and myself were able to satisfy ourselves that the passage of the Israelites must have taken place at or near Suez, it being, of course, impossible, after the lapse of so many ages, to point out the exact spot. We suppose it may have taken place a mile or two below Suez, where even now the shoals from the opposite sides come near together, and where at very low tides the Arabs can wade through, though the water is up to their necks. On the east side of the Sea, we could trace the route of the Israelites through the desert of Shin to Eliud and beyond, where they encamped by the Red Sea.' (Num. 33: 11.) This we have no doubt was at the mouth of the Wady Taybe."

Site of Mount Sinai.

"To Sinai itself we came with some incredulity, wishing to investigate` the point whether there was any probable ground, beyond monkish tradition, for fixing upon the present supposed site. We were both surprised and gratified to find here, in the inmost recesses of these dark and lofty granite mountains, a fine plain spread out before the foot of the so-called Horeb,-a plain capable of containing two or three millions of people ;-from the south end of which the mountain rises perpendicularly and overlooks the whole,- -so that whatever passed upon its top would be visible to all. This part of the mountain is about 1200 feet above the plain;-the summit now called Sinai is about two miles further South, and is not visible from below. With that summit Moses probably had no concern. South West of this is Mount St. Catharine, 2700 feet above the plain, and nearly 1000 feet higher than Gebel Mousa, or Sinai. We made minute and particular inquiries of Arabs and others acquainted with the whole peninsula, and could not learn that there was so much room in any other spot among the mountains, certainly not in the vicinity of any of the loftier peaks."

Description of the Desert.

"Our journey through the great desert, this side of Akaba, was deeply interesting. Of the nature of the whole region which we traversed you may judge from the fact, that from the borders of the Nile till we arrived on the borders of Palestine, we saw not one drop of running water, nor a single blade of grass, except a few small tufts in two instances. The Wadys or water-courses of the desert and mountains are sprinkled with skirts and tufts of herbs, on which the camel and flocks of sheep and goats brouse; but no horses nor neat cattle are found throughout the whole region. It is true, the present is a year of dearth, scarcely any rain having now fallen for two seasons. When there is rain in plenty, then, comparatively, the desert may be said to bud and blossom, and grass springs up over a great portion of its surface. In such a season the Arabs say they are Kings.'"’

Ancient Ruins.

"On this route we found the ruins of the ancient Roman places, Eboda and Elusa; and also those of Beersheba, 28 miles S. W. of Hebron,

still called Birseha. There are two wells of fine water, over 40 feet deep, one 12 1-2 feet diameter and the other about 6, walled up with solid masonwork, the bottoms dug out of the solid rock. Close by are ruins as of a large straggling village, corresponding entirely to the description of it by Eusebius and Jerome."

Antiquities of Jerusalem.

"In Jerusalem we are surprised to find how much of antiquity remains, which no traveller has ever mentioned, or apparently ever seen. The walls around the great area of the mosque of Omar are without all question, those built by Herod around the area of his temple; the size, position and character of the stones, (one of them 30 1-2 feet long, and many over 20 feet,) show this of themselves; but it is further demonstrated by the fact, that near the S. W. corner there still remains, in a part of the wall, the foot of an immense arch evidently belonging to the bridge which anciently led from the temple to the Xystus on Mt. Sion; (Josephus J. 6. 6. 2.) This no one appears ever to have seen. In the castle near the Yafxa gate is also an ancient tower of stones like those of the temple, corresponding precisely to Josephus's description of the tower Hippicus, (B. J. 5. 4. 3.) which Titus left standing as a memento;-the ancient part is over 40 feet high, and built solid without any room within. We have no doubt that it is Hippicus.

We have thus gained some important fixed points, from which to start in applying the ancient descriptions of the city. We have been able also to trace to a considerable distance the ancient wall N. W. and N. of the present city. The pool of Siloam at the mouth of the Tyropecum, (see Catherwood's plan,) is without doubt the Siloam of Josephus, and the wall of Nehemiah, further down is the En-Rogel of Scripture, where the border of Judah and Benjamin passed up the valley of Hinnon. We have found further that there is a living fountain of water deep under the mosque of Omar, which is doubtless ancient; the water has just the taste of that of Siloam, and we conjecture a connection between them. This point we have yet to examine. We have not completed the half of what we wish to investigate in this city, and could spend another month or two, with profit, in the like researches here."

Further Researches Proposed.

"Our plan is to make excursions from this city to the neighboring sites of ancient places,-to Jericho and the Jordan, and also a longer one to Gaza, thence to Hebron, and thence to Wady Mousa, so as to explore the north end of the Ghor and the region of the Dead Sea. I hope to find some trace of Kadesh and other cities in that region. From all the information we can get, it would seem that in the rainy seasons, when water runs in the Ghor, it flows northward towards the Dead Sea, thus contradicting the hypothesis that the Jordan once flowed through it to the ———— Gulf. Afterwards we hope to go north, examine the sources of the Jordan and other points as far as Damascus, and then pass from Beirout to Smyrna. All this, if the Lord will, and as he will.”

Great Britain.

