THE TEN TRIBES-TYRE. 41 thing necessary for travellers would be provided at the convent, but in this we were mistaken. While I was cleaning myself between decks, I overheard Mr. Manning, in conversation with four aged Jews, who talked to him in the Greek language. I had frequently seen these men, who appeared as Rabbis, binding their phylacteries upon their foreheads and arms, before engaging in devotional services. As soon as I was clean I went to Mr. M., and got him to ask them if they knew where the ten lost tribes were? They gave some account of two of them, but could not tell what had become of the other eight tribes. I then said, through Mr. M., that they were dispersed among the European nations, and that the English nation is one of them. At this they smiled, and one said, "No, no, that will not do: the Turks claim to be a tribe, but we can't admit that." I would here beg respectfully to request my reader to procure "Wilson's Israelitish Origin of the English nation," and carefully read that interesting book. Tyre is larger than I had expected to find it; though doubtless it is one of the best pictures of fallen greatness that can be seen. The sea has greatly encroached upon the town, having undermined and washed down the walls; and sand covers a large extent of its ruins. The fishermen's nets were drying upon the ruined walls, strongly reminding me of the prophecy of Ezekiel-" It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea." The people dig out stones from the rubbish and sand, with which to build their houses. After bathing in the sea, and picking up some shells on the shore, I ranged for a while among the ruins, where I saw some fine granite pillars, of about 3 feet in diameter, and from 12 to 15 feet long; yet these must have been much larger, for they were all jagged at one end, as if broken in their fall. Fragments of broken pots, cart-loads of pieces of highly polished marble, &c., &c., lay everywhere about. Alas! this city of which the prophet sung "When thy wares went forth out of the seas, Thou did'st enrich the kings of the earth With the multitude of thy riches, and of thy merchandise"— is now the "hiss" of other merchants; and a "terror" to all who recognize the truth that "verily there is a God who judgeth in the earth.” On the sea shore, I saw about 300 black cattle in one drove, coming to the town; and Nicalo informed me that the inhabitants are obliged to collect all their cattle, and bring them into the town every night, lest they should be stolen by the Arabs. 13th. Still detained at Tyre, contrary to our expectations. After breakfast, (not quite 7 A. M.) nearly all got on shore again: I was rejoiced to have another opportunity of visiting the ruins; they are very extensive, perhaps not under 100 acres. I saw where the sea had once flowed around the city, thus making it an island, before that Alexander had built his causeway with wood and stone from the ruins of ancient Tyre: the site of which cannot now be accurately ascertained, according to several travellers; but I was told that I could easily distinguish its situation, for the ruins are very extensive. I did not, however, go to see them. I entered a bazaar, the roof of which was frame-work, sustaining vine trees: these must give a beautiful effect to the mart, when, in the season, the grapes are hanging in rich and abundant clusters. On leaving the bazaar, I saw among the ruins, lying prostrate, four large granite pillars, at regular distances from each other, as if they had formed a portico: on these pillars, there was some masonry work, in which were several broken pieces of marble; thus clearly proving that more than once destruction had come upon Tyre, inasmuch as the materials in this masonry were from the ruins of a former overthrow. Now, from the ruins of two desolations, are the people eagerly digging materials for the third Tyre; but that shall also be visited with God's judgments-for nothing can avert the vengeance of heaven against a na PROPHECY FULFILLED ON TYRE. 43 tion of sinners, but repentance and reformation of life. The sin of Tyre was pride: therefore "Thus saith the Lord God; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; Yet thou art a man, and not God." By thy great wisdom, and by thy traffic hast thou increased thy riches, And thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches; Thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will lay thee before kings that they may behold thee," I picked up a few pieces of marble, and proceeded to the shore, from which I had to be conveyed on Arabs' shoulders to the boat-so completely filled up is the harbour. And, thought I, is this the once queen of nations, the mistress of the seas, whose merchandize was so great, that, for more than 1000 years, not a single production of the East passed to the West, nor of the West to the East, but by the merchants of Tyre: but now only a few fishermen's boats are to be seen there! I measured part of the broken wall which remains standing, and