Eastern times., 1855-12-06
Wisttllanp.
The Land of the Saracen.
APPROACH TO JERUSALEM.

But when l climbed the last ridge, and
looked ahead, with sort of painful suspense.
Jerusalem did not appear. We were two
thousand feet above the Mediterranean, whose
blue we could dimy see far TO the west,
through notches in the chain of hills. To The
north the mountains were gray, desolate and
awful. An upland tract, covered with white
volcanic rocks, lay before US. We met peas
ants with asses, who looked, 10 my eyes, as if
they were just like Jerusalem.
Still forward we urged our horses, and
reached ruined garden, surrounded with
hedges OF cactus, over which l saw domes and
walls in the distance. drew long breath
and looked at Francis. He was jogging along
without turning his head he could not have
been so Indifferent if that really was the city.
Presently we reached another slight rise in
the rocky plain. He began to urge his pant
ing horse, and at the same instant we both
lashed The spirit into ours, dashed on at break
neck galop, round the corner of an old wall
on the top of the hill, and 10 the Holy City
Our Greek jerked both pistols from his hol-
sters, and fired them into the air, as we
reigned up the steed.
From the description of travellers, had ex-
pected TO see in Jerusalem an ordinary modern
Turkish town !; but that before me, with its
walls, fortresses and domes, it not still
the City of fDavid | saw the Jerusalem Of
the New Testament, as | had imagined it.
Long lines of walls, crowned with a notched
parapet and strengthened by towers few
domes and spires above them; clusters of cy-
press trees here and there this was all that
was visible OF the city. On either side The
hill sloped down to the two deep valleys over
which it hangs. On the east, the Mount OF
Olives, crowned with a chapel and mosque,
rose high and steep, but in front the eye
passed directly over the city, to rest far away
upon the lofty mountains of Moab, beyond the
Red Sea. The scene was grand in its SIM
plicity. The prominent colors were the pur-
| pie of those distant mountains, and the hoary
gray of the nearer hills The walls were OF
the dull yellow of weather-stained marble, and
the only trees, the dark cypress and the moon
! lit olive. Now, indeed, for one brief moment
| [ knew that | was in Palestine that l saw
Mount Olive and Mount Zion and knew moi
how it was-my sight grew weak, and all OBJ
jecls trembed and wavered in a watery film.
Since we arrived | have looked down upon
the City from the Mount of Olives, and up to
1t from the valley of Jehosophat but cannot
restore the illusion of that first view.
BATH IN THE DEAD SEA.
proposed bath, for the sake of expert
ment, but Francis endeavored to dissuade US
He had tried it, and nothing could be more dis
agreeable; we risked getting fever, and be-
sides, there were four hours of dangerous trav.
ell before US. But by this time we were half
undressed, and soon were floating in the clear
btuminous waves. The beach was fine gray-
Ell, and shelved gradually down. | kept my
turban on my head, and was careful 10 avoid
touching the water with my face. The sea was
warm and gratefully soft and soothing to the
skin. 1t was impossible to sink, and even
while swimming the body rose half out of the
water. should think it possible to dive fol
a short distance, but prefer that some one else
should try the experiment. With log Of
wood for pillow, one might sleep as on pa
tent mattrass. The taste of the water is sal,
and pungert, and stings the tongue like salt
petre. We were obliged to dress in all haste
without even wiping off the detestable liquid
yet | experienced very little of that discomfort
which most travellers have remarked. Where
the skin. had been previously bruised, there
was slight smarting sensation, and my body
felt clammy and glutinous, but the bath wa.
rather refreshing than otherwise.