216 ANCIENT FORTRESS. 



found our horses treading on the foundations of a 

 massive wall. Following its course northwards, we 

 found its termination at the edge of the cliff, 

 over a narrow ravine, seventy or eighty feet deep, 

 through which flowed the Arab Soo. The 

 southern extremity of the wall ended in like 

 manner at the edge of the precipice, forming the 

 southern boundary of the plain, so as to cut off 

 a spur or promontory of the elevated flat, pre- 

 cipitous at three sides, and thus easily convert- 

 ible into a strongly fortified position. The 

 length of the great wall is not more than two 

 hundred yards, and the foundations are of the 

 unusual breadth of fourteen feet, and built of 

 squared uncemented blocks of great dimensions. 

 The entrance or gateway was evident at the 

 southern extremity of this massive substructure, 

 where are also visible for several yards on either 

 side, deep ruts of cart or chariot wheels, worn 

 in the bare travertine rock. The area enclosed 

 contains but few remains, and those not of a 

 certainly ancient character, being walls con- 

 structed of small stones and mortar. Where 

 the cliffs are at all accessible, short walls are 

 thrown across the trenches, and on both sides 

 of the Arab Soo are traces of buildings near an 



