evaporation. The Jordan, the Arnon, and other streams of considerable size, empty themselves into its bitter waters, besides the innumerable watercourses from Moab, the Arabah and the hill country of Judæa. Yet all this influx of water has no perceptible effect upon the appearance of the sea. Towards its southern end the wicked cities of the plain were once supposed to have stood, but various theories on this point have found favour with different travellers. We were, however, obliged to content ourselves with a short stay on the shores of this strange sea, as the sun was now excessively hot, and we were anxious to get back in good time to Jerusalem.

Our course now lay across the dry and desolate plain, stretching from the margin of the lake up to the white limestone hills of Judæa. There were a good many varieties of shrubs, one of them, the sea-pink, with its pale red flower, being very abundant. The sun now beat down upon our devoted heads with a force which was overpowering, and we were very glad to gain the lower slopes of the mountains in front, where more air was stirring. As we toiled up the steep path, we frequently stopped to survey the noble prospect presented by that broad valley, with the green thread running along its centre, denoting the course of the sacred river. There is nothing of interest in the bare white hillsides up which we now were toiling, for scarcely a shrub or tuft of grass is to be seen, Towards mid-day we reached a building of some size, in tolerably good condition but seemingly deserted, though one or two Arabs, after a while,

appeared. We entered a gateway and found a paved courtyard beyond, with a structure somewhat like a mosque in the centre. As we had plenty of shade here, we spread our lunch upon the pavement, passing an hour very pleasantly, although our dragoman was not quite certain that we were not intruding on forbidden ground. This shrine or sanctuary is called Neby Mûsa, the grave of Moses, who, according to Moslem tradition, is buried here. From this point our way lay over a waste of rocky ridges and bare hill-sides, until we came down upon the green slopes of cultivated ground in the vicinity of Bethany. This village looked very peaceful and beautiful in the quiet evening light, and we would fain have lingered awhile to muse over the sacred associations of the spot.

CHAPTER XII.

JERUSALEM TO DAMASCUS.

HAVING finished our preparations, we bade farewell to Jerusalem on Wednesday morning, April 3, after a very brief sojourn, which was barely sufficient to enable us to see a few of the more prominent spots mentioned in sacred history. We were also joined by Mr. Sim, whose excellent company I had previously enjoyed in Egypt, and our dragoman provided us with an additional tent in consequence. I paid a visit once more to the church of the Sepulchre before leaving, and saw it to more advantage, as there happened to be very few pilgrims about. We left the city by the Damascus gate, and followed the miserable stony track which leads over the hill Scopus through a most bleak, uninteresting landscape. The misty mountains of Gilead were seen in the far distance, and turning to the west the most conspicuous peak was Neby Samwil, the ancient Mizpeh. From this point we passed close to the sites of numerous places mentioned in Scripture. One of the first of these is Nob, where David received the shewbread from Ahimelech the priest, who was afterwards slain by Doeg the Edomite. On a small eminence not far

from this are the supposed ruins of Gibeah of Saul, the birthplace of Israel's first king. Farther to the north, some ancient fragments of stones, built into the modern hovels of a village, are supposed to be remains of Ramah.

The next place of note we passed is Bethel, situated about half a mile on our right, on a bare hill-side. This is one of the places most frequently mentioned as the scene of many stirring events, and it is one of the oldest cities in Canaan. Here Jacob's vision took place, to commemorate which he set up his pillar, and Samuel judged Israel in this place. Jeroboam also set up his worship of the golden calf at this sacred spot, though righteous priests were, after the Babylonish captivity, found in Bethel to teach the worship of Jehovah. The ruins of a Greek church and a huge cistern are the chief remains of antiquity to be seen in Bethel, otherwise it is a miserable village of mud hovels. We were now passing through the hill country of Benjamin, a barren, rocky territory, but presently entered upon the more fertile inheritance of Joseph, known as Ephraim, or Samaria. Now the slopes of the hills began to wear a rich and cultivated look, and plantations of olives and fig trees, enclosed in spaces like orchards, gave softness to the landscape. Presently we found ourselves in a winding valley, clothed with grassy banks and green cornfields, and soon after this came in sight of Ain Yebrûd, a most picturesquely-situated village, on the brow of a wooded height.

From this point we now descended a steep ravine, by a very rugged and rocky path, having hills on both sides,

terraced and cultivated with olives, vines, and fig trees.

At

the foot of this ravine we found ourselves in a sequestered wooded glade, with fine old trees on all sides and rich green turf under foot. In a narrow valley a little beyond this is the 'Robber's Fountain,' a large massively-constructed reservoir or tank, much dilapidated in some parts. This place has a particularly bad reputation, and our dragoman hurried us past it, especially as it was growing late, and our camp was still a long way off. In fact, it was quite dark when we reached the tents, which were pitched high up on a bleak hill-side, near the village of Sinjil. This village has several curious old square towers, apparently remains of some important building, round which the wretched hovels of the inhabitants have been erected. From this we descended on the following morning to the very rich plain, near which one of the most interesting Bible sites is to be seen-that of Shiloh.

To Dr. Robinson belongs the merit of discovering the true situation of Shiloh, which had formerly been placed at Neby Samwil. Here Joshua set up the Tabernacle before the congregation of Israel, and here it remained for 300 years, till the sons of Eli carried it to battle against the Philistines, when it was captured. Their old father fell back dead here when the news was brought him of the Ark of God being taken and his two sons slain. It fell into obscurity after the death of Eli, and now presents an utterly deserted look of desolation. Some grassy knolls, strewn with old stones, mark the site of Shiloh, and high hills surround it on all sides,