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•IfmJE-'VMVIEKSinnr- • LUMBAL •

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HANDBOOK FOR TRAVELLERS

SYRIA AND PALESTINE;
including an account of the
GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY, ANTIQUITIES, AND INHABITANTS
OP THESE COUNTRIES,
THE PENINSULA OF SINAI, EDOM, AND THE
SYRIAN DESERT;
with detailed descriptions of
JERUSALEM, PETEA, DAMASCUS, AND PALMYEA.
MAPS AND PLANS.
NEW AND REVISED EDITIOI
Part I. -
LONDON:
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET.
PARIS: GALIGNANI; AND XAVIER. MALTA: MUIR.
NAPLES : DORANT. TRIESTE : MUNSTER.
1868.
The right of Translation is reserved.

\u

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CONTENTS.

Part I.
_ „ PAGE
Preface  , ., ., v
Note on the pronunciation and meaning of Arabic names and words .. vii
Preliminary Remarks  xi

Section I.— THE PENINSULA OP SINAI AND EDOM.
Introductory Information  ]
Routes  8
Section II.— PALESTINE— JERUSALEM  64

Section III.— SOUTHERN PALESTINE.
Preliminary Remarks  175
Routes  178

Part II.
Section IV— NORTHERN PALESTINE AND DAMASCUS.
Preliminary Information  275
Routes  280
Section V.— NORTHERN SYRIA.
Preliminary Information  556
Routes  558
General Index   591
Index of Places not Identified  614
a 2

LIST OP MAPS AND PLANS.

Map of Northern Palestine }ln pockets at the be-
„ Southern Palestine and Environs of Jerusalem ) ginning and end.
„ Mount Sinai and Petra  to face page 1
Plan of the Mosque at Hebron  page 66
„ Jerusalem  to face page 73
„ Temple at Jerusalem  .*  page 114
„ Mosque el Aksa, ditto  123
„ Dome of the Rock, ditto  126
„ Tombs of the Prophets, ditto  143
„ Tomb of Helena, ditto  144
„ Church of the Holy Sepulchre, ditto  157
„ Church of the Nativity at Bethlehem  201
„ Damascus  445
„ Mosque at Damascus  460
„ Cathedral at Bozrah  496
„ Church at Edrei  503
„ Palmyra  to face page 512
„ the Temples at Ba'albek, restored  page 528
„ Church and part of Monastic Buildings at Kul'at Sim'an . . 576
„ Church at Kalb Louzy  583
Apse of ditto  584
Plan of Church at Ruweihah  586
Map of Northern Syria  attheend.

PREFACE.

The Bible is the best Handbook for Palestine ; the present work is only
intended to be a companion to it.
It has been my object in these pages to communicate the greatest
amount of useful information in the smallest possible space. Something
more than a mere book of roads has been aimed at. Palestine is the stage
on which the most wondrous events of the world's history were enacted.
Every nook and corner of it is " holy ground." I have, therefore, made an
attempt to group on the old sites the chief actors in the sacred dramas.
I think no known Scripture locality has been overlooked, and no incident
of Scripture history, which would tend to enhance its interest, omitted. It
is the rcligio loci which gives such a charm to the cities and villages of
Palestine. To pass any of them by without knowing, or without remem
bering, their story, is to rob travel alike of interest and profit.
My object has not been to exhaust the historical geography of the
country, or to give lengthened topographical descriptions, or to say all
that might be said about each place; but rather to sketch an outline
which the traveller may fill up. Yet, on the whole, this little volume will
perhaps be found to contain a more complete summary of the Scriptural
and historical geography of Syria and Palestine than any work in our
language. I trust it may thus prove to the student, as well as to
the traveller, a useful Handbook — placing before him a framework of
facts, and pointing out the best sources from which to obtain fuller in
formation. Often, whilst wandering through Palestine, I have felt the want of a full
. but portable Concordance of Scripture Geographical Names. Many others, 1
know, have felt this also. I have, therefore, combined with the Index a refer
ence to the most important passage of Scripture in which the place described
occurs ; and I have appended in a Second Index a list of those ancient towns
and villages not yet satisfactorily identified. The reader can thus see at a
glance whether the site of any place mentioned in Scripture is known or
unknown; and, if known, he can refer not only to the facts of its past
history, but to an account' of its present state. It is hoped that by this
arrangement curiosity will be awakened, and the attention of scholars
directed to new fields of investigation.
Whatever seemed calculated to illustrate the language and literature,
the incidents and characters, the prophecies and parables of the Bible, I
have been careful to note ; though often the necessity for brevity has com-

vi • Preface.
pelled me to pass over with a bare allusion what might have been worked
up into a glowing image. I have also sketched in a few words the
manners and customs of the people, their creeds and character, their wants
and capabilities ; because these are necessary to the full delineation of the
country, and tend besides to give the picture life. And I have incidentally
mentioned the vast resources of the soil, and the grievous wrongs of the
inhabitants, in the hope that the attention of the rich and the great — the
opulent merchant and philanthropic statesman — may be drawn to a fruitful
but neglected and oppressed country.
Truth and utility have been my aim more than originality. I have drawn
freely from every available source — rearranging, correcting, or simply tran
scribing as best suited my purpose. The authors to whom I have been most
indebted are specified ; were I to name all from whom I have received
a hint or culled a fact, I would require to extend my list over a dozen
pages. A large portion of the country I have had an opportunity of
traversing since this work was originally written. I have thus been able to
revise the most important sections on the spot. I have to express my
thanks to a large number of kind friends, many of them personally un
known to me, not only for their expressions of approval and satisfaction,
but for useful hints and suggestions which I have been enabled to embody
in this new edition. To one gentleman I am under especial obligations, the
Rev. Smylie Robson, of Damascus. His long residence in Syria, his extensive
travels, his thorough knowledge of the language, and minute acquaintance
with the topography, give to all his statements a very high value. With a
kindness and courtesy which I can never sufficiently acknowledge, he has
communicated to me the fullest information on all points calculated to be
useful and interesting to the traveller.
Still, 1 am far from thinking that perfect accuracy has been obtained,
and I would again throw myself on the indulgence of a generous, public,
and more especially of those Eastern travellers to whose profit I have
devoted precious hours snatched at intervals from far more important
labours.

C ™ )

NOTE ON THE PRONUNCIATION AND MEANING OP ARABIC
NAMES AND WORDS USED LN THIS WORK.

An attempt has been made to represent Arabic sounds by English characters,
in as far as the nature of the two languages will admit. The orthography of
Dr. Smith, as given in Robinson's 'Biblical Researches,' has been followed
except in a very few cases. I do not say that his system is perfect ; but it is
in my opinion decidedly the best hitherto invented for the Arabic as spolien
in Syria. It would be well for the interests of geographical science if scholars
would follow one uniform rule.
A little attention to the following remarks will enable the English reader to
pronounce the names occurring in this Handbook with a near approach to
accuracy. No attempt has been made in the body of the work to distinguish
the Arabic letters (_ja a. o qo is la ; but their representatives have a dot
( . ) placed beneath them in the Index, to which the Oriental scholar can refer,
thus — d, h, k, s, t, ?.
1. The Consonants are generally pronounced as in English. The follow
ing remarks should be kept in mind.
dh represents i and ita. In the former case it is sounded like th in this ;
in the latter the sound is that of d, but pronounced by pressing the tongue
closely against the teeth, and expanding the back part of the mouth — in
the Index it is distinguished by the dot, dh.
gh is a deep guttural sound, i. in Arabic. It has no representative in Eng
lish ; but the Parisian r somewhat resembles it.
h represents x, a soft aspirate, like h in hat; and «., a deep guttural, almost
pectoral breathing. In the Index the latter is distinguished by h. It
has no representative in any European language, and its sound is one of
the most difficult for a foreigner to acquire.
h represents &, a simple k; and ii), a guttural k (written k in the Index)
In different parte of the country, however, the latter is pronounced very
differently. In Damascus and some other towns it has the sound of a
guttural Hamzeh, or pause. The Bedawin pronounce it as hard g ; others
sound it as It, but they pronounce the ,») like ch in child.
kh represents i, and is a breathing rendered rough and tremulous by the
motion of the epiglottis. It is much deeper than the German ch.
r has a rolling sound much stronger than is heard in England ; but there
is some approach to it in the pronunciation of the Scotch peasantry.
8 represents <j«, pronounced like s in sun ; and yo (? in the Index), a kind

Arabic Words of frequent Occurrence.

IX

Beldd, district.
Bint, pi. Bendt, daughter, maid.
Bir, well.
Birkeh, pi. Burdk, pool.
Ddr, court, house.
Deir, convent.
Verb, road.
Emir, pi. JJmard, prince.
Faras, pi. Fursdn, horse, mare.
Hesan, horse.
Ibn, pi. .Bern, son.
Jdmi'a, mosque.
Jazireh, island.
Jebel, pi. Jibdl, mountain.
Jisr, bridge.
Jubb, pit.
Kd'a, plain.
Xa6r, pi. Kubur, sepulchre.
Kddy, judge.
Kefr, village.
KeTb, pi. JSKZaft, dog.
Khan, caravansary.
Khanzir, hog.
Khiibz, bread.
Khurbeh, a ruin.
Knbbeh, a dome.
Khaimeh, pi. Khidm, a tent.
Kurn, pi. Kurun, a horn.
Kul'ah, castle.
JCmsj-, castle.
Jua, vulg. moi, water.
Makdm, station.
iVar, saint.
Merj, pi. Muruj, meadow.

Medineh, city.
Mezra'ah, farm.
Mihrdb, prayer-niche.
Mi'Zft, salt.
Mulcdry, pi. Mukariyeh, muleteer.
Muslem, Mohammedan.
Nahr, pi. Anhur, river.
Nakhleh, pi. Nuklil, palm-tree.
.Nar, fire.
.NeS^, prophet.
Neb'a, fountain.
iVwAfe, pass.
Nusrdny, pi. Nusdra, Christian.
Mdhib, pi. Bahbdn, monk.
JJas, head, cape.
Sahil, plain.
Seldm, peace.
Sheikh, pi. Shuyukh, chief, elder.
S/raS, a rent.
6r»dr, breast.
Sutah, pi. Sutuh, terrace.
Tdseh, cup.
Tarbush, fez, cap.
TeH, pi. TwZmZ, dimin. TaZeii!, hill.
TfteZ/, snow.
Tin, fig.
Tar, mountain.
Turf a, tamarisk.
Vm, mother.
Wddy, valley, watercourse.
Wely, saint's tomb.
Wardeh, pi. Werd, a rose.
Zarur, hawthorn.

a 3

PEELIMINAEY EEMAEKS.

1. General Geography of Syria
and Palestine : — Mountains ;
Great Central Valley; Rivers,
Orontes, Jordan, &c. ; Statis
tical Table ; Authorities on
Geography and Statistics . . xi
2. Historical Sketch : — Aram ;
Palestine ; Phoenicia ; the
Jews; the Seleucidss; the
Romans; the Arabs; the
Crusaders ; the Tartars ; Au
thorities on History . . . . xv
3. Chronological Table .. ..xxiii
4. Inhabitants of Syria and Pales
tine ; — Manners and Cus
toms ; their Origin ; Moham
medans; Druzes; Christian
Sects; Jews; Turks; Au
thorities on Inhabitants . . xxix
5. The Climate of Syria and Pa
lestine  xxxvii

6. The best Seasons for visiting
Syria and Palestine . . xxxix
7. Mode of Travel : — Requisites
for the road, &c. ; Instru
ments-; Arms ; Robbers ;
Medicines; Invalids .. xl
8. Hints on Language, Dress,
Conduct  xliv
9. Passports ; Custom - houses ;
Post-office; Money .. .. xlvi
10. What to observe in Syria and
Palestine  xlviii
11. Skeleton Tours: — i. The
Grand Tom- suitable for
all ; ii. Tour through North
ern Syria ; hi. Eastern ex
ploring Tour ; iv. Pilgrim's
Tour  xlix
12. Servants, Dragoman, &c. . . liii

1. — General Geogbaphy of Syhia and Palestine.
The country included under the names Syria and Palestine lies along
the eastern shore of the Mediterranean, extending from the border of Egypt
and the peninsula of Sinai on the south to the confines of Asia Minor on
the north ; and having on its eastern side the great, and now desert plain
of Arabia. It reaches from 31° to 36° 301 N. lat. ; its extreme length
is about 360 geographical miles, and its breadth ranges from 60 to 100.
Its area is about 28,000 square miles.
The physical formation of the country is simple. A mountain chain,
a branch from the Taurus range, stretches along the coast from north to
south. It is broken by the great valley of the Orontes, on whose banks
stand the crumbling ruins of Antioch. The scenery of this northern
section is bold and grand. Lofty wooded peaks shut in the bay of
Iskanderun, leaving along their base the narrow plain of Issus, on
which the fate of the Persian empire was sealed, and Western Asia gained
to Alexander the Great. On the south bank of the Orontes mount Casius
rises to a height of full 5000 ft. Prom hence the NusairSyeh range (anciently
Mons Bargylus) runs southward, until it terminates at a wide break, called
in Scripture the " Entrance of Hamath." A plain of considerable breadth
lies between this section and the Mediterranean ; and upon it once stood
the cities of Laodicea, Tortosa, and Aradus. The last occupied a little

xii General Geography. Introd.
island. To the south of the " Entrance of Hamath " Lebanon rises to an
elevation of more than 10,000 ft. On the side of .its loftiest peak, far
removed from other trees, is the celebrated grove of Cedars. Not far
distant, at the foot of a cliff, is the fountain of the river Adonis. Beneath
the shadow of Lebanon are Tyre and Sidon, the ancient capitals of Phoenicia.
The range of Lebanon is intersected by the gorge of the Leontes, which
drains the plain of Coelesyria, and falls into the Mediterranean a little
north of Tyre. To the south of this river the ridge increases in breadth,
but decreases in altitude, until it terminates in the wooded cone of Tabor,
and the rocky hills that encircle Nazareth. The plain of Esdraelon,
through which the Kishon flows, separates Lebanon from its natural con
tinuation, the range of Carmel, and the mountains .of Samaria. To these
succeeds the "hill country of Judaja," stretching in a wide ridge to the
desert of Tih, which forms the southern boundary of the " Land of
Promise." This southern section of the mountain chain, between Esdraelon
and Beersheba, is wider, lower and less regular than any of the others. Its
general elevation at Ebal and Gerizim, Olivet and Hebron, ranges only
from 2400 to 2700 ft. With the exception of the promontory of Carmel,
it is also farther removed from the sea, leaving at its base a broad plain,
embracing the " beautiful Sharon " on the north, and the land of Philistiu
on the south.
In the southern part of the " Land of Hamath," 20 miles E. of Lebanon,
another mountain chain commences, and runs in a south-western direc
tion, parallel to the former. It is called Anti-Lebanon. Its general
elevation is not equal to that of Lebanon ; but near its southern extremity
the cone of Herman shoots up and rivals the loftiest peaks in Syria. As
viewed from the W., this range seems to continue its course southward ;
but this appearance is owing to the depression of the Jordan valley, and
the high level of the plateau of Bashan. In reality the chain terminates
about 25 miles S. of Hermon and 8 N. of the Sea of Tiberias. The
lofty bank on the eastern side of that sea is merely the declivity of the
plateau. A little farther to the S., at the river Jarmuk, commence
the mountains of Gilead, which extend along the E. bank of the Jordan
in a broad irregular chain till they meet those of Moab and Edom on the
E. of the Dead Sea.
Prom Hermon as a centre, mountain ranges branch out like an opening
fan from the N.E. to the E. The loftiest of these is Anti-Lebanon proper ;
the others incline more to the eastward, until the lowest and last, sweep
ing along the eastern plain, passes Damascus ; and then, after a long
dreary course, also passes Palmyra.
One other group of hills is deserving of notice. It lies to the E. of
the Sea of Galilee, on the border of the plateau of Bashan. The scenery
of this group is picturesque and wild ; its oak forests equal those of Gilead ;
and its ruins are among the most interesting and magnificent in Syria.
It is now called by strangers "Jebel Hauran;" but its real name,
" Bathanyeh," recalls the ancient Bashan. It is the Ahadamus Mons of
Ptolemy. The most remarkable feature in the physical geography of Syria and
Palestine is the valley that intersects the country from N. to S. Beginning
at Antioch, it runs through the centre of the ancient kingdom of the
Seleucida3 to Emcsa. Prom Emcsa it extends to the valley of Coelesyria

Introd. General Geography. xiii
near Riblah. Thus far the valley forms the bed of the river Orontes, which
flows northward from its fountain at the base of Lebanon.
The valley of Coelesyria lies between the parallel ridges of Lebanon and
Anti-Lebanon. It is about 70 miles long, and its average breadth is nearly
7. ^ At the base of the mountains, on its eastern side, stand the ruins of
Ba'albek, famed throughout the world. 23 miles farther down the valley
lie the ruins of Chalcis, once a royal city, now a desolate heap. The
elevation of Coelesyria above the sea is about 2300 ft. At its southern end
it divides into two branches — one, turning westward, cuts through the
range of Lebanon, becoming a gorge so narrow that the foaming waters of
the Leontes can scarcely force their way onward ; the other strikes off
southward, and is the natural continuation of Ccelesyria. The latter branch
descends rapidly for 15 miles to the upper fountain of the Jordan, at the
western base of Hermon. A few miles farther S. it joins the plain of
Samachonitis (now el-Huleh), which, strange to say, is nearly on the level
of the sea. Prom hence it descends rapidly to the lake of Tiberias, which
has a depression of 653 ft. The chasm of the Jordan forms the continuation
of the great valley to the Dead Sea, the surface of whose waters is 1292 ft.
below that of the Mediterranean. Here then is a valley nearly 300 miles
in length, for more than 140 of which it is below the level of the sea.
It is this singular feature which renders the physical geography of Syria so
interesting. Rivers. — Of the rivers of Syria the most important, whether we consider
its physical peculiarities, or its sacred and historic interest, is the Jokdan.
Its highest source, or rather the source of its principal tributary, is in
Wady ct-Teim, near the village of Hasbeiya, at the western base of Hermon ;
but the true historic sources of the river are at Tell el-Kady {Dan), in the
plain of Huleh ; and at Banias (Ccesarea-Philippi), on the southern slope
of Hermon. The three streams unite, and fall into lake Huleh, about 10
miles below Tell el-Kady. Issuing from this little lake, the river rushes
on through a narrow volcanic valley to the Sea of Galilee. On leaving the
Sea of Galilee it runs in a tortuous course to the Dead Sea.
Previous to the expedition of Lieut. Lynch it had been conjectured that
there must be some error in the calculation of the relative levels of the
Dead Sea and the lake of Tiberias. The distance between the two is only
60 miles ; and it was thought impossible that the Jordan could fall so
much as was represented in that space. But it is now seen that in 60 miles
of direct distance the course of the river cannot be less than 200 miles, owing
to its tortuous channel. The total fall is 660 ft. The whole length of the
Jordan, from the fountain at Dan to the place where it enters the Dead Sea,
is 92 miles as the crow flies.
The Orontes ranks next in importance to the Jordan. Its modern
name is el-'Asy (" The Rebellious ") ; and it is also called el-Maklub (" The
Inverted "), from the fact of its running, as is thought, in a wrong direc
tion. Its highest source is in the plain of Buka'a, at the base of Anti-
Lebanon, beside the ruins of Lybon. Its length, from the fountain to the
bend at the lake near Antioch, is about 125 miles ; and from thence to
the sea 24 miles.
The Litany is the next in magnitude. There is some doubt about its
ancient name. It rises near Ba'albeb, flows in an easy current down the

XIV

Statistics.

Introd.

Buka'a, receiving several tributaries from the mountain ranges on each side.
After leaving the plain it enters a sublime gorge intersecting the ridge of
Lebanon, and falls into the Mediterranean a few miles N. of Tyre. Its total
length is about 55 miles.
Next in order comes the Barada, — the " golden-flowing " stream of the
Greeks (Ohrysorrhoas) ; and the Abana, or Amana, of the Bible. If not
one of the largest, it is one of the most useful rivers of Syria. It derives
its whole siipply'of water from two great fountains in the centre of Anti-
Lebanon — 'Ain Barada and 'Ain Pijeh. It cuts through several of the
parallel ridges of this chain, till after a course, "as the crow flies," of
15 miles, it bursts from its mountain barrier into the plain of Damascus.
The industry of man has here turned its abundant waters into countless
channels, which, as an Arabian poet says, " carry gold in their bosom, and
scatter emeralds over the plain." The Barada has created this, the fairest
and the loveliest of Mohammed's paradises. The whole district rendered
habitable by the waters of the Abana contains nearly 200,000 persons.
Well might Naaman exclaim, before the Prophet of Israel, — "Are not
Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of
Israel ? " (2 Kings v. 12.)
The Political Geography of Syria and Palestine has changed with
every new dynasty which has in succession possessed the country ;*an
account of it will, therefore, be best united with the " Historical Sketch."
At present, under Turkish rule, it is divided into two Pashalics — Damascus
and Aleppo. The Pashalic of Damascus embraces the whole country lying
south of the parallel of Apamea. It includes three sub-pashalics, — Beyrout,
Akka, and Jerusalem. Lebanon is now ruled by a Christian governor who
is appointed by the Porte, and whose authority is guaranteed by the
Christian Powers of Europe. The Pashalic of Aleppo includes all northern
Syria, with a section of Asia Minor extending to 'Aintab and Marash. The
following table gives a comprehensive view of the statistics of these
pashalics, so far as they are known. It must be remembered, however,
that the Turks are far behind in statistics.

Statistical Table.

Pashalic of Damascus.

Pashalic
of Aleppo.

Total.

Christians : —
Maronites .. .. 229,000
Other Sects .. .. 130,000

836,000 359,000 15,000
78,000 25,000
14,000

460,000 81,00010,000
41,000

1,296,000 440,000 25,000
78,000 25,00055,000

Total 

1,327,000

.592,000

1,919,000

Introd. Historical Sketch. XV
Syria has been oppressed for centuries by foreign tyrants who have no
interest -in either the soil or the people, save that of grasping with greedy
hands the whole available wealth of the country. The Turks have only
been able to role by the cruel policy of pitting against each other the various
sects and parties. The results are patent to all — poverty, hatred, bigotry,
and bloodshed. At no period in the history of Syria was the policy more
painfully and fatally manifested than during the outbreak and massacres
of 1860. So long as Turkish power rules in Syria the case of the countiy
is hopeless.A few places along the coast have of late begun to show signs of new
life, owing chiefly to the enterprise of European merchants, and the pro
tection afforded to property and capital by the influence of European
consuls. Beyrout is an example of what Syria might become under a
liberal and paternal government. The eastern border affords a marked
contrast to the western. Hundreds of towns and villages are there de
serted, though not ruined, and every year adds to -their number ; while
tens of thousands of acres of the richest soil are abandoned to the periodical
" raids " of the wild hordes of the desert.
Authorities cm the Geography and Statistics. — The student may consult
the following : — Reland's Palcestina ; Ritter's Paldstina und Syrien ;
Burckhardt's Travels in Syria ; Robinson's Biblical Researches ; Lynch's
Official Report of Expedition to Dead Sea; Stanley's Sinai and Palestine ;
Drew's Scripture Lands ; Wilson's Lands of the Bible ; Porter's Five
Years in Damascus ; Tristram's Land of Israel ; De Vogue's Les Eglises de
la Terre Sainte, and Syrie Oentrale.

2. — Historical Sketch.
If Syria and Palestine are unique in their physical geography, so are
they also in their history. As the depression of the great valley that
intersects the country is without a parallel in the world's geography, so
the events that transpired in this land are without a parallel in the world's
history. Twice have mankind been indebted to it for a pure faith, —
First : When the Law was given at Sinai ; and when prophets were com
missioned to enforce its mandates and explain its rites. Then that law,
holy, perfect, sublime, stood out in noble contrast to the absurdities of
Egyptian and Assyrian idolatry. Secqnd : When the Gospel was given in
Palestine ; and when apostles were instructed by God's Son in its life-
giving doctrines. Then, too, that Gospel, pure, spiritual, practical, stood
out in no less noble contrast to the refined voluptuousness and vain
abstractions of Greek and Roman mythology. The religion which has
civilized Europe, and blessed the world, emanated from Palestine.
Along the shores of Palestine dwelt a nation who were the first mariners.
The Phoenicians sent their ships across the " Great Sea * to Tarshish,
before Rome was founded, or Greece had a history. What England is
now, Phoenicia was three thousand years ago. Homer wrote of the
matchless productions of the artificers of Sidon ; and Ezekiel celebrates
the gems, the robes, and the commercial greatness of Tyre. Cadmus too,
the ancients tell us, was a Phoenician from Tyre or Sidon ; and the romantic
embellishments of his strange story would seem to embody the historic

xvi Historical Sketch. Introd.
fact that he first introduced letters, science, and civilisation into Greece.
Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the world ; and it is a city still. It
is a connecting link between the patriarchal age and modern times.
Pounded by a grandson of Noah, it has existed and flourished for full four
thousand years.
The earliest notices of Syrian history are found in the Bible. The whole
land appears to have been divided, by its first settlement, into two sections.
The first, extending from the plain of Bashan to the heights of Amanus,
was colonized by the family of Aram, the son of Shem, and called by his
name Aram. But as the possessions of this family included also the plains
of Assyria on the E., the western division was named Aram-Dameslc,
" Aram of Damascus." (2 Sam. viii. 6.) In the Old Testament scrip
tures, where the word " Syria " appears, the Hebrew is "Aram." (See
Jud. x. 6 ; 1 Kings x. 29 ; xi. 25, &c.) The name " Syria " is probably
derived from "Tsur" or " Sur" (Tyre). The Greeks became acquainted
with that city at an early period, and gave its name to the country.
The second division of the country, including Gilead, all Palestine W. of
the Jordan, and the mountain range northward to the mouth of the Orontes,
was colonised by the descendants of Canaan. They never appear to have
been united under one chief, or to have acknowledged the pre-eminence of
one royal city ; but were divided into a number of tribes or clans. On the
S. were the Anakim, " a people great and tall " (Deut. ii. 10) ; and pro
bably related to these were the Emim and other gigantic races on the E.
of the Jordan (id.). The Amorites, who came in, or rose to power, at a
later period, conquered and finally exterminated these giants. Besides
these there was a host of petty tribes scattered over the land, from the
Jebusites on the S., to the Hamathites and Arvadites on the N. The
Pfiilistines, also descendants of Ham, migrated from Egypt at a later period,
and settled in the plain along the coast, on the S.W. frontier. They were
enterprising and warlike, equally feared and hated by the Israelites. They
obtained a firm hold of a section of the country, and gave to it a name
which it retains to our day — Palestine.
Of all the ancient inhabitants of this country the Phoenicians — or
Uanaanites, as they are called both in the Bible (Jud. i. 32, 33) and on
their own coins — were the most remarkable alike for their independence,
their power, and their enterprise. The principal part, if not the whole, of
them were descended from Sidon, the oldest son of Canaan ; and the city
of Sidon was the first centre and seat of their power. Prom it colonies went
out to Tyre and other places. The whole coast, from Casius to Carmel,
soon became subject to them ; and from hence they extended their influ
ence and commerce along the shores of the Mediterranean. Carthage, the
rival of Rome, was a Phoenician colony ; and so also was Cadiz, on the
shores of the Atlantic. They had commercial intercourse with every
kingdom of the known world. From every country they imported its
peculiar products to be manufactured, or bartered, in their marts. They
visited Persia and India, Africa and Russia, Italy and Spain ; and a few
hardy adventurers even penetrated to Britain. The Phoenicians and
Damascenes long held between them the northern part of Syria. Phoe
nicia attained its greatest power about b.c. 1050 ; and it enjoyed un
interrupted prosperity for 500 years.
In the 15th century before the Christian era another nation appeared

Iniroci. Historical Sketch.

xvii

upon the stage of Syrian history, and changed the state of affairs in
Palestine. The Israelites, having completed their weary term of wander
ing through the wilderness, descended from the mountains of Moab to
the banks of the Jordan. The fame of their exploits and miraculous
deliverances had long preceded them ; and the Canaanites trembled at
their approach. Gilead and Bashan on the E. were first taken ; then the
waters of the Jordan were opened for them, and they entered Palestine.
A war of extermination was waged, and the Israelites were soon settled in
their new possessions. The " Land of Promise " extended from the Arabian
plain to the " Great Sea," and from the Desert of Sinai to the " entering
in of Hamath " (Num. xxxiv. ; Ez. xlvii.) ; but "the Land of Possession "
was more limited — it was commonly and correctly described as reaching
" from Dan to Beersheba." (Jud. xx. 1.) Both the Philistines and Phoe
nicians remained in possession of their maritime regions.
Prom the time the Israelites entered Palestine till the appointment of
Saul, their first king, their government was a Theocracy. God was their
leader in their war of conquest, when the guilty Canaanites were extermi
nated or expelled. In peace, the Judges were God's representatives ; in
war, they were His lieutenants. Their appointment was generally com
municated to them by a message from heaven ; their great victories were
gained by miraculous or superhuman interposition ; their councils were
directed by visions and revelations from on high. Their enemies felt and
acknowledged this ; and were often compelled to admit that the God of
Israel was greater than all the gods. I refer for illustration and proof to
the histories of Samson, Gideon, Deborah, and Samuel. (Jud. xvi., vii.,
iv. & v. ; 1 Sam. vii.)
But the Israelites demanded a king, and in the year b.c 1095 Saul, a
Benjamite of Gibeah, was elected. After his melancholy death on Gilboa,
David was called to the throne. When he had reigned seven years in
Hebron he captured the stronghold of the Jebusites on Mount Sion, and
thenceforth Jerusalem became the seat of government and the capital of
Palestine (b.c. 1045). His kingdom being firmly established, he turned
his attention to foreign conquests. The Philistines, the hereditary enemies
and oppressors of his people, were subdued. The warlike tribes that dwelt
amid the mountains of Sinai and Edom, and that roamed over the plateaus
of Gilead and Bashan, were made tributary. David's garrisons occupied
the chief towns of Syria ; and every prince, from the borders of Egypt to
the banks of the Euphrates, was forced to acknowledge his rule. The
Phoenicians were the only exception. They excelled in the arts of peace.
Their merchants and mariners brought the riches of the east and west to
their marts, and carried their manufactures to foreign lands. David was
wise as he was powerful. He could gain little by conquering their terri
tory ; but by entering into friendly treaties he could secure the most im
portant advantages to his own nation. He therefore made a treaty with
Hiram King of Tyre; and Hiram's workmen built his palace on Zion.
(2 Sam. v.) Phoenician architects, carpenters, and artists afterwards
erected and adorned the Temple of Solomon. (1 Kings, v. vii.) Tyrian
seamen navigated the fleets of Israel to Spain, Africa, and India. (Id.
ix. 27 ; x. 11.) The power and influence which David had acquired by
arms, Solomon employed for the acquisition of wealth and the advance
ment of commerce. He built fleets at Ezion-geber on the Red Sea, to

xviii Historical Sketch. Introd.
establish communication with the eastern coast of Africa and the southern
shores of India (Id. ix. 26) ; and he founded " Tadmor in the wilderness "
to facilitate the overland traffic with Assyria and Persia. (2 Chron. viii. 4.)
The building of the Temple at Jerusalem made that city the religious
as well as the civil capital of the land ; but unfortunately the vices of
royalty soon divided the kingdom. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon,
retained only two tribes under his sceptre ; while the remaining ten elected
Jeroboam, an Ephraimite, as their ruler. To wean the people's affection
from Jerusalem, and to prevent the probability of reunion on religious
grounds, the latter set up two " calves," one at Dan, the other at Bethel,
as symbols of Jehovah, to which his subjects might resort for worship
(1 Kings xii. 28, 29). These symbols were borrowed, as that in the
wilderness had been, from the mythology of Egypt ; and, in accordance
with a custom of the same country, Rehoboam united the pontificate of
the new establishment with the crown ; thus at once assuming royal and
pii«Sfly power (id. 31-33, and xiii. 1). Jeroboam fixed upon Shechem as
the seat of his government. After the murder of his son, Baasha the third
king intended to remove to Ramah ; but he was compelled to give up this
plan (id. xv. 17-21). Omri, the fifth from Jeroboam, with an ambition
not uncommon in the founder of a new dynasty, built Samaria, which was
thenceforth the capital of the kingdom of Israel (id. xv. 24).
The wars carried on between Israel and Judah need not here be detailed ;
but I shall glance at those with other nations. The great rival of Israel
was Damascus. Mutual interests at first united them ; but jealousies
arose, excited by Judah, which led under Hazael to the almost complete
subjugation of Israel. On the death of Hazael Syria began to decline,
and Israel regained its independence. The same power, however, which
" took away the kingdom from Damascus," proved fatal to Samaria. It
was captured by the Assyrians (b.c. 721), and the people carried captive.
The conqueror introduced colonies from Assyria. The colonists practised
their own idolatries ; and the country being infested with wild beasts,
they thought, according to the prevailing idea of heathen nations, that
their ignorance of the local deity was the cause. An Israelitish priest
was accordingly sent to instruct them in the Jewish faith, which they
appear to have, in a great measure, adopted (2 Kings xvii. 24-33). Such
was the origin of the Samaritans, well known in the New Testament,
from our Lord's interview with the woman at Jacob's well. A few families
of them still exist in Nabulus.
The kingdom of .Judah survived that of Israel 133 years ; and then it,
too, fell before an eastern monarch. Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon
took Jerusalem after an 18 months' siege, sacked and destroyed the city,
and led the people captive to the banks of the Tigris. Zedekiah, the last
of David's line, after losing his eyes at Riblah, was carried in chains to
Babylon (2 Kings xxv.). Thus ended the Israelitish monarchy, after
having existed more than 500 years. The Temple of Solomon fell with
the city, and its sacred vessels were afterwards used in the idolatrous
banquets of the conquerors. In the year b.c 536 Cyrus, having captured
Babylon, restored the Jews to liberty, and in 20 years more the second
Temple was dedicated. Prom this time till Grecian power became para
mount in western Asia, Syria and Palestine were governed by a Persian
satrap resident in Damascus. ¦ The Jewish High-priest was made deputy at

Introd. Historical Sketch. xix
Jerusalem, and thus a large amount of liberty was there enjoyed. Phoe
nicia was the only province that rebelled against the foreign yoke ; but
the Persian power was too great to be resisted by a commercial state.
The satrap laid siege to Sidon ; and the inhabitants, to avoid falling into
his_ hands, burned the city, their treasures, and themselves (b.c 350).
This was enough to cause the other towns to yield. without a struggle.
The battle of Issus (b.c 333) was fatal to the Persian empire, and
brought western Asia under the dominion of a new dynasty and a new
race. Syria, Phoenicia, and Palestine yielded to Alexander the Great, with
the exception of Tyre and Ascalon. The siege of the former city was one
of the most remarkable operations of the Grecian conqueror. Built on an
island 440 fathoms from the main land, encompassed by lofty walls, and
having a fleet to provide supplies for the garrison, it was deemed im
pregnable. But Alexander with the rubbish of the ancient city, which
stood on the shore, constructed a causeway to the island, and in seven
months took the place by storm. Alexander's causeway converted the
island into a peninsula, and thus it still remains. Jerusalem had in the
mean time been summoned to surrender ; but the High-priest replied that
he had sworn fealty to Darius, and could not violate his oath. Alexander,
enraged at the reply, threatened to leave the city in ashes. Accordingly,
after the capture of Tyre he turned to Jerusalem. But when he reached
the mountain brow, commanding the city from the W., he was met by a
solemn and strange procession. The High-priest, arrayed in his gorgeous
pontifical robes, attended by a throng of priests in the habits of their order,
and by a number of the citizens in white, presented themselves to the
astonished monarch. When he saw the High-priest, he advanced, saluted
him, and adored the sacred name inscribed on his mitre. This singular
conduct he thus explained to his followers : " I adore not the man, but
the God with whose priesthood he is honoured. When I was at Dios in
Macedonia, pondering how to subdue Asia, I saw this figure in a dream,
and he encouraged me to advance, and promised that he would give me
the Persian empire. I take this as an omen therefore that I have under
taken the expedition by a divine command, and that I shall completely
overthrow the empire of Persia." The Jews then received many important
immunities. The Samaritans were not so fortunate, for, in consequence of
an act of cruelty, they were expelled from their ancient capital, and forced
to take refuge in Shechem, where they still dwell.
On the death of Alexander his empire was thrown into confusion ; and
his generals, left without a leader, desired, each by himself, to wield the
sceptre of the conqueror. After 20 years of war, order was restored, and
four new kingdoms were established. With two of these only are we con
cerned — that of the Ptolemies in Egypt, to whom Palestine and Coelesyria
were assigned ; and that of the Seleucida?, who obtained Northern Syria.
Seleucus, the first monarch of the latter dynasty, founded the city of
Antioch, which for a few centuries supplanted Damascus as capital of
Syria. The royal line retained their sovereignty for 250 years, and
then fell before the power of Rome. Under the mild and encouraging-
rule of the Ptolemies, the inhabitants of Palestine lived for more than 60
years. Then, however, as wars were waged between the Seleucidse and
the Ptolemies, Palestine became the theatre of every contest, and alter
nately the prey of each dynasty. Near the close of the 3rd century b.c it

xx Historical Sketch. Introd.
was wrested from the feeble hand of the infant King of Egypt by the
Syrian monarch ; and the change was fatal to the peace, and almost to the
existence, of the Jewish nation. In the year B.C. 170 Aniiochus Epiphanes
plundered Jerusalem, and defiled the Temple. Two years afterwards,
when the Jews had been driven to rebellion by cruelty and murder, he
sent his general Apollonius to complete the work of destruction. He
arrived at the Holy City ; but his fearful errand was not suspected. He
remained quiet until the Sabbath, on which day it was known the Jews
would not fight even in self-defence. The soldiers were then let loose,
and scoured the streets, slaughtering all they met. The women and
children were spared, — to be sold into slavery. Every street of the city,
every court of the Temple, flowed with blood. The houses were pillaged,
and the city walls laid prostrate. Having strengthened the fortifications
of the citadel on Zion, Apollonius placed his garrison there to hold the
Temple under command. Neither priest nor layman was permitted to
approach the sacred precincts. Then, for a time, " the sacrifice and obla
tion ceased," and Jerusalem was left desolate. A decree being shortly
afterwards promulgated that all under the sway of Antiochus should
conform to Greek idolatry, the Temple was dedicated to Jupiter Olympus,
and the altar of God polluted by sacrifices offered to an idol.
But the savage cruelty and mad policy of the Syrian monarch at last
roused the Jews to revenge. The priestly family of the Asmoneans headed
a noble band, who resolved to drive from their country the murderers of
their kindred and the blasphemers of their God, or die in the attempt.
Per 26 years the contest continued ; and within that period Judas Mac
cabeus and his brothers succeeded in establishing the independence of their
country, and the supreme authority of their house, after destroying more
than 200,000 of the best troops of Syria. Accordingly with the year b.c
143 the Jews commenced a new era, which is used by Josephus, and in the
first Book of Maccabees. This independence, however, must be considered
more as the enjoyment of their own faith and laws under a native chief,
than as perfect freedom from foreign control. It was not so much for
absolute independence as for liberty of conscience the Jews fought. The
disturbed state of the Syrian empire contributed much to the tranquillity
of Judasa, and enabled its warlike princes to extend their territory. At
the conclusion of the reign of Alexander Jannteus the kingdom of Judsea
included the whole of Idumsea, Gadara, Gaulanitis, and a part of Itimea;
while on the N. it extended to Carmel, Tabor, and Scythopolis. In this
state the Jews remained until the conquest of the country by the Romans,
when they were forced to pay a heavy tribute, still, however, retaining their
own rulers. In the year b.c 34 the last prince of the Asnionean line was
murdered by the Roman prefect of Syria, and Herod the Great made king of
the Jews. In a.d. 6 Judaja was placed under the government of a Roman pro
curator ; but the Herodian family continued to exercise royal authority over
a part of Central Syria until the time of Agrippa, the last of the line, when
the Jews revolted against Rome, and brought upon themselves that war
which ended in the capture of their city, the destruction of their Temple,
and the slaughter of more than a million of their race. Judaea was now
attached to the province of Syria ; and soon afterwards Syria and Palestine
were placed under the direct dominion of a Roman prefect, Antioch being
the seat of government.

Introd. Historical Sketch.

xxi

In this state the country continued under the Roman and Byzantine
empire until its conquest by the Mohammedans in a.d. 634. The only
circumstances worthy of notice, in a sketch like the present, which is chiefly
intended to illustrate the historical geography, are the establishment of
Christianity under the first Constantine ; and the temporary conquest of
the country by the Persians, under Chosroes II., in the beginning of the
7th century. Christianity had spread widely over the land before its esta
blishment as the religion of the empire ; and the extent, wealth, and archi
tectural taste of the Christians subsequent to that period may still, to some
extent, be seen in the splendid ruins of the sacred edifices in the cities,
towns, and villages of Syria.
The Arabs, under the generals Khaled and Abu Obeidah, invaded Syria
in 633 ; and five years afterwards the whole country was conquered, and
every city in it garrisoned by their troops. In 16 years more Damascus
was made capital of the Mohammedan empire, which then extended from
the shores of the Atlantic to the confines of India. Syria was densely
populated. Antioch, Damascus, Palmyra, Heliopolis, Apamea, Gerasa,
Bostra, Ascalon, and Caasarea, were almost unequalled, as provincial
cities, in the Roman empire ; but under the withering influence of Islam
their grandeur faded, and their wealth was eaten up. Of these, five are
now deserted; two are mere villages ; Antioch, the capital, is little more;
and Damascus alone remains prosperous.
In the year 750 the dynasty of the Abassides was established, and the
Khalifite removed first to Cufa and then to Baghdad. Henceforth Syria
became a mere province of the Mohammedan empire. It remained subject
to the Khalifs of Bagdad till the middle of the 10th century, when it was
taken by the new dynasty of the Patimites in, Egypt. Towards the close
of the following century Syria was invaded by the Seljukian Turks, and
converted into a division of their empire. The cruelties perpetrated by these
fanatics on Christian pilgrims roused the spirit of western Europe, and
excited Christian nations to the first " Crusade." In a short time the barons
of Prance and England, headed by Godfrey, were seen winding through
the valleys and traversing the plains of Syria. The fierce warriors of
the Crescent could not withstand the steady valour of the "red-cross
Knights." Jerusalem was taken by storm ; and the cruelties the Moham
medans had perpetrated on the Christians were avenged (a.d. 1099).
Godfrey was elected first Christian King of Jerusalem. Bohemond
reigned at Antioch ; Baldwin, Godfrey's brother, at Edessa ; and the Count
of Toulouse at Tripoli. Thus was the country parcelled out into Christian
principalities ; and ruled by the bravest knights of western Europe._ Da
mascus, however, withstood every assault of the Crusaders ; and it is still
the boast of the Muslem, that its sacred precincts have never been polluted
by the feet of an infidel ruler since the day the soldiers of Mohammed first
entered it.
This is not the place for a history of the Crusades, nor even for a sketch
of the changing fortunes of the cities and provinces the Pranks held in
Syria. I shall only add that they sustained a severe check from Nur
ed-Din. But his successor Saladin was the most formidable opponent the
Crusaders ever encountered. After gaining a decisive victory over the
Christian army at Hattln, he captured Jerusalem (1187), and drove the

xxii Historical Sketch. Introd.
Pranks out of almost every town and fortress of Palestine. Jerusalem
was not regained for more than 40 years ; and even then it was only acquired
by treaty. Soon afterwards Syria was invaded by the shepherd-soldiers
of Tartary under Holagou the grandson of Gengis Khan, and the whole
Christian population of Jerusalem massacred. But after the death of this
chief, Bibars, better known in Arabian history as Melek ed-Dhaher, brought
Syria under the sceptre of Egypt, and drove the Tartars beyond the Eu
phrates. His victories were fatal to the declining power of the Crusaders.
Almost all their strongholds in Palestine were captured, and Antioch itself
soon yielded to his arms. The remaining history of the Crusades is one
continued tale of misfortunes. At last in -1291 Acre was taken by the
Mamluke Sultan of Egypt ; and thus terminated the dominion of the Cru
saders in Syria.
Por more than two centuries after this, period Syria was the theatre of
fierce contests, carried on between the shepherd hordes of Tartary and their
brethren the Tartar-Slave sovereigns of Egypt. The most fearful ravages,
however, were committed by Timur (Tamerlane), who invaded the country
in the year 1401. Antioch, Emesa, Ba'albek, and Damascus, were reduced
to ashes ; and their unfortunate inhabitants either murdered or sold into
slavery. In 1517 Syria and Palestine were conquered by Sultan Selim I. : and
from that time until our own day they have formed part of the Ottoman
Empire. During this period, though the country has been visited by few
striking vicissitudes, it has steadily declined in power, wealth, and popu
lation. The greater part of its people, oppressed by foreign rulers, who
take no interest in commerce or agriculture, have sunk into the condition of
helpless and hopeless slavery. What little energy and spirit remain are
exhausted in party feuds. In 1832 Ibrahim Pasha conquered Syria for his
father Mohammed Aly. The iron rule of that wonderful man did much
to break down the fanaticism which had for ages been a curse to the people.
In 1841, through the armed intervention of England, Syria was restored
to the Porte.
Por the history of Syria and Palestine the following authors may be con
sulted : — The Bible. Josephus. The new translation of Josephus' Wars
of the Jews, by Traill, is a great improvement on Whiston ; the topogra
phical notes are valuable ; and the illustrations by Tipping are as accurate
as they are beautiful. Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History. Jahn's Hebrew
Commonwealth. The history of Syria under the Romans is embraced in that of Rome
itself. Gibbon's Roman Empire, especially the last edition edited by Dr.
Wm. Smith, is particularly valuable on Syria. The best Arab historian is
Abulfeda; but his Annates Moslemici are brief and dry. De Guignes's
Histoire des Huns is invaluable for its full account of the Tartan hordes.
Much may also be learned regarding individuals from the Bibliotheque
Orientate of d'Herbelot. Almost everything about the Crusades may be
gathered from the Gesta Dei per Francos. The best modem history of the
Crusades is Wilken's Geschichte der Kreuzziige.

Introd.

Chronological Table.

3. — Chronological Table.

Events.

Aram's family colonize Syria, or Aramea, and found Damascus — Canaan's
family colonize Palestine, and found Sidon.
Abraham enters Canaan.
Sodom and the cities of the plain plundered by Chedorlaomev. Abraham
rescues Lot at Dan.
The cities of the plain destroyed.
Isaac born. A few years later Ishmael is driven out from Abraham's tent,
and .dwells in the desert of Paran.
Esau and Jacob born.' — Gen. xxv.
Jacob obtains his brother's birthright.
Jacob returns to Canaan.
Joseph sold to the Ishmaelites and taken to Egypt.
Jacob and his family remove from Beersheba to Egypt.
Jacob dies in Egypt, and is buried in Hebron.
Joseph dies in Egypt.
Moses born.
Moses' interview with Jehovah at the burning bush on Sinai. The Exodus.
Aaron dies on Mount Hor. Miriam dies.
Moses dies on Pisgah.
The Israelites, under Joshua, cross the Jordan, and encamp at Gilgal.
The allied kings, under Jabin King of Hazor, conquered at the " Waters of
Merom."
The land divided by lot at Shiloh, and the Tabernacle set up.
Joshua dies. He is buried at Timnath-Serah, in Mount Ephraim.
The sin of the people of Gibeah, and the destruction of the Benjamites.
Othniel, the first Judge, rules israel 40 years.
Barak, the fourth Judge, conquers Sisera.
Gideon, the fifth Judge, conquers the Midianites.
Jephthah, the eighth Judge, conquers the Ammonites.
Samson, the twelfth Judge, perishes with the Philistine nobles at Gaza.
Soon afterwards the Ark is captured by the Philistines, and carried to
Ashdod.
Saul anointed king by Samuel at Eamah.
Saul and Jonathan slain on Mount Gilboa. David made king of Judah at
Hebron.
David made king over all Israel at Hebron.
David captures Jerusalem, and makes it his capital.
David conquers Aramea (Syria), and puts garrisons in Damascus.
David dies, and Solomon succeeds him.
The Temple founded. It was completed in seven years. Hiram was then
king of Phoenicia.
Solomon dies. The kingdom divided. i

Chronological Table.

Introd.

Kings oe
Judah.

Kings of
Israel.

Events.

Rehoboam .
Abijah

Jehoshaphat

Jehoram. Ahaziah

884 Athaliah

Joash

Amaziah

JeroboamNadab.

Elah.
Zimri Omri Ahab.

AhaziahJehoram.

Jehu

Jehoahaz.

Jehoash.Jeroboam II.

Uzziah.

Zech'ariah.
Shallum . .
MenahemPekahiah.Pekah

Jotham.

Hezekiah.

Hoshea.

Shechem made capital of Israel.

Asa engages Benhadad king of Damascus to
attack the Israelites. The cities of Dan,
Ijon, Abel, &c, captured.
The palace of Tirzah destroyed.
Omri founds Samaria, and makes it his capital.
Elijah fed by ravens at the brook Cherith.
His sacrifice on Carmel, and slaughter of
false prophets.
Benhadad king of Damascus defeated by the
Israelites at Samaria. — 1 Kings xx.
Ahab slain in battle at Eamoth-Gilead.—
1 Kings xxii.

The last of the dynasty of Hadad murdered
by Hazael, who usurped the throne of
Damascus. Elisha's miracles.
Jehu kills Ahaziah and Jehoram at Jezreel.
Jezebel also slain in the streets of Jezreel.
Athaliah murders the royal house of Judah.

Hazael dies, and leaves the kingdom of Da
mascus to his son Hadad.
Death of Elisha.
Jeroboam captures Damascus.
Jeroboam dies. Interregnum of 1 1 yeai s.
The Assyrians, under Pul, invade northern
Palestine, and take Damascus.
Tiglath - pileser invades northern Palestine,
and carries part of the people captive to
Assyria.
The kings of Israel and Damascus besiege
Jerusalem. Ahaz obtains aid from the
Assyrians, whose king, Tiglath - pileser,
captures Damascus. The kingdom of Syria
thus terminates.

Introd.

Chronological Table.

B.C.

Kings of
Judah.

Events.

721

Manasseh.

Amon. Josiah.
Jehoahaz .
Jehoiakim.

The kingdom of Israel overthrown by Shalmaneser, king of
Assyria.
The army of Sennacherib destroyed near Lachish, on the
plain of Philistia. — 2 Kings xviii.
Eserhaddon invades Judah, and carries Manasseh captive to
Babylon. He was again restored.

Jehoiachin. Zedekiah .

Josiah slain in battle with Pharaoh-Necho king of Egypt.
Nebuchadnezzar takes Jerusalem. From this time dates the
70 years' captivity.
Jehoiachin carried to Babylon, and Zedekiah made king.
Zedekiah rebels. Nebuchadnezzar, after a two years' siege,
burns Jerusalem, destroys the Temple, and carries the
remaining Jews captive.
Gedaliah murdered by Ishmael.
Tyre taken after a siege of thirteen years by Nebuchadnezzar.
Cyrus conquers Syria and Palestine.
The exiled Jews permitted by Cyrus to return to their country.
The second Temple commenced. The Samaritans interfere, and the work-
suspended.
The Temple dedicated.
Commission of Ezra.
Nehemiah appointed viceroy, Builds walls of Jerusalem.
The Samaritans erect a temple on Gerizim.
Sidon destroyed by Ochus king of Persia.
Battle of Issus. Syria conquered by Alexander the Great.
Alexander captures and destroys Tyre. He enters Jerusalem.
Alexander dies at Babylon.
The Era of the Seleucidce commences.

Kings of Stria
SELEUCIDiE.

Seleucus Nicator.

Antiochus Soter.
A. Theos.

S. Callinicus.
S. Ceraunus.
A. the Great.

Kings of Egypt
Ptolemies.

P. Soter.

P. Philadelphus.

P. Euergetes.

Syria and Palestine divided between
the Seleucida; and Ptolemies. An
tioch founded.

[Syria and Palestine.']

XXVI

Chronological Table.

Introd.

B C

Kings of Stria :

Kings of Egypt:

Events.

Seleuchle.

Ptolemies.

221

P. Philopator.

204
P. Epiphanes.
Palestine conquered by Antiochns with
203
Phoenicia and Coelesyria.
186
S. Philopator.
180
P. Philometor.
175
A, Epiphanes.
170
A. Epiphanes plunders the Temple.
167
The Syrian army commit great cruelties
in Jerusalem ; abolish the worship of
God ; and erect a statue to Jupiter. The
Jews revolt under Mattathias.
Jewish Princes.
166
Judas Maccabseus
This dynasty begins
with Judas, son of
Mattathias.
164
A. Eupator.
162
Demetrius Soter.
160
Jonathan.
150
Alex. Bala.
145
Dem. Nicator ..
P. Physcon.
143
Simon.
137
A. Sidetes.
135
John Hyrcanus.
130
The Jews now become
independent.
125
Zebina.
123
A. Grypus.
116
P. Soter II.
Kings of Damascus.
114
The kingdom of Syria
divided: Ant. Cyzi-
cenus becomes 1st
king of Damascus.
106
Aristobulus.
1 05
Alex. Jannseus.
96
Seleucus.
93
Antiochus Eusebes.
92
Philip.
91
Dem. Eucserus.
87
Ant. Dionysus.
85
Aretas king of Arabia
takes the crown of
Damascus.
83
Tigranes.
80
Alexander.
78
Alexandra.
Introd.

Chronological Table.

Kings of Stria
SELETJCLDyE.

Kings of Egypt:
Ptolemies.

Jewish Princes.

Events.

Kingdom of Seleu
cidse overthrown

P. Auletes.

Aristobulus.
Hyrcanus . .

Cleopatra.

Damascus captured by
Pompey.
Pompey enters Jerusa
lem, imprisons Aris
tobulus, and makes
Hyrcanus ruler.
Scaurus, the first
Roman Prefect of
Syria.

Antiaronus

Herod

The Parthians conquer
Syria and Palestine,
depose Hyrcan us, and
make Antigonus
Prince.
Herod takes Jerusalem,
and is made king by
the Romans.
Cleopatra, the last of the line of the
Ptolemies, commits suicide.
Herod rebuilds Samaria, and calls it Sebaste.
The provinces of Trachon, Auranitis, and Batanaa given to Herod. Cffisarea.
Philippi founded.
Deposition and death of Zenodorus. His territory given to Herod.
Temple rebuilt by Herod.
Death of Herod. There is an error of four years in the common era.
Archelaus, Herod's successor, is deposed, and Jerusalem placed under a Roman
procurator.
Pontius Pilate appointed Procurator of Judaea.
The Crucifixion.
Aretas king of Arabia captures Damascus. Paul's flight from the city took
place about two years afterwards.
Jerusalem destroyed by Vespasian.
Bostra made capital of the country east of the Jordan. The Bostrian Era
begins.
Zenobia queen of Palmyra.
Palmyra captured by Auvelian.
The Persians, under Chosroes II., invade Syria.
The Mohammedan Era called El-Hijrah begins July 16th.
Damascus taken by the Saracens.
Jerusalem taken.
- Antioch taken.
Moawyeh I. assumes the Khab'fite, and establishes the seat of his govern
ment at Damascus.

xxvm

Chronological Table.

Introd.

Khalifs of Damascus.

Moawyeh I.
Tezid I.
Moawyeh II.
Mirwan I.
Abdelmelek.

A.D. 705715717 720724

Walld I,.
Suliman. Omar.
Yezid II.
Hashem.

A.D. 743744745

Walld II.
Yezid III.
Ibrahim.Mirwan II.

The dynasty of the Omeyades overthrown, and the Khalifite removed from
Damascus.
Syria and Palestine brought ¦ under the dominion of the Fatimite Khalifs of
Egypt.
Syria captured by Atsis, general of Melek-Shah.
Antioch captured by Crusaders.
Jerusalem taken by storm. Godfrey elected King.

Frank Kings of Jerusalem.

Godfrey.
Baldwin I.
Baldwin de Burg II.
Frdke.
Balowin III.
Almeric.

Baldwin IV. . .
Baldwin V.
Guy de Lusignan.
Isabel Mary Violante

Death of Nur ed-Diu. Saladin succeeds him in the
government of Damascus.
This king a leper.

Saladin conquers the crusaders at Hattin, and takes
Jerusalem.
Married to — 1. Conrad; 2. Henry Count of
Champagne ; 3. Almeric of Lusignan.
Richard Oceur de Lion arrives in Palestine.
Saladin dies.
Married to John of Brienne.
Married to the Emperor Frederic.

Jerusalem restored to Christians by treaty.
Alice, daughter of Violante, claims the crown.
The Tartars plunder Jerusalem.
Henry, son of Alice, claims the crown.
Hugh also claims it.
Acre, the last possession of the Crusaders, lost.
Syria conquered by Timur. Damascus plundered and burned.
Syria and Palestine conquered by Selim, Sultan of Constantinople.
Syria and Palestine conquered by Ibrahim Pasha.
Syria and Palestine restored to the Sultan.

Introd. Inhabitants. xxix

4. — Inhabitants of Stria and Palestine.
The inhabitants of Syria and Palestine form a very interesting study.
Their dress, their manners and customs, and their language, are all primi
tive. No European natiou, with the exception perhaps of the Spaniards,
bears the least resemblance to them. Like Spain, too, the best specimens
of humanity are found among the lower classes. The farther we go from
government offices, the more successful shall we be in our search after
honesty, industry, and patriarchal hospitality. The Arabs are illiterate,
and ignorant of all Frank inventions; but there is a native dignity in
their address and deportment, which will both please and astonish those
who have seen the awkward vulgarity of the lower classes in some more
favoured lands.- Whether we enter the tent of the Bedawy or the cottage
of the fellah, we are received and welcomed with an ease and courtesy
that would not disgrace a palace. The modes of salutation are formal —
perhaps some would call them verbose and tedious. One is apt to imagine,
on hearing the long series of inquiries after the health, bappiness,'~and
prosperity of the visitor who drops in, and the evasive replies given, that
there is some hidden grief which politeness would fain conceal, but which
the heartfelt sympathy of the host constrains him to search into. It is
disappointing to discover, as every one will in time discover, that this is
all form. Still there is something pleasing in these inquiries, compliments,
and good wishes, empty though they be. The gestures used in salutation
are also graceful, if a little complicated. The touching of the heart, the
lips, and the forehead with the right hand, seems to say that each one thus
saluted is cherished in the heart, praised with the lips, and esteemed with
the intellect. When peculiar deference and respect are intended to be
shown, the right hand is first lowered almost to the ground, as a proof
that the individual would honour your very feet, or the soil you tread. A
still greater deference is implied in kissing the hand ; and the greatest of
all is kissing the feet! Another remark may be made on a curious custom
which universally prevails in Syria. An Arab when eating, whether in
the house or by the wayside, however poor and scanty his fare, never
neglects to invite the visitor, or passing wayfarer, to join him. And this is
not always an empty compliment ; indeed there are few Arabs who will
. not feel honoured by the traveller's tasting their humble fare. The invita
tion, however, is generally declined by a courteous phrase. In passing
his house, too, in company with a stranger, the Arab will always invite
him in.
In making purchases from an Arab, his politeness is embarrassing. When
the price is asked, he replies, " Whatever you please, my lord." When pressed
for a more definite answer, he says, " Take it without money." One cannot
but remember, under such circumstances, Abraham's treaty with the sons
of Heth for the Cave of Machpelah (Gen. xxiii.). Our feelings of romance,
however, are somewhat damped when we find that the price ultimately
demanded is four or five times the value of the article. An Arab always
tells you that his house is yours, his property is yours, he himself is your
slave; that he loves you with all his heart, would defend you with his life,
&c. &c. This all sounds very pretty, but it will be just as well not to

xxx Inhabitants. Introd.
rely too much on it. Nothing, however, is lost by politeness ; and so one
may seem to believe all that is said. The Arabs are most profuse in the
use of titles.' Every beggar will address his fellow with " 0 my lord,"
or " Your excellency," while the traveller is generally, " Your highness."
It has been sometimes the practice of travellers to rule their Arab servants
and muleteers by bullying and browbeating ; but this is a great mistake.
Insolent dragomans generally resort to such practices to sustain their tem
porary tyranny. I need not say that such conduct is beneath the dignity
of an English gentleman. Unvarying courtesy, accompanied with as unva
rying firmness, will gain the desired object far more effectually. This is
especially the case with the Bedawin, who can often be persuaded by a kind
word when they could not be driven by a rod of iron. At the same time,
any approach to undue familiarity should be immediately checked ; the
permission of such familiarity will be attributed by the Arab to weakness
of character, perhaps in some cases to fear, of which he will not be slow
to take advantage. To know one's place and keep it, and to know one's
rights and insist on obtaining them, are all-important qualifications in
Syria as elsewhere.
The modem inhabitants of Syria and Palestine are a mixed race, made
np of the descendants of the ancient Syrians who occupied the country in
the early days of Christianity, and of the Arabians who came in with the
armies of the khalifs and settled in the cities and villages. The number
of the latter being comparatively small, the mixture of blood did not
visibly change the type of the ancient people. This may be seen by a
comparison of the Christians with the Mohammedans — the former are
undoubtedly of pure Syrian descent, while the latter are more or less
mixed ; and yet there is no visible distinction between the two classes,
except what dress makes. Every one, however, can distinguish the Jew,
the Turk, or the Armenian, each of whom is of a different race.
The inhabitants may be best considered as " Religious Sects." It is
religion which has made most of the real distinctions that are found to
exist among them, though difference of climate and mode of life have
also had their effect on dress and minor matters. The mountaineer, for
example, has his bag-trousers, his stiff embroidered jacket, and his trim
turban ; while the Bedawy of the desert is sans-culottes, and his raiment
consists of a loose calico shirt, over which is occasionally thrown the abba,
and on his head is the kuftyeh bound with a twisted fillet of camel's hair.
The city gentleman struts about in his flowing robes, yellow slippers, red-
over-shoes, and turban of spotless white or embroidered Indian muslin ;
while the fellah of the Anti-Lebanon hills 'or Damascus plain looks more
active in his gay-coloured spencer and short Turkish trousers. The
inhabitants of some of the villages of Palestine, and of the plains of
Hamah, seem to carry most of their wardrobe on their heads, for the
enormous turban is out of all proportion to the scanty shreds that cling
round the body.
The religious sects are as follows : —
1. Mohammedans. — These are and have been for centuries the " lords
of the soil," and they constitute the great majority of the commu
nity. They are proud, fanatical, and illiterate. They are taught by the
faith they hold to look with contempt on all other classes, and to treat

Introd. Inhabitants. xxxi
them not merely as inferiors but as slaves. They are generally noble in
bearing, polite in address, and profuse in hospitality ; but they are regard
less of truth, dishonest in their dealings, and. immoral in their conduct.
In large towns the greater proportion of the upper classes are both physi
cally and mentally feeble, owing to the effects of polygamy, early marriages,
and degrading vices ; but the peasantry are robust and vigorous, and
much might be hoped for from them if they were brought under the
influence of liberal institutions, and if they had examples around them- of
the industry and the enterprise of Western Europe. Experience, indeed,
has already shown that they are not slow to adopt the improvements of
other lands.
In religion the Mohammedans of Syria are Sonnites, or Traditionists —
that is, in addition to the written word of the Koran they recognise the
authority of the Sonna, a collection of traditional sayings of the " Prophet,"
which is a kind of supplement to the Koran, directing the right observance
of many things omitted in that book. They are in general exact in the
observance of the outward rites of their religion. Their fast of Ramadan
is kept with scrupulous care ; but it must be admitted that long abstinence
has not the effect of sweetening their temper or improving their morals.
The Mohammedan is proud of his faith, and resents every insult offered
to it.
Besides the Sonnites or orthodox Mohammedans, there are several other
sects, which we must class under the common name Mohammedan.
The Metdwileh (sing. Mutawdly) are the followers of Aly, the son-in-
law of Mohammed. His predecessors, Abu Bekr, 'Omar, and Othman,
they do not acknowledge as true khalifs. Aly they maintain to be the
lawful Imam ; and they hold that the supreme authority, both in things
spiritual and temporal, belongs of right to his descendants alone. They
reject the Sonna, and are therefore regarded as heretics by the Orthodox.
They are allied in faith to the Shiites of Persia. They are almost as
scrupulous in their ceremonial observances as the Hindoos. The traveller
will do well to bear this in mind as he passes through their territories,
both that he may not give offence by undue familiarity, and that he may
not take offence should he find himself treated as an unclean animal.
They will neither eat nor drink with those of another faith, nor will they
even use the ordinary drinking-vessels or cooking-utensils of others. I
• have seen them break a vessel which a traveller had unwittingly put to
his lips.
The districts in which they chiefly reside are Ba'albek, where their chiefs
are the noted family of Harfush, for many years the pests of the country ;
Belad Besharah, on the southern part of the Lebanon range ; and a district
on the west bank of the Orontes, around the village of Hurmtil. They
also occupy several scattered villages in Lebanon.
The Nusairiyeh or Ansairiyeh— -It is not easy to tell whether these
people are Mohammedans or not. Their religion still remains a secret,
notwithstanding all attempts lately made to dive into their mysteries.
They are represented by Asseman as holding a faith half Christian and
half Mohammedan. They believe in the transmigration of souls; and
observe in a singular, perhaps idolatrous manner, a few of the ceremonies
common in the Eastern Church. The fullest account of them and their
religion will be found in the work of the late Rev. S. Lyde, ' The Asian

XXXII

Inhabitants. Introd.

Mystery.' They inhabit a range of mountains extending from the great
valley N. of Lebanon to the gorge of the Orontes at Antioch.
The Ismailiyeh, who inhabit a few villages on the eastern slopes of the
Ansairiyeh mountains, resemble the former in this, that their religion is a
mystery. They were originally a religious-political subdivision of the
Shiites, and are the feeble remnant of a people too well known in the time
of the Crusades under the name of Assassins. They have still their chief
seat in the Castle of Masyad, on the mountains W. of Hamah.
2. Druzes. (The generic name in Arabic is ed-Deruz — sing. Durzy). —
This remarkable sect calls for a more minute notice than the others, for
two reasons : — First, because their religious tenets have excited a good deal
of interest in Europe ; and second, because they are generally regarded as
allies of England, and English travellers are likely to hear and see much
of them.
The peculiar doctrines of the Druzes were first propagated in Egypt by
the notorious Hakim, third of the Fatimite dynasty. This khalif, who
gave himself out for a prophet, though he acted more like a madman,
taught a system of half-materialism, asserting that the Deity resided in
Aly. In the year a.d. 1017 a Persian of the sect of Batenis, called. Mo
hammed Ben-Ismail ed-Derazy, settled in Egypt, and became a devoted
follower and stimulator of Hakim. He not only affected to believe in and
propagate the absurd pretensions of the new Egyptian prophet, but he
added to his doctrines that of the transmigration of souls, which he had
brought with him from his native country ; and he carried his fanaticism to
such an extent that the people at last drove him out of Egypt. He took
refuge in Wady et-Teim, at the western base of Hermon ; and, being
secretly supplied with money, by the Egyptian monarch, propagated his
dogmas, and became the founder of the Druzes. His system was enlarged,
and in some degree modified, by other disciples of Hakim, especially by
the Persian Hamza, whom the Druzes still venerate as the founder of their
sect and the author of their law. Plamza tried to gain over the Christians
by representing Hakim as the Messiah whose advent they expected. Such
was the origin of the Druze religion.
The tenets, and especially the mode of worship, of the Druzes are kept
strictly secret. All their books have now found their way to Europe.
Their Confession of Faith, so far as it can be understood from their obscure
and mystical writings, consists of the following propositions : —
(1.) The Unity of God, and his manifestation of .Himself to men in the
persons of several individuals, the last of whom was Hakim.
(2.) Five superior spiritual ministers always existing. These have also
appeared in the persons of men at various periods. The chief of them were
Hamza and Christ.
(3.) The transmigration of souls. The souls of men never pass into
animals. (4.) The belief in a period when their religion shall be triumphant —
Hakim shall reign, and all others be subject to him for ever.
(5.) The seven points of Islam are set aside, and the following substi
tuted : — 1. Veracity (to each other). 2. Mutual protection and aid. 3.
Renunciation of all other religions (implying persecution of others). 4.
Profession of the unity of Hakim (as God). 5. Contentment with his

-Introd. Inhabitants.

xxxin

works. 6. Submission to his will. 7. Separation from those in error and
from demons.
([ The Druzes are divided into two classes, the "initiated" ('Okkal), and
'ignorant" (Juhhdl). In this respect they bear a closer resemblance to
the ancient idolaters of Egypt, Syria, and Persia, than any other sect now-
existing. With the 'Okkdl the rights and ceremonies remain secret. The
holy books are never exhibited but among them. They have some cere
monies, or are supposed to have some, which are less pure and spiritual
than^ those set forth in their creed. They assemble in their chapels
{Ehulweh) every Thursday evening, refusing admission to all others.
What they do then and there is unknown. A figure of a calf, made of brass
or other metal, has been found in their places of worship, and is supposed
by some to be an idol ; but others affirm that it is only used as a represen
tation of systems of worship which they despise, and which, as thus
symbolized, they hold up to ridicule. There can be no question that their
books, so far as known, do not seem to favour idolatry. Their places of
worship are usually in remote but conspicuous spots — most of them on
the summits of hills. Absolute privacy is the object.
The 'Okkdl are very strict in their mode of life, abstaining from wine
and tobacco, and from all money and goods obtained fraudulently.
There can be little doubt that the Druzes are more a political than a
religious body. Their secret meetings are more for collecting and commu
nicating information than for any acts of worship. Their 'Okkdls are the
chief advisers in peace and war. The whole country in which they reside
is divided into districts ; each district has its council of 'Okkals assembling
weekly; a delegate from each council appears at each meeting of the
councils of the bordering districts to hear and to communicate everything
that has occurred affecting the Druze interests. The rapidity and accuracy
with which news is propagated throughout the body is astonishing, and is
of vast importance in time of war. Their religion is, outwardly at least,
very accommodating. They are ready, in the widest sense, to become
" all things to all men," that their own ends may be served. With the
Mohammedans they are Mohammedans, that they may reap the benefit of
their alliance : and with the Christian officers of England they were
willing not many years ago to become Christians, that they might secure
the protection of our country. They unquestionably constitute one of the
strongest and most united parties in Syria. They are not so numerous,
but they are far more warlike than the Maronites. They are industrious
and hospitable when at peace ; but in war they are noted for their daring
ferocity, and, when prompted by a spirit of revenge, they will not rest till
they have shed the blood of their enemy. They occupy the southern
section of the chain of Lebanon ; their strongholds being around Jezzin
and Mukhtarah, and in the valley of Baruk. They also abound in the
villages on the eastern and western declivities of Hermon, and in Jebel
Hauran. There are a few in Damascus and in one or two villages around
it. Their numbers may be estimated at about 78,000.
3. The Christians are divided into several sects.
The Greeks are so called because they profess the Greek faith, and
belong to the Greek or Oriental Church. They are Syrians by birth and
descent ; and there is not a trace either in their spoken language, or in
6 3

xxxiv Inhabitants. Introd.
the language of their public services, of any national affinity with the
people of Greece. The total number of those who belong to the Greek
Church in Syria and Palestine has been estimated at 115,000.
The doctrines and ritual of the Greek Church in Syria are the same as
in other countries. The principal points on which they differ from the
Romish Church are : — 1. The calendar. 2. The procession of the Holy
Spirit. 3. The exclusion of images from sacred buildings (pictures are
freely admitted, if not too like life). 4. The rejection of purgatory. 5.
Communion in both kinds. And 6. The marriage of the secular clergy. In
almost all other respects, their doctrines and ritual are like those of Rome.
The Greek Church in Syria is divided into the two Patriarchites of
Antioch and Jerusalem. They are nominally independent, but virtually.
under the control of the Primate of Constantinople. The jurisdiction of
the Patriarch of Antioch, who now resides at Beyrout, extends from Asia
Minor to Tyre ; and includes (in Syria) the eight bishoprics of Beyrout,
Tripoli, Akkar, Laodicea, Hamah, Hums, Saidnaya, and Tyre. The
Patriarchite of Jerusalem includes the whole of Palestine, and the country
east of the Jordan ; and has under it the following bishoprics : — Nazareth,
'Akka, Lydda, Gaza, Sebaste, Nabulus, Philadelphia, and Petra. Among
these the bishop of 'Akka is the only prelate who resides in his diocese ;
all the others are in the convent at Jerusalem.
The Syrians or Jacobites, originally separated from the Eastern Church
on account of Monophysite heresy. The Syriac language, though not now
understood by the people, is used in the Church services. Their acknow
ledged head is the patriarch, who resides in Mesopotamia. Their numbers
in Syria are very small. The village of Sudiid, three days' journey N.E.
of Damascus, may be regarded as their head-quarters. From this place
they have sent out little colonies to Hums, and to several villages in the
surrounding country. There are also a few families in Damascus, Nebk,
Kuryetein, Hamah, and Aleppo. They are looked upon by all the other
sects as heretics, and because they are few and poor they are generally
despised ; but they are a brave and industrious community.
The Maronites. — This sect originated during the Monothelitic contro
versies of the 7th century. A monk, called John Maron, who died in 701
was their apostle, and they consequently received his name. In the year
1180 they renounced their Monothelitism, and submitted to the authority
of the Pope, since which time they have been characterised by an almost
unparalleled devotedness to the see of Rome. In order to increase the
influence of Rome amongst them, a college was founded in that city by
Gregory XIII., for the education of a select number of their youth, who
should afterwards return to their native land to occupy important stations
in their church. The two celebrated Oriental scholars and authors, J. S.
and J. A. Assemanus, were Maronites, trained in the Maronite College
at Rome.
It is somewhat remarkable, however, that a church so devoted to the
interest of the Papacy should differ in some important points from the
Latin ritual. The ecclesiastical language of the Maronites is Syriac ¦
the name of their patron saint, Maron, is not found in the Roman calendar •
they have their own distinct Church establishment; and every candidate
for the priesthood, who is not already under the vow of celibacy, is per
mitted to marry before ordination.

Introd. Inhabitants. xxxv
The Maronites are found in small communities in all the large towns
from Aleppo to Nazareth ; but they are at home in Lebanon. This moun
tain range they inhabit more or less throughout its whole extent, but their
stronghold is the district of Kesrawan. The Druzes are their hereditary
foes, owing chiefly to the wicked policy of the Turkish government. They
are superior in daring and united action to the Maronites, though the
latter have the advantage in numbers ; their community being estimated
at 220,000 souls. The patriarch is selected by the bishops, but receives
his robe of investiture from Rome. His usual residence is the convent of
Kanobin, in the romantic glen of the Kadisha, a few miles below the
Cedars. The number of Maronite convents is greater in proportion to the
people than is found in any other sect in Christendom. There are altogether
82 convents in Lebanon, containing about 2000 monks and nuns, and
enjoying an annual revenue of 70,000Z. sterling. The instruction of the
people, and of the great body of the clergy, is as deficient as in most other
Christian sects in this land. For a select few of both classes, a college has
been established at 'Ain Warkah in the Kesrawan. The Maronites are
brave, independent, and industrious ; and their native mountains, though
steep and rugged, are the garden of Syria. But they are illiterate and
superstitious,. and their clergy exercise an almost unlimited sway over them
both in politics and religion.
The Papal Schismatic Churches are generally called the Greek-Catholic
(or Melchite) and the Syrian-Catholic. These have both sprung from the
missionary efforts of Romish priests and Jesuits during the last two cen
turies. As the object has been to gain partisans, more pains have been
taken to obtain nominal submission to the authority of the Pope than
real change of doctrine and ritual. The Greek-Catholics have their own
Patriarch. They take the Occidental view of the procession of the Holy
Spirit, believe in purgatory and the Pope, and eat fish in Lent ; but other
wise they have made no change in passing from one jurisdiction to another.
They retain their Arabic service, their Oriental calendar, their "com
munion in both kinds," and their married clergy. This sect embraces
a large number of the most enterprising and wealthy Christians in
Syria, and possesses considerable influence. The community numbers
about 40,000, of whom the greater part are in Damascus, Aleppo, and
Beyrout. 4. The Jews are in one sense the most interesting people in the land.
18 centuries ago they were driven from the home of their fathers, and
yet they cling to its " holy places " still. They moisten the stones of
Jerusalem with their tears ; " her very dust to them is dear," and their
most earnest wish is that the dust of their bodies should mingle with it.
The tombs that whiten the side of Olivet tell a tale of mournful bereave
ment and undying affection unparalleled in the world's history.
The Jews of Palestine are foreigners. They have come from almost
every country on earth. They live almost exclusively in the four holy
cities, Jerusalem, Hebron, Tiberias, and Safet, and their number does not
exceed 12,000.
Altogether different from these are the Jews of Damascus and Aleppo,
who have as good a right to the title of natives as any of the inhabitants
of Syria. They are Arabs in language, habits, and occupations, in so far

xXXvi Inhabitants. Introd.
at least as religion will permit. Some of tbem are men of great wealth
and corresponding influence. For generations they have been the bankers
of the local authorities, and have often fearfully realized the strange fluc
tuations of Eastern life — now ruling a province, now gracing a pillory —
at one time the all-powerful favourites, at another the disgraced and
mutilated outcasts. The head of the chief Jewish family in Damascus
was, in the beginning of the present century, the banker and prime minister
of the notorious Jezzar, Pasha of Acre. He was for a time the virtual
ruler of a large section of Syria ; but the scene soon changed. He first lost
an eye because he was proud, then the nose because he was handsome, and
lastly the head because he did not please his master ! The Jews of Syria
number about 15,000.
5. The Turks are few in number, strangers in race and language, hated
by every sect and class, wanting in physical power, destitute of moral
principle, and yet they are the despots of the land. The Arabs have a
proverb that, " though a Turk should compass the whole circle of the
sciences, he would still remain a barbarian." Those occupying the higher
government situations in Syria are Turks, almost to a man. They obtain
their power by bribery, and they exercise it for extortion and oppression.
The character of the Turks has been ably sketched by Hamilton : — " They
are all ignorant and presumptuous, vain and bigoted, proud without any
feeling of honour, and cringing without humility ; they cannot resist the
temptation of money or the prospective benefit of a lie. In their govern
ment and administrative duties they are tyrannical and overbearing, in
their religious doctrines dogmatical and intolerant, and in their fiscal
measures mercenary and arbitrary. They are as ignorant of their own
history as of that of other nations ; and this is the case even with the
better educated, who are in most respects far inferior in character, probity,
and honour to the peasants and lower classes  As long as the
Turk is poor, and removed from temptation, he is honest ; but no sooner is
he appointed to office, or obtains the management of public money, than
his uneducated mind is unable to withstand the charm, and he becomes a
peculator and a thief. He appropriates to himself whatever he can lay
hands on, and oppresses those below him ; while, for the sake of securing
his ill-gotten plunder, he propitiates his superiors by bribery and adulation.
This has undoubtedly led to the demoralising practice of the Turkish
government of selling all places to the highest bidder, allowing him, in
return, to make the most he can out of the unprotected subjects by extor
tion and taxation." The Turkish rulers of Syria are here drawn to the
life. Every pasha, in coming to the country, knows that his term of office
must be short, and therefore his gains must be large. The country has
thus been robbed of its wealth, and a tax imposed on industry. The
influence of British consuls has of late put some check on this system of
Spoliation ; and it is to be hoped that the recent reforms may save Syria
from ruin.
One thing will not fail to strike the observant Englishman in Syria-
patriotism is unknown. There is not a man in the country, whether Turk
or Arab, Mohammedan or Christian, who would give a para to save the
empire from ruin ; that is, if he be not in government pay, in which case

Introd. Climate: xxxvii
of course his salary and the empire would go together. The patriotism of
the Syrian is confined to his own house ; anything beyond it does not
concern him — selfishness reigns supreme. The consequence is, that there
is not a road in the whole country except the one recently made by a
French company ; the streets of the great cities and villages are in winter
all but impassable, and in summer reeking with the stench of dead dogs
and cats and other abominations. Dogs are the only scavengers ; anything
which is too corrupt or filthy for them to eat, rots were it lies. It some
times happens that a roue pasha takes a pious fit, and spends a tithe of his
ill-got gains in building a bridge or adorning a mosque ; but the moment
the work is finished the process of dilapidation begins, and nobody thinks
of repairs. One would imagine, in traversing Syria, that the whole
country had recently been shaken to its centre by an earthquake, there
are so many broken bridges, ruinous mosques, and roofless caravansaries.,
It is emphatically a land of ruins, and ruins are increasing in number every
year. The following works may be consulted on the inhabitants of Syria : — ¦
For the Mohammedans, their religion, manners, &c. — Sale's Koran,
Preliminary Discourse ; Burckhardt's Travels in Syria, Notes on the Bedouin
and Wahabys, Arabic Proverbs, and Travels in Arabia; Lane's Modern
Egyptians ; Russell's Natural Iiistwy of Aleppo ; Porter's Five Years in
Damascus. For the Druzes — De Sacy's Expose de la Religion des Druzes is still the
best. Lord Carnarvon's Druzes of Lebanon.
For the Ansairiyeh— Lyde's Asian Mystery.
The best condensed account of the Christian sects will be found in
Wilson's Lands of the Bible, vol. ii., where there are full references to
authorities.

5. — The Climate of Syria and Palestine.
There is no country in the world, of the same extent, which possesses
a greater variety of climate and temperature than Syria. The high altitudes
along the brow of Lebanon are as cool and pleasant during the summer
months as France or England ; while the depressions of the Jordan valley,
and the shores of the Dead Sea, make those regions as hot and debilitating
as the plains of southern India. The seaboard, owing to its exposure to
the sun, and its being sheltered by the mountain-ranges behind, is very
sultry ; and in some places, such as Tripoli, and Alexandretta, unhealthy.
But there are other spots along the coast, such as Beyrout and Suweidlyeh,
where the soil is dry and the air pure, and these form excellent winter
residences for invalids. The temperature and climate in the various parts
of the interior depend on the elevation and the nature of the soil. Jerusalem
is high and breezy ; but the unclouded sun, being reflected from the white
rocks around, renders it unpleasant and oppressive during the day. In
Palestine rain seldom falls from the end of April till the beginning of
October, and clouds are rare. The country is parched ; vegetation, except
where streams flow, is burned up ; and the air, during the long summer
day, becomes so hot and dry as to render travelling unpleasant if not
dangerous.

xxxviii Climate. , introd.
In Lebanon, on the other hand, though the sun may be powerful, the air
is fresh and balmy. The wanderer may there select his noonday resting-
place, and recline for hours amid the noblest scenes of nature, beneath
the beetling cliff, or the spreading branch, or the gray ruin — to resume
his journey when the sun declines towards the " great sea." The
stalwart frames of the inhabitants of Lebanon are the best certificates of
its bracing climate. The air, except where artificial irrigation is carried
to an undue extent, is extremely dry, and malaria is almost unknown.
In Palestine the autumnal rains commence about the end of October
or the beginning of November ; in Lebanon they are a month earlier ; they
are usually accompanied with thunder and lightning ; they continue for
two or three days, not constantly, but falling chiefly during the night;
for the two succeeding months they fall heavily at intervals. January and
February are the coldest months ; but in Palestine frost is rare, and the
cold is not severe. Snow falls in the higher altitudes, though it is very
rare in the low plains and along the coast. During the winter of 1857
snow fell in Damascus to a depth of 8 inches, and covered the surrounding
plain for a fortnight. The results were disastrous. Nearly a fourth of
the houses of the city were injured, and many of the flat-roofed bazaars
and mosques were left in ruins. On the western declivities of Lebanon
the snow seldom whitens the ground at a lower elevation than 2000 ft.
Rain continues to fall at intervals during the month of March ; in Palestine
it is very rare in April, and even in Lebanon and northern Syria the few
showers that occur are generally light.
In the valley of the Jordan the barley-harvest begins as early as the
middle of April, and the wheat a fortnight later. In the hill-country of
Judaea reaping commences about the beginning of June, while in Lebanon
the grain is seldom ripe before the middle of that month. A pretty accurate
index is thus given of the relative temperature of the different districts.
It is not easy to ascertain the exact ranges of the thermometer, as a great
deal depends on the position of the instrument, and there are neither
observatories nor meteorological societies in the country. I have not
unfrequently seen a difference of 6° in two thermometers in the. same house,
and both in the shade. In Aleppo, according to Russell, the range of the
thermometer is very great, sometimes descending below zero and rising
above 100° Fahr. During a residence of more than six years in Damascus
I have never known the thermometer fall below 23° or rise above 95° in the
shade. The following results of Dr. Barclay's observations in Jerusalem, extend
ing over five years, 1851-55, are important: —
The greatest range of the thermometer on any year was 52°. The
highest elevation of the mercury was 92°. Under favourable exposure,
immediately before sunrise, on an occasion, it fell to 28°. The mean
annual average is 66°. July and August are the hottest months ; January
the coldest. The coldest time is about sunrise ; the warmest, noon ; sunset
is about the mean. The average temperature of January during five years
was 49° ; of August 79°.
According to the estimates of Dr. Forbes (Edin. Philosoph. Journal,
Ap. 1862), the mean annual temperature of Beyrout is 69° ; of Jerusalem,
62° ; of Jericho, 72°. That of Jerusalem differs widely from Dr. Barclay's
average ; and that of Jericho appears to be much too low.

Introd. Best Seasons for visiting. Xxxix
6. — The best Seasons for visiting Syria and Palestine.
The preceding remarks on the climate and temperature go far to enable
each one to judge for himself in this respect. In a country where there arc
no railways or coaches, and only one public road, progress must necessarily
be slow, and the summer's sun and winter's rain are alike to be avoided.
Travellers must remember, too, that there are no inns along the great
thoroughfares of Syria, with cheerful chamber, well-aired bed, and the
tempting cuisine to make one forget the fatigues of a day's ride, or to afford
a pleasant asylum from the drenching rain and muddy road. They must
be, like the patriarch, " dwellers in tents." Tent-life is very romantic ; it
reads well in a poetical traveller's journal, and there is a real charm in it
too. There are few who have tried it but will look back to it as to a
sunny spot on the clouded landscape of memory. But it requires fine
weather : it is no pleasant task to pitch your tent and spread your bed in
mud ; there is little romance in canvas when the rain is pouring through
it. Winter is, therefore, not the time for a Syrian tour.
But on the other hand a coup de soleil or a Syrian fever is not an agree
able alternative. Next to a drenching rain, a burning sun is the greatest
hindrance to the man who wishes to enjoy, and profit by, a journey
in this land — for the invalid to encounter either is madness. And then
the total absence of rain during the summer destroys verdure, and takes-
away freshness and beauty from the hills and plains of Palestine. The
language of Scripture is graphic and true — " The heaven becomes brass,
and the earth iron." As autumn approaches the face of nature is more
dry and parched. The few streams and fountains fail, and the physical
and animal world looks forward with longing to the return of refreshing
showers. Summer then is not a pleasant season for a " Pilgrimage to
Palestine." I have seen some who have braved the summer's heat, and
I have known others who have encountered the winter's storms, but I
have also more than once seen the fatal effects of such imprudence. The
little cemeteries of Beyrout, Damascus, and Jerusalem have received the
bones of not a few who have entered Syria in the bloom of youth and
pride of health.
The spring and autumn remain to the traveller, and of these he should
take full advantage. During nearly five months in the year he can wander
about with safety and pleasure. The autumn, perhaps, is more uniformly
" fair " than the spring ; but nature wants its bloom. The autumn in
Syria is charming — nothing can surpass the balminess of the air ; and
dwellers in tents may laugh at thoughts of damp. There is no danger of
muddy roads or swollen rivers ; but I would recommend the wayfarer to
carry a water-bottle at his saddle, for it is a thirsty season. Autumn has
another charm: it is the vintage season. Those who have 'spent the
summer in Germany might reach Beyrout by the Constantinople or Smyrna
steamer about the beginning of September ; or, should they wish to visit
Antioch and the north, they may debark at Ladiklyeh (better known in
the west as Latikia), where the steamers touch. Alexandretta (Iskan-
deriin) would be more convenient, but the malaria of its marshes is parti
cularly to be avoided at that season. Two months, or even two and a half,
might be spent in journeying southward, and the tour be completed by
taking the steamer at Yafa for Alexandria.

xl Mode1 of Vravet. Introd.
But most travellers will prefer the spring for a Syrian tour, and on the
whole I recommend it. It has many advantages. It forms a natural
sequel to the luxurious monotony of a winter on the Nile ; and thus,
perhaps, it has become par excellence, the grand tour. Some will desire to
traverse the peninsula of Sinai, so noble in its scenery, and so holy in its
associations ; and to pass through the rock-hewn city of Petra — to perform,
in fact, the " wilderness pilgrimage " — on their way to the " Land of Pro
mise." Such should leave Cairo about the beginning of February, as
they will have " forty days in the desert." This will bring them to Jeru
salem in the middle of March — the best season for visiting the Jordan-
valley, the Dead Sea, and the plain of Philistia. They will be ready to
set out northward early in April, and may thus finish a satisfactory and
profitable journey at Beyrout about the 20th of May. The time spent at
each place, and the, consequent length of the tour, will depend on the
taste and objects of the traveller. Some may wish to " do " the country,
for the mere sake of " doing it ;" and they can " do " it in much less time.
Others, again, will have Biblical geography, or geological research, or some
other favourite object in view, and they will make their own time. But
it is taken for granted that a large majority of those who visit this land
are attracted towards it by its classic and sacred interest. The scenes of
Holy Writ they will wish to explore ; every spot celebrated in Bible
history, or haunted by the memory of patriarch, prophet, apostle, or of
one greater than them all, they will want fully to explore. Experience
tells me that such will be thankful for a guide like the present, even though'
it lay no claim to infallibility, and that such will find the time I have
indicated only too short to permit them to enjoy the wondrous attractions
of Palestine. 7. — Mode of Travel, Requisites for the Road, &c.
The saddle is the only conveyance in this primitive land. It may be
placed on horse, mule, or donkey, according to taste ; but- 1 strongly recom- •
mend a horse/or all. Let him be carefully selected, especially for a lady.
He ought to be strong, sure-footed, easy-paced, and somewhat spirited : for,
if dull at first, what may be expected after a month's ride ? Ladies should
try their steeds for a ride of some hours before they engage them for a long
journey, and the hint may be taken by gentlemen too. When the day
arrives for the final start, see that the same animals are produced. Let
no excuse — not even unaccountable lameness, or seizure by government,
or death itself — impose upon yon. Do not be persuaded, however strong
the assurances, that the substitute is better than the original. Insist upon
having the animal you engaged, and you will in nine cases out of ten get
him in the end.
Some ladies consider a donkey more easily managed and much less for
midable than a horse ; but those who are afraid to mount a gentle little
Arab will scarcely enjoy a ride through Syria. The pace of the donkey
may be thought easier at first ; but after a day or two, probably even an
hour or two, the steady walk of the horse is far less fatiguing. In passing
through the desert of Sinai camels alone can be used ; on entering Syria
they must be exchanged for horses. Donkeys and even horses may be
brought through the sl;ort desert to Gaza. In an excursion to Palmyra

Introd. Mode of Travel xli
camels are necessary, and they are engaged at Damascus for that trip alone.
Where expense is no object, horses may be taken to Palmyra.
I would advise those who wish as much comfort and ease as possible
during long rides to bring their own saddles with them from England. The
English saddle is much superior to the French, but it can rarely be met
with east of Malta.
For those unable, through age or ill health, to encounter the fatigues of
a long journey on horseback, the easiest mode of conveyance is a light
arm-chair, without legs (which are apt to get entangled among rocks),
securely fastened on two long poles, like a sedan-chair. Two easy-paced
mules attached to this machine carry the occupant >vith considerable com
fort. A foot-board ought to be fastened on with straps ; and an awning
may be placed over it in such a way as to be easily moved from side to
side, or taken down altogether in passing through low archways, or beneath
branches of trees. The common Tahterawan, or litter of the country, is
not adapted to European modes of sitting. Arab ladies " squat," and can
thus enjoy a low seat, or no seat ; but those accustomed to easy-chairs
would scarcely relish such a position for seven or eight hours a-day. The
tahterawan is besides a heavy, lumbering machine, severe on animals,
difficult to manage, and wholly unfitted for mountain paths. A conveyance
such as I have referred to above, if properly made, is light, easy, and suit
able to every path. It must be remembered, however, that it will add
much to the expense of a journey, as one extra animal and two extra men
are needed for it alone. When required it must be brought from England,
or made to order in some of the large towns of Egypt or Syria.
For the ordinary traveller in Syria a dragoman is indispensable. He
fills the threefold office of interpreter, guide, and purveyor. It is now the
general custom for travellers to agree with a dragoman by the day for the
supply of all necessaries. The rate varies from 25s. to 45s. for each person,
and is regulated by the number, the rank, and the requirements of the
party. This includes everything — animals, servants, guides, guards, and
bakhshish under every form and name. Wine, beer, and other drinks, are,
of course, extras, to be provided by the traveller ; but a, fair supply should
be carried at the expense of the dragoman. It is necessary in all cases to
draw up a contract, in which every particular is plainly written — one copy
to be given to the dragoman, and one retained by the traveller. There are
a few things I recommend the more fastidious, and especially ladies, to
take with them for their own use ; and I advise them also not to trust
such precious commodities to the exclusive care of servants, whether
English or Arab.
1. Biscuits in air-tight tin cases.
2. Portable soup and preserved meat for an occasional variety. Ham
and dried tongue are also a pleasant change from bad mutton and skinny
fowls. 3. Maccaroni, vermicelli, arrowroot, and other such articles, are excellent,
easily carried, and easily prepared.
4. Tea in small tin canisters. A cup of good tea, refreshing in any
country, is especially so after a long Syrian ride. Tea may be had in Jeru
salem, Beyrout, and Damascus, but it is generally bad.
5. White wines and good French brandy. I would caution travellers
against the free or' habitual use of either ; but a little mixed with water

xlii Requisites for the Road. Introd.
may be occasionally beneficial. Ale and porter for such as wish them ; in
Syria they are almost universally dear and bad.
A comfortable folding iron bedstead, which can be so arranged as to
form a sofa, with hair mattress, sheets, pillow-cases, and towels. These
can be supplied by the dragoman. A small musquito curtain to cover the
face may be desirable.
Instruments, Arms, &c. — The beaten tracks of Palestine — almost the only
paths the ordinary traveller ever thinks of following — are now so well
known that sextants, compasses, and barometers may be dispensed with.
Scarcely anything can be added to the large stock of general information
by casual observations. I speak not, of course, of the professedly scientific
traveller. I shall shortly call his attention to objects of interest and im
portance, to which he may advantageously devote his time.
The artist will never want objects for his pencil, nor the poet for his
pen, amid Syrian life and scenery. The hallowed scenes of Bible history
can never be too fully or too faithfully delineated, either on canvas or on ,
the printed page. Every nook and corner of Palestine ought to be made
familiar to us, whether portrayed by its own bright sun, or by the pencil.
Let artist and photographer continue their praiseworthy labours, till every
hill and every vale, every proud column, and every prostrate wall, that has
a story in it, is carried away to the far west. The costumes of the people,
their houses and utensils, their implements of husbandry and weapons of
war, are all interesting, as all tend to throw fresh light on ancient history.
Every traveller should have his note-book to record incidents and
describe scenes to which memory will look back with pleasure in after
years. Descriptions written on the spot will " photograph" scenes and
events on the mind. As to the propriety of publishing I say nothing.
Every one must exercise his own good taste and wisdom in that respect.
But a "journal " has a real and absorbing interest, apart from all thought
of Albemarle Street or Paternoster Row.
In addition to his note-book, I recommend every traveller to take with
him a good double " field-glass," such as is made by Chevalier of Paris.
It is far preferable to the long telescope, as it gives a larger and clearer
field, and is more easily used. A measuring-tape may be found useful.
The roads of Syria are not always safe or free from bandits. A small
" Dean and Adams " revolver may, therefore, prove a useful travelling
companion by times. It should be worn in a leather belt so as to be
visible, especially when the traveller sees fit to indulge in solitary rides or
walks. The robbers of Syria are generally amateurs, who take up the pro
fession when opportunity offers. They will seldom venture on a party
of Franks if there be any show of arms among them ; but a few
peasants, when they meet a timid traveller, will first beg, then demand,
and finally take a bakhshish. By cool self-possession and a determined
manner one can generally overawe them. There should be no blustering
or hurry in such cases, for noise seems to rouse an Arab's " pluck ; " but
the traveller should be careful to show all whom it may concern, by the
ease and dignity of his bearing, that, while he may enjoy a joke, it would
scarcely be safe to carry it too far. The peasants of Palestine are almost
all armed, so that men of peace have a warlike aspect ; yet the instances
are very rare indeed in which they have used their arms upon Franks. In
times of political excitement or local feuds it may be well to take a guard

introd. Requisites for the Road xliii
from the village chief or district governor — not that the strength of the
escort will do much to drive away an enemy, but one thus secures a friend
or two among the bandits themselves.
In visiting some of the less frequented districts an escort is necessary.
In engaging them it should be clearly understood that they are really able
to afford sufficient protection. As a general rule the escort should be com
posed of members of that tribe to which the country we propose to visit
belongs. Even friendly tribes have no right to conduct strangers through
the territories of others. It not unfrequently happens that adventurous
chiefs will undertake such a task, and, for the sake of the pay, run the
risk of a sound drubbing, if not worse. When an attack is made under
such circumstances, and especially if it be by the Bedawln of the desert, no
attempt at resistance should be made. Leave the matter wholly to your
escort, and act as if you had no interest in it whatever. It will be well to
explain to the enemy that you had no intention of breaking the laws of
desert life ; that you had engaged a sheikh to escort you under the impres
sion he was the proper person ; that he had become guarantee for your
safety ; and now it was his affair, not yours, if he had trespassed on the
territory of others. A calm and conciliatory bearing, aided in the end by a
small present, will in nine cases out of ten clear away all difficulties.
Medicines. — The pure air, bracing exercise, and necessarily plain cuisine
of a Syrian tour, enable most people to throw pills and potions to the winds,
and a medicine-chest thus becomes a mere honorary appendage. Some
travellers, however, have suffered severely from boils, and not a few from
diarrhoea. The former, a medical friend has suggested, might arise from
the too free use of the Turkish bath, joined to a change of food and climate.
One thing I know, that during a seven years' residence I have never but
once entered a Turkish bath, ,and I have never had a boil ; while others,
who thought it necessary to go through the operation almost immediately
after their arrival in the country, have been afflicted with boils at intervals
for years. Whether this be cause and effect is a question for the " faculty."
Diarrhoea is generally caused by exposure to the rays of the sun, and
occasionally by the use of green fruit and acid drinks. The sun cannot be
avoided ; but every care should be taken to protect the head, shoulders,
and person from its influence. The proper clothing for a Syrian tour I shall
afterwards specify, but I may observe here that flannel ought always to be
worn, with thick woollen clothes over it, of light colour. Long experience
has proved to me that these are the best defences against the sun of Syria.
For diarrhoea the following treatment may be adopted : —
First, an " aperient " — say
Calomel, 2 or 3 grains.
Rhubarb, 15 ditto.
Magnesia, a large teaspoonful.
To be taken at night. When this has freely operated (and if it do not, the
rhubarb and magnesia should be repeated in the morning) take an occa
sional dose of the following mixture till the diarrhoea stops :—
Tincture of rhubarb j , rts.
Tincture of catechu J L r
Add, oil of cinnamon 1 drop to each drachm of the compound. Dose, i to
1 drachm. A few drops of laudanum may be added to each dose.

xliv Hints on Language. Introd.
In this climate great caution ought to be used in taking large or frequent
doses of calomel or opiates. They should never be resorted to except under
skilful medical advice. If the traveller adds to a supply of the medicines
above mentioned a small quantity of each of the following, he will find
himself abundantly provided : —
Sulphate of quinine.
Cream of tartar.
Sugar of lead.
Sulphate of zinc.
The two last are invaluable in case of opthalmia or any temporary inflam
mation of the eyes. Some sticking-plaster and lint may be added to the
little stock.
A spring tour in Syria is to the invalid an admirable sequel to a winter
in Egypt. The soft and balmy air of the desert, with its cool nights and
bracing mornings, gradually prepares him for a return to more northern
climes. The noble scenery of the Sinai peninsula, with its holy associations,
occasion sufficient excitement to release the physical frame from the de
pressing influence of melancholy. Then follow the rough rides over Syrian
mountains ; the constant variety of scene ; the engrossing interest of place
— all rose-tinted by a dash of danger and romance. Others besides the
invalid might reap lasting benefit from such a ramble. The city merchant
who has been cramped up for years within the dingy confines of a counting-
house, and who has grown dyspeptic and gouty on London fog and turtle-
soup ; the " West-end " politician, whose physical man has been dried up
by late " Houses," later assemblies, and the harassing cares' of party ; —
these, if they wish again to know what life and liberty are, should try a
tour in Syria. After the murky magnificence of the London house, or the
solemn splendour of the country mansion or baronial hall, Syria would be
a new world. The pure air from morning till night and from night till
morning ; the constant exercise ; the excitement of novel scenes and novel
circumstances ; the relief of thought ; and the relaxation of overstrained
mental powers — all tend to make a new physical man, while they
contribute in no small degree to give a healthy tone to the intellect.
Great minds, like great libraries, are apt to collect dust and cobwebs
and an occasional thorough "cleaning out" makes reference more
agreeable. 8. — Hints on Language, — Dress, — Conduct.
The language of the country is Arabic. It is spoken by the higher
classes, especially in the large towns, with considerable purity ; and it is a
noble language. The people at large are ignorant of any other tongue.
Turkish is the official language, because the pashas and higher government
officials are universally Turks. Turkish also is spoken in many of the
villages round Aleppo and on the borders of Asia Minor. Syriac, the
ancient language of the country, is now almost extinct. In Syria there
remain only three small villages in which it is the vernacular ; these are
M'alula, 'Ain ct-Tineh, and Bukh'a, on the eastern declivities of Anti-
Lebanon. Syriac, however, is the ecclesiastical language of the Maronite
and Jacobite Churches.
As an interpreter is necessary to the Syrian traveller, it is useless to

Introd. Hints on Dress and Conduct. xlvi
burden a Plandbook with a collection of words and phrases. Indeed, were
such a collection spread before my readers, not one in fifty of them could
pronounce the words intelligibly. Many of the Arabic letters have no
equivalents in European alphabets, and the attempt to represent Arabic
sounds by English letters may be considered labour in vain. The man
who wishes to learn even a little Arabic had better begin with the alphabet,
instead of blundering over half-a-dozen English consonants, by which
some attempt to express a simple sound. The names of necessaries are
easily picked up from hearing them ; for all other things the best way is
to apply to the dragoman.
Dress. — In selecting a suitable dress for Syria the mode of locomotion
should be first considered. The saddle is the only conveyance ; a com
fortable riding dress is, therefore, the best for ordinary wear. Every English
gentleman knows that " tights " of strong cord, or close-fitting pantaloons
of heavy tweed, with long boots drawn over them, enable one to bear rough
rides with far more ease. Perhaps, if the parts next the saddle were covered
with soft leather, like those of the Horse Guards, they would be still more
comfortable and more durable. The coat ought to be short and made of
substantial light-coloured tweed. It is a great mistake to wear linen, or
any other thin material. Woollen cloth is a non-conductor, and, when we
are protected by it, the sun's rays fall harmless. The best hat is the broad-
brimmed white or drab " felt." The crown may be thickly padded inter
nally with cotton, and five or six folds of white muslin or calico may be
advantageously wound round the exterior. Lightness and protection from
the sun are the grand requisites. A pair of drab leather gloves, and wire
" goggles " with fronts of green glass, will complete the costume. Many
throw over the whole a white Arab barnus of very thin material, and this
affords additional protection against both heat and dust.
In the cities of Syria, as in those of Europe, the plain dress of an English
gentleman is the best for all visits of ceremony, whether made to native
dignitaries or to British residents. The only variation requisite is a pair
of over-shoes, to be taken off at the door of the chamber, or on the marble
pavement, before stepping upon the dais of a Mohammedan of rank. His
carpet is holy, — to be touched with forehead and lips at the hours of
prayer, — and must not be polluted by boots that have trodden the dust of
the streets.
The traveller should study to be courteous and polite to all ; and to be
kind, though firm, in his dealings with servants, muleteers, and guides.
Browbeating may compel submission for a time, but will never secure that
respect and wholesome deference which are so essential to the peace and
pleasure of a Syrian tour. Above all, keep the dragoman in his place.
You can never expect comfort if you give him the " upper hand." In all
intercourse with the Bedawin, whether in traversing the peninsula of Sinai,
wandering among the mountains of Edom, or sweeping over the deserts of
Palmyra, a calm, manly, courteous bearing is especially requisite. The
wild tribes are apt to play upon the fears of timid travellers ; and no lack
of "scenes," and even "threats," will be extemporized to accomplish their
desired object. Let the traveller show that he has good sense enough to
smile at the one, and courage enough to despise the other, and he will
almost universally gain his object.
Another observation T shall make, even at the risk of being accused of

xlvi Passports. Introd.
going somewhat beyond my province. Mr. Ford has well remarked in his
admirable ' Handbook for Spam,' that "the English are thought to have
no faith at all — to believe neither in the Pope nor Mahomet, but in gold
and cotton alone ; nor is this to be wondered at in Spain, where they have
no ostensible religion, no churches or churchyards, no Sundays or service,
except as a rare chance at a seaport in some consul's parlour. Being rich,
however, and strong, they escape the contumely poured out in Spain on
poor and weak heretics, and their cash is respected as eminently Catholic."
This is little to the credit of either Englishmen or Protestantism. Those
can scarcely afford to smile at the absurdities of another faith who lay
themselves open to the charge of atheism. It is unfortunately the fact that
English travellers have gained for themselves the same name in Syria as
in Spain. They despise the fasts and feasts of Muslems and Christians ;
but they at least seem equally to despise the Sundays and services of then-
own church. The gentleman who would feel shocked at the idea of em
ploying his labourers or workmen on the Sunday in his own country, does
not scruple systematically to employ his muleteers or his guides on that day
in Syria. It would add greatly to the respect which the English name
inspires, if Englishmen were more careful to carry with them into foreign
lands' both the spirit and the form of that faith which is the glory of their
country ; and it would tend to remove from them a grievous reproach if
they would be always careful to distinguish between the liberty of the
Gospel and the licence of infidelity.
9. Passpokts — Custom-houses — Post-office — Money, &c.
Passports are not necessary for Syria itself. Turkish officials never
demand them ; but the agents of French and Austrian steamers sometimes
require -them before a berth can be secured for any foreign port. Firmans,
or Boyuruldies, are of little or no use. They can now neither secure
respect nor command attention to wants, except in very rare cases. English
gold is the best passport in Syria — more powerful than the orders of Sultan
or Pasha.
The Custom-house, so far as travellers are concerned, is a mere name by
which to introduce the word bakhshish. All articles for the private use of
travellers pass free by treaty. The right claimed by the officials to open
and examine is thus a mere form, which can be easily avoided by a small
present. The Post-office in Syria is yet in its infancy. There are weekly mails
between Jerusalem and Beyrout ; there is a daily post between Damascus
and Beyrout ; and there is a weekly tartar from Damascus to Hums,
Hamah, Aleppo, and Constantinople — making the whole distance in
12 days. All letters by these routes must be addressed in Arabic or
Turkish, and prepaid. The Turkish posts have no connection with those
of any other country ; and consequently letters for foreign countries must
be sent either through the consuls, or the agents of those countries. There
is no English mail to Syria, but the French mail-steamers carry closed bags
from the consulates to Alexandria. Letters sent in this way must be handed
to the consuls. The French postal arrangement is quick and safe. At
present mail-steamers run from the coast of Syria both to Alexandria and
Constantinople. They touch at Alexandretta, Latikia, Tripoli, Beyrout,

Introd.

xlvii

and Yafa ; and at any of these ports letters can be posted to Italy, France,
England, or America.
Those wishing to forward letters to England from the interior of the
country must enclose them to some banker or merchant at a seaport.
English letters ought to be sent via Alexandria, to which French mail
steamers now sail from Beyrout on the 3rd, 13th, and 23rd of each month ;
and they arrive at Beyrout from Alexandria, bringing the English mail, on
the 10th, 20th, and 30th. A fast line of steamers has recently been
established between Alexandria and Marseilles, touching only at Messina,
and making the voyage in six days. The journey from London to Beyrout
may thus be made in about twelve days actual travel.
Austrian steamers also carry mails at intervals of two weeks from Beyrout
to Smyrna, Constantinople, Germany, and England. Their route is Con
stantinople, Smyrna, Rhodes, Cyprus, Beyrout, and Alexandria ; and back
again. These steamers are not in general either so well appointed or so
comfortable as the French. Travellers should always inquire at the
British consulates or agencies the time of the departure of the mails.
Letters forwarded from England to travellers in Syria ought to be addressed
to the care of the consuls at Beyrout, Jerusalem, Aleppo, or Damascus ; or
else to the care of a merchant or banker.
Money. — Circular notes are the safest and most convenient for small
sums. Bills in " sets" are safer where a large amount is required in one
draft. Travellers are recommended to negotiate as few as possible at Jeru
salem or Damascus. Beyrout is the best place for obtaining supplies of
cash, for there there is a branch of the Ottoman Bank, besides English
mercantile firms of the very highest respectability.
The Turkish piastre, worth about 2d. sterling, is the standard by which
all coins are valued. There is no permanent fixed value, however, for any
coin ; and even in different localities coins have different nominal values.
This is perplexing to the traveller, and still more so to the merchant and
banker ; but it must be endured till the government becomes rich enough
and enterprising enough to strike a sufficient coinage of its own.
The coins commonly met with are the following; and the values at
tached to them in piastres (Arab, gh'rush, sin. ghersh) and paras (Arab.
misareh, sin. misariyeh) may serve as a general guide, though they will
not apply accurately in every place.

Turkish Coins.
Gold. Hast. Par.
Lira  108 20
Ghazeh  22 0
Silver.
Mejideh  22 0
Half ditto  H 0
Quarter ditto  5 20
Base Metal. ,
Beshlik  5 0
Halfditto  2 20
Ghersh  10
KSmSry  0 20

Foreign Coins.
Gold. Piast.
Sovereign  120
Napoleon  96
Russian ruble  97
Austrian ducat  56
Silver.
Spanish dollar  27
5-franc piece  24
Austrian dollar  26
Silver ruble  20

xlviii What to Observe. Introd.
The best and most convenient coin for Syria is the sovereign or napoleon
in gold, and the Spanish dollar or 5-franc piece in silver. They are well
known, and pass freely everywhere. Turkish gold and silver are equally
good if they can be had. The ghazeh is an old coin, and generally light in
weight. It must be remembered that in villages it is often difficult to get
a gold piece changed ; the traveller should, therefore, be supplied with a
sufficient stock of piastres or other small coins for the purchase of necessaries
and for bakhshish.
10. — What to observe in Syria and Palestine.
Every traveller has his peculiar tastes, and according to these will he esti
mate the importance and interest of the many objects that excite attention
in this land. There are geographers, historians, archaeologists, theologians,
naturalists, politicians, and ethnologists — each of whom will investigate
his own branch. And it is well there is such diversity ; for division
of labour in scientific pursuits, as in the arts, contributes to the per
fection of each department. Notwithstanding all that has been written
on Syria, much remains to be done to make the country known as it ought
to be. The Palestine Exploration Society, has done, and is continuing to
do a noble work. Captains Wilson and Warren have fixed, by astronomical
observation, the positions of all the leading places from Ba'albek to Hebron.
They have surveyed nearly the whole of South-western Palestine, and a
considerable section of the country east of the Jordan. They have thus
furnished data for the construction of a correct map of the country. Their
archaeological discoveries in and around Jerusalem have been embodied in
the present edition of this work. Scientific travellers, if they would ad
vance our knowledge of the countries, must now leave the beaten track,
and direct their attention to new and more obscure fields. I shall here
mention a few things to which the attention of such as have the taste and
time for research might be usefully directed.
1. Ascertain by accurate astronomical observations the latitude and
longitude of important towns and ancient sites along the eastern border of
the country and towards the north, — such as Petra, Kerak, Rabba, Busrah,
Hums, Hamah, Apamea, Palmyra, &c. Much is still wanting eastward
and northward, and the discovery of the true position of any prominent site
would be an important addition to geography.
2. Examine carefully inscriptions in the Sinaitic character wherever found,
and copy them accurately. Copy all inscriptions, in whatever language,,
previously unknown. In the deserted towns and villages of Bashan they
are very numerous. Inscriptions have been found in great numbers in the
desert plain of Harrah, 2 days' journey E. by N. of Jebel HaurSn. The
whole country along the eastern border of Moab, as well as the region
extending from Jebei HaurSn to Palmyra, remains yet to be explored. I
have frequently heard from the Bedawin that the latter is dotted with ruins,
some of which are very extensive.
3. Excavate some of the artificial mounds in the plains of Damascus,
Buka'a, and Hums, and in the valley of the Orontes.
4. Make a geological survey of the shores of the Dead Sea, chiefly with
a view to the discovery of traces of recent volcanic action. M. Lartet's re
searches have been most important, but they still leave some of the most
important questions of sacred history unsolved.

Introd. Skeleton Tours. xlix
5. Excavate the sites of Tyre, Sidon, Gebal, and Aradus, as far as
practicable, for remains of Phoenician art and inscriptions. The recent
discovery of sarcophagi at Sidon may serve as a sufficient stimulus to this
work. The researches of M. Renan have brought to light much valuable
information regarding Phoenicia; but our knowledge of this most interesting
country is still incomplete. The ruins of Tyre have never been thoroughly
explored. 6. Excavate and examine the subterranean tombs of Palmyra, and copy
the Palmyrene inscriptions.
The mosques of Syria are worthy of the artist's attention, and perhaps
also the architect's. Many of the older ones were temples and churches, but
some are beautiful specimens of pure Saracenic art. Their fretted minarets,
inlaid walls, deeply-recessed doorways, marble courts, and arabesqued in
teriors, are models of airy elegance — graceful and fantastic as an Arab poet's
dream. The best specimens are, like Mohammedanism itself, rapidly
decaying. Damascus is rich in such buildings— relics of the golden age of
Islam, long since passed. 11. — Skeleton Tours.
Every traveller has, or is supposed to have, some specific object in view
in making a " pilgrimage to Palestine." One is in pursuit of health ;
another of pleasure ; another of fame ; another of knowledge ; another of
adventure ; while not a few travel for the mere sake of travel — to satisfy
a restless and " truant disposition." Every one will select the route most
suitable to his taste and objects. I shall therefore sketch in outline a few
tours, specifying the things worthy of notice and the time necessary for
making them. Full particulars of the several localities will be given in
the sequel, and to these the traveller may refer, after selecting the route he
purposes to follow. i. — Tlie Grand Tour suitable for all.
Leave Cairo in the beginning of February, proceed to Suez and Sinai.
The Sinaitic inscriptions, the sculptures of Surabit el-Khadim, and the sacred
associations of Jebel Mfisa, will call attention and relieve the monotony of
the desert. Sinai to 'Akabah, and thence toPetra, thence to Hebron by the
southern route of Beersheba, or the northern through Wady 'Arabah, to
the. shores of the Dead Sea. Arrive in Jerusalem about the middle of
March. Spend 20 days around the Holy City, in excursions to the Jordan,
Bethlehem, Anathoth, Geba, and Raman ; or to Philistia. Set out northward
early in April, taking the route by Bethel and Shiloh to Shechem and
Samaria. Here turn west to Csesarea on the coast; then north along the
shore to Carmel and Acre ; then east to Nazareth ; from whence a deb>htful
day's excursion can be made to Jezreel, Shunem, Nain, Endor, and Tabor.
From Tabor go to Tiberias ; then north by Capernaum, Tell Hum, Safed
and Kedesh, to Dan, Banias, and Damascus. From Damascus to Ba'albek ¦
the road is seldom open at this season to the Cedars, and the traveller may
turn southwards down the valley of Coelesyria to Chalcis, to the upper
fountain of the Jordan at Hasbeiya ; then west through the magnificent
scenery of southern Lebanon to Kul'at esh-Shukif (Belfort) and Tyre.
[Syria and Palestine.'] c

1 Skeleton Tours. Introd.
Thence along the coast to Sidon and Beyrout, where he may arrive about
the middle of May. ii.— Tour through Northern Syria.
This tour presents many objects of interest, deserving the attention of
the historian and geographer. It embraces the chief part of the kingdom
of the Seleucida?. It may be undertaken during either the months of
April and May, or September and October. Beyrout forms the best starting-
point, as there dragoman and travelling requisites are easily procured.
Proceed northward along the coast ; examine in passing the rock-sculptures
of the Dog River (Nahr el-Kelb) and the remains of the Phoenician Gebal
or Byblus, also those of Botrys and Tripoli. The next point is the island of
Ruad (Aradus), an early Phoenician colony ; then Ladikiyeh, the Laodicea
ad Mare of the Seleucidaj, Mount Casius, the excavated harbour of Seleucia
near the mouth of the Orontes, and the mount of St. Symon. Turn eastward
,up the Orontes to the fountains of Daphne, and imperial Antioch. Thence
cross the Amanns to Iskanderun, and survey the plain of Issus, on which
" Macedonia's madman " triumphed. Re-cross the range to Aleppo ; thence
strike south-west to the valley of the Orontes, viewing el-BSra, Apamea,
Hamah, Hums, Riblah, and the curious lonely monument of Hurmul.
The traveller may now proceed down the valley of Coelesyria to Ba'albek,
and cross Anti- Lebanon to Damascus ; or, what is better fitted to complete
the " Northern Tour," he may turn round the north end of Lebanon, visit the
castle of Husn, and follow the Tripoli road till he can ascend the western
acclivities of Lebanon towards the sublime glen of the Kadisha, with the
cedars at its head; and thence proceed by Afka, at the fountain of
the Adonis, and the sources of the Dog River to Beyrout. This tour would
occupy from 40 to 50 days, and would form an excellent autumn excursion
preparatory to a winter on the Nile, and the " Grand Tour " through
Palestine in spring.
The scientific traveller should carry with him compass and sextant, with
an " aneroid " for heights. Accurate itineraries, angles, and a few latitudes
would here be of value. Inscriptions should be copied, and plans made of
the larger towns. Except during times of civil war, this region is almost as
safe as any other in the land. Guards might occasionally be needed ; but
they would also act as guides. The artist should have his sketch-book
always at hand. iii. — Eastern Exploring Tour.
This tour is important in an antiquarian and geographical point of view ;
and until the government of Syria is completely remodelled, it will have a
dash of adventure in it. An escort will be requisite, in some places from
the 'Anazeh tribe of Bedawin, and in others from the Druzes of the Ham-an.
Spring is the season for it, for then the tents and flocks of the Bedawin
cover the whole region. Damascus must be the starting-point, where a
sheikh of sufficient influence may generally be found to act as guide. The
greater part of the journey must be made on camels, without tents or other
luxuries. Sot out from Damascus due east, along the banks of the Barada ; pass
between the lakes to the ruins beyond ; then to the group of hills called

Introd. Skeleton Tours. li
TellvU; thence to the Safah. Visit the remarkable ruined towns on its
eastern border. Proceed S.E. to the Harrah; copy all inscriptions. Turn
W. to Jebel Haui-an ; explore the ruined and deserted towns along the
- northern and eastern declivities, and in the plain eastward and southward,
returning by Um el-Jemal (Bethgamid). The tour may be finished by an
excursion through the Hauita and Jaulan, where there is still much to
be done.
From 40 to 50 days thus spent would materially advance our knowledge
of the borders of Arabia and Syria ; it would also enable the traveller to
illustrate still more than Burckhardt has done the manners and customs of
the Bedawin. To explore the Safah and the Harrah would repay a 40 days'
journey. Here is a district encompassed by an uninhabited waste, inacces
sible except to the Bedawin and those who journey under their protection.
The Safah is a great natural fortress, covered with huge shattered masses of
basalt, the paths through which are tortuous fissures, known only to the
wild race who inhabit it. In the interior is a range of volcanic tells, on
the E. side of which are several ruined towns and villages. By whom were
they built, and when were they inhabited ? The desert tribes who have
had undisputed possession for at least 1200 years are not given to architec
ture, and never were. Since Ishmael's days the Beit Sh'ar (" hair house ")
has been their home ; and their pride and boast is, and has been, freedom to
wander at will, wherever fountains spring up and pastures clothe the plain.
It is questionable whether the sway of Greek or Roman ever extended so far
into the desert ; or at least was ever so secure as to give encouragement to
the planting of colonies and the building of towns. It would be interesting
to know more of the character and style of these ruins, which appear to
resemble those structures of a primitive age still found amid the mountains
of Bashan, iv. — Tour for the Pilgrim.
There are places in Palestine of surpassing interest to him who wishes to
have his thoughts solemnised and his faith strengthened by a view of those
scenes where the most sacred events of our common Christianity were
enacted. Such will love to wander and meditate, in silence and alone,
where patriarchs lived and died, where prophets received their commissions,
where apostles heard words of life and peace from the lips of their incarnate
God. Almost every town and village of Palestine is consecrated ; but it
may be well here shortly to sketch the most important, which can be
embraced in a hurried journey.
Sinai will naturally form the pilgrim's first goal ; and while wandering
on toward the "Holy Mount," surrounded by arid desolation, exposed to
the rays of an unclouded sun, with parched lips and throbbing temples, the
pilgrim can realise the feelings of the weary multitude, when they cried to
Moses, " Wherefore is it that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt to kill
us and our children and our cattle with thirst?" From the brow of
Sufsafeh, the very spot where the Lord descended in glory, while looking
down on that rock-girt plain where the Israelites encamped, he can best
realize every scene of that wondrous drama when a law, sublime, stern, and
unchangeable as the mountains themselves, was revealed to the people.
Let the pilgrim follow the track of the Israelites, through the defiles of the'

Hi Skeleton Tours. Introd.
peninsula and the rocky fastnesses of Edom, to the borders of the " Promised
Land ;" and he will carry away with him such an impression of that
" great and terrible wilderness " as nothing in time will ever efface. He
will see, too, as he never saw before, the greatness of that miracle by
which two millions of souls were supplied with food and water during a
forty years' journey.
Hebron may form the next shrine. Here reposes the dust of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, in the cave of Machpelah. In going thence to the Holy
City, the pilgrim will turn aside to a little village encompassed by olive-
groves, to visit the spot where the Saviour was born. Jerusalem, Olivet,
Bethany, and " the Garden," with all their hallowed precincts, will next be
seen. Then the pilgrim will go down from Jerusalem to Jericho, remem
bering, as he passes along, the parable of the good Samaritan ; and he will
sit amid the willows on the Jordan's bank to recall that scene when the
Saviour was baptized by John, and the Dove descended upon him.
The pilgrim will now set out N. ; stopping, as he crosses the rocky
slopes of Scopus, to take a last look at Zion's walls and Olivet's brow. He
will journey on by Bethel, which Jacob consecrated as the " House of God ;"
and Shiloh, where the Ark rested so long ; and he will repose for a time, as
Jesus did, by Jacob's well at Sichar, to recall an affecting incident, and to
look up at the summits of Ebal and Gerizim. Resuming his route, he
leaves the " city of the Samaritans," and the fallen capital of Israel, on
his left, and after a long and weary journey sees the few huts that mark
the site of blood-stained Jezreel, at the base of Gilboa. Crossing a rich
plain, he pauses at Shunem to mark the place where Elisha was wont to
rest, and where he restored the child of his hostess to life again. He then
passes round the base of the hill to Nain, where the widow's son was raised.
from the dead. Tabor is now before him, and in the distance is the snowy
peak of Hermon. He crosses a great plain, winds up a rocky defile, and
enters the retired vale where Nazareth stands. Crossing the hills where
Jesus in his boyhood often wandered, the pilgrim will visit the village of
"Cana of Galilee;" and he will turn eastward over* wooded height aud
corn-clad plain, till he descends to the Sea of Galilee. Here every spot to
which the eye turns, and on which the foot rests, is holy. Winding from
Tiberias along the rocky shore by Magdala, the home of Mary Magdalene,
he reaches the desolate site of Capernaum, Christ's " own city." There he
can see that prophecy is history in anticipation; — "And thou, Capernaum,
which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell." Onward
the pilgrim journeys, looking back on the spot where so much of Christ's
public life was spent. The upper Jordan and the "waters of Merom".are
passed in succession on the right ; while on the left are the southern shoots
of Lebanon. Turning E. across a plain of great fertility, he arrives at a
little mound, from the side of which the principal fountain of the Jordan
bursts forth. This is the site of Dan. Leaving it behind, he goes up the
slope through forests of evergreen oak till he reaches the crumbling ramparts
of Cajsarea-Philippi ; and looking up to the mountain-peaks above him, his
eye may rest on the scene of the " Transfiguration."
Here, as he turns his back on Palestine, he bids farewell to the holiest
shrines ; but there is, still something on the other side of Hermon worthy of
a visit. After passing the southern declivities he enters a broad ancient
road that runs across a rolling plain ; it is the highway from Jerusalem to

Introd. Servants — Dragoman. liii
Damascus. Pressing onward, the domes and minarets of the oldest city in
the world appear in front. Here, eighteen centuries ago, Saul the persecutor
was transformed by a miracle into Paul the Apostle.
The "Pilgrim's Tour" now terminates. We have only indicated the
sites ol whose identity there can be no reasonable doubt ; for we would not
have the pilgrim mingle the sacred associations of such scenes as these with
the fanciful creations of a later age.

12. — Servants — Dragoman.
Those who come from Egypt will do well to arrange with dragoman and
servants there for the tour through Syria. This will save time and trouble.
(For the usual mode of contract with the dragoman, see above, § 7 ; and for
the wages of servants, see Handbook for Egypt.) Such as come to Syria
direct will find dragoman and servants at Beyrout or Jerusalem. In selecting
a dragoman the recommendations of a consul, missionary, or banker should
be asked for; also certificates from those with whom he has travelled.
The dragoman contracts to provide all requisites for the journey : — tents,
beds, servants, food, horses, &c. He is paid a fixed charge per day for each
traveller ; and in case the traveller remains for days, or even weeks, in any
town, it should be stipulated that the dragoman pays all hotel expenses
and provides local guides, and horses when necessary.
The rates vary according to the number of the party, their rank, and the
style in which they wish to travel. For a single person £2 a day or even
more will be demanded ; but for a party of three or four 30 shillings each
ought to be enough.
In making a contract there are several points which should be carefully
noted : 1st. That guards, guides, and bakhshish of every kind are included.
2nd. That while the leading points you intend to visit are noted, you have
full liberty to vary your course at pleasure, and stop when and where you
wish. 3rd. The animals are to be sound, strong, and active ; to secure
which, personal inspection is necessary. 4th. The camp furniture is to be
clean and comfortable, and the cuisine liberal.
I would further recommend travellers not to deliver themselves up to a
dragoman, to be conveyed safely to a certain place, within a certain time,
by such a route, and in such a way, as he (the dragoman) may deem right.
Each individual, or each party, should mark out a definite route, which can
easily be done by the aid of this Handbook, and insist on following it, all
difficulties and dangers notwithstanding. It is a very common trick to
invent a robber story to prevent a traveller from visiting some interesting
spot which happens to be a few miles out of the beaten track. Such things
ought never to be listened to ; and when the dragoman absolutely refuses
to comply, let a sum be deducted from his pay for not fulfilling his contract.
Another hint may be useful for poetical travellers, who, becoming enamoured
of their dragoman, deem him the very embodiment of truth, honesty, and
devotedness. It may be very charitable and pleasing to entertain these
feelings, but it is very dangerous to act upon them. It is the rule in Syria
for the dragoman to get an allowance of from 10 to 20 per cent, on every
article his master buys. This makes the goods seem very dear, though
the amount the merchant receives may not be much above their real value.
[Syria and Palestine.] d

Hv Servants — Dragoman. Introd.
This is a grievous imposition, but it is not easy to avoid it; for if the
hotel-keeper or cicerone be employed as temporary interpreter, his commission
will be greater still.
No information as to history, antiquities, statistics, or even places of in
terest out of the beaten track, need be expected from an ordinary dragoman.
For this the traveller must depend on his own reading. Hence the neces
sity of forming a definite plan beforehand, as to the general line of route,
and all the objects to be visited.
The only dragoman I can venture to recommend from personal ex
perience is Aly Abu Halawy, an Egyptian. He bears testimonials from
Cyril C, Graham, Esq., with whom he travelled for more than a year. He
accompanied him to Dongola in Africa, and to the Safah and Harrah in the
Arabian desert ; besides wandering through parts of Palestine, both E. and
W. of the Jordan, which most dragomans have never heard of. I had
personal experience of his efficiency during a 40 days' journey. He may
generally be heard of at the Consulate in Cairo.
John Bedair, a native of Cairo, and many years resident in England, is
also highly recommended as trustworthy and attentive. He may be heard
of at Mr, Murray's, 50, Albemarle Street, London,

HANDBOOK FOR
TRAVELLERS IN SYRIA AND PALESTINE,

SECTION I.
THE PENINSULA OF SINAI AND EDOM.
INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION.
Geological Divisions of the Peninsula, — 1. The Plateau or Desert, of
Tih, " Wandering." — -2. The Mountains of Tur ; Debbet er-Ramleh ;
granite mountains of Sinai ; El-Kd'a, — History. — Inhabitants ;
Tribes of the Tawarah, tJieir dress, honesty, marriage customs; the
Terdbin, Tiahah, and Haiw&t ; Arab Laws— Choosing an Esookt
— Expenses.

1. Cairo to the Convent of Sinai
Suez ; — " Passage of Ked Sea ; " — Wady
Mukatteb; — FeiTllii and Serbal;—
Surabit el-Khadim; — Convent; —
Excursions to the top of Sinai and
" Holy Plaoes."
2. The Convent of Sinai to 'Aka-
bah  36
Hazeroth; — Route of the Israelites; —
Gulf of Elath.;— Elath and Ezion-
gebei- ;— 'Akabah.

