Haifa, or life in modern Palestine

Preface

. The expectations which have been excited in the minds of men by the prophecies contained in Scripture, and the hopes which have been roused by them, have eA^er invested Palestine Avith an exceptional interest to Biblical students ; while its sacred conditions, historical associations, and existing remains prove an attraction to crowds of pilgrims and tourists, who annually flock to the Holy Land. As, hoAvever, the impressions of a resident and those of a visitor are apt to differ widely in regard to the conditions which actually exist there, and the former has opportunities of researches denied to the latter, I have ventured to think that a series of letters originally addressed to the New York Sun, and extending over a period of three years passed in the country, might not be without interest to the general reader.

Many of these will be found to deal chiefly with archæological subjects, \Aahich must, indeed, form the main sub ject of attraction to any one living in the country, and conversant Avith its history. A flood of light has been throAvn of recent years upon its topography, its ancient sites, and the extensive ruins Avhich still exist, to testify to its once teeming population, by the prolonged and valuable researches of the " Palestine Exploration Fund " of London.

PREFACE.

. As, however, these are embodied in volumes so ex pensive that they are beyond the reach of the general public, and are too technical in their character to suit the taste of the ordinary reader, I have in many instances endeavored to popularize them, aATailing myself extensive ly of the information that they contained, and quoting freely such passages as tended to the elucidation of the subject under consideration, more especially with regard to recent discovery at Jerusalem. The experience and investigation of the last three years, howeA^er, has only serATed to convince me that the field of research is far from being exhausted, and that, should the day ever come AA-hen excavation on a large scale is possible, the Holy Land will yield treasures of infinite interest and value, alike to the archæologist and the historian.

Haifa, 1886. CONTENTS. PAGE 1NTE0DUCTI0N VU A Visit to Ephesus 1 The Ruins op Athlit 6 A Jewish Colony in its Infancy 11 The Temple Society 17 The Temple Colonies in Palestine 22 Exploring Mount Carmel 27 The Valley op the Martyrs 33 The Rock-hewn Cemetery op Sheik Abreik 38 Easter among the Melchites 43 The Jewish Question in Palestine 48 "Holy Places" in Galilee 53 Progress in Palestine 59 The First Palestine Railway 63 Saped 68 Meibon 72 The Feast of St. Elias 77 A Summer Camp on Caemel 82 The Druses of Mount Caemel 87 Exploration on Carmel 93 A Place Famous in Histoey 98 The Babs and their Peophet 103 An Ancient Jewish Community 108 Domestic Life among the Syeians 114 Fishing on Lake Tibeeias 119 A Visit to the Sulphue Speings of Amatha 125 Exploration op the Valley of the Yaemuk 130 exploeation on the yaemuk 135 A Druse Religious Festital 139 The Great Festival of the Deuses 145 Hattin and Irbid 152 The Jewish Feast of the Burning at Tibeeias 157 House-building on Caemel 162 Domestic Life Among the Deuses CONTENTS.

VI PAGB Ciecassian Highwaymen. — A Deuse Festival at Elijah's Altae 173 Aemageddon.— Tite Bosnian Colony at Cæsaeea 178 Cæsaeea 186 Village Feuds 192 The Aeistoceacy of Mount Caemel 198 The Jordan Valley Canal 204 Local Politics and Progress 208 The Identification of Ancient Sites 213 The Sea of Galilee in the Time op Cheist 218 The Scene op the Mibacle op the Five Loaves and Two Small Fishes 223 Capeenaum and Choeazin 228 Discoveey op an Ancient Synagogue 233 Characteristics of the Ruins op Synagogues 239 A Night Adventure Near the Lake of Tiberias .... 244 Khisfin 250 Further Exploeation and Discoveey 256 The Place where the Saviour Sent the Evil Spirits into TnE Herd of Swine 262 The Rock Tombs op Palestine 268 General Gordon's Last Visit to Haifa 274 The Convent of Carmel versus The Town of Haifa . . . 281 j Progress even in Palestine 285 The Recent Discovery of Gezer 290 Teaditional Sites at Jerusalem 296 Traditional Sites at Jerusalem.— Contin ued 303 Progress in Jerusalem 309 The Three Jerichos 319 -; Modern Life in Palestine 325 Rambles in Palestine 332 Explorations in Palestine 339 Sacred Samaritan Records 345 The Ten Lost Tribes 352 Researches in Samaria 358 A Druse Father's Vengeance