Tuesday 7th. [7 March 1905] Weather rather better. We got off at 8.
But Kurt had disappeared and was found by Habib in the house of
one who had stolen him. Habib carried him off with the chain by which
he had been tied and knocked the man down who asked for it. I saw
my friend the Commissioner whose name is Khalil Shelhoub and baid
[sic] him an affectionate farewell. By this time it was 8.15. We took the
lower road, the upper one being too muddy. At 12.45 we reached
Lebweh [LabouÈ]. Just before 2 soldiers overtook me who had been
sent by the Kaimakam. I kept one, Derwish, and sent the other back.
At Lebweh is one of the sources of the Orontes ['Asi]. It bursts out of
the ground in a number of beautiful springs. A little below, some 10
minutes walk is the ruin of a temple, a massive podium of 4 great
layers of stones, the top one with a very simple cornice, merely[?] a
splay face. This valley belongs to Dr Haidar's brother, 'Asad Beg.
Off at 2.15 rode up into the hills through a village inhabited by Xians
and Metaweleh and came to Ras Baalbek ditto at 3.45. The mules
came in about 1/2 an hour later. A good spring here but very
inquisitive people. The was a girl who spoke French well having
been to school at Beirut [Beyrouth] and a man who had been in
America and was going to return there.