I :+' 1.01,
11
C. / 1 RECD. & H. H. FAAZIER,
MEI
Sas the Sibyl.,
CONGENIAL SPIRIT&
The fellow was the lady wasiltk, •
She had fight blue eyes and light brown . half :
A low yolk voice, and & low white brow, [how.
Antt she would have been pretty, tad she known
The fellow. if . mean the lady's beau) - .
Was an exquisite. from top to toe:
His eyes (when beside the htdy's'hlue)
Had hawk-like glance, and ebon hue:
life wore jorefry and such like trash, .
And, above.-all the rest, ajetty moustache. •
The fellow 'sat by the lady's side—
The lady premised to be his bride ; •
She lain her hand on a Erb' guitar, •
And he laid in his mouth a Spanish Cigar:
While the tidy played, "My love is true,"
The fellow 'smo ed 'till the room was blue;
The lady lore4Ao dance at a ball,
And she lov this fellow, tobacco and aIL
The lady and bean were going out . •
To see what other folks were about ;
On her white fingers she drew a kid,
And he drew to his month ati enormous qtiid.
Ile chewed while they walked up through the town,
And he chewed while they were walking down ;
But the lady thought the walks a sluice
Made especially for the tobacco juice,
Of course . the fellow was always right,
And when he bade her adieu that night
lie spoke of their wedding day Cot: bliss,
And left upon her lips a tobacco kiss,
JOURNAL
•-..8Y--.
. H. H.'JESSUP.
R E 'V
. ,
• ;Journey from Jerusalem, to the 'Dead Bea,
Jericho. &n. and return to J. ._..
WEnNastosir, Mareh 11th, 1857.
' my ial•journil letter brings us to the even
' inn of the day oti which we Visited•theMostpie
-: of Omar en Mount Moriah:, •, . ,
This Morning we (*minded to make an
, excursion Ito the De:lA.:Sea and the Jordan.
- going by way of Bet hlehein. In former years
•it'has beat customary for travelers
. to hire
the Sheikh of the Beduran Arabs who dwell
in .the Valley of the Jordan, to accompany.
them and ]be responsible for - their safety.,
... This has always been a source of- trouble, as
th A rubs I often
. quarreled about-the • pay, and
. they always demanded iin - enormous buck
' shoe-h. To avoid these difficulties and sim-
Pirly the.matter, 'the Pasha-of Jerusa. lett, has
recently made a contract with the Arabs, in
accordance: with which they bind themselves
' to have nothing more to do with the travel
ers, and tU.leave the responsibility - sit sending
..•
guards to the Dead Sea, with the Pasha him
. self. We'were greatly relieved to know that
this was the•case, as it is tar more economical
and Much Pleasanter to be relieved from such
traveling companions. Last night we sent
' word to the Pasha that we wished a guard
•
for the joureey, lie sent us word that if - we
. ' would strait' until to-morrow (Thursday) he
would tarnish us-with a well-mounted guard,
I ill if we found it necessary to go to day, he
would d . u. his beat to provide fur us, Mr.
Joneswas'. quite ill last night. but. seemed
'better this Itnorning, and when we sent word
for-the iniriials,the concluded to hare his horse
brought with the rest, and geins -far as Beth
',. Mier', at least. Tivre are ',several routes
from deruAillem to the Dead Sea and the
Jordan. ("Ine , is, to go directly to
..YeriChu.
. about six huuri, and spend the ' nlght, and the
neat day pil down to the Jordan and the Dead
Sea, and t the Convent of Mar Saba for the
night, and o brick again (three hours) to Je
rusalem. : Another route is tolravel the sane
road; but id - a reverse order : .We - fixed upon
a plan quitd unusual for avelers;,and differ
ent ;from both. - Having andUned our first
intention of visiting the It
. 11uuntairis t
the South end of:the Dead Sea t on account
the-insecuri ty of the country in.that direction, :
I f
we.conclud6d 'to go ironed by Bethlehem,
and Tekoa, land then go on' the. usual route.
Upon eonsu)ting the maps, and 'talking (krt.r
the situation of the Country' with 'soma-gen
tlemen in :Jerusalem, we-concluded that we
could mak& the trio of . to-day In about sin
.Errs, and hence it would not be necessary
to start Ware eleven o'clock. Some of the
' party objected to our taking such a rounda
teeit'erin i.r , e,' but we thought 'it worth our
vh:le, as the; ; plinsei we
.intended to pass are
' very interestingovhereas the direct road to
Mar Saha is quite desolate and barreti'of in
terest.,- At ten . o'clock, our mounted - guards
from the PaSha Made their appearance: They
were four iti number, and - looked as if their
-minds ssere i thoroughly imbued : with, the truth
of the grait• principle that •
"1041* fights and ;Os away,
•
Will live to fight another day.
IC was 'a coraiurcmoreuVer i to feel that-O . wl'
were of that . innocent class:whir) never. hurt
anybody, Slid. consequently - we- should be
quite safe in; their bands, -We sent two of
tual with the baggage anithals directly across
to,..Lar Saha, while -we took „the remaining
two with u'. Werwere greatly delayed :4
various eauses, and did not leave,the thy un.
t.!,, a quarter berme twelve. We. paseed out
i-t the JatTa 'qate on the Western side of the,
clt ‘ y , turned down .the bill to the left through
the' Valley of Olhon crossed 'the valley - just
above the. dry bed of the Lower Pool 01- -
lion; - and rode along•ty the Wall of ttii , Citr6at
enehisure whichlras been . ptirehatted through
Sir !dose's Montefiore for ajevrish floapital.
'i ilt. road gradually ascends froth' . 'this: point
towards the . South as far as the plain of - M.
p W
hait o , Hre Daiid once. fought 'with the
l'inlistines.-1) Samuel, 'V ... 22.;
• Our parii was now together , and Was corn-
Posed as follotti: nee. Mr-': Thomson, Mr.
Aiken, Mr, Jones of Lotidoti, - Mr. Pruyna of_
Albany. Mr.r Dennis a PhOtographei* Cr9 ol
Jerusalem, ' Mr. , Sitneon, the fat landfOrd'of
the Frank' Jl'otel. in . Jerusalein, and now act
tug as,Draguinan to' Mr: Pruyan, Y.iinief, Mr.
Jones scrvalnt, Suleymau, two
,gairds,, tad
tay,elc. 1 1 ;:hen \ lie ieedied_ the - bautlful
saloolh plai'iil pf Itephaim, our lairieirifin
'''en:led anxinus to display their.akill - ,in -Wm
-1
. 1 _", 411 . 1 3 1 P. 1 will.giVe y.pu aiaiefsieseription
11 their pet - Sone' appearanoe, 444 you. cosy
utderstands .Iwhy the P#sha , oiologised „fur
ifitudiu g such a , guard : ',l4Lakiratiud, the first.
ca s ts, grizzly i i, ra h with light -complexion. short
-•zvair 4
~F •Ati a Bedouin head .4h. , eita.: „ ,lieris &On
„,ob wjth an Uld trruket, .4. 41 " :444 ` anci- *Pee
:pistol's. Ilia dress is of ttdailt §c4.4ori and
"Ilea he rides rapidly, it flies about like...drie
1 1 ; 1 ;1 7 of all image on as elixstricil-tUaChino.--
f, : horse, his evidently " come -down from a
lean,
rther 'etreration. . He is tun. lank; and
and his thigh bones project 'so as to
stein like deformities. The saddle is old
and ram,d', and the saddlecloth is of a 'bright
r! -.d *shier,. if I the bundle of rags behind the
Ticelid le. deserv e the name 4.,f baddle-cluth.—
f girth i'a Mixture of knotted •• ” and
.r 9 tt'•!ti kath4r, rendering the 'whole establish•
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meat quite insecure, Tho.stirrups ,are ;wor
thy of special mention. . They are huge plates
of rusty ken about eighteen inches in : length,
4. ten in width, and aharpened at the corners.
