"Several convents and churches were established on Mount Tabor, and the Crusaders built a monastery on the summit, which was afterward destroyed by the infidels. There are two monasteries here now, but they are not of much consequence; one belongs to the Latins and the other to the Greeks, and, as we did not wish to show any partiality, we visited both of them. There is great hostility between the monks of the two establishments, and those who visit one are generally excluded from the other. Each party claims that the scene of the Transfiguration was on the spot where its own church stands. Both these statements are generally disbelieved; and it is the opinion of the majority of those who have investigated the matter that the great event occurred elsewhere than on Mount Tabor. [Illustration: MOUNT TABOR.] "Our ride from Nazareth had given us a good appetite, and we were quite ready for the lunch which Ali brought for us in his saddle-bags. While engaged in satisfying our hunger we enjoyed the view from the summit of the mountain; it includes Hermon and Carmel--the latter almost hiding the thin strip of the Mediterranean, and itself partly concealed by the nearer ranges of hills. Looking to the east we saw a part of the Lake of Tiberias, and beyond it the chain of the Hauran Mountains; and, as we turned toward the southern horizon, the guide pointed out the mountains of Gilead. Apparently at our feet was the Plain of Esdraelon, with its ancient battle-fields, and on the hills around us were Endor, Nain, and half a dozen other villages of less importance. The deep Valley of the Jordan was revealed for a considerable distance, and we realized more than ever before how great is the depression where the river flows. The top of Tabor is more than two thousand feet above the level of the Mediterranean, while the surface of the lake is six hundred and forty feet below it. Consequently, we looked down nearly two thousand seven hundred feet to the waters on whose banks we were to pass the night. "While descending Mount Tabor we disturbed several partridges and other birds, and one of us thought we had a glimpse of a fox darting among the trees. The guide said there were several kinds of game here, but nobody paid much attention to it, since it was not easy to get at. The Arabs sometimes catch hares and partridges in traps, but the foxes are too cunning to be taken in that way.