Syrophenicia — Galilee

“Thy land, O Immanuel.” — Isa. viii. 8.

In the afternoon of Monday (July 8) we set out for Galilee, with a small cavalcade of six horses. Ibraim and Ahmet took leave of us. The latter felt little, but Ibraim exhibited vei-y affectionate feelings. He followed us a little way beyond the gates, then took farewell, burst into tears, and rushed out of sight. We felt it very sad to leave this Arab for evei”, not»knowing how it is with his soul.

Our road lay nearly south through a grove of pines, with mulberry gardens on all sides. Pleasant wild flowers adorned our path; the oleander in full bloom skirted the banks of two small streams which we crossed; and often also our own modest white rose appeared amongst the fragrant myrtles in the hedges. We crossed a bar of sand which is here blowji across the promontory of Beyrout, and is two hours in breadth. The muleteers said that this sand was blown all the way from Egypt, but we heard that the shore is composed of a very soft sandstone which accounts for its origin. Between us and Lebanon lay a splendid olive-grov’e, stretching north and south, said to be the largest in Palestine, which it was refreshing to the eye even to look upon. But Lebanon itself chiefly attracted our admiration, for every part of its lower ridge seemed covered with villages. From a single point we counted twenty-one villages, all appearing at once on the brow of the mountain, each village having considerable cultivation round it. In the days” when these stupendous heights were crowned with forests of pine and cedar, how deeply expressive must have been the words of the prophet, “Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering.”

We reached the southern side of the promontory before sunset, and came upon the rocky sea-shore, along * Isa. xl. 16, which our course now lay. Just as the sun went down, we passed a small khan, — a busy scene. Some were unloading their asses, some spreading their mats for the night. One man was opening his sack to give his ass provender, and forcibly reminded us of Jacob’s sons arrived at their inn.* They invited us to stay with them, saying, “You will be plundered if you go on.” We had not gone far when darkness overtook us, and we lost our way just as we came upon the bank of a broad stream that comes down from Lebanon, called Damour, the ancient I’amyras. Here we wandered among mulberry gardens tiU at length we found a ford near the ruins of a bridge. The roots of the mountains here stretch out into” the sea, forming rocky promontories. We crossed over one and another of these by what appeared to be a pave or ancient Roman road, and came down through a village to a khan on the sea-shore, called Naby-Younes, “the prophet Jonah.” There is here a small bay, which a Mahometan tradition makes out to be the spot where Jonah was cast ashore by the whale. The keeper of the khan offered us accommodation, but, after taking a little of his salt bread and lehan, we judged it preferable to encamp on the open shore near the sea.

The servants who now formed our party were all of different persuasions. Botros, Mr. Caiman’s attendant was a Greek Cathohc; Antonio, who waited upon us, was a young Syrian of the Latin Church, and spoke Italian. The muleteers were, Mansor, a Druse, and Tanoos, a Maronite lad, of a most gentle disposition. Sometimes at night Antonio and Botros “poured water on our hands “to wash away the dust, reminding us of 2 Kings iii. IL With these around us, and the waves of the” Mediterranean almost at our tent-door, we slept in peace.

Early next morning an old decrepit Moslem, with head white as snow, calling himself the Dervish of Naby-Younes, came to the tent-door asking alms. He was very grateful for a very small coin. We left this bay at six o’clock, and gaining the height of the next rocky promontory, obtained a view of the coast, indented with deep sandy bays, and of Sidon itself two hours distant. The view of Sidon as we approached was very fine, and exceedingly like the representations commonly given of it in the sketches of Syria. The town stands upon a high rising ground, which projects a considerable way

* Gen. xlii. 27

SIDON — COSTUME OF MOSLEM LADIES.

into the sea. It is enclosed by a high fortified wall on the eastern side, and two mosques tower over the other buildings of the town. The most striking object is a fortress built upon a rock in the harbour, and connected with the town by a bridge of nine arches, said to be a remnant of the times of’the Crusades. There is also a ledge of low rocks in the offing, near which two small vessels lay at anchor. Between the town and the momitains lie richly cultivated gardens with tall verdant trees. Behind these the mountains appear, and we counted five distinct ridges of the range of Lebanon, rising one above another. Altogether, “Great Sidon,” though fallen from her ancient glory, occupies a noble situation. Into the bay to the north of it flows a considerable stream, another of the many which are fed by the snows of Lebanon. After fording it, a lively scene met our view. The country people were bringing their cusas and melons to market upon donkeys. One woman wore handsome silver anklets, similar to those spoken of by Isaiah.* The Moslem ladies all in white, the face entirely muffled in a dark coloured veil, the feet enclosed in large yellow boots, were taking their morning walk toward the tombs.’ INIany remains of ancient pavement occasionally occurred. Mr. M’Cheyne rode on before the rest, and arriving at the gate, inquired of the sentinel the way to the Jewish synag-ogue. He pointed to a Jew who was standing beside~’his shop-door at the entrance of the bazaar, the Jew, shutting up his shop, took the stranger kindly by the hand, and led him away to his house. He tied up the horse in the court-yard, took off the carpet and bridle, and ushered him into his best room, where botH sat down on the divan. After some preliminary questions, the Hebrew Bible was produced, and the first part of Ezekiel xxxvii. read, from which Mr. M. shewed him his state by nature. He seetned a little offended, yet’ not wishing to shew it in his own house, tried to change

SrLER ANKLETS.

the subject of discourse, and offered coffee. On leaving the house, another Jew led Mr. M. to the synagogue, a substantial building having the roof vaulted in the Gothic style. An old man sat on the ground surrounded by some Jewish children, v.’hom he was teaching to read portions of Hebrely. Here the rest of our company met, and the old Rabbi, whose house joined hard to the synagogue, came in, and was followed by some twenty or thirty Jews. Several of them recognised Mr. Caiman, and received him in a very friendly manner. They seemed well inclined to enter into controversy on divine things. T wo lads maintained an animated conversation with Mr. Bonar, during which he produced his Hebrew New Testament, and asked one of them to read a chapter. They began very readily to read Matt, ii, but when nearly finishing it, an elder Jew looked over their shoulder, and whispered to them the name of the book which they were reading. They immediately closed the book, and one of them started from his seat. We told the Rabbi that we had come from a far country to visit Israel; that we had seen God’s word fulfilled in the desolations of Jerusalem; and we asked for what cause Israel were now Uke the dry bones in the open valley ] The old Rabbi appeared to be a man of perverse spirit. He went to his house, and brought out a Hebrew New Testament, one of those printed by the London Society, a good deal worn. He turned up to Mark xiii. 32, where Jesus says that he did not know the day of his second coming, and asked how then could he be God? One bitter Jew made signs to have us thrust out of the synagogue; but the rest .showed greater kindness, especially one young Rabbi from the coast of Barbary, who spoke a little French. He showed us their manuscripts of the law, one of which he said was three hundred years old, written at Bagdad, and now much worn. It had cost them 200 dollars. This man afterwards received us politely into his house, entertained us with lemonade and coffee, and at partingaccepted a Hebrew tract called “The City of Refuge.” He told us that there are 300 Jews in Sidon.

We now proceeded through the bazaar to a handsome khan or caravansera possessed in former days by the Franks. It is a large square, built round on all sides, with a fine fountain and pool of water in the centre, over which a vine was trained; a few orange-trees grew around. While sitting by the pool waiting till one of our mules was shod, a string of camels arrived, heavily laden with furniture, which proved to be the property of the late Lady Hester Stanhope, which, we were told, was to be sold at Sidon. Here also two Druse women were sitting weai’ing the tantour, or horn upon the forehead. On the finger they wore a massy ring, having a seal on it. This we had noticed frequently in Egypt.* In the streets we met several Greek ecclesiastics neatly attired. The town is solidly built, and the bazaars are in a thriving condition. A public bath is one of the few modern buildings; but frequently we stumbled upon broken pillars and fragments of carved stones, the memorials of departed greatness.

All the magnificence of Sidon is gone, for “God has executed judgments in her.” f Again and again have its inhabitants been “judged in the midst of her by the sword on every side.” There are no more any merchants worth mentioning here. In two or three shops, fishing-rods were exposed for sale, but there are no signs of trade. “Be thou ashamed, O Zidon; for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins.” The city, and the sea that laved its walls, now lament the want of its once crowded and stirring population. It no more can boast of a king. “All the kings of Zidon” have been made to drink the wine-cup of God’s fury, even as it was foretold.

Before leaving the town, a Greek Christian, who acts as a consular agent, came to us, and advised us not to proceed, for a traveller had been killed by the Arabs the day before, three hours on the way to Tyre. We had no reason to suspect this person’s veracity, and yet we hoped that his information might be untrue; and committing Qurselves to God, left the gate of Sidon an hour after noon.

The gardens and groves that shelter the east side of the town, aflbrded a “pleasant shade. Among some of these Abdolonimus may have been found by Alexander the Great ;|i and there the rich merchants of Sidon enjoyed their wealth, and revelled in that luxury and ungodliness which made the Saviour fix; on them as eminent instances of guilt, “It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you.” IT Our way ‘ay directly south, through the fine plain which stretches

* Gen. xli. 42. Luke x. 22. t Ezek. xxviii. 22.

X Isa. xxiii. 4. <n Jer. xxv. 22.

II Justin, lib. x. cap. 10; and Quin. Curtius, lib. iv. cap. 1, $ 19 If Matt. xi. 22 yeyond Tyre. Some parts of it were cultivated, yielding barley, diiura, and tobacco, but the greater part was lying waste, covered with thistles and tangling briers. It is skirted on the east by a low range of Jiills connected with Lebanon, and these frequently open and show pleasant little valleys, with villages and olive-trees on the heights.

In three hours we came upon many fi-agments of marble pillars scattered on the shore. These and other similar remains appear to be the remnants of ancient villas, if not of some town. In the days when Tyre and Sidon enjoyed their greatest splendour, this midway situation would be most favourable for the country-seats of the princes and merchants. Here, far removed from the noise of the city, they might be refreshed by the sea-breeze tempering the heat of summer, while, from the neighbouring heights, they enjoyed the view of their stately vessels sailing past.

At this midway point stands Sarfend, the ancient Zarephath or Sarepta. It formerly spread toward the shore, but now is on the heights. The hills are here about a mile from the shore, and the village is pleasantly situated upon the steep brow of one of them, overhanging a ravine filled with fine olive-trees, and commanding a wide view. The vine once grew upon its hills in great luxuriance, and is celebrated l)y a Latin poet, “Quaeque Sareptano palmite missa bibas:” * (” Wines which the vineyards of Sarepta yield.”)

But it was matter of far greater interest to us, that it was hither that Elijah came from the brook Cherith, and here he was nourished out of the widow’s barrel of meal and cruise of oil, and here he raised her child from the dead by prayer. These simple facts invest the place with a sacred interest. It was the theatre where God displayed his amazing sovereignty. The Lord passes by the many widows that were in Israel — he passes by all the princes of Tyre and Sidon, and fixes on one who dwells unknown in Sarepta, “a woman that was a widow;” teaching the world that he chooses his vessels of mercy where and when it seems good in his sight. Elijah may often have walked along these shores, and it was pleasant even to imagine that we were treading in his footsteps. There is reason to believe that this fertile plain, which may well be called “//ie borders of Tyre and Sidon,” was also the scene of one of the most affect- * Sidon. Apoll. 17, 51.

ing of the gospel narratives, showing the same sovereignty and grace as the wonders of Sarepta. For it was toward this plain that Jesus directed his steps from the Sea of Gahlee, when the woman of Syrophenicia came and fell at his feet.*

More than an hour to the south of Sarfend, we diverged from the shore to visit the caves and tombs which occur in the precipitous face of the low hills. We climbed up into one large cavern, apparently natural, about sixty feet deep by “thirty broad, and from twenty to thirty feet in height. From the mouth of the cave we could count abouttwenty sepulchres cut in the face of the rock, probably part of the ancient works of Tyre, the tombs of her rich men and princes.

Two hours further south, we arrived at the largest stream we had yet seen in the land. The banks were skirted with the red blossoming oleander, ana many tortoises were creeping in the shallows. This is the Kasimieh, believed to be the ancient Leonles, which has its source from Baalbec, flows through the splendid Vale of Coele-Syria, and empties itself into the sea, an hour and a half north of Tyre.

We crossed the stream by a substantial bridge, upon the side of which we found sitting a cluster of Bedouins, wild, suspicious-looking men, with a little yellow shawl over the head, encircled by a rope of camel’s hair. They seemed to be looking out for a prey, and our servants evidently did not like their appearance, but we saluted them peaceably and passed on. On the high bank overlooking the river stands an old dilapidated khan; and here, as the sun was going down, we resolved to encamp for the night. Perhaps the story we had heard at Sidon of the danger of the way made us think more of “perils of robbers,” than we should otherwise have done; nor was it any addition to our prospects of a peaceful night’s rest, to be told that the ground here was full of scorpions, and that even the floor of the old khan was not free from them. However, we decided to go up to the khan, and seek shelter within its walls. Here, as the brief twilight came on, there arrived first one company and thenanother of mules, with tingling bells, tUl the square of the building presented quite a lively appearance. We pitched our tent on the roof of the old ruin, where the grass had been allowed to grow; and committing ourselves to Him that keeps Israel, lay down to sleep in

* Matt. XV. 21 — 28. Mark vii. 24 — 30 peace. Occasionally we heard the cry of the jackal, but nothing else disturbed our rest till the rising sun shone with intense bi-iJliancy into our tent.

(July 10.) “We were soon on our way to Tyre, an hour and a half distant, through a line plain, covered mostly with thorns, with here and there a held of dhura. Tyre appears a long promontory stretching into the sea. Half-way between the town and the hills, there is a conical rising ground surmounted either by a khan or a tomb, and nearer Tyre appear the remains of the ancient aqueduct.

Arriving at the gate, we were detained some time under the shade of some fig-trees, till the Governor had fully ascertained that we came from the north, and not from places where the plague prevailed. We entered, and with some difficulty rode through the bazaar, which was shaded with mats and vines, till we arrived at the khan, a large half-ruined building, where we put up our horses.

Tyre is but the wreck of a town. You cannot traverse its streets without meeting at every turn fragments of other days. Thus, at the gate there are two fallen pillars; in the bazaar, another prostrate pillar helps to complete the pavement; and on the shore of the peninsula (once THE island), broken columns lie on all sides, over which the sea dashes its waves. We stood awhile amidst the ruins of the old Christian church, at the south-east corner of the town, where Eusebius is said to have preached, and looking over, observed the waves break on two large columns with their capitals that lay close under the wall.

From this point, and from the summit of a tower to which the Jews led us to the south-west corner of the town, we surveyed the whole extent of what was Insular Tyre, once densely covered with the palaces of Tyrian merchants.* The island appears to have been of the shape of a prolonged diamond, stretching nearly a mile from north to south. The breadth it is not easy to estimate, as we cannot tell where Alexander’s causeway commenced. We observed a chain of low rocks in the offing, all a little under water, which may very possibly

* A recent traveller, Mr. W. R. Wylde, found in some of the rocks holes exactly fit for pots, in some of which were pieces of shells, with the debris of other shells lying round. These shells all belonged to the species Murex truyiculus, from which the purple dye used to be extracted. Hence he concludes, that these holes were anciently the vats used for preparing the Tyrian dye. We found specimens of the shells he speaks of on the shore under Mount Carmel.

have been built upon in former days. The modern town or village is thinly scattered over the eastern part of what was formerly the island; the part next the sea is cultivated, and bears good tobacco. The little harbour of Tyre lies on the north side of the peninsula, and is nearly ejiclosed by a wall, the ruins of which are standing here and there. It woirid not now vie with the harbours of any of our fishing villages; we counted some ten opendecked fishing-boats riding in it; but larger vessels cannot enter. The island was originally nearly half a mile distant from the shore; but across the intervening gulf Alexander with amazing labour formed his famous causeway, using for that purpose the stones and the very dust of ancient Tyre, scraped from off her. During the lapse of ages, the sea has washed up the sand on each side of this causeway, so that it is now a broad neck of land, with fine sandy bays on each side. Ruins of ancient walls and foundations are still to be found in different parts of it. The houses, or rather cottages of Tyre, are built of good stone, with many palm-trees, vines, figs, and pomegranates interspersed, giving the place a cool and pleasing aspect. The modern name is Sour, and there are about 1500 inhabitants. There is some probability that the sea has advanced upon this coast, and materially affected the size of the ancient island; and if this be the case, we can have no difficulty in understanding how the almost impregnable fortifications, of which history speaks, and the palaces of the Tyrian merchants, were once crowded together upon this interesting spot.*

In order to understand fully the accomplishment of the divine predictions against Tyre, it must be borne in mind, that though the island may have been very soon occupied as a stronghold, yet the most ancient city, called by historians Palas Tyrus, or Old Tyre, was situated on the mainland, at a distance of nearly four miles south from the island. This was “the strong city Tyre” mentioned in the days of Joshua,! and the “stronghold of Tyre” in the time of David.f As many travellers have

* Mr. Wylde gives many interesting proofs of the advance of the sea all along the coast. For example, the old castle at Beyrout, which is now surrounded with water, was once joined to the land. The shallowness of the harbours at Jaffa and Acre seem to show the same thing. He also saw ruins under the water at Tyre. If we are to trust Benja- -nin of Tudela, he says that, in his day, if one went out in a ship a little jyay, he might see ruins of streets and towers at the bottom of the sea. t Josh. .xi.x. 29. J 2 Sam. xxiv. 7.

done before us, we stood upon the rinns of insular Tyre, and stretching our eye round the bay to the south, conjectured where old Tyre may have been situated; and afterwards on our return from Acre, we traversed the coast and sought with the utmost care for any remains of the strong city — but in vain. The word of the Lord has come to pass, “Though thou be sought for, yet thou shalt never be found again, saith the Lord God.” *

About eight miles south from the island, a high rocky promontory appears, forming a precipice over the sea, called Cape Blanco, from the whiteness of the rock. The road passes over it, and there are singular steps cut in the rock, supposed to be the Seal<B Tyriorum, or Tyrian Ladder-, of the ancients. Now, between Cape Blanco and the island, there is a spacious bay, with one or two lesser curves. It occurred to us that, in the days of Tyre’s glory, when they took “cedars from Lebanon to make masts for her, and oaks from Bashan to make oars, and fine linen from Egypt to be spread forth as her sails;” when “all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in her to occupy her merchandise,” this vast bay may have afforded her an anchorage, where the forests of masts would present to the eye a spectacle not less noble than any which can be seen in the harbour of the very greatest of our commercial cities, and this in a region of surpassing beauty.

