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THE

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DEUZES AND THE MARONITES

ntrcr
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FROM

1840

TO 1860

BY

COLONEL CHUECHILL
AUTHOK OF

"Ten Teaks' Residence

in

Mount Lebanon, 1853"

LONDON

BERNAED

QTJAEITCH,
1862

15

PICCADILLY

5869G4

The impression consists of

1000 copies post 8vo.
250 copies

demy

8vo.

These latter are printed uniform in

size witli

the Autlior's
copious

"Mount Lebanon,"

vols.

Svo.

1853,

and a

Index

to the 4 vols, is added.

London

Fcbruai'y 1S62.

PRINTED BT SPOTTISWOODE AND

CO.,

SEW-SIEEET SQVASE, LONDOK

9^

PREFACE.

Although some months have elapsed

since the

appaUing intelligence of the massacres in Syria

burst

upon the civihsed world, and although

details

ample

were given

to

the public, at the

full

time, of those heart-rending events, a

preciation of their

ap-

meaning can only be attained

by a consideration of the various causes which,

accumulating
the

and gathering

strength
last

through

preceding twenty years, at

culminated

in that extraordinary calamity.

Having resided

in

the

Lebanon during nearly

the whole of that period, and availed myself of

my

ample opportunities
as
its
it

to

fathom the pervaduig

mind,

w^ere,

of the
is

two great

sects into

which

population

divided,

I think I

am

peculiarly in a position to speak authoritatively.

A 2

IV

PREFACE.
sentiments which

and I

trust impartially, of the

inspired,

and the prmciples which actuated them

throughout that unfortunate and prolonged career

of jealously and rivalry which has at last ter-

minated in their

common

ruin.

The

result of

my

study and observation I

it

now

offer

to the

pubhc, in the hope that

may

help

all

who

are interested in the affairs of Syria, to regulate

their sympathies

and

direct their judgment.

My

analysis of sectarian

and pohtical motives,

is

whether Dnize or Maronite,

based upon

in-

timate and unreserved communication with both

parties.

My

delineations of character are

:

drawn

from personal experience

condemn.
conclusions.
It is for the

I neither vmdicate nor

reader to draw his

own

That a government should conspire

its

to

murder

own

subjects, after

having dehberately disarmed

them, seems a deed so inexphcably heinous as to

surpass behef.

Such, however,

is

the monstrous

crime of which the Turkish Government in Syria

stands both arraigned and

condemned

at the bar

of Europe.

The following pages

as

afford the

most

conclusive testimony

to

the

intenseness

and

PEEFACE.

magnitude of
Turks.

this

enormity on the part of the

that

They show, Hkewise,

their
is

the

policy

which sanctioned
native Christians,

barbarities

towards the

not the offspring of unguarded

and momentary impulse, but the suggestion of a

spirit

of calculating and dehberate

its

mahce and
series
its

hatred, spreading

meshes through a long

of years, to circumvent and then trample upon

unfortunate victims.

The time
perative

is

fast

approaching
Christianity

when
and

the im-

claims

of

humanity

must and ought

to absorb all others in the

I

much-

vexed Eastern Question.

this present

would

fain

hope that

work may induce some

to take this

point of view

when contemplating England's

pre-

sent or anticipated action in the political affairs of

the

Ottoman empire.

CHARLES HENRY CHURCHILL.

Beyrout, Syria.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER
Retrospect of
nites
tlie

I.

in Syria

The Dmze Religion Turkish and Egyptian Rule pages 30

1

....
CHAPTER
n.

former History of the Druzes and Maro-

Emir Beshir Kassim

at
Zac/ile

Maronite Deir-el-Kamar Turkish

CHAPTER

......
III.

Intrigues

1841, Affray Policy Attack upon 31 62

Drvize
Re-

1842,
volt

Omar Pasha Governor

of the Lebanon
1,

Shibli-el-Arrian January 1843, Defeat of the Druzes The Druze and the Christian Kaimmakams January 1845, Said Bey Jumblatt Maronite Attack upon 63 94 the Druzes Defeat of the Christians
.
.

CHAPTER
Survey,

IV.
Zachle,

1856

Prosperity

of Deir-el-Kamar,

and

Hasbeya, Christian Towns in the Druze Districts

Intole-

ranee of the Maronite Patriarch

95

131

VUl

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER
Affray,

V.

August 1859

Kurchid
.

Pasha

Druze Aggression,
in Jezeen

May 1860
June
3,

Deir-el-Kamar taken Massacre

4, at

1860, appalling Slaughter of the Males at Hasbeya

and June

Rascheya

Sitt

Naaify (Said

Bey Jum-

blatt's Sister), gloats

over the mangled Corpses of the but.

chered Christians

pages 132

173

CHAPTER
June
11, 1860, the

VI.

Massacre at Kanakin by Ismail-il-Uttrush

June
Slaughter

14,

ZacMe invested and taken

the

June

19,

the

of

Male Population

at

Deir-el-Kamar.

174206

CHAPTER
July
9,

VII.
of

1860,

the

Mohammedans

Damascus

rise

upon

the Christians

Huge
3,

Deluge of Massacre and Fire

Abd-el-Kader saves 12,000 Christians

Massacres August
at Paris

.....
CHAPTER
VIII.

Statistics of the

Conference of the European Powers

207221

Peace

July
of

17, 1860,

Fuad Pasha

Division
Prisoners

7000 men arrives

August Mock

16, a

French

Trials of

Druze
re-

Turkish Treachery and Druze Ferocity 1861, Departure of the French main impunished June
Troops

.....
5,

222254

CHAPTER
October
5,

IX.

1860

to

March

5,

1861, finitless Results of the

Meetings of the European Commission

noble Efforts.

remains

The Slaughter unpunished Triumph

Europe

Lord
.

Dufferin's

of 5000

human Beings

of Turkish Duplicity

Appeal

to Christian

for Justice

255-^283

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

CHAPTER
Tui'kish Jealousy of the
sibility

I.

Native Cliristian Eaces.

ImposMoham-

of Tui-kish Eegeneration.
Antipathies.

medan

Position of the

Fanaticism of the Turks. False Eayahs. Eetrospect of the former HisThe Druzes of

Revival

of old

tory of the Druzes and the Maronites

the Lebanon in the Eleventh Century.

Hakem,

Nesh-

takeen Darazi, and Hamze, the Founders of the two Druze

Sects,

Cabalistic Language.

The Ockals and

Djahels.

The Dnizes during

Maronites.

the Middle Ages.

Early History of the

Ottoman
the
emjoire,

Turkish Eule. Egyptian Eule.

residing in the
daily
in

To Europeans
wlio

come

contact with

Turkish

authorities,
ties

and who have thereby the opportuni-

of watching and analysmg the general course

of their internal policy, the frightfid scenes which

have

lately occurred in Syria are

but the natural

the native

results of that persistent jealousy of

Christian races

which has long been, and ever

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

predominant feature in the character of

will be, a

the Turk.
It is of

no use assuring them that the Porte

is

anxious to battle with the rehgious prejudices and

time-honoured convictions of its

jects,

Mohammedan submarks of
;

convictions which oppose an insurmountstill

able barrier to the extinction of those

mferiority which
it

affect

the rayahs

and that

earnestly wishes

to

carry out administrative

reforms based on the principles of an enhghtened

rehgious toleration.
sucli assurances are

They know but too well that

mere moonshine

that such

expectations, albeit entertained and even paraded

by a

certain school of statesmen

and diplomatists,
;

are utterly nugatory

and
and

fallacious

and that

all

the
their

Hati-Scheriifs

Hati-Homayooms, with

accompanying cortege of Special CommisImperial

letters,

sions,

and

letters Vizierial,

which
sucJi

the Porte from time to time flaunts with

ostentation in the face of the world, are but so

many

tubs thrown out

to
its

the

great European

whale, ever following in

to engulf
it.

wake and threatening

Experience quickly dissipates the most fondly

MOHAMMEDAisHSM AND CHEISTIANITY.

cherished ideas of the possibility of Turkish regeneration, in the

European sense of the word,

to con-

and recent events were hardly required

vince even the most sanguine philo-Turk, that

every year gained for the existence of the Ottoman

empire, in
its

present aspect, from the jealous

is

forbearance of the European powers,

only just so

much

obtained for the continuance of one of the

most smgular systems of pohtical importance which

was ever

foisted

on the creduhty of mankind.

This strange anomaly, joint

grel hberality

compound of monits

and rampant fanaticism, owes

its

ill-omened conception,

monstrous birth, and

its

lugubrious
affinity

vitality, to that pohtical

connection and

with the Cliristian

states

which constantly

impels the Porte to make, or rather to have the

semblance of making, the utterly

futile

and incon-

gruous attempt of harmonising and blending the

hostile

and divergent systems of Mohammedanism

and

Christianity.

The

universal heart of Islam

alliance.

scornfully repudiates

and abhors such an

Hitherto, history has invariably tauglit, that these

rehgions can only exist together in the mutual

relation of tlie conquering
B 2

and the conquered.

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

Hence, while
tlie

Sultan and his ministers, in

order to meet the exigencies of their position,

outwardly profess the most advanced theories of

civil

and

religious

equahty, they dare not, for

susceptibilities

fear of alarming the rehgious

his

of

orthodox followers, enforce any measures for

giving

them

fair

play and efficiency.

it is

Nay, more,
indisputable

whether with

his consent or not,

that within the last few years, doctrines emanat-

ing from the Porte

itself,

have been actively proall

pagated throughout his empire, encom^aging

true behevers to the

assumption of an attitude

towards the rayahs, not only inimical, but openly

defiant.

Nor
more

is

it

hard to divine the animus which

inspires

particularly

the

Turks in

this

attempted revival of the old

tipathies.

Mohammedan

an-

Pride of race and pride of rehgion

characteristics.

have ever been their distinguishing

They

instinctively feel that the full-blown

doc-

trines of rehgious toleration,

which the European

if

powers are forcing upon their acceptance,

allowed to obtain strength and currency

once
their

territories, will lay the sap to that exclusive

and

THE

EATAIIS.

domineering ascendancy which they regard as

pre-eminently theirs by right of conquest.

They

foresee tliat the practical admission of the rayahs

to

common

rights

and privileges with themselves,

will slowly, perhaps, but assuredly, conduct

to

them

that vantage

ground, which superior mteUi-

gence, industry, and activity, invariably secure to

its

possessors.

They regard with

sullen distrust

the status which these once humble, crouching,

and submissive rayahs have been

in their dominions.

lately

acquhing

They

see

them

hopeful, innovating,

and am-

bitious, displaying a confidence almost

tantamount

to daring.

They know

that these aggressive ten-

dencies

proceed not so

much

fi'om

their

own
them

powers of combination as from extraneous and

adventitious

circumstances

and, vie whig

doubly armed with the menacing and portentous

adjuncts of foreign rehgious sympathy and foreign
pohtical prestige, they dread

them and they hate

them.
It

was consequently
seek,

to

be expected that the

in

Turks would

by every means

their

power, to check what they consider the fm-ther

B
3

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

of sectarians
:

encroacliments

thus

coimteiianced

and thus stimulated

pery
devices,

that they would,

by shp-

by

evasions,

by hypocrisy, by
endeavour to

every species of fraud and

artifice,

shirk the fidfilment of whatever promises might

have been extorted from them in behalf of the

rayahs,

by

their

Christian

alhes.

Had

they

restrained

themselves to such a course of pro-

ceeding, relying on the efficacy of plausible subterfuge,

and the strength of diplomatic effrontery

it

to compass their ends,

is

highly probable they

might have eventually succeeded in wearing out

and altogether nulhfjdng the

interference.
sentations,

efforts of

European

Ambassadorial and consular repreadroitly and

by being

perseveringly

eluded,
their

would have been gradually disarmed of

and
efficacy,

strength

and

to

almost any

distant

period the Turks might have continued

off

to
let

play

their

cameleon-hke pohcy without

or hindrance,

and

to entangle the brightest in

intellects

of Christendom

the intricacies

of

their plausible finesse.

The
Syria,

late

atrocious

proceedings,

however, in
abetted,

supported,

countenanced, and


FAIfATICISM OP

THE TUEKS.
tlie first

as

they undoubtedly were, by

in

digni-

taries

the

empire,

have

placed the Turks

in

such a detestable point of view,

have
the

so

clearly

and

unmistakeably evinced

savage

propensities

which

still

lurk in their nature,

their

have so

terrifically

revealed

unmitigated

hatred to our

common

Christianity,
is felt

that

all

further patience with

them

to
;

be not only

superfluous but absolutely criminal

and outraged

rehgion, humanity and civihsation ahke

demand

the adoption of some such measures by the powers

of Europe as

may show

these

semi-barbarians

that there exists both the will

and the power to

curb their presumptuous and bloody fanaticism,

and

to

make them

feel that

not even in Mecca

slay,

itself

can the

Mohammedan

or oppress, or

insult a Christian

without incurring the full weight

of a swift and adequate retribution.

The

Christian states of

Europe have, by com-

mon

consent, assumed the right of superintending

their
co-re-

and watching over the welfare of

ligionists in the

Turkish empire,

right fully

warranted

by the

imprescriptible

sanction

and

requirements of rehgious duty and pohtical conB 4

THE DKUZES

ANT>

THE MARONITES.
it is

servation.

But

to accomplish this end,

to,

not

merely by offering advice

or ehciting promises

from, the Porte that any real or pemianent ad-

vantage and security can be obtained for the

rayahs.

Barely to
is

announce

such a right
it

in.

that quarter

simply to hand

over to mock-

ery and
that

derision.

Experience uniformly shows

are
hypocritical,

the

Turks

evasive

and

fanatic.

The

utterly absurd

and

fatuitous,

nay danger-

ous, principle of " non-intervention,"

which the

British

Government,

in a

moment

of misplaced
its

confidence,

was the

first

to

enounce in

relations

with the Porte, must be at once and for ever

abandoned
all

for to

it

may be

primarily ascribed

the conspkacies, the crimes, and the horrors

of which Syria has lately been the scene.

false

All

dehcacy on

this point

must be repudiated

otherwise, whatever reforms

may be

promulgated,

or whatever assurances given by the Porte for

the ostensible benefit of the rayahs, will remain,
as

they Imve

hitherto

done,

so

many dead

letters,

not only impotent for good, but directly

greatest

productive of the

misery to the very

:-ij*

POSITION OF THE KATAHS.

class

on whose behalf they

may have been

enun-

ciated.

For, while, on the one hand, the rayahs

w^ill

be

induced, in rehance on them, to aspire to a position

which they

will not only never attain, but

the very attempt to attain which will

draw upon
local

them the jealousy and hatred of every

authority, calamities
;

with
the

all

its

consequent

evils

and

Turks,

on

the

other,

finding

themselves unquestioned and irresponsible in the

exercise of their

power over them,

will take

mahcious pleasure in making them

feel the shal-

lowness and uselessness of those foreign sympathies

on which they so fondly depend, and in expiating on

their unfortunate heads the

humihating dic-

tation to which, for their sakes, they

had been

obhsfed to submit.
If,

then, the

European powers
to elicit promises

feel that

they

have the right

from the Porte as

they wish to be

regards the rayahs, they must,

consistent,

if

own

dignity,

if
if

they have any regard for then'

they wish theu" sympathy for the

rayahs to be productive of any, even the slightest

good,

if

they wish, in

fact,

not to be stultified,

10
insist

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEOXITES.

also

on having the right to name repre-

sentatives throughout the

Ottoman empire, au-

thorised and entitled to see that those promises

are fulfilled.

That various antecedent causes have contributed

to bring about the late awful catastrophe in Syria,
is

unquestionable.

To be thoroughly understood,
in different points of view,

it

must be viewed

and

extenuating circumstances may, perhaps, be found

for

some

at least of the parties

engaged in the
cannot be said
as the effects

dreadful struggle.

As

this subject

to possess merely a passing interest,

of this awful exhibition of

human wickedness and

felt

mahgnity

will

make

themselves

in various

channels, permanently affecting the future pohtical

condition,

and even, perhaps, the

social standing

of some of the different sects which exist in Spia,

a
two

brief retrospect of the former history of the

sects

who were prominent

as

actors in the late

events,

as well

of their relations

with the

Turks, will be found somewhat conducive to a

proper appreciation of the stirring theme.

The

sect of the

Druzes

is first

heard of

m the

Lebanon, about the beginning of the eleventh

HISTORY OF THE DEUZES.

century.

11

One

of

tlie

Arab

tribes,

which had

settled there

two centuries
certain

before, furnished pro-

selytes

to a

Neshtakeen Darazi, a missent into Syria

sionary,

who had been

by Hamze,

the vizier of
reigning

Hakem, the Fatimite Cahph then

of the

m Egypt,to preach the doctrine

Ah.

divinity of that successor of

The

sect of the

Batenians, or behevers in the hidden meaning of

the

Koran, which

had already obtained great

power and

influence in the eighth century, incul-

cated the behef that Ali and his successors in the

cahphate were eminently impregnated with the

divine essence.

Hamze, one of

its

chief ulemas,

merely pushed the doctrine to

its

extreme hmits,

by teaching

that the existing caliph,

itself.

Hakem, was
Such was

an incarnation of the divinity

the
tenet
It

he launched forth into the Eastern

obtained adherents in various parts,

world.

in Morocco, in Persia, in Spia,

and even

in

Lidia.

Neshtakeen Darazi, armed by

Hamze with

apostohc powers, succeeded in gathering around

him a

certain
in a

number

of followers accepting this

doctrine

small district lying between

called

the

Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon,

Wady-el-Tame.

12

THE DEUZES AND THE MARONITES.

Darazi, elated

by

his success,

assumed the

airs

of a pontiff; declared himself head of the sect, and, in order to obtain converts, sanctioned the

most

licentious principles.

Hamze, indignant

at

his treachery

and rebelhon, formally deposed him

denounced him emphatically,
a deluded people had set up
at length to

from

his functions,

as the " Calf,"

whom

as their idol,
assassinated

and contrived

have him

by the Druzes themselves

disciple

in

Wady-el-

Tame.

The

whom Hamze

sent to replace

him was named Moktana Baha-edeen.

He

it

was
reli-

who may be

said to have placed the

it

Druze

gion on the basis on which

at present stands.

His numerous

tracts

and

ejDistles

have ever been

the chief subjects of study and contemplation in the Druze Holorves.

JSTevertheless,

the teaching of Darazi was too

seducing in

its

tendency to be ever entirely aban-

doned by many who had once reconciled themselves to a system of theology, which,

under the

imposing epithet of the mysteries, threw a cloak

over the indulgence of the worst passions of hu-

man
and

nature.
to
tliis

The schism was never eradicated

day the Druzes are divided into two

HISTORY OP THE DEUZES.

13
in a

sects,

who,

altliougli

bound together

common
actuated

faith

in the

Hakem and Hamze,

by

are

respectively, in their conduct,

the purer and

more orthodox moral and

Baha-edeen, or by the
hbertinism of Darazi.

religious teaching of

dark and unscrupulous

it is

The former,
;

but just

to say, form a great majority

the latter are ever

ready for the indulgence and committal of every

kind of

lust

and

atrocity.

Darazi, however, exercised his authority for a

sufficient

number

of years to enable
first

him

to

stamp

his

name on
;

the sect which

to
this

arose under his

it

auspices

and

circumstance

is

owing,

that all the followers of the doctrines preached

by Hamze,

instead of being called Hamzeites, as

case,

might and ought to have been the

called Druzes.

are

During the Crusades the Druzes were noticed

by more than one contemporary

" secretly

writer, as a sect
Calf,

devoted to the worship of the

eating pork,

and given

to licentious

practices."

They were,

at that time, already

bound together

under the singular form of theocracy by which

they are at present distinguished.

The

doctrine

14

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

of the divinity of

Hakem,

asserted
its

by Hamze, had
enunciation.
post,

been scouted in Cairo from

first

Hamze's temporary absence from

Darazi's mission to the Lebanon,
diate

his

and

were the immeessay.

consequences

of

tliis

unfortunate

After Hakem's death, in

a. d.

1025, Hamze, con:

suhing his

own

safety,

disappeared altogether

by

some thought

to

have been murdered, by others

to have fled into the desert.

The Druzes

still

look forward to his reappearance in China, as a

mighty conqueror, leading on

to victory, dominion,

his faithful followers

;

and glory

for

it

is

their

firm behef that their sect exists in the interior of

China at the present moment, in overwhelming

numbers.

The

successor

of

Hakem

adopted the most

searcliing

and rigorous measures for the extu-paheresy.

tion

of the odious

A
all

decree of extir-

mination was issued agamst

it,

who had

accepted

throughout Egypt and Syria.

Li the fastnesses

of the Lebanon alone, the sectarians contrived to

enjoy a comparative security.

then- meetings

Yet even there

places,

were held in secluded

and

were conducted with the greatest caution and

CABALISTIC LANGUAGE.

'

15

reserve.

cabalistic

language was adopted for

dis-

mutual recognition, in case of an obligatory

persion.

To

these

stealthy

and hazardous

re-

unions,

none were admitted

but those whose

character indicated

them

to

be entirely

trust-

worthy, and capable of impHcit secresy.

trial

long

and probation

at last

became necessary, ere

even professing believers were allowed to join the

favoured ranks.
or initiated, and

Hence the
the

classes of the

Ockals

Djahels or ignorant, into

which the Druzes are divided.

Outwardly, the

entire sect professed the formulas

and practised

the ceremonies of orthodox Islamism.

To a

sect thus

reduced to the defensive, and

its exist-

ever painfully and laboriously conceahng

ence,

the idea

of any farther proselytism

was

clearly impossible.
ers

Whatever

successes

its

teach-

had obtained, had been acquired during the

preaching of Darazi and Baha-edeen, extending

over a period
latter,

of less than thirty years.

The

on

his

dying bed, declared the world to be

unworthy of the marvellous grace which had been

offered to
it

at the

hands of the divine

Hakem
his

and the transceudant Hamze, and enjoined

16

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

from seeking
to gain
efforts

disciples to cease altogether

over a generation which only repaid their

with contumely and reproach.

version from this time ceased.

The work of con-

The door of

sal-

vation was declared to

religion
deposit,

be

closed.

The Druze

became an hereditary
a
priceless

privilege, a sacred

treasure,

to

be jealously

guarded

from

profane

curiosity.

The Druzes

henceforward acquired strength and importance,

simply by their

own
Arab

increasing numbers.
tribe of

As
more

the D-reat

Beni Tuhiiooch had

or less adopted the doctrines of

it,

Hamze,

so

we
who

find

till

about the middle of the twelfth

the
great chiefs

century,

exclusively supplying

regulated the temporal

affairs

of the Druzes.
sites

Their castles crowned the most commanding

in the Lebanon.

Numerous Druze
all its

villages, thickly

populated, extended over

southern ranges,

exhibiting a general aspect of prosperity.

During the Crusades, the Druzes fimiished a

respectable contingent to the

Mussulman

ranks.

In the fifteenth century they rose to the height of

their power,

and occupied the towns of Beyrout

and Sidon.

The Mohammedan family

of Maau

had

HISTORY OF THE MAEONITES.

17

been introduced among

feudal
finall)^,

tliem,

and invested with

JSFouradeen,

jurisdiction

by Sultan

and,

even supplanted the Tuhnooc/i emirs in

their hitherto exclusive ascendancy.

The

religion

of their rulers has never been an obstacle to alle-

giance amongst the Druzes, so long as no attempts

are

made

to coerce their

own

behef, or to abridge

their

privileges.

Mohammedans, Metuahs and

Christians,

ahke found perfect security and com-

plete toleration

amongst them.

They paid

their

tribute

through the medium of commissioners,

to time to collect
it
;

sent

down from time

and

it

was not

tiU the eighteenth century, that the Porte

endeavoured to subject them to the direct control

of Turkish pashas.

While the Druzes were thus prosperously

es-

tabhshing then* power as a community in the

southern portions of the Lebanon, and with such
repute, that the entire range obtained the generic

appellation of the Mountain of the Druzes,

its

northern portions were inhabited and brought

into

the

highest

state

of

cultivation

by

the

Christian sect of the Maronites.

Mcephorus,

in his ecclesiastical history, states

18

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES. were

origuially a

that the Maronites

sect,

MonotheHte
built

founded by the

monk Maron, who

and

lived in a convent on the banks of the Orontes,

near Hamah, in the seventh century

a
of

testi-

mony

fully

corroborated by
Vitry.

WiUiam
latter

Tyre

and Jacques de
of Acre
in

The

was Bishop
and
in
at

the

twelfth

century,

his

" Historia Hierosolpnitana,"

drawn up
says
:

the

request of

Pope Honorius m.,

" Men
in

armed with bows

battle,
inliabit

and arrows, and

mountains
in

skilful

the

considerable

numbers, in the province of Phoenicia, not far

from the town of Biblos.

nites,

They

are called Maro-

from the name of a certain man, their

master, Maron, a heretic,

who

affirmed that there

was

in Jesus

but one will or operation.

The
dia-

Christians

of the

Lebanon, dupes of

this

bohcal error of Maron, remained separate from

the Church nearly five hundred years.
their hearts being turned, they

At

last,

made

profession

of the Cathohc faith in presence of the venerable Father

Amauiy, Patriarch of Antioch, and

traditions

adopted
Church."

the
It

of

the

Holy

Eoman

was

not,

however, tiU the close

HISTORY OF THE MAEONITES.

19

of the fifteentli century, that the Maronite clergy

consented to acknowledge the supremacy of the

Pope

in matters of ecclesiastical discipline.

This

point was carried

by Eugemus IV.

a.d. 1438.

After the final expulsion of the Franks from

Syria

by Malek Ashraf,
to

a.d. 1300, the Maronites

had

defend their

independence against the

repeated attacks of the

Mameluke

sovereigns of

Egypt.

Though never completely subdued, num-

bers from time to time sought repose and safety

in foreign lands.
faithful

Some

settled in Cyprus, others

to the standard of the Hospitallers, folto Candia

lowed that order

and

Sicily

while not

a few found a nearer place of refuge amongst the

Druzes.
in the

The Greek

Christians

had been located

Druze

districts

from the very commence-

ment of the Druze

nationality,

and are

to this

day

looked upon by the Druzes with feehngs almost

of
fraternity,

and considered

as

indispensably

incorporated with their pohtical existence.

Throughout

their various trials

and

adversities,

the Maronites never ceased to keep up active relations

with the Vatican, and tlirough

it

contrived

to obtain a certain hold on,

c 2

and connection with,

20

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEOXITES. But

it

the Christian powers of Europe.

till

was not

the seventeenth century, that their temporal

afiairs

obtained the special care and supervision

of the French government.

Both Louis XIV. and

Louis XV. granted them " Letters of Protection,"

the language of which seems to indicate that their
right to

do so had been more or

less

conceded by

the Sultan.
official

The pretended

ignorance, indeed, the

denial of this right,

by M. Drouyn de

Llhuys in 1854, in a despatch to the Earl of

Clarendon, to answer a temporary purpose,
is

one

of the most flagrant instances of diplomatic evasion

at

on record.

The French consular

authorities

Beyrout exercise a direct and almost sovereign

clergy,

power over the Maronite

part,

who, on
of

their

make no

scruple

of

boasting

their

allegiance to France,
nites to

and of declaring the Maroeast.

be the French of the

About the beginning of the eighteenth

the family of

century,

Maan having become

extinct, the

Druzes summoned to the government of Mount

Lebanon the Mohammedan family of Shehab,

a branch
of the

Beni Koreish, and

allied

by

blood and marriage with the line of the Pro-

FAMILY OF SHEHAB.
phet, the Slieliab emirs
in the

21

had held extended sway

Houran ever

since the taking of

Damascus
"

by

their ancestor

Khahd, surnamed the

Sword

of God."

Sultan Nouradeen gave

them the petty

in the anti-

principality of

Hasbeya and Eascheya

Lebanon, in the twelfth century.

rience

Long experendered them

of the

Druze character
to
;

pecuharly

fitted

conciliate

and govern that

a

remarkable people
years
their

and

for

long

series

of

popularity amongst

them was un-

bounded.

The year 1713 was one remarkable

first

for the

attempt

made by

the Turks to

make

the

Druzes submit to the direct rule of a pasha.

Though the Turks had managed

sions

to

sow

chssen-

amongst the mountaineers, and

to obtain a

certain party to their side, the attempt

cessfully resisted
:

was

suc-

and the Druzes, headed by

effectively taught

the

Emir Heider Shehab,

the

Turkish authorities, in the sanguinary and decisive

battle of Aindara, that

it

was

in

vam

for

them
dancy

to endeavour to
in the

estabhsh a direct ascen-

Lebanon.

The

feudal system of the Druzes was placed

c 3

by

22
the

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

Emir Heider,
it

at this time,

upon the footing

on which
lished

continued to stand until lately abo-

by Euad Pasha.

The

five

Druze houses of

Jumblatt,

Abou Nakad,

Abd-el-Melik,

Amad
them.

and

Talhook, had the jurisdiction of the southern part

of
the

Lebanon

divided

amongst

Its

chief

town was Deir-el-Kamar, the residence of

and one of the scenes of the
late

the

emir,

massacres.

In the year 1756

an event occurred which

subsequently gave rise to an entire change in the

amicable relations which

had hitherto

existed

between the Druzes and

Christians,

and influenced

not only the fortunes of the Shehabs, but of the

Lebanon

itself.

Two

of the Shehab

emhs were
and became

in that year converted to Christianity,

Maronites.

Several other emirs in the course of

a few years followed the example.

daring openly to
effects of

Though not
faith,

avow

their

change of

the

the ambitious policy of the Maronite

clergy,

or the general
at length, in

conduct of the Shehabs,

evil

became,

an
:

hour

for them, un-

mistakably conspicuous

thus paving the

way

for
in

that general disruption of the social system

TUEKISH rOLICY.

23

the Lebanon, which has recently been consum-

mated

in such awful

and revolting

characters.
failed

Though
brinsfino:

the

Turks

had

hitherto

in

the

Lebanon under

their direct rule

and

supremacy, yet the Turkish pashas of Damascus

and

Acre

lost

no

means or opportunities
its

of

securing partizans amongst

emirs and sheiks,

and of thus exciting

them.

rival animosities

amongst

At

this

period

it

was under the

indirect govern-

ment of the Pasha of Acre, from

prince received his investiture,
latter

whom its ruling and to whom the

The
famous

paid

an

annual

tribute.

Djezzar,

who governed

that

pashahck for more

latter part of the

than thirty years, including the

eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth

centuries,
far

exceeded

all

his

predecessors

in

those diabolical arts which degrade and corrupt

a people, by extinguishing in them

self-respect,

all

sense of

and making them fawning supphcants

for courtly favour.

Partly from fear, partly from petty ambition,

numbers of the feudal aristocracy of the Lebanon

bowed

submissively to his mandates, and rendered

c 4

24

THE DEUZES AXD THE MAKOMTES.

themselves subservient to his schemes and machinations.

Indeed, Djezzar

may be

said to

have

inaugurated that imscnipulous and unprincipled

policy of the Tm'ks, which
is

continued to this

very hour, of keepmg the Lebanon in a constant

state of

weakness and

paralysis.

To

attain this

end,

all

means, however immoral or outrageous,

eyes, perfectly legitimate.

are, in

thek

Ever since
Turks, under

the

conquest

of

S}Tia
its'

by the
mountain

Sultan

Sehm 1521,
less

ranges have ever more or

exercised a virtual

independence.
able

The

ruler

of

the
at

Lebanon,

if

and enterprising, might

his influence felt

any time have

made
extent.

tliroughout their whole

The Emir Fakaradeen Maan swayed

with almost sovereign power from Antioch to

Gaza.

The Lebanon

is,

in fact, a point d'appui,

nucleus around which the various mountain tribes

natm^ally congest.
tion ever be
trust

Should, therefore,

its

popula-

bound together by feelmgs of mutual

to the

and confidence, the danger

supremacy

of the Porte would be imminent.

North and

south of

it

live

tribes,

such as the Kurds, the

Anserians, the Metuahs, whose inmost sentiments

TUKKISH POLICY.

25

towards

tlie

Turks are

tliose

of absolute hatred,
to renounce

and who would be only too ready

their
allegiance,

were a native power once to

of force and permanency.
dishke, however,

arise, displaying signs

The mutual jealousy and

which

animates them, has hitherto sufficed to prevent

such a consummation

and the pohcy of the

Ottoman Turks

is

simply to foment and keep up

this self-consuming fire.

In the Lebanon, at the time of which

we

are

now
was
tians

speaking, the fanning of rehgious animosities

as yet impracticable
:

the Druzes and Chris-

hved together

in the

most perfect harmony

civil

and good-will.

During whatever

troubles

took place amongst them, under the Tuhnooc/is,

the Maans, and the Shehabs (and they were fre-

quent and ever desolating), the Druzes and Christians

sides,

ranged themselves promiscuously on rival

and were animated

solely

by the

spirit

of

party.

The Emir Beshir Shehab, whose long

to 1840,

and agitated career extended from 1789

though secretly a Maronite, never entertained, for

instance, the wild idea of rallying the Maronites
in a crusade against the Druzes.

On

the con-

26
trary,

THE DKUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

he

felt

the Druzes

to

be the most im-

portant element of his power.

at variance,

Though
at

constantly

and sometimes

open war with

some of
to

their leading sheiks,

he always took care

his

have a strong Druze force in

own
;

ranks,

headed by men of weight and influence

he never once in
forcements or aid
ronites.

while

his

whole hfe called

for rein-

of

any kind from the Ma-

The

situation

and general condition of the

amongst the
Druzes,

Christians,

therefore,
all

and

indeed amongst
to
this

the mountain tribes, was,

satisfactory as
state.

up

period, as

could be ex-

pected in a

Mohammedan
own

The Druzes,
more than
in-

indeed, prized their Christian tenants

those
of
their
sect,

as

bemg more
in

dustrious, active,

and inteUigent
chief

agricultural

matters

their

men

of confidence were

Christians.

The
of

Christians

had become themproperty,

selves
villages,

holders

landed

had

built

and erected churches and convents with-

out the slightest opposition.

in aU the

They took a

part

Druze

sports.

Many were

excellent

horsemen.

Some were even

possessors of con-

HUMILIATION OF THE CHEISTIAXS.

siderable wealth

27

altogether presenting a striking

contrast to the condition of their co-religionists in

the great towns and on the plains.

These were, unfortunately for them, in the

hands of the Turks.

Damascus,
lims

Tiu-kish pashas in Aleppo,

Acre,

Jerusalem,

Turkish

mutsel-

and

a2;as in

the smaller districts and in the

petty

to^vns

along

the

sea-coast,

exhibited

all

the pride of their race, and exhaled the afflatus of their supercilious and domineering fanaticism

over the degraded rayahs, unchecked and unquestioned.

The

Christians

were certainly

al-

lowed to Uve,
from them.

for hfe could not lawfully

be taken
Conse-

They paid the

tribute.

quently, there were not in those days, nor could

there

be,

any massacres.

But

in

every other

respects they

were covered with scorn and huthey were suspected of

mihation.

If

having

money, they were forthwith robbed.

of secreting treasm-e, bastinadoed
fessed,
till

If accused

they conto ride,

in

A
it

Christian

was not permitted

even a donkey.
bazaar,

Wlien meeting a Turk

the

was

his

duty to give him the wall and

go himself into the kennel.

He

dared not elevate

28

THE DEUZES

A^^D

THE MAROMTES.
His apparel and

his voice in talking vnth. him. his turban

seal

were black.

He

could not have his

engraved in Arabic, that language being too

;

noble for his usage

his

name was engraved

in

Hebrew

or Greek.

If his

house was noticed as

being higher than that of his

bour,
it

Mohammedan neighHis corpse might not

was puUed down.

be carried by the door of a mosque.

To avoid

the continual oppressions to which

they were daily exposed, the Christians sought

the patronage and protection of respectable and
influential

Mohammedans,

propitiating

them by
per-

presents of various kinds, and even

by the

formance of menial

services.

On

these terms

they were allowed to breathe the

air of

heaven,

and were

thankful.

In 1831, Syria passed mider the dominion of

Mohammad
those

Ali,

and

his son,

Ibrahim Pasha, was

commissioned by him to carry out and enforce

measures which distingiushed his general

pohcy.

But against

all

his

endeavours to raise
Christians,

and amehorate the condition of the

the stoutest resistance was everywhere displayed.

EGYPTIAN EULE IN SYEIA.

In
all

29
families

the towns, the old

Moliammedan

banded together and conspired

liis

to reject or nullify

decrees and
short

ordinances.

Ibrahim, however,
After the battle of
feet,

made

work with them.

laid

Nezib had
entered
the

Syria

at

his

his

soldiers

principal

centres

of

disafiection

some scores of heads of an indiscriminate crew

of agas,
effendis,

and

even

cadis,

were

ruth-

lessly struck

off;

a deadly terror was inftised

throughout the land, and the emancipation of

the rayahs was accomphshed.
Christians v/ere admitted into the local councils.

Their evidence, before mixed tribunals of Christian

and Mussulman, was

valid.

All distinction
local

of dress was abolished.

As

secretaries, as
officers,

governors,

even as military

in all de-

partments of the State their services were accepted and rewarded.

Numbers, who had

for

years been hiding themselves up in the mountains

amongst the

Druzes,

to

escape

the

tyrannous
.

exactions of Djezzar and of Abdallah Pasha, re-

turned to the sea-coast towns, and recommenced

their

commercial business.

brisk trade with

30

THE DEUZES AND THE MAROXITES.

European merchants was quickly opened, and

the harbour of Beyrout, in particular, soon be-

came thronged with the shipping of London and

Marseilles.


EGYPTIAN EULE IN SYRIA.

31

CHAP.
Egyptian Conscription.

II.

Ee-establishment of the Ottoman Rule. Emir Kassim. Irlam of the Maronite Patriarch. Maronite An Affray Presumption, and Deir-el-Kamar, 1841. The Druzes burn Outskirts of Deir-el-Kamar. Colonel Rose saves Deir-el-Kamar. Victory of the Druzes. Moderation of Naaman Bey Jumblatt Emir Beshir a Prisoner. Turkish Nejib Pasha. Attack upon
Besliir

Insurrections. Egyptian Eule ended.

Intrigues.
at

Tlie

Intolerance,

tlie

Policy.

ZacJde.

To a people

so

long accustomed as

tlie

Syrians

to the languid, loose

and disorderly
administration

rule of the

Turks, the vigorous

of

Ibrahim
spirit

Pasha might weU appear a tyranny.

insurrection consequently
festing
his
itself.

The

of

was not slow

so

in mani-

Yet

it

was not
as

much agamst
his

fiscal

regulations

against

demand

for

a conscription

that

the popular

mind was

excited.

However the Turks may have drained

had never taken away
point
their

their resom-ces, they

sons,

and on

this

they were

peculiarly

sensitive.

But these insurrectionary movements

THE DEUZES AND THE MARONITES.

All the different

were uniformly abortive.

tain tribes in succession

moun-

were made to

kiss the

master hand.
feel the dire

The Druzes were about

the last to

consequences of unsuccessful rebelhon.

For a long time they had gallantly maintained

the unequal struggle.

At

length, starved out of

their strongholds in the

Houran, they had man-

aged to straggle back to the Lebanon, where for

some time they kept up a desultory warfare with

the

Egyptian

forces.

The

latter

at

last,

by a

Well-combined movement,
feated them.

surrounded

and de-

The Druze

insurrection thus effec-

tually quelled, the task of Ibrahim

Pasha became

comparatively easy, and there can be no doubt

that an efficient organisation

would have ere long

and

made

Syria,

in

his

hands, a well-ordered

flourishing province.

The Druzes, during

revolt,

the latter period of their

had

sent messengers to the purely Maronite

districts,

urging
of
aid

the

Maronites

to

join

them.

Promises

had

been

freely

given,

but

with that want of combination which generally

distinguishes

any attempt

at

union amongst the

tribes, the Christians

did not begin to

move

until
>

EGYPTIAJi KULE ENDED.

after the Driizes

had been

finally

overthrown.
list

Tjd

justify their insurrection

they exhibited a

of

grievances, mostly imaginary,

and none of any

the
to
officers

importance, save the

fact,

that

of

Ibrahim Pasha used occasionally

mides, and take a certain
against their will to

seize

their

number of
at a coal

villagers

work

mine which

had been
absurd

lately

opened in the Lebanon.

motive for

A more
rebellion

and

unjustifiable
;

cannot be conceived

for

both the peasants and

the hire of the mules were punctually paid.

rising

The The

was

isolated,

and soon put down.

leaders

were seized and sent

into exile in Eo-yut.

