PRINCETON UNIVERSITY LIBRARY DUPL 32101 037637939 RECAP h bright, J. Eo Bellamy Library of Princeton University. THE CARNEGIE FOUNDATION JOURNEY FROM Aleppo to Jeruſalem At Eaſter, A. D. 1697 The Fifth Edition, To which is now added an Account of the Author's Journey to the Banks of Euphrates at Beer, and to the Country of Meſopotamia. By Hen. Maundrell, M.A. late Fellow of Exeter Coll. and Chaplain to the Factory at Aleppo. M MARTIN THITTARER (பாம் பாடம் and TOBAR . AURORA Atole Oxon.T. et Toup. 0X FORD, Printed at the THEATER, An. Dom. MDCCXXXII. 1.701. : .624 ..1732 Imprimatur, . GUIL. DELAUNE, VICE-CAN. OXO N. April 8.1703. TO THE READER. THE Author of this ſhort Journal having T ſometime ſince fent a Copy of it into England, only for the private Entertainment of ſome of His Friends: They, finding with what a Spirit of Modeſty, Ingenuity and Truth it was written, foon reſolv'd to make it Publick. Upon notice hereof given to Him, He, with ſome un- 1. willingneſs, ſubmitted to their Judgment as to the Publication ; but withal deſired, that the Ori- ginal might firſt be amended by the enſuing Cor. Srections and Additions. He had made them partly from his own review of the Papers, after they had lain cold a good while by him; partly by the Advice of ſome Gentlemen of that Fa- Story, who had ſince gone the ſame Journey, and had taken this Journal with them, and ſo gave it a new Authority by a freſh Examination of His ņObfervations. But by misfortune his deſign'd Al- 5terations did not arrive at Oxford, till the Book o was almoſt printed off. Wherefore the Reader is deſired to accept candidly theſe following Emen- dations, which would have made the Work more uld have been inſerted in the a 2 Body Body of it, each in it's proper place. The Pub- lifhers thought a Piece ſo well writ, ought not to appear abroad without the uſual and proper Qrnament of Writings of this kind, variety of Sculptures; and it having been deſign'd by the Author for a ſupplement to Sandys, their reſolu- tion, at firſt, was to furniſh it with ſuch Cuts, as are wanting in Him; but le Brune being ſince pub- lifh'd, and in every ones hands, ſuch only are here inſerted, as are wanting in both. K Note, That the Corrections and. Additions which were ſent by the Author after the Book was Printed off, are in this Edition inſerted in the Body of the Book in their proper places. Το THE Right Reverend Father in God THOMAS Lord Bishop of ROCHES T E R. My LORD, T R OM a large and conſtant experience of your Lordſhips favour, I have all reaſon to believe that you will not think it tedious to bear ſomething of my Affairs, tho in them- ſelves belovo your Lordſhips notice and regard. It is now more than a twelve month ſince I arrived in this place; during all which time, I have had op- portunity enough perfe&tly to obſerve and diſcover the Genius of the Fa&tory, among wobom my Lot is fallen. And upon the reſult of all my experience of them, I am obliged to give them this juſt commendation ; That they are a Society, highly meriting that excellent Cha- radter rafter which is given of them in England; and which (beſides the general vogue) your Lordſhip has ſometime received from a molt faithful and judicious hand, the excellent Biſhop Frampton. Ás be un- doubtedly was the great Improver of the rare temper of this Society, ſo he may well be eſteemed beſt able to give them their true and deſerved Character. I need only add, that ſuch they ſtill continue, as that incom- parable Inſtructer left them: That is, Pious, Sober, Benevolent, devout in the offices of Religion ; in Con- verſation, innocently chearful; given to no pleaſures, but ſuch as are honeſt and manly; to no Communica- tions, but ſuch as the niceſt Ears need not be offended. at; exhibiting in all their Actions thoſe beſt and trueſt Signs of a Chriſtian Spirit, a fincere and chearful friendſhip among themſelves, a generous Charity to- ward' Others, and a profound reverence for the Liturgy and Conſtitution of the Church of England. It is our firſt Employment every morning to folemnize the dayly Service of the Church ; at which I am ſure to have al- ways a devout, a regular and full Congregation. In a word, I can ſay no more (and leſs, I am ſure, I ought not ) than this, that in all my experience in the World, I have never known a Society of young Gentle- men, whether in the City, or Country, (i had almoſt ſaid the Univerſity too) ſo well diſpoſed in all points as this. Your Lordſhip will conclude, that in conſequence of all this, my preſent Station cannot but be very agree- able. And thoʻin leaving England, I was ſeparated from the greateſt bleſſings to me in the World, your Lordſhips kindnefs, and that of my friends at Rich- mond; yet I muſt own, I have found here as much re- compence, as could be made for ſuch a ſeparation. Among Among other ſatisfactions, one great one, which I have had ſince my Arrival, was a Voyage to the Holy Land, in Company with fourteen others of our Factory. We went by way of the Coaſt; and having viſited the ſeveral places Conſecrated by the Life and Death of our Bleſſed" Lord, we returned by way of Damaſcus. If there be any thing either in theſe places which I have viſited, or elſewhere in theſe Countries, touching which, I may be capable of giving your Lordſhip any ſatisfa- &tion, by my poor obſervation, I bould eſteem it my great happineſs, and my coming thus far would ſeem compleatly recompenſed. I intreat your Lordſhips Bleſſing, as being Your Lordſhips moſt dutiful, humble Servant, Hen. Maundrell. To MY Ever Honoured Uncle SCHARLES HEDGES K', Judge of the High Court OF ADMIRALTY of ENGLAND. SIR, AM ſenſible of two general Defe&ts (and You will ſoon obſerve a great many more) running through this whole Paper, which might juftly deter me from preſenting it to a Perſon of your great Learning and Judgment. One is, frequent Er- rours; the other, Tediouſneſs. But it is your pleaſure to require it from me as it is: and I am ſure whatever Faults there may be in it, yet there can be none ſo great, as it would be for me to diſpute your Injun&tions. I have nothing to do therefore but to recommend it to your Favour, as it is offered up to your Commands, with all its Imperfections about it: only putting in a word word or two, before I diſmiſs it, by way of Apology. And firſt, as to the Errours you will be ſure to note in it, I have this Mitigation to offer ; that in a ſwift and tranſient View of places, ſuch as mine was it was hardly pollible for me, not to be ſome- times over ſeen: But however this 1 profeſs with a clear Conſcience, that whatever Miſtakes there may be, yet there are no Lies. As to the Tediouſneſs of the Relations, the only De- fence I have, is by Joeltring my ſelf in the Crowd: For it is a frailty more or leſs incident to moſt Men, eſpecially Travellers, to abound, both in the ſenſe they have, and in the Accounts they give, of their own Actions and Occurrences. If we light of any thing worth noting, We are apt to overflow in ſpeaking of it; and too often We fall into that greater folly of recording ſuch things for very conſiderable ones, as any diſintereſt ed Perſon would be ready to think, We could have no inducement to regard, but only becauſe they relate to our own ſelves. This is an Affectation, which however taftful it may be to the Perfons who uſe it, yet (I know by my.own Re ſentiments of it) is ta otbers moſt grating and diſguftful. When you come therefore to any ſuch Nauſeous places in this fournal, You may pleaſe to paſs them over with that Contempt which they deſerve, but neverthelefs with ſome Indulgence to the Writer of them; for if this Va- nity may be ever tolerated, Travellers are the Men who have the beſt Claim to that Favour. For it ſeems but a Reaſonable Allowance, that they, who go through so many hazards and fatigues for the entertainment of others, ſhould, in réquital for all, be indulged a little in this ſweet folly. I might DAN 01 En COD MOOI ad HỎE "m ule Lith SA LELAAR so w MB: WWW WWWL Pagi. 2 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. every night, as in England: The beſt reception you can find here, is either under your own Tent, if the ſeaſon permit; or elſe in certain publick Lodgments founded in Charity for the uſe of Travellers. Theſe are called by the Turks Kanes; and are ſeated ſometimes in the Towns and Villages, ſometimes at convenient diſtances upon the open Road. They are built in faſhion of a Cloiſter, en- compaſſing a Court of thirty or forty Yards ſquare, more, or leſs, according to the meaſure of the Founder's Ability or Charity. At theſe places all Comers are free to take Shelter; paying only a ſmall fee to the Kane-keeper, and very often without that acknowledgment. But muſt ex- pect nothing here generally but bare walls: as for other Accommodations, of Meat, Drink, Bed, Fire, Proven- der; with theſe it muſt be every ones care to furniſh himſelf. Saturday, Feb. 27. From the Honey-Kane we parted very early the next Morning; and proceeding Weſterly as the day before, arrived in one hour and a half at Oo-rem; an old Village affording nothing remarkable but the ruins of a ſmall Church. From Do-rem we came in half an hour to Keffre; and in three quarters more to Eſoyn. At this laſt place we encer'd into the plains of Kefteen : proceeding in which we cảme in one hour to another Village called Legene, and half and hour more to Hozano, and in a good hour more to Kefteen. Our whole Stage this day was about five hours, our Courſe a little Southerly of the Weſt. The Plains of Kefteen are of a vaft Compaſs; extend- ing to the Southward beyond the reach of the Eye, and in molt places very fruitfull and well cultivated. At our firſt deſcent into them at Effon, we counted twenty four Villages, or places at a diſtance reſembling Villages, within our View from one Station. The Soil is of a reddiſh co- lour, very looſe and hollow; and you ſee hardly a Stone in it. Whereas on its Weft ſide there runs along for many miles together a high ridge of Hills, diſcovering nothing but A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem.. 3 but valt naked Rocks without the leaſt fign of Mould, or any uſeful Production: which yields an appearance, as if nature had, as it were, in kindneſs to the Husband-man, purged the whole Plain of theſe Stones, and piled them all up together in that one Mountain. Kefteen it ſelf is a large plentiful Village on the Weſt Gide of the Plain. And the adjacent Fields abounding with Corn, give the Inhabitants great advantage for breeding Pidgeons : inſo- much that you find here more Dove-Cots than other Houſes, We ſaw at this place, over the door of a Bagnio a marble Stone, carved with the Sign of the and the sóc [erel, &c. with a date not legible. It was probably the Portal of ſome Church in ancient times: for I was aſſured by the Inhabitants of the Village, that there are mapy Ruins of Churches and Convents ſtill to be ſeen in the Neighbouring rocky Mountains. ants great and here, ace, over the of the e law at thiere more Deulog Pidgeons.ve the Sunday, Feb. 28. Having a long Stage to go this day, we left Kefteen ve- ry early; And continuing till in the ſame, fruitful Plain abounding in Corn, Olives and Vines, we came in three quarters of an hour to Harbanooſe; a ſmall Village ſi- tuated at the extremity of the Plain. Where, afterçrolling a ſmall aſcent, we came into a very rich Valley called Rooge. It runs to the South farther than one can diſcern, but in breadth, from Eaſt to Well it extends not above an hours riding; and is walled in (as it were) on both ſides, with high rocky Mountains. Having travelled in this Valley near four hours, we came to a large Water called the Lake ( or rather, according to the Oriental ſtyle, the Sea) of Rooge. Thro' the Skirt of this Lakę we were obliged to paſs; and found it no fimall trouble to get our Horſes, and much more our loaded Mules thro' the water and mire. But all the Sea was ſo dried up, and the road ſo perfectly amended at our return, that we could not then diſcern, ſo much as where the place avas, which had given ſo great trouble. From this Lake, we arrived A 2 6 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. reaſon of the Noiſe of a Stream running down into it from the Hills. We could not gueſs it to be leſs than thirty Yards deep. But it is ſo narrow that a ſmall Arch, not four Yards over, lands you on its other ſide. They call it the Shecks Wife: A Name given it from a Wo- man of that Quality, who fell into it, and, I need not add, periſhed. The depth of the channel, and the noiſe of the Water, are ſo extraordinary, that one cannot paſs over it without ſomething of Horrour. The ſides of this Fiſſure are firm and ſolid Rock, perpendicular and ſmooth, only ſeeming to lie in a wavy form all down, as it were to comply with the motion of the Water. From which obſervation we were led to conjecture, that the Stream, by a long and perpetual current had, as it were, faw'n its own Channel down into this unuſual deepneſs: to which effect the Water's being peon'd up in ſo narrow a paſſage, and its hurling down Stones along with it by its rapidity, may have not a little contributed. From hence, continuing our courſe throa Road re ſembling that before deſcribed, we arrived in one hour at a ſmall even part of ground called Hadyar ib Sultane, or the Sultans Stone. And here we took up our Quar. ters this night under our Tents. Our Road this day pointed for the moſt part South Weſt, and the whole of our Stage was about ſeven hours and a half. . Tueſday, March 2. We were glad to part very early this Morning from our Campagnia Lodging, the weather being yet too moist and cold for ſuch diſcipline. Continuing our Journey thro' Woods and Mountains, as the day before, we ar- rived in about one bour at the Caphar of Crufia, which is demanded near a Kane of that Name; a Kane they call it, tho'it be in truth nothing elſe, but a cold com- fortleſs ruin on the top of a Hill by the way ſide. From hence in about another hour we arrived at the foot of a Mountain called Occaby; or as the word de- notes, difficult, and indeed we found its aſcent fully an- ſwerable 4. Pe Three Inſcriptions over the Caſtle gate of Corus. pag.7. +Bindicapioy CTPATE XATO VAYZINIKH+ +Eycra divy 10 Ν εστικογΠοΛΑΤΑ ETH ATW Otorxa +/cγετιΝIΑNoycτον BACINE WC nond TA ETHIO Evawpac 47 oyc7Acпoля TA ETH On a stone amongst grave stones near ý. great Sepulcher at Corus. DM VIIP. VICTOR:IMMÅLIINI OLEGV1LCLEX-Z 11.PR POSTYVIXIT ANN*XXXVIII MILITAVIT ANN XVIYAVR- MARTINVS-MILLE G-IIII FL FRATER. ET SECVNDVS HER ES. FRATRI* EXPR O VINCIA-MOES 'SVPER REG ♡ VIMINAC: Fx B: M'P ♡ - Another in ý. Sameplace very imperfect. AVR VIND EX- MILLE 'VII CMX i ABw . jculp The ſituation of Corues or Cyrus The Epiſcopal feat of Comagene. . pag.7. Sabontl. . Ephreen fl. E WN a The Caſtle. 6. The City. CA Ruinous Fabrick. d. A Bridge probably one of thoſe that were built by Theoderit. i'e.f. Two other Bridges of the fame fort of Structure, g. A fepulchral Monument of a very antient and uncommon Structure a. A mountain where for: merly ſtood the Caſtle Acropolis. Euphrates Mons © Terabolus. | I found this figure Cut on a large ſtone at Ierabolus. The midle part was broken, and perhaps the Goddeſs Syra fat thereon but has been effaced by the Turks who are deſtro- yers of Images for I have ſeen fuch a figure : upon an Ancient coin of Hierapolis. MB. A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. were and no more planted ind a Village in one hour ſwerable to its Name. The moiſture and Nipperineſs of the way at this time added to the ſteepneſs of it, greatly encreaſed our labour in aſcending it. "Inſomuch that we were a full hour in gaining the top of the Hill. Here we found no more Woods or Hills, but a fine Country, well cultivated and planted with Silk Gardens: thro which leaving on the right hand a Village called Citte Galle, inhabited ſolely by Maronites, we came in one hour to Bellulca. Here we repaired to a place which is both the Kane of the Village, and the Aga's Houſe; and re- folving by reaſon of the Rains, which fell very plentiful- ly, to make this our Lodging, we went to viſit the Aga with a ſmall Preſent in our hands, in order to procure our ſelves a civil reception. But we found little recom- pence from his Turkiih gratitude, for after all our reſpect to him, it was not without much importunity that we obtain'd to have the uſe of a dry part of the Houſe; The place where we were at firſt Lodged lying open to the Wind and the beating in of the Rain. Our whole Stage this day was not much above four hours, our courſe about, South Weſt. Being inform'd that here were ſeveral Chriſtian Inha- bitants in this place, we went to viſit their Church, which we found ſo poor and pitiful a Structure, that here Chri- ſtianity ſeem'd to be brought to its humbleſt State, and Chriſt to be laid again in a Manger. It was only a Room of about four or five Yards ſquare, wallid with Dirt, having nothing but the uneven ground for its Pavement; And for its Ceiling only ſome rude traves laid athwart it, and cover'd with Buſhes to keep out the Weather. On the Eaſt ſide was an Altar, built of the ſame Materials with the Wall; only it was paved at top with Pot-lherds and Slates, to give it the face of a Table. In the middle of the Altar ſtood a ſmall Croſs compos'd of two Laths naild together in the middle: on each ſide of which en- ſign were faſtned to the Wall two or three old Prints re- preſenting our bleſſed Lord and the Bleſſed Virgin, &c. The Venerable preſents of ſome Itinerant Fryars, that had 8 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. had paſſed this way. On the South ſide was a piece of plank ſupported by a Poſt, which we underſtood was the Reading Desk, juſt by which was a little hole com- modiouſly broke thro’the Wall to give light to the Rea- der. A very mean habitation this for the God of Hea- ven! But yet held in great eſteem, and reverence by the poor People; who not only come with all devotion hi- ther theinfelves, but alſo depoſite here whatever is moſt valuable to them, in order to derive upon it a bleſſing, When we were there the whole Room was hang'd about with Bags of Silkworms Eggs; to the end that by re- maining in ſo holy a place, they might attract a Bene- diation, and a Virtue of encreaſing. Wedneſday, Mar. 3. The next Morning flatter'd us with the hopes of a fair day after the great Rains, which had fallen for near eight hours together. We therefore ventur'd to leave Bellulca, with no great thanks to it for our Entertainment. But we had not gone far, before we began to wiſh that we had kept our former accommodation bad as it was; for the Rains began to break out afreſh with greater fury than before: nor had we more comfort under foot, the Road being very deep and full of floughs. However we reſolu'd to go forward in hopes of a better time, and in four hours (very long ones in ſuch uncomfortable circum- Atances) we arriv'd at Sholfatia, a poor Village ſituate upon a ſmall River which we were oblig'd to paſs. A River we might call it now, it being ſwollen lo high by the late Rains, that it was impaſſable; tho' at other times it be but a ſmall Brook, and, in the Summer, perfectly dry. Here inſtead of mending our Condition, as we expected, we began to drink more deeply of the bitter Cup of Pil- grims, being brought to ſuch a ſtrait, that we knew not which way to turn our ſelves. For (as I ſaid the Stream was not fordable, ſo that there was no going for- ward; and as for facing about, and returning to the place from whence we came, that was a thing, we were the Rainsre nor had we go oul of floughs. H. very A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 9 very averſe to: Well knowing, by that Mornings expe- rience, the badneſs of the Road; and likewiſe having rea- ſon to expect but a cold welcome at our Journeys end. As for Lodging in the Village, that was a thing not to be endured: For the Houſes were all filld with Dirt and Naſtineſs, being inhabited promiſcuouſly by the Villagers and their Cattle. As for lying in the Campagnia, the Rain was ſo vehement we could not do that, without an evident danger both to our Selves and Horſes. But whilſt we were at this non-plus, not knowing which courſe to take, the Rain abated, and ſo we reſolved to pitch in the open Field, tho'chorowly ſoaked with the wet, eſteeming this however the leaſt evil. Accordingly we betook our Selves to a ſmall aſcent by the water's ſide, intending there, under our Tents, to wait the falling of the Stream We had not enjoy'd this ceſſation of Rain long, when it began to pour down a-freſh, with terrible Lightning and Thunder. And now our care was renewed, and we knew not well which to be moſt concern'd for; whether our Selves, who enjoyed the miſerable comfort of a drop- ping Tent over us, or for our Servants and Horſes which had nothing but their own Cloaths to protect them. At laſt there being a ſmall Shecks Houſe, or Burying-place hard by, we comforted our Selves with hopes that we might take Sanctuary there. The only difficulty was how to get admiſſion into ſo reverenc'd a place; the Turks being generally Men of greater Zeal than Mercy. To negotiate this affair we ſent a Turk (whom we had taken with us for ſuch occaſions ) into the Village; ordering him to try firſt by fair means to gain admittance, and, if that faild, to threaten that we would enter by force. But the Religion of this place was of that kind which ſuper- ſedes inſtead of improving Humanity. The people abſo- lutely deny'd us the ſmall Charity we demanded; And ſent us word they would die upon our Swords before they would yield to have their Faith defild: Adding farther that it was their Faith to be true to Hamet and Aly, but B to 10 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. to hate and renounce Omar and Abu Beker; and that this principle they were reſolv'd to ſtand by. We told them we had as bad an opinion of Omar and Abu Beker as they could have: That we deſir'd only a little ſhelter from the preſent Rain, and had no intention to defile their Faith. And thus with good words, we brought them to conſent, that we might ſecure our Baggage in the Shecks Houſe; but as for our Selves and Arms, 'twas our irreverſible ſentence to be excluded out of the hal- low'd Walls. We were glad however to get the Merci- leſs Doors open upon any terms; not doubting, but we ſhould be able to make our advantage of it afterwards according to our deſire: Which we actually did; for when it grew dark, and the Villagers were gone to ſleep, we all got into the places of refuge, and there paſſed a Me- lancholy Night among the Tombs : Thus eſcaping how- ever the greater evil of the Rain which fell all Night in great abundance. Being now crept into the inſide of the Shecks Houſe, I muſt not omit, in requital for our Lodgings, to give ſome account of the nature of ſuch Structures. They are ſtone Fabricks, generally fix or eight Yards ſquare (more or leſs ) and roofed with a Cupola; erected over the Graves of ſome eminent Shecks, that is, ſuch Perſons, as by their long Beards, Prayers of the ſame ſtandard, and a kind of Phariſaical ſuperciliouſneſs (which are the great Virtues of the Mahometan Religion) have purchasid to themſelves the reputation of Learning and Saints. Of theſe Buildings there are many ſcatter'd up and down the Country (for you will find among the Turks far more dead Saints than living ones.) They are fi- tuated commonly, tho'not always, upon the moſt eminent and conſpicuous aſcents. To theſe Oratories the people repair with their Vows and Prayers, in their ſeveral di- ſtreſſes, much after the ſame manner, as the Romaniſts do to the ſhrines of their Saints. Only in this reſpect the practice of the Turks ſeems to be more Orthodox, in regard that tho'they make their Şaint's fhrine the Houſe of A Journey from Aleppo to Feruſalem. In gis 2. Fes Re * 7 * of Prayer; yet they always make God alone, and not the Saint, the object of their addreſſes. Thurſday, March 4. To revive us after the heavineſs of the laſt Night, we had the conſolation to be informed this Morning, that the River was fordable at a place a little farther down the Stream; and upon experiment we found it true as was re- ported. Glad of this diſcovery, we made the beſt diſpatch we could to get clear of this in hoſpitable place; and ac- cording to our deſires, ſoon arriv'd, with all our Baggage on the other ſide of the River. From hence aſcending gently for about half an hour, we came to the foot of a very ſteep Hill, which, when we had reached, it's top prelented us with the firſt pro- ſpect of the Ocean. We had in view likewiſe at about two hours diſtance to the Weſtward, the City Latichea, ſituate on a flat fruitful ground cloſe by the Sea; A City firſt Built by Seleucus Nicator, and by him callid in ho- nour of his Mother Acosineidwhich Name it retains with a very little corruption of it at this day. It was anciently a place of great Magnificence; but in the general cala- mity which befel this Country, it was reduced to a very low condition, and ſo remain'd for a long time. But of late Years it has been encouraged to hold up its head again, and is rebuilt, and become one of the moſt flouriſh- ing places upon the Coaſt; being cheriſhed, and put in a way of Trade by Coplan Aga, a Man of great wealth, and authority in theſe parts, and much addicted to Mer- chandiſe. From the Hill which we laſt aſcended, we had a ſmall deſcent into a ſpacious Plain, along which we Travelled Southward, keeping the Sea on the right hand, and a ridge of Mountains on the left. Having gone about one hour and a half in this Plain, we diſcern'd on the left hand, not far from the Road two ancient Tombs. They were Cheſts of Stone two Yards and a half long each. Their Cavities were cover'd over with large Tables of B 2 Stone; A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 13 like, they put on the Colour of Religion, whatever it be, which is reflected upon them from the Perſons with whom they happen to converſe. With Chriſtians they profeſs themſelves Chriſtians; With Turks they are good Muſſelmans; With Jews they paſs for Jews; being ſuch Proteuſes in Religion, that no body was ever able to diſ- cover what ſhape or ſtandard their Conſciences are really of. All that is certain concerning them is, that they make very much and good Wine, and are great Drinkers. Friday, Mar. 5. This whole day we ſpent at Jebilee to recruit our Selves after our late fatigues; having the convenience of a new Kane to lodge in, Built at the North entrance into the City, by Oſtan the preſent Buſha of Tripoli. Febilee is ſeated cloſe by the Sea, having a vaſt, and very fruitful Plain ſtretching round about it, on its other ſides. It makes a very mean figure at preſent: Tho'it ſtill retains the diſtinction of a City, and diſcovers evi- dent footſteps of a better condition in former cimes. Its Ancient Name, from which alſo it derives its preſent, was Gabala; under which Name it occurs in Strabo, and other old Geographers. In the time of the Greek Em- perours, it was dignify'd with a Biſhop's See. In which ſometimes ſate Severian the Grand Adverſary and Arch- Conſpirator againſt St Chryſoſtom. The moſt remarkable things, that appear here at this day, are a Moſque, and an Alms-houle juſt by it, both Built by Sultan Ibrahim. In the former his Body is de- poſited, and we were admitted to ſee his Tomb, tho'held by the Turks in great Veneration. We found it only a great wooden Cheſt, erected over his Grave, and cover'd with a Carpet of painted Calico, extending on all ſides down to the ground. It was alſo trick'd up with a great many long Ropes of wooden Beads hanging upon it, and ſomewhat reſembling the furniture of a Button-maker's Shop. This is the Turks uſual way of adorning the Tombs of their holy Men, as I have ſeen in ſeveral other inſtances. CD A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 18 did it at firſt in teſtimony of their Iconoclaſtick prin- ciple; and to expreſs to them both the reality of the divine preſence there, and at the ſame time alſo its Inviſibility. The Relators of this Story of Sultan Ibrahim were doubt- leſs fully perſwaded of the truth of it themſelves. But we could not tell what conjectures to make of it, having never met with any account of ſuch a Sultan, but only from this rude tradition. From theſe Mahometan Sanctuaries, our Guide pre- tended to carry us to a Chriſtian Church, about two fur- longs out of Town on the South ſide. When we came to it, we found it nothing but a ſmall Grotto in a Rock, by the Sea More, open on the ſide towards the Sea; and having a rude pile of Stones erected in it for an Altar. In our return from this poor Chappel, we met with the Perſon who was the Curate of it. He told us that him- ſelf and ſome few other Chriſtians of the Greek Commu- nion, were wont to aſſemble in this humble Cell for Di- vine Service, being not permitted to have any place of Worſhip within the Town. Jebilee ſeems to have had Anciently ſome convenience for Shipping. There is ſtill to be ſeen a ridge compos'd of huge ſquare Stones running a little way into the Sea; which appears to have been formerly continued farther on, and to have made a Mole. Near this place we ſaw a great many Pillars of Granite, ſome by the Water fide, others tumbled into the water. There were others in a Garden cloſe by, together with Capitals of white Marble finely carv'd; which teſtify in ſome meaſure the Ancient Splendor of this City. But the moſt conſiderable Antiquity in Jebilee, and greateſt Monument of its former Eminency, is the re- mains of a Noble Theater juſt at the North Gate of the City. It paſſes amongſt the Turks for an old Caſtle ; which (according to the Aſiatick way of enlarging) they report to have been of fo prodigious a height, when in its perfect ſtate, that a Horſeman might have rid, about Sun-riſing, a full hour in the ſhade of it. As 16 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. As for what remains of this mighty Babel, it is no more than twenty Foot high. The flat ſide of it has been blown up with Gun-powder by the Turks. And from hence (as they related) was taken a great quantity of Marble, which we ſaw uſed in adorning their Bagnio and Moſque before mention'd. All of it that is now ſtanding is the Semi-Circle. It extends from corner to corner juſt a hundred Yards. In this Semi-Circular part is a range of ſeventeen round Windows juſt above the ground, and between the Windows all round were raiſed, on high Pedeſtals, large Maſſy Pillars, ſtanding as But- treſſes againſt the Wall, both for the ſtrength and orna- ment of the Fabrick; but theſe ſupporters are at preſent moſt of them broken down. Within is a very large Arena, but the juſt meaſure of it could not be taken, by reaſon of the Houſes with which the Turks have almoſt fill'd it up. On the Weſt ſide the ſeats of the Spectators remain îtill entire, as do likewiſe the Caves or Vaults which run under the Sub- ſellia all round the Theatre. The outward Wall is three Yards three quarters thick, and built of very large and firm Stones; which great ſtrength has preſerv'd it thus long from the jaws of time, and from that general ruin, which the Turks bring with them into moſt places where they come. Saturday, Mar. 6. Having done with Febilee, we put forward again early the next Morning, with a proſpect of much better weather than we had been attended with, in our former motions. Our Road continued by the Sea fide, and in about two hours, brought us to a fair deep River, called by the Turks Naher-il-Melech, or the King's River. Here we ſaw ſome heaps of ruins on both ſides of the River, with ſeveral Pillars of Granite, and other footſteps of fome conſiderable Buildings. About half an hour far. ther we paſſed another River called fobar, ſewing the remains of a Stone-bridge over it, once well Built but now A Journey from Aleppo to Feruſalem. 