THE SEA OF GALILEE. 
323 
we had passed, Tiberias showed no symptoms ot European in¬ 
fluence. The turbans and fezzes, the loose flowing robes and 
Oriental slippers, the sashes of rich silks, and all the peculi¬ 
arities of costume which distinguish a purely Oriental people, 
existed here without change or innovation. Many of the 
Jewish women, whom we accidentally saw as we passed by 
the doors, had fine features but seemed wasted and haggard 
from sickness. The children were gaudily dressed in red and 
yellow robes, and were remarkable for their beauty. The 
shops are mean and filthy. A lethargy apparently hung over 
the place. Turbaned and dark-bearded men, with downcast 
eyes and sallow faces, walked slowly through the narrow 
streets, and seemed to sigh as if they bore some weight upon 
them that an eternity of years could not remove. Yailed and 
shrouded women glided in from the doorways, and the ghosts 
of shriveled old women sat crouchingly in the sun, shaking their 
palsied heads, and moaning as if they never more could feel 
its genial warmth. Starved and hairless dogs staggered about 
through the filth, stopping here and there to scratch up the 
bones of some carcass ; foul odors filled the air, and green 
and foetid pools of water lay stagnant among the ruins. 
We stopped at the only tolerable house in the place, a sort 
of hotel for Frank travelers, kept by one Wiseman, a German 
Jew. Our arrival occasioned the liveliest commotion through¬ 
out the establishment. Women and children ran all about, 
screaming at the top of their voices that the Howadji had 
come—to be in a hurry—to get out of the way—to stop 
making such a noise—to be stirring about, and not stand 
staring at one another like fools; while we, calling for water, 
sat down in the big room, and heard water echoed all over 
the house in German, Italian, and Arabic; but saw nothing 
of it for half an hour at least. Herr Wiseman, our host, was 
all that a host could be, good-humored, busy, and obliging. 
He showed us, among other important evidences of the repu¬ 
tation of his establishment, the register of names, from which 
it appeared that Lord Somebody and suite had spent three 
days here en route to Damascus; explored the Lake of Tibe¬ 
rias; were highly gratified with their visit, especially his 
