'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎492] (581/905)

492
RAMLEH AND LYDDA.
[CHAP. XX.
and the house of Simon the Tanner, by the sea-side, is still
shown. In the age of the apostles the city had the name of
Joppa ; by St. Jerome it was called Japho, and in the time of
the Crusaders, Japha. Seven miles and a half E.S.E. of
Joppa or Yafa, at the commencement of Sharon, is Beit
Adjet, probably Gadh; and six miles south-westward, the
Town of town of Ramleh. The latter is prettily situated on a sandy
Ramieh. pl a i n) i n the midst of olive, pomegranate, and kharub trees;
it contains three mosques, some churches, a substantially-built
Franciscan convent, and about 900 houses, generally covered
with cupolas. A little westward of the Yafa gate there is a
cistern 30 paces long by 25 paces wide and 20 feet deep, with
steps at one angle to descend into it, and a roof resting upon
Saracenic arches. Near the western side of the town are the
remains of an enclosure like a court, within which is a square
tower about 120 feet high, commanding an extensive view of
the plain and surrounding country. This place has been
supposed to be Arimathea; it was large, handsome, and
flourishing in the time of Edrisi. 1
Lydda, or Two-and-half miles E.N.E. is Ludd or Lydda, once called
Diospoiis. Diospolis, and the scene of St. Peter's miracle ; 2 it is a neat sub
stantially-built town, having a conspicuous minareh and the re
mains of the church of St. George, in addition to about 400 good
buildings. Five miles south-westward is the village of Akir,
the supposed site of Ekron, of which, however, there are not
any remains ; 3 and ten miles farther is the village of Esdud,
once Ashdod, 4 and the Roman Azotus ; 5 this now contains no
other remains of antiquity than a square building resembling a
khan. 6 About 15 miles east by south of this place the village
of Beit Jibrin marks the site of Betogabris ; and about it are
extensive excavations, with other remains of ancient Eleuthe-
ropolis. 7 On the coast, 20 miles westward of these remains,
1 Vol. V., p. 339, Recueil de Voyages, &c.
8 Acts, chap. IX., v. 33 and 35.
8 Dr. Robinson's Biblical Researches, vol. III., p. 23.
4 Isaiah, chap. XX., v. 5; Jer., chap. XXV., v. 20; Amos, chap. I., v. 8 ;
Joshua, chap. XI., v. 22.
5 Acts, chap. VIII., v. 40. 6 Irby and Mangles' Travels, p. 179.
7 Dr. Robinson's Biblical Researches, vol. II., pp. 397 to 420.