ruins of a number of these, but have little opportunity for a
close examination. The most noted ruins that I see are at Sunamein
and at Mezarib. But those who have pressed farther east, and who
have made a careful study of the best preserved of these "rock
cities" of Bashan, tell us that everything about them is of stone-
doors, gates, windows, stairs, rafters, galleries, cupboards,
benches, and even candlesticks. So perfectly preserved are some of
these "dead cities," that of one, Salcah, Doctor Porter says that
some five hundred of the houses are still standing, and that "from
three hundred to four hundred families might settle in it at any
moment without laying a stone or expending an hour's labor on
repairs." Of Beth-gamul another traveler says in part: "The houses
were some of them very large, consisting usually of three rooms on
the ground floor, and two on the first story, the stairs being
formed of large stones built in the house walls, and leading up
outside. The doors were, as usual, of stone; sometimes folding
doors, and some of them highly ornamental. I wandered about quite
alone in the old streets of the town--entered one by one the old
houses, went up-stairs, visited the rooms, and, in short, made a
careful examination of the whole place; but so perfect was every
street, every house, every room, that I almost fancied I was in a
dream, wandering alone in this city of the dead, seeing all
perfect, yet not hearing a sound. "Much of the work in most of
these cities is on such a large scale as to indicate that the
houses were built by, and intended for a race of giants. When we
think of these fortresses of strength defended by their mighty
occupants, and remember that they were probably in existence at
the time of the exodus of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage,
the victories of Moses gained here become sublime.