At the suggestion of the guide they made a slight détour from their route in order to visit the village of Nain, which is celebrated in Scripture as the scene of the raising of the widow's son (Luke vii. 7-15). There is nothing of interest in the village itself, and it is probably no larger in population than it was two thousand years ago. The hill-sides near it are fairly honey-combed with tombs, but hardly any of them are of modern date. Mount Tabor was in full view from the road for a considerable time, and so were other hills and mountains mentioned in sacred history. From the Plain of Esdraelon to Nazareth the road wound through a broken country, and in many places it was quite steep. Nazareth is about four hundred feet higher than the plain, and consequently the ascending parts of the route preponderated over the descents. The town is surrounded by hills, and is not visible until quite close at hand, in consequence of its secluded position. [Illustration: THE PLAN OF NAZARETH. 1. New quarter of the Latin Convent; 2. Church of the Annunciation; 3. Protestant Church; 4. Protestant Parsonage; 5. Protestant Mission School; 6. Protestant Missionary's House: 7. Convent of French Nuns; 8. The "Mensa Christi;" 9. House of the Mufti; 10. House of the Turkish Governor; 11. Mosque; 12. Mission Hospital.] Doctor Bronson explained to his young companions that Nazareth is not mentioned in the Old Testament, though some writers have attempted to identify it as having a history earlier than the Christian era. According to the biblical account it was a small village at the time of our Saviour's birth, and the name of Nazarene was used in derision. The modern name of the place is En-Nasira, and down to the time of Constantine it was almost exclusively occupied by Samaritan Jews. Its present population is estimated at six or eight thousand: nearly half the inhabitants are Moslems, and the balance are separated into various Christian sects, of which the orthodox Greeks are the most numerous. The town is divided into the Moslem quarter, the Greek quarter, and the Latin quarter, and the various Christian sects are under the protection of foreign powers, though generally subject to Turkish rule. [Illustration: VIEW OF NAZARETH.]