Byeways in Palestine | Page 2

1846
and 1863, commenced in Jerusalem or elsewhere in the Holy Land.
J. F.

NOTE.
The frontispiece picture to this volume represents the relic of a small
Roman Temple, 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