19 o now broken down. On the other ſide of this River in a large plough'd Field, itood a great ſquare Tower; and round about, the rubbith of many other Buildings. Like- wife all along this day's Journey, we obſerv'd many Ruins of Caſtles and Houſes, which teftify that this Country, however it be neglected at preſent, was once in the hands of a people that knew how to value it, and thought it worth the defending. Strabo calls this whole Region from Jebitee as far as Aradus, the Country of the Aradii (of whom in due place) and gives us the Names of feve- ral places ſituate anciently along this Coalt; As Paltus, Balanea, Caranus, Enydra, Marathus, Ximyra. But whe- ther the Ruins which we ſaw this day, may be the remains of any of thoſe Cities, cannot well be determin'd at this diſtance of time; ſeeing all we have of thoſe places, is only their names, without any fufficient diſtinčions, by which to diſcover their ftuation. The Balanea of Strabo is indeed ſaid to be ſtill extant, being ſuppos’d to be the ſame place, that the Turks (little changing its Name ) call at this day Baneas. This place is four good hours beyond Febilee, It ſtands upon a ſmall declivity about a furlong diſtant from the Sea, and has a fine clear Stream Funning ſwiftly by it on the South lide. It is at preſent uninhabited, but its Situation proves it to have been an ciently a pleaſant, igs Ruins a well-built, and its Bay before it, an advantageous Habitation. At this place was requir'd another Caphar. Leaying Baneas, we went on by the Sea ſide, and in about a quarter of an hour paſſed by an old Caſtle, on the top of a very high Mountain. It is built in the figure of an Equilateral Triangle, having one of its Angles pointa ing towards the Sea. The Turks call it Merchab; and enlarge much upon the Sieges ic has ſuſtain'd in former times: But whatever force it may have had anciently, ic is at preſent only a reſidence for poor Country people. This is probably the ſame Caſtle mentioned by Adri- chomius and others under the Name of Margath; to which the Biſhops of Balance were forced to tranſlate their the Sea, South Lid it to based its ba brequire ang Bane of an hourain. It line of i ther cf&cordins a oves it. It is ar Stre aying 18 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. their See by reaſon of the inſults of the Saracens. At about one hour and a half diſtance from Baneas, we came to a ſmall clear Stream, which induced us to take up our Lodging near it. We pitch'd in the Campagnia about two or three furlongs up from the Sea; having in fight on the Mountains above us, a Village called Sophia, in- habited ſolely by Maronites; and a little farther Befack, another Village poſſeſs’d by Turks only; and a little far- ther Merakia, whoſe Inhabitants are a Miſcellany of Chri- ſtians and Turks together. Our whole Stage this day was about ſix hours. Sunday, Mar. 7. From this Quarter we remov'd early the next Morning, and in three hours came to a fair deep River called Nahor Hußine; having an old Bridge turn'd over it, 'conſiſting of only one Arch, but that very large and exceeding well wrought. In one hour and a half more, Travelling ſtill by the Sea fide, we reach'd Tortoſa. The ancient Name of this place was Orthoſia. It was a Biſhop's See in the Province of Tyre. The Writers of the holy Wars make frequent mention of it, as a place of great ſtrength. And one may venture to believe them, from what appears of it at this day. · Its ſituation is on the Sea-ſhore ; having a ſpatious Plain extending round about it on its other ſides.' What remains of it is the Caſtle, which is very large and ſtill inhabited. On one ſide, it is walh'd by the Sea; On the other, it is fortified by a double Wall of courſe Marble, Built after the Ruſtick manner. Between the two Walls is a Ditch; as likewiſe is another encompaſſing the outer- moſt Wall. You enter this fortreſs on the North ſide, over an old Draw-bridge, which lands you in a ſpacious Room now for the moſt part uncover'd, but anciently well arch'd over, being the Church belonging to the Ca- ftle. On one ſide it reſembles a Church, and in witneſs of its being ſuch, Mews at this day, ſeveral holy Emblems carv'd upon its Walls, as that of a Dove deſcending, over the well archow for the magewhich leis on the the outer- A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 19 the place where ſtood the Altar; and in another place that of the Holy-Lamb. But on the ſide which fronts outward, it has the face of a Caſtle, being built with port- holes for Artillery, inſtead of Windows. Round the Caſtle on the South and Eaſt fides ſtood anciently the City. It had a good Wall and Ditch encompaſſing it, of which there are ſtill to be ſeen conſiderable remains. But for other Buildings, there is nothing now left in it, except a Church, which ſtands about a furlong Eaſtward from the Caſtle. It is one hundred and thirty foot in length, in breadth ninety three, and in height fixty one. Its Walls, and Arches, and Pillars, are of a Baſtard Marble, and all ſtill ſo entire, that a ſmall expence would ſuffice to re- cover it into the ſtate of a beautiful Church again. But, to the grief of any Chriſtian Beholder, it is now made a ſtall for Cattle, and we were, when we went to ſee it, al- moſt up to our knees in Dirt and Mire. From Tortoſa we ſent our baggage before us, with or- ders to advance a few Miles farther toward Tripoli, to the intent that we might ſhorten our Stage to that place the next day. We follow'd not long after, and in about a quarter of an hour came to a River, or rather a Chan- nel of a River, for it was now almoſt dry : Tho' que- ſtionleſs here muſt have been anciently no inconfide- rable ſtream; as we might infer both from the largeneſs of the Channel, and the fragments of a Stone-bridge, formerly laid over it. In about half an hour more, we came a Breſt with a ſmall Iſland, abour a League diſtant from the Shore, called by the Turks Ru-ad. This is ſuppoſed to be the ancient Aryad, Arphad, or Arpad (under which ſeveral names it occurrs, 2 Kin. 19. 12. Gen. 10. 18, Ezek. 27. 11. &c.) and the Aradus of the Greeks and Romans. It ſeemed to the Eye to be not above two or three furlongs long; and was wholly filled up with tall Buildings like Caſtles, The ancient Inhabitants of this Iſland were famous for Navigation, and had a command upon the Continent as far as Gabala. C2 About 20 A Journey from Aleppo to ferufalem. About a quarter of an hour farther we came up with our Muliteers; they having pitched our Tents, before they had gone ſo far as we intended. But this miſcarriage they well recompenſed, by the condition of the place where they ſtopp'd; it affording us the entertainment of ſeveral notable Antiquities, which we might otherwiſe perhaps have pafs'd by unobferv'd. It was at a green plat lying within one hour of Tortoſa, a little Southward of Aradus, and about a quarter of a mile from the Sea, having in it a good Fountain (tho' of a bad name) called the Serpent Fountain.. The firſt Antiquity that we here obſerved was a large Dike thirty yards over at top, cut into the firm Rock. Its Gides went Noping down with Stairs form'd out of the natural Rock, deſcending gradually from the top to the bottom. This Dike ftretch'd in a direct line, Eaft and Welt more than a furlong, bearing ſtill the ſame figure of Stairs running in right lines all along its fides. It broke off at laſt at a flat marſhy ground, extending about two furlongs betwixt it and the Sea. It is hard to imagine that the Water ever flow'd up thus high; and harder, with- out ſuppofing that, to reſolve, for what reaſon all this pains of cutting the Rock in ſuch a faſhion, was taken. This Dike was on the North ſide of the Serpent Foun- tain; and juſt on the other fide of it, we eſpy'd another Antiquity, which took up our next obſervation. There was a Court of fifty five yards ſquare, cut in the natural Rock; the ſides of the Rock ſtanding round it, about three yards high, ſupplied the place of Walls. On three fides it was thus encompaſſed; but to the Northward it lay open. In the Center of this Area was a fquare part of the Rock left ſtanding; being three yards high and five yards and a half ſquare. This ſerv'd for a Pedeſtal to a Throne erected upon it. The Throne was compos'd of four large Stones, two at the fides, one at the back, an- other hanging over all at top, in the manner of a Canopy, The whole ſtructure was about twenty foot high, front- įng toward that ſide where the Court was open, The Stone that A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 21 that made the Canopy was five yards and three quarters {quare, and carv'd round with a handſome Corniſh. What all this might be defigo'd for, we could not imagine; un- lefs perhaps the Court may paſs for an Idol-Temple, and the Pile in the middle for the Throne of the Idol: Which ſeems the more probable, in regard that Hercules, i.e. the Sun, the great abomination of the Phenicians, was wont to be adored in an open Temple. At the two innermoft Angles of the Court, and likewiſe on the open ſide were left Pillars of the natural Rock; three at each of the for- mer and two at the latter. About half a mile to the Southward of the foreſaid An- tiquities there ftood in view two Towers. But it grow- ing dark, we were forced to defer our examination of them till the next Morning. Our whole Stage this day exceeded not fix hours. Monday, March 8. Having parfed over a reftleſs night, in a márſay and unwholfome ground, we got up very early; in order to take a nearer view of the two Towers laſt mention'd. We found them to be Sepulchral Monuments, erected over two ancient Burying places. They ſtood at about ten gards diftance from each other, and their fape and fa- brick is repreſented in the figures (a) and (b). The Tower (a) was thirty three foot high. Its longeſt Stone or Pedeftal was ten foot high, and fifteen ſquare: The fuperftructure upon which was first a tall Stone in form of a Cylinder; and then another Stone cut in fhape of a Pyramid... The other Tower (b) was thirty foot and two inches high. Its Pedeſtal was in height fix foot; and fixteen foot fix inches ſquare. It was ſupported by four Lyons carv'd one at each corner of the Pedettal. The carving had been very rude at beft; but was now rendred by time much worfe. The upper part rear'd upon the Pedeſtal was all one fingle ſtone, in faſhion as is repreſented in the figure (b). Each Lylinder; and which was firſt atacen Square: 22 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. Each of theſe barbarous Monuments had under it ſe. veral Sepulchers; the entrances into which were on the South ſide. It coſt us ſome time and pains to get into them; the Avenues being obitructed, firit with Briars, and Weeds, and then with Dirt. But however we remov'd both theſe obſtacles; encouraging our ſelves with the hopes, or rather making our ſelves merry with the fancy of hidden treaſure. But as ſoon as we were enter'd into the Vaults, we found that our golden Imaginations ended (as all worldly hopes and projects do at laſt) in duft, and putrefaction. But however that we might not go away without ſome reward for our pains, we took as exact a ſurvey as we could of theſe Chambers of darkneſs; which were diſpos'd in ſuch manner as is expreſs'd in the fol- lowing figures.. The Chambers under the Tower (a) lay as is repre. ſented in the firſt figure. Going down ſeven or eight ſteps, you come to the mouth of the Sepulcher; where crawling in you arrive in the Chamber (1) which is nine foot two inches broad and eleven foot long. Turning to the right hand, and going thro’a narrow paſſage you come to the Room (2) which is eight foot broad and ten long. In this Chamber are ſeven Cells for Corpſes, viz. two over againſt the entrance, four on the left hand and one unfinith'd on the right. Theſe Cells were hewn directly into the firm Rock. We meaſured ſeveral of them, and found them eight foot and a half in length, and three foot three inches ſquare. I would not infer from hence that the Corpſes depoſited here, were of ſuch a Gigantick ſize,as to fill up ſuch large Coffins: Tho'at the ſame time, why ſhould any Men be ſo prodigal of their labour, as to cut theſe Caverns into ſo hard a Rock as this was, much farther than ne- cellity requird? - On the other ſide of the Chamber (1) was a narrow paſſage ſeven foot long leading into the Room (3) whoſe dimenſions were nine foot in breadth and twelve in length. It had eleven Cells of ſomewhat a leſs fize than the for- mer lying at equal diſtances all round about it. Paſſing ragh2122 er ith e on the get in lars, a remor with it be far pe'dis nsendi dult, as go awa s erat S; whic is repre Crawl foot te heroje ne tout 1. In the I again till da the fire id eher e inches Corple fills uldan Caverns an die arror whioff nigth e for MB.ſculp: A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 23 · Palling out of the Room (1) foreright you have two narrow entrances,each ſeven foot long, into the Room (4). This Apartment was nine foot ſquare: It had no Cells in it like the others; Nor any thing elſe remarkable, but only a Bench, cut all along its ſide on the left hand. From the deſcription of this Sepulcher, it is eaſy to con- ceive the diſpoſition of the other; which is repreſented in the figure (5.6). The height of the Rooms in both, was about fix foot; and the Towers were Built each over the innermoſt Room of the Sepulchers, to which it be- longed. Āt about the diſtance of a furlong from this place, we deſcern'd another Tower, reſembling this laſt deſcrib’d. It was eređed likewiſe over a Sepulcher, of which you have the delineation in the figure 7) and (8). There was this fingularity obſervable in this laſt Sepulcher; that its Cells were cut into the Rock eighteen foot in length, pof- ſibly to the intent, that two or three Corpſes might be depoſited in each of them, at the feet of one another. But having a long Stage this day to Tripoli, we thought it not ſeaſonable to ſpend any more time in this place; which might perhaps have afforded us ſeveral other An- tiquities. And yet for all our halte, we had not gone a mile, be- fore our Curioſity was again arrelted by the obſervation of another Tower, which appear'd in a thicket not far from the way ſide. It was thirty three foot and a half high, and thirty one foot ſquare; compos'd of huge ſquare Stones, and adorn'd with a handſome Corniſh all round at top. It contain’d only two Rooms one above the other; Inco both which there were entrances on the North-ſide thro'two ſquare holes into the Wall. The ſeparation be- tween both Rooms, as alſo the covering at the top, was made, not of Arch’d-work, but of valt flat Stones; in thickneſs four foot, and ſo great an extent, that two of them in each place, ſufficed to ſpread over the whole Fa- brick. This was a very ancient Structure, and probably a place of Sepulture, I muſt 24 A Journey from Aleppe to Jeruſalem. ous Plain; intains; and of the Cou I muſt not forget, that round about the Serpent Foun, tain, and alſo as far as this laſt Tower, we faw many Se- pulchers,old Foundations,and other remains of Antiquity. From all which it may be aſſuredly concluded, that here muit needs have been fome famous Habitation in apcient times: But whether this might be the Ximyra, laid down by Strabo hereabouts (or as Pliny calls it, Lib. si Nat. Hiß. Cap. 20. Simyra) the fame pollibly with the Country of the Zemarites, mention'd in conjunction with the Arvadites, Gen. 10. 18. I leave to others to diſcuſs. Having quitted our felves of theſe Antiquities, we en- ter'd into a ſpacious Plain, extending to a vaſt breadth, between the Sea and the Mountains; and in length reacha ing almoſt as far as Tripoli. The People of the Country call it Junia, that is, the Plain; which name they give it by way of Eminency, upon account of its valt extent. We were full ſeven hours in paſſing it, and found it all along exceeding fruitful, by reaſon of the many Rivers and the great plenty of Water, which it enjoys. Of theſe, Rivers the first is about fix hours before you come to Tri- poli. It has a Stone-bridge over it, of three large Arches; and is the bigget Stream in the whole Plain: For which reaſon it goes by the name of Nahor il Kibber, or the great River. About half an hour farther you come to another River, called Nahor Abrojh, or the Leper's River. In three quarters of an hour more you paſs a third River, called Nahor Acchar; having a handſome Stone-bridge, of one very large Arch, laid over it. Two good hours more brings you to a fourth River, called me or the cold Waters, with a bridge of three Arches over it. From hence you have two good hours more to Tripoli. I took the more exact account of all tbeſe Streams to the intent that I might give ſome light, for the better deciding that difference, which is found in Geographers, about the place of the River Eleutherus. The Moderns, all with one conſent, give that name to a River between Tyre and Sidon, called by the Turks Cafimeer. But, this contra. dicts the univerſal teſtimony of the Ancients, who place Eleu. 26 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. · Tripoli is feated about half an hour from the Sea. The major part of the City lies between two Hills; one on the Eaſt, on which is a Caſtle commanding the place; another on the Weſt, between the City and the Sea. This latter is ſaid to have been at firſt rais'd and to be ſtill encreas'd by the dayly acceſſion of Sand, blown to it from the Shore: Upon whichoccaſion there goes a Prophecy, that the whole City Mall in time be Buried with this Sandy Hill. But the Turks ſeem not very apprehenſive of this prediction; for inſtead of preventing the growth of the Hill, they ſuffer it to take its Courſe, and make it a place of pleaſure ; which they would have little inclination to do, did they appre- hend it were ſometime to be their Grave. Wedneſday, Marche. This day we were all treated by Mr Fiſher in the Cam. pagnia. The place where we dined was a narrow plea- iant Valley by a River's ſide, diſtant from the City about a Mile Eaſtward. A-croſs the Valley there runs from Hill to Hill a handſome lofty aqueduct, carrying upon it ſo large a body of Water, as Iuffices the whole City. It was called the Princes-bridge, ſuppos'd to have been Built by Godfrey of Bulloign. Thurſday, Mar. 11. This day we all dined at Conſul Haſtings's Houſe, and after dinner went to wait upon Oſtan the Baſa of Tripoli, having firſt ſent our Preſent, as the manner is amonglt the Turks, to procure a propitious reception. - It is counted uncivil to viſit in this Country without an offering in hand. All greaç Men expect it as a kind of Tribute due to their Character and Authority; and look upon themſelves as affronted, and indeed defrauded when this compliment is omitted. Even in familiarViſits amongſt inferiour people, you ſhall ſeldom have them come with- out bringing a Flower, or an Orange, or ſome other ſuch token of their reſpect to the perſon viſited: The Turks ! in this point keeping up the ancient Oriental Cuſtom hinted, A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 27 Monks. Ible as it was of very diocky Mount hinted, 1 Sam. 9. 7. If we go (ſays Saul) what mall we bring the man of God? there is not a preſent, &c. which words are queſtionleſs to be underſtood in conformity to this Eaſtern Cuſtom, as relating to a token of Reſpect, and not a price of Divination. Fryday, Mar. 12. In the Afternoon we went to viſit Bell-Mount a Con- vent of Greeks, about two hours to the Southward of Tripoli. It was founded by one of the Earls of Tripoli, and ſtands upon a very high Rocky Mountain, looking over the Sea; a place of very difficult aſcent, tho' made as acceſſible as it was capable by the labour of the poor Monks. It was our fortune to arrive there juſt as they were going to their Evening Service. Their Chappel is large but obſcure; and the Altar is inclos'd with Cancelli, ſo as not to be approach'd by any one but the Prieſt, ac- cording to the faſhion of the Greek Churches. They call their Congregation together, by beating a kind of a tune with two Mallers on a long pendulous piece of plank at the Church door ; Bells being an abomination to the Turks. · Their ſervice conſiſted in precipitate, and very irreve- rent chattering of certain Prayers and Hymns to our bleſ- ſed Saviour, and to the bleſſed Virgin, and in ſome dark Ceremonies; the Prieſt that officiated ſpent at leaſt one third part of his time, in compaſſing the Altar, and per- fuming it with a pot of Incenſe, and then going all round the Congregation flinging his Incenſe-pot backward and c forward, and tendring its ſmoak with three repeated Vi- brations to every perſon preſent. Towards the end of of the Service, there was brought into the body of the a Church, a ſmall Table, cover'd with a fair linnen Cloth, on which were plac'd five ſmall Cakes of Bread croſs way in this form , and in the Center of each Cake was fix'd ¿ a ſmall lighted wax Taper, a hole in the Cake ſerving for B a Socket. D 2 At A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 29 them. But that it may be the better gueſs'd what ſort of Men theſe Greek Monks are, I will add this farther indi- cation, viz. that the ſame Perſon, whom we faw officiating at the Altar, in his embrøyder'd Sacerdotal Robe, brought us the next day, on his own back, a Kid, and a Goat's Skin of Wine, as a Prefent from the Convent. Saturday, Mar. 13. This Morning we went again to wait upon Oſtan Bara by his own appointment; and were entertain'd as before with great Courteſy. For you muſt know that the Turks are not ſo ignorant of Civility, and the Arts of endear- ment, but that they can practice them with as much exadneſs, as any other Nation, whenever they have a mind to ſew themſelves obliging. For the better appre- hending of which, it may not be improper, nor unplea. fant here to deſcribe the Ceremonies of a Turkiſh viſit, as far as they have ever fallen under my obſervation, ei- ther upon this or any other occaſions." When you would make a viſit to a Perſon of Quality here, you muſt ſend one before with a Preſent to be peak your admiſſion, and to know at what hour your coming may be moſt ſeaſonable. Being come to the Houſe, the Servants receive you at the outermoſt Gate, and conduct you towards their Lord or Maſter's Apartment; other Servants (I ſuppoſe of better rank) meeting you in the way, at their ſeveral ſtations, as you draw nearer to the Perſon you viſit. Coming into his Room, you find him. prepar'd to receive you, either ſtanding at the edge of the Duan, or elſe lying down at one corner of it, according as he thinks it proper to maintain a greater or leſs diſtin- ction. Theſe Duans are a ſort of low ſtages, ſeated in the pleaſanteft part of the Room, elevated about fixteen or eighteen inches or more above the floor. They are ſpread with Carpets, and furniſhed all round with Bolſters for leaning upon. Upon theſe the Turks eat, ſleep, ſmoak, receive viſits, ſay their prayers, &c. Their whole delight: 30 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. is in lolling upon them, and in furniſhing them richly out, is their greateſt luxury. Being come to the ſide of the Duan, you ſlip off your Shoes, and ſtepping up take your place; which you muſt do firſt at ſome diſtance, and upon your knees, laying your hand very formally before you. Thus you muſt remain, till the Man of Quality invites you to draw nearer, and to put your ſelf in an eaſier poſture, leaning upon the Bolſter. Being thus fix'd, he diſcourſes with you as the occaſion offers; the Servants ſtanding round all the while in a great number, and with the profoundeſt reſpect, fi- lence and order imaginable. When you have talk'd over your buſineſs, or the complements, or whatever other con- cern brought you thither, he makes a ſign to have things ſerv’d in for the entertainment; which is generally a little Sweetmeat, a diſh of Sherbet, and another of Coffee: All which are immediately brought in by the Servants, and tender'd to all the Gueſts in order, with the greateit care and awfulneſs imaginable. And they have reaſon to look well to it; for ſhould any Servant make but the leaſt Nip or millake, either in delivering or receiving his diſh, it might coſt him fifty, perhaps one hundred drubs on his bare feet, to attone for his crime. At laſt comes the finiſh- ing part of your Entertainment, which is perfuming the Beards of the Company; a Ceremony, which is perform’d in this manner. They have for this purpoſe a ſmall Sil- ver Chaffing-diſh, cover'd with a lid full of holes, and fixed upon a handſome plate. In this they put ſome freſh Coals, and upon them a piece of Lignum Aloes, and then ſhutting it up, the ſmoak immediately aſcends with a grate- ful Odour thro' the holes of the cover. This ſmoak is held under every one's Chin, and offer'd as it were a facri. fice to his Beard. The briſtly Idol ſoon perceives the re- verence done to it, and ſo greedily takes in and incorpo- rates the gummy ſteam, that it retains the favour of it, and may ſerve for a noſegay a good while after. This Ceremony may perhaps ſeem ridiculous at firſt hearing: But it paſſes among the Turks for an high gra- tification. A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 31 - - 5 tification. And I will ſay this in its vindication, that its deſign is very wiſe and uſeful. For it is underſtood to give a civil diſmiſſion to the viſitants; intimating to them, that the Maſter of the Houſe has buſineſs to do, or ſome other avocation, that permits them to go away afloon as they pleaſe, and the ſooner after this Ceremony the better. By this means you may, at any time, without offence, de- liver your ſelf from being detain'd from your affairs by tedious and unſeaſonable viſits; and from being conſtrain'd to uſe that piece of Hypocriſy, ſo common in the world, of preſſing thoſe to ſtay longer with you, whom perhaps in your heart you wiſh a great way off for having troubled you ſo long already. But of this enough. : ; Having diſcharged our viſit to Oſtan Baffa we Rid out after Dinner to view the Marine. It is about half an hour diſtant from the City. The Port is an open Sea, rather than an enclos'd Harbour: However it is in part defended from the force of the waves, by two ſmall Ilands about two leagues out from the Shore; One of which is called the Bird, the other the Coney Iſand, being ſo named froin the Creatures which they leverally produce. For its ſe- curity from Pyrates, it has ſeveral Caſtles or rather ſquare Towers, Builc all-along upon the Shore at convenient dis ſtances. They are (I think) fix in number, but at pre- ſent void of all manner of force both of Men and Am- munition. In the fields near the Shore appear'd many heaps of Ruins and Pillars of Granite, and ſeveral other Indications. that here muſt have been anciently ſome conſiderable Buildings this way. Which agrees very well with what Caſaubon in his Notes upon Strabo (p. 213.) quotes out of Diodorus, viz. that the place call'd Tripoli, was an-, ciently a cluſter of three Cities ſtanding at a furlong's di- ſtance from each other; of which the firſt was a Seat of the Aradii, the ſecond of the Sidonians, the third of the Tyrians. And from hence it is probable, that Tripoli was a Name given at firſt to three diſtinct, but adjacent places, and not to one City; built (as is uſually ſaid ) by the - - 1a * - mingled 32 A Journey froin Aleppo to Jerufalenk. mingled intereſt of Tyre, Sidon, and Aradus :. It being hard to conceive, how'three ſuch independent Common- wealths ſhould thus concur in the Founding of one City between them; and harder, how they mould agree in governing it afterward. Sunday, Mar. 14. We continued fill in Tripoli. Monday, Mar. 15. Reſolving to proſecute our journey this day, we had given orders to our Muliteers fome time before, to be ready to attend us. But they had been ſo frighted by the Bafa of Sidon's Servants, who were abroad in queſt of Müles, for the ſervice of their Maſter, that they were run away, and could not be heard of. A diſappointment which gave us much vexation, and left us to no other res medy, but only to ſupply our ſelves with freſh Beaſts. where we could find them. Having after much trouble, put our felves in a new poſture of Travelling, we parted from Tripoli at three of the Clock in the Afternoon; proceeding cloſe by the Sea, we came in one hour and a half to Cullemone, a ſmall Village juſt under Bell-Mount. From hence putting for- ward till near eight of the Clock, we came to an high Promontory, which lay directly croſs our way, and broke off abruptly at the Sea fide, with a Cape very high, and almoſt perpendicular. In order to paſs this Barrier, we turn'd up on the left hand, into a narrow Valley thro which our Road lay; and it being now late, we took up our Quarters there under fome Olive Trees, having come in all about five hours. The Promontory which terminated our Journey, ſeems to be that called by * Strabo To Tð oft weýrtohy, or the face of God, aſſign'd bý' that Author for the end of Mount Li- banus. Between this place and Tripoli he mentions likes wile a City called Trieris: But of this we ſaw no foot . Strab. lib. 16. Pomp. Mela, lib. i. cap. 12. ſteps, 34 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. and the fine Pillars that are ſcatter'd up and down in the Gardens near the Town. Gibyle is probably the Country of the Giblites, men- tion'd Fojn. 13. 