New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-29
THE WALAYAT OF BEIRUT.
SCENES AT THE RECEPTION OF THE NEW
GOVERNOR


new waly, landed here TO take possession Of thu
liens share Of the country. The walayat of Syria
until now under one Governor, has Jdst been divid
cd. To the old waly, whose seat is at Damascus
there remain but three out Of his eight origina
districts-those of Hamalt, Damascus and th
Hauran These are all in the interior the Haurar
indeed being inaccessible to strangers without
a hermit This leaves the five coast districts with
the cities of Latalxia Tripol, Beirut Sidon. Tyre
ctc. 10 the new Governor, who has the title o.
"Waly of Beirut The great majority of the
foreigners in Syria live in or near these cities
here. too, are found Of course the chief wealth
and commerce Of the land; the great centres OF
educatin. also are along the coast; in word
all that connects Syria with the outside world
has fallen into the new Walayat. Hence tho an
pouncement Of the change WIS heard with great
interest not only by the Syrians but by all the
FOREIGNERS residing in the country; and the coming
az All Pacha was awaited with some anxiety
at hone he will arrive in a storm" heard an
old inbabtant remark, /" for II he gets tossed
about enough we may have new harborl'
The Mediterranean. however, is Gained as easily
nc IL Ia excited, and although Tuesday afternoon
the waves were running high. Vet on Wednesday
morning the sea was smooth as plain and Of
brilliant blue The beautiful city with its gayly
colored, red-tiied houses rising from the sea in q
framework of green, must have looked it's best
as the Pachs surveyed it from the steamer. The
Mountains Of the Lebanon, which swept down al
most TO the waters edge, had that peculiar dis
tinctness which always comes with north wind,
however gently IL may blow. Every valley, cliff,
village or monastery was clearly revealedand above
NIL lowered the dazzling snowy shaft of Sunneen
The steamer came in early, so at a. m. We
mounted horses and rode into the city to see what
we could of the waly and the crowd gathered to
welcome him. AS we neared the centre of the
town we could 500 by the looks Of the people that
the Waly had passed. Following the crowd we
soon found ourselves at the Serayn. The Seraya
or Government Building occupies one end Of
large square in the middle of which there is a
well-cultivated garden enclosed with high iron
paling The now Governor drove straight here
from the landing place The side Of the square
along which the party had proceeded was crowded
with people, but we garloped around to the other
side which was quite open, and secured capital
place right in front Of the Seraya. There were
many carriages with their coachmen in Arab cos
tune, but we seemed TO be the only spectators on
horseback and so could overlook the motley crowd.
suppose we must have been there quite an hour
before the Pacha reappeared but there was so
much to look at that one hardly noticed how the
time was going. The chief men Of the city drove
up and passed under the high archway to pay
their respects to the new official within. There
were delegations also from the schools of various
sects lot of tiny little Moslem boys, dressed
in sort Of uniform of dark blue and crimson,
filed along, each with handful Of flowers An
other set Of schoolboys wore what looked like
muslin surpliccs with broad rose-colored ribbons
passed over one shoulder-the first few boys carry
ing FIAT baskets strewn with flowers
Presently the Turkish band came along and
entered the court was amused to lifted above
the musicians two immense brass sticks with bells,
like magnifed babies rattles In a few minutes
they began TO play wild Turkish music with q
splendid swing TO it and the strange intervals
which Rubinstein has copied in some Of his
Persian songs. People still continued TO pour
into the court, but the most interesting sight was
the crowd that waited outside, for there was o
variety of costume impossible to match except
IN some other Eastern seaport town. Right in
front Of the archway were four horsemen of the
Lebanon Governor, dressed in full baggy trousers
of blue broadcloth and scarlet jackets ornamented
with black braid in arabesque patterns. Splendid
men they are, showing their mountain build and
training in che firm, independent way they carry
their broad shoulders. One fellow with frank,
q
with q friend In the crowd easily controlling his
FESTIVE gray stallion with one hand, while the
other balanced a musket across bis saddle. The
Lebanon soldiers taken from the Christian sects
and the Druscs. Part Of the square was lined
with the Turkish soldiers. men Of quite different
pbysiognomy.
Among the men Of the crowd moved what
looked like bales OF goods set on end some Of
- md anly
stripes, or Of purple with gold embroidery. These
were Moslem women enveloped in their izaes
Here was group of herdsmen from the interior,
with black cloth wells fastened on their heads by
coils of cancels hair ropes. BY them are couple
of Beirut swells, dressed like any New-Yorlycr
except for the Oriental foz. They had I'm air CT
ianguid interest on their handsome faces, which
decidedly lacked the manliness Of the mountain
GERS. A man with great tray Of cakes passed
along, recommending his wares in shrill voice.
Here and there you could see the black robes Of
ON ecclesiastic. Suddenly our attention was at
tracted by white object like a wedding cake
neatly covered and ornamented with frosting,
moving in the crowd-hoating as it the
of heads As it drifted nearer to it revealed
under itself two eyes and gray beard.
What is it? / asked in surprise of my COM
panion q young Syrian doctor.
"Ohl" he said, that is the headgear of the
sheilxh of a Turkish regiment-you might call him
the chaplain Of dragoonsl"
In a window of the Seraya lolled Turk in
uniform, with bright scarlet fez and charming,
indolent face, who every now and then made q
slight gesture to some one in the crowd As we
wore glsucing up at him voice behind us said
That's chief Of police"
Turning around we saw an elderly Arab with
wrinkled face, stub6ly gray growth on his
chin and single yellow tooth under a thick
mustache. His features expressed settled scep-
tcism in everything. An old black and white
shawl covered his head and shoulders, he wore
shabby clothes, and his hands were encased in
gloves Of some hairy cloth He was evidently
delightful old cynic
Look at him up there" growled this Diogenes,
pointing TO the window lie smokes his cigar
cite and says TO the soldiers below Beat me this