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T0 JERICHO. 127 
fticaceum. Near Jerufalem grow different forts of 
plants on thefe hills, efpecially Ceratonin, Carob- 
tre e; Myrtus, Myrtle ; and Tcrcbintbus, Turpentine- 
ll 'ee ; but farther towards Jericho, they are bare 
a nd barren. The vales, like the hills, are not fruit- 
fthj but defected and uncultivated, being full of 
Pebbles, and without vegetables ; neverthelefs, the 
e arth confifts of a good red mould, and would am- 
ply reward the hufbandman’s toil. In the begin- 
lQ g they are fomewhat narrow, but become wider 
Nearer Jordan. Thefe interchanges of hills and 
Va les, make the roads in Judea as dangerous as in 
aa y place whatever; and they could not be travelled 
^■th any but Arabian horfes, which are ufed to go 
tjpon fuch ftony roads as feem impaffable, and per- 
‘°rm it with great fagacity. I have had fuch proofs 
this as I Ihould fcarce believe, if 1 had not feen it 
^yfelf, efpecially on the journey from Jericho to 
*he Dead Sea : but though thefe creatures are ufed 
trot in the hills, they will blunder unlefs they 
t' e Well governed. This I faw by thofe on which 
l ^ e Monks rid, who were but indifferent riders, 
an d therefore their horfes feemed to have forgot 
*‘ le expertnefs and fafety with which they went 
''jhen managed by an able horfcman. The fan had 
already hid himfelf behind the hills of Stony 
Arabia, and the moon come from her retreat ; when 
' Ve > at eight o’clock in the evening, arrived at our 
^campment, which tvas laid out on the great plain 
Jericho, that extends two leagues in length along 
be Dead Sea. Here we found tents erefled for us, 
htch by the care of the Procurator had been 
r °ught thither; under which we had a pleafant 
atl d delicious fupper, and reded during the darked 
Part of the night. My Herbarium ferved me for a 
P> how. I was happy in having this, when the red 
0 the company, and the fuperior himfelf, had no- 
thing 
