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CHAP.
V.

of the

Titus, had sought refuge upon the water. The victory gained by the Romans was followed by such a terrible slaughter of the Jews, that Slaughter nothing was to be seen, either upon the lake Jews. or along its shores, excepting blood, and the mangled corpses of the insurgents: their dead bodies infected the air to such a degree, that the victors as well as the vanquished were sufferers upon the occasion: the number of the slain, after the two actions, (that of Tarichæa and the naval engagement which followed,) amounted to six thousand five hundred persons. Neither was the slaughter less memorable of the prisoners, who were marched to Tiberias as soon as the victory had been obtained. Vespasian caused them all to be shut up in the amphitheatre; where twelve hundred of them were put to death, being unable or unfit to bear arms. This amphitheatre, according to the account given by Josephus, was large enough to contain thirty-seven thousand six hundred persons, (besides a vast number of others who were given as slaves by Vespasian

censured for it. The author once heard him express an intention of proving this last to be the only correct appellation.

(3) Future travellers will perhaps discover the remains of a building of this magnitude.

СНАР.

V.

to Agrippa, as well as of the inhabitants of Trachonitis, Gaulon, Hippos3, and Gadara*; the sum total of which he has not mentioned,) all of whom were mountaineers of Anti-Libanus and Hermon, or restless tribes of freebooters from Eastern Syria; unable, as Josephus describes them, to sustain a life of peace, and exhibiting, eighteen hundred years ago, the same state of society which now characterizes the inhabitants of this country.

After reluctantly retiring from this limpid Lake, we returned to the castle. Here, within the spacious and airy apartment prepared for our reception, we mutually expressed our hopes of passing at least one night free from the attacks of vermin; but, to our dismay, the Sheik, being informed of our conversation, burst into

(1) Trachonitis was the country near Damascus, to the east of Hermon and Anti-Libanus.

(2) Gaulon gave its name to the district called Gaulonitis, beyond Jordan, on the eastern side of the Lake of Gennesareth. It was one of the six cities of refuge.

(3) A city opposite to Tiberias, upon the Lake Gennesareth, at the south-western extremity of a ridge of mountains bearing the same name, and being a branch of the chain of Hermon.

(4) A city beyond Jordan, distant seven miles and a half from the Lake Gennesareth. Like Hippos, it gave its name to a small province. The hot baths of Gadara are mentioned by Epiphanius. Gadara, according to Polybius, was one of the strongest cities of the country.

laughter, and said, that, according to a saying CHAP.

current in Galilee, 66 THE KING OF THE FLEAS HOLDS HIS COURT IN TIBERIAS."

Some of the

V.

party, provided with hammocks, slung them from the walls, so as to lie suspended above the floor; yet even these did not escape persecution and, for the rest of us, who lay on the bare planks, we were, as usual, tormented and restless during the night, listening to the noise made by the jackals. Being well aware what we had to expect, we resolved to devote as many hours as possible, before day-break, to conversation with the people of the country, to our supper, and to the business of writing our journals. They brought us a plentiful repast, consisting of three sorts of fried fishes from the lake: one of these, a species of mullet, was, according to their tradition, the favourite food of JESUS CHRIST. The French, during the time their army remained under Buonaparté in the Holy Land, constructed two very large ovens in this castle. Two years had elapsed, Supposed at the time of our arrival, since they had set caused by fire to their granary; and it was considered as a miracle by the inhabitants of Tiberias, that the combustion was not yet extinguished. We visited the place, and perceived, that, whenever the ashes of the burned corn were stirred by

Miracle

the French.

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THE HOLY LAND.-TIBERIAS TO NAPOLOSE.

Departure from Tiberias-Effect of the CliProductions of the Desert-LûbiState of the Country-Mount Thabor-Change of Route--Narrow Escape of the AuthorCamp of Djezzar's Cavalry-Wars of the Arabs-Their Manners and Disposition—Address of an Arab to his Mare-SIMOOM, or Wind of the Desert-Bread baked in the Sun's Rays Emir of the Mountains-Plain of Esdraelon-Encampments - Jennin -- Effect produced by Change of Government-SantorriAntient Castle-Napolose or SICHEM-Reception by the Governor-Aspect and State of the City-Its various Appellations-Circumstances

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connected

connected with its antient History-Tomb of Joseph-Tomb of Joshua-Nature of those Relics-Samaritans-Jacob's Well.

CHAP.

VI.

from Tibe

We were on horseback by six o'clock on Monday morning, July the sixth, notwithstanding our excursion, and continued our route. Leaving Tiberias, we took a different road from Departure that by which we came, and crossed an ex- rias. tensive valley, hoping to visit Mount Thabor. In this valley, three hundred French cavalry defeated an army of ten thousand Turks; an event so astonishing, even to the Turks themselves, that they considered the victory as obtained by magic; an art which they believe many of the Franks to possess.

Climate.

All the pleasure of travelling, at this season Effect of of the year, in the Holy Land, is done away by the excessive heat of the sun. A traveller, wearied and spiritless, is often more subdued at the beginning than at the end of his day's journey. Many rare plants and curious minerals invite his notice, as he passes slowly along, with depressed looks fixed upon the ground; but these it is impossible for him to obtain. It appears to him to be an act of unjustifiable cruelty to ask a servant, or even one of the

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