THE RUINED CITIES OF PALESTINE; ETC. 



15 



camp at Tibnin, whose fine large castle has been the chief 

 feature of the landscape for some two hours before we arrive. 

 The castle was founded by Hugh de St. Omer, Count of Tiberias, 

 about 1104. 



The second day's ride brings us to Safed, one of the four 

 sacred cities of the Jews, occupying a conspicuous position on 

 the summit and slopes of a lofty mountain, and supposed to 

 be the place referred to when our Lord said, " A city that is 

 set on a hill cannot be hid " (Matt, v, 14). To-day it contains 

 about 15,000 inhabitants— 9000 Jews, 6000 Moslems, and 

 a few Christians. Like many other towns of Palestine, it is 

 filthy beyond description. It was almost entirely destroyed 

 by the great earthquake of 1837, when great numbers of the 

 inhabitants perished. Baldwin III fled here after his defeat 

 in 1157, and Saladin captured it after the battle of Hattin 

 in 1187. 



We now reach Tiberias. It has a population of about 6000, 

 of whom 4000 are Jews, 300 Christians, and the rest Moslems, 

 and is one of the four sacred cities of the Jews in Palestine. 

 The earlier city of Tiberias was spoken of by Joshua (xix, 35) 

 under the name of Rakkath. The Roman city was built by 

 Herod Antipas, and dedicated by him to the Emperor Tiberias 

 (a.d. 16). After the battle of Hattin, 1187, Tiberias fell into 

 the hands of Saladin. 



The Hammam or hot baths (temperature 144° F.) are to 

 the south of the city, and are visited by people from all parts 

 of the country. They occupy the site of Hammath, spoken of 

 by Joshua (xix, 35) and by Pliny. Our Lord never entered 

 Tiberias, as, according to early tradition, it was built on an 

 ancient cemetery. 



We now proceed round the foot of the lake, and up the gorge 

 of the Yarmuk, from Tiberias to Deraa. Following the caravan 

 road down the western side of the lake we come to an old ruined 

 bridge over the Jordan, about a mile south of where it flows 

 out of the Sea of Galilee, and ford the river on horseback ; and 

 after crossing the railway from Haifa to Deraa and Damascus 

 at the station of Semakh, we follow the railway up the gorge 

 of the River Yarmuk to the hot springs of Amatha. These 

 springs are eight in number, some of them several miles up 

 the valley, but the principal ones are close to a place called 

 El Hamma. Their temperatures are 115°, 103°, 92° and 83° F. 

 respectively. The principal spring is in a basin about 40 feet in 



c 



