'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎466] (551/905)

466
THE KESRUAN.
[CHAP. XIX.
which, although at short direct distances, a whole day is fre
quently consumed in ascending and descending from one
village to another by zig-zag paths or steps. The bold ridges
separating these mountain basins divide the country, like that
of the Maronites, into many small districts, of which Deir-el-
Kammar is the principal.
Extent of the Immediately northward of these little mountain republics is
Kesman. ^ s i n g U i ar tract of the Kesruan, which, as has been already
mentioned, forms the northern part of the Pashalik; it ex-;
tends for a distance of 20 miles along both sides of the
Nahr-el-Kelb, with a breadth varying from three to six miles.
Numerous offsets from the main ridge run into this valley, on
the wooded sides of which are the cultivated terraces and
villages of the Maronites; and on their summits are substan
tially-built and extensive convents, commanding views of some
of the deepest valleys and the wildest mountain scenery that
can well be imagined. The principal Chief, the Emir Ab-
dallah, who resides at Razir, has 33 villages and 11 convents
belonging to liis jurisdiction; and the other, the Emir
Haida of Soleima, has 50 villages and several convents. But
at one period the Kesruan was much more extensive than it
is now, and had its northern limits on the Nahr Kebir, or
Eleutherus.
In such tracts as the preceding the valleys and rivers must
be numerous; but, except in the rainy season, the latter are
small, and inferior to those of mountainous countries in ge-
Courseofthe neral. One of the most considerable is the Nahr-el-Kelb
a 16 ' e ' (dog river), which waters the preceding tract; it is formed by
the junction of the Nahr Salib, the Nahr Leban, and Nahr
Backeita, after descending through the deep valleys furrowed
in the side of Jebel Sanin. The trunk, which represents the
ancient Lycus, then flows westward with a tortuous course
through the rest of this wild, wooded country, till it reaches
the sea near the southern extremity of the bay of Juml. T wo
miles eastward of Beirut is the estuary of the Nahr of that
name, which flows thither by a western course, after being
formed by two considerable streams, the Nahr-el-Sazib and the
Nahr-el-Leban, which come from the higher part of Lebanon