UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY AA 000 933 762 7 - ii mii ' i iliii i r mi i n 'ii'ii iT irhy The strongly-marked dotted line denotes the route of the Journey. a K. OGDEN A HUNDRED DAYS IN THE EAST: A JOURNEY TO EGYPT, PALESTINE, TURKEY IN EUROPE, GREECE, THE ISLES OF THE ARCHIPELAGO, AND ITALY. ARCHIBALD POLLOK BLACK, M.A., F.K.S.A.E. f JLTTOiTjcre re e| ivbs alV-aTOS Trai/ ^Ovos avOpd^iruiv KarotKeiv eirl irav TO TrpocTunroi' tt^s 757s. — Acts xvii. 26. LONDON: JOHN F. SHAW & Co., 48 PATERNOSTER ROW. 1865. LIBRARY D S UNIVERSITY OF r . . t.^rmt-' ^^ SANTA BAiii^^KA ^^ B^ ®l]is tohtme IS INSCRIBED TO THE CONGREGATION OF ST ANDREWS, BY THEIR AFFECTIONATE PASTOR, THE AUTHOR. PREFACE. Palestine, though occasionally visited since eaiij' in the fourth century by travellers and pilgrims, remained till of late almost a terra incognita. Its geographical limits and position were an unsolved problem, its physical character a hypothesis, whilst its ruined cities and holy shrines were as much enveloped in mystery as its population were misunderstood. A change has, however, taken place within these few years, Syria is now traversed from Sinai to Lebanon, by men of science, artists, antiquaries, and latterly by photographers, whose Avritings, portfolios, and views have familiarised, to a considerable extent, the reading world with the sacred moun- tains, bituminous lakes, fruitful valleys, and marvellous ruins of the Holy Land. The number of excellent works, comprising travels, descrip- tions, and scientific investigations, which have lately issued from the press, have neither sated the demand, nor diminished the desire for further information and details concerning this wondrous country. in proportion as science has extended her limits, geography and geology have become better known, biblical research and Palestinic history have been studied more universally ; with equal pace the inquiry widens, and each year more urgent demands arise for definite and exact infor- mation, regarding the prominent scehes and localities con- secrated in Bible story. There is scarcely a land in these days, civilised (ir savage. VI PREFACE. that science has not mapped out its mountains, defined its liinits, arranged its geological formation, and classified its flora- Nineveh, Carthage, and Central Africa have been visited' and the sources of the Nile made known. Can any of these lands or countries, in point of interest, relation to our faith) feelings, or hopes, for a moment be com2:)ared with the "Land of the Book?" This territory, small and outlying, it may be, is emphatically the land promised to the fathers, the birth- place of true religion, and the cradle of Christianity. Upon this narrow platform were accomplished the issues and acts which constitute the history of both Old and New Testaments. From among the sons of Israel, God raised and sent forth a succession of prophetic men, whose words sent either a shout of jubilance, or whose burden was followed by a cry of an- guish, through the nations of the earth. Upon others, He breathed the spirit of inspiration, that gushed forth in the sublime and lofty strains of epic and lyric poetry, which still stirs the soul of the believer, or soothes the troubled spirit of the lowly and the penitent. If Rome and Athens be visited ))y men of education, in order to become acquainted with their antiquities and classic history, should not the Bible student be as intimate with Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Beth- lehem, — as conversant with the Lake of Gennesareth, redolent in rich and precious memories, as with Como, Geneva, or Loch Lomond 1 Why should not the green hills of glorious old Galilee be as well known and as oft trodden as those of the Tyrol? In a word, why should not Mount Hermon, the valley of the Jordan, and the ravines of Hasbeij^eh, be as frequently visited as either Mont Blanc or the valleys of Piedmont 1 It is pleasing to remark that Palestine is no longer un- known, or her claims for exj^loration ignored. A society of scientific men has been formed in London, whose object is to determine thoroughly the physical character of Syria, excavate PKEFACE. Vll her ruins, endeavour to settle the vexed question of disputed sites, and bring to light her archaeological and antiquarian treasures. A breakwater, we understand, is about to be erected at Jaffa, the port of Jerusalem ; the line has been surveyed, and measures are being taken to construct a railway from this point of the coast to the metropolis of Judea. A magnificent hospital is to be built at Nazareth. The Empress of the French proposes the rebuilding of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, whilst America, Prussia, and Britain are rivalling each other to meet the spiritual wants of the popu- lation, by establishing missions and schools in the cities, villages, and hamlets of long-neglected Palestine, We re- joice to witness these first instalments of a long unpaid debt of moral and civil obligation, which the woi-ld, and especially Christendom, owes to Syria, since all that makes a people religious, or nations great, has been derived from the gospel of the blessed God, which was first preached at Jerusalem. Any work, then, that sheds a ray of information on the country, its physical outlines, its cities, ruins, or people, is a boon, if not to the general student, at least to the Christian reader. Amongst the learned and scientific men who have published their researches in Palestine, are to be enumerated Tichendorf, Dr Ptobiiison, Sandys, Wilson, Lord Nugent, Ferguson, Williams, and Lamartine, whilst their investiga- tions have been illustrated by the paintings of Ptoberts and the photographs of Graham. The accompanying journal has not been penned to support a theory, settle doubtful historical questions, pantteological researches, or re-arrange sacred geo- graphy ; these and cognate subjects are left in a great measure untouched. The aim of the writer has been humbler, though, perhaps, not less useful ; he has simply drawn out a series of pen-and-ink sketches, descriptive of the scenes, ruins, cities, and peoples, just as they presented themselves before his eye as he VIU PREFACE. went along ; in short, an extension of the passing impressions of the moment jotted down, as a photographer would take a nega- tive, from which to print his positives on returning to his studio. These notes were WTitten daily, on horseback, in the tent of the Beduee, the native hut, or in the midst of the scenes, rocks, and ruins described. The writer lays no claim to the wide philosophic grasp of Dean Stanley, the masterly style, and generalisation of Hepworth Dixon, the keen argumen- tation of Ferguson and Sandys, or the racy humour and chequered pathos of Dr Macleod. The author, from circum- stances and choice, having travelled without tent or escort, found himself in localities and amidst scenery seldom visited by ordinary tourists, and hence mixed more with the inhabi- tants, became more conversant with the in-door life of the peasant and operative classes. Thus affording peculiar faci- lities, if not better opportunities, of observing the peculiar customs and habits of the people, than falls to the lot of those who entangle themselves with tent-equipage, and are satisfied with the second-hand information of a dragoman. The present work, therefore, in no way interferes, as far as he is aware, with any book of travels in Palestine extant. The journey occupied seventeen weeks, and the total outlay was £185. Any one following the same route and mode of travel may easily accomplish the same undertaking at a like ex- penditure. The maps give an outline of the route from Malta going east, and as far as Rome on the return journey home- ward. A few of the views interspersed through the volume were photographed by the author ; and if he may be permitted to make the suggestion, the book will not only be useful to Sabbath-schools, church libraries, travellers to Palestine, but also to all who take an interest in the Holy Land. The Manse, Bow Road, London, November 1865. CONTENTS. or THE PHARAOHS CHAP. I. INTEODUCTORT, .... II. FRANCE, ..... III. THE MEDITERRANEAN, IV. EGYPT THREE DAYS IN ALEXANDRIA, V. THREE DATS IN THE CAPITAL OF THE PHARAOHS, VI. CAIRO, . VII. ACROSS THE DESERT, VIII. SUEZ TO CAIRO, IX. THREE DAYS MORE IN THE CAPITAL X. THE HOLY LAND, XI. JERUSALEM — THE HOLY PLACES, XII. THE HOLY SEPULCHRE, . XIII. GETHSEMANE AND BETHANY, . XIV. GOING DOWN TO JERICHO, XV. THE DEAD SEA, XVI. UNDER THE SHADOW OF OLIVET, XVII. MOUNT ZION, THE KEDRON, AND THE XVIII. AN EXCURSION TO BETHLEHEM, XIX. MODERN JERUSALEM, XX- STREET VIEWS, XXI. LEAVING THE CITY, XXII. SHILOH, XXIII. NABLOUS, SHECHEM, OR SYCHAR, XXIV. NABLOUS, .... XXV. SAMARIA, .... XXVI. THE HILL COUNTRY OF SAMARIA, POOLS, 1 3 10 20 32 39 45 54 59 68 79 87 95 104 111 121 129 138 146 155 167 176 184 193 203 211 CONTENTS. CHAP. XXVII. XXVIII. XXIX. XXX. XXXI. XXXII. XXXIII. XXXIV. XXXV. XXXVI. XXXVII. XXXVIII. XXXIX. XL. XLI. XLII. XLIII. XLIV. XLV. XLVI. XLVII. XLVIII. XLIX. L. LI. LII. LIII. LIV, LV. LVI. LVII. LVIII. LIX. LX. LXI. IXDE.\, MEGIDDO AND ESDRAELON, MOUNT CARMEL, GALILEE, CANA OF GALILEE, . NAZARETH, FOUNTAINS OF THE VIRGIN, NAIN AND ENDOR, . MOUNT TABOR, TIBERIAS AND THE SEA OF GALILEE, CAPERNAUM, BETH.SAIDA, AND CHORAZIN, SAPHED, HAZOR AND KEDESH, DAN AND THE SPRINGS OF JORDAN, . HERMON AND C.ESAREA-PHILIPPI, HASBEIYEU, THE STRONGHOLD OF THE DR HERMON TO DAMASCUS, . DAMASCUS, WALLS, RIVERS, AND STREETS BAZAARS AND CAFE.S, THE GORGE OF THE ABANA, BAALBEC, LEBANON AND BKYROUT, THE LEVANT, SMYRNA AND EPHESUS, . TROT AND THE DARDANELLES, CONSTANTINOPLE, GALATA AND SCUTARI, . GIv£i£)CSj • • CORINTH, THE ADRIATIC AND SICILY, POMPEII AND NAPLES, . NAPLES TO ROME, . ROME, .... CIVITA VECCHIA TO FLORENCE MILAN, TURIN, AND GENEVA, DIRECTIONS FOR PLACING MAPS AND PLATES. MAP OF PALESTINE, TO FACE TITLE PAGE. MAP OF GREECE AND ITALY, TO BE PLACED AT THE END. VIEW OF NABLOUS, TO FACE PAGE 197 VIEW OP A FOUNTAIN AT NAZARETH, ... „ „ 273 VIEW OF DAMASCUS, „ „ 416 PLAN OF EPHESUS, „ „ 468 VIEW OF THE ACROPOLIS AND MAKs' HILL. . „ „ 516 VIEW OF CORINTH ,, ,, 526 «• A HUNDRED DAYS IN THE EAST. CHAPTEK I. INTRODUCTORY. From an early period of life I have anxiously desired to visit the Holy Land, and become acquainted with the birthplace of Israel, a country which, though geographically less in extent than Scotland, has nevertheless been the theatre of events that have revolutionised the opinions and religions of the world, — the promised land in which the Messiah was born, died, and — blessed be His name ! — rose again ; whilst from its metropolis radiated that glorious gospel which is now filling the earth with the knowledge of {Salvation. Other lands boast of their hoar antiquity, poetry, and philosophy; this was in- disputably the cradle of nations, had Heaven-inspired pro- phets, and a Divine revelation. Though I have travelled over much of northern and continental Euroi^e, and am tolerably conversant with the literature of Greece and Rome, yet Pales- tine, with its thunder-riven mountains, scathed lakes, ruined cities, and scriptural associations, has ever exercised a far stronger hold upon my heart, intellect, and aspirations, than the classic lands of Homer's song, and Home with all her artistic and military glory. In the spring of last year I had an opportunity of realising my ardently-cherished wish ; and losing no time, I made the requisite preparations for an absence of four or five months' 2 LONDON TO PARIS, duration. Having obtained a Foreign Office passport, and secured my passage by the overland route in connexion with the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamers, I left London Bridge on the 7th March by the night train, and proceeded by way of Dover and Calais to Paris. The line of road traversed by the railway is too well known to war- rant description, although it forms an interesting feature in the itinerary of a modern pilgrim. Suffice it, then, to say, that on quitting the train we found ourselves on the quay of Dover, and immediately embarked on board a steamer that lay hissing and whistling as if impatient to be off. We speed out into the open channel ; the night dark and stormy, the wind blowing almost a gale. No sooner do we leave the friendly shelter of the harbour than we feel the effects of the elemental strife ; myself, and all on board, the " old salts " excepted, are in a state common to landsmen who " go down to the sea in ships.'' This abnormal state of things fortunately did not last long, for in an hour and a half we are on French soil, and proceed to the emharcadere. On entering the railway carriage, I was gratified to find that of the five passengers who filled our compartment, two were young Scotsmen, one a commercial traveller, the other a literary gentleman, and both destined for the capital. The night being overcast and boisterous, there was little or no conversation. The carriages are exceedingly pleasant, being well cushioned, padded, and glazed ; while, as an agreeable addition, we have an ellipti- cally-shaped iron tube with hot water for the feet. These com- forts soon lulled us all into sleepy f orgetfidness. When the sun rose in the morning, and we were fairly awake, the train was drawing near to Paris. Having passed over the ground twice before, I probably felt less interested than those who make acquaintance for the first time with " La belle France." Although the Channel is not broad, and our position only a few hours distant from the south of England, the advance in the ripening crops and a difference in the mode of cultivation were very apparent. With this brief prefiice I now proceed to furnish a fair transcript from the rough notes in my Journal, begging the reader of this narrative to pardon the perhaps over frequent use of the first person singular. CHAPTER II. FRANCE. Tuesday, 8th March 1864.— Exactly at 7.15 a.m. we roll into the large and well-appointed station of the "Great Northern" of France. Here there is some little delay, owing to my keys having been left or lost in London, but as my boxes, on being opened and examined, were found correct, I leaped into a cabriolet, which conveyed them and myself to the gate of the Hotel Wagram, Rue de Rivoli. After breakfast I gave myself up to sight-seeing, and made, in the first instance, for the Tuileries, where I luxuriated among the beautifully-ordered grormds, statues, and magnificent entourage of the palace, which, as far as I can judge, well merits the commendation bestowed upon it. Next, finding my way to the Bourse, the centre of 'bus traffic, and ascending one of these vehicles, I proceed round the Boulevards Vivienne and Montmartre, as far as the "Place de la Bastile," where, after paying three sous, I take another omnibus, and then another, until the circuit of the entire city is completed, and a tolerably correct notion of its size and general aspect obtained. The Parisians have adopted in macadamising the Boulevard Montmth March. — At 5 A.M. we are running between Sardinia and Corsica, the latter the birthplace of Napoleon I. This part of the Mediterranean is better known as the Straits of Bonifacio; the shore appears rocky and rugged, with garibaldi's home. 11 scarcely a sign of vegetation. The sky, as yesterday, glows with warmth, the thermometer marking 58° in the open air ; the sailors are busy washing the deck; but although order and discipline are strictly maintained, yet how different from a Sabbath morning at home, with its sweet and holy influences, its endearing associations and inestimable privileges ! The crew are chiefly Maltese, men of fine features, and sparkUng eyes full of intelligence, who speak a 2X(tois compounded of Arabic and Italian. I am much pleased, and I know that I utter the feeling of all my fellow-passengers, when I express my unquali- fied approval of the systematic arrangements on board the ship, and acknowledge the aflfability of its crew ; the ofticers, from the captain to the newly made middy, are courteous and gentle- manly in the extreme ; indeed, one may say that their education and the prestige of the company under which they serve presup- pose this ; but such is not always the demeanour of employes, in other departments of our mercantile marine. I should attri- bute the happy combination of courtesy and comfort to some master mincl, which, though unseen, superintends every detail of this distinguished packet service. We are now in the nar- rowest part of the Strait, where Corsica may be examined with greater accuracy. The whole island has an appearance of burnt scoria, jagged and broken rocks, almost destitute of vegetation, with dazzlingly white and snowy mountains in the distance. We are running close upon the little islet so de- servedly famous as the home of the patriotic Garibaldi. How I wish that it were in my power to pay my devoirs to one of the greatest men that ever figured in human history ; but such ambition is futile. The entire appearance of Caprera resem- bles a farmer's dwelling in the Lothians, with its detached offices. Upon this subject I could have moralised by the hour, but must be content with simply comparing the re- tired king-maker of modern times with his great prototype Cincinnatus. For a while we hug the shore, but after passing through the Straits, and sailing among some of the beautiful islands, such as Santa Magdalena, Porto Gomole, and others, we urge our way along the coast of Sardinia, which presents a bold and rugged outline ; there are observable only one or two farms and a lighthouse. Whilst steering towards Maretimo, an island lying off the coast of Sicily, the bell rings at eleven 12 SUNDAY SERVICE ON SEA. in the forenoon for Divine service. On descending into the cabin, which is carefully supplied with Bihles and Prayer- books, I find that the meteor flag of Great Britain, the red, white, and blue of glorious memory, is made to do duty as a pulpit. Never, surely, was it put to better use than on occa- sions such as this. The passengers and ship's officers, to the number of about fifty, take their places around it with decorum, and, it may be added, with apparent devotion. The captain, as a matter of courtesy, invited me to act as chaplain ; but I was compelled to decline the honour, from not being sufficiently acquainted with the order of service. After prayers, however, with the concurrence of the captain, I delivered an address, more particularly suited to the young men going abroad, of whom there were about twenty, mostly Scotsmen, on their way to China, India, and Ceylon. The subject which I ventured to press upon the attention of my hearers was the importance of remembering in foreign lands the lessons of their home and early training ; the observance of the Lord's day ; a reverence for the Holy Scriptures ; and the duties of personal piety. It is pleasing to know that the remarks were well received. May a blessing attend the word thus spoken on the highway of the deep ; and may it conduce to the Divine gloiy, by promoting the spirituality of those for whom it was primarily intended ! The remainder of the Sabbath was chiefly spent in reading- religious works — there were few but had books in their hands; indeed, the way in which this day was passed on board is alike creditable to the passengers and the ship's company. Monday, \ith March. — No land visible until the afternoon, when the island of Maretimo is seen over our port bow. The surface appears to be well cultivated, while the hill sides are laid out in terraces, Avith a few widely scattered fiirm-houses. Sicily next rises in the dim distance, enveloped in a dense haze, like a veil of mist. We are now traversing the track of the electric cable, laid down between Cagliari and Malta, and from Malta to Corfu. A storm is evidently brewing, and soon the rain comes down in such earnest that the passengers are compelled to seek their berths, as well as the steward's aid. I turn in and betake myself to a sofa, having found by experience during a two days' gale in the Northern Ocean that a horizontal position is A STORM. 13 the best for recovery from, or avoidance of, that most pros- trating and annoying of all maladies, the mal-de-mer. Tuesday, 15th March. — The storm has continued with unremitting violence during the whole night ; the wind, too, has been right ahead, and at this time blows almost a gale, so that we can scarcely register six knots an hour. The captain, chief engineer, and first officer are in frequent consultation, and my opinion is that coals are uselessly wasted in the endea- vour to make headway until the wind abates. A storm at sea is a magnificent spectacle, and when there is no sense of danger I cannot conceive anything more sublimely majestic ; the billowy giant rolling in massive folds of dark water, curling, foaming, and hissing; the sky overhead dark and troubled, the copper-coloured clouds becoming denser and denser, the scud low and hurrying. The ship, plunging so fitfully that when a heavy sea strikes her she trembles from stem to stern, as if from fear, the engines snorting and struggling as if oppressed, the storm-tossed craft really like a thing of life, groaning and at times apparently yielding to the unequal strug- gle, but anon rising, gallantly, defiantly, and triumphantly, she dashes over the opposing billows ; the cordage flaps, masts and yards creak as the wind whistles and howls through them, everything has a voice, — all that is not lashed seems gifted with motion. How the steward's pantry and his dishes clashed and clattered through that terrible night ! Every timber in my cabin vibrated and moaned, and sometimes almost wailed. It was grand, if not awful, to hear from the deck the spirit of the storm shrieking through the tempest, as the boiling waters rushed upon us wave after wave in tempestuous fury, and en- couraging to feel that though the steamer lurched and lunged, she as often rose superior to the opposition that threatened her overthrow. Ay, and was it not soothing to know that the good ship, with her engines and machinery, Avas under the able seamanship of a captain and crew equal to any emergency? But more than all, to know that the arm of Omnipotence was present to protect and deliver us ? About 8 a.m., as the gale moderates, the passengers come on deck, at first timidly, trying to look as if they thought little of last night's capful of wind, or as though they were sailors every inch. Land is reported, and glasses are in requisition. Malta is descried, and the idea 14 MALTA. of getting ashore after the night of storm and sickness puts all in good spirits. As we near this interesting island, it appears densely peopled, at least if one may judge from the nunikber of towns and villages that are seen along the coast and inland. On entering the harbour of Valetta, Malta looks imposing, whUst the castle of St Elmo, the fort of Ricasoli, and other fortifications, seem to be impregnable. Leaping into one of their clumsy shore boats, manned by barelegged fellows, who, like all the Mediterranean boatmen, stand while they row, I no sooner touch the shore than I commence a journey up the steep stairs to the " Strada Reale," or main street. Everything is strange at first — shops, men and women — their dress, 2)atois, and broken English — the narrow streets, more like steps or inclines — auberges, projecting balconies, and veiy high houses ; whilst the heat from the glare of the white walls, and the dust, combine to render walking most oppressive. I select for my guide one who offers to conduct me over the city, church, and forts at a moderate charge. My first steps are directed to the Cathedral of St John, a noble building, beautifully situated ; the nave and aisles are lofty even to grandeur, the floor is composed of shields or escut- cheons in keeping with the tombs of the different chapels of the " knights of Malta." There are two or three good paint- ings, one of the Virgin ]\Iary, and another of St Jerome examining a skull. In the vaults are several beautiful tombs in marble, as that of " La Valette," and some other Grand Masters, and a carved altar. Few worshippers are present, but a host of lame and blind beggars. I am almost ashamed to say that I do not feel, at this moment, so awe- struck and devout as in some places of worship I have entered. This may arise from having come more for the sake of sight- seeing than devotion. We next visit a kind of balcony, from which there is an extensive view of the grand harbour and fortifications, particularly the castle of St Angelo. From this stand-point there is a noble bird's-eye view of the whole of this beautiful harbour, with the hospital, boats, shipping, and quays thronged with a busy population. We next walk round the bastions, thus making a tour of the whole town. The shops have no outward display of goods. Tradesmen, such as tailors, shoemakers, and smiths, all work outside, or in the THE FREE CHURCH. 15 "wide doorways of their premises, the climate being so genial that shelter and clothing are scarcely necessary. English is spoken more or less perfectly by all. Having called upon the Rev. Mr Wisely, of the Free Church of Scot- land, I received a most hearty welcome, and had the pleasure of dining with this excellent minister and his lady, who are both natives of the North. The church, though externally plain, is handsomely fitted up, and the manse, which imme- diately adjoins it, is not only commodious, but extremely con- venient. Both church and congregation are much indebted to the liberality of Mr Burns, principal of the well known firm of Burns & M'lvor. I also made the acquaintance of Mr Kerby, one of the agents for the British and Foreign Bible Society, who informs me that he has sold during the past year two thousand copies of the Sacred Scriptures. It would seem that the Scottish church is chiefly attended by the military and a few British and other civilians. Leaving my kind and dear friends at the manse with deep regret, I had no time to visit Melita, now called Citta-Vecchia, the ancient capital, which as seen from the bastions is almost deserted. I muse over the scene of St Paul's shipwreck, which lies some few miles out of town, and is resorted to on Sundays and holidays by the Maltese of both sexes for prayer and merriment. Such, at any rate, is the common report. From statistics too well established to admit of contradic- tion, the morality of the city is very low. Crowds of idlers and the presence of soldiers and sailors, with other circum- stances which need not be described, must have a deteriorating influence on the young of both sexes, especially females. At first I am rather amused, but at last more than disgusted, with the bullying, begging boatmen on the quays and stairs of " Nix Mangiare," who, were they not restrained by the })olice and other functionaries, would render the place hardly safe for strangers to visit. I need not speak of the priests, whose name is legion ; they are actually .swarming in every street, and may be found in almost every house, so that this island has been well portrayed as, in this respect, a miniature of Italy, and Valetta, a counterpart of Ptomc. There is much to awaken a sense of sadness in the mind of a Protestant visiting this place. Knowing that it is an integral portion of the British 16 MISSIONS. empire, I cannot help regretting that Koman Catholicism is so rampant and superstition so rife ; yet, on the other hand, I am glad to have had an opportunity of seeing Malta, for I hopefully trust that the evangeUcal influences which are being brought to bear upon it, together with a wider distribution of God's holy Word, will, under the Divine blessing, ultimately, produce a salutary change. This island, with other of our colonial possessions, may have been committed to our trust in the wise arrangements of Provi-. dence, not to be held as mere appanages of the British empire — dazzling gems in the crown of our beloved Queen — but to be regarded as sacred deposits, to be missionarised and indoctrin- ated with the pure Word of God, and thus become bright and precious jewels in the imperial diadem of King Messiah. Our mission as a Christian people, wielding the trident of the ocean, is to send over all the world and among the islets of the sea the heralds of salvation, to proclaim the glad tidings of peace on earth and good will to men, and endeavour to plant the banner of the Cross on every land whither commer- cial enterprise or British shipping transports our flag. To fail or falter in this enterprize is not only to inflict a wrong upon the heathen, but to commit a crime against them and against ourselves, for is it not written : " Unto whom much is given, of them much will be required V The storm which we had to encounter these last two days, has been equally felt by the Ripon on her voyage round from Southampton ; so that instead of reaching Malta before us, as expected, we have had to wait a night for her arrival. This delay enabled the passengers of the Euxine to see the town and its environs, the overland or Marseilles steamer generally remaining only two or three hours for coal- ing, so that the adage still holds true, " It is an ill wind that blows nobody good." Malta, like some other islands and principalities, has had in its day many masters, from the time of the early Phoeni- cians until now. Vandals, Goths, Sicilians, and Saracens overran it, until it became the property of the Knights Hos- pitallers of Jerusalem in 1522, when they were driven from Rhodes, and it at last surrendered to the French, vmder Napo- leon I., in 1798. It was finally ceded to Great Britain in 1800. RELIGION IN THE NAVY, 17 Wednesday, IGtk March. — This is another lovely morn- ing, and soon after rising I perceived that the Ripon had come in during the night, having, as I afterwards learned, suffered much from the gale. Seven out of ten horses, which were being conveyed to His Highness the Viceroy of Egypt, were lost ; a fact that tells the extreme severity of the last two days' storm. We leave Malta ; the Ripon is to sail five hours after us. All on board are well and cheerful. I be- came acquainted to-day, with a commander in Her Majesty's navy, whose conversation and intelligence delight me exceed- ingly. It gratified me to learn that he has for some years commanded his ship on a system of discipline entirely based upon Christian principles : allowing his crew daily, in turns, to go on shore, and holding every evening a meeting for prayer in his own cabin, which he tells me is generally well at- tended. Swearing and intoxication are banished from among his men, and, as a natural sequence, punishment is compara- tively unknown. I listened with unmingled pleasure to this recital, but have not to learn for the first time that there are many God fearing men in the army and navy, as upon two or three occasions I have been privileged, as a clergyman of the Established Church of Scotland, to conduct religious services in the camp at Aldershot, where I found several pious and devoted worshippers both in command and in the ranks. Still, I must confess that I was not prepared to hear of personal religion, much less of duly organised and devotional services being maintained on the quarter-deck and in the chief cabin of a man-of-war. Full many may there be of God's chosen ones thus discoverable in situations and posts, to human thinking, the most unlikely to promote spiritual well- being and scriptural comformity, and in respect of whom it may be said that neither the world nor tlie Church knows anything whatever. Truly, now, as in the days of Elijah, there may be thousands of devout but obscure worshippers who have not bowed the knee to Baal, nor partaken of the sins current among their comrades and compatriots.* Thxrsdai/, 17th March. — Another beautiful morning at sea, with just enough of wind to ripple the surface of the water, keep the sails full, and the ship's head steady. We are now * 1 Kings xix. 10-18. B 18 WEDDED LOVE. cruising along the coast of Africa, but no land is visible. About 11 A.M., our attention is drawn to a long line of smoke just above the horizon, and conjecture becomes rife ; for at sea, where there is little to break the monotony, a small matter rises to importance. A ship, which proves to be a steamer, is descried, and lies directly in our track. She is in distress, says one, while another pronounces her a man-of- war. This last surmise proves correct, but what she can want, or what she is waiting for, becomes a question. We steam close up to her stern, for, like an armed sentinel on the highway of the ocean, she keeps her* position, and we have to give way. In social life, as well as at sea, the weak and unarmed generally go to the wall. Our captain haUs her to inquire whether anything is wanted, and as " no " is answered in rather a gruff voice, we speed onward. This little episode, trifling in itself is nevertheless a godsend, since it furnishes our loungers with a subject for conversa- tion till bedtime. Friday, 18th March. — The wind has veered round a point, and blows rather fresh, but our good ship goes aU the steadier for having her sails well filled. The captain's eye twinkles with pleasure, and the chief engineer gives manifest tokens of delight as the Euxine dashes and dances over the undulating waters. Hundreds of porpoises are gamboling and tumbling about on both sides of us ; dolphins, too, in great numbers are darting and playing, showing their silvery sides and rain- bow-coloured backs exuberant with finny life, and appearing as though they had nothing in view but our gratification. For a day or two past a peculiar earnestness has been notice- able in one couple amongst my fellow-passengers, for which at first there was no accounting. They seemed to have some weighty concern on hand, which neither brooks delay nor admits of intervention. Every spare moment from " early morn till dewy eve," and often, I believe, until fiu- into the night, is devoted to the interchange of opinion upon a matter which does not as yet approach the confines of settlement. The problem is, however, solved, for les voyageurs are a newly- wedded pair on their way to their new home in some distant colony. How affectionately they look into each other's eyes, and iu how^ many phases do they embody the purpose of COAST OP AFRICA. 19 living in and for each other ! May He who in His providence brought them together, crown their wedded life with happiest joy ! I go down to my cabin half sad with the reflection that I am for the present alone in this wide, wide world — "cetera desioit." Saturday, \S)th March. — Another delightful morning. All on board in good health ; our course east by south. A ship is seen creeping lazily along the African shore, but from the distance and haze we cannot make her out. The Euxine is steaming at the rate of ten and a half knots an hour, having yesterday run 26 G miles. The spirits of the passengers are buoyant, and bets are being laid about the time of our arrival. The younger men, especially those on their way to the shores of the Pacific, are full of hope ; some, it may be, big with expectancy of fortune — fame and happiness looming largely in the distance. Plans are proposed, and arrange- ments made, in the sanguine confidence of being spared to return home to rejoin those they hold dear, and of spending the even-tide of life amid the otuim cum dignitate of a well- earned competence, and other things that should accompany old age — loving associates and troops of friends. " ]\Ian pro- poses, but God disposes." Who among us going forth tliis morning may ever return, or if we do, under what circum- stances of health, wealth, or reputation ? Land is now visible, and with every advancing minute it is more and more clearly seen, rising, as it were, from out of its watery bed. We steam straight into the bay of Alexandria, and cast anchor at G.30 p.m. Thanks be unto God our pre- server ! CHAPTER IV. EGYPT — THKEE DAYS IN ALEXANDRIA. The first view of the port and city of Alexandria is rather prepossessing. Although lying low, the sfvnd-hills seem to form a background, and the new harbour into which we enter is capacious. The city follows the bay in its windings, while upon the shore there stands a large and handsome palace, ad- joining which, as I am informed, is the harem. The number of lofty dwellings facing the beach, the crowds of shipping, and the lighthouse, form an interesting cOiqxVoeil well worthy of being noticed by a stranger. Scarcely is the good ship at anchor before a ragged and motley gang of forty or fifty barelegged labourers climb on board. >Such a group, dressed — if one may so pervert the term — with shawls, turbans, and indescribable nether gar- ments such as no artist has ever yet portrayed. Among them are strong, muscular young fellows, and some old gray- headed men with corporations of the true aldermanic type. As a class, they seem as unskilled in labour as they are averse to exertion ; fifteen or twenty haul at a rope that four Euro- peans could manage easily, singing "la-le-la," and keeping time with their feet in rude harmony. With this sound ringing in my ears I go down to my berth, and sleep soundly amidst all their outlandish clatter. Sunday, 20th Ifarch. — A feeling of dulness and sadness comes over me this morning, perhaps on account of parting with the officers and passengers whose society I have enjoyed so much, and by whom I have been most courteously treated, and perhaps from being about to launch among a strange people of whose language I know not a syllable, and who it is said CUSTOM-HOUSE. 21" clieat most unmercifully if they only have an opportunity for the exercise of their cunning. Bidding adieu to the captain and officers of the steamer, I leave with my luggage and go ashore under the care of a dragoman. On arriving at the Custom-house every trunk and package is scrupulously ex- amined, and a box of dry plates exposed in a Avay that no photographer would wish to see adopted a second time ; — need I say they are hopelessly spoiled 1 My dragoman assumes authority over me as though I were a child, hires a carriage and pair to convey me to the Hotel d'Angleterre, where, on alight- ing, I am received by four waiters e7i grande tenue, and find a comfortable bedroom looking out upon the sea. Giving my major-domo a half-sovereign to pay the carriage, I see no more of him till next day. When he reappears, I hint that there might be some change due to me, but I am mistaken, for he gives me to understand that the hire of the carriage and the presence of the four waiters are only partly paid for, and that he requires as much more to settle the little affair. Although a man of peace, I am fairly provoked by this attempt at extortion, and thereupon threaten to accelerate his descent down the .staircase if he does not take his departure and show himself no more during the remainder of my sojourn. Anxious to see the town, (dinner hour being seven o'clock,) I hurry out, and am certainly astonished with the ever-shifting throngs which crowd and fill the streets ; the dresses so strange and strLkhig, of every colour — yellow, green, crimson, and blue; the males more gaudily and flauntily attired than the females, their jackets neatly embroidered, white trousers, variously coloured sashes, their head gear, turban, fez, or handkerchief; their shoes, that is, those who wear any, red or purple ; their complexions ranging from the deepest ebony to almost white. Many among the men have fine delicate features, whilst the nose and lips of the negro are not unfrequcnt. The Avomen, at least those uncovered, are far from what we understand by the term beautiful. Few of the ladies of Egypt wear stockings or socks, but chiefiy yellow boots, with red morocco overshoes, which they assume whenever they step from off the divan, and sometimes, when going out, they perch themselves on high wooden clogs. When a lady intends promenading the street or any public place, she wears, in addition to the in-door 22 DEESSES AND STREETS. dress, a large loose gown called a "tob," the sleeves of wliicli hang the same depth as the gown. If madame belongs to the better class there is thrown over this garment a large black silk envelope called a " harbarah," which, with the unmarried ladies, is of a white colour, but among the poorer only calico. Most of the fair sex wear a face-cloth of black or white crape hanging to the knees ; this is called by the natives a " burko;" the upper part of it is often ornamented with false pearls, small gold coins, and other little flat-shaped ornaments of the same metal ; sometimes with a coral bead and a small gold coin beneath, but more frequently with tassels of brass attached to the corners ; others wear a square silk handker- chief with red and yellow border diagonally tied with a single knot behind, and entwined round the head so as to conceal all the face. All, without distinction, wear bracelets of silver, glass, or some other material ; finger rings are not only worn but are common to both sexes of all ages and conditions. The donkey boys form a class sui generis, and a large one it is, of blear-eyed individuals, whose dress consists merely of a linen or cotton shirt or blue gown called a " zaaboos," open from the neck nearly to the waist, with wide sleeves. Their feet and legs are bare, and the whole person is unwaslied — sharp, how- ever, as a London street Arab or a gamin-de-Paris. Bustle, confusion, crowds, and noise is the order of life in these narrow lanes, which are frequently blocked up by camels, asses, and mules ; the flying footmen with flow- ing snow-white robes mingle their shout of "yemeenak!" "shimalak!" "niglak!" or "sakin!" — that is, to the left, right, thy foot, or take care — to the crowds to clear the way; while the Vicei'oy's functionaries with their splendid costumes, soldiers, Bedueen, Turks, negroes, workmen in then' shops and stalls, wedding and funeral processionists, form a picture that would bafile a painter's sldll, and altogether surpasses my poor powders of description, having more the effect of a phantasmagoria or a vision, than any scene of a sober reality. Nothing so disgusts and annoys the tourist as the ubiquitous and multitudinous presence of one of the ancient plagues, which has never left the country since the time of Moses. Every article of food is literally black with flies, that respect neither person nor place, swarming on PLAGUE OF FLIES. 23 the bread, — whicli is not unlike Scottish oatmeal bannocks or cakes, — clustering in the shops and houses, or on the stalls, where it is exposed for sale, rioting among the sweets, ham, fish, and sugar-cane. Children astride on their mothers' shoulders, — that being the mode in which they are usually- carried, — and babies in their mothers' lap have their eyes, nostrils, and mouths choked up with these abominations. In some cases old people have their eyes partially destroyed, owing, it is said, to the dust and heated sand, but I believe rather to the flies. Dirt reigns supreme among the great masses of the population, for although soap may be expensive, water is plentiful ; but cleanliness, like godliness, seems as yet unstudied and unknown. Labour and the means of sub- sistence seem easily attainable ; for, although many are ragged, yet their appearance justifies a belief in their being well fed, whUe probably one-fifth are also well dressed. Many wear expensive ornaments; but not being able from any peculiarity of costume to distinguish their creed and na- tionality, I must, till better acquainted, regard them en gros as Egyptians. This, then, is the East of which I have heard and read so much, this the home of the Pharaohs— a very storehouse of marvels. What nation can be put in comparison with this territory and people, presenting at one glance a graphic epitome of the world's annals ? Many have been thy masters and great the intermixture of thy races, thou mysterious cradle of a bygone civilisation ! Within thy borders I still see poverty and riches, amazing fertility, and barren sands, thou birthplace of the arts, sciences, and morals ! Here Pythagoi'as studied and Plato sojourned ere Greece was more than cradled or Romulus born ; the seat and centre of grand events, both sacred and profane. Where, it may be asked, is now thine ancient glory % where, O far-famed Alexandria, are thy 600,000 inhabitants, thy baths, and theatres, thy once-splendid library 1 where thy Coptic churches and Christian bishops'? In respect of antiquity, what country can be compared unto thee 1 for long before the era of written records the zenith of thy grandeur culminated and thy decay commenced. In olden days thou wcrt the land of miracle and mystery. Within thy borders the Eternal displayed the wonders of His power, and from out thy confines Jehovah 24 STREET-WATERING. "called His Son," delivering Israel His chosen from bond- age by the hand of Moses and Aaron. The shore upon which I sit, and the sea that now laves the foundation of this build- ing, have successively acknowledged the Pharaohs, the Greeks, the Romans, the Saracens, the Turks, and the Crusaders. The coast line is strewn with memorials of the mighty past, and some of those inland ruins which attract so many to ponder over their uses and marvel at their size, may be the handi- work of God's ancient people. Wondrous country indeed thou art ! and what shall yet be thy eventual destiny is only known to Him who has degraded thee to the demerit of being the "basest of kingdoms." Monday, 2\st. — I have slept my first night in Egypt and under mosquito curtains. Nothing disturbed me except some wakeful bantam cocks that began to crow at 10 p.m., and now at 7.30 A.M. are as vociferous as ever. The sparrows, too, twitter as impudently as in the homesteads of England, while the sun shining in his morning strength looks like a huge globe of fire. The sky is cloudless, and the heat already be- comes oppressive. My Arab attendant, Mohammed, has, after much gabble and gesticulation, taken away my two boxes on his head to have locks and keys fitted to them. On his re- turn I shall be able to judge how far I can approve the skill of an Egyptian mechanic, and may probably learn something of a tradesman's price and profit in this part of the world. Breakfast is only a mere form, — tiflin, as in India, being the first principal meal of the day. Being anxious to do a little work, I am given to understand upon asking for tools, that (although this is a large hotel) there is neither screw- driver, hammer, nor bradawl to be found within the area of the establishment. Sending out for three nails, Mohammed brings five, charging me sixpence, and expecting a bakhshish. The Alexandrians have a strange mode of watering the streets : a strong fellow with a bag on his back goes to a tap, turning on the water into a skin tanned with the hair on ; when this is filled he swings it round and marches on his way distribut- ing the fluid by opening or pressing his fingers against the orifice, and efli'ectively throws a jet of water from one side to the other of a street. We, with mechanical appliances, may laugh at this primitive procedure, but the end in view is as SCOTTISH MISSION SCHOOLS, 25 thoroughly accomplislied, and at a rate which for cheapness would astonish some of our metropolitan vestry boards. Calling this morning upon the Rev. Mr Yule, chaplain and superintendent of the Church of Scotland Mission to the Jews, I am kindly received both by himself and his lady. I after- wards go with him to visit the girls' school, where there are present from forty to fifty pupils — Jews, Greeks, and Italians — all of whom are daily instructed in the Sacred Scriptures. They have also the advantage of efficient teachers. The fees average about a napoleon per month. Little is apparently done in the way of plain sewing and embroidery, but, as at home, the useful is subordinated to the ornamental. I exa- mined the girls by hearing them read in English and Italian; the same passage being translated and re-translated with a proficiency that reflects credit upon teachers and taught. In the oldest part of the city, an opportunity was afforded me of seeing the Egyptians in their ordinary attire and everyday employments. The tailors in their mode of sitting and sewing resemble their confreres in England, and the same remark applies to the sons of St Crispin. A cobbler's shop or stall in the East is generally a very simple affair, work being done in any odd corner in the open air, under an old umbrella, and frequently upon the pavement. I am much interested with the simplicity and efficiency of a blacksmith's bellows, seemingly a dog's skin sewed up and fastened upon two narrow boards, which a boy or workman by the dexter- ous mani})ulation of one hand opens or shuts to suit the blast. In another place a man is winding yarn in a booth, doubling and then twisting it ; he, however, uses neither reel nor twisters, but holding some of the spills in his toes, with three or four sticks fastened at one end, twirls them with his fingers, as we may suppose was done before the Deluge. Still pursuing my researches, I enter into a narrow lane, on both sides of which are stalls for money cliangers, most of whom are Jews or Creeks. Each of these personages sits with his little box beside him ready to receive customers. The moneys are piastres, bashalics, silver dollars, and gold lira ; French money or English gold being readily taken or exchanged. Indeed, there is no lack of that commodity whicli sets lialf tlie world mad. Women seem to be the chief customers, and while observing 26 DOMESTIC ARRANGEMENTS. this novel traffic and other occupations of a similar character, I notice that many appear to be near-sighted, for whether ex- amining money or fabrics, everything is held close to the face. ' Great numbers have lost an eye, while others are altogether bUnd. It is no uncommon thing, it is said, for a mother to destroy a male child's eyesight, in order to prevent his being conscripted for a soldier. This may be one of the causes for blindness ; but, as already stated, dust, fine sand, the sun-glare, and dirt — not to speak of the plague of flies — are sufficient to produce not only ophthalmia, but total loss of vision. Num- bers of cd fresco scribes are to be seen, — any corner in the vicinity of a thoroughfare serving them for an office. Some- times located under an old sack suspended upon a bamboo, which serves the purpose of awning, although not larger than an umbrella, they squat with some coarse paper, ink, and a case of reeds before them, prepared to write petitions, friendly epistles, or love letters. There is apparently no lack of business, the employers being chiefly of the gentler sex, — I dare not say fair, for many of them are as dark as ebony, — yet within these black and plain forms there are pulses thrilling with emotion, hearts beating high with generous affection and all the fondness of a woman's love. The streets of Alexandria are narrow, and rendered narrower from the projecting balconies and latticed windows, which in many cases overlap each other. The houses in the European quarter and round the grand square are large and lofty, being built much after the French and Edinburgh plan — in flats, occupied by separate families in suites of apartments, and entered by a public passage. In general, the dwellings are well lighted from the roof, the ceilings being from ten to twelve feet high, the rooms large and airy, but the kitchens small ahd dark ; the floors are of brick or stone ; there is no chimney place, but a hearth, such as I have witnessed in Norway, whereupon a little charcoal is laid, and when required for cooking or other purposes, fanned into a flame. Pots and pans are little used, but a delf dish, whicli from my experience of the cookery does excellently, is employed in their place. The roofs of the houses are flat, and serve the same purpose as a yard with us — that is, they constitute a play-ground for the children, and a laundry where linen can be washed and dried for the family. Cleopatra's needle. 27 In the dwellings of the higher classes, European customs, habits, and utensils are being introduced, now easUy obtain- able from England or France at a moderate outlay. Tuesday, 22d March. — I find in developing my dry plates of photographs taken this morning, that from some unknown cause they all turn out failures. Seeing almost everybody donkey-riding, I proceed a la Balaam from the Custom- house to " Cleopatra's ISTeedle," or the Heliopolitan obelisk of Thothmes III. This beautiful shaft lies close to the shore, between the English church and the eastern gate ; it is chaste, and well proportioned. The deeply chiseled hieroglyphics are beautifully executed ; but alas ! time and the atmospheric action of centuries have nearly obliterated many of the characters from one side. The donkey-boy, like cabmen at home, is dissatisfied with the fare of one shilling for twenty minutes' ride, but his appeal for more money is unavailing. The Rev. Messrs Yule and Brown conduct me to a height beyond the town, whence the Bay of Aboukir and the sj)ot where Abercrombie fell are clearly visible. The large house adjoining my hotel was, I am told, the residence of Lord Nelson during his stay in Alexandria. Spread out before me lies the greater part of the modern city, which is built upon what was formerly the island of Pharos, once celebrated for its lighthouse. Including the dyke which connected the island with the mainland, the elevation itself is said to be the debris of the ancient city. The surface is broken by subterranean holes and crevices, which are supposed by some to be tombs, and by others water cisterns. Here there are hundreds of lively little lizards which run over the stones and up the rocks like so many mice. I caught a glimpse in the distance of the lake " Mareotes," and the canal from the Nile to the sea, through which ships are at this moment sailing. Who could stand upon this vantage ground, looking l)ack on the past, with a knowledge of the present and anticipating the future, without feeling that he was treading on the drift of ages ? It has been said that the dust of Alexander " stopped a bung- hole ; " and it is highly probable, as his body was interred in this city, that here in this mount the ashes of the illustrious Macedonian repose. Passing through the gates, crossing the fosse, and gaining 28 ^ BEDUEEN CUSTOMS. the open country, we come upon a party of real Bedueen, not unlike an encampment of gipsies in England, with the addition of black haircloth tents and flocks. Bold sons of the desert, I greet you on this my first acquaintance with your order ! The Arabs may be divided into two classes ■ — those who inhabit towns, and those who roam the country ; the latter are as different from the former as if they were two distinct races. The pure Bedueen never reside within walls, but have ever been a nomadic people, pastoral in their occupations, wandering with their flocks and tents from plain to plain and valley to valley, wherever there is pasturage ob- tainable ; on the banks of the Nile or amid the plains of Pales- tine. They observe, almost without change, the customs and manners of their ancestors since the days of the patriarch Abraham and their "father" Ishmael ; looking down with proud disdain on dwellers in town or city, believing a pastoral or nomade Kfe essential to independence and freedom. They are taught to regard all persons confined within walls as slaves ; nor have they a higher opinion of the husbandman, for, to their thinking, the cultivation of the soil is beneath the dig- nity of a son of the desert. Their wealth, like that of their progenitors, consists in herds of camels, horses, asses, and goats, together with a few sheep. They are not averse to plunder, should an unprotected traveller or an unescorted cara- van fall in their way, or should the bakhshish offered prove iinequal in amount to what was promised or expected. Contemporaneously with these historic races, I catch a glimpse of the graceful palm, with its waving fern-hke fronds. Alto- gether apart from its commercial value, and its association with sacred history, this forms a pleasing and graceful object, as it waves its feathery branches on the verge of the horizon, whether isolated or in groups, adding greatly to the oriental aspect of the scenery. It is, however, not only elegant in ap ■ pearance, but perhaps the most useful of forest trees, its wood being wrought into an infinity of domestic utensils. Fancy and market baskets are manufactured from its bark, as also brooms and mats, whilst its twisted fibre yields pretty well all the material for cordage, from twine to cable, used in the coun- try. The fruit of the date-palm is a nutritious diet, while the oil is largely exported. Another product of this region is the ALEXANDRIA TO CAIRO. 29 cactus or prickly pear, whicli ranges from ten to twelve feet in height, and is utilised into natural fences. Quitting the palm grove and passing through an avenue of lubbak-trees, we arrive at a large Turkish cemetery, literally covered with grave stones, and lying close under the shadow of " Pompey's Pillar." This magnificent obelisk is sixty-five feet high ; the pedestal and shaft are composed of single masses of granite ; the fluted capital has suffered severely from the ravages of time. I walked home musing upon the departed greatness of a nation that forgot God, and gave itself up to idolatry, which, like a curse, still hangs in a pall-like shroud upon it. Wednesday, '23d March. — Left my hotel at 7 a.m., and hired a donkey to the railway station, which is a consider- able distance from this side of the city, where, having no small change to pay the ragged driver, I am obliged to trust him with a napoleon. As there may be some risk attending this transaction, I follow the example set by kings and emperors in the present day, and take possession of his bread-winner as a material guarantee. After a short interval he brings my change, and I release the donkey. On obtaining a ticket for Cairo, and presenting myself at the door of the carriage, there is some little difficulty in finding a seat. My fellow-travellers, this morning amounting to some hundreds, are all Mohammedan pilgrims en route to Mecca and Medina, and, especially at this season, fanatically averse to come into contact with a Christian, Two Turks more especially, from Stamboul, sedu- lously shun me, but at last soften down and become sociable. The train starts at 8.50 a.m., with from seven hundred to nine hundred of these hadjiis, men, women, and children, composed of almost every nation, dress, and complexion. The country out of Alexandria is as flat as a bUliard table. Evidences of the recent inundations are present to my gaze in the shape of flooded fields and the injured railway. Harvest is now nearly over, and the husbandmen arc busy in the fields. How sad to witness a people with so genial a chmate, such a rich and alluvial soil, living like brutes in dens that cannot be called houses, being composed of a few rough stones plastered with mud laid on with their hands, for tools they have none. Yet to all appearance there is nothing like want. They have plenty to eat, while fire and clothing are almost unnecessary. 30 COTTON AND IRRIGATION. Why, tlien, should they be pitied, when thousands of our own countrymen have dwellings little better than theirs, and who, it may be added, are in want of food, fuel, and raiment ? Two of my fellow-travellers have gold watches, and some among the second-class passengers have silver ones ; these men, I understand, are small farmers, called " fellahs." Probably no part of the civilised world has derived greater advantages from the American war than this country ; the soil, climate, and population being well adapted for the culture of cotton'. Within the last three years the demand i;pon Egypt for this commodity has quadrupled ; consequently the fellahs, who were formerly in rags, and almost reduced to serfdom, are now amassing wealth. Frequent opportunities have pre- sented themselves for showing how water is drawn from the canals, for purposes of irrigation. This is done in various ways. Sometimes with an ass and wheel, as at Carisbrooke ; again by two men with a basket between them, lifting from a lower to a higher level ; and again, the Persian wheel, with pitchers attached to the circumference. At length glorious old Father Nilus is reached and crossed ; the recollection of bygone events calls forth strong emotions, and arouses within me Old Testament memories. The soil is amazingly rich, being deep and whoUy alluvial, but the implements of hus- bandry are as rude as they were in the days of Joseph ; for here, untd very lately, improvements were unknown. Indeed, it is quite accordant with philosophy to affirm that all inno- vations are gradual among an agricultural people. A new phase of life now becomes perceptible ; caravans of camels, with Arab drivers, pass along wdth slow and measured steps, the rider swaying his body with the motion of these ships of the desert — a severe and inconvenient mode, it is said, of travelling. We arrive at some oddly-named station, where hundreds of pilgrims are lying or squatting on the look-out for the train. Here, too, are a host of dealers in comestibles, who sell three boiled eggs for a piastre, and a brass measure of Nile water for a coin less than a halfpenny. I never tasted anything better, more palatable, or pleasant. In the proximity of the line, thousands of acres are laid oiit for the cotton crop, whilst two steam ploughs belonging to the Viceroy are hard at work. The country is sprinkled with date or palm-trees. VILLAGES AND VILLAGERS. 