found it to be in length from 90 to 100 yards, and not less than 12 or 14 feet high. 14th. This morning, having a fair wind, we set sail, much to the joy of both passengers and crew. I observed that the Jews prayed with their faces directed towards Jerusalem; and that they frequently read their bibles, kissing them, when they took them out, or put them back into a small bag which each had for the purpose. They also kept their parchments for their foreheads and wrists (phylacteries) in the same bag, and they kiss them as they do their bibles. They pray every morning at sun-rise, at which time the deepest feeling is evinced by them, and often have I seen the tears trickling down their faces. Oh that I could have spoken to them of the way of salvation! 15th. In the night we passed Mount Carmel, and 44 CÆSAREA-MOUNT CARMEL. this morning were fast approaching Cæsarea. I regretted having lost a view of "the excellency of Carmel,' especially as my route was so fixed, that I could not return to it; however, when we had sailed about 20 miles past it, a smart wind sprung up a-head, which compelled the captain to return and make for the nearest anchorage. Was it not singular, that I should have thus been gratified, as at Tyre, while the poor passengers were grievously lamenting these delays? In about two hours the ship anchored, opposite a village called Kishon, about two and a half or three miles on the north of Carmel. There was much thunder and lightning with rain that night. 16th.-Mr. Manning having determined to breakfast this morning at the Convent on Mount Carmel, he took Nicalo with him, and set off, before I was quite ready. On this account I took my breakfast on board, and then followed after him. On landing at the village, I found it to be the dirtiest place I had ever seen. It was with difficulty that I could get along the streets, without sinking in mud to my ancles. Mr. Manning had taken a couple of donkeys, and ridden up to the Convent; but I could not get either a donkey or a horse, as I was unable to make the people understand me. I resolved, however, to try to ascend the mountain, but when I got among the fields, I felt how toilsome it was to travel through "miry clay." Many a yoke of oxen I passed; the ploughmen would cease working, and with astonishment look at me. Before I got to the base of the mountain, being very dirty and tired, I sat down to rest, almost despairing of being able to reach the top. When I had rested myself a little, I began to ascend; but before I had got half way on this steep road, I met the servant returning for me. We let the muleteer go home with his donkeys, and after another rest I proceeded with Nicalo, and at last arrived at the top of Carmel. The convent, which, on looking at from the sea, appeared about the size of a gentleman's house, is a place of very great size and elegance-though Mansford in his CONVENT ON MOUNT CARMEL. 45 Scripture Gazetteer (a most invaluable work, and one which every careful reader of the Bible ought to possess) states that it is a "small convent." This building, which could not have cost less than £100,000, was, as I am informed, built by the French, and is supported at a great expense. There were a great many pilgrims or travellers in a large apartment for their use; and in a magnificent hall, to which I was introduced, my friend Manning was seated at breakfast, with coffee, a couple of roasted chickens, fruit, &c., before him he was waited on by two servants, who had neither stockings nor shoes; nor were they over clean in their persons. Being pressed by Mr. M., I sat down and took a little refreshment, after my long and fatiguing walk. After breakfast, I sallied forth alone, and descended by a narrow path, down the steep side of the mountain, opposite the sea, passing several apparently modern excavations, till I came to a well, at which were a woman and a child engaged in drawing water. Having returned to the convent, I was told that in an hour and a half, a priest would be at liberty to show me the church, which, it is said, stands over the grotto in which Elijah resided, when he fled from the face of wicked Jezebel. The church also commemorates the solemn event recorded in 18th ch. of 1st Kings, where Elijah, after calling upon the assembled tribes to decide between Jehovah and Baal, demonstrated to their astonished conviction, that "God whose name alone is Jehovah, is most high in all the earth.' Not having any particular desire to see the church, and having gained my object in reaching the top of the mountain, I descended by the same steep road by which I had gone up. On reaching the bottom I went on by the sea shore, picking up some of the beautiful shells which lay everywhere so thick upon the beach, as to make it like a bed of gravel. I also picked up a few sponges, which the sea had thrown up. On arriving at the village of Kishon, I purchased a few eggs; and as I now pretty well knew the value of their coins, I could make a bargain without disadvantage. I then got on |