step, and are in the greatest ignorance, and attach no sort of value to the beauty and worth of these precious relics of antient architecture. Having informed them that I came from England, they expressed their astonishment that any person should come from such an immense distance merely to look at a number of stones. Some of the houses appear to have been built from the materials which these ruins so abundantly afford, yielding a remarkable commentary on one passage of Scripture *; others are patched and repaired with them; and the finest Corinthian capitals are broken off, and now brought so low as to afford seats at the doors. In short, on almost every house there is to be found some inscription on the stones which have been used for its formation. On the whole, in viewing these invaluable remains of the art, ingenuity, and physical strength of man, I could not refrain from expressing my surprise, on finding that a spot of such interest should have been visited by so few of those travellers who have run over Egypt, Greece, Italy, and other countries, in search of relics and marbles. I am therefore prompted to invite the artist and man of taste, to direct his views to this most interesting spot, where he will be supplied not only with the highest antiquities, and subjects for his chisel and the pencil, but for serious contemplation. After I had viewed all that was attractive there, I intended to have followed out the plan I had laid down, to have proceeded to Tripoli, and from thence to Aleppo; but danger being apprehended from the snow, which lay deep on the mountains I should have been obliged to pass, the journey was given up, and I retraced my steps to Zachale. I enjoyed yesterday, as I observed, a delightful prospect of the whole plain and the surrounding scenery, under a glorious sun, with a most serene atmosphere; but to-day I beheld it in the wildest and most terrific grandeur. I was unluckily overtaken by a storm, as if the flood-gates of heaven had been set loose, which came on in a moment, and raged with mighty * Jer. xxx. 18. Lament. ii. 9. fury, conveying a just idea of the end of all things; during this time there was a solemn gloom and darkness spread over the whole land. The rain, emblematical, as represented, of that mercy which falls from heaven, descended in torrents, and, forcing its way by pouring down the mountains, was swept along, and converted into volumes of thick cloud and mist, by the extreme violence of the wind. The thunder of heaven upon the place beneath, as "blessing him that gives and him that takes," rolled loudly over head, the echo of which repeated the awful reverberation of every peal in a manner most appalling, and the vivid flashes of lightning threatened to shoot forth balls of fire. This storm appeared to be more tremendous from the solitary tract I travelled along, and not having come in contact with any person whatever. After witnessing the awful and striking grandeur which had been thus displayed by God, in sending forth messengers to fulfil his words, I reached the village completely drenched with rain, and found my clothes almost useless. On returning to the hut I found the villager's wife engaged in the operation of baking cakes. I was peculiarly struck by some customs here, as corresponding with those in the earliest ages. In the first place the fuel was supplied by dried dung ‡ laid on the hearth §, and the bread made something in the form of a pancake, but, in point of circumference, exceeded the brim of the largest hat of any quaker I ever saw. Each of these was exceedingly thin, and folded into a compass that admitted the whole to be put at one time into the mouth. Some of the cakes were set before me by this female, with butter almost in a liquid state, and presented in a large vessel, with an abundant supply of milk and honey.¶ These might be expected in a country which early history has described to flow with milk and honey; and to which allusion is made by the sacred writers, in their glowing descriptions of its prosperity. In * Job. xxvi. 14. + Jerem. xi. 16. ¶ Isaiah vii. 15. Deut. viii. 8. Ezekiel iv. 15. || Judges v. 25. Id. vi. 3. deed, that at one period was so peculiar a delicacy, that it appears to have been indulged in to a degree of excess, which called for an observation by Solomon.* It may be further remarked, that in consequence of the scarcity of fuel in the Holy Land, other kinds of combustible are used for preparing provisions; for instance, withered herbs, plants, and twigs of the vine. In the application of these we can easily recognise the practice of old, in the words of our Divine Teacher +, and the rapidity with which the latter is consumed, reminds us of some important remarks of the prophets.