word _vale_ in Josh. x. 40, xi. 16,
and elsewhere.) In Arabic authors also of Mohammedan period, this large
plain bears the same name, _Siphla_, meaning the same as in Hebrew, the
"low country."

Thus, as one expanse from the hills to the sea, it bears one territorial
name, either Philistine or Hebraic, just as another region is called the
_Negeb_, or south, (see in the verses referred to above,) or as others
were designated the hill country, or the desert, or Phoenicia. And many
a time have I stood on the summits of hills to the west of Bethlehem, the
eye ranging over its extent from the vicinity of Carmel to Gaza, with
Jaffa and Ekron in front, and have sometimes seen beyond this, ships of
large size sailing past on the "great and wide sea" of the 104th Psalm.

The ancient Philistines were not only exceptionally, but generally, a
large race of people, and the population there are to this day remarkably
tall; they are, even amid disadvantages, (that especially of want of
water,) much more cleanly in their persons and clothing than the peasants
of the hills, and many of their habits of life are modified by their
circumstances, such as the pressure of their wild Arab neighbours from
the southern desert that lies between them and Egypt.

Over this plain I have made several journeys at different periods, and
now proceed to put down my jottings of an excursion in the spring of
1849.

* * * * *

_May_ 1_st_.--"Sweet May-day" in the Holy Land as well as in England.

At Rachel's sepulchre, "in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem," we
parted from a company of friends who had ridden with us from Jerusalem,
and passed along the valley _Duhheish'mah_ to the Pools of Solomon, then
turned aside by the convent and village of _El Khud'r_ (or St George),
surrounded by flourishing vineyards. Then mounting up a stony ridge, we
came in view of the wide Philistine plain, the hills falling in
successive gradations from our feet to the level of the plain, but
separate objects could scarcely be distinguished on account of the thick
air of the prevailing Shirocco; green bushes, however, and abundant wild
flowers, including the red everlasting, pheasant's eye, cistus, and some
late anemones, were about us; the larks and the linnets were singing with
delight.

In front was the village of _Hhusan_, and two roads led forward, that on
the left to _Nahhaleen_, _Wad Fokeen_, and _Jeba'_; this was the road