They look:like_ old rusty shOYels suspended
by a, cord attachPd, to, the middle. When
a,shed laahmOnd .why he bad •such km
inense stirrups, be replied .rgyPtian Ara
bic, " Watts 'lmgree'kasiatii," " that I may
wound him itistatittyP.' and auitiu t'he'action
to the word, , he raised the great shovels into
the 'air and plunged them ' Itito ..the `
sides of.
'the pooi beast, who started off at' full speed:
The sight was so inexpressibly ludicrous that
talmostTell from my horse in'a- fit of laugh.
trr,..and the rest of the cOmnany were affect-,
ell in the same way. • 011 went, the Arab
steed, plunging over the stonesovhile his be.
role rider was flourishing_ the shovel stirrups,
and attempting to perform the most brilliant
and unexampled exploits with his rusty mus
ket. After riding_ some distance toward sn
old rained castle- on the. left, be wheeled
about at a very short angle, and returned.—
He had succeeded- ws well in= the 'outward
trip, that he concluded to put the finishing
touch toAtis equestrian efforts, by a aeries of
'exercises with his gun, while the foaming
steed was at. full speed. On' he 'came, and
when within-about. eight, or ten, rods of. us,
he drew ep.his,gue,--ii,iined it directly at our
head's, as if we were a set of wild lied:mins !
who deceived to he i-hot. It is the custom I
of Arab, horsemen - to ride very rapidly and
stop very suddenly,and , it was evidently' the
intention of„Malunoud to ride near enough
tv aWaken- apprehension on our part that he ,
: was about tia.run over
. u.s,.and then by a fins. j
ter stroke of horsetuanship.to u heel about j
and fly,aWay agahs.... But, alas for human ex
pectatioMs!„...Just as I: wets about to turn my
horse to get out : of his way, I heard the crack
of a musket, followed by a simultaneous burst
of laughter from the whole company. The
proud horseman had met with s.most unite.
M. 11. X
roic accident. His gun fell from his hand,
1 -muzzle downwards, and, just as it. reached
1 - the ground, discharged its harmless contents,
into the soil of the plain of Rephaim while
his saddle turned with him;
and laid his .ma
jestic form in a - posture far from peaceful, by
the aide of the horse, whose bridle .he still
held in his hatid. lie was greatly mortified,
and, in spite of our earnest protestations
*grainst his goring the sides of his horse with
those creel stirrups again, , be, tied up the di
lapidated saddle, pidted up the gun, and rude
off to try his fortune once more. The other
guard - was far less ambitions than his com
panion. He was a jet blacklsisitian slave
of the Pia-haand bore the name ``Serviitit. of
God," or Aidullalt. He was certainly phi
most, 'harmless looking horseman I have seen
_in Syria. He had neither gun nor sword,
and his two huge flint-locked pistols were ev
idently of considerable antiquity. ilk horse
looked as if he had been made to order
some enabliShment where bones were plenty
and flesh very scarce, and his color contrast
ed strongly with the jet black complexion of
his rider. Abdullah was greatly-diverted by
the misfOrtune of his fellow Mahmoud, but
he did not express his gratification until the
latter had his back tinned, as be seemed to
hold him in somewhat of terror, since he ryas
a slave, while Idahmcud was a hired servant.
We asked Ahdallah when
_they bi- - ought-him
up out of Egypt, and be . said, that, he was
born it Palestine, as be was only eight years
old when became. He'said-that be did not
like Slavery.- Who does Them arc mul
titudes 9p - PAhyssinnian 'slaves in Syria and
Paiestin6; but -the nineties is growing less
every day, as the Government has abolished
slavery in Egymand sleeps cannot be bought
there as 63emeriy.
Passing on over the plain-of Rephann, we
reiehed,:the Converit of Mar Elias, an . old
dingy-looking structure, which has more. the
appearmnee-of-ot Castle than a Convent.
In this vicinity there are scatteredolive
i trees, thougir,the general_ aspect of the coon
try is -that of- barrenness and desolation.—
J tiSt beyond the• Convent, the read branches
off to the lefr,.and the right.- The former is
the direct_ road to Bethlehem which is titre
in sight. - The latter is a few minutes longet,
but we took it in order to pass by Rachel's
tomb, which is a. little to ,the west -of the
mainroad. This tomb is now covered by a
little square stone bailding with a low white
dome- above it, and it stands desolate and
alone, without a tree or a green spot near it.
There are numerous lltlOsletn tombs near it,
as the Moslems of Bethlehem seem to place
a high value on the privilege of sepulture by
the side - of Itachel,the wife of Jacob. When
the patriarch ,Jaeob we t s . nigh unto death, he
said to Joseph, " And as for me, when 'came
from Paden, Rachel died: by me in the land
of Canaan in the - way,. when yet. there was
but a Jittie way to ecn&mito_Ephratb; and
I buried it( r,there-tu the may of Frphrsth ;
the same is Bititiviiiin." : And the. tombjs
there unto the present day, one of the most
interesting spots - in'Pareititie; beetiese' it is
one of whoseiillentitfthi•re la'netfoubt.-'--
One walks at - kit / Jerusalem:and is confused
by the apparent - faleitv of mant_of the so.
ntiled hals . placi.sinesiered toralitielis but
Itere l itlia '6lllfOri idi r , Pa' alit' effil+' - 1:ktl be
lii z,
66 question tiii fci the 'that Jacob SetuallY
stood here; and here - in sorrow he "'burled
her site was the light an r Joy of his heart."
rrom • Rachel's tomfrit 1 was"lbut: ashort
ride to Bethlehem , where we - arrived at abobt
I half past one o'clock.. • This town'of wondrous
I history, lies on a ridge which 'rem' East`and
I West. It is . quite narmwortliki it attends
, nearly halt a mile on — theridge. We ap
-1 proached it from the North,ltimugh oliveor.
chards r and yineYards, the'fimtner fresh and
green; and the latteig'eoty!A - bask* Tart krrth
their
_leaves.: - 'Tbesteeit biArifieb we era...id
:Ilse t own *Si etry barroir,;asare'all -creels
in the tast,l6l wit utres i nally-welt-Ipaved.
