Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1859-09-14

LrTTFR PRnn THE HOLY LAND.

- y.
LITTER FROM THE HOLY LAND.
Gen. Asr>p Ward Of New. York, writes to his
friends svi'5 interesting letter from Beyrout June
1s, 1857
We LEFT iSr Jerusalem Immediately after dinner.
anAn>tcAsd our tont or rather found it pitched on
cur arrival, some fourteen miles from Jsppa. Our
dtaeoman had supplied US with seven men nclud'
Ing himself; that is to say, himself cook, servant,
and four muleteers, and twelve horses for the con-
~eyancs Of ourselves tents provisions and baggage
/ think hear you say that there were altogether
too many men and horses for the conveyance oil only
two persons hut have to say that, IN looking INTO
il do net see how we could dispense with single
man or horse We left again at five o'clock the
next morning and arrived at Jerusalem at two
O'Clock. much fatigued. The path-for they have
no roads in this country-was intOerably bad from
the moment we reached the mountain region. No
thing but up hill and down hill and such hills would
startle you out of your quiet seat to even have a
sight Of them; most Of them rising from eight
hundred to one thousand feet in hight, filed with
loosas stones SO that in going up or down you
would say that it is impossible to pass over them in
safety but the horses Of this country arc acc'ls.
toned to these wretched paths, and we were IN no
instance endorsed in consequence of their bad state
The Journey seemed to me as though it would never
end notwithstanding the whole distance from the
sea to Jerusalem does not exceed forty miles.
The only thing which we had to interest us on
our route was when We reached the valley OF Elah,
no great distance from the city, where the Phstine
army was encamped on one of those huge noun
tains army led by Saul the other at the
time that killed Goliath with his sling and stone
in the valley lying between the two armies. After
leaving this thrilling spot our head muleteer soon
called out in loud voice, "Jerusalem. Jerusalem"
which was repeated by one and all with great joy,
for 1t ended our painful labors on that day.
We quickened our speed, and soon entered the
city at The Jafa gate and were conducted through
the narrow Streets where a carriage never entered
and where none ever can, for they are barely wide
enough for one to pass horseback in single file
and the paving stones are worn 50 smoothly that no
horse unaccustomed to them could keep his feet for
. single moment
We were both so much ftigued that we went to
bed Immediately, and after resting ourselves We
were conducted through and around the city, to
most of the points of interest which VIC visited time
and again under the most favorable circumstances
for we were accompanied By our assistant consul
and gentlemen Of distinction, who were at home on
every subject, and who made us acquainted with
everything in and about the Holy City. We exam
ineL with much attention the Church Of the Holy
Sepulchre and most of the ecclesiastical and other
public edifces-the walls Of the city, the different
gates the several valleys the numerous tombS, the
Mount of Olives, from which We had fine view of
the Dead Sea and the Jordan Also of the footprint
in the stone which tradition points out as the one
made by our Saviour at the time he assembled into
heaven We also attended the service of the several
churches on this Hill on the day Of Ascension, as
We were so fortunate as to be there at that time
The whole service an imposing and an interest
ing one. We visited Bethlehem and the Church of
the Nativity in that place. and also rode to Bethany
and saw the Tomb of Lazarus and the objects of in
terest in that most wretched place.
We received every mark of attention and respect
from the American and English residents in Jeri,sa-
lem, and our Consul, and will gratefully remember
their unwearied attention to us. We were invited
out to evening entertainments and everything they
could do to render visit agreeable was done by
them.
We left Jerusalem for Bethel on Thursday after
noon and encamped for the night within three miles,
of it Bethel is wretched town. a. are all the vii
lagos in the rural districts Their buildings consist
Of one room only, and part of that is given up to
their sheep and calves, for there are no barns OF
stables in the country. They have no meadows,
and consequently have no hay for their horses
Their grain is threshed out as as cut and con-
verted into -four by handMills grist mills turned
in most instances by horses. There arc some few
miserable gristms on the streams, but at this sea
son Of the year they are dry. cannot convey t.
you in this short note, the wretched condition o
the people The truth is the lands are held by tn,
government the people have nc interest in the sol
they cultivate. and they take pains to improve it
They sleep at this season of the year on the tops
their small edifices. have often seen father, moth
er, sisters brothers. of all ages and conditions cus
tered together around dish placed in their center
at nightal on the top Of their huts, satisfying the
appetites They would then lie down in that circl,
for the night They could not. if they would max,
themselves more comfortable dwellings, for there il
not any wood or timber in the country It is diff
cult to get stick large enough for horsewhip, I'm
less you cut it from an Olive-trec. But they have
superabundance of stones and rocks, from mountain
ridges to mountain ridges, so that in passing owe
the country you obliged literally to 20 frou
mountain top to mountain top over the most wretch
ed and miserable, and, must add, dangerous path
that you can conceive of in your vived imagination
will not attempt to describe them.
eproceeded from Bethel to Sychair and examr
ed with attention Jacobs Well and the Tomb Q
Joseph. both interesting objects. While at thi
books of Moses, kept with care at this place.
would not have been deprived of this pleasure o.
any account for whatever may be its date, it is n
doubt the Oldest copy now in existence.
From here We proceeded over some interminabl
stony mountain paths to Samaria. The view from
the site Of this old town is very imposing indeed
might say transeendently beautiful, for from tn
ruins of the gate, still standing its west side,
have fine view of the Mediterranean sea. Her
we counted hundreds of broken columns standin
in rows all around the site Ct the old town. an
thousands Of other broken parts of columns lyin
scattered al around No one can look upon such
scene, and fancy to himself that thousands Of age
ago it was inhabited by refined and intellectus
people. without painful emotions you feel as if 20
wanted to stop long enough to weep over the pas
We encamped that night some ten miles beyon
Samaxia, It . small village; We were in the run
districts, and if there was any honey or cows mil
to beg0t in this land of "milk and honey" on
would have supposed i. would be offered for sae bu
Ill We have for our tea is little goat or sheep
milk and have seen no honey any where in tn
land.
From this point we passed over similar mountai
ranges to Mount Tabor. We assembled it and too
our lunch upon its top. NE view is one Of tn