Bint el Jebail, about three hours’ distant, a considerable place, which often contests with Tibneen for supremacy in the local government, and where the governor is a distant relative of him at Tibneen.
From the tents, before starting, we could see the following villages in a curved line from S.E. to N:—
Haddata or Haita ez-Zoot.
Bait U’oon.
Berasheet.
Hhooleh.
Shakrah.
And they told us of El Yehudiyeh on the N.W. behind the castle. The Mediterranean in sight [I became better acquainted with Tibneen, and on better relations with the people in after years.]
Passed on through a pretty country, like all the Belâd Beshârah, with numerous villages in sight; excellent beaten roads, and plenty of them; with everywhere the magnificent objects in view of Mount Hermon, and part of the Lebanon, but not always the Mediterranean.
Rested at half-way of our short journey under a large evergreen oak on the summit of a rising ground, with a refreshing breeze blowing; thence descended to a plain where there were about a dozen wells, and people drawing water for large herds of neat cattle. Here our horses got drink.
Arrived at Bint el Jebail, a nice-looking place, with a commanding house for the governor, (Hhusain Sulimân,) but the people were at first
even more inhospitable than those at Tibneen, for they drove away our man Khaleel from the village fountain, and covered up their mouths and noses, in fear of cholera.
On application to the Bek, we got permission to draw water for ourselves, and he allowed us eggs and bread, with barley for the horses, and it was with difficulty they accepted any money in return.
The Bek also invited me to visit him in his house, but stipulating not to shake hands.