sewer. I gathered some tall sea-poppies, with pale-yellow blossoms, which grew close to it, and picked up a few imperfect shells.
After taking some refreshments we mounted at half-past three, and continued our way along the sands. We could see in the broken cliffs the sections of the foundation of the outer walls of Cæsarea; three walls originally surrounded the city, each one at a considerable distance from the other. The beach was strewed with blocks of marble. Mounds of masonry resting on rocks, and festooned with sea-weed, stood there firmly, though continually washed by the waves.
We rode on quickly till we came to "Nhar Zurka"—"the River of Crocodiles." I have been told by many people that small crocodiles are found here even now. Tradition says that on the shores of this river there was once a colony of Egyptians. The colonists procured some young crocodiles from their beloved Nile, and succeeded in thoroughly establishing them here.
There is a fable, often told by the Arabs to this day, which gives another version of the history of the introduction of crocodiles into this river:
"Once upon a time, an old man and his two sons dwelt upon the banks of the river, and fed their flocks in the green pastures of the plain.
"And the old man died, leaving to his two sons his hidden treasure, and his flocks and herds.
"Now the younger son was industrious and prudent, and his wealth increased greatly.
"The elder one was idle and profligate, and he became poor. In his poverty he looked with jealous anger on the rich flocks and herds of his brother, and considered in his heart how he might destroy them. He journeyed to Egypt, and thence brought young crocodiles and placed them in the river. His hope was, that his brother's flocks would be devoured on going to drink, or while feeding on the banks.
