gayest and most reckless of the party. How constantly we make mistakes in judging character! Schariar, who voluntarily cut off two joints from his right hand to escape the conscription, would make a first-rate soldier; for he fears nothing, and is thoroughly expert in the use of every weapon. But, as I said before, Schariar is an habitual lounger in low cafés and dens of ill repute— what, in Parisian cant, is called a viveur-" a loose fish." This explains the riddle of his conduct, which we attributed at first to cowardice.

As we cannot pass the entire night in looking on the revels of our Bedouins, we bestow an additional donation of coffee and sugar, which inflames their joy and gratitude to the highest pitch of enthusiasm; we then retire to rest, for to-morrow we purpose to be up by sunrise to visit the ruins of Masada.

January 11th. This morning we were all stirring before daylight. The ascent of Masada, judging by the height we had to climb, promised to be no easy task. It was, therefore, desirable to start before the sun had made much progress. We have hurried Matteo's culinary preparations, and after having, as usual, sipped some broth in which meat was the principal ingredient missing; after having discussed a cup of coffee, a chibouk, and a taste of arrack, we find ourselves en route. Our faithful Ahouad, and two Djahalins almost naked, are our only guides and escort; are well furnished with loaded pistols, the priming of which has been carefully looked to. We then commence the arduous escalade we must achieve

we

before we reach the eminence we are so anxious to

explore.

I shall not attempt to describe, after Josephus, the stupendous path that leads to Masada; I prefer copying exactly the text of the Jewish annalist, which I can scarcely hope to improve. What was Masada, and what were the events connected with that place, unparalleled in the history of the world, Josephus tells us; I shall, therefore, borrow from his "History of the Jewish War" the entire narrative of the sad catastrophe, the scene of which was laid in Masada.

I beg to offer one more observation before I enter on this recital. The word Masada signifies "fortress ;" this is the Hebraic meaning, without any alteration. Never has any spot been marked by a more appropriate title. The name is now unknown to the Bedouins, and was merely, perhaps, a general term, quite distinct from the real appellation of the locality. What inclines me to this opinion is, the correct signification of the word Masada; and the existence of another name, Sebbeh, retained by the Arabs, and which it is not likely they could have invented without analogy. After the sack of Masada, to continue calling a place "the fortress par excellence, which Roman tactics had reduced, would have been a downright mockery; and thus I propose to account for the disappearance of the word Masada.

*

Pliny speaks of this town as being a fortress situated on the summit of a rocky hill, and he places it quite correctly as coming next to Engaddi. Strabo

calls it Moasada,* and mentions the calcined stones which are found in the neighbourhood of this singular spot.

Let us now proceed with our quotation from Josephus:-"The high-priest Jonathan," says he, "was the first man who conceived the idea of fortifying this post, considered impregnable, and who gave it the significant name of Masada (the fortress). At a later period, King Herod added considerably to the fortifications, and increased their strength." +

In another very striking passage, Josephus expresses himself as follows:-" There was, not far from Jerusalem, a very strong citadel built by the ancient kings, where, when they happened to meet with reverses in war, they placed in safety their treasures and their persons. The Sicarii, or assassins,”—(Josephus gives this appellation to those among the Jews who, being determined not to submit to a foreign yoke, had resolved to die, to the last man, in carrying on a desperate resistance against the Romans. In our days, we have heard French citizens denounced by their own countrymen as brigands of the Loire, who quite as justly deserved that infamous appellation as the last defenders of Jewish independence. And it is a Jew, a traitor to his country, who brands with the name of cut-throats the handful of heroes who took refuge in Masada! To what inconsistencies will human passions lead us! But let us copy without further commentary): "The Sicarii, then, having got possession of Masada, made continual inroads on the surrounding country, seeking

for no other plunder than what they absolutely required for subsistence; fear restrained them from committing depredations on a larger scale. Hearing, however, that the invading army of the Romans had gone into quarters for rest, and that the Jews of Jerusalem were divided by sedition, and driven to despair by the most oppressive tyranny, they sallied out by night, and committed the most fearful excesses. On the day of the feast of the Azymi they fell suddenly upon the small city of Engaddi. The inhabitants, taken by surprise, and having no time to prepare for defence, were dispersed and driven out of the town. All who could not escape by flight-men, women, and children-numbering above seven hundred, were put to the sword. After having plundered the houses and ravaged the gardens full of ripe fruit, they hastened back with their booty to Masada. From that time they continued to waste the neighbouring country, supplying their ranks daily from the numerous predatory bands who had no other means of life.*

66

Shortly after that, Simon, the son of Joras, who for his presumption had been deposed by the high-priest Ananas from the government of Acrobata, contrived to escape from Jerusalem, which was then placed under the tyranny of John, and came to ask for an asylum with the Sicarii of Masada. They at first suspected him, and confined his residence to the lower town, where he established himself with the women who had followed him, while the Sicarii remained exclusive masters of the upper town. Soon, however, the zeal that Simon dis

*Bel. Jud. iv. vii. 2.

played in their expeditions, gained him their confidence, though they still rejected the advice he gave them to strike more decisive blows. This Simon succeeded at last in forming an army of his own; and then, separating from the inhabitants of Masada, began committing the most atrocious depredations throughout the whole of Judæa. Solicited by the people to come to Jerusalem, it was he who co-operated the most strenuously in the defence of the town against the Romans; but, being taken prisoner, Simon was transported to Rome, where he figured in the triumph of Titus. The last act of that ceremony was the execution of the Jewish hero.

"Jerusalem and Machæros had successively fallen; the Jews retained but one stronghold, Masada; and the Romans determined to destroy, at any cost, this focus of insurrection.

Battus, Prefect of Judæa, having died, Flavius Silva was appointed his successor. His first thought was to march against Masada. The place was then commanded by Eleazar, of the tribe of Judah, a skilful and intrepid warrior, who, when the Censor Quirinus had been sent into Judæa, had excited a general rebellion. The Sicarii, by the order of Eleazar, denounced as enemies all their countrymen who had submitted to the Roman yokeplundered their possessions, and burned their habitations. To give a sanction to these lawless acts, they pretended that there was no difference between the invading foreigners and the degenerate Jews, who had betrayed their country, and had voluntarily become the vassals of Rome. But the plea was an idle pretence," adds

*Bel. Jud. iv. ix. 3.