[ We_ passed nittnerous shops srfrese Ines ire,'
st,srork, making laddetetigetelresobe., fres.
pearlsbellairbicli stre4wougta frost the - Red
gear' This is s 'Set, lirge'busiireas,ltuld ' Jur
manse quantities - are - liOld .- every: year-to -the
Pilgrims. As we Ski but little tlrate - to
spare, JP*: ru4e dire - city- to, .the, convent of l
the, NaliiiM, wife* is: Akio& *;•3 ,!gt' bitilt
-over- the exact spot where °VT Savior, was
Vora. „,. A Rest crovrd of naett.sii:,hoisgath 7
end around * take mir'horsos, and we eli
tared, at once, after girl% Istabmoud,andYo.,
sef special directions to watch our saddlil:
belts ud umbrellas. • : . ' ; '.
Passing ihionit a lei door, Ind crossing
a narrow WI, we cube into' tbe_greit chuich,
said to have been boat by,the Eaupnesellel.
ens. It =Was Carty-eight beailtiful Cork':
thian colunans,.in four rows, out the - plural
effect is fiver Ana's due in the Mosque El
Aksa, on. Mount Moriab,in Jeruiutent It is
' 6 . 6 _ . .o'[E_Epc),Or .t..S;I,E)::aIi.ONV :10:4[140V;:ol'i'aviArdY:ikR14;-:NMIP4t'c.,-"":"''
.. •
- ~ .
MONTROSE;' THITiIStaZ :StPTEMIIER ,•
. .1.85 L
• _,.• , ,• . ,
a 'fine ediAixoind is. in a fair itatiofpr set% cave,' but I hare 'no doubt that even ra'
vation. It is surrotmded.:on - everyaide but larger - nun:the' r,Coirld live tbis,.eare',WithOut
one ,by large buildings, consisting of the ineonvenieticeeie It .is , in a.'we444;-,44a..:a
Greek. and Latin • Convents., We went 6est ' handful -oF.men coidd .resiste eel - army, and it
into the Greek Convene to rest and ;eat our is the rnostaPprOpelete pitc# in'thetdorld for
Neck and thee. went -dciwn • to the Grotto of I a..band - of rebels'and discontented ° Men,.auch
the Nativity, passing through ! the. Greek and as followed.DietirintO title a 4141 deiOlete re-
Armenian churches., It Is not a little remarks gion. .. - ; ; ....: :
~ . _ ~..... ~. .
able that alinciet every " holy . place" -inTal. When we .ehree out of the cave, warnet
estine has a . "grotto or cave connected with several ermed*Ariabson the narrovr, ledge:of
it. ,At Nazareth, they s that the . Annuu- rocks' rte 'ar the entrance;:' het they simply.
ciation.tOok,.plam in a cave... In Jerusalem, said.."merbublei".`" welcoeie", ;iii..elieee l viere
they claim that the " true crose", was found 1 of-the seine tribe with our:guide, .•.- ;• ..-• „.
in a cave.. Under the Great 24(isqUe Es Suk, t
.After ;flaunting- our horses . , wieetVere de
hare on Morieh,.they haveSelomoe's praying mined a few momenia-hy the refusal'of the
.place in a cave. And you- remember my guide to go any, fuithc:r,' but when ',he - found
speaking of-St. Paul's Cave in Malta. •Irere that we woul d nut pay him ...e.evet ..o nil I. . „tie'
at Bethlehem,,in
. a cavern under •the earth,. - had conducted us to - the Convent of .MarSie •
they locate the pot where - our Lord was ' f
consented to go on. "Not one of liti
born, and the tnangerin which he was first a knew the read, and had he left us, -we should
Cradled. The place of the NativitY is marked have been, tennpelled to 'return at once to
by a hiker star set In a slab of merble; and Bethlehem. The distati`Ce from • the cave' tu;
on the 'opposite side of the cavern, in a little Mer Sabi,is not very greatin a straight line,'
low recess in the side of the cave, ise box of but the country) ts so broken up •by deep
solid marble, which they say was the_tozn- rocky ravines, theeit is - quite • impuasible. to
ger. _ The cave is lighted with- numerous travel alone, to sarnathingof the " perils of
beautiful -hanging lamps of precious metals, robbers.".
. .
and the stable has become a magnificent chap.: f -'-. Just after leaving' the, st o ve, we ascended
.el, adorned with ' pieturee . and lamps, so as to: the hill' iii the direction of Bethlehem, end
be quite brilliant, - Several pilgrims came in saw the site of Tekoa,abOuC two 'miles to'the
while we were there iand• prostrated them- South of us (in an elevated range.
selves on the , floor, crossing themselves, re- ' It wen min; after Jive o'clOck, and we had
peating prayers, and etteiningly endeavoring an uncertain distance to trevek:over a very
to alieorleholinees, by personal - contact with i uncertain" .road. In a fete:minutes ; I, was
the silver star and'tho marble manger. One I quite surprised' to find- thtit we were within
would thii.k from the appearance 'of-Such teas than an' hour of Bethtelieen,t-on the hill
creatures that ; they must be devout worakep. overlook ing.the plain where -it: is 'said that
ere of something. Yet follow them away i the shepherds Were watch inii. their fh e l s h e •
teem this place, !igen to the falsehoods and I night, when "the angel 'of . the . Lord.cante
profanities turd deception conetaittly!fitlling -' .txite„ thane- and• the , glory of -:. theieLord
frith their lipe,aud. you will temelude that it t shone 'round about. them,''e7",and suddenly
is self and sin lull the world which they won- -there waewith the angel A thultiTtudero(the
ship, and not a crucified Redeemer. lt is heavenly hustotraieing.Go d and eaying,Glo
sad to thine that the supposed birthplace of iry to Gel iu-the higheet,andon earth peace,
the Incarnate Sea of God is so abus) and good will toward men.",., ,
-.,.
desecrated', by superstition and idolatrous " . .bee,ri s s e ing al little - ealley e ure - pailittd - thr . e - e
practices,- We returned from: the grotto, ac. shepherds Itmding.hitme-theiellocks of sheep
companied by a Greek priest,' whom we left 1 and goatit. ~ The shepherd* walked in - advance
in the outer church, as we turned to, enter the • 'with Shepherd-crooks,:ealling the 'sheep, and
Latin Convent. A Monk now brought Us the
,Whnle flock fellovei,a; I . :A t . this - season eif
candles, - and accompanied• us into the Latin I the year,and indeed-font& - theiSt4Detienibeir.