University of Oxford. Summary of members, January 1838. The first column denotes the total number on the books of each college, and the second, the number of those who are members of the convocation :

University of Cambridge. Summary of members in January 1838. The first column denotes the total number on the boards of each college, and the second the number of those who are members of the Senate :

King's College, London. From the Report, delivered at the Annual meeting held on the 28th of April, it appears that the Students amounted, in the year ending at Christmas, to 665; and consisted of 116 regular students and 60 medical in the senior department, and 346 pupils in the junior, with 146 students who attended particular courses of lectures. Queen Victoria has become patroness of the College.

University College, London. On the 28th of April, a distribution of prizes to the medical students took place. There had been an increase of 57 pupils in the faculty of medicine and the arts.

The receipts of the British and Foreign Bible Society, during the last year, were £97,237 1.11. Expenditures £91,179. 14. 11.

Rev. G. S. Faber has lately published an inquiry into the History and Theology of the ancient Vallenses and Albigenses.-Rev. J. S. Stapleton has translated from the German, Dr Neander's Life of Chrysostom.

France.

De Sacy published, a few days before his death, a work entitled “ Exposé des Doctrines des Druses." This contains the results of the author's longcontinued inquiries respecting the religion of this famous sect. The materials were found in 123 Arabic manuscripts.

Germany.

Professor Freytag is publishing a complete collection of Arabic proverbs with a Latin translation and notes. His Arabic lexicon in four volumes, as well as his smaller Arabic lexicon in one volume, are published. — Ch. H. Weise of Leipsic has published "Die evangelische Geschichte kritisch und philosophisch dargestellet."— O. T. A. Fritzsche has brought out at Halle a work on the Epistle to the Romans. — Ewald of Göttingen has accepted a professorship of oriental languages at Tübingen.-A new scientific and critical periodical has been started at Halle, under the title of "Hallische Jahrbucher für Wissenschaft und Kunst." A number will appear every day except Sunday. Among the contributors are Creuzer, Dahlmann, Danz, Dietz, Droysen, Ewald, Gans, J. and W. Grimm, Gruppe, Hermann, Hitzig, Keller, Lassen, Matthaei, Ranke, C. Raumer, Dr. Strauss, (of Berlin), Uhland, De Wette, and numerous others. The subscription per annum will be £3. -Berlin contains at present eighty-five booksellers, twenty-nine second-hand booksellers, about fifty circulating libraries, and four paper manufactories.

Italy.

Angelo Mai has been made a cardinal by the pope.

Greece.

A new and thoroughly revised version of the Arabic Bible is soon to be commenced under the care of the Rev. Mr. Schlienz of Malta. The want of such a version has long been felt by the oriental churches, which, notwithstanding their depressed state, have made some efforts to supply this want. Mr. Levees and Mr. Bambas are now occupied in the revision of the New Testament in modern Greek.-A fount of Armenian type has been forwarded to the American missionaries at Smyrna, and a revised edition of the Armenian N. T. was shortly to be entered on at the expense of the British and Foreign Bible Society. The printing of the Wallachian N. T. is soon to be commenced. Mr. Levees has just completed the first translation of the Old Testament into modern Greek which has been given to the public.

Egypt.

An eastern female education society lately formed in England has sent out two young ladies as school teachers to Egypt, Miss Holliday and Miss Rogers. On the 7th of March last Miss Holliday was officially waited on by one of the officers of State, Hekekyan Effendi, who had come directly from Mohammed Ali, and formally asked her if she would take in charge the education of the royal females, consisting of a hundred in number, principally Mohammed's daughters, nieces and nearest relatives. Hekekyan said, "This is only the beginning of female education in Egypt, for the pasha has much larger views; but he wishes first to try the experiment on his old family. Much depends on the approbation of his eldest daughter, whether instruction shall spread through the country; only gain her favor and regard, and you will carry every point to your utmost wishes." Miss H. expected to enter on this work as soon as she had completed the necessary preparations. The pasha has a college of translators, composed of 150 young Arabs, many of whom understand the French language. There are also a few English translators, young Turks and Arabs, who were brought up in London by the orders of the pasha.

Central Asia.

We perceive by the papers, that a British steam-boat has just ascended the Euphrates to that point on the river whence the direct overland journey to Aleppo commences. No obstruction was experienced from the Arab tribes. The boat proceeded against the current at about the rate of four or five miles an hour. This passage is considered as having settled the practicability of steam-boat navigation on the river. It does not appear that Russia is making much progress in her efforts to subdue the tribes on the Caucasus. Her disciplined armies find little opportunity to show their powers among those wild mountaineers. What the ulterior objects of this ambitious monarchy are, it is not difficult to divine. Her wide-grasping arms extend from China to the Ægean. She keeps a good lookout on Constantinople, on Persia and on the regions of Transoxiana. How far Russia entertains any real intention of checking the British power in India, we cannot tell. That Britain has strong jealousies in this matter no one can deny. In the advance of British power, every philanthropist, we think, must rejoice. It is the progress of civilization, learning and pure religion. The Russian influence on these half barbarous nations is clearly a mixed one. Some improvements are introduced. Better roads and bridges are formed. Something like a police is established. Life and liberty are not exposed to so many hazards. On the other hand, there seems to be but little freedom of opinion. The great mass of the Russians themselves are but imperfectly civilized. How can they greatly contribute to the improvement of the Armenians, Georgians, Turks and Persians, especially when we take into ac