Indeed, it is not unlikely that Old Tyre may have extended as far as the precipitous summit of Cape Blanco, from which its name Tsour, that is, “a rock,” may have been derived. Tyre on the Island may have been at first, as Jowett has conjectured, the harbour of the original city, connected with it, as the remaining aqueducts testify, although four miles distant from its gates. If there be truth in this conjecture, it would at once exjilain the vast circumference of the city as described by Pliny, and would illustrate the glowing description of Ezekiel, when he describes how “her builders had perfected her beauty.”

Keeping both the Tyres in view, we could not fail to notice with what awful accuracy the word of God has been verified concerning them. The word of Amos has been fulfilled, “For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus which shall destroy the palaces thereof”! Not a vestige of her

* Ezek. XX vi. 21. + Amos. i. 9, 13.

WW TYRE — FULFILMENT OF PROPHECy.

palaces remains, except the prostrate granite pillars, over which the wave is ever beating. We remembered, too, as we looked along the bare shore, the minute predictior of Ezekiel, “They shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers: I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea; for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God.” * Alexander the Great seems actually to have scraped away the very rubbish as well as the stones of Old Tyre to construct his causeway;! and now the bare rocks along the shore, on some part of which the ancient city must have stood, are literally a place for the spreading of nets. The first man we met in the gate of Tyre was a fisherman carrying a load of fish, and the fishing-boats in the harbour we have already mentioned. If, indeed, the sea has made an advance upon the coast, then the very rocks where Old Tyre stood may be now under water, and the nets of the fisherman may thus also be literally spread over them. And this, also, would give new meaning to the expression, “Thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters;”| although at the same time the ruin of her fleets and merchant-ships will completely satisfy the terms of this prophecy. How interesting, too, is the very uncertainty that hangs over the true situation of ancient Tyre, some placing it on the shore, some at Ras el-Ain farther inward, and some on a rocky eminence called Marshuk, to the north-east — all combining to shew how awfully the thrice-repeated curse has been fulfilled, “/ u’ill make thee a terror and thou shalt be no more;’”!) and how true to the letter, “Though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again.”

Looking to the bare rock of the island, or to the village that stands upon it, without a remnant of the triple wall and fortress once deemed impregnable, a traveller is ready to ask, in the very words of the prophet, “Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days ]”” Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose trat fickers are the honourable of the earth ] The Lord of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and

* Ezek. xxvi. 4. Dr. Newcome’s note on this passage gives us the full sense: “The bare shinii surface (fa rocJc.”

t The words of Quintus Curtius, quoted by Dr. Keith, are very remarkable: “HuMcs aggerebatur.” t Ezek. xxvii. 34.

$ Ezek. xxvi. 21; xxvii. 36; .lxviii. 19 to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.” “He stretched out his hand over the sea: he shook the kingdoms; the Lord hath given a commandment against the merchant-city, to destroy the strongholds thereof.”* But a brighter day is yet to dawn upon Tyre, when it shall be a’city of holiness. For the same sure word of prophecy declares, that though after its ruin it should return to its sinful gains, yet a time is coming, when “her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord; it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.”! May not this allude to some event connected with Israel’s restoration; for it is they who shall be in a peculiar manner the people “that dwell before the Lord?” Perhaps as Hiram supplied cedars and other materials for the temple in the days of Solomon, Tyre may again send her supplies to assist Israel on their return home.

The first Jew whom we met in Tyre was from Algiers. He had there acquired a little knowledge of French from the army, and told us that there were about a hundred Jews in Tyre; of these, five families had come recently from Algiers, and the rest from Saphet, on occasion of their dwellings being destroyed by the earthquake on 1st January, 1837. He led us to the synagogue, one of the poorest and most wretched we had yet seen, having a solitary lamp burning beside the ark. Several Jews gathered round us. The Hebrew Bible was produced, and we soon entered into conversation on divine things. One interesting young Jew seemed a little impressed, and often carried his difficulties to the elder ones, seeking from them an answer. Under a verandah, outside the synagogue, an elderly Jew sat on the ground teaching some children. Mr. Bonar tried the children with a few simple sentences in Hebrew, and they in turn asked him in Hebrew the names of several Scripture characters, putting such questions as ntt-D 3X »d, “who was the father of Moses ]”

We next visited the Rabbi of Tyie at his own house. He seemed a sagacious-looking man, kind and polite in his manners. In discussing passages of Scripture, when Mr. Caiman pushed him hard, he invariably resorted to his commentators, taking down from a shelf some old thin folios. As we sat looking out at the open window

Isa, xxiii. 7, 8, 9, 11. t Isa. xxiii. 18.

264 TYRE — DISCUSSION WITH THE RABEl.

upon the brisrht blue sea, we observed that “the earth shall yet be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea;” upon which he made this interesting remark, that as there are many caverns, and inequalities of depths in the sea, and yet the surface of the water is all smooth and level; so shall it be then, people will still possess unequal capacities of knowledge and enjoyment, yet all will present one common appearance, because each will be filled up to his measure. He asserted, that the purpose for which the Jews are now scattered over the world, is to diffuse the knowledge of the true God; but was at a loss for a reply when we referred to Ezekiel xxxvi. 23, “My great name, which ye have prof aned among the heathen.”

We now retired to the khan, and spread our carpets for a little repose before leaving Tyre, but our visit excited curiosity throughout the Jewish community, and many whom Ave had not seen before came to visit us. With our back to a pillar of the khan, and the Hebrew Bible in our hand, we maintained a broken conversation, often with half a dozen at a time, some going away, others coming. One, as he departed, cried, “Come away from that Epicurus.” Some were a little angry, but most were kind and good-natured. We showed that Isaiah i. 7, had been fulfilled before their eyes, “Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire, your land strangers devour it in your presence;” and, therefore, v. 3 must be true of themselves, “Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.” We proved to them from Zech. xiii. 1, that, as a nation, the)’’ did not at present know the way of forgiveness; for God says, ‘■’ In that day, there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.” Several of them remained with us to the very last, conducted us through the narrow bazaar, and parted with us outside the’gate, with expressions of kindness.

As we moved slowly round the fine sandy bay on the southern side of the peninsula, we remembered the solemn scene which that very shore had witnessed, when the Apostle Paul visited Tyre on his way to Jerusalem, as recorded by Luke. The Tyrian disciples “All brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city; and we kneeled down on the shore and prayed.” *

* Acts xxi. 5.

Not far from the town, our mules stopped to drink at a well, where the trough was of beautifully carved stone, and seemed to have been an old sarcophagus. We passed a small grove of fragrant lemon-trees, and then crossed an old aqueduct, with water running in it. Several of the gardens had watch-towers in them, in one of which we saw two men sleeping on a sort of loft. We soon began to ascend the heights which form the eastern background of the plain around Tyre, and often looked back to enjoy the magnificent view of the sea, the coast of Syrophenicia, and Tyre itself, with its rocks sti’etching south from the end of the peninsula.

In two hours from Tyre, our attention was attracted by a singular monument or tomb, resting upon immense hewn stones. The upper stone was very large, and it was not easy to see how it had been lifted on’to its fellows. Where are they that raised it! Their name and object are alike unknown.*

Reaching the summit of the ridge, our road lay south-east, as it penetrated into the interior of the country. In crossing the hills, we noticed in them another capability of this wonderful land, distinct from any we had seen in the southern parts. The sides, and even the summits, were sprinkled over with vigorous olive-trees. Some of these hills were no doubt 1000 feet high, yet their tops were frequently crowned with groves of olives, showing how fertile and how suitable for the cultivation of the olive this range must have been in former days. This was the more remarkable, because we were now in the tribe of Asher; and the prophetic blessing pronounced upon Asher, was, ‘■’■Let him dip his foot in oil.” His hills appear to be suitable neither for the vine nor for pasture, but for the olive, whose berries yield the finest oil. To this also, as well as to Asher’s luxuriant plains in the south of his possession, the words of Jacob may refer, “out of Asher his bread shall be fat.” J Nor is it unlikely that the promise, “Thy shoes shall be iron and brass” 5 may have a reference to these hills, that were his defence against his hostile neighbours in Tyre and Sidon. In days of quietness and peace, his hills yield him

* Robinson mentions this monument, and says that it hears among the common people the name of Kabr Ilairan, “Sepulchre of Iliram.” “It is possible (he adds) that this sepulchre once hold the dust of the friend and all); of Solomon.” Vol. iii. 385.

t Deut. xxxiii: 24. t Gen. xlix. 20. Deut. x.xxiii. 25.

oil in which he dips his feet; in war, his hills are to him as shoes of iron and brass.

In an hour from the ancient inonument, we came to a kind of basin in the bosom of the mountains — a gentle hollow, with a thriving village in the midst. It was surrounded with luxuriant corn-fields and verdant olives, and the villagers were all busy at the corn-floor. We asked an old peasant the name of the village; he said, “Kana.” The name thrilled to our heart, so strange and pleasant was it to hear a Scripture name from the lips of an ignorant Moslem. It is every way probable that this is the Kanah of Asher mentioned in Joshua.* Near it are some caves or tombs, and there is a heap of stones on a hill to the right which caught our attention, but which we had no time to investigate. The situation of the village is retired and peaceful. In the last cottage we passed, some Jews, who seemed to be travellers, were much surprised when we saluted them in the holy tongue.

Leaving Kana, we proceeded up a steep ascent, on the summit of which was another village called Sedeekin, that is, “The faithful,” so called by the Moslems because none but Mahometans dwell there. It is beautifully situated in the midst of fields of tobacco and fig-trees in abundance. It may be the site of some one of the towns named along with Kanah, “Hebron, and Rehob, and Hammon.” The inhabitants were all in the field reaping their harvest. The climate on the high hills of Galilee we found to be delicious. The hills around, as far as we could see, wei’e covered with a carpet of green, not of grass, however, but of brushwood and dwarf trees. Crossing over a low hill, and descending a very steep declivity, we came to the entrance of a deeply shadyglen, called Wady Deeb, that is, “Valley of the Wolf,” no doubt from its being a favourite resort of that animal. Here we met a Moslem returning from cutting wood, with his axe in his hand, while his wife followed carrying the bundle of wood upon her head, an example of the degradation to which women are subjected in eastern countries. The steep hills on each side of the pass rose to the height of 800 feet, and were finely clothed with tall shrubs and trees. The road winds through by a footpath, which in winter is probably the bed of a torrent. Nothing could exceed the romantic beauty of this ravine.

* Josh. .lix. 23.

Every kind of tree and shrub seemed to show themselves in turn, the beech-tree and valonea oak, the wild rose, the broom, and many others; while the white flowers of the woodbine and clematis clustered like garlands round the stronger shrubs, loading the evening” air with their fragrance. We pressed on for an hour and a half, till we reached a large natural cave on the left side of the valley, where the pathway became very steep and rocky; yet it was wonderful to see how the little Syrian horses clambered up.

The darkness had now settled down upon us, and the fireflies were sparkling through the air in all directions. Reaching the summit, we discerned our nearness to a village by the scent of the straw, peculiar to Arab villages. The name of it was Jettar, and we were directed to the khan, an enclosure at the end of the village, which had a roof and one wall made of the boughs of trees. Under these we spread our mats, thankful to find a place of rest. The villagers were very kind; and so many of them came to visit us, that our lodging was full of strangers till a late hour. About forty families live here, all of them Maliometans, Fifteen houses were destroyed by an earthquake in 1837. There is a large pond of water beside the village, and to this herds of leopards and wolves come to drink at night. Wolves and wild boars abound in the valley we had passed through; and gazelles are numerous. The villagers told us, that near this place are the ruins of several old towns, some of them extensive. They mentioned the names of three, Mirapheh, Mar-Yamin, and Medinatnahash (” city of brass.”) The name Jettar, and the striking features of the valley Wady Deeb, up which we had passed, suggested to us that this may be the valley of ‘■’Jcplithah-eV mentioned in Joshua.* It is above five hours distant from Tyre.

(July 11.) We were awoke early in the morning by the sound of horses’ feet, and starting up saw a soldier, armed with gun and pistols, looking in upon us. Along with him were two Jews from Tyre, whom we immediately recognised as friends. One told us in his broken French, that a messenger had brought word to Tyre of a Jew having been shot by the Bedouins two hours further on the road to Saphet, and they were now going to find his body. Whether this was a true report or not we

* Josh. xix. 27.

2G8 TYRE TO SAl’IIET — MOUNTAIN SCENERY.

never ascertained, but it made us feel that our way through Galilee was not unattended with danger. The villagers, too, seemed alarmed; they were going to a market at some distance, somewhere in the direction of Saphet, and were very anxious that we should accompany them, either out of kindness to us or through desire of protection to themselves. We thought it better, however, to journey forward by ourselves, as we could not have reached Saphet by the proposed bypath the same night. Their advice reminded us of the days of Shamgar, “when travellers walked through byways.” * We read Isaiah xxvi. in our morning worship under a tree, at a little distance from the village, and rode on our way through the tribe of Naphtali.

On a hiirnear were the ruins of a small fortress, and caves that may have leen used as sepulchres. The Arabs called the place Bedundah. In a little while a deep valley came in sight lying beneath us, with a fine pass winding to the east, the hills beyond appearing wooded to the top. The mouth of the pass was shut up by a conical hill, completely wooded. In winding round this hill, we came upon a well and a watering trough, where several shepherds had gathered their flocks together to drink. The quietness of the valley contrasted with the rumours of danger from the Bedouins, reminded us of Judges, “They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water.”! For some time hill and valley alternately presented themselves, covered with shrubs and trees. At one place, a large snake glided away from us among the shrubs, and once or twice an owl was seen perching on the trees.f Coveys of partridges also frequently crossed our path. On the height above was a village called Jibbah. The way was adorned with many witd flowers, and we were occasionally refreshed by romantic scenery. The jasmine is called by the Arabs “Jasmin-el-barie,” that is, wild jasmine, and appears to be a native of the country. Often it was seen creeping to the top of the trees, and there forming a snowy crown, or twining from branch to branch a garland of white flowers. The yellow broom also, a native of Palestine, was flourishing in great profusion. Through another mountain valley we came into a smaL

* Judg. V. 5. t Judg. V. 1 1.

t Ps. cii. 6, “An owl of the desert places.”

26&

plain of great beauty. Here an old olive-press was lying on the road-side. A wooden screw and vice seemed intended to press a large stone upon the olives, while a stone trough beneath received the oil. At the eastern end of this plain, we came to a considerable village called Ramea, with a large circular pool of water. In a wide area close by, heaps of corn were piled up ready to be trodden out, and at another place horses were employed in treading. Many flocks of sheep and goats were on their way to drink at the pool.