Church, thence down through a dark,windinge4 to the middle or last' bf Idarekrit is the cm-.
underground passage to the same "grotto
.of 1 tom of the shepherds to lead 'Wine their flocks
the Nativity". from which we bad Just gone r at night to the eillageti, as theitie on - . .thele '
out by the Greek staircase..
hills is very chiliy during th e 4inir. isealtere—
• We had no special desit e to - see the 'place ' In the spring, suntmer, and an tnnitt; theioften
a second time, but we were anxious to see Iteleep out ia the fields and watch ` i their flows, the cave.and tomb of Jerome, who lived here, . to - protect them from wild toteistaand Plinider
and here.mede his trantlation of the Ilihle, in king Arabs. Indeed so insecure fa the country
the first part of the fifth century. There is the greater part
. of the time, that they rarely .
every reason to believe that the localities as- ' venture inleave their (ticks: out tit night: . I
societed with the name of - Jerome, are genu-. think it beyond doubt that they never'sieep,
ire. We left Ilethlehem at half past two, sun- - out with them in the wintereionthe.. ,
posing that we had about-.four hours tceride ' . Just-as the . sun went dOwn, we were going
to the Cave or Adullam and Mar Saha.. As in a North Easterly :direction,. and we sale it
none of the company knew the read, we took j n distance on the top of a high peak called
a guide from B.etulehem. The man was not " Hertslium,7 or "Frank mountain," a coni
iv native of Bethleheni :. however, 'as I found patty of moving figures, -whom we naturally
'by asking him. I asked what wag his busi. 1 surmised to be' Arabs, but they did not de
! nms. Ile said that •he was a herds Man, and Seend do molest um. ' A biros . eagle sat on a
raised cattle and sheep on the hills. " Where .rock near the road, and two beautiful gazelles
are you front" ‘1 asked. "Trots
_Taw," he sprang from a little nook among the cliffs and ,
lie carried a gun swung across his 1 darted• twos: Dior path: The road seemed
I back, was dressed in loose trowsers which ex- 1 cattail:Linty to lengthen., - We would ride on .
tended only to his knees, and with his turban i t smoothly over a level table-laud, expecting
,laind long stair, seemed a perfect realization of ' to reach a certain point in a very few mite
-coy idea of the prophet Amos, who was hint i utes, when to our grist flisappointmeut t ie
self." among the heedmen of 'reknit" • As we would find ourselves on the bank - ef, an lint
I
I left Bethlehem and rode down the hill to' the passable' go ree, rendering further: progress
South East, I could imagine to, myself thitt possible only byturning ear t i n thelett, and
Ithefield directly opposite on the' hillside reify going around the . ravine. . Alfew such de- .
Ihave been the harvest' field of Boaz, where fle.ctions from the direct course delayed us
i Rathahe Afriabitess, gleaned After the reapetl,s. I it a manner not at all pleasant in this most
The few scattered wheat fields are nowgreen desolate and dingerouS of all'thedietricita of
and beautiful; but not so forward as I expect- Palestine. " - - -' - '
ed to find" them. Just before leaving - Beth- ' WeSiltr no va hoiise nor a tree, mid noihti-
Ichem, we sent Mr. Simeon and,'one Of the than being but - now and then'. ,a straggling
guards directly across to Mar Saba, and-the 1 Arab, with aloriegim, and a countenance in
' rest of the company took the route by Adtil- dicititte - tof anything' but-love Av-uit.- Just
I
,I lain. Our rind lay over 'hills and through as we turned to take-eur' huh look' of the plain
%allies, in one of the.-nuiseutterly barren and of Bethlehem, now - fadine in the dusky two
! desolate regions :on earth. '• •Oa one of .. ihe light,- the evening,.star e V 1 1ais, bunietlirough
hills, we saw numerous piles of stones time et flying eloud,Wnd lib with such a clear,
'
jar to those in the subterranean rooms under Lar co
eaming t .luetrous ghti- that I involuntarily
the Temple area on Mt. Moriah.. • They ate I ccim m armed singing the 'words -
„
' piled `up here by the Arab . shepherds, as :a. i • ' "When suddenly aster arose, '
• memorial of their prayers: At a quarter !.- It was the Star of Bethlehem." . ..
I .
past fuer we came Upon an old ruin o n tlie . ; Theair Was 4till, without a breath of wind,
brink of a fearful precipice, and the. guide I and 'as the shades of evening fell around us,
hilt! us -to dismount. • Leaving our horses, twe could-hear no sound but the tramp of the
we began to descend the cave. The . gorge 1 horses' feet,on the stony ground. Our guide
below us was one of elle numerous deep TO , . ; . - kept steadily before us, and cur horses again
' vines running down from this region to the ; proved their own sagacity as they' did along
'Dead Sea. . Its sides are rocky and iteep,eo ! the shores of t See of Gallilee, in-moving
that we had to: use great caution in making r steadily on,.hardly ,miesing a step; though on
the descent. 'When we were about one-third 1 uneven ground' andin a very uncertain light..
of the way down, we turned to•theright alottgi_ After descending a hill through wheat fields
the edge of it ledge of - rocks, and walked fer.: and uewly, ploughed ground, tee came to a
some distan6c on a shelf of rock, 'just abont . - ',.snesei t road running : down a valley .to our
wide enough for one to walk coinfortably,-- right,whieh Mr. DennisfJertisaleneinsisted
After about two hundred feet'we l i was the direct to Nur Saha. The gnide
' came to a - huge' rock which' bad-.fallen from , insisted that it Was not,and declared that if we
above upOn this ledge, and our only . way to ! wenethat-wayhe Would not 'go a step with.
Pass h was bfelimbing ovet.- - It wa s e.adif- ! us. , Ali... Dennis again declared that he felt
'teak mew; but-we accomplished it after alit - I sure of Ihe'correctnesi'of , lie impressions;
tie etrert,- though' we • had to crawl_lur zsiii and would advise . us . to continue down-the
' halide .Isnd knees over the - top of this rock' i valley. . The Arab guide now b*.tme eery
whose surface sloped down_ toward the gulf i earnest,nnd took one of the most fearful oaths
''below. -.. , . - . . - _ •': !it is possible fora ' Moslem ' to ; take, that he
,'-.. -A.ssbort - distance beyond, this. lathe I knew the.cOuntry.perfectly v tuul if we followed
-month of. the.cave: It is so small - and has ! mr: Denme".e.aviee, we .should soon ,be lost
ipo little the appearance of . the • entrance to ' s
l amid impassable ravines and featful,preCipi..
large Cavern, that I. passed by, ..withuut notie= ireet.-:: , We all turned.to Mr. Thomsen, whose
ing it; . -The guide however. informed us, and ejtidgmeneie : anch matters
. ie generally asre
after lighting•our.candl, we entered,.crawl- liable its. oneutn. judgment, can be,
„and he,
ang ou:our hands and knees, then .welking
,eteroegly,urged our fullowing.pii:Arati gnidc,
..through .a
.very•eterrow passage whose. iop. " for,;..aaidhe„,.‘.l.laa:re,:itleyi A.:416111e Vey,
.
was leo high to . be ' seen, until : we. emetgOd r elintthis quntr,y;, : that it is s4(er 0: tru stto a
intoein immense cavern. 'We could not; 1-pe i nativeguide, than to recolleeboniefieer
ass:r o o4- and we walked a - considerable dia. ',own, or evexe to. mitts and hueiles,eit treVeliers."
eancebefore finding the opOesite side of_ the tjle. then Joid - tEe : guk!e to go' 'On, aid - We
..
cavern., Ii
. teaunded we of, the Baltimore ;- would -follow hire assuring him that we•had
covv.an, - ,iii Qaai mines, pear, Wiikiuthrie. i all confidence:bin thni,and would see that 'be)
Otrev,cry side, high.,dark . iiisaagiffezte4 - eiltais priiperly, rewarded.. Our "guard ; Mali
. 1
fir..4wal ;fact the. recesses of the Mem:gnio,l moud 'knew - absolutely iiothhig - ce the'*34:l,l!
