with which they strive to amalgamate the discordant materials of every religious creed. Those with whom we conversed confessed that the Pantheon of the Druses admitted alike, as objects of adoration, whatsoever had been venerated by Heathens, Jews, Christians, or Mahometans; that they worshipped all the Prophets, especially Isaiah and Jeremiah, as well as Jesus and Mahomet; that, every Thursday evening, the okkals, who cultivate mysteries, elevate, within their pla ces of worship, a molten idol, made of gold, silver, or brass, which has the form of a calf. Before this, persons of both sexes make their prostrations; and then a promiscuous intercourse ensues, every male retiring with the woman he likes best. This the djahel relate of the okkals, whom they describe as cautious in making known the ceremonies of their secret worship. The custom which unites the Druses in bonds of the strictest amity with those who happen to have eaten bread and salt with them, is of Arabian origin; but indifference about matters of religion, which is so obvious among the Druses, never was known to characterize an Arab. The fact is, that this does not apply to them all. It is evident the okkals are not indifferent as to their mode of worship, whatsoever this may really be. That which is related of them, we do not receive upon their own authority. The imputation which charges them with the worship of a calf, has some internal evidence of *truth; because such an idol, so reverenced, was brought by the Israelites into the Holy Land: nor does it seem probable, supposing this accusation to have been founded upon the invention of a tribe of ignorant mountaineers, that the story would have been so classically adapted to the ancient history of the country. Considering the little information derived from the "writings of those travellers who have resided among them, and who have paid most attention to the subject, it is not likely that the nature of their occult rites will ever be promulgated.† That they betray an inclination to Mahometanism is not true, because they show every mark of hatred and contempt for the Moslems, and behave with great benevolence and friendship to the Christians, whose religion they respect. In their language they are Arabic; in every thing else, a distinct race of men.§

*See a former note.

"It is impossible to draw a single word from their priests, who observe the most inviolable secrecy in every thing that concerns their worship: I conclude, herefore, that their dogipas are iinpenetrable mysteries." Mariti's Travels, vol. ii

p. 26. Lond. 1791.

Mariti's Travels, vol. ii. p. 25.

Paul Lucas, speaking of the Marnoites, says, their language is Arabic in conver

There is nothing more remarkable than their physiognomy, which is not that of an Arab. From this circumstance alone, we were, at any time, able to select one of the Druses from the midst of a party of Arabs. A certain nobleness and dignity of feature, a marked elevation of countenance, and superior deportment, always distinguished them; accompanied by open ness, sincerity, and very engaging manners.* With this brief

account of a people, concerning whom we would gladly have contributed any satisfactory information, we must now turn our attention to other subjects; confessing, that on leaving the Druses, we were as ignorant of their real history as when we entered the country of their residence.t

As we rode from this village toward the sea of Tiberias, the guides pointed to a sloping spot from the heights upon our right, whence we had descended, as the place where the miracle was accomplished by which our saviour fed the multitude: it is therefore called the multiplication of bread; as the mount above, where the sermon was preached to his disciples, is called the mountain of beatitudes, from the expressions used in the be ginning of that discourse. This part of the Holy Land is very full of wild animals. Antelopes are in great number. We had the pleasure of seeing these beautiful quadrupeds in their natural state, feeding among the thistles and tall herbage of these plains, and bounding before us occasionally, as we disturbed them. The Arabs frequently take them in the chase. The lake now continued in view upon our left. The wind rendered its surface rough, and called to mind the situation of our saviour's disciples, when, in one of the small vessels which traverse these waters, they were tossed in a storm, and saw Jesus, in the sation, but in writing they use the Syriac and Chaldaic characters. It does not therefore follow, from their Arabic language alone, that the maronites of Syria, any more than the Druses, are necessarily Arabs. Ils parlent Arabe; mais leur caractères sont Syriaques ou Chaidaïques," Voyage de Sieur Paul Lucas, tom. 1. p. 304. Amst.

1744.