Leaving this beautiful plain, our way led us through mountain passes of a similar character to those already described, only here we observed the remains of ancient terraces, and remarked that the natural rock is frequently in the form of terraces, as in the hills of Judah. About mid-day we came in sight of a village on the summit of a rocky hill; to which we gladly turned aside to enjoy a little rest. Throughout all the morning we had expected to fall in either with the Bedouins, or our Jewish friends; and many a lurking-place suitable to the designs of the robber we passed, but no evil came near us. The name of the village to which we had come was Kefr-birhom; its inhabitants, about 200 in number, are all Maronite Christians. They received us very kindly, and introduced us to their priest, a gentle and venerable-looking man. His dress was a dark caftan or cloak, and a high black turban. He pressed us much to take up our lodging in an upper room which he pointed out to us; but we preferred the deep shade of a spreading fig-tree. He sat down with us, and many of the villagers at a respectful distance; and, through Mr. Caiman, we had some discussion on points of doctrine. One of ug, wandering through the village, entered into the cottago

KEFR-BIRIIOM — ANCIENT SYNAGOGUE.

of a Maronite, and sitting down read a little of his Syriac prayer-book, to the infinite delight of the poor man, who thereupon welcomed the unknown traveller as a brother. Soon after, when we were all reclining under the fig-tree, this man came with a present of four eggs; and on being presented with a pencil-case, ran back to his house, and brought us two pigeons. Contrasting this gift with the present of a sheep which the Governor of Hebron brought us, we saw in a very clear manner the considerateness of the command in Leviticus i. 10, 14, where the rich man was expected to bring a sheep for an offering, and the poor man two young pigeons.* While seated under the fig-tree, several Jews arrived on their way from Tyre to Saphet, among whom we recognised the young man who had been a little impressed m the synagogue. He soon came and spoke with us, and taking up the Hebrew Bible, he put his finger on Joshua ii. 1, where Joshua is described as sending out two spies to view the land, “Now (said he) you are these spies.” We found in the village traces of former greatness, especially in the north-east, where are considerable remains. The principal ruin is that of an ancient synagogue. The doorway and two windows (one on each side of the door) was still in good preservation, but half sunk in the rubbish. The upper part of the door is

* C’omp. Luke ii -24: Lev. xii ornamented with a fine wreath of vine leaves and bunches of grapes carved in the stone, and in beautiful preservation. The windows are also adorned with carved work; three columns are still standing, and several fragments lie scattered through the village. The Maronites and Jews both called it a Jewish synagogue, and connected it with the name of Isaiah.* We were told also that the Jews sometimes go there to pray. In a field about a quarter of a mile distant stands another doorway, said to be not so elegant, but bearing an inscription over it. We regretted much that our time did not permit us to visit it and endeavour to decypher the inscription.

In the afternoon, we set out again, having the Jews in our train, and conversing with them by the way. A fine spreading mountain now came in sight, two hours distant on the right hand, commonly supposed to be Mount iVa/i/zi’ai/, resembling (iueensberry Hill in Dumfries-shire. There is a considerable plain around its base, which may be part of the plain of Zaanaim, where HebertheKenite dwelt, and where Barak gathered his army.f The hill would serve as a mark easily seen far off by “all Zebulun and Naphtali,” and so would render this spot the better suited for a rendezvous. The town at which they met was Kadesh, the birthplace of Barak, and also a C*ity of Refuge. If Kadesh stood near this hill, it would be well fitted for a city of reftige, as the hill would point out its situation at a great distance to the fleeing manslayer, while the plain made his flight easy. In this respect it would resemble Sychem and Hebron, which were also cities of Refuge.

On the left hand, we passed, without seeing it, the village of Gish, supposed to be the site of Gischaia, which Josephus says was mostly peopled with agriculturists, and near which (he says) was Kydessa, which may be the modern village Kadyta, a little to the south-east. Mr. Caiman had visited Gish immediately after the earthquake by which it was totally destroyed. In one place he mentioned that the rocks were torn asunder to a considerable breadth, and no one could tell the deptn of the fissure. About half a mile farther on we turned off” the road to the left to visit a singular pool called B’rket-el Gish. It bears evident marks of having been at one time the crater of a volcano. It is of an oval form, and about 1100 paces in circumference. This we ascertained by

* Comp. p. 280. t Judg. iv. 10, 11.

walking round as near to the edge as the sharp projecting rocks would allow. The rocks are all black, evidently composed of lava, and it is singular to notice that to the south and east the fields are covered with black stones of the same description, while there are none to the north and west. A considerable quantity of water was collected in it, and the flocks are driven down to the edge to drink. The neighbouring plain is called Sachelel-Gish, or “Plain of Gisli.” The plain, the pool, and the village all bearing the same name, shew that it must have been a place of some importance.

Returning from this pool, we obtained our first glimpse of a small part of the Sea of Galilee, by looking past the shoulder of Mount Naphtali. Saphet also was full in sight, its snow-white houses perched on the summit of a lofty hill, gleaming under the rays of the setting sun. This is believed, though without any positive evidence, to be the ‘■’city set on a hill,’’’’ to which our Lord referred, and perhaps pointed, in his Sermon on the Mount; and certainly no place in all Palestine could better answer the description. We were not able to ascertain even from the Jews the name of any Scripture town situated there.* Before coming to Sapliet, we passed a village called Saccas, on a high rugged hill. Descending this hill, Mr. Bonar’s mule entangled its foot in a fissure of the rock, and rolled upon its side. Its rider was precipitated to the ground, without suffering any injury; but the poor animal’s foot was sorely crushed, and the muleteer led it along, pouring out incessant lamentations, and often kissing it like a child.

After crossing several ravines, all running south toward the Sea of Galilee, we climbed the hill on which Saphet stands by a very steep path worn deep in the white limestone rock. Mr. M’C’heyne rode up by the path, on the east side of the hill, and came upon ruins made by the earthquake, which on that side are very appalling. Arriving at the house of a Jew, he was kindly entertained, and requested by his host to tell the news of the war. Another Jew kindly guided him to the rest of our company. Mr. Caiman, being well acquainted with the place and with the Jewish inhabitants, soon obtained for us a comfortable lodging in the cottage of a German Jew, who wilUngly removed to make way for us. He

* The name Saphet may be derived from DflX the capital of a pillar ( Kings vii. 41), alluding to the appearance of the town which surmountB the hill, very much in the way that a capital surmounts a pillar.

lighted up the lamp filled with olive-oil, and we spread our mats upon the floor. We found all the Jews here living in a state of great alarm. The troops of the Pasha had been withdrawn, being engaged in the war, and the Bedouins were every day threatening an attack to plunder the town. Only four soldiers had been left to defend them, and these, along with ten Jews, used to patrole the town all night to “give alarm in case of an assault. We observed how poorly clad most of the Jews seemed to be, and wei’e told that th?y had buried under ground all their valuable clothes, their money, and other precious things. It was easy to read their deep anxiety in the very expression of their countenances: they were truly in the state foretold by Moses more than 3000 years ago. “The Lord shall give thee a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life.” * And all this in their own land!

The Jews wondered that we had travelled so safely when we did not even carry fire-arms. But “the Lord had gone before us, and the God of Israel had been our rereward.” We felt deeply thankful for the mercies of this day, and slept quietly in our Jewish cottage, the loud cry of the jackals being the only sound to break the silence of the night.

(July 12.) The morning air was cool and delightful in this elevated region. The hill on which Saphet stands appears to be of great height, not inferior even to Tabor. The town is built upon two heights, of which the northern and upper is occupied almost entirely by the Jews, the lower by the Mahometans. On the highest point are the ruins of the castle. All its houses are’built of a pure white limestone, which gives them a dazzling appearance. The ruins of the town, caused by the earthquake 1st January 1837, are every where to be seen, and in some places are literally heaps upon heaps; for the town having been built on the slopes of the steep hill, one range of houses actually hung over the other, and hence, in the earthquake, the houses were cast one upon another. The Jews have rebuilt a great part of their quarter, out of veneration for the Holy City, but the Mahometan quarter is still an appalling ruin.

The situation of Saphet is singularly beautiful. Looking west from our cottage door, the noble mountain of

* Dent, xxviii. 65, 66.

SAPHET — BAZAAR — MARKET,

Naphtali met the eye, verdant to the top, and the fine undulating plain stretching east and west at its base. Looking down the hill on which the town itself stands, we saw pleasant groves of olives, and vineyards supported by terraces, while footpaths and tracks in the white rock wind up in all directions, along which the country people were moving slowly with mules and camels, this day (Friday) being the market-day. Close to the town, in the N. W. is a village — a small suburb — called Ain Zeitoun, “well of olives.” Further off, in the same direction, is the village of Kadyta, and on a height nearly due west, Saccas. And upon the side of the hill of Naphtali, the white tombs of Marona are dimly visible, — a highly venerated spot, because of the rabbis buried there.

^^’aIking round to the southern brow on which the Mahometan quarter is built, we sat down among the tombs in full view of the Lake of Galilee — solemn, calm, and still — and meditated over the scenes that had been transacted there. Returning by the bazaar, we had an opportunity of witnessing the market which is held here weekly. All was bustle and noise, very like a market at home. The Bedouin Arab was there, fully armed, with his long firelock under his arm; for, though he is known to be a robber, yet he attends the market in peace, no one laying a hand upon him, in wonderful fulfilment of the prophecy, “His hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him, and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.’’’’* Here, too, were the Syrian women wearing the nose-jewel alluded to by Isaiah,! fastened by a hole bored through the nostril, not so large or uncomely as we had expected. A much more unpleasant yet common custom is the staining of the chin and under the mouth with dots of henna. In many of the shops the only weights in the balance were smooth stones, which we learn from the book of Proverbst were also used in ancient days.

The custom of drying corn and other articles on the roofs of houses here, appears to be as common as it was in the days of Rahab.J The houses in the streets have their flat roofs so connected, that nothing could be easier or more natural in case of any alarm, than to walk along the whole length of the street on the housetop, without coming down.H Indeed, there are some yet remaining,

* Gen. xvi. 12. t Isa. iii. 21. y Prov. xi. 1; xvi. 11. See original. 5 Josh. ii. 6. Also 2 Sam. xvii. 19. II Luke xvii- 31.

where the roofs of the lower row of houses form the pathway of the row above. This was very generally the case in Saphet before the earthquake, and, in reference to it, a well-known story is current among the inhabitants. A camel-driver passing along the street suddenly saw his camel sink down. It had been walking on the roof of a house, and the roof had given way. The owner of the house was filled with alarm and anger at seeing the animal descend into his apartment. He carried the case to the Cadi, claiming damages for the broken roof of his house. But he was met by the camel-driver claiming damages from him for the injury his camel had sustained by the fall, owing to the roof not being kept in good repair. We did not hear the decision of the Cadi in this difficult case.

Towards evening, we clambered through a vineyard to the shapeless ruins of the castle, which surmounts the highest peak of the hill of Saphet, and commands the finest view of the Lake of Galilee. Here we disturbed several serpents of considerable size, which darted out of sight at our approach, or glided down the slope. Large vultures also were hovering over our heads in great numbers.

We climbed up to the highest part of the untenanted walls, and sat down. Immediately below us was the Governor’s house and tjie Mahometan quarter, and part of the hill clothed with fig and olive trees. Three ridges more intervene, and then the Lake of Galilee appears. It did not seem more than two miles off, though in I’eality four hours distant, so much does the clear atmosphere deceive the sight. The greater part of the lake was in view, nearly in the form of an oval, — a deep blue expanse of calm, unruffled, silent waters. Through part of the middle of the lake, we could discern a streak like the track of a vessel that had lately cut the waters. This might possibly be caused by the current of the Jordan passing through it; but of this we were rather sceptical, for at other times we could not discover any thing like this appearance. On the eastern side the mountains are lofty and bare, descending abruptly on the shore. We could not descry a single village or town on that side, although smoke was rising from one or two points. On the western side the hills are not so lofty nor so close upon the lake; but there is more variety. We remarked that there was no part of the margin which showed any thing like a plain except that part in the north-west where a verdant plain extends apparently three or four miles along the shore, and seemed to be a mile or a mile and a half at its greatest breadth. We concluded ai once that this must be the plain of Gennesareth, of which Josephus speaks in such glowing terms,* and the land of Gennesareth, so often mentioned in the Gospel narrative,.where stood Capernaum, and other cities, whose very site is now unknown.

South of the plain, two rocky promontories run out into the lake. Over the nearest, a few buildings, dimly discernible, indicated the site of Tiberius; but a little further a white building attracts the eye upon the shore. It is the hot baths of Tiberias. Over the second promontory a distant village is visible, probably Kerak, the ancient Tarichcca; and there the view of the lake is bounded. The whole extent of the lake may be about fifteen mOes in length, and nine miles at the greatest breadth. The view of the hill country to the west and south-west of the lake is very beautiful. The heights of Huttin, commonly fixed on by tradition as the Mount of Beatitudes, appear a little to the west of Tiberias. Over these the graceful top of Mount Tabor is seen, and beyond it the little Hermon, famous for its dews; and still further, and apparently higher, the bleak mountains of Gilhoa, on which David prayed that there might fall no dew nor rain.f

A view of the position of Tabor and Hermon from such a situation as that which we now occupied, showed us how accurately they might be reckoned the “umbilicus terrce” — the central point of the land, — and led us to infer that this is the true explanation of the manner in whi-ch they are referred to in the 89th Psalm:” The north and the south thou hast created them; Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.’’’l It is as if the Psalmist had said, North, south, and all that is between — or, in other words, the whole land from north to south, to its very centre and throughout its very marrow — shall rejoice in thy name.

We could imagine the days when Jesus walked down by the side of that lake, and preached to silent multitudes gathered round him. It seemed at that moment unspeakable condescension, that God in our nature should once have stood on some of these slopes, and stretched out his hand to sinners as he spoke in the tone of heavenly

’ * Wars, ill. 10, sec a t 2 Sam. i. 21. 1 Ps. l.xxxLx. 12.

love, “Come unto me, and I will give you rest!” And it was strangely solemn to be gazing upon rocks that echoed to his prayers by night, and deseit places where he was alone with his Father: “He departed again unto a mountain himself alone;” “and his disciples went down unto the sea.” * All sides of the lake are now comparatively bleak and dreary; yet they suit the stillness of the scene. Not a tree is to be seen on the mountains; and even the land of Gennesareth, so famous in the days of Josephus for the amazing variety and luxuriance of its trees and shrubs, is now only a wilderness of reeds and bushes. “Behold your house is left unto you desolate!”t The house remains, but it is desolate. The rocks and mountains around the sea continue unaltered; the water of the lake is as pure and as full as in ancient days; and yet the place is most desolate. Its cities are gone, and the vast population that once thronged its shores are now reduced to a few miserable inhabitants of mud-walled villages.

Returning from this solemn scene, we bent our steps toward the Jewish quarter. They reckon Saphet a peculiarly holy city, because Simeon, author of the Zohar, and many other eminent rabbis, are buried in its vicinity. We entered a synagogue, where several persons were reading the Talmud and the Commentators. A young man was reading a commentary on 1 Chron. xxix. where the dying words of David are recorded. This led us to speak of what a man needed when death arrived, and we came at length to the question. How can a sinner be righteous before God 1 We were speaking in a mixture of Hebrew and German. The young man was very earnest, but several gathered round and stopped the conversation by asking “From what country do you come 1” Before leaving, Mr. Bonar read out of a German tract the story of Salmasius, who on his deathbed wished that he had devoted his life to the study of the Holy Scriptures. In another synagogue, a young man who spoke Hebrew and Germanr conversed with us, and three old men joined us for a short time, but all of them looked suspiciously upon us, and soon went away. We learned in the course of the day, that they had heard fi-om some of Sir Moses Montefiore’s attendants, that we were come for the purpose of making them Christians, and had been warned to enter into no discussions.

In the evenmg toward sunset, we could observe the

* John vi, 15, 16, t Matt, xxiii. 38.

preparations going on in every Jewish dwelling for the Sabbath. The women brought out of the oven the bread they had baked, beautifully white wheaten bread, the first we had seen among the natives of Palestine. The houses were all set in order, the table arranged, and the couches spread; in every dwelling the Sabbath lamp was lighted, and a low murmur was heard, while the father of the family repeated the appointed benediction. “Blessed art thou, O Lord, King of the World, who hast sanctified us by thy commandments, and commanded us to light the Sabbath lamp.” Soon after, all hurried to the synagogue, to bring in the Sabbath there.