ROUTES. PAGE ROUTE PAGE
3. 'Akabah to Wady Musa— Petra 39
Bargaining with the Alawin ; Edam, its
History and Physical Geography ; —
Petra, its History, descriplion of
city ; — -Mount Hor, Tomb of Aaron.
4. Petra to Hebron, by Kerak and
the Dead Sea  55
5. Petra to Hebron, by Kadesh
and Beersheba  59
Site of Kadesh ; — Route of Israelites.
3. Sinai to Hebron direct . . . . 62

The beaten track for English and American travellers to Syria is now from
Egypt through the peninsula of Sinai. This region, whether viewed physically
or historically, is one of singular interest. Sterile, wild, sublime in its scenery,
it forms a striking contrast to Palestine. Its plains are dreary and destitute of
verdure ; its valleys are covered with sand or flinty gravel, and shut in by naked
cliffs ; its mountains rear up their heads in stern grandeur, without a tree or a
shrub to relieve the eye. Nature, however, has given to these mountain peaks
other colours than those of heath or forest, which, if less beautiful, are not less
striking — the black, purple, green, and red hues of their own rocks.
[Syria and Palestine.'] B

2 Geological Divisions. Sect. I.
The peninsula of Sinai divides itself geologically into two sections.
1. The desert of Tih, bounded by the Mediterranean, Palestine, the 'Arabah,
and the mountains of Sinai. It is shut in on the south by the range of Eahah,
which the traveller sees before mm as he crosses at Suez from Africa to Asia,
running parallel to the Eed Sea at a distance of some 12 or 15 miles. The
course of this range is at first S. by E. ; but as it approaches the Sinai moun
tains it sweeps round to the eastward, and terminates in bold cliffs near the
head of the Gulf of 'Akabah. The whole range is of nearly uniform altitude,
and averages about 4000 feet. The upper strata, constituting the main heights,
are cretaceous limestone ; but this, in many places, overlies the older variegated
sandstone. The desert of et-Tih, " the Wandering," doubtless takes its name from the
wanderings of the " Children of Israel." It is a table-land, or plateau, sup
ported on the south and east by the range of Jebel Eahah, and its continuation
Jebel et-Tih, and sloping gently westward down to the sandy shores of the
Mediterranean. Its average elevation may be about 1500 feet. Its features are
like those of the region between Cairo and Suez, — vast rolling plains, with a
hard gravelly soil, intersected at intervals by chalky mounds, low limestone
ridges, and dry naked valleys. The geologist will find here large beds of
ostrea, coral rocks, ammonites, fossil wood, and flints. The fountains are
" few and far between," and the water in them generally brackish. Et-Tih
is intersected by several caravan routes, clearly enough denned by the-
bleached bones of hundreds of camels, with sometimes even those of their
drivers beside them. The greatest of these roads is that of the^Egyptian Hdj,
or Mohammedan pilgrims' route from Cairo to Mecca. It crosses the desert
in nearly a straight line due east, from the head of the Gulf of Suez to the
dangerous pass from which the neighbouring fortress of 'Akabah (" the De
scent") takes its name. About half way is the solitary station and castle of
Nukhl, so called from its " palm-trees." The roads from Suez to Gaza, from
the convent of Sinai to Hebron, and from 'Akabah to Gaza, also cross et-Tih in
different directions. Por a description of the last two see Koute 6.
2. The second geological division of this region embraces the country bounded
by the Gulfs of Suez and 'Akabah and the range of Eahah. This is the penin
sula proper, and contains the whole of the Sinai group of mountains. It may
be divided into two distinct geological sections. Along the base of the Eahah
range is a narrow tract of sandstone strata, covered here and there with loose
drifting sand, and appropriately called Debbet er-Ramleh, " the plain of sand."
It extends from the eliffs that border the Gulf of 'Akabah on the east to the
plain that separates the Gulf of Suez from Jebel et-Tih on the west. The
northern route to Sinai, by Surablt el-Khadim, traverses this plain, and a com
manding view of it is gained from the summit of Mount Catherine. Poetical
authors, who are accustomed to write and speak of the "sandy deserts of
Arabia," and others, too, who have adopted the popular belief, may well
wonder why the name Debbet cr-Eamleh should be applied to this narrow
tract. "Is not the whole desert of Arabia sandy 1" many will inquire. Far
from it. Sand is the exception in the Arabian plains, and hence this name,
given by way of distinction, to the only sandy tract, with the exception of a
narrow strip along the Mediterranean, in the whole Sinai peninsula. The sur
face of the desert, as well here as on the great eastern plains, is firm, dry, and
gravelly; presenting a most marked contrast to the deep sand-drifts around
the ruins of Abu Simhel and Memphis, or which the adventurous explorer
will have to pass in the dreary route to Dongola.
Immediately south of Debbet er-Eamleh lie the mountains of Tur, the true
highlands of the peninsula. A narrow and broken belt of grunstein and
porphyry separates the sand strata of Debbet er-Eamleh from the granite, which
forms the great mass of the Sinai group. The whole of the mountains, however,

Sinai. History.— Inhabitants. 3
are not granite. The section on the north-west, between the Gulf of Suez and
Debbet er-Eamleh, is sandstone. The remarkable inscribed cliffs in Wady
Mukatteb, " the Written Valley," as well as those of Surabit-el Kharlim, are
all sandstone of the new red and variegated kinds. It is soft, and its cliffs
smooth, thus offering tempting natural tablets for inscriptions, hieroglyphics,
and sculptures. The granite commences at Jebel Serbal. Prom the summit
of St. Catherine (Jebel Katherin) the best panoramic view is obtained of the
whole mountains. It is there seen that they cluster round Jebel Musa, and
shoot out from it in irregular jagged ridges, intersected by ravines of surpassing
wildness and grandeur. The colours of the granite peaks, though various, are
generally dark and sombre. In some of the less elevated masses greenstone
prevails, which, being easily decomposed and diffused by the winter rains,
tinges the rocks beneath with a dull yellowish hue. Where porpyhry pre
dominates it imparts its own rich purple to the cliffs. The great body of the
mountains, however, is composed of red granite, whose bright hues the action
of the elements during long centuries has changed into a dull reddish-brown.
Eed and dark green are the prevailing colours ij Sinai proper ; and these are
variegated with perpendicular purple streaks in the Serbal group.
A strip of level ground called el-Kd'a, " the plain," separates the highlands
of Sinai from the shore of the Gulf of Suez. It is covered with chalky gravel
mixed with flint, like sections of the desert of Tih. Near the centre of this
strip, on the shore of the gulf, is situated the little village of Tut.
The whole Histokt of the peninsula of Sinai clusters round one brief period,
— the forty years' journey of the Israelites. Before that time it had no history,
except as the region where the Egyptians wrought copper-mines, as we learn
from the sculptured tablets of Surabit el-Khadim and Wady Mukatteb. Since
that time all that has occurred within its borders has sprung directly or
indirectly from the events of the Israelites' pilgrimage. The mysterious inscrip
tions of the several valleys ; the old episcopal city of Peiran ; the numerous
hermitages, grottoes, and chapels on the mountain sides ; the convent of Sinai,
and its sisters that have long ago fallen to l-uiu; the journeys of modern
travellers,- — are all the offspring of the wondrous manifestations of Divine power
and majesty displayed during those eventful " forty years."
The Inhabitants. — In travelling through the peninsula of Sinai we not only
meet with the Bedawin whose home it is, but we must employ them as our
guides and guards. No foreigner can traverse their territory except under
their protection. It is therefore important to know something of the several
tribes, their character, and their districts. The proper Bedawin of Mount Sinai,
or Jebel Tur, are divided into 5 tribes. They are all called by the common
name Tawarah (" people of Tur "), and in time of war with foreigners they
fight under one chief. They are as follows : —
1. The Sawdlihah (sing. Salihy), the largest and most important division,
comprising several branches which themselves constitute tribes, viz. (1), the
Dhuheiry, asection of which is the Aulad Said, or Saidiyeh, who occupy the best
valleys among the mountains, and appear to have most connection with the
convent. (2) The 'Awarimeh. (3) The Kurrashy. The Sawalihah occupy
the valleys on the west and north-west of the convent. They are the
oldest and most distinguished inhabitants of the peninsula. All the sub
divisions intermarry, and are generally on terms of close friendship. The
Dhuheiry and 'Awarimeh, however, are alone recognised as Ghafirs or
" protectors," of the convent, and consequently they alone have the right to
conduct travellers.
2. The 'Aleiltdt are also an old tribe, but now poor and few in number.
They intermarry with the former, and are among the recognised Ghafirs,
B 2

4 Inhabitants. Sect. I.
Their territory extends from Surabit el-Khadim and Wady Mukatteb to Wady
Ghfirundel on the west.
3. The Muzeiny came into this region at a later period, and are looked on
by the Sawahhah as intruders, but they intermarry with the 'Aleikat. They
are numerous and strong. They pitch their tents and pasture their flocks
along the shore of the Gulf of Suez, and through the whole eastern part of the
mountain region. They have no connexion with the convent.
4. The Aulad Suleiman consist only of a few families round the village
of Tur.
5. The Beni Wdsel. — Of these there are but a few tents amid the Muzeiny ;
they are generally pitched beside Shunn, a small ruined village at the mouth
of the Gulf of 'Akabah.
The Tawarah occupy the whole region south of the mountains of Tih and
Eahah, and permit no foreigner to conduct strangers through their territory
without special consent. Travellers who approach the convent from Syria
may bring with them escorts of the Tiyahah, or any other neighbouring tribe,
but they can only leave tlu convent under the guidance of those Tawarah
who enjoy the privileges of Ghaf ir.
The Tawarah are far inferior in wealth, courage, and even in personal
appearance, to the Bedawin of the Syrian desert. They are confined to a
narrow district, possessing few springs and scanty pasturage. A few sheep or
goats, a single camel, and sometimes a donkey, form about the average wealth
of each tent. The sheikh is deemed rich who can number 6 camels. Their
dress too is different from that of the true Bedawy. They wear a voluminous
turban instead of the kufiyeh. The rest of their costume is poor and simple
enough : — a wide abba, a scanty under garment, a leathern belt replenished
with a row of cartridges, a crooked ktiife, and a long gun. But in some other
respects the Tawarah contrast favourably with the Bedawin ; they are obliging,
tractable, and faithful ; and what is still rarer, they are distinguished for their
honesty : all Bedawin are thieves by profession ; but among the Tawarah tribes
robberies are unknown. An article of dress, a piece of furniture, an old tent,
may he left upon a rock for months together, — its owner will find it safe when
he returns. A camel falls dead beneath its burden in the open desert ; its
master draws a circle round it with his stick, and then sets off to his tribe,
perhaps two or three days' journey distant, to seek another animal ; and though
hundreds pass the spot in the interval, not a hand is stretched out to steal.
The grain and principal valuables of many of the sheikhs are stowed away in
little buildings amoDg the mountains, and may not be visited during a great
part of the season, yet they are never violated. Burckhardt tells a charac
teristic incident : " Some years ago an Arab of the Sawahhah laid hold of his
own son, carried him bound to the summit of a mountain, and precipitated him,
because he had been convicted of stealing com from a friend."
Some of their marriage customs are so peculiar as to be worthy of record.
The Arab maiden is bought, not won. The father regulates the price, accordiug
to his own importance, and her beauty. It is said to range from 5 dols.
to 30. AVhen the terms have been settled between the father and the
intended bridegroom, the latter receives a green branch of tree or shrub,
which he sticks in his turban, and wears for 3 days, to show that he is
espoused to a virgin. The young lady is seldom made acquainted with the
transaction. When she comes home in the evening at the head of her father's
sheep, she is met a short distance from the camp by her " intended," and a
couple of his young friends, who carry her off by force to her father's tent.
This, however, requires some expertness ; for if the damsel at all suspects
their designs before they get sufficiently near to seize her she fights like a
fury, defending herself with stones, and often infljcting deep wounds, even
though she may not feel altogether indifferent to her lover. This is desert

oinai. Inhabitants. 5
etiquette ; and the more she struggles the more Is she applauded ever after by
her companions. When at last vanquished and carried to the tent, one of the
bridegroom's relatives throws an abba over her, completely covering her head,
and then pronounces the name of her husband, which to that moment she may
not have heard. After this ceremony she is dressed by her mother and
female relations in new clothes provided by the bridegroom, placed on the
back of a gaily caparisoned camel, and, still struggling in the restraining grasp
of her husband's friends, paraded three times round his tent. She is then
carried into the tent amid the shouts of the assembled encampment, and the
ceremony concludes.
A still more singular custom prevails among the Muzeiny, but is confined
to that tribe. When the young lady has been wrapped in the abba she is
permitted to flee to the mountains, and the next day the bridegroom goes in
pursuit. Many days often elapse ere he can find her ; the time is, of course,
longer or shorter according to the impression made on the fair one's heart.
Besides the Tawarah there is another tribe in this part of the peninsula,
called the Jebeliyeh. They are scarcely recognised as Bedawin ; and they are
the serfs of the convent. The tradition is that they are descendants of some
Wallachian peasants who were sent here by the Emperor Justinian to be the
vassals and guards of the convent ; if so, time has made them in appearance,
dress, language, and habits, like the Arabs. They are now under the entire
control of the monks, and have the exclusive right of guiding travellers to
the summits of Sinai and Horeb, and on other pedestrian excursions around the
convent. A few families of them occupy the date-gardens of Feiran and
the convent-grounds at Tur.
The total number of the inhabitants of the peninsula south of the Tih range
is estimated at from 4000 to 5000 souls.
The region north of the Tih range is occupied by 3 great tribes, viz. —
1. Terabin, whose possessions extend from Jebel Eahah and the Isthmus
of Suez to Gaza ; they are friends and allies of the Tawarah.
2. The Tiy&hah (" people of Tih ") occupy a tract immediately west of the
former, reaching across the desert of Tih from the Sinai mountains to the borders
of Palestine.
4. The Saiwdt, who pasture then- flocks and pitch their tents along the
eastern borders of the plateau of Tih, and down to the 'Arabah.
There is just one other tribe of Arabs with whom the traveller may have to
deal in his pilgrimage, the 'Alawin, whose sheikh has long claimed the right of
fui-nisliing an escort from 'Akabah to Petra. These are a wild and lawless
set, far different frpm the gentle, obliging Tawarah. They are avaricious,
disobliging, impertinent, and should thus be avoided if possible : still to attempt
to penetrate to Wady Musa by this route without their escort, would be madness.
In fact, it should be adopted, and strictly followed out, as a general rule, that
no traveller should ever attempt to pass through the territory of a tribe until
he has secured an escort from it, or has obtained the express permission of
its chief.
The Bedawin are an interesting, if a wild people. The motto given to their
great progenitor nearly 4000 years ago applies to almost every individual of
his descendants still — " He will be a wild man ; his hand will be against
every man, and every man's hand against him ;" and yet they have many good
qualities. Their laws — for the Bedawin have laws, though somewhat peculiar
— arc iu many respects honest and straightforward. A Bedawy, for instance, is
in debt and refuses to pay his creditor. The creditor takes two or three men
as witnesses of the refusal ; and then seizes, if ho can, a camel or something
else belonging to the debtor, and deposits it with a third person. This brings
the case to trial before the judge, and the debtor forfeits the articles seized.
In cases of assault the law is equally primitive. A fine is immediately imposed in

6 Choosing an Escort. Sect, I.
proportion to the injury inflicted ; if both parties are wounded a balance is
struck between the wounds, and the party least wounded pays a fine equal to
the difference. The degree of offence, or provocation, is never taken into
account, it being adopted as a general principle that nothing can justify a
quarrel between brethren.
But the severest law of the Bedawin is that of blood revenge. " Whoso
sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed," is a statute rigidly
executed in the desert. It is not only the right, but the duty, of the nearest
relative of the deceased to slay the murderer, wherever he may find him. So
far the law under existing circumstances might be just and salutary, but,
unfortunately, it extends farther, and any member of the murderer's family,
though innocent and even ignorant of the crime, may become the victim of the
"avenger. of blood." Blood-feuds are thus almost endless, running into an
infinite series of murders. Yet this terrible law exercises an immense influence
for good upon all the Bedawin. It makes them cautious in their quarrels,
and chary of bloodshed even in their plundering expeditions. The absolute
certainty of murder being revenged in one way or another, at one time or
another, on one person or another, puts a great cheek upon passion. No man,
no family, no tribe, will lightly commit, or permit, an act that will hang a
sentence of death over them, to be executed no one can tell when or where.
Weeks, months, years, may pass, yet the terrible sentence is not forgotten — it
will surely come at last.
The morals of the Bedawin are far superior to those of the Arabs of the
cities and villages. Hard fare and desert life are not calculated to pamper
the passions ; but, even independent of this, there is a principle of honour in the
breast of the wild " son of the desert " which we seek for in vain beneath
the silken robe of the citizen. The Bedawin, says Burckhardt, are perhaps the
only people of the East that can with justice be entitled " true lovers."
The passion of love is, indeed, much talked of by the inhabitants of towns,
but there is scarcely a doubt that nothing is meant by it more than the
grossest animal desire. The total separation of the sexes, and the mystic
privacy of the harim, contribute much to this state of things. In the desert
all is different. The Arab maid leads forth her father's sheep ; mixes freely
with the young men of her tribe ; and yet her modesty amounts even to
prudery. The breath of scandal is never breathed against her. Love thus
often springs up almost in childhood, and is fostered during a series of years.
Still it must be acknowledged that divorce is not unfrequent. It may be
ascribed rather to unruly temper than to any want of feeling. That such
is sometimes the case Burckhardt gives a striking proof. A Bedawy of
Sinai divorced his wife, but shot, himself when he saw her married to another
man. The same writer gives another affecting tale of Bedawy feeling. Near
Wady Feiran in the desert of Sinai, there is a mountain shown from which two
young girls precipitated themselves, having the ringlets of their hair twisted
together. They dashed themselves to pieces, because on that evening they
were to be married, by an arrangement of their friends, to men whom they dis
liked. The peak is still called Hajr el Bendt, " the maidens' rock."
It should always be a prominent part of the engagement with every escort of
Bedawin that the leader guarantees the safety of the traveller and his property,
and will, therefore, be held accountable for all loss. Such an understanding
prevents all tricks ; and if a trick be nevertheless attempted, and property or
money carried off, the traveller should insist, if not for his own sake, at least for
the sake of those who follow him, on full remuneration.
The traveller is now prepared for choosing an escort, which is best done, by
the aid of his dragoman, through the English consul, who can give him the
most recent information regarding the state of the tribes in the peninsula, and

Sinai. Expenses. 7
the best guides. If it be his intention to proceed to 'Akabah, it may be as
well to inquire whether the Muzeiny Arabs are at peace with the other tribes
of the Tawarah ; and whether any difficulty has recently been experienced in
passmg through their territories. The number of camels the traveller will
require will depend, of course, on the number of his servants, the amount of his
baggage, and the ''style" he wishes to keep up. Taste and the purse have both
to be consulted. A tent and provisions are the great requisites, and the less one
has beyond them the better. To travel in state will be found slow work in the
desert. To pack, unpack, and arrange a fine equipage, to get up luxurious
dinners, and to keep the various members of a large retinue each in his proper
place, will be found to detract much from the pleasure, and from the profit too,
of a desert torn-. Let simple necessaries be well secured, and all luxuries thrown
to the winds, and both mind and body will get relief.
Except when the road to Petra is open, which can usually be known from the
consul, it is better for the ordinary traveller, wishing simply to visit Sinai, to
return thence to Cairo. He will thus escape the long, dreary, and fatiguing
journey through the desert of et-Tih ; he will have an opportunity of traversing
both the northern and southern routes through the peninsula ; and he will get
sooner to Palestine. The railway is open from Suez to Alexandria, and the
whole distance can be accomplished in 9| hours.
In going to Sinai, or through the Wilderness to Palestine, it will be moro
satisfactory to arrange with a dragoman for camels, tents, provisions, &c, at a
fixed rate. This rate ought not to exceed thirty shillings for each person when
the party numbers three or upwards. One or two persons will pay more. The
number of days to be spent en route should be fixed ; and one-half the gross sum
may be paid in advance, but the other half ought in all cases to be retained
till the end of the journey.
When Petra is visited an extra sum must be allowed as payment to the
Alawin escort; but its amount can only be ascertained on meeting with
the chiefs of that tribe at Akabah. A provisional stipulation should be made
with the dragoman, binding him, in case it should be found impossible to visit
Petra, either to proceed from Akabah direct to Hebron, or to return to Cairo, as
may be desired.

Route 1. — Cairo to the Convent of Sinai. Sect. I.

EOUTES.

EOUTE 1.
CAIEO TO THE CONVENT OP SINAI. II. V.
Cairo to Suez, by rail . . . . 4 30
'AyunMusa  6 20
'Ain Hawarah, Marah .. . . 16 30
Wady Ghtirundel, Elim.. ..2 0
WadyUseit  2 15
Wady et-Taiyibeh  4 0
Total ..31 5
Wady et-Taiyibeh to Sinai, by Wady
Mukatteb and Serbal.
Mouth of Wady et-Taiyibeh.. 2 0
Plain of Murkhah  2 0
Wady Shellal (entrance) ..2 0
Wady Mukatteb (entrance) . . 4 0
Wady Feiran  4 0
Feiran  5 30
Wady esh-Sheikh  2 0
NukbHawy  6 0
Convent of Sinai  3 0

Total ..30 30
Wady et-Taiyibeh to Sinai, by Surdbit
el-Khddem.
Sarbut el-Jemel  3 40
Debbet er-Eamleh  6 10
Surabit el-Khadem  2 50
Wady esh-Sheikh  12 35
NukbHawy  4 30
Convent  3 0

Total

32 45

The procuring and packing of all the
requisites for a long desert journey is
both troublesome and fatiguing, and
ought to be left to the care of a respon
sible dragoman. They must be ar
ranged for slinging, in hampers, boxes,
or saddle-bags, on the backs of camels.
They must be secured in such a way as
that the rough handling of the Beda
win, and an occasional dash against a
cliff, or fall from the animal's back, may
not crush, or break them. Those who

engage their own animals, and who do
not enter into an agreement with a
dragoman for the supply of everything,
will require to see that proper loads are
put upon the camels. It is the interest
of the Bedawin to make the loads light,
so as both to save the animals and
secure the employment of a larger
number. Another thing the traveller will re
quire to see to himself, under all cir
cumstances, is the choice of an easy
dromedary and good saddle for his own
use. Much of his comfort during a
long journey will depend upon this.
Let an animal, with its trappings, be
selected, and tried beforehand; and
when the time comes for the final
start, take care that no tricks- are
played in the way of substituting a
broken-down camel for an agile drome
dary, or an old for a new saddle.
Cairo to Suez. — The railway being
now open, and the distance only 4§ hrs.,
most travellers will prefer sending for
ward their camels and escort, and
taking the morning train, which will
leave them at Suez in sufficient ttime
to see the town, inspect the shore of
the gulf, and prepare for an early start
on the succeeding morning.
Those, however, who wish to survey
the intervening country may do so.
The distance direct is, for camels, 32
hrs. There are three principal routes,
as follows : —
1. Derb el-Hdj, "Pilgrim's road,"
which leads from the city to Birlcet
el-Hdj (Pilgrim's Pool), a few miles
N.E. of Heliopolis, and 4 hrs. from
Cairo. It here turns to the rt., by a
stone ruin, and continues S. by E. to
the castle and station of Ajrud, 6 m.
from Suez. 2. Derb et-Tawarah, the
usual route of the Tur Arabs. It pro
ceeds from the city nearly due east, till
it strikes the former a day's journey
west of Ajrfld. The distance between
Cairo and Suez by this route is 82 m.

Sinai.

Route 1. — Suez. — Passage of Red Sea.

9

3. Derb el-Besatin runs southward from
.Cairo to the village of Besatin, near
the banks of the Nile ; and there turns
eastward, passing south of Jebel Mu-
kattem, and north of Jebel Gharbun;
and joins the former about 59 m. east
of Cairo. A branch of this road leads
down the valleys of Eamliyeh and
Tawarik, reaching the shore of the Eed
Sea some 10 m. below Suez.
Each of these routes has its own
peculiar objects of interest. No. 2
passes the remarkable petrifactions of
wood, mixed with pebbles of flint and
chalcedony, a few miles east of Cairo.
No. 3, according to Arab tradition, is
the route followed by the Israelites in
their flight from Egypt. Josephus
says they started from Latopolis, or
Babylon, the site of which has been
identified between Cairo and Besatin,
and is now called Misr el-Kadim,
"Old Cairo." If this be true, then
then- natural route to the Eed Sea
would be through Wady Tawarik. It
appears, however, from the most careful
examination of authorities, that Ba
rneses, from which the Israelities set
out, was situated between the bitter
lakes, on the eastern border of the
Delta. Four days are generally occupied in
the journey from Cairo to Suez. In
going by Derb el-Besatin, five days
will be required.

Suez is a modern town, which ap
pears to have sprung up within the
last three centuries. The first men
tion of it is by the Arab author Ben
Ayas, in the year A.n. 1516. About
20 years later a fleet was built here by
Sultan Suleiman. It continued to be
a small and insignificant place down
to a late period, when, owing to its im
portance as an entrepot to Egypt from
the East, it became more populous. It
now contains about 5000 Inhab. It is
best known to Englishmen as the
place where Indian passengers em
bark on their voyage eastward. For
their accommodation an excellent hotel
has been established in the town.

There is here also an agent of the
Transit Company, who acts as English
vice-consul. The town is situated on the angle of
land between the broad head of the
gulf, which runs from east to west, and
a narrow arm which runs up north
ward from its eastern comer. Suez is
a dreary spot, shut in like the Israelites
of old by the desert and the sea. Yet
it is improving. English enterprise is
infusing new life into it, and French
emulation or jealousy is aiding in the
work. A long pier has been built, and
docks are projected. The town itself
has nothing of interest to attract the
traveller. About a quarter of a mile north of
the town is a mound of rubbish, which
marks the site of the ancient Greek
city of Klysma, and the later Kolzum,
mentioned by Arab writers as the great
port of the Eed Sea. The city of
Arsinoe is supposed to have stood at or
near the same spot.

Passage of the Red Sea by the
Israelites.
The various theories advanced re
garding the precise place where the
Israelites crossed the Red Sea need not
here be mentioned. It may be well,
however, to give in a few sentences the
leading points of the Bible narrative,
and to connect them as far as pos
sible with the physical features of the
country. The site of Eameses is disputed.
If, as seems most probable, it lay be
tween the bitter lakes, on the eastern
border of the Delta, then the line of
march must have been S.E. parallel to
the ancient canal. The distance to the
head of the gulf would thus be about
35 miles. If, however, Eameses lay
near Cairo, the natural route of the
Israelites would be along the line of
the railway,to Suez. The former theory
accords best with the sacred narrative.
It must not be forgotten that the
Israelites were from first to last under
Divine guidance. At first they ap
peal- to have marched "by the way of
the wilderness" to the head of the gulf;
B 3

10

Route 1. — Passage of Red Sea.

Sect. I.

but on teaching Etham, " in the edge
of the wilderness " (Exod. xiii. 20 ;
Num. xxxiii. 6), they turn aside.
There the presence of the Lord as
their leader, in " a pillar of a cloud," is
first mentioned ; and there " the Lord
spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto
the children of Israel, that they turn
and encamp before Pihahiroth, between
Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-
Zephon " (Exod. xiv. 2). In the pa
rallel passage in Numbers it is said,
" They removed from Etham, and
turned again unto Pihahiroth." There
was here a complete change in their
route by Divine command, for the pur
pose of entrapping the Egyptians, who,
it seems, were watching their move
ments. At first they directed their
course to the head of the gulf, as if
about to pass by it into the wilderness ;
but at Etham they turned sharply to
the right down the western shore. Pha
raoh now thought they were completely
in his power, and so, humanly speak
ing, they were : but God opened a pas
sage for them through the saa.
The point at which they crossed
must be determined from the details of
the Biblical narrative in connection -With
the physical features of the coast. The
depth of the channel cannot be allowed
to influence our decision ; nor can the
tidal rise or fall, nor any supposed
effect of an ordinary storm. The pas
sage was opened by a miracle — that is,
by a direct exercise of Divine power
temporarily overcoming the laws of
gravitation, and raising up the water
On each side. The mode in which the
Divine power operated is stated : " The
Lord caused the sea to go by a strong
east wind (or, perhaps, ' a strong vehe
ment wind ') all that night, and made
the sea dry, and the waters were di
vided, and the children of Israel went
through the sea on dry ground, and the
waters were a wall to them on the right
band and on the left" (Exod. xiv. 21, 22).
With equal definiteness it is described
in the song of Moses : " With the blast
of thy nostrils the waters were gathered
together, the floods stood uprigfit as an
heap, and the depths were congealed in
the heart of the sea."
The action of the wind cannot be

fully explained. It appears to have
swept across the gulf in a narrow track
with such tremendous violence as to
cut a way through, forcing the water
back on each side. No natural tempest
could have done this. It was a mighty
agent in God's hand, acting as He
willed, not merely clearing a passage,
but keeping up " the wall " of waters
on each side during the entire night,
This miraculous element must he fully
admitted, or else the narrative must be
rejected altogether as a fable.
The place of passage is minutely
described. The Israelites had en
camped " in front of Pihahiroth, be
tween Migdol and the sea, in front of
Baal-Zephon." These places, however,
are now unknown. It is even uncertain
whether the names are Egyptian or
Hebrew, so that no argument can be
based on their signification. One thing
is clear ; the position of the Israelites
was such as to cause their enemies to
say, "They are entangled in the land,
the ^wilderness hath shut them in."
This appears to mean that, besides
having the sea in front, they were so
hemmed in by mountain and desert as
to make escape impossible.
The head of the gulf is a channel
less than a mile wide and about four
miles long, running from north to south.
At its southern end, on a low promon
tory, stands the town of Suez. South
of the town the shore trends westward,
and, sweeping round, forms a spacious
bay, bounded on the south by the
rocky promontory of Atakah. The bay
has a broad margin, well adapted for a
camp. It is shut in on the west by the
precipitous ridge of Jebel Atakah;
while on the south, beyond the pro
montory, lies a barren desert. This
bay appears to correspond in all re
spects to the station of the Israelites
" between Migdol (perhaps Jebel Ata
kah) and the sea." Pharaoh, following
them from the north, would see the im
passable heights of Atakah on the one
side, and the wilderness beyond, and
might, therefore, well say, " They are
entangled in the land, the wilderness
hath shut them in."
From the promontory of Atakah to
the opposite shore of the gulf is seven

Sinai.

Route 1. — 'Ayun Musa.

11

miles. This distance could easily be
traversed by the Israelites in a night;
and it would leave sufficient room for
the opening of the miraculous passage,
and the subsequent overthrow of the
horses and chariots of Pharaoh. At
this spot, therefore, we feel inclined to
fix the passage.

Suez to Wady et-Taiyibeh— 28 hrs.
It is the usual practice to send the
camels, luggage, and servants round
the head of the gulf, with orders for
one part of them to pitch the tents at
'Ayun Musa, and the other to take
the riding dromedaries to a point on
the shore opposite Suez. The traveller
then crosses in a boat, mounts his
animal, and proceeds to the encamp
ment, about 3 m. distant. Such as
wish to see the country round the
head of the gulf may pursue that
route, and explore the site of Arsinoe,
and the mounds of the ancient and
works of the modem canal. The dis
tance by the land route from Suez to
'Ayfm Musa is 6 hrs. 20 min. ; while
the direct route is only about 1J hr.
The latter, however, involves the ne
cessity of employing a boat, and of
being carried a considerable distance
on men's shoulders through the shallow
water to the beach on the opposite
side. 'Ayun Musa — the so-called "Wells
of Moses" — are small brackish foun
tains, springing up in the desert plain,
about 2 m. inland. One of them is
built of massive ancient masonry.
The water leaves a calcareous deposit,
like the great fountains of Tyre, and
this, having accumulated during long
ages, has formed a little mound. A
few stunted palm-trees and tamarisks
cluster round the fountains, forming
an oasis in a dreary desert. The
neighbouring shore is the traditional
spot where the Israelites, after passing
through the sea, turned to look on the
engulfed host of Pharaoh: and here
their leader is said to have obtained a
supply of water to refresh his wearied
followers, so that his name has ever
since clung to the spot. Here, or not

far distant, "Moses and the children
of Israel " sang then- song of triumph :
— "I will sing unto the Lord, for he
hath triumphed gloriously; the horse
and his rider hath he thrown into the
sea." (Ex. xv. 1-19.) Here, or not far
distant, Miriam his sister, and all the
women with her, went out " with tim
brels and with dances " (id. 20, 21),
singing and responding, party to party ;
just as Arab maidens still do in sea
sons of rejoicing.
The bleak limestone ridge of Eahah
is now in full view, bounding the
desert on the left. One peak, which
rises conspicuously above the uniform
mountain wall, is called Tdset Sudr,
" the cup of Sudr." On the right is
the broad belt of the Gulf of Suez,
blue as the firmament which it re
flects ; and away beyond it are the
African hills. The only green spot in
the wide expanse is that round the
wells of Moses. The plain declines
gently from the base of Rahah to the
shore of the gulf; it is slightly undu
lating, intersected here and there by
shallow wadys and low sand-ridges.
Its surface is composed of tertiary
sandstone, with cretaceous rocks often
protruding. This is that wilderness
of Shur in which the Israelites " went
three, days and found no water." The
name (Shur, " wall ") may have been
derived from the wall-like ridge of
Jebel er-Bahah.
The traveller is now fairly launched
on the desert of Asia, and begins to
feel alike the sweets and the priva
tions of desert life. His heart bounds
with the consciousness of complete
freedom ; but he moistens his parched
lips with muddy, " bitter " water,
which he would dash from him with
disgust in any country of Europe.
The following graphic sketch of the
details of desert travelling is drawn
by a pen often wayward, but occa
sionally gifted with rare descriptive
power. It may not be unaccejitable in
the way of " hints " to the wayfarer,
and information to the reader and
stayer at home : — " At 4 o'clock in
the morning or earlier Alee brought a
light into our tent. Our tin basins
had been filled the night before, and a

12

Route 1. — &ez to Wady et-Taiyibeh.

Sect. I.

pitcher of water and tin cups placed
on the table. I always slept in what
is called Levinge's bag, — an inexpres
sible comfort. (See Handbook for
Egypt, p. 3.) Without it I believe I
should scarcely have slept at all ; but,
as it was, I lay down every night, ab
solutely secure from insects of every
kind. The flies might hang in clus
ters, like bees, on the tent-pole; the
beetles might run over the floor, the
earwigs hide themselves under the
counterpane, and fleas skip among
the camel furniture ; in my bag, under
its wide airy canopy, I was safe from
them all, and from all fancies about
them. It did not take me above five
minutes in the day to put up and take
down my canopy ; a small price to pay
for comfort and good sleep. As soon
as we opened our tent-door, while I
was taking down my bag, and the
gimlets which, screwed into the tent-
poles, served us for pegs to hang our
things on, Alee carried out our table
and its tressels and the camp-stools,
and Abasis laid the cloth for an open-
air breakfast." (Instead of the gimlets
I recommend short straps of strong
leather, with little hooks attached to
thein.f One or two of them can be
easily fastened round the tent-pole, or
to the cords at the side, and they are
excellent for clothes, instruments, arms,
watch, &c.) " We sat down to it at 5
or, soon after, when the stars were
growing pale, and the translucent dawn
began to shine behind the eastern
ridges, or perhaps to disclose the
sheeny sea. While we were at our
meal we saw one after another of the
other four parties come forth from
their tents and sit down to table."
The tents now come down in rapid
succession, and those who like a morn
ing walk may set out in advance,
while the servants are loading the
camels. This affords excellent oppor
tunity for more close examination of
the geology, botany, geography, or an
tiquities of each locality. A little bag,
like a miniature knapsack, or a capa-
tious pocket, may hold note-book, pen
cils, map, and any work of reference
selected. " At eleven o'clock," continues Miss i

Martineau, " Abasis rode up with his
tin lunch-box, to supply each of us
with bread, cold fowl, or a hard egg,
and a precious orange ; or, as oftener
happened, we looked out at that time.
for some shadow from a chance shrub,
or in a, rocky nook, where we might
sit down to luncheon, while the bag
gage-camels went forwards. . . .
" After 3 o'clock " (this is too early
for most strong people ; and, except
where there is good shade, it is as
bad, if not worse, to sit in the sun
as to ride in it) "the sheikh and
dragoman began to look about to
choose our abiding-place for the night. '
Where the sheikh points, or stands, or
plants his spear, there it is to be." —
This may be very poetical, but I
would recommend the traveller to
overlook the fine sentiment, and dis
card all idea of passive submission to
the will of any sheikh, except when it
is found convenient. The traveller
ought himself to be commander-in-
chief ; the sheikh he may invest with
the dignity of lieutenant. " Then, as
the camels arrive, they kneel down
and release their riders ... It re
quired about half an hour to put up
and furnish our tent. It was hard
work to rear it, fix the poles, and
drive in the pegs. Then Alee turned
over every large stone within it, to
dislodge scorpions, or other such ene
mies. This done, and the floor a little
smoothed, he brought in our iron bed
steads and bedding, and the saddle
bags which held our clothes. Next
came the mats ; — two pretty mats,
brought from Nubia, which covered
the greater part of the floor. Then
the table was placed in the middle,
and camp-stools were brought; and
basins of water, and a pitcher and
cup." 'Ain Ilawdrah, " the Fountain of
Destruction," 16 h. from 'Ain Musa,
is the next fountain, and the next
point of any importance in this dreary
plain, where the sight of a shrub, or
even a projecting rock, forms an inci
dent for the traveller's note-book. The
water of the fountain is " bitter," and,
like that of 'Ain Musa, it leaves a

Sinai.

Route 1. — Wady Ghurundel.

13

calcareous deposit. Around are a few
stunted palms, and a little thicket of
the thorny ghurkud (Nib-aria triden-
tata). The situation of this spring,
and the character of its waters, sug
gest its identity with the Mdrah (bit
ter) of Scripture (Ex. xv. 23)— "So
Moses brought Israel from the Red
Sea, and they went out into the wilder
ness of Shur ; and they went three
days" (corresponding to our 16| h.)
" in the wilderness and found no water.
And when they came to Marah they
could not drink of the waters of Marah,
for they were bitter." (See also Num.
xxxiii. 8, 9.) And should the thirsty
traveller hasten forward now to drink
at the fountain, his Arabs will restrain
him by the cry " Murr ! Murr ! "
" Bitter ! bitter! " reminding him more
forcibly than agreeably of the disap
pointed Israelites. This then is the
fountain whose bitter waters were
miraculously rendered palatable by
throwing into it a desert shrub. It
has been suggested that the fruit of
the ghurkud was employed for this
purpose ; and it might probably pro
duce the desired effect, as it is acidu
lous. But there are two serious objec
tions to the theory — first, the plant
was only in flower when the Israelites
passed (immediately after the Pass
over), and they must consequently
have waited some two months for the
fruit to ripen ; and second, the whole
desert of Sinai would not grow as
much of the fruit as would acidulate
a drink for two millions of people.
Wady Ghurundel, 2 h., is the next
station. The fountains are half an
hour down the valley to the right of
the path, and form one of the chief
watering-places in the region. From
Marah the Israelites " came to Ellin,
where were twelve wells of water,
and three score and ten palm-trees ;
and they encamped there by the
waters." (Ex. xv. 27.) A better place
for an encampment could not be
found in all this desert plain than
Wady Ghtlrunde], and I can scarcely
think the weary host would have
passed such an inviting spot. This
then may safely be identified with

Elim. The desert is bare and bar
ren, but Wady Ghttrundel is fringed
with trees and shrubs, forming a
charming oasis. Here are stunted
palms, with their hairy trunks and
dishevelled branches. Here, too, are
tamarisks, with gnarled boughs, then-
leaves dripping with manna ; and here
is the acacia, with its gray foliage and
bright blossoms. Pleasant is the
acacia to the sight wearied by the
desert glare, but it has a greater at
traction as the free of the " Burning
Bush," and the " shittim-wood " of
the Tabernacle. The groves of Ghu
rundel extend far down the valley
towards the sea, and through them
winds a streamlet, one of the very
few in the peninsula of Sinai.
On the southern side of Wady
Ghurundel the mountainous region
may be said to commence. On the
right, near the coast, is Jebel Hummdm
Faroun, " The Hill of Pharaoh's
Bath," — dark, desolate, but picturesque
in outline. It receives its name from
a warm sulphureous fountain which
springs up from a cretaceous stratum
at its base. The temperature of the
water is about 170° Fahr. The steep
cliffs of the mountain-side rise almost
perpendicularly out of the sea, so as to
cut off all passage in that direction.
The Israelites must, consequently, have
pursued their way along its eastern
base. On ascending to the elevated
ground on the left bank of Wady
Ghurundel, the lofty peak of Jebel
Serbal appears for the first time, far
away in front, overtopping all its
fellows. Wady Useit, 2\ h. from Wady Ghtt
rundel, has a few brackish fountains
and groves of palms and tamarisks,
and has been thought by some to be
the Elim of Scripture. Such as desire
to visit the hot springs of Jebel Hum-
mam, called the " Baths of Pharaoh,"
should pass down Wady Ghurundel,
and return to the main road by Wady
Useit. Continuing in the same direc
tion for 4 h. more, we reach an open
space among the ridges, where Wady
el-Humr joins Shubeikeh, and the
two united form Wady Taiyibeh.

14

Route 1.- — Wady et-Taiyibeh to Sinai. Sect. 1.

Here the road branches, each branch
leading to the Convent of Sinai by a
different route: one runs up Wady
Humr, passes the curious ruins and
sculptures of Surabit el-Khadim, tra
verses Debbet er-Ramleh, and is per
haps the easiest road, though rather
longer than the other ; the other turns
down Wady Taiyibeh to the sea, and
afterwards winds through Wady Mu
katteb, past the peak of Serbal, Sinai's
rival. The latter we shall first fol
low ; and afterwards describe the for
mer. Wady ET-TAryrEEH to Sinai by
Wady Mukatteb.
30 J hrs. — From the point where
the road branches to the opening
of Wady Taiyibeh, on the plain
at the sea, is 2 hrs. There can be
little doubt that this is where the
Israelites encamped "by the Eed
Sea" after removing from Elim. (Num.
xxxiii. 10.) The distance is about 16
m., and could be easily accomplished
by the head-quarters of the host. No
spot more beautiful than this little
sea and cliff-girt plain could have been
selected for the encampment. Here
the sublime scenery of the Sinai moun
tains bursts at once upon the view.
The glittering granite peaks, the gor
geous colouring of the nearer cliffs, the
deep blue sea, and away far behind it
the pale outline of the African coast,
form a picture rarely equalled.
From the mouth of the wady the
camp of the Israelites may have ex
tended beyond the low sandstone
ridges and bluffs of Zelima, into the
plain of Murkhah on the other side,
where there is a fountain. The road
turns along the shore, crosses the head
land of Zelima, and then sweeps round
some low cliffs against which the
waves dash at high water. In a little
over 2 h. it enters the triangular plain
of Murkhah ; across which it passes for
2 h. more to the mouth of the Wady
Shellal. To the left, about half way
across the plain, may be seen the
entrance of a chasm, dividing the
red cliffs to their base, — it is called
Dhafary ; and half an hour N.W. of it
is the "bitter" fountain of Murkhah.

We now pass in among wild strangely-
coloured mountains, through the open
mouth of Wady Shellal : the red sum
mits rise far overhead from .bases of
dark green ; shrubby palm-trees nestle
beneath the cliffs ; while the fresh ca
per-plant hangs in festoons from rents
and cavities in then- sides. Just before
entering the valley we see. the road to
Ttir striking off to the right, along
the desolate plain of Ka'a.
The Wildernesss of Sin was the next
station of the Israelites after the en
campment " by the sea " (Num. xxxiii.
11). The narrative in Exodus omits
the latter. The omission is important.
It shows that it was not the object of
the sacred writer to mention all the
stations, but only the more remarkable.
Nor does the writer intimate that the
journeys were made on consecutive
days. A whole month was spent be
tween Eamesas and Sin(cf. Num. xxxiii.
3 ; Exod. xvi. 1), though only eight
stations are named, and only ten days'
actual march recorded.
The plain of Ka'a commences at the
mouth of Wady Taiyibeh, and extends
along the whole south-western side of
the peninsula. At first narrow, and
interrupted by spurs from the momi"
tains, it soon expands into an undulat"
ing, dreary waste, covered in part with
a white, gravelly soil, and in part with
sand. This is " the Wilderness of Sin."
Its desolate aspect appears to have pro
duced a most depressing effect upon the
Israelites. Shut in on the one hand by
the sea, on the other by the wild moun
tains, exposed to the full blaze of a
burning sun, on that bleak plain, the
stock of provisions brought from Egypt
now exhausted — we can scarcely won
der that they said to Moses, " Would
to God we had died by the hand of the
Lord in the land of Egypt, when we
sat by the flesh-pots, when we did eat
bread to the full ; for ye have brought
us forth into this wilderness, to kill
this whole assembly with hunger."
(Ex. xvi. 3.)
Entering Wady Shellal we travel for
2J- h. along its narrow defiles, between
cliffs of red sandstone. We then scale
the rugged ascent of Nukb Bddereh,
" the pass of the sword's point," which

Sinai.

Route 1. — Wady MaghdraL

15

occupies J hr. ; then for another hr. the
road winds down through Wady Bade-
reh, and finally enters the celebrated
Wady Mukatteb, " the Written Valley."
But just at the point of junction, on the
left, will be observed the opening of
a wild gorge called
Wady Maghdrah, " the Valley of the
Cave," whose singular caverns, and
more singular sculptures deserve a
close examination. The antiquarian
will luxuriate in such a spot as this,
looking back through the dim glass of
sculptures and hieroglyphics into the
misty ages of antiquity. The valley
was first visited by Laborde, who
states that the " rock has been worked
for the purpose of extracting from it the
copper found in the freestone. A long
subterraneous series of pillars formed
in the rock, and now encumbered by
the rushing in of the rains, and of the
sand which has there found refuge,
still exhibits traces of the labours for
merly prosecuted in that direction."
Lepsius was here more recently, and
discovered high up on the northern
cliff remarkable Egyptian hieroglyphic
inscriptions, belonging to the earliest
monuments of the antiquities of that
country : — " Already, under the fourth
dynasty of Manetho, the same which
erected the great pyramids of Gizeh,
4000 B.C.) copper-mines had been dis
covered in this desert, which were
worked by a colony. The peninsula
was "then inhabited by the Asiatic,
probably Semitic races ; therefore do
we often see in those rock sculptures
the triumphs of Pharaoh over the
enemies of Egypt. Almost all the in*
seriptions belong to the old empire;
only one was found of the coregenoy of
Tothmosis III. and his sister." This
Tuthmo, or Thothmes, was a great
architect, and a cotemporary of Moses,
so that all, or almost all these hiero
glyphic tablets were of an earlier date
than the Exodus ! One of the inscrip
tions contains the name of Suphis, or
Cheops, who built the great pyramid,
and lived, according to the common
chronology, 200 years before Abraham !
Some of Dr. Lepsius' dates almost rival
those of the antiquarian disciples of

Confucius ; but still, making an Arab
allowance for numbers, we must regard
these inscriptions on the cliffs of Wady
Magharah as among the most remark
able and most ancient in the world.
Eecommending them to the attention
of the traveller, and especially the
scholar, we pass on to other mysteries
of this wild region.
The mines, inscriptions, and remark
able remains in Wady Magharah have
of late been very thoroughly explored by
Major Macdonald . It is to be regretted,
however, that he has not as yet pub
lished any detailed account of his
successful and somewhat romantic re
searches and mining operations. He
has spent several years in the Penin
sula, and many a recent pilgrim has
enjoyed his profuse hospitality, and
reaped the benefit of his extensive
information. Writing to the Athenseum
in May, 1859, he gives a brief summary
of his discoveries. His attention was
drawn to an isolated hill, about 1000
ft. in height, directly opposite the caves
of Magharah. On its summit is a plat
form 660 ft. long by 260 broad, encom
passed by the remains of a massive wall.
In the centre of the platform is a
conical tell, 70 ft. high, surmounted by
a small circular watch-tower, which.
commands every approach to a great
distance. Bound the base of the tell
are the remains of 140 houses, each 10
ft. square. The hill-sides below are
formed into a number of terraces, and
these he found covered with remains of
little houses. He estimates then- num
ber as amounting to nearly 500. On
the top of the hill he found large re-1
servoirs for rain-water, fragments of
pottery, hammers, and spear and arrow
heads of stone. From the base of the
hill two parallel walls, at some distance
from each other, ran across the glen,
and up the opposite side, so as to shut
in the caves of Magharah, and protect
the miners from any sudden raid.
Farther up the valley are the remains
of a very large reservoir, occupying its
whole bed, with substantial houses
beside it, almost perfect. Among the
ruins he found some beautiful inscribed
tablets, resembling those at Surabit el-
Khadim ; and at the S.E. corner of the

is

Rjuie 1. — Sinaitic Inscriptions.

Sect.. I.

lull the rooks are covered with Sinaitic
inscriptions. At various points he saw
furnaces, apparently used for smelting
purposes. It appears, in fact, that this
place was, at some remote period, occu
pied by a large colony of miners ; and
on going down to the shore of the Gulf
of Suez, Major Macdonald discovered
the little harbour from which the
minerals appear to have been exported.
It is said the Major has been him
self successful in his search for tur
quoises. Wady Mukatteb, " the Written Val
ley," begins where Wady Magharah
falls in on the left to Wady Badereh.
The lower section of this valley is called
Sildry, or, according to Burckhardt,
Saih Sudr (the torrent of Siidr). Its
bed is hollowed out in the freestone
strata which lie at the base of- the
granite peaks. The action of water,
and of the elements, has, during the
course of ages, undermined the sand
stone; the superincumbent masses,
being thus left without support, and
having little tenacity, fall away, leaving
behind a smooth and uniform surface ;
such seems to have been the natural
process by which tablets were prepared
for future inscriptions. The general
aspect of the valley now is — lofty unin
terrupted walls of sandstone, backed at
some distance by rugged granite peaks,
and having along their bases detached
masses of rock, like a barrier, or break
water. The name of the valley,
Mukatteb, "the Written," is derived
from the extraordinary number of in
scriptions found in it. In the first divi
sion of the wady the inscriptions are
not so numerous ; but after traversing
it for 1J h. the rocks on each side are
covered with them. They occur both
on the smooth walls of the cliffs, and on
the broken fragments along their bases.

The Sinaitic Inscriptions.
The mystery of the Sinaitic inscrip
tions has not yet been solved. It may
be well here to give in a few sentences
a summary of what is known about
thuin.

Diodorus Siculus states that in his
time there was an oasis in the wilder
ness of Sinai containing a sacred shrine,
to which the inhabitants of the sur
rounding country were accustomed to
make pilgrimages every five years.
There was a stone altar at the spot with
an inscription in ancient unknown cha
racters. This appears to be the first
mention of. the now famous Sinaitie
inscriptions. The oasis was probably
Feiran; though some think it was the
village of Tur on the coast of the
Eed Sea. The quinquennial festival
is mentioned by Strabo. But the
first description of the inscriptions is
given (about a.d. 535) by Cosmas, who
supposed them to be the work of the
Israelites. They are also referred to by
several early travellers, as NeitzschitZ
and Monconys. Pococke and Niebuhr
attempted to copy them, but with little
success ; Seetzen and Burckhardt were
more accurate in their transcripts. In
the Transactions of the Eoyal Society
of Literature (vol. iii. p. 1, 1832) 177
of them are carefully engraved ; nine
of these are Greek, and one is Latin ;
the rest are of that peculiar character
which recent palseographists, as Beer,
have denominated Nabathean. They
are accompanied, wherever, they occur,
by rude figures of men with shields,
swords, bows, and arrows ; of camels
and horses ; of goats and ibexes with
horns wondrously exaggerated ; of
antelopes pursued by greyhounds; of
lizards and tortoises ; besides a num
ber of nondescripts which will puzzle
the zoologist. They are met with
in almost every part of the moun
tainous region of the peninsula, in
groups and singly. They have been
seen in Wadys Sidry, Magharah, and
Feiran ; in Wadys Humr and Birah,
on the northern route to Sinai; on
and around Mount Serbal ; in Wady
Lejah at Sinai ; on the plateau be
tween Wadys Seyal and el-Ain, on the
route to Akabah ; at Petra ; and on the
southern border of Palestine. They
occur, however, in greatest numbers in
Wady Mukatteb.
The inscriptions are in general very
short, consisting of one or two brief
lines ; the letters are from two to three

SljNJ

noute j.. — sinaitic inscriptions.

17

inches long, rudely ctlt with a sharp-
pointed instrument ; the surface of the
rock is generally soft, so that with a
pocket-knife one could cut an inscrip
tion in a few minutes. A few, how
ever, are more deeply and regularly
formed. Though Lepsius discovered
some of the Sinaitic characters en
graved over older Greek names, yet
the Greek inscriptions are generally of
a much more modem date than the
others, judging from then- appearance.
Some of them have crosses attached ;
but these are not in all cases of Chris
tian origin. The very same figures
are found on Egyptian obelisks. Their
position on the face of the cliffs is
generally so low that a man could reach
them ; some are higher and would re
quire a ladder, or at least an expert
climber. None are so high as to sug
gest the necessity for ropes or seaffold-
Professor Beer, of Leipzig, has ex
amined them with great care and con
structed an alphabet. The results of
the researches of this distinguished
scholar are as follows : — 1. The alpha
bet is independent ; some of the letters
are unique, others like the Palmyrene,
Estrangelo, and Cufic. They are writ
ten from left to right. 2. The con
tents of the inscriptions, so far as ex
amined, consist only of proper names
preceded by some such words as rfo%>
" peace," -p^i " in memory," and "»"Q
" blessed." The word »p|3 " priest" is
sometimes found after them. The
names are those common in Arabic ;
not one Jewish or Christian name has
yet been found. 3. The language is
supposed to be the Nabathean, spoken
by the inhabitants of Arabia Petrsea.
4. The writers were pilgrims. The
great number around Serbal leads to
the supposition that it was once a holy
place. That some of the writers were
Christian is evident from the crosses.
5. The age of the inscriptions he sup
poses to be not earlier than the 4th
cent. Had they been later some tradi
tion respecting them would probably
have existed in the time of Cosmas.
Prof. Tuch of Leipzig, while agreeing
with Beer in his alphabet and transla
tions, differs from him in regard to the

history of the inscriptions. He says
the language is Arabic ; the authors of
them were ancient inhabitants of these
mountains, in religion heathens. Pil
grimages were the occasions of the
inscriptions. Their date he fixed not
later than the second century B.C.
Dean Stanley in his careful resume
states that there is a great difference
of age manifested both in the pictures
and letters ; that they are intermixed
with Greek, Arabic, and even one or
two Latin words, apparently of the
same date ; that crosses are very numer
ous, and of such form as to show their
Christian origin. He concludes that
they are for the most part the work of
Christian pilgrims.
It will be seen from the above state
ments that these singular inscriptions
chiefly occur in the wadys, and on the
roads leading to particular spots ; such
as Mounts Sinai and Serbal, and the
Deir at Petra. They seem to have been
the work of idle loiterers, rude in their
ideas of art, and ruder still in their
morals ; for the figures of animals are
generally ludicrous, and occasionally
obscene. Many of the inscriptions are
evidently of remote antiquity ; while
others are plainly not older than our
own era. That they are of Israelitish
origin, as Mr. Forster maintains, no
satisfactory evidence has as yet been
produced. The letters are not Hebrew.
Some of them resemble Phoenician
characters; others are different from
those of any known language. And
yet it would seem they were the sym
bols of a language at one period uni
versally known throughout the whole
Peninsula. It does seem strange that
all knowledge of these characters, and
of the people who used them, has been
entirely lost ; and it seems stranger
still, that it was already lost in the 4th
century. The researches of the great
est scholars of our age have been
unable to solve the mystery of these
inscriptions, or afford any satisfactory
clue to their origin, authors, and object.
The subject is still open to the investi
gator, and affords an inviting field for
the exercise of linguistic and palseo-
graphic skill.

18

Route 1. — Mines. — Wady Feiran.

sect. I.

Mines are found in various parts of
the peninsula of Sinai. Those of Wady
Magharah have already been alluded
to. Dr. Wilson discovered others in
the granite mountains east of Wady
Mukatteb, which might repay a more
minute examination. So far as can be
gathered from his description, they lie
about 2 h. distant nearly due E. from
the place where the greatest body of
inscriptions ceases on the western side
of the wady. From the distance the
Doctor was struck -with the appearance
of metallic veins in the naked hill-sides,
running up to their summits like bars
or ribs. On approaching them, the hill
in front, which he was obliged to pass,
was partially covered with debris and
slag, intermixed with fragments of
stone mortars and furnaces, used for
pounding and smelting the ore. He
found the sides of the mountain
"peeled and excavated to a great ex
tent where the veins and dykes had
occurred." Numerous grooves and
channels were cut, even to the top of
the mountain where most precipitous,
for the extraction of the ore. The
stone is a-felspathic porphyry, " with a
dark coating upon it, probably arising
from the presence of copper." He
found what appeared to be a few parti
cles of gold in the sands not far distant ;
and we know that the turquoise and
other precious stones have been picked
up here and at various other places
in the peninsula. It seems highly
probable that the patriarch Job had
the mines, minerals, and precious stones
of this region before his mind's eye,
when he uttered the following beauti
ful sentences : —
" Surely there is a mine for the silver,
And a place for gold, where they fine it.
Iron is taken out of the earth.
And copper is molten out of the stone. . . .
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread ;
And under it iB turned up as it were fire.
The stones of it are the place of sapphires;
And it hath dust of gold 
He putteth forth his hand upon the rock ;
He orerturneth the mountains by the roots ;
He cutteth out channels among the rocks ;
And his eye seeth every precious thing."
Chap, xxviii.
The total length of Wady Mukatteb
is 3 h. Half an hour's ascent from it

leads to a little elevated plain; and
another hour, first across this plain,
and then down a slight rocky declivity,
brings the traveller into
Wady Feiran. At the point where
our road strikes this valley it turns
from its former course of N.W., and
runs off W. by S. towards the sea. A
lofty sandstone cliff stands at the
angle, and round this the traveller has
to wind in coming from Wady Mukat
teb. Wady Feiran, up which our way
now lies, runs for some 2 h. in nearly
a straight line, and is tolerably level.
The breadth varies from 400 to 600
yds. It is sprinkled with sand, and
has but little vegetation. On entering
it the cliffs on each side are sandstone,
but this soon gives way to primitive
rock, — gneiss and granite, with por
phyry veins and dykes. After 2 h. the
valley contracts, and winds consider
ably. In 3 h. more the eye is refreshed
by the sight of some bushy palms and
verdant gardens, watered from a well
at a place called Husseiyeh. About a
mile farther the ruins of an ancient
village may be seen on » mountain to
the left. Burckhardt estimates the
number of houses at about 100, and
says the style of architecture is similar
to that seen at St. Simon, north of
Aleppo. Half an hom- after passmg
this place we enter another and much
larger palm-grove, with whose graceful
branches the tamarisk mingles ; a little
streamlet winds through the thicket ;
hoary tottering ruins cling to the rugged
acclivities around ; and the dark open
ings of rock-hewn hermitages dot the
cliffs far overhead. This is Feiran, the
paradise of the Bedawin, and the site
of an early ecclesiastical city. Just
opposite the ruined city is the mouth
of Wady AleiySt, a wild, picturesque
glen, which winds away up southward
to the base of Serbal, whose jagged
summits are seen towering over all
intervening cliffs.
Similarity of name must not lead to a
confounding of Wady Feiran with the
wilderness or mountain of Paran, men
tioned in the Bible. The wilderness
of Paran lay along the wilderness
of Judah, and is now called Et-Tih,

SlNj,

nouie i. — jeeiran. — seroai.

19

Mount Paran was the wild range which
bounded the wilderness on the east
towards Kadesh. Eusebius and Je
rome, however, speak of a city of
Paran, three days' journey distant from
Aila, which is doubtless identical with
the modern Feiran.
_ During the early history of monas-
ticism in the peninsula of Sinai, when
its wildest glens swarmed with ancho
rites, and when every wretched cave
and gloomy grot was constituted the
living tomb of saintly hermit — the
sanctity and beauty of Feiran at
tracted to it a considerable Christian
population. Before the year a.d. 400
it was honoured with a bishop and a
council. Connected with, and subject to
this see, were the numerous monasteries
around Serbal and Sinai, and the 6000
hermits who are said to have lived in
the neighbouring mountains. But the
convent of Sinai afterwards increased in
importance, and the episcopal chair was
transferred to it about the 11th centy.
Feiran then began to decline, and, like
many a nobler and greater city in
Syria, fell to rise no more.
There can be no doubt as to the
identity of Paran with the present
Feiran. Riippell found here the rains
of a church, the architecture of which
he ascribes to the 5th centy. Burck
hardt estimates the number of ruined
houses at 200. His description of the
site and remains is, as usual, clear and
accurate : — " The valley of Feiran
widens considerably where it is joined
by Wady Aleiyat, and is about a
quarter of an hour in breadth. Upon
the mountains on both sides of the
road stand the ruins of an ancient city.
The houses are small, but built entirely
of stones, some of which are hewn, and
some united with cement, but the
greater part are piled up loosely.
There are no traces of any large edifice
on the north side, but on the southern
mountain there is an extensive build
ing, the lower part of which is of stone,
and the upper part of earth." Some
have endeavoured to identify this part
of Wady Feiran with Rephidim, where
" Moses smote the rock," and where
Israel fought with Amalek (Ex. xvii.,
xix. 2 ; and Num. xxxiii. 14, 15) ; but

its distance from Sinai, from which Re
phidim was only a day's march, is fatal
to the theory.
Serbal, next to Sinai, is the most
interesting mountain in the peninsula.
It is even more grand and striking in
outline than its honoured rival. It
rises high above the neighbouring sum
mits, — "all in lilac hues and purple
shadows," as the morning sun sheds
upon it his bright beams. "It is a
vast mass of peaks, which in most
points of view may be reduced to five.
These are all of granite, and rise so
precipitously, so column-like, from the
broken ground which forms the roots
of the mountain, as at first sight to
appear inaccessible." They may be
best likened to a cluster of stalactites
inverted. The peaks are divided by
deep ravines, filled with huge frag
ments of shattered rock : the central
ravine is called Abu Hamd, and by it
the active traveller may, by the aid of
a guide, gain the summit in somewhat
less than 4 hrs. The glorious view will
amply repay the toil. " The highest
peak," says Stanley, " is a huge block
of granite ; on this, as on the back of
some petrified tortoise, you stand and
overlook the whole peninsula of Sinai.
The Red Sea, with the Egyptian hills
opposite, and the wide waste of the Ka'a
on the south ; the village and grove of
Tur, just marked as a dark line on the
shore ; on the east the vast cluster of
what is commonly called Sinai, with
the peaks of St. Catherine, and, tower
ing high above all, the less famous,
but most magnificent of all, the Mont
Blanc of those parts, the unknown and
unvisited Urn Shaumer. Every fea
ture of the extraordinary conformation
lies before you : the wadys coursing
and winding in every direction ; the
long crescent of the Wady esh-Sheikh ;
the infinite number of mountains like a
model, their colours all as clearly dis
played as in Russegger's geological
map ; the dark granite, the brown
sandstone, the yellow desert, the dots
of vegetation along the Wady Feiran.
On the northern and somewhat lower
eminence are the visible remains of a
building which may be of any date

20

Route 1. — Serbal.

Sect. I.

from Moses to Burckhardt. It consists
of -granite fragments, cemented with
lime and mortar ; in the centre is a
rough hole, and, close beside it, on the
granite rocks, are three of those mys
terious inscriptions."
Attempts have been made of late
to identify Serbal with the Mount of
the Law, the Sinai of Scripture. Dr.
Lepsius, Mr. Bartlett, and more re
cently Dr. Stewart, are the great
champions of this theory. Then-
chief arguments may here be given,
as the traveller will naturally wish
to have full information on a sub
ject of such interest. 1. Moses was
intimately acquainted with the geo
graphy of the peninsula, or at least so
intimately as to have heard of the fer
tility of Wady Feiran, and its natural
fitness for the permanent camp of a
great host. It is therefore inconceiv
able that he should have failed to avail
himself of these great advantages, or
that he should have preferred to it the
inhospitable, unsheltered position of
the monkish Sinai. The reply to this
is simple and conclusive : Moses had
no choice in the matter. He was
guided by Him who dwelt in the ' ' pil
lar of a cloud by day, and in the pillar
of fire by night." And by Him, too,
the Israelites were miraculously sup
plied' with bread from heaven, and,
when occasion required it, with " water
from the rock." The cattle of the Is-
realites could never have been depend
ent on a narrow valley for pasturage,
and amid the glens and mountains of
Sinai they would be as well supplied
as around the peaks of Serbal. The
only circumstances, therefore, that
should be permitted to influence us in
our opinion as to the position of Sinai,
are the correspondence of the natural
features, as we now see them, with the
descriptions in the Bible, — altogether
independent of the natural productions.
2. We must suppose (say they) that
the Amalekites would oppose the ad
vance of the Israelites only where they
had a fertile territory worthy of being
disputed. This being so, then Re-
phidim and Feiran are identical ; and
the " Mount of God " must be close by.
Our reply to this is no less simple and

conclusive than the former ; and, first,
it is a non sequilur; for, granting
Feiran to be Rephidhn, Serbal cannot
be Sinai, if the Bible narrative be true.
We read, " In the third month, when
the children of Israel were gone forth
out of the land of Egypt, the same day
came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
For they were departed from Rephidim,
and were come to the desert of Sinai, and
had pitched in the wilderness; and
there Israel-camped before the mount."
The fertile portion of Feiran is within
2 m. of the base of Serbal, and some
parts of it are in full view of the
summit. Here must have been the
site of the camp "before the mount,"
if Serbal be the " Mount of God," for
Wady Aleiyat, which leads up to the
base of Serbal, is rugged, rocky, and
wholly unsuitable for an encampment.
Such being the case, how can we
believe that Husseiyeh, scarcely two
miles distant down the valley, can
be the site of Rephidim, as Dr.
Lepsius affirms ? Would not any one
naturally conclude from the words
of the Bible narrative that Rephi
dim was some considerable distance
from the " wilderness of Sinai " ? But,
second, is it not strange to identify
Rephidim, where "there was no water,"
with Husseiyeh or Feiran, the only
well-watered spots in the peninsula,
where there are not only living foun
tains but a running stream? How
could the people here say to Moses,
as they did at Rephidim, " Give
us water that we may drink. . . .
Wherefore is this that thou hast
brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us,
and our children, and our cattle with
thirst ? " (Ex. xvii.) And if, as seems
to be insinuated, this water only flowed
from the smitten rock, then there could
have been no verdure or vegetation
here previously, for these are the
effects of the water ; and consequently,
the basis of this, as well as the pre
vious argument, is a myth. If there
was no water, and therefore no vege
tation, before Moses struck the rock,
the Amalekites would not have re
garded it as "worthy of being dis
puted ; " and neither could Moses have
known it as the " only fit spot in the

SlNa

uoute l. — serbat — Manna.

21

whole desert capable of supplying the
host of Israel with water, aud such
provisions as the country afforded."
The narrative of the journeyings of
the children of Israel, and of their
" stations," affords no evidence in fa
vour of the identification of Rephidim
and Feiran ; in fact, it would rather
lead to the supposition that Rephidim
must have been farther eastward. From
their encampment " by the sea," at the
mouth of Wady Taiyibeh, they re
moved to the " wilderness of Sin," that
is, the plain of Ka'a. They probably
encamped near the entrance to Wady
Kineh, an easy march from Taiyibeh.
They then took their journey " out of
the wilderness of Sin and encamped in
Dophkah." This place is not known,
but it appears to have been somewhere
among the mountains. The Israelites
entered the mountain region either by
Wady Kineh , or by W ady Feiran farther
on — most probably the latter ; in either
case another day's journey would bring
them to about the junction of the
Mukatteb road with Wady Feiran,
which might thus mark the position
of Dophkah. From Dophkah they
marched to Alush, perhaps the oasis
of Feiran ; and from thence they went
to Rephidim. From the encampment
" by the sea " to Rephidim is thus/mir
marches, and, reckoning each march at
about 12 m., this would bring the
Israelites far up into Wady esh-Sheikh,
and to about an easy day's march from
Jebel Musa (Sinai).
Leaving the mysterious peaks of
Serbal, and the delicious shade of the
palm-groves of Feiran, we continue
our pilgrimage to Sinai ; our eagerness
to view that " holy mountain," and to
seek solitude and meditation amid its
sublime cliffs, only whetted by our
exploration of Serbal. The thought,
too, still occupies the mind, that every
step we now tread was the scene of a
miracle ; that every peak and precipice
around was overshadowed by that
"cloud" which preceded and guided
God's people in their march ; and that
some of those deep ravines and lofty
crags were lighted up by that " pillar
of fire " which hovered nightly over the
encamped host.

Manna. — During the first hour we
wind through groves and gardens,
where, in addition to the palm, the
Arabs cultivate cucumbers, melons,
onions, and tobacco; irrigating them
from the wells in summer, and the
stream in winter. Emerging from the
palms, we enter a shrubbery of tama
risks. This free, or rather shrub, is
found in most of the valleys of the
peninsula, but is most abundant in
Wadys Feiran and esh-Sheikh. The
Arab name is Turf a ; and the botanic
Tamarix galliaa. It is from this plant
the so-called manna (Arabicii Mon) is
obtained, which some recent specu
lators have asserted to be the Scripture
manna — the food of the Israelites
for 40 years ! According to the ac
count given to Dr. Robinson by the
superior of the convent of Sinai, "it
is found in the foim of shining drops
on the twigs and branches (not the
leaves) of the turfa, from which it
exudes in consequence of the puncture
of an insect of the coccus kind (Coccus
manniparus). What falls upon the
sand is said not to be gathered. It has
the appearance of gum, is of a sweetish
taste, and melts when exposed to the
sun or to a fire. The Arabs consider it
a great delicacy, and the pilgrims prize
it highly, especially those from Russia,
who pay a high price for it." It is
found only during the month of June,
and is collected before sunrise. The
Arabs boil and preserve it in skins, in
which state it remains good for a year
or more : small pots of it are kept for
sale at the convent.
Lepsius, Seetzen, Burckhardt, and
others, seem to believe that this gum
was the food of the Israelites for
40 years ; aud Lepsius even argues
that Moses, who was intimately ac
quainted with the whole country,
guided the Israelites by the route best
supplied with manna-bearing trees !
But a moment's thought might have
shown him that a shrub exuding a
small quantity of gum during a few
weeks of summer only, could not afford
a fresh daily supply to the Israelites ;
and a moment's calculation might have
proved to him that, so insignificant is
the produce of each shrub, had the

22

Route 1. — Nukb Hawy.

Sect. I.

whole peninsula been a tamarisk
thicket, the quantity yielded would
have been insufficient to meet the
wants of two millions of people.
After leaving the tamarisk-groves
which form the outworks of the para
dise of Feiran, the way becomes dry
and hot, and the vegetation of the
wady subsides into the usual desert
tufts. In 1 hr. the valley opens into
two branches, enclosing between them
an elevated, irregular plateau, or rather
expanse of low Mils ; this is the proper
head of Wady Feiran. The right
branch, called Solaf, runs up nearly
S.E. for some 4| hours, and then, meet
ing the great central group of moun
tains, sweeps round to the N.E., along
their base, for 1 5 h. more, to the wild
pass of Nukh Hawy, which strikes off
at right angles over the mountain to
the plain of Eahah. The left branch
is called Wady esh-Sheikh, and is the
great channel which drains this section
of the peninsula. It runs first in a
N.E. direction, and then, sweeping
round in a. semicircle, penetrates the
Sinai group of mountains at the base
of Jebel Musa. One road from Feiran
to Sinai leads through Wady Solaf to
the foot of Nukb Hawy ; another, but
much longer one, follows Wady esh-
Sheikh, and was doubtless the route of
the Israelites ; but a third, the shortest
and most common, runs up the latter
valley nearly an hour, then, striking
eastward over the plateau, reaches the
foot of Nukb Hawy in 5 hrs. more.
In crossing the plateau the western
part of the central mountain group is
seen to great advantage. Dark frown
ing cliffs of granite rise in front 1000
ft. or more, hie a cyclopean wall reared
up to protect the sanctuary within.
To the right and left they stretch far
as the eye can see ; while over them
shoot, here and there, the sharp peaks
of the inner mountains.
Descending to the barren bed of
Wady Solaf, we reach the foot of the
defile called Nukb Hawy, " the Windy
Pass," which leads over this outer
mountain wall to the recesses of Sinai.
An hour's comparatively gentle ascent,
among loose mounds of white alluvial

formation, the sediment of a thousand
winter torrents, leads to the foot of the
real pass. Here the weary traveller
looks up with feelings of mingled doubt
and awe at the sublime glen through
which his path lies. It is shut in by
blackened, shattered cliffs of granite,
which rise in huge disjointed masses,
and threaten to send down their ruins
on the devoted heads of such as
dare to advance. " The bottom is a
deep and narrow watercourse, where
the wintry torrents sweep down with
fearful violence. A path has been
made for the camels along the shelv
ing piles of rocks, partly by remov
ing the topmost blocks, and some
times by laying down large stones side
by side, somewhat in the manner of a
Swiss mountain road." In the spring
time a streamlet, like a silver thread,
winds among the huge fragments which
time has hurled from the heights above ;
while here and there a palm, or a
grass-tuft, or a stray acacia, clings to
the bank. And on the smooth sur
face of fallen rock or cliff overhead
may be seen at intervals some of
those mysterious inscriptions which
seem to court, Manfred-like, the wildest
forms of Nature's handiwork. Onward
toils the poor camel with many a deep
groan, and upward presses the tra
veller, reinvigorated at every step by
the grandeur of the scenery, and the
nearer approach to the spot where a
full view of the " Mount of God" will
reward his toil.
In 1 h. we gain the summit ; but the
path again enters a little defile and
runs on to where it expands ; and then
after a few minutes' ascent a vale gra
dually opens before us, shut in on the
right and left by jagged ridges; and
having away at the far end, rising
abruptly from its centre, the dark front
of Mount Sinai. "As we advanced,"
writes Dr. Eobinson, whose description
is as accurate as graphic, " the valley
still opened wider and wider, with a
gentle ascent, and became full of
shrubs and tufts of herbs, shut in on
each side by lofty granite ridges, while
the face of Horeb (Sinai) rose directly
before us. Both my companion and
myself involuntarily exclaimed, ' Here

Sinai.

Route 1. — Plain of Rdhdh.

23

is room enough for a large encamp
ment ! ' Reaching the top of the as
cent or watershed, a fine broad plain
lay before us, sloping down gently to
ward the S.S.E. . . . terminated at the
distance of more than a mile by the
bold and awful front of Horeb, rising
perpendicularly in frowning majesty
from 1200 to 1500 feet. It was a
scene of solemn grandeur, wholly un
expected, and such as we had never
seen; and the associations which at
the moment rushed upon our minds
were almost overwhelming. On the
left of Horeb a deep narrow valley
runs up S.S.E. between lofty walls of
rock, as if in continuation of the S.E.
corner of the plain. In this valley, at
a distance of nearly a mile from the
plain, stands the convent ; and the
deep verdure of its fruit-trees and
cypresses is seen as the traveller ap
proaches — an oasis of beauty amid
scenes of sternest desolation. At the
S.W. corner of the plain the cliffs also
retreat, and form a recess or open place
extending from the plain westward for
some distance. From this recess runs
up a similar narrow valley on the west
of Horeb, called el-Leja, parallel to
that in which the convent stands ; and
in it is the deserted convent of el-
Arb'ain." Such is the topography of the plain
of Rdhdh, whose very name, "Rest,"
would seem to indicate the place where
the Israelites encamped, after their
weary journey, before the " Mount of
God." In every particular do the
features correspond with the descrip
tions and incidents of the Bible. The
peak of Sinai (now called Sufsdfeh)
rises perpendicularly from the plain, so
that one can approach its base and
"touch the mount." The summit is
visible from every part of the plain, so
that those encamped there could dis
tinctly see the cloud descending and
'• resting upon the mount."
From the summit of Nukb Hawy to
the convent is 2 hrs.

Wady TAmBEH to Sinai, by Sura-
bit el-Khadim.
32f hrs. — Two valleys unite to form
Wady Taiyibeh : one coming in from
the N. is called Shubeikeh; and the
other from the S.S.E. Humr. Up the
latter we proceed. It is wide, and,
being shut in by limestone cliffs which
reflect the sun's rays, has a tempera
ture like =¦¦ furnace. After 2 hrs. the
valley opens out into a plain. In
front rises the dark conical peak of
Sarbfit el-Jemel, which is a prominent
object even as far westward as Wady
Ghttrundel. The road strikes across
the plain towards the S.E. angle of
the mountain, where it enters (1 hr.
40 min. farther) a wild, narrow gorge.
After winding up this for a short dis
tance the limestone strata on the right
give place to the sandstone. About
an hour after passing SarbM el-Jemel
there is a sharp turn in the ravine,
as if its cliffs had been disjointed ;
here, on the right, in the angle of
the rock, are some rude drawings,
with several Sinaitic inscriptions : one
large block that has fallen from the
mountain-side is almost covered with
them. On a stone are two crosses,
but apparently of a later date. " The
spot is one," remarks Dr. Robinson,
"where travellers would be likely to
rest during the heat of the midday
sun." In about 1 hr. 40 min. more the
rocks that line the valley on the right
disappear, and a rolling sandy plain
called Debbet en-Nusb opens up to
the S. and E. Across this plain a
path strikes off to a wady of the same
name, in which, 2 hrs. distant, is a
fountain of good water. This way is
sometimes taken for the sake of the
fountain, but it is longer than the
regular one, which continues due E.
along Wady Humr, skirting the lofty
ridge of Jebel Wutah. We reach the
head of the wady in 1 hr. 45 min.
The road now ascends to a rocky pla
teau, from which a commanding view
is gained over Debbet er-Ramleh to
the base of the range of Tih on the
left. After crossing this plateau and

24

Route 1. — Surdbit el-Khddim.

Sect. I.

several little wadys, a low ridge is
surmounted, and suddenly the view of
the great central mountam group of
Sinai bursts upon us, while the sharp
peak of Serbal is seen more to the S.
The road now enters the " Sandy
Plain" (1 hr. 45 min.) ; but after tra
versing it for about half an hour, the
path leading to Surabit el-Khadim
strikes off to the right ; and a toil
some journey of 2J hrs. over low hills
and through deep vales, covered thickly
with loose sand, brings us to the rocky
dell at the foot of the hill on which
are the monuments of Surabit el-
Khadim,

Sueabit el-Kuadim.
The hill is about 700 ft. high, and
is composed of red sandstone, curiously
shaded with other hues, and rising up
in bold cliffs and shattered masses.
Three-quarters of an hour's climbing
brings us to the Bummit, where a
tract of table-land lies before us.
broken here and there by deep ra
vines, between which shoot up sand
stone peaks, irregular and fantastic.
Proceeding along the plateau a short
distance westward, a small enclosur
is observed, with a chasm on each
side : within it are situated some of
the most remarkable, as well as the
most ancient monuments of the penin
sula. "These," says Dr. Eobinson, "lie
mostly within the compass of a small
enclosure, 160 ft. long by 70 broad,
marked by heaps of stone thrown or
fallen together, the remains perhaps of
former walls, or rows of low buildings.
Within this space are seen about 15
upright stones like tombstones, and
several fallen ones, covered with Egyp
tian hieroglyphics; and also the re
mains of a small temple, whose co
lumns are decorated with the head of
Isis for a capital. At the eastern end
is a subterraneous chamber excavated
in the solid rock, resembling an Egyp
tian sepulchre. It is square ; and the
roof is supported in the middle by a
square columii left from the rock.
Both the column and the side of the

chamber are covered with hierogly
phics; and in each of the sides is a
small niche. The whole surface of
the enclosure is covered with fallen
columns, fragments of sculpture, and
hewn stones strewn in every direction ;
over which the pilgrim can with diffi
culty find his way. Other similar up
right stones stand without the enclo
sure in various directions, and even at
some distance; each surmounted by a
heap of stones which may have been
thrown together by the Arabs. These
upright stones, both within and with
out the enclosure, .vary from about 7
to 10 ft. in height ; while they are
from 18 in. to 2 ft. in breadth, and
from 14 to 16 in. in thickness. They
are rounded off on the top, forming an
arch over the broadest sides. On one
of these sides usually appears the com
mon Egyptian symbol of the winged
globe with two serpents, and one or
more priests presenting offerings to the
gods; while various figures and car
touches cover the remaining sides."
The country around these singular
monuments is neither grand nor pic
turesque. It is a barren desert, ex
hibiting nothing on its surface to
attract man from regions to which
nature has been more bountiful. The
monuments might well pass for the
works of some rigorous anchorites who
had withdrawn far from the haunts of
man, to spend lives of gloomy medita
tion and strictest self-denial in the
very depths of the desert. —
" Here Desolation keeps unbroken sabbath,
Mid caves and temples, palaces and sepul
chres ;
Ideal images in sculptured forms,
Thoughts hewn in columns, or in cavern'd
hill.
In honour of their deities and of their dead."
But recent investigations have shown
that, so far from this being the case,
these monuments are standing testi
monies to the scientific acquirements
and enterprising spirit of a great nation.
Lepsius observed on the east and west
sides of the spot great slag-hills, of a
dark colour; with traces of ancient
roads leading into the neighbouring
mountains. These show that extensive
copper-mines must exist somewhere

Sinai.

Route 1. — Surabit el-Khadim.

25

near, and that this was a place chosen
for smelting operations. In Wady
Nusb to the westward he also dis
covered some ancient smelting-places.
It is to be regretted that he did not
extend his researches to the mountains,
as he might easily have found the
mines themselves, which have probably
their sculptured tablets and historic
cartouches similar to those of Wady
Magharah. Here is something left for
future travellers ; and I hope that ere
long some enterprising geologist, or
entbusiastic scholar, will spend a few
days in searching for the mines of
Surabit el-Khadim.
According to Lepsius some of the
hieroglyphics on these tablets are as
ancient as the last dynasty of the. old
¦Empire. The rock grotto was then
excavated. Outside this the inscribed
tablets were successively set up during
succeeding ages, and finally enclosed.
The names of many Egyptian kings are
found, upon the stones — such as Osir-
tasen I. (b.c. 1740); Thothmes III.
and IV. ; Amonoph I. and III. ; Ose-
rei and his son Eemeses the Great;
Eemeses IV. and V. ; the latest being-
that of Remeses VI., the last monarch
of the 19th dynasty, a contemporary
of Agamemnon and Achilles, Priam
and Hector; a contemporary, too, of
Israel's first king. From this it ap
pears that these mines were in full
operation at the time of the Exodus,
and were finally abandoned about B.C.
1170. The presiding deity of the place
appears to have been Athor, who is
styled, as at Wady Magharah, " Mis
tress of Mafak," or "Copper" as the
word signifies in the hieroglyphical as
well as in the Coptic language. It has
been generally supposed that these
monuments are tombs ; but though
they may resemble the tombstones of
England, and of modern Turkish ceme
teries, they are wholly unlike any an
cient tombs existing either in Egypt
or Syria. No excavations beneath
have been discovered in which bodies
could be laid. The place was probably
a kind of temple, or sacred enclosure,
where the miners assembled for wor
ship ; and in which sculptured tablets
[Syria and Palestine.]

were erected in honour of successive
sovereigns of Egypt. They certainly
deserve a more minute examination
than travellers have hitherto been able
to give them. An accurate plan of
the whole place, with detailed draw
ings, especially photographs, or im
pressions on paper, of the sculptures,
would be extremely valuable and inte
resting. The neighbouring mountains
ought to be fully explored for traces
of mines, and sculptured tablets or
inscriptions ; and some specimens of
the slag, the sandstone, and the ore
should be brought to Europe for the
inspection of geologists, and for ana
lysis. Sir G. Wilkinson states that
about 2 m. to the S.E. of Surabit el-
Khadim are three tablets cut in the
face of the rock, bearing the names of
Thothmes IV. and another old king;
and close to them are small caves in
the rock, used as tombs.
Surabit el-Khadim was visited by
the Rev. R. Tyrwhitt and party in
1863. They brought specimens of the
ore to England, and after careful ana
lysis report, that they do not seem to
have been subjected to any smelting
processes ; that manganese and iron are
then- chief component substances, 28
per cent, of the latter. They found
no copper ore anywhere in the penin
sula ; but their researches did not
take a very wide range.
Extensive and most interesting re
searches among the ancient mines of
the peninsula have been made by a
recent explorer, as has already been
stated (see above pp. 15, 16). He
discovered, about 5 in. from Surabit
el-Khadim, the remains of a great
number of miners' houses, with large
reservoirs for water.

The route from Surabit el-Khadim
leads S.E. up Wady Siiwuk to its
head, where it surmounts a difficult
pass and enters Wady Khumileh, 1 hr.
from the ruins. An incident occurred
with Dr. Robinson's party in this
valley which strikingly illustrates the

26

Route 1. — Surabit el-Kliadim.

Sect. I.

inconsistencies of the Bedawy cha
racter ; and proves, besides, that Arab
etiquette is, like that of our own
country, not unfrequently a "bore."
The Doctor bought a kid from some
Arabs, and presented it to his escort,
intending that they should have a
good supper. Great, of course, was
their joy at the prospect of the even
ing feast. The tent was at length
pitched ; the Md killed and dressed
with true Eastern despatch; and the
still quivering members, laid on the
ample fire, began to emit most savoury
odours. But a change came over
the scene of rejoicing. The Arabs
who had sold the kid naturally enough
concluded that it was intended for
the evening meal ; some five or six
of them followed the party and
arrived in the nick of time. The stern
law of Bedawy hospitality demands,
that, whenever a guest is present at a
meal, whether there be much or little,
the first and best portions must be laid
before him. In this case the five or
six guests attained their object, and
had not only the selling of the kid but
the eating of it. The Doctor's poor
escort had to rest contented with the
bones. Such is Arab hospitality.
About % hr. down the valley there
is a rock on the right covered with
Sinaitic inscriptions, figures of camels,
mountain goats, and other creatures;
and a short distance farther is an
other large rock on the same side,
with inscriptions, and several crosses,
apparently of the same age. Here are
also the names of several travellers ;
one is Palerne, 1582. We follow the
same course through shallow wadys
and over low hills for 2| hrs. more,
and then reach an open space where
the sandstone gives way to porphyry
and granite, and the mountains begin
to assume features of grandeur and
stem desolation. Entering Wady el-
Bui-k (the Valley of Lightning), we
reach in J hi-, a sharp turn, where there
are a few inscriptions near the ground.
Somewhat more than an hour farther
we observe a wall of stones across the
wady, constructed by the Bedawin about
40 years ago in the vain hope of de

fending themselves behind it against
some 3000 Egyptian troops sent by
the Pasha to chastise them for plunder
ing a caravan. The poor Tawarah
were soon routed notwithstanding their
barricade, and immediately afterwards
submitted to Mohammed Aly. Our
route now leads through Wady 'AMr,
over the plateau of Lebweh, and then
(in 6 hrs. 45 min. from the stone wall)
dives down into Wady Berah between
noble granite cliffs. Here on - the
smooth rocks and ; precipices are con
siderable numbers of inscriptions; many
of them having crosses of the same
date. Following the same general
course 2 hrs. 20 min., we reach Wady
esh-Sheikh, the greatest valley of the
peninsula ; it is, as has been seen
above, a continuation of Wady Feiran.
From this point to the head of Wady
Feiran proper is about 3 hrs. From
hence we may either follow the course
of Wady esh-Sheikh about 10 hrs.
to the convent; or we may strike
straight across the hilly region to
the foot of Nukb Hawy, 3J hrs., and
thence, as described above, about 4
hrs. more to Sinai.

Convent of Mount Sinai.
Admission to the Convent can only
be gained on the production of a letter
of introduction from the branch con
vent at Cairo ; which any traveller can
get on application. On reaching the
side of the lofty walls the traveller
looks up to a kind of trap-door, some
30 feet overhead, and sees the faces
of one or two monks reconnoiter-j
ing him and his party. A cord is let
down with a demand for the letter.
This being found in order, the pil
grim is hoisted up by a windlass,
and then dragged in by a sturdy
brother to the platform. Ladies who
may not relish this aerial voyage are
admitted by a small postern into the
garden, and thence conducted by a
dark subterraneous passage within the
convent walls. The Bedawin are never
admitted within the walls ; but when

Sinai.

Route 1. — Convent of Mount Sinai.

27

urgent business demands it, a chief
or principal man of some tribe may
be received in the garden ; or, even,
though very rarely, in the convent
itself. This is an obvious precaution,
and is essential, in such a, region and
among such men, to the safety of the
monks and their little property. As
it is usual for travellers to remain here
some days, the Arab guides and escort
go away to spend then- time in the
tents, and recruit their camels among
the scanty pastures, of their brethren
— returning again on an appointed day.
The Sinai convent is a veritable
oasis to the desert pilgrim. A sweet
sense of repose and security steals over
the mind on entering it, which those
only can realize who have experienced
the fatigue and excitement of a jour
ney amid native wastes, and in the
companionship of the wild Bedawin.
There is something soothing, too, in
the deep silence of the building ; in
the moaning of the mountain breeze
as it sweeps through the long corri
dors; in the solemn step and grave
costume of the holy fathers; in the
quiet grandeur of the hills around;
and more than all, in the plain
tive murmur of the chanted prayers
breaking forth from the old church
amid the death-like stillness of the
night. Here, too, there is all the wild
magnificence of nature, combined with
historic interest and sacred associ
ations, to attract and inspire the pil
grim. Tho convent itself will first claim
the traveller's attention ; and a day
may be well spent in wandering, amid
the labyrinth of buildings, viewing the
curiosities of the old church and its
chapels, visiting the tomb and relics
of the patron saint, contemplating
the grim horrors of the charnel-house,
and lounging beneath the delicious
shade of garden bowers : such a day's
comparative rest, too, prepares one
for the fatiguing excursions to the
Mountain of the Law, and the various
spots of interest round it.
The convent is situated in Wady
Shu'eib, and covers almost the whole
width of its western side, from the bed

of the winter torrent to the base of the
perpendicular cliff that rises high
above it. It is an irregular quadran
gular building, 245 feet by 204, encom
passed by thick and lofty walls of
granite, with little towers at intervals,
on some of which are mounted a few
antiquated pieces of ordnance. The
walls exhibit the motley patchwork of
various ages from Justinian to Na
poleon. A considerable portion was
rebuilt by the French during their
occupation of Egypt. The space en
closed is cut up into a number of
little courts and passages, bewildering
in their irregularity. Some of tho
courts are ornamented with cypresses
and other trees, and others with beds
of flowers and vegetables ; while vines
are trained along the walls, or over
trellis-work. The garden adjoins the
convent on the N. side, and is also
surrounded by a lofty wall. It is
gained by a subterranean passage, se
cured by a heavy iron door. Lying on
the slope of the valley, it is formed into
terraces, along which are fines of fruit-
trees and vines. The olive, almond,
and apricot trees are of great age and
size, and look like patriarchs amid the
more numerous groups of pomegra
nates, figs, pears, apples, mulberries,
and quinces. Here and there are beds
of vegetables; while tall cypresses
shoot up their sombre cones far above
all. The holy fathers are neither skil
ful nor industrious, yet the garden is
a gem in the desert. In the very
centre of this bright and joyous spot
is a low building, partly subterranean,
which has been for centuries the last
resting-place of the monks. Immedi
ately after death the bodies are ex
posed in one chamber, and there re
main until the flesh has wasted away ;
then the skeleton is broken up and the
bones conveyed to another chamber,
where multitudes are already ranged
" in ghostly symmetry, arm-bone to
arm-bone, thigh-bone to thigh-bone,
rib to rib, in a compact pile, with a
mass of heaped-up skulls — from the
remains of him who died yesterday,
and still lived in the memory of his
fellow-monks, to him whose forgotten
c 2

28

Route 1. — Convent of Mount Sinai.

Sect. I.

remains, with their history, are written
only in the book of Omniscience." In
another chamber are some still more
melancholy relics of mortality : in one
corner is the grim skeleton of an an
chorite who seems to have been carried
from his mountain den, "just as he
was found after encountering alone the
terrors of the last enemy, fixed in the
convulsive form that nature took in
the parting struggle ;" the clenched
hands, the head sunk on the chest,
the attitude of agonising supplication,
with some few rags of the hair shirt
yet clinging to the bones. Close by is
a box containing the relics of two her
mits, brothers of exalted rank, as tra
dition has it. Bound to each other
through life by a massive chain, they
wore away their weary years in some
rook-hewn cave ; and, thus linked, en
countered death together.

The Church, dedicated to the Trans
figuration, is the most important build
ing in the convent. It consists of a
nave and aisles in the usual Byzantine
style, separated by rows of granite
columns, now covered with plaster.
Arches springing from the columns
support the flat roof. The floor is of
tesselated marble. The decorations of
the altar -screen are profuse, but in
barbarous taste ; and the pictures
ranged on it, and round the walls,
are hard and stiff. The great attrac
tion is the mosaic on the vaulted roof
of the chancel. The central part re
presents the Transfiguration — Christ
in the centre, Moses on the right, and
Elias on the left ; and the 3 apostles
beneath, Peter being prostrate. Round
the whole is a border, consisting of a
series of busts of prophets, apostles, and
saints, in oval or circular tablets ; the
name of each being attached in Greek
characters. On the plain wall over
the apse are portraits of the Emperor
Justinian, and his wife Theodora ;
while above the former is Moses on
his kuees before the burning bush,
and on the opposite side of the window
he is represented receiving the tablets
of the Law, A Greek inscription round

the lower part of the great picture is to
the following effect : —
\ " In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost—
" The whole of this work was executed for the
salvation of those who have contributed to it by
their donations, under Longinus the most holy
priest and prior."
In the chancel, behind the altar, are
preserved the relies of St. Catherine,
whose body "was miraculously trans
ported from Alexandria to the top of
the mountain that bears her name.
The relics now consist only of a skull
and hand, set in gold and ornamented
with jewels. Here, too, is the chapel
erected by the Empress Helena over
the very spot where the " Burning
Bush" stood; the place is covered
with silver, and the chapel adorned
with rich carpets. All who enter must
take off then- shoes, for the place is es
teemed holy. The well, from which
Moses watered Jethro's flocks is also
shown, not far off.
Near the ch. is a Mosque, with a
minaret — singular proof of the toler
ance, perhaps of the fear, of the Chris
tian communities of this land. It
appears, from a MS. discovered by
Burckhardt in the library, to have been
erected previous to the 14th centy. ;
though tradition ascribes it to a much
later date, and gives a romantic account
of the causes and effects of its construc
tion. It is thus related by Burckhardt : —
"When Selim, the Othman Emperor,
conquered Egypt, he took a great fancy
to a young Greek priest, who, falling ill
at the time that Selim was returning
from Constantinople, was sent by him
to this convent to recover his health.
The young man died, upon which the
emperor, enraged at what he considered
to be the work of the priests, gave
orders to the governors of Egypt to
destroy all the Christian establishments
in the peninsula, of which there were
several at that period. The priests
of the great convent of Mount Sinai,
being informed of the preparations
making in Egypt to carry these orders
into execution, began immediately to

Sinai.

Route 1. — History of the Convent.

29

build a mosque within their walls,
hoping that for its sake their house
would be spared. It is said that their
project was successful, and that ever
since the mosque has been kept in re
pair." There are still, I believe, a few poor
Arabs appointed to take charge of the
mosque, and clean it out each Thursday
evening. They are said to be the de
scendants of some straggling pilgrims
who 4 or 5 centuries ago were cut off
by the Bedawin from the Haj caravan,
and brought to the convent. The
mosque is rarely visited, and the call to
prayers is never heard, except when
chance or ultra piety brings some great
man to this retired spot.

History of the Convent. — The precise
period at which Christian communities
began to settle in the wilderness of
Sinai is not known ; but it was pro
bably during the persecutions which
raged in Egypt and Syria in the 1st
and 2nd centuries, as Eusebius quotes
authorities referring to them early in
the 3rd centy. The flight of St. Ca
therine's body is attributed to a.d.
307. About that time hosts of anchor
ites, attracted by the solitude of the
mountain glens and the wild scenery,
scooped out caves in the rocks, and
built hermitages on lofty peaks.
From early monkish records it appears
that during the 4th centy. Jebel
Musa and the surrounding peaks
swarmed with recluses, who, though
dwelling apart, occasionally assembled
for mutual edification, or to listen to
the teaching of some distinguished
ascetic. They thus, by degrees, became
regularly organised into a little com
munity, and erected a small building
to serve both as a place of prayer and
a refuge in danger. In the year 373
the monks were almost exterminated
by the Arabs, and a few only were
saved by a miracle, as it is said. Forty
were slain in the attack, and to these
was dedicated Deir el-'Arb'ain, " the
Convent of the Forty," still standing at
the head of Wady Leja. Other cala
mities no less bloody befell them, and

they were forced to seek refuge in
Feiran till a truce was made with their
foes. In the 6th centy. they became
more numerous and influential, and a'
legate appeared at the Council of Con
stantinople in 536 to represent " Holy
Mount Sinai."
Tradition ascribes the founding of
the convent, and erection of the ch.,
to the piety of the Emperor Justinian
(a.d. 527) ; and Procopius, who wrote
in the 6th centy., confirms this tra
dition ; mentioning, in addition to the
church, which was dedicated to the
Virgin, a fortress to protect the monks
against the attacks of the Saracens.
These are doubtless the buildings
which still remain, but which have
since undergone many repairs. From
this period the conventual establish
ment rose rapidly in importance.
Feiran had from the 4th centy. been
the episcopal city with which all the
establishments in the peninsula were
connected ; but it declined, while the
convent of Justinian advanced, so that
before the close of the 10th centy. the
latter became the episcopal seat.
The introduction of Islam among
the wild tribes of Arabia effected little
change in their habits ; and served to
increase rather than check their hos
tility to the monks of Sinai and the
Christian inhabitants of the penin
sula. Often were the poor hermits
murdered in cold blood in their soli
tary caves amid the mountains ; oftcner
yet were their little stores of provi
sions plundered ; and on more than
one occasion the whole community of
the convent of Sinai were driven from
their desert home, and forced to seek
refuge amid the glens and cliffs of the
surrounding mountains. The remains
of convents, churches, and chapels,
with the vast numbers of grottoes and
hermitages still seen among the moun
tains, corroborate the assertion of
chroniclers, that from 6000 to 7000
monks and anchorites were at one time
located in this dreary region. Pil
grims, too, flocked to it from every
country to perform their devotions at
the very spot where the Divine Glory

30

Route 1. — Convent of Mount Sinai.

Sect. 1,

was manifested at the giving of the
Law. In the 14th centy. the convent was
visited by several travellers from Eu
rope. Rudolf von Suchem states that
there were then 400 monks in it under
an archbishop. There were also at
that time six other inhabited convents
in the peninsula, besides a number of
hermitages. In the early part of the
17th centy. all the latter were deserted,
and the community at Sinai had
dwindled down to 60 ; at present the
number of monks is only 24, and no
prelate has been resident for a century.
" The archbishop is elected by a
council of the monks, which manages
in common the affairs of this convent,
and the branch at Cairo. This prelate
is always selected from the priests of
the monastery ; and having then been
consecrated as bishop by the patriarch
of Jerusalem, he becomes one of the 4
independent archbishops of the Greek
Church. Were he present he would
have but a single voice in the manage
ment of the affairs of the convent
as a member of the council. While
residing at a distance he has no au
thority or connection with it, except
to receive money and presents from its
revenues." The prior is elected by the
council, and is the local chief.
The discipline is exceedingly rigor
ous ; and one can scarcely comprehend
the motives that impel men, not merely
to banish themselves from the society
of their fellows, but from spheres of
usefulness and activity, and at the
same time to submit to privations such
as few under any circumstances would
endure. Eeligious enthusiasm has a
powerful influence over both mind and
body ; but there is little evidence of it
among the simple fraternity at Sinai.
Flesh and wine are entirely prohibited ;
and during the great fast the monks
are forced to abstain from butter,
milk, and every species of animal pro
duct, and even from olive-oil. Their
only food is bread, boiled vegetables,
and fruit. Add to this that the ser
vice of the Greek ritual is performed
in the ch. eight times in the 24 hrs. ;
and every brother must be present at

least four times, twice during the day
and twice during the night. Their
cells are small and have no f urniture
beyond a carpet and a mattress. The
fathers spend their weary days between
then- devotions "and the trades which
the requirements of their situation
compel them to take up— one is cook,
another tailor, another shoemaker,
another smith, another mason, another
carpenter, another gardener ; and one
is even denominated librarian, but his
office is a sinecure. There is indeed
a library, but no one, except a stray
and curious traveller, ever thinks of
entering it.

The Library will be to the Biblical
scholar one of the most interesting por
tions of the convent. Unfortunately
the monks are not literary men, and
thefr library has been greatly neglected.
In consequence of the visits of Tischen-
dorf and other critical scholars, a slight
improvement has taken place of late.
It contains about 1500 vols, of printed
books, many of which are soiled, torn,
and dQapidated. The books are of
little value, and of little use. But it
also contains a large number of MSS.,
chiefly Arabic and Greek, some of
which are of very great value, and
of high antiquity. Here Tischen-
dorf discovered the now celebrated
Codex Sinaiticus, the only complete
uncial MS. of the New Testament we
possess, and one of the oldest and most
valuable. Two other beautiful and
valuable MSS. are still here. They
are not kept in the library with the
other books ; but are carefully locked
up in a chamber called the Arch
bishop's Eoom. Of late the monks
have occasionally shown some unwill
ingness to permit travellers to enter
the library, or inspect their more
precious literary treasures. A little
persuasion, and a liberal bakshish
gracefully administered, will soon re
move all obstacles. The two MSS.
are : — 1. A copy of the Psalter in
Greek, written on twelve 12mo. pages.
The letters are very small, but beau
tifully formed. 2. An Evangelistary,

Sinai.

Route 1. — Jebel Musa. — Sinai.

31

containing the Lessons from the Gos
pels used in the Greek Church. It
is a small folio volume, about I ft. long
by 9 in. wide, and 3 in. thick. It is
bound in crimson velvet ; one side is
ornamented with carved brass-work.
It contains about 300 leaves of fine,
white, and beautifully dressed vellum.
Several leaves at the beginning contain
illuminated drawings of Our Lord, the
Virgin, the Evangelists, and St. Luke.
The MS. is written in gold uncial letters,
with 2 columns on each page. The
initial letters are large and ornamented.
On the whole, it is among the most
imposing and beautiful Greek MSS.
extant. It may probably be assigned
to the 8th century.

Excursions.
To Jebel Miisa, Sufsdfeh, and St
Catherine. — This excursion requires, to
do it justice, two days. The best plan
is to send forward the articles of food
and clothing needed for the night to
the small convent of el-'Arb'ain in
Wady Leja.
The usual egress from the convent
to Jebel Mflsa is by the garden, from
a small building on the wall of which
there is an easy descent, by the aid of
a rope, to the base of the mountain.
The path leads behind the convent,
and ascends diagonally the mountain
side, till it enters between overhang
ing chffs. In 25 min. there is a cool
spring, where the pilgrim can breathe
a moment, as he quaffs a cup, beneath
the shade of an impending rock. Then
onward through the narrow ravine,
scrambling over and among huge frag
ments of granite. A small chapel
dedicated to the Virgin is soon passed,
if we do not linger a moment to learn
its tradition, which is as follows : — On
one occasion the monks were so vigor
ously attacked by fleas that they
resolved to flee the convent. Forming
in procession, they proceeded to take
leave of the various sacred spots;
but when passing this spot the Virgin
appeared to them, and pledged her

word that she would herself banish
their tormentors, and bring besides a
larger concourse of pilgrims to their
shrines. The monks returned to their
quarters ; they affirm too that the
Virgin kept her word, and that the
convent is still free from the plague
of fleas. But travellers are somewhat
sceptical on this point.
A. little farther up is a double gate
way, where, in the palmy days of
monkery, priests always stood to con
fess pilgrims. After passmg the 2nd,
the traveller emerges on a little plain,
with a solitary cypress, beneath whose
shade is a, well of pure water. The
rugged head of Jebel Musa now rises
boldly on the left ; while in front,
beyond the deep ravine, St. Catherine
towers to the sky. On the right is a
long ridge of rocks and peaks, extend
ing for nearly 2 m., and terminating
in the bold cliff that rises from the
bosom of the plain of Eahah. This is
the Horeb of the monks, and the true
" Mount of the Law."
Setting out again, we pass a low
rude building containing the chapels
of Elijah and Elisha. Here is shown
the narrow grot where the former
dwelt in Horeb ( 1 Kings xix). From
hence the ascent becomes steeper, but
a rude staircase has been constructed
on which the traveller will probably
be shown the footmarks of Moham
med's camel. The summit is gained
at last — a little platform some 30
paces in diameter, partly covered
with the ruins of former buildings.
At its eastern end is a chapel; and
near it a mosque, for Moses is a Mus-
lem saint. Notwithstanding the ele
vation of the peak (7100 ft. above the
sea, and 2000 above the convent), the
view is by no means extensive. On
the W. and S.W.' it is shut in by the
higher ridges of Tiniah and St. Cathe
rine. No part of the plain of Eahah
is visible from it ; and it must at once
strike every visitor that there is no
place at or near its base suitable for a
large encampment, so that the words
of Scripture might be applicable :
" The Lord will come down in the
sight of all the people upon Mount

32

Route 1. — Jebel Sufsafeli. — Si,

Beet. 1.

Sinai." This is the Sinai of the
monks, but certainly not that of the
Bible.

Jebel Sufsdfeh, " the mountain of
the Willow," Sinai. — To complete
the day's excursion, I recommend a
walk to the summit of Sufsafeh. The
way is somewhat rough and rugged,
though not so very bad but that even
ladies have followed it, and may do so
again. The road leads back to the
cypress-tree, and then along the west
ern brow of, the ridge (Horeb of the
monks) to the small chapel of St.
John the Baptist, and to another near
the extremity of the ridge dedicated to
the " Virgin of the Zone." From the
latter the summit of Sufsafeh rises
steeply. It is easily scaled, however,
and J of an hour's tough climbing
brings us to the top, the view from
which, and the holy associations it
calls up, are ample rewards for
the toil. The summit is very clearly
defined, rising high above all the
other peaks near it. In front it
descends in broken crags of naked
granite to Wady-er-Rahah. The view
from it is not so extensive as that from
Jebel Musa, but it is far more inte
resting and impressive. The whole
extent of the plain of Rahah, mea
suring more than two miles in length,
and ranging from one-third to two-
thirds of a, mile in breadth, is visible.
The eye can follow its windings as it
runs away among the mountains in the
distance. The level expanse of Wady
esh-Sheikh which joins Rahah, is also
seen opening out on the right ; while
opposite it, on the left, is another
section of plain forming a recess in the
mountains. From near the summit a
ravine runs down into Rahah. Up
this ravine the ascent may be made
from the plain. It is rugged and
steep ; but an active mountaineer, such
as Moses was, could easily accom
plish it.
There can scarcely be a doubt that
this is " The mount of the Lord."
Every requirement of the Sacred
Narrative is supplied, and every inci

dent illustrated, by the features of the
surrounding district. Here is a plain
sufficient to contain- the Israelitish
camp, and so close to the mountain's
base that barriers could be erected to
prevent the rash or the heedless from
touching it. Here is a mountain-top
where the clouds that enshrined the
Lord when He descended upon it
would be visible to the multitude,
even when in fear they would with
draw from the base, and retire to a
distance. From this peak the thun-
derings and the voice of Jehovah
would resound with terrific effect
through the plain, and away among
the cliffs and glens of the surround
ing mountains. When descending
through the clouds that shrouded it,
Moses could hear the songs and shouts
of the people as they danced round
the golden calf. In '' the brook that
descends out of the Mount," through
the ravine into Rahah, he could cast
the dust of the destroyed idol. In
fact, the mountain, the plain, the
streamlet, and the whole topography,
correspond in every respect to the
historical narrative of Moses.
The words of Dean Stanley arc
equally graphic and convincing. " No
one who has approached the Ras
Sasafeh through that noble plain, or
who has looked clown upon the plain
from that majestic height, will will
ingly part with the belief that these
are the two essential features of the
view of the Israelite camp. That
such a plain should exist at all in
front of such a cliff is so remarkable a
coincidence with the Sacred Narrative,
as to furnish a strong internal argu
ment, not merely of its identity with
the scene, but of the scene itself having
been described by an eye-witness."
The whole distance between the
summits of Jebel Musa and Sufsafeh
may be traversed by any one accus
tomed to mountain travel in an hour
and a half. No traveller should ne
glect, whatever may be his theory
about the Holy Places, to climb
Sufsafeh, and thus obtain a view which
is not surpassed in interest or gran
deur by any in the Peninsula.

Sinai.

lioute 1. — Deir el-Arb'ain. — Mount St. Catherine.

33

Deir el-'Arb'ain, " the Convent of
the Forty." — In descending from Jebel
Sufsafeh to this convent our way leads
back some distance towards Jebel
Musa ; then, turning more to the right,
we descend diagonally the western
declivity of the ridge, passing a little
chapel dedicated to St. Panteleimon,
from whence an hour's scramble down
cliffs and through glens brings us to
the little sanctuary of the " Martyrs."
This convent is perhaps even of older
date than that of St. Catherine. The
tragic story of its origin and name has
already been given. It is now deserted
by monks, and only occupied by a few
families of the Jebaliyeh Arabs, who
cultivate the gardens connected with
it. Here the eye is refreshed by the
verdure of orchards and an extensive
olive-grove; while the tall, graceful
poplars, so rare in this thirsty land,
greatly enhance the beauty of the
scene. A night in such a place is
dreary enough ; but should the " moon
be out " to silver each mountam peak,
and cast the yawning gulfs between
into deeper shade, a midnight ramble
through the glen will be cherished by
memory among the grandest scenes
ever eye gazed on, or fancy pictured.
Mount St. Catherine, Jebel Kathe-
rin. — An early start is recommended,
as well to enjoy the cool morning air
during a toilsome march of 3 hours
over none of the best of roads, as
to secure the glorious view ere the
sun s rays have yet dimmed the crys
talline purity of the atmosphere. The
path leads us up Wady Leja — a wild.
narrow gorge, terminating in a huge
fissure in the mountain-side, aptly
terrned Shuk Musa, "Moses' Cleft."
Ten minutes above the convent two
lofty rocks shut in the valley on the
right and left, both of which have
many of those mysterious inscriptions
upon them already so often alluded to ;
one of the two is almost covered with
them. About an hour farther up is a
fountain of ice-cold water called 11a'-
yan esh-Shunniir, "the Fountain of
the Partridge" — because, as tradition
has it, it was discovered by the flutter

ing of one of these birds, when the
monks were bringing down the bones
of St. Catherine from the summit. The
ravine is passed ; and the mountain
side is before us, sprinkled here and
there with dwarf shrubs and sweet-
scented herbs. At last the rocky pile
is surmounted, and we seat ourselves
beneath the shade of the little chapel,
to revel at leisure in the glorious
panorama. Nearly the whole penin
sula is before us like a huge embossed
map. On the S.W. alone is the view
interrupted by the sharp peak of Um
Shaumer. Away ou the S.E. is the
Arabian Gulf, with its little islands ;
while stretching northward arc the
still waters of 'Akabah, begirt by
azure-tinted mountains. The desert
plain of Ka'a lies at our feet on the
other side of the peninsula, its shore
washed by the waves of the Gulf of
Suez, which looks like a mighty river
rolling through a boundless desert .
On the N.W. is Serbal, its jagged
peaks rising up clear and sharp out of
a maze of lower hills ; and on the N. is
the "Sandy Plain," Debbet er-Eamleh,
shut hii by the long range of Tih.
Such a troubled sea— such a " frozen
tempest " of black, weather-worn,
rugged mountain-peaks — such a bound
less expanse of desert, human eye has
seldom, if ever, wandered over. Hero,
says tradition, on this mountain peak,
the spirit-wafted bones of St. Catherine
first touched the earth after their
flight from Alexandria; and hence
were they borne by pious hands to the
peaceful retreat in the convent where
they have now reposed for some 15
centuries. Bach to the Convent. — Descending
again by the same way to the shrine of,
the Forty Martyrs, we take anothe
route to the convent, round the base
of Sufsafeh. This is a Via Sacra
to the good fathers, along which, as
Dr. Robinson has said, they have, '' as
a matter of convenience," grouped to
gether all the Holy Places they know
of in connexion with Sinai. In a
spirit of charity, if not of faith, let us
performjhj

34

Route 1. — Bible Names.

Sect. I.

Twenty minutes down the valley is
the "Rock of Horeb," which. Moses
smote with his rod, and from which
water gushed forth to supply the wants
of the murmuring Israelites. It is
a large isolated cube of coarse red
granite, which has fallen from the
cliff overhead. In front, in an oblique
line from top to bottom, runs a seam
of finer texture, from 12 to 14 in. wide,
having in it several horizontal crevices.
These, it is said, are the impressions
of the " rod," and the seam is the mark
left by the flowing water.
Below this point the rocks that line
the valley are in places almost covered
with Sinaitic inscriptions. At the
opening of the wady into the plain of
Rahah are two gardens marking the
sites of two old convents, that on the
left dedicated to St. Peter and St
Paul, and that on the right to St.
Mary of David. To the northward
the guides will point out the place
where the earth opened its mouth to
swallow Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
The tragic event, however, occurred at
Kadesh, which geographers have placed
on the southern border of Palestine.
(Num. xvi.)
Farther eastward, in front of Sufsa
feh, is a hole in a .granite rock, level
with the sand : this is the mould in
which Aaron cast the " golden calf."
The spots where Aaron stood while
the people danced round the idol,
where Moses first saw them and broke
the " Tables of the Law," &o. &c.,
are all carefully noted by the monks.
The convent is gained by the valley of
Shu'eib, and the whole distance from
el-'Arb'aln is about 1-J- hr.
The remarks of Mr. Beamont, a-
recent and observant traveller, are im
portant as showing that some traces
of the Scripture names still linger
around Mount Sinai. — " Two or three
facts seem to me well worthy of obser
vation. Immediately above Wady
esh-Sheikh rises Gebel Fureia; the
front of this is named Gebel Seneh. . . .
Separated from the central cluster of
Gebel Musa by Wady Leja, runs
another parallel range of Sinaitic rocks.
To one of these the name Urrebbeh is

given. Supposing, then, that this
nomenclature was correct, we have a
cluster bearing the name of Seneh
(Sinai) on the right of Gebel Musa,
and one bearing the name Urrebbeh
(Horeb) on the left." Mr. Beamont
being an Arabic scholar, and his ear
having been long accustomed to the
native pronunciation, these statements
are deeply interesting, and ought to
stimulate further inquiry.
Other Excursions. — The preceding
excursion embraces all that is really
or traditionally " sacred " around
Sinai ; but the love of scenery, or of
novelty, or " a truant disposition," may
induce some to go beyond the ortho
dox boundaries, and revel in new
ground. To such I would recommend
a five days' tour to the mysterious-
mountain Um Shaumer, from which,
common report affirms, strange, un-"
earthly sounds are often heard to
issue; and thence to Tur. Burck
hardt visited Um Shaumer, and at
tempted to scale its highest peak, but'
here even that intrepid traveller was
baffled. It was, however, scaled in the
year 1862 by a party of three English
men who state, " There is no real
difficulty in the ascent of Om Shaumer
except at the Chemine'e, which leads
up to the Hajr el-Bint, or 'maiden
stone,' which had hitherto repelled
all comers. The last peak of a high
mountain is generally one of the most
difficult points. But though without
risk, the whole climb was laborious to
a degree. The debris of a Swiss
mountain are very often partly covered
with vegetation, or at least secured in
their places by growth of moss or
lichen. But on these hills all is bare,
sharp granite or volcanic rock, dis
placed or in situ; and the whole
ascent of the great ravine, which leads
up to the central peak of Om Shaumer,
is one mass of huge, insecure frag
ments of syenite, lying on an extremely
abrupt slope. There was plenty of
snow in the clefts of the mountam,
but it gave no assistance on the steep
eboulement our friends had to mount."
The way to it leads up Wady Shu'eib,

Sinai.

lioute 1.' — Um Shaumer. — Tu

35

and for 1J In-, follows the path to
Shttrm. It then turns to the right,
winding through sublime ravines,
wilder and grander even than those on
the route from Suez, and over low
jagged ridges, till at the end of some 9
hrs. we reach the little convent of
Antous, situated on the side of the
mountain, above a spring. The ascent
may be made from this now desolate
ruin. The English party above men
tioned timed their expedition as fol
lows : — Convent to sleeping place in
Wady Rahaby, 6 hrs. ; Wady Rahaby
to the ridge opposite Um Shaumer,
3 hrs. ; descent to base of mountain,
35 min. ; base to summit, 2 hrs.
The view from the summit is very
grand, and well repays the fatigue of
the ascent. It embraces the Red Sea,
the Gulfs of Akaba and Suez, and the
peaks and ridges lying between them.
Mount St. Catherine confines the view
northward. The old road to Tur leads past the
rained Convent of Antous at the foot
of Um Shaumer, and by it the tra
veller may proceed to that town. The
distance is a long day's march.
Tur is a poor wretched village,
situated on the side of a little bay, the
only port in the peninsula. The plain
around is low and marshy; but the
palm groves and orchards are very
luxuriant; and at the foot of the
neighbouring mountains are numerous
springs of sweet water. The ruins of
a small fortress, of a convent and
private houses, show that it was for
merly more populous than it is at
present. It would seem that Tur was the
ancient landing-place of pilgrims on
the way to the sanctuaries of Sinai.
It formerly contained a convent and
hospice, which were still occupied
when visited by Thevenot in 1658.
Tho date groves and gardens around
Tfir are very extensive and fruitful.
Orange, nubk, and mulberry trees also
grow luxuriantly. A short distance
from the town are warm springs, called
Hummam Musa, "The Baths of
Moses," celebrated for their medicinal
properties.

A low range of cretaceous hills runs
northward from Tur along the coast.
One peak of the range, a few miles
from the town, is called Jebel Mokatteb,
"The Written Mountain." On its
rocks and cliffs are numbers of Sinaitic
inscriptions, usually shorter than those
of Wady Mokatteb, and with more
figures. Farther north lies Jebel Nakus, " The
Bell Mountain," which gets its name
from the following legend : In former
days a convent stood upon it, contain
ing a large body of monks. Convent,
monks, and all suddenly disappeared,
leaving not a trace behind. The
convent bells, however, continued to
ring at the regular hours, and the
Arabs affirm that they may still be
heard. The secret of the mysterious
sounds was discovered by Wcllstead.
They are occasioned by particles of
sand and gravel falling over the bare
rocks and cliffs on the mountain-side.
The Bedawin, however, still retain
their old superstitious fears.
There are two routes from Tiir to
Sinai. One is through a succession of
wild and rugged ravines almost direct
to the plain of Rahah at the foot of
Sinai. The other is more interesting,
but longer. It leads diagonally across
the plain of Ka'a to the mouth of
Wady Hebran (about 7 hrs.). Here,
on the smooth face of the granite
chffs, are many Sinaitic inscriptions;
and others are found higher up in
side valleys. Wady Hebran has a
streamlet, groves of palms and nubk
trees, and presents a pleasing contrast
to the parched desolation of the coast-
plain. The upper part of the wady is
called Solif, and it leads to the foot of
Nukb el-Hawy, which we cross to
Sinai. Some have supposed that this was
the route followed by the Israelites in
their approach to Sinai ; but the glen
being narrow and in places rugged,
it would scarcely have been selected for
the passage of a great host.
Other short excursions may be made
to the summits of the several moun
tain-peaks round the convent and the
plain of Rahah, such as Jebel ed-Deir,

36

Route 2. — Hazeroth.

Sect. I.

down a wild cleft in whose side shoots
a bright ray of sunshine, at a certain
season every year, on the convent
below, and is, of course, proclaimed by
the monks a standing miracle, as it
lights up as " with celestial glory " the
chapel of the "Burning Bush." On
the summit of Jebel ed-Deir stands a
cross, seen from afar — a strange, im
pressive object surmounting the wild
peaks of Sinai.
The plain of Sebayah, on the S.E.
side of Jebel Musa, deserves a more
careful and complete survey than has
yet been given to it. Some suppose it
to be the true site of the encampment
of Israel. If .so, then the monks are
right, and Jebel Musa is the real
" Mountain of the Law." The base
of the mountain rises abruptly from
the plain ; but in other respects the
locality does not appear so accordant
with the Scripture narrative as the
plain of Eahah. It is too narrow and
too rugged for a great encampment.

ROUTE 2.
MOUNT SINAI TO ' AKABAH. II. M.
Convent to 'Ain Hudhera, Ha
zeroth  IS 0
Shore of Gulf of 'Akabah ..9 0
Castle of 'Akabah  23 15
Total  50 15
Travellers during their few days'
residence at the convent generally

accept from the fathers only the
shelter of a roof, with bread and
water. The hard fare of the refectory
few will relish ; flesh can only be had
from without ; little luxuries, such as
preserved dates, are bought at more
*than their value ; all guides are paid
for at a fixed tariff, most of which the
monks pocket. The minimum re
ceived by the Superior for lodging,
bread, and water, is 100 piastres or
about 11. sterling a-head, over and
above fees to cook, porter, &c. This
some will think extravagant for such
accommodation in such a place; but
few will object to it. Better pay it
with a good grace, and even add an
extra dollar, than leave the Superior
with a ruffled countenance.
The way to 'Akabah and Palestine
lies down Wady-Shu'eib, and then to
the right along Wady esh-Sheikh. In
2i h. is the tomb of Sheikh Salih, from
which the valley takes it name. It is
in the estimation of the Arabs one of
the most sacred spots in the peninsula.
It is a rude stone building, containing
the humble tomb of the saint, around
which are hung some votive offerings,
that show as much as anything else
the abject poverty of the people, — mere
"shreds and patches." Sheikh Salih
is said to have been the progenitor of
the Sawahhah Arabs. Once a year, in
the month of June, all the tribes of the
Tawarah make a pilgrimage to his
tomb, encamp round it for three days,
kill sheep in honour of the saint, and
present offerings.
A little in advance of this spot the
road turns to the rt. out of Wady esh-
Sheikh, and in, 30 min. passes a well
called Abu Suweirah. An horn- far
ther brings us to the watershed between
the gulfs of Suez and 'Akabah. We
now advance in an eastward direction,
over a region of low, rugged, and bleak
hills, intersected by shallow,, bare ra
vines, till in some 2 hrs. we enter the
dark mountain ridge of Fer'a by a
narrow cleft-like ravine, which con
tinues for 6 hrs. winding among naked
rocks and cliffs — one scene of sternest
grandeur. The mountains are chiefly

SlNAl.

Route 2. — Hazeroth.

37

griinstein, with some slate, and here
and there veins of porphyry; while
the higher peaks have crests of sand
stone. A few shrubs grow in the bot
tom of the glen, but the sides are en
tirely bare. The name of this glen is
Wady S'al. The mountains on the left
at last disappear, and the broad " Sandy
Plain" (Debbet er-Ramleh) opens up
a view to the base of the Tih range.
Now the skill and experience of the
guide are put to the test, for the coun
try for many a long mile is dreary,
desolate, featureless, and pathless.
Onward the little caravan sweeps, with
noiseless footfall, over bleak hills,
through parched vales, and across
sandy downs, till, after nearly 7 hrs.
travel, the sheikh affirms that 'Ain el-
Hudhera is not far distant, and camels
are despatched for a supply of water.
On many of the isolated rocks of this
dreary plain are Sinaitic inscriptions ;
and one rock, called by Dean Stanley
" Herimat Haggag," has its lower part
almost covered with them. There are
here also inscriptions in Arabic, two or
three in Greek, with many animals,
some recent, but the greater part of
the same date as the Sinaitic inscrip
tions. There can be little doubt that 'Ain
Hudhera is, in name at least, the mo
dern representative of the Hazeroth of
the Bible, the third station of the
Israelites after Sinai (Num. xi. 35, and
xii. 15, 16). The radical letters in the
Arabic and Hebrew names are the same,
and the position answers well, being
about 18 hrs. from Sinai. Here the Isra
elites established their first permanent
camp after leaving the plain of Rahah ;
here Aaron and his sister Miriam tried
to excite a rebellion against Moses ;
and here the guilty Miriam was smitten
with leprosy. In that dreary waste
behind us, through which we have
just passed, the Israelites murmured,
aud longed for the dainties of Egypt.
To rebuke their unbelief the Lord
sent them a miraculous supply of
quails; and then, to punish their re
bellion, He swept away thousands by
the plague.
There is some difficulty, however,
in fixing tho exact position of the

Israelitish camp. The country around
Hudhera is ragged. Dr. Wilson men
tions a plain 15 miles north of Sinai,
called Hudhera. Stanley thinks the
fountain el-'Ain, some distance north
of Hudhera, ought rather to be re
garded as the site of Hazeroth, because
it is the most important fountain in
this whole region. The approach to
'Ain is easy ; the glens around it have
good pastures ; and the road from it to
the Aelanitic gulf, along wh6se shore
the Israelites seem to have marched,
is open through Wady Wetir. Per
haps Hazeroth may have been the
name of a district. The scenery of
Wady Wetir is unsurpassed in the
peninsula. "As we turned to the
rt. into Wady Wetir (says Miss Mar-
tineau) we came upon a scene which
might almost be called verdant. The
asphodel and other plants, which grew
on perches and in crevices in the red
rock, were of the liveliest green, while
tamarisks spread their sprawling growth
in all nooks and on many platforms.
The white sand under foot, the verdure
skirting the mountains, and the pre
cipitous rocks, of a rich red hue, rising
so as to narrow the sky, and to lessen
the glare to a pleasant light, filled us
with a delight altogether new." The
view through the gorge when we catch
the first glimpse of the mountains of
Arabia, with the deep blue of the sky
above, and the deeper tint of the sea
below, is described as "like a peep at
fahy land through the mouth of a
giant's cave."
From the point we had reached in
the wilderness, near Hudhera, om- path
runs through a, rugged country near
the base of the southern branch of the
Tih mountains. In 'less than half an
hour is a narrow pass, and a slight
descent among sandstone hills. Here
on the rocks to the left are some rude
Arabic inscriptions, with sketches of
various known and a few unknown ani
mals. Passing Wady Ghuzaleh with
its sandstone cliffs, and a network of
other wadys, we at length reach the
narrow ravine of S'adeh, which we fol
low in its windings down to the peb
bly shore of the Gulf of 'Akabah. A

38

Route 2. — Mount Sinai to 'Akabah.

Sect. I.

small brackish fountain, called 'Ain
Nuweibi'a, is near the mouth of the
ravine, and just 9 hrs. distant from
Hazeroth. Pleasant is the sight of the waters
after the parched desolation of the
rocky wilderness ; pleasant too is the
gentle murmuring of the waves as they
break on the pebbly beach, after the
death-like silence of the glens of Sinai.
By the sea-side one never feels alone,
even though the shore be solitary as
that of Elath's Gulf. Every heaving
of a wave seems like a throb of friend
ship's heart, and every " voice of the
waters " like the whisper of affection.
Here there is something more than
this — the scenery on the one hand is
so wild, so bare, and on the other so
ethereal, so fairy-like, that one is never
tired gazing on it. Now we glance at
some new feature of the mountain
barrier ; and now turn our eyes over
the deep blue waters to the beautiful
hills of Arabia, whose rich tints are
ever changing, from the " russet hue "
of early morn, to the light azure of
noonday, and the deep purple of even ;
and then besides, the countless shells
that strew the beach, exhibiting end
less varieties of graceful forms and deli
cate colours, fill the mind with ad
miration and wonder.
And this is the Gulf of Elath, on
which, well-nigh 3000 years ago, the
fleets of Solomon sailed, bearing the
gold of Ophiri and the spices of India,
to the little kingdom of Israel. (1 Kings
ix.) But the kingdom of Israel has
long since passed away ; and the Gulf
of Elath is deserted now as the wilder
ness that surrounds it ; and the wealth
of the East is conveyed by another
channel to another little kingdom in
the Western Ocean.
A long march of more than 14 hrs.
brings us to a point where a bold and
ragged cliff projects into the sea, leav
ing no space even for a bridle-path
along its base. This, and another cliff
farther in advance, are surmounted by
passes of great difficulty, such, in fact,
as we have not hitherto encountered.
The first is called Huweimirat. It
was in the valley between the two

that Burckhardt was attacked by the
robbers, one of whom was killed by
his resolute attendant, Hanid ; and it
was somewhere in this region that
Sheikh Suleiman, Mr. Fisk's guide,
was shot dead by the Muzeiny Arabs
in 1842. As the incident is in
structive, I here give it nearly in
Mi-. Fisk's own words. He was es
corted, as is usual, by one of the tribes
possessing the right of Ghafir. At
that time the Muzeiny were attempting
to secure for themselves the privilege
of at least taking all travellers from
the convent to 'Akabah, through their
own territory. While Mr. Fisk and
party were resting, the day before the
murder, in Wady el- Ain, a party of
the Muzeiny, headed by Sheikh Farrik,
came to his Arabs to make a final
effort at supporting, without bloodshed,
then- claim. When Farrik was about
to retire, after an unsuccessful attempt,
an Arab of his tribe secretly informed
him that his (Farrik's) nephew had
been shot on the previous day by one of
Suleiman's tribe. All negotiation was
at once broken up, though it appears
that Suleiman never knew the cause.
The Muzeiny assembled in force, fol
lowed the party, and overtook them
during the night at their encampment
on the shore of the gulf. Sheikh Suleij
man was enticed away in the morning
under the plea of renewing negotiations.
After some talk, Sheikh Farrik sud
denly said to Suleiman, " We care not
for the money, for there is blood between
us." That moment one of the Muzeiny,
raising his gun, shot Suleiman through
the body ; Farrik, drawing his sabre,
cut him down, and two other shots
immediately followed, completing the
bloody tragedy. Such is a recent and
striking instance of blood revenge.
After, scaling the two promontories,
the little island of Kureiyeh ("the
Village ") comes in view in front, about
2 m. from the shore. It is a granite
rock, some 300 yards in length, con
taining the ruins of a mediasval fort
ress, encompassed by a wall with two
gateways. This is 'the stronghold of
Ailah mentioned by Abulfeda. Its
founder is unknown ; but in a.d. 1182

8:

INAI.

Route 2. — ' Akabah — Elath.

39

it was besieged by Rainald of Chatil-
lon, and resisted all his efforts to gain
it. In the time of the Arab historian
it was already abandoned. Continu
ing along the shore, and sweeping
round the northern end of the gulf, we
at length reach the palm-groves and
square fortress of 'Akabah, 9 hrs. march
from the pass of Huweimirat.

'Akabah — Elath.
The name 'Akabah signifies a " steep
descent," and is derived from the pass
on the Haj road, down the western
mountain, from the plateau of Tih to
the head of the gulf. As applied to
the village and fortress the ljame is
modern; but there is an important
remark in the geography of Edrisi — he
calls this pass 'Akabat Ailah. This
gulf was from a very early period called
the Gulf of Elath (or Ailah by the
Greeks), from a city of that name which
stood on its shores (1 Kings ix. 26),
at its northern extremity (Deut. ii. 8).
The town was rebuilt by Azariah
Kmg of Judah about B.C. 800, and
appears to have supplanted Ezion-
geber, where the fleet of Solomon was
built (2 Kings iv. 22). It soon after
wards passed into the hands of the
King of Syria (2 Kings xvi. 6) ; and it
remained an important commercial city
during the whole period of this coun
try's occupation by the Greeks and Ro
mans. It early became an episcopal
see, and during the 4th and 5th cen
turies bishops of Ailah were present
at the councils of the Christian Church ;
but like so many other flom-ishing cities
of Arabia and Syria, it fell to ruin
under the withering rale of Islam.
When Baldwin I. of Jerusalem made
his bold excursion into Arabia he found
Ailah forsaken (a.d. 1116), and placed
in it a garrison; but 50 years later
Saladin wrested it out of the hands of
the Crusaders. In Abulfeda's time it
was deserted, with the exception of the
few soldiers left in the castle to guard
the Haj caravans. About J m. north
of 'Akabah, near the shore, are some
mounds of rubbish, which doubtless

mark the site of the ancient city ; and
the wretched huts of 'Akabah are now
its only representative. The present
fortress (Burckhardt says) was built
by a ruler of Egypt in the 16th centy.,
as one of a long line on tho Haj road ;
intended both for the protection of
pilgrims and the storing of supplies.
It is now garrisoned by a few " irregu
lars," commanded by a petty officer.
Elath and Ezion-gcber are men
tioned as on the route of the Israelites
on their return from Kadesh. They
were refused a passage through Edom,
and were thus forced to travel round
its southern and eastern borders. (Deut.
ii. 8 ; Jud. xi. IS.)

ROUTE 3.
'AKABAH TO WADY MUSA — PETEA.
'Akabah to Wady Ghurundel
Enter mountains of Edom . .
Wady Musa — Petra . . . .

n.
15 5

Total  28
'Akabah is the utmost point to which
the Tawarah Arabs1 can safely conduct
the traveller ; and before attempting
to proceed to Petra an agreement must
be made with the 'Alawin — an impu
dent and lawless set of vagabonds as
ever pilgrim had to deal with. Their
old Sheikh Hussein acquired no envi-

40

Route 3. — 'Akabah to Wady Musa.

Sect. I.

able notoriety. His son Mohammed is
better reported of, at least so far as
regards his treatment of those he con
ducts : Mr. Bartlett was satisfied with
him ; and Dean Stanley says, " I feel
bound to mention the almost princely
courtesy which he showed to us during
the journey." If travellers will re
fresh then memories with the few
hints I have already given as to the
mode of dealing with the Bedawin
and others, they will perhaps find it
less difficult to deal even with the
'Alawin. The sums generally demanded by
the Alawin for conveying the traveller
to Petra and Hebron are exorbitant.
The following sums have been paid : —
Kinncar and Roberts, for a party of 3
persons — camels, escort, &c, 4500
piastres. Dr. Olin and party, for each
camel 280 piastres, and for each Arab
forming escort 260 piastres. Miss
MartineaU and party, each person to
pay 1000 piastres for escort, and 250
over and above for every camel re
quired. Mr. Bartlett, from 'Akabah to
Petra, and thence back to Cairo, 3000
piastres, including everything. It is
folly to pay such a tax as this. There
is little to be seen at 'Akabah, and
there is nothing on the route to attract
special attention more than iu any
other part of the desert. By turning
from the convent of Sinai northward
to the fortress of Nukhl, to which the
Tawarah can safely conduct the tra
veller, he escapes the 'Alawin, and can
generally make a moderate bargain
with the Tiahah Arabs for an escort to
Petra. The difference in distance is
not much over a day. If, however,
the traveller wishes to visit 'Akabah,
it is as well to try to make an arrange
ment with the Alawin. The distance
to Petra is 3 days, thence to Hebron
45 hrs., or 5 good days ; I would,
therefore, consider the sum of 300
piastres for each camel sufficient to
cover all expenses of guard, carriage,
and sheikh. Dr. Eobinson paid only
135 piastres per camel from 'Akabah
to Hebron through the desert of Tih,
though the distance is the same as by
Petra. Should the 'Alawin refuse a
fair sum, better make a de'tour along

the Haj road westward to Nukhl with
the Tawarah — this is about 3 days,
and ought not to cost more than 60
piastres a camel ; but to prevent im
position, it would be well to make a
conditional agreement to this effect
with the Tawarah escort before leaving
Cairo. At Nukhl Tiahah Arabs can ,
generally be met with ; and several
parties have lately followed this route.
Of late the route from 'Akabah to
Petra has been almost closed against
travellers. The wars of the Arab
tribes, and the exactions and brutal
insolence of the fellahin inhabitants
of Petra, make an excursion to the
"rock city" at once unpleasant and
dangerous. The practicability or im
practicability of the journey can gene
rally be ascertained at Cairo ; and
special inquiries should there be
made. Now, however, taking it for granted
that the Fellahin are propitious, that a
bargain has been concluded, and that
Sheikh Hussein or his son has taken
the lead, we set out for the "rock city
of Edom." Our way is up the 'Arabah,
that singular valley which, beginning
at Antioch, divides Syria through its
centre. It is here parched and bar
ren ; bounded on both sides by jagged
mountain ranges. Up this valley the
Israelites probably journeyed from the
wilderness of Sinai to Kadesh-barnea ;
and down it they certainly came again,
long afterwards, when refused a passage
through the territories of Edom (Deut.
ii. 8).
On entering Wady 'Arabah we see
on the E. side (2 hrs. from Akabah)
a gap in the hills, called Wady el-Ithm,
which intersects the mountain range,
and still forms one of the regular roads
from 'Akabah to Petra. In ancient
times it was the line of the great high
way between Elath and that city. The
range on the western side of the 'Ara
bah is here limestone, and that opposite
granite. After passing the opening of
toe Wady Ithm, the next important
valley on the right is Tubal, where the
red sandstone first appears surmount
ing the granite. In about 15 hrs. from
'Akabah the entrance of Wady Ghfi-

Sinai,

Route 3. — 'Akabah to Wady Musa — Edom.

41

rundel is seen on the rt., a narrow
gorge shut in by ragged sandstone
cliffs. A short distance up it is a small
fountain, around which a few palm-
trees cluster, and a verdant grass-plat
spreads out, inviting us to pitch our
tents on the green turf, and luxuriate
for a time beneath the shade by the
still waters. Some 4 hrs. farther N.
is a rising ground probably the water
shed of the 'Arabah. A commanding
view is here obtained southward to
ward the ancient Elath ; but one still
more interesting lies on the opposite
side to the N.E. There are the
mountains of Edom rising up, dark,
and desolate, as if the predicted curse
had been fulfilled; there too, over
topping them all, is the double peak of
Mount Hot, towering like a huge for
tress from its rocky base. 1 hr. more,
and the scene is changed again. The
bleak wastes of the 'Arabah are left
behind, and we enter the hills of Edom,
om- narrow path making many a turn
between fantastic cliffs, through which
the slanting sun shoots long rays here
and there, fighting up the rugged bot
tom of the ravine. Tufts of grass, and
wild flowers, diversify the little plat
forms among the rocks ; while here and
there a miniature com-field affords a
pleasing contrast to the sombre colours
of the sandstone. The way becomes
more and more entangled among the
mountains as we advance ; and the
deep red cliffs draw closer and closer,
narrowing the sky above and the
track below. At length we ascend
a high ridge, an offset from the
southern base of Mount Hor; but
our way immediately descends again
into a rocky ravine, where oleanders
and tamarisks shoot up amid the fallen
blocks, and where the sculptured
facades and dark entrances of nume
rous tombs appear along the sides of
the cliffs overhead. Tln-ough this
strange avenue we wind for nearly two
miles, until it ushers us into a still
stranger amphitheatre, where we have
before us the fallen palaces, and
around us the rock-hewn sepulchres
of Petra. The whole distance from
el- 'Arabah is 8 hrs.

Eastern Route from 'Akabah to
Petba.
Laborde appears to be the only
traveller who followed the ancient road
from Elath to thevcapital of Edom. His
description of it is neither full nor satis
factory ; but he says enough to show
that both in scenery and antiquarian
interest it is preferable to that through
the 'Arabah. It enters the gorge 'of
Wady el-Ithm, where several walls
may be observed crossing the ravine.
These are constructed by the Bedawin
for defence, and are sufficient to pre
vent any sudden foray of horsemen.
The wady runs up between the moun
tains, first eastward, and then N.E. in
a winding course. Some distance up
are the rains of a fortress on a project
ing rock, formerly intended to guard
the road; other towers occur farther
on. The wady at length opens on an
undulating plain called Humeiytlmeh,
from a ruined town of that name situ
ated near the road. After passmg this
town and a fountain, the path strikes
northward over a mountain ridge,
crossing in its course the old Roman
road ; and descending again near the
village of Eljy, inhabited by the fel
lahin of Wady Musa, it enters the
cleft of Sik, the main approach to
Petra. The traveller who wishes to
traverse new ground, and explore an
interesting region, would do well to try
this eastern route.

Edom.
The country we have now in paft
traversed, and whose rock-hewn capital
we have just entered, is the ancient
Edom. Its name Edom, " Eed," may
perhaps be regarded as indicative of
the colour of its mountains; though
it may be more directly derived from
Esau, whose inheritance it became,
and whose name Edom was sug
gested by his appearance at his birth
(Gen. xxv. 25), and confirmed by the
disposal of his birthright for a mess
of red lentiles (Gen. xxv. 30). The
country was anciently called Mount

42

Route 3. — Edom.