31 There are also many villages, if we can dignify with that ap- pellation an assemblage of mud hovels, with naked children running about, and women at work undressed to the waist : some of the females are engaged with boys in a canal collect- ing some species of plant. These women, so far as decency is concerned, might as well have been altogether without clothing. There is one feature worthy of remark, that each village, however mean, has its mosque, and, I suppose, as a matter of course, its priests, and its stated times for prayers. The women who came under my notice were very plain indeed, and, although my standard of beauty is not a high one, they fell far short of it in every feature with the exception of their eyes, which are large, dark, and brilliant. On the other hand, the men are generally handsome, showy in their dress, and from what I can observe are Cjuite irresistible in the esti- mation, and play sad havoc with the afi'ections, of these dark- skinned maidens. Cupid, it is said, was born in Greece ; we never read or heard of hi]n dying there, Gods never, it is supposed, give up the ghost. But be that as it may. One thing is morally certain ; his reign, to all appearance, is as universal, and his sway as potent, to-day in Egypt, as ever it was of yore on the shores of the Archipelago, Nay ; as Apollo has imprinted more ardent kisses, tinged the skin with darker hue, and raised the blood of these dark maidens to a higher temperature than those of his native isles, it is only reasonable to suppose that the winged God of Love barbs his arrows -^feith keener point, and feathers his dart with more cruel intents; consequently Love's pangs are more severe, his wounds more virulent and tormenting, than similar shafts levelled at virgins of paler complexion, and inhabitants of colder or more northern climes. CHAPTER V. THREE DAYS IN" THE CAPITAL OP THE PHARAOHS. Cairo is reached at 3.40. It is no hyperbole to say that there are lying around the station thousands of pilgrims with their families, piles of bedding, culinary and other domestic utensils, waiting the train to take them to Suez for ship- ment. The scene at Alexandria is repeated here — donkeys, pilgrims, dust, and dirt. Mounting one of the long-eared tribe, I rode through the press of carriages, pedestrians, and stalls to Griffith's Hotel, where I received a cup of excellent coffee from the hostess, who, by the by, speaks good Enghsh, and then go out to inspect the city. The tlirong of people, dressed as well as undressed, is amazing, so also is the number of car- riages ■with running footmen, and bands of pilgrims chanting verses of the Koran in Ioav, nasal tone, the women joining with a vibrating whistle — a perfect Babel of noise. The city in the neighbourhood of the principal street is more EuroT)ean than any other portion, yet here are hovels in close contiguity with magnificent houses, poverty and riches in immediate juxtaposition. A new theatre, near a square called the Esh- bekizeh, is in process of completion, while "II Barbiere di Seviglia " is announced in French and Italian as the piece to be played. Opposite a building used as a guard-house the crowd seems to me as great as in Cheapside or Cornhill. I find my way back to the hotel, in which there are six young Englishmen, engaged and sent out to erect and superintend steam ploughs and cotton-cleaning machines for the Govern- ment and private capitalists. ThursJaij, 2ifh March. — Anxious, like every traveller in Egypt, to visit the Pyramids, which have in every age been THE NILE. 33 subjects of wonder, I set out with two friends for Gizeh. Having hired donkeys and a driver, we make our way through the crowds beneath a broiling sun. The road after leaving Cairo is wide ; our route lies under an avenue of lubbak-trees, surrounded with lovely gardens, and small conduits of water for the purposes of irrigation. The town or village of " Gizeh" is soon reached. It is a wretched place, with inhabitants the most squalid and naked I have yet met with, the streets narrow and unpaved. In many places men are threshing with small canes or sticks, while old unwashed crones, almost in a state of nudity, are seemingly engaged in separating the grain from the refuse. Often in my youth, when reading the travels of Bruce in quest of the source of the NUe, and more recently the journals of Captains Speke and Grant, have I wished to visit the wondrous river on whose margin I now stand. My early ambition is at length gratified, for I have just crossed its placid waters, which, far from being pure or pellucid, are of a muddy and clayey colour, yet well entitled to the appellation of the inspired penman, "Sihor," or " the river." The current is slow and calm, as if conscious of its renown and utility, rec[uiring but Little efibrt of the boatmen either to stem or cross ; yet, from its breadth and volume, worthy of the dis- tinction, "king of rivers." From Syene to Damietta it is fringed with pyi-amids and palaces, and adorned with obelisks, whose mysteriously ciphered shafts were upreared long before the time of Abraham ; under their shadows Joseph and his father- in-law, the priest of On, may have sat. The banks are strewn with the debris of cities and empires whose glory had decayed ere Western Europe could boast a local habitation and a name. The waters of this river are peculiarly sweet and salubrious. Since landing in Alexandria, I have drank as much as two quarts per diem, the only result being a desire to drink as many more. Had ]\Iohammcd, say the natives, once drunk of these refreshing waters, he would never have cherished a wish to return to paradise. There is good sense in the Egyptian practice of daily blessing Allah for his goodness in giving this sacred stream to his followers. We were much annoyed by a number of bullying boatmen, each proifering his services to take us across almost for nothing, because we are English. 34 THE PYRAMIDS. Breaking from tlie crowd, I go down tlie bank and take possession of the largest craft there ; get the three donkeys on board, then with the aid of two boatmen we push off, leaving the touters on the bank to vent their disappointment by cursing my ancestors, father and mother, their graves and their beards. We are soon on the other side, having crossed the turbid and sluggish current in safety. Getting our donkeys ashore, we soon scale the bank, where at a mill men are at work in 2)uns naturcdihus. Our path lies through well-cultivated fields, tlie crops chiefly " dhoura," Indian corn, and barley, Avith their difi'erent shades of green, while a palm-tree grove in perspective forms a lovely prospect. The pyramids now loom prominently in the distance, presenting a well-defined triangle against the clear blue sky ; the road is a mere bridle track across fields, ditches, and groves. As we approach the end of our journey, numbers of Arabs, calling themselves guides, volunteer their aid, while others offer an- tique coins for sale, which, although professedly dug from the tombs, are really imported from Birmingham, or cast in Cairo. Leaving our " chargers " at a small cluster of houses overshadowed by a grove, we walk up the slope of sand to ''Cheoi^s," and take a survey of that mighty watcher, the largest of the pyramids. Who that has any feeling for the sublime and venerable can look without emotion upon this vast mass of stone and masonry ! With what feeling of amazement do I stand at one angle and behold the gigantic pile which assumes the proportions of a mountain, and rises almost to the clouds ! The three pyramids stand upon a bed of rock, elevated perhaps 150 feet above the level of the desert. When, and for what purpose, they were erected is unknown ; they have been supposed by some to be mausoleums, monuments of mighty events, temples to the gods, or even observatories and altars ; the first surmise being in all probability nearest to the truth. The dimensions of the largest is at the base 752 feet, the height 460 feet. It is composed of stones of from four to five feet square laid in 210 tiers. The ascent, after the first few layers or steps, is easy, when assisted — as I was, and as travellers generally are — by two stout Arabs to pull one for- w^ard by the arms, and one or two assistants to give an impetus from below. THE SPHYNX. 35 The view from tlie summit, wliicli consists of six large blocks, forming a plateau about thirty feet square, surpasses expecta- tion ; the eye ranges over a vast expanse, in which the green cultivated land and the brown arid desert strangely alternate ; on the one side an ocean of burning sand, on the other a level surface of inexhaustible fertility ; behind the observer there reigns desolation and solitude, before him may be seen Cairo, and hundreds of populous villages, teeming with population and thriving with trade. The second in importance is the pyramid of " Cephrenes," which stands close to the last, but is not so large. An entrance to it was discovered by the celebrated Belzoni. I did not make the ascent of this marvel, but could find that'the upper portion still retained its original covering. About 400 yards from the pyramid of Cephrenes stands, or rather sits, a figure of gigantic dimensions, known as the "Sphynx," of which the head, neck, and a portion of the back alone are visible. It is composed of two or three blocks of reddish coloured granite. Belzoni or M. Caviglia discovered a temple between its legs and another in one of its paws, but no vestige of either is now traceable. The most striking feature presented is a sin- gularly strange face, somewhat mutilated it is true, but still 36 Campbell's tomb. showing its negro outline, thick lips, broad cheek-bones, and a flat nose spreading out like a trefoil leaf. It is ugly, and to me altogether disappointing. I obtained, by means of my photographic apparatus, both front and profile views, (the former is seen in accompanying woodcut,) taken from the rocks on the left, about forty yards distant, from which point the facial aspect improves, or, at least, becomes less repulsive. After all, were it not for its vast size and antiquity, few would cross the river, or walk from Gizeh to look at it. The influ- ence of the ever shining sun, which in this country calcines everything, combined with the efi"ects of time, has caused the joints and seams to gape, thereby distorting what at one time may have been symmetry. Sitting under its shade I obtain shelter from the oppressive heat of the day, and become for a time cool and refreshed. How many millions of different races have visited this spot ! Kings, emperors, and illustrious travellers from all countries have sat as I am now sitting, whilst over head the giant form with earnest gaze looks straight onwards, always calm and ever tranquil, as if fathoming the mysterious or seeming to penetrate the eternal. I feel as much interest, and see more of beauty in examining and admiring Colonel Campbell's tomb, as it is called, from its discoverer and excavator, than in looking at the Sphjmx that now overshadows me. The former is a large pit dug or cut in the living rock to a great depth, at no small cost and labour, measuring 30 feet in length and 20 feet in breadth, a trench surrounding it. That large trough is the sarcopha- gus, in which a body had been laid ; who its tenant may have been, whether king or priest, is an enigma as great as the Sphynx itself. Ages ago sacrilegious hands profaned the sacred cyst, rifled it of its treasures, even to the very dust of its occupant. Doubtless, every bole and niche at one time contained a body, probably the remains of some favourite wife or slave. There was surely something of reverence, as well as affection, that prompted the construction of the mausolea, Cheops, Cephrenes, and other monuments, while by the practice of embalming their dead, the ancient Egyptians vainly aspired to eternise frail mortality. In this might there not be concealed the vague hope of a hereafter, an undefined prospect of existence beyond the grave? — a tradition " that we PHOTOGRAPHY AT THE PYRAMIDS, 37 shall not all die." The patriarch Job, who may have been contemporary with the inhabitants of these tombs, rose to a sublime recognition of immortality when he exclaimed,^ — " For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth : and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God : whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another," (Job xix. 25-27.) I endeavoured to take views of these masses at varied distances and angles, but unfortunately found the wind too strong for a light sterescopic camera and tripod to do any- thing with satisfaction. A number of Arabs seeing my difficulty soon stripped themselves, and with their cloaks endeavoured to form a shelter at different points and directions. At length I managed to get eight views, but am very doubtful of the result. Surrounded by the whole tribe of the district, I was given to understand that photo- graphers were well known to them, one having lived for three weeks in the hamlet. These people, with the sheikh at their head, all expressed a wish to carry, and did carry something either belonging to me or to my apparatus — one a box of plates, another a black velvet cloth, a third a bottle, and other three had each a leg of my camera-stand. Not including water- carriers, the whole party amounted to seventeen, every one of whom had a claim against me for services performed. Excited and exhausted with photographing, ascending and descending this Titanic staircase, aggravated by the knowledge that my dry plates will be failures, never did I so truthfully realise the words of Scripture as while lying under the sphynx, — " The shadow of a great rock in a weary land." Having paid all demands — no easy matter from more points of view than one, and given the sheikh a good bakhshish for himself — I and party are allowed to depart, many a time turning ourselves round to take a last fond lingering look at the dark forms of these historic monuments. Never shall I forget having sat under the shadow and clam- bered up the rugged side of Cheops, nor the glorious view of desert, city, and river, which on reaching tlie summit repaid me for the toil. We return in the cool of the evening, and near the Nile are met by the boatmen, whom we had taken the precaution 38 s NILE BOATMEN. not to pay until our return. The bank of the river being steep, there is some little difficulty experienced in getting our animals on board ; that, however, is after a brief interval accom- plished, and we are soon midway in the stream. When near the pasha's summer palace our passage-money is rudely de- manded. Pointing to the land, and crying, " Ashore ! ashore first ! " they grumble out a compulsory assent. After climbing the precipitous bank, and standing with our wearied steeds on terra firma, the tug of war begins. We fight the battle of Nelson and his heroes over again, and Scots and English are, as on that glorious day, crowned with victory, not, however, in our case, without foreign aid. The boatmen demand ten shil- lings ; I offer six, which is refused and thrown down. Our don- keys are driven away, and impounded ; thereupon I run up to the village and find an official dressed as a soldier, to whom, in my best French, I state the wliole afiair ; he came with me at once, releasing the donkeys, and telling the boatmen that I had erred on the side of liberality ; so the two fellows were glad to compromise. Through dust and Arab crowds we proceed towards Cairo, and when just within the gate we meet a native funeral. The coffin, unpainted and unpalled, is borne shoulder-high ; hun- dreds of men and women forming the procession, the latter uttering at intervals a howl not unlike the noise at an Irish wake — the vibrating whistle or "zagharet" being heard as usual in their religious chants. We reach our hotel, and find the expense of donkeys, guides, water-carriers, and "sheildi," amounted to nearly eighteen shil- lings each traveller. CHAPTER VI. 1 ' CAIRO. Viewed from a distance, Cairo is magnificent ; the harbour of Bulac, (old Cairo,) and the isle of Rhoda, appear as parts of the capital. In the midst of the city are many tall and beautiful trees, groves of palm and sycamore, gilded spires and tapering minarets, mosques, palaces, and the frowning citadel; while the river, rolling in majesty by lofty walls and massive towers, makes up a picture of surpassing beauty. At one time this place might have been entitled to the proud distinction " El-Kahira, or El Cka-hireh," the "victorious," though only known by the natives as " Musr," and by Euro- peans as " Cairo ;" but no sooner has one entered the city, and formed a close acquaintance with it, than the spell is broken. It proves the foulest of capitals, — dust, narrow defiles, crooked lanes, filthy gutters, and decaying vegetable matter meet the eye and offend the sense at every step. Cairo, the capital of Egypt, the residence of the pasha and seat of his government, is situated on the right bank of the Nile, some ten or twelve miles above the apex of the Delta, a hundred south and west of Damietta, and has a population of nearly 300,000, of which about 200,000 are Moslems, the remainder being Copts, Jews, and strangers. It lies near the mountain range of Mokattem, occupying an area of about three square miles. One may judge of its size and importance from the following statistics of its public places : — It comprises 2-50 principal streets, nearly 50 squares, 11 bazaars, 140 schools, upwards of 300 cisterns, from 70 to 80 public baths, and from 400 to 500 mosques. Surrounded with walls, it is commanded by a citadel, which, like the castle of Edinburgh, 40 THE CITADEL. is perched on a rock, rising 200 feet above the level of the Nile. It is a place of gTeat strength, and supposed to occupy that spot in the city where once stood the Acropolis of the Egyjitian Babylon, first said to have been erected by Cambyses upon a site still more ancient, or a city as old as Memphis. The position, in a militaiy point of view, is, however, worth- less, being commanded by Mount Mokattem, on which there is a fort ; and, as the country is open both east and west, is far from being impregnable. I durst not, however, have hinted such an opinion whilst in the city of the Pharaohs. Within the precincts of the fortress are the palace, the mint, the harem, divan, and the great mosque, besides the arsenal fori arms and a foundry ; add to all this the great shaft known asj "Joseph's Well," 45 feet in circumference and 276 in depth,! the bottom on a level with the Nile, to which we descend by a winding staircase. There is much to constitute Cairo a) noble city. Some of its mosques approach beauty and excel-i lence, — such as El-Azhar, (Lazarus,) the Metropolitan, that oti Sultan Hassan, the Muristan, the Hassen-Ain, and El-Ghoree j these last are really magnificent, though not so large and well-appointed as the first and second mentioned. The most ancient structures, however, are those of Taglioum, said to have; been erected a.d. 887, of course anterior to the building of thd the present city, the gate Bab-el-Nasar or of victory, and the! noble remains of the great aqueduct ; besides these are th^ arabesqiie tombs of the Mamelukes, near the Mokattem hill,! which are of white marble, dating from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. ' Old Cairo is supposed to occupy the ground upon which stood the town and fortress of Egyptian Babylon, and it is to-day chiefly inhabited by Copts. These ancient Christians and Egyptian aborigines have twelve churches, some of them large and rather pretentious buildings. The members of this sect are mostly engaged as clerks in oflfices and shops, and constitute, perhaps, the most bigoted and intolerant of all existing religious communities. Among the antiquities are the reputed granaries of Joseph, the pasha's palace, a Turkish or pavilion-looking afiair, putting me much in mind of an onion bed just before being taken out of the ground ; it has, however, large and beautiful gardens. There are other TRADE AND EDUCATION. 41 lions worthy of inspection, — powder magazines, mills, and factories; and, to crown all, the famous Nilometer, which I discover to be a graduated pUlar in a deep shaft or well, which one may descend by a flight of steps, called, singularly enough, the " Stairs of Moses." The commerce of Cairo has of late wonderfully revived, chiefly, as already noticed, owing to the increased growth and export" of cotton, whereas formerly the trade was confined to grain, slaves, and silken shawls. The proposed canal connecting the two seas, together with the present facility of railway accommodation, cannot fail to give an impetus to trade and commerce. I have learned to-day that there are within the city and its environs numbers of factories not only for cotton but for guns, soldiers' belts, saddles, sacking, paper mills, cotton printing, dye works, tan yards, and chemical works, many of them deriving their motive power from steam machinery of the newest description, some of them under the superintendence of natives, who have received a European education. Cairo has long been and still is the seat of the best schools for Arabic literature and theology in the empire. There are lectures delivered in the El-Azhar on medicine, law, mathematics, and Koran-theology, to students, who flock hither from all parts of the country. There are also three or four primary schools, in which the children, to the number of 340, are clothed and fed. A school of medicine, having up- wards of 200 pupils, besides a printing press, hospitals, infir- maries, and museums ; indeed, all the essential elements of a great and flourishing city are found in " El-Kahira." Hiring a donkey, and riding through the streets, I make for the citadel, where, after obtaining a pair of slippers at the gate, I commence an examination of its magnificent mosque ; the ceil- ing is lofty, the arabesque work recent, the pillars massive and rich in variegated marble, the floor matted, and the places for jjrayer carpeted, while that sine-qua-non, a beautiful fountain, stands in the area. I look over the "Mameluke's leap," said to be 500 feet, but more probably between 70 and 80, still enough to excite surprise that both horse and man were not killed on the spot. The view from the back of the mosque is both exten- sive and interesting ; the city with all its beauties and defor- mities, the river, the pyramids, and the desert being spread out 42 STREET TRADES. like a map. From tliis eminence one perceives that there are many open spaces arranged as gardens between the leading thoroughfares. After having been twice imposed upon by- beggars, I re-enter the crowded city. The streets appear little more than nine or ten feet wide, almost every house being a shop, wherein the complacent Turk, the keen-eyed Jew, or the equally astute Armenian sits cross-legged on the floor, which seldom exceeds an area of four feet by six, his wares being placed within conve- nient reach, while the everlasting "chibouque" or "narghily" is smoked as if he attached little or no interest to any- thing else. There are whole streets or bazaars of shoemakers, veritable "Souter Johnnies," and whole lanes of tailors, as like their brethren of the shears at home as if both had been ap- prenticed upon one board. The same remark would apply to other trades, such as braziers and tin-plate workers, sad- dlers, and pipe-makers, while a whole bazaar is devoted to the sale and manufacture of tobacco. Wherever I ride there are seemingly the same endless crowds of men, women, and don- keys, camels, dust, and dirt. The Egyptians, if their religion exerts any influence upon them, ought to be a moral people, for in some streets no less than four places of worship are to be found in contiguous clusters. A Mohammedan is by no means niggardly in the support of his creed, meeting the wants of, or ornamenting his mosque — thus one man will voluntarily provide oil for the lamps during a whole season ; another will supply mats, and a third drapery — examples worthy of imitation nearer home. I have ridden to-day some miles through these streets and " bazaars," between seemingly dead walls and tumble-down dwellings, and have found squalor and wealth, riches and poverty, in the closest proximity. At one point the diseased, hungry, and naked beggar ; the blind and the lame crying and praying for alms ; on the other side matronly ladies waddle about in yellow boots, red slippers; black silk mantles, pink, or dove-coloured dresses, forming the articles of attire — while over the snowy white borko or face- cloth peer those lustrous black eyes which are always fascinat- ing. In the street called " Mosque," where the houses are large and handsome, I get a glimpse of the inner courts, which are tastefully decorated with fountains, marble pillars, chequered pavements, and beautiful flowering plants. There MIDDLE-CLASS DAVELLINGS. 43 seems to be no lack of wealth, comfort, and luxury in these dwellings. It must, however, be at once confessed that I have not had the " entree " to any of these abodes of the ujiper classes, — still it would be out of the question to suppose that Cairo consists entirely of such miserable holes and dens as form the homes of its labouring poor. Perhaps a short description of some dwellings of the middle class, which I have had an opportunity of inspecting, may be acceptable. These are generally two stories in height, with a plain exterior, having one principal entrance and door ; the latter hung upon clumsily constructed iron hinges, while ahuge knocker of the same metal is suspended in the usual way. There is also a bar or lock of wood, and a key not much smaller in size than a policeman's truncheon. The windows are seldom glazed, but project considerably over the street, so as to afford the inmates a view similar to that commanded by bay win- dows. They are also ornamentally latticed, thus screening the ladies from being seen outside ; these blinds are, however, in many instances giving place to sashes glazed and suspended after the European fashion. Entering the first passsge, an open court is reached, differing in size according to the locality, wherein a stone seat is invariably placed for the use of servants. A fountain, playing in a marble basin, fringed with trees or flowering shrubs in pots, and water-jars for domestic jjurposes, are indispensable adjuncts. The principal apartments look into this quadrangle ; here also the shoes are slipped off and left, for no one without performing this operation would dream of stepping on the divan, since to do so would not only be a breach of good manners, but an absolute crime, the reason being that prayers are said upon these seats. Strictly speak- ing, there are no bedrooms, the long couch or divan along the wall, with an additional quilted mat, laid aside at pleasure, being all that is thought necessary for repose. The meals are brought in on a small tray, placed on a low stool, around which all sit in a family group, and thus eat from the common dish. Should the weather be cold, a brazier with a small quantity of charcoal is introduced. I have not observed in the country anything lUce a chimney or a sea-coal fire, excepting in the hotels. A short description of the dress that obtains among the better class of males, although necessarily varying with the 44 DRESS OF THE PEOPLE. wealth or rank of tbe wearer, as also with his nationality and creed, may here find jjlace. The garment worn next tbe body is a shirt of cotton or silk, or, should the weather be mild, of thin muslin, having wide sleeves reaching to the wrists ; over this a waistcoat of thicker stuff, and in mnter an additional garment reaching to the heels, with long sleeves, in which, if necessary, the hands may be enveloped; a sash of divers colours, but more frequently a shawl, and if the weather be severe, over all the large cloak or ahhah, worn almost uni- versally in the East. The head-gear is a cotton skull cap, fitting close ; then the tarboosh or red cap, round which is wound a piece of muslin, a fancy pattern handkerchief or shawl, the colour denoting the creed ; the direct and collateral descendants of the prophet wearing green, while Copts and Jews are restricted to the use of sombre hues, such as dark blue, black, or gray. The feet are encased in broad single- soled red morocco shoes, but should the weather be cold, or the person aged, short socks are added. Rings are very gene- rally worn by the males on the fore-finger, and a signet-ring on the Uttle finger of the right hand. Among the lower classes these ornaments are made of silver, whilst those worn by clerks, merchants, and gentlemen, are of gold, set with precious stones. I observed that, without exception, all my fellow-travellers from Alexandria had finger- rings, a Nubian pilgrim having a thick silver one on his thumb. The dress of the poorer or common people is very simple and inexpensive, consisting of cotton drawers, over which falls a shirt or gown open to the waist, with very wide sleeves, occasionally of blue linen or stuff, but generally cotton, — this can be slipped off with the utmost ease and rapidity. On the head there is a shawl, handkerchief, piece of muslin, or tarboosh, originally red, but mostly greasy and black, worn night and day, but never washed. Some have not so much clothing as the scanty wardrobe above enumerated, being only habited in the gown or shirt, thus leaving the bosom, neck, arms, and even the knees bare. I have seen some with merely an ahhah, which, judging from appearance, must have seen considerable service, and probably descended as an heir-loom from generation to generation ; but whether this be attributable to poverty or miserly habits, it were difficult to determine. CHAPTER VII. ACROSS THE DESERT. Cairo, Friday, 25th. — Leaving the hotel at 8 A.M., and arriv- ing at the railway station, I obtain a ticket for Suez, but in attempting to enter a carriage am refused admittance on the ground that I am a Christian. In this dilemma an official comes to my aid, and at once causes room to be made for me, though to all appearance much against the will of my prospective feUow-travellers — hadjiis on their way to Mecca. A good opportunity for studying the idiosyncrasies of the followers of Mohammed is thus afforded me. From what is observable in their habits and manners, I conclude that, how- ever much of intolerance or ignorance there may be amongst them, they are not, to all appearance, ashamed of their religion. My vis-d-vis, a Persian from Bokhara, is evidently a genuine devotee, constantly repeating or reading his prayers, not unfre- quently singing hymns, while neither the presence of an infidel, nor the publicity of a railway carriage, prevents him from per- forming the " ivudoo" by kneeling and prostrating himself on the seat, first, however, washing his hands with water from a bottle. Then there are two Turks, who, when not smoking or snuffing, are either reading or praying — one of them occa- sionally singing a hymn in a peculiar long-drawn nasal ca- dence. On the opposite side a Nubian, black as Erebus, but full of gentleness and urbanity, attired in a home-spun black and white striped ahbah, red morocco shoes and turban. Two others from Fez are well-bred gentlemen, not only in dress but in manners. We have also two gray-bearded Osmanli, with excessively large turbans ; and in the last com- partment two other Turks in uniform, one of whom could 46 A SIROCCO. repeat " Oh, yes," and " bono Johnny" particularly well, and on the strength of this accomplishment I secured their friend- ship. The next compartment is filled with ten of the gentler sex, whose eyes I can indeed see, but, being an unbelievei-, dare not look at them ; they appear retiring and modest. Our train is heavy, and excessively slow, consisting of about twenty carriages laden with pilgrims, and we are exposed to the hot wind of the desert, Avhich at this moment is scorching as a furnace. The burning sand is blowing in at every crevice; our thirst becomes unbearable ; the perspiration flows from every pore, attended by a peculiar feeling of sufli'ocation. It is true there is no lack of air, for a tempest is blowing, but it is a storm of fire and heat ; the eye wanders over the arid expanse ; the mouth opens in vain, it continues dry and parched, our small leathern bottles being the only resource. I have oranges and boiled eggs with me, but the former re- semble dry sponges, the latter are as hard as balls. This is my first experience, and a severe one, of what the Arabs call ^'hhumaseen" a word that signifies a storm lasting fifty days. The atmosphere has a transparency which I have never before observed, whilst fi'om high in the zenith the sun darts down his intensely vertical beams, calcining everything to a white glare, causing me to feel as if either at the mouth of a furnace or in the focus of a huge concave lens ; true, at times the air was agitated, but the wavelets were scorching, drying up the substance, leaving the eyes inflamed and bloodshot, the lips livid, the skin flaccid and feverish. No water is seen to cheer the eye nor cool the parched tongue ; no tree to break the dreary monotony of the scene ; no projecting rock to afi"ord a shade ; nor did I see any animals, save in the two or three small caravans in the distance ; neither bird nor beast, reptile nor insect ; the whole region is one of unbroken stillness, and, I might add, death. Such, in brief, is the desert scene shortly after leaving Cairo, until reaching a point nearly in a line with the noble range of the Attakah moun- tains. After six hours' railing we halt at a station, the name or number of which I know not. Here I taste brandy for the first time since leaving England, at the charge of one shill- ing a glass, in a restaurant kept by a Frenchman. Again we THE EGYPTIAN ASS. 47 are darting over the burning desert, where nothing is visible save the brown sand below, and a whitish-blue sky above. In. the distance we seem to descry some lakes, but, like hope, they are delusive, being nothing more than the curiou.s atmospheric phenomenon known as the mimge of the desert. We pass long gangs of camels and asses, with whole families or tribes wending their weary way on their pilgrimage of devotion. Soon may the knowledge of the gospel of Christ spread its benign influences over this land, and that salvation, which these people ignorantly seek in pilgrimage, be found in Jesus ! There being no roads in the country, and the streets in towns too narrow to admit of carriages, horses are used to a considerable extent as beasts of burden, but more usually camels and asses are employed. The breeding of the latter quadruped is of high antiquity, and almost as much attention is paid to its pedigree as to that of the horse. Perhaps in no country in the world are these useful animals so serviceable as in Egypt, where they are generally well cared for, the hair frequently clipped, in order probably to prevent them suffer- ing from the heat, and if kept for private use their housings are often rich and gaudy, having a high pad or saddle, upon which one may sit comfortably, or even lie in an emergency. The hack-animals are, however, often half-starved, and cruelly used ; the bridle, stirrups, and saddles, being generally in tatters, or clumsily patched ; the driver invariably accom- panies the rider, urging the animal from behind with an iron skewer, bawling to the crowds, " Take care." If caution be not exercised, one may thrust incontinently against stalls, quadrupeds, or passengers. Often have I wished that the " Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals " had a wider influence in Cairo, to punish these boys for theii* bar- barity to the donkeys. Horses, as already stated, arc plentiful both in Egypt and Syria, but the camel is, par excellence, the beast of burden ; stones for building, water, wood, merchandise, grain, and, in short, all sorts of things are borne by the camel, which, serving the same uses as our canals and railways, is well entitled to its name the " ship of the desert." No other animal could traverse those sterile, burning plains. Throughout all Egypt and the East camel breeding is extensively pursued, but •48 THE SHIP OF THE DESERT. chiefly by tlie Bedueen, who bring these useful auxiliaries in great numbers to market. A momentary glance at the camel will show its marvellous and minute adaptation to this and similar countries. It has a yielding, spreading, and well-cushioned foot, that prevents it from sinking in the sands, peculiarly shaped teeth, for cutting the shrubs on which it occasionally feeds, and a singularly formed stomach, that, as a writer has said, may be compared to an assemblage of water-tanks, which it fills when there is opportunity, and then goes for days without replenishment. Existing probably longer than any other animal without food, and drawing nourishment from the fat generated in its hump, it possesses, besides these qualities, an acute smell, particularly for water ; the proximity of that, it can detect when far beyond the reach of the human eye, a sense, by means of which entire caravans have been rescued from death. Camels can bear a great weight, when the burden is conveniently placed. A frame is often used on which the goods are laid, and when this is the case each animal may be laden with five or six hundredweight, that it kneels down to receive, and only complains by a low moaning when over-burdened. The hair is woven into a kind of cloth that wears well ; the skin, when tanned, makes ex- cellent leather ; the flesh constitutes a palatable diet, and the milk is highly nutritious ; whilst in the desert its excrement is dried and used for fuel. In aU these adaptations we see evident marks of Divine wisdom and goodness; for has not the Creator given to the Arab an animal at once exceptional in structure, and eminently suited to his wants ? Occasionally, as we pass along, I observe a group of mud- huts, with brown-skinned and dove-eyed children running about naked ; whUe their wretchedly-clothed mothers — only covered with a blue gown, open in front, and hanging to their heels — seem to have no kind of occupation. There being neither vegetation, water, nor wood, one asks — How do they live 1 for what purpose are they here 1 but these inquiries are left unsolved. Mountainous regions now appear on the right, looking higher and nearer as we approach, till at last the welcome sound " Suez " meets our ears. We enter the town at 5 P.M., having been nine hours in running ninety mile^. THE KED SEA. 49 Thank God, we are safe, notwithstanding there having been, as I am informed, sixteen collisions within one month on this line of railway. The first view of the Red Sea produced a state of mind im- possible to describe. Are the waters before me the Red Sea of the Old Testament ? Can this be the place, and these the waves through which Israel passed, and which reflected the glare of the pillar of fire on that awful night when Pharaoh and his hosts were overwhelmed 1 Was it along thy shore, " Mare Rubrum," that Jehovah performed such wonders, when thine obedient waters stood in crystal walls uplifted and up- held by the arm of Omnipotence 1 Was it on this very beach that j\Iiriam sang, " The horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea?"* Where among these ridges is Pihahiroth, where are Sur, Marah, and Elim, and where is the Mount of God 1 The last-named height I may not be privileged to see, but if God spares me I shall behold a greater marvel, for inasmuch as the Gospel transcends the Law, so does Calvary surpass Mount Sinai. heavenly Father ! having brought me thus far on my pilgrimage, keep me still, I pray Thee, under the shadow of Thy wings ! On asking for accommodation at the hotel, I am told all the bedrooms are engaged ; I must therefore content my- self with sleeping on a divan. Having dressed, and partaken of some refreshment, I call upon Mr Smith, of the Peninsular and Oriental Company, who, although I had forgotten my letters of introduction, receives me kindly, and finds me suitable apartments in the Suez Hotel, a large and con- venient building, adapted to meet the wants of the numerous passengers coming and going between England, China, India, and Australia. It was here Napoleon the Great took up his cjuarters, and here he inscribed his name in the visitors' book, for which volume, according to popular rumour, an Englishman afterwards gave the fabulous sum of £1500. My bedroom window looks out upon the sea, over which the rays of the moon flit in silvery gleams, forming a path- way of molten glory. How I wish, in this spot, and on this calm evening, surrounded by such associations and sacred memories, for enough of poetic inspiration to sing of Israel's * Exodus XV. 4. 50 IN THE ROUTE OF THE ISRAELITES. deliverance by Moses, the servant of the Most High, and the advent of a greater rescue by Jesus the Son of God ! Shed thy lustre, .moon, upon these hallowed shores ! Pour out thy soft effulgence on these consecrated waters, that once divided at the fiat of the Almighty ! Never, whilst memory holds her sway in this frail tabernacle, shall I forget this solemn even-tide and the scriptural meditation it engendered, Suez, Saturday, 26th. — Rise at 6 a.m. Hire a donkey and a boat, for a trip to the "Wells of Moses." With little more than the usual amount of difficulty I get my long-eared friend on board ; we cross the sea at the quarantine ground, appar- ently about a mile wide, and disembark in Arabia. Having obtained a supply of provisions at the hotel, and a " gholeh" of water, which the donkey-driver carries, we enter the desert. After skirting the shore for a time, we ride about eight miles inland, seeing nothing to cheer the eye and break the arid sameness of the scene, save a small flowering plant now in bloom. We travel first three or four miles over stony ground, a road seemingly marked off, and forcibly reminding me of the parable of the Sower. Two hours' riding amidst sand-hills brings me to Bir-Mousa, supposed to be the place where the Israelites halted after crossing the opened pathway through the Red Sea. These very plains were then trodden by their feet ! These ancient pits and wells at which I now stand quenched their thirst ! Upon this very spot Moses and the people of Israel lifted up their voices in prayer to the Lord of hosts ! At the back of the gardens belonging to the three or four families who comprise the population, I notice a group of the pure Beduee type, naked and unwashed as usual, huddled together in a corner between two walls, covered in with an old horse-cloth, supported on a few reeds, and en- closing neither comfort nor convenience. The inmates con- sist of two women, adorned with the usual ornam.ents, three small purblind children, and a man, the father of this hopeful progeny. The little black infant is bedizened with anklets, while a girl of seven or eight summers is entirely nude. Within an enclosure of considerable extent are the " Wells of Moses y' I observe only four, but there are nine in all, the largest lined with coarse rubble-work of an oval shape, mea- THE WELLS OF MOSES. 51 suring 15 feet by 12, the water being raised by the ordinary wheel, pitchers, and donkey. Strange, in the midst of a howling desert to find a garden stocked with lettuce and leeks, and beautified with rose and palm-trees, fresh, green, and luxuriant ! The wells are situated inland, not now more than a mile and a half from the shore, whatever the distance may have been in more ancient times. Here, under a rude verandah, I take some refreshment, being careful not to inscribe my name on the boards, lest I might share the immortality accorded to "William Thompson," of Pompey's pillar notoriety. Every inhabitant, man, woman, and child, is watching me, as if I were a wUd beast feeding ; but on giving them a portion of food they thank me heartily, and greedily devour it. I conclude that they cannot be Mohammedans, otherwise they would not have eaten the fragments left by a Christian. Having satisfied the demands of the proprietor, and been conducted over the garden, I am presented with a bouquet of fresh flowers, and with a kindly adieu mount my ass and turn my face Suez- ward. I do wish for the staff of Balaam, or some other worthy, being certain that I have under me the traditionary donkey that wouldn't go ! Never did ass from Adam's day to the present merit a sounder cudgelling. The train was announced to start at two ; I try to urge the headstrong brute along in order to arrive in time ; he, however, knowing the usages of the Egyptians better than I did, takes matters quietly. What with walking, flogging, and kicking, and I may add pushing and dragging, we reach the shore, cross the river, and land on the other side, arriving at the hotel pier in time. The entire cost of this excursion amounted to the moderate sum of nine shillings. Discharging my hotel bill, and obtaining a railway ticket for Cairo, I call on my friend Mr Smith to say " good- bye," and am urged to remain till Monday — a proposal in which I at length concur. After dinner he conducts me over the Peninsular and Oriental Company's stores, of which he has the management, and which are large enough to meet the wants of an entire colony. We ride out as far as the fresh- water canal. What a blessing must this first necessary of life be to the inhabitants, who, until lately, had all their water brought on camels from Cairo; the supply costing the Company £170 52 THE PASSAGE OF THE RED SEA. per month ! How severely must the poor have suffered for want of means to procure it ! The Japanese ambassadors have just arrived by the steamer, and taken lodgings at the hotel. They are on their way to England, via France, and wUl consequently be seen in London and Paris. Their attire is singular, and although mostly young men, their hair is tied up like that of the women in other countries. They wear flat-shaped hats on the top of their heads, wide calico trousers, and each carries two swords, suspended on one side. All of them smoke tobacco, the pipes being curiosities of their kind — viz., a brass tube, holding only a pinch or three puffs. When sitting near me one consumed twelve pipefuls in a few minutes, the process being resolved into filling and refilling. Their feet are encased in short cloth boots, over which are basket slip- pers. They appear to be well supplied with money. One of them speaks English fluently ; whUst an Englishman, and I suppose from his dress a clergyman, who accompanies them, acts as interpreter. Sunday, Tlth. — Suez was once a port of immense trade, though now a poor, irregularly-built village. The harbour is so shallow that only small craft can enter at high-water. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's ships and others of great draught must lie •out in the bay. Though now, and for many years past, little known, yet as the scene, or near the scene, of the miraculous passage of the Israelites, it will ever be sacred ground. There are doubts, and very grave ones I must ac- knowledge, whether this, or a locality a few miles farther sea- ward, be the exact spot indicated by Scripture., Changes have occurred ; the sea may have flowed where there is now only a marsh, and the ever-drifting sands, in the course of ages, have, as we know, to the southward of this site, rendered places once familiar utterly unknown. ]\Iuch interesting information may be gathered on this point from the pictorial Bible, and Dr Keith's admirable work on the Prophecies. It is true, there is still a ford here at low-water, which I should deem passable on a camel, an enterprise, I am told, that has been accomplished. Some of the villages mentioned by Moses are stiU to be traced in the neighbourhood, though bearing A SERMON AT SUEZ. 53 other names, as Etliam,* on tlie edge of tlie wilderness, now a hamlet called Al-Jeroud, a short distance on the north-west of Suez ; whilst the Succoth of the first Israelitish encampment is supposed by many to be the modern " Birket-El-Hadjiis," the great rendezvous of Mecca pilgrims. Arrangements having been made this morning for public worship, I engage to preach in the large hall of the hotel, where we assemble at noon, ]\Iiss L leading the singing, and accompanying herself on a piano. The place is comfortably fitted up with chairs, and the British ensign flung over some cushions forms a pulpit. The service is commenced by singing the Old Hundredth psalm, and I take for my text Exodus xiv. 13-15. Twenty-seven persons were present, including the consul and his lady, the Smith family, and the young men connected with the office ; the other portion of the congrega- tion being travellers then resident in the hotel. It is seldom that a clergyman coming this way remains over Sunday, and advantage is therefore generally taken to secure the services of any such stray bird of passage. I am glad to say that a friend of mine, a country clergyman, stayed here lately for four months, and during the whole of that period preached every Lord's-day. Having reason to know that his ministra- tions were highly appreciated, I would strongly advise any brethren about to travel, not only in the East, but elsewhere, to put a few sermons in the corner of their trunks, so as to be prepared for a like exigency. This afternoon I was attacked with a violent headache accompanied by fever, and am under the impression that I have either received a sunstroke during the sirocco on Friday, or am labouring under some disease indigenous to the country. * Exodus xiii. 20. CHAPTER VIII. SUEZ TO CAIRO, Suez, Monday, '28th. — Up, thank God, this morning in re- stored health. I leave Mr Smith with a friendly " good-bye," and proceed to the train for Cairo, which starts at 2 p.m. I have here the good fortune to meet A. G. Blakey, Esq., an American gentleman, who, like myself, is going southwards. He accom- panies me on a tour round the bazaars, which, however, are unworthy of attention, being neither more nor less than a series of narrow lanes, each filthier than the other, through which it is scarcely possible for two persons to pass abreast. The shops, or stalls, are composed of reeds, old sacking and mats, to burn which would almost be a benefit to the place. The natives are unusually dirty ; the same amount of ver- min, heat, and stench prevails as in Cairo, an assertion that implies a great deal. As the train does not start for two hours, I have a little more time to examine and make myself acquainted with the geography of the neighbourhood. The Red Sea, with the Isthmus of Suez, bounds Egypt on the east ; the former, a giilf of the Indian Ocean, extends about 1160 miles from north to south, with an average breadth of 120. Its name is probably derived from the abmidance of red coral with which it abounds. I very much enjoyed a swim in its waters, which are beautifully clear and shallow on the Egyptian side. The mountains rise boldly, following the windings of the Nile. At the present day there are signs of this port and part of the gulf regaining their former importance as a commercial entrepot. Volumes have been written upon the long-vexed question of the passage of the Israelites. Whether at the gap in the THE SUEZ CANAL. 55 Attaka mountains, or here at Suez, may never be con- clusively determined. The breadth of the channel at the first- named spot is eight miles, here only one ; that, however, would make but little difference, the Omnipotent could as easily cleave the Atlantic as the narrow strait beneath me. I am inclined to think that Suez was the scene of the great event, and I am supported in my belief by the majority of writers and travellers. To leave Suez without either seeing or learning sometliing regarding the progress of the proposed ship canal designed to connect the port of Seyd on the Mediterranean, with Suez on the Red Sea, would not only be unjust to one's self but to the French executive and to the enterprising engineer of this gigantic work. Many years have elapsed since scientific men first demonstrated the practicability of the scheme, and pointed out the benefits which would accrue to Great Britain from a direct ship route to her vast eastern possessions. Obsta- cles were from time to time thrown in the way, or difficulties suggested, such as the difference of level between the two seas, and the impossibility of obtaining labour, while, if these were surmounted, the ever-drifting sand of the desert, it was said, would soon fill up the cutting, leaving the canal a mere line or trace, as it has left those of the Pharaohs in other parts of Egypt. In short, it was regarded as an impossibility, or, at the best, a useless speculation. Despite the doubts and fears of croakers, the undertaking was at last commenced, and the first stage is now near completion. It would be unfair to pre- judge from a mere survey of its present trench-like opening of a few feet, the appearance that it will ultimately assume when cut to a depth of seventeen feet, and a breadth of fifty, so as to permit the passage of ships, drawing fourteen feet of water, from India, China, and Australia to Liverpool, London, and the Clyde. A sub-canal is also to be excavated, coni- municating with the Nile, for the purposes of irrigation, which will prove as great a blessing to the tliirsty soil of the desert as the introduction of fresh water has already been to the in- habitants of Suez. Great credit is due to the Emperor of the French, who, in the teeth of powerful o})position, has persevered in promoting this commercial enterprise, and also to the engineer for the skill he has displayed. Nor should less praise be awarded 56 TELEGEAPHS IN THE EAST. to the somewliat harshly treated M. de Lesseps, a gentle- man, I have no doubt, who, when better known in England, will, with that fair play which characterises our countrymen, be heartily commended. The idea has more than once crossed my mind within these two days, presenting itself in the form of a question, Why, since the Gulf of Suez is en rap2oort by telegraph with that of Lyons, should not that of the Indus be connected with the Gulf of Persia ; the line being continued along the valley of the Tigris to Anatolia, thence to Stamboul, and so on to Cornhill? In these days of science and peace there is nothing to prevent the accomplishment of such an undertaking. Why should long and anxious weeks of feverish suspense be spent in waiting for intelligence which might be flashed home in a few hours ] Why should not our Government, merchants, and relations have daily telegrams from our colonies and colonists ? Why should not the throbbings of the great monetary pulse which beats in the bank parlour of Threadneedle Street, together with the current prices of tea, sugar, and indigo in Mincing Lane, or cotton in Liverpool, be known daily from Caithness to Calcutta ? * This would not only equalise supplies and prices, but tend to prevent panics in banks and bonds, as well as gluts in the colonial market. These would be among the least of the benefits resulting from a system of telegraphy connecting the mother country with her numerous daughters within a circle of hourly intelligence. Apart from religion, there are few more humanising agents than the electric wire, the steam press, and the locomotive, by means of which castes and classes are being merged in one great brotherhood, and humanity thereby become a vast gainer. We are off at last ! two and a half hours behind time. Look- ing back, the sea appears gleaming in golden sheen, while the Attaka mountains, owing to the exceeding clearness of the atmosphere, reveal every rift, scar, and crag. With my travelling-glass I can, though at a considerable distance, easily distinguish a wild daisy from a dandelion. While the whole scene of shore and water is becoming invisible, I camiot help exclaiming, Farewell ! and again, farewell ! Now in the midst * Since this -was written, the line to India has been completed. RAILWAY IRREGULARITIES. 57 of desert there being notliing to interest the eye, I devote my attention to my fellow-travellers. I learn that my American friend was raised in " Old Kentucky," but is of Scottish ex- traction. He turns out to be a gentlemanly and well-in- formed man, who, having relations both in North and South, entertains no decided bias on the question of the war now ravaging his country. This and the next compartment of the carriage are filled with Italians, who smoke and talk inces- santly ; their language, it is true, is liquid and harmonious ; nevertheless it is possible, under some circumstances, to have too much even of a good thing. The third-class carriages are crammed with Arabs, who, poor creatures, are not over-bur- dened with clothing, and the evening is chilly, although in Africa. At 8 p.m. we reach a station, and being shunted off the line, are actually kept waiting until past eleven, more than three hours. The evening and the railway adminis- tration are alike cool. Let grumblers at EngHsh breaches of punctuality, think over this ! Wandering about in the moonlight, I stumble upon an engineer, a Scotchman, from somewhere about Ecclefechan, and another, an Englishman, from Cornwall, each receiving the handsome emolument of £22 per month. I gave them both what they appeared very much to require, some wholesome advice, as well in morals as in money matters. Although, like others around, I am put rather out of temper by the delay, I cannot but admire the beauty of the evening moonlight ; the eye penetrating far into the gray desert detects neither hill nor mound to break the level mono- tony of this sea of sand. The sky resembles a brilliant dome, each star clearly cut out in relief on the blazing firma- ment, while the moon holds her course in unclouded majesty. Wrapt in contemplation, I manage to forget Arabs, delays, and almost all sublunary things. Moonlight nights have been a plea- sure and moonlight walks have been a habit to me from early childhood, yielding gratifications for which I can scarcely ac- count — whether they arise from the stillness of the evening being favourable to reflection, the star-lit canopy above, or the vagueness and indistinctness of objects, or whether from all these influences combined, it is impossible to say. Never until now, in all my field and river-side roamings, did I so 58 MUSINGS BY THE MOONLIGHT. tliorouglily enjoy these favourite vagaries. I am at this mo- ment, it is true, in the Temple of Solitude ; its floor, the level boundless sweeping desert ; its walls, the gray curtains of undefined, and to all appearance unlimited, space ; its roof, the canopy of heaven, spangled with thousands of gem-like glisten- ing lamps in the solid firmament. The great waste stretches far away into shadowy distance, seemingly beckoning me to penetrate its hazy vacuity ; the air, though chilly, is pure and refreshing, bracing my nerves and cooling my fevered fore- head. It may be nothing else than fancy that the dark mas- sive outline on my right is Gebil Attaka ; yet it serves to wake up a host of memories. The whole expanse of desert seems crowded with busy life ; camps and equipages, camels and asses, God's dear and chosen people, with their wives and little ones flying before the pursuer ; the pillar of fire, the soimd of the trumpet and the clarion calling that " the people go for- ward." But the charm breaks as the cry — " Take your places" reverberates through the air, and we again move on. Our delay has been occasioned by a down train of pilgrims, the rail- way having only a single line of rails, but at length we enter the station at Cairo, having reached the end of our journey. At 1 A.M. I reach the hotel ; on ringing the bell, " Saida," the " boiobab," who sleeps on the mats, opens the door, and grin- ning from ear to ear displays a set of teeth, which I covet for their whiteness and regularity, exclaiming in broken English, " Sare, glad to see you." Proceeding to my room, after pour- ing out my thanks to God, I seek repose. CHAPTER IX. THREE DAYS MORE IN THE CAPITAL OF THE PHARAOHS. ' Cairo, Tuesday, 29^/t. — This morning, hiring a donkey, I ride out to Bulac, the ancient and modern port of the vic- torious city, a mile and a half distant. The roads are being thoroughly watered, the Persian wheel with its jars lashed to the circumference, either turned by hand or driven by donkey, is seen in every garden, raising the water of the Nile for irrigation. The road on either side is lined by a series of well-laid-out gardens, and overshadowed by an avenue of fine trees. I am highly pleased with the village, which seems to be not only the port for inland produce coming by river, but the great mart for Indian corn, legumes, millet, and other edibles, together with a large quantity of olive oil, consti- tuting a great produce-market. The inhabitants appear to concern themselves very Uttle about beds or lodgings, reposing at night wherever they can find space to stretch their limbs, a shady nook, an empty barrow, a box, a barrel, or an iron tank, the ledge of a wall, or even the middle of a road, if they can dislodge the dogs, who seizing upon every rut and hole, con- vert it into a refuge or a home. Bulac possesses the most magnificent collection of Egyptian antiquities in the world. My time being limited, I can only give a cursory glance at its contents, but I should have regarded my visit to Cairo as incomplete, if I had not found time to visit this museum. There are at least six contiguous cham- bers, in which the objects are slielvcd, or arranged under glass, classified and numbered. I need not describe the collection, nor shall I make the attempt, but merely name a few of the curi- osities that most forcibly attracted my attention. There were 60 BULAC AND ITS MUSEUM. mummy cases and tlieir contents ; images of various sizes, forms, and materials ; idols of all shapes and denominations ; slabs covered with hieroglyphics ; ancient implements of husbandry, art, and industry; antique combs, needles, rings, and bracelets ; with whole cases of golden ornaments ; scarabei, and tables covered with sacred writings, which I should deem invaluable. The order and arrangements are admirable, and the entrance to the place is free. Many of the ornaments, some not less than four thousand years old, are in design and workmanship very similar to the newest fashions of the present day. What we deem discoveries and inventions in artizans' tools and other appliances used in mechanics, find their representatives here, and have been known and employed ages ago, showing the truth of the wise man's adage, " There is nothing new under the sun." Returning to the city, I spend a few more hours in threading its labyrinthine maze of quaint streets and anti- quated buildings. Cairo, Wednesday, 30th. — Having made arrangements over- night with my donkey-boy, he is to be at the hotel gate at 5 A.M. to convey me to the fossH forest, a few miles out in the country. I am doomed, however, to disappointment, as he did not make his appearance till eight, this being one of the greatest religious days in Cairo, second only to the grand ceremony of opening the city canal. Owing to this, I have an opportunity of witnessing the Hsiveh, or festival of the carpet, which is sent annually from Cairo to cover the tomb of the prophet at Mecca. The procession starts from the citadel, where the votive fabric is manufactured at the sultan's expense, to the chief mosque, where it is sewed and lined; the carpet, a coarse black brocade, is fringed with inscriptions from the Koran. There is a large and long retinue preceding and following the kisiveh, some riding on horses, some on mules, and crowds of pedestrians, the sect of the dervishes playing an important part by bearing banners and flags inscribed with the names of the Deity. There were also to be seen a number of jugglers, apparently cutting them- selves with knives, thrusting skewers through their flesh, while others hung suspended by hooks traversing the muscles of the back. During the entire day bands of women paraded the streets, singing dismal chants, with the customary whistling MOSLEM PILGETMS. 61 or ^^'MgTiaret" but from tlieir dress and manner I could not have imagined they were engaged in a religious ceremony. They are evidently of the very lowest class, little if any respect being paid to them. Taking up a position at the corner of the Mosque, I have an excellent view of the ever-changing crowd of pilgrims, wending their way to the railway station. I am as much astonished as when I first arrived in the country, at the number of varied dresses and comj^lexions that now defile before my eyes, passing as if across the screen of a camera ; they carry with them every utensil needed in their humble mode of life, such as gridirons, pans of copper, tin, and zinc, bags, and water-bottles. The women and children are on donkeys, the men on foot, armed with a long-barreled gun slung across their shoulders, the minds of the whole apparently devout, and impressed with a belief that one visit paid to the holy city during a lifetime secures admission to paradise. I call to-day at one of the missionary schools, under the care of Mr and Mrs Rosenberg, but being Jcisweh or holy day, few pupils are present. I examine the school-rooms, and find them lofty and commodious, with a spacious open court for a play-ground ; the master, whose dweUing-house is con- venient, cool, and well ventilated, is a German, his wife a native of Scotland, who, prior to her marriage, was connected with the Church of Scotland Mission. Cairo, Thursday, 31s^. — Having concluded all preliminary arrangements, paying bill and bakhshish, I start for the station with " Hagasie" and the faithful donkey — known over all the city by the name of "Tom Sayers" — which I. have ridden more or less for five days, and secure a ticket for Alex- andria, and find no dimiiuition in the crowds of ]\Iohammedan pilgrims, although at least a thousand are at Suez, Alexan- dria, or the Red Sea, on their way to the birthplace of the prophet. The few passengers by this morning's train are fellahs, now, however, cotton-growers, for which they have to thank the American war. Among them is an Arab, a fine specimen of physical development, tall, portly, and possessing great muscular powers. At my request he performed a feat for the amusement of myself and his own companions, — placing his ordinary walking-stick over his fore- finger, pressing the other three upon its extremity, he held it 62 SCOTTISH AND ENGLISH SCOFFERS. thus liorizontally, then hanging his dumsy shoe upon its end, he retained it in the same position for some time ; his girth round the chest is over four feet ; but he is withal childlike in manners and disposition. At one of the stations I met with a Londoner, who made a furious attack on religion in general, and on Mr Spurgeon in particular. I succeeded, however, in closing the mouth of this raiUng " Eabshakeh," by defending the ordinances of God, and interjecting a good word on behalf of one of the most eminent men in the modern ministry. This is the second time that I have met in Egypt with scoffing infidels from home. Whilst in the refreshment room of one of the stations, I recognised as a Scotchman from Eenfrewshire, a fine looking man, with large bushy beard, head gardener to His Royal Highness the Viceroy, but who, from habit or sheer thoughtlessness, swore frightfully. Oh, how sad to see my countrymen from both sides of the Tweed bringing themselves and their faith into contempt with the heathen by their unseemly deportment and profane language ! These jiersons ought to be missionaries in distant lands, proving by their lives and example the superiority of their creed, and the purity of our holy religion. But, alas ! they are more frequently the emissaries of evil, drinking and blaspheming as if regardless of all restraints, human or divine. Such being the case, I am not astonished to find that Christianity makes little progress amongst heathens. After a pleasant journey of one hundred and thirty miles, accomplished in seven and a-half hours, through a rich, alluvial, and beautiful country, we reach Alexandria at 1.15 a.m. I enter an omnibus, and soon find myself once more at the Hotel d'Angleterre. Friday, \st April. — Immediately on rising this morning, I betake myself to the hospitable home of my friend, the Rev. Mr Yule, where I am kindly received. Having, in passing through on my way to Suez, seen most of the city and its celebrities, I devote this forenoon to writing up my journal, and looking back upon the ancient history of the city. Alex- andria is called by the Arabs "Iskendiryeh," and, in a commer- cial point of view, was once the capital of Egypt. It is advan- tageously situated — something like ancient Corinth — upon two seas, being between the harbour and the lake Mareotes, distant ALEXANDRIA : ITS EARLY HISTORY. 