5. King Hiram made uſe of the People of this place in preparing Materials for Solomon's Temple; as may be collected from the firſt of Kings, s. 18. where the word which our Tranſlator hath render'd ſtone-ſquarers in the Hebrew is 'n Giblim, or Giblites, and in the LXXII Interpreters BÚC1101, that is the Men of Byblus : the former uſing the Hebrew, the latter the Greek Name of this place. The ſame difference may be obſerved like wiſe Ezek.27.9. where this place is again mention'd. The Ancients of Gebal, ſays our Tranſlation, following the He- brew; inſtead of which you read in the LXXII again of «Ρεσβύτεροι Βιβλίων the Elders of Bybli or Byblus. Leaving Gibyle we came in one hour to a fair large River, with a Stone Bridge over it, of only one Arch, but that exceeding wide and lofty. To this River the Turks give the Name of Ibrahim Baſſa; but it is doubtleſs the ancient River Adonis, ſo famous for the Idolatrous Rites perform'd here in lamentation of Adonis. Upon the bank of this Stream we took up our Quarters for the following Night, having come this day about ſix hours. We had a very tempeſtuous night both of Wind and Rain, almoſt without ceffation, and with ſo great violence, that our Servants were hardly able to keep up our Tents over us. But however, this Accident which gave us ſo much trouble in the night, made us amends with a curioſity, which it yielded us an opportunity of beholding the next Morning. Wedneſday, Mar. 17. · For by this means we had the fortune to ſee what may be ſuppoſed to be the occaſion of that Opinion which Lucian relates, concerning this River, viz. That this Stream, at certain ſeaſons of the Year, eſpecially about the Feaſt of Adonis, is of a bloody colour; which the Hea- thens looked uponas proceeding from a kind of Sympathy A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 35 - in the River, for the Death of Adonis, who was killed by a wild Boar in the Mountains, out of which this Stream riſes. Something like this we ſaw actually come to paſs; for the Water was ſtain'd to a ſurpriſing redneſs; and, as we obſerv'd in Travelling, had diſcolour'd the Sea a great way into a reddiſh hue, occaſion'd doubtleſs by a ſort of Minium, or red Earth, waſhed into the River by the vio- lence of the Rain, and not by any ſtain from Adonis's Blood. In an hour and a quarter from this River we paffed over the foot of the Mountain Climax, where, having gone thro'a very rugged and uneven Pals, we came into a large Bay called Filnia. At the firſt entrance into the Bay, is an old Stone Bridge, which appoints the limits between the two Baſſalicks of Tripoli and Sidon. At the bottom of the Bay are exceeding high and ſteep Mountains, between which and the Sea, the Road lies. Theſe are the Moun- tains of Caſtravan, chiefly inhabited by Maronites, famous for a growth of excellent Wine. The Maronite Biſhop of Aleppo has here his reſidence in a Convent, of which he is the Guardian. We ſaw many other ſmall Convents on the top of theſe Mountains. One of which callid Oozier was, as we were here told, in the hands of ten or twelve Latin Fryars. Towards the further ſide of the Bay, we came to a ſquare Tower, or Caſtle, of which kind there are many all along upon the Coaſt for ſeveral days Jour- ney from this place: They are ſaid to have been built by the Empreſs Helena, for the protection of the Country from Pirates. At this Tower is to be paid a fourth *Ca- phar. It is receiv'd by Maronites, a pack of Rogues more exacting and inſolent in their office, than the very Turks themſelves. A little beyond this place, we came to a Road cut thro’the Rock's, which brought us out of the Bay, having been one hour and a quarter in compaſſing it, In an hour more ſpent upon a very rugged way, cloſe by the Sea, we came to the River Lycus, call'd alſo ſome- time Canis, and by the Turks at this day Nahor Kelp. * Half per Franck, quarter per Servant. - - - - . E 22 36 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. ' It derives its Name from an Idol in the form of a Dog or Wolf, which was worſhiped, and is ſaid to have pronounc'd Oracles at this place. The Image is pre- tended to be ſewn to ſtrangers at this day, lying in the Sea with its heels upward: I mean the Body of it; for its Oracular head is reported to have been broken off, and carry'd to Venice, where (if fame be true) it may be ſeen at this day. I know not by what miſtake ſeveral modern Geogra- phers confound this River with Adonis, making them to be one and the ſame; whereas the contrary is apparent, both from experimental obſervation, and from the Au- thority of Ancient Geographers. This River iſſues into the Sea from between two Moun- tains exceſſive ſteep and high; and ſo rocky that they ſeem to conſiſt each of one entire Stone. For croſſing the River, you go up between theſe Mountains about a Bow- Thot from the Sea, where you have a good Bridge of four Arches; near the foot of which, is a piece of white Marble inlaid in the ſide of a Rock, with an Arab Inſcription on it, intimating its Founder to have been the Emir Faccar- dine (of whom I Mall have occaſion to ſpeak more when I come to Beroot.) Being paſſed the River you immediately begin to aſcend the Mountain, or rather great Rock on the other ſide. To accomodate the paffage you have a path of above two yards breadth cut along its fide, at à great height above the Water ; being the work of the Emperour Antoninus. For the Promontory allowing no. Paſſage between it and the Sea, ar bottom, that Empe- rour undertook with incredible labour, to open this way above. The memory of which good work is perpetuated by an Inſcription engraven on a Table plaind in the ſide of the natural Rock, not far from the entrance into the way. As follows, IMP: A Journey from Aleppo to Feruſalem. 37 IMP:CAES: M: AURELIUS ANTONINUS, PIUS, FELIX, AUGUSTUS PARTH: MAX: BRIT: GERM: MAXIMUS PONTIFEX MAXIMUS MONTIBUS IMMINENTIBUS LYCO FLUMINI CA ESIS VIAM DILATAVIT PER---- ( purpoſely eraſed) ---- ANTONINI ANAM SUAM A little higher up in the way are inſcrib'd theſe words INVICTE IMP: ANTONIN E P: FELIX AUG: MULTIS ANNIS IMPERA! In paffing this way, we obſerv'd, in the ſides of the Rock above us, ſeveral Tables of figures carv’d; which ſeem'd to promiſe ſomething of Antiquity. To be ſatisfied of which, fome of us clamber'd up to the place, and found Ehere ſome ſigns as if the old way had gone in that Region, before Antoninus cut the other more convenient paſſage a little lower. In ſeveral places hereabouts, we ſaw ſtrange antique figures of men,carv'd in the naturalRock, in Mezzo Relievo, and in bigneſs equal to the life. Clofe by each figure was a large Table plain'd in the ſide of the Rock, and border'd round with Mouldings. Both the Effigies and the Tables ap- pear'd to have been anciently in- fcrib'd all over: But the characters are now ſo defac'd, that nothing but the footſteps of them were viſible. Only there was one of the figures that had both its lineaments and its inſcriptions entire. It was our unhappineſs to have at this place a very violent ſtorm of Thunder and Rain, which made our Company too much in haſte to make any longer Itay here. By which misfortune I was prevented, to my grcat Regrer, from copying the Inſcription, and making ſuch an exact fcrutiny 38 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. ſcrutiny into this Antiquity as it ſeem'd very well to de- ſerve. I hope ſome curious Traveller or other will have better ſucceſs in paſſing this way hereafter. The Figures ſeem'd to reſemble Mumynys, and were perhaps the repre- ſentation of ſome perſons buried hereabout; whoſe Sepul- chers might probably alſo be diſcover'd by the diligent Obſerver. The Antonine way extends about a quarter of an hours Travel. It is at preſent ſo broken and uneven, that, to řepair it, would require no leſs labour, than that, where- with it was at firſt made. After this Paſs you come upon a ſmooth ſandy Shore, which brings you in about one hour and a half to the River Beroot, (for I could learn no other Name it had :) It is a large River, and has over it a Stone Bridge of fix Arches. On its other ſide is a plain Field near the Sea, which is ſaid to be the Stage on which St George. duelld and kill'd the Dragon. In memory of this Archievement, there is a ſmall Chappel built upon the place, dedicated at firſt to that Chriſtian Hero; but now perverted to a Moſque. From hence in an hour we arrived at Beroot, very wet by reaſon of the long and ſevere Rain. However we found here the ſhelter of a good Kane by the Sea ſide, and there we took up our Quarters. Our whole Stage this day was about fix hours and a half.: Thurſday, March 18." The day following we ſpent at Beroot; being credibly inform'd that the River Damer, which lay in our next Stage, was ſo ſwoln by the late Rains that it would be im- paſſable. This place was call'd anciently Berytus; from which the Idol Baal Berith is ſuppoſed to have had its Name. And afterwards being greatly eſteem'd by Au- guſtus, had many Privileges confer'd upon it; and toge- ther with them a new Name, viz. Julia Felix. But at pre- ſent, it retains nothing of its ancient felicity, except the ſituation, and in that particular it is indeed very happy. It is ſeated on the Sea-lide, in a ſoil fertile and delightful, rais'd only ſo high above the ſalt Water, as to be ſecure from 40 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. The walks are ſhaded with Orange Trees, of a large ſpread- ing ſize, and all of ſo fine a growth both for ſtem and head, that one cannot imagine any thing more perfect in this kind. They were, at the time when we were there, as it were, guilded with Fruit, hanging thicker upon them than ever I ſaw Apples in England. Every one of theſe fix- teen lefſer ſquares in the Garden was border'd with ſtone; and in the itone-work were Troughs very Artificially con- triv'd, for conveying the Water all over the Garden: There being little Outlets cut at every Tree, for the Stream, as it paſs’d by, to flow out, and water it. Were this place un- der the Cultivation of an Engliſh Gardner, it is impoffible any thing could be made more delightful. But theſe Hefpe- rides were put to no better uſe, when we ſaw them, than to ſerve as a fold for Sheep and Goats; inſomuch that in many places they were up to the knees in dirt: So little ſenſe have the Turks of ſuch refin'd delights as theſe; being a people generally of the groſſelt apprehenſion, and knowing few other pleaſures, but ſuch ſenſualities, as arę equally common both to Men and Beaſts. On the Eaſtſide of this Garden were two Terrace walks riſing one above the other, each of them having an aſcent to it of twelye ſteps. They had both ſeveral fine ſpreading Orange Trees upon them, to make ſhades in proper places. And at the North end they led into Booths, and Summer-houſes, and other Apartments, very delightful: this place being deſign'd by Faccardine for the chief ſeat of his pleaſure. It may perhaps be wonder'd, how this Emir ſhould be able to contrive any thing ſo elegant and regular as this Garden ; ſeeing the Turkiſh Gardens are uſually nothing elſe but a confus'd miſcellany of Trees, jumbled together without either Knots, Walks, Arbours, or any thing of art or deſign, ſo that they ſeem like Thickets rather than Gar- dens. Bur Faccardine had been in Italy, where he had ſeen things of another nature, and knew well how to copy them in his own Country. For indeed it appears by theſe remains of him, that he muſt needs have been a Man much above the ordinary level of a Turkiſh Genius. In A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 41 twelve foors Ty Profper we had a view Paid to have it being ould not lpe : In another Garden we ſaw ſeveral Pedeſtals for Statues; en from whence it may be inferr'd, that this Emir was nó _efei very zealous Mahometan. At one Corner of the ſame Gar- et den ſtood a Tower of about ſixty foot high ; deſign'd to ont have been carried to a much greater elevation for aWatch- ele Tower, and for that end built with an extraordinary er ſtrength, its walls being twelve foot thick. From this la Tower we had a view of the whole City : Amongſt other This Proſpects it yielded us the light of a large Chriſtian Church, & ſaid to have been at firſt conſecrated to St John the Evan- c gelift. But, it being now uſurp'd by the Turks for their chief Moſque, we could not be permitted to ſee it, other- wiſe than at this diſtance. Another Church there is in the Town, which ſeems to be ancient; but being a very mean Fabrick is ſuffer'd to remain ſtill in the hands of the Greeks. We found it adorn'd with abundance of old Pictures; Amongſt the reſt I ſaw. one with this little In- fcription, Κέαρτος Θεοτος Αρχιεπίσκοπος Βηρέα: And juft by it was the figure of Neftorius, who commonly makes one amongſt the Saints painted in the Greek Churches; tho' they do not now profeſs, nor, I believe, ſo much as know his Herely. But that which appear'd moſt ob- ſervable was a very odd figure of a Saint, drawn at full length, with a large Beard reaching down to his feet. The Curace gave us to underſtand that this was St Ni- cephorus; and perceiving that his Beard was the chief ob- ject of our admiration, he gratified us with the following relation concerning him, viz. That he was a Perſon of the molt Eminent Virtues in his time. But his great Mil- fortune was, that the Endowments of his Mind were not ſet off with the outward Ornament of a Beard. Upon occaſion of which defect, he fell into a deep Melancholy. The Devil taking the advantage of this Prieſt, promiſed to give him that boon which Nature had denyd, in caſe he would comply with his ſuggeſtions. The Beardleſs Saint, tho' he was very deſirous of the reward propos'd, yet he would not purchaſe it at that rate neither: But re- jected the previous Bribe with indignation, declaring re- folutely A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 43 his A little without chis Wall, we ſaw many Granice Pillars ment and remnants of Moſaick Floors; and in an heap of rubbiſh, ſeveral pieces of poliſh'd Marble, fragments of Statues, and other poor Relicks of this City's ancient Magnifi- cence. On the Sea ſide is an old ruin'd Caſtle, and ſome remains of a ſmall Mole. Friday Mar. 19. Leaving Beroot, we came in one third of an hour to a large Plain extending from the Sea to the Mountains. At the beginning of the Plain is a Grove of Pine Trees of o Faccardine's Plantation. We gueſs’d it to be more than half a Mile croſs; and ſo pleaſant, and inviting was its ſhade, that it was not without ſome regret that we paſs'd it by. Continuing in this Plain, we ſaw at a diſtance, on our left hand, a ſmall Village called Suck foat. It belongs to the Druſes, who poſſeſs at chis day a long tract of Moun- tains, as far as from Caſtravan to Carmel. Their preſent Prince is Achmet, Grandſon to Faccardine; an old Man, and one who keeps up the Cuſtom of his Anceſtors, of turning day into night: An hereditary practice in his Fa- mily, proceeding from a traditional perſwalion amongſt them, that Princes can never ſleep ſecurely but by day, when Mens a&ions and deſigns are beſt obſerv'd by their Guards, and if need be, moſt eaſily prevented; but that in the night it concerns them to be always vigilant, left the darkneſs, aided by their neeping, mould give Traitors both opportunity and encouragement to aſſault their Per- ſons, and by a Dagger or a Piſtol, to make them continue their ſleep longer than they intended when they lay down. ·. Two hours from Faccardine's Grove brought us to the fifth Caphar, and another little hour to the River Damer or Tamyras; the former being its Modern, the latter its Ancient Name. It is a River apt to ſwell much upon ſud- dain Rains, in which caſe, precipitating its ſelf from the Mountains with great rapidity, it has been fatal to many a Paſſenger; amongſt the reſt, one Monſieur Spon, Nephew to Dr Spon, coming from Jeruſalem about four years ago, F 2 in 46 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalemi. duary there from the violations, and the Fryars who have the cuſtody of it, from the exactions of the Turks. But che Fryars think themſelves much ſafer without this pro- Ledion. We were deſirous to joyn with Monſieur l' Em- pereur, the preſent Conſul, in his this years Pilgrimage; and accordingly had ſent him a Letter from Aleppo on pur- poſe to beſpeak that favour; hoping by his protection to Daſs more ſecurely from the abuſes of the Arabs and Turks, who are no where ſo inſolent, as in Paleſtine, and about Jerufalem, We had his promiſe to ſtay for us, but the remora's and diſappointments we met with in the Road, had put us ſo backward in our Journey, that fear- ing to be too late at Jeruſalem, he ſet out from Sidon the day before our arrival there: Leaving us however ſome hopes, that if we made the beſt of our way, we might come up with him at Acra, where he promis'd to expect our coming to the utmoſt moment.. Saturday, Mar. 20. Being deſirous therefore not to loſe the convenience of his company, we ſet out early the next morning from Sidon; and Travelling in a very fruitful Plain, came in half an hour to a place where we found a large Pillar of Granite, lying croſs the high way, and lunk a good part under ground. Obſerving ſome letters upon it, we took the pains to dig away the Earth, by which means we re- cover'd this fragment of an Inſcription. IMPE- A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalemi. 47 IMPERATORES CAESARES LSEPTIMUS SE- .. VERUS, PIUS PER , TINAX, AUG: ARA BICUS ADIA BENICUS, PAR THIČUS, MÀXI- MUS, TRIBUNICIA POTES: VI. IMP: XI: Ć Og 01 PRO NCOS NPNP, wenn ET M AUREL: ANTONE NUS AUG: FILIUS & EJUS ...........-- ET --••• ARIA aincore. EN--.-OUMOU Ř V FVM-•.•.•.•. •.•••*. osjó-IC PR: PRAET ... ----PROVINC A SYRIA [ET PHAB] NIG RENOVAVERUNT ] A. Some Gentlemen of our Nation, in their journey to Ferma Salem, this laft Eaſter, An. 1699. found another Pillar, at about midway, between that we faw, and Sidon, of the ſame make and ufe ; from which they took the foreſaid In- ſcription more perfectly. As far as filius ejus there is no Variation, and after that it goes on thus, . VIAS IT MILLIARIA FR--:00 VÉNI DIVM RV . FVM O LEG AUGG C L--••PŘ PRAESI DEM PROVING SYRIA E PHOE !NICO RENOVAVERUNT By which we may obferve the exactneſs of the Romans in meaſuring out their Roads, and marking down upon ever ry Pillar the number of Miles as I. II. III. & F. A little 48 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. A little beyond this Pillar, we paſſed in light of Ko-ri-e, a large Village on the ſide of the Mountains; and in two hours and a half more, came to Sarphan, ſuppos'd to be the Ancient Sarephath, or Sarepta, ſo famous for the reſidence and Miracles of the Prophet Elijah. The place ſhewn us for this City, conſiſted of only a few Houſes, on the tops of the Mountains, within about half á Mile of the Sea. But it is more probable, the principal part of the City ſtood below, in the ſpace between the Hills and the Sea, there being ruins ſtill to be ſeen in that place of a conſiderable extent. From hence in three hours we arrived at Caſimeer, a River large and deep, running down to the Sea thro'a Plain, in which it creeps along with various mæanders and turnings. It had once a good Stone-bridge laid over it of four Arches: But of that nothing remains at preſent, ex- cept the ſupporters; between which there are laid beams and boards to ſupply the room of the Arches, and to make a Paſſage over. " But fo careleſs and looſe is the Fabrick, that it looks like a trap rather than a Bridge. We had one Horſe dropt thro', notwithſtanding our utmolt care to prevent ſuch misfortunes. But 'twas our good luck to recover him again ſafe a-ſhore. ... This River is aſſign'd by our Modern Geographers for the old Eleutherus; but how erroneouſly, has been afore-, mention'd. Strabo mentions a certain River falling into the. Sea near Tyre, on this ſide (@pos Tupos Motapos içino. p.521.) which can be no other than this; but he omits to acquaint us with its Name. Within a Bow ſhot of the River Caſi- meer is a Kane of the ſame Name, from which, keeping near the Sea (ide, you arrive in an hour at Tyre. This City, ſtanding in the Sea upon a Peninſula, pro- miſes at a diſtance ſomething very magnificent. But when you come to it, you find no ſimilitude of that Glory, for which it was ſo renown'd in ancient times, and which the Prophet Ezekiel deſcribes, Chap: 26, 27, 28. On the North lide it has an old Turkiſh ungarriſon's Caſtle; be- Gides which, you ſee nothing here, but a mere Babel of broken Walls, Pillars, Vaults,&c. there being not ſo much as A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 49 o u I as one entire Houſe left. Its preſent Inhabitants are only a few poor wretches, harbouring themſelves in the Vaults, and ſubſiſting chiefly upon fiſhing; who ſeem to be pre- ſerv'd in this place by Divine Providence, as a vilible argument, how God has fulfill'd his Word concerning Tyre, viz. That it ſhould be as the top of a rock, a place for fiſhers to dry their nets on, Ezek. 26. 14. In the midſt of the ruins, there ſtands up,one pile, higher than the reſt, which is the Eaſt end of a great Church, probably of the Cathedral of Tyre: And why not the very ſame that was erected by its Biſhop Paulinus, and honour'd with that famous Conſecration-Sermon of Eufebius, re- corded by himſelf in his Eccl. Hift. Lib. 10. Cap.4. this having been an Archiepiſcopal See in the Chriſtian times? I cannot, in this place, omit an obſervation made by moſt of our Company in this Journey, viz. That in all the ruins of Churches which we ſaw, tho’their other parts were totally demolish'd, yet the Eaſt end we always found ſtanding, and tolerably entire. Whether the Chriſtans, when over-run by Infidels, redeem'd their Altars from ruin with Money; or whiether, even the Barbarians, when they demoliſhed the other parts of the Churches, might volun- tarily ſpare theſe,out of an Awe and Veneration; or whe- ther they have ſtood thus long, by virtue of ſome pecu- liar firmneſs in the nature of their Fabrick; or whether ſome occult Providence has preſerv'd them, as ſo many ſtanding Monuments of Chriſtianity in theſe unbelieving Regions and preſages of its future Reſtauration, I will not determine. This only I will ſay, that we found it in fact, fo as I deſcrib'd, in all the ruin's Churches that came in our way; being perhaps not fewer than one hundred: nor do I remember ever to have ſeen one inſtance of the con- trary. This might juſtly ſeem a trifling obſervation, were it founded upon a few examples only. But it being a thing ſo often, and indeed univerſally obſerv'd by us, through- out our whole Journey, I thought it muſt needs proceed from ſomething more than blind chance, and might very well deſerve this Animadverſion, But so A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. to be lower than, en talts upore, from which the Iancular But to return from this digreſſion; There being an old Stair-caſe in this ruin laſt mention'd, I got up to the top of it: From whence I had an entire Proſpect of the Iſland, part of Tyre, of the Iſthmus, and of the adjacent ſhore. I thought I could from this Elevation diſcern the Iſthmus to be a Soil of a different Nature from the other two; ic lying lower than either, and being cover'd all over with (and which the Sea caſts upon it, as the tokens of its na- tural right to a Paſſage there, from which it was by Ale- Xander the Great injuriouſly excluded. The Iland of Tyre in its natural ſtate, ſeems to have been of a circular figure, containing not more than forty Acres of Ground. It diſcovers ſtill the foundations of a Wall, which anci- ently encompaſs'd it round, at the utmoſt margin of the Land. It makes, with the Iſthmus, two large Bays; one on its North ſide, and the other on its South. Theſe Bays are, in part, defended from the Ocean, each by a long Ridge,reſembling a Mole, ſtretching directly out on both ſides, from the head of the Iſland; but theſe ridges, whe- ther they were Walls or Rocks, whether the work of Art or Nature, I was too far diſtant to diſcern. Coming out of theſe ruins, we ſaw the foundation of a very ſtrong Wall, running croſs the Neck of Land, and ſerving as a Barrier, to ſecure the City on this ſide. From this place, we were one third of an hour in paſſing the ſandy Iſthmus, before we came to the ground, which we apprehended to be the natural ſhore. From hence paſſing over part of a very fertile Plain, which extends it ſelf to a vaſt compaſs before Tyre, we arrived in three quarters of an hour at Roſelayn. Our whole Stage from Sidon hither was about eight hours. Sunday, Mar. 21. Roſelayn is a place where are the Ciſterns called Solo- mon's, ſuppoſed, according to the common tradition here- abouts, to have been made by that great King, as a part of . his recompence to King Hiram, for the ſupplies of ma- terials, ſent by him toward the building of the Temple. They | A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. so They are doubtleſs very ancient, but yet of a much later date, than what this tradition aſcribes to them. That they could not be built till fince Alexander's time, may be con- jectur'd from this, amongſt other arguments; becauſe the Aqueduct, which conveys the Water from hence to Tyre, is carried over the Neck of Land, by which Alexander in his famous Siege of this place joyn'd the City to the Con- tinent. And as the Ciſterns cannot well be imagin’d to be ancienter than the Aqueduct; ſo one may be ſure the Aqueduct cannot be older than the ground it ſtands upon. Of theſe Ciſterns there are three entire at this day, one about à furlong and a half diſtant from the Sea, the other two a little farther up. The former is of an Octogonal figure, twenty two yards in diameter. It is elevated above the ground nine yards on the South ſide, and ſix on the North; and within, is ſaid to be of an unfathomable deepneſs, but ten yards of line confuted that opinion. Its Wall is of no better a ma- terialthan Gravel and ſmall Pebles; but conſolidated