Sect. I.

Seir, "Bugged," and embraced the
hilly region extending along the E.
side of the 'Arabah, from the southern
end of the Dead Sea to the Gulf of
'Akabah. Its first inhabitants were
the Horites, " dwellers in caves," who
were driven out by Esau and his de
scendants. In later times King David
conquered Edom ; and Solomon built
his fleet at its only, or principal, sea
port. But the Edomites soon after re
gained their independence ; and, with
the exception of temporary defeats by
Amaziah and Uzziah, they lived in
security. During the troublous times
that wasted Judah and Israel, the
Edomites prospered, and, joining the
Chaldseans, contributed to the over
throw of these kingdoms. They then
occupied the northern section of the
desert of Tih, and many towns of
southern Palestine. But under the
warlike Maccabees they were in turn
subdued, and governed by Jewish pre
fects. One of these, Antipater, an
Idumasan by birth, by the favour of
Caesar was made procurator of all
Judaea ; and his son Herod the Great
became " King of the Jews." While
the Edomites (or Idumseans as the
Greeks called them) extended their
territory towards Palestine, they were
themselves driven out of their native
mountains by the Nabathieans, an Arab
tribe descended from Nebaioth, Ish-
mael's oldest son (1 Chron. i. 29). They
seized Petra, and established , them
selves there, at least as early as the
3rd centy. B.C. ; and their possessions
gradually grew into the kingdom of
Arabia Petrsaa, many of whose princes
bore the name Aretas. One of these
was father-in-law of Herod ; and it was
for repudiating his daughter in order
to marry Herodias that Herod was re
buked by John the Baptist (Luke iii.
19). The same Aretas afterwards
seized the city of Damascus, and held
it at the time of Paul's conversion (2
Cor. xi. 32). The kingdom of Arabia
was finally subdued by the Romans in
a.d. 105. The Nabathseans were a
commercial people, and were the prin
cipal carriers of the luxuries of India
and southern Arabia across the penin
sula of Sinai to the shores of the Medi

terranean. To them Petra owes those
monuments which are now the wonder
and admiration of the world.
Edom was, in the first centuries of
the Christian era, included in. the epis
copal province of Palsestina Tertia, of
which Petra was metropolis. After
the Mohammedan conquest its com
mercial importance fell away, and its
flourishing port and inland cities be
came ruinous and deserted. The
Mohammedans were the instruments
by which the fearful predictions of
Scripture were fulfilled :¦ — " Thus saith
the Lord : Behold, O Mount Seir,
I am against thee, and I will stretch
out mine hand against thee, and I
will make thee most desolate. Then
will I cut off from it him that passeth
out and him that retumeth, and I
will make thee perpetual desolations,
and thy cities shall not return."
(Ezek. xxv.)
The geological structure of Edom
is peculiar. Along the base of the
mountain range on the side of the
'Arabah are low calcareous hills. To
these succeed lofty masses of igneous
rock, chiefly porphyry ; over which
lies red and variegated sandstone in
irregular ridges and abrupt cliffs, with
deep ravines between. The latter strata
give the mountains their most striking
features. The average elevation of the
range is about 2000 ft. On the east
is a long, almost unbroken limestone
ridge, higher than the other, and de
clining gently to the Arabian desert.
The breadth of the mountain region
does not exceed 20 m. The valleys
and flat terraces on the mountain sides
and summits are covered with soil,
from which trees, shrubs, and flowers
spring up luxuriantly. All this shows
the accuracy of Bible topography,
where we find Isaac saying to his son
Esau, — " Thy dwelling shall be the
fatness of the earth, and of the dew
of heaven from above." (Gen. xxvii.
39.)

SlNAI.

Route 3. — Petra — Historical Sketch.

43

Petra— Wady Musa.
Historical Sketch. — The foregoing
notices of Edom prepare the way for
a sketch of Petra. In the Old Testa
ment it is mentioned twice. It is said
of King Amaziah, he " slew of Edom
in the valley of Salt ten thousand, and
took Selah by war." (2 Kings xiv. 7.)
Isaiah tells the Moabites to " send the
lamb from the ruler of the land from
Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount
of the daughter of Zion" (xvi. 1).
Petra, " Bock," is the Greek equivalent
to the Hebrew Selah. Petra was a
city of Edom, but never the capital of
the Edomites ; their capital was Boz-
rah, perhaps the present Buseirah.
(See Ete. 4.)
Towards the end of the 4th centy.
B.C., Petra was taken by the Naba-
thseans, and afterwards became, as we
have seeu, their capital. The city is
briefly but accurately described by
Strabo. It is mentioned in the writings
of Pliny, Josephus, Eusebius, and
Jerome ; and its name as an episcopal
see is found in the 'Notitiso Ecclesi-
asticse ' so late as the 6th centy. But
afterwards it entirely disappeared from
history, and for more than 1200 yrs. its
very site remained unknown. It was
not until the reports collected by
Seetzen in 1807, respecting the won
derful remains in Wady Musa, had
been verified by the discovery of them
by Burckhardt, that the latter first ven
tured to suggest their identity with
the long-lost capital of Arabia Petrsea.
Burckhardt entered Wady Musa, Aug.
22nd, 1812. In 1818 Messrs. Irby,
Mangles, Banks, and Legh visited it,
after encountering great opposition ;
10 years later Messrs. Laborde and
Linant spent 8 days among the ruins,
and carried away with them a map and
a large portfolio of drawings. Monu
ments like those of Petra it is difficult
to describe; and » good sketch is
better than half a volume of letter
press. To the works of Laborde,
Bartlett's ' Forty Days in the Desert,'
and Keith's ' Prophecies,' I refer the
reader. Two of the views in the latter
work from daguerreotypes — the " Co
rinthian Tomb," and the " Deir " — are

exquisite. But Petra is one of those
places where both pencil and photo
graph fail to carry away a full deline
ation of nature : all want the rich
colouring which gives to the real scene
unrivalled charms.

Description of Petra.
General View. — The first object of
the traveller on establishing himself
in Petra, whether he enter it by tho
avenue from the S., or by the Sik,
ought to be to select some command
ing spot from which to obtain a general
view of the rains and surrounding
tombs. The best place for this pur
pose is perhaps the high cliff im
mediately on the north side of the
theatre, which he can easily climb by a
staircase leading from the uppermost
bench. Seating himself here, the site
of the city, with its girdle of sculptured
cliffs, is spread out before him; and
taking the accompanying map in his
hand, he can almost at a glance iden
tify the principal monuments. He now
sees that the city stood in an irregular
basin, through the bottom of which a
stream winds : entering at the S.E.
corner, running northward round a"
spur of the cliff on which he stands,
and then turning W., it intersects the
ruins, and disappears through a wild
gorge. The banks on each side pre
sent narrow strips of level ground,
and then rise irregularly to the base
of the cliffs, which are almost sheer
precipices from 150 to 300 ft. high;
while ravines, deep and ragged, branch
off into the mountains. The whole
area available for building purposes
does not exceed J m. square.
But let us take .a glance at the
scene before us, so as to fix the gene
ral features in our memories. Close
on the right is a narrow valley,
with the rivulet flowing out from the
chasm behind. The cliff opposite
is low; but over it, farther back,
rises another and much loftier one,
extending far to the N., and almost
filled with beautiful tombs. One
among them attracts attention by
its Corinthian facade, and another

44

Route 3. — Petra — the Sik.

Sect. I.

beyond it is conspicuous with three
tiers of columns. The background
on the N. is filled in by the moun
tains of Dibdiba, which descend in
broken masses to the bottom of the
valley. On the left is a range of preci
pitous peaks, dotted with the openings
of numerous sepulchres. Near the
spot where the streamlet disappears
are the walls of an old temple or palace,
now known by the name of " Pharaoh's
Castle," Kusr Far'on. Immediately
on the left of the peak on which we
stand is a steep acclivity leading to a
plateau, which extends along the whole
summit of the western cliffs to the foot
of Mount Hor. The Arabs call it
Sutuh Harun, " Aaron's Plains."
What strikes us most in the general
view, as well as in a more minute
examination of Petra, after the great
natural features have been taken in, is
the vast multitude of tombs, and the
gorgeous colouring of the cliffs in
which they are hewn. The colours
are not bright or gaudy ; they are
rather subdued, and perhaps even dull;
but their varying lines and blending
hues are inconceivably beautiful. Here
are deep crimson, blue, purple, and
yellow, blended harmoniously together,
and suffusing the whole sculptured
front of tomb or temple, like the wavy
shades of watered silk.

Walks through Petra.
To the traveller in this city time is
a great treasure : he knows not when,
like many of his predecessors, he may
be compelled to leave on a moment's
notice; he knows not where he may
meet swarms of armed vagabonds bar
ring his progress, and shouting bakh
shish. The longer he stays, as a
general rule, the more annoying both
friends and foes become. News of
his arrival spreads among the neigh
bouring tribes; strangers flock in to
see what they can make by blustering
or pilfering ; and the escort becomes
anxious to flee from complicated diffi
culties. It is well to pay the hundred
piastres ghufr, or " black mail," which

the representative of old Abu Zeitun
thinks himself justified in demanding ;
if it were only to rid one of the pre
sence, even for a single day, of a set
of half-naked, hungry savages. By
the way, the "hundred piastres" have
been latterly increased almost ad infi
nitum. But to see the city in the
shortest possible time is what all will
desire : I therefore recommend a sys
tematic plan ; and perhaps the best is
to pass hurriedly out of the city (though
one has to return by the same path
again), and begin at the eastern ex
tremity, where the wady below the vil
lage of Eljy contracts to form the won
derful chasm of the Sik ; and the best
time for- viewing this is the morning,
or at least the forenoon, when the
sun's rays slant down into the ravine,
and light up the noble facade of the
Khusneh. The Sik was anciently the chief,
and is still the most striking, approach
to ;the city. In fact, so passing
strange — so enchanting — is the whole
scene when first entered from this
side, that all who can should fol
low Robinson and Burckhardt, and,
even though at the expense of a con
siderable detour, enter Petra by the
Sik. Two considerable valleys unite
below the village of Eljy, and form by
their junction Wady Musa. Down the
northern one flows a rivulet from a
copious fountain half an bom- distant,
called 'Ain Musa ; it receives a small
tributary from the southern, and then
runs on through the Sik, its general
course being westward. Wady Musa
is first wide, with sloping terraced
banks; but it soon contracts between
high cliffs of sandstone. At this point
the first monuments are seen. Before
entering the narrow part a group of
light-coloured rocks is passed on the
right, in which is a large and singular
tomb. It consists of a square com-t
hewn in the rock ; on the western side
is a facade with pilasters at the angles,
and a door leading to the interior ; on
each side of the facade are low wings,
like porticos, with Doric columns. The
eastern side of the com-t is enclosed
by a Wall of masonry, with colossal

SlNi

Route 3. — Petra — the ,

45

lions at the enti-ance. The narrow
portion of the valley, into which we
now pass, is about 50 yds. wide, and
the rooks on each side are 50 or 60 ft.
high. Numerous facades and openings
of tombs appear on the right, which in
any other place would be objects of
interest, but are here passed with |in-
differenee as we hasten on to more
remarkable monuments. Ere we have
advanced far 3 singular tombs on the
rt. arrest attention, and will at once
recall the well-known form of Abso-
lom's mausoleum in the valley of Je-
hoshaphat. They are masses of rock
16 ft. square, separated from the adja
cent cliffs by wide cuttings. The
sides contract in the Egyptian style ;
but the roofs are flat. In one of them
is a small sepulchral chamber with a
low door. A few yards farther down
is a very remarkable monument hewn
out of the cliff on the 1. In front,
below, is a facade consisting of a portico
of six Ionic columns, with pediment and
a multitude of ornaments in florid style.
Over this is another facade totally dif
ferent in character ; being entirely
plain, with a simple moulding across
it ; but above it, in a recess, are four
slender pyramids hewn out of the
rock. The whole is in bad taste, and
presents no appearance of unity of de
sign ; yet it is striking, and not devoid
of beauty. It may be said indeed of
all the monuments of Petra, taken
singly, that they have no claim to
architectural purity or refined taste.
But to proceed. We still descend
the glen, through a street of tombs,
whose sculptured facades and dark
doorways line the cliffs on each
side ; while fig-trees shoot out from
chinks in the rock above, and ole
anders almost fill up the path below.
At some 300 paces from the entrance
the ravine opens into a little amphi
theatre, seemingly wholly shut in by
rocky walls except at the spot where
wo enter. The brook, however, con
tinues its course, and the eye follow
ing it detects a narrow cleft in tho
opposite wall through which it dis
appears. Following it, we pass a
projecting rock, and suddenly find
ourselves at the entrance of a chasm,

formed, as it would seem, by the
rending of the mountain from sum
mit to centre. The width is about 12
ft., increasing in places to 20 or 30.
The sides are perpendicular or over
hanging walls of red sandstone, at
first about 100 ft. high, but gradually
increasing to 300. Nothing could sur
pass the awful grandeur of this ravine ;
and one cannot repress a shudder on
looking up from its gloomy depths,
through the gradually narrowing fis
sure, to the irregular streak of blue
sky far overhead. Constantly wind
ing, too, one seems at every new turn
to be shut in on all sides, and hopelessly
imprisoned in the very bowels of the
earth. Yet here, in this cleft, from
whence the light of day is well-nigh
excluded, into the depths of which no
solitary ray of sunlight can penetrate,
traces of art and industry are every
where visible. Remains of ancient
pavement cover the bottom, once tho
highway to a proud city; along the
sides are niches hewn in the smooth
cliff to receive statues; and tablets,
too, are there, once inscribed with
some records ; on the left is an aque
duct tunnelled in the rock, and high
up on the right is a conduit of earthen
pipes let into the precipice. These, the
works of man, are now all ruinous and
time-worn ; statue and inscription, form ,
name, and story, are alike gone. The
products of nature are alone perennial,
for, while the monuments of man are
all spoiled, the delicate branches of
the caper-plant hang down as fresh
and beautiful from the chiuks in the
rock as they did 2000 years ago ; and
the foliage of the wild fig and tamarisk
is as rich, and the flower of the
oleander as gaudy, as they were when
the princes of Edom dwelt "in the
clefts of the rocks, and held in pride
the height of the hills." (Jer. xlix. 16.)
Such are the features of the Sik,
which is more than a mile long. But
perhaps the most striking object in the
whole ravine is the arch near its en
trance, buttressed high up on the rugged
chffs, and spanning the intervening
gulf — seeming alike inaccessible and
useless. Imagination would make it
tho work of some spirit of the moun-

46

Route 3. — Petra — the Khuzneh,

Sect. I.

tains, constructed as a portal to her
wild retreat. Curiosity, however, has
scaled even this height, and solved the
mystery of its purpose. It supported
an aqueduct, intended doubtless to
convey water to the more elevated
temples or palaces in the city.

The Khuzneh. — After winding through
this strange and gloomy passage, a
scene of exquisite beauty — of almost
fairy splendour — suddenly bursts upon
our view. A rose-tinted rock appears
between the perpendicular walls of the
chasm, within a huge niche of which
stands the facade of the great temple
of Petra, the Khuzneh. It is now we
see the magic influence of the morning
sun, as the rays fall slanting on this
monument, revealing its fine propor
tions by the most artistic blending of
light and shade, and bringing out the
minutest details of its gorgeous colour
ing. In the grandeur of its situation,
the richness of its natural colouring,
and the singularity of its construction,
El-Khuzneh stands unrivalled in the
world. It is directly opposite the
opening of the Sik, hewn out of the side
of a wider ravine that here passes the
latter at right angles ; and it is so
placed as to fall full upon the view of
every one who enters the city. With
consummate skill have the architects
of Petra availed themselves of remark
able natural formation to dazzle the
- stranger, as he emerges from an ail-but
subterranean defile, by the enchanting
prospect of one of their noblest monu
ments. Most fortunate, too, were they
in the material out of which it is hewn,
for the rosy tint of the portico, sculp
tured pediment, and statues overhead,
contrasts finely with the darker masses
of rugged cliff above and around, and
the deep green of the vegetation at its
base. The monument is in wonderful
preservation; some of the most deli
cate details of the carving are as fresh
and sharp as if executed yesterday.
The architecture is Corinthian, but
the plan is unique. The fa9ade con
sists of two stories. The lower one
has a portico of four columns, 35 ft.
high, projecting only a few inches from

the surface, and surmounted by a frieze
and pediment delicately sculptured
with vases connected by festoons. At
the sides of this portico are wings like
antse ; each having a pilaster at the
angle supporting a deep cornice. On
the flat surface of the wings are sculp
tured figures in relief, but so much
worn as scarcely to be distinguishable.
At the level of the apex of the pedi
ment runs a horizontal moulding, ter
minating the first story, and forming
the base of the second. The upper
story is very singular in plan. It
looks as if a low portico of four columns,
with a pediment, had been cut down
the centre, and the parts set back so
as to afford a clear space between them
for a small cylindrical monument, sur
mounted by a dome and urn, sup
ported by four columns, with sculp
tured figures on pedestals between
them. There are also statues between
the columns of the dissevered portico.
Within the great portico is a vestibule,
having n door opening into a plain
lofty chamber, behind which is another
of less size. Small lateral chambers
also open from the vestibule. The
whole structure is excavated in the
rock, with the exception of the two
central columns of the portico, one of
which has fallen. The age of the
monument can only be guessed at, and
its very object is matter of controversy.
Was it a temple constructed in honour
of some god, or a mausoleum hewn out
in memory of some man ? It is in
vain we inquire. It bears no inscrip
tion, preserves no name, has no story.
" There it stands' as it has stood for
ages, in beauty and loneliness," having
no legend of the olden time, no theme,
on which the'muse might soar to cele
brate its past glories. Its rich tints
are now lighted up by the morning
sun, and now cast into shade as he
goes down beneath the western cliffs ;
like the magical creation of some
night vision, it strikes the eye once,
and every after haunts the memory.
The name given to it by the Arabs
is eVKhuzneh, " the Treasure." Their
tradition is, that its ancient possessor
deposited in the um which surmounts
the facade vast treasures of money

Sinai.

Route 3. — Tombs — the Theatre.

47

and jewels. There they still remain
beyond the reach of human hand,
jealously guarded by watchful genii.

Other Tombs. — We are now in a
broader ravine, whose course is to
wards the N.W. The stream is still
here, with its thickets of oleander and
its groups of wild flowers; and the
cliffs still line the sides, honeycombed
with tombs, exhibiting facades of every
form and design. Burckhardt has
observed that there are not 2 sepul
chres in Wady Musa perfectly alike ;
they vary at every turn, and on
every cliff, in size, shape, and orna
ment. But the most common type
in this section is that of a truncated
pyramid, with pilasters at the angles,
and an ornamented doorway in the
centre. Some fronts are quite plain;
others are embellished with pilasters,
semi-columns, friezes, and pediments.
Some of them, instead of a pediment,
have a flight of steps running up from
each corner and meeting in the centre.
This style seems peculiar to Petra,
and may be called Arabian, or more
properly Nabathsean. Indeed, a great
majority of the older tombs are unique
in plan and ornament, and httle seems
to have been borrowed from Egypt,
Greece, or Rome. The pyramidal
forms were not confined to this place,
for historians tell us that the tomb
of Helena at Jerusalem, and the tombs
of the Maccabees at Modin, had pyra
mids erected over them. In this part
of the valley is the tomb whose archi
trave once bore a Greek inscription,
but both architrave and inscription
are now gone, having fallen during a
storm while Miss Martineau and her
party were encamped amid the ruins.
This fact may partly account for the
almost total absence of inscriptions,
the action of tho elements on the soft
rock destroying the surface where
fully exposed. Another probable rea
son is given by Irby and Mangles. In
the facades of many of the tombs may
bo seen cavities apparently for " pegs
or rivets," used to fasten tablets
charged with inscriptions.

The Theatre. — On going down the
valley a short distance it suddenly ex
pands to a width of about 120 yds.,
receiving another narrow ravine from
the S. Here on the left is the theatre,
excavated in the rock. The arena
is 120 ft. in diameter, and there are
33 tiers of benches, with 3 cunei.
Above the benches is a row of small
excavated chambers, looking down on
the stage. The scene was of masonry,
and is destroyed, the bases of 3 columns
alone remaining. It has been esti
mated that this theatre would contain
from 3000 to 4000 spectators. The
view around is remarkable ; the cliffs
on every side almost filled with tombs ;
and more than a hunched of these
" houses of the dead " were before the
eyes of the people whenever they raised
them from the exciting scenes of the
arena. This view is well known from
the charming sketches of Laborde and
Bartlett ; it is rather unfortunate, how
ever, that neither of these accomplished
artists was satisfied with the reality,
but thought to improve it by extem
porising a background.
The Eastern CZif.— Still following
the stream from the side of the theatre,
we have on the right a low cliff,
a spur from the loftier one behind.
The tombs here are very numerous —
some chaste and simple in style, others
profusely ornamented ; some low down,
their openings near the bottom of the
valley; others high up aud almost
inaccessible. About 200 yds. below
the theatre the valley opens into the
great basin in which the city stood.
We now leave the stream to follow
its own course, and, crossing over to
the right bank, toil up the rugged
acclivity, past the end of the low cliff.
The whole ground on the left is here
covered with hewn stones, while be
hind, near the river-bed, may be seen the
prostrate columns of a. palace or tem
ple. Immediately in front, along the
face of the precipice, are some of tho
finest monuments of Petra. Here
Burckhardt numbered 50 tombs close
together. " Not the least remarkable
circumstance in the peculiarities of
this singular spot is the colour of the

48

Route 3. — Petra — Tombs.

Sect. I.

rocks. They present not a dead mass
of dull monotonous red, but an end
less variety of bright and living hues,
from the deepest crimson to the softest
pink, verging also sometimes to orange
and yellow. These varying shades are
often distinetlymarked by waving lines,
imparting to the surface of the rock a
succession of S brilliant and changing
tints, like the hues of watered silk,
and adding greatly to the imposing
effect of the sculptured monuments.
Indeed, it would be impossible to give
to the reader an idea of the singular
effect of rocks, tinted with the most
extraordinary hues, whose summits
present us with Nature in her most
savage and romantic form ; whilst their
bases are worked out in all the sym
metry and regularity of art, with colon
nades and pediments, and ranges of
corridors, adhering to then- perpendi
cular surface."
Tomb with the Arched Terrace. — The
first of the remarkable group of tombs
on this cliff that calls for particular
notice is the one which is easily' dis
tinguished by an arched terrace in
front, and an urn on its pediment.
The labour of excavation, independent
of architectural ornament, must have
been enormous ere the rock was pared
down to a workable surface — the front
of the facade being about 15 ft. within
the natural face of the cliff. The
sides of this deep cutting are hewn
into open galleries like cloisters, each
supported by 5 columns. Between
these is a level terrace of masonry,
resting on double arches, now partly
ruinous. The facade is composed of
4 Doric columns, supporting a plain
entablature and pediment ; the co
lumns are not detached. In the cen
tre is a door, with a window over it,
and higher up are 3 other windows
between the pillars, the centre One
having 2 figures in relief. Within is
a large and lofty chamber, at the
upper end of which were originally
6 recesses. " On the establishment of
Christianity these 0 have been con
verted into 3 for the reception of altars,
and the whole apartment has been
made to serve as a church ; the fasten

ings of the tapestry and pictures are
still visible in all the walls, and near
an angle is an inscription in red paint,
recording the date of consecration."
The Corinthian Tomb is about 100
yds. farther along the cliff to the N,
In going to it we pass several of less
note, some of which have the " stair
ornament" instead of a pediment.
This structure strikes one at first sight
as resembling the Khuzneh, but on
closer examination we see its infe
riority, both in design and execution :
being exposed to the full force of the
elements also, it is much defaced. The
water has worn away the soft rock,
and brambles and creeping plants
spring luxuriantly from the crevices,
partially concealing column and frieze.
The lower story has 8 semi-columns,
supporting a, double cornice, over
which there was » pediment, now
almost gone. The upper story is
nearly an exact copy of the Khuzneh,
without the statues. There are 3
doors ; a large one in the centre,
admitting to the chief apartment, and
2 others between the columns on the
1. The chambers are all plain, but
the larger one has several recesses,
apparently for the reception of bodies.
The' Tomb with the triple range of
Columns is close to the latter ; and,
from its situation and size, one of the
most striking objects in the whole
valley. The lower story has 4 portals,
and is ornamented with pilasters, sup
porting an entablature and small pedi
ments. Over these were formerly 2
distinct ranges of Ionic semi-columns-,
IS in each range; but as part of tho
cliff has fallen, only 7 of the upper
tier now remain. The facade was pro
bably carried even to a greater height,
and surmounted by some appropriate
ornaments, so that we can now form
but an imperfect idea of its original
splendour. On the front are traces
of paint, and on close examination we
observe that some of the capitals are
fastened on,- the original rock probably
having been too soft for the details of
carving. The chambers are plain, but in

Sinai.

Route 3. — Petra— Tombs.

49

one or two places are tho remains of
stucco ornaments.
The general effect of this group of
tombs as viewed from the area of the
ancient city is very striking. The
crag* out of which they are hewn
rise up in jagged points, leaving be
tween them deep clefts, and throw
ing out here and there bold projec
tions. From almost every recess
springs the straggling foliage of the
bramble, or the deep green caper-plant ;
while tufts of grass and flowers cling
to the rugged surface, and long trails
of delicate ferns depend from the
water-drips: add to all the gorgeous
colouring of the rocks themselves,
shown off in new tints by the light
and shade, when the sun's rays fall
athwart rough peak and sculptured
facade, and we have a picture which
the world cannot match.
Tomb with Latin Inscription. — In
proceeding northward from the com
manding position we occupy in front
of the great tomb, there is an easy
descent to the bottom of a wady which
drains the whole of this section of the
valley. Here on the face of a project
ing crag, which runs out between the
valley and a side ravine, is another
fine tomb. The position is well chosen,
and the details of the architecture are
chaster than most of the others. In
front is a small rock terrace, reached
by a broad flight of steps. The facade
has pilasters at the angles, supporting
a deep cornice, over which rises a
plain surface, surmounted by a pedi
ment. The portal is small, with an
ordinary pediment over it, and a semi
circular ornament higher up. Here
on a tablet is a Latin inscription in 3
lines, containing the name of Quintus
Prsetextus Florentinus, a Roman ma
gistrate, who died in this capital, while
governor of the province of Arabia:
this is the only legible inscription
hitherto discovered in Petra.
About a quarter of a mile northward
from the last tomb there is an inter
esting group of chambers in the cliff,
all of which seem to have been de
signed as residences for the living.
One measures 39 ft. by 38 ft. It has
[Syria and Palestine.]

a door 10 ft. high, a window on
each side, and 3 corresponding win
dows above. It is thus a cheerful,
well-lighted, apartment. Within is a
raised dais hewn in the rock, round 3
sides, and on one side is a small recess
7 ft. square. Beside it is another
chamber similarly arranged, having
in addition a side chamber with a
window, and in both are little open
ings for interior door-bars. Many
other apartments in every way similar
may be seen in the neighbouring
cliffs. Tomb with Sinaitic Inscription. —
Westward of these latter excavations
commence the rugged acclivities which
bound the valley on the N. At the
N.E. angle a difficult path winds up
to the elevated plateau of Dibdiba.
By it Dr. Eobinson was driven out by
old Abu Zeitun, and here also, appa
rently, Irby and Mangles found the
tomb with the Sinaitic inscription,
which, so far as I know, has never
since been seen ; and I consequently
indicate its locality in the hope that
some future traveller may find it, and
make an exact copy. It would be of
great importance to establish the iden
tity of its characters with those of
Wady Mukatteb. It is said to be " on
the left-hand side of the track leading
to Dibdiba, on u, large front of pure
Arabian design, with 4 attached co
lumns ; and in this monument tho
architect, from failure or defective vein
in the sandstone, has been obliged to
carry up the lower half in masonry so
as to meet the upper, which is sculp
tured in the face of the mountain. . .
The inscription is upon an oblong-
tablet, without frame or relief, but is
easily distinguished from the rest of
the surface by being more delicately
wrought  The letters are well
cut, and in a wonderful state of pre
servation, owing to the shelter which
they receive from the projection of
cornices, and an eastern aspect.''
The ravines that branch off from
this place to the eastward ought all
to be carefully explored, as they may
contain some interesting monuments,
or valuable inscriptions. Turning to
D

50

Route 3. — Petra — the Deir.

Sect. I.

the 1. we encounter massive rocks
and cliffs descending in broken bluffs
from the mountam on the N. In
these, too, are numerous tombs, but
neither so large nor so ornamental
as those along the eastern precipice.
The Deir. — Passing by the rugged
projections and deep clefts that furrow
the northern slopes, we reach the N.W.
angle of the basin, and, turning S. »
few yds., observe on the rt. a narrow
ravine coming down from the N. : this
is the way to the Deir. In visiting
this, as well as the other more dis
tant monuments, the traveller ought
to take an Arab guide, as he is apt to
lose his way and get entangled amid
the wadys. The ravine leading to the
Deir is narrow, wild, and steep ; in
some places tangled thickets of shrubs
almost bar the passage, as it winds
round huge blocks of sandstone which
have fallen from the cliffs overhead.
In other places so close do the chffs
approach, and so steep is the ascent,
that it would be impassable but for the
excavations along the side, and the
rude steps hewn in the rock. The
defile becomes wilder and more pic
turesque as we ascend, now opening
up a vista through the rocks on the
prostrate ruins of the city, now div
ing into the heart of the mountain
beneath overhanging precipices, from
the fissures of which the wild fig and
the yew-tree spring ; and now skirting
the edge of yawning chasms whose
gloomy depths the eye cannot fathom.
Here and there on the smooth rocks
are a few Sinaitic inscriptions. After
a full half-hour's toilsome ascent we
reach, near the mountain's summit,
a square area about 260 ft. on each
side, partly formed by cutting away
the rock and partly by masonry ; on
the northern side of this area stands
the Deir.
The Deir is a huge monolithic tem
ple, hewn out of the side of a cliff
which projects from a high plateau.
It faces Mount Hor, whose rugged
summit towers in lone majesty over
against it. In general design it re
sembles the Corinthian tomb. Like
it, the lower story has 8 semi-columns ;

but here the lines are broken by re
cesses and projections, and there are
also niches between the exterior co
lumns. The upper story has 2 addi
tional compartments. The facade is
nearly double the size of the Khuaneh,
being 150 ft. in length, by about the
same in extreme height, and ' is hi
admirable preservation. Some idea
may be formed of its massive propor
tions by the measurement of its details.
The lower columns are 7 ft. in dia
meter, and over 50 in height, almost
rivalling those of the great temple at
Ba'albek ; the interior is one vast hall,
perfectly plain. On the back wall is
a broad arched niche, a little above
the floor, with 2 or 3 steps leading to
it on each side — not unlike the niche.
for the altar of a Greek ch. The arch
appears to have been once ornamented
by a border of some sort fastened into
a groove cut round it. A rude stair
case leads up to the top of the struc
ture, and on one of the stairs are some
Sinaitic inscriptions,
The whole aspect of this singular
and beautiful edifice is undoubtedly
that of a heathen temple. " With this
view also accords the broad esplanade
in front, and the road leading up to
the place, hewn out of the rock with
immense labour. It would be difficult
to account for such a road to a- mere
private tomb, and this of itself seems
to mark it as a public structure. In
a later age it became a Christian ch.,
and then perhaps the niche was ex
cavated." I have seen, however, niches
such as this in several other excavated
temples. There is one at Menin near
Damascus. Immediately opposite the Deir is
another high cliff, which appears to
have been too tempting a site for the
architects of Petra to overlook. In the
lower part of it are several excavated
chambers, while a staircase leads to a
level area above, where are the bases
of columns in situ in front of another
and larger excavated chamber, which
seems to have been once the shrine of
a temple. Within is a highly orna
mented niche, and without are some
separated fragments of mosaic pave
ment scattered over the rocks. Above

Sinai.

Route 3. — Petra— Cliffs — Acropolis.

51

this again rises the summit of the cliff,
on which buildings once stood, com
manding a view of singular wildness
over a troubled sea of mountam peaks
to the valley of the 'Arabah, and the
frontiers of Palestine far beyond.
From this peak, some 1500 ft. above
the site of the city, we must again de
scend by the same route; for though
several ravines branch off from the
platform in front of the Deir, none ap
pears practicable save that up which
the staircase has been hewn. In
many places we observe, . in going
down, branch ravines and clefts in
the mountam, some of them partially
excavated to afford a passage, pro
bably, to unexplored tombs or temples.
Much still remains here for future ex
plorers ; and perhaps some zealous
antiquary will one day be repaid for
extra toil, by bringing to light inter
esting monuments of former ages.
Tlie Western Cliffs. — On emerging
from the glen leading from the Deir,
we have the valley on the 1, and the
western range of cliffs on our rt.
They are lofty, irregular, jagged masses
of sandstone, dotted nearly all over
with the dark openings of caves.
These are not so tasteful or so
highly ornamented as those on the
opposite side. After walking some
distance south we reach the entrance
of a sublime gorge, into which the
little rivulet of Wady Musa winds.
Its ragged sides are filled with caves,
many of them apparently more ancient
than those in the main valley. Their
style, too, is different — resembling
primitive dwellings for the living,
rather than sepulchres for the dead.
This ravine deserves to be explored,
if it were only to solve the mystery of
the streamlet, and to see whether it
falls into a cave in the heart of the
mountains, as the Arabs maintain, or
whether it finds a narrow track through
the ridge into the 'Arabah. It is no
easy task, however, to advance far into
this glen. Oleanders spread out their
branches till they touch the cliffs on
each side ; and tangled shrubs, creep
ing plants, and tamarisks, combine to
bar the passage. Huge fissures and

chasms, filled with verdure, branch off
on each side, and are found as imprac
ticable as the main ravine. Still a few
Bedawy pioneers, with a bakhshish in
prospect, would soon open a way until
the cliffs themselves stopped them.
The Acropolis. — On the 1. of the
entrance to this ravine is an isolated
peak, supposed by Laborde to be the
Acropolis of the ancient city. The
site is commanding, and being sepa
rated from the neighbouring hills by
impassable gorges, it was doubtless
deemed impregnable. Vestiges of
foundations and buildings still exist
on the summit. Along its base runs
the wady by which travellers from the
south generally enter the city. To
the features and tombs of this wady
I have already referred. One tomb
only is deserving of particular note.
It is on the side of the cliff nearly
opposite the ruin called Kusr Far'On.
It is unfinished, and we learn from it
the mode in which the architects of
Petra wrought. They reversed tho
common process, commencing their
work from the top. Here the capi
tals of the columns and architrave
are finished; but all below is one
solid block of natural rock.
The Southern Acclivities.- — To com
plete our circuit of this strange city
we must ascend the steep acclivity
which rises from the base of the
Acropolis. Proceeding towards the
S.E., we observe on the left a solitary
column, the only remnant of a large
temple, whose prostrate ruins lie in
the dust around it. This column has
received a name from the Arabs which
travellers will do well not to repeat
or perpetuate in then- writings. The
cliff we now approach, and which
shuts in the valley on the S.E., is cut
up into numerous peaks by clefts and
ravines. In several of these are ex
cavated chambers, tombs, or temples,
well worthy of a visit. High up in
one gorge is a little platform formed by
the erection of a strong wall between
the cliffs, now in ruins. Here on the
left is a singular facade, having four
semi-columns, supporting a low pedi-
D 2

Route 3. — Petra — Ruins.

Sect. I.

ment; between the columns are two
windows, and three niches with the
remains of statues. The principal
chamber is 40 ft. long by 30 ft. wide,
and behind it is a smaller one with
arched niches in the walls. Directly
facing this structure we observe two
or three irregular openings in front of
u cliff; entering by one of these, we
suddenly find ourselves in a large and
handsome hall, whose walls are adorned
with 14 fluted semi-columns support
ing a rich entablature. Between the
columns are niches, with grooves over
them, apparently for receiving orna
ments or inscriptions.
Farther up this gorge is another
massive wall. Near it a staircase, hewn
in the rock, leads up to a Doric tomb,
from which we gain the summit of the
hill. Here are several deep reservoirs
for the collection of rain-water ; one of
them is 80 ft. long, by 20 ft. wide and
20 ft. deep; another, seemingly in
tended for an open temple, has two
rows of niches in its walls. Not far
from this, on the brow of another
ravine, is a spiral staircase hewn in the
rock. In fact, this whole hill is filled
with curious and interesting excava
tions, both on the eastern and western
sides. On the summit are the foun
dations of a large building, apparently
a fortress ; and below it is a pyramid of
rock, past which a long staircase de
scends to the front of the theatre.
The Ruins of the City. — Having com
pleted our circuit of the cliffs, we are
prepared to examine such remains of
domestic or public architecture as still
exist. A single glance at the heaps
of hewn stones, broken columns, and
mounds of rubbish, that cover the
valley, is sufficient to show that every
available spot was once occupied by
buildings ; but all are now prostrate,
save one or two fragments on the
banks of the rivulet. Entering the
valley once more through the ravine
from the theatre, we observe that the
bed of the stream is skirted by strips
of level land ; N. and S. of which the
ground rises into low irregular mounds ;
while behind these, a quarter of a mile
from the brook in both directions, is a
steeper and longer ascent to higher

terraces. It was this lower tract, about
half a mile square, which formed the
site of the ancient city.
The first building we come to, in
proceeding along the 1. bank of the
stream, is a temple whose fallen
columns and prostrate walls now strew
the level ground, lying as they fell.
Nearly opposite this ruin a wady
comes in from the N., which was once
spanned by a bridge now a heap of
ruins. Farther W. the banks of the
stream are confined by strong walls,
and appear to have been formerly con
nected by a continuous arch, so as to
afford additional building-ground. We
now observe distinct traces of a paved
road leading through the fragments of
a triumphal arch to the principal rain
of Petra, Kusr Far' on,- "Pharaoh's
Palace." The style of this structure
shows a corrupt taste, and its execution
unskilful workmen. The walls are
in good preservation, but the portico
is nearly gone.
This is all that remains of the city
of Petra. It is strange that the most
enduring, the most beautiful remnants
of this great city are its " Tombs." But
many of the rock-hewn tombs have
likewise disappeared. The close ob
server will see how time has eaten
away, and is still eating away, the
cliffs themselves. Fragments of stucco
ornaments, shallow recesses, and little
niches, are now seen on the face of
many a rock, which were evidently at
one time within excavations. The
rock is very soft, so much so that in
many places a finger will bring down
whole handfuls of sand. What effect,
therefore, must the storms of long cen
turies have had upon it ! While gazing
upon the wilderness of ruins, and the
devastation time has made on monu
ments that might well be deemed im
perishable, who can fail to recall the
words of Scripture ; and who can hesi
tate to bear testimony to their truth ? —
" Thorns shall come up in her palaces,
nettles and brambles in' the fortresses
thereof  When the whole earth
rejoiceth I will make thee desolate
.... Thou shalt be desolate, O Mount
Seir, and all Idumea, even all of it
 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts,

Sinai.

Route 3.— Object of the Rock Structures.

53

They shall build and I will throw
down-. . . . Thy terribleness hath de
ceived thee, and the pride of thine
heart, 0 thou that dwellest in the clefts
of the rock, that holdest the height of
the hill ; thougli thou shouldst make
thy nest as high as the eagle, I will
bring thee down from thence, saith tho
Lord. Also, Edom shall be a desola
tion ; every one that goeth by it shall be
astonished." (Isai. xxxiv. 13 ; Ezck.
xxxv. 14 ; Mul. i. 4 ; Jer. xlix. 16, 17.)
Original object of the Rock Structures
of Petra. — There is a question which
will naturally force itself on tho mind
of every thoughtful traveller who exa
mines Potra. These countless exca
vations which one meots with on every
cliff, in evory ravine, in tho most retired
recesses of the mountain glens, on tho
most prominent points round a crowded
city — arc they all tombs? If so,
then the houses of the dead far outnum
bered those of the living. There can
be no doubt that many of them were
tombs, or at least became so — -those for
instance in the upper part of Wady
Musa beyond the Sik, and in the ravine
around the theatre. Thore can be
little doubt, too, that some of them
were tomples — such as the Khuzneh,
the Deir, and one or two of the monu
ments in the eastern cliff. But there
can be as little doubt that very many
of the excavations were originally in
tended for dwellings. In tho ravines
and cliffs around the Acropolis, and in
the N.E. and S.E. angles of the valley,
are many chambers that in no way
resemble tombs, but are just such as a
primitive people would construct for
habitations. Tho nature of tho rock,
and the form of the cliffs, made exca
vation an easier work than erection;
besides the additional security, comfort,
and permanence of such abodes. Most
of these chambers have closets and re
cesses suitable for family uses, and
many of them have windows in front,
certainly superfluous in a tomb. May
it not bo that, when architecture be-
eamo fashionable among the inhabit
ants of Mount Seir, these eaves were
abandoned by their owners for ordi
nary houses, and then afterwards al

tered within and ornamented without,
so as to serve for mausoleums and
family tombs? This theory would
account alike for then vast numbers,
and for the great contrast betwoou
the exterior and Ulterior of many of
them. It is in some mcasuro corrobo
rated, too, by history. The absrisiincs
of this whole region were called Horim,
that is " dwellers in caves." They were
expelled by the descendants of Esau ;
but in many parts of Scripture such
expressions are used in speaking of
Edom as would lead us to conclude
that Esau's posterity had not merely
taken possession of the country, but
also of tho dwellings, of their prede
cessors. Jeremiah and Obadiah both
speak of them as dwelling in the clefts
of the rocks, and making thoir habita
tions high in the cliffs, like the eyries
of the eagles. (Jer. xlix. 16 ; Obad. 3,
4.) And Jerome, in his commentary
on tho latter prophet, observes that
tho whole of Edom, from Elcuthero-
polis to Petra and Aila, was filled
with caves used as dwellings. It
would be most interesting for some
competent antiquarian to devote a few
months to a minute and full examina
tion of the monuments of Potra, and
to a comparison of tho different styles,
with u. view both to determiuo their
relative age and their original object.
There can be little doubt that many
important facts would thus be ascer
tained, illustrative of tho antiquities,
the history, and tho customs of the
former occupants of this singular city.
It might perhaps bo found that the
commercial Nabathajans were the first
who introduced buildings into Petra,
and the first_ also who began In
ornament the exteriors of the excava
tions. It must at onco strike every
visitor, that, with one or two excep
tions, there is no characteristic differ
ence in tho internal arrangement of
these chambers; some are smaller,
some larger ; but nearly all are simple
and uniform in plan, and without or
nament. The facades alone appear to
be of different ages, aud they indicate
the progress of architecture from an
early and simple to a later and more
ornate style. They are also, in many

54

Route 3. — Mount Hor.

Sect; I.

instances wholly disproportioned to the
interior. Would not these things seem
to favour the supposition that the exca
vations themselves are generally of re
mote antiquity, and probably the work
of the Horim and their successors,
the Edomites ; while the exterior orna
ments, with the buildings of the city,
were added by a distinct race, who,
from their intercourse with more pol
ished nations, were led to renounce the
simple habits of their predecessors?
At any rate, there can be little room
for doubt that the simple type of the
rock-chamber was borrowed by the
Nabathasans from a much older people,
and from specimens existing in this
valley.

Excursion to Mount Hor.
Few will wish to leave the rock-city
of Edom before making a pilgrimage
to the time-honoured tomb of the great
Hebrew High-priest. It may involve
the payment of a few extra piastres ;
but what matter? Better pay with a
good grace — under protest if you will,
though the Bedawy cares little for
that— than leave the place for ever,
disappointed and indignant. The very
difficulties that deterred great men
serve only to stimulate curiosity ; and
to make us in this respect at least
greater than they. Poor Burckhardt
had to rest contented with sacrificing
his kid in sight of the tomb ; and
Eobinson was driven back by main
force by the stern old "Father of
Olives." Some have managed to steal
a march on the wily guardians of Petra
by making a hurried visit to the place
before entering the city : this can easily
be done ; but on the whole it is perhaps
more satisfactory to select a couple of
sturdy guides, and to make the excur
sion in all form.
Ascending the ravine from the south
eastern angle of the valley, we reach
in about half an hour the plain called
Sutuh Harun, which skirts the base of
Mount Hor. Crossing this towards
the S.E. side of the peak, we find a
path winding up to the summit. The
ascent from the plain must be made

on foot, and occupies about an hour.
It is neither difficult nor dangerous, if
the proper track be followed, for in the
steeper portions rude steps aid the pil
grim. Not far from the summit is a
little platform, from which the central
and culminating peak rises in broken
masses, giving a peculiar character to
the mountain, like
'Embattled towers raised by Nature's hands.'
A deep cleft in the rock opens a way to
the top. A httle way up are the openings
to subterraneous vaults with rounded
arches, nearly similar to those in front
of the tomb in the eastern cliff of Petra.
From hence a staircase leads to the
narrow platform on which the tomb
stands.

The Tomb, as it now stands, is com
paratively modem ; but it is composed
of the rains of a more ancient and im
posing structure. Some small columns
are built up in the walls, and frag
ments of marble and granite lie scat
tered around. The door is in the S.W.
comer. An ordinary cenotaph, such as
is met with in every part of the East — a
patchwork of stone and marble— is the
only thing in the interior. It is covered
with a ragged pall, and garnished
with the usual accompaniments — old
shawls, ostrich-eggs, and a few beads.
Near the N.W. angle a staircase leads
down to a dark vault, partly hewn in
the rock. Visitors desirous of explor
ing this grotto would do well to have
lights in readiness. The real Tomb of
the High-priest is here shown, at the
far end of the vault. It was formerly
guarded by an iron grating. The date
of the building is at least prior to the
time of the Crusades, for the author
of the ' Gesta Francorum ' mentions
that in the time of Baldwin (a.d. 1100)
an expedition was made in vallem
Moysi, "to Wady Musa;" and that
there, on the summit of a mountain,
was an oratory. Fulcher of Chartres,
who also gives an account of the ex
pedition, says he saw the chapel. It is
highly probable that the spot was
held sacred by the Christians before
the Mohammedan conquest.

Sinai.

Route 4. — Petra to Hebron.

55

The view from the summit is grand.
Far away to the N. and S. stretches
a "howling wilderness" of jagged
summits, of every shape and form,
like the ruins of a mountain chain.
Along its western side runs the
'Arabah; beyond it are the bare
white ridges and wide expanse of the
desert of Tih ; while further yet, blue-
tinted and melting into the sky on
the horizon, are the hills of Palestine.
Towards the E. is the limestone ridge
of Edom, with smooth rounded summits
and gently sloping sides. Petra is hid
in its rocky nest; but the graceful out
line of the Deir is seen on the N.E.
Few spots in Bible lands are so
interesting as this, because few are
so precisely identified. The conspicu
ous mountain — emphatically tlie Hor
("Mountain") — on the borders of
Edom (Num. xx. 23); the narrow
summit; the ancient and unbroken
tradition — all tend to remove doubt,
and establish the fact that here indeed
Aaron died.

ROUTE 4.
PETRA TO HEBRON, BY KERAK AND
THE DEAD SEA. H. M.
Petra to M'aan  5 0
Shobek (Mount Royal) .. .. 7 0
Ghurundel (Arindela) .. ¦• 6 0
Buseireh (Bozrah)  3 0
Kerak (Kir-Moab)  12 0
Ruins of Zoar  4 30
Salt-hills of Usdum  5 0
M' ain (Maon)  14 50
Kurmul ( Carmel)  20
El-Khulil (Hebron) .. ..3 0

Total  60 40

Enterprising travellers will probably
wish to avoid the beaten track, and

take a new route to Palestine. This is
easy enough if they can persuade their
Arab escort to go with them ; for the
desert is wide, and objects of interest
are not wanting. I shall sketch in
outline a route which combines some
geographical and antiquarian research
with a good dash of adventure ; and
affords at the same time a fair oppor
tunity of making the acquaintance of
some other tribes of Bedawin.
A short march of some 5 hrs. over
the eastern mountain ridge of Edom,
and down the easy slope to the Ara
bian desert, brings us to M'aan, »
village of about 1000 Inhab. ; and one
of the chief stations on the Syrian Haj
road. There are here seven different
clans, all of Syrian origin, combined
together to trade with the Bedawin
and Mohammedan pilgrims. There is
little of antiquarian interest save a
half-ruined castle of the ago of the
Khalifs ; but this is doubtless the seat
of the Maonites, a tribe which, in con
nexion with the Amalekites, warred
with Israel (Jud. x. 12).
Leaving this desert village, we turn
N.W., enter again the mountains of
Edom, and after 7 hrs. travel reach
the large and strong castle of Shobek,
probably the Mons Regalis of the cru
saders. It is about 6 hrs. distant from
Petra. The castle stands on the top
of a hill, and is in tolerable preserva
tion. A massive iron door admits to
the interior, where some 400 Arabs
find a safe retreat. There are here
the ruins of an old church, with a
Latin inscription over the great door,
of the era of the Frank kings of
Jerusalem. The view from the walls
is very extensive, embracing the whole
mountain region from the 'Arabah to
the desert.
Proceeding northward, on ascending
from the valley in which the hill of
Shobek stands, we observe a Roman
road, the pavement of which is in
many places entire, and some of the
milestones are standing. Along this
we advance, enjoying a wide view
over the desert plain to the right.
The Haj route is visible— a long white
line extending N. and S. far as the eye
can see. We are now in the track of

50

Route 4. — Bozrah of Edom.

Sect. I.

Irby and Mangles; they went south
ward on their perilous journey to Petra.
Burekhardt's route was among the
mountains farther west. Still follow
ing the line of the Roman .road, we
reach Ghurundel in 6 hrs. The ruins
are pretty extensive, covering the
side of a hill. In the centre are two
lines of columns, a few of which are
standing. The place is completely de
serted; but in the early centuries of
our era, ere Mohammedanism had yet
depopulated the land, it was a prosper
ous city, and the seat of a bishop. Its
name Arindela is found in the ancient
' Notitise.' At 3 hrs. N. by W. of Ghurundel is
the small village of Buseireh (" Little
Busrah"), which, probably, occupies
the site oiBozrah, the capital of Edom.
The name calls to mind the beautiful
passage in Isaiah (lxiii. 1) : " Who is
this that cometh from Edom, with
dyed garments from Bozrah ? This
that is glorious in his apparel, travel
ling in the greatness of his strength ? "
No remains of antiquity are visible.
The village is poor, consisting of about
50 wretched huts, and having on the
top of the hill on which it stands a
strong fort, where the inhabitants take
refuge in times of danger. The Roman
road runs about 1 m. on the E. side
of it.
Tufileh, one of the largest villages
in this region, is 2 J hrs. N. of Buseireh.
It contains, according to Burckhardt,
about 600 houses ; and its sheikh is the
nominal chief of the whole district of
Jebel, comprising the northern section
of Edom, and corresponding to the
Gobolitis of Josephus, and Gebalene
of Eusebius. Tufileh stands on the
declivity of a mountain, and has
numerous fountains, whose waters
unite below, and flow into the 'Arabah
through Wady Tufileh. This is doubt
less the site of Tophel of Deut. i. I ;
aud this identification in a great mea
sure explains one of the most difficult
geographical questions in the Old
Testament : " These be the words
which Moses spake unto all Israel on
this side Jordan, in the wilderness, in
the plain over against ths Eed Sea,
between Paran and Tophel, and Laban,

and Hazeroth, and Dizahab." The
plain here mentioned is in Hebrew
Arabah, and corresponds in reality, as
well as in name, with the valley of
'Arabah. Therefore, when the Is
raelites were in the plains of Moab
opposite Jericho, they are spoken of as
being in the Ai-abah " over against
the Red Sea," that is, in the part oppo
site to the Red Sea, or towards the
other end of the plain from that sea ;
and this " Arabah " is properly de
scribed as lying between . Paran on
the one side (westward as we know)
and Tophel on the other (eastward as
we now also see).
Kerak, Kir-Moab (Pop. 3000). This
ancient city is the next stage of import
ance, 12 hrs. from Tufileh. On our
way to it we pass through the small
villages of Aimeh (\\ hr.), Khanztreh
(5 J hrs.), 'Orak (]J hrs.), and Kethe-
rabba (1 hr. 4 min.), Kerak is a site
of great antiquity, and of no little
historical importance ; but its present
inhabitants are as fanatical, as covetous,
aud as reckless a set of vagabonds as
ever polluted a country. Burekhardt's
misfortunes began here, for he was
shamefully plundered by its sheikh.
De Saulcy and his companions had to
borrow their ransom from a Jerusalem
butcher ! But the personal insults and
indignities they were compelled to
submit to were more galling than all
their pecuniary losses. In noble con
trast to the French " farce " was the
spirited conduct of Lieut. Lynch, of
the United States Expedition, who
with his brave little band defied the
bloodthirsty Muslems of Kerak; and
when threatened by the sheikh actually
took him prisoner at the gate of his
stronghold, and conveyed him as a
hostage to the shore of the Dead
Sea. Kerak stands on the top of a
hill, 3000 ft. above the Dead Sea.
The hill is encompassed by deep
narrow ravines, beyond which rise-
loftier mountains, shutting it in on all
sides except the W., where a sublime
glen descends to the shore of the
Dead Sea. The city was at one time
strongly fortified ; and is still enclosed

Sinai.

Route 4. — Kerak. — Zoar,

57

by a half-ruinous wall, flanked by
seven heavy towers. Originally there
Were but two entrances, one on the
N. and the other on the S. side ; and
both tunnelled through the rock for a
distance of nearly 100 ft. On the
western side stands the Citadel, a
massive building, separated from the
town by a deep moat hewn in the rock.
It appears to be of the age of the
crusades. Within it is a church fast
falling to rain, on whose walls are
some traces of rude frescoes.
Kerak is the Kir-Moab of Scripture,
remarkable as the only city left stand
ing in the whole laud of Moab, when
invaded by Joram king of Israel. It
was then saved by a cruel and tragic
act, which is recorded in 2 Kings iii.
Kir is mentioned by Isaiah (xv. 1 ;
xvi. 7, 11). In the Chaldee version
of this prophet it is already called
by the name it still retains — Keraka.
In the early centuries of our era it
became a bishopric in the province of
Paleestina Tertia. The Crusaders
captured it, repaired or rebuilt the
fortifications, and, mistaking it for
Petra, established, in a.d. 1167, a
Latin bishopric of that name ; the
name and title remain in the Greek
Church to the present time. About
one-third of the inhabitants are Chris
tians of the Greek rite.
The people of Kerak are almost
entirely independent of the Turkish
government. Their strong position,
numbers, and valour make them the
actual rulers of a large district. The
Bedawin both fear and respect them.
Their hospitality is proverbial; and
though the town is crowded with
guests every evening, it is said that
when a stranger enters the gate " they
almost come to blows with one another
in their eagerness to have him for
their guest." These qualities, pro
bably, have gained for them a privilege
denied to every other fellah in Syria
— that of intermarrying with the Beda
win. The bride is always bought, and
consequently not often treated with
much kindness or affection. If she falls
sick, and is unable to manage her
husband's household, he sends her
back to her father with the character

istic message — " I bought a healthy
wife of you, and it is not just that I
should be at the trouble and expense of
curing her." This is the rale with
both Christians and Muslems. The
husband does not even provide dress
for his wife. She is obliged to apply
to her own family for the means of
appealing decently in public, or else
to rob her husband of his wheat and
barley. Burckhardt relates some other
curious facts regarding conjugal eti
quette at Kerak.
Zoar. — A wild, rugged ravine leads
down from Kerak to the narrow plain
at the S.E. angle of the Dead Sea,
At its mouth (4£ hrs. from Kerak) are
some mounds of rubbish, with many
large stones round them : these are
the ruins of Zoar, " the little City," to
which Lot fled from Sodom, and which
was saved for his sake. It was
mentioned by Isaiah (xv. 5) and
Jeremiah (xlviii. 3i), as within the
territory of Moab. Under the Romans
it became a flourishing town ; and was
afterwards an episcopal see. It was
inhabited so late as the 14th centy.
In the mountains that shut in the
valley of Kerak Lot finally took refuge
with his daughters, and here, con
sequently, was the cradle of the Am
monites and Moabites. (Gen. xix.)
We now turn southward along the
fertile plain that skirts the Dead Sea,
and, sweeping round its southern end,
through thickets of tamarisk, dwarf
palms, and reeds, we reach, in some 5
hrs., the base of Jebel Usdum, at the
S.W. angle of the Dead Sea. A very
remarkable geological feature hero
arrests attention. On the left, not far
from the beach, rises a narrow, rugged
ridge of hills, extending N.W. about 5
m. It is composed of one vast mass
of mineral salt. Large blocks have
fallen down from the hill-sides, and an'
strewn along the shore. This strange
ridge may well account for the unusual
saltness of the Dead Sea, into which
winter torrents and summer streamlets
carry large quantities of the mineral.
The position of this mountam serves to
fix the position of the " Valley of Salt,"
where the Israelites under David and
D 3

58

Route i.—Maon. — Carmel.

Sect. t.

Amaziah conquered the Edomites
(2 Sam. viii. 13 ; 2 Kings xiv. 7 ; 1
Chron. xviii. 12): This ."Valley of
Salt " was unquestionably the upper
part Of the 'Arabah. . The range is
now called Khashm Usdum, or Jebel
Usdum, probably from Sodom, which
lay to the N. at no great distance. ,
Passing along the base of this ridge,
having the Dead Sea on our rt., we
reach in 1 h. 40 min. the mouth of
Wady Zuweirah, a name not to be
confounded with Zoar, from which it is
radically different. Up this we turn
from the level strand ; and in 3 h. 10
min. pass a small Saracenic fortress
situated on the summit of a chalk cliff.
In J h. more we leave the wady, and
travel for 4£ hrs. N.W., through a
dreary wilderness. Here we reach a
steep acclivity, like the wall of a huge
terrace, some 100 ft. high. Clamber
ing up the difficult and tortuous path,
we find on the summit a few scattered
traces of former habitations, called
Zuweiret el-F6ka, " Upper Zuweirah."
We are now in the "hill country of
Judaaa." After a march of 3 h. a conical hill
is seen on the left, about 2 m. distant,
called Tell 'Arad. It marks the site
of the ancient city of Arad, whose
inhabitants drove back the Israelites
when they attempted to enter Canaan
from Kadesh. The place was after
wards totally destroyed by Joshua.
(Num. xxi. 1, 3.) In 4 hrs. more is
Tell Ma'In; its summit crowned with
rains, and its sides perforated with
caves. It deserves a visit, as well from
the wide and interesting view it com
mands, as from its historic associations ;
for it was the native place of the
wealthy and churlish Nabal. (I Sam.
xxv. 2.)
Jlfaon. — On reaching the summit of
the conical hill we look over a far-
stretching panorama, dotted here and
there with grey rains, each of which,
though deserted, has its name and its
story, for we are now on " holy ground."
There on the east, declining towards
, the Dead Sea, is the desert of Judah,
or " Wilderness of Engedi ; " bare as
it seems to have been of old, when

David and his men took refuge among
the " rocks of the wild goats." (1 , Sam.
xxiv. 2.) On the N. about 1 m. distant
are the rains of Carmel (now Kurmul),
where Nabal had his sheep-shearing.
(1 Sam. xxv.) Farther away is the
little tell Ziph, enumerated by Joshua
among the towns of Judah (xv. 55).
And beyond it, in the midst of the rich
valley of Eshcoli the eye rests on the
towers and minarets of Hebron. On
the W. is a wide rolling plain, in which
may be taken in at one glance the
sites of Juttah (Yfitta), Anab ('Anab),
Eshtemoa (Semu'a), Socoh (Shuweikeh),
and Jattir ('Attir) ; whose names, it
will be observed, have been but little
changed by the lapse of centuries.
(Joshua xv. 48-55.)
Carmel. — In 20 min. more we reach
Kurmul, the ancient Carmel. (Josh. xv.
55 ; 1 Sam. xv. 12.) The ruins are
extensive, and some of them of high
antiquity. They lie along the sides of
a little valley ; the head of which
forms a semicircle, shut in by rocks.
In the centre is a large reservoir sup
plied by a fountain. The principal
ruins are on the level area to the W.,
and consist of fragments of walls,
massive foundations, and heaps of
hewn stones. The castle is a curious
structure ; it occupies a little eminence
in the centre of the town ; its form is
quadrangular, 62 ft. by 40, and 30 high.
"The external wall is evidently
ancient ; and has on the northern
and western sides a sloping bulwark,
like the citadel in Jerusalem. The
stones are bevelled ; and though not so
large as those of the tower of Hippicus,
yet the architecture is of the same kind ;
leaving Utile room for doubt that it is
the work of Herod, or of the Romans."
The interior has been remodelled at a
much later age, and now exhibits the
pointed arch and peculiar masonry of
the Saracens. Near it are foundations
of a massive round tower, and there
appears to have been a subterranean
communication between the two
Among and around the rains are the
remains of several churches, showing
that the city had at one time a large
Christian population. One of these,

Sinai.

Route 5. — Petra to Hebron.

59

about i m. S. of the castle, measures
156 ft. in length, by about 50 in
breadth. On the E. was a chapel with
a portico ; while attached to it on the
W. was a large building, probably
the episcopal residence.
Carmel was the scene of the romantic
story of David, Nabal, and Abigail.
Here Nabal held his annual sheep-
shearing ; and David, who had asso
ciated with and protected the shepherds
of the rich man, thought himself enti
tled to a share in the festival, and sent
a message to that effect. Were a simi
lar festival held by some extensive
proprietor near the same spot now,
there is little doubt but that some
neighbouring Arab sheikh would put
in a word as David did. The insult
ing answer of the great man; the
humble apology of the fair Abigail ;
the tragic and yet romantic conclusion,
are too well known to require recital.
(1 Sam. xxv.)
In 1 h. 25 min. more we reach the
western base of tell Zif, a few minutes
E. of which lie the ruins of Ziph, a
town which has gained a name in
sacred history from the treachery (or
loyalty) of its people, who on two
occasions sought to betray David into
the hands of Saul. (1 Sam. xxiii. 19 ;
xxvi. 1.) In 1 h. 35 min. after leaving
Ziph we enter " Ktrjath-Arba, which
is Hebron." (SeeRte.7.)

ROUTE 5.
PETRA TO HEBRON, BY KADESH AND
BEERSHEBA. H. II.
Petra to 'Ain el-Weibeh (Ka
desh)  15 30
Sufah (Zephath)  9 0
Ar'arah (Aroer)  8 30
Bir es-Seba' (Beersheba) .. .. 5 0
Dhoheriyeh  7 0
Hebron  .. 5 0

Total

50

Travellers usually leave Petra by
the ravine on the S. through which
they enter it. Dr. Robinson was driven
out by the difficult track at the N.E.
corner, and crossing the plateau called
Sutuh Beida, " White Terraces," he
reached the 'Arabah through the pass
of Nemela. We shall take the ordinary
path. Leaving Wady Musa wo ascend
again to the Sutuh Harun, and skirt
the southern base of Mount Hor. In
2| h. we reach the summit of the pass.
Turning now to the N.W., and leaving
the road by which we approached from
the S., we cross a high plain, and then,
passing down through a succession of
wild ravines for some six hrs., we
emerge from the mountains of Edom
on the valley of 'Arabah. It is here
about 12 m. wide, bleak and barren,
and shut in on each side by naked
mountain ranges. Crossing the plain
diagonally, we descend into Wady Jeib,
the drain of the 'Arabah, and see on
its western bank, where the ground
begins to rise towards tho bases of low
limestone hills, a thicket of reeds and
rank grass, with a few palms. This is
'Ain el-Weibeh, the most important
fountain in the whole region. It is 7
hrs. from the mouth of Wady el-Milh,
' ' The Salt Valley," by which we entered
the 'Arabah.
It has been recently ascertained by
barometrical measurement that the
watershed of the 'Arabah, which is
nearly in the parallel of Petra, has an

60

Route 5. — Kadeshbarnea.

Sect. I.

elevation of 787 ft.; and is thus no
less than 2079 ft. above the surface of
the Dead Sea. In the face of such
a fact, it is impossible to believe in
any ancient connection between the
Jordan and the Red Sea. But in addi
tion to this M. Lartet has shown by his
geological researches that the water
shed barrier is composed of calcareous
strata, coeval in their present position
with the physical structure of the
whole surrounding country; and he
has shown, too, what every observant
traveller may see for himself, that from
the direction of the lateral valleys both
north and south of the watershed, the
Jordan could never have run into the
Gulf of Akabah.
Kadesh-bamea. — I agree with Dr.
Robinson in fixing the site of Kadesh
at or near 'Ain el-Weibeh ; and as it
was one of the most important points
in the journeyings of the Israelites, I
shall state the few facts known of its
history. About 4000 years ago, four
kings from Mesopotamia and eastern
Arabia invaded Palestine. It was, in
fact, a raid of Arab sheikhs on a
large scale ; the principal object being
to make reprisals on a few towns that
had refused the ordinary ghufr to the
tribes of the desert. The marauders
marched through the country east of
the Jordan, smiting in their way the
Rephaim, the Zuzim, and the Horites
in Mount Seir, and then crossing the
'Arabah to Paran. Wheeling round,
they came " to En-Mishpat (' the
Fountain of Mishpat'), which is Ka
desh;" and, having plundered the
Amalekites, they marched northwards
upon the " cities of the plain." (Gen.
xiv.) This gives some general idea of
the situation of Kadesh, and proves
also that it was a noted watering-
place. The next mention of Kadesh is in
the history of the journeyings of the
Israelites. They left Sinai ; encamped
for a time at Hazeroth ; and then,
probably descending to the gulf of
'Akabah, marched northward up the
'Arabah to Kadesh, "a city on the
uttermost border" of Edom (Num. xx..
16.). From hence the spies were sent

to examine the "Land of Promise.'
and to this place they returned with
their misrepresentations. Here the
people murmured, saying, " Wherefore
hath the Lord brought us into this
land, that om- wives and our children
should be a prey ? " And here the
Lord answered in judgment — "As I
live, all that were numbered of you
from twenty years old and upwards,
which have murmured against me,
shall not come into the land ; but your
little ones which you said should be a
prey, them will I bring in." (Num.
xiv.) Here, too, having attempted to
force thefr way contrary to the com
mand of Moses, they were defeated by
the Amalekites, and driven back in
confusion to Mount Seir. (Deut. i. 44.)
To this spot the Israelites again re
turned after an interval of 38 yrs., and
then Miriam, the sister of Moses, died,
and was buried by the fountain. (Num.
xx. 1.) The waters were now insuffi
cient .for the wants of the people, and
Moses, at God's command, brought a
miraculous supply from the rock. But
tho way in which Moses and Aaron
executed this command was so dis
pleasing to the Almighty, that Ho
uttered the solemn sentence, " Ye shall
not bring this congregation into the
land which I have given them." (Num.
xx.) From this place messengers were
sent to the king of Edom demanding
a passage through his territories to the
eastern border of Palestine; on re
ceiving a refusal, the Israelites agaiu
turned southward down the 'Arabah
towards Elath.
"These circumstances," says Dr.
Robinson, " all combine to fix the site
of Kadesh in the neighbourhood of
'Ain el-Weibeh. There the Israelites
would have Mount Hor (where Aaron
died) before them on the S.E. ; across
the 'Arabah is Wady el-Ghuweir,
affording an easy and inviting passage
through the land of Edom; in the
N.W. rises the mountain by which
they attempted to ascend to Palestine,
with the pass still called Sufah (Zeph
ath, Num. xxi. 1-3; comp. Jud. i.
17) ; while farther north is the site of
Arad, whose inhabitants drove them
back."

Sinai.

Route 5. — Milh. — Beersheba.

61

A fatiguing and monotonous ride is
now before us, over a bleak desert,
intersected by numerous wadys. Some
wide views are obtained of the 'Arabah
on the right, down to the shores of
the Dead Sea. In 9 hrs. we reach the
pass of Sufvlh, leading up a steep
ragged ridge. Traces of an ancient
road are distinguishable ; but a modern
one on an improved principle is greatly
needed. There is an easier way a few
miles to the left through a ravine
called Yemen ; but the pass of Sufuh
is more direct and quite practicable.
The name corresponds, as noted above,
to the Hebrew Zephath, where the
Israelites attempted to force then- way
into Palestine.
In 4 1 hrs. more we reach another
pass called Nukb el-Muzeikah ; and
soon afterwards a low hill comes in
sight a short distance on the left ; it
is covered with ruins, but they are of
little interest. Its name is Kurnub.
In 2J hrs. from Nukb el-Muzeikah
the road to Hebron by Milh branches
off to the right ; we keep on, however,
in the old course about N.N.W. (what
ever the escort may say), and in 14 h.
reach some ruins with tanks for rain
water, called Ar'arah, situated in a
wady of the same name. This is
doubtless the site of Aroer, a town of
the south of Judah — one of those to
which David sent part of the spoil he
had taken from the Amalekites, in
revenge for the plunder of Ziklag.
(1 Sam. xxx. 26-28.)
The country hitherto has been naked,
monotonous, and desolate ; chalky hills
and gravelly vales succeeding each
other until the eye is weary and the
very heart sinks. Now, however, soil
begins to appear on the slopes and
vegetation in the valleys ; while minia
ture fields of grain are met with at
intervals. From Kadesh to this place
we have been traversing the border
land between Judsea and the desert ;
but here we enter the more favoured
Palestine. A road from Ar'arah leads
direct to Milh 2 h., the Moladah of
Scripture, a city of Simeon on the
southern border towards Edom. (Josh.
xv. 21, 26 ; xix. 2.) It is subsequently
mentioned by Josephus as a castle of

the Idumseans, under the Greek form
Malatha ; . and it was still an im
portant place under the Romans, being
the station of a cohort. The ruins
cover a space about J m. square ; they
consist of heaps of rough stones, and
foundations, with a few columns. On
some of the latter Dean Stanley dis
covered Sinaitic inscriptions. 5 hrs.
N. of Milh is the village of Semu'a,
standing on a low hill surrounded by
olive-trees. It contains foundations of
massive stones, proving it to be the
site of an ancient town, doubtless Esh-
temoa (Josh. xxi. 14 ; xv. 50). The
most conspicuous rain is that of a
Saracenic tower in the centre of the
village. From Semu'a to Hebron is
4 hrs. As Beersheba, one of the most inter
esting places on the southern border of
Palestine, is only some 10 m. distant
from Ar'arah, it is better to make a
detour of 5 hrs. to visit it, than to
follow the direct road by Milh to
Hebron. The way leads along Wady
Ar'arah till it falls into Wady es-Seb'a
in about 3 hrs.,. and then follows tho
latter to the ruins of Bir es-Seb'a,
" Well of the Seven," corresponding to
Beersheba, " Well of the Oath." Atteu-
tion is here first arrested by two an
cient wells. Quo of them is 12£ ft. in
diameter, and 44 deep to the surface
of the water. The other is smaller.
They are on the N. bank of the wady.
Along the rising ground above the
wells are heaps of stones, traces of
foundations, and fragments of pottery,
extending over a space }2 m. long by
J broad. On the S. side of the valley
is a stone wall several hundred feet
long, apparently intended to support
the bank.
Beersheba is one of the most ancient
sites on record. It took its name from
the well Abraham dug, and the oath
by which he confirmed his treaty with
Abimelech. (Gen. xxi. 31.) Here the
patriarch planted a grove — a kind of
natural temple in which to worship
God ; here, too, he received the com
mand to sacrifice Isaac, and from
hence he set out to execute that mis
sion. (Gen. xxi, xxii.) Here Jacob

62

Route 6. — Sinai to Hebron.

Sect. I.

obtained by fraud his brother's birth
right and blessing (Gen. xxvii.) ; and
here he offered up sacrifices on setting
out with his family for Egypt. (Gen*
xlvi.) Here Samuel made his sons
judges (I Sam. viii.) ; and from hence
Elijah, when he fled from Jezebel,
wandered out into the southern desert.
(1 Kings, xix.) And here was the
border of Palestine proper, whose ex
tent was reckoned " from Dan to Beer
sheba." This city was occupied by
the Jews after the captivity (Neh. xi.
27) ; but its name does not again ap
pear in history till the 4th centy. of
our era. It was then a. Roman gar
rison ; and it became an episcopal see.
We now turn northward toward the
hills of Judsea, over an undulating
plain covered with a light soil, and
affording excellent pasturage. This
was the favourite haunt of the patri
archs, and over it roamed their flocks
and herds 3000 yrs. ago ; while they
pitched their tents by the wells and
fountains of water, as the Arab tribes
do still.
7 hrs. from Beersheba is the village
of Dhoheriyeh, situated on the summit
of one of the southern hills in the
Judah range. There is nothing here
either to interest or detain the traveller,
who will be anxious to hasten on to
more favoured spots. Setting out
again, and winding through pictur
esque vales, whose sides, with the in
tervening hills, are partially covered
with shrubs and evergreen oaks, we
reach Hebron in 5 hrs.

ROUTE 6.
SINAI TO HEBRON DIRECT. U. W.
Convent to Jebel et-Tih, about 18 0
Castle of Nukhl  30 0
'Abdeh (Eboda)  45 0
Ruhaiben (Rehoboth) .. .. 5 0
Khulasah (Elusa)  2 50
Bir es-Seb'a (Beersheba) .. .. 5 30
Hebron  12 0

Total ..

118 20

This route presents nothing of in
terest sufficient to repay the fatigue
and monotony of the wilderness of
Tih. Such as wish to visit Sinai only
had better return thence to Cairo,
varying their route through the magni
ficent scenery of the peninsula ; and
from Cairo three days will now bring
them, via Alexandria, to Yafa. I shall
however, briefly indicate the distances
and the points worthy of special note
on the desert route.
Descending Wady esh-Sheikh for
some 6 hrs., we leave it and the Sinai
group of mountains together, by a
narrow ravine leading into the southern
section of Debbet er-Ramleh. Cross
ing this plain in a N.W. direction,
we reach in two days from the convent
the pass of Mureiky, in Jebel et-Tih.
Scaling the pass we have before us the
great desert of Tih, "Wandering."
The rock of this desert is cretaceous,
abounding in fossils of various kinds.
Nukhl, 30 hrs. march from the Pass
of Mureiky, is a castle and principal
station on the Egyptian Haj road,
half-way between Suez and 'Akabah.
It is built on a rising ground amid a
dreary waste. The bare embattled
walls enclose a court in which are
some deep wells. Here the territory
of the Tiyahah Arabs commences;
and the Tawarah cannot legally take
travellers farther north. Should
any of the former be in the castle,
it will be better to make an arrange-

Sinai.

Route 6. — Sinai to Hebroti.

63

ment with them; but if not, the
traveller may proceed till he meets
them. In general it is not difficult to
satisfy the demands of the Tiyahah.
They insist, of course, upon the ex
clusive right of conducting travellers
through their own territory; but it
sometimes happens that they permit
the Tawarah to proceed on payment
of a fine.
Some travellers who were unable to
reach Petra from Akabah have suc
ceeded in obtaining an escort of Tiya
hah. I question, however, whether
they are so able to restrain the fellahin
of Wady Musa as the Alawin are.
El-'Abdeh, 45 hrs. march, is the next
station. Here at the junction of two
wadys, Birein and Seram, are low
stone walls apparently intended to
regulate the irrigation of some fields
formerly under cultivation. A little
to the ST., in the bank of the valley; is
a large artificial cavern, probably a
quarry. On a rising ground near it
are ruins of some extent, consisting of
the foundations of an ancient fortress,
a few fragments of columns and entabla
tures, and the ruins of a church. This
is the site of the Eboda of Ptolemy,
marked in the Peutinger tables at 23
Rom. m. S. of Elusa.
In Wady Ruhaibeh, 5 hrs., are wells
and tanks ; and on the rising ground
above it lie the ruins of a large town.
Its name and history are lost ; but it
may perhaps indicate the position of
the well dug by Isaac's servants, and
called Rehoboth. (Gen. xxvi. 22.)
From the convent to this place is
reckoned 9 days by the direct road ;
but 10 by Nukhl, the way I have
described. From Ruhaibeh to Gaza
(Ghuzzeh) is about 13 hrs.
At Khulasah, 2 h. 50 min., are ruins
situated along the northern bank of a
shallow valley called Wady el-Kurm.
The extent of the rains, now com
pletely prostrate, would indicate a
population in former times of about
20,000. This is unquestionably the site
of Elusa mentioned by Ptolemy, and
laid down on the Peutinger tables at
71 Rom. m. S. of Jerusalem. Though
it became an episcopal city, it was

chiefly inhabited by idolaters addicted
to the worship of Venus.
Bir es-Seb'a, Beersheba, 51 hrs.
Hebron, 12 hrs. (See Rte. 5.)
A ride across et-Tih will perhaps
serve to remove some wrong ideas
which the traveller may have enter
tained regarding the aspect of an
eastern desert. "A desert," in the
ordinary Biblical sense, does not mean
a region of drifting sand, or absolute
barrenness. The Hebrew word midbar
denotes a pastoral country ; unfitted as
a whole for cultivation on account of
its scanty soil and scarcity of water.
Such is Et-Tih. During the rainy
season it is covered with a sparse vege
tation. Large portions of it, too, were
at one time cultivated. Some of its
vales have a fertile soil which even
now repays Arab husbandry. The
ruins of towns and villages are scat
tered over it, around fountains and old
wells. In the deeply-cut torrent beds
and remains of primeval forests, we see
evidences of an age when rain was
more abundant than now. In some
favoured spots the pastures are still
abundant, and groves of tamarisk and
other shrubs fill the vales.
It will thus be seen that, while com
pared with any western land Et-Tih
may be called a desert, yet it is not so
in reality. Even at the present time
it is capable of supporting immense
flocks and herds ; and there can be no
doubt that in former ages the rainfall
was greater and pastures more luxu
riant. These facts have an important
bearing on the wanderings of the
Israelites. They show that there was
sufficient food for their flocks in the
desert, even independent of miraculous
agency. The border land between the hills
of Palestine and the '• Wilderness of
Wandering," is called in the Bible the
Negeb, a name which is usually trans
lated "south." Abraham went up out
of Egypt into the Negeb (Gen. xiii. 1);
and Isaac dwelt " in the land of Negeb"
(Gen. xxiv. 62). It appears to have
embraced the whole region lying on
the southern border of Palestine, be
tween the Mediterranean and the
'Arabah.

( 64~1

Sect. II.

SECTION II.
PALESTINE— JEKTJSALEM.
ROUTE.
Bebron, el-KhulU; Tomb of the Patriarchs. Mamre;— Pools of Solomon.

ROUTE 7. Hebron to Jerusalem

ROUTE 7.
HEBRON TO JERUSALEM. H. M.
Hebron to Rameh  1 0
Beit Sur (Beth Zur)  0 45
Pools of Solomon (Etham) .. . . 3 0
Rachel's Tomb .. .. .. ..10
Mar Ellas  0 35
Jerusalem  0 50
Total  7 10
Hebron is one of the most ancient
cities in the world stiU existing, and it is
in this respect the rival of Damascus.
There are a few chapters of deep and
sacred interest in its long history. It
was built, says a sacred writer, " seven
years before Zoan in Egypt " (Num.
xiii. 22), and those who wish to impress
us with a clear idea of its antiquity
repeat this phrase. But when was Zoan
built? The Egyptian antiquary re
plies, " Seven years after Hebron;" and
this is about the most definite reply he
can give. It is well, however, that we
can prove the antiquity of Hebron in
dependently of Egypt's mystic annals.
The original name of Hebron was Kir-
jath-Arba, " City of Arba ; " so called
from Arba, the father of Anak, and pro
genitor of the giant Anakims. (Josh. xxi.
11.) It afterwards took for a time the
name Mamre, doubtless from Abraham's
friend and ally, Mamre the Amorite,
who in the patriarch's days possessed
it. (Gen. xxiii. 19.) The chief interest
of the town and neighbourhood arises

from their having been so long the
favourite camping-ground of the pa
triarchs, and the scene of some of the
most remarkable events of their lives.
Often were these hill-sides speckled
with the flocks of the Chaldsean shep
herd, while his tent was pitched beneath
" the oak." Here he dwelt when the
news was brought to him that Sodom '
was plundered and his nephew Lot a
captive ; and from hence he set out in
pursuit of the enemy with his 318
servants and his allies the Amorites.
Here too, a few years afterwards, " as
he sat in the tent door in the heat of
the day," he received a visit from tho
Angel of the Lord, who, after pro
mising him a son, informed him of the
approaching destruction of the " cities
of the plain." And here Sarah died;
and Abraham bought from Ephron the
Hittite the only portion of the " Land
of Promise" he could ever call his
own — the cave and field of Mach-
pelah — -to serve as a family • tomb.
Sarah was first laid in it ; then Abra
ham himself; then Isaac and his wife
Rebekah ; then Leah ; and after an
interval the embalmed body of Jacob
was brought up out of Egypt, and laid
beside his fathers. The " cave " must
still be here, for it is one of those mo
numents which time does not destroy ;
and perhaps the very tdmbs them
selves with then- sacred ashes are yet in
it.- The tombs of the patriarchs were
known and honoured in Josephus's
time, who describes them as con
structed of the " most beautiful marble,

Palestine.

Route 7. — Cave of Machpelah.

65

and of exquisite workmanship." Eu-
sebius, Jerome, and subsequent writers
mention them in such a way as leads
to the conviction that the massive
walls of the "Haram," now the great
attraction of the town, really enclose
the cave of Machpelah. This struc
ture was long known as the "Castle
of Abraham" — a name also applied
in the time of the crusades to the
whole city ; and as Abraham is called
by Mohammedans el - Khulil, " the
Friend," this has become the modern
name of Hebron.
When the Israelites entered Pales
tine, Hebron was captured and given
to Caleb (Josh. x. 36 ; xiv. 6-15 ; xv.
13, 14). It was afterwards assigned
to the Levites, and constituted one of
the six cities of refuge (Josh. xxi.
11-13). Here David, after the death
of Saul, established the seat of his
government, and continued to dwell
during the seven years and a half he
reigned over Judah. (2 Sam. ii.)
Upon the return of the Jews from
Babylon, Hebron was rebuilt and in
habited ; but it soon fell into the
hands of the Edomites, from whom
it was rescued by Judas Maccabseus.
After the defeat of the Jews at Bether
in a.d. 135, thousands of the captives
were brought here by the Romans and
sold into slavery at the oak beside
Hebron. In a.d. 1167 the city was
made by the crusaders the seat of a
Latin bishopric, and continued so,
at least nominally, for about 200 years ;
but it reverted to the Muslems in
1187, and has ever since remained in
their hands.
Hebron is situated in a narrow val
ley — "the Valley of Eshcol;" whose
sides are clothed with vineyards,
groves of olives, and other fruit-
trees. The valley runs from N. to S. ;
and the main quarter of the town,
surmounted by the lofty walls of the
Haram, lies partly on the eastern slope.
A little to tho N. is another quarter,
separated from the former by gardens ;
while on the western side of the valley
there is a small suburb facing the
Haram. The houses are stone, solidly
built, fiat-roofed, and have each one or
two little cupolas, such as are seen

in several parts of Palestine, and in
one of the suburbs of Damascus.
The town has no walls ; but the main
streets opening on the principal roads
have gates. In the bottom of the
valley southward is the lower " pool,"
— a square tank, 130 ft. on each side,
and about 50 ft. deep, faced with large
hewn stones. At the northern end of
the main quarter is another pool, 85
ft. long, 55 ft. broad, and 18 feet deep.
These furnish the chief supply of water
to the inhabitants. They are mani
festly of remote antiquity ; and one of
them, probably the southern, is that
over which David hanged the mur
derers of his rival Ishbosheth. (2
Sam. iv.) Other antiquities of very
questionable authenticity will be shown
to those who care for them — such as the
tombs of Abner, and of Jesse, David's
father; the precise spot where Cain
slew Abel ; the red earth from which
Adam was made, &c. &c.
Tlie Cave of Machpelah.— From time
immemorial it has been admitted by
all sects — Jews, Christians, and Mus
lems— that the Cave of Machpelah,
the Sepulchre of the Patriarchs, lies
within the massive walls of the Haram.
This building overtops all the houses,
and forms the one distinguishing fea
ture of Hebron, visible from all points.
It is an open quadrangle, 198 ft. long,
112 wide, and 50 high. The walls
are constructed of massive stones, from
12 to 38 ft. in length. The edges of
the stones are grooved to the depth of
2 inches, so that the surface of the
wall has the appearance of panel work.
The exterior is further ornamented
with pilasters, supporting, without
capitals, a plain cornice. The struc
ture is thus unique. Its style proves
its Jewish origin. The interior was
described some sixty years ago by a
Spanish renegade who assumed the
name of Ali Bey. A fuller account
of it has been given recently by Dean
Stanley, who accompanied the Prince
of Wales in his visit to the Haram in
1862. His account has been supple
mented by Mr. Fergusson, and more re
cently by the Marquis of Bute, who was
conducted through the building in 1866.

66

Route 7. — Cave of Machpelah.

Sect. II.

The massive wall surrounds and
supports an elevated platform, partly
artificial, and partly composed of a
crown of natural rock ; so that, though
nearly' 60 feet high without, it only
rises a few feet above the area within.
The entrance to the area is by a heavy
iron door high up on the eastern side.
It is approached by a long flight of
steps, commencing at the south-west
angle, and ascending along the whole
of the southern, and about half the
eastern side. At the head of the
staircase is a gateway with an Arabic
inscription, admitting to a long, empty
corridor. Immediately to the left on
entering it is the iron door of the
Haram. Passing through the latter
into a small vestibule, and turning to
the right, we reach an open court
paved with polished stones, and having
some young palm-trees growing in one
corner. On the south side of the
court is a mosque, originally a Byzan-

Plan of Mosque at Hebron. From
Fergusson's ' Architecture.'
tine eh., with » double portico sup~
ported on square pillars. Mr. Fer-
gusson affirms positively that there is
"nothing inside the enclosure older
than the time of the Crusades. The
Gothic building which occupies the
whole of the southern end was certainly
erected either in the last half of the 12th
or the first half of the 13th centy. The
Saracenic buildings are all subsequent

to this, and there remains nothing
which can be ascribed to the Byzantine
or any earlier period." Before wo can
fully accord with this opinion, we
will require something more than a
mere cursory examination. Crossing
the outer portico we enter a small,
dingy chamber — a part of the inner
portico or narthex ; and here on the
right and left are massive silver gates,
leading into the chapels of Abraham
and Sarah respectively. They are
gloomy, and contain cenotaphs covered
with carpets of green silk. We now
enter the mosque — a large and lofty
building, with nave and aisles, sepa
rated by clustered columns supporting
a groined roof. Immediately to the
right, on entering, we observe " a sort
of tabernacle over a round brass boss
about seven inches in diameter;" this
covers a hole which pierces the natu
ral rock into the cave underneath.
Lord Bute says: — "Down through
this hole hung a coarse iron lamp,
with a glass and 2 flaring wicks,
which shed a bright light. This light
fell on the rough rocky floor of the
cave, littered over with small oblong
billets of white paper, not more, I
should think, than 12 feet below my
face." Beyond this, on the right and
left, between the massive columns,
are seen the shrines and tombs of
Isaac and Eebecca — "ugly buildings,
like low cottages." In the south
eastern angle of the mosque is a
tablet with a Greek inscription, said
to have been taken out of the cave.
The Mihrab is in the centre of the
southern end. To the west of it is
the minbar, or pulpit ; and " just west
of this is a second tabernacle, like the
one over the hole into the cave, cover
ing a trap-door of stone in two leaves,
the lesser fastened down with iron
clamps. This is the door of the cave,
and I was informed (from tradition)
that there was under it a stair which
entered the cave about the place of the
nearest pillar." The mosque has some
rich stained glass windows.
Leaving the mosque and crossing
the open court, we enter a small ves
tibule on the north side ; here on the

Palestine.

Route 7. — Hebron to Jerusalem.

67

1. is the enclosed chapel and tomb of
Jacob, and on the rt. that of Leah.
It is not affirmed that these chapels
contain the real tombs of the patriarchs.
The shrines and cenotaphs have con
sequently little interest. It is Mach
pelah — the cave itself, in which the
bodies were laid, and which, beyond
all possibility of doubt lies beneath
the platform — it is this which forms
the real object of attraction. Unfor
tunately its gates still remain sealed
to all the infidel world. Whether the
Muslems themselves ever enter now
is uncertain. Rabbi Benjamin, who
visited Hebron in the 12th century,
affirms that he entered it and saw
the real sepulchres of the patriarchs.
Signor Pierotti, who appears to have
obtained admission during his resi
dence in Palestine says : — " The true
entrance to the patriarch's tomb is to I
be seen close to the western wall of
the enclosure, and near the north-west
corner. It is guarded by a very thick
iron railing, and I was not allowed to
go near it. In the com-t opposite the
entrance of the mosque there is an
opening, through which I was allowed
to go down for three steps ; and 'I was
able to ascertain by sight and touch
that the rock exists there, and to con
clude it to be about five feet thick.
From the short observations I made
during my brief descent, as also from
the consideration of the east wall of
the mosque, and the little information
I extracted from the chief santon, who
jealously guards the sanctuary, I con
sider that a part of the grotto exists
under the mosque, and that the other
part is under the court, but at a
lower level than that lying under the
mosque." As yet we know no more of Mach
pelah. Muslem prejudice has hitherto
successfully resisted all attempts to
penetrate the cave itself. One thing,
however, is certain : — " The double
cave " (such is the meaning of Mach
pelah) in which the patriarchs were
buried is beneath this venerable struc
ture, and it has been guarded with the
utmost jealousy from the earliest ages.
It is not only possible, but highly pro-

archs, especially of the embalmed body
of Jacob, still lie in the tomb. The
tomb is undoubtedly accessible to the
guardians of the mosque ; but whether
they venture to enter is very doubtful.
The day may not be far distant when
the mystery will be completely solved.
Hebron is one of the four " holy
cities" of the modern Jews. A little
colony clusters there round the sepul
chre of their great ancestor. They are
not permitted to enter the Haram;
but there is a part of the exterior wall,
beside the staircase, where the natural
rock is visible, and this the Jews
approach and kiss as they do the " place
of wailing " in Jerusalem.
The population of Hebron is vari
ously estimated at from 5000 to 10,000,
including some 400 Jews. The Mus
lem inhabitants are turbulent and
fanatical, and the traveller requires to
be on his guard, especially when he
approaches the Haram. Water-skins
and glass trinkets are manufactured at
Hebron; and the staple products of
the surrounding country are grapes
and olives. The vines of the valley in
which the town is situated, — "the
valley of Eshcol " (Num. xxxii. 9 ;
Deut. i. 24) — are among the most luxu
riant and productive in Palestine.
Nearly two miles distant from the
town, up the valley to the N.W., is the
large terebinth known as " Abraham's
Oak." It stands quite alone in the
midst of vineyards, and as the ground
is smooth beneath it, and a well of
good water not far distant, it forms a
good camping ground. It is too far
from the town, however, for such as
can only remain a short time. It is
a splendid tree, measuring about 23 ft.
in girth ; but it has no marks of that
high antiquity which tradition would
give it. It is, however, the last repre
sentative of the oaks of Mamre, under
whose shade Abraham communed with
his Creator, and received angels as his
guests. We are now on holy ground. Every
footfall is upon soil trodden by patri
arch and prophet ; every view the eye
rests on was seen by Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, by Samuel, David, and So-

bable, that some remains of the patri- 1 lomon. The cities they built, or dwelt

68

Route 7; — Ramet el-Kliulil.

Sect. II.

in, are gone ; but the features of nature
remain unchanged — the mountains, the
valleys, the fountains, the rocks, are
all here. It is this which gives such a
deep and lasting interest to Palestine.
We follow the ancient road to Jeru
salem. It is still well enough defined,
but sadly out of repair. The Romans
— those royal roadmakers — appear to
have given it the last touch, but such a
change has taken place since that
time, that Dr. Robinson affirmed, after
a short experience of it, " wheels cer
tainly never passed here." This, per
haps, is going a little too far. One is
apt to forget what 15 centuries of neg
lect can do even to a Roman road. But,
rugged though it be, its associations
make us forget a stumbling horse.
Along it Abraham passed on that
journey of faith to sacrifice his son on
Moriah. Along it David led his
veterans to conquer the stronghold of
the Jebusites on Zion. And along it
perhaps the Saviour was borne in his
mother's arms on the way to Egypt.
In 40 min. the vineyards and the
valley of Eshcol are left behind, and
we enter an open country. On the 1. is
a ruined village, formerly inhabited
by a few Christian families, who were
massacred by the Muslems. In 15
min. more a path strikes off to the rt.
to Tekfi'a, the ancient Tekoa. A few
hundred yds. along it are some massive
foundations called
Ramet el-Khulil. — This place ought
not to be passed without a visit. On
reaching the spot we observe the mas
sive foundations of two ancient walls,
one facing the S., 290 ft. long, the
other at right angles, 160 ft. There
are only 2 courses of masonry remain
ing, each 3 ft. 4 in. high ; some of the
stones are from 10 to 15 ft. in length.
There are other foundations at a little
distance on the slope of the hill, chiefly
on the N. and E. and fragments of
mosaic pavement may be here and there
seen. On the top of the hill, 400 yds.
N. of the large walls, are several columns
lying among heaps of hewn stones, and
a cistern hewn in the rock. The situa
tion is commanding, the view embracing
a large section of the southern hill
country, and a peep at the western sea.

The Jews of Hebron call the ruin
" the house of Abraham," and look
upon it as the place where the patri
arch's tent was so often pitched be
neath the oak (or terebinth) of Mamre.
(I may observe that what is rendered,
in the English version, "plain of
Mamre," is in Hebrew " oak of Mamre,"
Gen. xiv. 13 ; xiii. 18.) There can
be little doubt that this is the spot
mentioned by Eusebius, Jerome, and
other writers in the early centuries of
our era, as that on which the supposed
oak of Abraham stood. The words of
the Jerusalem Itinerary seem to be
conclusive on the point, especially as it
was written early in the 4th centy. —
" Two miles from Hebron is the tere
binth where Abraham dwelt, and
digged a well under the tree, and
spake with the angels, and prepared
food. There a basilica of singular
beauty was erected by eommand of
Constantine." A long account of it is
.given by Sozomen in the 5th centy.,
who places it 1 5 stadia N. of Hebron.
Adamnanus, in the 7th centy., says
that " a great church was founded, on
the rt. hand part of which between the
walls, stood the oak of Mamre." The
tree, it appears, had become an object
of worship both to Christians and
heathens. To put an end to these
practices the Emperor Constantine
gave orders for the erection of a
basilica, and intrusted the oversight .
of it to Eusebius. It is also related
that this had been long the seat of a
fair, to which the people resorted from
far and near ; and that after the final
overthrow of the Jews at Bether, a.d.
135, the captives were here publicly
sold as slaves. But though this site
answers to the descriptions -of early
historians, it is not quite clear what
was the original object of the massive
walls — they may possibly be the re
mains of Constantine's basilica.
Descending the hill on the N., we
strike across to the Jerusalem road,
and in 30 min. observe on the top of a
hill, J. m. to the rt., an old mosque
with a minaret, called Neby Yfmas ;
behind the summit is the httle village
of Hullrul, standing on the site of the
Halhul of Scripture. (Josh. xv. 58.)

Palestine.

Route 7. — Solomon's Pools.

60

In 20 min. more a half-ruined tower
with pointed arches stands on the 1. of
the road, and near it, on the rt., is a
fountain, surrounded by massive foun
dations and excavated tombs. The
place is sometimes called Dirweh, but
the name of the tower is Beit Sur,
which suggests at once the Beth-zur of
Joshua, mentioned in connexion with
Halhul. For 3 hours from this place we ride
through a rugged but picturesque re
gion — now crossing narrow valleys that
run away in tortuous courses through
the wilderness of Judaea to the Dead
Sea ; now passing over broken ridges
of Jura limestone ; and now skirting
the base of a higher crown that rises up
in the line of the road. The hills are
covered with dwarf-oak, arbutus, and
other bushes ; the valleys have here
and there a rich soil ; the remains of
terraces are everywhere seen, giving
evidence of former cultivation : but all
is now neglected and forsaken.
Solomon's Pools. — Having at last
surmounted a low ridge, we look down
the rocky slope, through fresh and
fragrant shrubberies, to a broad valley,
in the midst of which is a large rec
tangular building, and to the rt., farther
down, where the vaBey begins to con
tract, are 3 immense tanks. These are
the " pools of Solomon," now called el-
Burdk, " the tanks." On descending
we find that they are partly excavated
in the rocky bed of the valley, and
partly built of large hewn stones. They
are so arranged that the bottom of the
upper pool is higher than the top of the
next, and so with the second and third ;
the object evidently being to collect as
great a quantity of water as possible.
Then- dimensions are as follows : —
Upper Pool. Foet
Length  380
Depth, east end  25
„ ... (east end  236
Breadth |westend  229
Middle Pool.
Distance from upper pool . . . . 160
Length  423
Depth, east end  39
_ ... (east end  236
Breadth |westcnd  229

Lower Pool.
Distance from middle pool . . . . 248
Length  582
Depth, east end  50
Breadth intend  2°»
(.west end  148
The source from which these pools
receive then- supplies is a subterranean
fountain in the open field some distance
up the valley to the N.W. The only
visible mark is a circular opening like
the mouth of a well, generally covered
with a large stone. This hole opens,
at a depth of about 12 ft, into a vaulted
chamber, 15 paces long by 8 broad.
Adjoining it is another smaller apart
ment ; both being covered with ancient
stone arches. The water springs up at
4 different places, from which little
ducts carry it into a basin; and, it
then flows through a large subterra
nean passage to a place at the N.W.
corner of the upper pool. Here the
stream is divided, a portion flowing
into a vault 24 ft. by 5, and thence
through a square duct at the side into
the upper pool. The remainder of the
water is carried by an aqueduct along
the hill-side N. of the pools, but so
arranged as to send a, portion off into
the second and third ; it then descends
rapidly till it meets the aqueduct issu
ing from the lower end of the lower
pool, and runs by Bethlehem in a
winding course to Jerusalem. The
object of this complicated system was
probably to secure a constant supply of
water for the Holy City — perhaps tho
temple ; and that it might be as pure
as possible, it was drawn directly from
the fountain head. When the fountain
yielded more than was needed, the sur
plus passed into the pools ; and when it
yielded too little, it was augmented
from the pools. Another aqueduct
from the valley, farther S., brought at
one time a supply to the lower pool.
The antiquity of these reservoirs,
and the aqueducts connected with
them, cannot be questioned ; and their
extent, solidity, and distance from the
place they were intended to supply
prove that they could only .have been
constructed during times of prosperity.
Yet we find no reference either in
Scripture, or in the writings of Jo-

70

Route 7. — Rachel's Tomb.

Sect. IT.

sephus, to any such supplies of water
being conveyed to Jerusalem. There
was, however, a city near Bethlehem
called Etham, 50 stadia from Jerusa
lem, which, according to Josephus,
had gardens and rivulets of water, and
to which Solomon was in the habit of
taking a morning drive. From hence,
say the Rabbins, water was conveyed
to the temple. The aqueduct, as shall
be seen, terminates in the area, of the
Haram, where the temple stood.
Etham. — In the narrow valley, a
short distance below the pools, is the
little village of Urtas, with ancient
ruins. Is not this the site of Etham,
and are not these the " pools of Solo
mon " ? The beautiful passage in
Ecclesiastes seems in every way appli
cable to this place : " I made me great
works ; I builded me houses ; I planted
me vineyards ; I made me gardens and
orchards, and I planted trees in them
of all kinds of fruit ; I made me pools
of water, to water therewith the wood
that bringeth forth trees." (ii. 4, 5.)
(For Etham see below, Rte. 11.)
Beside the upper pool is a large
building, half castle, half khan, appa
rently of Saracenic origin, now occupied
by the guardian of the waters. The
Jerusalem road passes close in front of
it, ascends the N. bank of the valley,
and winds across an elevated tract
covered with rocks and bushes. Beth
lehem comes in sight here, standing on
a bold ridge projecting from the moun
tains eastward, i m. from the; road. It
is hid by an intervening height ere we
get opposite to it. On the 1. is a lovely
valley, encompassed by olive-groves,
and having on its western slope the
village of Beit Jala, where the Latins
have erected a large church and palace
for the patriarch of Jerusalem.
Rachel's Tomb. — Proceeding up a
rocky slope, we observe in 15 min. more
a small building, surmounted by a dome.
It is the " sepulchre of Rachel." The
building is modern, but the authenti
city of the sepulchre cannot be ques
tioned. It is one of the few shrines
which Muslems, Jews, and Christians
agree in honouring, and concerning

which their traditions are identical.
The narrative in the Bible is simple
and affecting. It will be read at this
spot with a new interest. " They
journeyed from Bethel, and there was
but a little way to come to Ephrath.
. . . And Rachel died, and was buried
on the way to Ephrath, which is Beth
lehem." The pillar Jacob set up over
the grave of his beloved wife was
still there. in Moses' time. -(Gen. xxxv.
16-20.) It has long since been swept
away, but 30 centuries of sorrow and
suffering have not been able to sweep
away the memory of its site from the
hearts of Rachel's posterity. Bethle
hem is in sight, and scarcely a mile
distant. Looking back we see Beit Jala on
the rt., about the same distance as
Bethlehem. Is not this the Zelzah
mentioned by Samuel, when sending
Saul home after anointing him king at
Ramah ? " When thou art departed
from me to-day, thou shalt find two
men by Rachel's sepulchre in the
border of Benjamin, at Zelzah, and
they will say unto thee, The asses
which thou wentest to seek are found :
and, lo, thy father hath left the care of
the asses, and sorroweth for thee, say
ing, What shall I do for my son ? " (1
Sam. ix., x.)
Passing the tomb, we skirt the side
of a rocky hill, and have a wide and
wild landscape of glen and mountain
on our rt. Bethlehem is a fine object
behind, occupying the summit of a
terraced ridge, clothed with the olive,
vine, and fig. Its large convent on
the eastern brow resembles an old
baronial castle ; the aqueduct from
the pools is here close to the road on
the rt. Ascending a steep hill, we
reach, in half an hour from Rachel's
tomb, the convent of Mar Elias — a
large pile of gray masonry surrounded
by a high wall. In the surface of a
smooth rock, opposite the gate, is
shown a slight depression, something
like what might be left by the human
form reclining on a bed of sand. Here,
says tradition, the prophet Elijah lay
down under the shade of an olive,
weary, hungry, and careworn, when

Palestine.

Route 7. — Plain of RepJiaim.

71

he fled from Jezebel; and here an
gels supplied his wants.
But the traveller will now have
little patience to examine the geo
logical vestiges of a miracle, for Jeru
salem is in sight. His eye first catches
the white buildings on Zion ; then to
the rt. he sees the dark domes of
Kubbet es-Sukhrah and el-Aksa, on
Moriah, and farther still the side of
Olivet, and the little minaret which
crowns its summit. A large portion of
the city is hid behind the Hill of Evil
Counsel. Descending the easy slope, having
cultivated fields on the rt. and 1, we
reach in a few minutes a well in the
centre of the road, surrounded by some
rough stones ; it is another traditional
spot. The " wise men," when dismissed
by Herod, wandered thus far in uncer
tainty. Stooping to draw water, they
suddenly saw their guiding star mir
rored in the well. The tradition, if it
has no other claim on our attention,
serves to remind us that along this
path the Eastern magi travelled from
the court of Herod to the new-eokn
Kino in Bethlehem. Descending a

little- farther, we have a low bleak
swell on the rt., and on the 1. a culti
vated plain about a mile long. It
declines gradually towards the S.W.,
terminating in a deep valley, called
Wady el Werd, "the Valley of Roses."
This is the " plain of Rephaim," where
David conquered the Philistines. (2
Sam. v. 18 ; Josh. xv. 8. It is called
in the latter passage "the Valley of
the Giants.")
The plain extends nearly to Jeru
salem. On advancing we find that it
is terminated by a narrow rocky ridge,
which breaks down abruptly on the
north side into the ravine of Hin-
nom. On the rt. this ridge rises into a
naked crown, which has received the
name of the Hill of Evil Counsel.
On its summit are a few ruins, said
to be those of the country house of
Caiaphas, the high-priest. Beside these
stands a lonely and curiously-shaped
tree, on which, tradition tells us, Judas
hanged himself.
We now descend the rocky bank of
Hinnom, cross the valley, and ascend
again to the citadel — the gate is before
us, and we enter Jerusalem.

72 Route 7. — Jerusalem. Sect. II.

JERUSALEM.

1. PRELIMINARY INFORMATION.
§ 1. Hotels. — § 2. Money, Letters, &c. — § 3. Tlie Consulate. — § 4. The English
Church. 2. TOPOGRAPHY AND STATISTICS. OF MODERN JERUSALEM.
¦§ 5. General Topography. — § 6. The Modern Walls. — § 7. Gates. — § 8. In
terior of tlie City — The Streets, Quarters, &c. — § 9. The Haram. — § 10.
Statistics. — § 11. Religious Sects — Muslems. — § 12. Jews. — § 13.
Christians. — Greeks. — § 14. Armenians. — § 15. Georgians, Copts, and
Syrians. — § 16. Latins — Terra Santa Convents. — § 17. Protestants. —
§ 18. Climate of Jerusalem.
3. HISTORICAL SKETCH OF JERUSALEM.
§ 19. Primeval Jerusalem. — § 20. Jerusalem under the Jews.- — § 21. Jerusalem
under the Romans. — § 22. Jerusalem under the Mohammedans,
4. ANCIENT TOPOGRAPHY.
§ 23. Mode of Examination— § 24. Mount Zion.—% 25. The Tyropozon.—% 26.
Mra. — § 27. Moriah. — § 28. Ophel. — § 29. Bezetha. — § 30. Tlie Valley
of Hinnom, — § 31. The Kidron. — § 32. The Mount of Olives. — § 33.
Hill of Evil Counsel. 5. JEWISH ANTIQUITIES.
§ 34. Ancient Remains — § 35. The Walls — The Tower of Hippicus. — § 36.
Wall of Zion. — % 37. Wall of Altra.— § 38. Wall of Bezetha. — § 39.
Extent and Population. — § 40. The Temple — Its Walls, Gates, Courts,
Shrine, Bridge, &c. — § 41. Fortress of Antonia. — § 42. History of the
Platform of Moriah. — § 43. The Mosque el-Aksa. — § 44. The Great Mosque.
— § 45. Objects of Interest in the Haram. — § 46. Ancient Gates of
Jerusalem. — § 47. Sutplt of Wateb — Cisterns — Fountains — Aque
ducts. — § 4S. Ancient Tombs. — § 49. Othee Ancient Sites.
6. CHRISTIAN ANTIQUITIES.
§50. Holt Sepclchbe — History — Holy Places. — §51. Holt Fibe. — § 52.
Hospital of St. John. — § 53. Cwnaculum. — § 54. The Palace of Caiaphas.
— § 55. Site of Martyrdom and Church of St. Stephen. — § 56. Churches of
St. Mary and St. Anne. — § 57. Tomb and Chapel of the Virgin. — § 58.
Gethsemane. — § 59. Church of the Ascension. — § 60. Via Dolorosa. —
§ 61. Convents. — § 62. Books on Jerusalem.

Jerusalem. Route 7. — Preliminary Information.

73

1. Preliminary Information.
§ 1. Hotels. — There are two hotels
in Jerusalem. Tlie Mediterranean, kept
by Hornstein, whose wife is a Scotch
woman. It is a large and commodious
house, well situated near the British
Consulate, and not far from the Damas
cus gate. The reports are favourable
of the landlord's civility and attention
to the comforts of his guests. The
Damascus Hotel, in the street leading
from the Damascus gate to the Church
of the Sepulchre, is also a large house,
and recommended for cleanliness, quiet,
and comfort. The charges are the
same in both, at a fixed rate by the
day for board and lodging. The rate
is moderate ; but complaints have been
made of long bills for wines and
extras. Comfortable lodgings may be
had at Mrs. Max's, who has a clean
house in a, quiet part of the city.
Apartments may also be had at the
new Russian Hospice outside the city,
and at the Hospice of the Prussian
Knights of St. John.
It sometimes happens at Easter,
which is the Jerusalem season, that
all these houses are full, or, at least,
that the best apartments in them are
occupied. Those who have tents and
equipage need not consider this any
great misfortune, as they may encamp
outside the walls, and perhaps enjoy
as much comfort as in the crowded
city. The side of the valley in front
of the citadel is the usual camping-
ground. A change may be made for a
day or two to the summit of Olivet,
so as to enjoy the splendid morning
views of the city, and evening views of
the wilderness of Judaja, the Dead Sea,
and mountains of Moab.
Although there has been much
improvement within the last few years,
yet the generality of the houses in
Jerusalem are bad and the rents high.
The thick walls and vaulted roofs com
bine with the subterranean reservoirs
and porous stone, to make the rooms
damp and gloomy. The improvements
which have taken place in architecture
are owing entirely to foreigners. The
best houses in the city are the Hospices
and Consulates.
[Syria and Palestine.]

§ 2. Money, Letters, &c. — Circular
notes and letters of credit are discounted
by Mr. Bergheim, banker. Exchange
is usually lower than at Beyrout, and
the nominal price of gold higher.
Letters may be addressed to the Eng
lish Cousulate ; and if not found there
may be inquired for at the French Post-
Office. The mails from England and
France, via Alexandria, are due on the
10th, 20th, and 30th of every month ;
and letters are despatched by tlie same
route on the 3rd, 13th, and 23rd. As
the steamboat arrangements, however,
are frequently changed, it will be well
to seek the latest information at the
Consulate, or the offices of Messageries
Imperiales. § 3. The Consulate is situated near the
new Austrian Hospice, and about half
way between the Governor's palace and
the Damascus gate. Noel Temple
Moore, Esq., the Consul, is as well
known for his courtesy and kindness
fo travellers, as for his extensive and
thorough knowledge of the country and
people. From him authentic informa
tion can always be obtained as to the
state of the roads, and the practicabil
ity of excursions to remote, dangerous,
or unfrequented localities.
§ 4. English Church. — Divine ser
vice, according to the forms of the
Church of England, is celebrated every
Sunday in Christ's Church, on Mount
Zion, near the citadel, at 10 o'clock.
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Oobat, Anglican
Bishop of Jerusalem, generally assists
at the service,

2. Topography and Statistics of
Modern Jerusalem.
§ 5. General Topography. — Jerusa
lem, called by the Arabs El-Kuds
(" The Holy ") and sometimes el-Kuds
esh-Sherif ('' Kuds the Noble "), stands
on the summit of a broad mountain
ridge, which extends in length from
the plain of Esdraelon to tlie desert
of Beersheba, and in breadth from

74

Route 7.— Jerusalem — Topography.

Sect. II.

the plains of Sharon and Philistia to
the valley of the Jordan and shores
of the Dead Sea. The summit of the
ridge is broken up into a wilderness
of bleak limestone crowns separated
by deep ravines ; so that the whole has
a dreary and desolate aspect. White
rocks project from the scanty soil, and
the soil itself is almost as white as the
rocks, save where a little fountain
trickles, or a vine stretches out its long
green branches, or a dusky olive lifts
up its rounded top and oasts its dark
shadow. In the midst Of these crowns com
mence 2 valleys. They are at first only
gentle depressions in a rocky plateau.
They both ran eastward for a short
distance ; that on the N. continues in
this direction about 1J m., and then
makes a sweep to the S., descends
rapidly, and becomes deep and narrow,
with precipitous sides. This is the Val
ley of the Kidron (2 Sam. xv. 23). The
other, after running about f m. E. by
S., turns suddenly southward, but in
less than § m. more it encounters a
rocky hill-side, which forces it again
into an eastern course. It now descends
between broken cliffs on the rt. and
shelving banks on the 1., until in J m.
farther it unites with the Kidron. This
is the " Valley of Hinnom" (Josh. xv. 8).
On the broad ridge between Hinnom
and the Kidron stands Jerusalem.
This ridge is itself divided by another
valley, tlie Tyropceon, which runs with
a slight curve from the N.W. to the
S.E., and falls into the Kidron a little
above its junction with the valley of
Hinnom. Of the two portions into
which the ridge is thus divided, that
on the west is the larger and loftier
and is the mount Zion of Scripture,
that on tho east is Moriah. All around
the site are loftier summits — nothing
approaching to mountains, but rounded,
irregular ridges, overtopping the build
ings of the city from 50 to 200 ft.,
with openings here and there, through
which glimpses at the more distant
country are obtained. On the E. is
the triple-topped Mount of Olives, its
terraced sides rising steeply from the
Valley of Jehoshaphat. On the S. is
the so-called Hill of Evil Counsel,

overhanging the ravine of Hinnom.
On the W. the ground ascends to the
brow of Wady Beit Hanina, some
2 m. distant. On the N. is the hill
Scopus, a western projection of the ridge
of Olivet. The words of the Psalmist
are thus true, whether we take them
as referring to the mountain region in
the midst of which the Holy City
stands, or to the higher summits which
actually encompass it : —
" Jerusalem, mountains encompass her ;
Jehovah encompasseth his people from
henceforth and for ever." — Ps. cxxv. 2.
Jerusalem stands in lat. 31° 46'
N., and long. 35° 18' E. from Green
wich : —
The city is 33 m. distant in a direct
line from the Mediterranean, and 15 m.
from the Dead Sea, to which there is a
descent of no less than 3870 ft.
The following elevations, taken
from the recently issued Ordnauce
Survey Map, will best indicate the
surface formation of the site and envi
rons of the city ; —
N.W. angle, at Kulat Jalud ft.
highest point of modern city. 2581
Jaffa Gate  2528
Armenian Convent on Zion . . 2550
Tyropceon at S.W. angle of
Haram  2382
Platform of Kubbet es-Sukrah . 2435
Damascus Gate  2473
Highest point of ridge within
the city north of Haram . , 252S
Kidron at N.E. angle of city wall 2300
„ at Gethsemane . . . . 2279
„ at S.E. angle of Haram. 2193
,, at BtrEyub  1979
Mount of Olives  2643
Ridge N.W. of Russian Hospice 2660
It will be seen from the foregoing
elevations, that the summit of tho
Mount of Olives is nearly 20 ft. lower
than the ridge N.W. of the new Russian
Hospice, while it is only 73 ft. higher
than Zion. The top of Zion rises 115 ft.
above the Haram, that is, the site of the
Jewish temple; while the S.E. angle
of the Haram area is about ''230 ft..

Jeetjsalem.'

Route 7. — Modern Walls — Gates.

75

higher than the bed of the Kidron be
neath it. The fall of the Kidron from
the bridge at Getbsemane to Bir
Eyub (En-Rogel), is 300 ft.; while
the fall of Hinnom from the Russian
Hospice to the same place is no less
than 570 ft.
§ 6. Tlie Modern Walls. — Jerusalem
is surrounded by walls, high, and im
posing in appearance, but far from
strong. A single discharge of heavy
artillery would lay them prostrate, yet
they are sufficient to keep in check the
roving Arab tribes and the turbulent
peasantry. They were erected as they
now stand by Sultan Suleiman in
the year 1542, and they appear to
occupy the site of the walls of the
middle ages, from the ruins of which
they are mostly constructed. On the
eastern side, along the brow of the Val
ley of Jehoshaphat, the section of the
wall S. of St. Stephen's Gate is of
far earlier date, and is constructed in
part of massive bevelled stones. Of a
similar character is the south-eastern
section : these parts form the enclo
sure of Haram esh-Sherif, the "Noble
Sanctuary." The circuit of the walls
is 4326 yds., or nearly 2J geog. m.
The form of the city is irregular, the
walls having many projections and in
dentations ; but" 4 sides can easily be
made out, and these nearly face the
cardinal points. The eastern wall runs
in nearly a straight line along the brow
of the Valley of Jehoshaphat. The
northern runs nearly W. for about
600 yds. over 2 ridges of rock, which
have been excavated to a considerable
depth on the outside, thus giving the
battlements an imposing and pictur
esque appearance. Then turning S.W.
the wall crosses the valley in which
is the Damascus Gate, and ascends the
ridge to the N.W. angle, where there
is a projection. This is the highest
point in the city, and commands a fine
panoramic view. On the outside the
rock has been cut away to some depth,
while on the inside are massive foun
dations of an ancient tower, now
called Kul'at 'elrjdlud — "Goliath's
Castle." The western wall runs S.E.
to the Yafa Gate, and then S. along •

the brow of the valley of Hinnom.
Adjoining the Yafa Gate on the S. are
the massive towers and deep moats
of the old citadel. The southern wall is
carried eastward over the level summit
of Zion, and then E. by N. in a series of
zigzags, down the declivity and across
the Tyropceon, till it joins the southern
wall of the Haram.
§ 7. Gates. — There are at present
five open gates in the walls of Jeru
salem — 2 on the S., and one near
the centre of each of the other sides.
They all seem to occupy ancient sites.
They are as follows : — 1. Bob et-KlvulU,
" the Hebron Gate," usually called by
Franks the " Yafa Gate." It is on tho
W. side of the city, close to the north
western angle of the citadel. It con
sists of a massive square tower, the
entrance to which from without is on
the northern side, and the exit with
in on the eastern. All the roads
from the country S. and W. converge
to this gate. 2. Bdb el-' Amid — " tho
Gate of the Column," better known as
the "Damascus Gate" — is on the N.,
in the centre of the valley between the
2 ridges on which the city stands. It
is the most ornamental of the gates,
and presents an imposing appearance,
with its turrets, battlements and ma
chicolations. From it runs the great
north road, past the tombs of the kings,
and over the ridge of Scopus, to Sa
maria and Damascus. 3. Bdb el-Asbdt,
" the Gate of the Tribes," called by native
Christians Bdb Sitty Mariam " the Gate
of my Lady Mary," and by Franks
" St. Stephen's Gate," is on the E. side,
about 200 ft. N. of the Haram wall.
It is a plain portal, with lions sculp
tured over it. A road from it leads
down to the bottom of the Kidron,
and thence over Olivet to Bethany and
Jericho. 4. Bdb el-Mughdribeh, "tho
Gate of the Western Africans," called
by Franks the " Dung Gate," is a small
obscure portal on the S. side of the
city, near the centre of the Tyropceon.
It does not appear to have been
much used, though a path from it
leads down to the village of Silwan.
5. Bdb en-Neby Ddud, "the Gate of
the Prophet David," "Zion Gate," is
e 2

76

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Interior.

Sect. II.

on the summit of the ridge of Zion,
and has in front of it a small Armenian
convent, and a group of buildings
clustering round the tomb of David.
Besides these there are 2 gates, now
walled up. The first is on the N. side,
about half way between the Damascus
Gate and the N.E. angle of the city.
It is a small portal in a tower, and has
been shut since 1834. Natives call it
Bdb ez-Zahery — "the Gate of Flowers;"
but it is better known in books as
" the Gate of Herod." The second is
the well-known " Golden Gate " in the
eastern wall of the Haram, to which
I shall again refer (see § 40). Its
Arab name is Bdb ed-Dahariyeh —
" the Eternal Gate ;" and it is some
times called Bdb et-Taubeh, " Gate of
Repentance." § 8. Interior of the City. — The streets
of Jerusalem are more regular than
those of most Eastern cities, and, con
sidering the defective state of sanitary
laws, they are not very filthy. They are
narrow, and wretchedly paved, where
paved at all. A few of the leading
thoroughfares run in what Easterns
would probably call straight lines, and
they serve as a key to the rest. One
street — and it is generally the first
trodden by western pilgrim — leads
from the Yafa Gate eastward past
the open space beside the citadel,
then down the side of the ridge and
across the valley to the principal en
trance of the Haram, Bdb es-Silsilah.
This is called by Mr. Williams " the
Street pf David," and we may adopt
the name. Another main street com
mences at the Damascus Gate, traverses
the city from N. to S., passing near
the eastern end of the Church of the
Sepulchre, and through the principal
bazaar, and terminating a little east
ward of the Zion Gate. The northern
section of it is called " the Street of the
Gate of the Column," and the southern
" the Street of the Gate of the prophet
David." These 2 streets divide the
city into 4 quarters. The N.E. is
the Muslem quarter, the N.W. the
Christian, the S.W. tho Armenian, and
the S.E. the Jewish. The principal
building in the Muslem quarter is the

Serai, or " palace," a large straggling
structure, adjoining the Haram area on
the N.E. From its flat roof, to which
admission is readily obtained on appli
cation to the military governor, one
gets the best view of the sacred enclo
sure and the numerous structures with
which it is adorned. There are also
in this quarter the beautiful little
church of St. Anne, recently restored
by the French; the new Austrian
Hospice; and the English, French,
Prussian, and Austrian Consulates. In
the Christian quarter is the Latin
convent, very conspicuous from its lofty
position near the N.W. angle of the
city. A little below it to the S.E. is
the Church of the Sepulchre, which
is joined on the W. by the Greek
convent. The Armenian convent, the
largest building in the city, occupies
a noble site on the summit of 'Zion.
Near it on the N. is the English
church,' simple and chaste in style.
But by far the most remarkable and
striking building in this quarter is the
citadel, whose massive towers loom
heavily over all around them. The
Jewish quarter has no structure of note,
with the exception of the new Syna
gogues. It embraces the eastern de
clivity of Zion and a part of the
Tyropceon below. Until within the last
few years the lanes and houses in this
quarter were in a wretched state of
squalor and dilapidation; but a great
change for the better has taken place,
chiefly owing to the enlightened efforts
and princely generosity of Sir Moses
Montefiore. Two other streets may here be no
ticed as guides to the traveller. The
first runs northward from the Street of
David, passing between the Church
of the Sepulchre and the Greek convent.
It is called " Christian Street." It
contains a number of Frank shops.
About the centre of it a narrow lane
leads down eastward to the door of the
Church of the Sepulchre, and also to
the fine old gateway of the palace of the
knights of St. John. Another street
commences at the Latin convent, passes
down through gloomy archways to the
I bed of the Tyropceon, and then, after
I 2 sharp turns, strikes across in front of

Jerusalem. Route 7. — Tlie Haram — Population.

77

the Serai to St. Stephen's Gate. This
is the Via Dolorosa of the monks ; but
called " The Street of the Palace " by
residents.

§ 9. — The Haram constitutes a
quarter of itself, almost equal in ex
tent to one-fourth of the city. It is
beautiful, too, as it is spacious. The
massive and lofty walls that surround
and support it; the green grass of
the enclosure, dotted with olives and
cypresses, and ornamented by marble
fountains and Mihrabs ; the broad ele
vated platform, encircled by graceful
arches, and diversified by carved
pulpits, prayer-niches, and cupolas ;
and the great mosque itself, with its
noble dome rising up in the centre of
all, bright and gorgeous as a vision
of fairy-land, its enamelled tiles glit
tering in the sun-beams, and exhibiting
all the hues of the rainbow wrought
into patterns of wondrous intricacy and
grace. These together form a picture,
such as is scarcely surpassed in the
world ; it is alike the pride and orna
ment of the city, well worthy of its
name, el-Haram esh-Sherif—'' the Noble
Sanctuary." It is so secluded, so
atill and solemn, that the very sight
impresses one with a sense of^ its
sacredness ; and when, on a bright
summer eve, dome and cupola, and
fretted wall, give back the ruddy tint
of the western sky, and white figures
of veiled women steal, spectral-like,
through the sombre foliage, and tur-
baned heads bow before numerous
prayer-niches, a scene is formed which
no Eastern poet ever surpassed in
the most glowing conceptions of his
fancy. It is Kubbet es-Sukhrah—" the Dome
of the Rock " — for such is the name
of the central mosque— and its spaci
ous area, which give such a charm
to every view of Jerusalem from
the Mount of Olives ; and perhaps
there is not one point where we see it
to such advantage as that where the
road from Bethany tops the southern
shoulder of the hill. Then the ravines
of Hinnom and Jehoshaphat arc seen
sweeping round the ridges on which

the city stands ; the Haram is in the
foreground, perched on the top of Mo
riah, supported by massive walls ;
beyond are the white and grey build
ings of the city, undulating over the
summits and sides of Zion, Akra, and
Bezetha, and diversified with dome
and minaret ; while the whole is en
circled by a picturesque zigzag line of
battlements.

Another remarkable feature im
presses itself on the traveller as he
views the city from some commanding
eminence. The walls seem a great
deal too large for it. The buildings
do not nearly fill up the space enclosed.
There is a group of gardens at the
north-eastern angle ; and there is
another group at the north-western :
at the south-western angle is the large
garden of the Armenian convent ;
while an extensive tract of waste
ground — partly covered with heaps of
rubbish, partly overgrown with prickly
pear — extends along the southern wall
from Zion Gate to the Haram. And the
site of the once splendid palace of
the knights of St. John, in the very
centre of the city, is at present bare
and desolate.
§ 10.- — The population of Jerusalem
has been variously estimated at from
10,000 to 30,000 ; and there are as yet
no sufficient data for a correct census.
The following table gives as close an
approximate to the true numbers as
can be made under present circum
stances.

Population.

Sects.
Muslems . .
Jews ..
GreeksLatins Other Sects
Total ..

Numbers. 4,0008,000 1,800
. 1,300 900
. 16,000

§ 11, Religious Sects. — The Mo
hammedans, as a body, are natives.
The few foreigners among them are

78

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Religious Sects. Sect. II.

Turks in the service of the government,
soldiers, and pilgrims from various parts
of the Mohammedan world. There is
a large number of Dervishes connected
with the Haram, living in idleness
on its ample revenues. These fellows
make the city a hotbed of fanaticism,
so that one cannot approach the pre
cincts of their den without being
assailed with abuse.
§ 12. — The Jews are divided into
2 sects, the Sephardim and the Aske-
nazim. The Sephardim are of Spanish
origin, having been driven out of that
country in 1497 by Ferdinand and
Isabella. They were at first scattered
among the great cities of the Turkish
empire, but they gradually congregated
in Jerusalem. Though they have been
long resident in the Holy City, com
paratively few of them speak Arabic ;
a corrupt Spanish is their language.
They are subjects of the sultan, but
are permitted to have their own rab
binical laws. Their Chief Rabbi is
called Khakham Bashi by the Turks ;
his Hebrew title is "the Head in
Zion." His principal interpreter has
a seat in the Mejlis or " council " of
the city.
The Askenazim are chiefly of Ger
man and Polish origin, and their
numbers are continually augmented
by fresh arrivals. They are all
foreigners, and subject only to the
consular agents of their native coun
tries. They were re-admitted into
Palestine in the beginning of the pre
sent century under the wing of the
Sephardim. The Askenazim are sub
divided into several sects : — the Peru-
shin or " Pharisees," who are the most
numerous ; the Khasidim, or " Pious,"
characterized by intense fanaticism,
and the Khabaad.
The Karaites form a small but dis
tinct community. They reject the
Talmud, and receive the 0. T., but
they are few in number and weak in
influence. The Askenazim have a chief rabbi,
but the only authority acknowledged

by the government is the Khakham
Bashi of the Sephardim.
The whole Jewish community, being
mainly supported by contributions from
Europe, and being taught to regard
those contributions as a debt owing
to them, spend their time in idleness.
A few study the Talmud and con
troversial works in the reading-rooms,
of which they have 36, with a large
paid staff of readers. The news of
the funds collected for them by their
brethren in other countries, and of the
large sums occasionally contributed for
their relief by benevolent friends in
England, attract numbers of the needy
and idle to the Holy City. Paupers
are thus increasing more than propor
tionally to the alms of the charitable,
and human misery is aggravated by
an unwise liberality.
§ 13.- — -The Christians are divided
into the following sects : —
The Greeks or members of the
" Holy Orthodox Church of the East,"
number about 1500. They are all
native Arabs, speaking the language .
of the country, and having their own
secular married clergy. The Patri
arch of Jerusalem is their head. By
the Nicene Council (a.d. 325) the
Metropolitan of Csesarea was appointed
spiritual chief of all Palestine. In the
5th centy., however, Juvenal, bishop
of Jerusalem, not only withdrew from
the jurisdiction of his Metropolitan,
but, invading the rights, of the Patri
arch of Antioch, claimed for himself
patriarchal jurisdiction over a large
part of Syria. The Council of Chal-
cedon confirmed his usurpation, giving
him the title still held by his succes
sors, and spiritual supremacy in Pales
tine. The Patriarch of Jerusalem
has subject to him 14 sees, but some
of them have now neither bishops nor
flocks. He was long an absentee, re
siding at Constantinople; but since
1845 he has taken up his abode in the
convent beside the Church of the
Sepulchre. The patriarch, the supe
rior clergy, and all the monks, are
foreigners, generally from the Greek
islands, and speaking only the Greek
language.

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Religious Sects.

79

§ 14. — The Armenians are a branch
of that church and nation whose mem
bers are spread so widely over the
various provinces of the Turkish em
pire. They early adopted the mono-
physite doctrine, which, being pro
nounced heretical by the Council of
Chalcedon in a.d. 491, separated them
from the churches of the East and
West. The community at Jerusalem
numbers about 300, who are all fo
reigners, generally engaged in com
merce and trade. Their spiritual ruler
is styled Patriarch of Jerusalem. His
authority extends over Palestine and
Cyprus, and he is subject only to
the " Catliolicus of Etchmiazine." The
Armenian convent on Mount Zion is
the largest and richest in the city, and
its ch., dedicated to St. James, one of
the most gorgeous.
§ 15. — The Georgians, Copts, and
Syrians. — The Georgians were at one
time among the wealthiest and most
influential of the Christian sects in
Jerusalem ; but as the nation declined
in its far-distant mountain-home, so
also did its representative in the Holy
City. The Greeks and Armenians
gradually bought up their convents
and property; and now they are de
pendent upon the former for hospi
tality when they visit any of the sacred
shrines. The Copts and Abyssinians
possess 2 convents, — one, called Den
es-Sultan, on the N. side of the pool of
Hezekiah ; the other on the E. of the
Church of the Sepulchre. The Syrians
are under the protection of the Arme
nians, and have a small convent on
Zion, called the " House of Mark."
§ 16. The Latins are principally se-
ceders from the Greek Church. They
are mostly natives of Syria, and speak
the Arabic language. Some of them
get a scanty subsistence by carving
beads, crosses, and other trinkets for
pilgrims ; while a few more have their
wants supplied from the alms of the
great convent.
On the introduction of the monastic
system into Syria in the 4th centy.,
hundreds of pilgrims began to crowd
to the hallowed scenes of Bible history,

and cluster round them in cells and
grots. Many came from countries in
which the authority of Rome was para
mount. Of these the most celebrated,
and by far the most influential, was
St. Jerome, who settled at Bethlehem
in 386. Paula, a noble Roman lady
who accompanied him to his her
mitage, soon afterwards founded 4
convents. Others were added during
subsequent centuries; but it was in
the time of the crusades that the
Church of Rome was enabled to esta
blish an active and wide-spread eccle
siastical agency in this land. The
head-quarters were at first in the
" Hospital of the Knights of St. John "
(§ 52). From it they were driven, on
the capture of the city by Saladin,
and took up their abode on Zion,
around the spot where the tomb of
David now stands. This also was
wrested from them, and they then
bought the present convent of St. Sal
vador, to which they removed in 1561,
The remains of the Latin ecclesias
tical establishments are now well
known by the name of Terra Santa
convents. They are all in the hands
of that class of the Franciscans called
Fratres Minores Ab Observantia, and
are under the superintendence of a
"warden," having the rank of abbot,
and styled " Guardian of Mount Zion
and Keeper of the Holy Land." In
1847 a Latin Patriarch was appointed
for Jerusalem, and he has spiritual
oversight of the country, though not of
the convents. There are at present
14 convents in Syria subject to the
warden, namely, Jerusalem, St. John
in the Desert, Ramleh, Bethlehem,
Yafa, 'Akka, Nazareth, Sidon, Beyrout,
Tripoli, Larissa, Aleppo, Damascus,
and Mount Lebanon.
§ 17. Protestants. — The little Pro
testant community owes its existence
mainly to the efforts of the "London
Society for Promoting Christianity
among the Jews." The first mission
of inquiry was sent to Palestine in
1820; but it was not till 1824 that
Dr. Dalton, the first missionary, took
up his residence in Jerusalem. He
died in 1826, shortly after the arrival

80

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Religious Sects — Climate. Sect. II.

of the late Rev. J. Nicolayson. After
many difficulties had been overcome — ¦
such as those who have to deal with
Turks are but too well accustomed to
— ground was at length bought for the
erection of a Protestant ch. Some
temporary buildings were commenced,
and had risen to the height of one
story, when the death of the architect
and the breaking out of war with
Egypt put a stop to farther progress.
In 1841 an agreement was entered
into by the English and Prussian go
vernments to establish a bishopric of
the Anglican Church at Jerusalem,
with a diocese embracing Mesopota
mia, Chaldsea, Syria, Palestine, Egypt,
and Abyssinia. It was stipulated that
the bishop should be nominated alter
nately by the crowns of England and
Prussia, the Archbishop of Canterbury
having the right of veto with respect
to those nominated by the latter ; that
special care should be taken not to
divide or interfere with the members
of other churches represented at Jeru
salem, and more especially of the " Or
thodox Church of the East;" and far
ther that all German (Lutheran) con
gregations should be under the care
of German clergymen ordained by the
bishop, and under his jurisdiction. To
provide an endowment, the king of
Prussia at once gave the large sum of
15,000Z., the annual interest of which
amounting to 600/., with 6001. more
raised in England, constitutes the
bishop's income. Accordingly, in the
autumn of 1841 Michael Solomon
Alexander, a Jewish proselyte, was
consecrated first bishop of the United
Church of England and Ireland in
Jerusalem. He died in 1845, and was
succeeded by the present prelate, the
Rt. Rev. Samuel Gobat, formerly mis
sionary in Abyssinia.
In 1*842 the foundation-stone of the
new church was laid by Bishop Alex
ander. The work continued to ad
vance till Jauuary, 1843, when the
Turkish authorities interfered, insist
ing that if a church were erected at
all it must be attached to and de
pendent on a consulate. Such were
the degrading conditions imposed by
the Sultan upon England, though only

2 years previously he had been in
debted to English arms for the whole
of Syria !

§ 18. — The Climate of Jerusalem is
on the whole salubrious ; and it might
be much improved, within the walls
at least, by a proper attention to clean
liness. Vegetable and animal matter
to an enormous extent is thrown into
the courts, streets, and waste places
within the walls, and there allowed
slowly to decay. Most of the houses
are destitute of proper sewerage, and
badly ventilated ; while not a few of
them, especially in the Jewish quarter,
are dripping with damp. The cis
terns and reservoirs, both covered and
uncovered, which abound in the city,
are permitted to become stagnant and
foul. These things combine to pro
duce both malignant and intermittent
fevers during the summer and autumn.
The general temperature of the
mountainous region on which the city
stands does not differ much from that
of the south of France ; but there is
a wide difference in other respects.
The variations of rain, sunshine, and
shade, which in a greater or less de
gree exist during the summer in most
parts of Em-ope, are here unknown.
From May to September is one unin
terrupted blaze of sunshine. There
is generally a breeze ; but as during
the day it is wafted across white sterile
hills, by which the sun's rays arc
strongly reflected, it becomes like tho
" breath of a furnace." The rains
begin about the middle of October.
Snow often falls in January and Feb
ruary; and ice occasionally appears
on the surface of the pools. The rains
usually cease in April, though showers
sometimes fall in May. The sirocco
wind, which blows at intervals in
spring and the early part of summer,
is the most oppressive. This wind
always comes from the S., and illus
trates our Lord's words in Luke xii.
55, — "When ye see the south wind
blow, ye say, There will be heat ; and
it cometh to pass."

