hen under
the village of _Jahharah_, where were charcoal burners working at their
kilns.

The scene opened into verdant glades, alternated with woodland; the
breathing most pure as exhaled from trees upon firm dry ground,
contrasted with the noxious vapours from the marshes in the early
morning.

Flocks and shepherds appeared, and there was the sound of the axe busy in
the woods; not the ringing sound of the bright large English axe, this
being wanted in the stroke of the petty Oriental tools.

As evening drew on, and broad shadows fell from green hills across our
way, Tibneen Castle came nobly into view, and there a goodly reception
awaited us. A strange medley of splendour, with fleas and dust, obtained
throughout the establishment, and our ladies visited those of the
Hhareem, concerning whom they brought back no agreeable report.

We remained over two nights at Tibneen; the latter of which was,
throughout its whole duration, one of furious storm, rattling the wooden
lattices that served for windows; a storm not uncommon in the East, when
an adverse wind meets and drives back a strong shirocco. At daybreak the
first sound of the morning was that of a large trained hawk near the
window, chained to his perch, and screaming out his delight in the
bluster of the tempest. Mount Hermon appeared, not in his summer glow,
but in solemn majesty, defying the clouds and the winds that raged in
vain against his solid substance.

Our progress was thence towards Safed, which, however, we did not reach
in less than eleven hours and a half, instead of six, because of our
circuit made to see the antiquities of Kadis and Cuf'r Bera'am.

Turning off before Bint el Jebail, we came to _'Ain Atha_, and next to
_Aituran_. At Kadis (Kedesh Naphtali) I found that much of the principal
and beautiful temple had been lately despoiled by our late host of
Tibneen ('Ali Bek) for the ornamentation of his Hhareem or women's
apartments, and balconies or galleries. Then to _Yaroon_, near which was
still the ponderous sarcophagus upon a platform in the open country, and
likely to stay there for ages to come. It is too plain and devoid of
ornament or inscription for antiquarians from Europe to covet it, and to
remove it for no particular use would demand too much exertion from the
natives of the country. My groom, however, thought it might be useful as
a depository of barley in the stable!

We overtook a party of Safed people returning from