alls of great
thickness, the levelled surface on the summit had been probably all
occupied by one castle with its outworks, but we saw it yellow with a
ripe crop of barley. This place is _Hurbaj_, and the neighbourhood
abounds with destroyed villages, the natural consequence of being so near
to Acre, and being the _paloestra_ or wrestling ground of great nations
in successive ages.

We arrived at Acre in exactly twelve hours from Jeneen, and pitched the
tents outside upon a bank between two trenches of the fortification,
commanding extensive views in every direction, and were fanned by sea
breezes from the bay.

In conclusion, I may observe that the plain called by the Greeks
_Esdraelon_, as a corruption of Jezreel, is that named "Megiddo" in Old
Testament Scripture. In the New Testament it bears the prefix of the
Hebrew word _Har_ (mountain) minus the aspirate, being written in Greek,
and so becomes "Armageddon" in the book of Revelation.

For topographical reasons it is very likely that the city of Megiddo was
at Lejjoon. There is a village of _Mujaidel_ on the north side of the
plain, not far from Nazareth, but this is a diminutive of the Arabic
_Mejdal_, so common in Palestine as a variation from the Hebrew Migdol.

* * * * *

Besides the above journey I made an excursion in 1859 on the summit of
Carmel itself.

Leaving the Convent, which is at the western termination of the mountain,
we proceeded along the top of its main ridge to the opposite extremity,
the _Mohhrakah_, undoubtedly the locality of Elijah's miraculous
sacrifice in presence of King Ahab with the priests of Baal and of the
groves; thence we returned to encamp for a time at the cleanly Druse
village of _'Esfia_; after which a few hours' ride westwards led us by
the village of _Daliet el Carmel_, {238} also inhabited by Druses, to the
romantic _'Ain ez Zera'ah_ and over the sites of ruined places,
_Doomeen_, _Shelaleh_, and _Lubieh_, where the hewn stones lying
scattered over the ground were indications of much better buildings than
those of modern villages.

Then down the long and wearisome descent to _Teeri_ on the sea-coast
south of Caiffa.

For topographical purposes chiefly, let me give an outline of a few other
journeys made about the same neighbourhood.

1. FROM SAFED TO CARMEL.

_Sept._ 1846.

Going in the direction of the sea, t