level land at the bottom of the valley has been leased by Mr Meshullam, a convert from Judaism; who formerly kept a hotel in Jerusalem. He had now brought it under tillage for three years, and raised fruit and vegetables for the Jerusalem market. The fields are all irrigated from the fountain; and in this country everything thrives with water. As seen from above, the bottom of the valley, thus cultivated, presented a beautiful appearance. There was nothing of the scientific tillage of western Europe; yet such is the strength of the soil and the abundance of water, that the returns are larger, and (as Meshullam said) remunerative.

We met here seven or eight Americans, men and women, Seventh Day Baptists from Philadelphia and the vicinity. They had come out as missionaries to introduce agriculture among the Jews; but being unacquainted with the language and customs of the country, and therefore helpless, they had been taken by Meshullam into his employ; where they found at least food and shelter. They did not, however, appear satisfied; and seemed to us likely to leave the place so soon as they could help themselves. Indeed, in the course of the following winter, a quarrel arose between them and Meshullam, and they removed to the neighbourhood of Yâfa. They told us they had brought out with them American ploughs; but could make no use of them for want of stronger teams. A similar colony of Germans had been in like manner employed by Meshullam two years before; a glowing report from whom is given by Ritter. But they too had become dissatisfied; and were now dispersed.' It is hardly necessary to remark, that the idea of speedily converting the Jews, living as strangers in Palestine, into an agricultural people, is altogether visionary.

Leaving Urtâs at 10.55 we came at 11.20 to el-Burak, the castle at the Pools. On the way were some traces of an ancient road. At this time the lower pool was empty; in the middle one the water covered only the bottom; while the upper one was full or nearly so. A little streamlet from above was running into the middle pool at its upper end. After a stop of five minutes we took the Hebron road; and at 11.35 were on the top of the southern hill. Along the ascent are traces of an ancient paved road; but no ruts. The village and convent of St. George (el-Khudr) were visible in the north, beyond the valley of the Pools. On the left below us was a short Wady, with a side aqueduct. We now kept along on high ground; and soon

1 Ritter, Erdk. XVI. p. 282.

2 For a full description of these pools, see Vol. I. p. 474 sq. [ii. 164 sq.]

3

Bearings at 11.35: el-Khudr N. 5°

E. el-Burak N. 40° E.-For the subsequent route, see also in Vol. I. pp. 216, 217. [i 319-321.]

had on our left the deep Wady Biyâr, here a narrow gorge, running off about N. 75° E. with another side aqueduct, and a square ruin on the further side, called Deir el-Benât. We soon descended a little (at 11.50) into the small cultivated plain from which the Wady issues. In this plain several Wadys unite, coming from various directions. We followed up a shallow one, S. 35° W. formerly named to us Wady Tuheishimeh; and at 12.5 saw on our right the ruin of Beit Fâghûr, half a mile distant, having a Wely and a fountain. Reaching the head of the valley at 12.30, we came out upon level land; and then at 12.40 rose to a higher tract of table land. Here Beit Fejjâr was visible on high ground at a distance in the southeast; while nearer to us, but hidden by a ridge, was said to be the ruin of Bereikût. Ten minutes later, the ruin Bereikût was just visible over a depression in the ridge, bearing 116°. This form corresponds to an ancient Berachah, which gave name to a valley in the south of Tekoa, the scene of Jehosaphat's thanksgiving.3 We heard of it on our former journey; but it was first visited by Mr Wolcott. The ruins lie on the west side of the valley, on a small eminence; and cover three or four acres. The Wady is not now called after the ruins, except just opposite to them; but bears lower down the name of Wady Khanzîreh.

5

2

We came at 12.55 to the brow of a long descent, looking out over a lower tract of country on the south. Here Halhûl came in sight, and several other places. Half way or more down the long declivity is a cistern and Kibleh or praying-place; where at 1.10 we stopped for lunch. Here Merrina, a small ruin was visible, bearing 256°, at the foot of the hills beyond the green Wady. We set off again at 1.40, and descended into the broad and fertile plain of Wady 'Arrûb running off southeast; and, after crossing a low swell, came to another like valley bearing the same name, and uniting with the former one just below. The united Wady runs to Wady Jehâr south of Tekoa, and so to the Dead Sea. Beyond, on the left, at 2 o'clock, we had a ruin called Beit Za'ter. At 2.10 we reached the reservoir of Kûfin; the village being a quarter of a mile distant on the right. It is inhabited; and has in it a large ruined building, which makes quite a show at a distance.3

m.

