CHAPTER V.

PALESTINE.

Jaffa-Lazarettos-Convents-The ancient Harbour-Gardens about Jaffa Plains of Sharon-Its verdure-Recollections on passing through it-Its atmosphere-Villages-Ramlah-Pilgrims-Convent of St. Nicodemus-The Martyr's Tower-Trade of the town-Monks-Proceed to Jerusalem-GoatsHill country of Judea-Sterility of Palestine-Beth-horon-Village of Jeremiah -The Terebinthine Vale-The Battle-field of Goliath-An Allegory-First view of the Holy City-The Latin Convent - The Hospicium-Father Benjamin-Visit to the Superior-His inquiries-Church of the Holy Sepulchre-Its outer court-Mohammadan Guards-Anointing stone-CalvaryThe place of the Cross-Altars-Emotion of the Pilgrims-The Holy Sepulchre-Its Pavilion-Description of the Tomb-Stations and holy placesPillar of Scourging-Singing-Louis Philip-Disgraceful conduct of the Friars -Recollections of the Crusades-Peter the Hermit-Exciting scenes in the church of the Sepulchre-Sensations produced by the place-The Holy FireIts late fatal result-Death of 300 pilgrims-A midnight scene in Jerusalem-An Armenian Bishop-The identity of the sacred places.

JAFFA, March, 1838.-We are now upon the borders of the Promised Land, eager to investigate its interesting localities; and, with the Scriptures as our guide, to enter upon it with all the fervour and devotion of pilgrims. After a night of the most fearful rolling, owing to a heavy ground swell, we awoke but little refreshed, and landed at an early hour. We were conducted to the English consul,

who was exceedingly civil and attentive to us; and he, with Signior Campanelli, procured mules, horses, and guides for our immediate departure for Jerusalem.

The town of Jaffa stands on a hill that rises abruptly from the sea, from which, at some distance, it has a very picturesque appearance; but, on closer inspection, the streets are found to be dirty and narrow. The quarantine establishment lately founded here under Signior Campanelli, is clean and well regulated; separate divisions, with a chapel attached to each, are allotted to the pilgrims of the several nations who visit this place, of whom the Greeks form the majority.

This Lazaretto is a new speculation got up by the convents at Jaffa, for before its erection, all the pilgrims were obliged to land at Beyrout to perform quarantine, and to proceed from thence by land to Jerusalem. The convents having represented this to Ibrahim Basha, and petitioned for leave to form an establishment here, they obtained permission to erect it. There are three convents in this place, Greek, Armenian, and Frank or Latin. We visited the latter, belonging to the Franciscans, and found its superior courteous and attentive. The monks are natives of Spain, and are supported principally by presents from Europe, as there is not now a sufficient number of Roman Catholic pilgrims visiting Jerusalem to support it and the other convents in the Holy Land. The chapel

THE PILGRIM'S FLAG.

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belonging to the convent is a neat little building, with some good Spanish paintings; from the roof and spacious terraces, we obtained a magnificent view of the port and harbour beneath, which was then crowded with numbers of Greek vessels freighted with pilgrims, having the five-crossed flag displayed by the Crusaders of old, flying at the main. This flag, which is white with five red crosses, said to be emblematic of our Saviour's wounds, is the principal one to be met with at this time of the year in the upper portion of the Levant, and is held under a warrant from the bishop of Jerusalem. In visiting the places here hallowed by tradition, we were shown, among others, the hole into which Napoleon threw some of the bodies of the unfortunate Turks whom he had massacred. It is a deep well, evidently of great antiquity, the upper portion consisting of a round collar of white marble, the inner edge worn into grooves by the friction of the ropes, similar to those found in Greece and at Pompeii. As this was no inconsiderable post during the days of holy warfare, it was well fortified, and several of the castles, works, and walls erected by the Crusaders, nearly similar in construction to those at Rhodes, yet remain.

The ancient harbour of this great sea-port of Judea is still traceable, and the rocks which formed the pier, rise high out of the sea, which breaks upon them with tremendous violence. This pier was evidently an artificial construction, and although

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THE ANCIENT HARBOUR.

no mortar was used in the building of it, yet the joinings have become filled up, and the whole forms a continuous mass, resembling that at Rhodes and Tyre, though it is much smaller than the latter. The ships of Solomon, at least those trading on the Mediterranean, could not, therefore, have been very large or numerous, or they would not have found accommodation in this harbour. As Jaffa was the only seaport of Judea, it may account in some measure for the small marine of the Israelites, who depended for their supplies more on their adventurous Tyrian neighbours than on a navy of their own. In common, however, with all the cothons of that era, it is now so filled up with sand, as only to allow an entrance to the small coasting craft. Trade was rather brisk at the time of our visit, and the place seems thriving. The imports were mostly pilgrims, and corn for the Basha's army; and the exports chiefly fruits from the neighbouring gardens. There is a good bazaar, and the gate, on the land side, is remarkably handsome, and beside it stands a noble Turkish fountain, formed of various coloured marbles, pouring forth jets of the purest water. It furnishes a good specimen of the gate of an eastern town, having within it the seat of judgment, as well as the receipt of custom, and was guarded by a strong military force, who formed a pleasing group as they surrounded its marble deewan.

Our party, which consisted of ten persons, all armed and accoutred, made a very formidable

GARDENS OF JAFFA.

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cavalcade as we left the town at about twelve o'clock at noon. For nearly two miles after leaving the town our road lay through the richest and most beautiful gardens of orange and lemon trees, then covered with fruit and flowers, and tall, waving cypresses, corals, and fragrant mimosas; intersected with enormous nopals or prickly pears, with the scammony in flower, twining through their invulnerable armour. These productions, as well as their exceeding beauty, have obtained for this verdant spot the appellation of the gardens of the Eastern Hesperides. The inhabitants of Jaffa, who, though mostly Christians, are dressed in the eastern costume, have bowers and summer-houses in these gardens; and as we passed, we observed them enjoying their sherbet seated in the cool shades of those lovely retreats. On the broad, sandy track that winds through this fertile spot we passed numbers of pilgrims hastening toward Jerusalem; with the wild Arab of the desert seated on his camel, and wrapped in the folds of his voluminous burnoose, looking down with disdain upon the richly caparisoned horse and glittering accoutrements of the Egyptian officer.

From hence to Ramlah our way lay through one of the most fertile and extensive plains we had yet beheld in the east. Although not a sixth part of this plain is cultivated, yet where it was tilled, the crops of corn which were about a foot high, looked most luxuriant. I do not think we passed a dozen head of cattle of any kind, but the monotony