There are two synagogues of the Ashkenazim, and two of the Sephardim in Saphet; and six of those places for study called Yishvioth. We visited one of the former, and found it very neat and clean, beautifully hghted up with lamps of olive-oil. Several very venerable men were seated all round; morethanhalf of the worshippers had beards verging to pure white, and grey hair flowing on their shoulders. It was indeed a new scene tons. In reading their prayers, nothing could exceed their vehemency. They read with all their might; then cried aloud like Baal’s prophets on Mount Carmel; and from time to time, the tremulous voice of some aged Jew rose above all the rest in earnestness. The service was performed evidently as a work of special merit. One old man often stretched out his hand as he called on the Lord, and clenched his trembling fist in impassioned supplication. Some clapped their hands, others clasped both hands together, and wrung them as in an agony of distress, till they should obtain their request. A few beat upon their breasts. One man, trembling with age, seemed to fix on the word “Adonai,” and repeated it with every variety of intonation, till he exhausted his voice. All of them, old and young, moved the body backward and forward, rocking to and fro, and bending toward the ground. This indeed is an important part of worship in the estimation of strict Talmudists, because David says, “All viy bo7ies shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee .^” * When all was over, one young man remained behind prolonging his devotions, in “great excitement. We at first thought that he was deranged, and was caricaturing the rest,”but were assured that, on the contrary, he was a peculiarly devout man. Sometimes he struck the wall, and sometimes stamped with his feet; often he bent his * Ps. x.xxv. 10.

whole body to the ground, crying aloud, “Adonai, is not Israel thy people]” in a reproachful tone, as if angry that God did not immediately answer. The whole service seemed embodying to the life the description given by Isaiah, “Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou .seest not! wherefore have we afflicted our souls, and thou takest no knowledge 1” “ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.” *

We never felt more deeply affected at the sight of Israel. It was the saddest and most solemn view of them that we had yet obtained. — Sincere, anxious, devout Jews “going about to establish their own righteousness.” None seemed happy; even when all was over, none bore the cheerful look of men who had ground to believe that their prayers had been accepted. Many had the very look of misery, and almost of despair.

We had just time to look in upon two other synagogues before they broke up. The devotions in all seemed to be conducted in one spii’it of vehement and intense excitement. Yet it is said that the Jews of Tiberias exceed them in the earnestness of their religious services. All the Ashkenazim here belong to the sect called “Chasidim,” who are by far the most superstitious and Pharisaical sect among the Jews.

On Saturday morning (July 13), walking out a little way, we came to part of the hill where are some small vineyards, with vines trained on terraces, affording a .specimen of former times. It is a surface of rock with a thin sprinkling of earth, that has been thus cultivated. Frequently the rocky terraces are entirely concealed by the verdant vines which hang over them, and often we passed through rows of vines, where the road was covered from view by the spreading luxuriance of the branches. To such a fruitful and spreading vineyard, where the very roads were overspread by luxuriant boughs, Job referred, when he said of the wicked’s final ruin,” he beholdeth not the vjay of the vineyards.’’’’ f

We had planned a journey to explore the upper end of the Lake of Galilee, and see if any marks could be found to decide the position of Bethsaida; but difficulties came in our way. Some assured us that the journey would occupy only two hours; others said that it would require seven, and that the Bedouins had taken some horses there a few days ago, so that we must be accompanied by a guard. The uncertainty as to distance determined us

* Isa. lviii. 3, 4. t Job xxiv. 18- not to go, for we did not wish to risk breaking m upon the Sabbath-day. We accordingly resolved to visit Marona, whose white tomb was in sight, the burying-place of many illustrious Jews, and also a village named Jurmah, higher up the mountain, whither many Jews had fled fi-om the present danger. Every year Jewish pilgrims visit the sepulchres of Marona, and after many prayers, burn precious shawls dipped in oil in honour of the dead rabbis. This very year Sir Moses Montefiore had gone on a pilgrimage to it, the Jews of Saphet accompanying him in a body. They sung as they went, and clapped their hands in concert with the song. They prayed at the tombs and returned.

Mr. Caiman preferred rei.iG’uing in Saphet, both in order to see some of his old Jewish friends, and not to give needless oflFence, which would have been done had they seen one of their former brethren travelhng on the Jewish Sabbath. Descending from the hill of Saphet, we crossed a rocky wUderness, and passed through a fine ohve-grove. Here we met a large train of mules carrying merchandise on their way from Nablous to Damascus.

Soon after, we began to ascend Mount Naphtali, and in less than two hours from Saphet came to ]llarona. It must have been an ancient place, for there are the ruins of terraces; also many caves and excavated tombs, some of them large and very curious. But the most remarkable object is a beautiful gateway, like the one we saw at Kefr-birhom. The carving appeared to be after the same pattern. The stones are very large, and the whole space occupied by the edifice can be accurately traced by the large foundation-stones that are distinctly visible. A pillaf said to belong to this building, lay among the ruins in the village. Below this .spot are situated the tombs of the holy men of the Jews, having a white-washed oratory built over them, and enclosed within walls. We entered by a narrow gate, and found ourselves in a court, in the centre of which grew a spreading fig-tree. From this court is the entrance to the white oratory, a cool pleasant spot, having an ostrichshell suspended from the roof There is a desk with prayer-books for the use of Jewish pilgrims, among which we left one of our Hebrew tracts. The devout Jews have left their names scrawled over the walls. Beneath repose the ashes of Jewish saints, and the most distinguished of all, the author of Zohar, lies here.* A little

* Sec his history in the Appendix, No. III.

.ower down the hill, we entered a large cave, havingseven vaults hewn out in it, containing many places for dead bodies, all empty. At the entrance lay four singularly carved stones, probably intended for lids of the sarcophagi. Some of the Jews of the place were absurd enough to assert, that this village, Marona, is the Shimro7-meron of Joshua xii. 20, and they called the channel of a small winter-torrent close by “the waters of Alegiddo.” They proved the former merely from the liken-^ss i.i the name, and the latter from the circumstance of Kedesh, Megiddo, and Taanach, all occurring in the history of Barak’s expedition against Sisera, and then occurring along with Shimron-meron in Joshua xii. 20, 22. The village itself is poor and wi,’tched, adorned by a solitary palm-tree. It belongs to the Maronite Christians, who have such respect for the chief man among’ the Jews there that they give full protection to all his brethren.

We now ascended an hour higher up the mountain to Jurmah. The road was wild and beautiful, and tl.e atmosphere at this elevation pure and delightful. The myrtle-trees were in full blossom, and the whole way was lined with shrubs and evergreens, till we reached the village. It is situated upon a level brow of the hill just where the view opens out towards the Lake of Galilee. Here we had been directed to inquire for the house of Rabbi Israel. We found him sick and in bed, but his family and the other Jews of the place received us very kindly. About fifteen reside here, principally Russians, who had left Saphet on account of the unsettled state of the country. The table was spread with a clean white cloth; bread, cheese, milk, and a kind of spirit, were produced, and we were pressed to partake. We conversed in Hebrew and German, and before leaving had some conversation regarding the pardon of sin. We felt it deeply Interesting to partake of Jewish hospitality in one of the villages of the land of Israel, and they seemed friendly and not at all offended by our words. From the door of the house, they pointed out Bet-jan, a village half an hour from this, in which several Jewish families had taken refuge; and told us of a village three hours further up the mountain, called Bukeah, where twenty Jews reside, and where they cultivate the ground like Fellahs. If this be true, it is the only instance we heard of in which the Jews till the ground in Palestine.

Descending the hill, we returned to Saphet in time to 2G visit the synagogues of the Sephardim. On our way we met an old Jew, carrying his prayer-book in his hand., in the same manner as our old Scottish peasants carry their Bibles to church. O that Israel had the same light upon the Word of God, that the Holy Spirit has granted to many of our peasants in Scotland!

The synagogues of the Sephardim are both within a small court, in which fig-trees are planted; and both are clean, white-washed, and well lighted up. Here we got into converse with the same interesting young Jew who had followed us from Tyre. When we were speaking on Psalm xxxii, the blessedness of being forgiven, he said, “But I obtained forgiveness long ago, by taking four steps in this holy land.” And referring to Isaiah liii, he said, “Yes, it applied to Messiah, who is now sitting at the gate of Rome among the poor and the sick” — a singular legend which exists in the Talmud, and is one of the ways by which the Jews evade the force of that remarkable prophecy. Whenever any entered into converse with us in the synagogue, they were forbidden by the frown and authority of elder Jews. At last they cut off all further debate by beginning the public prayers. The same young Jew afterward meeting Mr. M’Cheyne in the street, and observing a strong staff in his hand, requested him to give him a present of it. He made his request in Hebrew 3pis’ hn ■>jn in3> □■’•un qni nrn rann «•? jn nin n’2 “Give me this staff, and if the Arabs come, I will smite them with it.” It was strange to hear this youth speaking the language of his fathers on their own mountains.

This evening, we heard that a party of Bedouins had come down upon the little village of Mijdel, on the border of the Lake of Galilee, and plundered the villagers of all their goods and cattle. This news spread fresh alarm through Saphet.

(July 14.)” We spent a pleasant Lord’s day. We sat in the open air enjoying “the shadow of a cloud,”* and the cooling breeze that swept over the hill. In the forenoon, beneath the shade of an olive-grove, with Mount Naphtali full in view, we read together the Epistle to the Philippians, and worshipped. In the afternoon we joined again in social worship on the southern brow of the hill among the Mahometan tombs, with the Lake

* Isa. XXV. 5.

TOMBS — THE “ERUV.” 283

of Galilee at our feet. While walking down the face of the hill, we came upon a cave where the Jews had thrown aside, from religious scruples, leaves of Hebrew books, and many MSS. wi’itten on parchment rolls, in which some defect had been found. This cave was amidst the flat gravestones that whiten that part of the hill. On the tombs, few of the inscriptions were interesting. Almost all ran in the same terms, beginning generally with the common formula, viz. the two letters, jd, that is, “Here is buried;” and then the individual’s name and character, -lai cdh !1’“‘n, “A man perfect and upright.” One quaint inscription quoted the words of the prophet Habakkuk, and applied them to a dead rabbi, as one whom even the inanimate objects would lament, “For the stone shall cry out of the wall; and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.” *

In returning to our dwelling in the afternoon, a Jew constrained Mr. Caiman to go into his house. It turned out that the man was intoxicated, and that he was a Russian who had become a Jew. Such cases of apostasy on the part of professing Christians sometimes occur. Mr. Caiman knew two others who had become Jews in a similar manner.f

It was here that we first observed the an;, “Eruv,” a string stretched from house to house across a street, or fastened upon tall poles. The string- is intended to represent a wall, and thus by a ridiculous fiction the Jews are enabled to fulfil the precept of the Talmud, that no one shall carry a burden on the Sabbath-day, not even a prayer-book or a handkerchief, or a piece of money, except it be within a walled place. How applicable still are the words of Jesus, “In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”t

In the evening, our servant Antonio, a simple kind-hearted lad, read with us in the Italian Bible. He was much struck with Christ’s words on the cross, Die mio, Dio mio, perche m’ hai lasciato,^’’ “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!” He had for several nights, at the end of the day’s journey, sat down alone to read a little. Mr. Caiman began to address the muleteers; but one of them, when he heard how the Sabbath ought

* Hab. ii. 11.

t There is a singular instance in the history of our own Church, recorded by VVodrow, of one Fr. Borthwick, who was accused of.’udaism.

$ Matt. XV. 9.

to be sanctified, said,” He did not like that, for it was the only day he had for fantasies,^’’ that is, amusements.

Thus our last evening in Saphet came to a close. We could not help desiring that the time would come when our beloved Church should be permitted to establish a Mission here. When the Deputation was unbroken, we had often spoken together upon the subject, and had always turned toward this spot as probably the most desirable situation in Palestine for a Mission to Israel; and now that we had visited it, our convictions were greatly strengthened. The climate of Saphet is very delightful even in the heat of summer. The thermometer immediately before dawn stood at 58° F.; at 8 o’clock, 64’^; at noon, 76’’ in the shade. The mountain air is pure, and the hills are finely exposed to every breeze that sweeps by. A Mission established in Galilee would have this great advantage, that the head-quarters might be at Saphet in summer, where the cool atmosphere would enable the missionary to labour without injury to health, and at Tiberias in winter, where the cold is scarcely felt. There is no missionary at present resident in either. The missionaries at Jerusalem visit both places occasionally, but by no means frequently. The Jews of Saphet have intimate communication with those of Jerusalem, and of the coast, so that all the motions of our English brethren at Jerusalem, and even our movements as we travelled through the land, were well known to them. They are also quite accessible to the efforts of a kind and judicious missionary, though many of them were shy of us because they had been warned from an influential quarter to have no dealings with us. Still the Sephardim were quite willing to hear; and all were friendly. In the village, where no external influence had been used, they were kind and attentive. They here have little or no employment, and have therefore abundant leisure to read and discuss. They are also in deep affliction, “finding no ease, neither has the sole of their foot rest,” a state of mind more favourable than carnal ease for aflTording opportunity to press upon them the truths of the gospel.

If it were thought advisable to engage converts in agricultural pursuits, it would be much more easily accomplished here than in any other part of the land. They might settle in a village among the mountains, and till the ground, or train the vine, like the Jews at

Bukeah of whom we heard. The Jews both of Saphet and Tiberias are most interesting, from the very circumstance of their extravagant devotion and bigotry. They have a peculiar love for these two places, being two of their four holy cities, and many of their saints being buried near. They say that Jeremiah hid the ark some- where in the hill of Saphet, and that Messiah will come first in Galilee. This notion is probably derived from Isaiah, “Galilee of the nations, the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light.”* That remarkable prophecy was fulfilled when our Lord Jesus, the great light of the world, came and dwelt beside the lake of Galilee ;t and who can tell whether He may not choose the same favoured spot to make light spring up again on them who sit in the region and shadow of death ] If the Spirit of God were poured down upon Saphet, it would become a city that might shine over the whole Jewish world. “A city set on a hill cannot be hid.” Such were our feelings upon the spot in 1839. The blast of war has passed over the country since then, and the reins of government of Syria have been wrenched from the hand of Mehemet Ali, and transferred to the feeble grasp of the Sultan. At present (1842), the country is said to be so unsettled, that no missionary would be safe in Saphet or any where in the interior of Galilee. But if tranquillity was restored, the desirableness of the place as a missionary station would be as great as ever.

(July 15.) We were up before the sun, and, by six o’clock took leave of our Jewish host and his family. Many Jews saluted us as we passed through the town. We proceeded south, with the Lake of Galilee fully in view, and descended into a deep valley, with a remarkable range of high and precipitous rocks, composed of reddish sandstone, on the left hand. In the bottom was a fresh stream of running water, issuing from a copious well, the oleander blossoming all around. The name of the valley was called Wady Hukkok. It may be the spot mentioned in Joshua, “The border of Naphtali went out to Hukkok, and reached to Zebulun on the south side.”| The name has evidently been given in reference to its steep precipitous sides.^ It seems probable that the border of Naphtali ended at this point. |1

Isa. ix. 1, 2. t Matt. iv. 13. X 3o&k- xix. 34.

$ The root “ppn” signifies to cut or engrave. II The difficult prophecy in regard to Naphtali’s portion in Deut. 2(3*

Descending still further south, we observed on the right a singular rock, of considerable height, in which were many caverns, and one part of which seemed to indicate excavations made by art, capable of containing a large number of men. We did not ascertain the name of this place, but afterwards conjectured that it might be the site of Jotapata, the city of Josephus, for it answers well to the description of that fortress given by him.* “Jotapata is almost wholly a precipice, abruptly enclosed all round on the other sides with immense valleys, whose depth wearies the eye of the beholder, and affording an access only on its northern side.” The caves of Arbela (supposed to be the Betharbel of Hoseaf), in the valley of Doves, south-west of the plain of Gennesareth, appear, from the description of travellers, to be very similar.

Leaving this spot on our left, we crossed over a pleasant hill to the south-east, and came down into the fertile Plain of Gennesareth, near a fountain called “Ain-el-Tin,” “the fig-tree fountain,” supposed by some to be “the fountain of Capernaum” mentioned by Josephus. We did not search out the ruins of the city, but there were pointed out to us heaps among the luxuriant bushes of the plain, which some have thought to be the remains of Capernaum. The land of Gennesareth is a beautiful little plain, extending along the shore nearly four miles, and about two miles fromlhe lake to the foot of the hills at the broadest part. It is in the shape of a bow and string at full stretch, and there is a gentle slope from the hills to the water’s edge all round. It seems highly probable that part of the hills which enclose it, may have been included in the territory of Gennesareth in the days of its splendour. Gardens and orchards could not find a better soil than these declivities, and it must have been on the different steps of this amphitheatre, that the variety of trees yielding the fruits of different seasons found each its appropriate climate, as described by Josephus.

xxxiii. 23, should probably be translated, “Possess thou the sea (ni) and the south.” The term “south” is intended to fix the meaning of ’ tJie sea;” q. d. not the Great Sea or Mediterranean, but the sea that lies south of thy border; that is, the Sea of GaUlee. Capernaum, Bethsaida, and other fishing towns, belonged to Naphtali, so that his vessels commanded the whole lake, or, in other words, “possessed it.” Just as, in Gen. xlix. 13, the border of Zebulun is said to “be unto Zidon;” because he might be said to extend to that point when hia vessels were trading thither. * Wars, iii. 7. t Hos. x. 14.

Moving on southward we crossed a fine stream flowing through the plain, the same which we had seen gushing from its fountain among the hills below Saphet. Its banks were adorned with the oleander and other flowers. A fine flock of goats were watering here, and a rich crop of dhura was springing green and beautiful. The reeds and thistles were growing to an amazing height beside the water. Soon after, we crossed another stream from the mountains, full and rapid. On the left bank upon the height, there were the remains of an ancient tower, in no way interesting, and the name of which we could not learn. In the middle of the stream stood a ruined mill. Many tortoises were seen dropping into the water as we approached. The plain opens out considerably, affording spots of pasturage, where we observed several Bedouins feeding their horses; but still there was a vast profusion of reeds and shrubs, and thorny plants, the most common being the tree called nabbok by the Arabs. In almost an hour from Ain-el-Tin we came to Mijdel, at the southern extremity of the plain.

