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INCLUDING AN ACCOUNT OF THE GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY, ANTIQUITIES , AND INHABITANTS OF THESE COUNTRIES , THE PENINSULA OF SINAI, EDOM, AND THE SYRIAN DESERT ; WITH DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF JERUSALEM, PETRA, DAMASCUS , AND PALMYRA. 

Part I 

Part II


Edited by Josias Leslie Porter ( 1823-1889). 2 vols. London: John Murray, 1858. [New and Revised Edition issued in 1868.]

Clemens's entries in Notebook 9 (1867) suggest his familiarity with the first edition of this work. As a matter of fact, Clemens probably consulted Murray's Handbooks regarding most of the countries through which the Quaker City pilgrims traveled (N&J 1: 380-452). Leon Dickinson—“Mark Twain's Innocents Abroad” (1945)—recognized and documented Twain's dependence on Murray's guidebook (Dickinson credited the editor of the Handbook, Porter, rather than John Murray), particularly in Chapters 41, 49, and 53 of The Innocents Abroad (1869). Subsequently Dewey Ganzel’s “Samuel Clemens, Guidebooks and Innocents Abroad” (1965), pp. 78-83, and Mark Twain Abroad (1968), pp. 219-22, 266-271, revealed Twain's indebtedness more specifically. Robert H. Hirst informed me, however, that neither Dickinson nor Ganzel took into account the extent to which David Austin Randall's The Handwriting of God in Egypt, Sinai, and the Holy Land quoted from the text of Murray's Handbook, thus presenting an important alternate source.

Robert H. Hirst, “Making of The Innocents Abroad’ (1975)

Gribben

Reference Type
Book
Author
Murray, John
Publisher
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET.
Published Year
1858
From the Introduction to the Handbook for Travellers, 1858

The inhabitants of Syria and Palestine form a most interesting study.  Their dress, their manners and customs, and their language, are all primitive.  No European nation, with the exception perhaps of the Spaniards, bears the least resemblance to them. Like Spain, too, the best specimens of humanity are here found among the lower classes. The farther we go from the contaminated atmosphere of government offices, the more successful shall we be in our search after honesty, industry, and genuine patriarchal hospitality— the great, almost the only unadulterated virtue of the Arab.

Those who come from Egypt will do well to arrange with dragoman and servants there for the whole tour through Syria. This will save time and trouble. (For the usual mode of contract with the dragoman, see above, 7; and for the wages of servants, see ‘Handbook for Egypt.’) Such as come to Syria direct will find dragomen and servants at Beyrout and Jerusalem. They are generally bad and dear. Their written certificates are not to be depended on, for they are transferable; and the recommendations of hotel-keepers are worthless, for they are interested.

Beyrout now possesses 2 tolerable hotels—one in the town, kept by a Greek called André, and rejoicing in the title of “ Hôtel de Belle Vue.” It is near the consulates, near the steamboat offices, and near the port; and is on the whole the most convenient place for such as make but a short stay. The other, which claims the same title, is nearly a mile to the W. of the town, built on the shore; and, being more retired, will be found more agreeable for those who intend making a long sojourn, and who are not particularly interested in consuls or commerce.

Jerusalem to Tuleil el-Fûl,  GIPEAH .. .. 1 0

  • Er-Râm, Ramah of Benjamin.. 0 50
  • Bîreh, Beeroth .. - 1 10
  • ‘Ain Yebrûd .... 1 20
  • ‘Ain el-Haramîyeh .. 1 15
  • Sinjil .. .. 0... 0 50
  • Seilûn, SHILOH .. 0 35
  • Lubbân, Lebonah .. 1 0
  • Nâbulus, SHECHEM .. 4 0

Total .. 12 0

Bânâas to the Castle of Subeibeh 1 0
Mejdel esh-Shems . 115
Beit Jenn .. 215
Kefr Hauwar .. .. 1 45
Artûz.. 6.00... 3.5
Darâya  1 30
Damascus .. 1 10
————
Total .. .. .. 12 0

The only recommendation I can give of this route is, that it is the shortest between the 2 points. The next route is much to be preferred, both because it affords a better view of the country, and because it takes us past some objects of interest.

ROUTE 37. DAMASCUS TO BA’ALBEK,

Damascus to Dummar       1 15
Ain Fîjeh                2 45
Sik Wady Barada, Abila   1 40
Zebdâny                  3 0
Surghâya                 2 0
Ba‘albek, Heliopolis     4 30

Total .. .. .            15 10

ROUTE 36.(pages 552-554)

DAMASCUS TO BEYROUT DIRECT,

Damascus to Dummar .. .. 1 15
Dimas ….. 2 30
Mejdel’Anjar .. .. .. . 4 30
El-Merjy .. ..  1 20
Mekseh .. .. ..  1 20
Summit of Lebanon.. .. .. 1 20
Beyrout .. .. .. 6 30
| Total .. .. 18 45

Fast, without baggage.

