# Mount Seir, Sinai and Western Palestine/Chapter 13

CHAPTER XIII.
THE GHÔR AND THE SALT SEA.
On Sunday morning, 16th December, after fifteen days of toilsome travel since leaving Akabah, we found ourselves standing on the brink of that mysterious depression, in Arabic, called "The Ghôr," or basin in which lies the still more mysterious inland lake, usually called "the Dead Sea," but more appropriately "the Salt Sea." This latter name I prefer to the former; first, on the ground of priority, and second, on account of its expressiveness, owing to the intense salinity of the water. By this name it was known in the days of Abraham, while its more modern name has been founded on the erroneous impression "that nothing can live in the vicinity of its saline and sulphurous waters," an impression disproved by Maundrell, Chateaubriand, and numerous more recent travellers.
The descent into The Ghôr, by a steep and slippery path, was most striking. In front to the north stretched a great plain, green with vegetation. To the right, in an open space, might be seen several large Bedawin camps, from which the shouts of wild men, the barking of dogs, and the bellowing of camels ascended. In the distance, but obscured by the haze, were the shores of the Salt Sea, a band of blue indicating the position of the waters; and on either hand of our pathway stretched the white terraces of the old sea-bed, indented by several deep channels, particularly those of the Kiver Jeib, on the west, and of the Butachy and Gharandel on the east.
The banks of The Ghôr along the southern margin rise in the form of a great white sloping wall to a height of about 600 feet above the plain, and are formed of horizontal courses of sand and gravel resting on white marl and loam This mural cliff sweeps round in a semi-circular form from side to side of The Ghôr. The upper surface is nearly level (except where ​broken into by the river channels), and from its base stretches a plain covered partly, over the eastern side, by a forest of small trees and shrubs extending northwards to Es Safieh, and partly by vegetation affording pasturage to the numerous flocks of the Arabs who settle down here during the cooler months of the year. It is impossible to doubt that at no remote period the waters of the Salt Sea, though now distant some ten miles, washed the base of these cliffs; and a rise of a few feet would submerge this verdant plain, and bring back the sea to its former more extended limits.
From this position, also, the white terrace of Khashm (Jebel) Usdum, cleft by a thousand fissures, and channelled by innumerable furrows, is seen projecting from the sides of the loftier limestone terraces of the Judæan hills; and towards the east similar terraces of whitish alluvial deposits are seen clinging to the sides of the Moabite hills, or running far up the deep glens which penetrate the sides of the great table-land. In these terraces, the upper surfaces of which reach a level of about 600 feet above the waters of the Salt Sea, we behold but the remnants of an ancient sea-bed, which must originally have stretched from side to side far into the area now occupied by its waters. We naturally put to ourselves the question, "Since this sea has no outlet, what has become of the materials which have disappeared?"
On descending towards the plain we came upon numerous flocks of black goats and white sheep, tended by women in long blue cloaks, the invariable colour of women's dresses amongst the Arabs; and our way lay pleasantly through glades and thickets of small trees and bushes, green even at this time of year, but how much more so would they be in a few weeks hence after the winter rains. Through these our long train of camels wended their way, headed by Sheikh Ali, and cropping the tender twigs of the shrubs, till we reached the lower plain on which were pitched the winter camps of some hundreds of Bedawins. Presently, our party being observed from the camps, a group of merry children, with a few elders, came trooping up and arranged themselves along our line of march, regarding us with eager curiosity. It was the first group of Arab children I had seen, and a very pretty sight it was; and as I passed along they returned my "sabâh-l-khair" with a hearty chorus of little voices which was very ​pleasant to hear. I afterwards learned that these children belonged to the tribe of the Alowîns and Hâwathas, all friends and relatives of our party, so we had cause for a hearty greeting.
We were soon, however, to meet with less welcome visitors. On proceeding some distance northwards we observed a small hill about a mile in front of us crowded with horsemen standing as sentinels, and evidently on the look out for us. Presently a Hîwatha, or Alowin, horseman galloped up from behind, and after the usual salutations informed us that the horsemen in front belonged to Sheikh Arari of Petra (who, it will be recollected, was absent at Damascus when we visited that place), and that behind him was the Sheikh of Kerak (Canon Tristram's friend, I presume), who, as our dragoman, Ibraham, informed us, was "a very bad man, and was always at war with all the other tribes." Thus, this personage, with such a bad reputation, happened to be down just at our arrival (so we were informed) amongst the Ghawarneh, whose guests we intended to become while waiting for horses from Jerusalem, and we were aware that he was a deadly enemy to Sheikh Ali, who headed our escort! It appeared to us we were getting into a trap, of which the door was closed in all directions except that we had just come; but to turn back was out of the question. After consultation it was decided to camp near the spot we were on, towards the eastern base of the hills, while Major Kitchener and Bernhard Heilpern, with some of the party, went ahead to ascertain on the spot from Sheikh Arari the real state of affairs, and his intentions towards ourselves.
