400 SKETCHES OF PALESTINE. 



of the Greek and Roman writers. It was the largest city of the 

 Decapolis, and the only one on that side of the Jordan. The thea- 

 tre is quite distinct, and measures about 180 feet in length: it is 

 completely filled with weeds. In one of the most concealed vomi- 

 tories, Captain Mangles states that they found twenty-four human 

 skulls, with other bones. A viper was basking in one of the skulls, 

 with his body twisted between the eyes, * a good subject for a 

 moralizer.' In some of the tombs which lie to the N. E. of the 

 acropolis, without the walls, there remained sarcophagi ; and, in a 

 few instances, the doors were still hanging on their ancient hinges 

 of stone: they observer! also niches of a triangular shape for lamps. 

 Two streams run through the ruins of the city, almost insulating 

 the acropolis : over the one to the S. W. is a fine Roman bridge, be- 

 yond which may be seen the paved way which led to the ancient 

 Ptolemais (Acre). These streams afterwards unite, and are cross- 

 ed by another bridge, having one high arch in the centre, and two 

 smaller ones, which have been walled up: along the outer edge of 

 this bridge, the wall of the city was continued ; and on the hill, near 

 the arch, the ruins of one of the gates of the city are distinguisha- 

 ble ; there are some prostrate columns of the Corinthian order. 

 The acropolis is a high circular hill, on the top of which are traces 

 of the ancient walls of the fortress. Dr. Richardson noticed masses 

 of ejected lava scattered round the village ; and the mountains, he 

 says, have the appearance of extinct volcanoes. 



Pursuing the route to Tiberias, up the delightful plain of the Jor- 

 dan, the traveller has on his left Mount Gilboa, which comes close 

 to Bisan, and bounds the plain on the west. The natives still call 

 it Djebel Gilbo. It is a lengthened ridge ; rising up in peaks, about 

 800 feet above the level of the road, and probably 1000 feet above 

 the level of the Jordan. On the east, the plain is bounded by a 

 high mountain range, which forms part of Mount Gilead, so that 

 the view on both sides is extremely interesting ; and at the time of 

 Dr. Richardson's journey (May), rich crops of barley, apparently 

 over-ripe, added to the beauty of the landscape. After riding for 

 nearly three hours, the route led them to the banks of the Jordan, 

 where it is crossed by a large stone bridge, consisting of one large 

 and two smaller arches. Here a large khan has been built for the 

 accommodation of travellers who take the road to Damascus through 

 the Decapolis and Mount Gilead. The river at this point is of a 

 considerable depth, and between thirty and forty feet wide ; the chan- 

 nel very stony, and the waters of a white sulphureous color,' but 

 free from any unpleasant smell or taste. Near Bisan, its width is 

 one hundred and forty feet, and the current is much more rapid. 

 Beyond the bridge, the plain of the Jordan narrows into a valley, 

 and the river remains in sight till the traveller arrives at the shores 



nassnh had in Isachar. To the wall of Bethsan the Philistines fastened the bodies of 

 Saul and his three sons, after they had fallen in Mount Gilboa. 



