MASSACRE S IN SYRIA . Lfi I ARLEY J. W S F , ” A o n mu n: mg m. UTHOI r o “ , LONDON D BRA BURY EV NS 1 1 BO ERIE STREET. A , , UV 1861 ! The right of translationis reserved ] PRE FA C E . WHE N th e Janissaries t ose fanati al t rants , h c y wh o m nd unma e sultans were totall d e ade a d , y x l imd s r e un 1 5 a mou II . e a e t oy d (J e , M h d c , H enceforth I shall recognise th e Moslemonly inh is mos ue th e C ristianinhis ur and q , h ch ch, th e Jewinhis synagogue but th e precepts of th e Koranare held more sacre d by th e Mussul mans t ana atti- h uma ounor imerial res ri t h h y , p c p , and th e benevolent intentions of that wise and - mn a ne r n far sighte d o arch h ve ve be e fulfilled . I nvainh as th e present Sultandeclared his desire that all his subj ects should live together like brothers ; invainh as th e hatti- humayoun r l ime th e e ualit of th e f F b . 1 8 1 85 6 o a o e , , p c d q y Christianwith th e Turk invainhave our ships ‘ defende d th e capital and our soldiers shed their blood indefence of a tottering empire — for th e i v PREFACE . same feelingt hat inspired th e followers of Abou Be r and his succe ssors still lives inth e heart . k n of every true believer. Th e Mussulmans alo e “ are men sai o amme t e a e een , d M h d ; h y h v b ' chosenby God to know th e truth ; and th e proof in i m i is t at I am th e m st of t e . D es se , h d h p e er ot er nationre ar t emwit rr r d v y h , g d h h ho o an i t T ar i ur i d sgus . hey e mp e ; nyou alone is purity . T ese re e ts t us inul ate urin 1 2 0 0 h p c p , h c c d d g ears annot be su enl era i ate nor canth e y , c dd y d c d, conquering lords of so many centuries look calmly uponth e slave of yesterday as th e equal - n th e of to d a . InE uro ea ur e ere y p T k y, wh ristians utnumer th e ussulmans t is fe el C h o b M , h in it is true is not so enerall er e ti le but g, , g y p c p b inS ria w ere th e oslemelement re ails it y , h M p v , exists infull i our and th e oorest and meanest v g , p osl m amal or orter nsi er himself alto M e h , p , co d s gether a superior being to th e best dresse d and richest giaour whomh e passe s inth e street ; for h as not o amme sai Th ulmans M h d d, e Muss n n alo e are me . In onsi erin owe er th n ha e c d g, h v , e eve ts which v vii PREFACE . recently takenplace in Mount L ebanonand D amas us we must not lose si t ofth e fa t t at c , gh c h aIl NIussulmans are not Tur s as onth e con k , , trar th e Ottomans are in a onsi era le y, c d b minrit and t e hatre felt towar s th e C ris o y, h d d h tians th e arious tri es and ra es ina itin , by v b c h b g th e ountr is in ome instanes nt mr s o e c y, , c , o bitter thanthat which is entertained towards th e n o ernme t of th e Sultan. ro erl s ea in g v P p y p k g, there is no S riannationfor th e ina itants ft at y , h b o h beautiful land are comprised of races dissimilar inlanua e inmanners and in ar r a t . O g g , , ch c e n h er soil we fi nd menwh o claimas their ancestors those warriors wh o fell indefence of th e C ross t A re and at As alon and ot ers wh o tra e a c c , h c their descent fromthat valiant band of heroes wh o met their death onth e shattered ramparts of C onstantino le fi tin ra el esi e t eir p , gh g b v y b d h prince until overpowered and troddendownby n th e co quering hordes of th e sonof Amurath . H ere are L atins as well as ree s ews ersians G k , J , P , rans and Ara s Samaritans and Kedamécés F k , b ; Turkomans and Bedawins ; Kurds and D ruse s ; th e ar nite and Metualis ot alike i tims M o s , b h, , v c viii PREFACE. of reli ious erse utions th e Ansa rians wh o g p c ; y , ill ra ti th e w rs i ofA onis th e Kelbieh s st p c ce o h p d , r th d o th e Jezidis wh o d ore th e wh o ado e e g; , a il infi ne o er all th e rulin ra e th e dev ; , v , g c , n f nf un mn. We must ot t ere ore o o Otto a s , h , c d h la t r wit th e former nor attri ute to t em t e t e h , b h rimes inwhi t e a e not arti i ate and c ch h y h v p c p d, of which no one h as expressed a greater indigna t n l tionthanHis Maj es y th e Sulta himse f. Amon t ose ifferent ra e s mentione a o e g h d c , d b v , th e most remar a le are wit out ou t th e k b , h d b , aronites and th e D ruses wit w ose misfor M , h h tunes and wit w ose rueltie s th e worl h as h h c d , latel eenma e familiar. So mu owe e r y, b d ch, h v , h as eensai and so mu h as eenwritten b d, ch b u onth e su e t t at I s o ul no esitate p bj c , h h d w h ! la in t ese letters efore th e u li were i p c g h b p b c , t not t t I amanxious if ossi le to remo e ha , p b , v fromth e mind s of E nglishmensome very fal se imressions w i t e ma er a s entertain p h ch h y y, p h p , with regard to a pe ople wh o have beenfor many Letters I . II and I . were o V. riginally contributed by me to th e Momin t P os . Th e oth er letters alth ou h artiall g , g p y writtenat th e d ates indicated are now ublish ed r h fi r t , p fo t e s im t e . R FA E P E C . ears th vi tims of ruel rse n n y e c c pe cutio s , a d whose calamities have brought themina pro minent mnn ef re th e e es of E uro e a er b o y p . A ' residence for some time inSyria h as afi ord ed me many opportunities of knowing a good deal of th e eo le d I t t it ill be onsi ere t a p p , an rus w c d d h t th e following pages give a faithful and impartial re cord of th e events which have recently taken l p ace. ConsrAxrmorm , A ril 0 p 2 , 1 861 . E C ON T NTS. PAGE LETT ER I . AR mLE BANO THE Orvn. W N LETTE II R . AND THE DnusEs LETTER III . MAESAa s A nE x m r RAs r A, HAS BEIYA, DE E L-KAME LETTER IV . THE TRE ATY or PEACE LETTER V. Mosm FANAr' rcrsu LETTER VI . DAnAscus x1i CONTENTS. LETTER VII . TR E MAs sA CRE OF CHRISTIANS IN DAMASCUB LETTER VIII . RETRIBUTION LETTER IX. THE SYRI AN RE LIE F FUND LETTER X. WR o W E R E THE AGGRESSORS X LETTER I. THE FRENCH IN SYRIA LETTER XII . SYRIA PAST AND PRESENT MAS S ACRE S IN SYRI A. LE ER I TT . THE CIVIL wAR IN LEBAN ON. P CONSTANTINO LE ul 1 1 1 860 . , J y , th e 1 2 th e ruar 1 848 th e aronite s Of ON F b y, , M Syria forwarde d a petitionto th e Government f L o i hili e imlorin aid a ainst t eir o us P pp , p g g h enemies th e D ruses and attri utin all th e , , b g calamities of th e country to th e momentary ” nonmen f L ann r n a a t o e o a e .