do it properly. We
found, however, the letters PIVS . PONTI . . .--indicating the period of
the Antonines.

Next there met us a large party of gipsies--known, among other tokens, by
the women's black hair being combed, which that of the Bedawi women would
not be. What a motley meeting we formed--of Moslems, Greek-Church
dragomans, Protestants, and Fire-worshippers, as the gipsies are always
believed in Asia to be.

Among the oaks of gigantic size and enormously large arbutus, the effect
of our party winding--appearing and disappearing, in varied costumes and
brilliant colours--was very pleasing.

After a time we reached some fine meadow land, on which were large flocks
of sheep belonging to the Beni Hhassan, whose tents we saw not far
distant. The black and the white sheep were kept separate from each
other.

And then appeared, in succession to the right and left, several of the
rude erections, resembling the Celtic cromlechs, or _cist-vaens_, above
alluded to, from Irby and Mangles.

[Picture: Erection resembling cromlech]

Our guides told us that they abound all over the hills. All that we saw
were constructed each of four huge slabs of brown flinty-looking stone,
forming a chamber--two for sides, one at the back, and a cover over all,
which measured eleven feet by six. Their date must be long anterior to
the Roman period. They are manifestly not Jewish, and consequently are
of pagan origin. Are they altars? or are they of a sepulchral character,
raised over the graves of valiant warriors, whose very names and
nationality are lost? or do they indeed partake of both designs--one
leading easily to the other among a superstitious people, who had no
light of revelation?

My persuasion is that they were altars, as they seldom reach above four
feet from the ground; and if so, they would serve to show, as well as the
uprights forming a square temple by the sea-side, between Tyre and Sidon,
that not in every place did the Israelites sufficiently regard the
injunction of Deut. xii. 3, to demolish the idolatrous places of worship.
{65}

Our road gradually ascended for a considerable time, till we attained the
brow of an eminence, where our woody, close scenery suddenly expanded
into a glorious extent of landscape. Straight before our eyes,
apparently up in the sky, was old Hermon, capped with snow. About his
base was a hazy belt; below this was the Lake of Gennesaroth; and nearer
still was