On the southern wall, internally, the Moslems have set up a Kebleh niche for indicating the direction of prayer.
The peasants call this building the “Boorj,” or “Tower.”
Near adjoining it are remains of ancient foundations: one quite circular and of small diameter.
There is also by the road-side, not far off, a rocky grotto, supplied with water by channels from the hills.
My sketches of this interesting relic date from 1848 and 1859, and, as far as I am aware, no other traveller had seen it until lately, when the members of the Palestine Exploration Expedition visited and took a photograph of it, which is now published.
J. F.
CONTENTS.
| I. | OVER THE JORDAN, AND RETURN BY THE WEST | [1] |
| II. | NORTHWARDS TO BEISÂN, KADIS, ANTIPATRIS, ETC. | [85] |
| III. | SOUTHWARDS ON THE PHILISTINE PLAIN AND ITS SEA COAST | [144] |
| IV. | HEBRON TO BEERSHEBA, AND HEBRON TO JAFFA | [184] |
| V. | THE LAND OF BENJAMIN | [199] |
| VI. | SEBUSTIEH TO CAIFFA | [214] |
| VII. | ESDRAELON PLAIN AND ITS VICINITY | [226] |
| VIII. | BELÂD BESHÂRAH | [253] |
| IX. | UPPER GALILEE—FOREST SCENERY | [264] |
| X. | TEMPLE OF BAAL AND SEPULCHRE OF PHŒNICIA | [283] |
| XI. | JERUSALEM TO PETRA, AND RETURN BY THE DEAD SEA | [289] |
| XII. | ACROSS THE LEBANON—(THREE PARTS,) | [347] |
| XIII. | NORTH-WEST OF THE DEAD SEA | [414] |
| XIV. | SOBA | [423] |
| XV. | THE TWO BAIT SAHHOORS IDENTIFIED | [428] |
| XVI. | THE BAKOOSH COTTAGE | [435] |
| APPENDIX A | [453] | |
| APPENDIX B | [454] | |
| INDEX OF PLACES | [461] |
I. OVER THE JORDAN AND RETURN BY THE WEST.
We were a dozen Englishmen, including three clergymen, undertaking the above journey accompanied by the large train of servants, interpreters, and muleteers usually required for travelling in the East. And it was on Wednesday, the 9th day of May 1855, that we started. This was considered almost late in the season for such an enterprise. The weather was hot, chiefly produced by a strong shirocco wind at the time; and, in crossing over the shoulder of the Mount of Olives, we found the country people beginning their harvest at Bethany.