Proceeding with our camels, we selected a spot for camping, and while the tents were being set up Mr. Armstrong and I ascended a little hill, from which we could witness the proceedings of Major Kitchener and those with him. They had reached the hill on which the horsemen had stationed themselves; and presently we saw several of these leave the hill, and, descending into the plain, commence careering over it, then wheeling round, brandishing their spears, and performing sundry equestrian feats, as is the manner of Arabs. Soon afterwards the whole party came down from the hill, and accompanied by our friends, who were on foot, they approached our camp in little parties at the rapid pace of Arab steeds. It was a pretty sight, as the party were handsomely dressed and carried their lances aloft; the horses, caparisoned with coloured cloths and tassels, were handsome, spirited little animals. The party consisted of Sheikh Arari, his relatives and special retainers; and no doubt were "the flower" of Arab cavalry. ​Presently some of the troop ascended the hill on which we were seated, and as they approached we rose to our feet and exchanged salutes, then shook hands all round. I said we were friends; they replied by placing their hands on their hearts. I then offered them cigarettes, and so we parted;—but only for a season.
It appeared that at the interview between Sheikh Arari and Major Kitchener, the former had demanded tribute for passing through part of his territory. His followers also put in a claim for bakhsheesh. The former claim we admitted; the latter we refused to admit. It was needful, however, to act with prudence, for we were practically prisoners at the discretion of this powerful chief, whose camp was only a mile distant from our own, and who could muster a large number of spears at his call. We therefore promised the Sheikh a sum equal to £5 if he would engage that we should not be molested during the rest of our journey to the territory of the Ghawarneh at Es Safieh; to this he agreed, and he kept his promise. We all considered Sheikh Arari "a gentleman." Towards evening the spearmen mounted their horses and rode away, and we had evening prayers in our tent.
That evening we learned that the story about the Kerak men being amongst the Ghawarnehs was, in a great measure, an invention, certainly exaggerated; and we had some reason to suspect that Sheikh Ali was iu league with the Petra Arabs, who were his relatives, to get us into a trap in order to extort money from us. He himself pretended to be very much alarmed at the report; but finally, on being pressed by us, he promised to start with us early next morning for Es Safieh, "even if he were to get his throat cut," as he said, passing his hand across his neck! We felt that the risk was not very great; so, accepting the proposal with a good grace, we presented him with a cigar, though our stock of tobacco was getting very short, and parted for the night.
On Monday morning, 17th December, we were up and off by times northwards towards the village of the Ghawarneh, as we wished to get a good start of the Petra Arabs, who, we feared, notwithstanding the promise of Sheikh Arari, might follow in pursuit, and perhaps take possession of some of our baggage, or possibly of the owners. Our route lay along the base of the hills on the east side of The Ghôr, and to the right rose the rugged mountains and cliffs leading up to the table-land of Moab, and penetrated by deep valleys or ravines.
We passed through several thickets of small trees and shrubs, ​rally more or less thoruy, such as the Zizyphus, the Seyal Acacia, and the Salvadora Persica; all requiring care in order to avoid them. Amongst these were the "apples of Sodom" (Solanum Sodomœum), a small yellowish fruit of a solanaceous plant, growing to about eight feet high, with prickly branches and a flower of a blue or purple colour, exactly like that of a variety of potato. Amongst other plants was the osher tree (Calotropis procera), indicating truly tropical conditions of climate; also Balanites Ægyptiaca, Retama rœtem, Morina aptera, and oleanders. Amongst the dense groves and clumps of small trees birds were fluttering about, ring doves (Turtur risorius), sometimes in flocks, together with bulbuls and finches. It was a lively and pleasant scene to one who had been traversing the comparatively lifeless tract of the Arabah Valley for so many days. But what was still more novel, were the evidences of human industry which we encountered as we approached Es Safieh. We passed over several open spaces where men were ploughing with a yoke of oxen; many trenches had been dug for irrigating purposes, and we were soon to witness the systematic manner in which irrigation is carried on by the industrious inhabitants of this part of The Ghôr.
Proceeding onwards in single file, we found ourselves within the village of the Ghawarneh. This had a most curious appearance, not unlike an extensive encampment of gipsies, such as may be seen in Hungary and along the banks of the River Danube. The tents, formed of dark cloth of camels' hair, supported on poles and rafters, were arranged amongst the thickets in lines or "squares," and tenanted by men, women, and children, together with sheep, goats, dogs, and poultry. As we passed along we heard the sound of the corn mills, or of coffee-grinding, the bleating of sheep, and barking of the dogs; but the attitude of the dark inhabitants was quiet and friendly, and they readily returned our salaams. Having traversed the village we came to an open piece of ground surrounded by trees and bushes, and here we camped about noon.
The village of Es Safieh and its inhabitants, the Ghawarnehs, were visited by Canon Tristram, who during his short stay does not appear to have been as well treated as was the case with ourselves during a sojourn of ten days. Yet it must be admitted that he made good use of the time ​at his disposal, and has left a graphic picture of the locality, which renders much detail in this place unnecessary.
Shortly after camping, we descended through the jungle separating the park-like region from the great plain of sand and mud, which is liable to inundations when the sea is in flood, and which is largely covered by the prostrate trunks of palms and other trees and plants which have been carried down by the torrents from the mountain valleys. It was the intention of Major Kitchener to measure a base line for triangulation along this nearly level plain, but it was found that the mud and slime were too soft in many places to admit of this being done with any approach to accuracy. He and Mr. Armstrong had, therefore, to content themselves with triangulating, and taking magnetic bearings, on known points. On returning to our camp in the evening, we were entertained to a prolonged chorus between the dogs of the village and the jackals of the thickets; while the discharge of distant guns amongst the hills, which we were informed came from the Haiwatats, announced the proximity of the foes of our present protector. Sheikh Ali.