63 about twelve miles from the Nile. It was founded before Christ 332, by Alexander the Great, and designed, as some imagine, to divert the traffic from Tyre, thus humbling the proud mistress of the seas, which he could not entirely annihi- late. Here the Macedonian monarch was buried, and a splendid mausoleum erected, which stood till the fourth cen- tury. Here also, upon the island of Pharos, was constructed, B.C. 283, the magnificent lighthouse, 300 feet in height, already referred to. A portion of the present city stands upon this island. Its ancient walls were fifteen miles in circum- ference, enclosing 600,000 inhabitants, with many palaces, aqueducts, and obelisks, as well as the largest library in the world, comprising no less than 700,000 volumes j it was unfortunately destroyed by the Saracens under the Caliph Omar, a.d. 640. From this date Alexandria has gradually decayed. When the passage to India by the Cape of Good Hope was discovered, its commercial importance ceased, until a partial revival under Mehemet Ali. The establishment of an overland route to India, China, and Australia, has doubtless contributed to its resuscitation, as also the cotton trade recently sprung up. The ship canal, which in the belief of its sanguine promoters will connect the Mediter- ranean with the Red Sea, promises well for the future of the country. But who can predict the destiny of nations ? I originally intended to have entered Syria by way of Suez and Edom, but, finding grave obstacles in the way, I resolve to proceed via Jaffa. In making preparations for this journey, I am advised to send back to England much of my heavy lug- gage, and only to take with me absolute necessaries. Saturday, 2d April. — Ainong other places of interest visited this forenoon, I stumble upon the ancient catacombs, whicli are, to all appearance, nothing better than holes or ex- cavations near the shore, probably intended as much for cisterns as for tombs. Walkhig through a part of the ancient city, I have an opportunity of observing how justice is administered by a " kadi" in the public streets. Seeing a crowd, and being- attracted by loud voices, I drew near, and there, sitting upon a stone, at the junction of two streets, is the judge, and before him a man and a woman vociferating and gesticulating. It is only by dint of blows, which he gives freely, that the 64 STREET JUSTICE. magistrate obtains silence. Then calling upon the plaintiff, and hearing his statement, he turned to the defendant, and forthwith, without the semblance of deliberation, follow- ing the example set by good King Robert of Scotland, made them shake hands, and, like another " Gallio, drove them from the judgment-seat." Neither of the parties seemed satisfied with the decision ; for they went off threatening and looking daggers at each other. The "kadi," perceiving I was a Frank, and much interested in the proceedings, bowed to me and smiled, as if to say, " You see, sir, how cheaply, sum- marily, and satisfactorily we dispense justice in Egypt." Making some little inquiry anent the " kadi's" administration, I found it simple, and in general effective. This functionary is appointed yearly to his office, and must belong to the Faith- ful, though it is not imperative, nor even necessary, that he should be conversant with the Blackstone, or Coke upon Lyt- tleton, of his country. He may be as ignorant of law as I am of his language ; it is enough if he can pay the premium demanded ; for, sooth to say, this and many other offices are farmed, so that the kadis may be said to resemble the tax- gathers of old among the Jews. The kadi, however, although sometimes ignorant of the language of the parties brought before him, is not left entirely to his own legal information, the secretary or clerk, as among our own civic and county magistrates, being generally a lawyer, and his office perma- nent, so that there is more law, if not justice, than at first sight appears. Should further information be required upon legal matters, I may refer my readers to " Lane's Modern Egyptians." In making inquiry concerning the condition of the Jews, I find that they are everywhere throughout the country equally despised by Mohammedans, Copts, and Armenians. They are mostly poor, although among them there are wealthy bankers, and a few, such as my friends the Brothers Cohen and others, are merchants. The Hebrew females are less strictly confined than among the Turks. They are in manner modest and retiring, and in visage really beautiful when young, with regular features and often fresh complexions. The Rev. Mr Yule speaks very favourably of the Jews in respect of their integrity as men of business, and of their liberality. The Jewish mission, under the RUSSIAN STEAMERS. 65 able superintendence of my reverend friend and his coadjutors, is making great progress among the young. Whatever tlie mode, and whenever the time decreed for the conversion to Christian- ity of Grod's ancient people, I know not. Hitherto among the adult Jews there have been few conversions ; this, however, is no argument why we should slacken our hand or relinquish our efforts, but should rather urge us to greater diligence in ful- filling the Redeemer's obligatory command to go unto all nations and preach the gospel. While patiently labouring, we may look for the fulfilment of the promise — that a nation shall be born in a day. The Turks, " as masters of the situation " and rulers of the country, are arrogant and overbearing ; their learning is chiefly, if not altogether, confined to the " Koran." But of these worthies I shall have more to say hereafter, as I intend passing a few months among them. Being informed that the Very Rev. Dr Smith, Messrs Blakey and Fildes, the latter with his dragoman, are anxious to form a party for Syi'ia, and express a wish that I should join them, we meet and agree to go in company at least as far as Jerusalem. I therefore bid good-bye to my kind friends in Alexandria — to say nothing of cheating dragomen, impertinent donkey-boys, and rude boatmen. With no little trouble^in short, almost a figjit — we get ourselves and luggage into a boat at the quay, and are soon on board of the Pallada, a screw-steamer belonging to a Russian company, which runs between Alexandria, Beyrout, and Trieste. Everything on board is French — food, furniture, and language; the fare (first-class) to Jaffa, 72 francs. The deck is literally crowded with Arabs, who, like migratory Irish on board the Dublin and Glasgow boats, are stowed any- where in holes, corners, on skylights, paddle-boxes, and even scuppers. On going below and examining my berth, I find it comfortable, and am delighted to find all in the compart- ment are English travellers. The ship lies at anchor in the bay with steam up ; it is now 3 p.m., and we arc to sail im- mediatel}'. While waiting for the cry " go-ahead," I gather the following particulars of this Russian steam-packet com- pany, the head-quarters of which are at Odessa. It is subsi- dised by the Government to the extent of 17 francs per mile, thus rendering the shii? independent of both goods and pas- senger traffic. The chief engineer is a native of iSchles- E 66 THE BKTHEL AT ALEXANDRIA. wig, Petersen by name, whose pay is 540 francs per month. There are four classes of fares for passengers ; the lowest from Odessa to Alexandria is 18 francs, a rate of charge which Avould be anything but remunerative without Government aid. We are still delayed, as I understand, through stress of weather, no pilot being willing to take the responsibility of going to sea while a storm rages. Who, looking towards Alexandria from this beautiful bay, could suppose that Avithin the compass of this city, basking in sunshine, and encircling the shore, that there are crooked and filthy streets, hosts of frauds and im- positions? Yet so it is. Probably, however, the same may be said of all great cities, whether in the East or West. It is true, that within its circuit there are many noble houses and com- fortable homes, much honesty, and perhaps some godliness ; for no city, whether Turkish or Christian, could expect to stand if wholly wanting in the elements of morality and religion. Sunday, 3c/ Ajxtnl. — When our patience is nearly exhausted we are informed that the steamer cannot leave until Monday morning. It having blown a gale through the night, the sea in the bay is still high. I had expressed a wish, and now had an opportunity of preaching on board "The Bethel," which is under the care of Mr Yule, and in connexion with the British and Foreign Sailors' Society. Lying moored a few cable lengths off, it is a noble present from the viceroy, for the use of mariners coming into port. I therefore hire a boat, and am rowed onboard, where I meet with the chaplain and a large congregation, some of whom are from the new ship Rhode, belonging to the Peninsular and Oriental Company. My address was founded upon 1 Cor. i. 22. The men were clean, orderly, and attentive. I gleaned the following statistics of Bethel services and other matters for the last quarter : — Total number of sailors in attendance, 1455 ; meetings for prayer and reading the Scriptures on board of ships, chiefly English, in the harbour, 231 ; number of ships visited, 70 ; copies of the Bible sold, all being English but one, 36; other religious publications, 120; voluntary contri- butions received, £21, Os. 2^d. Mr Wilson, who lives on board, has charge of "The Bethel," collects the money, sells the books, and is indefatigable in the faithful discharge of his duties. The amount of benefit conferred by this institution is very con- siderable. I am pleased with having had an opportunity of THE VOYAGE TO JAFFA. 67 visiting and preaching here, and find in this delay, as in many- other instances, "that all things work together for good." Monday, ith Ajyril. — A calm and lovely morning. We move out of the harbour, and at 6 a.m. are under steam. The land lies low along our left, and in about an hour we see inshore a palace and afterwards a cemetery. The sea is tinged for many miles with the mud and fresh water brought down by the tide, and poured out from the mouths of the Nile. Neither Rosetta nor new and old Damietta are visible, possibly from being too low or too distant for recognition. Another party of English travellers on board are, like ourselves, bound for Syria, which, as we may meet them again, I shall call the Williams. In coast- ing along from Alexandria to Jaffa, there is little or nothing (seaward) to be seen, so my attention must either be given to my fellow-passengers, to reading, or to repose. When night closes in, the saloon, being well lighted, wears a cheerful as- pect ; some of the company are deeply engaged in games of chance, as if an empire or a fortune depended upon the hazard of a dice or the number of a domino ; others seek amuse- ment from books, while a few, like myself, appear to be posting up their journals. I observe among our passengers several Jews, one an aged and wealthy man, on his way to the Holy Land, to die and lay his bones in the beloved land of his fathers. Never until to-day have I sailed with so many sons of Abraham. I cannot say how they are generally treated, but on board this ship they are subjected to insult, if not cruelty. The Russian and Italian sailors have made them, during the whole evening, the butt of their ridicule and their mischievous practical jokes. An aged Israelite, father- in-law I understand to one of the Sassons, a well known firm in Bombay, was this afternoon actually denied the privilege of coming up on deck. Ultimately he did obtain permission to ascend, but, subsequently, requiring some article, his ser- vant in going to his master's cabin was jostled, had water thrown over him, and at last peremptorily forbidden to enter. Feeling for the old gentleman, I Avcnt to the captain and remon- strated, threatening to report his conduct to the consul at Jaffa; the result, I am happy to say, was that no further out- rage occurred during the remainder of the voyage. CHAPTER X. THE HOLY LAND. Tuesday, 5th Ap7-iL — At eleven we arrive in tlie Bay of Jaffa. Having arranged that my luggage should remain on board, with a view to its being forwarded to Beyrout, and left there to await the termination of my land journey, I take ashore only what is indispensably necessary. Another scene of contention and strife is enacted here, owing to the exorbi- tant prices demanded by boatmen, who seem to have com- bined to land only those passengers who pay them with gold. After much haggling and annoyance, we effect a safe landing. Properly speaking, Jaffa has neither quay nor har- bour; the water, shallowing into a narrow channel of from 40 to 50 yards in width, and from 6 to 8 feet in depth, the landing- place being between the shore and some huge rocks or stones outside. Through this passage and a breaking surf, when the wind is moderate, as to-day, a landing is effected, but when there is the least sea such means of debarkation are imprac- ticable. Indeed, no ship drawing more than six or eight feet water should make the attempt at any time. The boatmen, as already hinted, are a rough class of fellows, ever ready to im- pose upon passengers if a bargain be not made prior to enter- ing their boats. The fare demanded was not more extrava- gant than their manners were savage. We managed, however, to get ashore at the cost of about three shillings each. Jaffa, from the sea, looks really magnificent, being built on a declivity, house rising over house in clustering terraces ; all being built of stone, and dome-roofed to keep out the heat. The buildings, interspersed with trees and gardens, lend an air of freshness and grandeur to the arrangement. I have alreaoy JAFFA. 6& learned, in Egypt that no dependence is to be placed in ap- pearances, more especially as regards Eastern cities. Follow- ing a ragged urchin, who acts as guide, up a number of narrow and crooked lanes, quite as aromatic as those of Cairo, thi closes in the old town of Edinburgh, or the slums of Newcastle, I perceive that the dwellings are both uncleanly and rickety. This being the first city I had seen in the Holy Land, I must confess to being greatly disappointed. The streets are crowded with tattered, unwashed, half-naked men, women, and children, the females especially, whether lovely or winning, owing to the hurlco or face-cloth, I cannot determine. My ears are almost split with the cries of fruit-sellers and fish- vendors and the vociferations of donkey-boys ; but every sense is more or less ojffended ; nor is the matter materially improved when, after some severe climbing up broken steps, I reach the only hotel of which Jaffa boasts. It is kept by a German, who, I believe, i-ejoices in the name of Blattner. Ye lovers of home-comfort, what an inn ! — the dilapidated exterior flanked by the remains of decayed vegetables, stagnant water, and loose stones, amid which are to be found abominations enough to create nausea — faugh ! For a cup of coff"ee, with two eggs and bread, the charge amounts to three shillings each person. After hiring, at a napoleon each, horses to convey us to Jerusalem, we take a turn through the town while the steeds are getting ready. I am fortunate in having an introduction to Dr Philipps of the medical mission, who kindly ofii'ers to be ray guide, and with whom and Dr Smith I first visit " the house of Simon the Tanner, near by the sea-side," where Peter lodged, and where he saw the vision recorded in Acts ix. This may be the identical building which, after the lapse of eighteen hundred years, the ruthless influence of time, war's merciless violence, and other destructive agencies, i>s still standing. On this point, however, I entertain grave misgivings, although the edifice is certainly among the most ancient in the city, having a curious ceiling of smooth round stones, embedded in mortar. The ground ajjart- ment on the left is used as a mosque, while at the back an outside stairway leads to the flat roof, where, tradition affirms, Peter prayed. That the spot mentioned in Scripture is near this locality, and that this site agrees with the brief 70 HOUSE OP SIMON THE TANNER, account therein contained, is indisputable. Within a few yards the sea is chafing the shore ; indeed, under the garden wall there may have been tan-pits, for in the yard there is an ancient well, over-shadowed by a fig-tree — the former might have been used as an accessory in the preparation of leather. Whether this be the veritable house and tannery of Simon or not, none can satisfactorily prove or gainsay. Here, never- theless, on bended knees I lift up my prayers, that He who sent Peter would be with me in my journey through this once Holy Land. Time being short, my explorations are necessarily limited, therefore my information must be taken quanti valeat. The town contains about 4000 inhabitants, a fourth of whom are Christians, whose piety is said to be at a low ebb. Jafiix is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, city in the world, having been founded, according to some, prior to Damascus. It is frequently mentioned in the Holy Scriptures, as in Josh, xix. ; 2 Chron. ii. 16. Here also Jonah, embarking in a ship of Tarshish, attempted to achieve the impossible by fieeing from the eyes of the Omnipresent ; here also Peter raised from the dead "Tabitha;" and unto this shore Hiram brought wood for the building of Solomon's temple. The walls are still standing, though apparently of no service in a military point of view, upon which some old cannon are mounted. I cannot afiirm their utility. Here is a gate or gateway opening into the road leading to the Holy City, as filthy as it is ill paved, crowded with squalling Arabs, stalls of fruit, sweetmeats, and cheap hardware. Outside are numbers of camels, donkeys, and horses, for hire, sale, or exchange. Though the town itself be the very hotbed of offensiveness, the environs are beautifully picturesque and. richly cultivated, abounding in fruit, flowers, and orange- gardens, the finest in Syria. Nowhere have I seen rhododen- drons in such luxuriance nor the prickly pear-trees so gigantic, many of them ranging from twelve to sixteen feet high, their fragrance filling the surrounding atmosphere. There is, I am aware, much to see and much to say about Jafi"a. It was the scene of Napoleon's successful siege, and, if true, the horrible butchery of his prisoners. During the thousands of years which the city has stood, it has been occupied by different nationalities, and submitted to different masters ; at times triumijhing and THE LAND OF PHILISTIA. 71 again languishing — in which latter state it now remains. The history of Jaffa when written will form an interesting and important chapter in the annals of Syria. Our horses await us at the hotel door, and we are impatient to be off — but what trappings ! Peaked saddles, knotted cords for stirrups, a piece of string for a bridle, while my own steed has, I verily believe, no bit in his mouth. Altogether, the cavalcade is a sorry turn-out ; my friend Dr Smith having the advantage, but bad is the best. Descend- ing the steep lane, we push through the dark gateway, and thence across a succession of lovely orange, citron, and apricot gardens, along what in this country is called by courtesy a road. At length, we enter a plain of very con- siderable extent, which,, although little else than sand, is yet covered with vegetation. We are now in the land of ancient " Philistia," and are traversing, I believe, the plain of Sharon, so famous in Old Testament history. Along the shore line, and inland, lie the five cities of the Philistines, "Ascalon," "Ashdod," "Gaza," "Ekron," and " Gath," where " Dagon" of old fell before the ark of God. At or near this spot Goliath was defeated by the stripling David ; and in this neighbourhood Samson performed those feats of strength by which, though at last crushed, he triumphed in the signal destruction of his own and his country's foes. A tide of strong emotion swells within me while the memory of these and other scriptural events flash vividly upon my mind. We meet numbers of mounted Arabs armed with long barreled flint-lock guns, which they carry slung across their shoulders, and with pistols in their girdles. They invariably salute us ; indeed, two well-mounted young men going our way politely favoured us with some specimens of horsemanship, curveting and galloping their slight-limbed, but wiry and high bred, mares ; unfortunately, however, for both parties, we could only approve their dexterity by signs, and thank them for their courtesy by gestures. The country has been at one time turbulent, or is now lawless, else why this general arming of ploughmen, merchants, travellers, and visitors 1 and why are police, or rather military stations, fixed at every three-quarters of an hour's distance, and in sight of each other ? For these there must be a cause, but whatever that may be, the effect is 73 THE PLAIN OF SHARON. a sense of security, at least to tlie traveller. The crops, which, are fair for the soil and season, consist of barley, wheat, and millet; there is also a profusion of wild flowers, large asters, red poppies, and thistles, enough to satisfy and gladden the eye and nationality of a Scotsman. The day is now calm and lovely, larks soaring and singing at heaven's gate, and scores of ploughs drawn by oxen in different parts of the plain. The j^lough used is a very simple affair, being merely a tapering stick twelve feet long, having at one end a sort of hook, as if a branch cut off at a sharp angle, and shod with a piece of iron of about three pounds' weight. The ploughman guides this primitive apparatus with his right hand ; and with a goad ten feet long in his left, drives the cattle and cleans the clay from the ploughshare, reins being doubtless deemed as superfluous. The soil is so light and friable, and the climate so genial, that a mere scratch is sufficient to induce mother earth to return a hundredfold for the seed thrown upon her bosom. Rural life in its habits, manners, simplicity, and monotony, is the same in every country, nor is this an exception ; it is strange, however, to observe cultivated lands, and cultivators of the soil, cattle, and homely implements, but neither farmhouse, stack-yard, nor signs of labourers' habitations. Here and there, among the hills which now begin to make their appearance, I see within a rude wall, or sometimes without any defence, a few huts clustered together, as if for mutual protection, but nothing of country life as known in Britain, France, or Italy. After passing two or three villages, we reach the Latin convent at Ramleh about a quarter-past six P.M. The sun having set, the gate is closed, but by ring- ing a bell admission is given by a domestic. We dismount, and our horses are led away by a groom to be fed. Hotels being almost unknown in the East, travellers are obliged to throw themselves upon the hospitality of the different con- vents lying in their route. This hospice is large, but occupied only by a few monks. The entire establishment is extremely primitive, cold, and at first sight comfortless ; the roof dome-shaped, and may at one time have been limed or whitewashed. The walls are three feet in thickness, and with its sombre massive exterior, its CONVENT OF EAMLEH. 73 strong-barred gate and wicket, the edifice has the aspect of a fortress rather than a religious house. It dates, we are told, from the fourteenth century, and its furniture may safely claim an equally remote antiquity, being simple even to a fault. Tlie sitting, refectory, or reception room, for one apartment serves all three purposes, has in it a plain deal table, three or four chairs equally unassuming, and a divan, while a simple lamp, having three burners fed with olive oil, is suspended by common brass chains. By and by, a dinner is placed before us, consisting of soup, boiled meat, and a slice of blackish bread, which, though coarse, is sweet and nutritious. Next a dessert of oranges and indifferent claret is served up ; shortly after comes coffee, and at the same time we are hon- oured by the company of the superior, a native of Spain, who unfortunately speaks no language except his own : our conver- sation is therefore very limited and fragmentary. I have a letter of introduction from Dr Philipps, after reading which we are shown a little more respect. Early to bed is a rule in the East, to which we conform. Our sleeping-room is double- bedded, but, like the rest of the abode, very plain, having a stone floor, arched roof, plastered walls, with no attempt at ornament. There is, however, a clean bed, with mosquito curtains, a single chair, water-jug, and basin, and, as in France, without soap. Thankful and weary, we commit ourselves to God, and are soon forgetful of monks, hard saddles, and mos- quitoes. Ramleh, Wednesday, Gth. — Eising at 4.30 a.m., we are shown over the convent garden, which is well kept, and contains a variety of vegetables and fruit-trees, while vines adroitly trained form an arbour over the trellis-work or entrance-porch. Breakfast of coffee, eggs, and bread being finished, we ascend the roof of the edifice to enjoy the extensive view it commands of the surrounding country. llamlch, supposed to be the Kama of the Hebrews, and the Arimatliea of the New Testa- ment, though beautifully situated, being embosomed amid olive, orange, and fruit gardens, has not nnich to interest the eye, excei)t the old white minaret. Were I writing a history instead of a journal, I should say tliat few cities in Syria were more instructively associated with the crusaders than llamlch. Standing in one of the great leading lines or 74 ARIMATHEA. tlioroughfares, this city acquired a large importance strate- getically, having been a point d'ajypui for attack and defence. The view from the roof of the convent on a clear morning is extensive. The dawn with its roseate hues, together with the varied shades of green from fields of wheat, dhura, and barley, present a scene of much beauty ; fences of gorgeous prickly pear, with broad green fronds, and orange blossoms, gardens of olive trees, with the minaret already mentioned in the dis- tance, impart to the landscape a peculiar loveliness. As far, however, as buildings or a town are concerned, there will be, I fear, some disappointment. After descending, we prepare to depart. As no formal charge is made by the monks, each visitor is expected to contribute, for the use of the convent, the ordinary cost of board and attendance at a hotel. We therefore hand the lay brother 150 piastres, supposing that sum to be ample ; but the worthy monk thinks otherwise, inform- ing us, in French, that many Englishmen left a guinea for a night's accommodation. Not being induced, from this prece- dent, to give more, we take our leave. My own experience in Egypt, Norway, and Switzerland, justifies me in affirming that many of my countrymen are to blame for scattering their money in handfuls, forgetting the difference of living, and the price of labour, at home and abroad, as also their poorer com- patriots who may travel in their wake. I am half inclined to imagine that, as a natiiral consequence, only British travel- lers are fleeced — at least, I have never seen French or Ger- mans taken in and bakshished to the same extent. There appears ~ to be one tariff for Britons and another for other foreigners at most of the hotels and restaurants abroad. A two hours' journey across the plain brings us to the spur of the mountain, where v/e find a rude hostelry, constructed of a few loose stones, a branch or two cast overhead by way of a roof, a primitive hearth, with a fire, and three straw-covered stools. These constitute the whole domestic appliances. Whilst our horses are being baited, we take a slight repast, reclining under the shadow of a gigantic fig-tree, two of the party en- joying a cigar, Avhile a third and myself enjoy a siesta. We have passed, without visiting, Ludd, the Diospolis of the Romans, and Lydda of the New Testament, where Peter healed " iEaeas." There is, however, nothing in the locality worthy of THE HILL COUNTRY OF JUDJ3A. 75 note, except the beautiful ruin of the cliurcli of St George, the patron saint of England, who was born here. We are again in the saddle, though, personally speaking, I would prefer a vehicle ; for to me any mode of travel is preferable to riding a cheval. Entering upon the mountain district, hill rises upon hill, gray, bald, and rugged, before us, the road merely the channel of a stream, or a tortuous stony pathway, which only an Arab or an Arabian steed could travel. My horse claims so large a share of attention, that the land under cultivation is passed almost unobserved. The only vegetation now apparent consists of furze and a heathery-looking shrub, armed with prickles. Besides these, thousands of beautiful wild flowers, of every hue, meet the eye ; while here and thei'e olives and acacias are sparsely scattered in the hollows. Doubtless, these bare hills were at one time under tillage, as the remains of ancient terraces are still to be found entire, from top to bottom. By this arrangement the land must have produced food sufficient for a dense population ; but time, atmospheric influence, and, above all, neglect, have converted what was once as " tlie garden of the Lord" into a waste and sterile wilderness. The soil, which now fills the valleys and lines the shore, has been washed down by rains and storms, so that, in two or three places on the banks of a stream, a pure mould, from five to seven feet deep, is observable ; and wherever there is soil in a crevice, there is sure to be verdure. Indeed, any depth of earth produces vegetation, proving what the country once was; and would be again, if skill, labour, and capital were bestowed upon it, or if the population Avas greater, and life and property were safe. We are still climbing the hill country of Judaea. Around us is a scene of rugged solitude, not unmixed with grandeur ; the bare rocks everywhere protruding their strata in shelving ledges. On one side is to be seen an abundance of scrub ; while, ever and anon, the crevices where the soil has lodged are dense with dwarf oak, fig, acacia, and olive trees, the last named being, in many places, as thickly luxuriant as an orchard. At last, after ascending hills and descending valleys, we reach the summit, whence the whole plain of Sharon and the glittering waters of the Mediterranean are visible. Looking Jerusalem- ward, a noble 76 ABOO GOOSH THE FREEBOOTER. glen, or rather valley, of great extent and beauty, called after the prophet Jeremiah — this being his supposed birthplace — lies before us. We are now in the precincts of what used to be the home of the famous freebooter and pilgrim robber, " Aboo Goosh," who was wont, at this pass, to levy black- mail, laying all and sundry under contribution. To Ibrahim Pacha is due the honour of having freed the traveller and the country of this pest, by holding him fast in " durance vile." The road is now quite safe ; so, continuing our route, we reach another deep but narrow valley, bearing, for some reason unknown to me, the rather strange appellation of Turpentine. We next cross the stream from which David " chose him five smooth stones from the brook," one of which penetrated the forehead of that uncircumcised boaster, Goliath of Gath. Well do I recollect how, in my youth, this interesting episode thrilled me with delight, and, as the scene of the champion- encounter passes before me, I seem to live my boyhood over again. The mountains become higher and grander, but with less and less verdure, until they are altogether naked. Onwards, but still upwards, we pursue our way for a long weary hour and a quarter ; but, as I am a bad horseman, Messrs A. G. Blakey and Thomas Fildes are far ahead, wliile Dr Smith and myself jog on at leisure, as becomes elderly clergymen. As an appen- dix to our previous climbing, we have now a long, stony, and uninteresting plateau, which takes us nearly an hour to cross, before arriving at a nicely situated village, where olive and fig trees abound. From the remarks of my guide, I take this spot to be Emmaus, where our Lord met with, and was enter- tained by two of His disciples, as described in Luke xxiv. 13. Groups of pilgrims, chiefly Germans and Russians, on their way from the Holy City, to embark at Jaffii for their homes, greet us in passing by, Avishing us God-speed. At length, when expectation had almost failed, we hear the welcome cry, " Jerusalem ! Jerusalem ! " The Greeks in the retreat of the famous ten thousand, as recorded by Xenophon, did not more fondly descry their ships and the sea, than I hail the city of the Great King. I will briefly describe my feel- ings when the long-looked for capital of Judaea first burst upon my delighted gaze. Leaping from the saddle, I fling THE FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE HOLY CITY. 77 myself upon my knees, Dr Smith doing the same. After an interval spent in prayer and meditation I rise, and from where I stand, the city, the surrounding mountains, the whole scene where Jesus lived, taught, died, and rose again, is spread out like a map before me. I gaze upon the new and exciting view that I may indelibly imprint its features on the tablets of my memory. Can, I mentally exclaimed, that wall-shaped range of mountains, arising on my right, dimly outlined and vailed in a purple haze, be Moab, the name of which is to me a household word? Is that three-topped hill before me, the Olivet of the ascension ? This the valley of Eephaim and Gihon, yawning at my feet and running into the Kedron ? Are these yellow walls and embattled towers, sharply fi-amed in the clear blue sky, and these innumerable domes, habita- tions ? In a word, is this really Jerusalem 1 Rushing before my mind's eye in quick and close succession follow scenes and stories of Eible history : — David and his warriors ; Solomon, the Temple and its glory; the weeping Jeremiah and his melting threnodies ; Nehemiah and his compatriots rebuilding the city and sanctuary ; anon the Lord Jesus in the flesh, crucifixion, sub- sequent earthquake, and darkness, appear on the scene. Again, disciples, apostles, Rome's legions, ruin and destruction, like Banquo's ghost, pass in review before me. All is dreamlike, yet with the effect of reality. During this ecstacy my com- panions have been shouting, but I neither hear nor see them. The fair scene around me is vague and indefinite, that of the past sharp and distinct. Can there be a duality of mind 1 can one and the same faculty be in two places at the same instant '? or is thought so quick as to defy our present slow process of reasoning or fail to detect different points of time or the order of succession in which events occur 1 If so, we need no new faculty, when disembodied, but simply the retention of those we already possess intensified, to see at a glance all we have ever thought or done in a lifetime, to feel in a moment the un- speakable effects of remorse, or enjoy in the beating of a pulsation the concentrated happiness of ages. On awaking from this pleasing reverie I recall by an effort my woolgather- ing senses, and hasten to rejoin my companions. CHAPTER XL JERUSALEM — THE HOLY PLACES. It is interesting, if not instructive, to mark the varied tone in which travellers express their emotions on first seeing Jerusalem. I have no doubt that this diversity is largely referable to temperament, whether sanguine or phlegmatic, but more to the religio loci, as developed by early training. Any one who may wish to study these idio- syncrasies further wiU do well to consult the writings of Chateaubriand, Henniker, Russell, Dr Clarke, and others ; but to my own thinking, Tasso is worth them all, when, in the full tide of song, he describes the feelings of the Christian soldiery as they catch the first glimpse of the holy city : — " With holy zeal their swelling hearts abound. And their wing'd footsteps scarcely print the ground, When now the sun ascends th' ethereal way, And strikes the dusty field with warmer ray. Behold, Jerusalem in prospect lies ! Behold, Jerusalem salutes their eyes ! At once a thousand tongues repeat the name, And hail Jerusalem with loud acclaim. At first, transported with the pleasing sight, Each Christian hosom glow'd with full delight ; But deep contrition soon their joys opprest, And holy sorrow sadden'd every breast. Scarce dare their eyes the city walls survey. Where, clothed in flesh, their dear Hedeemcr lay ; Wliose sacred earth did once their J^ord enclose, And where, triumphant from the grave lie rose." lloole's Trandation. Apart altogether fi'om the strange vicissitudes it has under- 80 FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE HOLY CITY, gone, and the different masters it has owned, this famous capital of the Jews, often razed, and frequently rebuilt, is at once a study and a sermon. Its walls levelled, its foundations turned over with the plough, its fosses and valleys filled with ruins, its ancient greatness, its memories and associations, its peculiar situation, amidst mountains and rocks, surrounded by dry beds of rivers, far from the din and traffic of the world's marts, are so charged with interest, that when I behold its embattled walls, the citadel rising above them, the multitudinous minarets glittering in the sun, the giant dome of the mosque of Omar, I am overpowered with a sense of the majesty, magnificence, and even royal splendour that lend enchantment to the mysterious outline now before me. Starting ofi^ at a gallop, we endeavour to enter the city by the Jafi'a gate, but are at once stopped by custom-house officers, or officials of that ilk, who command us to open our boxes. They are, however, easily satisfied by a bakshish of a few piastres, and we are su0"ered to pass on. We soon find ourselves in the midst of a motley assemblage of camels, horses, asses, Greeks, Jews, and Moslems, the latter — that is the bipeds, if their dress may be accepted as a criterion — be- longing to almost every nation under heaven. But how shall I describe thee, O Jerusalem 1 " The fine gold has indeed become dim, the city sits forlorn and solitary," as a widowed metrojDolis — a very Niobe among the nations. How changed since the days of David and of Solomon, of Herod, and of Jesus the Son of the Most High ! Ichabod is inscribed upon those high places, in which aforetime the tribes of the Lord held their solemn assemblies, and wherein was once heard the voice of thanksgiving, and the jubilant worship of ancient Israel ; but departed is thy glory, faded thy beauty. Thou art now reduced to an astonishment and a byword — thy remains a solemn homily, thy antecedents a sacred theme ! Filthy, dark, time-worn streets and narrow lanes, full of all kinds of abomination, the open spaces crowded with booths, trumpery stalls, and heaps of rubbish, call to remembrance the slums of Cairo and Jaffa, and sorely disappoint the ideal of my youth's fond dream. Threading our way with diffi- culty down the steep and crowded thoroughfare, we reach Hausser's Hotel, in the Christian quarter, where a number of A WALK ROUND THE WALLS. 81 strangers, lite ourselves, being located, we learn tliat the Wil- liams' party have pitched their tents west of Jaflfa gate. Thursday, 7th Ajiril. — It is difficult for one who has only a few days at disposal to describe with any degree of accuracy some minor city, how much more so when Jerusalem is to form the leading feature in the tableau. Interesting in itself, rich in historic and scriptural associations, crusted with hoar antiquity, and clustered with sacred memories, to say nothing of the holy places and surrounding localities of a similar charac- ter, I must confess that I am really at a loss how to frame my narrative. The following description, although wanting in system and sequence, may not be uninteresting as an addi- tional contribution to the topographic literature of the Holy Land. I begin a survey of the city by walking round the walls. Starting from the Jaffa gate and descending the valley of Hin- nom, I proceed down to the angle of the wall through the King's Dale, walking along the brook Kedron, skirting the village and pool of Siloam. I stop and drink at the well of the Virgin, examme the burying-place of the Jews, the reputed tomb of Absalom, and the garden of Gethsemane ; thence climb- ing the steep, and passing the supposed scene of the proto- martyr's death, I re-enter the city by St Stephen's gate, and proceed past the pool of Bethesda along the Via Dolorosa. Calling at the English consulate, and leaving my card, I learn that passports are now unnecessary, and that on payment of sixty piastres each, a party of four may obtain admission to the mosque of Omar. This privilege is a very recent • concession. Before the Crimean war, no Christian dared enter under penalty of death, or the alternative of becoming Mohammedan. I suppose that Dr Richardson was the first who ever gained access, and this favour was clandestinely granted by way of recompense for some professional services. This distinguished traveller was shown over a great portion of the building, per- mitted to see and admire its marble walls and cohnnns, the well from which true believers drink, an ancient volume of the Koran, standing some four feet high, and was further allowed to thrust his arm tju'ough a hole so as to touch the mass of stone on which there is said to be a print of the proi)het's foot, known as the " Kubbet-cs-Sukhrah," (the Concealed F 82 THE DOME OF THE EOCK. Stone, or Dome of the Eock,) wliicli, like tlie image of the great Diana, is believed to have fallen from heaven, being retained in its place by Gabriel the archangel. Mohammed, after his return from Paradise, rendered it doubly secure by some process which, being an infidel, I cannot profess to under- stand. Over this concealed rock the Caliph Omar, having discovered its whereabouts, erected the mosque of which I shall speak further on. Ali Bey, under the guise of a Mussulman, and Burckhardt subsequently entered and described the interior, which is now accessible to every inhabitant of Jerusalem, and to every stranger on procuring a note from his consul, and paying the fee already mentioned: thus great changes have already marked the growth of time and the progress of civilisation, and greater still are possibly yet in reserve. I am almost overrun — (and what traveller in Jerusalem can escape the nuisance 1) — ^with bead and mother-of-pearl cross sellers, who haunt and waylay the tourist at every corner, so that he is not safe from their attacks when in an hotel. I am obliged to yield, and invest thirty shillings in probably what is not intrinsically worth fifteen. On changing a sovereign I find the equivalent to be 110 piastres. I enter for the first time the edifice containing Calvary and the Holy Sepulchre. There are moments in a man's life which are indescribable ; periods when all he ever did or saw rises and passes before his mind in dreamy, yet distinct procession. Such were my sensations when I stepped within the precincts of this sacred fane. I am astonished at seeing in a church guards -with their arms piled; as well as gaudy trappings and flaunting finery in a place so solemn, and have scarcely time to observe the crowds of soldiers, priests, and pilgrims. Following the stream, I enter a cage-like apartment, where I wait my turn to stoop and enter the Holy Sepulchre. The glare and smoke from the lamps are confusing, and for a few moments my feelings are too excited and intensified to permit my forming an accurate conception of the scene ; I shall therefore defer entering into detail till a second visit. Though half inclined to doubt, if not dispute, the identity of this site with the position of the true sepulchre, I am never- theless powerfully affected. Whether because others weep and pray I ana impelled to follow their example from sheer FIRST VISIT TO THE HOLY SEPULCHRE. 83 synipatliy, I do not care to know, but weep and pray I do with earnestness and fervour, in remembrance of that dear Lord who is " not here but is risen," — my Kedeemer and my All. The Chapel of the Sepulchre itself is inconveniently small, being only about 7 feet by 6, enclosing a marble sarcopha- gus, covered with a slab of the same material, occupy- ing the whole length of the interior. The cover from some cause is cracked, but smoothed, and worn down by the kisses of millions who have flocked as pilgrims from every corner of Christendom to this holy shrine. Lamps, suspended from the wall, are kept constantly burning, and a Greek priest is generally found standing inside. If more than five or six persons be present an exit must be made backwards, owing to the smallness of the area. At the distance of a few yards I ascend a staircase of sixteen or seventeen steps leading to Calvary, which in the order of time should have been pre- viously visited. Here, to disfigure the scene, the same bad taste, tawdry shawls, daubs of painting and gilding, are visible. The spot on which the cross is said to have stood is a circular silver-lined opening in the marble floor, under an altar where I and others kneel, and I must admit that, like Dr Wolfe, I earnestly prayed to the once crucified but now exalted Jesus, What Christian could visit shrines so full of sacred reminiscences without feeling moved to devotion 1 Upon the right hand, within two feet of the place of the cross, there is a silver bar, which, being drawn aside, exposes a rent in the rock, said to be that caused by the earthquake after the Cruci- fixion. The entire church of the Holy Sepulchre appears to me too dark, too full of drapery, paintings, candles, lamps, gilding, and inscriptions — in a word, too showlike, to be ade- quately impressive. It is strange as well as pleasing to see devotees of every nation and colour, Greeks, Latins, Armenians, Copts, and Protestants, all seemingly merging, if not forgetting, their distinctive differences, while in the brotherhood of a com- mon faith, they bow before Him Avho is " Lord of all." I am now more than repaid for all my labour, journcyings, and dangers, for my faith in the New Testament is refreshed, my belief in Jesus and His Word intensified ; if ever I real- 84 THE VIA DOLOROSA. ised His presence, it was to-day at the empty sepulchre, and at the foot of that cross, where alone a sinner can find Him who there made exj)iation fof transgressors. Leaving this ancient shrine, I turn to the right, and then to the right ^gain, thus arriving at the " Via Dolorosa," a mere street or lane, only a few centuries old, and possessing some of the peculiar characteristics mentioned in connexion with the sepul- chre itself. The monks of old, by crowding with legend almost every event in the public and private life of the Lord Jesus, antecedently to His crucifixion, formed a correct (Opinion of the credulity of after-ages. Hence many episodes are asso- ciated with a thoroughfare which, in its present state at least, the feet of the Saviour never trod. The ancient city having been totally destroyed by the Eomans, and frequently overthrown, this locality was never heard of untd some time in the twelfth or thirteenth century, when much of super- stitious zeal and " cunning craftiness" were displayed by Papists of different countries, in order to identify this crooked, filthy lane Avith the events which are reputed to have taken place within its limits. Thousands of Latin pilgrims annually flock hither about Easter to perform their " stations," following as they sup- pose the track of the Messiah as He passed from the house of Pilate to Calvary. That is, beginning at the eastern end, next St Stephen's gate, the first place of note is the house of Pilate, the Roman proconsul, near which there are some old arches in the wall, where the " Santa Scala," now in St John's Lateran, at Rome, once stood, leading to the " Judgment-hall." Nearly opposite is the church of the "Flagellation," through which I was kindly shown by a worthy monk, and in which there are two or three good paintings. Here, according to the tradition so sedulously preserved, Jesus was scourged and crowned with thorns, while a few yards in advance is the arch where Pilate cried " Ecce Homo." Then I am pointed out the place where Jesus, fainting under the weight of His cross, leant upon the wall, and there the very impression made by the sufferer's shoulder is denoted and devoutly kissed by many Roman Catholics. Another station is the spot where our Lord, meeting His mother, exclaimed — " Salve Mater." The house in which " Dives fared sumptu- POPISH TRADITIONS, 85 ously every clay," and the very stone, too, on wliicli Lazarus Silt when the dogs " licked his sores," are exhibited to the wondering gaze of the pilgrims. Another resting-place is where Jesns, still bearing His cross, leaned His face upon the wall, leaving the impress on the hard limestone of what, be it care- fully remembered, is not an ancient but a modern building, though apparently old enough to serve the purpose of a Popish legend, or to form a peg on which to hang a medieval tradition. Not to speak of St Peter's prison, Mark's house, and many other notabilia, I come to the domicile of St Veronica, a pious ministrant who, when the world's Ptedeemer was bedewed with perspiration and ready to faint under His cross, hastened to wipe His brow with a handkerchief, which at this day the cities of Turin, Lucca, and Ptome respectively claim to possess. There are many other stations, at some of which I see pilgrims kissing and kneeling on their way to the Virgin's chapel. I felt sad and grieved that my fellow-Christians should thus follow the shadow and lose the substance ; but surely their teachers are to blame in this matter, for the people are super- stitious, and in many instances intolerant, simply because they are ignorant, whilst many of the Latin clergy are not only learned but well informed. As I have this forenoon made a few jottings relative to the site and antiquity of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, I cannot probably do better than introduce them here. Unbroken tradition at least, according to the ma- jority of Avriters, has assigned the first Christian church built upon this spot to the Emperor Constantine, about A. d. 326. Eusebius speaks of the " sacred cave," which in his day was believed to be the sepulchre hewn " in the rock," but there were doubtless many caves and tombs around the place where Joseph of ArimatluBa and others had gardens, the sites of which were Avell known in the time of the historian, and at a subsequent period. It is possible, judging from the con- current testimony of early writers and travellers, that the site recognised as the Holy Sepulchre is the identical spot where " the Lord lay." One circumstance, however, appears strange, and militates somewhat against this conclu- sion. p]usebius speaks of a rock standing above the ground, whereas the tomb now pointed out is sunk considerably below the ordinary level. 86 HISTORIC DOUBTS. To reconcile the anomaly is not difficult, since the difference may be accounted for from the rubbish which the course of ages has gathered around it. It is well known that in some parts of Jerusalem the streets as they stood in the time of the Saviour are now forty feet below the surface. It is also historically true that at an early period there was a railing round the sacred place, oc- cupying, it is believed, the same area as is now the site of the church. This spot of holy ground was highly ornamented, having a chapel erected over it called the " Anastasis," Avhich *was destroyed early in the seventh century, and rebuUt a few years afterwards. During this century many additional holy places were also discovered and covered in. The Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre was again destroyed in the eleventh cen- tury by a calijjh, but rebuilt a few years afterwards. This building stood in the time of the Crusaders, and during their occupation of the Holy City many additions were made. The old nave and rotunda, with the old and singular faqade, in a mixed style of Gothic and Romanesque architecture, date from this period. In this state the structure remained until the beginning of the present century, when it was partially destroyed by an accidental fire, many of the ancient columns being much injured, and subsequently filled in with masonry. The rotunda also fell in, destroying the Chapel of the Eleva- tion ; but two years after, that is, in 1810, the whole was renewed and consecrated. Whether the holy fane covers the precise scene of our blessed Lord's crucifixion and burial, I cannot decide ; but it is confessedly a shrine at which millions have worshipped the Triune Jehovah. For further informa- tion, the works of Porter, Young, Dr Robinson, Williams, Finlay, Lord Nugent, and Ferguson, may be consulted with advanta2;e. CHAPTER XII. THE HOLY SEPULCHRE. Frida;/, 8th April. — Having tlirice visited the Holy Sepul- chre, I now proceed to describe it more in detail. On enter- ing the church there is immediately before me a large flat piece of marble, shaped like a gravestone, and surrounded by a railing, over which burnuag lamps are suspended. This is said to be the stone upon which the body of the dead Christ was anointed, and a number of devotees are at this moment weeping and kissing it. Just under the dome is a large cir- cular space environed with eighteen pillars — -within this the Sepulchre, a structure of stone 26 feet long by 18 broad. At the sides and back are chapels for the smaller Chris- tian sects — Armenians, Copts, and Syrians. The Greek Church has the lion's share ; but the former claim a right of admission, and have obtained the privilege of altars contiguous to the holy spot. Before entering the inner shrine a fee was not long ago demanded, the shoes perfunctorily taken off" and left outside. With bent head I cross the threshold of the crypt where " they laid Him ;" whence, however, He arose triumphing over death and the grave. The impromptu excla- mation burst from my lips, " O death, where is thy sting ? O grave, where is thy victory 1 "* The sarcophagus, originally of white marble, is now changed by the influence of time into a brownish colour. The actual measurement is G feet G inches in length, 3 feet in breadth, and 2G inches in height, the surface being worn smooth as a mirror, and tliin from continual kissing. It is remarkably plain, not a single ornament, cutting, or carving being traceable. Over and around it are suspended forty-two * I Cor. XV. 55. 88 SACRED OBJECTS AND PLACES. lamps of gold and silver, burning night and day, the gifts of different Christian sovereigns. The space for visitors to stand or kneel being only three feet, not more than four individuals can be accommodated at one time. There being no one present but myself this morning, I have had an opportunity of giving it a thorough examination. The next point of interest is the Chapel of the " Apparition," measuring 28 feet by 21, where, it is said, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, or to Mary His mother, possibly to both. A number of pilgrims are assembled, but the place is badly lighted. This spot is asserted to be the centre of the earth. The correct idea of the earth's rotundity has not yet gained acceptance with the Sacred College, although one of the first astronomers of the day is Father Secchi of Rome. We may well be amazed that the Papal Church has not long ere this banished the antiquated opinion that the earth is a plane. For whatever may be the belief at Rome, in Jerusalem this chapel is not only regarded as the centre of the earth, but the identical spot on which Adam was created. To return to my text. On the south side of the altar is a niche, in which there is said to be a piece of the porphyry column to which Jesus was bound when scourged. Rome, moreover, insists that she has the true pillar in her possession. But since there are two Virgin's houses, one in Nazareth and another at Loretto ; and as it is further maintained, on the one hand, that the body of the Virgin is in the chapel at the brook Kedron, and also in the church of St John's at Ephesus, on the other, that her place is by the "Assumption " in heaven — why should it appear strange that a column should be in two localities at one and the same time 1 Besides these, a multi- tude of other sights are pointed out. There is the Greek Church or nave of the great building, partitioned off from contact with Latins and others, above which is the central lantern. In this part of the edifice may be seen the throne of the patriarch, and the high altar decked out with lamps, candlesticks, chan- deliers, and paintings of saints, the latter, according to the Greek dogma, being admissible into churches, if not too lifelike. A little place is dedicated to Longinus, a saint, reported to be none other than the Roman soldier who pierced the Saviour's side with his sj)ear, and afterwards became a CALVAEY. 89 Christian martyr. Here was once preserved the identical " title " that Pilate wrote, now in the Church of Santa Croce in Rome. The subterranean chapel " Helena," a cellar-like place or crypt, some 20 feet below the pavement, measuring upwards of 50 feet by 40, judging from its arrangement, may have been a Greek place of worship. It is dark, even to dinginess, while by a descent of twelve steps one reaches the Chapel of the Invention of the Cross. Never was there a happier designation. If the discovery also of the three nails and inscription be taken into account, this spot may be regarded as the sanctum sanctorum of the entire edifice. Owing to its being so deeply sunk, the filthy drain- age and surface-water from the city above find their way thither, and cause a continual dripping. The trickling drops are piously believed to be the tears of the rocks and stones in memory of our Lord's passion. I fully agree with the state- ment in " Murray's Guide," that this place has every appear- ance of being nothing less nor more than an old cistern. After an ascent of eighteen steps, I find myself in the Place of Mocking. We have next the " Golgotha" Chapel, under which it is said that Adam, our common father, is buried, and Jesus Christ was crucified. This is, however, more generally known as the " Chapel of the Elevation of the Cross," and it is under the care of the Greeks. Here, upon a marble platform of 10 feet by 6, raised a foot or so above the floor, is shown the spot where they "crucified Him;" the altar is without any covering, and directly under it is an aperture in the mar- ble, communicating with what is said to be a hole in the natural rock, and the place into which the end of the cross was fixed. At a distance of two or three feet on the right is a slit and a rent, as before mentioned, caused by the earth- quake. I did not observe the other jioles for the crosses of the two thieves, though I am told they are there. Near this is the Chapel of the Crucifixion, where Jesus was "nailed to the accursed tree." There is also a space marked out iipon the floor where the Virgin stood during the agony and death of her son ; besides these there are numbers of tombs belonging to saints, heroes, and kings — as IMelchisedec, Godfrey, first Latin king of Jerusalem, Baldwin, and others. 90 THE HOLY PLACES A SHOW. Alas ! tliat Christianity should be thus disguised and disfi- gured, until the spirituality of our holy religion is well-nigh ban- ished from these hallowed precincts. A man whose faith is not established in the revelation which God has given of His Son, should not visit Jerusalem, lest its desolation, noisome lanes, reli- gious feuds, legendary lies, and trafficking in relics, should dis- gust him with the so-called followers of the cross. The church of the Holy Sepulchre is made a shop and a show, while the identity of almost every place mentioned in the Old and New Testaments is disputed. If, however, the tourist should be confirmed in the truth, and know something of mankind by personal travel and experience, let him by all means make acquaintance with the Holy City ; but if otherwise, he may re- turn home a confirmed sceptic, or an avowed infidel. Were I writing the history of the Holy Sepulchre, and of the strife between Greek and Latin, I would not omit the gross fraud and bungling jugglery of the " Holy Fire " at Easter, which, after all, is not more so than the nox-tenehrosa of the Latins. Well may the Turk scowl with contempt, and point the finger of scorn at Christianity as she is here caricatured ; for what can prove a greater barrier to the propagation of the gospel than this intermixture of heathen rites and gross supersti- tions with the sublime ritual of the new covenant dispensation ? The Moslem detests and abhors every image of man or deity ; his creed is essentially contained in the axiomatic sentence — "God is One." Here are images of every age and character, " of gods many and lords many,'' saints, virgins, ay, and of jiersons w^ho never had an existence, save in the crazy ima- ginations of morbid anchorites. It has long been kno-svn that the Greek and Latin churches are at variance : hence the soldiers, with their arms piled in the vestibule, which astonished me on first entering. Their presence is supposed to be necessary for the prevention of an open rupture ; indeed, blood has been shed during Easter in bygone years. All Europe, too, is acquainted with the fact, that the cupola of the Holy Sepulchre is dilapidated — the lead covering hangs in strips, the laths and rib- work being wholly exposed, admit wind and rain ; thus displaying to Heathendom as w^ell as Christendom the discord that exists amongst the Christian powers who claim the Holy Places. It is true, any THE DILAPIDATED CUPOLA. 91 one of these potentates would be willing enough, not only to re- jjair the cupola, but even to buUd a new one, and re-roof the entire fabric. France would do so any day; so would Spain, Italy, or Russia ; nay, the head of the Greek Church waits with impatience to embrace, or, it may be, to seize the opportunity of so doing ; but he has not hitherto succeeded, because the balance of power, or parties, in relation to Jerusalem, might be seriously disturbed were either of the contending princes permitted to act alone, and another Crimean war might be the result. