s _Paka_ ('head man'). Lo! I am defending the pass
(or great gate) of the city of _'Azati_ (Gaza) and the passage of the city
of _Yapu_ (Joppa), and I myself and the soldiers (_bitati_) of the King my
Lord have marched to the lands. I myself (am) with them, and now, and lo!
now, I myself (am) with them. The yoke of the King my Lord (is) on my neck
and I will bear it."

71 B. M.--The usual salutation from a servant of the King, whose name is
broken, but reads _Mus_ ... _ni_. "I hear the messages of the King my Lord
which he sends to his servant, hearing what is spoken by thy chief (_Ka_),
and (it is) 'Strengthen thou the fortresses of the King thy Lord which are
with thee.' Now they have minded the message of the King my Lord to me,
and the King my Lord learns of his servant. Now _Biia_ the son of the
woman _Gulata_(303) was my ... of my brethren whom I am despatching to go
down from the city _Yapu_ (Joppa), and to be the defenders of the
messengers returning to the King my Lord; and now _Biia_ is the son of
_Gulata_, he took them; and the King my Lord shall learn this message of
his servant. Thus since the King my Lord said to me, 'Make him leave thy
city, on the appearance of _Biia_.' He also indeed is made to leave; and
both go, and indeed both are sent down O King my Lord day and night till
they reach the place."

Joppa is not mentioned in the history of Joshua's wars in the south, but
the "border before (east of) Japho" is noticed in the later topographical
charter (Josh. xix. 46).

LETTERS FROM ASCALON

129 B.--"To the Great King my Lord _Dagantacala_(304) thy servant speaks.
Seven times and seven times at the feet of the Great King my Lord I bow.
And now behold _Dagantacala_ is thy servant O Great King my Lord. He hears
carefully the message of the Great King his Lord ... like my fathers,
(and) what my fathers have not done for the Great King I have done for the
Great King my Lord. And the Great King my Lord says to me, 'Listen thou
for us to the head man (_Ka_) thy governor.'(305) I hear this carefully as
to the chief governor, and the ruler knows it."

74 B. M.--This begins with the same salutation from _Dagantacala_, and
continues: "Redeem me from the strong foes, from the hands of men of
blood. The chiefs are hiding and the chiefs are flying, and redeem thou me
O Great King my Lord. And the son of a dog has ... But thou (art) the
Great King my Lord. Come down redeem me, and I shall rejoice because of
the