THERE being several gentlemen of our nation, four teen in number, determined for a visit to the Holy Land, at the approaching Easter, I resolved, though but newly come to Aleppo, to make one in the same design: considering that as it was my purpose to undertake this pilgrimage some time or other, before my return to England, so I could never do it, either with less prejudice to my cure, or with greater plea-sure to myself, than at this juncture; having so large a part of my congregation abroad at the same time, and in my company.
Pursuant to this resolution, we set out from Aleppo on Friday, Feb. 26, 1696, at three in the afternoon, intending to make only a short step that evening, in order to prove how well we were provided with necessaries for our journey. Our quarters this first night we took up at the Honey-kane; a place of but indifferent accommodation, about one hour and a half west of Aleppo.
It must here be noted, that, in travelling this country, a man does not meet with a market-town, and inns, every night, as in England : the best reception you can find here, is either under your own tent, if

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the season permit; or else in certain public lodgments founded in charity for the use of travellers. These are called by the Turks, kanes; and are seated sometimes in the towns and villages; sometimes at convenient distances upon the open road. They are built in fashion of a cloister, encompassing a court of thirty or forty yards square, more or less, according to the measure of the founder's ability or charity. At these places all comers are free to take shelter; paying only a small fee to the kane-keeper, and very often without that acknowledgment. But must expect nothing here generally but bare walls as for other accommodations, of meat, drink, bed, fire, pro-vender; with these it must be every one's care to furnish himself.
Saturday, Feb. 27.-From the Honey-kane we parted very early the next morning; and proceeding westerly as the day before, arrived in one hour and a half at Oo-rem; an old village, affording nothing remarkable but the ruins of a small church. From Oo-rem we came in half an hour to Keffre; and in three quarters more to Essoyn. At this last place we entered into the plains of Kefteen: proceeding in which, we came in one hour to another village called Legene, and half an hour more Hozano, and in a good hour more to Kefteen. Our whole stage this day was about five hours, our course a little southerly of the west.
The plains of Kefteen are of a vast compass; ex-tending to the southward beyond the reach of the eye, and in most places very fruitful and well cultivated. At our first descent into them at Essoyn, we counted twenty-four villages, or places at a distance resembling villages, within our view from one station. The soil is of a reddish colour, very loose and hollow; and you see hardly a stone in it. Whereas on its west side there runs along for many miles together a high ridge of hills, discovering nothing but vast naked rocks, without the least sign of mould,

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or any useful production: which yields an appearance, as if nature had, as it were, in kindness to the husbandman, purged the whole plain of these stones, and piled them all up together in that one mountain. Kefteen itself is a large plentiful village on the west side of the plain. And the adjacent fields abounding with corn, give the inhabitants great advantage for breeding pigeons: insomuch, that you find here more dove-cots than other houses.
Sunday, Feb. 28.-Having a long stage to go this day, we left Kefteen very early: and continuing still in the same fruitful plain abounding in corn, olives and vines, we came in three quarters of an hour to Harbanoose; a small village situated at the extremity of the plain. Where, after crossing a small ascent, we came into a very rich valley called Rooge. It runs to the south farther than one can discern, but in breadth, from east to west, it extends not above an hour's riding; and is walled in, as it were, on both sides, with high rocky mountains. Having travelled in this 'valley near four hours, we came to a large water called the lake (or rather, according to the oriental style, the sea) of Rooge. Through the skirt of this lake we were obliged to pass; and found it no small trouble to get our horses, and much more, our loaded mules through the water and mire. But all the sea was so dried up, and the road so perfectly amended at our return, that we could not then discern so much as where the place was, which had given so great trouble. From this lake, we arrived in one hour at Te-ne-ree ; a place where we paid our first caphar.
These caphars are certain duties which travellers are obliged to pay, at several passes upon the road, to officers, who attend in their appointed stations to receive them. They were at first levied by Christ-ians, to yield a recompence to the country for maintaining the ways in good repair, and scouring them from Arabs, and robbers. The Turks keep up so

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gainful an usage still, pretending the same causes for it. But under that pretence they take occasion to exact from passengers, especially Franks*, arbitrary and unreasonable sums; instead of being a safeguard, prove the greatest rogues and robbers themselves.
At a large hour beyond this caphar, our road led us over the mountains, on the west side of the valley of Rooge. We were near an hour in crossing them, after which we descended into another valley running parallel to the former, and parted from it only by the last ridge of hills. At the first descent into this valley is a village called Bell Maez, from which we came in two hours to Shoggle. Our course was for the most part of this day, west-south-west. Our stage in all, ten hours.
Shoggle is a pretty large, but extremely filthy town, situated on the river Orontes: over which you pass by a bridge of thirteen small arches to come at the town. The river hereabouts is of a good breadth; and yet so rapid, that it turns great wheels, made for lifting up the water, by its natural swiftness, without any force added to it, by confining its stream. Its waters are turbid, and very unwholesome and its fish worse; as we found by experience, there being no person of all our company that had eaten of them over night, but found himself much indisposed the next morning. We lodged here in a very large and handsome kane, far exceeding what is usually seen in this sort of buildings. It was founded by the second Cuperli, and endowed with a competent revenue, for supplying every traveller that takes up his quarters in it, with a competent portion of bread, and broth, and flesh, which is always ready for those that demand it, as very few people of the country fail to do. There is annexed to the kane, on its west side, another quadrangle, or square court, containing apartments for a certain

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number of almsmen; the charitable donation of the same Cuperli. The kane we found at our arrival, crowded with a great number of Turkish hadgees, or pilgrims, bound for Mecca. But nevertheless we met with a peaceable reception amongst them, though our faces were set to a different place.
Monday, March 1.-From Shoggle our road led us at first westerly, in order to our crossing the mountain on that side of the valley. We arrived at the foot of the ascent in half an hour, but met with such rugged and foul ways in the mountains, that it took us up two hours to get clear of them, After which we descended into a third valley, resembling the other two which we had passed before. At the first entrance into it, is a village called Be-da-me, giving the same name also to the valley. Having travelled about two hours in this valley, we entered into a woody mountainous country, which ends the bashalic of Aleppo, and begins that of Tripoli. Our road here was very rocky, and uneven; but yet the variety which it afforded made some amends for that inconvenience. Sometimes it led us under the cool shade of thick trees: sometimes through narrow vallies, watered with fresh murmuring torrents: and then for a good while together upon the brink of a precipice. And in all places it treated-us with the prospect of plants, and flowers of divers kinds: as myrtles, oleanders, cyclamens, anemonies, tulips, marygolds, and several other sorts of aromatic herbs. Having spent about two hours in this manner, we descended into a low valley; at the bottom of which is a fissure into the earth of a great depth; but withal so narrow, that it is not discernible to the eye till you arrive just upon it: though to the ear a notice of it is given at a great distance by reason of the noise of a stream running down into it from the hills. We could not guess it to be less than thirty yards deep. But it is so narrow that a small arch, not four yards over, lands you on its other side. They

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call it the Sheck's Wife: a name given it from a woman of that quality, who fell into it, and, I need not add, perished. The depth of the channel, and the noise of the water, are so extraordinary, that one cannot pass over it without something of horror. The sides of this fissure are firm and solid rock, perpendicular and smooth, only seeming to lie in a wavy form all down, as it were to comply with the motion of the water. From which observation we were led to conjecture, that the stream, by a long and perpetual current had, as it were, sawn its own channel down into this unusual deepness: to which effect the water's being penned up in so narrow a passage, and its hurling down stones along with it by its rapidity, may have not a little contributed.
From hence, continuing our course through a road resembling that before described, we arrived in one hour at a small even part of ground called Had-gar ib Sultane, or the SuItan's Stone. And here we took up our quarters this night under tents._ Our road this day pointed for the most part south-west, and the whole of our stage was about seven hours and a half.
Tuesday, March 2.-We were glad to part very early this morning from our lodging in the open air; the weather being yet too moist and cold for such discipline. Continuing our journey through woods and mountains, as the day before, we arrived in about one hour at the caphar of Crusia, which is demanded near a kane of that name; a kane they call it, though it be in truth nothing else but a cold comfortless ruin on the top of a hill by the way side.
From hence in about another hour we arrived at the foot of a mountain called Occaby; or as the word denotes, difficult, and indeed we found its ascent fully answerable to its name. The moisture and slipperiness of the way at this time, added to the steepness of it, greatly increased our labour in ascending it; insomuch that we were a full hour in

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gaining the top of the hill. Here we found no more woods or hills, but a fine country, well cultivated and planted with silk gardens: through which, leaving on the right hand a village called Citte Galle, inhabited solely by Maronites, we came in one hour to Bellulca. Here we repaired to a place which is both the kane of the village and the aga's house; and resolving by reason of the rains, which fell very plentifully, to make this our lodging, we went to visit the aga with a small present in our hands, in order to procure ourselves a civil reception. But we found little recompence from his Turkish gratitude, for after all our respect to him, it was not without much importunity that we obtained the use of a dry part of the house; the place where we were at first lodged lying open to the wind and the beating in of the rain. Our whole stage this day was not much above four hours; our course about south-west.
Being informed that there were several Christian inhabitants in this place, we went to visit their church, which we found so poor and pitiful a structure, that here Christianity seemed to be brought to its humblest state, and Christ to be laid again in a manger. It was only a room of about four or five yards square, walled with dirt, having nothing but the uneven ground for its pavement; and for its ceiling only some rude traves laid athwart it, and covered with bushes to keep out the weather. On the east side was an altar, built of the same materials with the wall; only it was paved at top with pot-sherds and slates, to give it the face of a table. On the south side was a piece of plank supported by a post, which we understood was the reading desk, just by which was a little hole, commodiously broken through the wall to give light to the reader. A very mean habitation this for the God of Heaven! But yet held in great esteem and reverence by the poor people; who not only come with all devotion

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hither themselyes, but also deposit here whatever is most valuable to them, in order to derive upon it a blessing.
Wednesday, March 3.-The next morning flattered us with the hopes of a fair day after the great rains which had fallen for nearly eight hours together. We therefore ventured to leave Bellulca, with no great thanks to it for our entertainment. But we had not gone far, before we began to wish that we had kept our former accommodation, bad as it was; for the rains began to break out afresh with greater fury than before: nor had we more comfort under foot, the road being very deep and full of sloughs. However, we resolved to go forward in hopes of a better time, and in four hours, very long ones in such uncomfortable circumstances, we arrived at Sholfatia, a poor village situate upon a small river, which we were obliged to pass. A river we might call it now, it being swollen so high by the late rains, that it was impassable; though at other times it be but a small brook, and in the summer perfectly dry.
Here, instead of mending our condition, as we expected, we began to drink more deeply of the bitter cup of pilgrims, being brought to such a strait, that we knew not which way to turn ourselves. For, as I said, the stream was not fordable, so that there was no going forward; and as for facing about, and returning to the place from whence we came, that was a thing we were very averse to; well knowing, by that morning's experience, the badness of the road; and likewise having reason to expect but a cold welcome at our journey's end. As for lodging in the village, that was a thing not to be endured for the houses were all filled with dirt and nastiness, being inhabited promiscuously by the villagers and their cattle. As for lying in the open air, the rain was so vehement we could not do that, without an evident danger both to ourselves and horses.
But whilst we were at this non-plus, not knowing

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which course to take, the rain abated; and so we resolved to pitch in the open field, though thoroughly soaked with the wet, esteeming this however the least evil. Accordingly we betook ourselves to a small ascent by the water's side, intending there, under our tents, to wait the falling of the stream.
We had not enjoyed this cessation of' rain long, when it began to pour down afresh, with terrible lightning and thunder. And now our care was renewed, and we knew not well which to be most concerned for; whether ourselves, who enjoyed the miserable comfort of a dropping tent over us, or for our servants and horses, which had nothing but their own cloaths to protect them. At last there being a small sheck's house, or burying place hard by, we comforted ourselves with hopes that we might take sanctuary there. The only difficulty was how to get admission into so reverenced a place; the Turks being generally men of greater zeal than mercy. To negociate this affair, we sent a Turk, whom we had taken with us for such occasions, into the village; ordering him to try first by fair means to gain admittance, and, if that failed, to threaten that we would enter by force. But the religion of this place was of that kind which supersedes instead of improving humanity. The people absolutely denied us the small charity we demapded; and sent us word they would die upon our swords before they would yield to have their faith defiled: adding farther, that it was their faith to be true to Hamet and Aly, but to hate and renounce Omar and Abu Beker; and that this principle they were resolved to stand by. We told them we had as bad an opinion of Omar and Abu Beker as they could have: that we desired only a little shelter from the present rain, and had no intention to defile their faith. And thus with good words we brought them to consent, that we might secure our baggage in the sheck's house; but as for ourselves and arms, it was our irreversible

