the N.N.E. from Safed.

In an hour we obtained a grand view of Hermon just opposite to us, and
never lost sight of it till our return. Passed between the villages of
_Dilathah_ on the right, and _Taitaba_ on the left; the country is all
strewn with volcanic basalt. In another half-hour we had _Ras el Ahhmar_
on our left. Then _Farah_ and _Salhhah_ at some distance to the left,
and _Alma_ just before us. The volcanic brown stones had on them
occasionally a thin lichen of either orange colour, or a sour pale green,
like verdigris.

About this village were women and children gathering olives from the
trees--first beating the boughs with poles, then picking up the fruit
from the ground.

The small district around here is named "the Khait," and the people boast
of its extraordinary fertility in corn-produce.

Down a steep descent of white limestone, where it is said the torrents
are so strong in winter that no one attempts to pass that way. Rising
again, we found near the summit of the opposite hill a spring of water,
from which some Bedaween women were carrying away water in the common
fashion, in goat-skins upon their backs. They were young, pretty, dirty,
and ragged. Of course their rags were blue, and their lips were coloured
to match.

Pleasant breeze springing up after the heat of the day. Corn stubble on
the fields, and fine olive plantations, as we got near to Kadis, our
place of destination; with such a wide clear road up to it, as might seem
to be traditionally preserved as such from ancient times, if the Talmud
be relied upon when it gives the legal width of various kinds of roads,
and prescribes twice as much for a highway towards the cities of refuge,
as for any other description of road. {109}

The scenery around Kadis is cheerful, but the village itself consisted of
only about half-a-dozen wretched houses. In passing by these, towards an
orchard at the farther side, we saw some large ancient sarcophagi,--three
of them lying side by side, but broken, and some capitals of columns.

After selecting our site for the tents, and setting the cook to work in
his peculiar vocation, not forgetting to see that the horses were being
attended, we procured a guide to conduct us down the hill to the
antiquities.

There are still evidences remaining that the old city had been wealthy
and celebrated--squared stones lying profusely about. At the spring of
water: this was received into an embellished sarcopha