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre must, there- Tlie Holy Sopulclire. Calvary. ore, remain in statu quo. I am inclined to believe that it Avould be fortunate for all parties, and especially contributive to the spread of unity, were the basilica, with its cliapels, decorations, and legends swept away, and nothing left but the bare rock, and the cave in the garden, that ]i)ilgrinis might, when they went, worship God in simplicity and truth. Were this done, I would suggest that a magnificent cathe- dral — worthy of the site, the city, and the glorious memories 92 A NEW CATHEDRAL. which cluster around Calvary and the burial-place of the Messiah — be erected, large enough to contain within its walls ample space for naves, aisles, and chapels, for the accommoda- tion of representatives from the different sects and creeds of Christendom, so that Greek, Latin, Armenian, Copt, Maronite, and even Protestant, might worship "where they laid Him," as well as on the holy ground where they nailed and crucified the Lord of Glory. I cannot doubt but the money would be found, not only to build, but to beautify such a fane ; em- perors, kings, and princes, would deem them-selves honoured by contributing or collecting funds for such a structure, while churches and individuals even in humble life would cheerfully bring their offerings, as the Israelites of old did to Solomon when the temple was being reared. Could Russia and France, the two principal powers inter- ested, be persuaded to concur in such an arrangement, most gladly would the other Catholic powers, as well as Great Britain and America, contribute their quota to the scheme, if only to possess a niche in the great Christian temple of Jerusalem. This would for ever put an end to the unseemly feuds, heart-burnings, and semi-frauds that now disgrace Christianity in the eyes of the Moslem, and remove the sting from the reproaches indulged by the scoffer and un- godly. Like many other visitors, I may leave the Holy City in doubt whether the existing building covers the identical spot consecrated as the grave of the Redeemer. The arguments for its genuineness are many, ancient, and from some points of view almost conclusive — such as those who have leisure and capacity might well investigate. It would be strange, indeed, if the cave in Mount Moriali were the true sepulchre, as as- serted by Ferguson and some others. The arguments of this gentleman, founded on the drawings of Catherwood, Bonomi, and others, are, however, entitled to attentive consideration ; and were I permitted to consult my own fancy in this matter, I would at once select the Cave in the Rock now covered by the mosque of Omar, as the most likely situation for the true sepulchre. That it would form a glorious site for a new basilica will be at once admitted. In its immediate vicinity are the scene of Abraham's sacrifice, the Threshing-Floor of Araunahj and the site of Solomon's Temple. How rich the WALLS AND GATES OF THE CITY. 93 associations — liow rare would be the surroundings of this favoured shrine ! Jerusalem, Saturday, 9th. — This morning my circuit round the city, from St Stephen's to the Jaffa Gate, is completed, the whole distance being not more than two mUes and a half. The walls, built of dressed limestone, which does not change its colour in this climate, are imposing. Dating from the sixteenth century, and averaging from 20 to 25 feet in height, they are carried over hill, rock, and ravine. There are four or five gateways, named respectively the Jaffa, (called by the natives Bab-el-Khulil,) leading westwards to the coast ; the Damascus, (Bab-el- Amud,) leading to the great north road; St Stephen's, (Bab-es-Subat,) near where the proto- martyr was supposed to have suffered in the valley beneath — the latter a plain gateway, opening on the Kedron, and leadhig to Bethany and Jericho ; the Dung Gate, on the south side, (called by the natives Bab-el-Mugharibeh ;) lastly, the Zion Gate, situated on the ridge of Mount Zion, opening on the tomb of David, (known by the natives as Bab-en-Neby Daud.) There are, however, two other gates, now closed or built up ; one on the north side, between that of Damascus and the north-east corner of the wall ; next, the well-known Golden Gate, overlooking the Kedron, concerning which the Mohammedans have a tradition that, if opened, the Christians would take possession of the city ; it is known as Bab-ed- Dahariyeh, or the Eternal Gate. Walking slowly from the Damascus gate, the wall on my right hand, I reach the north-east angle, and enter the Turkish cemetery — places of sepulture here, as well as all over the East, being without the walls. Crowds of women and children, dressed in white, and closely veiled, are scattered in groups amongst the tombstones, lamenting aloud the loss of some one near and dear to them. At a large tank or cistern, near the eastern gate, two Arabs are raising water with a leathern bucket, in the same primitive fashion that prevails amongst the Egyp- tians. It has often been remarked by travellers that the stones in the wall near the Golden Gate are bevelled, an indi- cation of great antiquity. Measuring some of them, I find they average from 10 to 22 feet in length, and from 28 inches to 3 feet on the side. Then sitting down under 94 A VIEW FROM THE GOLDEN GATE. tlae shadow of a tree on the declivity, I contemplate the interesting and varied scene beneath me. A hundred feet luider the level of my seat, is the brook Kedron, memorable in both the Old and New Testaments ; ten or twelve yards from its channel is Gethsemane, dear to every believer in Jesus and His finished work ; the scene of His sufferings and agonies during the eventful night of His betrayal. Down this very incline on which I am now seated did Judas descend, accom- panied by the band of soldiers, with staves and torches. In- deed, the Messiah must have seen them approaching from the garden, the lights flickering, and arms glancing as they wended their way through the trees. Oh, doleful reminiscence ! yet how necessary to the work of Him who, in patience and acqui- escence, said, " Thy will be done." Within four or five hundred feet, the valley not being wider, rises the Mount of Olives, scarcely less memorable than Gethsemane and Kedron. The pool of Siloam lies a little way to the right, that of Bethesda just within the gate- way ; while immediately behind me is the site of Solomon's temple. A tide of hallowed musings, mingled with holy as- sociations, pass through my mind ; memories of a mother's early training, Sunday school and other teachings, com- munion ministrations, descriptions of Gethsemane's agony and Calvary's cross, by eloquent and saintly men ; my own feeble attempts to arouse and awaken my people to a devout and spiritual frame of mind — these, and a thousand such com- munings, form the subject of serious meditation and devout gratitude. All that I have ever heard, however, is vague and imperfect, when contrasted with a single half-hour's stay amidst the scenes themselves. Such possibly will Heaven be when attained, with this diiference, that no disappointment will commingle there. Every promise and every hope will be more than realised ; for it is written, " Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, iieither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.""' 1 Cor. ii. 9. CHAPTER XIII. GETHSEMANE AND BETHANY. Having made the acquaintance of Mr P. Bergbeim, jun., of Jerusalem, he accompanies me to-day to Bethany. IMounting our asses, and passing out by the Jaffa Gate, down through Hinnom, under Zion's frowning battlements, we visit Enrogel, called by the natives " The Well of Joab," a place of undoubted Uifclj Mount Olivet and Gartku ot Gctliscmane. antiquity, situated in the very mouth of tlie gorge leading to Mar-(Saba and the Dead Sea. Traversing the valley of Kedron 96 BETHANY, througli its wliole length, we enter the reputed and recently- enclosed Gethsemane, now kept by an old Carmelite monk, who, had I permitted him, would have overwhelmed me with legends such as — Here, Judas kissed his Master ; there, the disciples slept ; and this is the exact spot in which Jesus wept and prayed. Pointing to a tree on the opposite hill, he would assure me it was the one upon which the traitor hanged him- self. It is a pity, if not a wrong, to enclose this piece of ground, which, whether it be the actual garden or not, ought never to have been converted into a show. The Holy Places, like continental cathedrals, and the gospel itself, should be as free as air, and open to all " without money and without price." The worthy friar picks me a few flowers, whereupon I present him with the customary bakhshish, informing him I was a priest myself ; he inquires to what order I belong, I reply to that of St Paul, at wliich he smiles, and, clapping me on the shoulder, exclaims " bono, bono.'' Taking our departure, we make the ascent of Mount Olivet, pass the mosque on its summit, then descending on the other side, I obtain my first glimpse of the Dead Sea. In the valley on the left olive gardens stretch to the village of Bethany, a small, mean-looking place, containing some twenty houses, situated on the eastern slope of Olivet ; the ground adjoining it rugged and broken, with here and there an orchard of fig-trees. Distance from Jerusalem about a mile and a half. Bethany, like Bethlehem and Nazareth, owes much, if not all its importance to New Testament history. In the days of our Lord it was a mere village, unmentioned even in the Old Testa- ment Scriptures. During the nineteen centuries that have elapsed since it first came under the notice of the world, it has not escaped the common fate of the towns and villages of Pales- tine, having been subjected ahke to the ravages of inexorable time and the ruthless hand of violence : hence not only has it changed its name and character, but also its position. The twenty or thirty huts now constituting the village are congre- gated round the supposed tomb of El-Aziriyeh, or Lazariyeh, (Lazarus,) of whom it bears the name, and stand a consider- able distance from the original site. Some early church his- torians and travellers record that, according to Latin tradi- THE DWELLING OF LAZARUS, 97 tions, the empress Helen, through whose pious wishes and acts the Holy Places were covered in, erected over the tomb of Lazarus a magnificent church, which existed in the seventh century ; a monastery is also mentioned as standing near the same spot in the ninth century. Saewulf, who made a pil- grimage through Palestine in the twelfth century, gives an interesting description of the church, from which it ajjpears there were at that early period as many legendary places under its roof as in the present day disgrace that of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. One of the daughters of Baldwin the Second, named Milisinda, who had married Fulco, a king of Jeru- salem, built in the same locality a convent for Black Nuns, which was confirmed by a papal bull, and the original parchments for the exchange of property in maintenance of the nuns are reported still extant in the archives of the Latin convent of Jerusalem. About the same period a square keep or castle was erected for the protection of the establishment, the ruins of which still exist, and are known as the castle or house of Lazarus. Bethany. MandevHIe, early in the fourteenth century, gives a long 98 THE TOMB OF LAZARUS. and graphic description of Bethany and its fortress, the former differing very little from that of the description given by Dr Robinson twenty-eight years ago, and from its appearance at the present day. The whole village is poor and wretched; the few inhabitants beggarly, dirty, and blear-eyed ; the children truly Arabs and juvenile pests ; the old women ugly and morose. There are no streets — nothing but narrow passages between dry stone walls, gardens, and dunghills. The houses are of stone, seemingly constructed of ancient materials, some of the blocks bevelled and hewn, evidences of high antiquity. There are also fragments of masonry, cisterns and caves, be- speaking ancient splendour and a teeming population. If one thing more than another betokens the former character of the place, it is the luxuriance of its olives. Originally named Bethany, (the house of dates,) now, though no palm flourishes, yet figs, pomegranates, and mulberry trees grow in great variety and abundance. The aspect of the locality is dreary and desolate in the ex- treme : the rocky pathway to Jericho, the Dead Sea, bare mountains, and white limestone hills compose the landscape. That I may not disappoint the reader, I shall describe in a few words the reputed tomb of Lazarus, which has conferred upon this village an undying interest in the Christian world. On the north side of the village, there is a cave or deep grotto, into which you descend by a small, dark, broken staircase of twenty-six steps. On reaching the bottom, you stand in a square apartment, which communicates with an- other a little under the same level, but much smaller, being barely sufficient to admit a man's body, and about three feet in height. This is said to be the place where Lazarus lay, and where our Lord said, " Take ye away the stone ; " and, after prayer, " cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave- clothes ; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go." * Near this stood the hospitable dwelling of the beloved sisters, and no less loved brother. Our Saviour, weary and hungry, often must have walked along the adjoining pathway; upon this fragment of rock He may have sat, while Martha and then Mary, in their agony of * John xi. 43, 44. HOLY PLACES AT BETHANY. 99 grief , exclaimed, " Lord, if tliou liadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection of the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life : he that be- lieveth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live : and whosoever liveth, and believeth in me, shall never die."* To the lovers of the marvellous and the legendary, Bethany pre- sents as fertile a field as Jerusalem. Here are pointed out, what are asserted to be not only the mansion of the beloved family, but also the house of " Simon the leper," where our Lord was entertained, and where Mary washed His feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair,+ and where also *' came unto Him a woman having an alabaster-box of very precious ointment, and poured it on His head as He recUned at meat.''+ There is also shewn on the other side of the way the house of the third Mary, or the wife of Cleophas. I learned for the first time to-day that Simon the host of our Lord became a good Catholic, was consecrated a bishop by the title of St Julian, the ^J'ltron of houses of entertamment or feasts in all time coming. Whilst taking a photographic view of the village, my friend and myself are, I verily believe, surrounded by the whole population ; one man in particular, with a withered hand and no fingers, pertinaciously follows us like a shadow, and the cry for bakhshish is incessant. Almost forced by the uproar to make our escape, we turn our donkeys' heads homewards, and prepare to descend the mountain, taking the road towards the south, by which it is supposed our Saviour made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when the people, cutting down palm branches, and spreading their garments in the way, cried, " Hosanna to the son of David : Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord ; Hosanna in the highest !"§ We arc perhaps traversing the footsteps of David, when, fleeing from his unnatural son Absalom, he crossed the " Brook Kedron," as we are informed, " toward the way of the wilderness." There is not a point round * John xi. 21-26. t John xi. 2. J Mat. xxvi. 7. § Matt. ixi. 9. 100 YOUNG JERUSALEM. Jerusalem from ■which the city can be seen to greater advantage than from this locality Passing the Chapel of the Virgin we ascend the opposite steep, and again enter the Holy City. I have often been astonished at the numb er of idle and wild-looking children, black-eyed and clean-limbed boys, to say nothing of the symmetrically-formed little maidens,, that swarm everywhere, in front and back courts, among dark arches, tumbling and rollicking in all sorts of waste places, covering and encumbering the pathway, playing in the gutters, sitting on broken walls, clambering like squirrels amidst the ruins with which the city abounds ; certainly such abundant, or rather superabundant, youthhood augurs well for the increase of population. Whether any other traveller has noticed this fact I am unaware, but to me it is amazing ; no one can either walk or ride through the bazaar, on descending Mount Zion, the back lanes between the Holy Sepulchre and the Prussian Hospice, these labyrinths of rickety houses and frowsy courts above Christian Street, the dark arched dens of the Via Dolorosa, and down to near the Damascus Gate, in the after- noon and gloaming, without seeing crowds of children as thick as leaves in Valambrosa. Poor things ! Although almost in a state bordering on nudity, with faces unwashed, except where tears have furrowed a white channel ; their hands and feet begrimmed with dirt ; yet how childlike and full of frolic are they ; rioting in the exuberance of health and enjoyment ! How equable are the Divine arrangements, for when wealth is not apportioned, health is bestowed — health, without which there is no true happiness. Probably this excess of juvenile population may be more apparent than real : here there is no manufacturing industry to absorb youthful labour as in Eng- land, nor are there schools adequate to the educational wants of the district, by which the children might be kept out of the streets. The beautiful climate permits even infancy as well as childhood to be much in the open air, while the different habits and modes of life in the East may collect a larger number of children into the streets and playgrounds than is observable in Western cities possessing the same ratio of population. It may be difficult to arrive at anything like an approximate POPULATION OF THE HOLY CITY. 101 estimate of tlie population of ancient Jerusalem, owing to the scanty information we possess on the subject. Josephvis is our chief authority, but he, being a Jew, may be prejudiced by anxiety to exalt the grandeur of his native land ; but the data on which he founds his conclusions can be checked from inde- pendent authorities. He gives the entire circumference of the city at about four and a half Koman, or three and a half geographical miles, which is nearly the ancient circuit of the walls. Other writers prior to and since his day make it less or more, so that we may strike an average for the purposes of calculation. It is supposed that the space walled in,. without suburbs, could not contain more than a hundred thousand souls, making allowance for the large area occupied by the temple ; very hkely its average population never at any time exceeded or even reached this number, except at the period of the annual festivals. It is stated that during one Passover there were present 2,700,000, a number I believe to be an exaggeration, for I can scarcely credit that there were so many males within the borders of Palestine, between the ages at which they were required by the Law to present them- selves at any of the three great assemblies. The number assumed by Josephus to have been in the city when it was attacked by Titus, at the season of the Pentecost, was a million and a quarter. This may be accurate, but I am under the impi'cssion, from various data, that the population of ancient Jerusalem, in the palmiest days of her glory, never ex- ceeded from eighty to ninety thousand. The actual popula- tion of the city at the present day — there being neither census nor statistical tables of any sort, can only be approximated — may be di\dded amongst the following sects or creeds : — Moslems, 5,500 ; Jews, 7,500 ; Greeks, 1,G00 ; Latins, 1,300 ; Armenians, 300 ; other sects, 300 ; making in all somewhere about 10,000. Sucli is the Jerusalem of ISG-t compared with the Jerusalem of a.d. 70. The modern city was built about three hundred years ago, and surrounded, in 1542, by walls which are from eighteen to twenty-four feet in height, and two and a half miles in circuit. The interior of the city is divided by two ravines or valleys, wliich, intersecting each other at right angles, give rise to four hills or isolated heights : the names of which send a thrill of LIBRARY PNIVERSTTy OF rATJFORNTA SANTA BARHARA 102 SUNDAY IN JERUSALEM. hallowed memories tlirougli tlie heart of every Christian ; they are Moriah, Zion, Acra, Bezetha. Acra, with its buildings, is now called the Lower City, and is chiefly inhabited by Chris- tians. Zion may be regarded as the seat of the Armenian and Jewish population ; whilst Moriah, or the platform of the Mosque of Omar, is the site of the Temple of Solomon. The Jews, I have learned, have seven or eight small mean syna- gogues ; their houses are much dilapidated externally, but are said to be comfortably, and even luxuriously, fitted up within. Sunday, 10th April. — "This is the day that the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it." For morning read- ing I select Matt, xxiv., and wending my way to the Holy Sepulchre, I offer up my prayers within its precincts. This ap- pears to be a fete day, for there are a greater number of priests and soldiers in the vestibule and corridors than I have observed on any former occasion. Although it be Sabbath morning, I take a candle and examine the rent in the rock and some other points of interest, and am half disposed to suspect that Calvary and the rock are artificial. The stone appears to me to be red granite, resembling that of Peterhead, whilst a mischievous doubt creeps over my mind that the reputed Calvary, sepul- chre, rent rock, and some other holy places, are either pious frauds to extract money, or in some cases impositions to deceive the people ; there being too many places under one roof, and these, like the house of our Lady at Loretto, occasionally change locality. I may, however, on becoming better ac- quainted with them, modify the opinion thus expressed. If wrong in doubting or discrediting what so many believe, may God forgive me ! Hastening through the crowded streets I observe with some degree of satisfaction that many of the shops, and some of those in the bazaar, are closed, and therefore conclude that they must belong to Christians ; nevertheless, the Babel of noise and traffic seems as great as on any other day of the week. I attend worship at the English church, which is ad- vantageously situated on Mount Zion, and has been for some years under the episcopate of Bishop Gobat. I am much pleased with the opening hymn. No. 2G8, beginning — " O Jerusalem, we weep for tbee ;" My friend Dr Smith, late bishop of Victoria, Hong Kong, preached the sermon from SANITARY DEFECTS. 103 Phil. ii. 5, 6. He made no attempt at either fine writing or eloquence, simply giving us an evangelical discourse, in the delivery of which he made some interesting remarks relative to the past and present condition of Jerusalem. The audience might number from eighty to a hundred. Leaving the church, and going out by Zion Gate, I take a footpath leading to Silwun, the ancient Siloam, and examine the pool known by the same name. I did not to-day penetrate its dark recesses, extending under and far beyond the site of the Temple, resting satisfied with merely having seen it, and filling a small bottle with its water as a souvenir of my visit. It is now raining, this being the first shower I have experienced since entering Syria ; there is not, however, so much as would wet " Gideon's fleece." Were heavy rain to fall in this part of the country, one half of its mud hovels would be levelled, if not swept away, for they are indeed built of and on the sand. It may be wickedness to say so, but the sooner such a catastrophe happens, providing human life were spared, the better. A new and more commodious class of dwellings might be erected. A Highland shower such as I have seen, would not only benefit the country in an agricultural, but the Holy City itself, in a sanitary point of Adew. Had either of my friends, John Liddle, Esq., or the late K. D. Thomson, M.D., medical inspectors of health in London, had only a single month's authority in Jerusalem, the ratio of sickness and the bills of mortality would be materially diminished ; and possibly such, a shower might lead to something being done not only to the drainage, but to the cupola of the Holy Sepul- chre, which lifts up its ragged roof, exposing its poverty to the world, and awakening the reproach of the heathen. Attending church again in the evening, I heard one of the curates preach an excellent sermon from Phil. iii. 10, there being about thirty persons present. In coming home I am obliged to carry a lantern, as all must do, whether strangers or citizens, owing to an imperial decree embracing the Turkish dominions and all its pashalics. CHAPTER XIV. GOING DOWN TO JEEICPIO. Monday, Wth April. — From to-day I take up my residence ^vith Mr Maury at the Prussian Hospice. Having been in- formed tliat the Greek pilgrims are to leave this morning for Jordan, I hire a horse and guide for two days to convey me to Jericho and back. Leaving by St Stephen's Gate, and cross- ing the Kedron, taking the south-east road and winding over the shoulder of Olivet, I find myself in the throng, numbering not less than eight hundred, which, together with twelve hundred in advance, ■will bring the total to two thou- sand, making their annual pilgrimage. They appear to be representatives of most Eastern nations, varying in complexion as well as attire : some are on donkeys, others on horseback, while many are balanced on panniers or in chairs on the backs of camels — besides these, hundreds are on foot. The young evince all the heyday and buoyancy of youth ; the aged and infirm are hanging on staves, and displaying as much devotion as the Israelites of old, when, with a similar object in view, they assembled in tribes, and went up to their annual solemnities. After passing Bethany, we cross a low rocky ridge, and a little farther on reach an arched well, thence we descend a long glen by a road quite as bad as that from Jaffa to Jerusa- lem, at one time slowly picking our steps among loose stones, at another climbing rocks and descending rugged steeps. Here again the stones seem to have been collected and then scat- tered, not only over our pathway, but over the 'entire district. Scarcely any vegetation is visible, except the prickly furze. Crossing a wide plain, we proceed along the brink of a deep riLGRIM ENCAMPMENT. 105 and precipitous ravine, known as " Wady-el-Kelt," Still de- scending, we pass over a shelving limestone rock, until the great plain of the Jordan opens out before us, and in the distance the banks of the glorious river, running between ver- dure, which, like a serpent, entwines and embraces it. To the right the Dead Sea glistens and gleams in the sunshine. An abundant spring of beautiful water runs at the bottom of the valley, spreading and losing itself in the plain ; this, I am in- formed, is the Old Testament brook Cherith " which is before Jordan," where Elijah, the man of God, was miracidously f ed by ravens.* In some parts of the way the rock is so smooth, and the decline so steep, that my horse, drawing its feet together, slides safely to the bottom ; again it is so rough, that the animal is in great danger of stumbling, while at other places the ledge is so narrow, that were it not for a stone fence, horse and rider would run no small risk of destruction. During the whole of this journey "in going down to Jericho," I am forcibly re- minded of our blessed Lord's instructive parable of " the Good Samaritan." It is hazardous to traverse this route at any time without the protection of an escort, so little have the usages of the country changed since the days of the Great Teacher. My vagabond of a guide left me at Bethany, nor has he yet made his appearance. Reaching the level plain, and riding through a boggy marsh and muddy streams, I tra- verse a (piasi forest of acacias, dwarf oak, and prickly pear, and suddenly find myself in an encampment of pilgrims, con- sisting of hundreds of booths, tents, and stalls, while immedi- ately adjoining is the military bivouac of the escort, numbering two hundred men, their band playing some Moslem airs, in all the pomp and circumstance of war. Dismounting in an olive and fig garden, and giving the horse some provender, I sit down and watch the animal, having no one to Avhom I can intrust it. I am not aware that tlicre is a single person in the whole encampment that speaks English, to whom I can apply for information ; nor was I aware, till after the lapse of three hours, that this spot was the rci»uted site of ancient Jericho, now kiiown by the term " llilia." My runaway guide, who disappeared in the morning, now makes his appearance, but * 1 Kings xvii. 6. 106 EIHA OR GILGAL, not knowing his language I can only look daggers at him. With a view of making up for lost time, I hasten to explore the locality, in hopes that I may find some traces of the ancient city, but there are literally none, neither house nor wall, and scarcely a ruin. A few mounds covered with bram- bles and coarse grass are said to be the buried remains of Jericho, or according to some, with much probability, Gilgal. The present town, Riha, is a few rude huts, fenced with prickly branches, which an ass, if left to himself, would scorn to enter. There is an old ruined castle, not, however, of an- cient date, now used chiefly as a stable or a place of shelter for cattle. Though roofless, the recesses and odd corners of the structure are inhabited by naked Arabs. Can this, I ex- claimed, be Jericho 1 Is this the place where Rahab of old entertained the spies, and concealed them in the roof of her dwelling 1 — the city round which the Israelites encamped, and whose walls fell at the sound of the trumpets 1 * — near which Elijah was carried up to heaven 1 and where Zaccheus, chief of the publicans, lived, and was privileged to see Him who brought redemption to the world and salvation " to his house ? " t I walk, profoundly afi"ected, over the whole place, memories of the past crowding upon my mind. I discover in the scrub two or three wells or cisterns, yet the whole scene being sadly disappointing, when the modern Riha is contrasted with the Jericho of Old and New Testa- ment history. It has been supposed, with some degree of credibility, that the true site of Jericho lies nearer the base of the mountains, and consequently farther from the river than the Riha of the pi'csent day. What has become of the " City of Palms ?" Now, alas ! no fields gladden the eye, nor palm-tree waves its feathery fronds. Proceeding to and examining the more distant site, I find that ruins cover at least a square mile. There are still standing a few arches of an aqueduct, some fountains, and shafts of broken columns, evidences of the ancient city's former grandeur. Josephus fixed the position of Jericho at a dis- tance of 150 furlongs from Jerusalem and GO from the Jordan, which may be tolerably correct. I now begin to understand the possibility of Macaulay's New Zealander con- * Josh. vi. t Luke xix. SITE OF JERICHO. 107 templating from a ruined arch of London Bridge tlie remains of the English metropolis. The night closes in suddenly, as it does in the East, leaving me in a fit of deep dejection, musing on the mutability of all earthly things, drawing the consoling conclusion that God and His promises are un- changing, and exclaiming, " Happy is the pec>ple whose God is the Lord." Wrapping myself in my rug, and lying down under the shelter of a bush, with nothing above me save the vault of heaven, I slept as well as the loud and incessant croaking of frogs would permit, for it is no figure of speech to say their noise is heard distinctly above the soldiers' bugles, and surpassing the caw-caw that might proceed from a colony of rooks perched over one's head. Rising with the sun, shaking myself, and going to the brook, where scores of Moslems are already for the same purpose as myself, I perform my morning ablutions with very simple toilet appliances, my muleteer having carried off my bag and baggage. The camp of pilgrims is now astir — their long- deferred hopes are about being realised — their toilsome, weary, and in some cases expensive jour- neying, not unattended with hardships, is now near its termination. I feel for these aged men and women, bent under infirmities, hanging upon each other, and scarcely able to walk — some leading the blind, others assisting the lame, while the utterly helpless are being conveyed on horses or camels, their eyes glistening with tears, their lips moving in prayer. Jordan, the sacred stream, is near ! — the moun- tains of Moab, tinged with purple, are in front ! Oh that they felt the same eagerness to possess the water of life, and to go to Him who says, " Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest ! " Exactly at 4 a.m., the bugle gives forth its note, loud and shrill ; horsemen and soldiers are on the qui vive ; the gover- nor of Jerusalem is decked in official costume ; the Sheikh of the district, assuming great dignity and importance, is cur- vetting on his beautiful Arabian charger ; but not a soul dare move till the order is given. Hark the signal ! The bugle sounds, the shout rises, and as a bursting avalanche dashing over tlie plain, we advance more like mad- men than pilgrims. Three horsemen lead the van, throw- 108 A SCAMPER TO THE EIVER. ing and recovering their long lances wliile in full gallop. First amongst them the Sheikh, with crimson cloak, and sword clanking on his shovel-shaped stirrup- irons ; next his son, on a fine mare, worth a king's ransom ; then followed Mr Barclay, Dr Smith, and myself ; for, being English travellers, we have a pri"vdlege not granted to the ol 'jtoXXoi. Occasionally, look- ing back, I see along the whole plain a moving mass of mounted and pedestrian pilgrims : none, except a few soldiers to protect the encampment, I believe, remained behind. How they scamper amongst the fixntastically-shaped sand-hills, formed by the eddying winds ! The sun rising high in the heavens — the morning fresh and balmy — all Nature wreathed in smiles — men's hearts leaping with joy ! Oh, 'tis a memo- rable march ! At length a shout from the vanguard is heard uttering " Sheri, a ! " " Sheri, a ! " (Jordan.) Every face is full of interest ; the green banks, not unlike some parts of Epping Forest, attract my attention, as I pass through thorny shrubs, and a copse twenty or thirty yards wide, which constitute the outer bank, flooded in autumn by the "swellings"'" of the river. Next we reach the inner or natural bank. There, in a deep chasm, flow^i the sacred stream, issuing apparently from a grove beyond a bend in its course, Avhilst, with another bold curve, it loses itself amongst bushes dense and green. I stand for a moment and gaze, as the thought flashes into my mind that here, and probably at this very point, the Israelites crossed when entering the promised land — that here were the waters divided, the ark carried through — and that perhaps from this spot the twelve stones were taken to be set up as a memorial of the miracle — that here, also, John the Baptist, the herald of the Messiah, preached repentance, and baptized numbers who came from the neighbouring cities — here Jesus himself was immersed, the Holy Spirit descending like a dove and resting upon Him, while the voice of the Eternal Father declared, "This is my beloved Son."t Making all liaste to undress, so as to be in the stream before the pilgrims come up, to run down the bank and leap into the river is the work of a minute, and I am buffeting its waters, although, from the swiftness of the current, I find it no easy matter either to keep my feet or to cross * 1 Chron. xii. 15. + Matt. iii. 17. BATHING IN THE JORDAN. 109 by swimming to the other side, and have scarcely " come up out of the water" and had time to dress, ere hundreds of naked men, women, and children are running pell-mell, and plunging into the stream. How exciting and yet in- teresting to witness young and old, withered and blooming — decency respected by some, but flung to the Avinds by others ; nudity, as we have seen, being bj^ no means rare iu the East, its impropriety is scarcely noticed, or, if so, makes no impression. Many are praying on the brink of the river, and others, even in the middle of the stream, heartily embrac- ing and congratulating each other on having reached the goal of their desires. The young assist the old to dress and undress, performing many little acts of kindness and attention. Still crowds come over the plain, undress, then rush down the banks and into the water in living masses. Age and sex are overlooked in this moment of religious excitement ; it is only after they re-issue from the stream that they in some measure regain their composure and wonted modesty. A few, I notice, wear white calico dresses, not intended so much to conceal their persons — which, when wet, they faU of doing — as to be taken to their far-away homes, carefully preserved, and used as shrouds after death. Six or seven strong black fellows are stationed in different parts of the river to prevent accidents from drown- ing, which sometimes occur — as, for example, last year, two youths, carried away by the current, perished. Others, I ob- serve, are appointed to dip tlae timid or assist the aged, Avhich duty they jjerform becomingly, and with the utmost kindness. What a spectacle ! There are at this moment hundreds dab- bling and plunging in the water, which is from two to four feet deep, and about one-third the breadth of the Thames at London Bridge ; hundreds more arc on the bank, so that I am jostled and hustled in the living crowd. The aim and ob- ject of one and all is once in their lives to bathe, not only in the Jordan, but at this ford, where they believe Jesus himself was baptized. Each pilgrim, or the head of a family, brings with him or her a roundish-shaped tin, for the purpose of carrying home some of the water, which is carefully pre- served and regarded as holy, being used as a specific for almost all diseases. My muleteer, as usual, has again an- noyed me by forgetting my tin at Kifaa, and now neither 110 SCARCITY OP WATER-TINS. for love nor money is there one to be had. I offer first two shillings, then three, and rise to five, for what, under ordinary circumstances, may be obtained for three or four piastres. I thought of the Persian monarch, offering half his empire for a draught of cold water in vain ; so, also, are my offers rejected. A pilgrim would have as soon parted with his wife as his tin can. The Jordan flows through a chasm, averaging thirty or forty feet under the level of the plain ; the banks, ab- rupt and broken, are clothed with verdure — the oleander blooms and the tamarisk and oak flourish ; immense reeds form a jungle for the lair of the wild beasts, and a hiding-place for the Beduee, many of whom live by plunder. Whether the Israelites crossed at this spot, or at a ford a little higher up where the Latin pilgrims bathe, I am unable to affirm — each church asserting, as in the case of the holy places at Jeru- salem, Bethlehem, and Nazareth, that they bathe at the real spot where the waters were divided, and Jesus was baptized. I, as a Protestant, being of course neutral, can look with calmness, and take their asseverations quantum valeant. Having now spent more than an hour in watching the pilgrims bathing, and finding that the numbers approaching are undiminished, I, with my two clerical friends, agree with the Sheikh for an escort of four men to conduct us to the Dead Sea, called by the natives " ^aAr Lict," or Sea of Lot. CHAPTER XV. THE DEAD SEA. We start, keeping for a short distance parallel with the Jordan, now flowing placidly and slowly within its deep clay banks, increasing in width, but consequently shallowing in depth. Leaving the river on our left, we hasten across the plain, through small round sand-hills, the country presenting nothing of interest, being destitute of all vegetation except a small flowering shrub. The mountains of Moab and Engedi rise on either side to awaken recollections. Therefore there need be no lack of material for sacred meditation. A haziness, as I thought, hovered in the air, giving an undu- lation to the objects in the landscape, a phenomenon arising I have no doubt from exhalations of the lake. The ground seems to be, and I find reaUy is, encrusted with a fine layer of salt, or rather saltpetre, which crackles under our horses' hoofs. In an hour and a quarter we reach the shore of the ancient and wondrous, yet still undescribed, Bahr Lid. The first object that catches my eye is a flock of wild fowl flying over its smooth surface, thus exploding one popular error, it having been supposed for ages that no bird could cross it with- out dropping dead into the water. Great quantities of drift, composed of reeds, canes, branches, and indeed whole trees, chafed or water-worn and heavy with salt, are lying high and dry to a distance of five or six yards from the margin of the water, all of which must have been carried thither by the Jordau. Here solitude and silence reign supreme. Wonder of wonders, we behold a boat, and an iron one too, floating on the lake ! !Mr Barclay informs me it belongs to the Due de Luynes, a celebrated archaeologist, who, with a few 112 A SWIM IN THE DEAD SEA. other French savans, have either come or been sent on a scien- tific exploration of the waters and shore of the Dead Sea. We are soon on board of her yawl, and row out to the small island, which seems artificial, and on which there are several large blocks of stone, whether hewn or not, owing to their being so much time-worn, I am unable to say ; probably they are of volcanic origin. I pick up a few small stones, pieces of bitumen, and some fresh-water shells, to take home to England. Whilst thus engaged, three Beduee come down from Engedi, one of whom undresses, and swimming out, attempts, as we think, to deprive us of our boat, and thus, by preventing us from getting ashore, obtain a backlishish for our ransom. We are, however, on the alert, and stepping into the boat shove off, leaving him on the island to bawl himself hoarse. He got ashore, however, all right. Mr Barclay and I imdressing, now plunge into the transparent water. I am more than surprised at its gTeat buoyancy ; it would be difficult, I imagine, for a man to drown himself in such water. With both arms and a leg raised, my chest and stomach are still above the surface, which would be physically impossible in fresh or even ordinary sea- water. I can lounge and roll about with the same ease and comfort as upon a spring mattress. An idea of its density may be formed by considering that while in the ocean the saline particles amount to only four per cent., the proportion in Balbr Lut is twenty- six. I have just rolled over and swallowed a mouthful, which for bitterness and acridity surpasses the most nauseating com- pound of the pharmacopceia. After floating and swimming for half an hour I regain the shore ; my body is oily to the touch, accompanied by a sense of smarting. Having dressed, we sit down upon one of the drift-trees and lunch, while the three Arabs already mentioned having lighted a fire for them- selves, draw from a bag some flour, knead it, and, placing it upon a piece of sheet-iron, bake some cakes. Leaving them, we mount our nags, and set off on our return to Hiha. I have neither seen Lot's wife, Sodom, nor Gomorrah ; indeed, the block of salt and ruins said to mark these localities must be considerably farther south. The Dead Sea is situated lower than any collection of water in the world, being 1300 feet below the level of the SODOM AND GOMORRAH. 113 Mediterranean. It occupies a deep chasm more than 150 miles in length, and is shut in by high limestone rocks ; the lake itself is forty-five miles in length, by a varying breadth of from four to twelve miles. The northern extremity is shallow near the margin, but the upper end suddenly deepens. All is sterile and bare around; neither tree, shrub, nor verdure is apparent. I see no trace of life ; there are no kinds of fish visible ; but how, except expressly created, could any kind of living thing exist in such acrid waters 1 Small shells there are in abundance ; but on examination they are found to be either snail "buckles" or fresh-water shells, probably brought down by the Jordan. Besides the wild fowl flying about, singing- birds are heard at a short distance. In riding along the plain I bethought me that upon this ground, 4000 years ago, Abraham and Lot disputed, and for the sake of peace sepa- rated, the latter choosing "the plain of Jordan because it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord desti'oyed Sodom and Gomorrah."* These waters cover cities in which licentiousness and cruelty had become universal, continuing so till the cry of wickedness rose to Heaven, and God rained down fire and brimstone, burying the inhabitants in one puni- tive conflagration, and marked the ground on which the cities stood by the bituminous waters of JJahr Lut. Whether God opened the sluices of the earth, emitting sulphur and bitumen, igniting them by forked lightnings from heaven, and thus by a combination of physical causes brought about the cata- strophe, or whether it was eS"ected altogether miraculously, is not positively aflirmed in the sacred narrative. It is enough for us to know that the cities were overthrown, and that Divine justice overwhelmed the flagrant violation of every moral and social law, as a warning to the ungodly in all time. Whether we regard this lake physically, scientifically, or historically, it is the most singular collection of water in the world, occupying the lower end of a valley, — ancient Siddim, — begiiniing at Lake Mcrom, gradually dipping through the Sea of Galilee, which lies G-OO feet under the level of the Mediter- ranean, until finally it deepens to 1312 feet, as already men- tioned. The old theory, so long and so tenaciously held, that * Gen. xiii. 10. 114 DENSITY OF THE DEAD SEA. the valley of Arabah, between tlie Eed and Dead Seas, was the original outlet of Jordan's waters, is now no longer ten- able ; since the discovery was made that the waters of the Arabah flow into the Dead Sea, and that the Red and Medi- terranean seas are upon the same level — in other words, the Jordan has ever poured its flood through* the same valley; consequently this lengthened basin itself, with its singular physical surroundings, has always been the same, presenting exactly the phenomenal appearances to-day it did anterior to any known history. I am strongly inclined to agree with the surmise of Dean Stanley, that from Hermon to the Red Sea there was once an arm of the Indian Ocean, which, gra- dually subsiding, left the three great lakes, Merom, Genesar- eth, and Sodom, in their hollows with the connecting link of the Jordan. The saltness of the last named of the three lakes may be traced, I think, entirely to physical causes. There are rocks of fossil salt lining both sides of the southern shore, and deeply imbedded in its waters. These, and the continual evaporation from the sun s glare, intensified by reflection from the limestone mountains, exhaling the fresh water poured in from the Jordan and the Arnon, may account in a great mea- sure for its exceeding acridity and buoyancy. The density I find is variable, water drawn from the bot- tom averaging 1230°, whilst that on the surface is only 1160°, rain water representing 1000°. The contrast in an hour's riding is certainly very remarkable, — from Jordan's jungle of acacias, oaks, oleanders, acustns agnus, and the sward speckled with anemones, limpid, fresh, and sweet water, to this sterile, brown, sand-bound lake ; there life and vegetation, here death and desolation. Well might the ancients invest Bhar Lut with legendary lore, affirming the haze, which Ave know to be evaporation, to be sulphureous exhalations, fatal to bird, beast, and vegetation ; indeed the lake, the shore, and the whole district Avere regarded with as much dread as the Avernus of Virgil. Although science and research have scat- tered many of the silly and puerile stories of its deadly gases, its ap})les fair and beautiful without, dust and ashes within, nevertheless it remains a problem to be solved, and a phenomenon worthy of examination. Scampering across the plain, and following a circuitous ARAB HORSE. 115 track, amongst castle-sliaped sand-liills, on we speed, refreslied by our two immersions in the Jordan and the Dead Sea, and an hour brings us to the encampment. Whether it may be some unknown affinity or sympathy in my person, or the stronger influence of bakhshish, I know not, but certainly there is some attraction, and, I may add, cohesion, between the Sheikh's son and myself. He actually follows me like a shadow, whispering as occasion serves, " Eglees tyeb," " tyeb Eglees." I begin almost to hate the fel- low for his fawning, but I cannot but admire his beautiful Arab mare, — nay, my admiration for his tent's treasure may be the cause of his giving me so much of his attention. She is a rare beauty, of an iron-gray colour, gazelle-eyed, spindle or deer-shanked, seeming to breathe fire from her nostrils, flying at a touch before the wind ; neither whip nor spur is used ; she is guided simply by the knees and a bridle ; now she rushes like a storm over the plain ; her rider in a moment brings her to her haunches, turns her on her hind legs like a pivot, and ofi" she is again ; her master launches his spear, and seems to catch it ere it falls, or picks it from the ground swinging from the saddle whilst in full career. I obtain a dragoman, and though not a lich man I make an ofler for the animal to the owner. He listens to me, shakes his head, re- peats la, la {No, no.) I again make an off'er, this time of 3000 piastres. He takes another turn, and shows me her paces. On his return I offer him 5000, and at last GOOO, •which he seemed willing to accept ; but suddenly relenting, lie gives me to understand that all the money in England, and France to boot, would not buy his mare ; indeed he could not return to his Avife, children, tent, or appear among his tribe, if for the stranger's gold he had parted with the " OazcUe of Kiha." I have had, these two days, frequent opportunities of ob- serving the noble qualities of the Arab steed, of which there are two distinct species, the " kedesche," or common labouring animal, and the " kochlani," Avhich is believed to be of the same breed as the stxtd of Solomon. An Arab will scarcely ever part with his horse, if it belongs to this last breed, and when he does sell, invariably stipulates for a filly of its descent. These animals are seldom more than fourteen hands high, their 116 CAUGHT IN THE SIMOOM. heads small, the muzzle short, eyes prominent, neck curved, tail long and flowing, nostrils large and open, ears small, whilst the skin, almost transparent, permits the veins like cords to be distinctly visible ; the legs like those of the deer, fine, thin, and wiry. The names given these horses are generally one or other of those borne by the stud of Mohammed. Their diet consists of barley and wheat, with a small quantity of straw, and in the season grass, on which they are permitted to graze. They are well groomed every morning, are seldom watered, at least not oftener than once a day ; have neither stable nor covering, and are always in the open air, except when in the tents of their masters. Perhaps it is omng to their being much in the society of men and children that these wild-eyed creatures are so tame and tractable, seemingly as domesticated as a dog. When excited, and coursing like a stag along the edge of the horizon, we can better appreciate the magnificent descrip- tion given by the inspired penman of the war-horse : — " Hast thou given the horse strength 1 Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder 1 Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? The glory of his nostrils is terrible ; he paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength. . . . He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage, neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. He saith among the trumpets, Ha ! ha ! and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains and the shouting." * Having neither tent nor dwelling, I look for and find a sheltered nook, where I refresh nature with a frugal meal, and with tranquil heart lie down to rest. I have not been long at ease, however, before I am roused by a hurricane or sir- rocco, which, coming down suddenly, changes the face of na- ture. Heralded by a lurid darkness, it bursts out, ere I have time to make my escape. Ay, but where to 1 The wind howls ; the sand forms a thick palpable cloud ; I can- not see four yards before me. I hear the crash of tents fall- ing ; stalls and booths are prostrated ; the storm increases, nothing being now heard but the weird shriek of the whirlwind riding on the storm, and carrying havoc on its wing. Sand ! saud ! — mouth, eyes, ears are filled. I feel a sensation of * Job xxxix. 19, adfinem. PILGRIM PKOPEIETY. 117 suffocation. The atmospliere is stifling and sultry. I catch at intervals the prayers of men, the shrieks of women, and •wailing of children. The day becoming dark and murky as midnight, I cry, "God have mercy on Thy creatures!" The palace-hke tent of the Greek priest, with its suites of rooms, lies on the ground a confused mass of canvas ; its pole, thick as a wherry's mast, has been snapped asunder like a reed. Eain drops now begin to fall. Precious drops ! Thunders roU, as if the heavens were cracking. Clammy perspiration starts from every pore, again and again I dip my handker- cliief into a streamlet of the brook Cherith, pressing it to my throbbing temples, without, however, receiving, much relief. At last the atmosphere brightens and cools ; thank God, the worst is over ! The sun breaks through the clouds, and nature smiles as if nothing had disturbed her placidity. The stall and tent people, like Horace's merchants, are refitting, not their ships, but their booths and tents. The military band striking up, all again is jubilant. I obtain for a consideration a bottle of Jordan water, which I intend to brmg home, to be used in baptisms amongst my congregation ; another from the Dead Sea, and a third from Elisha's springs. I purchase tins, for here there are no less than seven tinkers on the ground, selling and soldering up tin cans. This has truly been one of my red letter days, an epoch in my life never to be forgotten. With the hundreds that surround me, it is less a festival than the observance of a solemn ceremony performed vdth much fervour and appa- rent devotion. Many of the Greek women are carrying garlands, or crowns, woven of a prickly shrub, which, after passing througli the hands of a jjriest, are taken home, hung up, and regarded as sacred. The great devotional act of public bathing, essentially carnal and mechanical, has little in it, if one may judge, of s[)irituality. There is a time com- ing wlien, it is to be hoped, all such external observances will give place to the worship of Jehovah in spirit and in truth, "for the letter killeth," while " the 8i)irit giveth life." It must be admitted at the sametime that there is nothing either reprehensible or immoral perce[)tiblc. More impro- prieties have been committed at tent or week-day preachings in Scotlaudj in the latter there are public houses and in- 118 A NOCTURNAL SCENE. toxicating drinks to inflame the passions and deprive men of their reason ; here to-day, on the contrary, there is neither uproar, rudeness, nor brawling. The reason is obvious ; there is no temptation, nor is there, as far as I am aware, any desire to be tempted. Inebriety is unknown in the East, nor have I seen a smgle individual under the influence of strong drink since leaving London. I have just returned from in- specting the camp, in which both men and women were either engaged in prayer or at their beads, which to them is devotion, where I observe a decorous tone prevailing through- out. Could such numbers assemble in any spot of the three kingdoms, and remain two days in field or forest, with the same amount of sobriety 1 I fear not. Strong drink is the curse of Great Britain, the fruitful parent of crime, immo- rality, and poverty. Information now spread through the camp that all must leave the plains for Jerusalem by midnight wdth the pilgrim's escort. Therefore, rolling myself up, and crouching under a prickly bush, I court repose, Not for the first time in my life do I feel inclined to say, with Sancho Panza, that the man who invented sleep ought to have a monument erected to his memory. Exactly at 1 a.m. the shrill note of the bugle is heard piercing the stillness of the night ; tents are struck, darkness is rendered visible by torches, and the slum- berers are aroused by the shouts of men, the braying of asses, and all the hubbub incident to moving an encampment ; the Sheikh and his son, after whispering " Eglees tyeb," in other words, asking a bakhshish, keep close to my elbow. Again the bugle sounds, horses plunge in the mud, and scramble through the bushes. We are ofi^. The scene is strange and interesting ; the crowd surging, as seen under the lurid and fitful gleam of the torches ; humble asses, with their living loads ; camels, with their burdens of tents, women, and children ; the armour of the escort glancing ; the cries of the leaders ; the whole making up a picture worthy the pencil of a Leech or a Hogarth. Farewell to Jordan, " Balir Lut," " Eiha," with its fleas, frogs, blear-eyed men, and nude women. On reach- ing the outer edge of the marsh, we are summarily com- manded to halt. Myself and party protest against the delay, RETURN FROM JERICHO. 119 on the ground tbat being English, travellers, we do not come under the laws affecting pilgrims. The governor yields to our remonstrance, and Ave hear what is, to us, the welcome cry, nimshi ruah, (go on.) This time we fairly start, proceeding through the marsh and up the winding rocky steeps, difficult at any time, but still more so in the darkness of midnight. Over rocky platforms, from which the horses strike sparks with their shoes ; onward we go along precipices, climbing, descending, and at times creeping. I cannot but admire the sure-footedness of our animals, they scarcely ever make a false step, although the roads are execrable. The mountain scenery, though still more barren and rugged than his own, would gladden a Scotchman's heart. The last two hours travelling has been in the dark, ex- cept when the Ughtning's flash throws a gleam on our path- way, illuminating for a moment steeps, glens, and ravines ; indeed, without this friendly aid, many parts of the route would have been really dangerous. Occasionally stopping and turning my horse, in order that I may watch the instant of the electric glare revealing the long and motley train of pilgrims, which extends a mile behind me, as it winds through defiles, and along the rocks, the sight reminding me of the effects produced by the lime light thrown over the crowded streets of the English metropolis. The thunder rolls, awaken- ing the sleeping echoes, dying far away in murmurs amongst the mountains of Moab ; the rain falls, though not heavily, in a continuous shower ; we draw bridle for a few moments under a tamarisk by the wayside ; but that affording us little or no shelter, we continue our journey. At last gray morn- ing dawns, streaking with saffron hue the eastern sky, pre- ceded as usual by a cold and chilly wind, which, with the Avct, penetrates to the bones, and almost curdles the blood. Ileaching the Jerusalem side of a steep ascent overlooking the plaui through which we have travelled, daylight discloses the long line of camels, horses, asses, and pedestrians slowly ascending, calling to my recollection the ancient days, when the tribes of Israel went up to Jerusalem, either to the Feast of Tabernacles or some other solenniity. We pass unnoticed the ruined khan and cistern, where marauding Eedueen lurks, and where many a pilgrim and traveller have been grossly mal- 120 HORSE HIRE. treated, plundered, and even murdered. This route, except with an escort, is as unsafe to-day as it was when " a certain man Avent down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves."* Passing the Well of the Apostles, Bethany — the ever famous Bethany — descending Mount Olivet, skirting and crossing the Kedron, we enter Jerusalem by St Stephen's gate, highly pleased and gratified with our visit to liiha, the Dead Sea, and the scene of the Greek pilgrim's bathing. My horse hire for the two days' journey amounts to thirty-two francs. The present dearth of horse-flesh and exorbitant charge for horse hire arises from a cause which is neither scarcity of provisions nor dryness of the season, but from the great demand of horses for Egypt, where the murrain last summer carried off, like the plague of Moses, almost the entire stock of these useful animals. The usual day's hire seldom exceeded, until a few months ago, fifteen or twenty piastres, the owner supplying provender, and also acting as guide. To-day the muleteers demand almost as many francs ; and, from the great influx of European travellers and pilgrims, find no difficulty in obtaining this sum. The hacks let out are not of the hocldani breed or the gazelle of Riha stamp, but, on the contrary, bear a stronger resemblance to the 7-osinante class. With spurs and a whip, one might get them into a gallop. For draught horses, or for a spurt as at Epsom, we must come to England ; but here symmetry and docility, as regards the best breed, will be found in greater perfection. * Lulce X. 30. CHAPTER XVI. UNDER THE SHADOW OF OLIVET. What a crowd of interesting associations cluster about the road I have this morning traversed ! By how many patriarchs, priests, prophets, and kings, has it been trodden ! Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David and Solom^on, Isaiah and Jeremiah, Daniel and IMalachi — in a word, by almost all the worthies of the Old Testament, and by a nobler footprint stDl, even by that of our adorable Redeemer. Here He passed on His way to be baptized, possibly also to the scene of His temptation ; likewise going and returning with His disciples morning and evening from Bethany, whilst visiting the two sisters and Lazarus their brother. Every step is consecrated by a thousand memories. On my way down Olivet I passed, on the south, the place declared to be the spot where Jesus stood when He " be- held the city and wept over it," and whence, mounted on an ass, He proceeded to make His triumphal entry into Jerusalem ; — that ever-.sacred ground, too, whereon He agonised and prayed •when treading out the wine-press alone, and where, when His humanity recoiled from the pain and shame of the cross, He cried, " My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me ; nevertheless not as I will, but as tliou wilt." How privileged am I to look ui)on the same objects, and to travel the same pathway which lie so often trod ! Times, it is true, have changed, but not the aspect of the country ; the marked features of mountain, rock, and table-land remaui unaltered. Few changes occur in the habits of a primitive and pastoral peoplj ; they follow, in a great measure, century after century, the callings and customs of their forefatlicrs. The dress of the modern Arab, consisting of an abhah and 122 ILLUSTRATIONS OF SCRIPTUEE. head-gear, is the same as that which Abraham wore. Tents covered with haircloth, the mode of watering the flocks, cook- ery and food, form of agricultural implements, are all as of old ; so that everywhere something suggests and confirms the truth- fulness of the inspired writers. I am persuaded that one month's residence or travel here, to a minister or to a Bible commentator, would yield more accurate information than a twelvemonth's study of Lightfoot or of Kitto, though I admire them both, inasmuch as actual observation is preferable to reading, how- ever reliable. During the short period I have been in Syria, I have seen ploughing with the ox, treading out the corn, two women grinding at the mill, Arabs sitting in the evening at the tent door, prayers on the house-top, barking of dogs round the city at night ; — nay, at this moment the whole canine popu- lation are making a halloo on the waste ground under the arches opposite ; — add to these, throwing into the lap ; carry- ing in the bosom ; watering the land with the foot — that is, pressing the earth with the foot, to cause the water to enter the furrows. Moreover, at this unsettled period almost every pea- sant carries arms, as they did then, when Nehemiah rebuilt the. temple. Such are the incidents seen and repeated in all directions. Jerusalem, 13th Ajyvil. — This morning the city of the Great King lies bathed in sunshine, looking fair and beautiful — " Arise, O Lord, and shine upon thy Zion ; why should the city longer sit solitary ? let thy glory and presence be yet in the midst of her. Amen." I observe from the hotel roof, which commands a view of the Avliole city, that there are many waste places within the circuit of the walls round and near Zion gate, besides a large space of some acres in extent, where formerly stood the hospital of the Knights Templars. Pro- bably one-fifth of the city is vacant ground, in which are found only rubbish, dungheaps, and the prickly pear. There arc, however, many beautiful and well-cultivated gardens, especially up towards the British consulate, and from that to the city wall on the north-west side ; here is one just under my eyes, belonging to the Prussian consul, laid out with great taste, in which figs, apricots, orange trees, with their golden fruit, and beds of flowers, bloom luxuriantly ; it has nicely gra- velled walks, whilst the vine, trailing and spreading its tender AN ORIENTAL BURGLAR. 