The nocturnal noises of Es Safieh were indeed, to our unaccustomed ears, almost appalling. It is the custom of the cocks at this village to crow after sunset; and up to about bedtime the air was resonant with their voices. To these were added the barking of the dogs and the long shrill cries of the jackals. No one who is not a sound sleeper should pass a night at Es Safieh! About midnight I was awakened by the most strange and appalling noises. At first I thought we were about to be attacked by the Bedawins; but on listening for a little, I distinguished the peculiar high-pitched dismal cry of the jackal, mingling with the howling of the village dogs. The whole jackal population of the adjoining thickets and valleys seemed to have congregated around our camp, and to be holding council whether or not to make a raid on us. As, however, we all arose in safety in the morning, it is to be presumed they came to the conclusion to postpone the attack, at least for this night. It was one to be held in remembrance by us; the place at the time seemed a sort of pandemonium.
Considering the position of our camp unhealthy, I ordered it to be moved further inland from the jungle, and to one more open to the air, as well as more distant from the village. The spot was surrounded by open groves of small trees, of which several species of acacia and the ​zizyphus were the most abundant, generally growing in picturesque clumps, with narrow glades between. The cultivated fields of the Ghawarueh spread around; and beyond, the river descending from the Wady el Hessi flowed between the plains and the mountain slopes, and bounded the cultivated lands towards the east. The grand mass of Jebel es Somrah, with its adjoining heights and deep ravines, formed the background at a distance of two or three miles; and from its ever varying colours, according to the position of the sun's rays and the time of day, formed an object of unwearied study to us during our long detention at Es Safieh. This mountain is remarkable for the interest attaching to its geological structure. Its base is formed of very ancient volcanic materials, consisting of successive beds of trap, porphyry, "ashes," and agglomerates—penetrated by numerous dykes, and dipping at a small inclination towards the north.
Upon this volcanic platform the horizontal courses of the Desert Sandstone formation repose, breaking off in great cliffs, and forming the flanks of the mountain to an elevation of about 3,000 feet above the base; finally, the sandstone itself is surmounted by an escarpment of limestone, which extends upwards into the table-land of Moab. It will be seen from the above description that this volcanic formation is of more ancient date than that of the Desert Sandstone, and consequently has no connection whatever with the present structure or formation of the valley.
Fig. 15. — Gorge of the W. el Hessi.
S Cliffs of red sandstone enclosing terraces of gravel, sand, and shingle (G) of the ancient Salt Sea (Bahr Lut), through which the valley of the River Hessi has been channelled out.
The southern flank of Jebel es Somrah terminates along the deep gorge called the Wady Salmoodh, the sides of which are in some places flanked by great beds of gravel rising to a level of 600 feet (by aneroid measurement) above the surface of the Salt Sea. These gravel beds may be ​observed running up the sides, not only of this valley, but also those of the Wâdy el Hessi, and through them the present river channel has been cut down, sometimes to a depth of over 200 feet. There can be no doubt, from their position and the level of their upper surface, that these beds of gravel are portions of the ancient floor of the sea, when the waters stood over 600 feet higher than at present, and that they were once physically connected with the terraces which line the southern and western sides of The Ghôr. In both cases the level of the upper surface is almost the same; though the materials differ, as might be expected, considering the very different formations which line the sides of this great depression on either hand.
The Ghawarneh.—It is only due to the people of this tribe to state that after they had satisfied their very natural curiosity by an inspection of our camp on the day of our arrival, we were not troubled with their presence any further, except when they brought poultry, eggs, or flour for us to purchase. On returning from our excursion up the Wâdy Salmoodh we had a good opportunity of observing the habits and mode of agriculture of this industrious people.
I had taken as my guide for the day Sheikh Seyd, the village chief, who, mounted on his pony, led the way going and coming. We crossed a briskly flowing stream of rather muddy water, brought down from the Wady el Hessi by an artificial conduit—like a "mill race" of our own country—by means of which the fields are irrigated, and the people and animals of the village supplied with water; we also noticed men engaged in ploughing, and others fencing the fields with zizyphus and other prickly branches.
On our return through the groves we were surprised at the large herds of camels, numbering in all probably two hundred, and in good condition. The males were sometimes of great size and nearly white. They were browsing in groups on the trees and shrubs, and every evening they were driven from their feeding ground homewards in a long procession. These animals must be a source of considerable revenue to the Ghawarneh, as the price of a camel varies from £5 to £10 or even more. There were several young foals amongst them. In addition to the camels the Ghawarneh possess cattle (generally used for ploughing) as well as flocks of sheep and goats, and during our stay of ten days we were regaled with fresh cows' milk for breakfast. From the cultivation of the ground ​supplies of wheat, maize, and durra are raised, together with indigo and cotton. The women were generally busy with household duties, or engaged in tending the flocks of sheep and goats; while the children might often be noticed playing various games on the ground adjoining the village. On the whole it was pleasant to see for the first time on coming from the desert evidences of industrious habits amongst an Arab tribe. As a consequence, however, of their comparative wealth they are subjected to heavy exactions on the part of the sheikhs and people both of Kerak and of Petra, and while we were camped at Es Safieh we were told that a demand had come from the former for a sum of £120 in payment of annual tribute; a demand which there was no possibility of resisting without the risk of ruin. This poor people are in effect the wheat between the upper millstone of Kerak and the nether of Petra.
