[79] For Sayda, see likewise Nub Geogr. A. iii. S. v. p. 135. Prin. ed. Ar. Also Gen. x. 15.; xlix. 13. Joshua, xi. 8; xix. 28; Judges, i. xxxi.; Strabo, xvi. p. 757; Plin. Nat. Hist. v. 17; Il. Hom. xxiii. 744, et passim, Σιδονες πολυδαιδαλοι.
[80] Their father, a Frenchman, had been a doctor at Sayda, but had educated these his children as merchants, until the overthrow of the French trade in the Levant necessitated them to convert the counting-house into an apothecary’s shop.
[81] Pronounced Joon; afterwards for many years the residence of Lady Hester, and where also she died.
[82] The reader is referred to a recent work, called “The Modern Syrians,” for a learned dissertation upon them.
[83] Âakel, masculine; âakely, feminine.
[84] To prevent confusion, it may be as well to explain the difference of two names sometimes confounded from the supposed resemblance in the term Beshýr. The appellation Beshýr is what we should call the Christian name. Thus we will suppose two persons bearing the same name, George—the one will be emir George—the other shaykh George. So we have here two persons called Beshýr, and one is the Emir Beshýr—the other the Shaykh Beshýr. In this instance, the Emir and the Shaykh are of two different families. The Shaykh is of the house Jumbalat. At the time this work goes to the press, the Emir Beshýr must be 86 years of age. He is of venerable appearance, has met with many adversities, and has yet so often extricated himself from them that it would not be surprising if he again recovered his principality.
[85] There were three families among the Drûzes, which were more especially remarkable for their influence and antiquity: these were the house of Jambalat (Beyt Jambalat), the house of Amád (Beyt-el-Amád), and the house of Neked (Beyt Neked.)
[86] Hadj Aly assured me that his wife, who was a Metoualy woman, made no scruple of eating raw meat; and that, when mincing mutton to make a farce called cubby, she often ate so much as to spoil her dinner. It is plain that the Israelites did the same. Exodus ix. 12.; “Eat not of it raw.”
[87] The Aleppo bouton (in Arabic the one-year tetter) is a solitary, sanious, scabby ulcer, about the size of a sixpence, which breaks out once, and once only, on almost all persons indiscriminately who reside at, or visit, Aleppo. No part of the body is exempt from it; and perhaps the face is oftener attacked than any. Its duration is about twelve months, and hence its name. No remedy has yet been discovered for it; and it generally gives least trouble when let alone. The cicatrix, which it always leaves, resembles that of a vaccine pock, or of an issue dried up: and, when, for example, it has chosen the tip of the nose for its seat, it much disfigures the face.
[88] The Arabic name of Damascus.