DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5295#0241
HOLY LAND, AND CYPRUS. 207
hot morning, with coffee made from its stream. It is de-
scribed as flowing in a torrent into Lake Asphaltus, which is
considerably lower than that of Tiberias, at the distance of
about sixty miles. It appeared motionless as far as my eye
could range, but winding excessively. The Arab encamp-
ment before mentioned was on the other side of the Jordan,
in a wide extended plain, enclosed by a continuation of the
mountains on the other side of the lake, and by those of the
range under which Tiberias stands: this plain was cultivated,
and seemed to have a rich soil.
The ruins of a causeway of masonry, bearing marks of
great antiquity, are to be traced along the side of the lake I
had passed ; a stone bridge crosses the river at the place
where it issues from the lake.
From this point we began to ascend the hills above
Tiberias to the plains, and retraced our route of the day
before as far as Mount Tabor, which we left to the south;
then traversing a wood of large Sindian or Turkish oak,
arrived at Nazareth, which I quitted for Acri on the follow-
ing morning, the 12th; whence I took passage in a rice-boat,
on the 13th, for Seida and Beirutte. We anchored at the
former place on the 14th, having passed, in the course of the
day, the site of ancient Tyre, now called Sur, which has still
the appearance of an island.
Seida, the ancient Sidon, is a considerable town; is built
hot morning, with coffee made from its stream. It is de-
scribed as flowing in a torrent into Lake Asphaltus, which is
considerably lower than that of Tiberias, at the distance of
about sixty miles. It appeared motionless as far as my eye
could range, but winding excessively. The Arab encamp-
ment before mentioned was on the other side of the Jordan,
in a wide extended plain, enclosed by a continuation of the
mountains on the other side of the lake, and by those of the
range under which Tiberias stands: this plain was cultivated,
and seemed to have a rich soil.
The ruins of a causeway of masonry, bearing marks of
great antiquity, are to be traced along the side of the lake I
had passed ; a stone bridge crosses the river at the place
where it issues from the lake.
From this point we began to ascend the hills above
Tiberias to the plains, and retraced our route of the day
before as far as Mount Tabor, which we left to the south;
then traversing a wood of large Sindian or Turkish oak,
arrived at Nazareth, which I quitted for Acri on the follow-
ing morning, the 12th; whence I took passage in a rice-boat,
on the 13th, for Seida and Beirutte. We anchored at the
former place on the 14th, having passed, in the course of the
day, the site of ancient Tyre, now called Sur, which has still
the appearance of an island.
Seida, the ancient Sidon, is a considerable town; is built