CHAPTER XIII.
The Lebanon--Druses and Maronites--Illness of Herr Sattler--Djebel or Byblus--Rocky passes--Dog's-river--Return to Beyrout--Sickness-- Departure for Alexandria--Roguery of the captain--Disagreeables on board--Limasol--Alarm of pirates--Cowardice of the crew--Arrival at Alexandria.
July 8th.
To-day we quitted our cold hard couch at six o'clock in the morning, and travelled agreeably for two hours through this romantic valley, which appeared almost at every step in a new aspect of increased beauty.

Above the village a foaming stream bursts from the mighty rocks in a beautiful waterfall, irrigates the valley, and then vanishes imperceptibly among the windings of the ravine.

Brooks similar to this one, but smaller, leapt from the mountains round about.

On the rocky peaks we seem to behold ruined castles and towers, but discover with astonishment, as we approach nearer, that what we supposed to be ruins are delusive pictures, formed by the wonderful masses of rock, grouped one above the other in the most fantastic forms.

In the depths on the one side, grottoes upon grottoes are seen, some with their entrances half concealed, others with gigantic portals, above which the wild rocks tower high; on the other a rich soil is spread in the form of terraces on the rocky cliffs, forming a lovely picture of refreshing vegetation.