hills which are dotted with many villages cosily bowered in groves of olive, orange, lemon, and pomegranate trees, there stands a grand and massive sarcophagus lifted high on a solid pedestal of limestone, with a deep arched well or large cistern near it. This sarcophagus is 12 ft. 11 in. long by 7 ft. 8 in. wide, and 3 ft. 6 in. high; the lid is roof-shaped and 3 ft. 6 in. high. The lid is apparently unfinished in the respect that there are none of the elevated corners so constant a feature in all other tombs in this vicinity, and as appears in the illustration; the shape of the stone favors the supposition that the corners may have been broken off. The base is formed of three tiers of stones each 13 feet long, by nearly 11 ft. wide.

The stones forming the third course project a little all around, and are 15 feet long, 10 wide, and 3 feet 4 inches thick. The next on which the coffin rests is 12 feet 3 inches long, and 8 feet thick.*

The view is from the west end, from which direction it is seen to the best advantage. There is no attempt at finish anywhere; the great blocks of stone were only squared and laid over one another, without any intentional architectural effect beyond the slightly decreasing size of the immense blocks. The capstone or lid is raised in the centre like a roof, in the manner of other lids of sarcophagi, which are found scattered about in many parts of Palestine.

The east end of this tomb has been broken open, but whether by robbers in search of plunder or by curiosity-seekers is not known. With the exception

* These dimensions were taken by Robert Morris in 1868, who made the most accurate measurement of them ever yet taken.

of the break this monument has not been injured, and only shows the touches of time during the many centuries it has been exposed to the severe winter storms of this coast.

The site was well selected for the sepulchre of the great Phoenician king, being high on the brow of a hill, or rather on the crest of a range of hills, where the eye may look over the plain to the sea and the city, which once boasted of its rule on that sea as a god.

The commanding location of this tomb, its massive proportions and neighboring ruins, are strongly corroborative of the tradition that this was the last resting place of King Solomon's friend. It is of great antiquity, and the surrounding ruins indicate that this was only the central body, around and over which was a structure adorned in a style befitting the purpose, the age, and the wealth of the nation, which boasted of its advanced position among the cultivated nations.

There are several other tombs scattered about in the fields in this vicinity, which are popularly said to have been those of various members of King Hiram's family.

These stone coffins are still quite numerous in this part of Palestine, although the Mohammedans have been breaking them up for building purposes, or burning them into lime for ages. Several hundred are still lying about the hill near Khan Khuldeh, twelve miles south of Beirut. Some of them are ornamented with carvings of flowers, wreaths of leaves, cherubs, Baal head figures of warriors, very well de

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signed, and nearly all have raised corners, somewhat like a horn.

But nowhere is there any instance of an inscription, mark, or character, except on the coffin of the King of Sidon, which was brought to light a few years since.

The whole vicinity of Hiram's tomb abounds in ruins of Phoenician character, the most important of which is a pavement in colored marble covering the whole inside area of a heathen temple, with figures of Greek and Phoenician deities, each with the name cut in ancient Greek or Phoenician letters on each side of the head and inside of a circle. There are altogether 40 gods and goddesses portrayed; besides on one side 48 circles containing fishes, animals, and fowls, and on the other 64 circles of the same character. Between the columns are animals chasing each other, such as leopards, lions, bears, chasing deer, boars, rabbits, etc. There is quite a natural history in this pavement. Some Greek words and names found here may help to fix the date of the structure, which has not yet been determined.

The number of important ruins in this part of Phoenicia is so great as to fill a large volume, with even a slight notice of each, proving that the Phonicians were a highly-cultivated, skillful, and wealthy people, fond of the fine arts and full of public spirit. Their descendants who now occupy the country are simply barbarians in comparison, caring little for the arts, bent only on a fanatical display of veneration and devotion to God, and-his prophet Mohammed.