to represent to the pacha the outrageous conduct of the tyrant of Samaria, and in the ardent expectation that no further obstacle would occur to Christians in proceeding to and from Nazareth and the Holy City:-The result of my exertions will be afterwards described.

CHAP. IV.

FINAL DEPARTURE FROM NAZARETH.-SEPHOURY.-ARRIVAL AT ACRE.

HORRID

CRUELTIES

COMMITTED BY DJEZZAR,

THE FORMER PACHA. THE NOSE OF HIS MINISTER CUT OFF.

THE MURDER OF HIS WIVES.- MUTILATED OBJECTS TO BE MET IN THE STREETS. INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESENT PACHA'S PHYSICIAN. HIS RECITAL OF BARBARITIES. DJEZZAR'S DEATH. ACRE. CONVENT. - RUINS. - CONSULS. -VISIT TO MOUNT CARMEL. WHERE THE MAKING OF GLASS WAS FIRST DISCOVERED. CONVENT ON CARMEL.

RETURN TO ACRE. EXECUTIONER. PLACE OF DECAPITATION. RECEIPT OF FIRMAN FROM CONSTANTINOPLE. ROADS FROM ACRE TO JERUSALEM.

AFTER receiving a valedictory address from the monks, and having presented them with a sum for their poor, I finally left Nazareth, early in the morning, for the coast, accompanied by my servant and guide. I first skirted across part of the plain of Zebulun. Fifty thousand men of this district, expert in war, were part of those bands, ready armed, who came with a perfect heart to David at Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord.* Not a vestige remains of the populous and beautiful city which at one time stood here. One of the judges of Israel who had reigned ten years was interred here. We find that our Lord preached on its borders, which fulfilled the prediction of a prophet that the people in the "Land of Zebulun hath seen a great light." It is also alluded to in the song of Deborah as a place where

* 1 Chron. xii. 53.58. Judges, V. 18. + Judges, xii. 10, 11. f Isaiah, ix. 1, 2

Matt. iv. 15. 16.

those persons came forth who were distinguished for writing.* The country is extremely fertile, and a traveller acquainted with botany would find abundant occupation and delight in the endless variety of plants which grow on it. The prospect is extensive and delightful, and a partial view at the foot of the plain was unfolded of Cana, half enveloped in smoke. In passing along, I observed an uncommon number of hares skipping, and of game flying about. In some places in the east, it is a practice to let loose dogs on the young partridges which cannot take wing, bearing a strong reference to an expression in Scripture. +

I passed through Sephoury, once a chief city and bulwark of Galilee, and deemed impregnable, which was the birth-place and residence of Anna the prophetess, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, under which this district was comprehended, though it may be doubted if the Israelites were ever in possesssion of it. In the enumeration of the cities of Judah it is mentioned with Carmel under the name of Ziph‡; and David hid himself with the Ziphites in strong holds in the hill of Hachilah.§ It was a place of rendezvous for the armies during the crusades, and at a short distance is a celebrated fountain. It contains the ruins of a church erected to record the event, and there is also here an ancient aqueduct. Some of the soldiers of Napoleon (a name peculiarly odious in this part the country) were quartered in the village. After travelling through different narrow and dangerous passages and valleys, in a winding direction, until mid-day, a most beautiful and fruitful plain, with the ocean beyond it, opened, as it were, in a moment, upon my view at a place called Ebelin. It is twelve miles in length, twenty in breadth, and affords a very favourable spot for an encampment or general engagement. At the extremity of this plain stands Acre, close Josh. xv. 55.

* Judges, v. 14. +1 Sam. xxvi. 20. § 1 Sam. xxiii. 19. xxvi. 1—3.

of

to the sea, in a light sandy soil, containing a mixture of black vegetable mould; here I arrived about sunset, and having entered by the gate of Nazareth, just at the time it was about to be shut, I proceeded to the Franciscan con

vent.

The town, which is about twelve miles distant from Mount Carmel, extends along the edge of a bay, in the form of a bow, and contains a population of about ten thousand. It was originally called Accho*, signifying, in Arabic, sand exposed to the heat of the sun, and it is alluded to in sacred writ. The name Acre is evidently a corruption, and is preceded by the words "St. Jean," in consequence of the place having been given by Richard of England to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. The crusaders called it Acra, the Mahomedans Akka, and on bronze medals the name is observed to be AKH. At one period it received the name of Ptolemais, from one of the Ptolemies, kings of Egypt +, and was visited by the Apostles, particularly St. Paul, in the course of his voyage along that coast to propagate the faith. It is also previously mentioned as a haven of the sea and harbour for ships. When Christianity prevailed the city had a pacha, who inhabited a palace contiguous to a magnificent church, which was dedicated to the memory of St. Andrew, and situated on the west side, but of this no part remains. A few busts and relics of sculpture have been however discovered. During the time of the crusades it was the scene of a variety of most bloody contests, and the last place from which the Christians were driven. The order of the garter is supposed to have been first instituted by Richard I. of England at the siege of Acre; where he caused twenty-six knights who had assisted him, to wear thongs of leather about their legs. In 1291 the Saracens laid siege to it with thousands of cavalry and also of infantry, when the knights of Jerusalem defended it, but were * Judges, i. 31. +1 Macc. v. 15. 55. + Acts, xxi. 7.

overwhelmed by the superiority of numbers, and it was nearly destroyed. Since that period there has been no crusade, although several popes have attempted to stir up the Christians to such an undertaking. There were nine crusades. In 1759 a dreadful earthquake took place, and the following year five thousand inhabitants were swept off by the plague. It was to the gate of this city that Simon and his brother*, who had been sent to Galilee with eleven thousand men, after fighting many battles, pursued the heathen, slew three thousand, and took their spoils. Here the marriage of Cleopatra was celebrated with great glory.†

As Acre is the key, not only to all Galilee, but of the Holy Land in general, having the best port, and being strongly fortified, this may sufficiently account for the violent efforts which were made on the part of the French to get possession of it; in which they were, however, successfully repelled by British bravery and perseverance. It is remarkable that France and England should have disputed for the palm of victory on that very spot where they had once fought as allies. Nothing can be more distressing to the sight and revolting to human nature, than the number of deplorable objects to be met with here, whose faces have been disfigured by that implacable Herod, or tyrant of the day, who, while he lived, spread such dread and terror over this country. I speak of Hdjee Achmet, the former Pacha, or Djezzar, who made it

A purple land,

Where law secured not life!

and who appears to have taken for his model Mahomet the IId., by whom eight hundred thousand Christians, many of them entirely for his own amusement, were put to death. The appellation of Djezzar is synonymous with that of cutter or butcher, which he so justly merited from the frightful