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sentence to be excluded out of the hallowed walls. We were glad however to get the merciless doors open upon any terms; not doubting, but we should be able to make our advantage of it afterwards ac-cording to our desire: which we actually did; for when it grew dark, and the villagers were gone to sleep, we all got into the place of refuge, and there passed a melancholy night among the tombs: thus escaping however the greater evil of the rain, which fell all night in great abundance.
Being now crept into the inside of the sheck's house, I must not omit, in requital for our lodgings, to give some account of the nature of such structures. They are stone fabrics generally six or eight yards square, more or less, and roofed with a cupola, erected over the graves of their saints.
Of these buildings there are many scattered up and down the country, for you, will find among the Turks far more dead saints than living ones. They are situated commonly, though not always, upon the most eminent and conspicuous ascents. To these oratories the people repair with their vows and prayers, in their several distresses, much after the same manner as the Romanists do to the shrines of .their saints. Only in this respect the practice of the Turks seems to be more orthodox, in regard that though they make their saint's shrine the house of prayer, yet they always make God alone, and not the saint, the object of their addresses.
Thursday, March 4.-To revive us after the heaviness of the last night, we had the consolation to be informed this morning, that the river was fordable at a place a little farther down the stream; and upon experiment we found it true as was reported. Glad of this discovery, we made the best dispatch we could to get clear of this inhospitable place; and according to our desires, soon arrived with all our baggage on the other side of the river.
From hence ascending gently for about half an

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hour, we came to the foot of a very steep hill, which, when we had reached its top, presented us with the first prospect of the ocean. We had in view, like-wise, at about two hours' distance to the westward, the city Latichea, situate on a flat fruitful ground close to the sea; a city first built by Seleucus Nicator, and by him called in honour of his mother, Laodicea, which name it retains with a very little corruption of it at this day. It was anciently a place of great magnificence; but in the general calamity which befel this country, it was reduced to a very low condition, and so remained for a long time; but of late years it has been encouraged to hold up its head again, and is rebuilt, and become one of the most flourishing places upon the coast; being cherished, and put in a way of trade by Coplan Aga, a man of great wealth, and authority in these parts, and much addicted to merchandise.
From the hill which we last ascended, we had a small descent into a spacious plain, along which we travelled southward, keeping the sea on the right hand, and a ridge of mountains on the left. Having gone about one hour and. a half in this plain, we discerned on the left hand, not far from the road, two ancient tombs. They were chests of stone each two yards and a half long. Their cavities were covered over with large tables of stone, that had been lifted aside probably in hopes of treasure. The chests were carved on the outside with ox-heads, and wreaths hanging between them, after the manner of adorning heathen altars. They had, likewise, at first, inscriptions graven on them: but these were so eaten out, that one could not discover so much as the species of the characters. Here were also several foundations of buildings; but whether there were ever any place of note situated hereabouts, or what it might be, I cannot resolve.
Above an hour from these tombs, we came to another stream, which stopped our march again. These

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mountain rivers are ordinarily very inconsiderable; but they are apt to swell upon sudden rains, to the destruction of many a passenger, who will be so hardy as to venture unadvisedly over them. We took a more successful care at this place; for marching about an hour higher up by the side of the stream, we found a place, where the waters by dilating were become shallower, and there we got a safe passage to the other side. From hence we bent our course to recover our former road again; but we had not gone far, before there began a very violent storm of hail, followed by a hard and continued rain, which forced us to snake the best of our way to Jebilee, leaving our baggage to follow us at leisure.
Our whole stage this day was about six hours, pointing for the first hour west, and for the remaining part nearly south, having the sea on the right hand, and a ridge of mountains at about two hours' distance on the left. And in this state our road continued for several days after, without any difference, save only that the mountains at some places approach nearer the sea; at other, retire farther off. These mountains go under different names in several places, as they run along upon the coast, and are inhabited by rude people of several denominations.
Friday, Marcia 5.-This whole day we spent at Jebilee, to recruit ourselves after our late fatigues; having the convenience of a new kane to lodge in, built at the north entrance into the city by Ostan, the present basha of Tripoli.
Jebilee is seated close by the sea, having a vast and very fruitful plain stretching round about it, on its other sides. It makes a very mean figure at pre-sent; though it still retains the distinction of a city, and discovers evident footsteps of a better condition in former times. Its ancient name, from which also it derives its present, was Gabala; under which name it occurs in Strabo, and other old geographers. In

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the time of the Greek emperors, it was dignified with a bishop's see; in which sometimes sat Severian, the grand adversary and arch-conspirator against St. Chrysostom.
The most remarkable things that appear here at this day, are a mosque, and an alms-house just by it, both built by sultan Ibrahim. In the former his body is deposited, and we were admitted to see his tomb, though held by the Turks in great veneration. We found it only a great wooden chest, erected over his grave, and covered with a carpet of painted calico, extending on all sides down to the ground. It was also tricked up with a great many long ropes of wooden beads hanging upon it, and somewhat resembling the furniture of a button-maker's shop. This is the Turks' usual way of adorning the tombs of their holy men, as I have seen in several other instances; the long strings of beads passing in this country for marks of great devotion and gravity. In this mosque we saw several large incense-pots, candle-sticks for altars, and other church furniture, being the spoils of Christian churches at the taking of Cyprus. Close by the mosque is a very beautiful bagnio, And a small grove of orange trees; under the shade of which travellers are wont to pitch their tents in the summer time.
The Turks that were our conductors into the mosque, entertained us with a long story of this sultan Ibrahim who lies there interred; especially touching his mortification, and renouncing the world. They reported, that having divested himself of his royalty, he retired hither, and lived twenty years in a grotto by the sea-side, dedicating himself wholly to poverty and devotion: and in order to confirm the truth of their relation, they pretended to carry us to the very cell where he abode. Being come to the place, we found there a multitude of sepulchres hewn into the rocks by the sea-side, according to the ancient manner of burying in this country: and amongst

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these they sheaved one, which they averred to be the very place in which the devout sultan exercised his twenty years' discipline; and to add a little probability to the story, they shewed, at a small distance, another grotto, twice as large as any of its fellows, and uncovered at the top, which had three niches or praying-places hewn in its south side. This they would have to be sultan Ibrahim's oratory: it being the manner of the Turks always to make such niches in their mosques, and other places of devotion, to denote the southern quarter of the world; for that way the Mussulmans are obliged to set their faces when they pray, in reverence to the tomb of their prophet. These niches are always formed exactly resembling those usually made for statues, both in their size, fabric, and every circumstance. I have sometimes reflected, for what reason the Turks should appoint such marks to direct their faces toward in prayer. And if I may be allowed to conjecture, I believe they did it at first; to shew their hatred of images, and to express to them both the reality of the divine presence there, and at the same time also its invisibility. The relators of this story of sultan Ibrahim, were doubtless fully persuaded of the truth of it themselves. But we could not tell what conjectures to make of it, having never met with any account of such a sultan, but only from this rude tradition.
From these Mahometan sanctuaries, our guide pre-tended to carry us to a Christian church, about two furlongs out of town on the south side. When we came to it, we found it nothing but a small grotto in a rock by the sea-shore, open on the side towards the sea; and having a rude pile of stones erected in it for an altar. In our return from this poor chapel, we met with the person who was the curate of it. He told us, that himself and some few other Christians of the Greek communion, were wont to assemble in this humble cell for divine service, being not

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permitted to have any place of worship within the town.
Jebilee seems to have had anciently some convenience for shipping. There is still to be seen a ridge composed of huge square stones, running a little way into the sea; which appears to have been formerly continued farther on, and to have made a mole. Near this place we saw a great many pillars of granite, some by the water side, others tumbled into the water. There were others in a garden close by, together with capitals of white marble finely carved; which testify in some measure the ancient splendour 'of this city.
But the most considerable antiquity in Jebilee, and greatest monument of its former eminency, is the remains of a noble theatre just at the north gate of the city, which passes amongst the Turks for an old castle.
As for what remains of this mighty Babel, it is no more_ than twenty feet high. The flat side of it has been blown up with gunpowder by the Turks; and from hence, as they related, was taken a great quantity of marble, which we saw used in adorning their bagnio and mosque before mentioned. All of it that is now standing is the semi-circle. It extends from corner to corner just a hundred yards. In this semi-circular part is a range of seventeen round windows just above the ground, and between the windows all round were raised, on high pedestals, large massy pillars, standing as buttresses against the wall, both for the strength and ornament of the fabric; but these supporters are at present most of them broken down.
Within is a very large arena, but the just measure of it could not be taken, by reason of the houses with which the Turks have almost filled it up. On the west side, the seats of the spectators remain still entire, as do likewise the caves or vaults which run under the seats all round the theatre. The outward

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wall is three yards three quarters thick, and built of very large and firm stones; which great strength has preserved it thus long from the jaws of time, and from that general ruin, which the Turks bring with them into most places where they come.
Saturday, March 6.-Having done with Jebilee, we put forward again early the next morning, with a prospect of much better weather than we had been attended with in our former motions. Our road continued by the sea-side, and in about two hours brought us to a fair deep river, called by the Turks, Naher-il-Melech, or the King's River. Here we saw some heaps of ruins on both sides of the river, with several pillars of granite, and other footsteps of some considerable buildings. About half an hour farther we passed another river, called Jobar, shewing the remains of a stone bridge over it, once well built, but now broken down. On the other side of this river, in a large ploughed field, stood a great square tower; and round about, the rubbish of many other buildings. Likewise all along this day's journey, we observed many ruins of castles and houses, which testify that this country, however it be neglected at present, was once in the hands of a people that knew how to value it, and thought it worth the defending. We then passed to Baneas. This place is four good hours beyond Jebilee. It stands upon a small declivity about a furlong distant from the sea, and has a fine clear stream running swiftly by it on the south side. It is at present uninhabited, but its situation proves it to have been anciently a pleasant, its ruins a well-built, and its bay before it, an advantageous habitation. At this place was required another caphar.
Leaving Baneas, we went on by the sea-side, and in about a quarter of an hour passed by an old castle, on the top of a very high mountain. It is built in the figure of an equilateral triangle, having one of its angles pointed towards the sea. The Turks call

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it Merchab; and enlarge much upon the sieges it has sustained in former times: but whatever force it may have had anciently, it is at present only a residence for poor country-people. This is probably the same castle mentioned by Adrichomius and others under the name of Margath; to which the Bishops of Balanea were forced to translate their see by reason of the insults of the Saracens.
At about one hour and a half distance from Baneas, we came to a small clear stream, which induced us to take up our lodging near it. We pitched in the open fields about two or three furlongs up from the sea; having in sight on the mountains above us, a village called Sophia, inhabited solely by Maronites; and a little farther Besack, another village possessed by Turks only; and a little farther Merakia, whose inhabitants are a miscellany of Christians and Turks together. Our whole stage this day was about six hours.
Sunday, Marcia 7.-From this quarter we removed early the next morning, and in three hours came to a fair deep river called Nahor Hussine; having an old bridge turned over it, consisting of only one arch, but that very large and extremely well wrought. In one hour and a half more, travelling still by the sea-side, we reached Tortosa.
The ancient name of this place was Orthosia. It was a bishop's see in the province of Tyre. The writers of the holy wars make frequent mention of it, as a place of great strength. And one may venture to believe them, from what appears of it at this day.
Its situation is on the sea-shore; having a spacious plain extending round about it on its other sides. What remains of it is the castle, which is very large and still inhabited. On one side, it is washed by the sea ; on the other, it is fortified by a double wall of coarse marble, built after the rustic manner. Between the two walls is a ditch; as likewise is another