with ſo ſtrong and tenacious a cement, that it ſeems to be all one entire veſſel of Rock. Upon the brink of it you have a walk round, eight foot broad. From which, de- fcending by one ſtep on the South ſide, and by two on the North, you have another walk twenty one foot broad. All this Stru&ure, tho’ſo broad at top, is yet made hol- low, ſo that the Water comes in underneath the walks; inſomuch that I could not with a long rod reach the ex- tremity of the cavity. The whole Veſſel contains a vaſt Body of excellent Water; and is ſo well ſupply'd from its Fountain, that tho there iſſues from it a ſtream like a Brook, driving four Mills between this place and the Sea, yet it is always brim full. On the Eaſt ſide of this Ciſtern was the ancient outlet of the Water, by an Aqueduct raiſed about ſix yards from the ground, and containing a Chan- nel one yard wide. But this is now ſtopp'd up, and dry; the Turks having broke an outlet on the other ſide, de- riving thence a ſtream for grinding their Corn. The Aqueduct (now dry) is carried Eaſtward about one G 2 hundred 52 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem, hundred and twenty paces, and then approaches the two other Ciſterns, of which one is twelve, the other twenty yards ſquare. Theſe have each a little Channel, by which they anciently render'd their Waters into the Aqueduct; and ſo the united ſtreams of all the three Ciſterns were carried together to Tyre. You may trace out the Aqueduct all along, by the remaining fragments of it. It goes about one hour Northward, and then turning to the Weſt, at a ſmall Mount where anciently ſtood a Fort, but now a Moſque, it proceeds over the Itthmus into the City. As we paſs'd by the Aqueduct, we obſerv'd in ſeveral places on its ſides, and under its Arches, rugged heaps of matter reſembling Rocks. Theſe were produced by the leakage of the Water, which petrify'd as it diftilld from above; and by the continual adherence of new matter, were grown to a large bulk. That which was moſt remarkable in them, was the frame and configuration of their parts. They were compos'd of innumerable tubes of Stone, of different ſizes, cleaving to one another like Icicles. Each tube had a ſmall cavity in its Center, from which its parts were projected in form of rays, to the circumference, after the manner of the Stones vulgarly call's Thunder-ſtones. The Fountain of theſe Waters is as unknown as the Contriver of them. It is certain from their riſing ſo high, they muſt be brought from ſome part of the Mountains, which are about a league diſtant; and 'tis as certain that the work was well done at firſt, ſeeing it performs its office ſo well, at ſo great a diſtance of time. Leaving this pleaſant Quarter, we came in an hour and half to the white Promontory; ſo callid from the aſpect it yields toward the Sea. Over this you paſs by a way of about two yards broad, cut along its fide; from which the proſpect down is very dreadful, by reaſon of the extream depth and ſteepneſs of the Mountain, and the raging of the waves at bottom. This way is about one third of an hour over, and is ſaid to have been the work of Alexander the Great. About one third of an hour far- ther, you paſs by an heap of rubbiſh cloſe by the Sea ſide, being 54 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. or ſufficiently prirenjoys all pollible as Gides it is con to its fituaand. On its fertile Plain; on him, from his own Name Ptolemais. But now ſince it hath been in the poſſeſſion of the Turks, it has (according to the example of many other Cities in Turky) caſt off its Greek, and * recover'd ſome ſemblance of its old Hebrew Name again; being called Acca, or Acra. This City was for a long time the Theatre of Conten- tion between the Chriſtians and Infidels; till at laſt, after having divers times changed its Maſters, it was by a long Siege finally taken by the Turks, and ruin'd by them in ſuch a manner, as if they had thought, they could never take a full revenge upon it for the blood it had coſt them, or ſufficiently prevent ſuch ſlaughters for the future. As to its Gituation, it enjoys all poſſible advantages both of Sea and Land. On its North and Eaſt fides it is com- paſs'd with a ſpatious and fertile Plain ; on the Welt it is waſhed by the Mediterranean Sea, and on the South by a large Bay, extending from the City as far as Mount Carmel. But notwithſtanding all theſe advantages, it has never been able to recover it ſelf, ſince its laſt fatal overthrow. For beſides a large Kane in which the French Factors have taken up their Quarters, and a Moſque, and a few poor Cottages, you ſee nothing here but a vaſt and ſpacious ruin. It is ſuch a ruin however, as ſufficiently demonſtrates the ſtrength of the place in former times. It appears to have been encompaſs’d, on the Land ſide, by a double Wall de- fended with Towers at ſmall diſtances : And without the Wall are Ditches, Ramparts, and a kind of Baſtions faced with hewn ſtone. In the fields without theſe works, we ſaw ſcatter'd up and down upon the ground ſeveral large balls of Stone, of at leaſt thirteen or fourteen inches dia- meter; which were part of the Amunition uſed in Batter- ing the City, Guns being then unknown. Within the Walls there ſtill appear ſeveral ruins which ſeem to di- ſtinguiſh themſelves from the general heaps,by ſome marks of a greater ſtrength and magnificence. Aš firſt thoſe of the * Ammian. Marcell. ſays the Greek and Roman Names of places never cook amongſt the Natives of this Country : which is the reaſon that moſt places recain their firit Oriental Naines at this day, Lib. 14. Hift, non longe ab initio. Cathe- A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. SS. Cathedral Church dedicated to St Andrew, which ſtands not far from the Sea ſide, more high and conſpicuous than the other ruins. Secondly, the Church of St John the tu- telar Saint of this City. Thirdly, the Convent of the Knights Hoſpitallers; a place whole remaining Walls ſuf- ficiently teſtify its ancient ſtrength. And not far from the Convent, the Palace of the grand Maſter of that Or- der. The Magnificence of which, may be gueſs'd from a large Stair-caſe, and part of a Church ſtill remaining in it. Fourthly,ſome remains of a large Church formerly belong- ing to a Nunnery, of which they tell this memorable ſtory. The Turks having preſs'd this City with a long and fu- ſious Siege, at laſt enter'd it by Storm, May 19.1291. In which great extremity, the Abbeſs of the Nunnery, fear- ing left ſhe, and thoſe under her care, might be forced to ſubmit to ſuch Beſtialities, as are uſual in caſes of that deplorable Nature, uſed this cruel but generous means for ſecuring both her ſelf and them. She ſummon'd all her flock together, and exhorted them to cut and mangle their faces, as the only way to preſerve their Virgin purity: And to ſhew how much Me was in earneſt, The immediate- ly began before them all, to make her ſelf an Example of her own Counſel, The Nuns were ſo animated by this heroical reſolution, and pattern of the Abbeſs, that they began inſtantly to follow her Example, cutting off their Noſes, and disfiguring theirfaces with ſuch terrible gaſhes, as might excite horrour rather than luftful deſires in the Beholders. The conſequence of which was, that the Soul- diers breaking into the Nunnery, and ſeeing, inſtead of thoſe beautiful Ladies they expected, ſuch tragical ſpe- ctacles, took a revenge for their diſappointed luſts by put- ting them all to the Sword. Thus reſtoring them, as in Charity we may ſuppoſe, to a new and inviolable beauty. But to go on; Many other ruins here are of Churches, Pa- laces, Monaſteries, Forts, &c. extending for more than half a Mile in length; in all which you may diſcern marks of ſo much ſtrength, as if every Building in the City had been contriv'd for War and Defence. But so. A Journey from Aleppo to Feruſalem. But that which pleaſed us molt at Acra, was to find the French Conſul Monſieur ľEmpereur there; who had been ſo generous, as to make a Halt of two days, in ex- . pectation of our arrival. But he had ſtaid to the utmoſt extent of his time, and therefore reſolv'd to ſet forward again the next Morning. Our greateſt difficulty was to determine which Road to take, whether that upon the Coaſt by Cæfarea and Foppa; or that by Nazareth, or a middle way between both the other, over the Plain of Eſdraelon. The cauſe of this uncertainty was, the Embroylments and Factions that were then amongſt the Arabs; which made us deſirous to keep as far as poſſible out of their way. 'Tis the policy of the Turks, always to ſow diviſions amongſt theſe wild People, by ſetting up ſeveral heads over their Tribes, often depoſing the old, and placing new ones in their ſtead: By which Art they create contrary Intereſts and Parties amongſt them, preventing them from ever uniting under any one Prince; which if they ſhould have the ſence to do, (being ſo numerous and almoſt the ſole Inliabitants thereabouts ) they might ſhake off the Turkiſh yoak, and make themſelves lupream Lords of the Country. But however uſeful theſe diſcords may be to the Turks in this reſpect, yet a ſtranger is ſure to ſuffer by them; being made a prey to each Party, according as he happens to come in their way: Avoiding which abuſes, we re- folv'd to take the middle way, as the moſt ſecure at this time. Monday, Mar. 22. 22. According to which purpoſe, we ſet out early the next Morning from Acra, having with us a band of Turkiſh Souldiers for our ſecurer Conyoy. Our Road lay, for about half an hour, along by the ſide of the Bay of Acra; and then, arriving at the bottom of the Bay, we turn'd South- ward. Here we paſs'd a ſmall River which we took to be Belus, famous for its Sand, which is ſaid to be an ex- cellent A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 57 i cellent material for making Glaſs; as alſo to have mini- fter'd the firſt occaſion and hint of that invention. Here we began to decline from the Sea-Coalt, upon which we had Travelled ſo many days before, and to draw off more Eaſterly, croſſing obliquely over the Plain; and in two good hours we arriv'd at its farther ſide, where it is bounded by Mount Carmel. Here you find a narrow Val- ley letting you out of the Plain of Acra into that of El- draelov. Hereabouts is the end of the Tribe of Aber, and the beginningof that of Zabulon; the borders of theſe two Tribes being thus deſcrib’d, Foſ.19.26. Paſſing thro’the narrow Valley which makes a commu- nication between the two Plains, we arriv'd in two hours at that Ancient River, the River Kiſhon; v:hich curs his way down the middle of the Plain of Efdraelon, and then continuing his Courſe cloſe by the ſide of Mount Carmel, falls into the Sea, at a place called Caypha. In the condi- tion we ſaw it, its Waters were low and inconſiderable: But in paſſing along the Gide of the Plain, we diſcern’d the tracks of many leſſer Torrents, falling down into it from the Mountains; which muſt needs make it ſwell exceed- ingly upon ſuddain Rains, as doubtleſs it actually did at the deſtruction of Siſera's Holt, Fudg.5.21. In three hours and a half from Kiſon we came to a ſmall Brook, near which was an old Village and a good Kane callid Legune : Not far from which we took up our Quarters this Night. From this place we had a large proſpect of the Plain of Eſdraelon, which is of a vaſt extent, and very fertile, but uncultivated; only ſerving the Arabs for paſturage. At about ſix or ſeven hours diſtance Eaſtward ſtood within view Nazareth, and the two Mounts Tabor and Hermon. We were ſufficiently inſtructed by experience, what the holy Pſalmiſt .means by the Dew of Hermon, our Tents be- ing as wet with it, as if it had rain'd all Night. At about a Mile's diſtance from us was encamp'd Chibly, Emir of the Arabs, with his People and Cattle; and below upon the Brook Kiſhon, lay encamped another Clan of the Arabs, being the adverſe Party to Chibly. We had much the leſs fatiſ . н s& A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. ſatisfaction in this place, for being ſeated in the midit,be- tween two ſuch bad Neighbours. Our Stage this day was in all eight hours; our courſe South Eaſt by South, or thereabout. Tueſday, Mar. 23. Leaving this Lodging we arriv'd in one third of an hour at the Emir's Tents, who came out in Perſon to take his Duties of us. We paid him *two Caphars, viz. one of Lagune, and another of Jeneen, and beſides the Caphars, whatever elſe he was pleas'd to demand. He eafed us in à very courteous manner of ſome of our Coats, which now (the heat both of the Climate and Seaſon encreaſing upon us) began to grow not only luperfluous, but bur- denſom. Getting quit of Chibly we turn’d out of the Plain of El- draelon, and enter'd into the Precincts of the half Tribe of Manaſſes. From hence our Road lay for about four hours thro' narrow Valleys, pleaſantly wooded on both ſides. After which, croſſing another imall fruitful Plain, we came in half an hour to Caphar Arab, where we Lodged. Our whole Stage exceeded not five hours; our Courſe being near as the day before. . .. Wedneſday, Mar. 24. Having paid our Caphar, we ſet out very early the next Morning; and leaving firſt Arab, and then Rama (two Mountain Villages) on the Right hand, we arrived in one hour at a fair Fountain callid Selee, taking its Name from an adjacent Village. In one hour more we came to Sebaſta. Here you leave the borders of the half Tribe of Manaſſes, and enter into thoſe of the Tribe of Ephraim. Sebafta is the Ancient Samaria, the Imperial City of the ten Tribes after their revolt from the Houſe of David. It loſt its former Name in the time of Herod the great, who rais'd it from a ruin'd to a moſt Magnificent ſtate, and called it, in honour of Auguftus Caſar, Sebafta. It is For both Caphars, eight per Frank, and three por Servant. ſituate A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 59 ſituate upon a long Mount of an oval figure, having firſt a fruitful Valley, and then a ring of Hills running round about it. This great City is now wholly converted into Gardens; and all the tokens that remain, to teſtify that there has ever been ſuch a place, are only, on the North ſide, a large ſquare Piazza, encompaſs’d with Pillars, and on the Eaſt ſome poor remains of a great Church, ſaid to have been built by the Empreſs Helena, over the place where St John Baptiſt was both impriſon'd and beheaded. In the Body of the Church you go down a Stair-caſe, into the very Dungeon, where that holy Blood was ſhed. The Turks (of whom here are a few poor Families) hold this Priſon in great Veneration, and over it have erected a ſmall Moſque; but for a little piece of Money they ſuffer you to go in and ſatisfy your curioſity at pleaſure. Leaving Sebaſta we paſs'd in half an hour by Sherack, and in another half hour by Barſeba, two Villages on the right hand; and then entring into a narrow Valley, lying Eaſt and Weſt, and water'd with a fine Rivulet, we ar- rived in one hour at Naplofa. Naploſa is the Ancient Sychem, or Sychar, as it is term'd in the New Teſtament. It ſtands in a narrow Valley be- tween Mount Gerizim on the South, and Ebal on the North; being built at the foot of the former: For ſo che ſituation both of the City and Mountains is laid down by Foſephus, Antig. Jud. Lib. s. Cap. 9. Gerizim ( ſays he) hangeth over Sychem; and Lib. 4. Cap. ult. Moſes com- manded to erećt an Altar toward the Eaſt, not far from Sychem, between Mount Gerizim on the right hand, (that is to one looking Ealtward, on the South) and Hebal on the left (that is on the North:) Which ſo plainly aligns the poſition of theſe two Mountains, that it may be wonder'd, how Geographers ſhould come to differ ſo much about it; or for what reaſon Adrichomius ſhould place them both on the ſame ſide of the Valley of Sychem. From Mount Gerizim it was, that God commanded the Bleſſings to be pronounced upon the Children of Iſrael, and from Mount Ebal the Curſes, Deut. II. 29. Upon the former, the H2 Sama in the Newnt Gerizim he foot 60 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. Samaritans, whoſe chief reſidence is here at Sychem, have a ſmall Temple or place of Worſhip, to which they are ſtill wont to repair at certain ſeaſons, for performance of the Rites of their Religion. What theſe Rites are I could not certainly learn: But that their Religion conſiſts in the adoration of a Calf, as the Jews give out, ſeems to have more of ſpite than of truth in it. Upon one of theſe Mountains alſo it was that God commanded the Children of Iſrael to ſet up great Stones, plaſter'd over and inſcrib'd with the Body of their Law; and to erect an Altar and to offer Sacrifices, feaſting, and rejoycing before the Lord, Deut. 27. 4. But now whether Gerizim or Ebal was the place appointed for this Solem- nity, there is ſome cauſe to doubt. The Hebrew Penta- teuch, and ours from it, alligns Mount Ebal for the uſe; but the Samaritan aſſerts it to be Gerizim. Our Company halting a little while at Naploſa, I had an opportunity to go and viſit the Chief Prieſt of the Sa- maritans, in order to diſcourſe with him, about this and ſome other difficulties occuring in the Pentateuch; which were recommended to me to be enquir'd about, by the Learned Monſieur Job Ludolphas, Author of the Æthio- pick History, when I viſited him at Franckford, in my paſſage thro’ Germany. As for the difference between the Hebrew and Samari- tan Copy, Deut.27.4. before cited; the Prieſt pretended the Jews had maliciouſly alter'd their Text, out of odium to the Samaritans; putting, for Gerizim, Ebal, upon no other account, but only becauſe the Samaritans Worſhip- ped in the former Mountain, which they would have, for that reaſon, not to be the true place appointed by God for his Worſhip and Sacrifice. To confirm this, he plead- ed that Ebal was the Mountain of Curſing, Deut. 11. 29. and in its own nature an unpleaſant place: but on the contrary Gerizim was the Mountain of Bleſſing by God's own appointment, and alſo in its ſelf fertile and delight- ful; from whence he inferr'd a probability that this latter muſt have been the true Mountain, appointed for thoſe reli- A Journey from Aleppo to feruſalem. 01 religious feſtivals, Deut. 27.4. and not (as the Jews have corruptly written it) Hebal. We obſerv'd that to be, in ſome meaſure true which he pleaded concerning the nature of both Mountains: For tho'neither of the Moun- tains has much to boalt of as to their pleaſantneſs; yet as one paſſes between them, Gerizim leems to diſcover a ſomewhat more verdant fruitful aſpect than Ebal. The reaſon of which may be, becauſe fronting towards the North, it is ſhelter'd from the heat of the Sun by its own ſhade: Whereas Ebal looking Southward, and receiving the Sun that comes directly upon it, muſt by conſequence be render'd more ſcorched and unfruitful. The Samaritan Prieſt could not ſay that any of thoſe great Stones, which God directed Foſhua to ſet up, were now to be ſeen in Mount Gerizim; which, were they now extant, would determine the queſtion clearly on his ſide. I enquir'd of him next what ſort of Animal he thought thoſe Selave might be, which the Children of Iſrael were ſo long fed with in the Wilderneſs, Num.11. He anſwer'd, they were a fort of Fowls; and by the deſcription, which he gave of them, I perceiv'd he meant the ſame kind with our Quails. I asked him what he thought of Locuſts, and whether the Hiſtory might not be better accounted for, ſuppoſing them to be the winged Creatures that fell ſo thick about the Camp of Iſrael? But by his anſwer, it ap- pear'd, he had never heard of any ſuch Hypotheſis. Then I demanded of him, what ſort of Plant or Fruit the Du- daim or ( as we Tranſlate it) Mandrakes were, which Leab gave to Rachel, for the purchaſe of her Husband's embraces? He ſaid they were Plants of a large leaf, bearing a certain ſort of Fruit, in ſhape reſembling an Apple growe ing ripe in Harveſt, but of an ill favour, and not whol- ſome. But the virtue of them was to help Conception, being laid under the Genial Bed. That the Women were often wont ſo to apply it, at this day, out of an opinion of its prolifick virtue. Of theſe Plants I ſaw ſeveral af- terwards in the way to Jeruſalem; and if they were fo common in Meſopotamia, as we ſaw them hereabout, one muſt Y CLIE 62 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. muſt either conclude that theſe could not be the true Mandrakes (Dudaim, ) or elſe it would puzzle a good Critick to give a reaſon, why Rachel ſhould parchaſe ſuch vulgar things at ſo belov'd and conteſted a price. This Prieſt new'd me a Copy of the Samaritan Penta- teuch, but would not be perſwaded to part with it upon any conſideration. He had likewiſe the firſt Vol. of the Engliſh Polyglot, which he ſeem'd to eſteem equally with his own Manuſcript. Naploſa is at preſent in a very mean condition, in compariſon of what it is repreſented to have been an- ciently. It conſiſts chiefly of two Streets lying parallel, under Mount Gerizim; but it is full of People, and the Seat of a Buffa. Having paid our Caphar here, we ſet forward again in the Evening, and proceeding in the ſame narrow Valley, between Gerizim and Ebal (nor above a furlong broad) we ſaw on our right hand juſt without the City, a ſmalí Moſque, faid to have been built over the Sepulcher purchaſed by Jacob of Emmor the Father of Shechem, Gen. 33. 19. It goes by the Name of Joſeph's Sepulcher, his Bones having been here interr'd after their Tranſpor- tation out of Egypt, Fof. 24. 32. At about one third of an hour from Naploſa, we came to Jacob's Well; famous not only upon account of its Au- thor, but much more for that memorable Conference, which our Bleſſed Saviour here had with the Woman of Samaria, John 4. If it ſhould be queſtion'd whether this be the very Well that it is pretended for, or no; ſeeing it may be ſuſpected to ſtand too remote from Sychar, for Women to come ſo far to draw Water?. it is anſwer'd, that probably the City extended farther this way in former times than it does now; as may be conjectur'd from ſome pieces of a very thick Wall, ſtill to be ſeen not far from hence. Over the Well there ſtood formerly a large Church, erected by that great and devout Patroneſs of the Holy-Land, the Empreſs Helena. But of this the voracity of time, affiſted by the hands of the Turks, has left . A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 63 left nothing but a few Foundations remaining. The Well is cover'd at preſent with an old ſtone Vault, into which you are let down thro'a very ſtrait hole; and then re- moving a broad flat ſtone, you diſcover the Mouth of the Well it ſelf. It is dug in a firm Rock, and contains about three yards in diameter, and thirty five in depth; five of which, we found full of Water. This confutes a Story, commonly told to Travellers, who do not cake the pains to examine the Well, viz. that it is dry all the Year round, except on the Anniverſary of that day on which our 5. Bleſſed Saviour ſat upon it; but then bubbles up with abundance of Water. At this Well the narrow Valley of Sychem ends; open- ing it ſelf into a wide Field, which is probably part of that parcel of ground, given by Jacob to his Son Joſeph, John 4.5. It is water'd with a freſh Stream, riſing be- tween it and Sychem; which makes it ſo exceeding.ver- dant and fruitful, that it may well be looked upon as a Itanding token of the tender affection of that good Pa- triarch to the beſt of Sons, Gen. 48. 22. From Jacob's Well our Road went Southward, along a very ſpacious and fertile Valley. Having paſs’d by two Villages on the right hand, one called Howar, the other Sawee; we arrived in four hours at Kane Leban, and Lodged there. Our whole Stage to day was about eight hours; our Courſe variable between Eaſt and South. Kane Leban ſtands on the Eaſt ſide of a delicious Vale, having a Village of the ſame Name ſtanding oppoſite to it on the other ſide of the Vale. One of theſe places, either the Kane or the Village, is ſuppoſed to have been the Le- bonah mention'd fudg. 11. 19. To which both the Name and Situation ſeem to agree. Thurſday, Mar. 25. From Kane Leban our Road lay thro'a more Moun- tainous and Rocky Country; of which we had a Speci. men as ſoon as we were mounted the next Morning, our firſt task being to climb a very craggy and difficult Moun- tain. 64 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. tain. In three quarters of an hour we left, at ſome di- ſtance on the right hand, a Village called Cinga; and in one hour more, we enter'd into a very narrow Valley, between two high Rocky Hills, at the farther end of which we found the ruins of a Village, and of a Mona- ſtery. In this very place, or hereabouts, Jacob's Bethel is ſuppoſed to have been; where he had his ſtony Couch made eaſy by that beautifying viſion of God, and of the Angels aſcending, and deſcending, on a ladder reach- ing from Earth to Heaven, Gen. 28. Near this place are the limits ſeparating between Ephraim and Benjamin, Foſh. 18. 13. From hence we paſs'd thro' large Olive-yards; and having left, firſt Geeb and then Selwid (two Arab Vil- lages) on the right hand, we came in an hour and a half to an old way cut with great labour over a Rocky Preci- pice, and in one hour more we arrived at Beer. This is the place to which Jonathan fled from the revenge of his Brother Abimelech, Fudg. 9. 21. It is ſuppos'd alſo to be the ſame with Michmas, 1 Sam. 14. · Beer enjoys a very pleaſant ſituation, on an eaſy decli- vity fronting Southward. At the bottom of the Hill, it has a plentiful Fountain of excellent Water, from which it has its Name. At its upper ſide are remains of an old Church built by the Empreſs Helena, in memory of the Bleſſed Virgin, who when he was in queſt of the Child Jeſus, as it is related, Luke 2. 