At

this

very juncture, in the summer of 1840,

fleets

the allied

of England, Austria and Turkey

coast,

appeared off the

return
to

summoning the Syrians

the
Sultan.

to

their allegiance to
tlie

The

expiring embers of

Maronite insurrection were

eagerly fanned and put into a blaze

agents,

by Turkish
;

some of wliom were Enghshmen

and the

general effervescence soon furnished ample materials for

long reports as to

tlie

grievous tyranny

under which the Christians of the Lebanon were

groaning, and the delight with which they wel-

34

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEOXITES.

corned the English as their dehverers.

Mohammad
com-

Ah

found

it

useless to struggle against the

bined powers of Europe, deserted as he was by

the French,

who had
less

all

along buoyed up his

hopes

and in

than six months, Syria was

given over to the Porte.

The Turks returned hke

to

screeching;

vultures

their

baffled

prey.

Every kind of appointto auction.

ment was openly put up

of trust were
iiUed

All places

up with

men

notorious

for their cupidity

and fanaticism.

Justice,

which

during the Egyptian rule had been purified of her

defilements,
offal

became again contaminated with the

of corruption.

The
insulted
;

Christians
;

were everyplaces were

where reviled and

in

many

assaulted in the bazaars

off their heads,

had

their turbans torn

to

and compelled

resume their
Emissaries

old distinctive garb of degradation.

were sent
and

into the mountains to excite dissensions

religious antipathies, lest the

duties,
all

heavy and un-

wonted custom-house

exacted from the

the towns, might

peasantry at the entrance of

create a spirit of union and resistance.

Several native Christian merchants,

who

dreaded

TUEKISH ADMINISTEATION.
tlie

35

return of the days of Djezzar, sought

and

obtained the protection of European consuls.

general panic
seized the

rayahs,

and

all

com-

mercial transactions were temporarily paralysed.

Fortunately there were British officers stationed

throughout the country, whose reports on these

proceedings were forwarded to Constantinople
;

and there the energetic interference and remonstrance of

Lord Stratford de

EedclifTe

at

once

checked the retrograde movement.

The government
first

of the

Lebanon
and
its

attracted the
alhes.

attention of the Porte

it

The

former wished to have

placed under the ad-

ministration of a Turkish pasha, as

more con-

ducive to the maintenance of

its

direct authority,
lost

aia.

object which
ail-

-it

has

never

sight of

durittg
siiiiie

the changes and troubles which have

oiccurred.

The

British

Government, on the
to

contrary, with

a just

deference

the

usages

and predilections of the mountaineers, supported

the

nomination of an emir from the house of

;

Shehab

the

more

so,

as

it

was hoped

that,

under a Christian governor, the welfare of the

Christians

would be permanently secured.

D 2

The

36
old

THE DEUZES AND THE MAROXITES.

Emir
first

Beshir,

who
sent

had been prevented, on

to return to his alle-

the

summons
partly

him

giance,

through

inclination

and

partly

owing

to

the fact of his sons being actually in

the service of Ibrahim Pasha, from submitting to

the Sultan,

shortly afterwards surrendered, and

was exiled

to Malta.

The

late

Emir Beshir Kassim

Shehab was

installed into the vacant dignity of

Grand Prince of the Lebanon.

The Druzes viewed

this

appointment

"vvith

misgiving too fully justified

by subsequent

events.

The

tyrannical conduct of the old

sect,

Emir Beshk

towards their
rule,

during the latter period of his

to look

had caused them

upon the Shehabs

with absolute aversion.

families,

Three of their principal

the Amads, and the

the Jumblatts, Abou Nakads, he had

entirely ruined, destro}mig

their abodes, confiscating their properties, draught-

ing some of their sheiks into the ranks of the

Egyptian army, and compeUing others to pass

their hves in exile.

All these on theu' return naturally saw, "with

dread and apprehension, the resumption of power

by a member of the Shehab

family.

Still,

had

.1

EMIR BESHIE KASSIM.

37

the commonest consideration, or the least display

of tact been evinced towards them, there cannot

be a doubt that they might

easily

have been

won

over to a cheerful comphance with an arrangement

which had received the sanction of the Sultan

and of the European powers.
Unfortunately, the

character and proceedings of their

new

ruler v/ere

such

as violently

to

inflame

their

animosities,

and

to

awaken

in their minds, not only a painful

their

recollection of all

past

indignities,

but a

gloomy foreboding

as to their future treatment.

Haughty, arrogant, supercilious, and fancying

himself able to carry out the iron policy of his
predecessor, the

Emir Beshir Kassim seemed

insultius: all the

to

take a delisht

Druze sheiks
constantly

who came

into

his

presence.

He

menaced them with a deprivation of

privileges, declared his

their feudal

intention not to leave a

Druze sheik or the son of a Druze sheik in the

possession of even the
to distribute the

shadow of

authority,

and

Druze feudal

districts

amongst
Druzes

the

members

of his

own

family.

If the

were surprised and excited

the civil

at seeing the

arm of

power thus

raised against them, not less

D 3

38

THE DEUZES AXD THE MAROXITES.

tlieir

was

wonder and indignation evoked when,

subsequently, the ecclesiastical power of a rival

sect

was boldly and presumptuously put

forth

to reduce
inferiority.

them

to

an absolute dependence and

The Maronite
scrupulously

patriarch,
to

at this junctm-e, un-

assumed

himself

the

right

of

issuing a decree curtailing,

and indeed nuUifying,

the most important elements of the Druze polity.

He

sent

round a

circular, called the "

Mam,"

to

the Christians of the Lebanon, in which he or-

dered the inhabitants of every village to write and

sign a bond,
to

by which they engaged themselves

appoint two men,

who were

to act as agents

of each town or callage, and in

whom

was

to be

vested the poAver always hitherto employed by

the Druze sheiks alone
ried into effect,
;

a scheme Avhich,

if car-

would have

entirely superseded

and overthrown the ancient and hereditary Druze

feudal
rights

in
it

the mountains.

Yet was
said

this

the

scheme,

may be

almost

of conhis

quest,

to achieve

which the patriarch and

colleagues Avere

already prepared to

draw the

sword.

MARONITE PEESUMPTION.

39

Colonel Eose, in his despatches states in unquahfied terms that " the Maronite clergy show
a determination to uphold
their

supremacy

in

the mountains at the risk of a civil war."

Civil

war

ominous words,
;

too sadly to be realised in

those oft-recurring paroxysms of blood and conflagration

which, from

this epoch,

and from

this

aggression as a primal cause, exhibit the history

of the

Lebanon

to our view, during a series of

twenty years,

as the gradual

development of one

dark and continuous tragedy.

A more

unwarrantable and

irritatino; a^'OTession

cannot be conceived.

The Druzes had

hitherto
theu^

done nothing, either by

their language or

conduct, to justify a measure so wholly gratuitous

and

unprecedented.

In

the

town of

Deir-el-

Kamar, which had

for ages past

been a feudal
"

appanage of the Abou-JSTakads, the " Irlam

received

was

by the

Christians with-aiiigin g

and
;

firing,

and every token of triumphant exultation

the

while

Druze

sheiks

surveyed with

astonishment

from the Avindows of their palace a demonstration

which pretended

to

announce

to

them

that their

power had passed away.

The Emir

Beshir, at the

p 4

40

THE DRUZES AND THE

MAEO]S^ITES.

same time, instigated by the patriarch, ordered

the Druzes to dismiss the Protestant scliools which

had been opened

in their

villages.

Foreseeing

the inevitable consequences of such proceedings,

Naaman Bey Jumblatt went

in

person to the

Maronite patriarch, and implored him to withdraw

his

obnoxious mandate.

He was met with

evasive

answers, while, within his hearing, the Bishop of

Beyrout boasted, that ere long

tlie

Maronites would

drive the Druzes out of the country.

It is

unquestionable that about this time the

received no less

patriarch

than 20,000Z.

from

France, as the sinews of war, to enable him to

carry out his views,
if

necessary,

by

force.

Thus

thrown on the

defensive, the Druzes, with their

wonted

activity

and power^f combination, began

to take measures for seh4)i:^s.er vation.

feelinscs

With such

on both

sides, it

was

clear that a coUision

was merely a question of

time.

Not content with

thus

exciting

dissensions

and animosities between

his

co-rehgionists

and

the Druzes, the patriarch, with an incomprehensible fatuity, acted in

such a manner as to draw

down upon him

the displeasure, and excite the

MARONITE INTOLERANCE.
jealousy, of the Turldsli authorities.
as to the annual tribute to

41

The question
to the Sultan,

be paid

had

for

many months been warmly

canvassed

amongst the leaders of the Christian mountaineers.

The Druzes had promptly comphed with the Imperial propositions

on

this head, lioping,

by

their

ready acquiescence, to obtain the sanction of the

Porte to a petition they were preparing to send to
Constantinople, asking to be governed either

by a

Druze chief or a Turkish pasha. on the contrary, used

disaffection
false
all

The

patriarch,

his influence to excite

amongst the Maronites, giving them

their strength

and exaggerated ideas of

and

importance, misleading them as to the extent of

their grievances,

and making them assume almost

an attitude of defiance and rebellion.

During the
the old

latter part of the administration of

Emir

Beshir, the Maronite patriarch

and

his clergy

had acquired an influence and ascend-

ancy most flattering to their aspirations.

emir, at
their dictation,

The

had

sternly

prohibited

anything
early

tending to religious
of
Protestant

toleration.

The
were
to

efforts

missionaries

promptly crushed.

Any

one

who was known

42

THE DRUZES AND THE MAROXITES.

hold intercourse of any kind with Enghshmen

or Americans was immediately put under the ban

of excommunication.

The idea was sedulously

impressed on the minds of the Christians, that the

English were freemasons and
outcasts
infidels,

and

as such,

from the Holy Cathohc and Apostohc

Church.

On

the arrival of the British fleet off

the coast in 1840, a decree was issued through

the momitain, that whoever went

down

to look

on the ships should have

his eyes put out.

Ever}'

means

that
into

ecclesiastical ingenuity

could invent

was put

motion, to prevent the ingress of

political or rehgious,

Enghsh

ideas,

amongst the

native Christian communities.

The

fall

of the

Emir Beshir suddenly

l)roke the

hold which the Maronite clergy had thus obtained over the
far as
civil

power.

Though

his successor, as

he himself was concerned, showed himself

perfectly willing to be their tool, yet the

mere

presence of the English on Syrian

the
spell.

soil

had broken
to court a
to

The Druzes, always ready

dominant party, and believing, or pretending

beheve, that
received the

Hamze had
English

his followers in England,

wherever they appeared,

MARONITE INTRIGUES.
with absolute entliiisiasm.

4o

They

offered

them the

symbols or^paternity.

They clamorously asked

amongst them.

for tlie opening of schools

They

wanted

to

be taught, enlightened and

bitter

civilised.

Hence the
ebullitions

hatred and animosity,

in

the

of fury

and excitement

which the
constantly

Maronite patriarch and his clergy

indulged, against the Druzes.

now

Hence

their deter-

mination at any risk to maintain,

grasp on the mixed
chiefs
districts,

if possible,

their

where the Druze

.

held

-a,

feuxlal__sway_ over

a_ Druze and

nhrigtinn popiiLit ion,

And

thus, the notable plan

to,

of the " Irlam,". above alluded

the

appointvillage
/

/
\y'

ment of Christian agents

to be

in every

Druze

nominated by the patriarch, was simply a

device, through that

tians

medium,

to

keep the Chris-

under

his exclusive
all his

control,

and

to

make

'them submissive to

mandates.

With such

outposts thrown out in the very heart and centre

of the

Druze confederacy, he trusted that he

still

might

uphold the long-enjoyed dictatorial

power which he foresaw, under the new and

altered

circumstances,

would

otherwise

elude

his grasp,

and

for ever close the

door against the

44

THE DEUZES AND THE MARONITES.

intrusion of such doctrines as might emperil the

working of that well organised

ecclesiastical sys-

tem which made every Christian within

his vassal

his flock
is
it

and

his slave.

Most important

to

note and weigh this remark-able feature in the

approaching

crisis,

for here

we

place the finger on

evils,

the source of

all

those accumulated

which,

with various accessories, and from diiferent quarters,

henceforth

oppressed

and

desolated

the

Lebanon.

The elements of discord

exercised

by

priestly

ambition at length found vent.

On

the

14th

September 1841, an

affray took place

between

the Druzes and the Christians of Deir-el-Kamar,

attended with the loss of five

sixteen

Christians

and

Druzes

killed,

and eight Christians and

sixteen

Druzes wounded.

Some

Christians

of

Deir-el-Kamar, crossing the deep ravine which'

separates
it

from the opposite Druze

village

of

Bakleen, had trespassed on a shooting preserve

near the latter place, belonging to their

feudal chief,
JSTasif

own
shot

Bey Abou Nakad, and

down

a partridge.

The Druze watchers repulsed

sticks.

them, but merely using

Far from acknow-

DRUZE AND MAKOXITE AFFRAY.

leclging tlieir error, the Christians sent

45

word

to

Deir-el-Kamar, and were presently joined by a

large reinforcement of their co-religionists
to

armed

the

teeth,

who immediately commenced an

indiscriminate firing on the Druzes.

The

latter

thus

unprovokedly and

brutally

attacked, sprung to their arms

and the melee soon

the Chris-

became

Q;eneral.

In the

mean time

tians of Deir-el-Kamar, seeing the battle engaged,

from

their heights,

and

also the various bodies of

the Druzes

who were

rapidly approaching from

every direction, were thrown into the wildest despair.

The women ran about the

and beating
their breasts.

streets tearing

their hair

The old men

roofs

with firearms proceeded to

the

of

the

houses to defend the town in case of an attack.

The

state of confusion

soon became indescribable,

assault

and the dread of a general

possessed
all

by the Druzes

minds.
for

Fortunately

the

Christian

population,

Colonel Eose, her Majesty's Consul-General, hap-

pened
the

to

be in the town at the time.

With

utmost promptitude, and ordering a Druze

sheik to

accompany him, he galloped

to the scene

46

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

miles
off,

of conflict nearly two

and gallantly
:
,

threw himself between the combatants

ference was effectual.

his inter-

Both

parties listened to his

for
this

reasoning and entreaties,

least,

and

time, at

the flames of civil war were extinguished ere

they had time to gain head.

The

attitude of defiance thus unequivocally asChristians,

sumed by the
it

showed the Druzes that

measures for a general

was high time

to concert

defence.

Partial attacks

upon them had occurred

in other parts of the Lebanon.

The

Christians of

Gezeen had wantonly

the

killed three

Druzes sent by
rents.

Jumblatts to

collect

their

The
also

re-

vena;eful feeling's

of the Druzes

had

been

much

excited

by the

loss of four of the principal

sheiks of the house of

as well as

Amad,

killed at Baakleen,

some of

their Avomen,

who had
To
croAvn

fallen in
all,

endeavouring to

make

peace.

the
if

Maronite patriarch had openly declared, that

the Druzes persisted in demanding to be governed

by a prince of

their

own

sect,

he and

his clergy

w^ould head the Maronites,

march

against

them

and exterminate them.

The Emir

Beshir, on his part, endeavoured to

WAE

PREPAEATIONS.

47

deprive the Driize sheiks of their feudal privilege,

and proceeded
amongst the

to

levy

mihtary force

from

Christians, their feudal dependents,

thus directly invading the hereditary rights of the

Abou Nakads.
gamed ground,

A general report also

that

at this

time

the

old

Emir Beshir was

:

about to be recalled and reinstated

a measure

which the Druzes well knew,

if

accomplished,

would pave the way

state of

to a return to their

former

weakness and disunion.

all
life

Under
matter of

these

cu"cumstances,

it

became a
to

and death with them

strike a

blow ere the means intended

were
completely
into

for their hinniliation

matured.

They had already

entered

compact with the Turks, and

guided

were,
tions.

indeed,

by

their

secret

instruc-

On

the morning of the 13th October the feudal

array of the Jumblatts, the

Abou Nakads, and

the

Amads, with
beating,

their banners

flymg and kettle-drums

in pos-

were

seen, as if

by enchantment,

session of the various avenues

leading to Deir-

el-Kamar,
heights.

and

crowning
w^as a

all

the

surrounding

Never

combination more rapid or

48

THE DRUZES AND THE JIAROXITES.

complete, or

more

cliaracteristic of tliat secrecy,

energy and

activity, for

which the Druzes are so

remarkable in

their

military movements.

The
of the

Christians, panic struck

assault,

by the suddenness

snatched up their arms and ran about in

consternation.

the

utmost

The

Druzes

kept

stealthily

converging on the devoted town.

For
but

some

hours

they met with an

irregular

vigorous resistance in the outskirts.

These, how-

ever, they at last succeeded in taking possession of

and burning.

The

Christians

were

finally driven
all

back into the central

famihes

square,

where
about

their

began

to

congregate

sunset.

Throughout the whole day the emir remained

shut

up

in

small

room

carefully

secured.

Shortly after dark the principal suburbs were in a

blaze.

During the whole of the ensuing night,

to

the

town presented
;

view one grand but melan-

choly spectacle
roUino;

the sky being lighted

evei'v

up with

volumes of flame, whilst

now and

then might be heard the desponding cries of the

Christians,
bells,

the furious

toUing

of the

Maronite

and the exulting

struggle

yells of the Druzes.

The

contmued without interruption

DRITZE VENGEANCE.

49

diuing the 14t]i and

15tli,

while other villages in

the neighbourhood were at the same time successfully

attacked

by the Abou Nakads, with con-

siderable slaughter of their Christian inhabitants.

On

the 16th, Colonel Eose, accompanied by

Ayoub

Pasha, arrived from Beyi'out just in time to save

Deir-el-Kamar from

utter

destruction,
relentless

and

its

male

population

from

massacre.

Twenty

Christian prisoners

had already been put

Druze vengeance

to the edge of the sword.

is

When

once aroused,

it is

remorseless.

They imbrue
is

then-

hands in blood with a savage joy that

incredible.

Yet, as a general principle, they never

touch women.

The war cry had now been sounded throughout

the Lebanon.
districts,

Both

sects,

throughout

all

their
patri-

rushed to arms.

The Maronite

arch, furious at the unexpected defeat at Deir-el-

Kamar, loudly demanded

bed,
ill

to

be carried

his

as

he was, to the front of the Christian

forces,

"there to unfurl the standard of the Cross,

at their head."

and die

The Greek Cathohc Bishop of

a proclamation, calhng on
all

Zac/de, issued

true Christians to

50

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEOXITES.

fear.
;

come forward without

" the arms of activity

" Strengthen," said he,

never turn back after a

victory, without destroying to the

end

spare the

females, but as to everything else, such as murdering, plundering, burning,

be sure to do

all this,

and continue your prayers and

is

confessions, for this

a holy war."

Wherever
Druzes

conflicts

took
the

place

between

the

and

Christians,

victory invariably
object of the

rested with the former.

latter

The main

was

to reheve the

town of Deir-el-Kamar,
fruitless.

but

all

their attempts

were

The

Chris-"

tians of the

Greek Church generally joined with

in

the

Druzes

attacking

the

Maronites.

The

Shehab emirs headed the Maronite reinforcements,

hoping,
if

successfi-d,

to procm^e the restoration

of the old

Emir

Beshir, and the reinstatement of

their family in power.

In

less

than ten days the

Druzes had completely subdued the Maronites

residing

amongst

them,

sacking

and bm^ning

thek

villages

and convents.
to carry the

They now prepared

purely Maronite

war

into the
river.

districts,

north of the

Dog

Fortunately for the Maronites,

Naaman Bey Jum-

EMIR BESHIR'S surrender.

blatt,

51

whose influence over

his

sect

was paramoderation,

mount,

now

displayed

the greatest

wholly opposed such an onward movement, and

even declared that
river
if

any Druze force crossed that

it.

he should forthwith attack

Sitting

up

night and day, surrounded by his secretaries, he

wrote upwards of ten thousand

influential

letters to different

Druzes and Christians, imploring them

to cease

from their

fratricidal war.

Thus was

the triumphal course of the Druzes stopped

by

one of their

own

leaders.

The Maronite

patriarch,

bewildered by the sweeping successes of those he

had thought
first

to exterminate, shut liimself in his convent,

up

at

in a

room

and

finally

nego-

tiated for refuge

on a British man-of-war.
after

At Deh-el-Kamar,

three

weeks

close

blockade, the Christians were

summoned

to sur5tli

render and give up their

arrns.

On

the

of

October, the Emir Beshir, finding himself a helpless prisoner,

determined to evacuate the town,

agreeing to conditions drawn up

by the Druzes
His exit

and

ratified

by the Pasha of Beyrout.

was one continued scene of

mortification.

On

leaving his palace, accompanied

E 2

by some mounted

52

THE DEUZES AND THE MARONITES.

attendants, his

sword and dagger were taken from

violence as to

him with such

wound

his hands.

He was

deprived of his turban and the greatest

part of his dress.

at

One Druze
fire.

levelled his piece

him, but

it

missed

On

approaching Bey-

rout he saw his

own

private residence, the houses

of the Shehaab emirs, and those of the inliabitants

in the villas:es of

Baabda and Haded

all in

flames.

He

beheld his Maronite subjects flying in the

greatest disorder along the fi^ont of the Turkish

camp

of regular troops,

who had been

who
all

ostensibly

sent out to restore

order, but

along re-

mained tranquil and even

every kind of outrage.

rejoicing spectators of

The Turkish

irregular

cavahy were

charging,,

wounding, and robbing

the

the unfortunate fugitives, even to strippmg

very
pity

women

of their clothes, which the Druzes in

had spared them.

So keenly was the

felt,

in-

famous conduct of the Turkish troops

that

the Maronites declared " they would sooner be

plundered by the Druzes than protected by the

Turks."
It

now became

clear that this first attempt of

the Maronite patriarch and his colleagues to es-

TURKISH IMPLICATION.
tablish

an exclusive ascendancy in the Lebanon,

\

1/'

by weakening,

if

not destroying, the Druze

failed.

ele-

ment, had signally

boastful taunts

The emptiness of

their

and denunciations were

fully ex-

posed.

Their lofty and ill-judged schemes of ag-

grandisement had completely miscarried.

vials of

The
Druzes
All

wrath they had prepared

fearfully

for the

had recoiled

on

their

own

heads.

the bitterness of their hearts had been fruitlessly

exhaled, and nought was

now

left

them of

their

venom but
To

the sting.

the Turks this boiling and fuming of the

worst passions

of

human

nature,

surging

over
as

into the fury of civil strife

and discord, was

sacrifice.

the
fully

odour of a sweet smelling

Wil-

and purposely did they promote the hateful

;

struggle

for

through such bloody dissensions

they saw the only chance of estabhshing their

exclusive

own

sway over the Lebanon.

Li the Chris-

tians of the

Lebanon they saw a ready nucleus

and the permanent preponderance

for the intrusion

of a foreign power, gradually enabhng

them

to

advance new pretensions, to acquire new

rights,

and

finally,

perhaps,

to
E 3

estabhsh

quasi-inde-


li
THE DEUZES AND THE MARONITES.

pendence, formidable and menacing to their

political existence.

own

Irrelative of their innate hatred of Christianity

itself,

the Turks perceive

races

full

well

tliat

of all

the

various

under
gives

their
signs

dominion, the
of

Christian

race

alone
for
this

dangerous

vitahty

and

reason

they Avatch, with

lynx-eyed vigilance, every quarter of their

wliere
it

empke

threatens, under

more than
its

ordinarily

propitious circumstances, to raise

odious front.
strong,

Were

the Christian element

to

become
tire

consohdated, and flourishing in

Lebanon,

which, however,
supervision and

it

can only be under the constant

protection of the Eu-

effectual

ropean

states,

the

position of the Turks, as a

dominant and monopohsing power^ throughout

Syria
itself,

would be materially

affected,

and the

various adjacent tribes might gradually emerge

from centuries of moral prostration.

Thus the main,

it

may be

said, the sole object

which the Turks have had

few years in the Lebanon
j

in at

view

for the last

is,

whatever risk and

by any means however

reckless or nefarious, to
itself

keep down an element which presents

with

TURKISH POLICY.
such,

55
it

dangerous concomitants, and to cut out, as

if

were,

necessary (alas

the metaphor

is

too sadly

significant),

a cancer which, in their eyes, threatens

This
is

to eat into their very vitals.

their entire

the key to

pohcy

and, bearing this in mind, their

whole subsequent
dible

action,

however otherwise

incre-

and repugnant

to ah feelings of morahty,

becomes perfectly consistent and perspicuous.

The

Christian governor of the

ejected,

Lebanon had

been forcibly

and the Turks had gained

For the purpose of
an
exclusive
ac-

a temporary triumph*
quiring

and

retaining

influence
i

in the mountain, they

had excited the Druzes

against the Christians, and encouraged the former

in their desire to be independent of the latter.

So perfectly cognisant were they of

all

the

move-

ments of the Druzes, that the Seraskier made

the remarkable declaration, that " he

knew

the

Druzes intended to attack Deir-el-Kamar fourteen days before the event occurred." *

Notwithstanding

the

constant

and

repeated

advice and remonstrances of the European consuls,

the Turkish authorities never took the shght* Syrian Correspondence, Part
E 4
11. p.

897

56
est

THE DKUZES AND THE MAEOXITES.

measure to check

hostilities,

or to punish those

\ who

were the

first

to cause a colhsion.

Eegrets
;

were profusely expressed, ample promises made

troops were even ordered out to certain positions,

but the

latter

never in any one instance made

the least effort to prevent one party from attack-

ing the other.

Whole

villages
eyes.

were burnt
ISTay,

to the
;

ground under their very

in

more

as if

open mockery of

his professions of neutrality,

the general excuse

m^ged for his criminal

col-

lusion, the Seraskier actually sent five camel-loads

of ammunition to the head-quarters of the Maronite forces

;

and having thus supplied them with

the means of carrying on the war, the next day,

to save appearances, sent

them an order

to

make

peace with their adversaries, on pain of suffering

the severest penalties.

The Druzes

at the

same

time received ample supplies of ammunition from

the same quarter.
"

If such

was the procedure of the Turks

of Beyrout,

in

the

pashalick

even more indecent

that

and outrageous

was

it

in

of Damascus.

There Najib Pasha, the worst possible specimen

of the corrupt and blood-thirsty race of Turkish

NAJIB PASHA.

57

fanatics, had, ever since his arrival,

been strenu-

ously exciting and reviving the old

antipathies.

Mohammedan

In his relations with the anti-Lebanon, which

was

Avithin

his

jurisdiction,

he

scarcely

even

deigned to assume a mask.

tians of

Although the Chris-

that

district,

mostly belonging to the

Greek Church, had not the remotest connection

with the Maronites of the Lebanon, nor had ever

shown any

disposition

whatever to disturb the

peace, he at once proceeded to

make them

feel

the full weight of a deliberate persecution.

ing, degrading,

Seiz-

and imprisonmg the Emir Saadathe

deen

Shehab,

Mohammedan
whose

governor

of
his

Harbuju, their

capital,

sole crime

was

moderation and
replaced

his

consequent popularity, he
chief,

him

by the celebrated Druze

Shibli-el-Arrian,

who had

so

long headed the

Druze insurrection against Ibrahim Pasha.

The

first acts

of this functionary, according to

his secret instructions,

tians, in

was

to

disarm the Chris-

direct violation of the guarantee given

to the Syrians

by the
;

Porte, at the hands of the

to seize

British

government

and imprison

their

58

THE DKUZES
influential

AJS^D

THE MARO^'ITES.
distribute large sup-

most

men, and to

plies of

powder

to the Druzes.

After some preliminary arrangements, he proceeded, at the head of 500 Turkish cavahy, and

some thousands of
their sheiks, to

his

Druzes,

commanded by

march upon and attack the town

of ZacAle, situated at the foot of one of the eastern

slopes of the Lebanon,

and overlooking the

fertile

valley of the Bekaa, the ancient Coelo-Syiia.

his

On
Bey

way

thither,

he wantonly plundered and burnt

Said

several

harmless Christian villages.

Jumblatt made himself conspicuous in

this raid,

by attacking the

village of Sagbeen,

and

indis-

crimmately massacring
children.*

210 men, women, and

Again, on hearing of these occurrences, the

European

consuls, stepped forward in a body, to

endeavour by impassioned remonstrance, to avert

the terrible fate which

was evidently impending

over

all

the Christian sects of the Lebanon, with-

out distinction, and probably, as the storm rolled

on, over the enth-e Christian population of Syria.

They were met

as

usual

by

expressions of
I.

af-

* Syrian Correspondence, Part

p. 149.

TUEKISH PERFIDY.
fected ignorance or
last it

59

assumed astonishment.
tlie

At
\

became

so palpable that

Turks were

doggedly bent on crushing and trampling out

every remaining vestige of strength which might
still

exist in the Christian ranks,

that they felt

their

position

as

remonstrants

becoming " ab!

solutely

ludicrous." *

Ludicrous
;

nay,

rather

humihating and degrading

tatives

that

the

represen-

of

tlie

five

great

Christian

powers of

Europe should have been authorised and commissioned by their sovereigns to interpose be-

tween

the

Turks

and

their
to

bleeding
the

victims,

should have been reduced

supplicants,
less

attitude

of

and then forced

of

to

stand

by

help-

spectators

one

persistent
faith.

and gigantic

outrag-e agrainst their

All, in fact, felt

common

and declared, that they were

against

vainly

struggling

preconcerted plan,
itself;

emanating from Constantinople

the Sultan's authorities

and that

m Syria would never have

secret instructions

acted as they were doing, unless they had been

authorised to do so
the Porte.f

by

from

conclusion amply warranted

IT. p.

by

* Syrian Correspondence, Part

116.

"f

Ibid.

60

THE DEUZES AND THE MARONITES.

letter

an intercepted
Seraskier,

from

J^ajib
is

Pasha

to

the

m which

tlie latter

directed " not to

is

trouble himself in the least about what

going

on in the Lebanon, inasmuch

as

everything that

had taken place there had been done with the

full sanction of

the Porte." *
attack

The

Druze

upon ZacMe

fortunately

proved abortive, otherwise the Christians there

would inevitably have experienced the

Druze
Eeshid
ferocity

effects

of

and

Turkish

treachery.
tliither

For
to

Pasha,

ostensibly

ordered

prevent the

conflict,

purposely delayed his move-

ment

in order to give the

Druzes time to advance,

him, after

while his aide-de-camp

who preceded

having called on the Christians to give up their

arms, promising them complete protection,
solutely

ab-

went over

to

the

camp

of the Druzes,
in their

and accompanied them the following day

unsuccessful onslaught.

The immediate consequence

of the

of the triumphs

Druzes, thus

encouraged and supported

outburst
of

by the Turks, was a widespread

Mohammedan

fanaticism

against

the

Christians

* Syrian Correspondence, Part

11. p.

283.

DANGER OF THE CHRISTIANS.

all

61

over Syria.

Li

tlie

great

towns a general

rising

was daily expected.

Europeans,
in

Native Christians, and

insulted,

even

were
tlie

beaten,

and

knocked down

bazaars.

British men-of-

war were
reassure

stationed
their

off

the sea-coast towns, to

inhabitants.

trembling

Whole
fled

famihes hourly thronged the beach,

who had
dismay.

from the
several

interior

in

terror

and

In

of

the

villages

about

Damascus, the

Turks burnt the churches to the ground, threatening to

kill

the
into

men and
slavery.

carry

the

women
itself,

and children
the

In Damascus

Mohammedans, emboldened by
proceedings, of

the impunity

of such
struction

loudly demanded the de-

the

churches

which

had

been
the the

erected

mthout

the Sultan's firman durins^

Egyptian occupation.
time had come

They boasted

that

for binding the rayahs to the

all

exact fulfilment of
the

the articles contained in

famous contract of Omar-ibn-il-Hotab.

A
all

petition

was

got

up

for

the

removal of

European
secret

agents.

Finally,

instigated

by

the

approval

of

Najib

Pasha,

they talked

publicly of a general massacre of the Christians.

62

THE DRUZES AND THE MAROXITES.

In the midst of the general consternation which

had

seized

on the Christian community,

it

was

ascertained that the pasha

tions to leave the city,

was making prepara-

under pretence of accomas

far

panying

the

Mecca pilgrimage,

as

the

Houran.

Mr. Wood, her Majesty's consul, at once

this

saw that

was merely a pretext on

his

part

to escape the responsibihty of

whatever horrors
First address-

mia'ht occur durino; his absence.

ing himself to some of the principal ulemas, he,

simply by the weight of his personal uiiluence,

brought them to the point of using their endeavours to allay the religious ferment wliich was

hourly augmenting.

Then, going to the pasha,

he expostidated with him, warned him as to the

grave and awful consequences which must
evitably result
persist in his
in-

to the

empire

itself,

should he

present conduct, and implored

post.

him
was

to

remain at his

The hoary

fanatic

abashed.

Awaking

as

from a stupor, he issued

orders for assuring the public tranquilhty,

and

the bloody

wave was

stayed.

PEACE RE-ESTABLISHED.

C3

CHAP.
Peace.

III.

Omar 1842. Mustaplia

Eevolt.

Paslia

Governor of the Lebanon, January

Pasha.

The

Maronite Emir Beshir

seizes five

Ahmad Abou Lama. Omar Pasha

Druze
kams.

Shibli-el-Arrian.

Omar Pasha

defeats the Druzes.

Emir Ahm^-d Raslan and

and Said Bey.

Januaiy

Druze
1,

Chiefs.
1843,,

Emir Haider Abou Lama

the

Li

January 1845, Said Bey Jumblatt

Druze and Christian Kaimma-

April, Maronite Attack on the Druzes.

Defeat

of

the Christians.

Throughout the Lebanon

gradually

tlie

fires

of civil

war

burnt

out.
first

Thus
instance

ended

contest,

induced in the

by the grasping

ambition and bigoted hitolerance of the Maronite all

patriarch

engaged

in

by the Druzes with

struggHng for
.fury

the

desperation
;

of a people

their

nationality

and lashed into

by the
at

Turks, ever startling with

convidsive

clutch

the shghtest throb or pulsation of the Christian

heart.
Its

immediate
three

results exhibited a loss of

fives,

mofa
of/

than

thousand

and destruction

64

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

property to the amount of nearly half a million of

pounds.

But even more deplorable was

it,

as

leaving in the breasts of the hostile factions such

seeds of animosity, as might at any future time be

stimulated

into

fatal

activity,

to

work out the

The
Christians

jpplicy of their

common

masters.

in vain sought for indemnification at all adequate

to

their

losses.

The Turkish

authorities

cared

not to press upon the Druzes for restoration of

plunder, in which they themselves had so largely

shared

and though they talked with seeming

earnestness before the

European

consuls,

of the
retribu-

necessity of reimbursement,
tion,

and even of

they were far too cunning to institute any

effective

measures

ag-ainst

sect

which

had

rendered them such signal services.

The Emir Beshir Kassim was ignominiously

degraded from his
office,

and sent a prisoner to

Constantinople, and on the 15th January, 1842,

Omar Pasha was

non.

appointed governor of the Lebaat

About the same time Mustapha arrived

Beyrout, as extraordinary commissioner from the

Porte,
to

inquire

into

the

causes

of the

late

outbreak, and to devise measures for the restora-

MUSTAPHA PASHA.
tion of order.

65

A more
was
to

unhappy choice could not

It

possibly have been made.

his sole object

soon appeared that

still

inflame

farther the

unhappy

dissensions

which akeady

existed,

and

to

excite the feehngs of the

Mohammedan

sects in

such a manner as to increase with tenfold energy

their ordinary antipathy to the Christians.
It is certain that

he thus acted in conformity

with his secret instructions.

this

The Porte had

at
its

moment a

point of vital importance to

own
as

interests to carry,

and

it

only selected

him
thi^.

a fitting instrmnent.
it

In order to carry

point,

was

essential that the

Christians them/

selves should

be made to appear desirous of being

Tui'k.

ruled

by a

This

was

the
the

mission

of

Mustapha

Pasha.

Accordingly^

Christians

were told that they were

their wishes,

at full liberty to express

by way
to

of petition, as to

whom

they

would wish

be the governor of the Lebanon.

to exercise the

The Druzes were summoned

privilege.

same

The

right thus conferred, in a

manner
to

so

apparently

magnanimous, was

now

be
it

counteracted and circumvented, so as to render

subservient to the furtherance of Tm-kish policy.

66

THE DRuzES

a:n^d

the maroxites.
corruption, or

Whether by bribery and

by

threats

and intimidation, the voice of pubHc opinion was

to be nnscrupulously stifled.

Had

the Christians, and even the Drnzes, been

unfettered in their choice, there cannot

left really

be a doubt that the Shehabs would have been

restored
to

power

for

several

of the

Druze
Beshir,

sheiks, ancient partisans of the old

Emir

woidd

have voted

in

their

favour.

Turkish

agents were forthwith sent amongst the people, to

prevent,
if possible,

the realisation of such views.

Such was the venahty and pusillanimity of the

Christian
aristocracy,

that

numbers were gained

such as

over

by the most
or
shawls,

ordinary presents,

pehsses

combined with promises of

further favour and preferment, to abandon their

best mterests, and, utterly regardless of past ex-

perience or future consequences, to vote for the

permanent supremacy over them, of those very

beings

who had

but one short month before been

revelling in their blood

rehsjion.

and trampling on

their

The Maronite Emir Beshir Ahmad Abou Lama,

now

for the first time gained over to tlie

Turks

EMIE BESHIR AHMAD ABOU LMIA.

67

by a

large grant of land

and a round sum of

Turkish
tool,

money, began
wJiich

to play the part of a

it

some years afterwards

was

his lot to

enact in a

more

extensive sphere, and with con-

sequences proportionably fatal to the welfare of

his sect.

Where

bribery failed to

work

its

way, threats

and blows, and every

were dealt out
Christians, to
2:overnor.
to

species of personal indignity

and heaped upon the unhappy

for a Turkish

compel them to vote

Several died from the effects of the

barbarous bastinado to which they^vere subjected.

corps of two thousand Albanians, the most

lawless

ill-

disciphned,

and ferocious
together,

ruffians

that

were
at

ever

drawn
It

had

lately

landed
the

Beyrouth

was whispered
pests

through
to

mountain that

these

were

be

quar-

tered in the Christian villages.

The Maronites
of
their

began

to

tremble

for

the

sanctity

homes, and already pictured to themselves their

wives violated, their children torn away, their
property plundered.
general,

The panic soon became

their trembling

and hundreds put

imploring
the
F 2

hands
great

to petitions

Sultan, in his

68
kindness

THE DEUZES AXD THE MAROXITES.

and consideration,

to
!

allow them

to

be governed by a Turkish Pasha

Such the pro-

ceedings, such the mercies of the Turks.

Though the

dismissal of the

Emir Beshir Kas-

sim was fully justifiable, from his general unfitness

to hold the

arduous and responsible post to which

he had been elevated, yet there cannot be a

doubt that the coarse and brutal treatment to

which he was

subsequently exposed, and

liis

hasty deportation, were intended as visitations for

the unpardonable offence of ha^dng procured his

appointment through the

interest,

and on the

re-

commendation, of the British government, and

of having looked to
tliat

government

for support

and protection. no hesitation

Mustapha Pasha, indeed, made

in openly expressing his behef, that

so long as a Christian ruled in the

Lebanon, he

must look more or

that foreign agents fering in
its

less to

a foreign
find the

power

and

would

means of

inter-

affairs,

not only to the prejudice of

the

Porte,

but of the inhabitants themselves.*

that

The which simply means,

were the Lebanon

under well regulated and well defined Christian

* Syrian Correspondence, Part
II. p.

202.