+ Most of the Arabs wore a blanket thrown over them, which were used, and as I particularly had occasion to observe, by all the muckras or muleteers, who accompanied me, and indeed by my servant, as a cover to sleep in during the night §; their teeth may be described as those in the primitive age, as white as milk. They consider the ceremony essential in washing their hands before taking meals, which was the mode of the Jews ¶ and Pharisees. ** A girdle is fixed round the body, and their poignards are attached to the side of it; also an inkhorn, which is about a foot in length, with a small vessel at the end in a square form, and lid to clasp over it, which bears reference to an allusion of the prophet ++, and is alluded to by the Apostle in his description of the Christian armour. ‡‡ The females are wrapped up, and carefully conceal their countenances by veils §§, and wear trowsers covered with their petticoats. The water in this country is excellent, remarkably pure, and is supplied by springs from the valleys and hills. These peculiar customs necessarily lead me to observe, from the numerous allusions contained in the Word of God to the Holy Land, that it is necessary to study, with some degree of care, the history of this interesting spot, in order to form Amos iv. 11. Zech. iii. 2. ¶ Matt. xv. 2. # Ephes. vi. 14. *Prov. xxv. 27. § Gen. xxxviii. 14. |||| Deut. viii. 7. Id. + Matt. vi. 50. || Gen. xlix. 12. a clear and distinct meaning, to discover the force and beauty of this place of sacred writ. I was surprised at the cradles used for the accommodation of infants; these were exactly in the form of a scale, with ropes suspended from the ceiling. When the parents go to bed it is shifted with the child, and fixed to a hook in another part of it, so as to hang almost right over their faces, which they can keep for a considerable time in motion by the slightest touch, so as to lull the baby to sleep, who, it may be added, is wrapped up similar to a mummy. The plough here is drawn by oxen, as of old. The former is after the simple model, as that used at Nazareth, which I formerly described. The fields are not divided by furrows. Notwithstanding I assumed the costume of the East, as the Arabs had received hints I was an Englishman, I seemed to be in their eyes a rara avis in terris, or an object of curiosity. They came into the hut, gazed upon me, and marked every motion, however trifling, stooped to examine my boots and the heels with a piece of iron, and annoyed me extremely, by remaining in the place till early next morning, that prevented me retiring at a proper hour to sleep. The population of Zachale may consist of 2000, and the majority are Christians. At this time many of them were engaged in drawing rollers over the roofs of their houses, which are flat like terraces, and covered with a mixture of mud and small stones. This appeared favorable for the operation during a fall of rain, when they were smoothed over, so that they might become hard and consolidated during the heat of the sun. At taking leave of the villager, who afforded me accommodation, I was amused at his expressing to my servant an anxious wish that he should marry and take with him his only daughter. This, however, he declined, and jocularly informed him that the baggage on the mules had been already sufficiently heavy. TAINS. WRETCHED KHAN. VIEW OF BAYREUTH FROM AN EMINENCE. ARRIVAL. DRUSES. DESCRIPTION OF THE OF IDOLATROUS WORSHIP IN THEIR TEMPLES. -PRINCE OF THE MOUNTAINS. BAYREUTH. POPULATION. ENGLISH CONSUL. - CONVENT.- TOMBS. FIELD OF ST. GEORGE. COMPLAINT OF MONKS RECEIVING NO PECUNIARY ASSISTANCE FROM FRANCE. OBSERVATIONS. REFLECTIONS ON LEAV ING HOLY LAND. AFTER I had rewarded the villager for lodging, and had been surrounded by a crowd of gazing Arabs, I set out early on the 5th of April, and ascended mountains of great altitude, passing along several covered with snow, approaching to a state of dissolution, when, benumbed with cold, I arrived at a deplorable khan on the summit of one of them, where I halted for the night, and slept on the ground in the very worst den I had seen; in truth, such as an Englishman would have appropriated exclusively for the use of his swine. The next morning, after paying for this ground-rent, I departed by sun-rise, and after travelling some time along an elevation, a boundless view opened of the country beneath, the mighty ocean, and Bayreuth, which appeared situated close to the shore. I then descended, and after riding along a very steep and broken road, reached the bottom, passing through some beautiful gardens and vineyards. Here, the mulberry tree is much cultivated, which is alluded to in the sacred volume. * These were very re 2 Sam. v. 23, 24. 1 Chron. xiv. 14. |