Such is the present condition of the Land of Gennesareth, — once a garden of princes, now a wilderness. We have seen that the remains of Capernaum, which is called the Saviour’s “own city,” * are scarcely to be found; and the traces of Chorazin and Bethsaida are still more doubtful. There seems every probability that they were also within the limits of this little plain, but where, no one can teU. f The solemn “wo” pronounced by the Lord Jesus on these three cities, in whose streets He so often spoke the words of eternal life, has fallen with silent but exterminating power. It is more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for them. “And thou, Capernaum, which wast exalted to heaven, art brought down to hell.”f He took out his believing remnant from the midst of them (as he took Lot out of^Sodom), Peter, Andi’ew, and Philip, three worthies fi-om Bethsaida, — and three from Caper-

* Matt. ix. 1.

t It seems evident that there were two towns called Bethsaida, on opposite sides of the Sea of Galilee. One was the town of Philip, Andrew, and Peter, (John i. 44), associated with Chorazin and Capernaum (Matt. xi. 20 — 24), and belonging to the land of Gennesareth (Mark vi. 45, 53). This town was clearly on the west side of the sea. The other is associated with the towns of Cesarea Philippi (Mark viii. 13, 22, 27), and with the desert place where Christ fed the five thou.«and (Luke ix. 10 It was on the east side of Jordan, probably an hou north of the lake, where the ruins of a town on a hill stUi remain.

t Matt. xi. 20- 24.

naum, the nobleman, the centurion, and Jainis; and then swept the unbeheving cities away with the besom of destruction. An awful voice rises from these ruined heaps of Gennesareth, warning the cities of our favoured land that a despised Gospel will bring them as low as Capernaum; “He that believeth not shall be damned.”

It was in Capernaum that Jesus healed so many upon one Saturday evening, when the Jewish Sabbath was over, and the cooling breeze of sunset was favourable to the journey of the sick.* We could imagine them coming, some up the side of the lake, others from its northern towns, or down the valley of Doves from the interior of Galilee, till all meet in this very plain, where they hear that Jesus is in the city, and forthwith pour in to find him. He receives them, heals many that were sick of divers diseases, and casts out many devils; for “he did most of his mighty works” there. And being left alone, “he rose a great while before day, and went out and departed into a solitary place,” wandering up the valley of Doves on the west, or the deep ravines of Saphet on the north, and there prayed till Simon Peter and a multitude of anxious souls found him out among the rocks, and said unto him, “All men seek for thee.” f

We found the small village of Mijdel quite deserted. We had already met in the village several poor plundered peasants on their way to Saphet, with all that remained of their property. We examined at leisure their wretched mud-huts; the habitation of man and beast seemed to have been not only under one roof, but sometimes in the same apartment, separated merely by a slender partition. Their little gardens were full of cusas and cucvunbers, and other thriving vegetables. It is not unlikely that this village occupies the site of Mig-rlal-el, mentioned by Joshua as one of the towns of Naphtali ;f and is also generally believed to be the site of the Magdala of the New Testament,^ the town from which Mary Magdalene got her name. But this latter supposition is doubtful, for there seems to have been another place of the same name on the eastern side; and the name which signifies “a tower,” was not an uncommon one in Palestine. We sat down to rest under a shady nabbok-tree, and then wandered to the edge of the lake through oleanders and reeds. Many curious insects people the leaves of these

* Mark i. 32 — 35. t Mark i. 37.

X Josh. xix. 38. $ Matt. .w. 39.

shrubs; one species especially abounded, shaped like a frog, and green as the leaves on which they sat. We washed our hands and feces in the soft water, and gathered many shells from the beach as memorials of the spot.

From this point of view is to be seen the whole of the upper margin of tte lake, which appears like a semi-circle. We could easily trace the point where the Jordan enters, by the opening of the hills. The eastern mountains in the region of Bashan appeared still more steep and lofty. The ridge of Hermon on the north, sprinkled with snow, formed the grandest object in sight. There were deep serenity and calm, and a bright sun playing upon the waters. How often Jesus looked on this scene, and walked by the side of this lake! We could feel the reason why, when harassed and vexed by the persecution of enemies, “Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea.’”* The rabbins spoke more truth than they intended, when they said, “God loved that sea beyond all other seas!”

From Mijdel, the margin of the lake takes a turn to the south-east, and as the hills approach close to the shore, the pathway is often a considerable height above the water. Sometimes a wady descends from the hills, and the shore forms a gently sloping cove, with a pebbly beach, and then, again, becomes abrupt. It was probably on one of these pebbly spots that Jesus was walking, when the people gathered round him, till the pressure of eager listeners was so great, that he had to enter into a ship, from which he spoke the parable of the sower, “and the whole multitude stood on the shore.”f And perhaps it was during a solitary walk round some of these retired coves, that he came on James and John, with their father and servants, mending their nets by the shore.J

The largest of these open spaces running up toward the hills was cultivated, and seemed very fruitful, and we noticed on the shore a large circular well, enclosed by walls that were much dilapidated. The pathway ascends the promontory beyond this, and now the south part of the lake came fully in view, with the dark walls and towers of Tiberias at our feet. The hills of Bashan on the opposite side appeared a steep unbroken wall, descending into the lake, and giving a shade of

* Mark m, 7. t Matt. xiii. 1, 2. 1 Mark i- 19.

deeper blue to the waters beneath. We could not distinguish a single tree on the opposite hills, and on this side very few. We passed a single fig-tree, the onlyfruit-tree we saw till we came in sight of the few palms that adorn Tiberias. In approaching Tiberias, the eye rests on the ruins of towers and walls; and as the greater part of the stones are black like lava, the place wears a dismal and melancholy appearance. The wall, which nearly surrounds the town, has been at one time massy and solid; but the town and much of its walls was ruined by the same earthquake which overwhelmed Saphet, and has never been properly rebuilt. They call the town Taberiah, by a corruption of its ancient name.

We intended to take up our quarters in the old church of St. Peter, a relic of the earhest ages of Christianity, but soon found that we could enjoy more cleanliness and coolness by pitching our tent between it and the lake, our cords almost dipping in the water. In passing through the town, our compassion was excited by obs’erving the wretched booths in which most of the people live. Many of them were nothing better than boughs of trees plastered over with mud, and their common fuel was the dung of horses and cattle, such as we had seen used in Saphet.

We walked over several ruined arches in our way to the Jewish quarter. Here we came first among the Ashkenazim, Germans and Russians, with their black broad-brimmed hats, or large fur-caps, and soiled black Polish gowns, of all dresses the most unsuitable for such acclimate.... Tiberias (as mentioned before) is one of the four cities which the Jews account peculiarly holy. In it are three synagogues of the Ashkenazim and two of the Sephardim, besides several reading-rooms — very clean and airy buildings, especially those of the Sephardim. The first synagogue which we entered was one belonging to the Ashkenazim, in which were seated three old men, with beards white as snow, one nearly deaf, and all nearly blind, yet poring over volumes of the Talmud. It was truly a sight fitted to move in us the feelings of our Lord, when in C4ali!ee he saw the multitude “as sheep without a shepherd.” No sooner did we begin to speak with them, than they were warned by a young Jew pressing his finger on their arm, and they were immediately silent. They seemed lost in studying the Hebrew page, and soon one and another rose and left the place. The veil is upon their hearts, while they are at the very brink of eternity! This synagogue was cool and pleasant, with a good many Hebrew books in it. In another synagogue, we found a good number of younger Jews sitting, who at first had some freedom in conversing, but, being also warned, turned more shy. When we were here, a respectable Jew named Haiim came in, and suddenly recognised Mr. Caiman. He was an amiable, intelligent man, possessed of a little money, and practising as a physician. On a former visit, Mr. C. and Mr. Nicolayson had met with much kindness from him, and had left with him a Hebrew New Testament. When he recognised Mr. Caiman, he started, and did not speak very freely, for a reason which he afterwards explained. But before leaving us, he quietly invited us to come to his house, which we promised to do.

We then visited a synagogue of the Sephardim, from whom we experienced a much kinder reception. We found an old Jew seated on the ground, with twenty children, whom he was teaching to read Lamentations i, with proper intonation of voice. Several Jews gathered round us, and with them we had an interesting discussion for about an hour. It began by the teacher putting questions to us as to our knowledge of Hebrew. He and Mr. Caiman carried on the conversation in Arabic. Meanwhile, the Jewish boys gathered round Mr. Bonar, and read part of Lamentations i, translating it into Arabic as they went on. They also amused themselves by putting many questions to him in Hebrew. A group of young men stood with IMr. M’Cheyne at the door. He spoke to them regarding Israel’s ignorance of the fountain of forgiveness, as proved from Zech. xiii. 1. They soon brought two of their rabbis, really venerable-looking men, and asked them to answer the questions that had been put. The rabbis were very friendly, but not liking the discussion soon went away.

On the opposite side of the court, they conducted us to one of the best of their Yishvioth, divided into three apartments, in which was a large collection of Hebrew books. It was pleasant to look out upon the blue waters of the lake immediately under the windows. They told us that there were at that time only 600 Jews in Tiberias, owing to the calamitous state of the country. Like those of Saphet they are in daily terror on account of the Bedouins. We made special inquiiy after any traces of the ancient Jewish Academy, where the compilers of the Mislina and Geniara carried on their labours — the once famous seat of the School of Tiberias — but in vain. We inquired if there were remains of any ancient building connected with it, but no one knew of any thing of the kind, nor did any of the Jews appear to be acquainted with its history. After leaving the synagogue, we found under an arch of the ruined buildings a parchment roll, being a MS. of part of the book of Esther, cast out amidst many fragments of other books because of some error in the transcription.

We now visited the Jewish physician, Haiim, who had recognised Mr. Caiman in the synagogue. We were guided to his house by a little Jewish girl who spoke German. As we went, we asked her about her parents; she replied, “They were both buried in the ruins by the earthquake.” How truly might she be taken as representative of a large class in Israel, of whom the prophet writes, “IVe are orphans and fatherless.’” * We found the doctor’s house very clean and comfortable. He told us that he had not spoken to us in the synagogue, because he was very much suspected by his brethren. Some time ago, during his absence from home, some of the Jews had discovered the Hebrew New Testament lying in his house, and, on his return, he found them in the act of tearing it to pieces, leaf by leaf He showed it to us; it was a Hebrew Bible with the New Testament affixed. He had saved part of it, but as far as the Epistle to the Corinthians had been destroyed. He was a kind pleasant man, with great leanings toward Christianity.

In the evening, while walking along the shore, we saw a boat anchored close by; and’on making inquiry, found that it belonged to a Jew, who had likewise another of a smaller size, both of which were used in fishing; and being told that on the coast, directly opposite, where the hillsseemed very steep and close upon the water, there were many tombs cut out of the rocks, our desire was excited more than ever to cross the lake. We were sure that the opposite side was “the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee:” and from a comparison of all the circumstances, it seemed likely that the scene of the amazing miracle wrought upon the

Lam. V. 3.

man possessed by Legion was directly opposite, the steep place of which they spoke being possibly the hill down which the herd of swine ran violently into the sea. We accordingly bargained with the boatman to take us over, which he thought he could do, with the aid of the breeze, in an hour. We got on board, furnished with our cloaks and a few mats, in case the wind should fall and prevent us from returning that night; but all of a sudden, without assigning any reason, except that the wind might change, and that then we could not get back till morntng, the boatman refused to go, so that we were obliged reluctantly to give up the pleasure of crossing the Sea of Galilee. Soon after we saw him move his boat down the lake.

We returned to our tent upon the pebbly beach. Our servants had procured for us some excellent fish from the lake, resembling the carp, which they broiled, and we recalled to mind, as we partook of it, that this was the scene of John xxi. It may have been here, or not far off, that Jesus stood on the shore that morning, when he said to the disciples, “Children, have ye any meat?” and then prepared for them the “fire of coals, and fish laid thereon, and bread,” saying, “Come and dine.” And on the same spot he left the touching message, first addressed to Peter, but equally addressed to all who, like ourselves, are shepherds of a flock of Christ, “Lovest thou me? Feed my Lambs — Feed my sheep.” We all felt the deep solemnity of the strain in which one of our number as he sat on the shore, concluded a song of Zion —

O Saviour, gone to God’s right hand.

Yet the same Saviour still!
Graved on thy heart is this lovely strand,

And every fragrant hill.

Oh! give me, Lord, by this sacred wave,

Threefold thy love divine.
That I may feed, till I find my grave,

Thy flock — both thine and mine.

While we were thus engaged. Dr. Haiim came to the tent. He had waited till it was dark fur fear of the Jews. Mr. Caiman had much conversation with him. On our asking him regarding the lake, if there were ever storms upon it, he said, “Yes; and, in winter, the storms are worse than those of the Great Sea.” This quite corresponds with the testimony of Mr. Hebard, one of the American missionaries at Beyrout, who visited the lake in April; and who told us that he and his party had encamped at eveninff close by the lake, when at midnight, all at once, a squall came down upon the lake, so terrible that they had to hold by their tent-poles for safety. Such, no doubt, was the tempest that came down, when the little ship in which the Saviour and his disciples sailed “was covered with the waves;” * and it is not then to be wondered at that the disciples were so alarmed, and cried, “Lord, save us, we perish;” for such a squall coining in fury from the hills is more dangerous than the storms of the great Mediterranean Sea.

The thermometer was 9P F. during the day, and 76’^ during the night. AH night long innumerable fish and wild fowl were dimpling the waters; and the beautiful moon shone above as in one of those silent nights when it was

“Left shining in the world, with Christ alone.”

Some of us awoke at midnight, and for a short time sat by the edge of the lake. The darkness had completely enveloped the waters, and now the Saviour’s midnight prayers on these neighbouring heights and shores, seemed a present reality; and the remembrance of the time, when “in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto the disciples walking on the sea,” spread an indescribable interest over the sleeping waters. No place excepting Jerusalem is so deeply and solemnly impressive as the Sea of Galilee.

(July 16.) Early in the morning we bathed with delight in the pure water of the lake, and observed a peculiar pleasantness and softness in the water, — resembling that of the Nile. While we were thus employed, a fisherman passed by with a hand-net, which he cast into the sea. The net was exactly the net called in the Gospel of Matthew duiSXTjo-po.’,! the same kind of net which we had seen used at Lake Bourlos in Egypt.J The simple fisnerman little knew the feelings he had kindled in our bosoms as he passed by our tent, for we could not look upon his net, his bare limbs, and brawny arms, without reflecting that it was to two such men that Jesus once said by this sea, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

We then resolved to ride down to the baths, about two

* Matt. viii. 24. t Malt. iv. 18. t See p. Ca miles south of Tiberias, and if possible, to get a nearer view of the foot of the lake. As we passed”through the town, we observed some of the inhabitants rising from their beds, which had been spread on the top f the house, — like Saul, when Samuel called him on the top of his house at Ramah.* The Jews were met in their synagogue for morning worship; and one unusual sight was three women sitting under a verandah with large folios before them, apparently prayer-books. Several of the children whom we had spoken with yesterday recognised and saluted us. Might not an opening be found into the bosom of Jewish fanuUes by shewing kindness to their children I

We made our way over the southern wall of the town, through one of the breaches occasioned by the earthquake. On the outside, the country people were already busily engaged in threshing and winnowing their wheat harvest. We rode smaitly along the smooth edge of the lake for about two miles, till we arrived at the “Hammam Taberiah,” or “hot baths of Tiberias,” a white building which we had seen from Saphet. It is supposed to occupy the site of a fenced city called ‘■’■Hamnudh” mentioned by Joshua,! and which stood near the town Cinnereth, that gave its name to the lake. An attendant came forward and held our horses, while we were ushered into a commodious apartment. The building, which was erected by Ibraim Pasha, is handsome, the floors being all of marble. The bath is open to the public gratuitously, only the bathers pay the attendants, who furnish them with every thing needful. There are small baths of white marble in private apartments, and the common bath is in the centre — a large circular basin built of marble, and continually supplied with hot water from hot springs without. We found it about five feet deep, and it was with difficulty that we could at first bear the heat of the water. After swimming round and round for some time, it became exceedingly pleasant, and every pore of the body seemed to be freely opened. We afterwards enjoyed the luxury of free and copious perspiration as we sat in the ante-room, and were refreshed with water-melons and coffee. We examined two of the principal springs, from which the water boils up so hot that we could not keep our hand in it more than a second. Between the springs and the lake are many curious petrifactions. The stuniip and roots of some old

* 1 Sam. ix. 26. t Josh. xL. 35 olive-trees, over which the water from the spring flows, were completely petrified.

