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4

CHAP. XIV.

the Jews.

fugitives after the capture of Tarichæa by 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 of nothing was to be seen, either upon the lake or along its shores, except 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 to Agrippa, as well as of the inhabitants of Trachonitis,

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(4) Taricha was situated beyond the baths of Emmaus, at the southern extremity of the Lake of Gennesareth, three miles and three quarters distant from Tiberias; or thirty stadia, according to Josephus. Between these two cities Vespasian's army was often encamped, and generally at the baths of Emmaus. Pliny, speaking of Tarichæa, says, that, by some, the lake was called after the name of this city: "A meridie Tarichea, quo nomine aliqui et lacum appellant." (Plin. Hist. Nat. lib. v. cap. 15. L. Bat. 1635. tom. I. p. 262.) In the same manner, the Lake of Geneva is by some called the Lake of Lausanne; and especially by Gibbon, who was offended at being censured for it. The Author once heard him express an intention of proving this last to be the only correct appellation.

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

CHAP. XIV.

Trachonitis', Gaulon, Hippos', and Gadara*; the sum total whereof 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 that country.

After reluctantly retiring from this crystal flood, 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 laughter, and said, that, according to a saying current in Galilee, "THE KING OF THE OF THE FLEAS HOLDS HIS COURT IN TIBERIAS.' Some of the 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

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

(2) Gaulon gave its name to the district called Gaulonitis, beyond Jordan, on the eastern side of the Lake of Gennesareth. D'Anville has not placed it in his map of Palæstine. 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.

bare planks, we continued, 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, at the time of our arrival, since they had set fire to their granary; and it was considered 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 thrusting a stick among them, sparks were even then glowing throughout the heap; and a piece of wood, being left there, became charred. The heat in those vaulted chambers, where the corn had been destroyed, was still very great.

The next morning we arose as soon as light appeared, in order to bathe once more, and take a last survey of the town. Although, from several circumstances, we were convinced that the antient city stood upon the site of the modern, it is very probable that it occupied a greater extent of territory, particularly towards the south, where there

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(5) Quaresmius mentions a gate of black and white marble on its western side; describing the city as of a square form, and saying of it, "Non multum antiqua est, et

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are remains of buildings. Some authors mention a temple', called ANAEKA PONON, erected upon the spot where it was believed our Saviour miraculously fed the multitude; and other edifices, whereof no trace is now remaining. The most singular circumstance concerning Tiberias is mentioned by Boniface': he describes the city as not being habitable, on account of the multitude of serpents'. This has not been stated by any other author; neither did any observation made by us upon the spot, concerning the natural history of the country, serve to explain the origin of this misrepresentation; the more remarkable, as it is affirmed by one who resided in the Holy Land', and whose writings are frequently quoted by authors towards the end of the sixteenth and the beginning of the seventeenth centuries. Tiberias at present is much inhabited; principally by Jews, who are said to be the descendants of families resident there in the time of our Saviour: they are perhaps a remnant of refugees who fled hither after the capture of Jerusalem by the Romans. The Christian inhabitants of this town are, however, also numerous: of this we were convinced, by the multitude we saw coming from the morning service of the church.

veteri Tiberiade multo minor: hanc enim longè majorem istâ fuisse circumjacentes magnæ ruinæ, et maximè procedendo ad duo milliaria meridiem versùs, non obscure demonstrant." Elucid. Terr. Sanct. lib. vii. cap. 4. tom. II. p. 864. Ant. 1639..

(1) Nicephorus, lib. viii. cap. 30, &c.

(2) Bonifacius de Perenni Cultu Terræ Sanctæ, lib. ii.

(3) “Tiberias civitas omninò inhabitabilis est, propter serpentum multitudinem.” Ib. (4) He was superior of a monastery at Mount Sion in Jerusalem, and afterwards advanced to an episcopal see in Italy. Vid. Quaresm. Eluc. tom. I. lib. 5. c. 13.

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Departure from Tiberias- Effect of the Climate-Productions of the
Desert-Lûbi-State of the Country - Mount Thabór Change
of Route-Narrow Escape of the Author Camp of Djezzar's
Cavalry Wars of the Arabs - Their Manners and Disposition-
Address of an Arab to his Mare - SIMMOOм, 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- Santorri-Antient Castle-Napolose or
SICHEM-Reception by the Governor-Aspect and State of the City
-Its various Appellations-Circumstances connected with its antient
History-Tomb of Joseph-Tomb of Joshua-Nature of those
Reliques Samaritans-Jacob's Well.

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WE were on horseback by six o'clock, on Monday morning,
July the sixth, notwithstanding our excursion, and continued

VOL. II.

3 Q

our

CHAP. XV.

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