SEVENTH ITINERARY.

THE BEATEN TRACK OF A THIRTY DAYS' TOUR IN

PALESTINE.

In the late autumn it is better to travel from north to south, thus going with the season. In the spring the contrary way is preferable, as the route by Lebanon and Mount Hermon is frequently snowed up in the early part of the year.

Seven travelling days are shown in the Fifth Itinerary to Jenîn, and from that point travel on the

8TH DAY.-To Nazareth, crossing the Plain of Esdraelon by Jezreel, Gideon's Fountain, Shunem, leaving to the right, Nain, Endor, Mount Tabor, etc., and going by Shunem, across the plain to the foot of the Galilean Hills, the ascent of which to Nazareth requires great care, it being very precipitous, and moderate riders must not expect to accomplish the journey from Jenîn to Nazareth in less than seven to eight hours. Again we advise the spending of Sunday at this place of sacred memories.

9TH DAY.-The journey from Nazareth to the Sea of Galilee, by Kefr Kenna, or Cana, occupies about six hours in the saddle, or more if the camp is stationed at the head of the lake. If possible two days should be appropriated to this locality, so rich as it is in historical reminiscences, in addition to its pleasant natural attractions.

IOTH DAY.-Two ways present themselves from the head of the lake the site of the ancient Chorazin and Capernaum, to Bâniâs—Cæsarea Philippi. The way by the waters of Merom occupies two days, and that by Safed and Kedesh-Naphtali takes three days. The latter is the more interesting, and is free from the swamps and damp of the lower road. The choice of these two ways is generally left to the travellers who may be guided by the state of the weather and the time at their disposal. Assuming that the high road is preferred, three days will be consumed between the Sea of Galilee and Bâniâs, and to that section of the Itinerary we allot the

IITH, 12TH, and 13TH DAYS of travel, arriving at Bâniâs on

the 13th day of actual travel (not including the time spent at Jerusalem and the Sunday at Nazareth), to attain which the start from Jerusalem should be not later than Wednesday morning.

14TH DAY.-Starting from Bâniâs there is a sharp rise up the slopes of Hermon until an elevation of about 5000 feet from the sea level is reached. It is a rough way at best, and in stormy weather the most disagreeable part of the journey, often blocked with snow and then difficult to discern the outlines of the track. Eight hours of uninterrupted travel bring the riders to Kefr Hauwar, a camping ground still too elevated and exposed to the rude blasts from Hermon to be very agreeable. It is always pleasant to get safely on the way to the great plain on which Damascus is located, and the

15TH DAY is generally a pleasant ride of about six hours to Damascus, where a Sunday and about a couple more days are required to get a good view of the peculiarities of the city.

16TH, 17TH and 18TH DAYS are spent in traversing the heights and depths of the Anti-Lebanon, following for a day or more the course of the Barada (the Abana of Scripture), which is crossed and recrossed at several points. The ride altogether is very fine in good weather, and the day's work not very heavy. The traveller generally gets into Ba'albek a little after mid-day on the third day from Damascus, and a long afternoon and evening, and pleasant early morning are consumed amid the ruins of the famed group of ruined temples, which still present features of great beauty and strength.

19TH DAY. A comparatively easy ride of about eight hours down the fertile valley of the Lebanon brings the traveller to a convenient camping ground adjacent to the diligence road from Beyrout to Damascus. It is interesting to deviate a little from the beaten track, and pass through the Christian village of Zahleh, where the good effects of Christian education are seen in the marked decorum of an apparently thriving population.

20TH DAY.-The journey to Beyrout is continued over an excellent coach road rising to an elevation of 5000 feet, and then

descending by winding slopes, with magnificent scenery on either hand, to Beyrout, the best built and most prosperous city in Syria.

From Beyrout, the usual course is to take steamer along the coast to Cyprus, Rhodes, Smyrna and Constantinople. From thence to Syra and Athens, and back to Italy or Austria (p. 12).

EIGHTH ITINERARY.

COMBINING ALL THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE SEVENTH, WITH THE ADDITION OF THE COAST ROUTE BY SIDON, TYRE, AND CARMEL TO JAFFA.

Forty days are required to do justice to this extended tour, which should commence at Beyrout, and be taken in the following course to Jaffa, from which point the whole of the Seventh Itinerary may be taken, as given above:

IST DAY.-Start with the Camp from Beyrout, cross a sandy plain and get to the coast as soon as practicable, continuing near the sea to Sidon. Seven to eight hours will be required for this section.