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encompassing the outermost wall. You enter this fortress on the north side, over an old draw-bridge, which lands you in a spacious room now for the most part uncovered, but anciently well arched over, being the church belonging to the castle. On one side it resembles a church, and in witness of its being such, shews at this day, several holy emblems carved upon its walls, as that of a dove descending, over the place where stood the altar; and in another place that of the holy lamb. But on the side which fronts outward, it has the face of a castle, being built with port-holes for artillery, instead of windows. Round the castle on the south and east sides stood anciently the city. It had a good wall and ditch encompassing it, of which there are still to be seen considerable remains. But for other buildings, there is nothing now left in it, except a church, which stands about a furlong eastward from the castle. It is one hundred and thirty feet in length, in breadth ninety-three, and in height sixty-one. Its walls, and arches, and pillars, are of a bastard marble, and all still so entire, that a small expence would suffice to recover it into the state of a beautiful church again. But, to the grief of any Christian beholder, it is now made a stall for cattle, and we were, when we went to see it, almost up to our knees in dirt and mire.
From Tortosn a we sent our baggage before us, with orders to advance a few miles farther toward Tripoli, to the intent that we might shorten our stage to that place the next day. We followed not long after, and in about a quarter of an hour came to a river, or rather a channel of a river, for it was now almost dry: though questionless here must have been anciently no inconsiderable stream; as we might infer both from the largeness of the channel, and the fragments of a stone-bridge formerly laid over it.
In about half an hour more, we came abreast with a small island, about a league distant from the shore, called by the Turks Ru-ad. This is supposed to be

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the ancient Arvad, Arphad, or Arpad (under which several names it occurs, 2 Kings xix. 12. Gen. x. 18. Ezek. xxvii. 11. &c.) and the Aradus of the Greeks and Romans. It seemed to the eye to be not above two or three furlongs long; and was wholly filled up with tall buildings like castles. The ancient inhabitants of this island were famous for navigation, and had a command upon the continent as far as Gabala.
About a quarter of an hour farther we came up with our muleteers; they having pitched our tents before they had gone so far as we intended. But this miscarriage they well recompensed, by the condition of the place where they stopped; it affording us the entertainment of several notable antiquities, which we might otherwise have passed by unobserved. It was at a green plat, lying within one hour of Tortosa, a little southward of Aradus, and about a quarter of a mile from the sea, having in it a good fountain, though of a bad name, called the Serpent Fountain.
The first antiquity. that we here observed was a large dike thirty yards over at top, cut into the firm rock. Its sides went sloping down with stairs formed out of the natural rock, descending gradually from the top to the bottom. This dike stretched in a direct line, east and west, more than a furlong, hearing still the same figure of stairs running in right lines all along its sides. It broke off at last at a fiat marshy ground, extending about two furlongs betwixt it and the sea. It is hard to imagine that the water ever flowed up thus high; and harder, without supposing that, to resolve for what reason all this pains of cutting the rock in such a fashion, was taken.
This dike was on the north side of the Serpent Fountain; and just on the other side of it, we espied another antiquity, which took up our next observation. There was a court of fifty-five yards square, cut in the natural rock: the sides of the

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rock standing round it, about three yards high, sup-plied the place of walls. On three sides it was thus encompassed; but to the northward, it lay open. In the centre of this area was a square part of the rock left standing; being three yards high, and five yards and a half square. This served. for a pedestal to a throne erected upon it. The throne was composed of four large stones: two at the sides, one at the back, another hanging over all at top, in the manner of a canopy. The whole structure was about twenty feet high, fronting toward that side where the court was open. The stone that made the canopy was five yards and three quarters square, and carved round with a handsome cornice. What all this might be designed for, we could not imagine; unless perhaps the court may pass for an idol-temple, and the pile in the middle for the throne of the idol: which seems the more probable, in regard that Hercules, i. e. the sun, the great abomination of the Phenicians, was wont to be adored in an open temple. At the two innermost angles of the court, and likewise on the open side, were left pillars of the natural rock; three at each of the former, and two at the latter.
About half a mile to the southward of the fore-said antiquities, there stood in view two towers; but it growing dark, we were forced to defer our examination of them till the next morning. Our whole stage this day exceeded not six hours.
Monday, March 8.-Having passed over a restless night, in a marshy and unwholesome ground, we got up very early, in order to take a nearer view of the two towers last mentioned. We found them to be sepulchral monuments, erected over two ancient burying places. They stood at about ten yards distance from each other.
The tower was thirty-three feet high. Its longest stone or pedestal was ten feet high, and fifteen square: the superstructure upon which was, first a tall stone

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in form of a cylinder, and then another stone cut in shape of a pyramid.
The other tower was thirty feet and two inches high. Its pedestal was in height six feet, and sixteen feet six inches square. It was supported by four lions, carved one at each corner of the pedestal. The carving had been very rude at best; but was now rendered by time much worse. The upper part reared upon the pedestal was all one single stone.
Each of these barbarous monuments had under it several sepulchres, the entrances into which were on the south side, It cost us some time and pains to get into them; the avenues being obstructed, first with briars and weeds, and then with dirt. But, however, we removed both these obstacles; encouraging ourselves with the hopes, or rather making ourselves merry with the fancy of hidden treasure. But as soon as we were entered into the vaults, we found that our golden imaginations ended, as all worldly hopes and projects do at last, in dust and putrefaction. But, however, that we might not go away without some reward for our pains, we took as exact a survey as we could of these chambers of darkness.
Going down seven, or eight steps, you come to the mouth of the sepulchre; where, crawling in, you arrive in a chamber which is nine feet two inches broad, and eleven feet long. Turning to the right hand, and going through a narrow passage, you come to a room which is eight feet broad, and ten long. In this chamber are seven cells corpses, viz. two over against the entrance, four on the left hand, and one unfinished on the right. These cells were hewn directly into the firm rock. We measured several of them, and found them eight feet and a half in length, and three feet three inches square. I would not infer from hence, that the corpses deposited here were of such a gigantic size, as to fill up such large coffins: though at the same

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time, why should any men be so prodigal of their labour, as to cut these caverns into so hard a rock as this was, much farther than necessity required ?
On the other side of the chamber was a narrow passage, seven feet long, leading into the room whose dimensions were nine feet in breadth, and twelve in length. It had eleven cells, of somewhat a less size than the former, lying at equal distances all round about it.
Passing out of a room foreright, you have two narrow entrances, each seven feet long, into a room. This apartment was nine feet square: it had no cells in it like the others, nor any thing else remarkable; but only a bench, cut all along its side on the left hand. From the description of this sepulchre, it is easy to conceive the disposition of the other. The height of the rooms in both was about six feet; and the towers were built each over the innermost room of the sepulchres to which it belonged.
At about the distance of a furlong from this place we discerned another tower, resembling this last de-scribed, which was erected likewise over a sepulchre. There was this singularity observable in this last sepulchre; that its cells were cut into the rock eighteen feet in length; possibly to the intent, that two or three corpses might be deposited in each of them, at the feet of one another. But having a long stage this day to Tripoli, we thought it not seasonable to spend any more time in this place; which might perhaps have afforded us several other antiquities.
And yet for all our haste, we had not gone a mile, before our curiosity was again arrested by the observation of another tower, which appeared in a thicket not far from the way side. It was thirty-three feet and a half high, and thirty one feet square; composed of huge square stones, and adorned with a handsome cornice all round at top. It contained only two rooms, one above the other; into both which there were entrances on the north side,

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through two square holes in the wall. The separation between both rooms, as also the covering at the top, was made, not of arched-work, but of vast flat stones; in thickness four feet, and so great an extent, that two of them in each place sufficed to spread over the whole fabric. This was a very ancient structure, and probably a place of sepulture.
I must not forget, that round about the Serpent Fountain, and also as far as this last tower, we saw many sepulchres, old foundations, and other remains of antiquity; from all which it may be assuredly concluded, that here must needs have been some famous habitation in ancient times.
Having quitted ourselves of these antiquities, we entered into a spacious plain, extending to a vast breadth between the sea and the mountains, and in length reaching almost as far as Tripoli. The people of the country call it Junia, that is, the Plain; which name they give. it by way of eminency, upon account of its vast extent. We were full seven hours in passing it; and found it all along exceeding fruitful, by reason of the many rivers, and the great plenty of water which it enjoys. Of these rivers, the first is about six hours before you come to Tripoli. It has a stone bridge over it of three large arches, and is the biggest stream in the whole plain; for which reason it goes by the name of Nahor it Ribber, or the Great River. About half an hour farther you come to another river called Nahor Abrosh, or the Leper's River. In three quarters of an hour more you pass a third river, called Nahor Acchar; having a handsome stone bridge of one very large arch, laid over it. Two good hours more brings you to a fourth river called —, or the Cold Waters, with a bridge of three arches over it. From hence you have two good hours more to Tripoli.
Tuesday, March 9.- Drawing towards Tripoli, our muleteers were afraid to advance, lest their

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beasts might be pressed for public service; as they were afterwards, in spite of all their caution, to our great vexation. So we left them in the plain of Junia, and proceeded ourselves for Tripoli ; where we arrived about sunset. Our whole stage this day was ten hours.
At Tripoli we reposed a full week, being very generously entertained by Mr. Francis Hastings, the consul, and Mr. John Fisher, merchant; theirs being the only English house in Tripoli.
Tripoli is seated about half an hour from the sea. The greater part of the city lies between two hills; one on the east, on which is a castle commanding the place; another on the west, between the city and the sea. This latter is said to have been at first raised, and to be still increased, by the daily accession of sand blown to it from the shore: upon which occasion there goes a prophecy, that the whole city shall in time be buried with this sandy hill. But the Turks seem not very apprehensive of this prediction; for instead of preventing the growth of the hill, they suffer it to take its course, and make it a place of pleasure, which they would have little inclination to do, did they apprehend it were some time to be their grave.
Wednesday, March 10.-This day we were all treated by Mr. Fisher in the open air. The place where we dined was a narrow pleasant valley by a river's side, distant from the city about a mile eastward. Across the valley there runs from hill to hill a handsome lofty aqueduct, carrying upon it so large a body of water, as suffices the whole city. It was called the Prince's-bridge, supposed to have been built by Godfrey of Boulogne.
Thursday, March 11.-This day we all dined at consul Hastings's house, and after dinner went to wait upon Ostan, the basha of Tripoli ; having first sent our present, as the manner is amongst the Turks, to procure a favourable reception.

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It is counted uncivil to visit in this country without an offering in hand. All great men expect it, as a kind of tribute, due to their character and authority; and look upon themselves as affronted, and indeed defrauded, when this compliment is omitted. Even in familiar visits amongst inferior people, you shall seldom have them come without bringing a flower, or an orange, or some other such token of their respect to the person visited: the Turks in this point keeping up the ancient oriental custom hinted at, 1 Sam. ix. 7. But, behold if we go, what shall we bring the man? &c. which words are questionless to be understood in conformity to this eastern custom, as relating to a token of respect, and not to a price of divination.
Friday, March 12.-In the afternoon we went to visit Bell-mount, a convent of Greeks, about two hours to the southward of Tripoli. It was founded by one of' the earls of Tripoli, and stands upon a very high rocky mountain, looking over the sea: a place of very difficult ascent though made as accessible as it was capable by the labour of the poor monks. It was our fortune to arrive there just as they were going to their evening service. Their chapel is large, but obscure; and the altar is inclosed with a chancel, so as not to be approached by any one but the priest, according to the fashion of the Greek churches. They call their congregation together, by beating a kind of tune with two mallets, on a long pendulous piece of plank at the church door bells being an abomination to the Turks.
Their service consisted in hurried, and very irreverent chattering of certain prayers and hymns to our blessed Saviour, and to the blessed Virgin, and in some dark ceremonies.
The monks of this convent were, as I remember, forty in all. We found them seemingly a very good natured and industrious, but certainly a very ignorant people.

