Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

in a better state of preparation, for the possible return of these successful plunderers, whom we determined to meet at their next visit, if they should venture to make another, with arms in our hands. The ruined building in which we slept being open on three sides, we conceived it highly probable that the light of the fire had attracted the robbers from afar; and although it was now but of little use to remove the cause, after its effect had been produced, the fire was put out, which left us to suffer considerably from the piercing cold of the morning, with a hoar frost whitening the whole of the surrounding country.

As we could not well pursue our journey so expeditiously, with one of our party on foot, as if we were all mounted, it was agreed that we should go down to one of the villages in the valley of Adjeloon, where Georgis had some friends and relations residing, under the hope of procuring from some of these, the loan of a mare for his use during the remainder of our way, or an advance of money for the purchase of one, if none could be otherwise obtained. I would willingly have dispensed with the services of these men altogether, had it been possible; but every day we met with small parties of two, four, and half a dozen, who would have been ready to insult and even plunder an unprotected stranger, but who gave us always friendly salutes when they saw my guides, as these were personally known to some persons or other in almost every town and village of the country, and were therefore able at once to enter on a friendly conversation with half the people we met. The advantage of having such guides as these, was therefore considerable, as in their company I could pass in safety, where arms alone, unless in great force, would never have secured my way: and while they were with me, I was as certain of a kind and hospitable reception among Mohammedans as among Christians, each of these being apparently glad to profit by the Mallim's learning, and to consult him as a sort of oracle on the signs of the times, as well as to learn from Abu Farah the state of the roads, the encampments of Arabs, the removal of fairs or markets, and all the local news of

the district which no one was more competent to give: the first of these men being the most celebrated Seer, and the last, perhaps, the most complete and experienced Itinerant in the whole country.

While our morning coffee was preparing, I ventured out with my compass and note-book, to take sets of bearings for the correction of the plan of the city, which I could now enjoy an opportunity of doing, without any interruption and with but little delay. Starting at daylight I had hoped to have done all I wishd by eight or nine o'clock, but one object led to another, so that it was nearly noon before I completed the peregrination of the principal quarters of the city. By incessant and unwearied assiduity during this period, I was enabled to sketch the ground plans of four new edifices, take seven separate sets of bearings from different buildings by compass, and copy some Greek inscriptions from an altar, a column, and the frieze of a temple, making besides upwards of ten closely written pages of notes, on the several portions that struck me as worthy of remarking on as I went along.

* The whole of this, which formed a far greater body of materials respecting Jerash, than Mr. Bankes and myself had been able to collect during our first hasty and interrupted visits, I thought it advisable to incorporate in the account given of the ruins of that city, in the Travels in Palestine, already before the public, in order to make it as complete as possible, and to gratify, as well as I could, without delay, the curiosity of all who desired to know whatever could be communicated respecting these recently discovered and highly interesting remains. Instead, therefore, of repeating in this place, the portion of information collected on this third visit to Jerash, I must refer the reader to the more comprehensive general account of its ruins, contained in the Travels in Palestine already referred to; where it occupies about sixty pages, accompanied by a ground plan of the city, and many of its separate edifices, drawn entirely from the notes, bearings, and measurements taken by myself on this last occasion.

[graphic][merged small][subsumed]

FROM JERASH TO THE VALLEY AND CASTLE OF ADJELOON.

Ir was about noon when we left Jerash, quitting it now by the western wall. Proceeding westerly for about an hour, and going over rocky ground, we came to the village of Kittey, which is a modern station, entirely occupied by Mohammedans. It has good water, an excellent soil, and an abundance of olive trees near it, with about fifty separate dwelling houses.

Proceeding more northerly, but over the same kind of rocky ground, we came, in another hour, to Eremoon. At this place we found a well-built Mohammedan tomb, with a reservoir for water and a large spreading tree near it, on which, as well as at the door of the tomb itself, were suspended tokens of devotion in various shapes. Near it, was also a deserted mosque, with pillars on the

inside, and a tolerably good exterior, with a small inscribed tablet half way up the wall, on the northern face of the building. There were many trees in the surrounding soil, and a population that appeared to be in as comfortable circumstances as peasants and labourers ever are in these ill-governed and improvident countries, where it is literally the custom to take no heed for the morrow, but to let the day provide for itself.

We ascended a steep hill on leaving this spot, and in half an hour after quitting it, passed by a place called Ahheatherah, which, from the large size of the stones of which its buildings were constructed, and the great abundance of fragments of fine pottery scattered around it, indicated an ancient site, whose very ruin must have been at some remote period, as it was quite grown over with trees.

Being now near the summit of Jebel Adjeloon, we could see, from this elevation, the deep valley of the Zerkah, with its stream winding from the S. E. to the N. W. The head of this stream is said to rise near Amman, and to form the brook that runs through the ruins of that city. From our present position we could also observe, that on the summit of Jebel Asswete, there was an elevated plain like that of Belkah, which we had passed over on our way from Assalt to Oom-el-Russas. Beyond this again, to the eastward, is the lower plain of the Haurān, which is said to be even more thickly covered with ruined cities and towns than either of the districts already traversed in this once abundantly peopled, and now comparatively desolate, region.

On turning our way round the top of this elevated point of Jebel Adjeloon, we shaped our course more northerly; the soil being still clay, with sand and limestone intermixed, and the whole covered with firs and other trees. From what I observed here, it would seem, that in these high regions, and remote from the seacoast, the wind blew most frequently, and with greater strength, from the northward than from any other quarter, as the largest trees were all much bent to the southward, and in a manner so uniform

that could have only been effected by long prevailing winds; yet it is remarkable, that all along the Syrian shore, southerly winds prevail throughout the largest portion of the year. On the left of our present route was a western branch of the same chain of hills, stretching out from that on which we rode, and thickly covered with wood; and in the valley below, a few ruins of some old place, which my guides named Huzzar.

Proceeding now in nearly a N. W. direction, we came, in half an hour, upon the site of old ruins, which bore the name of Oomel-Jelood, the remains of which were now grown over with trees. In its neighbourhood were fine corn-fields, in which the young corn had begun to appear; and near to the site of the town there still remained a fine fountain of water, and the portion of an ancient paved road. We continued to ascend over a hill covered with the same kind of trees as those abounding near Assalt, which were there called Finjan, but were here pronounced Sinjan trees; they were covered on the bark by a rich and beautiful moss.

From the summit of the hill we could see Mounts Tabor and Hermon, with the hill in the hollow of which Nazareth is seated, bearing N. W. over the Valley of the Jordan. Here, too, we first obtained a sight of the castle and valley of Adjeloon. From hence we descended to the westward, and came, in half an hour, to the village of Anjerah. There was a Roman arched well, which stood near the entrance of this village, and fine corn-fields and olivegrounds close to the houses, which pleasingly relieved the picture. We alighted here to take coffee and enquire the news of the road; but learnt nothing worthy of notice. The village itself was a flourishing one, and the people apparently industrious and happy : the population was estimated at about 500 Moslems, and twenty Christian families. The castle of Adjeloon, in its general appearance, resembled that of Assalt; and below it, at the foot of the hill on whose summit it stood, was pointed out to us the village of Arrhubbudth, now deserted and in ruins, while in the valley near this, stood the villages of Adjeloon and Ain Jerrah.

« AnteriorContinuar »