^58 Phyfical Ohfervations &c. 



of Judah and Benjamin, we fliall find that the Lot, (even of 

 ihefi Tribes which are fuppofed to have had the moft barren 

 Part of the Country,) fell to them in a fair Ground, and that 

 Their's Ίΐ /as a goodly Heritage. 

 The Moun- The mountainous Parts therefore of the Holy Land were fo 

 ^MuT far from being inhofpitable, unfruitful, or the Refufe of the 

 Valleys! Land of Canaan, that, in the Divifion of this Country, the 

 Mountain of Hehron, was granted to Caleb as a particular 

 Favour. {Jofh.i^^. it.) We read likewife, that, in the Time 

 oi yifa, the Hill- Country of Judah {rChron. 14. 8.) mufter. 

 ed fiOe hundred and eighty thoujand Men of F'alour ; an Ar- 

 gument, beyond Difpute, that the Land was able to maintain 

 Them, befides double the Number, that may be fuppofed, of 

 old Men, Women and Children. Even at prefent, notwith- 

 ilanding the Want there has been for many Ages of a proper 

 Culture and Improvement, yet the Plains and Valleys, though as 

 fruitful as ever, lye almoft intirely negleofed, whilft every 

 little Hill is crowded with Inhabitants. If this Part therefore 

 of the Holy Land was made up only of naked Rocks and 

 Precipices, how comes it to pafs, that it ihould be more frequent- 

 ed, than the Plains of Efdraelon, Ramah, Zabulon, or ^cre, 

 which, to borrow an Expreifion from Mr. Maundrell, is a 

 Country very delightful and fertil beyond Imagination ? For 

 it cannot be urged, that the Inhabitants live with more Safety 

 in this Situation, than in the Plain Country ; inafmuch, as there 

 being no Walls or Fortifications to fecure either their Villages 

 or Encampments; there being likewiie few or no Places of 

 difficult Accefs ; both the one and the other lye equally expofed 

 to the Infults and Outrages of an Enemy. But the Reafon is 

 this, that they findfufficient Conveniences for themfelves, and 

 much greater for their Cattle. For here they themfelves have 

 Bread to the full, whilft their Cattle brooze upon a richer 

 Herbage, and both of them are refreihed by Springs of excel- 

 lent Water, too much wanted, in the Summer Seafon, not only 

 in the Plains of This, but of Other Countries in the fame 

 Climate. 

 The-eianu of J travcllcd in Sjiria and Thoentce in December and January^ 

 Syria, &c. ^^^ therefore had not a proper Seafon for Botanical Ohferva- 

 tions. However the whole Country looked verdant and chearful : 

 and the Woods particularly, which abound chiefly with the 



Gall- 