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Nor is this ignorance to be much wondered at for what intervals of time they have between their hours of devotion; they are forced to spend, not in study, but in managing of their flocks, cultivating, their land, pruning their vineyards, and other labours of husbandry, which they accomplish with their own hands. This toil they are obliged to undergo not only to provide for their own sustenance, but also that they may be able to satisfy the unreasonable exactions which the greedy Turks, upon every pretence they can invent, are ready to impose upon them. But that it may be the better guessed what sort of men these Greek monks are, I will add this farther indication, viz. that the same person whom we saw officiating at the altar in his embroidered sacerdotal robe, brought us the next day on his own back, a kid, and a goat's skin of wine, as a present from the convent.
Saturday, Murcia 13.-This morning we went again to wait upon Ostan Bassa, by his own appointment; and were entertained, as before, with great courtesy : for you must know, that the Turks are not so ignorant of civility and the arts of endearment, but that they can practise them with as much exactness as any other nation, whenever they have a mind to shew themselves obliging. For the. better apprehending of which, it may not be improper nor unpleasant here to describe the ceremonies of a Turkish visit, as far as they have ever fallen under my observation, either upon this or any other occasions.
When you would make a visit to a person of quality here, you must send one before with a present, to bespeak your admission, and to know at what hour your coming may be most seasonable. Being come to the house, the servants receive you at the outermost gate, and conduct you toward their lord or master's apartment; other servants, I suppose of better rank, meeting you in the way, at their several

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stations, as you draw nearer to the person you visit. Coming into his room, you find him prepared to receive you, either standing at the edge of the duan, or else lying down at one corner of it, according as he thinks it proper to maintain a greater or less distinction. These duans are a sort of low stages, seated in the pleasantest part of the room, elevated about sixteen or eighteen inches, or more, above the floor, They are spread with carpets, and furnished all round with bolsters for leaning upon. Upon these the Turks eat, sleep, smoke, receive visits, say their prayers; &c. their whole delight is in lolling upon them, and in furnishing them richly out is their greatest luxury.
Being come to the side of the duan, you slip oft' your shoes, and stepping up, take your place; which you must do first at some distance, and upon your knees, laying your hands very formally before you. Thus you must remain, till the man of quality invites you to draw nearer, and to put yourself in an easier posture, lerning upon the bolster. Being thus fixed, he discourses with you as the occasion offers; the servants standing round all the while in a great number, and with the profoundest respect, silence, and order imaginable. When you have talked over your business, or the compliments, or whatever other concern brought you thither, he makes a sign to have things served in for the entertainment; which is generally a little sweetmeat, a dish of sherbet, and another of coffee: all which are immediately brought in by the servants, and tendered to all the guests in order, with the greatest care and awfulness s imaginable. And they have reason to look well to it; for should any servant make the least slip or mistake, either in delivering or receiving his dish, it might cost him fifty, perhaps one hundred drubs on his bare feet, to atone for his crime. At last comes the finishing part of your entertainment, which is perfuming the beards of the company; which is under-

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stood to give a civil dismission to the visitants; intimating to them, that the master of the house has business to do, or some other avocation, that permits them to go away as soon as they please, and the sooner after this ceremony the better.
Having discharged our visit to Ostan Bassa, we rode out after dinner to view the marine. It is about half an hour distant from the city. The port is an open sea, rather than an enclosed harbour: however, it is in part defended from the force of the waves by two small islands, about two leagues out from the shore; one of which is called the Bird, the other the Coney Island, being so named from the creatures which they severally produce. For its security from pirates, it has several castles, or rather square towers, built all along upon the shore at convenient distances. They are, I think, six in number; but at present void of all manner of force, both of men and ammunition.
In the fields near the shore appeared many heaps of ruins, and pillars of granite, and several other indications that here must have been anciently some considerable buildings this way.
Sunday, March 14.-We continued still in Tripoli.
Monday, March 15.-Resolving to prosecute our journey this day, we had given orders to our muleteers some time before, to be ready to attend us. But they had been so frightened by the bassa of Sidon's servants, who were abroad in quest of mules for the service of their master, that they were run away, and could not he heard of. A disappointment which gave us much vexation, and left us no other remedy, but only to supply ourselves with fresh beasts where we could find them.
Having, after much trouble, put ourselves in a new posture of travelling, we parted from Tripoli at three o'clock in the afternoon. Proceeding close by the sea, we came in one hour and a half to Cal-

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lemone, a small village, just under Bell-mount; From hence putting forward till near eight o'clock, we came to a high promontory, which lay directly across our way, and broke off abruptly at the sea-side, with a cape very high and almost perpendicular. In order to pass this barrier, we turned up on the left hand into a narrow valley through which our road lay; and it being now late, we took up our quarters there under some olive trees, having come in all about five hours.
Tuesday, March 16.-We were no sooner motion this morning, but we were engaged in the difficult work of crossing over the forementioned cape. The pass over it lies about a mile up from the sea. We found it very steep and rugged; but in an hour or thereabout mastered it, and arrived in a narrow valley on the other side, which brought the sea open to us again. Near the entrance of this valley stands a small fort, erected upon a rock perpendicular on all sides, the walls of the buildings being just adequate to the sides of the rock, and seeming almost of one continued piece with them. This castle is called Temseida, and commands the passage into the valley.
In about half an hour from this place, we came even with Patrone; a place esteemed to be the ancient Botrus. It is situated close by the sea; and our road lying somewhat higher up in the land, we diverted a little out of the way to see it. We found in it some remains of an old church and a monastery; but these are now perfectly ruined and desolate, as is likewise the whole city. Nor is there any thing left in it, to testify it has been a place of any great consideration.
In three hours more we came to Gibyle, called by the Greeks, Byblus. It is pleasantly situated by the sea side. At present it contains but a little extent of ground, but yet more than enough for the small number of its inhabitants. It is compassed with

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a dry ditch, and a wall, with square towers in it at about every forty yards distance. On its south side, it has an old castle: within it is a church, exactly of the same figure with that of Tortosa, only not so entire as that. Besides this it has nothing remarkable, though anciently it was a place of no mean extent, as well as beauty; as may appear from the many heaps of ruins, and the fine pillars, that are scattered up and down in the gardens near the town. Gibyle is probably the country of the Giblites, mentioned, Josh. xiii. 5.
Leaving Gibyle, we came in one hour to a fair large river, with a stone bridge over it of only one arch, but that extremely wide and Iofty. To this river the Turks give the name of Ibrahim Bassa; but it is doubtless the ancient river Adonis, notorious for the idolatrous rites performed here in lamentation of Adonis. Upon the bank of this stream we took up our quarters for the following night, having come this day about six hours. We had a very tempestuous night both of wind and rain, almost without cessation, and with so great violence, that our servants were hardly able to keep up our tents over us. But however, this accident which gave us so-much trouble in the night, made us amends with a curiosity, which it yielded us an opportunity of beholding the next morning.
Wednesday, March 17.-For by this means we had the fortune to see what may be supposed to be the occasion of that opinion which Lucian relates concerning this river, viz. that this stream, at certain seasons of the year, especially about the feast of Adonis, is of a bloody colour; which the heathens looked upon as proceeding from a kind of sympathy in the river for- the death of Adonis, who was killed by a wild boar in the mountains out of which this stream rises. Something like this we saw actually come to pass: for the water was stained to a surprising redness, and, as we observed in travelling,

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had discoloured the sea a great way into a reddish hue; occasioned doubtless by a sort of minium, or red earth, washed into the river by the violence of the rain, and not by any stain from Adonis's blood.
In an hour and a quarter from this river, we passed over the foot of the mountain Climax; where, having gone through a very rugged and uneven pass, we came into a large bay called Junia. At the first entrance into the bay, is an old stone bridge, which appoints the limits between the two bassalicks of Tripoli and Sidon. At the bottom of the bay are exceeding high and steep mountains, between which and the sea the road lies. These are the mountains of Castravan, chiefly inhabited by Maronites, famous for a growth of excellent wine. The Maronite bishop of Aleppo has here his residence in a convent, of which he is the guardian. We saw many other small convents on the top of these mountains; one of which, called Oozier, was, as we were here told, in the hands of ten or twelve Latin friars. Towards the further side of the bay, we came to a square tower or castle, of which kind there are many all, along upon the coast, for several days' journey from this place : they are said to have been built by the empress Helena, for the protection of the country from pirates. At this tower is to be paid a fourth caphar*. It is received by Maronites, a pack of rogues, more exacting and insolent in their office than the very Turks themselves. A little beyond this place, we came to a road cut through the rocks, which brought us out of the bay, having been one hour and a quarter in compassing it. In an hour more, spent upon a very rugged way close by the sea, we came to the river Lycus, called also sometimes Canis, and by the Turks at this day, Nahor Kelp. It derives its name from an idol in the form

*Half per Frank, quarter per servant.

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of a dog, or wolf, which was worshipped, and pronounced, as was pretended, oracles at this place.
This river issues into the sea from between two mountains, excessively steep and high; and so rocky that they seem to consist each of one entire stone. For crossing the river, you go up between these mountains about a bow-shot from the sea, where you have a good bridge of four arches; near the foot of which is a piece of white marble, inlaid in the side of a rock, with an Arab inscription on it, intimating its founder to have been the emir Faccardine, of whom I shall have occasion to speak more when I come to Beroot. Being passed the river, you immediately begin to ascend the mountain, or rather great rock, hanging over it on that side. To accommodate. the passage, you have a path of above two yards breadth cut along its side, at a great height above the water; being the work of the emperor Antoninus. For the promontory allowing no passage between it and the sea at the bottom, that emperor undertook, with incredible labour, to open this way above; the memory of which good work is perpetuated by an inscription, engraven on a table plained in the side of the natural rock, not far from the entrance into the way.
In passing this way, we observed, in the sides of the rock above us, several tables of figures carved; which seemed to promise something of antiquity: to be satisfied of which, some of us clambered up to the place, and found there some signs as if the old way had gone in that region, before Antoninus cut the other more convenient passage a little lower. In several places hereabouts, we saw strange antique figures of men, carved in the natural rock, and in bigness equal to the life. Close by each figure was a large table, plained in the side of the rock, and bordered round with mouldings. Both the effigies and the tables appeared to have been anciently inscribed all. over: but the characters are now so defaced, that

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nothing but the footsteps of them were visible; only there. was one of the figures that had both its. lineaments and its inscriptions entire.
It was our unhappiness to have at this place a very violent storm of thunder and rain, which made our company too much in haste to make any long stay here; by which misfortune I was prevented, to my great regret, from copying the inscription, and making such an exact scrutiny into this antiquity as it seemed very well to deserve. I hope some curious traveller or other will have better success, in passing this way hereafter. The figures seemed to resemble mummies, and were perhaps the representation of some persons buried hereabout; whose sepulchres might probably also be discovered by the diligent observer.
The Antonine way extends about a quarter of an hour's travel. It is at present so broken and uneven, that to repair it would require no less labour, than that wherewith it was at first made. After this pass,-you come upon a smooth sandy shore, which brings you, in about one hour and a half, to the river Beroot, for I could learn no other name it had. It is a large river, and has over it a stone bridge of six arches. On its other side is a plain field near the sea, which is said to be the stage on which St, George duelled and killed the dragon. In memory of this achievement, there is a small chapel built upon the place, dedicated at first to that Christian hero; but now perverted to a mosque. From hence, in an hour, we arrived at Beroot, very wet by reason of the long and severe rain. However we found here the shelter of a good kane by the sea-side, and there we took up our quarters. Our whole stage this day was about six hours and a half.
Thursday, March 18.- The day following we spent at Beroot; being credibly informed that the river Darner, which lay in our next stage, Was so swoln by the late rains that it would be impassable.

