VIEW OF JENIN, THE ANCIENT ENGANNIM.
Leaving Sebustieh, our friends continued their ride, and just about sunset came to Jenin, where the tents were ready for them. It began to rain as they arrived, but as there was no wind, and the clouds soon broke away, nobody suffered any special inconvenience.
Frank was about to ask a question concerning their camping-place, when the Doctor proceeded to give the desired information.
"Jenin," said he, "is the ancient Engannim, and is just at the entrance of the Plain of Esdraelon. The plain is sometimes called the battle-field of Palestine, and was probably the ancient Plain of Jezreel. The battle in which Saul and Jonathan his son were slain took place a little beyond here, near the modern village of Zerin, the ancient Jezreel."
The evening was passed in reading about the battles that had taken place in the neighborhood, and in studying the map of the Plain of Esdraelon. When they left the wretched village the next morning, and looked upon the beautiful plain spread below them, the boys were full of enthusiasm about the region they were traversing, and showed an excellent knowledge of the positions indicated on the map.
"That must be Taanach," said Frank, pointing to a rounded hill on the left, as they looked down the valley.
"Yes," replied the Doctor, "that is Taanach, and beyond it is Megiddo, which you readily perceive is a strong point for an army to occupy."
"That's what we read about last night," said Fred. "Taanach was one of the points where Joash was held back in his attacks on the Canaanites, and it was afterward the head-quarters of Sisera, who also held Megiddo. Megiddo was where Joash was killed in a battle with the Egyptians, as we read in 2 Chronicles, chap. xxv., and back of it are the hills of Manasseh."