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Historical Slcetch.

81

3. Historical Sketch of Jerusalem,
§ 19. The great interest attached
to Jerusalem is connected with its
historical associations. There is little
in the character of its antiquities,
or in its situation, or in its present
state, to attract attention; but when
viewed in the light of sacred history it
is the most interesting spot on earth.
Rightly to appreciate it, therefore, we
must know its history. Every hill
and vale, every fountain and grove,
and almost every grot and stone has
its story. Reference to separate inci
dents and associations will be made
more intelligible to most travellers by
a connected introductory sketch of the
leading facts in Jerusalem's long his
tory. This sketch will save the trouble
of reference to larger works, and per
haps also prepare the way for a more
minute and profitable examination of
these works at a future time.
Primeval Jerusalem. — The name
Jerusalem signifies " Foundation of
Peace ; " and Josephus states in two
places that the Salem of which Mel-
chizedec was king occupied the site
of this city. There is nothing either
in its position or history to render this
statement doubtful. I feel inclined,
therefore, to adopt the view of the
Jewish historian (Gen. xiv. 17-20),
Another event, which occurred a few.
years subsequent to Abraham's inter
view with Melchizedec, was likewise
enacted here. Upon a mountain in
the "land of Moriah" Abraham was
commanded to offer his son Isaac in
sacrifice to God (Gen. xxii. 2) ; upon
that same mountain David sacrificed
to the Lord, and stayed tho hand of
the avenging angel (1 Chron. xxi.);
and upon it, in the temple built by
Solomon, the " glory of God" was for
many years visibly manifested (2
Chron. iii. 1, and vii. 1). The name
is strikingly applicable to the spot —
Moriah signifies " Chosen of Jehovah."
Nearly 5 centuries after the trial of
Abraham's faith his posterity obtained
possession of the " Land of Promise ; "
and Adonizedec king of Jerusalem
was one of those native princes who

most valiantly resisted the invaders.
One cannot but remark the resem
blance of this man's name to that of
Melchizedec — the former signifying
" Lord of Righteousness," and the
latter " King of Righteousness." The
city was then called Jebus, because it
was inhabited by the Jelmsites, the
descendants of a son of Canaan (Gen.
x. 16; 1 Chron. xi. 4). And this war
like tribe held " the castle of Zion,"
till the time of David, whose first
expedition after he was proclaimed
king over all Israel was against it;
and the first man who entered it was
Joab (1 Chron. xi. 4-8 ; B.C. 1048).
§ 20. Jerusalem under the Jews. —
David erected his palace on the ruins
of the Jebusite castle, and called it
"the city of David." Thirty-seven
years later Solomon laid the founda
tions of the Temple on the opposite
hill of Moriah, on the " threshing-floor
of Oman the Jebusite" (2 Sam. xxiv.
16, 17). Jerusalem thus became the
sacred and civil capital of the Jewish "
nation (1 Kings ix. 3 ; Ps. lxviii. 16).
Jerusalem attained its greatest pitch
of power during the reign of Solomon.
When the kingdom was rent by the
folly of Rehoboam the capital lost
much of its importance. It passed
through many changes of fortune,
until, 460 years after its capture by
David, it was plundered and burned
by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
During 53 years the Israelites re
mained captives, and Jerusalem a ruin.
Then Cyrus, having- ascended the
throne of the Medo-Persian empire,
released the captives and sent them
back to rebuild their city and temple.
When the foundations of the Temple
were laid, "the people," writes Ezra,
" shouted for joy ; but many of tho
Levites who had seen the first house
wept with a loud voice" (iii. 11, 12).
Owing to the misrepresentations of
their enemies, especially the Samari
tans, the Jews were retarded in their
work, and 20 years elapsed ere the
Temple was completed.
From this time until the extension
of the Grecian empire over Western
Asia by Alexander the Great, Jeru-
E3

82

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Historical Sketch. Sect. II.

salem enjoyed comparative tranquil
lity, the high-priests exercising both
civil and ecclesiastical authority, sub
ject to the Persian satraps. The way
in which the city was saved from the
wrath of Alexander has already been
stated (Prelim. Rem. — History), and
the reader is referred to the Introduc
tory Historical Sketch of Syria and
Palestine for an accoimt of the leading
events till the time of Herod the
Great. Herod was of Idmnsean origin,
and obtained the title of king of
Judsea from Rome in the year b.c 38.
He was ambitious, unscrupulous, and
cruel; and he ruled the Jews with
an iron sceptre, while he shocked
their religious feelings by the intro
duction of idolatrous rites and the
erection of heathen temples. But,
strange as it may seem, his greatest
architectural work was the Temple at
Jerusalem. It was commenced in the
18th year of his reign, and the prin
cipal parts were finished in about 9
years, though the whole was not com
pleted till long after his death, and
about 4 years previous to Christ's
public ministry. Hence the statement
of the Jews, — " Forty and six years
was this temple in building " (John ii.
20). The buildings were then so
beautiful, that even the disciples of
our Lord led him out to a command
ing point on the side of Olivet that
He might see and admire them. It
was then Jesus uttered the fearful
prediction, — "See ye not all these
things ? Verily I say unto you, There
shall not be left here one stone upon
another that shall not be thrown
down" (Matt. xxiv. 1, 2). The modern
traveller who looks into the Haram
can see how literally these words have
been fulfilled. Not a stone of the
Temple now remains, and its very site
is a subject of dispute. Forty years
after the crucifixion the Romans
stormed the city, massacred, it is said,
more than a milUon of Jews, and razed
the Temple to the ground.
§ 21 . Jerusalem under tlie Romans. —
After the capture of Jerusalem Titus
ordered that the whole of the western
wall, with the 3 great towers, Hippicus,

Phasaelus, and Mariamne, should be
left standing to serve the double pur
pose of a protection for the garrison
and a memorial of the strength of for
tifications Roman valour had won. A
number of Jews clung to the ruins,
"and for 50 years after its destruction,"
as Jerome informs us, " there still ex
isted remnants of the city." About the
year 130 the Emperor Hadrian visited
Palestine, and, observing that the Jews
were plotting to throw off the Roman
yoke, he banished most of them to
Africa, and fortified Jerusalem to serve
as a check oh the nation. These very
precautions, however, were the means
of exciting the Jews to rebellion. No
sooner had the emperor returned to
Rome, than, under the celebrated leader
Bar-Cochba, "Son of a Star," they
seized the Holy City, with 50 other
fortified places, and a great number of
villages. But their success was of
short duration. A large army marched
against them, and they were driven
from fortress to fortress, fighting with
all the energy of despair, until at last
they concentrated their forces in the
city of Bether. Here the war was
brought to a close (a.d. 135) by the
storming of their stronghold. Those
who escaped the sword of the conqueror
were sold into slavery — many of them
at the Oak of Mamre, where Abraham
so often pitched his tent. A decree
was then promulgated, forbidding all
Jews to approach Jerusalem.
Jerusalem was rebuilt under Hadrian,
and in the 20th year of his reign re
ceived the name JElia Capitolina —
"the former after the prsenomen of the
emperor, and the latter in honour of
Jupiter Capitolinus, whose fane now
occupied the place of the Jewish
temple." Thus was the capital of
Israel transformed into a pagan city,
with Jupiter as its patron-god. From
this period till the time of Constan
tine little is known of the history of
Jerusalem, Christianity appears to
have been tolerated in it. Before the
destruction of Jerusalem by Titus
the Christians had fled to Pella, and
there is no definite account of their
return. Early in the 3rd century
Jerusalem began to attract the atten-

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Historical Sttetch.

83

tion of Christian pilgrims, and their
numbers rapidly increased as Chris
tianity advanced. When the Christian
religion was established by Constan
tine, the difficulties that had beset the
way of pilgrims were removed, and a
new stimulus was given to pilgrimages
by the example of Helena, the emperor's
mother, who at the age of nearly 80
years visited the " Holy Places," and
gave orders for the erection of churches
on the supposed sites of the "Nativity"
in Bethlehem and the "Ascension" on
Olivet (a.d. 326).
Another " Holy Place " was soon
afterwards discovered, or recovered,
which has since occasioned no little
commotion in Christendom — the " Holy
Sepulchre." The alleged discovery
of spots so sacred attracted crowds
of the pious and superstitious from
every Christian land. The effect of
these pilgrimages on the topography of
the country, in such an age, may be
easily imagined. The resident clergy
were naturally desirous, like their re
presentatives now, of satisfying the
expectations and gratifying the wishes
of the numerous pilgrims : holy sites
were asked for, sought for, and soon
either found or invented. Under Con
stantine the Jews were again permitted
to visit Jerusalem; and Julian the
Apostate gave them permission to re
build their Temple. They began to
lay the foundations in a.d. 362 ; but
they were soon stopped and driven
in terror from the spot, as contempo
rary authors inform us, by globes of
flame bursting from tbe earth, and
other manifestations of Divine disap
probation. Again, on the death of
Julian, they were forbidden to enter
the city, except once a year to weep
over the ruins of the Temple. Then
probably commenced that affecting-
practice which the traveller can still
witness every Friday at the " Place of
AVailing." Jerusalem was raised to the dignity
of a Patriarchate by a decree of the
Council of Chalcedon (§ 13). In a.d.
529 Justinian became emperor. Ho
built a church in honour of the Virgin
in the southern part of the Haram
enclosure. In the beginning of the

following century the 'Persians, under
Chosroes II., having captured Antioch
and Damascus, took Jerusalem by
storm, massacred thousands of the
clergy, monies, nuns, and Christian
inhabitants, destroyed the" Church of
the Sepulchre, and carried off the
Patriarch into captivity. The ch. was
soon rebuilt ; and ere many years had
elapsed the Patriarch returned and
entered the city in triumph.
§ 22. Jerusalem under the Moham
medans. — The restoration of the city to
the dominion of the Christians was of
short duration. In the year 636 the
Muslem troops, under the Khalif Omar,
appeared before the. walls ; and after a
long siege the inhabitants surrendered,
on condition that their lives, their pro
perty, and their churches should be
secured to them. On entering the
city, Omar inquired for the site of
the Jewish temple, and, being led to
the place on Moriah where the cele
brated "Rock" projects above the
ground, he gave orders for the erection
of a mosque, which was soon afterwards
succeeded by the well-known Kubbet
es-Sukhrah — " the Dome of the Rock."
The mosque, as it now stands, appears
to have been built by the Khalif Abd
el-Melek in the year 686. The Church
of the Virgin, erected by Justinian, as
it stood within the sacred enclosure of
the ancient temple, was changed into
a mosque, and called el-Aksa; and
the whole area was remodelled and
adorned. From this period till the middle of
the 10th centy. Jerusalem remained
subject to the Khalifs of Damascus
and Baghdad, who generally respected
the rights of the Christians, and did
not interfere with pilgrims. But about
a.d. 967 the Fatimites, who had long-
ruled Kairwan (Cyrene), extended
their conquests over Egypt and Syria,
and removed the seat of thefr govern
ment to Cairo. On gaining Jerusalem
they oppressed the Christians, burned
the Church of the Sepulchre, and com
mitted the Patriarch to the flames.
Very soon, however, they found it
more profitable to tax than to exter
minate the Christians ; and they were

84

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Ancient Topography. Sect. II.

able to replenish an exhausted trea
sury by the enormous exactions levied
on pilgrims. Matters remained in
this state till the accession of Hakim,
the third Fatimite Khalif, a wild and
visionaiy fanatic, well known as the
spiritual prince of the Druzes. About
the year 1010 he began a fearful per
secution of the Christians. The Church
of the Sepulchre was- razed, and at
tempts made to destroy the sepulchre
itself. The ch. was rebuilt, and com
pleted in 1048.
In the middle of the 11th centy. the
Seljukian Turks extended their con
quests over Western Asia ; and the
conquered provinces_.were bestowed as
rewards on distinguished chiefs. In
the year 1083 a leader called Ortok
thus acquired possession of Jerusalem.
The situation of the Christians now
became deplorable. Every species of
cruelty was perpetrated on both pil
grims and residents. In the midst of
these calamities Peter the Hermit
visited the city. Hastening back to
Rome, he told, at the feet of the Pope,
the harrowing tale. His zeal and elo
quence roused alike the indignation
and the chivalry of Europe, and a
Crusade was organised to wrest the
Holy Sepulchre from the hands of
the Infidel. Antioch was taken by the
crusaders in 1097, and Jerusalem 2
years afterwards. The first care of the
crusaders was to purify the churches
and shrines which the Muslems had
defiled. They then rebuilt the Church
of the Sepulchre. The city remained in
the hands of the Christians for 88 years,
when it was captured by Saladin ; and
32 years afterwards the Muslems pulled
down the walls, with the exception of
those of the citadel and the Haram,
lest the city should again fall iuto the
hands of the Franks. Thus it re
mained for 10 years, and was then de
livered over by treaty to the crusaders
(a.d. 1229). An attempt was made a
few years subsequently to rebuild the
walls, but the Emir of Kerak attacked
and captured the city. Four years
later the Christians again obtained
possession, but in a few months (a.d.
1243) they were driven out for the

last time ; and the Holy city has ever
since remained under the sway of tlie
Muslem.

4. Ancient Topography.
§ 23.— The first object of the Bib
lical scholar, and indeed of every man
who travels for improvement, on ar
riving in Jerusalem, will be to make
himself acquainted with the position,
extent, and general features of the
several hills and valleys so often men
tioned hi' history. It throws an inex
pressible charm around every incident
in Scripture, when, on reading it, we
can call up the scene where it was
enacted. To secure this perennial
pleasure a careful and methodic ex
amination is necessary. We must
connect each place with its story, and
fix them together in the memory.
First, then, take your map, and go
to the most prominent points of view
around the city, such as the N.W.
corner of the wall, where from the
battlements -a, fine panoramic view is
gained. Next to the N.E. corner;
and it is as well to go to it from tho
former along the wall. Next .'.to. St.
Stephen's Gate, from the top of; which
we can overlook the Haram area. Then
to the S.E. angle of the Haram outside,
to see the Kidron and Siloam ; and
after this to the southern brow of Zion,
passing round the tomb of David, so as
to command the lower sections of the
Tyropceon and Hinnom. Afterwards
go to the top of the Mount of Olives,
and, sitting down on some projecting
rock, study every feature in the pano
rama. Here, as at the other stations,
spread out the map before you, and
identify every hill and valley, and
every prominent building, not only in
the city itself, but in its environs. An
hour thus spent on Olivet will give the
stranger a clearer idea of Jerusalem
than days of indiscriminate wandering
(see this view described, § 32). , If the
'General Topography' given above
(§ 5) be glanced at along with the
map, the way will be prepared for a
profitable study of the details of the
'Ancient Topography,' which, how-

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Mount Zion.

85

ever, should always be read before
hand, and then compared on the spot.
Having thus mastered the general
outline of the site and its environs,
the traveller may next trace the lines
of the ancient walls as he finds them
described under a subsequent head
(§ 35-38) : the ' Antiquities ' may next
be taken up, in whatever order seems
most convenient.
§ 24. Mount Zion. — Of the several
hills on which Jerusalem was built,
Zion is the largest, and in many re
spects the most interesting. It occu
pies the south-western section of the
ancient site, extending considerably
farther S. than the opposite ridge of
Moriah and Ophel. The western and
southern sides rise abruptly from the
bed of the valley of Hinnom, and ap
pear to have originally consisted of a
series of rocky precipices rising one
above another like stairs ; but now they
are partially, and in some places deep
ly, covered with loose soil and the
debris of buildings. The southern
brow of Zion is bold and prominent ;
and its position, separated from other
heights and surrounded by deep val
leys, makes it seem loftier than any
other point in the city, though it is in
reality lower than the ground at the
N.W. corner of the wall. The eleva
tion of the hill above the Valley of
Hinnom, at the point where it bends
eastward, is 300 ft. ; and above the
Kidron, at En-Rogel, 500 ft. On
the S.E. Zion slopes down in a series
of cultivated terraces, steeply, though
not abruptly, to the site of the " King's
Gardens," where Hinnom, the Tyro
pceon, and the Kidron unite. Here
and round to the S. the declivities
are sprinkled with olive-trees, which
grow luxuriantly among narrow strips
of corn. Tlie scene cannot but recall
the words of Micah— "Zion shall be
ploughed like a field " (Jer. xxvi. 18).
On the E. the descent to the Ty
ropceon is at first gradual, but as we
proceed northward to the modern
wall it becomes steeper ; and about
300 yds. within the wall, directly
facing the S.W. angle of the Haram,
there is a precipice of rock from 20 to

30 ft. high. The declivity is here
encumbered with heaps of filth and
rubbish, overgrown in places with
prickly-pear. The Tyropceon was
anciently much deeper at this point
than it is now ; it has been filled
up by the ruins of the bridge, the
temple walls and the palaces of Zion
to a depth of more than 130 ft. The
best view of the eastern slopes of Zion
and the southern section of the Tyro
pceon is obtained from the top of the
wall in descending from Zion Gate to
the Dung Gate.
The limits of Zion for so far cannot
be mistaken ; on the northern side,
however, they are not so well defined.
But a careful study of the topographi
cal notices of Josephus, combined with
an examination of the whole site of the
city, can leave little doubt on the mind
as to the true boundary of Zion on the
N. It would be out of place here to
introduce recent controversies regard
ing the position of Mount Zion. It
is enough to say that I have read
with care the arguments on both
sides, I have consulted anew the
ancient authorities, and I have found
no sufficient reason to change the
opinion which I formed years ago, and
which I have endeavoured to embody
as clearly and as briefly as possible in
these pages. Some will not agree with
me ; but I claim a liberty which I wil
lingly accord to others — that of ex
pressing my own opinion.
From the descriptions and incidental
notices of Josephus the following facts
may be gathered : — That the " Upper
City," built on Zion, was surrounded
by ravines ; that it was separated from
the " Lower City " (Akra) by a valley
called the Tyropoeon ; that upon a
crest of rock 30 cubits high, on the
northern brow of Zion, stood 3 great
towers — Hippicus, Phasaelus, and
Mariamne ; that the wall enclosing the
Upper City on the N. ran by these
towers to a place called the Xystus,
and joined the western wall of the
temple area ; that there was a gate in
that western wall, northward of this '
point of junction, opening into Akra ;
that the Xystus was near to, and com
manded by, the W. wall of the Temple

Route 7.— Jerusalem — Ancient Topography. Sect. II.

area, though not united to it, and that
the royal palace adjoined and over
looked the Xystus on the W., while it
was also attached to the great towers
above mentioned; and, lastly, that
feoth the Xystus and palace were con
nected, at their southern end, by a
bridge, with the temple area (see Jos.,
B. J.,\. 4; vi. 6, 2; ii. 16, 3; Ant,
xv. 11, 5). The site of the temple area
being well known (§ 40), and the re
mains of the ancient bridge undoubt
edly discovered (§ 40), the positions of
the Xystus and the palace can be seen
at a glance. The Xystus occupied the
western side of the Tyropoeon, extend
ing from about the Street of David
(§ 8) to the remains of the bridge ;
while the palace lay along its western
side, covering the summit of the hill.
Adjoining the palace on the N. were
the great towers and the wall.
But Josephus states that Zion and
Akra were built " fronting each other,
¦ separated by a valley, at which the
rows of houses terminated.'' This
valley must, in part at least, have
bounded Zion on the N. ; and yet it is
scarcely distinguishable in the present
day. A continuous ridge, as has already
been stated, runs along the eastern side
of Hinnom, extending from the Tomb
of David northward beyond the modem
city wall ; but if we carefully examine
this ridge from the top of the pasha's
house, or some commanding spot near
the N.W. angle of the Haram, we ob
serve a considerable depression in it,
commencing at the Yafa Gate and run
ning down eastward in the line of the
Street of David. And if we go to the
Yafa Gate and walk down that street,
we see that the ground rises abruptly
on the rt. and gently on the 1.; we
are, therefore, in a depression or val
ley, and the northern, end of Zion is
on om- rt. At the Yafa Gate the tra
veller will also notice the massive
walls and deep fosse of the citadel.
One of its towers claims attention
from the antique masonry of the lower
part, consisting of very large stones
bevelled like those of the temple
walls. Recent researches have shown
that this tower, as well as that at the
N.W. angle of the citadel, is founded

on a scarped rock which rises about
40 feet above the bottom of the fosse.
This appears to be that " rocky crest"
on which, Josephus informs us, the 3
great towers on the northern brow of
Zion were founded. The researches of
the Count de Vogue have contributed
greatly to increase our knowledge of
this section of the Tyropoeon valley.
He found thatits depth near the cita
del is 33 ft. below the present surface ;
and farther eastward the bottom of the
valley is 26 ft. beneath the level of the
Street of David, and nearly 80 ft. lower
than the top of Zion. At one spot a
fragment of the ancient northern wall
was laid bare. It was built close against
the precipitous side of the hill, and
though no less than 39 ft. in height, it
only rose to the top of the cliff behind
it. Here then are data ' sufficient by
which to determine the northern limits
of Zion.
On the summit of Zion there is a
level tract extending in length, from
the citadel to the Tomb of David,
about 600 yds. ; and in breadth, from
the city wall to the eastern side of the
Armenian convent, about 250 yds. A
much larger space, however, was avail
able for building purposes, and was at
one time occupied. Now not more
than one-half of this space is en
closed by the modem wall, while fully
one-third of that enclosed is taken up
with the barrack-yards, the convent-
gardens, and the waste ground at the
city gate. All without the wall,
with the exception of the cemeteries
and the cluster of houses round the
Tomb of David, is now cultivated in
terraces, and thinly sprinkled with
olive-trees. Zion was the first spot in Jerusalem
occupied by buildings. Upon it stood
the stronghold of the Jebusites, which
so long defied the Israelites, and Was
at last captured by king David (Num.
xiii. 29; Josh. xv. 63; Jud. i. 21;
2 Sam. v. 5-8). Upon it that monarch
built his palace, and there for more
than a thousand years the kings and
princes of Israel lived and ruled
(2 Sam. v. 9, &c). In Zion, too, was
David buried, and 14 of his successors
on the throne were laid near him in

Jerusalehi.

Route 7. — Tyropceon.

87

the royal tomb (1 Kings ii. 10; xi.
43 ; xiv. 31, &c). Zion was the last
spot that held out when the Romans
under Titus captured the city. When
the rest of Jerusalem was in ruins;
when the enemy occupied the courts of
the temple, the remnant of the Jews
from the walls of Zion haughtily re
fused the terms of the conqueror, and
perished in thousands around and
within the palace of thefr princes.
The city which stood on Zion was
called successively by several names.
It was probably the Salem of Melchi-
sedcc (comp. Gen. xiv. 18, with Ps.
lxxvi. 2) ; then it became Jehus under
the Jebusites, so called from u. son of
Canaan (Gen. x. 16 ; 1 Chron. xi. 4, 5);
then the " City of David," and Jeru
salem (2 Sam. v. 7). Josephus calls
it the " Upper City," adding that it
was known also in his day as the
" Upper Market."
It may here be stated [that Mr. Fer-
gusson, and some other recent writers
on the topography of Jerusalem, main
tain that " Akra was situated on the
northern side of the temple, on the
same hill, and probably on the same
spot, originally occupied by David as
the stronghold of Zion, and near where
Baris and Antonia afterwards stood."
According to these writers, therefore,
the original fortress of the Jebusites,
which became " the City of David,"
stood upon the crown of rock at the
north-western angle of the Haram;
and the eastern or Temple Mount
was the true Zion of the Bible. This
theory is based upon certain passages
of Scripture and of the books of the
Maccabees, which are supposed to iden
tify Zion with the hill of the temple.
In my opinion these passages are alto
gether misunderstood ; but the reader
who wishes to examine and judge for
himself, may consult Smith's Diet, of
the Bible, i. pp. 1024-1027 ; Sandie's
Horeb and Jerusalem, pp. 251 seq.
Views somewhat different in detail are
advocated by Thrupp and Lewin,
Schultz and Krafft.
§ 25. The Tyropoeon. — This valley,
according to Josephus, separated Zion
from Akra on the N., and from Moriah

and Ophel on the E. It thus swept
round 2 sides of the " Upper City,"
or Zion. The exact position of the
head of the Tyropceon is one of the
vexed questions of Jerusalem topo
graphy. Josephus is our only autho
rity, and his notices are few and brief;
they are, however, so clear in pointing
out the position of the Tyropceon rela
tive to other places, that the identifica
tion of it resolves itself into a question
of interpretation. The subject has-
assumed such an important aspect in
the eyes of antiquarians of fame and
learning, that I may be excused for
giving Josephus's words, and then
applying them. I would also request
the reader to bear in mind what has
already been said in defining the
northern limits of Zion.
Jerusalem, says Josephus, "was
built, one quarter facing another, upon
two hills, separated by an intervening
valley, at which over against each
other the houses terminated : " again, — ¦
" The valley of the Tyropoeon, which,
I have said, divided the hill of the
upper town from that of the lower, ex
tended as far as Siloam .... a foun
tain whose waters are sweet and
copious" (B. J, v. 4, 1). He also tells
us that the ': other hill, called Akra,
which sustained the lower city," lay
opposite to Mount Moriah, from which
it was separated by "another broad
valley ; " and further, that the whole
city, situated on these 2 hills, "lay
over against the Temple in the manner
of a theatre" (Ant. xv. 11,' 5). The
simple interpretation of these passages
leads us to look for the head of the
Tyropceon immediately along the
northern brow of Zion. I have already
mentioned the depression still existing
there ; but in its present state it would
scarcely seem to answer to the de
scription of Josephus. A close ex
amination, however, proves, as has been
shown above from the researches of M.
de Vogii£, that it was originally much
deeper than it is now. Here, then, is
the Tyropoeon. Along the northern
brow of Zion once ran the city wall j
on the crest of the hill stood those
huge towers which even the Romans

Route 7. — Jerusalem-- Ancient Topography. . Sect. If;

considered unequalled for strength and
grandeur; adjoining them on the in
side was the palace — the debris of
walls, towers, and portions of the
palace, the law of gravity would force
into the valley ; to this has been super
added the rubbish of 18 centuries.
What wonder, then, if the ravine has
well-nigh disappeared ?
Commencing at the Yafa Gate, the
Tyropoeon runs eastward for some 500
yds., and then, sweeping round the
N.E. corner of Zion, it turns southward
between that hill and Moriah, and
continues about 800 yds. farther till
it joins the Kidron. At its mouth
is a pool, still called Siloam. The
Tyropceon is not mentioned in Scrip
ture. Some have thought that it is
the Millo of 2 Sam. v. 9, which the
Septuagint renders Akra, and which
Josephus seems to call the " Lower
City." The word Millo, " Fulness," is
used very indefinitely. It may per
haps mean that portion of the " Lower
City " which lay in the valley between
Akra and Zion on the one side, and the
temple mount on the other, and which
was separated from Zion by a wall in
Josephus's time; for after Titus took
the temple, and before he took Zion,
we are told that "the Romans, having
driven the brigands from the ' lower
town,' burned all as far as Siloam " —
that is, the whole of the town which
lay in the valley of the Tyropceon.
§ 26.. Akra.— Akra is called by
Josephus the " Lower City," and the
"Lower Market," to distinguish it
from Zion the " Upper City." It is
from this author alone we derive all
om- information regarding it, and his
words are as follows : — ¦" The other
hill, called Akra, sustaining the lower
city, was gibbous (aiJUpiKvpros 'gib
bous,' ' two-horned,' or ' sloping on
both sides')." It was separated from
Zion by the Tyropceon, and the two
hills were so placed fronting each
other that the rows of houses ter
minated opposite each other at the
intervening ravine. " Over against
this (Akra) was a third hill, naturally
lower than Akra, and formerly sepa

rated from it by another broad valley;
But afterwards, during the sovereignty
of the Asmonseans, they threw earth
into this valley, desiring to connect
the city with the temple ; and level
ling the summit of Akra, they made
it lower, so that the temple might
appear above it." (B. J. v. 4, 1). I
shall insert another important passage :
" In the western parts of the enclosure
(of the temple) stood four gates ; one
leading over to the royal palace, the
valley being intercepted to form a pas
sage ; two leading to the suburb ; and
the remaining one into the other city
(Akra), being distinguished by many
steps down into the valley, and from
this up again upon the ascent ; for the
city lay over against the temple in
the manner of a theatre." (Ant. xv.
11, 5.)
Taking these words in their plain
sense, we conclude that Akra was a
hill situated between two valleys,
one of which, called the Tyropceon,
separated it from Zion, and the other
a " broad valley," separated it from
the temple mount. And this, taken
in connexion with what has already
been stated regarding Zion (§ 24) and
the Tyropceon (§ 25), compels us to
identify Akra with the rocky ridge
which extends from the N.W. angle of
the modern city past the Church of the
Sepulchre, towards the western side of
the Haram, embracing » great part
of the present Christian, quarter. The
best general view of. this rocky ridge
is obtained from the top of the
governor's house. The slopes , of its
sides are also very distinctly seen in
several of the streets — in going up,
for , example, from the Yafa gate to
the Latin convent, and descending
again from the convent to the Da
mascus gate; and also in the quarter
around the Tekiyeh or Hospital of
Helena. This ridge is accmately
described by Josephus as " curved on
both sides," or "gibbous,'' as it falls
off on the N. into the valley at the
Damascus gate, and on the S. into the
Tyropceon. And it is thus situated
between two valleys — the Tyropoeon,
which separates it from Zion, and the
"broad valley," coming from the

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Akra — Moriah.

89

Damascus gate, which separates it
from Moriah.
But Josephus states, as has been
seen, that the broad valley which
separated Akra from the temple was
" filled up " in the time of the Asmo-
naeans. To understand how far this
"filling up'' was carried we must
compare it with the other passage
in the 'Antiquities,' in which he
says that the way leading from the
western gate of the temple area to
Akra descended " by many steps down
into the valley, and from this up again
upon the ascent." The valley there
fore was only partially filled up; it
was veiy deep, as recent excavations
show, but was made practicable for
a road by the Asmonseans. The an
cient gate leading from the temple
court to Akra probably corresponded in
position with Bdb el-Katanin, " Gate of
the Cotton Merchants" (see § 40),
between which and the south-eastern
extremity of the ridge of Akra there is
still a broad depression or valley.
§ 27. Moriah. — The position of this
hill cannot be questioned. The sub
structions of the platform on which
the temple was erected yet remain,
and bear incontestable evidence not
only to the general position of Moriah,
but also to its extent. It is not a
separate bill, but a section of the
ridge which extends along the western
side of the * valley of Jehoshaphat.
Originally there seems to have been
a mound of rock in the centre of the
ridge, breaking down abruptly on
every side, so as to leave on its
summit but a narrow platform, scarcely
sufficient, as Josephus says, for the
altar and the sanctuary : this was
called Moriah. When the temple
was founded the rock was somewhat
lowered, and a large platform con
structed around it, supported in part
by,.massive walls of masonry filled up
internally with stones and earth ; and
in part toward the S. by heavy piers
and arches. This ancient platform
appears to have corresponded in extent,
and also, as we shall see, to some
extent in structure, to that which still
exists, and is well known as the

Haram. Near the centre of the Haram,
beneath the dome of the great mosque,
the natural rock projects above the
ground, and is regarded with deepest
veneration by the Muslems, because, as
they believe, it is the spot where the
Holy Altar once stood. It is from this
" rock," Sukhrah, the mosque takes its
name — Kubbet es-Sukhrah, " the Dome
of the Rock."
Moriah is separated from Zion by
the Tyropceon, and from Akra by the
other broad valley coming down from
the Damascus gate. These are it3
western boundaries. On the N. it is
not now separated from the continua
tion of the ridge, except in part by the
deep reservoir, or trench, generally
called Bethesda. On the E. the ground
breaks down suddenly, and almost
precipitously, from the wall to the bed
of the Kidron, nearly 200 ft. below.
On the upper part of this declivity,
adjoining the Haram wall, is a Muslem
cemetery. Moriah was the bill on which
Abraham built the altar and laid the
wood to sacrifice his son Isaac. Here
he received the Divine promise re
corded in Gen. xxii. 17, 18. On the
same spot Oman the Jebusite had
his threshing-floor, and there he was
employed threshing wheat on that
eventful clay when Jerusalem was
threatened with destruction. The
angel of the Lord came, and stood by
the threshing-floor, "having a drawn
sword in his hand stretched out over
Jerusalem." Oman and his sons saw
him, and hid themselves in terror — •
perhaps in the cave below the
Sacred Rock. David saw him too
from the 02mosite hill of Zion ; he and
the elders of Israel, clothed in sack
cloth, prostrated themselves before the
Lord; and then, at the command of
Gad the prophet, he hasted to the
summit of the sacred mount to build
an altar, and offer sacrifices. David
bought the threshing-floor for 600
shekels of gold, "offered burnt-offer
ings and peace-offerings, and called
upon the Lord ; and He answered him
from heaven by fire upon the altar of
bm-nt-offering. And the Lord com
manded tho angel, and he put up his

90

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Ancient Topography. Sect. II.

sword again into the sheath thereof."
(1 Chron. xxi. 14-27.) On this rock
Solomon afterwards erected the temple.
(2 Chron. iii. 1.)
Views widely different from that
here set forth have been entertained
and ably advocated by writers of much
celebrity. Stanley and Grove main
tain that the " Land of Moriah," where
Abraham was commanded to sacrifice
Isaac, was distinct from " Mount Mo
riah " on which the Temple was built.
The former they locate at Shechem;
and Mr. Grove says, " It is most natu
ral to take the ' land of Moriah ' as the
same district as that in which the ' Oak
ofMoreh' was situated, and not as that
which contains Jerusalem." (Did. of
the Bible, ii. p. 422.) It seems to me,
however, that Shechem is much too
far distant from Beersheba to accord
with the narrative of Gen. xxii. 1-4 ;
and though the scene of Abraham's
sacrifice is not expressly said in Scrip
ture to be identical with the site of
Oman's threshing-floor and Solomon's
Temple, yet Josephus affirms it, and
since his time it has been the universal
belief of the Jews. In my opinion,
and I do not stand alone, the position
of Mount Moriah answers in all respects
to the requirements of the narrative in
Genesis. § 28. Ophel or Ophla. — The section
of the ridge which extended southward
from Moriah to the junction of the
Tyropceon and Kidron, at the pool of
Siloam, was called Ophel. The top
is broad ; but there is a rapid descent
till it terminates in a cliff almost over
hanging the pool. The whole is
now carefully cultivated in terraces
like Zion, and is planted with olives
and other fruit-trees. Its northern
end, at the base of the Haram wall, is
50 ft. lower than the top of Moriah ;
and from thence to its termination is
about 520 yds. ; the breadth of its sum
mit from brow to brow is about 100
yds. near the centre.
Ophel was included in the city of
Jerusalem from a very early period —
probably from the time of Solomon.
We read in 2 Chron. xxvii. 3, that
Jotham king of Judah " built much on

the wall of Ophel" — the wall having
been thrown down some time previ
ously by the king of Israel. This was
only a little more than 2 centuries
after Solomon ; and we scarcely think
there had been any extension of the
city in the interval. Some 50 years
later it was more strongly fortified by
Manasseh (2 Chron. xxxiii. 14). After
the return of the Jews from captivity,
Ophel was enclosed by the wall built
under Nehemiah's direction, and in
habited by the Nethinims, or temple
servants. (Neh. iii. 26, 27.) Recent
excavations have laid bare a section of
the ancient wall of Ophel from its
junction with the south-eastern angle
of the Haram down to near the Pool
of Siloam.
§ 29. Bezetha. — This hill is not
mentioned in the Bible, but Josephus's
account of it is clear and full. " The
hill Bezetha was separated from An-
tonia ; and, being the highest of all, it
was built up adjoining to a part of the
new city, and alone overshadowed the
temple on the north." (B. J., v. 5, 8.)
Referring again to the way and time
in which this hill was first occupied,
he thus writes : " The city overflowing
with inhabitants gradually crept be
yond the walls ; and the people, incor
porating with the city the quarter
north of the temple close to the hill,
made a considerable advance, inso
much that a fourth hill, wnich is called
Bezetha, was also surrounded with
habitations. It lay over against An-
tonia, from which it was separated by
a deep fosse, purposely excavated to
cut off the communication between the
hill and the foundations of Antonia,
that they might be at once less easy of
access, and more elevated. And thus
the depth of the fosse added greatly to
the height of the towers. This new-
built part is called in our language
Bezetha, which being interpreted in the
Greek tongue would be C&nopolis —
' New City.' " (B. J., v. 4, 2.) Hence it
appears that Bezetha was a high hill,
close on the N. side of Antonia, sepa
rated from it by a deep artificial trench ;
and that there was no other hill besides
it which intercepted the view of the

Jerusalem. Route 7. — Bezetha. — Valley of Hinnom.

91

temple from the N. Now any one ex
amining the ground in connexion with
these notices, and remembering that
the citadel of Antonia lay at the N.W.
angle of the temple area, or about the
place where the Governor's house now
stands, must admit that Bezetha can
be none other than the hill extending
northward from this place to the grotto
of Jeremiah. And any one who looks
toward Jerusalem from the N. will see
how accurate is Josephus's description,
that Bezetha formed on this side the
only obstruction to the view of the
temple. From the ridge of Scopus
above the Tombs of the Kings the
dome of the great mosque is just seen
over the hill ; but when we begin to
descend it is soon shut out from view.
Bezetha is a broad irregular ridge
extending N. by W. from the Haram.
Its eastern side descends by rocky
declivities into the valley of Jehosha
phat. On its western side is the broad
valley which runs up to the Damascus
gate, and continues in the same line
400 or 500 yds. more through the olive-
groves. The ridge is divided by a
shallow valley, beginning on the N.E.
of the grotto of Jeremiah, and running
down to the so-called pooi of Bethesda,
A good view of this feature of Bezetha
is gained from the city wall in walking
round from the Damascus to St.
Stephen's gate. The ridge on the
western side of this valley is high with
steep sides. Its northern part, now
covered with a Muslem cemetery, and
containing also the grotto of Jeremiah,
is detached by a broad, and apparently
artificial cutting, from the part within
the modern wall. This cutting was
probably one of the quarries from
which the stones were taken for the
temple, and was afterwards deepened
to gain a stronger and more command
ing site for the present ramparts.
On the eastern side of this central
valley, between it and the Kidron, is
another ridge narrower and lower than
the former. Near its southern extre
mity is the Gothic church of St.
Anne. Immediately without the city
wall, on the N., a deep fosse has been
cut through the ridge in the solid
rock ; and a little beyond this place it

rises very considerably, so as to form a
rocky mound.
The greater part of Bezetha without
the walls is now cultivated and covered
with olive-groves. The total breadth
of the ridge where it joins the Haram
is about 450 yds., but it gradually ex
pands towards the N. to more than
double that breadth.
The time at which Bezetha began to
be occupied by buildings is not stated ;
but there can be httle doubt that under
Herod the Great the. city increased in
extent as well as in splendour, and that-
then the circuit of the old walls was
found too confined for the population.
Josephus says "the city, overflowing
with inhabitants, gradually crept be
yond the ramparts." Much, indeed
most, of the new town must thus have
existed in the time of our Saviour,
although it was not until 8 years after
the crucifixion that Herod Agrippa sur
rounded it with a wall.
§ 30. The Valley of Hinnom (in
Hebrew Ge-Hinnom).— -Such is the
name usually given to this valley in
the Old Testament, though it often
occurs in the fuller form " Valley of
the Son of Hinnom." (Josh. xv. 8.)
Its present name is Wady Jehennam,
which is evidently derived from the
Hebrew. It commences on the west of
the city (see § 5) ; its upper part re
sembling a large shallow basin, in the
centre of which, 700 yds. from the
Yafa gate, is the " Upper Pool," or
" Gilion." From this pool its course is
nearly S.E. for 630 yds., to the bend
opposite the Yafa gate, where its
breadth is about 100 yds., and its depth
44 ft. It here turns S. between Zion
on the one side and a rocky acclivity
on the other, and at 290 yds. is crossed
by the arched aqueduct from Solomon's
Pools. At 73 yds. farther is the
" Lower Pool," now called Birket es-
Sultan. This is directly below the
south-eastern angle of the city wall,
which forms a fine object overhead,
crowning the brow of Zion. The
embankment which bounds the '' pool "
on the S. is 197 yds. farther down.
Across it runs a branch path from the
Hebron and Bethlehem road, which

92

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Ancient Topography. Sect. II.

leads up the hill-side near the New
English Diocesan School, to the Zion
Gate. At 140 yds. below the pool
the valley turns eastward, continuing
about the same breadth, but increasing
rapidly in depth. The bottom and
sides are cultivated where practicable,
and planted with olive-trees. Towards
the end of its course it expands and
falls into the Kidron 922 yds. below
the last bend. The scenery of the
lower part is picturesque and wild
— the hill on the S. rising in
broken cliffs, filled with excavated
tombs, and supporting here and there
on a ledge a few stray olive-trees.
Here, high up on the rugged bank, is
the reputed site of Aceldama. (See
§48.) The first mention of Hinnom in the
Bible occurs in the description of the
boundary line between Judah and
Benjamin—" And the border passed to
ward the waters of En-Shemesh, and
tho goings out thereof were at En-
Rogel " (now the " Well of Joab " at
the junction of Hinnom and the
Kidron) ; " and the border went up by
the valley of the son of Hinnom unto
the south side of the Jebusite ; the
same is Jerusalem; and the border
went up to the top of the mountain
that lieth before the valley of Hinnom
westward, which is at the end of the
valley of Rephaim (Giants) north
ward." (Josh. xv. 7, 8 ; see also xviii.
16, 17.)
But this valley has obtained a wider
celebrity from its connexion with the
rites of Baal and Molech practised
under the idolatrous kings of Judah.
Jeremiah thus writes regarding the
abominations by which Jerusalem was
polluted : " They have built the high
places of Tophet, which is in the val
ley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their
sons and their daughters in the fire."
(vii. 31.) And Jerome describes To
phet as a pleasant spot in the valley
of Hinnom, with trees and gardens
watered from Siloam. It must, there
fore, have been at the mouth of the
valley ; and a more appropriate place
could not have been selected round
the city. The deep retired glen ; the
wild cliffs around ; the bare rooky

mountain sides above — all seem adapted
for deeds of blood. According to the
rabbins, the statue of Molech was of
brass, with the body of a man and the
head of an ox. The interior was hol
low and fitted up with a large furnace
by which the whole statue was easily
made red hot. The children to be
sacrificed were then placed in its arms,
while drums were beaten to drown
thefr cries. These fearful rites, strange
to say, were first established by Solo
mon, who built a high place for
Molech, a god of the Ammonites, on
the "right hand of the mount" of
Olives — probably on the southern brow
overlooking this valley (1 Kings xi. 7 ;
2 Kings xxiii. 10, 13) ; and from that
period this worship continued uninter
ruptedly, either there or in Tophet,
until Josiah defiled both places : " He
defiled Topheth, which is in the valley
of the children of Hinnom, that no man
might make his son or his daughter to
pass through the fire to Molech 
And the high places that were before
Jerusalem, which were on the right
hand of the Mount of Corruption, which
Solomon the king of Israel had builcled
for Ashtoreth the abomination of tho
Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abo
mination of the Moabites, and for
Milcom (or Molech) the abomination of
the children of Ammon, did the king
defile. And he brake in pieces the
images, and cut down the groves, and
filled thefr places with the bones of
men." (Id.) The place was thus
made ceremonially unclean, so that no
Jew could enter it ; and this appears
to have been the reason why the valley
was made a public cemetery, as we
may conclude from the words of Jere
miah : "Wherefore behold the days
come when it shaU no more be called
Tophet, nor the valley of the Son of,
Hinnom, but the valley of Slaughter ;
for they shall bury in Tophet till there
be no place." (vii. 32 ; see also xix.
6-15.) The multitudes of tombs in
the adjoining cliffs, and along the side
of the Mount of Olives, show that the
prophet's words were fulfilled to the
letter. (See § 48.)
Molech signifies "king" or "ruler;"

Jerusalem.

Route 7.— The Kidron.

93

and Milcom is the same root with the
pronoun— "their king." This idol
seems to have been identical with the
Phoenician god Baal, to whom we
know children were offered in sacrifice
at Carthage. (Jer. xix. 5 ; xxxii. 35.)
The worship of Molech, by causing
children to pass through the fire, was
first formally introduced by Solomon,
yet the Israelites had been occasionally
addicted to it from the time of their
joumey through the wilderness. (Lev.
xx. 1-5 ; xviii. 21 ; Ez. xx. 23-31.)
§ 31. The Brook Kidron, or Valley
of Jehoshaphat. — -It may be as well to
inform the reader at the outset that
the latter, and now the common name
of this valley is of modern origin, and
has been adopted from a fanciful in
terpretation of a passage of Scripture.
The prophet Joel speaks of the " valley
of Jehoshaphat," in which God will
judge the heathen for their oppression
of the Jews; but the name seems to
be metaphorical, intended only to ex
press the act to be performed — Jeho
shaphat signifies "Jehovah judgeth."
On the ground that this must be the
valley alluded to, the name Jehosha
phat was applied to it as early as the
time of Eusebius, and has since been
continued by Jew, Christian, and Mus
lem. I J m. N.W. of the Damascus Gate
there is a slight depression in the
broad ridge, and this is the head of
the Kidron valley. The sides of the
depression, and the whole surround
ing region, are whitened by jagged
crowns of limestone, which every
where project above the scanty soil;
and almost every projection has been
excavated, partly as a quarry, and
partly to form the facade of a tomb.
The number of rock-tombs at this
place, and the extent and beauty of
some of them, impress the stranger,
perhaps more than anything else, with
the wealth and splendour of the ancient
Jewish capital. The valley runs for
about J m. directly towards the city;
it is shallow and wide, dotted with
corn-fields, and here and there a few
old olives. It then sweeps round

eastward, and in another i m. is
crossed by the northern road. On the
east side of this road, and southern
bank of the valley, stands an old wely
with a ruined khan beside it; and
about 200 yards S.E. of this are the
Tombs of the Kings. (See § 48.) A
little to the W. of the wely are three
large white mounds, which have
latterly attracted attention in con
sequence of a theory propounded by
somebody, that they are composed of
ashes, and that the ashes are those of
the sacrifices offered up in the temple !
The theorists have had the ashes
analyzed, and pronounced to be chiefly
of animal origin. Yet still two objec
tions naturally occur to one— first, if
these be indeed the ashes of the temple,
they were conveyed to a needlessly
great distance ; and second, the mounds
are precisely similar in appearance to
the accumulations from the ashes and
debris of soapworks which we see at
Nabulus ; and until very lately it was
the universal belief that they were
formed by the deposits from soap-
works. The bed of the Kidron is at this
place about \ m. distant from the City
Gate. It continues on the same course
about J m. farther, and' then turning
S. opens up into a wide basin, which
is crossed by the road to Anathoth.
As it advances southward the rt. bank
— the side of Bezetha — becomes higher
and steeper, with occasional precipices
of rock; while on the 1. the base of
the Mount of Olives gradually projects,
narrowing the valley". Opposite St.
Stephen's Gate the depth is fully
100 ft., and the breadth not more than
400 ft. The olive-trees which are
thinly sprinkled over its whole extent,
here become much more abundant,
forming- a little shady grove; their
massive trunks, too, hollowed and
half decayed, with the heavy gnarled
boughs, have a venerable look, and
leave the impression of remote an
tiquity. The spot has a solemn —
almost a sacred aspect; it is so com
pletely shut out from the din of the
city, from the view of public roads,
and from the notice and interruptions

94

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Ancient Topography. • Sect. II.

of wayfarers. May not this be the
site of that garden to which Jesus
" ofttimes resorted with his disciples "
for prayer and meditation ; and which
was the scene of His agony and of His
betrayal ? (John xviii. 1-12;)
A zigzag path descends the steep
bank from St. Stephen's Gate, crosses
the bed of the valley by a bridge, and
branches at the angle of the enclosed
Garden of Gethseroane. One branch
leads up a depression in the Mount of
Olives, to the village on the top. This
is the "way of tbe wilderness" by
which David fled from Absalom.
(2 Sam. xv. 23.) Another branch
keeps more to the rt., and also leads to
the village. A third runs below the
garden, and, ascending the hill dia
gonally, passes round to Bethany.
This is the road of Christ's triumphal
entry. (Matt. xxi. See below, Rte. 8.)
Another path follows the valley down
to Siloam.
Below the bridge the valley con
tracts still more, and here traces of a
watercourse begin to appear. 300 yds.
farther down, the hills on each side
rise precipitously from the torrent-bed,
which is spanned by a single arch.
On the 1. is a group of tombs hewn
out of the cliff, comprising those
of Absalom, Jehoshaphat, and St.
James ; while on the rt., 200 ft. over
head, towers the massive wall of the
Haram. The ravine continues, narrow
and rugged, 500 yds. more to the
fountain of the Virgin, situated in a
deep cave on the rt. The village of
Silwan, the ancient Siloam, is now seen
on the 1. ; its houses clinging to the
cliffs. 400 yds. below the fountain
the Tyropoeon comes in on the rt.,
descending in graceful terraced slopes,
fresh and green from the waters of the
" Pool of Siloam." The valley is now
wider, affording a level tract for culti
vation. Here of old were the " King's
Gardens," mentioned by Nehemiah
(iii. 15). They extend down to the
mouth of Hinnom ; and about 100 yds.
below this point is the well of Joab,
the ancient En-rogel. (Josh. xv. 7.
See § 48.) The total length of the
Kidron from its head to this fountain
is 2| m. From hence it runs in a

winding course through the wilderness
of Judsea, past the convent of St.
Saba, where it is called Wady er-
Rdheb, " the Monk's Valley ; " below
the convent it takes the name Wady
en-Ndr, "the Valley of Fire," and
falls into the Dead Sea, not far from
its N.W. corner, about 14 m. from
Jerusalem. The brook Kidron is first mentioned
in the Bible in connexion with the
flight of David during the rebellion of
his son Absalom. (2 Sam. xv. 23).
It is frequently referred to in the
subsequent history of the Holy City;
and from one rather obscure passage
(2 Kings xxiii. 6) it would seem that a
portion of it was used by the Jews as
a burying-ground from a very early
period. But be this as it may, there
can be no doubt that now the greatest
privilege the dying Jew can wish for
is that his bones be laid in the valley
of Jehoshaphat; and the left bank,
far up on Olivet, is paved with the
white tombstones of countless descend
ants of Abraham.
§ 32. The Mount of Olives, now
Jebel et-Tir, is situated immediate
ly beyond the Kidron, on' the east
of, or as it is expressed in the Bible,
"before" Jerusalem (1 Kings xi. 7).
It is before one's eyes from almost
every part of the city ; and forms tho
most striking object in every view
around it. It is more a ridge than a
mount, graceful in outline and deli
cate in colours, especially when seen
from the brow of Zion on an evening
in early spring. In the centre is a
rounded top, crowned by the little
village of Tur, with its tapering mina
ret. The sides descend gently and
uniformly, N. and S., to two rounded
summits of about equal altitude, and
then break down more rapidly to the
level of the adjoining ridges. The face
of the hill is streaked horizontally with
strips of green and gray — the former
the terraces of corn, the latter the sup
porting walls and ledges of rock ;
while the whole is dotted with rounded
trim-looking olive-trees. The atmo
sphere is generally so transparent that
one imagines, as he looks from Zion,

Jerusalem. Route 7. — View from Mount of Olives.

95

that Olivet rises immediately from the
side of the Haram area. In fact, this
is the great defect in Syrian landscapes
— the perspective is not well brought
out, owing to the absence of that haze
which gives such a charm to some of
the scenes in more northern climes.
The summit of the Mount of Olives
rises 220 ft. above Moriah, and, being
only half a mile distant, it affords one
of the most commanding and interest
ing views of Jerusalem and its envi
rons. From the top of the minaret
beside the ch. of the Ascension is the
best point, though a view in some
respects more beautiful is obtained
from the terraced roof of a little soli
tary tower a few hundred yds. to the
N.W. The best time for this view is
the early morning, when the valleys
are still in shade, and the bright
sun, lighting up the hills, throws
them into bold relief. Taking our
stand on the narrow balcony of the
minaret, we look down the shelving
side of Olivet into the Kidron, sweep
ing from the distance on the rt. away
down to the 1. The eye follows it till
it is joined by another ravine, coming
in from behind a high ridge to the
westward. That ravine is Hinnom,
and that ridge Zion. On the 1. bank
of the Kidron we can just observe
through the olive-trees the white
pointed top of Absalom's pillar, and
the flat gravestones of the Jewish
cemetery, and farther to the 1. the
gray excavated cliffs and houses of
Siloam. In the foreground beyond
the ravine is the beautiful enclosure of
the Haram — the octagonal mosque with
its noble dome in the centre, occupying
the site of Oman's threshing-floor and
Solomon's Temple; the flagged plat
form around it; and then a grassy
area with olives and cypresses en
circling the whole. At the l.-hand
extremity is the mosque el-Aksa, easily
distinguished by its peaked roofs and
dome. Beside the enclosure at the
rt.-hand corner is a prominent group
of buildings, with a tall minaret ad
joining them. This is the Pasha's
residence, and the site of the for
tress of Antonia. The massive ancient

masonry at the southern angle of tho
wall is very conspicuous ; and so like
wise is the double-arched gateway in
the side, generally called " Golden
Gate." Farther to the rt., north of
the Haram, is St. Stephen's Gate.
Northward of the gate, along the brow
of the valley, runs the city wall, for
midable-looking in the distance with
its square towers. To the right of the
Haram a broad irregular ridge extends
northward, thinly inhabited, inter
spersed with gardens, and crowned by
a mosque and minaret. This is Beze
tha. The low ridge of Ophel is on the
opposite side of the Haram, sinking
down rapidly into the bed of the
Kidron behind Siloam ; it contains no
buildings, but is thickly sprinkled with
olives. It can now be seen how these
three hills, Bezetha, Moriah, and
Ophel, form one ridge. Behind them
is a valley, dividing the city from
north to south, and falling into the
Kidron just above its junction with
Hinnom. At its northern end, hid by
Bezetha, is the Damascus gate ; and
the southern section of it beyond the
Haram was anciently called the Tyro
pceon. On another prominent ridge stands
the western section of the city. To
the rt. is Akra rising to an angle, near
which we distinguish the large white
buildings of the Latin convent ; below
them, a little to the 1., are the two
domes and heavy square tower of the
Church of the Seprdchre; and still
farther to the 1. an open space, mark
ing the site of the palace of the
Knights of St. John. Akra is now
the Christian quarter of the city. To
the 1. is Zion, the most prominent
of the hills. Its northern limits are
distinctly marked by the massive
towers of the citadel. Close to these,
but presenting a striking contrast in
its fresh look, is the English Church ;
farther to the 1. is the Armenian con
vent, a vast mass of houses, with a
little dome in the midst of them. The
Jewish quarter occupies the steep face
of the hill. Without the wall on the
south is a group of buildings, amid
which we see a white dome and high

96

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Hill of Evil Counsel. Sect. II.

nxinaret, marking the Mohammedan,
and probably the real, tomb of king
David. On the south side of the valley of
Hinnom is the Hill of Evil Counsel,
with a ruined village and a solitary
tree on its summit. Beyond it is
the plain of Rephaim, or " Valley
of the Giants ; " and away on the
south, about 3 m. distant, we observe
the Convent of Elias, crowning a ridge
on the road to Bethlehem. Turning
northwards, the only conspicuous place
in the distance is Neby Samwil, the
ancient Mizpeh, easily distinguished
by its high tower. Along the whole
western horizon runs a line of brown
hills, about equal in altitude to those
on which the city stands.
Such is the western view from the
summit of Olivet; the eastern scarce
yields to it in interest, while it far
surpasses it in extent. The latter,
however, is best seen from a little
wely called Kubbet esh-Shuhuda, " the
Dome of the Witnesses," about 200
yds. beyond the minaret. Here we
stand on the brow of the mount. The
" Wilderness of Judsea " commences
at our feet, shelves down in a succes
sion of naked white hills and dreary
gray glens for 10 miles or more, and
then dips abruptly into the valley of
the Jordan. The Jordan valley comes
from the distance on the north, gradu
ally expanding into a white plain, and
terminating at the Dead Sea, a section
of which is seen over the lower cliffs
of the "Wilderness." The winding
course of the Jordan can be traced for
some distance up the plain, by its dark
line of verdure. Away beyond the
valley rises a long unbroken mountain-
range, like a huge wall, stretching
north and south far as the eye can
follow it. The section on the right is
within the territory of Moab ; that in
the centre, directly opposite us, was
possessed by the Ammonites; while
that on the 1. hand was anciently
called Gilead, and still retains its
name. Evening is the proper time for
this view, for then the pale blue lights
and purple shadows on the Moab
mountains are exquisitely beautiful.

The glare too of the white wilderness
is subdued; and the -valley below
appears still deeper from being thrown
into shade.
No name in Scripture calls up asso
ciations at once so sacred and so
pleasing as that of Olivet. The
"mount" is so intimately connected
with the private life of the Saviour,
that we read of it and look at it with
feelings of deepest interest and affec
tion. Here He sat with His disciples,
telling them of wondrous events yet to
come ; of the destruction of the Holy
City, of the sufferings, the persecutions,
and the final triumph of His followers.
(Matt, xxiv.) Here He related the
beautiful parables of the "Ten Vir
gins," and the " Five Talents." (Matt.
xxv.) Here He was wont to retire on
each evening for meditation and prayer,
and rest of body, when weary and
harassed by the labours and trials of
the clay. (Luke xxi. 37.) And here
He came on the night of His betrayal
to utter that wonderful prayer — " 0
my Father, if it be possible, let this
cup pass from me : nevertheless, not as
I will, but as Thou wilt." (Matt. xxvi.
39.) And when the cup of God's
wrath had been drunk, and death and
the grave conquered, He led His
disciples out again over Olivet, as far
as to Bethany, and after a parting
blessing ascended to heaven. (Luke
xxiv. 50-51 ; Acts i. 12.)
§ 33. The Hill of Evil Counsel—
This hill is on the south of the valley
of Hinnom. Its northern side consists
of a series of cliffs, supporting narrow
terraces, and rising one above another
at irregular intervals from the bed of
the valley to a level summit, which
again slopes down gently into the plain
of Rephaim on the south-west. Its
top is at least as high as any part of
the city, and is crowned by the ruins
of a comparatively modern village.
" These ruins the monks now dignify
with the name of the villa or country
house of Caiaphas ; in which, accord
ing to them, the Jews took counsel
to destroy Jesus. Hence the present
appellation of the hill ; of which name,
however, there is no trace extant earlier

Jerusalem. Route 7. — Jewish Antiquities — Ancient Wails. 97

than the latter part of the 15th cen
tury." 5. Jewish Antiquities.
§ 34. Ancient Jerusalem has become
heaps of rubbish, which cover to the
depth of 40, 60, and even 100 ft., the
foundationsof herpalaces. The modern
bazaars, shops, and houses, all stand on
the accumulated rains of 2000 years.
The ancient topography of Jerusalem
can only be conclusively settled when
its site has been thoroughly excavated.
This work, I am happy to state, is
being vigorously prosecuted by the
exertions of " The Palestine Ex]3lora-
tion Fund," while these pages are
passmg through the press.
§ 35. Anctent Walls. Tower of
Hippicus. — Josephus informs us that
" Jerusalem was fortified by three walls
wherever it was not encompassed by
impassable valleys, for there there was
but a single rampart." It is not to be
understood however that the three
walls were close together, forming a
triple line of defence. They were built
at different periods to enclose separate
quarters of the city. The first encircled
Zion ; the second Akra ; and the third
Bezetha. Of these the first and most
ancient was considered impregnable
on account of the deep ravines that
skirted it, and the height of the hill on
which it stood. It was also built with
great solidity — David, Solomon, and
their successors on the throne, having
devoted much time and labour to the
work. The historian describes with con
siderable minuteness the lines of these
three walls, and I shall endeavour to
get my reader to follow him, that he
may thereby gain a clear and full view
of the gradual growth and ultimate
extent of the city. There is one par
ticular tower, however, to which special
and repeated reference is made by
Josephus, and which he takes as his
starting-point in defining the courses
of all the walls; the position of this
tower we must first ascertain, for it
is the key to the whole. It was called
Hippicus, and was situated at the
north-western angle of the first wall,
[Syria and Palestine.]

and therefore not far from the north
western brow of Zion which this wall
defended. It was built by Herod
the Great, and named after a friend
who had fallen in battle. The form
was quadrangular, 25 cubits on each
side, and built up entirely solid to tho
height of 30 cubits. Over this solid
part was a large cistern, and still higher
were chambers for the guards, sur
mounted by battlements. The stones
in its walls were of enormous magni
tude ; 20 cubits long, by 10 broad, and
5 high. Its situation too was com
manding ; for it stood on a rocky crest
of Zion. (B. J, v. 4, 3, and 4.) Such
is the description given by Josephus
of this remarkable tower — probably in
a great measure from memory, and a
good deal exaggerated ; but still con
taining some things so peculiar and of
such publicity, that he would scarcely
have dared to invent them. He tells
us farther that when Titus captured
Jerusalem he saved Hippicus, and two
other towers near it, from the general
ruin, partly as specimens of the forti
fications Roman valour had won. And
when the city was rebuilt and fortified
by Adrian, he would doubtless take
advantage of the strength of these
towers, and include them in his citadel.
The historians of the crusades speak
of a citadel under the name of the
" Tower of David," and describe it as
constructed of immense hewn stones.
The walls -of the city were destroyed
by the Mohammedans in the 13th cen
tury; but the " Castle of David " was
spared, and still continued to bear the
same name down to the 16th century,
when it began to be called the " Castle
of the Pisans," in consequence of hav
ing been at one time repaired by the
citizens of the Pisan republic. From
that period to the present day it ap
pears to have undergone httle change.
The heavy towers and massive walls
of the citadel of Jerusalem will not fail
to attract the traveller's attention on
approaching from the west, and espe
cially when he enters the Yafa gate.
One of the towers of this fortress — that
at the N.E. comer — has a peculiarly
antiquated look. The lower part is
built of bevelled stones, measuring

98

Route 7. — Jerusalem— Jewish Antiquities. Sect. II.

from 9 to 13 ft. in length, and some
of them more than 4 ft. high; the
upper part is modem, and does not
differ in appearance or workmanship
from the other towers. The height of
the antique part above the present
level of the fosse is 40 ft. It is entirely
solid, and recent excavations have
shown that for some height above the
foundation it is formed of the natural
rock hewn into shape, and faced with
stones. Capt. Wilson's careful de
scription of this structure is worthy of
note, as tending to confiim the theory
of its identity with Hippicus. " The
so-called Tower of David appears to
be the oldest portion of the citadel ; it
has a sloping escarp of masonry 
Above which the tower rises in a solid
mass to the height of 29 ft. The escarp
is faced with large stones, and retains
to some extent its original appearance,
but time and hard treatment have worn
away much of the finer work, and the
repairs have been executed in a very
slovenly manner; where the original
workmanship can be seen, it is quite
equal, if not superior, to that of the
Wailing Place, the faces of the stones
being finely chiselled, and having a
shallow draft run round their margins :
the whole, when perfect, must have
presented a smooth surface difficult to
escalade, and, from the solidity of the
mass, unassailable by the battering
ram." All these facts, compared with
the descriptions and notices of Jose
phus, lead us to identify this tower with
Hippicus. It is now generally called
the " Tower of David."
To visit the citadel a written order
is required from the chief military au
thority of the city, but it is readily
granted on an application made to him
through the consul. The view from
the top of Hippicus is exceedingly in
teresting and commanding — it is in
fact the best in the interior of the city.
Two old guns are here mounted, now
only used in firing salutes ; and even
this operation is not always very safe,
for, as a gunner informed me, exhibit
ing his burned and blackened arm,
when the match is applied the powder
sometimes comes out at the wrong end.

§ 36. The First Wall, or Wall of
Zion. — ¦ Having thus got a starting-
point, and having marked well the
situation of Hippicus, we are prepared
for following the Jewish historian round
the walls of Zion. The first and most
ancient wall, he informs us, commenc
ing at Hippicus, ran eastward along
the northern brow of Zion, and then
across the valley to the western en
closure of the temple, a distance of
about 630 yards. In it, near Hippi
cus, and based on the same rocky crest,
stood two other similar towers called ,
Phasaelus and Mariamne. They were
likewise built by Herod the Great, and
named, the former after his brother,
and the latter after his wife. A series
of well-directed excavations to the east
of Hippicus, in the open ground, would
probably determine their precise site,
and bring to light their foundations
now buried beneath heaps of rubbish.
The next point mentioned by Jose
phus, in describing the course of this
section of the wall of Zion, is the
Xystus — a kind of Forum, or place of
public assembly, attached to the east
side of the palace, and having colon
nades and cloisters. From various
notices in his writings, we learn that
the Xystus was connected at its south
ern end with the temple court by a
bridge; and that it lay within easy
speaking distance of the western wall
of the court, and yet was separated
from the wall by a' place called the
Suburb. The site of the temple is well
known, and the position of the bridge
is also determined ; the Xystus, there
fore, ' must have occupied the lower
declivity of Zion between the bridge
and the Street of David.
The Royal Palace, erected by Herod,
doubtless on the site of that founded
by David, and for centuries the home
of the Jewish kings (2 Sam. v. 9-12),
is mentioned by Josephus in connexion
with the northern wall of Zion, and
especially with its three great towers ;
we may, therefore, in this place, try
to ascertain its site. "The magnifi
cence of the work, and the skill dis
played in its construction," writes Jd-

Jerusalem.

Route 7.— The Wall of Zion.

99

sephus, " could not be surpassed. All
around were many cloistered courts
opening into one another, and the
columns in each were different. Such
parts of the courts as were open were
everywhere covered with verdure.
There were besides groves with long
walks through them, lined by deep
conduits ; and in many places fountains
studded with bronze figures, through
which the waters were discharged 
It was completely enclosed by a wall
30 cubits high, and ornamental towers
were distributed along it at equal dis
tances, with spacious apartments, each
capable of containing couches for a
hundred guests." All this shows, even
after full allowance for Eastern exagger
ation, that the building must have occu
pied a large extent of ground. It is
probable that the Xystus was just one
of the Palace courts, devoted to a
specific public use ; and that the wall
which encompassed the palace enclosed
it also — running along the lower de
clivity of Zion parallel to the temple,
excluding from Zion the deep inter
vening valley which the bridge spanned.
From the Xystus on the E. the palace
extended across the top of the hill to
the side of the valley of Hinnom on
the west, for it was attached to the
three great towers, one of which stood
at the north-western angle of the wall.
(See Jos., B. J. v. 4, 4 ; and vi. 8, 1.)
From the tower of Hippicus, we are
farther told, the wall ran southwards
along the western brow of Zion, through
a place called Bethso, to the gate of
the Essenes. Both these places are
unknown ; and the precise site of this
line of wall could not be ascertained
without extensive excavations. It pro
bably followed the course of the pre
sent wall to near the south-west angle,
and there bending outward, enclosed
the ground now occupied by the Eng
lish school and cemetery. I was in
Jerusalem when the school was in
course of construction, and saw at seve
ral places round it, where excavations
were made, considerable fragments of
mosaic pavement in situ, with deep
wells, tanks, ducts, and fragments of
ancient masonry — all showing that the
city wall at one time included this

spot. I also observed extensive cut
tings in the rock adjoining the ceme
tery, which looked like the scarped
foundations of a rampart ; but as in
one place there were steps cut in it, and
as there were small reservoirs quite
near, I concluded that all these must
have been within the city wall. May
they not have been connected with the
gate of the Essenes ?
From the gate of the Essenes the
wall " turned, and advanced with a
southern aspect above the fountain of
Siloam, whence it again inclined,
facing the east, towards Solomon's re
servoir, and, extending to a certain
spot called Opbla (Ophel), it joined
the eastern colonnade of the temple."
(B. J. v. 4, 2.) This is not very
definite ; but still it gives some known
landmarks that show the general course.
The wall swept round the whole south
ern face of Zion, and then, crossing the
Tyropceon to the cliff at the southern
extremity of Ophel, proceeded north
ward to the S.E. angle of the Haram.
The " Fountain of Siloam " is unques
tionably the fountain, or pool, still
called by that name in the mouth of
the Tyropoeon, and it was probably
included within the wall. (See B. J.
v. 6, 1, and 9, 4 ; also Neh. iii. 15.)
The next point was the " Pool of Solo
mon," which Dr. Robinson identifies
with the " Fountain of the Virgin ;"
but this is doubtful; and the nature
of the ground proves that the latter
could never have been included within
the wall. Recent excavations by Lieut.
Warren have brought to light tlie mas
sive foundations of an ancient wall, at
a depth of some 50 ft. beneath the pre
sent surface, extending southward in a
direct line from the eastern wall of the
Haram. May this not be a vestige of
that wall described by Josephus as
joining the eastern colonnade of the
temple? Such is the information Josephus
gives us about the First Wall of Jeru
salem ; but it appears from many in
cidental notices in his history, that
there was another, and perhaps still
older rampart, which he has here
overlooked. After the Romans had got
v 2

100

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Jewish Antiquities.

Sect. II.

possession of Bezetha, Akra, and Mo
riah, including the whole quarter in the
Tyropceon valley down as far as Siloam,
they were still unable to enter the
upper city on Zion, into which the
Jews had retired. (B. J. vi. 6, 2-3, and
7, 2.) There must consequently have
been a strong line of defence along the
eastern brow of Zion, from the Xystus,
or probably the palace wall, to the ex
terior wall on the S. This would
enclose Zion proper, or the " City of
David," corresponding to the ancient
Jebus. (Josh. xv. 63 ; 2 Sam. v. 7-9.)
The walls built by Nehemiah after the
captivity appear to have corresponded
for so far with those described by Jo
sephus. (Neh. iii.)
§ 37. The Second Wall, or Wall of
Altra. — Josephus's account of this se
cond wall is brief and indefinite. It
commenced at the gate called Gennath
in the first wall, encircled only the
northern quarter of the city, and ter
minated at the fortress of Antonia.
The postion of the gate Gennath is
the first point to be determined ; and
this is one of those points on which a
great deal has been written, and little
or nothing proved. The only inform
ation Josephus gives is, that it be
longed to the first wall. But we can
infer that it was east of Hippicus, for
the third wall commenced at that
tower, and the second must, of course,
have been within it. We have seen
that the palace occupied the whole
northern section of Zion ; the gate
Gennath, or " Garden Gate " as the
word signifies, was thus a gate leading
out from the palace, probably to afford
more easy egress to the members of the
royal family and household to gardens
or pleasure-grounds without the city.
The bed of the valley of Hinnom is the
natural site for gardens on this side
of the city ; and we might reasonably
suppose that a gate taking their name
would be close to them.
But it is the position of the hill of
Akra, with 2 or 3 vestiges of antiquity
upon it, that enables us most satis
factorily to approximate to the true
position of the gate Gennath, and the
line of the second wall. It was for

the defence of Akra the second wall
was built ; and a glance at the map, or
at the hill itself, shows that a wall
constructed to enclose it, and carried
in a circle, as Josephus says, from a
point on the N. of Zion, to the N.W.
corner of the Haram, could scarcely
have commenced far eastward of Hip
picus. But besides, about 250 ft. N.E.
of Hippicus, is a large reservoir, partly
excavated in the rook, and manifestly
of high antiquity. It is generally
called the Pool of Hezekiah, and
doubtless lay within the ancient city,
and therefore within the second wall.
But to include it the wall must have
ran northward from a point close to
Hippicus, perhaps as far as the Latin
convent, near which in an angle of
the present wall are foundations of large
bevelled stones ; and then sweeping
round eastward over the ridge it would
follow the line of the present wall to
the Damascus gate, where there are
also some interesting ancient remains.
Just within the gate on the E. may be
seen large hewn stones : passing round
these, we come to a square chamber
adjoining the wall, whose sides are
composed of bevelled stones, similar to
those in the exterior wall of the Haram.
On the western side of the gate is a
corresponding chamber, but not in
such good preservation. Some of the
stones here measure upwards of 7 ft.
by 3J, and appear to occupy their ori
ginal places. On the outside of the
gate, too, in the foundations of the wall,
are similar stones. There cannot be a
question that this is the site of one of
Hie gateways of the second wall, and
that the chambers within were the
ancient guard-houses. The course of
the wall from hence to the tower of
Antonia we have no certain means
of knowing. Excavations may one
day reveal it.
Recent excavations at and around
the Damascus gate have shown con
clusively that it occupies the site of
one of the ancient gates of the city ;
but whether of the second or third wall
is still questioned. De Vogue argues
for the latter. Captain Wilson's note
on this gate is very important: —
"There is a large accumulation of

Jerusalem. Route 7. — WaMs of Akra and Bezetha.

101

rubbish in the neighbourhood of the
gate almost concealing the remains of
an older entrance over which the pre
sent one is built. The rubbish rises to
the springing, and part of the modem
gateway is built in front of the arch,
so that only a portion of it can be
seen. The arch is semicircular, and
built of large plainly-chiselled stones,
and from its appearance and position
would seem to be of great age. At
the southern end of a large cistern
outside the Damascus gate, and 26 ft.
below the surface, rock was found, and
over this, either cut out of the rock or
built in masonry, was a moulding. . . .
As this is just under the doorway men
tioned above, it is in all probability the
base of the old wall." Still more re
cent excavations, under the direction of
Lieut. Warren, have brought to light
foundations of massive walls and of a
tower. In fact, there can be little
doubt that by a series of well-planned
excavations in and around the city, the
lines of the ancient walls, and the po
sitions of the principal ancient gates
may yet be discovered.
The nature of the ground, and the
deep cuttings in the rock E. of the
Damascus gate, would seem to indicate
that the second wall, if the ancient
substructions above described formed
part of it, ran in the course of the pre
sent wall to the eastern brow of the
ridge, near Bab ez-Zahery, and along
the brow of the ridge southward to the
Haram. § 38. Third Wall, or Wall of
Bezetha. — "The tower Hippicus,"
Josephus writes, "formed the com
mencement of the third wall, which
stretched from thence northward, as
far as the tower Psephinus, and then
passing opposite the monuments of
Helena, and extending through the
royal caverns, it turned at the corner
tower near the place known as the
Fuller's Tomb, and, connecting itself
with the old wall, terminated at the
valley called Kidron." (B. J, v. 4. J
This wall was commenced by the elder
Agrippa, under the Emperor Claudius,
in a style of great strength and gran
deur ; but was left off through fear of

offending the emperor. It was after
wards completed by the Jews, though
on a more humble scale.
The Tower of Psephinus is here the
first landmark after Hippicus. It stood
N. of the latter, and at the N.W. angle
of the whole city. According to Jose
phus, " It was 70 cubits high, and
afforded at sunrise a view of Arabia,
and of the limits of the Hebrew terri
tory as far as the sea." (B, J., v. 4, 3.)
Its position must thus have been most
commanding; and a glance at the
ground on the N.W. of the city shows
its probable site. The ridge which
forms the continuation of Zion rises
gradually from the citadel to the angle
of the modern wall at the Latin con
vent ; beyond this it rises still more
rapidly for about 250 yds., where it
attains an elevation greater than any
part of the city, and even than the
summit of the Mount of Olives. Here,
on the very top, are traces of massive
ancient substructions, apparently of
towers or other ramparts, extending
along the height for more than 200
yds. Between the angle of the modern
wall and these remains, some old foun
dations may also be seen; and when
we turn from the top of the ridge, N.E.,
toward the Tombs of the Kings, we
come upon other foundations at the
distance of 100 yds. Following these
for 130 yds. more, we strike the road
leading from the Yafa gate northward,
and observe, along its western side,
large hewn stones, portions of scarped
rocks, and low mounds of rubbish.
Similar remains we may trace at inter
vals through the olive-groves to within
about 100 yds. on the S.E. of the
Tombs of the Kings, where there are 2
very remarkable fragments of ancient
massive foundations constructed of
bevelled stones.
The tower of Psephinus most proba
bly stood on the top of the ridge above
indicated ; and the next definite mark
of the third wall is the Monument of
Helena, which, as we shall afterwards
see, is identical with the Tombs of the
Kings. The wall, therefore, probably
ran from the tower of Psephinus tiU it
came opposite to these tombs, just as

102

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Jewish Antiquities. Sect. II.

the fragments of foundations appear to
indicate. Another fact may be noticed
as tending to the same conclusion. The
whole ground to the rt. of the line
along which we have come is dotted at
intervals with ancient cisterns, formerly
covered over, but most of them now
wholly or partially open ; these must
all have been within the city. Heaps
of rubbish, too, with hewn stones, are
occasionally met with among the olive-
groves, showing that this place was in
former times covered with the houses
of Bezetha.
Josephus next mentions the " Royal
Caverns " as in a line of the wall.
About 250 yds. E. by S. of the Tombs
of the Kings there is an offset from
the valley of Jehoshaphat, which cuts
southward some considerable distance
into the ridge of Bezetha. Its sides
are rocky and precipitous, and almost
filled with excavated tombs, many of
them highly ornamented. May not
these be the " Royal Caverns " of
Josephus ? Both thefr appearance and
situation favour the supposition. The
natural course of a line of fortification
would be along the rocky brow of the
hill just over them. Eastward of this
spot is a bold projecting angle of the
hill, round which the Kidron sweeps
to the S. Here may have stood the
" Tower of the Comer near the Fuller's
Tomb." From hence, southward to
the city, scarcely a doubt can be en
tertained as to the course the wall fol
lowed. The brow of the hill above the
Kidron forms such an admirable line
of defence that no engineer could have
overlooked it. And at a point on the
steep bank, not far from the N.E.
angle of the city, are apparently the
substructions of a tower. It is proba
ble that the ancient wall ran somewhat
nearer to the side of the valley than
the modern, so as to include the large
cistern outside St. Stephen's gate,
called Birket Hammdm Sitty Mariam —
" The Pool of my Lady Maiy's Bath ;"
and it perhaps continued southward
outside the Temple wall, as the words
of Josephus seem to imply, till it joined
" the old wall " at Ophel.
It may here be stated that the fore

going views regarding the course of
the ancient walls of Jerusalem were
ably advocated by the late Dr. -Robin
son ; and the present writer, after re
peated and extensive personal re
searches in 1854, 1857, and 1858, was
led to adopt them. He has since exa
mined with care the accounts of the
explorations and excavations of Barclay,
De Vogue1, De Sauley, Captain Wilson,
Mr. Warner, and others; and his for
mer opinions, instead of being shaken,
have been confirmed. Other views,
however, have been and still are enter
tained by men of great learning and
undoubted ability. For the satisfac
tion of future travellers and investi
gators, some of the more important and
remarkable of these views are here
given. Mr. Williams, author of The Holy
City, identifies Hippicus with the
north-western tower of the present
citadel, close to the Jaffa gate. The
north-eastern tower (the Hippicus of
Robinson1), he makes Phasaelus; and
then continues the first wall eastward
in the same course as Robinson to the
Haram. In fixing the northern brow
of Zion, therefore, Williams agrees
with Robinson. He also agrees with
the latter in the general course of the
first wall on the W. and S. of Zion ;
but, instead of running it up along the
brow of the Kidron, from Siloam to the
S.E. angle of the Haram, he runs it
along the crown of the ridge, and joins
it to the middle of the southern wall of
the Haram, at the mosque el-Aksa.
Williams is followed by Lewin and
Thrupp. The course of the second wall is made
the grand subject of controversy, as it
involves the genuineness of the Holy
Sepulchre. Williams places the Gate
Gennath about halfway between Hip
picus and the Haram, close to the S.
end of the present great bazaar. From
this gate he draws the second waU
northward along the line of the " Street
of the Gate of the Column " as far as
the so-called Via Dolorosa, and then
inclines it westward to old substruc
tions in the modern wall, about 300 ft.
W. of the Damascus gate ; thence he
takes it along the course of the pre-

Jerusalem. Route 7 .—Courses of the Ancient Walls.

103

sent wall to Bab ez-Zahery, and there
turns it southward and joins it to the
centre of the northern wall of the
Haram. He thus excludes the Church of the
Sepulchre from the circuit of this wall.
He identifies the Tyropceon with the
valley extending southward from the
Damascus gate, and he maintains that
the ridge immediately eastward of this
valley is the Akra of Josephus.
Lewin places the Gate Gennath at
a point in the wall of Zion due S. of
the S.W. angle of the Pool of Hezekiah.
From thence he draws the second wall
northward along the western side of
the Pool ; then eastward between the
Muristan and the Church of the Sepul
chre ; then northward along the " Street
of the Gate of the Column " to a point
in the line of the northern wall of
the Haram ; and then eastward again
to Antonia. Lewin thus agrees with
Williams in excluding the Holy Se
pulchre from the circuit of this wall ;
he agrees with Robinson as to the
position of the Gate Gennath, and the
valley of Tyropoeon; but he differs
widely from both as to the extent of
this section of the ancient city.
Krafft makes the circuit of this
second wall smaller than Lewin, and
affirms that Akra was the rocky emi
nence at the N.W. angle of the Haram.
He also states that the Via Dolorosa
lies in a hollow, which may be the fosse
of the second wall ; and that the Arch
Ecce Homo may have been one of its
gates. Thrapp- places the Gate Gennath in
the bottom of the valley at the north
east angle of the Upper City (above
identified with Zion). He draws the
line of the second wall due N. from
this point up the valley to Via Dolo
rosa ; thence eastward across the ridge,
so as to include the Castle of Zion (so
called), now occupied by the Serai;
and then southward through the centre
of the Haram to Antonia, which he
locates beside the great mosque, Kub-
bet es-Sukhrah.
The course of the third wall is also a
subject of controversy. Williams agrees
with Robinson regarding the site of
Psephinus; but from that point he

extends the wall with a wider sweep to
the N., making the ancient city cover
a greater area.
Krafft, on the other hand, holds that
Psephinus occupies the site Kul'at
Jalud, and that the course of Josephus's
third wall was the same as that of
the modern wall from Jalud to the
Haram. Mr. Fergusson's views are entirely
different from all these. The basis of
his theory is the site of the Temple,
which, he states, occupied an area of
600 ft. square at the S.W. angle of the
Haram. Hippicus he identifies with
Kul'at Jalud. From it the first wall
of Josephus ran eastward to about tho
Street of the Gate of the Column;
then turned southward along the
slope ; and then turning again due E.
joined the N.W. angle of the Temple.
The west wall of the Upper City, com
mencing at Hippicus, followed the
course of the modern wall to the Jaffa
gate, which he identifies with the Gate
of the Essenes ; it then wound round
the southern brow of Zion, across the
Tyropceon above Siloam, and, turning
northward, joined the S.E. angle of
the Temple, at about the middle of the
southern wall of the Haram.
He locates the Gate Gennath on the
ridge a short distance E. of Hippicus,
and draws the course of the second wall
along the line of the modem wall by
the Damascus gate to the top of the
ridge eastward; thence he takes it
southward to Antonia, which he places
on the W. side of the Dome of the
Rock. He supposes that a portion of
the northern end of the western wall
of the Haram may be on the site of a
part of the second wall.
The third wall he extends somewhat
farther N. than Robinson, and then
draws it southward along the brow of
the Kidron, outside the Temple, but
in the line of the present eastern Haram
wall, to the S.E. angle, where it turned
as now westward, and joined the first
wall at the corner of the Temple.
According to this theory the Upper
City of Josephus covered the whole
western ridge, from Kul'at Jalud to the
brow of Hinnom on the S., and thus
included the Holy Sepulchre. A large

104

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Jewish Antiquities. Sect. II.

section of the Haram was excluded
from the Temple area, and from the
circuit of the second wall; and thus
the way was opened for the develop
ment of his favourite idea that "the
Dome of the Rock is the identical ch.
which Constantine erected over the
rock which contained the tomb of
Christ." According to this theory,
also, Zion, Moriah, the City of David,
and Akra were only different names for
the same hill or ridge ; and the west
ern hill, or Upper City of Josephus, is
not the Zion of the Bible. (See Essay
on tlie Ancient Topography of Jerusa
lem ; Smith's Did. of the Bible, i. pp.
1017 seq.)
§ 39. Extent and Population of
Ancient Jerusalem. — Josephus gives the
entire circuit of the city at 33 stadia,
equal to 4J Roman m., or 3^ geogr. m.,
and this agrees pretty exactly with the
line of the exterior walls as above
traced. Hecatseus of Abdera, a ootem-
porai-y of Alexander the Great, says
the city was 50 stadia in ch-cumference,
and had a pop. of 120,000 ; and yet in
his day it could not have been By one-
third as large as when Bezetha was
enclosed by Agrippa. Eusebius quotes
two other writers prior to Josephus, one
of whom gives the circuit at 40 and
the other at only 27 stadia. But Jose-
phus's estimate, perhaps measurement,
of 33 stadia appears to be the most
accurate. A city of such moderate
dimensions — granting that it was
densely populated — could not have
afforded accommodation to more than
100,000 people ; and as we know that
a considerable portion of ground was
taken up by the buildings and courts
of the Temple, and that a part of the
newly-enclosed quarter was but thinly
peopled, the ordinary population did
not, perhaps, exceed 70,000. This
number, however, affords no adequate
idea of the multitudes that crowded
the houses and streets of the city, and
encamped in the glens and on the hill
sides around it, during the celebration
of the annual feasts. A large majority
of the strangers on those occasions
doubtless pitched their tents or bi
vouacked in the open country, just as

pilgrims are accustomed to do now.
Josephus states that, from an estimate
made on one occasion during the feast
of the Passover, it was ascertained that
there were in the city 2,700,000 souls ;
and he assures us that, when thecity was
attacked by Titus, vast numbers had
collected to celebrate the feast. Of
these, 1,100,000 perished by pestilence,
famine, or the sword ; 40,000 were
permitted to go free : and 97,000 were
taken prisoners, and sold to slavery.
These numbers are, doubtless, mere
estimates made on no very certain
data ; but still, from the awful predic
tions of Scripture, and the harrowing
details of historians, the amount of
mortality must have been far beyond
what any ordinary calculation would
indicate. <t
§ 40. The Temple.
First among the buildings of Jerusa
lem, for extent, splendour, and sacred
interest, was the Temple. King David
was the first who planned the erection
of a permanent sanctuary for the wor
ship of the " God of Israel." The design
was encouraged by Nathan the prophet ;
but the warrior-monarch was command
ed to leave its execution to his more
peaceful son and successor (2 Sam. vii.).
David, however, collected materials,
and made the requisite preparations for
so great a work (1 Cbron. xxii. 11-16).
Four years after his death the founda
tion was laid by Solomon (b.c. 1011),
and in seven years the building was com
pleted. The site selected, doubtless by
divine appointment, was the summit of
Moriah, on the spot where Oman, or
Araunah, the Jebusite, had his thresh
ing-floor. Over this spot the angel of
the Lord was seen to stand at that
time when Jerusalem was threatened
with destruction, and there David was
commanded to offer sacrifice that the
plague might be stayed. " David
bought the threshing-floor and the
oxen for fifty shekels of silver;" but
he gave '' six hundred shekels of gold "
for the entire place — most probably
including the whole hill of Moriah
(comp. 2 Sam. xxiv. 18-25, and 1 Chron.
xxi. 18-30). He then " built an altar

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — The Temple.

105

unto the Lord, and offered burnt-offer
ings and peace-offerings, and called
upon the Lord ; and He answered him
from heaven by fire upon the altar of
burnt-offerings." Thus was the site
consecrated. Descriptions of the Tem
ple, its courts, altars, and sacred uten
sils, are given in 1 Kings vi. and vii.
and 2 Chron. iii. and iv. After stand
ing 423 years it was destroyed by Nebu
chadnezzar. The Second Temple was
commenced after the captivity, in the
year b.c. 534, and dedicated 19 years
afterwards. It suffered much from
foreign invaders, and strife among the
Jews themselves, during the 2 cen
turies preceding the Christian era ; but
it was rebuilt with great magnificence
by Herod the Great. The work was
begun in the 18th year of his reign.
The priests and Levites finished the
Temple itself in a year and a half ; the
outer buildings and courts took 8 yrs.
more ; and colonnades, porches, and
decorations continued to be added long
afterwards, so that the Jews could say
with truth, in om- Saviour's time,
" Forty and six years was this temple
in building " (John ii. 20). Even then
it was not completed; it was only a
very few years before its final destruc
tion that the work was brought to a
close. (See above, § 20, and § 27.)
The accounts Josephus has left us of
the Temple of Herod are somewhat
confused, and also probably exagger
ated. Yet still Ms description is in
valuable, and a careful study of it is
absolutely necessary to a full investi
gation of the remains of this most
interesting monument. He has left two
descriptions ; one in his ' Antiquities,'
where he narrates the reconstruction
of the body of the Temple by Herod
(xv. 11, 3-7) ; the other in his ' Jewish
Wars' (bk. v. 5, 1-6). I shall here
insert the substance of them to save
the necessity of constant reference to
the original.
The Temple was situated on a rocky
eminence. Originally the level space
on the summit scarcely sufficed for
the sanctuary and the altar, the sides
being everywhere steep and preci
pitous. But Solomon, who built the
sanctuary, having completely walled

up and embanked the eastern side of
the hill, built a colonnade on the em
bankment. On the other three sides
the sanctuary remained exposed. In
process of time, however, as the people
were constantly adding to the em
bankment, the hill became level and
broader. They also threw down the
northern wall, and enclosed as much
ground as the circuit of the Temple
subsequently occupied. After having
surrounded the hill from the base with
a triple wall, and accomplished a
work which surpassed all expectation
— a work on which long ages were
consumed, and all their sacred trea
sures exhausted, though replenished
by the tribute offered to God from
every region of the world — they built
the upper boundary walls and the
lower com-t of the Temple.
The lowest part of the lower or outer
court was built up from a depth of 300
cubits, and in some places more. The
entire depth of the foundations, how
ever, was not discernible ; for, with a
view to level the streets of the town,
they filled up the ravines to a con
siderable extent. There were stones
used in this building which measured
40 cubits in length. So ample was
the supply of money, and such the
zeal of the people, that incredible
success attended the undertaking ;
and that of which hope itself could
not anticipate the accomplishment was
by time and perseverance completed.
Nor was the superstructure un
worthy of such foundations. The
colonnades, double throughout, were
supported by pillars 25 cubits high,
each a single block of white marble.
The ceilings were of panelled cedar.
The colonnades (or cloisters) were 30
cubits wide, and their entire cir
cuit, including Antonia, measured 6
stadia. The open court was covered
with tesselated pavement. Between
the outer and the second court there
was a stone balustrade 3 cubits high,
of exquisite workmanship. On it
stood tablets at regular intervals,
some in Greek, others in Latin, indi
cating that no foreigner was permitted
to pass this boundary. Within the
balustrade you ascended by 14 steps to
F 3

106

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Jewish Antiquities. Beet." 11.

a level terrace, 10 cubits wide, en
circling the wall of the inner court,
and from this terrace 5 steps more
led to the inner court, which was sur
rounded by a wall 40 cubits high on
the outside, but only 25 within. The
principal gate of the inner court was
on the east ; but there were also three
on the north and three on the south,
to which were afterwards added three
others for women.
Within the. second court was the
third or most sacred enclosure, which
none but the priests might enter, con
taining the Temple itself, and a small
area in front of it where the great
altar stood. To this inner enclosure
there was an ascent from the second
court of twelve steps. The Temple
itself, or, Naos, was rebuilt by Herod.
He also erected some of the magnifi
cent cloisters which encircled the outer
com-t ; and Josephus states that he en
larged the area to twice its former ex
tent. (B. J, i. 21, 1.) In the southern
side of the outer court were double
gates, probably for the use of the Ne-
thinims who dwelt in Ophel. On its
western side were four gates : one open
ing on the bridge that connected the
Temple with the royal palace; two
opening into the suburb, in the upper
part of the Tyropceon ; and one leading
to a road which crossed a valley to
Akra. There was no gate either on
the east or north side.
Such is the substance of Josephus's
description of the Temple and its
courts, given to a great degree in the
language of Dr.- Robinson. Having
this before us, we are prepared for a
detailed survey of the present site
-and antiquities of el-Haram esh-Sherif;
and we shall soon see that it em
braces the whole area of the Jewish
Temple. A single glance shows that
the Haram is an artificial platform,
supported by, and within, massive
walls, built up from the declivities of
the hill on three sides ; varying in
altitude according to the .nature of
the ground, but being in general
greatest towards the south. The area
within the enclosure is nearly level,
showing on the north side of the

central mosque, and especially at the
north-west corner, a considerable sec
tion of the natural rock, cut away and
levelled by art. Nearly in the centre
of the enclosure is a flagged platform,
about 15 ft. above the general level,
and ascended by several broad flights
of stairs. It is 550 ft. long from N. to
S., and 450 wide. In the middle of it
stands the octagonal mosque called
Kubbet es-Sukhrah, beneath whose
dome is an irregular projecting crown
of natural rock, 5 ft. high, and 60 ft.
across. Thus we observe that the ap
pearance and general construction of
the Haram are similar to those of the
ancient Temple area.
But the Haram is oblong, its east
ern side measuring 1530 ft., and its
southern only 922 ; and besides, both
the west and north sides are somewhat
longer than their opposites. Now,
according to Josephus, the Temple
area was a square, each side being a
stadium, or 600 ft, in length. From
these measurements it appears that
the Haram is larger than the Temple
area, as described by Josephus ; and it
is also of a different form. I may
here remark, to prevent confusion or
misapprehension, that the plan of the
Haram, as constructed by the English
engineers, and published by Mr.
Williams in his 'Holy City,' and
likewise copied in Bitter's ' Palastina
und Syrien,' is inaccurate. The west
ern wall ought to be straight, as
shown in the map attached to this
work. All the arguments, therefore,
based upon the alleged irregularity of
the western side fall to the ground.
We shall now examine the exterior
walls to see what remains exist of an
cient Jewish architecture, and what
traces there are of later alterations
and additions.
Exterior Walls of the Haram:
the north side. — We begin at the N.W.
angle. Here stands a large irregular
pile of building, used as a barrack. It
is founded upon a crown of rock, which
rises nearly 20 ft. above the Haram
area. The southern section of the crown
has been cut away to the level of the
area, which has thus at this place a.

Jerusalem. Route 7. — Exterior Watts of the Haram.

107

floor of natural rock, and at its north-
em border an artificial precipice. The
barrack covers the Haram wall for a
distance of 370 ft. from the N.W. angle,
and has on its eastern side a small
gateway called Bab ed-Dawatdr, " Gate
of the Secretary," also Bdb el-Atm,
opening from a narrow, dark lane into
the area. There is another gate, called
Bdb el-HiUd, 150 ft. farther E.; the
intervening space being covered with
old houses. A few feet E. of the latter
gate is one of the most remarkable ex
cavations in the city, and one, too, of
great importance in a topographical
point of view. It is a fosse or tank, 360
ft. long, 130 broad, and 75 deep. It was
doubtless much deeper, for the bottom
is encumbered with the accumulated
rubbish of centuries. That it was at
one time used as a reservoir is evident
from the fact that the sides have been
covered with small stones and a thick
coating of cement. It stretches along
the Haram wall eastward to within a
few feet of the city wall south of St.
Stephen's gate. The western end is
built up and coated like the rest ex
cept at the S.W. comer, where are
the openings of two high-arched
vaults, which extend westward side
by side under the modem houses.
The southern one is 12 ft. wide and
the other 19. They are both nearly
filled up with rubbish, a heap of whicli
lies in the fosse before them ; yet Dr.
Robinson was able to measure to the
distance of 100 ft. within the northern
one, and it appeared to extend much
farther. Lieut. Warren explored the
passages still farther. He found that
the southern terminates in a wall of
masonry at 134 ft. ; but the northern
opens at 118 ft. into a small arched
passage running north and south, of
modern construction. This giyes the
whole excavation, as far as explored, a
length of 494 ft., one half the entire
breadth of the Haram. The remarks
of Dr. Robinson on this great work
I agree with :— " I hold it probable
that this excavation was anciently
carried quite through the ridge of
Bezetha along the northern side of
Antonia to its N.W. corner ; thus
forming the deep trench which (Jo

sephus informs us) separated the fort
ress from the adjacent hill. This
(western) part was naturally filled up
by the Romans under Titus, when
they destroyed Antonia, and built up
their approaches in this quarter against
the Temple."
This view of Dr. Robinson is corro
borated by an excavation made a few
years ago when erecting the Convent
of the Dames de Sion opposite the
Serai. A section of what appears to
be the counterscarp of the fosse was
laid bare, about 100 ft. long and 12
deep, hewn in the rock. It was found
by measurement to be exactly parallel
to the Haram wall (De Vogue, p. 3).
Recent researches of Mr. Warren, E.E.,
have resulted in the discovery of a re
markable passage, hewn in the rock,
from beneath the convent of the Sisters
of Zion, under the Via Dolorosa, the
barrack, and the Pasha's residence, to
within a few feet of the N.W. angle of
the Haram, a distance of more than
300 ft. from north to south. It is evi
dent that no ditch ever traversed the
ridge across the line of this passage ;
it must have stopped short beneath the
barrack. The approach to the so-called Pool
of Bethesda is from St. Stephen's Gate.
A narrow path leads along its eastern
end, close to the city wall, to a portal
opening on the Haram, called Bdb el-
Asbdt, " the Gate of the Tribes." The
monks call the fosse Bethesda, and also
the Sheep Pool ; thus making it the
site of the interesting story related in
John v. 2-9 : " Now there is at Jeru
salem by the sheep-market (or gate,
Neh. iii. 1) a pool, which is called in
the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having
five porches." The two arches in the
western end they identify with two of
the " five porches." There is no
foundation, however, for this tradition.
East Wall of the Haram. — Passing
out of St. Stephen's Gate, we turn to
the rt., and a few steps bring us to
the N.E. angle of the Haram. Here
is unquestionably a section of Jewish
masonry facing both the north and the
east ; thus showing that the angle of
the wall is original. This section pro-

108

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Jewish Antiquities. Sect. II.

jects 7^ ft. from the general line of the
wall, forming a corner tower 83J ft.
long. The stones are all bevelled, care
fully hewn, and of massive proportions.
One at the S.E. angle measures 23 ft.
9 in. long, 3 ft. high, and 5 ft. 2 in.
wide. Others vary from 17 to 20 feet
in length. Five courses of them are
nearly entire, and the quoin is ancient,
or at least of ancient materials, almost
to the top. This, as we shall see, was
most probably one of the bastions of
Antonia. Next comes a line of wall extend
ing 373 ft. to the Golden Gate. Along
a portion of it several courses of an
cient masonry will be observed, less
massive indeed, and less carefully
finished, than the tower ; but still of
high, perhaps of equal antiquity.
Many of the stones are more than 8 ft.
long, and one about half way down
measures 18 ft." by 5. The general
appearance of this part is that of a
wall, somewhat carelessly constructed
on old foundations, and of old ma
terials. The Golden Gate is one of the most
striking features in the eastern wall.
It is in the centre of a projection
55 ft. long, and standing out 6 ft.'
The portal is double, with semicir
cular arches profusely ornamented.
The Corinthian capitals which sustain
the entablature spring like corbels
from the wall, and the whole en
tablature is bent round the arch.
The exterior appearance, indepen
dent of its architecture, bears no
mark of high antiquity. Any close
observer can see at a glance that it
has been stuck in at a comparatively
recent period, for it bears no resem
blance to the' massive stones along1
the lower part of the wall on each,
side ; and indeed tho new masonry
around is sufficiently apparent. The
architecture of the interior is very pe
culiar. In the centre is a range of
columns, some Corinthian, some de
based Ionic, with exaggerated capitals;
and at the sides are corresponding pi
lasters. From these spring groined
arches supporting the roof. Mr. Fer-
gusson says of this interior — " The en

tablature is carried along the wall from
pilaster to pilaster as a mere ornament,
under an arch which is the real con
structive form of the roof. The order
is still purely Corinthian, but of so
debased a character, that it could not
have been executed even in the East
before the time of Constantine, and as
certainly cannot belong to the age of
Justinian, or to any time approaching
his period. The Ionic order in the
centre is of a more debased character,
but not unlike some of the latest speci
mens in Rome, and may have been
copied from some local types, the ori
ginal of which we do not now possess."
Although the external ornaments
and arches, and the interior columns
and vaulting of the Golden Gate, are
comparatively modern, M. de Vogue
on a close inspection discovered that
the gate itself is ancient. Colossal
monolithic jambs, one about 12 and
the other 14 ft. high, corresponding
in form and position to those in the
southern gates, remain in position, and
are the sole vestiges existing above
ground of a massive portal long an
terior in date to that now standing.
South of the Golden Gate is a sec
tion of wall, rough and comparatively
modern, but containing some large
stones ; it extends 110 ft. 8 in. to a
small projection of 2 ft. From thence
to the southern angle is 907 ft. 4 in.
The masonry in the northern part of
this section is rude and irregular,
mostly projecting beyond the general
line of the wall. Towards the south
are many large antique stones, but
rough in the centre, and evidently not
in their ancient places. Fragments of
columns, too, are seen here and there ;
I noticed one of porphyry and 3 of
verde-antique ; another near the top
of the-wall wiU be remarked, project
ing some feet. On this, says tradition,
the prophet Mohammed will take his
seat at the day of judgment to direct
affairs in the valley below. (See above,
§31.) As we approach the southern
corner, the ground sinks rapidly, re
vealing some lower courses of very
large stones, manifestly occupying their
ancient places. The stones in the wall
above them are scarcely less massive,

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — The Haram.

109

but thefr rude disjointed aspect shows
them to have been rebuilt at a com
paratively recent period. There are
here also two very large stones with
a curved surface, as if for an arch.
The last 60 ft. of this side projects
some 6 inches, and is the most beauti
fully executed and the best preserved
part of the wall. At the angle 16
courses of ancient bevelled stones re
main above the present surface. It
forms, perhaps, one of the finest speci
mens of mural architecture in the world.
" The joints are close, and the finishing
of the bevelling and facing is so clean
and fine that, when fresh from the
hands of the builder, it must have pro
duced the effect of gigantic relievo
panelling. The ' chief corner stones '
are 20 ft. long ; and the eighth, count
ing upwards, is estimated at 7 ft. in
breadth by 6 in height ; and here
should be noticed a space left, as if
for a window, in the upper part. The
material employed is a fine limestone.
and is now clothed with that golden
hue which a course of ages produces
in southern climes."
It will thus be seen that there is
a section of -this wall 1018 ft. long
nearly in one unbroken line, extend
ing from the south angle to the pro
jection at the Golden Gate. If a line
be drawn from this point westward,
across the Haram area, it passes about
150 ft. north of the great mosque, cut
ting off a space measuring 1018 ft. by
926, which we may regard as pretty
nearly coinciding with the area of the
ancient Temple. It does not indeed
form a mathematical square, as that
¦area is represented by Josephus ; but
its sides are so nearly equal, that in
popular language it might be so called.
Other circumstances tending to corro
borate this view I shall state after
wards. Along the eastern wall of the Ha
ram there is a narrow tract of com
paratively level ground between the
foundations and' the steep bank of the
Kidron, now occupied by a Turkish
cemetery. As we proceed southward
it becomes narrower, until at last it is
but a mere ledge ; in fact, the south
ern angle of the wall stands on the

brow of the ravine, Which is at this
point 165 ft. deep, while the height of
the wall is nearly 80 ft. above the pre
sent surface; and the excavations of
Lieut. Warren have shown that its
foundations are no less than 53 ft.
below it — " the solid rock of Mount
Moriah, on which it is founded, being
covered with that immense thickness
of debris. Thus this wall must ori
ginally have stood at a height of 130 ft.
above its foundations." It will be at
once observed how closely this agrees
with the description of Josephus. In
speaking of the lofty portico, or cloister,
along the south wall of the Temple
area, he says, " It continued from the
eastern valley to the western; for it
could not possibly be extended farther ;"
and he also states that, " if from its
roof one attempted to look down into
the gulf below, his eyes became dark
and dizzy before they could penetrate
to the immense depth." From the
summit of the south-eastern angle it
would still cause the brain to reel to
look down into the depths of Jehosha
phat. It is worthy of remark also that
the Jews seem to have bestowed
especial care upon the corners of their
buildings, which everywhere exhibit
a greater degree of finish, and a better
choice of material, than the plain wall.
Their "chief corner-stones," as seen
in the Haram, are of fine proportions
and surpassing magnitude, fitted no
less for beauty than for strength. Does
not this illustrate some passages of
Scripture ? " Behold I lay in Zion for
a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a
precious corner-stone, a sure founda
tion." (Is. xxviii. 16.) " That our
daughters may be as comer-stones,
cut after the similitude of a palace."
(Ps. cxliv. 12.) The Saviour too is
likened by the apostle to a "chief
corner." (Eph. ii. 20.)
The excavations of Warren have also
disclosed another most interesting fact.
" The eastern wall is prolonged beyond
the southern face, and continues in
the general direction of Siloam, with
all the solidity and antiquity which
characterise its known portions." This
also confirms the description of Jose
phus, who states, regarding the first

110

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Jewish Antiquities. Sect. II.

wall, or wall of Zion, that " from the
gate of the Essenes it advanced with
a southern aspect above the fountain of
Siloam, whence it again inclined facing
the E., and, extending to a certain
spot called Ophla, it joined the eastern
colonnade of the Temple." There can
scarcely be a doubt that the founda
tions now laid bare are those of this
first wall. Lieut. Warren has already
traced the wall of Ophel from the S.E.
angle of the Haram for a distance of
300 ft. towards the pool of Siloam.
Tlie South Wall. — The southern side
of the angle corresponds in every
respect to the eastern — the massive
stones, the bevelled borders, and the
courses of masonry are the same. A
fine view of it is given from a draw-
ing by Tipping, in Traill's ' Josephus.'
There are here 15 ancient courses, but
the 8 upper ones only run a few feet
westward, and as the soil rises, from
the accumulation of rubbish, the 5
lowest are soon concealed. 30 yds.
from the corner is a walled-up gate
with a pointed arch, in the upper or
modern part of the wall. Beyond this
only 2 courses of ancient stones are
visible, and these are not so regular
as those at the angle. We now come
to 3 circular arches built up, about
25 ft. high by 14 wide, once opening
on the great vaults which lie beneath
the S.E. corner of the Haram. The
arches and external masonry and orna
ments of this triple gateway are of
Byzantine architecture, perhaps of the
6th centy. ; but the researches of M. de
Vogue have brought to light remains
of a far earlier date. The sides of the
arches are colossal monoliths, evidently
in situ, and which formed the jambs
of an original portal, coeval with the
oldest parts of the wall, and giving
access to a triple subterranean avenue,
which led up by an inclined plane to
the interior platform. This is one of
the most interesting relics of Herod's
Temple. Underneath the gateway, at a depth
of some 19 ft. below the surface, are
3 passages, partly hewn in the rock.
One of them has a doorway, and ap
pears to have been a secret entrance
to the vaults of the Haram. Plans of

them are given in Wilson's ' Notes to
the Ordnance Survey.' More recent
researches by Lieut. Warren show that
a very ancient aqueduct, or drain, ran
beneath this gate from the Temple area
to Ophel. May not this, therefore, be
the "Water Gate" mentioned by Nehe-
miah ? (iii. 26). Passing on, the stones
of the only ancient course now above
ground increase in size, and are better
finished ; they run quite up to a little
heap of rubbish in the angle where
the city wall joins that of the Haram.
One of these stones is 23 ft. long ; but
most of them are set endways, forming
a course measuring 6 ft. in height;
they have bevelled edges and smoothly
finished surfaces, and are, in fact, of
the pure Jewish type.
At 550 ft. from the eastern corner
the city wall joins that of the Haram at
right angles ; and at the point of junc
tion an interesting relic may be seen —
a section of an arch, somewhat resem
bling in style and ornament that of the
Golden Gate. The remaining portion
of the arch is covered by the city wall,
but just under the part exposed is a
small grated window, rather difficult
of access, through which we get a dim
view of a long subterranean avenue
leading up an inclined plane and flight
of steps to the Haram area. This is
one of the most remarkable pieces of
antiquity in the whole of this noble
structure. This ancient gateway is
double, and its breadth is 42 ft. It
is divided by a rectangular pier 8 ft.
broad and 14 deep, having a semi-
column on the inner end. This central
pier, and the eastern and western
jambs, are built of bevelled stones, of
great size, highly finished, and mani
festly of the oldest type. The orna
mental arches are stuck on; and the
small columns which now stand on
each side of the double entrance are
of modern date, having no connexion
with the ancient work. Within the
gate is an entrance-hall, 63 ft. long by
42 wide ; in the centre of which is a
huge dwarf column, 21 ft. high and 6 j
in diameter— a single stone including
the capital. The capital is peculiar,
bearing traces of a perpendicular palm-
leaf ornament, which Mr. Fergusson

Jerusalem. Route 7. — The Haram — The Bridge.

Ill

says is at least as old as the time of
Herod. The roof is vaulted, of fine work
manship; the flattish arches spring
ing from the central monolith and
piers, and from pilasters at the sides.
Mr. Tipping's description of the in
terior is most important. " The broad
division between the arches consists
of bevelled stones of cyclopean di
mensions. The sides of the long pas
sage (north of the hall) are also built
of huge roughly bevelled stones; but
the walls of the hall are apparently
plain and Roman, though of great
size. This seeming anomaly perplexed
me for a long time ; but at length,
and while examining these side walls
closely, I ascertained from visible traces
that it (they) had been bevelled; but
that, in order to construct side pilasters,
corresponding with the central pillar,
and bearing the two arches springing
from it, the bevelling had been chiselled
away; thus affording a slight relief
to the pilaster." Some of the stones
in these walls are 13 ft. long.
At the northern end of this hall
there is a rise in the floor of several
feet, up the western section of which
is a flight of steps. From hence the
vaulted passage continues, with a gen
tle ascent, 200 ft. ; a range of square
ancient piers supporting the roof.
From the upper extremity of the east
ern aisle, as we may call it, a broad
staircase leads to the Haram area,
opening about 30 ft. in front of the
mosque el-Aksa. The pier at the upper
end of the haU has a semi-column on
each end; and next to it northward,
instead of a pier, is a monolithic co
lumn. Josephus states, as we have seen,
that the southern side of the Temple
area "had gates about the middle."
The words are indefinite. " Gates
about the middle" might signify, in
such a connexion, " a double gateway"
at or near the centre of the wall ; or,
and this is perhaps the more natural
meaning, it might signify "two gates"
placed in the middle of the wall, some
distance from each other, but nearly
equidistant from the angles. The latter
interpretation would correspond with
what now exists, supposing, as we do,

the southern wall of the Haram to be
identical with that of the Temple area.
With the west side of this noble
gateway, which is enclosed in a vaulted
chamber of Saracenic work, the be
velled masonry ceases; and up to a
point 50 ft. E. of the S.W. corner we
have a lofty wall of uniform and ex
cellent workmanship, apparently of
the later Roman age. At this point,
however, we again meet with colossal
stones, bevelled edges, and smooth-
hewn faces. The ground descends
rapidly from the junction of the city
wall to this place, and thus reveals
lower courses of masonry which are
carried round the angle, like those on
the S.E.
The West Wall and Bridge.— The
stones on the western face of this angle
are still larger than any we have yet
met with, while they preserve the
same antique style of architecture.
There are 4 courses of them above
ground; one of the blocks is 38 ft.
9 in. long, 4 ft. thick, and 10 ft. deep ;
the others vary from 24J to 20£ and
under, by 5 ft. in thickness. They are
much worn by time, but still on most
of them the Jewish bevelling is dis
tinctly seen. There can be no doubt,
therefore, that this is the original ter
mination of the Temple area. The
nature of the ground and the course
of the valley make it evident that this
angle is founded, as Josephus describes
it, on the shelving side of Moriah, and
originally impended over the Tyro
pceon, now greatly filled up with rub
bish. The excavations of Lieut. War
ren, of which I hear as these sheets are
passmg through the press, prove that
the foundations of this south-western
angle of the Haram are laid on the solid
rock at the enormous depth of 95 ft.
beneath the present surface ! And the
bridge that once connected the palace
on Zion with the Temple must have
had an elevation above the ravine of
the Tyropceon of no less than 200 'ft. !
The ravine at this point was very
narrow, with precipitous sides.
The Bridge. — At the distance of
39 ft. from this angle is one of the
most interesting remains of antiquity

112

Route i. — Jerusalem — Jewish Antiquities. Sect. 1.1.

in Jerusalem, for the discovery of
which we are indebted to Dr. Robin
son. Here are three courses of huge
stones projecting from the wall, and
forming a segment of an arch. One
of them is 20 1 ft. long, another 24 J,
and the rest in proportion. The arch
itself extends 50 ft. along the wall,
and its span must have been about
45 ft. The distance from the wall
across the valley to the precipitous
side of Zion is 350 ft., which is the
proximate length of the ancient bridge.
Making allowance for the width of the
piers, and the abutment on Zion, five
such arches would be required to span
the Tyropceon. An excavation was
made by Capt. Wilson to discover one
of the piers of the bridge. After carry
ing it to the depth of 37 ft., a block of
solid colossal masomy, of Jewish type,
was found, its western face being 54
ft. distant from the Haram wall. There
can be little doubt that this is a frag
ment of one of the ancient piers.
There can be no reasonable doubt
that the remains of this arch are coeval
with the most ancient work now visi
ble. We have for so far observed a
close correspondence between the de
scriptions of Josephus and the existing
remains ; and now, in this bridge, we
find another remarkable accordance
with the statements of the historian.
He remarks incidentally in different
places that a " bridge" connected the
Temple with the upper city on Zion ;
that it was at the lower end of the
Xystus ; and that the space between
the Temple wall and the Xystus was
so^ short, that Titus standing on the
former was able to hold a parley with
the Jews in the latter. Now, in exact
accordance with these statements, we
find the fragment of this colossal arch,
just in the very spot where a student
of Josephus would have looked for it —
on the W. cliff of the Temple mount,
and at the nearest point to the pre
cipitous side of Zion.
The bridge between the Temple
and Zion is first definitely mentioned
during the siege by Pompey, 20 years
before Herod was made king. The
party of Aristobulus are represented
us retreating from Zion into the Tem

ple, and breaking down the bridge
behind them. (Joseph., B. J. i. 7, 2.)
Josephus also describes the house of
the Asmoneean family ,as above the
Xystus, on the opposite side of the
Upper City, where a bridge connected
tlie Temple with the Xystus (B. J. ii.
16, 3). And in another place he speaks
of Titus as standing on the western
side of the outer court of the Temple,
there being a gate in that quarter
beyond the Xystus, and a bridge which
connected the upper town with the
Temple (vi. 6, 2). There can be no
question, therefore, that we have here
the remains of the bridge mentioned
so frequently and so explicitly by the
Jewish historian.
Passing the remnants of the arch,
we observe several courses of ancient
masonry running up to the first group
of buildings which abut upon the
Haram wall, completely covering it.
Here stands the now well-known house
of Abu S'aud, which is built partly
within and partly without the Haram.
It was doubtless the peculiar position
of this house which caused the English
engineers to make such a serious mis
take in laying down the line of the
western wall, representing a projection
of no less than 140 ft.
The Place of Wailing. — Passmg
round the house of Abu S'aud, and
winding through some narrow, crooked
lanes, we reach another most interest
ing section of the ancient wall, — the
Jews' Place of Wailing. There is here
a small quadrangular paved area be
tween low houses and the Haram, from
40 to 50 yds. north of Abu S"aud's
house. In the wall are 5 courses of
large bevelled stones in a fine state of
preservation ; though the joints in the
lower courses are in some places much
worn, and here and there displaced,
probably from the kisses of genera
tions of mourners, and the shocks of
successive earthquakes. Here the Jews
have been permitted for many centuries
to approach the precincts of the Temple
of their fathers, and bathe its hallowed
stones with their tears. It is a touch
ing scene that presents itself to the

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Place of Wailing.

113

eye of the stranger in this retired spot
each Friday: Jews of both sexes, of
all ages, and from every quarter of the
earth, are there raising up a united
voice of wailing over a desolated
and dishonoured sanctuary. Old men
may be seen tottering up to these mas
sive stones, kissing them, burying their
faces in the joints and cavities, while
tears stream down their cheeks, and
accents of deepest sorrow burst from
their trembling tips. Well may the
poor Jews repeat the words of the
Psalmist (lxxix. 1, 4, 5),."0 God,
the heathen are come into thine in
heritance ; thy holy temple have they
defiled ; they have laid Jerusalem on
heaps. We are become a reproach to
our neighbours, a scorn and derision
to them that are round about us. How
long, Lord? wilt thou be angry for
ever? shall thy jealousy burn like
fire?" "Oh! weep for those that wept by Babel's
stream,
"Whose shrines are desolate, whose land a
dream;
"Weep for the harp of Judah 's broken spell;
Mourn — where their God hath dwelt the
godless dwell I"
At the southern end of this area
is a low and comparatively modern
wall, over which the adventurous ex
plorer can easily climb. From it he
descends into a little court, and thence
into a gloomy chamber in the angle
between the Haram wall and the house
to the south. Here, in the midst of
fine Jewish masonry, is a section of a
gateway. The lintel is 7 ft. in depth,
and measures 16 in length to the place
where it is covered by the wall of the
house. This gateway is mentioned by
Aly Bey, who saw it from the interior,
and says " the superior portion con
sists of a single stone 20 feet long."
It was more recently seen by Dr.
Barclay,, and I noticed it in 1854 and
1857. It has been since more thoroughly
explored. It is now walled up ; but it
opened into a little mosque dedicated
to Burdk, the famous charger of
Mohammed. The remains of an ancient
subterranean passage have been dis
covered, leading from tho gate east
ward for a distance of 69 ft., and then

turning south it appears to have risen
to the surface of the Haram by an
incline, like the avenues on the south.
It is sometimes called Bab el-Burak,
and sometimes Bab Mohammed. It
is partly underneath the modern gate
Bab el-Mugharibeh. (Wilson's Notes
on Jerusalem, p. 89.) There can scarcely
be a doubt that this is one of the gates
of the Temple area, most probably the
second from the S., which Josephus
mentions as opening into the Suburb.
The first gate, he states, led to the
king's palace by a passage over the
intermediate valley — the bridge al
ready described. Two more opened
on the Suburb ; and the first of these
is doubtless that now before us. It is
worthy of notice that this gate is con
siderably S. of the point where the
ancient northern wall of Zion would
naturally join the W. side of the
Temple ; and this serves strongly to
corroborate the view stated above, that
the section of the city called by Jose
phus the Suburb lay, partly at least, in
the valley of Tyropoeon.
To the N. of the Place of Wailing
the wall of the Haram is hidden be
hind modern houses ; but both Mr.
Catherwood and Dr. Barclay, who
enjoyed many opportunities of peep
ing into houses and courtyards in
accessible to others, state that there
is far more of the original Jewish
masonry in the W. than in any other
of the sides ; and that in some places
it rises to a height of more than 30 ft.
Bdb es-Silsilah, " the Gate of the
Chain," is the next point where we
can approach the line of the ancient
wall; and it forms the principal en
trance to the Haram. It is situated
at the end of the Street of David,
which leads through the city from
the Yafa Gate, and is about 270 ft.
N. of Bab el-Burak. This may pro
bably be the site of the second gate
opening from the Temple area into the
Suburb; as in such a massive wall
the old gateways would naturally be
preserved. The present gate is double,
and is ornamented with twisted marble
columns, and other Saracenic decora
tions. Just in front of it is a beautiful

114 Route 7. — Jerusalem — Jewish Antiquities. Sect. II.

Plan op the Temple XT Jerusalem.

GOLDEN CBTE

1. Altar of Burnt Offering.
2. Holy Place.
3. Most Holy Place.
4, 4. Gates of the Women.

5. Great Gate.
6, 6. Barrier between outer and inner Courts.
1,1. Extent of modern Platform.

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Site of the Temple.

115

little fountain, with a wheel ornament
over it, probably taken from some old
church. Just beneath Bab es-Silsilah, out
side, Capt. Wilson made an interest
ing discovery. Descending into a
cistern called el-Burak, he found a
section of the old Haram wall in fine
preservation. Beyond it is a semi
circular arch, having a width of 43 ft.
and a span of 42, built of massive
stones from 7 to 13 ft. in length. On
the E., as at Robinson's Arch, the
stones at the springing and for two
courses above form part of the Haram
wall ; while, on the west, the arch
abuts in a solid mass of masonry of
the same style. Capt. Wilson says
that "whatever date is given to the
masonry of the wailing place must be
ascribed to this." (Notes, p. 28.) The
road to Bab es-Silsilah passes over the
arch ; and we have thus an additional
proof that here was one of the ancient
entrances to the Temple.
At the end of a covered bazaar,
about 270 ft. N. of the " Gate of the
Chain," is Bdb elrKatanvn, the " Gate
of the Cotton Merchants." It is also
purely Saracenic in its style ; and from
an inscription over it, appears to have
been erected, or repaired, in a.h. 737.
A tradition of considerable antiquity
identifies Bab el-Katanin with the
Beautiful Gate of the Temple, where
the apostles John and Peter healed the
impotent man. (Acts iii.) On this
account Christians are permitted to
approach it more freely than any other
gate of the Haram.
This may perhaps be the site of the
gate mentioned by Josephus as leading
to Akra, " where the road descended
into the valley by a great number of
steps, and thence up again by the as
cent." (Ant. xv. 11, 5.) It is not far,
as we shall see, from the northern
limits of the Temple area.
Some 50 ft. south of Bftb el-Katanin
is a small portal opening from a narrow
lane, and called Bab el-Matera. About
150 ft. north of the former is the next
principal gate of the Haram, called
Bdb el-Hadid, " The Iron Gate," and

apparently of a late date. Farther N.
250 ft. is Bdb en-Nddhir, the " Gate
of the Inspector ;" where, tradition
says, the angel Gabriel tied Moham
med's winged horse Burak, on the
night of his journey to heaven. There
is still another small portal at the
N.W. angle. All these gates are 'ap
proached by narrow lanes branching
off from the street which follows the
central valley from N. to S.
Site of the Temple determined.
Our survey of the exterior walls has
shown us that the eastern, southern,
and at least the lower portion of the
western walls, have foundations of
remote antiquity ; that the western
wall from Bab el-Katanin southwards,
and the whole of the southern wall,
run in straight lines, whilst the sub
structions of these and of the eastern
wall as far north as the Golden Gate,
exhibit all the marks of having origin
ally constituted one building ; that the
style of masonry is precisely such as
we learn from the Scriptures and Jo
sephus was used by the Jews ; that
remains of the southern gates, and
of the remarkable bridge mentioned by
Josephus, still exist. We are therefore
led to conclude that this section of the
Haram, forming nearly a square, is
identical in extent with the platform
of the ancient Temple. It may here
be stated that the exact dimensions of
the Haram, as measured by the Ord
nance Surveyors, are as_follows : —

Northern side
Eastern SouthernWestern

1042 ft.
1530 „
922 „
1601 „

Josephus and the Talmud describe
the Temple area as a square, of which
each side measured, according to the
former a stadium, according to the
latter 500 cubits. The Greek stadium
was about 204 yards ; but the length
of the Jewish cubit is uncertain,
though it is generally thought to have
been 21 inches. Josephus, therefore,
gives each side of the area at 612 ft. ;
and the writers in the Talmud at 873
ft. Is it not probable that both were

116

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Jewish Antiquities. Sect. II,

mere approximates from memory ?
However this may be, there can be
little doubt that the area, to the eye,
presented the appearance of a square.
Now the breadth of the Haram is, as
we have seen, 922 ft., and its length
to the south side of the Golden Gate
1000 ft. ; if we draw a line from the
latter point straight across the area,
we have a section on the S. which in all
probability corresponded to the Temple
area. It is not a square, but it would
be called so in popular language. The
northern line thus indicated, as may
be seen from the accompanying plan,
falls about 150 ft. N. of the great
mosque, and about the same distance
N. of Bab el-Katanin.
Thrupp adopts a mode of reconciling
Josephus and the Rabbins, which is at
least worthy of consideration. He
estimates the Jewish cubit at 1\ hand-
breadths, or about 1-83 ft. ; 500 cubits
will thus amount to 915 ft., which is
almost exactly the length of the south
wall of the Haram. Then Josephus
says that the enclosure of Solomon was
4 stadia in circuit ; but he also says
that Herod took in double that extent,
making the whole circuit 6 stadia.
Taking the length of the stadium at
612 ft., the fourth part of 6 stadia will
be 918 ft., which very nearly coincides
with the measurement of the Talmud.
(Ancient Jerusalem, p. 310.)
We shall now examine more care
fully the interior of this section, with
a view to identify the site of the Temple
itself, or Naos, and of the several courts
and cloisters by which it was encom
passed. The general outline of the
building, as described by Josephus, has
already been given, and must be kept
in mind. We learn farther from the
Talmud that the holy house itself stood
in the north-western part of the enclo
sure. " The greatest space was on the
S. ; the next on the E. ; the next on
the N. ; and the last on the W." — That
is to say, the building was on the
north-western part, but, the length of
it being from W. to E., the space left
next the western wall was less than
that on the N. This description,
which appears to agree with some in
cidental notices of Josephus, is most

important ; it is just such as the form
of the site, compared with the state
ment of Josephus that the Naos jwas
erected on the rocky summit, would
lead us to expect. Josephus's words
on this point may here be quoted, as
they appear to have been overlooked
or forgotten by those who would locate
the Temple in the S.W. corner of the
Haram, which is at least 60 ft. lower
than the summit of Moriah, and
where there is not, and never was, a
naturally level area. " The Temple,"
writes Josephus, " was seated on a
strong bill. Originally the level space
on its summit scarcely sufficed for the
Naos and the altar, the ground about
being abrupt and steep. But King
Solomon, who built the Naos, having
completely walled up the eastern side,
a colonnade was built upon the em
bankment." (B. J. v. 5, 1.) Let this
be carefully compared with the natural
features of the Haram. Toward the
north-western angle of the section de
scribed, beneath the dome of the great
mosque, is the projecting crown of
Moriah — a broad irregular mass of
limestone rock ; over which, as mark
ing the site of their former Temple,
the Jews were accustomed to wail dur
ing the 4th century. This rock has
also been, ever since the city was cap
tured by Omar, one of the most vene
rated spots of Muslem tradition and
devotion. Even the Christians of the
middle ages believed it to be the place
over which the destroying angel stood
when about to smite Jerusalem. It
occupies the greater part of the space
beneath the dome ; it is about 60 ft.
across and 5 high ; in a few places are
the marks of chiselling. At the S.E.
side is an irregular excavated chamber,
averaging about 7 ft. in height. This,
Mohammedans affirm, was the pray
ing-place of Abraham, David, Solo
mon, and Jesus ; and they call it " the
Noble Cave." Within are two small
marble altars ; that on the rt. hand as
you descend the steps is called Makam
Suleiman, and that on the left Makam
Daud ; a niche on the S.W. is called
Makam Ibrahim, and another at the
N.W. Makam Jibrail. A small stone
altar at the N.E. angle is dedicated to

Jerusalem;

Route 7. — Site of the Temple.

117

Elias. In the centre of the roof is a
cylindrical aperture, through the whole
thickness of the rock ; and beneath it
we observe a small slab of marble, co
vering a deep cavity, to which Mus
lems give the name Bir el-Arwdh,
" the Well of Spirits." Some say it is
the gate of Paradise, others the door
of Hell. The following description
given by the author of the ' Jerusalem
Itinerary,' who visited the city in a.d.
333, is worthy of special notice in
connexion with this rock and cave.
•' There are there also immense sub
terranean reservoirs of water, and
tanks constructed with great labour;
and in the very site (in aede ipsa)
where the Temple stood which Solomon
built .... are two statues of Hadrian.
And not far distant from these statues
is a pierced rock, to which the Jews
come every year, and anoint it with
oil, wailing and rending their gar
ments." (Itin. Hier., ed. Wess., pp.
590-2.) We thus see that early in the
4th centy. the true site of the Temple
was known to the Jews ; and the men
tion of the pierced rock enables us at
once, when connected with other cir
cumstances, to identify the precise
place. The "sacred rock" of the
Muslems is the same which was revered
by the Jews. Jerome informs us that
the statue of Hadrian had been placed
on the site of the " Most Holy Place."
(Comm. in Esaiam, ii. 8.)
This singular projecting pierced rock
we may thus safely assume to be the
site of the " threshing-floor of Araunah
the Jebusite," where David sacrificed,
and which became afterwards the site
of the great altar of burnt-offering.
(1 Chron. xxii. 1.) We learn from the
Middoth (a tract of the Mishna which
treats of the Temple, cap. iii. 3) that
at the south-eastern horn of the great
altar was a spot in the pavement where
a ring was fixed in a slab, beneath
which was an opening to a cave for
the purpose of cleansing the drain
around the altar, and receiving the
blood. So then the " Noble Cave," as
it seems, was the cesspool of the altar
of burnt-offering. The immense num
ber of victims often sacrificed at one
time would evidently need some such

arrangement. The altar was 32 cubits
square, and thus covered nearly the
whole surface of the rock.
The position of the great altar being
determined, we can easily approxi
mate to the places of the Naos and the
courts. To attempt anything more
than an approximation would be use
less. The measurements given in Jo
sephus and the Middoth are confused,
and sometimes contradictory ; but the
accompanying plan will show the rela
tive positions of the several places.
The altar of burnt-offering was in
front of the Naos eastward ; and none
but priests were permitted to enter the
small court containing these two.
Without this, and lower than it, was
the court for the men ; and beyond it,
eastward, the women's court. These
were encircled by a high wall, and
stood on a platform from which steps
led down to the outer court. This
platform probably coincided pretty
nearly with the southern section of
that on which the great mosque now
stands. The outer court, occupying
by far the greater part of the whole
area, was a place of common resort for
the people of Jerusalem, and for stran
gers visiting the city. It was from it
the Saviour drove the money-changers
and merchants. (Matt. xxi. 12, 13.)
Into it opened the four gates from the
city on the W., and the two from Ophel
on the S., the long passages from the
latter passing underneath the " royal
porch " to the centre of the com-t.
One striking feature of this court was
that it was almost wholly, if not
wholly, artificial ; the platform being
supported by massive exterior walls,
and the space within them partly filled
up with earth, and partly sustained on
piers and arches.
The Vaults. — The piers and arches
supporting the Haram area form exten
sive vaults, which were partly explored
and measured by Catherwood, and
more recently by Barclay, De Vogiie,
and Wilson. The entrance to them is at
the south-eastern corner, where a small
dome is seen overtopping the wall.
Beneath it a flight of steps leads down
to a square subterranean chamber, now

118

Route 7. — Jerusalem— Jewish Antiquities. Sect. II.

used as a mosque, in the middle of
which, laid on the floor, is a sculp
tured niche, in the form of a sarco
phagus, with a canopy over it : it is
called the " Cradle of Jesus." From it
is a descent by another staircase to the
vaults, containing, so far as has yet
been explored, 15 rows of square pil
lars, measuring about 5 ft. on each
side, and constructed of massive stones
placed singly one over the other. The
intervals between the rows are irre
gular, varying from 10 to 23 ft., and
some of the piers are larger than others,
though most of those east of the triple
gateway are 3 ft. 6 in. square. In
each row the pillars are connected by
semicircular arches; while the vault
intervening between the rows is formed
by a lower arch — a segment of a circle.
From the S.E. corner, for about 120 ft.
westward, the ranges extend north
ward about 200 ft., where they are
shut up by a modern wall. For about
150 ft. farther W. the vaults are closed
up in like manner at less than 100 ft.
from the southern wall ; and to judge
from the wells and openings in the
area above ground, they seem to have
been walled up, that the northern por
tion of them might be converted into
cisterns. The remaining part west
ward is made up of the three passages
leading from the Triple Gateway. The
vaults thus terminate about 150 ft.
east of the mosque el-Aksa. How
much farther they ran westward is
now unknown. Dr. Barclay could find
no entrance to vaults W. of those now
described. There can be little doubt,
however, that they extend to the west
ern wall. Capt. Wilson's description
of these remarkable vaults is so im
portant that I here insert it. " The
entrance to the subterranean vaults,
called ' Solomon's Stables ' by Franks,
and Al Masjed al-Kadim (the old
mosque) by Moslems, is through a
hole, broken in the crown of one of
the arches, near the south wall of the
Haram, between the Aksa mosque and
the Cradle of Jesus. The piers of that
portion of the vaulting east of the
Triple Gateway are a reconstruction
with old material, which is much worn
as if it had been exposed to the wea

ther for some time ; all of the stones
have drafted margins ; in some cases
the draft was found on all four sides,
in others on two, but in most on
only one. One of the piers is made
of a huge lintel or door-jamb, the re
veal of which is filled up with small
stones  In the masonry of the piers
may still be seen the holes by which
the Crusaders fastened their horses
when the place was used as a stable.
The level of the floor of the vaults is 38
ft. 3 in. below that of the Haram above.
The arches are semicircular, 11 ft. 5 in.
span, 5 ft. 9 in. rise, and neatly finished
with plain chiselled stones. The di
vergence of the eastern wall, which
makes an obtuse angle with the south
ern, has necessitated a slight splay in
the aisles, each of which opens out to
wards the north." (Notes, p. 37.)
The careful researches of De Vogue-
and Capt. Wilson have proved that
these vaults in their present form are
comparatively modern. De Vogue
says that the whole is the work of the
Arabs, and was executed at the time
when the Haram was appropriated to
Mohammedan worship. While this is
admitted, it cannot at the same time
be denied that there are distinct traces
of somewhat similar vaults of a far
more remote age — coeval, in fact, with
the massive foundations of the en
circling wall. In the interior of the
mosque of the Cradle of Jesus the
springing of an enormous arch can be
seen, abutting on the primeval Haram
wall, and similar in character to the
remains of Robinson's arch. Traces of
another may be seen in the ancient
wall immediately to the north of the
mosque ; while De Vogue observed
heavy foundations westward, which
may mark the places of the ancient
piers. I quite agree in his state
ment : — " It appears to me evident
that at the epoch of the first system of
masonry a network of gigantic caves,
arched like the fragments which we
have now before our eyes, occupied the
whole artificial section of the platform
of the Temple ; the Arab substructions
which we now describe are a later and
feeble imitation of that splendid ar
rangement. It may be that some

Jerusalem. Route 7. — The Temple— Cloisters.