24. came (as tradition adds) to this City; and not finding Him whom her Soul loved in the Company, The ſat down weary and penſive at ſo fad a diſappointment, in the very place where the Church now ſtands. But afterwards returning to Jeruſalem, ſhe had her maternal fears turned into joy, when ſhe found Him ſitting in the Temple amongſt the Doctors, both hearing them, and asking them queſtions. ' All along this day's Travel from Kane Leban to Beer, and alſo as far as we could ſee round, the Country diſco- ver'd a quite different face from what it had before; pre- ſenting nothing to the view in moſt places, but naked Rocks, 66 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. for the production of Corn or Cattle, and conſequently of Milk. The Hills, tho' improper for all Cattle, except Goats, yet being diſpoſed into luch beds as are afore de- ſcrib'd, ſerv'd very well to bear Corn, Melons, Goards, Cucumbers, and ſuch like Garden ſtuff, which makes the principal food of theſe Countries for ſeveral Months in the Year. The moſt Rocky parts of all, which could not well be adjuſted in that manner for the production of Corn, might yet ſerve for the Plantation of Vines and Olive Trees; which delight to extract, the one it's fatneſs, the other it's ſprightly juice, chiefly out of ſuch dry and finty places. And the great Plain joyning to the dead Sea, which, by reaſon of its faltneſs, might be thought unſerviceable both for Cattle, Corn, Olives and Vines, had yet its proper uſefulneſs, for the nouriſhment of Bees, and for the Fabrick of Honey; of which Joſephus gives us his Teſtimony, De Bell.Jud. Lib.s.Cap.4. And I have rea- ſon to believe it, becaule when I was there, I perceiv'd in many places a ſmell of Honey and Wax, as ſtrong as if one had been in an Apiary. Why then might not this Coun- try very well maintain the vaſt number of its Inhabitants, being in every part ſo productive of either Milk, Corn, Wine, Oyl, or Honey, which are the principal food of theſe Eaſtern Nations? The conſtitution of their Bodies, and the nature of their Clime, enclining them to a more abſtemious diet than we uſe in England, and other colder Regions. But I haſten to Jeruſalem. Leaving Beer, we proceeded as before, in a rude ſtony Country, which yet yielded us the ſight of ſeveral old ruin'd Villages. In two hours and one third we came to the top of a Hill, from whence we had the firſt proſpect of Jeruſalem; Rama anciently callid Gibeah of Saul being within view on the right hand, and the Plain of Jericho, and the Mountains of Gilead on the left. In one hour more we approached the Walls of the holy City; but we could not enter immediately,it being neceſſary firſt to ſend a Meſſenger to acquaint the Governour of our Arrival, and to defire liberty of Entrance. Without which pre- ceding A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 67 ceding Ceremony, no Frank dares come within the Walls. We therefore paſſed along by the Welt ſide of the City, and coming to the Corner above Bethlehem Gate, made a ſtop there, in order to expect the return of our Mel- ſenger. We had not waited above half an hour, when he brought us our permiſſion, and we enter'd accordingly ac Bethlehem Gate. It is required of all Franks, unleſs chey happen to come in with ſome publick Miniſter, to dil- mount at the Gate, to deliver their Arms, and enter on foot: But we coming in company with the French Con- ful, had the privilege to enter mounted and arm'd. Juſt within the Gate, we turned up a Street on the left hand, and were conducted by the Conſul to his own houſe, with moſt friendly and generous invitations to make that our home, as long as we ſhould continue at Jeruſalem. Having taken a little refreſhment, we went to the Latin Convent, at which all Prank Pilgrims are wont to be entertained. The Guardian and Friars received us with many kind welcomes; and kept us with them at Supper: After which we returned to the French Conſul's to Bed. And thus we continued to take our Lodging at the Conſul's, and our Board with the Friars, during our whole ſtay at Jeruſalem. Friday, Mar. 26. The next day being Good Friday in the Latin Style, the Conſul was obliged to go into the Church of the Se- pulcher, in order to keep his Feaſt; whether we accom- panied him, altho'our own Eaſter was not till a week after theirs. We found the Church doors guarded by ſc- veral fanizaries, and other Turkiſh Officers; who are placed here to watch, that none enterin, but ſuch as have firſt paid their appointed Caphar. This is more or leſs ac- cording to the Country, or the Character of the Perſons that enter. For Franks, it is ordinarily fourteen Dollars per head, unleſs they are Eccleſiaſticks; for in that caſe it is but half ſo much. Having once paid this Caphar, you may go in and out gratis as often as you pleaſe during the whole Feaſt; pro- vided I 2 68 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. vided you take the ordinary opportunities, in which it is cuſtomary to open the doors: But if you would have them open'd at any time out of the common courſe, pur- poſely for your own private occaſion, then the firſt ex- pence muſt be paid again. The Pilgrims being all admitted this day, the Church doors were lock'd in the evening, and open'd no more till Eaſter day; by which we were kept in a cloſe, but very happy confinement for three days. "We ſpent our time in viewing the Ceremonies practis'd by the Latins at this Fe- ſtival, and in viſiting the ſeveral holy places; all which we had opportunity to ſurvey, with as much freedom and deliberation as we pleaſed. And now being got under the ſacred Roof, and having the advantage of ſo much leiſure and freedom, I might expatiate in a large deſcription of the ſeveral holy places, which this Church (as a Cabinet) contains in it. But this would be a ſuperfluous prolixity, ſo many Pilgrims having diſcharg'd this office with ſo much exactneſs already, and eſpecially our Learned fagacious Country-man MrSandys; whoſe deſcriptions and draughts, both of this Church, and alſo of the other remarkable places in and about Je- ruſalem, muit be acknowledged lo faithful and perfect, that they leave very little to be added by After-Comers, and nothing to be corrected. I Mall content my felfthere- fore, to relate only what paſſed in the Church during this Feftival, ſaying no more of the Church it felf, than juſt what is neceſſary to make my account intelligible. The Church of the holy Sepulcher is founded upon Mount Calvary, which is a ſmall Eminency or Hill upon the greater Mount of Moriah. It was anciently appro- priated to the execution of Malefactors and therefore Mut out of the Walls of the City, as an execrable and polluted place. But ſince it was made the Altar on which was of- fer'd up the precious, and all-ſufficient Sacrifice for the Sins of the whole World, it has recover'd it ſelf from that infamy, and has been always reverenc'd and reſorted to, with ſuch devotion by all Chriſtians, that it has at-; tracted prard up the wand ha A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 69 1 - The tracted the City round about it, and ſtands now in the midſt of Jeruſalem, a great part of the Hill of Sion being Mut out of the Walls, to make room for the admiſſion of Calvary. In order to the fitting of this Hill for the Foundation of a Church, the firſt Founders were obliged to reduce it to a plain Area; which they did by cutting down ſeveral parts of the Rock, and by elevating others. But in this work, care was taken that none of thoſe parts of the Hill, which were reckon'd to be more immediately concern'd in our Bleſſed Lord's Paſſion,ſhould be alter'd or diminiſhed. Thus that very part of Calvary, where they ſay Chriſt was faſten'd to, and lifted upon his Croſs, is left entire; being about ten or twelve yards ſquare, and ſtanding at this day ſo high above the Common floor of the Church, that you have 21 ſteps or ſtairs to go up to its top: And the holy Sepulcher it ſelf, which was at firſt à Cave hewn into the Rock under ground, having had the Rock cut away from it all round, is now as it were a Grotto above ground. The Church is leſs than one hundred paces long, and not more than ſixty wide: and yet is ſo contrived, that it is fuppoſed to contain under its Roof twelve or thirteen Sanctuaries, or places conſecrated to a more than ordi- nary veneration, by being reputed to have ſome particular actions done in them, relating to the Death and Refur+ rection of Chriſt. As firſt, the place where he was de- rided by the Souldiers: ſecondly, where the Souldiers di- vided his Garments: thirdly, where he was ſhut up, whilſt they dig'd the hole to ſet the foot of the Croſs in, and made all ready for his Crucifixion: fourthly, where he was nailed to the Croſs : fifthly, where the Croſs was erected: fixthly, where the Souldier ſtood, that pierced his fide: ſeventhly, where his Body was anointed in or- der to his Burial: eighthly, where his Body was depoſited in the Sepulcher: ninthly, where the Angels appeard to the Women after his Reſurrection: tenthly, where Chrift Himſelf appear'd to Mary Magdalen,&c. The places where theſe 70 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. theſe and many other things relating to our Bleſſed Lord are ſaid to have been done,are all ſuppoſed to be contain'd within the narrow precincts of this Church, and are all di- ſtinguiſhed and adorned with ſo many ſeveral Altars. : In Galleries round about the Church, and alſo in little Buildings annext to it on the out ſide, are certain apart- ments for the reception of Fryars and Pilgrims; and in theſe places almoſt every Chriſtian Nation anciently main- tain'd a ſmall Society of Monks; each Society having its proper quarter aſſign'd to it, by the appointment of the Turks: Such as the Latins, Greeks, Syrians, Armenians, Abyſſines, Georgians, Neftorians, Cophtites,Maronites,&c. all which had anciently their ſeveral apartments in the Church. But theſe have all, except four, forſaken their Quarters; not being able to ſuſtain the ſevere rents and extortions, which their Turkiſh Landlords impoſe upon them. The Latins, Greeks, Armenians and Cophrites keep their footing ſtill. But of theſe four, the Cophrites have now only one poor repreſentative of their Nation left: And the Armenians are run ſo much in debt, that 'tis ſuppoſed they are haftning apace to follow the exam- ples of their Brethren, who have deſerted before them. Beſides their ſeveral apartments, each Fraternity have their Altars and Sanctuary, properly and diſtinctly allot- ted to their own uſe. At which places they have a pecu- liar right to perform their own Divine Service, and to exclude other Nations from them. But that which has always been the great prize con- tended for by the ſeveral Sects, is the command and ap- propriation of the holy Sepulcher: A privilege conteſted with ſo much unchriſtian fury and animoſity, eſpecially between the Greeks and Latins, that in diſputing which Party ſhould go into it to celebrate their Maſs, they have ſometimes proceeded to blows and wounds even at the very door of the Sepulcher; mingling their own blood with their Sacrifices. An evidence of which Fury the Fa. ther Guardian Mewed us in a great ſcar upon his Arm, which he told us was the mark of a wound, given him by A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 71 brions, yet non but the Latins.ro Recluſes by a ſturdy Greek Prieſt in one of theſe unholy Wars. Who can expect ever to ſee theſe holy places reſcued from the hands of Infidels? Or if they ſhould be reco- verd, what deplorable conteſts might be expected to fol- low about them? ſeeing even in their preſent State of Captivity, they are made the occaſion of ſuch unchriſtian rage and animoſity. For putting an end to theſe infamous Quarrels, the French King interpos'd, by a Letter to the Grand Viſier about twelve years ſince; requeſting him to order the holy Sepulcher to be put into the hands of the Latins, according to the tenour of the Capitulation made in the year 1673. The conſequence of which Letter,and of other inſtances made by the French King, was, that the holy Se- pulcher was appropriated to the Latins: This was not ac- compliſh'd till the year 1690, they alone having the pri- vilege to ſay Maſs' in it. And tho' it be permitted to Chriſtians of all Nations to go into it for their private de- potions, yet none may folemnize any publick office of Religion there, but the Latins. The dayly employment of theſe Recluſes is to trim the Lamps, and to make devotional viſits and proceſſions to the ſeveral Sanctuaries in the Church. Thus they ſpend their time, many of them for four or ſix years together: Nay ſo far are ſome tranſported with the pleaſing contem- plations in which they here entertain themſelves, that they will never come out to their dying day, burying themſelves (as it were) alive in our Lord's Grave. The Latins, of whom there are always about ten or twelve reſiding at the Church, with a Preſident over them, make every day a folemn proceſſion, with Tapers and Crucifixes, and other proceſſionary folemnities, to theſe- veral Sanctuaries; ſinging at every one of them a Lacin Hymn relating to the ſubject of each place. Theſe La- tins being more polite and exact in their functions than the other Monks here reſiding, and alſo our converſation being chiefly with them, I will only deſcribe their Cere- monies, without taking notice of what was done by others, 72 A Journey from Aleppo to feruſalem. others, which did not ſo much come under our obſer- vation. .. Their Ceremony begins on Good Friday night, which is callid by them the Nox tenebrofa, and is oblery'd with ſuch an extraordinary ſolemnity, that I cannot omit to give a particular delcription of it. As ſoon as it grew dusk, all the Fryars and Pilgrims were conven'd in the Chappel of the Apparition (which is a ſmall Oratory on the North ſide of the Holy Grave, adjoyning to the apartments of the Latins) in order to go in a proceſſion round the Church. But, before they ſet out, one of the Fryars Preached a Sermon in Italian in that Chappel. He began his diſcourſe thus; In queſta notte tenebroſa, &c. at which words all the Candles were inſtantly put out, to yield a livelier Image of the occa- fion. And ſo we were held by the Preacher, for near half an hour, very much in the dark. Sermon being ended, every Perſon preſent had a large lighted Taper put into his hand, as if it wereto make amends for the former dark- neſs; and the Crucifixes and other Utenſils were diſpos'd in order for beginning the proceſſion. Amongſt the other Crucifixes, there was one of a very large ſize, which bore upon it the Image of our Lord, as big as the Life. The Image was faſten'd to it with great nails, Crown'd with Thorns, beſmear'd with Blood; and ſo exquiſitely was it form'd, that it repreſented in a very lively manner the la- mentable ſpectacle of our Lord's Body, as it hung upon the Croſs. This Figure was carried all along in the head of the proceſſion; after which, the Company follow'd to all the Sanctuaries in the Church, ſinging their appointed Hymn at every one. The firſt place they viſited was that of the Pillar of Flagellation, a large piece of which is kept in a little Cell juſt at the door of the Chappel of the Apparition. There they ſung their proper Hymn; and another Fryar enter- tain'd the Company with a Sermon in Spaniſh, touching the ſcourging of our Lord. From A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 73 of Chriſt's Garling any Sermon.the Chappel of the lace the the Stord is his ce From hence they proceeded in ſolemn order to the Pri- ſon of Chriſt, where they pretend he was ſecur'd whilft the Souldiers made thingsready for his Crucifixion; here likewiſe they ſung their Hymn, and a third Fryar Preach'd in French. From the Priſon they went to the Altar of the divi- fion of Chriſt's Garments; where they only ſung their Hymn, without adding any Sermon. . Having done here, they advanc'd to the Chappel of the Deriſion; at which, after their Hymn, they had a fourth Sermon (as I remember) in French. From this place they went up to Calvary, leaving their Shoes at the bottom of the Stairs. Here are two Altars to be viſited: One where our Lord is ſuppoſed to have been nail'd to his Crofs; Another where his Crofs was erected. At the former of theſe they laid down the great Crucifix, (which I but now deſcribed upon the floor, and acted a kind of a reſemblance of Chriſt's being nail'd to the Croſs; and after the Hymn, one of the Fryars Preached another Sermon in Spaniſh, upon the Crucifixion. From hence they removed to the adjoyning Altar,where the Croſs is ſuppoſed to have been erected, bearing the Image of our Lord's Body. At this Altar is a hole in the natural Rock, ſaid to be the very fame individual one, in which the foot of our Lord's Croſs ſtood. Here they ſet up their Croſs, with the bloody Crucified Image upon it; and leaving it in that poſture, they firſt ſung their Hymn, and then the Father Guardian, Gitting in a Chair before it, Preached a Paſſion-Sermon in Italian. At about one yard and a half diſtance from the hole in which the foot of the Croſs was fix'd, is ſeen that me- morable cleft in the Rock, ſaid to have been made by the Earthquake which happen'd at the ſuffering of the God of Nature; When (as St Matthew, Chap. 27. v. 51. wit- nefſeth) the rocks rent, and the very graves were open'd. This cleft, as to what now appears of it, is about a ſpan wide at its upper part, and two deep; after which it cloſes: But it opens again below, (as you may ſee in another Kº Chappel o below, lasep; after whichita Ipan 79 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. Chappel contiguous to the ſide of Calvary; )and runs down to an unknown depth in the Earth. That this rent was made by the Earthquake,' that happen'd at our Lord's Paſſion, there is only tradition to prove: But that it is a natural and genuine breach, and not counterfeited by any Art, the ſenſe and reaſon of every one that ſees it may convince him ; for the ſides of it fit like two Tallys to each other; and yet it runs in ſuch intricate windings as could not well be counterfeited by Art, nor arriv'd at by any Inſtruments. The Ceremony of the Paſſion being over,and the Guar- dian's Sermon ended, two Fryars, perſonating the one fo- ſeph of Arimathea, the other Nicodemus, approach'd the Croſs, and with a moſt folemn concern'dair, both of afpe& and behaviour, drew out the great Nails, and took down the feigned Body from the Croſs. It was an Effigies fo contrivd, that its Limbs were ſoft and flexible, as if they had been real Fleſh: and nothing could be more ſurpriſing, than to ſee the two pretended Mourners bend down the Arms, which were before extended, and diſpoſe them upon the Trunk, in ſuch a manner as is uſual in Corpſes. The Body being taken down from the Croſs, was re- ceiv'd in a fairlarge winding-ſheet, and carried down from Calvary; the whole Company attending as before, to the Stone of Unction. This is taken for the very place where the precious Body of our Lord was anointed, and pre- pair'd for the Burial, John 19. 39. Here they laid down their imaginary Corps; and caſting over it ſeveral ſweet Powders and Spices, wrapt it up in the winding-leet: Whilſt this was doing, they ſung their proper Hymn, and afterwards one of the Fryars Preached in Arabick, a Fu- neral Sermon. Theſe Obſequies being finiſhed, they carried off their fancied Corps, and laid it in the Sepulcher; fhutting up the door till Eafter morning. And now after ſo many Ser- mons, and ſo long, not to ſay tedious a Ceremony, it may well be imagin'd that the wearineſs of the Congregas tion, as well as the hour of the night, made it needful to go to reſt. Satur- A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. ,75 Saturday, Mar. 27. . 1. The next morning nothing extraordinary paſs’d; which gave many of the Pilgrims leiſure to have their Arms mark'd with the uſual enſigns of Jeruſalem. The Artiſts, who undertake the operation, do it in this manner. They have ſtamps in Wood of any figure that you deſire; which they firſt print off upon your Arm with Powder of Char- coal: Then taking two very fine Needles ty'd cloſe toge- ther, and dipping them often, like a Pen, in certain Ink, compounded as I was inform'd of Gunpowder and Ox- Gall, they make with them ſmall punctures all along the lines of the figure which they have printed; and then · Waſhing the part in Wine, conclude the work. Theſe punctures they make with great quickneſs and dexterity, and with ſcarce any ſmart, ſeldom piercing ſo deep as to draw Blood. In the Afternoon of this day, the Congregation was aſſembled in the Area before the Holy Grave; where the Fryars ſpent ſome hours in ſinging over the La- mentations of Feremiah; which Function, with the uſual proceſſion to the holy places, was all the Ceremony of this day. Sunday, Mar. 28. On Eaſter morning, the Sepulcher was again ſet open very early. The Clouds of the former morning were clear'd up; and the Fryars put on a face of joy and ſere- nity, as if it had been the real juncture of our Lord's Reſurre&ion. Nor doubtleſs was this joy feigned, what- ever their mourning might be; this being the day in which their Lenten diſciplines expir'd, and they were come to a full belly again. The Maſs was celebrated this morning juſt before the Holy Sepulcher, being the moſt eminent place in the Church; where the Father Guardian had a Throne erect- ed, and being array'd in Epiſcopal Robes, with a Mitre on his Head, in the light of the Turks, he gave the Hoft K 2 ça 76 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. to all that were diſpos'd to receive it: not refuſing Chil- dren of ſeven or eight years old. This office being ended, we made our exit out of the Sepulcher, and returning to the Convent, din'd with the Fryars. After dinner, we took an opportunity to go and viſit ſome of the remarkable places without the City Walls; We began with thoſe on the North ſide. The firſt place we were conducted to was a large Grot, a little without Damaſcus Gate; ſaid to have been ſome time the reſidence of Feremiah. On the left ſide of it, is ſhewn the Prophet's Bed, being a ſelve on the Rock, about eight foot from the ground; and not far from this, is the place where they ſay he wrote his Lamentations. This place is at preſent a College of Derviſes, and is held in great veneration by the Turks and Jews, as well as Chriſtians. The next place we came to was thoſe famous Grots call’d the Sepulchers of the Kings; but for what reaſon they go by that Name is hard to reſolve: For it is certain none of the Kings, either of Iſrael or Fudah, were buried here; the holy Scriptures aſſigning other places for their Sepultures; unleſs it may be thought perhaps that Heze- kiah was here interr’d, and that theſe were the Sepulchers of the Sons of David, mention'd 2 Chron. 32. 33. Who- ever was buried here, this is certain, that the place it ſelf diſcovers ſo great an expence both of labour and treaſure, that we may well ſuppoſe it to have been the work of Kings. You approach to it at the Eaſt ſide, thro'an en- trance cut out of the natural Rock, which admits you into an open Court of about forty paces ſquare, cut down into the Rock, with which it is encompaſs d inſtead of Walls. On the South ſide of the Court, is a Portico nine paces long and four broad, hewn likewiſe out of the natural Rock. This has a kind of Architrave running along its front, adorn'd with Sculpture of fruits and flowers, ſtill diſcernible, but by time much defaced. At the end of the Portico on the left hand, you deſcend to the paſſage into the Sępulchers, The door is now ſo obſtructed with Stones front, adue, but by time muou deſcend to the pucted with A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 77 . R Stones and rubbiſh, that it is a thing of ſome difficulty to creep thro'it. But within you arrive in a large fair Room, about ſeven or eight yards ſquare, cut out of the natural Rock. Its ſides and Ceiling are ſo exactly ſquare, and its Angles ſo juſt, that no Architect with Levels and Plum- mets could build a Room more regular: And the whole is ſo firm and entire, that it may be callid a Chamber hollow'd out of one piece of Marble. From this Room, you paſs into (I think) fix more, one within another, all of the ſame Fabrick with the firſt. Of theſe, the two innermoſt are deeper than the reſt, having a ſecond deſcent of about fix or ſeven ſteps into them. In every one of theſe Rooms except the firſt, were Cof- fins of Stone placed in Niches in the ſides of the Chambers. They had been at firſt cover'd with handſome lids, and carv'd with Garlands; but now moſt of them were broke to pieces by ſacrilegious hands. The ſides and Ceiling of the Rooms were always dropping, with the moiſt damps condenſing upon them. To remedy which nuiſance, and to preſerve theſeChambers of the dead, polite and clean, there was in each Room a ſmall channel cut in the floor, which ſerv'd to drain the drops that fall conſtantly into it. But the moſt ſurpriſing thing belonging to theſe ſub- terraneous Chambers was their doors; of which there is only one that remains hanging, being left as it were on pur- poſe to puzzle the beholders. It conſiſted of a plank of Stone of about fix inches in thickneſs, o and in its other dimenſions equalling the ſize of an ordinary door, or ſome- what leſs. It was cari'd in ſuch a manner,as to reſemble a piece of wain- ſcot: The Stone of which it was made was viGbly of the ſame kind with the whole Rock; and it turn'd upon two hinges in the nature of Axels, as is repreſented in the marginal figure. Theſe hinges were of the ſame entire piece of ſtone with the door; and were contain'd 78 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. contain'd in two holes of the immoveable Rock, one at the top, the other at the bottom. From this deſcription it is obvious to ſtart a queſtion, how ſuch doors as theſe were made; whether they were cut out of the Rock, in the ſame place and manner as they now hang; or whether they were brought, and fix'd in their ſtation like other doors? One of theſe muſt be fup- pos’d to have been done; and which ſoever part we choole, as moſt probable, it ſeems at firſt glance to be not without its difficulty. But thus much I have to ſay, for the re- ſolving of this riddle (which is wont to create no ſmall diſpute amongſt Pilgrims) viz. That the door which was left hanging, did not touch its lintel, by at leaſt two inches; ſo that I believe it might eaſily have been lifted up, and unbinged. And the doors which had been thrown down, had their hinges at the upper end, twice as long as thoſe at the bottom; which ſeems to intimate pretty plain- ly, by what method this work was accompliſhed. From theſe Sepulchers, we return'd toward the City again, and juſt by Herod's Gate were ſewn a Grotto full of filthy Water and Mire. This paſſes for the Dun- geon in which Jeremiah was kept by Zedekiah, till en- larged by the Charity of Ebed Melech, Jer. 38. At this place we concluded our viſits for that evening. Monday, Mar. 29. The next day being Eaſter Monday, the Moſolem or Governour of the City ſet out, according to cuſtom, with ſeveral Bands of Souldiers to convey the Pilgrims to for- dan. Without this guard, there is no going thither, by reaſon of the Multitude and Inſolence of theArabs in theſe parts. The fee to the Moſolem for his Company and Souldiers upon this occaſion, is twelve Dollars for each Frank Pilgrim, but if they be Eccleſiaſticks, fix; which you muſt pay, whether you are diſpos'd to go the Jour- ney or ſtay in the City. We went ott at St Stephen's Gate, being in all, of every Nation and Sex, about two thouſand Pilgrims. Having croſs’d the Valley of Jeho- Saphat, A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 79. & med faphat, and part of Mount Olivet, we came in half an hour to Bethany; at preſent only a ſmall Village. At the firſt entrance into it, is an old ruin, which they call Lazarus's Caſtle, ſuppoſed to have been the Manſion Houſe of that favourite of our Lord. At the bottom of a ſmall deſcent, not far from the Caſtle, is ſhewn the Sepulcher out of which he was rais'd to a ſecond Mortality, by that en- livening voice of Chriſt, Lazarus come forth. You de- ſcend into the Sepulcher by twenty five ſteep Stairs; at the bottom of which, you arrive firſt in a ſmall ſquare Room, and from thence you creep down into another lefſer Room about a yard and a half deeper, in which the Body is ſaid to have been laid. This place is held in great veneration by the Turks, who uſe it for an Oratory, and demand of all Chriſtians a ſmall Caphar for their admiſſion into it. About a Bow Mot from hence you paſs by the place which, they ſay, was Mary Magdalen's Habitation, and then deſcending a ſteep Hill, you come to the Fountain of the Apoſtles; ſo call'd becauſe, as the tradition goes, thoſe holy Perſons were wont to refreſh themſelves here in their frequent Travels between Jeruſalem and Jericho. And indeed it is a thing very probable, and no more than I believe is done by all that Travel this way; the Foun- tain being cloſe by the Road fide, and very inviting to the thirſty Paſſenger. From this place you proceed in an intricate way amongſt Hills and Valleys interchangeably, all of a very barren afpe&t at preſent, but diſcovering evident ſigns of the la- bour of the Husband-man in ancient times. After ſome hours Travel in this ſort of Road, you arrive at the Moun- tainous Deſart into which our Bleſſed Saviour was led by the Spirit, to be tempted by the Devil. A moſt miſerable dry barren place it is, conſiſting of high Rocky Moun- tains, ſo torn and diſorder'd, as if the Earth had here ſuf- fer'd ſome great convulſion, in which its very bowels had been turn'd outward. On the left hand looking down in a deep Valley, as we paſſed along, we ſaw ſome ruins of ſmallCells and Cottages; which they told us were former- A Journey from Aleppo to feruſalem. 81 Peter 013 or 6, and here in the ſhade we took a Collation, with the Fa- ther Guardian, and about thirty or forty Fryars more, who went this Journey with us. At about one third of an hours diſtance from hence is Fericho, at preſent only a poor nalty Village of the Arabs.. We were here carried to ſee a place where Zacchens's Houſe is ſaid to have ſtood; which is only an old ſquare Stone Building, on the South ſide of Jericho. About two furlongs from hence, the Moſolem, with his people had encamp'd; and not far from them we took up our Quar- ters this night. Tueſday, March 30. The next morning we ſet out very early from Fordan, where we arrived in two hours. We found the Plain very barren as we paſs along it, producing nothing but a kind of Samphire, and other ſuch marine Plants. I obſerv'd in many places of the Road, where Puddles of Water had ſtood, a whiteneſs upon the ſurface of the ground; which, upon tryal, I found to be a cruſt of Salt caus'd by the Wa- ter to riſe out of the Earth, in the ſame manner as it does every Year in the Valley of Salt near Aleppo, after the Winter's Inundation. Theſe Saline effloreſcencies I found at ſome leagues diſtance from the Dead Sea; which demon- ſtrates, that the whole Valley muſt be all over plentifully impregnated with that Mineral. Within about a furlong of the River, at that place where we viſited it, there was an old ruin'd Church and Convent, dedicated to St John,in memory of the Baptizing of our Bleſſed Lord. It is founded as near as could be conjectur'd to the very place where he had the honour to perform that ſacred office, and to waſh Him who was infinitely purer than the Water it ſelf. On the farther ſide of the foremention'd Convent there runs along a ſmall de- ſcent, which you may fitly call the firſt and outermoſt bank of Jordan; as far as which it may be ſuppos'd the River does, or at leaſt did anciently overflow, at ſome Seaſons of the Year, viz. At the time of Harveſt, Fom.3.15- Loent, Porementichan the ultice, andere he hear as coplizing which yond Conveater it felf war Him honours in He 82 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. or as it is expreſs’d, Chron. 