96
ARD  AASZAF.
Within  the  church  :
OBXIAOC  MAZIMOY
TO  MNHMEION  OIKO
AOMHCXC  KXI  TA  AEIA-NX ¬
  TON  TONEQN  CTNXTX
rON  KXTEONVEN  eT.C.
Upon  elevated  ground  on  the  W.  side  of  the  Wady  stands  the
small  ruined  town  of  Zahouet,  with  a  castle  on  the  summit  of  the
hill.  I  could  find  no  legible  inscriptions  there.
We  had  reached  Zahouet  after  sunset;  and  the  dread  of  Arabs,
who  very  frequently  visit  this  place,  made  us  seek  for  a  night's
shelter  in  the  upper  part  of  the  town,  where  we  found  a  comfortable -
  room,  and  lighted  a  still  more  comfortable  fire.  We  had
tasted  nothing  since  our  breakfast  ;  and  my  guides,  in  the  full
confidence  of  meeting  with  plenty  of  Kattas  and  partridges  on  our
road,  had  laid  in  a  very  small  provision  of  bread  on  setting  out,
but  had  brought  a  sack  of  flour  mixed  with  salt,  after  the  Arab
fashion.  Unluckily,  we  had  killed  only  two  partridges  during  the
day,  and  seen  no  Kattas;  we  therefore  had  but  a  scanty  supper.
Towards  midnight  we  were  alarmed  by  the  sound  of  persons  breaking -
  up  wood  to  make  a  fire,  and  we  kept  upon  our  guard  till  near
sun-rise,  when  we  proceeded,  and  saw  upon  the  wet  ground  the
traces  of  men  and  dogs,  who  had  passed  the  night  in  the  church,
probably  as  much  in  fear  of  strangers  as  we  were  ourselves.
November  22d.—I  took  a  view  of  the  town,  after  which  we  descended -
  into  the  plain,  called  here  Ard  Aaszaf  (icle  ),  from  a
Tel  named  Aazaf,  at  half  an  hour  from  the  Khudher.  The  abundant -
  rains  had  already  covered  the  plain  with  rich  verdure.  Our
way  lay  S.  At  the  end  of  an  hour  and  a  quarter  we  saw  to  our
left,  one  mile  distant  from  the  road,  a  ruined  castle  upon  a  Tel
called  Keres  ();  close  to  our  road  was  a  low  Birket.  To  the