CHAPTER V. SYROPHENICIA-GALILEE. "Thy land, O Immanuel."-Isa. viii. 8. In the afternoon of Monday (July 8) we set out for Galilee, with a small cavalcade of six horses. Ibraim and Ahmet took leave of us. The latter felt little, but Ibraim exhibited very affectionate feelings. He followed us a little way beyond the gates, then took farewell, burst into tears, and rushed out of sight. We felt it very sad to leave this Arab for ever, not knowing how it is with his soul. Our road lay nearly south through a grove of pines, with mulberry gardens on all sides. Pleasant wild flowers adorned our path; the oleander in full bloom skirted the banks of two small streams which we crossed; and often also our own modest white rose appeared amongst the fragrant myrtles in the hedges. We crossed a bar of sand which is here blown across the promontory of Beyrout, and is two hours in breadth. The muleteers said that this sand was blown all the way from Egypt, but we heard that the shore is composed of a very soft sandstone which accounts for its origin. Between us and Lebanon lay a splendid olive-grove, stretching north and south, said to be the largest in Palestine, which it was refreshing to the eye even to look upon. But Lebanon itself chiefly attracted our admiration, for every part of its lower ridge seemed covered with villages. From a single point we counted twenty-one villages, all appearing at once on the brow of the mountain, each village having considerable cultivation round it. In the days when these stupendous heights were crowned with forests of pine and cedar, how deeply expressive must have been the words of the prophet, "Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering.' We reached the southern side of the promontory before sunset, and came upon the rocky sea-shore, along * Isa. xl. 16, LEBANON-NABY-YOUNES. 253 which our course now lay. Just as the sun went down, we passed a small khan,-a busy scene. Some were unloading their asses, some spreading their mats for the night. One man was opening his sack to give his ass provender, and forcibly reminded us of Jacob's sons arrived at their inn.* They invited us to stay with them, saying, "You will be plundered if you go on." We had not gone far when darkness overtook us, and we lost our way just as we came upon the bank of a broad stream that comes down from Lebanon, called Damour, the ancient Tamyras. Here we wandered among mulberry gardens till at length we found a ford near the ruins of a bridge. The roots of the mountains here stretch out into the sea, forming rocky promontories. We crossed over one and another of these by what appeared to be a pavé or ancient Roman road, and came down through a village to a khan on the sea-shore, called Naby-Younes, "the prophet Jonah." There is here a small bay, which a Mahometan tradition makes out to be the spot where Jonah was cast ashore by the whale. The keeper of the khan offered us accommodation, but, after taking a little of his salt bread and leban, we judged it preferable to encamp on the open shore near the sea. The servants who now formed our party were all of different persuasions. Botros, Mr. Calman's attendant was a Greek Catholic; Antonio, who waited upon us, was a young Syrian of the Latin Church, and spoke Italian. The muleteers were, Mansor, a Druse, and Tanoos, a Maronite lad, of a most gentle disposition. Sometimes at night Antonio and Botros "poured water on our hands" to wash away the dust, reminding us of 2 Kings iii. 11. With these around us, and the waves of the Mediterranean almost at our tent-door, we slept in peace. Early next morning an old decrepit Moslem, with head white as snow, calling himself the Dervish of NabyYounes, came to the tent-door asking alms. He was very grateful for a very small coin. We left this bay at six o'clock, and gaining the height of the next rocky promontory, obtained a view of the coast, indented with deep sandy bays, and of Sidon itself two hours distant. The view of Sidon as we approached was very fine, and exceedingly like the representations commonly given of it in the sketches of Syria. The town stands upon a high rising ground, which projects a considerable way * Gen. xlii. 27 254 SIDON COSTUME OF MOSLEM LADIES. into the sea. It is enclosed by a high fortified wall on the eastern side, and two mosques tower over the other buildings of the town. The most striking object is a fortress built upon a rock in the harbour, and connected with the town by a bridge of nine arches, said to be a remnant of the times of the Crusades. There is also a ledge of low rocks in the offing, near which two small vessels lay at anchor. Between the town and the mountains lie richly cultivated gardens with tall verdant trees. Behind these the mountains appear, and we counted five distinct ridges of the range of Lebanon, rising one above another. Altogether, "Great Sidon," though fallen from her ancient glory, occupies a noble situation. Into the bay to the north of it flows a considerable stream, another of the many which are fed by the snows of Lebanon. After fording it, a lively scene met our view. The country people were bringing their cusas and melons to market upon donkeys. One woman wore handsome silver anklets, similar to those spoken of by Isaiah.