Letters of an African Traveller. 071 



of Judea, I went with him to Silos, upon the road that leads 

 from Jerusalem to Napolis. 



Napolis, or Napolosa, lies upon the ruins of Sichem, and 

 here, returning from Silos, Lfound the ancient Samaritans, or 

 Cuteans, who were praying, from error, to a well, believed 

 to be Jacob's. I taught them the truth, which doctrine 

 excited against me no small disturbance; so far, that the 

 said Samaritans, thinking me one of their brethren, wished by 

 all means to retain me in the country ; and what is more sin- 

 gular, exacted that I should promise marriage to a woman of 

 their sect. 



The Christians of Napolosa took up my defence ; whence, 

 getting off at my own hazard, foreseeing the favour of the 

 former, I took shelter in Samaria, where there is no vestige of 

 the importunate Samaritans. I wrote to you, that, with the 

 exception of some columns there is nothing interesting in 

 Sebaste. 



On leaving Samaria the tribe of Issachar presented themselves 

 to me in Galilee, with the fountain of Israel, and plain of 

 Esdraelon, over which the eye cannot reach ; Endor, at the 

 foot of the second Hermon, known by the victory of Deborah 

 and Barak. Sophos, the native place of James and of the friend 

 of his master ; Cana, the country of Simon and Nathanael ; 

 Tabor, terminating with Heaven ; beautiful parts of Zabulon ; 

 Bethsaida, the country of Peter and Andrew on the shores 

 of that water, abundant in the deeds of the Divine Instructor 

 of virtue. 



Returned to Tiberias I undertook the analysis of those mi- 

 neral waters ; and in the city where lives, in retired delight, 

 that deserving man of society, the noble gentleman (cavaliere) 

 Raphael de Piciotto, consul-general of Austria in Syria, whose 

 roof and whose fortune never denied to any one a constant 

 sacred hospitality. 



And you must know, d-propoSy that amongst the Hebrews 

 dispersed in the various regions of the globe, and amongst 

 those of Asia and of Africa particularly, there exists an ancient 

 custom of coming to finish their days upon the spot, bathed 



