The Plain Of Philistia.

THE PLAIN OF PHILISTIA .

BY CAPTAIN WARREN , R . E .

( Continued from page 468 . ^ ASKELON . From our tents , pitched upon the brow of the cliffs overlooking the ocean , we commanded a splendid view of the ruined city ; its walls thrown up in fantastic confusion half covered by the

luxuriant growth of fruit trees or by heaps of drifted sand—strange contrast of fertility and desolation : useless it would be to attempt a more complete description than that given in Murray's guide , or the " Land and the Book . " I shall content myself with touching on two or three points .

The city is four-and-twenty miles , as the crow flies , from the present ruin of Timnath , whence Samson came to plunder the thirty change of garments for the payment of those who had expounded his riddle ; though this is the only incident with regard to the whole city recorded in the Bible , yet

it is impossible to visit these ruins at the present day without realising ,-perhaps more than in any other ancient city west of Jordan , the utter overthrow of power that has taken place , the desolation which reigns supreme ; thc walls of indurated sandstone , though now of small-sized stones , were once

formed of massive blocks , as is seen by the remains here and there that have not been cut down for other purposes , or carried away to Acca or Saidon ; great columns of granite seventeen to eighteen feet in length , and two to two and a half feet in diameter , project from the faces of the

existing walls , used as thorough bonds , though hardly necessary , it seems , for the intensely hard mortar has united the stones into one solid mass , which has only again been broken by some great forceprobably gunpowder . Examine these walls ( photos . Nos . 257-259 ) , great discs of masonry overlapping

each other in confusion , and it is apparent that they have been overturned at no very remote period . Some of these walls may have been built by the ladies of England as an offering to their country and lion-hearted king ( "Chronicles of thc Crusades " ) during the Crusades .

The view ( No . 256 ) shows us the sycamore fig tree , now loaded with its burden of fruit , the hollow fig , which , though refreshing when picked from the tree , is considered too inferior a fruit to be eaten by any but the poorest of the people . See how the trunk of the tree , acted upon in its early growth by

the prevailing wind , the sea breeze has bent over the narrow pathway for nearly thirty feet , at a distance of eight to ten feet from the ground , offering a secure seat to any who , like the lowly Zacchxus , wish to have a view of all that pass that way . In No . 256 we have a picture of thc sea coast

with the serf breaking on thc shore . Just outside that surf , as wc were coming up from Gaza , we observed a large shark moving about , and on going down to the beach at Askelon at sunrise to have a swim , I saw two sharks loitering about within a few yards , apparently waiting for mc , and not

wishing to gratify their appetites , I dabbled in shallow water . These sharks are larger than any I have seen in these latitudes , and their appearance reminds us that this is the coast on which thc prophet Jonah was disgorged by thc great fish that had swallowed him up . A few miles further up thc

shore to the north is the Neby Yunas , the monument of Jonah ' s , which vies in tradition with another point near Saidon as his landing-place . The booths used in thc gardens by the watchmen of the fruit trees also remind us of his history , for they are similar in construction to that gourdcovered booth he rested in outside of Nineveh .

Mentioning booths , I would draw attention to 1 Kings iv . 25 : And Judah and Israel dwelt safely , every man under his vine and under his fig tree . This , of course , is a poetical expression , but as at thc present day , during a portion of the year , the natives actually do live under trees or in booths .

it is reasonable to suppose that the same custom obtained among the Jews , and , in fact , we know it did obtain ( Lev . xxiii . 42 ; Nch . viii . 14 ; 1 Sam . xxii . 6 ) . And such being thc case , it is probable that the names of trees giving ihe necessary shelter would be used in thc poetical expression .

To live in booths shaded by the vine , by creepers , by dry bushes , is very common at thc present day , but I am not aware that thc fig tree is ever used as a shelter for man . On the contrary , its rank leaves have a most repulsive odour , the juice is supposed , when it touches the eye , to produce ophthalmia ,

and to sleep under its shade is said to be a certain receipt for thc production of fever . In Spain , also , there is the same opinion ; a fig tree near a house is said to be unwholesome , and to keep an animal under it for any length of time is supposed to produce madness or death .