I have seen nothing to remind me of the appearance presented by the Druses, excepting an engraving in Lord Valentia's Travels, from a drawing by Mr. Salt, representing Abyssinians resting on a march. (See vol. iii p. 109. Lond. 1809.) The two figures, seated upon the right hand of that groupe, in white cloaks, whose faces. are exhibited in profile, bear a striking resemblance to the Druses we saw in Syria.

The country of Castravent, a part of Mount Lebanon which looks toward the Mediterranean sea, is inhabited, in preference to any other spot, by the Druses, who gave their name to this southern district. They occupy also the rest of Mount Le banon, Anti-Lebanon, the narrow plains which lie between Castravent and the sea and all that extent of shore from Gibail, otherwise called Byblus, as far as the river Eu Lear the ancient Sidon, at present called Sayd. The ancient Heliopolis, now known by the name of Balbee, is peopled by this nation, as well as the neighbouring coun try. In short, families of the Druses may be found scattered here and there, throughout every part of Syria and Palaestine." Mariti's Travels, vol. ii. p. 23.

Blessed are the poor in spirit

Blessed are they that mourn, &c. &c.

fourth watch of the night, walking to them upon the waves." Often as this subject has been painted, combining a number of circumstances adapted for the representation of sublimity, no artist has been aware of the uncommon grandeur of the scenery, memorable on account of the transaction. The lake of Gennesareth is surrounded by objects well calculated to heighten the solemn impression made by such a picture; and, independent of the local feelings likely to be excited in its contempla tion, affords one of the mosts striking prospects in the Holy Land. It is by comparison alone that any due conception of the appearance it presents can be conveyed to the minds of those who have not seen it; and, speaking of it comparatively, it may be described as longer and finer than any of our Cumberland and Westmoreland lakes, although, perhaps, it yields in majesty to the stupendous features of Loch Lomond in Scotfand. It does not possess the vastness of the lake of Geneva, although it much resembles it in particular points of view. The lake of Locarno in Italy comes nearest to it in point of picturesque beauty, although it is destitue of any thing similar to the islands by which that majestic piece of water is adorned. It is inferior in magnitude, and, perhaps, in the height of its surrounding mountains, to the lake Asphaltites; but its broad and extended surface, covering the bottom of a profound valley, environed by lofty and precipitous eminences, added to the impression of a certain reverential awe under which every Christian pilgrim approaches it, give it a character of dignity unparalleled by any similar scenery.

Having reached the end of the plain, whose surface exhibited such motley colours to us, when it was viewed from the Mountain of Beatitudes, a long and steep declivity of two miles yet remained to the town of Tiberias, situated upon the borders of the lake. We had here a noble view of this place, with its castle and fortifications. Groupes of Arabs, gathering in their harvest upon the backs of camels, were seen in the neighbourhood of the town. Beyond it appeared, upon the same side of the lake, some buildings erected over the warm mineral baths of Emmaus, which are much frequented by the people of the country; and, still further, the southeastern extremity of the lake. Turning our view toward its northern shores, we be held, through a bold declivity, the situation of Capernaum, upon the boundaries of the two tribes of Zabulon and Naphtali. It was visited in the sixth century by Antoninus

*Matthew xiv. 24, 25, 26.

the martyr, an extract from whose itinerary is preserved by Reland, which speaks of a church erected upon the spot where St. Peter's dwelling once stood.* Along the borders of this lake may still be seen the remains of those ancient tombs, hewa by the earliest inhabitants of Galilee, in the rocks which face the water. Similar works were before noticed among the ruins of Telmessus. They were deserted in the time of our Saviour, and had become the resort of wretched men, afflicted by dis eases, and made outcasts of society; for, in the account of the eure performed by our Saviour upon a maniac in the country of the Gadarenes, these tombs are particularly alluded to; and their existence to this day (although they have been neither noticed by priests nor pilgrims, and have escaped the ravages of the Empress Helena, who would undoubtedly have shaped them into churches) offers strong internal evidence of the accuracy of the evangelist who has recorded the transaction: "There met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs." In all the descent toward Tiberias, the soil is black, and seems to have resulted from the decomposition of rocks, which have a volcanic appearance. The stony fragments scattered over the surface were amygda loidal and porous; their cavities being occasionally occupied by mesotype, or by plumose carbonate of lime: the former be came perfectly gelatinized after immersion in muriatic acid. We observed plantations of tobacco then in bloom; of Indian corn; of millet, which was still green; of melons, pumpkins, and cucumbers. The harvest of wheat and barley ended in June; but the oats were still standing. From Hatti to Tiberias is nine miles: two of these consists of the descent from the elevated plain toward the lake.

