Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-11-07

From the Biblical Repository.
ARABIA AND PALESTINE
Remarks of Prof. Robinson.

Our readers are aware that Prof. Rob-
inson, ofthe New York Theological Sem
mary, is pursuing his researches in the
East preparatory to the publication of a
geography of the Holy Land High ex-
pectations are entertained of the value of
these researches to the cause of Biblical
science. The following interesting par
ticulars are furnished by letter from Or.
Robinson to the Rev. Dr. McAuley, dated
Jerusalem, April 80, 1888.
AT length,' says DR.. R. my feet
stand within thy gates. o Jerusalem. A
gracious God has brought us on eagles
wings through the great and terrible will
derness; and here, in this city, where of
old Jehovah dwelt, and where our Re.
deemer taught and suffered, we are per-
mitted to hold sweet converse with all our
brethren ofthe Syrian mission, and to eel.
citrate with them the Savior's dying love
in the place where be instituted the ordin-
ance in commemoration of his death"
Journey across the Desert
8" wrote you on the I'd of March from
Cairo, which city | regard as the starting
point of my real journey. Mr. Cheever
left US there, preferring to go by way Of
Alexandria and Beirout; but he was ia k
en- i'll, and was unable to accomplish his
object.
''Our party, consisting of Rev. Mr..
Smith, Mr.. Adger, and myself, left Cairo
March 18th, and reached Mt Sinai on the
23d. There we remained five DAYS, and
then set off for Akaba on the Goth, where
we arrived April Attn. 1t had been our
intention to go hence to Wady Mousa
with Arabs of the Alouin tribe; but find
ing they were encamped at great dis
lance, and that we must be detained six OF
seven days, we preferred to keep our TO.
wara Arabs, and take the road across the
great western desert to GAIA or Hebron
as the case might be, the road being fol
several days the same. This is a route
as yet untrodden by modern travellers. -
We left Akaba on the 9Th of April, and
reached Hebron and Jerusalem on Satur.
day the l4th, where we were welcomed
to home in the houses of our missionary
brethren, Whiting and Lanneau."
American Ctergymen assembled at Jeru
| .. salem.
"Here we had the pleasure of finding
all the members of the Syrian mission
excepting Mr.. Pease of Cyprus,) assem-
bled 10 hold their general meeting. Al
the family from Beirout was present
We form altogether band of ten Ameri
can ministers Of the Gospel; Mr. Nicol
ayson is the eleventh !; and within two o
three days MIR. Paxton of Beirout has al
rived with his family. Probably so larg
a number of Protestant clergymen neve
met In the holy city-certainly not from
the new world.n
Passage Of the Israelites through til
Red Sea.
"The results of our journey thus ia
have been much more important and sat
isfactory than could have anticipated.
At the Red Sea both Mr.. Smith and nv
self were able to satisfy ourselves that tn
passage of the lsraelites must have takel
place at or near Suez, it being, of course
impossible, after the lapse of SO man,
ages, to point out the exact spot. w
suppose it may have taken place a mile o
: two below Suez, where even now tn
/ shoals from the opposite side come nea
, together, and where at very low tides tn
Arabs can wade through, though the wa
ter is up to their necks. On the east sid
of the Sea, we could trace the route 9th
lsraelites through the desert of Shin t
Ellud and beyond, where they encampe
by the Red Sea- Mum. 50: 1l.l-
r This we have no doubt was at the mout
: OF The Wady Taybe."
Site of Mount Sinai.
ITO Sinai itself we came with some in
credulity, wishing to investigate the poir
; whether there was any probable orounr
! beyond monkish tradition, for fixing upo
the present supposed site. We were bot
| surprised and grati6ed to find here. in tn
Utmost recesses of these dark and lott
j granite mountains, fine plain spread OF
before the loot of the so-called Horeb-
plain capable OF containing two or tire
millions of people from the south end {
e which the mountain rises perpendicular
. ly and overlooks the whole,-so tina
: whatever passed upon its top would b
: visible to all. THIS par: of the mountai
u is about 1900 feet above the plain tn
summit now called Sinai is about NV
: miles farther south, and is not visible fror
/ below. With that summit Moses proba
: bly, had no concern. South west of IN;
IS Mount st. Catharine. 27OO feet abov
e the plain. and nearly 1000 feet higbe
than Gebel Mousa, or Sinai. We mad
9 minute and particular inquiries of Aral
Y and others acquainted with the whole n,
e nlnsuia, and could not learn that the,
: was SO much room in any other sp,
4 among the mountains. certainly not in tb
e vicinity Of any of the lofier peaks"
Descriptions of the Desert.