MUSTAPHA PASHA.
administration,

69
not,
at

the

Turks could
it

their

good
heels.

will

and pleasure, crush

under their iron

Most remarkable indeed

painfully
their
true,

is it,

but not the

the Turks

less

that
to

although

owed

restoration

power

in

Syria,

entirely

and exclusively

to the exertions of the Christian

powers, a circumstance which in ordinary breasts

would have excited some

recognition, yet no

feelings

of

grateful

sooner were they installed,

directed

than

all

their

exertions w^ere
species of

towards

beating

down every

European influence

throughout the country, and particularly in the

Lebanon
chiefs

towards

intimidating

all

the

native

from having any relations with European

agents, recalling all the promises

which had been

the privileges and
to the

formally given, and annulling

concessions
banites,

all

which had been granted

Le-

through their solemn intervention.

better to carry out their designs in this
it is

The
respect,

common

artifice

with them, from

time to time, to circulate rumours of a threatened

invasion of their
territories

by some
a

Christian

power, and to hint at the necessity of

F 3

levy " en

70

THE DRUZES AND THE MAROXITES.

all

masse" of

true followers of the Prophet, to

resist the inroads of

the

infidel.

Wliile they thus

sow broadcast the seeds of

fanatical

hatred of

everything Christian amongst the lower orders of

the Mussulman population, they ingratiate themselves

by

acts of extraordinary condescension

religion,

with

the

ulemas and sheiks of

imbue them

with feelings of contempt for the Franks, and

allure such as

may momentarily

stray

beyond the

orbit of their influence, with hopes of patronage

and reward

inexorably crushing

all

who

are
os-

countenanced and favoured by Europeans, and

tentatiously

upholding

all

who

are opposed to

them.

Knowing

that the English will be the last to

desert them, they take a

selecting

cowardly pleasure

Enghsh

consuls as objects of their slights,

and

in purposely neglecting the vindication

and

support of English interests,

order to

show

triumphantly that they are perfectly independent

of
all

foreign control.

By

such

devices

they

rally the confidence of the

Mussulman population,
a haughty,

and embolden them

in the display of

overbearmg, and menacing behaviour towards the

TUEKISH POLICY.
This

71

rayalis.

is

the unchangeable and inherent

;

pohcy of the Turks

other garb

the

only one, whatever

of policy political

expediency

may

induce them to assume, which they will ever

pursue, for, in their incorrigible blindness, they

consider
race.*

it

essential to the

predominance of their

Consequently,

it

may be

accepted with
its

all

the

sequential certainty of an
that

axiom and

corollary,

whenever they make any promises

to the

European powers, or bind themselves by any engagements, to ameliorate the condition of the
Christians throughout their empire, they
diately set to

imme-

work a

secret counter-current, ex-

citing the rehgious passions of their co-rehgionists

in such a

manner

as shall render the

performance

of those promises, or the execution of such en-

gagements, absolutely impossible, except

risk of such

at

the

an outbreak of

Mohammedan

fanati-

cism, as will endanger the Uves

and properties

ot

the very class

prove.

they profess to elevate and imtheir

To use

own remarkable

avowal,

* Syrian Correspondence, Part

F 4

II. p.

216.

72
"
tlie

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEOOTTES.

Turks cannot regain their
lost position

and

influence without they return to fanaticism."*

Omar Pasha

soon found his position at Deir-eldifficulties.

Kamar surrounded with

sheiks, elated

The Druze
air

with their conquests, affected an

of independence, asserted their feudal superiority

over the Christians, and denied the right of any

to intervene

between them.
ill-treat

In

many

instances

they proceeded to
the Christians
as

and abuse such of

were pecuharly obnoxious to

petitions
redress,

them

and when the former presented and

to the Pasha, asldng for protection

they resented
"

it

as

an

insult.
tlie

" Wliat," said they,

we have

fought for

Turks and conquered

w^e

gave them enormous bribes;

share
of

we gave them

a large
to

the

spoil,

and are we now

be coerced by the power which we have

created ?"f

They

further declared, that, "

to

if

any attempts
towards

were made

obhge them

to act differently

the Christians, and to give up the property and

lands
wdiich

they had taken from them,

II. p.

they

* Syrian Correspondence, Part

t Ibid. Part 11. pp. 209j 210.

173.

DRUZE CHIEFS SEIZED,

73

would

at

once expose the secret connection which

along
existed

had

all

between them and the

Turks."

So menacing became the Druze dictation, that

Omar Pasha
solutely

felt

a remforcement of troops abfor

necessary

the

vindication

of

his

authority.

The

Seraskier refused his apphcation

to that effect, with a taunting reply, that

he was

an

infidel

and a

traitor for

thus breaking with

the Druzes.

Later instructions, however, directed

him

to take

immediate measures for

arresting; a

movement which was

rebellion.

clearly verging

on open
he

Accordingly,

on

the

6th Apiil,

asked

five

of the leadmg chiefs to dinner, and

after the repast

was over, suddenly had them

surrounded and made prisoners.

The same night

This
in-

he hurried them
act of

off

imder escort to Sidon.

combined treachery and vigour was

effect

tended to

two

objects

to

show the

European powers that Turkish rule could make

itself

feared and respected, and to strike a salutary

terror into the

raid Christian,

mountain aristocracy, both Druze

now

especially appealed to
their

by the
ofi

Turldsh authorities, to support

views

74
bringing

THE DEUZES
tlie

AI>"D

THE MAEOXITES.

Lebanon

under

their

exclusive

dominion.
Kotwitlistanding a strong effervescence of
feel-

ing amongst the Druzes, on the seizm^e of their

chiefs,

they were not in a condition as yet to

attempt an attack on

Omar

Pasha's garrison at

Beit-ed-Deen, near Dek-el-Kamar.

ite leaders

Several Maron-

had

offered their services to the Turks,

;

in case they

were menaced by the Druzes

and
such

for the latter to defend themselves aizainst CD

combination would have been

clearly impos-

sible.

The Turks now, with

and
also

their

usual wiliness,

with their usual success, divided the

parties
;

Druzes into two

the

and,

after

thro^Ying
at

above-mentioned chiefs into the prison

Beyi^out, took others into their

pay and favour.

Ha^dng
hostility,

thus, for the

moment, neutrahsed Druze

no

they spared

means

and

stopped

at

no alternatives to force a general expression

popular voice in their favour.

of the

Agents
Avith

were sent throughout the mountam

titions, for

pe-

a Turkish governor, ready drawn out,

which, by entreaties, promises and threats, they

DEUZE REVOLT.
got numbers to sign.

75
tortured into

Many were

compliance.
cliief,

There was one

influential Christian

however,

who

boldly confronted them, and

It

had was

rallied a considerable party to his views.

in recklessly pursuing this malcontent that

spirit

they roused a

amongst the Maronites which

involved them in fresh complications.

The troops

they sent to seize him in the fastnesses of Bisherry

were suddenly attacked by the mountaineers, and

ignominiously defeated with great loss of hfe.

The Druzes saw

their opportunity,

and imme-

diately entered into negotiations with the

nites

Marothe

to

effect

common

rising

against

Government.

Had

the most ordinary principle

of patriotism presided over these attempts at reconciliation, the better to

foe, the

overwhelm a common
miglit have

power of the Turks

been

seriously compromised.
distrust

But mutual jealousy and

the

rendered

all

endeavours

of

both

parties abortive.

The Druzes promised

to declare

in favour of the Shehabs, but

on condition that

the Maronites should

first

begin the insurrectionary

stipulated that

movement.

The

Christians

the

Druzes should strike the

first

blow, and oive a


76

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

all

written document, signed witli the seals of leading sheiks, demanding

their

a Shehab, as a gua-

rantee for their good faith, and one which might

be shown

to the

Turks in case of then-

desertino;

or betraying them.

Hence arose
settled,

a sort of dispute

which could never be

both sides suspectmg

each other's intentions.

The Turks,

in the

mean

time,

were

fully alive

to the necessity of thwarting this

ominous alHance,

and

lost

no time in brin^ino;

all

their allurements to

bear upon the well-known and often experienced

venality

of

the

Maronites.

vizierial

order

giving
thrown

protection to the Maronite

patriarch,

the liberation of such of their chiefs as had been

into prison

on account of their refusing

to petition for a Turkish governor, the promise of

restoration

of

the

property plundered

by the

Druzes, a sword to one, a shawl to another, a

watch and a few hundred

sufficed to soothe tlie

piastres to a third,
disaffection,

Maronite

and

to

break up the threatened

coalition.

Such
tained

is

the

way

in

which the Tm-ks ever main-

their
as

power.

Not by vindicating

their
to

authority,

a legitimate government ought

SHIBLI-EL-ARRIAX.

77

do, but

by

exciting and pla^dng

npon

tlie

worst

passions of
sect
;

human

nature

by

setting sect against

subdividing again, by corruption and in-

trigue, these sects

amongst themselves

by bribing

the worthless to betray their relations, their re^

hgion, and then- country the
ties
;

and by dissolving

all

which create confidence and happiness

amongst mankind.
In this manner they contrived, for a few months,
to

ward

off the conspiracies

which menaced

their

akeady precarious

position.
its

The
limits
;

patience of the

Druzes, however, had

and they

de-.

termined

at length

to

throw down the gauntlet

of defiance to the Turks, even though they stood

alone.

Their famous

chief, Shibh-el-Arrian,

now

appeared as their leader.

Under

liis

direction,

towards the end of November 1842, thousands of

them marched upon Beit-ed-Deen, occupied

all

the

adjacent heights, cut off the supphes of water, and

blockaded the Turkish garrison with

at

Omar Pasha
resisted

their

head.

Having

successfidly

sortie

made by

the latter, the Druzes

grew emon the

boldened

m their

demands.

They

insisted

liberation of their sheiks, the unmediate dismissal

78
of

THE DEUZES AXD THE MAEOXITES.

Omar

Paslia,

and exemption from conscription

or disarmament.

In the negotiations which ensued, they were

told
all

by the Turkish

authorities that the cause of

the late proceedino^s aajainst

them was

their

not

havmg paid

the indemnities loudly

;

demanded
meant
to

by the
transfer

Christians

an artful

plea,

from themselves the unpopularity of the

Shibh-el-Arrian not only parried but

demand.

turned the blow on the Turks.

that

He
to

boldly stated
in-

the Turks

ought

alone

pay these

demnities, because

thej had

last year,

by

pro-

mises of reward and plunder, incited the Druzes

to fall

on the

Christians,

and because the Druzes

in bribes to the

had actually expended 300,000/.

functionaries of the Porte in Syria, including the

Grand Vizier

at Constantinople himself. to

The Turks now determined

effort

make

a final

to

vindicate

their

authority thus

openly

insulted, and, fortunately for

them, the movement

they

made was

effectual.

body of Turks and Albanians, with some

up towards
Deir-el-

pieces of artillery, marching

Kamar from

Sidon,

took the Druze forces in

OMAR pasha's
the rear, while

victory.

79

Omar

Pasha, with his garrison and

a large body of Maronite cavalry, headed by their

chiefs,

operated

simultaneously

in

their

front.
resist-

The Dmzes,

after a

brave and protracted

ance of some hours, gave way, and dispersed in

various directions.

Their leading sheiks fled into

at

the Houran, while Shibh-el-Arrian, dispirited

this

sudden and unexpected reverse of fortune,

his

made

submission to the Pasha of Damascus,

not Avithout strong suspicions, however, of having

been bribed to betray

their cause.

his

countrpnen and desert

Alarmed

at tidings

which reached

it

on

all sides

of the utter disorganisation which existed in the

Lebanon, and unprepared to contend with Avhat

seemed daily
general
sarily

to

be assuming the proportions of a

the Porte found
itself

rebellion,

neces-

compelled to yield to circumstances, abanfor the

doned

moment

its

favourite object,

and

settled that

each of the two sects should have a

its

governor of

own

creed and nation.

On

the 1st

of January, 1843, the

Emir Haider Abou Lama

as

and the Emir Achmed Easlan were invested

kaimmakams,
the Druzes.

respectively, for the Christians

and

80

THE DRUZES AND THE MAROXITES.

This apparently equitable and satisfactory solu^

tion of a

much vexed

question,

however, only
fresh compli-

gave

rise to greater difficulties

and

cations.

Had

the

whole Christian popidation

resided together in one part of the moimtain, and

the entire Druze

population in another, within

prescribed boundaries, the plan would have been

as practicable as
it

was

simple.

But thousands of

Christians, both

Greek and Maronite, Hved in the

feudal dependents of the Druze

Druze
sheiks,

districts, as

who

exercised a right over

son, for ages.

them

inlierited

from father to

The
tlie

direct rule of
Christians, im-

the Christian governor over

r"

plying his absolute authority over

them wherever

they might reside, at once abohshed this right,

and struck
the Druzes

at the root of

those privileges which

regarded as the mainstay of their

fact, it

power.

Li

was the attempt of the Maroan im|)ortant change,

nite patriarch to effect such

in the preceding year, wliich

civil

was the cause of the

war.
contrary,

The Maronites, on the

who hved
sig-nal

amono-st the Druzes hailed the chanQ-e as a

of dehvery from

what they

called

Druze bondage.

GREEK CHRISTIANS.

81
jealousies,

Hence an immediate source of renewed

heart-burnings and animosities between the two

sects.

Nevertheless,

it

is

remarkable that the

to

Gye ek Christ ians unanimously refused

accept

the proffered boon, and declared their preference

for

Druze rule over them

thus belying the con-

stantly repeated assertion of the Maronites, that

the Christians could never be happy under the

Druzes, and that

death would be preferable to

submitting to their intolerable tyranny.

The

fact

was, the Greek Christians found a refuge in the]

bosom

of the Druze chiefs from the fierce bio'otrv

patriarch,

and persecution of the Maronite

who,

ever smce the Shehabs had embraced the

Eoman

Cathohc

faith,

had mvariably made the ruhng

member

of that family an instrument in his hands

for furthering

and promoting

his views

of reh-

gious ascendancy over the whole of the Lebanon.

The newly appointed

Christian

kaimmakam,

though not a Shehab, was a zealous Maronite,

and would inevitably succumb

ence.

to the

same

influ-

This the Greek Christians well knew, and

\^

they dreaded a renewal of Maronite patriarchal

dictation,

under which their

civil

and

ecclesiastical

82
rights

THE DllUZES AND THE MAEOXITES.

had been not only disregarded but unscruaside.

pulously set

Their convents had been

lands

deprived of

their

on plausible pretexts.

Proselytism had been carried on

by the unworthy

means of intimidation and abstraction of property,

which was only restored when the truth of Catholicism

had been acknowledged.

If Maronite auis it

thority could thus treat Christians,

strange

that

it

should have sat heavily on the Druzes?

This preference on the part of the Greek Christians

is

a most important and instructive

fact.

It

proves that Druze resistance, and even violence,

was not

so

much

directed against Christianity as

against Maronite ambition

and presumption, and

the domineering views of an intolerant priesthood.

Week

after

week and month

after

month

passed away in vain endeavours to find a

common

ground on which the two

differences.

sects

might merge their

Neither would resign their rights nor

their pretensions.

The Druzes,

^vith natm^al

and

excusable pertinacity, refused to accept an arrange-

ment which they

reduce them,
as

clearly foresaw

would ultimately

pohtical

body, to absolute

impotence and

insignificance.

The Maronites,

MARONITE OE DEUZE SUPEEilACT.

excited

83
of
tlie

by

their

clergy,

talked

loudly

intolerable

yoke of Driize oppression, and declared

submit to
it

their determination never to

again.

Negotiations,

conferences in presence of the

Turkish authorities, assurances of supervision and

protection from the European powers, proposals

and counter-proposals, propositions such

as that

the Maronites living amongst the Druzes should

have every facihty given them to emigrate

or

that they should be allowed to appoint agents of

their o^wn to represent them,
interests,

and look

after their
all

with

tlie

Druze

jurisdiction,

was

in

vain.

At

length, the Maronite patriarch,

mad with
Druze
be

vexation and disappointment,

the thunders of his wrath.

again

fulmmated

" Maronite or

supremacy," he declared, " the blow must

struck,

and he who

strikes

first

will

have two

chances to one in his favour," a dictum, which,

though he was the

first to

enounce

it

as a theory,

he invariably found to

his cost the

Druzes best

knew how

to reduce to practice.

The elements of
out afresh.

disorder thus rife soon broke

first,

The Maronites had

as before,

sounded the note of defiance.

G 2

Assassinations and

84

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

their necessary reprisals soon gave tokens of the

coming storm.
trial

The ordinary avocations of

indusparties

labour were

now abandoned.

Both

issued their proclamations, and distributed their

outposts,

hke two opposing armies entering

into a

campaign.

The Turks again adopted

policy,

their

unalterable

delighted
to

at

the

prospect of

renewed
in imlifeless

miseries

the

Christians,

and already

agination carving out a path over their

bodies and ruined tenements to the attainment of

their corrupt

and

selfish views.

Ever busy in the

they warned the

work

of underhand

intrigue,

Druzes against yielding one iota to the contemptuous demands of Christian insolence
;

while, at

the same time, so far from preventing hostihties,

they absolutely encouraged

the

Maronites

to

attack the Druzes, openly telling

their leave to

them they had

do

so.

EuU

scope being thus given to their movements,

the Maronites no longer

designs.

made any

secrets of their

The Shehabs openly declared

that an

appeal to the sword was a matter unchangeably

determined in their counsels, and sealed with the

MAEONITE DESPOTISM.
signet

85
in

of

desperation.

The

Maronites

the

mixed
the

districts

exchiimed, "

We

cannot exist with

destroyed

Dr Lizes,

either they or

we must be

or leave the country," while their hostile preparations,

their

military

organisation with

miUtary

names, together with the incessant purchase of

arms and ammunition, embittered

still

more the

feelings of the Druzes, ah-eady exasperated

by the

former attempts made on their independence.

The self-constituted municipal body

at Deir-el-Kamar

of Maronites

gave

the

strictest

orders

to

all their co-religionists,

on pain of death, not to

enter into friendly or indeed into any intercourse

whatever with the

rival sect.

And

they

made

good
priest

their injunctions.

An
by

unfortunate Maronite
their orders because

was put

to death

he had entered into relations with the Druze

sheik, Said

Bey Jumblatt.

The hves of

others

who

disobeyed their orders were attempted, while

beaten.

many were wounded and

Such

efficacious

means produced the desired

result.

In a short

time. Christian tenants dared not,

however much

they secretly wished

landlords.

it,

go near their Druze

In some places they refused to pay

a 3

86

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

tlieir rents.

them

To speak

to a

Druze became a

misdemeanour, to associate with him was pmiished

as a treason.

Large funds had been received by the Maronite

patriarch,

from

France

and

Austria,

for

the

purpose of reheving the terrible distress endured

by the
war.

Christians in consequence of the last civil

He

at once appropriated
;

them

to the pro-

motion of a second

authorising his
piastres a

clergy

to

pay the combatants four

man, and
to

day

to each

purchase

arms

and ammunition

wherever they could be obtained.

the great

Knowing

that

body of the Maronites would not engage

in a war, simply to destroy the political rights of

the Druzes, the justice of which, indeed, the more

dispassionate amongst

them were ever ready

to

admit,

he made of a war of party a war of

religion.

The Druzes, the enemies

were
to

of the cross,

the

infidels,

be exterminated or driven

out. of the land.

There cannot be a doubt that

the Maronite clergy,

it

was the hope of

by awakening a deep feehng

of hatred and religious enthusiasm amongst their

followers, to

enable the Christian popul ation to


SHEIK BESHIR JUMBLATT. 87

overwhelm the counterpoise

influence in the Lebanon,

to their

power and

which the Druze element

prevented

and

it is

not improbable that, had they

succeeded in

this

project, they

would then have

turned their thoughts towards freeing Chiistianity

from anotlier trammel

Ottoman
all

rule.*

grand meeting of

the principal

Druze

sheiks,

convened

at

MucAtara, the seat of Said

of January 1845,

Bey Jumblatt, about the end

demonstrated that the Druzes were in movement.

Although the Druzes are

in ordinary times

di-

vided into two great parties, inspired by

senti-

ments of mutual jealousy, yet

in

times of civil

commotion, the grand centre of combmation, of

council,

and of
first

action,

is

the family of Jumblatt.

its

During the

years of the present century,

then head and

chief,

Sheik Beshir Jumblatt, was

the virtual ruler of the Lebanon.

His immense

wealth, his extensive territories, and his numerous

partisans

and adherents, not only

in his

own
made

sect
his

but amongst the Maronites themselves,

influence all powerful.

For a long time he shared equally with the

* Syrian Correspondence, Part G 4
II. p.

ICl.

88

THE DEUZES
Besliir
;

A]VD

THE MAKOXITES.
the functions of governlast,

Emir
ment
latter

Shehab

all

but when he perceived, at

that the

was bent on elevating the Christian popuwhich threatened

to endanger

lation to a position

the long-enjoyed supremacy of the

Druzes, he

broke out against him in open

bringing into the
force,
field

revolt.

Though

a vastly superior numerical

chiefs

and joined even by several Maronite

with their followers, he failed in his attempt, principally

owing

to the action of

some Turkish troops

which the Emir Beshir had obtained from the

famous Djezzar, then Pasha of Acre.
Escaping

from the

field

of battle, the Sheik Beshir was

afterwards seized and taken a prisoner to Acre,

where Djezzar put him

to death.

His three sons, then mere chikken, remained

in exile during the remainder of the

Emir

Beshir's

administration, but returned to find their ancestral

home

at

MucAtara in

ruins,

on the restoration

of the Sultan's government in 1840.

The

eldest,

Kaaman

Bey, retired into

strictly

private

hfe

shortly after the civil

Ismail,
after

war of 1841. The

youngest,*

was

sent for his education to England, but,

only a year's absence, returned

mth

his

SAID BEY.

89

mind completely

disordered,

and lingering a few

years in hopeless lunacy, died.

fortune,

The name, the

and the prestige of the Jumblatts had

be sustained by Said Bey alone.
energetic,

now

to

Young and

the

Bey had

already,

duiing the late war, given proofs of bravery, and

displayed the lurkings of a sanguinary ferocity,
qualities whcli strongly

recommended him

to the

darmg and savage nature of the Druzes.

He had

early secured the patronage, and even the official

protection, of the British government,

which ima-

gined

it

saw, in the effective maintenance of his

power and ascendancy, a means of estabhshing

throughout the Druze sect a pohtical influence,
to counterbalance that possessed

by France over
in-

the Maronites.
cessant arrival
secret

For two whole months the

and departure of messengers, the

conferences

by day and

night,

and the

extraordinary drains upon his hospitality, evinced

that Said Bey's divan
activity.

was

in full

and constant

The Maronites, on

their parts, held their as-

semblies, issued their mandates, and,

by pompous

proclamations, encouraged the Christians to stand

90

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

trial.

ready for the hour of

The Shehab enurs

came prommently

forth as leaders.

They formed
all

a rallying point at Abeih, whither

tians in the

the Chris-

mixed

districts

were summoned to
to fight,

gather.
risk
all

They were determined

and

to

hazards, for the restoration of the

as sole

old

Emir Beshk

governor of the mountain.

The Maronite
their churches,

clergy preached the holy

war

in

and led on

their flocks in person

to the various places of rendezvous.

The Druzes, according

to their usual tactics or

rather directions, pretended to be greatly alarmed

by

all

these

hostile

proceedings, and

implored

Turkish interference to prevent the awful calamities of war.

European consuls even eagerly

"seconded these laudable and praiseworthy sentiments,

and

pressed

the

departure

of

Turkish

troops to the different scenes of threatened colhsion.

The Turks only waited

;

for the

pretext

to get on the scene

and with every expression

of sincere deske to stop the effusion of blood,

by

their active intervention,

and by the resolute

at

exercise
to

of their
their

authority,
forces
in

once proceeded
positions,

place

such

and

WAK
"vvith

IN 1845.

91

such instructions,

as

might enable them

most

efficaciously to give aid

and support to the

Druzes, and to crush the Cliristians, on

in

whom,

more than one

instance, they dehberately fired,

Li the month of April 1845, the long gathering

storm burst, by a general attack, from the Maronites

on

all

the Druze quarters.

In the

district

of the Shoof, they were led on

crucifix in hand, after

by

their bishop,

having obtained the sanc-

tion of the Turkish officer stationed there for the

assault.

At the

first

onset they carried everything

before

them, bm^nhig
villages,

and destroying fourteen

to the

Druze

and advancing

very walls of

MucAtara.

Here, the contemplated scene of their

crowning conquest, they unexpectedly encountered

a crushing defeat, for a Turkish regiment, drawn

up

in front of Said Bey's palace, received

fire

them

with a rolling

of musketry, and stopped their

presumptuous career.

At Abeih,
tians,

after a fierce encounter, the Chris-

under the

Shehab

emirs,

were

totally

routed, and the latter closely blockaded

by

the

Druzes.in their castle

the Turkish troops looldng

conflict.

on as quiet spectators of the

The former

92
finally

THE DRUZES AXD THE MAROXITES.

surrendered tliemselves as prisoners, and
in

were conducted by Colonel Eose

Beyrout.
lar

person to

In

all

other parts of the Lebanon simi-

engagements

occiured with similar

results,

the Turks wherever they appeared acting as the

Druze

reserve.

And
flames,

then came the old story

property destroyed, and

of villages

in

Christian fugitives pursued

by Druzes and Turkish

and
slain.

irregulars, plundered, mutilated

Hopes

of Maronite ascendancy scattered to the winds,

and

Christianity

itself,

betrayed,

insulted

and

abased.

Again the genius of diplomacy was taxed

at

Constantinople to find a conductor that might

draw

off the

devastating

elements of the peri-

odical tornado of Turkish intrigue

and treachery,

Maronite priestly ambition, and Druze vindictiveness.

Chekib EfTendi was

sent

on

special

mission to Syria towards the close of 1845, and

after

long inquiry and numerous deliberations,

the government of the Lebanon was settled on

what
basis.

it

was thought would prove a permanent

The principle

of

two kaimmakams was confirmed,

TWO KABIMAEAilS.

93

each with his separate tribunal, at which the

different sects

had

their representatives.

geo-

graphical boundary separated the feudal

rio;hts

two

sects.

The

of the Druzes over the Christians

residing

amongst

them, "were

sanctioned

and

admitted, the latter appointing agents with each

ruhng Druze

chief, to

guard over their

interests.

The Turkish

authorities Avould only act in the

mountain, through the

medium

of the
to

kaimmabe called

kams, whose

forces

alone

were

into requisition, to recover dues or to maintain order.

The

Christians

of Deir-el-Kamar,

in

despair

at the prospect of finding themselves,

even though

nominally represented by an agent, under the

odious and t}Tannical yoke of the Druze sheik,

Abou Nakad, and

by the Turks,

secretly

urged to the step

petitioned
for
;

prayed

and

Turkish governor.

The boon was granted

but

the insult offered to those Druzes sunk deep into

their hearts.

They never forgave

it

or forgot

it.

For years they lived

w^ithin sight of,

but exiled

from. that, their ancestral appanage.

it

They saw

grow up and prosper,

tiU it

became a wealthy,

94

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

community.

flourishing Christian

But within
as of old,

its

precincts there

were no revenues
them.

no
it

feudal

state,

for

They never passed

without gnashing their teeth.

their time.

But they bided


DEUZES AND MARONITES,
1856.

95

CHAP.
Survey, 1856.

IV.

Said

Bey

Jixmblatt.

Deir-el-Kamar
in

and

Zachle, prosperous Christian

Towns

Druze

Districts.

Hasbeya, large Christian Village in the Anti-Lebanon.

Druze Tyranny and Fraud encouraged by the Turks.

French Interference causes a Mohammedan ferment.
Beshir Abou Lama, the Christian

Kaimmakam.

Emir

Intolerance

of the Maronite Patriarch; he instigates (1858-59) the Peasants to revolt against their Sheiks.

The Turks accepted

the

new system with

sullen

consent and ill-concealed antipathy.

They had
and criminal

gained nothing
collusion

their active intrigue

had ahke

failed in achieving their object,

and the Lebanon was

as far

from them

as ever.

In place of following the various incidents of

greater

or

less

importance,

which mark the

history of the Druzes and Maronites for the next

few years, incidents which can have no

interest
at

beyond

their

immediate locahty, we will

once

take our stand in the year 1856, and fi^om thence

take a general survey of the social and pohtical

position occupied

by both

sects.

96

THE DRUZES AND THE MAROMTES.

The

Christian

kaimmakam, honest

in intention,

and just

in his proceedings,
his

had given general

and the Chris-

satisfaction to

co-relio-ionists

tians of other sects living within his jurisdiction,

until

his
left

death in 1854.

But

the

Turks had
secretly

not
their

him

alone.

Putting

forward
tool,

well

tried

and successful

the

Emir

Beshir

Abou Lama,

they contrived, through his

agency, to throw the Maronite districts into con-,

siderable confusion about the year 1851.
settled tranquiUity

The

and

gro"\ving prosperity of the

Christians

was grating

to their feehngs, as affordit

ing evidence that the constitution, as

was

called,

of Chekib Effendi was working well.

saries of this

The emis-

emir were consequently found getting

up

agitation, signing petitions

agamst the kaimma-

kam, and even exhibiting a display of force, by stopping the roads and resisting the local functionaries.

The

latter,

of course, apphed in vain to the Turkish

authorities to take measures for checking a spirit

so

impeding to

his administration,

and

his

power

and authority
Fortunately

at last
for

became
the

seriously menaced.
tlie

peace of
at

Lebanon
time
at

England

had an ambassador

that

LORD STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFE.

Constantinople,
in

97

Lord

Stratford
its

de Eedcliffe,

who

kept a watchful eye on

at the

welfare,

and who

knew,

same time, how

to

make

the Turks

respect

him and obey him.

and salutary
their

By

his usual

prompt,
wiles

energetic

interference,

their

were
action

baffled,

designs

exposed,
dkection.

and their

forced

into

a right

very
itself

short time after his potent voice

had made

heard in the Turkish councils, the

against the

movement

kaimmakam
partly

died a natural death.

The Druzes,

by

their

own

valour,

but principally owing to the moral and physica

support

which

they

had

received

from

the

Turks, had succeeded in vindicating their rights

and defeating the Maronite aggression.

nationality

Their

had been admitted and preserved.

Their feudal privilege, even over the Christians,

sanctioned.

Never

had

they

enjoyed

pre-

eminence so advantageous and promising.

the events of the last few years,

But

the constant

struggle for self-preservation with the Christians,

in

which they had been engaged, and the triumph

with which they had emerged from the contest,

had not unnaturally embittered

iheiv feelings of

98

THE DKUZES AND THE MAEONITES. and engendered notions

in their

sectarian hatred,

breasts of a

haughty and vindictive superiority.

it

And

thus

was, that as time rolled on, their

treatment of the Christians under their immediate

jurisdiction

became more and more

oppressive.

The agents who were nominally placed near the

Druze
chiefs to act as joint arbitrators with

them,

in case of dispute or of complaint

between Druzes

and

Christians, soon

found themselves reduced to

nonentity, and compelled to stand 'by, silent and

helpless spectators

of

wrong and

injustice.

To

such an extent did the domineering tyranny of

some of the

sheiks proceed, that

their

it

became usual
to

with them, as

fancy

dictated,

make

inroads on Christian villages, quarter their horse-

men on

their inhabitants, until a given

sum

of

money had been

their poultry

extorted, carry off their cattle,

and other provisions, and, in case

or resistance, subject

of remonstrance
the

them

to

most
in

brutal

punishments.
instances,

The

Christian
free

women,

many

were not

from

Druze importunity, though violence was never

resorted
to.

Among

the most

wayward, overbearing and

SAID BEY JUMBLATT.

99

iinscrupiiloiis

of these feudal marauders, was Said

Bey Jumblatt.

His grasping and unprincipled

tlie

covetousness extended even to

confiscation

direct

and open
at
se-

of

landed

property,

overtaking

times both Druze and Christians alike.

His

cretary and confidential agent had a bag of forged

Christian
litate
seals,-

ready at hand, apparently to

legalisation

faci-

and confer a mock

on

the
in

surreptitious transfer of goods or

money, or

case of necessity, and for self-defence, to be affixed

to testimonials crediting

him

for general kindness

and humanity.

His

yearly

descent

into

the

Bekaa during the harvest was hke a

imfortunate peasants were
to deliver
at

razzia.

The
forced

summoned and

up a third of
its

their corn

and barley crops

to carry
it,

one half of

value,

and compelled

by forced

labour, to MucAtara.
it

On

arriving at his granaries,

was measured

out in such a manner as to be greatly reduced in

bulk, and the price of the deficit

was charged

to

them, at double and compound

ensuing year.
tians

interest, until the

Did any of the unfortunate

Chris-

go down to complain of their hardships to

tliek^

the pasha at Beyrout,

appeals were instantly

100

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

oil,

rendered nugatory, by presents of

lioney or

tobacco, to that authority, on the part of their

lawless chiefs.

At times the poor wretches would

betake themselves to the British consulate, as a

tribunal

where the right would surely be upheld,

;

oppression struck down, and justice obtained

for

Said

Bey was under

British protection.

But Said Bey was too powerful and important

an instrument of pohtical influence, in the eyes of
the British government, to be lightly interfered
with,

and though he might

be,

and was occasion-

ally remonstrated with,

ties,

on account of his enormi-

yet the one decisive step of breaking with

him, and depriving him of the highly privileged

connection which he disgraced, was never permitted, if even
it

was ever

entertained.

Thus, in
vic-

this quarter likewise, the Christians

became

tims to their deluded ideas of obtaining redress.

On

their retiu^n to

their

homes, they were not

unfrequently waylaid by Said Bey's Druzes, and

beaten

till

they fainted, or

till

the blood poured

from

their

wounds.
the

Certainly,
British

perseverance with which

to

the

government continued

countenance and

DRUZE TYEANNY.
support
tliis

101
his

Dnize

chief,

notwithstanding

kno^vn dehnquencies, not only excited the wonder,

and most

justly, of the Christians,

but had a most

It

deterioratino' effect

on the Druzes themselves.

false

gave them the most

of their

and erroneous estimate

in

own importance
It

the

eyes

of

that

>

government.

encouraged the whole Druze

community
the

in their as

contempt and disregard for

It
is

Christians

a body.

evident, they
;

argued, that
tish

we

are preferred to

them
do,

the Bri-

government, whatever
:

we

will

never

discard us or disown us

as for the Christians,

they must be of very small importance indeed in

its

eyes.

So strongly did these

feelings,

and

this

way

of thinldng thus apparently sanctioned, exist

latterly

amongst the Druzes, that during the

late

massacres

many

of

them absolutely thought they

service,

were doing the English a

sect

by

extirpating a
as heretics,

whose clergy denounced them

infidels.

freemasons and

This general demeanour of the Druzes towards

the
Christians, so utterly at variance 'with that

displayed

by them

in the earlier period of their

for

history, can only

be accounted
H
3

by

that exa-

102

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES'.

feelino;,

cerbation of

almost inducino; a transforma-

tion of character, whicli resulted from the steadily

manifested designs and repeated attempts

made
and

by
/

the leaders of the Maronites, both lay

clerical, to

break up and destroy their confederacy,

their influence, curtail their rights,

to

weaken

and
old

^finally to get rid of them altogether.

The

Emir Beshir Shehab, a Maronite, during

his long

and ferocious rule over the Lebanon, had almost

literally

broken them

to pieces Avith a

rod of

iron.

And when

at his fall they

looked for breathing

time and indulged in hopes of better days, again

tlie

Maronite clergy presented them

Avith

the

alternative of submission to their dictates or the

sword.
It
is

not surprising therefore that

when

the

Druze

chiefs

had once placed

their feet firmly

on

the vantage ground which the

new system had own

wtual indepen-

given them, with a governor out of their

ranks, themselves in a state of

dence,

and altogether removed from even the

control,

shadow of Christian
/

they should have

displayed somewdiat of that spirit of vindictiveness

which

is

their

indehble

characteristic,

or

MAEOXITE STRONGHOLDS.

103

indulged in those excesses which even amongst

more pohshed

natures, are too frequently the con-

sequences of unbridled and irresponsible power.

Notwithstanding, however, the general liberty of
action,

and almost

entire

freedom from superior

Chris-

control ^vhich the Druzes

tians could
still

had acquired, the

point to and boast of

more than
which

one centre of strength and prosperity,

served
as

rallying

points
to

to

their

hopes,

and

acted as

checks

Druze

lawlessness.

The

towns of Deu'-el-Ivamar

and Zac/de had both

been called into existence bv the old Emir Beshir

Shehab during the

latter part of his life,

when he

was more and more subsiding

into the hands of

the priesthood, as a counterpoise to the hitherto

too exclusive predominance of the Druze com-

monalty.

Deir-el-Kamar

is

situated in the very

heart of the Druze country, about twenty miles

from Beyrout and eighteen from Sidon.

serail

Its old

was built by the

it

Emk

Fakaradeen Maan,

who made
the

the seat of his government early in

seventeenth century.

The Maans had

pre-

viously occupied Bakleen, on the opposite ridge,

a deep valley intervening.

H 4

104

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

The Shebabs, who succeeded the Maans about

the begiiiiiing
installed
at

of the

eighteenth
at

century,
time,

were
not-

Deir-el-Kamar,

that
its

withstanding the importance of

straggling village hihabited

site,

a small

by Druzes.
it

Under
be an

the patronage of the

Emir Beshir

rose to

important town with a large Christian population,

principally

composed of Maronites and Greek

Cathohcs, and amounting latterly to nearly 8000

souls.
It
Its

became reputed

for its

silk

manufac-

tures.

merchants built spacious houses, with

marble courts and fountains, and furnished in a

style

of costly luxury.

All the Druze

landed

property in the neighbourhood passed into their

hands.

Thus they

finally attained

a position of

wealth and affluence which excited the jealousy

and cupidity of

their feudal superiors, the

Druze

sheiks of the family of

]\iisled

Abou

ISTakad.

by the

ill-judged councils of the Maronite

patriarch, they
in the attempts

had evinced a

disposition to join

made

against

Druze supremacy,

and thereby entailed upon themselves the rancour

and hatred of

chiefs

who

could hardly forgive

itself,

them a prosperity which, of

was galling to

PROSPEEITY OF DEIE-EL-KAMAR.
their pride.

105

Eeleased from the restraints which

had hitherto
quarter,

weighed

upon

them

from

that

by being placed under a Turkish go-

vernor, the Christians of Deir-el-Kamar enjoyed

the

full

and unimpeded development of commerTheir leading

;

cial activity.

men amassed

riches

they kept studs

their wives

and daughters were

apparelled in silks and satins, and blazed with

jewellery, gold,

and

pearls,

and diamonds. The few

Druzes

who

still

inhabited the town were reduced

to absolute insignificance,

were always obliged

to

be on their good behaviour, and, to use their own

expression, often repeated in the bitterness of their
hearts,

had become

to the Christians as

"hewers

of

wood and drawers

of water."

In their general intercourse with the Druzes,

the Christians of Deir-el-Kamar assumed an air
of independence and
superiority,

commensurate

with their privileged emancipation from Druze

control.

They

boasted, with
of

complacency and

even with

arrogance,
crisis

their

2000 wariiors,

ready on a
their

to

compete with three times

number

of Druzes, and certainly mtli jus-

tice, if

united and properly led.

They

interfered,

106

THE DRUZES AXD THE MAROOTTES.

often with effect, in cases of

and

Druze oppression
districts

J
'

towards Christians throughout the

them.

around

The Druzes who repaired

to their

market
to

place, or to their bazaars,

were obhged

wear

demeanour of circumspection

and humility.
or dispute

The
on

shghtest attempts at wrangling

their

parts

were sure

to

be resented, and
menaces,
sheiks,

promptly put down,

sometimes with blows.

sometimes with

Even the Druze

felt

in passing through the town,

crestfallen.

involuntarily

So

instinctively did the Christians of Deir-el-

Kamar dread any opening which might

them with the proximity of
that

threaten

their former chiefs,

when

Beshir

Bey Abou Xakad, only two

years ago, wanted to build a house on a piece of

ground belonoino; O

Do

to

him about

a mile from the

in-

town, they sent to him to desist from his

tentions,

accompanying
as fast

their

message with the

tliey

threat, that

as

he built
the

would

pull

down.
useless
;

All negotiations on

subject
;

proved

the Christians were inexorable

to

and the

sheik

was advised
;

abandon
savage

his design.

