have pressed farther east, and who have made
a careful study of the best preserved of these "rock cities" of Bashan,
tell us that everything about them is of stone-doors, gates, windows,
stairs, rafters, galleries, cupboards, benches, and even candlesticks.
So perfectly preserved are some of these "dead cities," that of one,
Salcah, Doctor Porter says that some five hundred of the houses are
still standing, and that "from three hundred to four hundred families
might settle in it at any moment without laying a stone or expending an
hour's labor on repairs." Of Beth-gamul another traveler says in part:
"The houses were some of them very large, consisting usually of three
rooms on the ground floor, and two on the first story, the stairs being
formed of large stones built in the house walls, and leading up
outside. The doors were, as usual, of stone; sometimes folding doors,
and some of them highly ornamental. I wandered about quite alone in the
old streets of the town--entered one by one the old houses, went
up-stairs, visited the rooms, and, in short, made a careful examination
of the whole place; but so perfect was every street, every house, every
room, that I almost fancied I was in a dream, wandering alone in this
city of the dead, seeing all perfect, yet not hearing a sound." Much of
the work in most of these cities is on such a large scale as to
indicate that the houses were built by, and intended for a race of
giants. When we think of these fortresses of strength defended by their
mighty occupants, and remember that they were probably in existence at
the time of the exodus of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, the
victories of Moses gained here become sublime.

We are nearing Mezarib. All forenoon has been consumed in covering a
distance of only about fifty miles. But by twelve o'clock we have
passed almost completely across the land where Og was king, especially
that part of his kingdom which, not long after being wrested from him
and his giant followers, was assigned to the eastern half-tribe of
Manasseh for a permanent possession.

Before leaving Beyrout my dragoman telegraphed to Jerusalem for a
muleteer and three horses to be sent to this railroad terminus. Must we
be disappointed in this! We are both solicitous. My guide is leaning
far out of the car window long before the train stops to learn, if
possible, whether or not his order has been obeyed. I watch that dark,
anxious, perplexed face with much solic