NAZARETH,

Like Jerusalem, Tiberias is regarded as a “holy place” by both Christian and Jew. To the Christian it has been rendered sacred by the presence of Christ, when he dwelt by the lake and taught along its shores. To the Jew it is rendered sacred by the rabbinical belief that the Messiah will rise from the waters of the lake, land in this city, and establish his throne at Safed. The steep hills which hem in the lake here retire a little, leaving a strip of undulating ground about ¼ m. wide and 2 m. long.

First, direct.

Nazareth to er-Reineh
Kefr Kenna
Lûbieh
Base of Kurûn Hattîn
Tiberias

Second, by Tabor. 

Nazareth to Base of Tabor
Top of hbill
Khan et-Tujjâr
Kefr Sabt (on rt.)
Wells of Lûbieh
Tiberias

The direct road from Nazareth to Tiberias has little to attract the attention of the traveller. The road is good, and the stage is short; and one may thus get over it in-less than 5 hrs. when time presses. ...

Mejdel, Magdala.—1 h.’s ride along the shore brings us to this wretched hamlet, now the only inhabited spot in the plain of Gennesaret. In riding along, the wonderful richness of the soil strikes us. Nowhere else have we encountered such thistles, such grass, and such weeds—and such grain on the few spots still cultivated. Josephus described Gennesaret 18 centuries ago as an earthly paradise, where the choicest fruits grew luxuriantly, and eternal spring reigned. His words were not much exaggerated; for now, though more a wilderness than a paradise, none can fail to remark its fertility.

CAPERNAUM.—Crossing the pebbly strand of Bethsaida, we ascend a rocky promontory which shuts it in on the S.W., and soon find ourselves on the edge of a cliff along which the road is cut in the rock. Here we pause, for we have before us, like an open map, one of the most interesting and most sacred regions on earth. The cliff on which we stand dips its eastern end into the sea, and its western into a green meadow on the shore.

Bethsaida, Julias.—Instead of crossing the Jordan at the lake, we turn up along its eastern bank to visit the ruins of this ancient city. They cover a conspicuous tell at the northern end of the plain near the side of the river, and about 2 m. from its mouth. Heaps of unhewn stones, and a few rude houses used as stores by the Arabs, are all that have hitherto been seen on the spot; but it is probable a careful search among the rank weeds and rubbish that cover the surface would bring to light some vestiges of former grandeur.

Et-Tabighah is situated in a little nook or bay, close upon the shore. The first thing that attracts attention is the abundance of water,—streams, aqueducts, pools, and fountains, are all round us. Mills, too, are here, built by that Bedawy benefactor and rebel Dhâher el-Omer.

Tell Hûm. — History. The identification of Tell Hûm with Capernaum is supported by some old itineraries of pilgrims and is as good as certain. Jewish authors mention a place here called Kafar Tankhûm, or Nakhûm. Whether 'Tell Hûm' was corrupted from 'Tankhûm', or whether the Arabic 'Tell' (hill) was substituted for 'Kaphar' (village) and Nakhum shortened to Hûm, is very questionable. The extent of the ruins of Tell Hûm points to an ancient place of considerable importance , such as a custom-house and garrison town is likely to have been. The building material is basalt.

TELL Hum, the ancient Chorazin, To explore these interesting ruins during spring is no easy task. No trodden path leads to them. The Arabs seem to avoid them. Thickets of thistles as tall as a man on horseback, and so dense that no horse can break through them, encompass and cover the whole site. 3 or 4 Arabs with their clubs are required to open a passage from ruin to ruin. The ruins lie close upon the shore, and are here and there washed by the waves. They cover a level tract about ½ m.

Tiberias to Tarichwa
Khurbet es-Sumrah, Hippos?
El-Husn, Gamala
Mouth of the Jordan
Tell-Bethsaida, Julias
Tell Hum, Chorazin
Et-Tâbighah, Bethsaida
’Ain et-îin, CAPERNAUM
Mejdel, Magdala
Irbid, Beth-Arbel
Tiberias