The day after our arrival at Es Safieh we received a polite message from Ibn Mudjelli, the Sheikh of Kerak, to the effect "that he was the friend of travellers" (as any one might know from his treatment of Canon Tristram and his party!) and that he would send horses and mules to enable us to pay him a visit in his highland fortress; moreover, that for our sakes he would not attack Sheikh Ali, with whom (as before stated) he was at deadly feud. We replied that we were much obliged for his courtesy, but had made arrangements for proceeding forthwith to Jerusalem. Perhaps this was a little more than we had a right under the circumstances to say. It is true we had despatched messengers to the Holy City for horses and mules, but we knew not whether they had been able to deliver their message, and consequently whether the horses were on their way to our relief. We hoped the morrow's light might see them arrive—a hope destined to disappointment. Instead of our escort from Jerusalem we had an unwelcome visit from the bandits of Petra, who came up to our camp next day brandishing their spears and demanding money. This demand we felt bound to resist even at some risk; and being unsuccessful with us they proceeded towards the village to quarter themselves for the night on the Ghawarneh, whom they ordered forthwith to kill a sheep for supper; and, as no news had ​come from Jerusalem, we retired to our tents that night with spirits far from cheerful.
Next day, Wednesday, 19th December, we made excursions in several directions in search of objects connected with the topography, geology, and natural history of the remarkable district in which our lot was for the time cast. Accompanied by Sheikh Seyd, I examined the volcanic rocks along the flanks of Jebel es Somrah, consisting of irregular beds of felstone, porphyry, and agglomerate, with strata of finer volcanic tuff. From the flanks of this mountain I had an extensive view across The Ghôr, and the waters of the Salt Sea, as far north as the Lisan, the remarkable promontory which divides this sea into two unequal portions. I was impressed with the fact, when surveying its blue, still, waters from this point, that there is nothing about the appearance of the sea, or of the surrounding hills, to lead one to suspect that its surface is 1,300 feet below that of the Mediterranean; and it is therefore not surprising that this physical fact should have remained so long unrecognised by travellers. It is only when one looks at the face of the aneroid, and observes that the index hand has passed away beyond the highest (ordinary) reading of 31°, and points to the very lowest in the opposite direction, that we become conscious that we are under extraordinary atmospheric pressure, and only to be accounted for by the inference that we have descended far below the level of the ocean. The climate of The Ghôr at this time of year does not feel much warmer that we had been accustomed to in the Wady el Arabah; in fact, during one day of our sojourn at Es Safieh we had a hailstorm!
On returning to the camp I received the unwelcome tidings that a rigid quarantine had been established by the Turkish authorities for all travellers coming from the direction of Egypt and the Haj Road at Akabah, and that all such travellers were obliged to proceed to Gaza to put in a term of fifteen days in the quarantine station. It was, therefore, quite possible that our messengers might have been captured on their road to Jerusalem and sent off to Gaza, in which case our prospects would be far from enviable.
Next morning (Thursday, 20th December) we rose with the hope of soon hearing the tinkling of the baggage mule bells coming across the marsh to our relief, but hour after hour elapsed and no such sound greeted our ears. It was tantalizing to look across the blue waters of the Salt Sea ​to the mysterious salt mountain, which is connected by the traditional name of "Jebel Usdum" with the doomed "cities of the plain," and find ourselves unable to give it a personal examination during the time at our disposal. We thought (it must be confessed) of the letters from home lying for us at Jerusalem, of the possible anxiety of friends who might have expected us within the walls by this time, and of the diminishing prospect of spending Christmas at the birthplace of the Saviour.
In the afternoon, however, our Arab messengers arrived: they had succeeded in eluding the guards, and had faithfully delivered our letter to the agent of Messrs. Cook and Sou. They produced a letter in reply to say—that "the horses and mules would be with us without fail and without delay?"—not at all, my dear reader. You have not lived in the East or under Turkish rule! The reply was, that on receipt of our letter the agent had got horses and mules ready, had then applied to the Pasha for an escort, and had been peremptorily refused. Orders were issued that, before proceeding to Jerusalem, we must undergo quarantine for fifteen days at Gaza, and that the muleteers would also be obliged to undergo a similar detention at our cost, should they leave the city. The agent had then represented the case to Mr. Moore, Her Majesty's Consul, who sent us a kind letter expressing his sympathy, and stating that his efforts with the Pasha to have the orders set aside were ineffectual, as they (the orders) really came from Constantinople. Under these circumstances Messrs. Cook's agent came to the conclusion not to send the mules and horses till further orders; a conclusion that practically consigned us to imprisonment for at least another five or six days, and possibly for a much longer period.
