BSY_FB_28-051

February Monday 20 1905

Beirut. Stopped at the Hotel d' Orient kept? by Mesrs?.
Bassoul - fairly good. My delight continues. I went to the
Syrian Protestant College, & called on Dr. Howard Bliss the
president. Was very kindly received, shown through the buildings,
introduced to some of the professors and teachers, and everything
put at my disposal - their laboratories physical & astronomical.

I lunched with Dr. Bliss. He has a charming home, wife and
five children. How good it is to see European women again and
talk with little American girls.

Found that Prentice arrived in Beirut yesterday and is stopping
at my hotel. Is this morning at the college, but I have not been
able to catch him. Worked in afternoon at astronomical observatory
adjusting & comparing my instruments, until Prentice arrived. We
went out on a little hill side and sat down for a long talk. He gave
me a cigar - my first in 4 months, and we lazily lawled and talked
taking glances every few minutes at the sea, the town with its
red tilled? roofs, and the tall mountains beyond capped with
glistening snow.