the Jewish leader had his residence for a time. But in respect to the city Asochis, he is at a loss to decide whether it was at Tell el Bedawiych, "the Tell of the Bedwins," or at Kefr Menda, but inclines to the latter.

Continuing along the great plain of Esdraelon, our travellers ascended a tell regular in its form, with a flat summit, containing four or five acres, now covered with a fine crop of wheat, and called Tell el Mutsellim. The prospect from this tell is described as a noble one, embracing the whole of the glorious plain; than which there is not a richer upon earth. Zerin (Jezreel) was in view, as also the tell, on the south-east side of which stands Taannuk, the Taanach of Scripture. "As we stood upon the noble tell, with the wide plain and Taanach thus before us, we could not but feel that here had been the scene of the great battle of Deborah and Barak, 'in Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo.' A city situated either on the tell, or on the ridge behind it, would naturally give its name to the adjacent plain and waters, as we know was the case with Megiddo and Legio. The tell would, indeed, present a splendid site for a city; but there is no trace, of any kind, to show that a city ever stood there." This in face of the fact that the hill itself was a tell or mound; and Dr. Robinson does not say whether natural or artificial, whether a rock, or a mound of earth, or a heap of ruin. As a rule, the Arabs distinguish a mound as a tell, in contradistinction to Jebel, a hill. The whole of the mound may, indeed, be one mass of ruins. How much remains yet for the archæologist to do in the Holy Land-a region that may be said to have been as yet only traversed by the historical or comparative geographer!

A little beyond the head of the plain of Esdraelon our travellers came upon a green and well-marked tell, bearing the name of Dothan, at whose southern foot was a fountain called el Hufireh. "Here, then," exclaims the doctor, "was the ancient and long-sought Dothain or Dothan, where the sons of Jacob were pasturing their father's flocks when they sold their brother Joseph to the Ishmaelites of Midian, passing by on their way to Egypt." The well into which Joseph was cast by his brothers has hitherto been placed by tradition, handed down by the Crusaders, at the Khan called Khan Jubb Yusuf, or the Khan of Jacob's Pit; but it must now be identified with the fountain of el Hufireh. It is not a little curious that so interesting a site, and one so long lost, was discovered, a few days before Dr. Robinson visited it, by M. van de Velde. Rabbi Parchi (in Assher's Benjamin of Tudela) also noted the site correctly in the fourteenth century.

We now pass over a goodly tract of country, without any new indications, till we come to the further end of the plain of Nabulus, when we have Kefr Saba, the Antipatris of the New Testament, whither the Apostle Paul was sent off from Jerusalem by night, on the way to Cæsarea, in order to save him from a conspiracy of the Jews. Beyond this was Jiljulieh, which Dr. Robinson identifies with an ancient Gilgal, and with the Galgulis of Eusebius and Jerome, although that place is described as being six miles north of Antipatris, whilst Jiljulieh is south of Kefr Saba. But, says the doctor, "it may well be a question whether perhaps a slip of the pen may not have given rise to the reading north instead of south." A latitudinarianism in argument which we have often seen lead comparative geographers astray, although we certainly

have also seen modern authorities misrepresent east for west, and vice versa, by what has certainly been an unintentional lapsus.

Dr. Robinson got into old ground when on the plain selected by Richard of England as the place of his long encampment, and at the existing representatives of Bethannaba, Aijalon, and Nobe; yet is this a region scarcely ever visited by modern travellers. This time our explorer thinks he has recovered, in the same vicinity, the ancient Chephirah—a city of the Gibeonites, afterwards assigned to Benjamin; and after the captivity, again inhabited by the returning exiles. A more important identification was that of the ancient Emmaus, or Nicopolis, with the present Amwas, and which has hitherto been confounded with the fortress at el Latron. Here were two fountains, one of which, being thermal, was celebrated in the middle ages for its healing qualities. It was at Emmaus that Judas Maccabæus defeated the Syrian general Gorgias; and the same place, fortified by the Syrian Bachides, was burned by order of Varus. It appears to have received the name of Nicopolis when rebuilt by Julius Africanus, who flourished about A.D. 220.

A still more interesting question connected with this identification is, whether this Emmaus is the same as that which is noted for our Lord's interview with two of his disciples on the day of his resurrection. Hitherto this miracle has been associated with el Kubeibeh, on account of the distance given of sixty stadia from Jerusalem by Luke. But Dr. Robinson says that several MSS. read 160, and he gives many cogent reasons for the identity of the two Emmaus. It must be remarked, in favour of this identification, that Dr. Robinson failed in determining the site of the second Emmaus in his previous journeys, and that the word signifies "hot baths," such as are met with at Amwas. Tell el Latron, which has been confounded with Emmaus by the Crusaders and later travellers, was known in the sixteenth century as Castrum boni Latronis, from a legend which made it the birthplace of the penitent thief, and whence its present name. Dr. Robinson identifies Latron with Modin, the residence of the Maccabees. Passing hence Saris (anc. Sores), Kulonia (Koulon), and the convent of the Corro, our travellers entered Jerusalem by the Yafa gate at 7.55 on the 28th of April.