123 brandies, embowers the back premises. A portion of the city situated on a height near the Damascus gate is a position that an invading army would be sure to occup)^ From the same ridge Titus is supposed to have surveyed the city and its works before he threw his ramparts around it. The site woukl be particularly well suited for a church ; would that I might live to see or hear of such a structure erected here in connexion with the Church of Scotland. Her scriptural doc- trines and pure mode of worship would recommend Chris- tianity to those who, till of late, had never seen it manifested in its primitive simplicity. It is only fair to admit that, during my journeyings and sojourn in Egypt and Syria, I have everywhere met with courtesy and kindness. I may have been overreached in a bargain, but the same has happened to me in Eng- land ; I have been occasionally cheated out of a few piastres here, but in London I have often been victimised to a much larger amount. It is true, my box has been burglarously broken open and ten sovereigns abstracted ; the Oriental burglar, however, was not an Arab but a Christian, but who more considerate than his confreres at home, left me upwards of ,£20 to go on with. Would any London thief have evinced as nuich generosity '? Assuredly neither here nor in Egypt does any one constrain his conscience in driving a bargain when an opportunity presents itself, but is it not so over all mercantile Europe 1 It has often been in the power of the Arab both to defraud and injure me, owing to my ignorance of his language and my being unprotected, yet have I never met with insult. Indeed, it is my conviction, that Arab, Turk, and Egyptian, if treated as men and brothers, will reciprocate the treatment. I have witnessed the omnipotence of a kindly word ; at once the fiery eye quenches, the scowl gives place to benignity, and a smile liglits up features at once dark and handsome, verifying the old proverb — " Love begets Love." I wish my countrymen, travelling in Palestine, would exercise a little more of the sicaviter in modo — more of the grace, gentleness, and forbearance of the Christian than is generally exhibited, to the injury not only of our insular character, but to the religit)n we profess. Cold cannot heal every wound, nor purchase acquiescence and patience for bar- 124 VIEW FROM MOUNT OLIVET. barity and contempt wantonly and thouglitlessly inflicted upon those whom Ave are pleased to call Turkish and Arab heathens. It is not beyond truth to say that we as a nation are not liked or admired abroad, though our gold may be so. In a word, the discreditable position into which we have fallen is a natural result of our overbearing and haughty demeanour towards all who are not of Anglo-Saxon origin. The traveller visiting Jerusalem for the first time should by all means make his approach to the city from the east, or over Mount Olivet — the route Pompey pursued in leading a Euro- pean army to its Avails. Let him take his stand on the southern shoulder of the height, where, at a bend in the path- Avay, the city bursts on his A'ieAv, a thing of beauty, lying like a fair vision in the midst of wild ravines and rocky limestone ridges. Having passed through a land desolate and barren, after leaving Jordan's green belt of verdure, he finds himself incontinent in the midst of life and loveliness. It Avas on this very spot, tradition aifirms, the Saviour made the lamentation, " O Jerusalem ! " and burst into tears on foreseeing the awful doom of the city and its people. With a map in his hand, let the visitor sit down under one of the olive-trees that dot the landscape. Looking to the right and left, he will ob- serve deep fissures or gorges declining jirecipitously, three hun- dred feet in depth, from a table-land into the Vale of Jehosha- phat. Beyond, on the left, rises Zion, with the Armenian convent, the tomb of David, and crested by the froAvning citadel. He will see also Acra, the oldest part of the city, crowded A\'ith Avhite dwellings, the double-domed church of the Holy Sepulchre, Herod's Tower, the British Consulate — relieved by extensive gardens and corn-fields, the Avhole en- circled with yellow walls, pierced at St Stephen's by a quaint gateway, the screened golden gate, and the battlements of that of Damascus, the view terminating, far in the north, by Neby, Samuel, and Mizpeh — the sky of a deep azure blue, the city glistenmg, bathed in a flood of yellow sunlight. Well may he exclaim Avith the inspired writers — " Jerusalem is not only compactly built together, but the joy and glory of the Avhole earth." Jerusalem, though not so picturesquely situated as Con- stantinople, and can boast of no acropolis like Athens or THE MOSQUE OF OMAE. 125 Corinth, nor the regularity and harmony of Paris, yet it i.? richer than them all, more lovely and beautiful in the eyes, aifections, and memories of Jew, Moslem, and Christian. Let the looker-on remember that the Jerusalem of Solomon and Jesus lies buried many a fathom down below ; he is gazing upon ruins — ashes and remains of many cities that have stood upon the same site during the last 4000 years. Let the eye luxuriate and the soul drink in this wondrous scene. There are those who say all this is not sufficient to elevate Jerusalem architecturally to any high point. The picture, I am aware, is not complete without including the noble foreground of verdant table-land upon which stands the magnificent building whose graceful dome must have riveted the stranger's attention since the moment he directed his gaze towards the city. This structure, the most prominent feature in the tableau, is the Mosque of Omar. The platform on which this building is erected, sur- rounded Avith walls, includes the site of Solomon's temple, and embraces an area of 1500 feet by 1000, upon the sur- face of which there is not now a single remnant of antiquity, whatever may be hidden beneath, verifying the prophecy of our Lord, " that not one stone should be left upon another." It is now satisfactorily ascertained that the ancient temple only occupied a space of some GOO feet of the platform, now covered with the buildings known as the Haram. The foundation and wall on the eastern side rise from the valley to a height of at least 300 feet — Josephus says cubits — • formed of huge stones, some of them measuring 24 feet in length by 5 in depth, the whole sustained by arches rest- ing on massive columns, as old at least as the time of Nehe- miah — the platform covering subterranean cryjjts of marvel- lous extent and high antiquity. The buildings erected on this site, after the days of our Saviour, may be regarded as the Pantheon of Jerusalem. All that money, science, and skill could accomplish were lavished by Uomau emperors in erect- ing Heathen fanes, from the time of C'onstantine in the fourth, until the middle of the sixth century, when Justinian raised on this spot, consecrated by a succession of temples, a magni- ficent church in honour of the Virgin, the one at present existing still bearing traces of its Christian origin. In the 126 THE MOSQUE OF OMAR, seventh century, wlien Jerusalem was captvtred by the Turks, Caliph Omar began to construct the mosque El 8ukhrah. In the reduction of the city by the Crusaders, this last was puri- fied and reconstituted a Christian' church. In the vicissitudes of war, it finally passed into the power of the Turks under Saladin, when the pUe begun by Omar was remodelled and rebuilt. The mosque is a noble, seven-aisled basilica, and an elegant specimen of Arab architecture, octagonal in form, 272 feet long, 184 feet wide, covering an area of 50,000 square feet, and occupying nearly the centre of the Haram enclosure. No one looking upon the edifice but must be struck with its ex- quisite jDroportion, sim[)licity of design, and wondrous beauty. The porch is probably of later date. The arches of the three middle compartments are filled in with eight marble columns ; the interior is supported by forty-eight pillars of fSaracenic and Romanesque architecture, pierced Avith forty-eight windows filled in with stained glass, glowing in glory, their blended colours as harmonious as the rainbow, but rivalling it in variety of hue. The walls below, faced with blue and white marble, above with^glazed tiles of different colours, form, with texts from the Koran, a beautiful mosaic, the whole decked with rich drapery of blue, Avhite, and gold. When the sun pours in his flood of light, the scene is more like enchantment, or a reali- sation of Aladdin's cave than anything else sublunary. The roof is supported by twenty-four columns of blue marble, within the area of which there are four massive square pillars supporting the dome, rising a hundred feet above the floor, graceful in proportion, and seen from all parts of the city. This, though inferior to that of St Peter's at Rome,' and even St Paul's at London, is equally symmetrical and imposing. The central portion of the interior, immediately luider the dome, is railed round, draped with silk curtains, concealing to some extent a most sacred spot — the 2'>€n€tralium not only of the mosque, but, I may add, of all the holy places in or round Jerusalem. There may be doubts as to the identity of the Holy Sepulchre and Calvary, biit that this is the site of Solomon's temple is admitted by men of all creeds, IMoslem, Jew, and Christian. Let us draw near with bated breath — this is holy ground ! THE MOSQUE OF OMAR. 127 Under the folds of tliese curtains, behold that huge, misshapen mass of limestone, upon which the light streams in. This is " Kubbet-es-Sukhrah," or holy stone, said by the Osmanli to bear the impress of Mohammed's foot, and believed also to be the rock upon which Abraham offered up Ishmael their ancestor, as well as the great altar of sacrifice under the Old Testament. This mass of rock, measuring 60 feet long by 50 broad, rises 5 feet above the floor, and IG or 17 above the plateau. No hammer rang when it was formed, no chisel ever profaned its angularities to give them shape or polish. Within this " dome of the Rock " there is a cave or chamber excavated, some 1 4 feet square and 8 in height ; down into this, through a hole, a lamp is suspended. Under the floor it is supposed, from the hollow sound when struck, there is a lower apartment. It was to sanctify and adorn this limestone block, and consecrate the place that the splen- did Mosque of Omar was erected — the renowned " Haram- es-)Sheref," (the noble sanctuary,) only second in importance and sacredness to the "Kaaba" of Mecca. The whole area surrounding the building is artistically laid out with groves of dark cypress, the silver-leafed olive, parterres of flowers, interspersed with fountains and marble arches, the sward green and closely cut. Within these boundaries silence reigns, the solitude broken only now and then by a veiled female flit- ting backwards and forwards, or a turbaned Turk on his carpet, his face towards jNIecca, performing the ivadoo. The Jew, and after him, the Christian, believes this spot to be that Mount ]\loriah to which Abraham was directed by divine monition to go and sacrifice his son Isaac : here he built an altar, laid the wood, but was stayed in his further proceed- ing by an angel,* upon which occasion he named the altar "Jehovah Jirah." On this spot, in after-times, when Jerusalem was threatened with destruction, God again stayed the angel's hand, when the destroyer stood by the threshing-floor of Oman, the sons of the latter hiding themselves through fear in the cave — perhaps that above described — and where, in remem- brance of tlic deliverance, David built the great altar of sacrifice, having purchased the floor for six hundred shekels of gold jf * Gen. x.\ii. f 1 Chioa. x.\i. 14-27. 128 MODERN VIEWS. and over ■wliicb, a few years after, Solomon erected the beauti- ful temple, the roof whereof was laid with plates of beaten gold. It was also the site of the second temple, which, though less beautiful, was more highly honoured, having been conse- crated by the presence of " the Desire of all nations." * Last, but not least, writers whose authority is worth consideration have stated the rock to be Calvary, and the cave the true sepulchre where the Redeemer was laid. I have neither time nor inclination to solve the difficulties which lie at the thresh- old of this opinion, or homologate the statements of learned writers and travellers regarding the point. Of one thing I am certain, this spot has been consecrated to worship for more than 3000 years, generations of Jews, from David to Jesus, have worshipped on and trodden this sacred platform, and now, as of old, men of different creeds and from every nation come up and bow in reverence before the same com- mon Father. * Ha;?, ii. 7. CHAPTER XVII. MOUNT ZION, THE KEDRON, AND THE POOLS. Jerusalem, lith April. — Amongst the sacred sites in and around the Holy City, the first in Old Testament history is probably Mount Zion. Jerusalem stands on three or four ridges Anth rocky, shelving sides, surrounded by abrupt valleys or ravines ; the most prominent of the former, occupying the south-western side, and forming the northern slope of the valley of Hinnom, is Mount Zion, now partly covered A^dth a conglomeration of rubbish and ricketty houses. It is true that the citadel on its summit is, from its position, imposing in ap- pearance, and has been a place of great strength. The citadel on Mount Zion was to Jerusalem what the Acropolis was to Athens or the Tower to London. Upon the walls hung a thousand shields, many of them, in Solomon's days, were of gold. This stronghold was isolated from other portions of the city by deep ravines, and was deemed impregnable. It is often referred to in the Old Testament as a symbol of Almighty pro- tection, and is, on that account, a fitting emblem of the Church of God. But, alas! how changed from the " Mount of God" of old. The Tomb of David stands here, a monument of great interest to Jew as Avell as Christian, and, if I mistake not, is also highly revered by the Mohammedan. Witliin the mauso- leum lie the sacred ashes not only of the sweet bard of Israel, but also those of many of his successors, who for ages have been interred in what may be styled the Westminster Abbey of Jerusalem. In juxtaposition are the huts set aside as dwell- ings for the lepers, of whom I shall speak further on. It is singular that, among the remarkable changes this land and city have undergone, these unfortunates should still exist, and I 130 CONVENTS AND TOMBS. that their habitations should, of all places, be fixed on Mount Zion. That this is the oldest part of the city is unques- tionable, the Jebusites having retained it until wrested from them by David, some years after he had ascended the throne of Israel. Upon the same level stands the Armenian Convent, which, if not the largest, is the best appointed in Syria, having accommodation for three thousand pilgrims, space for several schools, possessing, moreover, a printing-press. This graceful structure, with its attached well-kept gardens, and those be- longing to private individuals, throw around the whole height an air of dignity, beauty, and freshness. There are other conventual houses, it may be remarked, in Jerusalem, besides that of the Armenians, the Latins having a large handsome building of the same kind in what is usually called Christian Street, abutting on the west side of the church of the Holy Sepulchre. In this establishment all pilgrims and travellers visiting the holy city are hospitably entertained, the terms as at Ramleh and similar religious houses. These buildings, to which a fine church, fitted up in the Italian style, is attached, are inhabited by from sixty to seventy Franciscan monks. The Greek Church has also lately erected a lofty range of imposing buildings on a commanding position above the Jaffa Gate, over which I occasionally see the Russian flag floating. This edifice, when finished, will surpass not only the Armenian Convent, but probably every monastic estab- lishment in Syria. Almost the first object which meets the eye of the travel- ler in descending the Kedron, after passing Gethsemane, is the tomb of Absalom, which certainly looks ancient ; it is built of massive squared yellow stones, ornamented with semicolumns, forming stages, and surmounted by a cupola. Immediately adjoining is the tomb of Zacharias ; but whether that of the prophet or the father of John the Baptist, is not stated, although tradition points to the former ; while common sense, if listened to on the subject, would say it belonged to neither the one nor the other; for, had these tombs been to those men. their identity would have been a problem more difficult to solve than even that of our Lord. It is simply a square building, ornamented with four or five pillars. POOL AND STREAM OF SILO AM. 131 In going south, along tlie Kedron, or descending frona Mount Zion to the eastward, is the Pool and Stream of Siloam, so famous in New Testament history. It is referred to by one of the greatest of our poets in the lines — " Sing, heavenly Muse, that on the secret top Of Oreb or of Sinai didst inspire That sheplierd wlio fir.st taught the chosen seed, In the beginning, how the heavens and earth Kose out of chaos; or, if Zion hill Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flow'd Fast by the oracle of God, I thence Invoke thy aid to my adventurous song ! " Guided by Milton's description, I had expected to see a gushing stream and a large pool ; but the running water scarcely assumes the dimensions of a brook. The former is simply an oblong cistern, measuring fifty-three feet in length by eighteen in width, partly in ruins, having some kind of underground connexion with the Virgin's Well, and is built of huge stones. It has the appearance of having at one time been covered in, and is now used in watering the small gardens in wliich vegetables are grown for the city market. I did not imitate Dr Robinson, by attempting to explore its dark recesses, but I shall nevertheless adopt his descrip- tion, which I have no doubt is accurate. Entering, he says, by a ruinous staircase, he found a passage cut through the rock two feet wide, with a gradual decrease, and from fifteen to three feet in height. At the end of eight hundred feet it became so low that he could advance no further with- out crawling on all fours. At this point he turned back, and went another day better prepared for the enterprise. This time entering by the Virgin's Fountain, the difficulty proved even greater than before. Most of the way he had to advance on his knees, sometimes by lying at fidl length, and drag- ging himself on his elbows. At last he succeeded by zig- zag movements in penetrating to the heart of the rock. The direct distance is only 1100 feet; the passage measured 1750 feet in length. His discoveries explained the problem of the remitting character of the water's ebbing and flowing. While I was examining the Virgin's Fountain to-day, an Arab approached. I signified by signs my desire that he would 132 POOLS OF SILO AM AND BETHESDA. enter, to which he at once agreed. Slipping out of his garment, he proceeded in 2)u}'is iiaturcdibus, shouting fre- quently, in order that I might know how far he had gone. He seemed to have penetrated from twenty-five to thirty paces, the water reaching well up to his knees. Multitudes, I am informed, subject to weak eyes or other ophthalmic affec- tions, come here as well as to the Pool of Siloam, expecting the same benefit that accrued to the man who was directed to " go and wash " * therein by the Divine Physician. There is a large cistern on the north side of the temple wall, in the way leading to St Stephen's Gate, bearing marks of great antiquity, having two or three arches, now how- ever buUt up, but supposed by some to be those remaining of the five that origmally belonged to the Pool of Bethesda. The cistern is more than two-thirds full of rubbish, and to all appearance will soon be filled up to the level of the surround- ing surface. But whether this be the actual pool, the waters of which were " at a certain season troubled by an angel," t the first person steppmg in after the troubling being healed, is at least questionable, when the many changes to which Jerusalem has been incident are taken into account. The Pool of Hezekiah, mentioned in 2 Kings xx., is situated at the back of my hotel in Christian Street, but, being entirely surrounded by dwelling-houses, can only be seen from the ad- joining windows. It is known to the natives by the designa- tion, Birhet-el-Hummum. Its dimensions are 240 feet long by 140 broad, and 20 deep. The water is green, foetid, and stagnant, nor am I aware of its being put to any use. There has been a large amount of controversy and several books written concerning this tank, tlie subject in dispute being whether it was situated within or without the ancient city walls. On the solution of this problem depends in some measure the determination of the exact site of the Holy Sepulchre, but into this kind of speculation and antiquarian research it is not my intention to enter, at least at any length. Having from my early years taken an interest in our elder brethren the Jews, everything connected with their spiiitual or temporal welfare awakens my regard. I therefore ob- tain the guidance of a young Hebrew to lead the way to their * John ix. 7. + John v. 2. THE PLACE OF WAILING. 133 Place of Wailing, a locality tliat I liave much wished to visit, the entrance to which is not easily found. Arriving at the spot, I perceive a long narrow court, one side of which consists of large bevelled stones, forming a wall twenty feet high, and in length perhaps fifteen yards, supposed to be a por- tion of the ancient temple. This being the nearest point to the sacred house of their fathers, to which the Jews have access, they have for centuries past come from every nation to this spot, and on their knees, with loud cries, prayers, and tears, wept over the destruction of Zion, the desolation of the city, and the utter ruin of their country. I knelt, and prayed earnestly unto the God of Israel that He would reveal to His ancient people Jesus of Nazareth as the true Messiah, and hasten the time when they shall be ingathered with the ful- ness of the Gentiles; when the Holy City shall be again rebuilt, her waste places restored, a more glorious temple erected, even a spiritual house ; when this land shall again become as the garden of the Lord, and when there will be " nothing either to hurt or destroy on all this holy mountain." Every Friday evening, immediately after sunset, the Jews sorrowfully assemble at this place, and, whilst re^ieating the 79th Psalm, accompanied, I believe, with some other for- malities, perform their mournful hebdomidal service. How ardent the love and strong the attachment of this singu- lar people to the land of their ancestors and the religion of their nation ! If they do not, like the Pioman Catholics, worship a material cross, and kiss the relics of departed saint- hood, they traverse broad continents and wide seas to visit and weep over the ruins of what was once the City of Solemnities, clinging with tenacious grasp to the fragments of their an- cient temple. Among the thousands of the race now in the Holy City, there are many " waiting for the consolation of Israel." Would that another Pentecostal evening, with its blessed effects, might convert these devout men, who have come out of every nation under heaven,* to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. I admire their amor ^Jrtiricc, a passion com- mendable in itself, but especially so when united Avith reli- gion, and a desire to honour places where God has manifested His goodness to themselves and to the world. Similar objects * Acts ii. 5. IB4 THE BROOK KEDRON. may be said to attract Jew and Christian to Palestine and the Holy City : the one goes to worship God the Father, expecting and praying for the coining of the Messiah ; the other journeys thither to adore God and God's Son, the ever-blessed Redeemer • — thus, like sentiments actuate both. I trust that they may equally inherit the same kingdom, through God's mercy and the atonement of the Lamb, who, to reconcile the Almighty with His creatures, died for the sins of both Jew and Gentile. ' Leaving the Place of Wailing for my lodgings, my heart bleeds for the poor Israelite, who appears to flit through the streets as if afraid — streets, too, once his own — a stranger in the house and home of his forefathers, now, though we hope not irrevocably, in the hands of the stranger. These hills, ravines, and green valleys, though his by inheritance and God's promise, he dare not claim — nay, he can scarcely obtain, except through the intercession of a Gentile, a resting-place for his ashes. Well may he exclaim — "0 God, Thou hast cast us off : Thou hast scattered us : Thou hast been displeased. turn Thyself to us again." " Deeply moved by the occurrences of the day, I select the 74th and 80th Psalms for my evening's reading. As regards Jerusalem, I feel with the Holy Psalmist that " Her very dust to me is dear." But yet believe — " Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion, for the time to favour her, yea, the set time is come ; for thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof. "+ The Brook Kedron itself lies at the foot of Mount Olivet, running northwards and southwards parallel with the eastern wall of the city. The bed is quite dry in summer, except at the southern extremity, where the waters of SUoam enter and run towards Enrogel. Opposite the gate of St Stephen the valley is upwards of a hundred feet in depth ; at one time it may have been a thousand feet wide, but on account of the refuse from the city being continually thrown into it, cannot now be more than four hundred. Numbers of olive-trees grow as of old in the hollow and along the declivities. Proceeding southwards it gradually -widens, nor is there anywhere round * Psalm Ix. 1. t Psalm cii. 13, 14. THE MOUNT OF OLIVES. 135 Jerusalem such interesting remains of antiquity. Amongst them are the church and tomb of the Virgin Mary, the place of St Stephen's martyrdom, Gethsemane, the tomb of Absalom, the sepulchre of St James, and thousands of Jewish graves, looking like a pavement on the face of the hill ; besides some singular excavations in the rocks, supposed to have been the dwellings of hermits ; an old Roman bridge of one arch, spanning the brook ; the frowming walls and battlements of the Haram, probably three hundred feet high ; the Virgin's Well ; the village of Sdwun or Siloam, the houses of which cluster like swallows' nests on a wall ; the King's Dale or Gardens ; these, and many similar relics and monuments, attach to the Kedron an undying inte- rest in the esteem of the Biblical student. The Mount of Olives, or OHvet, situated east of Jerusalem, awakens higher emotions than any other spot mentioned in the New Testament. It is seen from every part of the Holy City, having apparently three distinct summits — the highest, crowned with a mosque, is probably two hundred feet more elevated than any part of the city ; known chiefly from being closely as- sociated w'itli our Saviour's history. From its declivity He beheld the city and wept over it with expressive lamentation. Often also He ascended its heights by one or other of the thi'ee [)athways, crossing it on His way to the humble dwell- ing of Lazarus and his beloved sisters at Bethany. But, more memorable than all these. Olivet was the scene of His most glorious Ascension. When about to be taken up into heaven, Jesus stood with His disciples somewhere on its slopes, and while blessing them, " a cloud received Him out of their sight," and He ascended to His Father and our Father, to His God and our God.* The mount originally derived its name from the olive, which seems to spring indigenously and abundantly from its soil ; indeed, long anterior to the Christian era, the inspired writer called it by this name.t An extensive view towards the east is obtained from its crest, embracuig the Plain of Jericho, the Jordan, and the Dead Sea. Moreover, any one who is desirous of " viewhig Jerusalem aright," should betake himself to the Mount of Olives. The valley of Hhniom, situated on the south side of the city walls, runs down towards Enrogel, and unites with the * Luke xxiv. 49-51. t Zech. xiv. 4. 136 GEHENNA, OK VALE OP HINNOM. Kedron near the King's Dale. It is now a wild ravine or deep glen, surrounded by rocky shelving precipices — a place wherein, from its seclusion, robberies and murders may often have been perpetrated. It is best known in Old Testament history as associated with the cruel worship of Baal and Moloch, to which the idolatrous Israelites under some of their kings offered their offspring to be burnt in sacrifice. It is supposed that the image of the latter-named deity was made of hollow brass, within which a fire was lighted to heat the figure, while the infant to be immolated was placed in the idol's outstretched arms, the cries of the innocent babe being stifled by the beating of drums.* Either from these horrid rites, or owing to the filth and refuse of which the valley was made the receptacle, it came to signify amongst the Jews in later days the place of eternal punishment ; hence the term Gehenna or Hell of the New Testament. Friday, 15th.— The flora of Palestine will be referred to afterwards ; meantime I may observe that various species of fruits and flowers in great abundance and beauty bloom less or more the whole year round. The genial climate, generous soil, and moderate temperature, conducing to this luxuriance. Between Jaffa and Jerusalem, the plains of Esdraelon, the environs of Nazareth and Tabor, and all round Safed to Tiberias, there is an abundance of beauti- fully-tinted astres, anemonies, jjoppies, and daisies, amongst which Robert Burns's "wee modest red-tipped flower" is often to be seen, whilst the tulip, lily, and narcissus deck the mountain slopes and enamel the fields. In the bazaar this morning, there is a profuse supply of choice veget- ables, consisting of peas, beans, black and white artichokes, cucumbers, onions ; leeks enough to satisfy an Egyptian, immense baskets of lettuce, sage, thyme, and small pota- toes, each month in the year yielding an equal abundance of flowers and vegetables peculiar to the season, the price so moderate as to be within reach of all. Both in towns and villages there are gardens and orchards, in which the orange-tree is either in blossom or bearing its golden fruit; dates, pomegranates, figs, the almond, and the olive. This last-named edible is used by all, and at nearly every meal, * Jer. vii. 31. FEUIT AND VEGETABLES. 137 swimming in its own oil ; indeed, olives with oil and bread, like potatoes to the Irish, or rice to the Chinese, are the chief food of the poor. The karrib grows on many declivities in cre- vices of the rocks, and on the margins of plains ; it is sup- posed to be the plant that yielded the husks with which it is recorded the prodigal " would fain have filled his belly." The pods are still eaten by the poor in times of scarcity, and in those districts where pigs are kept they are used for feeding, as acorns are, for the same purpose among ourselves. I have been endeavouring to persuade my friend, the Rev. Mr ]\Iaury, that a journey hence to Damascus may be performed without either tent or escort ; but he, in common with the majority of travellers, imagines this feat to be impossible. My opinion is that a "mochera" Avho knows the way, a mule to carry luggage and provisions, are the only requisites ; since a sleeping-place at this season of the year, and in this climate, can be found anywhere, we have always God's continual presence for our protection. At length I prevail, and we begin to make the necessary arrange- ments for starting on the following ^Monday. CHAPTER XVIII. AN EXCURSION TO BETHLEHEM. Desirous, liowever, of first seeing Bethlehem, where our Saviour was bora, my young friend, Mr P. Bergheim, con- sents to accompany me there to-day. I hire an ass, which when brought to the door, and left by the driver, refuses to move. Mounting, I try every possible expedient to urge it on. Finding all my efforts fruitless, I dismount and drag it through the bazaar, up Christian Street, all Jerusalem appar- ently laughing at us both ; that is, at myself and my charger. Having got my recalcitrant companion as far as Mount Zion, I was ultimately compelled to return it to his owner, and pro- ceed with my friend on foot. Making our exit by the Jaffa gate, we skirt the alms-houses built by that friend of humanity, as well as of his own people. Sir Moses Montefiore, and crossing " Aceldama," or the field of blood, we reach the open country. Pursuing the well-known and well-trodden road, which is the first real " Sultana" or beaten highway I have seen in the country, we pass some fields of corn divided and fenced, where the husbandmen are busy ploughing and sowing. The moun- tains of Moab arise on the one hand, whilst Mispah towers dimly veiled in vapour on the other. We meet numbers of pilgrims, chiefly Russians, on their return from the City of the Nativity to Jerusalem. We reach, halfway between the two cities, the Convent of Mar-Elias, a huge building, surrounded with walls and finely situated, commanding in one direction a view of Jerusalem, and in the other Bethlehem and Bethle- hem's plains. The priests' gardens are walled, carefully trimmed, and abound in figs, vines, apricots, and other fruits. We sit down at an ancient well and refresh ourselves with a kachbl's tomb. 139 cooling draught ; the cover of this fountain is of granite, and dome-shaped, the edges deeply furrowed by the rope that for ages has drawn the bucket from its depths. Connected with this well are some silly legends about the Magi, who, it is said, were refreshing themselves as we are now doing, when the miraculous star was seen reflected on the surface of the water, leading them to where the child was. On the adjoining rock I tried to discover the imprint of the body of Elijah, after whom the convent is named, but in spite of my endea- vours I failed to make it out. Taking the new road made by the monks, for which they are entitled to great credit, we reach the clean-looking village of Beit Jala, probably the Zelah of Scripture,'"' where there is a school, under the patronage of a Mrs Thomson, for the poor children of the district. God reward her, whomsoever she may be ! On our right, a few yards from the road, stands Eachel's tomb, a buHding which I pace, and find it to be twenty-one feet square ; the authenticity of tliis monument is not dis- puted, all agreeing that it is the spot in which the ashes of Joseph's mother were laid, in the infancy of the patriarchal faith. A few minutes' walk brings us to Bethlehem, but no sooner do we enter the hallowed precincts than we are waylaid by shell and bead sellers, who seem to think that every visitor should be a purchaser, probably indulging in the belief that buying, what may prove worthless, is the sole object of his journey. Bethlehem may be "the least amongst the thousands of Judah," nevertheless the interest with which it is encircled is little less than that attached to Jerusalem herself ; whilst, as regards beauty of situation, it is infinitely superior. Built on the declivity of a hill overlooking an extensive plain, the streets rising abruptly, owing to the inequalities of the ground, so that a great portion of the city may be said to be terraced. Bethlehem, has been long celebrated for its wines, its vintages still retaining their character for choiceness ; indeed, its vineries and orchards are at this day the finest in Syria. Threading our way through narrow and irregular lanes, and fragrant puddles, amid unwholesome-looking men and women who are clustering round the doors or huddling * Job xviii. 28. 140 CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY. ill the gutters, we reach the Cathedral of the Nativity, which has more the appearance of a fortress, owing to its heavy buttresses and small windows, than a place of wor- ship. ' It is, however, a fine edifice, the interior being decorated with a double row of ten Corinthian columns, which run alongr each side of the nave, making forty in all. The mosaics still visible are supposed to be as old as the times of Helena, the structure having been erected about a.d. 327. It is, how- ever, sadly neglected and almost ruinous ; one of the causes of this state of things may be, that it is property common to Latins, Greeks, and Armenians. Its principal attraction is the sacred Grotto, said to be the spot where our Saviour was bom. To this sanctum we cannot obtain admittance until the hour of service, 4 p.m. Meantime, while surveying the exterior, I discover a Bethlehem. school conducted by two Franciscan friars, assisted by two under-teachers. The children are taught Arabic, Italian, writ- ing, and a little arithmetic. The monks are highly pleased to have their school inspected by a London clergyman, and give THE STA.BLE AND MANGEE. 141 me the following information: — The schools are free; there are 108 boys on the books, of whom 40 are j^resent; here, however, as at home, the necessities of the farm, the re- quirements of the vineyard, the shell and olive-wood factory, thin the attendance, so that the poor things are withdrawn from education at a time when it would be most beneficial to them. The monks also inform me, that there are 80 girls under the care of the sisters, who instruct them in the usual branches of knowledge, adding a little plain sewing and fancy-work ; these I am not permitted to visit. Ha\n.ng thus secured the good graces of one of the breth- ren, the key of the church is soon forthcoming, and we are conducted to the chapel of the Nativity. A crimson curtain, over a doorway, is drawn aside, and descending six- teen steps I stand on the spot where Jesus was horn. Many millions have trod these flags during the last sixteen hundred years, and have embraced these stones, now worn to smooth- ness by the kisses of devout lips, or by the daily wetting and washing of penitential tears. On entering, I felt awe-stricken and solemnised. The portal, as in the Holy Sepulchre, is low, so that every head must bow on entering the sacred grot ; at the foot of the steps is the reputed stable, and within four feet is the pirtsejmcm or manger in which the infant Jesus was laid — " because there was no room for them in the inn." The vault may be thirty-eight or forty feet long by twelve wide. At the end where I now stand, a silver star, a foot or more in diameter, is fixed into the marble, (with which the whole place is encased,) and fastened with large-headed silver naUs. It is well known that the Greeks recently tried to wrench off this symbol, and indeed succeeded to the extent of drawing out some of the nails, l^ut made their escape ; the coveted prize was, however, left behind. Over the sacred spot are suspended sixteen lamps, also of silver ; five of them having gone out, the monk hastens to relight them with a lucifer match, an act that, in sucli a place, appears to me little short of desecration. The legend or motto around the star is — "Hie de Virgine Maria, Jesus Christus natics est:" it has over it a plain altar common to the different sects, who have chapels in the church, which each ornaments according to the rituals of his creed when about to perform mass or service 142 TOMB OF ST JEROME. in the grotto. At a distance of a few feet is also pointed out the place where the wise men presented their offerings. In the different chapels, for as usual there are a number under one roof, a few good paintings are to be seen. In one of them I hear mass being chanted whilst I am examining some cherished relics. The furniture is old and decayed, the cur- tains tawdry, the floor dirty, not even swept, the whole place dark and dingy, there being no light except what enters through the doorway. Quitting the chapels under the same feelings I experienced at Calvary, I thought this shrine would be more real and impressive had it remained in its natural state, and the living rock been left exposed. Underground caves or grottoes, like many other localities to which pilgrims resort, have in themselves little attraction, their only interest arising from history or association. After visiting the place of Na- tivity, we descend a dark staircase hewn out of the rock, the monk carrying a lamp similar to those used in the London Dock vaults, the light of which flickers and flares in the wind whilst he himself is jabbering in Italian or endeavour- ing to explain his meaning in execrable French. Here are an assemblage of altars, pictures, and tombs ; the first of the latter shown is that of Eusebius, but whether the church annalist of that name I cannot say — the monks afiirms it is, but on that point I am doubtful. Passing some others, we are shown the tomb of St Jerome, the celebrated father, to whose writings Christendom, humanly speaking, is so much in- debted for information during the period of the early perse- cutions under the Roman emperors. We are told that his ashes repose here, and adjoining the place of sepulture is his study, now converted into a chapel. Next is a small tomb, in which it is said the remains of the murdered innocents slain by Herod were deposited, while over it is erected the " Altar of the In- nocents," and above is suspended a painting as barbarous in execution as the deed it commemorates. Traversing a dark passage the chapel of the Nativity is again entered, where I kneel and pray to Him, "who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God." * The view from the roof of the cathedral is extensive, em- bracing many points of interest. Although the forsaken land * Philip, ii. 6 and 8. AN ACCREDITED HOLY PLACE. 143 has, for centuries, been allowed to run to waste, still the view is as diversified as it is beautiful; being richly studded with gardens, in which figs, olives, and vines predominate. Whatever doubts there may be regarding the site of the Holy Sepulchre, few can be entertained with respect to the genuineness of the Cave or Grotto of the Nativity. There is an uninterrupted tradition asserting its sanctity since the early part of the second century; though I grant that, in the first and second ages, there was no attempt made to consecrate the shrine, nor were any pilgrimages made to what are now styled " Holy Places." The Scripture writers do not appear to recognise any religio loci ; hence the doubts and disputes concerning Calvary and the the " Grotto of the Nativity " had become so famous, that Grave of Jesus. In the time of Adrian, Bethlehem and under his authority it was desecrated, and demolished either by erecting a temple dedicated to Adonis, or by performing unholy rites upon the spot. The holiness of this structure induced St Jerome in the fourth century to select one of the grottoes as a retreat, and desired that after death his remains might be laid within its precincts; and as he describes it, so was it found by the crusaders. The basilica possesses all the marks of high antiquity; and is indisputably the oldest Christian church extant, though often injured, and at times destroyed, it has, phoenix-like, again arisen, still re- gaining, amidst many changes, its cruciform character, besides indelible traces of great age. It may be affirmed, that as the scene of the glorious Advent, and as the cradle of Christianity, this church is Ukely to remain a place of interest and pilgri- mage till the consummation of all things. Giving my guide the indispensable bakshish, I bid adieu to the scene of the Nativity. I can now return home with a glad and grateful heart ; for, though I should see nothing more, it were some- thing to have beheld, with my own eyes, the city of David, and to have bent my knee at the birth-place of Jesus Christ, my Lord. In walking through the streets of the town, searching for something to appease the cravings of appetite, for here there is neither inn nor hospice, I observe a weaver, the first who has crossed my path in the East. His loom and appliances are truly primitive, the web being fixed to some pegs driven 144 THE PLAINS OF BETHLEHEM. into the ground; the loom -weaver and web are all in the open air. A German, who has been connected with a missionary society, receives myself and companion into his house, where we obtain refreshment, and from him we glean a few details regarding the place. He informs us that there are two hundred workers in mother-of-pearl, and a similar number engaged in olive-wood work, manufacturing crosses, beads, and other ar- ticles worn by pilgrims, and used in the worship of the Greek and Latin Churches. We visit two of the largest factories, and are amazed at the immense quantity of these commodities pro- duced weekly, the demand for which must, indeed, be consi- derable. I made a few purchases at one-half the price which would have been asked in Jerusalem, and perhaps at two- thirds less than the same articles would fetch in Europe. Leaving Bethlehem towards the afternoon, the sun bathing the whole country in loveliness, all nature seeming joyous, the birds making the air vocal with melody, I was unable to refrain from joming the harmony of love and praise, and repeated the song of the angel, " For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord,"* Nay, looking over the plain and mountain slope, I could not help fancying that either might be the scene where the shepherds watched their flocks by night ; there, may have hung the star ; these rocks and hills may have heard the strains of the heavenly host praismg and saying, " Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men,"t God of sovereign grace, Thy ways are not our ways, nor are Thy thoughts our thoughts. In this humble village was Christ the Lord to be born ; not in Rome, with its classic history, emperors, and legions ; not in Greece, with its lore ; nor in Egj'pt, with its historic marvels ; but in this town of Jesse was the promised Messiah to make His advent ; the offspring, not of queens nor princes' daughters, nor of Sarah, nor of Eachel, nor of Ruth, but of a humble maiden, one elected in the counsels of eternity to be the Virgin mother of Him in whom all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. And such is still Thy purpose ; for Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent. " He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree, He hath filled * Luke ii. 11. t Luke ii. 14. THE POOLS OF SOLOMON. 145 the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty away."" Even so, Father, for thus it seemeth good in Thy sight ! Bethlehem and its environs are frequently mentioned in Holy Scrijiture. Goin^ down to Solomon's Pools, my mind dwells on the story of Ruth, who gleaned in the fields in which I am now walking, and which then belonged to Boaz her kinsman. I think of her devoted mother-in-law Naomi ; of David the Shepherd, who may in these plains have watched his flock and slain the lion and the bear ; for it was here that the prophet Samuel, directed by God, called out the sons of Jesse and made them pass before him in review, select- ing the one most unlikely, in the estimation of his father, and anointing him king over Israel. Arriving at the pools in the valley, a forty minutes' ride distant from Bethlehem, we find them to be three large cisterns or tanks, one over the other, partly cut out of the rock and partly built up. They are so arranged that the water may flow from the highest into the lowest, their lengths respectively being 380, 423, 580 feet, their breadth averaging from 150 to 250 feet, their depth 25, 39, 50, having chambers like the London sewage out- fall at Barking, in order that the overflow may be led by conduits to the Holy City. That these cisterns are ancient must be granted. I can almost fancy this site is the scene of Solomon's Song ; here may have been the gardens, observatory-tower, and latticed windows, and these may have been the hills upon which " the beloved one came leaping like a young roe on the mountains." t A short distance eastwards is a large grotto, or subterranean cave, partly hewn from the rock, of Avhich massive columns have been left to support the roof ; this is supposed to be the Cave of AduUam, in which ])avid and his men hid themselves. J The cavern has for centuries borne this traditional name, still I should not like to stcike my reputation on its being entitled to the honour.. An hour and a halfs easy walking brings us back to the Holy City. * Luke i. 52, 53. + Cantica ii. 7. : 1 Sam. xxii. 1, 2. CHAPTER XIX. MODERN JERUSALEM. Saturday, 16th April. — After breakfast, Mr Maury and I proceed to liire horses for our journey to Damascus, in which we are aided by Mr Bergheim. Just outside the Jaffa gate, where the horse-market is situated, we find plenty of dealers willing to strUvC a bargain, but many of the cattle shown woidd not have carried us three days on our way. After a deal of haggling over the price, which ranges from 60 to 100 piastres per day each horse, we select two for ourselves, and a mule for our baggage ; a written contract is drawn up and signed by both parties,. expressly stating, that : we may visit any place, travel at any hour, and ride at any pace we choose; the hire to Damascus being £15, but if extended beyond sixteen days, five shillings pier diem to be paid for each animal ; the mule- teer to accompany us the entire journey. It was only this afternoon that I discovered the breaking open of my box already referred to, and I am confirmed in the belief that the delin- quent is one of the servants of the hospice, but having no proof in support of the charge, and no inclination to pro- secute, I mentioned my loss only to my banker. The population of Jerusalem, as I have said, is about 16,000, composed of different nationahties and creeds, chiefly Moslems and Jews, the latter being di\dded into two great sects — the first, the " Sephardim," are foreigners, natives of Spain, expelled from their country in the latter part of the fifteenth century, their language being a corrupt Spanish, the same as that used by the Jews of Constantinople and Smyrna. Though subjects of the Ottoman Porte, they are permitted to retain and exercise their own religious laws, and have here four synagogues. The KELIGIOUS SECTS. - 147 second division or sect, named "Askenazim," is of German and Polish, origin ; it is a later importation, and is still regarded as foreign ; they are as poor as their brethren of Saphed and Tiberias, yet their number augments yearly, and so does their poverty. They are not permitted to exercise their own laws, being subject to the control of the consuls of their respective countries. The Christian section of the population is more divided still, consisting of Greeks, Latins, Armenians, and Copts, with from eighty to ninety Protestants. It is a pleasure to me to be able to state, that the mission to the Jews, esta- blished some years ago in Jerusalem, is prospering, through the efforts of the late Bishop Alexander, and the present Bishop Gobat, together with his admirable staff of coadjutors, clergy, and catechists. The EngKsh church, connected with the mission, beautifully and appropriately situated on Mount Zion, is a handsome structure, and well attended. Last Sunday, two of my fellow-worshippers, occupying the pew with me, were, as I could see by their Hebrew Bibles, Jewish converts. Whether it was Prussia or Great Britain that originated the idea of sending missionaries to Palestine for the conversion of the Jews, and constituting Jerusalem the centre of their opera- tions, I am not aware. Of this, however, I have no doubt, that the enterprise is both noble and Christian, and one which. God has blessed and wUl continue to bless. Though I were an opponent of foreign or even home missions, as too many of our people at home and even in Jerusalem are, yet as a measure of justice to the Jew, and to relieve myself of the great and ever-increasing debt we owe to this land, I could not do otherwise than advocate and help to repay it, by sending to Israel, and to the Holy City, that blessed gospel which was first preached in Jerusalem by Jesus, and thence carried to our own beloved land and to every corner of the habitable world. That there arc difficulties and ob- stacles to be encountered in carrying out missionary schemes in foreign lands, we know, and that those in the holy city are especially trying, owing to the opposition of the synagogue, the bigotry of the Greek and lloman churches, to which add Turkish fanaticism and intolerance, and what is most grievous of all — Christian indifference. Notwithstanding all these, the 148 MISSION TO THE JEWS. mission succeeds ; as old Galileo said of tlie earth, " it moves," The schools are well attended ; the results satisfactory and cheering. There is, moreover, besides the ordinary educational institutions, one of industry for girls, which being under ex- cellent superintendence, is probably destined to revolutionise .female slavery by lifting woman to her proper level as a wife and mother, thereby enhancing the comforts of houses and homes. The medical branch of the mission gains access to many a dwell- ing which otherwise would be shut against the missionary. The hospital wards are generally full, while the dispensary daily diffuses blessings to scores of poor people in the shape of medicine and advice. Bibles are sold at a cheap rate, one of which, bound in native olive wood, very creditably got up, I purchased. Tracts are distributed and visitations made among the population by the missionaries — in short, the whole esta- blishment is a success and a blessing, deserving the support of the Christian Church. It would be an error to affirm that there have been numerous conversions to the Christian faith ; but it is only justice to say that of late prejudice has given way to calm inquiry ; the doctrines of the New Testa- ment are beginning to be known and appreciated.- The Jew is no longer restrained by law or under pains or penal- ties, for either attending a Protestant Church or becoming a convert to Christianity. Under these circumstances, I can- not but wish the institution God speed. Frequently has my attention been directed to the poor lepers who are daily seated between the Pool of Bethesda and St Stephen's gate, or in the narrow passage leading from the Armenian convent to the tomb of David. Their ap- pearance is truly repulsive ; their faces are blotched, swollen, and of a mahogany colour ; their hands and legs contracted and mutilated, all being more or less destitute of fingers, and some without toes, their voices husky and inarticulate. Surely they are now as much objects of pity and charity as when our Lord compassionated them in the days of His flesh ; the number in and connected with the city is about twenty-two. A few of them have a small pittance from re- latives, others receive a trifle from pious families ; whilst all invoke relief and claim sympathy from casual passengers, by LEPERS. 1-iO an incessant whine or moan which they make when they first hear the footfall of the passer-by, and continue till the sound has died away. So far as can be judged from appearance, these unfortunates are unable either to walk or stand. I have not observed any of this afllicted class at the other gates or within the city itself ; this may be owing to some municipal regula- tion, confining them solely to the two places above mentioned. There are neither hospitals, infirmaries, nor places of refuge in S;yTia, for the diseased, the destitute, or the deformed, as in Christian Britain, except the dispensary and small hos- pital in connexion with the Jewish mission ; hence a necessity that some permanent provision be made especially for lepers, either by religious societies or by the government, similar to that founded by good king Robert of Scotland, who in an early and barbarous age, and in a poor country, mortified, as it was called, lands and hereditaments near Prestwick in Ayr- shire for asylums to support a similar class of incurables. No disease with which the human family is afflicted is more dreadful or loathsome than that so often spoken of in Scrip- ture under the term leprosy.'" Generally, it is said, making its first ap})earance as a small spot or pimple, it assumes a pustu- lar form, and then spreads over the body ; in the last stage affecting the eyes, nose, and face, and finally the joints. The virulence of the disease depends much on its type, for there are no less than three shades of maladies which come under the category, each distinguished by the term blue, white, or black. AVithout going into detail, here out of place, it may be re- marked that leprosy is a disease which may linger in the system for years, and that those would be years of misery ; the bones, marrow, and sinews are alike pervaded ; and as the afi'ection progresses, life only dwells in the midst of desolation. The wretched victim is thus doomed to see and feel himself dying inch by inch, aware that no human skill nor earthly power can arrest the fatal enemy. Among other strange sights that greet a traveller in the East, the amazing number of dogs, seemingly without owners or homes, living in the ruts of the badly paved streets, will arrest his attention. Jerusalem is not a whit behind Cairo or Danuiscus in the multitude, ferocity, and howling of * Lev. xiii. 150 DOGS AT NIGHT. lier canine population. Citizens as well as strangers dread crossing a street between sunset and sunrise without being armed or attended. From dark arches, waste grounds, holes and corners, issue troops of hungry, yelling hounds. I have frequently been obliged to turn and seek friendly shelter from their attacks, and have often asked why they are per- mitted to increase, and why the nuisance is not abated, but have hitherto received no satisfactory reply. The Turk seems to look lapon dogs as an institution as sacred as many other abuses connected with this anomalous country. The brutes — if dog fanciers and old ladies, who pet poodles, will allow me to call them by that name — are complete outcasts, no one seeming to care whether they are fed, used, or abused ; yet they must live. It is hunger, no doubt, the inexorable tyrant, that drives them nightly out of their lairs in search of their necessary food. When darkness covers the land, the city's din hushed, and the streets deserted, then they begin their saturnalia, prowHng about, eating any sort of garbage or offal that falls in their way. I am informed that each clog or canine family keeps to the locality, street, or archway, where, after the first nine days' blindness, he saw the light, nor will he or they permit others to poach with impunity upon his hereditary pre- serves or infringe his domain. I have heard of clog Latin, this may be termed dog law, and it is probably some violation of doggal statutes that causes the howling now breaking the stillness of the night, which, beginning in a series of sharp barks in different octaves, rises into a prolonged yell alto and contralto, finally dying away into a melancholy whine, disturb- ing not only my rest, but that of every inmate of the hotel not inured to canine serenades. To sounds and scenes such as these David alludes in the Book of Psalms, as having been as common in his day as in this day.* The general idea entertained of Jerusalem is, that it stands perched high upon a mountain, and is seen a conspicuous and beautiful object from a great distance. This is entirely a mistake, arising probably from some poetic text of Scripture, such as the following : — " And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills ; * Ps. lix. G. HEIGHTS ROUND THE CITY. 151 and all nations shall flow into it. And many people sliall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob." * Or the idea may have arisen from the graphic description given by the psalmist, when, speaking of the believer's confidence in God, he says : — " They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about His people from henceforth even for ever." Jerusalem, it is true, stands high upon a mountain, or, as we have already said, rather upon two or three ridges of mountains, 2200 feet above the level of the sea ; but, from the peculiar arrangement of sur- rounding hills, the city is not seen from a distance, being hidden on three sides. On the east. Mount Olivet rises to the height of 2400 feet, thereby not only effectually screenmg, but apparently over- hanging the city. It is only when the mountain is crested and a point reached, near a bend or turn of the height where our Lord is supposed to have stood, when " He wept over Jerusalem," that the city becomes visible. On entering from the south via Jaffa, one is almost close to the city, ere its yellow-coloured walls, embattled towers, and dome-shaped houses appear. On the same side, coming from Bethlehem, stands the Hill of Evil Counsel, only separated from the city wall by the valley of Gihon, which, so to speak, conceals the city from view. Again, on the northern side, the hill Scopus — upon which Titus is supposed to have erected his warlike engines — rises higher than the plateau on which Jeru- salem stands. A few miles farther in the same direction Neby Samuel towers to a height of 2G50 feet. These heights not only command, but in a great measure conceal, the city. When the situation of Jerusalem is considered strategically, or from a military point of view, there can only be one opinion as to its utter defencelessness. It lies completely exposed, more especially from Scopus and Olivet. Even from behind any of these hills an enemy, himself secure, might shell it, and, to use a transatlantic expression, more significant tlian euphonic, knock mosques, minarets and synagogues, " into a cocked hat." God forbid that this should ever again be her doom ; still she * Isa. ii. 2, 3; Micali iv. 1, 2 ; Ps. cxxv. 1, 2. 152 A VIEW FROM OLIVET. sits upon a mountain, the everlasting hills, as of old, stand- ing like sentinels for her protection. The God of Jacob is no longer her defence, He having mthdrawn in His displeasure the ajgis of His presence ; but that, we trust, is only for a brief period. Jerusalem shall yet, we hope, be restored, her ruined places rebuilt, her sanctuary re-erected, and the Gospel of the crucified but now exalted Jesus be preached in her temples ; and salvation, like a river, run down her streets : even so, come, Lord Jesus ! Sunday, 17 th. — Eising this morning betimes, after indoor Sabbath preparation, I sally out to walk once more round the Holy City, before leaving it perhaps for ever. The streets are silent, being at this early hour nearly deserted, except in the vicinity of the native bazaar, where the stillness of the clear morning air is broken by the hum of Arab voices, hag- gling over some petty bargain of rice or charcoal. Wending my way and passing out by the Jaffa gate, and turning sharply to the left, proceeding down the steep decline of the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, past the Pools of Gihon, I enter the gorge of Kephaim, of old called the Valley of the Giants, forming the ancient boundary of Benjamin. Skirting the mountain, on whose slope is Aceldama, or the Field of Blood, I am in the solitude of Enrogel, and stand on the ground where Moloch threw out his huge arms and received the devoted offspring of Israel, whom their parents cruelly made to pass through the fire, in order to propitiate the wrath of the sanguinary Heathen deity. The whole valley of the Kedron is bathed in glorious sun- shine, the " King's Garden in the dale"* smiles in luxuriance, and Siloam's waters run slowly and clear as crystal. The entire Vale of Jehoshaphat, from Ain-Youb to Gethsemane, is filled with radiance, and as the morning advances, with song. Wild flowers, daisies, poppies, and asters begem the slopes of Olivet; the dews of the past night shine and sparkle like showers of diamonds on every sprig and blade of grass. The yellow-coloured limestone walls of the city, high above me on the left, shine out, reflecting the sun's rays with un- wonted brilliancy — even the flat tombstones, which mark the ultima domus of thousands of Jewish pilgiim-fathers, * Gen. xiv. 17; 2 Sam. xviii. 