Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1860-01-12
THURSDAY, JANUARY IL, 1860.


on. An hour or two suficed to bring us
into the mountains of Judea, which sep
arate the plain from the valley of Jordan
and the Dead Sea. The ascent is steep,
the mountains being mass or system irreg-
ular and almost unrelieved by valleys. In
fact, all of Palestine, including the site of
Jerusalem and the scenes of Scripture his,
tory, consist of these mountains, except
the beautiful plain Of Sharon, which lies
between them and the Mediterranean Sea.
Ten weary hours we toiled in making our
way up these mountains to find tho HOLY
City. Reaching the summit of one, we
descended it only to ascend another still
higher, and the roads often sharp, steep.
stone stair-ways, which only trained ami
NAL can ascend or descend safely. Nor have
you ever seen any such mountain scenes.
Gardens, fields, trees, plants and shrubs
disappear, chalky rocks lie heaped on heaps
no house, no habitation of man or beast, no
verdurc, except here and there a shepherd,
armed with his reed, and his dog and his
flock of sheep and goats, which extract
some juices from the roots of this stuntcd
vegetation. Then once in long way We
find ravine, where water is detained
during the dry season, and here are small
fields and gardens, but the general and al
most exclusive aspect Of the scene is one
Of desert and desolation
We found a ruined village on high
eminence, be lring the name of Latroum
The legends Of the Christians say that it
took its name from the fact that it was the
home of the maleiactor who suffered death
with the Saviour, and was pardoned by
him on the cross, Further on | descended
into the valley Of jeremiah, which is held
to have been the birth place Of the Proph-
ct who most touchingly struck the cords of
the hearts OF his earnest and devotional
countrymen. Descending the next noun
tain L found caves and seemingly tombs in
hamlet which contains perhaps half
dozen families, but the ruins of many hab-
itatlons. This is the village of Kamatha,
the birthplace Of Samuel, and the place
where he received the sublime call Of
God, and [ almost fancied that | stood over
the cave Of the witch of Endor, when she
called up the dead at the entreaty Of Saul
[ walked through the brook, now all dried
up, where David took the five pebbles to
supply the sling with which he had con-
quered the Giant of the Philistines.
did not refuse to believe when they told
me | was now in the valley where Abraham
dwelt with his family and focks, and now
on the summit Of the mountain where the
sun was stopped in his course at the COM
mand of Joshua, to prolong the battle
which was to result in the victory of the
people Of Israel.
1t was a weary journey through sad
and mournful land, relieved by an occas-
ional rest under the shade of a rock or of
a solitary olive tree, for Jerusalem seemed
to be myth-eYer promised but unattain-
able-when we reached at last at four
o'clock the summit of hill higher than
all that we passed, and right before me on
the rocky plain, at distance Of a mile,
stood the Holy City. 1t was not the an
cient Jerusalem, not vast metropolis, not
even medieval city like Rome, but
modern built town of small circuit, inclos-
ed with a graceful military wall, and sur
mounted with a citadel, towers, steeples,
and monuments beautiful to look upon, but
disappointing all the conceits | had form
ed in regard to its aspect,
Filled with veneration for it by its won
derful history, and expecting to find its sa-
cred monuments everywhere speaking their
own great explanations, [ could not con-
sent to enter it rashly and rudely. [ dis
mounted and sat down upon rock sur
rounded by tombs, and contemplated the
scenes [ was about to enter, under the fa-
vor of the declining sun. We dismissed
our equipage and walked slowly on, passing
by half the city to find a gate in the wall.
The road, like all | had travelled, was only
a camePs path over loose stones and fixed
rocks, up and down, but at length we found
the hole in the wall, Turkish sentinels on
guard, and narrow, low, vulgar, rough
street, through the middle of which, along
the gutter, we made our way, jostling now
against horses, asses, camels, Turks, Arabs,
Jews, Christians, all differing from each
other in costume and address, but all equal
ly outre and bizarre, while the voices, cries,
disputes and contentious of a crowded pop
ulation, added to the confusion Of the scene.
This was Christian street, but street
that no Christian of any civilized state
would own. A fairer town without than
Jerusalem | never saw, barer town with
in | hope never to see.
Aea-,A little ragged urchin, begging in