Europeans I presume rarely come this way, for each successive cavern that we passed, the boys ceased piping and came out to stare at me with as much amazement depicted in their faces as one might fancy would be seen in that of any old lady, who should happen to find a hyena in her bed when on the point of turning in at night. The savage shaggy dogs annoyed us a great deal by rushing out upon and startling the horses.

The sea-shore was exceedingly rocky, a ship or boat would meet with a sorry fate in a gale on such a coast.

Before arriving at Askalon, the pleasantly fantastic mirage formed at early dawn ere the gloomy haze of the morning was entirely dispersed, and the scorching rays of the sun beat down upon our not sufficiently protected heads for upwards of an hour. This in addition to the dreadful glare of the sand-hills and the sea, gave myself and the Nazir "Achmet Effendi," violent head-aches. We alighted amongst the ruins of Askalon towards evening, more dead than alive, and went supperless and pipeless to bed. Nevertheless, about midnight we both awoke much refreshed, and free from all pain. The moon was shining brilliantly on the

desolation around; not a breath stirred the drooping leaves of the palm-trees, not a sound broke the stillness of the night, save the heavy breathing of the deep slumbering guides that were stretched around us. Even the ocean seemed wrapt in peaceful sleep, and the ripple that broke upon the beach was gentle and noiseless. A fit hour, a fit season, to look upon the wreck that was fast crumbling to earth again. Men in their health and strength, and with merry hearts, had here laboured away the best hours of their manhood, laying stone upon stone of some stately edifice; many returned to dust before its completion, but they died with the thought that their children should live on to behold and share in the realization of their life's dream. The city was completed: it stood fast flourishing for years. "Twas populous, 'twas rich, 'twas thinned by pestilence, by famine, by war. Time stole on as ever the same sun that shone brightly upon it in the days of its splendour, shone as brightly at the last hour of its glory. Its children are thick mingled with the dust that is around; so are its halls and its palaces, its dome and its porticos. Its ruins remain yet to point out the

spot of its bygone renown; and when these are gone the same sun may still shine brightly on the straw-hatted antiquaries who may in future generations be digging to discover its hidden foundations. We crept about the place till within an hour of day-break. Passing a whole day in such a deserted melancholy spot would have been too much for our enfeebled nerves; we had seen all we could see, and decided to leave all further meditations among the ruins of Askalon to that many-headed specimen of nature called travellers, and with a keen remembrance of our sufferings of the previous day, we thought it wisest to start at once on our return.

Coffee was soon made and partaken of, and we were speedily cantering along the beach. The goats issuing from their caverns were at this early hour already mustering opposite their respective folds; bleating loudly for their missing young and for their breakfasts. Half-naked shepherd boys were shouting and screaming to their respective flocks, whilst their huge dogs were bounding to and fro, and were too much occupied in leading back the straying kids by their ears to take any notice of our near approach. The whole

beach for hours was literally swarming with goats. "Askalon shall be a desolation, and the sea-coast shall be a dwelling for shepherds and folds for flocks."* And so it certainly is! Myriads of larks sang their matins, and turtle-doves cooed on the olive branches, as we again neared Gazawhere we arrived ere the delightful coolness of the sea-breeze had ceased, or the sun's rays had waxed uncomfortably warm.

* Zephaniah, ii, 4-6

CHAPTER IV.

The forbidden delicacy-Perilous adventure of a gourmand -The sanitary cordon-A fracas-Hebron-Tomb of Abraham and Sarah-Touching devotion of Jewish pilgrims-Ramlah-A sporting exploit-Monastic luxury -A jovial friar-Story of a baronet-A funeral and a wedding.

I HAD scarce recovered from the fatigues of the jaunt to Askalon, ere news arrived of a civil feud having arisen amongst the authorities connected with the quarantine establishment at Hebron, which as well as that of Jerusalem, is under the jurisdiction of the doctor and Turkish superintendent of Gaza.

The medical officer at Hebron, it would appear, was fond of pork, and occasionally went out wildboar shooting; domestic pigs are of course