by the troops of Saladin as he was preparing to besiege Jerusalem in A. D. 1187. To the same period probably belongs the Latin church now converted into a mosk. From that time onward to the present day, the natives have known the place only as Neby Samwîl; while the monks and travellers have varied in describing it either as Shiloh or Ramah. In later centuries the name of Ramah has predominated.2 Most travellers have been contented to adopt the information of their monastic guides; although a few have ventured to call in question its accuracy.3

As however Neby Samwîl is one of the most marked places in the vicinity of Jerusalem, and was unquestionably the site of an ancient town, it became to us a matter of interest, to ascertain if possible, what city of antiquity had occupied this sightly spot. Among the scriptural names after which we made diligent search in this region, (though without success,) was that of Mizpeh, a city of Benjamin renowned in the Old Testament; where the tribes often assembled; where Samuel offered sacrifice and judged the people;

1) Rad. Coggesh. Chron. Anglican. in Martene et Durand Coll. ampl. Tom. V. p. 565. Wilken Gesch. der Kreuzz. III. ii. pp. 298, 299.-Benjamin of Tudela also has the name San Samuel de Scilo; and relates the legend, that when the Edomites (Christians) took Ramleh from the Ishmaelites, they found there near the Jews' Synagogue the tomb of Samuel, from which they transferred his body to the present St. Samuel, after erecting there a large church; Benj. de Tud. par Baratier, I. p. 102. Nothing of all this is found in any of the historians of the crusades, who would not have been likely to overlook such a transaction; while too, as we have seen, the present name is older than the time of the crusades. Besides, Jerome relates, that the bones of Samuel were re

moved to Thrace under the emperor Arcadius; Hieron. adv. Vigilant. p. 283. Reland Palaest. p. 965.

2) Thus we find Shiloh in Marin. Sanut. p. 249. Breydenbach in Reissb. pp. 130, 136. Nau, p. 501. Zuallardo names it both Shiloh and Ramah, Viaggio p. 119. Quaresmius gives it as Ramah, II.

727; and so Von Troilo, p. 290. Pococke II. p. 48, fol. Elliott, Travels II. p. 412.

3) Cotovicus appears to confound this spot with Soba; his description of Sôba applies only to the present Neby Samwil; pp. 316, 317. Doubdan, following the authority of Jerome, transfers the tomb to Ramleh; pp. 488, 489; comp. p. 114. Sandys also questions the report of his monkish guides, p. 135. Lond. 1658.

where Saul was chosen king by lot; and where under the Chaldeans, Gedaliah the governor resided and was assassinated. The position of this city is nowhere described, neither in the Old Testament nor by Josephus; and we only know that it must have lain near Ramah of Benjamin; since king Asa fortified it with materials. brought from the latter place. The name too, which signifies "a place of look out, watch-tower," implies that it was situated on an elevated spot.

There are two such high points, which in these respects might correspond to the site of Mizpeh. One is Tell ell-Fûl (Bean-hill) lying about an hour South of er-Râm (Ramah) towards Jerusalem. This we afterwards visited. It is high, and overlooks the eastern slope of the mountains, and has upon it the remains of a large square tower; but there are here no traces of any former city, either upon or around the hill. The other point is Neby Samwîl, which, though somewhat further distant from er-Râm, is a higher and more important station than the other. On these grounds, as well as from the traces of an ancient town. upon it, I am inclined to regard Neby Samwîl as the probable site of Mizpeh. And further, the writer of the first book of Maccabees describes Mizpeh as situated "overagainst Jerusalem," implying that it was visible from that city; a description which is true of Neby Samwil, but not as to Tell el-Fûl. Eusebius also and Jerome describe Mizpeh as lying near to Kirjath-Jearim, which must have been on the West of Gibeon, perhaps at Kuryet el-'Enab; and this too points to Neby Samwîl rather than to the other hill.5 4) Κατέναντι Ἱερουσαλήμ, 1 Mac. iii. 46.

1) Josh. xviii. 26. Judg. xx. 1. xxi. 1. 1 Sam. vii. 5-16. x. 17, seq. 2 Kings xxv. 22-25. Jer. c. xl, xli.

2) 1 Kings xv. 22. 2 Chron. xvi. 6.

3) See above, p. 112, and also under May 15.

5) Onomast. art. Μασσηφά Massefa. Both writers confound here the Mizpeh of Gilead, where Jephthah dwelt (Judg. xi. 34), with the Mizpeh of the text. Comp. also Jer. xli. 10, 12, 16.

From Neby Samwîl we bent our course towards Jerusalem. The distance is reckoned at two hours; but as our horses were now travelling homewards, we accomplished it in one hour and fifty minutes. Leaving at 3 o'clock we descended along smaller spurs and ridges towards the great valley; the declivity on this side being in general much less steep than the ascent from el-Jîb. We had here on the left Beit Hanîna across the valley; and on the right Beit Iksa on the hills; while before us low down in the Wady on its eastern side was seen the village of Lifta, where many mules are kept. Here, somewhere towards the right, is situated apparently the fountain of St. Samuel mentioned by travellers, in a sort of grotto.' At 4h 20' Beit Hanîna bore N. 45° E. and Lifta S. 10° W.