119

well-preserved portions of these vaults
still exist under the south-western
corner of the Haram and under the
mosque el-Aksa." (Le Temple, p. 14.)
Josephus, in two or three passages, in
cidentally mentions the subterranean
vaults of the Temple. (B. J. v. 3, 1.)
It would be exceedingly interesting to
make a series of excavations in these
vaults, so as, if possible, to bring to
light the old foundations of the piers.
It would also be desirable to penetrate
under el-Aksa, and to explore the whole
south-western angle of the Haram.
Tlie Cloisters of the Temple. — Along
the whole southern side of the outer
court extended the noble cloister of
Herod— the Stoa Basilica. This was
one of the most remarkable of all
Herod's magnifioent works; and its
position, stretching from valley to
valley along the summit of the massive
wall, must have rendered it an object
of striking grandeur from every point
of view in and around the city. It
consisted of 4 rows of Corinthian co
lumns, forming nave and side aisles.
Each aisle was 30 ft. wide and 50
high ; while the nave measured 45 ft.
wide and 100 in height, thus rising
into a clerestory of unusually large pro
portions. The shafts of the columns
were monoliths of white marble ; and
the roofs of cedar elaborately carved.
Some idea may be formed of the plan
and appearance of this structure by a
glance at the interior of Santa Maria
Maggiore, at Rome, but the latter is less
than one-third of its length. The nave
of these cloisters was exactly opposite
the bridge leading from Zion to the
Temple, and corresponded with it in
breadth, as may be seen by a com
parison of the site and breadth of the
ruined bridge with the measurements
of Josephus.
Along the eastern side of the Temple
court extended Solomon's Porch, where
Jesus was wont to walk (John x. 23),
and where the multitude crowded
round Peter and John after they had
cured the lame man (Acts iii. 11).
This porch, or stoa, consisted of a
double r&nge of cloisters, between 3
rows Of columns. It was of great

height, and its commanding position
on the eastern brow of Moriah, over
the deep valley of the Kidron, made it
look still more so. There were also
ranges of cloisters along the other two
sides, but Josephus does not speak
specially of them.
Such then was the position, and such
the arrangement of the Temple and its
courts, so far as we are able to under
stand the descriptions of ancient au
thors when compared with the site.
The appearance of the whole structure
must have been strikingly grand. The
massive exterior wall supporting noble
colonnades; the inner court rising in
regular and richly ornamented terraces
above the outer; the golden fane
overtopping them aU, — formed a group
seldom surpassed, and amply justifying
the glowing descriptions of the Jewish
historian. The general plan resem
bled that of the great Temple of the
Sun at Palmyra, and that of Damascus
was probably similar. The temple at
Ba'albek had also a cloistered court,
which was supported on substructions
still more massive than those at Jeru-

It has already been stated that
modern writers on the topography of
Jerusalem do not agree as to the exact
site of the Temple, and the extent of
its courts. It seems, however, to be
admitted on all hands that the Temple
stood somewhere within the Haram, and
that its courts did not extend beyond the
massive walls of the modem enclosure.
I shall here state the leading theories.
Fergusson maintains that the whole
Temple area occupied a section of the
south-west corner of the Haram, mea
suring about 600 ft. square ; and thus
reaching up as far as Bab es-Silsilah
on the west, and as far as the Triple
Gateway on the south. The JVaos, he
says, stood a short distance east of the
Place of Wailing. All the rest of the
Haram was without the ancient city
until Agrippa built the wall which
now encloses the Haram on the east.
Robinson's view is identical with
that advocated in this Handbook, in so
far as regards the extent of the Temple
area. Williams identifies the Temple area

120

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Jewish Antiquities. Sect. II.

with the northern section of the Haram,
and affirms that the southern was an
addition of a later age. He places the
high altar on the Sacred Rock, and the
Naos on the platform a little to the west.
Catherwood, De Vogiie', and others,
maintain that the whole Haram was
included in Herod's Temple.
I believe that it is only by exten
sive excavations, both within and with
out the Haram, that the truth on this
much controverted subject can be
brought to light. The old foundations
must be laid bare. The cisterns, drains,
and sewers must be explored. The
form and extent of the rocky crown of
Moriah must be ascertained. The
direction and character of the western
and southern gates, bridges, ap
proaches, and abutting walls must
be discovered. Then, but not till
then, whatever is false in any or all
of these theories will be seen by un
prejudiced archaeologists, and perhaps
also in the end admitted by the authors
and defenders of the theories them
selves.

§ 41. The Foeteess op Antonia.
We have as yet only disposed of a
section of the Haram, and the reader
will. naturally inquire, "Is it not all
ancient ? " " What building then occu
pied the northern section ?" Josephus
answers, " The fortress of Antonia."
(Ant. xv. 11, 4.) This, like every other
site, has been a subject of controversy.
As there has been so much argument
upon the question, I may give here
a brief summary of the grounds upon
which it is made to cover the whole
extent of the Haram N. of that section
occupied by the Temple. This is the
view advocated by Dr. Robinson, and
with it I feel inclined to concur. I
admit that it does not in every respect
meet the descriptions, measurements,
and incidental allusions of Josephus;
but it seems to accord with them more
fully than any other theory.
. Nehemiah mentions a palace, or
rather fortress, fTV3, "which apper
tained to the Temple " (ii. 8) ; and in
this Hebrew word Birah we have pro

bably the origin of the Greek Baris,
which, Josephus tells us, was the name
of the fortress subsequently called
Antonia. It was erected, or rebuilt,
by the princes of the Asmonasan
family, probably by Judas Macca-
bseus, when he restored and cleansed
the Temple and built a wall round it
(b.c 164). It may have been again
repaired and enlarged by Simon (B.C.
140) ; but it was Herod the Great
who finally constructed it with the
splendour described by Josephus.
According to this historian, Antonia
was the fortress of the Temple, as the
Temple was of the city. It stood
upon the N. side of the Temple area.
" The general appearance was that of
a tower, with other towers at each of
the 4 corners, 3 of which were 50
cubits high, while that at the S.E.
angle rose to an elevation of 70 cubits,
so that from thence there was a com
plete view of the Temple " (B. J. v.
5, 8). It was thus a quadrangular
structure, and Josephus farther in
forms us that within it had all the
extent and arrangements of a palace ;
apartments of every kind, courts sur
rounded with porticoes, baths, and
broad open spaces for encampments ;
" so that its various conveniences gave
it the appearance of a town, and its
magnificence that of a palace. Where
it joined the colonnades of the Temple
area, it had passages leading down to
both, through which the guards de
scended, and disposed themselves
about the cloisters in arms, at the
festivals, to watch the people." It
appears also to have had an acropolis,
upon a rock at the N.W. comer of the
Temple, which was also called a
tower ; whereas Antonia, as a whole,
is never spoken of but as a. fortress.
The rock on which the acropolis stood
was 50 cubits high, and was covered
over from the base to the top with
hewn stones. Antonia was detached
from the hill Bezetha, which lay on
its northern side, by a fosse of im
mense depth, excavated so as to cut off
all communication, and to make the
battlements more elevated.
"Along with the preceding de
scription of Antonia, it is likewise to

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Fortress of Antonia.

121

be borne in mind" (says Dr. Robinson)
' ' that the area of Solomon's temple was
originally a square, measuring a sta
dium on each side, or four stadia in
circuit; which circuit was enlarged
by Herod to six stadia, including An
tonia ; thus enclosing double the
former area, or two square stadia in
stead of one. From this account it
would strictly follow that the area
of Antonia also was a square measur
ing a stadium on each side. But as
Josephus was writing at Rome, with
out actual measurements, and after
an absence of many years from Jeru
salem, the statement can be regarded
only as a general estimate expressed
in a popular form. It may also be
remembered that, according to the
measurements already given, the pre
sent Haram area is 1530 ft. in length
from S. to N., by about 922 in
breadth; thus having on the N. an
extension of about 600 ft. more than
a square. It is not necessary, how
ever, to suppose that the Temple
enclosure formed an exact mathema
tical square ; for in an area of. such
extent, even if the length were much
greater than the breadth, it would
still in popular language be called a
square." It appears also, from many inci
dental notices in Josephus, that the
Temple and this fortress were regarded
as one building. When Pompey at
tacked the Temple on tlie N., the
fortress was standing, and the deep
fosse which separated it from Bezetha
is spoken of; but the whole structure
is called " the Temple." So also there
was an old oracle which stated that
" the city and Temple would be cap
tured when the Temple should become
four-square ; " and this the Jews be
lieved fulfilled when Antonia was
taken and destroyed ; and farther,
Josephus in speaking of the cloisters
of the Temple area says that " their
entire circuit, including Antonia, mea
sured six stadia."
All these things tend to prove that
the fortress of Antonia occupied the
whole northern section of the Haram ;
and new light is thus thrown on the
very interesting remains still existing.
[Syria and Palestine.]

The projecting rock at the N.W.
angle is the site of the " Tower of the
Corner," or citadel of Antonia. The
deep trench called the " Pool of Beth
esda " is a portion of that " fosse of
infinite depth" which separated the
fortress from Bezetha. The massive
foundations at the N.E. angle belonged
to one of the corner towers of Antonia.
The projection at the Golden Gate
marks the site of the great tower at
the S.E. of the fortress, whose height
was 70 cubits, and which overlooked
the whole Temple courts. The huge
bevelled stones belonged to the an
cient Baris of the Maccabees, and
formed a part, perhaps, of the fortress
Birah, of which Nehemiah speaks.
The whole area, 500 ft. long by nearly
1000 broad, is not too large for tbe
cloistered courts, baths, barracks, and
royal chambers described by Jose
phus. Several other theories regarding-
the site, extent, and plan of Antonia
have been propounded. Fergusson
holds that the " Tower itself was a
keep of about 150 or 180 ft. square,
and, like one of our mediaeval for
tresses, was surrounded by an exterior
vallum, enclosing an outer court. The
steep rock on which it stood must have
been the eastern side of the Tyropceon,
and the valley or ditch that cut it off
from Bezetha is now smoothed over by
the pavement of the Haram." ( Topo
graphy of Jer., p. 32.) Strange to say
he places the tower, not on the crown,
but on the side of a rock, and in such
a position that the high summit of the
sacred rock rises up on its E. side,
forming an admirable basis for attack
ing both Antonia and the N. wall of
the Temple. He also makes the outer
vallum extend across the Tyropceon to
the old wall of Zion. It may be safely
said that a worse position for a fortress
could not be selected on the whole site
of Jerusalem.
Thrupp places Antonia on the crown
of Moriah, on the very top of the
Sacred Rock over which the octagonal
Mosque now stands. If it stood there,
then where is the great fosse which
separated it from Bezetha on the N. ?
De Vogiie, who affirms that the area
G

122

Route 7. — Jerusalem. — The Haram.

Sect. II.

of Herod's Temple was the same as
that of the modern Haram, places
Antonia at the N.W. corner, on the
rock which is now cut away, and
makes it extend partly within and
partly without the Haram. The great
fosse E. of it, now called Birket-Israil,
separated the Temple from Bezetha,
and was carried round the N. side of
Antonia also.
It seems to me that none of these
theories coincides so closely with the
statements of Josephus as that given
above.'' § 42. Subsequent history of the plat
form of Moriah. — At what time, and
in what way, the ancient area of the
Temple and Antonia assumed the form
of the present Haram is unknown.
Titus left the whole a mass of scorched
and smoking ruins. The acropolis of
Antonia was razed to its foundations
by the Romans, in order to obtain
more space for the mounds erected
against the Temple. Some 50 years
after the destruction of the city by
Titus, the emperor Hadrian rebuilt
and fortified it ; and erected a temple
to Jupiter on the site of the Jewish
Temple, setting up an equestrian
statue of himself on the very spot
formerly known as the " Holy of
Holies." This statue was still stand
ing in the days of Jerome, late in the
4th centy. The author of the Jeru
salem Itinerary saw it in the year a.d.
333 ; and Jerome himself, residing so
long at Bethlehem, must have been
personally familiar with all the anti
quities in and around the Holy City.
It is probable that Hadrian levelled
the platform as it now appears.
§43. The Mosque el-Aksa. — About
the middle of the 6th centy. the em
peror Justinian built a magnificent
basilica in Jerusalem in honour of
the Virgin. Procopius' account of its
construction, and the theories founded
upon it, have already been referred
to. (§40.) His description of the
site and plan of the building appears
to justify us in concluding that the
ch. of Justinian was identical, at least
in site and outline, with the present

Mosque el-Aksa. This mosque stands
close to the S. wall, and near the S.W.
corner of the Haram. It has been
universally regarded by Oriental Chris
tians and Frank Catholics as a ch. of
the Virgin ; and most western travel
lers, architects, and archaeologists,
concur in this view. The original
structure has been, no doubt, much
modified by Moslem architects. Indeed
De Vogue affirms that the edifice in
its actual state is entirely Arab ; but
that its form of a basilica, its cruciform
plan, and the existence of certain
ancient remains, prove that it was pre
ceded by a Christian church whose
ruins served as the kernel of the
mosque. (Le Temple de Jerus, p. 69.)
Procopius represents it as placed upon
the loftiest hill of the city, where there _
was not space enough to allow of the
prescribed dimensions, so that they
were obliged to lay the foundations on
the S.E. side, at the bottom of the hill,
and build up a wall with arched vaults,
to support that part of the building.
The stones in the foundations were of
great size. They were hewn from the
mountains " which rise to an extra
ordinary height immediately before
the city," and, being skilfully dressed,
were carried to their places as follows.
" First, they made wagons of a size
equal to the rocks, and placed a single
stone on each ; then forty oxen, chosen
by the emperor's order for their ex
cellence, drew the stone to the destined
spot." We see at once from these
remarks that the writer described
wholly from report, or else he would
not have represented the ch. as on
the top of the highest hill of the city.
Having heard of the massive sub
structions, he, either from ignorance,
or for the sake of flattering his royal
master, ascribed them to the emperor,
and garnished his story with the ac
count of the wagons and oxen. The
exact form of the ch. as first erected
cannot now be easily made out.
The ch. of St. Mary escaped destruc
tion when the city was sacked by the
Persians under Chosroes II. In a.d.
636, when the khalif Omar took Jeru
salem, it appears to be referred to
under the name of the Church of the

Jerusalem. Route 7. — The Mosque el-Aksa.

123

Resurrection. The khalif, when in
search of the site of the Temple, was
led to it by the patriarch Sophronius,
and prayed in it — the place where he
prayed is still shown. Nearly 1J
centy. later el-Mahdi, the 3rd khalif
of the Abassides, found it in ruins, and
ordered it to be rebuilt. The mosque
was then narrow and long, but its
-length was diminished, and its breadth
increased, by the Arab architects. On
the capture of the city by the crusaders
it again became a Christian temple,
and was called, somewhat vaguely,
Palatium, Porticus, seu Templum Solo-
monis, " the Palace, Porch, or Temple
of Solomon ; " and these names it re
tained among Franks down to the 16th

centy. A part of it was assigned by
Baldwin H. to a new military order,
who from this circumstance took the
name of Knights Templars. The king
himself appears to have inhabited it
for a time. The Templars built a wall
in front of the great Mihrdb, and used
it as a granary ; but the whole was
remodelled and purified by Saladin.
It may be mentioned that Mr. Fergus-
son denies most positively that el-
Aksa is the Mary Church of Justinian.
He maintains that it is wholly a
Mohammedan structure ; that it was
built by the khalif Abd el-Malek at
the close of the 7th centy. ; and that
Justinian's ch. was erected^in the S.E.
corner of the Haram.

Plan of Mosque el-Aksa at Jerusalem.— From Fergusson's 'Architecture.' G 2

124

Route 7. — Jerusalem — El-Aksa.

Sect. II.

The mosque el-Aksa has the form
of a basilica of seven aisles. It is
272 ft. long by 184 wide, over all,
thus covering about 50,000 square ft.,
or as much space as many of our
great cathedrals. It has a porch, ap
parently of later date. The arches
of the three middle compartments are
filled in with light columns, with plain
cushion capitals ; the central arch,
though pointed, has the Norman zig
zag ornament. This porch was pro
bably the work of the Frank kings.
" The interior is supported," says
Mejr ed-Dm, ".by 45 columns, 33 of
which are marble, and 12 common
stone." The following description of the in
terior of el-Aksa, from the pen of Capt.
Wilson, will serve as a guide to the
visitor : — " The porch in front, from
two niches for statues still remaining
in it, would appear to be the work of
the Templars when they occupied the
building. In the interior, four styles
of capitals were noticed, those on the
thick stunted columns forming the
centre aisle, which are heavy and of
bad design ; those of the columns
under the dome, which are of the
Corinthian order, and similar to the
ones in the 'Dome of the Rock;'
those on the pillars forming the
western boundary of the women's
mosque, which are of the same cha
racter as the heavy basket-shaped
capitals seen in the Chapel of Helena ;
and those of the columns to the E.
and W. of the dome, which are of the
basket-shape, but smaller and better
proportioned than the others. One of
the small basket capitals was broken,
and on examination proved to be made
of plaster ; the others of the same
series seemed to be of similar con
struction, whilst the Corinthian ones
were all of white marble. The large
heavy columns of the centre aisie
have a circumference of 9 ft. 3 in., to
a height of 16 ft. 5 in., of which the
capital takes up 3 ft. 4 in. ; on most of
the capitals there is a monogram. The
smaller columns at the southern end
of the mosque have a circumference of
form 4 ft. 11 in. to 5 ft. 3 in. to the
same height ; the piers of the eastern

and western aisles are of solid masonry.
 The portion of the mosque
allotted to women is surrounded by
a wall, and within this is the mouth
of a cistern, through which it was
hoped an entrance might be obtained
to the traditionary vaults below, but,
on examination, the cistern proved to
be a small one cut in the solid rock ;
the depth was 25 ft., and the rock was
seen 10 ft. below the floor of the
mosque  The columns and piers
in the mosque are connected by a rude
architrave, which consists of beams of
roughly-squared timber enclosed in a
casing of one-inch stuff, on which the
decoration, such as it is, is made ; the
beams are much decayed, and appear
older than the casing. All the arches
are pointed. Some of the windows in
el-Aksa are very good, but hardly
equal to those in the ' Dome of tho
Rock,' with the exception of one in
the northern portion of the tambour
of the dome; this, which is only seen
immediately on entering the mosque,
is of 'a delicate blue colour; of the
other windows, that in the Mosque of
Zechariah is perhaps the best. A great
part of el-Aksa is covered with white
wash, but the interior of the dome, and
the portion immediately under it, is
richly decorated with mosaic work and
marble casing, the arabesques and
mosaic are similar in character, though
of different design to those in the
' Dome of the Rock ; ' during the re
storations made in the present centy.,
some paintings of a very poor order
were introduced. Through the S.
wall of the Aksa a door leads into
the buildings called Khutaniyeh, from
whence the relieving arches over the
double gateway, and the Antonine in
scription, can be examined  The
peculiar objects of reverence in the
mosque are, 'The Tombs1 of the Sons
of Aaron,' near the main entrance;
near the large mihrab, at the S. end,
is the Minbar Omar, a magnificent
pulpit made at Damascus, by order of
Noureddin, and brought to Jerusalem
by Sela-eddin ; it is entirely of wood,
with small raised panels, the intricate
arabesques on which are very finely
worked ; near this, on the W, is the

Jerusalem. Route 7. — The Dome of the Rock.

125

Mihrab of Moses, next to which, in
another small mihrab, is shown the
'footprint of Jesus.' On the eastern
side of the mosque is the ' Mosque of
the Forty Martyrs,' and the Mihrab
of John and Zechariah, and near this
is the gate leading out to the ' Cradle
of Jesus.' ....
" At the S.E. comer of the Mosque
an open doorway leads into the Jamia'
Omar (Mosque of Omar), a long low
building with pointed arches; in its
southern wall, between two of the
twisted columns, stands the Mihrab of
Omar, which, according to the present
tradition, marks the place where Omar
first prayed when he entered Jeru
salem. " To the W. of Aksa is the building
called by Catherwood and others the
Mosque of Abu-Bekr, but the Sheikh
of the Haram knew nothing of this
name, nor did any of the educated
Moslems living at Jerusalem, they
invariably called it Al-Baka'at-al-
Baidha (the white corner or place),
sometimes adding ' of Solomon ; ' it is
a low building with groined roof and
pointed arches, and runs nearly to the
western wall of the Haram." (Notes,
p. 40.)
Just within the great door of the
mosque el-Aksa, on the E., is a cistern
called the " Well of the Leaf," con
nected with which is a singular tra
dition. The Prophet said on a certain
occasion, " One of my followers will
enter Paradise walking, while yet
alive." It so happened that in the
days of Omar some of the faithful
came to Jerusalem to pray. One of
them went to this well to draw water,
but while doing so his bucket fell to
the bottom. He went down to get it,
and, to his great surprise, found there
a door opening into delicious gardens.
Having walked through them for a
time, he plucked a leaf from one of
the trees, stuck it behind his ear, and
hastened back to tell his companions.
The matter was reported to the go
vernor, who sent his servants with the
stranger to see these remarkable sub
terranean gardens ; but no door could
be found. Omar was written to, and
he at once replied that the prophecy of

Mohammed was now literally fulfilled,
because a living-man had walked into
Paradise. To test the matter and
settle all doubts, he desired them to
examine the leaf, and, if it still re
mained green and fresh, there could
be no doubt that it came from Para
dise. The leaf of course had preserved
its verdure, and the well is still called
the " Well of the Leaf."
§ 44. Kubbet es-Sukhrah, "The
Dome of the Rock." — This is by far
the most beautiful, and, on account of
its site, the most interesting building
in the Holy City. Crowning the very
summit of Moriah, its graceful pro
portions and noble dome strike the
eye from afar ; but when from the
brow of Olivet we look down on its
cloistered courts, and colonnades, and
miniature cupolas, and tall cypresses
— the mosque itself rising proudly
over all, glittering in the sunlight
and reflecting every colour of the
rainbow — we feel we are indeed in
that gorgeous East which fancy pic
tured before the mind's eye when we
used to revel in the Arabian Nights.
The common story of the origin of
this mosque is, that the khalif Omar,
after taking the city, inquired where
the Jewish Temple stood. After some
search, he was conducted by the Pa
triarch to the celebrated rock es-
Sukhrah, then covered over with filth
and rubbish. This rock he himself
helped to cleanse, and then built over
it the mosque still existing. But Arab
historians inform us that the khalif
Abd el-Melek rebuilt the mosque, after
a design of his own ; that it was com
menced in a.d. 686 ; that vast sums of
money were expended on its decora
tion ; and that the outside of the dome
was covered with plates of gold !
Their accounts are so confused, and
their descriptions so vague, that it is
difficult, if not impossible, to deter
mine where the original mosque of
Omar really stood. Some say S. of
the Sukhrah, and identify it with the
little mosque now called by the khalifs
name, on the E. side of el-Aksa. But,
however that may be, there can be
no reasonable doubt that the great

126

Route 7. — Jerusalem — The Sacred Cave.

Sect. II.

mosque of Abd el-Melek was built
over the sacred Rock, and was identical
to a great extent with that now exist
ing. During the temporary rule of
the crusading kings, a regular chapter
of canons was established in this
mosque, now converted . into a Chris
tian ch., and they were endowed with
all the privileges belonging to cathe
drals in the West. A choir and altar
were erected, within the building,
over the sacred rock, which itself was
covered with marble. The historians
of the Crusades all speak of the Great
Mosque as Templum Domini, and they
accurately describe its form as well as
that of the rock within. (Will. Tyr.
in Gesta Dei, p. 748.)

Plan of Dome of the Rock at Jerusalem.
From Fergusson's 'Architecture.'
The Kubbet es-Sukhrah is octa
gonal, each side measuring 67 ft.
The lower part of the wall is com
posed of various -coloured marbles,
arranged in intricate patterns, such
as are commonly seen in the houses of
Damascus. The upper part is pierced
with 56 pointed windows, filled with
stained glass of a brilliancy equal to
some of the finest specimens in our
western cathedrals. The piers sepa
rating the windows are covered ex
ternally with glazed tiles of bright
colours and intricate arabesque pat
terns, and the circular wall support
ing the dome is similarly adorned.

The walls are still further ornamented
by two lines of beautifully interlaced
Arabic inscriptions, encircling the
whole building; and by shorter sen
tences in panels over the windows.
The letters are wrought, like the other
patterns, in the tiles. The dome, of
a peculiarly light and graceful form,
is covered with lead and surmounted
by a gilt crescent. Four doors, facing
the cardinal points, open to the in
terior; those on the E., N., and W.
have marble enclosed porches ; while
that on the S., the principal one, has
an open porch supported on marble
columns. The interior is 148 ft. in
diameter. A corridor, 13 ft. wide,
runs round it, having on its inner
side 8 piers and 16 marble Corin
thian columns, connected above by a
horizontal architrave, under pointed
arches. The columns do not seem to
occupy their original places, as some
of them have neither base-moulding
nor plinth. They doubtless belonged
to other structures — perhaps to the
Temple of Hadrian, or the colonnades
of Herod. Within these is another
corridor, 30 feet wide, having on its
inner side a circle of 12 larger Corin
thian columns, and 4 great piers,
which together support the central
dome, 66 ft. in diameter. These
pillars are connected by arches, over
which rise the clerestory and dome.
The whole interior of walls and dome
is ornamented in gilt stucco in the
arabesque style. The dome is of
wood, and directly under it is the
celebrated rock from which the mosque
takes its name. '
Capt. Wilson has given the following
description of the Sacred Rock: —
"The rock stands 4 ft. 9J in. above
the marble pavement at its highest
point, and 1 foot at its lowest; it is
one of the ' missse ' strata, and has a
dip of 12° in a direction of 85° east of
north. The surface of the rock bears
the mark of hard treatment and
rough chiselling ; on the western side
it is cut down in three steps, and on
the northern side in an irregular shape,
the object of which could not be dis
covered. Near and a little to the east
of the door leading to the chamber

Jerusalem. Route 7. — Objects of Interest in the Haram. 127

below are a number of small rect
angular holes cut in the rock, as if to
receive the foot of a railing or screen,
and at the same place is a circular
opening, communicating with the cave.
The entrance to the cave is by a flight
of steps on the south-east, passing
under a doorway with a pointed arch,
which looks like an addition of the
crusaders; the chamber is not very
large, with an average height of 6 ft. ;
its sides are so covered with plaster
and whitewash that it is impossible to
see any chisel marks, but the surface
appears to be rough and irregular. On
tapping the sides a hollow sound is
produced, which the Moslems bring
forward as a proof of thefr legend that
the rock is suspended in the air, but
... it was found to arise from de
fective plastering. At the S.W. corner
of the rock is shown the 'Footprint
of Mohammed,' where the prophet's
foot last touched earth on his heaven
ward journey; and hard by, on the
W. is the 'Handprint of Gabriel,'
where the angel seized the rock and
held it down by main force, as it was
rising with Mahomet."
Other sacred spots and relics are
shown, but they are not worth recording.
(See above § 40, p. 116.)

§ 45. Principal objects of interest in the
Haram.
Entering by the Gate of the Chain
(§ 40), we have on the 1. a long range
of cloisters, built in the 14th centyi,
with square pillars and pointed arches,
bounding a great part of the area on
this side. The adjoining buildings are
occupied as coUeges of derwishes and
public schools. Facing the gate is a
small but richly ornamented cupola,
called the Dome of Moses, — not the
Lawgiver; it was built in a.h. 647.
Beyond it is the wall supporting the
western side of the central platform.
Turning northward along the open
space between the cloisters and plat
form, we pass several prayer-stations,
and on reaching the northern end we

observe a section of the massive ancient
wall on the 1, while before us is the
scarped rock on which the citadel of
Antonia stood (§ 41). The tall minaret
attached to the Serai was built in the
year 1298. Turning eastward, the
graceful little dome of Solomon is
before us, said by Muslem tradition to
mark the spot where he stood to pray
after he had finished the Temple; it
is nearly opposite the Gate Dawatar,
or Atm. In the N.E. corner there is
nothing worthy of notice. The first
Httle building along the eastern wall is
called the Throne of Solomon; next
follows the Golden Gate, projecting far^
into the grassy court (§ 40). From
hence we cross the open space on the
eastern side of the platform, ascend
the " steps of Burak," pass through the
beautiful Saracenic arches at the top,
and stand on the pavement that en
compasses the Great Mosque. Before us
now is one of the most beautiful little
cupolas in the whole Haram — Kubbet
es-Silsileh, " the Dome of the Chain ; "
it was built by the khalif Abd el-
Melek, some say as a model for the
" Dome of the Rock." It is supported
by 17 slender marble columns, evi
dently taken from some older building,
as thefr capitals are not uniform. It
is sometimes called the Dome of
Judgment; from the fact or belief
that the judgment-seat of King David
occupied the spot ; and that here, too,
the balance of Justice will be sus
pended on the last day.
Passing round to the rt. we come to
the long flight of steps at the N.W.
corner of the platform, to see the spot
where om- patron saint, George (Ara-
bice el-Khudr), prayed. Near it, on
the east, is Kubbet el-Arwah, " the
Dome of Spirits," with a cistern or
cave beneath it. Turning southward
along the platform, the first little
cupola we come to marks the place
from which the Prophet began his
ascent to Paradise ; it is called Kubbet
en-Neby, " the Dome of the Prophet ;"
and close to it on the S. is a Masjad
where the angels gave him the neces
sary instructions for his journey. We
may now enter the great mosque by the

128

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Ancient Gates.

Sect. II.

western door, and turn back to § 44
for a full description.
Having completed our examination,
we pass out of the southern door and
walk straight along the broad path to
el-Aksa. On our rt., just before de
scending from the platform, we see
the Minbar or " pulpit," a gem of
Arab architecture, built by Burhan
ed-Din Kady, a.h. 798 ; opposite it, on
the 1. is a small cupola called the
Dome of the Roll, to which are at
tached many singular traditions. On
approaching the Gothic porch of el-
Aksa, we pass a marble fountain,
called El-KSs, "The Cup." Beneath
this is a very large subterraneous
reservoir, into which the water from
the Pools of Solomon was once con
veyed. " It is nearly 50 ft. deep, and
interspersed with little islands of rock,
upon which similar-shaped tapering
rock-work has been raised to support
the ground above." Some distance
farther and within a few feet of the
great door of el-Aksa is the entrance
to the passage leading to the southern
gateway of the ancient Temple (§ 40) .
For a description of el-Aksa and the
adjoining mosques see § 43.
From el-Aksa we proceed to the
Mosqueof Isa (Jesus) intheS.E.comer,
througli which we enter the vaults
that sustain this section of the area.
A description is given above, § 40.
A short distance N.W. of this little
mosque Dr. Barclay observed a large
section of the area paved with tesserse
in situ, like that seen in the floor of
el-Aksa. Returning again to the
porch of the latter mosque, we pro
ceed westward by the mosque of the
Mugharibeh to the ancient gate in the
western wall N. of Abu S'aud's house
(§ 40). We now observe that on the
inside it is faced somewhat in the
Roman style, and patched up in Turco-
Saracenic fashion, so that the present
opening is only about 18 feet wide.
Over it is a modern portal called " the
Gate of the Prophet ; " also " the Gate
of the Mugharibeh." A range of
cloisters extends from hence to Bab
es-Silsileh, by which we entered the
Haram.

§ 46. Ancient Gates of Jeeusalem.
In regard to the gates of the ancient
city there exists so much uncertainty,
that it is almost in vain to attempt to
ascertain their position. Nehemiah
enumerates some 10 or 12, but we
cannot tell how many of these belong
to the exterior walls, how many to
the interior, and how many to the
Temple. The chief passages relating
to the gates and walls are Neh. ii.
13-15 ; iii. 1-20 : and xii. 31-40 ; " and
these are occasionally illustrated by
other incidental notices. It is obvious,
in the account of the rebuilding of the
walls by Nehemiah, that the descrip
tion begins at the Sheep Gate, and
proceeds first northwards, along the
brow of the Kidron, and then to the
1. round the city till it again terminates
at the same gate. This gives the
probable order in which the gates
mentioned stood." They are as fol
lows : — Sheep Gate, Fish Gate, Old
Gate, Valley Gate, Dung Gate, Foun
tain Gate, Water Gate, Horse Gate,
Gate Miphkad ; also in ch. xii. we find
the Prison Gate, and the Gate of
Ephraim. In 2 Kings xiv. 13, the
Corner Gate is mentioned ; and in Jer.
xxxvii. 13, the Gate of Benjamin ;
while Josephus speaks of the Gate
Gennath, and the Gate of the Essenes.
Whether these were all distinct gates
is doubtful ; most probably some of
them were different names for one gate.
Some incidental notices, however,
enable us to fix with considerable cer
tainty the sites of a few of these gates.
The Fountain Gate was doubtless near
Siloam, in the lower part of the Tyro
pceon (Neh. iii. 15); and appears to
be that by which king Zedekiah at
tempted to escape, as we read that he
" fled by the way of the gate between
two walls, which is by the king's gar
dens" (Jer. Iii. 7 ; and these gardens'
were situated, as has been seen, where
the Tyropceon falls into the Kidron
(§ 31). The Tribes of Benjamin and
Ephraim lay N. of the city, and the
N. gate would naturally take the name
of those tribes ; it probably occupied

Jerusalem.

Route 7, — Water Supply.

129

the site of the present Damascus Gate.
The Valley Gate was opposite the
Dragon-fountain of Gihon (Neh. ii.
13), and must have stood at the N.W.
corner of Zion, near the bend of the
valley of Hinnom. It may have been
identical with the Gate Gennath and
the Water Gate of Josephus t§ 37).
Next in order follows the Dung Gate
(Neh. ii. 13), which was 1000 cubits
distant from the former (Neh. iii. 13).
Josephus retentions a place called
Bdhso, which appears to correspond to
the Hebrew nNlS JV3, « Dung-place,"
and lay S. of Hippicus, along the
western brow of Zion : here may
have been the Dung Gate. The Gate
of the Essenes was on the southern
brow of Zion, and may perhaps have
been identical with the former. The
Sheep Gate tradition identifies with
the modern Gate of St. Stephen;
but this is impossible, for the wall
enclosing the part of the city N. of
the Temple was not built till nearly
500 years after the time of Nehemiah.
TheHorseGate lay between the Temple
and the royal palace (2 Kings xi. 16).

§ 47. Supply oe Watee.
"Jerusalem,'' says Dr. Robinson,
" lies in a rocky limestone region,
throughout which fountains and wells
are comparatively rare. In the city
itself little if any living water is
known ; and in its immediate vicinity
are only the 3 small fountains in the
lower part of the valley of Jehosha
phat. Yet, with all these disad
vantages of position, the Holy City
would appear always to have had a
full supply of water for its inhabi
tants. In the numerous sieges to
which it has been exposed from the
earliest ages to the present time, we
nowhere read of any want of water
within the city; while the besiegers
have often suffered severely, and have
been compelled to bring water from a
great distance. During the siege by
Titus, when the Jews, pressed with
famine, had recourse to the most hor
rible expedients, and thousands daily

died of hunger, there is not a hint
that thirst was added to their other
sufferings. Yet, when Antiochus Pius
had previously besieged the city, his
operations were at first delayed for
want of water : and Josephus regards
it as the result of a Divine interposi
tion that the Romans under Titus
were not in like manner straitened."
The same was the case during the
siege of the city by the crusaders.
Every source of information in fact to
which we turn tends to confirm the
truth of Strabo's words, " within well
watered, without entirely dry." It
will thus be a matter of some little
interest to every visitor in the Holy
City to examine the remains of ancient
cisterns and aqueducts ; and to see
with his own eyes how a city so
densely populated, so much frequented,
and so singularly situated, was abun
dantly supplied with water ; and there
are few, we think, will refuse to
follow when we direct om- footsteps
to— Siloah's brook that flowed
Fast by the oracle of God.
Cisterns. — Jerusalem is at present
chiefly supplied with water by its
cisterns. Every house of any size has
one or more of them, into which the
winter rains are conducted by little
pipes and ducts from the roofs and
courtyards. These private cisterns
are generally vaulted chambers with
only a small opening at the top, sur
rounded by stonework, and fur
nished with a curb and wheel. With
proper care the water in them remains
pm-e and sweet during the whole
summer. Many of them are ancient,
and wo have every reason to believe
that this mode of obtaining a supply
of water was adopted from the earliest
ages. One of these cisterns attached
to the convent of the Copts, E. of the
Holy Sepulchre, is worth a visit. It
is a dark cave, but a small gratuity
given to one of the servants will
secure a supply of lights. It is of
great extent, and excavated wholly in
the rock ; we descend by a long flight
of steps, also cut in the rock, with
a massive balustrade. One must rc-
G 3

130

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Pools.

Sect, II.

main some considerable time after
descending, ere his eyes become so
accustomed to the dim light shed by
the candles as to be able to see the
form and extent of the vault. It is
now called the Cistern of Helena.
There is another large cistern in the
Church of the Flagellation : another
adjoining the wall E. of the Damascus
Gate ; another in the Latin convent ;
others among the olive-groves N. of
the city — in fact, in every quarter
within the circuit of the ancient walls
cisterns abound.
Besides the covered cisterns in the
houses and courts, there are many
large open reservoirs in and around
the city. I have already described
the position of the Tipper Pool of
Gihon (§ 30), which is now called by
the native Arabs Birket el-Mamilla,
most probably from a ch. which for
merly stood near it dedicated to St.
Mamilla, in which were preserved the
bodies of many martyrs slain by the
Saracens. Both this reservoir and the
other farther down the valley (§ 30)
are manifestly of great antiquity.
The prophet Isaiah was commanded
of God to go forth and meet Ahaz
" at the end of the conduit of the
Upper Pool, in the highway of the
Fuller's Field ; " and on another occa
sion, at the same spot, Rabshakeh
stood when he delivered the haughty
message of his royal master the king
of Assyria to the ministers of Heze-
kiah (Is. vii. 3, and xxxvi. 2). We
also read of Hezekiah that he " stop
ped the upper outflow of the waters of
Gihon, and brought it down to the
west side of the city of David (Zion)."
(2 Chron. xxxii. 30.) Connecting these
notices, and remembering that no
where else around Jerusalem is there
an upper pool whose waters could be
brought down to the W. of Zion, we
may safely conclude that the " upper
pool," or " upper outflow," is the Bir
ket el-Mamilla. The water of this
pool is conducted by a subterranean
conduit to the pool of Hezekiah,
within the city, and also to the cis
terns of the citadel. The conduit
passes underneath the city wall near
the Jaffa gate. This fact corroborates

the view stated above that Birket el-
Mamilla is the Upper Pool of Gihon.
The Lower Pool, now called Birket
es-Sultan, " the Sultan's cistern," has
already been described (§ 30). Isaiah
uses the following words in speaking
of Jerusalem : " Ye gathered together
the waters of the lower pool" (xxii.
9) ; and the relative situations of Bir
ket el-Mamilla and Birket es-Sultan
favour the conclusion that the latter is
the Lower Pool.
It is not easy to see what was the
object in constructing such a reservoir
in such a place. It is too low to
supply any part of the city. It was
perhaps intended for the use of cattle,
for a reserve in dry seasons, and per
haps also for purposes of irrigation.
The great fosse or reservoir, called
by the monks " the Pool of Bethesda,"
has been described above, § 40.
The Pool of Bathsheba is a very
small tank within the Yafa gate, op
posite the castle. It gets its name
from the tradition that king David
lived in the tower of Hippicus, and
had thus an opportunity of seeing
the too fair wife of the unfortunate
Uriah bathing in this pool (2 Sam.
xi. 2). It has long had to dispute its
claim with Birket es-Sultan in the
valley outside ; and Maundrell is not
far wrong when he remarks that the
one has probably the same right to •
the name as the other.
The Pool of Hezekiah lies in the
centre of a group of buildings on the
W. side of Christian Street. Natives
call it Birket el-Hummdm, " the Pool
of the Bath." It is about 240 ft. long
by 144 wide. The depth is not great.
The bottom is the natural rock,
levelled and covered with cement;
and on the W. side a section of the
rock has been cut away. It is sup
plied with water by a small drain
from Birket el-Mamilla. From ex
cavations made some years ago for
the foundation of a new wall in the
adjoining Coptic convent, it was ascer
tained that the reservoir originally
extended 60 ft. farther N., and the

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Fountains. — Gihon.

131

stones of its boundary wall were ex
amined by Dr. Robinson, and found
to be of high antiquity. " We are
told of king Hezekiah that he ' made
a pool and a conduit, and brought
water into the city ; ' and also that ' he
stopped the upper watercourse of
Gihon, and brought it straight down
to the W. side of the city of David.'
(2 Kings xx. 20 ; and 2 Chron. xxxii.
30.) From these words we can only
infer that Hezekiah constructed a pool
within the city on its western part.
To such a pool the present reservoir
entirely corresponds ; and it is also
fed in a similar manner."
On the west side of the great north
road, a short distance beyond the
Tombs of the kings, is one of the
largest pools around Jerusalem. It
collected the surface-water of a wide
area, and its high position made it
one of the most important sources of
supply for the city. It seems to have
been connected by subterranean chan
nels, as yet undiscovered, with the
great pool of Birket Israil, at the N.
end of the Haram, and also with
Birket Sitti Mariam, outside St.
Stephen's Gate, and probably with
other cisterns in the same neighbour
hood.

Fountains.
Tho Fountain of Gihon.- — We read
in 2 Chron. xxxii. 30, that Hezekiah
" stopped the upper outflow of the
waters of Gihon, and brought it down
to the west side of the city of David ; "
and also, that " he took counsel with
his princes and his mighty men to
stop the waters of the fountains which
were without the city. So there was
gathered much people together, who
stopped all the fountains, and the
brook that ran through the midst of
the land, saying, Why should the
kings of Assyria come, and find much
water ? " (Id. xxxii. 3, 4.) In the
book of Ecclesiasticus, xlviii. 17, it is
also stated that " he brought in water
into the midst of the city ; he dug with
iron into the rock." These several
passages apparently refer to the same

work, and the same fountain or group
of fountains ; and the natural conclu
sion from them is that there was a
fountain called Gihon somewhere on
the W. of the city, whose waters
originally flowed down the valley of
Hinnom. It ought to be observed,
that the Hebrew word used in Chro
nicles and translated " fountains "
signifies " springs of living water,"
as distinguished from mere cisterns
or tanks in which surface-water is
collected. Nehemiah (ii. 13) speaks
of the " Dragon-well " in the same
direction, and this may probably have
been another name for Gihon, or for
one of the group of fountains. Heze
kiah seems to have covered over the
fountain by constructing subterranean
chambers similar to those at the pools
of Solomon ; and then to have con
ducted the water by subterranean
channels into the city. The whole
work was one of great magnitude and
labour, as the aqueducts and reser
voirs were mostly excavated in the
rock. The Pool of Hezekiah was one
of these reservoirs, and perhaps some
of the large cisterns under the Haram
were also supplied from this place.
Josephus mentions a gate near the
tower of Hippicus through which
water was brought into the city ; and
also an aqueduct connected with the
royal palace on Zion ; there is reason
to believe that he refers to the works
of Hezekiah.
It is a remarkable confirmation of
this view that, when the architect
was sinking the foundations for the
English church, which stands on the
northern brow of Zion, and thus
occupies part of the site of the royal
palace, he discovered, more than 20
ft. beneath the surface, a vaulted
chamber of fine masonry in perfect
repair, resting on the rock. Within
it were steps leading down to a solid
mass of stone-work, covering an im
mense conduit partly hewn out of the
solid rock, and partly built with even
courses of masonry, and lined with
cement an inch thick. Its direction
was E. and W., and the architect
traced it eastward for more than 200
ft. Apertures opened into it at

132

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Fountains.

Sect. II.

intervals from above ; and the bottom
was so nearly level that water would
always lie in it to such a depth as to
enable people to draw with a bucket
and line. May not this be the con
duit of Hezekiah by which he brought
the waters of the fountain of Gihon
to the W, side of the city of David ?
The position of the fountain must
have been somewhere in the head of
the valley of Hinnom above the upper
pool. By cutting a trench across the
valley near the pool the aqueduct
would doubtless be still discovered,
and could then be followed up to the
fountain-head. This would be an
archasological discovery of singular
importance. The Fountain beneath the Haram is
unquestionably one of the most re
markable in Jerusalem. A romantic
interest has been thrown around it
by the strange stories and traditions
we find in both ancient and modern
authors. The traveller and anti
quarian will naturally wish to have
a brief summary of all that is known
about it.
In the book of Ecclesiasticus, 1. 3,
Simon the High-priest is said to have
fortified the Temple, and to have
covered the great cistern, " whose
compass was as the sea," with plates
of brass. A short time afterwards
Aristeas, an officer of Ptolemy Phila-
delphus, was sent to Jerusalem to
secure for the Alexandrian Library a
copy of the Jewish Law. In a letter
to his brother he gives a full account
of the Holy City, and among other
things mentions the waters of the
Temple. He says a large fountain
sends forth a never-failing stream
within the area, and that subterranean
reservoirs of admirable workmanship
extend to a distance of 5 stadia round
the Temple ; that they have innumer
able ducts and pipes for the regulation
and distribution of the waters ; and
that there are many secret openings
to them, known only to the servants
of the Holy House, through which the
abundant waters rushing with violence
wash away all the blood of the numer

ous victims sacrificed. (Arist. de LXX.
Interpretibus. Joseph. Antt. xii. 2, 2.
The genuineness of this letter has
been questioned. It is admitted, how
ever, on all hands, that it must have
been written before the Christian
era.) In the Mishna, too, are found
numerous traditional notices of the
waters of the Temple, from which we
gather that they were unfailing and
abundant. With these agree the
words of Tacitus : " A perennial foun
tain of water, mountains excavated
underneath; likewise fish-ponds and
cisterns for preserving rain-water."
(Hist, v. 12.) The author of the
Jerusalem Itinerary, writing in the
4th centy., speaks of immense reser
voirs and subterranean cisterns, ex
cavated with great labour beneath the
Temple area. (Ant. Aug. Itiner. ed.
Wessel, p. 590.) To these facts of
history may be added the traditions
of Jews, Christians, and Muslems —
all of which affirm the existence of
inexhaustible supplies of water be
neath the Haram. And the recent
researches of Barclay, De Vogiie, and
Wilson, have gone far to confirm state
ments and traditions which one might
have been excused for considering in
a great measure fabulous. Barclay's
account of the vast cistern between
Kubbet es - Sukhrah, and el - Aksa,
which he describes as a " beautiful
subterranean lake," has already been
given, §45. He also found a large
well in the angle formed by the
mosques of Abu Bekr and the Mu
gharibeh ; and he adds, "Judging from
the large number of wells with which
my chart is dotted, a very large portion
of the Haram ground must be cavernous.
Even in the N.W. corner, where the
natural limestone rock constitutes the
surface, there are several extensive
tanks." From whence however are all these
tanks, wells, and cisterns supplied?
This is still a mystery. I can scarcely
believe that there is a living fountain
within the area. The water most pro
bably comes by a subterranean aque
duct from some concealed fountain
without the walls, like that at the
Pools of Solomon (Rte. 7).

Jerusalem. Route 7. — Fountain of the Bath.

133

The Fountain of the Bath, called
Hummdm esh-Shef'a, " the Bath of
Healing," is thought to be connected
with the waters beneath the Haram.
It is on the W. side of the Haram, near
Bab el-Katanin, and was partly ex
plored by Mr. Wolcott, an American.
The entrance to the fountain is by a
narrow opening in the roof of a house
behind the bath. Through this the
adventurous explorer was let down by
a rope. The shaft soon expanded to
about 12 feet square, and the depth to
the surface of the water was nearly
80 ft. ; the water being i\ ft. more.
Having reached the bottom, Mr. Wol
cott found on one side, above the
surface of the water, an excavated
chamber 15 feet long, 10 broad, and 4
high ; and on the other the passage
through which the water flows into
the well, at first about 10 ft. high,
with 4i ft. of water ; but soon ex
panding into a vault 20 ft. square.
Beyond this the passage was from 2
to 3 ft. wide, and covered with stones
at the height of 5 ft. The channel
was crooked and irregular, and the
stones covering it of various kinds —
some square hewn slabs, others frag
ments of marble and granite columns.
After extending 80 ft. it terminates at
a well from which the water rises. It
has been supposed, from the repre
sentations of the attendants on the
bath, who visit it when the water is
low, that there is another passage at
a lower level, extending under the
Haram. The distance from the
opening above ground to the Haram
wall is 124 ft. ; so that, supposing the
subterranean channel to rim due E.
(which it does not, the direction being
about S.E.), it still stops 44 feet short
of the area. Dr. Barclay has also, at
a more recent date, explored this
singular well ; but he has added little
to our previous knowledge. It is
manifest that esh-Shefa cannot be
connected with any of the known
cisterns of the Haram, for the depth
to the surface of the water is nearly
SS0 ft., which is 33 ft. below the large
reservoir, and 28 ft. below the deepest
cistern in the Haram. Dr. Whitty
has suggested that, in addition to the

supply received from the leakage of
the tanks on a higher level, this well
may be connected by an aqueduct
with a concealed spring at a place
called Ain es-Suani, at the bend of
the Kidron Valley, about 500 yards
from the N.E. angle of the city.
(Water Supply of Jerusalem, p. 96.)
The well was fully explored by Capt.
Wilson in 1864. In his Notes on
Jerusalem, he gives plan and sections
which show its form and extent. It
appears that an ancient conduit enters
the vault at the extremity of the hori
zontal passage, but its direction and
source are unknown.
Fountain of the Virgin. — On the W.
side of the deep valley of Jehoshaphat,
about 300 yds. S. of the. Haram, is the
picturesque Fountain of the Virgin,
now called by the Arabs 'Ain um
ed-Deraj, " the Fountain of the Mother
of Stairs." The water springs up at
the bottom of an artificial cave, some
25 ft. deep, excavated in the rock of
Ophel. Descending by a flight of 16
steps, we reach a chamber 18 ft. long
by 10 wide and 10 high — its sides
built of old stones, and its roof formed
of a pointed arch. Then going down
14 steps more into a roughly hewn
grotto, we reach the water, which
issues from under the lowest step,
flows across the pebbly bottom, and
disappears with a gentle murmuring
sound through a low passage at the
interior extremity, leading under the
hill to Siloam. Here a recent tradi
tion informs us, the Virgin came before
her purification to wash her infant's
clothes. Mejr ed-Din gives a different
tradition. He states that the water
of this fountain was a grand test for
women accused of adultery ; the inno
cent drank harmlessly ; but the guilty
no sooner tasted than they died !
When the Virgin Mary was accused,
she submitted to the ordeal, and thus
established her innocence. Hence a
name it was long known by — " the
Fountain of Accused Women." The
taste of the water is peculiar, but is
different at different seasons ; towards
the end of the summer, when low, it
becomes brackish and disagreeable.

131

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Fountains.

Sect. II.

One of the most remarkable circum
stances, however, connected with the
fountain is the irregular flow of the
water, long known to the inhabitants,
and witnessed by Dr. Robinson. His
account of it is highly interesting :
" As we were preparing to measure
the basin of the fountain, and explore
the passage leading from it, my com
panion was standing on the lower step
near the water, with one foot on the
step, and another on a loose stone
lying in the basin. All at once he
perceived the water coming into his
shoe ; and supposing the stone had
rolled, he withdrew his foot to the
step ; which however was also now
covered with water. This instantly
excited our curiosity ; and we per
ceived the water rapidly bubbling up
from under the lower step. In less
than five minutes it had risen in the
basin nearly or quite a foot ; and we
could hear it gurgling off through the
interior passage. In ten minutes more
it had ceased to flow ; and the water
in the basin was again reduced to its
former level. Meanwhile a woman of
Kefr Silwan came to wash at the
fountain. She was accustomed to
frequent the place every day ; and
from her we learned that the flowing
of the water occurs at irregular
intervals ; sometimes two or three
times a day, and sometimes in summer
once in two or three days. She said
she had seen the fountain dry, and
men and flocks dependent upon it
gathered around, and suffering from
thirst; when all at once the water
would begin to boil up from under the
steps, and from the bottom in the
interior part, and flow off in a copious
stream." The common legend to account for
this singular phenomenon is, that a
dragon lies within the fountain ; when
awake he stops the water ; but when
he sleeps it flows. It is the universal
belief that the water comes down from
beneath the Haram ; and this may
probably be the case, though it can
only be proved by extensive excava
tion. There are several of these re
mitting fountains in Syria. The great
fountain of 'Anjar, besid© the ancient

Chalcis, in the plain of Buka'a, is one ;
and there is another near Tripoli ; and
a third in the plain of Damascus.
Dr. Robinson suggests that this may
be the Bethesda of the New Testa
ment, where om- Lord cured the im
potent man. (John v. 2-7.) The pool
of Bethesda is described as being by
the Sheep-Gate, which must have been
near the Temple, as it was repaired
by the priests in Nehemiah's time.
(Neh. iii. 1, 32.) It may be well
doubted whether this fountain or the
Pool of Siloam farther down is the
true Bethesda. There are stronger
reasons, however, for supposing that
the Fountain of the Virgin is identical
with the King's Pool mentioned by
Nehemiah as the place where, in his
night survey of the desolated city,
there was no way for the animal he
rode to pass ; and where, having dis
mounted, he went up by the brook
and viewed the wall (ii. 14, 15) ; and
it is unquestionably the pool called by
Josephus Solomon's Reservoir, which
he describes as situated on the E.
side of Ophel, between the Fountain
of Siloam and the southern side of the
Temple. Recent researches have shown that
the Fountain of the Virgin is con
nected by a subterranean conduit with
the interior of the hill beneath Ophel,
which it thus supplied with water;
but Captain Warren has shown thai
the statements of Barclay and Pierotti
regarding an aqueduct connecting it
with the Haram are erroneous.
For a description of the water-
supply and sewage of the Temple,
see below under Aqueduct from Solo
mon's Pools.
Siloam. — In going from the Fountain
of the Virgin to the " Pool of Siloam "
we walk down the Kidron for some
300 yds., and then reach a, verdant
spot, sprinkled with trees and care
fully cultivated. This is the site of
the " King's Garden," mentioned by
Nehemiah as beside the " Pool of
Siloah." (iii. 15.) The Tyropceon
now opens on om- right ; and across
its mouth is an ancient causeway,
or embankment, forming a large basin,

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Siloam.

136

now cultivated. This was at one
time a reservoir. On the end of the
causeway stands a venerable mul
berry-tree, supported by a pillar of
loose stones : it is said to mark the
spot where Manasseh caused the pro
phet Isaiah to be sawn asunder, and
it is called Isaiah's Tree.
Trailing up to the rt. we pass the
projecting cliff of Ophel, and soon
stand beside Siloah's Pool. It is a
rectangular reservoir, 53 ft. long, 18
wide, and 19 deep ; in part broken
away at the western end. The
masonry is modern; but along the
side are 6 shafts of limestone, of more
ancient date, projecting slightly from
the wall, and probably originally
intended to sustain a roof. At the
upper end of the pool is an arched
entrance to a ruinous staircase, by
which we descend to the mouth of the
conduit that comes from the Foun
tain of the Virgin. Dr. Robinson,
having heard it currently reported in
Jerusalem, that Siloam was united by
a subterranean passage to the Fountain
of the Virgin, determined to explore
it. Entering at the staircase above
mentioned, he found the passage cut
through the rock, 2 ft. wide, and
graduaUy decreasing from 15 to 3 ft.
in height. At the end of 800 ft. it
became so low that he could advance
no farther without " crawling on all
fours." Here he turned back; but
coming better prepared for an aquatic
excursion on another day, he entered
from the Fountain of the Virgin. Here
the difficulties proved still greater.
" Most of the way we could indeed
advance upon hands and knees ; yet
in several places we could only get
forward by lying at full length and
dragging ourselves along upon our
elbows." This shows the nature of the
passage, and the immense labour the
excavation must have cost. He suc
ceeded at length in working his way
through. The channel winds and zig
zags, in the very heart of the rock, so
much that, while the direct distance
is only 1100 ft., the passage measured
1750. The discovery of this remark
able conduit explains why Siloam has

been also regarded as a remitting
fountain. Jerome appears to be the
first who noticed this peculiarity ; he
is at least the first who records it.
He says, " Siloam is a fountain whose
waters do not flow regularly, but on
certain days and hours ; and issue
with a great noise from caverns in
the rock."
No fountain about Jerusalem has
obtained such a wide celebrity as
Siloah, and yet it is only 3 times men
tioned in Scripture. Isaiah speaks
of " the waters of Siloah that flow
softly " (viii. 6) ; Nehemiah says
Shallun built " the wall of the pool
of Siloah by the king's garden"
(iii. 15)— perhaps referring to the
embankment of the large reservoir
above referred to ; and om- Saviour
commanded the blind man, " Go, wash
in the pool of Siloam  He went
his way, therefore, and washed, and
came seeing." (John ix. 7.) These
notices, however interesting, would
leave us in doubt as to the position
and identity of the fountain; but
Josephus is explicit on this point,
when he says that the Tyropceon ex
tended down to Siloam. Isaiah pro
bably refers to Siloah under the name
of the Old Pool when he says, "Ye
made also a ditch between the two
walls for tho water of the old pool."
This ditch may be the large reser
voir at the mouth of the Tyropceon,
constructed to retain the surplus
waters of Siloah. (Isaiah xxii. 11.
Comp. Jer. xxxix. 4, and Iii. 7 ; and
Neh. iii. 15.)
En-Rogel, now called by the Arabs
Bir Eyub, " The Well of Joab," and by
Franks " The Well of Nehemiah," is
situated in the bottom of the Kidron,
a little below its junction with the
valley of Hinnom. It has received
its Frank title from the tradition that
in it was hid the sacred fire of the
Temple during the Babylonish cap
tivity, and which was recovered by
Nehemiah on his return to Jerusalem.
(2 Mac. i. 19-22.) It is 125 ft. deep,
walled up with large hewn stones ter
minating in an arch above, apparently
of high antiquity. There is now a

136

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Aqueducts.

Sect. II.

small rude building over it, furnished
with troughs into which the water is
poured when drawn. En-Rogel is
first mentioned by Joshua as marking
the boundary between Judah and
Benjamin (xv. 7, 8, and xviii. 16.) It
was by this well that Jonathan and
Ahimaaz, David's servants, waited for
instructions from Hushai during Ab
salom's rebellion (2 Sam. xvii. 17);
and here Adonijah, David's son, as
sembled his friends when he^ aspired
to be king in his father's stead.
(1 Kings i. 9.)
After abundant rains the water of
this weU overflows, forming, with the
surface water of the neighbouring
hills, a little stream in the Kidron.
It is said by Mejr ed-Din that near
the bottom is a horizontal cutting
leading to the true source of the
water. Aqueduct from the Pools of Solomon.
— This aqueduct is not referred to in
the Bible or in the writings of Jose
phus ; but it is often mentioned in
the Talmud as conveying water from
Etam to the Temple. Josephus in
forms us that Pontius Pilate offended
the Jews by expending the sacred
treasures upon aqueducts, by which
he brought water to the city from a
distance of 400 furlongs ; and Mr.
Williams has suggested that the
aqueduct alluded to is that from
Etam. This however is mere conjec
ture, and the length given by Jose
phus is about 8 times the distance of
Solomon's Pools. The fountain at
Etam, and the course of the aqueduct,
have been already described in Rte. 7,
p. 69. The aqueduct follows the
windings of the hill-sides by Bethle
hem to the valley of Hinnom, which
it crosses upon 9 low arches, above
Birket es-Sultan. Here is an Arabic
inscription informing us that . the
aqueduct was built by the Sultan el-
Melek en-Nasr Mohammed of Egypt
(circa a.d. 1300) : of course he only
repaired it. From hence it sweeps
round the southern brow of Zion, and
enters the city on the side of the hill
above the Tyropoeon, where it can be
traced for a short distance, partly

hewn in the rock, and partly sup
ported on masonry against the side of
the cliff. Mr. Wolcott entered it with
a light at the point where it passes
under the houses, and followed it for
about 150 ft. It is carried along the
low ridge which crosses the northern
part of the Tyropceon in the line of
David's street, and enters the Haram
at the " Gate of the Chain." Just
outside this gate is a large subter
ranean reservoir, 84 ft. long, 42 broad,
and 24 deep, which was doubtless sup
plied by the aqueduct.
There can be no doubt that the
chief supply of water for the use of
the Temple came from the fountain
of Solomon. Captain Wilson's re
searches show that there are remains
of no less than 3 ancient aqueducts
leading from that region to the Holy
City; but the entrance of only one,
the " low-level aqueduct," has as yet
been discovered ; it is the one already
mentioned, and it still conveys water
as far as Bethlehem. " It derives its
supply of water from three sources, the
Pools of Solomon, Ain Etan, and a
reservoir in the Wady Aroob (Arrub).
The latter . . . was found to be 240 ft.
long by 160 broad ; and according to
the account given by the natives, the
aqueduct, on leaving this, follows a
winding course amongst the bills,
passing Tekoa on its way, before it
reaches Wady Urtas. Shortly before
arriving at the pools the conduit
receives the waters of a spring called
Ain Etan, and passes the pools them
selves a little below the level of the
plug of the lower pool, from which
the water is brought; down to it by
a branch channel ; from this to Jeru
salem it has a serpentine course of 13
m., and passes through 2 tunnels, ono
under the village of Bethlehem, and
the other not far from the city." (See
above, p. 69.)
The High-level Aqueduct derived its
supply from several sources among the
highlands between Etam and Hebron.
The most distant of these has not yet
been discovered, but the aqueduct has
been traced as far S. as Wady Arrflb.
From that place it is carried along

Jerusalem. Route 7. — Aqueducts — Ancient Tombs.

137

the sides of valleys, and through
rocky ridges, passing between the
upper pool and the " sealed fountain,"
the latter of which, as Capt. Wilson
observes, it probably tapped. Thence
it runs along the hOl-side above
Bethlehem and past Rachel's Tomb,
near which it crosses a valley in a
tube formed of large blocks of stone
perforated, cemented together, and
embedded in rubble masonry. The
tube is 15 in. in diameter. North of
this place the aqueduct has not been
traced ; but it appears to have crossed
the plain of Rephaim, and may per
haps have passed round the head of
the valley of Hinnom, supplying
Birket el-Mamilla, and then entering
Zion at such an elevation as to supply
the highest parts of the city. A few
years ago, when excavating for the
foundations of the new Russian' Con
vent on the W. of the city, the remains
of a very ancient conduit were dis
covered ; and afterwards a portion of
it was laid bare within the walls at
the Latin Patriarch's house. Capt.
Wilson suggests that this may be the
termination of the " high-level aque
duct." (Notes, pp. 81, 82.)
" The third aqueduct" says Capt.
Wilson, " was only seen at one place,
to the S. of Rachel's Tomb, and then
unfortunately there was no time to
pay attention to it; it was said to
follow the northern slope of the ridge
lying between Wady Urtas and Wady
er-Rahib, and to have done this must
have passed under the divide near the
head of the pools by a tunnel."
It would be most interesting to trace
these aqueducts to their sources and
terminations. (See a further account
of the " high-level " in Whitty's Jeru
salem, pp. 130-140.)
The researches of Signor Pierotti
have brought to light a most re
markable system of drains beneath
the Haram, which serves, as I believe,
to fix the site of the Temple and its
courts. It appears that the aqueduct
from Etam terminated within the
Haram, at the fountain called el-Kas,
in front of el-Aksa. From thence a
conduit, hewn in the rock, conveyed

the water to the cave Bir el-Arwah,
below Kubbet es-Sukhrah (See p.
116) ; the conduit then runs north
ward 120 ft., to a large double cistern ;
then it takes an easterly direction,
and runs through a triple rock-hewn
tank, about half-way between the
central platform and the eastern waU ;
then it passes out under the Haram
wall, and descends toward the Foun
tain of the Virgin. A plan and sec
tions of this drain, with its tanks and
tributaries, are given by De Vogiie,
who states that the cave beneath the
Sacred Rock was the cesspool of the
great altar ; that the tanks to the N.
of it were beneath the place where the
victims were slaughtered; and that
the drain was intended to carry oft
the blood, which it would do most
effectually, being abundantly flushed
with water not only from the southern
end at el-Kas, but also from a cistern
a little to the W. of the spot where
the victims were slaughtered, and from
a side drain falling in farther east
ward from the great reservoir of Birket
Isrial. It also appears that the water from
Solomon's Pools, not needed for the
Temple ablutions, fell into the great
reservoir in front of el-Aksa ; and
from it there was an overflow down
a channel beneath the Triple Gate
way to the Kidron (De Vogiie', Le
\ p. 57, Planche I.).

§ 48. Ancient Tombs.
Every hill and valley round tho
Holy City is thickly studded with
these memorials of man's mortality.
The summits of Zion and Bezetha;
the slopes of Olivet and Moriah ; the
rocky plateau on the N.W. ; and the
deep valleys of Hinnom and Jehosha
phat, are all cemeteries. The tombs
of Jerusalem are far more numerous
than her houses. Many of them are
evidently very ancient ; and a few
are interesting from their historic and

138

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Tomb of David. Sect. II.

sacred associations. I shall now de
scribe the most remarkable.
Tomb of David. — There is no his
toric fact in the word of God more
plainly stated than this, that king
David, and most of his successors on
the throne of Israel, were buried in
Zion. The fact has been disputed of
course — what fact has not ? ¦ And M.
de Saulcy believes he has " demon
strated" that not only was David
buried J m, distant from Zion ; but
that the lid of his sarcophagus, rifled
by his (M. de Saulcy s) own hands, is
now in the Louvre ! Lewin places the
royal tombs on the side of Olivet, near
the village of Silwan, facing Mount
Ophel ; and he affirms that when the
sacred writers say. that David was
buried " in the city of David," they
only mean at the city ! (Jerusalem,
p. 72.) Thrupp locates the Royal
Tombs on Mount Moriah, beneath the
S.W. corner of the Haram, quoting
in favour of this singular view Neh.
iii. 16, and Ezek. xliii. 7, 8. (Ancient
Jerusalem, p. 165.) The royal sepul
chres were well known after the return
of the Jews from Babylon, and Nehe
miah incidentally describes their
position. After mentioning the sec
tion of the city wall built by Shallun,
extending from the pool of Siloah to
the " stairs that go down from the
city of David," he adds, — " after him
repaired Nehemiah, the son of Azbuk,
unto the place over against the sepul
chres of David, and to the pool that
was made, and unto the house of the
mighty." (Neh. iii. 15, 16.) The pool
here referred to seems to be the lower
pool, Birket es-Sultan, in the valley
of Hinnom ; and the whole description
shows that the royal tombs were on
or near the southern brow of Zion.
Josephus says that Solomon buried
David with great pomp, and placed
immense treasures along with his
body in the tomb. These remained
undisturbed till the time of Hyrcanus
son of Simon Maccabseus, who, being
besieged by Antiochus Pius, and wish
ing to give him money to raise the
siege, "opened one room of David's
sepulchre and took out 3000 talents." |

The tomb was again opened and
plundered by Herod the Great, who
was disappointed at not finding more
money, and consequently made an at
tempt to penetrate as far as the bodies,
" but two of his guards were kiUed by
the flame that burst out on them," and
he was obliged to give up the sacri
legious attempt. (Ant. xiii. 8, 4 ; and
xvi. 7, 1.) We have a still later testi
mony to the preservation of these
tombs in the words of the Apostle
Peter regarding David : "He is both
dead and buried, and his sepulchre
is with us unto this day." (Acts ii.
29.) From that time, however, the royal
tombs appear to have been forgotten,
or at least they are not mentioned,
till the close of the 11th centy., when
Raymond d'Agiles, one -of the his
torians of the first Crusade, says re
garding the Ccenaculum, " There are
also in that church . . . the sepulchres
of King David and Solomon, and of
the holy protomartyr Stephen" (Gesta
Dei per Francos, p. 174). In the next
century Benjamin of Tudela visited
the Holy City, and wrote the follow
ing singular story. I insert it here as
perhaps having some foundation in
fact. " On Mount Zion are the se
pulchres of the house of David, and
those of the kings who reigned after
him. In consequence of the following
circumstance this place is hardly to be
recognised. Fifteen years ago one of
the walls of the church on Zion (the
Camaculum) fell down, and the patri
arch commanded the priest to repair
it. He ordered stones to be taken
from the original wall of Zion for that
purpose, and 20 workmen were hired
at stated wages, who broke stones
taken from the very foundation of the
wall of Zion. Two labourers thus
employed found a stone which covered
the mouth of a cave. This they en
tered in search of treasures, and pro
ceeded until they reached a large hall,
supported by pillars of marble, en
crusted with gold and silver, and
before which stood a table with a
golden sceptre and crown. This was
the sepulchre of David; to the left
they saw that of Solomon in a similar

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Tomb of David.

139

state ; and so on the sepulchres of the
other kings buried there. They saw
chests locked up, and were on the
point of entering when a blast of wind
like a storm issued from the' mouth of
the cave with such force that it threw
them lifeless on the ground. They
lay there until evening, when they
heard a voice commanding them to go
forth from the place. They immedi
ately rushed out and communicated
the strange tale to the Patriarch, who
summoned a learned rabbi, and heard
from him that this was indeed the
tomb of the great king of Israel. The
patriarch ordered the tomb to be
walled up so as to hide it effectually."
The narrator closes by the statement,
" The above-mentioned rabbi told me
all this." This extravagant legend
was most probably founded on some
narrow basis of truth, garnished by
the lively imagination of Benjamin, or
his friend the rabbi.
The royal sepulchres were doubtless
hewn in the rock, like other tombs of
great men in that age ; and if so they
must still exist. If the entrance
was accidentally covered over with
the debris of fallen buildings, they
might remain hidden and unknown
for ages ; and when all the resi
dent Christians were so fully occu
pied in grafting Christian traditions
upon every nook and corner of the
Holy City, it is not strange that the
tomb of David should have been for
gotten. About the middle of the 15th
centy. the tombs are mentioned by
several travellers, and one (Tucher of
Nuremberg, a.d. 1479) says that the
Muslems had converted the crypt, or
lower story of the Ccenaculum (see
§ 53), into a mosque, within which
were shown the tombs of David, Solo
mon, and the other kings. In the
following centy. Fiirer, a German
traveller, professes to have visited the
tombs, and gives a brief description.
" On the left of the Ccenaculum, under
the choir, is a large vaulted cave ;
from it we come by a narrow passage,
shut in by wooden rails, to an arch on
the left, in which is a very long and
lofty monument, cut entfrely out of
the rock, with carving admirably exe

cuted. Under this al'e buried David,
Solomon, and the other kings of
Judah." This account also partakes
of the marvellous, and must be re
ceived with caution. It is a .fact,
however, that Jews, Christians, and
Muslems, have now for more tban 4
centuries agreed in regarding the Coe-
naculum as the spot beneath which
the dust of the kings of Judah lies.
Numbers of Jews may be often seen
standing close to the venerable build
ing, looking with affectionate sadness
toward the spot. In 1839 Sir Moses
Montefiore and his party were ad
mitted to the mosque. They were
led to a trellised doorway, through
which they saw the tomb, but they
were not permitted to enter. A few
years ago an American lady, daughter
of Dr. Barclay, was enabled, through
the kindness of a Mohammedan lady-
friend, to enter and sketch the sacred
chamber. She says, " The room is in
significant in its dimensions, but is
furnished very gorgeously. The tomb
is apparently an immense sarcophagus
of rough stone, and is covered by green
satin tapestry, richly embroidered with
gold. A satin canopy of red, blue,
green, and yellow stripes hangs over
the tomb ; and another piece of black
velvet tapestry, embroidered in silver,
covers a door in one end of the room,
which, they said, leads to a cave un
derneath. Two tall silver candle
sticks stand before this door, and a
little lamp hangs in a window near it,
which is kept constantly burning"
(City of the Great King, p. 212.)
The real tomb, if it be in this place,
must be in the cave below. The struc
ture covered with satin and described
by Miss Barclay, is merely a ceno
taph, like those in the mosque at
Hebron. When both mosque and cave
are thrown open, and full opportunity
given for the search, then, and not
till then, can it be satisfactorily esta
blished that the royal tombs are or
are not in this place.
Tombs in the Valley of Hinnom. —
Leaving the tomb of David, and de
scending through ploughed fields on
the southern declivity of Zion, we

140

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Tombs.

Sect. II.

reach the Valley of Hinnom. (See
§ 30.) The whole cliffs on its. southern
side are honeycombed with tombs —
most of them very old ; small gloomy
caves, with narrow doorways. A few
have- imperfect Hebrew inscriptions,
not older than the 8th or 9th century.
There are also some with Greek
inscriptions, now mostly obliterated.
One has a +, and the words THO
AriAC Cia>N : another exhibits some
traces of painting on the walls and
ceiling, consisting chiefly of glories
roimd the heads of Greek saints. This
is the tomb usually shown by the
monks as the place where the Apostles
hid themselves after the capture of the
Saviour. The tombs in these cliffs are
almost all plain chambers hewn in the
limestone rock, without any architec
tural ornament, save here and there a
moulding round the door. As works
of art they have no interest ; but we
may perhaps infer from the words of
Jeremiah that this was one of the an
cient Jewish cemeteries, (vii. 32, and
xix. 2-12.)
About half way up the side of the
hill, directly 'opposite the Pool of
Siloam, is the reputed site of Aceldama,
"the Field of Blood," bought with
the " 30 pieces of silver," the price of
our Lord's betrayal. (Matt, xxvii. 7,
8 ; Acts i. 19.) It is a long vaulted
building of massive masonry, in front
of a precipice of rock, in which is ap
parently a natural cave. The interior
is excavated to the depth of some 20
ft., thus forming an immense charnel-
house. At each end is an opening,
through which we have a dim view of
the interior ; the bottom is empty and
dry, with a few half-decayed bones
scattered over it. The tradition iden
tifying it is as old as the time of
Jerome ; and is referred to by almost
every pilgrim and traveller from that
age to the present day. The charnel-
house is first mentioned by Maunde-
ville. The bodies of the dead were
thrown loosely into it, and the soil
was believed to possess the power of
consuming them in the short space
of 24 hrs. On this account, it is said,
many shiploads of it were carried
away in the year 1218 to the Campo

Santo at Pisa. (Pococke's Description
of the East, p. 25.) The place does
not appear to have been used for burial
for more than a centy., though some
travellers affirm they have seen bodies
in it within the last 50 years.
Tombs in the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
— From the cemetery of Hinnom we
pass over to that of Jehoshaphat, where
we find the humble modern Jewish
tombs scattered thickly around the
proud monuments of their ancestors.
In the little village of Kefr Silwan are
some rock sepulchres worth a visit.
The people may be rude and trouble
some at first ; but if the traveller treats
them with cool respectful indifference
they will soon leave him to his re
searches. The scene presented to the
view of the traveller when he climbs
up to this strange village is one of the
most remarkable and picturesque
around the city. Opposite to him the
summit of Moriah is crowned by the
massive walls of the Haram, from
which Ophel descends in broken
masses of rock and terraces of olives ;
while at his feet is the deep, barren
bed of the Kidron, expanding a little
farther down, at its junction with the
Tyropoeon, into verdant gardens — then
receiving the gloomy Tophet, whose
precipitous southern bank, dotted with
dark caves, projects eastward, con
tracting the pleasant valley into
a narrow rugged ravine. And the
village itself is remarkable, clinging
to the rocky bank of the Kidron —
its inhabitants » kind of semi-troglo
dytes. Tombs are here excavated
in the cliffs, one above another, many
of them now occupied as dwellings ;
while to the front of others rude huts
are stuck on. " The cries of infancy,"
says Bartlett, " are heard to issue from
the gloomy recesses of ancient sepul
chres; and where the bodies of the
nobles of Judah were consigned to
then- last home, with all the pomp of
funeral ceremony, flocks of sheep and
goats are now driven for nightly
shelter." The tombs are in general
better finished than those of Hinnom ;
and a few of them belong to another
style, perhaps to another race. One,

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Tomb of Absalom.

141

minutely described by M. de Saulcy,
and situated at the N. end of the
village, resembles in its architecture
some of the tombs of Egypt, and still
more a sepulchral monument dug out
by Botta from the mound of Khorsabad.
It is a monolith, partially isolated ;
the sides contract slightly, and are
surmounted by a deep Egyptian cor
nice. De Saulcy's " conviction " is
that this is the chapel where Solo
mon's Egyptian wife performed the
sacred rites of her native country.
(1 Kings vii. 8-12 ; 2 Chron. viii. 11.)
The most remarkable group of se
pulchral monuments around the Holy
City is that in Jehoshaphat, below the
S.E. angle of the Haram. There are
4 tombs here in a range, on the 1.
bank of the valley, which, from thefr
situation in the deep narrow glen and
the style of their architecture, are
justly calculated to arrest the attention
of every traveller ; the first we reach
on corning up from Kefr Silwan is now
generally called
' The Tomb of Zacharias. — This is a
cubical monolithic structure, sepa
rated from the natural rock, of which
it forms a part, by a broad excavated
passage. Each side measures about
17 ft., and is ornamented with 2
columns in the centre, and a quarter
column adjoining a pilaster at each
angle, all Ionic. They support a
broad cornice, over which rises a
quadrangular, equilateral pyramid.
The whole monument is apparently
solid. It is said to have been con
structed in honour of Zechariah, who
was stoned in the court of the Temple,
in the reign of Joash (2 Chron. xxiv.
21), the same of whom our Lord
speaks as slain "between the temple
and the altar." (Matt, xxiii. 35.) Such
is the modern theory; but the Jeru
salem Itinerary, of the 4th centy., says
it is the tomb of Isaiah (Vd. Rom.
Itiner., ed. Wesseling, 'p. 595) ; and
Benjamin of Tudela,in the 12th centy.,
appears to describe it as the sepulchre
of king Uzziah. There is not a sha
dow of evidence that it was ever
intended for any of these, and the
style of the architecture can scarcely

be earlier than our era. The Jews
hold it in high respect, and prayers
offered up at it are said to be of un
failing efficacy. It is the great wish
of every Jew to be buried as close to
it as possible.
The Tomb of Absalom resembles the
preceding in some degree, and I there
fore place the two together, though
the 2 other tombs of the group' lie
between them. The lower part of
this monument is a monolith, isolated
like that of Zechariah, but the upper
part is of masonry. The body of the
monument is a cube, 22 ft. on each
side; and the columns and pilasters
are arranged in precisely the same way
as the former. Over the columns, how
ever, is a Doric frieze, ornamented with
triglyphs and paterse, and over this an
Egyptian cornice ; so far the material is
the solid rock. The upper part consists
of 2 layers of large stones terminating
the cube ; then a cylinder, composed
of 3 more layers, ornamented with pro
jecting cable-mouldings ; the whole
terminates in a singular concave-curved
pyramid, crowned by a tuft of palm-
leaves. The total height above the
present surface of the ground is nearly
54 ft., of which 37 are masonry. Its
lower part is buried to some depth
in a mass of stones, thrown at it by
Jews, who, believing it to be the
pillar of Absalom mentioned in Scrip
ture, have been in the habit from time
immemorial of showing thefr horror
at his rebellious conduct by casting a
stone and spitting as they pass by.
In the lower part is a small cham
ber 8 ft. square, to which we enter by
a little door on the B. side, above
the cornice; the ceiling is flat, with
an ornamental panel, and a Greek
moulding for a cornice. On the N.
and W. sides of the chamber are re
cesses 2 ft. deep, and there is now a
small hole broken through the western
wall. The interior is encumbered with
rubbish, so that the receptacles for
the dead, if any exist, are covered.
The style of the architecture shows
at once that this cannot be the pillar
Absalom had " reared up for himself
during his lifetime in the king's dale "

142

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Tombs.

Sect. II.

(2 Sam. xviii. 18) ; and, indeed, his
name is not attached to it by any
writer before the 12th centy., when
Benjamin of Tudela mentions it. The
author of the Jerusalem Itinerary calls
it the monument of Hezekiah ; and
Adamnanus, in the 7th centy., seems
to speak of it as the tomb of Jehosha
phat. The precise date of the monu
ment it is difficult to determine. It
bears » striking resemblance to some
of those we have seen in Petra ; and
this would seem to favour the suppo
sition of Dr. Robinson, that it is pro
bably to be referred to the time of the
Herods, who were of Idumsean descent,
and maintained an intercourse between
Petra and Jerusalem. The strange
mingling of the Greek and Egyptian
styles, observable both here and in
Petra, would not be inconsistent with
the age of the Herods. Mr. Fergus-
son regards the pyramid on Absalom's
tomb as a modern improvement, chiefly
because it is anomalous : but there is
no evidence of this on the monument
itself — the work appears to be all of the
same age.
Tomb of St. James.— A few paces
N. of the monument of Zacharias is a
large excavated chamber in the side
of the cliff, having in front a porch
supported by 2 columns and 2 half-
columns of the Doric order, connected
by an architrave, over which is a Doric
frieze, with triglyphs and a cornice ;
the order is about 10 ft. high. The
porch is 18 ft. wide by 9 deep ; and on
its N. side are a door and staircase
leading to the rock overhead. On the
E. a plain door admits to the princi
pal sepulchral chamber, about 17 ft.
by 14, from which open 3 smaller
chambers, with recesses for bodies.
On the S. side of the vestibule is a
door leading through an excavated
passage to the monument of Za
charias. In this tomb, says tradition, the
Apostle James sought refuge during
the interval which elapsed between
the crucifixion and resurrection of our
Lord. The tradition is first found in
Gregory of Tours, where it is said,
that, when James saw his Saviour dead

upon the cross, he vowed he would
neither eat nor drink until he should
see him risen again. On the third day
our Lord showed himself to the apos
tle, saying, " Arise and eat, for I have
now risen from the dead." The story,
however, does not appear to have been
attached to this cave till the time of
Maundeville, in the 14th centy.
The Tomb of Jehoshaphat is in the
N.E. angle of the excavated area
around the pillar of Absalom. The
pediment alone is now visible, owing
to the accumulation of rubbish. It is
richly ornamented with foliage, and
has a strange and striking appearance,
as if rising up in all its beauty out of
the heart of the mountain. The in
terior is inaccessible, having been
filled up, it is said, by Jews, in con
sequence of an incident that occurred
in 1842. A member of the Chaldean
church, educated at Rome, visited
Jerusalem, and attempted to explore
this tomb. While thus engaged, he
found a Hebrew MS. roll, contain
ing the Pentateuch. The discovery
made a great sensation at the time,
but the Jews said it was one of those
which they are in the habit of burying
in the graves of their rabbis. This
tomb cannot, of course, be that of
King Jehoshaphat, who " was buried
with his fathers in the city of David
his father." (1 Kings xxii. 50.) Indeed,
so late as the 7th centy., these 2 ex
cavated sepulchres are said by Arculf
to be those of Simeon the Just, and
Joseph the husband of the Virgin'
Mary. (Early Travels in Pal. p. 4.)
Tombs of the Prophets. — Turning
away from these singular monuments
in the bed of the Kidron, and ascend
ing the rocky terraced side of Olivet
for about a quarter of a mile in a S.E.
direction, we reach the Tombs of the
Prophets. They are situated on the
side of the hill, between the footpath
and the main road to Bethany. Their
position is marked on the map, but, as
the entrance is not easily discovered,
it is as well to' take a guide. These
tombs are different in plan and style
from all others yet known round

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Tomb of Helena.

143

the. Holy City, and therefore deserve
a visit. Through a long descending
gallery, the first part of which is
winding, we enter a circular chamber,
about 24 ft. in diameter and 10 high,
having a, hole in its roof, through
which an entrance may be also ob
tained. From this chamber, 2 parallel
galleries, 10 feet high and 5 wide, are
carried southwards through the rock
for about 60 ft. ; a third diverges S.E.,
extending 40 ft. They are connected
by 2 cross galleries in concentric
curves, one at their extreme end, the
other in the middle. The outer one
is 115 ft. long, and has a range of 30
loculi on the level of its floor, ra
diating outwards. Two small cham
bers with similar loculi also open
into it.
No inscriptions, sarcophagi, or re
mains of any kind, have been dis
covered tending to throw a ray of light
on the age or history of these mysterious
mansions of the dead. I know not
when or why they got their present

name ; but one thing is certain — they
can have nothing to do with the tombs
of the prophets, which Christ told the
Pharisees they " built." The accom
panying plan will show the intricate
nature of these excavations better than
any description.
Tomb of Helena, commonly called
the Tombs of tlie Kings. — The position
of this remarkable catacomb has
already been pointed out. (§ 31.) In
going from the city we follow the N.
road through the Damascus gate, or
the branch leading into it from the
Yafa gate. As we, however, have
just been visiting the Tombs of the
Prophets on Olivet, we may descend
and cross the Kidron at the Chapel
of the Virgin, and then striking up
the steep path to the N.E. angle of the
city, follow the Anathoth road to
where it begins to descend into the
bed of the Kidron, and then turn to
the 1. round a rocky promontory of
Bezetha. Here we may observe some

Tombs of the Pbophets.

144

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Tombs.

Sect. II.

traces of the ancient wall of Agrippa ;
and not far off, beautifully situated in
a sequestered ravine, is a rock tomb
in excellent preservation, which some

Tomb of Helena, commonly called the Tombs
of the Kings.
would identify with the Fuller's Tomb,
said by Josephus to be pear the spot
where the wall bent southwards. (B. J.
v. 4, 2.) Continuing westward along
the southern side of the valley, we
pass numerous other tombs in the
cliffs — perhaps the "Royal Caverns"
through which the wall of Bezetha ran
after passing the monument of Helena.
One of them is revered by the Jews as
the grave of Simon the Just. (Joseph,,
Ant. xii. 2, 5.)
The tomb of Helena is J m. N. of
the Damascus gate, and about 60 yds.
to the rt. of the Nabulus road. On
reaching the spot we find a broad
trench hewn in the rock, which here

forms the surface of the ground. The
western end of the trench slopes gra
dually to the bottom, some 18 ft. deep.
On descending, we observe on the 1.
a very low arched doorway, opening,
through a waU of rock 7 ft. thick, into
an excavated court 92 ft. long by 87
wide. Its depth is now only about
18 ft. ; but the bottom is encumbered
with an accumulation of rubbish. The
walls all round are of the native rock
hewn smooth. On the western side is
a vestibule, 39 ft. wide, 17 deep, and
15 high, also hewn in the rock ; the
open front was originally 27 ft. wide,
but the sides are now much broken. It
was supported by 2 columns in the
middle, and apparently a semi-column
at each side, but these are gone, with
the exception of a fragment of one of
the capitals which depends from the
architrave. Along the front extend a
deep frieze and cornice ; the former
richly ornamented with clusters of
grapes, triglyphs, and paterae, alter
nating over a continuous garland of
fruit and foliage, which was carried
down the sides. Unfortunately, this
beautiful facade is almost obliterated,
partly by the tooth of time, but chiefly
by the hand of man. It has suffered
much even within the last few years.
At the southern side of the vestibule
is the entrance to the tomb. The door,
with its accessaries, is one of the most
remarkable and ingenious pieces of
mechanism which has come down to
us from antiquity. It deserves attention
for its own sake, and also as affording
strong corroborative evidence of the
identity of the monument. The open
ing is very small, and considerably be
low the. floor of the vestibule ; the rook
around it, too, has been broken and
destroyed, but enough remains to show
its plan. Originally the door could
only be approached by a straight sub
terranean corridor, 10 ft. long, the
entrance to which was by a trap-door,
closely covered with a flag. The land
ing-place below this trap-door was on
the very brink of a well or pit, which
could only be avoided by great cau
tion. Passing this and crawling along
the low corridor, the door was found
to be_covered with a heavy circular

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Tomb of Helena.

145

slab of stone running in a groove, in
clining upwards to the left ; the door
could thus only be moved from its
place by means of a. lever pressing
from rt. to 1. This would have been
a simple process, had the whole slab
and groove been exposed ; but they
were so carefully concealed by the
sides of the corridor, that the door
seemed a piece of the solid rock ; and
there was besides on the 1, in a little
passage, another slab sliding in another
groove at right angles to the door,
which, being shot in, served as a bolt
and made the door immovable. These
complicated arrangements, combined
with the strength of the materials,
rendered the entrance impracticable
except to the initiated. And there
was in addition an inner door invented
to serve as a trap to the unwary
robber. It was a massive slab of stone,
fitting exactly into the deeply recessed
opening, and so hung upon pivots
above and below that it yielded to
pressure from without, but imme
diately fell back into its place on the
pressure being removed. Should any
one be so unfortunate as to enter and
leave the door for an instant, his
fate was sealed ; for it fitted so closely
into the deep recess that he had no
possible means of pulling it open
again, The roof of the corridor is
now broken away, and the corridor
itself, as well as the pit at its original
entrance, nearly filled up with rub
bish; but a careful examination and
a little excavation lay bare the whole
puzzle. An old derwish is generally at hand
to guide travellers through the in
terior ; but it is always better to bring
candles, torches, and suitable garments
from the city, for the vaults are dark,
damp, and dirty.
The first room we enter, after crawl
ing through the low door, is an ante
chamber 18J ft. by 19. Its walls, and
those of all the other apartments, con
sist of the natural rock hewn smooth.
On the S. side are two low doors
leading to other chambers, and on the
W. one. The doors were once closed
by stone slabs with carved panels,
shutting from within, apparently on
[Syria and Palestine.]

the same principle as the outer door :
they are now broken, and the frag
ments lie scattered about. The first
chamber on the S.E. measures 11 ft.
by 12, and has 3 low loculi on the
eastern and the same number on the
southern side, running into the walls
at right angles. The second room
adjoining is about 13 ft. sq., and has 3
recesses on the S., and 3 on the W. ; the
central ones having higher openings.
On the rt. hand of the entrance-door
is a small door leading by a staircase
and inclined plane down to an under-
chamber, on each of three sides of
which is a large arched niche, where
sarcophagi of white marble once stood.
The lid of one almost perfect, and the
fragments of others, were removed by
M. de Saulcy, and may be seen in the
museum of the Louvre.
The door on the W. of the ante
chamber leads into an apartment 13J
ft. square, apparently one of the most
important in the whole structure. It
has no less than 9 loculi — 3 on the N.,
3 on the S., and 3 on the W. side ; the
central ones being larger and of a.
different form. Passing through the
central recess on the N., we enter a
low door, and descend by an inclined
plane to another vault, with an arched
recess opposite the entrance, and one
on the 1. Here once lay the lid of a
marble sarcophagus, richly carved with
wreaths and flowers. M. de Saulcy,
on seeing it, immediately concluded
that it was the veritable sarcophagus of
king David, and consequently carried
it off to the Louvre, where the curious
may now see it.
Over most of the loculi are little
triangular niches for sepulchral Jamps ;
and behind the loculi are small cham
bers, the openings of which seem to
have been covered by the stone sarco
phagi. May not these have been in
tended to contain such articles of value
as were usually placed in the tombs
of persons of distinction ? It would
seem, also, that the two lower chambers
or vaults were designed as the resting-
places of the chief personages. Here
alone were found sculptured marble
sarcophagi ; and the vaults themselves
were more remote and more carefully

146

Route 7. — Jerusalem — Jewish Antiquities. Sect. II.

concealed than the others — each in
fact forming a sanctum. The accom
panying plan will serve to guide
the traveller in his explorations, and
enable the reader to comprehend the
above details. It may be worthy of
notice that each of the sepulchral
chambers has a raised dais, or dewan,
formed of the rock, round the sides,
similar to those in some of the exca
vations at Petra.
The first question one naturally asks
after completing his examination of
these tombs is, By whom were they
constructed, and for whom were they
intended? It is a singular fact that
there is not an inscribed stone or
sculptured device in or around them
to throw a ray of light on thefr his
tory. In this respect they resemble the
tombs of Petra ; but are widely different
from those of Egypt, Palmyra, and
Rome, where not only every monument
and excavation, but every niche, has
its record. The notices of them in his
tory are few and far from satisfactory.
It is not strange therefore, that their
origin and object should be keenly
disputed. Almost every writer on the
Holy City, who lays claim to learn
ing and originality, has a theory of
his own. M. de Saulcy has not only
" demonstrated them " to be the tombs
of the kings of Judah ; but he has
identified the particular loculus of each
monarch ! Mr. Fergusson, on the
opposite extreme, maintains that " their
architecture is undoubtedly later than
the Christian era, and the slab, which
de Saulcy calls the cover of the sarco
phagus of David, is certainly more
modern than the time of Constantine."
Mr. Williams believes them to be
the " monuments of Herod," and con
siders their splendour and extent en
tirely suited to the magnificent ideas
of that great monarch, whose ambition
it was to be the founder of a dynasty.
Dr. Schultz identifies them with the
" Royal Tombs " mentioned by Jo
sephus in the line of Agrippa'a wall.
And Dr. Robinson, taking history and
ancient topographical notices as his
guides, shows this to be the Tomb of
Helena. I feel inclined to adopt the
last theory; believing that, if the

arguments in favour of it do not
amount to absolute proof, they at least
reach the highest degree of proba
bility. But the reader shall judge for
himself. Helena was the widowed queen of
Monobazus,kingof Adiabene. Having,
with her son Izates, who succeeded to
the throne, become a proselyte to
Judaism, she fixed her residence at
Jerusalem, where, during the preva
lence of the famine predicted by
Agabus, in the days of Claudius Caesar
(Acts xi. 28), she relieved multitudes
of the poor suffering Jews by her un
bounded liberality. Having deter
mined to end her days in the Holy
City, she prepared her sepulchre dur
ing her lifetime, as was then the
custom, doubtless intending that her
son and his family should also be
buried in the same place. It so hap
pened that she and her son were con
signed to this tomb at the same time.
May- not their remains have been
placed in those marble sarcophagi, the
fragments of which were lately to be
seen in the two lower vaults ?
The tomb of Helena is thrice men
tioned by Josephus — once as marked
by 3 pyramids, at a distance of 3 stadia
from the city ; again, as opposite to the
gate near which Titus first approached
the city on the N. ; and lastly, in the
description of Agrippa's wall as given
above (§ 38). The references may be
seen in the Bib. Res. i. p. 362. The
pyramids probably resembled those
which surmount some of the tombs at
Petra, and may have stood over the
facade. They were still here in the
time of Eusebius, who mentions them
as o-tt)Ac« 5mcWe7s. Jerome describes
their position with some little definite-
ness. He states that, as Paula ap
proached the city from the N., the
mausoleum of Helena lay on the I.
The ancient northern road is still
here, passing close on the W. of these
tombs, and we know from other in
cidental notices that Paula came to
the city by it. Thus then the tomb of
Helena, according to Jerome and Euse
bius, lay E. of the road, 3 stadia from
the city, and this accords with the
position of the excavations above de-

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Tombs of the Judges.

147

scribed. The pyramids, indeed, are
gone ; and we could not expect them
to have remained, since the rock-hewn
facade is weU-nigh destroyed. But
there is still a stronger argument for
thefr identity in a description given
by the Greek writer Pausanias in the
2nd centy. " In speaking of the sepul
chres he had seen, he mentions two as
being worthy of particular admiration,
viz. that of king Mausolus in Caria,
and that of Helena at Jerusalem. This
latter he describes as remarkable for
its door, which was of the same rock,
and was so contrived that, when the
returning year brought round a par
ticular day and hour, it then opened by
means of mechanism alone, and after a
short time closed again ; had one tried
to open it at another time, he must first
have broken it with violence." It is
impossible not to recognise in this
account the mechanism of the external
door as above described. Doubtless
the secret of its construction was care
fully preserved, and many fables circu
lated regarding it. The present state
of the doorway shows that the latter
part at least of Pausanias's statement
was true, and that it had to be broken
ere an entrance could be secured.
Though the tomb of Helena was one of
the most celebrated monuments about
Jerusalem during the first four cen
turies of our era, it was overlooked
from that time till near the close of
the 16th centy., when it was brought
into notice again under the name
which it still bears, " The Tombs of
the Kings."
De Saulcy, in his Terre Sainte, i.
345, seq., has given an interesting
account of a thorough exploration of
this catacomb. He laid bare a grand
staircase in the outer court ; he found
that there is an accumulation of rub
bish in the inner court before the
facade, to the depth of 16 ft. ; he dis
covered in the ante-ehamber an im
mense number of terra cotta urns, vases,
and lamps, apparently Roman, two or
three small vases of oriental alabaster,
some stone coffers, and a few gold orna
ments. He also opened a chamber
hitherto unknown, and found in it a
plain stone sarcophagus, inside which

was a skeleton in good preservation,
but on being touched it crumbled to
dust. On the side of the sarcophagus
is an inscription in two lines, eight
letters in each line. He states, and
apparently with truth, that the inscrip
tion is bilingual — the upper and older
in Syriac; the lower in Hebrew. He
gives it as follows in Hebrew : —
nrDte rra
" Sarah Queen."
The sarcophagus and most of the urns,
&c, are now in the Louvre.
Detailed descriptions of these tombs
may be seen in De Saulcy's Journey
round the Dead Sea, ii. 134, sq. ; Tobler,
Topographie von Jerusalem, ii. 276, sq. ;
Thrupp, Jerusalem, 246, sq.
The Tombs of the Judges. — Con
tinuing up the valley of Jehoshaphat
for i m., we strike the path leading to
Newby Samwil, following which i m.
farther, we have some 40 paces on our
rt., the Tombs of the Judges. As we
approach them we observe that the
rocks on each side of the road are
filled with ordinary sepulchres ; but
the so-called Tombs of the Judges arc
more extensive and more elaborately
finished than any of the others —
in fact, they are among the most
interesting sepulchral monuments
around the Holy City. To examine
them fully it is necessary to bring
candles or torches. The entrance faces
the W., and has an open vestibule,
13 ft. by 9 ; the sides and architrave
ornamented with a plain moulding, and
the latter surmounted by a curious
pediment, with flowers and tracery
surrounding a torch, and having also a
torch at each angle. In the back wall
of the vestibule is a narrow door simi
larly ornamented, opening into tho
main chamber, 20 ft. by 19, and 8 ft.
high. On its N. side are two tiers of
loculi ; seven in the lower and six in
the upper tier. On the 1. of the door is
one loculus. The centre of the S. wall
is pierced by a door opening into a
room 8 ft. square, containing three
loculi on each of its three sides, with
an arched niche or shelf over them.
In the E. wall of the main chamber is
H 2

148

Route 7. — Ancient Tombs.

Sect. II.

another door leading into a chamber
similar to that on the S., but with two
tiers of loculi. At the N.E angle of
the main chamber » flight of steps
leads down to two vaults with loculi
and niches. In this sepulchre there
are between 60 and 70 receptacles for
bodies ; and there may perhaps be
others still unexplored. Beautiful
detailed plans and sections are given in
Williams's 'Holy City,' 2nd ed., vol. ii.
Dr. Robinson says he has been able
to find no notice of these tombs earlier
than the time of Cotovicus (a.d. 1598),
who gives them no name. Sandys, in
1611, calls them, the Sepulchres of the
Prophets. Quaresmius first describes
them under their present name, and
refers them to the Hebrew Judges of
the Old Testament. But the name,
however it originated, more probably
had reference to the Judges of the San
hedrim ; and was applied in conse
quence of the fancied correspondence
of the number of loculi with the num
ber of members composing that tri
bunal. Other Tombs may be seen along the
high ground N. of the above, some of
which would repay the time and
trouble of a thorough exploration. One
of peculiar interest was discovered a
few years ago by Dr. Barclay, and a
sketch and plan of it are given in
Bartlett's ' Jerusalem Revisited.' It
is situated about § m. N.E. of the
Tombs of the Judges, and is sur
rounded by extensive foundations and
the remains of a considerable town,
called by the Arabs El-Musahny.
The rains cover the two sides of a
ravine which falls into Wady Beit
Hanina from the E., and among them
are some fragments of columns of an
immense size. But the most interest
ing monument in the place is one of
the large tombs. In front is an ir
regular area excavated in the limestone
rock, at one side of which is an open
porch whose walls are cut in the Jew
ish bevelled style, to resemble masonry ;
and most of this cutting is in perfect
preservation. A round-arched door
opens on a large chamber in whose
sides are the usual loculi for bodies ;

and beyond it is another smaller cham
ber. This tomb is unquestionably
Jewish ; and from its unique style of
ornament is highly interesting.
The Tomb or Monument of Herod is
twice named by Josephus ; first, when
Titus intended to break up his camp
on Scopus, and approach nearer the
city, it is said that "he stationed a
body of men, horse and foot, to check
the sallies of the enemy, and employed
the main body of his army in levelling
the intervening ground as far as the
walls." He swept away the garden-
walls, hedges, and fruit-trees, filled up
hollows and chasms, removed emi
nences ; " and thus the whole space
from Scopus to the Monuments of Herod,
adjacent to what is called the Serpent's
Pool, was reduced to a level." (B. J.
v. 3, 2.) At first sight it might appear
that the ground spoken of as having
been levelled was that between Scopus
and the neighbouring wall on the N. of
the city ; and that, therefore, the monu
ments of Herod were somewhere near
the N.E. angle. But a glance at the
nature of the ground, and an examina
tion of other incidental statements of
Josephus, show plainly enough that
this was not the section levelled.
Immediately on the S. of Scopus runs
the valley of Jehoshaphat, and along
its southern brow, as has been seen,
was built the wall of Bezetha. No
general would, therefore, select such
a site for his camp, or commence
his approaches from such a quarter,
especially while he could find open
and level ground a little farther W.
But from a subsequent chapter of
Josephus we learn that when the level
ling process was completed and the
place prepared, Titus encamped with
one division opposite the N. W. corner
of the city ; while the other division
extended itself down as far as the front
of Hippicus. As the space which
Titus levelled for the camp extended
from Scopus on the one side to the
monuments of Herod on the other, the
latter must have been situated some
where W. of Hippicus ; and as the
monuments are said to have been near
the Serpent's Pool, this can be no other

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Fuller's Field, &c.

149

than the Upper Pool, now Birket el-
Mamilla, which, as we have seen, Nehe
miah calls the Dragon Well (ii. 13.
See § 47). And josephus's second
notice of Herod's monument shows
that it must have been W. of the city
and near this spot (B. J. v. 12, 2). A
short distance S. of the upper pool
may be seen some large masses of rub
bish and rains, covering a few sepul
chral caves hewn in the rock. These
Dr. Sehultz supposes to be the remains
of the monuments of Herod ; and their
position answers well to the notices of
Josephus. The Grotto of Jeremiah is situated
on the southern side of the rocky hill,
a short distance N.E. of the Damascus
Gate. It is a huge rude cave excavated
in the rock, and appears to be a section
of an old quarry. Dr. Sehultz sug
gests that it may be the monument of
Alexander Jannseus, described by Jose
phus as in front of Antonia (B. J. v. 7,
3). Beside it is another cave, latterly
used as a reservoir. A flight of steps
hewn in the rock leads clown to a
chamber with a vaulted roof supported
by a massive pillar, and from this
another flight of steps descends to a
much more spacious cave, vaulted in
like manner. The walls and piers are
covered, in both caves, with a thick
coating of cement.

§ 49. Other Ancient Sites.
The Fullers' Field is mentioned in
the Old Testament twice ; first, where
Isaiah is instructed to go forth to meet
Ahaz " at the end of the conduit of the
upper pool in the highway of the
fuller's field" (Isa. vii. 3); and again,
where Rabshakeh and bis companions
"stood by the conduit of the upper
pool in the highway of the fuller's
field " (2 Kings xviii. 17). The upper
pool is well known (§ 47). Near it the
fullers, " cleansers of woollen garments,"
apparently plied their trade, and spread
out the clothes to dry alongside the
road leading past the pool from the
W. gate of the city to Yafa. On

this highway Rabshakeh stood when
he delivered his haughty message to
the servants of Hezekiah.
The Camp of the Assyrians is another
site of some importance, being men
tioned by Josephus as the place where
Titus pitched his own camp within the
new city, after having broken through
the 3rd or outer wall (B. J. v. 7, 3).
Dr. Sehultz identifies it with the " high
way of the fuller's field," because that
there Rabshakeh" the Assyrian stood.
It does not appear, however, that Rab
shakeh addressed the people on the
wall from the midst of his camp ; nor
is it likely he would place his camp so
near the city. When Titus had fully
reconnoitred Jerusalem, he pitched his
camp, as has been seen, on the high
ground to the N. W., opposite the
great tower of Psephinus, and from
that side it appears he made his prin
cipal attack, and finally carried the
wall. An examination of the nature of
the ground, and of the line of the 2nd
wall, will show at once where a skilful
general would most probably establish
his head-quarters to direct the ap
proaches against the latter wall. The
rising ground N.W. of the Damascus
gate seems by far the most advantage
ous ; and here we may safely locate the
" Camp of the Assyrians."

6. Christian Antiquities.
§ 50. The Holy Septjlchee. — Could
we only guarantee the genuineness of
the site, no spot in Jerusalem would
be more deeply interesting than the
Holy Sepulchre; but fortunately, or
unfortunately, it is impossible to give
a guarantee. The arguments in favour
of it are so questionable, and those
against it so strong, that no unpre
judiced mind can at least feel satis
fied in believing it. This is not the
place for considering the subject at
length, or even for an attempt to un
ravel the tangled mass of controversy
which it has occasioned. Those who
desire to see all that can be advanced

150

aoute I. — The Holy Sepulchre.

Sect. II.

in favour "of its identity may read Mr.
Williams's Holy City, and De Vogue's
Jerusalem ; and those who wish to
know all the arguments against it may
study the Researches of Dr. Robinson,
and the various works of Mr. Fergus-
son. On this, as on other points con
nected with the ancient topography of
Jerusalem, I have formed my own
opinion from repeated personal examin
ation of the localities and a careful
study of authorities. These opinions I
respectfully present to the reader and
traveller, while calling their attention
to the objects, and referring to authori
ties. The argument for the identity of the
Holy Sepulchre turns mainly on the
solution of two questions — one topo
graphical, the other historical. We
know from Scripture that our Lord was
crucified " without the gate" of Jeru-
, salem (Heb. xiii. 12), " nigh to the
city" (John xix. 20), at a place called
Golgotha, "the place of a skull"
(Matt, xxvii. 33), and •apparently.near
or beside some public thoroughfare
(Matt, xxvii. 39). We also know that
the sepulchre in which His body was
laid was "hewn out of the rock"
(Mark xv. 46), in a garden at the place
of the crucifixion (John xix. 41, 42).
This is all we know of the position or
character of the tomb from contempo
raneous history ; but this is enough to
suggest doubts and serious difficulties
to the mind of every inquiring visitor
to Jerusalem, regarding the identity of
the present site. The Church of the
Sepulchre, within whose area a host of
holy places are found grouped together,
is far within the present walls. Still,
if we could prove that it lay without
the 2nd wall of the ancient city, it
might be genuine; though even then
it would be doubtful ; for it is unques
tionably far within the 3rd wall, built
by Agrippa only 11 years subsequent to
the crucifixion, to enclose a large suburb
that had gradually extended beyond
the 2nd wall (§ 38). The words " nigh
to the city" could scarcely be inter
preted within the suburbs. But if the
views stated above (§ 37) regarding the
position of Akra and the line of the
2nd wall be correct, then the Ch. of the

Sepulchre falls within the ancient
city. The 2nd wall commenced at the gate
Gennath, in the northern wall of Zion.
This gate, as has been seen, was near
Hippicus. From thence the wall ran
northward so as to include the pool of
Hezekiah. Ancient foundations of
bevelled stones are still seen near the
Latin convent, just within the present
wall, and again at the Damascus gate.
It cannot, of course, be demonstrated
that these belonged to the 2nd waU ;
but it is highly probable they did ; and
if so, then the Ch. of the Sepulchre
neither includes the place of Christ's
crucifixion, nor of His burial. Most of
those who maintain the genuineness of
the present sepulchre remove Akra
from beside Zion to the ridge extend
ing from the Haram to the Grotto of
Jeremiah ; and make the 2nd wall
start from a point half way between
the citadel and the Haram, run N.
along the covered bazaar until it just
clears the E. end of the Ch. of the
Sepulchre, then turn a little to the W.
so as to include the ancient foundations
around the Damascus gate. Granting
that such a line were supported by any
probable evidence, it would yet not be
very easy to believe that such » sin
gular angle as is thus made to run into
the very heart of the ancient city
should have been wholly free from
buildings, and used as a place of ordin
ary sepulture, so late as the time of the
Crucifixion ; and that only 11 years
afterwards Agrippa should have found
it necessary to build a wall a quarter of
a mile beyond it, so as to include the
suburbs. The Historical Evidence. — No one
will deny that the apostles and disci
ples of our Lord, who dwelt in Jeru
salem, knew the place where their
Master was crucified, and the tomb
where He was buried ; but there is no
evidence in the New Testament that
these places were in any way honoured.
On the contrary, the whole spirit of
the Gospel of Christ — the whole writ
ings and teachings of the Apostles —
tended to withdraw men from an

Jerusalem. Route 7. — History of Holy Sepulchre.

151

attachment to times, places, and phy
sical objects, and to lead them to wor
ship a Spiritual God in spirit and in
truth, wherever they could conveni
ently assemble. The constant theme
of Paul's preaching was the death and
resurrection of om- Lord ; but though
he laboured and wrote for 20 years
after these events occurred, and though
he visited Jerusalem more than once
during that time, he does not make
the slightest allusion to the scenes
of these events, or to the instru
ment of the Saviour's passion. It is
pretty clearly established, too, that the
Apostle John wrote his Gospel towards
the close of the 1st centy., or from 60
to 70 years after the Crucifixion, and
yet he only alludes to the sepulchre in
general terms. It is thus sufficiently
apparent that in the apostolic age no
importance was attached, no honour
given, to the holy places. In the year
a. d. 70 the- city was captured, burned,
and all destroyed with the exception
of a section of the wall of Zion. The
Christians had previously fled to Pella,
on the E. of the Jordan, and the time
of their return is uncertain. The city
was rebuilt by Hadrian a.d. T32 ; was
captured and held by the rebel Jews
shortly after ; was retaken about a.d.
135, strongly fortified, and adorned
with temples by the Romans. During
all this time, both under Jewish and
Roman rule, the Christians only lived
on sufferance ; circumstances were not
thus very favourable for preserving the
knowledge of places to which the in
spired apostles had attached no im
portance, or for giving them honour
to which the spirit of their religion
was opposed.
It is not, in fact, until the 4th centy.,
or about 300 years after the Crucifixion,
that we find any reference in history to
the site of the Holy Sepulchre. Euse
bius informs us, in language somewhat
extravagant, " that impious men, or
rather the whole race of demons
through the agency of impious men,
had laboured to deliver over that illus
trious monument of immortality (the
Holy Sepulchre) to darkness and
oblivion" (Vita Constan. iii. 26.)
They had covered the sepulchre, it

seems, with earth brought from other
places, and had erected over it a temple
of Venus. Jerome, writing towards
the close of the 4th centy., is more ex
plicit than Eusebius, as he informs us
that the temple of Venus was built by
Hadrian ; that a marble statue of the
goddess was set up on the rock of the
Cross, and an image of Jupiter over
the place of the Resurrection. Socrates,
writing 50 years later, is more explicit
still, for after telling the same story he
adds, " Those who followed the faith
of Christ, after his death, rendered to
that monument (the sepulchre) the
highest honour" (Hist. Eccl. i. 17).
Sozomen, a still later author, adds that
the enemies of Christianity set up this
statue of Venus in order that Christians
who came to worship at the sepulchre
might have the appearance of worship
ping that goddess (H. E. ii. 1). It will
be observed how entirely opposed these
statements are to the language of the
apostles and the spirit of their teach
ing. Even supposing we admit their
accuracy, and grant that Hadrian knew
the true sites of Golgotha and the
sepulchre, it is not easy to imagine
what object the emperor could have
had in thus insulting an obscure sect.
His design, as history tells us, in
establishing his new city of Mlia, was
to insult the Jews, from whom the
Christians were at that time clearly
distinguished. There are other cir
cumstances, however, which seem to
cast greater doubt on the testimony of
these historians.
Eusebius, after stating how impious
men and demons had combined to
deliver over the sepulchre to darkness
and oblivion, informs us that the
emperor Constantine, " not without a
divine admonition, the Saviour himself
prompting him," became desirous of
performing " a glorious work " in Pales
tine, by beautifying and rendering
sacred the place of the resurrection of
our Lord (Vit. Const, iii. 26, seq.). He
caused the sanctuary of Venus to be
removed, the earth and stones to be
cast aside, and the holy cave laid bare.
It was then purified and adorned with
splendid buildings. The emperor in
his letter to Macarius, the bishop,

152

Route 7. — History of Holy Sepulchre.

Sect. II.

speaks of the discovery of " the sign of
the Saviour's most sacred passion,
which had so long been hidden below
the ground,". as " a miracle beyond the
capacity of man sufficiently to cele
brate, or even to comprehend." The
buildings were completed and dedi
cated in the 30th year of his reign,
A. d. 335. On this occasion a council
of bishops was convened by his order
from aU the provinces of the empire,
first at Tyre and then at Jerusalem.
Among these was Eusebius himself,
who took a prominent part in the
solemnities, and delivered several
public discourses in the Holy City.
Such is the substance of Eusebius's
account, and he was an eyewitness of
the facts he records. It is somewhat
remarkable, however, to find the his
torians who wrote in the succeeding
centy. far more full in their details,
and yet differing considerably from
him as to the leading facts. They all
state that it was Helena, Constantine's
mother, who was directed by divine
interposition to search for and discover
the Holy Sepulchre, the true Cross, and
the several minute localities of the
Saviour's crucifixion and burial. On
her arrival at Jerusalem she instituted
inquiries among the inhabitants ; and,
after a long and difficult search, found
the sepulchre, and by its side three
crosses, with the tablet bearing the in
scription ! As the tablet was separ
ated from the cross, they were unable
for the moment to identify that on
which the Saviour suffered, until the
wisdom of Macarius suggested an in
fallible test. A noble lady of Jeru
salem lay sick of an incurable disease ;
the three crosses were presented to her
in succession : the two first produced
no effect ; but, at the approach of the
third, she opened her eyes, recovered
her strength, and sprang from her bed
in perfect health ! Such proof was
considered irresistible. According to
these later writers, also, it was Helena,
and not Constantine, who caused the
church to be erected and the Holy
Places adorned. (Socrates H. E. i.
17; Sozom. H. E. ii. 1, 2; Theod.
H. E. i. 18.)
I have given the above summary to

put the reader in possession of the
leading statements found in the earliest
historians about the dedication of the
Holy Places, and the founding of the
Church of the Sepulchre. It will not
fail to strike the student of history
that the main object of all these
writers evidently is to impress devout
Christians with the identity of the
sites fixed by Constantine or Helena ;
and that they are not over scrupulous
as to the means they employ. Divine
intimations, miraculous tests, and
doubtful stories about the precise loca
tion of idol statues, are all adduced in
evidence, and gradually embellished
with graphic details as time advances.
Eusebius's faint outline, sketched from
nature on the spot, becomes a full and
glowing picture under the pencil of
Theodoret. It cannot be doubted, however, that
at the time specified a sepulchre was
exposed to view, a cross " invented,"
and a ch. erected upon the spot where
the Church of the Sepulchre now
stands. More than this it is some
what bold to affirm, and somewhat
difficult to believe. The sepulchre is
minutely described by Eusebius as a
cave hewn in the rock, which projects
above the level ground (Theoph., p.
199). In the Jerusalem Itinerary (a.d.
333) it is said to be a crypt, a stone's
throw from the "little hill of Gol
gotha " (Itin. Hieros., p. 594). Cyril,
Bishop of Jerusalem, writing a few
years later, speaks of an outer cave
which was removed when the sepulchre
was dedicated (Catech. xiv. 9). Arculf
in the 7th centy. gives a very clear
account of its appearance at that
time :— " Within (the church), on the
N. side, is the tomb of our Lord hewn
out of the same rock, 7 feet in length,
and rising 3 palms above the floor.
This tomb is broad enough to hold one
man lying on his back, and has a
raised division in the stone to sepa
rate his legs. The entrance is on the
S. side. Internally the stone of the
rock remains in its original state, and
still exhibits the marks of the work
men's tools ; its colom- is not uniform,
but appears to be a mixture of white
and red" (Bolm's Early Travels, p.

Jerusalem. Route 7. — Church of the Sepulchre.

153

In position and general features, the
sepulchre corresponds, so far as one
can see it, with these descriptions ;
but as it is almost wholly covered with
marble, it is impossible to tell whether
the natural rock remains.
Whatever opinion may be formed as
to the genuineness of the sepulchre,
and all the " Holy Places " round it,
every traveller will wish to visit
them. I shall, therefore, describe the
places in detail, after giving a brief
historical sketch of the building which
contains them.
Historical Sketch of tlie Church. —
The group of buildings erected by
command of Constantine was com
menced in a.d. 326, and dedicated in
335. Eusebius describes these build
ings, but so briefly and vaguely that
he is scarcely mtelligible. The " sa
cred cave " was first ornamented with
beautiful columns and other decora
tions. Modem writers have supposed
that the ledge of rock in the face of
which, they think, the tomb was ex
cavated was first cut away so as to
leave the latter an isolated monolith ;
but for this supposition there is no
evidence. Eusebius's words are even
opposed to it, for he observes, " It was
astonishing to see this rock standing
out erect and alone on level land, and
having but one cave within it." Had
there been any extensive excavation
then made around it, he could not
have thus written. Around the tomb
as a sanctum was an open paved area,
with cloisters on the N., W., and S. —
probably corresponding with the form
and circuit of the present Rotunda.
On the E. stood a great Basilica, ob
long, with double aisles on each side.
A vaulted apse, supported by 12 co
lumns with silver capitals, occupied
the centre of the W. end ; while op
posite to it on the E. was a triple door
way. The interior was ornamented
with costly marbles, and the ceiling
with sculptured panels richly gilt.
To this church was given the name
Martyrion, as standing on the place of
our Saviour's passion ; and the chapel
at the sepulchre was called the Anas-

tasis or "Resurrection." In front of
the basilica was an open court sur
rounded by cloisters, opening by a
great door and portico into the mar
ket-place on the E. The only " Holy
Places " identified during the period
these buildings stood were the sepul
chre and Golgotha. A full description,
accompanied by plans, of the build
ings erected by Constantine, may be
seen in Professor Willis's Essay, in the
2nd vol. of Williams's Holy City. The
plans and drawings are, of course, only
conjectural. The Martyrion of Constantine was
destroyed by the Persians in the year
614 (Gibbon, xlvi. ; Eutychus, ii. p.
212, sq.) ; but was rebuilt about 16
yrs. later, principally through the
activity of Modestus, superior of the
convent of Theodosius, who acted as
agent during the captivity of the pa
triarch. The buildings were now,
erected on a different plan, partly from
want of funds, and partly to accom
modate the additional " Holy Places "
that were gradually growing up round
the sepulchre. The fullest account of
these buildings is given by Areulf,
who visited Jerusalem in the end of
the 7th centy. Around the sepulchre
was a, spacious Rotunda, with a dome
supported on 12 massive columns.
This was called the Anastasis. Ad
joining, on the N., was the quadrangu
lar ch. of St. Mary, Another ch. was
built over Golgotha ; and the precise
spot on which the cross stood was
marked by a silver cross let into the
rock. In an adjoining apse were
placed the silver cup which om- Lord
used when he instituted the Eucha
rist, and the sponge which the soldiers
had filled with vinegar and pre
sented to Him on the cross. These
Areulf saw and devoutly kissed. On
the eastern side of Golgotha stood the
Basilica of Constantine, — so called
then, but now known as the chapel of
Helena — " located over the place where
the cross of our Lord, with the other
two crosses of the thieves, was found,
by the gift of the Lord, after 233 yrs.
Between these two churches (continues
Areulf) is that celebrated spot where
Abraham the patriarch erected an
H 3

154 Route 7. — History of Church of the Sepulchre. Sect. IL

altar for the sacrifice of Isaac." Areulf
saw some other singular relics, and
among them the spear that pierced the
Saviour's side, broken in two and care
fully deposited in the portico of the
Martyrion. He observed also " a lofty
column in the holy places to the N.,
which at midday at the summer sol
stice casts no shadow, thus proving
that it stands in the centre of the
world." — Early Travels in Palestine,
pp. 2, 3.
These structures were again de
stroyed by the mad khalif Hakim
in the year 1010, and were not re
built till 1048. Saswulf, an English
monk who followed the crusaders to
Palestine, and visited Jerusalem about
1103, gives a long description of the
groups of buildings then standing
round the Holy Sepulchre; from which
it appears that the Rotunda and the
churches of Golgotha and of the Cross,
were only in part restored, while
several other chapels were added. A
whole host of new holy places are also
mentioned and described. These in
clude the prison in which our Lord
was incarcerated ; the column to which
He was bound when scourged; the
place where He was stripped by the
soldiers ; the spot where the purple
robe was put on Him ; the place where
the soldiers cast lots for His raiment ;
the rent in the rock made by the
earthquake; the place where Adam
was raised from the dead ; the place
where the Lord's body was wrapped in
the linen clothes ; the spot where the
Lord indicated with His own hand
the centre of the world; the place
where He appeared to Mary Magda
lene ; and the place where the Virgin
stood during the crucifixion ! (Early
Travels, pp. 37, 38).
Such was the state of the buildings
when the crusaders took Jerusalem in
1099. During their rule all was re
modelled, and many new shrines
added. The Rotunda was in part
rebuilt ; and a ch. with nave, aisles,
and transept erected on its eastern
side, on the site of Constantine's Basi
lica. The western facade, including
the present doorway and tower, was
also built, with the chapel over Gol

gotha. The roof of the Rotunda is
said to have been constructed of cedar
beams. The buildings round the Church of
the Sepulchre remained in the state in
which the crusaders left them, with
the exception of some slight repairs,
till the year 1808, when they were
partly destroyed by fire. The fire
tbroke out in the chapel of the Arme
nians, in a gallery on the S. side of
the Rotunda, during the night of Oct.
12th. The roof of the Rotunda fell in
upon the sepulchre, but the latter,
though crushed without, was uninjured
within. The marble columns which
supported the great dome were cal
cined, and the walls injured. The fire
then caught the ch. on the E., de
stroying the roof and some marble
columns at the E. end of the nave, the
triforium gallery, and all the altars,
images, and pictures. The cupola was
rent in two, but the piers and arches
supporting it remained. The Chapel
of the Elevation of the Cross on Gol
gotha was also burnt, with some
wooden buildings formerly attached
to it. The tower, the western facade,
the chapel of Helena, the aisle sur
rounding the ch., and the chapel and
buildings of the Latins on the N.,
were saved. It is not very easy, how
ever, to ascertain precisely the amount
of damage done, owing to the different
accounts given by different sects and
the curious fact that both Greeks
and Latins describe with much exulta
tion the ravages of the fire on the
Holy Places of their opponents, con
trasting this with the miraculous man
ner in which their own were left
unscathed. It was not without much difficulty
and long negotiations that permission
was obtained from the Porte to rebuild
the ch. At last the work was com
pleted, and the new ch. as it now
stands was consecrated in 1810. The
architect was a Greek named Com-
menes from Mitylene.
The singular theory of Mr. Fergus-
son, which has been set forth with so
much earnestness and defended with
so much determination, is as follows : —
i The building now known as the

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Fergusson*s Theoryi

155

" Dome of the Rock," is the identical
Church of the Anastasis, erected by
Constantine over the tomb of our
Lord. The Basilica connected with
it stood in the Haram, west of the
Golden Gateway, which formed its
propylseum. The Basilica was entirely
destroyed by Hakem; but the Anas
tasis was spared through the respect
of the Muslems for the tomb of Christ.
The Christians afterwards transferred
the site of the Sepulchre from its real
place to the spot now shown. The
manner and cause of this transfer
Mr. Fergusson thus states : — " It is
well known that a furious persecution
of the Christians was carried on at
the end of the 10th centy. Their great
Basilica was destroyed, their tomb
appropriated ; they were driven from
the city, and dared not approach the
Holy Places under pain of death. As
the persecution relaxed a few crept
back to their old quarter of the city,
and there most naturally built them
selves a ch. in which to celebrate the
sacred mysteries of Easter. It is not
necessary to assume fraud in this pro
ceeding  Being in the city
and so near the spot, it was almost
impossible but that it should event
ually come to be assumed that instead
of a simulated it was the true sepul
chre, and it would have required more
than human virtue on the part of the
priests if they had undeceived the
unsuspecting pilgrims, whose faith
and liberality were no doubt quickened
by the assumption. Had the Chris
tians never recovered the city, the
difference would never have been dis
covered in the dark ages ; but when
unexpectedly those who had knelt and
prayed as pilgrims, came back as
armed men, and actually possessed
the city, it was either necessary to
confess the deception or to persevere
in it ; and, as was too often the case,
the latter course was pursued, and
hence all the subsequent confusion."
Mr. Fergusson's theory was first set
forth in his Essay on the Topography
of Jerusalem ; then in Smith's Diet, of
the Bible, s.v. Jerusalem. It has since
been defended in several pamphlets.
The theory has been elaborately met

in Williams's Holy City; and more
recently in articles in the Edinburgh
Review, cxii. ; and Bibliotheca Sacraj
vols, xxiii. and xxiv.

Descetption of the Church and its
various Serines.
We are now prepared for a detailed
description of this interesting struc
tures — for interesting it is, whatever
opinion may be formed about the
genuineness of its shrines. There arc
few Christian men who could approach
the place even supposed to be the
tomb of the Saviour without feelings
of deepest solemnity and awe; but
there are fewer still who could bear to
look without feelings of righteous in
dignation on a host of the most bare
faced impostures clustered round the
spot where the God of Truth once
appeared in the flesh.
We reach the southern, and now the
only, entrance of the Church of the
Sepulchre, by a narrow, crooked street,
sometimes called Palmer Street. After
descending a flight of rude steps we
come to a small open paved court,
along whose side, as we go down into
it, we observe the bases of a row of
columns, which probably at one time -
supported cloisters. Recent excava
tions by Capt. Wilson have shown that
underneath this court is a crypt with
circular arches of high antiquity. On
the W. side are 2 chapels, with pro
jecting apses, built before the age of
the crusades. The first is dedicated
to St. James, the brother of our Lord,
of whom tradition says that "he cele
brated mass and was consecrated here."
The second was originally called the
Chapel of the Trinity. It is now-
named the Church of the Ointment-
bearers, also the Church of the Forty
Martyrs ; and is the parish ch. of
the Greeks. There is another small
chapel, dedicated to St. John, in a
line with the above, on the basement
story of the great tower. On the
opposite side of the court is a range of
modern buildings into which 3 doors
open. That next the street admits to

156

Route 7. — Church of the Sepulchre.

Sect. II.

the Greek convent of Abraham ; the
second to an Armenian ch. of St.
John ; and the third to the Coptic
chapel of St. Michael and All Saints,
through which there is a passage to
the Coptic convent.
The facade of the Church of the
Sepulchre occupies the whole north
ern side of the court, at the end
of the S. transept, it is a pointed
Romanesque composition, dark, heavy,
and yet picturesque. The lower story
has a wide double doorway with
detached shafts supporting richly-
sculptured architraves, representing in
bold relief our Lord's triumphant entry
into Jerusalem : over these rise carved
and deeply moulded arches. The
western section alone is now open, the
other having been apparently walled
up ever since the time of the crusades.
In the upper story are two rich corre
sponding windows slightly pointed.
The string-courses are bold and finely
sculptured. On the 1., projecting from
the facade, stands the remnant of the
massive campanile — once a noble tower
of 5 stories, but now cut down to 3.
The lower story is the Chapel of St.
John; the 2nd has on each of its 3
sides a large pointed window ; and
the 3rd, which rises heavily above the
roof of the ch., is ornamented on each
face with plain pointed windows. The
4th and 5th were still standing in
1678, when thoy were sketched by
Le Bran. On the rt. of the facade is
a small projecting porch of the same
age, with an ornamented window and
little cupola. In the basement is
a chapel dedicated to St. Mary of
Egypt. Under the cornice above this
chapel may be seen some sculptures of
the age of the Crusades. One repre
sents two lions.
The Interior. — On entering the ch.
the first thing that attracts attention
is a bench on the 1., on which squat
the Turkish guards stationed here to
preserve peace among the rival sects
that crowd the sacred building. This,
as has been stated, is the S. transept ;
but from the peculiar arrangement of
the chapels of Golgotha on the rt., and

the filling up of the great arch admit
ting to the nave in front, it has now
the appearance of a vestibule. Di
rectly in front of the door is a marble
slab in the pavement, surrounded by a
low railing, with several lamps sus
pended over it. This is the Stone of
Unction (1 on the plan), upon which
the Lord's body was laid for anointing
when taken from the cross. The real
stone lies below the marble, which has
only been placed here to protect the
relic from the hands of eager pilgrims.
The tradition is first mentioned by
Saewulf in the 12th centy., and there
Btood over the spot then a Chapel of
the Virgin. This part of the building
is common to all sects. Turning to
the 1. and advancing a few paces, we
observe in the passage a circular stone
with a railing over it (2) ; it marks
the spot on which the Virgin Mary
stood when the body of Jesus was
anointed. This section belongs to the
Armenians, and the stairs on the 1.
lead up to their quarters.

We now enter the Rotunda, 67 ft.
in diameter, encircled by 18 massive
piers, supporting a clerestory pierce
with windows and surmounted by a,
dome having an opening at the top,
like the Pantheon. A vaulted- aisle
runs round the western half of the
Rotunda; it was formerly open, and
had three small apses on the N., W.,
and S. The apses still remain, but the
aisle is divided into 7 compartments,
and portioned out among the various
sects. Over it are two ranges of gal
leries. In the very centre of the Rotunda
stands the Holy Sepulchre, covered
by a building 26 ft. long by 18 broad,
pentagonal at tho W. end. It is
cased in yellow and white stone, or
namented with slender semi-columns
and pilasters, and surmounted by a
dome somewhat resembling a crown.
It is a tasteless, meaningless fabric,
reminding one of a large cage. The
entrance is on the E„ where a low
door opens from a small enclosed
area, in which natives leave their

CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE.

Stone of Unction.
Station of the Virgin.
Chapel of the Angel.
Holy Sepulchre.
Oratory of the Copts.
Chapel of the Syrians.
Well of Helena.
Place where Christ appear
ed to Mary Magdalene.
Station of Mary.
Place where Christ appear
ed to the Virgin.
Place of the recognition of
the true Cross.
Pillar of Flagellation.
Prison of Christ.
Bonds of Christ.
High Altar of Greeks.
Throne of the Patriarch.
Scat of Patriarch of Jeru
salem.
Peats ot other Patriarchs.
Centre of the Earth.

Chapel of Longinus.
Chapel of Division of Vest
ments.
Door to Chapel of Helena.
Altar of Penitent Thief.
Altar of Helena.
Chair of Helena.
Stairs to Chapel of the In
vention of the Cross.
Altar of the Franks.
Place where the Cross was
found.
Chapel of the Mocking.
Stairs to Golgotha.
Place of the Cross.
Chapel of Notre Dame des
Doulenrs.
Door into Chapel of Adam _
Tomb of Godfrey.
Tomb of Baldwin.
Tomb of Mekhizedek.
Kent in the Rock,

158

Route T. — Church Of the sepulchre.

beet* jll.

shoes, into the first apartment (3),
called the Chapel of the Angel, for
here, it is said, the angel sat on the
stone that had been rolled away from
the door of the sepulchre. In the
middle of the floor, on a small pedestal,
stands this stone itself, or rather a
fragment of it, 18 in. square. Some
affirm, however, that the real stone
was stolen by the Armenians, and is
now in the chapel of the palace of
Caiaphas, outside the Zion Gate. At
the western extremity of this gloomy
antechamber is a low narrow .door,
through which a strong light is shed.
Stooping low, we enter, and stand
within the Sepulchre (i). It is a
quadrangular vault, about 6 ft. by 7,
with a dome roof supported on short
marble pillars. The sepulchral couch
occupies the whole of the rt. side as
we enter ; it is raised 2 ft. above the
floor, and is covered with a slab of
white marble, cracked through the
centre, and much worn at the edge by
the lips of pilgrims. The slab now
serves as an altar, and is garnished
with a profusion of ornaments and
pictures, and a bas-relief of the Resur
rection. Over it 43 lamps of gold and
silver bum continually, shedding a
brilliant light; while fragrant per
fumes and sweet incense fill the air.
Here I have often lingered — solem
nized, almost awe-stricken — looking
at pilgrim after pilgrim, in endless
succession, crawling in on bended
knees, pressing lips and forehead and
cheeks to the cold marble, bathing it
with tears, and sobbing until the heart
seemed breaking — then dragging him
self away, still in the attitude of devo
tion, until the threshold is again
crossed. The vault is said to be
hewn in the rock ; but not a vestige
of rock is now seen ; the floor, tomb,
walls — all are marble ; while the
upper part is so blackened by the
smoke of lamps and incense that it is
impossible to see what it is composed
of. The rock may be there; but if
so —
" Oh ! if the lichen now were free to twine
O'er the dark entrance of that rock-hewn cell.
Say, should we miss the gold-encrusted shrine,
Or incense fumes' intoxicating spell F "

Tlie Rotunda and its Adjuncts. —
Leaving this shrine and turning west
ward, we observe behind the sepulchre,
clinging to its wall, the humble
oratory of the poor friendless Copts
(5). Proceeding to the western side
of the Rotunda, we enter a little
gloomy chapel of the Syrians in the
aisle, and extending into a semicircular
apse, from the S. side of which a low
door opens into a small rock-hewn
grotto. Getting candles from an
attendant, we enter, and observe on
the opposite side two loculi, some
thing like those in the Tombs of the
Judges, but much smaller and ruder.
In the floor are two other grave-like
pits, about 3 ft. long. These — some
say those in the floor, others those in
the wall — are the tombs of Joseph of
Ai-imathea and Nicodemus. Consi
derable importance has of late been
attached to them, as tending to prove
that there were ancient tombs at this
place, and that therefore it must have
been without the city. Now, granting
that these tombs are ancient, and that
there may have been another near
them, this does not advance the argu
ment in favour of the Holy Sepulchre
in the least ; for we know from Scrip
ture that it was no uncommon thing
for men to have their tombs within
the walls of cities, and even in their
own houses. And besides, we have
no clue to the date of these excava
tions — they may be of any age, from
Melchizedek to king Baldwin.
Returning to the Rotunda and cross
ing to its northern side, we observe a
passage leading through a, section of
the aisle to the northern apse, and
through this <to a courtyard, in which
is a large subterranean cistern called
the Well of Helena (7). The baptistery
of the old ch. was just outside the apse ;
on its site are some offices and apart
ments for servants.
Returningjtgain to the Rotunda, and
turning sharply round a pier to the 1„
we enter the Frank section of the
building. There is here an open space
forming a vestibule to the chapel be
yond. In advancing we pass first a
round marble stone let into the pave
ment (8), where Christ appeared to

Jerusalem. Route 7. — Church of the Sepulchre.

159

Mary Magdalene in the likeness of a
gardener. A few feet farther, another
stone, like a star, shows the spot where
Mary stood (9). On the northern side
of the vestibule we ascend a few steps,
and enter
The Chapel of the Apparition, so
called because here, tradition affirms,
our Lord appeared to Mary his mother
after the Resurrection. This chapel
is first mentioned by Saewulf in 1102,
and must have been erected in the
preceding centy., probably to give a
local habitation to the newly invented
sites. Fabri says it stands on the site
of a house in which the Virgin took
refuge after the Crucifixion. It has
been in possession of the Franciscans
since 1257, but they were not fully
established in their title to it until
Robert king of Sicily obtained per
mission of the Mohammedan authori
ties in 1312. The chapel is quad
rangular, 28 ft. by 21, with a deep re
cess at the B. end containing the high
altar. Near the centre of the floor
the spot is shown where our Lord ap
peared to His mother after the resur
rection (10) ; and between this and
the altar is a marble slab marking the
place where the crosses were laid
after their discovery by Helena, and
where the true cross was identified by
a miracle (11). On the S. side of the
altar is a niche, now covered over (12),
containing a fragment of a porphyry
column, called the column of the
Flagellation, being »¦ piece of that to
which the Saviour was bound when
scourged by order of Pilate. The story
is told that the original column on
Zion having been broken by the Mus
lems, the pieces were collected in 1556,
and distributed among the Catholic
sovereigns of Europe, one fragment
being preserved and placed in a niche
whare it now stands. This is perhaps
the reason why the niche is so care
fully covered up. A round hole is left
in the covering, through which a long
stick is thrust by the pilgrim till it
touches the column, and then drawn
out and kissed. In another covered
niche, on the northern side of the
altar, was once preserved a still more
sacred relic — a piece of the true cross,

discovered by a certain father Boni-1
facius, while the sepulchre was under^
going repair, in the 16th centy. But
it was stolen long ago by the Arme
nians — so at least the Latins affirm.
In this little chapel is still per
formed the interesting ceremony of
investing such as are deemed worthy
with the order of St. John of Jeru
salem. Although this no longer confers
the same high social distinction it once
'did, yet its associations are among
the most lofty and heroic of any order
in Christendom. It is required that
the aspirant be of the Catholic faith
and of noble birth ; though the latter
rule is sometimes relaxed, or at least
a strict inquiry is not always insti
tuted into family records. " Kneeling
before the superior of the Latin con
vent," says Bartlett, " he answers the
various questions proposed, joins in
the prayer of consecration, and is girt
with the sword and spurs of the
heroic Godfrey ; that trenchant blade
wielded by the Christian hero in many
a well-fought field, and with which he
is said to have cloven to the middle a
Saracen of gigantic stature — relics that
cannot be handled even now without
some glow of feeling."
Returning to the vestibule, we enter
a long corridor on the 1. running east
ward, parallel to the aisle of the Greek
ch. It is of an earlier date than the
latter, and may have formed part of a
cloister surrounding an open com-t be
fore the ch. was built. At the eastern
end, two steps down, is a low dark
chamber, 19 ft. by 17, partly hewn in
the rock. The vaulted roof rests on
rude piers, and at the E. end is an
altar with a dim lamp. This is styled
by a tradition as old as the 12th centy.
the " prison of our Lord " (13), where
He was confined previous to his cruci
fixion. It looks like an old reservoir.
On the rt. side of the door without is
an altar, beneath which is a stone with
two holes in it (14), dignified by the
title of the " Bonds of Christ."
The Greek Church. — Crossing the
northern aisle from the prison, we enter
the Greek ch. by a side door. It is
the nave of the great building ; but is

160

R,

'oute i . — vnurcti of the Sepulchre.