This route passes only one spot of any interest, the site of Chalcis. The rest of it is dreary; the path none of the best; and except when pressed for time no traveller should think of following it.

ROUTE 38.  BA’ALBEK TO BEYROUT DIRECT.

Ba’albek to Mu’allakah.. 6 OU
Junction of Damascus road .. 2 0
Beyrout (see Rte. 36) 7 50
Total (fast) .. .. 15 50

This road has little to recommend it except its shortness. Rte. 40 will, of course, be selected instead so soon as the snow on Lebanon will permit us to pass over to the Cedars; and should the traveller be obliged to abandon the Cedars, then I recommend Rte. 39.

ROUTE 9.EXCURSION TO JERICHO, THE JORDAN,THE DEAD SEA, MAR SABA, AND BETHLEHEM.

Jerusalem to Jericho
The Jordan
The Dead Sea
Mar Saba
Bethlehem
Jerusalem

ROUTE 8. EXCURSION TO BETHANY.

Every one who can by any possibility walk 3 m. should make this excursion on foot. Half the pleasure is lost if it be hurried over. Every step is “holy ground,” trodden by prophets and apostles, and ONE greater than them all. We thus often feel constrained to sit down, and calmly contemplate scenes unsurpassed on earth for sacred interest.

Route 7.—Jerusalem

1, PRELIMINARY INFORMATION,

§1, Hotels, — § 2. Money, Letters, &c. — § 3. The Consulate. — § 4. The English Church.

2. TOPOGRAPHY AND STATISTICS OF MODERN JERUSALEM.

Jerusalem to ’Anâta, Anathoth
Jeb’a, Geba 
Mukhmâs, Michmash 
Site of Ai
  Rummôn, Rimmon 
  Taiyibeh, Ophrah
  Beitîn, Bethel 
Beitîn, Bethel
Bîreh, Beeroth 
Ram Allah 
Beit Uniah
Beit 'Ur, Beth-horon
El-Jîb, Gibeon
Neby Samwîl, Mizpeh
Jerusalem 

Nâbulus to Sebustieh, Samaria 

Excursion to TIRZAH and THEBEZ, One day.
Jeba’, Geba
Sânûr

DOTHAN—its site and plain.
Kubâtîyeh
Jenîn, Enganním

Plain of ESDRAELON.
Zera`in, JEZREEL

Excursion to BETHSHEAN, or Scythopolis.
Ain Jâlûd, “Fountain of Jezreel”
Sôlem, Shunem
Nein, Nain 
Endôr, Endor
NAZARETH

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. ...

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

ROUTE 29. TIBERIAS TO BANIAS DIRECT,

Tiberias to Mejdel, Magdala
Khan Minyeh, Capernaum
Khan Jubb Yûsef
Nahr Hendâj
‘Ain Mellâhah
Tell el-Kâdy, Dan
Bâniâs, CÆSAREA-PHILIPPI

ROUTE 34. TOUR IN THE HAURAN,  (page 498)

Damascus to river ’Awaj, Pharpar
Burâk
Musmeih, Phæno
Sh’aârah
Dâma
‘Ahiry

Extent and history of the Lejah, Trachonitis, Argob.
Um ez-Zeitûn
Hît
Bathanyeh, Batanæa
Shukah, Saccæa
Shuhba
Suleim, Neapolis
Kunawât, Canatha, Kenath
‘Atil
Suweideh
Hebrân
Kufr
Kuleib
Sehwet el-Khudr
Sâleh

Tiberias to Capernaum. (Rte. 28.)
Safed.
Wady Hendâj
Tell Khuraibeh, Hazor?
Kedes, KEDESH
Meis el-Jebel
Hunîn.
Nahr Hasbâny
Tell el-Kâdy, Dan
Bâniâs, CÆSAREA-PHILIPPI

ROUTE 33. TIBERIAS TO DAMASCUS, BY JISR BENAT YAKUB.

Tiberias to Khan Minyeh (Rte. 28
Khan Jubb Yusef
Jisr Benât Ya’kûb—bridge
Nawarán—ruined village
Tell el-Khanzîr, on rt.
Kuneiterah—a ruin
Sa’sa’.
Khan esh-
Kaukab .
Damascus (Rte. 31)

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