eh and its
Remains_ and _Nineveh and Babylon_. Layard carefully
examined Nebbi Junus, which is held in great veneration by
the Mussulmans, and came to the conclusion that the
tradition which places Jonah's tomb on this spot is a mere
fable (p. 596). It will be seen that Benjamin speaks of the
Shrine as a _Synagogue_. At Alkush near Mosul the tomb of
Nahum is pointed out, and the Arabs say that after Jonah had
fulfilled his mission to the people of Nineveh they relapsed
into idolatry. Then Nahum denounced the city and was slain
by the populace, who proclaimed him and Jonah to be false
prophets, since the doom the latter foretold does not come
to pass, See Schwarz, _Das Heilige Land_, 1852, p. 259,
identifying Kefar Tanchum near Tiberias with Nahum's
burialplace]

[Footnote 121: As to Jewish seats of learning in Babylon
refer to Dr. Krauss's Article "Babylonia" in the _Jewish
Encyclopaedia_; see also Guy Le Strange, p. 74, who suggests
that Pumbedita means "mouth of the Badat canal." Cf. _J. Q.
R._, XVII, p. 756.]

[Footnote 122: Hadara goes under the name Alhathr or Hatra.
There must exist great doubt as to whether Benjamin had
personally satisfied himself as to the Jewish population he
gives for this and the other places he tells of, till he
comes to Egypt. Up to this point the Traveller has always
appeared to under-estimate the Jewish population. Henceforth
it will be found that he gives apparently exaggerated
figures,--and this lends colour to the view that Benjamin
did not proceed beyond Ispahan, but found his way thence
direct to Egypt. The statements concerning the intervening
places must therefore be taken to have been based upon
hearsay information. Pethachia's remarks are significant:
"In the land of Cush and Babel are more than sixty myriads
of Jews; as many are in the land of Persia. But in Persia
the Jews are subject to hard bondage and suffering.
Therefore Rabbi Pethachia visited only one city in Persia."
(Dr. Benisch's edition, p. 19.)]

[Footnote 123: The Caliphs of the Abbaside Dynasty traced
their descent from Mohammed. Benjamin here refers to the
Caliph El Mostanshed. The Caliph is aptly compared to the
Pope. In addition to his temporal authority at Bagdad, he
exercised as Leader of the Faithful