Sect. 11.

now divided from the aisles by high
wooden partitions, carved and gilt, to
save the orthodox from all contact with
heretics and schismatics. This nave
is curiously arranged. On the W. it
opens by a pointed arch, now filled
up with a modern screen, into the
Rotunda, and directly facing the en
trance to the Holy Sepulchre. Within
this arch is the central lantern, sup
ported by 4 massive piers about 40 ft.
apart, and 52 high to the spring of the
arches. At the eastern end the nave
terminates, behind a richly-gilt screen,
in a semicircle of piers, outside which
the aisle runs uninterrupted. The
whole length of the nave is 98 ft. and
the breadth 40. The style of architec
ture was originally Romanesque, cor
responding to the southern facade ; but
having been much injured by the great
fire in 1808, it was reconstructed more
in accordance with Greek taste. The
arches and piers of the lantern still
preserve their former character, and
will be regarded with interest as memo
rials of the crusades. To understand
the singular form and arrangements of
this ch., it must be remembered that
when built by the crusaders it was in
tended for a choir only, and adapted to
the Latin service. A convent of Au-
gustinian canons was then placed in
possession of the whole ; but when the
crusaders were expelled by Saladin,
the Greeks got possession and have
ever since retained it. Accordingly
it is now fitted in their manner with a
huge wooden screen cutting off the
semicircular apse and half the pres
bytery. The high altar (15) stands
in the centre of the apse with the
patriarch's throne (16) behind it. The
choral seats still remain on each side,
between the massive piers. Beside
the S.E. pier of the lantern is placed
the seat of the patriarch of Jerusalem
(17) ; and at the opposite one are
chairs for such of the other patriarchs
as may be present (18). Beneath the
centre of the lantern is a circle of
marble pavement, on which stands a
short marble column -(19), said by a
tradition as old as the 8th centy. to
mark the centre of the earth. Since
then it has attained to even higher

nominal rank, for SaBWulf assures us
that " our Lord Himself signified with
His own hand that this spot is the
middle of the world, according to the
words of the Psalmist, ' For God is my
king of old, making salvation in the
midst of the earth.' " (!) — Bohn's Early
Travels, p. 38.
The Aisle encircles the ch., com
municating on each side with the
transepts and 'Rotunda, and forming
the usual procession-path of Roman
esque buildings ; it now affords a free
passage for rival sects to the various
stations, chapels, and altars.
Returning to this aisle by the door
opposite the prison, we resume our
walk eastward. We soon come to a
little apse on the left (20), with an
altar in it dedicated to St. Longinus
the centurion, who, according to the
spurious Gospel of Nicodemus, pierced
the side of our Saviour. In this place,
it is said, was once preserved the
title which Pilate affixed to the cross.
It has been removed to Rome, where
it may be seen in the ch. of Santa
Croce in Gerusalemme. A few paces
further, at the extreme E. end of
the building, is another apse chapel
(21), called the " Chapel of the Division
of the "Vestments ; " being built, ac
cording to tradition, over the spot
where the soldiers divided among them
the raiment of Christ. A few feet south
ward is a door leading to the
Chapel of Helena. — Entering the
narrow door, we descend a flight of
29 steps, partly hewn in the rock,
and enter what is in the present day
the most striking and picturesque
building connected with the Church of
the Sepulchre. It is 16 ft. below the
level of the Rotunda, and measures 51
ft. by 43, being divided into nave and
aisles by two columns on each side,
supporting a gromed roof. In the
centre of the roof is a cupola, having a
low tambour pierced by four windows,
the only lights of the chapel. The
architecture is massive, rude, and crypt
like ; the columns are dwarf, with
huge capitals of early Byzantine cha-

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Chapel of Helena.

161

racter; the pavement is broken and
rugged, and the whole place damp
and gloomy, being built on the site
of an old cistern. The arrangements
are those of a Greek church. At the
eastern end of the northern aisle is
an apse with an altar (23), dedicated
to St. Dimas, the Penitent Thief. At
the end of the nave is another altar
(24), dedicated to St. Helena, and on
its S. side, in a break of the wall,
stands a patriarchal chair of marble
(25), said to be that in which Helena
sat while superintending the search for
the true cross in the vault below.
Near the eastern end of the S. aisle is
a staircase hewn in the rock, leading
down by 12 steps to
The Chapel of the Invention of the
Cross. — This is an irregularly-shaped
vault about 20 ft. across, wholly exca
vated in the rock. Here were dug- up,
as tradition affirms, the three crosses,
the crown of thorns, the nails, the in
scription, &c, under the inspection of
Helena. In a recess on the S. side (28) an
altar and crucifix now stand on the spot
where the True Cross lay, as it is
affirmed, dishonoured and unknown for
three centuries. This rude chapel is
one of special sanctity in the estima
tion of monks and pilgrims. The vault
was evidently an old cistern ; perhaps
connected with the great cistern of
Helena (described above, § 47) which
adjoins it on the N. The Chapel of
the Invention Of the Cross belongs to
the Latins, and that of Helena to the
Armenians; but the several sects are
permitted to visit them in turn. They
both lie under the Abyssinian convent,
in the centre of whose court may be
seen the cupola of the Chapel of He
lena. Golgotha and its Chapels. — Ascend
ing again to the great aisle, we have
on our left, immediately on leaving the
staircase, a small apse-chapel (29),
called the Chapel of the Mocking. • Here
beneath the altar is a fragment of a
column of gray marble, on which the
Jews made our Saviour sit " while they

crowned him with thorns, smote Him
on the face after blindfolding Him, and
said to Him in barbarous derision,
' Prophesy who it is that smote thee.' "
Saswulf is the first who mentions this
tradition. Advancing up the aisle to the place
where it joins the S. transept, we ob
serve on the left a flight of 18 steps
(30) leading up to the Chapel of Gol
gotha. Golgotha is a Hebrew word
signifying " a skull ; " and it was
at a place called by this name the
Saviour was crucified. The Latin
synonyme is Calvaria, from whence is
the English " Calvary." It is never
called a mount or hill in Scripture.
There was a singular tradition, as
early as the time of Origen, that the
body of Adam was buried in Gol
gotha ; but there is no evidence that
the Golgotha referred to by Origen
was the rock now included under that
name within the Church of the Se
pulchre. The author of the ' Jeru
salem Itinerary ' is the first who men
tions the latter Golgotha ; calling it a
" little hill," monticulus. Cyril, who
was elected bishop of Jerusalem in a.d.
351, frequently speaks of it as enclosed
within a building. The chapels of
Golgotha stand on a rock elevated
about 15 ft. above the floor of the aisle,
and as they have chambers under them
they are shown on a separate plan.
Ascending the steps above men
tioned, we enter a low vaulted chamber
with a marble floor : this is the Cliapel
of the Elevation of the Cross, and be
longs to the Greeks. At the eastern
end is a platform 10 ft. by 6, raised
about 18 in. above the floor ; in its
centre stands the altar, and under it a
hole in the marble slab communicating
with a similar one in the natural rock
below. Here we are told the Saviour's
cross was fixed (31). Near it on the
rt. is another opening in the marble to
lay bare the rent in the rock occasioned
by the earthquake which occurred at
the time of the Crucifixion. The holes
for the crosses of the two thieves are
shown on the rt. and left. Adjoin
ing this chapel on the S. is the Latin

162

Route 7.— The Holy Fire.

Sect. II.

Chapel of the Crucifixion, so called be
cause it stands on the spot where
Christ was nailed to the cross. This
seems rather a clumsy tradition. The
Latin Chapel is in fact an upper cham
ber, not standing on the rock at all,
but upon a crypt, now used as a vestry,
and in no way venerated ! Quaresmius
suggests a solution of this anomaly.
The ground beneath the chapel was re
moved by Helena and conveyed to
Rome, so that the chapel still occupies
the true position in space where the
event it commemorates occurred I In
the S. wall is a barred window, looking
into a small exterior chapel (formerly
the porch) dedicated to Notre Dame des
Douleurs; and marking the place, in
space of course, where the Virgin Mary
stood during the crucifixion. In peep
ing through the window into this gay
little chapel, we observe some fine
marble shafts on each side, forming
part of the old, deeply-recessed Gothic
door. At the W. end of the Latin chapel
a flight of stairs leads down to the
transept, terminating just within the
great door. Descending by these, and
turning to the rt., we enter the Chapel
of Adam— a low,' crypt-like, gloomy
chamber, lying under the western
end of the Chapel of the Elevation of
the Cross. At the farther end, to
wards the E., is an apse, or niche,
hewn in the rock. On passmg the
door we have on our left the spot
where once stood the tomb of the chi
valrous Godfrey, the first Latin king
of Jerusalem. It was (alas ! it is not
now) a roof-shaped monument of fine
porphyry, with vertical gable-ends and
ornamental edges — supported on four
dwarf twisted columns, resting on a
plinth of marble. On the sloping sur
face was the following inscription : —
Hicjacet inclytus
Dux Godefridus de Bulion 
Qui totam istam Terram
Acquisivlt Cultui Christiano :
Cujus Anima regnet cum Christo. Amen.
The tomb of Baldwin, his brother and
successor on the throne, stood oppo
site on the rt. hand of the door. Both

were defaced by the Chaiizmians in
1244 ; and subsequently by the fa
natical Greeks, because they com
memorated Latin princes. When the
church was restored in 1810 they were
wholly destroyed. These sites are in a
vestibule— passing which we are shown
the Tomb of Melchizedek ! Advancing
to the apse in the far end, we again see
through a little grating, by the light of
a glimmering lamp, the rent in the
rock made by the earthquake at the
Crucifixion.

§ 51. The Holy Fiee.
A description of the Church of the
Sepulchre could hardly be considered
complete without some account of the
scenes enacted at the time of the
miracle (imposture ?) of the Holy Fire.
On the Easter-eve of each returning
year it is affirmed that a miraculous
flame descends from heaven into the
Holy Sepulchre, kindling all the lamps
and candles there, as it did of yore
Elijah's sacrifice on Carmel. The Greek
patriarch or bis representative alone
enters the tomb at the prescribed time ;
and the fire soon appearing is given out
to the expectant and excited multitude
through a hole in the northern wall.
The origin of this extraordinary scene
is involved in mystery. Eusebius
tells a singular legend of the transub-
stantiation of water into oil for the
use of the lamps on Easter Eve in
Jerusalem; but in the 9th centy. it
began to be believed that an angel
came "and lighted the lamps which
hung over the sepulchre." It is sin
gular, too, and worthy of notice, that
at a few of the Muslem saints' tombs
a supernatural fire is said to blaze on
every Friday, superseding all necessity
for lamps. '
" Originally all the churches partook
hi the ceremony of the Holy Fire, but
one by one they have fallen away. The
Roman Catholics, after their expulsion
from the ch. by the Greeks, denounced
it as an imposture, and have never
since resumed it. Next the Armenians

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — The Holy Fire.

163

deserted, or only with great reluctance
acquiesced in, what they too regarded
as a fraud. And lastly, unless they are
greatly misrepresented, the enlightened
members of the Greek Church itself,
would gladly discontinue the ceremony,
could they venture on such a shock as
this step would give to the devotion and
faith of the thousands who yearly come
from far and near, over land and sea,
for this sole object."
The imposture of the Holy Fire is
unquestionably one of the most de
grading rites performed within the
walls of Jerusalem. It is not too much
to say that it brings disgrace on the
Christian name. It makes our boasted
Christian enlightenment a subject of
scorn and contempt to both Jews and
Mohammedans. Its effects upon those
who sanction or take part in it are
most melancholy. It makes their
clergy, high and low, deliberate im
postors ; it rouses the worst passions of
the poor ignorant pilgrims who assemble
here from the ends of the earth : and
it tends more than aught else to con
vert the pm-e, spiritual, elevating faith
of the Lord Jesus into a system of
fraud and degrading superstition.
The fostering of fanaticism, super
stition, and imposture is not the only
evil result of the Holy Fire. Scarcely
a** year passes in which some accident
does not occur at the exhibition — an
unfortunate woman is crushed to death,
or an old man is trampled over by the
crowd ; or oftener still one or two are
stabbed in the quarrels of rival sects.
In the year 1834 a fearful tragedy
occurred, a detailed account of which
is given in Curzon's Monasteries of the
Levant. His description of his own
escape and the conclusion of the hor
rid scene is interesting : — -
" The guards outside, frightened at
the rush from within, thought that the
Christians wished to attack them, and
the confusion soon grew into a battle.
The soldiers with their bayonets killed
numbers of fainting wretches, and the
walls were spattered with blood and
brains of men who had been felled,
like oxen, with the but-ends of the
soldiers' muskets. Every one struggled
to defend himself, and in the melee all

who fell were immediately trampled to
death by the rest. So desperate and
savage did the fight become, that even
the panic-stmck and frightened pil
grims appeared at last to have been
more intent upon the destruction of each
other than desirous to save themselves.
" For my port, as soon as I had
perceived the danger I had cried out
to my companions to turn back, which
they had done ; but I myself was
carried on by the press till I came near
the door where all were fighting for
their lives. Here, seeing certain de
struction before me, I made every
endeavour to get back. An officer of
the Pasha's, equally alarmed with
myself, was also trying to return ; he
caught hold of my cloak, and pulled
me down on the body of an old man
who was breathing out his last sigh.
As the officer was pressing me to the
ground, we wrestled together among
the dying and the dead with the
energy of despair. I struggled with
this man till I pulled him down, and
happily got again upon my legs —
(I afterwards found that he never rose
again) — and scrambling over a pile of
corpses, I made my way back into the
body of the ch. . . . The dead were
lying in heaps, even upon the Stone of
Unction ; and I saw full 400 wretched
people, dead and living, heaped pro
miscuously one upon another, in some
places above 5 ft. high."
Surely it is high time for enlightened
Russia to step in, and put an end, by
the high hand of her authority, to this
most disgraceful and degrading impos
ture.

§ 52. The Hospital op St. John.
On the opposite side of the narrow
street that runs eastward past the
Church of the Sepulchre, and about
30 yds. beyond the court of the latter,
stands a picturesque Gothic gateway.
It is somewhat remarkable in the
style of its architecture, for, while
the external facade has a pointed
arch, that of the deeply-recessed gate
itself is round. The upper part was

164

Route 7. — Hospital of St. John.

Sect. II.

once filled in with historical and em
blematical sculptures : some of them
still remain ; and among them we
notice the Lamb, the emblem of the
noble order of St. John of Jerusalem,
of whose palace this was the entrance.
The figures round the arch appear, so
far as they can now be made out,
to have represented the signs of the
Zodiac. In the centre are the Sun
and Moon ; and round the border por
tions of the names of the months can
still be made out. Passing through
the gateway and yard, we reach a
staircase leading up to a little court
surrounded by a cloister. On the S.
side are three large rooms, one of them
apparently the shell of a chapel. On
the opposite side within the cloisters
are one or two Gothic windows, with
their stone mullions and tracery. Of
the great church nothing but the
apse remains, standing near the foot
of the stairs. The rest of the palace
and the spacious hospital once filled
that green field which now spreads
round to the W. and N., and is caUed
Muristan. In this field may be ob
served some ruins, which some supposed
to be the remains of the Second Wall
of Josephus ; but the researches of
Capt. Wilson and others have shown
that they are not of so early a date,
and that they have nothing of the
character of mural masonry.
In the 11th centy. the merchants
of Amalfi, an obscure town on the
coast of Italy, near Naples, purchased
permission of the Muslem lords of Syria
to establish near the Holy Sepulchre
a place of refuge for pilgrims visiting
Jerusalem. Two hospitals were founded
— -one for females, dedicated to Mary
Magdalene ; the other for males, de
dicated to St. John, the almsgiving
patriarch of Alexandria. These two
formed the cradle of the celebrated order
of St. John of Jerusalem. Godfrey,
after the conquest of Jerusalem, was
entertained by Gerard, a wealthy mer
chant of Amalfi, who had devoted
himself and his property to the service
of poor pilgrims. The devotion of
this man induced many of the young
nobles who surrounded the king to
enrol themselves among the Hospi

tallers. Godfrey and his successors
on the throne endowed them with
ample possessions both in Palestine
and Europe. The order was gradually
established, and at last, owing to
the persuasion of their chief, adopted
a religious profession, taking vows of
poverty, chastity,. and obedience ; and
assumed a regular habit consisting of
a black robe with a white cross on the
left breast. The pope approved of .
the new order, exempted them from the
payment of tithes, and declared them
independent, so far as their mutual
organization was concerned, of all
ecclesiastical and civil power. Their
wealth and influence increased so ra
pidly that they were soon able to found
hospitals in most of the maritime
cities of Europe, where pilgrims were
entertained and forwarded on their
journey. When the Latin kingdom of
Jerusalem began to feel the pressure
of a host of infidel foes, the Knights of
St. John resolved again to assume their
arms. The body, therefore, changed
its constitution, and was divided into
three classes : the first, of noble birth,
were destined to military service ;
the second were priests and almoners ;
the third were servants. As their
number increased, they were farther
divided into seven languages, namely,
Provence, Auvergne, France, Italy,
Aragon, Germany, and England. The
government was an oligarchy of which
the Grand Master was chief. For a
time the lives of the Knights of
St. John were as spotless as . their
shields ; but piety and humility soon
gave way to the charms of wealth and
power. Their valour, however, never
suffered an eclipse — they were found
in the van of every battle, and the
rear of every retreat. When the Frank
kingdom was annihilated, and Acre
fell (a.d. 1291), these warrior knights
fought to the last ; and when the city
was in flames a shattered remnant,
covered with wounds, retired on board
a vessel and sailed for Cyprus. They
subsequently established themselves at
Rhodes, and erected those massive for
tifications, still viewed by all Europeans
with so much admiration. There the
traveller who comes to this land by

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Knights of St. John.

165

way of Stamboul or Smyrna may still
see a noble old street lined with the
palaces, and decorated with the armo
rial bearings of the knights; and a
few years ago there stood at the head
of it an old church dedicated to their
patron saint, its floor paved with many
an inscribed stone bearing names im
mortalized in history — now, alas ! it is
a blackened heap of ruins. Driven
from Rhodes by the overwhelming
forces of Turkey, the knights settled
at Malta ; and what Englishman is
not familiar with the cathedral, the
palaces, and the fortifications they there
founded ? To him who has read the
stirring history of the Knights of
St. John, the crumbling ruin opposite
the Church of the Sepulchre will not
be the least interesting among the
monuments of Jerusalem.
We learn from Stewulf and others
that this site was once occupied by a
noble group of buildings, as indeed the
remains still testify. Two churches
are spoken of: one dedicated to the
Virgin Mary, called de Latina, because
the services were in that tongue ; this
is doubtless the church whose apse is
still standing. The other was dedi
cated to Mary Magdalene, called also
St. Mary the Less. It was attached to
a Benedictine nunnery, and stood on
the opposite side of Palmer-street, near
the Convent of the Copts. There is
considerable confusion in the account.
given by both ancient and modern
writers of these two churches and their
convents. Some say they were both
dedicated to the Virgin, but both Wil
liam of Tyre and Jacob de Vitiy
mention distinctly a convent or nun
nery of St. Mary Magdalene, which
I believe is the same called by others
St. Mary the Less. (See Gesta Dei
per Francos, pp. 934, 1082).
The Hospital of St. John extended
southward and westward over the green
field Muristan ; beneath which are
arched vaults and passages still re
maining. On a portion of the site
opposite the court' of the Church of the
Sepulchre is the small Greek Convent
of Gethsemane. Beside it stands a
tall minaret, connected with which
is an interesting tale of Muslem mag

nanimity — all the more remarkable
because of its rarity. As the story
explains the somewhat anomalous
position of the minaret, the traveller
will probably wish to hear it. When
Jerusalem capitulated to the Muslems
under Omar, one of the terms was,
that the Christians should retain their
churches. After the khalif entered
the city it so happened that he was
conversing with the Patriarch in the
Church of the Sepulchre when the
stated hour of prayer came. Omar
asked to be shown a place where he
might perform his devotions. He was
told to pray in the Church, but he
refused, and selected a spot at some
little distance from it. He afterwards
told the astonished prelate his reasons
for this strange act. " If I had prayed
in any of these churches," he said,
" the Muslems would undoubtedly have
seized upon it the moment I left your
city on my way homeward ; and not
withstanding all you might allege to
the contrary, they would say, ' This
is where Omar prayed, and we will
pray here too ;' and thus they would
have turned you out of your church,
contrary both to my intentions and
your expectations. But because my
praying even here may occasion diffi
culties and disturbances, I shall do
what I can to prevent them." So,
calling for pen and paper, he wrote
an express command that Muslems
should only pray on that spot one at
a time. The present minaret is snid
to stand on the place where the khalif
prayed, though it does not seem to
have been built till about the middle
of the 15th centy. In 1459 it was
ruined by an earthquake and rebuilt
six years afterwards.
Mejr ed-Din informs us that Saladin
took up his quarters in the deserted
hospital of St. John, when superintend
ing the repairs of the fortifications to
resist the threatened attack of tho
English forces under Richard Cceur
de Lion.

166

Route 7. — Ccenaculum.

Sect. II.

§ 53. The Ccenaculum.
' The Ccenaculum has already been
referred to in connection with the
Tomb of David (§ 48). It stands on
the southern brow of Zion, without the
walls, and its tall minaret is the first
object the eye of the traveller rests
on when approaching Jerusalem from
the S. In the group of buildings
over the vault said to contain the
Tomb of David is a large upper room,
50 ft. long by 30 wide. At its E. end
is a little niche in which the Chris
tians are permitted at stated times to
celebrate mass ; and on the S. is a
larger one, serving for the Mihrab of
the Muslems. The room is manifestly
ancient, and may perhaps be the same
(the site is unquestionably the same),
mentioned by Cyril Bishop of Jerusa
lem, in the middle of the 4th centy.,
as the ch. in which the Apostles were
assembled on the day of Pentecost,
when they received the gift 'of the
Holy Spirit (Acts ii.). Epiphanius,
toward the close of the same centy.,
states that this building, with a few
others near it, escaped destruction
when the city was desolated by Titus.
Areulf visited it about the year 700,
but it had received many new honours
during the interval, for his amanuen
sis informs us that he (Areulf) " saw
on mount Zion a square ch., which in-
eluded the site of our Lord's Supper ;
the place where the Holy Ghost de
scended upon the Apostles ; the marble
column to which our Lord was bound
when he was scourged ; the spot where
the Virgin Mary died ; and the place
of the Martrydom of St. Stephen"
(' Early Travels,' p. 5). A pretty
fair catalqgue of traditions to get a
local habitation within the walls
of one small building. The tradi
tion of the " Column of Scourging "
was older than the days of Areulf, for
in the Jerusalem Itinerary it is men
tioned in connection with the house
of Caiaphas on Zion ; and Jerome de
scribes it as sustaining the portico of
a ch., and still stained with the Sa

viour's blood. Areulf is the first,
however, who locates here the Vir
gin's house, the scene of Stephen's
martyrdom, and the "upper room"
where the Lord's Supper was insti
tuted. From the last it derives the
name by which it has been known
for many centuries, Ccenaculum. The
historians of the crusades regarded
this, not as the site of Stephen's mar
tyrdom, but the place where he was
buried. Ssewulf thus refers to other
events which had also been discovered
in the interval to have occurred here :
"Here the Apostles were concealed
with closed doors when Jesus stood in
the midst of them and said, ' Peace be
unto you ;' and He again appeared
there when Thomas put his finger into
His side and into the place of the
nails. There He supped with His dis
ciples before the passion, and washed
their feet ; and the marble is still pre
served there on which He supped.
There the relics of St. Stephen, Nico-
demus, Gamaliel, and Abido, were
honourably deposited by St. John the
Patriarch, after they were found ! " —
(Early Travels, p. 43.)
The group of buildings adjoining
the Ccenaculum was erected as a
convent for the Franciscans by- Sancia
queen of Robert of Sicily, and this
order had its chief seat here from
a.d. 1313 to 1561. In 1547 Belon, the
well-known French traveller, lodged
in the convent, and states that the
monks had in his day regained posses
sion of the Ccenaculum, which had
been seized by the Muslems. They
were, however, finally expelled from
the locality 14 years later, under the
following remarkable but characteristic
circumstances. A Constantinople Jew
of wealth and influence visited Jeru
salem, and begged permission to pray
at the tomb of David. The Latins
indignantly refused. The Jew threat
ened revenge, and on his return to
Constantinople rebuked the grand vizir
for his indifference to the tomb of one
of the great Prophets of Islam, in
permitting it to remain in the hands
of the infidel Nazarenes. His repre
sentations, aided by bribes, had the
desired effect ; and the Franciscans

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Palace of Caiaphas,

167

were driven from their convent. They
are still permitted to visit the Ccena
culum at stated times ; and here the
Latin monks continue to practise the
washing of pilgrims' feet on Maundy
Thursday, in commemoration of that
incident in Scripture history, which
they believe to have been enacted in
this chamber. (John xiii. 5). The
site of the Virgin's residence, where
she is said to have spent the last years
of her life, is now shown a little to the
N. of the Ccenaculum.

§ 54. The Palace op Caiaphas.
Before leaving Zion we may pay a
passing visit to another site around
which a little cluster of traditions has
collected. Between the Ccenaculum
and the Zion gate is a building sur
rounded by a high wall, which has
been dignified by the title of the
Palace of the High Priest Caiaphas.
It is first mentioned in connexion with
Zion by writers of the 4th centy. ; but
it does not appear whether they refer
to the house itself or its site. Ben
jamin of Tudela says that in his day
there was no building on Zion except
one Christian church, which must have
been the Ccenaculum ; yet scarcely two
centuries later a chapel stood on the
site of the present house, the erection
of which was ascribed to Helena ! It
appears to have been erected by the
Armenians, in whose hands it has ever
since remained. The curious will
here be shown, under the altar of the
church, the stone that once closed our
Lord's sepulchre, which, we have
already seen, the Armenians are ac
cused of having obtained in no very
honest way (§ 50). Here, too, is ex
hibited the prison in which Christ
was confined — there is another in the
Church of the Sepulchre; the spot
where Peter stood when he denied his
master ; and even the stone on which
the cock was roosting when he crew !
The building is now a convent, and it
forms the cemetery of the Armenian
patriarchs. About 100 yards E. of the convent

is a cave in the hill-side, where Peter
is said to have hid himself after he
had denied his Master.

§ 55. The Site of the Martyrdom
and Church op St. Stephen.
I have already shown how some
early writers connected the tomb of
the first martyr with the Ccenaculum ;
and how Areulf even states that hero
was exhibited the scene of his martyr
dom. This is probably only a mistake
on the part of the bishop. Zion,
it appears, was only a temporary
resting-place for the bones of Stephen,
as they were soon conveyed to a shrine
erected over the spot where he was
stoned. I shall now give the earlier
and the later traditions about the true
site of the martyrdom, because the
subject is interesting in itself, and
affords, besides, a good example of a
not uncommon phenomenon in this
land — the migration of Holy Places.
We learn nothing from Scripture as
to the place where Stephen was stoned
except that it was without the city.
(Acts vii. 58). No notice was taken,
so far as appears from history, of the
spot where he fell, or of the body of
the martyr, till after the lapse of 3J
centuries. Then, however, revelation
was made in a, dream to » certain
Lucian, priest of a village called
Caphar-Gamala,that Stephen had been
stoned before the north gate of Jeru
salem ; that his body had been left a
day and a night exposed, but neither
beast nor bird had touched it ; that
Gamaliel, Paul's old master (Acts v.
34 ; xxii. 3), being at heart a Chris
tian, caused it to be deposited in his
own tomb at Caphar-Gamala, where it
now lay, with the bodies of Nicode-
mus, Gamaliel himself, and his son.
This revelation was thrice repeated ;
and the priest, being thus convinced
of its truth, communicated the facts to
the bishop of Jerusalem. The tomb
was opened and the bodies discovered.
On exposing the sarcophagus contain
ing the relics of the martyr the earth
quaked, a fragrant odour filled the
air, and several sick persons were

168

Route 7 .— Churches.

Sect. II.

healed ! The bones were conveyed
temporarily to Zion ; the scene of the
martyrdom was sought and found;
and a magnificent church was erected
on the spot where the bones of Ste
phen were finally deposited by the em
press Eudocia, wife of Theodosius the
younger. The church was dedicated in
the year a.d. 460 ; and a convent was
subsequently attached to it. Such are
the leading facts regarding the death
and burial of Stephen as related by
Lucian, and attested by Augustin and
other writers of the 5th centy. (Aug.
Opera, vii. App.)
The ch. we are informed stood on
the N. side of the city, at the distance
of a stadium (200 yds.) from the gate
called St. Stephen's ; which, we learn
from Areulf and others, occupied the
site of the Damascus gate. And at
the distance of about 250 yds. from
this gate, on the 1. of the N. road,
may still be seen a levelled rocky area,
oblong in form, which probably marks
the site of the ch. Few people will
think it worth while to inquire whether
the vision of Lucian was genuine, or
whether the true site of the martyrdom
was known. It is enough for us that
the story was universally believed,
and the shrine universally honoured
by native Christians and foreign pil
grims for nearly 1000 yrs. Rudolph
of Suchem is the last writer who refers
to it, a.d. 1350 ; but in his day both
ch. and convent were gone. Up to
that time the Damascus gate was
known among all Christian writers as
the Gate of St. Stephen.
It is a remarkable fact, however,
that from the middle of the 15th
centy. to the present time all writers
and travellers apply the name St.
Stephen to the gate on the E. side of
the city, and to it alone ! During the
intervening centy. — the 14th — the
scene of the martyrdom had migrated
from the N. to the E. It is now
pointed out on the rt. side of the path
which winds down the steep bank
from St. Stephen's Gate to the Bridge
over the Kidron ; where also has been
discovered the spot on which Paul
stood when guarding the clothes of
those who committed the crime !

§ 56. Churches op St. Mary and
St. Anne.
Tlie Church of St. Mary, one of the
most magnificent ever erected in the
city, appears to have been projected,
if not actually commenced, by the
patriarch Elias, and was completed by
the emperor Justinian in the 6th
centy. I have already stated that it
stood within the Haram, and is now
represented by the mosque el-Aksa.
A description and history are given
above in connexion with that mosque,
§43. The Church of XL, Anne, the Virgin's
mother, stands on the slope of the
hill, about 100 yds. N.W. of St. Ste
phen's Gate. It was partly remodelled
by the Turks, and is so far a mass
of tasteless masonry ; but there is
enough left of the old Gothic facade,
and graceful lancet windows, to carry
us back to crusading times. Sae-
wulf is the first wlio mentions it
(a.d. 1 1 02). " From the temple of the
Lord," he writes, "you go to the
Church of St. Anne, the mother of
the blessed Mary, where she lived
with her husband, and was delivered
of her daughter Mary." William of
Tyre speaks of it as the " House of
Anna," where 3 or 4 poor women had
consecrated themselves to a holy life.
It was soon afterwards inhabited by •
an abbess and Benedictine nuns ; and
in it Baldwin I. compelled his Arme
nian wife to take the veil, at the same
time richly endowing it. New Holy
Places appear to have come to light
within its walls, and old ones be
came more definitely located, as ages
rolled on: for we learn that in the
14th centy. not only was the grotto
shown where the Virgin was born, but
under the ch., in a deep vault, was the
tomb of Joachim her father. The
bones of St. Anne had been laid there
too, but the empress Helena removed
them to Constantinople.
When the crusaders were driven out

Jerusalem. Route 7. — Tomb and Chapel of ike Virgin.

169

of Jerusalem by the Muslems, Sala
din converted the nunnery into a col
lege, and made his secretary and
biographer Bohadin its first principal.
After lying desolate and ruinous for
some 2 centuries, it was restored by
the pasha in 1842 ; and it has lately
been handed over by the Sultan to the
French emperor. Extensive repairs
are being made upon it, amounting
almost to a rebuilding.

§ 57. Tomb and Chapel op the
Virgin.
Every one who passes out of St.
Stephen's Gate, and descends the
steep path to the Kidron, will have
his attention arrested, as he crosses
the bridge and approaches Getbse
mane, by the picturesque facade of a
low building, standing on the north
side of a sunk court in the bottom
of the valley. This is the Chapel and
traditional Tomb of the Virgin. Few
structures around the Holy City can
vie with it in its. venerable aspect and
romantic site. Grey and worn by
time ; deeply set among the rocky
roots of Olivet ; surrounded by patri
archal olive-trees — it claims atten
tion independent of, even in spite
of, tradition. Its history is com
paratively recent, being first men
tioned by Areulf in the beginning of
the 8th centy. It is true John of
Damascus, writing a few years later,
professes to give an extract from a
letter of the 5th centy. referring to it ;
but the authenticity of the document
is more than doubtful. The early
notices of this tomb derive additional
interest from the fact that they tend
to mark the period when the myth of
the " Assumption of the Virgin " was
elaborated into a positive dogma by
the churches of the East and West.
After crossing the bridge toward
Olivet, we have on the 1. a short flight
of steps, leading down into the paved
court in front of the chapel. The
facade is now before us, consisting of
two pointed Gothic arches, one within
[Syria and Palestine.]

the other ; the outer resting on short
pillars and culminating at the top of
the building ; the other similarly sup
ported, but more deeply recessed.
Within the latter is a doorway with a
square architrave, and another arch
over it. The whole facade is thus
strange, and yet picturesque.
Immediately on entering the door,
which is generally open early in the
morning and on festivals, we descend
a broad, straight staircase of 60 steps,
to the gloomy chapel, which seems
to be excavated in the rock. On the
rt. hand in descending are shown the
tombs of Joachim and Anna, the
parents of the Virgin. On the 1. of
the stairs is the last resting-place of
Joseph, the husband of Mary. At
the extremity of the grotto, on the
eastern side, is a small dark chapel
containing an altar, and the sacred
tomb, now empty, where the Virgin
was once laid. It is profusely decked
with pictures and flowers, while from
the vaulted roof depend numerous
silver lamps and strings of ostrich
eggs. The chapel is the joint property
of the Greeks and Armenians.
About 100 paces from the chapel,
and not far from the garden of Geth -
semane, is the spot where, it is main
tained, the Assumption took place ;
and at no great distance is a rock
bearing the mark of the girdle the
Virgin let fall, as is affirmed, to con
vince St. Thomas.

§ 58. Gethsemane.
The greatest interest of the Kidron
is connected with the closing scene of
our Saviour's life in the Garden of
Gethsemane. On the night of His
betrayal, after a long conversation
with his followers in that " upper
room " in the city where the Supper
was instituted, He went forth with
them over the brook Kidron, to a
garden where he ofttimes resorted
with His disciples (John xviii. 1).
Just beyond the bridge which crosses
the dry bed of the " brook " below St.
i

170

Route 7. — Gethsemane.

Sect. II.

Stephen's Gate, and between the paths
that lead up the Mount of Olives, is a
little square enclosure encompassed
by a high white wall. This is the
reputed Gethsemane. Admission is
eastiy obtained from the Latin monk
who keeps it. Within are 8 venerable
olives, their decayed trunks supported
by stones, and their sparse branches
still flourishing. One would have
wished that the site had not been
selected so close to the branching
paths, a place which must always
have been public ; and that the spot
where om- Lord prayed had been
farther up the valley in » more re
tired situation, where there are trees
of at least equal antiquity. However,
there can be little harm in giving full
play , here to those feelings which
Gethsemane is calculated to call forth,
and we may read with new interest
those affecting passages of Scripture
giving the details of that wondrous
drama ; Matt. xxvi. 30-56 ; Mark xiv.
26-52 ; Luke xxii. 39-53 ; John xviii.
1-14. Unfortunately the same depraved
taste which has so thickly studded
Jerusalem with questionable holy
places, has also robbed Gethsemane
of its sweetest charms. The monk-
cicerone, instead of leaving the pil
grim to solitude and contemplation in
the simple garden to which Jesus was
wont to retire, hurries him off to the
rocky bank where the apostles fell
asleep when our Lord left them to
pray, and points out the impressions
of their bodies still remaining on the
hard stone. Then he leads him to the
" Grotto of the Agony " — a cave of
some, depth, in which Jesus is said to
have prayed. " On the very spot of
the Agony (says Geramb) is an altar,
and above it a picture representing
our Lord supported by the angel who
came to strengthen him. Here we
also find the following inscription : —
' Hie factus est sudor ejus sicut gutta3
sanguinis deourrentis in terrain ' "
(Pilgrimageto Palestine, i. p. 65). Next,
the place where Judas betrayed bis
master with a kiss is pointed out.
The garden belongs to the Latins ;
and the Greeks, enraged at the mono

poly, have actually got up and en
closed an opposition one of their own
beside the Virgin's tomb. They do
not often exhibit it as yet to Franks,
because, as I was told, they wish to
wait a few years till the trees grow.
One would have imagined that tho
very name of Gethsemane would have
been sufficient to check every thought
of deception, and to inspire every
man, claiming the name of Christian,
with love to God and good will to his
fellows. § 59. The Church of the Ascension
has already been referred to in con
nexion with the Mount of Olives
(§ 32). The tradition connecting this
spot with the ascension of our Lord is
one of the oldest Christians can boast
of around the Holy City, and yet it is
opposed to Scripture, where we read —
" And He led them out as par as to
Bethany, and He lifted up his hands
and blessed them. And it came to
pass, while He blessed them, He was
parted from them, and carried up into
heaven" (Luke xxiv. 50, 51). Euse
bius, writing 10 years or more before
Helena's visit to Jerusalem, tells us
of the multitudes of Christians who
came to the city from all parts of the
earth to see the fulfilment of pro
phecy in its desolations, and to pay
their adorations on the summit- of the
Mount of Olives, where Jesus, " having
revealed to his disciples the mysteries
concerning the end," ascended into
heaven. And in another place he
alludes to a cave attached to this site,
as the real spot where the Saviour
initiated the apostles into the secret
mysteries of their religion, and from
which he ascended (Euseb. Vit.
Const, iii. 41. See also Demonst.
Evang. vi. 18). At present there is
no cave visible within or beside the
site of the church. Stanley writes
that "the cave to which Eusebius re
fers must almost certainly be the same
as that singular catacomb, » short
distance below the third summit of
Olivet, commonly called the Tombs of
the Prophets." But this is inadmis
sible, at least if we take Eusebius as
our authority, unless we remove to this

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Via Dolorosa.

171

spot the traditional scene of the As
cension, the site of Helena's church,
and the very top of the mount itself
(Euseb. ut supra).
The church built by Helena has
long since disappeared, though it ap
pears to have been standing in Maun-
deville's day. The present chapel is
modem — a smaU octagonal structure
within a paved court, connected with
a mosque, and under the guardianship
of a derwish. In the chapel is still
shown the rock imprinted with the
Saviour's footstep — a simple natural
cavity, bearing no more resemblance
to a human foot than to anything
else. Areulf is the first who mentions
this footprint ; then, however, there
were two impressions, but now there
is only one.
A little to the S. of this building
was once shown, and possibly is still,
the place where an angel gave the
Virgin three days' warning before her
death. Somewhat farther is the
grotto of St. Pelagia, a famous cour
tezan of Antioch, who, being con
verted to Christianity, passed many
of her days here in penance. Below
this are the remains of an old chapel,
where Jesus is said to have taught his
disciples the Lord's Prayer ; and, de
scending., still in the same direction,
we come to a reservoir, which has been
dignified by the name of " the place
where the apostles composed the
Creed ! " (Geramb, Pilgrimage, i. 214).
§ 60. Via Dolorosa. — The narrow
lane which zigzags through the city,
from the governor's house to the
Church of the Sepulchre, has, within
the last few centuries, been called Via
Dolorosa ; and into it have been care
fully collected the scenes of all the
events, historical and legendary, con
nected with the Crucifixion. One
cannot help wondering how the good
old monks could manifest such child
ish simplicity in their inventions. A
schoolboy in England would naturally
ask how the present lane, with its
sharp turns and numerous windings,
happens so exactly to correspond with
the ancient one ; or how arches, and
walls, and staircases, and particular

stones, and whole houses, could remain
intact, and be identified, after the
total destruction of the city by the
Romans, and the lapse of so many
centuries. And yet so it is. Not a
word is heard of the Via Dolorosa,
and its eight stations, from monk
or priest, traveller or pilgrim, previous
to the 14th centy. Still there is
something touching, even impressive,
in this gloomy street, with its arched
passages, its patches of sunshine and
shade, and its honoured stones, around
which little groups of pilgrims are so
often seen. There is something deeply
interesting in it also to 'the artist and
the historian; for here are the ori
ginals, if we may so call them, of
some of the most celebrated works of
European art, and here is the foun
tain-head of some of the most famous
of European superstitions.
With these remarks in mind we
shall walk along the Via Dolorosa,
starting from the E. It commences —
that is, the traditional part of it — with
the palace of Pilate, now the governor's
house or Serai. Here, on the 1., are 2
old arches in the wall, now built up,
where the Scala Santa, or staircase
leading to the Judgment Hall, stood
until removed by Constantine to the
Basilica of St. John Lateran. On tho
opposite side of the street is the Church
of the Flagellation, so called from the
tradition that on its site Christ was
scourged. Others call it the " Church
of the Crowning with Thorns." A few
paces westward the street is spanned
by the Ecce Homo Arch. Here Pilate
is said to have brought forth om- Lord
and presented Him to the people, say
ing, " Behold the Man ! " We now
descend an easy slope, having on the
right the Austrian Hospice, and turn
sharply to the 1. into the street coming-
from the Damascus gate — passing on
our way the spot where the Saviour,
fainting under the cross, leaned against
the wall of a house and left on it tho
impression of His shoulder ; and then
the spot where, meeting the Virgin,
He said Salve Mater ! In the bottom
of the valley is pointed out the House
of Dives, and a stone in front of it on
which Lazarus sat. Turning another
i 2

172

Route 7.— Greek and Latin Convents.

Sect. II.

sharp comer to the rt., and ascending
the hill, we have on the 1. the place of
Christ's second fall under the cross ;
and then the House, of St. Veronica,
from which that illustrious woman
came forth and presented the Saviour
with a handkerchief to wipe his bleed
ing brows. The ascent from hence to
the Church of the Sepulchre is con
siderable, and the street has a pictur
esque aspect. The pavement is rug
ged, the walls on each side prison-like,
pierced here and there with a low
door and grated window ; while a suc
cession of archways shroud portions of
it in gloom, even when the intervals
are lighted up by the bright sun of
noonday. A more appropriate name
could scarcely be invented, for this
section at least, than Via Dolorosa.
Here, too, are other stations, including
the spot, marked by the fragment of a
column, where the soldiers compelled
Simon to carry the cross ; and the
place where Christ said to the women
who followed Him weeping — " Daugh
ters of Jerusalem, weep not for me."
Some will call these stations absurdi
ties, others may give them even a
worse name ; but such as desire to see
the simple faith with which they are
believed and reverenced by Latin pil
grims — men of education and enlight
enment — need only consult the work of
the Abbe' Geramb.
Just at the western termination of
the Via Dolorosa tradition places the
Porta Judiciaria, the site of which is
supposed to be marked by a single
upright shaft at the angle of the street
and the bazar. I know not on what
ground, historical or architectural, this
column can be connected with a gate
at all. § 61. Convents.
The names of the several convents in
and around the city have already been
given in connexion with the Christian
sects (§ 13-17) ; but I shall here refer
more minutely to a few of the principal
ones. The Greek . Convent of Constantine
stands on the W. side of the Church of

the Sepulchre, with which an arched
passage over Christian-street connects
it. It is a large straggling building,
presenting nothing of interest either in
a historical or archajological point of
view. It is the official residence of
the Greek patriarch, and is inhabited
by about 100 monks, of all grades.
The library is unusually large and
clean; it contains about 2000 printed
volumes in various languages, and
about 500 Greek and Arabic MSS.
on paper — all theological works.
There are, besides, about 100 Greek
MSS. on vellum. One of the 8 MSS.
of the Gospels which the library con
tains has the index and the beginning
of each gospel written in gold letters
on purple vellum, and has also some
curious illuminations. There is a
manuscript of the whole Bible — a large
folio in excellent preservation. But
its greatest treasure is a copy of the
Book of Job, in folio, written in large
letters, surrounded with scholia in a
smaller hand, and almost every page
contains one or more miniatures of
Job and his friends : its date is about
the 12th centy.
The Latin Convent of St. Salvador
stands on very high ground near the
N.W. angle of the city. It formerly
belonged to the Georgians, but was
bought and enlarged by the Latins,
about a.d. 1561, when they were
driven out of their convent at the
Ccenaculum. The ch. is dedicated to
St. John the Divine, and is frequented
by such of the native inhabitants and
foreign residents as conform to the
Latin ritual. The Casa Nuova is the
hostelry of the convent, in which pil
grims of aU nations, without respect to
faith, are permitted to sojourn for a
fortnight. The Armenian Convent is the largest
in the city, and its buildings the most
commodious and comfortable — it is, in
fact, the most decidedly aristocratic
conventual establishment in Syria. It
formerly belonged to the Georgians,
who founded it in the 11th centy. ; the
church occupies the traditional site of
St. James's martyrdom. The Georg-

Jerusalem.

Route 7. — Convent of the Cross.

173

ians, being unable to meet the expenses
of the convent and the taxes levied by
the Turks, sold it to the Armenians
early in the 15th centy., on condition
of its being restored to its original
owners, as soon as they found them
selves in a condition to maintain it.
On this account the Greek Church,
from their intercommmiion with the
Georgians, still maintain that they
have a claim upon the buildings.
The Church of St. James is, with
the exception of that of the Sepulchre,
the largest in the city. In the rich
ness of its decorations and sacred vest
ments it is unequalled ; but everything
is tawdry and in the worst style of
Oriental barbarism. One of the great
est treasures it boasts of is the chair of
the apostle James, which is preserved
in the ch.
During my stay at Jerusalem in
1854 I visited this convent at the*
invitation of the Armenian patriarch,
a man of dignified deportment and
considerable information. I was first
conducted to the presence of that dig
nitary, whom I found in the new recep
tion-room, the windows of which may
be seen over the archway from the
street below. It is a noble saloon for
Jerusalem, somewhat in the modern
Italian style. I was afterwards led
through the various courts and corri
dors of the building, where accom
modations are found for nearly 3000
pilgrims. A seminary or college for
the education of the clergy has lately
been established in it. The course of
instruction is to extend over seven
years, and the students are afterwards
permitted to choose their own field of
labour. Their number is restricted to
20. There is also a good printing-
press in the convent. The gardens
occupy • the whole space between the
building and-the city wall on the W.
They have no pretensions to beauty,
order, or even high cultivation.
The Syrian Convent of St. Mark is
situated in a narrow street not far from
the English hospital, and is one of the
oldest in Jerusalem. It is respected
by all the Christian sects as the home
of St. Mark ; and it has a full comple

ment of traditions and relics. Among
the latter are the font in which the
Virgin was baptized, and the door at
which St. Peter knocked after the
angel had delivered him from prison
(Acts xii. 1-15). When I visited it in
the year 1857, it was inhabited by a
priest and a deacon, whose whole flock
amounted to three people. They were
all — priest, deacon, and flock — from
the village of Suded near Hums.
The Convent of the Cross is the only
other establishment of this kind de
serving of particular notice. It is
situated in a shallow stony wady,
about 1J m. W. of the city. It was
originally the property of the Georg
ians, and is said to have been founded
in the 5th centy. by Tatian their king.
It drives its name from the " Holy
Cross," the wood of which is believed
to have grown on ' the spot. Others,
however, say that the name is applied
to it, because Heraclius the patriarch,
on returning with the true cross from
his captivity in Persia, first elevated
that sacred relic at this spot on ap
proaching Jerusalem. It is now the
property of the Greeks.
The convent is a large rectangular
building with massive walls, and a low
portal guarded by a heavy iron door.
Such strength was, and still is, needed
to defend the inmates from hostile
Arabs who are always prowling about
the half-desolate country, ready to
pounce upon solitary wanderer, un
guarded caravan, or open convent.
Only a few years ago some of these
lawless wretches effected an entrance
during the night, and murdered the
superior in his bed. After lying long
half-ruinous, and almost wholly de
serted,' the convent has recently been
thoroughly repaired by the Greeks,
and many extensive additions made to
it, so as to fit it for a complete collegiate
establishment. Russian gold has done
wonders with the old walls and gloomy
corridors ; while it has built halls,
chambers, and refectories, which would
not disgrace an English university.
The old ch. is well worth a visit ; it is
about 70 ft. long, and is divided into
nave and isles by 4 massive square

174

Route 7. — Convents — Descriptive Books. Seci LL

piers supporting pointed arches and a
groined roof. There is a small cupola
over the altar-screen. The walls are
covered with faded frescoes, and some
beautiful pieces of mosaic pavement
still remain beneath the dome. The
altar-screen is curiously painted in
compartments intended to illustrate
the complete history of the wood of the
cross, from the time it was planted by
Abraham and Noah, till the Cruci
fixion. Behind this, in an apse, is the
sanctum, in the centre of which, be
neath the altar, is a little circular hole,
bordered with silver, marking the spot
on which the tree of the cross grew.
In the modern part of the building
is a new chapel with some tolerable
carving, in the altar-screen of which
the Russian eagle forms the most con
spicuous subject. Indeed the double
head and grasping talons of that well-
known bird meet one at every turn —
not a wall, nor a turret, nor a hall
where it does not spread out its pro
tecting wings. Forty boys and young
men are now boarded, lodged, and
educated in this establishment ; while
at the same time no vows are imposed
upon them, and no promises exacted
with regard to the future. They are
at liberty to choose their own profes
sions. The course of instruction ex
tends over a period of seven years, and
embraces the Arabic language, modern
Greek, a little French and Italian,
with arithmetic, geography, and draw
ing. There are five resident masters
and a chaplain. The class-rooms, the
dormitories, the refectory, and even
kitchen, are fitted with a neatness, and
kept with an order and cleanliness,

that would rival any similar establish
ment in Europe. And the grounds
round the convent, recently purchased,
rough and stony though they are, are
beginning to exhibit the marks of in
dustry and civilization.

§ 62. Books on Jerusalem.
After the Bible and Josephus, the
student may consult Robinson's ' Bib
lical Researches,' 2nd edit. ; Williams's
' Holy City,' 2nd edit. ; Tobler's ' Gol
gotha ' (1851), ' Die Siloah-quelle und
der Oelberg' (1852), ' Denkblatter aus
Jerusalem' (1853), and ' Topographie
von Jerusalem' (1854) ; Bartlett's
' Walks about Jerusalem,' and ' Jeru
salem Revisited,' especially valuable
'for their beautiful engravings ; Fer
gusson's ' Essay on the Ancient Topo
graphy of Jerusalem ; ' Barclay, ' City
of the Great King ; ' Pierotti's ' Jerusa
lem ; ' Thrupp, ' Ancient Jerusalem ; '
De Vogiie, ' Le Temple de Jerusalem ; '
De Saulcy, ' Terre Sainte ; ' Ordnance
Survey of Jerusalem, with Capt. Wil
son's Notes. The best Arab work is Mejr
ed-Din's ' History of Jerusalem,' trans
lated into French by Von Hammer in
' Fundgruben des Orients' Mejr ed-
Din wrote towards the close of the
15th centy. Detailed measurements
and descriptions of the Temple and its
courts, according to the views of the
Jewish Rabbins, are given in the
' Middoth,' a tract of the ' Mishna ; ' on
this also may be consulted Reland's
little work ' De Locis Sacris,'

S. Palestine.

( 175 )

section in.
SOUTHERN PALESTINE.

1. Physical Geography.-

PRELIMINARY REMARKS.
-2. Political Geography. — 3. The Inhabitants. —
4. Mode of Travel.

ROUTES.

ROUTE PAGE
8. Excursion to Bethany . . . . 178
The Mount of Olives ;— Flight of Da
vid; — Triumphal entry of Our
Lord. _
9. Excursion to Jericho, the
Jordan, the Dead Sea, Mar
Saba, and Bethlehem . . . . 181
Site of Jericho ; — Gilgal ; — Historical
Geology of Dead Sea ; — Holy Places
of Bethlehem.
10. Excursion to Anathoth, Mich-
mash, Bethel, Beth-horon,
and Mizpeh  204
Site of Ai ;— Battle of Gibeon.
11. Excursion to Solomon's Pools,
Etam, Khureitmi, and the
Frank Mountain . . . . 218
12. Excursion to the Valley of
Roses, Philip's Fountain,
andBittir  222
1. Physical Geography. — The natural boundaries of Southern Palestine are
deep and definite on the E. and W. The name of the West was to the Israel
ite of old " the Sea " (Jam), that is, the Mediterranean. On the E. is the Dead
Sea, and that deep valley (' Arabah) which extends N. and S. from it. On the
S. both plain and mountains melt away into the desert of Tih (" Wan
dering "). Along the shore of the Mediterranean lies the plain of Philistia —
one of the richest sections of Palestine. It is historically interesting, too, for
it is the country of Goliath, and of the hereditary enemies of the Israelites ; it
is the scene of Samson's struggles and death ; and it contains the ruins of the
five royal cities of the Philistines. On the E. of this plain rise up gradually
the mountains of Judsea. Their features are not those of a regular mountain-
chain like Lebanon ; but rather a cluster of rounded rocky hills, sloping down
into dry tortuous valleys. They are scantily clothed with grayish and
brown shrubs, intermixed with aromatic plants and gay flowers; they are
encircled besides by concentric rings of white rock, and studded with huge
cairns of white stones, which give them a desolate and sometimes even forbid
ding aspect. Here and there we meet with deep picturesque glens where the
winter-torrent beds are bordered with belts of olives, and the steep banks
above glisten with the foliage of the prickly oak. Such are the features of the

ROUTE PAGE
13. Excursion along the Western
Shore of the Dead Sea .. 224
Tekoa; — Masada; — Engedi.
14. Jerusalem to EleutheropoliB
and Gaza  236
Valley of Elah ; Sites of Azekah and
Gath ; — Singular Caverns ; — Eglon ;
— Lachish.
15. Gaza to el-'Arish and Cairo . . 253
16. Gaza to Ascalon, Ashdod,
Ekron, Lydda, and Jeru
salem  254
• The Plain of Philistia.
17. Hebron to Yafa  265
Bethshemesh ; — the Home and Coun
try of Samson.
18. Jerusalem to Yafa .. ..268
Kirjath-jearim ; — Emmaus ; — Valley
of Ajalon ;— Joppa.

176 Physical and Political Geography. Sect. III.
western declivities and broad summits of the Judasan hills ; but the eas tern slopes _
are wilder, and far more desolate; From the top of Olivet, or the Frank
Mountain, the eye wanders over a wilderness of white hills, jagged clifls,
and yawning chasms — without tree, or shrub, or green grass tuft — until at
length it rests on the leaden waters of the Dead Sea, lying in their deep
mysterious bed, far away below.
A superficial observer from some western land of sunshine and showers may-
wonder at, and write of, the barrenness of Southern Palestine ; arid with semi-
sceptical surprise ask, " Is this that Land of Promise which flowed with milk
and honey ? " It may be well to remind such an one of the power of a Syrian
sim, of the character of an eastern clime, and of the effects of centuries
of neglect and desolation. The destruction of the woods which once covered
the mountains, and the loss of the vegetation consequent on the want of till
age, have entailed upon the whole country a greater degree of drought than in
early times ; and then again the neglect of the terraces that supported the soil
on the hill-sides has given full play to the winter rains, leaving tracts of naked
rock where belts of corn once flourished, and -vines spread out their long
branches. To see what the hills of Judaaa might be under proper care and
culture, one has only to look at the western slopes of Lebanon. There is
another proof of the ancient fertility and great resources of the country
which no accurate observer can overlook, — the vast number of ruined towns
and villages which everywhere stud the landscape. In Judaea we may
wander for miles and miles without seeing a vestige of present habitation,
save the little goat-pen on the hill-side, and the flocks round the fountains ;
but there is scarcely a hill-top that is not crowned with ruins, and there
is scarcely a fountain where fragments of walls and scattered heaps of stones
do not indicate the sites of former dwellings. The light Saracenic arch, the
stately Roman column, and the massive Jewish substruction, lead up by a
regular architectural chronology to the rude " cairns " of the mountain regions,
and the rounded Tells of the plains — the vestiges of primeval Canaanitish
cities. Above all other countries in the world Palestine may be called the
" land of ruins." God's Word is fulfilled—" The word of the Lord is against
you : O Caanan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that
there shall be no inhabitant" (Zeph. ii. 5).
2. The Political Divisions of Southern Palestine have changed with its
history. Originally the Amalekites, or Bedawy tribes, occupied the plain on
the southern frontier (Num. xiii. 29 ; 1 Sam. xv. 1-17, and xxvii. 8). They
were the descendants of Esau, deriving their name from his grandson Amalek
(Gen. xxxvi. 12). They are now represented by the Tiyahah Arabs, if not
lineally, at least in character and mode of life. The Hittites, Abraham's old
friends, clustered round Hebron (Gen. xxiii.). The Amorites were their neigh-
boms, dwelling amid the rocks of Engedi (Gen. xiv. 7, and 2 Chron. xx. 2),
and afterwards spreading over the country on both sides of the Jordan (Deut.
i. 4). The Jebusites were strongly established upon the hill of Zion (Jud. i.
21). These three tribes were descendants of Canaan. The Philistines, of
Egyptian extraction, inhabited the plain of the sea-coast from Joppa to the
borders of Egypt.
When the " Land of Promise '' was divided by lot among the Israelites, the
tribe of -Dan got the plain of Philistia from Joppa on the N. nearly to Ascalon
on the S. Simeon's territory extended from thence to the Wilderness of Tih,
reaching as far eastward as Beersheba ; but these two tribes were never able
fully to conquer their allotted provinces. On the E. of Simeon and Dan,
securely located amid mountain fastnesses, was the powerful tribe of Judah ;
while Benjamin was settled in that section of the hill-country extending from
Jerusalem to Bethel, and from Bethoron to the Jordan (Josh. xv. ; xviii. 11-

S. Palestine. Inhabitants. 177
28 ; xix. 1-9, 40-48). When the kingdom of Israel divided under Rehoboam,
Southern Palestine remained subject to the house of David ; and in later times
it became the province and toparehy of Judaea.
3. The modem inhabitants of Southern Palestine may be divided into two
classes, — the Bedawin, or wandering tribes, who dwell in tents, and the Fel
lahin, who reside in villages. The principal tribes of the former are the Tiydhah,
who hover along the southern frontier, encamping around the wells of Beer
sheba, and upon the banks of Wady esh-Sheri'ah ; and often running up for
pasture or plunder among the hills of Judsea, or along the plain of Philistia.
Next come the Jehdlin, who claim the country from Beersheba to the Dead
Sea, and as far N. as Engedi : the usual head-quarters of their sheikh is at
or near Maon. The T'admirah are a larger tribe, and feed their flocks
among the mountains and glens extending from Bethlehem and Tekoah to the
shores of the Dead Sea. All these Bedawin are to some little extent culti
vators of the soil, though they maintain the well-known antipathy of their
race to settled habitations. Their flocks and herds constitute their chief
means of support, with, of course, an occasional raid among their enemies.
Their dress is simple and primitive— a Kefiyeh bound with a fillet of hair, a
flowing Abba, and a scanty under garment of coarse calico, fastened round tho
waist by a leathern belt garnished with a range of cartridges in brass tubes ;
add to this a long gun slung over the shoulder, a knife stuck in the belt, and a
heavy-headed club in the hand, and you have a picture of the Bedawy of
Southern Palestine. Their country can only be safely traversed with an escort
of their own appointment.
The Fellahin, or cultivators of the soil, are scarcely less wild and lawless
than the Bedawin ; but having permanent habitations, the government have a
better chance of punishing any glaring violations of the law. They are a
rough, athletic, and turbulent race — mostly armed with gun and dirk, and
inclined to make significant allusion to this very prominent fact in their inces
sant demands for bakhshish. Their allegiance sits lightly on them, and their
ideas of meum and tuum are wholly regulated by power or expediency. The
traveller ought to treat them with cool dignity, without blustering and with
out fear.
Generally speaking, the country W. of the road leading from Hebron
by Jerusalem to Nabulus is safe and may be travelled without any escort ;
though if one intends to pass through unfrequented places it may be as well
to have a horseman from the local Governor to act as guide and guard. To
the E. of this road .the Bedawin have then- home in the wilderness. The
traveller, therefore, if he desires to traverse it to any extent, must jom-ney
under the guardianship of some responsible sheikh. Safety does not depend so
much on the number as on the quality of the escort. In specifying the several
routes, I shall state where a guard is necessary, and from whom it may or
must be taken.
4. Mode of Travel. — All the excursions around the Holy City, as well as the
journeys through Palestine, must be made on horseback, or in a chair or palan
quin (Taht) slung upon mules. The roads are mere tracks worn in rock or
soil by the feet of animals, as tortuous as erratic mules and donkeys can make
them. Among the mountains they are always rough, generally rugged, and
sometimes dangerous — now winding along a deep torrent-bed, now zigzagging
up a steep hill-side, and now skirting a precipice on a ledge of smooth rock.
The traveller will thus see the necessity of securing a strong, sure-footed, and
easy-paced animal ; for upon his steed will in a great measure depend the ease
and comfort of his jom-ney, and in some degree, too, the safety of his limbs. It
is as well not to leave these minor matters wholly to the dragoman, who is
i 3

178

Route 8. — Excursion to Bethany.

Sect. III.

generally better at inventing an excuse than providing a Smart horse or a
tolerable saddle. My advice is, Try the equipage, whatever it may be, before
starting, and insist upon a change if it do not prove sound ; and when the time
for starting comes take special care that the same animals, saddles, bridles, &c,
are forthcoming.

ROUTE 8.
Excursion to bethanY.
Every one who can walk 3 M.
should make this excursion on foot.
Every step is " holy ground," trodden
by prophets and apostles, and One
greater than them all. We thus often
feel constrained to sit down, and
calmly contemplate scenes unsurpassed
on earth for sacred interest.
Three paths lead from the city to
Bethany. The first winds up the
slight depression in the western side
of Olivet, touches the northern end of
the village on the summit, and then
winds down the eastern declivity.
The second branches off from the first
above Gethsemane, skirts the southern
side of the village, and joins the
former above Bethany. The third
strikes to the right beloio Gethse
mane, passes round the southern
shoulder of the hill, and is the main
road to both Bethany and Jericho.
We shall go by the first, and return
by the third ; for thus we shall get the
best views of the scenery, and the
most striking illustrations of Scripture
narratives — we go out with David in
his flight from Absalom, and return
with the Saviour in His triumphal
entry. Passing out of St. Stephen's Gate,
we descend the winding path to tho
bottom of the Kidron, cross the bridge,
and leaving the Tomb of the Virgin
on the 1., and Gethsemane on the rt.,
strike up the ancient road to the top
of Olivet. The guide may probably
point out some flat rocks beside " the
Garden," now honoured and kissed
by numerous pilgrims, because tra
dition states that here the three dis
ciples slept while their Master prayed.
Farther up we observe steps and cut
tings in the limestone rock, proving

the antiquity of the path. Here we
are unquestionably in the footsteps of
David, who, when he fled from Ab
salom, " went over the brook Kidron,
toward the way of the wilderness. . . .
And went up by the ascent of OJivet,
and wept as he went up, and had his
head covered, and he went barefoot :
and all the people that was with him
covered every man his head, and they
went up, weeping as they went up "
(2 Sam. xv. 23, 30). On reaching the
summit, beside the modern village,
we must be near, perhaps upon, the
spot where the king had been wont
to "worship God," and where he now
met Hushai the Archite (id. xv.
32). As we sit here on some pro
jecting rock, with the city before us,
and the Bible in our hands, we can
see with the mind's eye the weeping
monarch, and his weeping train, meet
ing the old counsellor, " with his coat
rent, and earth upon his head," and
persuading him to go back to the
city to defeat the counsel of Ahitho-
phel (id. xv. 34).
Passing the summit, the wide pano
rama eastward suddenly opens up
before us : first the eye catches the
long, regular, massive wall of the
Moab mountains ; then the deep val
ley of the Jordan, with patches of the
Dead Sea, like molten lead, gleaming
in its bottom ; and lastly the naked
white hills that shelve downward
from our feet till they drop into the
valley far below. (For the view from
the top of Olivet see Sect. II. § 32.)
Here again we can almost mark
the precise place— a few yards below
the modern wely — where David, when
" a little past the top of the hill," met
Ziba, the wily servant of Mephibo-
sheth, " with a couple of asses sad
dled, and upon them two hundred
loaves of bread, and an hundred
bunches of raisins, and an hundred of

S. Palestine.

Route 8. — Bethany.

17S

summer fruits, and a bottle of wine "
(id. xvi. 1). Going farther down the
rugged slope among terraced fields,
we cannot be far from Bahurim, from
whence Shimei, a relative of Saul,
" came forth, and cursed still as he
came ; " and threw stones and dust at
the fallen monarch (id. xvi. 5-8).
Here the " way of the wilderness " con
tinues straight down the mountain,
but we turn to the rt, through terraced
fields and fig-orchards, and soon join
the more frequented path which de
scends from the S. side of the village.
Passing now a low rocky ridge which
screens Bethany from the top of Olivet,
we have the little lonely mountain
hamlet in a nook at our feet ; and
wo are reminded of a greater than
king David, and of a greater event
than any in the history of that monarch
— the Saviour led out His disciples
" as far as to Bethany, and He lifted
up His hands and blessed them.
And it came to pass, while He
blessed them, He was parted from
them, and carried up into heaven"
(Luke xxiv. 50, 51). Here, then,
among the retired uplands imme
diately overhanging the village, far
removed from the stir of the city,
took place the last interview between
Christ and His disciples. Here His
feet last touched the earth, ere the
cloud received Him out of their sight.
Here too His disciples heard those
cheering words of the angels : " This
same Jesus, which is taken up from
you into heaven, shall so come in like
manner as ye have seen Him go into
heaven " (Acts i. 11).
Bethany, now called el-'Aziriyeh ;
from el-'Azir, the Arabic form of
Lazarus, is a poor village of some
20 houses, situated in a shallow wady,
on the eastern slope of Olivet, and
surrounded by broken rocky ground,
once carefully terraced, and still con
taining a few orchards of fig-trees.
Its distance from Jerusalem is about
H m., corresponding pretty exactly
to the 15 furlongs of the Evangelist
John (xi. 18). The view from it is
dreary and desolate, commanding the
region through which the road to

Jericho runs. The houses are of stone,
massive and rude ; evidently con
structed of old materials. Over them
on the S., on the top of a scarped rock,
rises a heavy fragment of ancient
masonry, built of bevelled stones ; but
its original object cannot be deter
mined — it looks more like a fort than
a house. This then is the little hamlet which
derives an imdying interest from
having been the home of our Sa
viour during his visits to Jerusalem
and from having been the scene of
some of the most affecting incidents
of His life. What Capernaum was in
Galilee, Bethany was in Judsea. Hero
He was wont to retire in the quiet
evening after each day of thankless
but unceasing toil in the city (Matt.
xxi. 17). Here dwelt the sisters
Mary and Martha, with Lazarus their
brother. On the farther side of that
deep valley of the Jordan, away
among those distant mountains, Christ
was abiding when the sisters sent to
inform Him that Lazarus was sick.
Down that long dreary descent they
often looked in expectation of His
coming. On that old road, without
the village, Martha met Him, with the
despairing, almost reproachful words,
" Lord, if thou hadst been here my
brother had not died." Here He
raised Lazarus from his tomb, and
presented him alive to his weeping
sisters (John xi. 1-46). Here too
was the house of Simon the leper, in
which the grateful Mary anointed
Jesus with precious ointment, and
wiped His feet with her hair (Matt.
xxvi. 6-9). The precise sites of these
events are still pointed out — the house
of Simon, that of Mary and Martha,
and the tomb of Lazarus. The latter
is a deep vault, partly excavated in
the rock, and partly lined with ma
sonry. The entrance is low, and opens
on a long, winding, half-ruinous stair
case, leading down to a small chamber;
and from this a few steps more lead
down to another smaller vault, in
which the body is supposed to have
lain. The situation of the tomb in
the centre of the village, scarcely
agrees with the Gospel narrative, and

180

Route 8. — Christ's Triumphal Entry.

Sect. nr.

the masonry of the interior has no
appearance of antiquity. But the
real tomb could not have been far
distant, and in such a place as this
few will think of traditional sites when
the unvarying features of nature —
the rocks, the glens, and the " ever
lasting hiils "— are before them. Some
may inquire for the site of Bethphage ;
but of it no trace has as yet been
certainly discovered. It appears to
me, from the way in which the two
names are used in the Gospels, that
they were probably applied to different
quarters of the same village — the one
called Bethphage, " House of figs,"
from the fig-orchards adjoining it ;
the other Bethany, " House of dates,"
from its palm-trees (comp. Mark xi.
1 ; Luke xix. 29).
From Bethany the Saviour set out
on the morning of His triumphal entry
into Jerusalem ; and we are now pre
pared to leave this village, and trace
His footsteps. Om- Lord reached Be
thany from Jericho on the evening
of Friday or the morning of Saturday ;
and on the next day He proceeded to
Jerusalem. It was the time of the
Passover, and the city was crowded.
Tho fame of Jesus aud the recent
miracle of Lazarus brought multitudes
to Bethany. Knowing what was be
fore Him, it was natural Jesus should
take the main road. Soon after
leaving Bethany that road meets a
ravine. From its brow the top of
Zion is seen, but the rest of the city
is hid by an intervening ridge ; and
just opposite the point where the first
view of Zion is gained, on the other
side of the ravine, are the remains of
an ancient village. Is not this the
spot, therefore, where Jesus said to
the two disciples, " Go into the village
over again/it you " ? The main road
turns sharply to the right, descends
obliquely to the bottom of the ravine.
and then turning to the left ascends
to- the top of the opposite ridge, a
short distance above the ruined vil
lage. The two disciples could cross
the ravine direct in a minute or
two, while the procession would take
some time in slowly winding round
the road. The people of the village

saw the procession; they knew its
cause; and were thus prepared to
give the ass to the disciples the
moment they heard "the Lord hath
need of him." The disciples led it up
to the road and met Jesus. A tem
porary saddle was soon made out of
loose robes, and Jesus proceeded. The
crown of the ridge was soon gained,
where the whole city suddenly bursts
upon the view. There the multitudes,
looking upon their beautiful city, and
their wonder-working King, raised tho
shout of triumph, " Hosanna to the
son of David; blessed is he that
cometh in the name of the Lord "
(Matt. xxi. 9 ; Luke xix. 37). Jesus
looked upon the city too. He looked
away into the future, and saw ruin,
desolation, and woe ; and when He
came near — so near that the splen
dours of the Temple came out in the
full blaze of then- beauty, " He wept
over it, saying, If thou hadst known,
even thou, at least in this thy day, the
things which belong unto thy peace !
but now they are hid from thine eyes "
(Luke xix. 41, 42).
We now descend the hill-side dia
gonally by the steep shelving path,
having on the 1. a vast multitude of
Jewish tombs paving the declivity ;
and beyond them, down in the
bottom of the valley, the tapering
point of Absalom's pillar, and over
against us the summit of Moriah
crowned by the long massive wall of
the Haram. Near the foot of the
descent we skirt the wall of Gethse
mane, then cross the Kidron, and as
cend the steep path to St. Stephen's
Gate.

S. Palestine. Route 9. — Excursion to Jericho, &c.

181

ROUTE 9.
EXCUKSION TO JEKICHO, THE JORDAN,
THE DEAD SEA, MAS SABA, AND
BETHLEHEM. H. M.
Jerusalem to Jericho . . . . 5 30
The Jordan  2 0
The Dead Sea  10
Mar Saba  4 30
Bethlehem  3 0
Jerusalem  2 0

Total

18 0

This excursion will occupy 3 days,
and the best way of arranging it, both
for convenience and profit, is to en
camp the first night at Jericho, taking
care to visit the objects of interest
near it in the evening; start the
second morning very early for the
Jordan and Dead Sea, and spend the
second night at Mar Saba. An early
ride the third morning brings us to
Bethlehem, and active people may
even take in the Frank mountain
without much extra labour, leaving
still sufficient time to see Bethlehem
before returning to Jerusalem. The
order may also be reversed, preserving
the same stages. Tents are, of course,
required at Jericho, but they may be
sent back to the city from thence ; or
perhaps, for the sake of the beds and
food, it may be as well to forward
them to the convent of Mar Saba. The
traveller who intends to enter this
desert convent will require to procure
an order from the Greek patriarch, or
his agent at Jerusalem, without which
no one is admitted within the walls.
Ladies will remember that the sex
is under a ban in this spot, and can
on no pi-etence whatever gain admis
sion to the convent ; if they intend
to spend the night there they must
pitch their tents outside.
For this excursion an escort is abso
lutely necessary, as without it the
adventurous traveller will unquestion
ably "fall among thieves" ere he
reaches the Jordan ; and will be likely
to need the services of some " good
Samaritan." In choosing an escort

the English consul ought to be con
sulted. He will be able to give the
best information both as to guards and
expenses. All arrangements being made, and
the escort already flourishing then-
old matchlocks, or long lances, we
mount and follow them. We wind
round Olivet, and, passing Bethany,
enter the " wilderness of Judsea."
The road soon becomes dreary enough,
running among white desolate hills,
and white rugged valleys, without a
tree or shrub, or even a green grass-
tuft. It would be almost insup
portable were it not for the associa
tions, and a certain spice of danger
just sufficient to keep up the attention.
Here and there the gleam of a match
lock catches the eye behind some pro
jecting rock, or a tufted spear is seen
winding suspiciously round the shoul
der of a hill : but these are the only
signs of present occupation ; except,
indeed, by some chance we fall in
with a flock of goats.
On leaving Bethany we cross a low
rocky ridge, and then dive down into
a bleak glen, at the bottom of which,
a mile or so from the village, is
the little fountain 'Ain el-Huad (per
haps the Enshemesh of Josh. xv. 7)
which gives its name to the valley.
A Saracenic arch covers the stone
trough into which the water flows,
and a few ruins around perhaps
mark the site of an old khan. Down
this glen the road winds for an hour
or more, and then, leaving it to the
rt., passes through a broken country of
chalky hills till it reaches an exten
sive ruined caravansary, called Khan
el-Ahmah, situated on the top of a
bleak ridge. Some broken walls and
fragments of arches remain standing ;
but they are scarcely sufficient to
afford shade while we rest a few
minutes to draw water from the deep
well. This is considered the most
dangerous part of the road, and some
where near it Sir Frederic Hemiiker
was stripped, wounded, and left for
dead, by the Bedawin in 1820. He
was probably thinking of the parable
of the Samaritan when the assassin's
stroke laid him low. I venture to

182 Route 9.— Wady et-Kek— Plain of the Jordan. Sect. III.

state that no one will advance much
beyond this place without at least
feeling how admirably fitted the region
is for deeds of violence and blood;
especially if he gets a sight of some
of the half-naked Arabs who are gene
rally found skulking amid the ruins,
or perching on the rocks around.
On passing the ruin we enter a re
gion still wilder than that we have
left behind. Dr. Olin says of it that
" the mountains seem to have been
loosened from their foundations, and
rent to pieces by some terrible convul
sion, and then left to be scathed by
the burning rays of the sun." They
do indeed look as if fire had passed
over them. The road, which exhibits
here and there traces of an engineer
ing skill and a solid pavement that
point back to Roman times, winds
down a succession of shelving banks
and little wadys, until it brings us
out on the very brink of one of the
most sublime ravines in Palestine —
Wady el-Kelt. It is on the 1. of the
path, and is separated from it by nar
row ridges of flinty rock ; but by riding
over these we gain some splendid
views. The glen is not less than
400 to 500 ft. deep, just wide enough
below to give passage to a little stream
let like a silver thread, and afford
space for its narrow fringes of olean
der. The sides are almost sheer
precipices of naked rock, occasionally
pierced by grottoes apparently inac
cessible to anything except the eagles
that now hover round them ; and yet
history tells us that all these un
comfortable dens were once occupied
by hermits. One is shown where an
anchorite is said to have lived, the
cravings of whose castigated body
were satisfied with four raisins a-day 1
A few ' ruined chapels, like watch-
towers, are seen along the rugged
heights beyond.
The great plain of the Jordan now
opens up suddenly before the eye,
with the green banks of the river
sunk down in a kind of fissure in the
middle of it, and the Dead Sea with
its cliff-bound coast away on the rt.
From the depths of the wild ravine on
our 1, issues a thread of verdure, gra

dually spreading as it advances, until
it mingles, at the distance of a mile ot
more from the base of the mountains,
with the thickets that encompass the
village of Riha. This ravine, now
called elrKelt, is supposed to be the
" brook Cherith, that is before Jordan,'
where the prophet Elijah was fed by
ravens while the famine raged in
Palestine (1 Kings xvii. 1-7). It is
unquestionably the Valley of Achor, in
which the Israelites stoned Achan for
theft (Josh, vii.) ; and which was on
the northern border of Judah (id. xv.
7). The pass down which we have
come is the " going up to Adummim,"
mentioned by Joshua, in his descrip
tion of the boundary, as lying on "the
south side of the river " — that is the
Cherith or Kelt (id.). Away con
siderably to the N. of Wady el-Kelt
the vegetation and foliage stretch
along the plain of Jordan to the base
of the mountains. They are nourished
by two fountains ; — " one now as
always called Duk (1 Mac. xvi. 14, 15);
the other and larger, as well as more
celebrated, now called the ' spring of
the Sultan,' once ' of Elisha.' These
pour out, at the foot of the great lime
stone range, rills that trickle through
glades of tangled forest shrub, which,
but for their rank luxuriance and
oriental vegetation, almost recall the
scenery of an English park. It was
these streams, with their accompany
ing richness, that procured for Jericho,
during the various stages of its ex
istence, its prosperity and gran
deur." The descent into the plain is rapid
and rough, and would in spots be
dangerous, were it not for the stone
fences that have been built along the
brink of the cliff. Here as elsewhere
on this dreary road one is continually
reminded of om- Lord's beautiful par
able of the " good Samaritan " (Luke
x. 30-37), every particular of which is
adapted to the scene and even to the
circumstances. The " going down "
is descriptive of the physical features ;
the falling among thieves, and getting
"stripped" and "wounded," is just
what one might expect, and not a few
experience, from the Bedawin now ;

S. Palestine. Route 9. — Site of Ancient Jericho.

±83

the "chance" which brought three
stray travellers past the spot shows
that the road was solitary then as it is
still ; and the wayside inn may have
occupied the site of the ruined khan
on the mountain-side.
The heat is great, and the reflection
from the white cliffs and white soil
makes it greater, as we descend
through the wilderness of Judsea.
But on reaching the plain the air is
like the blast of a furnace ; and we
are painfully reminded that we are
1000 ft. and more below the level of
the sea. Though as yet early in
spring, the grass and weeds are crisp
and scorched, and crackle beneath our
horses' feet ; while the quivering haze
that looms over the burning plain
gives a, dreamy indistinctness to the
trees and verdure in the distance.
The path to Riha, where we are to
pitch om- tents for the night, follows
the direction of Wady el-Kelt, crossing
over to the N. side, ancV passing two
aqueducts with pointed arches — the
first coming from 'Ain Dftk, and the
second from 'Ain es-Sultan. The
modern village is about 2£ m. from
the base of the mountains. Before
proceeding to it, however, we shall
explore The site of ancient Jericho. — About
\ m. from the foot of the pass, a short
distance S. of the road to Riha is an
immense reservoir, 657 ft. long, by
490 wide ; and around it, especially
on the western side, are extensive
ruins, consisting of low mounds of
rubbish, and foundations of buildings.
Turning northward we perceive similar
remains extending at intervals to
the banks of the Kelt, and along its
N. side. Fording the little stream,
and advancing northwards, we enter
in some 15 min. a cultivated sec
tion of the plain, interspersed with
clumps of thorny nubk and other
bushes. Riding 15 min. more through
luxuriant corn-fields,' we reach the
fountain 'Ain es-Sultdn, bursting forth
from the base of a mound. The
water is slightly tepid, though sweet ;
it was once received into a large semi
circular reservoir, from whence it was

conveyed in ducts over the adjoining
plain. The principal stream now runs
S.E. to Riha. The mounds, as well as
the whole section of the plain around
them, are covered with the debris of
former buildings, fragments of pot- '
tery, and heaps of rough stones, now
almost hidden by the rank vegetation.
There cannot be a doubt that this is
the fountain whose waters were healed
by the prophet Elisha, and the sur
rounding ruins are, therefore, those of
ancient Jericho (2 Kings ii. 19-22).
From the Jerusalem Itinerary we learn
that the Jericho of the 4th centy. was
situated at the base of the mountain
range, 14 m. (Roman) from the foun
tain ; and that the more ancient city
had stood by the fountain itself. This
corresponds exactly with what we
have seen. The ruins on the banks
of the Kelt mark the site of the
Jericho of Herod and the New Testa
ment ; while those here around the
fountain are the only remnants of the
Jericho of the prophets.
Ascending the mound over the foun
tain, and seating ourselves on one of
the old stones, we are prepared to
glance at Jericho's eventful history,
and recall its associations. We have
before us the great plain on which
the weary Israelites looked down,
after their wilderness journey, from
the brow of yonder mountain ridge
away on the E. (Num. xxxiii. 47, 48).
We have at our feet the only remains
of the city to which Joshua sent the
spies from the plains of Moab, on the
other side of the Jordan ; and behind
us is the mountam where, on the
advice of Rahab, they hid themselves
three days to escape pursuit (Josh ii.).
Around this city too, after the spies
returned, the Israelites marched mys
teriously during seven days ; and on
the seventh day, after the seventh
circuit, " the priests blew with the
trumpets. . And the people shouted
with a great shout," and " the wall
fell down flat, so that the people went
up into the city. . . . and took the
city " (Josh. vi.). Jericho was then
wholly destroyed, and a singular
curse pronounced on whoever should
rebuild it — " Cursed be the man before

184

Route 9.— Jericho of later times.

Sect. III.

the Lord that riseth up and buildeth
this city Jerichs; he shall lay the
foundation thereof in his first-born,
and in his youngest son shall he set
up the gates of it" (id. vi. 26). And
after an interval of five centuries
it was rebuilt, and the curse executed
— " In his (Ahab's) days did Hiel the
Bethelite build Jericho ; he laid the
foundation thereof in Abiram his first
born, and set up the gates thereof in
his youngest son Segub" (1 Kings xvi.
34). A school of prophets gathered
round the spot almost immediately.
Elijah and Elisha came down to it
from Bethel — an easy day's jom-ney —
by a path through those wild moun
tains on the N.W. From Jericho the
two went on, over the plain, to the
banks of the Jordan ; the " sons of
the prophets " followed them in the
distance, and at length took their
stand " in sight afar off " — probably on
one of the upper terraces of the rt.
bank — to see the departure of their
great master. And yonder, on the
plain beyond the river, " Elijah went
up by a whirlwind into heaven." But
his mantle fell on Elisha, who on his
return divided the waters of the river,
healed the fountain that gushes out
from the base of the mound at our
feet, and went up the mountain pass
to Bethel, where in a forest, now gone,
lurked the " two she-bears " that " tare
the forty and two" wicked children
(2 Kings ii.).
After the captivity the inhabitants
of Jericho returned from Babylon, but
little is known of the city until the
time when its palm-groves and balsam-
gardens were given by Antony to
Cleopatra. From her Herod the Great
bought them, made this one of his
royal cities, and adorned it with a
hippodrome aud many stately build
ings ; and here, too, that monster of
iniquity died. The site of this new
city was, as we have seen, 1J m. to the
S., on the banks of the Kelt. It was
new Jericho om- Lord visited on his
way to Jerusalem — lodging with
Zacchseus, who had climbed the syca
more-tree to see Him ; and healing
the poor blind man (Luke xviii.
35-43, and xix. 1-10). Its subsequent

history is soon told. It became the
head of a toparchy under the Romans,
but was deserted soon after the Mo
hammedan conquest.
The mountain of Quarantania is a
fine object from this point, rising
abruptly from the verdant plain, white
and naked ; its summit crowned by a
little chapel, and its rugged side dotted
with the dark openings of caves and
grottoes. Milton's noble lines would
almost seem to have been penned on
the spot — ¦
" It was a mountain at whose verdant feet
A spacious plain, outstretched in circuit wide,
Lay pleasant ; from his side two rivers flowed,
The one winding, the other straight, and left
between
Fair champaign with less rivers intervened,
Then meeting joined their tribute to the sea;
Fertile of corn the glebe, of oil, and wine ;
With herds the pastures thronged, with flocks
the hills ;
Huge cities and high-towered, that well might
seem
The seats of mightiest monarchs, and so large
The prospect was, that here and there was
room
For barren desert, fountainless and dry.
To this high mountain, too, the tempter
brought
Our Saviour, and new train of words began."
Should time and inclination permit,
the traveller may go as far as 'Ain
Duk, the other great fountain to which
this plain owes much of its verdure.
It is an horn- distant to the N.W. ;
and the road to it skirts the base of
Quarantania. At 10 min. are sugar-
mills, now deserted, on the declivity
of a low bare ridge that runs N. by E.
from the mountain. At 5 min. more
we reach the top of this ridge, and ob
serve the aqueduct coining along the
foot of the mountain from Ain Dak,
originally constructed to supply the
mills and irrigate the plain. We have
now before us a table-land filling up
the recess in the mountain range N.
of Quarantania— part of it verdant,
being watered by a fountain away in
the distance N. by W., called 'Ain
el-' Aujeh, beside which we observe a
conical mound with ruins near it on
the plain. About 5 m. farther N. is
the site of Phasaelus, a city built by
Herod the Great in theAulon or Ghor
N. of Jericho; and the name is still
preserved in 'Ain el-Fusail, a small

8. Palestine.

Route 9.— Modern Jericho.

185

fountain in a wady of the same name.
Away in the plain to the eastward we
can see another long aqueduct, which
probably conveyed water from el-
'Aujeh. S. of E1-' Aujeh, on the western
border of the plain, are the ruins of
Es-Sumrah, probably the Zemeraim of
Josh, xviii. 22, a town of Benjamin.
The site is covered with confused
heaps of rubbish. Beneath the surface
are extensive quarries, like catacombs,
which may perhaps hate supplied
some of the building stones for the
palaces of Jericho. " These caverns,"
says Tristram, '' are now the den of
wild beasts, and the excrement of the
hyama covered the floor. Vast heaps
of bones of camels, oxen, and sheep
had been collected by these animals,
in some places to the depth of 2 or 3
ft., and on one spot I counted the
skulls of seven camels. We had here
n, beautiful recent illustration of the
mode of formation of the old bone
caverns so valuable to the geologist."
(Land of Israel, 237.)
About 45 min: more along the base
of the mountain, in the line of the
aqueduct, brings us to the group of
fountains called Duk, bursting out
on the southern bank of Wady en-
Nawaimeh. Here are 2 copious
springs and several smaller ones.
Their natural channel is the wady;
but the waters of the highest and
largest, flowing from beneath a dom-
tree, are conveyed by an aque
duct to the old sugar-mills. Just
above the fountains are a few traces
of heavy foundations which in all pro
bability mark the site of the ancient
Castle of Dock, in which Simon
Maccabseus was treacherously mur
dered by his son Ptolemy (1 Mac. xvi.
14, 15). Duk is also mentioned in
the histories of the Crusades as a
castle of the Knights Templars be
tween Jericho and Bethel.
A road from Jericho to Bethel passes
Ain Duk, and ascends the mountains
in the line of Wady Nawa'imeh ; the
distance is about 6 hrs., and the ascent
steep and difficult. The easiest, and
evidently the ancient road between

these 2 cities, winds up the pass be
tween Quarantania and Wady Kelt,
and then runs through a dreary wilder
ness. It is quite practicable for bag
gage-animals ; and the distance is
about the same as from Jericho to
Jerusalem. It was doubtless by this
latter route the Israelites "went up"
to besiege Ai (Josh, viii.), which lay
a little to the E. of Bethel (Rte. 10) ;
and it was this route, too, which
Samuel took from Gilgal to Gibeab,
to aid Saul against the Philistines
(1 Sam. xiii. 15) ; by it Elijah and
Elisha went down from Bethel to
Jericho, as already stated.
Returning again to 'Ain es-Sultan,
or "the Fountain of Elisha" as it is
sometimes called, we proceed S.E. to
our encampment at Riha, about 35
min. distant. The path leads through
fine fields of grain, with clumps and
hedges of nubk (or dom — the lote-tree,
zizyphus lotus of botanists) among
them ; and some distance on the 1. is a
large grove of the same tree. Foun-
datioBs and heaps of ruins are hero
and there met with along the path;
and about 15 min. from the village we
cross a paved Roman road, which wo
can trace over the plain towards the
foot of the mountains at Wady Kelt.
It was probably connected with the
ancient roads to Jerusalem and Bethel.
Riha, or Eriha as it is sometimes
written, is the only modern represen
tative of either the city or name of
Jericho ; and a more filthy and miser
able village could not be found in all
Palestine. Its few inhabitants, too,
are not only poor, but profligate, re
taining some of the vices for which
the cities of Sodom were rendered
notorious 4000 years ago. The houses
are formed of rude stone walls, built
up loosely of ancient materials ; their
flat roofs covered with brash and gra
vel, and their little yards — dens of
filth and fleas — enclosed by hedges
of the dry thorny boughs of the nubk.
A similar but stronger fence sur
rounds the whole village, forming a
rude barrier against the raids of the
Bedawin. The place and its people
bear more resemblance to the valley

186

Route 9. — The Valley of the Jordan. Sect. III.

of the Nile than Palestine. Beside
the village stands the tower, dignified
by the title of " the House of Zac-
chseus." It is a half-ruinous square
building, about 30 ft. on each side
and 40 high, now occupied by the
Turkish garrison, consisting of a sub
altern with the title of Agha, and
some half-dozen irregulars. The view
from the top is commanding, and well
repays a visit.
The Valley of the Jordan is here
seen in its broadest part. Its general
aspect is that of a long plain, shut in
on the E. and W. by bold, barren
ridges, and having down its centro,
from N. to S., a deep, dark, winding
glen or crevasse. Northward the
ridges gradually approach each other
until they, seem to meet on the distant
horizon ; southward the Dead Sea is
like a continuation of the plain, the
ranges along each side extending
away in a series of bold promontories
which generally dip into the bosom of
the lake. The mountam of Quaran
tania projects slightly from the line of
the western ridge, having curved re
cesses on the N. and S. The eleva
tion of this ridge above the plain
varies from 1000 to 2000 ft. The
eastern ridge is lower and less pre
cipitous where it borders the plain,
but farther back it rises to a much
greater elevation. The total breadth
of the valley is about 10 m. ; at each
side are gentle undulations, but the
middle is flat, with the exception, of
course, of the narrow glen through
which the Jordan flows. This vast
plain, with its rich soil and abundant
waters, is now almost desert ; mostly
covered with a thin, smooth, nitrous
crust, through which the feet sink as
in ashes. The section round Riha is
different, affording a fine example of
how water can convert a wilderness
into a paradise. The 2 fountains of
DUk and es-Sultan on the N.W., and
another 'at Hajla on the S.E., aided
by the " brook Cherith," afford large
supplies of water, which, being widely
distributed by ancient aqueducts,
cover the plain with verdure; but
long neglect and a tropical sun have

changed most of it into a jungle of
thorny shrubs, intermingled with
willows and overgrown weeds. . On
the W. side of Riha is an impenetrable
thicket of nubk. Farther from the
watercourses the trees and bushes are
more thinly scattered, standing singly
or in clumps, and resembling in places
an English orchard. Seen from a
distance on the plain, the whole has
the appearance of an unbroken forest,
land bears some resemblance to the
!far-famed Ghutah of Damascus.
Such is the present aspect of the
plain of Jericho, celebrated for its fer
tility in every age. Josephus calls it
the most fertile tract of Judsea — a
" divine region; " and in speaking of
the fountain of -Elisha, he says it
watered a country 70 stadia long by
20 broad, covered with luxuriant
gardens and palm-groves. In Scrip
ture Jericho is called the " City of
Palm-trees" (Deut. xxxiv. 3); and
Josephus represents these trees as of
unusual size and beauty, growing even
along the banks of the Jordan. Now
not a palm is to be seen at the modem
village, nor at 'Ain es-Sultan, nor on
the site of the Jericho of Herod : but
Tristram discovered a little clump in a
retired wady beyond the old convent
of St. John. The gardens also pro
duced honey and balsam, Henna,
and Myrobalanum; as weU as an
abundant supply of the more common
fruits. Of all these rich productions,
which gave Jericho such celebrity of
old, not one remains. The precious
balsam was transferred by Cleopatra
to the gardens of Heliopolis in Egypt ;
but neither there nor here is it any
longer known. The myrobalanum
may probably be identical with the
Zukkum of the Arabs — a thorny tree
growing wild, though not plentiful,
and bearing a green nut, which, being
pressed, like the olive, yields an oil — ¦
the modern balsam of Jericho — highly
prized by Arabs and pilgrims as a
remedy for wounds.
During the rule of the crusading
kings the sugar-cane was largely cul
tivated in the plain of Jericho; and
to that age are probably to be attri
buted the aqueducts, all with pointed

S. Palestine.

Route 9. — Site of Gilgal.

187

arches, now seen in every direction.
The place then partially regained its
ancient fertility and celebrity, and
was considered the garden of Pales
tine. The Latin kings gave it to the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre ; but it
was afterwards transferred to the con
vent of nuns erected by Queen Meli-
sanda at Bethany. Its annual revenue
is said to have been 5000 pieces of
gold — about 5000Z. — an immense sum
in those days. To the same period
the present tower belongs, and was
perhaps erected for the protection of
the fields and gardens against incur
sions of Bedawin. It is first men
tioned by a writer in the 13th centy.,
and 2 centuries later it began to be
called the " House of Zacchseus."

The Site of Gilgal. — Joshua tells
us that the first encampment of the
Israelites on the W. side of the Jordan
was at " Gilgal, in the east border of
Jericho;'' and the 12 stones which
the priests took out of the bed of the
river "did Joshua pitch in GUgal"
(Josh. iv. 19, 20). This Gilgal, we
learn from Josephus (Ant. v. 1, 4), was
10 stadia from Jericho and 50 from
the Jordan. Now, whether we regard
the Jewish historian as referring to
the more ancient site at 'Ain es-Sultan,
or the more modem on the banks of
the Kelt, the distance corresponds
with that of the village of Riha. At
or near this village, then, Gilgal must
have stood. In Riha there is not a
vestige of ancient ruins, though the
stones of the modern houses appear to
have been taken from older buildings.
The construction of these houses, of
the tower, and the aqueducts, may
account for the disappearance of the
ancient city ; and there are, besides, a
few heaps of rubbish, half-covered by
weeds and bushes, in the surrounding
fields. It is doubtful whether the name
Gilgal was at first applied to a city or
to an open place suitable for a large
encampment. However this may be,
there can be no doubt that here the
Israelites first pitched their tents
within the " Land of Promise " (Josh.

iv. 19) ; and here they rested for some
time, " having rolled away the re
proach of Egypt from off them " (id.
v. 9). Here too they observed their
first Passover in Canaan (id. v. 10).
And it was on this spot Joshua saw
the man " standing over against him,"
who declared that he had come " as
captain of the host of the Lord " (v.
13, 14). Here the Tabernacle was set
up, and here it remained during the
long wars in the interior of Palestine
until it found a resting-place at
Shiloh (Josh, xviii. 1). Gilgal be
came in later times one of the assize
towns of Samuel (1 Sam. vii. 16) : and
here the people were wont to assemble
to offer up sacrifice (id. x. 8). Here
Saul was made king, and here he com
mitted the act on account of which
the kingdom was taken from him and
his posterity (id. xi. 15 ; xiii. 13, 14 ;
xv.). It was here also the tribe of
Judah assembled to welcome back
David from exile (2 Sam. xix. 15);
and here occurred several of those re
markable events in which the prophet
Elisha was the main actor — the heal
ing of the poisoned pot (2 Kings iv.
38-41) ; the cure of Naaman the Syrian
(id. v.) ; and the punishment of Ge-
hazi. Gilgal appears to have been
early abandoned, for there is no trace
of it after the exile, nor does Josephus
refer to it as existing in his day. The
site was still shown in the time of
Eusebius; and Areulf states that it
was oftupied at the period of his visit
by a large church : he, however, locates
it 5 m. from Jericho, so that probably
the founders of the church had not been
very particular as to the topography.
Jericho to the Jordan. — The distance
from Jericho to the banks of the
Jordan is about 1| h. The bathing-
place of the Latin pilgrims is nearly
due E., beside the ruined convent of
St. John, now called Kusr et-Yehud,
" the Jews' Castle." That of the
Greeks is lower down, and is the one
usually visited by travellers . We shall
make a slight detour, so as to take in
an ancient site, and as the road is
good we can make up for it by a canter
across the plain.

188

Route 9. — Beth-hoglah. — The Jordan.

Sect. III.

Beth-hoglah, now 'Ain Hajla.- — Set
ting out from Riha in a S.E. direction,
and passing over fruitful but neglected
fields, we reach in 20 min. some foun
dations of hewn stones, and we observe,
| m. to the S., a low mound, also
covered with ruins. These are pro
bably the remains of convents, which
we know formerly stood in the plain ;
perhaps one of them may be that
mentioned by Areulf as occupying the
site of Gilgal. In 40 min. more we
reach Kusr Hajla, another old convent
in better preservation. It takes its
name from Ain Hajla, a large foun
tain, a mile to the N.E., to which we
now turn, as it marks the site of
Beth-hoglah — a place on the boundary
line between Judah and Benjamin.
The line commenced near the mouth
of the Jordan, and, passmg Beth-
hoglah, went up through the moun
tains to En-Shemesh, and thence to
En-Rogel, in the valley of Hinnom
(Josh. xv. 5, 6). Ain Hajla is sur
rounded by a wall, and sends forth a
stream which irrigates even yet, neg
lected as it is, ii large section of the
plain. From hence we gallop across
the smooth plain to the Jordan, en
countering as we approach the river
low thorny shrubs, growing singly
and in patches. Both the river and
its glen are hid from view until we
stand upon the high bank, and then
we suddenly look down into a deep val
ley — its sides sprinkled with bushes,
which become thicker and (Sicker,
until in the centre they form one
dense unbroken line of foliage. Still
the river does not appear. We spur
our horses along the narrow tortuous
paths that here wind through the
shrubbery, and at last draw up on
a clear spot, all trampled and broken,
where we see the Jordan rushing
along at om- feet — suddenly appearing
from the thicket above, and as sud
denly disappearing into it below, not
more than 100 yards of it being
visible. The Jordan flows through a tor
tuous glen, varying from 200 to 600
yds. in breadth, and from. 50 to 150 ft.
in depth below the surrounding plain.

The sides of the glen are abrupt and
broken, composed of marl and clay,
intermixed with some strata of lime
stone. The bottom is smooth, and
sprinkled here and there with shrubs,
which become thicker toward, the cen
tre. The banks of the river are fringed
with broad belts of tamarisk, oleander,
and willow, among which reeds and
underwood spring up so as to form
impenetrable jungles — secure dens for
the wild-boar and the leopard, and
occasionally for the Bedawy robber.
The river flows between deep banks
of clay, and in size and appearance is
not unlike the Tiber at Rome, though
more rapid. Its breadth is here from
80 to 100 ft. ; in several places, how
ever, higher up, it spreads out to 150
ft. or more, and the depth is often
from 10 to 12.
In describing the passage of the
Israelites it is said in Scripture that
the " Jordan overfloweth all his banks
all the time of harvest ;" but the
meaning of the Hebrew simply is that
the river " was filled up to all its
banks "¦ — that is, its proper channel was
then full. " Thus understood," Dr.
Robinson rightly observes, " the Bib
lical account corresponds entirely to
what we find to be the case at the
present day. The Israelites crossed
the Jordan 4 days before the Passover
(Easter). Then, as now, the harvest
occurred, during April and early in
May, the barley preceding the wheat
harvest by 2 or 3 weeks. Then, as
now, there was a slight annual rise of
the river which caused it to flow at
this season with full banks, and some
times to spread its waters even over
the immediate banks of its channel,
where they are lowest, so as in some
places to fill the low tract covered
with trees and vegetation along its
side." The precise spot where the
Israelites crossed it is impossible to
determine. No argument can be
grounded on the state of the alluvial
banks ; for every one knows how apt
such banks are to change their form,
and even their place. The waters
which came down the valley, we are
informed, " stood and rose up upon
an heap," while those toward the sea

S. Palestine. Route 9. — Passage of the Jordan.

189

" were cut off," so that the vast multi
tude most probably crossed the dry
channel in a broad line extending
over several miles. All we know
definitely as to the place is, that they
passed over " right against Jericho."
The traveller, as he sits beneath the
willows on the Jordan's banks, will
read with new interest the account of
this wonderful event as recorded - in
Joshua iii. and iv. The Israelites
came down from the heights of Moab
around Pisgah, probably by the pass
of Wady Hesban (see Rte. 19), and
encamped in the plain at the base
of the mountains, near a city called
Shittim, named, doubtless, from the
acacia groves in its neighbourhood
(Num. xxiii. 48, 49). Shittim must
have stood near the mouth of Wady
Hesban. . From thence they removed
to the Jordan, " and lodged there,
before they passed over " (Josh. iii. 1),
at a place " right against," that is east
of Jericho (iii. 16). The next day
the priests advanced with the ark on
their shoulders till their feet touched
.the water along the shelving bank.
Nearly a mile (2000 cubits) behind
them stood the people — Reuben, Gad,
and, Manasseh in the van, fully armed
(iv. 12, 13). The moment the priests
dipped their feet in the water, the
river-bed became dry as far up on
the right as " Adam, the city which
is beside Zaretan," some 30 m. distant
(comp. 1 Kings vii. 46). The waters
which came down from the Sea of
Galilee, " stood and rose up," while
those below flowed off into the Dead
Sea. A long section of the river
bed—farther than the eye could reach
on each side — was thus left dry.
In the midst of the dry bed the
priests bearing the ark remained, until
the whole people had passed over, and
12 stones had been set up to mark the
spot, and 12 others had been taken
out of the river-bed to serve as a me
morial of the miracle in after times.
Near, perhaps at, this very same
spot, Elijah divided the waters, passed
over the dry bed, and was taken up to
heaven from that plain on the other
side ; and Elisha as he came back
" took the mantle of Elijah that fell

from him, and smote the waters, say
ing, " "Where is the Lord God of
Elijah ? " and thus a third time the
Jordan was divided (2 Kings ii.).
But another event of still more
thrilling interest has . been long fixed
near this spot — the Baptism of our Sa
viour. The exact locality is not stated
by the sacred historian. All we know
is that " John came preaching in the
wilderness of Judsea," and Jesus came
" from Galilee to Jordan, unto John,
to be baptized of him " (Matt. iii. 1, 13).
It would seem from this that the
baptism took place toward the mouth
of the river, on the confines of Judsea.
Immediately afterwards Jesus was
" led up of the Spirit into the wilder
ness, to be tempted of the devil." The
leading up is descriptive of the features
of the country; and we are almost
compelled to conclude that " the
wilderness " is the same to which John
is represented as having come preach
ing, immediately before the baptism.
John the Evangelist, in referring to
the events which occurred subsequent
to the temptation, says, " These things
were done in Bethabara (or, as the
best MSS. have it, Bethany) beyond
Jordan, where John was baptizing"
(i. 28, 29). Some have concluded
from this, that the baptism of Jesus
took place iu Bethabara ; and they try
to identify Bethabara, " the House of
Passage," with a ford of the river near
Succoth, where Jacob crossed from
Mahanaim, where the Midianites en
deavoured to escape in their flight
from Gideon, and where Jephtha slew
the Ephraimites (Gen. xxxiii. 17;
Jud. vii. 24 ; xii. 5, 6). This ford is
30 m. N. of Jericho. It should be
borne in mind, however, that the read
ing Bethabara is very hypothetical,
and was adopted by Origen, chiefly
because he knew a Bethabara, and did
not know a Bethany beyond Jordan ;
and farther, it is far from certain that
the scene of the baptism was here at
all. On the whole I am inclined to
believe that Christ was baptized on the
confines of the wilderness of Judaea,
and near the spot where the river
was thrice miraculously divided. But
wherever the true scene may be, none

190

Route 9. — The Jordan to the Dead Sea.

.Sect. III.

can doubt that it was in the waters of
the Jordan the Son of God was bap
tized ; and this fact will attach to that
river a sacred interest, such as never
has been, and never can be, possessed
by any other in the world.
One of the most singular ceremonies
observed by the Christian churches in
Palestine is that of the bathing of the
pilgrims in the Jordan, year after year,
at Easter. On the Monday of Passion
week several thousand half-frantic pil
grims march down the wild pass from
Jerusalem to Jericho, and bivouac on
the site of Gilgal. The desolate
plain is thus suddenly filled with
life ; and the stray traveller who wit
nesses the scene will be strikingly
reminded of the multitudes that
thronged, 18 centuries ago, to the
" baptism of John." Every Christian
state of Europe and Asia has its repre
sentative there ; and there, too, is seen,
picturesquely grouped, every variety
of costume. At their head marches
the Turkish governor of Jerusalem, or
his deputy, with an armed escort, to
guard against bandits, who, since
the days of the " Good Samaritan,"
have' infested this desert road. Some
hours before dawn on the following
morning a host of little tom-toms sud
denly give forth their discordant but
stirring roll, and a thousand torches
suddenly flash amid the thickets of
the plain. Over the desert presses the
crowd in silence. A ruddy glow along
the eastern horizon brings out into
bold relief the summits of the Moab
mountains, and heralds the sun's ap
proach; and the pilgrims, as they
descend the steep bank from the
upper terrace, now see, in the pale
morning light, the dark line of foliage
that hides the sacred stream. An open
ing in the fringed border is soon after
discovered, and the motley throng
hastily dismount, and bathe in the rapid
river. The scene is unique, and not
altogether in accordance with om- ideas
of propriety. Old and young, men
and women, go down together into the
torrent, apparently unconscious of the
surrounding crowd. It is a part of
their religion- — a ceremony which
brings upon them many blessings, and

therefore they go through it in spite
of all difficulties. After the bath, or
baptism, they return again quietly to
Jerusalem. From the Jordan to the Dead Sea.
— The Jordan, a short distance below
the pilgrims' bathing - place, sweeps
round to the W., and then to the S.E.
and S. again ; widening gradually as
it advances, and becoming more slug
gish. Towards the mouth of the river
the banks are low and muddy. At
the mouth the width is 180 yds., and
the depth only 3 ft. ; but there is no
ford, owing to the soft and slimy
nature of the banks and bed. The
embouchure is considerably inclined
to the north-eastern angle of the
Dead Sea, and immediately in front
of it are 3 small mud islands from 6
to 8 ft. high, apparently subject to
overflow. In going from the Jordan to the
Dead Sea it is better to strike across
the plain in a south-western course, as
we thus escape the soft banks of the
delta, and save a considerable de'tour.
Immediately on gaining the upper
bank or terrace we enter a flat, smooth
plain, covered with a white sulphureous
crust, and without almost a single
vestige of vegetation. Here we feel
the oppressive atmosphere of this de
solate region in all its intensity. The
air becomes close and hazy as the sun
ascends, giving a wavy motion to the
parched soil, and a strange indistinct
ness of outline to distant objects. After
an hour's weary ride over a trackless
desert we suddenly reach the shore of
that mysterious sea, with its unwhole
some swamps and slimy' margin, and
ridges of drift wood, which appear to
have been accumulating for ages, and
which are all incrusted with salt. A
little peninsula (an island when tho
water is high) with a long narrow
neck is before us ; riding out to it we
find it covered with ruins, apparently
of great antiquity, consisting of largo
unhewn stones lying in heaps, and
here and there arranged as founda
tions. Here too is a quantity of drift
timber. The traveller may now test
the buoyancy of the water by a bath,

S. Palestine.

Route 9. — The Dead Sea.

191

and its saltness and incomparable
bitterness by a mouthful.
The Dead Sea is, whether con
sidered physically or historically, the
most remarkable sheet of water in the
world. It lies in the lowest part of
that deep ravine which extends from
the base of Hermon to the gulf of
'Akabah. A section of the ravine,
more than 100 m. in length, is below
the level of the sea, and the depres
sion of the surface of the Dead Sea
is no less than 1292 ft. A glance at
the features of this region is sufficient
to show that the cavity of the Dead
Sea was coeval in its conformation
with the Jordan valley on the N., and
the Arabah on the S. The breadth
of the whole valley is pretty uniform,
only contracting a little to the S. of
the Lake of Tiberias, and expanding
somewhat at Jericho; the mountains
on each side thus run in nearly parallel
lines from Hermon to 'Akabah. The
Dead Sea, therefore, occupies a section
of the great valley, which only differs
from the rest in being deeper and
covered with water. On the E. and
W. it is shut in by lofty cliffs of bare
white or grey limestone, dipping in
many places into its bosom without
leaving even a, footpath along the
shore. Its length is 40 geographical
m., and its greatest breadth 8f, nar
rowing to 5 at the northern extremity.
Near its S.E. angle, opposite the
ravine of Kerak, is a broad low pro
montory, with a long point or cape
stretching more than 5 m. northward
up the centre of the sea. And it is
worthy of special notice that the sec
tion of the sea, N. of this promontory,
is of great depth, varying from 40 to
218 fathoms ; and in some places the
soundings show 118 fathoms within a
few yards of the eastern cliffs. The
southern section, on the other hand,
is shallow ; never more than 2 to 3
fathoms, and generally only about as
many feet.
Lying in this deep caldron, encom
passed by bare white cliffs, and ex
posed during the long Syrian summer
to the unclouded beams of a burning
sun, nothing could be expected on the

shores of the Dead Sea but sterility
and death-like solitude ; and nothing
else does the traveller find, save where,
here and there, a, brackish fountain,
or mountain streamlet, creates a little
thicket of willow, tamarisk, and
oleander. Around these, however,
birds sing sweetly as in more genial
climes, and the Arab pitches his tent
like his brethren on the high eastern
plateau, and a luxuriant harvest re
wards the labours of the husbandman
— all showing that the stories so long
current about the deadly exhalations
from poisonous waters are fabulous.
It is true that the tropical heat of the
climate causes immense evaporation,
which often renders the atmosphere
heavy and dark, and the marshes of the
Ghor give rise in summer to intermit
tent fevers, so that the proper inhabit
ants, including those of Jericho, are a
feeble and sickly race; but this has
no necessary connexion with the Dead
Sea or the character of its waters.
The marshes of Iskanderan, on the
shore of the Mediterranean, are much
more unhealthy than any part of the
Ghor. Recent researches, especially those
of M. Lartet, have contributed greatly
to our knowledge of the physical geo
graphy of the Dead Sea and have
gone far to solve the mystery of its
origin. The greater part of its shores
have now been thoroughly explored.
The English reader may see a trans
lation of M. Lartet's very able Essay
in the Appendix to the translation of
Ritter's Palsestina, recently published
by Clark of Edinburgh.
M. Lartet shows, from the height
and geological structure of the water
shed in the Valley of Arabah and
from the direction of the lateral val
leys north and south, that the Jordan
could never have run into the Red
Sea. The depression of the sea is
1292 ft., while the elevation of the
watershed opposite Petra is 787 ft.
M. Lartet also shows that there could
have been no ancient communication
of any kind between the Red Sea and
the basin of the Jordan, because the
action which upheaved the watershed
did not occur at a period subsequent

192

Route 9. — M. Lartet's Researches.

Sect. III.

to that which gave to the whole of
Palestine its present form. He proves
that the formation of the Jordan
valley, including the Dead Sea basin,
must have been coeval with that phy
sical convulsion which upheaved the
mountain-chains of Syria ; and he ac
counts for the valley in this way :
that at some remote period a fracture
took place in the upper strata of the
earth's crust in this region, extending
in a direction N. and S. In conse
quence of the unequal strength of the
crust, the western side of the fracture
sunk downwards, occasioning the ab
rupt dip of the strata along the W.
side of the valley and the great de
pression of the valley itself r while the
eastern side of the fracture remained
in situ, showing at various places on
the eastern shore of the Dead Sea a
vertical section through the thick
strata of limestone and sandstone. Con
sequently, the basin of the Dead Sea
has been at all periods since its forma
tion " a reservoir for the rainfall ; and
its saltness originally proceeded from
the constitution of the environs of the
lake, and has greatly increased under
the influence of incessant evapora
tion." M. Lartet farther found that de
posits of great depth have accumu
lated in the valley since its formation.
They are composed of numerous thin
beds of gypsum, marl, flint, and allu
vium. These beds, which cover the
whole valley, are analogous to those
now in process of formation at the
bottom of the Dead Sea. They show
that at one period the whole Jordan
valley must have been under water.
Its. gradual depression he attributes
to three main causes : — 1. An increase
of temperature. 2. The rise of a vast
sea-bottom in the track of the winds
which pass over the Dead Sea, which
have been thereby dried up, owing to
the substitution of burning sands for
the water from which they formerly de
rived their humidity. 3. " The forma
tion, in the track of the same winds,
of a chain of mountains sufficiently
high to cause a condensation of their
vapours, and thus retain their hu
midity."

M. Lartet, in his examination of
the geology of the Jordan valley, saw
evidences of volcanic action of a date
long posterior to the formation of the
valley; and from this he concludes
that " volcanic eruptions have taken
place to the N.E. of the basin, which
produced important coule'es of basalt,
some of them extending as far as the
Jordan valley itself. Other eruptions
of less importance took place directly
E. of the lake, of which 3 reached its
eastern shore near the Wadis Ghuweir
and Zerka Main, and the south end of
the little plain of Zarah.
" Hot and mineral springs, bitu
minous eruptions, similar to those
which accompany and follow volcanic
action, and earthquakes — which are
still frequent in the district — were the
last important phenomena by which
the basin of the Dead Sea was
affected." Such are the chief results of M.
Lartet's researches. He never touches,
however, the one point of paramount
interest to the Biblical scholar, namely,
the destruction of the cities of the
plain. The only point in his researches
which at all bears upon this question
is the last paragraph above- quoted.
He does not state what effect these
eruptions produced either upon the
lake or its environs. This is the point
wliich remains for future scientific
explorers, and the questions they
should attempt to solve ought to be
such as these : Is there any evidence
that the extent of the lake has been
altered within the historic period ?
Are there any traces of the action of
fire upon the more recent beds of gyp
sum or marl towards the southern end
of the Sea? Have flie bituminous
eruptions been so extensive as to cause,
if ignited, such a conflagration as oc
curred at the destruction of Sodom ?
The researches of Mr. Tristram
(Land of Israel) have an important
bearing on these questions, but his
reports require confirmation by skilled
geologists. I shall give a brief sum
mary of them here as a guide to future
explorers. Of the southern section of
the Sea, he says, " Sulphur springs
stud the shore; sulphur is strewn,

S. Palestine.

Route 9. — The Dead Sea.

193

whether in layers or in fragments,
over the desolate plains ; and bitu
men is ejected in great floating masses
from the bottom of the sea, oozes
through the fissures of the rocks, is
deposited with gravel on the beach,
or appears, with sulphur, to have been
precipitated during some convulsion.
.... The kindling of such a mass of
combustible material, either by light
ning from heaven or by other elec
trical agency, combined with an earth
quake ejecting the bitumen or sulphur
from the lake, would soon spread de
vastation over the plain ; so that the
smoke of the country would go up
like the smoke of a furnace " (p. 359).
Again, at the northern end of Wady
Mohawat (a valley which falls into
the hike at the northern end of
the salt hills of Usdum) are some
very remarkable physical phenomena.
" There are exposed on the sides of
the Wady, and chiefly on the S.,
large masses of bitumen mingled with
gravel. These overlie a thick stratum
of sulphur, which again overlies a
thicker stratum of sand so strongly im
pregnated with sulphur that it yields
powerful fumes on being sprinkled
over a hot coal. Many blocks of the
bitumen have been washed down the
gorge and lie scattered over the plain
below  The layer of sulphurous
sand is generally evenly distributed
on the old limestone base: the sul
phur evenly above it, and the bitumen
in variable masses. In every way it
differs from the ordinary mode of
deposit of these substances as we
have seen them elsewhere. Again,
the bitumen, unlike that which we
pick up on the shore, is strongly im
pregnated with sulphur, and yields
an overpowering sulphurous odour ;
above all, it is calcined, and bears the
marks of having been subjected to
extreme heat", (pp. 355-357). Mr.
Tristram observes, " So far as I can
understand this deposit, if there be
any physical evidence left of the cata
strophe which destroyed Sodom and
Gomorrah, or of similar occurrences,
we have it here."
This point demands the close and
careful consideration of future seien-
[Syria and Palestine.]

tific travellers. Independent of all
theories and prejudices, scriptural or
antiscriptural, it is worthy of investi
gation simply as a historioo-geological
question. Mr. Tristram also traced more fully
than his predecessors the ancient
shore-lines, or levels of the sea, as
marked by the terraces and deposits
along the sides of the cliffs and
ravines. These are very numerous,
and are found at elevations varying
from 5 to 1500 ft. above the present
level of the water.
The contour of the Dead Sea, as
shown in most maps, is regular ; the
shore-lines having few indentations
and the curves at the N. and S. are
uniform. Recent researches have shown
that this" is incorrect. The western
shore, especially, has long promon
tories and deep bays, and the curves
at the N. and S. are very far from
being so regular or graceful as most
maps make them. Another feature of
the sea may be noticed. It is divided
into two sections by the promontory of
Lisan. The northern is a deep regu
larly-formed basin, the sides descend
ing steeply and uniformly all round,
as well on the N. and S. as on the E.
and W. Lynch found it deepest be
tween Ain Terabeh and Wady Mojib,
that 'is, about the middle of the
northern section. From this point the
depth decreases gradually towards
the Lisan on the S., and the Jordan
on the N. The greatest depth found
by Lynch was 1308 ft. The deep
part of the lake terminates at tho
peninsula. The greatest depth of
the channel between Lisan and tho
western shore is only 13 ft., and no
part of the southern section is more
than 12 ft. deep. When the water is
very low, there are two fords from
Lisan to the mainland: one across
the narrow channel, the other running
from the S.W. angle of the isthmus to
Jebel "Usdum.
The water is more intensely salt
than that of any other sea known. It
has also a bitter taste. Yet it is as
transparent as the Mediterranean.
Its specific gravity is so great that the
human body will not sink, and eggs
K

194

Route 9. — History of the Dead Sea,

Sect. ni.

float when only two-thirds immersed.
Analysis shows that it contains 26 per
cent, of saline matter, ancLthis renders
it fatal to animal life.
The whole range of cliffs along the
western shore is limestone, similar to
that in the neighbouring' Judsean
hills; it only varies in its shades of
colour, being mostly white, but oc
casionally changing to a yellow and
even a reddish hue. Along the base
of the cliffs are several brackish
and tepid springs ; and at the N.W.
angle of the sea are salt marshes,
amid which pieces oipure sulhpur are
often met with. S. of 'Ain Jidy are
similar marshes, with salt-pits, in
which sulphur, asphalte, and pumice-
stone abound ; these chiefly occur at
the little bay called Birket elrKhultl.
At the S.W. corner are the remarkable
salt-hills of Usdum, already mentioned
(Rte. 4), which are the principal
causes of the extreme saltness of the
water. On the S.E., beyond the
marshy ground of the Ghor, are sand
stone mountains, a continuation of
the Edom range ; these give place to
limestone in the valley of Kerak, but
northward the sandstone again appears
in thick strata below the limestone
mountains of Moab. The promontory,
or peninsula, el-IAsdn "the Tongue,"
is a post-tertiary deposit of carbonate
of lime and sandstone disintegrated,
intermixed with sulphur and gypsum.
At the mouth of Wady Zurka Ma'ln
are the warm springs of Callirrhoe, to
which Herod the Great went in the
vain hope of being cured of his loath
some disease. Here, between lofty
perpendicular cliffs of red sandstone, a
copious stream of sweet warm water
flows into the lake. N. of this the
cliffs bordering on the shore are com
posed of sandstone, over which lime
stone lies in places; and dykes and
seams of old trap-rock also frequently
occur. Here too, near the N.E. angle,
we observe considerable quantities of
post-tertiary lava ; pumice-stone so light
and porous that its specific gravity is
less than that of the waters, on which
it easily floats ; and likewise volcanic
slag of various kinds.

Historical Notices of the Dead Sea.
— Nearly 4000 years ago, when the
herdsmen of Abraham and Lot dis
puted, and it was deemed best to se
parate, Lot looked down from the
heights of Bethel, "and beheld all
the plain of Jordan, that it was well
watered everywhere, before the Lord
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even
as the Garden of the Lord, like the
land of Egypt, as thou comest unto
Zoar" (Gen. xiii. 10). This description
is filled out in detail by subsequent
allusions. The region is represented
as a " deep valley " (Emek — Gen. xiv.
3, 8, 10), distinguished from the sur
rounding desert by its " fertile fields "
(Siddim— id.). How entirely different
this is from the present aspect of the
country, a glance at the desolate
slimy shores, and the salt-incruated
plains, and the bleak cliffs above, is
sufficient to show. There must, how
ever, have been a lake here at that
time as well as now, to receive the
waters of the Jordan and of the ,
smaller streams and fountains that
still exist along the margin of the
valley ; but it seems from the lan
guage of the sacred writer that the
lake was smaller then than now, leav
ing a broad margin of fertile and
verdant plain, " well watered every
where like the land of Egypt," espe
cially on the southern side, " as thou
comest unto Zoar." Upon these plains
Gentile and Jewish records combine
in placing the earliest seat of Phoeni
cian civilization. " The Tyrians,"
says Justin, " first dwelt by the Syrian
lake before they removed to Sidon."
Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Ze-
boim are mentioned as the first cities
of the Canaanites ; and when Lot went
down from Bethel the " cities of the
plain " formed a nucleus of civilized
life before any city, except Hebron
and perhaps Jerusalem, had sprung
up in Central Palestine. Their in
habitants were both licentious and
cowardly; and like their degenerate
representatives in the present day,
they were content for a long time to
pay black mail to the hardy tribes of
the eastern desert. When they re
fused the customary tribute, they were

S. Palestine. Route 9. — Dead Sea to Mar Saba.

195

attacked, beaten, and plundered ; and
they were indebted for the recapture
of wives, children, and goods to the
courage and enterprise of Abraham.
(Gen. xiv.)
Now comes a most important epoch
in the physical history of the " vale of
Siddim." In the Scripture narrative
of the battle of the 5 Kings, " pits of
bitumen" are spoken of, into which
many fell in their flight. The name
Sodom (" burning "), if it be not de
rived from the subsequent catastrophe,
shows that the marks of fire had
already passed over the doomed valley.
Abraham, then dwelling at the Oak
of Mamre, by Hebron, received - the
visit of the angels, and accompanied
them towards Sodom. After his ur
gent appeal on behalf of the cities, he
returned to his tents ; but early the
next morning he went to the same
spot, " and looked toward Sodom and
Gomorrah, and toward all the land of
the plain, and beheld, and lo, the
smoke of the country went up as the
smoke of a furnace." (Gen. xix. 28.)
Lot, driven forth from Sodom at the
first dawning of the morning, reached
the " little city " of Zoar, as " the sun
was risen upon the earth" (id. xix.
15, 23) ; and Zoar, as we have seen
(Rte. 4), was situated on the eastern
shore of the sea, near the promontory
of Lisan. These facts prove that the
doomed cities and their well-watered
plain were towards the southern end
of the lake, for otherwise Abraham
could not have seen them from any
point at an easy distance from He
bron, and Lot could not have gained
Zoar in the short interval between
dawn and sunrise. This southern
section, too, as we have seen, is very
shallow. The precise manner in which the
Lord overthrew the cities is not
clearly indicated, but it would seem
that fire had caught the inflammable
bitumen around them, so as to con
sume them, and render the whole
plain like a furnace. May it not be
that the houses were constructed of
calcareous bitumen, and cemented,
like the Tower of Babel, with pure
asphalte ? thus they would be in the

highest degree inflammable. The fire
was probably the result of volcanic
action, thrown up from some crater,
and " rained down " again upon the
plain. Earthquakes usually accom
pany volcanic action, and these even
yet throw up huge masses of asphalte
from the bottom of this section of the
lake. Such masses ejected from the
earth at that time would add fuel
to the flame, and make the confla
gration sweep over the whole plain.
It would be no uncommon effect of
such causes, either so to heave up the
bottom of the ancient lake as to make
its waters cover the scorched vale
of Sodom; or so to depress the vale
itself that they would overflow it.
These views are no mere fanciful
theories or hypotheses ; but, while in
accordance with Scripture narrative,
they also rest on a solid basis of well-
authenticated historic details, and
careful topographical notices, com
bined with the results of recent scien
tific research.
The Dead Sea to Mar Saba.— The
direct road from the little peninsula
at the north-western corner of the
Dead Sea to Mar Saba can be ridden
in about 4J hrs. It leads for 1 hr.
across the plain, passing to the right
of a jungle of canes and thorn-bushes,
nourished by a brackish fountain
called 'Ain Jehair, and winding
among a succession of deep furrows
and pits, wrought by winter torrents
in the white chalk strata, not inaptly
compared by Maundrell to a collec
tion of gigantic limekilns. Then it
mounts, for another hour, the rugged
pass of Nukb el-Kuneiterah, where
the geologist may pick up specimens
of calcareous bitumen.
The pass of Kuneiterah leads up the
southern side of a wady of the same
name, having here and there the steep
mountain-side on the 1., and the
yawning ravine on the rt. As we
ascend, the Jordan valley opens up
far northward, with the long dark
line of verdure winding through its
centre, marking the channel of the
sacred river. The Dead Sea, too, is
now bright and sparkling beneath an
/ K 2

196

Route 9. — Wilderness of Judcea.

Sect. III.

unclouded sun, and beyond it are the
mountains of Moab, rising from its
bosom. The chasm of Zurka furrows
them on the S.E., and Wady Hesban,
in which the ruins of Heslibon lie,
is seen winding down to the plain,
over the northern corner of the sea.
On reaching the top of the pass
we get a single peep at a Muslem
wely, called Neby Musa, perched on
the summit of a hill, about 2 m. to the
rt. Here a Mohammedan tradition
has buried the prophet Moses, and
hundreds of pilgrims visit the shrine
every year. One of the most remark
able passages in De Saulcy's remark
able book, Voyage autour de la Mer
Marie, is his attempt to transfer
Pisgah to this spot. The name of
Pisgah will cause every traveller to
turn round, and closely examine' the
ridge of Moab, in the hope of being
able to fix his eyes on some conspicu
ous peak that might answer to that
hill from which the Hebrew lawgiver
gained his panoramic view of Pales
tine. But it is in vain— the moun
tains of Moab are there like a huge
wall, and the plain of Moab, where
the people encamped, is there, too, at
their base, beyond the river, but no
one peak can be distinguished which
we could identify with Pisgah. (For
Pisgah see below, Rte. 19.)
The road now runs across a dreary
white plateau, and up a steep grey
mountain, till we reach, in another
hour, near the summit, a rock-hewn
reservoir, half filled with water, which
tastes better than it looks. Another
\ hr. brings us to the top of the ridge,
where we obtain a commanding view
over the country behind, and the
" Wilderness of Engedi " to the south
ward, rugged, dreary, and bare,— af
fording occasional glimpses at the
Dead Sea through breaks in the dis
tant cliffs. Descending again over
naked grey ridges, and through naked
grey ravines, we reach in 1 hr. from
the reservoir the northern side of
the Kidron. The wady is here
broad, and the sides, though steep,
are not precipitous ; but just below
the point where we cross it, it turns
sharply to the S. between perpendicular

cliffs, from 200 to 300 ft. high. The
road is carried up the rt. bank, and
then along the very brink of the
chasm, partly on a natural ledge of
rock, and partly on an artificial cut
ting. As we advance the ravine be
comes deeper and deeper on the 1.,
and the mountains overhead wilder
and grander, while here and there the
dark openings of caves and grottoes in
the sides of the cliffs show that we are
entering the haunts of the old ancho
rites. Assuredly the men had a taste
for solitude who scooped out their
prison-homes in the rocky ramparts
of this awful ravine. At last, after
winding along for about a, mile, the
massive walls and towers of the con
vent burst upon our view, clinging to
the rt. side of the ravine, and covering
it from top to bottom.
Convent oe Mar Saba. — In the
wild grandeur of its situation Mar
Saba is the most extraordinary build
ing in Palestine. Just at the place
where it stands, a small side ravine
tumbles down into the Kidron, and
the buildings cover both sides of the
former, and the projecting cliff be
tween the two ; the irregular masses of
walls, towers, chambers, and chapels
here perched upon narrow rock ter
races, and there clinging to the sides
of precipices. The ch., an edifice with
enormous buttresses, a large dome and
small clock-turret, occupies the point
of the rock, and the other buildings
are so dispersed along the side from
the summit to the bottom of the
ravine, that it is impossible to tell
how much is masonry and how much
nature. Within, the same difficulty
is felt, for everywhere advantage has
been taken of natural caves, and arti
ficial ones hewn out in bygone ages
by the industry of monks; and in
front of these simple facades have
been built, or miniature cells con
structed, while steep flights of stairs,
and long narrow galleries, forming a
labyrinth which, none but the inhabi
tants can thread, connect the whole.
The tout ensemble is picturesque and
wild, especially when we view it in
the pale moonlight, when the project-

S. Palestine. Route 9. — Convent of Mar Saba.

197

ing cliffs and towers are tinged with
silver beams, while the intervening
spaces and the deep chasm below are
shrouded in gloom. Never did the
taste of anchorite select a spot better
adapted for gloomy devotion and use
less solitude than the glen of Mar
Saba. After skirting the cliff by the exca
vated path, we descend by a broad
paved staircase to a little platform.
In front is the massive wall, pierced
by a small portal, with an iron door
strong enough for the Bank of Eng
land. Here a parley must be held
with the garrison, who take a peep at
us from a loophole overhead. The
letter of introduction is delivered,
read, and, if found in order, the exact
number specified in it obtain admis
sion. I have already said that, like
the hermit's cell of Irish story, no
female foot is permitted to cross
the threshold. The monks are too
holy to be hospitable, as Miss Marti-
neau wickedly remarks. There is,
indeed, an airy tower without the
walls, on the very summit of the cliff,
which ladies may occupy, if they pre
fer it to a tent pitched in the little
glen above the portal. The tower is
two stories high, with a heavy grated
door some 20 ft. up its side. Here
the adventm-ous Madame Pfeiffer, of
" Round the World " celebrity, spent
a night in utter solitude ; and I
question if, in all her wanderings,
she ever looked out upon a scene of
sterner desolation than that then
around her.
St. Sabas, the founder of the con
vent, is said to have been born in the
year a.d. 439. He was a man of ex
traordinary sanctity ; and assuredly
no stronger proof could be given of the
high veneration in which he was held
than the fact, if fact it be, that he
drew thousands of followers after him
to this dreary region. Some writers
affirm that as many as 14,000 swarmed
in this glen and its neighbourhood
during the saint's life. Sabas was
a native of Cappadocia, but at a very
early age he devoted himself to con
ventual life and went to Palestine.
After visiting many parts of the

country in search of a home, he with
drew to this spot about the year 483,
and began to form a religious com
munity ; he soon afterwards founded
the convent which still bears his
name. He subsequently received from
the Patriarch of Jerusalem the ap
pointment of archimandrite, or abbot
of all the anchorites of Palestine. In
the controversy raised about the Mo-
nophysite heresy he took a leading
part ; and on one occasion, with a
little army of monks, he marched to
Jerusalem, drove the emissaries of
the heretical patriarch of Antioch
from the city, though accompanied
by Imperial troops, and pronounced
anathemas against them, and all those
of the patriarch's communion, in the
presence of the magistrate and offi
cers sent by the emperor. The fame
of the ardent piety and zeal of Sabas
was only surpassed by that of his
miracles, many of which are recorded
by his admirer and biographer, Cyril.
Among the most useful of them was
the creation of a fountain for the use
of his followers, which may still be
seen in a narrow cave in the bottom
of the glen below the convent walls.
The venerable saint died peaceably
in his favourite retreat, in a.d. 532, at
the advanced age of 94 years. The
subsequent history of the convent is,
like that of most of this land, stained
with blood. It was plundered by the
Persians in the 7th centy., and 44 of
the monks murdered. It passed
through all the vicissitudes of the
other Holy Places during the fierce
straggles between the Crescent and
the Cross ; and the wild Bedawin still
hover round its walls, ready to pounce,
at any unguarded moment, upon its
hoarded treasures. It is said to be
one of the richest convents in Pales
tine, and this is not a very safe repu
tation in such a country ; but its
strong walls, and still stronger posi
tion, aided by the rigorous precau
tions of the monks in never permitting
a Bedawy to cross the threshold, have
long kept it safe from the desert
hordes. There is a little tribe scat
tered among the surrounding glens
who receive the title of Ghufir, or

198

Route 9. — Mar Saba to Bethlehem.

Sect. III.

