ze over the landscape of
Benjamin, with a deep valley sinking in immediate front, only to rise
again to the greater height of Nebi Samwil and a landscape view extending
as far as the rock Rimmon, which stands in pyramidal form upon the
horizon.

There are, however, several ancient and biblical sites known to exist
within that circuit that are not visible from either of those stations,
and only to be perceived on reaching the places themselves. For
instance, Bait Hhaneena of Nehemiah xi. 32.

There is _'Adasa_, the scene of a great victory gained by Judas
Maccabaeus over the mighty host of Nicanor; this I discovered from the
peasants ploughing one day, while resting after a gazelle chase. It is
not far from Gibeon. "So Nicanor went out of Jerusalem, and pitched his
tents in Bethhoron, where an host of Syrians met him. But Judas pitched
in Adasa with three thousand men. . . . So the thirteenth day of the
month Adar [_i.e._ on the eve of Purim] the hosts joined battle: but
Nicanor's host was discomfited, and he himself was first slain in the
battle . . . . Then they pursued after them a day's journey, from Adasa
unto Gazera, sounding an alarm after them with their trumpets," (Macc.
vii. 39-45,) _i.e._ a day's journey for an army, perhaps, that day's
journey after fighting; for it is a pleasant ride with respect to
distance, as I proved by riding to _Jadeerah_, passing through Beer
Nebala.

And on another day's expedition alone, I was riding near 'Anata
(Anathoth) eastwards from the village, thinking over the faith of the
prophet Jeremiah, in purchasing a family estate, the future occupation of
which was contrary to all human probability, and after recounting to
myself the cities of Benjamin allotted to the priests, as Anathoth, (to
which the treasonable priest Abiathar belonged, 1 Kings ii. 26,) Gibeon,
and Geba, wondering what had become of the fourth city Almon, (Josh. xxi.
17, 18,) I came up to a hill on which appeared some remains of an ancient
town; there my horse carried me up the steep side, and while passing
among the lines of foundations on the summit, a peasant who joined me
said the place was called _'Alman_. Some time afterwards, I was riding
on the other side of the same hill, in the direction of _Hhizmeh_, (the
Az-maveth of Neh. vii. 28, as I suppose,) when a peasant informed me that
the place on the hill was named _Almeet_. This corresponds to the other
name of the town as given in 1 Chron. vi. 60