EGYPT, AND SYRIA. 363 
rivulet which flows murmuring down the valley, and waters in 
its courfe fome gardens of excellent foil. The brinks of this 
brook are adorned with a variety of herbage. Olives, vines, 
and fig trees flourifli abundantly in the neighbourhood. The 
olive trees are daily decreafmg in number, as they are facrificed to 
the perfonal enmities of the inhabitants, who meanly feek re- 
venge by fawing down in the night thofe that belong to their 
adverfaries. As this tree is of flow growth, it is feldom re- 
placed. Such is the charity of Chrifliians in the cradle of Chrift- 
ianity. A more pleafmg object arifes in the convent here, which 
contains under one roof the different tenets of Latins, Arme- 
nians, and Greeks. 
About the fame diftance from Jerufalem, towards the wilder- 
nefs, is the convent of St, John, fituated in the midft of a 
romantic country, fl:udded with vines and olive trees. In the 
village of St. John and its diftrid the Mohammedans form the 
greater part of the population. 
The mode of agriculture here purfued may be worthy of ob- 
fervation. As the country abounds in abrupt inequalities, little 
walls are erected, which fupport the foil, and form narrow ter- 
races. Small ploughs are ufed dravv^n by oxen ; and it requires 
no flight dexterity in the driver to turn his plough, and avoid 
damaging the walls. The foil thus fecured is extremely favour- 
able to cultivation. The breed of black cattle is in general 
diminutive. Horfes are few in number, and afl^es refembling 
the European are chiefly ufed for travelling. 
3 -'^ ^ 
We 