and. - -thejlinitY bald thht. one eniAt• walk'..S . ! and ha d iii• depended 'upon` him; vieinight
diy Withotteentning•tO.the ► end; 'The interiur r hive 'traveled all night without. reachint tbe-'
- of Ifi...alYe was a s'
. 4 4:as 'a
'tinder-1)ot, and I.Convelif.:' . We - hillowd the guide as
~
Aka; 44(4' - wia tioveied - with Ur:cleat:. There closely as we could, arid I felt quite at ease; as '
Was lIOf-that feVerberatlng aOindlrhich is: so be aeinsed . in tie, - as the Arabssay, - " the owner ,
cetnnipalit' tateirrineart rooms, bet "ieveri .. oft retied," aadona who. understesitterhat he"
seamed deadened , . and ,
sound -
to produce but tittle etrectupon the thick stir ' Our road yea, in ; . Ea st erly direction.
rtiuntinjedirkiniss. •It' fa - said that this trete And the,.44w In". front ; of us was . Strangely
"`Care'Adtilbire to shichDavid lieed,.when. wild: andimiineeilv,e. :The, sky was filled
'ininrued and meted- by Saul. - - I - Stuniel Airith scatteriedickudirof I smart% heavy ap.
MI i 1 - f -46 Divitttberif)feAtOarteit thence' imarinee, and the moorr wee just - rising- in
and escaped tio the= Cave ''Adiallita; • and . solemn silence"anVnstiesty . over the dark
'Whin'hlit brethren ' 'Old eft tie ittirerNifteese - 'inOuntairla otliteal2. Ai the moonlight be
hard' ft,ilt , e InAt down thitbei to him.-' 7 ' gen to 'flew along the barren. chalk - cliffs,
And every one that - iiiiin • divi, and ev triund us and tiCo4r"tti; th e ,whaltilandompe ,
erivtaih - tilt iris ID BahVand '' , cite , seemed tinteigehig 'magical tntneformation:
iralliaskiatedtiil,4lthered tient two unto Cliffs sad pieeiptetsene after another amaze
hint ; and lii became a captain -over' diem; , ed ficasertbe:dall;dusliy*loOmotnd our rata,
and there:werewith him about-Ayr kintirei which bad before seemed : to extend over s
Men." - -.` 1 ' ' / --. 7 monotonous *in, was nowlound.to run on
" This is a large company to' Jive in one the very edge of wfrightful chnstn,lll4 whole
Z=Tl
codnivit below - awitowant-the ~,-. Blatt; wea r tilted
like the rough waves of some dark 'stormy
-sea, auddenly - cvngealcd.mol.- Wit .standing in
all theit : - diaO,rder and wild :: irregularity,
The shadowa-atere deep anifill most fearful,
and tillifitibiba:linliterYhtlad:.tkotte:Otth,
had the appearance : of. fathomless abysses.
Thu air, was ! tuntiottless, and ; filled, ilritil . a
sleepy kaze, which added to the unreal ap
pearance of the 'landSeape.' ', -* - The 'clouds now
broke - -away; and` ilia` mntat'• 'iiil'ut4ti aii.viii:ii
,r
flood ofsoft.silver..littht Into the - -' valley
of the Jordan, while by degrees im streak
of light began to appear in: the ,distanee, like
a line of white fig rising frtim the river. ' I
looked and-looked again, until the reality
burst upritiAny mind, , tlu;t what,:i saw was
the lidebtinti arthe:ttlauelight:dOltheArAters
°rifle Dead, Sea. ...l.stopped .J 1 ;nil iment, toy
companions were descending .the. mountain
side ni a slow processint,i each. one engaged
,With his o'W-ii reflections. 4 ! It seemed like the
Sea of Death indeed, and it
WAS . but in keep
ing with itt character. that .it should first
:burst-npim our: view in the solemn silence of
a night in the desert, and revealed .only by
the weird, uncertain light of the moon in this
hazy, oriental atmosphere. As the iniein v ro'se
higher and the - landscitpeteenme more eletir
ly visible in - its - tninuteri features; .1 tried to
lix upi - in something. ..vbkli would answer to
my idea Of. Mar Saba i kut. nothing was, to, be
seen but limestone ledges and the desolate
hills of the wilderness ofJudea. It was near- -
ly nine o'clock, When -'we sa%i - a sinalf: a-Atta
rs: square tower on a bill to our right, and'
the. guide ntid that the convent was : just be
low the tower, it was the most grateful in
telligencel had heardformany days, and we
spurred-on our beries — thi•otigh. - ille quarries
!on - the..ttilup . e of the hill .we wervoleaccrajing,
then 4dluwed down a,finely _paved „road - to
our left, and in a moment we.were standing
before the gate of
.the immense structure,
more like acastle than a convent, , *hi& is
Called ley' the name of Mar Saba, or - St. Saba,
a - hermit Whole said - t& bayou lived-. inlhis
Wlkderlus. Man,y.hundreda of xe4rs ago:. I.
.was surprised,at
.. the-extent of..the building
as seen frow.without,,and_still . more, So as
seen from .vrithni. ,As *c,.e,ntered the gate, a
man told us Logo down the stair s. So down
Are - went. --- .:::, lotgain - h+ saki dowti still 'father,
` - 'silid again - 00 . 0mile until I . began' - ,to: be - not
a'
IV littl . apprehensiv - lest we futOotne ilif
-fidulty in climbing - p - again soars', fininida
ble flight Of stairs. -When. ewe -
.reached the
bottom, are.;fouutt on on_the- Western
side of an extensive open
..area,.on the uppo
.site side of whirl was the routri.wo. were - to
occupy. In 'this it4tit, (W * lliell . if . a.'3,s4 Hunch
f t
like - a hotel - dining-r in that one . could easi
ly imagine 'hin:isel in Ainericaj %re - fimnd
our .supper ready, a. the muleteers `h a d -ar
rived two hours ter re sunset. After supper,
I walked out upon. t i e flat, roof of .our-room,
and was. filled with.ew ant/acne:l4. .
in fOok
ing upon 111 e vast extent.vf,this famous con
,vent. Above and bhhind ine, rose the
.vhite
'stone.buiidiii,gs,glealning in the . briglit
tiptuoon
light, terrace piled oh terrace the mount
ainside, until it alt4st seetned as if . the high
'est. bUilditig4 were in the clouds i while be
low,' fai. below , lay 'the de4 ii • OCky . ni ink:- of
r t
the [(rook Keron, \V kil is here, as - at ;fern
sateni, as dry as the Valley in' the viSten of
Ezekiel. A inwe tired' spot couldtirit be
ii
conceived of. -- : It is - ti t oats in • the midst of
this - des o late dreary -
,exert; but alsii down in
thiideep ravine; &Moll which nothing can be
Seen" but the'eastli ' of the -Convent.
arid the tinwning
of the Kettron: 'A
our bedstettrit:intl
tir - rt , its:quietly - oh
the etittagf
• • Tuna: 42th, . I 857. -•-•
We arose early trig, and • before
breakfast walked Convent to see
the nurnerotis chi_ - . ...115. 'Sortie: of.
the Nrmer are tilled'with pictures p`iinted in
tbe•iii.tit tawdry style, Ithriwitag neither goOd
taite nor" enlightened judgment: .. 1' was re
minded of the picture of the judgment day
which we saw in the Greck-ehurchlat -Naza
reth.