Our feelings at this news "may be better imagined than described," to use a familiar phrase. Christmas at Jerusalem was now out of the question; letters from home indefinitely postponed. Indeed, our exit from The Ghôr seemed also indefinitely postponed; and our only consolation was that our friends at Jerusalem were not ignorant of our fate; and it seemed that it was entirely in their hands whether we were to be left as prisoners amongst the Bedawins till all our money, provisions, and hope were exhausted. Under these circumstances we applied to Sheikh Ali, to ascertain whether he could escort us across to Gaza along the direct road by Ain el Melh and Beersheba. This, however, he positively refused to do; and we had again to fall back on our Arab messengers, and await the result of a second letter to the agent, with instructions to forward the ​horses immediately, in order that we might proceed to Gaza to undergo the term of quarantine.
We had on the previous day despatched a second Arab, who had engaged for 20 dollars to take a letter to Consul Moore; but, much to our annoyance, he returned to us at breakfast time stating that he was sick; and, throwing down the money and letter, refused to go. This was another day lost. But our former messenger, Hassam, again volunteered; and, taking up the money and depositing the letter safely in the folds of his dress, departed, with a large supply of good wishes for a successful journey on our part.
Having now a prospect of several days stay in The Ghôr, we determined to put the time to the best account in exploring more thoroughly the objects of interest around us. We visited the remarkable ruins described by Tristram, lying at the foot of the hills about two miles to the east of Es Safieh, and known as Khasa el Hassa (or Hessi), and of which he says "We have probably here merely the remains of a Roman village in the more peaceful days of the early empire."
While here I proceeded to put into practice a mode of observing the landscape which I first learned some years ago in North Wales. Laying my head on the ground and lying on my side, I viewed in this position, first, the line of the mountain crest, and then the wooded slopes of The Ghôr, with the plain and hills beyond. The effects of colouring when seen in this manner are generally surprising, and often beautiful. In this case, all the colours of the mountain sides, the grey and brown of the limestone above, the red and purple of the sandstone, and the dark grey and brownish-red of the volcanic basis were seen to be blended and harmonised in a manner quite peculiar, and differing from the effect when seen in an erect position. There was thrown over the whole landscape (as it were) a halo of mystery. The softening and blending of the tints were of a kind which a Claud or a Turner have attempted to portray on canvas. My companions were no less struck with the effects than myself.
​On Saturday, 22nd December, we deemed it desirable, on economical grounds, to dismiss the greater number of our Arab attendants, only retaining, at a greatly reduced expense, the services of Sheikh Ali and a small guard, till our mules should come from Jerusalem. Let me here do justice to our Bedawin attendants. At the first, on starting from Akabah, we formed (as previously stated) but a low estimate of the Alowln, and of their mental and physical capabilities. They were for the most part inferior in stature and in personal appearance to the Towara, from whom we had parted; and at first there was great difficulty in getting them to perform the duties of loading the camels, taking down and setting up tents, drawing water, and other daily occupations. Gradually, however, they got accustomed to their work, and more expeditious in performing it. We also began to find that there were with them, as in all communities, differences of character and acquirements: that, while some were lazy and untrustworthy, others were active and entitled to our confidence. They were generally cheerful, pleasant fellows, trying to anticipate our wants, honest to the last degree, and grateful for little kindnesses; — at least for a time. There were amongst them several young men of handsome features and good proportions, and in their gait there was a certain ease and grace of motion, evincing great activity and power of endurance. Their clothing was similar to that of the Towara, except that it was inferior in quality and they wore the khefeyeh instead of the turban. Such were our Alowln guards.
Ruins of Lebrusch.—On returning one evening from an excursion up the mountains bounding the Wâdy el Hessi, Mr. Hart announced the discovery of "an ancient city," or something of that kind; and, at his request, we all determined to visit it on the following day. The position of these remarkable ruins is several hundred feet higher up the mountain side than those described by Canon Tristram, and about a mile from them on the south side of the valley. It was a lonely and wild spot, the haunt of the ibex, which we reached after a stiff climb. The ruins consist of a series of circular enclosures of rough stone (stone circles), running along the edge of a limestone terrace for a distance of 300 yards, and accompanied by a rude wall, behind which the rocks formed a low ridge. Towards the southern end the enclosures take the form of a rampart of stone work, extending about 400 yards, and at the end of the hill it turns up towards the crest of the ridge for 200 yards further, so as to form a wall protecting the interior.
​Several circular enclosures were found inside the ramparts, and about the centre of the whole structure was a hollow reservoir. The position commands an extensive view of The Ghôr, and all the approaches to the valley. Some of the circular enclosures had evidently been covered in, but their form seemed to forbid the supposition that they were tombs. Various conjectures as to the nature and use of this series of structures were hazarded by the members of our party, but no two were identical. It was a case of tot homines quot sententiæ. For myself, I came to the conclusion that this spot had been the camping ground of an army;—but of what nation or period we had no clue. A plan of the hill has been made by Major Kitchener, and drawn for me by Mr. Armstrong (Fig. 16).