About Askelon there arc the most delicious apples , which were just now ripe , fully equal in flavour to any I have tasted elsewhere , but , in

The Plain Of Philistia.

keeping with so many ofthe Palestine fruits , they are sadly in want of proper treatment ; they have dwindled down to one-half the bulk of an ordinary English eating apple . Dr . Thompson speaks of these apples of Askelon , but Dr . Tristram ( " The Land of Israel , " p . 604 ) suggests that he mistook

the quince for the apple , and doubts whether apples grow in Palestine at the present day . Although so little remains of ancient Askelon in situ , coins and bronzes are constantly being turned up by the plough and by the crumbling of earth during the heavy rains ; at this time agents come

down from Jerusalem and buy up all that they can lay hands on , and sell at immense prices to pilgrims in the Holy City . I was able to secure on the spot some small bronzes of the . Egyptian gods , Osiris and Isis , and also a very elegant mutilated figure of Hercules , and the remains of a fish god ; the

greater portion , however , of the bronzes are distinctly Egyptian , and similar to those in the British Museum ; the coins found are generally Roman , or ofthe Crusaders , or Cufic . 5 th June , 1867 . —Askelon is ten miles from Ashdod in a straight line . We left the former at

8 a . m ., and passing Abu Mushad , an eminence and tomb from whence the minarets of Gaza can be seen , we passed in a few minutes remains of buildings of Ibrahim Pacha , and among other objects a well 140 feet deep , with a staircase running down , around the side . Leaving Mejdel with its minaret

to our right , we came en Hamameh at four miles situate on the edge of the sand-drift , the next village to be submerged . A Greek Christian came out to meet us , and insisted on our coming into his courtyard and feeding on water-melon , and then produced several articles for sale , among the rest a pot

of well-preserved bronze Roman coins . We had not time , then , to strike a bargain , and on enquiring for them a few weeks after I learnt that a commissioner for a collector at Beyrout had carried them off . On leaving this village we kept the drift sand close to our left , and shortly passed a small

masonry erection in which water is deposited by the people from the neighbouring villages for the benefit of passers-by—a very kindly arrangement in a dry land if they would only take the trouble to keep it clean . Passing now over a country tame and uninteresting , we arrived at Esdud ( Ashdod )

shortly after mid-day . I went from here to the sea beach , a distance of three miles , in search of any remains of the ancient city , but nothing could I see but endless mounds of drift sand , over which we stumbled ankle deep ; on the shore itself are the ruins of a rectangular barrack of sandstone , similar

to-the walls of Askelon , and at about a third of the distance on thc road to Jaffa . It probably was a station connecting the two cities ; it measures about 120 feet by 50 feet , with semi-circular flanking towers at each angle , and two on cither side . No ancient pottery or glass was observed about , but

there were a few broken bottles of modern construction , which looked as if they had once held beer . Ashdod itself is a mean Mahometan village , situated on a gentle eminence , surrounded with beautiful gardens and palm trees , but with no signs

whatever of its ancient grandeur visible , if wc may except the sarcophagus shown on photograph No . 263 , supposed to be of an early type . Thc view of the Persian wheel ( N'aura ) , driven by a camel , and of a palm tree , Nos . 264 and 262 , were also taken in this village . To the west the sand rises high

above the gardens , and each year swallows up a portion . In the centre of the village is the usual elevated mound of rubbish , here of a considerable height , ending in a conical peak—a good theodolite station , and there we proceeded at sunset , just the worst time for observing , as then the fellahin Jare

returning from their daily labour . We were soon surrounded by thc entire village , who in a half defiant , half good-humoured manner advanced to the attack , determined to capture our instrument , which they considered to be exerting some sinister influence over the country ; luckily thc mound was

steep , and as they came up wc pushed over the foremost upon those behind ancl managed to keep our position until the pole star was observed . I was obliged , however , to complete the observations next day when thc men had left the village . Thc sheikh came in the evening and made his

apologies for thc uproar , and affected great penitence . On June Gth and 71 I 1 the country to north and east was surveyed . About one mile N . E . of Ashdod thc W . idy from the Valley of Elah ( now Wddy cs Sumt ) effects its junction with another from the

south which runs by Kuratiyeh . They are here the merest ditches , about 6 feet wide and 4 feet deep , and just now are quite dry . Their course was followed to the sea coast at a point four miles north of Ashdod , where they form lagoons of shallow

water , supplied by thc oozing up of water from the soil , and separated from the ocean by a bar of sand . Neby Yunas is built on an eminence at this point , ( To be continued )

Foreign Masonic Intelligence.

