they buried the last of the anointed sons of Aaron, and were left without a high-priest to minister for them. With the house of Aaron the celebration of the highest offices of their religion ceased. No sacrifices can be offered now, and there is no one "to make atonement for the people."
During the days of unleavened bread the Samaritans live in tents, on the mountain near to the ruins of their ancient temple. "On the fifteenth day of the first month," the whole congregation, men, women, and children, except such as are ceremonially unclean, being assembled, the priest stands forth on a mound, and reads, in a most solemn and impressive voice, the animated description of the Exodus.
In a trench, ten feet long by two feet wide, previously prepared by laborers, a fire is kindled, and two caldrons of water are placed over it. A round pit is dug, in the form of a well; and it is heated to serve as an oven. Then lambs are brought, in sufficiency for the whole community. Seven is now the usual number. At sunset, seven men, in white dresses, take each a lamb before him, and at the utterance of a particular word in the service appointed for the day, all seven lambs are slain at the same instant. Every member of the congregation then dips his hand in the blood of the dying victims, and besmears his forehead with it. Boiling water from the caldrons is poured over the fleece, which causes the wool to leave the skin without much difficulty. It is plucked off with great nicety. The bodies of the lambs are examined, lest there be any blemish. The right shoulder and the hamstrings are cut off and thrown on the heap of offal to be burnt with the wool. The seven bodies are then spitted, and forced into the hot bake oven. A trelliswork is then placed over the top of the oven, which is covered with grass and mud, to keep in all the heat. A few hours after sunset they are withdrawn, and the Samaritans, each "with his loins girt and a staff in his hand," eat hastily and greedily of the food thus prepared. The scraps of meat,
