Beirut to Dahr El Baydar

It is assumed here that the caravan's route and the train route of 35 years later follow the same path closely, determined by topography. Bædeker notes  stops on  the rail line at: 4 1/2 M. El-Hadeth [Hadat], 5 1/2M. Ba'abdâ [Baabda], 7 1/2 M. Jemhûr [Jamhour], 10 1/2 M. 'Âreiyâ [Aariya], 13 M. Âleih [Aley], 17 M. Behamdûn [Bhamdoun], 19 1/2 M. 'Ain Sôfar [Rwaysat Saoufar]  To the left is the green ravine of the Wâdi Hammâna. Vegetation gradually ceases and we enter a bleak region.  The line pierces the tunnels of Mudêrij [Mdeyrei] (300 yds.) and Baidar (Khân Murâd; 390 yds.) [Dahr Al Baidar], reaching its highest level (4880 ft.) in Lebanon in the latter.

Ian Strathcarron, in Innocence and War, notes that the caravansera was lead by a Maltese dragoman named Abraham and his assistant from Alexandria, Mohammed. It consisted of twelve (12) horses for the eight Americans and the dragomen; nineteen (19) porters, bearers, and waiters, all on foot; and twenty-six (26) pack mules and camels. That's traveling in style just like the old African safari movies.

Fears, in Day By Day has the caravansera camp about ten miles from Beirut and Strathcarron has him much further along the track, to Temnin al Faouqa.

The Missing Leg: Dahr El Baydar to Temnin el Foka.

For those concerned with chronology, as provided by Twain, the pilgrims camped out on the first night (Chapter XLI) - probably at/or near Dahr El Baydar, about 19 miles from Beirut.  They woke up at Temnin el  Foka (Chapter XLII).  It would seem that he was mistaken about place names and not chronology as he continued with narrative on the leg to Temnin el Foka but not naming it such.

"We have been in a historical section of country all day. At noon we camped three hours and took luncheon at Mekseh, near the junction of the Lebanon Mountains and the Jebel el Kuneiyiseh, and looked down into the immense, level, garden-like Valley of Lebanon. To-night we are camping near the same valley, and have a very wide sweep of it in view. We can see the long, whale-backed ridge of Mount Hermon projecting above the eastern hills. The “dews of Hermon” are falling upon us now, and the tents are almost soaked with them."

See Murray, ROUTE 36. DAMASCUS TO BEYROUT DIRECT, for a possible description of the route between Mekseh and Beyrout.