'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.' [‎472] (559/905)

472
heusn nieha.
[chap. xix.
Greek Catholics, under a bishop. There are five churches, in
addition to a monastery, in the town, where some cloaks, with
coarse cottons, are manufactured and dyed by the people. As
in the time of Volney, Zahle derives importance from being
the intersecting point of the routes between Ba'albek, Damas
cus, Beirut, and Mar Elias. It is situated in a kind of recess
at the edge of the plain on the lowest slopes of Lebanon, and
may be distinguished at some distance by Lombardy poplars of
large growth rising above the other trees and houses. A little
way eastward, near the village of Keeah, which contains 150
houses, there is a sepulchral building containing a tomb, said
to be that of Noah ; the tomb is 10 feet long by 3 feet wide,
and is a favourite object of Muslim pilgrimage.
Remains at Scarcely two hours N.N.AV. of Zahle, on the slope of
Heusn Nieha. g an i n} the entrance of a mountain valley, is the
village of Heusn Nieha, a little way from which are three
remarkable tombs and the remains of as many temples, with
other ruins. At the western side a flight of steps, supported
by two columns, leads to the pronaos and cella of the principal
« temple, in which are the remains of columns and Ionic pilasters.
Beyond these are some stone steps, then a platform, and another
staircase going to the top of the structure, the necessary space
for which appears to have been cut out of the mass of rock.
Sepulchral In this neighbourhood, not far from the village of Fursul,
Fursui! 10 " 8 at and at the commencement of the plain called Habis, there are
a great many sepulchral excavations in the face of the rock,
which presents an oblong flat surface upwards of 100 feet high.
Some of these chambers are extensive, and contain many re
cesses, but the architecture is of an inferior description; several
of them are so high above the plain as to be quite inaccessible.
A little distance from thence are the remains of a temple
called Kerah, which has been similar to the temple at Heusn
Ni&ha.
Two or three hours northward of these ruins, on the other
side of Jebel Sanln, are the dilapidated remains of a rude
temple, probably belonging to a very remote period; near
which, at a spot called Fakkra or Mezza, in a wild and rocky
glen, are two stone pyramids. One of these is now little more