Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-12-15
5fIigrrllanCOug.
Notes from the Lebanon.

Views Of Eastern life by au East
ern must needs be very different
from what we read IN ordinary
books of travels, though not necessar-
lly more true. The art Of ob,crva-
Ton requires to be cultivated like ali
other arts; otherwise 1t gives bat
series OF impressions ms different from
reality aud from one another as The
thistle from the cedar. This cum
parison is suggested by the lillc OF
hook which has told Us many pleasant
things about the Lebanon country
a country which always has, and AL
ways will interest cyerybody.-cvcn
At IT'S associations Ct.ua so he lur-nt
ten. lis beauty viii uuilaa, most
empires. aud so indeed seem la do
some Of its cedars, for we are bound
To believe HAT some OF the trees
which shade its green swards buGded
green through The Garth when the
first stone of the Temple of Jvru,a-
lem was LAID. Mr. Risk Allah. at
any rate, informs MS 50, on what
seemed TO him good authority.
Ii is curious to read an
aulobiographical narrative written ex-
paessly for English readers 10y an
Eastern. Mr.. Risks good faith
cannot be doubted, so it is worth 60
ias back with him TO the fountain of
his rccolleciions at Shuaylai. a VII
lage situated in one ofthe upper va
lcys of the Lebanon. Ills uncle is
Labit or clerk 10 the famous Emir
Beshir his father only comes there
during the warm months. The ia
vorlle place of resort is the top of
hill, where the amily INDUCES in
reading the Bible, with the accom-
panimenl of smoking. Fancy the
Shcikh Faiis Birldi sitting, pipe in
hand, on an old stone, with his neph.
ew and servants around hun, now
closing his eyes in attention 10 what
he heard, now gazing over scene
than which few are more beautiful
even in that beautiful land, listening
TO the kiial Mukaddas, and taking
especial delight in the hundred and
fourth Psalm We are reminded Of
the patrlarchs, who, however, knew
neither coffee nor tobacco. This
is Shuay-lat, with lis neat cottages
buried in mulberry, orange, lemon,
apricot, and olive-irees, with vines
trailing everywhere, and columnar
poplar rising at intervals. People are
moving about looking small and
close unde,, as f,vu, ,hO hu"u"'vut
Mr.. Risk whistles, and the dogs wag
their tails in recognition, aud bark
The mountains take up the echo, and
il dies away over the plains beyond
where the cattle and sheep are graz
ing, and where streams of water
spunging cool from empowered glens
go glancing in the sunlight. The
meadows are bespangled with blue
and crimson flowers and beyond
them is the blue sea, with here and
lherh IA patch Of deeper blue where
the breeze sporliyely luflles the wat
ers.
Such is the land where Risk Allah
began his life of thought. lie is
fond of it,and praises il even for what
it does not possess. He is genuine
Oriental, aud has travelled only TO
learn the inestimable superiority of
his own country, except in matters of
faith. lie does not say as much, but
we feel this tone everywhere, and IL
makes his book more agreeable 10
read. How he expatiaies on the de-
lights of Syrian cookery Here
comes the large iron cauldron filled
with RUIZ mafallal or peppered rice (;
the food is laded out in portions:
enough to each, aud no waste. Then
there is a dish of stewed meat and
vegetables; or of the egg vegetable,
or vegetable marrow, sliced and fried
10 oil, with cucumbers, leuuces, rad
ishes, and young onions. A servant
stands at the door to invite any way
farer who may pass, 10 enier and par
take. The national dish of kabbeh