Chap. 14.] ACCOUOT or C0U1S"TEIES, ETC. 
425 
bia. (13.) After tliis, at the point where the Sirbonian 
Lake^ becomes visible, Idumsea and Palsestina begin. This 
lake, which some writers have made to be 150 miles in circum- 
ference, Herodotus has placed at the foot of Mount Casius ; 
it is now an inconsiderable fen. The towns are Khinocolura^, 
and, in the interior, Ehaphea^, Graza, and, still more inland, 
Anthedon^: there is also Mount Argaris^. Proceeding along 
the coast we come to the region of Samaria ; Ascalo^, a free 
town, Azotus'', the two Jamnige^, one of them in the in- 
^ Now called the Sabakat Bardowal. It lay on the coast of Egypt, 
east of Mount Casius, and it is not improbable that the boundary-line 
between Egypt and Palsestina or Idumsea ran through the middle of its 
waters. It was strongly impregnated with asphaltus. A connection 
formerly existed between it and the Mediterranean, but this being stopped 
up, it gradually grew smaller by evaporation and is now nearly dry. 
2 The present Kulat-el-Arich or El Arish, situate at the niouth of the 
brook El- Arish, called by the Scriptures the " river of Egypt." Its name 
signifies in Grreek, "cutting ofi* of noses," and is probably derived from 
the fact of its having been the place of exile for criminals who had been 
so mutilated, under the Ethiopian kings of Egypt. Poinsinet suggests 
however that the name means the "town of the cuwmcised." 
3 The place on its site is still called Refah, but it was really situate on 
the coast. Graza has been already mentioned in a Note to C. 12, p. 423. 
^ Anthedon was on the coast of Palestine, although Pliny says to the 
contrary. It was situate about three miles to the south-west of Gaza, 
and was destroyed by Alexander Jannseus. In the time of JuUan it was 
addicted to the worship of Astarte, the Syrian Yenus. According to 
Dupinet the present name of its site is Daron. 
^ Brotier says that this is the same as the Mount Glerizim of Scrip- 
ture, but that was situate in Samaria, a considerable distance from the 
southern coast of Paleestina. Pliny is the only author that mentions it. 
^ The Ascalon of Scripture, one of the five cities of the Philistines, 
situate on the coast of the Mediterranean, between Graza and Jamnia. 
In early times it was the seat of the worship of Derceto, a fish with a 
woman's head. The ruins, which still bear the name of Askulan, are very 
extensive, and indicative of great strength. The shalot or scalhon was 
originally a native of this place, and thence derived its name. 
7 The Ashdod of Scripture. It was one of the five cities of the Phi- 
listines and the chief seat of the worship of Dagon. Herodotus states 
that it stood a siege of twenty-nine years from Psammetichus, king of 
Egypt. It was afterwards taken and retaken several times. It was 
situate between Ascalon and Jamnia, and its site is indicated by the 
modem village of Esdad, but no ruins of the ancient city are visible. 
^ One of these was a city of the Phihstines, assigned to the tribe of 
Judah in the fifteenth Chapter of Joshua, 45, according lo the Septua- 
giut version, but omitted in the Hebrewj which only mentions it in 
