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Diary entry by Gertrude Bell

Reference code
GB/2/9/3/8
Creator
Bell, Gertrude Margaret Lowthian
Creation Date
Extent and medium
1 entry, paper
Language
English
Location
Coordinates

34.5082501, 36.5823944

Wed 8th. [8 March 1905] Sleet was driving against my tent with a
strong S wind as I dressed and breakfasted. I rode off at 8 with
Derwish to the Kamu'[?] Hurmul [Hermel] which we reached at 10.
The wind was the very devil but the sleet stopped. Curious great
place of solid stone raised on a pedestal of 3 layers of black basalt -
the black stone was lying about in places. Frieze of hunting scenes. It
can be seen for miles up and down the bare desolate valley. A most
dreary ride over the stony waste. I stayed till 10.30 photographing.
The village of Hurmul lies amid trees on the slopes of Lebanon
[Liban, Jebel]. At 12 we reached a great line of Kanats cut deep into
the solid rock and here I lunched with my back to the wind. 1/2 an
hour. About 2 we reached Rableh and at 3 Kuseir [Qusayr, Al]. The
mules came in a quarter of an hour after having gone by the direct
road. We camped outside the town near the cemetery, not a bad
place. The wind stopped after sunset. One sees the .... of Homs
[Hims] well, the Bahreh, both from Ras Baalbek and from the Kamu'.
There were ..... on the Kamu', but very old. The Arab tribes used to
come here, and even now some of the Anazeh, Rualla, Hesenneh etc
come when they are in want of water. I saw a small encampment of
black tents which Derwish said was Arabs - most of the tents in the
valley belong to goat herds of the villages. We are now in the country
of the Nosairieh. This town is composed of them and of Xians.

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