Foreign Masonic Intelligence .

BOMBAY . FUNERAL OF ^ V . BRO . H . H . AVRON . [ From the Bombay Gazette . " } The body of Mr . H . H . Avron , late Superintendent of the Bombay Sailors' Home , was buried in Sewree Cemetery on Friday afternoon , when the

unusually numerous attendance of mourners testified to the high respect and regard felt for the deceased . Although it was rather an advanced hour when notice was sent round to the friends of Mr . Avron that the funeral would start from the Sailors' Home

at half-past four o clock the same afternoon , and that those who are Freemasons were invited to attend as such , the shortness of the summons did not prevent a very great gathering—so great , indeed , that we believe the funeral procession was larger than is ever remembered to have been

seen before in Bombay . Nearly seventy carriages followed the hearse . The mourners were almost all Masons , and amongst the number were some Parsees . The brethren were habited in the costume of their Order , and , in accordance with ancient usage , wore sprigs of Acacia .

Arrived at the tank bordering the compound of Government House , the whole party alighted , and the coffin was taken out of the hearse . On the top of the pall rested the emblems of different degrees in Masonry to which the deceased had attained , together with the badge of truth ancl uprightness .

The procession then moved up the hill leading to the cemetery . In front marched the Grand Tyler , with drawn sword . Then came the Past Master of Wor . Bro . Avron ' s Lodge , " Concord , " supported on each side by a Worshipful Master . Next came the Chaplain , succeeded by the coffin borne by

brethren , with the officers of the before-mentioned lodge as pall-bearers , the rear consisting of a long line of Worshipful Masters and brethren . On reaching the cemetery , the burial service of the Church of England was read by the Chaplain , Bro . the Rev . W . H . Harper ( Chaplain of Lodge Truth ,

944 ) . At the conclusion of this most impressive service , the equally-solemn Masonic burial service was read by the Past Master of " Concord , " and at the appointed passage the Master deposited his sprig of acacia in the grave , whereon the brethren generally threw theirs on the coffin . The

symbolical white apron of the deceased was likewise deposited with thc coffin , and the service was closed with the funeral honours due from the Craft . We may add that W . Bro . Avron , at the time of his death , was Master of Lodge Concord , that he had ruled over several other Masonic bodies in

Bombay , that in this part of the Masonic world he rendered great services to the Craft , services which will not easily be forgotten , and that are known , not only in India , but in America , with some of thc most distinguished Masons of which he maintained a constant correspondence in connection with

Freemasonry . Than W . Bro . Avron it would have been difficult to find a more earnest and thorough-going brother anywhere , and the untiring exertions he made for thc good of the Craft must have been a heavy tax on the time and attention of a man whose ordinary occupation was one entailing a good deal

of hard work daily . Mr . Avron was a native of Bristol , and for some years followed a sailor's life . He held a certificate of competency as a Master Mariner . We regret to add that he leaves a wife and large family to mourn for him .

WEST INDIES . [ From the Falmouth ( Jamaica ) Post , June 27 . ) It is our painful duty to record thc death of Mr . John Anderson D'Souza , one of thc most worthy and deservedly-respected of our fellow-parishioners in Trclawny , and thc eldest son of David H .

D Souza , Esq ., the principal of the extensive commercial establishment of D'Souza , Sons , and Lazarus . This melancholy and generally-lamented event took place at nine o'clock on the morning of Sunday , the 25 th inst ., thc deceased having received during his illness of a few ( lavs the careful and

constant attention ofhis medical and other friends , as well as that of the members of his family . But all human aid was unavailing , and he " walked the way of nature" in the 32 nd year ofhis age , having sustained an irreproachable character in all the relations of life . It was his earnest request to have

a Masonic funeral , and thc request was complied with by the members of the Athol Lbiion Lodge , who met at their lodge-room in this town , at halfpast eight o ' clock yesterday morning . in accordance with the requirement of a circular which was issued

by the Master , Mr . John C . Lewis . Thc meeting was in every respect , as we have been informed , in the true spirit of harmony , and the usual formalities having been gone through , a procession was formed in the following order ;—