with the sand and stones. I dismounted, in order to pick up some, when I discovered several entire shells, beautifully polished by attrition against the stones and sand. Immediately after, I gathered a great number of perfect shells, from one to three inches long. They belong to a species of mussel, which grows in the bottom of the lake. Near the head of the lake, on its northwestern shore, we passed over the site of Capernaum, nothing of which remains but its everlasting fountain, one of the most copious I have seen in the Holy Land. At this point we left the lake, and pursued our course a few miles over some low hills, parallel with the upper Jordan, when we turned towards the east, and descended into a fertile plain, and soon after crossed the river over what is called Jacob's Bridge, where we encamped for the night. The river here is not more than fifty feet wide, but extremely rapid. The next morning, before any of our camp were stirring, I sallied forth to bathe in Jordan's stream, and found the water extremely warm, much more so than any running water I ever felt in my life.

in

During the three preceding days our caravan had received a small accession of numbers. The supernumerary dividuals were certain solitary pilgrims, who joined us one by one as we overtook them on the road. They were returning home from their pilgrimage to the Holy City, and were all Christians, who had come from a great distance; some of them from very remote lands in the East.

Their object in joining us was to profit by the protection our numbers and force afforded them. They gave us very little trouble, always starting off long before us in the morning, and merely resting at night in our vicinity. Yesterday one of them remained behind the others in order to ask for medical advice and assistance. We found the poor fellow had considerable fever, and the cause of it was soon discovered by the gentlemen, who, on feeling his pulse, discovered his arm to be swelled to a frightful degree. He had been

OAKS OF BASHAN.

147 to Bethlehem, where the monks make it a trade to tattoo with India ink the arms and bodies of such pilgrims as desire it. The subjects thus indelibly fixed in the skin are of course such as relate to Scripture history, and also symbols of the Catholic creed. After prescribing for this patient, the gen. tlemen, being struck with some peculiarity in his appearance, inquired of him from what part of the world he came. He replied that he had come all the way from Bagdad in order to visit the Holy Sepulchre. He followed a trading cara. van from that city to Damascus, and was now on his way thither to avail himself of a similar opportunity to regain his home.

The morning that we ascended from the valley of the Jordan we reached the table-land or great plain of Syria. From the heights, looking towards the north, we saw the "Waters of Merom," a small lake or basin from which issues the Jordan. This lake receives several small streams which are fed from the springs of Hermon. The sites of Dan and of Cæsarea Philippi are a short distance to the north of this small lake.

The first part of this day's ride was over a singularly beautiful country, which gave evidence of having once been very densely populated and highly cultivated. In every direction we saw the remains of terraces and stone enclosures, with frequent large mounds of small stones, which had been gleaned from the surface of the soil in order to clear it. There were many beautiful conical hills rising from the plain, covered with a luxuriant growth of grass. From the top of one of them, which was perhaps two hundred feet high, we had a fine view towards the south, and could trace against the sky the fine outline of Mount Gilead, with the country of Bashan nearer to us.

The "oaks of Bashan" are not among those things that were, for we passed some hundreds, and spread our carpets beneath the shade of one of them. These trees present a

very singular appearance, from the manner in which they are trimmed. We observed a number of persons cutting off the limbs and disposing of them on the backs of horses. They carry them to Damascus for fuel. This process of cutting only the limbs, which has no doubt been pursued for ages on these same trees, has given them their singular shape. The bodies are very short and stout. Some that we measured were three feet in diameter, and not more than three or four feet long, with no large limbs; merely a trunk, with a bushy head of young branches too small to cut, the whole tree being not over fifteen to twenty feet in height.

It would be a difficult matter nowadays for the Tyrians to find "oaks of Bashan" tall enough to make “oars” of.

The latter part of the day we found the surface of the ground extremely dangerous to ride over. It appears that, at some distant period of time, a stream of lava has broken out from the side of Mount Hermon, and covered the whole face of the country towards the southeast. This lava, cool. ing very irregularly, occasioned the roughness of the surface alluded to. The atmosphere having disintegrated the superficies, a little light soil has accumulated upon it, which concealing the holes, our horses' feet sank into them every moment, giving us now and then severe falls. Apropos of falls, I will mention two which, among several others, I have had within a day or two, and either of which might have been attended with serious consequences. In fording a stream of water, the animal I rode stepped into a hole and pitched head foremost into it; of course I got the full benefit of the plunge, for I went over head and ears into the stream. Fortunately, my husband was near by, and rescued me from my dangerous situation. Our caravan was some miles in advance of us, and I had to get myself dried in the sunshine.

Yesterday I was run away with: my horse stumbling, I

MEETING WITH A COMPATRIOT.

149

was thrown off head first. This time I came off with some very severe bruises, from which I am now suffering much pain and lameness.

Were I to begin a chapter of accidents of a similar na. ture, I could fill many pages for you; but I will refrain, as such things are of too common occurrence in this mode of travelling over countries without roads, with fatigued and vicious animals.

The last two days we had the range of Anti-Lebanon towering above our heads on the west, and on the east the great plain of the Syrian desert stretching far away in the direction of the Euphrates.

The day before we arrived here we met on the road a countryman (a Mr. Boyd, of Baltimore), who had just left Damascus. He was travelling in company with an Eng. lish and an Italian gentleman: they were on their way to Palestine.

Although I have not taken you to Dan or Beersheba, yet I have conducted you over the Holy Land in nearly all its length and breadth. I might take this opportunity to review some of the most interesting scenes that have come under my observation during the last few weeks, and to make some general remarks on the impressions they have left upon my mind; but I am aware how impatient you will be to have me introduce you into this Paradise of Syria, the ancient Damascus, in the midst of its beautiful gardens; therefore I will proceed immediately to devote my feeble powers of description to your service, as soon as I shall have become more acquainted with this Syrian Ely. sium.

I have now a leisure moment to devote to you, and will resume my narrative at the point where I left off the other day.

Early in the afternoon of the day of our arrival we de.

scried at a distance an immense forest of trees far in advance of us, and towering above these were the lofty white mina. rets of "El Sham."* We had now a beautiful gravel road to ride over, on which a coach and four might roll as smoothly as on the best turnpike road in the west. We urged our steeds forward at a rapid pace over the desert, and soon reached the precincts of the beautiful forest on which our eyes had been feasting for several previous hours. That which we had supposed to be a forest we soon discov. ered to be an immense garden, filled with giant fruit-trees, which appeared to us of boundless extent; for we were obliged to ride through it for several miles ere we reached the northern gate of the city.

We entered this gate on horseback, where, five years since, every Christian was obliged to dismount. The gen tlemen also wore their hats and I my green veil (the sacred colour of Mohammed), where a few years before we would not dared to venture unless in Oriental attire. Thanks to

Ibrahim Pacha for this reform in manners.

Being desirous of giving our servants a holyday for a short time, we proposed to seek admission into the convent, in order to do which we had to ride the whole length of the city, which I should think is at least two miles. When we arrived at the door, the good fathers seemed delighted at the prospect of having a goodly company of profitable customers, particularly as they were Milor Ingleses. They began already to count over, in anticipation, their golden buona. mano. We dismounted to enter the door, where the jolly and rubicund face of the superior was all in smiles, ready to receive our party and welcome us to the creature comforts within the walls of the Casa Santa. I was amazed at this display of cordial welcome when I recollected how uncere. moniously I had been thrust away from the doors of other holy houses of this same order. My surprise, however, was

+ Damascus.