The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1848-04-05
Mliscellaueolls..
JOURNEY FROM JERUSALEM TO
JERICHO.

JOURNEY FROM JERUSALEM TO
JERICHO.
A late traveller in Palestine, gives the
following deeply interesting and truly
graphic description Of a journey from Je.
rusalem TO Jericho, and the river Jordan:
"On the morning after Palm Sunday,
the pilgrims set out for Jericho and Jor-
dan. They were accompanied by. an es.
cort Of 400 soldiers, to protect them from
the Arabs. Shortly after sunrise, the
road leading from the gate of ST. Stephen,
opposite the Mount Of Olives, and wind.
ing down into the steep and narrow valley
of Jehosphut, past the Virgins tomb and
the garden Of Gethsemane, was crowded
with women and children in their most
festive attire, seated on either side the way
to witness the passing Of the pilgrims US
they poured out Of the city and down the
hill to the number of about five thousand.
Leaving the tomb Of Absulom and the
village Of Silon 10 the right, they passed
up between the Mount Of Olives and the
Hill of Offences towards Bethany. Near
the old altar and groves of Moloch, and
over against the Temple Of Solomon, the
Boy, who commanded tho troops, sat
little apart from the road. among his al
tcndants, and fine horses, that were scat.
,ered in groups about the rocky ground,
with here and there tall tufted spear, or
q standard stuck up beside them, while
the morning sun blazcd on their Oriental
dresses and glittering arms, they formed q
brilliant foreground as you turned back
to look upon the city which lifted its shin
ing towers and domes over Mount Sion,
across the deep ravine. Presently the
shoulder Of the hill shuts out the
splendid vision, and you 20 wind
ing on among valleys ever growing
wilder, more dismal and sterile, until
the last traces Of cultivation and habi-
tation disappear, and you ure placed
in presence Of the awful desert with gig
antic sand hills climbing on every side,
that dazzle the sense and disnny the soul.
At last, after six hours toilsome march,
you descry from the brink of these desc
late heights an immense plain stretching
right and left, and walled OH the east by
lofty range OF mountains. This is the val.
ley of the Jordan, whose stream hid by
the sandy banks, only becomes visible rs
it enters in cleaning vein, the Dead Sea
"a vast blue cxPansc stretching away
under fadlng perspective of AERIAL pro-
montorics, to the south, Till j, minglcs with
the hot white mist Of the sky. Lines of
pale green tents upon the border Of the
tangled prickly thickcts, that spot the dc.
ser plain, mark tic spot chosen for the
bivouac, tower using near out Of this
forest distinguishes the site of Jericho.
Then comes the hustle Of the camp, with
its indcscribnble variety of groups and
equipngcs, The poor black native Arabs
Of the place mingTc with the pilgrims, to
sell their cheese, oil, AMI dates. Con.
spicuous with golden bull rises OH one
hand the tent Of the Greek Patriarch, on
the other that Of the Bcy. The others lie
packed off according 10 their several ma
tons, thick as sheep in folds. While
these arc preparing to fall 10 at their sup
pers, and nrc fetching their water from
the fountain Of Elijah, ring Of scntincls
form around the camp. All night you
hear the word passing round among these
guards. AT two o'clock after midnight
the whole camp is again in motion. By
the light Of beautiful moon they set of
for the Jordan, three hours distant. After
two hours the moon went down over the
desert of Engaddi and The mountains to.
wards Jerusalem, leaving lis to founder
about among shrubs and sandbanks in the
dark. Here and there Aaring torches
were carried, whose red light streamed
along the waves Of the dark crowd. Day
was beginning to break when we reached
the Jordan, swift. impetuous, discolored
stream, shooting between tall bapks, over
grown with copses Of popular and tama-
risk. The pilgrims found their way down
to the sacred waters by different avenues
TO woody coves, where they all began un-
dressing, men women and children, all to-
gether. The first saw in the stream
were two Ayssinians ducking and cross.
ing themselves with all their might, with
the monkey-like action ofthe blacks One
poor creature, plunging into the centre of
the torrent, was drowned. They say that
every year the Jordan swallows one vic
tim. And the Christians, with fatalism
Of the Turks, deem this sacrifice inevta.
BILE. Accordingly no one stirred limb
to save this poor fellow, whom the rush
ing waters swept away down towards the
Dead Sea. One wretch was seized in
the act Of stealing cotton gown, worth
twopence, Of an American lady gone to
take dip. His turban and cloak were
instantly torn of, and he was led away up