Smyrna times., 1860-02-02
R r ESD
~ N DEN &c E.
"r'tten for The Smyrna Times.
Letter from Syria.
REIRUT. Sent Ia


previous letter Well, you know we were then
exposing guard from our Amer can Consul;
they came the day after with a letter from the
OOh'ui' saying that peace had been declared,
ana 1t was generally thought that quiet would
oe restored among the mountains, So we con-
cluded it would be as we'll to dispatch the
guard TO his house in Beirut, which we did,
S'lli the people of our village were all under
arms at the time. and the company of horsemen
sent by the Government were still stationed be-
fore our house, as in that portion of the village,
the Shsikhs all resided. The Christians ut the
beginning of the war, all fed, and returned in
ten days after in body to make terms of peace.
1t was quite = novel sight-to see the two sects
(Druses and Christisns) convened beneath a
wide spreading Oak. short distance from our
house. AT the approach of any dignitsry, they
all arose ito their feet; as rlatter of course,
they were sitting after the fp pshion of the Turk,
on the ground. with their feet gathered up, and
all of them bearing arms, which, with their fan.
iastIc Costumes, presented rather a picturesque
appearance sejadde, or Persian rug was
/. spread for the Sheikhs TO recine upon. The
Druses would not consen, to the terms Of the
ChrlStssGs, to restore them their punder and
rebuild the houses of the villages they burnt,
-or pay the value. so that the matter was left
suspended with no definite arrangement. We
Eemained on, however, until news reached us
of horrible massacre of all the Christians in
Hasbeya, "a village one day from Damaucus,)
by the Druses of the Haurau, tract of country
to the north of Syria. The story was credited
by all who heard, for every one knows that the
Druses are such bloody sect, they will not
hesitate in anything whereby they may ac-
compsh their designs The story ran thus
that, while the Christians were assembled at
prayers on Sabbath morning, they came upon
them, and slew them al their pleasure. The
Syrian posts, (inland,l are not transported by
railwoy carriages or vehicles Of any kind, but
either on horseback or by footmau, which makes
it far more tedious, and in times Of war, uncer-
tain, as the letters may be interspersed; so that
it is difficult at all times to get the truth, and
besides this, there is but one newspaper printed
in Syria and that is so under Moslem security,
as to forbid any freedom of expression, so that
my story. When the news of the Hasbeya
matter reached Us, we would not believe it, un.
I'll, finding it credited by all who heard IL, we
were forced to; we wrote TO the Consul to
know what had best be done. He Immediately
sent guard and letter, informing US that we
had better return to Beirut, as everything gave
indications Of general war. All the other
CJnsuls thought the same, and Mr.. Hunter,
dear, kind man that he is, Immediately sent US
mules for transporting our goods to Beirut,
with an invitation so cordial, 10 come 10 his
home and remain, until we could find place,
that we did not refuse to accept kindness so
proffered. In consequence Of all this, We were
obliged to leave Abadiyeh much sooner than we
wished or expected, as we feared taking our
child to the plain until after the warm weather.
Our departure was great modification 10 the
Druses. They said if there was war, we would
be safe, for they think the English are the
greatest people on earth, and associate the
Americans with them. We told them our
fears were not for our own safety, go far as
they were concerned, but if the report was
true, the Christians around would certainly be
aroused, and that village being the hssdquar.
ters Of their sect. it would in all probability be
burned, and our goods be lost besides, we
must obey our Consul, for if we did not, and
anything happened, it would be on our own
heads 1t was great scene. to see US leaving.
number of Christians took that opportunity
OF leaving when we did, and one man, the
wealthlest and most influential Christian there,
who had been refugee in oui house from the
opening of the war, left also. with his family
Che told Mr.. B. yesterday that he though he
should never leave Beirut again except tempo
rarily.) body guard of Druses. through COM
pliment, escorted US a mile out of the town in q
full arms, and there, on leaving US, the greatest
sight Of all was 10 see them bidding adieu to :
fhIs Christian of whom have just spoken. He 4
alIghted from his mule, and kissed each ono on h
each cascH, Chat is their custom,) passing va
riOus salaaRs at the time, though apparently II
all the while in terror, for he scarce felt sure !,
Of II. .'.i am certain he did not draw a II
long breath untIl out of their sight. Well too "
might he fear, for they would have given much ci
for his life. 1t was curiosity indeed to see us
moving off from the village, with about forty
mules and donkeys together, and four horses, y
with an escort OF armed men and guard of our kI
own with silver eagle shining coDspicuously y" D.
on the breast of the chief janssary of the Ame- C.
rican Consul. Mr. B. remarked that our leay-
ing Absdiyeh. resembed very much the exo- Of
dus Of the children of Israel from Egypt, were
90 much SO that not dog moved his tongus.-
Well, we have had some interesting adysn. pi
lures since our arrival in Syria. Peace has not 'a
been declared as yet. The Christians are ell
arming themselves. If it should come to a IN