imported to the place by some of the
people who had been employed by Europeans in Jerusalem; and yet I have
always found that the old Saracenic houses of the Effendis in Jerusalem
have all of them chimneys; and the word for _chimney_ is well known in
Arabic.

This being almost exclusively a Christian village, it was interesting to
hear the people addressing each other as Peter, James, Elijah, John,
Paul, etc., instead of Mohammed, Ali, Omar, or other such appellations.
It is a little beside the purpose, but I may remark in passing, that
throughout these countries there are names in use common to all
religions,--some scriptural, as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, or David;
and others mere epithets, as Assaad or Selim.

In this village are three priests, (Greek orthodox,) idle, ignorant, and
coarse men; but the peasantry are a bold set of fellows, speaking and
acting very independently of clerical domination,--very indifferent as to
whether they shall turn Protestants or Papists. One thing they are in
earnest about, and that is to get schools for their children.

Ram Allah exhibits the same characteristic as all other Christian
villages in Palestine, that of being in good condition--new houses being
built, and old ones repaired; contrary to the condition of Moslem
villages, almost without one exception--that of falling to decay. There
is, however, no water here; the women bring it in jars upon their heads
from _Beeri_, a considerable distance.

We made a _detour_ from the high-road, in order to look for _Jifna_, the
_Gophna_ of Josephus, where Titus and his renowned Tenth Legion (recently
arrived from Britain) slept the night before reaching Jerusalem. Then
the Eagles were gathered together over the doomed carcass of the city.
Inquiring our way from Ram Allah to Jifna, some said there was a road
without going to Beeri; some said there was none. At length we were put
upon a pretty decent path.

In ten minutes we came to a sort of well with a little water, where women
were thumping clothes upon stones; this is called washing in the East.
Magnificent view westwards of the great plain, the Great Sea, Jaffa,
Ramlah, etc.

We wandered about hills and among vineyards, and came to a small village
named _Doorah_, in good condition, with water, and excellent cultivation
of garden vegetables in small patches, similar to those of Selwan
(Siloam) and Urtas; then turning a corner saw Jifna at some distance, in
the midst of a p