told, only five or six Turkish inhabitants. There are also a few families of Jews. The population was estimated at three or four thousand men, capable of bearing arms. One hour's ride carried us from the town across the second valley, and up to the palace of the emeer; which stands on a projection of the third range of hills. Mount Lebanon is not in its whole length regularly formed into different ranges of hills, and intervening valleys, as it seems to be in this place. It is rather a promiscuous jumble of rocky, precipitous hills, forming irregular basons and deep ravines. The direction of the hills and vallies between Beyroot and Der el Kamer is nearly north-east and south-west; and the streams find their way into the sea in the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. The residence of the emeer is called Btedin sometimes pronounced Ebtedin. His palace is a large building, or rather a collection of buildings, containing apartments for the emeer and his family and court, together with a guard of soldiers. He has also a private chapel and a domestic chaplain. He is descended from a Mussulman family, who, I believe, trace their pedigree to Fatima, the daughter of Mahommed. They wear the green turban, which is allowed only to the descendants of Mahommed. I have once been told, that this family do not claim to be the descendants of the Prophet, but a kindred family, which were known as princes long before Mahommed's time. The present emeer is the first reigning prince who has professed the Christian religion, though some branches of the family have for a long time been Christian."

TO ONE OF HIS BROTHERS.

Palace of the Emeer Besheer, July 17, 1823. "I slept, last night, for the first time on the lofty, rugged, and rocky mountains of Lebanon. We

came yesterday from Beyroot to this place, riding ten hours on jack-asses over mountains and rugged roads. We came here to visit Emeer Besheer, the prince of the Druses and Christians, who inhabit these mountains. He is almost a king, though he is subject to the grand signor, and also under the pasha of Acre. The family were formerly Mahommedans, but they have embraced Christianity; though they still keep up the appearance of Mussulmans when among the Turks. We have had an interview with him to-day, and he has given us a letter to visit the different places in the mountains, and reside, to learn Arabic, wherever we choose. We intend to spend the summer in these parts.

"Mr. King is with me. We occupy a room in the palace of the prince, who has sent us word, since we saw him, that we are at liberty to remain in his palace, if the place suits us, for ten or fifteen days, or as long as we like. The palace stands on a high hill, by the side of one of the deepest vallies I ever saw. When you stand in the valley, the mountains scem to rise on both sides almost to the clouds. When you stand on the hill, on either side, and look down, the valley seems like a frightful precipice.

"The greater part of the inhabitants of the mountains are Maronite Christians. A large proportion, however, are Druses. There are very few Mussulmans. Travelling is very tedious on account of the badness of the roads. The people never take pains to make them good. Large rocks and loose stones render it in many places almost impossible to ride. The mountains are not covered with forests. Now and then you see a few tall pine trees only. There being very few Turks here, and in most of the villages none at all, the people enjoy a great degree of liberty. The men are stout and active, and more civilized than in other parts of Turkey. We anticipate the time when they will be instructed in true Christianity; and when it shall please God to

pour out his Spirit upon them, they will be a happy people."

"18. Between six and seven o'clock, A. M. having travelled all night to avoid the heat of the day, we arrived at Beyroot. The mountains which we crossed are composed of rock with but little earth. Yet on the sides even of steep hills, the inhabitants have built walls and collected earth, so that you see a succession of wide stairs, rising like the seats of an amphitheatre. On these steps grow vines, and olive, fig and mulberry trees. Many spots are extremely fertile. The inhabitants have the appearance and manners of free, high spirited mountaineers.

"The women in these parts wear an ornament of a different kind from any thing I ever saw elsewhere. It is of a conical form, and worn on the forehead. They call it tantoor. The tantoors are generally of silver, though sometimes of wood or leather. Each tantoor is about a foot long and three or four inches in diameter at the base, and half that at the top. The silver ones descend from generation to generation, and are highly esteemed. They are sometimes worn by females whose dress and employments indicate great poverty. The tantoor is usually covered with a veil, nearly as large as a sheet, which covers almost the whole body. This is drawn over the face, or removed from it, at pleasure. The country which we passed through is inhabited by a mixed population of Christians and Druses. Der el Kamer is about an equal distance from Beyrout and Sidon; southeast of the former, and north-east of the latter.

"19. Left Beyroot to visit the Rev. Mr. Way at Antoura. The building which he occupies was formerly a Jesuits' college."

At this place Mr. Fisk took up his summer residence, and his associate Mr. King went to Der el Kamer. On the 24th, he visited the convent of Mar Hannah Shooair. On his way to it he had to ascend

a very steep rocky road, passing by villages, convents, and fields of grapes, figs, olives, and numerous mulberry trees.

"The convent stands on the side of a steep rocky hill with a deep ravine below it. There is no village near. It is a Greek Catholic establishment, and contains 30 or 40 monks. They have an Arabic printing press at which they have printed Psalters; the Gospels in the order in which they are read in the church; the books of prayer and monastic laws; and a few other works. The work both of printing and binding is done by the monks themselves. They bind very clumsily. Their type is large, and therefore acceptable to the people of Syria. They complain of all the books we bring them, that the character is too small. There seems to be almost an impossibility in the way of making it understood by the people in the west, that the people in the east, accustomed to read but little, and used to manuscripts rather than printed books, and often afflicted with soreness or weakness of eyes, need and insist on having the books that are offered them printed with large characters."

From the 26th of July to the 20th of August, Mr. Fisk spent some time in travelling. He went to Sidon to meet Mr. Way whose health rendered it necessary he should return to Europe, and from whom he was to receive a large quantity of Bibles from the Malta Bible society. Returning to Antoura, he enjoyed the society of Messrs. Wolff and Lewis who accompanied him to that place.

TO MISS M. E. OF BOSTON.

"Antoura on Mount Lebanon, Sept. 2, 1823.

"Last evening we held our Monthly Concert for prayer. Though but four in number, yet we found it an invigorating season. Our daily and weekly exercises of devotion are also highly refreshing and

comforting. I often long for the society of dear Christian friends in America. I long to be with them in their domestic and social circles-in their prayer meetings-on the holy Sabbath-at the Lord's table --and more particularly at their missionary meetings. But though banished from them all, I am generally far from being unhappy. My prevailing state of mind is cheerfulness rather than the opposite. I am satisfied that happiness does not depend on external circumstances. With a contented mind, with a heart weaned from this world and fixed on Heaven, with an earnest and undivided desire to serve and obey our divine Lord, with no interest of our own to promote, with a clear view of the divine government, and with a lively faith in the Redeemer, we are happy, though our food be only bread and water, and our dwelling a dungeon or a desert. Without these, in some good degree, at least, we are uneasy and unhappy, though we may be clothed in royal apparel, fare sumptuously every day, live in a palace, and have all the outward means of enjoyment that the world can afford. It is not this earth -it is not temporal comforts—it is not science and refinement-it is not even friends, that can give contentment to an immortal mind. It is God himself, who has created our minds capable of enjoying his love and favor; it is communion with him through Jesus Christ. In proportion as we enjoy this, the soul is filled and satisfied. In proportion as we seek happiness in other things, it is left void—the subject of bitter disappointment.

"Alas! that our communion with our God and Saviour is and must be so imperfect while we remain on earth; so often interrupted and marred by our unbelief, and the coldness, stupidity and worldliness of our desires and pursuits. Our affections are so carnal and worldly that all our efforts in our own strength, are ineffectual; and even the means of grace, the word and promise of God himself fail of their effect, until an