Fri June 1. [1 June 1900] Off at 7 leaving the mules to follow. We have
added a sufragi to our party, Georgi. Rode up the Barada valley,
extraordinarily lovely. After an hour or so left the Beyrout [Beyrouth
(Beirut)] road and turned up over the bare hills and so back into the
Barada valley at Jedeideh [Judaydat al Wadi]. Very lovely ride up
the valley which got narrower and deeper, to Suk Wady Barada which
we reached at 11 and lunched. Muhammad appeared from his
village and at 1 Jacoub and Georgi. On over a picturesque bridge, a
Roman road cut through the rock above us and an acqueduct [sic]
and tombs. Got out into the plain at 2 - the river flowing through a
green world in the middle and the bare hills on either side, lovely
colours and cloud shadows. Hermon [Sheikh, Jebel esh] behind us.
In front up on the hill, Bludan and below it in a great grove of
mulberries poplars apples vines etc Zebedani [Az Zabadani]. A
lovely village buried in Green and inhabited by very beautiful people.
We pitched our tents some 20 minutes away under a big rock by a
spring on grass. Cold. We have to have a guard to night because of
thieving Metawileh. Such a comfort to have no soldiers.