On descending from the ruins for the last time down the mountain side, we were treated to a display of the gorgeous colouring characteristic of the eastern side of The Ghôr, when lit up by the slanting rays of the western sun. The evening had been cloudy, and some rain had fallen. Suddenly the sun burst forth through a gap in the clouds, and lighted up the cliffs along the northern side of the valley with tints of surpassing richness and brilliancy. The red colours of the sandstone cliffs, and the yellow tints of the sandy terraces below, brightly illumined where the rays descended directly upon them, gradually faded into the deep purple tints of the higher altitudes and recesses of the mountains; and high above, the mountain tops were shrouded in heavy cloud, in which was set "the many-coloured bow of heaven." We might have lingered long to watch this wondrous display of natural colouration; but the sun was nearing the horizon, and it was not a region in which it was desirable to be caught under darkness. We regarded the scene as a parting salutation from Moab to its visitors.
The days following (Friday and Saturday) had new surprises, and new disappointments, in store for us. We had sent off a third messenger (as has been seen above) to Jerusalem, with positive orders for Mr. Cook's agent to send horses and mules forthwith, to convey us away from our prison-house amongst the Arabs, and we awaited the result with some hope that the messenger would reach his destination on Saturday evening, 22nd December, and that by Tuesday the animals would arrive at our camp. In the afternoon of Friday, a Bedawin arrived, bringing a letter from a party of excursionists, consisting of the American Consul, Mr. Merrill, and a nephew of General Gordon, who had been on a visit to his uncle at Jaffa, and was making a tour of a few days, accompanied by an escort. ​aloug the shore of the Salt Sea, near Jebel Usdum. In this letter (which was addressed to Major Kitchener) it was stated that our messenger had shown them our letter to Cook's agent, and that on their return to Jerusalem on Christmas Eve they would leave no stone unturned towards getting us out of The Ghôr, and released from quarantine; also that our Arab had been sent on his way to Jerusalem. All this seemed very promising; because, should our messenger not arrive, our friends would be able to deliver our message on reaching the Holy City. The reader may, therefore, imagine our disappointment on beholding our Arab back again in the camp the next day! We were all absent at the time in various directions. Bernhard Heilpern was taking a nap; and, on awakening, could scarcely credit his senses when he beheld Hassam seated at the fire and conversing with Sheikh Ali. The question arose whether some sinister influence had again been at work to prolong our stay, and Heilpern's suspicions fell on Sheikh Ali, who was making money by our detention. When questioned why he had returned, Hassam merely replied that he had heard from some other Arab that we were about to start for Gaza, and had thought it useless to proceed further;—so here he was again. Thus were two days lost to us, and I began to feel that "hope deferred which makes the heart sick."
The Sheikh, at Heilpern's request, administered chastisement to his retainer, not a very severe one certainly, and for the third time Hassam was depatched to Jerusalem with the letter. We never saw him again, though we understood he reached the city and fulfilled his errand.
Christmas Eve.—This afternoon brought with it tidings, not from Jerusalem, but from Cairo, the first we had received from the outer world for six weeks. In the afternoon four Arabs of the Hawatat tribe on camels, headed by a sheikh, arrived in our camp bearing a letter addressed to me by Sir Evelyn Baring, Her Majesty's Consul-General, to inform us of the defeat of General Hicks' army in the Soudan, and stating that some anxiety had been felt concerning us on the part of our friends both in England and Egypt; as the news of the disaster might have occasioned a hostile feeling amongst the Arabs towards Europeans. The letter was intended to put us on our guard should we perceive any symptoms of such feeling. The Arab party had tracked us step by step from Suez to Jebel Mûsa, thence to Akabah, and then to this spot; and being well mounted, they had accomplished the whole distance in twenty days. We felt grateful to the Consul-General for his consideration; and we were ​by no means sorry to have an addition to our party of four dependable Arabs, whose head Sheikh in Cairo was "to be held responsible for our safety." The messengers were accompanied by a small party of "the hawks" of Petra, who said we must now retrace our steps back to Akabah, as "the infidel dogs" had been defeated. We replied that we were now in the territory of the Sultan, and were in daily expectation of an escort of soldiers from Jerusalem. We added, also, for their information, that although it was an Englishman whose army had been defeated by the Mahdi, the army itself was composed of poor cowardly Egyptians who had run away and left their officers to be killed, and that if the Egyptians did not know how to defend their country, an English army would be sent to put matters straight. This view of the subject appeared to have a wholesome effect, as "the Fetra hawks" went off to the village of the Ghawarnehs for the night. We ordered a sheep to be prepared for the entertainment of the Arabs from Cairo, who took up a station behind our camp.
Christmas Day in the Wilderness amongst a people who love not the Saviour's name, and are governed by laws little in harmony with those He came to proclaim! Still, even amongst these strange scenes, we can lift up our hearts and say, "Glory to God in the highest; on earth, peace; good will towards men." It was not to be our lot to celebrate this Christian anniversary at the birthplace of the Messiah; but, for myself, I had rather spend the day here in the Wilderness, than be a witness to the grotesque and childish ceremonies which are annually enacted by the Greek and Latin Churches in Bethlehem, and which have brought discredit on the Christian name.