He

did

so

but with the

and, indeed, too

"

THE TOWN OP ZACifLE.

prophetic

107
clogs,

exclamation

" Those

I will

yet lay the foundations of

skulls
!

my

house with their

The town of
the

Zac/de, within the jurisdiction of

kaimmakam

of the Christians, and with the

exception of a few families of Greek Christians

exclusively comprising

Greek

Catholics,

had

risen

with astonishing rapidity to a state of affluence

and consideration.
12,000, of

The population amounts

the 3000

to

whom

who

bear arms enjoy

a considerable reputation, greatly over-rated however, for courage

and bravery.

Its principal in-

habitants carry on a large trade in wool, importing

sheep from the north of Syria, wlucli they dispose

of in the Lebanon.
in the Bekaa,
stands,

They farm

largely, likewise,

on the borders of which

their

town

and where they long presented a powerful

check to the marauding propensities of the Druzes,

too lone; accustomed to consider that fertile district, w^ith
its

numerous

villages, as a fair field for

then- robberies

and exactions.
of federal alhance witli

They formed a kind

the Christians of Deir-el-Kamar for the general

protection of Christian interests,
if

seriously

mc-

108
iiaced

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

by

tlie

Druzes

wlio, in their turn,

cor-

dially hated them, not indeed without dread, for

their lofty pretensions, their invidious prosperity,

and the

efficient front

they presented to their

own

attempts at tyranny and spoliation.

In the anti-Lebanon the

beya,
containing

laro;e villao^e

of Has-

a population
scarcely

of

6000 Greek
formed

Christians

and

1500

Druzes,

another nucleus of Christian strength.

The

for-

mer had never

forgiven the conduct of the Druzes

all

towards them when, armed with

of the Turkish government, they

the powers

had disarmed

them,

ill-treated

them, and subjected them

to

every species of humihation.

The consequence
sects

was a rancorous

hostility

between the two

which could never be

branch of
the

effaced.

The Mohammedan
the
local

Shehabs,

who were

governors, were hkewise in constant collision \vith

the Druzes,

who were

ever invadino; their

It

rio-hts

and contesting

their authority.

became

their

policy, therefore, to seek the support of the Christians.

The

restless

encroachments of the Druzes

in the surrounding parts, their old resorts in the

Wady-el-Tame,

their petty intrigues

and overt

acts

THE VILLAGE OF HASBEYA.

of

109

outrage

rendered the maintenance of peace

and
tians

tranquillity utterly impossible,

and the Chrisalert like

were often obliged

to stand

on the

a beleaguered garrison.

When

these

significant

details

are

borne in

mind, the subsequent tragic fate Avhich overtook

the Christians in the above-named places, the Druzes rushed

when
and

upon them

in all the flush

fury of revenge and conquest,

plained.

mil be

easily ex-

The

Druzes

had
left

now

obtahied

pohtical

"status,"
their

which

nothing to be desired.

All

feudal

privileges

had

been

consecrated.

Each of

their great families reigned

supreme in

its district.

The

Christians hving
control.

amongst them
Their kaim-

were

entirely

under their

makam, with
quate to

forces at his disposal utterly inadehis authority respected, w^as content

make

to receive

from the sheiks a purely nominal obelatter.

dience over the

The Turkish

authorities

held no direct jurisdiction whatever.

Their orders

had

to

be conveyed through the kaimmakam, and

were, consequently, obeyed or not, according to

the temper and fancy of those to

whom

they were

110

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEOMTES.

transmitted.

The

Driize confederacy, had, in fact,

become Hke a
It

httle

independent repnbhc.
effects

was not long before the

of such a
suc-

state of affairs

became apparent.
to assure the

As every

cessive year

seemed

Druze sheiks of

increased confirmation to their power, and irresponsibihty to their actions, they continued
to
all

indulge in a freedom and hcense which set

restraint
at

defiance.

Charged with

collecting

the imperial revenues, they appropriated

their

them

to

own

uses.

Houses were

built,

lands pur-

chased,

crown property formed, horses gorgeously

all

caparisoned,

surreptitiously out of the coffers

to account,

of the

state.

Though repeatedly called

they always contrived to postpone, and then altogether to evade, the day of reckoning.
If their

kaimmakam,
taxes, for

in despair at these long arrears of to the

which he alone was answerable

government, ventured to send horsemen amongst

them

intreating even an instalment, be

it

ever so

smaU, of their dues, they were either allowed free

quarters
until,

tired

with bootless expectation,

;

they took their departure

or,

in

case of dis-

agreeable pertinacity, unceremoniously ejected.

DRUZE FRAUDS.

Ill

At

the

commencement of the Eussian war, the

their services to raise a

Druze sheiks vokmteered

force,

and go

to

the Crimea or to Asia Minor.

in tlieir protestations of loyalty

They were loud

to the Sidtan

and of hatred

to the infidel.

The

Turkish authorities determined to try them, and

devoted 150,000(?. for their especial use.

sheiks

The

came down from

tlieir

mountain abodes

with great

pomp and

parade, followed

by hun-

dreds of Druzes, floating their banners and singing

theu' war-songs, each to receive the portion al-

lotted to
their

him

for

pay and equipment.

ended.

But here
the

patriotism

Having

pocketed

money, they loitered about the country under

various pretences for several months, and ended

by never leaving

it

all.

The government made

repeated demands for an account of the large

sums thus fraudulently obtained from them, but

without the slightest
avail.

Throughout the Druze

districts

hfe

and pro-

perty became, by degrees-, equally insecure.

The

Druzes robbed and murdered

with perfect impunity.

whom

they pleased

Within a term of ten

years upwards of seven hundred murders were

112

THE DEUZES AND THE MAKOXITES.

committed within tlieir jurisdiction, 'witliout causing

even an attempt
at investigation or inquiry.

In one

atrocious case of a whole Christian family having

been slaughtered in cold blood by the Druzes,

representations were

made

to Constantinople,

and

/three successive vizierial letters formally ordered

Kurchid Pasha to take immediate measures

for

discovering and punishing the perpetrators of the

crime.

No

notice whatever

was taken of them.

;

The Druzes

gloried openly in their deed

felt

and the

unhappy Christians

that they

were bound over

hand and
whenever
Let
the
it

foot to the knives of their assassins,

it

might please the

latter to

draw them.

not be supposed that there existed not

to

power

check these savage and lawless deIt

predations.

required

no

great

display

of

military force to reduce the Druzes to absolute

subjection, or to enable the

government

to recover

from them aU
nature.

their claims of wliatever kind or

The
to the

slightest

moral support given by the

in the execution

Turks

Druze kaimmakam,

of his duties, but given in such a

liave
let

manner

as to

the Druzes feel that

it

emanated from

an earnest and determined

will,

and might be

DEUZE INSOLENCE.
followed up,
if

113

necessary,

by a correspondent

vigour of action, would have amply sufficed to

chastise their insolent defiance

of all

the

laws

of right and justice, and to rescue the Christians

from

their intolerable tyranny

and oppression.

But such was neither the object nor the policy

of the Turks in the Lebanon.
to

N"ot beino^ allowed

rule

it

in

their

own manner,
seeing
it

they took a

'

spiteful

satisfaction in

laid

waste by
'

anarchy and disorder.

felt

They hoped, indeed they

must come,

assured, that the inevitable crisis

when

the two sects

would again stand opposed

to each other in hostile array,

when they game

mio-ht
;

once more play their

thus

own

desperate

and

they granted an unlimited indulgence to

all

the Druzes, in

their wilfLd acts

and wajr^^ard

caprices, even to the extent of

demeaning them-

selves before them, in order that,

when

the hour

arrived,

they might find in them willing and

instruments for the accomphshment of
nefarious designs.
issue of the Eussian

cheerful
their

own

The triumphant

war was
self-suffi-

pecuharly trying to the egotism and

ciency of the

Turks.

They
I

felt

that they

had

114
just

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

owed
to

their salvation,

and their national ex-

istence,

the

generous intervention of powers

whose rehgion they despised and whose hberalism

they detested.

The very

fact that

they required

such assistance was revolting to their pride.

to

How

maintain their

own importance
subjects,

in

the eyes

of their

Mohammedan
ties

under such ex-

traordinary

of obhgation and gratitude, be-

came

in their eyes a consideration of

:

paramount

importance
these
that

the
at

more
least,

so,

as

there

was one of
determined
blood and

powers

which

had

such a costly expenditure of

its

treasure on

part,

should not have been laid

out without obtaining something in return, bordering on a commensurate advantage to the rayahs
scattered throughout,

more

especially, the eastern

provinces of their empire.

And

it

must be confessed that the attitude

at this epoch,

assumed by France,

towards them,
as
it

must have largely

tried

their

patience,
all

undoubtedly increased and embittered

feelings of sectarian hatred.

their
Syria,

Throughout

in

particular,

the

French consular authorities

an
air

suddenly assumed

of

supervision

over

THE FRENCH CONSUL-GENERAL.

Christian
interests,

115

as

pre-eminently theirs by

prescriptive

right,

which

had

for

years

lain
J

apparently dormant.
at

The French consul-general

distinguished

Be}Toiit
his

became

more

than

any of
his

colleagues, for his lofty assumptions,

dictatorial bearing,

and

his

patriotic

desire

to extend

French

influence.

Of

his sincere

and

well-intentioned hopes of bettering and elevating

the prospects of the Christians

conduct,
or
less,

by such

fearless

and of

his

actually

succeeding,

more

in vindicating to them, for the

position, there

moment,

an

eligible
his zeal

cannot be a doubt.

But

was without knowledge.

He

loved

the Christian cause, " not wisely but too well."

The

sense

of

self-complacent

security,

and

even of superiority, which the Christians under

his ostentatious protection entertained,

and their

haughty and arrogant defiance of

his,

all

authority but

would have been vastly pleasant and desirable

it

for them, if
its

could have lasted

and the idea of

not lasting, of course never once entered then'

"

protector's mind.

He

that of old

would rend

the oak," " dreamt not of the rebound."

And he

whose whole course of proceeding seemed hke a

I

116

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

deliberate crusade against

thies

Moliammedan

antipa-

and Moliammedan
reflect

susceptibilities,

never ap-

peared to

for

one moment that he was

thereby supplying the springs to an under-current

of fierce and deadly fanaticism, which, however

overborne and kept out of sight for the time,

would be ready on the

tunity to
rise

slightest occasion or oppor-

to

the

surface

with an impetus

almost
JSTot

resistless

and overwhelming.
left

a thing was

undone by the French

consul-general which could excite the jealousy and

malignity of the Turkish authorities, and of their

co-reHgionists,
tent.

though certainly not with that

in-

The former quailed submissively before

at Constantinople, and at

his

presumed influence
for their places.
dictates.

trembled
all his

They yielded

once to

The prison doors were

closed or opened

at his

\vill.

Agas and mutseUims were appointed

or displaced at his sovereign pleasure.

Mohamto

medans
stand

in the

pubhc wayfares were compelled

still,

or to rise up, at the approach of the

august presence.

French proteges, or the

sons, or the cousins of

proteges were amenable to

him

alone, sat

down

THE FRENCH CONSUL-GENEEAL.

117

on the

paslia's

divan as with an equal, and treated

his officers

with utter disdain.

Arab emirs from

the most distant tribes, Druze, Anserian and Christian sheiks ahl^e,

were pohtely invited

to attend

the French durbar, there to receive the great man's

behests, revel in his

sunshine,

and drink of the

fountain of rewards and emoluments.

At

times,

he would make a tour tlirough the mountain,

where

his reception

was a perfect ovation, with

ringing of church and convent bells, processions of

priests,

and blazing of musketry.

if

No wonder
apparition

the Turks gazed on this fleshly

fear,

with

wonder and amazement.

constant

Or, that viewing

lations

his

and intimate

rehis,

with the Christians of the Lebanon,

lordly missions to their

kaimmakam, his

secret con-

ferences with the Maronite patriarch, they thought

the

time had come at

to

last

when

the

Lebanon

was

be made an outpost for the introduction

of a foreign

power

into their land.

On

the Mussulman masses the sensation created

aspiring

by the

and even domineering

aspect

which the Christians were thus assuming was

118

THE DEUZES

A:yD

THE MAROXITES.

immense.

Every post that went out from Bey-

rout carried letters to the most distant parts of

Syiia,

depictmg in fervent terms the degraded and

fallen condition of the faithful,

and the

insults to

which they were daily exposed by the meanest

giaour

who

could glory in the immunity of Frank

Jerusalem,

protection.

Aleppo,

Damascus,

all

hke^vise

had

their responsive tales of humiliation

and wrong.

In the

latter city,

the

holy and

almost divine, from whence

Mohammed

turned

aside as too transcendent for his presence,

where

Jesus

is

to

descend in person to judge the world,

Infidel

where the standards of the

had never yet

itself

been planted, and where Christianity

ever

bowed down

in

meekness and humihty before the

imsullied sceptre of Islam,

native Christians

had

become merchant
dent with
gilt

princes, lived in palaces resplentheir wealth,

and marble, flaunted

sported their gorgeous finery,

and indulged

in

every species of expense and luxmy.

thus exciting the deep
cupidity
felt

And

while

jealousy and craving

of

their

less

fortmiate

Mohammedan
rank of

neighbours, the latter ftad recently been compelled

to behold

some of them elevated

to the

MOHAMMEDAN FERMENT,
representatives of

1857.

119

European powers
before,

and men,

wliom but a few years

on meeting, they
into

would have unceremoniously elbowed

kennel,
bazaars,

the

now

strutted

before
all

them through the

paraphernaha of

preceded by

the

consular dignity, and with

pretension.

more than consular

In

this state of things

Mohammedanism,
as
it

in all

parts of Syria,
defensive.

began to stand,
societies

were, on the

Secret

were

everywhere

formed.
progress
stopped.
nople,

By

every means, and by any means, the

of the general degradation

If the seat of the evil

was

to

be

was

at Constanti-

where a weak, wavering, and too compla-

cent Sultan was criminally yielding up, one

by

one,

the brightest prerogatives of the apostolic mission,

and languidly consenting,

at

Frank

dictation, to

the surrender of those distinctive and dearly cherished rights, glorious guerdons of that true faith

which the sword had achieved and time had consecrated, let his hfe be taken,

and a worthier

scion of the Prophet

invested with the sacred

mantle.

Or,

that faihng, let all true behevers

I


120
THE DEUZES AND THE MAEO^'ITES.

henceforward look to their

own

right arms, await

the hour, and stand ready for the sign,

" Awake, arise, or be for ever fallen
"
!

Such was undoubtedly the universally pervading

Mohammedan

spkit throughout the Ottoman emit is

pire in 1857, as

to this hour,

and by none
fo-

more deeply entertained or more warmly

mented, than by the Turks themselves.

About

this time,

and consequent on the death

they got into the post of

of his predecessor,

kaimmakam

of the Christians of the Lebanon, the

well tried and approved agent of their corruption

and
ball

intrigues, the

Emir Beshir Abou Lama.

their
feet,

The
was
brino-

was now
but

at

and

nothinsf
to

wanting
about
tlie

patience

and dexterity

accompHshment of

their views.

Wliat-

ever might have been the obhgation of the

new

kaimmakam to

his patrons, or his

compact -with the

feel that

pasha at Beyrout, he was soon made to

there was another functionary
allegiance

who

claimed his

and demanded
zealous,

his

submission.

The

ever

active,

and indefatigable French

consul-general, also aspired, as well as the Tm^k,

THE CHRISTIAN KA-IMMAKMI.

to

121

the
;

direct

and undivided control of the Le-

banon

and the kaimmakam found himself apa

parently in

dilemma.
difficulty

He

soon

discovered,

however, that his

able.

was not insurmount-

Of him

it

could not have been said, "

Ye

cannot serve two masters," for he served both

the one and the other with perfect consistency

the action of both leading to turbulence and

anarchy.

The

effects

of French consular pressure on the

kaimmakam were
felt.

not lona; in makms; themselves

a Druze

The

latter,

by

birth, as

were

ori-

ginally the

whole of his family, held a profession

;

almost nominal, of the Christian faith

tainly,

and

cer-

by sentiment and

inclination,

sympathised

but

httle

with the bigoted idiosyncracies of the

priesthood.

Maronite

The

Maronite

patriarch

was not

his idol.

Yet was he made

himself

to fall

down
in

and worship.
the

He bound
of

by

oath,

presence
its

the

French consul-general, to

obey

shghtest nod.

triumvirate was thus

estabhshed,

animated by two principles,

subWlio-

mission of the civil to the ecclesiastical power,

and exclusive devotion of both

to France.

122

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

ever contravened or thwarted the carrjdng out of

this

programme was

to

be ruthlessly crushed.

The Marouite

patriarch, at this epoch,

who had
was

likewise been recently installed into his

office,

remarkable for two thuigs

aristocracy,

hatred

to the feudal

and a

fanatic devotion to the rehgious

sect.

tenets of his

own

For

centuries back, the

Maronite patriarchs had, almost without exception,

been selected fi-om one or other of the leading

noble famihes in the Lebanon. a
feudal

He was

a peasant,
of

dependent

of

the

ancient family

Haazin, to Avhom he was wholly indebted for

his education, his subsequent

gradations in the

priestly office,

and even

for his accession to the

patriarchate

itself.

All the feehngs of obhgation,

however, which such benefits might otherwise have

produced, were merged in
the

promptings of

innate intolerance, and of that inherent aversion

to superior rank

and

station,

which, more par-

ticularly in the feudal system, is apt to

be en-

gendered in the breast of a

man

of the people.

Ere long the Maronite aristocracy found the

kainmiakam invading
privileges,

then: rights, assaihng their

his

and assuming the exercise of

own

THE MAEONITE PATEIARCH.

direct fLinctions in matters whicli

123
for ages

had

been referred
tians

to

them

alone.

The Greek

Chris-

again became the objects of an invidious

proselytism.
in a large

On

one occasion a Greek Christian

village of that sect,

and populous

having
for

become a Maronite, the church was claimed

the Maronite ritual
;

its

officiating
;

priest

was

brutally assaulted at the altar

the

kaimmakam

quartered horseman on the recusants to compel

a surrender, and finally
stable.
it

was converted

into a
civil

In cases of legal procedure at the

the
claims
of

tribunal,

Greek Christians were

uniformly neglected, and their rights in cases of

htigation with Marouites unscrupulously ignored.

K they remonstrated they were rudely ejected

if

they complained, they were assaidted and beaten.

The natural consequence of such proceedings

was a general feehng of excitement and discontent

throughout the Maronite

districts

of the
in

Lebanon.

The aggrieved

parties

came down

bodies to Beyrout to complain to Kurchid Pasha.

Sometimes they were waylaid and attacked by

the creatures of the
seized, they

kaimmakam, and
to

if

any were

were taken up

Ms

residence in the

124

THE DKUZES AND THE MAEOXITES.

chains.

mountain and thrown into

ceived

The pasha

re-

them with
petitions

coldness,

and even with

to

derision.
factious.

Their

were

declared

be

Such an expression of public dishke to a

consti-

tuted authority was denounced as rebellious, and

the petitioners soon discovered the futihty of their

hopes of redress.
Constantinople

They made
greater

representations to
effect,

mth

and

Lord

Stratford de Eedchffe,

mth

that sterhng energy

which ever distinguished

Porte, compelled
it

all his relations

with the

to send

down an

express com-

mission to S}Tia for the purposes of investigation.

Like
those

all

Turkish special commissions, especially

the

extorted by European remonstrance,

mission proved
sioner

^vilful

failure.

The commisof

played

into

the

hands

the

local

authorities,

was himself

largely bribed, signed a

authorities, that

report the

drawn up by those very

kaimmakam was

perfectly blameless,

and the
a few

complainants insolent rebels;

and
to

after

months'

absence

returned

Constantinople.
intrio-ue

Never was a more notorious case of

corruption and injustice than
tliis affair

presented.

But

the

Turks would

not hear

of removing

THE HAAZIX SHEIKS.

tlieir

125

tool.

An

lionest

kaimmakam would have

tlieir

been an obstacle in

path.

Their object

was

to

show

that no government but their

own!
tliG/

could possibly succeed in the Lebanon, and

more the Lebanon plunged mto disorder and

confusion, the nearer they

hoped they were

to its

attainment.

The European powers, they reasoned,

woidd get wearied with these perpetual scenes of

agitation, civil strife

and bloodshed, and

at last

yield the point.

Li the
its

mean

time, the triumvkate

had issued

mandates.

The Haazin

sheiks, rulers of the

populous

district of the

Kesrouan, had committed

the unpardonable offence of seeking the support

of the British government to the representation
of their grievances at the Porte.

This

glaring

departure on their parts, from the principle of

Maronite aUegiance to France, could not only be

not overlooked, but to prevent the bad example
spreading, must be signally chastised.

All of a

sudden their peasants rose against them in armed

insurrection.

The kaimmakam had

their

distinctly told
seize

them

to
;

murder

sheiks

and

their

property

and the

hint

was

promptly taken.

126

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

"in

Aroied bodies moved about

every direction,

menacing the sheiks with instant death.

latter

The

had

to fly for their lives,

and escaped with

the greatest difficulty, though not without wounds.

A few took refuge in the patriarch's

mob

palace.

The

pursued them, surrounded the building, and

loudly called for them to be dehvered up.

The

patriarch pretended his utter inability to stem the

torrent,

affected

to

parley with the insurgents,

and

finally

gave the unfortunate sheiks an escort

to Beyrout.

The movement ended

in the establishment of a

regularly organised jacquerie,

who proceeded

to

every species of agrarian outrage.

the
ejected
sheiks

The houses of
to

were burnt

the ground.

One

of

them was found

in concealment.

He was
his neck,

instantly seized, a rope

was put about

he was dragged about in wanton

trampled to death.
at the

sport, and^ then

His wife and daughter were

same time massacred.

The whole

of their

property was confiscated, their w^oods cut

down

and distributed

for

common

usage.

During the whole of 1858 and 1859 the process

of robbery and plunder

went

fearlessly on.

The

MAEONITE PEASANT EEVOLT.

peasants elected a dictator, to

127

whom

they pledged

a blind obedience

and he in

his turn appointed

leaders to do his bidding,

and an executive com-

mittee to regulate jucUcial proceedings, and take

cognisance of acts of disobedience. Emboldened

by

impunity, they declared their emancipation from

all

superior power, turned against the

kaimmakam

himself,

and told him they cared neither for him

nor his Turkish master.

And,
officer

in effect,

on the

Pasha once sending an

accompanied by
them,
into

some troops
defied

to
to

remonstrate with

they
their

him

advance

one

step

mountains on pain of being driven back, and

scornfLilly scouted all his propositions.

The Haazins

in

their

despair

scarcely

knew

from what quarter

authorities

to expect rehef.

The Turkish

remained callously

indifferent to their

wrongs.
patriarch

The
were

French
theh^

consul-general

and

the

avowed enemies.
generous

All their

hope

rested

on

the

sympathy

and

powerful support of the British government, to

whom
when

they pleaded their former services in 1840,

the British fleet had appeared off the coast,
to a co-operation against the

and summoned them

128

THE DKUZES AND THE MAROXITES.

forces.

Egyptian
rantees
it

They adduced
that

the solemn guatlieir

had given them

privileges

should

be preserved, their

prescriptive

rights

confirmed,

and

their

ancient

usages respected.
argued,

The

British

government, they rightly

was bound by every sentiment of

honour to
insist

justice

and

with the Porte that measures

should be taken for the signal punishment of their

spoliators

and

assassins,

and

for their

own

restora-

tion to their properties

and homes.

These urgent

appeals were conveyed in sundry petitions to the

British

embassy at Constantinople.

But

all in vain.

There the master mind that could, and would, have

rectified

and

controlled,

was gone.

England's

new

ambassador " cared

httle for these

liis

things," or, if

he

did, his will

was weak and

voice inefficient.

A zealous
influence

supporter of the doctrine of " non-inter-

vention," so suicidal to the maintenance of British

and the vindication of

British interests
fatal

throughout the Ottoman empire, and so

to the welfare of that empire
itself,

even

the Turkish

ministers
devices,

were and
to

left

to

follow

their

own dark

pursue without a guide their

blind and infatuated career.

TURKISH FANATICISM.

129
beheld
cir-

The Turks,

in their

selfish fanaticism,

with secret satisfaction an accumulation of

cumstances which promised at no distant period

to

throw the Lebanon

into

their

hands.

The

Clmstians had assumed an attitude which they

felt,

and hoped, would outleap

all

bounds of mothat as their

deration and discretion.

They knew
their

turbulence
increase.

augmented

aspirations

would

They had

expressly countenanced a tur-

bulence with that view, hoping to lead them on to

their ruin.

They might

at

any time have restored

their object.

order.

But such was not

To have

reduced the Christians to obedience, while the

Druzes were in a

state of vh^tual

independence,
It is ques-

would have been no gain

tionable

to them.

which of the two

sects

they most cordially

detested, the one for then- feudal arrogance, or

the other for their hated

creed.

But by emin-

broihng them both, and making the one then-

strument for utterly crushing the other, even at

the risk of outraging
all

the best feelings of hu-

manity, both miglit eventually become their victims.

Then, indeed, they would be masters of

the situation.

The time

liad

now

arrived which

130

THE DRUZES AND THE MAROXITES.

seemed eminently propitious to the consmnmation

of their views.

The Druze
especial

sheiks

were consequently taken into

favour.

Whenever they came

tliey

down

from
in the

their

mountain abodes,
flattering

were received

most

manner.

Some were made

com-

confidential agents, others obtained lucrative

mands.

Said

Bey Jumblatt,

their

most

influen-

tial chief,

received a firman from Constantinople

appointing
ration.

him an Imperial equerry, with a decofew of them,

who

used to frequent
their dis-

certain

consulates,

were taunted with

loyal leanings to foreign powers.

Where

could

they find a more generous and beneficial protection than in theu-

own

Sultan,

who was now

the

uncontrolled master

of his

own

pohcy, totaUy

exempt from

all

foreign dictation or interference,

to

and accountable

no one for his actions

Find-

ing themselves thus courted, with their barefaced

appropriation of the public revenues overlooked,
their various malversations to escape responsibility
successful,

and

their constant outrages

upon

life

and property condoned, the Druzes naturally entertained

most

exacfireratcd ideas of their

own

DRUZE ARROGANCE.

131

importance, and at the same time slavishly propitiated

the

patronage of

their

too

indulgent

masters.

The Turks having thus

laid their plans

had only

to wait patiently the course of events.

X 2


132
THE DRUZES AND THE MAROXITES.

CHAR
Affray,
tions.

V.
Pasha.

August

1859.

Kurcliid
May

"War

Preparaof

Druze
at

Aggi-ession,

1860.

Christians

Aindara.

Druze
May

Defeat

the

military

SujDeriority.

Villages plundered. Deir-el-Kamar invested and taken. Massacre of Jezeen. Plunder of Convents. Druze 1200 Maronites June Eesolve slaughter every male adidt 1860, Hasbeya. The Turkish Garrison. The Christians the Grand Quadrangle. June the Druze located Naaify, takes Hasbeya. June Easfemale Demon, cheya taken. The Christians of Elaraoon. The Massacre on the mangled Corpses of Hasbeya. Naaify
Onslaught of the Druzes,
30, 1860.
in
to

Christian.

in

3,

Sitt

4,

at

Sitt

feasts

the butchered Christians.

On

the

30th of August, 1859, a serious affray

took place between the Druzes and Maronites in

the village of Bate-mirri, three hours distant, in the mountain, from Beyrout.

The

original cause

was a quarrel between a Druze and

Christian boy.

The

father of the latter, afterwards with three

other Maronites,

reproached the father of the

Druze boy, and

son.

insisted that

he should chastise
his
relations,

his

The Druze informed

who.

SEEIOUS AFFRAY, AUGUST

1859.

133

greatly excited, sent for reinforcements of Druzes

from neighbouring

villages,

and

the

following

morning assembled together and demanded an

apology for the
insult.

The Maronites were about

to accede to the request,

off their

when some Druzes

fired

muskets as a bravado.

The former,

mistaking this for a challenge, rushed to arms, and

.fired

a general volley on

tlie

Druzes, following

it

up by a vigorous

attack.

The

Druzes were
loss.
;

driven out of the village with great

The
a des-

next day, a Sunday, the Druzes rallied

perate encounter, which lasted
all

the day, ensued

in

between the two

sects,

and the Christians were

their turn defeated.

On

the whole, however, the

Druzes had

lost in killed twenty-eight

more than

the Christians,

who on this

occasion had displayed

unusual bravery.

The Turkish

authorities
officer

were evidently taken

sent to

by

sm-prise.

An

was immediately

the village,

who
and

secured the principal offenders on

effected

both

sides,

an apparent reconciliation.

The Druzes,

nevertheless, in other parts of the

mountain, had taken the affray as a signal for

civil

war.

Writhing under their unexpected deK

3

134:

THE DEUZES AND THE MARONITES. and heavy

loss,

feat

they had ahready, under the

guidance of one of their sheiks, commenced bmiiing some Christian villages,

when Kurchid Pasha,

informed of the serious aspect wliich matters had

assumed, rode up to a central position on the

Damascus road, accompanied by a few

to

soldiers,

stop

the

fmrther

progress of the

evil.

He
keep

there

summoned

the chiefs of both parties to his

presence, and peremptorily enjoined

them

to

the

peace.

Order was

at

once re-established.

But the Druzes who had committed the outrages

above

mentioned were

neither

pmiished

nor

arrested.

The power

of the

Turks over the

mountaineers to enforce obedience to their com-

mands, was thus clearly demonstrated.

Here had
cavaky, or

been no necessity for

artillery,

or

thousands of troops to separate the combatants.

Civil

war,

at

that

moment, chd not

suit

their

purpose.

They willed
ceased.

that hostilities should cease

and they
All

who knew

the temper of the rival sects, and

the passions
civil

by which they were animated, saw that

its

war between them, notwithstanding

tem-

porary suspension, was from henceforward merely

WAR

PREPAEATIONS.
Tlie

135

a question of time.

Maronites had been

tlieir
first

animated and encouraged by

If those

victory.

of Bate-mirri,

never famous for their

courage, had inflicted sucli a loss

upon tlie Druzes,

what might not be expected from the Christians

of Deir-el-Kaniar, of Zac/de, of Gezeen,
if tliey

drew

their

swords?

That the Druzes, on their

part, could ever sincerely forgive,

and forget

tlieir

sanguinary defeat, or abandon

taliation,

all

thoughts of re-

was impossible.

And,

in fact,

from

this

date,

both sides began to look upon a deadly contest

as inevitable, and to prepare themselves accordingly.

The sudden appeal

to

arms

tlius

made by

the

Druzes, for a very shght provocation, and the

rapidity with

which they had united from various

distant parts, clearly evincing preconcerted designs,

threw the Christian population into general alarm.

For the

last

fifteen years the

Druzes had been

oppressmg the Christians hving amongst them in

every possible manner.
call his hfe his

Christian could hardly

own.

A widely spread

feehng of

commiseration for their degraded and unhappy

lot

had become general throughout the Lebanon.

The Jmnblatts, the Amads and the Abou Xakads

K 4

136

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

for tlieir barbarous

were pre-eminent
despotism.

and

unfeeling?

A considerable check
strongholds,
to

on their lawless

proceedings,
Christian

however, was to be found in the

which
for
this

allusion

has

already been

made; and

reason,
spoliate,

they

longed for an occasion to attack,

destroy them.

and

The

better to cover their insidious

designs,

and unprincipled

they always

talked

loudly of their desire to keep the peace, constantly

denounced the Maronites and

adroitly

as

reckless

amtators,

repeated,

and

put

prominently

forward, the violent expressions they had used

against themselves at a former period.

As

the

Mohammedans
excused
raising

in the

towns invariably

prefaced and
Christians

their

attacks
that

upon the
they were

by

reports
;

about to be attacked by them

so the Druzes bein theii' denuncia-

came more and more vehement

tions of Christian aggression, in proportion as the

time approached for crushing and utterly eradicating the few vestiges of Christian strength which
still

offered

them an imposing

front, in

what they

haughtily and superbly designated, the "mountains

of the Druzes."

WAE
The

PEEPARATIONS.

137

Cliristians seeing clearly througli all these

hjrpocritical

manifestations,

and

markmg

with

secret dread the intimacy

and

close alhance

which

existed

between the Druzes and

the

Turkish
for

authorities, naturally
^seE^dfifence.

began to take measures

of wealth

Maronites

and means"

raised subscriptions for the purpose of purchasing

arms and ammunition, which they distributed to

their co-rehgionists in the mountains.

A general
Christians,

desire

was evinced

to

merge

all

sectarian differ-

ences between

them and the Greek

in order to effect a thorough union tion throughout the Christian body.

and co-opera-

The Maronite

clergy lent the whole weight of their influence to

achieve so desirable a consummation.

tians

The

Christheir

had

hitherto

been feeble through

mutual

jealousies.

At such

a period as the present,

when

there was evidently a conspiracy organising

their

against

common

faith

dark design,
to

premeditated and even

their

ill-disguised,

throw

whole race

into a state of abject servitude,

by

letting loose

upon them the

ferocious passions

of the Druzes, the necessity for combined action

was indispensable, and each should be ready

at

138
Ids post

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

when

the hour of

trial

came.

Such was

the lano'uao-e of the Maronites.

The Turks, on

their parts,

who

perfectly well

knew
the

the prevalence of such sentiments, and saw

preparations
to

extensive

which
closer

accompanied
the relations

them, proceeded

draw

which already existed between

Druzes.

them and the

Several Druze sheiks took the unusual

step of spending the winter of

rout.

1859

60

at

Bey-

Here, their conferences with the Turkish

authorities

were long and frequent, and almost of

daily occurrence.

Of

the object of those meetings

;

there could be no possible doubt

all

and though
remained of

the

minuter

details

discussed,

course unknown, the great fact transpired, that the

Druzes had been called upon to prepare themselves

service,

for

most responsible

and important
to the call in

that they

had responded

terms of absolute devotion to the Sultan, but

had^_takeu

the

hberty

to

observe

that

such

responsibilities could not

be undertaken, or such

services entered upon, without exphcit sanction,

and

clear

and

definite instructions

from Constan-

tinople.

Early in

the

spring

of

1860

they

returned to their homes.

KUKCHID PASHA.
In
tlie

139
Kurcliid
Paslia

month

of

April,

received

despatches

from Constantinople which

seemed suddenly
able suspense.

to reheve

him from a

disagree-

His language displayed a tone of

It

buoyancy and assurance.

about the
serail,

was even rumoured

that a firman

had arrived which

to
their
senses.

would soon bring the giaours

Shortly afterwards, Said

Bey Jumblatt assembled

His correspondence

a Druze divan at MucAtara.

became unintermitting.
pouring in from
a
general
all

His chief adherents came

quarters.

fortnight later,
the^
.

agitation

prevailed

throughout

Druze
tians,

districts of the

Lebanon.

Isolated Chrisi

sometimes even parties of Christians, were

attacked and assassinated

by

the Druzes, on the

less

high roads, which were more or

in

intercepted

every direction.
alarm, whole

Seized with
families

consternation

and

of

Christians

now
in

abandoned

their vihasjes

and

souo-ht

refui^e

such central places of resort as Zac/de and Deirel-Kamar.

The houses of

the fuQitives were in

many
not

instances bm-nt to the ground.

They were
by the

unfrequently,

however,

overtaken
robbed,

Druzes, who, at the very

least,

wounded

140

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

tliem.

and disarmed

By way

of a deeper insult,

and more surely calculated

to create excitement

and provoke
susceptibilities

retaliation, as

touching

tlie

religious

of

the

Christians,

some Druzes,
the Maronite

on the 4th of May, broke

convent
of

into

Ameek,

near

Deir-el-Kamar,

and

murdered the superior

in his bed.

In the village of Hasbeya, the Druzes, under

the direction of Sitt Naaify, sister of Said

Bey

Jumblatt, from

whom

she received her orders,

began

to clear out their houses,

removing

all their

furniture to other places;

and

this three

weeks

before an actual coUision had anywhere occurred

between the Druzes and the

the
Christians asked

Christians.

In vain
all

the

meanuig of

these

movements, earnestly expressing their wishes to

remain
to
at peace,

and even sending

imploring
arrest

then- leaders
to

the

Druze

ockals,

them
the

use

their

good
;

offices

to

impending
excuses,

rupture

they were met

with

subtle

assurances

of the needlessness

of their alarms,

and other reasons equally

so far, at
.costly
last,

specious.

They went

as

to propitiate

the ockals with

besides the

presents in

linen

and

cloth,

BEUZE AGGRESSION", MAY

ordinary offerings
of
rice,

1860.

141
&c.,
if

coffee,

sugar,

ready, in fact, to sacrifice anything, in order,

possible,

to

avoid

civil

war.

An

apparent

reconciliation

was momentarily

effected,

but

tlie

Druze preparations went on with unabated vigour.

The

Christians in the

mixed
all

districts,

seeing
that

themselves thus menaced on

the hour of
trial

sides,

felt

had
their

arrived.
parts,

A
but

few

reprisals

were

made

on

nothing

to

be compared with the ferocity of the attacks

which had been made upon them.

descending
into

Some Druzes
Beyrout were
in

the

plains

of

stopped and disarmed.

The

Christians

the

highlands, under the Druze sheik

at the

Amad, alarmed

increasing forces assembled at MucAtara,

in their

immediate

vicinity, left their villages in

a body, about the 21st of May, and fled towards

the Bekaa, intending to

make

for Zac/de.

They

were vigorously pursued and

There could
the

fired upon.

now be no

farther doubt as to\

natm^e

of the Druze

aggression,

and the

Christians of the Lebanon, in self-defence, took,

up the gauntlet of

defiance.

On

the 27tli

of

May, the men of Zac/de advanced, 3000

strong,

142
to

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

attack the

Druze

village

of Aindara.
led

Tliey

were
their
first

encountered
sheiks,

by 600 Druzes

on by

on the Damascus road, when the

regular conflict between the two sects took

place.

The

battle

raged

all

day, and ended in

the complete discomfiture of the Christians,

retreated in the utmost confusion.

who

The Druzes
and spread
the

rapidly
into

followed up

their

success,

the

neighbouring

district

of

Metten,

where they were equally

successful,

and burnt

down some
remainder

Christian

villag-es.

Throuo-hout the

of

the

civil

war,

which

lasted

altogether about a month, this district

was the

scene of constant encounter between the hostile

parties,
villages,

with

alternate
to

success,

until

all

its

amounting

more

than

sixty,

had

been entirely destroyed.

The

inferiority of the

Christians

in

military

organisation

to

that

of

the

Druzes,

became

apparent, as usual, from the

first

collision.

The
order,

former

advanced without

the

shghtest
left,

dispersed themselves right and

and seemed
Li
the

each
battle

to

follow

his

own

inspirations.

near

Aindara, they actually fired upon

DEUZE MILITAKT SUPERIOEITY.

each
other,

143
found

and

while

thus

engaged,

themselves

outflanked,

and nearly surrounded

contrary,

by the enemy.

The Druzes, on the

on
given
points,

moved

steadily

under

the

direction of their chiefs, to

whom
if

they yielded

the most implicit obedience.

Quarters menaced
attacked,
rein-

were carefidly watched, and

forced with extraordinary celerity.

And
riority

herein consists^ the whole of the supeof

the

Druzes

over the Christians in

the

field.

Their

arrano-ements

and

their
chiefs

dis-

cipline

are

better.

The

Druze
than

are

j^ersonaUy
Christians,

more

daring

those
of

of

the
sects

but the commonalty

are

both
If

in

this

respect

much on
leaders,

a par.

the

Christians

had

good

and

could

be

imbued with the

spirit of disciphne,

the Druzes
latter

would have nothing

acquired a
fictitious

to boast of.

The

have

reputation for extraordinary

courage and

bravery, immensely

exaggerated,
rivals.

purely from the tactical deficiencies of their

Long

before

the

general

outbreak,

Ivurchid

Pasha had fixed a camp of Turkish troops, in

person, just

beyond the pine wood immediately

144

THE DEUZES AXD THE MAROJflTES.

tlie

contiguous to Beyrout, and commanding

joining plains.

ad-

There he remained, hke a general

coolly awaiting his daily reports.