We reached the bottom at 4h 40', which is here narrow and very stony, but planted with fine vineyards and orchards of fig and olive-trees. This valley has two main heads; one coming from the plain around el-Jib, down which passes a different road to Jerusalem; and the other from near er-Râm. They unite just below Beit Hanîna which stands on the ridge between, and gives its name to the Wady below, as it passes off towards the S. W.2 We crossed the bottom very obliquely, having over us on the right a little village with green gardens around it; and began immediately to ascend by a small branch Wady on the opposite side. After ten or fifteen minutes we left its bed, and passed up the very rocky slope to the Tombs of the Judges and head of the Valley of Jehoshaphat.

1) Most distinctly by Doubdan, p. 114. Also by Quaresmius, II. p. 728. Von Troilo, p. 291. Pococke II. p. 48. fol.

2) For the lower part of this valley, see under May 17th. Ecclesiastical tradition regards it as the valley of Elah (Terebinth), in VOL. II.

19

which David slew Goliah, 1 Sam.

xvii. 2, seq. Hence travellers usually give it the name of the Terebinth or Turpentine valley. But the scene of that battle was unquestionably in a different place; see under May 18th.

This point we reached at 51 05'; and came in another half hour to the Damascus Gate. Here we found a quarantine guard stationed, to watch against the entrance of persons coming from Yâfa, where the plague was now raging. In Jerusalem itself no new cases had occurred; and we hoped the alarm was over.

One of the two Mukârîyeh who accompanied us on this excursion, was from Kulônieh, a village overhanging the western side of the great valley below Lifta, at the point where it is crossed by the direct road from Jerusalem to Ramleh.' As we came from Neby Samwîl, he gave us the following account. The village of Külônich belongs to Omar Effendi,2 to whom it pays 110 Mids of grain annually. The tax to the government consists of one Piastre for every ewe and shegoat, ten Piastres for every ass, twenty for every horse and mule, thirty for every camel, and seventy-five on every ox; one Piastre for every olive-tree, and thirtyfive on each Feddân of fig-trees or vineyards. The Firdeh or capitation-tax the preceding year was sixty-nine Piastres. As fast as men are taken away for soldiers, or die, the Firdeh is divided among the remainder; so that the government takes care to lose nothing. Our attendant had been taken as a soldier; but proved unfit and was therefore released. Yet he had to pay

thirty dollars to procure a man to serve in his place. To raise this sum he sold an ox and several sheep; and after they were sold, had to pay taxes upon the proceeds.

The price of our horses and mules on this and other

1) Kulonieh is an hour and a half from Jerusalem. From the convent of St. John ('Ain Kârim), it bears N. 10° E. The part of the great valley between, is broad and planted with trees. Prokesch Reise, p. 120.-The name seems to come from the Latin Colonia;

but I know of no historical fact to account for such an etymology. According to Scholz, there are here many old walls built of hewn stones. Reise, p. 161.

2) Apparently the same personage who figures in Richardson's Travels, Vol. II. p. 239, seq.

excursions was fifteen or sixteen Piastres a day for each animal; or if at any time we chose to lie by, the half of this price only was to be paid for every such day of rest. With the keeping of the animals or attendants, we had no concern; nor was any thing extra paid for the men. The horses we had now and afterwards, were slender and active, and also exceedingly hardy. They were fed usually only at night; commonly on barley or other grain, with straw; and occasionally when there was a scanty herbage around the tent, they were suffered to crop it. Their gait is a fast walk; never a trot; for upon the mountains the state of the roads renders this for the most part impossible. They are sure-footed, and exceedingly sagacious in picking their way among the rocks; and we found little difference in this respect between horses and mules. These remarks apply of course only to horses for hire; and not to the sleek and well-fed animals (usually mares) of the Sheikhs and wealthy individuals; which, with equal hardiness, exhibit a wonderful degree of activity and fleetness.

The caparison of the animals for hire is also not very splendid. Arab riding-saddles with stirrups are sometimes given; but they are usually narrow and hard; so that we at last came to prefer the common huge pack-saddles. These are very long and broad, stuffed with a large mass of straw; and cover almost the whole of the poor animal, from whose back they are seldom removed. We had our own stirrups; and usually were able (though not always) to muster a bridle for each of ourselves; while our servants were quite contented, if they made out to obtain a halter.

Our rate of travel with horses and mules appears to have been on the average very nearly three Roman miles the hour; which is equivalent to 2. 4 geographical miles of 60 to the degree, or 2. 78 (nearest 24)