We were anxious to obtain a view from the last promontory on this side of the lake, and accordingly rode a little farther south along the shore, finding the banks fringed with beautiful oleanders and reeds, among which one solitary palm raised its head. Two deep ravines in the mountains on the opposite side were from this point distinctly visible, but we obtained no fuller view of the southern end of the lake. We would gladly have gone farther down and explored the remains of Tarichasa, and the place where the lake discharges its waters into the Jordan; but a long day’s journey lay before us, so we turned back to the town, struck our tent, and about eleven o’clock issued from the gate of Tiberias. Two German Jews shook hands kindly with us at the gate.

It was with real regret that we bade farewell to the blessed shores of the Sea of Galilee. Our course lay due west, up the steep hills which enclose the little plain on which Tiberias stands; and as we turned back to gaze on this sea, it lay at our feet serene and bright, reflecting the deep blue sky as peacefully as on that day when Jesus stflled its waves, “and there was a great calm.” The rocks over which we travelled were black and of volcanic origin. Reaching the summit of the hill, the beautiful plain of Huttin lay on a lower level on our right hand, extending to the brink of the hills which enclose the lower plain of Gennesareth. On our lefl; was a still higher plain, nearly all cultivated, and chequered with fields of green and yellow. The plain of Huttin was also variegated with wild flowers and occasional patches of cultivation, giving it the appearance of an extensive carpet. Here we saw the gazelle bounding on before us, over shrubs and rocks and every obstacle, and felt the exquisite fulness of meaning in the Church’s exclamation, “Behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills! My beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart.”* It is the very nature of this lively animal to bound over the roughest heights with greatest ease; it seems even to delight in doing so.

Looking back, we obtained a distant view of the northern part of the lake, from which we were gradually receding; the white summit of snowy Hermon appeared more majestic than ever, and Saphet with its white build-

* Song ii. 8, 9.

MOUNT or BEATITUDES — VILLAGE OF LUEIAH. 297

ings could not be hid. Our way lay through large fields of splendid thistles, having purple flowers, and very fragrant. The stalk was often six or eight feet high, bearing twelve or fifteen heads. Again we were reminded of the oft-recurring threatening, “There shall come up briers and thorns.” * But there is a different day approaching of which the same prophet writes, “The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters; but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mou7itains before the wind, and like thistle-doivn before the whiriwindj At the very moment, on a neighbouring height before us, a husbandman was tossing up his wheat into the air, that the brisk mountain breeze might carry the chaff away; and often by our side, the wind caught up some of the loose thistle-down and whirled it rapidly over the plain. With the same ease and rapidity shall Israel’s enemies be swept away: “Behold, at even-tide trouble, and before the morning he is not! This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.” In a short time we came in sight of Mount Tabor, called by the Arabs Jebel Tor, in the distant south, while near us, on our right, appeared the Horns of Huttin, a rocky hill with two conical tops. The latter is the hill called by tradition “the Mount of Beatitudes,” being supposed to be the scene of the Sermon on the Mount, for which reason it is also sometimes called the hill of Toubat or Blessings. Another tradition supposes it to be the place where Jesus fed the five thousand with five barley loaves and two fishes.f It is not impossible that one or both these traditions may be true; but there is no positive evidence of their truth, and it seems too probable that they arose from the hill being so prominently marked by two peaks. Turning to the south, we soon came to a village called Lubiah, situated high on a limestone ridge, commanding a full view of Tabor. Here we encamped till the heat of the day was past. The village is large, and surrounded with the fig-tree and prickly pear, which gives it an aspect of plenty and pleasantness. Most of the houses have a place for sleeping on the roof, as at Tiberias, and we observed here one of the most interesting examples of the stair from the roof down to the street. 5 From Lubiah we descended into the valley of

* Isa. V. 6. t Isa. xvii. 18. See margin,

t John vi. 3 — 14. $ Referred to in Matt. xxiv. 17.

^y« PLAIN OF ESDRAELON — MOUNT TABOR.

Jezreel, now the plain of Esdraelon; and having directed Antonio and the muleteers to carry our luggage to the village Dabourieh at the western foot of Tabor, accompanied by Botros only we rode smartly forward over the plain, intending to climb Mount Tabor before sunset.

The plain (extending about thirty miles in length, and twenty in breadth) is singularly level, cultivated in some spots, but for the most part a wilderness of weeds and thorns. There is the appearance indeed of varied produce upon it, but this is caused merely by the different colours of the thistles and briers which cover it. It is reckoned that not more than one-sixteenth of the whole is under cultivation; and at this part, the proportion is certainly still smaller. How strikingly are the words of Isaiah fulfilled, “They shall lament for the teats, and for the pleasant fields.”* The eye Is much deceived in judging of distances over this vast plain. From the heights of Lubiah, it appeared to us that we might reach Tabor in less than an hour, and yet it occupied fully two hours, though we rode nearly at full speed. The weeds were often as high as our horses, and scarcely a tree was to be seen on the plain till we approached Tabor.

Tabor is a truly graceful mountain, but presents a very different appearance when viewed from different sides. This accounts for the great diversity in the representations given of it. From the north, it had the appearance of the segment of a sphere, and appeared beautifully wooded on the summit, affording retreats to the animals for whom “the net was spread on Tabor.”t From the west, it is like a truncated cone, appearing much steeper and higher, with the southern side almost destitute of trees. But on all sides it is a marked and prominent object, as the prophet intimates when he says, “As Tabor is among the mountains.”! We passed through .several flocks of goats, and near the hill came to a ruined khan, and beside it a fortress, with towers at the corners, which bore marks of having been built by the Franks in crusading times. Close by was the tomb of a Moslem saint imder a fine spreading tree, with a jug of water upon the grave, according to the practice of Mahometans. The lower branches of the tree were covered with votive rags of different colours.

We stopped a little to examine a plough, which lay

Isa. xxxii. 12. See r- 119- + Hos. v. 1 Jer. xlvi. la thrown aside under a tree. It was made entirely of wood, the coulter only being sheathed in a very thin plate of iron, and was therefore exceedingly light, and fit to be guided by a single hand. We at once saw how easy a matter it would he literally to fulfil the words of the prophets, “They shall beat their swords into ploughshares.” * The approach to Tabor is through a wide and shallow wady, regularly wooded with fineoak trees, so that it was more like the entrance to a nobleman’s policy than an open wilderness. The Balut and the common oak were the most frequent. Tabor itself, and the low ridge which connects it with the hills of Nazareth, were both covered with the same; not brushwood, as on the hills of Judah, but trees, and these growing at regular distances, as if planted by the hand of the forester.

We had ascertained that the village Dabourieh, to which our baggage was to be carried, lay west of the hill, close under its base, and we ought to have gone to that village for a guide, or at least we should have ascended the hill by”the plain path on that side of the hill, as is usually done. But the day was far spent, and we had no time to lose, so we resolved to press up the northern face of the hill from the point where we were. Leaving the road, and penetrating by a narrow footpath through a beautiful grove of oaks, we crossed to the proper base of the hill, and began the real ascent. We soon lost all traces of a path, and were involved in mazes of tangling shrubs and briers, and strong trees. The acclivity, too, was very steep, and occasionally a projectmg rock or a smooth precipitous ledge nearly baffled the efforts of the mules to ascend. At length we dismounted, the closely twined branches of the trees frequently forcing us first to thrust through our own persons and then to drag on the animals. Anxious to reach the summit before sunset, and now not a little perplexed and wearied, we again sought for the smallest track, — but in vain. We had no alternative, therefore, but to press upwards without delay. Our attendant Botros, whose clothes as well as our own had by this time suffered considerably from the trees and thorns, finding it no common labour both to ascend in face of such obstacles, and also to drag up the mules, kept muttering angry curses on us in his own language. At one time we had almost

* Mic. iv. 3, and Isa. ii. 4.

concluded that we must make up our minds to spend the night where we were, on the wooded mountain side, and surrounded by its wild beasts, for we appeared to be still far from the summit. The sun was beginning to sink in the west, and to retrace our way to the foot through the same intricate passage, would have been as difficult as to ascend. However, we asked guidance of Him who keepeth Israel, and pressed on. Suddenly and much sooner than we expected, we came upon ancient stones, which were evidently the remains of some building. By this sign we knew that we must be now close to the summit, which to our great joy turned out to be the case. The sun had just disappeared, but we had still light enough to see the chief points of the magnificent landscape. We climbed up upon the ruins of the old fortifications on the south-east corner, which appeared to be the highest point on the summit, and looked around. To the north and north-east we saw the plain over which we had travelled, the heights of Huttin, and the deep basin of the mountains enclosing the Sea of Gahlee. Other travellers have seen a part of the lake; this we did not observe, but the hills of Bashan, steep and frowning, appeared quite at hand. To the west and south-west lay the largest part of the great plain of Esdraelon, bounded by the long ridge of Carmel, and watered by the full flowing Kishon, making its way through it toward the Mediterranean. To the south, and immediately in front of us, was the graceful range of Little Hermon, and behind it the sunimits of Mount Gilboa. Between us and Hermon lay stretched that arm of the plain of Esdraelon which encircles Tabor, beautifully variegated with immense fields of thistles and wild flowers, giving the whole plain the appearance of a carpeted floor. How great must have been its beauty when its wide open surface was adorned with thriving villages planted amidst fields of waving grain, and gardens of blossoming fruit-trees, and closed in by the fertile hills that gird its horizon! At the foot of Hermon, ]Ir. Caiman pointed out to us Endor, where Saul went to consult the woman who had a familiar spirit on the last night of his unhappy career;* and a little way to the west of it the village of .¥«//?, still marking the spot where Jesus raised the widow’s son to life.f Tabor is about a thousand foet above the plain, an-

* 1 Sam. xxviii. t Luke vii. 11.

ASSOCIATIONS — DESCENT FROM MOUNT TABOR. 30]

swering well to the description “an high mountain apart.” Its level top, about a mile in circumference, covered with groups of fine trees and brushwood, affords a spot of complete retirement in the v“ery midst of the land. If this was really the scene of the Transfiguration, there is a difficulty arising from the fact, that both a fortress and a village once stood on its top, though otherwise it would not be easy to find a spot in this world more suitable for that heavenly transaction. It is a solemn thing to feel that you are treading the very ground on which holy beings have walked; and here we believed we were on ground called by Peter “the holy mount,’’’ * hallowed by the visit of Moses and Elias, by the presence of the transfigured Saviour himself, and by the voice of God the Father, when he spake from the excellent glory,” This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” Barak assembled his 10,000 men on this hill,t in company with Deborah; and in the plain at its foot, not a few learned men have supposed that the armies of Antichrist (gathered together to the place called Armageddon,!) 3i”6 to be destroyed by the Lamb when the great day of his wrath is come.

We would gladly have lingered long upon the summit of Tabor, to meditate over the history of the past and the future, for even when we had nothing but the associations connected with it, we felt it “good to be here.” The darkness, however, was rapidly descending and shutting out the view, so that our stay was very short. The moon rose, and by her light our servant guided us down a steep and rocky footpath on the south side, so that we were able, though with some difficulty, to ride down the whole way. But where we were to find Dabourieh we did not know. On reaching the foot of the hill, six or eight men sprang up from the ground on which they were lying, and advanced towards us, each carrying a large club in his hand. We were somewhat alarmed, but were soon relieved by finding out that they were friendly villagers watching their heaps of corn by night, like Boaz in the history of Ruth.j They on their part imagined that we were plundering Bedouins, against whose depredations they were watching, and were overjoyed to find that we were mere harmless travellers, it was only now that we began to learn how wonder-

2 Pet i. 18. t Judg. iv. 14.

X Rev. xvi. 16 $ Ruth iii. 2 — 7.

fully our God had preserved and guided us. The villagers could scarcely believe that we had come over the mountain, for they told us that a band of Arabs were lurking among the woods, and had killed several persons the day before. We knew not how much or how little to believe, but it was evident that we had been saved from danger, and had escaped the hands of the Bedouins, simply in consequence of ovu’ leaving the direct road and climbing a part of the hill seldom visited. The darkness, too, which prevented our making a complete circuit of the hill, had providentially kept us from approaching the retreat of the plunderers. Two of the villagers agreed to conduct us to the village of Dabourieh, which they faithfully performed for a small reward. There we found our servants anxiously looking out for us. They had put up the tent and set a light within it, that we might see the white curtains from a distance; but both they and the villagers had begun to conclude that we had fallen into the hands of the Arabs. Perhaps never before had we felt such gratitude for a deliverance as we did that evening, when seated in our tents in peace and comfort, after the anxieties and alarms of the day. Had we gone round by Dabourieh at first, to obtain a guide, we would then have heard of the danger, but now, without knowing of it, we had been permitted to visit the summit of Tabor in peace. We could see plainly that every step of our way had been graciously overruled, and that our very difficulties and vexations which had troubled us at the time, were made the means of our safety-. The simple villagers of Dabourieh gathering round expressed great astonishment at our escape. We sang praise in our tents with a full heart, in the words of Psalm cxxiv, “Had not the Lord been on our side,” &c.

(July 17.) During the greater part of the night the wolves and jackals kept up a loud and angry howl, which was responded to by the bark of the village dogs. At morning the clouds were hanging beautifully on the top of Tabor and the adjacent hills, and the sky was covered with a veil of fretted clouds, the first of the kind we had seen in Palestine. It was easy now to understand why Tabor had been so often made a place of rendezvous from the days of Barak and downward,* the hill

Judg. iv. 6.

VILLAGES OF ENDOR AND NAIN — BEDOUINS. ii03

being so commodious as a place of defence, with a copious supply of water on the very summit, even when the enemy spread themselves on the plain below.

From our tent-door we saw across the plain the villages of Endor and Xain, at the foot of Little Plermon. Endor lies under the brow of the hill, and Saul would have an easy road fi-om it to the fountam of Jezreel, at the foot of Gilboa, where his army were encamped.* Nain is further west, and appears to lie still closer under Hermon, We observed cultivated fields, and verdure round it; and it was here that Mr. Calhoun, our American friend, whom we met at Alexandria, found many tombs cut out of the rock, one of which may have been the intended sepulchre of the young man whom Jesus met as they carried him out dead, and restored to the weeping widow. Jesus must have known this spot well, for he would often pass it on his way to the Lake of Galilee. No place in all this land furnishes more remarkable illustrations of the sovereignty of God than do these two villages. At Endor, you see a king in the anguish of despair, consulting with a diviner, and warned by the dead that the Lord had departed from him and become his enemy. But on the same plain, a few miles from Endor, a thousand years after, you see at Nain, “God over all” coming in our nature, and wiping away the tears of a poor widow.

Over the western shoulder of Hermon lies Solam., the ancient Shunem, and farther south, near Gilboa, Zerin, the ancient Jezreel; but these we did not see. In the village of Dabourieh itself, one of the first sights that attracted our notice was a group of Bedouins, near kinsmen, no doubt, of the very robbers who had been ranging the hill and keeping the neighbourhood in alarm. Yet here they were sitting at their ease smoking their long pipes, the passing villagers giving them a suspicious glance that indicated no good will, but nobody daring to challenge them. Could there be a simpler or more striking illustration of the prophecy mentioned before,” His hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; yet he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethreaT’’ One good-natured Bedouin approaching our tent permitted us to sketch him, and smiled when he saw his own likeness. The little yellow shawl over

* 1 Sam. xxi.x. ]. t Gen. xvi. 12.

the head, and the twisted rope of camel’s hair that binds

it, are the chief peculiarities of their dress. Close by the village of Dabourieh a small stream flows from the north to join the Kishon. They called it by the same name as the village. This name may possibly be derived from Tabor, at the foot of which it hes; others conjecture that Deborah’s exploit in this region, when she accompanied Barak to the hill, may have given name to the town and stream; but still more probably, it is the same as the Levitical city Daherath, which belonged to the tribe of Issachar.*

Josh. xix. 12; xxi. 28.

We left our encampment about nine o’clock, descending from the height on which Dabourieh stands, and travelling in a norh-west direction. We soon entered a defile, finely wooded with oak- trees and brushwood, often looking back to admire the graceful tapering cone of Mount Tabor. On the top of a hill to the right, appeared a village, Ain Muhil. Our road now lay over limestone hills of a much barer character, until, about two hours from Tabor, we began to descend the slope that leads into the Vale of Nazareth.

