Beirut and its Surroundings.

Last evening, in Boylston Hall, Mr. Jewett delivered a lecture on Beirut, the port of Syria. The harbor of Beirut is shallow and passengers from the different lines of steamers-Russian, Turkish, English, French or Austrian are landed by means of small boats manned by natives which swarm around a newly-arrived steamer. On landing, a customs official confronts you who is easily disposed of; the size of the bribe is proportionate to the dignity of the officer. All Turkish officials have their price. A lack of moral sentiment and respect for their position is a characteristic of the Turkish race.

The city itself is very old and has been in possession of the Turks for about a thousand years. The population, like most Turkish cities, is extremely varied, and one can meet there representatives from all European nations. The city abounds in dogs, which act as the scavengers of the place. The houses are huddled together, small and badly ventilated. They are built of stone and have few windows. The roofs are flat and covered with a sort of cement which is water-proof. The richer natives have houses with tiled roofs. The soldiers of the city are poorly fed and badly clothed, and are of a dull, stolid appearance. The heat in summer is excessive and particularly severe on the Europeans, who generally retire to villas on Mount Lebanon, which overlooks the city. Here the cool breezes are delightful. At the close of the lecture, views of Beirut were shown.