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an interesting and animated perspective; enlivened by 
numerous flocks that were feeding in every direction. 
The northern coast of the sea is entirely covered with 
basaltes, lava, and other volcanic productions. If the 
other shores are composed of the same materials, it may 
be inferred that the Sea of Galilee was formerly the 
crater of a volcano. 
In the middle of the northern shore, there is a Khan, 
or large house, already in ruins, which serves as a lodg- 
ing for travellers; the ruins serve to prove that it was 
built of black porous lava, like that with which this 
coast is covered. There are several plantations of rice 
in the neighbourhood. 
We had hardly begun to ascend towards the N. N. E. 
before some Bedouins on horseback appeared; they 
hovered near us during half an hour, sometimes afar 
off*, at others near, as if they were meditating an attack 
upon us. I ordered my people to prepare their arms 
and be in readiness for defence; the foe then thought 
proper to withdraw, though my suite was composed only 
of a servant, a slave, and four fusiieers. 
We halted at a quarter past nine in the morning, in 
another Khan called En JVebi Jousouf, that is, of the 
prophet Joseph, where I found a detachment of Mogre- 
bin soldiers from Acre, and a very fine cistern contain- 
ing excellent rain water. 
Forty paces distant to the west of this Khan, are the 
ruins of an ancient cistern, in which tradition relates, 
that the sons of Jacob placed their brother Joseph, be- 
fore they sold him to the merchants, who carried him 
to Egypt. 
We set out again about ten, and traversed a dis. 
agreeable ascent, covered with rocks, in a N. N. E* 
direction, Being arrived at the summit, I discovered a 
