NAPOLOSE TO JERUSALEM. 283 
and full of loosp stones' : yet the cultivation 
was everywhere marvellous : it afforded one of 
the most striking pictures of human industry 
which it is possible to behold. The limestone •^f J^''^^^- 
rocks and stony valleys of Judcea were entirely 
covered with plantations o^ Jigs, vines, and olive- 
Phocas, who is generally accurate, states the distance between Samaria 
(i.e. Stchem, vel Neapolis) and Jerusalem most erroneously; making 
it only equal to eight)'-four stadia, or ten miles and a half: 'A^ro t?j 
'Sa/u.ci^iiciS IMS T^s uy'ia.s ^oXtco; tl/r) ffraVtoc, iyhoriKovra ria-ru^a, " A Sama- 
ria Oil sacram civitatcm stadia numerantur quatnor et octoginta." f Phocce 
Descript. T. S. cap. 14.) Tliis would only allow a journey of three hours 
and a half. Maundrell makes it eleven hours and thirty-five minutes, 
according to the following statement from his Journal. (See pp. 62, 63> 
64, 66, 67. Jotirn.fiom Alcp. to Jems. Oxf. 1721.) 
Hours. 
I^aplosa to Kane Leban — 4 
JCane Leban to Bethel — 1^ 
Bethel to Beer — — — 2 i 
Beer to Jerusalem — — 3^ 
1 1 . 35 min. 
Adapting, tlievefore, Maundrell' s time to Reland's scale, the distance 
would be little more than thirty-four miles and a half. We considered it 
to be much more ; but it is difficult to obtain accurate measure, even by 
actual observation of the country, owing to its mountainous and rug. 
ged nature. 
(2) If the following passage from Phocas afforded the only internal 
evidence to be found in his Work, of his having visited the countrj', tra- 
vellers, who follow him, will deem it satisfactory. 'H §/»«»? -rairct Xi^offr^ca- 
T«j) xai Tccvra, xfl!T«|'/joa; oiVa fi ^aftc reiuvrn X'^^^t "*' au^firi^cc ktti xui 
xaTKf/.'jriXss xa) u'Tohv^^s;. " Via est omnis lapidibus strata ; et, licet tota 
ea regio siccitate arescat, et squalleat, ubiquc tamen vitibus et arboribus 
constipatur." Phocce Descr. Terr. Sand. c. 14. Colon. 1653. Tlie ex- 
traordinary cultivation of this singular country, and the mode of it, is also 
^oticed by Maundrell. See Journ, from Alcp. to Jerus. j'p- 64, 65. 
