ields the people were industriously
clearing away stones--a sure symptom of peace, and consequent
improvement.

Crossed a valley named _Ma'kook_, and arrived at _Mukhinas_ (Michmash) in
less than two hours from Remmoon. Rested in the fine grove of
olive-trees in the valley on the north of the town for an hour. The
birds were singing delightfully, though the time was high noon, and our
horses enjoyed some respite from the sanguinary green flies which had
plagued them all the way from Remmoon; their bellies and fetlocks were
red with bleeding. In this matter I particularly admired the benevolence
of the slave Suliman. Yesterday, after a sharp run across a field,
perhaps in the vain hope of escaping the tormentors, he dismounted, and
the mare followed him, walking like a lamb. He then sat down to switch
away the flies, and rub her legs inwards and outwards. To-day he had
taken off his Bedawi kefieh, or bright-coloured small shawl, from around
his head, and suspended it between her legs, then, as he rode along, was
continually switching between her ears with a long bunch of the wild
mustard-plant.

On leaving Mukhmas in the hottest part of the day, we had to cross the
Wadi _Suaineet_, along which to our left appeared the northern extremity
of the Dead Sea. At a short distance down the valley there are
remarkable precipices on each side, which must be the Bozez and Seneh,
{207} renowned for the bold adventure of Jonathan and his armour-bearer,
and near these projections are some large old karoobah-trees.

Emerging upwards from this wadi one comes to _Jeba'_, (the Gibeah of
Saul, so often mentioned,) upon a table-land extending due east, in which
direction I visited, five years before, an ancient ruin, which the people
of Jeba' call _El Kharjeh_; it consisted of one principal building of
contiguous chambers, built of nicely squared stones, put together without
cement, like several of the remains at Bethel.

These stones are gray with weather stains, but seldom more than three
courses in height remain in their places, though in one place five.

From this site, as well as from Jeba', there is a very striking view of
the northern extremity of the Dead Sea.

The guide told us of a vast cavern in the Wadi Suaineet capable of
holding many hundred men, near to the above-mentioned karoobah-trees, and
therefore just the suitable refuge for the Israelites, (I Sam. xiv. 11,)
besides the Bozez and Seneh; and he told us that