to it by a narrow flight of ten stone steps, which lead to a platform about twelve feet square, and elevated considerably above the bottom of the bath, so that the bathers might go from thence into deeper water below. This large basin is now nearly filled with tall reeds, growing up from the bottom; but its aqueduct, which is still perfect, and arched near the end, carries down a full and rapid stream to turn the mill erected at its further end. On the sides of this aqueduct are seen incrustations similar to those described on the aqueduct of Tyre, leading from the cisterns of Solomon at Ras-el-ayn, and occasioned, no doubt, by the same cause. The whole of the work, both of the baths and its aqueduct, appears to be Roman; and it is executed with the care and solidity which generally mark the architectural labours of that people. At a short distance beyond this, to the eastward, is a small circular building called Hemmam-el-Aioobe, or the Bath of Job, but it is apparently of the same age as those near it."

66

To the south of Tabegha, returning towards Tiberias, and still keeping the border of the lake, is a ruined khan, called Khan Mennye or Munney; a large and well-constructed building. "Here begins," says Burckhardt, (coming from the north,) a plain of about twenty minutes in breadth, to the north of which the mountain stretches down close to the lake. That plain is covered with the tree called doum or theder, which bears a small yellow fruit like the zaarour.* It was now about mid-day, and the sun

as

Pococke, evidently referring to the same fruit, describes it a little sort of apple, which is not disagreeable; it grows on a thorny tree, and, they say, ripens at all seasons." " If I do not mistake," he says, "it is the nabbok."

intensely hot; we therefore looked about for a shady spot, and reposed under a very large fig-tree, at the foot of which a rivulet of sweet water gushes out from beneath the rocks, and falls into the lake at a few hundred paces distant. The tree has given its name to the spring, Ain-el-Tin: near it are several other springs, which occasion a very luxuriant herbage along the borders of the lake.”* This is undoubtedly the plain of Gennesareth, described by Josephus in such glowing language; and the Ain-el-Tin must be "the fountain of Capernaum."+ Here we have still the fig-tree asserting its claim to the soil, as mentioned by Josephus, as well as the doom, a species of palm. "The pastures of Mennye," Burckhardt adds, are proverbial for their richness among the inhabitants of the neighbouring countries. High reeds grow along the shore, but I found none of the aromatic reeds and rushes mentioned by Strabo."

66

Here then, if the authority of Josephus may be built upon, we should expect to find traces of the ancient Capernaum. ‡ Between Khan Mennye and El Medjdel, a distance of about three miles, there occurs no modern village. It remains for future travellers to pursue the inquiry, and ascertain whether any thing remains besides the name of that once favoured town; or whether our Saviour's denuncia

• Travels in Syria, p. 319.

+ See preceding note at p. 290.

From comparing the parallel passages, Matt. xiv. 34. and John vi. 23, 24, it would appear, that Capernaum was certainly in the land of Gennesareth, and not far from Tiberias. Churches were built, by order of Constantine, at Capernaum, Tiberias, and Sepphoury. Some traces of such an edifice will probably remain to identify the site-unless Tel Hoom was even at that time taken for Capernaum.

tion against it has been literally accomplished, that it should be cast down as it were into the grave.*

"In thirty-eight minutes from Khan Mennye," continues Burckhardt, 66 we passed a small rivulet, which waters Wady Lymoun. At about an hour's distance from our road, up in the mountain, we saw the village Sendjol, about half an hour to the west of which lies the village Hottein. In forty-five minutes we passed the large branch of the Wady Lymoun. The mountains which border the lake, here terminate in a perpendicular cliff, which is basaltish with an upper stratum of calcareous rock; and the shore changes from the direction S.W. by S. to that of S. by E. In the angle stands the miserable village El Medjdel, one hour distant from Ain-el-Tin. The Wady Hamam branches off from Medjdel. Proceeding from hence, the shore of the lake is overgrown with defle (solanum furiosum), and there are several springs close to the water's side. At the end of two hours and a quarter from Ain-el-Tin, we reached Tabaria." +

We must now, for the present, take leave of the immediate vicinity of this consecrated lake, and proceed to explore the tract of country which lies westward of Tiberias; having yet to visit Nazareth, the place where our Lord was brought up; Mount Tabor, the supposed site of the transfiguration; and some other sites of peculiar interest.

* Hades, rendered hell' by our translators, Matt. xi. 23. h. e. miserrima et valde abjecta erit tua conditio.-Schleus

ner.

+ Burckhardt's Travels in Syria, pp. 320, 321.

FROM TIBERIAS TO NAZARETH.

THERE are two direct roads to Nazareth; one by Kefer-Sebt and El Khan; the other by Louby, which lies more to the south; but travellers usually diverge a little from the direct route to visit some of the The distance is computed to be nearly

sacred places.

twenty miles.

We here take for our guides Burckhardt and Dr. Richardson.

In one hour from Tabaria, the traveller passes a spring called Ain-el-Rahham. About half an hour further, he passes a rocky spot, with heaps of stones scattered around, called Khamsi Khabshaat, or“ the place of the five loaves," from a belief that our Lord here wrought the miracle of feeding the five thousand with five loaves and two fishes. A large black stone is shewn as that on which he sat. Unfortunately, however, for the credit of the tradition, the miracle alluded to appears to have been wrought on the opposite side of the Sea of Tiberias. Moreover it is, Mr. Buckingham says, 66 on the top of a high and rocky hill; so that it does not correspond to the local features of the place described in any one particular, and may be cited as another proof of the bungling ignorance of those blind guides who so proudly call themselves the guardians of the holy places." Mr. Burckhardt mentions a place, the distance of which does not agree with this, being an hour further on, called Hedjar-el-Naszara, the “stones of the Christians." Here are four or five blocks of black stone, upon which Christ is said to have reclined while addressing the multitude who flocked around him. The priests of Nazareth stopped to read some prayers over

Compare Matt. xiv. 13, 22, 34, and John vi. 1, 17, 24.

the stones. The road to this place leads over a high uncultivated plain. Dr. Richardson describes it as a very hilly country, but says, the soil is deep, and of a good quality, producing excellent pasture; it is, however, poorly stocked. Mount Hermon and Mount Tabor appear at a considerable distance on the left. Below the Stones, a small plain called Sahel Hottein extends towards the N.E., the vale of Hutin of Pococke. The country is intersected by wadys. About an hour's distance from the Stones, upon the same level, there is a hill of an oblong shape, with two projecting summits on one of its extremities: the natives call it Keroun Hottein, the Horns of Hottein; but the Christians have given it the appellation of Mons Beatitudinis, the Mount of the Beatitudes, under which name it is described by both Maundrell and Pococke. From the plain to the south, it appears like a long, low hill with a mount at each end, and at first sight, the whole hill appears to be rocky and uneven ; but the eastern mount is a level surface, covered with fine herbage. About the middle of this mount are the foundations of a small church, twentytwo feet square, on a ground a little elevated, which is the supposed place occupied by our Lord in delivering the "sermon on the mount.' To the west of this is a tank or under-ground cistern. It is tedious to have to refute all the blundering legends which so industriously misplace the occurrences of sacred history. It is sufficiently clear, that the mountain into which our Lord had retired from the multitude when his disciples came to him on the occasion referred to, was near Capernaum,* to which he descended immediately from the hill; for, "when he

* Compare Matt. viii, 5. Luke vii. 1.