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ARTHUR W. SUTTON, ESQ., J.P., F.L.S., ON 



and hence Moses viewed tlie Promised Land (Deut. xxxiv, 1). 

 But towards the west, in the direction which Moses surveyed, 

 there is a very wide and extensive view. The mountain ranges 

 of Judea lie straight before us, with Jerusalem, Bethlehem and 

 the Frank Mountain clearly visible. The Russian Tower on 

 the Mount of Olives and the summit of Neby Samwil are con- 

 spicuous objects in their midst. To the south-west is seen the 

 ridge of Beni N'aim, near Hebron, whence Abraham beheld 

 the smoke of the burning cities of the plain, whilst north of 

 Olivet is seen the cone-shaped hill of Ophrah. The hills ot 

 Samaria are yet farther to the right, with Tel] 'Asur — the ancient 

 Baal-Hazor — Ebal, Gerizim and Bezek prominent amongst 

 them. Gilboa, Tabor and the heights beyond Beisan are visible 

 on a clear day ; but Carmel and Hermon are hidden from 

 view, the former by the intervening heights of Jebel Hazkin, 

 on which stands Bezek, and the latter by Neby Osh'a. The 

 whole of the Jordan valley, with the river itself meandering 

 in serpent-like curves in its midst, lies outspread like a map 

 at our feet, bathed in sunny verdure in early spring, at which 

 time of the year Moses appears to have viewed it. From north 

 to south " the land of Gilead towards Dan, Naphtali, Ephraim 

 and Manasseh — all the land of Judah, towards the utmost sea 

 (the Mediterranean), the southern hills, and the plain of Jericho " 

 (Deut. xxxiv, 1-3) — all these the aged " servant of God " 

 could embrace within the compass of his vision, without the 

 aid of any miraculous powers. 



Hebron, which we next reach after crossing the Jordan and 

 passing south by Bethany and Jerusalem, is one of the oldest 

 cities of the world. It was known at the time of its capture 

 by the Israelites under Joshua as Kirjath-Arba, which means 

 the " Fourfold City." Probably, like Jerusalem at the present 

 day, it was divided into four quarters, inhabited respectively 

 by different races of people. The Septuagint describes it as the 

 " Metropolis of the Anakim." 



It is known as " City of Abraham, the Friend of God," to the 

 Arabs, who have abbreviated the name to El Khalif — " The 

 Friend " or " The Beloved." It is one of the four sacred cities 

 of the Moslems. 



Haram : Cave of Machpelah. Travellers are not admitted 

 within the precincts of this mosque, though a few royal European 

 visitors have been privileged to enter this most cherished Moslem 

 sanctuary by special Irade of the Sultan. This is one of the 



