•■33S "Deseriptiu'ii of Siiinerals from Palestine. 



porous, their cavities being occasionally occupied by meso^ 

 type, or by plumose carbonate of lime. (Clarke.) 



5. " Taken out of the bruok, where it is said, David 

 picked up the stones, with one of which he slew Goliath.'" 

 Five smooth stones, all water-worn masses of grayish white 

 limestone 



"And th- Philistines stood on a mountain on theoneside, 

 and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side : and there 

 was a valley bttween them." Tl)is was the valley of Elah. 

 " As the country was then." says Dr. Clarke, 'so it is now. 

 The very brook, whence ' David chose him five smooth 

 stones,' has been noticed by many a thirsty pilgrim, jour- 

 neying from Jaffa to J< rusalem ; all of whom must pass it in 

 their way." This writer, who was ar» able geologist, informs 

 us, that the country, between Jerusalem and Jaffa, is excess- 

 ively rou^h. and broken, and Ihe road intolernble Rich 

 valleys there are, where he saw " plentiful crops of tobacco, 

 wh'-at, barley, Indian millet, melons, vines, pumpkins, and 

 cijcumbers;" among craggy "mountains of naked lime- 

 stone." 



G. " From the precipice, on the brow of which Nazareth 

 is built." It is a coarse, gray, compact limestone. This 

 place is mentioned by St, Luke. '•' And they rose up, and 

 thrust him (Christ) out of the city, and led him unto the 

 brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might 

 cast him down headlong." Naaaretb, where the angel an- 

 Bounced to Mary, that she should be the joyful mother of 

 the Redeemer of the world, is situated, says Clarke, ''on a 

 barren, rocky elevation, facing the east," and the country 

 around it bids defiance to agriculture It is about two leagues 

 north from mount Tabor (Calmet): from which you have 

 one of the finest views in Syria. (Volney.) This is an iso- 

 lated mountain, of a conical form, and ''appears to be a full 

 mile in height;'' paths are made on the south side, by which 

 travellers may ascend it on horseback. At the bottom of the 

 mountain, it looks as if it terminated in a point; but on as- 

 cending, you find, at the top, a level plain, three thousand 

 paces in circumference, and covrred with noble oaks; 

 (D'Arvieux.) From this alpine plain, Barak, accompanied 

 by Deborah, descended, with his little band of soldiers, to 

 attack and annihilate the legions of the host of Sisera. Here, 

 it is believed, the transficfuration of our Saviour took place; 

 whea Peter said to his master, " it is good for us to be here : 



