3

4

Canatha among the cities of Colesyria. There are some
coins of the emperors Claudius and Domitian (A.D. 41-96),
with the name Kanathon upon them; and one, of the
period of Maximianus, has been found, which tends in
some degree to illustrate the peculiar worship practised
by the inhabitants, and also to throw light on the singular
piece of sculpture above referred to. It has the name
KANATA, and on the reverse a figure of Isis, with some
of the ornaments peculiar to that goddess. It is well
known that Isis by the Egyptians was generally regarded
as the representative of the moon, as Osiris was of the sun,
and therefore she may have been considered in Kenath
as identical with the Syrian goddess Astarte. From the
inscriptions at present found in this place we learn that
the principal buildings were erected during the reigns of
Trajan and Hadrian. One of these inscriptions is so im-
portant that I here insert it. It was seen by Buckingham,
and he attempted to copy it, but with very poor success,
as may be seen by a comparison with that here given :--

ΥΠΕΡ ΩΤHPIACAYTΟΚΡ. ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟΥ
ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟΥ ΚΑΙ C CEB ΤΟΥΚΥΡΙΟΥΔΙΑΟ
ACOYAAANOYCAIEAOY AIMOYBAAA
POYMOгNIOYXAAMMEOYC CAMEATOYгAYTOY

ΘΑΙΜΟΥΔΟΑΙΟΥ

ЄTOYCH≫

ΑΓΟΡΑΝΟΜΟΥΝΙΟΣ Μ ΟΥΛΠΙΟΥΦΙΠΠΙΚΟΥ 5

3 Hist. Nat. v. 18.
4 Ritter, Paläst. und Syrien, ii. 938.
5 There is considerable difficulty connected with the name upon this
inscription, when compared with the date. The name is Trajanus
Adrianus, or Hadrianus; and from this it would seem that it was placed
here under the reign of Hadrian, and not in that of Trajan. But then
this does not agree with the date; for Hadrian was not emperor till

6

or

The monument to which this inscription belonged, therefore, was erected in the year 8 of the Bostrian era, A.D. 114, being the 17th year of the reign of the emperor Trajan; and it is somewhat remarkable that this very year Trajan passed the winter in Syria on his way to Parthia. Another inscription has the name of Antoninus upon it (A.D. 138-60). These are, consequently, among the oldest Roman monuments existing in the Haurân. The name of Canota is found in Ptolemy, and likewise, as has been seen, in Stephen of Byzantium and Eusebius. It attained the rank of an episcopal city at a very early period, as its name occurs in almost all the ancient ecclesiastical lists. One of its bishops was present at the Council of Chalcedon." It appears to have flourished down to the time of the Saracenic conquest of Syria, when it was captured by the fierce Khâled; and since that time, like almost every other city in this unhappy land, it has gradually declined and fallen to ruin under Muslem rule, until the present moment, when it is almost deserted. Its monuments have suffered less than those of many other ancient cities from the destroying and remodelling hands of the followers of the Prophet.

three years after this period, A.D. 117. It is just possible that the date may have been IA instead of H; and this would give exactly the first year of Hadrian, while he was still resident in this country.

6 Geog. v. 15.

7 Paulo Geog. Sac. p. 296.

Primitive telescope - Tower-tombs -Druze revenge-Ruins of 'Atîl -Singular monument - Description of Suweideh and its extensive ruins -Greek inscriptions and dates - Sheikh Wâked el-Hamdân, the Druze chief - An evening party- History of Suweideh - Plain of Auranitis-Tell Kuleib-Visit to 'Ary-Druze hospitality Errors in Burckhardt's map - The Kings of Ghussân - Approach to BOZRAH - Ancient cities-Rhose of the Pentinger Tables identified - Plan and description of the ruins of Bozrah Site of Beth-gamul - Beautiful theatre Boheira the monk, and Mohammed the Prophet.

HISTORY OF BOZRAH.- The Bozrah of Moab distinct from that of Edom The ancient gigantic inhabitants - The Bostrian era.

WHILE I stood waiting upon horseback till the baggage was all arranged, my friend the sheikh came to me with an old telescope, and asked what such an one would cost when new. On examining the instrument I was no little surprised at the originality of its construction, and inquired how he came by it. He said he had taken it from an

officer of Ibrahîm Pasha's army during the Druze war, but that it had been bruised and broken in the conflict. He, however, having carefully studied its shape and length, took out the glasses and made a new tube of paper. Time and rough usage had now dimmed and scratched the glasses, and he wished to obtain another like it. He said he was short-sighted, and it would be of great service to him if he could see as well as his neighbours. I promised to try and procure one for him if he would come to me at Damascus.

Nikôla now endeavoured to persuade him to accept of some remuneration for the expense he had been put to in feeding ourselves, our servants, and our horses; but he absolutely refused to take a single para! We resolved not to leave without paying for our entertainment in some way, and, when the sheikh refused, Nikôla gave the bakhshish to the old man who presided at the coffee.

At 1.30 we left Kunawât, and, sending our servants by the direct road, we rode up to the left to revisit the ancient tower-tombs. The buildings are square, and are divided by string-courses into two and three stories. The doors and windows are very small, and within are stone recesses for bodies, similar to those at Palmyra. It is remarkable that Burckhardt found in this city an inscription in the Palmyrene character. Our path was narrow and tortuous, winding among dense thickets of oaks, with ruins here and there shooting up their heads over the foliage. Soon after falling into the regular road we overtook our servants, and here again observed the traces of the ancient Roman highway.

8

8 Travels in Syria, p. 84.

As we rode on at a fast walk over the stony path, we overtook a Druze, with his gun upon one shoulder and a little child mounted astride upon the other." Mahmûd, on coming up, lifted up the child beside him upon his horse. It is one pleasing trait in the character of these people that they are united together, one and all of them, by the closest ties of brotherhood. They have seldom disputes among themselves, and in war they are never divided, but fight as one man. In their dealings with each other they are, so far as I have been able to ascertain, honest and honourable. It may serve to illustrate the strong feelings they entertain on this point, if I here record an anecdote which Mahmûd related to me as I entered Kunawat. When passing over the bridge that spans the torrent, he directed my attention to a flat table-like rock overhanging the valley, on which a conical heap of loose stones was piled up. Two Druzes, he said, some time ago were going to Damascus, one of whom had a large sum of money on his person. His companion, as they went along, forgetting the ties of brotherhood, attempted to rob him; he resisted, but fell pierced to the heart by a dagger. When intelligence of the fearful crime was conveyed to Kunawât, a little band went out in pursuit of the murderer, and after months of careful search they found him lurking amid the wild glens of Libanus. He was conveyed in chains to his native village, and there, upon that rock, was

9 This is the ordinary mode of carrying children practised universally in Syria and Palestine. As soon as they are able to sit up they are placed upon the shoulder, and there cling with their hands to the veil or turban. This illustrates the words of Isaiah xlix. 22, "They shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders."