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30 PICTURESQUE PALESTINE.
in a vertical position, and the rains and storms of centuries have worn away the softer
leaving the harder veins standing upright, often to a height of forty or fifty feet. Tl im
the most grotesque shapes, resembling " columns, blocks, houses, round and square tov
castles, fortresses," spires and shafts; and the road passes through the midst of them, sometn
by very narrow clefts. In the western part of the village is a good camping ground, but
every available rod of soil is occupied by the mulberry, the staple product of this par-
Lebanon. This district is the Kesrawan, or broken region, a chaos of rugged mountain-
the stronghold and holy mountain of the Maronites. Monasteries, nunneries, and churches
seen in every direction ; the monks own the best part of the land, and the people arc lar
their tenants. The industry of the people is remarkable. They have quarried the rocks and
built terrace walls like steps up the sides of these steep mountains, and wrest a livelihood from
the soil. The insecurity of the great plains east and north-east of Lebanon has dri\
people into these mountain fastnesses; and in the civil wars of Lebanon, when the Dr
south of the Damascus road have everywhere defeated the Maronites, this region has 1
regarded as impregnable. The Maronites are a fine race, and if once freed from the ecclesiastical
tyranny of the bishops and monks and given possession of the immense mona for
the purposes of education, they would become a power in the East. As it is, they arc for
their way upward and reaching positions of influence throughout Syria and Egypt
From Ajeltun (see page 25) we descend gradually over a rocky road towards the
having on our left the deep chasm of the Nahr el Kelb (see page 21), and in front
west a fine view of the promontory of Beirut (see page 28), some twenty miles distant.
About three miles and a half from the mouth of the Dog River, on the north side of the gorge
there are three grottoes, from two of which water issues, and from these comes th
supply of water in the summer, when the fountains of 'Asal and Lebban are diverted for
irrigating purposes. The late Dr. Thomson, the author of " The Land and the Book," firsl
noticed these caves, but the first full exploration of them was made in September, 1S7;, by
W. T. Maxwell, C.E., aided by H. G. Huxley, C.E., Dr. Bliss, President of the S. I\ <
in Beirut, and Dr. Brigstocke, M.R.C.S., of Beirut. Provided with a raft of inflated goat-skins
and a small boat, with a good supply of lights and magnesium wire, they brought their
and raft into the entrance, down the rugged descent to the main grotto, and launched forth on
the still, clear waters of the subterranean lake. After sailing six hundred feet, they reached
a rock barrier fifteen feet in height, which compelled them to leave the raft. 1 hey then
climbed over the rock screen and along a lofty ledge for seven hundred feet, when, lighti:
magnesium wire, a scene o[ great magnificence burst upon their vision. As one ot tli'
s,4' From the lofty vaulted roof and precipitous sides hung massive stalactites, between wnicn
the rocks were studded with others of a more slender and graceful make, while from 1
shot up in wild profusion stalagmites which towered aloft, in some cases almost reaching tnei
pendant companions/'
From these caves we pass down the river ^n'^e by the stone aqueduct and th< |