I had passed a night in which sleep was banished or disturbed by gloomy thoughts. The cries of the jackals and the barking of dogs repeated at intervals caused a cold chill to permeate my frame. The lines I had learnt somewhere when a youth would recur in spite of myself, "Nec spes erat salutis, nee redeundi domum." What if they should be prophetic! But the bright sunshine of the morn succeeded the deluge of rain and hail of the previous day, and helped to dispel these gloomy forebodings. The river which drains the Wâdy el Hessi had risen, and the distant roar of the torrent was audible from our camp. A thought occurred to me which rendered me uneasy for a time:—might not the River Jeib, swollen by the same rains, render our camp inaccessible from the opposite side of The Ghôr, and thus cut off our succours should they be on their way to us from ​Jerusalem; or cut off our retreat by the only door now left? This supposition, however, I was relieved to find, on consulting Sheikh Seyd, was not borne out by experience, as the Jeib is nearly always fordable, and falls rapidly after rains have ceased.
After breakfast I sallied forth with Armstrong to examine the ruins described by Canon Tristram, about two miles from our camp. We found a considerable extent of ground occupied with them, and the walls which had enclosed the village on two sides. We also noticed fragments of two or three unfluted columns to which Tristram refers, and large quantities of broken pottery along with pieces of green glass. The pottery had glazed surfaces and rude patterns; but of the age of the village or town we could form little idea. As we were returning we found ourselves in front of a large party of Arab "free-lances," which induced my companion and myself "to put the best leg foremost;" though of course only at a walking pace; and after a stiff trudge over the fields, and a scramble through a thorny hedge, which we performed with the best grace we could muster, we were not sorry to see before us the white tents, which we reached very much "blown." There was nothing to have prevented these men from carrying us off to their mountain prison had they felt inclined to do so; at the same time it is probable they did not contemplate any such outrage.
In the evening a crowd of Arabs surrounded the tents, and by way of a Christmas entertainment, Laurence produced a little galvanic apparatus, and proceeded to operate on our visitors in the usual way, by joining hands or plunging them into the water of a tub into which the ends of the wires were inserted. It was amusing to watch the expression of face and gestures of these wild men when engaged in this performance. They behaved very much like school boys at home on like occasions—jumping, grinning and laughing when they felt a "shock," and evidently much astonished at the wonderful English magician who had come amongst them I This little entertainment put them all in good humour; so much so, that after it was over they came back to request that it might be repeated.
The dinner was the event of the day; and we endeavoured on this occasion to preserve home traditions as far as the circumstances would allow. Abu Miriam was not unequal to the occasion. For a time we forgot the Wilderness and the hawks of Petra, and thought only of home and our relatives, separated from us by a distance of 3,000 miles; and we ​knew that they were thinking of us as spending the day within the walls of Jerusalem. A penultimate bottle of claret was produced from the "cellar," in which the memory of absent friends was duly honoured; and, as a conclusion to the feast. Hart produced a plum cake of home manufacture, specially reserved for this occasion. Such was the evening of Christmas Day as observed in The Ghôr in the year 1883, by a party of deserted Englishmen!
On the evening of the day following Sheikh Arari, of Wâdy Mùsa, came into our camp on a visit to Sheikh Ali, and I took the opportunity of making his acquaintance. The interview was of some interest to us from the fact that he is supreme over all the chiefs of the district about Petra and the mountainous region extending to Kerak and the shores of the Salt Sea. The interview was witnessed by parties of his own retainers on the one hand, and of the Ghawarneh on the other; and I determined to take the opportunity of pleading the cause of these quiet and oppressed people.
Sheikh Arari is a man of about forty-five years, of a countenance somewhat Israelitish, and quite devoid of any sinister expression. We both remained standing in the open air; and after the usual salutations and expression of pleasure on my part at making his acquaintance, the following conversation took place.
Sheikh Arari expressed his regret that some of his followers had given us annoyance the evening before we left our camp at the head of The Ghôr, but reminded me that after he had given his promise (to Major Kitchener) that we should not be further disturbed this had been faithfully kept.
I replied that I was quite aware of this, and thanked him for his consideration.
Sheikh Arari then said he was friendly to English travellers, and did not wish they should be put to any annoyance while passing through his territory.
I replied that English travellers were always ready to pay what was just and reasonable to the sheikhs through whose territories they happened to travel;—but nothing more. Arari replied he did not wish them to pay more than that.
I then said the Ghawarneh are our friends and hosts. We are camping on their ground, and we wish them to be fairly and kindly treated; that they ought to be paid for whatever was got from them ​(slight murmurs amongst Arari's attendants), which I feared was not always the case.
Arari replied that the Ghawarneh were also his friends; that he would not allow them to be ill-treated, and that they (Arari's people) always paid for what they got.
Knowing this to be a slight stretch of the truth, I replied that the Ghawarneh were a peaceful people, cultivating the ground, and raising crops of corn, tobacco, and other produce, which are necessary for the Bedawin; and that if they should be driven away by oppression they (the Bedawin) would have no means of procuring necessary supplies; therefore it was their interest to protect them. We then parted with expressions of goodwill, and with the hope on my part that this interview may not have been without some benefit to our oppressed friends.
While I was writing the above an Arab came into the camp with the good tidings that he had seen the mules and horses approaching from the opposite side of The Ghôr, and that they would be here before sunset. This intelligence was received with a general cheer from our party, and I slipped a dollar into the hands of the bearer of the good news. Orders were issued to prepare for an early start on the following day. Some time after, and (as the Arab had stated) before sunset, a muleteer rode into the camp, and was welcomed by Bernhard Heilpern, who recognised an old friend from Jerusalem; others soon followed, and presently some thirty horses and mules were gathered round our camp, accompanied by a very ancient sheikh, already known to most of our readers—Sheikh Hamzi, of Hebron, whom Major Kitchener immediately recognised.
