Rahlee, which is four miles from Reshia. Here we found the ruins of an ancient temple; a small edifice built of large stones, and partially ornamented with sculpture, apparently of Roman workmanship, and much disintegrated. On the opposite side of the road, there are many stone pots, and some remarkably fine walnut-trees. Higher up the bank are the remains of another edifice, which is called the palace." They could obtain no account of the history of this place. About two hours further, descending a steep hill, they issued from the mountain defiles upon a stony, uncultivated plain. Three more hours brought them to Katon, a substantial village built with stone, and containing many houses of two and three stories. Beyond this, the soil improves. The plain is remarkably flat, extensive, and intersected in all directions by small streams. Not an enclosure is to be seen; but it was covered at this time with crops of wheat and barley, beyond which was seen a wood. The road is a narrow, regular, well-worn track, resembling a cross-road in this country. Five hours from Katon, it

Seetzen noticed ruins of a Roman temple, consisting of a single column of the peristyle of the Ionic order, of the best execution, at a village called Asha, inhabited by Druses and Greek Christians, at about a day's journey from Rasheia. The latter village he states to be the residence of an emir, whose authority extends over twenty other villages: it is situated on the steep declivity of a mountain, about two days from Damascus. Hasbeia, he makes five leagues to the south of Rasheia, and says, it is somewhat larger, and, like it, situated on the steep descent of a mountain. Here he alighted at the house of the learned Greek Bishop of Sûr (Tyre), or Seide (Sidon), to whom he had a letter of recommendation. The two districts of Rasheia and Hasbeia are stated to be the least known of all Syria.See" Brief Account of the Countries adjoining the Lake of Tiberias, &c. by M. Seetzen." Small 4to. Published for the Palestine Association of London.

leads to another small village, with a large cemetery; the tombs and houses alike built of burnt brick. An hour further conducts the traveller to the walls of Damascus. About a quarter of a mile on this side of the western gate, is shewn the place where Saul fell to the earth, smitten with blindness by a light from heaven. It is on the side of the old road, near the ruined arch of a bridge, and close by are the tombs of some devout Christians; but there is no chapel or convent built over it. The Empress Helena has not been here; and there is nothing to check the indulgence of the supposition that, possibly, this may be about the spot of that memorable transaction.

PANIAS.

BURCKHARDT, in coming from Damascus, pursued the more direct route taken by the caravans, which crosses the Jordan at Jacob's Bridge. Captains Irby and Mangles left this road at Khan Sasa, and passed to the westward for Panias, thus striking into a middle route between the high road to Acre, and that by Raschia and Hasbeya. The first part of the road from Sasa, led through a fine plain, watered by a pretty, winding rivulet, with numerous tributary streams, and many old ruined mills. It then ascended over a very rugged and rocky soil, quite destitute of vegetation, having in some places traces of an ancient paved way, 66 probably the Roman road from Damascus to Cesarea Philippi." The highest part of Djebel Sheikh was seen on the right. The road became less stony, and the shrubs increased in number, size, and beauty, as they descended into a very rich little plain, at the immediate foot of that mountain, "There is a conspicuous tomb in this valley; and a rivulet, which appears to take its source at the foot

of the mountains, passes along the western side of the plain in a southerly direction, when its course turns more to the westward, and rushing, in a very picturesque manner, through a deep chasm, covered by shrubs of various descriptions, it joins the Jordan at Panias." This is marked in Arrowsmith's chart, as the real source of the Jordan; the fountains at Panias, though by far the most copious, not being the most distant source. "From this plain," continues Captain M., "we ascended, and, after passing a very small village, saw on our left, close to us, a very picturesque lake, apparently perfectly circular, of little more than a mile in circumference, surrounded on all sides by sloping hills, richly wooded. The singularity of this lake is, that it has no apparent supply or discharge; and its waters appeared perfectly still, though clear and limpid. A great many wild-fowl were swimming in it. Josephus mentions it under the name of Phiala (cup), in allusion to the shape of the lake. It was supposed by the ancients to be the real source of the Jordan. A passage in the Jewish historian notices, that they threw straw into the lake, which came out at the apparent source at Panias.+

• This description seems to answer to the water of Hasbeja: whether it joins the Jordan at Panias, is a question.

