The shortest way from Baghdad to the shores of the Mediterranean is to take the post route across the desert to Damascus. This post is kept up by the English, and goes once a month. Under favourable circumstances the distance is accomplished in from 9 to 11 days, but delays often occur from the necessity of turning out of the road to avoid wandering Arabs, or to seek for water. The traveller may engage one of the men employed in this service and cross with him at any time, but it is best to go with the regular mail, as he is then sure to be supplied with a good dromedary, and will get over the ground in less time and with little, if any, greater amount of fatigue. The Bedouin dress should be assumed, both for comfort and safety, the great object, next to not meeting with any one by the way, being, if seen, not to attract attention. Of course the less luggage the better. The stock of provisions should consist principally of things that do not require cooking, as it is seldom safe to light a fire; for the same reason a tent is only a useless encumbrance. Water is found every 36 or 48 h. The writer engaged one of the postmen to take himself, his servant, and luggage across in the time usually occupied by the mail. The guide was to furnish 5 camels and bear all risks and expenses (except the traveller’s provisions) for 580 kerauns = 29l. The provisions consisted of goat's milk, cheese, raisins, preserved apricots, and rusks, and a little wine and brandy. To these were added coffee and rice, to be used whenever a fire could be ventured upon. The water was carried in 2 goatskins, such as used by Turkish sakas or water-carriers. A Russia-leather flask, holding about a quart, at one’s saddle-bow is a great convenience; if covered with canvas, and the outside kept moist, the water inside will remain cool. The motion of the camels is easy, as they seldom go out of a walk, which does not exceed 3 m. an hour. To make up for their slowness, however, they keep going from 16 to 19 h. out of the 24, and the times of halting are so divided as never to allow a continuous rest of more than 2 or, at the most, 4 h. One of the camels fell sick and had to be left at Hit; another died of heat and fatigue before reaching Damascus, and a third the day after arriving there; but this was in the month of August, and the camels were very indifferent ones. The Journey lasted 13 days, including a day at Hit. From Bagdad to Hit on the Euphrates is, in a straight line, about 110 m., and thence to Damascus about 420 more; but from the détours made to avoid Arabs, or to seek for wells when those on the road were found dry or their water putrid, the ground gone over cannot have been less than 600 m. It is well worth while to spend a day at Hit (the Is of Herodotus) to visit the fountains of bitumen in the neighbourhood.

Before reaching Hit lies the territory of the Delem, a wealthy Arab tribe, but subject to the Porte. After Hit the road lies through an immense tract of sandy plains, hills, and valleys, barren, or producing only prickly shrubs and a tall feathery grass which the camels eat, wandered over by numerous tribes, of which the Aneyza are the most important. Sometimes a raswa or plundering expedition of the Shammar, or other invading tribes, may be met with. The worst that can happen to any one who gives no provocation is to be plundered and lose his camels, but, if proper inquiries be made before the journey, and due precautions taken while on it, the chances of such an accident are very slight indeed.

If not pressed for time the traveller may join a caravan and take his ease; they occupy about 30 or 40 days on the journey, and follow a rather longer and more northern route, passing near Palmyra.— J. G. 

Achmet Ed ’Dieb, of Beyrout, can be highly recommended as a dragoman and travelling servant. He speaks Arabic, Turkish, French, Italian, and some English. He has travelled further than most Syrian servants, having been in the writer's service for more than 13 months, during which time he visited Cyprus, Asia Minor, and Mesopotamia. — J. G. 

VISIT TO PALMYRA.

Palmyra is a place not at all times accessible to Europeans, but, generally speaking, the obstacles to going thither are very much exaggerated, if not entirely fabulous. The easiest and the cheapest plan is to make a bargain and have a written contract with some Bedouin or camel-owner in Damascus to take one there and back for a fixed sum, he bearing all risks and expenses. The writer paid 70 ghazis = 14l. for 2 camels and the services of their owner to take himself and his servant to Palmyra, remain there two days, and return. The distance is about 100m., and may be accomplished in 2½ days, halting at the villages of Gerondi and of EI Gariteyn, the former 9h. from Damascus, the latter 21.  Thence to Palmyra is 14 more. Have nothing with you but the Bedouin clothes on your back (they are the most comfortable and attract least notice), and 200 or 300 piastres to meet current expenses on the road. Take a few biscuits, raisins, dried apricots, a little wine in a leather flask or bota, and a small skin for water. When at Palmyra, whatever disputes may arise about yourself among the Arabs, do not interfere in any way, and, if appealed to, refer them to the man who conducted you, and him to his contract. The dispute is probably about the amount of fees or fines he is to pay the sheikhs of the village for bringing a stranger. The writer’s guide got off with the payment of 10 ghazis, which, however, he solemnly protested was more than the whole sum paid to him for the journey. 

It is worth while to go to Tadmor shortly before the caravans start from the different points of Syria for Mecca, if only to see the thousands upon thousands of camels that are collected round the ruins for the conveyance of the pilgrims and their goods. The curious in gastronomy may have the opportunity of tasting camel’s flesh; it is like tough stringy beef, with a sweetish taste. — J. G.