"protectors,*' like some of the Ta
warah Arabs of Mount Sinai ; they get
presents in food and clothing from
the monks, and enjoy the monopoly
of conveying them and their supplies
from Jerusalem.
Among the remarkable sights of
the convent, exhibited, of course, to
every traveller who desires to see
them, are — the Tomb of St. Sabas in
a small neat chapel ; another chapel,
fitted up with stalls, and containing
the charnel-house, wherein are the
piled-up bones of martyred saints;
the cells once occupied by John of
Damascus, Cyril the biographer of
Sabas, Euthymius, and others of less
note ; and last, but not least, the
original grot, the germ of the whole
establishment, in which Sabas spent
many years of his life. It is only
distinguished from others around it
by greater rudeness, and less appear
ance of adaptation to the wants of
a human being. There is a curious
tradition attached to it. The cave, it
seems, was originally a lion's den,
and was in actual occupation of the
monarch of the wilderness when St.
Sabas first visited the place with
the design of founding a religious
house. The saint was satisfied that
the grotto would serve as head
quarters, and he politely hinted to its
master that it would be necessary for
him to evacuate the premises. The
animal quietly took the hint, and
left his lair to its higher destiny !
Another curiosity is shown in the
convent— a palm-tree, still flourish
ing, said to have been planted by
St. Sabas.
Mar Saba is the property of the
Greek Church, and the poor monks,
in addition to their solitude, live under
a very severe rule, never eating flesh,
and mortifying all feelings of Chris
tian compassion, as the angry Miss
Martineau again observes, by never
admitting any woman within their
gates, under any stress of weather
or other accident. The monks em
ploy some of their leisure time in
feeding and tending flocks of gay,
cheerful birds, peculiar to this region.
They resemble in size and form the

English blackbird, but they have
bright yellow wings. Tristram found
them among the groves of Jericho,
and gives them the name of Amydrus
tristrami. They are » species of
grakle. In this wild secluded glen
they flutter among the orange-trees,
and nestle in the surrounding cliffs,
occasionally filling the glen with their
sweet notes. There was, and is still,
a good library here, containing some
rare manuscripts of ancient date.
These are particularly mentioned by
a traveller of the last century, who says
that he used to go very often to the
convent, and stay a week examining
the biographies of hermits and fathers
of the Church, together with their
works. He mentions especially the
life and writings of St. John of
Damascus. The library was visited
by the Hon. Mr. Curzon about 20 yrs.
ago ; but during my short stay at the
convent a few years ago I was unable
to obtain access to it.
Mar Saba to Jerusalem. — This is
an easy ride of 2j hrs., mostly up the
deep glen of the Kidron. The ordi
nary road leaves the glen for a short
time, and crosses a ridge, from which
a wild and wide view is gained of the
surrounding country.
Mar Saba to Bethlehem:. — By
making an early start from the con
vent and crossing the mountain to
Bethlehem, the traveller will have
sufficient time to visit all the places
of interest there, and to return to Je
rusalem in the evening. Thus a day
may be saved. The road leads foi
ls hr. back again along the S. bank of
the Kidron, and then turning to the
1. passes a low ridge, and crosses a
succession of naked plateaus. On ap
proaching Bethlehem, the little vil
lage of Beit Sahur is seen on the 1. ;
and the conical peak of the Frank
mountain also forms a prominent fea
ture a few miles southward. The
whole distance is easily accomplished
in 3 hrs.
Bethlehem. — In sacred interest
this village, though it be "little

S. Palestine. Route 9. — Bethlehem — Historical Notices,

199

among the thousands of Judah," is
only second to Jerusalem itself. Few
will climb the terraced acclivities that
lead up to it from the Mar Saba road,
or pass along the winding path that
approaches it from the Holy City,
without calling to mind that wondrous
event which has given its name to
our era. But independent of all as
sociations its appearance is striking.
It is situated on a narrow ridge which
projects eastward from the central
mountain range, and breaks down in
abrupt terraced slopes to deep valleys
on the N., E., and S. The terraces —
admirably kept, and covered with
rows of olives, intermixed with the
fig and the vine — sweep in grace
ful curves round the ridge, regular
as stairs. On the eastern brow,
separated from the village by an
esplanade, stands the great convent,
grim and grey as an old baroniai
castle. It is an enormous pile of
buildings, consisting of the Church of
the Nativity, with the 3 convents,
Latin, Greek, and Armenian, abutting
respectively on its north-eastern, south
eastern, and south-western sides. Ex
ternally there is nothing to call atten
tion save the size, the strength, and
the commanding site. It looks down
upon those fields, the scene of Ruth's
romantic story (Ruth ii.) ; and over
that wilderness where David, her
great grandson, kept his father's
sheep (1 Sam. xvi. 11) ; and where
the shepherds were probably abiding
with their flocks by night when the
" glory of the Lord shone round about
them," and an angel proclaimed " the
good tidings of great joy." (Luke ii.
8-18.) Historical Notices. — No one has ever
doubted that the present Beit Lahm,
" house of Flesh," is identical with
the ancient Bdhlehem, "House of
Bread." It was generally called in
former days Bethlehem Judah, to dis
tinguish it from another Bethlehem in
Zebulun (Josh. xix. 15) ; and it was
likewise called Ephratah, " the fruit
ful," though that name does not now
seem quite so applicable (Micah v. 2).
The place is first mentioned in con

nexion with the touching narrative of
Rachel's death ; Jacob buried his be
loved wife " in the way to Ephrath,
which is Bethlehem." (Gen. xxxv. 19.)
The next interesting event recorded
in the history of the village is when
Ruth the Moabitess returned with her
mother-in-law Naomi, and gleaned
barley in the fields of her husband's
kinsman Boaz (Ruth ii.). It was to
the house of Jesse the Bethlehemite
Samuel came, according to the com
mand of the Lord, with his horn of oil
to anoint David, then keeping his
father's sheep in the neighbouring
desert, king over Israel ; and after the
reign of this monarch it was some
times called, by way of distinction,
" The city of David." (1 Sam. xvi. ;
Luke ii. 11.) Bethlehem was for a
time in the hands of the Philistines
when David and his men were in the
cave of Adullam ; and it was then he
strangely longed for " the water of the
well of Bethlehem, which is by the
gate ; " and 3 of his " mighty men "
immediately broke through the host of
the enemy, perilling their lives to gra
tify the whim of their chief. (2 Sam.
xxiii. 14-16.) But that which gave to
this little village the first rank among
the holiest spots on earth was the
birth of David's Son. Here the
Saviour was born in a stable and
cradled in a manger ; here he was
seen by the shepherds who had just
heard in the adjoining fields hosts of
angels celebrating the praises of the
new-born King ; here the eastern magi
worshipped Him, and presented their
costly gifts.
It will probably strike the thought
ful historical student, when lookrng
over this wild region, that Bethlehem
was a fit training ground for the great
poet, warrior, and king of Israel.
Amid the grandeur of those ravines
which descend to the Dead Sea, amid
the unbroken solitude of the wilder
ness, the poet would be naturally led
to closer communion with God, and to ,
the contemplation of His wondrous
works in creation. At night, when
watching his flock, all the glories of
the starry heavens would become
familiar to him. It was amid scenes

200

Route 9.— A Tale of Blood.

Sect. 111.

like these that such Psalms as the
19th, 23rd, 29th, and 42nd, were com
posed. Bethlehem is a mountain
village. Its inhabitants were moun
taineers, accustomed from childhood
to vigorous exercise, inured to fatigue,
trained to unceasing watchfulness,
and. prepared at a moment's notice to
defend their flocks or their lives
against the assaults of wild beasts
and wilder men. This was the school
in which David and his mighty men
were trained.
Neither history nor tradition has
ever lost sight of Bethlehem. In
almost every centy. since New Testa
ment times it has been visited by
writers and travellers. Helena built
here a splendid church; and Jerome
afterwards took up his abode in a
grotto of the convent that sprung up
round it ; Paula, too, the Roman
devotee, founded other convents, and
spent the last days of her life beside
her early friend. The crusaders, on
their approach to Jerusalem, first took
possession of Bethlehem, on the en
treaty of its Christian inhabitants.
In the year 1110 it was made by
Baldwin I. an episcopal see; but
although this act was confirmed by
Pope. Pascal II., and the title long
retained in the Latin Church, the
actual occupancy of the see was of
short continuance.
The present inhabitants are said to
number about 3000, and are all Christ
ians. There was formerly a Moham
medan quarter, but after a rebellion
of the people in 1834 it was entirely
destroyed by order of Ibrahim Pacha.
The inhabitants are peasants, living by
the cultivation of their fields and gar
dens ; and a few of them spend their
spare time in carving beads, crucifixes,
models of the Holy Sepulchre, &c, in
olive-wood and mother-of-pearl, for
pilgrims and travellers. They are
nevertheless a restless race, given to
quarrelling and sedition. After the
rebellion of 1834 they were disarmed
by the Egyptian government.
The ladies of Bethlehem are cele
brated for their beauty, which has
something of a European cast ; and
Gcramb says they are also celebrated

for their virtue. However this may
be, a thrilling tale is told of the fearful
vengeance once taken by a dishonoured
family upon an erring daughter, which,
as it serves to illustrate a very ancient
popular law not yet altogether abo
lished, I shall here relate. (See Lev.
xx. 10 ; John viii. 3-5.) Some years
ago a Mohammedan of Bethlehem was
accidentally found in one of the neigh
bouring grottoes, and unfortunately
the young widow of a Catholic Beth-
lehemite, celebrated for her beauty,
was found there too. Those who dis
covered them at once spread the news
through the village, and the Moham
medan took to flight. The young
woman,' alarmed at the uproar, had
just time to seek refuge in the Latin
convent ere her relatives came upon
her; but having discovered her re
treat, they rushed to the spot. The
door was locked, but though of iron it
soon yielded to their fury. The excited
crowd pressed in, and the unhappy
victim was now face to face with those
bent on sacrificing her. In vain the
monks formed a rampart round her
with their bodies ; in vain they ex
tended their supplicating hands to
wards the infuriated crowd; in vain
they besought them, in the name of
the merciful Saviour, not to spill the
blood of an unfortunate fellow creature
whose guilt was not proved ; in vain
some of them threw themselves at the
feet of the multitude, while others
strove to repel them by force. The
monks were driven aside, and the
young woman dragged to the area in
front of the convent. Here a scene
was enacted, the very thought of
which causes one to shudder. Sur
rounded by her executioners, the hap
less creature cried aloud for mercy;
she entreated to be heard for a few
moments ; she assured them she could
prove her innocence. Her father, her
brothers, her relatives were all there ;
but none would listen to her tale.
She appealed to their sense of justice,
to fraternal affection, to paternal- love ;
but all was in vain, and she sank
fainting to the ground. She awoke
again to consciousness ; but it was
only when the death-stroke was given ;

S. Palestine. Route 9. — Bethlehem — Church of the Nativity. 201

she opened her eyes ; but it was only
to see her brothers, in imitation of the
terrible example of her father, steep
ing their hands in her blood, and
holding them up to the people to
show that they had washed away the
stain from their name ! The still
palpitating corpse was cut to pieces
by the mob, and left exposed during
the remainder of the day.
The Church of the Nativity. — ¦
The grotto of the Nativity at Bethle
hem appears to have been honoured as

early as the 2nd centy., and is pro
bably the most ancient of the holy
caves of Palestine. The splendid
Basilica was erected by the Empress
Helena in the year a.d. 327, and is,
therefore, the oldest monument of
Christian architecture in the world.
It is about 120 ft. long by 110 broad.
It is divided into nave and 4 aisles by
ranges of Corinthian columns, which
support horizontal architraves. The
columns are of marble, and were pro
bably taken from some more ancient
building, perhaps the porches of the

Church of the Nativity at Bethlehem. — From Fergusson's 'Architecture/

Temple at Jerusalem. This is the
only part of the structure of any archi
tectural or antiquarian interest; and
yet the pavement is broken, the roof
rude and neglected, and the whole
seems as if it would ere long crumble
to ruin. The mosaics that once adorned
the walls are almost gone. The reason
of this neglect is, that the Basilica is
common property, used by all sects
alike, and consequently a scene of
continued rivalry and contention. The
arrangement of the choir is peculiar,
owing to the crypt beneath it being
the great object of attraction. It is

separated from the nave by a wall,
and is divided into two chapels, one
belonging to the Greeks, the other to
the Armenians. From each of these
a winding staircase leads down to the
Grotto of the Nativity. On the N.
side of the choir is the Latin Church
of St. Catherine, a narrow vaulted
building, with a recess on each side
like a transept. Its walls are orna
mented with several grim pictures;
and over the altar-screen is an orna
ment of silver, with silver-gilt figures,
a present from the late king of Naples.
From this church there is likewise a
k 3

202 Route 9. — Bethlehem — Chapel of the Nativity. Sect. III.

passage, by a winding flight cf stairs,
to the sacred grottoes; and as most
travellers visit them under the guid
ance of the Latin monks, we shall
descend by this way.
On the S. side of the church we
first descend a narrow staircase hewn
in the rock, lighted by a glimmering
lamp placed in a niche on the rt.
hand before a picture of the Virgin.
This staircase leads to a low vault, on
entering which we turn suddenly to
the rt. into a long narrow passage.
Proceeding a few steps, we have on
the rt. the altar and tomb of St. Euse
bius — not the historian. Passing this,
we enter a small oblong chamber,
extending N. and S. at right angles
to the passage. Taking first the S.
end, we have on the E. side the altars
and tombs of SS. Paula and Eustachia
(her daughter) ; with a rude picture
of the two saints over it. Opposite
this, on the W., is the tomb of St.
Jerome, having over it a portrait of
the great Father resting on a lion.
From the N. end of the chamber we
ascend by three steps to another square
vault, some 20 ft. on each side and 9
high, surrounded by a stone da'is.
This is the study of Jerome — now a
chapel with an altar on its eastern
side, and an old painting above it,
representing the saint writing and
the lion at his feet. " Here it was,"
says Geramb, "that the illustrious
recluse passed a great portion of his
life : here it was that he fancied he
heard the peals of that awful trump,
which shall one day summon all man
kind to judgment, incessantly ringing
in his ears; here it was that with
a stone he struck his body, bowed by
the weight of years and austerities,
and, with loud cries, besought mercy
of the Lord ; and here too it was that
he produced those laborious works
which have justly earned him the
title of the Father of the Church."
This is a spot which the Biblical
scholar and the ecclesiastical historian
will regard with peculiar interest, for
there can be no doubt that for many
years it formed the home and the
study of that remarkable man whose
name it bears.

Returning to the chapel we first
entered; we observe on its eastern
side, behind a massive column, an
altar said to mark the spot where
20,000 children murdered by Herod's
order were buried, now called, for this
reason, the Altar of the Innocents. A
rude painting over it represents the
massacre. Adjoining the Chapel of the Inno
cents on the S. is a narrow vault, to
which we ascend by 5 steps: this is
called the Chapel of Joseph, being the
place where the husband, of Mary is
said to have retired at the moment of
the Nativity. From this we enter a
crooked, narrow passage, some 26 ft.
long, and on reaching the end of it
we find a door on the 1. opening into
the W. end of
The Chapel of the Nativity, a low
vault, apparently hewn in the rock,
38 ft. long by 11 wide. At the E.
end is a small semicircular apse — the
sandwm of the whole building. On
approaching it we find a marble slab
fixed in the pavement, with a silver
star in the centre, round which are the
words —
Hie de Virgine Maria Jesus
Christds natos est.
" Here Jesus Christ was born of the
Virgin Mary." "To the believer"
Geramb truly observes, " the word here
has a charm, an attraction, a captiva-
tion, which cannot be either felt or
comprehended but on the spot." Round
the star are suspended 16 silver lamps,
continually kept burning, and behind
them, along the sides of the apse, are
little gilt pictures of saints. Over the
star is a plain altar without picture or
ornament. It is common to all the
sects, and each must dress it when
about to celebrate mass, with the
requisite trappings.
In the angles of the grotto beside
the apse are two staircases, that on
the S. leading up to the Greek Chapel,
and that on the N. to the Armenian ;
both in the choir of the Basilica. Just
in the angle between the flight of
stairs on the S., and the side of the

S. Palestine. Route, 9. — Bethlehem — Milk Grottot

203

grotto, is the small chapel of the Prie-
sepium or " Manger." On its W. side
is the place of the manger, now repre
sented by a marble trough. The real
Praisepium, as the Latins tell us, was
long ago carried away to Rome, and is
deposited in Santa Maria Maggiore.
Over the place is a good painting by
Maello, of date 1781, representing the
Virgin and Child, with the Shepherds.
On the opposite side of the grotto is
the station of the wise men, marked
by an altar having a painting, ap
parently by the same artist.
These various grottoes are minutely
measured off by rule and line, and
distributed piecemeal among the rival
sects. Many a keen and bitter contest
there has been for a few inches of a
wall, or the fraction of an altar ; and
more than once the question of the
opening and shutting of one of the
doors has well-nigh involved Europe
in war ! What millions of money,
what thousands of useless and toilsome
pilgrimages, what oceans of blood,
might have been spared to Christen
dom, if Christians had only learned
the spirit of one short sentence uttered
by their Divine Master ! (John iv.
21-26.) About i m. N. bf Bethlehem, E. of
the Jerusalem road, is the traditional
well of David, for whose water he
longed when in the cave of Adullam :
" Oh that one would give me to drink
of the water of the well of Bethlehem,
that is at the gate." (1 Chron. xi.
15-19.) It is a deep wide cistern,
hewn in the rock, with 2 or 3 narrow
openings, and is evidently ancient,
though too far from the village to
correspond to the words of the Bible, —
" at the gate." Round it, among the
terraced vineyards, are some old foun
dations, and paved areas, marking
the position of former buildings.
A mile or so E. of the convent, in
an enclosed section of a little plain, is
shown the grotto where the shepherds
watched their flocks by night when
the angels appeared to them (Luke ii.
8) ; and not far distant is the village
in which, it is said, the shepherds
resided.

But one of the most wonderful places
round Bethlehem is the Milk Grotto,
in the side of the ridge below the
convent. Tradition relates that the
Virgin and Child hid themselves here
from the fury of Herod for some time
before their flight to Egypt. The
grotto is excavated in the chalky rock.
Many are the pilgrimages made to
this spot, and the reason is, the virtue
attributed to the stone of miraculously
increasing woman's milk. The stone
is soft, and bits are broken off, and
conveyed to every province of Europe,
Asia, and Africa, in which Christian
superstition has established its domi
nion. Even the Abbe Geramb bears
testimony to its virtues. " I shall
make no remark," he states, " on the
virtue of these stones or on its causes.
I merely affirm, as an ascertained fact,
that a great number of persons obtain
from it the effect they anticipate."
A pleasant ride of 1£ hr. brings us
back to the Holy City. (See Rte. 7.)

204

Route 10. — Excursion to Anathoth. &c. Sect. III.

ROUTE 10.
EXCURSION TO ANATHOTH, MICHMASH,
BETHEL, BETH-HORON, AND MIZPEH. H. M.
Jerusalem to 'Anata, Anathoth 1 15
Jeb'a, Geba  1 20
Mukhmas, Michmash .. . . 0 50
Siteof^  10
Rumm6n, Rimmon .. 1 20
Taiyibeh, Ophrah .. 0 40
Beitin, Bdhel .. .. 1 30
Beitin, Bethel  0 50
Bireh, Beeroth  0 45
Ram Allah  0 20
BeitUniah  0 35
Beit 'Ur, Beth-horon .. .. 130
El-Jib, Gibeon  2 15
Neby Samwil, Mizpeh .. .. 0 30
Jerusalem  1 45

Total

12 55

This excursion is one of singular
interest to the student of Bible history.
It takes him to the birthplace of Jere
miah ; to the scene of Jonathan's ro
mantic adventure with the Philistines ;
to the' spot where Jacob dreamt of the
"ladder" that "reached to heaven,"
and which he called the " House of
God ; " to the battle-field of Gibeon,
where the sun and moon stood still
until Joshua had destroyed the allied
kings; and to the great gathering-
place of the Israelites at Mizpeh.
During the whole torn- we are amid
the mountains and passes of Benjamin,
and we see at every step some spot
famous in sacred history. Benjamin
was the frontier tribe, occupying the
debateable ground between the rival
families (and afterwards kingdoms) of
Judah and Ephraim. Alternately it
appears to have followed the fortunes
of each. Its situation gave it an im
portance altogether disproportioned to
the smallness of the tribe. Its posi
tion, too, was singularly advantageous
for predatory warfare. Concentrated
in their mountain fastnesses, the Ben-
jamites could easily make a descent
on the plains of Philistia on the one

side, and of the Jordan on the other ;
while the rugged character of the
defiles made access to their cities and
villages almost impossible. The tribe
was proud of having given Israel its
first king ; and Saul of Tarsus, a far
greater than Saul the son of Kish,
was conscious of a glow_ of satisfaction
when referring to his descent from the
"stock of Israel, and the tribe of
. min." (Phil. iii. 5.)
The excursion will occupy. 2 full
days, and the best arrangement is to
send tents and baggage from Jerusa
lem direct to Bireh, where everything
may be ready for the tourist on his
arrival in the evening from Bethel.
This gives ample time to examine the
country, and all objects of interest.
The road is generally safe, though at
Mukhmas and Jeb'a the peasants are
sometimes a little surly in their de
mands for bakhshish; and the wild
ravine between them offers some admir
able points d'attaque for bandits. A
guard, however, is seldom necessary ;
but it is better to employ guides from
village to village, as they are able to
give information about names and
paths of which the ordinary dragoman,
and even the Jerusalem cicerone, will
be found entirely ignorant.
The road to Anathoth strikes out
from the N.E. comer of the city, passes
for a short distance along the bank of
the Kidron, crosses the valley diago
nally, and ascends Scopus. From the
top of this ridge we gain a fine view
of the city behind, and our first glance
at the dreary eastern declivities of
Benjamin in front. The eye follows
the long white slopes, and grey val
leys, as they break down into the
chasm of the Jordan, and is then
carried up again to the level summit
of the mountain range that runs along
the eastern horizon. A considerable
section of our route is now on view,
and we can distinguish far away on
the N, the conical hill on which stands
the village of Taiyibeh, the ancient
Ophrah, or Ephraim (Josh, xviii. 23 ;
2 Chron. xiii. 19). Down in a valley
on the rt., about 1 m. distant, is the
little hamlet of Tsawiyeh, which some
suppose to be the true Bethany.

S. Palestine.

Route 10. —Anathoth.

205

Descending from Scopus, our path
winds through rocky glens and over
rocky ridges — all bare, and barren,
and white. A few black goats here
and there dot the slopes, and the
barrel of the shepherd's musket glitters
amid the cliffs, as he runs down upon
the strangers, calculating his chances
of bakhshish. Troops of donkeys, too,
are sometimes met, pattering along
the tortuous path, their bells awaken
ing the echoes of the desert. Now the
western traveller will see the primitive
mode of transporting building-stones
to Jerusalem, where the limestone of
the 'Anata quarries is greatly prized.
Each donkey carries, slung over its
back, a couple of hewn stones ; blocks
- of a larger size, when needed, are
poised on the pack-saddles of camels.
What a change from those days of
prosperity and power, when Solomon
laid the foundations of his palace and
temple with " costly stones, even great
stones ; stones of 10 cubits, and stones
of 8 cubits" ! (1 Kings vii. 10.)
Anathoth, now 'Andta, is a village of
some 15 or 20 houses, situated on a
broad ridge, and surrounded by a
few fields, with fig and olive trees
thinly scattered over them. Fallen
and wretched as it is, it is not with
out some traces of former strength.
Portions of a wall may be seen, built
of large hewn stones, and the founda
tions of some of the houses are of
ancient workmanship ; while here and
there one observes a fragment of a
column, and a cistern hewn in the
rock. The view from it is command
ing, embracing the eastern declivities
of Benjamin, the Jordan valley, a
section of the Dead Sea, and the range
of Gilead and Moab. Looking over
the rugged ridge to the westward, we
can just see the conical top of Tuleil
el-Fui, where the Gibeah of Saul once
stood. (See Rte. 21.)
Among the towns that were allotted
to the Levites more than 3000 years
ago, we find the name Anathoth, in the
land of Benjamin (Josh. xxi. 18) ; and
there cannot be a question that this
is it on whose site we now stand. But
this humble hamlet has a, prouder

title to distinction than could be de
rived from mere antiquity ; it was the
birthplace of one of the greatest of
prophets and sweetest of writers.
Jeremiah was " the son of Hilkiah, of
the priests that were in Anathoth, in
the land of Benjamin" (Jer. i. 1).
He was probably of the family of that
Abiathar who followed David in his
wanderings, was joint high-priest with
Zadok during the reign of that mon
arch, and was finally exiled by Solo
mon to "his fields" at Anathoth, on
account of an attempt to raise Adonijah
to the throne (1 Sam. xxii. 20-23;
1 Kings ii. 26, 35). Here the word of
the Lord first came to Jeremiah, and
here he lived till the persecution of
his family and kindred forced him to
flee to Jerusalem. Jerome speaks of
Anathoth as 3 m. N. of Jerusalem,
and as called in his day after tho
name of its prophet.
It may be well to take a guide from
this village, for, though Jeb'a, the
next stage, is in sight, the path to it
may be easily missed ; and, besides, a
native will be able to tell the names
of villages in view, and to give other
local information, which always makes
an excursion both more pleasant and
more profitable.
Descending from Anathoth into a
deep, bleak valley, we see on a rugged
bill to the rt. a ruin called 'Almit, the
ancient Alemeth, or Almon, * priests'
city of Benjamin (1 Chron. vi. 60;
Josh. xxi. 18). From hence we ascend
to the modern village of Hizmeh,
placed like Anathoth on the top of a
broad ridge, and having a few fields,
sprinkled with fig and olive trees.
The uniformity of colour strikes the
traveller in this region, and gives a
desolate aspect to the whole scene.
Everything is of a dull greyish-white
— stones, soil, houses, and even the
shrubs ; while the trees, few and far
between, and generally ensconced in
little valleys, afford scarcely any va
riety. It requires no little quickness
of vision to detect a village from any
considerable distance, even though the
situation may be prominent.
From Hizmeh the path winds down

206

Route 10. — Jeba — Pais of Michmash. Sect. IIL

the steep bank into Wady Farah,
here wide and tame, though farther
eastward, one of the wildest in the
country, affording a fine study for the
geologist who wishes to examine the
limestone strata of the Judsean moun
tains, as well as for the artist who
would see Nature in her sternest forms ;
but both artist and geologist will re
quire to be on their guard, for the
inhabitants of Farah are as wild as its
cliffs. Not far from the .path, in the bot
tom of the valley, are a few large
rectangular heaps of stones, rudely
piled together, but dignified by the
name Kubur el- Amdlikah, " the Tombs
of the Amalekites." There is nothing
about them to suggest the idea of
sepulchral monuments, or even of
great antiquity. From hence we wind
up a long slope, bristling with jagged
rocks, and in about 40 min. from Hiz
meh we reach Jeb'a.
Jeb'a, the ancient " Geba of Benja
min," is a small village, amid whose
half-ruined houses we observe some
hewn stones which point to more
prosperous days. A fragment of a
square tower nearly solid, and a Httle
building like a church, stand among
the rest, but these are the only re
mains of the ancient Geba. The situa
tion is still more commanding than
that of Anathoth. From the crest of
the ridge beside the ruins the eye
follows the ravines that run down
on each side until they open on the
plain of Jericho ; and the transparent
atmosphere makes the green strip,
that marks the course of the Jordan,
appear only a few miles distant, though
in reality 18 or 20. From this spot,
too, we can study to advantage one or
two of the most interesting passages in
the Bible. Before us, on the N., is the
scene of Jonathan's adventure against
the Philistine host. " Saul and Jona
than his son, and the people that were
present with them, abode in Geba of
Benjamin" (incorrectly rendered Gi-
beah in the English version) ; " but the
Philistines encamped in Michmash"
—that village amid the rocks on the

other side of the ravine, little more
than a mile distant. The " spoilers "
went out from the Philistines' camp in
3 companies. One band " turned into
the way that leadeth to Ophrah" —
situated on yon lofty tell on the north
ern horizon, now called Taiyibeh.
Another band "turned the way to
Bethhoron," passing up that rocky as
cent toward the W. The third struck
eastward down the path to the " valley
of Zeboim," or plain of Jordan. All
were in view of the Israelites; and
now, as one reads the graphic story on
the spot, he almost imagines that he
sees the predatory bands starting from
Mukhmas, and radiating to their
several destinations. (1 Sam. xiii. .15-
18.) But the enemy are soon after seen to
remove their camp from the village to
the " Pass of Michmash" (id. xiii. 23),
that is, J m. or so S.E., to the brow
of the cliff overhanging the ravine
which separates Michmash from Geba.
Saul's head-quarters are also removed
from Geba to the pomegranate-tree at
Migron, " in the uttermost part of
Gibeah" (id. xiv. 2); thus at once
retreating from the Philistines, who
seemed determined to force the " pass,"
and getting nearer the high-priest who
was in Gibeah (id. xiv. 3). The posi
tion of Migron, " the Precipice," is not
known, but it was probably somewhere
on the bank of Wady Farah. The
two armies were only separated, as it
seems, by the ravine then caUed the
"Passage of Michmash, and now
Wady Suweinlt. Jonathan and his
armour-bearer resolve to make a secret
expedition against the enemy; they
descend into the valley ; they clamber
up the northern bank " on their hands
and on their feet ;" they suddenly ap
pear to the Philistines over the brow
of the cliff, as if they came forth out
of the holes where they had hid them
selves ; they boldly advance and attack
the camp, and, aided by a sudden
panic, and by the simultaneous terror
of the shock of an earthquake, they
succeed in dispersing the whole host.
Saul's watchmen at once observe the
confusion. While the king consults
the high-priest, the tumult increases.

S. Palestine. Route 10. — Jonathan's Adventure.

20?

The Israelites take courage and rush
upon the spoilers of their land. The
Philistines' are routed, and driven
westward through the mountains to
Ajalon (1 Sam. xiv.). From that day
till the fatal battle of Gilboa, in which
Saul ' and Jonathan fell, Israel was
freed from the inroads of the Phi
listines. Another passage of God's Word
ought to be read on this spot. In the
description of Sennacherib's advance
upon Jerusalem, contained in the 10th
chap, of Isaiah, every step of his
approach is so described that we can
from this point follow him with our
eyes. It is probably not given by
the prophet as a narrative of a real
event, but rather as an allegorical
warning, yet it is not on this account
the less graphic. The army is sup
posed to leave the northern road near
Bethel, and to turn eastward to Ai.
Advancing to Michmash, the bag
gage is left there; and the troops,
thus disencumbered, cross the ravine
and pass the night at Geba. Ramah,
situated only half an hour westward,
though hid by an intervening ridge,
" is afraid." Gibeah of Saul, placed
on the top of a conspicuous hill, " is
fleet," for the dreaded foe is in sight.
In the morning the army continues its
march southward. The sites of Gal-
lim and Laish are now unknown ; but
Anathoth is in the direct line of march
— " 0 poor Anathoth ! " The evening
finds them at Nob, within sight of the
Holy City ; and from thence the foe
" shakes his hand against the daughter
of Zion."
It is thus that modern research
proves the minute accuracy of Old
Testament topography ; and it is thus,
also, that, while we wander through
Bible lands, Bible history is enacted
over again before the mind's eye.
Immediately on leaving Jeb'a we
descend by a rugged, zigzag track
into Wady es-Suweinlt — here tolerably
wide, though deep and rocky. A few
hundred yards to the rt. it contracts
to a narrow ravine, shut in by high,
almost perpendicular cliffs, above
which the ground on each side is level.

This is the scene of Jonathan's adven
ture. "And between the passages
by which Jonathan sought to go over
into the Philistine's garrison, there
was a sharp rock (or cliff) on the one
side, and -4 sharp rock on the other
side; and the name of the one was
Bozez (' Shining '), and the name of
the other Seneh (' Thorn '). The fore
front of the one was situated northward
over against Michmash, and the other
southward over against Geba." It
was up that northern cliff Jonathan
climbed on his hands and feet, and it
was when he and his armour-bearer
raised their heads over the jagged
summit that the Philistines said, " Be
hold the Hebrews come forth out of
the holes where they had hid them
selves." (1 Sam. xiv.)
Michmash, now Mukhmas, — A toil
some ride up the steep bank of the
wady brings us to Mukhmas, » small
hamlet, situated on a shelving ridge
between two shallow wadys. The
country around it has a most forbid
ding aspect. Huge grey rocks raise
up their naked crowns, hiding every
little patch of soil ; and the grey huts
of the village, and the grey ruins that
encompass them, can scarcely be dis
tinguished from the grey rocks. The
abundance of massive foundations,
with here and there broken columns
among them, and of large rock-hewn
cisterns and magazines, show that
Michmash was a larger and stronger
place than either Anathoth or- Geba.
The town is first mentioned in con
nexion with the history of Saul, it and
Bethel having been garrisoned by him
with 2000 men during his war with
the Philistines. (1 Sam. xiii. 2.)
When Jonathan drove the enemy
from Geba, they assembled in such
force that the Israelites were obliged
to abandon Michmash (id. xiii. 5)
and hide themselves in caves and
thickets, in rocks and high places,
with which this country abounds.
How the Philistines were afterwards
driven out of it has already been
stated. The place was inhabited after
the captivity (Neh. xi. 31), and here,
amid the mountain fastnesses, Jona-

208

Route 10. — Michmash. — Ai,

Sect. III.

than MaccabseUs, the second of the
Asmonean dynasty, resided during the
stormy period of his reign. (1 Mac.
ix. 73.) In Eusebius's time it was
still a large village; his description
of its position, 9 m. N. of Jerusalem,
near Ramah, agrees' exactly with
Mukhmas. On leaving Mukhmas our road
crosses a rocky swell, dotted with the
dark openings of cisterns and caves ;
and then descends westward to a
ravine, a branch of Wady Suweinit,
coming down from Deir Duwan. An
other ravine, called Wady el-Medmeh,
falls in from the W. ; and between the
two is a long high ridge, extending
backward to the plateau E. of Bethel.
At its -base are some quarries and ex
cavated sepulchres, and on its summit,
towards the W., are ruins of consider
able extent ; these I visited during the
year 1857, and felt persuaded that
they were the remains of the ancient
Ai. — The situation of the ruins
agrees with the description given in
the Bible. (Josh viii.) On the S.
side of the ridge is Wady el-Medineh ;
on the N. is another wady, running
parallel to it into the glen that crosses
at right angles from Deir Duwan.
On the W., or rather N.W., between it
and Bethel, is a depression among the
rocky heights, well fitted for covering
an ambuscade. The ruins are scat
tered along the narrow summit of the
ridge for | m. or more, and consist of
heaps of large stones and foundations,
intermixed with covered cisterns and
a few open reservoirs hewn in the
rock. Here and there, too, quantities
of Mosaic tesserae may be picked up
amid the ruins. The large village of
Deir Duwan is about J hr. to the N.,
and a smaller one called Burka is
about the same distance S.
Ai is among tlie most ancient sites
in Palestine. The second camping-
ground of Abraham, after entering
Canaan, was on " a mountain on the
cast of Bethel .... having Bethel
on the west, and Hai (or Ai) on the
east." (Gen. xii. 8.) The city is
chiefly celebrated for the story of its

capture and destruction by Joshua.
(Josh, viii.) Jericho had been taken ;
and the next important point was to
gain a footing amid the mountain
strongholds. Spies were sent to exa
mine the defences of Ai. Their report
was favourable. 2000 or 3000 men
would suffice for the expedition ; and
it would thus be unnecessary for a
large army to march up the wild
mountain passes. 3000 were sent, but
they were driven back from the gates,
and some 36 were slain. (Josh. vii.
1-5.) In the second attempt, after
the Israelites had been reassured by
the execution of Achan in the valley
of Achor, the assault was conducted
on different principles. An ambush
was placed at night in the valley to
the W., while the main body took up
their position beyond the glen on the
N. In the morning the latter crossed
the valley to assault the city ; but
pretending a panic, they suddenly
retreated. The stratagem was suc
cessful. The whole male population
rushed out in pursuit of the fugitives ;
the gates were left open, and the
place was at the mercy of the ambus
cade. Joshua, from some commanding
height towards the N, gave the pre
concerted signal; the. "tiers in wait"
rushed in amid helpless women and
children, and the smoke of the burn
ing town soon showed the success of
the enterprise. On this spot the 8th
chapter of Joshua will be read with
new interest. A heap of blackened
ruins on the site, and a, huge cairn
piled up at its gate over the body of
its last king, remained long after
wards as the sole memorials of Ai.
But the town was rebuilt before the
time of Isaiah, who mentions it in
connexion with his description of
Sennacherib's advance on Jerusalem.
(Isa. x. 28.) As late as the 4th cen
tury of our era the ancient name clung
to the site, though the town had long
previously become a ruin.
From the ruins of Ai to Beitin, the
ancient Bethel, is f hr.'s ride. The
road passes over a ridge, on the top
of which is a plateau, stony, but
still fertile when compared with the

S. Palestine.

Route 10. — Rimmon.

209

rocky wilderness around. It was on
this spot— between " Bethel and Ai "
— Abraham encamped, built an altar,
and " called upon the name of the
Lord." (Gen. xii. 8.) And to this
place he, and Lot his nephew, re
turned after their visit to Egypt ; and
here, on account of the strife between
their herdsmen, and because their
flocks were so numerous that they
could not dwell together, they resolved
to separate. From one of the neigh
bouring heights Lot looked down upon
the plain of Jordan and chose it for
his habitation. (Gen. xiii.) The
country is almost as thinly peopled
now as it was then; and the black
tents of the Arabs may often be seen
pitched on the spot where Abraham's
tent stood 4000 years ago.
Towards the southern side of this
little plateau, not far from the road,
are the ruins of a ch., and on its
western side, opposite Bethel, is
another ruin called Burj Beitin, " the
Tower of Beitin" — once a square fort,
including a ch.
Rimmon and Ophrah. — The traveller
who has time at command may make
a detour from the ruins of Ai to visit
the sites of Rimmon and Ophrah, which
will require at least three hours' ad
ditional riding. The white peak of
Rummon, and the dark cone of Taiyi
beh, have been in view on the N. from
every elevated point in om- route. A
short i hr. brings us to Deir Duwan,
a large flourishing village, situated
in a, stony but well-cultivated basin,
where the fig and olive grow luxuri
antly. From hence to Rummon is
scarcely lj m., -but it takes a full
hour to reach it. Between the two
lies a ravine, Wady el-Mutyah, several
hundred feet deep, crossed by a steep,
difficult, and in places even dangerous
path ; but the view from the top of the
" Rock Rimmon" will amply repay a
little extra fatigue. The hill on which
it stands is steep and naked. From
the top we look down into the ra
vine, which here takes the name el-
'Asas, and further eastward es-Sik,
and finally Na'imeh, under which title
it falls into the Jordan valley N. of

Jericho. The village has an anti
quated look, though there are few
remains of antiquity besides a large
rock-hewn tank.
On this rock the 600 Benjamites, the
only survivors of that powerful tribe,
took refuge from the just wrath of
their brethren ; and here they lived
for four months, till at last the
Israelites " repented for Benjamin
their brother." The particulars of
their romantic story, as related in the
20th and 21st chapters of Judges, will
be read upon this "Rock Rimmon"
with great interest.
The road from hence to Taiyibeh
lies across an open plateau furrowed
by shallow wadys running eastward.
In 40 min. the tell is reached, and in a
few minutes more we clamber up the
conical peak on which the village
stands. On the top are the ruins of
an ancient tower, from which we look
down into little vales on the W. and
N, dotted with groves of olives and
fig-trees. The whole eastern de
clivities of Benjamin are here before
us, naked and desolate. Away below
is the deep valley of the Jordan ; be
yond it are the mountains of Moab
and Gilead. On the N.E. a cleft is
observed in the range, marking the
course of Wady Zurka, the ancient
Jabbok, the boundary between the
kingdoms of Og and Sihon. And
yonder, too, N. of it, is the ravine of
Ajlun, in which a clear eye will dis
tinguish the fortress of Rubud, perched
on a crag.
This ancient site appears to corre
spond with the position of Ophrah, a
city of Benjamin, to which one band
of the Philistine spoilers went from
Michmash. (1 Sam. xiii. 17 ; and Josh.
xviii. 23.) It stood, according to
Jerome, 5 m. E. from Bethel, which
accords exactly with this place. It is
also highly probable that the city
Ephraim, which Abijah king of Judah
took from Jeroboam (2 Chron. xiii.
19), was the same as Ophrah— the
names are radically identical. With
this too we may identify the city
Ephraim of the New Testament, which

210

Route 10. — Ophrah. — Bethel.

Sect. III.

was " near to the wilderness," and to
which our Lord withdrew with His
disciples after the raising of Lazarus.
(John xi. 54.) Josephus mentions
Ephraim as one of the towns taken by
Vespasian. Taiyibeh is a Christian village, and
the region round it exhibits the marks
of more careful cultivation than is
usually seen in places exclusively in
habited by Muslems. Close by it on
the S.E. are the ruins of a small ch.
dedicated, to St. George, which may
perhaps be as old as the time of the
crusaders. A smart ride of 1 J hr. from Taiyibeh
brings us back to Beitin. i
Bethel, now called Beitin, stands
on the shelving point of a low rocky
ridge between two converging valleys,
which unite below it, and run off south
ward into Wady Suweinit. The site
is surrounded by higher ground on
every side except the S., and yet it is
so high that from the upper part of it
the dome of the Great Mosque in Jeru
salem can be seen. The ruins of the
ancient city cover the whole surface
of the ridge, and are 3 or 4 acres in
extent. They consist of foundations,
fragments of walls, and large heaps
of stones. On the highest point are
the remains of » square tower ; and
towards the S. are the walls of a
Greek ch., standing within the foun
dations of a much older edifice. Amid
the ruins are about a score of low
huts, rudely formed out of ancient
materials. In the western valley is
a cistern 314 ft. by 217, constructed of
massive stones. The southern side is
entire, but the others are more or less
ruinous. The bottom is now a beauti
ful grass-plat, watered by two little
fountains, from which the cattle of
Abraham often drank in former days,
and at which the maidens of Sarah
were doubtless wont to fill their
pitchers, just as the Arab maidens
from the village do still.
The description of Jerome, joined
to the similarity of the modern and
ancient names, leaves no room for
doubt that this is the Bethel of Scrip

ture. He places it 12 Rom. m. N. of
Jerusalem, on the rt. of the road to
Shechem. The name Bethel sounds
like a household word. Near it Abra
ham pitched his tent, attracted by its
water and its pastures. Here Jacob
slept, as many an Arab sleeps now,
on the bare ground, with a stone for
his pillow. Here he dreamt that well-
known dream of the ladder that
reached from earth to heaven, on
which the angels of God ascended
and descended; and here he heard
those promises which cheered him
through all the trials of his after
life : " In thee and in thy seed shall
all the families of the earth be blessed.
And, behold, I am with thee, and will
keep thee, in all places whither thou
goest." On waking, though he saw
around him the rocky hill-sides, and
above him the starry sky, yet trem
bling and astonished he was forced
to cry, " How dreadful is this place ;
this is none other than the House of
God ! " Such was the origin of the
name Beth-El, "the House of God;"
before that time it had been called Luz.
The traveller should read as he sits
amid the ruins, or by the little fountain,
the 28th chap, of Genesis.
To Bethel Jacob returned after an
interval of some 30 years, and here
received a second time the name Is
rael. (Gen. xxxv. 6, 10.) Here he
buried Deborah, Rachel's nurse, under
an oak-tree. (Id. xxxv. 8.) Here, too,
he set up a pillar of stone in the place
where God first talked with him, and
poured a drink offering and oil thereon.
(Id. 14.) From that rude beginning
grew the sanctuary of Bethel. First
rose Jacob's altar ; then the town be
came the seat of the assemblies in
the days of the Judges (1 Sam. vii.
16) ; and, finally, when it seemed on
the point of being superseded for ever
by the new sanctuary at Jerusalem,
it assumed a fresh, though evil, cele
brity as one of the two Holy Places of
the northern kingdom.
Anciently a royal city of the Cana
anites (Josh. xii. 16), it was assigned
to Benjamin, and stood close to the
border of that tribe and Ephraim.
(Id. xviii. 22.) It was captured, how-

S. Palestine.

Route 10. — Bethel.

211

ever, and occupied by the Ephraimites.
(Jud. i. 22-26.) On the division of
the kingdom of Israel, Bethel became
doubly important ; first as a sanctuary,
and then as a border fortress ; the key,
in fact, of both kingdoms. Jeroboam
here bruit a temple to rival in its
splendour that at Jerusalem. Here
on one great festival, when Jeroboam
stood in his temple in the midst of
assembled Israel, a prophet from
Judah suddenly advanced to his side
and predicted the vengeance of the
Lord against the idolatrous rites. " 0
altar, altar, thus saith the Lord :
Behold a child shall be born unto the
house of David, Josiah by name ; and
upon thee shall he offer the priests of
the high places that burn incense
upon thee, and men's bones shall be
burned upon thee." And he added,
" This is the sign which the Lord hath
spoken : Behold, the altar shall be
rent, and the ashes that are upon it
shall be poured out."
The enraged monarch, thus insulted
in the midst of his people, attempted
to seize the prophet on the spot ; but
his hand was dried up so that he could
not pull it in again to him. And no
sooner had he given the command
"Lay hold on him," than the altar
was rent by his side, and the ashes
were poured out. (1 Kings xiii. 1-5.)
Though the sanctuary was thus
cursed, its ancient name attracted to
it many holy men, who gathered round
Elijah when he passed through Bethel
on the day he was taken up to heaven.
(2 Kings ii. 3.) But the iniquity of
the place soon became so glaring that
the name Bethel, " House of God,"
was changed into Beth-aven, " House
of Idols." (Hos. x. 5, 8.) And the
time soon came round for the fulfil
ment of the prediction of the prophet
of Judah. Josiah visited Bethel. The
altar and high-place of Jeroboam he
brake down ; the grove that had grown
up on the hill around them for the
worship of Astarte he burned to the
ground; and as he turned to leave
the spot, he saw the sepulchres in the
side of the hill to the W. — the same
perhaps we now observe on the road
to Bireh— and he took the bones out

of them and burned them upon the
altar and polluted it. One tomb alone
was spared, that in which the aged
prophet of Bethel, and his brother and
victim the " man of God from Judah,"
reposed side by side. (2 Kings xxiii.
15-20.) It was a sad story, that of
the prophet from Judah ; and it will
be read at this place with new interest.
(1 Kings xiii.)
After the captivity the Benjamites
again occupied Bethel (Ezr. ii. 28);
and in the time of the Maccabees it
was fortified for the king of Syria.
Though not named in the New Testa
ment, it was still a place of importance,
and was afterwards captured by Ves
pasian on his march to Jerusalem. In
the 4th centy. of om- era Bethel had
dwindled down to a small village;
but it must subsequently have revived,
for the remains of churches and houses
still existing cannot be much older
than the time of the Crusades. The
shapeless ruins scattered over the hill
are not without their importance even
yet — they are silent witnesses of the
truth of Scripture. The prophet Amos
said, " Seek not Bethel, nor enter into
Gilgal ; for Gilgal shall surely go into
captivity, and Bethel shall come to
nought." (v. 5.)
On leaving Bethel we ascend a
bleak rising ground on the W., and
soon strike one branch of the great
northern road. We then pass down
through a little glen, whose rocky sides
are dotted with tombs, into a broad
cultivated valley. In some 20 min.
there is a fountain on the 1. called
'Ain el-' Akabah, gushing out at the
foot of a cliff; and shortly afterwards
we notice a large cave close on the
right, serving as a reservoir, and
apparently supplied by a spring-
within. A ride of 20 min. more up
the valley brings us to Bireh.
Beeroth, now called Bireh, is a large
village containing some 700 or 800
Muslems, and 3 or 4 Christian families.
It is situated on the crest of a promi
nent rocky ridge, and is seen from
a distance both N. and S. Many
hewn stones and solid substructions

212

Route 10. — Beeroth. — Ram Allah.

Sect. III.

testify to the antiquity of the site;
but the only building of importance
remaining is a Gothic church. The
walls, the eastern apse, and the
sacristy, are still standing. The tra
veller from the W. will look upon this
grey ruin with something of a home
interest, for it will remind him alike
of the chivalry and devotion of his
fathers. It was built by the Knights
Templars, who owned the village
during the time of the Latin kings of
Jerusalem. There is also a large
khan, perhaps originally a hospice,
on the southern side of the village;
and in the rocky slopes round about
are extensive quarries and a few rock-
tombs. A few hundred yds. south
ward, at the foot of the ridge, is an
old domed mosque, built over a foun
tain, and a grass-plat beside it, making
a beautiful camping-ground. Here in
the mornings and evenings the Arab
maidens may be seen filling their
pitchers, and carrying them away on
head or shoulder as in ancient days.
Below the fountain are the remains
of 2 large ancient cisterns, now con
verted into little fields.
Beeroth was one of the 4 cities of
the Gibeonites, whose curious story
the name will at once recall. We
shall read it as we sit beneath the
shade of the old mosque, fanned by
the cool breeze that plays round the
flowing waters. (Josh, ix.) After the
capture of Ai the Gibeonites deter
mined to attempt by stratagem what
valour could not win. "They took
old sacks upon their asses, and wine-
bottles, old, and rent, and bound up ;
and old clouted shoes upon their feet,
and old garments upon them; and
old bread dry and mouldy." Thus
equipped, the ambassadors went down
the pass to the Israelitish camp on the
plain of Jericho. " Who are ye, and
whence come ye ? " demanded Joshua.
" From a very far country are thy
servants come," replied the Gibeonites.
" Perad venture ye dwell among us,"
said the doubting Israelites. " Look
at us and judge," was the immediate
answer. " Our bread we took hot
from our houses on the day we left
them; but now see, it is dry and

mouldy. These wine-bottles were
then new ; now they are- rent and
patched. Our shoes and garments are
worn out, too, with the very long
journey." Joshua was deceived, and
so were his elders. He made a cove
nant with them, which, notwithstand
ing their lies, was strictly kept ; but
the Gibeonites became hewers of wood
and drawers of water to the Israelites.
The other cities included in the
league were Gibeon (now el-Jib),
Kirjath-jearim (now Kuryet el-'Enab),
and Chephirah (now Kefir).
From Bireh we must make an early
start, for it is a long round to Beth-
horon and Jerusalem, — 7 hrs. at least ;
and, besides, the ancient sites in the
interval must not be hurried over.
Our path, a mere goat-track winding
among stony fields, strikes westward
over a low broad ridge which forms
the watershed between the Jordan and
the Mediterranean. In some 20 min.
we reach the large Christian village
of Ram Allah, occupying a command
ing position, from which we get a fine
view westward down the mountain
sides of Ephraim and Benjamin, and
over the broad plain beyond to the
Mediterranean. We can distinguish
the white sand-hills along the coast
S. of Yafa ; and a sharp eye may even
detect the tower of Ramleh amid the
olive-groves. There is a thrifty look
in the terraced vineyards, and fig-
orchards that surround Ram Allah,
and in the neat new ch. that stands
beside it. The houses, too, are sub
stantially built and comparatively
clean ; so that one is compelled — con
trasting these things with the squalor
and neglect so manifest in Muslem
villages — to admit that Christianityr
even in its lowest stage, has a civilizing
influence. The country visibly improves after
passing Ram Allah ; and when con
trasted with the naked wilderness
eastward, the scenery may be called
fine. Rocks are not so plentiful ;
cornfields and olive-groves become
more frequent ; a fertile vale on the
1. affords us a peep into the green

S. Palestine.

Route 10. — Beth-horon.

213

plain round Gibeon; while away on
the rt. the higher hills are partially
clothed with shrubbery. Beit Unia
(25 min. from Ram Allah) is now
before us, perched on the top of a hill,
and encircled with olives. It looks
gay and picturesque in the distance,
but it does not improve on nearer
acquaintance. The large hewn stones
in the walls, and the excavations in
and around the village, show this to
be an ancient site, but its name and
story are unknown.
On passing through Beit Unia we
suddenly find ourselves on the brink
of a deep and wild glen called Wady
el-Hamman. Down to the bottom we
go by a break-neck path. After
getting down, the path zigzags, now
along a torrent-bed filled with un
usually large stones, now up and down
each precipitous bank in succession.
But the splendour of the scenery soon
begins to draw attention from the diffi
culties of the way; and, leaving the
horse to guide himself, the eye instinc
tively glances at each new feature the
winding ravine exhibits. The banks
rise several hundred ft. over head —
here in long steep acclivities, clothed
with dwarf-oak, hawthorn, and other
shrubs, intermingled with aromatic
herbs and gay wild flowers (it was in
spring I visited it); there in natural
terraces, formed by long belts of
naked cliffs, in which the limestone
strata are laid regular as masonry.
Occasionally the glen expands a little,
leaving room for a clump of olive-
trees ; but it is usually so narrow that
the winter torrent must have difficulty
in forcing its way through.
In about -| hr. from Beit Unia we
begin to observe extensive ruins — on
the 1. covering the point of a shelving
ridge, where a, wady falls in from the
S.E. ; and on the rt. extending along
the steep bank for J m. or more. They
consist of fragments of walls, built of
massive stones roughly hewn, and
evidently of high antiquity. A little
fountain flows out from the bottom of
the ravine below them : the name of
the ruins is Beit Sirah, but their history
is unknown.

The glen here bends a little to the
rt. and the path turns up the 1. bank,
and winds along it amid rocks and
shrubbery, not rising much, but, as the
wady descends rapidly, we are soon far
above its bed. We now see on the top
of a high hill to the N. a domed wely
called Abu Zeitun, " the Father of
Olives ; " and in a few min. more Beit
'Ur comes in view before us, and
almost on a level with our path. It
is an hour's ride from the ruins of Beit
Sirah. Bdh-horon the Upper, now Beit 'Ur
el-F61ca, is situated on the summit of
a conical tell on the point of a long
ridge which extends westward, with a
gentle descent, from Beit Unia. On
the N., at a, little distance, is the
ravine along which we have come, and
on the S. is another equally deep;
while in front the ridge breaks down
abruptly into a valley formed by the
junction of the two. This valley, now
called Merj Ibn 'Omeir, runs westward
through the low spurs of the hills till
it joins the plain of the coast. The
view from the terrace of the sheikh's
house, to which every traveller should
ascend, is of vast extent and singular
interest. It embraces the western de
clivities of Ephraim on the N., and
those of Benjamin and a part of Judah
on the S. ; it takes in as much as the
eye can see of the plains of Sharon and
Philistia, and the boundless sea be
yond. The prominent towns areRamleh,
in the plain, with its orchards ancl
lofty tower; and Lydda, now Ludd,
a little more to the rt. On the N.W.,
among the hills, is an old castle, called
Ras Kerker, probably the Calcalia of
the crusaders, to which the renegade
Ivelin marched after burning Eamleh.
Looking down the rocky declivity at
our feet, we observe among the rocks,
on a low hill beyond the ravine, the
little village Beit 'Ur et-Tahta, cor
responding to the "Nether," as that
on which we stand does to tbe " Upper
Bethhoron," of Scripture. On the S.
of Merj Ibn 'Omeir is a long low ridge,
and on its side the hamlet of Yalo,
the modern representative of Ajalon.
Among the hills E. of it, but not

214

Route 10. — The Battle of Beth-horon. Sect. III.

visible from this point, is another
place, whose name, Kefir, suggests
Chepliirah, one of the four cities of
the Gibeonites (Josh. ix. 17). Turn
ing eastward we have before us a
stony ridge : behind it lie Gibeon and
Mizpeh, and up it winds the Roman
road to Jerusalem.
Beit 'Ur is a small village, but it
has an antiquated aspect owing to the
numbers of large stones built up in
the walls of its houses, and also to
its situation, perched like a castle on
the summit of the tell. At the foot of
the hill on the E. side is an ancient
reservoir. There is little cultivation
round it, and indeed the rocky declivi
ties afford little space for it.
Beth-horon is chiefly celebrated in
connexion with the Israelites' victory
over the Amorites, and we may here
study with advantage the details of
that remarkable battle and pursuit, as
related in the 10th chap, of Joshua.
The league had scarcely been com
pleted into which the Gibeonites had
entrapped Joshua, when he was called
upon to defend his new friends. A
powerful alliance was formed against
them by 5 princes, the King of Jeru
salem being at their head, and the
united forces encamped before Gibeon,
because " Gibeon was a great city, as
one of the royal cities, and all the
men thereof were mighty." Messen
gers were immediately despatched to
Joshua, who still remained at Gilgal,
in the valley of the Jordan. On
hearing the news he made a forced
march by night up the glens ; and ere
the sun rose the Israelites defiled into
the open ground round Gibeon. Their
sudden appearance, immediately fol
lowed by their fierce attack, over
whelmed the Amorites, who were
driven back in confusion across the
plain. Joshua pursued them " along
the way that goeth up to Bethhoron " —
up the gentle slope- that leads out of
the plain of Gibeon to the rocky
heights east of Bethhoron. Here they
had outstripped their pursuers; but
when they were in " the going down of
Bethhoron,"— when they were rushing
down the stony declivities from the
heights to the village in which we

stand, and from the village to the
valley below us, — " the Lord cast down
great stones from heaven upon them
unto Azekah, and they died-; they
were more which died with hailstones
than they whom the children of Israel
slew with the sword." The Israelitish
chief, leading on his troops, crossed
the ridge, too, and gained some pro
minent rock not far above us, from
which he saw the vale of Ajalon (now
Merj Ibn 'Omeir). Below him are the
Amorites in confusion, clambering
down rock and precipice ; around him
are his " people of war ; " behind him
are the heights which cover Gibeon.
But high above those heights stood
the sun "in the midst of heaven;"
and in front, over the western vale of
Ajalon, was the faint figure of the
moon visible above the thunder cloud.
" Then spake Joshua to the Lord, . . .
and said in the sight of all Israel,
Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon ;
and thou, Moon, in the valley of
Ajalon ! And the sun stood still and
the moon stayed until the people had
avenged themselves upon their ene
mies." The Amorites were making
for their cities, Jarmuth, Lachish, and
Eglon, far away on the plain to the
south; and though a greater part of
the day still remained, yet night
might come on ere the Israelites could
overtake them ; hence Joshua's re
markable prayer and command. The
Amorites fled down that valley beneath
us, and then along the plain close to
the base of the mountains. Jarmuth
was the nearest city, and toward it
the five kings ran, turning up the
valley of Elah (now Wady es-Sumt).
But Joshua was close upon them ere
they could ascend the hill to Jarmuth,
and they hid themselves in a cave at
Makkedah in the side of the valley
(see Rte. 14). The Israelites shut up
the cave and continued their pursuit
until "they had made an end of
slaying" their enemies. From Beth
horon to Jarmuth by this route is
about 25 miles, a distance that could
not have been accomplished by the
wearied armies in less than 7 or 8
hours. The Israelites encamped for
the night at Makkedah, and there

S. Palestine.

Route 10. — Gibeon.

215

Joshua hanged the five kings. The
subsequent marches and conquests of
Joshua, as related in this chapter, are
referred to in Rte. 14.
It was at this place, too, " the going
up of Bethhoron," that Judas Macca-
bseus met the Syrian army with his
little band of warriors, and drove
them back with slaughter into the
plain below (1 Mac! iii. 13-24). And
over this pass was carried the Roman
road from Czesarea to Jerusalem, the
traces of which are still visible. Up
it Cestius advanced at the first ap
proach of the Roman armies to the
capital of Judsea, and down it he and
his whole force were driven in disorder
by the insurgent Jews. Thus the
same spot was the scene of one of the
first and one of the last victories
that crowned the Jewish arms in
Palestine. Both the Beth-horons belonged to
the tribe of Ephraim (Josh. xxi. 22) ;
and the Nether stood on the border.
The northern boundary of Benjamin
ran from Bethel southward to Ataroth
(perhaps identical with the ruins of
'Atara, a little S.W. of Bireh) ; thence
westward, probably by Beit Unia and
along the ridge S. of Wady el-Ham-
mam to Bethhoron-the-Nether ; and
then S. again to Kirjath-jearim (Josh.
xvi. 1-3; comp. xviii. 12-15). Beth-
horon-the-Upper was rebuilt and forti
fied by Solomon, doubtless on account
of its commanding position, and
because it was the key of the principal
pass from the sea-coast to Jerusalem.
(2 Chron. viii. 5.)
On leaving Beit 'Ur for El-Jib
(Gibeon) we follow the line of the
Roman road up the side of the ridge.
At this place it is somewhat difficult
to trace it, owing to the rugged nature
of the ground, and the quantities of
loose fragments of limestone that cover
the surface. Below the village, how
ever, between it and Beit 'Ur et-
'Tahta, it is very distinct— in some
places hewn in the rock, and in others
carried down steep declivities by long
flights of stairs. On reaching the
western summit of the ridge (about
25 min. above Beit 'Ur), we come

upon sections of the road nearly per
fect, and we can easily trace it for
2 m. or more along the plateau. The
ravine of Suleiman is some distance
on the rt., through which the camel-
road ascends from Ramleh, and
beyond it are dark hills crowned by 2
or 3 small villages. In If hr. we reach
the eastern summit of the ridge,
where el-Jib in the midst of a fertile
plain, and Neby Samwll on the top of
a hill to the rt., at once burst upon
the view. We can also see the houses
of Beth-horon behind us, over the
western brow. From this point there
is a gentle descent into the plain
that encircles el- Jib; and this is un
questionably the " way that goeth up
to Bethhoron," along which Joshua
first pursued the Amorites, as above
mentioned. Half an hr.'s smart ride
now brings us to el-Jib, the ancient
GrBEON. — This village stands on the
top of a. little isolated hill, composed
of horizontal layers of limestone — here
and there forming regular steps, in
some places steep and difficult of
access, and everywhere capable of
being strongly fortified. Round it is
one of the finest and richest plains in
central Palestine, meadow-like in its
smoothness and verdure, dotted near
the village with vineyards and olive-
groves, and sending out branches
among the rocky acclivities that en
circle it. The houses of el-Jib are
scattered irregularly over the summit
of the hill. They are almost all, in
whole or in part, ancient, One massive
building still stands among them, and
was probably a citadel. The iower
rooms are vaulted, the arches being
semicircular, and of admirable work
manship. On the eastern side of the
hill, at the foot of a cliff, is a fountain,
springing up in a cave excavated in
the rock so as to form a large subter
ranean reservoir. Not far below it,
among olive-trees, are the remains of
an open reservoir.
Such is the site, and such are the
remains of Gibeon, celebrated in the
Old Testament as " a great city, as
one of the royal cities" (Josh. x. 2),
to whose jurisdiction belonged the

216

Route 10. — Mizpeh.

Sect. III.

towns of Beeroth, Chephirah, and
Kirjath-jearim. (Id. ix. 17.) Here
was planned the clever and romantic
expedition which beguiled the Israel
ites into a league with the Gibeonites.
(See above, under Beeroth.)
On this little plain the five kings
of the Amorites soon afterwards as
sembled their forces to punish the
Gibeonites ; and over that broad stony
ridge on the east the Israelites sud
denly rushed upon them with the first
beams of the morning sun. Gibeon
fell to the lot of Benjamin, and be
came a Levitical city, when its old
inhabitants were made "hewers of
wood and drawers of water." (Josh.
xxi. 17, and ix. 27.) After the de
struction of Nob by command of Saul
(1 Sam. xxii.), the tabernacle seems to
have been brought to this place ; and
here, on this little hill, the great altar
-of burnt offering was erected, and
remained until it found a permanent
place in the Temple. It was at the
" Pool of Gibeon," doubtless the re
servoir still seen on the eastern slope
of the hill, that Abner and Joab- met
at the head of the armies of Israel
and Judah. Before them was enacted
that bloody tragedy, when, on the
challenge of Abner, 12 men of Judah
fought with 12 of Benjamin, and
tie whole 24 were slain, for "ihey
caught every one his fellow by the
head, and thrust his sword in his
fellow's side, so that they fell down
together." And on the plain adjoin
ing immediately took place the battle
which terminated in the total defeat
of Abner, and the death of the fleet
Asahel. (2 Sam. ii.) Here, too, at
the " stone which is in Gibeon,"
David's nephew, Amasa, was treacher
ously murdered by his cousin Joab.
(Id. xx.)
But Gibeon is chiefly interesting as
the place where Solomon offered up
his thousand burnt offerings, and
where the Lord appeared to him in a
dream and gave him the desire of his
heart — " wisdom and understanding ;"
adding also "riches and honour."
(1 Kings iii. 4-15).
Neby Samwil, Mizpeh.— The hill

on which the village and mosque of
Neby Samwil now stand is not only
the most conspicuous object round
el-Jib, but also in the whole sur
rounding country. It rises to a
height of 500 or 600 feet above the
plain of Gibeon ; and its sides, though
here and there broken by cliffs, are
cultivated in terraces, along which
the fig and the vine grow luxuriantly.
Crossing the narrow belt of green
plain that separates it from el-Jib, we
clamber up by a winding path, and
in $ hr. reach the summit. This is
the culminating point of the mountain
region round the Holy City ; and from
it we gain a wider view than from
any other peak in southern Palestine.
It is crowned by a neglected mosque,
at whose eastern side a little hamlet
clusters. The houses, about 12 in
number, are either ancient or com
posed of ancient materials. Their
walls are in places formed of the rock
hewn into shape; and some of the
little courts are excavated to the depth
of several feet. There is thus an air
of departed greatness and high an
tiquity about the place. No excursion
in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem
will more fully repay the traveller
than that to Neby Samwil.
Passing through the empty mosque,
once a Latin ch. of the crusaders' age,
we clamber up by broken staircases
and winding passages to its flat roof,
and then still farther to the top of the
minaret. Now central Palestine is
spread out round us like an embossed
map. On the north, at our feet, is
Gibeon, encircled by its plain; away
beyond it are Ataroth and Beeroth,
and farther still on the horizon the
dark peak of Ophrah. To the right
of the latter is the rock Rimmon, and
more to the eastward the conical tell
crowned by the village er-Ram, the
" Ramah of Benjamin." Farther still
to the right we see the bare top of
Tuleil el-Ful, on which "Gibeah of
Saul " once stood. The Jordan valley
is too deep to be visible, but the moun
tains of Moab and Gilead are seen on
the horizon. At our feet, on the S.E.,
is the glen Wady Hanlna; and over
the grey ridge beyond it are the

S. Palestine.

Route 10. — Mizpeh.

217

domes and minarets of Jerusalem,
looking as if in a valley. Farther
still, to the right, is the cone of the
Frank Mountain, and Bethlehem on
a projecting ridge near it. South
ward the eye ranges over the summits
of the Juclaaan hills, as far as the
environs of Hebron. On the W., at
the base of the mountains, is the plain
of Philistia, on which we can dis
tinguish Ramleh, Lydda, and even
Joppa. A site so commanding could not
have been overlooked in the early ages
of this country's history, when every
peak had its city or fortress. There
is considerable difference of opinion,
however, as to its ancient name. A
tradition as early as the 6th century
makes Neby Samwil the Ramah, or
Ramathaim-Zophim, of the Old Testa
ment, the birth-place, residence, and
burial-place of Samuel. But a com
parison of the statements made in
Scripture with the topography of the
country shows this tradition to be
incorrect. When Saul was in search
of his father's asses he visited Samuel
at Ramah. On his departure for Gi
beah, his native city, the prophet
anointed him king, and described his
way home as leading " by Rachel's
sepulchre in the border of Benjamin."
(1 Sam. x. 2). Gibeah was situated
on Tuleil el-Ful, only 2£ m. E. from
this spot (Rte. 21), and Rachel's
sepulchre is well known to be nearly
7 m. S. Hence every step Saul
would have taken from Neby Samwil
towards Rachel's sepulchre would have
led him farther away from Gibeah.
Dr. Robinson has brought forward
some arguments to show that this is
most probably the Mizpeh of Scrip
ture, which, though questioned by
later travellers; appear to me almost
conclusive. The name Mizpeh, signi
fying " a place of look-out " or " watch-
tower," is peculiarly applicable to this
peak, and the position agrees with the
order in which the towns of Benjamin
are enumerated. " Gibeon and Ramah,
and Beeroth, and Mizpeh, and Chephi-
reh," form the north-western group
(Josh, xviii. 25, 26). Mizpeh was for
tified by Asa king of Judah, appa-
[Syria and Palestine.]

rently to protect his northern frontier ;
and the stones employed in its battle
ments were carried from Ramah (of
Benjamin), which the king of Israel
had attempted to build (1 Kings xv.
22). Eusebius places it near Kirjath-
jearim (Km-yet el-'Enab). We thus
see that Mizpeh occupied a command
ing site at or near the northern border
of the kingdom of Judah, between
Ramah and Kirjath-jearim. Neby
Samwil agrees with all these specifica
tions ; and we may, therefore, conclude
that it is the site of Mizpeh.
It was on this hill, therefore, the
people of Israel assembled, and made
a solemn vow never to return to their
homes until they had punished the
inhabitants of Gibeah for the abomin
able crime committed in that city
(Jud. xx.). Here they assembled
again at the call of Samuel to fight
against the Philistines ; and when
they had gained a signal victory,
" Samuel took a stone and set it be
tween Mizpeii and Shen, and called
the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hi
therto hath the Lord helped us "
(1 Sam. vii. 6-12). And here they
assembled, also, to elect their first
king ; and when Saul was chosen, the
loyal exclamation resounded, for the
first time, through the ranks of Israel,
" God save the king ! " (id. x. 17-24).
During the Captivity the Chaldsean
governor resided at Mizpeh, and here
he was assassinated by the Jews (2
Kings xxv. 25). The crusaders be
lieved Neby Samwil to be the site of
Shiloh, and erected » convent and
church on the spot— most probably the
same the remains of which are now seen .
The road from Neby Samwil to
Jerusalem winds down the hill-side,
passmg some cisterns hewn in the
rock, into the glen of Beit Hanina ; so
called from a village which may be
seen on a stony ridge about a mile to
the 1. On the rt., about the same dis
tance, is Beit Iska ; and opposite it on
the south side of the Wady is Lifta, a
small village with a few olive-groves
round it. Wady Beit Hanina is nar
row and stony, with steep sides ; but
it is here and there planted with vine
yards and fig-orchards. At the point

218

Route 11. — Site of Etam.

Sect. III.

where we cross it are traces of a Roman
road running towards Jerusalem, and
somewhere near this spot tradition has
fixed the scene of David's conflict with
Goliath, making this the valley of
Elah. We shall afterwards see, how
ever, that the true scene of the battle
is far distant. (Rte. 14.) Ascending
the south bank in the line of the old
road, we pass the Tombs of the Judges,
and soon reach Jerusalem.

ROUTE 11.
EXCURSION to SOLOMON'S POOLS, ETAM,
KHUREITUN, AND THE FRANK MOUN
TAIN. H. M.
Jerusalem to Solomon's Pools . . 2 30
Urtas, Etam  0 20
Khureitfm (cave of) . . . . 1 30
Jebel Fureidis, Frank Mount 0 30
Bethlehem  1 15
Jerusalem  1 30
Fast riding, without baggage, 1 7 35
Total  /
This excursion is interesting as
affording some commanding views of
the " Wilderness of Juds8a," where
David kept his father's sheep. We
see, too, some of those " dens and caves
of the mountains," amid which he
afterwards lurked when Saul sought
to kill him. It will be as well before
setting out, or at least on reaching
Urtas, to secure » guide from the
Ta'amirah Arabs — not so much for
the sake of any protection he will be
able to secure, as for the information
he can give of the places in view dur
ing the excursion. It is just as well
to remember, also, that both Khureitun
and the Frank Mountain are far within

the Ta'amirah territory, and that their
ideas of moveable property are not
always in accordance with our notions
of strict legality. The excursion is
made on horseback, without any bag
gage except eatables and a water-
skin ; and as it will occupy a long day,
including sight-seeing, an early start
is absolutely necessary so as to get
back to the city before sunset.
' Such as have come with ns from
Hebron have already visited the Pools
of Solomon, and need not return over
the same ground, but may proceed
direct to Urtas, turning to the left off
the Hebron road, nearly opposite the
village of Beit Jala. This saves a de'-
tour of some J hr. Those, however,
who have come from the N. or W. to the
Holy Cityt will find an account of the
road and pools in Rte. 7 ; and having
examined these, they will ride down
the ravine along the side of the old
aqueduct, and meet us in the gardens
of Urtas, 1 m. below the pools.
The village of Urtas is situated in
a narrow glen, with high shelving
banks of limestone, naked and broken.
The bed of the glen — not above 50 or
60 yds. wide — is now a blooming gar
den, well stocked with fruit-trees.
The village is little better than a mass
of rains. But there are some remains
that point to more prosperous ages.
The foundations of a tower ; a low
wall of hewn stone ; rocks excavated
and scarped ; and tomb-like grottoes,
may be seen in the glen and along the
precipitous bank.
This is unquestionably the site of
the Etham or Etam built by Reho
boam along with Bethlehem and
Tekoa (2 Chron. xi. 6). According
to Josephus and the Rabbins it was
decorated by Solomon with gardens
and streams of water, and water was
conveyed from it in an aqueduct to
Jerusalem (Ant. viii. 7). It may be
doubted whether this is that Etam to
whose rock Samson retired after aveng
ing the savage cruelty of the Philis
tines in burning his wife and her fa
mily. There is nothing in the story
itself to indicate the locality of Etam ;
but it is not likely that Samson, after

S, Palestine. Route 11.— Khureitiin—Adullam (?).

219

making such havoc among the Philis
tines, would take refuge in any place
near their borders ; he would natu
rally flee into the strongest defiles of
his own country, such as those round
this valley. The language of Scrip
ture would apply well to this wild
glen : " Samson went down into the
cleft of the cliff Etam." The Phili
stines " went up " and invaded Judah.
The people of Judah asked them,
" Why are ye come up against us ? "
They replied, " To bind Samson are we
come up." Then 3000 men of Judah
" went down," and brought him up
from the cleft, bound with 2 new cords.
The Philistines had invaded Judah on
the W., and were encamped around
Lehi. When Samson was brought to
Lehi, bound hand and foot, the Philis
tines raised a shout of triumph ; but it
was premature, for " the Spirit of the
Lord came mightily upon him, and the
cords that were upon his arias became
as flax that was burned with fire. And
he found a new jawbone of an ass,
and put forth his hand and took it, and
slew a thousand men therewith " (Jud.
xv.). The site of Lehi is not known,
¦though a curious tradition has located
it at or near Beit Jjbrin, the ancient
Eleutheropolis. Our way to Khureitun leads down
Wady Urtas. The orchards and green
fields are soon left behind: and the
stream, too, that flows from the foun
tain amid the ruins of Etham is ere
long absorbed by the gravelly soil.
Rocky banks rise steeply from the
narrow, dry bed, and assume wilder
and sterner forms as we advance. In
about 1 hr. a glen and road from
Bethlehem fall in on the 1. We soon
after turn up a- side-ravine to the rt.,
and then crossing a shoulder of the
mountain, descend to the ruins of
Khureitun.

The Ruins and Caves of Khureitun
(Adullaml). — Wady Urtas, at the
point where we leave it, sweeps round
to the northward, and then turns sud
denly southward round the shoulder
of the mountam we have crossed.

Here, however, its features are com
pletely changed. It resembles a huge
fissure in the mountain ridge; and
reminds us of the chasm at Mar Saba.
The bottom is narrow, and encum
bered with fragments of fallen rock ;
the sides are precipitous and jagged,
scarcely affording footing to the wild
goat ; they rise up 400 or 500 ft., and
are then rounded off into bleak pla
teaus. In a cleft near the top of the
rt. bank stand the ruins of Khureitun,
consisting of the remains of a square
tower, and foundations of large hewn
stones. 'On the same side of the ravine,
about 100 yds. lower down, is the
great Cave. The door is in the face
of a cliff, and the only approach is
along a narrow ledge, across which a
fragment of rock has fallen, almost
barring the passage. Clambering over
this we reach the low door. On
entering, we squeeze through a nar
row low passage into a small irregular
grotto, where it may be as well to
leave all unnecessary raiment, for far
ther in the cave is both hot and dusty.
From hence we advance along a wind
ing gallery for some 30 ft. to the great
chamber. It is 120 ft. long, and varies
from 30 to 45 in breadth, with a high
arched roof of the natural rock. The
dimensions of this noble room can only
be seen by lighting some 2 or 3 dozen
candles (a store of which should be
laid in at Jerusalem), and attaching
them to the walls on each side. The
effect is fine. The sharp projections of
the sides, and the irregular arches and
pendants of the roof, faintly seen in
the dim light, remind one of an old
Gothic hall. Numbers of narrow pas
sages branch off from it in every
direction ; but all of them soon termi
nate with the exception of one. Along
this we proceed for 30 or 40 yds.,
lights in hand, and then reach the
side of a pit, into which we must drop
to a, depth of about 10 ft. Passing
through this, we enter another pas
sage, low, narrow, and dusty, along
which we first walk, then creep on all
fours, and finally crawl. About 70
yds. are passed by these various modes
of locomotion, and we then enter an
other large chamber, which appears to
L 2

220

Route 11. — David's Adventures.

Sect. III.

be the end of the cave ; though the
Arabs confidently affirm that it reaches
to Tekoa; some even say to Hebron.
Here may be seen on the white lime
stone walls the names of the few ex
plorers who have ventured so far
through dust and bats; and among
the rest that of a lady, the daughter
of a gallant Irish General. I would
scarcely recommend ladies, however,
to attempt such an exploit. It is bad
enough for men, and scarcely repays
the toil and inconvenience of wriggling
through the dust. The great attrac
tion of the cave is the hall, in which
and the adjoining recesses there is
ample room for several hundred men.
This cavern has been regarded by a
monastic tradition, reaching back to
the era of the crusades, as the " cave
of Adullam," in which David took
refuge after his romantic adventure at
Gath (1 Sam. xxii. 1). In a country
which abounds in caves it is somewhat
rash to select one without any very
definite data, and assert it to be that
referred to in Scripture. There can
not be a doubt, however, that this
cave, so far as its natural features are
concerned, would answer well to the
narrative. It has been argued against
its locality, that there was a town
called Adullam in the plain near the
borders of Philistia (Josh. xv. 35) ;
but still we are not sure that the cave
of Adullam was near or at the town of
Adullam ; and, indeed, it is not very
likely that David, after he had escaped
from Gath almost by a miracle, would
take up his abode so near the Philis
tines, and in the plain, too, where his
little band of freebooters would be
constantly exposed to the attacks of
superior numbers. There are other
circumstances tending to favour the
conclusion that the cave of Adullam
was at least somewhere in this moun
tain region. The wilderness of Judah
was David's favourite haunt whenever
danger threatened. While keeping
his father's sheep he had become ac
quainted with its wildest glens and
most secure " holds." His knowledge
of the defiles and passes would give
him the advantage over every pursuer,
and it would seem from the narrative

that the cave was not very far from
Bethlehem, for, when his brethren and
all his father's house heard that he
was there, " they went down thither to
him." And then " every one that was
in distress, and every one that was in
debt, and every one that was discon
tented, gathered themselves unto him,
and he became a captain over them ;
and there were with him about 400
men" (1 Sam. xxii. 1, 2). Another
incident occurred when David was in
Adullam which favours the supposi
tion that it was near Bethlehem. He
longed for " the water of the well of
Bethlehem, which is by the gate ; "
just as many an exiled Arab longs
now for the water of his native vil
lage. But Bethlehem was garrisoned
by the Philistines, and the wish of
David, to all appearance, it was im
possible to gratify. Three of his
" mighty men," however, broke through
the lines bf the enemy, drew water
from the well, and brought it in
triumph to their chief. If David was
within an hour or so of Bethlehem,
his wish to obtain some of its water
was natural, and the expedition of the
3 men was only remarkable for devo
tion and courage; but if he was a,
long day's journey off, on the borders
of the plain of Philistia, the wish
would by no means seem to accord
with David's usual prudence (2 Sam.
xxiii. 13-17; 1 Chron. xi. 15-19).
From the cave of Adullam David took
his parents across the Jordan, and
placed them in safety with his kins
men the people of Moab (1 Sam. xxii.
3-4). On a subsequent occasion David
took refuge in the wilderness of En-
gedi, and Saul with 3000 followers
went to seek him " among the rocks of
the wild goats." David had then also
taken up his quarters in a cave, not
at, but on the way to, Engedi. Into
it Saul in passing chanced to go ; and
the romantic incidents that then oc
curred may at least be studied with
something like a feeling of reality at
the mouth of this cavern, looking
down upon scenery such as nature
seems to have intended for the home
of the outlaw (1 Sam. xxiv.).

S. Palestine.

Route 11. — Frank Mountain.

221

Jebel Fureidis, the Frank Mountain,
Herodium. — Retracing our steps from
the ruins of Khureitun, we cross Wady
Urtas, and, ascending for twenty
min. the side of the bare white ridge,
reach the base of the Frank Moun
tain. The whole surrounding coun
try, though completely barren, bears
the marks of former cultivation.
The hill-sides are terraced ; and on
the plateaus along the summits the
loose stones have been gathered into
heaps, but centuries of neglect have
made the whole a wilderness. Frank
Mountain is now known among the
natives by the name of Jebel Fureidis,
"Little Paradise hill" — though it is
not easy to find out what possible
connection such a place can have with
Paradise. It is a truncated cone about
400 ft. high, rising abruptly from the
crest of a rounded ridge. The sides
are steep and regular, and appear to
have been smoothed by the hand of
man. A path, not very well defined,
leads diagonally to the summit, which
is a circle some 750 ft. in circum
ference, surrounded by a ruinous wall
of large hewn stones, with 4 heavy
round towers at the cardinal points.
The middle of this enclosure is hollow,
and appears to have been excavated.
The ruins are Roman, and were never
repaired by the Saracens; in fact
there is no appearance of the place
having been occupied since the early
centuries of our era. At the north
western base of the hill are many old
foundations and heaps of stones and
rubbish, marking the site of some
ancient town. A large tract has here
been levelled into a kind of terrace, in
the midst of which is a reservoir about
200 ft. square, having a mound in its
centre. Traces of an aqueduct are
seen coming from the N.
Such are the remains now visible
on and beside the Frank mountain,
and every visitor will doubtless ask,
"What is their story?" The name
" Frank Mountain" is known only to
Franks, and is not older than the
15th centy. It was founded on a
tradition then manufactured, that this
hill was held by the crusaders for 40
yrs. after the fall of Jerusalem. His

tory is silent on the point ; the place
bears no traces of Frank occupation,
and the position is scarcely one which
the crusaders would have thought it
worth while to hold after all else was
lost. It is highly probable, as has been
stated by Dr. Robinson, "that this
spot is the site of the fortress and city
of Herodium, erected by Herod the
Great. According to Josephus, that
place was situated about 60 stadia
from Jerusalem, and not far from
Tekoa. Here on a hill of moderate
height, having the form of a female
breast, and which he raised still higher,
or at least fashioned by artificial means,
Herod erected a fortress, having in it
royal apartments, of great strength
and splendour. At the foot of the
mountain he built other palaces for
himself and his friends; and caused-
water to be brought thither from a
distance. The whole plain or plateau
around was also covered with build
ings forming a large city, of which
the hill and fortress constituted the
acropolis." One of the toparchies of
Palestine afterwards took its name
from the town. But Herodium is
chiefly interesting as being the place
to which the body of Herod was
brought for burial from Jericho, where
he died.
Some have supposed that this is the
Beth-haccerem (" the House of the
Vineyard") mentioned by Jeremiah
(vi. 1) as a well-known beacon station ;
but there is nothing to justify this
supposition except the mere fact of the
hill's prominence. It is the only
eminence in the whole wilderness of
Judah which stands out conspicuously.
The Frank Mountain commands one
of the most extensive views of that
wilderness through which David wan
dered like one of its own native part
ridges, and with his little band pre
served his life and freedom in spite of
the attempts of Saul to kill him. The
wilderness is as waste, and as wild,
and as strong in its natural defences
now as it was then: it is probably
barer, for there *is not a tree nor a
shrub to be seen. The men too, who
inhabit those black tents that here

222

Route 12. — Valley of Roses.

Sect, lit

and there dot the white hill-sides and
gray valleys, inherit much of the
spirit of him who demanded a present
of the churlish Nabal. The guide
will point out the ruins of Tekoa, the
birthplace of Amos, crowning a ridge
some 2 m. distant on the S.W. ; and
from thence the eye wanders down
through barren hills, and barren ra
vines, to where the breaks in the cliffs
of Engedi reveal patches of the Dead
Sea ; and then up again to the great
Wall of the Moab mountains.
Our road to Bethlehem leads us
through the little village of Beit
Ta'mr, situated on a projecting ridge
amid white rocks. Its most striking
features are ruined houses and armed
men. It seems to be occupied by a
few families of the Ta'amirah, who
are too poor to possess the luxury of a
tent. Next we dive down into a
rugged glen, named after the same
tribe; and from it ascend through
terraced vineyards to Bethlehem, and
gallop back to Jerusalem. (For Beth
lehem see Rte. 9.)

ROUTE 12.
EXCURSION TO THE VALLEY OF ROSES,
Philip's fountain, and BmiR.

Jerusalem to Convent of the
Cross  0 20
'AinYaio  0 55
'Ain Haniyeh, Philip's Foun
tain  0 25
Bittir  0 40

Total

2 20

Return.
Via Wady Bittir and Beit Jala 3 0
Via 'Ain Karim, St, John's . . 2 30

This excursion forms an agreeable
morning's ride, and may be done on
good horses in 6 h., including stop
pages. Starting from the Yafa Gate,
we cross the low stony ridge to the
" Convent of the Cross," a full descrip
tion of which is given above under Jeru
salem (§ 61). We hence proceed down
a shallow wady, which the Greeks
are fast filling with vines and mul
berries, and in J h. reach the entrance
of Wady el-Werd, "the Valley i:of
Roses" — so called from its extensive
rose gardens, cultivated to make rose-
water, which is much used for sherbds.
The bottom of the glen is covered with
rose-bushes for a mile or more ; and to
these succeed olive-groves and vine
yards, and then little corn-fields. The
whole has a thrifty look ; but the
sides of the glen and the hills around
want features. On entering Wady el-
Werd we see the village of Malihah
up on the rt. ; and in 20 min. more we
reach 'Ain Yalo, a small fountain with
a heap of ruins in front of it — perhaps
an old chapel. We are now upon the
ancient road to Gaza, down which the
Ethiopian eunuch drove in his chariot.
The road must have been better then
than it is now.
'Ain Haniyeh, Philip's Fountain (?).
— The glen becomes wilder and deeper
as we advance; and the limestone
strata on each side assume the form of
terraces, on which here and there are
little strips of grain. In 25 min. we
reach 'Ain Haniyeh, a picturesque
fountain gushing out from a . semi
circular apse on the side of the road.
In front of it are some heaps of hewn
stones, with a large fragment of a
column; while a little to the N.are
four or five small shafts in a field,
standing alone. A late tradition makes
this the fountain where Philip bap
tized the Ethiopian eunuch, and ac
cordingly the Latin monks look on it
as sacred; but another tradition as
early as the time of Eusebius makes
the fountain of Beth-Sftr, on the road
to Hebron (Rte. 7), the scene of that
event, while the words of Scripture
would seem to imply that it took place
on the plain of Philistia, somewhere

S. Palestine. Route 12. — Bittir— Bether (

223

near Gaza: "The angel of the Lord
spake unto Philip, saying, ' Arise and
go toward the south, unto the way that
goeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza,
which is desert.' " And after the bap
tism Philip " was found at Azotus "
or Ashdod, on the plain near the sea-
coast (Acts viii. 26^-40).
Bittir, Bether (?). — Soon after leaving
'Ain Haniyeh we come in sight of
Bittir, a village perched on a rocky
terrace on the southern side of a
ravine of the same name. The situa
tion is commanding. The inhabitants
are scantily clothed, but profusely
armed : guns, pistols, and daggers
grace the shoulders and belts of men,
and even of boys who seem scarcely
able to carry them ; while the scowl
ing looks and rude manners give one
the impression that small provoca
tion would tempt them to use their
weapons. The houses have a crazy,
shattered look ; and are principally
composed of ancient materials. On
passing through the village we observe
some curious excavations round the
fountain ; and a tablet in the face of a
rock bears an illegible Greek inscrip
tion. About \ m. to the westward is
a conical hill called Khirbet el- Yehud,
" the Jewish ruins," in part artificial.
An old road, now greatly out of re
pair, leads up to it. Ascending, we
reach first a low neck of rock con
necting the hill with the main ridge ;
and crossing it, we clamber up the
steep slope to the summit of the
hill itself. It was a position of great
strength in former days. The rocky
sides have been scarped; the narrow
neck has been cut through, thus com
pletely isolating it ; and the summit,
about 6 acres in extent, though culti
vated in terraces and patches, is en
cumbered with immense heaps of
stones, and here and there are seen the
remains of buildings and of the ex
terior walls.
The name and the strength of the
position would seem to identify this
site with the ancient city of Bether,
where the Jews, under Bar-Cochba,
" Son of a Star," made their last stand
against the Romans in the time of the

Emperor Hadrian (A.D. 135). _ Our
only information as to the situation of
Bether is the incidental remark of
Eusebius that it was not far from
Jerusalem; but whether N., S., E., or
W. does not appear. The descriptions
in Jewish writers both of the city and
siege are as usual greatly exaggerated.
It contained, they say, 400 syna
gogues ; in each 400 teachers ; and in
the smallest 400 scholars. The siege
lasted 3 j years; and on the capture of
the city 800,000 persons were slain ;
the horses waded up to thefr bridles
in blood; and the rivers of blood
along the street were so strong as to
carry away stones of 4 pounds weight !
Thousands of Jews were taken cap
tive, and sold as slaves under the
oak of Mamre. (See Robinson's Re
searches, iii. p. 268.) (Rte. 7.)
In returning to Jerusalem we may
either ride up Wady Bittir and over
the hill to Beit Jala, and thence by
Rachel's Tomb — about 3 h. ; or we
may go by the little village of Wel-
ejeh, to 'Ain Karim, and Jerusalem —
about 2£ h. fast riding.
'Ain Kdrim is a flourishing village,
situated on the 1. bank of Wady Beit
Hanina. In the midst of it, on a
platform, stands the Franciscan Con
vent of St. John in the Desert. The
church is large and handsome, and
includes the site of the house of Za-
charias, where John Baptist was born.
It is in a grotto, like all other holy
places ; and is profusely ornamented
with marble, bas-reliefs, and paintings.
In the centre of the pavement is a slab
with the inscription —
Hie precursor Domini natus est.
About 1 m. distant is the place
known to the Latins by the name of
the Visitation. It is situated on the
slope of a hill, where Zacharias had a
country house. Tradition says that
the Virgin Mary on her visit first went
to Elizabeth's village residence, but,
not finding her there, proceeded to
that in the country, where took place
the interview related in Luke i. 39-55.
The spot is marked by the ruins of a

224

Route 13. — Coast of Dead Sea.

Sect. III.

chapel, said to have been built by
Helena. About 1 m. farther is the
grotto of St. John, containing a little
fountain, beside which the place is
shown where he was accustomed to
rest !
'Ain Karim is doubtless the Karem
of the interpolated verse of the Sep-
tuagint (Josh. xv. 59). It is also men
tioned by Jerome.

ROUTE 13.
EXCURSION ALONG THE WESTERN SHORE
OF THE DEAD SEA. II . M.
Jerusalem to Teku'a, Tekoa . . 4 0
Bereikut, Beraahah .. .. 0 45
Khulil, Hebron  4 0
Kflrmfll, Carmel  2 40
Jebel Usdum  11 0
Masada (Sebbeh)  5 10
'Ain Jidy, Engedi  4 50
'AinTerabeh  6 0
'Ain el-Feshkhah  4 20
Mar Saba  4 30
Jerusalem  2 30

Total ..49 45
This is an excursion particularly in
teresting to the geologist. It will
afford him an opportunity of studying
the formation of the whole western
shore of the Dead Sea, from the salt
hills of Usdum to the plain of Jericho.
It is scarcely too much to say that no
spot in the world is more deserving of
the careful examination of scientific
men. It would surely be a matter
of no little interest to ascertain fully
what traces of recent volcanic action
exist along the Dead Sea coast,
and whether these seem sufficient to

warrant the supposition already ad
vanced (Rte. 9), that the overthrow of
the "Cities of the Plain," and the
enlargement of the lake, were accom
panied or accomplished by an earth
quake. But independent of geology this
tour has many attractions. It affords
a view of the most remarkable lake in
the world, and of the scene of the most
signal display of Divine wrath in the
world's history. It has attractions for
the lover of natural scenery, who
would contemplate nature in its wildest
forms; it has attractions for the stu
dent of Jewish history, for we scale
the "rocks of the wild goats" among
which David wandered at Engedi,
and the still loftier cliff of Masada,
where was enacted the last scene of
the great Jewish tragedy ; and it has
attractions, too, for the adventurous
traveller who would encounter the
Bedawin in their wilderness homes,
and who would share their toils, their
privations, and something of their
dangers. The whole tour, if well arranged and
conducted, need only occupy six days.
The road however is bad, accidents to
baggage animals may occur, and some
points may require close inspection, so
that it may be as well to allow a
margin of two or three days more. An
escort is indispensable, for the Beda
win permit no stranger to traverse
their territory who has not first se
cured by a subsidy the protection of
their chiefs. The escort ought only
to be engaged through the agency, or
at least the advice of the English
consul at Jerusalem. He can tell the
state of the country, and what tribe or
tribes may have power for the time to
conduct the traveller. The amount
required for guides and safe conduct
cannot be indicated beforehand. Much
will depend on the number, rank, and
object of the party. The consul, how
ever, will be able to state what would
be a fair sum. It should be distinctly
understood that whatever sum is agreed
upon covers all demands whatsoever,
except, of course, the inevitable bakh
shish. . . . This journey ought not to
be undertaken after the 1st of May, or

S. Palestine.

Route 13.— Telwa.

225

before the middle of October, except
the season be unusually cool.
The first stage is Hebron, and such
as have not yet visited that place will
take the direct road described in
Rte. 7. I may also here observe that
those who make this long excursion
may visit at the same time the Jordan
and Jericho, and thus accomplish all
aimed at in Rte. 9. For the sake of
travellers who have already traversed
the ordinary Hebron road in their
way from the desert, we shall now go
by Tekoa.
We proceed first to Bethlehem (see
Rtes. 7 and 9), and thence take the
rough path across Wadys Ta'amirah
and Urtas (Rte. 11) to
Teku'a, the ancient Tekoa. The
ruins of this old oity are situated on
the broad summit of a ridge, and cover
a space of 4 or 5 acres. They consist
chiefly of the foundations of houses
constructed of large hewn stones, some
of them bevelled. At the N.E. are
the remains of a square tower, occupy
ing a very commanding position ; and
near the middle of the site are the
ruins of a Greek church, with several
broken columns and a baptismal font
of rose-coloured limestone. There are
also many cisterns excavated in the
rock, and not far off is a spring of
water — a notable feature in this thirsty
region. The high situation of Tekoa
affords a wide view over the wilder
ness of Judaea. Close on the N. is the
ravine of Urtas, and its continuation
Khureitun, cutting deeply through the
hills down to the Dead Sea ; on the S.
is another ravine, equally deep and
wild, called Wady Jehar ; and through
the openings they make in the distant
cliffs we obtain glimpses of the sea
itself. Here then we have all that remains
— shapeless, deserted ruins — of the
Tekoa of the Old Testament, from
whence Joab called the "wise wo
man " to plead with David on behalf
of Absalom (2 Sam. xiv. 1-20). It
was subsequently rebuilt or fortified
by Rehoboam along with Bethlehem
and Etam (2 Chron. xi. 6). But
Tekoa is chiefly interesting as the

home of the prophet Amos. Among
the mountains and. glens now round us
Amos kept his sheep, and gathered
wild fruit, until the Lord called him to
a nobler office. Amos has written,
" I was no prophet, neither was I a
prophet's son ; but I was an herdman
(of Tekoa), and a gatherer of wild figs :
and the Lord took me as I followed
the flock, and the Lord said unto me,
Go, prophesy unto my people Israel."
(Amos i. 1, vii. 14, 15.) The identity
of the site is sufficiently established
by the name, and the statement of
Jerome that it was 6 m. S. of Bethle
hem. In the beginning of the 6th
centy. Sabas, the founder of Mar Saba,
established here a new convent, which,
soon after his death, became the scene
of fierce contentions between the Mono-
physites and tho Orthodox. In the
time of the crusades Tekoa was inha
bited by a large Christian population,
who afforded considerable assistance
to the Franks during the first siege of
Jerusalem ; and the place was after
wards assigned by kmg Fulco to the
canons of the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre. In the year 1138 the vil
lage was sacked by a party of Turks
from beyond the Jordan ; but the in
habitants had mostly taken refuge in
the great cave of Khureitun (Rte. 11).
Since that time Tekoa has been unin
habited. The direct road from Tekoa to
Hebron takes about 3| h. smart rid
ing. The scenery of some of the glens
is exceedingly fine, but there is no
thing of any antiquarian or historic
interest. We may, therefore, turn
westward across the table-land for 2
m., to the ruins of Bereikut, situated
on the western side of a valley of the
same name, which falls into Wady
Jehar farther eastward. The ruins
cover a small eminence, and are 3 or 4
acres in extent. They are almost all
prostrate, but they bear the marks of
great antiquity. On the S. side are
the remains of a strong building of
large bevelled stones ; and among the
ruins are 8 or 10 cisterns hewn in
the rock. The valley beneath is broad
and open. L 3

226*

Route 13. — Valley of Berachdh.

Sect. lit

Thete (iah scarcely be a doubt that
this is the " Valley of Berachdh," the
scene of one of the most remarkable
incidents in Jewish history. In the
days of king Jehoshaphat the Moabites,
Ammonites, and other tribes from be
yond the Jordan assembled their forces
at Engedi to attack Jerusalem. All
Israel trembled ; but Jehoshaphat
prayed to that God who had delivered
his people in former days. His prayer
was heard and answered. He was
ordered to lead his forces out against
the enemy ; and was encouraged by
these remarkable words, " Ye shall not
need to fight in this battle ; set your
selves, .stand ye still, and see the sal
vation of the Lord." The Israelites
marched to the " wilderness of Tekoa."
When they reached " the watch-tower
in the wilderness," doubtless situated
on some of these neighbouring emi
nences, " they looked upon the multi
tude of their enemies, and behold they
were dead bodies fallen to the earth."
Jehoshaphat, according to the custom of
the times — a custom too closely fol
lowed by Bedawin now — plundered
and stripped the slain. Three days
were occupied in gathering the spoils ;
"and on the fourth day they assem
bled themselves in the valley of Be
rachdh (' Blessing ') ; for there they
blessed the Lord ; therefore the name
of the same place was called the Val
ley of Berachah unto this day." And
the name clings to it in om- day — a
standing testimony to the truth of
Scripture, and a memorial of the good
ness and power of God (2 Chron.
xx. 1-30).
About \ h. S.W. of Bureikat we
Btrike the road from Jerusalem to He
bron. (See Rte. 7.)
Hebron is described in Rte. 6.
The next stage is Kurmul — about
2 h. 40 min. on horses.
The country round Kflrmill, and
the road thence to Jebel Usdum are
described in Rte. 4.
The next stage is a long one ; from
Ktumul to Wady Zuweireh being
nearly 11 h. for horses. There is
water near the place where we emerge

from the ravine of Zuweireh on tho
shore of the lake, and here it may be
as well to encamp. The spot chosen
by. Dr. Robinson is excellent — it was
a narrow wild side glen, called Nejd,
about 20 min. from the mouth of Wady
Zuweireh, where no wandering robbers
could see the camp fires. The range
of salt hills, called Jebel Usdum, ex
tends on the rt. from the mouth of
the wady, leaving between their
base and the sea a narrow strip of
plain, covered with.shrubs of the acacia
and tamarisk. At the northern base of
this ridge M. de Saulcy. professes to
have made one of his most wonderful
discoveries. Here in fact he found
the remains of the long-lost Sodom,
which most people before his time
believed to be buried beneath the
waves of the Dead Sea. The traveller
will doubtless wish to take a glance at
them to satisfy his own eyes. He will
see the high cliffs of the salt hills, and
the large boulders that have fallen
down from them; and the rocky .beds
of the little watercourses ; but any
thing like ruins he will search for in
vain. Near the mouth of Wady Zuweireh
are the ruins of a small fort, perched
on the top of a detached tell. At the
base of the tell is an enclosure with a
pointed arched doorway; while oppo
site, on the S. side of the valley, is
a large excavated chamber. These
ruins may be as old as the crusades,
and they probably mark the site of
still older buildings.
In Wady Zuweireh M. de Saulcy
thinks he has identified' the Zoar of
Scripture ; that " little " city to which
Lot fled from Sodom ; but the Hebrew
and Arabic names, Zuweireh and Zoar,
have no analogy, however they may
resemble each other in English. For
the site of Zoar see Rte. 4.
A short distance S. of Wady Zu
weireh is Wady Mohawat, where Mr.
Tristram saw the remarkable geolo
gical phenomena above described (p.
193), which may perhaps prove to be
a reiic of the conflagration which de
stroyed the cities of the plain. It
certainly deserves a visit and a close

S. Palestine.

Route 13. — .

227

examination. " It is," Says Tristram,
"a broad, deep, dry ravine. . . . the
principal channel of the drainage of
the wilderness of Judaaa, south-east of
Beersheba. Though not the deepest
it was the finest gorge we had yet
met with, from its width and the bold
sweep of many of its turns." After
describing the layers of bitumen and
sulphur, he says, " The whole appear
ance points to a shower of hot sulphur
and an eruption of bitumen upon it,
which would naturally be calcined
and impregnated by its fumes; and
this at a geological period quite subse
quent to all the diluvial and alluvial
action of which we have such abun
dant evidence. . . . The traces are
extremely local, not extending to the
neighbouring wadys, nor very far up
this one."
Our path now lies along the coast
northward, between the cliffs and the
sea. About 1 m. from the mouth of
Wady Zuweireh we observe a lofty
ragged peak on the left, which De
Saulcy and Van de Velde represent
as an extinct crater. There is no
crater in this region, however. The
silex and ironstone nodules were mis
taken for lava.
J h. farther, near a ravine called
Nejd, De Saulcy speaks of a " lava-
stream ;" though none of these phe
nomena were noticed by Dr. Ander
son ; and Mr. Tristram has since shown
that none of them exist. In 40 min.
more we reach the opening of a deep
and wild ravine called Wady Mubugh-
ghik, the " Emberrheg " of De Saulcy.
The chffs are here more than 1000 ft.
high ; and the ravines that open into
the valley are deeply cut into them,
their sides being almost perpendicular.
A few yards up the wady bearing this
euphonious name, on the S. bank, is a
fountain of good water. It is a ro
mantic spot, verdant with reeds and
acacias, and shut in by high cliffs
Were it not for the myriads of mus-
quitoes, and other insects and reptiles
that swarm about it, it might make an
agreeable camping-ground; but the
hardy traveller who pitches here, if he

would sleep any, had better speedily
set up his " Levinge." The rains of a-
little square tower, on the top of a
hillock, and of an aqueduct near it,
may still be traced. De Saulcy iden^
tifies these as the remains of the an
cient Thamara ; " evident signs of
which primitive appellation " he thinks
he can discover in the present name
Mubughghik. From hence to Sebbeh is 3 hrs. 40
min. The road lies near the shore,
along- the strip of comparatively level
ground between it and the cliffs. It
is here and there intersected by ra
vines, but presents no serious difficulty
to those accustomed to the paths of
Palestine.

Masada, now called Sebbeh, is situ
ated on a rock from 1200 to 1500 ft.
in height, separated from the adjoin
ing range of mountains by deep ra
vines on the N. and S., and attached
to them on the W. by a narrow neck
about two-thirds of its height. It
projects considerably beyond the line
of cliffs, which it also overtops, so that
its boldness and grandeur are en
hanced by its being in a great measure
isolated. On the sea-side it rises, in
some places perpendicularly, to the
height of 600 or 700 ft. ; and in others,
where the ascent is more gradual,
access to the summit is cut off by belts
of cliff from 20 to 100 ft. high. The
top is slightly pyramidal, and looks as
if it had been scarped. The rock is
separated from the sea by a delta of
sand and detritus upwards of 2 m.
wide, which is thus described by
Tristram, — ¦" The two miles of rugged
slope that lay between our path and
the sea . . . are formed of a soft,
while, and very salt deposit, torn and
furrowed by winter torrents in every
direction, which have left fantastic
ruins and castles of olden shape, flat-
topped mamelons, cairns, and every
imaginable form into which a wild
fancy could have moulded matter,
standing in a labyrinth, north and
south, before and behind us." The
ruins which crown Sebbeh were seen by
Dr. Robinson from the cliffs of En-

228

Route 13.— Masada.

Sect. III.

gedi, and afterwards identified by him
with the ancient Masada. The story
of this desert fortress will be best told
amid the rains on its summit, where
the scene of every act in the tragedy
is before our eyes.
The ascent of Sebbeh can be made
in about f h. from the beach. The
path, narrow and winding, runs up
the face of the cliff beyond the ravine
on the N. side. We thus reach the
top of the ridge to the W. of the rock ;
and then, descending a little, we cross
the narrow neck. The pyramidal
summit is still high above us, and
both hands and feet must be occasion
ally used ere we gain its brow. But
once there, we feel amply repaid for
the toil. The chasms on each side ;
the precipice in front ; the purple-
tinted peaks and cliffs around ; the
Dead Sea unfolding itself before us
from the mouth of the Jordan to the
salt-hills of Usdum; the mountain
range of Moab rising in broken
masses from the bosom of the sea on
the E., and running along the hori
zon rt. and 1. like a gigantic wall —
these make up a picture of stem
grandeur unequalled perhaps in the
world. There is no beauty in it ; but
there is a wild magnificence more
impressive than beauty. It seems to
bear on every feature the impress of
Heaven's vengeance.
A portion of the summit of Sebbeh
on the N.W. is nearly level ; and,
including the broken ground on the
S. side, the platform available for
building measures about 1000 yds. by
400. The entrance to this platform
is just below the western edge, through
a gateway with a pointed arch. The
remains of the ancient fortress are
neither extensive nor remarkable.
They have something of a modern
look, too, which disappoints us. The
masonry, except in one or two parts
of the exterior defences, is rough —
the stones being loosely put together,
and the interstices filled in with
little fragments. This, combined
with the pointed arches, almost forces
one to the conclusion that the present
remains are not older than the cru
sades ; but history makes no mention

of any occupation since the Roman
age. There are 4 buildings still in
part standing — 2 just N. of the en
trance on the W. side of the platform ;
another towards the middle; and a
fourth at the northern end. The first
has some pretensions to architectural
effect ; the entrance gateway formed
part of it; and we observe on the
stones of the arch rude cuttings—
perhaps masons' marks — resembling
Greek letters, and one not unlike the
sign of the planet Venus 9 . The ruin
towards the middle of the platform
reminds one of a ch., the principal
chamber having a semicircular apse at
its eastern end. The interior walls
are covered with a very hard plaster,
so studded with fragments of smooth
pottery as to resemble rude mosaic. It
had once a mosaic pavement. At the
northern extremity of the area, some
50 ft. below the summit, is a curious
round tower with double walls of
great strength, but now inaccessible.
On a terrace still lower down is a
large quadrangular ruin. The pro
jecting ledge on which these outworks
stand may probably be the " white
promontory" mentioned by Josephus.
The remains of a strong wall can still
be traced round the whole summit.
The most ancient parts of the fortress
seem to be those on the N. ; though
the whole is now in such a state of
utter ruin that it is impossible to
trace fully even the outlines of the
various buildings. There are 3 large
cisterns for rain-water hewn in the
rock; one on the N. is about 40 ft.
square by 20 deep ; another at the
S.W. is the largest, being 100 ft. long,
40 broad, and 50 deep, still covered
with white cement ; the remaining one
to the E. of the latter is smaller. The
only other remains worthy of our
attention are those of a wall encircling
the rock. Every part of it can be
traced by the eye from the summit,
away on the beach far below, and
along the cliffs and hill-sides around.
Connected with this wall are the
camps formed long centuries ago by
the besieging armies, and still com
plete. The principal ones are on the
N.W. and S.W. sides.

S. Palestine.

Route 13. — .

229

We are now prepared for the story
of this strange desert fortress. We
may read it as we sit amid its ruins,
where not a shrub, nor a blade of
grass, nor a solitary creeping plant can
be seen. The Fortress of Masada was
first built by Jonathan Maccabseus in
the 2nd centy. b.o. Herod the Great
afterwards added so much to the
extent and strength of the ramparts
as to render the place impregnable —
intending it as a refuge for himself in
case of danger. The description given
of it by Josephus is accurate and full.
It was situated on a rock overlooking
the Dead Sea, encompassed by valleys
of almost unfathomable depth, and it
was only accessible by two rock-hewn
paths— one on the W., which is now
alone practicable, and the other on the
E. side carried up from the shore by
zigzags out in the precipice. The
summit was a plain, surrounded by a
wall 7 stadia in circuit. Besides the
fortifications and cisterns, Herod built
on the N. and W. sides a palace and
baths, adorned with columns and por
ticoes. The interior was left free for
cultivation, so that the garrison might
be able in some measure to raise their
own food. The jealous and ¦ timid
monarch laid up in the fortress im
mense stores of arms and provisions.
Not long before the siege of Jerusa
lem by Titus the Sicarii got possession
of Masada and its treasures by strata
gem. The Sicarii (" Robbers," " Free
booters," something like the Spanish
Guerrilla bands during the Peninsular
war) were Jews, who, loving their
country and their freedom, if not
wisely, at least too well, devoted their
lives to the avenging of their wrongs
upon the Romans, at all times, and by
all possible means. As evils accumu
lated on their unfortunate country they
became reckless as they were daring,
so that the separating line between
friend and foe was not very distinctly
marked. The whole country was laid
under contribution and trembled at
their name. After the destruction of
Jerusalem, the fortresses of Masada,
Herodium, and Machserus, all in the
hands of the Sicarii, were the only
places that held out against the Ro

mans. The two latter soon surrendered
to the general Lucilius Bassus; and
his successor Flavius Silva at length
laid siege to Masada. The fortress
was commanded by Eleazer, a skil
ful and intrepid soldier. The Romans
first encircled the cliff by a wall,
so as to prevent all possibility ' of
escape from within, or succour from
without. Encampments were fixed
at the most convenient points. Their
positions are still distinctly marked
on the plain at the base of the
rock, and on the tops of the ridges
towards the N.W. and S.W. The siege
operations were commenced with the
characteristic skill and perseverance
of the Romans. The attack was directed
against the western side, where alone
the fortress was assailable ; and Silva
established his own quarters near the
point where the iBthmus of rock joins
the ridge. A heavy tower on the
eastern side of the isthmus, which de
fended the pass, was first taken. Be
hind it, on the N, may be observed a
projecting ledge; here the Romans
raised by immense labour a mound of
earth and stones, and then constructed
on the top of it an iron-cased tower,
which completely commanded the ad
joining walls of the fortress. The
Jews were thus driven off the ramparts
on the western side; and battering
rams played upon the walls. But
before a practicable breach could be
made, the besieged had formed an
inner defence of wooden beams and
earth, upon which engines could make
no impression. But a more powerful
agent was employed. Silva ordered
his soldiers to hurl against this new
wall a number of lighted torches. It
soon caught fire. An adverse wind,
however, blew the flames in the face of
the besiegers, threatening with instant
destruction all thefr military engines.
Retreating in confusion, the Romans
began to despair— when, just at that
moment, "as if by Divine interposi
tion," says the Jewish historian, the
wind changed, and blew strong in an
opposite direction. The new wall was
soon a mass of ruins, and the fortress
open to a direct assault. Rejoicing in
their success, the Romans retired for

230

Route 13. -^-Terrible Tragedy,

Sect. 1IL

the night to tbeir camp, resolved to
storm the place on the following day.
' Every precaution was taken to prevent
a single soldier of the garrison from
effecting his escape. But such vigi*
lance was unnecessary.
The garrison now consisted of
only 967 persons, including women
and children. They had exhausted
every resource in the hope of baffling
the Romans. Their last defence was
before their eyes a smouldering heap of
ruins. A high wall and a vigilant
army encircled the rock on which they
stood. From the enemy nothing
could be expected but death for the
men, outrage for the women, and
slavery for the children. Driven to
despair Eleazer assembled the bravest
of his band, and thus in substance
addressed them : — " We have long
since resolved, my comrades, never to
serve the Romans, never to serve any
but God. The time has come to act
as we have resolved. We were the
first to oppose the enemies of our coun
try — we are the last to resist them.
But the time for resistance is gone. If
to-morrow's sun rise upon us we are all
lost. We shall then no longer have
the power to die- honourably and free.
God himself has declared against us —
He has abandoned our nation. Had
we not been accursed of Heaven, would
He have permitted the destruction of
our Holy City? We, the last of our
race, are crushed by his anger. This
impregnable fortress — what protection
has it afforded us? These warlike
stores, these arms — what have we been
able to achieve by them? The flame
that threatened our enemies, God
turned on ourselves. If we have guilt
to expiate, let not the Romans have
the satisfaction of being the instru
ments of Divine wrath — let us be our
selves the instruments. Our wives
will thus escape outrage, our children
will thus escape slavery ; we shall
thus preserve our freedom and win a
glorious sepulture."
But nature and affection were more
powerful than the eloquence of Ele
azer. The hearts of the stem soldiers
recoiled from the thought of slaying
those dearer to them than -life. Ele

azer, however, followed up his stirring'
speech with one still more stirring.
Inspired with the determination to gain
his object, he adopted a more elevated
strain, mixing the bitterest invectives-
with the loftiest hopes. " Most griev
ously was I deceived," he said, " in
thinking I was aiding brave men in
their struggles for freedom — men de
termined to live with honour or to die.
Ye are, it seems, no better than the
common herd in courage or fortitude
— afraid even of the death which
would deliver you from the greatest of
calamities. The precepts given us by
Heaven, and confirmed by the noble
sentiments of our forefathers, teach
us that life, and not death, is a mis
fortune. Death gives liberty to the
soul. Death frees it at once from all
the ills that afflict it on earth, and in
troduces it to its proper sphere of
communion with God. Contrast this
bliss of Heaven with the horrors his
tory shows us the Romans have in
store for us, for om- wives, for om- chil
dren, if we survive till to-morrow's
dawn. Call to mind the cruelties per
petrated on our brethren in Csesarea,
in Scythopolis, in Damascus, and in
Jerusalem. Our hands are yet free to
grasp the sword. To-morrow they
will be bound, and we shall be com
pelled to listen in helpless misery to
the imploring cry of wives and chil
dren. Let us die, then, together, as
freemen ought to die ! "
These words drove the whole gar
rison to frenzy. They convulsively
embraced their wives and children — ¦
for a moment lavished on them every
term of endearment, and then plunged
their swords into their hearts. This
scene of carnage finished, they heaped
up all the treasures of the fortress in
one enormous pile and burned them to
ashes. Ten of thefr number wero
next chosen by lot to kill the rest.
The victims calmly laid themselves
down, each beside his fallen wife and
children, and clasping their corpses in
his arms, presented his throat to the
executioner. The remaining ten now
drew lots for one who, after killing his
companions, should destroy himself.
The nine were slain, and he who stood

S. PALESTINE

Route l&.—Etigedi.

231

singly and last, having inspected the
prostrate multitude to see that not one
breathed, fired the palace, drove his
sword through his body, and fell down
beside his family !
Thus perished 960 persons on the
rock on- which we now stand. Even
after the lapse of 18 centuries we can
scarcely look on the scene of such a
fearful tragedy without a thrill, of
horror. The deluded garrison believed
that all should thus perish together ;
but they were deceived — there re
mained still a few to tell the awful
tale. An elderly woman, and another
of superior education (a relative of
Eleazer), with 5 children, had con
cealed themselves in the vaults, and
thus escaped. The Romans, ignorant
of what had occurred, were under arms
by break of day, and immediately ad
vanced to the attack. They antici
pated a fierce resistance, and prepared
for a still fiercer onset. But on reach
ing the summit no enemy appeared — ¦
no sound was heard save the crackling
of the flames amid the palace-walls.
They raised a shout, and the women
hearing the noise came out from their
retreat and told them the sad tale.
They would not believe it ; but the
women and children pointed wildly to
the burning palace. A passage was
soon opened to the interior, and there
all that remained to the conquerors
were the bleeding corpses of the gar
rison. The provisions had been left
untouched, to show the Romans that
the garrison had not yielded to famine,
but that they had preferred death to
submission (Joseph., Bel. Jud. vii.
8,9). After this tragedy the name of
Masada entirely disappeared from his
tory, and the first to identify its site,
and revive its story, was Dr. Robin
son. .
On leaving the base of the great rook
of Sebbeh, our northward path leads
over the undulating plain towards the
shore. In less than two hours we
reach Wady Seyal, into which we
descend by a series of terraces formed
by the action of the winter torrents.
The strata of the delta can here be

studied to advantage, being sharply
cut through by the glen. They con
sist chiefly of a chalky detritus, inter
mixed with beds of gypsum and layers
of salt and salt clay. N. of Wady
Seyal the plain becomes much nar
rower. In 1J hr. more the road crosses
Wady Khuderah ; and, with the delta
formed by this ravine, the plain of
Masada, as we may call it, terminates.
The sea now approaches close to tho
mountains, and at the angle thus
formed is a large natural depression
near the shore, called Birket el-Khulil,
" The Pool of Khulil," or " Abraham."
It is a salt marsh, flooded during
the time of high sea in spring. Soon
after the fall of the . water a crust
of impure salt forms upon the surface
and is collected by the Arabs. Pieces
of sulphur and bitumen are seen along
the shore ; and, on the whole, this
" pool of Abraham " may be regarded
as a modem representative of the slime-
pits of Sodom (Gen. xiv. 10). Between
this place and 'Ain Jidy — the chffs
along the shore vary from 1200 to
1500 ft. in height, thus about averag
ing the level of the Mediterranean,
They are divided at midway by Wady
'Areijeh, a wild chasm which cleaves
the mountain range almost to its base.
Within it is a fountain which sends
forth a copious stream, but it is lost in
the thirsty soil ere it reaches the
lake.

Engedi, in Arabic 'Ain Jidy — both
names having the same meaning, " the
Fountain of the Kid." On approach
ing this ancient site from the S. we
pass a, ravine called Wady el-Ghar,
and enter a, rich plain about J m.
square ; sloping very gently from the
declivity of the mountains on the 1. to
the shore on the rt. ; and shut in on
the N. by the cliffs of Wady Sudefr,
which are among the highest along
the western coast. About 1 m. up the
mountam side, and at an elevation of
some 400 ft. above the plain, is the
fountain of 'Ain Jidy, from which the
place gets its name. The water is
pm-e and sweet, though the tempera
ture is as high as 81° Fahr. It bursts

232

Route 13. — Engedi.

3ect. 111.

from the limestone rock, and rushes
down the steep descent, fretted with
many a 'rock and crag, but garlanded
with belts of acacia, mimosa, and
lotus. On reaching the plain the
brook runs across it in nearly a straight
line to the sea, between thickets of
cane. During the greater part of the
year, however, it is absorbed ere it
reaches the shore. The banks are now
cultivated to some extent by the Arabs
Rashaideh, who generally encamp in
the neighbourhood. The soil is exceed
ingly fertile, and in this climate, with
culture and irrigation, it might be
made to produce almost anything —
even the rarest fruits of tropical climes.
Traces of the ancient city exist here
and there upon the plain, and lower
declivity of the mountain, on the S.
side of the brook. They are rude and
uninteresting, consisting merely of
foundations and shapeless heaps of
unhewn stones. The most convenient
place for encamping is by the stream
at the foot of the pass, as here we can
examine at leisure the remains and
site of Engedi, and the shore of the
Dead Sea below. Our way in going
northward will lead us past the foun
tain itself, as the high hill N. of the
little plain projects into the sea, cutting
off all means of progress along the
shore. Such is the site, and such are the
ruins, of the city of Engedi. Its
original name was Hazazon-Tamar,
" Pruning of the Palm," doubtless
because it was celebrated from a very
early period for its palm-trees. It
was immediately after an assault
upon the "Amorites that dwelt in
Hazazon-Tamar" that the five Meso-
potamian kings were attacked by
the rulers of Sodom and the other
cities of the plain (Gen. xiv. 7.
Comp. 2 Chron. xx. 2). Under its
adopted name Engedi it is mentioned
as a city of Judah, and gives a dis
tinctive title to that part of the desert
to which David withdrew for fear of
Saul. It is more than probable that
the fountain was always called En
gedi ; and that the ancient town built
on the little plain below it came in time
to take its name. Saul was told that

David was in the " wilderness of En
gedi ; " and he took " three thousand
men and went to seek David and his
men upon the rocks of the wild goats "
(Josh. xv. 62 ; 1 Sam. xxiv. 1-4). These
animals still inhabit the cliffs above
and around the fountain ; the Arabs
call them Beden. At a later period
Engedi was the gathering-place of the
bands of Moabites and Ammonites who
went up against Jerusalem, and after
wards fell, as we have seen, in the
valley of Berachah (2 Chron. xx. 2).
It is remarkable, as tending to show
the permanence of everything in the
East, that this is the usual route taken
at the present day by such predatory
bands of Arabs from Moab as make
incursions into Southern Palestine.
They sweep round the S. end of the
Dead Sea, then up the comparatively
easy road along its western shore to
'Ain Jidy, and thence toward Hebron,
Tekoa, Bethlehem, or Jerusalem, as
the prospects of plunder seem most
inviting. The vineyards of Engedi are cele
brated by Solomon: "My beloved is
unto me as a cluster of camphor in the
vineyards of Engedi" (Cant. i. 14) ;
and the palm-groves and balsam by
Josephus and Pliny. But the vine
yards no longer clothe the mountain
side, and neither palm-tree nor balsam
is seen on the plain. In the 4th centy.
of our era there was still a large village
here ; not long afterwards, however, it
appears to have been abandoned, for
there is no reference to it in history,
nor are there any traces of recent
habitation. Tristram visited Engedi in January,
and was charmed with its climate.
With something of enthusiasm he thus
describes the place : — " The dryness of
Engedi is something extraordinary.
.... And yet it is by no me#ns oppres
sively hot. The maximum thermo
meter in the shade in 4 days was 86°,
the day average 72°, the mininum at
night as low as 45°. But we all felt
an indescribable elasticity and capacity
for physical work. The pressure of the
atmosphere at this depth must supply
an extraordinary quantity of oxygen,
and one felt as if half a breath were

S. Palestine. Route 13. — Engedi — Apples of Sodom.

238

sufficient. What a sanatarium Engedi
might be made, if it were only acces
sible, and some enterprising speculator
were to establish a hydropathic esta
blishment ! Hot water, cold water, and
decidedly salt-water baths, all supplied
by nature on the spot, the hot sulphur
springs only three miles off, and some
of the grandest scenery man ever en
joyed, in an atmosphere where half a
lung is sufficient for respiration" (p.
295). On the plain of Engedi the traveller
will be able to illustrate for himself
a remarkable passage of Josephus re
lative to the fruit called apples of
Sodom. After speaking of the confla
gration of the plain, and the remaining
marks of the fire from heaven, he
adds, " There are still to be seen ashes
reproduced in fruits ; which resemble
eatable fruits in colour, but, on being
plucked with the hands, are dissolved
into smoke and ashes" (B. J. iv. 8,
4). Here beside the rivulet a tree still
grows with a singular fruit. Its Arabic
name is '0 slier, and botanists call it
Calotropis proeera. The stem is 6 or
8 in. in diameter, and the height of the
tree is from 10 to 15 ft. It has a grey
ish cork-like bark, and long, oval
leaves, which when broken off dis
charge a milky fluid. The fruit resem
bles a large smooth apple, hangs in
clusters of two or three, and has a
fresh, blooming appearance ; when
ripe it is of a rich yellow colour. But
on being pressed or struck it explodes
like a puff-ball. It is chiefly filled
with air. In the centre a slender pod
runs through it from the stem, and is
connected by delicate filaments with
the rind. The pod contains a small
quantity of fine silk with seeds. The
Arabs collect the silk and twist it
into matches for their guns ; preferring
it to the common match, because it
burns freely without sulphur.
From Engedi to 'Ain Feshkhah is
the most difficult and laborious stage
in the whole journey. The road is
about the worst in Syria. It winds up
•the mountain-side to the fountain of
'Ain Jidy (20 min.), and thence to the
summit of the ridge over it (51 min,

more). Here we obtain one of those
commanding views of the Dead Sea,
and the scenery round it, which give
this tour one of its greatest charms.
The pyramidal rock of Sebbeh stands
out boldly on the S. ; and away far
beyond it, blue-tinted by the distance,
is the salt range of Usdum. The pen
insula of Lisan is there, too, on the E.
side, low and white. Beyond it are
the ravines that furrow the Moab
mountains, with their purple shadows ;
and high up in one of them the eye
catches the town of Kerak, perched on
its rock. The river Mojib, the ancient
Arnon, falls into the sea just opposite
us, dividing the grey cliffs to their
bases. The northern Bection of the
sea and the Jordan valley are hid be
hind the bold promontory of Mersed,
not far distant from the place where
we stand.
From the top of this pass a road
leads to Tekoa, a day's journey dis
tant ; and a branch from it passes on
to Bethlehem and Jerusalem. This
road we now follow for about i m., and
then, turning to the rt., cross the
shallow bed of Wady es-Sudeir, which
a little farther down becomes a fearful
chasm. Crossing the long naked ridge which
terminates at the promontory of
Mersed, we traverse a table-land called
Husasah. The whole region is
bleak and desert — a few half-withered
shrubs appear here and there, but
nothing approaching to vegetation or
verdure can be seen. 'Rain-water is
occasionally found in little rock basins
among the cliffs, and in natural pools
in the valleys ; but fountains are un
known. The Rashaideh Arabs gener
ally encamp on this plateau.
About 4 h. from the pass of 'Ain
Jidy we reach the brink of Wady
Derejeh, " the Valley of the Stair
case," whose name indicates its
character, and would be still more
expressive if the word kharbdneh
" rained," were added as an expletive.
It is a ravine 100 ft. or more in depth,
with rugged banks. The descent is
difficult and dangerous, and the ascent
on the other side is no better. Wady
Derejeh is a continuation of Wady

234

Route 13. — Coast of Dead Sect.

Sect. 111.

Khureitun (Rte. 11). The next wady
we come to is Ta'amirah, so called
from the Arab tribe whose territory
extends along it; it commences at
Bethlehem. About \ h. beyond it a
road branches to the rt. leading down
the steep pass of Nukb Terabeh to a
fountain of the same name on the
shore. Tristram walked on foot from
'Ain Terabeh to Engedi in 7i hours
along the shore. He had thus a good
opportunity of mapping the coast line,
which is deeply indented, and of ob
serving the terraces and deposits which
mark the former levels of the water.
At one place he saw no less than eight
gravel terraces. He also discovered
beds of bitumen, and a. hot sulphur
spring (95° Fahr.) near the mouth of
Wady Shukif. This shore road is
impracticable for animals ; and even
on foot it is difficult and fatiguing.
Those who wish to examine minutely
the geological features of the cliffs, and
the detritus at their base, may descend
from the upper road to 'Ain Terabeh
and proceed along the coast to 'Ain
Ghuweir, 1J h. distant ; where, beside
the fountain of warm but sweet water,
good camping-ground will be found,
which it will be as well to make use of
for the night. From thence the path
still follows the margin of the lake (1 h.
40 min.) to the mouth of Wady en-Nar,
where it again ascends to cross the
promontory of Ras Feshkhah. Such,
however, as have no peculiar geological
calling, and no particular affection for
heat and mosquitoes, and no ambition
to venture life and limb on difficult
passes ; but who would enjoy pure air,
commanding views, and ease of body — ¦
will do better to follow the path along
the summit of the cliffs. No fountain,
it is true, here gladdens us with the
murmur of its waters, or spreads out
its little grass-plat for our tent, or
offers tempting pasturage for om-
animals ; but neither do the roar of
frogs, and the hum of insects, and the
sharp sting of mosquitoes, banish
sleep from our eyes. We ought to
push forward as far, at least, as the
cliff above 'Ain Ghuweir, ere we give
the word to halt for the night — thus
making a journey of 7 h. from Engedi,

By that time om- lively Arabs will
have discovered some obscure pool of
rain-water, sufficient to supply all our
wants. I have already said that this path
is a favourite of the Bedawy plun
derers from Moab and Edom. By it
they can penetrate far to the N. with
out exciting the attention of trouble
some villagers and garrisoned towns
farther W. Some 50 years ago, Dr.
Robinson tells us, a strong party of
Hejaya from near Petra swept along
it, and, suddenly falling upon the
flocks of Deir Duwan, drove them off
southward. The Ta'amirah, being in
league with the villagers, hastily mus
tered their forces, and attacked the
plunderers at Wady Derejeh ; but the
latter proved the strongest, and routed
the Ta'amirah with considerable
slaughter for an Arab fight. One poor
fellow, being beset on all sides, threw
himself from the top of one of the
cliffs into the valley below, and,
though much hurt, effected his escape.
Ever since there has been a blood)
feud between the Ta'amirah and the
Hejaya. The traveller and reader
will thus see that for nearly 4000 years
the character and habits of the people
of this land have remained as un
changeable as the physical features.
37 centuries ago a plundering expedi
tion from Mesopotamia carried off the
goods and herds of Lot, and of the
cities of the plain ; and retreated north
ward along, or close to, this path, with
thefr booty. Abraham pursued them
and recovered the spoil. Only J centy.
ago a similar expedition on a smaller
scale swept away the flocks of Deir
Duwan. The Ta'amirah pursued, but
were less fortunate. And this is not
a solitary instance. Not a year passes
without its forays and reprisals. The
roving tribes around Petra and Kerak
are as troublesome to the settled in
habitants of southern Palestine now,
as the Moabites, Ammonites, and
Edomites were to the Jews of old.
A fatiguing ride of about 2 h. 25
min. from the cliff over 'Ain Ghuweir
brings us to Wady en-Nar, the con
tinuation of the Kidron. Its name,

S. Palestine. Route 13.— 'Ain el-Feshkhah.

235

" Valley of Fire," is descriptive of its
aspect, for so bare and scorched is it
that it looks as if it had participated
in the doom of Sodom. It is a deep,
narrow chasm, with perpendicular
walls of limestone, which would be
impracticable to human foot if nature
had not shattered them. Scrambling
down and up again, dragging after us
our stumbling animals, we soon strike
the path on the N. bank, which leads
up to the convent of Mar Saba. The
road to it traverses a dreary waste,
close to wady en-Nar, and the distance
is 4 h. From the convent to Jeru
salem is only 2J h. more ; so that the
whole ride from 'Ain Ghuweir to Jeru
salem will occupy about 8 h. 40 min.
For a description of the Convent see
Rte. 9.
I have already stated that we may
economically include in this excursion
the points of interest described in Rte.
9, namely the northern extremity of
the Dead Sea, the Jordan, and the
sites of Gilgal and Jericho. To take
in these we climb the promontory
of Ras-el-Feshkhah ; 15 min. brings us
to the summit, 1000 ft. or more above
the sea, which washes the cliff at our
feet. The view is most commanding,
embracing the whole northern section
of the lake, and a large portion of the
Jordan valley. Nearly opposite to us,
is the ravine of Zurka M'ain, cutting
through the Moab mountains. At its
mouth are the warm springs of Callir-
rhoe. The rock of Ras Fesbkhah is
dolomite, or'magnesian limestone, of a
close firm texture, and a delicate gray
colour. The sides and base are covered
with a coating of conglomerate of
large and small fragments from the
upper cliffs, not very thick, but so
closely joined to the rock as to lead at
first to the .impression that the whole
interior of the mountain is a solid bed
of this material. Bituminous limestone
also occurs here and there.
A difficult and even dangerous
descent, of 40 min., brings us to the
fountain of 'Ain el-Feshkhah. The
water is clear and sparkling, but the
taste abominable, and tho temperature

80° Fahr. Near it on the N. are the
foundations of a little square tower and
a few other buildings. The view of
these remains wonderfully excited M.
De Saulcy; and on seeing them he
concluded in a moment that he had
discovered the site of the long-lost
Gomorrah. The place is now of some
interest ; but only because of the tem
porary halo thrown around it by the
bold theories of the French expedition,
and the hosts of needless refutations
they called forth both in France and.
England. I may add that there is not
a shadow of evidence tending to fix
the site of Gomorrah here, even were
it shown that ruins did exist. The
whole of the notices in sacred history
prove that the four cities of the plain
were near each other, and that they
were situated towards the southern
extremity of the lake. But according
to M. de Saulcy's arrangement, Sodom
and Zoar are quite close to each other
beside Jebel Usdum ; Admah is 7 or 8
m. above them high up on the moun
tains; and Gomorrah is here, nearly
40 m. northward !
From 'Ain el-Feshkhah the' bag
gage-animals may be sent direct to
Riha, nearly due N, while we follow
a track inclining eastward along the
shore. The road is level and good ;
only here and there a little spongy,
where a brackish spring oozes up
through the soil. In 2 hrs. we reach
the north-western angle of the Dead
Sea, where some little streams fall
into it amid thickets of cane and
tamarisks. 1 h. more brings us to
the Jordan, from whence we reach
Jericho in 2 hrs. For a full descrip
tion of this region, and the road to
Jerusalem, see Rte. 9.

236

Route 14. — Jerusalem to Gaza.

Sect. III.

