r thus (says) the Lady
whose name is _Basmatu_,(361) thy handmaid. At the feet of the King my
Lord my God my Sun, seven times seven times, I bow. Know O King my Lord
behold! there has been war in the land, and the land of the King my Lord
has been wearied by rebels, by men of blood. And know O King as to his
land, and know my foolishness (or disgrace). Behold the men (or chiefs) of
blood have sent to the city of _Ajalon_, and to the city of _Zar'a_
(Zorah),(362) and (this is) to show that there is no place of refuge for
the two sons of _Milcilu_; and know O King my Lord this request."

138 B.--"To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says) the Lady
whose name is _Basmatu_, thy handmaid, the dust of thy feet, and at the
feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times seven times I bow. Let
the King my Lord pluck his land from the hands of the men of blood. Am not
I tired marching to the town of _Zabuba_; and because of not resting O
King my Lord?"

There is only one place in Palestine called Zabuba; it is the Sububa of
the fourteenth century, the modern Ezbuba, south of Taanach, west of the
plain of Esdraelon. Poor Basmath had to go some sixty miles by road to
reach it from her home. This interesting little letter, which shows she
was not one of the ladies sent to Egypt, though probably a person of
importance, seems perhaps to indicate that the central part of the
country, from which no appeals for help occur in the letters, was
undisturbed. The Amorite-Hittite league came down to Bashan and to Tyre,
but not apparently as far as Accho. The Hebrews, on the other hand, coming
from Seir, are said to have gone as far north as Rimmon and Shiloh, but
were mainly fighting southward from Ajalon. Between the two theatres of
war lay the whole of Samaria and lower Galilee, in which Basmath found a
refuge.

OTHER LETTERS FROM THE SOUTH OF PALESTINE

136 B.--"To the King my Lord (my God?), the Sun from heaven, by letter thus
(says) _Yamirdagan_ thy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven
times seven times I bow. I hear the message of the King my Lord to me, and
now I will guard the city of the King my Lord till the coming of a message
of the King my Lord for me."

Comparing the name with that of Dagontacala of Ascalon, it appears that
this writer was probably a Philistine.

151 B.--A letter from the "Chief of the town _Naziba_" to say he goes with
his chariots and horses to meet the King's soldiers. This pla