+"Now Panium is thought to be the fountain of Jordan; but, in reality, it is carried thither after an occult manner from the place called Phiala. This place lies as you go up to Trachonitis, and is 120 furlongs from Cesarea, and is not far out of the road on the right-hand. And indeed it hath its name of Phiala (vial or bowl) very justly, from the roundness of its circumference, as being round like a wheel: its water continues always up to its edges, without either sinking or running over. And this origin of Jordan was formerly not known. It was discovered so to be when Philip was Tetrarch of Trachonitis; for he had chaff thrown into Phiala, and it was found at Panium, where the ancients thought the fountain-bead of the river was, whither

But this is impossible; for, to arrive at Panias, its discharge must pass under the rivulet which Arrowsmith points out as the true source. On quitting Phiala, at but a short distance from it, we crossed a stream, which discharges into the larger one which we first saw the latter we followed for a considerable distance; and then, mounting a hill to the S.W., had in view the great Saracenic castle near Panias, the town of that name, and the Plain of the Jordan, as far as the Lake Houle, with the mountains on the other side of the plain, forming altogether a fine coup d'œil. As we descended towards Panias, we

it had been, therefore, carried by the waters... Now Jordan's visible stream arises from this cavern, and divides the marshes and fens of the Lake Semechonitis; and when it hath run another 120 furlongs, it first passes by the city Julias, and then passes through the middle of the Lake Gennesareth."-JOSEPHUS, Wars, book iii. chap. 10. § 7. M. Seetzen makes the Lake of Phiala two leagues distant to the east of Panias; and says, it now bears the name of Birket-el-Ram, under which name it is given in Arrowsmith's map. But Burckhardt states, that what the Bedouins call Birket-el-Ram, and the peasants Birket Abou Ermeil, is a reservoir of water a few hundred paces to the S. of the regular road, near the foot of Tel Abou Nedy: it is, he says, about 120 paces in circumference, and is supplied by two springs which are never dry, one of which is in the bottom of a deep well in the midst of the Birket. Just by this reservoir are the ruins of an ancient town, about a quarter of an hour in circuit, of which nothing remains but large heaps of stones. Five minutes further is another Birket, which is filled by rainwater only. The neighbourhood of these reservoirs is covered with a forest of short oaks. The road now begins to descend gently; and an hour and a half further, just by the road on the left, is " a large pond,” about 200 paces in circumference, called Birket Nefah or Tefah: it was said to contain a spring, but some denied it. "From which I inferred," says Burckhardt, "that the water never dries up completely. I take this to be the Lake Phiala, as there is no other lake or pond in the neighbourhood."-Travels in Syria, p. 314.

found the country extremely beautiful. Great quantities of wild-flowers, and a variety of shrubs just budding, together with the richness of the verdure, grass, corn, and beans, shewed us all at once the beauties of spring, (Feb. 24) and conducted us into a climate quite different from that of Damascus. In the evening, we entering Panias, crossing a causeway constructed over the rivulet, which flows from the foot of Djebel Sheikh. The river here rushes over great rocks in a very picturesque manner, its banks being covered with shrubs and the ruins of the ancient :walls."

Panias, afterwards called Cesarea Philippi, has resumed its ancient name. The present town of Banias is small. Seetzen describes it as a little hamlet of about twenty miserable huts, inhabited by Mahommedans; but Burckhardt says, it contains about 150 houses, inhabited mostly by Turks: there are also Greeks, Druses, and Enzairies. It belongs to Hasbeia, whose emir nominates the sheikh. It is situated at the foot of the mountain called Djebel Heish. To the N.E. of the village, is the source of the river of Banias, which flows under a well-built bridge on the north side of the village, near which are some remains of the ancient town. The ground it now occupies, is of a triangular form, enclosed by the river on one side, a rivulet on the other, and the mountain at the back. The "Castle of Banias" is situated on the summit of a lofty mountain: it was built, Seetzen says, without giving his authority, in the time of the caliphs. Burckhardt says, it seems to have been erected during the period of the Crusades; he saw no inscriptions, but was afterwards told that there are several, both in Arabic and in Frank (Greek or Latin). The mountain on which it stands, forming part of the Djebel