18. PANORAMA OF THE CITY. 153 glisten in the sun as if they partook of the joy and calm of this lovely Sabbath morning. Musing, meditating, and en- joying heartfelt thanksgiving, I thus for the last time thread the tortuous stony pathway on the margin of the " brook Kedron." Standing on the declivity of Olivet, opposite the Golden Gateway, the city lies before me basking in quiet sunshine and beauty, the words of the Psalmist rush vividly into my memory — " Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together ; walk about Zion, and go round about her ; tell the towers thereof, mark well her bulwarks, consider her palaces, that ye may tell it to the generation following."* Again — " They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, Avhich cannot be moved, but abideth for ever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so is the Lord round about his people, from henceforth, even for ever." " Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces." t Under my eye, revealed by the clear atmosphere, is the site of Solomon's temple, 6nce " the joy of the whole earth," now the seat of the false prophet, not for ever, we trust, desecrated and pro- faned: but "how long, O Lord?" On the right, projecting upwards like towers, are the domes of Calvary and the Holy Sepulchre, the minarets of the various mosques, the gardens and pleasui'e-grounds of El-Aska and Omar. The Via Dolorosa can be easily traced, the Jewish synagogues, British and French consulates, the Armenian and Greek convents in and arovuid the city. The Turkish guards, in uniform, and their glittering armour, divert the eye from the dilapidation of the gateway of St Stephen, while white- robed widows and orphans flitting among the tombstones of the Moslem cemetery give variety to the scene, breaking the view up into parts of sadness and hope, forming a picture to be seen, but not described. Who would not feel devout in Jerusalem, especially on such a spot as this, stand- ing on sacred ground among Bible scenes, surrounded by holy places, tlic mind filled with pious memories l Descending and crossing the old Boman bridge, slowly winding up the incline, down whicli Jesus on his way to Gethsemane and Bethany must often have trodden, I reach the rocks where Stephen is supposed to have been stoned, and ♦ Ps. xlviii. 12, 13. f Ps. cxxii. 7. 154 SPUEGEON VERSUS PREJUDICE. where this morning there are a few women — always first in every pious work — kneeling, praying, and kissing the rugged limestone. Entering the city by the old battered gateway, where a beardless youth, yclepted a soldier, paces his Aveary rounds, I pick my steps through the muck and mire that disgrace Jerusalem, traversing a narrow lane, among dilapi- dated houses and Avails, passing the lepers, who are, as usual, croaking ; I fling them a coin, and enter the Via Dolorosa. Hastening along, glad to escape from the smells, I enter the Holy Sepulchre, to pay my vows this morning at the supposed tomb of Him who once slept in death, but " whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be holden of it." * At 11 A.M., I attend the EngUsTi church on Mount Zion, where I hear Bishop Gobat preach from 1 John ii, 28. We have three arrivals at the hospice to-day — Dr Phillips from Jaffa, his sister-in-law — an Edinburgh lady — and his family. Who would suppose that so far from London, London pre- judice should be found? Yet it is so. In Jerusalem, Avhere Christians are few in number, the old spirit, so rife during the days of our Lord, and supposed to have been either confined to that age, or to have died out with the Pharisees, is still as vigorous and as intolerant as ever. I have been defending, this afternoon, from a scurrilous attack, one of our most popular London ministers, in which I am ably supported by my medical friend from Jaffa. It is strange that in Egypt, and now in Palestine, this great, and, I believe, good man, should be so opposed, if not hated. Let Mr Spurgeon beware of the Holy City, for old prejudice, and her daughter Persecution, chief priests, elders, and scribes — are still extant, and as inveterate as ever ; and a prophet may still have his character, albeit not his body, crucified as of old in Jerusalem. The question often arises : What can be the cause of this rancour 1 Is it jealousy of the man's suc- cess 1 This ought to be a subject-matter for joy, that the gospel is not only preached, but God is glorifying it. Can it be on account of his talents 1 These are honourably em- ployed in God's service ; therefore should excite in the Christian, gratitude for God's bestowing such gifts on man. * Acts ii. 24. CHAPTER XX. STREET VIEWS. Monday, 18(h. — Having an Lour to spare tins forenoon, I shall make a few pen-and-ink sketches of the streets of the Holy City as they appear in 18G4. Let us take for the first our stand near the Jaffli gate, among the donkeys, camels, and their drivers, our back to the citadel — a large castle-like building composed of square stones and surrounded with a fosse — looking eastward on the left is the entrance or opening to Mount Zion, the passage of which is choked up with charcoal-sellers and their merchandise ; this passage also leads to the Bible Society's depot, the Turkish guard- house, and the tomb of David. Down, as the Irishman says, " right fornenst you," runs a steep narrow street, paved with land boulders, having a gutter in the middle. The houses are of one or two stories in height, dingy and dilapidated, Avindows unglazed, the doors unaccpiainted with paint or the carpen- ter's plane, the dwellings sometimes entered by broken steps, others by descent or clambering ; stalls on both sides of the way displaying old iron, crockery, oranges, are covered over with sacking, matting, or reeds, and crowded with half-clothed Arabs jostling each other ; a sea of turbans, fezes, blue gowns, and abbahs, together with a Frank traveller, fresh coloured in a European dress, for whom all make way, fill up the jjicture. Our second sketch may be taken from the south corner of Christian Street, at the broken stairs leading up a gutter to the den called the post-ofiice. Cast your eyes down that nar- row lane, crowded with vociferous men, old and young un- washed women, hundreds of begrimed, boilcd-lobster-coloured children, buying, selling, or carrying burdens ; stalls also, ou 156 CHRISTIAN STREET. both sides of the street, almost meeting, leave scarcely a pas- sage for a laden camel ; when two meet, one must wait at an intersection or cross passage till the other passes. The wares exposed are dried figs, nuts, bread, and pickled eels, hair-cloth sacks filled with barley, and wheat lying in bulk ; while occa- sionally, upon a wall, hangs a carcase or two of scraggy mutton, which is weighed, like other wares, by means of a steelyard, beam and scales, except for weighing gold and silver, being unknown in the East ; the gutter, where visible, choked up with decaying vegetables ; large sections of the street arched, light being just visible. This will give an idea of the thoroughfare leading to the Jewish quarter, and known as the native bazaar. Let us take our third view from the north end of Christian Street, Avhere four ways intersect each other. Looking south- ward, peering through the dark tunnel under the convent, the only thing visible beyond the arches — where light squeez- ing itself through small square apertures at intermediate dis- tances — are two interminable lines of stalls similar to those already mentioned, at some of which olives, vegetables, trumpery toys, and nick-nacks are displayed ; while in the vista, money-brokers, shoemakers busy at work, saddlers and tinsmiths, are seen plying their vocation, there are also a few haberdashers' shops, one or two of which belong to Europeans ; the usual crowds of a thoroughfare, half-a-dozen saddled horses standing at the narrow slit or door of Hauser's hotel, numbers of bead and cross sellers thronging the doorway on the left that leads to the holy sepulchre. This is view the third of the principal street in the Christian quarter. From the same stand-point direct your eyes eastward down that narrow lane of some twelve or fourteen feet in width, composed of dark, dingy houses, broken steps, a gutter running through it, reeking with filth ; blank walls, carpenters' shops, and olive-wood workers, spanned by a series of dark tunnels and single arches at intervals ; — tliis wUl convey an idea of a street which has given birth to half the religious paintings in Italy — the well-known thoroughfare Via Dolorosa. Let any one think the matter twice over ere he make the attempt to descend to the gate of St Stephen, along this part, on a wet day. BACK SLUMS. 157 From the same point let us direct our view to the north. That alley before you is the main street leading to the Damascus gate, and which, though not so narrow, -is filthier than the last named. In it there are few or no stalls ; the houses seem as if they had been scathed with fire or half burned, and again re-inhabited with little or no repair ; the place appearing as if it had been shelled by a beleaguering army, battered to ruins, patched up a little, and possession again taken. Frowsy women, scowling-looking men, children and dogs, lounge about in the shade. Let us take our position at the large quaint gateway, near that apology for a but- cher's shop, where a piece of mutton has been hanging for the last three days. Look around and confess if ever you wit- nessed such a scene of dilapidation, ruin, and dirt, or ever experienced such sickening smells, within so small a com- pass, as those which here assail your nostrils. Going back to our stand-point, let us take another view. Look- ing this time westward, follow with the eyes the windings of that broken path or stair — it leads to a terra incognita rarely visited by travellers. I went, one day, only a short distance beyond the top of the step.s, and lost my way amongst yards, iDlind courts, and broken walls. The place is apparently as densely peopled as Rosemary Lane, to which in some respects it bears a close resemblance. I had penetrated this colony it would seem too far ; the boys took U}) stones, and the women lifted their voices, so that I was obliged to decamp in a way, I must confess, somewhat undignified for a man of my years, physique, and " cloth." Nor would I advise any solitary visitor to ex- plore the same locality without a guide, or armed at least with a staff in one hand, and a bottle of eau de cologne in the other. What a harvest a painter or a photographer might reap, could either pursue his avocation here iinmolested ! Every house would be a .study, every entrance worth a Jew's eye to an artist, whilst the picturesque costume of the i)cople would be invaluable to the brethren of the " IJIack Art." The next view we shall take from Zion gate, at a large space near the precincts of the temple, and therefore styled holy ground. What a})pearance does it present 'i In answer I cannot use a better terra to designate it than, a dung depot. It may not be known as such, or wittingly used for this pur- 158 AN EASTERN HOTEL. pose, still assuredly it is nothing else. Scattered about are thistles, weeds, prickly pears, broken walls, and heaps of rubbish. The structures I imagined to be stables for don- keys, until making an investigation I discovered them to be human dwellings falling to pieces, the roofs neither wind nor water tight, the courts unflagged, the floors broken into holes, the house, except from dilapidation, imperfectly ven- tilated. The light of day or the glare of the sun scarcely ever penetrates these habitations ; whilst, as far as one can judge, water is as scarce as the drainage is bad. The inhabitants of the hovels here, as well as those in the terra incognita, may be the poorest in the city, and rents may be high — we grant all this — but tidiness and domestic order do not altogether de- pend upon these, but rather upon proper training and method. Where these are, dirt and disorder soon disappear, and order and cleanliness take their place. Our last glance of the city will be more of a description than a sketch. Near the middle of a narrow lane, ill-paved with round polished stones, encumbered with flaunting stalls, is a small doorway up three undressed limestone steps ; this is the entrance to the " Mediterranean," the principal, though not the only hotel in the Holy City. No flaring signboard swinging with melancholy creak, proclaims to the passer-by the " George," or the " Cow and Gaiters ;" there is no well- matted lobby and porter's box, parlour and open bar. The interior is not graced with mirrors and gilding, neither has it a major domo and well-dressed waiters as in London or Paris, either to welcome or " to take you in." Enter the doorway, pass up the narrow staircase, with its simple iron rail, you will find it encumbered with travellers' tents, rugs, poles, and heavy trunks. Taking two sharp turnings to the left a landing is reached ; upon this level are the cooking, scullery, bead and cross-selling departments. Here our host, ]\t. Hausser, dressed d, la Uuropeenne, but wearing a fez, will, though a German, give you in English a hearty welcome. Another short flight of steps and the salle a manger, a not over luxuriously furnished apartment, is entered ; it is a long, low, room, garnished with wooden benches, having two win- dows, the one overlooking the anything but fragrant pool of Hezekiah ; the other embracing a view of the waste ground MINE INN. 159 upon whicli formerly stood the palace of tlie Knights of Jeru- salem, with Mounts Moriah and Olivet in the distance. The next floor is reached by a trap ladder, conveying the guest to the roof of the hotel, which forms the promenade, lounging, and smoking place of the establishment. It is neatly flagged, and just convex enough to permit the rain to run off. From this a \iew is obtained not only of the city, but, through a, gap, between Olivet and the hill of Evil Counsel, of the mountains of Moab, as also of Mizpeh towering in the north, a coup-cTml but little inferior to that obtained from Olivet itself, with the additional advantage of the ever-shifting kaleidoscopic crowds passing beneath in the street, where the jargon tongues of many nations remind one of Babel. Crossing the roof and climbing a ladder, a doorway is reached, and a part of the house entered, which, in Bethnal Green, Avould be appropriated to pigeons. Yet there is still a higher roof which few attempt to reach ; from this last I took the photograph of the Holy Sepulchre, inserted in a preced- ing page. Descending from the first roof by a wide-stepped broken ladder, a corridor is reached, on each side of which are bed-rooms ; their number or position I could never accurately ascertain. I have heard sounds issuing from corners, distances, and localities, wliich would be as diflicult to discover or thread as the mazes of Crete ; I have also seen lights flickering far on in the night, in the most out-of-the-way places ; such a jumble of stairs, ladders, roofs, clambering, ascending, and descending, are enough to bewilder a chimney-sweep, nor would it be matter of astonishment were one to lose one's way, or even fall from the roofs, some of which are only six feet by four, and be found drowned in the stagnant pool of the prophet next morning. In the East there is only one tariff for the whole hotel, Avhich, in this establishment, is 12s. per diem, no matter the position of the bed-room, whether actually on the roof, immedi- ately under, or on the first landing. My chamber has a stone floor, a clean bed, with mosquito curtains, which, however, failed to protect me from the ravages of the insect ; a small win- dow looking into the pool ; two cupboards, which I have often Avished to take to England, could they have been removed, to show how it is possible for a carpenter to contrive and 160 THE BEDROOM. make presses that will neither contain nor protect anything. A jjlain deal board in its native roughness, supported by two iron holdfasts driven into the wall, decorates one side of the apart- ment ; two chairs, one of which I dare not use, fill up another. These, with a small wash-hand stand, form the entire furniture of the chamber. The door has a lock that, if ever intended for a fastening, has never fulfilled its mission ; there is a latch, too, but from time immemorial it has lacked the appara- tus for lifting it ; this difficulty, however, I got over by forcing up the catch with my penknife from the outside. The hinges, lock, and key, are all curiosities of their kind, and to an anti- quarian would be worth their weight in silver. Water is not particularly abundant — two small jugs only being allowed each day ; the closets situated at one end of the corridor are simply abominable. Yet, in justice to the landlord, let me add, he is obliging, his charges reasonable, always ready to aid his guests, either to act as interpreter, or to give them his advice as to routes, and assist in hiring guides. The cuisine is creditable to the artist, the table loaded daily with substantial and deli- cate fare, the desserts composed of rich fruits, or of preserves and confections from England. The house is shut up at ten every night. I saw no drinking, except wine at dinner, and a glass or two of Bass or AUsopp's pale ale, the latter at 2s. per bottle. These sketches may be regarded as faithful photographs of the streets of the holy city. There are, it is true, in Jerusalem, many respectable, nay, handsome mansions, in- habited by consular agents and other foreigners ; which, al- though rather i\Ioorish or Turkish externally, are nevertheless comfortable, if not sumptuous internally, having, very generally, large gardens attached ; besides these, there are the dwell- ings of the city officials and magnates of the garrison, whUst merchants and rich Jews have houses not inferior to those of people of the same rank and wealtli in England. But a truce to description. In these days of natural history investigation, geographical research, and antiquarian inquiry, Jerusalem cannot remain long unexplored. Bagdad has had its Rawlinson. Nineveh has had its Layard, who has reaped a rich harvest from his enterprising excavations, and the archaeological world has been materially benefited by his NECESSITY FOE EXPLORATION. 161 labours. Carthage, too, has found in my friend, Mr N. Davis — late missionary of the Church of Scotland — a gentleman Avho has worthily followed in the wake of the learned under- secretary. Whatever may have been the importance of Nine- veh, or that of Rome's rival, neither the one nor the other have half the interest of Jerusalem in historic, antic[uarian, and, above all, in a religious point of view. Palestine has been styled a land of ruins, to which may be added the w^ords of the psalmist : " Jerusalem is a city of heaps;"* every village, hamlet, and hill top, every dell and valley may be said to contain the dtbris of ancient habit- ations or temples. The traveller is continually meeting with ruins cropping out, stumbling upon fragments of antique masonry in every direction. It is a storehouse par excellence, nay, a veritable museum. " The soil on which the city stands," as a late traveller says, " is composed of ruins of houses, aqueducts, and pillars, reaching to a depth of thirty or forty feet below the foundations of the existing houses, not only imparting to the city its remarkable form and colour, but also telling the story of its eventful career. The old Jeru- salem is buried in the overthrow of her seventeen cajjtures." Were the learned societies of Britain, France, and America to depute to Palestine, first, surveyors, to draw out a thorough and exact map of the country, determine its boundaries and landmarks, the sites of ancient cities, altitude of its moun- tains, and the geological strata of its hills. Armed with these data, again to send out a band of excavators, under learned and active superintendence, one section to explore Samaria, another to Shechem, but the chief of the staff, and their greatest number, to Jerusalem, (I am of course sup- posing a firman to this effect will bo obtained from the Sul- tan.) Let the Holy City be excavated, digging deep down to her ancient foundations some fifty feet, both within and without the walls, from Enrogel to the tombs of the kings, and from the Valley of Jehoshaphat to the new Greek convent, above the Jaffa gate. It is impossible to tell, or even to guess, the treasures that might be discovered, the light that might be thrown upon many disputed points, — the site, boundaries, form of the temple, the sepulchre. Calvary, the walls, and pools, * Psalm Ixxlx. L 162 PROBLEMS FOR SOLUTION". not to speak of arts long forgotten, works of architecture, and cognate sciences, tliat have for ages before Christ been hidden deep under the past and present Jerusalem, — that Jerusalem "which has been reared and razed. The more I examine the subject, the more am I convinced that the problem of Calvary and the site of the sepulchre will never be satisfactorily solved by a mere surface examina- tion, or by theories, however plausible. The solution natu- rally resolves itself, and "will ultimately hinge upon the position and boundaries of the ancient walls of the city. The exact line of these, if once ascertained, would deter- mine whether they included or shut out the existing Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This, at least, would decide the great question, whether the latter stands on the place Helena, covered over with a basilica, as also whether the existing basilica covers the true tomb, or whether the site now recognised rests alto- gether on monkish tradition ; these points, I believe, excavation under the ruins can alone clear up. Subsequent research and information has considerably modified my first im- pressions on this subject, though still undecided, owing to the conflicting opinions advanced by various authorities. One class of authors and travellers — shrewd, scientific men, who substantiate their views with an array of facts, draw- ings, and diagrams, such as Ferguson and Sandys — assert that the cave under the Mosque of Omar is the true sepulchre ; another class, equally eminent in acquirements and information, such as Williams, Nugent, and others, back their arguments by a like array of historic citations and data, contending with equal confidence that the marble-cased chambers on the level of the floor of the church of the present Holy Sepulchre is the identical spot where the Re- deemer lay. Where doctors differ, who can reconcile them or their opinions, sometimes, as in this instance, wide as the poles asunder ? — or, if not so far apart as the poles, the places referred to are, at least, located on different hills, the deep Tyropseon Valley once yawned between them. Without enter- ing into disputes about sites, with which I have little at jDresent to do, I may remark, with regard to the first theory, that it is highly improbable that a garden such as that possessed by Joseph of Arimathea would be permitted to occupy a place CONFLICTING OPINIONS. 163 •within a hundred feet of the then existing temple, much less a place for sepulture. That an idea may be formed of the opposing views held by- eminent writers, as regards the sites of the holy places, take, for instance, first that of Tischendorff, who places Acra on the north side of the temple. Dr Clark boldly transfers Mount Zion, en- cumbered with the tomb of David, and the coenacidum across the valley of the Gihon, and sets it down in the place of the Hill of Evil Counsel; yet both of these writers, it is said, visited Jerusalem. Dean Stanley, whose work is above all praise, seems more than half inclined to the belief that Mount Geri- zim, near Shechem, is the true Mount Moriah, where Abraham offered up Isaac. Ferguson not only believes, but almost proves that Calvary was near the cave already mentioned, Golgotha only a section of Mount Moriah. He also attempts to demon- strate that the narrow boundary of the ancient city walls could not contain a population of more than from forty to fifty-five thousand. Josephus and Porter, whose calculations I am in- clined to follow, speak of a population eight or ten times greater. Once, then, and for all, to reconcile and harmonise these contradictions, let there be a thorough survey and ex- cavation, which would, at the same time, solve two or three questions that are constantly occurring as regards the holy places. Where did the Tyropseon begin 1 How far did it stretch, and where did it terminate ? On which spot did Fort Antonia stand ? Where was the Acra of Josephus, the tower of Hippicus ? Are the pools Bethesda and Hezekiah mere Koman cisterns 1 Are they parts of a fosse, or are they as ancient as the names they bear? We have sent Bibles and missionaries to every quarter of the habitable world, navigators to every sea, scientific expedi- tions to America, the Pacific, and tlie North Pole, for the pur- pose of augmenting our geogra[)hical and ethnological know- ledge ; whilst the cradle of nations remains unexplored. Africa may boast of a Park, Baikie, and Livingstone ; out- lying Abyssinia had its Bruce ; tlie Nile and its margin of ruined cities has had their Speke, Grant, and annual visitors, who fill volumes with descriptions of its banks from Rosetta to Lake Victoria Nyanza — drawings and sketches of its palaces and temples being in every schoolboy's satchel. On 164 UNDEEGEOUND TREASURES. the other hand the sacred Jordan, fraught to Christian Britain with deeper interest, fringed with the ruined cities of Admah, Jericho, Capernaum, Tiberias, Dan, and Caesarea-Philippi, is only known by name. Why, it may be asked, should every lake and bay from Behring's Strait to the Baltic be sounded and laid down in charts and scientific reports ; whilst, with the exception of the unfortunate Castello's brief narrative, the exaggerated brochure of De Saulcy, and the accurate but brief description of Dr Robinson, we have little or no infor- mation relative to the w^aters and shores of the Dead Sea, which up to this day remain in a great measure a mystery?* The flora of Palestine is a sealed book ; her geological for- mation undisclosed, caves, grottoes, and valleys indubitably possessing palseontological riches, which, if explored, would increase our zoological knowledge, extend the collection of Professor Owen and enrich that of the British Museum. At every turn of the foot there are fragments over which Ruskin would luxuriate, and from which he might elicit an eighth lamp or some missing link between ancient and modern architecture. It is said there is a hiatus between the Assyrian and Grecian idolatrical systems which here might be discovered and supplied. Though deeply interest- ing, both in a polemical and ethnological point of view", Pales- tine is less known than many portions of Central Africa and America. Will no Lyell or Murchison visit the mountains of Judea in behalf of geological science? *The geologist could scarcely find a richer field for his researches than Syria. There are in the mountain ranges of Lebanon, Hermon, and Carmel, treasures that would enhance physical .science ; whilst in the same localities there are iron, coal, and precious metals, enough to satisfy the cupidity of the most covetous of specu- lators, a mine of mineral wealth only awaiting skill and capital for its development, to furnish labour and reward for an indus- trial population. Will no Audibon or Wilson make us ac- quainted with the ornithology of Palestine 1 No Liimjeus or Loudon with its botany 1 * A scientific expedition under the direction of Captain Wilson has, however, just been made to the Dead Sea, chiefly to determine its level, which has been ascertained to stand 1312 feet under that of the Mediterranean, thus coufirming my own statement. (See page 112.) SURVEYS AND SEARCH. 165 In a word, why do our antiquarian savans and the associa- tions connected with the sciences, not send out a deputation of their number to excavate and bring to light the wonders that undoubtedly lie concealed under the ruins of Jerusalem, Jericho, and Damascus ?'"' It cannot be disputed that below the level of these, the most ancient cities in the world, there are remains of temples and palaces that may date from the deluge. The means of penetrating into the interior of the country are con- tinually increasing, its inmost recesses are daily becoming more accessible ; the facts above stated and the facilities now af- forded should suffice to induce our scientific, nay, our mission- ary or religious societies, to turn this unwrought mine to prac- tical account. Let us hope that a time is not far distant when the search will be taken up by Great Britain. France is already in the field, and as soon as afi'airs in America assume their normal condition, auguring from the result of the past thirty years, new deputations will be sent from her shores to maintain the palm that her Stephenses and Robinsons may now boast of holding. It would be matter of regret if Great Britain, hitherto first in scientific and missionary enterprise, were to be outstripped in the laudable struggle for pre-emi- nence in the exploration of the Holy Land — a land we may almost call our own. But these questions of explorations after all only affect archaeologists, men of science and history j their disputes and discoveries regarding sites and places do not affect — thank God ! — the basis of our faith, which is the word of the living God, "that word of our God which shall stand for ever."t The evidences of the truth of our holy religion do not de- pend upon the past or present topography of Jerusalem, the population of Nazareth, or the position of Bethlehem; our faith and hope are neither founded nor derived from places, how- ever dear to our memory, deep in our affections, or redolent of scriptural association, but on the impregnable testimony of the evangelist, that " Jesus died once for our sins, and was raised again for our justification ;" " Yea though we * A committee of the learned societlea of London have, since the above was written, organised preliminaries for a survey and explora- tion of the Holy City. + Isaiah xl. 8. 166 CHRISTIANITY INDEPENDENT OF HOLY SITES, have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more."* A false or a heathen religion must have a material foundation to give it a standing, and requires to be hedged in and guarded by antiquity and auxiliary arts in order to command admiration ; the unbroken links of a priestly succession to counterfeit the stamp of heaven, the rags and beggarly elements of human skill, craft, and dis- play, to attract the senses and seize the homage of the unin- formed ; but the religion of the cross, the doctrines of faith, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the " powers of the world to come, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting" are inde2:)endent of, and therefore far above and beyond all such adventitious aids, being heavenly in their origin, spiritual in their growth, development, and final issue. Yea, though no earthly Jerusalem had ever existed, or though, after the crucifixion, the city had been altogether swept away, the salva- tion of the world through faith in a risen Saviour, the preach- ing of the gospel, and the end eternal life, would have been as full, as free, and as soul-satisfying as they are now, and would continue to be as effective, even though " Jerusalem remain in heaps," and the Holy Land an unexplained problem. As men, we may take an interest in science and scientific discoveries ; but as believers, " we have a more sure word of prophecy to which we do well to take heed."t * 2 Cor. V. 16. t 2 Pet. i. 19. CHAPTER XXI. LEAVING THE CITY. Bidding farewell to my many kind friends whose courtesy and attention have earned my warmest thanks, I commend them to God, that He may reward them with His mercy and have them in His holy keeping. Farewell to the streets I have so often trodden, Gethsemaiie I have so frequently visited, the Holy Sepulchre, Mount Zion, Olivet, and Kedron, where I have enjoyed so many sweet meditations and communions with God. Never likely again shall my eyes behold you — farewell ! The Rev. Mr Maury is my travelling companion ; mounting our horses at the stable near the Jaffa gate, we part with the Bergheims who had come to bid us good- bye, and start. Taking the great north road or path by the tombs of the kings, having crested Scopus we draw bridle, and turning round, take — as many a pilgrim has done from this eminence — a last lingering look at Jerusalem, of its em- battled walls, its mosques, minarets, and domes. My heart swells and tears begin to flow as I audibly repeat the words of the psalmist : — " If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning ; if I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth."' * Although I leave this city with inexpressible regret, yet I cannot help regarding it as a seat of blind superstition and rabid fanaticism — a place in which religion is a marketable commodity, and where idleness, and I may add from my own experience, dishonesty exists to some extent. In Jerusalem, more than in any other city, a man's faith is tested. Were not religion divine in its origin, and imperishable in its dunv- * Tsalin cxxxvii. 5, (3. 168 COUNTRY OF BENJAMIN. tion, the scenes of bigotry, superstition, and lying imposture liere enacted ^YOuld long since have destroyed Christianity; which, however, is neither a human, clerical, nor "a cunningly devised fable." As I turn my horse's head, the words of the prophet flash across my memory : — " How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people ! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, how is she be- come tributary! She dwelleth among the heathen .... the ways of Zion do mourn because none come to the solemn feast; all her gates are desolate; Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is become wandering, aU that honoured her despise her, all her beauty is departed, her filthiness is in her skirts."* We are now fairly in the open country, riding upon some- thing like a road in embryo that had never got beyond the first stage — that of being marked ofi" — since it consists merely of a number of paths, like sheep tracks on the Cheviots. My horse selects that which pleases himself, and, however tor- tuous it may be, follows it up, and it is only with the greatest difficulty he is induced to take another. Although but a short distance from the city, the country is already dreary and hilly — the eye ranges over long white slopes, irre- gularly shaped valleys, broken into fantastic chasms and ridges. At every rise of the road new views burst upon us, conical mounts, on which are perched modern villages, or ancient ruins, the names of which fall like music upon the ear, being interwoven with our earliest memories. My com- panion selected for his steed a mare, with her foal a month old trooping at her heels ; poor thing ! being new to the country, as well as unused to travel, it is therefore often left far behind. Our guide stops every now and then and makes the valleys ring again with the shout of " Tye, Tye," a name common in this part of the country, I fancy, signifying either a foal or a filly. Our path continues through glens and over gentle eleva- tions and rocky ledges. We meet a flock of goats, common to the country, having pendulous ears, long silky hair, chiefly black, marked with brown and white spots ; the udders of the females are astonishingly large, nearly reaching the ground, * Lament, i. 1-9. SYRIAN SHEEP. 169 and the quantity of milk yielded is proportionably great, be- sides being rich and very nourishing. The sheep are long legged, and thin, with enormous tails, if their caudal appendage may be called by the name, for it is really more like a flap covering the hind legs, from which the real tail is suspended. This extra " end piece," composed wholly of fat, may weigh from six to ten pounds, and is peculiar to vSyrian sheep. The shepherd does not drive his flock, as with us ; they follow him, illustrating that beautiful parable of our Lord, " He goeth be- fore them, and the sheep follow him : for they know his voice. And a stranger wUl they not follow, but will flee from him : for they know not the voice of strangers."* There must, from appearances, be stone quarries somewhere in the neighbour- hood, as we observe numbers of poor, hard-wrought donkeys laden with that material, each animal carrying four, six, or eight hewn slabs, proportioned to its size and ascertained strength, or perhaps according to the disposition or feeling of the driver ; the burden is generally slung with cords or placed in panniers across the creature's back. Upon our right, cresting a hill, a small village appears, which, our guide informs us, is called Anata, the ancient and often mentioned Anototh, a portion given to the Levites,t and the birtliplace of the dirge singer, Jeremiah, j whose sweet, though mournful, strains thrill our hearts with sympathy for the weejting poet over his desolate country, and love for the daughter of Zion. This is not oidy the hill country of Judea, but the land of poetry and song. We now reach Tuleil-el- Fiil, supposed to be the ancient capital " Gibeah." We spend a short time in examining this sj^ot, so celebrated in Old Testament history. No one would suppose that a few frag- ments of confused ruins, scattered amongst huts and small gardens, was the site of the royal city of Saul the first God- elected king of Israel. § Stirring scenes and events have occurred in early times upon this hill-top and adjacent dis- trict. In these now silent and sterile valleys, a strange event took place, illustrating still stranger customs and usages of that early period — first alluded to on the night be- fore Lot left Sodom, and next reappearing among the Ephraim- * John X. 4, 5. t Josh. xxi. 18. + Jer. i. 1. § 1 !Sam. x. 26, xi. 4. 170 GIBEAH AND GIBEON, ites ; the whole revolting drama and tragedy may be read in extenso in the 19th chapter of Judges; its consequences were the almost total annihilation of an entire tribe of Israel. The stones lying about may have formed a portion of the wall where the seven descendants of Saul met an untimely and cruel death, having been hung in revenge and in terrorem by the Amorites.* A more mournful event, though less cruel, is recorded in connexion with the last-mentioned circumstance, which happened on the spot where i now am. The narra- tive tells of a mother who for months watched the whiten- ing bones of her murdered sons, suffering neither birds nor beasts by night or day to rest upon them.t We saw no one either to question or molest us, though warned to be on our guard against the natives of these glades, who have earned for themselves a bad name — being accused of deeds of violence and plunder. A maiden at a fountain, and a nude child or two, with a few goats, were all the population we saw in the " Gibeah of Saul." Every height and hollow, mountain and ravine, is full of interest. This district, even prior to Shechem, was the battle-field of Israel when opposing the Canaanites, and in after-times was the debatable ground between them and the Philistines. Some one of these caves, with which the hills are perforated, may have been the place to which the five kings fled "and hid themselves at Makkedah." % Upon our right, on the summit of an eminence in the dis- tance, stands El-Jib, the ancient Gibeon, whence the Gibeon- ites, with mouldy bread and cracked leathern bottles, deceived Israel, whilst negotiating a league off"ensive and defensive with them ; but which resulted — as hypocrisy and treachery generally do — in detection. They were afterwards reduced, as a punishment, to be "hewers of wood and drawers of water." § A path to our left leads to Beth-Horon, not far from the last- mentioned city. We see in the distance Neby Samuel, tower- ing above the neighbouring heights, but lying too far off for us to embrace it within our tour. We pursue our journey on to- wards Er-Ram, and passing the ancient Ptamah ; || the views become commanding, the landscape mostly hill and valley; * 2 Sam. xxi. 6. t 2 Sam. xxi. 10. + Josh. x. 10. § Josh. ix. 23. II Josh, xviii, 25, xvi. 7. HOMES OF THE PATRIARCHS. 171 but uninteresting from lack of wood, water, and dwellings, these necessaiy adjuncts of a perfect picture. Our path, now runs through a vale or slight depression, an old cistern or two, and some hewn stones, indicating the site of an ancient city, prob- ably that of Ataroth, mentioned by Joshua. We do not, how- ever, dismount, but continuing our route, soon reach Bireth, the ancient "Beeroth"* of Scripture, the place, legends report, that Joseph and Mary first discovered that the child Jesus was not with the caravan ; from this spot they returned to the city, and found Him sitting in the temple " in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at His understanding and answers." t Adopting the right hand path — ^the left leading to Jafna — we traverse stony fields, with growing wheat and barley barely covering the ground. We are now between the ancient Ai and Bethel, on the great south and north thoroughfare, than which, there is no place more celebrated in Old Testa- ment history. It was here the patriarchs first pitched their tents, pastured their flocks, and dwelt for ages ere Jerusalem had a name, or Jebus a prince. Among these green knolls, Abraham and his nephew, both sheikhs, possessing herds and flocks, found the limits of the land too confined. Owing to this and the contentions of their herdsmen about wells, they amicably agreed to separate — the latter taking the well - Avatered plains of Sodom — the former proceeding farther south, and settling at Hebron. Pushing on, we leave these interesting rocky heights, where Israel contested many a well-fought field, ere accomplishing the subjugation of the Canaanite, who then dwelt in the land. Full of these mus- ings, just before evening closes, we enter Beitun, the ancient Bethel. There is certainly much to excite curiosity, whet research, and fix the attention of the Christian traveller in and around this locality. Though now a desert, in the days of the prophets, the kings, and the commonwealth of Israel, there must have been here a large and beautiful city. The ruins, whether Jewish, lioman, or of a later date, cover some acres in extent; but, like those at GUgal, are mere mounds scarcely rising above the surface. * Josh. ix. 17. t Luke ii. 46. 172 A NIGHT IN THE OPEN AIR. Dismounting in a small dell, at the side of an old cistern, where an Arab is watering cattle, possibly at the same stream to which Abraham, Jacob, and his sons four thousand years ago may have led their flocks, " drunk of the water them- selves, and gave thereof to their herds." We observe two tents pitched, one of which belongs to a Scottish gentleman from Lanarkshire, the other to a Frenchman. Singularly enough, neither of the parties are aware that they are en- camped on the ground on which Jacob slept and Bethel stood. Entering the one owned hy the Gaul, as the night was ad- vancing, I asked him whether he could give me shelter till morning under his canvas. He kindly replied in the affirmative, stipulating, however, for a consideration equivalent to eight francs, which I thought somewhat extravagant. At a short distance from the vale stands an old convent, synagogue, or castle, ruined and roofless. On examining the interior of this structure, I discover a cavity which seemed to have been occu- pied by goats. My companion and self fancying that it might be made available as a bedchamber, commence a work simi- lar to that of Hercules ; but, in the midst of our labours, ob- serve, peering through the darkness, two Arabs, armed with muskets, who seem to grin as if their prey had already been safely secured in their net. Alarmed, we stalk off instantly by the opposite side, and make our way to the encampment. All having retired to rest, the horses, munching their pro- vender, tethered by a rope tied to the fetlock, and attached to a peg driven into the ground, our mochera lies ensconced under his horse-rug, with his saddle for a pillow, breaking the silence of the night with discordant sounds from his nasal organ. Not feeling any inclination to sleep, being supperless, and the couch uninviting — as the night is calm, the moon shin- ing brilliantly, I leave my companion seated on his carpet- bag, and wander among the fields, meditating on the singular leadings of the Lord's hand, which has brought me thus far on my journey. Kneeling down, I pray, and like Jacob of old, " wrestle with God,'' nor do I rise or leave the spot until I can say. Surely " this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."* Kising refreshed, I * Gen. xxviii. 17. THE SCENE OF JACOB's VISION. 173 return to my friend, and stretching myself out on the grass, my box for a pillow, a rug my only covering, I Lie down and continue my meditations. The whole scene around me is inexpressibly rich in scrip- tural association. From an early period Bethel has appeared, to my mind, a place of deep interest, from its first mention as the city of Luz, the place of sojourn of Abraham, the scene of Jacob's vision, its importance as a sanctuary, and its final destruction. Its origin would seem to have been a trysting- place for the tribes. A huge oak or terebinth not only stood here, but formed a conspicuous and a striking object in the landscape. Under its shade public meetings were held, even w^hen the Canaanite dwelt in the land. Probably this was the tree and spot mentioned in Gen. xxxv. 8, " as the oak of weep- ing," under which Deborah, the nurse of Jacob, was buried, Avhich gave it an interest to the Israelites ; and on this account they may have built a city around it. To me it has a deeper still than from either or both of these causes. On this ground, near where I am stretched, Abraham, the father of the faithful, pitched his tent, " built an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord."" The interest still further deepens. After the lapse of many years, Bethel presents itself to our notice as the scene of events equally remarkable. Isaac now about to depart, charges his Son Jacob not to take a wife of the daughters of Canaan, but to go to Padan-Aram, to the house of Bethuel, his grandfather, and take a wife of the daughters of Laban. Obedient to the paternal command, he starts on his journey : " Going out from Beersheba, he went towards Haran, and lighted on a certain place, and tarried all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep, when he dreamed a dream, and behold a ladder, or steps of stones, set up on tlie earth, and the top of it readied lieaven ; and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it ; there and then was the promise made, with the God of heaven and the worm .hicob, and an altar erected ;"t that is to say, a pillar, the rudiments of that sanc- tuary whicli afterwards became so famous in Israel. Of the trees that gave Bethel its early importance, scarcely * Gen. xii. 8. t Gen. xxviii. 10-12. 174 BETHEL AS IT IS. a vestige now remains, for except a few shrubs, dwarf oaks, acacias, and prickly thorns, there is scarcely any kind of tree-life visible ; the crops, however, are magnificent, con- sidering the lightness of the soil, which barely covers the limestone rock. Stones are still as plentiful as they ap- pear to have been in the days of Jacob, — indeed, about twenty miniites' ride farther south, the road was quite a pavement of limestone flags, interspersed with large square and angular blocks from four to ten feet in size, causing us to diverge in tortuous ^\indings to accomplish our passage, as they scarcely left space for a horse and rider to proceed. This locality is more likely to have been the scene of Jacob's dream and vision than at the side of the tank at which I am now reclinuig. From these two episodes in the lives of the patri- archs, ancient Luz or Bethel arose to an eminence in the annals of Israel, little if at all inferior to that of Jerusalem, — first, as the great northern sanctuary of Ephraim, and second, as a place of strength when the kingdom of Israel was divided. Long was it known as the site of the schools of the prophets, and likewise as the place where one of the two golden calves, which made Israel to sin, was set up. The question may be asked, What is Bethel now ? The answer is, It is a succession of wild, bare, limestone hills, perforated on every side with caves, in which cattle are shel- tered by day, and the Beduee by night ; no signs of active life except a couple of small oxen drawing a plough or crooked stick, the husbandman with turban and abbah, his entire ward- robe ; three or four huts clustered together, scarcely distin- guishable from a ruckle of stones, a ragged peasant or child peeping out here and there from amongst them. The landscape is a barren moorland, which, with the clear sky, and the rippling stream, bring before me either the upper ward of Lanarkshire, or the country round New Galloway. There is nothing except memory to remind me that I am in the " Land of the Book," and this calm evening to feel that the blue vault above, and the quiet fields around, constitute a " Bethel" now as truly as in the days of Jacob. But a change passes over its history, for instead of Bethel, "the house of God," it became Bethaven, " the house of idols." * * Hos, X. 5. A NOCTUENAL REVERIE. 175 It was in this wild mountain district Jehovah declared Himself to be the God of Bethel, and promised to bless His servant Israel. Year after year Samuel came up to this place from the plains of Jericho, partly to superintend the schools of the young men, and partly to discharge the duties of a judge in the land. On this same mount, when Saul had reigned two years, he chose three thousand men, whom he distributed between himself and his son Jonathan, near Michmash and Gibeah of Benjamin. Some- where, too, near this spot, the terrible battle between Israel and the Philistines was fought."' There is now, to all ap- pearance, as in the days of Saul, neither blacksmiths nor carpenters in the land. In after-years a singular circumstance happened here : a man of God came out of Judah into Bethel, who, seeing Jeroboam standing by the altar and burning in- cense, cried out against the altar, denouncing it, and prophesy- ing in these words: — " Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out, and the king's hand which he stretched against the man of God dried up."t The whole story is full of interest at any time, but doubly so when read on the spot. Some hundred years later, the first and most illustrious of Old Testament j)rophets, Elijah the Tishbite, and Elisha on Avhom his mantle fell, both went down to Bethel. It was here probably that the latter first became aware, from the ques- tions of the sons of the prophets, "that the Lord would take away his master from his head."| A few years later still, good king Josiah commanded Hilkiah the high priest to bring out from the temple the vessels made of gold for Baal and burned them near the Kedron, and their ashes were brought into Bethel. Moreover, the same monarch fulfilled the threatening denounced, 1 Kings xiii., as we read in 2 Kings xxiii. 15, — "The altar that was at Bethel, and the high places which Je- roboam the son of Nebat, Avho made Israel to sin, he brake down, stamped it to powder, and burnt the grove." Finally, it was left with a curse hanging over it, pronounced by Amos, — " Bethel .shall come to nought," § which was awfully fulfilled, llevolving these events in my mind, I at last fall asleep. * 1 Sam. xiii, t 1 Kings xiii. 5. t 2 Ivinga ii. 2, 3. 2 Amos v. 5. CHAPTER XXII. SHILOH. Tuesday 19. — This morning I feel not only stiff and cold, but wet and voraciously hungry, having lain down supperless ; the rain that had fallen during the night soaked me to the sldn, and ho7'ribile dictu, we have neither fire nor breakfast — a piece of hard bread we had carried from Jerusalem constitutes our entire commissariat. This we eat in silence, helping it down with limpid water from the brook, thank God, with an appetite which a dyspeptic would envy, illustrating the old Scottish proverb, " Hunger is good kitchen." We are again in the saddle, and long before the tent occupiers are astir we are off. The morning is chilly ; white and fleecy clouds career across the sky, ominous of a change in the weather ; the country bleak and uninteresting for the first few miles. As we advance, however, like the day, it begins to improve. We are now drawing near " Ain Yebrud," a village perched on a conical hill on our left. The country, now well culti- vated with fig-trees, olive-trees, and gardens — the hills beauti- fully and delightfully adorned with terraces, that are kept in good repair — the fields fenced, a rare sight in Syria. There are also veritable pathways, enclosed with stones, collected from the fields over which the tendrils of the vine are creeping ; whilst vineyards, having a square-built tower for the protection of the watchers, are frequent ; the district presenting not only skilful agriculture, but wealth and in- telligence among the inhabitants. The richness of the soil, the genial clime, the perseverance of the peasant, and abundance of the crops, evince in the terraced slopes and smiling fields what the country may have been under EPHR aim's inheritance. 177 the commonwealth of Israel. I see no difficulty in believing that the land, though narrow in its limits, mountainous and rugged, would have supported at a former period a population even greater than that of Israel in her most prosperous days. It is easy at a glance to perceive that we are now in the inheritance of Ephraim, to whom was promised and prophesied, — "Blessed of the Lord be his land for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath, and for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon, and for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hiUs, and for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof""'" The hills, through being destitute of wood, detract much from the beauty of the landscape. The grass at this season of the year is of an emerald green, thick and soft as a Turkey car- pet, gemmed eveiywhere with sweet-smelling many-hued wild flowers. Springs gushing in purling rills like silver threads down the ravines, unite and form streams which find their way on the east to the Jordan, and on the west to the great sea. I observe few kine in the fields or near dwellings, oxen in the ploughs alone being visible. There are few sheep, but many herds of goats, the milk of the latter being rich, sweet to the taste, and sold by the natives at about a piastre the English pint. The fields and crops in size and appearance remind me of the small patches grown on the island of Arran or near Oban in Argyleshire, seemingly in general just sufiicient for the wants of the family. The remaining portion of the land lies uncultivated ; thistles, coarse grass, weeds, and stones being strewn about in all directions. The people have plenty to eat, but nothing of what we would call home or house comfort. I am aware this is not a just criterion by which to judge of the wants of others, yet upon the whole they seem to be as happy and contented, though differ- ently fed and housed, as the same class of the working popula- tion of England. Yebrud rises on our left, perched, as already mentioned, on a hUl top. We do not ascend, but simply skirt the height or tell on which it stands, and arc charmed with the beauty of the * Deut, xxxiii. 13-16. M 178 A DIFFICULTY WITH THE MULETEER. scenery, consisting of wooded knolls and well-cultivated fields, with busy Imsbandmen ploughing and sowing. There are also numbers of Avhat appear to be orchards, the country hav- ing an appearance similar to that of Hamilton near Glas- gow. Flocks are browsing on the slopes, their keepers mean- while playing on reeds, whUing away the wanton hours like the Arcadians of old. This, after the bleak and barren district through which we have passed, is an Eden. I have even ob- served a man actually collecting stones from the pathway, building them up as a fence ; who could believe that an Arab would have been guilty of an innovation, trenching so far upon the good old dolcefar niente ? Passing Ain-Sinia on our left, we hold on our journey and soon leave behind Ain-el-Haramiyeh ; farther on we pass Jibea, the ancient "Gibeah" of Ephraim, lying west of Thimnath, where I suppose Samson obtained his wife. Thus we arrive at a small hamlet called Tarmus-Aya, where the first difficulty with our guide, Mehiddin-EUuni, occurs, who refuses to leave the beaten track or sultana (turnpike) to enable us to ^^.sit the ancient Shiloh by making a detour. Ar- guments we cannot use, being nearly ignorant of his language. He proceeds straight on and leaves us behind ; we show no signs of yielding to his nonsense, for if we do we shall have to put up with more of his caprice and self-will, and there- fore determine to have our own way, to go wherever fancy leads us, and visit at our leisure any and every object of interest that might attract our attention. My companion and myself, after holding a brief council, turn sharp to the right, trot up the banks of the stream, through fields of growing grain. Our guide seeing our determination, turns and follows us, finally taking the van, and in half an hour we are in the vale of ShUoh. Travellers frequently allow themselves to be overruled by their dragomen, who not only cheat and rob them on every hand, but lead or rather drag them wherever it suits their pleasure or profit. I had heard enough of this to put me on my guard, and therefore had our contract, as already stated, drawn up in such terms as permitted us "to go" ivhere, when, and at tvhat pace we chose, our guide receiving his hire only at the conclusion of the journey ver. saxj. SHTLOH. 179 Having thus succeeded with our muleteer, we enter the dell, my mind in a tumult of emotion on thus finding myself in or near the Shiloh of Scripture, a name fresh and familiar to me from earliest youth ; the phrase, "untU Shiloh come," has rung in my ears, impressing on my mind a conception of King Mes- siah, whom it typifies. Though this he only the locale and not the person, yet a tide of feeling uprising within me causes my pulse to throb and tears to flow, giving birth to sensations similar to those I experienced on first entering Gethsemane. During the preceding three quarters of an hour, and untO. reaching this spot, we had been riding through brambles, Now we are within sight of an isolated edifice, standing be- yond two ploughed fields on a declivity before us, to which we make haste, the ram coming down in bucketfuls. Reaching the structure we seek shelter beneath the friendly branches of an umbrageous oak that has sprung up adjoining it, flinging its boughs and sending its roots deep amongst the fragments and ruins of the place. Dismounting — indeed, I am the only one of the three foolish enough to do so — tying my mare to the aforesaid tree, and taking my stand under the dilapidated portal of the ruined temple, synagogue, mosque, or dwelling as it may be, which, I am unable to determine. The walls are thick enough for a fortress, and I perceive that some attempts had been made by the builders to adorn the lintel with a wreath and a representation of a llomau jar or amphora, but with no great degree of success. Fragments of ancient buildings lie scattered around ; but my examination of the place is shortened and interrupted by the drenching rain, coupled with the manifest impatience, if not fear, of our guide, who — whether his dread be assumed or real, I am not yet sufficiently acquainted with his idiosyncrasy to know — keeps incessantly crying "Beduee," or ^'liedueenj" " Mosh tyeb !" " ilosh tyeb !" At the same time he points, with fear on his countenance, to the caverns in the adjoining hills, where, it is true, two or three Arabs really seem to be on the watch, and if report speaks truly, are capable of any- thing ; nor could a place be more convenient for either plunder or murder, il'din, seeing I gave little heed to his cries, bares his arm, and shows me his shattered elbow, and some sabre cuts, the mementoes, he affirms, of Beduee bullets and 180 AMONG THIEVES. sword encounters. I must confess to feeling a little all-overish. We are far, I know, from any beaten track, in a lonely dell, surrounded on all sides with caves, inhabited by rude men and women who do not recognise, as regards strangers, the differ- ence between meum and teum. Exhibiting as few symptoms of alarm as possible, and throwing ourselves on the Almighty's protection, we slowly descend from among the ruins, leaving shafts, cisterns, and friendly trees with a melancholy remem- brance of Israel's departed glory. In the narrowest part of the defile, over a meandering spring, by which it is watered, there are a number of caves, whence the sounds of children's voices and the squalling of infants issue, which, together with the appearance now and then of a human head, give evidence of their being peopled. " Can this," I audibly exclaim, " be Shiloh ? Undoubtedly it is — nothing can be more certain ; but how changed since the time when Israel, just after entering the land of promise, set up the tabernacle here in obedience to the Divine command!"* What an out-of-the-way place to locate the Ark of God ! Did these declivities see the Ark of the Testimony 1 Did the blood of the morning and evening sacrifice tinge the waters of this stream 1 Did this dell re-echo with a voice of Israel's thanksgiving for victories achieved and possession obtained ? It is scarcely possible to conceive that in this sequestered vale Joshua, Caleb, and the twelve tribes of Israel assembled, and " divided amongst them the land of Canaan. "f Yet it is so. To the Tabernacle, which stood here for years, Hannah, a proud and fond mother, came to present and dedicate her only son to God, who had heard and answered her prayer, i Here the infant Samuel grew to manhood, became a Seer, and judged Israel. My recollection suggests that the catastrophe, so graphically described in First Samuel, must have transpired in this valley. The battle having gone against Israel, Eli, the aged priest, was told, whilst sitting at the door of the tabernacle, first of the discomfiture of his countrymen — prisoners in the hands of the Philistines — sad intelligence to a patriot ! Further, that his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain — a heavy stroke to a parent ! ! These misfortunes, however, he could * Josh, xviii. 1. t Josh, xviii. 10. + 1 Sam. ii. SCEIPTUEAL EVENTS. 181 have borne, but the last and heaviest blow of all is dealt, in the tidings that the Ark of God is taken, and remains in the hands of the uncircumcised. On receipt of this intelligence, heart and hope are crushed, the aged patriarch can survive no longer ; he falls back upon his seat, and is lifted up a lifeless corpse ! ! ! * Probably in this very dell, the annual dances were held, at Avhich the maidens of Shiloh were led forth by the hands of loving partners to thread the joyous maze. On one of these occasions, the Benjamites, concealing themselves in the vineyards, rushed out like the Romans on the Sabines, each seizing and carrying ofi" his future spouse, t Oftentimes in later years, did Samuel the prophet come up from Gilgal and over from Bethel, while the oracle of God continued in this place. Shiloh was the scene, in some instances, of more striking events and solemnities than even her neighbour city. But, after the capture of the ark, Shiloh became nothing more than a name, and at last, by the idolatry of the people, passed like Bethel into a mere tradition. Ichabod was in- scribed on its ruins, the glory had departed, and the curse pronounced upon it was literally fulfilled. ;{: Quitting Shdoh, and issuing from the defile, on nearing the murmuring stream, we get entangled in the brake and lose our way ; but are fortunate enough to descry a plough- man, Avho gives us the necessary information by which to regain the Great North Road, which we soon reach. At this point we met two travellers, the first we have seen to-day. Anon we stumble upon a youth, sitting on a stone, with a bag of figs ; I obtain a hatful of the delicacy for a piastre. Never did I eat anything with a keener relish. It was now past meridian ; we left Bethel in the morning, having only a piece of dry bread, so that the figs came in by way of breakfast very seasonably. Farther on, there are some maidens at a fountain, filling their pitchers, which, in walking, they grace- fully balance on their heads ; it occurs to me that Eachel and Itcbekah may possibly have drawn water from the same well. Keeping Lubban, the ancient Lcbonah, on our left, we skirt the hill Sawiet, and soon begin to ascend the mountains of * 1 Sam. iv. 17. t Judg. xxi. 19-23. J Jcr. vii. 12, 13. 