From an eminence we looked down upon an extensive prospect of shaded unoccupied hills, with the wide plain beyond and the Mediterranean Sea; then descended into a valley, the road winding about through immense olive groves; the travelling was easy, and all the district bore the appearance of prosperity, such as could hardly be expected where we know that factious warfare so frequently exists. Passed _Cuf'r Ruman_. As far as _'Annabeh_ the course had been for a long time westwards; but there, at the opening of the great plain, we turned due southwards. This was four hours from _Sanoor_, at a good pace. Passed between _'Annabeh_ and _Tool el Ker'm_ in changing our course. Near _Irtahh_ we passed a camel-party going down to Egypt with bales of soap and tobacco for sale. We were upon the established route of trade between Damascus and Egypt, and not very far distant from Dothan, where the Midianite or Ishmaelite caravan bought Joseph from his brethren; but we had passed this on our left hand in the morning. Soon passed _Farra'an_ on our left, with a weli and a cistern below it, by the roadside. _Kalinsawa_ in sight, but far away to the right; _Ferdisia_ and _Zenabeh_ on the left. The day very hot, and the peasantry observed to be, as usual in all the Philistine country, cleaner in their garments than those of the mountains. Coasted along, parallel to the line of hills, as far as _Kalkeeleh_, where we began to turn inwards, across the fields, towards the place of our destination, namely, _Mejdal Yaba_, which was conspicuous on an eminence before us. This was at six and a half hours from _Sanoor_. In a field we arrived at a well, where the water must have been very low down, being late in the year; for it was only obtained by jars or skins drawn up at the end of a very long rope, worked by a long line of women walking across the field, and singing at their work, while the men sat looking on and smoking. We passed the remains of some old considerable town, where, among the fallen building stones and the lines of foundations, there was a cistern, and an ancient sarcophagus by its side; also a deep square well filled up with rubbish, and remains of quarrying work in the solid rock,--besides an unroofed building, with a semicircular arch to the doorway. Surely this must have been of Roman construction. Arrived at _Mejdal Yaba_ in nine hours from Sanoor,--a hot and tiring journey. At a short distance below us was the site of _Ras el 'Ain_; and farther westwards, but within sight, the tall white tower of _Ramlah_. Time--sunset. I had a special object in coming off the common high-roads to this place, but little known, at that time not at all known, to Europeans,--namely, to visit Shaikh Sadek, the responsible ruler of the district, and regarded by the peasantry with especial deference, out of traditional obedience to his ancient family.