PREFACE. The Holy Land is highly interesting, from being the situation where the circumstances recorded in the Scriptures really happened, and it increases our attention on the subject when we reflect that our blessed Saviour was born in these regions, and exercised his divine mission in his native country and its immediate vicinage. PALESTINE is situated on the coast of the Levant Sea, the eastern part of the Mediterranean; the term Levant literally meaning the eastern part of any sea or continent on which the sun rises. The soil and climate of this country were once famed for their salubrity and fertility, and were remarkable for the excellence of the corn, vines, olives, figs, dates, and various kinds of delicious fruits, and many other valuable commodities. It is reasonable to imagine that the inhabitants of this distinguished country enjoyed the blessings of abundance from the natural produce; besides which they had opportunities of obtaining many important useful things from the Tyrians and Sidonians, who were famed for their extensive commerce with all the regions of the known world. Palestine, however, now exhibits nothing more than a dreary wilderness or a gloomy burying ground. When travelling here, the situations, views, and circumstances which press in swift succession on the pious and intelligent mind are calculated to call up the most lively sensations of gratitude, when considering its distinguished blessings in ancient days; and commisseration when viewing its present gloomy and melancholy contrast. Its cities so celebrated by the ancients for their wealth and splendour, many of them are now reduce to a mere heap of ruins; the palaces once inhabited by powerful and voluptuous princes are razed to their foundations, and levelled with the ground. And the superb temples once the wonder of the world, and whose ruins still astonish the traveller, are become a retreat for bats and owls; and their grand pavement, so often swept by the embroidered robes of the superb ladies of the east, are now the haunts of venomous serpents, and retreats for the savage inhabitants of the desert. There is a melancholy reflection arising on the mind, on the view of deserted habitations; we are insensibly bewildered in pursuing the fancied causes of migration, whether we attach to ourselves the fallen fortunes of grandeur, or partake the hard fate of the wandering cottager. The idea heightens when we remember that such also will be our case. Life is only a dream, the rich live only to labour after pleasure, and the poor man lives to labour for his daily bread, both heavily loaded with the cares of human life. In a few days, however, it will all be at an end. The learned will be released from the imprisonment of the study, and the merchant from the distractions of commerce; their splendid homes will be forsaken, and they will become inhabitants of the silent tomb. The weary peasant shall lay aside his toil, and take up his long home under the grassy turf. The breezes of spring shall murmur piteously over us, the summer trees will bend their flowery heads, the autumn leaves will rustle amongst the tombs, the winter's storm shall hollow frightfully from the mountains; but these will excite no joy and menace no evil. Like others that have gone before us, we shall be buried in silent oblivion. CHAPTER I. JOURNEY FROM JAFFA, OR JOPPA, THROUGH RAMAH, TO JERUSALEM.、 We left the Island of Cyprus with a favourable wind, which on the second day brought us over against St. John d'Acri, the Ptolemais of the ancients. The third day we passed through Caipha, lying under the north part of Mount Carmel; and on the summit of the mountain, saw the ancient Carmelite convent, and on its slope the supposed house of Elias. Caipha lies low on the sea coast, almost opposite to St. John d'Acri. In the afternoon we passed by Il Castro Pellerine, of which we could plainly see the remaining ruins. At this place the pilgrims were accustomed to land, it having then a kind of harbour, now no longer in being. The sea here to some distance is full of shoals. On the morning of the fourth day, we passed by Alzulo, a tower on a hill, and by the sailors called the tower of Bethlehem. Near this tower are several ruins, and up the country a small. village. About noon we had the satisfaction to come to anchor at the distance of half a mile from Jaffa; the reason of ships lying to at this dis |