_ThitiConVent be:btigs to the Greeks,
and is one:of the largest in the' and.
,The
monks are evidently-no nativesOf the coon
try as they knew very little ofAtabic. They .
~a,
are probably from Russi ,or Greece,.-. ln one
room we saw a latticed indow,withinsvhich
was an immense pile of ketnan Skull:, num
berin,,... as they say, sere I thonsatias. -Thewi
are the skulls of the he 'its antitoOks. 'do
lived here several hundrCd years agl, when
the Arabs attacked •the 4th vent and blucher
ed the whole of them. • The (lapel in which
this anatomical museums kept, is dedicated'
to John of Damascus.. Ihe side of the great
cliff which overhangs the llower, rooms of the
-establishMent, is perforated ' with imiumera
ble holes;
,which are. the doors to -the oells.of
hermits Who - live .within. The ascent to - these'
cells is by various . staff cs, and 45,.. !,.. aft „
near the top of one: Ith irtaireascs, l z heard
a low. monotonous V ice, nd concluded that '
r t s
it must be one, the hermits in thelittle cell
shove, reciting hiit : i orning p,rtiyer to, _ the
Virgin, or some otln. ofthe'Saints: ' There
is no life' on earth . _ ut erly
~ negative; and
ki(
iiielevaiai tfie' life pf'ti • - tic. They are
' striyhig beeeld mort,,Vt ti esti and attain
fil e - aril - holiness' lii . ,Z ii &Wird 'ObierVinees—
:Their 'fOod is like.iirate'prisOtilief, and they
l'ahboethe oiniforit elite' 'is they - ' , would' a
'vipeE• -1 Ifthh4i,s4lllY Moth, ificatiOn-and 4elf-
rtrlPiiiiitiiii, glt'w 6 old - tettlif instire holiness
of beart/there• Might' be +lle 'Pritntrible , ex:
- Ctisaforit; but it iv'triy-o Mien that there-is
as much - iniquity iniquity 4 iFitiele. o • the Monasteries
of Syria tesientsideot the .. it is contrary:
/ to the latt-s of the Convent: of Mar• 18alsr - lo
permit a Woman 16 passwithin - the , fwalls,
1 1,
and -- ennsequently,shen - dies' cerise .here
withttartiett of traveleri,-t y have to sleep
'outiide in a little!tonier•sirineiPores•httoka the
Comient. - I asked One. of •the monks - the rea-,
sOn of this,-and he -rePlied s t it was thefts-'; tom!Of Mar Sabalimaelf, d home hat be-
,
wine the law of theleoev i ct.t. The • week!'”
a
, tbii-Chtivent is:very ft kend_eolleetions
are madeimits behalf in allpartsOf die Greek '
t-Churikti The monks inAbelotaxioni Cottvellis
• ofByria-and Palestine may: he.numbered,hy_
t.thousaads.. i They consumis, hut .-neVer. pro
, duce,,andinpalitietdocoectuay, would hooon- '
iddered a decided incubus on the body.Atie:
1 knot!. of sevltral-monitiiho rue thehty : in
which they. took the
..voi ; rnon4atictemLr
and say that it is a miseible prOfitlesslife,
edianeing neither 'the Int rt erests or mistality
htir'ctreiigion. 1 . when •sitie-lett. , Mar-Saba,
one of the company paid the-monks-for their .
hotipitallty, - -and we 'rode , *way; pitying the
'deluded
.men whose high e ides of religious
life ti the AbaU4Ortlil cut! 4 I 41 . 1150 duties and
• 1 •• t
le opposite side
!Tuck we spread
minutiw me i%
we bad: been iri
°n•native
• - • •
f
... .
relations of life' "which 'OCal ints,7-ardained, and
the ignoring- -4_ au-those i:4lWi g ationii. which
.bind us, to . lovet7our. neighbor ,sa--..ourielveS,..
and to. try to Inahe the : world
.better by ear
having lived in it, and - J UL by, forsaking. it . at
together. We left the Convent at nine 41stat . „ ,
;ode along the,edge of, the ..precipico.! . .!o-
hanging the Karon.to,the North ;of the Cott
vent, and:then orpesed,the.gorge. by a- grail
nally descending:path,- , -',Thtt. ride from this
point : to the Dead Sea.. occupied.. about . six
hours and
. a half, through ; a. most wild ; and'
desolate region. 1 The.country is . very- much .
broken up, and the, hil Is anti ravinesar.etleitse,-'
ly crowded together. The rock. is flint,
`and
then
litriesitone and breecitt,' with tiow ihd
sniall scattered -fragments of tropi• - We
`inissed the road repeatedly; and once rode
along a deep gorge on a narrow path,'a long
distance, until' the path suddenly terminated
rand we had great difficulty -in turning 'our
-horses aroun d to retrace our steps',
We saw Several , flocks of sheep'and'goatgi
tended by- Arab-shepherds.; 1 met-a:beauti
ful little girl far away in one of-the most bar
ren spots in the dei,ert... She was the 'daugh
ter of a- Bedouin shepherd, itivl said thather
name was-" Ililawee ' " or ;"theslieet one
and 1 thought that the - name Wtut ceitithil "
y
well applied, fin-- she' was . like a flower in the'
desert, 1 gave her .a penny ;f and was abbut
fo ask her if she. knew . anything . about =the '
Heavenly ' Sheriherd,; , whet, , oinshedarted like
a gazelle, -and 1 sii• her norruirdi : WE: were
descending ,very rapidlt,until witttinb4tf an
air of the Sea, when we reached the ; plain.
.On this plain, whic h . extends far "tiesond:the
Jordan, were a few scattered trees and Fdeds
With shrubs and flowers; but'near - the sea it.
Was all--barren and dr - ear,. ' Vi E . . 1
Shore at half past, thx-e_,e and remained., - three
of an !Apr. The. tnO . S . t:Of,ti, - ..v'i: . eri t
Into the sesta, hathc;atid the fOutid"the - water
I exceedingly', hariyant, and deMe. - ..w•a 0
out along distance:inn:lAV '.watei iigaS'n'Ot
} above my arnipiti. - --When:; tried to swim,
any,,fe.et would fly.up to-the surface, as though
I buoyed up by , life-preservers.. , The eartkon
the hottiam;Was.a slippery,light-colored clay,
which- lay 7 iil lung round. furrows,:boarnooth
that it required great care to keep-froto fall
-1
*tag. .- The- only. objection to -a fall, was ..from
' the painful -effect of the-, acrid,: salt, - -.bitter wa-;
ter upon the eyes—for 'drowning-Would ; ,be
c oat Ai„lmpossible, • .Two. %Armenians :ilia
Cam w• n - with-us froinT.Mar -Saba, seemed
to. t k that there was some sanctifying-bi- .
al i t
fluence in the.water, and commenced . wash
ing -their face; and bathing, their-heade w i . l. 3p
it, but-they had. hardly commenced the 0 -
at ion, when -they
.I;.;th- cote,. rushing. out,
pleading , RI. soma fresh water. from the drink
ing flask,: to wash the burning, bitter -fluid
from their:eyes. .. They will be wiser, next.
