TIBERIAS, 201 
dred years- ago, the same state of society which, now charac¬ 
terizes the inhabitants of that country. 
After reluctantly retiring from this crystal flood, we return- 
<ed to the castle. Here, within the spacious and airy apart¬ 
ment prepared for our reception, we mutually expressed our 
hopes of passing at least one night free from the attacks of ver¬ 
min ; but, to our dismay, the sheik, being informed of our con¬ 
versation,, burst into laughter, and said, that, according to a 
saying current in Galilee, “treking of the fleas holds 
his court in Tiberias.” Some of the party, provided with 
hammocks, slung them from the walls, so as to lie suspended 
above the floor; yet even these did not escape persecution: 
and, for the rest of us, who lay on the bare planks, we continu¬ 
ed, as usual, tormented and restless during the night, listening 
to the noise'made by the jackals. Being well aware what we 
had to expect, we resolved to devote as many hours as possible, 
before daybreak, to conversation with the people of the coun¬ 
try, to our supper, and to the business of writing our journals. 
They brought us a plentiful repast, consisting of three sorts of 
fried fishes from the lake : one of these, a species of mullet, was r 
according to their tradition, the favourite food of Jesus Christ. 
The French, during the time their army remained under 
Buonaparte in the Holy Land, constructed two very large 
ovens in this castle. Two years had elapsed, at the time of otic 
arrival, since they had set fire to their granary; and it was 
considered a miracle by the inhabitants of Tiberias, that the 
combustion was not yet extinguished. We visited the place, 
and perceived that, whenever the ashes of the burned com 
-were stirred by thrusting a slick among them, sparks were even 
then glowing throughout i\f£ heap; and a piece of wood, being 
left there, became charred. The heat in those vaulted charn^ 
bers, where the corn had been destroyed, was still ver} 7 great. 
The next morning we arose as soon as light appeared, in 
order to bathe once more, and take a last survey of tire town. 
Although, from several circumstances, we were convinced that 
the ancient city stood upon the site of the modern, it is very 
probable that it occupied a greater extent of territory*, parti¬ 
cularly toward the south, where there, are remains of build- 
f Q,uaresmius mentions a gate of black and white marble on its western side : des¬ 
cribing the city as of a square form, saying of it, “ Non multwn antiqua, est , etvderi 
Tiberiademutto minor : hanc enim long£ majorem istdfuisse, circwnjacentes mugnrs rici~ 
•nae, etmarimS procedendo ad duo milliaria meridian versus, non obscure demonstrant/' 
•placid. Ten*. Samel jth, vii. cap. *; tom. II. p. SOW Ant. 103.9. 
