64 HOiaiUZD RASSAMj ESQ., ON BIBLICAL LANDS^ THEIR 



which proves that slie had gone to Jerusalem from Arabia 

 FeHx, the extreme Hmit of the terra firma, from Canaan to 

 the sea, which has always been called in Arabic Yaman or 

 Tayman, that is to saj, " south," or right hand side, while the 

 Somaliland on the opposite side on the African coast is 

 named Shamed, which means left side. The reason those 

 names Avere given to the Arabian and African coasts is 

 supposed to have been when the ancient Arab mariners 

 got safe to the Gulf of Aden, after the dangerous storms 

 of the Indian Ocean, especially during the south-west mon- 

 soon, they styled the position of the coasts as on the right 

 and left. 



The Rev. Mr. Stern and others think that the name of 

 Falasha is derived from the Ethiopic word faias, which 

 signifies exile, but I believe that it comes most probably 



from the Hebrew and Ariinaic root 11^72, Falash, which 

 means emigrants, as this is the root of Palestine. 



With the exception of the Abyssinians, who are Christians 

 in communion with the Coptic cliurch, — of whose doctrii)e I 

 shall give a brief account hereafter, — all the nationalities 

 which occupy the south-eastern and north-western African 

 peninsula are Mohammedans of the Soonee persuasion, divided 

 into four petty sects, Hanafee, Shafee, Humballee, and 

 Malkee, so-named after four eminent theological doctors. The 

 •difference between them is not in matters of doctrine, but 

 only in rites and ceremonies. The most liberal of these 

 divisions towards the Christians and Jews are the Turks, 

 and the most strict and fanatical are the Shafees. 



It is most interesting to notice the remarkable dijfference 

 in physique and colour of the various Jewish commu- 

 nities all over the world — between the natives of Poland^ 

 Palestine, Central Asia, Mesopotamia, Abyssinia and India. 

 While those of the former country are extremely fair, 

 and those of the two latter are very dark, there is a good 

 deal of resemblance between all, though we know that 

 the Jews have intermarried Avith different Gentile nations, 

 and that they were commanded by God to allow the 

 children of the Egyptians and Edomites to enter the con- 

 gregation of the Lord in their third generations (Deut. 

 xxiii, 8). 



The Samaritans are so called after the name of Samaria, 

 Avhich Josephus says is deriA^ed from Semer or Shomer, avIio 

 sold his inheritance to Omri, King of Israel. The latter 

 iDuilt his capital on it, Avhich he named after its former oAvner 