12.15. in the firſt Month, that is, in March. But at preſent (whether it be becauſe the River has, by its rapidity of current, worn its Channel deeper than it was formerly,or whether becauſe its Waters are diverted ſome other way, it ſeems to have forgot its ancient greatneſs: For we could diſcern no ſign or pro- bability of ſuch overflowings, when we were there; which was the thirtieth of March, being the proper cime for theſe Inundations. Nay ſo far was the River from overflowing, that it ran at leaſt two yards below the brink of its Channel. After having deſcended the outermoſt bank, you go about a furlong upon a level ſtrand, before you come to the immediate bank of the River. This ſecond bank is. ſo beſet with Buſhes and Trees, ſuch as Tamarisk, Wil- lows, Oleanders, &c. that you can ſee no Water till you have made your way thro’them. In this thicket anciently (and the fame is reported of it at this day) ſeveral ſorts of wild Beaſts are wont to harbour themſelves. Whoſe being waſhed out of the Covert by the overflowings of the River, gave occaſion to that alluſion, Ferem. 49. 19. and 50. 44. He ſhall come up like a lion from the ſwelling of Jordan. No ſooner were we arrived at the River and diſmount- ed, in order to ſatisfy that curioſity and devotion, which brought us hither, but we were alarm'd by ſome Troops of Arabs appearing on the other ſide, and firing at us; but at too great a diſtance to do any execution. This in- terpening diſturbance hindred the Fryars from perform- ing their ſervice preſcribed for this place; and leem'd to put them in a terrible fear of their lives, beyond what ap- pcard in the reſt of the Company: Tho'conſidering the fordidneſs of their preſent condition, and the extraordi- nary rewards, which they boaſt to be their due in the World to come, one would think in reaſon, they of all Men ſhould have the leaſt cauſe to diſcover ſo great a fear of Death, and ſo much fondneſs of a life like theirs. But A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 83 . But this Alarm was ſoon over, and every one return'd to his former purpoſe: Some ſtripp'd and bath'd themſelves in the River; others cut down boughs from the Trees; every Man was employ'd one way or other to take a me- morial of this famous Stream. The Water was very turbid, and too rapid to be ſwam againſt. For its breadth, it might be about twenty yards over; and in depth it far exceeded my height. On the other ſide there ſeem'd to be a much larger thicker than on that where we were: But we durit not ſwim over, to take any certain account of that Region, for fear of the Arabs; there being three Guns fired juſt over againſt us, and (as we might gueſs by their reports) very near the River. · Having finiſhed our deſign here, we were ſummon'd to return, by the Moſolem; who carried us back into the middle of the Plain, and there ſitting under his Tent, made us paſs before him, Man by Man, to the end he miglit take the more exact account of us, and loſe nothing of his Caphar. We ſeem'd at this place to be near the Dead Sea, and ſome of us had a great deſire to go nearer, and takea view of thoſe prodigious Waters. But this could not be attempted, without the Licence of our Commander in chief. We therefore ſent to requeſt his permiſſion for our going, and a guard to attend us; both which he readi- ly granted, and we immediately proſecuted our purpoſe. Coming within about half an hour of the Sea, we found the ground uneven, and varied into hillocks, much re- ſembling thoſe places in England where there have been anciently Lime-kilns. Whether theſe might be the Pits at which the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown by the four Kings, Gen. 14. 10. I will not determine. Coming near the Sea we paſs'd thro'a kind of Coppice, of Buſhes and Reeds; In the midſt of which our Guide, who was an Arab, Thew'd us a Fountain of freſh Water, riſing not above a furlong from the Sea: Freſh Water he call'd it, but we found it brackiſh. The Dead Sea is enclos'd on the Eaſt and Weſt with exceeding higlı Mountains; on the North it is bounded . L2 Warn 84 A Journey from Aleppo to Jerufalem. with the Plain of Jericho, on which fide alſo it receives the Waters of Jordan; On the South it is open, and ex- tends beyond the reach of the Eye. It is ſaid to be twenty four leagues long, and ſix or ſeven broad. On the ſhore of the Lake we found a black fort of Pebbles, which being held in the flame of a Candle ſoon burns, and yields a ſmoak of an intolerable ſtench. It has this property, that it loſes only of its weight, but not of its bulk by burning. The hills bordering upon the Lake, are ſaid to abound with this ſort of Sulphureous Stones. I ſaw pieces of it, at the Convent of St John in the Wilderneſs, two foot ſquare. They were carved in Baſſo Relievo, and poliſh'd to as great a luſtre as black Marble is capable of, and were deſign'd for the ornament of the new Church at the Convent. · It is a common tradition, that Birds, attempting to fly over this Sea, drop down dead into it; and that no Fiſh, nor other ſort of Animal can endure theſe deadly Wa- ters. The former report I ſaw actually confuted, by ſeve- ral Birds flying about and over the Sea, without any vi- fible harm: The latter alſo I have ſome reaſon to fulpect as faiſe, having obſerv'd amongſt the Pebbles on the Thore, iwo or three ſells of Fiſh reſembling Oyſter-ſhells. Theſe were caſt up by the Waves, at two hours diſtance from the Mouth of Fordan: Which I mention, left it ſhould be ſuſpected that they might be brought into the Sea that way. As for the Bitumen, for which the Sea had been ſo famous, there was none at the place where we were. But it is gather'd near the Mountains on both ſides in great plenty. I had ſeveral lumps of it brought me to Jerufa- lem. It exactly reſembles Pitch, and cannot readily be diitinguiſh'd from it, but by the Sulphureouſneſs of its Smell and Talte, The Water of the Lake was very limpid, and ſalt to the higheſt degree; and not only fált, but alſo extream bitter and nauſeous. Being willing to make an experi- ment of its ſtrength, I went into it, and found it bore up my 88 A Journey from Aleppo to Feruſalem. From the top of the Church, we had a large proſpect of the adjacent Country. The moſt remarkable places in view were Tekoah, Gituate on the ſide of a Hill, about nine Miles diſtant to the Southward; Engedi, diſtant about three Miles Eaſtward; and ſomewhat farther off, the fame way, a high marp Hill, call’d the Mountain of the Franks, becauſe defended by a Party of the Cruſaders forty years after the loſs of Jeruſalem. Thurſday, April 1. This morning we went to ſee ſome remarkable places in the neighbourhood of Bethlehem. The firlt place that we directed our courſe to, was thoſe famous Fountains, Pools and Gardens, about one hour and a quarter diſtant from Bethlehem Southward, ſaid to have been the con- trivance and delight of King Solomon. To theſe works and places of pleaſure that great Prince is ſuppos'd to al- lude, Eccl. 2. §, 6. where amongſt the other inſtances of his Magnificence, he reckons up his Gardens and Vine- yards and Pools. As for the Pools, they are three in number, lying in a row above each other; being ſo diſpos'd, that the Waters of the uppermoſt may defcend into the ſecond, and thoſe of the ſecond intothe third. Their figure is quadrangular; the breadth is the ſame in all, amounting to about ninty paces; in their length there is ſome difference between them; the firſt being about one hundred and ſixty paces long, the ſecond two hundred, the third two hundred and twenty. They are all lind with wall, and plaiſter'd, and contain a great depth of Water. Cloſe by the Pools is a pleaſant Caſtle of a modern Structure; and at about the diſtance of one hundred and forty paces from them, is the Fountain from which prin- cipally they derive their Waters. This the Fryars will have to be that Seald Fountain, to which the holy Spouſe is compar'd, Can. 4.12. And, in confirmation of this opi- nion, they pretend a tradition, that King Solomon Mut up theſe ſprings, and kept the door of them ſeal’d with His A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 89 BDT His Signet; to the end that he might preſerve the Waters for his own drinking, in their natural freſhneſs and pu- rity. Nor was it difficult thus to ſecure them, they riſing under ground, and having no avenue to them but by a little hole like to the Mouth of a narrow Well. Thro’this hole you deſcend directly down, but not without ſome difficulty, for about four yards; and then arrive in a vaulted Room, fifteen paces long, and eight broad. Joyn- ing to this, is another Room of the ſame faſhion, but ſomewhat leſs. Both theſe Rooms are cover'd with hand- ſome ſtone Arches very ancient, and perhaps the work of Solomon himſelf. You find here four places at which the Water riſes: From thoſe ſeparate ſources it is convey'd, by little rivu- lets, into a kind of Baſin, and from thence is carried by a large ſubterraneous Paſſage down inco the Pools. In the way, before it arrives at the Pools, there is an Aqueduct of brick Pipes, which receives part of the Stream, and car- ries it by many turnings and windings, about the Moun- tains, to Jeruſalem. . Below the Pools here runs down a narrow Rocky Val- ley, enclos'don both ſides with high Mountains. This the Fryars will have to be the enclos'd Garden, alluded to in the ſame place of the Canticles before cited. A garden en- cloſed is my fiſter, my ſpouſe : a ſpring fut up, a fountain ſeal- ed. What truth there may be in this conjecture, I cannot abſolutely pronounce. As to the Pools, it is probable enough, they may be the ſame with Solomon's; there not being the like ſtore of excellent Spring-Warer, to be met with any where elſe, throughout all Paleſtine.' But for the Gardens one may ſafely affirm, that if Solomon made them, in the Rocky ground which is now aſſign'd for them, he demonſtrated greater power and wealth in fi- niſhing his deſign, than he did wiſdom in chooſing the place for it. From theſe memorials of Solomon, we returned toward Bethlehem again, in order to viſit ſome places nearer. home. The places we ſaw were, The Field where it is M faid 90 A Journey from Aleppo to Ferufalem. ſaid the Shepherds were watching their Flocks, when they receiv'd the glad tidings of the Birth of Chriſt; And not far from the Field, the Village where they dwelt; And a little on the right hand of the Village, an old defolate Nunnery built by StPaula,and made the more memorable by her dying in it. Theſe places are all within about half a Mile of the Convent, Eaſtward; and with theſe we fi- niſhed this mornings work. Having ſeen what is uſually viſited on the South and Eaſt of Bethlehem, we walk'd out after dinner to the Weſt- ward, to ſee what was remarkable on that ſide. The firſt place we were guided to was the Well of David, ſo call'd becauſe held to be the ſame that David ſo paſſionately thirſted after, 2 Sam. 23. 15. It is a Well (or rather à Ciſtern) ſupply'd only with Rain, without any natural excellency in its Waters to make them defireable: But it ſeems David's Spirit had a farther aim. About two furlongs beyond this Well, are to be ſeen ſome remains of an old Aqueduct, which anciently con- vey'd the Waters from Solomon's Pools to Jeruſalem. This is ſaid to be the genuine work of Solomon; and may well be allow'd to be in reality, what it is pretended for. It' is carried all along upon che ſurface of the ground, and is compos'd of Stones -- foot ſquare, and thick, per- foraied with a cavity of - inches diameter, to make the Channel. Theſe Stones are let into each other with a fillet fram'd round about the cavity, to prevent leakage; and united to each other with lo firm a cement, that they will ſometimes ſooner break (tho'a kind of courſe Marble) than endure a ſeparation. This train of Stones was cover'd, for its greater ſecurity, with a caſe of ſmaller Stones, laid over it in a very ſtrong Mortar. The whole work ſeems to be endued with ſuch abſolute firmneſs, as if it had been delign'd for Eternity. But the Turks have demonſtrated in this inſtance, that nothing can be ſo well wrought, but they are able to deſtroy it. For of this ſtrong Aqueduct, which was carried formerly five or ſix leagues, with ſo vaſt expence and labour, you ſee now only here and sherę a fragment remaining. Re- A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 91 Returning from this place we went to ſee the Greek and Armenian Convents; which are contiguous to that of the Latins, and have each their ſeveral doors opening in- to the Chappel of the holy Manger. The next place we went to ſee was the Grot of the Bleſſed Virgin. It is within thirty or forty yards of the Convent; and is reverenced upon the account of a tradition that the Bleſſed Virgin here hid her ſelf and her Divine Babe from the fury of Herod, for ſome time before their departure into Egypt. The Grot is hollow'd into a Chalky Rock: But chis white- neſs they will have to be not natural, but to have been occaſion d by ſome miraculous drops of the Bleſſed Virgin's milk, which fell from her Breaſt while ſhe was ſuckling the holy Infant. And ſo much are they poſlefs'd with this opinion, that they believe the chalk of this Grotto has a miraculous virtue for encreaſing Women's milk. And I was aſſured from many hands, that it is very frequently taken by the Women hereabouts, as well Turks and A- rabs, as Chriſtians, for that purpoſe, and that with very good effect; which perhaps inay be true enough, it being well known how much Fancy is wont to do in things of this nature. Friday, April 2. The next morning preſenting the Guardian with two Chequeens a piece for his civilities to us, we took our leaves of Bethlehem, deſigning juſt to go viſit the Wil- derneſs and Convent of St John Baptiſt, and ſo return to Jeruſalem. In this Stage we firſt croſs'd part of that famous Valley, in which it is ſaid that the Angel in one night did ſuch prodigious execution, in the Army of Sennacherib. Having Travelld about half an hour, we came to a Village callid Booteſaellah; concerning which they relate this remark- able property, that no Turk can live in it above two years. By virtue of this report, whether true or falſe, the Chri- {tians keep the Village to themſelves without moleſtation; no Turk being willing to take his life in experimenting M 2 whic A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 93 - tal ET 5 Being come near the Convent, we were led a little out of the way, to viſit a place, which they call the Houſe of Elizabeth the Mother of the Baptiſt. This was formerly a Convent alſo: But it is now a heap of ruins; and the only remarkable place left in it is a Grotto, in which (you are told) it was, that the Bleſſed Virgin ſaluted Elizabeth, and pronounc'd her divine Magnificat, Luke 1. 46. The preſent Convent of St John, which is now inha- bited, Itands at about three furlongs diſtance from this Houſe of Elizabeth ; and is ſuppos'd to be built at the place where St John was Born. If you chance to ask, how it - came to paſs, that Elizabeth liv'd in one Houſe, when ſhe was big with the Baptiſt, and in another when ſhe brought him forth? The anſwer you are like to receive, is, that the former was her Country, the latter her City Habita- tion; and that it is no wonder for a Wife of one of the Prielts of better rank (ſuch as Me was, Luke 1. 6.) to be provided with ſuch variety. , * The Convent of St John has been, within theſe four years, rebuilt froin the ground. It is at preſent a large ſquare Building,uniform and neat all over; but that which is moſt eminently beautiful in it, is its Church, It conſiſts of three Iſles, and has in the middle a handſom Cupola, under which is a pavement of Moſaick, equal to, if not exceeding the fineſt works of the Ancients in that kind. At the upper end of the North Ile, you go down ſeven Marble Steps, to a very ſplendid Altar, erected over the very place where they ſay the holy Baptiſt was Born. Here are Artificers ſtill employ'd, in adding farther beauty and ornament to this Convent; and yet it has been ſo ex- penſive a work already, that the Fryars themſelves give out, there is not a Stone laid in it but has coſt them a Dollar: Which,conſidering the large Sums exacted by the Turks for Licence to begin Fabricks of this nature, and alſo their perpetual extortion and Avarria's afterwards, beſides the neceſſary charge of Building, may be allow'd to paſs for no extravagant Hyperbole. th Returning A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 98 1 R . § ſome itruggle thro’this crowd, we went up into the Gal- lery on that ſide of the Church next the Latin Convent, whence we could diſcern all that paſs’d in this religious frenzy. They began their diſorders by running round the holy Sepulcher with all their might and ſwiftneſs, crying out as they went, Huia, which fignifies this is he, or this is it; an expreſſion by which they aſſert the verity of the Chriſtian Religion. After they had by theſe vertiginous circulations and clamours turn'd their heads, and inflam'd their madneſs, they began to act the moſt antick tricks and poſtures, in a thouſand Mapes of diſtraction. Some- times they dragg'd one another along the floor all round the Sepulcher; ſometimes they ſet one Man upright on another's ſhoulders, and in this poſture march'd round; ſometimes they took Men with their heels upward, and hurry'd them about in ſuch an undecent manner, as to expoſe their Nudities; ſometimes they tumbled round the Sepulcher, after the manner of Tumblers on the Stage. In a word, nothing can be imagin'd more rude or extrava- gant, than what was acted upon this occasion. In this tumultuous frantick humour they continued from twelve till four of the Clock: The reaſon of which delay was, becauſe of a Suit that was then in debate before the Cadi, betwixt the Greek's and Armenians; The former endeavouring to exclude the latter from having any ſhare in chis Miracle. Both Parties having expended (as I was inform’d) five thouſand Dollars between them, in this fooliſa Controverſy, the Cadi at laſt gave ſentence; that they ſhould enter the holy Sepulcher together as had been uſual at former times. Sentence being thus given, at four of the Clock both Nations went on with their Ceremony. The Greeks firſt ſet out, in a proceſſion round the holy Sepulcher, and immediately at their heels follow'd the Ar- menians. In this order they compaſs’d the holy Sepulcher thrice, having produc'd all their Gallantry of Standards, Streamers, Crucifixes and Embroider'd Habits upon this occaſion. Toward 96 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. Toward the end of this proceſſion, there was a Pigeon came fluttering into the Cupolo over the Sepulcher; at fight of which, there was a greater Noutand clamour than before. This Bird, the Latins told us, was purpoſely let fly by the Greeks, to deceive the people into an opinion that it was a viſible deſcent of the Holy Ghoſt. The proceſſion being over, the Suffragan of the Greek Patriarch (he being himſelf at Conſtantinople,) and the Principal Armenian Biſhop approach'd to the door of the Sepulcher, and cutting the ſtring with which it is faſtned and ſeald, enter'd in, ſhutting the door after them; all the Candles and Lamps within having been before ex- tinguiſh'd, in the prelence of the Turks and other wit- neiles. The exclamations were doubled, as the Miracle drew nearer to its accompliſhment; and the People preſs'd with ſuch vehemence towards the door of the Sepulcher, that it was not in the power of the Turks, ſet to guard it, with the ſevereſt drubs, to keep them off. The cauſe of their preſſing in this manner, is the great deſire they have to light their Candles at the holy Flame, as ſoon as it is firſt brought out of the Sepulcher; it being eſteem'd the moſt ſacred and pure, as coming immediately from Heaven. The two Miracle-Mongers had not been above a minute in the holy Sepulcher, when the glimmering of the holy Fire was ſeen, or imagin'd to appear, thro' ſome chinks of the door; and certainly Bedlam ic ſelf never ſaw ſuch an unruly tranſport, as was produc'd in the Mob at this light. Immediately after,out came the twoPrieſts with blazing Torches in their hands, which they held up at the door of the Sepulcher, while the People throngd about with inexpreſſible ardour; every one ſtriving to obtain a part of the firſt and pureſt Flame. The Turks in the mean time, with huge Clubs, laid them on without mercy; but all this could not repelthem, the exceſs of their tranſport making them inſenſible of pain. Thoſe that got the Fire applied it immediately to their Beards, Faces and Boſoms, pretending > A Journey from Aleppo to Ferufalem. 97 pretending that it would not burn like an Earthly Flame: But I plainly ſaw, none of them could endure this experi- -ment long enough to make good that pretenſion.". So many hands being employ'd, you may be ſure, it Gould not be long before innumerable Tapers were lighted. The whole Church, Gallerys, and every place feem'd in- Itantly to be in a Flame; and with this Illumination the Ceremony ended... It muſt be own'd, that thoſe two within the Sepulcher, perform’d their part with great quickneſs and dexterity: But the bebaviour of the Rabble without, very much difcredited the Miracle. The Latins take a great deal of pains to expoſe this Ceremony, as a moſt fameful im- polture, and a fcandal to the Chriſtian Religion; perhaps out of envy, chat others ſhould be Maſters of fo gainful a bufineſs. But the Greeks and Armenians pin their Faith upon it, and make their Pilgrimages chiefly upon this motive : And 'tis the deplorable unhappineſs of their Priests, that baving acted the Cheat ſo long already, they are forc'd now to ſtand to it, for fear of endangering the Apoſtacy of their People.' . ! Going out of the Church, after the rout was over, we faw ſeveral People gather'd about the Storie of Un&ion, who having got a good ſtore of Candles, lighted with the holy Fire, were employ'd in dawbing pieces of Linnen with the Wicks of them and the melting Wax; which pieces of Linnen were defign'd' for Winding theets: And is the opinion of theſe poor People, that if they can but have the happinefs to be buried in a fhroud ſmutted with this Celeſtial Fire, it will certainly ſecure them from the Flames of Hell. " ,":13 Sunday, April 4: : This day being our Eaſter, we did not go abroad to viſit any places, the cime requiring an employment of another nature. holy, he wicks of tre delign de foole, that if clans red with N : Monday, A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 101 Fole bu Valley on this fide of the Temple, Ant. Jud. Lib. 15. Cap. ult. From theſe Vaults, we return'd toward the Convent. In our way, we paſs'd thro’the Turkiſh Bazars, and took a view of the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. But we could but juſt view it in palling, it nor being ſafe to ſtay here: long, by reaſon of the ſuperſtition of the Turks. Tueſday, April 6. The next morning we took another progreſs about the City. We made our Exit at Bethlehem Gate, and turning down on the left hand under the Caſtle of the Piſans, came in about a furlong and a half to that which they call Bathſheba's Pool. It lies at the bottom of Mount Sion, and is fuppos'd to be the ſame in which Bathpeba was waſh- ing her ſelf, when David ſpied her from the Terrace of his Pallace. But others refer this accident to another leffer Pool in a Garden, juſt within Bethlehem Gate; and per- haps both opinions are equally in the right. A little below this Pool begins the Valley of Hinnom, on the Weft ſide of which is the place callid anciently the Potters Field, and afterwards the field of Blood, from its being purchas'd with the pieces of Silver which were che Price of the Blood of Chrift: But at preſent, from that veneration which it has obtain'd amongit Chriſtians, it is callid Campo Sancto. It is a ſmall plat of ground, not above thirty yards long, and about half as much broad. One moiety of it is taken up by a ſquare Fabrick twelve yards high, built for a Charnel Houſe. The Corpſes are let down into it from the top, there being five holes left open for that purpoſe. Looking down thro’theſe holes we could ſee many Bodies under ſeveral degrees of decay; from which it may be conjectur'd, that this Grave does not make that quick diſpatch with the Corpſes committed to it, which is commonly reported. The Armenians have the command of this Burying place, for which they pay the Turks a Rent of one Zequin a day. The Earth is of a chalky Subſtance hereabouts, A little plesalve thro five 102 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. A little below the Campo Sancto, is ſhewn an intricate Cave or Sepulcher, conſiſting of ſeveral Rooms one within another, in which the Apoſtles are ſaid to have hid them- ſelves, when they forſook their Maſter, and fled. The entrance of the Cave diſcovers ſigns of its having been adorn’d with Painting in ancient times. , A little farther the Valley of Hinnom terminates, that. of Jehoſaphat running croſs the Mouth of it. Along the bottom of this latter Valley runs the Brook Cedron; a Brook in Winter-time, but without the leaſt drop of Wa- ter in it all the time we were at Ferufalem. In the Valley of Jehoſaphat, the firſt thing you are car- ried to is the Well of Nehemiah; ſo callid becauſe reputed to be the ſame place from which the Reſtorer of Iſraelre. covered the Fire of the Altar, after the Babylonith Capti.. vity, 2 Mac. I. 19. A little higher in the Valley, on the left hand, you come to a Tree, ſuppos’d to mark out the place where the Evangelical Prophet was fawn aſunder. About one hundred paces higher, on the ſame ſide, is the Pool of Siloam. It was anciently dignified with a Church built over it: But when we were there, a Tanner made no ſcruple to dreſs his hides in it. Going about a furlong farther on the ſame ſide, you come to the Fountain of the Bleſſed Virgin, ſo callid, becauſe ſhe was wont ( as is reported) to reſort hither for Water; but at what time, and upon what occaſions, it is not yet agreed. Over againſt this Fountain on the other ſide of the Valley, is a Village callid Siloe, in which Solomon is ſaid to have kept his ſtrange Wives; and above the Village is a Hill calld the Mountain of Offence, becauſe there Solomon built the high places mention'd 1 Kings II. 7. his Wives having perverted his wiſe heart, to follow their Idolatrous Abo- minations in his declining years. On the ſame lide, and not far diſtant from Siloe, they ſhew another Aceldama or Field of Blood; ſo calld, becauſe there it was that Judas, by the juſt judgment of God, met with his compounded death, Mat. 27,5. Aits I. 18, 19. A little farther on the fame ſide of the Valley, they new'd us ſeveral Jewiſh Monų, Pooleone hundred Vangelical Propherosd to mark oun the A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 103 Monuments. Amongſt the reſt there are two noble Anti- quities, which they call the Sepulcher of Zachary, and the Pillar of Abſolom, Cloſe by the latter, is the Sepulcher of Fehoſaphat, from which the whole Valley takes its Name. Upon the edge of the Hill, on the oppoſite ſide of the Valley, there runs along in a direct line, the Wall of the City. Near the corner of which, there is a ſhort end of a Pillár, jetting out of the Wall. Upon this Pillar the Turks have a tradition that Mahomet mall ſit in Judgment, at the laſt day; and that all the World Mall be gathered together in the Valley below, to receive their doom from his Mouth. A little farther Northward is the Gate of the Temple. It is at preſent wall'd up, becauſe the Turks here have a Prophecy, that their deſtruction Mall cnter at that Gate; the completion of which prediction they en- deavour by this means to prevent. Below this Gate, in the bottom of the Valley, is a broad hard Stone, diſcover- ing ſeveral impreſſions upon it, which you may fancy to be Footſteps. Theſe the Fryars tell you are Prints made by our Bleſſed Saviours Feet, when, after his Apprehen- Lion, he was hurried violently away to the Tribunal of his Blood-thirſty Perſecutors. From hence, keeping ſtill in the bottom of the Valley, you come in a few paces to a place, which they call che Sepulcher of the Bleſſed Virgin. It has a magnificent deſcent down into it of forty ſeven Stairs: On the right hand, as you go down, is the Sepulcher of St Anna the Mother, and on the left, chat of St Joſeph the Husband of the Bleſſed Virgin. Having finiſh'd our vilit to this place, we went up the Hill toward the City. In the ſide of the aſcent, we were ſhewn a broad Stone on which they ſay Şt Stephen ſuf- fer'd Martyrdom; and not far from it is a Grot,into which they tell you the outragious Jewiſh Zealors caſt his Body, when they had ſatiated their fury upon him. From hence we went immediately to St Stephen's Gate, ſo call’d from its Vicinity to this place of the Protomartyr's ſuffering; and ſo return'd to our Lodging.. Wedneſday, 104 A Journey from Aleppo to Jerufalem. under grou the twelve mais place. Sia Wedneſday, April 7. The next morning we ſet out again, in order to ſee the Sanctuaries, and other viſitable places upon -Mount Olivet. We went out at $c Stephen's Gate, and croſſing the Val- ley of Fehoſaphat, began immediately to afcend the Moun- tains. Being got about two thirds of the way up, we came to certain Grotto's cut with intricate Windings and Ca- verns under ground: Theſe are call'd the Sepulchers of the Propbets. A little higher up, are twelve arch'd Vaults under ground, ſtanding ſide by ſide; theſe were built in memory of the twelve Apoſtles, who are ſaid to have com- pild their Creed in this place. Sixty paces higher you come to the place, where they fay Chriſt utter'd his Pro- phecy concerning the final deſtruction of Ferufalem, Mat. 2. 