How I Spent My Five Weeks' Leave.

two united flow off together , and form the river which was anciently called the Abana . Our camp is pitched under wide spreading chestnut trees on the bank , and a lovely spot it is . The valley about 200 yards wide , is filled with

trees of all kinds , and orchards of plum , pear , apple and fig-trees , whilst the banks of the streams ave lined with silver-poplars and overhang and overarch them in all directions . The roar of the waters is so loud that at dinner we

have to raise our voices to be heard , like Demosthenes spouting on the sea-shore . Next day , ( 22 nd ) , we regretfully leave this lovely spot and start for Damascus ; in all my journeyings , and "I've travelled about a bit in my time" as the

song says , I never saw a place more calculated to inspire one with poetic and religious feeling than Ain Fijeh . Here . . . " Nature speaks A parent ' s language , and in tones as mild As e ' er hushed infant on its mother ' s breast , "Wins us to learn her lore , "

The idea of the temple at the river source is a pretty one . We cannot blame those who were never taught to thank the true source of every blessing , for thus worshipping the unseen power which supplied them with so inestimable a boon , as a

boundless supply of beautiful clear water in this thirsty clime . I think that this and the worship of the sun

" Great source of day , Best emblem here below of the Creator . " are the least repulsive forms of idolatry . For an hour or so we ride along the beautifully wooded valley , we then part company with the river , and

its accompanying verdure , and climb a rocky hill , after which we cross a stony valley , and mounting another hill , come to a point whence we get a magnificent view of the whole plain of Damascus , which is one sea of verdure , in the middle of

which lies a long white strip of flat-roofed houses , while here and there rise minarets , mosques and domes . The view is most enchanting . The plain appears as one great orchard , with the river winding about among the trees . Through the

beautiful glen on our right sparkles and foams the " golden flowing Abana , " carrying fertility and luxuriant vegetation with it , till on reaching the plain it seems to have poured out its riches in lavish profusion . Descending the hill we soon enter the suburbs , and wind and twist along narrow streets , between high mud walls , which

How I Spent My Five Weeks' Leave.

prevent our seeing the orchards on either side . Water is led about everywhere in narrow stone channels , on the edges of which women sib ,, smothered in their white sheets , which cover up all but the eyes , dabbling their feet in the stream .

We pitch our camp in an orchard attached to a . sort of cafe close to the Christian quarter , and numbers of men and women sit here drinking coffee and smoking narghilies . Many of the women are extremely pretty and though

respectable and modest , the cool way in which they sifc in public , smoking narghilies , and nursing their babies at the same time , would astonish an Englishwoman . They wear loads of gaudy tasteless jewelry . After lunch we go through bhe bazaars .

This is a most exbraordinary place , narrow streets , wretched looking mud buildings and the verandahs of the upper stories nearly ( sometimes quite ) meeting across the street . The bazaars are continuations of these streets , but roughly crossed over with timber like the roof of a barn . Th & shops are mere cells on each side , filled with

goods , wibh a turbaned Moslem squatting in the midst , sucking at his narghily . The streets are filled with picturesque costumes . Turkish women , whose faces are covered with hankerchiefs , and whose feet are thrust into enormous yellow boots ,,

in which they can hardly waddle . Their personsare wrapped up in the long ghost-like windingsheets , which all women wear here . Turks , Arabs , Jews and Greeks make up the motley crowd . The rascals in the bazaars always ask five

or six times the value of any article , and need half an hour ' s bargaining to lower them to about twice or thrice its value . We stay three days in Damascus with much interest . The silversmith ' sbazaar , where some hundred and fifty men are

tinkering away in a large market , is a place where they pester you to buy antiques . I was offered an English sovereign ! and a half-penny as antiques !! Syria is the place for sham curiosities ; you may buy anything from the jawbone

wherewith Sampson slew his thousands , to " The stono whereby Goliah died Which cures the headache when applied . " ( To be continued . )

Ar00602

WE learn from Nature that tbe Erasmus Smith Professorship of Natural and * Experimental Philosophy in Trinity College ,. Dublin , is now vacant . The second half of the examination torcandidates will be held on the 21 st . The examiners are the Provost ( Dr . Lloyd ) and Professors Apjohn , Galbraitb , and Jellefcfc . The emoluments of the office are , to a Fellow , if elected ,, about £ 600 a year ; to the Professor not being a Fellow , £ 200 a year .