The town of Nazareth lies on the west side of the valley, on the acclivity of one of the many hills that meet here. The valley has sometimes been compared to a cup; and the hills have all a whitish appearance from the limestone of which they are composed. There are numerous tracks, worn deep in the calcareous rocks, leading from the town in different directions, to neighbouring villages on the other side of the hill. The houses are of a very white stone, and appeared to be more substantial and regularly built than those of other towns of Palestine. The buildings of the Convent are massy, and there is a mosque in the town, adorned with cypress trees. There were no ruins visible, except the remains of an old khan near the entrance of the town. Fig-trees and olives abounded in the gardens, hedged in with prickly pear. The women at the well also appeared to be better dressed, and in more comfortable circumstances than in most other places of the land; and, on the whole, we found Nazareth a more thriving place than we had anticipated. We put up our horses at the khan, which is one of the best specimens we met with of the Eastern inn. The Bazaar, however, was poor, having no great show of things for sale. Cusas and cucumbers, cloths and red shoes, formed the staple commodities. A great many bony-featured Bedouins, with the rope of camel’s hair round their head, were loitering about the street.

The situation of Nazareth is very retired, and it is said that, on account of this seclusion, the worthless characters of Galilee resorted thither, till at length the town became a pi’overb for wickedness. In this town, among such a race of men, did the blessed Jesus live thirty years, in calm submission to his Father’s will, obeying in obscurity for us.

We visited the Convent, and saw all its pretended wonders. We were shown the chamber of the Annunciation, where the angel Gabriel saluted Mary,” Hail,

3(J6 NAZARETH — MOUNT OF PRECIPITATION.

thou that art highly favoured;” also, the house of Joseph cut out of the rock, and the pillar curiously (the inhabitants say miraculously) suspended from the roof. They wished to take us to another part of the town, to see the stone-table from which Christ dined with his disciples both before and after his resurrection — a visit which procures seven years’ indulgence to the deluded pilgrims of the Romish Church; but we were no way inclined to see more of their follies, and grievously offended our guide by declining to go. One or two of the paintings in the convent are good, especially a large one of the Annunciation, but it has the painful profanation of representing God the Father as an old man. There is also a curious ancient picture of Christ, said to be the very one sent by him to the King of Edessa, on which is inscribed, “Hcbc vera imago Domini,” &c.

From the convent garden the monks pointed out to us the Mount of Precipitation, regarded by them as the hill from which the angry Nazarenes wished to cast the Saviour headlong, about a mile and a half distant from the town. This is a tradition which disproves itself, being contrary to the express words of the Gospel narrative, “They rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.”* We next visited the place which Dr. Clarke conjectured to be the true precipice, immediately above the small church of the Maronites. This is really a continuation of the hill upon which the town is ‘built. It is composed of limestone rock, forming several precipices, so that a person cast down from above would without doubt have more than one dangerous fall. We had no hesitation, when standing there, in concluding that the brow of that hill was the very spot where the men of Nazareth rejected the Lord of glory.

The white rocks all round Nazareth give it a peculiar aspect. It appears dry and tame, and this effect is increased by the trees being powdered over with dust during the summer season. “The heat was very great, and the glare from the rocks painful to the eyes. There is a good fountain near the entrance of the town, called the Fountain of the Virgin, because it is said that Mary and her Son were in tlie’habit of drawing water there.

* Luke iv. 29.

We were detained in this town longer than we intended, by the abrupt departure of the muleteer whom we had engaged at Sapliet to accompany us to Acre, but who had set off to join a caravan that was collecting near the town, and bound for Damascus. On discovering this, we went to the Cadi to lay our complaint before him, and found several people waiting at the door of his house, who, when he made his appearance, kissed the hem of his garment — an act, like the kissing of the image of Baal,* indicating respect and reverence. Perhaps also there may be an allusion to the same custom in the words, “Kiss ye the son lest he be angry.” f The Cadi could do nothing for us, and sent us to the Muteselim; and he again said it was not a cause to be laid before him, but before the Sheikh I By this time, however, the man was out of reach, and we had no thought of remaining till search was made for him. We therefore proceeded on our journey without him.

We left Nazareth by a well-worn track leading over the rocky hills to the north-west, passing on our right a village called Reineh. Beyond this lies Kefr Kenna, generally supposed to be Cana of Galilee, where Jesus made the water wine.| In an hour and a half we reached Sephourieh, the ancient Sepphoris. The name, which means “a bird,” (in Hebrew, -iisx,) seems to be derived from the position of the town; the town being on an eminence, like a bird perched on a hill-top. Its castle is in ruins, but still occupies the summit of the hill. The village is small, but many fragments of pillars and other ruins lie scattered about. Having so lately visited Tiberias, lying low upon the edge of the Lake of Galilee, we could now see the force of the saying of a rabbi, who wished his portion to be with those who began the Sabbath at Tiberias, and ended it at Sepphoris!” The sun lingers of course longer upon the hill of Sephourieh, and makes a longer day than is enjoyed in low-lying Tiberias. Rabbi’ Judah, the holy, who completed the Mishna, was born in this town.

The people of this village were kind and affable. Some of them offered us lehan, of which we gladly sat down in a court-yard to partake. Beside us were women and

* 1 Kings xix. 18. Hos. xiii. 2. t Ps ii- 12.

t The researches of Robinson go far to prove, that the true site of Cana of Gahlee is not Kefr Kenna, but Kana el Jehl, a ruined village three hours north of Nazareth. The latter village was within our view after leaving .Sephourieh, but we did not take notice of it.

dUO SEPHOURIEH — AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS.

children busily employed in arranging and binding the leaves of the tobacco plant in bundles. A large thrashing-iioor was also near, and we put many questions to the peasants in regard to their farming operations. A flat board, which is drawn over the corn to bruise it, is called loah. It is made of two or three boards firmly

united, and the bottom is spiked with stones arranged at regular distances, not unlike the nails in a ploughman’s shoe. It is drawn by two horses or oxen, a boy sitting upon it, and driving them round and round. This instrument is universally used, and is probably “the thrashing instrument” mentioned by the prophet.* The wooden fork for throwing the bruised corn up in the air, is called midra, and the flat, hollow wooden shovel next used for a similar purpose, is called ra/m. The latter is evidently the fan of the New Testament. When this implement is used, the wheat falls down in a heap on the thrashing-floor, while the chaff is carried away by the wind, and forms another large heap at a little distance. The peasants do not burn it; they give it to their cattle; but it is so perfectly dry, that, were it set on fire, it would be impossible to quench it. In how striking a manner do these simple customs illustrate the words of David,

xxviii. 27.

PASS OF ABILE>fE — SURMISES OF DANGER. 309

“The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaft” which the wind’driveth away;“* and those of John the Baptist concerning Jesus, “Whose fan is in his hand, and lie will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner: but he will burn up the chaff with fire unquenchable.”!

Leaving Sephourieh, we proceeded still north-west, and after half an hour of a rough undulating road, entered upon a vast plain, stretching far to the north and east, bounded by gently swelling hills. Here and there we came upon fields of dhura, but by far the greater part was covered with weeds and thistles. The ground was very hard, so that although there seems to be a good deal of travelling upon this road, it was not at all cut up, but smooth and good. No wheels ever pass over it. Here we missed our servant Antonio, and found that, erroneously supposing that he had left a cloak behind at Sephourieh, he had gone back without our knowledge to recover it. Approaching the north-west corner of the vast plain, where the hills come near to one another, and form the entrance to the fine pass of Abilene, we arrived at a well and a ruined khan, where we halted for a little time to wait for Antonio; but as he did not appear, we prepared to go on without him. Meanwhile an old man came up to the well riding on an ass, and immediately warned us not to proceed further, for there were eight armed Bedouins in the valley, who had stopped and threatened him: and had allowed him to escape only because he was old, and his ass worth nothing. They were lurking for the very purpose of waylaying travellers that might be passing on to Acre. On hearing his account we were considerably alarmed, and hesitated what to do. One proposed that we should encamp in the old khan, and proceed under cloud of night; and another that we should cross the plain to a village in sight. While we were deliberating, some other men came up, who were leading camels to Sephourieh. They had met nobody in the valley, and conjectured that what the old man took for Arabs might be the Pasha’s soldiers. Our muleteers, who were much afraid, and anxious to turn back, said that these men wanted us to be taken, because we were all Christians. At length, considering that we had no place of safety in which we might encamp, and that the road to Acre might be as dangerous on the

* Ps i. 4. t Matt iii 12.

310 VALLEY OF ABILENE — COMPANY Of BED0UIN8.

morrow as that day, we decided to go forward, committing ourselves once more to Him who keepeth Israel, and, who had helped us hitherto. Accordingly, we left the well, and soon entered the pleasant valley of Zebulmi, now called Wady Abilene, connecting the plain above described with the plain of Acre. Sometimes the valley was broad and level, like a small plain, well cultivated, and enclosed with steep wooded hills; sometimes it narrowed almost to the straitness of a defile. At one of these narrow passes one of the men picked up a stick which we recognised as belonging to Antonio. This circumstance excited many conjectures. We hoped that he had in some way got safely on before us; although some of the men started the suspicion that he must have fallen into the hands of the Ai-abs. We journeyed on, and about sunset met with a company of Bedouins, of a dark and formidable appearance, but not armed. They were riding on asses, and each carried a massy club in his hand. They looked closely at us, but passed quietly on, returning our salutation. Our servants supposed that, when they saw that we were Franks, they had imagined that we must be carrying fire-arms. To us it seemed like the deliverance of Jehoshaphat, when “God moved them to depart from him.” * We met no other travellers during the rest of our way. The valley is long, and declines verj’- gently toward the west; the hills on either side are often finely wooded, sometimes rocky and picturesque. The road is one of the best in Palestine, and was no doubt much frequented in ancient days.

Issuing from the valley, we saw with the last rays of evening,“high upon a hill on our left, the town of Abilene, afine-looking place. There is little doubt that this is the ancient Zebulun, on the border of Asher,t the modern name being a corruption of the ancient. Travellers who have visited it, have found there the remains of arches and other buildings. We only saw it at a distance and in the twilight. Josephus says, that on account of its populousness it was called “Za,(?ouXfc)v oi/JptSv,”! {q. d. well-manned, or well-peopled, Zabulon).

Still further on is a village called Chamforeh. In half an hour after, we left the’road, and crossed the valley to the right, to a small hamlet called Fatria, with two other villages, Damoun and Ruesh, on the right hand

2 Chron. xviii. 31. t Josh. xix. 27. B. J. ii. 22.

lower down the slope. We encamped by full moonlight, with many camels and flocks all sleeping round.

In the tent, we felt again called to peculiar thankfulness, and all the more on account of the painful uncertainty of our minds regarding the fate of poor Antonio. There seemed great force in the words of the Psalm, “Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the man of violent deeds.” *

(July 18.) We struck our tents by sunrise, and pressed on toward Acre, now in sight. From the height, we obtained the finest view of the whole extent of Mount Carmel which we had yet seen. An intervening sweil hid the river Kishon, but the fine range of Carmel stretching eight miles into the country, rising higher as it recedes from the sea, the monastery on the northern point, the white walls of Khaifa at its foot, the Bay of Acre between us and it, and the blue Mediterranean beyond, were all gleaming in the morning sun. There are many mounds of earth in the plain oif Acre, apparently artificial, cast up probably in crusading times, and used in war. The plain itself is said to be eighteen miles in length and six in breadth, beautiful and well watered. We crossed the dry bed of a stream, which flows into the sea a little way south of Acre. This is the ancient Belus or SUwr-Libnah, that is, “Sihor of the white promontory.” The Palus Cendovia in which it rises, is said to be found six miles in the interior. In another part of the channel, nearer the sea, we found the water flowing in it. Before entering Acre, we passed through a large encampment of the Pasha’s troops. The tents were all arranged in military order, but the men seemed to be under little discipline.

Entering the gate of Acre, we proceeded through the crowded and well-furnished bazaar. Every where soldiers were parading the narrow streets, and it seemed to be the most lively eastern town we had yet visited. The fortifications of Acre appeared to us by no means very formidable, although there were many strong forts and other buildings. No doubt, its walls and towers must have been much stronger in former days, and its remarkable situation, as the key of this part of the land, has ever made it a post defended and attacked with desperate obstinacy.

We were conducted to the Latin Convent, as the best

* ca^Den tt”i< Ps- cxl. i.

place for refreshment; and as we had hitherto seen almost nothing of the monks of Palestine, we were not unwilling for once to pay a visit to their secret recesses. Our visit to them was not like that of Paul to the Christians of Ptolemais, when he ‘« saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.” * The main object of the visit, on either side, was that of giving and receiling a traveller’s fare. No price is exacted, but the lnsitor is expected to leave behind an adequate remuneration for the provision flirnished. The monks we found to be coarse men, with no appearance of seriousness, or even of learning. The news of the day seemed to form the whole of their conversation. We were led into a large hall, with a plain wooden table and benches round. Here half a dozen of the fraternity sat down with us, whUe two of them served. One repeated a Latin grace in a coarse irreverent manner, and then many dishes of soUd food, fowls, meat, and vegetables, were brought in on a large board and handed round. The polite invitation to take our place at the table was, ^’Favoi-isca noi “(“Do us the favom-”). After dinner, one of their number left us to embark in a vessel that was to take him to the convent on Mount Carmel; the rest sat with us a while, and talked over our providential escape fi-om the Bedouins.

Meanwhile, to our great joy, our servant Antonio made his apjTearance. The story of his adventure was very much what we had suspected. Having gone back to Sephourieh in search of the cloak, and not finding it, he rode quickly after us in order to regain our company. But meeting a woman on the road of whom he inquired the way, he was directed to a route different fi-om that which we had taken. He had entered the valley at the very time when we were waiting for him at the old khan, and had not proceeded far, when six or eight Bedouin Arabs, fully armed and mounted on horseback, rushed oat upon him. They demanded who he was — what he was doing there — where he was going — and where his company were. Antonio forged a story in reply, sa)^ing, that he was servant to a scribe, who had gone on before with a company of twelve men, and would be out of their reach. The Arabs said that he must come with them; and immediately with their long lances pricked his horse up to the hills. When they had got him out of sight of the road, they tied him hand

* Acts xxl 7.

and foot and led away his horse, after askhig such questions as, “Can it stop suddenly in the midst of a gallop ]” The)’ then stripped him of every article of dress, and one brought out a large club stuck with nails, threatening to beat him to death; but he entreated them to spare him, crying out, that he had given them every thing, and that his death would do them no good. At length they left him bound in this state, till the sun went down. While all this was going on, we had passed in the valley below; and the fact of their attention being occupied with our poor servant, was thus in the hand of Providence the means of our preservation. After sunset they came and loosed him, and led him a little way further up among the hills, that he might not soon be able to find his way to the public road, and give information against them. Then bidding him find his way home, they left him. The poor lad, in a state of nakedness, sat all night upon a tree to escape the wild beasts. He said that his face and upper part of his body were as if bathed in water, the perspiration pouring down in streams from the effects of fear. From the same cause, his mouth was filled with bile, and his voice almost inaudible. As soon as the light of morning dawned, he came down from the tree, and found out’the road to Acre. The first person he met was the Pasha’s dromedary post, who gave him a small piece of clothing, — and then he reached a village where the people supplied him with more. After this he made out his way to Acre, and sought for us at the convent, where he found us to his unfeigned joy and ours. We could not but perceive the special providence of God in our escape, and again we had reason to sing as at Mount Tabor, “Our souHs escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken and we are escaped.” Even the monks seemed to acknowledge the hand of God in it.

At night, we heard Antonio and the other servants of our company, singing a song of vengeance on the robbers. It was in the style of those songs we had usually heard from Arabs, a single voice leading, and then a chorus responding, with clapping of hands. It was to this effect —

Single voice — “The curse of Allah rest!”
Chorus — “Upon the Bedouins.”
Clapping hands.

Single voice — “The sword of Allah come!”

Chorus — “Upon the Bedouins.”

Clapping hands.

In style, this resembled Psalm cxxxvi, though in sentiment it was the reverse of its strain of thankful love.

We visited the English Vice-Consul, Mr. Finch, an intelligent Jew, who speaks German, Italian, and a little English. He showed us every attention, and when we told him the whole matter, his remark was, “that surely we were upon God’s errand; otherwise God would not so protect us.” He conducted us to the Governor, or Aga, a mild, placid old man, with an immense turban, and long beard, seated in state upon a carpet in one corner of his chamber. Taking off our shoes at the door,* we sat down on the floor, and related our story, Mr. Caiman and Antonio being the narrators. He caused his secretary to write it down, and promised to send twenty soldiers to the Wady Abilene to find out the robbers. Probably, he thought no more of the matter after we had left him. While we were in the court, a poor man came in to complain that his garden had been plundered by the Arabs. The days are not come when “violence shall no more be heard in thy land.”t

We were anxious to visit the Jews of Acre. Meeting one in the bazaar, we invited him to partake with us of some melons with which we were refreshing ourselves. He consented, and three others soon joined us. They then led us to their synagogue, a very humble one, with a short inscription on a pane of glass above the door. About a dozen Jews gathered round, one of whom recognised us, having seen us at Tyre. They said that there are sixty of their brethren residing here. We had some interesting conversation with three young men, one of whom eagerly read a chapter in the New Testament, though his’companion stood by, watching us very ouspiciously, and apparently uneasy at seeing his friend so employed. An old man then came into the synagogue, and mounted the reading-desk. He placed a jar of water beside him, then opened his prayer-book, washed his hands, and put on his TalUth. We were informed that he meant to spend six hours in prayer that day, and the jar of water was intended to keep his throat from becoming Ary during his exercise of bodily devotion. How remarkably this illustrates the words of Christ, “Wo unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye, for a pretence, make long prayer; therefore ye shall receive the greater daranation.”J

* Perhaps this oriental custom is derived from Exod. iii- h. t Isa. Ix. la X Matt, xxiii. 14.

