The Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1870-1875, 1870-11-24

Aak4 81 nA&As A4Ns b We ~ ~
layed there few minutes,
svinced more oheerfulness and dispo-
sitiOn TO be soolable than any unedu-
dated Mussalmans we had net.
After leaving the volcanic ro+ks
We again struck cretaceous limestone,
which there formed the whole upper
strata, as also az Mount Tabor, al
though the volcanic rocks have been
erupted to the surface at its foot.
AS we assembled the hill from Ilbo-
rias and looked back, the prospect
was very fne. The Hill Of Beatliudes,
by many supposed TO be the LOCALITY
I of the Sermon on the Mount, stooo
on our left, gilded By the beams OF the
morning sun. Here also the valiant
remnant of the Christian host, in llol
| took their stand and made their last
unsuccessful struggle. To the right the
1 site Of CapernRuRl, as also the point
/ at which the Jordan enters the Lake
/ of Gennesareih, aud unto Lebanon,
| beyond the Jordan, were ell visible.
| Safed, " the city set upon hill, was
seen later, IN the distance, and Inc
valley springing beneath our feet,
rich whenever aud wherever water
reaches 1t, naturally or artlheialiy,
sped on TO the foot OF
TABOR.
About anehour brought as to the
level part, near the summit; aud. af
lar camping close 70 the Greek Con
/ vent. ne assembled 10 the highest
neal. and enjoyed the magnificent
nrosDect. as the sun sank beneath the
westerp mountains. Standing on the
rims of massive masonry, with deep
moat beneath our feet, we now added
Mount Gilboa to the prospect preVi-
ously epjoyed; and as the solemn
tones of the vesper bell called the
monks to prayer, we could not but
confess that Tabor seemed to have
high claims, as regards its seclusion
and elevation, to being considered the
spot selected by our Savior
for his TRANSPORTATION. The Lat.
ms are about to build a memorial
church near the Greek convent, and
the materials are already being col
/ lected; the limestone on the top fur
nishes the rock, and is burned also in
to lime. Numerous hardy oaks grow
on Tabor's slope, as we'll as other
trees and shrubs, as the holly AMI
Usage orange; but for the roofs Of the
buildings no timber is needed; arches
are sprung over the various chapels.
rooms &c, the inequalities filed in
with small rock, and the whole plas-
tered to nearly level with water tight
cement, the side walls rising high
enough to make walking or sleeping
on the roof not only secure but Sc
cluded.
Descending to the plain Of Esdra-
elon. we found good sell, lacking only
some rain to produce abundantly;
and rode, even dry as it was, amid
] acres of the palma christi and cotton
/ plant, besides thistles and wild India.
The volcanic rocks continued to the
foot of Little Hermon, most of which,
as nearly as could be judged without
ascending it, seemed cretaceous lime
stone. Near here we distinctly saw
Endor, where Saul consulted the
witch; but as there are only few
novels we did not visit it.
Passing Main on our right, We stop
ped for lunch in lemon orchard close
to Shunem. Judging from the poor
hut and the ragged appearance of the
owner and his family, the lemon crop
did not seem to have been very profit
able; and at this place more than any
other on cur whole route, the Arabs
crowded round as In numbers and
endeavored to handle the gun, pistols,
books, 60. which had been placed
near US while eating. Usually they
are grave and distant, squattiDg near
| Won and simply IookiBs on, br4o here
they were so troublesome, that we
we're compelled to leave before our
ordinary rest of an hour and half.
Main, it will be remembered, is the
point at which our Lord restored the
widows son to life, and Shunem, the
spot where the pious woman con.
strueted little room for Elisha, and
where he also recalled to life her
only son, after his death from sun
stroke. Riding through this hot
plain, even on the Sd of November,
we could readily appreciate how OPP
pressive il must have been TO the r0or
lad in harvest time, and rejoiced when
the rising ground about JeZebel gave
US little more air. Here we locked
back at the plain, and fancied we
could see Jehu dashing along in his
chariot, to accomplish the destruc.
ton of Ahab and Jeze5el, pausing
at Gilboa to think of Saul and JON
athan. We campod, early in the af-
ternoon, in Jsnia, or Enganium, un-
der the thorDy protection of a touch
me not cactus hedge.
SAMARIA.
After leaving JANA, We travelled
nearly due south over cretaceous
limestone and through numerous
villages and olive orchards. The
fruit being chiefly ripe, swarthy
Syria Arabians were here and
there busy beating the tWigs with
light poles; sometimes one of a peas
ants oldest boys might be seen up in
the tree shaking down the fruit, while
the family, in tow linen shirts, like
those formerly worn by the negroes
in the Southern States, was busy
gathering the olives, for sale and
home use. The oil is used for burn
ing, and the olive seems to be eaten
with as much satisfaction as European
children would exhibit over bread
and butter, for which indeed it is often
the substitute. Nevertheless in the
villages they bake q large amount of
bread, such rs it is, black and sour;
In the towns it is usually good. They.
have at least as many ovens as they
have huts, and keep apparently al
ways a large supply of brushwood on
hand, even if nothing else is provided
the women frequently bringing it in,
as already remarked, on their heads.
If the distance is great, it Is
piled on donkeys. Large auanti-
ties Of manure are also spread out to
dry in the sun, to be employed after.
wards, as the buffalo chips are on the
plains. in order to make small fres
for culinary purposes. The houses
and ovens can sometimes scarcely be
distinguished from one another; and
some villages, where the conical
architecture of mud is adopted, might
pass, at distance. for great African
ant hills, judging from the represent.
ations of the latter. Another pecu-
lIaTity noticed in this and adjoining
regions, was the arrangement for
bees. A number of crooks seemed TO
be laid, mouth outwards, in layers of
mud, and so placed above each other
as to form. quite a sociable COM
munIty. Tho honey is abundant but
usually has beeuIiar flavor from the
admixture of an herb.
Ascending mountain on our route
to the city of Nablus or Sheohem, we
could see the Mediterranean, and de-
scended to take our lunch, the first
meal in the Province of Samaria.
I reaching hv the middle NJ s,e uets-