Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1837-07-07
PASSAGE OF THE RED SEA.

The route of the Israeli,cs, and the
place where they crossed the Red Sea, are
thus discussed IN the 'Incdents Of Tray
el," by an American:
Late in the afternoon, we landed on
the opposite side. ON the most sacred spot
connected with the wandcrings OF the
1sraelies, where they rose from the dry
bed Of the SEQ. and. at the command OF
Moses. the divided waters rushed together,
overwhelming Pharoah and his charrlo,s,
and the whole host Of Egypt. With the
devotion Of a pious pilgrim, picked up a
shell and put inro my pocket as memorl-
al o. The place: ard then Panl and J.,
mounting the dromcdaries which my guide
had brought down to the shore in rcadl
ness. rode f. nrove Of palm trees, sha
ding fountain Of bad water. called ayoun
Mo0ssa. or the fountain Of Moses. was
riding ca,eIes.ly along. looking behind me
towards the sea. and had almost reached
the grove OF palm trees, when a large
flock Of crows flew out, and my dromedary,
frightened with their sudden whZZtng,
started back and threw me twenty feet
over bis head, completely clear Of his long
neck, and left me sp'awIlug in The sand.
], was a mercy did not tinish my wander
ings where the children of Israel began
theirs but saved my head at the expense
of my hands. which sank IN the loose soil
up TO the wrist. and bore the marks for
more than two months aticrwurd. | sea-
led myself where fell, and, as the sun
was Just dipping below the horizon, told
Paul to pitch the tent with the door to-
wards the place of the miraculous passage
shall never forget that sunset scene, and
it is the last shall iufllct upon the reader.
] was sitting on the sand on the very spot
where the chosen people Of God, after
walking over the dry bed of the sea, stop.
ped TO behold the divided waters returning
TO their place, and swallowing up the host
OF the pursuers. The mountains on the
other side looked dark and portentous, as
if proud and conscious witnesses of the
IN iyhty miracle; while the sun, descending
slowly behind them, long after it had dis.
appeared, left reflected brightness, which
ilumed with an almost supernatural light
the dark surface of The water.
"But to return to he fountain of Moses.
/ am aware that there is some dispute as
/, the precise spot where Moses crossed ;
but, having no time for skep,lcism on such
matters, ] began by making up my mind
that his was the place, and then looked
around to see whether, according to the
account given in the Bibc. the face of the
country and the natural landmarks did not
sustain thy opinion. remember looked
ID 10 the head of The gulf, where Suez or
kolsum now stands, and saw that, almost
to the very head of the gulf there was a
hlgh range of mountains which it would be
necessary to cross--an undertaking which
II would be physically impossible for 600,
600 people, men, women, and children, to
accomplish, with hostile army pursuing
them. At Su"z, Moses could not have
been hcmmed ~ as he was; he could 90
of into the Syrian desert. or, unless the
sea has greatly changed since that time,
round the head OF the gulf But here, di.
reclly opposite To whele ] sat. was an
opening IN The mountains, making a clear
rassoge from the desert to the shore Of the
sea"