The same afternoon we left the walls of Acre behind us, .ittJe thhiking how soon they would be laid in ruins. We halted for a time at an aqueduct on the north of tlje town, which is evidently an ancient work, and is still used, having a hundred arches entire. Passing a small village called Ismerieh, we came to Mezra, where a fine stream from the hills runs into the sea, and where is a beautiful garden belonging to Ibraim Pasha. It is enclosed by a row of tall cypresses, while within the lemon and other fruit-trees of the East were clothed with the richest foliage, and fragrant shrubs and richly coloured flowers diffused theii’^delightful odours. Many small villages are scattered over this beautiful plain. On the right, a little off the road, stand Sheikh Daud, once a Christian village, and Zeitoun. In the plain where is the spring of watel- by which the aqueduct is supplied, is El Capri, and on the hill Tersecha, and not far off a monumental pillar, Kiilat Jedin. After these we came to El Hamsin. Still further north, and on the shore, lay Zeeb, three hours from Acre. It is the ancient Ackzib. It has a high situation near the sea, and is surrounded with palm-trees. A shepherd in the neighbourhood of this place was playing on his pipe at the head of his flock — a sweet soothing sound in the stillness of evening, and all the sweeter because so rarely heard in Palestine.

After one hour more we came to Boussa, situated in carse ground, and bordered with trees. Here the fertile plain of Acre ends, and the low range of swelling hills that form its eastern boundary for twelve or thirteen miles run out into the sea, forming a high rocky promontory. Looking back from the height, the view of the plain, enclosed by the hills on the one hand and the sea on the other, was rich and beautiful. The plain along the coast south from Carmel, the plain of Tyre, and the plain of Acre, are all very like each other, although the last seems to be the most fruitful.

The sun went down behind the Mediterranean Sea as we passed a small ruined fort or khan on the highest point of Nakoura. The khan of Nakoura is nearly an hour further north, and we made haste to reach it before dark. The graceful gazelles were sporting along the shore, and bounding on the rocky heights above us. Sandys mentions that, in his time, leopards and boars used to come down from the brushwood of these hills, but we neither saw nor heard of any. We slept that night in a stubble-field near the khan of Nakoura; and early next morning were on our way, journeying north by the edge of the sea. The shore in this vicinity is olten grand and picturesque, the white roclvs being worn into curious forms by the incessant dashing of the waves; and in addition to the natural beauty of the scene, the associations of the past invest the very waters with a profound interest. One of our company thus expressed the impressions of the moment: —

These deep blue waters lave the shore
Of Israel, as in days of j’ore!
Though Zion like a field is ploughed,
And Salem covered with a cloud — Though briers and thorns are tangled o’er,
Where vine and olive twined before — Though turbaned Moslems tread the gate,
And Judah sits most desolate — Their nets o’er Tyre the fishers spread.
And Carmel’s top is withered — Yet still these waters clasp the shore
As kindly as they did before!
Such is Thy love to Judah’s race,
A deep unchanging tide of race.
Though scattered now at Thy command.
They pine away in every land,
With trembling heart and failing eyes — And deep the veil on Israel lies — Yet still Thy word thou canst not break,
“Beloved for their fathers’ sake.”

In a short time we came to a well-built and copious fountain, where we obtained a plentiful draught of delicious water. It had a pointed arch and Arabic inscription, and still bears the name of the great conqueror of Tyre, “Iscanderoon.” Soon after leaving it, we found ourselves on the remains of an ancient causeway, said to be the work of Alexander the Great. This is the” ScalcR Tyriorumr leading over a high rocky promontory of limestone, which here descends precipitously into the sea, the Album Promontorium or Cape Blanco, about eight miles from Tyre. The steps on the northern side ai-e cut out of the rock with immense labour, and a solid parapet is left along the margin, over which we looked, into the clear deep waters of the Mediterranean. We saw fish swimming about in great numbers at the base of the rocks, and over our heads the owl perched on solitary cliffs as in the days of the Psalmist.* Fi-om this

* Ps. cii. 6.

point we began to search along the shore with deep interest for any remains of ancient Tyre. About half an hour from Cape Blanco, we came upon the ruins of some ancient place, where were several cisterns, but no distinct remains. These were the only traces we could find of any thing like a city along the bay south of Tyre.

Within an hour of Tyre, we turned aside from the shore to the right, to visit the famous pools said to have been made by Solomon for Hiram, King of Tyre. The place is called Ras-el-Ain, or “Head of the Fountain,” evidently because it was the source from which Tyre was anciently supplied with water. It is about three miles from the gate of modern Tyre. There are four large and remarkable reservoirs, three of which we examined. They are considerably elevated above the plain by means of solid mason-work, and you ascend by steps to a broad border, on which you may walk round the water. The fountains springing up from beneath keep them constantly full. Two of them are connected with each other; the one measuring 17 yards by 15 at the water edge, the other 13 yards” by 10. The third is a regular octagon, measuring 8^ yards on each side. From the first two the water is conveyed by a fine old aqueduct to the rocky hill Marshuk, and from thence anciently to Tyre; but the only use that seems to be now made of the water of the largest one, is to turn a mill for grinding corn. The work is beautifully executed, and the abundance of water makes every thing around look verdant and beautiful, so that we lingered near enjoying the pleasant situation.

While we” were refreshing ourselves with bread and leban, a man from Tyre joined our party, who told us that, a few days before, a number of Jews from Saphet had come to take refuge in the town till the distmbancos of the country should pass over. So truly are the words of Moses still undergoing their fulfilment, “Thou shnlt find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest.”*

It was after midday when we set out again. We did not enter Tyre, but passed at a distance, nearly in the course of the old aqueduct. We came near the hill of Marshuk, which some have supposed to mark the site of False Tyrus; though this cannot be the case, for Strabo says that it lay thirty stadia to the south of the island, whereas Marshuk is less than a third of that distance to

* Deut. xxviii 05.

the east of modern Tyi-e. Crossing the plain, we soon came upon the same track by which we had travelled in a contrary direction a fortnight before. At the bridge of Kasimieh, we were refreshed by a draught of goat’s milk which some shepherds gave us. An hour before sunset, we came to that part of the plain overlooked by Sarfend, the ancient Sarepla. Two of us rode up the steep hill on which the modern village is built by a path worn deep in the rock. We visited the mosque, said to be erected over the widow’s house where Elijah dwelt, and. the cave beneath it, where a lamp is kept continually burning, and where miraculous cures are reported to have been performed. The view from the village commands the plain and the sea, and is very fine. A deep ravine on the south is clad with an olive-grove, and the hills around bear marks of having been at one time covered with the vine, for the terraces’still remain. We passed through a village on the shore immediately opposite to Sarfend, called Ain-teen (” the well of the fig, “) which some believe to be the true site of Sarepta.

The sun being set, we now pressed forward toward Sidon. The gazelles were gamboling on the rocky shore. Seven large’stones stand” on the roadside, of which a curious legend is told. It is said that these are seven Moslems “turned into stone for pursuing a Christian, whose companions were guilty, but who himself was innocent. A little farther on is a cairn, or heap of stones raised over the tomb of a slave, who was executed on this spot for murdering and plundering passengers. It is customary for travellers to add a stone to the heap as they pass. Arriving at a khan called Ain-el-Burak, the owner, who was on the roof, invited us in,* but we thanked him and pressed on. The near approach to Sidon seemed peculiarly beautiful in the soft; moonlight. A sweet fragrance was breathing from shrubs and flowers, and our road conducted us through groves of luxuriant trees, while the eye was not pained by the sight of dry dusty fields. We reached the gate of Sidon by ten o’clock, having been fifteen hours on horseback. We were too late for admission into the town, and had to encamp on the outside of the walls. The ground was so rocky and uneven, that it was with difficulty we managed to drive in the pins of our tents, but this did not prevent us from enjoying a refreshing sleep.

* See Prov. ix. M. 15.

We rose eai-ly next morning (July 20), and saw the Moslem Jadies, all swathed in white, moving out of the town to visit the graves, as much for recreaUon as from respect to the dead. These are in a pleasant grove of cypresses and other trees which shelter the eastern side of the town. The English Vice-Consul waited on us at our tent, and brought us the news of the death of the SuJtan of Constantinople. We were soon mounted, and leaving the walls of Sidon far behind us, we rode along the bay of Naby-Younes again, crossed the Damour, and passed through the mulberry gardens where we had lost our way. On leaving the shore, instead of crossing the bar of sand, our servants guided us by a very pleasant road, through the vast grove of olives that stretches along the foot of Lebanon. In one of the gardens is a khan, which they call a “Sunday-khan,” because it is regularly frequented on Sunday afternoons bj’- the Greek priests and their people, who spend the day in anmsements and dissipation. We were anxious to reach Beyrout in time to visit the Jewish synagogue, for that was the day set apart for the commemoration of the destruction of the Temple, a remarkable occasion among the Jews. But in this we failed. We arrived, however, before the sun went down, and iode in at the gate filled with joy and thankfulness to God for permitting us to visit Galilee, and bringing us back in safety and peace.

(July 21. Sabbath.) In the forenoon, Mr. Bonar preached on John vii. .37, to a respectable audience in the spacious apartment of the American Consul. We afterwards attended the Sabbath-school in one of the Mission-houses, and had the pleasure of addressing a class of young Syrians who understood English. In the evening, Mr. M’Cheyne expounded Actsix. in a large prayer meeting, at which the American brethren and their families were present. And thus we drank of” the streams from Lebanon,” in a dry and thirsty land.

We now found that the next Austrian steamer would sail for Smyrna in a week; so that we took up our abode again at the inn of Giuseppe, who paid us every attention. We occupied ourselves during this time, chiefly in making up our journals and writing home, and in the cool of” the evenings enjoyed a quiet walk along the rocky beach. One evening we saw the funeral of a poor native. The body was carried out of the town, not in a coffin, but on a bier, Ifke the widow’s son at Nain.* A few moui”ners followed, lamenting him with occasional cries. Another evening, we paid a short visit along with one of the merchants of the town to Sir Moses Montefiore and his lady, who were here waiting for a vessel to carry them to Egypt.

In the middle of the week, Mr. M’Cheyne was seized with fever. Dr. Gerstmannf of the Jerusalem Mission, himself a converted Jew, waited upon him with all kindness, and ordered him to be removed to a house upon the height above the town, where the atmosphere was cool. The disease seemed to abate a little on the Saturday, so that the physician recommended us to make preparations for sailing next day. He thought that there would be greater hope of Mr. M.’s recovery by enjoying the cool breeze of the sea, than by remaining three weeks longer in the confined atmosphere of Beyrout.

Accordingly, on the afternoon of Sabbath, July 28, we bade farewell to our many kind friends, and embarked in the Austrian steamer, called Schnell-Segler, “Swift Sailer,” which sailed from the harbour at five o’clock. The four Jews from the Dardanelles, with whom we had sailed into Egypt, and whom we now met for the third time, to their surprise and ours, were the only faces we knew on board. There was one young man in the vessel who could speak a little English. It was a solemn and almost melancholy Sabbath evening to us. Mr. M. was laid down upon the deck, and we kept our eye upon the majestic brow of Lebanon, (the emblem of the Redeemer’s countenance,!) till it faded from our view in the dim and brief twilight of evening.

But here let us for a moment review all that we have seen and heard in regard to the condition of Israel in their own land. We visited every city and village in Palestine where Jews are to be found (with the exception of Jaffa, and two small villages upon Mount Naphtali),

* Luke v. 14.

t On the 23(1 August, 1841, little more than tsvo years after, this worthy young physician died of a similar fever at Constantinople, to which station he hai been removed. He was a man of an excellent spirit, one who loved Christ with all his heart, and was very bold in recommending him to others. One day Lady M. said to him with great vehemence, that she would rather lose her head than forsake the faith of her fathers; his answer was, “If you do not turn and believe on Christ, you will never see the kingdom of heaven.”

t Song V. 15.

and we ha”e been led to the conclusion that the Holy Land presents the most important and interestmg of all the fields of labour among the Jews.

I. The Jews are in affliction in the land of their fathers, and this makes them more friendly there than in other lands. In other countries, where they are wealthy and comfortable, or deeply engaged in worldly business, we found that they care little to attend to the words of the Christian missionary. But, in J udea, the plague, poverty, the oppression of their rabbis, and the insults of the heathen, have so humbled them, that they cling to any one who offers to show them kindness, however averse to the doctrine which he teaches.

II. They are strictly Rabbinical Jews, untainted by the infidelity of France or the neology of Germany. They hold” the Old Testament to be indeed the Word of God. They have a real expectation of the coming of the Messiah; and this expectation is certainly greater now than it was formerly. The missionary has thus firm ground to stand upon, and, with the Hebrew Bible in his hand, may expound to them, with intelligence and power all that is written in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Jesus.

III. Moreover, Judea must be regarded as the centre, of the Jewish world. Every Jew, in whatever country he sojourns, turns his face toward Jerusalem in prayer. It is the heart of the nation, and every impression made there is transmitted to all the scattered members. We afterwards met a poor Jew at Ibraila, a small town upon the Danube, who told us of conversions that had taken place at Jerusalem. In this way, whatever is done for the Jews in Palestine, will make a hundred-fold more impression than if it were done in any other land.

IV. Another important consideration is, that in Palestine the Jews look upon the English as friends. Three months before our arrival in Jerusalem, an English Consul had been stationed there — a true and zealous friend of Israel, whose jurisdiction extended over the country once given to the twelve tribes, and whose instructions from the British Government were, that he should, to the utmost of his power, afford protection to the Jews. The recent changes in Syria have no doubt for a time interfered with these arrangements; but still, is not the hand of an overruling Providence visible in them 1 And is it not our duty to improve to the utmost

29* “the interest we have in the affections of the Jews, by being the friends of their never-dying souls’]

V. In addition to all this, there is no country under heaven to which Christians turn with such a lively interest as Immanuel’s land. “God’s servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof” But especially those who love Israel bear it upon their hearts, because its name is inwoven with the coming conversion of Israel. It is upon ‘■’■the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem,’’’’ that God has said he will pour his Spirit.* “On the hig-h mountains of Israel shall their fold be ,-“t and” they shall feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old; ‘J and God himself has said, “/ will remember the land”^

On these grounds, we rest our conviction that the Holy Land presents not only the most attractive, but the most important field for missionary operations among the Jews.

In the south of the Holy Land, the London Society for the Conversion of the Jews have maintained for several years an effective Mission. Jerusalem is their headquarters, so that the southern parts may be fairly regarded as pre-occupied. But the north of the land, the region of ancient Galilee, containing nearly half of the Jewish population of Palestine, still presents an openH and uncultivated field.

In that beautiful country, the town of Saphet at once commends itself as the most favourable point for the centre of a Jewish Mission. It is one of the four cities regarded as holy by the Jews, and therefore they cling to it in spite of the awful convulsions of nature and the ravages of war. Before the earthquake on 1st January 1837,”it is said that there were 7000 Jews residing there. It has again gradually been raised out of its ruins, and there were at the time of our visit about 2000 Jewish inhabitants. A ride of six hours from Saphet brings you to Tiberias, on the margin of the Lake of Galilee, another of the holy cities, and containing 1500 Jews. Saphet is also within a few days’ journey of Tyre, Sidon, Acre, Khaifa, Beyrout, and Damascus; in each of which there

* Zech. xii. 10. t Ezek. xxxiv. 14.

t Mic. vii. 11. $ Lev. xxvi. 42.

II Of course, as a Presbyterian Church, claiming equal apostolic authority with the Church of England, the Church ofScotland will not consider the appointment of a Bishop, which has taken place during this year (1812), as hi anv way debarring her from coming into the field.

are many Jews — so that it forms the centre of a most interesting field.

The cUmate of Saphet is peculiarly delightful, owing to its lofty situation. In one of the hottest days in July, the thermometer rose no higher in the shade than 76^ F. In Tiberias, again, the winter’s cold is scarcely felt at all.

If the Church of Scotland were privileged to establish a Mission in Saphet, what an honour would it be to tread, as it were, in the very footsteps of the Saviour, to make the very rocks that re-echoed his “strong crying and tears,” and the very hills where he said, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” resound with the cries of believing prayer, and with the proclamation of the gospel of peace! And if God were to own and bless our efforts, would not the words of the prophet receive a second fulfilment, “The land of Zebulon and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; the people which sat in darkness, saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up ]” *

* Matt. iv. 15, 16.