tintet. -,.. The.shore i °fan) -sea,at the Nortli end,
1I is covered with ,small pebbles of flint and
limeitone, and high up- on the beach is .quite
' au enibinkmerit-of flood-wood, brought down
to the sea by tLe waters of - the Jordiuv,..end
thiown up: by the. waves ,of the- sea - in- : ,the
.time of-a high-Sinitlt mind...l : astir the tr unk
of a fallen tree, roptsof the-prickly , pear, and
broken lintbs f of various , . kinds 4 of . tr etukall
-.worn ianoeth by the...action of the wavesend
pebbles. . There was no. sigh of-life-- nut a'
fish nor a bird, though bird are oileit , ..accn,
in this region. :4,du11, leadcw•haze lap on .
the surface, of the sca t .the-onnntain s
,at
the Southern. extremity : were hut '14194. via.
ible. Not a.breath of air was is motion s and I
we felt grateful that -the clouds, .ahoi. - e-„pro-1
tected us from Alienitense heat of the inn in
.this low valley,the loweit spot : On the .sur-.
face of the Earth. As we stood on the beach.
we could seethe - - snow-white snmrnit of:Mt.
[rennet; far oft to the N0rt14,1% fact of which
I was,notawitre _until proving,it:by _mi..° wn
obseriation.- .- 4st...Septetuher 1 .stood . on
that airy - elevation, gad.: experienced the pl.;
culiar sensatibnpecasionill ~,,j, breathing an
atmosphere pfsuchratritylite ,its fontid at so
greata height 'yam) room . 1 , lircatbett perhaps
the most dense' atinospTere ,which itt found
any w.herpon the earth s surface.. It was.veny
warm, but as I remarked,the sun vas shroud:”
ed in elowls,,and. we escaped the severest-tri
al of :a vi;it to - the , ;Peed Sea. - l_biittght
away pith rile a bottle 'of the water whieh - 1
will send to you. At a' little after four o'cleek
we left the shore of the Sea ...i/set
,out fir"
the river. Jordan. I had alre ady- - seen :the
Jordan in. three different plae.A!s, and was not
at all anxious to go - again, but ;14i. - P i ruynit
and several Others of party . had. .not 'Seen
it, and we tot* . that route, althoUgh it Was
growing late, and / we had still some distance
to go heroic . re:idling Jericho," We did: not
follow the altora ofthe sea st u ng to the mouth
of the river, as is sometimes done, I:•nt.struck
across in a N. E. direction to the Lathing
place/of the pilgrims. Our , road we across
a day plitin;perfeetly,level and covered kith a
lips e mmci, on the surface tiT which. was, ittli;2l
crust-containing Considerahle salf, as appear:.
cd , bi,t he saline efflorescenc e formed by the
influence of the rays
.or ; the sun. 'We rOde
very rapidly, although the peculiar nature of
the sorra& rendered : it quite dill:lilt fin- the
animali. • ,We,were now fourteen in number,
iticludin,7,.#o two Arnienitins 04 t4ii)rial.
wet.: ..Our,,baggagn aniinals
.Weiit: - diivetly
across frem Mar Saba to 'Jericho. 'ln' three
_ ._
tiustite'rs of :en_ o hOu'r, je..t as we liere ap
pfciadkinga,iange 6f . Idw, i conical - sand hills'
ij0r,116;,..t0r - do, ifC.ll9rilsorre q uCited, us
end :wait fur 'those of 'our nerither
wh4hid fallcir behind weAl - abOut a 1411 .
_inthe t riNtr. ; WO saw „several - Arab
women on our ,
across the Jordan', and
Vre,plinellided thjt the Men could not be very
far' ofF. This entiri) , r on lip' the, Vicinity
Of the .Jordan; is quite. d esolate and uninhab--
114 Jericho is, th _
e 'villitge for:a dia._
tance of miles, and - whatever
‘ inhabitants are'
found there; arc generallii set - ef 'the . ninut '
desperate' and'dangerous ebiradterx;, the
Atal4 fr,t)rn 'The ' 'come
iterosilho river lind 'pltinder". ttitiielers and,
e - au the shepherdi and fariners4tbout , Jeri
ehe, Sotnetimei geing",'eVkn` beyond Jerum
lein antithen hasten back -to ;the othei side
or ! foidpu Jipainjearing neither. the §ultan,,
1 1* nor ani" . of their 'auidieri.' You''
the,lnterea, ting, *Ain 6 At .
our feelief o k2wlen We saw just tefoi-eini on
1; rft, th . 'l4 .orone of the' s a nd' '6ll
k a a e sa I s,
iVeitil men:moving , Sboui'fu'ith their
jut* and teliibs, No sooner had we 'seen
them thsui,N, Amt / me, dead halt; and ,
id' kit. old Siitteienthe IA ofaere.
:item, 'and i'vro 'Mien; to come up. When
they mune. AporAjtcjii a consultation,' tosee
what was best! to be done. We , were, four,,,
teen strong,sll mounted, including hiahmoud
and'Abdellsh, the retkluE4able guaida from
the Pasha at Jerusalem. 1 asked .Mahmoud
who those fellows were, lurking . , about the
4 4 .
3 -3
- • . t
-Sand hills. "Arab's!" said he. And that word .
`4‘ Arabs,? t ,pronotinceo with a deep some:, in:
the first vowel, something like a in arMy, is -
a terror-inspiring word in thia dreary- region.
,Me waited alnoment to count the numbers
of our interesting friends. on; the hill. and con
eluded there were ten. or twelve,4ll. armed '
to. the teeth,. hut. maw
p pf.theto i , mounted.
-Tey . had probtibly . ...biert unable' to get..their .
horses aeress -the joidarryWhicli is now very
high.'. This feet •ferrioVed .'eur fermi, and We
rode on, feeling quite citifident that ten ten •
on - foot - would not.. attack:: fotirteen "men - all
on tergeback; 'When We.44 , ;re nearly Oripf.l-• .
'site to - them, they came •( truing down wick
a shout from the hill,com randirig ifs to stop,.
and askingbukhsheesh. •We CM& no ".atten
tionte iliem,`lind 'rode on" ' bet the: 'muleteer .
'of the Armenian's,- who had •Mr. Pruynri.'s
blec.k - leather „carpet:bag on his horse, turned
'a little towards them to avoid a small knoll,
and when' tare - timed ' 'to- look, one - of ihe .
Arabs hid seized hil-lhOrse's bridle and' was
about to appropriate the carpet bag Without
1 ceremony: We stopped agai 11,bil t Our gee rd s,
who really seemed to begin, toact as if they
1
, were worth something, told tis - to -; on and :-
;keep ;together, *while iheit drove off Ihe ptun
2dering.Arabi. . A.bdtintrz sec:iled like a new -
,truiri. ,He - adjisted 'his two huge . pistols,
7 . seized his bridle with his teeth, and hu:4;lg
one pistol cocked iti each hand, rode his i - ,'...J.5e:
.on. a full gallop directly at the
.nian Who was
,crying to steal the carpetbag. 'Such a charge ,
:was rather too • much' fora cowardly Arab,.
andthe'relloW:released his hold and took to -
his heels: ' We new were satisfied as to: the
valor of our adversaries; and 'rede on; 'using
great care to keep in a compact-body, for it
!vies evidently the airdefahe:Bedouin to; at-.
tack only auchias - rni,ghtlinger behind thereat
and. thus. be out of. the .r.each of immediate
belp.from.theguard.-.We had taken the pre
,kautiou tO enjoin .riport such Arf.our'. company '
as wore armed, not to.fir.e.a gin at_theArabs.
