Byeways in Palestine | Page 2

situated on the eastern edge of the Plain of Sharon, near the line of hills, between the two villages Awali and M'zeera'a.
It is quadrangular in form, with a door and portico on its north front.
The portico is supported by two round columns of Corinthian order, and two pilasters of the same at the extremities. The columns are of small dimensions, the shafts not exceeding nine feet in length; yet in these the canon is observed which obtains in the larger proportions found in classic lands, namely, that the diameter is somewhat extended near the half elevation from the ground. The capitals are of the best design.
The doorway is formed by a very bold and deep moulding, and in the upright side-posts is found the same arrangement for holding a stone bar in confining the door, as is to be seen in some sepulchres about Jerusalem, namely, a curved groove increasing in depth of incision as it descends.
The whole edifice bears the same warm tinge of yellow that all those of good quality acquire from age in that pure climate.
The roof has been repaired, and the walls in some parts patched up.
On the southern wall, internally, the Moslems have set up a Kebleh niche for indicating the direction of prayer.
The peasants call this building the "Boorj," or "Tower."
Near adjoining it are remains of ancient foundations: one quite circular and of small diameter.
There is also by the road-side, not far off, a rocky grotto, supplied with water by channels from the hills.
My sketches of this interesting relic date from 1848 and 1859, and, as far as I am aware, no other traveller had seen it until lately, when the members of the Palestine Exploration Expedition visited and took a photograph of it, which is now published.
J. F.

CONTENTS. I. OVER THE JORDAN, AND 1 RETURN BY THE WEST II. NORTHWARDS TO BEISAN, 85 KADIS, ANTIPATRIS, ETC. III. SOUTHWARDS ON THE 144 PHILISTINE PLAIN AND ITS SEA COAST IV. HEBRON TO BEERSHEBA, 184 AND HEBRON TO JAFFA V. THE LAND OF BENJAMIN 199 VI. SEBUSTIEH TO CAIFFA 214 VII. ESDRAELON PLAIN AND 226 ITS VICINITY VIII. BELAD BESHARAH 253 IX. UPPER GALILEE--FOREST 264 SCENERY X. TEMPLE OF BAAL AND 283 SEPULCHRE OF PHOENICIA XI. JERUSALEM TO PETRA, 289 AND RETURN BY THE DEAD SEA XII. ACROSS THE 347 LEBANON--(THREE PARTS,) XIII. NORTH-WEST OF THE 414 DEAD SEA XIV. SOBA 423 XV. THE TWO BAIT SAHHOORS 428 IDENTIFIED XVI. THE BAKOOSH COTTAGE 435 APPENDIX A 453 APPENDIX B 454 INDEX OF PLACES 461

I. OVER THE JORDAN AND RETURN BY THE WEST.
We were a dozen Englishmen, including three clergymen, undertaking the above journey accompanied by the large train of servants, interpreters, and muleteers usually required for travelling in the East. And it was on Wednesday, the 9th day of May 1855, that we started. This was considered almost late in the season for such an enterprise. The weather was hot, chiefly produced by a strong shirocco wind at the time; and, in crossing over the shoulder of the Mount of Olives, we found the country people beginning their harvest at Bethany.
We were of course escorted by a party of Arab guides, partly villagers of either Abu Dis or Selwan, (Siloam,) and partly of those Ghawarineh Arabs not deserving the appellation of Bedaween, who live around and about Jericho. These people, of both classes, form a partnership for convoy of travellers to the Jordan under arrangements made at the consulate. Without them it would be impossible either to find the way to Jericho and the river, or to pass along the deserted road, for there are always out-lookers about the tops of the hills to give notice that you are without an escort, and you would consequently still find that travellers may "fall among thieves" between Jerusalem and Jericho; besides that, on descending to the plain of Jericho you would certainly become the prey of other Arabs of real tribes, ever passing about there--including most probably the 'Adwan, to whose hospitality, however, we were now about to commit ourselves. To all this must be added, that no other Arabs dare undertake to convoy travellers upon that road; the Taamra to the south have long felt their exclusion from it to be a great grievance, as the gains derived from the employment of escorting Europeans are very alluring.
We had with us a deputed commissioner from the 'Adwan, namely, Shaikh Fendi, a brother of Shaikh 'Abdu'l 'Azeez. He was delighted with the refreshment of eating a cucumber, when we rested by the wayside to eat oranges--the delicious produce of Jaffa.
Passing the Fountain of the Apostles, (so called,) we jogged along a plain road till we reached a booth for selling cups of coffee, at the divergence of the road Nebi Moosa, (the reputed sepulchre of the prophet Moses, according