feet in length, (in part perhaps a terrace,) are the foundations of a round tower. Among the ruins adjacent to the large reservoir, are bevelled stones and the small tesserae of Mosaic work. The present name of the site is Sto'bal. Josephus. This burial-place of Herod was the last spot which we examined; and I cannot here take leave of Josephus, our travelling companion, without a testimony of my confidence in him as an historian. On some points, especially in respect to dimensions and distances, he has given only estimates, often imperfect and loose. But in the particulars in which I have had occasion to compare and prove him, I have been impressed with his general accuracy. And my surprise is, that under the circumstances in which he wrote, he should have produced so faithful a narrative.' "We had some discussion, whether the description of Masada by Josephus was that of an eye-witness. Its general accuracy seemed to require such a supposition; but as the principal theatre of his own actions was in the north, my companion thought we had no right to send him south without more decisive testimony. I afterwards noticed, that in speaking of Lot's wife and the pillar of salt, he says that he had himself visited the monument. This left no doubt on either of our minds, that he had seen Masada, and that his statements respecting it were founded in a great measure on personal observation. Returning through Beit Ta'mar to Bethlehem, we reached Jerusalem a little after noon, March 17th." VI. FROM JERUSALEM NORTHWARDS TO BEIRUT. About a fortnight after his return from Sebbeh, Mr. Wolcott left the Holy City for Beirût. His route varied from ours in several important points, especially between Samaria and Nazareth, and from Safed to Sidon. The account of this journey is perhaps more exclusively and minutely topographical than most readers would desire; yet, besides the matters of interest everywhere interspersed, the information which it affords is highly important in See the similar remarks, Bibl. 2 Joseph. Antiq. I. 11. 4. Res. I. p. 415. itself, as affording materials for filling out the map of Palestine, and for correcting in several particulars that given in the Biblical Researches. The narrative is in his own words, addressed as before, to the Rev. E. Smith. BEIRUT, May 13, 1842. "On my route hither, it was a leading object with me to secure guides at the different stages, who were well acquainted with the country; and this I did at some extra trouble and expense. I took the same bearings with yourself only in two or three instances; and those probably not in the same position. A few only need explanation; which is given in the notes. I was much impressed, throughout the journey, with the accuracy of your bearings. "In every instance, here as elsewhere, in which I could not procure the Arabic orthography of a name as written by intelligent natives, I have given it as doubtful. "April 1st. Left Jerusalem at two P. M. on horseback, to return to Beirût; and passing Bireh and Beitîn, reached 'Ain Yebrûd at 6.30. The situation of this place is fine, encompassed on every side by fertile vallies; but the surrounding hills cut off the prospect, except towards the west.' April 2d. Leaving 'Ain Yebrûd at 7.20, and crossing circuitously N. N. E. its northern valley, I reached in half an hour a ridge; whence I saw the large foundations of a ruined fortress on a neighbouring hill, of which I could here learn no other name than el-Burj, but afterwards heard also the name el-Burj 'Azzil. Descending the deep valley along its eastern base, I passed the ruins in twenty minutes; and in ten more crossed the Wady el-Jib running under its northern base, and ascending a branch of it reached, at 8.35, 'Ain Harâmîyeh in a narrow but pleasant valley. Connected with this fountain is a large ruined reservoir, built with stones rudely bevelled. This could never have been the site of a town; and I could only connect the work with the castle above mentioned, which was still in sight, bearing S. 33° W. "At 9.05 the path left the deeper branch of the Wady here ' From 'Ain Yebrud, Kefr 'Ana, a ruin, bore N. 28° E. Arnûtieh N. 860 W. Dûrah N. 84° W. Jufna (direction) N. 68° W. Bir Zeit N. 64° W. 'Ain Sînia N. 28° W. 'Atâra N. 25° W. 2 Here Yebrûd bore N. 51° W. 'Atâra N. 45° W. el-Burj N. 25° W. coming down from the east; and ascending north I passed in ten minutes the small village et-Tell on the left, and reached at 9.30 the watershed in an open country. Descending now gradually, I soon came to Wady Sinjil, east of the village; and proceeded directly to Seilûn (Shiloh), which I reached at 10.15. The adjacent vallies were now green, and the situation pleasant; and I have since observed in turning over Josephus, that he says the tabernacle was pitched in Shiloh because of the beauty of its situation." Passing up N. E. and N. through the valley in which are the excavated sepulchres and the fountain, I came in half an hour to a fine tract of table-land or ridge, on which lies the village Kŭriyût five minutes towards the west. The place is small, with no very definite traces of antiquity." “A leading inquiry with me on this route was for the site of Alexandrinum, one of Herod's celebrated fortresses; which, according to Josephus, was on a high hill and near Coreæ. Assuming the identity of the latter with this village, I made a particular investigation in the vicinity; but ascertained nothing which corresponded with the account. I then asked the inhabitants, if there was no tradition among them of an ancient fortress built on a neighbouring hill. They at once named the ruins I had passed more than two hours before, which they called Burj 'Azzil, and said they knew of no more. As I could hear of no other remains, and was aware of no other ancient castle in this direction, it seems not improbable that this may prove to be Alexandrinum. The identity did not occur to me in passing, or I could easily have examined it. Some traces of that fortress would be likely to exist, as it appears to have been twice rebuilt. The two sons of Herod, after their mock trial at Beirût, were taken to Sebustieh and strangled, and See the note of the same route, Bibl. Res. III. pp. 82, 83.