No

attempt was
to separate

made now,

as

on a former occasion,

the combatants.
'

On

the 28th of May, the insur-

gent Maronites of

tlie

Kesrouan, fearing for the

fate of their co-rehgionists in the village of

Baabda

and Hadet, the residence of the Shehab emirs, an

hour's distance from Beyrout, sent a

body of three
These passed

hundred men

to

protect them.

within gunshot of the camp, without the shghtest

molestation.

On

the 29th, however, the pasha

sent emissaries to the emirs, calhng

upon them

to

send back the reinforcements they had received,

and assuring them solemnly of

v^
I

his protection
:

from

any attack on the part of the Druzes

a protection

which from

his vicinity to
afford.

them he could the

more

readily

His orders were imme-

diately obeyed.

The reinforcements withdrew;

but most of the male inhabitants having httle

confidence
in

such

assurances

withdi^ew

also.

Their presentiments were too fully verified.

On

the

morning of the 30 th of May, the

the

Druzes,

by a preconcerted imderstanding with

PLUNDER BY TURKISH SOLDIERS.

Turks,

145

and even acting by

signal,

descended

from the heights immediately over the above

mentioned, and

now abandoned
onslaught.

villages,

and com-

menced a fmious
with
Httle

Meeting of course
their

or

no

resistance,

raid

was

quickly accomplished.

In

less

than three hours,

Christians,

the villages were in flames.

The

men,

women, and
nation.

children, fled in the utmost constersoldiers

One hundred Turldsh

had been

previously placed in such a position as to support

the Druzes, in case,

by any chance,

of a reverse,

and these now joined the

the fugitives.

latter in following

up

The Tm'kish

irregular cavalry also joined vigor^

ously in the pursuit, cutting

down every

Christiaii,'^

they overtook, and robbing and plundering the

women whom
before
the

the Druzes had the

left

unmolested.

The Turks began

work

of incendiarism long

Druzes

arrived.
to

The

latter

were

pushing their

way on

Beyrout

itself,

but three
inti-

discharges of cannon from the pasha's

camp
of

mated

to

them

that the

work expected
chiefs

them
at the

was done.

The Druze

dismounted

146

THE DEUZES AXD THE MAROXITES.

pasha's tent,
gratulations.

and were received mtli hearty con-

The

loss

of the

Christians, in

life,

had not

been considerable; but the amount of propertydestroyed was immense.

The

silk

crops,

com-

prising thousands of okes of cocoons

either carried off or burnt.

had been

The following days

in

were spent
plunder.

by the Druzes

removing their

Mules, donkeys, and even oxen, were

this purpose,

put into requisition for

coolness

with

all

the

of a legal proceeding.

On

the same

night, hundreds of Maronites, with their famihes,

flying

from the Druze

mountains and coming

towards Beyi^out by the sea shore, for greater

safety,
/

were suddenly intercepted by the Druzes

to pieces
child.
;

and Turks, and cut

neither

the latter sparing

woman

nor

The gardens around

Beyrout now became hourly thronged with masses

of unhappy fugitives, l}^ng about under the trees
in
all directions,

some bleeding, some naked,

all

in the last stage of destitution.

zeal of the

The

charitable

European residents was now actively

and even some respectable

displayed,

Moham-

DUPLICITY OF KUECHID PASHA.

147
of

medans administered
unfortunate wretches.

to the

necessities

the

The European

consuls-general seeing the Lebainto all the horrors of a civil

non thus plunged

war, and justly alarmed by the strange conduct

of Kiu"chid Pasha, proceeded in a body to

Ms

camp on

the 1st of June, and

made such
likely to

repre-

sentations as they thought

most

awake

him

to a sense of his duty.

He

expressed his

anxious desire to suppress the hostihties, vehe-

mently denounced what he caUed the committee,

established at Beyrout, for buying

and

distributing-

arms

to the Christians, as the cause of the

its

war

threatened even to arrest

members, and conall

cluded by requesting the consuls to do

their

in

power

to restrain the Maronites

from send-

ing assistance to their countrymen, declaring that

he on

his part

would give orders

to the

Druzes

to cease

from their warfare.*

The

consuls were only too ready to give their

if faithfully

adhesion to a mutual action which,

performed by both

parties,

would

at

once have

* Papers relating to disturbances in Syria, 1860.

I.

148

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEOJflTES. and they pro-

secured the establishment of peace

mised to use their utmost influence in the manner

the pasha required.

The
vital

latter

had

adroitly

and

wickedly gained a

point.

Making use of

the representatives of the European powers as

his tools,

he had neutralised the general combi-

nation and

onward movement of the

Christian

body, which might even yet have raUied and

made a good

resistance.

He

took good care,

as

however, to send

no such

orders

he had
uninter-

promised, to the Druzes,

who pursued

ruptedly their blood-thirsty career.

Said
the

Bey

Juml^latt

had by

this

time assumed
all

command

of the Druze forces throughout

the mountain ranges over which he directly or

indirectly
ruled.

The Druzes,

in

general,

had

formed a very erroneous and exaggerated idea

of the power which the Christians might bring
to bear

upon them

in

the
at

present
their

crisis,

and

were

greatly

alarmed

own

position.

They knew the

to

Christians residing amongst

them

be every whit as brave as themselves.

for

They
months

saw the resources which had been

past lavishly expended in supplying

them with

DEUZE TREACHEEY. arms and ammiiiiition.

efforts

149

They knew the unceasing

which the Maronite clergy and Maronite

leaders cordial

had long been making

to bring about a

agreement and brotherly love between

of
all

the

Christians

sects,

efforts

which they

beheved had been more or

they thus thought
scarcely
it

less successful;

and

not improbable that they,

12,000

in

number,

might

have

to

contend mtli 50,000 Christian warriors, rushing

on them
spirit

from

all

parts,

and animated by a
to

of

energy and

union wholly foreign

them

in previous conflicts.
felt,,

The Druzes
potent

however, that there was one

if

engine which,

skilfully

used in their

hands, would amply compensate for thek disparity

in

numbers,

irea^chery.

And

they

used

it

perseveringly and triumphantly to the end.

sides,

Be-

they

knew

the Turks were at their backs,

in case

and would always stand them good

need.

of

In order to strengthen his hands. Said

Bey

called in the Druzes of the

Houran, about
Writing

four days' journey from the Lebanon.

to Ismail-il-Uttrush, their great chief,
in the

he depicted
cala-

most heartrending terms the awful

L 3


150
mities

THE DEUZES AXD THE MAKONITES.

which

had

overtaken

his

faithful

and

devoted Druzes.
laid waste

Their

habitations

had .been

with

fire

and sword, their

women had
of God,

been violated, their children had been torn asunder

by

tlie

ferocious Christians,

In the

name

for the

sake of their

common

rehgion, let

him

advance at once to the rescue, or the Druzes as

a people would be exterminated.
letter, after it w^as Avritten,

This notable
at the foiu:

was burnt

corners, to

show the imminence of the danger,

the sign of unutterable despair.

Ismail-il-Uttrush

and

his Druzes,

on the receipt

of this terrible appeal, sprung like tigers from

their lairs, and, to

girding on their swords, swore

whet

their fangs in the blood of their merciless

foes.

and unsparing
:

Tlie

chief attention of the

Druzes had been

for

some time directed towards Deir-el-Kamar,

whither large numbers of Christians from neighbouring villages had already fled for refuge.

The

people of that town, believing themselves to be

under the especial supervision of then- Turkish

governor and of the Turkish garrison
posal,
at his dis-

had vainly imagined

that the tide of

war

DEIR-EL-KAMAE IJSTESTED.

151

would pass tliem harmless by.

been attacked
;

Their

men had

one of them had been assassinated

tliat

but they generously wrote to the Druzes

so

anxious were they to remain on good terms with

them, that they would overlook these aggressions.

The

latter,

while expressing an equal desire on

their parts to preserve the peace, kept hovering

around

tlie

place like bhxls of prey.

Towards the end of May the Christians of Deirel-Kamar were surprised, on essaymg to go out
into the country, to find that their
state of blockade.

town was

in a at

Druze outposts met them

intercepted,

every turn.
their supplies

The roads were

were cut
off.

and
the

The corn

in

surrounding

fields

had been reaped and carried

away.

Credulously relying on Druze professions

of friendship, and on the protection of the Turks,

they had
war.
sent

made not

tlie

slightest

preparations for

They had even refused

to

to hsten to appeals

them from

different

quarters,

and

es-

pecially

from the Maronite bishop, Toubyah, to

join the
defence.

common
"

cause, to rise in

the

general

The brave men

of Deir-el-Kamar were
;

the right

arm

of the Christians
1.4

would they con-

152

THE DEUZES AKD THE MAEOXITES.

tlie

sent to stand passive spectators of

slaughter

of their co-rehgionists

? "

To

all

these remon-

strances they invariably rephed that they

to stand perfectly neutral
;

meant

that they

were in an

exceptional position; and that, being under the

very eyes, as
it

it

were, of the Turkish government,

would be

useless, as well as

unbecoming

in

them

to

draw the sword.

Wlien, therefore, the storm

suddenly gathered round them, they found themselves

perplexed,
other

and utterly
to
act.

at

variance with

each

how

They had not even

Famine
stared

three days' provisions.

them

in

the face.

At
inof

last the

tempest burst.

Early on the

mom-

of the 1st of June the forces of the Jumblatts,

the

Abou Nakads,
to

the Amads, and the Hamadis,

amounting

4000 men, poured down upon the

town

in furious onset.

The

inhabitants

had barely
Behind

time to barricade the principal avenues.

the works thus hastily thrown up they
desperate defence.

made a
sunset,

The

battle raged

till

the Christians gallantly keeping their enemies at

bay, and inflicting on

them a considerable

loss

upwards of one hundred were

killed besides large

SURRENDER OF DEIR-EL-KAMAR.

153
only lost

numbers wounded.
twelve.

Tliey themselves

Several Turkish soldiers belonging to the

garrison fought in the Dnize ranks.

The Turkish

governor refused to
to the serail,
scene.

interfere.
its

His

men crowded
were

and from

ramparts enjoyed the

Even

of the Christians only one half

engaged,

those in the immediate vicinity of the

point of attack.

The other

half refused to join,

and even withheld the necessary supplies of ammunition from their comrades.
its

Treason had done

work.

Some had

already held secret comtheir ancient

munication with the

lords.

Abou Nakads,

Many

thought,

by maintaining a

passive

attitude, to secure the peculiar favour of the Turks.

Thus, even in the extremity of their

Christians

distress,

the

were wavering and divided.

to

The next day Deir-el-Kamar surrendered

the Druzes.

The

elders of the Christians

made
sheiks.

their submission in person to the

Druze

On

the 3rd of June Tahir Pasha arrived from

soldiers.

Beyrout with 400

The Druze

sheiks

met him

at the outsldrts of the

town, and there

held a conference.

After the surrender the Druzes

burned do^vn 130 houses, and then withdrew.

154

THE DEUZES AND THE MARONITES.

to the serail,

The pasha then proceeded

and

as-

sembled the leading Christians.

Vehemently up-

braiding them, he called them rebels, intriguers,

and disturbers of the pubhc peace

said, that their object

he knew, he

was

to bring in the
to

French

told

them

that

what was happening

them was

a just chastisement for their insubordination, and

he hoped they would stand corrected by the

wholesome
tations

lesson.

In answer to their protes-

of innocence he
:

rephed

"

The

past

is

forgiven

henceforward you are under the

of

safe

protection

my

government.

Eesume your
Deir-el-

ordinary occupations.

Fear

nothing.

Kamar
The

is

as safe as Constantinople."

Christians
stir

were allowed

to

keep their arms,

but not to

out of the town.

Convoys of

mules carrying flour were sent up to them from

Beyrout.

They were

frequently, however, interSufficient

cepted by the Druzes.

its

only reached

destination to enable the Christians to keep

soul together.
useless.

body and
had was

What

httle corn

they

The Druzes had

The
mills in the

cut

off the

supphes of water.
not work.

town could

The pasha remained

at his post nearly

DISTRICT OF JEZEEN.

155

fortuiglit,

and

tlien,

notwithstanding the earnest

entreaties of the Christians, retm^ned to Beyrout.

Bnt, during the whole of his stay, daily assassinations took place
;

for

whenever a Christian showed

instantly cut

his face

beyond the town, he was

down.

Many

asked permission to leave, but were

sternly refused.

Simultaneously with the

attack

on

Deir-el-

Kamar,

Said

Bey Jumblatt

had

commenced

a more extended scale of operations.

On

the

mornuig of that day a messenger, bearing a

from him, entered the populous Maronite
of Jezeen.

letter

district

The

Maronites
it

were
It

immediately

convoked to hear

read.

solemnly assm-ed

them of

his

good

will

and

friendship.

They were

his children.

He

pledged himself that no harm

should overtake them.

silk

Let them attend to their

If anything hap;

crops, nothing dreading. to them,

pened

he was the responsible person

he
his

was the Druze power.

orders,
left

The Druzes, without

dared not move.

And

the

messenger

the place, carrying a letter of acknowledgment

for

and thanks from the inhabitants

interested generosity.

such

dis-

156

THE DKUZES AXD THE MAEOXITES.

barely got to the outskirts of the village

He had
blatt,

when 2000

Druzes, headed by Sehrn

Bey Jumit,

were seen rapidly advancing upon

shout-

ing their war-songs.

The

Christians, panic-struck,

knew not which way to

turn.

Ere they had time

to seize their arms, the avalanche

overwhelmed

them.
in hand,

The Druzes rushed upon them sword

and cut down every man they met.

The

women and
hurried

children fled in dire consternation.

of des]oair the whole population

With a wild cry

down

the nearest ravine, leaving their

village beliind

them already

in flames.

Twelve

hundred men were massacred over the space of

two

miles, so rapid

had been the

pursuit.

Many

took shelter in caves and holes in the rocks, where they remained for days

a state of starvation,

not daring to venture out.

A large

body took the road

to Sidon,

being
vil-

joined on the route by fugitives from other

lages similarly attacked.

These were waylaid by

Kassim Amadi, the confidential agent of Said

Bey and

his gang,

who pursued them

Numbers

to the very

gates of Sidon.

The Mohammedans
them
in.

of that

town

refused to let

of the former

MASSACEE OF THE CHRISTIANS.

sallied forth to join the Druzes.

157

The butchery
300

.was

now consummated
The

and upwards of

bodies soon strewed the sea-beach and the gardens

round about.

shrieks of the

women and
;

cliildren rent the air.

Some were
girls

slain

numbers
off

violated.

The young

were hurried

by a

mingled horde of Mohammedans and Metuahs,

who

mysteriously appeared and pounced upon

vultures on their quarry.
offal.

them hke

The Druzes

scorned to touch such

Several Cathohc convents

and nunneries had

exactly similar

received letters from Said

Bey of

import on the same day, and were invaded, robbed

and pillaged with similar treacherj^

The nuns
and

were turned out nearly naked

in

into the fields,

some

instances suffered personal violence.

The

monks who

failed in secreting themselves or es;

caping were pitilessly slaughtered

some speared
In the

in derision at the foot of their altars.

wealthy convent of Meshmousy thirty had their

throats cut.

The plunder here was something

in

fabulous

gold vases, cups, jewelled crosses

sparkhng with diamonds, besides whole heaps

of money, the accumulated stores of a century.

158

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

at 80,000/.

The whole was valued

after

The

buildings,

being gutted, were burned.

districts
;

The whole of Said Bey's

given over to
the
fire

were thus

and sword

and

for a

month

work

of destruction, rapine

and murder was

unintermitting.

The alarm

in Sidon

had become
to

appaUing.

The Moslems
;

liourly

vowed death

the Christians
Majesty's

but the opportune arrival of Her

Firefly,

ship

commanded by Captain

Maunsell, on the 3rd of June, and the vigorous

measures taken by that gallant

the

officer,

overawed

dark designs of the former, and restored

latter.

confidence to the

From
the

the very

commencement

of the hostilities

mob

leaders of the Maronites in the Kesrouan,

letters

and even bishops, had despatched

in the

couched

most inflated and bombastic terms to the great

Christian centres amongst the Druzes, calling

upon
and

them

to rise fearlessly

on

their

oppressors,

promising them immediate assistance.

The men

of ZacMe, of Deir-el-Kamar, of Jezeen, of Has-

beya, of Eascheya, were told to be of good cheer

this

was a war of relimon.

"

The standard of the

had been elevated

Cross, blessed

by

their priests,

STRUGGLE FOR SUPEEMACY.

amidst enthusiastic rejoicings.

159

The Maronites had

embroidered the Cross on the sleeves of their

right

arms.

They were 50,000

sentiment,

strong, united

by one common

and could

afford to

distribute their numbers.

On
point,

a given day 10,000

would march on such a

5000 on another.

8000 on another,
fear.^

Wliat had they to

Let

them

rise

and

strike

home.

Their cause must be

accordingly took

triumphant."

The

Christians

heart, daily expected their dehverers,

and looked

danger boldly in the

relief

face.

But the promised

never came, and, in the hour of need, they

left

found themselves
could.

to struggle

as

best

they

One
Druzes
is
;

of these letters was

their rage

intercepted

by the

knew no

bounds.
;

" This then

it

a war of religion," said they

" so let

be.
let

The
them

Maronites menace us with destruction

come

on.

But

this time, Inshallali

the Druze

standards shall be planted on the gates of Tripoli.

The country
fact,
felt
it

is

ours or theirs."

The Druzes,
successful

in

to

be a

struc^frle

for

and

lasting ascendancy, or irremediable ruin

liation.

and humiIn

And

they declared war to the knife.

160
their

THE DEUZES AXD THE MAEOMTES.

secret councils, they

now

determined that

not a male adult Clmstian was to be gpared.

This ever-recurring gangrene of Maronite interference and dictation breaking out in their

body

pohtic must be cut out by the roots.

All Isla-

mism,

if

necessary,

would

rise in

their support.
all

Then, when the Christian race had been

extirpated from

but

among them, and

the lands which

they had usurped through a long series of years

had been restored

part of the

to their ancient owners, their

as of yore,

Lebanon would,

become

the " Mountain of the Druzes."

In the anti-Lebanon,

tlie

Druzes,

havmg com-

pleted their preparations, began to assume a me-

nacing attitude.

Sitt

I^aaify,

Said Bey's

sister,

had received from

word,
all

liim \\Titten instructions.

Her

over the Wady-el-Tame, which includes

Hasbeya and Eascheya, was law.

rated ockals
obedience.
villages,

The most vene-

bowed

to her

mandates with imphcit

ruhnsj in those

The Shehab emirs

exposed
to

constantly

the
their

vexatious
authority,

aggressions

of

the

Druzes on

and even on

their properties,

not content with

seeking the support of the Christians as a counter-

THE CHEISTIANS AT HASBETA.

161

poise to
years,

the Druzes, had for months and even

garrison,

demanded a Turkish

from the
perti-

pasha of Damascus.
naciously rejected.
their joy

The request had been

In the autumn of 1859, to

and

surprise, then- petitions

five

were acceded

to

and Osman Bey, with

:

hundred soldiers, was

most

sent to their support

singular concession,

opportunely granted, and

exactly calculated to
all

exasperate the Druzes, and rouse

passions against the Christians.

their bitterest

The Emir Saad-

e-deen even accompanied the troops to Hasbeya in

person.

When
removing
alarm.

the

Christians residing in the villages

in that

round about Hasbeya saw the Druzes

their
effects,

town

they were seized with

sent

The
come

elders of

Hasbeya

and invited

them

to

thither, as a place

of security and

concentration.

The proposal was immediately

accepted, and

dming

the last

week

in

May

1860,

they and their famihes, their cattle and then- moveables,

came pouring

in from all dkections,

most

of them being located in the grand quadi'angle of

the

serail.

As

the danger became

more immuient,

the Christians raised a subscription of five hundred

162

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

pounds, which they presented to

insure his fidehty.
sents

Osman Bey

to

Women
He

even made him pre-

of jewellery.

gave them the most

solemn assurances of his friendship and support,

and they became somewhat tranquilhsed.

Early on Sunday, June 3rd, the Druze forces

were seen crowning

Hasbeya.

all

the heights overhanging

For days previously Osman Bey had

where
In

constantly been at the house of Sitt Naaify,

a few of his soldiers were always stationed.

fact,

nothing could be done without reference to

Said

Sitt Naaify.

Bey had already come

in person

from MucAtara and had an interview with Osman

Bey and

the Turkish aga

commanding
places.

at Eascheya,

at a spring
tians

between those two

The

Chris-

on seeing the Druzes, implored Osman Bey to

he affected to parley with them, sent an
their intentions,
officer

act

to

know

who

returned with the

answer that they were about to attack.

told the Christians to go out
selves,

He

then

and defend them-

and he would

in case of necessity sup-

port them.

A few hundreds advanced and took up

a Avidely

extended position, thinking thus to cover the en-

SITT NAAIFY TAKES HASBEYA.

16

tire

circumference of the town

disorderly

crowd of beardless youths and

or even a leader.

lads,

without orders

The

leaders, those

who

should

have been at their head, to give

directions, re-

mained

idly in the serail, cHnging to their pro-

tectors, the

Turks.

Shots were exchanged for

about half an hour, when the Druzes making

directly

on a given point en masse, carried everythem.

thing before

The discomfited
serail

Christians

now

rushed bodily to the

and were admitted.

Osman Bey, to have an appearance of making good

his word, pointed his

cannon and

fired

two rounds

of canister indiscriminately.
treating; Christians

Several of the re-

and two or three of the ad-

vancing Druzes were knocked over.

The Druzes

now

spread over the to^vn, and in the course of

it

two hours

was

all

wrapt

m flames.
Sitt ISTaaify

Osman Bey

then went up to

and

asked her wishes.

tional surrender

She demanded an uncondi-

on the part of the Christians and

their arms.

the dehvering
sent,

up of

With her con-

Osman Bey gave them

a written guarantee,

pledging the faith of the government for their

personal safety.

The following morning she came

M
2

164

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

together with
less Christians

Osman Bey to

the

serail.

The

help-

consented perforce to the mournful

arrangement.

Their arms were

all

heaped together

in the middle of the

grand court.

The

best

among

them were

selected

by the Druzes and Turks. The

remainder, about eight hundred stand, were packed

on mules and consigned to Druze

to

carriers, ostensibly

be taken to Damascus.

These likemse, how-

ever,

were afterwards taken by the Druzes.

at

The Turkish aga

after his interview

Eascheya, immediately

with Said Bey, had placed a

cordon of soldiers
all

all

round that town,

Cliristians.

to prevent tried

possible egress

by the

Many

to escape to Hasbeya, but

were repulsed by them.

On

the morning of the 4th of Jime, the Tiu-kish

fired a signal.

soldiers

The town

w^as

shortly

afterwards

attacked
as
at

by 1500 Druzes.

In the

same way
Christians

Jezeen and other places, the

had

just

been assured of the peaceAll had dis-

able intentions of their enemies.

persed

to

their

usual

laboiurs

with a perfect

feehng of security.

Thus taken

by

surprise,

they had barely time to seize their arms and

rush to their houses.

But once

there, they

mam-

K.iSCHEYA TAKEN.

'

165

tained a resolute defence

tlie

wliole day, inflicting

a deadly loss on their numerous assailants.

As

the shades of night closed round them, having

expended
their

all

their ammunition, they

abandoned
the
serail,

barricades

and

tlironged

to

whither the Shehab emks had preceded them.

Their friends, the
Turks,
all

received
in,

them with

open arms, invited them

closed the gates

upon them, and swore

hazard of their hves.

to defend

them

at

the

In the meantime the unfortunate Christians in the

serail at

Hasbeya, were endming the double misery

of imprisonment and starvation.

to be got.

Water was hardly

and what
Httle

Bread was

still

scarcer,

they got was at exorbitant prices.

Their ordinary

food was bran, dried beans and vine leaves.

The
and

women,

in despair, tore off all their trinkets,

soldiers, to

gave them to the Tin-kish

to pity.

move them

All

now looked

to Sitt Naaify as their

sole dehverer.

Wives and daughters went up

to

her house, pushed madly into her presence, threw

themselves at her
feet,

and in passionate accents

of grief implored an order for the release of their

husbands and

fathers.

She was as cold and hard

166

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

as marble.

Some

there were, however,

who had
.tenants

come

in

from the neighbom^mg country,

on the lands belonging to her son-in-law, Sehm

Bey.

These were taken out and brought to her.

they to be killed, those lands would rest
Besides, she argued,
to a few, she

Were

without cultivators.
shelter

by giving

and protection

might triumph-

antly point to them, in case of a day of account ever

coming, as proofs that she had mercifully and successfully interceded

on behalf of the

Christians.

News

of these proceedings had already reached

Damascus.
bishops,

The heads
clergy,

of the

Greek Church, the

the

and the European consuls

to

had

all

gone
his

in a

body

Achmed Pasha and

assistance.

demanded

prompt intervention and

at first

They were met

at the

by expressions of regret
dis-

weakness of the mihtary force at his

posal

then he would send orders to Mustapha

Pasha,

who was

in the Houran, to despatch,

to

if

possible,

a regiment

Hasbeya

then Musta-

pha Pasha coidd not weaken

his division, every

man

of

whom

was wanted,

to enable

him

to re-

strain the insurgent Ai^abs.

Wearied with such exbegged an

cuses and prevarications, the consuls


THE CHRISTIANS OP KAEAOON.
order, merely an order, to
all
tlie

167
to bring
to

Osman Bey

Christians of

Hasbeya and Eascheya

Damascus.
of
this,

The pasha could not well back out

out.

and the order was made

It

was taken by his own aide-de-camp

in person

to Kenj-il-Amad,

a Druze sheik

in the

employ of

the government,

who was

entrusted with the police

force stationed to preserve order in the Bekaa,

with instructions for him to proceed forthwith

to

Hasbeya and

see

the order executed.

This

zealous and efficient public officer, who, singularly

enough, was only appointed to his

command by

Achmed

Pasha, two months previously, had been

last fortnight in laying
fire

employing the

waste the
;

whole of the Bekaa with

and sword

burning

down ah

the Christian villages, and slayuig every

Christian he could overtake.

On

the receipt of

the order, he proceeded with the aide-de-camp to the village of Karaoon, near the Wady-el-Tame,

assembled the Christians there, congratulated them

on

their approaching safety,

and

at the to

head of

150 horse, took them on with him

Hasbeya.

On

his

road he was joined by

Ah Bey

Hamadi,

the Lieutenant of Said

Bey Jumblatt. He had been

M
4

168

THE DEUZES AKD THE MAEOXITES.

to MucAtara,

summoned
tions,

had received

his instruc-

and was now on

his

way

to Hasbeya, with

a reinforcement of 300 men.

They reached the

environs about mid-day on the 10 th of June, the

sound of their kettledrums reverberating through

the valley.

The arms and bamiers of the

were
shining;

vic-

torious Druzes

and

flutterins;

under

the rays of a glorious sun, over the blackened and

deserted town.

They

arrived at the serail and dis-

mounted.

On

entering, they thrust in the fugitives

from Karaoon,and then gave Achmed Pasha's order

to

Osman Bey, who read

it

aloud.

The Christians
last

knew no bounds

to then* joy.

At

the hour of

deliverance had come.

Sultan,

Cries of "

Long hve

the

long hve our

gracious protectors," burst

^vildly into
franti-

from every hp. They threw themselves

each other's arms, and mutual kisses were

cally exchanged.
articles

All began to pick up the few

left.

of clothing they had

The more

emaciated ventured to ask for animals to carry

them.

Smely they would not be

left

to perish

on the way.

They only wanted them

at

for

one day.

To-morrow they woidd aU be

Damascus

The two Druze

chiefs

then went to pay their

INFASfOUS COMPLICITY OF

THE TUKKS.

169

respects to Sitt Naaify,

and were cordially received.

tliey

Time was
form.

pressing,

and

had a mission

to per-

All depended upon Sitt Naaify.

Wliatever
Ali

was had

to to

be

said,

must be said quickly.

Hamadi

make a last, perhaps

it.

a presumptuous appeal,
inflexible,

and he made

Said

Bey was
relent.

but a
Chris-

woman's heart might yet

tians all

"

Are the

to

be massacred .P" said he, earnestly

"

looking in her face.

the

Think of

their famihes,

widows and the orphan babes, and take comSpare those fine young men, those beard-

passion.
less lads.

Execute the leaders, the most turbulent,

the most obnoxious.

Come down and

own
eyes, if

see
will

them
;

executed with your

you

but

spare, oh, spare the rest!"

"Impossible!" she
brother's orders are

exclaimed, " impossible

my

peremptory and

explicit,"
;

holding a letter from

is

hun

in her

hands

" not a Christian

to

be

left

ahve from seven to seventy years."

syllable

Kot another
descended

was

uttered,

and the

chiefs

to

the

serail,

whither the Druzes had abeady

thronged, tumultuously.

The mask was now thrown

off.

Osman Bey
The
soldiers

ordered the trumpets to sound.

170

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

stood to their arms.

The

serail is three stories

high, with spacious chambers and lofty corridors.

Many

of the Christians were scattered througliout

them, joyfully preparing for their departure.

soldiers

The

were ordered

to

go up and drive them

into the great central court.

With savage

joy,

the

Turks

ran up
for

and

searched

every nook

and corner
forced them
ing,

the

poor wretches, and

then

down

at the bayonet's point, insult-

beating, stabbing

them, and plucking the

clothes off their backs as they reeled along.

The

women and
to interpose

children followed

in

wild agony,

screaming and imploring, and even yet hoping

and

save.

The

gates of the serail

were thrown open, the

Druzes rushed in with a loud yeU.

But there
were
still

was yet

to

be a pause.
less

The

soldiers

mingled more or
to

with the crowd.

Time was

be given them to get away.

the

After a few
ready.

minutes

arena was
all

declared to be

The Turks had

ridors,

mounted, some to the cor-

some

to

the terraces, where they ranged

themselves hke spectators at a theatre, expecting

a grand spectacle.

And now

the butchery began.

THE MASSACRE AT HASBEYA.

Tlie Druzes,

171
first fired

from their standing place,

general volley, and then sprung on the Christians

with yatagans, hatchets and bill-hooks.

The
tial

first

victim was Yoosuf Eeis, the confiden-

secretary of the

Emir Saad-e-deen.

He

clung

to the knees of

Osman Bey.

Osman Bey, to whom

he had paid two hundred pounds in hard money,

to

be protected.

The

rufiian

kicked him with his

foot

on the mouth, and sent him staggering.

seized

He

was

and cut up piece-meal, beginning with

his fingers

and

toes.

The Emk' Saad-e-deen was

next decapitated, and his head sent as a trophy to

Said

Bey

forthwith.
into.

By

degrees the moving mass

their noses, ears

was hewn

Many had

and

lips cut off,

and were otherwise horribly mutilated,

before

the final blow

was
all

given.

The women
filled

pressed back to the walls

round,

the air

with their shrieks.

one,

If

any tried

to save a beloved

she was cut

down.

Yet many a mother

might be seen bending down and cowering over

her boy, hugging him to her bosom, trying to
conceal

him beneath her

robes,

and when discov-

ered, winding around

him a

frenzied clasp, and

strugglhig as only mothers can.

The sword alone

172

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

tliat
;

could dissever
convulsive

fond embrace, and loosen

tliat

hold

and mother and child ahke

expired beneath the fatal gash

minerHno;.

their blood

com-

A few
gate.

Christians, at

first,

tried to escape

by the

The Turkish

soldiers seized

them, stripped

their clothes off them,

and dehvered them over to

instance indeed

the Druzes;

in

more than one

despatching them themselves.

As the

slaughter

went on the
mations.
" Another

galleries

resounded with

fierce accla-

" Give
for
his

him a

slash for the French."

consul."

"

God

strengthen
cries

your hands."

Such were the ejaculatory

which thence proceeded.

But from the martyr

throng, scarcely a groan, and not even a prayer

for

mercy

arose.

Each

one, as

liis

tm^n came,

calmly submitted his body to the stroke, gently

bcfrsed not to be tortured, and ever and anon
fervently muttered,

" In Thy name Lord

responded,

Jesus."

And
now

his miurderer

"Eh!

call

upon

your Jesus, and see whether he can help you

!

Don't you

know God

is

a Druze

"
!

Sitt

Naaify came

down and

entered the serail

about an hour

after sunset.

It

was dark.

She

THE JIA^'GLED CORPSES OF THE

called for a lamp.
it

CHRISTIAN-S.

173

It

was brought

her.

Ordering

to

be held up before her, she for a long time

feasted her eyes

on the ghastly sight.

Several hun-

dred mangled corpses lay heaped up over each

other before her.
faithful Druzes," she

"Well done
exclaimed
;

my
is

good and
just

" this

what
of

I expected from you."

the Shehab enurs

The women and some

who had been hidden

their

own harem, now thronged around

latter kissed

her.

The

her feet and implored for pardon and

forgiveness.

She told them

all this

all

to follow her.
flitting

The Tm^ks were

like spectres

time seen

about

through the comrt, under cover of

over the dead bodies,
if

the

darkness, turning

perchance they might grope up some phmder

and wherever hfe yet Hngered, givmg the " coup

de grace."


174 THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

CHAP.
June
11,

VI.

18 CO, the Massacre at Kanakin by Ismail-il-UtChristians hunted

trush.

The
14,

down

like wild Beasts.

June

Zac/de invested and

"by

taken.

June
fly to

19, Deir-

el-Kamar entered

the Druzes;

ruthless

Slaughter of
in flames.

the entire male Population.

Deir-el-Kamar
Children

^The

surviving

Widows and

the Coast.

Jime

22, Disturbances at Beyrout.

(Ismail Pasha).

The Eiu'opean Consuls-General admonish the Druzes. Mr. Graham's Mission Said Bey Jumblatt and the
to

The purely Maronite

General

Kmety

Districts in danger.

Druze Sheiks.

Ismail-il-Uttrush and his Druzes, amounting to

3000 men, of

whom

one half were horse, were in

movement within
the

four

and twenty hours from

receipt of the letter spoken of in the last

chapter from
direct for the

Said

Bey

Jumblatt.

They made

Wady-el-Tame, which they reached

on the third day.

On

their second day's

march

they arrived at Kanakin, a large

village,

Mohammedan
Numerous

ten

hours from

Hasbeya.

THE MASSACRE AT
Christians

KAN-AKLN".

175
in

wlio were

employed getting
fled thither,

the

harvest round about

protection.

had
to

hoping for
the

Eager

flesh

their

swords,

Druzes slew them to a man.

On

the 11th of

June, they passed under the heights of Eascheya,

intending to push on for Zac/de.

Being summoned

however by loud
village,

shouts, to ascend to the former

they turned aside, went up and halted

of the serail.

in front
past, the

There, for some

days

Turks had been amusing themselves by

stripping

and robbing of everything they pos-

sessed those unfortunate Christians,

ber,

150

in

num-

who had

lately

looked to them with impHcit

Their victims were

confidence as their saviours.

now ready

for slaughter.

Ismail-il-Uttrush held a conference apart with

the Tiu-kish aga.

Li the twinkling of an eye the

gates of the serail

were thrown open, and the

Wliat followed was an exact

Druzes rushed
epitome of
all

in.

that

had happened

at

Hasbeya the

day before.
dans,

The Sheliab
all

emirs, though
:

Mohammewas that

were

massacred

their mortal sin

they had befriended the Christians.

interlude over, the Druzes of the

This bloody

Houran and of

176
tlie

THE DKUZES AND THE MARONITES.

Wady-el-Tame joined

tlieir forces,

making alto-

gether about 5000 men, and pushed on to the

Bekaa.

At

the same time, the Turkish garrisons

of Hasbeya and Eascheya repaired to Damascus,

where, for weeks afterwards, tliey openly sold

their

plunder in the pubhc bazaars

watches,

jewellery, shawls, church vessels

and

riclily

em-

broidered priestly robes.

The

sight

which greeted Ismail-il-Uttrush and

his hordes,

on emerging into the Bekaa, elated

their hopes

and whetted

then- thkst for vengeance.

Dark volumes of smoke

from burnt and ransacked

arose

on

every side
Occasionally

villages.

parties of terrified Christian fugitives

then- path, hurrying

would

cross

on

to gain the nearest

moun-

tain recesses, coverts in the bush, or caves in the

rock.

The men were immolated on

the spot

the

women

plundered and allowed to proceed.

plain
its

Even the

distant

of

Baalbec sent forth

athwart the skies

flaming tokens of disaster

and horror.
There,
also,

the Christians were being hunted

down

like wild beasts, their houses fired, their

slain,

men

thek

women

violated; for the

Turk

DESTRUCTION OF THE CHRISTIANS.

presided over the
orgies.

177

The

fierce

MetuaHs

vied with each other in the pitiless cruehy of

their onslaughts, while the Turkish officer in

comled

mand,

at

the

head of

his

irregulars, ever

the way, and shone conspicuous in the van.

Even
for

from the mosques and minarets the shout

blood arose
to
;

and, mingled with the muezzin's call

prayer, might be heard a cry informing the

faithful that

by an imperial firman the Chris

their hves

tions

were devoted to destruction, and

and properties had become a lawful prey.

The

civil

war had now been raging

the

Lebanon

for three weeks, in every direction, to

the complete discomfiture of the Christians hving

amongst the Druzes.

sheiks,

The Maronite emirs and

to

who ought and might have advanced

their assistance, never once crossed the frontier

which divided them from the Druzes.

The 50,000

warriors so loudly vaunted remained in a state of

shameful inaction.

Thousands would assemble

within thek

on a given
waste
rations

point

own

territory,

away

several

days

in

consuming

the

they had brought with them, beg for

in

more

the village

in

which they quartered

178

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

then gradually dwindle away, and

themselves,

finally disappear.

The

Christian

kaimmakam, already

sold to the

Turks, had prevailed on the emir belonging to

his family to

take

no part

in the

contest,

and

without

them

their

followers

and

adherents
secretly

would not move.

Most of the former

wished success to the Druzes.

tendencies,

The democratic
so
fatal

which had proved

to

the

feudal

power of the Haazin sheiks

in the Kes-

rouan, might yet prove fatal to their own.

Al-

ready their peasants had shown signs of sympathy,

if

not of revolt.

The triumph of the

Druzes was that of feudahsm.

On more

than

one occasion, indeed, the Druzes had offered their

services to support the feudal rights of the

Ma-

ronite emirs, if

menaced by insurgency.
of the Druzes were not

The deadly enemies

the Maronite aristocracy, but the Maronite clergy.

The former never embarked

ment
against them.

heartily in

any moveno

The Shehab

emirs, Avith

feudal retainers whatever, and important only

by

the prestige of their name, were, whenever they

appeared on the scene, merely the tools of the

ZACHLt mVESTED BY THE DEUZES.

latter,

179

and drew upon themselves accordingly a Druze rancour and hatred.

large sliare of

None

of the Maronite sheiks from the north stirred at

all.

One, indeed, advanced with large pretensions,

still

a large force, and

larger menaces,

and

at last

pleaded consular prohibition as an excuse for

his

cowardly
it

inefficiency.

Under

all

these cir-

cumstances,

cannot be surprising that the Druzes

,

swept the

field.

Everything

now seemed

to

augur for them a

victorious ascendancy, such as they

had never yet

achieved, and could indeed have hardly contemplated.

But two strongholds yet remained

to the

Christians,

Deir-el-Kamar and ZacAle; the one

indeed humbled, but the other proud and defiant

as ever.

Could their standards once be planted

Christians
in

there,

the

the

mountains of the
serfs

Druzes would henceforth be their

All their energies were
trated

and

slaves.

now about

to

be concen-

on

Zac/de.

From

every part the Druze

Is-

forces gathered

around that devoted town.

mail-il-Uttrush
place,

encamped within two miles of the

and was immediately joined by large parties and Kurds, attracted to the spot hke
N 2

of Arabs

180
vultures

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

by the

smell of carrion.

The Metualis

from Baalbec, under the emirs of the house of Harfoosh,

had hkewise promised a large contingent.

Christians of ZacAle, seeing

The leading

the

storm thus about to burst over them, wrote in

pathetic terms to the

European consuls-general,

imploring their prompt mterference \vith Kurchid Pasha, in order that a military force might

be sent to protect them.

