side, and Mr. Hendrix heard nearly every word from Mr. Samson, though the wind was adverse.

The narrative of the responsive reading of the blessings and curses here has been criticised as impracticable, but the fact demonstrates that it is not so. Whether it is the dense atmosphere of the narrow valley, or whether the rock walls of the mountains act as a sounding-board, I do not know; but I do know that the articulate utterances of the human voice reach out over this great space with astonishing distinctness. Before the reading began 1 conversed with both men as to the right position for them to occupy.

What a scene was that when all the congregation of the tribes was assembled here in this valley, “with the women and the little ones," and the officers and elders and judges stood some on this side and some on that, these shouting out the blessings in unison, and those the curses, all the people-three millions -shouting back with one voice, AMEN! See Deut, xxvii., xxviii., and Josh. viii. 30, 35.

After lunch Mr. Hendrix and Mr. Samson made the ascent of Mount Ebal to the top, while I rested in the tent, reading the word of God, meditating thereon. At the eleventh hour, promptly, we were at the Samaritan synagogue again. The worshipers were all men. They left their shoes in the court before the door. But few wore stockings, and all who did, but one or two, took them off. Most of them washed their feet before entering, for which purpose jars of water had been provided. Lamps were lighted within. We were told that chairs would be set for us inside if we chose to remove

our shoes, otherwise we should be placed conveniently before the door where we could witness every thing. We preferred the latter, as the weather was cool, and we were apprehensive of taking cold, not being accustomed to sit without shoes.

The service began twenty minutes after the time -a circumstance not unlike what I have known in Methodist Churches at home. It was unique, and not unimpressive. The high-priest stood in the recess, and when he intimated that the services had begun, all stood in perfect silence for five minutes, and then he recited a sentence, to which the congregation responded, and then all in unison kept up a sort of recitative service, broken at intervals by bowing until their heads touched the floor, always in the direction of the place where the Temple stood on Mount Gerizim. Then some one would repeat a sentence or two, when all would rise, and standing upright, commence again the same sort of recitative exercise as before. Several kept their voices at a high key, others kept to a low tone. They were evidently all using the same words, but not repeating sentences over and over. Some of the boys had books, but all the older men rehearsed without any such aid. Nearly all impressed me as being very much in earnest. One elderly man, however, came out and chatted with us a little, two or three times, dropping his worship meanwhile. He had visited England, could speak English a little, and seemed greatly disposed to be social. We discovered at last, though, that he had an eye to business, as he desired us to go to his shop and buy some of the prayer books, which we would probably have done if it had

not been on the Lord's-day. My conviction is that backsheesh is at the bottom of all the politeness shown to a man in this country.

The service continued for about forty minutes. Just at the close the high-priest held up the Book of the Law, which is much venerated by them. I understand they sometimes go forward and kiss it, but in this case they did not do so.

I do not know on what principle the priesthood is maintained among them, whether by hereditary right or by selection, nor do I know what the priest's duties are in detail, but he is supported by the old Jewish method of the tithe.

There were no women in the congregation-only men, but they impressed us as being intelligent, looking above the average of the people of this country. Their perpetuation is a phenomenon, on a smaller scale, as marvelous as the preservation of the Jews. The wonder is, that, since they exist at all, after so long a time, there should be so few of them, especially as they are perpetuated by natural increase.

I

CHAPTER XXX.

FROM NABLOUS TO TIBERIAS.

BELIEVE I omitted to state in the last chapter that the population of Nablous is estimated at about 13,000, and that it has a general air of prosperity above the average, perhaps, of Palestine towns. We broke up our camp there on Monday morning, April 16, and made our way northwest to the old city of Samaria, about three hours distant. It must be borne in mind that distances here are counted by hours, not miles. The country was never surveyed, so that no accurate estimate of the road is possible, but the travel by camel and donkey has been timed, and the native is at no loss to tell you the number of hours to any place. We came by a circuitous way, and were three hours on the road. In these mountain roads the hour is estimated. at about three miles. We supposed that the beeline would not exceed six or seven miles.

Samaria was not the only, but, I suppose, the principal capital of the Kingdom of Israel after the revolt of the ten tribes. Shechem seems to have been the chief seat of religion, and Jezreel was for a time the residence of the perverse King Ahab. At a later day Herod had a palace here, and expended vast sums in improving and ornamenting the place. As a capital it was in a well-chosen situation, being cen

tral to the territory to be governed, and surrounded by a beautiful and fruitful region.

As we approached it we observed a decided change, in some respects, of the country, though the general features remain the same. There are the same bold limestone mountains, innocent of forests, with the strata of rock disclosing their ledges almost everywhere, the prospect being relieved here and there by olive-groves and fig-orchards, with hedges, now and then, of enormous cactus-prickly pear. These features it has in common with the country farther south. But the valleys continue to increase in extent, there is more earth on the hillsides, with many instances of a grade adapted to easy cultivation, and above all, a good supply of water from springs and running streams. Much of the wheat in Judea is thin and small, but here it is, not always, but generally, thick set and vigorous.

But this year there has been a general failure of the latter rains. As a consequence, many fields are in pitiable case. Much grain is ready to die-especially such as is in stony places, where it has no deepness of earth. Even some of the most luxuriant crops are beginning to dry up before the grain. matures. Scarcity impends in consequence, and already the price of breadstuffs is up.

Besides the larger valleys, we observed as we approached Samaria, a great deal of terracing on the mountain sides, securing a large additional area. of cultivation. This adds much to the beauty of the country, both as the effect of terraced mountain. sides on the landscape is very pleasant, and as it secures a wealth of verdure where otherwise there