bending down, directed a friend to lead the empty carriage over, two wheels on the road and the others passing over his bended back, protected by the tibbin sack! To those who know something of the strength of the hammel's back and legs, the story has an air of possibility about it.

At 4.30 p.m. we leave the carriage and climb up a path to our right. When we reach the crest we look down into the wildest part of the Wady Kelt-the brook Cherith.

Clinging to the cliffs, hundreds of feet below our level, on the distant side of the gorge, is the convent of Elijah. It looks like a toy model, so far is it below us, with its dome and precipitous walls, and its green garden with cypresses and lemon-trees clustering round the spring. Yet it is a dizzy height above the floor of the valley.

In the convent are kept tame ravens in memory of the feeding of Elijah.* There are hermits' cells in the rocky cliffs, and some are said to be still inhabited. It is the Valley of Achor, in the lower portion of which Achan was stoned (Joshua vii. 26).

Up the pass we struggle. By half-past five the sunlight is giving way, and the full moon is blazing over the Jordan Valley.

We sight the ruins of the old Khân el Ahmar (the Red Khân) and see, perched on it, three figures looking out for us. They form tiny black dots against the sky line with its sunset hues. In a moment they disappear. They are the khán keeper and the assistant ostler, and one of the Bashi Bazouks. They are hurrying off to their posts to be ready for us.

*There are, of course, those who translate the word Oreb "Arab" instead of "Raven."

Just at this point we get a momentary peep at the Russian Tower on the Mount of Olives, miles away still. At 5.45 we stop at the khân gate. In the romantic halflight eastern figures lounge and smoke. Our Muhammedan driver gets hold of the horses' ears and gives them a great pull-this to refresh them.

We sip small cups of coffee, and at last set off again in the brilliant moonlight to climb the pass, Wady el Hôd.

At the Apostles' Spring were gathered flocks and herds and noisy women. The tired horses scrambled up the last few miles, almost staggering from sheer exhaustion.

We met a party of Russian school-mistresses on horseback, with their Cavasse. They were travelling by moonlight down to Jericho.

I walked up from Bethany, and along the road which our Lord traversed on Palm Sunday. The historical and memorable scene burst upon me as I turned the corner. In the blaze of the full moon lay Jerusalem, with dome, and minaret, and circling wall, on the other side of the valley of Jehoshophat.

"Just as where gazing Thou did'st weep o'er them,

From height to height,

The white roofs of discrowned Jerusalem

Burst on our sight.

These ways were strewed with garments once, and palms,
Which we tread thus;

Here, through Thy triumph, on Thou passed'st, calm,

On to Thy Cross."

As never before one can now realise the difficulties of the

journeys of our Lord and His disciples from Perea up to Jerusalem.

CHAPTER IV.

HEBRON ("EL KHALIL.")

"In Ebron, Josue and Calope and theyr fellowship came fyrst to espy bow they might wynne the land of promyssion. In Ebron David raigned frrii years and a balfe, and there be the graves of the patryarkes-Adam, Abrabam, Jacob, and their wyves, Eve, Sare, Rebecca, and they are in the banging in the byll.

Maundeville (14th cent.)

As we passed southward one morning along the Hebron road, a crimson sunrise, very gorgeous, lit up the city of Jerusalem. Camels carrying heavy loads of oak roots for winter firing met us. The Arabs in charge were suffering from the cold, which was already now rapidly changing to heat. Their hollow cough seemed to tell how they had travelled all the night, and their abbas were tightly swathed round their shoulders.

Leaving Bethlehem on our left we did not halt until we reached the so-called Solomon's Pools, once the abundantly sufficient source of supply of Jerusalem's needs, and now, through the breakage and destruction of the stone conduits, no longer connected with the Holy City.

at a primitive caravanserai.

Six miles further on, we came to 'Arrub, and we halted While our horses were being watered and fed we visited a bubbling spring, which, if

utilized more carefully, might make the region blossom as the rose. As far back as 1894 it was decided by the Turkish Government to repair and re-connect the ancient aqueducts and to bring the water again to Jerusalem, at a cost of two million francs. Then the Holy City would be a healthy city indeed. But no progress has been made towards

It was a hot November; no rain had fallen since May, and here was a brook running free and cool-a wonderful sight to those who were paying heavily for inferior water at Jerusalem, where a good-sized tank full would be worth £100. The road to Hebron is good, if monotonous. It passes

through a country familiar to Abraham and the Patriarchs, and through the heart of David's region, for David was first crowned king at Hebron.

As we approached "El Khalîl" we noted signs of ultrafanaticism not outdone in any Muhammedan town which I had visited. The women were not content with covering up their faces, but also they must needs turn their backs to us, and so stand at the edge of the road until we were safely past. The men were often armed. I noticed one vindictive looking man with two pistols in his belt, and others on their camels with their long guns ready.

We passed dark-visaged Bashi Bazouks searching. for those who were evading the summons to join the Redif. In one case we saw a wretched Arab deserter being dragged with little tenderness to receive the Sultan's reward for such offenders.

We looked along the vale of Mamre, where, carefully propped up, stands the traditional "Abraham's Oak," and then on foot we entered the outskirts of Hebron.

The crowd of Arab children who importuned us for bakshish was kept back by an old Turkish soldier, who took us under his charge.

The people of El Khalil, whether Jews or Muhammedans, are devoted to the memory of their common ancestor who is buried in their midst-Abraham, the Friend of God (El Khalil). All through the ages have these patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lain (we believe undisturbed) in the Cave of Machpelah yonder, to-day concealed by the