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judge of their confusion at having treated me as a Chris- 
tian. Confused and fearful, they were waiting my ar- 
rival, to offer me their very humble excuses. They kissed 
my hands, my feet and my head, weeping all the time; 
and after having asked a thousand pardons of my ser- 
vants, they intreated me to condescend to alight, and 
partake of a magnificent repast, which they had prepared 
at the side of a fine spring of water; which I did. 
I learnt from these good people, that there were three 
guarded posts upon the roads to Jerusalem, for the col- 
lection of the tribute, which consists, if I do not mistake, 
of thirty paras for a native Jew, and six piastres for a 
foreign Jew; of fifty paras for a native Christian, and 
two piastres for one who is not. 
From the tops of these mountains the sea may be 
discerned. 
After having taken a friendly leave of these old men, 
I resumed my journey across the mountains about 
three quarters past two, and after a painful progress of 
three hours, I found myself in a more open country, 
called Abougos, where I saw a village of huts; the 
people were then employed m threshing out the grain. 
The road m this place begins to be wider, and the des- 
cent more gentle. At a quarter past three I stopped a 
few minutes near one of four wells, which bear the 
name of Biar Aayoub; the water of which was green 
and filthy. 
I traversed the village of Latroun, situated upon a 
height, about four o'clock; from thence I descended 
into the plain, and after having passed near the village 
of Kohab, built upon a small hill, I arrived at Ramie 
at a quarter past six. 
The mountains which I had traversed are rocky, and 
almost destitute of vegetation, from Jerusalem to the 
