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NATURAL STATE

OF

SYRIA AND THE HOLY LAND.

THE Author has reserved for this Section a variety of Notes, which he made in the course of his Journey, but which have not found a place in the more regular narrative. In the arrangement of them, he has aimed at giving the reader a connected, though necessarily a rapid and imperfect, sketch of a country rendered most deeply interesting to all Christians, as comprehending the scenes of the larger part of Scripture-History. The circumstances of the NATURAL condition of this land-its soil, culture, produce, &c.-are described nearly in the geographical order of the Author's tour.

The Reader will trace in the Map the various places mentioned, beginning at the northern boundary of the Holy Land.

From Sidon to Tyre is generally one continued plain, varying from 300 to 1000 yards in width. Nearer to Tyre it becomes considerably wider; and forms, to the east of that ancient city, on every side, a rich and pleasing country: about Ras el Ain, in particular, the meadows, variegated by streamlets, are very picturesque, and capable of being rendered highly productive*.

Having crossed the line of mountains lying half

*It appears, however, from Acts xii. 20, that the inhabitants of this region drew, in the time of Herod, their principal sustenance from the southern parts of Palestine.

way between Tyre and Acre, a noble prospect of rich plain lies extended beneath your feet; the boundaries of which are, the line of sea-coast to the west, reaching to Mount Carmel; and, on the east, the hill-country on the way to Nazareth. All this land is fine soil for cultivation. At its south, or south-east angle, it communicates with the vast Plain of Esdraelon, hereafter to be noticed. In the month of December, as I found much to my inconvenience, the Plains both of Tyre and Acre are abundantly saturated by the rains. It may be difficult to fix, with exactness, the dimensions of the Plain of Acre: from north to south, however, it appears to the eye to vary in length from twelve to eighteen miles; while, in breadth, it may average nearly ten miles.

Proceeding eastward from Acre, we enter, after going about ten miles, on a long valley, commencing nearly at Abilene; which, in various parts, is well planted, and probably in all parts might be so, with olives. It abounds also with low wood, fit for burning.

Opening out of this valley is another plain, which we crossed somewhat diagonally on the way to Sephoury. This must be part of the Plain of Galilee; and, from the view which we subsequently had, at a distance, of the central object, the Castle of Sephoury, when entering upon this plain at the eastern end of it, on coming from the Lake of Tiberias, the extent of this fertile portion of Galilee must be very considerable: it may, perhaps, be computed to be nearly twenty miles long; and, in width, varying from one or two to five or six miles: I am more doubtful of the estimate of its width, than of that

of the length. It is also interrupted by some low hill-country. Its richness and suitableness for cornland is equally apparent with that of the other plains; or, perhaps, more so. Between Sephoury and the hills of Nazareth we remarked many herds of cattle, in the midst of verdant and well-watered pasturage.

Josephus reports Nazareth to have been the principal station in Galilee. From that place to Tiberias, the road lies over hilly country, of gentle ascent and descent; leaving Tabor and Hermon on the right hand: the soil generally bears either olives, or the valena-a species of oak, the acorns of which are used in tanning; though I did not learn whether they are much employed in the country, or whether they furnish exports. The last hill, leading down to the Lake of Tiberias, is very precipitous: here the country seems very dark, adust, and dry.

From Tiberias to Safet, the road is, at first, by the side of the Lake, on the north-west of which is a small plain of great freshness and verdure, very beautiful to the eye. There is a dyeing-mill near this part, which was established a few years ago by a Neapolitan in the service of the Pacha of Acre: he has been dead some time. The greater part of the road to Safet is up a long ascent of four hours; the ground rocky, yet intermixed generally with good soil: much of this tract, which, when we passed it with a bleak north-wind in our faces, appeared to us a dreary waste, might be made productive in the winter months: in summer it is probably burnt for want of water. Around Safet, where are several springs, there are beautiful spots

of garden and orchard-ground, with extensive olive

yards.

From Safet to Hattŷn, the first part of the road is generally on the descent, through a rocky and uncultivated tract, on the western side of an irregular and bold ravine, which appears to extend from Safet nearly to the foot of the Mount of the Beatitudes. The latter part, however, of this tract, as far as to Hattŷn, round which is excellent land, is, generally, soil capable of cultivation, with gentle slopes, and partially watered by brooks which run in the valleys. Ascending to the top of the line of hills, at the end of which is the Mountain of the Beatitudes, we have an extensive view before us of elevated plain: it reaches nearly all the way to Cana of Galilee toward the left: and, toward the right, the Castle of Sephoury, at a considerable distance, seems to mark that this plain, with some variation of hill and dale, communicates with that which has been already described as lying between Abilene and Sephoury; forming, all together, the Plain of Galilee. From Cana to Nazareth, rocky and improvable soil alternately appears.

It is to be observed, however, that, even in those ruder parts which appear among the mountains, the fig-tree and other fruit-trees may be reared, all contributing to the sustenance of man. Although the quantity of corn-land is that which mainly constitutes the wealth of a country, yet, in this eastern climate, fruit is far more considered in the light of a valuable produce than it is in England. I have noticed, in fact, that there is, in various parts of the Levant, a kind of contempt felt for every sort of

tree which does not give fruit. A tree merely for ornament would, in most places, be regarded as an incumbrance, or at best fit only to shade a Mahomedan burying-ground. Trees for timber, where such grow, as on Mount Lebanon, have, of course, their merited honour. I know not whether this estimate of the value of trees may not have been in the mind of the Psalmist, when writing that passage in which he calls upon mountains and all` hills, fruitful trees and all cedars, to praise the Lord: (Ps. cxlviii. 9.) Certainly these two descriptions are the most common and the most desired in these parts but particularly fruit-trees; as olives, vines, figs, pomegranates, &c. Cotton is also grown in Galilee.

1

But to resume our excursion. To the south of the chain of hills on which Nazareth is situated, is the vast and ever-memorable Plain of Esdraelon. We computed this Plain to be at least fifteen miles square; making allowance for some apparent irregularities, such as its running out, on the west, toward Mount Carmel, and, on the opposite side, toward Jordan. We passed rather on the eastern side of the middle of the Plain, in our way to Gennŷn. Although it bears the title of Plain,' yet it abounds with hills, which, in the view of it from the adjacent mountains, shrink into nothing. On this noble Plain*, if there were perfect security

* The Author cannot resist the temptation to adorn his page with the following brilliant passage from the Travels of the lamented Dr. Clarke. It is a full and rapid sketch of the martial events which, during a period of thirty centuries, have occupied unquiet man upon this spot. "Here it was," he observes," that Barak, descending with his ten thousand men from Mount Tabor, discomfited Sisera, and a his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron; and all the people that were with him, gathered from Harosheth of the Gentiles,

unto

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