-For Seilûn, see ibid. p. 85 sq. 2 Jos. Ant. V. 1. 19. The identity of this place with the Corea (Kogiai) of Josephus, is suggested Bibl. Res. III. p. 83. n. 3.-Here Sinjil bore S. 42° W. Abu el-'Auf S. 56° W. Sheikh Suleiman el-Farsy, a commanding Wely, N. 2140 W. The direction their bodies carried in the night to Alexandrinum.' We should naturally perhaps look for it further to the north. 2 "From Küriyût I set off at 12.05, curving N. E. across the deep Wady Khulil running west below the place, and reached at 12.30 the opposite ridge. Descending now N. W. at one o'clock I came to the deep bed of Wady Rûmeh running west below the village Telfit on the south; and in five minutes more reached the opposite summit. Leaving the village Kubalân on the right after five minutes, and descending N. N. W. steeply, I entered at 1.30 the broad basin of Wady Yetma running S. W. The course was now N. ascending and passing some small ruins on the left, and brought me at 1.50 to the watershed. From this the route again descended N. W. and at 2.10 struck and followed N. and N. W. the bed of Wady esh-Sha'ar, until it entered el-Mukhna, the large plain adjacent to Nâbulus. I was opposite to Hawâra at 2.45; having passed Beita on the right and 'Ain Abûs on the left. At 3.15, opposite the white Wely Abu Isma'il, my path was a quarter of a mile E. of the direct road from Sinjil. The two unite at the fountain in the valley of Nâbulus; mine entering the valley at its mouth along the bottom. 66 April 3d. I ascended Mount Gerizim in company with several of the inhabitants, who were familiar with the country around, and gave me the names of all the villages in sight. I took my position near the S. E. corner, which commanded the view of the greatest number. On the N. E. corner, at some distance from the principal foundations, were the ruins of a fortress, which I did not examine, but which they said was once important. I took here many bearings, which are given in the note. 1 Joseph. Antiq. XVI. 11. 7. J. I. 27. 6. B. From this ridge, Jâlûd bore S. 39° E. Kuriyût S. 40° W. Telfit N. 50° W. Suleimân el-Farsy N. 28° W. 3 From this summit, Kübalân (five minutes below) bore N. 5° E. Telfit due S. Kuriyût S. 2° W. Suleiman el-Fârsy N. 29° W. From Wady Yetma, Kubalân bore S. 39° E. Yasûf N. 88° W. Yetma N. 85° W.-[Of this valley, Wady Yetma, we were unable to learn the name; see Bibl. Res. III. p. 91, 92.-ED. 5 From this point, Kuriyût bore S. 7. E. Suleiman el-Fârsy N. 33° W. "Bearings from Mount Gerizim, S. E. corner: Sitty Salamîyeh, on the side of Mount Ebal, bore due N. (This is the Wely of a Muslim female saint, who is said to have come from Egypt, and now gives name to the mountain.) Summit "I examined the three sources from which Nâbulus is supplied with water. The Nahr Kuriyûn gushes out a copious stream in the upper part of the town, and is covered with a large dome, with a descent to the water by steps. The Râs el-'Ain issues from a gap in the mountain, about a hundred rods S. from the west end of the city; and the water is conveyed from it by an aqueduct. Below this, just within the city, is 'Ain el-'Asal. These are all distinct. I was assured that there is no well within the town, as stated by Buckingham. April 4th. Having secured a guide who was well acquainted with the country, I left Nâbulus at half-past six o'clock, proceeding down the valley. At 7.40 I reached the first gentle ascent towards Sebŭstieh,' and at 8.20 came to the eminence which commands a view of that place. Half an hour more brought me to the site; and, after examining the remains, I ascended the summit west of the village, and from the highest point took the bearings given in the note.3 of Mount Ebal N. 6° E. Tûbâs N. Scholz and Berggren, a name which we did not hear; see Bibl. Res. III. p. 103. n. 4.-ED. A 1 From this point, Zawata bore N. 88° E. Beit Üzin S. 18° E. Juneid S. 16° E. Beit Iba S. 5° W. Beit Sid N. 7040 W. 2 From this hill, Beit Üzin bore S. 23° E. Juneid S. 224 E. Beit Îba S. 17° E. Surra S. 9 W. Keisîn S. 33° W. Deir Sheraf S. 44° W. Kûr S. 79° W. Kefr Lebad N. 58° W. Râmîn N. 54° W. 3 Bearings from Sebŭstieh: Burka N. 12° E. Ibâb, (a Wely above Burka, name doubtful,) N. 19° E. Beit Imrin N. 61° E. Nâkûrah S. 36° E. Juneid S. 1940 E. Surra S. 3° W. Deir Sheraf S. 7° W. Keisin S. 15° W. Kuryet Jit S. 21° W. Kûr S. 68° W. Sefârîn S. 79° W. Kefr Lebad N. 72° W. Râmîn N. 67° W. These bearings, as compared with those in the Biblical Researches (III. p. 144, n. 3), require some explanation. Tûl Keram, of which it is intimated in Kiepert's Memoir (p. 49) that the name may have been applied to a wrong place, was not visible on the |