Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-08-28


We had heas all through Syria we were aayed by heas
from Beirut to Jerusalem They are the Euing embod-
ment of the nights in Palestine which the near
est approximation to the knights Of Jerusalem.
JOURNEY TO THE DEAD SEA-
messenger from the Shek of Jericho called upon this
morning let know that the Arab guard ready
conduct us to the Dead Sea and the Jordan He assured
us we would have no trouble with the Bedouns with such
guard they were all terrible fellows, whom the Be-
douns knew too well to attack for praised be Aa they
had killed hundreds Of the rascals already, and
would kill hundreds more before long. 1t
great of consolation to be protected in this efficient
manners for must confess it rather startling to hear
the strange stories that told of the way in which
veers attacked and murdered, carried off into
the deserts and never heard of again. expected to
twenty ablebodied men, well drilled, and armed to the
teeth because it seemed if would require that
Der of men, and of that kind, to Stay many Be-
douins. They down at Jobs well, he said, waiting
for and meantime he would receive the two hundred
pasters for the Shck, and forty pasers for the men,
The latter to be devoted to the purchase of
sheep and the sheep to be roasted the banks of
the Jordan and the to eat it, This my
derstandng of the when paid my share Of the forty
piasters and did it the more willingly because was fond
of sheep roasted in this way and anticipated taking
|
the sheep is hubug To the best of my belief there
never such sheep killed roasted by the Arab
guard If such sheep be in existence at ALL it is just
likely to die natural death as the Bedouns when shot
at by these Arabs.
Passing out by the Jafa gate, we went down to Jobs
well. There was guard there; not the sign of q
guard nothing but the well and two asses &c. having
nothing better to do, my friend and myself and not
the asses sat down the top of the stone wall and
amused ourselves throwing pebbles into the well 1t APP
peared to be very deep-perhaps about hundred feet
had doubt at all of its antiquity. 1t looked old
enough but whether Job bad authorized the naming of
this spot after him, whether it merely freak of
fancy the part of the Latin monks we could not tell
Historians differ much touching the location of these
wells and their right names that always content to
let them settle the knoty points, and thank God fer the
fresh water when found any queer, ruinous old
place Jobs well was consisting Of very deep hole in
the solid rock with pile of broken walls and
covered dome it, in the Judean STYLE built perhaps
some few centuries ago; for believe historian pre-
tends that any thing but the well itself be traced to
scriptural times 1t lies in banched and arid valley of
rocks, close down by the foot of Mount Zion All along
the road coming from ST. Saba were long lines of pill
grims mostly foot, but mounted in part upon cames
and donkeys, vending their way towards Jerusalem.
They had been the Greek convent and returning
after the ceremonies The priests long boards and
flowing robes and the common pilgrims ragged and
barefooted and walked at weary pace with their heads
bowed down. never saw any thing that SO impressed
with the idea of devotion With clothes
enough to cover their nakednes poor and friendless
many of these way-worn pilgrims had wandered from
their farof homes mountains and deserts through
scorchng and dreary wastes lay their bones
the Sacred City.
While sitting upon the top of the ruin, there
out from among the rocks close by ragged Arab
of most uncouh aspect, with long gun hung his
shoulders and rusty sword swinging by his side. An
old pistol and crooked knife were thrust in his SASH
which long and fashy, but defaced by the dirt Of
ages All the coors of the rainbow were combined in his
turban his tawdry vestment and scanty breeches and
his hooked like eagles, and his eyes flashed
and wandered like the eyes of wild beast that had
se''sns MOT iong before. declare, within bounds,
that he the most erocious unshaved unwashed and
diapidated looking vagabond had in all my travels
and it not without suspicion that watched him as
he approached and lurking fear that there more
of the same kind not far off, Sure enough, out came
another pretty just if the ground had opened
and let him through from some Internal region below
and another after rubbing his eyes and then ano
Their waking himself up too, all armed like the first with
long guns mounted all with BRASS and rusty swords
and old pistols fastened in their sashes and all looking So
ragged and hungry and much like genuine robbers
that nvoluntary turned see if Yusef had brought
his firearms to bear upon them. My chief dependence
upon Yuse for carried any weapon Of defence
except penknife, and my companion likewise un-
armed. Besides, Yusef had courageous and blood
thirsty disposition as he repeatedly avowed and delighted
in nothing much in killing people, which was not
naturally fond Of apart from the risk of killing myself by
carrying deadly weapons had always felt PRESENT.
ment that if carried revolver pistol of any kind in
my pocket it would 90 off and disable for life hence
never carried any thing deadly than penknife
and that resolved not to in the way Of violence
unless driven to the last extremity.
Instead Of rushing upon these fellows however, bran
dshng his guns, pistols, and swords, as was his habit
when nothing was in sight Yusef greeted them with
kindly soaam, saying Good morning friends; how do
you do? to which they answered in the same friendly
strain and a great many compliments passed. rs sup
posed from the Aowery style of the that
sued. Yusef passed his chibouk around and they all
sat down and began to talk with great animation and
rpdy Of utterance that would have astonshed me had
not become rather used to it. Even it was thought
some Of them would certainly choke in getting out so
many raking guttursls at The talk did not seem
at all likely TO to end short OF two or three
hours At last made bold to down from the top Of
tie wall and ask what they wanted Nothing o. prince
Of colones said Yusef; only to take you the Dead
Sea-" Do you say, thou vilest Of dragomans
that this is the Arab guard sent here by the Sheik Of
Jericho to protect against the Bedouns p 81 do
ia thn "a u