een_, also at one
time a village called _Hhata_.

At twenty minutes to one we reached _Falooja_; the heat had become
intense, and incessant swarms of black stinging flies annoyed our horses
beyond patience. In fact the Philistine plain (which, however, we were
now soon to leave) was always noted for the plague of flies, and this
gave rise to the ancient deprecatory worship of Baal-zebub, "the lord of
flies," by that people; there is still a village upon the plain named
_Dair ed Duban_, "the convent (or temple) of flies." Later in the summer
this plague is said to be so intolerable to horses and animals of burden
that travelling is only attempted there by night-time.

At length came a rustling noise along the fields and rain fell slowly in
drops large as good teaspoonfuls, yet the heat was so great that my coat
of nearly white linen did not for some time show marks of wetness; a
black cloud from which the water fell accompanied us along the line of
route, and the rain from it increased.

Over the plain going eastwards we had for a long time in view a rocky
hill with a Weli crowning its summit; on our right, _i.e._ southwards, a
conspicuous object, and called _'Arak Munshiyah_ (the rock of Munshiyah.)
This is not to be confounded with the similar cliff cropping out of the
plain, but upon our left, and called _Tell es Safieh_.

We noticed several deserted villages with small breastworks and turrets
of loose construction remaining where the peasantry had of late resisted
the raids of the southern Bedaween, but unsuccessfully. We were told by
a solitary foot-passenger of such incursions having taken place only a
day or two before, whereupon our muleteers took fright and hurried on
apace. We all examined the state of our firearms, while the storm was
driving furiously in our faces.

The rain was over as we reached _Bait Jibreen_, just after 3 P.M. This
important place was our station for the day. We pitched in an eligible
situation under a line of olive-trees at some distance from the houses,
in view of the principal antique buildings. The principal people came
out to welcome us, especially 'Abdu'l 'Azeez, the brother of the Nazir
Shaikh Muslehh, for whom I had brought a letter of recommendation from
the governor of Gaza.

We were fatigued as much as anything from the effect of the shirocco
wind. Then dark clouds from a distance with thunder surrounded us. As
the time of sunset approached, the preparations for