1

6

1 Bearing of Beit Fâghûr, N. 75° W.

Bearings at 12.40: Beit Fejjâr 153°. Beit Ummar 230°. Beit Sâwîr, a ruin, 331°, m.-Instead of Beit Fejjâr, Dr Wilson writes Beit Hajar; but erroneously. My companion, Dr Smith, took special pains to day, to verify the name. Lands of the Bible, I. p. 386. Ritter XVI. p. 270.

32 Chr. 20, 26, comp. 20.

See Vol. I. p. 491. [ii. 189.] Wolcott in Biblioth. Sacra, 1843, p. 43. Comp. Wilson, Lands of the Bible, I. p. 386. Ritter Erdk. XV. i. p. 635.

Bearings at 12.55: Beit Ummar 230°. Halhûl 202. Kûfîn 217. Shiyûkh 172°. See Vol. I. p. 488. [i. 185.]

* Bearings at the tank of Kûfîn: Beit Feijâr 88°. Beit Za'ter 59°. Beit Kheirân 195°. Kûfîn 275°, m.

Kûfin is the place erroneously named

•

After five minutes more we were in another shallow Wady, coming from the south and passing off northeast to Wady 'Arrûb. We followed it up, or a branch of it; and at 2.35 came out on a low ridge looking into a like parallel Wady on our left. Beyond this latter, on a hill, was the ruin Beit Kheirân, half a mile distant. The road then descends a little, side of this Wady here running

and passes along on the west north.

Thus far we had followed from the Pools the same road that we travelled in 1838, on our first approach to the Holy City, and our first day in Palestine. We had then been compelled, wearied and exhausted as we were from our long journey in the desert, to hasten over the tract between Hebron and Jerusalem without a guide. Hence, on some points we obtained no information, and on others were misled. I had ever regarded that day as in some respects the least satisfactory in all our former journey; and was not sorry now to retrace the road. The main features of the country, thus far, consisted of low rocky hills with intervening valleys, uninteresting, uncultivated, and the hills thinly covered with bushes, chiefly shrub oaks. Beyond this point, towards the south, there is more cultivation; and the hills are more naked of bushes, being tilled often to the top.

We now turned from the Hebron road more southwesterly; along a low neck which separated the Wady on our left from Wady Rishrash on our right; the latter descending rapidly westwards towards Wady es-Sûr, as was said. Our purpose was to ascend a high rounded Tell just on the west of the Hebron road, in the hope of finding ruins. We reached the top at 3 o'clock; but found nothing. The tower of Beit Sûr was before us, on another lower Tell in the southwest. After a delay of ten minutes, we struck down across the intervening valley through the fields, without a path; and came at 3.20 to the tower of Beit Sûr. From this place 'Ain edh-Dhirweh, on the Hebron road, bore N. 80° E.

This tower we saw and noted on our former journey; but, in consequence of our having no guide, we did not hear the name, and therefore failed to fully identify the place. Yet from its position and other features I was even then inclined to regard it as the ancient Beth-zur; and it was so inserted on our map.3

The name Beit Sûr was heard first by Mr Wolcott; and we now heard it from people in the fields. This name, and the ancient remains, leave no doubt as to the identity. The principal ruin is the tower; of which only one side is now standing. It was perhaps some twenty feet square. At its southwest corner are a few bevelled stones, not large. These mark its foundations as ancient; though its upper portion was more probably of the time of the crusades. There are hewn stones scattered about, as also some fragments of columns, and many foundations of buildings; but no traces of a wall on the south, where the Tell connects with the range of hills. In the eastern declivity, below the tower, are two or three excavated sepulchres. It must have been a small place; but occupied a strong position, and commanded a great road. Josephus speaks of it as the strongest fortress in Judea.2

