wind fell, then we left the storm behind us, there were even temporary glimpses of the sun, though the thick grey clouds covering the whole range of Hermon showed that the storm still raged up there.

About four o'clock Abdallah received word, in the mysterious way in which things become known in the East, that at Kefr Hawar the only available houses were already occupied by other parties; we must therefore seek shelter in the village of Hîna, at the house of the Greek priest.

"What if he refuses to receive us?" was my anxious question, for it looked like rain again, and our tents were hopelessly in the rear.

"He cannot refuse, he will be obliged to give us all we require," was the confident answer.

Some doubt remained as to the probable character of such enforced hospitality, though even that seemed preferable to any further experience of Mount Hermon's tender mercies.

Hîna is a tiny, isolated village on one of the low hills near the

base of the Hermon range, and probably no tourist ever sees it, except as we did, accidentally. Its appearance offered no welcome as we rode up in the stormy twilight-sky, and village, and rocky background all alike, grey and desolate, the stony monotony unrelieved by tree or shrub.

Our own damp and draggled condition may have contributed to these gloomy impressions; luckily it did not repel the good priest, who received us at his door with as much gracious cordiality as if we had been long-looked-for friends; nor was the warmth of his welcome in any way affected by the lack of English on his part and of Arabic on ours. His bright smile and warm hand-clasp, and the gentle friendliness in his soft, dark eyes, needed no interpreter, as, leading us across a small chamber to the principal room, he placed it at our disposal with a gesture as kindly as it was graceful.

Abdallah at once proceeded to take entire command of the house and household with his usual air of knowing much more about their resources than did the inmates themselves; and the flowery courtesy with which his commands were issued, produced its usual effect in very willing service. A fire was lighted on the floor in the corner of the anteroom, and though there was no chimney-the fuel consisted of corn stalks, of which we burned the entire supply-part of the smoke found its way out of the open door and we braved the rest for the sake of the cheerful blaze.*

The shadowy background of the little room was filled with as many of the villagers as could crowd into it; they stood silent and motionless, watching us intently; no doubt it was a rare opportunity. As soon as possible I started on a tour of inspection, though a hasty glance around the principal room had already reassured me; the simplicity I had admired in the morning was evidently the rule; there were not even any wicker stools here.

A ledge near the top of the wall held the clerical library, some half-dozen books, and a pile of rugs cccupied a lower recess;

*The good priest was married, as are most of those of the Greek Church, and his wife and mother and handsome children were the soul of hospitality. The old lady fairly adopted us as her own for the time, rubbed and chafed our hands to restore warmth, and, as St. Paul says of the people of Melita, "showed no little kindness to the way worn travellers. The priest expressed, through our interpreter, his regret that his house was not better fitted to receive such honourable company, and wished us safe return to our own country. I told him that in our party were four preachers of the Gospel, who were trying to serve God and do good in our own land, and that we wished him great success in his work. He, in response, prayed that God would grant our wish.-ED.

there was nothing more, not a chair, nor table, nor bed, nor glass window, only wooden shutters. The abundance of leisure time was accounted for, so much time is saved in the one small item of dusting.

Crossing the passage to find my sleeping room, I caught sight of Mr. Cook," and went out to inspect his quarters, which were somewhat cramped. The tiny closet, or shed, was scarcely large enough to hold his portly form, and the two huge wooden chests, which carried such a varied store of good things; to say nothing of his cooking-range, which, however, took little room.

small holes were scooped out in the ground and filled with charcoal; over these a light iron frame supported various saucepans, etc. --nothing could be simpler. Seated in front of this, with all his materials within easy reach without rising, "Mr. Cook" gave his mind to his business with that concentration which distinguishes genius.

Four

To-night, however, I had misgivings. The roof leaked, the rain beat in at the open front of the shed, and the remaining half of the village, regardless of the rain, were grouped in the yard, watching and criticising the performance. I felt there were excuses to be made if there were failures to-night; but none were needed. The dinner was more elaborate than usual and had more than its ordinary picnic flavour in such an unexpected situation.

Our tent furniture had been brought into the house, including six iron bedsteads. Going into my room, I found that in this older part of the house the roof leaked, but was assured they would mend it at once. I wondered how, for the roof consisted of poles laid across the top of the walls, small branches and twigs laid transversely across the poles, and the whole covered with

earth; presently a scampering overhead announced that they were mending the roof by rolling it with a stone roller. I am obliged to confess it leaked a little after that, but we moved the cots between the drops and took no harm. The rest of the situation can perhaps be described most easily by transcribing the notes, written that night on my knee by the light of a candle.

"There are holes in the walls, and as there seems to be half a dozen pairs of curious eyes at each hole I have used all our spare clothing in stuffing them up; and have hung a towel over the door, which does not fit exactly, and is only four feet high, and which, by the way, has a most extraordinary key. The latch is wooden,

and the key consists of a wooden bar, about eight inches long, with six iron nails in one end of it. It works only on the outside, so Abdallah has locked it and pushed the key through one of the convenient openings. Fortunately there is not much danger of a fire in the night."

We made a late start in the morning under depressing circumstances, a gray, lowering sky, with a chill wind sweeping searchingly down the mountain side; while word had been brought in that a mountain stream on our route had been dangerously swollen by the previous day's storm, and would certainly prove unfordable. The expression of despair with which Abdallah made this announcement was only to be equalled by the suavity