CHAP. IV. the Arabs insisted upon halting, to prepare their coffee. Shepherds appeared in the plain, with numerous droves of cattle; consisting of oxen, sheep, and goats. As evening drew on, we reached the foot of a hill, where the village of SHEFHAMER5 is situate. It is visible in the prospect from Acre, and stands upon the western declivity of a ridge of eminences, rising one above another, in a continuous series, from Libanus to Carmel. The land, uncultivated as it almost everywhere appeared in Djezzar's dominions, was redundantly fertile, and much covered with a plant exhibiting large blossoms Plants. of aggregated white flowers, resembling those of the wild parsley: I believe it to have been the Cachrys Libanotis. Of all the plants we noticed during our journey, this is the only one we neglected to add to our Herbarium, from an absurd notion that what appeared so common might be had any where, and at any time. It disappeared when our distance from the sea was much increased. The variety and beauty (5) Written Shafa Amre by D'Anville, in his Carte de la Phænicie, published at Paris in 1780. In Egmont and Heyman's Travels (vol. II. p. 15) the same village is called Chafamora; and in the Journal of one of the party who was with the author, he finds it written Cheff hambre. Thus is there no end to the discordance caused by writing the names of places merely as they seem to be pronounced; particularly among travellers of different countries, when each individual adopts an orthography suited to his own language. CHAP. Reception by the Agha. of the different species of Carduus, or Thistle, in this country, are well worth notice; a neverfailing indication of rich soil in any land, but here manifesting the truth of Jacob's prophecy, who foretold the "fatness of the bread of Asher," and the "royal dainties" of his territory'. We observed one in particular, whose purple head covered all the inland parts of Palestine with its gorgeous hue. After we had quitted the valley, and ascended the hill, we arrived, about eight P.M. at the Agha's mansion, the Chief of the village. Being conducted up a rude flight of steps to the top of the house, we found, upon the flat roof, the Agha of Shefhamer seated upon a carpet; mats being spread before him, for our reception. Djezzar had despatched couriers to the Aghas and Sheiks in all places through which we were to pass, that provisions might be ready, as for himself, when we arrived. Without this precaution, a large party would be in danger of starving. The peasants of the country are woefully oppressed; and what little they have, would be carefully concealed, unless extorted from them by the iron rod of such a tyrant as Djezzar. Judging by the appearance our supper presented, a stranger might have fancied himself in a land of abundance. They (1) Genesis xlix. 20. brought boiled chickens, eggs, boiled rice, and bread: this last article, being made into thin cakes, is either dried in the sun, or baked upon hot stones. They prepare it fresh for every meal. Wine, as a forbidden beverage, was not offered to us. We supped upon the roof, as we sat; and were somewhat surprised in being told we were to sleep there also. This, the Agha said, would be necessary, in order to avoid the fleas; but they swarmed in sufficient number to keep the whole party sleepless, and quite in torment, during the few hours we allotted to a vain expectation of repose. The lapse of a century has not effected the smallest change in the manners of the inhabitants of this country, as appears by the accounts earlier travellers have given of the accommodations they obtained. Bishop Pococke's description of (2) The account given by the Chevalier D'Arvieux (in the narrative of his very interesting Travels, as they were published by De La Roque) concerning one mode of making bread among the Arabs, seems to illustrate a passage in the Psalms, "Or ever your pots be made hot with thorns." (Psalm lviii. 8.) According to D'Arvieux, the Arabs heat stone-pitchers by kindling fires in them, and then dab the outside with dough, which is thus baked. "They kindle," says he, "a fire in a large stone pitcher; and when it is hot, they mix the meal in water, as we do to make paste, and dab it with the hollow of their hands upon the outside of the pitcher, and this soft pappy dough spreads and is baked in an instant: the heat of the pitcher having dried up all its moisture, the bread comes off in small thin slices, like one of our wafers." Voyage fait par Ordre du Roy Louis XIV. ch. xiv. p. 233. Par. 1717. See also the English Edition, Lond. 1723. ch. xiv. p. 201. CHAP. IV. CHAP. IV. Egyptian form. his lodging at Tiberias exactly corresponds with that of our reception here'. A wicker shed, or hovel, upon one side of the roof, was found capable of containing six of us: the rest extended themselves, in the open air, upon the stuccoed roof, and were somewhat further removed from the centre of the swarm of vermin; our situation being, literally, a focus, or point of concourse. At three o'clock we roused all the party, and were on horseback a little before four. We could discern the town of Acre, and the Romulus frigate at anchor, very distinctly from this place. Grave of an In a cœmetery hard by, we noticed a grave, so constructed as to resemble an Egyptian mummy: it was plastered over, and afterwards a face and feet had been painted upon the heap, like those pictured upon the cases wherein mummies are deposited. After leaving Shefhamer, the mountainous territory begins, and the road winds among valleys covered with beautiful trees. Passing these hills we entered that part of Galilee which belonged to the tribe of (1)" We supped on the top of the house, for coolness, according to their custom, and LODGED THERE LIKEWISE, IN A SORT OF CLOSET, About eight FEET SQUARE, OF WICKER WORK, PLAStered round TOWARDS THE BOTTOM, BUT WITHOUT ANY DOORS. ... . The place abounds with vermin." Pococke's Trav. vol. II. p. 69. Lond. 1745. IV. Plain of Zabulon; whence, according to the triumphal CHAP. song of Deborah and Barak, issued to the battle against Sisera "THEY THAT HANDLED the pen of Zabulon. THE WRITER." The scenery is, to the full, as delightful as in the rich vales upon the south of the Crimea: it reminded us of the finest parts of Kent and Surrey. The soil, although stony, is exceedingly rich, but it is now entirely neglected. That a man so avaricious as Djezzar could not discern the bad policy of his mode of government, was somewhat extraordinary. His territories were uncultivated, because he annihilated all the hopes of industry. Had it pleased him to encourage the labours of the husbandman, he might have been in possession of more wealth and power than any Pasha in the Grand Signior's dominions. The delightful plain of Zabulon appeared everywhere covered with spontaneous vegetation, flourishing in the wildest exuberance. The same proof of its fertility is given by other travellers. As we proceeded across this plain, a castle, once the acropolis of the city of SAPPHURA3, appeared (2) Particularly by Pococke, Description of the East, vol. II. Part I. Lond. 1745. (3) In the enumeration of the cities of Judah, (Joshua xv. 55.) this place is mentioned with Carmel, under the name of ZIгH. And David is said to have hid himself with the Ziphites, in strong-holds in the Hill of Hachilah, (1 Sam. xxiii. 19.) Harduin,(Num. Antiq. Illust. p. 450. Paris, 1684) upon the subject of its appellation, says, More porro |