SKETCHES OF PALESTINE. 403 



Peter lived at Capernaum. It stands at the north-east corner of 

 the town, close to the water's edge, and is described by Mr. 

 Buckingham as a vaulted room, about thirty feet by fifteen, and 

 perhaps fifteen feet in height: over the door is one small window, 

 and on each side four others, all arched and open. ' The ancient 

 town extended about half a mile further to the south than the 

 present walls, as is indicated by a great number of confused ruins ; 

 and Pococke observed, that the suburbs extended still further in 

 the same direction. Near the present town, he says, there are 

 ruins of another church ; and further on some signs of a large 

 square building, about which lie several pillars, which might be the 

 house of the government. Captain Mangles states, that 'at the 

 northern extremity of the ruins are the remains of the ancient 

 town, which are discernible by means of the walls and other 

 ruined buildings, as well as by fragments of columns, some of 

 which are of beautiful red granite. This agrees with Van 

 Egmont's representation, that the old city began at some distance 

 to the north of the present town, extending along the side of the 

 lake beyond the Baths of Emmaus, which are about a mile from 

 the modern town, to the south of it. ' In our way thither,' says 

 the last-mentioned traveller, 'we plainly saw the foundations of the 

 old city, and the remains of bulwarks erected on frustums of 

 pillars. In short, the whole road to the bath, and even some dis- 

 tance beyond it, was full of ruins of walls ; and near it we saw the 

 ruins of a gate.' These walls were continued to the mountains 

 which confined the city towards the west, so that its breadth could 

 not exceed half a mile. The wall beyond the baths, which runs 

 from the lake to the mountain's side, is, however, supposed by Mr. 

 Banks to be rather the fortification of Vespasian's camp. Pococke 

 places the baths a quarter of a mile south of the walls of old 

 Tiberias. The ancient name of Ernmaus, which signifies baths, 

 is still preserved in the Arabic Hamam, by which the place is now 

 called. The waters are much resorted to, being esteemed good for 

 all sorts of pains and tumors, and even for the gout. Dr. Richardson 

 found the Pasha of Acre encamped here, with a numerous retinue ; 

 having been advised to use the baths, by his medical attendant, 

 who, was a Frank. At a little distance from him, Lady Hester 

 Stanhope had taken up her residence in a mosque. ' Not having 

 any thermometer,' says Dr. R, ' I could not ascertain the tempera- 

 ture of the spring; but it is so hot, that the hand could not endure 

 it ; and the water must remain twelve hours in the bath, before it 

 can be used ; and then 1 should consider it as above one 100. It 

 contains a strong solution of common salt, with a considerable 

 intermixture of iron and sulphur.' Pococke, who brought away a 

 bottle of the waters, says, that they were found to hold a cousidera- 

 ble o quantity of gross fixed vitriol, some alum, and a mineral salt.' 

 He observed a red sediment upon the stones. Van Egmont and 

 Heyman state, that they resemble in quality those of Aix la Cha- 

 pelle. ' Our curiosity,' they say, led us to go into the bath, the 