4. And a little on the right hand of this, is the place where they ſay he didated a ſecond time the Pater nofter to his diſciples, Luke 11. I, 2. Somewhat higher is the Cave of St Pelagia; and as much more above that, a Pillar, fignifying the Place where an Angel gave the Bleſſed Vir- gin three days warning of her Death. At the top of the Hill, you come to the place of our Bleſſed Lord's Afcen- fon. Here was anciently a large Church, builtin honour of that glorious Triumph: But all that now remains of it is only an octogonal Cupola, about eight yards in dia- meter, ſtanding,as they ſay, over the very place, where were ſer the laſt Footfteps of the Son of God here on Earth. Within the Cupola there is feen, in a hard tone, as they tell you, the print of one of his Feet. Here was alſo that of the other Foot ſometime fince; but it has been remov'd from hence by the Turks into the great Moſque upon Mount Moriah. This Chappel of the Afcenfon, the Turks have the cuſtody of, and uſe it for a Moſque. There are many other holy places about Ferufalem, which the Turks pretend to have a veneration for, equally with the Chris Itians; and under that pretence they take them into their own hands. But whether they do this out of real devo- tion, or for lucre's fake, and to the end that they may 2 exact A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. ios exa& Money from the Chriſtians for admiſſion into them, I will not determine. About two furlongs from this place Northward, is the higheſt part of Mount Olivet; and upon that was anciently erected an high Tower, in memory of that Apparition of the two Angels to the Apoſtles, after our Bleſſed Lord's Aſcenſion, Acts 1. 10, 11. from which the Tower it ſelf had the Name given it of Viri Galilæi! This ancient Mo- nument remain'd till about two years ſince, when it was demoliſh'd by a Turk, who had bought the Field in which it ſtood : But nevertheleſs you have ſtill, from the natural height of the place, a large proſpect of Jeruſalem, and the adjacent Country, and of the Dead Sea, &c. From this place, we deſcended the Mount again by an- other Road. At about the midway down, they Mew you the place where Chriſt beheld the City, and wept over it, Luke 19.41. Near the bottom of the Hill is a great Stone, upon which, you are told, the Bleſſed Virgin let fall her Girdle after her Aſſumption, in order to convince St Tho- mas, who, they ſay, was troubled with a fit of his old. Incredulity upon this occaſion. There is ſtill to be ſeen a ſmall winding channel upon the Stone, which they will have to be the impreſſion made by the Girdle when it fell, and to be left for the conviction of all ſuch as ſhall ſuſpect the truth of their Story of the Aſſumption. About twenty yards lower they ſhew you Gethſemane ; an even plat of ground, not above fifty ſeven yards ſquare, lying between the foot of Mount Olivet and the brook Cedron. It is well planted with Olive Trees, and thoſe of ſo old a growth, that they are believ'd to be the ſame that ſtood here in our Bleſſed Saviour's time. In vertue of which perſwaſion, the Olives, and Olive ſtones, and Oyl which they produce, became an excellent commodity in Spain. But that theſe Trecs cannot be ſo ancient as is pretended, is evident from what Foſephus teſtifies, Lib. 7. Bell. Fud. Cap. Is. and in other places, viz. that Titus in his Siege of Jeruſalem cut down all the Trees within about one hundred furlongs of Jeruſalem; and that the Souldiers 03 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 107 marks of the great labour that it coſt, to cut away the hard Rock, and to level ſuch a ſpacious Area upon ſo ſtrong a Mountain. In the middle of the Area ſtands at preſent a Moſque of an octogonal figure, ſuppos'd to be built upon the ſame ground, where anciently ſtood the Sanctum Sanctorum. It is neither eminent for its large- neſs, nor its Structure; and yet it makes a very ſtately fi- gure, by the ſole advantage of its ſituation. In this pretended Houſe of Pilate is hewn the Room in which Chriſt was mock'd with the Enſigns of Royalty and buffered by the Soldiers. At the coming out of the Houſe is a deſcent, where was anciently the Scala Sanita. On the other ſide of the Street (which was anciently part of the Palace alſo ) is the Room where they ſay our Lord was ſcourg'd. It was once us'd for a Stable by the Son of a certain Baſſa of Jeruſalem : But preſently upon this profanation, they ſay, there came ſuch a mortality a- mongſt his Horſes, as forc'd him to reſign the place. By which means it was redeem'd from that fordid uſe: But nevertheleſs, when we were there, it was no better than a Weaver's Shop. In our return from Pilate's Pa- lace, we paſs’d along the Dolorus way; in which walk, we were Thewn in order : Firſt, the place where Pilate brought our Lord forth, to preſent to the People, with this inyſtick Saying, Behold the Man! Secondly, where Chriſt fainted thrice, under the weight of his Croſs : Thirdly, where the Bleſſed Virgin ſwoon'd away at ſo tra- gical a Spectacle: Fourthly, where St Veronica prelented to him the Handkerchief to wipe his bleeding Brows: Fifthly, where the Souldiers compellid Simon the Cyrenian to bear his Croſs. All which places I need only to name. Fryday April 9. . We went to take a view of that which they call the Pool of Betheſda. It is one hundred and twenty paccs long, and forty broad, and at leaſt eight deep, but void of Water. At its Welt end it diſcovers ſome old Arches, now daim'd up. There ſome will have to be the fire 0 2 . Porches - - - 108 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. are part of the Lourch here is convent or Me Temple. Porches in which fate that Multitude of lame, halt and blind, John F. But the miſchief is, inſtead of five, there are but three of them. The Pool is contiguous on one ſide, to St Stephen's Gate, on the other, to the Area of the Temple. From hence we went to the Convent or Nunnery of St Anne. The Church here is large and entire, and ſo are part of the Lodgings; but both are deſolate and ne- gleded. In a Grotto under the Church is ſewn the place, where, they ſay, the Bleſſed Virgin was born. Near this Church they ſew the Phariſee's Houſe, where Mary Magdalen exhibited thoſe admirable evidences of of a penitent affection towards our Saviour; waſhing his feet with her tears, and wiping them with her hair, Luke 7. 38. This place alſo has been anciently dignified with holy Buildings, but they are now neglected. This was our morning's work. In the afternoon we went to ſee Mount Gihon, and the Pool of the ſame Name. It lies about two furlongs without Bethlehem Gate Welt- ward. It is a ſtately Pool, one hundred and ſix paces long, and fixty ſeven broad, and lin'd with wall and plaifter; and was, when we were there, well ſtor'd with water, Saturday, April 10. We went to take our leaves of the holy Sepulcher, this being the laſt time that it was to be open'd this Feſtival. · Upon this finiſhing day, and the night following, the Turks allow free admittance for all People, without de- manding any fee for entrance as at other times; calling it a day of Charity. By this promiſcuous Lịcence, they let in not only the poor, but, as I was told, the lewd and vicious allo; who come thither to get convenient opportu- nity for proſtitution, prophaning the holy places in ſuch manner(as it is ſaid that ihey were not worſe defil'd even then when the Heathens here celebrated their Aphrodiſia. Sunday, April 11. Now began the Turks Byram, that is, the Feaſt which they celebrate after their Lent, calld by them Ramadam. ward. It is a ftato furlongs withoutool of the ſame This A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 109 This being a time of great Libertiniſm among the Rabble, we thought it prudent to confine our ſelves to our Lodg- ings for ſome time, to the end that we might avoid ſuch Inſolencies as are uſual in ſuch times of publick Feitivity. Our confinement was the leſs incommodious, becauſe there was hardly any thing, either within or about the City, which we had not already viſited. Monday, April 12. Tueſday, April 13. We kept cloſe to our Quarters, but however not in idleneſs; the time being now come, when we were to contrive, and provide things in order for our departure. We had a bad account, from all hands, of the Country's being more and more embroyld by the Arabs: Which made us ſomewhat unreſolv'd what way and method to take for our return. But during our ſuſpence it was told us, that the Moſolem was likewiſe upon his return to his Maſter, the Baſa of Tripoli : Upon which intelligence we reſolv’d, if poſſible, tojogn our ſelves to his Company. Wedneſday, April 14. We went with a ſmall Preſent in our hands to wait upon the Mofolem, in order to enquire the time of his departure, and acquaint him with our deſire to go under his protection. He aſſur'd us of his ſetting out the next morning; ſo we immediately took our leaves in order to prepare our ſelves for accompanying him. I was willing before our departure to meaſure the Cir- cuit of the City : So taking one of the Fryars with me, I went out in the afternoon, in order to pace the Walls round. We went out at Bethlehem Gate, and proceeding on the right hand came about to the ſame Gate again, I found the whole City 4030 paces in Circumference; which I computed thus, Paces 110 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem.' Paces From Bethlehem Gate to the corner on the right hand 400 From that corner to Damaſcus Gate 680 From Damaſcus Gate to Herod's 380 From Herod's Gate to Jeremiah's Priſon · 150 From Jeremiah's Priſon to the corner next the Valley of Fehoſaphat From that corner to St Stephen's Gate From St Stephen's Gate to the Golden Gate From the Golden Gate to the corner of the Wall From that corner to the Dung Gate 470 From the Dung Gare to Sion Gate 605 From Sion Gate to the corner of the Wall From that corner to Bethlehem Gate , soo In all, Paces 46 30 The reduction of my paces to yards, is by caſting away a tenth part, ten of my paces' making nine yards; by which reckoning the 4630 paces amount to 4167 yards, which make juſt two miles and a half. Thurſday, April 15. This morning our Diplomata were preſented us by the Father Guardian, to certify our having viſited all neamer, Quardians o cercury who count for the holy places; and we preſented the Convent fifty Dollars a Man, as a gratuity for their trouble : Which offices having paſt betwixt us, we took our leaves. We ſet out together with the Moſolem, and proceeding in the fame Road, by which we came, lodged the firit night at Kane Leban. But the Moſolem left us here, and continued his Stage as far as Naploſa; ſo we ſaw him no more. The Country People were now every where at plough in the Fields, in order to ſow Cotton. 'Twas ob- fervable that in ploughing they us'd Goads of an extraor. dinary ſize. Upon meaſuring of ſeveral, I found them about eight foot long, and at the bigger End ſix inches in circumference. They were arm'd at the leſſer End with a harp Prickle for driving the Oxen, and at the other end with 112 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. Having been kept thus in ſuſpence from two in the morn- ing till Sun ſet, we then receiv'd an order from the Prince, to pay the Caphar to an Officer, whom he ſent to receive it, and diſmits us. Having receiv'd this Licence, we made all the halte we could to diſpatch the Caphar, and to get clear of theſe Arabs. But notwithſtanding all our diligence, it was near midnight before we could finiſh. After which we de- parted, and entring immediately into the Plain of Efdrae- lon, Travelld over it all night, and in ſeven hours reach'd its other ſide. Here we had a very ſteep and rocky aſcent; but however in half an hour we maſter'd it, and arriv'd at Nazareth. Sunday, April 18. Nazareth is at preſent only an inconſiderable Village, ſituate in a kind of round concave Valley, on the top of an high Hill. We were entertain'd at the Convent built over the place of the Annunciation. At this place are as it were immured, ſeven or eight Latin Fathers, who live a life truly mortified, being perpetually in fear of the Arabs, who are abſolute Lords of the Country. We went in the afternoon to viſit the Sanctuary of this place. The Church of Nazareth ſtands in a Cave, ſuppos'd to be the place, where the Bleſſed Virgin receiv'd that joyful meſſage of the Angel, Hail thou that art highly fa- voured, &c. Luke 1. 28. It reſembles the figure of a Croſs. That part of it that ſtands for the Tree of the Croſs is fourteen paces long, and fix over; and runs dire&ly into the Grot, having no other Arch over it at top, but that of the natural Rock. The traverſe part of the Croſs is nine paces long and four broad, and is built athwart the Mouth of the Grot. Juſt at the ſection of the Croſs are erected two Granite Pillars, each two foot and one inch diameter, and about three foot diſtance from each other. They are ſuppos'd to ſtand on the very places, one, where the Angel, the other, where the Bleſſed Virgin ſtood at the time of the Annunciation. Of theſe Pillars, the innermoſt being that A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. nig F. that of the Bleſſed Virgin, has been broke away by the Turks, in expectation of finding Treaſure under it; fo that eighteen inches length of it is clean gone, between the Pillar and its Pedeſtal. Nevertheleſs it remains erect: cho', by what art it is ſuſtain'd, I could not diſcern. It touches the roof above, and is probably hang'd upon that: Unleſs you had rather take the Fryars account of it, viz. that it is ſupported by a Miracle. After this we went to ſee the Houſe of Joſeph, being the ſame, as they tell you, in which the Son of God liv'd, for near thirty years, in ſubjection to Man, Luke 2. 51. Not far diſtant from hence they ſew you the Synagogue, where our Bleſſed Lord Preach'd that Sermon, Luke 4. by which he ſo exaſperated his Country-men. Both theſe places lie North Weſt from the Convent, and were ana ciently dignified each with a handſome Church; but theſe Monuments of Queen Helena's Piety are now in ruins. Monday, April 19. This day we deſtin'd for viſicing Mount Tabor, ſtand- ing by it ſelf in the Plain of Efdraelon, about two or three furlongs within the Plain. Its being ſituated in ſuch a ſeparate manner has induc'd molt Authors to conclude, that this muſt needs be that holy Mountain (as St Peter ſtyles it, 2 Pet. I. 18.) which wasthe placeofour Bleſſed Lord's Transfiguration related Mat. 17. Mark 9. There you read that Chriſt took with him Peter, James and John into a Mountain apart; from which deſcription they infer that the Mountain there ſpoke of can be no other than Tabor. The concluſion may poſſibly be true; but the argument us'd to prove it, ſeems incompetent; Becauſe the term rat' isiar or apart, moſt likely relates to the withdrawing and retirement of the perſons there ſpoken of; and not the Gtuation of the Mountain. After a very laborious aſcent, which took up near an hour, we reach'd the higheſt part of the Mountain. It has a plain Area at top, molt fertile and delicious, of an oval figure, UN 44 2 Ponte Weath While VA Mount Tabor Pag.us. 12.Naim.2. Endor.2 Mount Hermon 4.The mounta ins of Gilboa.5The mountains of Samaria.6.The riverKishon,The Plain of Esdraelon8.valley of lezrael 116 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. From Mount Tabor you have likewiſe the ſight of a place, which they will tell you was Dothaim, where for ſeph was ſold by his Brethren; and of the Field, where our Bleſſed Saviour fed the Multitude with a few Loaves, and fewer Fines. But whether it was the place where he divided the five Loaves and two Fines amongſt the five thouſand, Mat. 14. 16. &c. or the ſeven Loaves amongſt the four thouſand, Mat. I9:32. Ileft them to agree among themſelves. Having receiv'd great ſatisfaction in the light of this Mountain, we return'd to the Convent the ſame way thaç we came. After dinner we made another ſmall excurſion, in order to ſee that which they call the Mountain of the Precipitation; that is, the brow of the Hill from which the Nazarites would have thrown down our Bleſſed Sa- viour, being incens'd at his Sermon Preach'd to them, Luke 4. This Precipice is at leaſt half a league diſtant from Nazareth Southward. In going to it you croſs firſt over the Vale in which Nazareth ſtands; and then going down two or three furlongs in a narrow cleft between the Rocks, you there clamber up a Mort, but difficult way on the right hand; at the top of which,you find a great Stone ſtanding on the brink of a Precipice, which is ſaid to be the very place, where our Lord was deſtin'd to be thrown down by his enraged Neighbours, had he not made a Miraculous eſcape out of their hands. There are in the Stone ſeveral little holes, reſembling the prints of fingers thruſt into it. Theſe, if the Fryars fay truth, are the impreſſes of Chriſt's fingers, made in the hard Stone, while he reſiſted the violence that was offer'd to him. Aç this place are ſeen two or three Ciſterns for ſaving Water, and a few ruins; which is all thar now remains of a Re. ligious building founded here by the Empreſs Helena. Tueſday April 20. The next morning we took our leaves of Nazareth, preſenting the Guardian five a-piece, for his trouble and charge in entertaining us. We directed our courſe for Acrą i 118 A Journey from Aleppo to Ferufalem. At about the diſtance of a Mile from the Sea, there runs along a high Rocky Mountain; in the ſide of which are hewn a multitude of Grots, all very little differing from each other. They have entrances of about two foot ſquare. On the inſide you find, in moſt, or all of them, a Room of about four yards ſquare; On the one ſide of which is the door, on the other three, are as many little Cells, ele- vated about two foot above the floor. Here are of theſe ſubterraneous Caverns (as I was inform'd by thoſe who had counted them) two hundred in number. They go by the Name of the Grots of The great doubt con- cerning them is, whether they were made for the dead or the living. That which makes me doubt of this is, be- cauſe tho all the ancient Sepulchers in this Country very much reſemble theſe Grottos; yet they have ſomething peculiar in them, which intices one to believe, they might be deſign'd for the reception of the living: For ſeveral of the Cells within were of a figure not fit for having Corpſes depoſited in them; Being ſome a yard ſquare, ſome more, and ſome leſs; and ſeeming to be made for family uſes. Over the door of every Cell, there was a channel cut to convey the Water away, that it might not annoy the Rooms within. And becauſe the Cells were cut above each other, ſome higher, ſome lower, in the ſide of the Rock; here were convenient Stairs cut for the eaſier communica- tion betwixt the upper and nether Regions. At the bottom of the Rock were alſo ſeveral old Ciſterns for ſtoring up Water. From all which arguments it may, with probabi- lity at leaſt, be concluded, that theſe places were contriy'd for the uſe of the living, and not of the dead. But what ſort of People they may be that inhabited this ſubterra- neous City, or how long ago they liv'd, I am not able to reſolve. True it is, Strabo deſcribes the habitations of the Troglodyte to have been ſomewhat of this kind. Friday, April 23. We continued this day at Sidon, being treated by our Friends of the French Nation with great generoſity. ' Sidon, beinst generoli. Purday, 120 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. a called), Eleuthue Eat; but bliquely there is very near it, in Mount Libanus, a place callid Eden to this day. It might alſo have the Name of Aven, that is, Vanity given it, from the Idolatrous Worſhip of Baal, practiſed at Balbeck or Heliopolis, which is ſituate in this Valley. The Valley is about two hours over, and in length extends ſeveral days Journey, lying near North Eaſt, and South Weſt. It is encloſed on both ſides with two pa- rallel Mountains, exactly reſembling each other; the one that which we lately paſs'd over between this and Sidon, the other oppoſite againſt it towards Damaſcus. The for- mer I take to be the true Libanus, the latter Anti-Libao nus; which two Mountains are no where ſo well diftin- guilh'd as at this Valley. In the bottom of the Valley, there rúns a large River called Letane. It riſes about two days Journey North- ward, not far from Balbeck; and keeping its courſe all down the Valley, falls at laſt into the River Cafimir, or (as it is erroneouſly called) Eleutherus. Thus far our courſe had been due Eaſt; but here we inclin'd ſome points toward the North. Croſſing obliquely over the Valley, we came in half an hour to a Bridge over the River Letane. It conſiſts of five ſtone Arches, and is called Kor Aren, from a Village at a little diſtance, of the ſame Name. At this Bridge we croſs'd the River, and having Travelld about an hour and a half on its bank, pitch'd our Tents there for this night. Our whole Stage was eight hours. Monday, April 26. The next morning we continued our oblique courſe over the Valley Bocat. In an hour we paſs'd cloſe by a Imall Village callid Jib Feneen, and in three quarters of an hour more, came to the foot of the Mountain Anti- Libanus. Here we had an eaſy aſcent, and in half an hour paſs’d by, on our right hand, a Village callid Uzzi. In three quarters of an hour more we arriv'd at Ayta, a Vil- lage of Chriſtians of the Greek Communion. At this laſt place the Road began to grow very Rocky and trouble- fome; ll'a Fil Fencemoot of the Mountaian hour A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 125 that upon any violent Rain, the whole City becomes, by the waſhing of the Houſes, as it were a Quagmire. It may be wonder'd what ſhould induce the People to build in this baſe manner, when they have in the adjacent Mountains ſuch plenty of good Stone, for noble Fabricks. I can give no reaſon for it, unleſs this may paſs for ſuch; that thoſe who firſt planted here, finding lo delicious a ſituation, were in hafte to come to the enjoyment of it; and therefore nimbly ſet up thoſe extemporary Habitations, being unwilling to defer their pleaſure ſo long, as whilſt they might erect more magnificent Structures: Which pri- mitive example their Succeſſours have follow'd ever ſince. But however in cheſe mud Walls, you find the Gates and Doors adorn'd with Marble Portals, carv'd and in- laid with great beauty and variety. It is an object not a little ſurprizing to ſee mud and Marble, State and Sordid- neſs ſo mingled together. In the inlide, the Houſes diſcover a very different Face from what you ſee without. Here you find generally a large Square Court, beautified with variety of fragrant Trees, and Marble Fountains, and compaſsid round with fplendid Apartments and Duans. The Duans are floor'd and adorn'd on the ſides, with variety of Marble, mixt in Moſaick Knots and Mazes. The Ceilings and Traves are, after the Turkiſh manner, richly Painted and Guilded. They have generally Artificial Fountains ſpringing up before them in Marble Baſons; and, as for Carpets and Cuſhions, are furnish'd out to the height of Luxury. Of theſe Duans they have generally ſeveral on all ſides of the Court, being placed at ſuch different points, that at one or other of them, you may always have either the Shade or the Sun, which you pleaſe. Such as I have deſcrib’d was the Houſe we went to ſee; and I was told the reſt reſemble the ſame deſcription. In the next place we went to ſee the Church of St Fohn Baptiſt, now converted into a Moſque, and held too Iacred for Chriſtians to enter, or almoſt to look into. However we had three ſhort views of it, looking in at three A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 127 Thurſday, April 29. Very early this morning we went to ſee the yearly great Pomp of the Hadgees ſetting out on their Pilgrimage to Mecca; Oſtan, Baſſa of Tripoli, being appointed their Emir or Conductor for this year. For our better ſecurity from the inſolencies of the over zealous votaries, we hired a Shop in one of the Bazars thro’which they were to paſs. In this famous Cavalcade there came firſt forty ſix Dellees, that is, Religious Madmen, carrying each a ſilk Streamer, mixt either of red and green, or of yellow and green, After theſe came three Troops of Segmen, an Or- der of Souldiers amongſt the Turks; and next to them, ſome Troops of Saphees, another Order of Souldiery: Theſe were follow'd by eight Companies of Mugrubines (ſo the Turks call the Barbaroſes) on foot:Theſe were Fel- lows of a very formidable aſpect, and were deſign'd to be left in a Garriſon, maintain'd by the Turks ſome where in the Deſart of Arabia, and reliev'd every year with freſh Men. In the midſt of the Mugrubines, there paſs'd lix finall pieces of Ordnance. In the next place came on foot the Souldiers of the Caſtle of Damaſcus, fantaitically Arm'd with Coats of Mail, Gauntlets, and other pieces of old Armour. Theſe were follow'd by two troops of Janizaries, and their Aga, all mounted. Next were brought the Baſ- ſa's two Horſe Tails, uſherd by his Aga of the Court; and next after the Tails follow'd fix led Horſes, all of excellent ſhape, and nobly furniſh'd. Over the Saddle there was a Girt upon each led Horſe, and a large Silver Target guilded with Gold. After theſe Horſes came the Mahmal. This is a large Pavilion of black Silk, pitch'd upon the back of a very great Camel, and ſpreading its Curtains all round about the Beaſt down to the ground. The Pavilion is adorn'd at top with a Gold Ball, and with Gold Fringes round about. The Camel that carries it wants not allo his Or- naments of large Ropes of Beads,Fiſh-ſhells,Fox-tails, and other ſuch fantaſtical finery hang'd upon his Head, Neck and 132 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. famous for the many Cures and Bleſſings granted in re- turn to their Prayers. It happened that a certain Sacri- legious Rogue took an opportunity to ſteal away this Miraculous Picture: But he had not kept it long in his cuſtody, when he found it Metamorphoſed into a real Body of Fleſh. Being ſtruck with wonder and remorſe at lo prodigious an event, he carried back the prize to its true Owners, confeſſing and imploring forgiveneſs for his crime. The Monks having recover'd ſo great a Jewel, and being willing to prevent ſuch another diſaſter for the future, thought fit to depoſite it in a ſmall Cheſt of Stone; and placing it in a littlé Cavity in the Wall behind the high Altar, fixt an Iron Grate before it, in order to ſecure it from any fraudulent attempts for the future. Upon the Grates there are hang'd abundance of little toys and trinkets, being the offerings of many Votaries in return for the ſucceſs given to their Prayers at this Shrine. Under the ſame Cheſt, in which the Incarnate Picture was de- poſited, they always place a ſmall Silver Baſin, in order to receive the diſtillation of an holy Oyl, which they pre- tend iſſues out from the encloſed Image, and does won- derful Cures in many diſtempers, eſpecially thoſe affect- ing the Eyes. On the Eaſt ſide of the Rock is an ancient Sepulcher hollow'd in the firm Stone. The Room is about eight yards ſquare, and contains in its fides (as I remember) twelve Cheſts for Corpſes. Over the entrance there are cary'd fix Statues as big as the Life, ſtanding in three Niches, two in each Nich. At the Pedeſtals of the Statues may be obſerv'd a few Greek words, which, as far as I was able to diſcern them in their preſent obſcurity, are as follows. ETQICIQ. 