Sat 5 [5 May 1900] A Christian woman sent me a good dish of bread
and cream for breakfast. I was up at 6. Scirroco. Walked about the
town. Lots of very solid houses and Greek inscriptions. The Mazur
interesting, a columned room used as school with a solid stone
window and all the children sitting on the floor. The little domed Mazar
next to it. Off at 7.30 with N ed Din and the others going straight to el
Kafr. At first over the stony country, ruined k...., to Huzhuz, quite ruined,
on a tell wild rose flowering - by the Arabs said N ed D. Lovely corn
here but lots of locusts. Then to a charming spring where we watered
our horses. A finch before us. On the way we met a Shami going to
Suweidah [As Suwayda'] who was very pleasant. On from the spring
to Sehweh, not mentioned in the map, through corn. Here lives N ed
D's father Saleh. I sat with them under a mulberry tree; then walked up
and saw the Halweh, a fine house. Near it a lintel with 2 broken heads
and a good pattern round. The Sheikh's wife took me into her house,
very lovely and clean. I then went to see the Sheikh, N ed Din's uncle.
Sat with him a little. Back to N ed D's house where I lunched on
poached eggs milk and bread and bought 2 gowns from his cousin's
wife. So on at 12.30 up charming country with balut and flowers za'rur
to El Kafr which I reached at 1.15. H had gone to shop in Suweidah.
The young handsome Sheikh's son paid me visit and then I had tea
and wrote. Kuleib just to the N of me. I then went up to return the call
and after I had sat with them a little, the old Sheikh came in. He had
been to see the Beg who asked after me. I then went with his son to
see the big Halaseh and so through the town which had many halas
and windows[?] and to the big Khalweh and so up to the Husn where
there was another Khalweh built on the highest rock with a fine nabi'
beneath of excellent water. Hubran a mile or so away. After dinner
the young sheikh came to call again and I arranged with him all about
my going to the Jamai'eh.