2ND DAY.-Pass on to Tyre, and stop there a night. Six or seven hours in the saddle.

3RD DAY.-Descend the Tyrian Ladder to the Valley of the Kishon, halting for a night at Acre. A day's ride of about six hours.

4TH DAY.-Pursue the course from Acre to the foot of Mount Carmel, and encamp there. It will be interesting to visit the Monastery, and get the commanding view which its position affords of the great sea and the Carmel range, which are full of interesting Scripture memories.

5TH AND 6TH DAYS should suffice for the journey by the coast, past Cæsarea, the seat of Roman power and magnificence, and the scene of various events and incidents recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. There is not much left to indicate the magnificence of the Palace that existed here.

As shown above, having arrived at Jaffa, the route already described may be taken just as it stands in the Seventh

Itinerary, or deviations may be made at discretion. Either way by Kirjath-Jearim, or Beth-Horon, may be taken to Jerusalem, or it would be practicable to go southward to Philistia, reversing one or other of the Itineraries, already given, round by Gaza, or Gath to Hebron, and thence to Jerusalem. In forty days this might be accomplished.

The foregoing eight Itineraries cover the chief districts of interest West of the Jordan and in the Lebanon. We now propose to cross the Jordan, and show a couple of practicable routes in the Land of Moab, and one in the Hauran to the East of Damascus.

NINTH ITINERARY.

FIRST TOUR TO MOAB.

Jaffa to Jerusalem, as already described, by carriage or saddle horses in one or two days. Allowing two days for the journey, begin on the

3RD DAY.-And take trip, already described, by Solomon's Pools and Bethlehem to Mar Saba.

4TH DAY.-From Mar Saba to the Dead Sea and the Jordan, encamping on the bank of the river after a journey of about seven hours.

5TH DAY.-From the Jordan, crossing the river above its outlet into the Dead Sea, and making the journey of about seven hours to Heshbon.

6TH DAY.-To Mount Nebo and back, the camp remaining at Heshbon.

7TH DAY.-From Heshbon to Rabbath Ammon, via Elealeh, a seven hours' journey.

8TH AND 9TH DAYS.-From Rabbath Ammon to Jerash (Gerasa) by the course of the River Jabbok. This journey will require two days of about seven hours each, the camp to be fixed where most convenient for water.

IOTH DAY.—A rather long ride of eight and a-half hours from Jerash to Es Salt (or Ramath Gilead).

IITH DAY.—Es Salt to Jericho, nine hours.

12TH DAY.-Jericho to Jerusalem by the road already described (p. 16). Deducting the two days allowed for the journey from Jaffa to Jerusalem, this tour to Moab will be accomplished in ten days of actual travel, taking the circuitous route from Jerusalem to Mar Saba and the Dead Sea. A longer route is given in the

TENTH ITINERARY.

A MORE EXTENDED TOUR EAST OF THE JORDAN.

Taking the course described in the Ninth Itinerary as far as Jerash, would require eight days of travel from Jaffa, or six days from Jerusalem, from which point we will take our calculations, and begin on the

7TH DAY.-From Jerash to Wády Yâbis (Jabesh Gilead), via Sûf, a journey of seven hours.

8TH DAY.-From Wády Yâbis to Um Keis (Gadara), via Pella, seven hours.

9TH DAY.-From Um Keis to Bethsaida of the Desert, via El Husn (Gamala), seven hours.

IOTH DAY.-From Bethsaida of the Desert to Tiberias, via the Jordan, Chorazin, Bethsaida of Galilee, Capernaum, and Plain of Genessaret, seven and a-half hours.

IITH DAY.-From Tiberias to Safed, by the Mount of Beatitudes, Beth-Arbel and Wády Hammân (Valley of the Pigeons), eight hours.

12TH DAY.-From Safed to Mês-el-Jebel, via Hazor and Kadesh-Naphtali, seven and a-half hours.

13TH DAY.-From Mês-el-Jebel to Bâniâs (Cæsarea Philippi), via Beth-Rehob and Dan, about six hours.

From Bâniâs to Damascus, the route has been already described in a journey of two days, halting for a night at Kefr Hauwar (p. ). Three days more from Damascus to Ba'albek; and two days from Ba'albek to Beyrout. The foregoing is a tour of twenty days of actual travel from Jerusalem, but with necessary stoppages such a tour ought to have forty days allotted to it, though with hard work it might be got over in thirty days.