182 THUNDER-STORM IN THE MOUNTAINS. Ephraim, whicli are bare, rugged, and forbidding, especially when the traveller is cold, hungry, and wet. Before reaching the summit, we are caught in the heaviest rain that, I verily believe, ever fell from heaven, at least since the time Noah was shut up in the ark. Our horses plunge and real', finally stand still, and though urged, wheel round refusing to face it. ]\Iountain streams, which a few minutes ago were dry channels, become rivers, and " dry lands pools of water." I now understood, better than ever I did in my life, the psalm- ist's beautiful imagery in speaking of a thunder-storm in the hill country of Judea. There is no shelter ; no friendly terebinth rears its shade, nor overhanging ledge of rock, beetling cliff, or hollow cave in which we could seek refuge, is to be seen ; indeed, had there been any such, the murkiness of the atmosphere would have prevented us discerning them. Down comes the rain in torrents, as if the " fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened." Lightning gleams in large blue sheets, mingled with forked flashes, which almost blind both horse and rider, and at times I suppose — but it may be fancy — that the flashes are accompanied with a crackling sound, such as I once heard, when witnessing a glorious aurora borealis a few years ago, at Drobak, near Christiana. What crashes of thunder roll and reverberate in multiplied peals, dying away in hoarse murmuring echoes far down in the valley. The sky is completely obscured, and we are enveloped in leaden- coloured clouds, that seem coming down close on our heads. The scene is truly awful, but at the same time sublime. How forcible, and yet appropriate, are the words of the psalmist, when speaking of thunder, " God's voice rends the cedars, and makes the hinds to calve." * However imposing a thunder-storm may bo when contem- plated from a parlour window, it is a very difi"erent affair when one is exposed to its accompaniment, heavy rain. Sitting, as I am, shelterless on a bleak mountain, without umbrella or overcoat, with only thin shephcrd's-plaid jxtnts and canvas shoes, from which at this moment the water is literally gush- ing in spouts — my saddle was wet on leaving Bethel, and again, at Shiloh, soaked. But what is the use of fretting ; there is * Psalm xxix. A THOROUGH DRENCHING. 183 no help for misfortunes. I can only ride on, hoping that the weather may clear up, anticipating meantime the comforts of fire and food on reaching Nablous. Onward we jog through the rain, along the base of Mount Gerizini, continuing our march two hours longer ; but I am too wet, cold, and dispirited to take exact note of time. The pathway is execrable — f uU of large loose stones, over which our horses are frequently stumbling, chiefly from our inability to hold up their heads. Were I to compare small things with great, the rain, the atmosphere, and the road remind me of once journeying from Gatehouse to New Galloway, to fulfil a preaching engagement in the parish church of the iip-lying district of BalmaclcUan ; there, however, although the country was bleak, the roads bad, and the rain incessant, I had the comfort of a gig, and knew that the manse and its comforts were awaiting me. But of Nablous, its hospitality, or where to hide our heads as- yet, we know nothing. CHAPTER XXIII. NABLOUS, SHECHEMj OR SYCHAE. Late in the afternoon we reach, on onr right, the southern extremity of a plain, the route becoming more difficult. Sub- sequently we pass Jacob's Well, and enter the valley on our left, between Mounts Gerizim and Ebal ; and riding under an avenue of olive-trees, we ultimately reach the gate of Nablous, the Shechem of the Old Testament, and the Sychar of the evangelists. Admittance this way is denied us, and we are perempto- rily commanded to go round outside the walls, and enter by another gateway, in order that our luggage may be examined ; or if that be exempt, a bakhshish may be exacted. On my in- forming the guard that we are English travellers, and there- fore not subject to either impost or delay, he seeing that nothing is to be gained, permits us to enter. On we plash through the dirty streets to the humble dwelling of a poor woman, a Roman Catholic, who, on the promise of a bakhshish, receives us into her house. Dismounting, a feat which I accom- plished with difficulty, we traverse a narrow dark passage, climb a broken stone stair, and cross the threshold of her dwelling, which contains only a single apartment. I look with unutter- able astonishment on observing that the tire for the entire household is on a hollow piece of sheet-iron, similar in size and appearance to an old tin waiter ; the heat from this primitive apparatus being all the place can furnish towards cooking food and drying our socked garments. Sending out for, and procuring provisions — no easy matter, considering my stock of Arabic words ; I had acquired, however, the numerals, and was able to reckon up to ten, which, on this and many A NIGHT IN SYCHAR. 185 other occasions, Avas of immense service. Thus we obtained a goodly supply of bread, eggs, coffee, sugar, and milk. The whole neighbourhood is soon advised of our arrival, and the apartment filled. I would have gone out of doors, but for various reasons could not, it being now dark, the night wet, and my clothes suspended to dry from the rafters ; in short, I am almost as much in the Adamite costume as the company around me. A cup of colfee soon cheers and warms us. The fuel used is charcoal ; a few small pieces, from the thick- ness of a pipe stem to that of your thumb, weighing about four ounces, were brought in — a piastre was said to be the price. A portion of this was laid upon the brazier; our hostess lustily applied her mouth and blew until the w\ater boiled, in the same primitive mode in which fires were lit in the times of Homer. But this is common throughout all the East ; or if anything artificial be used, a small fan of dried grass, or a bird's Aving, equally serves the purpose. I already perceive that in travelling without a tent I may have more hardships to put up with; but I shall certainly see much more of the country, and become better acquainted with the habits and manners of the people, which will be more than an equivalent for the discomfort. The evening having now completely set in, a lamp is lit — a very primitive concern, fed with olive oil, and hung on a nail on the wall, such as I have seen forty years ago in the Western Highlands, the form of the lamp or " cruze" being the same. The Scottish use the pith of the rush for a wick, and train oil ; here cotton, and olive. After having written up my notes, (no small matter of wonderment to the gaping onlookers,) we show unmistakable signs of wishing to lie down — I dare not say retire. Numbers take the hint and leave, when I observe that we are still to have company. Our kind hostess has her own two boys, besides a tailor and shoemaker, lodgers — an interesting group. All pig down on the floor, dressed as we are. It is true we have a quilted mat under us, which, had it been left alone, would have moved off', it was so full of life ; nevertheless, though thus situated, with the blessing and presence of God, I, and I believe all, slept soundly. Nablous, Wednesday, 20th. — I rise this morning from my 186 MOUNTS OF CURSE AND BLESSING. hard coucli none the worse, thank God, for yesterday's drench- ing, although my clothes had to partially dry on my person during the night. The room presents a strange appearance, re- vealing, as the light streams in, a motley group, reminding me of a St Giles's lodging-house for tramps, or of an Irish shebeen in which I once sojourned a night at Ballinalmich; nevertheless, the lodgers, as well as the family, seemed to take this com- mingling of persons in one apartment as a matter of course. Leaping up and shaking myself, and stepping out on a plat- fornr at the top of the staircase overlooking a tannery, I par- tially perform my toilet in companionship of a female busily engaged in some culinary process. The view from this look-out is magnificent. Mount Ebal rises opposite, the bright sun bringing out its light and dark green tints, my eyes probably resting on the spot where Moses stood when reading the law in the hearing of the congregated Israelites. Mount Gerizim, directly over- head, looks down upon us frowningly. This would be the place, if it were my intention, to discuss the question of Scripture localities, particularly that where " blessings and cursings" were to be given, as it is written, " And it shall come to pass, when the Lord thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon j\Iount Gerizim, and the curse upon Mount Ebal. Are they not on the other side Jordan, by the way where the sun goeth down, in the land of the Canaanites, who dwell in the champaign over against Gilgal, beside the plains and trees of Moreh 1 " * Without dwelling on the ques- tion, whether Moses could be audible across the valley, that is from hill to hill, the distance between them being from four to six hundred yards, I may remark that, judging from my own experience of Highland glens, and the capabilities of the human voice, when all is still, I deem to be not only possible, but susceptible of auricular demonstration. I cannot express my emotions of joy and gratitude in being permitted to visit this city and district, so exceedingly rich in scriptural antiquities. I could almost hug every Shecbemite, man, woman, and child; but the operation might be attended with danger — so prudently refrain. Obtaining my mare and * Deut. xi. 29-30. Jacob's well. 187 hiring a lialf-grown lad, a Syrio-Christian, to accompany me, we proceed along the silent streets, plunging tlirongh the mire in the direction of Jacob's well, an object of deep interest situated about a mile from the town, at the entrance of the valley, through which we passed the preceding evening. Traversing the main street of the city, which has a deep guUey two feet wide running along its centre, with an apology for a paved way on each side for pedestrians — the former is fetlock deep with liquid refuse ; the latter, covered with muck and dung heaps — we emerge from the gateway and ride through an olive grove, picking our way through loose stones, holes, pools, and gnarled tree-roots ; the snake-like angles of the latter fre- quently cropping out, render riding or walking at all times hazardous. The plain is here about seven hundred yards wide, well cultivated, and bearing green crops of excellent promise. But hist ! here is sacred ground ; I am at the Avell of Jacob. Dismounting, tethering my horse, creeping through a hole in the outer wall, that surmounts the pit-like opening, I stand and solemnly gaze upon a spot which, for more than twenty years, I have longed to visit and behold. The place is a scene of ruins : fragments of buildings and broken down walls, with thistles and weeds overgrown, all around profoundly silent, save the sound of joyous nature ; fleecy white clouds are drifting overhead, casting their sombre shadows over the valley and the plain below, and cours- ing like spirits across the slopes of Gcrizim and Ebal ; the birds are in full song, the grasshopper chirps, and wild flowers bloom on every side. AVith this gush and outpouring of life my heart is in full harmony. Sitting down on the dwarf wall forming the margin of the well, and turning to the fourth chapter of John's Gospel, I read the interesting cohoquy between our Saviour and the woman of Samaria ; for here the event is supposed to have taken place. Again and again I road the verses, meditating and examining witli earnest gaze every line and object around me. Amid all tlie changes which nations, kingdoms, and peoples have undergone, since the promulgation of the simple yet sublime doctrines first enunci- ated on this s})ot, the great features of the scene remain this day as when His eyes fell upon them ; and thus whilst endea- vouring to realise His presence, I seek His blessing upon His 188 THE WELL DESCRIBED. word. Having finished reading, I again make an effort to fix the entire landscape on my memory; then rising and retiring from the month of the well, and kneeling behind a fragment of masonry, I pour out my adoration and thanksgiving to Jesus- Jehovah, Lord of all. Oh, how sweet to my soul and refreshing to my faith thus to bend my knees where the Redeemer once sat ! My communings and sensations are at this moment such as may not be subjected to analysis or de- scription, being too spiritual for the one and too solemn for the other. While postrate at my devotions, an Arab comes stealthily along and stands beside me. As soon as I rise he assails me for bakhshish, and it is with some difficulty that I get rid of him; indeed, he only departs on being threatened with personal chastisement. Had he been lame, blind, or needy, this was the place, and I was perfectly in the mood, not only to be in charity with man, but to exercise the prac- tical grace of benevolence. The intruder was none of these, having all the appearance of a substantial farmer or pro- prietor. The well is situated, as already said, in the midst of exten- sive ruins — the remnants of churches, temples, and monasteries erected in its honour ; it is surrounded by an outer wall five or six feet high, and an inner one of about two feet in height. Leaping down from the latter, I stand on the platform or roof, which now covers the orifice about four feet from the surface ; I endeavour to peep down through a narrow delta-hke crevice between huge stones, but can see nothing. Dropping a stone, I hear it fall to the bottom, and judging from the sound, there ajipeared to be no water. I have no means of ascer- taining the depth, which, according to Murray's Guide, is seventy-five feet; the present diameter I should suppose from six to eight. The sides have been lined, but are now much decayed, affording an easy means of scrambling up and down. It stands about eight hundred yards from the base of Gerizim, among some corn fields, near which there is neither house nor habitation. Picking up a few pebbles and wild flowers as souvenirs of my visit ; I wished on this occasion to have had a companion with whom I could interchange im- pressions as to the hallowedness of the spot ; but being alone, I gave way to my enraptured feelings and sung aloud our THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 189 beautiful ScottisL. version of the 23d Psalm. My mind naturally reverting to the past, I believe I am occupying the identical spot where, eighteen hundred years ago, wearied and footsore, the Saviour sat down to rest and refresh Himself. The sacred narrative informs us that His disciples had gone to the city to buy bread, leaving the Master meditating alone. What sublime reflections must His have been ! Calling to mind the scene so graphically described, I could almost imagine I perceive the woman coming down the valley towards the Avell, with an empty pitcher on her head, which she fills by drawing the bucket from the pit and emptying it into her pitcher, apparently without observing the stranger. She is about to depart, when accosted with the recj^uest, " Give me to drink." Amazed that a Jew, between whom and her countrymen neither friendship nor intercourse existed, should condescend to recognise her at all, much less ask for a draught of water — she answered, "How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, a woman of Samaria ?" * Our Lord at once opens up His mission, and declares His readiness to bestow the refreshing and cleansing virtues of His blood and Holy Spirit on all without exception, saying, " If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." How must her heart have throbbed with emotion, and her soul thrilled, as the Son of man unfolded in the minutest detail, the outlines of her checkered life, and the secret pas- sions of her inmost soul ! With a woman's ready tact and facile judgment, she concludes het informant must be a prophet ; then again, urged by a woman's curiosity, she pro- pounds the momentous question, whether the Jews or Samari- tans were right in their peculiar and localised worship of God the Father. Having listened to His reply, she hastens to the the city and informs her townsmen of the encounter at the well of .Jacob, where she had met witli a man who told her all things that ever she did ; adding at the same time the inter- rogation, " Is not this the Christ V The origin of the feud between the Jews and Samaritans to which the woman's first question referred, may be traced to * John iv. 9, 10. 190 JEW AND SAMARITAN FEUD. events previously recorded, and also to the following : Wliilst Nehemiali was engaged in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, the Samaritans used every effort to thwart him and arrest the enterprise, but failed.* They having obtained leave of the Persian monarch to build a temple for themselves, erected it on Mount Gcrizim, strenuously contending that this was the sacred locality designated by Moses, consecrated by Abraham, and that on its summit Avere the twelve stones which the priest i-emoved at the command of Joshua from the divided and dried channel of the Jordan. Sanballat, the leader of the Samaritans on this occasion, consecrated his son-in-law " Manasses " high priest ; their religion becoming thus established, the mutual hatred between the Samaritans and the Israelites was intensified. Afterwards Samaria became, as Eome was in her early history, a resort of all the outlaws of Judefe ; criminals who had escaped from justice, the ex- communicated, exiled, and discontented — were all received and welcomed to the district, to swell the numbers and augment the common security ; thus further exasperating and widening the breach between the two nations. Another cause may be assigned : The Samaritans only acknowledged and received as inspired, the first five books of Moses, re- jecting not only the prophetic writings, but the entire bulk of Jewish traditions; hence both in politics and religion a bitter festering jealousy was still further generated,+ giving birth in turn to strife and hate, the Jews regarding the Samaritans as Britain till of late years did the French, as implacable and natural enemies. Our Lord, who came to break down the middle wall of parti- tion between Jew and Gentile, and heal the breaches of nations and peoples, not only preached the gospel of the kingdom to the despised Samaritans, but commended their character for grati- tude, brotherly love, and hospitality, in two beautiful parables ; one of them, that of the good Samaritan, perhaps the most perfect of all He uttered.;}: His apostles, after the resurrec- tion, followed the example and obeyed the command of their Master, conveying the story of the cross down to the despised sons and daughters of Abraham in Samaria. § * Nell. vi. 1-14. t John viii. 48. J Luke X. 30. § Acts viii. 45. THE WELL OF JACOB AUTHENTICATED. 191 A controversy has long been going on between travellers and authors, whether the place where I am now sitting be really the well of Jacob, at which our Lord had the interview above narrated; one party contending, as if inspiration de- pended on the issue, that its distance from the town is too great, or else the city has moved its position farther up the valley to the west. The Roman name iSTeapolis — New City — corrupted into Nablous, the existing city of Shechem, seems to favour this view; to which is added by way of argument, that there are other fountains nearer and much more amply supplied than this one, which is a mile, if not more, from the city. On the other hand, it is urged and maintained with equal zeal, that this is the identical well, revered, honoured, and known as such by the Jews since the time of the patri- archs, and by Christians since the days of our Lord ; more- over, that the Samaritans have ever regarded Jacob as their father with an earnestness equal to that of the Israelites, nor is the patriarch less honoured by the Moslem ; consequently it is almost impossible that a locality so sacred to so many creeds could be mistaken ; and again that distance is not of great moment in the East, where time is of little value, especially when religion and veneration come into play. I am, therefore, of opinion, that the traditions last cited, being unbroken and universal, are well sustained ; con- sequently that this is really and truly the well of the patriarch, and the scene of the event narrated by the evangelist. At all events, I have no hesitation in allowing my devotional impulses fuU liberty to luxuriate in the belief that I am on holy ground. From this sequestered glen be- tween these mounts of blessing and cursing, a truth more sub- lime than either Plato, Socrates, or the Stagy rite ever knew, was enunciated, which may be comprised in the simple but comprehensive dogma : — "God is a Spirit," and the corollary — would that it Avere better appreciated or understood by Christendom ! — is, " They who worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and in truth."* Having concluded my meditations and devotions, I remount, and ride slowly u]) the glen. In the midst of the fields, about four hundred yards to the right, stands the tomb of Joseph — a * John iv. 24. 192 Joseph's tomb. white square structure, not unlike that of Rachel at Bethlehem, Here, I am informed, both Jews and Moslems, with equal devo- tion, repeat their prayers. I observe in passing, a cluster of houses on my right hand, and a few yards farther on a beautiful fountain, where flocks are being watered. The declivities of the hills in this end of the valley, though ver- dant, are bare of wood, and seemingly only fit for pasturing goats, of which I observe several herds, the tinkling bell of the leader of the flock and the cry of the shepherd ringing at times in the air. Traversing once more the grove of olives, I re-enter the city. CHAPTER XXIV. NABLOUS. The population of Nablous numbers 'from seven to eiglit thousand, of whom only about five hundred are Christians, chiefly belonging to the Latin Church. For some years by- past there has been here a diocesan mission for the conversion and education of the Jews ; but, like that at Jerusalem, it has had great difficulties to encounter. The enemy, I may say of God and His gospel, is ever active, assuming, as of old, different guises and using different instrumentalities to stay the progress and thwart the efforts of the Church. In the East this evil principle takes the form of traducing and falsi- fying the intentions of the missionaries, chiefly by insinuating that every Jewish convert is bought at a stipulated price, rising or falling in proportion to the rank of the individual. I heard of fabulous sums having been paid as a premium for a single convert, in order, it was said, that the conversion might grace a report or tell in a May meeting at Exeter Hall. This is the old story ; the same is ascribed to the Protes- tant missions in the west of Ireland, by the Roman Catholic party, who give the process the designation of sou]ierism — I suppose, because food is sometimes distributed amongst the poor. A Jew who resolves to become a Christian has his movements not only watclied, but lie is threatened and often persecuted by friends, relatives, and rabbis. ]\Iany of the Jews being indigent, as I mentioned in speaking of Jerusalem, are in receipt of relief, which comes in a great measure to them through the Synagogue ; on the first breath of suspicion of attending the mission meetings, or of sending a child to the school, pecuniaiy aid ceases, and in the event of persistency N 194 JEWISH jnssiON. is finally withdrawn. Sometimes more energetic measures are adopted, the culprit being Avhisked off no one can tell where. There are fewer difficulties in becoming a convert on the part of those Jews who are under the charge of the respective consuls, than those swayed by the rabbis; hence the majority of converts here, as far as I could learn, have been under the protection of the Prussian or English govern- ments. Spanish, Austrian, or Portuguese Jews, scarcely ever become converts. Here, as well as at Jerusalem, there are day schools, attended by between thirty and forty children, chiefly Jewish, the branches usually taught being writing and arithmetic, the reading, English, Italian, and Hebrew. The girls are taught sewing, whilst both sexes are employed in different kinds of indoor work. There is also connected with the establishment a dispensary, at which medicines may be obtained gratuitously every morning ; a medical gentleman also visits the patients at their homes when required to do so. Prayer-books, Bibles, and Testaments are sold at a cheap rate, whilst tracts in Arabic and Turkish are freely distributed. Who, in regard- ing this and kindred missions, would not exclaim, " Thy kingdom come !" May the blessed gospel of God our Saviour soon become known to God's ancient people, and may the ingathering of our elder brother herald the fulness of the Gentiles ! A few families of Samaritans still linger about the cities of their fathers and the scenes of their solemnities around Mount Gerizim. On the latter there are still rums of their once famous temple ; and also a skeleton form of their no less famous worship. Three times a year the people proceed in solemn procession to the top of the mountain, reading the law Avhilst ascending ; there they perform first the feast of the pass- over, sacrificing lambs — a ceremony that I learn w^as cele- brated on the day preceding my arrival; I felt sorry I did not reach the town in time to be present. Next they have the feast of Pentecost ; and finally that of Tabernacles, which is performed in booths formed of branches. They still retain the old seventh day of worship, and have two synagogues in the town, where they meet on Friday evening and Saturday morning. Like some worshippers I have seen, they seem to repeat their SAMARITAN WORSHIP. 195 prayers mechanically in a hurried irreverent manner, bawling at the top of their voice, evincing none of the decorum observed by either Jew or Moslem in their devotional exercises, being even less decorous than those of the Jews in Duke Street, London. The Samaritans, being mostly poor, are held in small esteem by the proud Osmanli, and are seemingly as cordially hated now by the Jews as they were in the clays of our Lord. In one of their synagogues there is a splendid copy of the Pentateuch in the original Samaritan character, together with a few Arabic MSS., which they say are as old as the days of Eliezer. These, with a few com- mentaries, are under the care of the high priest. I could not help feeling for their degraded condition, as well as for their poverty and ignorance. Like their brother the Jew, they are treated like strangers in their own land, which they have possessed since the days of Jeroboam ; Shechem being the ancient metropolis of Samaria. Four centuries and a half before Christ, the Samaritans were a great and a distinct people;* and in later ages they took with the Jews a con- spicuous part in the wars with imperial Rome, Though now small in numbers, being a mere handful of thirty families, scarcely rich enough to purchase victims for the yearly sacri- fice, at one time they filled the world with the splendour of their renown, their fame and religion having spread from Memphis to Home; but to all human appearance they will in the course of a few years have left little nlore than a name to mark their existence. Mount Gerizim, the scene of the Samaritan religious festivi- ties, is reached by a gently-inclined winding pathway about a mile from the town ; the view from the crest of the height is not only interesting in itself, but embraces many remarkable objects. The Mediterranean is seen on the west, Hcrnion on the north, and on the cast the mountains of Moab, rising like a wall of rock. A short distance eastward there is a rocky knoll, and about half a mile beyond that a level space or plateau, where some large stones are scattered about, resembling the ruins of an ancient building. Amongst these fragments is a small cleared area with a trough-like cavity, partially filled with ashes and bones. This is the sanctum of the * Nell. xiii. 196 MOUNT GEEIZIM. Mount. Here tlie Samaritans for four thousand years have sacrificed the passover, in terms of the law. The lambs or cocks — for both are used in sacrifice — are killed and roasted in this trough, and all the people of both sexes and ages partake of the sacrifice, " having their loins girt and staves in their hands."* A short distance farther off there are some ruins, composed chiefly of large bevelled stones, a few in situ, others prostrate ; under the latter it is believed lie hidden the twelve stones taken from the Jordan, already referred to. There are travellers and writers of note who contend that this is the true Mount Moriah, the spot where Abraham sacrificed the ram that was caught, instead of Isaac; where Jacob slept and had his vision of the ladder ; and where the ark was set up. Amongst those who hold this opinion is Dean Stanley, who, in his admirable work on Palestine, not only broaches but argues in favour of this view. I have not been long enough here, nor have I an opportunity now, to examine calmly the grounds of this somewhat startling assertion, but to me with my present information it seems altogether preposter- ous. I arrive at this conclusion partly because of the distance Abraham, the lad, and the attendants would have to travel within a specified time, before arriving here ; and partly be- cause it is unlikely that tradition could have erred so far as to confound Mount Moriah on the Kedron, with Mount Gerizim in the valley of Shechem. Standing on the ground, I put the question : Can this really be the spot whereon was en- acted the miraculous interposition that stayed the patriarch's hand and rescued the progenitor of one in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed ? Am I really on the spot over which the angel hovered, and where Araunah had his thrashing-floor ? This I cannot bring my mind to admit. The geographical arguments are as unfavoiirable as the argai- ment of distance, in addition to which is opposed the almost uniform tradition upheld by the " voice of Israel." Better, I exclaim, let the Samaritans continue " to worship they know not what ;" give to Mount Gerizim and Ebal all the glory of an- tiquity, the memory and associations of Old and New Testa- ment history. Whatever may be gained by the new hypothe- sis, truth is neither to be reached nor secured by any reason- * Exod. xii. 1-11. SITUATION OF NABLOUS. 197 ing or theory, liowever plausible. Therefore, till more light be thrown upon the subject, let the scenes hallowed and the localities consecrated by Scripture, history, and tradition, re- main quo ante. The position of Nablous is one of rare beauty. Conceive a magnificent valley, a few hundred yards in width, enclosed on both sides by mountains rising at a sharp inclination to a height of 2500 feet. Fresh springs and fountains gushing, leaping, and sparkling in every direction. What- ever else may be the character of Palestine, this at least is not a barren wilderness : here the grass is not stunted ; the sward, green as an emerald, is as soft as velvet. A clear blue sky, and what is strange in Syria, a haze arising from the abundance of moisture, throwing a purple tinge over the dis- tant hills, giving an air of enchantment to the landscape. Orchards and gardens near the town fill the width of the valley, and the olive with its silver-gray leaf creeps up the declivities, corn fields of delicate green and others of russet hue fill the eye, rich perfumes float on the breeze, while a flood of melody is poured from every tree. Every sense is gratified and delighted. Arcadia and the Vale of Tempe may be fertUe and lovely, but Shechem is a paradise. The city as seen through the foliage of the trees appears a fair vision of white-domed houses and tall gilded minarets, in- terspersed with the verdure of the mulberry, the fig, and the apricot, a sea of green below, an azure heaven above. But as in the case of Cairo and Jerusalem, enter within the walls, the charm dissolves, and the fairy sjjell is broken. The streets are merely narrow lanes, gloomy, dark, and tunnel-like, tainted, with the odour of stagnant water and redolent with filth. The houses arc built of stone, tolerably lofty, many having piazzas in front, supported on arches ; whether this peculiarity is for security or to raise the appartments high above the smells, I cannot say. No city is more abundantly sup[)lied with water, nor is there any lack of fountains, many of which are the gifts of pious Mussulmans, but, as elsewhere in Syria, no use seems to be made of the commodity, Jaffa and Rothlohem no longer bear the palm of uncleanness. The street by which I first en- tered Nablous I supposed was the dung depot, until I discovered on further acquaintance, the whole city was alike. There are 198 TRADES AND FACTORIES. numbers of shops, not, however, magazins, in the European meaning of the term, but simj^ly openings in the wall, or stalls on the pavement ; they are supplied with the cheapest of wares, such as combs, knives, incense, pipes, paper for cigar- ettes, trinketry, and comestibles. The eggs are dyed a variety of colours, and sold at eight a piastre, (2d. ;) bread of ex- cellent quality, at half a piastre a poimd ; coffee is reasonable in price, but sugar extravagantly dear. Rice forms the staple article of diet. Animal food seems to be rarely used; I observe no signs of beef, mutton, or butcher's shop. It is gratifying to notice a great many men busily occupied in cleaning cotton, using for that purpose a handbow, simi- lar to that with which hatters disentangle hair or felt ; women and girls are seated outside the doors dressing and othermse manipulating cotton. I also notice silk and cotton weavers, a number of barbers' shops — not, however, for beard, but head shaving. There are an abundance of blacksmiths, whose anvil is a curiosity of its kind, the face being only five inches by two. There are two or tln-ee coppersmiths, who use neither mandril nor shape-block, simply beating the metal into form with the hammer. Vessels of this substance are used by the upper classes for both culinary and ablutory pur- poses. But most pleasing of all, the modem Shechem has her factories, one in particular for the manufacture of olive oil. The mode of extracting the fluid is very simple : the fruit or berries are picked by children as cherries are in Kent, and im- mediately carried to the mill, which is merely a large stationary stone with a cavity, into which another, cut to fit the depres- sion, revolves, turned by an ox or by the hand ; the mass of pulp when withdrawn is wrapped in a mat, put vmder the pressure of a beam on the lever principle, sometimes wdth a screw ; the oil is received into vessels, and after being heated is secured in jars, and thus ready for the market. There is also a soap work, employing a number of hands, the manu- ftictured article finding its way to the principal towns of Syria. I have often thought it would be an advantage to the persons and attire of the Shechemites if they would use a little more of it themselves. Next door to my lodging there is a large tanner}', where are lying at this moment seven rows of tanned CHAEA.CTER OF THE PEOPLE. 199 dog skins, upwards of twenty in each, of a black colour, and distended in the form of the animal ; they are undergoing the process of drying, to be used, I presume, as water bags or bottles. There is no want of industry in the place, for I have seen more in a short time than I have observed in all the rest of Palestine put together. The character of the Moslem inhabitants is anything but well-spoken of; some designate it as very bad, notorious for fa- naticism and rudeness toward their Christian fellow-townsmen and strangers ; their lawlessness and rebelliousness against their rulers has become proverbial. During the Ehamadan or annual festival, the poor Christians and (Samaritans are often despoiled, their synagogues broken into, and their persons maltreated. It is oidy justice, however, to say that I have frequently ridden and walked through their streets, prying, as is my habit, into their windows, doors, and booths, handled the artisan^s imple- ments, doing my uttermost to make myself acquainted with their customs and modes of life, and yet everywhere I have been treated with kindness and urbanity. It is not the beauty or fertility of situation, or the loveliness of the valley that lies beneath, that gives modern Nablous, the tShechem of old, its interest to the traveller; this arises more from its historic association, antiquity, and the many great and soleum events it has witnessed since Abraham first, on his way from Chaldea to Canaan, pitched his tent in its neighbourhood. Purchasing, as we read, a parcel of ground from Hamor for a hundred pieces of money,* upon it he erected an altar, the first ever raised in the land, which he called El-el-ohc-Israel ; at this period it Avas a Avilderuess, for no in- habitant had as yet built a dwelling therein. Nomadic tribes w'andercd about of their own sweet Avill, wherever pasture and water could be obtained for their fiocks. Prom this being the first place of settlement when Israel dwelt in tents, it arose in course of time to be the capital of the king- dom, possessing natural advantages of shelter, easy of de- fence, fertile in an eminent degree, and abundantly watered; nothing was awanting but the presence and ])lessing of God ; tliese, as already seen, were also ultimately conferred upon it.f It is not to be forgotten that witliiu these precints a treachcr- * Gen. xxxiii. 19. t Dcut. xi. 29, 30. 200 ANTIQUITY OF SHECHEM. ous and cruel act was perpetrated by Jacob's two sons, Simeon and Levi, in the matter of their sister Dinah, and Shechem, Hemor's son, whose city they destroyed, taking the women, children, cattle, and wealth as a prey,* thereby bringing upon themselves the curse of their father in these words : — " Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitation, my soul, come not thou into their secret. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce ; and their wrath, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel."! A little further down the tide of time a circum- stance happened which tended to render the city of Shechem more noted still. At a period when the judges seemed to have ruled the nations with feeble rein, Abimelecli had grasped at the throne, was crowned at the "pillar of Shechem," and in order still further to strengthen his position, he endeavoured to induce the princes or sheikhs of some other cities to make common cause with him in forming a league offensive and de- fensive. These projects, however, were seen and detected by Jotham, who stood on the top of Mount Gerizim and cried : " Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem," giving utterance to the first, and to this day the most beautiful of Old Testament parables, that in which the trees of the forest are spoken of as having met to chose themselves a king. J Nor is it to be over- looked in this sketch, brief though it be, that Shechem was not only a royal city, but the chief seat of Israel's assemblies, where prophets lived, and where kings were crowned and in- augurated. Eehoboam, after the death of his father Solomon, having taken the foolish advice of the young courtiers, who flattered and fawned, as they do at the present clay, went with all Israel to Shechem, as the text says, "to be made king.'' Jeroboam also, who did more to cause Israel to sin than any king before or after him, threw around this city, for a short time, a large amount of splendour, by restoring its faded glory and dignity, and constituting it the caj^ital of his new kingdom. How long it bore its honours alone, or at what time they were divided between it and Tirzah, another royal city, is unknown. After til is it politically languished, and only appeared as the centre of Samaritan worship, a rival of the higher and purer * Gen. xxxiv. f Gen. xlix. 5-7. J Judges ix. A TURKISH ESCORT. 201 ritual prescribed at Jerusalem, the enmity and feud between it and Jerusalem, as already narrated, growing fiercer, and the breach becoming wider, until John Hyrcanus (b.c, 134) de- stroyed their temple on ]\Iount Gerizim ; their name and na- tion then became a reproach and a byword, and so it con- tinued down till the Christian era. Justin Martyr, the cele- brated Christian father, was born at Shechem or Neapolis, A.D. 89. In the dark ages the city was the seat of a bishop, and at last fell an easy prey to the Moslem when they con- quered Syria, and would in all probability yield as readily as ever to any invader who might covet possession of the fer- tile district. Before lea"vang we are strongly urged by a native Christian to take an escort for our protection as far as Jenin ; the country round Sebaste, Jeba, and Kubatiyeh being so unsafe, that few caravans, except Avell-guarded, escaped being plun- dered, and few pilgrims could traverse it without being mal- treated, often even murdered. Accordingly we waited on the military governor, requesting an escort ; he at once accedes to our wish, promising to send a guard, the pay to be ten piastres jjer soldiei". He kept his word, for shortly after two well-ap- pointed horsemen rode up to the narrow entrance of our dwelling, each armed with a flint-lock long-barrelled musket and a djereed or lance of about ten or twelve feet in length, the men themselves little, wiry, black-eyed Arabs. I reason with my companion that an escort will lead the Bedwee to sup- pose we have something valuable to protect, and if attacked such guards would be simply ridiculous, and therefore suggest that we should do as heretofore, trust ourselves to God's keeping, a smooth tongue, and the potency of piastres. These arguments prevailed ; so, giving the men a baklishish, we dismiss them with our thanks to the governor, and prepare to start unescorted. Furnishing ourselves with bread, eggs, and oranges, these being the only portable eatables we could obtain — and it was necessary to have something, as nothing in tlie sha})e of food could be had till we reached our destination late in the even- ing — we settle with our hostess, pay her twelve piastres for the use of her floor and charcoal brazier, mount our horses, and wend our way through the streets. Beaching the gate 202 PROSPECTS OF NABLOUS, on the west side of the city, we are greeted with a scowl from the guards, in remembrance of their being deprived of their anticipated bakhshish the preceding night. From the gate- way onwards, the pathway traverses a continued succession of orchards and gardens. There are a few fine villa-like residences embosomed amongst trees, particularly on the left hand, be- belonging to the aristocracy and merchants of Nablous. There is more life, trade, and taste in and around Nablous than one could have expected in such an out-ofthe-way corner of Palestine. If under narrow Turkish laws and suicidal cus- toms trade can flourish, what might not be effected by British enterprise, capital, and a constitutional government 1 With these, this lovely valley, with its great capabilities of water- power, position, and fertile soil, the place and people would soon present an immensely improved appearance. In the good time coming, in which I have great faith, or if Syria pass into the power of either France or Russia — seemingly from several points of view its ultimate destiny — Nablous, with its resources, can neither be overlooked nor forgotten ; nay, it may yet wield an influence greater than it did in the days of Rehoboam, or when the son of Nebat made it his royal city and the capital of Samaria. CHAPTER XXV. SAMAKIA. Our route is now clue west, along the margin of a small stream, the pathway good. We have evidently crossed the summit-level of the country, the brook running in the direc- tion we are going. At a mile or two's distance from town we pass on our left the ruins of an aqueduct or some such structure, a few arches of which are still standing ; while from a mill on our right, driven by a water-wheel, are heard the sounds of busy industry. We meet numbers of camels and asses laden with grain and other produce from farms and vil- lages on their way to towns ; while groups of merry children are playing and frolicking about in the exuberance of youth, health, and nudity. The landscape is truly magnificent ; corn, wheat, and maize are abundant ; whilst olive, vine, and fig- trees are in luxuriance, every step opening up new views of a rich agricultural country. Villages clustering together add to the beauty of the scene, but affording, from tlieir walled ap- pearance, evidences of the lawlessness and insecurity of life and property. Many of these are built on crags and precipices, as Norval describes his father's home — " On a mountain's brow, tlie most remote And inacessiblc by shepherds trod." An idea may be formed Avlien surveying this beautiful country, fertile as a garden, tliough under tlie rude cul- tivation of the Arab, whose plougli is only a crooked stick, and his harrow the brancli of a tree, what it nuist have presented in the days of Ahab, Avhcn literally teeming with wlicat, olives, and vines. We can also better understand the meaning of the prophet, when, denouncing this district, he 204 ST John's church. said — "Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim." " Fat " vines still crown these rich slopes, and olive groves, as far as the eye can reach, clothe the mountain- sides ; the whole landscape as beautiful and well wooded as Sussex, to which in some respects it bears a faint resemblance. After an agreeable journey of two hours, (say six miles,) Mehiddin shouts " iSebustieh ! " and there stands Samaria before us, magnificently situated on an isolated conical hill, rivalling Shechem — nay, even Jerusalem in its commanding l^osition. Spurring our horses we descend the hill, cross a marsh and small burn, and ascend a steep declivity, the path lined on each side with huge hewn stones, broken columns, fragments of sculpture, shattered arches, and other ruins, re- mains of the city's former opulence. It is impossible to pre- vent melancholy reflections filling my mind on entering the deserted royal city of Samaria. We direct our steps first to the remains of the noble but ruined church of St John's, said to be the parent of all the St John's churches in Christendom."" It stands perched on the eastern crest of the hill, near which we dismount, ac- companied, I believe, by the entire population, who have been watching our approach from their cottage doors, travellers and pilgrims being a real godsend — that is to say, a har- vest for reaping bakhshish. Their watching our arrival brings vividly to my remembrance the cartoon in Punch, represent- ing " mine host of the Garter," together mth the landlady, chambermaid, and boots lying in ambush for the advent of a traveller. We can scarcely move about, the crowds pressing and following us from ruin to ruin, either proffering their assistance, or shouting for baklishish. On asking for the key of the church, a tall, fine-looking old man appears, who greets us with '^Salaam alikoum,''' and leads the way down the few steps of a small area, Avhere, opening a door, he introduces us into the supposed prison and place of execution of John the Baptist. There is shown a block upon which the Herald of the Gospel was decapitated ; we examine this, and are shown a large flagstone, covering, he said, the tomb of the martyr, known to the natives by the term, " Wely-Neby- The same claim is made for St John's Lateran at Home and St John's at Ephesus. TOMB OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 205 yali-ya." The tomb is cut in the rock, which, I cam sorry to say, I did not descend to examine, my faith in the tradition being in this instance, and this morning, extremely weak. Although the tradition dates back to the time of St Jerome, he may have known just as little of its identity as we do at the present day. Josephus asserts that John was beheaded in the castle at JNIachaarus, somewhere east of the Dead Sea ; yet the Baptist may have been imprisoned, martyred, and buried in Samaria. Very Ukely the tradition has had its origin more from this having been the city of Herod than from any rehable fact or historic evidence on the subject. With a feeling of doubt akiu to that I experienced in Jerusalem, I must not be too positive on any such point, credibility and credulity in this land of wonders and legends being often interchangeable ; the data, too, upon which holy places rest their claims are frequently, if not pious frauds, in too many instances misapprehensions. The church, on the floor of which we are now standing, is roofless — the sun in its golden radiance illuminating its old walls, which are almost entire. The niche or recess in which of ei'st the altar stood, occupies the whole eastern end of the structure. The windows exhibit a mixed style of architecture, having both the pointed or Gothic arch, and the rounded, usually termed the Saxon. The walls seem modern, on which there are white marble tablets, with the emblems of our salva- tion, or crosses, now almost obliterated by the hands of the fanatic Moslem. Yet why blame them ? Their bigotry, and mode of showing it, is neither more intense nor absurd, nor does it run in a different channel, from that in which the same spirit did, in our own land, three hundred years ago, and which, though now scotched and repressed among us, is still in existence. Whether this edifice architecturally be Gothic, Jew- ish, or Roman, or a combination of all three, or by whom raised, let the learned determine. The whole building, with its associations, Avhcther true or false, fills my inind with a train of Old Testament recollections; reluctantly, therefore, I remount the steps, and see the door shut upon a place which at one time was held in as much veneration, and at which as wild devotional orgies were perpetrated, as ever Bethlehem witnessed, or disgraced the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. Paying our cicerone the modest sum of five 206 SANITAEY DEFICIENCIES. piastres, I pace tLe exterior of the building, and calculate it to be some 1 60 feet in length by 80 in breadth. Dean Stanley seems to conjecture that the reservoir, lying near the wall, may be the pool where Neboth and his sons perished, as the mur- derers of Ishibosheth, and where the chariot of Ahab,* stained with blood, was washed, after the fatal field of Ramoth Gilead. Mr Porter — and I do not know a better authority — is of opinion that the building is not of later date than the times of the Crusades. The present town, if it be not a misnomer to call it so, is a rude assemblage of stone-built huts, some fifty or sixty in number, containing a population of not more than 2G0. There are, both in the garden walls and dwellings, large bevelled stones and other fragments of ancient sculpture. The place appears as if the houses had been thrown down at random, without any regard to regularity. Order and uni- formity seem not to have been known in the formation of the streets and architecture of Sebustieh. The citizens had not before their eyes the fear of a Dean of Guild, a District Surveyor, or Metropolitan Board to interfere with or break up their polyangular lanes, no inspector of nuisances to smell out a cesspool, no medical officer of health to pry into and point out the secret recesses or hotbeds of filth and fever. Happy Samaritans ! — I should rather say unhappy. We need not be astonished that the inhabitants of this hill, three thousand years ago, were visited by plague and pestilence. Were it not that ye are a mere handful, scattered over the extensive site of the ancient city, the pure air permeating your rickety dwellings, the same efi'ects would most assuredly follow the violation of the sanitary laws you are this morning setting at defiance. If, however', the dwellings be but indifferent, the gar- dens, which in a great measure cover the hill-top, are really beautiful. It is astonishing that men so rude, savage-look- ing, with scarcely an implement, not only arrange with skill, but cultivate to success, nay, seem to appreciate and take a pride in, orchards and gardens. These are teeming with fruits, flowers, and vegetables — the latter would astonish some of our market gardeners near London, and take a high place at our Horticultural Shows. There must be some innate f;iculty in man educating the eye to love and copy * 1 KiiiEfs xxii. 38. IN THE HANDS OF THE PHILISTINES. 207 the beautiful, else how could these uncivilised Arabs, who never heard of " Loudon," " Paxton," or horticulture and landscape gardening, have laid out their plots of ground in such perfection 1 There may be something to account for this in the richness of the soil, the genial climate, the con- tour and beauty of nature around them, yet these could not alone lead the mind to the ornate or the beautiful. I examine a number of the gardens, taking the shortest path over fences or other obstacles in the way ; but so far from any one feeling offended, all seem pleased or gratified at my rough and ready appreciation of their labour. A change, however, in their bearing towards us is near. We had been warned both at Jerusalem and at Nablous to be on our guard against treachery, that the inhabitants of Sebustieh were not only rude, but a set of plunderers, the cream of the rascality on tbis side of Damascus. We have incurred their displeasure — how, I cannot de- termine ; perhaps we have not praised their babies, or given them sufficient bakhshish. My companion heard a woman urging a boy to pelt us with stones, which the young rascal ultimately did, hurling at us the opprobrious term, "Nusrany." The boy was caught and beaten soundly before their eyes, to which, however, they seemingly paid little attention. Another woman comes to me with antiques, for three of which she de- mands ten piastres ; after some haggling, I obtain them for six. In a few minutes she returns, and deliberately charges me with having stolen two besides those I had purchased. This is a ruse to get up a disturbance. I am at once surrounded with scowling faces, angry looks are darted at me, loud voices raised, and finally an attempt made by hust- ling to intimidate me. I am fairly in the hands of the Philistines. Assuming, however, a calm look, though far from feeling so, I shout " ^Moshtyeb om," (wicked woman), and then, inspired by a lucky thought, bawl, "antiques ! " Every man in a moment is off to his hoard, and comes running back, each with a small bag like a purse in his hand, containing a few old coins found in the ruins and neighbourhood ; thus I escape by a strategic purchase of a handful, in exchange for I do not know how many piastres. Never before nor since did money produce so sudden and talismanic an effect. Oh, the 208 EUINS ON THE HILL OF SAMARIA. power of the ''almiglaty dollar," and the potency of the piastre ! The scowl is changed into a smile. 'Now, they not only seem pleased, but satisfied ; assist me to mount — my companions by this time having reached the plain — actually kiss, according to their custom, my garments, invoke the bless- ings of Allah on my head and beard, accompanying me to the south-west of the village, where there are ruins of a church, convent, synagogue, or temple, no portion left standing except a few columns. It is said a monastery was erected on this spot in the twelfth or thirteenth century, of which these are supposed to be the remains ; but by others conjectured to have been the propylon to some temple, or to have formed an en- trance or avenue to the main street of the city. Mighty monuments of the past! whatever purpose ye may have served, whether royal palace or holy fane, the moss and lichen cover the skill of the cunning workman, the tendrils of the ^dne creep and intertwine, with corn, through the deep chisselliugs and tlutings of your columns ; works of ancient art, subject to change and decay, ye present a striking contrast to nature, which revels over your ruins, as young now and beautiful as before the hill of Samaria was purchased by Omri.* These fragments occupy an older site, probably, of the Herodian period. History informs us he rebuilt Samaria, beautifying it, and to which he gave the name Auguste, now corrupted into Sehaste. It would be vain to suppose that any of these ruins formed a part of the temple of Baal, which stood on this height in Old Testament times.t I am inclined to think that the columns, standing or prostrate, as well as the frag- ments of masonry, may be later than even the Roman era, jiossibly belonging to the Crusades, or later Christian times. The view from the plateau is one of the most picturesque imaginable, embracing on the west the plains of Sharon and the gleaming waters of the Mediterranean ; a fertile valley or basin of considerable extent stretching far away in the east; with a series of glens and f^iiry deUs, delicately rounded hills, presenting a picture of loveliness set in a frame of hazy, urple-coloured mountains. No more commanding situation * 1 Kings xvi. 23. t 2 Kings xiii. 6. SIEGE OF SAMARIA. 209 could have been selected for the site of a capital or the metro- polis of a country — a situation uniting in itself what might be difficult to find in Palestine : strength, beauty, and fertility. Possessing these, Samaria successfully resisted the repeated attacks of the Assyrian, before which her southern sister Jerusalem ingloriously fell. Though now barren of interest and devoid of beauty, except as regards its site and actual fertility, Samaria is embalmed in scriptural memories. It may be said to date from the time of Omri, who bought for two talents of silver the hill of " Shemer," from whom it de- rives its name, the term Samaria being simply a corruption. It was erected by him into a metropolis, enriched with palaces, encircled with a wall, and continued for years to be a royal residence. It was here Ahab and the notorious Jezebel, his queen, held their court in more than regal splen- dour ; and during their reign Ben-hadad, king of Syria, with an immense army, laid siege to the city, while his camp lay like locusts in the plain. The besieged cried unto the Lord : He heard and helped them, the armies of the invader, as we read in 1 Kings xx., being shamefully defeated. It will also be remembered that the Assyrians, on another occasion, came up against Samaria, and were miraculously smitten with blindness through the instrumentality of the pro- phet Elisha, and in this condition were conducted, with their weapons in their hands, into the city and presence of their enemies, when a generous trait of character is exhibited, per- haps the finest in history, {vide 2 Kings vL 18-23.) The city was subjected to another most remarkable siege, which lasted three long years. The record of suffering is harrow- ing ; the place was so closely invested that none could either enter in or go out. The entire plain and adjoining hills were so covered and guarded with the camp and tents of the Assyrians, that provisions failed, and gaunt famine made its appearance — an ass's head, we read, fetching almost a ransom ; and food the most revolting sold at fabulous prices. In this dire extremity, mothers — it is awful to relate — killed and ate their own children. God made this His o})portunity to de- liver them, and sent Elisha to proi)hesy tliat ere another day passed there would be such abundance of food in the city, that a measure of fine flour would be sold for a o 210 THE GOSPEL SENT TO SAMARIA. shekel, and two measures of barley at the same value. One of the court lords sneeringly asked if the Lord would make windows in heaven ; the prophet replied that he should see it, but that he would not live to taste it. The whole affect- ing story of the lepers sitting in the gate, their resolution, the discovery of the empty camp — God having discomfited them — and the fulfilment of the man of God's words, are vividly narrated by the sacred penman in 2 Kings vii. Another but a more pleasing scene presents itself to my mind's eye. Early in the first century, when the disciples were scattered abroad by persecution, God made this a means for the wider difi'usion of His gospel, by bringing good out of evil. Philip the evangelist is commissioned, and " went down to Samaria, and preached Christ unto them." Many believed, unclean sjiirits were cast out, the palsied and lame healed and cured, " and there was great joy in that city." Well I remember it was here also where Simon the sorcerer long bewitched the people, "giving out that he was some great one." He, with a keen eye to profit and fame, ob- serving that miracles were wrought by the apostle, fool- ishly oflTered money to purchase the gift. How like the world ! Gold, it is believed, is a panacea for every ill, and able to purchase, not only everything on earth, but the fa- vour of God and everlasting life. Infatuated world, and no less infatuated Simon, money has neither " part nor lot in this matter ;" and those who deem it otherwise are still " in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity." * I could not but also recall to mind, in leaving the city, the awful curse pronounced and now fulfilled, " Samaria shall become deso- late." + * Acts viii. t Hosea xiii. 16. CHAPTEK XXVI. THE HILL COUNTRY OF SAMAEIA. Waving a good-bye to the " roughs" of Sebaste, I hasten down the steep decline, thankful in having escaped rough handling at the cost of a few paltry piastres, and rejoin my companions. Our path continues through a well-watered and highly-cultivated district, the hills from base to summit ter- raced and under crop, each step of the terrace relieving the other by dark and brighter shades of green. The wooded knolls and ronnded hills give the place more the appearance of a park in England than a plain in Palestine.- Within the last hour and half or two hours, we have met a greater num- ber of pedestrians than during the past two days' travelling. There are no less than five villages dotting the declivities of the hills, showing this part of the country to be well-peopled. We reach a rocky ridge that overhangs a beautiful and exten- sive plain, dismount, bait our horses, enjoy a frugal repast, and rest — the rocks, gorse, thistles, dandelion, and "gowans," reminding ns of home. Were it not the Arab dress, the dark brown complexions, and strange tongues falling upon our ear, we would not suppose ourselves beyond the confines of merry England. The inhabitants between this and Acca (St Jean d'Acre) have a bad character, scarcely, it is said, allowing a traveller to pass \inmolested, except with an escort ; their looks are villiinous enough, it is true, but too much weight is not to be placed on mere physiognomy. Lavater was no doubt correct in many ])oints of his theory ; there is soinetliiug in the index of a man — the face ; yet there is many a well-known, lai-ge-hearted man, with child-like feelings, under an unpromising and for- 212 DOTHAN,. bidding os frontis. I have known — all know — men who have nothing of the lion about them but the skin. But revenons d nos moiitons. We have met within the last thirty minutes two companies of armed Arabs, who either salute or return our salaam with as much apparent heartiness as we could have received at home among our countrymen. We are at this moment driven for shelter from a heavy shower in the plain through which we have been riding, to a large building on our right, not unlike a granary, without windows, but can obtain no information either by whom it was erected or to what ])ur- pose it is applied. The road is good ; the country a succession of f]g and olive gardens. The ancient promise of a land abounding in corn and oil seems here realised. Far on in the afternoon we reach the great marsh known as Merj-el- Ghuruk, (the drowning meadow,) the soil rich, the sward close and thick as the lawn of a nobleman's garden, skirting a small lake lying on our right, on which there are swarms of wildfowl. Another fifteen minutes bring us to the base of the hill on which stands the renowned village of Sanur. Al- though more than once a heap of ruins, it has lately been rebuilt and again surrounded with walls. The inhabit- ants are a band of lawless plunderers, but yet brave and of sia independent spirit, who not only nobly resisted but even bearded Abd'ullah Pasha, and also Emir Beshir, only submit- ting when their city and walls had been hurled about their ears by artillery ; — in rebuilding which both women and <;hildren took part with the men, like the IsraeUtes of old when restoring Jerusalem, not only working day and night by shifts, but with their armour buckled on. I cannot help admiring pluck or courage whenever manifested, and therefore take a pleasure in recording this trait of their character. Long ere we reached Kubetiyeh, darkness had set in. I am aware, we are not far from ancient Dothan, which lies a short distance to the left. There the sons of Jacob fed their flocks, and there also little Joseph, with his coat of many colours — a fond parent's fancy — came to inquire after the welfare of his brethren, and was by them inhumanly sold to a caravan of Ishmaelites on their way to Egypt ; but God, in this as in numberless instances, " converted what would have been a cm'se into a blessing." JENIN FROGS. 