:Under - Any consideration.. - -OUrguards.rnight,
40 as they _thought best,:bet
_it is . always
better, in. case . anything untoward should '.
happen,to-havesall,theblame upon the Arabs
Ahem:selves, and. give them.• no. provocation.
Well - it was.for.us.7that :a kind. Providence
twotected.us, and *restrained -these-evil-men
froth =inalsing.rany- deadly-attack upon.. us..
Thankful Ave were, 'as, we, rode on : towards
;the Jordan, and:vve. all. felt relieved .from a
' State ,of painful .s.u.spease and 'anxiety. .: :Vet
not. wholly relitivelkfor Mahtr.oud eagle: .04
and. told .ua to take our leok.at.`the Jordan as
speedily as. possible,
as the_Arab.s were rpov-
ing.around toward the ;./eriello road ; in order ... ,
to moreenotheririterview withos.. The bankz,
of the •Jordan where we were;were 'over
grown with trees and -bushes, and llie ground
was covered Withbectutiful floWers. We had
intended bathing, and -it 'Wilfrid
. have fotenn -
great relief to me; could' f -have Washed- otr•
the salty film left on -rny •bOdiby the Waters
`of the Dead Sea'; but -it WI'S trowin g i' late,'
and• wethought it beat to, hasten on to J-eri- ..
.9ho, and not be found-out among the Arabs
- ,after.darli agaiii,as-We were last - night; .Af7. - -
ter cutting a fewsticka ; and filling 'our flasks
with Jordan: water, we formed ourselves into .
a eiiirtfitet bodyk - cmd .. " rode _on 'rapidly in a
./
N. W. direttiOn-rowirciJericho: "Then . .ued •
we. fine andwentoved'at,a.,rspid pace. 1. ' e
saw the e hrabs again,.....bni they
.. conte.tes:l •
freinfrelves 'With . lieaping ciii•VCS 'up{ ;Ana- .v.
.exehinging; imprecations 'Witli . .th : . griardS.
They 'evidently saw - that We' W e', ' tOO - str.i,ne
'tor then, though tf4:gr . eatest:#tiff.4"er* .. - '414- .
:ring the whole tirne hadfbeeica47`ar 4S'earilk
ly assistance Can avail r in 'the , 'heels . .41 ;My
swift . hOrse. WC Wini haVe Setr'ont, at'.the - .•
firSv.at Tull . tipeed; ah.d / .bi . ddle . P - .ooa, fitieVt'elt, '
pit:fat Simeon and ' the: , AridenianS" were:_- '
-mounted On ' nub& . .iori;v'belista," ard; Might
haVe' fallen iri / t6 the liands'Of 'these - 'Maraud.
ing_vagaboyds . .
...,The.44,it:t4;l. } 4erichri — Was -
one great/garden.: ""...twai eftirtr...l o :, With' the . •
scene, rid, often idisiaciurit.id - to gather:the - F.
-.temping,rit4tiy.:COlore'd BOW eh 4. ' We' readied 1
.. .Terleho Just' 4t.atin.se i ti . It iS:a;:tiaiferibli; L 'Vil- -?
Xage; and theifrela but 'one' 'rititi'ClfaitY,.Sizt ..'-'.
Wii..foeked eney'ery:.We."fort,.ht'."llone.palm . . -
trea" of Witiekil havfe. :Often '. ;=Cad,' - li'll t...T ye
could not see any thilig . Ofthe kind: - 'nth last
'palm - of this City -, , ,e , Palms has piobably. dia.
..
appeared.. - The. associations connected with
.this place, are exceedingly interesting, and its . •
present abandoned eonditien Is a striking ful- -
fitment of God's threatened judgMents, as J ia
.the Dead. Sea of .his judgments, executed up
.on the eines Of Sodo . m and Gomorrah:...We
:did not stopin 'Jericho, as .we bad directed
...
.the muleteers. - to pitch the tents half an
hour West of the village at the Ain- is Sul
- tan, or fountain of Elisha. -.We Iti,:t . our-Way
. twice on the plain,bui finally found. the tents ;
four in number, "quietly pitchod .. near the
„source of the ' refreg,hing.f , ..; lylui: n, iviroac wa.,,
tera. the prophet Elisha cleansed twerit .. .sev. . .
en hundred years -so, by casting salt ther-,in.
We found the- wa ter -efreshing, tkoug t -
pot so 'cold .41, the of Lebanon. ; _ •
• Wc-reskd - ipiletlf last night;*ithont nu)-
. lestation, and as-h walked around' 'the - fount-,
- air! !hie• morning, it was- delightfuLter breathe
a . preyei . tiiihe . Ged'cif Etisha arid and
Johua,- on t iiisfamous ,plain;ind dlievly in ..
view oflift. QUarinfaitia;: Which Mid to
have been theteetie 4 - ottr . " l- Savfor's , templa-
Wi.se - it.out. babes u!cluck, , and
followed up regulaispubliernaci to Sera
salcm, the same one which ou'rLord traveled
When ' he _.
t to riSal in: the - cast tithe.
ornewhere.hete iti Abe of Jericho,
he healed the'" vu blind - men• sittin by .the
Wriymilde'The'rriad "te. - Jeriisaleni 4 through
a' d reary; desolate' region - the - hill 'ciiuviti v . o f-
Judea; and in many places rtms -- tbriitigbilee'p -
narri4 if tit TeierVor robbers:, We
reached Bethany at - -a - quarter twelve,
visited - the - temb 'Llizarue, rode "over the
Mount,of ihetti; down intothe
Vitirdi.Ol - Mid up to St. SO:pberee
gate. ' As 'it.Was:Fridai.,
bath;, and - the bony - of prayer, the"ial*; WAS
stint ' 'We . &included' around
Jive South - side of the_ city -and : Perhaps ' .
the *Zioiigate open on our arrivnithere.But
%vo .- Were' too - early &Jen fin. Zion so.
we kept on to - the - JO% gate, andjtierbefore
we reached it, .a crowd of peopletattie.pass iitgi -,
ritif,NibdWiiitw'that.it.',w4 itpo - „ •
--
With - gratitude-to God for his - preserving
care;:we entercd once mori, the gates of J.
itsate_nt;'and main took *Our itbniferoit Mt.
Zion " whieh . shalt iotbe moVed.”
• Neat-week-'we hope to sisit Jiehron !and
go on to littnleh and Jatlit by way of.
theropolia . and"the 'Astir./ ofSharon. :
write the journal of this projected trip l 'who:n
it is accomplished. 1-
li~aM !Bass , .
_.
YIKO 2- Ait , !litt3ol) . -.
:i s.l 1 . 111.11 1 ,r1 : 1 i$ 4:3::
=1
t -~~~~
'T
Mr
March-13th.
MIN
MEI