From this encampment Moses led the Hebrews to the plains of Moab, and after taking a survey of Canaan from the top of Mount Pisgah, that is over against Jericho, he bade them a last farewell. He was then a hundred and twenty years old; “his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days,” and Joshua became their leader in the place of Moses. It is also recorded, that “there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, in all the signs and wonders, which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land ... and in all the great terror which Moses showed in the sight of all Israel.”

Josephus the Jewish historian gives an account of the departure of Moses from the children of Israel thus:—[[53]]“Now as soon as they were come to the mountain called Abarim (which is a very high mountain, situate over against Jericho, and one that affords, to such as are upon it, a prospect of the greatest part of the excellent land of Canaan), he dismissed the senate; and as he was going to embrace Eleazar and Joshua, and was still discoursing with them, a cloud stood over him on the sudden, and he disappeared in a certain valley, although he wrote in the Holy Books that he died, which was done out of fear, lest they should venture to say that, because of his extraordinary virtue, he went to God.”

Modern travellers have found remains of architecture and sculpture, which serve as landmarks in the royal progress towards the East. No doubt Moses had these works executed that they might give ample proof of his presence in all those countries wherein the remains exist—countries far divided from each other—and so that by them his route could easily be followed from Ethiopia to the place where he ended his pilgrimage on earth.

From Mount Abarim he took his journey eastward, evidently with a large caravan, consisting of his faithful followers, and forming a formidable escort. The first place at which they halted for any length of time is in Persia, where there are unmistakable signs of his sojourn. The following is an account given by Mr. Morier, who accompanied Sir Harford Jones Brydges on the mission to Persia in 1809:—[[54]]

“The sculptures are situated at the distance of about fifteen miles from Kázerún. About seven miles from it I passed the ruined village of Derses; and, leaving two tombs, one on the right hand and the other on the left of the road, came to the bed of a torrent, over which there seems to have been built an aqueduct, for, on each side of its banks, there are remains of masonry, and traces of its conduit may be perceived on the southern bank.

“The extent of the ruins of Shahpúr to the southward is bounded by a beautiful stream of water. Over the spring from which it issues the road is sustained by fragments of architecture, which are part of the entablature of some public building, and, by their dimensions, must have once been magnificent.

“Immediately after passing the spring, we came upon the ruins of Shahpúr. When standing on an eminence, we computed the whole to be comprised, on a rough calculation, within a circumference of six miles. This circumference enclosed a tract of plain, and a hill, on which the remains of the ancient citadel formed a conspicuous and commanding object. Whether by the caprice of Nature or by the labour of man, this hill or acropolis is distinctly separated from the great range of mountains forming the most eastern boundary of the plain of Kázerún.

“Between this and another imposing mass of rock runs the beautiful river of Shahpúr. We reckoned the space between the two rocks at thirty yards, which formed a little plain of verdure and shrubbery, intersected, indeed, by the stream of the river. The opening between the two grand masses presented a landscape the most varied, the most tranquil, the most picturesque, and, at the same time, the most sublime, that imagination can form.

“A black and stupendous rock flanked the right of the picture; while another still more extraordinary rock, as richly illumined as the other was darkened, supported the left. Between both a distant range of mountains, whose rocks were terminated by a plain, filled up the interstices, forming a fine aërial perspective; whilst the river and rich shrubbery completed a most enlivening foreground.

“The hill on which the remains of the citadel stand is covered by ruins of walls and turrets. On its eastern aspect the nature of the fortification can be traced easily; for walls fill the chasms from rock to rock, forming altogether a place of defence admirably strong. The first object which arrested our attention was a mutilated sculpture of two colossal figures on horseback, carved on the superfices of the rock. The figure on the right was most injured; the only part, indeed, which we could ascertain with precision was one of the front and two of the hinder feet of a horse, standing over the statue of a man, who was extended at his full length, his face turning outwardly, and reposed upon his right hand, and his attire bearing marks of a Roman costume. A figure in the same dress was placed in an attitude of supplication at the horse’s knees, and a head in alto-relievo just appeared between the hinder feet. The equestrian figure on the left is not quite so much mutilated, the horse and parts of the drapery on the thighs being still well preserved.