ROUTE 14.
JERUSALEM TO ELEUTHEROPOLIS AND
GAZA. H. M.
Jerusalem to Beit Nettif . . . . 5 50
Shuweikeh, Socoh  0 35
Tell Zakariya, Azekah .. . . 1 0
Tell es-Safieh, Gath  120
Beit Jibrin, Eleutheropolis . . 2 0
Site of Mareshah.
(Hebron to Beit Jibrin, 6h.)
Ajlun, Eglon  3 30
Um Lakis, Lachish  0 45
Umeir  0 45
Ghuzzeh, Gaza  3 0

Total

18 45

The distance from Jerusalem to
Gaza is about 16 hrs. ordinary travel,
and may thus be done in 2 days,
or even less, when the only ob
ject in view is to do it. The last
half especially we may pass at a
round canter, as it is a plain. The
ancient road, existing from the time
of the Hebrew monarchy, when " a
chariot came up and went out of
Egypt for 600 shekels of silver,"
passes through Beit Jibrin (Eleuthero
polis), 8 hrs. from Jerusalem. To
such as go direct this interesting vil
lage, with its wonderful caves and
massive ruins, will form the first
stage. Caravans to Gaza now usually
follow the Yafa road to the borders of
the great plain, and then go south
ward by Ekron. I purpose, however,
to deviate from both these routes in
order to visit some places celebrated
in Scripture history, and to obtain a
more extensive view of the border
land between Philistia and Judah —
the scene of Samson's struggles. The

old [road to Gaza is now called, like
all the other leading roads through
Syria, es-Sultany, or, in free English,
" the Queen's highway ; " but lest any
traveller, deceived by such a designa
tion, should attempt to make it out
for himself, relying on finger-posts at
puzzling forks, I recommend the em
ployment of a trustworthy guide for
every step. In fact, the royal highway
is so far degenerated as not to be
distinguishable from the goat-paths
that branch off from it ; only the
latter are generally smoother.
Another way to Gaza is by Hebron,
from which Eleutheropolis is only 6
hrs. distant. The section between
Jerusalem and Hebron is described in
Rte. 7 ; and that between Hebron and
Eleutheropolis I shall farther notice
in connexion with the latter city.
(See p. 246.)
Leaving the Holy City, and skirting
the northern side of the plain of Re
phaim, we strike down Wady el-Werd,
past Philip's fountain, and soon after
wards the site of Bether is high up on
our 1., as we turn into Wady Bittir.
(See Rte. 12.) The road now winds
through deep glens down toward the
plain. Occasionally we get glorious
views through long ravines, of which
the bright sea forms the background,
melting away into the horizon. The
heights on every side are crowned
with ruins and half deserted villages,
whose names carry us back to the
days of the prophets. Among the
most conspicuous of these is Jedflr,
situated on the crest of a high ridge to
the southward — in which we recog
nise the Gedor of the mountains of
Judah (1 Chron. xii. 7). Jeb'ah, on
its conical hill in Wady Musurr, is
also visible in the same direction, but
much nearer. This is the Gibeah of
Josh. xv. 57. On this route the pecu
liar features of the " hill-country of
Judsea " are seen to the greatest ad
vantage. Here are the rounded hills
encircled by rings of gray limestone —
natural terraces which supported belts
of corn, rows of figs and olives, and
ranges of vines, in those prosperous
ages when Palestine was " a land of

S. Palestine. Route 14. — Samson's Country.

237

corn and wine, of oil-olive and honey "
(2 Kings xviii. 32). Now industry is
unknown, and nature has resumed her
sway. The corn-fields, the vineyards,
the fig and olive groves — all are gone,
except little groups round the villages;
left as if to prove what the country
might be. During spring hill and
vale are covered with thin grass and
aromatic shrubs, mixed with a profu
sion of wild flowers that give a bril
liant colouring to the landscape ; but
in autumn the rocky hills swell out in
empty, unattractive barrenness.
In about 4 hrs. we reach a little
village called 'Allar el-Foka, " the
Upper 'Allar," situated on the side of
a ridge. Below it is 'Allar es-Sifla
(the lower) with a large, old, ruined
church. On the top of a high hill
about § h. N. by W. is the large
village of Beit 'Atab, the capital of
the district. From it can be seen in a
deep valley the ruins of 'Ain esh-
Shems, the ancient Bethshemesh, 5 m.
W. ; and also Sur'ah, standing conspi
cuously on the crest of a ridge 2 m. N.
of the latter ; in which we recognise
Zorah, the birthplace of Samson.
In 20 min. more we come to a
rained khan, with the remains of a
modern hamlet beside it. From hence
the Sultany runs down Wady el-Khan
into Wady Musurr, 2 m. below : and
crossing the latter, it goes on in a
direct line to Beit Jibrin, less than 4
hrs. distant. Following the Sultany
for a few minutes, we leave it and
turn to the rt., along the ridge, and in
li h. reach Beit Nettif, situated on a
rocky crest. The view from this vil
lage is extensive and interesting. The
mountains of Judah are seen melting
gradually down into a belt of dark-
brown hills, and then into the plain of
Philistia. Away on the N. is Wady
Surar, a continuation of Beit Hanlna,
opening out from among the hills ;
and here, close on the S., is Wady
Sumt, a continuation of Musurr. Be
yond the latter, on the W. and S., is
the hill country, as distinguished from
the mountain range behind. From
Beit Nettif a great number of villages

and ruins are in view ; among which
not less than ten bear ancient names.
The traveller will do well to select an
intelligent man from among the vil
lagers, and to get him to point out such
Scripture localities as are visible. On
the N. he will thus be shown Zanu'a,
the Zanoah of Josh. xv. 34 ; Sur'ah and
'Ain esh-Shems, already referred to as
Zorah and Bethshemesh; Tibneh, behind
the hill farther to the 1., in which we
recognise the Timnath of Dan, the city
of Samson's wife, to which he went
down from Zorah ; Yarmuk, about J.
m. W., identical with the Jarmuth of
the plain of Judah (Josh. xv. 35)-; the
green truncated cone away beyond it,
called Tell Zakariya, is the site of the
Caphar Zacharia mentioned by Sozo-
men in the region of Eleutheropolis,
and probably also of the still more
ancient Azekah (Josh. xv. 35) ; Shu-
weikeh in the vale below us on the
S.W., is Shochoh where the Philistines
assembled to fight against Judah ; and
Wady es-Sumt, beside it, is the valley
of Elah, where David slew Goliath
(1 Sam. xvii. 1, 2). Among the moun
tains on the E. are still seen Gibeah
and Gedor.
We may pitch our tents here and
contemplate at leisure every feature of
this interesting country — fixing upon
the mind scenes hallowed by the pa
triotic devotion of Samson and David.
A most interesting day's excursion
may also be made from this village
through the country of Samson's boy
hood and the scene of most of his ex
ploits. The following itinerary may
serve as a guide ; while a full descrip
tion, with historical notices, will be
found in Rte. 17. Jarmuth 20 min.
Bethshemesh 1 h. ; Zorah about 1 h. ;
Tibneh, Timnath, about lj h. ; from
the latter place we may turn up Wady
es-Sumt, following the footsteps of the
fugitive Amorites, and passing on our
way the probable sites of Azekah and
Makkedah, where Joshua hanged their
5 kings (Josh1, x. — see Rte. 10, and
also below). From hence we ascend
the valley of Elah to Beit Nettif
again. ¦?From Beit Nettif the baggage can

238

Route 14. — Valley of Elah.

Sect. III.

be sent direct to Beit Jibrin, 3 hrs.
distant, while the traveller makes a
long detour down the valley of Elah
to Shuweikeh (Shochoh), Tell Zaka-
riya (Azekah), and Tell es-Safieh,
which I consider to be the site of the
long-lost Gath, the city of Goliath. A
smart ride of 5\ hrs. will take in the
whole; thus leaving ample time for
an examination of the various ruins.

Shochoh and the Valley of Elah.
From Beit Nettif we descend into
Wady es-Sumt by a path which winds
among groves of Olives; and in 20
min. reach the bottom of the valley,
here about 1 m. wide. Its direction is
about N.W., but a little farther down
it sweeps round gently to the north
ward. Through its centre winds a
broad torrent-bed, dry during summer,
but thickly covered with round peb
bles ; its banks are fringed with
shrubbery, among which grow the
sumt or acacia trees, that give the
valley its name.
Turning down the valley, and riding
for 20 min. among the corn-fields
by the side of the torrent-bed, we
observe upon the left bank, nearly \
m. above us, a natural terrace covered
with green fields (it was in spring I
saw it), and dotted with gray ruins.
This is Shuweikeh, the Shocoh of the
plain of Judah, mentioned in con
nexion with Jarmuth, Adullam, and
Azekah (Josh. xv. 35) ; and according
to Jerome situated 9 m. from Eleu
theropolis on the way to Jerusalem.
The 17th chap, of 1 Sam. should be
read on this spot, which was the
scene of the combat between David and
Goliath, and we can see how graphic
and how true are the descriptions of
the sacred historian.
" Now the Philistines gathered to
gether their armies to battle, and were
gathered together at Shochoh, which
belongeth to Judah, and pitched be
tween Shochoh and Azekah. And
Saul and the men of Israel were
gathered together and pitched by the
valley of Elah, and set the battle in
array against the Philistines. And
the Philistines stood on a mountain on

the one side, and Israel stood on a
mountam on the other side : and there
was a valley between them." The
positions of the opposing armies can
be seen at a glance. The Philis
tines were ranged along the side of
the ridge on which the ruins of Sho
choh stand, not far from that place,
but extending from it towards Azekah,
which I identify with Tell Zakariya,
the conspicuous truncated hill 2 m. to
the N.W. on the same side of the
valley. The Israelites under Saul
occupied the opposite ridge. Between
the two armies was the valley, then
called Elah from its "Terebinth"
trees, and now Sumt from its " Aca
cias." Down the 1. bank strode the
haughty Goliath, one of the last of
that race of giants that had long been
the terror of the Israelites. His
polished armour and brazen shield
glittered in the sunbeams as he ad
vanced. The eyes of all Israel were
upon him, when day after day for 40
days he cried to the trembling troops
above, " I defy the armies of Israel ;
give me a man that we may fight
together." At last David arrived in
the camp. He heard the defiance of
Goliath, and resolved to meet him.
His brothers very naturally sneered at
his presumption ; and even Saul tried
to dissuade him with kind words —
" Thou art not able to go against this
Philistine to fight with him ; for thou
art but a youth, and he a man of war
from his youth." But he was neither
daunted nor discouraged : he felt that
a greater than man was on his side.
He even refused armour and weapons ;
and with his sling and his staff and
his shepherd's bag he came fearlessly
down the hill-side. Reaching the
dry torrent - bed, he selected five
smooth stones and put them in his
bag ; the traveller will still see that
he had ample choice. Thus equipped
he advanced to meet his foe. It was
an anxious moment for the Israelites.
The chances of armour, weapons, ex
perience, bodily strength, were all
against their champion. There was
not perhaps a single heart that beat
calmly, save his who, to all appear
ance, was in greatest danger, " Am I

S. Palestine. Route a. — Azelcdh and Makkedah,

239

a dog?" said the Philistine, looking
at David's boyish face and simple
equipments, " that thou comest to me
with staves ? " "I come to thee,"
replied the youth, " in the name of
the Lord of Hosts, the God of the
armies of Israel, whom thou hast de
fied." The result is well known.
Goliath fell, his brain pierced by a
stone from the shepherd's sling. His
own sword beheaded him, and was
laid up as a trophy in Israel for many
a year afterward. When the Philis
tines saw that their champion was
killed they were seized with a sudden
panic and fled. The Israelites raised
a shout of triumph, and started in
pursuit. It was no regular retreat,
like that of a modem army which has
suffered a repulse. It was a rout ;
every one making for his own city.
The Philistines seem to have been
chiefly from Gath and Ekron; or at
least these were the strong cities to
which they fled for safety. They were
both, as we shall see, in the same.
direction (N.W.) ; and the Israelites
followed closely, cutting them down
to their very gates (1 Sam. xvii.).
Our route now leads us along the
track of the fugitive Philistines. A
ride of f h. down the green valley of
Elah brings us to the base of a hill,
forming one of the most striking
features in the district. Its sides are
steep, but cultivated in narrow ter
races that encircle them like rings;
the top is flat, and seems partly arti
ficial. The delicate green of the grain
and grass during spring contrasts well
with the dark brown copse of the
lower hills and ridges around. The
hill rises abruptly on the left bank of
the valley, its base even projecting
into it. This is Tell Zakariya, and
may probably be the site of the ancient
city of Azekah. Azekah was one of
the strongest cities in this region,
being able to withstand for a time the
power of the Babylonians (Jer. xxxiv.
7). Tell Zakariya, if fortified, could
be defended by a handful of men
against an army.
The ascent is steep and difficult ;
but the glorious view amply repays

one. The whole valley of Elah is
before us, emerging from the dark
mountains of Judasa on the S.E. ;
sweeping along in graceful green
curves past the base of the hill at our
feet ; and then onward to the N.W.,
till it opens out into the great plain.
Just at the north-western base of the
tell is the head of another valley,
separated from Wady es-Sumt by a
narrow wooded ridge. This valley,
green and beautiful as its sister, winds
away westward, past the very conspi
cuous hill called Tell es-Safieh, 3 m.
distant, on the side of the plain. The
summit of Tell Zakariya is a flat area
about 200 yards in diameter, now cul
tivated, but encumbered here and there
with old building-stones and rubbish.
On the northern side, a little below
the summit, are some ruins and caves,
such as are met with at almost all the
ancient sites in this region.
The identification of Azekah enables
us to fix the scene of another event in
Jewish history. After defeating the
Amorites at Gibeon, Joshua pursued
them down the pass of Bethhoron, aud
along the borders of the plain " to
Azekah and Makkedah" (Josh. x.
10). Hotly pressed by the Israelites,
the fugitives seem to have made for
Jarmuth, the nearest of the five allied
cities. It is on the top of the ridge,
about 2 m. E. of where we stand.
They had got up this valley of Elah
as far as Azekah and Makkedah. Here
the 5 kings, wearied by the long pur
suit, and seeing the foe close behind
them, were unable to ascend the hill
to Jarmuth, and therefore hid them
selves in a cave at Makkedah. The
site is unknown, but it could not have
been far distant from Azekah. On
the rt. bank of Wady es-Sumt, about
1 m. above the tell, is a ruin called
el-Klediah, answering to the position,
and bearing some resemblance to the
name, of Makkedah. Joshua shut up
the cave, placed a strong guard over
it, and then followed the Amorites to
the very gates of their fortified cities.
Returning to Makkedah, the Israelites
encamped there, and we may safely
assume that their camp was pitched
in this valley of Elah. The 5 kings

240

Route 14. — Gath.

Sect. III.

were brought out of the cave, hanged
on 5 trees, and their dead bodies
thrown 'back into the cave again
(Josh. x. 16-27). Makkedah was
afterwards captured and its people
exterminated. From thence the Is
raelites marched to Libnah, a site
still unknown, but apparently on the
borders of the plain to the S.W.
About 2£ m. S.-by-W. of Tell Za
kariya, among the low dark hills, is
the small village of Deir Dubbdn, "the
Convent of the Fly," beside which
are some remarkable caverns. S. of
the village are several irregular pits
15 to 20 ft. deep, with arched pas
sages in thefr sides leading into large
circular chambers excavated in the
chalky rock, varying from 10 to 20 ft.
in diameter, and having high-domed
roofs, with an aperture at the top to
admit the light. " These apartments,"
says Dr. Robinson, " are mostly in
clusters, 3 or 4 together, communi
cating with each other. Around one
pit towards the S.W. we found 16
such apartments thus connected, form
ing a sort of labyrinth. They are all
hewn very regularly ; but many are
partly broken down ; and it is not im
possible that the pits themselves may
have been caused by the falling in of
similar domes. Some of the apart
ments are ornamented, either near the
bottom, or high up, or both, with rows
of small holes or niches, like pigeon
holes, extending quite around the
wall. In the largest cluster, in the
innermost dome, a rough block of the
limestone has been left standing on
one side, 10 or 12 ft. high, as if a rude
pulpit or a pedestal for a statue. In
the same apartment are several crosses
cut in the wall ; and in another of the
same suite are several very old Cufic
inscriptions, one of which is quite
long." These caves ought to be care
fully searched for inscriptions ; and
all found, in whatever character, ought
to be copied. The probable origin
and object of such remarkable excava
tions I shall refer to below in con
nexion with Beit Jibrin, which is
about If h. S. of Deir Dubban.
Descending from Tell Zakariya

westward, we pass through the olive-
groves which surround the little vil
lage of Ajjfir ; and then turn to the rt.
into the green vaUey above referred
to. Down this we wind through corn
fields, having on each side low ridges
and rounded hills, covered with dark
brown shrubbery. The wady widens
as we advance ; the little hills become
still less ; and the great plain in front
gradually opens up. In about 1 h.
20 min. we reach Tel es-Safieh.
Tell es-Sdfieh, Gath. — This conspi
cuous tell stands on the side of the
plain of Philistia — the Shephelah of
the Bible (Deut. i. 7 ; Josh. x. 40, xv.
33, &c. ; where it is translated " the
Vale," or " Valley ") — which extends
westward to the sea ; while eastward
are the dark hills that run along the
base of the mountains of Judah. The
tell is irregular in form, its summit
rising about 100 ft. above the ridge
that joins it on the E., and perhaps
200 over the plain that sweeps its
western base. On the top are the
foundations of an old castle, and
among them a modern wely ; and
numbers of hewn stones may be seen
built up in the walls of the terraces
along the sides. On the N.E. is a
projecting shoulder, 50 or 60 ft. lower
than the summit ; its sides, which
seem to have been scarped, break
down to the valley along which we
came from the E. Here too are traces
of old buildings ; and here is situated-
the modem village, which extends
along the whole northern face of the
tell to another rocky projection on the
W. In the walls of the houses are
many old stones, and two limestone
columns still stand at the western ex
tremity. Around the sides of the hill,
especially on the S., I observed many
large cisterns hewn in the rock. The
view from the summit is extensive.
The whole plain is before us, running
away in gentle undulations far to the
N. and S., patched with green fields
and red fallow land; with here and
there a gray village, and oftener a
desolate rain. On the S.W. the white
downs of Gaza and Ascalon mingle
on the horizon with the glittering

S. Palestine.

Route 14. — Gath.

241

waves of the Mediterranean. On the
W. is the little hill of Ashdod, dark
with olive-groves ; farther to the rt.
is Ekron; and farther still, far be
yond it, the white tower of Ramleh.
The mountains of Judsea rise on the
E., in dark, broken masses. Almost
every peak is crowned with village or
ruin, whose name carries us away
thousands of years back.
A careful examination of the com
manding position of this tell, of the
ruins still existing upon it in spite of
the industry of the peasants, and of
the large subterranean reservoirs,
shows that it is not only a site of high
antiquity, but of great strength and
importance. It is such a position, in
fact, as would form, when fortified,
the key of Philistia. Yet the name
suggests no place of note ; except in
deed we adopt the supposition of Dr.
Robinson, that it bears some relation
to the valley of Zephathah, where Asa
defeated the army of Zerah the Ethio
pian (2 Chron. xiv. 10). During the
time of the crusades Tell es-Safieh
became celebrated. About the year
1138, shortly after the rebuilding of
the castle of Beit Jibrin, king Fulco
erected on this hill a fort to check the
forays of the Muslem garrison of
Ascalon. It became known among
Franks by the name of Blanchegarde.
It was captured and dismantled by
Saladin in 1191 ; but Richard of
England rebuilt it the following year.
The plain around it was the scene of
many of those "moving incidents,"
and " hairbreadth 'scapes " which in
vest the life of Richard with all the
charms of romance. On one occasion,
on the eve of St. Thomas, he started
from Ramleh with a feeble escort, and
rode across the plain towards this
castle. Saladin had, at nearly the
same moment, despatched 300 of his
choicest troops to the same place;
and the king by the merest accident
escaped falling into their hands. On
a subsequent occasion, as he was wan
dering over the country between
Blanchegarde and Gaza, he was at
tacked suddenly by a large party of
Saracens; after a terrible struggle,
during which many of his assailants
[Syria and Palestine.].

were cut down, he succeeded in dis
arming 5 and marching them off
prisoners. About the same time he
went to pass the night in a neighbour
ing village, with a few faithful fol
lowers. After they had retired to
rest the place was surrounded by the
enemy. Richard was the first to leap
from his bed, and, only taking time to
grasp sword and shield, attacked the
enemy, killed 4 of them, and captured
7 ! Tbese little incidents make the
country round this old fortress classic
ground to the English traveller.
But Tell es-Safieh has a higher
claim upon our attention. A careful
examination of the several passages of
Scripture in which the royal city of
Gath is mentioned forces me to the
conclusion that its site must be looked
for near this spot, and it is, therefore,
highly probable that it stood on this
very hill. Gath occupied a strong
position (2 Chron. xi. 8) on the border
between Judah and Philistia (1 Sam.
xxi. 10 ; 1 Chron. xviii. 1) ; and from
its strength and resources, forming the
key of both countries, it was the scene
of long and bloody straggles, and was
often captured and recaptured (2
Chron. xi. 8, xxvi. 6 ; 2 Kings xii. 17 ;
Amos vi. 2). We learn, too, that it
was not far from Socoh and Adullam
(2 Chron. xi. 8), and that it stood on
the way leading from the former to
ward Ekron ; for when the Philistines
fled on the death of Goliath, Saul pur
sued them " by the way of Shaaraim,
even unto Gath and unto Ekron." The
Philistines probably fled down the
very valley through which we have
cbme from Tell Zakariya ; it was their
natural route from the ridge on which
they were encamped to the Shephelah
(" valley ") and to Ekron (1 Sam.
xvii. 1, 52). These various notices
combine in pointing to Tell es-Safieh
as the site of Gath. And there is still
another passage of Scripture history
also tending to the same conclusion.
When the Ark was captured by the
Philistines it was taken to the temple
of Dagon at Ashdod ; but the inhabit
ants, when smitten with the plague,
sent it to Gath ; and the Gittites,
for a similar reason, forwarded it to
M

242

Route 14. — Site of Gath.

Sect. III.

Ekron (1 Sam. v.). These facts show
that Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron were
not far distant from each other;
and probably that Gath was , nearer
Ashdod than any of the other royal
cities. Now Ashdod is about 10 m.
W. of Tell es-Safieh, and Ekron the
same distance N. by W. The state
ments of most of the early geo
graphers as to the position of Gath
are not only confused but contradic
tory, probably in some measure owing
to the fact that there was more than
one place of the same name. But
there is one very clear notice given by
Eusebius, and translated without com
ment or change — an unusual thing
— by Jerome. It 'is as follows :
" Gath, from which the Anakim and
Philistines were not exterminated, is
now a village seen by such as go from
Eleutheropolis to Diospolis, at about
the fifth milestone" (Onom. s. v.
Geth). The road from Eleutheropolis,
now Beit Jibrin, to Diospolis or Lydda,
must have passed some distance to the
E. of this tell, which would be dis
tinctly seen on the left at about the
5th m., just as Eusebius says.
The ravages of war to which Gath
was so often exposed appear to have
spoiled it, at a comparatively early
period, of its former glory, as it is not
enumerated by the later prophets
along with the other royal cities of
Philistia (Zeph. ii. 4 ; Zech. ix. 5, 6).
It is familiar to us, however, from
childhood, as the home of Goliath (1
Sam. xvii. 4), and the scene of one of
the most romantic incidents in the life
of David, which will be read here with
new interest (1 Sam. xxi. 10-15).
When David fled from Saul at Gibeah,
he went first to the high-priest Abime-
lech at Nob, and got from him a
supply of food and the sword of
Goliath. Continuing his flight, he
rashly came to Gath, Goliath's own
city, in the hope, doubtless, that he
would not be recognised ; and that, as
a fugitive from Saul's court, he would
be welcomed. The Philistines knew
him at once, and his fate appeared to
be sealed. David, however, among
other qualities, was an accomplished
actor. Perfeot coolness and fertility

of resource, in circumstances of the
most imminent danger, were prominent
characteristics of his mind. On hear
ing the accusation of the Philistines,
"he feigned himself mad in their
hands." He " scrabbled on the doors
of the gate, and let his spittle fall
down upon his beard," like a modern
Derwish. Madmen are privileged in
the East now, just as they appear to
have been then. David's acting saved
his life ; and, embracing a favourable
opportunity, he fled to the cave of
Adullam. One sees how easy it was
to escape when once without the walls
of this border city. The wooded hills
and secluded valleys adjoining it on
the E. afford a ready asylum to the
fugitive. A few years later David
returned to this city ; but he was then
so formidable, either as friend or foe,
that the Philistine princes thought it
most politic to grant him an asylum
among them; and accordingly they
gave him the town of Ziklag, situated
somewhere southward, on the borders
of the desert (Josh. xv. 21, 31 ; Neh.
xi. 28). His residence in their land
gained him many friends, even among
his hereditary foes, who were true to-
him when his own son rebelled ; and
there are few more striking exam
ples of devoted attachment in history
than that of Ittai the Gittite (2 Sam.
xv. 19-22).

From TeU es-Safieh we turn south
ward to Beit Jibrin. The road is
somewhat rough and rugged — now
crossing low stony ridges darkened
with bush and bramble, and now
winding through valleys and basins
green with corn. Here and there in
the limestone rocks, are immense
caves, generally resembling those
above described at Deir Dubban. 50
min. bring us to Dhikrin, a poor vil
lage, situated on the side of a shallow
wady. Security has evidently been
studied more than beauty or conveni
ence in the site, for there are green
vales and smooth slopes not far dis
tant. Fig and olive trees are here
abundant; but the most interesting
objectB are the enormous caverns — one

S. Palestine. Route 14. — Arab Warfare.

243

sees them on every side ; and in riding
along, the ground has that dull hollow
sound which indicates that all. below
is excavated. N. of the village a.
number of these subterranean cham
bers have been converted into cisterns,
which now afford an abundant supply
of water to the inhabitants and their
flocks. On a high bank on the S. side
of the village is a round tower, rudely
built of large rough stones, with loop
holes : this is the citadel of Dhikrin,
and, humble as it seems, it has stood
more than one hard siege. In the
summer of 1856 it was the scene of
a contest which, for determined gal
lantry, would do honour -to any land.
While almost the whole male popula
tion were employed in gathering in
their harvest on the distant plain, a
party of some 50 Tiahah Arabs, hah0
on dromedaries and half on horses,
attacked the village. The shepherds
had seen them in the distance, and
had just time to hurry thefr flocks in
among the narrow lanes and little
courts of the houses. They, themselves,
9 in number, rushed into thefr tower,
unslung their long guns, and prepared
for defence, while the women and
children took refuge in a large cavern
adjoining. The approach to the vil
lage is difficult for horsemen ; but the
Arabs advanced, sure of an easy prey.
A shot from the tower struck then-
leader, and though the wound was
but slight, he was obliged to retire.
Others advanced to the same spot, but
one of thefr horses was shot dead.
They now went round to the E. side,
where the ground is comparatively
good, and approached in a dense body ;
but a well-directed volley was poured
in among them, and several horses
and men were brought to the ground.
Again and again they came on, but
the shepherds received them with such
a sharp fire that in the end they
retreated as if determined to abandon
the enterprise. The few shepherds
raised a shout of triumph; and the
women, rushing out of the cavern,
joined them with their shrill cries ;
but it was not long till every cry and
shout wa's hushed to silence. The
Arabs were observed deliberately to

dismount from their horses and drome
daries, and picket them beyond the
range of musketry. The wounded
were brought in and left with a few
others as guards. The old matchlocks
- — for some 12 or 15 of the dromedary
men carried these weapons — were
fresh primed. After a brief consulta
tion they formed themselves into 2
divisions — one took the road to the
village, and the other, and much the
larger, went round by the E., evidently
with the intention of attacking the
little tower. The shepherds saw all
this, and made ready for defence. The
women cheered them, and some 8 or
10 of the strongest filled their aprons
with stones and threw them into the
rude citadel ; then running down to
a neighbouring house, they armed
themselves with clubs, shovels, and
whatever other weapon came to hand,
and joined the men. There was now
a moment of intense anxiety. The
Arabs were seen to crawl along under
shelter of rocks, and banks, and
bushes ; but at last, on a given signal,
they rose and rushed towards the
tower, firing their matchlocks as
they advanced. Not » shot was
heard in return till the whole body
were within 20 yds. Then 5 of the
shepherds fired and 5 of the Arabs
immediately fell ; the others stopped,
and in a moment were saluted by a
shower of stones from the women :
they turned to fly, but their leader,
drawing his sword, urged them for
ward. On reaching the side of the
little fortress 3 more shots were poured
in among them with deadly effect.
The leader, however, scaled the rude
wall, and was in the act of drawing a
pistol to fire down on those within,
when a woman felled him to the earth
with a blow of a club. Another
Arab, equally courageous, shared the
same fate, and the rest fled in disorder.
The other band had in the mean time
penetrated the village, and were driv
ing off the flocks ; but a few shots dis
persed them too, not however until in
revenge they had fired 2 of the houses.
The bold-hearted women now ran out
of the cave and tower, and, heedless of
random shots poured in upon them
M 2

244

Route 14. — Eleutheropolis.

Sect. III.

from a distance, succeeded in extin-
ginshing the flames.
Beit Jibrin, Eleutheropolis, or
Bethogabris, is 1 hr. 10 min. from
Dhikrin. The village is situated in a
little nook in the side of a green
valley, which is shut in by low ridges,
partially covered with dark copse.
The ancient rains are of considerable
extent : they consist of the remains of
a strong fortress, standing within an
irregular enclosure encompassed by a
wall of large squared stones unce-
mented. A greater part of this outer
wall is ruinous ; but the N. side is
still several feet high. Along it on
the inside is a range of vaults, with
round arches, of the same age as the
wall itself. They are now nearly
covered by accumulations of rubbish,
though some of them are occupied as
stores and even dwellings. The length
of this enclosure is about 600 ft., and
its breadth was perhaps the same.
Within the area thus formed are the
ruins of a castle of the same date, but
subsequently repaired. An Arabic
inscription over the gateway bears the
date a.h. 958 (a.d. 1551). The castle
is near 200 ft. square. The whole
interior is filled with arches and vaults
— some of them now inaccessible from
the masses of superincumbent ruins.
Along the S. side are the walls and
part of the groined roof of a chapel.
Several marble shafts and heaps of
hewn stones encumber the interior and
the surrounding area. The houses of
the village lie close to the castle on the
W. and S., extending 200 or 300 yds.
up the declivity formed by the junction
of the ravine from the E. with the
main valley which runs nearly from
S. to N. A few of the houses are
large and substantial, belonging to a
family of sheikhs called Beit 'Azazeh.
This family ruled the district for cen
turies, but were greatly humbled by
Ibrahim Pasha in consequence of thefr
connexion with the rebellion of 1834.
The weakness of the Turkish govern
ment is now giving them an opportu
nity of regaining their influence, and
sad complaints were made to me of
their rapacity.

Going up the ravine eastward for
200 yds. or so, we find other massive
foundations along the S. bank ; and a
beautifully built well, apparently of
the Roman age, opposite them on the
N. bank. It still contains water,
though at a depth of 60 or 70 ft.
Such are the remains of the old
city itself ; but we have other antiqui
ties before us far more interesting.
The main valley, as has been stated,
comes down from the S. between
ridges of soft limestone. The bottom
is covered with green fields, dotted
with olives. A guide from the village
will conduct us a few hundred yards
up this valley, and then point out on
the western bank the entrance to some
most remarkable caves — unique in
character, and unequalled in extent
by any in Syria. They bear some
resemblance to those at Deir Dubban,
described above; but they are much
larger, and of more careful workman
ship. "Besides domes," says Dr.
Robinson, "there are here also long
arched rooms, with the walls in general
cut quite smooth. One of these was
nearly 100 ft. in length; having along
its sides, about 10 ft. from the floor,
a line of ornamental work like a cor
nice. On one side lower down were
two niches at some distance apart,
which seemed once to have had images
standing in them ; but the stone was
too much decayed to determine with
certainty. These apartments are all
lighted by openings from above. The
entrance to the whole range of caverns
is by a broad arched passage of some
elevation, and we were surprised at
the taste and skill displayed in the
workmanship." On the opposite side
of the valley, a, little higher up, we
come to others still more' extensive —
occupying, in fact, almost the whole
interior of the ridge. Here are long
ranges of bell-shaped chambers — some
of them 70 ft. in diameter and 60 high
— connected by arched doorways, and
winding subterranean passages. A
few are entfrely dark; but most of
them are lighted by a circular aperture
at the top. Side chambers, like gal
leries, may occasionally be seen, open
ing high up in the wall, and pierced

S. Palestine.

Route 14. — Immense Caverns.

245

with arched recesses like those of an
ancient tomb. In one cave is a small
fountain with two short Cufic inscrip
tions beside it ; and in another I saw
on the domed roof figures and rude
characters apparently resembling those
of the Sinaitic inscriptions; but the
light was too dim to copy them. . At
one place the roofs of a range of
them have partially fallen in, breaking
down here and there the thin parti
tions. The appearance of the caves
here is singularly wild and grand —
huge fragments of arched rock stretch
ing out far overhead from the sides,
as if upheld by some unseen hand —
jagged . fissures and breaks through
which the sunlight streams, veiled
here and there by the branch of a tree
or long straggling brambles — vistas,
long and gloomy, through arched door
and broken wall.
Leaving these, and passing the nar
row openings of others, we go on to a
picturesque ruin near the head of the
valley, about 1 m. from Beit Jibrin.
This is the Church of St. Anne. Only
the eastern end now stands, including
the niche of the great altar and that of
a side chapel ; but the entire founda
tions can be traced. The style of
architecture is chaste and massive. In
the rocks around are immense caverns,
similar to those already described;
and in the bottom of the valley are,
the ruins of a small village.
Just opposite the Church of St.
Anne, on the W. side of the wady, is
a white tell, in shape a truncated
cone, regular in outline, as if formed
— as is probable — by the hand of man.
It is evidently an ancient site, and we
accordingly proceed to examine it.
The easiest way is round the head of
the valley ; and here we find another
remarkable set of caverns, now con
verted into cisterns, and filled with
good water. Beyond these, at the
foot of the tell, are rock-tombs, one of
which is 50 ft. long and 20 wide, with
ranges of loculi on each side. The
tell is composed of soft cretaceous
limestone; its flat top is about 200
yards in diameter. In several places
round the sides are foundations of
hewn stones, and other traces of old

buildings, among which we observe
the entrances to immense caverns which
occupy the whole interior of the hill.
The following account of those to
which we enter on the W. side is given
by Dr. Robinson : " Lighting several
candles, we entered by a narrow and
difficult passage from a pit overgrown
with briers, and found ourselves in a
dark labyrinth of galleries and apart
ments, all cut from the solid rock, and
occupying the bowels of the hill. Here
were some dome-shaped chambers as
before ; others were extensive rooms, ,
with roofs supported by columns of the
same rock left in excavating ; and all
were connected with each other by
passages apparently without order or
plan. Several other apartments were
still more singular. These were also
in the form of tall domes, 20 ft. or
more in diameter, and from 20 to
30 high ; they were entered by a door
near the top, from which a staircase
cut in the same rock wound down
around the wall to the bottom. We
descended into several of the rooms ;
but found nothing at the bottom and
no appearance of any other door or
passage. We could discover no trace
of inscriptions ; nor anything, indeed,
which might afford the slightest clue
for unravelling the mystery in which
the history and object of these re
markable excavations are enveloped."
There are several other clusters open
ing from the S. and E. sides, which I
partially explored ; though, not having
a thread, which is essential to one's
safety amid such a labyrinth of pas
sages and doors, I was afraid to pene
trate to the end of any of them.
These are unquestionably the most
remarkable excavations in Syria ; and
almost rival the Catacombs of Rome.
They are wholly different in style and
form from the rock-tombs of Jerusalem
and the grottoes of Petra. It is to be
hoped that some patient antiquary
will undertake the task of a thorough
exploration; and, perhaps, bring to
light some relic or inscription tending
to clear up their origin and history.
The history of Beit Jibrin, when
compared with that of other sites of

246

Houte 14.- — Mareshah.

Sect. III.

far less note around it, may be re
garded as modern. Betogabra, " the
House of Gabra or Gabrael," was the
original name, and is first mentioned
by Ptolemy in the beginning of the
2nd centy. ; and again in the Peutinger
Tables somewhat later. Its new name,
Eleutheropolis, "Free City," first oc
curs upon coins in the time of Sep-
timius Severus (a.d. 202-3). That
emperor, during his visit to Palestine,
conferred" important privileges on
several cities ; and this was one of the
.number. Eusebius is the first writer
who mentions Eleutheropolis; which
was in his time the capital of a large
province, and one of the most flourish
ing places in Palestine. It was the
seat of a bishop, and was so well known
that it was taken as a central point
from which the positions of more than
20 other towns were determined. Epi-
phanius was born in a village 3 m.
from this city, in the beginning of the
4th centy., and is hence often called
an Eleutheropolitan. In the year 796,
little more than 1J centy. after the
conquest of Syria by the Muslems,
Eleutheropolis, hitherto so prosperous,
was razed to the ground and left com
pletely desolate. The Greek language
now gave place to the Arabic; and
Eleutheropolis lost its proud name
and its prouder rank together. Like
so many other cities, the old name,
which had probably never been lost by
the peasantry, was revived among
writers ; and we thus find Beigebrin,
or some form like it, constantly in use
after the 8th centy. In the 12th
centy. the Crusaders found the place
in ruins, and built » fortress on the
old foundations to check the incursions
of the Muslem garrison of Ascalon ;
the remains of this fortress, and the
chapel connected with it, are those
above described. Its defence was in
trusted to the Knights Hospitallers.
After the fatal battle of Hattin, and
the capture of Ascalon by Saladin in
1187, Beit Jibrin fell into the hands
of the Saracens. It was retaken by
King Richard of England, and re
mained 50 years in the hands of the
Franks. It was finally subdued by
Bibars; and has since crumbled to

ruin under the blight of Mohammedan
rule. Two traditions have found a " local
habitation" at Beit Jibrin. The first
is that which places here the miracu
lous fountain which sprang from the
jaw-bone Samson wielded with such
success against the Philistines (Jud.
xv. 14-20). Antoninus Martyr in the
7th centy. says the fountain of Samson
was still pointed out at Eleuthero
polis ; and the tradition remained in
the Greek Church, though the site of
the city was forgotten. The other
legend appears to be of an earlier date.
In a life of Ananias, an alleged saint
and martyr of the 1st centy., it is
affirmed that he was first one of the 70
disciples ; then bishop of Damascus
where he restored Paul's sight (Acts
ix. 17) ; then a noted worker of mira
cles at Eleutheropolis; and finally a
martyr in Damascus.
Not far from Eleutheropolis was
situated the ancient Mareshah, enume
rated by Joshua among the cities of
the plain of Judah (Josh. xv. 44), and
subsequently fortified, with numerous
others, by Rehoboam (2 Chron. xi.
8). Eusebius states that in his time
its ruins were shown in the 2nd m.
from Eleutheropolis. This fact has
led Dr. Robinson to identify it with
the singular tell near the Church of
St. Anne, 1| m. from the city. If this
view be correct, then the valley leading
up to it from Beit Jibrin must have
been the scene of the great battle
between the Israelites and Ethiopians.
We read in 2 Chron. xiv., that Asa
had an army of 580,000 men out of
Judah and Benjamin ; " and there
came out against them Zerah the
Ethiopian, with an host of a thousand
thousand, and three hundred cha- -
riots ; and came unto Mareshah. Then
Asa went out against him, and they
set the battle in array in the valley of
Zephathah, at Mareshah." The vast
army of Zerah was soon routed, and
the victorious Israelites pursued them
to Gerar.
The Caves. — It appears that during
the Babylonish captivity the Edomites

S. Palestine. Route 14. — Hebron to Eleutheropolis.

24?

overran and occupied the whole south
ern region of Palestine, which is for
this reason frequently called by Jose
phus Idumea. Judas Maccabseus took
from the Idumeans Hebron, Marissa
(or Mareshah), and Ashdod ; and John
Hyrcanus, after again capturing Dora
and Marissa, compelled the Idumean
inhabitants to conform to Jewish laws.
Jerome calls the Idumeans Horites,
and says they dwelt within the borders
of Eleutheropolis. Now it is well
known that the aborigines of Idumea
proper were actually Horites, that is
Troglodytes, " dwellers in caves," who
though subdued by the Edomites,
continued to live among them, and
apparently united with them, so as to
form one people. Jerome further in
forms us that Idumea, under which
name he includes the whole country
from the plain of Philistia to the
mountains of Edom, was full of habita
tions in caves — the people preferring
them, both because of their security,
and coolness during the heat of sum
mer. Dr. Robinson suggests that the
caves round Beit Jibrin, Deir Dubban,
and other villages in this district,
may have been the work of Idumean
Troglodytes. This view attaches to
these caverns additional interest, con
necting them with the excavations in
the valley of Petra.

Hebron to Eleutheropolis.
Some travellers may wish to make
their way into Philistia by Hebron,
and I shall, therefore, trace the route
from thence to Beit Jibrin — the dis
tance being 6 h. For the road from
Jerusalem to Hebron, and a descrip
tion of the latter town, see Rtes. 7
and 6.
There are two roads from Hebron to
Beit Jibrin — a northern passing near
Terkumieh, the ancient Tricomias ;
and a southern by Teffuh and Idhna.
We shall take the latter, as the former
will come in on the way from Hebron
to Yafa (Rte. 18). Leaving Hebron,
we proceed nearly northward up the
valley of Eshcol, still celebrated for
its vineyards (Num. xiii. 23, 24) ;

and leave the venerable oak in a
field to the rt. Ascending gently for
10 or 15 min'., we reach the summit of
a ridge, and one of the highest points
in Palestine. Descending again gra
dually, the road to Terkumieh branches
to the rt., and we advance due W. to
Teffuh, 1 h. 45 min. from Hebron. It
is an old village, with the ruins of a
fortress among the houses. It stands
on the crest of a ridge, encompassed
by olives and vineyards. On the N.
and S. are well cultivated valleys,
converging toward the W. and meeting
at the distance of about 2 m. The
name and position show this to be the
site of Beth-Tappuah (Josh. xv. 53).
About 3 m. S. by W. we can see from
this spot a wely crowning a peak ; its
name is Neby Nuh, and it stands close
to the village of Dura, probably the
Adoraim of the Bible, one of the towns
fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chron. xi.
9). Josephus mentions it as one of the
chief stations of the Idumeans during
their occupation of southern Pales
tine ; and as captured by Hyrcanus
along with Mareshah. It was subse
quently rebuilt and fortified by Ga-
binius, the Roman governor of Syria.
From Teffuh we descend by a steep
zigzag path to the point where the
two valleys meet (1 h. 15 m.). A
road comes down that on the left from
Dura, 1 h. distant, and another passes
up that on the rt. to Taiyibeh a vil
lage 45 min. off. The glen formed by
the junction of the two is called Wady
el-Feranj — a name probably borrowed
from the crusaders. It is a narrow
ravine, with bold rocky banks. Pas
sing down it for f h., we emerge from
the central mountain range of Judasa
beside the village of Idhna, which
stands at their western base. Before
us is the hill country already referred
to, stretching away in dark swelling
ridges, and picturesque vales, to the
plain of Philistia. Here as elsewhere
it is studded with villages and ruins.
Wady el-Feranj bends northward ;
and a smaller wady breaking down
from the low ridge on the W. divides
Idhna into 2 quarters and into 2
factions headed by 2 families of

248

'Route 14. — Eleutheropolis to Gaza,

Sect. III.

sheikhs, who often lead on their fol
lowers to bloody skirmishes. The old
town of Jedna, mentioned by Euse
bius, probably stood on the top of the
hill above the northern quarter ; and
here Dr. Robinson picked up a hand
ful of marble tesseree, such as are found
on almost every ancient site in Pales
tine. Jedna was 6 Rom. m. from
Eleutheropolis on the road to Hebron.
The road passes up the glen be
tween the 2 quarters of Idhna ; then
across a ridge ; and then down rocky
ground into a little glen, through
which it winds westward. In 45 m.
a ruined village called Beit 'Alain
occupies a low mound to the rt. ; and
soon after passing it we observe traces
of an ancient road, and marks of ter
races on the desolate hill-sides— telling
a sad tale of former industry and
populousness, and present desertion
and neglect. In 45 min. more we
enter the wady of Beit Jibrin, pass
the old church of St. Anne, and soon
reach the ruins of Eleutheropolis.

From Beit Jibrin to Gaza is a long
stage, but as the road is good and the
plain level, we may easily ride it in 8
h. There are 2 routes as far as Bureir
— the northern leading past Zeiteh
(1 h. 20 min.), a small village on the
edge of the plain, and Fdlujeh (1 h.
30 min.), a large prosperous village in
the centre of a plain of great fertility,
to Bureir (2 h. 10 min.) ; the southern
by es-Sukkariyeh. Tbere is little
difference in the length ; but as the
latter takes us past the sites of Eghn
and Laahish, we shall follow it.
From the valley of Beit Jibrin the
road crosses a series of low hills and
ridges, in a south-western direction,
and in 1 h. 10 min. passes the small
village of el-Kubeibeh, situated on a
stony tell to the left. For another
hour the country continues rocky, and
then we emerge on the great plain ; it
is not so fertile, however, at this place
as it is farther N. round tho singular

isolated hill of 'Arak el-Menshlyeh,
which we see in the distance. In $ h.
more we come to the deserted village
es-Sukkariyeh, " the Sugary," — a name
which seems to imply that the sugar
cane was cultivated here ; it has,
doubtless, taken the place of some
more ancient appellation, for there are,
in and around the village, foundations
of large hewn stones, fragments of
marble columns, and a Corinthian
capital. It occupiesthe site probably
of some of those old cities of the plain
mentioned in the book of Joshua
(ch. xv.). 50 min. from Sukkariyeh
is 'Ajlan, a shapeless mass of rains
covering a low hillock. The name
and position identify it with Eslon,
which Joshua captured, and afterwards
gave to the tribe of Judah (Josh. x.
36, xii. 12, xv. 39).
Riding over the plain § h. more,
we reach Um Ldkis. Here is a low
hill covered with heaps of stones, with
here and there the fragments of a
marble shaft. At its south-eastern
base is an old well, now nearly filled
with rubbish — watering -troughs and
pieces of columns lying in confusion
round its mouth. The name calls to
mind another ancient city frequently
mentioned in Scripture history. After
the defeat of the Amorites at Gibeon
Joshua (see p. 216) pursued them to
Azekah and Makkedah ; from the
latter place he marched upon Libnah
and took it ; and from Libnah he
passed to Lachish, " and encamped
against it and fought against it ; and
the Lord delivered Lachish into the
hand of Israel. . . . And from Lachish
Joshua passed on to Eglon, and all
Israel with him. . . . and they took it
the same day." From Eglon he con
tinued his triumphant march to He
bron (Josh. x. 29-36). This passage
seems sufficient to show that the
present Um Lakis is, as the name
would suggest, identical with the an
cient Lachish. If we admit the iden
tity of 'Ajlfm with Eglon, the other
cannot well be denied ; and in several
other passages of Scripture Lachish
and Eglon are mentioned in such a
way as shows that they were not far

.S. Palestine.

Route li.-^-Lachish.

249

apart. (See Josh. x. 33, 35, xv. 39,
xii. 11, 12.)
Lachish was fortified by Rehoboam
(2 Chron. xi. 9), and was afterwards
besieged by the Assyrians under Sen
nacherib. It was while the Assyrian
army lay before Lachish, and the
neighbouring city Libnah, that the
remarkable events recorded in 2 Kings
xviii. 13-37, and xix., occurred. Then
Hezekiah sent to Sennacherib the
humble message—" I have offended ;
return from me ; that which thou
puttest on me will I bear." 300 talents
of silver and 30 talents of gold were
demanded. The royal treasures were
emptied ; the doors and pillars of the
Temple were stripped ; all that could
be gathered was sent to Sennacherib ;
but he was not satisfied. Three of his
generals were sent to Jerusalem to
demand immediate, unconditional sur
render ; the speech of Rabshakeh, one
of the three, is well known ; but
his blasphemy, joined to Hezekiah's
prayers, saved Israel. Hezekiah
prayed, "Lord, bow down thine ear,
and hear the words of Sennacherib,
which hath sent him to reproach the
living God." His prayer was an
swered. That very night the " angel
of the Lord smote in the camp of the
Assyrians an hundred fourscore and
five thousand." The plain near La
chish was the scene of that fearful act
of judgment, so beautifully described
in Byron's noble ode ; —
" The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the
fold,
And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and
gold;
And the sheen of their spears was like stars
on the sea.
When the Blue wave rolls nightly on deep
Galilee.
" Like the leaves of the forest when summer
is green,
That host with their banners at sunset were
seen ;
Like the leaves of the forest when autumn
hath blown,
That host on the morrow lay wlther'd and
6trown.
" For the Angel of Death spread his wings on
the blast,
And breathed on the face of the foe as he
pass'd;

And the eyes of the sleepers wax'd deadly
and chill,
And their hearts but once heaved, and for
ever were still !
" And there lay the steed with his nostril all
wide,
But thvough it there roll'd not the breath of
his pride :
And the foam of his gasping lay white on the
turf,
And cold as the spray of the rock-beating
surf.
" And there lay the rider distorted and pale,
With the dew on his brow, and the rust on
his mail ;
And the tents were all silent, the banners
alone,
The lances unlifted, the trumpet unblown.
" And the widows of Ashur are loud in their
wail,
And the idols are broke in the temple of
Baal;
And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by
the sword, •
Hath melted like snow at the glance of the
Lord."
From Um Lakis we continue our
course nearly due W. across the plain
to Bureir (45 min.), a large flourish
ing village. It has a good well and a
large open tank; the water is raised
by a wheel similar to those so common
in Egypt. Several palm-trees and a
few willows here relieve the bleakness
of the scenery ; and these with the
activity that prevails, and the signs of
industry in the fields and gardens,
give a look of prosperity to the place.
Wady Simsim, which drains the dis
trict round Eleutheropolis, winds across
the plain a little to the S. of the vil
lage ; it is a broad depression, with
a narrow, dry torrent-bed running
through its centre. Our road now
takes a south-westerly direction along
the rt. bank of the wady till we get
opposite the village of Simsim (35
min.), where we cross the torrent-bed.
This village stands amid a grove of
trees, about J m. N. of the road. In
| h. from Simsim Nijid is a few hun
dred yards on our 1. In another J h.
Wady Simsim sweeps round to the rt.,
and, passing Dimreh and Deir Eth-
neid, continues its course through
white sandy downs to the sea near
Ascalon. Our road, still going S.W.,
crosses the broad ridge on the S. bank
m 3

250

Route 14. — Gaza,

Sect. III.

of the Wady, and descends gradually
to Beit Hanftn (55 min from Nijid).
We now cross diagonally another wady
Or depression, which declines north
ward and joins the Simsim near Deir
Ethneid. Luxuriant cornfields line
its banks, extending southward as far
as we can see. We soon leave it, how
ever, and enter the sand-hills and
olive-groves of Gaza — the latter the
largest in Palestine, and only sur
passed in Syria by those of Beyrout
and Damascus. In 1 h. 10 min. from
Beit Hanun we pitch our tents beside
the ancient city.
Gaza, now Ghuzzeh, is a town of
some 15,000 Inhab., of whom from
200 to 300 are Christians and the
rest Mohammedans. It is situated
about 3 m. from the sea, with an in
tervening belt of naked hills of drift
ing sand. On the S.E. and N. are
extensive gardens hedged by prickly
pear, and abounding with apricot,
mulberry, and palm-trees. The rich
soil gives splendid crops of melons,
cucumbers, and other vegetables. On
the N. and N.E., beyond the gardens,
is the olive-grove. On the E. a line of
bare hills divides this fertile tract
from the great plain ; and the highest
point is crowned with a wely called
Mukam el-Muntar. The traveller
should not fail to visit this wely, as it
is only i h.'s walk from the town, and
it commands a noble view. From the
summit the eye takes in at a glance
the straggling town stretching out its
suburbs among orchards ; the white
sandy downs beyond, threatening to
swallow up in their resistless progress
all vegetation and all life; and the
Mediterranean away on the horizon.
On the S. is seen the road to Egypt —
trodden by the Pharaohs thousands of
years ago — running on, a white mean
dering line, till it disappears in Wady
Sheri'ah. This wady we can trace by
the mounds on its banks, and the dark
depressions of its bed, far across the
desert toward Beersheba from which it
comes ; and we remember that in the
pasture-lands along its side the patri
archs Abraham and Isaac fed their
flocks, as the Bedawin do still, while

they pitched their tents at Gerar
(Gen. xx. 1-16; xxvi. 1, 17). It
appears that the site of this ancient
city has been found ; but unfor
tunately its discoyerer has given a
very meagre account of it. It lies in
a shallow wady, 3 h. S.S.E. of Gaza,
and is called Khirbet el-Gerar, "the
ruins of Gerar." At the spot are
" traces of an ancient city." This is
all the information given by the Rev.
J. Rowlands, who, so far as I know, is
the only person who has yet visited it.
On the E. and N.E. of el-Muntar
spreads out the broad plain, patched
with green and red in the foreground,
but dissolving into a uniform grey in
the distance, and backed on the hori
zon by the blue mountains of Judaea.
There can scarcely be a doubt that
this is the hill to the top of which
Samson carried the gates of Gaza.
(Jud. xvi. 1-3.)
The town itself looks like a group
of large villages. The nucleus stands
on a broad-topped hill, on which
stand the Serai, the Great Mosque,
the government offices, and the houses
of the chief citizens — all stone build
ings, once substantial and in repair,
though no one can tell how long
ago. On the S.E. is a suburb, more
densely populated than the hill ; on
the S.W. is a smaller one ; and on the
N. is another still smaller. All these
are of mud architecture, differing in
nothing from the villages of the sur
rounding plain, except that here and
there there is a mosque and minaret.
The hill seems to be composed in a
great measure of rubbish, the debris
of ancient structures ; even now much
of it is covered with heaps, amid
which we meet with, broken arches,
pieces of walls, and heavy masses of
masonry. The whole eastern side of
the hill, in fact, is thus encumbered,
with the exception of 2 or 3 little
patches now converted into gardens.
The great mosque stands nearly in the
centre of this hill, and is distinguished
by its tall octagon minaret and peaked
roof. It is the only building in Gaza
either historically or architecturally
interesting. It was originally a Chris
tian church, founded, says tradition,

S. Palestine. Route 14. — Site of ancient Gazd.

251

by the Empress Helena, and dedicated
to St. John the Baptist. The interior
is divided into nave and aisles by
ranges of Corinthian columns; and
there is a clerestory also supported by
columns. The length of the building
is 110 ft. ; and the recess for the altar
is 20 more. Like some other ancient
churches in this country it faces the
N. On the W. side an additional low
aisle has been added in an inferior
style of architecture.
Gaza has no gates, no fortifica
tions, no defences of any kind; and
yet from its position one would
think it had more need of them than
any other town in Syria. It is not
only a frontier town, but being situated
on the borders of the desert, it is open
at any moment to a, Bedawy raid.
Yet it never suffers ; and the secret of
its safety is this — the inhabitants
are themselves half freebooters half
receivers, whom the Bedawin deem it
more politic to conciliate than to
plunder. That the city had once gates
we know, and tradition still points out
the position of one of them, said to be
that whose doors, posts, and bars
Samson carried off. It is on the E.
side, below an old burying-ground.
Not far from it is a Mukdm in honour
of Samson, which the Muslems say is
also his tomb. Toward the S. is
another spot called Bab ed-Daron,
doubtless from the ancient fortress of
that name on the road to Egypt.
Some suppose that the ancient city
of Gaza stood considerably nearer the
shore than the present site ; and
Strabo says it was only 7 stadia from
the sea. Jerome, too, tells us that
scarcely a vestige of old Gaza re
mained in his time, and that the town
then existing was built in a different
place. But the historical evidence
scarcely goes the length of proof.
Cities have changed their places, Tyre
for instance ; and the advance of the
shifting sands may have driven Gaza
eastward. The following remarks of
Dr. Keith upon this subject are worthy
of attention. " In less than a mile
from the present town, on a direct line
towards the sea, the sand commences
and all vegetation ceases. For more

than a mile and a half in the same
direction the whole space is covered
with sand, and in every hollow innu
merable diminutive pieces of pottery
and marble are spread over the sur
face. About twelve years ago attempts
were made in various places to culti
vate the sand, and hewn stones were
everywhere found, where the ground
was dug for planting trees, near to
the old port, and between it and the
modern town. Passing along the
shore to the south, we came to the
remains of an old wall which reached
to the sea. Ten large massy frag
ments of wall were embedded in the
sand, or resting on it. At the farther
distance of about two miles are frag
ments of another wall. Four inter
mediate fountains still exist, nearly
entire, in a line along the coast, which
doubtless pertained to the ancient
port of Gaza. For a short distance
inland the debris is less frequent, as
if marking the space between it and
the ancient city ; but it again becomes
plentiful in every hollow. About half
a mile from the sea we saw three
pedestals of beautiful marble. And
many stones had been taken to Gaza
from a spot near the sea, where an
attempt had been made to form a
garden ; but where the trees were
again partly buried in the sand. Holes
are still to be seen from which hewn
stones have been taken ; and the
former secretary of Ibrahim Pacha at
Gaza stated that all the way between
the present town and the sea hewn
stones of various sizes had been taken
out of the sand, and carried to Gaza
for building."
Gaza is one of the oldest cities in
the world. It ranks along with Da
mascus, Sidon, and Hebron. Even
before Abraham left his father-land
Gaza stood on the southern border of
Canaan (Gen. x. 19). The abori
ginal inhabitants — Avim or Hivites of
the family of Canaan (Deut. ii. 23 ;
comp. Josh. xiii. 3, and Gen. x. 17) —
were dispossessed by the Caphtorim,
an Egyptian tribe allied to the Phi
listines (Gen. x. 13, 14; with Deut.
ii. 23). It subsequently became one
of the 5 royal cities of Philistia, and

252

Route lb— Gaza,

Sect. III.

the home of a family of giants, de
scendants of Anak, whose formidable
stature and warlike character alarmed
the Hebrew spies and spread dis
may through the host of Israel.
Joshua extended his conquests to
Gaza, but did not subdue this re
markable people. "There was none
of the Anakims left in the land of the
children of Israel : only in Gaza, in
Gath, and in Ashdod there remained "
(Josh. xi. 21, 22). The city was after
wards taken by the tribe of Judah
(Jud. i. 18); but the warlike Philis
tines soon recovered possession, and
in thefr turn subdued and%nslaved
the Israelites. After 40 years of op
pression (Jud. xiii. 1) Samson ap
peared as the champion and avenger
of his people ; and the tragic close of
his life has given Gaza an imperish
able fame. We have all read it many
a time in childhood, and we will now
read it on the spot with a fresh in
terest, as given in Jud. xvi. 21-31.
The next important event in the
history of Gaza is its siege and cap
ture by Alexander the Great. It was
then garrisoned by a force of Arab
mercenaries under the command of
an eunuch called Batis. The Greek
engineers confessed themselves unable
to invent engines sufficiently powerful
to batter its massive walls. Mounds
of earth were raised on the S. side of
the town, and battering rams placed
on these were directed against the
upper part of the ramparts. But the
garrison made a vigorous sortie, burned
the engines, routed the besiegers, and
were only checked by Alexander in
person at the head of his choicest
troops. In this action the king re
ceived a severe wound in the shoulder,
which well-nigh terminated his ca
reer. During his slow recovery the
engines that had been used at the
siege of Tyre were sent for. A mound
of greater breadth and height was
heaped up ; and after nearly 4 months'
toil a practicable breach was made.
The besiegers rushed in ; thrice were
they driven back with fearful slaughter ;
but at last numbers prevailed and the
city was won. The brave defenders,
however, knew not how to surrender —

they fought till not a man remained
(Arrian, ii. 26).
The position of Gaza on the military
road between Syria and Egypt often
exposed it to the calamities of war.
To the Egyptians it was the key of
Palestine — to the Syrians it was the
key of Egypt. It was twice laid in
ruins during the 1st centy. before our
era; but it soon rose from its ashes.
A Christian church was early esta
blished in it; yet a majority of its
inhabitants long retained their idola
try, for in the 5th centy. there were
still 8 temples dedicated to the wor
ship of heathen deities. By the influ
ence of Eudoxia, wife of the emperor
Arcadius, a Christian bishop received
a commission to destroy them all, and
was, besides, furnished with means
to erect a magnificent church, which
was dedicated in the year a.d. 406.
This is probably the building now
used as the great mosque.
Inithe year 634 Gaza was captured
by the Muslems ; and it has become
celebrated in Arab history as the
birthplace of esh-Shafa'y, the founder
of .one of the most distinguished Mo
hammedan sects. The crusaders foimd
the city ruined and deserted ; and - in.
1152 they erected a fortress on the
hill, the defence of which was in
trusted to the Knights Templars. To
wards the close of the 12th centy. it
again fell into the hands of the Arabs,
and its history since that time presents
nothing of interest.
The modern town has a brisk trade,
being on the caravan route to Egypt,
and the rendezvous of the whole Arab
tribes of the desert of et-Tih. The
bazaars are well supplied with the
necessaries and even the luxuries of
Arab life.
Ancient Gaza had a, port called
Majuma, some few traces of which
may still be seen along the shore. Its
inhabitants were in the early ages of
Christianity bigoted idolaters; but
they were converted to the true faith
m the reign of the first Constantine,
who for this reason bestowed upon the
place special privileges, constituted it
an independent city, and called it
Constantia. His chief object in free-

§. Palestine.

Route 15. — Gaza to Caito.

253

ing it from the jurisdiction of Gaza was
to release it from the control of heathen
rulers. In the time of Julian the
Apostate the people of Gaza reasserted
thefr authority, and appealed to the
Emperor, who decided in their favour.
The old barbour has completely disap
peared, being covered up by the drift
ing sands. The coast is open, the water
shallow, and the anchorage bad ; and
no small boat can approach the shore
except in the calmest weather.

ROUTE 15.

GAZA TO EL-ARISH AND CAIRO.

Gaza to Khan Yunus . . . . 6 0
Reifah, Raphia  1 0
El-'Artsh, Rhinoeolura .. .. 9 0
Musr, Cairo (about) .. .. 65 0
Total .. .. 81 0
This route was formerly much fre
quented by travellers as the shortest
and easiest way from Syria to Cairo,
and vice versa. Now, however, it is
almost abandoned. When one can go
from Yafa to Alexandria by steam
in from 30 to 40 hours, and from
thence to Cairo in 6, it would be
folly to undertake a fatiguing and
uninteresting journey of some 250 m.
across the desert on camels or don
keys. Some may still feel inclined
to follow the Syrian coast as far as
the river of Egypt; and even to go
on to the ancient Pelusium, the pro
posed mouth of the new canal. For
such I insert an itinerary as far as
El-'Arish, referring them to the Hand
book for Egypt as their guide thence to

Cairo, or wherever else they may wish
to go.
On leaving Gaza the road runs
S.W., parallel to the coast, and in
about 1§ hr. crosses Wady Sheri'ah.
Another 1J hr. brings us to Deir el-
Belah, " the convent of the dates," a
small village situated near the shore,
and surrounded by well-watered gar
dens. This is probably the site of the
fortress Ddrdn, which was built by the
crusaders on the ruins of a Greek
convent of the same name. The name
probably comes from the Hebrew
Darom, " the south," which Eusebius
and Jerome apply as a proper name
to the S.W. section of Palestine. 3
hrs. farther is Khan Yunus, beauti
fully placed amid groves of trees
and gardens. It has a large khan
solidly built, but out of repair. It
is supposed to occupy the site of the
city of Jenysus, mentioned by Hero
dotus as on the coast not far from the
borders of Egypt (iii. 5). An hr.
beyond Khan Yunus are the ruins of
Raphia, now Reifah, amid sandhills
close to the sea. Raphia figured in
the wars between the Ptolemies and
the Seleucidae, and is mentioned by
Josephus as the first station in Syria
at which Titus rested on his way to
besiege Jerusalem. The Itinerary of
Antonine places it 22 Rom. m. S. of
Gaza. From these ruins the caravan road
continues along a dreary undulating
plain, separated from the sea by bare
sandhills, and extending eastward far
away into the great desert of Tih.
After 9 hrs'. weary march we cross
Wady ei'Arish, the ancient Torrens
Mgypti, and tread the soil of Egypt.
Before us is the village and fort of
ei'Arish, known of old as Rhinoeolura.

254

Route 16. — Gaza to Ascalon, de.

Sect. III.

ROUTE 16.
GAZA TO ASCALON, ASHDOD, EKRON,
LYDDA, AND JERUSALEM. H. K.
Gaza to Ascalon  3 40
Mejdel, Migdal-gad .. .. 0 45
Esdud, Ashdod  1 50
Yebna, Jabneh  2 40
'Aklr, Ekron  1 20
Ramleh  1 25
Ludd, Lydda  0 40
Beit'ijiel-Foka,,UpperBdhhoron4: 30
Jerusalem  4 30

Total (fast) ..

21 20

This is a route of great interest. It
carries us the whole length of Phi
listia, and through its three remaining
royal cities — Ascalon, Ashdod, and
Ekron — besides a number of its prin
cipal villages. The road is good, the
plain level, and we can get over
the ground, now and again, at a
round canter. There is life and plea
sure in thus riding, independent of the
excitement of strange scenes and time-
worn ruins. Lydda can be reached in
2 days ; and then a " long pull " on
the third will bring us to Jerusalem.
Mejdel forms the best camping-ground
the first night ; the baggage animals
can be sent direct to it, while we gal
lop round to the ruins of Ascalon. The
plain of Philistia is infested by Arab
tribes ; but they are not often trouble
some to the traveller. The best guide
is one of the mounted "Irregulars,"
whom the Governor of Gaza will
appoint, on application being made by
the dragoman; he is known to the
Bedawin and villagers, and, in addi
tion to pointing out the road, often
saves one from annoyance and inso

lence. A bakhshish of a dollar a day
is usually given. ... Be it noted,
that the above itinerary is for unen
cumbered cavaliers, and not for bag
gage-mules. In going from Gaza to Ascalon we
ride along the avenue of olive-trees
to the top of the sandy ridge that
separates the gardens of the town
from the plain ; and then turn to the
1. out of the road by which we came
from Beit Jibrin (Rte. 14). The
sandy downs are now on our 1., scan
tily covered with olive-trees and strag
gling tufts of long thin grass. On
the rt. is a shallow wady filled with
corn-fields. In an hr. from Gaza,
Beit Hanto is § m. on our rt. The
path now sweeps along the side of a
dry torrent-bed, deeply furrowed in
the sandy soil, to where it faUs into
Wady Simsim. The wady is here deep
and narrow, with a dry gravelly bot
tom; and is spanned by a good
modern bridge. Soon after crossing it
we reach Deir Ethneid (40 min. from
Beit Hanfln), situated in the midst of
a low rich section of the plain, and
embowered in fig-orchards and hedges
of cactus. From hence we ascend,
after crossing another torrent -bed,
to a less fruitful district, with low
naked ridges to the rt. and 1. Leav
ing the dreary-looking village of Beit
Jerj'a | m. to the rt., we ride on to
Burbdrah. This is a large village,
with a fine mosque, trim gardens, and
well-stocked orchards. But it is la
mentable to see how fast the drifting
sand is approaching it, and how gar
dens, orchards, and olive-groves are
being swallowed up by this irresistible
destroyer. Here and there are trees
in full foliage — some standing in holes
like huge cups, wrought in the sand
by the wind that sweeps beneath their
branches — others with the trunk and
lower branches buried, and the top
dusted with sand, like trees at home
after a snowstorm — others again with
little pyramids over them, and nothing
to show that these are the tombs of
living trees except one or two green
twigs that project from the tumulus.
It was affecting, as I passed through
this place in 1858, to see an old man

S. Palestine.

Route 16. — Ascalon.

255

shovelling back the fresh-blown sand
from a cucumber-bed, and erecting a
temporary barrier of bushes, so as to
let him get this last crop from the
doomed soil. On the W. of the village
nothing is visible but the naked, white
sand-heaps, reminding one of snow-
wreaths on an Alpine plateau. On
the E. all is verdure, green cactus-
hedges, green fig-orchards, green
olive-groves, and green fields beyond
them. Among the lanes of the village,
and especially beside the mosque, are
some shafts of grey and white marble,
probably rifled from the palaces of
Ascalon. Indeed, in every village of
the plain one meets with these marble
columns — now forming the kerb-stones
of wells, now the thresholds of diminu
tive mosques, and often lying in the
streets and lanes without use or
object. At Burbarah we leave the main
road, which runs on along the fertile
plain in a, north-western direction,
keeping considerably E. of Mejdel,
and touching our route again at Esdud.
Near this road, about 1 m. from Bur
barah, is a small village called Jiyeh ;
and J hr. beyond it, more to the east
ward, is Beitima. Our path turns to
the N.W. along the border of the
sandhills, with an olive-grove on the
rt., which once stretched far to the 1.
also, as we can see by the half-buried
trees near us, and the tombs of others
beyond them. In 25 min. we come to
Nalieh, a poor hamlet built on a rising
ground on the E. side of a low plain
which appears to be sometimes flooded
in winter. A ride of 10 min. across
the plain, and 20 min. more over the
ridge of sand, brings us to the gate of
Ascalon. Ascalon, now 'Askuldn. — The ruins
of this ancient city occupy a splendid
site facing the Mediterranean. Along
the shore runs a line of cliffs nearly 1 m.
in length, and varying from 50 to 80 ft.
in height. The ends of the cliffs are con
nected by a ridge of rock which sweeps
round inland in the form of a semi
circle. Within the space thus enclosed
stood Ascalon, and along the top of

the ridge ran its Walls. The ground
sinks gradually for some 200 or 300
yds', towards the centre, and then
rises again as gradually into a broad
mound, culminating at the sea. The
walls are strangely shattered, and one
wonders what mighty agency has been
employed in their destruction. Huge
masses of solid masonry, 10, 15, 20 ft.
in diameter, are thrown from their
places and lie on the sides and at the
base of the rocky bank. The cement
that binds the stones together seems
as firm as the stones themselves ;
and the old battlements, instead of
having crumbled to pieces as most
buildings do, rest in immense dis
jointed fragments, which, had we
power enough to move them, we might
almost arrange in their places again.
On the eastern side of the semicircle,
at its apex, was the principal gate;
and here is still the most convenient
entrance. The path winds up through
heaps of stones and rubbish, among
which are great numbers of marble
and granite columns ; on the 1. are
the shattered walls of a large tower,
still of considerable height, and afford
ing from the top the best general
view of the ruins. Clambering up
the broken battlements, we have As
calon spread out before us — no! not
Ascalon, only the place where it once
stood. The northern and larger sec
tion of the site is now covered with
gardens, divided by rough stone
fences, and filled with vines, pome
granates, figs, and apricots, in addi
tion to luxuriant beds of onions and
melons. Scarcely a fragment of a
ruin can be seen from this spot except
the broken wall. As I sat here one
morning I counted 5 yokes of oxen
ploughing, 2 drawing water for irriga
tion, and 28 men and women engaged
in agricultural work ! Such is one
section of Ascalon. The remaining
portion is even more terribly desolate.
The white sand has drifted over its
southern wall, almost covering its
highest fragments, and now lies in
deep wreaths upon the ground within.
The scene presents such an aspect
of utter desolation that it is painful
to look upon it — old foundations of

256

Route 16. — Ascalon — History.

Sect. III.

houses, palaces perhaps ; and the little
vines that men, .still living, had
planted over tliem, being alike swal
lowed up by sand. And the sand is
fast advancing ; so that probably ere
half a century has passed, the very
site of Ascalon will have disappeared.
How true are the words of Zephaniah,
spoken 25 centuries ago, "Ashkblon
shall be a desolation " (ii. 4) ; and
the words of Zechariah too, " Ashkelon
shall not be inhabited" (ix. 5) !
A walk through the gardens and
orchards that cover the site still
shows us something of the former
magnificence of the city. Proceeding
from the gate towards the top of the
central mound, now crowned with a
ruinous wely, we observe traces of a
street once lined with columns. At
about 200 yds. we have on the 1. a low
area partially excavated, round which
are from 20 to 30 large granite shafts,
and several smaller ones of marble;
some of them nearly covered with soil
and stones. Not a solitary column
stands upright, and not a building
can be traced even in outline, though
a few stones of a wall are here and
there seen in thefr places. Deep wells
are frequently met with, with kerb
stones of marble or granite ; columns,
mostly of granite, exist in vast num
bers — scores of them may be seen pro
jecting from the ruinous wall along
the cliff over the sea, and some lie half
buried in the sands below. Hewn
stones are not so plentiful as one
would expect. But this is explained by
the fact that Ascalon formed the chief
quarry from which the materials were
taken to build the ramparts and adorn
the mosques of Acre. The houses
and walls of Yafa have also made
large draughts on this place. And
poor Lady Hester Stanhope, strangely
enough, contributed to the work of
ruin. Having heard or dreamt of some
vast treasure buried beneath the old
city, she got a firman from the Sultan,
assembled a band of workmen, and
made extensive excavations ; but the
only treasure discovered was a portion
of a theatre. Thus a variety of agen
cies have combined to render Ascalon

" a desolation." There is a little vil
lage beside it ; but not a human habi
tation within its walls.

The history of Ascalon is scarcely
less interesting than that of Gaza. It
was one of the royal cities of the Phi
listines when the Israelites entered
Palestine. Being allotted to Judah,
it was captured by that tribe, but only
held a few years (Josh. xiii. 3; Jud.
i. 18, iii. 3) ; and it seems to have
remained during the whole period of
the Jewish monarchy in the hands of
its original possessors (1 Sam. vi. 17 ;
2 Sam. i. 20). Many prophecies were
uttered against it, all pronouncing the
same doom — utter destruction (Jer.
xlvii. 5, 7 ; Amos, i. 8 ; Zeph. ii. 4 ;
Zech. ix. 5). After the conquests of
Alexander the Great it shared the
fate of Phoenicia and Judaea, and being
a strong maritime city, near the bor
ders of rival kingdoms, it was the
scene of many a bloody battle — some
times falling into the hands of the
Ptolemies, and sometimes passing over
to the Seleucidse. From an early
period Ascalon was the seat of the
worship of Derceto, or Syrian Venus.
She was represented under the form of
a fish with a woman's head ; and was,
doubtless, a female counterpart of
Dagon (Jud. xvi. 23 ; 1 Sam. v. 2).
Diodorus Sicidus gives a romantic
account of the origin and peculiar
form of this goddess. Ascalon was
famous for its onions, of which Pliny
and other ancient authors speak in
high terms; and our English word
scaliion, or shallot, is only a corruption
of the Latin Ascalonia. It is singular
too that onions are still largely grown
on the site of Ascalon, and are widely
celebrated for their superior flavour.
Herod the Great adorned the city
with baths, porticoes, and fountains
and after his death his sister Salome
resided there in a palace her brother
had built. Ascalon suffered greatly
during the wars between the Jews and
Romans ; for its inhabitants were
noted for their hatred of the Jewish
nation — a feeling they probably in
herited from their Philistine fore-

S. Palestine. Route lG.-^-Ascalon-^History.

257

fathers. On one occasion 2500 Jews
were massacred in the city in cold
blood. From the 4th to the 7th centy.
Ascalon was the seat of a bishopric ;
and during the wars of the Crusades
it was among the most important cities
in the country, and was often lost and
won by Christian and Muslem. When
Jerusalem was taken by Godfrey in
1099, the Fatimite Khalif of Egypt
assembled his forces and marched
into Syria to annihilate the infidels.
He encamped in the plain before the
walls of this city ; and was soon joined
by multitudes from Damascus and
other parts of Syria, who forgot petty
rivalries in thefr hatred of the common
foe. The little Christian army heard
the news in Jerusalem ; and on bended
knees before the Holy Sepulchre they
uttered the noble prayer — " Spare thy
people, 0 Lord, and give not thine
heritage to reproach, that the heathen
should rule over them : Wherefore
should they say among the people,
Where is their God ? " Then seizing
their arms, they marched down the
mountain glens, and defiled into the
plain. 1000 horse and 9000 foot con
stituted the whole force of Godfrey.
Chance threw in their way the im
mense flocks and herds of their ene
mies, who, it seems, had come up in
Bedawy style ; capturing these, they
continued their march. When the
Muslem army saw them in the distance,
followed by droves of oxen and camels,
they thought the whole were soldiers.
Panic-struck they fled without striking
a blow, leaving camp, baggage, and
arms as spoils to the Christians !
For 50 years after the rest of Pa
lestine had yielded to the arms of
the Crusaders the walls of Ascalon
bade defiance to every assault. At
last, under Baldwin HI., in the year
1152, the Christians encamped before
it, determined on victory at whatever
price. William of Tyre gives a graphic
description of the city, and a minute
account of the siege. The king, the
patriarch, the archbishops of Tyre,
Csesarea, and Nazareth, ranged their
followers along the walls, while a fleet
attacked it from the sea. 2 months
had already been spent in hard but

fruitless labour, when the approach of
Easter brought numerous pilgrims to
Palestine from every country of Europe.
The conquest of this city, however, was
deemed of still greater importance
than the observance of the feast. A
royal decree prohibited the departure
of any Christian from the country
until Ascalon had fallen. All who
could bear arms were gathered to the
spot. Every seaworthy ship was as
signed its station opposite the port.
Towers were erected from which Eng
lish archers galled the garrison ; and
engines constructed which threw pon
derous stones into the heart of the city.
The most heroic efforts were made to
carry the place by storm. But all in
vain. For 2 months the besieged
shouted back defiance from the walls.
Accident at last opened a way to vic
tory. The Muslems, having resolved
to destroy a tower of the enemy from
which the deadliest projectiles were
thrown into the city, filled the whole
interval between it and the wall with
wood, mixed with pitch, oil, and other
combustible matter ; and then fired it.
When the flames were at their height
the wind rose and drove them during
the whole night against the wall. Just
before dawn a section of the ramparts
thus heated fell with a tremendous
crash. A practicable breach was thus
made, and the- Templars claimed the
honour of first mounting it. Clad in
thefr armour, and covered with their
shields, they rushed over the smoking
ruins ; but they were met by courage
no less fierce than their own, and not
a man of that gallant band escaped.
The city was still in a condition to
make its own terms ; and its defenders
left it with all the honours of war.
The achievements of Richard Gavur
de Lion form another interesting
episode in the history of Ascalon.
Saladin's accession to the throne of
Damascus revived the waning glory of
the Crescent ; and Ascalon like other
cities of Syria soon yielded to his arms.
In the year 1191 Richard landed in
Palestine. After the capture of Acre
he led his followers to the recovery
of the sea-coast. A march of 100 m.

258

Route 16. — Ascalon — History.

Sect. III.

from Acre to Ascalon was a great and
perpetual battle of 11 days. It was
only by demolishing the fortifications
of this city that Saladin prevented the
English monarch from the immediate
occupation of one of the strongest
places in the land. Even this, how
ever, did not fully accomplish his pur
pose ; for the crusaders at once resolved
to rebuild the walls ; and it adds no
little interest to the spot that some of
those crumbling ramparts we here see
were erected by the hands of our ances
tors and countrymen. But the days of
its prosperity were drawing to a close.
Its fortifications were completely de
stroyed by Sultan Bibars in the year
1270. It still continued to harbour a
feeble garrison till the beginning of
the 17th centy., when it was aban
doned, and has ever since remained
without an inhabitant (Zech. ix. 5).
For the History of Ascalon consult
Relandi Palsestina; Ritter's Erd-
kiinde ; Will. Tyr.. Hist. ; and Geoff.
de Vins. Itin.
Without the walls of Ascalon
' on the N.E. are gardens and or
chards, filled with figs, apricots, and
lemons ; with beds of cucumbers,
melons, and especially onions. The
thorn fences that enclose them are
wreathed in spring with the delicate
flowers of the convolvulus — red, pink,
and white. Here and there, too,
granite and marble columns, and frag
ments of ornamented friezes, are scat
tered about, giving additional in
terest to the beautiful scene. In the
midst of these gardens, 100 yds. or so
from the walls, stands the little village
of el-Jurah — the modem representative
of the royal Ascalon. Soon after pa!s-
ing it we enter the white, bare, sandy
downs ; and in J hr. reach the remains
of Ibrahim Pasha's barracks. Large
vaults, a few broken walls and founda
tions, now almost covered by the sand-
drifts, are here, deserted and neglected,
on the top of the ridge. Descending
from hence into a fertile vale, we
enter rich park scenery, with clumps
of olives, and straggling walnut and
fig trees, scattered over undulations of
corn. In 25 min. we arrive at Mejdel,

one of the largest and most prosperous
villages in the plain of Philistia. The
scenery around it reminds one of the
richest parts of England ; but the
palm-trees, and turbaned figures, and
bright blue sky, speak of the East.
The houses, chiefly of stone, are large
and substantial; and the streets are
wider than usual, and not quite so
filthy. There is a well-stocked bazaar
abounding with fruit and vegetables ;
and there is an air of industry and
activity about the whole place that
affords a pleasing contrast to the stag
nated indolence of most of the villages
of Palestine. The few columns and
large hewn stones seen about the mosque
and some of the houses may have been
brought from Ascalon, though Mejdel
is itself an ancient site. Its name and
position serve to identify it with the
Migdal-gad of Joshua xv. 37, and the
Magdala mentioned by Herodotus,
where Pharaoh-Necho conquered the
Syrians (ii. 159).
From Mejdel to the next village,
Hamdmeh, a distance of 27 min., the
road runs through olive-groves, the
sight and shade of which are refresh
ing to the weary sun-burnt traveUer.
The fields are cultivated with skill and
taste; and some of the melon and
cucumber beds would not disgrace
European gardeners. Looking away a
few hundred yds. to the 1., we see that
this whole scene of richness and beauty
is threatened with speedy destruction.
The sands are advancing rapidly over
the country. Large vineyards are
there, in which nothing is seen but a
few long straggling branches, still
green, waving mournfully over a white
desert —fig-trees deeply imbedded —
long hedges of cactus almost covered
up, and little lanes between, no longer
needed. After passmg the groves of
Hamameh we enter an open plain,
neither so fertile nor so well cultivated
as that through which we have passed.
The white downs are still close on our
1., and here and there the path is
covered with loose sand. We here
fall into the direct Gaza road, and
after ascending a low ridge, from
which we have an extensive view over

S. Palestine. Route 16. — Mejdel. — Ashdod.

259

the plain to the rt., Esdud appears
before us, distant 1 hr. 23 min. from
Hamameh. Ashdod, now Esdud, is a moderate-
sized village of mud houses, situated
on the eastern declivity of a little
flattish hill. On approaching it from
the S. we have in the foreground a
lake, 400 or 500 yds. in circumference
— beyond it a large ruinous khan and
modern wely — beyond these, the hill,
its southern face covered by a multi
tude of diminutive gardens with stone
fences, that look like sheep-pens in the
distance. Leaving the pond and khan
on the 1., we advance to the village
over a naked slope of threshing-floors
and brick-fields. The site is beautiful
and commanding. Groves of olives,
figs, and palms adjoin it on the E.
and N., covering the sides of the hill,
and stretching along the undulating
ground at its base. The plain, too,
unfolds itself before us till it meets
the dark mountains of Judsea.
The village is entirely modern, and
does not contain a vestige of anti
quity ; but in the old khan to the
S.W., there is a granite column ; and
beside the little wely, near the khan,
is a sculptured sarcophagus, with
some fragments of small marble shafts.
The southern side of the hill appears
also as if it had been once covered
with buildings, the stones of which
are now thrown together in the
rude fences. The khan is compara
tively modern — certainly not older
than that at Ramleh. Irby and
Mangles tell a curious story of the
villagers of Ashdod, which is illus
trative alike of the feelings and the
superstitions of the Muslem inhabit
ants of Syria. Some women brought
to them a sick young man, under the
impression, which is almost universal,
that all Franks are either hakims
(" doctors ") or magicians. They at
first assured the women they could
do nothing for the youth ; but the
poor creatures still believed that the-
will and not the power was wanting
to effect a cure. Seeing this, they
gave them some balsam of Mecca,
which the friars say is an antidote for

all distempers. They expressed their
gratitude and went away; but they
" soon returned to beg some of our
hair, saying that the smoke of Chris
tian hair burnt while the medicine
was warming would ensure a cure of
the disorder." I have myself more
than once heard the same statement ;
but accompanied with the assurance
that hair had no virtue except the
head was along with it.
Ashdod like Gaza and Ascalon was
a royal city of the Philistines, and
fell to the lot of the tribe of Judah
(Josh. xiii. 3 ; xv. 47) ; but there
is no evidence that it ever came into
thefr possession. The city is chiefly
familiar to us as the place to which
the Ark was brought after its capture
by the Philistines at the battle of
Aphek (1 Sam. v. 1). The temple of
Dagon probably stood on the summit
of the hill. " The Philistines took the
Ark of God, and brought it into the
house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon ;
and when they of Ashdod arose early
on the morrow, behold, Dagon was
fallen upon his face to the earth be
fore the Ark of the Lord. And they
took Dagon and set him in his place
again." The ark was sent away across
the plain to Gath (1 Sam. v. 8).
3 centuries afterwards Ashdod was
dismantled by King Uzziah, who built
some towns in the country round it
(2 Chron. xxvi. 6); and at a still
later period the prophets pronounced
its sentence (Amos i. 8 ; Zeph. ii.
4; Zech. ix. 6). It is mentioned to
the reproach of the Jews after their
return from captivity, that they mar
ried wives of Ashdod ; and that their
children spoke a mongrel dialect
(Neh. xiii. 23, 24). But the most
remarkable historical fact connected
with the city is the long siege it stood
against Psammitichus, king of Egypt,
who during a period of twenty-nine
years invested it (about b.c. 650). This
is the longest siege on record (Herod.
ii. 157). Ashdod was destroyed during
the Jewish wars in ^the time of the
Maccabees, but was again built by
order of Gabinius, the Roman governor
of Syria. It was included in the
kingdom of Herod the Great, and was

260

Moute lb. — Jabneh.

Sect. III.

bequeathed by him to his sister
Salome, who, as we have seen, resided
in a palace at Ascalon. Among the
Greeks and Romans the city was
called Azotus ; and it was here Philip
the Evangelist " was found" after the
baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch
(Acts viii. .40). In the early centu
ries of our era Azotus became the seat
of a bishop; and the see, after re
maining dormant under the rule of
the Saracens, was revived for a time
by the Latin kings of Jerusalem.
Immediately on leaving Esdfid to
proceed northward we enter one of
the richest sections of the plain —
a depression, 2 to 3 m. wide, and
extending far to the eastward, with a
torrent-bed winding through its centre.
It is everywhere cultivated; and there
are 6 or 7 large villages in or beside
it. About 2 m. E. of Esdud is one
called Bataneh, and another bearing
the same name stands 1£ m. or so
farther E. Our path leads E. by
N. to Burka (42 min.), a hamlet of
mud houses, placed on the northern
bank of the wady, and encompassed
by cactus hedges of enormous size.
Turning more to the N. we now ascend
a long, bare slope— the white downs
away on the 1., and the green plain
on the rt. ; but around us a bar
ren, stony soil, that seems to have
felt Philistia's curse (Zeph. ii. 5).
From the top of the rising ground,
about | hr. after leaving el-Burka,
we see a number of villages dotting
the plain eastward. One of these,
about 2 m. distant, surrounded by
olive-groves, is called Yasur, and is
doubtless the Hazor mentioned by
Eusebius as a town of Judah, east
ward of Ascalon. In the open plain,
about 1£ m. S.E. of it, is Musmiyeh.
Passing on for a weary hr. over bleak
uplands, we arrive in Bushit (or Abu
Shit ?), a collection of mud' hovels,
such as one would think the prophet
must have had before his mind's eye
when he said, " The sea-coast shall be
dwellings and cottages for shepherds,
and folds for flocks " (Zeph. ii. 6).
And when one sees the half-naked,
half-starved looking men, and squalid

women and children, that lounge lazily
in the dirt Of these miserable villages,
he cannot help recalling the words of
Scripture — " A bastard shall dwell in
Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride
of the Philistines" (Zech.- ix. 6).
On the N. of Bushit is Wady Surar;
here a broad depression in the undu
lating plain. From Bushit the direct
road to Ekron (distant 1 hr. 10 min.)
turns to the rt., crossing the wady,
and passing through a little village
called Mughar, built on the southern
declivity of a low ridge, in which are
some "caves" that give the name to
the village. Leaving this village
about lj m. to the rt., we proceed
along the plain (50 min.) northward
to Yebna.

Jabneh, or Jamnia, now Yebna, is
situated on a gentle eminence on the
W. bank of Wady Surar, about 2 m.
from the sea. Though the houses are
modem, there are still some traces
of antiquity remaining, the principal
being the ruins of a ch., used in later
times as a mosque. This is the site
of the city Jabneh, mentioned in the
book of Chronicles (2 Chron. xxvi. 6)
as taken by Uzziah along with Ash
dod, and dismantled. The Jabneel of
the northern border of Judah is also
probably the same place (Josh. xv.
11). The name is not again found in
Scripture, but it is frequently men
tioned by Josephus and other his
torians in the early centuries of our
era. It became the seat of a Christian
bishop, and also of a famous Jewish
synagogue and school. The crusaders
believed it to be the site of Gath, and
built on it a fortress called Ibelin.
From Yebna there is a direct road
to Yafa about Z\ hrs. distant. It leads
northward diagonally across Wady
Surar. This valley is the drain of
the western section of the Judsean
hills, almost from Hebron to Bethel.
Wadys Musurr and Beit Hanina, with
all their tributaries, fall into it ; and

S. Palestine.

Route 16. — Ekron.

261

yet it is only a winter stream, with no
running water later than the begin
ning of May. From the place where
it enters the plain at Bethshemesh,
till it reaches Yebna, it is called Surar,
and from Yebna to the sea Rubin.
Near where the modern road crosses it
to Yafa are the ruins of a Roman
bridge ; one great arch and the frag
ment of another still stand. This
marks the line of the old road laid
down in the Peutinger Tables, from
Joppa to Jamnia, Azotus, and Ascalon.
Another road ran from Diospolis
'(Lydda) to Jamnia, but it must have
crossed the wady considerably east
ward of this bridge. Not far from
the bridge, on an eminence to the rt.,
is a wely surrounded by a wall and a
few trees ; it is called Neby Rubin,
and gives its name to this part of the
valley. It was formerly almost as
great a place of pilgrimage for the
Mohammedans as Neby Musa, near
Jericho; but latterly it has lost its
virtue or its fame. The Yafa road
runs from hence along the shore.
A low naked ridge filled with caves
separates the plain of Yebna from
that of Akir; and at its southern
extremity, where the wady breaks
through it, stands the poor village of
Mughar. May not this ridge be the
"mount Baalah" of the border of
Judah, between Ekron and Jabneel
(Josh. xv. 11)? Our road to 'Akir
crosses it, the distance being about
1 hr. 20 min.
Eltron, now 'Akir, lies on an emi
nence on the northern side of Wady
Surar. It contains about 50 mud
houses, without a single remnant of
antiquity, except 2 large wells. Though
the plain southward is rich, the coun
try round the village has a dreary
appearance, which is heightened by
some half-dozen stunted trees scat
tered round the houses. There can
not be a doubt, however, that this is
the site of Ekron. " That city," says
Dr. Robinson, "was the northern
most of the 5 cities of the lords of
the Philistines; and was situated
on the northern border of Judah;
while the other 4 cities lay within the

territories of that tribe (Josh. xiii. and
xv.). Eusebius and Jerome describe
it as a village of Jews, between Azotus
and Jamnia, toward the E. ; that is to
say, to the eastward of a right line
between those places ; and such is the
actual position of 'Akir relative to
EsdUd and Yebna at the present day."
The history of Ekron is neither so
interesting nor so important as that of
the other royal cities of Philistia. It
was first allotted to Judah, and was
one of the landmarks of its northern
border (Josh. xv. 11) ; it was con
quered by that tribe, though subse
quently given to Dan (id. xix. 43;
Jud. i. 18). The only remarkable
incident in the history of Ekron is
that connected with the Ark, which
was sent here from Gath (1 Sam. v.
10-12 ; vt). When it came near the
city — when it was crossing the low
lands of Wady Surar, where it came
into full view — the people feared, and
raised the cry, as they flocked out of
their houses, " They have brought
about the Ark of the God of Israel to
us, to slay us and our people." They
soon resolved to send it home, " for
there was a deadly destruction through
out all the city." A new cart was
made ; two milch kine yoked to it,
thefr calves being shut up ; the Ark
was placed in the cart, and a coffer
containing the sin offerings of the
Philistines by its side. The kine were
permitted to choose thefr own path —
a test proposed by the superstitious
people to show whether the plague
had really come from the Lord's hand,
— and " they took the straight way to
the way of Bethshemesh." We can
j see their route from the village. They
went down the gentle slope into the
wady, and then wound up it to where
it enters the dark range of hills some
10 m. off. Any villager will point
out the direction and position of 'Ain
esh-Shems, the ancient Bethshemesh,
to which the Ark was carried ; the site
is hid by intervening high ground,
but the opening of the valley on the
S.E. is easily distinguished. The 5th
and 6th chapters of 1 Samuel will
be read with interest on the site of
Ekron.

262

Route 16. — Ramleh.

Sect. III.

Ramleh. — Between 'Akir and Ram
leh is a dreary tract of upland, where
a low ridge crosses the plain from
E. to W. The soil is sandy; the
surface broken and partially covered
with dry weeds and bushes, with only
here and there a patch of corn. The
sighing of the sea-breeze as it sweeps
over it is singularly mournful. On
approaching Ramleh we enter a tract
of heavy sand, which covers the nar
row lanes, even among the fields and
gardens. The town is embowered
in olive-groves and orchards, among
which the palm, kharub (the Cera-
tonia siliqua of botanists, and husks of
Luke xv. 16), and sycamore abound.
Gardens and fields of grain, fenced by
hedges of cactus, give a rich and
flourishing aspect to Ramleh. The
houses are well built — not so closely
packed as in most oriental towns, but
running out into the orchards ; and
the streets are tolerably clean. The
population is estimated at 3000, two-
thirds Muslems, and the rest Chris
tians, chiefly of the Greek Church.
The town is comparatively modem,
possessing few buildings or ruins
earlier than the time of the crusades.
There is one Gothic ch., more re
cently used as a mosque, and now fast
falling to ruin. The Latin convent is
one of the largest in Syria, though
only inhabited by a few Spanish and
Italian friars. It was built in the
beginning of .the 18th centy. Before
that period there was here only a
hospitium for pilgrims, purchased by
Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy,
about a.d. 1240. The monks say their
new ch. occupies the site of the house
of Nicodemus. On the N. side of thS
town are extensive vaults, said to have
been built by the Empress Helena —
a legend equally worthy of credit with
that of Nicodemus's house. The de
scent to them is by a long flight of
steps, and the interior is spacious,
containing 24 arcades — it is now, and
probably always was, a cistern.
But the chief architectural attrac
tion of Ramleh is a beautiful tower
which stands on high ground J m.
W. of the town. Around it are the
remains of a large quadrangular en- 1

closure, once a spacious khan like
those found along all the leading
roads in the country. Some of the
arches of the cloisters are still stand
ing, and under the centre of the area
are extensive vaults. The tower is
now isolated; but there can be little
doubt that it was at one time at
tached to a mosque. Most of the great
khans in Syria had thefr mosques
and minarets, and a few of them may
still be seen near Damascus, as at
Kuteifeh, S'as'a, &c. The tower is
Saracenic, square, and beautifully
built. The angles are supported by
slender buttresses, and the sides taper
upwards in stories. A narrow winding
staircase, lighted by pointed windows,
leads to the top, where it opens on an
external stone gallery, which is carried
round the tower. The height is about
120 ft. This tower has formed a
theme for keen controversy among
recent writers on Palestine. During
the 16th centy. a tradition sprang up
in some way or other that the ruins
round it were those of a Christian ch.,
dedicated to the "Forty Martyrs"
of Sebaste, in Armenia. Pious pil
grims gladly adopted the new shrine ;
imaginative travellers propagated the
story; and subsequent writers copied
it. Tradition, like fame, vires acquirit
eundo ; and accordingly in the begin
ning of the 18th centy. the whole
building was ascribed to the piety of
Helena ; and in the present centy.
some have added that during the.
crusades there was a convent here and
a ch. of the Knights Templars, of
which this tower was the belfry !
Dr. Robinson at length arrived, and
with his historical wand dissolved the
whole fairy tale. Any architect might
have seen that the style of the build
ing, and of the ruins around it, is
Saracenic ; any one might have dis
covered that the tower could never
have been used as a belfry ; and any
scholar who had glanced at the Arabic
inscription over the door might have
ascertained that it bears the date of
a.h. 710, corresponding to a.d. 1310.
It is, moreover, related in the writings
of Mejr-ed-Din, the historian of Jeru
salem, that the Khalif Nasr Moham-

S. Palestine.

Route 16. — Lydda.

263

med ibn Kalawun, who was restored
to the throne of Egypt in 1310, built
here a minaret famed for its height
and beauty. The mosque which for
merly stood beside it was erected by
Suleiman, son of Abd-el-Melek, the
founder of Ramleh, and the 7th Khalif
of the Ommiades. It was repaired
during the reign of Saladin; and is
frequently mentioned by Arab authors
under the name of the White Mosque.
Every traveller should ascend this
tower, as from its gallery we obtain a
most interesting view of the plain. At
our feet are the orchards and olive-
groves of Ramleh ; on the N.E. they
are touched by those of Lydda, which
is seen seated on a gentle eminence.
Beyond these, N. and S., the eye
wanders over a boundless plain, tinted,
according to the season, with the ver
dure of spring, or the golden hue of
early summer, or the unvarying grey
of autumn. On the W. is the sea,
and on the E. the " mountains of
Israel." In the plain itself there are
but few villages, as it affords too fair
a field for Bedawy cavaliers ; but the
low hills and the mountain sides be
yond are thickly studded with them.
Within the last few centuries a
monkish tradition has identified Ram
leh with Ramathaim-Zophim or Ramah
of Samuel, and with the Arimathea of
the New Testament. For this, how
ever, there is no evidence. The two
names have no analogy — Ramleh sig
nifying "sandy," and Ramah a "hill."
But when the idea was once started
tradition began its inventions. The
house of Nicodemus, the spot where he
made the Holy Cross now at Lucca,
and other shrines no less interesting
were soon discovered and are now
shown. In history there is no men
tion of Ramleh earlier than the 9th
centy.; and Abulfeda states that it
was founded in the early part of the
8th centy. by the Khalif Suleiman,
after he had destroyed Ludd. The
same fact is recorded by William of
Tyre and others. The town soon rose
to importance, partly, perhaps, from
its situation at the intersection of the
great roads from Damascus to Egypt,
and from Yafa to Jerusalem, In the

12th centy. Edrisi calls Ramleh and
Jerusalem the two principal cities of
Palestine. Before the time of the
crusades Ramleh was surrounded by a
wall with 12 gates ; 4 of these opening
towards the cardinal points had mar
kets and mosques attached to them.
On the approach of the crusaders in
1099 the city was deserted by its in
habitants, and immediately occupied
by the Christians. Here the crusaders
held a gfeat feast in honour of St,
George, and formally installed him as
their patron, on account of the miracle
he had wrought in thefr favour at
Antioch. The homage paid to him
here prepared the way for his advance
ment to higher honours. England
soon adopted him, and other countries
of Europe followed the example.
The position of Ramleh made it a
post of importance during the cru
sading wars. In the year 1187, after
the battle of Hattin, the town fell into
the hands of Saladin, but 4 years later
the approach of Richard of England
changed the aspect of affairs. The
Muslems destroyed the castle lest the
English should occupy it. But not
withstanding this the town became
the head-quarters of Richard, and the
plain round it was the scene of many
of his daring exploits. In the truce
between Richard and Saladin, made
in 1192, it was stipulated that the
plain and coast from Tyre to Yafa,
including the half of Ramleh and
Lydda, should remain in the hands of
the Christians. In 1202 Ramleh was
entirely given up to the crusaders,
and remained in their possession until
1266, when it was finally captured by
Sultan Bibars.

Lydda or Diospolis, now Ludd, is
45 min. from Ramleh to the N.E., the
road running like an avenue from the
one to the other, between gardens
and orchards. In situation Ludd re
sembles its sister, with its wide circuit
of olive-groves, but its houses are
poorer, its streets dirtier, and its en
virons less carefully cultivated. Ad
joining it are the remains of the church
of St. George, generally supposed to

264

Route 16. — Gimzo.

Sect. III.

have been rebuilt by Richard Cceur de
Lion; and independent of Romance,
one of the most picturesque ruins in
Syria. The walls and part of the
vault of the eastern niche still remain,
with the beautiful pilasters and rich
marble capitals and cornice. One
lofty pointed arch stands on the S.
side of the aisle, and has a striking
appearance ; the columns are massive
and clustered, with marble capitals
something in the Corinthian style.
On the foundations of the western end
a mosque has been built, but here
little seems to be left of the ancient
structure. Lydda is the Lod of the Old Testa
ment, a city of Benjamin, occupied
both before and after the Captivity
(1 Chron. viii. 12 ; Ezra ii. 33 ; Neh.
xi. 35). The place retains its Hebrew
name. We are told by Josephus that
Cassius, who was for a time governor
of Judsea under the Romans, greatly
oppressed the land, and sold as slaves
the inhabitants of Lydda, and several
other towns in its vicinity. But Lydda
will be chiefly interesting to the
Christian traveller as the scene of
Peter's miracle in curing Eneas. And
the apostle was still in this city when
Dorcas died at Joppa; and here the
messengers came for him — the dis
tance is only about 10 m. (Acts ix.
32-39). Lydda was subsequently
called Diospolis by the Romans, by
which name it is frequently mentioned
by Eusebius and Jerome. It became
the seat of a bishop, an honour which
it still retains. All Englishmen will
regard it with peculiar interest as the
reputed birthplace of thefr patron
saint, and the place where he was
first specially honoured. The earliest
calendars relate that St. George was
born at Lydda ; suffered martyrdom in
Nicomedia, under Diocletian, near the
close of the 3rd centy. ; and that his
body was conveyed to his native town,
where a church was erected in his
honour. William of Tyre ascribes its
erection to Justinian. In the begin
ning of the 8th centy. Lydda was laid
in ruins by the Saracens, but the
church and convent of St. George
escaped. On the approach of the cru

saders the building did not fare so
well — -the Muslems in revenge razed
it to the ground. Still the tomb of
the saint, who had so nobly battled
for the crusaders at Antioch, was held
by them in the highest veneration ;
the church was rebuilt ; and the town
made the seat of another (Latin)
bishopric. But in less than a century
Lydda and its church were again de
stroyed by Saladin, on the approach of
Richard of England. The church was
restored, some say by King Richard
himself, though that is doubtful. A
portion of the building was afterwards
converted into a mosque, and to that
circumstance we are indebted for the
fragments that remain.
The caravan-road from Lydda to
Jerusalem crosses a fertile plain, and
in 45 min. reaches
Jimzu, the ancient Gimzo, a town
taken by the Philistines from the
Israelites in the reign of King Ahaz
(2 Chron. xxviti. 18). It is now a
large village situated on an eminence ;
but there is nothing in it worthy of
special notice, except the great number
of subterranean magazines, used for
storing grain, to preserve it both from
the weather and the Arabs. The road
passes the northern base of the hill,
and a short distance beyond it branches
— one branch leading straight up the
mountain to Beit 'Ur; the other di
verging to the right and leading
through Wady Suleiman. The latter
is the best road ; but the former is the
most interesting, as it passes through
both the Bethhorons ; the two branches
unite near el-Jib, the ancient Gibeon.
We take that by Beit 'Ur.
In about 2 h. from Jimzu is a ruin
called Um Rush, with a well beside it.
From it we see on the S.E., nearly a
mile off, the small village of el-Bur j,
" The Tower," on an isolated hill, and
having the appearance of an old site.
Dr. Robinson suggests that it may,
probably, occupy the place of the
ancient fort of Thamna, mentioned by
Josephus as on the road from Diospolis
to Jerusalem. From Um Rush the
road descends into a wady, and then

S. Palestine.

Route 17. — Hebron to Yafa.

265

strikes up the side of a stony ridge, on
whose crest (1 h. from Um Rush)
stands Beit 'Ur et-Tahta, "Beit 'Ur
the lower." It is a small hamlet, but
there are some foundations and heaps
of large stones, now the only remains
of Bethhoron the Nether. This town
lay on the north-western border of
Benjamin ; and was separated from the
upper town of the same name by a
pass called the " Descent of Beth
horon," down which Joshua drove the
5 Amorite kings (Josh. x. 11. See
Rte. 10). Though on the border of
Benjamin, Bethhoron belonged to Eph
raim, and was allotted out of that tribe
to the Levites (id. xxi. 22 ; 1 Chron.
vi. 68). From hence we descend into
a wady, and then commence the long
and steep ascent of the mountains.
The road zigzags up the extremity of
a promontory which juts out between
two deep valleys. The rock is in
many places hewn away, and the path
cut into steps. On the top of the first
projection are massive foundations,
apparently of a castle intended to
defend the pass. § h. higher is Beit
'Ur el-Foka, Upper Bethhoron, distant
from the lower 1 hr.
For an account of this place, and
the road hence to Jerusalem (4J h.),
see Rte. 10.

ROUTE 17.
HEBRON TO YAFA. H. M.
Hebron to Terkumieh, Trico-
mias  3 0
Beit Nusib, Nezi&  0 35
Wady es Sumt, Valley of Elah 2 10
Beit Nettif  0 30
Ain esh-Shems, Bethshemesh 1 30
Ramleh  4 0
Yafa, Joppa  3 30
Total .. .. .. .. 15 15
[Syria and Palestine.]

In this route there are not many
places of interest, yet, as it leads us
across the valley of Elah, where David
killed Goliath, and through the coun
try of Samson's boyhood and early
exploits, it is not altogether devoid of
attractions. It forms the easiest and
quickest route, too, from Hebron to
Yafa, which may be an object to those
pressed for time, or anxious to meet a
steamer. It can be made more inter
esting by a de'tour to Eleutheropolis,
to Socoh, and to Ekron ; but these
require an additional day. They are
embraced in Rtes. 14 and 16.
On leaving Hebron we follow the
northern Beit Jibrin road (Rte. 14)
for 2 h. over the mountains -to Tai
yibeh, and from thence we proceed
another hour, gradually descending
from the mountain ridge of Judah to
the hill country at its base. We then
reach a point in a valley where the
village of Terkumieh is a few minutes
on our left, perched on the top of a
rocky ridge. This is the ancient Tri-
comias, an episcopal city of Palsest-ina
Prima, enumerated in the earliest and
latest ecclesiastical Notitise. There
are no ruins, but the stones of
earlier structures were used in build
ing the modern houses. From hence
to Beit Jibrin is 2j h., straight down
the valley westward. We here leave
the Beit Jibrin road, and turn to the
N.W. over a low ridge into a long
green wady. On the right above it
are the extensive ruins of
Beit Nusib, the Nezib of the plain of
Judah (Josh. xv. 43), and the Nasib
of Eusebius and Jerome — the latter
places it 7 Roman m. from Eleu
theropolis. Here is a ruined tower
about 60 ft. sq., solidly built; some of
the larger blocks are bevelled, but the
crevices are cobbled with smaller
stones, like the old fortress of Masada.
The interior is vaulted ; but as it is
dark, and infested, like many another
place, dark and dear, in Syria, with
myriads of fleas, few will undertake
the task of exploring it. Not far from
it are the foundations of another and
still older structure, measuring 120
N

266

Route 17. — Bethshemesh.

Sect. III.

ft. long by 30 wide. On a mound to
the S. are more ruins ; and the whole
surrounding ground is strewn with
squared stones and fragments of
columns. The road now winds down Wady
es-Sur, passing in 50 min. Bir es-Sur,
" The Well of Sur," which gives its
name to the valley. In 50 min. more
it intersects the ancient road from
Jerusalem to Eleutheropolis (Rte.
14). At the point of intersection
stands one of the largest and most
beautiful butm-trees in Syria. " This,"
says Dr. Robinson, " is without doubt
the terebinth of the Old Testament ;
and under the shade of such a tree
Abraham might well have pitched his
tent at Mamre. The butm is not an
evergreen, as is often represented;
but its small feathered lancet-shaped
leaves fall in the autumn and are
renewed in the spring. The flowers
are small, and are followed by small
oval berries, hanging in clusters from
2 to 5 in. long, resembling much the
clusters of the vine when the grapes
are just set. From incisions in the
trunk there is said to flow a sort of
transparent balsam, constituting a
very pure and fine species of turpen
tine, with an agreeable odour like
citron or jessamine, and a mild taste,
and hardening gradually into a trans
parent gum." The butm is the Pistacea
terebinthus of botanists, and the Elah
or Alah of the Bible. It is worthy of
notice that Wady es-Sflr, in which this
tree stands, joins, J m. farther down,
Wady es-Sumt, not far from the ruins
of Socoh, where David killed Goliath
(Rte. 14). Wady es-Sumt was anciently
called the Valley of Elah, that is the
" Valley of the Terebinth."
J h. below the butm-tree, Wady
es-Sur bends to the left, and our road
going straight on crosses the low
point of a ridge into Wady Musurr,
which a little farther to the left takes
the name of es-Sumt ("Acacia Valley").
The ridge we cross terminates between
the two valleys in a rounded rocky
tell, on which are some very ancient
ruins called Jurfah, consisting of the

foundations of a square structure, with
heaps of large hewn stones all round
it, and several subterranean magazines
or cisterns, hewn in the rock. The
situation is very beautiful — command
ing Wady es-Sumt to Tell Zakariya,
and looking up along both Wady es-
Sflr and Wady Musurr. From the
latter valley we ascend the steep ridge
to Beit Nettif (30 min.), for a descrip
tion of which see Rte. 14.
From Beit Nettif we proceed north
ward across a glen and over a rocky
ridge. On the crest of the latter, a
little to the left of the path, stands
Yarmuk, a small village containing
nothing to attract attention. It is the
site of Jarmuth, ODe of the cities that
united against the Gibeonites, and
whose king Joshua hanged at Mak
kedah (Josh. x. 3). It belonged to "the
valley" or "low-lands" of Judah, and
was not far from Adullam and Socoh
(id. xv. 35). Eusebius places it 10 m.
from Eleutheropolis, on the road to
Jerusalem. These notices establish its
identity. From the ridge of Yarmuk we de
scend by a rugged path into a green
valley, with corn-fields in its bed, and
wild shrubbery along its sides, having
the ridge we crossed running parallel
on the left, and the mountains of
Judah rising up in dark masses on the
right. Down this we wind to Ain
esh-Shems, distant li h. from Beit
Nettif.

Bethshemesh, " The House of the
Sun," is now called 'Ain esh-Shems," The
Fountain of the Sun," and yet there is
neither "house" nor "fountain" on
the site. The ruins of Bethshemesh
are situated on the rounded point of a
low ridge, having Wady Surar on the
one side, and a smaller wady which
comes down from Yarmuk on the
other. The two unite below it, form
ing a broad fertile vale, which runs
westward into the plain. A flat-
topped tell on the crest of the ridge,
covered with heaps of stones and
fragments of old walls, appears to

S. Palestine.

Route 17. — Bethshemesh.

267

be the site of the city. A couple of
hundred yds. to the E. are the ruins of
a modern village, and a domed wely
in tolerable repair. Huge thistles and
yellow marigolds covered almost every
thing except the wely when I was
there (April 1857). They looked gay
enough in the distance; but the
thistles are formidable antagonists to
an explorer. In fact, there is nothing
to explore ; the city has become
" heaps ; " the natural features, the
surrounding scenery, and the historic
associations are the only objects of
interest. One can still follow with the
eye the path along which the ark
must have come up from Ekron ; and
down in the valley at our feet the men
of Bethshemesh were reaping when
they saw it approaching.
The specifications of Eusebius and
Jerome's Onomasticon fix the site of
Bethshemesh, as of many another old
city. It lay to the E. of the road
leading from Eleutheropolis to Nico-
polis, 10 Rom. m. from the former ; a
position exactly answering to 'Ain esh-
Shems. The topographical notices in
Scripture are also very precise. Beth
shemesh was a sacerdotal city of the
tribe of Judah, on the borders of Dan
and Philistia ; between Chesalon and
Timnah (Josh. xxi. 16, xv. 10, xix.
41 ; 1 Sam. vi. 12). The tribe of Dan
received a portion of the large lot of
Judah, and among its towns is Ir-
shemesh, which is doubtless the same
as Bethshemesh (Josh. xix. 41 :
comp. 1 Kings iv. 9). This town is
chiefly celebrated as the place to which
the Philistines brought the ark from
Ekron. In later times Bethshemesh
was the residence of one of Solomon's
12 purveyors (1 Kings iv. 9). It
was also the scene of the battle be
tween Judah and Israel in which
Amaziah was taken prisoner by Jeho-
ash (2 Kings xiv. 11-13). After its
capture by the Philistines in the reign
of Ahaz it is not mentioned in sacred
history (2 Chron. xxviii. 18.)
We see around us at Bethshemesh
the native country of Samson, and the
scenes of some of the principal events
of his life. Standing amid the stones
and thistles on the hill, and turning

northward, we have at our feet Wady
Surar, nearly a mile in width ; beyond
it rises a high ridge, jutting out from
the hills of Judah, and crowned with
a white wely ; this marks the position
of Sur'ah, a miserable hamlet situated
on the declivity just behind the wely.
It contains no traces of antiquity
except a cistern and some scarped
rocks ; yet it is the site of Zorah, the
birthplace of Samson (Jud. xiii. 2).
The intervening wady is most prob
ably the "valley of Sorek," the home
of the infamous Delilah (id. xvi. 4).
Jerome places it N. of Eleutheropolis
and near Zorah. About 1J m. W. of
Bethshemesh, but hidden by an inter
vening ridge, is Tibneh, occupying the
site of Timnath, where Samson got
his Philistine wife (Jud. xiv. 1). It
was in " going down " from Zorah to
Timnath — somewhere perhaps in the
rugged sides of the wady — he killed
the young lion that " roared against
him;" and it was in the latter place
he put forth his celebrated riddle to
his Philistine companions — " Out of
the eater came forth meat, and out of
the strong came forth sweetness"
(Jud. xiv. 14). It was among these
dark hills he afterwards caught 300
young foxes, and tying them tail to
tail, and putting a torch between each
two, let them loose ' over the plain
among the standing corn of the
Philistines. What havoc they must
have made ! In revenge for this the
Philistines came up to Timnath and
burned Samson's wife and her father
(Jud. xv. 1-6). The whole story of
Samson's life will be read here with
intense interest. It was from Zorah,
and the neighbouring town of Eshtaol
— now unknown— that the 5 Danite
spies, "men of valour," went to Laish
in search of new possessions for
the increasing tribe. They found
themselves unable to dispossess tho
warlike Philistines, and were thus
desirous of obtaining possessions
more easily gained and defended
(Jud. xviii. 2). About 3 m. N.E. of
Bethshemesh, on the northern side of
the valley, is another ancient site, —
Zanu'a, the Zanoah of Josh. xv. 34,
and of Neh. xi. 30 ; and some 2 m.
N 2

263

Route 18. — Jerusalem to Yafa.

Sect. III.

farther up among the mountains lies
Keslu, doubtless the Chesalon of the
border of Judah, between Kirjath-
jearim and Bethshemesh (Josh. xv.
10). From Bethshemesh the traveller who
has time should ride down the valley
of Surar to Ekron ('Akir), about 3
hrs. distant, thus following, but in
reverse order, the route of the ark.
Having already visited that old city
in Rte. 16, we shall now proceed
straight across the country to Ramleh.
Descending from the ruins of 'Ain
esh-Shems we cross Wady Surar ob
liquely, and then strike up the north
ern bank by a steep track. In 25
min. the ruins of Rafat, a large vil
lage, lie upon the rt. From this point
there is a noble view of the valley
winding across the plain to the sea.
The path now descends- into the
plain, which is hilly and broken at
this place; but still fertile, and
covered with luxuriant crops of grain.
In 1 hr. 15 min. more are the ruins of
a village called Beit Far, " The House
of the Mouse ; " and j h. beyond it
Khulda is passed on a hill to the rt.
Saidon is i m. N. of it, also to the rt.
of the path. 2 hrs. more across the
plain bring us to Ramleh. (Rte. 16.)
Ramleh to Yafa 3J hrs. See Rte.
18.

ROUTE 18.
JERUSALEM TO YAFA. H. 21.
Jerusalem to Kolonieh . . . . 1 30
Kuryet el-'Enab, Kirjathjearim 1 30
Latron  3 0
Ramleh  3 0
BeitDejdn  1 30
Yafa, Joppa  1 30
Total  12 0
One of the most dreary rides in
Palestine is that from Jerusalem to
YSfa. As far as Latron at the base
of the hills the road is rugged, steep,

and slippery; but across the plain
from Latron to Yafa it can almost all
be got over at a gallop. A new road
is in progress as these sheets pass
through the press; but the mode in
which it is being . made does not give
much hope of permanence. The whole
distance, making allowance for the
zigzags and gradients, cannot be less
than 36 geographical m. With lug
gage it takes 12 hrs.; but I have
done it in 7J on one horse, and not
a very good one either. Where time
is no object the Bethhoron road is
much to be preferred, as it leads
through a number of interesting sites ;
it is described in Rtes. 16 and 10.
Those who land at Yafa to visit Jeru
salem, and then go northward, should
by all means take it.
On leaving the Holy City the road
traverses for some |- h. a rocky pla
teau — one of the bleakest tracks in a
bleak region. It then dives down into
a little glen which leads into Wady
Beit Hanina. As we approach the
bottom we have vineyards and fig-
orchards on the rt. and 1., varied here
and there by olives. After cross
ing the dry river-bed the road runs up
another glen that falls in from the W. ;
and here on the rt., on the point of the
ridge formed by the junction of the
two, stands Kolonieh. The situation
is picturesque ; terraced orchards and
vineyards encompassing the flat-roofed
cottages; grey hill-tops rising high
over them ; and ' dark belts of olives
almost filling the deep glens below.
A few fragments of massive walls,
that may have belonged to a temple
or a fortress, are seen beside the road,
but now they have neither name nor
story. Looking down the valley south
ward, we get a blink at 'Ain Karim
and its convent, on the hill-side amid
olive-groves. The road now winds up the side-
glen. After J an hour's hard climbing
we gain the crest of a ridge ; here a
few hundred yards to the 1., on the top
of a tell, is the ruin called Kustul
evidently a corruption of the Latin
Castellum (castle). This was doubt-

S. Palestine.

Route 18. — Kirjath-jearim.

269

less, a. fortress intended to guard the
pass. Descending again through
rocky ground for £ h. we observe, a
short distance to the 1. of the path,
a Roman arch spanning a torrent-bed.
It marks the line of the ancient road,
which time and cultivation have de
stroyed. SSba now comes in sight on
the summit of a conical peak to the S.
of Kustul. It is the most conspicuous
site in the whole region, and is doubt
less ancient ; but it has never yet been
satisfactorily identified.- Two theories
exist — one that it is Modin, the native
place of the Maccabees ; this, however,
is impossible, for that city was situ
ated in or near the plain, within sight
of the sea : another, that it is the long-
lost Ramathaim-Zophim, or Ramah,
the home of Samuel; but to say the
least, the position is as unlikely as any
of the others that have been chosen for
that city. A man hastening home
from Soba to Tuleil el-Ffll, the ancient
Gibeah, would not, if in his senses, go
round by Rachel's sepulchre at Beth
lehem ; yet Saul must have done so if
Soba be Ramah (1 Sam. x.).
A deep glen is now on our 1. Low
down, the sides are terraced for the
fig and the vine ; higher up dark brush
and dwarf oak appear among the gray
rocks. The road keeps along the
bank, turning a little to the rt. for
some distance, and then, winding
round to the 1., crosses to Kuryet el-
'Enab.

Kirjath-jearim, now Kuryet el-
'Enab, stands on the rt. bank of a
wady, the same along which we have
come a part of the way from Kustul.
It has a picturesque look with its old
ch., and castle-like houses, and large
olive-groves, and terraced slopes ; but
there is an air of neglect and decay
about the whole that tells of indolence
or misfortune. The village consists of
a number of substantial stone houses,
grouped round 2 or 3, which from their
size and strength might almost be
called castles. These are the heredi
tary mansions of the family of the
once celebrated chief Abu Ghaush,

whose daring robberies and cold
blooded murders for a long time kept
the whole country in terror, Turkish
pashas included. The wild ravine
down which the road runs, from the
mountain ridge W. of the village to
the plain, was often the scene of his
exploits. His safe-conduct was neces
sary to clear the pass ; and woe betide
the solitary traveller, or caravan, that
attempted it without his permission !
On one occasion 2 pashas were shot
dead in the midst of their retinues by
this daring bandit. At last, however,
after nearly -^ a centy. of power and
crime, the tardy vengeance of the Turk
ish government overtook him. The chief
himself and a number of his principal
men were seized in 1846 and sent to
Constantinople. The subsequent for
tunes of 3 of them were told to Dr.
Robinson by a member of the family
— one died in banishment; another
was still an exile in Bosnia; and a
third, after a banishment of 5 years
spent at Widdin, had returned home
the previous year (1851). A number
of the family still occupy the village,
and, though forced by circumstances
to be a little more circumspect, their
character has not much improved.
Beside the village stands an old
Gothic ch., deserted and desecrated,
but not ruined. When I was last in
it, it was filled with cows and horses.
The interior is divided into a nave and
aisles by 6 square pillars supporting
plain pointed arches, and a groined
roof still nearly perfect. There is a
clerestory with small windows. At
the eastern end are 3 semicircular
apses. The style is very plain and
massive, but chaste. One is chiefly
struck by the gloominess of the in
terior, the immense thickness of the
walls, the smallness of the lancet win
dows, and the position of the door in
the northern side wall. The building
might have served at any time the
double purpose of ch. and fortress.
A Franciscan convent was originally
attached to it by its crusading foun
ders, but not a trace of it now remains.
Some late writers have affirmed that
both ch. and convent were dedicated
to St. Jeremiah (the Prophet), whose

270

Route 18.— Wady 'Aly.

Sect. III.

birthplace a monkish tradition makes
this to be.
There cannot be a doubt that Kuryet
el 'Enab, " the Village of Grapes," oc
cupies the site of Kirjath-jearim, " the
Village of Forests," which Jerome
places at the 10th mile from Jerusalem,
on the road to Diospolis (Lydda). It
was originally one of the cities of the
Gibeonites who beguiled the Israelites
into a league (Josh. ix. 17). It was
also called Kirjath-Baal, and stood
on the S.W. angle of the territory of
Benjamin. This fact makes it of
great importance to those who study
the boundaries of the tribes. The
northern border of Judah can now be
traced with considerable exactness, as
we have a whole line — a crooked one it
is true — of known landmarks : the
mouth of the Jordan, Beth-Hoglah,
the pass of Adummim, Enrogel, the
Valley of Hinnom, Rachel's sepulchre,
Kirjath-jearim, Chesalon, Bethshe
mesh, Timnath, Ekron, Mount Baalah,
Jabneel to the sea (Josh. xv. 5-11).
There is some mystery about the
bringing of the ark to Kirjath-jearim.
Why the priests of Bethshemesh (Josh.
xxi. 13, 16) should send to the Gibeon
ites of Kirjath-jearim (id. ix. 17-27) to
take away to their city the Ark of the
Lord is difficult to understand ; per
haps they thought that, as death
seemed to follow it everywhere, they
would let these poor slaves be the
sufferers ; or perhaps a priestly family
of note had settled on the "hill"
above Kirjath-jearim, to whose care it
was thought best to consign the sacred
shrine. We are told they " brought it
into the house of Abinadab in the hill,
and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep
the Ark of the Lord" (1 Sam. vii.
1). The ark remained here until it
was taken by King David to Jeru
salem. On leaving Kuryet el-'Enab the
road crosses a ridge, and immediately
enters a wild region of glen and moun
tain, covered with dark shrubbery of
dwarf oak, hawthorn, and rock-rose.
We descend gradually for some § h. to
Saris, a small village situated in the
midst of olive-trees on the 1, ; on the

rt., crowning a tell, is a ruin called
Beit Fejjol, apparently of some anti
quity. Here a break-neck path leads
us down into Wady 'Aly. A more
suitable place for lurking bandits
could not be imagined. The road is
so bad that it is impossible to flee
from, threatening danger ; the tangled
dwarf forest is so dense that it is im
possible to see it ; and the sharp rocks
are in places so close to the narrow
path, that the muzzle of the rifle may
touch the traveller's breast while its
owner is hid by the projecting cliff.
Yet this wild ravine is not without
some signs of industry. Here and
there a few perches of ground are
cleared and planted with olives ; and
little terraces have been built up along
the mountain sides to hold a patch of
corn or a clump of vines. An hour's
fast ride — and few will wish to loiter
in such a place— brings us to Bdb el-
Wady, " the Door of the Wady," where
the ravine opens into a plain. To the
rt. of the road 20 min. below the
" door " is a tower-like building called
Deir Eyflb, " Job's Convent ; " and in
i h. more we pass through the half-
ruined village of Latron, the Castellum
boni Latronis of the monks, which
may be freely and truly rendered
" The Thieves' Den." Here are the
ruins of a large strong fortress strewn
over the summit of a rocky tell com
manding a, wide view over the plain
and the sea beyond. The substruc
tions are Roman, if not earlier; but
the pointed arches and lighter archi
tecture of the upper walls, are of a
much more recent period. This is
unquestionably the Castellum Emmaus
of the crusaders, and was erected to
command the approach through the
glen to Jerusalem ; and as it is near
Emmaus, it may have served as an
outpost and defence to that city. In
the latter part of the 14th centy. it
got its monkish name from the legend
which makes it the birthplace of the
" Penitent Thief." " But in whatever
relation this fortress may later have
stood to Emmaus, it seems not impro
bable," says Dr. Robinson, " that this
spot was the site of the ancient Modin,
the residence of the Maccabees (1 Mac.

S. Palestine. Route 18. — Emmaus. — Ajalon.

271

ii. 1, 15, 23) ; at least its position and
elevation correspond, better than any
other place, with the circumstances
narrated of Modin. In that town the
Maccabees lived and were buried (id.
ii. 70; xiii. 25); and there Simon
erected a lofty monument with 7 pyra
mids to their memory. Modin lay
adjacent to the plain ; and the monu
ment was visible to all who sailed
along the sea (id. xiii. 29 ; xvi. 4, 5).
Eusebius and Jerome likewise testify
that Modin was not far from Lydda ;
and that the sepulchres remained in
thefr day. The writers of the time
of the crusades speak indefinitely of
Modin as somewhere in this vicinity.
To all the circumstances thus enume
rated the elevated and isolated tell of
Latron well corresponds."

Emmaus or Nicopolis. — About 1 m.
to the N.E. of Latron, in full view, is
the small village of 'Amwas, situated
on the western declivity of a low hill.
It contains the ruins of a fine old ch.,
and a fountain famed far and wide
many centuries ago for its wondrous
virtue in curing man and beast. This
is the site of Emmaus or Nicopolis,
situated at the foot of the mountains,
and, according to the Jerusalem Itine
rary, 22 Rom. m. from Jerusalem, and
10 from Lydda. The name does not
occur in Scripture ; but the town rose
to importance during the later history
of the Jews, and was a place of much
note during the wars of the Asmo-
neans. It was fortified by Bacchides,
the general of Antiochus Epiphanes,
when he was engaged in war with
Jonathan Maccabseus. It was in the
plain beside Emmaus Judas Macca
bseus so signally defeated the Syrians
with a handful of men, as related in
1 Mac. iv. About the year a.d. 220
the city was rebuilt by the exertions
of Julius Africanus, the Christian
author to whose writings Eusebius
owes so much ; it was then ¦ called
Nicopolis, and is often mentioned by
Eusebius and Jerome as a known
landmark to fix the position of towns
and villages round it.
It is somewhat remarkable that

from the 3rd to the 13th centy. the
opinion was universal among Chris
tian writers that this city was that
Emmaus to which the two disciples
were going from Jerusalem when our
Lord appeared to them on the day of
his resurrection. But the express
statement of the Evangelist, and the
whole circumstances of the narrative,
appear to make this impossible. Luke
states that Emmaus was distant from
Jerusalem " threescore furlongs " —
Nicopolis is a hundred and sixty. Be
sides, the two disciples, having come
from Jerusalem to Emmaus in part
of a day, returned there the same even
ing after Christ, had revealed Himself
to them. If this be Emmaus, they
must have walked that day a distance
of forty miles! (Luke xxiv. 13-35).

Ajalon. — About 2 m. E. of 'Amwas
is the village of Yalo, situated on a,
projecting ridge of the mountain over
looking the plain of Merj Ibn 'Omeir.
This is the Ajalon of Scripture, a city
of the tribe of Dan (Josh. xix. 42) ;
and the plain below is that " Valley
of Ajalon" over which Joshua com
manded the moon to stand still until
he had smitten the Amorites (Josh.
x. 12 ; see Rte. 10).
In the plain N. of Yalo, i h.
distant, is Beit Nubah, a village cele
brated in the time of the crusaders —
first, as Castellum Arnaldi, built by
the Patriarch of Jerusalem to protect
the road to that city through Wady
Suleiman ; and second, as the place to
which Richard of England, in June
1192, led his army from Ascalon on
the way to besiege Jerusalem. On
arriving there the king ordered his
tent to be pitched on the higher side
of the castle. A few days afterwards
a spy informed him that a band of
Turks were lying in the mountains
waiting to plunder stragglers. He at
once set out in search of them, and
discovered them at the fountain of
'Amwas. Attacking them unawares,
he killed 20, captured Saladin's herald,
and put the rest to flight. But even
brilliant skirmishes like this could

272

Route 18. — Joppa.

Sect. III.

not atone for weeks of inglorious re
pose which he spent here with his
army. He rode up once within sight
of the Holy City, gave utterance to a
noble sentiment, and rode back again.
He finally marched his troops from
Beit Nnbah to Yafa, concluded a peace
with Saladin, and left Palestine for
ever. It is probable that Beit Nfibah
occupies the site of Nebo mentioned in
Ezra ii. 29.
Returning to Latron, we resume our
route. After descending the rocky
tell we cross a rich section of the plain
and in an hour reach Kubab, a large
village, filled with beggars — the most
importunate I have ever met in Pales
tine, thanks in part to the Ul-directed
charity of Frank travellers. It stands
like Latron on a rocky tell, and is
surrounded by olive groves and gar
dens fenced with prickly-pears. 2 hrs.
more across the plain bring us to
Ramleh. Jimzu, the ancient Gimzo,
and a small village called 'Anabeh,
are visible to the rt. ; but only one
half-ruined hamlet appears on the 1.,
and it is such a nest of thieves that
the government have twice burned it
to ashes within the last J centy.
Around Ramleh (Rte. 16), as the
name implies, the plain is " sandy,"
and it continues so the whole way to
Yafa. It is only a vigorous vegetation
that prevents the sand from being
bare and destructive as on the downs
of Gaza and Ascalon. Much of it is
under culture; and, as we advance,
we see, away on the rt., a splendid
tract of meadow-land. A short dis
tance S. of the road, and j h. from
Ramleh, is the village of Surafend,
which may perhaps be the Sariphsea
spoken of in connexion with Ascalon
and Gaza as having been destroyed
during the civil wars of the Saracens
in a.d. 756. In another horn- Beit
Dejan is on the rt., amid pine and
olive-groves. The name (Beth Dagon)
is ancient, and it recalls the old deity
of the Philistines. ^ h. farther is
Yasur— some old Hazor — soon after
passing which we enter the orange-
groves of Yafa; and finally reach its

crowded gate after an hour's weary
ride through deep sandy lanes, with
an atmosphere like an English hot
house

Joppa or Japho, now called Yafa,
and by Franks Jaffa, is beautifully
situated on a rounded hill, dipping on
the W. into the Mediterranean ; and
encompassed on the land side by
orchards of oranges, lemons, citrons,
and apricots, scarcely surpassed in the
world. Like most oriental towns, how
ever, it looks best at a distance. The
houses are huddled together without
regard to appearance or convenience ;
the streets form a labyrinth of blind
alleys, and narrow, crooked, filthy
lanes ; and the whole town is so
crowded along the steep sides of the
hill, that the rickety mansions on the
upper part seem to be toppling over
on the flat roofs of those below them.
Still Yafa has an air of bustle and
thrift about it, which makeB some
amends for its architecture and its
dirt. It has no port; and it is only
under favourable circumstances a vessel
can lie a mile or two from the shore.
Many a time the steamers pass with
out being able to land either mails or
passengers. There is indeed a place
along the shore which has sometimes
been dignified by the name of "the
harbour." It consists of a strip of
water from 40 to 50 ft. wide, and from
5 to 10 deep, surrounded on the sea
side by low and partially sunk rocks.
It has two entrances — one on the W.
10 ft. wide, and the other on the N.
not much larger. Such a spot may
afford a little shelter to open boats;
but it is worse than useless so far as
commerce is concerned. The town is
defended by a wall, on which a, few
old guns are mounted toward the sea.
On the land side there is but one gate,
and it is always so crowded with
donkeys, camels, and lazy Arabs, that
one has difficulty in forcing his way -
through. Just within it is a fountain '
adorned with a profusion of carving
and Arabic inscriptions. The bazaars
are well supplied with excellent fruit,

S. Palestine.

Route 18. — Joppa.

273

especially oranges, for which Yafa is
the most celebrated place in Syria.
Yafa contains about 5000 Inhab., of
whom 1000 are Christians, about 150
Jews, and the rest Muslems. French
steamers caU (weather permitting)
every ten days, bringing European
mails from Alexandria, and proceed
ing northward to Beyrout and Constan
tinople. Also, at similar intervals,
taking mails to Alexandria for Europe.
Austrian steamers likewise call once a
week. Travellers arriving at Yafa to
travel inland will find horses and
mules to carry them and thefr bag
gage to Jerusalem, where further ar
rangement can be more easily made.
Those not as yet provided with a
dragoman will find Jew boys about
the "harbour" with enough of some
known tongue to interpret.
With the exception of a few granite
columns, and some old stones built up
in the walls, chiefly rifled from the
palaces of Ascalon, there are no re
mains of antiquity in Yafa.- There
are three mosques, and three small
convents — Latin, Greek, and Arme
nian. Yafa is traditionally the oldest city
in the world, for Pliny says it existed
before the flood ; and even historically
it is a place of high antiquity. Among
the maritime towns allotted to the
tribe of Dan we find the name Japho
— a remarkable instance of the tenacity
of Shemitic names (Josh. xix. 46). It
next appears as the port at which the
floats of cedar and pine from Lebanon,
for the building of the Temple, were
landed (2 Chron. ii. 16). And after
the return from the captivity Ezra
tells us that the Jews gave "meat and
drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon,
and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar-
trees from Lebanon to the sea of
Joppa," for rebuilding the " House of
the Lord " (Ezra iii. 7). And it was
at Joppa Jonah embarked for Tar-
shish (Jon. i. 3). Here, too, Peter
the apostle raised Tabitha from the
. lead, and resided many days in the
louse of " Simon the tanner." The
house is still shown. And it was
here that, while praying on the house
top, he saw that strange vision of

clean and unclean beasts, and creeping
things, and heard the voice saying,
"Rise, Peter; kill and eat" (Actsix.
36-43; x. 9-18). Joppa is frequently
mentioned in the wars of the Macca
bees ; and on one occasion, when
its inhabitants had thrown 200 Jews
into the sea, Judas in revenge surprised
and burned the Syrian fleet that lay
before it. During the Roman wars
Joppa was burned by Cestius, and
upwards of 8000 of its inhabitants
butchered. It was made the seat of a
bishop in the time of Constantine, and
retained the honour till its conquest
by the Saracens in 636. It was an
important post during the crusades;
but from that time till the close of the
past centy. its history is obscure and
uninteresting ; then, however, its name
rung throughout Europe and Asia, as
the scene of one of the bloodiest trage
dies on record.
On the 4th of March 1799 Yafa was
invested by the French under Napo
leon. In two days a breach was made
by the cannon and declared prac
ticable. The town was carried by
storm, and delivered over to all the
horrors of war, which never appeared
in a form more frightful. During this
scene of slaughter a large part of the
garrison, consisting chiefly of Alba
nians, took refuge in some old khans,
and called out from the windows that
they would lay down their arms pro
vided their lives were spared; but
otherwise they would fight to the last
extremity. Two officers, Eugene Beau-
hamais and Crosier, Napoleon's own
aides-de-camp, agreed to the proposal,
and brought them out disarmed in
two bodies, one consisting of 2500
men, and the other of 1500. On reach
ing the head-quarters Napoleon re
ceived them with a stern demeanour,
and expressed his highest indignation
against his aides-de-camp for attempt
ing to encumber him with such a body
of prisoners in the famishing condition
of his army. The prisoners were made
to sit down in front of the tents, their
hands tied behind their backs. De
spair was already pictured in every
face, for the relentless frown of the
general, and the gloomy whispers of
N 3

27i

Route 18. — Joppd.

Sect. 111.

the officers, could not be mistaken.
But no cry was uttered, no semblance
of cowardice exhibited. With the
calm resignation characteristic of the
Muslem spirit and faith they yielded
to their fate. Bread and water were
served out to them while a council of
war was summoned to deliberate. For
two days the terrible question of life
or death was debated. Justice, com

mon humanity, were hot without their
advocates; but savage barbarity, un
der the name of political necessity,
prevailed. The committee to whom
the matter was referred unanimously
reported that they should be put to
death, and Napoleon immediately
signed the fatal order I They were
massacred to a man on the 10th of
March.

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