around me, and a wilder group could scarcely be imagined. I am myself rather a curious figure-a red woollen nightcap, unshaved, huge mustachios, a face the colour of mahogany, an old torn red jacket, trowsers calashed with black leather, a huge cavalry sword by my side, with a pistol and dagger in my belt, your blue scarf girded round my loins ;--such is my travelling costume. Tomorrow we expect to reach Soor (the ancient Tyre), and the birthplace of navigation. "To-day I passed through a very beautiful wild country, and fell in with some remarkable ruins of antiquity in the shape of excavations-but I must cry halt, as I smell the dinner, and have had nothing for twelve hours, therefore adios. "18th December.-Arrived at Soor after a long march. My interpreter, Giorgio, has some relations here, at whose house we put up, and enjoyed the comforts of civilized life after the roughing we had had in the mountains, where, however, I experienced from all sects the extreme of hospitality. Giorgio's relation is doing the duty of American consul here, but does not speak a word of English; he gave us a capital dinner, and afterwards introduced us to his wife, a beautiful young woman, who complained of ill health, and applied to me;-after feeling her pulse, and asking a few questions, I found what was the matter, gave her a small quantity of Epsom salts, and dividing it into a number of doses, with a great deal of good advice, promised her a speedy cure, and told her it would be a fine boy, with which assurance she remained perfectly satisfied. "19th.-Strolled out in the morning, and saw many remains of antiquity-poor Giorgio is very unwell-doctoring him-late before we get off; and in about five hours, from a hill on the coast, came in sight of Acre and Mount Carmel, I resolved to push on and leave my baggage to follow as it best might; so whilst my led horse, which I intended to ride on the occasion, was taking a feed of barley, I halted my little caravan on the flowery banks of a stream, and as I took a long draught of its clear water, could not help thinking of Moore's lines in the "Paradise and the Peri." 66 "She saw a wearied man dismount From his hot steed, and on the brink Impatient fling him down to drink.” Mounting my little grey charger (called Sidon), I cantered over the beautiful plains of Sharon (thickly covered with bright red anemones), for ten or twelve miles until I reached Acre, where I delivered my despatches. Met a party of our officers from Beyrout, and was much astonished to hear that Sir Charles Smith had been superseded by General Michell, and had returned to Gibraltar. I have not been able to get to sleep, and am now seated on a mattrass in a large apartment of Djezzar's palace, and scribbling on my sabre-tâche, spending the still hours of the night in holding converse with my best friend. I shall try and get off to Naplouse as soon as possible, and ere I close this shall be able to let you know when I start. I forgot to mention that one of my travelling equipments consists of a large linen bag, in which I shut myself up every night, and find this the only protection against the myriads of fleas and other vermin. This long stave must be "pro bono publico" -remember me to all, and adieu for the present. "20th.-I have just had an interview with Selim Pasha, the Governor of Acre, and I start to-morrow for Naplouse, to endeavour to rouse the Mountaineers, and do my best to harass Ibrahim Pasha. My mission is, I suspect, likely yet to turn out more diplomatic than warlike. "This place is still in a horrid statea complete heap of ruins. "E. N." 14th December.-Having lost our way in descending the eastern face of the Lebanon, in consequence of being overtaken by darkness, it was not till a late hour that we reached Kabaliés, a village resting on the side of the mountain, close to the plain of Boccah, and near the point where the road from Beyrout to Damascus débouches into the plain. In anticipation of some forward movements on the part of the Turks, the Emir Beschir had here concentrated his forces. He received me most affably, and on acquainting him with the nature of my mission and delivering the despatches intended for himself, it was resolved to postpone till the morrow his final suggestions as to the steps I was to pursue,-I being directed to attend to any advice he might give as to my further movements,—in other respects to "follow the guidance of my own military judgment;" and I was further to avoid incurring any degree of responsibility in a financial point of view. The next morning, having duly explained the object of my mission to Naplouse, I, according to my orders, requested his written suggestions as to the most advisable course to pursue; and the following, which will enable the reader to form an idea of the military talents of the good old Prince, after |