382 SKETCHES OF PALESTINE. 



had revolted during the administration of Agrippa Titus and Tra- 

 jan were both present, and Vespasian himself was on board the Ro- 

 man fleet. The rebel force consisted of an immense multitude, 

 who, as fugitives after the capture of Tarichsea by Titus, had sought 

 refuge on the water. The vessels in which the Romans defeated 

 them, were built for the occasion, and yet were larger than the Jew- 

 ish ships. The victory was followed by so terrible a slaughter of 

 the Jews, that nothing was to be seen, either on the lake or its 

 shores, but the blood and mangled corses of the slain, and the air 

 was infected by the number of dead bodies. Six thousand five 

 hundred persons are stated to have perished in this naval engage- 

 ment and in the battle of Tarichaea, besides twelve hundred who 

 were afterwards massacred in cold, blood by order of Vespasian, in 

 the amphitheatre at Tiberias, and a vast number who were given to 

 Agrippa as slaves. 



Of the numerous towns which formerly flourished on the shores 

 of this lake, few traces now remain, and there is some difficulty in 

 determining even the sites of those whose names have come down 

 to us. About an hour and a qnarter to the northward of Tiberias, 

 following the course of the lake, is a small Mahoinmedan village 

 called Migdal, (which signifies in Hebrew a tower,) where there are 

 considerable remains of a very indifferent castle, that may possibly 

 have given its name to the place. It is seated near the edge of the 

 lake, beneath a range of high cliffs, in which are seen small grot- 

 toes or caves. The rums consist of an old square tower and some 

 larger buildings of rude construction, apparently ancient. It is 

 generally supposed that this is the Magdala of the Gospels, and the 

 Migdal of the earlier Scriptures. 



THE VALE OF NAZARETH. 



The delightful vale of Nazareth is described as a circular basin 

 encompassed by mountains. ' It seems,' says Dr. Richardson, ' as 

 if fifteen mountains met to form an enclosure for this delightful 

 spot: they rise round it like the edge of a shell to guard it from in- 

 trusion. It is a rich and beautiful field in the midst of barren 

 mountains : it abounds in fig-trees, small gardens, and hedges of 

 the prickly pear; and the dense, rich grass affords an abundant pas- 

 ture. The village stands on an elevated situation, on the west side 

 of the valley. The convent stands at the east end of the village, 

 on the high ground, just where the rocky surface joins the valley. 



Nassara, or Naszera, is one of the principal towns in the pashalic 

 of Acre. Its inhabitants are industrious, because they are treated 

 with less severity than those of the country-towns in general. The 

 population is estimated at 3000, of whom 500 are Turks ; the re- 

 mainder are Christians. There are about ninety Latin families, ac- 

 cording to Burckhardt ; but Mr. Connor reports the Greeks to be 

 the most numerous: there is, besides, a congregation of Greek 

 Catholics, and another of Maronites. The Latin convent is a very 



