these people exclusively, that models should be sought of those shepherds so often sung by poets."

Armenians.

The Armenians resemble the Jews in their habits of industry, in their disposition to emigrate to foreign countries, and their taste for commerce. They are spread extensively over other parts of Turkey besides Armenia, and they form the chief class of traders in Persia. Their manners are polite, and they bear a high character for integrity in their dealings.

They are Christians of the Monophysite or Eutychean sect, maintaining that there is only one nature in Christ, or that he is God and man without mixture. They have seven sacraments as in the Romish church; and their church is governed by patriarchs, archbishops, doctors, secular priests, who are not allowed a second marriage, and monks. Though their superior clergy have large revenues, yet they are by no means the votaries of pride or luxury; on the contrary, the archbishops live on nothing but pulse, and have frequent fastings.

Curds.

The Curds inhabit the wild and mountainous country of Curdistan. They have never been completely subdued, but are governed by native princes, yet are nominally, at least, tributary to the Porte. They may be divided into two classes, consisting of such as live in tents, and those who have more fixed habitations. The former frequently change their place of residence, living in the summer in the more elevated and mountainous regions, and retiring to a warmer climate in the winter. The men are generally well mounted, and take great care of their horses. The women ride on horses or on oxen. The children suffer little by the migratory sort of life, being brought up very hardy and accustomed to go almost naked even in the coldest weather.

The Curds are more barbarous than any of their neighbours, but are brave and hospitable. War and rapine are their delight, and murder and parricide they hardly consider as crimes. They are robust, hardy, and temperate,

and live to so great an age, that it is not uncommon to see men 100 years old in the full possession of their faculties. But though stout and active, they are disagreeable in their persons, having small eyes, wide mouths, very black hair, and a fierce forbidding aspect. They have a peculiar language, but are seldom taught to read and write. A majority of them are reputed Mahometans, yet they trouble themselves little about religious opinions or rites.

Druses and Maronites.

The Druses are a free and warlike race of people in Syria, inhabiting chiefly Mount Lebanon and its vicinity. They were formerly supposed to be descendants of the crusaders, but this opinion has been disproved. "In their language," says Dr. Clarke, “they are Arabic; in every thing else a distinct race of men. There is nothing more remarkable than their physiognomy, which is not that of an Arab. From this circumstance alone, we were able, at any time, 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 openness, sincerity, and very engaging manners." They are divided into a number of religious sects, some of which hold very peculiar opinions; but a great part of them are indifferent to religion, following the Turks or Christians, as they find it convenient.

The Maronites are another people of Lebanon, inhabiting the district which rises behind Tripoli. They are Christians, and have joined the Romish communion, having renounced the heresies of their founder Maron, except the marriage of the clergy, which they refuse to relinquish. They depend chiefly upon the cultivation of the mulberry for subsistence.

PALESTINE OR HOLY LAND.

Palestine, which was once inhabited by the tribes of Israel, is now in the possession of the Turks, and is included in the pachalics of Acre and Damascus. But on account of the numerous interesting associations, connected with this country, it deserves a separate notice under the title by which it is familiarly known to the Christian world.

It was first called the Land of Canaan, afterwards the Land of Promise, or the Promised Land, the Land of Israel, Palestine, and the Holy Land. "And surely," says Dr. Clarke, "without imputation of superstition or of bigotry, so long as the blessings of religion diffuse their consolatory balm of hope, and peace, and gladness, this land may be accounted holy-holy, as consecrated by the residence of the Deity, through all the ages of the Jewish historyholy, as sanctified by the immediate presence and blood of our Redeemer-holy, as the residence of patriarchs, prophets, and apostles."

The face of the country is beautifully variegated by mountains, hills, valleys, and plains. The scriptures characterize it as 66 a land flowing with milk and honey;" and in modern times it generally displays great fertility.

The river Jordan is the great natural feature of the country, and, with the lake of Genesareth, through which it passes, and that of Asphaltites, into which it flows, divides it into eastern and western parts. On the north are the mountains of Lebanon and Hermon which are celebrated in scripture poetry. To the west of the lake of Genesareth, is Mount Tabor, rising in a plain, in the form of a truncated cone, and affording, from its summit, a most beautiful view. This mountain is remarkable as the scene of the transfiguration. On the west side, bordering on the Mediterranean, is Mount Carmel, which rises with steep and rugged sides to the height of about 2,000 feet. It is celebrated in the scriptures as the residence of Elijah and Elisha; and in modern times for its convents, inhabited by monks, called Carmelites.

The intelligent traveller in the Holy Land becomes acquainted with numerous facts and circumstances relating to the country, and the manners and customs of the inhabi

tants, which tend to illustrate and confirm the scriptures. Though numberless frauds are practised by ignorant or interested monks, respecting the identity of many places and objects; yet Dr. Clarke conceives, that by a judicious examination, all the great scenes of scripture history may be distinctly traced.

THE JORDAN.

The Jordan, the celebrated river of Palestine, the only considerable one in the country, rises in Mount Hermon, passes through lakes Merom and Genesareth; then flowing almost due south, through an extensive plain, till passing to the east of Jericho, it flows into the Dead Sea. Near Jericho it is deep and very rapid, wider than the Tiber at Rome. Its length is about 150 miles. The banks are steep, about 15 feet high; so that it is difficult to bathe in it; which, however, curiosity or superstition impels almost every pilgrim to do; some vainly imagining that it cleanses them from all sin.

"I had surveyed," says Chateaubriand, "the great rivers of America, with that pleasure which solitude and nature impart; I had visited the Tiber with enthusiasm, and sought with the same interest the Eurotas and Cephissus; but I cannot express what I felt at the sight of the Jordan. Not only did this river remind me of a renowned antiquity, and one of the most celebrated names that the most exquisite poetry ever confided to the memory of man; but its shores likewise presented to my view the theatre of the miracles of my religion. Judea is the only country in the world that revives in the traveller the memory of human affairs and of celestial things, and which, by this combination, produces in the soul a feeling which no other region is capable of exciting."

THE LAKE OF GENESARETH.

The lake of Genesareth, called also the sea of Galilee and the sea of Tiberias, is about 30 miles E. of Acre, and 45 N. of Jerusalem. It is 17 miles long, and six broad. Its waters are sweet and transparent, and abound in fish. Dr. Clarke thus describes the appearance of this interesting lake. "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 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 Genesareth 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 contemplation, affords one of the most striking prospects of 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 or Westmoreland lakes, although perhaps it yields in majesty to the stupendous features of Loch Lomond in Scotland. It does not possess the vastness of the lake of Geneva, although it much resembles it in particupoints of view.

"The lake of Locarno in Italy comes nearest to it in point of picturesque beauty, although it is destitute 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."

THE DEAD SEA OR LAKE ASPHALTITES.

This lake was anciently called the sea of Sodom and the Salt sea. It lies in the southern part of Palestine, and is 60 or 70 miles in length, and 10 or 15 in breadth. It is bordered on the east, south, and west, by lofty hills, having rugged and frightful precipices; on the north is the plain of Jericho through which it receives the Jor