3

Beth-zur is mentioned in the book of Joshua as between Halhul and Gedor; and it still lies here between the two, not far from the former. It was fortified by Rehoboam; and its inhabitants aided in building the walls of Jerusalem after the exile. Judas Maccabæus here defeated Lysias, and strengthened the fortress against the Idumeans. It was besieged and taken by Antiochus Eupator; made stronger and held by Bacchides; until at length Simon Maccabæus got possession and further fortified it." Beth-zur is mentioned by Eusebius and Jerome; and also by the Bourdeaux pilgrim.' These writers all regard it, or rather the fountain not far off, as the place where Philip baptized the eunuch. To this tradition we shall speedily recur again.

We now turned down to 'Ain edh-Dhirweh on the Hebron road; which we reached in seven minutes. Here, on the east of the road, is a low ledge of rocks running off northeast, with a perpendicular face towards the northwest, ten or twelve feet high. In some parts the rocks appear to have been hewn away; and there are also sepulchres excavated in them. By the roadside, near these rocks, is the fountain. It is small, and issues from beneath a wall of large hewn stones into a drinking-trough. On the west of the road is a fine little tank lined with cement; and another, larger and ruder, without cement. On the east of the

fountain is the ruin of an ancient church or chapel; between which and the fountain was an enclosed court. The road just here has marks of an ancient pavement; and we had before

noticed several similar traces along the way; but nowhere any appearance whatever of ruts.1

3

2

This then is the fountain, which a tradition earlier and in so far better than that connected with St. Philip's fountain near Welejeh, once marked as the place where Philip baptized the eunuch on his way from Jerusalem to Gaza. Both Eusebius and Jerome, and also the Bourdeaux pilgrim, speak of Beth-zur as the scene of that transaction. What grounds those fathers had for connecting it at all with Beth-zur, we know not; but the Scriptures certainly contain no hint to that effect. There was here no desert; and, further, the circumstances that Philip was afterwards found at Azotus (Ashdod), far away in the plain, is strongly against the view in question. I have elsewhere assigned reasons, which still seem to me valid, for seeking the place of the baptism in the plain, on the way from Eleutheropolis to Gaza, perhaps in Wady el-Hasy.*

From the fountain we sent Rashid with the mules and luggage directly up to Halhûl; in order that he might pitch the tent and make his preparations, while we should go on as far as erRâmeh and return. The guide, whom we had taken at Mâr Eliâs, we found well acquainted with the country; he having often been at Halhûl, where he had been accustomed to farm vineyards. But here his knowledge of the road was at an end ; and we therefore engaged another guide for er-Râmeh.

Leaving 'Ain edh-Dhirweh at 3.35, we followed the Hebron road, about south; still ascending and crossing the swell, which more to the left forms the broad ridge on which Halhûl stands. The road then keeps along on the west of the basin of Wady 'Ain 'Asy, which runs off N. 75° E. as a branch of the Wady southeast of Halhûl. We were in this basin at 3.55. Then, crossing another lower swell, we came at 4.05 to the head of Wady Beit Haskeh, which runs down westwards towards Terkumieh. Rising gradually from this, we turned at 4.15 to the left at a right angle; and came in seven minutes across the fields to the immense foundations, which we had formerly visited. They are known to the Jews as the House of Abraham; and are sometimes called by the natives Bir el-Khulil, from the well connected with them. These inexplicable walls remain as when we saw them in 1838; except that the covering above the well was gone. This well is of large circumference, and about ten feet deep to the surface of the water; it is said to be strictly a fountain. The course of the longest wall by compass is S. 80°

See genr. Krafft, in Ritter's Erdk. XVI. p. 266 sq.

2 Acts 8, 38 sq.

3 Onomast. art. Bethsur. Itin. Hieros.

p. 599.

See above, Vol. II. pp. 41, 48, and Note XXXII, end of Vol. II. [ii. 380, 390, and Note XXX.]

Vol. I. pp. 215, 216. [i. 317, 318.]