These are and have been for many centuries the “lords of the soil,” and they constitute the great majority of the community. They are proud, fanatical, and illiterate. They are taught by the faith they hold to look with contempt on all other classes, and to treat them not merely as inferiors but as slaves. They are generally noble in bearing, polite in address, and profuse in hospitality; but they are regardless of
truth, dishonest in their dealings, and immoral in their conduct. In all large towns the greater proportion, especially of the upper classes, are both physically and mentally feeble, owing to the effects of polygamy, early marriages, and degrading vices; but the peasantry are robust and vigorous, and much might be hoped for from them if they were brought under the influence of liberal institutions, and if they had examples around them of the industry and the enterprise of Western Europe. Experience, indeed, has already shown that they are not slow to adopt the improvements of other lands.

In religion the Mohammedans of Syria are Sonnites, or Traditionists—that is, in addition to the written word of the Koran, which they acknowledge with all others, they recognise the authority of the Sonna, a collection of traditional sayings and anecdotes of the “Prophet,” which is a kind of supplement to the Koran, directing the right observance of many things omitted in that book. They are in general very exact in the observance of the outward rites of their religion; and in Islam there is little else but outward rites. Their fast of Ramadán is kept by a vast majority with scrupulous care; but it must be admitted that long abstinence has not the effect of sweetening their temper or improving their morals. The Mohammedan is proud of his faith, and resents to the utmost of his power every insult offered to it. He does not intrude the subject on strangers, and strangers should be careful not to offend his prejudices or excite his fanaticism. In all intercourse with them a dignified, upright, and straightforward manner and policy will command respect and secure in the easiest way every honest object. It needs both tact and penetration to deal with them in political matters, for they make free use of lies and deception.

Besides the Sonnites or orthodox Mohammedans, there are several other sects, which we must class under the common name Mohammedan.

The Metdáwileh (sing. Mutawály) are the followers of Aly, the son-in-law of Mohammed. His predecessors, Abu Bekr, 'Omar, and Othman, they do not acknowledge as true khalifs. Aly they maintain to be the lawful Imam; and they hold that the supreme authority, both in things spiritual and temporal, belongs of right to his descendants alone. They reject the Sonna, and are therefore regarded as heretics by the Orthodox. They are allied in faith to the Shiites of Persia. They are almost as scrupulous about cleanliness and uncleanliness in their ceremonial observances as the Hindoos. The traveller will do well to bear this in mind as he passes through their territories, both that he may not give offence by undue familiarity, and that he may not take offence should he find himself treated as an unclean animal. They will neither eat nor drink with those of another faith, nor will they even use the ordinary drinking-vessels or cooking-utensils of others. I have seen them deliberately break a vessel which a traveller had unwittingly put to his lips.

The districts in which they chiefly reside are Ba’albek, where their chiefs are the noted family of Harfûsh, for many years the pests of the country; Belâd Beshârah, on the southern part of the Lebanon range; and a district on the west bank of the Orontes, around the village of Hurmûl. They also occupy several scattered villages in Lebanon.

The Nusairíyeh or Ansairíyeh.—It is not easy to tell whether these people are to be classed among the Mohammedans or not. Their religion still remains a secret, notwithstanding all attempts lately made to dive into their mysteries. They are represented by Asseman as holding a faith half Christian and half Mohammedan. They believe in the transmigration of souls; and observe in a singular, perhaps idolatrous manner, a few of the ceremonies common in the Eastern Church. They inhabit a range of mountains extending from the great valley N. of Lebanon to the gorge of the Orontes at Antioch. They are a wild and somewhat savage race, given to plunder, and even bloodshed, when their passions are excited or suspicion roused; their country must therefore be traversed with caution.

The Ismaílíyeh, who inhabit a few villages on the eastern slopes of the Ansairíyeh mountains, resemble the former in this, that their religion is a mystery. They were originally a religious-political subdivision of the Shiites, and are the feeble remnant of a people too well known in the time of the Crusades under the name of Assassins. They have still their chief seat in the Castle of Masyâd, on the mountains W. of Hamâh,