158 



THE PALM-TREE, 



trees^ which he may do at a great distance^ he 

 knows, almost certainly, not only that there he 

 shall find shade and fruit, but also a fountain 

 of water at their feet." 



This/' said Mrs. Longhurst, is beautifully 

 expressed in the book of Exodus. ^ And they 

 came to Elim, and there were threescore and 

 ten palm-trees and twelve wells of water.' " 



And such/' continued Mr. L. as the 

 country and the palm-trees were then, such 

 they are now ; and it is interesting to perceive 

 the fidelity with which these ancient incidents 

 of human life are referred to by the writers of 

 Scripture, by the likeness there is to the nar- 

 ratives of modern travellers in those parts ; and 

 the fact itself is not a little striking, that thou- 

 sands of years make scarcely any difference in 

 the country and people of the East ; whilst 

 one or two hundred years alters us so much, in 



