has been carried away to build the fortifications of Acre. The Acropolis, occupying the extremity of the cape, was cut off from the outer city by a wall prodigiously strong, some sections of which remain entire, and just as they were first put up. There is no patchwork, no broken columns or other fragments, as in most Greek and Roman structures in Syria. Just within the wall stands a portion of a building whose character it is difficult to comprehend. It was erected on vaults of great strength, and the fragment on the east side towers up at least seventy feet high. There it stands in its loneliness, the first object that strikes the eye of the ' traveller either up or down the coast. Near the top on the interior, so high that it strains the neck to look at them, are flying buttresses, resting below on the heads of men, from which sprung the arches of the lofty roof. Who erected this grand edifice, and when? The only history we have of 'Athlît begins with the Crusaders, who call it Castellum Perigrinorum-Pilgrims' Castle-because they used to land there when Acre was in the hands of the Saracens. But there was, doubtless, a city here long before the Crusades; and I find it difficult to believe that those temporary occupants of this coast had leisure to erect such gigantic masses of masonry. They probably at this place, as at so many others, appropriated the ruins of ancient works, and remodelled them to suit their own convenience.

The modern village occupies the whole of the Acropolis, but many of the houses are encumbered by immense masses of débris thrown down by the destructive earthquake of 1837. A low rocky ridge begins a little to the north of 'Athlît, extending far southwards; and in front of the place it rises to a considerable elevation, and is there cut up in a singular manner by old quarries. Directly east of the village a broad road was hewn through the ridge, which is yet the common highway to it from the surrounding country, and well-worn tracks of chariot - wheels are still to be seen along this remarkable passage.

The question returns, What is 'Athlît, either by this or any other name? I have no answer. The Hebrew writers may have had no occasion to mention it, because that part of the coast was not in their possession. The Roman and Greek authors and travel

ANCIENT GEOGRAPHERS.-DOR AND HER TOWNS.

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lers generally passed round on the east of Carmel, as I believe, and did not visit it. Strabo says, "After Acre is the tower of Strato, having a station for ships. Between them is Mount Carmel and names of cities, but nothing besides: the city of Sycamenon, Bucolon, and the city of Crocodiles." The ruins of this last town are at the mouth of the river Zerka. The silence of Strabo with regard to both 'Athlît and Dor, favors the idea that the Roman road passed on the east of Carmel. Sycamenon is probably Kaimon. The Bible repeatedly mentions Tantûra by the name of Dor and her towns, and 'Athlît may have been one of her "towns." But enough about 'Athlît, except that her people are great villains, and so are those of et Tîreh, at the foot of Carmel, north-east of it. 'Ain Haud, on the brow of the mountain, may possibly mark the site of En-haddah, given to Issachar. It is nearly three hours from 'Athlît to Tantûra, and the two villages, Kefr Lâm and Sŭrafend, both apparently occupying ancient sites, are between them. Farther inland are Yebla and 'Ain Ghŭzal. The name Yebla resembles Ibleam, which was assigned to Manasseh, though belonging to the lot of Issachar. This geographical survey of Syria's long seaboard, and description of 'Athlît, has brought us to Tantûra.

It is a sad and sickly hamlet of wretched huts, on a bare seabeach, with a marshy flat between it and the eastern hills. The sheikh's residence and the public menzûl for travellers are the only respectable houses. Dor occupied a low tell on the shore about half a mile farther north, and there we shall find remains of the ancient city which are of considerable interest.

That fragment of a castle, now called el Kusr, is the most conspicuous object on this part of the coast. It stands solitary and alone, on the very edge of the shore, and the marvel is that it has not been brought down by one of the many earthquakes which have, in the past ages, overthrown the cities of this country.

What is the history of Dor, either ancient or modern?

In Joshua xi. 2 it is stated that the kings "in the borders of Dor on the west" were with Hazor in the great battle at the waters of Merom; and "the king of Dor, in the coast of Dor," is in the list of the thirty-and-one kings whom Joshua smote.' We 1 Josh. xii. 23.

learn also from Joshua xvii. II that "the inhabitants of Dor and her towns" were assigned to Manasseh, and Josephus says that the territory of Manasseh extended from the Jordan to the city Dora; but from Judges i. 27 it appears that Manasseh did not "drive out the inhabitants of Dor and her towns," but the Canaanites "would dwell in the land," and when Israel was strong they were put to tribute. No further notice of Dor occurs till the time of Solomon. In 1 Kings iv. II it is stated that the son of Abinadab, one of the "twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household,” had all the region of Dor under him. Josephus adds that it was Abinadab himself "which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife." These are all the Biblical notices of Dor, but it is frequently mentioned in the Maccabees; and from the account of the resistance which it offered to Antiochus, who besieged it in vain with an army of one hundred and twenty thousand men of war and eight thousand horsemen, we may conclude that the fortifications were then-B.C. 140-exceedingly strong, and the soldiers of Tryphon very faithful and resolute.' In the Onomasticon it is said to have been deserted, as it has been very often since. The castle may have been built by the Crusaders; but along the shore at its base, and elsewhere about the tell on which it stood, are old foundations and numerous columns which must have belonged to the ancient city. This little bay running inland directly south of the Kŭsr, and the line of five small islets in front of the present village, which might easily be joined together, would form a snug harbor for native boats. The entrance to it would be by the inlet at the Kŭsr, and should "Dor and her towns" ever rise again into importance, such a harbor will be required.

There is nothing to detain us here, and, as Salîm is to meet us at Herod's Mole in Cæsarea, we will now return thither.

Twenty minutes south of Tantûra a considerable stream, called el Mufjûr, enters the sea. It descends from Belâd er Roha, and is probably the same as that in Wady ed Dâlieh. The beach is thickly strewn with pretty shells, and the sand is solid enough to make the ride along the rippling surf delightful. It is two hours to the mouth of the river Zerka, and half an hour farther to Cæsarea.