11CO Y] A 401(AI LOYA AHMH 101N Sapte n] O1KOC TPIOC KA[I A[PI] WIAIPOC KAI [K]AI AOMNCINA AANH TY[NH] ΠΡe 1ΓΚΥ ΓΥΝ Η ΓΥΝ Η ' CANTAC EROIDY[N] Under the firſt. Under the ſecond. Under the third Nich. A Gen- ----135 Om tittar AS oger R HZ NINTIMIDA The Inward --120:-+-60 760 70 80 0 0 0 0 Broor delin. The Plan of Podculp. A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 135 Gentlemen of our Factory; who viſiting this place in the year 1689, in their return from Jeruſalem, and ſuſpecting no miſchief, were baſely intrigu'd by the People here, and forc'd to redeem their Lives at a great Sum of Money. Balbeck is ſuppos'd to be the ancient Heliopolis, or City of the Sun; for that the word imports. Its preſent Arab, which is perhaps its moſt ancieni Name, inclines to the fame importance. For Baal, tho'it imports all Idols in general; of whatſoever Sex or Condition; yet it is very often appropriated to the Sun, the Sovereign Idol of this Country. The City enjoys a moſt delightful and commodious fi- tuation, on the Eaſt ſide of the Valley of Bocat.' It is of a ſquare figure, compaſs'd with a tolerable good Wall, in which are Towers all round at equal diſtances. It extends, as far as I could gueſs by the eye, about two furlongs on a ſide. Its Houſes within are all of the meaneſt Structure, ſuch as are uſually ſeen in Turkiſh Villages. At the South Weſt ſide of this City is a noble Ruin, being the only Curioſity for which this place is wont to be viſited. It was anciently a Heathen Temple; together with ſome other Edifices belonging to it, all truly Magni- ficent: But in latter times theſe ancient Structures have been patch'd, and piec'd up with ſeveral other Buildings; converting the whole into a Caſtle, under which Name it goes at this day. The adje&itious Buildings are of no mean Architecture, but yet eaſily diftinguiſhable from what is more ancient. Coming near theſe Ruins, the firſt thing you meet with is a little round Pile of Building, all of Marble. It is en- circled with Columns of the Corinthian Order, very beau- tiful, which ſurport a Corniſh that runs all round the Structure of no ordinary ſtate and beauty. This part of it that remains, is at preſent in a very tottering condition, but yet the Greeks uſe it for a Church: And 'twere well if the danger of its falling, which perpetually threatens, would excite thoſe people to uſe a little more fervour in their Prayers, than they generally do; the Greeks being ſecming- bein ired. It was adifices belong in ancient St 136 A Journey from Aleppo to Ferufalem. S . - ſeemingly the moſt undevout and negligent at their Di- vine Service, of any ſort of People in the Chriſtian World. From this Ruin you come to a large firm pile of Build- ing, which tho'very lofty, and compos'd of huge ſquare Stones, yet, I take to be part of the adjectitious work; for one ſees in the inſide fome fragments of Images in the Walls and Stones, with Roman Letters upon them, ſet the wrong way. In one Stone we found graven Divis. and in another Line, MOSC. Thro' this pile you paſs in a ſtately arch'd Walk or Portico, one hundred and fifty paces long, which leads you to the Temple. The Temple is an oblong ſquare, in breadth thirty two yards, and in length ſixty four, of which eighteen were taken up by the Hebraos or Anti-Temple; which is now tumbled down, the Pillars being broke that ſuſtain'd it. The Body of the Temple, which now ſtands, is enicom- paſſed with a noble Portico, ſupported by Pillars of the Corinthian Order, meaſuring fix foot and three inches in diameter, and about forty five foot in height, conſiſting all of three Stones a piece. The diſtance of the Pillars from each other, and from the Wall of the Temple, is nine foot. Of theſe Pillars there are fourteen on each lide of the Temple, and eight at the end, counting the corner Pillars in both numbers. On the Capitals of the Pillars there runs all round a ſtately Architrave, and Corniſh rarely carv'd. The Por- tico is cover'd with large Stones hollow'd Arch-wiſe, ex- tending between the Columns, and the Wall of the Tem- ple. In the Center of each ſtone is carv'd the figure of Tome one or other of the Heathen Gods, or Goddeſſes, or Heroes. I remember amongſt the reſt a Ganymede, and the Eagle flying away with him, ſo lively done that it ex- cellently repreſented the ſenſe of that Verſe in Martial, Illafum timidis unguibus hæfit onus. The Gate of the Temple is twenty one foot wide; but how high, could not be meaſur’d, it being in part filld up with rubbiſh. It is molded and beautified all round with exquiſite A Journey from Aleppo to feruſalem. 137 exquiſite Sculpture. On the nethermoit ſide of the Portal, is carv'd a Fame hovering over the head as you enter, and extending its Wings two thirds of the breadth of the Gate; and on each ſide of the Eagle is deſcrib'd a Fame likewiſe upon the Wing. The Eagle carries in its Pounces a Caduceus, and in his Beak the Strings or Ribbons com- ing from the ends of two Feſtoons; whoſe other ends are held and ſupported on each ſide, by the two Fames. The whole ſeem'd to be a piece of admirable Sculpture. The meaſure of the Temple within, is forty yards in length, and twenty in breadth. In its Walls all round are two rows of Pilaſters, one above the other; and between the Pilaſters are Niches, which ſeem to have been deſign'd for the reception of Idols. Of theſe Pilaſters, there are eight in a row, on each ſide; and of the Niches, nine. About eight yards diſtance from the upper end of the Temple, ſtands part of two fine channeld Pillars; whicli ſeem to have made a partition in that place, and to have ſupported a Canopy over the Throne of the chief Idol; whoſe Station appears to have been in a large Nich at this end. On that part of the partition which remains, are to be ſeen Carvings in Relievo repreſenting Neptune, Tritons, Fiſhes, Sea-Gods, Arion and his Dolphin, and other Marine Figures. The covering of the whole Fa-, brick is totally broken down: But yet this I muſt ſay of the whole, as it now ſtands, that it ſtrikes the Mind with an Air of Greatneſs beyond any thing that I ever ſaw be- fore, and is an eminent proof of the Magnificence of the ancient Architecture. About fifty yards diſtant from the Temple, is a row of Corinthian Pillars, very great and lofty; with a moſt ſtately Architrave and Corniſh at top. This ſpeaks it ſelf to have been part of ſome very Auguſt Pile; but what one now fees of it is but juſt enough to give a regret, that there ſhould be no more of it remaining. Here is another Curioſity of this place, which a Man had need be well aſſur'd of his Credit, before he ventures to relate, left he ſhould be thought to ſtrain the privilege 138 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. neſs thinenſion. end. The I think, 108 of a Traveller too far. That which I mean is a large piece of the old Wall, or leekbong, which encompaſs’d all thele Structures laſt deſcrib’d. A Wall made of ſuch mon- ſtrous great Ștones, that the Natives hereabouts (as it is uſual in things of this ſtrange Nature) aſcribe it to the Architecture of the Devil. Three of the Stones, which were larger than the reſt, we took the pains to meaſure, and found them to extend fixty one yards in length; one twenty one, the other two each twenty yards. In deep- neſs they were four yards each, and in breadth of the ſame dimenſion. Theſe three Stones lay in one and the ſame row, end to end. The reſt of the Wall was made alſo of great Stones, but none, I think, ſo great as theſe. That which added to the wonder was, that theſe Stones were lifted up into the Wall, more than twenty foot from the ground. In the ſide of a ſmall aſcent, on the Eaſt part of the Town, itood an old ſingle Column, of the Tulcan Order, about eighteen or nineteen yards high, and one yard and a half in diameter. It had a Channel cut in its lide from the bottom to the top; from whence we judged it might have been erected for the ſake of railing Water. At our return to our Tents, we were a little perplex'd by the Servants of the Mofolem, about our Caphar. We were contented at laſt to judge it at ten per Frank, and five per Servant, rather than we would engage in a long difpure at ſuch a place as this. Near the place where we were lodged was an old Moſque, and ( as I ſaid before ) a fine Fountain. This latter had been anciently beautified with ſome handſome Stone-work round it, which was now almoft ruin'd; how- ever it afforded us this imperfect Inſcription. TWN A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 143 directly up into the Mountain. It is on both ſides ex- ceeding ſteep and high,cloath'd with fragrant Greens from top to bottom, and every where refreſh'd with Fountains, falling down from the Rocks in pleaſant Caſcades; the ingenious work of Nature. Theſe Streams, all uniting at the bottom, make a full and rapid Torrent, whoſe agreeable murmuring is heard all over the place, and adds no ſmall pleaſure to it. Canobine is feated on the North ſide of this Chaſm, on the ſteep of the Mountain, at about the midway between the top and the bottom. It ſtands at the mouth of a great Cave, having a few ſmall Rooms fronting outward, that enjoy the light of the Sun; the relt are all under ground. It had for its Founder the Emperour Theodoſius the Great: And tho'it has been ſeve- ral times rebuilt, yet the Patriarch aſſur'd me, the Church was of the Primitive Foundation. But whoever built it, it is a mean Fabrick, and no great Credit to its Founder. It ſtands in the Grot, but fronting outwards receives a little light from that lide. In the ſame ſide there were alſo hang'd in the Wall two ſmall Bells, to call the Monks to their Devotions: A privilege allow'd no where elſe in this Country; nor would they be ſuffer'd here, but that the Turks are far enough off from the hearing of them. The Valley of Canobine was anciently (as it well de- ſerves ) very much reſorted to for religious retirement, You ſee here ſtill Hermitages, Cells, Monaſteries, almoſt without number. There is not any little part of Rock, that jets out upon the ſide of the Mountain, but you ge- nerally ſee ſome little Structure upon it, for the reception of Monks and Hermits; tho'few or none of them are now Inhabited. Monday, May 10. After Dinner I took my leave of the Patriarch, and return'd to Tripoli. I ſteer'd my Courſe down by a nar- row oblique Path, cut in the ſide of the rupture, and found it three hours before I got clear of the Mountains, and three more afterwards before I came to Tripoli. Tueſday, 144 A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. Tueſday, May. II. This day we took our leaves of our worthy Tripoli Friends, in order to return for Aleppo. We had ſome de- bate with our ſelves, whether we mould take the ſame way by which we came, when outward bound, or a new one by Emiſſa Hempfe and Hamal. But we had notice of ſome diſturbances upon this latter Road; ſo we con- tented our ſelves to return by the ſame way we came: For having had enough by this time both of the pleaſure, and of the fatigue of Travelling, we were willing to put an end to both, the neareſt and ſpeedieſt way. All that oc- curr'd to us new, in theſe days Travel, was a particular way uſed by the Country People in gathering their Corn; it being now Harveſt time. They pluck'd it up by hand- fuls from the roots; leaving the moſt fruitful Fields as naked as if nothing had ever grown on them. This was their practice in all places of the Eaſt that I have ſeen: And the reaſon is, that they may loſe none of their Straw, which is generally very ſhort, and neceſſary for the ſuſtenance of their Cattle; no Hay being here made. I mention this, becauſe it ſeems to give light to that ex- preſſion of the Pſalmiſt, Pf. 129. 6. which withereth afore it be plucked up; Where there ſeems to be a manifeſt allu- fion to this Cuſtom. Our new Tranſlation renders this place otherwiſe : But in ſo doing it differs from molt, or all other Copies; and here we may truly fay, the old is the better. There is indeed mention of a Mower in the next Verſe; but then it is ſuch a Mower as fills not his hand; which confirms rather than weakens the preceding In- terpretation. Returning therefore by our former Stages, without any notable alteration or occurrence, we came in eight days to the Honey Kine: At which place we found many of our Aleppine Friends, who having heard of our draw- ing homeward were come out to meet us, and welcome us home. Having dined together, and congratulated each other upon our happy reunion, we went onward the Tamne evening to Aleppo. Thus A Journey from Aleppo to Jeruſalem. 145 Thus, by God's infinite mercy and protection, we were reſtor'd all'in ſafety to our reſpective Habitations. And here before I conclude, I cannot but take notice of one thing more, which I Mould earneſtly recommend to the devout and grateful remembrance of every Perſonengaged in this Pilgrimage: viz. that amongſt fo great a Company as we were, amidſt ſuch a multiplicity of dangers and ca- ſualties, ſuch variety of Food, Airs and Lodgings (very often none of the beſt there was no one of us that came to any ill accident throughout our whole Travels; and only one that fell Sick by the conſequences of the Journey, after our return. Which I eſteem the leſs diminution to ſo ſingular a mercy, in regard that amongſt ſo many of my dear friends and Fellow Travellers, it fell to my own ſhare to be the Sufferer. Δόξα Θεώ. FINI S. T Since Since the Book was Printed off, the two following Letters relating to the ſame Subject, were communicated by the Reverend Mr Osborn Fellow of Exe- ter College; to whom they were fent by the Author, in Anſwer to ſome Queſtions propos’d by Him. SIR, Received yours of June 27. 1698. and return'd you an Anfwer to it in brief, about three Months ſince; promiſing to ſupply what was then wanting, at ſome other opportu- nity: which promiſe I ſhall now make good. You deſired an Account of the Turks, and of our way of living amongſt them. As to the former, it would fil a Volume to write my whole thoughts about them. I ſhall only tell you at preſent, that I think they are very far from agreeing with that Character which is given of them in Chriſtendom; eſpecially for their exact Justice, Veracity, and other moral Virtues : upon account of which, I have ſometimes heard them men- tion'd with very extravagant Commendations; as tho they far exceed Chriſtian Nations. But I muſt, profeſs my ſelf of another Opinion: For the Chriſtian Religion, how much foever we live below the true Spirit and Excellency of it, muft ftill ſtill be allow'd to diſcover ſo much Power upon the minds of its Profeſſors, as to raiſe them far above the level of a Turkiſh Virtue. 'Tis a Maxim that I have often heard from our Merchants, that a Turke will always Cheat when he can find an opportunity. Friendſhip, Generoſity, and Wit (in the Engliſh Notion) and delightful Con- verie, and all the Qualities of a refin'd and in- genuous Spirit, are perfect Strangers to their Minds; tho' in Traffick and Worldly Negotia- tions, they are acute enough: and are able to carry the Accounts of a large Commerce in their Heads, without the help of Books, by a natural Arithmetick, improv'd by Cuſtom and Neceflity. Their Religion is fram'd to keep up great out- ward Gravity and Solemnity, without begetting the leaſt good tincture of Wiſdom or Virtue in the Mind. You ſhall have 'em at their hours of Prayer (which are four a day always) addreſſing themſelves to their Devotions with the moſt ſolemn and critical Waſhings, always in the moſt publick places, where moſt people are paſſing; with molt lowly and moſt regular Proteſtations, and a hollow Tone; which are amongſt them the great Excellencies of Prayer. I have ſeen 'em in an affected Charity, give Money to Bird- Catchers ( who make a Trade of it) to reſtore the poor Captives to their natural Liberty; and at the ſame time hold their own Slaves in the heavieft Bondage. And at other times they'll buy Fleſh to relieve indigent Dogs and Cats ; and yet curſe You with Famine and Peſtilence, and all the moft hideous Execrations ; in which T2 way way theſe Eaſtern Nations have certainly the moſt exquiſite Rhetorick of any People upon Earth. They know hardly any Pleaſure but that of the ſixth Senſe. And yet with all this, they are incredibly conceited of their own Re- ligion ; and contemptuous of that of others : which I take to be the great Artifice of the De- vil, in order to keep them his own. They are a perfect viſible Comment upon our Bleſſed Lord's Deſcription of the Fedoiſo Phariſees. In a word, Luſt, Arrogance, Covetouſneſs, and the moſt ex- quiſite Hypocriſy compleat their Character. The only thing that ever I could obſerve to commend in them, is the outward Decency of their Car- riage, the profound Reſpect they pay to Reli- gion and to every thing relating to it, and their great Temperance and Frugality. The dearneſs of any thing is no motive in Turky, tho it be in England, to bring it into Faſhion. As for our living amongſt them, it is with all poſſible quiet and ſafety: And that's all we de- ſire, their Converſation being not in the leaſt Entertaining, Our Delights are among our ſelves : And here being more than forty of Us, we ne- ver want a moft Friendly and pleaſant Conver- ſation. Our way of Life reſembles, in ſome meaſure, the Academical. We live in ſeparate Squares, ſhut up every night after the manner of Colleges. We begin the day conſtantly, as You do, with Prayers; and have our ſet times for Buſineſs, Meals and Recreations. In the Win- ter we Hunt in the moſt delightful Campaign twice a week; and in the Summer go as often to divert ESS divert Our ſelves under Our Tents, with Bowl. ing, and other Exerciſes. So that you ſee we want not Divertiſements; and there all Inno- cent and Manly. In ſhort, 'tis my real Opinion, that there is not a Society out of England, that for all good and deſireable Qualities, may be com- par'd to this. But enough of this Confuſion, which I would have ſhortn'd, and put in better order, if I had had time. March 10. 1696 SIR, SIR, Å S for your Queſtions about Gehazi's Poſte- A rity, and the Greek Excommunications, I have little to anſwer ; but yet I hope enough to give You and your Friend ſatisfaction. When I was in the Holy Land, I ſaw ſeveral that Labour'd under Gehazi's Diſtemper ; but none that could pretend to derive his Pedigree from that Perſon. Some of them were poor enough to be his Rela- tions. Particularly at Sichem (now Naplofu) there were no leſs than ten (the ſame number that was cleans'd by our Saviour not far from the ſame place) that came a begging to Us at one time. Their manner is to come with ſmall Buckets in their hands, to receive the Alms of the Cha- ritable; their touch being ſtill held infectious, or at leaſt unclean. The Diftemper, as I ſaw it in them, was very different from what I have ſeen it in England: For it not only defiles the whole ſurface of the Body with a foul Scurf; but alſo deforms the Joynts of the Body, parti- cularly thoſe of the Wriſts and Ancles ; making them ſwell with a Gouty ſcrofulous Subſtance, very loathſom to look upon. I thought their Legs reſembled thoſe of old batter'd Horſes, ſuch as are often ſeen in Drays in England. The whole Diftemper indeed, as it there appear'd, was EUR fo noiſome, that it might well paſs for the utmoſt Corruption of the Human Body on this ſide the Grave. And certainly the inſpired Pen-men could not have found out a fitter Emblem, whereby to expreſs the uncleanneſs and odiouſneſs of Vice. But to return to Gehazi : 'Tis no wonder if the deſcent from him be by time obſcur'd; ſeeing the beſt of the Jews, at this time of day, are at a lofs to make out their Genealogies. But beſides, I ſee no neceſſity in Scripture for his Line's being perpetuated. The term (for Ever) is, you know, often taken in a limited ſenſe in Holy- writ; of which the deſignation of Phineas's Fa- mily to the Priefthood, Numb. 25. 13. may ſerye for an Inſtance. His Poſterity was, you know, cut entirely off from the Prieſthood, and that transferr'd to Eli (who was one of another Line) about 300 years after. I have enquired of a Greek Prieſt, a Man not deftitute either of Senſe or Probity, about your other Queſtion. He poſitively affirm'd it, and produced an Inſtance of his own knowledge in Confirmation of it. He ſaid, that about is years ago, a certain Greek departed this Life without Abſolution; being under the guilt of a Crime, which involv'd him in the ſentence of Excommu- nication, but unknown to the Church. He had Chriſtian Burial given him; and about 10 years after, a Son of his dying, they had occaſion to open the ground near where his Body was laid, in order to bury his Son by him. By which means they diſcover'd his Body as entire, as when it was firſt laid in the Grave. The Shrowd was rotted rotted away, and the Body naked and black, but perfectly found. Report of this being brought to the Biſhop, he immediately ſuſpected the cauſe of it; and ſent ſeveral Prieſts (of whom the Re- lator was one) to pray for the Soul of the depart- ed, and to abſolve him at his Grave. Which they had no ſooner done, but (as the Relator goes on) the Body inſtantly diſſolv'd and fell into Duſt like Nack'd Lime. And ſo (well ſatisfied with the Effect of their Abſolution) they departed. This was deliver'd to me verbo Sacerdotis. The Man had hard fortune not to dye in the Ro- miſh Communion; for then 'his Body being found ſo entire would have entitled him to Saint- ship. For the Romaniſts, as I have both heard and ſeen, are wont to find out and maintain the Relicks of Saints by this token. And the ſame ſign, which proves an Anathema Maranatha a- mongſt the Greeks, demonſtrates a Saint amongſt the Papifts: Perhaps both equally in the right. April 12,1700. [1] A N ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR'S JOURNEY FROM Aleppo to the River Euphrates, the City Beer, and to Mejopotamia. W e E ſet out from Aleppo, April 17th 1699. and ſteering Eaſt North Eaſt, ſomewhat leſs, we came in three hours and a half to Surbaſs. r ., Tueſday, April 18. ...... We came in three hours and a half to Bezay, paſſing by Bab, where is a good Aqueduct * Dyn il Daab, to which you deſcend by about thirty Steps; and Lediff a pleaſant Village. Our Courſe thus far was Eaſt and by North. In the Afternoon we advanced three hours fur- ther, Courſe North Eaſt, to an old ruin'd Place, former- ly of fome. Conſideration, called Acamy : It is fcituated in the Wilderneſs on a Hill encompaſſed by à Valley; It was large, and had the footſteps of ſome Symmetry, good Walls and Buildings..iiin.... Wedneſday, April 19. : . 1. We went Eaſt and by North; and in four hours arriv'd at Bambych. This Place has no remnants of its Ancient • The Difrid of Daab. î . Greatneſs, to the River Eupbrates, &c. about three hours below Jerabolus. In about two hours more we came to a fine fruitful Plain, covered with ex- traordinary Corn, lying between the Hills and the River Euphrates. In about an hour and half's travelling through this Plain on the banks of the River, we came to Fera- bolus. This place is of a ſemicircular figure. Its flat ſide lying on the banks of Euphrates ; on that ſide it has a high long Mount, cloſe by the water, very ſteep. It was. anciently built upon; (and at one end of it, I ſaw frag- ments of very large Pillars, a yard and half diameter, and Capitals and Corniſhes 'well carved. At the foot of the Mount was carved on a large ſtone a Beaſt reſembling a Lyon, with a bridle in his mouth; and I believe an- ciently a Perſon ſitting on it: But the ſtone is in that part now broke away; the Tail of the Beaſt was Couped. Round about this place are high banks caft up, and there is the footſteps of walls on them. The gates ſeem to have been well built: The whole was 2250 paces, that is yards, in circumference. The River is here as large as the Thames at London ; a long bullet-gun could not ſhoot a ball over it, but it dropt into the water. Here is found a large Serpent which has legs and claws, called Wor. "'A. I was told by a Turk, that a little below this place, wł 1 the River is low, may be ſeen the Ruins of a ſtone-bridge over the River: For my own part I ſaw it not, nor do I much rely on the Turks veracity. The River ſeemed to be lately fallen very ſuddenly; for the banks were freſhly wet, two yards and more above the water. It was here North and South. Friday, April 21. We kept cloſe on the banks of Euphrates, and in two hours and a half croſſed a fine Rivulet called Towzad; and in two hours more arrived over againſt Beer, and pitched on a Flat, cloſe by the River ſide. Obſerving the Latitude of che place by my Quadrant, I found the 'Angle between the Sun and the Zenith to be twenty two degrees; U 2 4 The Author's Journey from Aleppo degrees; and the declination this Day being 15 degrees Io minutes, the whole is 37 degrees 10 minutes. Saturday, April 22. We continued at our Station, not daring to croſs the River, for fear of falling into the hands of the Chiah of the Baſhaw of Urfa, who was then at Beer ordering many Boats of Corn down to Bagdal. We were ſup- plyed in the ſame time with proviſions by Sheck Allyne, to whom we made returns. Sunday, April 23. The Chiah being now departed, Sheck Allyne invited us over to Beer: We croſſed in a Boat of the Country, of which they have a great many, this being the great Paſs into Meſopotamia. The Boats are of a miſerable Fa- brick, flat and open in the fore part, for Horſes to enter: They are large enough to carry about four Horſes each. Their way to croſs is, by drawing up the Boat as high as they know to be neceſſary; and then with wretched Oars itricking over, Me falls a good way down by the force of the Stream, before they arrive at the further ſide, Having ſaluted Aſyne we were conducted to ſee the Caſtle; which is a large old Building on the top of a great long Rock, ſeparated by a great gulph or natural bottom, from the land. At firit coming within the Gates which are of Iron, we ſaw ſeveral large Globes of Stone about twenty inches diameter; and great Axles of Iron, with wheels, which were intire blocks of wood two foot thick in the Nave, and cut ſomewhat to an edge toward the Periphery; and Screws to bend Bows or Engines; as alſo ſeveral Braſs Field Pieces. Aſcending up the ſides of the Rock by a way cut obli- quely, you come to the Caſtle. At firſt entrance, you find a way cut under ground down to the River. In the Caſtle, the principal things we ſaw, were, firſt a large Room full of old Arms: I ſaw there Glaſs Bottles to be Mor at the end of Arrows; one of them was ſtuck at the end to the River Euphrates, &c. is end of an Arrow, with four pieces of Tin by its ſides, to keep it firm. Vaſt large Croſs-bows, and Beams, ſeem- ingly deſign'd for Battering-Rams; and Roman Saddles. and 'Head pieces of a large ſize; ſome of which were painted; and ſome large Thongs for Bow-Strings and bags for ſlinging Stones. But the Jealouſy of the Turks would not permit us to ſtay ſo long, as would have been requiſire for a perfect examination of theſe Antiquities. From the Caſtle we returned to Alyne, and were ci- villy treated. In the Evening we went up into the Coun- try of Meſopotamia. The Hills are Chalky and Steep; and come cloſe to the Water ſide without a Plain inter- vening, as it is upon the ſide of Syria; ſo that Beer ſtands on the ſide of a Hill. However it has a couple of fine Streams that run over the Top of the Hill; one of which drives two Mills, and ſo runs down to the City, which is well Walled. In the ſide of the Hill, there is a Kane under ground cut into the Rock, with fifteen large Pil- lars left to ſupport its Roof. Monday, April 24. We left Beer, and Travelling Weſt came in three hours to Nizib, a place well ſcituated at the head of the Towzad. Here is an old ſmall Church, very ſtrong and intire ; only the Cupolo in the middle of the croſs is broke down, and its ſpace covered with Leaves, to fit the place for a Moſque. I believe the Turks made the places to which they turn in Prayers, empty. Niches, to thew that they worſhipped one Inviſible God not to be repreſented by Images. In two hours we came from Ni- zib to a good Chriſtian Village called Vwur; and in an hour and half more, to a Well in the Deſart. Tueſday, April 25. We Travelled Weſt near two hours; and came through a fine Country diverſified into ſmall Hills and Valleys, to a Village called Adjia, having left Silam and two other Villages on the right hand. At Adjia riſes the River 0 < < s to the River Euphrates, &c. 7 titious, but watered every where with fine Springs and Rivulets. In about ſix hours we came to Corus; our Courſe was South Weſt, having croſſed the Ephreen about two thirds of an hour before. Juſt by Corus is the River Sa- bon, that is, Chor or Char, which encompaſſes moſt part of the City. . Corus ſtands on a Hill, conſiſting of the City and Caſtle. The City ſtands Northerly; and from its North end aſcending, you come at laſt to a higher Hill to the Southward, on which ſtands the Caſtle. The whole is now in Ruins, which ſeems to have been very large, Walled very ſtrongly with huge ſquare Stones. Within are obſervable the Ruins, Pillars, &c. of many Noble Buildings. On the Weſt ſide there is a ſquare Encloſure of great Capacity, compaſſed with good Walls and five Gates, which admitted into it; as one may diſcern by the Ruins of them. I conjectured they might be the Cathe- drall. Over the Caſtle Gate was written the three Inſcri- ptions in the Plate belonging to page 7. The middle Inſcription was over the middle of the Portal; the other two on the top of the Pilaiters on the right and left hand.. Below the Caſtle Hill, to the Southward, ſtands a noble old Monument. It is fix ſquare, and opens at fix Windows above; and is covered with a Pýramidical Cupolo. In each Angle within is a Pillar of the Co- rinthian Order, of one ſtone; and there is a fine Archi- trave all round juſt under the Cupolo, having had heads of Oxen carved on it. And it ends a-top with a large Capital of the Corinthian Order ; near this ſeveral Se- pulchral Altars, of which only one has a legible Inſcri- ption, which you may ſee in the Plate. Friday, April 28. We left Corus, and without the Town about half a mile South Eaſt, we deſcended down through a way cut obliquely on the ſide of a Precipice, which leads to a Bridge of ſeven Arches of a very old Structure, over the River - - - - -