A
to

Turkish regiment
thither
;

was consequently ordered

in place of entering the

march
it

but

town,

halted at two

hours distance from

to enable
it,

it,

and in such a position as

in case of need, to co-operate with

the Druzes.

The commandant,

shortly after his

arrival, sent for

the principal Druze sheiks, and

all

remained in friendly conference with them

night.

the

Early the next morning the Druze chiefs

spirits,

returned to their posts in high

and no

doubt well assured by the courteous demeanour

and

effective

sympathy of

their cordial alHes, the

Turks.*

The people of ZacMe were now

busily engaged

* Papers relating to disturbances in Syria, p. 35.

"

DISSENSIONS OF CHRISTIANS IN ZACJyLE.

in taking

181
In

measures for a desperate defence.

idea the

their

own

town was impregnable.

They

encom^aged each other by calling to mind how,

in the year 1841, the
like

Druze forces broke upon

to

it

waves upon a rock,

be scattered

like the

spray;

how on

that occasion their church bells

miraculously

tolled,

the

Virgin

Mary

herself

clearly interposing

in

then: behalf

And

then,

with

blasphemy singularly contrasting with

such abject superstition, they fired their muskets

upwards
that "

in the

broad face of heaven, shouting

!

God

himself could not take ZacAle

Such was the

insolent turbulence of the Chris-

tians in Zac/de, that they

had long rejected the aurisen in rebelhon

thority of their

kaimmakams, had
emirs, refusing

against their

own

them

tlieir legal

dues

had appointed a municipality of

is

their

own

and, as

generally the case where a commonalty

all

breaks the bonds of restraint, they were

the

while divided into factions seeking each other's

blood, sometimes actually shedding
to be reconciled even before the
it,

and scarcely
crisis.

impending

They had,

as their

towns enlarged and their

numbers increased, obtained augmented reputation

N 3

182

THE DRUZES AXD THE MAROXITES.

prestige.

and increased

ZacAle was the shield of

Cer-

the Christians, the terror of the Druzes.

tauily, within

a certain radius from

its

habitations,

no

Christian,

no matter whence he came, could

wdth impunity.
It

ever be

insulted
it

The Druzes
was not Hghtly

looked upon

with misgiving.

to be touched.

But now the

its

tide of

war came

surging
decisive

on,
test.

and

metal was to undergo the

On
its

learning the near approach of

the Druzes,

leaders

had assembled together,

posts.

appointed

chiefs,

and assigned

But orders

cheerfully received one

moment were disobeyed

moriiinor va-

the next.

The enthusiasm of the

nished amidst jealous disputes before the evening.

Accusations of treason or foolhardiness were

tually retorted.

mu-

But the cloud was rapidly gaat their gates.

It

thering

the

enemy were

was

necessary to do something.

On
600
to

the 14t]i of June a

body of 200 horse and

plam of the Bakaa

foot sallied forth into the

their foe.

meet

At an

hour's distance they

dis-

were

in sight.

The

Christians, heedless of

ciphne and bhndly regardless of danger, spread

themselves

over the

fields,

some

standing

up,

MALAKA.
others lining ditches,

183
indis-

and commenced an
infantry

criminate firmg.

The Druze

came on

to the encounter in

compact masses, and returned

it

the fusillade, leaving the day.

to their cavalry to carry

The

latter,

joined

by a tumultuous band

of Kurds and Arabs, careered wildly about, and

soon enveloped the stragghng Christians on every

side,

picking them off one

by

one.

Their flight

soon became general.

ridden
over

The

Christian horse were

and

dispersed.

The Arabs and

Druzes returned to their camp, carrying seventy

Christian heads on the points of their spears.

On

the following day the

sortie

Christians

made another
results.

on a larger

scale,

but with similar

They now confined themselves

Adjoining
to

to self-defence. so
close as
to

Zac/de,

indeed
is

merit being called a suburb,

the small village

of Malaka, the residence of the Turkish

kaimma-

kam

of the Bekaa, and the quarters of a small

Turkish garrison.

These had of course been

in-

structed to play their part.

as elsewhere,

The

Christians here,
their fears

had constantly confided

to

and apprehensions

the Turkish

officers

near
flat-

them, and in hke manner received the most

N 4

184

THE DRUZES AXD THE MAEONITES. and sympathy.

tering assurances of tlieir good- will

They were

the Sultan's subjects, and the imperial

troops w^ere

bound

to protect them.

An

officer

arrived on the 16th at Malaka, charged with a

mission from Kurchid Pasha, to inquire into the

state of the Christians at ZacAle,

with a view to

rendering them every succour and assistance they

might require.

The

Christians,

now

in the depth

of their emergency, received

gratitude,

him with joy and

for

and earnestly begged

more

troops.

He

left

the following morning with promises of

speedy reinforcements.

On

his

way back

to Beyrout,

he met bands of

Druzes, from time to time, singing their war songs

and hurrymg towards the scene of

ward, forward to
that direction, "
Zaf?/de,"

action. " For-

he would

say, pointing in

to-morrow I wiU be with you."

After an hour's interview with Kurchid Pasha

he returned, according to
soldiers,

his

word,

"vvith

more

but not to ZacAle.

The

Christians in that

now beleaguered town were

daily importuned

in the

mean time
to

by the Turkish kaimmakam

give

up

their

arms and confide entirely

in liim

and the Turkish troops, now so near

at hand.

ZACHhE ATTACKED.

185
to

By

so

doing,

it

was represented

them,

tliey

would assume a peaceful

questionable token

attitude, give

an un-

of their

friendly intentions,

and throw the onus and responsibihty of the war on the Druzes.
If,

after

that,

the latter dared

resist

to attack, the imperial troops to the death.

would

them

Many began
positions,

to incline to these plausible protheir

by which

own blood might be

but the

spared,

and the general

seciu-ity ensured,

majority decided that

their

it

was better

to trust to

own

right arms,
;

and

to die for their

honour

and

their faith

or that, in the case of irreme-

diable defeat, the mountains

to

were

at their backs,

which they could

as a last resort retire

with

their families.
cision.

Fortunate indeed was such a de-

Their good star prevailed.

Had

they

surrendered their arms and remained, they would

have been massacred to a man.

On

the morning of the 18th, the Druzes atskill

tacked with tactical

and

decision.
fire

For four
from the

hours they poured in a continuous

gardens stretching along the foot of the town.

The

Christians concentrated all their strength in

186

THE DKUZES AND THE MARONITES.

that direction,

and fought with great bravery.

Their whole force amounted to about 4000 men.

The Druzes and

their

allies

mustered nearly

double that number.

Suddenly from the heights

above a body of 1200 Druzes were seen steadily

descending.
volleys

Disdaining to

reply to

the

feeble on,

which saluted them, they marched

in

sword
nothinoj

hand.

Numbers

of

them

fell,

but

could check their

onward movement.

In

less

than half

an hour the band was in

the centre of the town.

While some engaged

the

in

a hand-to-hand struggle with

the streets, others set
fire

Christians in

to the

houses.

The

flames spread rapidly, and soon the conflagration

became

general.
all

The

Christians, panic

struck,

abandoned

their positions,

and took

to flight.

And now
women
Hottar
shot
! !

amidst the din of battle, the voice

:

of Druze criers was distinctly heard

" Spare the

Spare the
:

women by orders
!

of our chief,
shall

Amad

whoever touches a woman

be

"

Druze escort was rapidly organised

to conduct

them

safely out of reach of danger.

Every male, however, who was overtaken, of whatever age, except infants, was pitilessly
slain.

The

FALL OF ZKCHht.
maiii

187
close

body of the Turkish troops pressed

on

the Druzes as they broke in from the gardens,

while

many

of the soldiers mingled in their ranks

in their
fire.

and joined

The whole remaining

population of Zac/de gained the mountains to the

north ere sunset, and were soon in the Maronite

districts,

whither the Druzes cared not for the

present to pursue them.

The news
wild-fire

of the taking of

ZacMe spread

like

through the Lebanon.

Eeceived by the
rejoicings,

Druzes with exuberant and even frantic

and by the Christians with dismay and consternation

;

all felt

the struggle was

now

over.

Bloody

episodes might yet occur, but the Christian cause

was

lost.

Lost shamefully, ignominiously. Turkish

treachery and Maronite cowardice had consum-

mated

its

rum.

Though 15,000 Maronites were

standing by their arms within six hours of Zac/de,

not one

moved

to its defence.

During the short but

eventful contest they never once ventured to cross

over into the Druze

co-rehgionists.

districts, to

the relief of their

essentially the vic-

The

latter

were

tims of the hollow professions of the Maronites, and

miserably expiated with their blood the treason of

188

THE DEUZES AXD THE MAKONITES. and the bombastic ravings

their selfish aristocracy,

of their bigoted and contemptible priesthood.

Zac/de
stood, the

had

fallen

but while Deir-el-Kamar

yet, in their eyes,

Druze triumph was

it

incomplete, and on

the Druzes

now rushed

like

ravenous wolves.

It

was true

it

had surrendered,

but the dictates of an all-absorbing vengeance

knew no

laws,

human

or divine.

Detached parties of Druzes commenced entering that town on the 19th.

Wlierever they met

the Christians they disarmed them.

They next

proceeded to enter and pillage the shops and

houses.
fired

In the afternoon some Turkish soldiers

a volley.
.

Immediately the sound of the

all

Druze musketry was heard on

sides.

The
and

Christians fled in consternation to the serail

asked the

kaimmakam what
to
resist

all this

meant. "

Had

he not sworn

any attack which the

Already they

Druzes might make on them?

were pouring into the to^vn by hundreds and

thousands."

They were
cause
for

told, in reply, that there

was no

real

alarm, but
all

for

greater

security they
to the serail,

had better bring

their valuables

where they would remain mitouched

SLAUGHTER AT DEIR-EL-KAMAE.
until order

189

was

restored.

Forthwith men,

women

and

children,

began streaming

into that building

from every quarter, carrying trunks, chests and

bundles
filled

with clothes, Hnen and jewellery,

with gold, pearls and

diamonds

in

profusion

an immense booty, which the Turks proceeded

to divide

amongst themselves.

The

slaughter next

commenced.

Whenever a

Christian

was

seen,

he was shot or cut down.

forth

Flames
places.

at the

same time burst

in various

Dark volumes of smoke hung brooding

The
shouting,

over the town.

swearing and
priests
fled

screaming was appaUing.

their churches,
altars.

The

to

and were

slain at the foot of the

All

who

followed

them

to

the

sacred

edifices

were butchered on the pavement.

The

Turkish soldiers ran about calling on the Druzes

to

come out of the houses where they were

and

pil-

laging,

to think only of kilhng the giaours.

They would stand guard over

the

the plunder until

work was
the

done.
the 20th, the Druzes, headed
in front of the

On

mornmgof

by Ali Bey Hamadi, congregated

serail,

which

now

contained upwards

of 1200

190
fugitives,

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

with their famihes.

The kaimmakam re-

fused to open the gates, but pointed to a low wall

close by.

Instantly the Druzes began clambering

over and pouring into the grand court, hke blood-

hounds

into a sheepfold.

The women were ordered

to separate

from the

men and

fall

back.

For some time husbands clung

to their wives, sons to their mothers, but the flash-

ing sword soon effected the fatal separation. the horrors of Hasbeya were

All

now

renewed.

The

blows given by hatchets, axes and bill-hooks, as

they
fell

on the human body, sounded

like those

of woodcutters felling a forest.

Every kind of
which heart

blasphemy, imprecation, and

insult,

could devise or tongue pronounce, was vented by

the Druzes on their helpless victims.
to conceal themselves, they

Did any try

were hunted out and

dragged forth by the Turks.

Did a Druze

per-

chance show mercy, the Turk was there to taunt

him with
the deed.

liis

weakness and urge him to complete

For

six long

hom^s the infernal work went on.

The blood

at length rose

above the ankles, flowed

along the gutters, gushed out of the water spouts,

SMUGHTER AT DEIE-EL-KAMAR.
and gurgled tlirough the
streets.

191

Standing on their

ghastly and mutilated prey, the Druzes

to the

now turned

women, and, with swords

to

at their breasts,

told
lord,

them

shout, "
;

Long hve our

victorious
crea-

Ah Hamadi
with

"

and the poor trembhng

rumiing

tures,

tears

down

their

cheeks,
dis-

their

voices choked

with sobs, their hair

heveUed, and the

skirts of their

gowns dabbhng

in

blood, cried out, "

Long hve our

victorious lord,
all

Ah

Hamadi."

The Turkish
smoking

colonel

the while
resting

sat at the gate

his pipe, the

bowl

on a corpse.

The Druze

sheiks

had planned

this atrocious
it

butchery at Deir-el-Kamar, from the time

rendered.

sur-

Said

Bey Jumblatt

in the course of the

three weeks following that event had ridden daily

over from MucAtara and held close conclave with

his

coUeagues and the Turkish

kaimmakam

in the

palace of Beit-e-deen, which overlooks the town.

His Kehie,

Ah

Hamadi, on leaving these confe-

rences, constantly terrified the Christians

by telhng
male of

them

it

had been decided not

to leave a

them ahve.

A few respectable Christians

commencement

had

fled

to Muc/itara at the

of hostilities,

192

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

trusting to tlieir former frieridsliip with Said Bey.

They had been

well received.

But when they

asked, on their knees, to be allowed to send for

their relatives, the request
as impracticable.

had always been denied

were not wanted, the
Accord-

The

latter

former might be turned to good account.

ingly, as the sanguinary climax approached, they

were sent
to
fix

for into the Bey's presence,

and forced

their signatures

and

seals to a

document
the

purportmg that he had uniformly

Christians with the greatest kindness
nity,

^--^ated

and huma-

and had done

all

he could to save them. The

next day three Christians had their heads struck

off in front of his divan.

On
judged

the
it

morning of the massacre Said Bey

pohtic to be absent both from Mue/itara

and Deir-el-Kamar.

At

either place

he might

have been appealed to

by the

terror-stricken

Christians to stay the horrors.

interfere
it

Had he

refused to
fact

might hereafter prove a damning

against him.

He

provided himself an excellent

Shortly

means of escape from such a dilemma.

after sunrise

he

left

MucAtara

at the

head of a half-

clad, miserable

L #id of Christians,

composed of

SAID bet's duplicity.

193

men,

women and
to take
it

children,

giving out that he

meant
nobly,"

them

in person to Sidon.

"

How

would be

said, "

he protected the Chris"

tians, actually escorting

them himself!

He went

no further however than Djoun.

There he aban-

doned

his mission of mercy.

Things of mightier

import weighed upon his mind. Speeding back to Deir-el-Kamar, as with an

eagle's flight,

he alighted

the grand square in

front of the serail shortly after dusk.

The town
shot

was

all

in flames.
to

Columns of

fire

up and
Houses
Deair.

boomed
every

and

fro

with scorching

blasts.

moment
yells

fell

in with hideous crash.

moniac

and piercing shrieks rent the

The

earth emitted a gory steam.

Mangled bodies
some yet
palpita-

lay scattered about in mounds,

ting.

Joining his lieutenant, Ali Hamadi, he

for a sliort time,

walked up and down

made a

few jesting remarks, eyed the

huge writhing

carcase with furtive glance, and suddenly disap-

peared.

Early in the

afternoon Kurchid

Pasha had

arrived ijom Beyrout.

Passing through the town

he went direct to Beit-e-deen.

Within

its

walls

194

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

Christians

more than one hundred

had

just per-

ished at the hands of the Turkish soldiers and

Druzes

for

twenty-four hours after his arrival

the massacres continued in various places without

intermission.

In dark vaults, in sewers, in every

possible hiding-place, the relentless

sword pursued
out and
last

and smote
crucified,

its

victims.

Some were taken

At

some were burnt ahve.

the

pasha fired a signal gun, and the carnage forthwith ceased.

ulting

The Druze
to

sheiks joyous and extheir respects.

now went

pay him

They

were cordially received.

The Turks and Druzes

had gained a

joint victory.

The next day a mournful crowd

of nearly two

thousand widows and orphan children assembled

outside their once

happy abode, wringing

their

hands with wild despair.

fever-stricken

Emaciated with hunger,

watching

with long and painfid

and excitement, almost

senseless with excessive

weeping, scarcely covered with decent clothing,

their desolation

was complete.

The Abou Kakad

to

sheiks

came and ordered them

their

move

on.
train

Under

charge,

the

long

moiurnful

descended into the ravine, and took the road to

CHEISTIAN"

FEMALE SUEYIYORS.

195

the sea-side.

The same evening they reached the

banks of the Damoor, between Beyrout and Sidon.

The Druze
Enghsh
arrival

chiefs

now

addressed a letter to the

consul-general,
at

informing him

of their

that

spot

with the female survivors

from Deir-el-Kamar, and requesting him to send

boats to convey
as

them away.

Singvilar application
all

though they thought that

the atrocities they

as

had committed would be taken

course,
relieve

a matter of

and that England would sympathetically

them of

their present embarrassment.

Her

Majesty's ships,

Gannet and Mohawk were

effect

immediately ordered to
the wretched fugitives.
boats

the embarcation of

No

sooner had

their

come within
to the beach.

sight than a general rush

was

made

The women threw themselves

foaming surge, some holding
Several had

frantically into the

their infants high

above their heads.

received sabre cuts.

Most of them had not tasted

All vented their imprecations

food for four days.

against

the

Tm^ks rather than Druzes.

!

"The

Turks have murdered us

have murdered us
!

"

they cried " the Turks

the.

"

Not only at the mouth of

coasts of Tyre

Damoor, but all along the

and Sidon,

o 2

196

THE DRUZES AND THE MAROXITES.

sufferers, flying

crowds of bereaved

from

all

parts

of the mountain, were seen wending their weary-

way.

The two

latter cities

were thronged

"^vith

hundreds, exposed night and day to the taunts,

derision

and menaces of an excited Mohammedan

population.

By

the unintermitting exertions of

their efficient

Commanders West and Lambert and

crews,
to
all

w-ere finally rescued

and brought round

Be5rrout,

which

itself in
crisis.

the

mean time had

undergone a serious

On

the 22nd of June a

Mohammedan was

assas-

sinated close to the walls of that city.

Immediately

the shout arose that a Christian had committed the deed.

All the shops were at once deserted.

An armed

rabble paraded the streets crying aloud

for vengeance,

and declaring the time had come.

panic seized the Christians,

who crowded round

was surrounded

the various consulates and took shelter in Euro-

pean houses. The couit of

justice

by

the

Moslem mob, who arrogantly threatened

if

the authorities that

the murderer was not exerise

cuted by sunset they woLild

durins; the nio;ht

on the Christians

and massacre them.

The

dano;er

was imminent.

Even Europeans passing

tln-ough

"

THE MOHAMMEDANS OF BEYROUT.

the streets were insulted.

197
consul-

The French

general had a sword flourished in his face.

An

Englishman had a

pistol

snapped

at him.

At
ship

this critical juncture a

Turkish hne-of-battle

anchored in the port with troops under

the

command

of Ismail Pasha (General Kmety),

who were

instantly disembarked.

The nerve and

coolness displayed

by

that gallant officer some-

what reassured the

necessary, to

Christians.

He

offered,

if

bombarb the town. Captain Pajmter,

of the

Exmouth, had, with equal promptness,

Still

offered to land all his available force.

the

Moslems vociferously demanded a

reprisal.

An

unfortunate young Christian, seen near the spot

where the murdered man had

seized.

fallen,

had been

He was

dragged along and nearly torn

trial

to pieces.

The mockery of a

was forthwith

commenced.

Conviction and sentence of death

of course followed.
heroically said, " I

The poor
innocent,

lad calmly and

I

am

God knows

am

innocent
safety of

but

if

my

death

is

necessary for the

my

brethren, I gladly give

up

my

hfe

and he was taken beyond the gate and executed.

o 3

198
Thus,

THE DEUZES AND THE MARONITES.

tlie

expiatory sacrifice was accomplisliecl,

and

tranquillity restored.

This effect on the public

mind was however

merely momentary.
all

Fear and agitation pervaded

in

classes.

Every hour brought

news of

in-

tended movements on the part of the Druzes.

Tyre was menaced.

tacked.

Sidon was about to be

at-

And

again Enghsh and French ships of

war were

started off at a
all

moment's notice to give

protection to

the threatened points.

The state of

Beyrout itself became daily more and more lamentable.

Druzes armed up to the teeth continually

the

entered

town, walked with

braggart

air

througli the bazaars, received the embraces and

congratulations

of the

Mohammedans, and

left

with their firearms decked with flowers and garlands.

Commerce was completely paralysed.

all
its

The

Ottoman bank shipped

bulhon.

Enghsh

merchant-steamers laden with goods were ordered

to take then' cargoes

back to Malta.

The

principal

native

Christian

famOies, and
left

even the trades-

people and lower orders,

daily

by thousands,

in any ships they could obtain, for Alexandria,

Scyra and Athens.

Boats were stationed ready

THE MAEONITE
to take off the
notice.

DISTRICTS.

199
moment's

European residents

at a

Nothing could convince the Clnistian

population of Beyrout, but that the fate of their

bretliren
at

Deir-el-Kamar,

Hasbeya and Eas-

cheya, awaited them, at the hands of the Turks,

their authorities

and

their troops.*

The

attitude

now assumed by

the Druzes had

excited the Hveliest inquietude for the fate of the

purely Maronite

districts

of the Lebanon.

They

had not

as yet crossed the

Dog

river,

but they

ah-eady talked of an invasion in that direction

as a necessary climax to their

amazing triumph.

More

fatal

sign

than any, Kurchid Pasha had

issued orders to

two Turkish regiments

to hold

themselves in readiness to march into the Kes-

rouan
this

to

protect the Maronites

fact
felt

From

the

moment

ominous

became known, the European

there

consuls-general
to

was not another moment

that

be

lost.

They had seen the nature of

and
it

protection,

required no great clearness of

its

prophetic vision to foresee that

extension to

the Maronite districts, contauiing some thousand

* Papers relating to disturbances in Syria, p. 48.

o 4

200
villages

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

and nearly half a million of

souls,

was

simply equivalent to lianding them over to a com-

bined attack of Tm^ks and Druzes, and their consequent devastation by

fire

and sword.

Mr. Moore, her Majesty's consul-general, in

consequence, assembled his colleagues on the 27th
of June, and suggested the experiment of address-

ing a collective note directly to the Druze chiefs

themselves.

By

addressing Kurchid Pasha they

into the mire.

would only get deeper

had they done
ceived.
so,

How

often

only to be ridiculed and deat Sidon,

Besides,

Kurchid Pasha was now

it

superintending, as

were, the Druze atrocities,

his

which were being daily committed under

eyes, in that neighbourhood, without

very

any steps
If

whatever being taken to curb the perpetrators.*

theTinkwas insatiable of Christian blood, the Druze

might yet perchance be amenable to reason.
alliance

The

between the two would thus be adroitly

dissevered.

The massacres might then

representation
is

cease.

The following
drawn
up.

was accordingly

"It

with the greatest regret that

* Further papers relating to disturbances in Syria,

p. 20.

"

THE EUROPEAN CONSULS-GENERAL.

we,
the
consuls-general

201
Austria,

of

England,

France, Prussia and Eussia, are obliged to state

that pillage, massacres
in such a

and devastation, continue

our highest disappro-

measure as

to merit

bation.

We

charge you then formally to put an

disasters
;

immediate stop to aU these

and

as the

representatives of the Great Powers,

and in the

names of our embassies, which have given us

formal instructions on this head,
that a

we warn you
upon you
for

heavy responsibihty
if

will rest

the future,

any further movements are directed

against

by you or your people

the Christians,

their \dllages, or their property.

this object, it is urgent,

To

arrive at

and we charge you most

as httle delay

energetically, to

make peace with

to recall such of

as possible,

and

your bands as

may be

found in the direction of Damascus, Sidon,

ZacAle, Deir-el-Kamar,

and the Kesrouan, or any

on the disastrous conall

other

locality.

Eeflect

sequences which
pliance with the

may

arise to

on non-comto

demands we now make

you

and consider that our governments cannot look

with indifference on the contmuation of such a
state of things.

202

THE DRUZES AXD THE MAEOXITES.

This document was entrusted to Mr. Graliam,

an English

traveller,

who

started

with

it

the

same day

to MucAtara, the residence of Said

Bey

Jumblatt, where he arrived early the following

morning.

The English
himself,

subject^

as

he audaciously styled
with
constrained

received

his

visitor

courtesy and conscience-stricken embarrassment

and

hurriedly

ascertauiing

the

purport of his
off,

mission,

mounted
left

his horse, rode

and uncere-

moniously
return
till

him

in

the lurch.

He

did not
to

after dark,

when he condescended
subject
all

apply himself

to

the

matter in hand.
all

After having listened to

the requests made,

the arguments and expostulations adduced

guest, he

by

his

unburdened

his

mind
:

at

intervals, in

nearly the following terms

sheiks,

"

Me

send for the

why

there

would not be the shghtest good

;

in

my sending for them they would not come at my calling. As for writing to them, that woidd
I

be ridiculous.

have no power whatever over

are on

them

indeed,

we

bad terms with each

other.

I should be glad to allow

if

some of
to

my
go

horsemen to accompany you,

you wish

S.\ID

BEY JUMBLATT'S PEEVARICATION.

visit

203

round and
will stir

the slieiks

but not one of them

is

an inch.

To-morrow

a feast day.

" I have never interfered in any

in the war.

way whatever
all

I have always done

I possibly

could for the Christians.

My constant
I have

endeavours

have been to pacify and keep down the Druzes

but they wont hsten to me.

no power over

my people. The commonest man among them disI obeys my orders and laughs at my authority.
know
about
all sorts

of absurd reports have been spread

my

being an influential person amongst the

all

Druzes, and

the blame of

what

is

happening

has been laid most unjustly at

my
that

door.
is

As

for

making any promises of peace,

of the question.*
I have

entirely out

always been, in

my

humble

sphere, a great adrnker, and, indeed, a

great friend of the Enghsh, and I should be sorry

to think that I could ever

do anything to

forfeit

the confidence of the British government.

ever,
it

How-

may do what
:

it

likes.

am

the Queen's

devoted slave

let

her do as she pleases."

at the

Another "English subject" was present

dehvery of these ejaculatory remarks, and strongly

vouched

for

its

truth and correctness, pleadhig at

204

THE DEUZES AND THE MARONITES.

liis

the same time

of
all

own

ignorance and innocence

that

had been gomg on

no

less a

magnate
formerly
his

than Beshir Bey Aboii Nakad,

who had

sworn that he would lay the foundation of

house near Deir-el-Kamar with Christian

skulls,

and who now of course was perfectly able

so

to

do

whenever he

chose.

Mr. Graham, nothing daunted by the withering

derision to

which he had thus been exposed, and

finding, to his great surprise, that these

two beys

were mere

nonentities, determined to try his luck

with other Druze sheiks

being somebodies, and
ingly.

who

mio-ht
his

confess to

made

round accord-

No

fox-hunter was ever more puzzled or

perplexed.

Most of the foxes got wind of him.

to earth

Some ran

and were never more heard

of.

Others dodged, but were finally overtaken, only to

give proof of their subtlety and cunning.

"

The

Enghsh of the
sam.e type.
sufficient to

East," in fact,

were

all

much

of the

Mr. Graham, however, saw and heard

convince

him

that something

was planthat

ning,

and wrote

to the

Enghsh consul-general

Beyrout and Sidon had better keep a sharp lookout.

The mission had thus apparently proved a

MR. GRAHAM'S MISSION.

failure.

205

Nevertheless,
their

tlie

Druze

chiefs,

however

wary

in

language and tenacious of their

dignity,

which would

have

been

sorely

com-

promised by appearing to yield to

far

dictation,

were

too

astute

to

persevere

in

their

intended
;

pohcy,

when

thus

powerfully contravened

and

from

this

moment they never made

a forward

or even ah aggressive movement.

consul-general's calculations
terposition well timed
;

The Enghsh
correct, his in-

were

and the Lebanon reposed.

attained their object
Christians in the
affairs

The Turks, having now

by a sweepmg massacre of the

Druze
districts,

thought the sooner

better.

were
pro-

patched

up

the

Kurchid Pasha

posed that peace should be proclaimed between

the

two

sects,

on the condition that the past

should be forgotten, no plunder restored, and no

indemnification given.
sheiks

The Maronite emks and

to

were summoned

Beyrout to give their

this

consent and co-operation to

arrangement.

Eemonstrance and complaint on their part were

alike vain.

If they yielded, the

;

sword might
to

be suspended
do, and

if

not,

it

had yet good work

to

would be allowed

do

it.

To

the

206

THE DKUZES AND THE MARONITES,

of the Druzes, the Christian

intense satisfaction

chiefs put their seals to a treaty consecrating these

principles.

Their ascendancy, with undisturbed

possession of power,

was now estabhshed

with
the

for ever.

Maronite
slaves

mterference

few Christian

who remained under

;

them, would never

again be attempted

and the properties of the

massacred would naturally revert to them as lords

of the
soil.

DAMASCUS IN DANGER.

207

CHAP.
July
9,

VII.

1860, the

Christians.

Mohammedans of Damascus rise upon the The Mohammedans raise the cry, " Deen,
!

deen, deen
fire

Mohammed

"

and the Christians terror-struck.

Christians.

and Spoliation of the

sacre

The Christian Quarter on General Plunder Huge Deluge of Masset

and

Fire.

All the Massacre. August

at Paris.

Abd-el-Kader
3,

saves 12,000 Christians.

Christians of Syria in danger.

Statistics of

the

1860, Conference of European Powers

The bloody

orgie

was not yet

of

over.

On

the

9 th of July the

Mohammedans

Damascus rose
city,

upon the Christian population of that

in-

vaded the Christian quarter, and, with demoniac

yeUs,

commenced the work

of piUage, burning

and massacre.

For days previously the Christians

had been
bazaars

reviled,

menaced and

insulted

in

the

in

every possible manner.

feast of the

The great
close at

Mohammedan
hand.

Beiram was
the
faithful

On Mount

Arafat,

on that
;

day slaughtered sheep,

this

propitiatory sacrifice

year at Damascus they would offer up a

208
worthier

THE DEUZES AXD THE MAEOXITES.

propitiation,

they

would

slaughter

Christians.

The

latter, at last terrified

and be-

wildered, kept to their houses, spending day and

night in lamentation and prayer.

sures of

Seeing no mea-

any kind taken by the

local authorities to

check

tliis

fanatical spirit, or to punish such alarm-

ing demonstrations, the European consuls appealed

in a

body over and over again

to

Achmed

Pasha,

the governor, to

waken

to a sense of the danger

which hung over the Christian population, and to

take the best means for their defence.
affected
force,

He

first

ignorance, next pleaded inefiiciency of

at

and then evinced confusion and alarm

crisis.

the magnitude of the

His proceedings had already excited the worst

suspicions,

and

his present

language and attitude

came

in strong confirmation.

He had

been in

constant

conference with

some of the leading

notables of the city famous for their fanaticism.

Whenever he went
up
of,

to the

mosque, his guard took

their station next the Christian quarter, instead

as usual, next that of the

Mohammedans.
castle,

He

had moved

his family into the

which he

had replenished with cannon, and the garrison of

ACHMED PASHA'S PERFIDY.

which was doubled,
said, for

209
he

all

steps necessary, as

the

protection

of the

Mohammedans,

whom

he had certain information were about to

in-

be attacked by the Cluistians! those poor,

offensive Christians, not

one of

whom knew how

It

to handle a musket,

and who were utterly devoid

of arms of any kind whatever.

was

evident,

from

all

these strange proceedings,

of

the mean-

ing and intent of which there could be no possible

doubt,

that the Turks, here

been ordered

as elsewhere,

were

thirsting for Christian blood.

Turkish regiment had, with customary

into

cir-

cumspection,

the

Christian
identical

quarter to protect the Christians,

the

regiment which, one month before, had presided

over the massacre at Hasbeya
!

The

souls of the

poor Christians sunk within them at the sight

they
felt their

doom was

sealed.

Yet,

still

hoping

even against hope, they endeavoured to win the

hearts

of

their

protectors.

The

officers

were

feasted;

the
;

men were

treated.

Hundreds of

pounds were collected and distributed amongst

them, or spent for their gratification.

But time

wore on

the plot was ripe

the materials were

210
all

THE DEUZES AXD THE MAROXITES.

tlie

ready

actors

were impatient

to

commence
At

their " role

last it

"
;

the signal alone was wanting.

was

given.

For some days past wooden

into the streets, spitted

crosses

had been thrown

and trampled upon.

Numerous complaints had

at this outrage

been made by the Christians

their religion, but with

upon

no

result.

At

length, on

the morning of

tlie

9th of July, three

Mohamfor this

medan
offence,

lads

were seized and taken up

justice.

and carried to the court of

to

They

were sentenced

be put mto chains and to go and

sweep the Christian quarter.

The

die

was

cast.

As

the prisoners, accompanied

by

the pohce,

passed through the bazaars, the excitement amongst

the

Mohammedans became

stronger and stronger

every moment.

On

their approaching the

Grand
once

Mosque, the neighbouring shops were

closed.

all at

Two
On

merchants darted into that building,

interview "with
the
chief

and had a minute's

ulema.
their

coming back they raised a

wild cry of " Deen, Deen, Deen

Mohammed

"

The awful cry was caught up from mouth

to

mouth

terrific

commotion spread hke Hghtning

Mohammed
I

* Keligion, religion, the religion of

THE CHRISTIAN QUAETER IN

from
street to street
all
;

PLAJ^IES.

211

business

was abandoned

the shops were closed

and

in less than a quarter

of an hour an infuriated mob, brandishing guns,

swords, axes, and every description of weapon,

was

in

frill

career towards the Christian quarter.

From

all

directions

was seen and heard the rush

to the teeth,

and rimning of men armed up

and

imarmed boys and women

on the
infidels,

shouts, imprecations

the giaours, and cries of " Kill

!

them

butcher them
!

plunder

burn
!

leave not

one ahve

not a house, not anything

;

Fear not

the soldiers

fear nothing

the soldiers will not

touch us." *
Scarcely

had the infuriated

populace began

their attack,

when

a cannon was discharged

by
It

the Turkish guard near the Greek church.

was merely loaded with powder, and directed

upwards against a mat covering, which stretched
over
the
bazaar.

The matting took

was
to

fire,

sign that the Christian quarter

be burned.

The work of incendiarism

instantly

commenced.

The

wildest confusion

now prevailed.

The houses

were entered and gutted.

* Furtlier papers relating

Large bands ran to

to disturbances in Syria, p. 37.

p 2

212
and
fro

THE DEUZES AND THE MAKONITES.

carrpng

off

plunder of every description.

The people

of the suburbs

came pouring

in.

The

Turkish soldiers stationed at the gates opened them

wide, and uivited the intruders to

come

in boldly.

Those who were

without

arms

were

refused

admittance until they went back and procured

them.

The supphes

of water were cut

off.

By

sunset the whole Christian quarter

was

m a blaze,

the flames waving and mounting, in huge billowy

surges,

hke a sea of

fire

while in the midst were

seen distracted crowds of

women, some carrying

and rushing along
to house.

infants in their arms, shrieking

the

flat roofs,

and springing from house and

fell,

Many

lost

their footing

breaking their

arms or

legs, or perishing miserably.

The

greater

part fled through the town, and, rushing -wildly

into

Mohammedan

houses, implored the pity of

the harem.

Hitherto the ruffians had only thought of plunder.

No impediment
The

whatever was offered to

Christians ft-om the

their proceedings.

comtheu^

mencement appealed
jDromised assistance

to

the

soldiers

for

and defence.

The

ofiicers

bnitally replied that they

had no orders

to act.

ABD-EL-KADER RESCUES
Presently, to their horror

12,000 CHRISTIANS.

213

and dismay, they saw the

soldiers joining in the attack

and carrying

off the

booty

nay more, putting

their bayonets to their

all

breasts
escape.
gitives

and ferociously barring them

means of

In whatever direction the affrighted futurned, they were

met by

steel

and

fire.

Nothing short of a complete and overwhelming

destruction

seemed

to await them.

But

in the

midst of their despair rehef came.

An

illustrious

exile

was

in that

wicked

city,

spending his days and nights in study, religious

meditation

and prayer.
whole

Patriotic, disinterested,
life

single-hearted, his

had been one con-

tinued act of devotion, a long and conscientious

struggle
in

the

path of duty.

Like

all

great

moral
sity

sacrifices, his

had been

sanctified

by adver-

and misfortune.

His brightest laurels were

his reverses.

Vanquished, he yet wore the victor's

a martyr his

wreath, as

crown.

Abd-el-Kader

had accepted
resignation,
as finished.

his destiny with cheerfulness

and

and joyfully contemplated

his career

But providence had reserved

for his

brows another and a nobler wreath

work

of

mercy

and, Heaven-directed, he arose this day

p 3


214
to

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

slied fresh lustre

do the deed that was to

on

his glorious

name.*

No

sooner had Abd-el-Kader gained intelligence

frightful
disaster,

of the

than he sent out

liis

faithful Algerines into the Christian quarter, -with

orders to rescue

all

the wretched sufferers they

safely

could meet.
liis

Hundreds were

escorted to
to

house before dark.

Many rushed

the

British consulate.

As night advanced fresh hordes

of marauders, Kurds, Arabs, Druzes entered the

quarter,

and swelled the furious

mob

of fanatics,

who now,
blood.

glutted with spoil, began to cry out for

The dreadful work then began.

All

through that awful night and the whole of the

following day, the pitiless massacre went on.

To attempt

to detail all the atrocities that

useless.

were

committed would be repugnant and

violation of

The

women, the ravishmg of young

girls,

some

in the very streets amidst coarse laughs

and
off.

savage jeers,

some

snatched up and carried

Hundreds of them thus disappeared, hurried away

to distant parts in the surrounding country,
*
"

where

And

heaven-directed, came this day to do

that gilds

The happy deed

my

humble name."

Home.

abd-el-kader's magnanimity.

215

they were instantly marrried to Mohammedans.

Men

of

all

ages from the

boy

to the old

man, were

forced to apostatise, were circumcised on the spot,

in derision,

and then put

to death.
first

The churches
paroxysm of

and convents,
terror,

wliich, in the
filled

had been

to

suffocation, presented

piles of corpses,

mixed up promiscuously with the

half dead
;

wounded and only

nies

whose

last

ago-

were amidst flaming beams

and calcined
Avith earth-

blocks of stone falling in

upon them

quake shock.
with the
slain.

The thoroughfares were choked

To

say that the Turks took no means whatever to

stay this

huge deluge of massacre and

fire

would be

superfluous.
it,

They connived
it,

at

it,

they instigated
it.

they ordered

they shared in

Abd-el-

Kader alone stood between the hving and the

dead.

Fast

as

his Algerines

brought in those

whom

they had rescued, he reassured them, con-

soled them, fed them.

He had

himself gone out

and brought

in

numbers personally. Forming them

he forwarded them, under
There, as the
all

into detached parties,

successive
terrific

guards, to the castle.

in,

day closed

nearly 12,000 of
p 4

ages

216

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEOMTES.

to^etlier, a

and sexes were collected and huddled

fortunate but exhausted residue, fruits of his untiring exertions.

There they remained for weeks,

lying on the bare ground without covering, hardly

with clothing, exposed to the sun's scorching rays

their rations,

scantily served out,

cucumbers
soldiers

and coarse bread.

unreserved
repose,

Lest they might obtain an

the

Turkish

kept

alarming them with rumours of an approacliing

irruption,

when they would

all

be given over to

the sword.

Abd-el-Kader himself was now menaced.

house was
filled

His

with hundreds of fugitives. EuroChristians.

pean

consuls,

and native

The Moham-

medans, furious at bemg thus baulked of their

prey, advanced towards
it,

declaring they

would

have them.

Informed of the movement, the

hero coolly ordered his horse to be saddled, put

on

his cuirass

and helmet, and mounting, drew

his sword.

His faithful followers formed around

him, brave remnant of his old guard, comrades in

many

a well-fought

field, illustrious victors

of the

Moulaia.*
*

The

fanatics

came

in sight.

