SKETCHES OF PALESTINE. 407 



mosphere, as the thermometer in the air stood at 84, and when im- 

 mersed in water, rose to 86. The first of these circular cisterns 

 had a stone bench or pathway running round its interior, for the 

 accomodation of the bathers, and the last had a similar work on the 

 outside ; in the latter, a number of small black fish were seen 

 swimming. Each of the baths were supplied by a small aqueduct 

 from its separate spring ; and there were appearances of a semicir- 

 cular wall having inclosed them all within one area. 



Mr. Joilifie reports the estimated number of inhabitants to be 

 4000, two thirds of which are Jews. Burckhardt's account agrees 

 with this as to numbers; but he makes the proportion of Jews 

 only one fourth.* There are. he says, from one hundred and sixty 

 to two hundred Jewish families, of which ibrty or fifty are of 

 Polish origin ; the rest are Jews from Spain, Baibary, and differ- 

 ent parts of Syria. The quarter which they occupy in the middle 

 of the town, had lately been much enlarged by the purchase of 

 several streets, so that their numbers appear to be on the increase. 

 Tiberias holds out to the Jews peculiar advantages. They enjoy 

 here perfect religious freedom ; besides which, Tiberias is one of 

 the four holy cities of the Talmud, the other three being Saphet, 

 Jerusalem, and Hebron. ' It is esteemed holy ground,' Burckhardt 

 states, ' because Jacob is supposed to have resided here,f and 

 because it is situated on the Lake of Gennesareth ; from which, 

 according to the most generally received opinion of the Talmud, 

 the Messiah is to rise. It is a received dogma, that the world will 

 return to its primitive chaos, if prayers are not addressed to the 

 God of Israel, at least twice a week in the four holy cities. On 

 this account, Jewish devotees from all parts flock to these cities ; 

 and three or four missionaries are sent abroad every year, to collect 

 alms for the support of these religious fraternities, who do not fail 

 successfully to plead this imminent danger as an argument for 

 liberal contributions. One missionary is sent to the coasts of 

 Africa from Damietta to Mogadore; another to the coast of 

 tCurope from Venice to Gibraltar; a third to the Archipelago, Con- 

 stantinople ai,d Anatolia ; and a fourth through Syria. The charity 

 of the Jews of London is appealed to from time to time ; but the Jews 

 of Gibraltar have the reputation of being more liberal than any 

 others, and are stated to contribute from 4 to 5000 Spanish dollars 

 annually. The Polish Jews settled at Tabaria, are supported 

 almost entirely by their rich countrymen in Bohemia and Poland ; 

 and the Syrian Jews are said to be very jealous of them. When 

 a fresh pilgrim arrives, bringing a little money with him, the exor- 

 bitant demands which are made on him by his brethren, either for 

 rent, or on some oilier pretence, soon deprive him of it, and leave 



* Mr. Buckingham says, that, according to the opinion of the best informed residents, 

 the population aoes not exceed 2000 souls, of whom about half are Jews. 



f Perhaps not the patriarch, but some great rabbin of that name. Burckhardt speaks of 

 & great rabbin, who, he was informed, lies buried at Tiberias, with 14,000 of his scholar* 

 tound him ! 



