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MOUNT THABOR

Lith Roger et Cr Rucher?

CHAPTER XII.

Route to Monnt Thabor-Ascent of the Mountain-View from its Summit-Mount Hermon-Nain-En-Dor-Plain of Esdraelon-Plain of Saphet-Excessive Heat-Take shelter under a ruined Bridge over the Jordan-Bysan, or Scythopolis-Mount Gilboa-The Lake of GenazerethRide along its Shores-Hot Springs-Tiberias-Jews in Tiberias-Szaffaad-Threshing Floors-Mount of Beatitudes-Fertility of Galilee-Cana-Return to Nazareth.

Sep. 5.-This morning M. de Breuvery and myself set out on an excursion to Mount Thabor, Tiberias, Cana, and other interesting places in this part of Galilee. M. Cadalvene was prevented by illness from accompanying us. The horses and guide that we had engaged the preceding day, having been allowed to pass the night in the court yard of the convent, and the gates being opened for us by one of the lay brothers, at 2 A.M. we issued forth into the street, and bent our course in the direction of Mount Thabor,

which lies to the east of Nazareth.

In our way

thither, it being night, we saw little of the country, except what bordered immediately upon the road, but it appeared to be covered with trees, of which those we saw were stunted oaks. In about two hours reaching the foot of the mountain, near the village of Debora, situated on its western side, we commenced ascending by a path winding through a forest of oak trees and other shrubs, with which this side is particularly clothed. The first part of the ascent is comparatively easy; towards the middle it becomes more precipitous. Here we alighted, and led our horses by the bridle. Even in this state, it was a matter of difficulty with them to mount up, as there was no hold for their feet on the rocky bed over which we occasionally passed. At length, after a laborious ascent of nearly an hour, during which we halted frequently to repose, we arrived at the highest summit of the mountain. one standing at its base, it appears to terminate in a peak; whereas we came out upon a plain area of an oval form, and about a mile in circumference. At this moment the sun burst forth in all the splendour of an oriental sunrise, and presented to our delighted

To

view one of the finest, and most interesting prospects it is possible to conceive. In the direction of the east-north-east, and as it were at our feet, lies a beautiful expanse of water, imbedded in mountains; it is the lake of Genazareth. At its northern extremity is the snow-capped Hermon. The valley of the Jordan opens to the east, beyond which the eye loses itself in the desert of Haouran.* The spacious plain of Esdraelon opens to the south towards Jerusalem, bounded in that direction by the "mountains of Israel," and on the east by those of Gilboa. The ridge of Carmel closes the view to the south-west. The giant mountain to the north-east, by the Hebrews called Hermon, by the Sidonians Sirion, and by the Amorites Shenir, is known to the present inhabitants of the country by the appellation of Djebel es Sheikh. It is the highest summit of the AntiLibanus range. The white vapoury clouds which are still hanging upon its lower acclivities, and those

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A word given to any solitude, whether barren or fertile, and sometimes applied to extensive pasture-lands. For a detailed description of this country, the same with the Auranitis of Josephus and the Ituria of St. Luke, see the author's volume on Syria.

of its sides which are not yet exposed to the sun's rays, remind me of the "copious dews" that fell in the days of the Psalmist (see Psal. cxxxiii. 3.), and to which was compared the precious "ointment upon the head, that ran down unto the beard, even Aaron's beard, and went down even unto the skirts of his garments." At its feet lay the cities of Nain and En-Dor. At the gates of the former our Lord raised to life the widow's only son. (St. Luke vii. 14.) In the latter dwelt the sorceress consulted by Saul, a short time before the fatal battle of Gilboa. (1 Sam. xxviii. 21.) Stretching out from its northern base, is the lake, whose very name awakens feelings of the liveliest interest—the scene of many of Christ's miracles, and the dwelling-place of most of his apostles. The Jordan speaks of the baptism of Christ, by which holy institution the children of his adoption now receive power to enter into the promised land of the heavenly Canaan. The plain of Jezreel, or of Esdraelon, also called the Great Plain (the Armageddon of the Apocalypse), was the most fertile part of the land of Canaan, and in the distribution made by Joshua fell to the lot of the tribe of Issachar, "who here rejoiced in their tents." (Deut. xxxiii. 18.)

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