ns. Nazareth,
you see, is still a wicked city, where robbery is committed and not
punished.

There is much to make the traveller sad as he wanders about the Holy
Land.

That land was once _fruitful_, but now it is barren. It is not surprising
that no one plants and sows in the fields, because the Turks would take
away the harvests.

Once it was a _peaceful_ land, but now there are so many enemies that
every man carries a gun to defend himself.

Once it was a _holy_ land, but now Mahomet is honored, and not the God of
Israel.

When shall it again be fruitful, and peaceful, and holy? When the Jews
shall repent of their sins and turn to the Lord. Then, says the prophet
Ezekiel, (xxxvi. 35,) "They shall say, This land that was desolate is
become like the garden of Eden."[1]

[1] Taken chiefly from "A Pastor's Memorial," by the Rev. George Fisk.

SYRIA.

Those who love the Holy Land will like to hear about Syria also; for
Abraham lived there before he came into Canaan. Therefore the Israelites
were taught to say when they offered a basket of fruit to God, "A Syrian
was my father." It was a heathen land in old times; and it is now a
Mahomedan land; though there are a few Christians there, but very
ignorant Christians, who know nothing of the Bible.

Syria is a beautiful land, and famous for its grand mountains, called
Lebanon. The same clergyman who travelled through the Holy Land went to
Lebanon also. He had to climb up very steep places on horseback, and
slide down some, as slanting as the roof of a house. But the Syrian
horses are very sure-footed. It is the custom for the colts from a month
old to follow their mothers; and so when a rider mounts the back of the
colt's mother, the young creature follows, and it learns to scramble up
steep places, and to slide down; even through the towns the colt trots
after its mother, and soon becomes accustomed to all kinds of sights and
sounds: so that Syrian horses neither shy nor stumble.

The traveller was much surprised at the dress of the women of Lebanon:
for on their heads they wear silver horns sticking out from under their
veils, the strangest head-dress that can be imagined.

There are sweet flowers growing on the sides of Lebanon; but at the top
there are ice and snow.

The traveller ate some ice, and gave some to the horses; and the poor
beasts devoured it eagerly, and seemed quite refreshed by their cold
meal.

The snow of Lebanon is spoken of