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This place was called anciently Berytus; from which the idol Baal Berith is supposed to have had its name. And afterwards being greatly esteemed by Augustus, had many privileges conferred upon it: and together with them a new name, viz. Julia Felix. But at present, it retains nothing of its ancient felicity, except the situation; and in that particular it is indeed very happy. It is seated on the sea-side, in a soil fertile and delightful, raised only so, high above the salt water, as to be secure from its overflowings, and all other noxious and unwholesome effects of that element. It has the benefit of good fresh springs flowing down to it from the adjacent hills, and dispensed all over the city, in convenient, and not unhandsome fountains. But besides these advantages of its situation, it has at present nothing else to boast of.
The emir Faccardine had his chief residence in this place. He was in the reign of sultan Morat, the fourth emir, or prince of the Cruses; a people supposed to have descended from some dispersed remainders of those Christian armies, that engaged in the crusades, for the recovery of the Holy Land: who afterwards, being totally routed, and despairing of a return to their native country again, betook themselves to the mountains hereabout; in which their descendants have continued ever since. Faccardine being, as I said, prince of these people, was not contented to be penned up in the mountains; but by his power and artifice, enlarged his dominions down into the plain all along the sea coast as far as from this place to Acra. At last the grand seignior, growing jealous of such a growing power, drove the wild beast back again to the mountains, from whence he had broken loose; and there his posterity retain their principality to this day.
We went to view the palace of this prince, which stands on the north east part of the city. At the entrance of it is a marble fountain, of greater beauty

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than is usually seen in Turkey. The palace within consists of several courts, all now run much to ruin; or rather perhaps never finished. The stables, yards for horses, dens for lions and other savage creatures, gardens, &c. are such as would not be unworthy of the quality of a prince in Christendom, were they wrought up to that perfection of which they are capable, and to which they seem to have been designed by their first contriver.
But the best sight that this palace affords, and the worthiest to be remembered, is the orange garden. It contains a large square plat of ground, divided into sixteen lesser squares, four in a row, with walks between them. The walks are shaded with orange trees, of a large spreading size, and all of so fine a growth both for stem and head, that one can-not imagine any thing more perfect in this kind. They were, at the time when we were there, as it were, gilded with fruit, hanging thicker upon them than ever I saw apples in England. Every one of these-sixteen lesser squares in the garden was bordered with stone; and in the stone-work were troughs very artificially contrived, for conveying the water all over the garden: there being little outlets cut at every tree, for the stream as it passed by, to flow out, and water it. Were this place under the cultivation of an English gardener, it is impossible any thing could be made more delightful. But this beautiful garden was put to no better use, when we saw it, than to serve as a fold for sheep and goats; insomuch that in many places they were up to the knees in_ dirt: so little sense have the Turks of such refined delights as these; being a people generally of the grossest apprehension, and knowing few other pleasures, but such sensualities, as are equally common both to men and beasts. On the east side of this garden were two terrace walks rising one above the other, each of them having an ascent to it of twelve steps. They had both several fine spreading

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orange trees upon them, to make shades in proper places. And at the north end they led into booths, and summer-houses, and other apartments very delightful: this place being designed by Faccardine for the chief seat of his pleasure.
It may perhaps be wondered, how this emir should be able to contrive any thing so elegant and regular as this garden; seeing the Turkish gardens are usually nothing else but a confused miscellany of trees, jumbled together without either knots, walks, arbours, or any thing of art or design, so that they seem like thickets rather than gardens. But Faccardine had been in Italy, where he had seen things of another nature, and knew well how to copy them in his own country. For indeed it appears by these remains of him, that he must needs have been a man much above the ordinary level of a Turkish genius.
In another garden we saw several pedestals for statues; from whence it may be inferred, that this emir was no very zealous Mahometan. At one corner of the same garden stood a tower of about sixty feet high, designed to have been carried to a much greater elevation for a watch-tower, and for that end built with an extraordinary strength, its walls being twelve feet thick. From this tower we had a view of the whole city: amongst other prospects it yielded us the sight of a large Christian church, said to have been at first consecrated to St. John the Evangelist. But, it being now usurped by the Turks for their chief mosque, we could not be permitted to see it, otherwise than at this distance. Another church there is in the town, which seems to be ancient; but being a very mean fabric is suffered to remain still in the hands of the Greeks.
On the south side, the town-wall is still entire, but built out of the ruins of the old city, as appears by pieces of pillars and marble, which help to build it. A little without this wall, we saw many granite pillars and remnants of Mosaic floors; and in an heap

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of rubbish, several pieces of polished marble, fragments of statues, and other poor relics of this city's ancient magnificence. On the sea side is an old ruined castle, and some remains of a small mole.
Friday, March 19.-Leaving Beroot, we came in one third of an hour to a large plain extending from the sea to the mountains. At the beginning of the plain is a grove of pine trees of Faccardine's plantation. We guessed it to be more than half a mile across; and so pleasant, and inviting was its shade, that it was not without some regret that we passed it by. Continuing in this plain, we saw at a distance, on our left hand, a small village called Suckfoat. It belongs to the Druses, who possess at this day a long tract of mountains, as far as from Castravan to Carmel. Their present prince is Achmet, grandson to Faccardine.
Two hours from Faccardine's grove brought us to the fifth caphar, and another little hour to the river Darner or Tamyras : the former being its modern, the latter its ancient name. It is a river apt to_ swell much upon sudden rains, in which case, precipitating itself from the mountains with great rapidity, it has been fatal to many a passenger; amongst the rest, one monsieur Spon, nephew to Dr. Spon, coming from Jerusalem, about four years ago, in company with some English gentlemen, was, in passing this stream, hurried down by it, and perished in the sea, which lies about a furlong lower than the passage.
We had the good fortune to find the river in a better temper; its waters being now assuaged since the late rains. However the country fellows were ready here, according to their trade, to have assisted us in our passing over. In order to which, they had very officiously stripped themselves naked against our coming: and to the end that they might oblige us to make use of their help, for which they will be well paid, they brought us to a place where the water was deepest, pretending there was no other passage

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besides that; which cheat we saw them actually impose upon some other travellers, who came not long after us. But we had been advised of a place a little higher in the river, where the stream was broader and shallower, and there we easily passed without their assistance. Just by this place are the ruins of a stone-bridge; of which one might guess by the firmness of its remains, that it might have been still entire, had not these villains broken it down in order to their making their advantages of passengers; either conducting them over for good pay, or else, if they have opportunity, drowning them for their spoils.
On the other side of the river, the mountains approach closer to the sea, leaving only a narrow rocky way between. From Darner, in two hours we came to another river, of no inconsiderable figure, but not once mentioned by any geographer that I know of. It is within one hour of Sidon. Its channel is deep, contains a good stream, and has a large stone-bridge over it. Speaking of this river to the reverend father Stephano, Maronite patriarch at Canobine, he told me it was called Awle, and had its fountain near Be-rook, a village in Mount Libanus.
At this river we were met by several of the French merchants from Sidon; they having a factory there the most considerable of all theirs in the Levant. Being arrived at Sidon, we pitched our tents by a cistern without the city; but were ourselves conducted by the French gentlemen to the place of their habitation, which is a large kane close by the sea, where the consul and all the nation are quartered together. Before the front of this kane is an old mole running into the sea with a right angle; it was of no great capacity at best, but now is rendered perfectly useless, having been purposely filled up with rubbish and earth, by Faccardine, to prevent the Turkish gallies from making their unwelcome visits to this place. The mole being thus destroyed,

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all ships that take in their burthen here, are forced to ride at anchor under the shelter of a small ridge of rocks, about a mile distant from the shore on the north side of the city. Sidon is stocked well enough with inhabitants, but is very much shrunk from its ancient extent, and more from its splendour; as appears from a great many beautiful pillars, that lie scattered up and down the gardens without the present walls. Whatever antiquities may at any time have been hereabout, they are now all perfectly obscured and buried by the Turkish buildings, Upon the south side of the city, on a hill, stands an old castle, said to have been the work of Lewis the Ninth of France, surnamed the Saint; and not far from the castle is an old unfinished palace of Faccardine's, serving however the bassa for his seraglio: neither of them worth mentioning, had the city afforded us any thing else more remarkable. Near about Sidon begin the precincts of the Holy Land, and of that part of it in particular which was allotted to Asher. The borders of which tribe extended from Carmel as far as great Zidon, as appears from Josh. xix. 26, 28. But the people upon the sea coasts were never actually mastered by the Israelites; being left by the just judgment of God to be thorns in their sides, for a reason that may be seen in Judg, ii. 1, 2, 3.
The person, who is the French consul at Sidon, has also the title of consul of Jerusalem; and is obliged by his master, the French king, to make a visit to the holy city every Easter, under pretence of preserving the sanctuary there from the violations, and the friars who have the custody of it, from the exactions of the Turks. But the friars think them-selves much safer without this protection. We were desirous to join with monsieur 1'Empereur, the pre-sent consul, in his this year's pilgrimage; and accordingly had sent him a letter from Aleppo on purpose to bespeak that favour; hoping by his protec-

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tion to pass more securely from the abuses of the Arabs and Turks, who are no where so insolent, as in Palestine, and about Jerusalem. We had his promise to stay for us; but the delays and disappointments we met with in the road, had put us so backward in our journey, that fearing to be too late at Jerusalem, he set out from Sidon the day before our arrival there: leaving us however some hopes, that if we made the best of our way, we might come up with him at Acra, where he promised to expect our coming to the utmost moment.
Saturday, March 20.-Being desirous therefore not to lose the convenience of his company, we set out early the next morning from Sidon; and travelling in a very fruitful plain, came in half an hour to a place where we found a large pillar of granite, lying across the highway, and sunk a good part under ground, with a later inscription on it.
A little beyond this pillar, we passed in sight of Ko-ri-e, a large village on the side of the mountains; and in two hours and a half more, came to Sarphan, supposed to be the ancient Serephath, or Sarepta, so famous for the residence and miracles of the prophet Elijah. The place shewn us for this city, consisted of only a few houses, on the tops of the mountains, within about half a mile of the sea. But it is more probable, the principal part of the city stood below, in the space between the hills and the sea; there being ruins of a considerable extent still to be seen in that place. From hence in three hours we arrived at Casimeer, a river large and deep, running down to the sea through a plain, in which it creeps along with various meanders and turnings. It had once a good stone-bridge laid over it, of four arches: but of that nothing remains at present, except the supporters; between which there are laid beams and boards to supply the room of the arches, and to make a passage over. But so careless and loose is the fabric, that it looks like a trap rather than a bridge.

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We had one horse dropped through, notwithstanding our utmost care to prevent such misfortunes: but it was our good luck to recover- him again safe a-shore. Within a bow-shot of this river is a kane of the same name, from which, keeping near the sea side, you arrive in an hour at Tyre.
This city, standing in the sea upon a peninsula, promises at a distance something very magnificent. But when you come to it, you find no similitude of that glory, for which it was so renowned in ancient times, and which the prophet Ezekiel describes, chap. xxvi. xxvii. xxviii. On the north side it has an old Turkish ungarrisoned castle; besides which, you see nothing here, but a mere Babel of broken walls, pillars, vaults, &c. there being not so much as one entire house left. Its present inhabitants are only a few poor wretches, harbouring themselves in the vaults, and subsisting chiefly upon fishing ; who seem to be preserved in this place by Divine Providence, as a visible argument, how God has fulfilled his word concerning Tyre, "I will make thee like the top of a rock, thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon. Thou shalt be built no more." Ezek: xxvi. 14.
In the midst of the ruins, there stands up, one pile, higher than the rest, which is the east end of a great church, probably of the cathedral of Tyre: and why not the very same that was erected by its bishop Paulinus, and honoured with that famous consecration-sermon of Eusebius, recorded by him-self in his Eccl. Hist. lib. x. cap. 4. this having been an archiepiscopal see in the Christian times ?
I cannot in this place, omit an observation made by most of our company in this journey, viz. that in all the ruins of churches which we saw, though their other parts were totally demolished, yet the east end we always found standing, and tolerably entire. Whether the Christians, when over-run by infidels, redeemed their altars from ruin with money;

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or whether, even the barbarians, when they demolished the other parts of the churches, might volunintarily spare these, out of an awe and veneration; or whether they have stood thus long, by virtue of some peculiar firmness in the nature of their fabric; or whether some occult Providence has preserved them as so many standing monuments of Christianity in these unbelieving regions, and presages of its future restoration, I will not determine*. This only I will say, that we found it in fact, so as I described, in all the ruined churches that came in our way; being perhaps not fewer than one hundred; nor do I remember ever to have seen one instance of the contrary. This might justly seem a trifling observation, were it founded upon a few examples only. But it being a thing so often, and indeed universally observed by us, throughout our whole journey, I thought it must needs proceeds from something more than blind chance, and might very well deserve this animadversion.
But to return from this digression; there being an old stair-case in this ruin last mentioned, I got up to the top of it: from whence I had an entire prospect of the island, part of Tyre, of the isthmus, and of the adjacent shore. I thought I could from this elevation discern the isthmus to be a soil of a different nature from the other two; it lying lower than either, and being covered all over with sand which the sea casts upon it, as the tokens of its natural right to a passage there, from which it was by Alexander the Great injuriously excluded. The island of Tyre in its natural state, seems to have been of a circular figure, containing not more than forty acres of ground. It discovers still the foundations of a wall, which anciently encompassed it

*The eastern ends of churches were always first built, and often left unfinished, from the want of funds or other causes.