We now learned that notwithstanding it had been represented to the Pasha of Jerusalem that we had been for over a month in Turkish territory, and all in perfect health, we were again ordered to proceed to Gaza for quarantine of fifteen days. An additional evidence of the hostility of the Turkish authorities was their refusal to send a guard of soldiers, and it was only on the strong representations of our Consul that on the ​following day we were joined by a guard of four mounted soldiers, who had to travel day and night to reach our camp.
It was clear we were regarded by the authorities with suspicion as in some way connected with "the Jordan Valley scheme"; and it was probable that our protestations to the contrary, conveyed to the Turkish government through Sir E. Baring before we left Cairo, only tended to confirm their impressions ; and, all things considered, it must be confessed that appearances were against us!
The diversion of our course towards Gaza, with the prospect of captivity for fifteen days was, it must be confessed, a great disappointment to us. "We were thus deprived of the opportunity of visiting the western shore of the Salt Sea beyond Jebel Usdum and about Ain Jidi (Engedi) as we had intended. Moreover, our letters, which must have been lying for us at Jerusalem for several weeks, had not been sent by the muleteers, and some days had now to elapse ere we could receive them. Still, we were again about to go forward after a detention in The Ghôr of eleven days, and we could not but esteem "the passage of our weary steps as foil wherein to set the precious jewel of our home return." We had much of interest still to see, and the march to Gaza would enable us to make a geological traverse of Southern Palestine.
It now appears that we did not get out of The Ghor at all too soon. I learn, through Major Kitchener (letter dated Abbassiyeh, March 21), that Sheikh Arari of Petra is at war with Ibn Mujelli of Kerak, and the battleground is doubtless the neighbourhood of Es Safieh. Had this war broken out when we were there our position would not have been pleasant. As neutrals we should have been regarded by both parties with suspicion; and possibly have been treated as they treat the Ghawarneh.
The evening was spent in preparation for the morrow's march. The important question of the proper amount of bakhsheesh for Sheikh Ali and his retainers had to be decided, as well as the sum to be presented to Sheikh Seyd as "ground rent" during our encampment. The former question was the more difficult of the two; because it was certain Ali placed a high value on his services over and above that previously arranged, a value much in excess of our estimate. Finally, we agreed to give him 30 mejedies (about £5), and the money having been tightly bound up in a little parcel was entrusted to me to be slipped into his hands when bidding him farewell next morning.
* ↑ Gen. xiv, 3 ; Deut. iii, 17.
* ↑ "Survey of the Holy Land," by J. T. Bannister and Dr. Marsh, 1844. The Arab name is El Bahr Lut, or the Sea of Lot. Lartet mentions that small fish live in that part of the Salt Sea south of the Lisan.
* ↑ To this question I hope to give a detailed reply in another volume in which I propose to deal with the physical history of The Ghôr and of the Jordan Valley.
* ↑ Mr. Hart has made a good collection of plants from this part of The Ghôr. Tristram has described this vegetation ("Land of Moab," p. 391).
* ↑ In the East it is the custom for the superior to greet the inferior first.
* ↑ "The Land of Moab," p. 46.
* ↑ Ibid., p. 51.
* ↑ It has been found as a result of this survey that there is considerable error in the form and position of this part of the Dead Sea as given in the maps.
* ↑ I only touch on this interesting topic here, reserving fuller details for another volume.
* ↑ If indeed they are Arabs. It is possible they may belong to the fellahin, or cultivators of the ground, throughout Palestine, whom Captain Conder considers, with great probability, to be the descendants of the inhabitants of the country at the time of its conquest by the Israelites.
* ↑ "Land of Moab," p. 84, et seq.
* ↑ Ordinary aneroids are not graduated for reading depressions much below that of the level of the ocean.
* ↑ It is right that I should state that Mr. Hart more than once volunteered to carry a message to Jerusalem for the horses; but, knowing something of the risk he would have to run in traversing a wild and unknown region, inhabited for some distance by Bedawins of ill-repute, I felt unable to give my consent to his generous proposal.
* ↑ Supra cit., p. 48.
* ↑ This is a cloth, or shawl, sometimes of silk, folded back and bound round the head by a double fillet of coloured cord. The ends hang down the back, or are gathered into folds round the neck and chin, and fastened by little tassels into the fillet. It is thus a protection against either heat or cold.
* ↑ See Quarterly Statement, P.E.F., April. 1884.
* ↑ Close to this Mr. Hart had come upon three of these animals, which are seldom seen except in very unfrequented spots.
* ↑ The ridge is formed of the "Wady Nasb limestone," which we here discovered in the centre of the sandstone formation. It is fossiliferous.
* ↑ This was not a surmise on my part, but a notorious fact.
* ↑ This is, perhaps, literally true, but as I was informed the mode of barter is, that the Arabs offer about one-fourth of the value of the article, and the Ghawarneh dare not refuse the offer.
* ↑ Tristram's "Land of Israel," 2nd edition, pp. 195, 352 &c.