We--starting upon our last day's journey together--passed over wide
fields of wheat-stubble. On coming near the village of _Samma_, the old
shaikh came out to welcome us, and inquire if his place is written in the
books of the Europeans. On examining our maps, one of our party found it
in his; and the rest promised the friendly old man that his village
should be written down.

Proceeding through a green and rocky glen, between high hills, with a
running stream, the weather was exceedingly hot. Here our party
divided,--ourselves advancing towards _Umm Kais_; while the baggage and
servants turned to the left, so as to cross the Jordan by the bridge _El
Mejama'a_ for Tiberias. The principal intention of this was for the
property to avoid the chance of falling into the hands of the Beni
Sukh'r. Shaikh Yusuf now showed the relief from his mind by beginning to
sing. This was all very well for him, who had nothing to lose; because,
as it was said long ago--

"Cantabit vacuus coram latrone viator."

After wandering round and around, we descended into _Wadi Zahari_, "the
flowering valley," where, by the water-side, were reeds and oleanders
forty or fifty feet high; and near them we observed a pear-tree and a
fig-tree, all alone and deserted, the remains of former cultivation.
This and other previous instances attest the risk that attends rural
labour in that district, being in the immediate vicinity of the Bedaween,
and the utter mockery of nominal Turkish rule. Here we filled our
leathern water-bottles, (called _zumzumia_ in the Desert, and _mattara_
by towns-people,) and climbed up a stony hill, the heat of the day
increasing. No path among the rocks, and all of us angry at Shaikh Yusuf
for saving himself the few piastres by conducting us among such
difficulties.

Then, after some time we perceived ourselves to be near Umm Kais, by the
sarcophagi, the sepulchres, and ruts of chariot-wheels upon the rocks.
We rushed up to a large tree for refreshing shelter, and near it found
numerous sepulchres, highly ornamented, and some of them with the stone
doors remaining on the hinges, which we swung about to test the reality
of their remaining so perfect, (figs. 1, 2, 3.)

Among these was the one remarked by Lord Lindsay in his Travels, bearing
a Hebrew name inscribed in Greek letters, but which he has not

[Picture: Fig. 1]

given quite correctly. It should be _Gaanuiph_ instead of _