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round, at the outmost margin of the land. It makes, with the isthmus, two large bays; one on its north side, and the other on its south. These bays are, in part, defended from the ocean, each by a long ridge, resembling a mole, stretching directly out, on both sides, from the head of the island; but these ridges, whether they were walls or rocks, whether the work of art or nature, I was too far distant to discern.
Coming out of these ruins, we saw the foundations of a very strong wall, running cross the neck of land, and serving as a barrier, to secure the city on this side. From this place, we were one third of an hour in passing the sandy isthmus, before we came to the ground, which we apprehended to be the natural shore. From hence passing over part of a very fertile plain, which extends itself to a vast compass before Tyre, we arrived in three quarters of an hour at Roselayn. Our whole stage from Sidon hither was about eight hours.
Sunday, March 21.-Roselayn is a place where are the cisterns called Solomon's, supposed, according to the common tradition hereabouts, to have been made by that great king, as part of his recompence to king Hiram for the supplies of materials sent by him toward the building of the Temple. They are doubtless very ancient, but yet of a much later date than what this tradition ascribes to them. That they could not be built till since Alexander's time, may be conjectured from this, amongst other arguments; because the aqueduct, which conveys the water from hence to Tyre, is carried over the neck of land, by which Alexander, in his famous siege of this place, joined the city to the continent. And as the cisterns cannot well be imagined to be more ancient than the aqueduct, so one may be sure the aqueduct cannot be older than the ground it stands upon. Of these cisterns there are three en-

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mount, where anciently stood a fort, but now a mosque*, it proceeds over the isthmus into the city. _ As we passed by the aqueduct, we observed in several places on its sides, and under its arches, rugged heaps of matter resembling rocks. These were produced by the leakage of the water, which petrified as it distilled from above; and by the continual adherence of new matter, were grown to a large bulk. That which was most remarkable in them, was the frame and configuration of their parts. They were composed of innumerable tubes of stone, of different sizes, cleaving to one another like icicles. Each tube had a small cavity in its centre, from which its parts were projected in form of rays, to the circumference, after the manner of the stones vulgarly called thunder-stones.
The fountain of these waters is as unknown as the contriver of them. It is certain from their rising so high, they must be brought from some part of the mountains, which are about a league distant; and it is as -certain that the work was well done at first, seeing it performs its office so well, at so great a distance of time.
Leaving this pleasant quarter, we came in an hour and a half to the white promontory; so called from the aspect it yields towards the sea. Over this you pass by a way of about two yards abroad, cut along its side; from which the prospect down is very dreadful, by reason of the extreme depth and steepness of the mountain, and the raging of the waves at bottom. This way is about one third of an hour over, and is said to have been the work of Alexander the Great. About one third of an hour farther, you pass by an heap of rubbish close by the sea side, being the ruins of the castle Scandalium. The ruin is one hundred and twenty paces square, having a dry ditch encompassing it ; and from under it, on the

* A place of public worship among the Turks.

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side next the sea, there issues out a fountain of very fair water. In an hour from hence you come to the sixth caphar, called Nachera. And in another hour to the plain of Acra, over a very deep and rugged mountain, supposed to be part of Mount Saron. All the way from the white promontory to this plain is exceeding rocky; but here the pleasantness of the road makes you amends for the former labour.
The plain of Acra extends itself in length from Mount Saron as far as Carmel, which is at least six good hours ; and in breadth, between the sea and the mountains, it is in most places two hours over. It enjoys good streams of water at convenient distances, and every thing else, that might render it both pleasant and fruitful. But this delicious plain is now almost desolate; being suffered, for want of culture, to run up to rank weeds, which were, at the time when we passed it, as high as our horses' backs.
Having travelled about one hour in the plain of Acra, we passed by an old town called Zib, situate on an ascent close by the sea-side. This may probably be the old Achzib, mentioned Josh. xix. 29, and Judg. i. 31, called afterwards Ecdippa: for St. Jerome places Achzib nine miles distant from Ptolemais toward Tyre, to which account, we found the situation of Zib exactly agreeing. This is one of the places, out of which the Ashurites could not expel the Canaanitish natives. Two hours farther we came to a fountain of very good water, called by the French merchants at Acra, the fountain of the blessed Virgin. In one hour more, we arrived at Acra. Our whole stage from Roselayn hither was about eight hours and a half.
Acra had anciently the name of Accho, and is another. of the places, out of which the children of Israel could not drive the primitive inhabitants, Judg. i. 31. Being in after times enlarged by Ptolemy the First, it was called by him, from his own

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name Ptolemais. But now, since it hath been in the possession of the Turks, it has, according to the example of many other cities in Turkey, cast off its Greek, and recovered some semblance of its old Hebrew name again; being called Acca, or Acra.
This city was for a long time the theatre of contention between the Christians and the infidels; til at last, after having divers times changed its master, it was by a long siege finally taken by the Turk and ruined by them in such a manner, as if they had thought they could never take a full revenge upon it for the blood it had cost them, or sufficiently prevent such slaughter for the future. As to its situation, it enjoys all possible advantages both of sea and land. On its north and east sides it is compassed with a spacious and fertile plain; on the west, it is washed by the Mediterranean sea, and on the south by a large bay, extending from the city as far as Mount Carmel.
But notwithstanding all these advantages, it has never been able to recover itself, since its last fatal overthrow. For besides a large kane in which the French factors have taken up their quarters, and mosque, and a few poor cottages, you see nothing here but a vast and spacious ruin. It is such a ruin however, as sufficiently demonstrates the strength of the place in former times. It appears to have been encompassed, on the land side, by a double wall defended with towers at small distances: and without the walls are ditches, ramparts, and a kind of bastions faced with hewn stone. In the fields without these works, we saw scattered up and down upon the ground several large balls of stone, of a least thirteen or fourteen inches in diameter; which were part of the ammunition used in battering the city, guns being then unknown. Within the wall there still appear several ruins which seem to distinguish themselves from the general heap, by sons, marks of a greater strength and magnificence. At

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first, those of the cathedral church dedicated to St. Andrew, which stands not far from the sea-side, more high and conspicuous than the other ruins. Secondly the church of St. John, the tutelar saint of this city. Thirdly, the Convent of the Knights Hospitaller; a place whose remaining walls sufficiently testify its ancient strength. And not far from the convent the palace of the grand master of that order; the magnificence of which, may be guessed from a large stair-case, and part of a church still remaining in it. Fourthly, some remains of a large church formerly belonging to a nunnery.
Here are many other ruins of churches, palaces; monasteries, forts, &c. extending for more than half a mile in length; in all of which you may discern marks of so much strength, as if every building in the city had been contrived for war and defence.
But that which pleased us most at Acra, was to find the French consul monsieur 1'Empereur there; who had been so generous, as to make a halt of two days, in expectation of our arrival. But he had staid to the utmost extent of his time, and therefore resolved to set forward again the next morning. Our greatest difficulty was to determine which road to take, whether that upon the coast by Caesarea and Joppa; or that by Nazareth, or a middle way between both the other, over the plain of Esdraelon.
The cause of this uncertainty was, the contentions and factions that were then amongst the Arabs; which made us desirous to keep as far as possible out of their way. It is the policy of the Turks, always to sow divisions amongst these wild people, by setting up several heads over their tribes, often deposing the old, and placing new ones in their stead: by which art they create contrary interests and parties amongst them, preventing them from ever uniting under any one prince; which if they should have the sense to do, (being so numerous, and almost the sole inhabitants thereabouts) they might shake off

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the Turkish yoke, and make themselves supreme lords of the country.
But however useful these discords may be to the Turks in this respect, yet a stranger is sure to suffer by them; being made a prey to each party, according as he happens to come in their way: avoiding which abuses, we resolved to take the middle way, as the most secure at this time.
Monday, March 22.-According to which purpose, we set out early the next morning from Acra, having with us a band of Turkish soldiers for our securer convoy. Our road lay, for about half an hour, along by the side of the bay of Acra; and then, arriving at the bottom of the bay, we turned south-ward. Here we passed a small river which we took to be Belus, famous for its sand, which is said to be an excellent material for making glass; as also to have ministered the first occasion and hint of that invention.
Here we began to decline from the sea coast upon which we had travelled so many days before, and to draw off more easterly, crossing obliquely over the plain; and in two good hours we arrived at its farther side, where it is bounded by Mount Cannel. Here you find a narrow valley letting you out of the plain of Acra into that of Esdraelon. Hereabouts is the end of the tribe of Asher, and the beginning of that of Zabulun; the borders of these two tribes being thus described, Josh. xix. 26. Passing through the narrow valley which makes a communication between the two plains, we arrived in two hours at that ancient river, the river Kishon; which cuts its way down the middle of the plain of Esdraelon, and then continuing its course close by the side of Mount Carmel, falls into the sea, at a place called Caypha. In the condition we saw it, its waters were low and inconsiderable; but in passing along the side of the plain, we discerned the tracks of many lesser torrents, falling down into it

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from the mountains; which must needs make it swell exceedingly upon sudden rains, as doubtless it actually did at the destruction of Sisera's host, Judg. v. 21. In three hours and a half from Kishon we came to a small brook, near which was an old village and a good kane called Lagune: not far from which we took up our quarters this night. From this place we had a large prospect of the plain of Esdraelon, which is of a vast extent, and very fertile, but uncultivated; only serving the Arabs for pasturage. At about six or seven hours’ distance eastward, stood within view Nazareth, and the two Mounts Tabor and Hermon. We were sufficiently instructed by experience, what the holy Psalmist means by the dew of Hermon, our tents being as wet with it, as if it had rained all night. At about a mile's distance from us was encamped Chibly, emir of the Arabs, with his people and cattle; and below upon the brook Kishon, lay encamped another clan of the Arabs, being the adverse party to Chibly. We had much the less satisfaction in this place, for being seated in the midst, between two such bad neighbours. Our stage this day was in all eight hours; our course south east by south, or thereabout.
Tuesday, March 23.-Leaving this lodging, we arrived in one third of an hour at the emir's tents, who came out in person to take his duties of us. We paid him * two caphars, viz. one of Legune, and another of Jeneen, and besides the caphars, whatever else he was pleased to demand. He eased us in a very courteous manner of some of our coats, which now (the heat both of the climate and season increasing upon us) began to grow not only superfluous, but burthensome.
Getting quit of Chibly, we turned out of the plain of Esdraelon, and entered into the precincts of the

*For both caphars, eight per Frank, and three per servant.

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half tribe of Manasses. From hence our road lay for about four hours through narrow valleys, pleasantly wooded on both sides. After which, crossing another small fruitful plain, we came in half an hour to Caphar Arab, where we lodged. Our whole stage exceeded not five hours; our course being near as the day before.
Wednesday, March 24.- Having paid our caphar, we set out very early the next morning; and leaving first Arab, and then Rama, two mountain villages, on the right hand, we arrived in one hour at a fair fountain called Selee, taking its name from an adjacent village. In one hour more we came to Sebasta. Here you leave the borders of the half tribe of Manasses, and enter into those of the tribe of Ephraim.
Sebasta is the ancient Samaria, the imperial city of the ten tribes after their revolt from the house of David. It lost its former name in the time of Herod the Great, who raised it from a ruined to a most magnificent state, and called it, in honour of Augustus Caesar, Sebasta. It is situate upon a long mount of an oval figure, having first a fruitful valley, and then a ring of hills running round about it. This great city is now wholly converted into gardens; and all the tokens that remain to testify that there has ever been such a place, are only, on the north side, a large square piazza, encompassed with pillars, and on the east some poor remains of a great church, said to have been built by the empress Helena, over the place where St. John the Baptist was both imprisoned and beheaded. In the body of the church you go down a stair-case, into the very dungeon where that holy blood was shed. The Turks, of whom here are a few poor families, hold this prison in great veneration, and over it have erected a small mosque; but for a little piece of money they suffer you to go in and satisfy your curiosity at pleasure.
Leaving Sebasta we passed in half an hour by Sherack, and in another half hour by Barseba, two