Singly he

On

the 18th of December, 1847, Abd-el-Kader, at the

ALL THE CHEISTIANS OF SYELi IX DAIfGEE.

charged into the midst and drew up.

217

" Wretches,"

he exclaimed, "

is

this the

way you honour

!

the

Prophet ?

May

his curses
!

be upon you

Shame

upon you, shame

You

will yet live to repent.

as

You
The

think you
;

may do

you please with the

Christians

but the day of retribution will come.

Franks will yet turn your mosques into

churches.
are

Not a

Christian will I give up.

They

my

brothers.
fire."

Stand back, or I give

my men
Not a

the order to

The crowd

dispersed.

man

of that

Moslem

thrones dared raise his voice

or hft his
Islam.

arm

against the reno"\vned

champion of

The consternation of the

Syria,

Christians throughout
terrific

on hearing of these

events,

was

indescribable.

In every town, in every village,

in every hamlet, the inevitable

doom was hourly

fate.

expected, and

all

tremblingly awaited their

fierce

The Mohammedans were

beheved, more or
less,

and exultino-.

AU
All

that the Sultan

had issued

a decree for the extermination of the mfidel.

were prepared

to

do God service in so glorious a

soldiers, horse

head of 2500 of his bravest

the

and

foot,

attacked

army of the Emperor of Morocco, 60,000

and entirely defeated
it.

strong, near the

river Moulaia,

"

218
cause.

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

In Aleppo the Christians had purchased

a temporary immunity from massacre,

large sums of

by paying

money
still

to the leaders of the rabble.

But the

latter

held their nightly meetings, and,

fired
rise.

in one instance,

had

on the pohce.

At any

moment they might

At Jerusalem

the

Mohammedans,
by party

fortunately
feuds,

divided amongst themselves

as yet

had

been unable to take common measiu-es for

;

an onset

but the

spirit

was

rife.

Throughout Palestine whole

tians,

villages of Chris-

men,

women and
as

children,

had embraced

Mohammedanism,
certain death.

the

only alternative to a
the Turkish officer in

At Acre

command had

issued large supphes of ammunition

to the Musselmans,

and fixed the day

;

for a

mas-

sacre of the

Christians

but,

on the morning of
approached the

that very day,

two Dutch

frigates

town, and were thus the providential means of

preventing the outrage.
the Ottomans stood
" Like

In every part of Syria

greyhounds in the

Straining upon the start

slips

watching the bloody

sacrifice,

as

yet withheld.

There seemed

to

be a general waitmg for the

EUEOPEAN INTERVENTION.
fate of Beyrout.

219
canslay

Had

that

town gone, there

!

not be a doubt that a wild cry of slay

would have resounded throughout the length and

breadth of the land, and the whole Christian race

would have been immolated.

But by the end of June
fiio-ates

line-of-battle ships,

and

corvettes,

from

all

nations,

came

sue-

cessively dropping in,

and war steamers cruised

about to

all

points of the coast.

The Enghsh

and French squadrons

and Jehennes took up
of Beyrout

under Admirals Martin

their stations off the port

July.

Finally, the

French mihtaiy

expedition

under General

Beaufort D'Hautpol,

landed on the 16 th of August.

flasj floatinoj

With

the British

on the waters, and the French stand-

ards waving on the soil of Syria, the Clmstians

again breathed.

Confidence was restored.

to foreign

Those

who had

fled

shores returned.

The

future might at last be in a measure guaranteed

but the past

11,000 Christians massacred.

100,000 sufferers by the

civil

war.

20,000 desolate widows and orphans.

3,000 Christian habitations burnt to the ground.

4,000 Christians perished of

2,000,000^. property destroyed.

destitutioia.

220
All

THE DEUZES AND THE MARONITES.

these accumulated

horrors induced

by the

Turks.

On

the 3rd of August, 1860, a conference

Paris

was

held at
Britain,

by the

representatives
Prussia,

of Great

Austria,

France,
protocols

Eussia

and

Turkey.
signed.

Two
The

were

drawn up and

first

containing six articles relating

to the conditions of the

proposed European min

tervention

Syria.

The second, declaring

the
for,

the most formal manner, "that

contracting

powers do not intend to seek

seek
for, in

and

will not

the execution of their eno-ao-ements,

any

territorial

advantages, any exclusive influence,

or any concession with regard to the

commerce of

their subjects, such as could not be granted to the

subjects of all other nations.

" Nevertheless, they cannot refrain, in recaUing

here the acts issued by the Sultan, the great importance of which was estabhshed by Article XI.
of the Treaty of

March

30, 1856, from express-

ing the value which their respective courts attach

to the fulfilment of the

solemn promises of the

Porte, that serious administrative measures should

be taken to amehorate the condition of the Chris-


CONFERENCE AT PARIS, AUGUST
tian
I860.

221

population

of every sect in the

Ottoman

empire."

And

then in the presence, and with the consent

of the five aforesaid Christian representatives,

assembled together for the express purpose of

taking measures to stop the effusion of Cluristian

blood in Syria, caused by the wicked and wilful

collusion of the Sultan's authorities,

the

follow-

ing insult to the

common

sense, the feelings

and

judgment of Christian Europe, was dehberately

penned.

"The

plenipotentiary
tliis

of

the

Subhme Porte

takes note of

declaration of the representa-

tives of the liigh contracting powers,

and under-

takes to transmit
that the

it

to his court

pointing out

Sublime Porte has employed^ and conefforts

tinues to eynploy, her

in the sense of the

wish expressed above."

On

this, let

every Briton,

who

has a head to

think and a heart to

feel, after

perusing the pre-

ceding pages,

make

his

own comment.


222 THE DEUZES AND THE MAEOOTTES.

CHAP. VIIL
Frustration of the Tvirkisli Plan of the entire Slaughter of the Christian Male Population. July 1860, Kurchid

Pasha compels the Christian Emirs to sign the Ai'ticles of Peace. July 17th, Fuad Pasha, the Ottoman Extraor-

dinary Commissioner, arrives at Beyrout.

the French Division of 7000 arrives.
International

Protest
Sept.

October the European Commission. July Vigorous by Admiral Martin. Inadequate

5th,

August
25th,

16th,

Retribution.

12th,

Fuad Pasha summons

the Druze Sheiks.

Fuad Pasha
hammedans
revised

asks the Christian Deputies for a List of the

Druze Offenders.
is

The

List of

made

out,

Dec. mock Muc/itara of Druze Fuad Pasha asks a duced of 300 Druzes. Dismissal of the Deputies. Release of 500 Dnize 120 Druze
List again
ignored.
8th,

4600 Druzes and 360 Mobut ignored by Fuad Pasha. A

Trial
at
for

Prisoners.

re-

List

Christian

Prisoners.

Culprits are sent to Tripoli, Africa.

tiality for

Fuad
of
5th,

The Object the French Expeby Fuad Pasha. Turkish Treachery and Druze Ferocity unpimished. Jime 1861, Departure
the Druzes.
dition frustrated

Pasha's Par-

of the French Troops.

Nejib Pasha,

who was

installed

governor of the

pashahck of Damascus on the restoration of Spia

to the Sultan in 1840, declared to a confidential

agent of the British consul in that

city,

not know-

FURTHER DESTRUCTION PREVENTED.

ing,

22 o

however, the character of the person he was

addressing,

"the Turkish government can only

supremacy in Syria by cutting down
It

maintain

its

the Christian sects."

has been seen that what

Nejib Pasha enounced as a theory, Kurchid Pasha,

after

an interval of twenty years, succeeded in

Not, however, to the ex-

carrying into practice.

tent

which had been planned and anticipated

be no doubt whatever that
it

for there can

was

the intention of the Turkish authorities

to

Syria
far

have carried the work of extermination to

it

greater hmits than those

actually reached.

The

Druzes are even reviled by some of these functionaries for

having spared the few Christians they

certainly, to

did.

And,
have

judge from the turn

afiairs

finally taken,

from the way in which both

Druzes and Mohammedans engaged in the massacres

have escaped all punishment worth the name,

their atrocities
;

when compared with

the

and from

manner

in

which the Porte has benefited, and

its

contrived not only to hold

own, but to accomof the ruthless

phsh

fully

and

entirely,

by means

action of
objects
it

its

subordinate agents,
in

all

the political

had

view as regards the Lebanon,

224
it

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

considered morally certain, that had

may be

Christianity

been

destroyed

root

and

branch,
;

and

utterly extirpated

throughout Syria

had

every town, and village, and hamlet, throughout

the length

and breadth of

its

territory,

from

Antioch to Gaza, from the Mediterranean to the

Euphrates been deluged with
Cliristian blood, the

Tm^ks (such are the

jealousies, the

dissensions,

and the materiahstic policy of the cabinets of

Europe) would have stood
absolved from the

great abomination, while the principle of the integrity

and independence of the "Turkish empire"

scathless

would have borne them

and triumphant

along the path of carnage.

As

the

assassin,

after

having despatched his

victim, muffles

up

his

body, digs a hole, and

thus
propitiating

commits
hvion
of
;

it

to the

earth,

ob-

so

Kurchid Pasha, while the warm blood

victims

liis

Christian

was yet steammg up

the prin-

to heaven,

summoned

to his presence

cipal Christian emirs

and

sheiks,

and compelled
articles

them

to

agree

to,

and sign the

of a

peace based on " complete obhvion of the past."

"Consequently," so rmis

this

notable document,

ORDER ESTABLISHED, JULY

"
it

1860.

225

has been agreed and decided, after invoking

the Divine assistance, to conckide peace on the condition aforementioned, and that
all

that has

passed from the beginning of the war to

present date (July, 1860)
is

the

not hable to
side,

any
at

claim

or pretension

on either

neither

present nor in
sect

fiitiire."

Thus was the Christian

to

be cut down, the

men

massacred, the

widows and orphans turned

starvation,

adrift to

penury and
spohated,
it

their

habitations

ravaged,

and burnt

and no more

to be said about

Such was the Turkish programme.

And

in all

probabihty, had not ulterior circumstances arisen

to disturb the

harmony of such a procedure, the

it

Turks would have succeeded in carrying

nearly, if not completely, to the letter.
British government, at this period, either

out

For the

com-

plete ignorance, or affecting complete ignorance,

of the machinations of the Turkish authorities in

Syria,

and of

their having purposely

their

induced

all

these disorders, for

own

selfish

ends, ex-

pressed

its

desire that they should be allowed to

manasie thek

own

affairs

and

settle

matters as best

they could.

226

THE DEUZES A^D THE MAKONITES.

of these heart-rending events

News
when

had akeady

reached and excited a deep sensation in Europe,

the intelhgence of the monstrous tragedy

of Damascus swelled the voice of pity into one

loud and prolonged cry of horror and execration.

Many

thought, in their

crude simphcity,
at

that
last

the knell of the

Ottoman empire had

dignitaries,

sounded.

Some Tm^kish

even at

Constantinople

(amongst those, of course,

initiated

who

had not been

into the secrets

of the

heUish conspiracy), exclaimed, on learning the

extent of the
disaster,

"

We

are

lost."

Alas

these sanguine speculators, these

gloomy

alarmists,

had yet

to learn the

accommodating

flexibihty of

diplomatic Christianity.

The

callous stoicism of the British cabinet

was

at length affected,

and a tardy, though hesitating

consent was given to the proposal of the

Emperor

of the French to send an expeditionary force to

Syria, for

the

purpose of aiding in restoring

tranquilhty, of

givmg

security to the Christians,

retribution.
It

and of supervismg the work of

now
the

remains to be seen especially, what has been

extent of this retribution, so loudly

mode and

FUAD pasha's arrival.

227

and so
as

justly called for

tlie

by the voice of Europe,

to indemnify

well as of

means adopted

the Christians in some degree for their deplorable

losses.*

The

folio-wing

executive

was appointed and

sent' to Syria for the piu-pose of giving effect to

these laudable purposes.

Fuad Pasha, Extraordinary Commissioner from

the

Subhme

Porte,

who

arrived at Beyrout July

17th, 1860.

A
at

French

division

consisting

of

6000 men,

under General Beaufort d'Hautpol, which landed

Beyrout on or about August 16th, 1860.

An
sisting

international

Eiuropean Commission,

con-

of representatives from
its

the five powers,

which held
5th, 1860.

first

sitting

at

Beyrout, October

For the sake of perspicuity

it

will

be better to

foUow the working and operation of these authorities,

successively.
after

For many days

Fuad Pasha had

landed,
as

Kurchid Pasha, the massacrer, went about

* See Syrian Correspondence, 18G0-61, pp.

H,

31.

Q 2

228
usual,

THE DRUZES AXD THE MAEONITES. and had even been sent by the former
to

on a mission

Latakia

on

his return

from
his

whence he was on the point of resuming

functions at Beyrout.

A
is

vigorous protest from

Admual Martin
less

at once prevented such a

shame-

proceedmg.

There

something so dignified,

so high minded, so energetic

and uncompromising, and

so redolent of the lofty spirit of om- Blakes

our Nelsons
as
it

m
it

this

admirable " Memorandum,"

that
I
as

was

called,

cannot refrain from

a model of what a
authority

transcribing

entirely,

despatch

to

Turkish

should

be,

whether on great or small occasions.

"A

most grievous wrong has been

civihsed world

inflicted

upon the

by the

barbarities

which

have been committed upon the Christian population in Syria.

"

The Tm^kish

local

authorities

have

been

direct parties to

the barbarities,

by permitting
to

the soldiers and

Moslem population

aid the

Druzes, and after the defeat of the Christians to

join in murdering the males,

and in committing

the foulest crimes upon the

childi'en.

women and

female

ADMIRAL MAETIN'S ADMIEABLE PROTEST.

"
to

229
not,
it

The

Cliristian

world cannot, and ought

unredressed;
will

leave

these

enormities
it

and

must be evident that

not rest satisfied

with any measure short of that which shall make

a recurrence of the enormities impossible.
"
to

The Turkish government

consideration
justice.
if
it

will

have no claims

should not do voluntary

will probably
exliibit

and ample
taken

The matter
if

be

out of their hands

they

any

indication of shortcoming,
" If they

would

avoid foreign
it

interference,

the limit or consequence of which

difficult

may

not be
in

to

imagme, they must be prompt

declaring that they have, with every other civi-

hsed

government, an abhorrence of

the

infa-

mous deeds

that have been perpetrated in Syria.

to this effect

"Their declarations
panied by acts of

must be accomand

full

justice to sufferers,

conspicuous retribution to infamous functionaries.

" The mere punishment of humble
officials

would

be deemed an offensive

trifling that

would have

no

beneficial influence to restrain the future.

"

The highest who have abused

their

power by

participation or connivance in the grievous misery

Q 3

230

THE DEUZES AXD THE

MAEO]S'ITES.

that has been heaped

upon the Christian popula-

tion of Syria, should themselves suffer.

" I have been told that

liis

excellency Kurchid

Pasha
I

is

to continue in authority in this pashaHck.

is

must express a hope that there

no mtention
so

of aUowing liim to hold the

power he has
horrible

abused.
to which,

But looking
it
is

to

the

cmelties

beheved, he has been a wiUing

the
responsibihties
in

party,

and

to

which I

share with regard to the safety of the Christian

population here, I must protest against his being

allowed to retam a

command upon which

the

safety of multitudes depends, for

whom

he has

manifested such indifference and contempt.

(Signed)
"
'

"
at Beyrout,

W.

F. jyiARTiN."

Marlborougli

'

July 25th, 1860."

few hours

after

Fuad Pasha received

Pasha

this

document,

Kiurchid

was

arrested

and
other

thrown

into prison.

His Kehie, and two

of his subordinates were smiilarly treated.

is it difficult

Nor
tliis

to conceive the influence

which

powerful admonition must have had over the subsequent judicial proceedings at Damascus, which

FUAD pasha's ixvestigatioxs.

city

231
July,

Fuad Pasha entered on the 29th of

1860.
It is needless to detail all the

measures taken
of punish-

by Fuad Pasha

to

effect

his object

ing the guilty, but a statement of their results

will

be

significant

and

instructive.

Achmed

Pasha, the governor and military com-

mander of Damascus, convicted on the evidence

of a certain Saleh Zechy Bey, a

Mohammedan,

his

who

boldly came forward and accused

him of
by

gross derehction of duty, and of having,

cowardice and impotence, caused the massacre,

^

was

shot.

Three Turkish

officers

who were

present at the massacre at Hasbeya, and a hundred

and seventeen
police

individuals,

chiefly Bashi-bazouks,

and wandering characters,

fate.

met with

the

same

About four hundred of the lower

orders were

condemned to imprisonment and exile.

fifty-six

Of the

citizens

were hanged.

Of the

notables eleven were exiled to Cyprus and Ehodes,

and

their property sequestered for the time being.

It has since

been restored

to their families.

These

notables are hving in their places of exile with

all

the comforts and luxuries of

Q 4

life

one of them

"

232

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

has celebrated his marriage.

A
its

sum

of about

200,000/. was proposed to be levied on the city,

sum which

three or four of

principal

Mo-

hammedan merchants
ease.

could furnish alone with

Such

is

all

the amount of retribution which

outraged Chiistian Europe has been able to ob-'

tain for the

wanton plundermg and burning to

the

ground of the whole Christian quarter of

loss

Damascus, entailing a

to

that

unfortunate

community of
the

at least 2,000,000/. sterhng,

for

mhuman, savage and cold-blooded massacre

of 6000 inoffensive Christians,

who

possessed no

the and daughters, and

arms whatever,
for
less victims

ravishing of their wives

for the expulsion

from their

desolated hearths of 20,000 beggared and defence-

of

Mohammedan

ra2;e

and fanaticism,

" whose only crime was," to use the words of the

British consul, " that they
!

were the followers of

Christ

On

his retiu-n to Beyrout,

September 12, Fuad

Pasha summoned some of the principal Druze

sheiks

and notables

to appear before him,

titles

under

penalty of forfeiture of their

and

privileges

INADEQUATE EETEIBUTION.

233
Fourteen
Tlie

and sequestration of
obeyed the summons
;

tlieir

properties.

thirty-three refused.
all

penalty was inflicted on them

indiscriminately,

on the former without

trial.

Kurchid

Pasha,

Taher Pasha, three other Turkish

officials,

and

seven of the Druze sheiks were accused and ex-

amined before an
that

especial tribunal

convoked

for

purpose.

The Turks were sentenced

to

perpetual imprisonment, the Druzes to death.

like sentence

had been previously passed on Ab-

desclam Bey, the Turkish colonel,

at the massacre of Deir-el-Kamar.

who

presided

Four of the

Druzes were clearly convicted of having murdered

Christians ivith their

own

hands.

The punishment
sheiks has since

of death passed on the Druze

been commuted to perpetual imprisonment.

None of

these sentences

have been carried into

execution, whether of death or of

penal imprison-

ment
Fuad Pasha now tmmed
punishment of the Druze
this

his

attention to the

commonalty.

With

view he assembled the Christian bishops, and

assist

invoked their assistance to

out a measure so

him

in carrying

imperatively necessary.

He

234
told

THE DRUZES AND THE MAROXITES.

them

that the atrocities committed

by the

Druzes on the Christians of the Lebanon were

known

to

all

the world

that

the blood thus

shed demanded a bloody retribution, and that

they might depend

upon

his

making

it

with

unsparing severity.
they could not,

The

bishops

repHed that
sacred

consistently

with thek

calling, interfere in

such a case, in which they

might, umvittingly, be accessory to the shedding

of innocent

blood

but that they would name

give his Excellency

Christian deputies

who might

the assistance he required.

Sixteen deputies were

after

accordingly named.

Fuad Pasha,
allocation,

making

them an impressive
chief feature

of

which the
reiterated

was most solemn and

assurances of his determination signally to avenge

the cause of the slaughtered

Christians,

conHe

cluded by calling on them to furnish him with

a
list

of those amongst
to

the Druzes

who were

known

have been the " most barbarous."

pledged himself that whatever passed between

him and them should be considered

and
confidential,

strictly secret

and made them take a solemn

oath on the Bible, in presence of their bishops,


THE CHEISTIAN
that they
LIST OF

DEUZE

OFFEIS^DEES.

235

would discharge the duty they were

about to perform faithfully and conscientiously.

After an interval of more than a month,

during which the deputies

made

the most searchall

ing inquiries in every direction, and from

Christians,

the

whether men or women, who were

able to give

them the information they required,

they

presented

Fuad Pasha with a

list

con-

taining the

names of 4600 Druzes and 360 Moand

Metualis,
all

hammedans
declared,

of

whom, they
The

had taken part

in the massacre.

place and

the nature of his crime

was placed

opposite the

name

of each individual.

An

insinuation

was immediately mooted and

spread abroad that the Christian deputies had

asked for the heads of 4600 Druzes

tively

one

ac-

countenanced by,

if

not indeed emanating

from, the Turkish authorities,

who were

of course

only too glad to see the character of the Syrian

Christians placed in such a light as

would bring
in

upon them the odium, instead of enhsting

their behalf the

commiseration of Europe.

A
it

more
said, a

crafty,

a more malicious, and, shame be

successful stroke of

more

Dohcy than

this

236

THE DRUZES AXD THE MARONITES.

perhaps was never achieved.

For absohitely,

from
this

this

very period, and as a consequence of

accusation, in

which the Christian bishops

and deputies were ahke confounded, the current

of pubhc opinion, in some parts of Europe, and
especially in

England, was completely turned

legislators,

and Enghsh statesmen and

journahsts

and Enghsh

and philanthropists vied with each

other in unmeasured abuse of the unfortunate

Christians, while they sympathised with,

and even

pressed forward to
assassins.

come

to the rehef of the

Druze

The bishops

protested in the strongest

manner

against the accusation thus brought against them.

The
to

deputies declared they had never been told

make

out a death hst, but merely a

list

con"

taining the

names of the " most barbarous

of
;

the Druzes.

This they had conscientiously done

so,

believing that, having done

no further action
that the

on

their part

would be necessary, and

Turkish executive would dispose of that hst in

the

manner

best calculated to secure the ends of

justice.

This Hst was divided into

:

three cate-

gories

THE CHEISTIAN DEPUTIES,

1.

237

The

instigators,

whether they took part

personally or not in the massacre.

2.

Chiefs of bands

who headed

the assassins,

the spohators and burners.

3.

Individuals denounced
as

by public opinion

having committed the principal mur-

ders, or of

having acted under circum-

stances aggravating their culpabihty.

Fuad Pasha now

revise their
lists,

called

upon the deputies

did.

to

which they

In the revised

hst the

first

category contained the names of the

most deeply criminal of the Druzes, to the amount

of 1200.
It

was now the general

belief

and

expectation of the Christians at large that these

1200

so

denominated would be executed in batches

;

on the very scenes of the massacres

least

and that

at

a considerable number of the remaining

sent to the gaUeys, exiled,

3400 Druzes would be

and drafted

into the Turkish

army.

Such was
to over-

their idea of the retribution

which ought

take the monsters

who had committed

such out-

rageous

atrocities.

Shortly after the revised Hst

had been given

in,

a simultaneous

seizui^e

took place in numerous

238

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

about 1500 Druzes.

villages of

The

Christians

naturally thought that at last the long-promised

punishment of the murderers was about

effected.

to

be

What was

their surprise
later,

and

astonish-

ment when, three days

many

of the most

savage of the Druze prisoners,

men whose names

as amonofst the

were known
" most

to

be on the

list

barbarous," were

released

without

the

slightest examination, leaving only

about 800 in

the hands of the authorities.

This unaccountable

circumstance at once shook their confidence in

the sincerity of the government, a feeling which
ulterior circumstances only increased.

On

the 8th of December,

Fuad Pasha proceeded

Druze
for

to MucAtara, as being a central point in the

districts,

and estabhshed an especial tribunal

of the Druze prisoners.

the

trial

He

ordered the

Christian deputies to follow him.

Disgusted with

the

symptoms of foul play which had already been

so clearly evinced, foreseeing the utter inadequacy

of the punishment about to be inflicted on the

Druze malefactors,

as

compared with what Fuad

Pasha had led them to expect, and indeed, as

compared with the exigencies of the commonest

MOCK TRIAL OF DKUZE

justice, the deputies

PEISOJfERS.

239

unanimously refused to go.

at last

However, eight of them were

obey the summons.

induced to

On

being admitted to a private interview, Fuad

to give liim such informa-

Pasha requested them

tion regarding
tlie

Druze prisoners

as

might

assist

him

in selecting

and punishing them, according

to

their degrees of guilt.

They
it

replied, that all the

information they had

in their

power

to give,

they had akeady given in the hst they had presented

;

that they never considered themselves as

standing in the position of advocates for the great

body of the

Christians

that the latter, mdeed,

and particularly the bereaved widows, had strenuously,

and even angrily, refused

to put the advo-

cacy of their rights and claims into any deputed

hands

and

that, consequently,

they could in no

way

enter into questions affecting justice, or give

individual

evidence, in

cases

where the lawful

complainants were not present.

Fuad Pasha rephed,

meant
to

that he in

no way whatever

impugn, or to doubt for a moment the

;

correctness of their hst

to consider

that he did not even wish

;

them

as advocates for the Christians

240
tliat

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

lie

looked upon them merely as

men

of

known

respectability

and influence

in their

com-

munity, and he appealed to them as such, to give

what information they could regarding the culpability of the

still

Druzes now in prison.

The
;

deputies

adliered to their former statement

all

adding,

however, that they must with

observe, that the
his

due deference

bond of secrecy under which

Excellency had formally engaged them to

their hst,

draw up
as

had been broken, inasmuch

all

that

hst

had been pubhshed

over the

mountain; and fiulher, that many of the most

bloodthirsty

Druzes, whose
seized,

names were
and then

down

on the hst had been

released.

Eoth these things had given them great

pomtment.

disap-

Fuad Pasha answered,

that if

it

was

true, as

they stated, that such characters had been seized

and then
the

let loose,

the responsibihty rested with

in

officers

engaged

effectmg their

capture,

and he should order

strict

inqukies to be

made

upon the matter.*

He

then referred them to the

especial tribunal, where,

upon presenting them-

* Of course no such inquiry was ever made.

FUAD PASHA'S EVASIVE CONDUCT.

selves,

241
as

tliey

were called upon, the same

by

Fiiad Pasha, to give evidence against the Druze

prisoners,

and

in a similiar

manner declared

their

utter

incompetency to do any such thing.

Fuad

Pasha again called the deputies before him, told

them he thought
tidious, that

they were unnecessarily

fas-

he looked upon them as a kind of

jury, an institution in use in civihsed countries,

and that by

associating

them

in

the

work

of

accomphshing the ends of

justice,

neither they

nor he would incur the charge of acting with

haste or partiahty.
out,

He

then asked them to draw

secretly

and confidentiaUy, a hst of

notorious
for

300
and

Druzes,

most

their

ferocity

barbarity,

and whose

public

execution would

strike terror.

The

deputies rephed, that there were so

many
and

Christians

whose

losses

had been
were

so severe,
so great
five

whose claims
bers of

for reparation

(numfifteen

them having had from

it

to

near relations massacred), that

possible for

would be im-

them

to

make

out such a hst, with

anytlnng like an approximation to truth, unless

they were allowed to return to Beyrout again

242

THE DEUZES AND THE MARONITES.

inquiries.

and make further

Fuad Pasha
the
Christians
"

told

them they might send

for

from

whom
are
so

they wished to

make

inqmries.
deputies,

They
"that

numerous," rephed the

their being

brought hither would be attended

with great
said

difficulty

and inconvenience." "Then,"

all

Fuad Pasha,
mere

" I perceive

your answers

are

evasions, the fact being that

to

you do

not

msh

comply with

my

request.

As

for

allowing you to go and collect particular evidence

as regards the

most notorious of the Druze

;

of-

fenders, that I cannot agree to

it

would occupy
esta-

too

much

time,

and I came up here and

do summary

bhshed a
If

tribunal, in order to

justice.

any of you have any particular accusations to

be ready to hear them.
If

substantiate, I shall
not,

and you

still

persist in

your

refusal,

you are

at

hberty to go

but I warn you that after your

departure hence not a smgie complaint will be

hstened to against a Druze, by either Christian

man, woman, or child."*

And
*

the deputies went away.

The foUo^dng

Two

days ago, a Druze was recognised by some of the

in Sidon, as one

Hasbeya widows

who had murdered

their

EELEASE OF DEUZE PEISONEES,

243

day 500 of the Druze prisoners were released, besides

some

thirty Metuahs, notorious assassins, each

having a paper given him that he was absolved

from

all

further accusation.

A short

time after-

wards about 240 of the remaining Druze prisoners

were exiled

to Tripoli

on the Barbary

coast, for

longer or shorter periods, with express instructions

that they

were

to

be kindly treated.

Thus the

great Druze

retribution
less "

grew "gradually small

and beautifully

and disappearing,

" Like the baseless fabric of a vision,

Left not a rack behind."

It

is

difficult

to

conceive

how

the Christian

deputies could have acted otherwise than they did.

Had
of

they entered upon the fimctions requu-ed

at

them by the Turkish executive

MucAtara,
false

they would have been placed in an utterly

position,

and assumed a

responsibility

which they

could not with

themselves;

any decency have taken upon

as they

would thereby have com-

promised,

if

not indeed completely sacrificed, the

serail before their eyes,

husbands in the
to pieces.

and nearly tore him

pasha in that
1861.

He

escaped,

and

Avas taken before the

!

town,

"vvho

immediately released him

July

1,

R 2

244

THE DRUZES AND THE MAROXITES.

the most solemn rights of

dearest interests and

the whole Christian

community

-their

most unit

questionable and

indefeasible rights, be

said,

to an extensive and a bloody retribution'

on the

heads of the remorseless shedders of Christian

blood.

There were scores of Druze

then-

assassins,

whose names were down on

about,

hst,

going

who

could easily have been seized, and

were not

seized.

There were scores more who

released.

had been

seized

and were

As

to

the
to

reduced number

of

300 Druze
justice

criminals

which the process of

first

was

about to be hmited, in the

place, such a
their

number

in

no way came up

to

view of

the extent of punishment which the Druze atrocities called for,

and which Fuad Pasha had led

;

them

to

expect

and

in the

next place, they

had formed a pretty good estimate of the kind

of justice they were likely to obtain from the
especial tribunal at

MucAtara (even had the hst

out and subjected before
it

of 300 been

made

to a rigorous investigation),

from the proceedings

of a trial which
that tribunal, in

had afready taken place before

which a Chiistian woman pro-

"

FUAD pasha's partiality.

diicecl tAvo

245

witnesses to convict a Druze of having

lier

miu'dered

husband, and was subjected to the

following frivolous and vexatious questions, turn-

ing the forms of justice into a burlesque.

"

With

what instrument did the prisoner

band

kill
it

your husa double-

with
?

gun or a sword? Was

barrelled

or a single-barrelled

gun?

Wliere-

abouts did the ball hit him? in the chest or in

the side
liis

Did the

ball lodge in or pass

fa,U

through
his

body?

Did he

on

his

back or on

face?"
If such "were

the questions put in one case,

satisfactory

and regular and

answers reqiured,

what Druze could have been convicted?

The
to the

woman

in question at last turned

round
said,

cadi in indignation

and

disgust,

and

"You
!

have forgot to ask

me

one important question,

to

whether
In
fact,

my

husband went

heaven or

to hell

the Christian deputies saw clearly they

fools of,

were being made

real intention to

and that there was no

do the wretched and miserable

justice

Christians

any kind of

whatever worth

the name.

They resolved
all

therefore to

wash

their

hands clean of

participation in such nefarious

R 3

"

246

THE DKUZES AXD THE MAROXITES.

proceedings, and to leave the

common

cause of

outraged and insulted Christianity in the hands

of Him,

who "hears

the cry of the

widow and

the oppressed," and

is

who
!

has declared " Vengeance

mine, I wiU repay

The French

soldiers landed in Syria

on the 16 th
against the

of August, 1860, singing

war songs

Druzes, and anticipating that they would be forth-

with called upon to take an active part in protecting and avenging the unfortunate Christians. a delay of about a month, spent in the pine
After

wood

near Beyrout, they were allowed to

ment.

make

a move-

The

chief object in view

it

was the capture

of the Druzes, preparatory, as

was loudly pro-

claimed, to condign punishment.

The Turkish

troops were reported to have completed a mihtary

cordon between the eastern slopes of the Lebanon

and the Houran, thus cuttmg

the latter direction.

off their retreat in

An

advance of troops from

the western side of the Lebanon, or the sea-side.

AEEIVAL OF THE FEENCH TEOOPS.

247
Druzes

was

all

that

was

requisite to confine the

within

circle

from which

it

was

declared

they could not possibly escape.

On

the 24 th of

September Fuad Pasha ascended into the Druze

mountains from Sidon.
pol, at the

General Beaufort d'Haut-

head of

his troops, divided into

two

columns of 2,000

men

each,

made a simultaneous

and

parallel
,

advance from Beyrout.

in

Several

hundred Christians followed

the

track of the French expedition, and committed

some

excesses.

Wound

up

to

a pitch of ex-

asperation which
plete impunity

knew no

control at the com-

which had hitherto attended the

barbarities

cold-blooded
slew,
it is

of

the

Druzes,

they

said,

upwards of one hundred of them,

including a few

women.

These deeds were per-

petrated out of the French line of march, and

consequently

escaped

notice

at

the

moment.

General Beaufort had no executive jurisdiction in

the

Lebanon

nevertheless,

whenever a

Christian,

convicted even of robbeiy, was brought before

him he was

severely handled.

Many, on the com-

plaints of the Druzes, suffered corporal punish-

ment

for the

most petty

thefts.

The

character of

s 4

248

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

the Erencli

army

for

exemplary discipline was

consequently in no wise affected by these transactions of the Christians.

After a few days' march through the mountains,

the Erench and Turkish generals descended into
the Bekaa, and met at the village of Jib-Jeneen,
at the foot of the Anti-Lebanon.
It there tran-

spired

that

owing

to

some unaccountable, but

most convenient, opening made

the military
to,

cordon of the Turkish army above alluded

the Druze sheiks with

more than 2000

clean

followers,

had succeeded
ITouran.

in

getting

away
to

into

the

Fuad Pasha endeavoured

tliis

console
tliis

General Beaufort for

disappointment,

un-

looked for " contretemps,"

remarking with winof-

ning courtesy and refined sarcasm, that adequate

measures had already been taken to capture the

fenders,

and concluded by inviting

liim to reascend

the Lebanon.

General Beaufort, bewildered, per-

plexed, and sorely chagrined at such a fruitless

and ridiculous termination

to his

co-operative

movement, expressed
terms.

his opinion in

no measured

But, as he was under

left

Fuad

Pasha's orders,

nothing was

to

him but

to accept his col-

ESCAPE OF THE DRUZES.

league's invitation, bid liim adieu,
steps.
"
!

249
liis

and retrace

" Farewell

Othello's occupation

's

gone

From

that day the French

in

were quartered in

different villages

the

mountain, not exactly

pruning-hooks,

turning
acting

their
as

swords

into
as

but

masons or
to

carpenters, in assisting
then"
cottao;es.

the

Christians

rebuild

The

greater part of
their rations

them spent

their time in eating

;

and smoking
to

their pipes

while

all

were obliged

remain passive and impotent spec-

tators of the

unavenged wrongs of the victims

of Turkish treachery

and Druze

ferocity.

General

Beaufort spent the seven following months at Beyrout, occasionahy varying the

monotony of

his hfe

by promenades
quieted
flicted

in the mountain, occasionally dis-

by
on

insults offered to,

and even blows

in-

his gallant soldiers

by Mohammedans,

without redress.

At

last,

" the long deferred but inevitable

day

arrived."

The sun

of the

5tli

of June, 1861, rose

resplendent on the French tricolom% but only to

shed glorious rays on

its

humihation.

The brave

250

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

iiiglit stealthily.

Zouaves embarked under cover of

general feeling of commiseration was excited

tliis

in all breasts at

pitiful exit of the

advanced

guard of a great nation.

On

the 8th, two battahons marched

down

to

the shore in open day with bands playing, but

evidently struggling

mth

feehngs which French

soldiers are fortunately rarely if ever called

upon

to experience.

The weather was hot and

in vain strove to hold

sultry.

The

officers

and men

up their

heads and appear animated

their very standards

looked drooping, downcast and abashed.

Thus ended the French occupation.

That the

presence of the French expeditionary force in

Syria exercised a most beneficial moral influence

cannot be denied.
of
security
it

It

induced a general feelmg

the
Christian

amongst

population,

while

overawed the

spirit

of

Mohammedan

fanaticism.

On

the

appearance of the French

districts of the

troops in the

mixed

Lebanon, the
fled in all

Druzes were perfectly panic-struck, and

directions: the sheiks hiding themselves in the

woods or

in caverns,

and the Avomen implormg

Christians.

shelter at the

hand of the

This state

THE FRENCH OCCUPATION NEUTRALISED.

of tilings continued for

251

more than two months.

disco vered that the

When, however, the Druzes

French were not coming to exterminate them, but, on the contrary, treated them with the greatest
forbearance, and

even gave them assurances of

freedom from molestation, they gradually regained

confidence and returned to their homes.

That the French were not more practically

useful,

especially

as

regarded the seizure and

punishment of the Druze malefactors, must be

ascribed solely to the jealousy with which their
intervention

was viewed, from the beginning, by

both the British and the Turkish Governments.

They had been

Syria,

little

more than two months

in

when her

Majesty's

Government declared

" that there were msuperable objections to a pro-

longed occupation

"

and recommended that the

pacification of the country should be left entirely

to the Turkish authorities
;

strangely admittmg at

the same time that " no security would be obtained

against a recurrence of the conflicts of Druzes
Christians
;

and

for that so long as the

two races

existed,

no permanent security could be obtained."*

* Correspondence on Affairs of Syria, 18G0

The

Gl, p. 186.

252

THE DKUZES AXD THE MAKOXITES.

Turkish Government thus countenanced was not

slow in
its

endeavours to neutrahse the intruding

element, either

by openly

rejecting the offers of

effective co-operation

and assistance made by the

French general, or by assuming an attitude of

supineness which rendered co-operation impossible.

Deeply mdeed

is

it

to

be regretted that such

to

unworthy feehngs should have been allowed

thwart the action of an expedition which might

otherwise have done signal service to the cause of
justice

and humanity.

Had

the British Govern-

ment nobly and magnanimously abjm^ed those

suspicions,

which the event has proved

to

have

been so groundless, gone straight in

of retribution, and, placing before

for the

work

its

eyes, as of

sacred and paramount importance, the punishment

of those

who had

so cruelly outraged Christianity,

given a cordial and unhesitating support to the

French intervention, there can be no doubt that

the Turkish authority in Syria

would have been

compelled to have taken very different measures

from those
to

it

did,

and would have been enabled

far

have accomphshed

higher results than

what have been achieved.

Had

such a desirable

BRITISH AND TURKISH JEA.LOUSY.

253

unanimity of sentiment existed, General Beaufort

would never,

after

having made a

fruitless pro-

menade

throu2;li

the

Druze mountains

in

the

month

of September 18G0, been coolly invited

" to reascend the

Lebanon."

An onward

move-

ment would have been

insisted on,

and the Druzes

might have been attacked, surrounded, taken and

subjected to

summary execution
:

in the midst of

thek' strongholds

for the active instigators

and per"

petrators of the massacres, the "

most barbarous

of the Druzes, including

to the

many

influential chiefs,
all

amount of more than 2000 men, had

retreated into the Houran, only four days'

march

from the Lebanon.

Had Fuad Pasha

Houran,

stationed himself at Damascus,

and from thence issued orders for an expedition

into the
its

success, as far as

depended

on human
of the

calculations,

was

certain.

The period
Arab
tribes,

year was favourable, the

less

always more or

in

a state of warfare "with

the Druzes of that district, would have lent their

aid agamst

them

and the more eagerly on the

present occasion, because they were

known

to

be

laden with booty; while a French and Turkish

254

THE DRUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

their full

column of 5000 men each, with

plement of cavalry and
artillery,

com-

and commanded

by such

dashing, able and experienced officers as

Generals Beaufort and Kmety, marching, by combination on the Houran, and,

into the heart of the Ledja*,
if

necessary,

even
the

would have

left

Druze brigands and

tive of death

assassins
field,

merely the alternaChas-

on the

or submission.

tisement would thus have been signally inflicted

on the most notorious dehnquents, the claims of

justice

promptly and gloriously

satisfied,

European

honour and superiority vindicated, and, greatest

boon of

all to

England and the Porte, the French

of
-f*

occupation,

instead

being

prolonged might

have been shortened.