213 My muleteer, a stout middle-aged Arab, of thirteen or fourteen stone, is aU in a tremor, exhibiting, as I think, an uncalled-for amount of the white feather. Is it my ignor- ance or foolhardiness to the perils of our position, that renders me fearless, while he trembles; he shows me by signs that we shall be robbed, our throats cut, and, worse than either in his view, his horses carried oiF. It is true there arc Arabs at their doors, armed, as all are, looking as if watching us. Mean- while I whistle aloud, like Gray's or some other poet's school- boy, to keep his courage up, and look as indifferent as if the whole Turkish contingent were in our rear. Hurrying, how- ever, out of the town without much delay, we dive among groves of olive and mulberry trees, and are soon in a lonely dell, the moon shining almost as bright as day; the scene itself is iio lees lovely. The track we are pursuing is narrow and hemmed in by a wall of rock on each side ; in that best lit up, there are numbers of perforations, but unfortunately we have no opportunity of going and exploring them. No sound disturbs us except the cry of some nightbirds or the hooting of an owl. All nature is hushed, or broken only occasionally by the click or ring of our horse's flat-iron shoe on some loose stone or shelving ridge. Noiselessly and silently we hurry on. The stillness, however, is at last broken by a noise which none but those who have travelled in the East could imagine to proceed irom an insignificant frog. I bad been already initiated into their capabilities at Jericho. It is not too much to affirm that the croak of a frog here rivals in sound the quack of a duck at home. Let any one imagine the effect of the noise emitted by ten times ten thousand united croakings, in the stillness of a summer evening, and gome faint idea may be formed of the discordance to which the traveller is subjected in passing through a Jeiiin bog. After many a weary and fond look for our bivouac, at length Ughts twinkle in the distance, and we ride wearily into the town of Jenin, the ancient Engannim, (the fountain of gardens.) Conunittiiig ourselves to the care of M'din, wlio conducts us to the door of a khan, we dismount, after a long and fatiguing ten liours' sederunt in the saddle. On entering this horrible place, there are a number of per- soiis sipping coflfee and smoking narghilehs. {Sitting down 214 A NIGHT m A KHAN. on our saddles, there being no seats, we obtain some cups, thimblefuls, I should say, of coffee, blackish bread, and eggs dyed of a purple colour. Anxious for rest, I sweep up a corner of the Hoor with my rug, and fling myself down dressed as I am, my companion doing the same. There is more than enough of company ; a few Arabs sit drinking and chatting until past midnight ; I could have wished a cleaner and softer couch, but am too weary and wise to quarrel with what Providence sends, and too thankful to have a roof over my head ; but to win the balmy influence of for- getfulness in present circumstances is impossible. In this one apartment are our own three horses eating their pro- vender, and three donkeys ; whilst the rafters are tenanted by hens, "waukrife" cocks, who used me as they did Tobit of old ; but this is a small matter compared with others. Sleep, however, came at last, and I was wrapt in its embraces. There is unfortunately a hole in the wall directly at my head, through which the wind rushes as through a barn door. Next arises an intermittent concert of howling dogs, that less or more kept up the discordance till 4 a.m. 21iiirsday, 2\st. — What an awful night I have passed !— it baffles description. Behind the wall there was snarling and fighting, overhead strophes and antistrophes, the asses contributing a trio; whilst I verily believe the whole feline family and population for miles round came and mingled their caterwauling ; a rat passed over my naked face with a cat in full pur.suit ; add to all this the place was liter- ally alive with fleas ! How I did wish for morning, almost cursing Jenin and its khan population. "As soon as ere the daylight peepit," as Wilson sung, I was up and out, un- dressed at once, and plunged into the clear fountain that gushes and forms a "lade" a few steps from the khan. How refreshing to my body and satisfactory to sweep off the per- sonal friends with whom I had become acquainted during the night — the immersion and its results afterwards giving me an idea of Mohammed's paradise. The satisfaction partly may arise from the fact that I have bathed in the springs of the garden in Engannim, mentioned by Joshua.'"' The country around Shecheni and Samaria is beautiful * Joshua xix. 21, xxi. 29. ENGANNIM. 215 and park-like ; but not more so than this lovely seat of gardens. The luxuriant fruit and foliage is truly charming ; one might suppose that here eternal summer reigned. The air is so genial, that flowers, I am informed, blossom the whole year round. I not only grudged these dirty, flea-bitten Arabs the possession of this lovely country, but regarded them from many points of view, as unworthy of the land of promise, to say nothing of more important reasons. It is now theirs, howevei", and held by the same tenure as that by which we pos- sess our Eastern and Australian possessions. Were all who are either idle, ignorant, or filthy, to be deprived of their property, who, it might be said, would have any either to hold or pos- sess 1 Instead, therefore, of wishing them out of the land, now their inheritance, let us rather endeavour to improve their habits and morals, by difi"using amongst them our Wes- tern laws and industry. By these their property would be secured, and their position ameliorated ; or, according to others, send amongst them the civilising influence of the gospel, and soon a " little leaven will leaven the whole lump." The population may number about 3000, among whom there are a few Christians. Their houses are chiefly built of stone, this material being plentiful in the neighbourhood. The streets filthy, and with as many turnings as a corkscrew ; the pavement execrable ; whilst water is plentiful, flowing from this noble fountain, the gift of a Moslem gentleman of Acca, who died some years ago. Such bequeathments are by no means rare in Turkey. Like our small towns at home, there are here both poverty and riches, beauty and deformity, and, as all the world over, there are also affliction and disease ; and from the appearance of the well-filled cemetery of tur- baned marble headstones, I may say with H(jrace : " Pallida mors aequo pulsat, pede, pauperum tabernas, Regumque turrcH." In other words, death seems to m;ike his regular calls at the door of the Arab in Palestine, as well as that of the Christian in England. Two or three Turkish soldiers are lounging about, under an ar/ha, who retains some fifty or sixty horsemen to keep the district quiet, and the roads safe, for the sake of travellers and pilgrims. 216 PLAIN OF ESDRAELON. The town itself stands in the mouth of the dale, which opens into and commands the plain of Esdraelon. The whole district may be regarded as mountainous, but beautifully wooded. I have not observed, either in the town or in the neighbourhood, any public work or factory, agriculture being the sole pursuit, every man seemingly having his own little patch of ground for the cultivation of plants, flowers, and vegetables. Time seems to hang heavy on their hands, the fertility of the land rendering habits of industry almost un- necessary. The changes, too, of fashion being unknown, their dress is always the same ; their habitations being without fur- niture, except a jar for water, and a brazier for fire, they have no motive, as they themselves admit, to hard labour. We paid eight piastres for our night's lodging, and at 6.15 we remount our nags and depart from Jenin, leaving behind us the hills of Manasseh, and the province of Samaria ; in a word, we have crossed the border, and enter far-famed Galilee, that great northern division of the Holy Land in which our Lord performed so many of His miracles and ministrations. We had scarcely entered the plain ere our guide, with the stubbornness of his race, instead of going to the left or western track, takes the right, leading direct to Nazareth, in order to avoid the detour to Carmel and. Acca. Calling a halt, and having consulted our map and compass, we point towards the mountains where our route lies, to which he pays no attention. Turnnig our horse's head, we ride across the fields to the left. When he perceives our movement he scampers after us, grum- bling and protesting that there is no road, and that there are thieves about. We only answered, "Eh, bien V and gave a Gallic shrug, and hurry on our journey, which to-day is a long one. This is one of the greatest plains, if not the greatest in Pales- tine, extending from the confines of Samaria to near Nazareth, a distance of about eighteen miles, or from the shores of the Mediterranean on the west to the Jordan valley on the east ; by some writers it is designated the Plain of Mcgiddo. Though broken in the west and east into knolls and gentle eminences, still in a great measure it preserves its open, flat character. The soil is a deep, rich loam, partially covered with corn and other cereal crops ; but probably not one-eighth is yet under cultivation. MEGIDDO. 217 There are numbers of mole-hills, a sure sign of good land ; some of them rise to a height of eighteen inches with a breadth of thirty; wild-flowers are abundant, consisting of thyme, camomile, poppies, thistles — the latter at least seven feet high, the flower small, but the tint brilliant. During the last four hours' ride there is no diminution in the fertility or of the abundance of the crops, which are rich and luxuriant, whilst numbers of ploughs are going on patches over the plain. Were the whole of this fine land cultivated, it might supply, I should suppose, the wants of the whole of Syria. It is grievous to see such an expanse of beautiful territory, and of so great capability, lying fallow. Water, I believe, is scarce ; there are many wide rents or " drought gaps," that require great caution in riding ; the only stream is the one near Me- giddo, that which we have just reached ; it is about two feet wide and six inches deep, a branch, I suppose, of the main stream of the Kishon, that discharges itself in our front near Haiapha into the Mediterranean. How truthfully, while pro- phetically, the patriarch described the future settlement of his sons in the possession of Canaan, assigning especially to Issachar this land for his portion — "And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant ; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute."* On our right the plain is bounded by the mountains of Gilboa, where Saul and his son Jonathan, together with the flower of Israelitish chivalry, fell before the Philistines, the day after the king's interview with Samuel's spirit and the witch at Endor.t Little Hermon and Tabor are both seen on the left, the latter rising and towering above the other hills like a giant among men. The i)lain projects itself on the east side among the hills like sea-creeks on the shore ; on these levels stand Nain, Endor, Shunem, Bcthshcan, and upon a gentle eminence, the ancient royal city of Jezreel ; all these names ring in my cars grate- fully as household words. On our left runs the mountain range of Carmcl, rich in wooded scenery ; two or three villages and hamlets still appear on our left ; mostly built, not on the summit as in Judea, but on the declivities of the mountain. We pass Kefr-Adan and also observe Ta'-Aannuk, the ancient " Tannach," Salem, and lastly Zelafeh, and then * Gen. xlix. 14, 15. t 1 Sum. x.\ix. 218 THE HAUNT OF THE BEDUEEN. reach the site of ancient Megicldo, the battlefield upon which Barak conquered, and where good Josiali fell.* From this part of the plain the mysterious name "Armageddon" of Scrip- ture, or city of Megiddo, is derived. This, according to pro- phecy, is to be the great battlefield of the world, where the final conflict of the righteous and the wicked, antecedent to the millennium, is to be decided. t The present inhabitants, if ever they knew, have utterly forgotten the original designa- tion of this the place of their birth, calling it in their own beautiful tongue, Merj-Ibu-Anier. Except the villages, we have only observed, during the eighteen jniles we have travelled to-day, one habitation, situated among some beau- tiful rounded knolls near the Kishon. This is unquestionably the home and haunt of the Beduee. Their black tents dot the plain, and appear like cattle in the distance. There are parties of them now scampering in troops, and others riding in Indian file ; again dashing over the flat grassy surface free as the wind ; as the sea is the home and the delight of many, so are the plains to the children of the desert. How picturesque is the appearance of Beduee horsemen ! — their flowing dress, with d'jreed in hand, coursing the fleet Icochlane : for instance, that individual now standing in his stirrups, shading his eyes with his hand, sweeping with eagle's glance the plain to the horizon in search, it may be, of some rich caravan or solitary traveller, from whom he may demand a bakhshish, or from whom he may levy black-mail ; if, on the other hand, hard pressed or outnumbered, a pressure of his knee on the flank of his steed, and he is off to the marsh, the fastnesses of Carmel, or it may be to the eastern side of Jordan. This plain, according to history, has ever been the arena of war in the attack or defence of Palestine. The Canaanites, anterior to Joshua, here fought among them- selves or with neighbouring nations, and well knew its im- portance strategically. The Israelites, although aware of its value as a basis for field operations, seldom used it except on two or three occasions, and these were compulsory ; trust- ing more for defence, like the Circassians in Russia, or the Highlanders of Scotland, to their hiU and mountain passes than to the level country. * 2 Chron. xxxv. 22. f Kev. xvi. 16. CHAPTER XXVII. MEGIDDO AND ESDKAELON. It appears strange that scenes similar to those which took place of old with the Midianites and Anialekites are still enacted in our own times in the same locality. Then, we read of multitudes covering the land with tlieir encampments, tents, cattle and camels, — their sheikhs, singularly enough, having their designations from some personal peculiarity, as swiftness of foot, clearness of vision, or cruelty of disposition. The names of two leaders or chiefs mentioned in Judges vi. were Oreb and Zeeb, (the raven and the wolf.)* Then, they ate up the standing crops, as the Bedueen chief and his horde consume the labours of the husbandmen in the present day. How few changes have centuries made among this nomadic people ! The first great battle in which Israel was engaged on Esdraelon, was against Jabin, king of Hazor, of which, on reaching Kishon to-day, I may have some- thing further to say. The ne.xt that of Gideon, who, under the guidance of God, overthrew the hosts of the Midianites with a mere handful of men. The dream and its interpreta- tion, the battle and discomfiture, are strikingly detailed in the Gth chapter of Judges. The third was Saul's defeat on Gilboa. Nor can I forget that here the Crusaders also displayed their prowess and experienced the vicissitudes of war with the Moslem — that it was near Magdala, in the north-eastern corner at Hattin, the Cross and Crescent long and bravely contended, until the latter gained the ascendant, which it contuiucs to maintain, though, we trust, only for a * Psalm Ixxxiii. 11. 220 ARAB TENTS. time. Crowds of these and similar reminiscences fill my memory. Amongst other questions, one frequently arises — What is the nature, and what will be the final issue of the war, in which the destruction of sin, Satan, and the wicked are involved 1 I have not given that study and atten- tion (mea culpa) to the Apocalypse that either the Dean of Bristol, or my co-presbyter, Dr Gumming, has done ; there- fore, must admit my com]:)arative inability to solve the pro- blem. True, I might fall back upon a number of learned authors, who have treated the subject at length, but unfor- tunately each of them has his own especial theory. Theyi prove, at least to their own satisfaction, that the struggle re- ferred to by the apostle either signifies the overthrow of the old Canaanites, the conversion of the Gentile world, or the dissolutile proverbially devoid of the amenities of civilised life and the polish of cities. Not only was He a GaliUoan, but lower still, of Nazareth, t and a Nazarene. Might not this enter hito the * John i. 46. t Luke ii. 23. 248 GALIL.EAN RUDENESS. elimination of His deep "humiliation" and reproach?* "Making himself of no reputation, and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself." t Perhaps a fulfilling of Isaiah's words : " He hath no form or comeliness ; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not." X After our hasty retreat from Kaukab, we proceed through a series of glens and knolls, then a forest of large trees and several groves of olives. Whilst entangled in one of the latter we catch a glimpse of a villanous- looking armed Arab, who appears to be watching and following us. We adopt the course, of quietly continuing our journey, without seeming to notice his movements. Riding on towards the famous conical hill of Jefat, that has been some time in view, which, having reached, we immediately ascend, and make our forenoon halt. * Luke iv. 28. t Phil. ii. 8. J Isa. liii. CHAPTEE XXX. CANA OF GALILEE. This mount, the Jotapata of antiquity, though not mentioned in sacred, is well known in secular history, as one of the stnnigest fortresses in Galilee. Upon tliis bare mass of rock, in the days of our Lord, there were a city and camp, in which Josephus, the Jewish warrior and historian, with his forces, baffled for some considerable length of time the trained legions of Vespasian. Now, not a stone of either city or stronghold remains, the only indications of their former ex- istence being four very large cisterns, in so dilapidated a condition that cattle find their way into them and nuake them their lair. The opening or entrance into the largest is completely shrouded by a large tree, and choked up with brushwood. The liill itself, in remote times before the use of artillery, must have been inaccessible and impregnable to all but lioman troo})s, being isolated from the plain and sur- rounding hills, except at a narrow neck that connects it with the range. Mr Porter is, I think, correct in sujiposing tlie val- ley at the base, to be the "Jiphthah-el" of Joshua xix. 2C-28. The view is shut in on three sides, that only towards Sefurieh being open. The prospect from this point is rich in hill scenery, but richer still in sacred reminiscences. The sur- rounding country is pastoral, and has somewhat the appear- ance, I fancy, of that about and near Gatehouse, in Gallo- way, Scotland. The question often rises in my mind — Shall the Saviour ever revisit this land and make Himself known to this people ? The longer I meditate on His word, the more I am of opinion He will, but at His own time, and in His own way — " Tuum regnum adveniaiy 250 THE PLAIN OF BATTAUF. Whilst seated on this historic height Meheiddin presents himself, and once more informs us that he has lost his way, and knows not what direction to take ; he is moving about, wringing his hands despairingly, either praying, cursiijg, or raving. Having but little acquaintance with his language, I cannot say which, but am inclined towards the imprecatory hypothesis. Fortunately the suspicious-looking Arab is still within hail, so calling him to our aid, he, instead of shoot- ing us off-hand, as we had half surmised, undertakes for a bakhshish of six piastres to guide us to Battauf, on our route to Nazareth. We lead our horses down the east side of the hill, under the conduct of our new cicerone, and pass through a charming dell, along a stream bordered with oleander and other blooming shrubs — quite a fairy den, in which Naiads and Driads, or other beings who delight in sylvan solitude, might find a home. I cannot help exclaiming — "Lovely Galilee ! Thou hast not only fond remembrances, green hills, and pleasant valleys, but also most lovely glens ! " We are conducted through a gorge, where the mountains on either side rise to a height of a thousand feet; after traversing which, we emerge at an outlet scarcely wide enough to allow a horse to pass. A ride of fifteen minutes down the ravine brings us to Kana-el-Jelil, the "Cana of Galilee" of the New Testament. A tide of emotions flit through me as I dismount and clamber over the walls of some deserted Arab huts, now converted into sheds to screen the cattle from the noonday heat. I exclaim, " Is this Cana 1 Where is the village 1 — where the city I had expected 1 Or if destroyed, where are its ruins ? " There are no remains of antiquity, in the shape of either column or cistern ; no memorial to inform the traveller or pilgrim that on this spot stood the dwelling of the Holy Family ; no vestige exists of the habitation in which Jesus performed, if not His first miracle, the first great act of His public life. In the course ot many journeys through different lands I have visited the sites of many ancient cities, which like this one have passed away ; but their situation could always be detected by their ruins and their remains ; their fragments either crowning the mountains or filling up the valleys, but alas ! here there is not a wreck left to mark either the site or the glory of Cana. THE SITE OF CANA. 251 I sit down on a huge slab which forms a portion of an old w'all of a goat-pen, and again ask myself, Is it possible that this bare and deserted hill-side can be the site of the Cana of the New Testament ? Can this be the spot which in bygone years, and to the present day, fills a large place in my mind's recol- lection? Am I really and truly on the ground and in the place consecrated by the miracle of water being turned into wine, at the w^ill of the Creator ? Is this the place where once stood, not only a city, but the renowTied city of Cana? It must be so ; history and tradition both point with unerring hand to this locality. I accept it, and look around and en- deavour, if possible, to discover among the rank grass, the goat and sheep cots, a position upon which it might be supposed the dwelling stood where the marriage party assembled ; where, on that occasion, Mary, a proud, a fond, and belie\ing mother sat ; where Jesus first burst forth from obscurity, and manifested Himself with the insignia of His divine character. But in vain ; the flowers bloom, the tall grass waves, the balmy air blows gently, the birds twitter and sing, but otherwise there is neither sign nor sound in heaven above or from the earth beneath, that this is the place where tlie Son of God declared Himself to be the great " I A^I." Yet it may be as well. Superstition and ignorance, rife in every age, might have converted such places and ruins into stumljling-blocks, leading to fanaticism and folly, if not to idolatry. Cana is as imperishable as the Word of Cod itself. Into whatever country the blessed gospel is carried, and in whatever age or language it may be received or proclaimed, the marriage feast of Cana, and the turning water into wine, will ever continue to be re- menil)ered. Well am I aware that His presence now fills this glen as the sun at this moment fills the earth with its radiaiicc ; His hands made these gray mountains, moulded these green hills, and levelled these ])lains ; His fingei's carved and rounded these lovely flowers, tinted and mingled tlieir hues, and blended them into harmony and beauty ; 1 myself, who sit here gazing as if into vacuity, yet entranced in love and adoring admiration, was formed by His power, and, blessed be His name ! liave been breathed into by His Spirit. He is just as much present, in and around me at this moment, as He was with those who 252 THE RIVAL CANA. reclined with Him, .it the same table, and lay upon His bosom on this sacred spot 1800 years ago. The site of these ever-memorable events is lonely in the ex- treme, and entirely depopulated. With the exception of the savages of Kaukab and our Arab guides, we have not beheld a human face during the Avhole day, yet the scenery — embrac- ing plain, mountain, and ravine — is exceedingly full of beauty. It may be remarked that Cana, hke many other towns and vil- lages mentioned in the Old and New Testaments, has a sister city of the same name. The last is known as Kefr Kenna, situated a few miles nearer JSTazareth ; this has been the inno- cent cause of a large amount of bickering amongst the learned and the travelled. Had a taste for antiquarian con- troversy been my forte or ambition, here there is a fair field for wrangling, nearly as ample and inexhaustible as that afforded by the site of the Holy Sepulchre itself. Mr Porter states that Kana-el-Jelil was believed to be the real Cana, and re- mained unquestioned as such, till late in the sixteenth century; since that date, however, a host of travellers and authorities have arranged themselves in antagonistic phalanges, one party contending for this as the site, and the other for the existing or more eastern village. In the course of the contention such terms as " architriclinium," and the names of the early travellers, Quaresimus, Willibald, and Saewulf, besides le- gends difficult to believe about " water-pots," have been so freely bandied about, that an outsider like myself cannot avoid being a little confounded, particularly as the material evidence of pots and pillars brought forward on either side, like the wood of the " true cross," or the " three black crows," ex- pand or diminish according to the exigences of the disputants. After collecting a few souvenirs, we remount our horses and depart with a sigh from Kana-el-Jelil, designated by others Khurb-et-Kana, and enter upon the plain of Battauf, where some ploughmen with their small ploughs are preparing the land for seed. To a Western the dress of a Syrian labourer or ploughman, with his mode of guiding his implement, is at first sight rather novel, and such as we would deem unsuited to his occupation and the purpose he has in view. This feeling, like everything new, soon wears off, and the eye becomes reconciled to the anomaly. We would opine, from our habits A GALIL.^AN PLOUGHMAN. 253 and attire that a ploughman's garb sliould be at least of strong corduroy or home-made woollen ; but he seems to think or feels that the climate demands no such stutf ; his drawers are like Lis turban, of white calico, pure as the driven snow, the former reaching only to his knees ; if without his abbah, then his vest is also white of the same slim material, or it may be his head is enveloped in a fancy-coloured shawl, his legs bare, and his feet thrust into red morocco slippers, with soles five inches in breadth. His plough, he holds with one hand, and guides or drives the oxen with the other, singing some love ditty as merrily as a ploughboy in England, pursuing his useful and pleasant labour from morn till eve. A weight of deep dejection, which in vain I attempt to throw off, oppresses me, arising from the reflection of Cana's departed greatness, or from feeling that I am travelling over a tract often trodden by Jesus when in the flesh. His mother, and His friends, on their way from Nazareth to Cana. Looking around me, I know that the Re- deemer must often have beheld those hills, frequently crossed this plain, clambered up those declivities, and gazed upon the same natural objects that form the landscape, the country then, presenting the same general outline of goat-pastured hdls, and " fields white to the harvest," as it does now. But oh, how great the change, and how dilferent the aspect! There are now no longer villages teeming with an active population, groups of merry children, and wedding parties coming out to meet the bridegroom ; the voice of melody and the song of praise are no longer heard — all is silent, except Nature, and she at this moment seems grave and sombre. The few inhabitants who reside here and till the land are Arabs, followers of the false prophet, to whom the name of Jesus is unknown, or if known, despised ; upon them, though more heavily upon the Jews, fell collaterally the dire consequences of the terrible invocation — " His blood be upon us and our children."* After another hour's ride across the plain of liattauf, we reach and ascend a green rounded hill, keeping a church-like building on our left. The country is undulating, formed of green hills and olive-cultured dales, with corn-fields, fig-tree plantations, oaks, too, and a kind of tree resembling a willow ; the landscape, to my eye, having much the appearance of that * Matth. xxvii. 5. 254 BIRTHPLACE OF THE VIKGIN. near Bethlehem, or bearing some resemblance to the districts round Beith and Loch winnoch in Ayrshire, — with this difference, that here the vegetation is characterised by the foliage of the vine and the fig-tree ; there, by that of the fir, the broom, and the hawthorn ; but stop, we have just arrived at Sefurieh, the Dio-Caesarea or Sepphoris of antiquity. This ancient city, once the strongest in Palestine, and in the time of Herod second only in this respect to Jerusalem, was situated on or near the hill we have just ascended ; but, like other Syrian towns of antiquity, has now entirely disappeared. On the summit of the height there is a round Greek church, or it may be, as some suppose, a castle ; portions of the wall are still in good preservation. This, with a square tower, a column or two, and the remains of a few houses — wliich, in some in- stances, appear to have been constructed of bevelled stones — are all that is left of Sepphoris. It was here, it is believed, the Jewish Sanhedrim assembled after the destruction of the temple ; and where also Josephus, with a mere handful of men, by an adroit stratagem, gained a decisive victory over the Romans. But the place is chiefly remarkable from a prevalent and ancient beUef that it was the birthplace of the Virgin Mary. The old church is sup- posed to occupy the spot where the angel stood and exclaimed, "Hail, Mary ;" hence it has been termed the "Place of the Salutation." A house is still pointed out, said to be that of her parents, Joachim and Anna ; the latter, as all are aware, was recently canonised, and declared by a Papal bull to have been like her illustrious daughter, "born without sin." Had the new saint been alive, she would doubtless have been some- what astonished by this dogma of the Immaculate Conception, as well as by many very strange things done in her name, and by virtue of her authority. Pilgrims from all parts of Christendom flock here annually to worship at the old Gothic shrine, and perhaps nowhere out of Italy are " the glories of Mary " — it would be verging on blasphemy to repeat them — more implicitly recognised than by the devotees of the Latin Church at Sefurieh. The existing hamlet, built of the fragments of the ancient city, is a mere cluster of huts, with low doors, the interiors dark, and unprovided with any appliances of domestic comfort. ARAB COOKERY AND BAKERT. ZOO The people nevertheless seem in easy circumstances, the chil- dren well fed, and as happy as if their homes were "marble halls." There are no special trades carried on in the village ; the entire population are engaged in field labour. They pro- bably make their own shoes, clothes, and whatever might be necessary at home. I did not even observe a barber's shed, though ahnost indispensable in the East. The village stands partially on a heap, or rather heaps of rubbish, wliich, I have no doubt, would well repay the labour of excavation. Though not a professed antiquarian myself, I have a strong opinion that exploring this debris would amply compensate the outlay. Had I time and means to secure the co-operation of a body of navvies, I should not hesitate to re- turn next summer and overhaul these mounds ; the result, I am certain, would at the very least enrich our private and public collections. On a partial examination of the hill, slopes, and ad- jacent valleys, there are, if I mistake not, a number of plants, to me unknown, which, if classified, would considerably augment our botanical knowledge.. There is, some two miles off, a foun- tain, famed in history as marking the try sting-place of the Cru- saders before the battle of Hattin, at which the fate of Pales- tine Avas decided; but unfortunately I am too busy looking up antiques to think of going to see anything more interesting at a distance. It may be remarked in passing, that the Syrians, generally, not ordy use their bread fresh from the oven, but animal food is cooked and eaten very soon after it has been killed. They thus suppose the very opposite to us, that meat in this state is more tender, while they aflirm with a shudder that we eat food that is dead, or that we keep it till it is cor- rupted. They boil or stew their meat to rags ; in roasting, it is cut up into a number of small pieces, and placed on a skewer. In general, only as much food as serves for the day is cooked. This custom exjilains how it Avas that in the case of Abraham and other patriarchs, when either stranger or angel were welcomed into their tents, a kid had to be caught, killed, and dressed, and cakes to be baked ere the guests could be entertained.* In one of the huts into which I looked, there was a woman busily engaged making bread for the family. The process may be briefly discribed thus : — * Gen. xviii. G-7. 256 ALONE AMONG THE HILLS. She took from a bag made of goat's hair two or three handfuls of meal or coarse flour, mixed it with cold water, in an un- glazed earthenware dish, kneaded it with her hands, as ban- nocks are made by housewives in Scotland ; it was then rolled out with a piece of wood, and twirled between her hands, to reduce it to a greater degree of thinness ; plac- ing it upon a plate of sheet-iron over some glowing wood- embers, the bread was baked almost instanter. There is another mode, differing, however, very little from the last — the cake is placed between two plates, and the whole thrust in among live embers. From hygienic and economic con- siderations, I never, at home, eat newly-baked bread ; but, when one is in Palestine, it alters the case. Never did I eat a sweeter morsel, or with greater relish. The next stage in our journey is Nazareth ; but whilst tak- ing a last glance at the ruins and hovels of Sefurieh, I lose sight of my companion and the muleteer, who have started off before me. I am at a loss to what point of the compass to steer, ignorant of where Nazareth lies, nor how to ask it even although I knew its name. Wliat is to be done 1 I start at full gallop down the hill, and follow a beaten track for a mile or so. Seeing no signs of my friends, but meeting with three Arab girls, from them I learn that I am in the direct way to Acre. Turning my horse's head, I take at once the opposite direction, and hasten along the margin of a stream, just below the village, but am again baffled; the road leads to the river, and there it seems to terminate. Nevertheless, I push boldly into the current, ride a couple of hundred yards, and descry a path on the opposite bank, which I take ; but whether it may lead to Nazareth or not, I have no means of determining. This much, however, I do know, it is neither the way I came, nor the route to Acre, consequently, any track, if it leads to the hills among which Nazareth is said to lie, the city must be ultimately reached. I therefore dash away at fuU speed. Arriving at a steep acclivity, I slowly ascend it. This mountamous district is magnificently rugged, stern, and wild ; a meet home — as Sir Walter Scott says of Caledorua — for a poet. Here there would be nothing to disturb his revery, or break in upon his mood, when " his eye is in fine frejizy ENTRANCE INTO NAZARETH. 257 rolling," save tlie bleat of the goat, the song of the lark, or the hush and moan of the wind, as it played in eddies around him. Indeed, I have sometimes marvelled, that Galilee, so rich in natural scenery — mountain, glen, and stream — should not have, in modern times, produced a poet : one who would sing of its green hills, its crystal brooks, and fair daughters ; as also, that no Israelite has restrung the long-silent harp of the royal singer, or taken up and struck the lyre of the heaven-enwrapped Isaiah : thus to arouse his countrymen to arms, to regain possession of their inheritance, or besiege Heaven, in fervid poetic strains, for deliverance and re- storation. I have peered a dozen times through my glass, in an endeavour to descry some human habitation, but except Se furieh, which lies behind me, there is no trace of the country being inhabited. At the bend in the pathway, I catch sight in the far distance, upon my right, of a large square building, apparently a convent or a fortress, surrounded with walls, and situated in the midst of vmeyards and gardens. I imme- diately push on towards it, in the hope of obtaining informa- tion relative to the position of Nazareth. A twenty minutes' ride brings me to its gateway ; where, after thundering with an iron knocker for some time, arousmg every sleeping echo in the valley, at last a person makes his appearance, who to judge from his countenance, is anything but well pleased ; possibly, I may have disturbed him at his devotions, or still more pro- bably, at his dinner ; aud few care to be interrupted in either of these cases. I ask my way to Nazareth, using all the lan- guages of which I am master; he replies, I suppose, in Arabic, but unfortunately neither of us understands the other ; so we mutually shrug our shoulders, and after interchanging smiles and salaams, I leave, and, proceeding onwards, I come to two cross roads, that break off at right angles. Here is another puzzle. Fortunately taking the left hand one, a quarter of an hour's riding through prickly pears and olive gardens, brings me to the brow of a hill overhanging the place of my destination. Here I meet with a youth who speaks a little English — this he informs me he picked up from the travellers at the convent — and under his guidance I enter the far-famed citv of Nazareth. CHAPTER XXXL NAZARETH. Leading my horse down a deep lane at the extremity of the town, the first person I meet is Meheiddin, who weeps in the excess of joy, not because his lost Englishman has ap- peared, but at recovering his brown mare, which he had given up as irretrievably lost. I am, to speak the truth, no less satisfied to find myself safe from panther and wild Beduee, than he is at recovering his property. It is now more than ever my conviction that there is less danger amongst the hills from either wild beasts or thieves than is supposed. The cry wolf ! wolf ! is often a trick of hotel-keepers, escorts, and drago- men, simply to bring grist to the mill. So far, then, as my own experience goes, there is not so much reason for distrust- ing the native population, or yet for carrying revolvers and daggers — which almost every traveller wears ; indeed, I have generally found, both at home and abroad, that a due observ- ance of the golden rule, will carry a man farther and safer, than such a display of panoply, which often leads to swagger- ing and bullying, if not to actual bloodshed. We find a cordial welcome and a home at the residence of the superintendent of the " Mission for the diffusion of Chris- tianity among the Jews." The missionary establishment is large, clean, and commodious. Mr Zillah himself is at pre- sent in Europe, but we receive every attention from a young English lady connected with the institution. Although late on the Saturday afternoon, still there is time to make the circuit of the city or town before dark. So out we sally. The lanes, called by way of courtesy, streets, are execrable, encumbered with refuse, the bazaars choked with dirt and CHURCH OF THE ANNUNCIATION', 259 rags ; in a word, Nazareth may claim the unenviable dis- tinction of being the filthiest town in Palestine. What a contrast to my preconceived ideal of the home of the Lord ! But blessed be God, faith does not rest on things seen and temporal. The pilgrim's first steps are generally directed to the Church of the Annunciation, and thither my companion and myself also make our way. The route lies down through crooked lanes, an which we have to wade up to the ankles in the soil of men and animals. Threading our path among the filth, we reach the entrance of the basilica, situated in a spacious square ; then crossing a court we enter a small gateway, and stand in the holy fane. Let me confess I experience no devotional feelings, no spiritual throbbings swell in my breast, nor, do I stand with bated breath, as when, for the first time, I entered the Holy Sepulchre, or crossed the threshold of the Grotto of the Nativity. Descending, if I mistake not, the same number of steps as those that lead to the sacred manger at Bethlehem, and also, I fancy, as those leading to the Chapel of the Elevation of the Cross on Calvary, it occurs to me, that the coincidence is, to say the least of it, extremely suspicious-looking. There is so much traffic in religion, and in the feelings it generates, that one is apt, in such an atmo- sphere, to become incredulous, even as regards what is perfectly true. TJie monk who acts as our conductor, points out as we pro- ceed, the marvels of the building. "Here," says he, after the manner of a showman, " the angel stood ;" " there," he adds, " stood Mary ; here, was her pitcher, and there, she did the family washing." So he went on, till I gave him a hint that we were heretics. This information takes the worthy friar completely aback ; he seemingly had no idea, that he was talking to, and had come into contact with, schismatics, and that we had neither faith in his church, nor belief in his legends. Anxious, however, to see the whole affair, we de- scend some more steps, our conductor carrying a lamp in his hand. Traversing a long dark passage, he opens a door in a corner, and we enter the reputed house of Joseph and Mary. The i)lace appears to be one of tlioso natural caves so com- mon in the district, and in the limestone formation, yet, it 2Q0 POPISH LEGENDS. may be the most trutliful portion of the whole exhibition. Eeturning to the vestibule, the mouk winds up by laying his hand on a wall, saying, " This is the identical house in which the Virgin lived." Yet, no fact is more notorious in Christen- dom, or one which the Church of Eome holds, at least in Italy, with greater tenacity than the dogma, that the dwelling of the Virgin was conveyed by angels from Nazareth, first to Dal- matia, and finally to Loretto in Italy, where it is now visited annually by thousands of pilgrims. This myth is no more absurd or improbable, than many others maintained by papal rescripts and edicts. When I questioned the monk how the edifice could be both here and in Italy at one and the same time, he merely shrugged liis shoulders, replying, " It is God's doing ; un miracolo ! un miracolo I" It has often occurred to me, more especially of late, how much more satisfactory it would be, were pilgrims per- mitted, unattended by a guide, to Adsit these shrines and hoi}'- places, and be left by themselves to enjoy alone in silence, their own thoughts, fancies, or communings. The same remark applies to other exhibitions, and even to survey- ing and studying the beauties of nature. The majority of guides who conduct strangers through the holy places of Palestine, are bigoted, and often ignorant monks — men whose education is often limited, who, from their training, believe, or say they believe, any romance, legend, or pious fraud, how- ever ridiculous, that has received the sanction of their supe- riors, probably following up the suggestion of Belarmine — " To call black white, and white black, if required to do so for the good of mother church.'' Such guides, by their incessant ill- timed descriptions and interruptions, would destroy the genius loci of bedlam, how much more so the solemnities or silence of a church or sepulchre ? Before leaving, the monk leads us to, and points out, a pillar at the foot of the great staircase, which he affirms has been for centuries miraculously suspended from the roof, the under plinths, and perhaps two feet of the lower portion of the column being awanting, but which, to ordinary Protestant optics, seems simply to be built into the rock-work overhead. He further informs us, that accordmg to tradition — here he crossed himself — the lower part of the shaft had been re- GREEK CHURCH AND FOUNTAIN. 261 moved by the infidels, in an unholy attempt to destroy the Sacred Grotto, but God interposing, caused the superior or upper part to hang as it does now, and so it shall remain, continues he, " ad ceternum," This is an exceedingly clumsy attempt at a miracle ; simpl}^ a travestie of Mohammed's coffin at Mecca — or perhaps an attempt to rival the Moslem on his own ground and principles. Indeed, I fancied the monk felt half-ashamed in "trying it on," knowing that I was English. Besides these attractions, there are some tolerable paintings and altar-pieces, but so far as I can judge, none of them will bear any very severe criticism. Amongst the Latin inscriptions within the building, the most prominent is : — ^^Hic verhum caro factum est." (Here the Word was made flesh.) No doubt there is much in the church or cathedral of Nazareth to gratify the taste, and peculiar mental, and religious train- ing of a Romanist ; but, taken altogether, I cannot say, though interested, I have been much edified, or my faith strengthened by the visit. Having completed our inspection of the Latin cathedral, we next proceed to the Greek church, which lies on the other side of the town, where mass, or probably vespers, are being chanted. Under the floor of this very handsome building- there is a fountain, said to be that at which the Virgin Mary stood, when first addressed by the angel. On asking one of the priests for a small bottle of the water, he obligingly complies with my request. The Latins have also, it may be remarked, a fountain under their cathedral, for which they claim the same distinction and veneration, asserting of course that theirs is the genuine one, whilst the Greeks, with equal pertinacity, insist that they are the custodiers of the real Simon Pure. There is a third " Fountain of the Virgin" out- side the town, which I purpose visiting on Monday, and on which I may then make a few remarks. Nothing more plainly shows Popery to be a masterpiece of Satan, than its marvellous ada[)tation to suit the desires of unsanctified humanity. Man's aff"ections are stirred up, and yearn with anxiety concerning the after-death welfare of near and dear ones; the Church gives a viaticum and prayers for the dead. Man naturally seeks a scon mediator, and to enjoy a 262 Joseph's workshop. present forgiveness ; the Church presents him with both, in the person of a priest, absolution, guaranteeing a present and future indulgence. Man soothes and satisfies his torn and severed afiections, by cherishing the relics of departed ■worth, embracing the mementoes of past loved ones ; the Church supplies the want, and closes up the gap by relics, i.e., bones, rags, and exuviae of saints and martyrs ; the monks taking care that the supply shall be always equal to the demand. Humanity dreams, longs, and desires to visit the scenes where noble, great, or good deeds have been per- formed, or where holy men have lived ; the Church invents or consecrates holy jilaces, to which she attaches either sanctifying gi'ace or mediatorial merit. In short, anything rather than Jesus Christ and Him crucified ; any work or penance rather than being born again of the Holy Spirit.* We are next conducted to the suburbs of the town, where there is shown what, by many is believed to be the workshop of Joseph, and the carpenter's bench at which both he and his reputed son, Jesus, pursued their humble calling. Unfortunately for the Latins, to whom this workshop belongs, the Greeks, Avith laudable zeal, are busy erecting an opposition "carpenter's shop," upon a hill on the other side of the town ; this, when finished, if we may judge a 2^^'iorl, will be equally as genuine as its more ancient rival. There is already, both here and at Jerusalem, an apparent necessity for the signboard and warning sometimes observable, both in London and in the provinces, between rival shops or tradesmen, who deal in the same com- modity — " No connexion with the shop next door, or over the way," as the case may be. This bench is also known as the " Mensa Christi," or Dining Table of the Lord, which the monk affirms to be the identical table at which Jesus, both before and after His resurrection, dined with His disciples. A chapel is erected over it, on the walls of which are a number of what may be called first-class certificates, authenticating the genuineness of the article, and its high claims to the veneration of the faithful. Not laying any claim to this high distinction, I could not either bow the knee or kiss the hand before it — unbeliever that I am — while many devotees, Catholics, Greeks, * John iii. 5. RELIGIOUS FEUDS. 263 aud even Moslems, it is said, are bending before it. I am even doing worse, if the Latin inscription over it is to be credited, I am denying myself seven years' " plenary in- dulgence," either to sin for that period here, or be freed from purgatorial fires hereafter; for it says: — " Traditio continua et nunquam interrupta apud omnes nationes orientales hanc petram dictum meiisam Ghristi, illam ipsam esse supra quam, Dominus noster Jesus Christus, cum suis discipiUis, ante et post suam resurrectionem a mortuis, et sancta Romana ecclesia, indulgentiam concessit septem annorum et totidem quadragenarum omnibus Christi Jidelibus hunc sanctum locum visitantibus, recitando saltern ibi unum Fater et Ave dummodo sint in statu gratice." Ecclesiastical history informs us that although Mary Kved nearly thirty years in Nazareth, yet no pilgrimage was ever made to these fountains, Avorkshops, or homes of the Virgin ; and that for centuries after the Ascension of her Saviour and her Son, the idolatrous worship of Mary was altogether unknown. It need not therefore be a matter of surprise that doubts should exist, as to the exact spots, where the events connected with the Holy Family transpired. A pilgrimage now made by a lioman Catholic to places of reputed saucity, consecrated by his Church, and sanctioned by his clergy, is regarded as a meritorious act of devotion, securing to him the questionable boon of plenary indulgence. Hence noillions of devotees have resorted to these and kindred loca- lities for ages, as an act of faith, and believe not only in their sanctity, but in the miracles said to be wrought at, or near them. The Greek and Latin churches in Palestine, hate each other very cordially. There never was a time, I believe, in which they were not at feud. No sooner, as we have observed, does the one invent or discover some holy place, fount, or relic, to at- tract pilgruns, than the other is sure to devise a marvel of the same kind. Apart, however, from local disputes, the varied Christian religionists — composed of Latins, Greeks, Copts, Ar- menians, Druse, and Maronite — draw together harmoniously, in their collective capacity. So it is among sects at home. Churchmen and Dissenters "bite and devour each other;" but when the " High" and the " Inroad," the Presbyterian and Independent, Methodist and Baptist, meet on the same plat- 264 RELIGIOUS FEUDS. form, a foreigner would be charmed with their apparent har- mony and unanimity ; but, as in Syria, so in England, when let loose in pairs, contentions and strifes arise between them. As for myself while in Syria, I have been everywhere welcomed with the right hand of fellowship, by all sects of religionists with whom I have come into contact. I may here remark, that when strangers belonging to different creeds, and sometimes to the same, are brought together, the cere- mony of introduction is somewhat curious. The person intro- duced makes a salaam, which is returned, by the hand being raised to the brow, to signify "honour," the fingers are next placed on the lips to signify "truth," and lastly the hands are pressed against the breast to indicate "affection." Whether all this is the effect of native grace or cultivation, and be really indicative of the sentiments felt, or merely a result of fear generated and kept up from Moslem tyranny, I cannot say. CHAPTER XXXII. FOUNTAINS OF THE VIRGIN, Having returned from our tour of inspection, embracing the cathedral, the Greek church, most of the lions, and the town itself, I am now quietly enjoying the comforts of a home and a room, furnished with a well-stocked and choicely selected library of books; a bed stands invitingly opening its curtained arms to receive me, a luxury to which for a week I have been a stranger ; a looking-glass, too, were shaving necessary ; but, for two reasons, this article of modern civilisa- tion is to me entirely superfluous. I have long acquired the bachelor mode of removing the daily hirsute crop Avithout hot water, or the aid of a mirror — how much more, since I have adopted the beard, that badge of manhood, which should never have been resigned, and follow the comfortable habit of the patriarchs, who w'erc only harharians in this respect, if the pun be allowable. How trite, yet how true the adage, that home conveniences and even privileges, because near and readily available, are often undervalued, and their worth or want only discovered by their occasional absence ! It is Avhen in the wilderness, or among the wild hills of Galilee, that one fully appreciates the advantage of having a roof over one's head, and know^s the com- forts of a manse, a cosy yielding chair, a coal fire, hearth-rug, and snugly curtained chamber ; and feels security in the police- man's measured tread by night; the advantage of v. pavement, gaslight, and the 'bus, when business calls to the city ; or the boats and railways, Avhen pleasure invites to the country. All— 2G6 PLEASURES AND PERILS OF TRAVELLING. " SvFeet home, Be it ever so humble, There's no place like home." How delightful when wearied with the everlasting brick walls of the metropolis, continuous shop windows, endless rows of painted shutters, and miles of interminable streets! How spirit-stirring and body-refreshing to one, who for years has been daily bored and amused by the tergiversa- tions, political and social, of the Times, Telegraph, and other newspapers ; the bitterness of our critics and Saturday re- viewers ; the tiresomeness of Brown, Jones, and Robinson, whose conversation is usually a medley of stocks, shares, or white-bait at Blackwall, with a strong tincture of the com- ing "event" on the Epsom Downs, How delightful, I say, to break up the tedium of London life, by a fortnight on the sea-coast, or a month amongst the lochs, glens, and mountains of the Highlands ! Even the wildernesses and wadies of Syria are not without their charms ; new scenes are constantly opening out, and a higher estimate formed of God's works, goodness, and power. But, then, there are drawbacks. One may be eaten up by vermin, a portion of your time spent in the ignoble pursuit of hunting and dislodging them ; to which add, the passing a succession of nights on the hill-sides, sleeping, or attempting to do so, in the heavy dew and rain, exposed to wild beasts and the Bedueen lance or bullet. Still, whilst submittmg to these discomforts, there is always cropping up the sweet consolation, that one will return to his parish or portion of London, known in the Postal Guide by the letter E., to one's flock, and to friends, with a greater zest for home, a more enlarged view of humanity, a knowledge less or more of the Holy Land and cities of an- tiquity, and more than ever mindful of the gracious providence of God's unseen, but ever present hand, that keeps and will bring him home in safety and in peace. Indulging in these fond hopes, I retire to rest, and with grateful spirit resign my- self to repose. Nazareth, Sunday, 2ith April. — I have slept soundly, and now rise refreshed and in robust health. After family worship it is with extreme regret I hear that Meheid- din, our muleteer, has been taken ill. This is unfortunate, SUNDAY IN NAZARETH. 267 and will be more so should his malady turn out to be fever. I went to the mission dispensary and obtained some medicine for him, and then officiating as his physician, give him the draught, and order him off to bed ; like many of his country- men he is subject to chest disease, and though the climate of Syria is pure, dry, and bracing, the air is often too keen for those who have a tendency to consumption. The large amount of pulmonary complaints amongst the Arab populatit)n is really astonishing ; the medical gentleman connected with the mis- sion informs me, that though this disease is not so rife as in Great Britain, the number of fatal cases is proportionably as great. It is scarcely to be expected that the Christian Sabbath would be very closely observed in an Eastern town ; but Naza- reth is worse in this respect than I had anticipated. The large proportion of the Latin and Greek community had led me to expect some sign or degree of Sunday observance, but, alas ! as in other towns and cities of Egypt and Palestine, there is httle or no diiference made between the Lord's-day and that of the otlier days of the week ; both bazaars and shops are this morning full, the labourers busy in the fields, tailors are on their boards, shoemakers at their lasts, and blacksmiths hammering on their anvils — " There is none that seeketh after God." True, the catliedral and convent bells are calling worshippers to the altars, but oh, liow few respond to the call ! Early masses are celebrated in both the Latin and Greek churches, but by 9 o'clock a.m. these are finished, and the Sab- bath is considered over. There are some infatuated individuals in Christian Britain, stirring heaven and earth to introduce a similar laxity into our country, instead of the Sal)batli rest. God forbid they should ever succeed, or that this hallowed day .should cease to be reverenced in my beloved native land ! Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Nazareth, are the three places most resorted to by pilgrims on account of their sanctity ; but as regards the observance of the day of rest, I have no hesitation in saying that in each it is grossly profaned, nor anywhere in Christendom are there more unholy cities. We have public worship in the mission premises at 11 a.m. The Rev. Mr Maury read prayers, and I delivered a short sermon from the texts Gen. i. 15, the promise; Luke ii. 25, 268 Jew's mission. the promise fulfilled ; and 1 Timothy iii. 16, the final issue. The congregation was small, but according to our Lord's tes- timony, a church does not consist in numbers nor external form, but simply in two or three meeting " together in His name," to read His word, preach His gospel, exhort one another, or bend the knee in united prayer before Him. Yea, under these conditions, an upper room, the river side, a dungeon, a cellar, a ship's cabin ashore or afloat, is as much a church as St Peter's at Rome, St Paul's in London, or the marble Duomo of Milan. This morning we had no pealing organ or well-trained choir, no fretted roof overhead, no long- drawn aisles ai'ound us, no image-bedimmed windows, or priests clothed in sacerdotal garments ; but we had humble and loving hearts, believing in and trusting on .Jesus, worshipping and glorifying Him, as God blessed over all. May He hearken to the voice of our prayers, and follow with His enriching bless- ing the preaching of His holy word, spoken probably on a spot of earth once consecrated by His own feet ! The Rev. j\I. Zillah, the mission superintendent, a German, is zealous in his ministrations. It is satisfactory to learn that his labours in this place, have not been in vain in the Lord. Thank God, the work of evangelisation prospers. The schools, both as regards the week and Sunday attendance, arc flourishing. The medical branch and its dispensary, are highly prized by the inhabitants, who freely avail them- selves of their benefits ; indeed, when I visited the little old-fashioned wooden dispensing room, it was crowded with anxious faces. Advice and medicine are given gratuitously, whilst the sick, infirm, and aged are regularly visited at their own homes ; the medical gentleman who manages this dej^art- ment is a Jewish convert, holding a diploma of the University of Edinburgh. There can be only one opinion as to the good cfi"ected through the instrumentality of this mission ; if the adult conversions are few, that is not the fault of the mission- aries ; they are planting "the seed beside all waters," but God alone can give the increase. May He speed the good work, and endow the mission with His blessing. Aiii^en. Monday, 25th April. — Last evening we were considerably disturbed by a troop of instrumentalists, who could only by courtesy be termed musicians. On inquiry, it is discovered MARRIAGE CUSTOMS. 2G0 that the charivari is the prelude to a marriage ceremony that is now on the tapis. It seems that a number of young people on such occasions are accustomed to parade the streets with a band of music, every evening, for some days prior to the event coming off. Marriage in the East, as all Bible readers know, is a sine qua non, especially with the gentler sex. Sorry am I to say, that the matrimonial compact in Syria, assumes much the same mercantile complexion, that it often does amongst ourselves, with this difference, that here the bride is openly bought, and the amount of purchase money is neither concealed, denied, nor glossed over ; the whole affair is indeed conducted above board, simply as a matter of course, and in a business-like manner. The whole details and diplomacy of the match are arranged by the bride's father and the bridegroom, without the slightest regard to the lady's feelings, tastes, or affections. The aris- tocratic course is, for the young man to send some costly pre- sents to the family of the beloved one, as we know was done in the case of Rebecca; indeed this precedent appears to have been the basis of matrimonial negotiations ever since. The more usual mode, however, is for the swain, when his affections, or whatever else may be the designation given to the primum mobile in the case, are fixed, to wait upon " papa," explain his prospects and position ; he then and there asks him, with- out further circumlocution, what he expects in exchange for his daugliter. Be not shocked, fair readers ; the practice is sanctioned both by high authority and venerable antiquity ; use and wont in such matters being often the law, while cus- tom and Scripture have for ages set their broad seal upon the usage. Something analog