200. CLAIiKB’s TRAVELS, 
The rest of ibis short journey, like the preceding part of it; 
was over sterile limestone, principally ascending, until we eo« 
tered a narrow defile between the hills. This, suddenly open¬ 
ing toward our right, presented us with a view of the small 
town or village of Nazareth, # situated upon the side of a barren 
rocky elevation, facing the east, and commanding a long valley 
Throughout the dominion of Djezzar Pacha, there was no place 
that suffered more from his tyrannical government than Naza- 
reth. Its inhabitants, unable to sustain the burthens imposed 
upon them, were continually emigrating to other territories. The 
few who remained were soon to be stripped of their possessions; 
and when no longer able to pay the tribute exacted from them; 
no alternative remained, but that of going to Acre, to work id 
his fortifications, or to Oee their country. The town was in the 
most wretched state of indigence and misery, the soil around might 
bid defiance to agriculture ; and to the prospect of starvation 
were added the horrors of the plague. Thus it seemed destined 
to maintain its ancierifreputation ; for the Nathanael of his day 
might have inquired of a native of Bethsaida,f whether ‘any good 
thing could come out of Nazareth ?’ A party of Djezzar’s troops, 
encamped in tents about the place, were waiting to seize even 
the semblance of a harvest which could be collected from all 
the neighbouring district. In the valley appeared one of those 
fountains, which, from time immemorial, have been the halting 
place of caravans, and sometimes the scene of contention and 
bloodshed. The women of Nazareth were passing to and.from 
the town, with pitchers upon their heads. We stopped to view 
ihegroupe of camels, with their drivers, who were there repo* 
sing: and, calling to mind the manners of the most remote 
ages, we renewed the solicitation of Abraham’s servant unto 
Rebecca, by the well of Nahor.j: In the writings of early pil¬ 
grims and travellers, this spring is denominated “the fountain 
of the Virgin Mary;” and certainly, if there be a spot through-" 
out the Holy Land, that was undoubtedly honoured by her 
presence, we may consider this to have been the place; be¬ 
cause the situation of a copious spring is not likely to change ? 
u Na|’apjT, scribit Epiphaniu*, olim oppidum erat, nunc vleuS£ wbjn\. Lib. i,'r 
adversus. Hasreses, p. ]22. notatque p. l:-5o. ante tempera Joseph! (usquead imperiutn. 
Constant ini $enioris) nuli'is prester Judaeos ilJic habitare lieuisse.” Relandi PaUstinfy 
in verb. Nazareth: 
“ Phocas appbilat earn'«WjipffoXiv,'sic tit 'ftcSjfrys, et ttoAjwj vid et vrbis, c.erto re- 
3 oettu nopacn''jaereatu'r. ”' I bi d. See also William of Tyre, lib. xxiii. c. '26. 
f John, c i. pQcn, c. xxiy, 17. 
