The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-07-26
From tie Mobile Register
Letter from Rev. DR.. Hamilton,
HpppoS Pal March 25. 1853.

| from Ue AiOO1S neytStS.
Letter from Rev. DR.. Hamilton.
HEBRON, Pal, March 25, 1858.
My dear Sir-Here l am in quaratine, ,'lodg
ed in cold stone vault, and surrounded by lotty
stone walls-in full view of the Mosque bull
over the cave of Machpelah, the grave OF the pa
trarch Abraham, and Of Sarai his wife, anc
around this Mosque spreads--on the sides OF tht
limestone hill on which it is buit--the town o
Hebron, where David reigned seven years before
he made Jerusalem his capital. After thirty
days of camel-riding, through the dreary deserts
Of Suez, and of the peninsula of Sinal-atter the
rude gigantic rocky mountains OF Sinai and 10
reb, and then of Mt. Hor, on which Aaron died
and of Patre, the ancient city Of the Edomlles
the city whose habitations, temples and tombs
hesn out of the solid mountain,' most Of them
still open to the inspection of the curious travel
Ter, (this whole rock city lies under the shadow
of the gigantic Mount .Hor) after crossing once
more the Wady Arabah, which extends from
the Gulf of Akaba on the Red Sea- to the very
shores of the Dead Sea-aftsr crossing over
Mount Saffa, lone of the most difficult noun
tains ever scaled Ut was indeed relief to the
eye and to the feelings, to come upon tracts OF
land embosomed among the stony mountains on
the south border of Palestine, exhbting.a scan
ty herbage, and now and then even tracts otcul-
tivation, improving in appearance every mile,
but still without shrub or tree-to come sudden
ly, on rounding projecting point Of one Of these
limestone hills, upon a:small, amphitheatre-lke
Valley, green with springing grain, divided by
stone fences, and diversified by olive groves and
groups of fig trees Just bursting into life; an,
other turn in the rocky path, aud from my left
seat on the back of very tall, camel, had a
full view of the ancient city Of Horeb-its fine
large Mosque, with lofty minarets built over
Abraham's tomb, its numerous substantial and
clean looking houses, all built of limestone, and
relieved by contrast with the rocky sides of the
hilltop beyond it-and with the olive groves,
and the patches of grain Of deep yerdure here
and there around it. Were wepermitted to en-
ter the town and walk or ride througlIit streets
dare say we shall see dirt enough But at
this distance, and especially as contrasted with
the dreariness of the desert, the town Of Hebron
lying ON the hillside, aid showing olive groves
AMI greengrowing grain around it, looks beaut-
full; and as compared with the dirty appearance
of the miserable mud novels, constituting the
towns and villages of Egypt and Nubiay Hebron
seems peculiarly clean and bright looking, To.
morrow morning our quarantine ends, and we
hope by sunrise, to be mounted and on our way
to Jerusalen,-the place where our Lord was cru
cited. To-day, is what our Episcopal friends
call Good Friday, and next Sunday is the Easter
of the Latin Or Popish church and as most of
the gentlemen Of our large caravan (thirteen
travellers, with their servants, &C., and we travel
4aah fa with upward at ffhhf than hS" "I
to have our quarantine over, and to be in Jerlsa-
lem next Sunday--the Latin Easter. Ihc Eas-
ter of the Greek Church. a much more imposing
celebration at Jerusalem, occurs some where
about month later. At a future day, hope
to send you some account of Jerusalem, and the
places of interest in and around it.
Thus far ourjourncy has been prosperous, safe
and pleasant. We have met with no accident; !;
with no auneyancc from any of the numerous
tribes of wild Arabs, through whose territories
we have been journeying; and as to the weather,
we have been peculiarly favored. Since febru-
ary .22d, when we left Cairo, we have had no
storm--not shower has fallen upon us, for thir-
ty-threc days; although twice, heavy showers
poured down but few miles ahead of us--but
they had completely passed away, by the time
we came to the ground on which they had pour
cd One day only in the dcsert-the day after
we had left -Suez--we were annoyed by the
Kbampsin wind, filing everything with sand and
nearly binding and halfstifing u.s. few hours
only, it lasted. This desert travelling is curious
enough. The camel is huge unsightly yanimal'
travelling with long strides, by which, even at a
walk, it passes rapidly over the ground; they are
strong and enduring, but exceedingly dlsagreea-
ble TO ride, not only from the uneasy Jerking
pace, but also from the ugly growlin which they,
often indulge, and from the sickenlng odor o,
their breath, especially at certain seasons-ahu
more particularly y while they feed on the strong
scented prickly herbage found occasionally IN the
desert. Usually we were astir before o'clock
in the morning, the duties of the toilet done ana
breakfast over, and we mounted in our lofty
seats for the days journey, before o'clock. IN
nv tentI have a curtain arranged so thatl have
been able to take a cold water bath every morn
inc, even in the worst part ofthe desert. Aoou'
noonwe generally rested for half an hour or three
quarters, and took lunch, under the shadow OF a
rock. or of desert mimosa if we could find one
The baggage camels generally passed us while at
lunch. About half past 4, or towards 8 O'CLOCK
our Sheikh would call a halt and in few MN,
utcs every camel was lying down to be unloaded
the tents were erected--our beds and tables
ycd--and in half an hour after stopping we
were at home in our own little apartment, the
tent BY o'clock, dinner was on the table
after it our Journals all written up-then Sill
gle cup of tea followed, and before 10 O'Clock We
we're all, abed, and probably sound asleep
Though often excessively fatigued at night ye'
usuo]lv q 'n;vht,s sOnnd sleep thoroughly refresh