tion seemed to me uncommonly profane, boorish, and insolent; still, their neighbors say it is a happy advance on the past, and ascribe the good work to Sheikh Aly. The sheikh himself I found dwelling very much at his ease, and caring little about the farther spread of his Tarîkeh. From the lowest level of pinching poverty he has risen to wealth; has a large harem, some of whom are from the highest families in the country, and in the enjoyment of his domestic paradise he has very much neglected the concerns of his followers.

Tarshîha sounds ancient and Jewish, but the name does not occur in the Bible, nor in Josephus, who performed his most warlike exploits in this neighborhood, and could not well have avoided mentioning it had it then been a place of importance. There are, indeed, few evidences of antiquity about it, and what are to be seen were brought, as I suppose, from the ruins of 'Alîa, on the edge of the pretty vale between Tarshîha and M'alia. Here was once a considerable city adorned with temples, the remains of which still cover that part of the plain. It is unknown in history, but the village of M'alia seems to derive its name from it. There was an Allon in Naphtali, and this 'Alîa may possibly be its representative. I was surrounded by many beautiful girls, but remarkably brazen-faced for Moslems. Perhaps they borrow brass from their head-dress, called semâdy, the most striking part of which consists of a thick roll of old coins, which is carried from the top of the head down the cheeks and under the chin. Their fine features are therefore set within this metallic frame, and it is no great wonder if they can not blush. I never saw this peculiar head-dress in such perfection any where else. Those of the same kind about Nazareth are much smaller. Some of these weigh at least six pounds, others are said to weigh ten. Taking a guide, I went over the lofty hill south of Tarshîha, on which is a very conspicuous mazar, called Sheikh el Mujahîd. It commands a noble prospect in every direc tion, and especially over the southwestern part of Galilee, drained by Wady el Kurn, with its wonderful ravines, wood

YANOAH-JUTH-YERKA.

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ed hills, and park-like glades. About a year ago I came across this region from the northeast, and shall long remember that ride with great satisfaction.

I reached Yanoah in about an hour from Tarshîha, and, as this name occurs among the cities which Tiglath Pileser conquered, I was gratified to find in and about it abundant evidences of extreme antiquity.1 From Yanoah I descended into the wady southwest of it to examine the place called Juth or Jeth. The ruins occupy the eastern end of an oblong saddle, lying between Wady Maisely on the north, and the Medjnûny on the south-an isolated rock about one thousand feet long and three hundred broad. The only approach to it is from the plain, up Wady Maisely. The eastern end alone would require much fortification, as every where else the rock terminates in frightful precipices. The whole of this eastern part is covered with vast quantities of rubbish, and the houses of the present village are built very high, and with thick walls, as if to use up as much of the old stones as possible; the rest is piled up in heaps to clear the ground for cultivation. Perhaps this Juth is one of the Gaths mentioned in the Bible. A Gath somewhere in this region was the birth-place of the prophet Jonah; and though that site is thought to have been east of Sephoris, yet that is by no means certain, and this, after all, may be the real home of the prophet.

From Juth to Yerka is about an hour, and the road leads over wild rocky ridges and through profound ravines, fatiguing to the horse, but charming to the rider. Yerka, like Juth, occupies the site of an ancient town, as is evident from the columns and other architectural remains, some of which have Greek inscriptions on them. The inhabitants are all Druses, as are also those of Yanoah and Juth. The prospect from Yerka is magnificent over the hills of Samaria, along the dark ridge of Carmel, and round the bay of Acre to the great military fortress itself.

In the afternoon I rode down the rocky declivity of the mountain to Kefr Yusif, which lies at the edge of the plain.

12 Kings xv. 29.

It bears the Moslem name of Josephus, and has a large Jewish cemetery, held in great veneration by them. They bring their dead from a distance to bury them there, though not a Jew resides in the village. Two hours easy riding across the plain brought me to the gate of Acre, in good health, and cheerful courage to prosecute our pilgrimage.