the incursions of the Saracens. It was given into the custody of the Knights Templars, and remained in their hands until besieged by Saladin in person, after the fatal battle of Hattin, which broke for ever the Christian power in that country. It was then so strong, that although the Sultan pressed the siege himself by night and day, it cost him five weeks to reduce it. Safet now continued half a century in the hands of the Moslems, who in A. D. 1220 caused the fortress to be dismantled. Twenty years after, it was ceded again by treaty to the Christians, and through the energetic assistance of Benedict, Bishop of Marseilles, was rebuilt by the Templars so as to be considered impregnable. But the tenure of their power was very brief, for in 1266 the place was attacked by the impetuous and ferocious Bibars, Sultan of Egypt, and the Christian garrison, to the number of two thousand men, obliged to capitulate, were put to death, with every circumstance of atrocious cruelty. Bibars now repaired and strengthened the place, establishing a Moslem colony around it, and Safet was regarded as the bulwark of all Syria. Since this time it has gradually fallen into decay, and is now a mere ruin, an eloquent memorial of the crusading ages.

Crouching around the massive relics of this memorable fortress are seen the white houses of the town, which, owing to the steepness of the ground, are in some places built one above another, so that the roofs of those below serve as the roadway to those above. It is divided into three distinct quarters, one of them inhabited by the Jews, who regard this as one of their holiest places in Palestine, and had here formerly a celebrated school of rabbinical learning; although it does not appear that their location in it is of very ancient date. The fifteenth century seems to have been the period of its highest prosperity, since which time it has gradually declined, although the Jews still, even in their present condition of poverty and dependence, haunt the spot in considerable numbers.

Safet had been already desolated by an earthquake in 1759,

!

DESTRUCTION BY AN EARTHQUAKE.

211

when, on the 1st of January, 1837, it was a second time overwhelmed by a similar terrific convulsion. Vast yawning fissures opened in the hill-side, the greater part of the castle was shaken down, and the entire town was overthrown. Owing to the terracelike manner in which the houses were built, those above were thrown upon those below, and so frightful was the destruction of life, that of six thousand people, five thousand perished; fourfifths of the unhappy sufferers being Jews. Some were killed at once, others lingered in horrible suffering among the ruins, till their protracted agonies were terminated by mortification.

The scene as described by eye-witnesses was dreadful beyond description. Yet here, as at Tiberias, the Jews were beginning to rebuild their fallen houses over the spot where their unhappy relatives had perished, and it seemed as if, oblivious of this fearful catastrophe, the place would ere long assume its wonted appearance.

At Safet we were delayed an entire day before we could proceed. Provided with a strong firman from the Egyptian government, enjoining the local authorities to furnish us with horses and procure us lodgings, it was still no easy matter to get forward. Such requisitions are still as odious as they were in the days when our Saviour made allusion to them. At that time, as Mr. Sharpe informs us, "every Roman officer, from the general down to the lowest tribune, claimed the right of travelling through the country free of expense, and seizing the carts and cattle of the villagers to carry him forward to the next town, under the pretence of being a courier on the public service. The temper of the peasants was sorely tried by this tyranny; and difficult would they have found it to obey the command, 'Whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him twain.' At length, with considerable difficulty, fresh horses were obtained, and we pursued our journey.

At an early hour these were waiting outside the house of the rabbi, of whom, and his interesting wife, we took leave with

many thanks for the evident sincerity of our welcome. For this we were a good deal indebted to the humanity of the American missionaries, who have left in the minds of the Jewish population a deep feeling of gratitude for the kindness evinced towards them, after the great earthquake, and have consequently disposed them to look favourably upon travellers of the same race and religion.

This is the truest way to break down ancient prejudices, and to pave the way for the reception of a religion, which inculcates universal charity. A case has just appeared in the papers, of a person who refused to let his house to one of the Jewish persuasion; let that individual, should this happen to meet his eye, know how kindly the traveller was received into the house of a Jew, and profit, if he can, by the lesson.

Our road lay directly through the heart of Galilee, down to St. John of Acre. Our horses slipped and scrambled to the bottom of the tremendous hill upon which Safet is situated, and then began to clamber the opposite acclivity, till after about an hour's riding we seemed as if we could throw a stone across the valley into the town. We took a last retrospective view of the Lake of Tiberias, and descended into the Galilean vales, which, as in the time of Josephus, still teem with populous villages, and appear to be cultivated and fruitful. The whole of this region, extending to the borders of Phoenicia, was no doubt traversed by Jesus during his numerous journeys through Galilee. This part of Palestine was the remotest from the capital, and its inhabitants were considered rude and turbulent. Here took place the first act of the drama, or rather tragedy, which ended in the final destruction of Jerusalem. It was at Jotapata, somewhere in this region, that Josephus, after bravely defending the town against the Emperor Vespasian, was taken prisoner, and from henceforth attached himself to the Roman cause, perhaps, as feeling that of his country to be a hopeless one. It is singular that while so many ancient sites have of late been discovered, that of the romantic Jotapata should still elude research.

RETURN TO BEYROUT.

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The sun was nearly setting in the sea, behind the walls of Acre, as we reached its level plain, and by urging our horses rapidly forward, we succeeded in entering the gates before they were closed for the night. The convent had no charms; the place had been already explored; the night was fine, and a light southerly breeze just crisped the azure surface of the Mediterranean; a single word to Achmet induced him to hurry down to the port, where he found a coasting vessel ready to sail for Beyrout, and only waiting, as it were, to take us on board. To him the word "Beyrout" was synonymous with "home:" there stood his neat little house among the mulberry gardens, and in that house, his pretty little wife was awaiting his return; no wonder, then, that he displayed an unusual alertness. As we jumped into a boat which was to convey us on board the vessel, a Turkish soldier, the first time such a thing had happened to us in the East, muttered something about "Passaporta," but we contented ourselves with replying to him by a look of ineffable contempt. In five minutes more we were outside the reef of Acre, and the following afternoon, after a delightful sail, cast anchor abreast of the hospitable comptoir of Mr. Heald.

CHAPTER VI.

VOYAGE AND SHIPWRECK OF ST. PAUL-EMBARKATION AT CESAREA-COURSE

TO MALTA-SYRACUSE-REGGIO-PUTEOLI-ROME.

In this concluding chapter, dedicated to the voyage and shipwreck of St. Paul, it will be necessary to depart from the plan hitherto pursued, giving instead a connected outline of the whole voyage, and afterwards filling in the details from personal reminiscences of the different localities it embraces.

It is unnecessary to recal the circumstances already described of St. Paul's examination at Cæsarea before Festus and Agrippa, and his determination to appeal to Cæsar. Hereupon the Apostle was delivered into the custody of one Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band, and, accompanied by Aristarchus, Trophimus, St. Luke, and, as some suppose, by the historian Josephus, put on board a ship bound for Adramyttium, in Asia Minor. The wind being fair from the south, they arrived next day at Sidon— still a city of considerable commerce-where the vessel remained a short time; and Paul, who was "courteously entreated by Julius," received permission to go on shore and refresh himself. From Sidon, their course, had the wind been favourable, would have been direct towards the Straits of Cos; but as it happened to be contrary, they were compelled to make a circuitous course, and to sail under Cyprus; that is, to the eastward of it; and thus to traverse the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, between that island and the coast of Asia Minor. They next reached Myra, a city of Lycia, whose magnificent remains testify to the importance