We shall not occupy ourselves here with discussions in reference to the topography and antiquities of the Holy City, as we intend to devote an article to that subject at an early opportunity. Our travellers left Jerusalem on their way to Beisan on the 16th of May. Crossing the ancient Scopus, whence Titus obtained his first view of Jerusalem, little of importance, and that was at the same time new, presented itself along this route. Mejdel, not far from Daumeh (Edumia), was supposed to be the Magdal-Senna of Eusebius and Jerome and Ain Tana, seen from the same spot, was identified with the ancient Thanath, or Thenath, of the same authorities. Yanon was another identification of equally slight import.

From Nabulus, Drs. Robinson and Eli Smith travelled in company with Mr. Van de Velde in search of Salim and the Aenon, close by where John is recorded as baptising. On this journey, besides several sites revisited that were identified on previous journeys, we have a long discussion as to the non-existence of two Succoths, and the claims of Sakut to represent the place where Jacob "built him a house, and made booths for his cattle." At Ain Makhuz an excursion was planned beyond the

Jordan, and "circumstances" adds the doctor, in a foot-note, "render it proper to say here, that Mr. Van de Velde accompanied us at our invitation. He had nothing whatever to do either with the plan, the arrangement, the expense, or the results of the excursion." The object of the expedition was, we are informed, to ascertain the distance between the ruins called Tubukat Fahil, described by Irby and Mangles as Jabesh Gilead, and thus determine whether the former are the remains of Pella. We accordingly turned to the pages of Van de Velde to ascertain the origin of this insinuation against a fellow-traveller, and we find that Mr. Van de Velde, in a letter dated Beisan, May 16th, says that the first thing he intimated to Dr. Eli Smith at their meeting at Nabulus was his intention to seek for the ruins of Pella. The result of the united labours was to identify ruins called ed Deir, or "the Monastery," with Jabesh Gilead; and as to Pella, Dr. Robinson says, "After completing our examination of the remains (at Tubukat Fahil, the terrace of Fahil'), I ventured to express to my companions on the spot the opinion, in which they concurred, that we were standing amid the ruins of the long-sought Pella. It is at such moments that the traveller has his reward."

Upon this subject Mr. Van de Velde says, "On rounding a hill, we saw the ruins of Pella at half an hour's distance to the south, and at once bent our steps towards them. We found ourselves among the veritable remains of an ancient and important city." This is very irreverent to the learned professor's subsequent pronunciamento, in which his companions concurred, that they were standing amid the ruins of the long-sought Pella; but the fact is, that they all appear to have entertained that opinion previously; and so it appears did also Kiepert, the map-maker of Berlin, who, according to Van de Velde, and by Robinson's own admission, proposed to identify the Tubukat Fahil with Pella in 1842.

Capernaum is still a disputed site. Dr. Robinson placed it in his former travels at Khan Minyeh; Dr. Wilson and Ritter identified it with Tell Hum. In this present work, the doctor, revisiting the spot, adduces further evidence in support of his first conclusion. It is important to remark on this discussion, that Quarresmius expressly states, that in his day the place called by the Arabs Minyeh, was regarded as marking the site of Capernaum. (Elucid. T. S. ii. p. 864.)

On his way from Hasbeiya, where the Americans have a missionary establishment, to Banias, Dr. Robinson visited Tell el Kady, which has been erroneously supposed to be the crater of an extinct volcano, and of the identity of which with Dan, the warlike colony of the Danites, "from Dan to Beersheba" denoting the whole length of the Promised Land, the doctor says there can be no question. This is, however, not a novel identification. Near to it is Difneh, probably the site of an ancient Daphne, mentioned by Josephus as near the source of the Lesser Jordan and the Temple of the Golden Calf.

The route from Banias to Damascus afforded much that was interesting in description, but little that is novel in sites. There were the lower ridges of Lebanon to cross; the temples of Thelthatha, of Rukhleh, and of Ashayir to measure; the valley of Wady et Teim to explore; the Jebel es Sheikh to ascend; and the approach to the city to describe. Damascus itself, of which, till the publication of the Rev. Mr. Porter's book, lately reviewed in these pages, we knew but very little indeed, is now doubly described, so much so as to leave in reality little to desire.

On leaving Damascus, Dr. Robinson visited the ruins of Abila, which have acquired some notoriety, from the recent attempt made by M. de Sauley to claim the site as a discovery of his own. The delusion, in itself of no importance whatsoever, obtained such from its having been argued that it was no delusion at all, and that the learned academician was as well aware of the site as others. Certain it is that the very inscription, which he believed never to have been published, appears in Dr. Wilson's book, as also in the Journal des Savans for March, 1827. The historical notices marshalled forth by Dr. Robinson would make of it one of the most marked places in the country in which it occurs.

