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Rh about these schools, especially the one established by Sir M. Montefiore, intending to visit it again. To my surprise and regret, I was told that it no longer existed; and I could not obtain any satisfactory account of it, or understand why it was broken up. I suppose that Oriental indifference to female education is the chief cause.

On the 13th of May, Mrs. Finn, in behalf of the "Jerusalem Agricultural Association," purchased a portion of the beautiful valley of Urtas. I witnessed the making and concluding of the bargain. Ten of the fiercest and wildest looking Arabs I had seen were assembled in the office of the Consulate, with their chief, a tall, powerful man, called Sheikh Saph, whose family, local tradition says, has for ages been distinguished for the hight and strength of its men.

Mrs. Finn came forward, and stood in the midst of the group of men, and said, "O Sheikh, do you agree to sell?" and Sheikh Saph answered, "I agree to sell, O my lady; do you agree to buy?" and Mrs. Finn replied, "I buy, O Sheikh." Then the purchase-deed, which had been already prepared, was read over, signed, and sealed; and one hundred and fifty sovereigns were counted slowly into the hands of the Sheikh. He received the gold with great gravity and seeming indifference; but his men looked on eagerly, with hawk-like eyes. After this, about a hundred coins, of small value, were thrown on the office-floor, according to custom, and were eagerly scrambled for by all present. Thus the exact sum paid for the ground could not be ascertained. This method of selling any thing, for a known and an unknown sum, is called "a sale by the uncounted group." When this precaution is neglected in dealing with Arab tribes, a purchaser may be obliged to yield up property to its original owner at any moment, for the amount of the purchase-money.

Sheikh Saph and his two chief followers were invited