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villages on the right hand; and then entering into a narrow valley, lying east and west, and watered with a fine rivulet, we arrived in one hour at Naplosa.
Naplosa is the ancient Sychem, or Sychar, as it is termed in the New Testament. It stands in a narrow valley between Mount Gerizim on the south, and Ebal on the north, being built at the foot of the former; for so the situation both of the city and mountains is laid down by Josephus, Antiq. Jud. lib. v. cap. 9. Gerizim, says he, hangeth over Sychem; and lib. iv. cap. ult. Moses commanded to erect an altar toward the east, not far from Sychem, between Mount Gerizim on the right hand (that is, to one looking eastward on the south,) and Ebal on the left (that is on the north); which plainly assigns the position of these two mountains. From Mount Gerizim it was, that God commanded the blessings to be pronounced upon the children of Israel, and from Mount Ebal the curses, Deut. xi. 29. Upon the former, the Samaritans, whose chief residence is here at Sychem, have a small temple or place of worship, to which they are still wont to repair at certain seasons, for performance of the rites of their religion. What these rites are I could not certainly learn.
Upon one of these mountains also it was, that God commanded the children of Israel to set up great stones, plaistered over and inscribed with the body of their law; and to erect an altar, and to offer sacrifices, feasting, and rejoicing before the Lord, Dent. xxvii. 4.
Naplosa is at present in a very mean condition, in comparison of what it is represented to have been anciently. It consists chiefly of two streets lying parallel, under Mount Gerizim; but it is full of people, and the seat of a bassa.
Having paid our caphar here, we set forward again in the evening, and proceeding in the same

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narrow valley, between Gerizim and Ebal (not above a furlong broad), we saw on our right hand. just with-out the city, a small mosque, said to have been built over the sepulchre purchased by Jacob, of Hamor, the father of Shechem, Gen. xxxiii. 19. It goes by the name of Joseph's sepulchre, his bones having been here interred after their transportation out of Egypt, Josh. xxiv. 32.
At about one third of an hour from Naplosa, we came to Jacob's Well; famous not only upon account of its author, but much more for that memorable conference which our blessed Saviour here had with the woman of Samaria, John iv. If it should be questioned, whether this be the very well that it is pretended for, or no, seeing it may be suspected to stand too remote from Sychar, for women to come so far to draw water? it is answered, that probably the city extended farther this way in former times than it does now; as may be conjectured from some pieces of a very thick wall, still to be seen not far from hence. Over the well there stood formerly a large church, erected by that great and devout patroness of the Holy Land, the empress Helen but of this the voracity of time, assisted by the hands of the Turks, has left nothing but a few foundations remaining. The well is covered at present with an old stone vault, into which you are let down through a very strait hole; and then removing a broad flat stone, you discover the mouth of the well itself. It is dug in a firm rock, and contains about three yards in diameter, and thirty-five in depth; five of which we found full of water.
At this well the narrow valley of Sychem ends, opening itself into a wide field, which is probably part of that parcel of ground, given by Jacob to his son Joseph, John iv. 5. It is watered with a fresh stream, rising between it and Sychem; which makes it so exceedingly verdant and fruitful, that it may well be looked upon as a standing token of the ten-

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der affection of that good patriarch to the best of sons, Gen. xlviii. 22.
From Jacob's Well our road went southward, along a very spacious and fertile valley. Having passed by two villages on the right hand, one called Howar, the other Sawee, we arrived in four hours at Kane Leban, and lodged there. Our whole stage to day was about eight hours; our course variable between east and south.
Kane Leban stands on the east side of a delicious vale, having a village of the same name standing opposite to it on the other side of the vale. One of these places, either the kane or the village, is sup-posed to have been the Lebonah mentioned, Judg. xi. 19. to which both the name and situation seem to agree.
Thursday, March 25.-From Kane Leban our road lay through a more mountainous and rocky country, of which we had a specimen as soon as we were mounted the next morning, our first task being-to climb a very craggy and difficult mountain. In three quarters of an hour we left, at some distance on the right hand, a village called Cinga; and in one hour more, we entered into a very narrow valley, between two high rocky hills, at the farther end of which we found the ruins of a village, and of a monastery. In this very place, or hereabouts, Jacob's Bethel is supposed to have been; where he had his stony couch made easy by that beautifying vision of God, and of the angels ascending and descending, on a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, Gen. xxviii. Near this place are the limits separating between Ephraim and Benjamin, Josh. xviii. 13.
From hence we passed through large olive-yards; and having left, first Geeb and then Selwid, two Arab villages, on the right hand, we came in an hour and a half to an old way cut with great labour over a rocky precipice, and in one hour more we arrived at Beer. This is the place to which Jotham fled

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from the revenge of his brother Abimelech, Judg. ix. 21. It is supposed also to be the same with Michmas, 1 Sam. xiv.
Beer enjoys a very pleasant situation, on an easy declivity fronting southward. At the bottom of the hill, it has a plentiful fountain of excellent water, from which it has its name. At the upper side are remains of an old church, built by the empress Helena, in memory of the blessed Virgin, who when she went in quest of the child Jesus, as it is related, Luke ii. 24. came, as tradition adds, to this city, and not finding Him, whom her soul loved, in the company, she sat down, weary and pensive at so sad a disappointment, in the very place where the church now stands. But afterwards returning to Jerusalem, she had her maternal fears turned into joy, when she found him sitting in the temple amongst the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
All along this day's travel from Kane Leban to Beer, and also as far as we could see round, the country discovered quite a different face from what it had before, presenting nothing to the view in most places, but naked rocks, mountains, and precipices. At sight of which, pilgrims are apt to be much astonished and baulked in their expectations.
But it is obvious for any one to observe, that these rocks and hills, must have been anciently covered with earth, and cultivated, and made to contribute to the maintenance of the inhabitants, no less than if the country had been all plain: nay perhaps much more: forasmuch as such a mountainous and uneven surface affords a larger space of ground for cultivation, than this country would amount to, if it were all reduced to a perfect level.
For the husbanding of these mountains, their manner was to gather up the stones, and place them in several lines, along the sides of the hills, in form of a wall. By such borders, they supported the mould from tumbling, or being washed down; and formed

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many beds of excellent soil, rising gradually of above another, from the bottom to the top of the mountains.
Of this form of culture you see evident footstep wherever you go in all the mountains of Palestine. Thus the very rocks were made fruitful. And perhaps there is no spot of ground in this whole land that was not formerly improved, to the producttion of something or other, ministering to the sustenance of human life. For, than the plain countries, nothing can be more fruitful, whether for the production of corn or cattle, and consequently of milk. The hills though improper for all cattle, except goats, yet being disposed into such beds as are before described, served very well to bear corn, melons, gourds, cu cumbers, and such like garden stuff, which makes the principal food of these countries for several months in the year. The most rocky parts of all, which could not well be adjusted in that manner for the production of corn, might yet serve for the plantation of vines and olive trees which delight to extract the one it's fatness, the other it's sprightly juice chiefly out of such dry and flinty places. And the great plain joining to the dead sea, which by reason of its saltness, might be thought unserviceable both for cattle, corn, olives, and vines, had yet its proper usefulness, the nourishment of bees, and for the making of honey; of which Josephus gives us his testimony, De Bell. Jud. lib. v. cap. 4. And I have reason to believe it, because when I was there, I perceived in many places a smell of honey and wax, as strong as if one had been in an apiary. This country then might very well maintain the vast number of its inhabitants, being in every part so productive of either milk, corn, wine, oil, or honey, which are the principal food of these eastern nations. The constitution of their bodies, and the nature of their clime, inclining them to a more abstemious diet than

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we use in England, and other colder regions._ But I hasten to Jerusalem.
Leaving Beer, we proceeded as before, in a rude stony country, which yet yielded us the sight of several old ruined villages. In two hours and one third we came to the top of a hill, from whence we had the first prospect of Jerusalem; Rama, anciently called Gibeah of Saul, being within view on the right hand, and the plain of Jericho, and the mountains of Gilead on the left. In one hour more we approached the walls of the holy city; but we could not enter immediately, it being necessary first to send a messenger to acquaint the governor of our arrival, and to desire liberty of entrance. Without which preceding ceremony, no Frank dares come within the walls. We therefore passed along by the west side of the city, and coming to the corner above Bethlehem gate, made a stop there, in order to expect the return of our messenger. We had not waited above half an hour, when he brought us our permission, and we entered accordingly at Bethlehem gate. It is required of all Franks, unless they happen to come in with some public minister, to dismount at the gate, to deliver their arms, and enter on foot: but we coming in company with the French consul, had the privilege to enter mounted and armed. Just within the gate, we turned up a street on the left hand, and were conducted by the consul to his own house, with most friendly and generous invitations to make that our home, as long as we should continue at Jerusalem. Having taken a little refreshment, we went to the Latin convent, at which all Frank pilgrims are wont to be entertained. The guardian and friars received us with many kind welcomes and kept us with them at supper: after which we returned to the French consul's to bed. And thus we continued to take our lodging at the consul's, and our board with the friars, during our whole stay at Jerusalem.

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Friday, March 26.-The next day being Good Friday in the Latin style, the consul was obliged to go into the church of the Sepulchre, in order to keep his feast; whither we accompanied him, although our own Easter was not till a-week after theirs. We found the church doors guarded by several janizaries, and other Turkish officers; who are placed here to watch that none enter in, but such as have first paid their appointed caphar. This is more or less, according to the country, or the character of the persons that enter. For Franks, it is ordinarily fourteen dollars per head, unless they are ecclesiastics; for in that case it is but half so much.
Having once paid this caphar, you may go in and out gratis as often as you please during the whole feast; provided you take the ordinary opportunity in which it is customary to open the doors; but if you would have them opened at any time out of common course, purposely for your own private occasion, then the first expence must be paid again.
The pilgrims being all admitted this day, church doors were locked in the evening, and opened no more till Easter day; by which we were kept in a close, but very happy confinement for three days; We spent our time in viewing the ceremonies practised by the Latins at this festival, and in visiting the several holy places: all which we had opportunity to survey, with as much freedom and deliberation as pleased.
Sunday, March 28.-On Easter morning the sepulchre was again set open very early. The clouds of the former morning were cleared up; and the friars put on a face of joy and serenity, as if it had been the real juncture of our Lord's resurrection. The mass was celebrated this morning just before the holy sepulchre, being the most eminent place in the church; where the father guardian had a throne erected, and being arrayed in episcopal robes, with a mitre on his head, in the sight of the Turks, he

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gave the host to all that were disposed to receive it; not refusing children of seven or eight years old.
This office being ended, we made our exit out of the sepulchre, and returning to the convent, dined with the friars.
After dinner, we took an opportunity to go and visit some of the remarkable places without the city walls; we began with those on the north side.
The first place we were conducted to was a large grot, a little without Damascus gate; said to have been some time the residence of Jeremiah. On the left side of it, is shewn the prophet's bed, being a shelf on the rock, about eight foot from the ground; and not far from this, is the place where they say he wrote his Lamentations. This place is at present a college of dervises, and is held in great veneration by the Turks and Jews, as well as Christians.
The next place we came to, was those famous grots called the Sepulchres of the Kings; but for what reason they go by that name is hard to resolve: for it is certain none of the kings, either of Israel or Judah, were buried here; the holy Scriptures assigning other places for their sepultures: unless it may be thought perhaps that Hezekiah was here interred, and that these were the sepulchres of the sons of David, mentioned in 2 Chron. xxxii. 33. Whoever was buried here, this is certain, that the place itself discovers so great an expense both of labour and treasure, that we may well suppose it to have been the work of kings. You approach to it at the east side, through an entrance cut out of the natural rock, which admits you into an open court of about forty paces square, cut down into the rock, with which it is encompassed instead of walls. On the south side of the court is a portico, nine paces long and four broad, hewn likewise out of the natural rock. This is a kind of architrave running along its front, adorned with sculpture of fruits and flowers, still discern-

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nible, but by time much defaced. At the end of the portico on the left hand, you descend to the passage into the sepulchre. The door is now so obstructed with stones and rubbish, that it is a thing of some difficulty to creep through it. But within you arrive in a large fair room, about seven or eight yards square, cut out of the natural rock. Its sides and ceiling are so exactly square, and its angles so just, that no architect with levels and plummets could build a room more regular; and the whole is so firm and entire, that it may be called a chamber hollowed out of one piece of marble. From this room, you pass into, I think, six more, one within another, all of the same fabric with the first. Of these, the two innermost are deeper than the rest, having a second descent of about six or seven steps into them.
In every one of these rooms, except the first, were coffins of stone placed in niches in the sides of the chambers. They had been at first covered with handsome lids, and carved with garland's; but now most of them were broken to pieces by sacrilegious hands. The sides and ceiling of the rooms were always dropping, with the moist damps condensing upon them. To remedy which nuisance, and to preserve these chambers of the dead in a clean condition, there was in each room a small channel cut in the floor, which served to drain the drops that fall constantly into it.
But the most surprising thing belonging to these subterraneous chambers was their doors, of which there is only one that remains hanging, being left as it were on purpose to puzzle the beholders. It consisted of a plank of stone of about six inches in thickness, and in its other dimensions equalling the size of an ordinary door, or somewhat less. It was carved in such a manner, as to resemble a piece of wainscot:: the stone of which it was made, was visibly of the same kind with the whole rock; and it turned upon two hinges in the nature of axles. These hinges