The great point, and indeed the only site of importance discovered on the road from Damascus to Baalbek, was Chalcis, under Lebanon, which the doctor identifies with the ruins at Anjar. It is questionable even if this can be called a discovery, for a writer in the Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (art. Chalcis), after discussing the evidence in favour of there being two cities of that name, one of which is the wellknown Kinnisnir, south of Aleppo, suggests that the second may be perhaps at Majdel Anjar, where Abu-l-feda (Tab. Syriæ, p. 20) speaks of great ruins of hewn stones. This, however, apparently from Robinson himself (Biblioth. Sacr. vol. v. p. 90). At all events, we are indebted to the doctor for a minute description of the locality, of its great fountain and its intermitting spring, and also of the existing ruins.

On the way from Baalbek to El Husn, the position of a few unimportant sites marked in the Antonine Itinerary were also determined; the sources of the Orontes were examined; the site of ancient Ribleh, by some confounded with Antioch, was established; and some details, but not from personal examination, are given of the cities in Colo-Syria. Dr. Robinson is in error, however, when he says the first to discover and describe the extensive ruins of Apamea was Mr. Thomson, in 1846-a minute description of the existing ruins will be found in Ainsworth's Magazine, vol. vi., for 1844.

Lastly, it is suggested that the well-known fortress, El Husn, may be the Mamonga of Ptolemy; the entrance into Hamath is identified with the great depression between Lebanon and the Nusairiyeh mountains; Jisr el Abyad is supposed to represent Eleutherus; Arka and its tell, ancient Arca, seat of the Arkites; and Afka with Apheca, with its adjacent temple to Venus.

These constitute, we believe, apart from the many valuable and interesting descriptions of known sites, the chief new points determined by Dr. Robinson in this his last journey. Few, it will be seen, are of much real importance to Biblical geography, although some, as Dothan, Cana, Emmaus, and a few others, possess high claims to interest. The new sites determined amount, we believe, to some fifty-a noble monument to the perseverance and laborious travel of one man. But we do not hesitate to say that, when the same system of exploration shall have been introduced into the Holy Land that has been practised in Assyria and in Chaldea, and the numerous tells shall have been excavated and laid bare, a new era in Biblical archæology will be established. The success that attended upon the Rev. Mr. Porter's first attempts at such a mode of exploration at Tell al Salahiyah, near Damascus, is sufficient to attest this great fact.

THE MAGIC BELL.

FROM THE SWEDISH OF UNCLE ADAM.*

Master

THE memory of childhood is very retentive. I can even now recal, at any moment I please, the gardener at Mellingsta, Master Peter (I have forgotten his surname), in his white nightcap and his threadbare coat, just as he used to wander about the garden, or gaze in at the windows of the hot-house, to see if there were any melons or grapes. Peter was a person who particularly attracted my attention during my childhood; he was, I must tell you, the first scholar I had ever met. Pray do not laugh at the appellation scholar being applied to an old domestic ; would that all learned men had as little pretence about them as he had, and that they studied the face of nature with as honest and unprejudiced a spirit as he did.

His small neat cottage was situated in the garden, and looked upon the high road; and whenever Master Peter happened to see any poor boy loitering on the road, he used to tap on the narrow window-frames to call him, and welcomed the little wayfarer under his hospitable though homely roof. If the child were a beggar, he would give him food; if he were not hungry, he would treat his little guest to fruit, present him with flowers, and display to him the numerous curiosities which he had gathered during a long life, and had arranged in his study as, with a sort of childish pride, he named a small room with the windows facing the road. Here he had his scanty library, among which was conspicuous Euler's Letters in a gilded binding, an invaluable acquisition from the auction of a deceased nobleman; then came Cavallo on Etiquette, Thunberg's Travels, and Hoffberg's Flora-every one books that Master Peter considered classical.

Master Peter was an indefatigable observer of meteorological changes. He had found it necessary, in pursuing his calling, to study the weather, and to make himself acquainted with all its prognostics and signs; it was necessary he should know whether he ought to place mats over the hothouses, or whether he should water the cucumber-beds; hence his knowledge of the weather was for him indispensable. No one knew better than he how to discern the skies; no one understood better the difference between the pale red hue which betokens an approaching storm, and the more decided purple which announces fine weather. He also possessed instruments to facilitate his favourite study. He was the owner of a thermometer and a barometer, and considered so weatherwise in the neighbourhood, that he was looked upon as an oracle throughout the parish, the peasantry leaving their corn with perfect confidence in stacks upon the fields, as long as Master Peter did not prophesy rain; but if, after church on Sunday, Master Peter said, "We shall have rain before the week is out," far and near one saw the harvest being gathered in.

* "Uncle Adam" is the nom de plume of a popular Swedish author.