
artists and poets, not for practical like u.s. whs go
about the world to study the realities Of life and disspate
the mists Of fancy.
Scarcely had anchor in the harbor Of Beirut
(Which by the way like all the harbors on the coast of
Syria is very bad ene,) when we were boarded by
whole legion of hotelkeepers and guides Books of
commentator were thrust at by lusy fellows in petit
coats, who talked English French Italian, and Arabic all
in one breath cards with views Of splendid hotels that
never have existed in Beirut and probably never will !;
private hints whispered in by dsnterested per-
sons, and all sorts Of strange things yelled by the
boatmen who crowded round the steamer In Eve min
utes verify believe there talking done on that
occasion, without single movement being made towards
disembarkng the passengers than would hear during
the whole process Of clearing California steamer 1t is
of the pecuares Of oriental travel that the moment
steamer drops her anchor the officers labor under the
idea that the contract Of transportation has been fufed
there is nothing to be done but obstruct far
practicable all attempts at getting ashore Even where
there quarantine perform and police or pass
port nuisance they loath to part company with
their passengers that have them and 90 to
sleep for the purpose passing the time agreeaby eav
ing stationed at the gangway, who always says,
Excuse, senor you can't 60 ashore yet" Can person
Of nervous temperament who has suffered all the horrors
of for two three days. and who feels certain
that the authorities shore who expected every
ment will never come, in consequence of smoking the
chibouk till they fall asleep, and sleeping TIL they
ready to smoke the chibouk again-can one say, be
tried at the bar of public opinion and justly censured
der such circumstances for saying dammit?
The late for tour through Syria and Pa
lestine. Already the rain month behind the time;
it might tomorrow it might not; but that it
would before very long regarded certainty
Travellers returning from the Nile usually the little
Desert GAIA early in March, to take Palestine in
Al
Petrea. The is then deghtful the country
cred with verdure and of Palestine is in its
favorable aspect before the earth has become parch
ed by the searching heat of With it not
matter Of choice. We had spent the time in rambling
about the Levant and had just month six weeks to
spare, and it was Palestine never.
Demerie, fine looking Greek who carried every thing
before him by his splendid Albanian costume pushed the
babbng crowd aside and took possession of without
opposition His mousache the blacklist and thickest
and most conspicuous ever saw it had killed half the
Arab girls in Beirut and well entitled the bearer to his
distinguished reputation Deetrie the conqueror Of
the female But Demetre is also distinguished as
dragoman He has been the guide Of English lords and
Russian counts without number has made fortunes and
spent them with facility unknown the coolheaded in
habants of more temperate dimes he has gone through
all the varieties of fe and now proprietor of the prn
Deyonu the Walls OF ana can con-
scientiousy say all travellers that he is prince Of
fellow and that his hotel is the cleanes and most
modious in Syria.
On arrival at the hotel beset by guides, all
eagerly thrustng at their certificates of character
From the number we chose Yusuf Simon Badra who APP
peared to have the strongest recommendations and who
also highly spoken of by the residents OF Beirut In
making bargain with dragoman it is considered safest
to have written contract signed before the consul spe
cfyng every thing be furnished by the dragoman the
number Of horses mules &c., and the compensation The
usual price, including tents provisions horses and every
thing necessary is pound sterling day for each per-
son; but the season was late agreed with Yusuf
for ninety-six pasres about four dollars each Hav
ing made the tour and acquired experience in
gain-makng, very sure could travel through
Syria and Palestine for about half that of in
the luxurious style of fashionable tourists who 60 merely
for pleasure but in quite good enough style for any per-
who desires to acquire knowledge of the country
the most economical terms
Leaving Beirut at p NJ, on the 9th Of November
passed. far beyond the suburbs the spot pointed
as the scene of the remarkable battle between St. George
and the dragon and after crossed the pass Of Xerxes
The road lay along the beach, which extends
the Roman pass On the rocks the right Of the road
Latin inscriptions carved in tablets and in
places the remains of basso relieves Further on few
miles descended into the beautiful little valley Of Ell
Kelb Dog river where stand the remains Of bridge
built by the Romans. Silk is manufactured to
tent in this country and road frequently lay through