Travels in Palestine and Syria Author:George Robinson Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER XVIU. Tripoli—The Kadisha, or Holy River—El Myna, or Port of Tripoli—Toinb of Sheik -el - Bedawy—Roule along the coast lo Latakia described—The Anzeyr... more »ys—Their Religion —Set oat for Baalbec—Sgarti—Ascent or Mount Libaiius— Arab Encampment—Ehden—Convent of Kasheya—Kano- bin, the residence of the Maronite Patriarch—Valley of Kanobin—Bshirrai, the highest inhabited part of Libanus. Tripoli, Oct. 20.—The word Tripoli (three cities), is supposed to be derived from three several colonies, which established themselves on this promontory, in three adjacent places, and not in one city; but, subsequently extending themselves by their suburbs, so as almost to join one another, their original names became confounded in that, by which the extant city is still known, with some little ' From Tyre, Sidon, and Aradus. corruption, being called by the natives Tarabolos. The present city is built at the foot of the lowest hills of Libanus, about half an hour's distance from the sea shore. The river Kadisha (Holy), otherwise called Nahr Abou Ali, flows through it, dividing the town into two unequal parts, of which that to the south is the more considerable. It is enclosed by walls of no great height or strength. Outside these walls, and for some distance into the plain, are extensive gardens, planted with orange, lemon, and mulberry trees. IVo sooner has the traveller entered the gates than he is struck with the neatness and elegance which is every where apparent, compared with the other towns on this coast. The houses are all built of stone of a grayish colour, and well-constructed both within and without. They are mostly flat roofed. It is here that the inhabitants, but more particularly the women, retire to in the evening, to enjoy the breezes from the sea,f It is called Tara...« less