THE MISSIONARIES IN SYRIA. 
275 
lowing day, the rain turned to a cutting sleet, and we were 
forced to stop at Beit Jem. Taking the rough bridle-path 
from that village, we ascended Jebel-esh-Sheik, or Mt. Her- 
mon, where we suffered intensely from the cold. The mount¬ 
ain was covered with snow; and the whole aspect of the 
country was wild and barren. We saw a few jackals among 
the rocks, and shot at one that came snuffing the air rather 
close to us, but, with our usual luck, missed him. 
On the evening of the third day we descended near by an 
old castle, to the village of Baneas, the ancient Cesarea Phi¬ 
lippi. We saw here the grotto from which flows the spring 
said by some authorities to be the source of the Jordan. I 
had promised to meet Doctor Mendoza and the Madam at 
Philippi; but they had passed on the day before, evidently 
because it was “ imposs to remain tranquil 55 in such a place. 
I had also on various occasions during my life agreed to meet 
friends and foes in Philippi. The friends were not there : I 
was not disappointed in regard to the foes. We all had an 
abundance of them during the night, and in the morning 
had no cause to complain of having met nothing in Philippi. 
