Fri May 19 [19 May 1911] At 6 Temp 68 Bar 27.8. Off at 7, the delay
being caused by F [Fattuh]'s having to see the Aswad at the horse
bazaar. He had gone hopelessly lame. We got £T31/2 for him and
he cost £T9. Very hot. Faris Pasha (a fine sahrij, no village) 9.5 Here
we left the Saruj road and followed a path through the hills. Met lots of
Mardelli and Halebi muleteers from whom my men got news. At
Karaseki (10.50) we met Meissner Pasha with 6 engineers. I stopped
and talked to him and loved him on the spot. Shammo with him, not
happy because he doesn't like the man in charge of the expenses.
Then we met the caravan with Selim in charge and stopped to talk
with him. Very barren hills. At 12.30 a sahrij of rain water on the road.
At 1.5 Ras el Hob, recently reinhabited on account of the return of
safety to the country during the past 2 years. At 3.40 Mugharajik with a
small stream and vinyards [sic], at 3.15 Charmelik where we camped
on the sides of the big tell. A stream and a few trees, cornfields and a
vineyard. Very hot.