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were of the same entire piece of stone with the door; and were contained in two holes of the immoveable rock, one at the top, the other at the bottom.
From these sepulchres we returned toward the city again, and just by Herod's gate were shewn a grotto full of filthy water and mire. This passes for the dungeon in which Jeremiah was kept by Zedekiah, till enlarged by the charity of Eb.ed Melech, Jer. xxxviii. At this place we concluded our visits for that evening.
Monday, March 29.-The next day being Easter Monday, the mosolem or governor of the city set out, according to custom, with several bands of soldiers, to convey the pilgrims to Jordan. Without this guard, there is no going thither, by reason of the multitude and insolence of the Arabs in these parts. The fee to the mosolem for his company and soldiers upon this occasion, is twelve dollars for each Frank pilgrim, but if they be ecclesiastics, six; which you must pay, whether you are disposed to go the journey or stay in the city. We went out at St. Stephen's gate, being in all, of every nation and sex, about two thousand pilgrims. Having crossed the valley of Jehoshaphat, and part of Mount Olivet, we came in half an hour to Bethany; at present only a small village. At the first entrance into it, is an old ruin, which they call Lazarus's castle, supposed to have been the mansion house of that favourite of our Lord. At the bottom of a small descent, not far from the castle, is shewn the sepulchre out of which he was raised to a second mortality, by that enlivening voice of Christ, Lazarus, come forth. You descend into the sepulchre by twenty-five steep stairs; at the bottom of which, you arrive first in a small square room, and from thence you creep down into another lesser room about a yard and a half deeper, in which the body is said to have been laid. This place is held in great veneration by the Turks,

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who use it for an oratory, and demand of all Chris- tians a small caphar for their admission into it.
About a bow-shot from hence you pass by the place which, they say, was Mary Magdalen's habitation; and then descending a steep hill, you come to the Fountain of the Apostles; so called because, as the tradition goes, those holy persons were wont to refresh themselves here, in their frequent travels between Jerusalem and Jericho. And indeed it is a thing very probable, and no more than I believe is done by all that travel this way; the fountain being close by the road side, and very inviting to the thirsty passenger.
From this place you proceed in an intricate way amongst hills and valleys interchangeably; all of a very barren aspect at present, but discovering evident signs of the labour of the husbandman in ancient times. After some hours travel in this sort of road, you arrive at the mountainous desert into which our blessed Saviour was led by the Spirit, to be tempted by the Devil. A most miserable, dry, barren place it is, consisting of high rocky mountains, so torn and disordered, as if the earth had here suffered some great convulsion, in which its very bowels had, been turned outward. On the left hand looking down in a deep valley, as we passed along, we saw some ruins of small cells and cottages which they told us were formerly the habitations of hermits retiring hither for penance and mortification. And certainly there could not be found in the whole earth a more comfortless and abandoned place, for that purpose. From the top of these hills of desolation, we had however a delightful prospect of the mountains of Arabia, the Dead Sea, and the plain of Jericho; into which last place we descended, after about five hours' march from Jerusalem. As soon as we entered the plain, we turned up on the left hand, and going about one hour that way, came to the foot of the Quarantania; which, they say, is the mountain

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into which the Devil took our blessed Saviour, when he tempted him with that visionary scene of all the kingdoms and glories of the world. It is, as St. Mat-thew styles it, an "exceeding high mountain," and in its ascent not only difficult, but dangerous. It has a small chapel at the top, and another about half way up, founded upon a prominent part of the rock: near this latter are several caves and holes in the side of the mountain, made use of anciently by hermits, and by some at this day, for places to keep their Lent in; in imitation of that of our blessed Saviour. In most of these grots we found certain Arabs quartered with fire-arms, who obstructed our ascent, demanding two hundred dollars for leave to go up the mountains. So we departed without farther trouble, not a little glad to have so good an excuse for not climbing so dangerous a precipice.
Turning down from hence into the plain, we passed by a ruined aqueduct, and a convent in the same condition: and in about a mile's riding came to the fountain of Elisha; so called, because miraculously purged from its brackishness by that prophet, at the request of the men of Jericho, 2 Kings ii. 19. Its waters are at present received in a basin, about nine or ten paces long, and five or six broad; and from thence issuing out in good plenty, divide themselves into several small streams, dispersing their refreshment to all the field between this and Jericho, and rendering it extremely fruitful. Close by the fountain grows a large tree spreading into boughs over the water, and here in the shade we took a collation, with the father guardian, and about thirty or forty friars more, who went this journey with us.
At about one third of an hour's distance from hence is Jericho, at present only a poor nasty village of the Arabs. We were here carried to see a place where Zaccheus's house is said to have stood; which is only an old square stone building, on the south side of Jericho. About two furlongs from hence,

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The mosolem, with his people had encamped; and not far from them we took up our quarters this night.
Tuesday, March 30.-The next morning we set out very early for Jordan, where we arrived in two hours. We found the plain very barren as we passed along it, producing nothing but a kind of samphire, and other such marine plants. I observed in many places of the road, where puddles of water had stood, a whiteness upon the surface of the ground; which, upon trial, I found to be a crust of salt caused by the water to rise out of the earth, in the same manner as it does every year in the valley of Salt near Aleppo, after the winter's inundation. These saline efllorescencies I found at some leagues distance from the Dead Sea; which demonstrates, that the whole valley must be all over plentifully impregnated with that mineral.
Within about a furlong of the river, at that place where we visited it, there was an old ruined church and convent, dedicated to St. John in memory of the baptizing of our blessed Lord. It is founded as near as could be conjectured to the very place where he had the honour to perform that sacred office; and to wash Him who was infinitely purer than the water itself. On the farther side of the forementioned convent there runs along a small descent, which you may fitly call the first and outermost bank of Jordan; as far as which it may be supposed the river does, or at least did anciently overflow, at some seasons of the year, viz. at the time of harvest, Josh. iii. 15. or as it is expressed, Chron. xii. 15. in the first month, that is, in March. But at present, whether it be because the river has, by its rapidity of current, worn its channel deeper than it was formerly, or whether because its waters are diverted some other way, it seems to have forgotten its ancient greatness: for we could discern no sign or probability of such overflowings, when we were there, which was on the

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thirtieth of March, being the proper time for these inundations. Nay so far was the river from over-flowing, that it ran at least two yards below the brink of its channel.
After having descended the outermost bank, you go about a furlong upon a level strand, before you come to the immediate bank of the river. This second bank is so beset with bushes and trees, such as tamarisk, willows, oleanders, &c. that you can see no water till you have made your way through them. In this thicket anciently, and the same is reported of it at this day, several sorts of wild beasts were wont to harbour themselves; whose being washed out of the covert by the overflowings of the river, gave occasion to that allusion, Jerem. xlix. 19, and 1. 44. He shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan.
No sooner were we arrived at the river, and dismounted, in order to satisfy that curiosity and devotion, which brought us thither, but we were alarmed by some troops of Arabs appearing on the other side, and firing at us; but at too great a distance to do any execution. This intervening disturbance hindered the friars from. performing their service prescribed for this place; and seemed to put them in a terrible fear of their lives, beyond what appeared in the rest of the company: though, considering the sordidness of their present condition, and the extraordinary rewards, which they boast to be their due in the world to come, one would think in reason, they of all men should have the least cause to discover so great a fear of death, and so much fondness of a life like theirs.
But this alarm was soon over, and every one re-turned to his former purpose: some stripped and bathed themselves in the river; others cut down boughs from the trees; every man was employed one way or other, to take a memorial of this famous stream. The water was very turbid and too rapid to be swam

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against. For its breadth, it might be about twenty yards over; and in depth it far exceeded my height. On the other side there seemed to be a much larger thicket than on that where we were: but we durst not swim over, to take any certain account of that region, for fear of the Arabs; there being three guns fired just over against us, and, as we might guess by their report, very near the river.
Having finished our design here we were summoned to return, by the mosolem; who carried us back into the middle of the plain, and there sitting under his tent, made us pass before him, man by man, to the end that he might take the more exact account of us, and loose nothing of his caphar. We seemed at this place to be near the Dead Sea, and some of us had a great desire to go nearer, and take a view of those prodigious waters. But this could not be attempted, without the licence of our commander-in-chief. We therefore sent to request his permission for our going, and a guard to attend us; both which he readily granted, and we immediately prosecuted our purpose.
Coming within about half an hour of the sea, we found the ground uneven, and varied into hillocks, much resembling those places in England where there have been anciently lime-kilns. Whether these might be the pits at which the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown by the four kings, Gen. xiv. 10, I will not determine.
Coming near to the sea we passed through a kind of coppice, of bushes and reeds; in the midst of which our guide, who was an Arab, shewed us a fountain of fresh water, rising not above a furlong from the sea; fresh water he called it, but we found it brackish.
The Dead Sea is enclosed on the east and west with exceedingly high mountains; on the north it is bounded with the plain of Jericho, on which side also it receives the waters of Jordan; on the south it

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is open, and extends beyond the reach of the eye. It is said to be twenty-four leagues long, and six or seven broad.
On the shore of the lake we found a black sort of pebbles, which being held in the flame of a candle soon burns, and yields a smoke of an intolerable stench. It has this property, that it loses only of its weight, but not of its bulk by burning. The hills bordering upon the lake, are said to abound with this sort of sulphureous stones. I saw pieces of it at the convent of St. John in the Wilderness, two feet square. They were carved in basso relievo, and polished to as great a lustre as black marble is capable of, and were designed for the ornament of the new church at the convent.
It is a common tradition, that birds, attempting to fly over this sea, drop down dead into it; and that no fish, nor other sort of animal can endure these deadly waters. The former report I saw actually confuted, by several birds flying about and over the sea, without any visible harm: the latter also I have some reason to suspect as false, having observed amongst the pebbles on the shore, two or three shells of fish resembling oyster-shells. These were cast up by the waves, at two hours' distance from the mouth of Jordan: which I mention, lest it should be suspected that they might be brought into the sea that way.
As for the bitumen, for which the sea had been so famous, there was none at the place where we were. But it is gathered near the mountains on both sides in great plenty. I had several lumps of it brought me to Jerusalem. It exactly resembles pitch, and cannot readily be distinguished from it, but by the sulphureousness of its smell and taste.
The water of the lake was very limpid, and salt to the highest degree; and not only salt, but also extremely bitter and nauseous. Being willing to make an experiment of its strength, I went into it

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and found it bore up my body in swimming with an uncommon force. But as for that relation of some authors, that men wading into it were buoyed up to the top, as soon as they go as deep as the navel; I found it, upon experiment not true.
Being desirous to see the remains, if there were any, of those cities anciently situate in this place, and made so dreadful an example of the divine vengeance, I diligently surveyed the waters, as far as my eye could reach: but neither could I discern any heaps of ruins, nor any smoke ascending above the surface of the water; as is usually described in the writings and maps of geographers. But yet I must not omit what was confidently attested to me by the father guardian, and procurator of Jerusalem; both men in years, and seemingly not destitute either of sense or probity, viz. that they had once actually seen one of these ruins; that it was so near the shore, and the waters so shallow, at that time, that they together with some Frenchmen went to it, and found there several pillars, and other fragments of buildings. The cause of our being deprived of this sight was, I suppose, the height of the water.
On the west side of the sea is a small promontory, near which, as our guides told us, stood the monument of Lot's metamorphosed wife; part of which, if they may be credited, is visible at this day. But neither would the present occasion permit us to go and examine the truth of this relation; neither, had the opportunity served, could we give faith enough to their report, to induce us to go on such an errand.
As for the apples of Sodom, so much talked of, I neither saw, nor heard of any hereabouts: nor was there any tree to be seen near the lake, from which one might expect such a kind of fruit *; which induces me to believe that there may be a greate