service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and [last and chiefest of all] of whom as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever: Amen"-Rom. ix. 4, 5so,) Sychar, although connected with the histories of Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, and the kings of Israel, has this pre-eminent interest on which the heart most delightedly dwells; that hither did Jesus, the Son of God, come. Here He made known His salvation and sojourned two days, while many on Him.

many believed

Farewell, Sychar! Though I never again see thy walls, climb thy hillsides, or wander to the well where Jesus sat; I look to see Him who is the same to-day as when He sat there, and shall be for ever.

"To Jacob's well a woman came,

For water from a neighbouring town;
A stranger there, unknown His name,
Had, faint and weary, sat Him down.

He meekly said, 'Give me to drink,'
As water from the well she drew;
Ah! little did that woman think

The tribute that to Him was due.

He asked for water; but had she

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Known that the Lord of life was there,

For His salvation, full and free,

Had been her own, her earnest prayer.

From His own lips the truth she learn'd, From His own love the gift received; And in the stranger's form discern'd

The Lord, in whom she now believed."

CHAPTER IX.

NABLUS TO NAZARETH.

HAVING got fairly on our way, we passed along the foot of Mount Ebal, till, when nearly half-an-hour from Nablus, my companion remembered that he had left his blanket behind. The Bashi-bazouk was therefore dispatched to fetch it, while we and the muleteer advanced steadily; but we soon called a halt on account of one of my stirrups, which was suspended by a mixture of leather and cord, giving way. By dint of tying about three knots, the muleteer restored it to its former length, with what want of elegance I need scarcely add. As we were crossing the lower spurs of Ebal northward, before the valley of Nablus was excluded from our sight, we saw the horseman hastening to overtake us, bringing the blanket.

This incident, though trivial, will serve to illustrate certain allusions in scripture to the circumstances of travel. To avoid the almost endless delay which would occur in ascertaining before setting out that nobody and nothing was left behind by the large travelling party; as of old, the cara

vans advance the first day only a sabbath day's journey, or about six miles, so that at the first halt, if it be found from actual test that any deficiency exists, it may be made good with only a small sacrifice of time. After this the caravans gradually progress at an average pace of twenty-five or thirty miles a day.

This custom bears especially on Luke ii. 41–49. "Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem, after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his

understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Be

hold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business ?"

Reading these words in the light of the custom above mentioned, the conduct of Joseph and Mary loses that appearance of unnatural disregard about the child Jesus which it would otherwise wear.

It may create a natural surprise that we did not visit Sebaste, the ruined city of Samaria. The reasons were the shortness of time and the difficulty of obtaining horses, already mentioned; the lateness, too, of the hour when we obtained a fair mount, and the restrictions under which we were placed to follow a tolerably direct course to Da

mascus.

But what I was disappointed of seeing, my readers need not therefore be prevented reading about; and from the descriptions of others who have visited this place of remarkable interest to the traveller and Bible student, I select that given by the Rev. George Fisk.

"Samaria was visible for full an hour before we reached it; and perhaps there is not a more lovely scene in Palestine than that which presents itself when its commanding position first meets the eye.

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