* The Moslem ladies all in white, the face entirely muffled in a dark coloured veil, the feet enclosed in large yellow boots, were taking their morning, walk toward the tombs. Many remains of ancient pavement occasionally occurred. Mr. M'Cheyne rode on before the rest, and arriving at the gate, inquired of the sentinel the way to the Jewish synagogue. He pointed to a Jew who was standing beside his shop-door at the entrance of the bazaar. The Jew, shutting up his shop, took the stranger kindly by the hand, and led him away to his house. He tied up the horse in the court-yard, took off the carpet and bridle, and ushered him into his best room, where both sat down on the divan. After some preliminary questions, the Hebrew Bible was produced, and the first part of Ezekiel xxxvii. read, from which Mr. M. shewed him his state by nature. He seemed a little offended, yet not wishing to shew it in his own house, tried to change Isa. iii. 18. SYNAGOGUE-INTERVIEW WITH JEWS. 255 the subject of discourse, and offered coffee. On leaving the house, another Jew led Mr. M. to the synagogue, a substantial building having the roof vaulted in the Gothic style. An old man sat on the ground surrounded by some Jewish children, whom he was teaching to read portions of Hebrew. Here the rest of our company met, and the old Rabbi, whose house joined hard to the synagogue, came in, and was followed by some twenty or thirty Jews. Several of them recognised Mr. Calman, and received him in a very friendly manner. They seemed well inclined to enter into controversy on divine things. Two lads maintained an animated conversation with Mr. Bonar, during which he produced his Hebrew New Testament, and asked one of them to read a chapter. They began very readily to read Matt. ii, but when nearly finishing it, an elder Jew looked over their shoulder, and whispered to them the name of the book which they were reading. They immediately closed the book, and one of them started from his seat. We told the Rabbi that we had come from a far country to visit Israel; that we had seen God's word fulfilled in the desolations of Jerusalem; and we asked for what cause Israel were now like the dry bones in the open valley? The old Rabbi appeared to be a man of perverse spirit. He went to his house, and brought out a Hebrew New Testament, one of those printed by the London Society, a good deal worn. He turned up to Mark xiii. 32, where Jesus says that he did not know the day of his second coming, and asked how then could he be God? One bitter Jew made signs to have us thrust out of the synagogue; but the rest showed greater kindness, especially one young Rabbi from the coast of Barbary, who spoke a little French. He showed us their manuscripts of the law, one of which he said was three hundred years old, written at Bagdad, and now much worn. It had cost them 200 dollars. This man afterwards received us politely into his house, entertained us with lemonade and coffee, and at parting accepted a Hebrew tract called "The City of Refuge.' He told us that there are 300 Jews in Sidon. We now proceeded through the bazaar to a handsome khan or caravansera possessed in former days by the Franks. It is a large square, built round on all sides, with a fine fountain and pool of water in the centre, over which a vine was trained; a few orange-trees grew around. While sitting by the pool waiting till one of our mules was shod, a string of camels arrived, heavily laden with furniture, which proved to be the property of the late Lady Hester Stanhope, which, we were told, was to be sold at Sidon. Here also two Druse women were sitting wearing the tantour, or horn upon the forehead. On the finger they wore a massy ring, having a seal on it. This we had noticed frequently in Egypt.* In the streets we met several Greek ecclesiastics neatly attired. The town is solidly built, and the bazaars are in a thriving condition. A public bath is one of the few modern buildings; but frequently we stumbled upon broken pillars and fragments of carved stones, the memorials of departed greatness. All the magnificence of Sidon is gone, for "God has executed judgments in her."† Again and again have its inhabitants been " judged in the midst of her by the sword on every side." There are no more any merchants worth mentioning here. In two or three shops, fishing-rods were exposed for sale, but there are no signs of trade. "Be thou ashamed, O Zidon; for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins." The city, and the sea that laved its walls, now lament the want of its once crowded and stirring population. It no more can boast of a king. "All the kings of Zidon" have been made to drink the wine-cup of God's fury, even as it was foretold.§ Before leaving the town, a Greek Christian, who acts as a consular agent, came to us, and advised us not to proceed, for a traveller had been killed by the Arabs the day before, three hours on the way to Tyre. We had no reason to suspect this person's veracity, and yet we hoped that his information might be untrue; and committing Qurselves to God, left the gate of Sidon an hour after noon. The gardens and groves that shelter the east side of the town, afforded a pleasant shade. Among some of these Abdolonimus may have been found by Alexander the Great; and there the rich merchants of Sidon enjoyed their wealth, and revelled in that luxury and ungodliness which made the Saviour fix on them as eminent instances of guilt, "It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you." ¶ Our way ay directly south, through the fine plain which stretches * Gen. xli. 42. Luke xv. 22. Isa. xxiii. 4. + Ezek. xxviii. 22. Justin. lib. x. cap. 10; and Quin. Curtius, lib. iv. cap. 1, § 19 |