398 SKETCHES OF PALESTINE. 



pies a lofty station to overlook a small valley. From Gibba we pro- 

 ceeded along the valley to Sannour, which is a fort erected on an 

 insulated mountain that springs up in the middle of the valley. It 

 is commonly called Khallah Giurali, or Fort Jurali. from Giurali, 

 (Jerar ?) the name of the chief who commands the country. A few 

 miles further on, we came to Abata, a pleasant village on our right, 

 &nd similarly situated to Gibba, among olive and pomegranate trees. 

 The inhabitants are said to be particularly hospitable and kind to 

 strangers. We did not stop to put their hospitality to the test, but 

 continued our route along the narrow dell, and having crossed 

 another mountain on the left, opened the beautiful vale of Esdrae- 

 ion, and the town of Jeriin, pleasantly situated at the foot of the 

 mountain. We descended to a level piece of stony ground which 

 bore a tolerably good crop of thistles, and pitched our tents on the 

 outside of the town, having travelled this day about eight hours and 

 a half.' 



Sannour, or Sanhcor, called by Dr. Clarke Santorri, deserves a 

 more particular notice. He makes it three hours, or nine miles, 

 from Jenin. The easlle, which he describes as very much resem- 

 bling the old castellated buildings in England, is very strong: it 

 held out against Djezzar Pasha, when he held the pashalic of Da- 

 mascus, for two months, and he was compelled at last to raise the 

 siege. In the time of the Crusades it must have been impregnable. 

 'Yet,' says Dr. Clarke, 'there is no account of it in any author; and 

 certainly it is not of later construction than the period of the holy 

 wars.' if the learned traveller has given the present name correct- 

 Jy, it would seem, both from the meaning and the language of the 

 word, holy fewer, to date from the Crusades. But, doubtless, the 

 site is noticed by the older writers, under its original name. Their 

 supposed silence, however, tempted Dr. Clarke to hazard the strange 

 conjecture that it might be the site of Samaria ; for, in his gallop 

 through the Holy Land, he forgot to visit, or overlooked Sebaste! 

 The hill commands the view to the northward of a fine broad val- 

 ley, bounded by other hills on every side, about two miles in breadth 

 and rive in length : the valley southward is narrower, and both are 

 cultivated. The ascent is steep on all sides. The walls of the 

 town are strongly built, 'apparently,' says Mr. Buckingham, 'of 

 old Saracenic work,' and in circuit less than half a mile, with two 

 gates in opposite quarters. The houses are well built, but the streets 

 are narrow; the inhabitants all Mahommedans. The governor 

 (then Hadje Ahraed Jerar) is tributary to Damascus, but absolute 

 within Lis own territory, which includes several towns and villages, 

 with extensive lands around them, of which he is as it were the 

 feudal lord. Hadje Ahmed is described as of a most amiable and 

 patriarchal character ; and the aspect of the country bore the most 

 pleasing marks of the benign influence of his mild and paternal 

 government. 



Jennin, or Genii), (pronounced Djenneen,} the ancient Ginaia, or 

 Giurea, and supposed to be the Geman of Joseph us, was the fron- 