As we entered the gate of the town, the Turkish guards were playing at chess. We roused them with our salaams, and were conducted to the residence of the governor. Having made as rapid a disposition as possible of our baggage, for the purpose of passing the night in a large room of the castle, which reminded us of ancient apartments in the old castellate buildings remaining in England, we hastened toward the lake; every individual of our party being eager to bathe his feverish limbs in its cool and consecrated waters.

Proceeding toward the shore, we were shown a very ancient

Deinde venimus in civitatem Capharnaum in domum Petri, quae modo est ba silica." Itin, Antonin. Martyr. Vid. Relandi Palaestina, in Nom. Capernaum. * Mark, ch. v 2. 3.

church, of an oblong square form, to which we descended by steps, as into the church of St. Sophia at Coustantinople and other early Christian sanctuaries, where the entrance resembles that of a cellar; day light being rarely admitted. There is reason to believe this the first place of Christian worship erected in Tiberias, and that it was constructed as long ago as the fourth century. The roof is of stone, and it is vaulted. We could discover no inscription, nor any other clue to the history of its origin. The priest, whom we found officiating, was so ignorant that he knew not by whom, for whom, nor when, it was erected; saying only, that it was called the house of Peter. Under this name it is mentioned by former travellers.* Nicephorus Callistus, as cited by Reland,‡ records the dedication of a magnificent edifice to St. Peter, by Helena, mother of Constantine the First, in the city of Tiberias. Reland distinguishes this building from that now bearing the name of the Apostle; but he believes the latter derived its name from the former. It is not however so insignificant a structure as he seems to suppose. Its arched stone roof yet existing entire, renders it worthy of more particular observation. If it be not the building erected by Helena, on the spot where our Saviour is said to have appeared to St. Peter after his resurrection,** it is probably that which Epiphaniusft relates to have heen built. by a native of Tiberias, one Josephus,‡‡who, under the auspices of Constantine, erected the churches of Sepphoris&& and Caper Baum. The materials of which it consists, seem to correspond with the description given of the stones used for that edifice.

At the northeast corner of the town, there is an oblong square church, arched over, and dedicated to St Peter; it is mentioned by ancient authors, and said by some to be the spot where the house of St. Peter was." Pococke's Descript. of the East, vol. ii. part. i. p. 68.

+ Histor. Eccles. II, 12.

Palestina Illustrata, tom. ii. p. 1042. Traj. Bat. 1714.

In hâc urbe nimirum aedem magnificam, et ab illâ quæ hodie Petri dicitur plane diversam, Helena, Constantini mater, Petro olim dedicavit." Ibid.

Hine, puto, nomen aedis Petri huic aediculae adhesit." Palaestina Illustrata, tom. ii. p. 1040.

John xxi. I. Ecclesia ab Helenâ matre in isto loco fabricata, in suo decore pulchra permanet". Bonifacius de Perenni Cultu Terr. Sanct lib. ii.

tt Epiphanii Opera, tom. ii. lib. i. Adv. Haer. p. 128. Paris, 1622.

In referring to this Josephus, Reland uses so little precision, that he might be confounded with Josephus the Jewish historian. "Tiberiade," says he, "ante tempora Josephi non licuit Christiano." (Relandi Palaestina Illustrata, tom. ii. p. 1038.) A preceding paragraph, however, states that he acted under the auspices of Constantine the First; and Epiphanius, whose writings are referred to by Reland, cautiously avoids confounding him with Flavius Josephus.

See the former chapter.

Built over the spot where St. Peter's dwelling was believed to have stood in Capernaum. See an extract from the itinerary of Antoninus the Martyr, written in the sixth century, and given in a former note, Also Reland, Palast, Illust. tom. ii. 633. Traj, Bat. 1714,