Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-03-27
The Country West of Jerusalem,
On the Road from Jaffa to }
Jerusalem. Feb. | 1865

vent, in the monks cells-beds tri-
fie softer than white oak planks; bed
fellows more plentiful and nimble
than agreeable, horses trampling in
the stable beneath, donkeys sound
ing their trumpets, dogs barking, late
travellers pounding at the gate acon-
pany ofpilgrims bound for Jerusalem
streaming through the town, shouting
and singing, waking up every cur;
jackals bowling in the fields, muleteers
telling stories, monks drawling their
prayers-a medley and succession OF
sounds distracting to weak-nerves,
and breakfast exactly like lastnight's
S'-ryD~~
IN THE SADDLE.
Getting clear of the begging rabble
around the convent door, and gaining
the plain of Sharon, we strike north to
| LYDIA, then across the country south
east, heading toward Jerusalem. While
thus riding, we may take a look at
this wonderful land, which has played
such a part in human affairs. Egypt
is older; Assyria has been mightier
in arms; Greece and Rome have had
greater advancement in arts; but
this land of Palestine has welded
wider influence than either Of those
old nations.
1t is but small territory-a mere
patch on the earth's Surface-a little
larger than the State of Connecticut,
halfas large as New Hampshire. This
road over which we are riding, from
Jaffa back to the mountains, is at near
" the ancient boundary between Pal
estine and Philistia. Behind, half way
from Jafa to Ramleh, is a little cluS-
ter of houses, which was known in the
time ofSamson as the House of Dagon.
This plain, yellow with daises and
decked with scarlet anemOnes, reach
ing away toward the south, the noun
tains bounding it eastward, is the land
of the PhiliStines.
Go back a little in history, to the
time when Abraham came inCo the
land, 3708 years ago-according to
chronologists. This plain was popu-
lous then-descendents of Ham, sons
of Canaan, h oldihg it-powerful
enough a little later to wage war
with Egypt, to gain possession of
the throne of the Pharaohs. The
Philistines Gt is supposedly were
the shepherd kings who reigned from
the time of Abraham till after Joseph
) was sold into Egypt.
This plain has been at once the high
way and the war path of the nations.
Up and down tiio plain mighty or-
mics have marched-Egyptians to the
Euphrates, ASsyrianS and PersianS
to the Nile. What journeys they
took to smash each others heads
Look moment at the map and trace
the war path-up from Babylon north
west along the Euphrates 500 miles
rounding the northern end Of the
great Arabian desert, turning then
southeast, coming down past DamaS
Gus, over hills and valleys, across this
plain over the desert south of Philistia
on to the Nile-1200 miles from home
!. Taking events in chronological or
der, we see first a caravan of Arabs
swarthy sons of the desert-with cam
elS,coming down from the north, bounC
for Egypt with spices and gums. They
have just purchased a likely young
y slave-a lad of II, whose home is il
> Hebron, 20 miles south of Jerusalem
where his father, an old man, is living
They purchased the tair-featured bo,
in Dothan, of his unnatural brethren
4 That caravan almost to certaint,
!. came along this very road which w
:, are travelling, between Ramleh anC
d LYDIA, 1897 years ago.
:, PHILISTIA.
An hours ride south would carry u
= into the country of the Philistines, tn
old enemies of Israel. Had we take
@ our route along the sea-shore, south 0
TT Jaffa, we should have passed throug
Ashdod and Askelon to GAIA, an
were we from this point to strik
southwark, we should soon reach Ell
r. ron, Gath and Timnath.
10 We see the armies of Israel, unde
in Joshua, coming down across our patl
taking possession of all the plain, an
then, as the years roll by, the Phil;
tines recovering all their territory
y Three hundred years later, in ia
I B. c., we hear of man in the littl
= town of Zara, a short distance sout
90, of us-a man of long heir and migi
N n, ty strength, who fell in love with
ut young girl in Timnath. There is n
e: e: need to 60 into the details of wha
'st followed that love atfair-how he xii
ed hon-how a few days afte
= while going to bring home his brid
he found swarm of bees in the ca
. cass, by the roadSide-how he though
n out a riddle which all hands trie
n, their best to guess at the weddir
mt feast-how he went down to Askelo
PSs .Sse and slew thirty Philistines, and no
a as a little later he caught three hundre
' foxes, fastened lighted torches to the
tails, and let them loose among tt
r wheat fields of his enemies, settir
l. all the plain in flames, burning up tt
ST. wheat stacks, and the v1neyards-ho
IS! the Philistines, in revenge, burne
ing his wife-how he paid them back wi
md nd the jaw bone of an ass, welded it
'y; if it were sword, cutting down
yer regiment of men, and all the rest {
,id dG- the wonderful story, which every boz
,ox knows by heart-his carving off L