*

stony, barren

district

in the Houran, to wliicli the

Drtizes usually retire as a last resource.

]

Since the above chapter was written the Turkish

to the

officials

and the Druze sheiks condemned

imprisonment
for life

commuted sentence of
to Constantinople

have been removed

but no one imagines for one

for
life,

moment

that the punishment, as

will be carried out.

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION.

255

CHAP.
October
5,

IX.

1860, First Meeting at Beyrout of the European

Commission.
Meeting.

The

March

5,

1861, the Twenty-fifth and last

charitable Contributions from Europe.

his private Purse 5000/.

Lord DufFerin advances from

The Damascus, Hasbeya, and Rascheya. Lord

The Compensation
discussed.

distracted

widows of

DuiFerin's sense

of Justice and Indignation

he demands prompt Punish-

The Slaughter of 5000 human Beings remains unpunished. Sudden Sympathy the Druzes. Gmlt of the Turkish proved. General Eeprieve of the
ment.
for

Officers

Criminals

Appeal

to Christian

Europe

for Justice.

Early

in the

month

of July 1860, the British

and

French cabinets, on the suggestion of the

agreed to

latter,

make

a proposal to the Turkish Govern-

ment, that a Commission of Delegates from the

Porte and from the great powers should be sent
to the Lebanon, for the purpose of investigating

the

circumstances attending the recent acts

in that district.
its

of

violence
to

This Commission was

have for

object, to determine the responsi-

bihty of all persons connected in these proceedings

256
to

THE DRUZES AXD THE MAEONITES.

consider
wliat
;

punishment or compensation
finally, to

might be due and,

their

submit to the Sultan

opinion upon the measures best calculated

to prevent further calamities.*

The Porte had long admitted the

European intervention in the
and though
it

principle of

affairs

of the Lebanon,

naturally

would have preferred an

its

independent action for

judicial

and adminis-

trative capacity in the disturbed provhice, yet, as

the precedent
it

had been unquestionably

left

established,

had nothing
it

but to submit
itself,
its

\vith

the best

graces

could, consoling

no doubt, with the

usual adi^oitness,
it

hope, that by the exercise of

would succeed
vient to
its

in

making the Commission

purposes.
If the

subser-

own

operation of

the

Commission were incommoding, the Porte

it
;

might thwart or paralyse

elements

or,

with so

many
the
its

of discord to preclude

unanimity,

Porte might easily

make

it

the scapegoat for

auspices,
for

own

shortcomings.

Under such

the

International
its

European Commission
meeting
at Beyrout,

Spia held

first

ofiicial

October 5th,

18G0.
* Syrian Corresjwudence, 1860

61,

p. 6.

FUTILITY OF NON-INTERVENTION".

257

Sad

satire, it

must be admitted, on the notable

!

doctrine of " non-intervention

"

Whoever

first

broached that doctrine, or induced the British

Government

to

adopt

it,

must be held mainly

responsible for the late calamities in Syria.

For, had the British

Government intervened
affairs

during the preceding three years in the

the Lebanon, as
it

of
it

ought to have done, and as

principles of right,

was bound both by

ings of

and by

feel-

honour

to

have done, more than any other

as in
its

European power, inasmuch

1840

it

solemnly

guaranteed to the Lebanon

piness
profit
;

welfare and hap-

had

it

condescended to notice, and to

constantly forits

by the valuable information

to
it

warded

during that period by

consular

authorities,

as well as the timely

;

w^arnmgs they

repeatedly gave

and had

it

promptly and firmly

insisted at the Porte

on the removal of those funcit

tionaries

whose proceedings

was

clearly given to

understand were inevitably tending to throw the

Lebanon
all

into concision

and disorder, nothing of

could
this,

that

has

happened

possibly

have
to

occurred.

But instead of

madly thinking

bring about a

new

era of strength and independs

258

THE DKUZES AND THE MARONITES.

tlie

ence to the Ottoman empire, by enforcing

doctrine

of "non-intervention,"

it

sunk into a
as to the

state of utter supineness

and indifference
district,

well-being of that important

only to be

awoke

to a sense of duty

by the horrors of war,

conflagration

and massacre.
Commission extended over
its

The

laboiu-s of the

a space of five months,

last

and twenty-fifth
During
its

meeting taking place March 5th, 1861.*

this

period

it

was occupied,

as

far

as

in-

adequate powers permitted, in the general work

of reorganisation
;

of endeavouring to restore the

scattered Christians to their

their ruined tenements
;

homes

of rebuilding

of fixuig the
;

amount of
all

their pecuniary indemnities

of supervising

the

criminal procedures against the inculpated Turkish

authorities

and the Druze malefactors

and

lastly,

of fi^aming such a plan of government for

fair to

the Lebanon as might bid

tants that peace, order,

give

its inliabi-

and security which they

for

had been vainly invoking

* The members of
tlie

twenty years.
:

Commission were as follows

Fuad Pasha for Turkey; Lord Dufferin and Claneboye for England; M. Beclard for France; M. Novikow for Russia; M. Weckbecker for Austria M. Rehfaes for Prussia.
;

THE CHARITABLE CONTEIBUTIONS.

It

259

would be

useless to attempt to describe the

suffer-

aggravated wretchedness, the mtensity of

mg

which

at

one

time

impended over

the

miserable

widows and orphans

who thronged

from the scenes of massacre to Beyrout and Sidon.

The Druzes laughed

them with

at their desolation,

taunted

their calamity,

and savagely told them

they had been spared that " their hearts might

bleed!"
their fell

The Turks,
object,

after

having accomphshed
callously

had withdrawn

from

the theatre of carnage.

to

The

pall of death

seemed

be

graduaUy overshadowing

the
;

emaciated

forms of these wretched outcasts

friendly

and had no

hand been extended, they Avould hteraUy

have perished by thousands of sheer starvation.

Let
this

appalhng fact be remembered, when-

ever the mind, horror-struck, unforgetful and unforgiving, thinks of the authors
this

and

instigators of

gigantic outrage

against

Christianity.

The

charitable contributions
in

which fortunately poured

first

from Europe on the

news of the great

disaster,

and especially from France and Engwell

as

land,

as

from

America,

soon

spread

their vivifying streams

s

over the arid waste of

2

260

THE DRUZES AND THE MAROXITES.

blank despair

and an Anglo-American committee

was formed
which, by
its

for the

management of the

funds,

untiring and indefatigable energy,

destitutioin.

contrived to stem the torrent of

Lists of the

bereaved sufferers were made out

districts.

according to their villages and

niary
assistance

Pecu-

was given
;

at

the rate of two

shillings

per head

large quantities of flour as

;

well as of clothing were distributed

hospitals

were estabhshed
taken
to

and every possible measure

the

alleviate

general distress.

The

Turkish authorities also contributed their mo-

dicum of
were
theh:

relief;

but

how

utterly

inadequate
necessities

means compared with the

of the occasion,
that
in

may be judged from

of

the fact,

the

month

November
the
daily

theu-

funds

completely
issued

failed,

and

rations

they

would have been altogether stopped, had

not Lord Dufferin in the handsomest manner come

forward, and advanced them a loan from his

own

private purse of 5000/., to rescue the unfortunate

recipients of Turkish charity

from
its

starvation.

The Commission
first

directed

attention, in the

place, to the

question of Christian iudem-

LOKD dufferin's geneeosity.

nities,

261

which,

mcluding the

losses

incurred at

Damascus, in the Lebanon and the surrounding

countr}^,

were estmiated

at nearly three

millions
it

sterhng.

Li the month of December 1860

adjourned to Damascus, in order to form some

idea of
the

extent

of
its

destruction

which had
it

there occurred.

On

return to Beyrout
to

ap-

phed
lating^

itself

assiduously

the

task

of calcu-

the

amount

of

contribution

which

it

would be

feasible to raise

from the non-Christian

populations most implicated in the

work

of spoli-

ation and massacre, and of devising the best

man-

ner for carrying that object into practice.

losses of the Christians of

The

Damascus alone were

estimated in the

first

place at one milhon and a

quarter, but this estimate

to 700,000/. as a

was afterwards reduced

;

minimum

(the price of lost

jewellery,
it

which was enormous, not included), and

this

was determined that

sum should be exacted

from the Mohammedans of that Pashahck.

proposal was

A
it

made by

the

Ottoman Commis-

sioner to levy a contribution

on the Druzes, but

was

over-ruled.
after all the local
s

Still,

endeavours that could be

3

262

THE DEUZES AND THE MARONITES.

to realise tlie requisite

made

amount, it was manifest

to be pro-

that an

immense

deficit

would remain

vided

for.

The Commissioners would, no doubt,

in clearing their

have succeeded

way

to a tangible

result, or, at all events,

have

finally resolved

on

some measure which would have given the unfortunate Christians some chance of obtainino: their
due, and of touching an adequate compensation,

when, to
teenth

their surprise, towards the close of their fif-

sitting,

Fuad Pasha informed them

that the
trans-

whole question of the indemnities had been

ferred to Constantmople.

His Government, he de-

clared, reserved to itself the right of deciding

on

the

manner in which the indemnities should be fixed

as well as the repartition of imposts ne-

and paid,

cessary to their being raised.

question,

Thus

this

important

on which the

fiitm^e welfare, nay,

even

the future existence of thousands of Christians de-

pended, was summarily taken out of the hands of

tliose

men who by

being on the spot were the best

in
all
its

able to judge of

it

bearings

in

whose

hands, indeed, it ought to have been exclusively left

and whose

decision, as regarded every separate

indemnity, ought to have been final and without

THE QUESTION OF INDEMNITIES.

appeal.

263

The Commissioners alone should have

power
in apportioning

possessed this uncontrolled

the indemnities, because the Tm^kish authorities,

themselves the authors of

all

the calamities, and

perfectly indifferent as to the ultimate fate of the

sufferers, if left

to

their

own

inspu-ations,

would

naturally

endeavour to reduce

the

amount of
figure.

compensation to the lowest possible

it

As

was, the adjudication was referred to the Porte,

it

where, as a matter of course,

would be

ig-

norantly and prejudicially discussed, and settled,

if settled

at

all,

not on prmciples of a generous

commiseration, but on those of a heartless and mifeeling

economy.
matter of surprise that the Commissioners

It is a

did not at once indignantly refuse to submit to

such an insulting nulhfication of then- undoubted

prerogative, and

declare

their

determination to

refer to their courts for fresh instructions

subject.

on the
for the

Li

fact,

there

was but one course

Commission

to

have pm'sued from the begmning,

have drawn up a report stating
wliicli,

and that was,

the
full

to

amount of indemnity

on the largest
required
;

and most hberal

scale, the Cliristians

6

and

264

THE DKUZES AXD THE MAROMTES.

then to have pouited out, in the strongest manner,

that the only possible

way m Vv^hich

that indemnity

could ever be obtamed, would be by one or two of

the great powers advancing the whole
to the Turkish

sum

as a loan
it,

Government, compelling

at the

same time,

to h}^othecate the Syrian revenues for

the repayment of the

money advanced.
this firm

In place of taking

and decided

step,

the French Commmissioner, speaking the sense of

his

colleagues,

expressed the astonishment and

profound regret which such a decision had inspired,

since
it

would necessarily induce delays

all

the

execution of a measure which

the

members of

the Commission unanimously considered " to be of the

most

vital

importance."*

The

result

was

exactly

what any child could have

foretold. After

a lapse of two months, the Ottoman Commissioner

informed the Commission that the Porte, lookino; to

the slenderness of
its

resources, could not afford to

pay the Christians of Damascus more than 350,000^.

and that even that sum could only be paid in
six

months' instalments over a space of three years.

* Syrian Correspondencej 18G0

61, pp. 313, 314.

UNEQUAL INDEMNIFICATION.
It is doubtful

265

whether
;

this

pittance will ever be

as

scraped together

and even such sums

have been

coUected are distributed more with a view to bribe

certain of the Christians to collusion
less
tice.
in'

the heart-

robbery, than in the

spirit

of equity and jus-

The heads

of the clergy and a few of the

influence of

notables
the

more immediately under the

Government have received

fiill,

their indemnificaseals, in

tion nearly in to

putting their

exchange,
is

documents
;

attesting that

ample

justice

being

done

Avhile, after

waiting for nearly a year, the

poor traders and

artificers,

whose

sole

hving is from

hand

to

mouth the wretched widows and orphans,

;

who have no

earthly

means of subsistence whatpayment,

ever, are put off with paper promises of

on the principle

laid

down by the

Porte

the paysome
mitil they

ment not amounting'to a

quarter, and, in

cases, not to a tenth part of their estabhshed claims,

and the paper not being given

have signed receipts to the

to

them

effect that

they have

been paid

in. full.

When

this iniquitous

procedure was
suiTerers,

first

pro-

mulgated, the miserable

panic-stricken,

appalled and
to tmii for

knew

not which

way

266

THE DKUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

consolation
filled

and
air
;

relief.

The

distracted

widows

the

with their indignant

cries of re-

monstrance

for they clearly foresaw that the un-

just pittance about to

be given them in successive

as
it

instalments,

would gradually,

came
;

in,

be

consumed

to supply their daily wants

and that
left,

when

all

was thus expended they would be

and
houseless, to

friendless

embrace abject penury

or certain death.

Hundreds thronged the Euro-

pean consulates imploring their assistance and

interference
to

save

them

from

this

crush mg

blow, but only to be farther tortured by useless

expressions of commiseration and inabihty to help.

The

Christians of the

Lebanon are

all in
;

a similar
helpless

predicament, as regards their indemnities

victims of a spoliation and injustice which the

Porte ruthlessly commits, and which Europe, to

all

appearance, callously sanctions.

The poor widows of Hasbeya and Eascheya,

the anti-Lebanon,

in

had hoped indeed

that the sale

of then" ohve crops would have brought

them

in a

small

competence,
to struggle

which would have enabled

on
for a

them

few months; for the

Turkish authorities had undertaken to protect

SAD FATE OP THE POOR WIDOWS.

tlie

267

crops from the Druzes, and to have

:

them

gathered in at the proper season

but instead of

receiving eight hundred untars, the regular pro-

duce, they are told that there are no

thirty-five untars,

more than

and even these they have not

to

received.

And,

complete

all,

they

have

been ordered to return to their homes, without

the shghtest arrangement being giving
for

made

either for

them

shelter

and covering, or for providing

:

their future

subsistence

return
still

to

their

homes where

their houses

are

heaped up

together in burnt and blackened masses of crumbhno; ruins,

and where the bones of

their

mur-

dered and unrevenged husbands, brothers and

sons are bleachmg in the mid-day sun
!

Such are
all

the tender mercies of the Turks

And
is

this

unblushing swindluig and oppression

trated,

perpe-

and

all

these shameless proceedings

go

smoothly on, almost in the presence of a French

army, and actually in the presence of the com-

bmed

fleets

of England and France

As one

of the main instructions issued to the

it

Commission was, that

circumstances

should inquire into the

the
recent
civil

attending

war,

268

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

responsibility
it

and determine the

connected witli
its

of

all

persons

proceedings,

appeared to the

Commissioners indispensable that they should be

kept
acquainted

with

all

judicial

processes,

whether against the Tiu-kish ftmctionaries, or the

Druze
that,

chiefs

and commonalty
that

and more than on

their

they insisted

agents

parts

should attend the

trials,

and that not a sentence

execution without their

should be carried into

sanction and approval.

The Ottoman Commis-

sioner considered such pretensions to be inadmissible,

and expressed

his opinion that the

its

Commis-

sion should confine

labours exclusively to the

" general investigation," as

any interference

m the

"judicial investigation" might affect the mdepen-

dence of the tribunal appointed to try the accused.

The

firmness of the British Commissioner at once

defeated this attempt of the Turkish authorities to

free themselves
sarily

from a control which would neces-

thwart any plans they might entertain of

to the

making the ends of justice subservient

ing of a political triumph.
trials

gamin the

The proceedings

of the Druze chiefs

indeed, already com-

menced, clearly exhibited such a tendency.

LORD DUFFERIN'S SEXSE OF JUSTICE.

269

Lord Dufferin declared,

Commission
judicial

that

if

the right of the

in
all

to

full

participation

the

investigations

was not immediately con-

ceded, he should present himself formally at the

doors of the court-house, in order that the responsibihty

of refusing

liim

admission

might
His

rest
col-

entirely with

the Turkish authorities.*

leagues unanimously supported

of the
rights

him
to

in this

view

which belonged

them.

Fuad

Pasha, then at Damascus, was forthwith informed

of the attitude they

had thus assumed, and the next

mail from that city brought the information that

he had yielded the

point.

At

their fifth meeting,

October 23rd, 1860, the following formula was

drawn up,

as a basis for their future conduct

"The Commission assumes

a collective action,

both as regards the inquuy into the causes and

origin of the late events,

and

as regards the guilt

and culpabihty of the leaders of the

and of the agents of the Turkish
Althouo'h the
ri2;ht

insm^rection,

authorities. "f

of intervention, which the

Commissioners had thus successfully vindicated

* Syrian Correspondence,
t Ibid.
p.

18G0 HI,

p.

189.

206.

270

THE DRUZES AXD THE MAKONITES.

for themselves,

was founded on the best motives,

and in some measure prevented the perpetration

of

wrong

yet

it

undoubtedly in no shght degree

justice,

impeded the march of

and mainly con-

tributed to that extraordinary and unparalleled

denouement^ in which the Syrian

description, as far as regarded the

trials

of every

Lebanon, ended.
so

The enormities enacted by the Druzes were

notorious, their authors so well

known, the

evi-

dence to convict them so abundant and so

able,
tliat

attain-

justice

had only

to

strike

with her

sword, as well as hold her

scales, blindfolded, to

have effected a

fair

and ample

retribution.

But

weeks and months rolled on, and the Ottoman

Commissioner
still

seemed perfectly unconscious

of the imperative duty he was called upon to perform.

patient

The Commission

at

len<2^tli

became imrole,"

and almost ashamed of the passive "

it,

assigned to
it

and

feeling the great responsibihty

would incur by even the semblance of con-

nivance at such an unaccountable, not to say suspicious, delay,

earnestly urged the

adoption of

speedy and decisive measures.

his part,

Fuad Pasha, on

contented himself by giving the

Com-


LORD DUFFERIN'S INDIGNATION.

271

missioners repeated assurances of his intention to

proceed

witli

the

work

of

punishment

and
an

throwing out the word " to-morrow,"

energy whicli
to their

witli

unripe experience seemed

left

pregnant of instant action,

them

to follow at

" their leisure that excruciating " will o' the wisp

of Turkish diplomacy.

Her
awaken

Majesty's Commissioner
to

was the

first

to

full

sense of the folly, not to say

ignominy, of

this delusive chase,

and

in

an admirto

able interpellation to

Fuad Pasha*, gave him

its

understand
the

tliat

patience had

limits,

and that
postliis

demands of Europe could no longer be

poned.

With

just surprise
:

and indignation
limits

Lordship exclaims

"

Within the

of

the
to

Lebanon 5000 humnn beings have been put

the edge of the sword, 200 villages have been

burnt, and not a single
individual concerned in

these atrocious acts has suffered for his crimes

Yet

for

weeks the

Sultan's troops

have been

in un-

disputed occupation of the mountain, and months

have elapsed since your Excellency's arrival

in

the province gave promise that the day of retri1)u* Syrian CoiTCspondcnce, 18GU
Gl, p. 225.

272
tion

THE DRUZES AXD THE MAROXITES.

was

at hand."

Again

" Policy and justice

inflicted

alike require that

punishment should be
"

with the utmost

celerity."

On

this occasion

such

a signal example should be given as shah for ever

convince these Lebanon tribes that from henceforth, neither the Sultan's

Government nor Europe

wiU permit a

repetition of simihar atrocities."

Lord DufTerin was even of opinion

that

Fuad

Pasha's " delay in punishing the Druzes was to

be accounted
tion

for, partly,

by

a feehng of

compunc-

dealing too harslily with a people whose

excesses, his

conscience

tells

him, have been en*

This, per-

couraged by
haps,

officers of the Porte."

was

striking the right chord.

For

if

the
it,

Druzes were instruments, and

who

can doubt

no one jorobably knew better than the

Minister for

Sultan's

Foreign Affairs wJiose instruments

they were

The Commission, a few days

its

afterwards, and at

tenth sitting f, unanimously responded to the

sentiments so ably expressed by the British

missioner.

Com-

With one accord they voted

that the

* Syrian Correspondence, 1860

t Ibid. p. 242.

fil, p.

273.

DELAYED PUNISHMENT OF THE DEUZES.

273

punishment of the Driizes ought to be prompt and

summary
placed
:

regular

procedures would be
to
strike

mis-

it

was

necessary

quick and

hard

the Druzes ought to be proceeded against

summarily, mihtarily, without attending in any

way

to the ordinary rules

of judicial processes:

an immediate example was absolutely necessary.

The Ottoman Commissioner,

to the occasion,

affecting to

warm up

and

to

be inspired with the enthu-

siasm of justice then displayed, begged anxiously

to

be informed whether the Druze malefactors,

after they

had been

seized, should

be assembled
execution,

together at Beyrout previous

to

or

whether he should estabUsh an ambulatory tribunal

iQ the mountain, which, to place,

moving about from place

and

to the

very spots even of the late

it

massacres, should strike off heads as

went along

The

British

Commissioner demanded in the name of

humanity, that the condemned, on being led out to

receive the fatal blow, should not be unnecessarily

tortured

by repeated

cuts of the sword.

To

all

appearances the European Commissioners

their
point.
roll

had gamed

In a few days more

off

Druze heads would

by

scores.

The

274

THE DEUZES

A^^D

THE MARONITES.
their mis-

Turks, despite
givings

tlieir religious scruples,

and

evasions,

would be compelled

to

avenge the shedding of Christian blood in the Lebanon.

Outraged Christianity would be appeased.

their

But

Ottoman colleague was

skilful in fence.

At

the conclusion of the sitting, he mildly sugtrials

gested to the Commission, that, as the

of the
it

Druze sheiks

at

Beyrout were

still

pending,

would be better

to await their residt, before dealif

ing with the Druzes in the mountain (as

the

two matters were

nected).

in

the slightest degree con-

The

plea was admitted, the suggestion

adopted.

deadly thrust had been

skilful.
is

made

at

him.

The parry was

that,

He had
as

gained time, and

as nine points out

with the Turk,

good

of twelve in the game.

And now was

exhibited with consummate

art,

before the eyes of the Commissioners, and those of the native Christians, that specious and illusive

machinery which has been treated of

in the pre-

cedmg

chapter.

The

calling in of bishops, the

naming of
oaths, the

notables, the secret pledges, the solemn

drawing up of

hsts,

the returning of
of Druzes,

hsts, the revision of lists, the seizure

MISPLACED SYMPATHY FOE THE DRUZES.

275

the mighty promises made, the large expectations

held out, the decking out of justice in gorgeous

raiment and glorious apparel

alas
!

but, in the end,

buffeted.

to be

mocked
from

at,

spat

upon and

Suddenly,

certain

mysterious

sources,

sprung up a stream of sympathy for the Druzes.

The

atrocities
;

which those butchers had com-

mitted

the thousands of Christians they had mur-

dered, with every possible aggravation of cold-

blooded and relentless barbarity

the

women

they

had hacked

to pieces

the infants they had torn

;

asunder at the mother's breast

liberately rushed
stir

their having defield

from

their
at

own

of blood to

up the massacre

Damascus, which, but

oc-

for their hellish

agency, would never have

curred*

their having stood in picked bands at

city,

the gate of that

with bared arms and grasp-

ing their deadly yatagans,

to

howhng
satiate

for admission
thirst for

the

castle,

there

to

their

Christian blood, even yet unslaked,

by the slaughter
its

of

all

the

poor fugitives assembled within

Abd-el-Kader drew Fiiad

Paslia's attention to

tliis

no-

torious fact at their first interview.

T 2

276

THE DEUZES AND THE MAEONITES.

:

precincts

all

those appalling facts were well nigh

submerged.

For what were the Druzes to blame

the fashion to say.
self-defence.

it

became

All they had done was

m
at

Had

not the Maronites for years

past been crouching

their

hke
it

tigers

ready to spring

throats

Was

not the Maronites

who

began the war ?

barbarities?

Had
when

they not,

also,

committed

Had

they not cooUy killed some

following the French

dozens of Druzes,
into the

army

momitain ?

Would

they not, had they

gained the day, have committed excesses at least

equal
to, if
?

not exceeding, those committed by the

there not Cliristian criminals as

Drues

Were

great, if not greater, than the

Druzes

Finally,
?

had they not demanded 4600 Druze heads

monsters
!

the

Had
?

not the Druzes been already se-

verely punished

Had

they not for months been

like wild beasts,

wandering about their momitains

the sword suspended over their heads, or hiding

themselves in caves of the earth, feeding on black

bread made of acorns*, and on the roots of the

field.

* This black bread the Druzes

made

for the occasion, to

impose upon the credulous who inquired into their condition.

GUILT OP THE TUEKISH OFFICERS.

277

The Turks were

of feehng.

in raptures at this revulsion

all,

Perhaps, after

the

ambulatory
as

tribunal mio-ht be established

for

Christians

well as Druzes.

Certain

it

is,

opinions of this

nature at last found an echo in the heart of the

Commission

itself.

The plan of summary proceThe

dure against the Druzes was abandoned.

greatest alarm

was entertained

lest

one of these

unfortunate victims should be put to death innocently.

it

To guard

against so frightful a contingency,

capitally

was resolved that no Druze should be

tried,

except on the charge of having murdered in

cold blood an unarmed man,

that the evidence of

woman, or child, and

be

two

eye-vd.tnesses should

considered necessary to secm'e a capital conviction.

In the mean time the

officials

trials

of the Tm-kish

and Druze sheiks

close.

at

Beyrout had been

brought to a

Lord

Dufferin, in

his

interpellation to

Fuad

Pasha, had

made
:

use of the following remark-

able expressions

classes of criminals

"AmonQ;st the three

who

stand arraigned at the bar of Europe, the guilt

of those Tm^kish officers and magistrates, whose
T 3

278
apatliy

THE DEUZES AND THE MARONITES.

or
it

connivance

intensified

the

horror

of what

was

their

duty to have prevented,

must ever remain pre-eminent."

The cue was

thus obtained, as to the opinion entertained by

the British Commissioner, at

least,

with regard

to the conduct of the Turkish officers impHcated in

the late events.

to

It

was evident that any sentence,

must place those
officers in

meet

his approval,

the

first class

of criminals, and visit

them with the

highest

degree of

punishment.

The Austrian

Commissioner was known to be averse to any executions whatever.

The other Commissioners were

to exact the

known

to

be prepared

utmost rigour

of the law.

By

sentencing, therefore, the

officials

Druze

sheiks to death,

and the Tuikish

merely to

imprisonment, not only would the apple of discord

be flung into the midst of the Commission, but the

chances were that
all

the criminals

who had

ap-

peared before the tribunal would benefit by the

dissension thus created.

The
exactly

effect

produced by

this

manoeuvre was

what had been

anticipated.

From

the

moment the sentences

the Commission

so framed

were promulgated,
in interminable

became engaged

FUAD PASHA AT MUCffTARA.

disputes

279

and

altercations

on the subject, and could

never arrive at any decision whatever.

Fuad

Pasha now proceeded to MucAtara, leaving the

Commissioners to
extricate

themselves as best
caudines
thrust.

they could out of the fourches

into

which they had been dexterously

The proceedings
amply recorded
unnecessary.
It

at

MucAtara have been so

to

that

any further allusion

them is

should be remarked, however, that

called " a

by what Fuad Pasha

to

summary

process,"

which the

activity

and vigilance of Colonel

Praser not a httle contributed, twenty-five Druzes

had been condemned

to death,

on the
for

clearest

and

most unquestionable evidence,

one of them,
slain in cold

having, each

blood more than a

of
for.

dozen Christians.

The immediate execution

was strongly called

these blood-thirsty savages

Fuad Pasha, however, on the

tion of executions

plea that a repetieffect

would not have the same

as one grand execution

on one and the same day,

at various places throughout all the

mountam,

suggested that the Druze malefactors at MucAtara

should not be executed until the fate of the Druze

sheiks at Beyrout

had been determined.

T 4

The

"

280

THE DRUZES AND THE MARONITES.

crafty suggestion

was adopted.

Another delay,

and again time gained.

The Ottoman Commissioner retm^ned

rout to find the Commission in
all

to

Bey-

the throes of

an

impossible

dehvery.

Each

Commissioner

would study and pour over the

of the trials separately
;

" proces-verbal

then

all

the Commissioners

would lay

their heads together

;

and read them

call

over collectively

then they would

in

the

members

of the tribunal to assist

:

them
In

in their

lucubrations

all

to

no purpose.

common
tail

parlance, they could

make

neither head nor

of

the whole

affair.

The Austrian Commissioner thought

ish
officers

the Turk-

accused had done their duty.

death

The

Prussian was for putting to

Turks and

Druzes ahke.

The Eussian had

a pocket tribunal

of his own, and rejecting the proceedings of the

Turkish tribunal, as absurd and derisory, gathered

his

own

information as to the culjDability of

all

the

criminals,

and founded on

it

his

own

decision.

The French only wanted two

DiTize heads, but

made

a deadly

tilt

at the

head of that precious

Said

exemplar of the Druze aristocracy,

Bey

FUAD pasha's delays.

281

Jumblatt, to whose rescue, however, the British

Commissioner advanced with a

spirit

of chivaby
at

worthy of a better cause, not objecting,

the

same time,

to the execution of

some

thirty

or

forty of the smaller

quisition

Druze

fry.

The

field

of dis-

was evidently becoming more and more

In place of being discussed
it

contracted every day.

on the broad principles of justice and humanity,

was gradually being fought out on the narrow

basis of political jealousy
It w^as

and contention.
all

absolutely necessary that

this

un-

seemly bickering should be brought to a

close.

Accordingly, at the twenty-fourth meeting of the

Commission,

March 2nd,

1861,

the

Ottoman

Commissioner, after having for six mortal hours

patiently withstood a gaUing cross-fire

from

his

European

colleagues, stepped

forward and ex-

pressed " his deep regret that the revision of the

processes to which the Commission

had apphed

themselves had led to no

result,

and that the

as

divergence

of opinion was

as

great

ever.

Under these cuxumstances he had

nothiuQ- to do

but to refer the whole subject to Constantinople."*

* Syrian Correspondence, 18G0

61, p. 506.

282

THE DEUZES AXD THE MAEONITES.

Often

Another delay and again time gained!

previously

when asked by anxious

inquirers

when

the executions were to begin, he would naivety

re^^ly,

"when

these

gentlemen have made up

their minds."

And

to Constantinople, in effect, the

whole mass
There the

of the judicial investigations

was

sent.

bubble burst.

With

the consent

of

the Christian

powers^ the great Druze-Mohammedan retribution

ended in a general reprieve for criminals, murderers

and

assassins

of

every

sect,

class

and

degree, engaged in the massacres

not a hair of

one of whose heads has been, or

is to be

touched

even including the barbarous Mohammedans of

Sidon,

who were

tried,

and clearly convicted of

but

having, without any provocation whatever,

merely out of a wild and fanatical hatred to then"

rehgion,
ruthlessly

slaughtered

the

men and

violated the

women

of the poor Christian fugitives

city for

who

fled

from the mountain to that

shelter

APPEAL TO JUSTICE.
Christian' readers
is
it

283
monstrous
? ?
it

Is not
? is
it

all

this

not incredible

not heartless
faith P is

is

not degrading to our

common

it

not

inhuman ?
Christian
that

peoples

Have you

yet to

learn

the best

interests

of Christianity, in those

regions once hallowed

by the presence of the

sacrificed

Lord and Saviour of mankind, are

on the
altar

of diplomacy

frittered

away by
the wiles

diplomatists vainly struggling

against

which circumvent them, and paralysed by the very

power they crudely

affect to regulate

and guide ?
long will

Christian emperors

and kings

How
and

you continue

to desecrate the sacred cause

you

so ostentatiously pretend to espouse,

to bring

contumely, reproach and disaster on the Christians

of the
East,

by your

spurious protection, your

baneful jealousies, your selfish intrigues, and your

blundering

ambitions

How

long

will

you

tarnish your crowns, sully your sceptres,

and put

the

name

of Christ to open shame,

by submitting

to be led captives of the

Turk?

284

NOTES.
Note
1
.

The pronunciation of ch in Muc/itara and

same
as the Grerman,

Zac/tle, is the

Welsh

or Spanish

guttural sound.

The

spelling of the

name Beshir
;

(the

sh pronounced rather sharper than the English sh) was

rendered in the "

spelt

Mount Lebanon " Bechir Shehab was

Shehaab
2.

Beit-ed-deen was spelt Ebtedeen.

Note

In the sixth chapter, the amount of Chris" Eascheya

" in the serail

tians massacred at

should be

stated as

700
^

in place of 250.

Note

3.

In the same chapter, speaking

of

the

taking of Zac/tle, I stated that the Druzes formed an

escort to conduct the Christian

women

out of the town.

:

In

this place, the following foot-note

was omitted
tlieir

* " Wliile giving the Druzes credit for

general for-

bearance towards the women, I must at the same time state

that at Hasbej^a

and Deir-el-Kamar many old women, some

indeed, bed-ridden, and several

young

girls,

were butchered

by them
to the

in the

most inhuman and ferocious manner.

'

Even

women

they spared they savagely exclaimed, "We spare

! '

your hves that your hearts may burn

"

285

POSTSCRIPT.
Since
luJiich

the above

was

written,

a mixed Commission, in

her Majesty^s Government is most ably represented

by Colonel Fraser, has been sitting alternately at Da-

mascus and Beyrout, for

the verification of the claims

of the Christians for losses sustained in

Damascus

and

the

Lebanon.

A
its

year

and a

half has elapsed

since it

commenced

labours, but nothing like

an
The

adequate compensation has yet been awarded.

desire of the

Ottoman Government

to

bring dcuvn the

indemnities
defeated,

to the loiuest possible figure,

has hitherto

and

will continue to defeat, the best intentions

on

the part of the

European Commissioners

to

procure

justice.

tONBOlf

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WIIH A PULL AND CORRECT ACCOUNT OF THE

DRUZE RELIGION,
Ana
AI>J TRIBES, from Personal eontaining HISTORICAL HI- CORDS of the Intercourse with their Cliiefs and other Autlientic Sources.

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Yonder azure mountains, which blend so softly with the ethereal sl<ies around them, enclose the scenes of His career, who-e weapons were the Words of Peace whose doctrines fell on the hearts of His followers like the gentle dews of Heaven, with ever fresh and invisoratint; influence, summoning them to jialience, humility, and endurance, as the ensiins of their warfare and the basis of their iriumiihs; and who consiimed to tliem the mission sacred, and lasting as the world itself of uniting together the great family of mankind in one common bond of Faith, Charity, and Love.
;

" The glory of the Lebanon

shall

come unto thee."

Isaiah,

Is. 13.

CONTENTS.
Vol. I. An Acconnt of the Aristocratic or sreat Feudal Families, and their Oovemment; the Natural Produce of the Country, and its Topographical Divisions tlie Early History of the Mountain Tribes, and tlieir participation in the Crusades; full Particulars of the Ancient Druze Writers and their Worlis, &c. Vol. II. contains an elaborate Expose of the Druze Religion, its History, Doctrines, and Administration, based upon original Druze Manuscripts,- and a History of the Lebanon, from the earliest times to the death of that noble-minded Arab, Emir Fakaradeen JIaan, 16."5. Vol. III. contains the Modem History of the Maroiutes and Druzes, their endless The full particulars of struggles amongst themselves and against tlieir Ottoman rulers. the atrocities committed by Daher, tlie Metnali Sheik of Acre, 1770, and of Djezz \r, the Butcher, Pasha of Acre, 1788, the History and many Vicissitudes of Emir Beshir
;

To these three votutnes shojil'i be added Vol. IV. The PBUzrs and the Maronites under the Turkish Rule (1 vol. 8vo. large paper), forming a continuation or Supplement to the " .Mount Lebanon, 3 vols."

Shehab,

1788-1830, will be read with

much

interest.

With a General Index

to the 4 vols., printed uniformly.

4

Cloth, 10s.

1862.

** Price of the

volumes, Svo. Map m,d Plates, cloth extra, 25s. or half-morocco, gilt tops, 30s.

ORIENTAL BOOKS
PUBLISHED BY

BERNARD aUARITCH,

15

PICCADILLY.

Arabic Dictionary.
AN ARABIC-ENGLISH AND EXGLISH-ARABIC DICTIONARY,
JosKPH Catafago,

By

Esq., of Aleppo, ?yria; Secretary to Soliman Pasha, Major-Genera! of the Effvptian Army in Syria, 1839-40; First Intrrpreter to the General Consulate of his Majesty the King- of Prussia, at Beirut, 1,8421851 Secrftary of the Imperial Grand Consulate of Russia, at I'.eirut, 1851-53 Correspondiiiir Member of tlie Soci^ti^s Asiatiques of Paris atui Leipsic also of the Syro- Egyptian Society of London 'J'ranslator of the "Catechism of thp Ansari," presented to his Majesty the Kincr of Prussia in 1845, and of other Ar lb c Manuscri|its. 2 vols, small Svo. Vol. 1, pp. 328 Vol. 2, pp. 752, in double columns, much matter compressed into a small space, all the Arabic words with the pronunciation in Roman letters (pub. at ^"2), cloth, 30s. 1858
;
;

The Same.

Svo.

Large Paper (pub. at 3.

3s.),

half-morocco. sS'l. 2s. ** This Work is the first Arabic and Enelish Dictionary ever published. "A valuable publication. A work of this kind has been \m<j: \vaiitin2r, and Mr. Layard is convinced that Mr. Quaritch has rendered not oidy g;ood service to those who wish to study the Arabic lana:uaa:e, but to such Easterns as wish to obtain a knowledge of English." A. H. Layard.

Arabic Grammar.
FARIS'S PRACTICAL

GRAMMAR

of the
;

ARABIC LANGUAGE;
;

with

Interlineal Reading-Lessons, Dialoirues, and Vocabulary, by Faris-elShidiac, a Native of Mount Lebanon, Syria formerly Professor of Arabic at the University of Malta; Translator of the whole Bible into Arabic Author of "An Knttlish Grammar lor Arabs," and of the Arabic work called "The Fariyac." 1 vol. 12mo. cloth, 5s. 1856

Turkish Dictionary,
in Turkish the and technical significations of the English Terms; preceded by a Sketch of Eno;lish Etymolosy. Royal svo. pp. 844, printed with very small but sin^jularly clear types, both the English and the Tnrkihh, half- bound red moro''co, new, 24s. 1861
literal, incidental, figurative, colloquial,

RKDKOUE'S ENGLISH-TURKISH LEXICON. Showing

A sineularly well-executed work, offered at less than half the rate of production. The low price is due to ihe generosity of 'William W hfelrij;lit, Esq. of Nevvburyport, U.S.A., who defrayed all the expenses of authorship and printing:. .\ few copies of Redhouse's Tuikish-Ensflisli Dictionary, I vol. Svo. remain, price 15s. this vol. will serve as a counterpart to the above.
:

Eedliouse's Turkish
In

Dictionary.

English and Turkish; Part 2, Turkish-English; in which the Turkish words are represented in the Oriental cliai acter, as well as their correct pronunciation and accentuation shown in Eniilish letters. By J. VV. KEnHousK, F.R.S A., Member of the Imperial Academy ol Science of Constantiiioile, &c. In 1 stout vol. small square Svo. pp. 1177 (published at
Parts.

Two

Part

1,

4^2), cloth, 30s.

**

1857

The

first

English and Turkish Dictionary publis-hed.

Not a dozen

copies remain for sale.

Barker's Turkish
A

Grammar, Dialogues
1

and Vocabulary.
Practical Guide to the Acquisition of the Turkish Lang'uage. pp. 166, cloth, 48.
vol.

IZmo.
1834

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