The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-08-24

turn from Constantinople when we were
there
We reached Damascus at 8 a. m, on a
boiling hot day, and Immediately taking
a guide, proceeded to "do up" the city
which contains 100000 inhabitants. Wei
cannot pretend to give any particulars,
except to say that we passed along the
"strcet called Straight, now little
crooked, and saw huge tree 40 feet in
circumference, said to have been co-eval
with st. Paul's time We took a donkey
and rode up the mountain side where we
could overlook the city, and it was there
it showed in it's glory. It is situated on.
an extensive plain in the midst OF varie-
gated groves of fruit-trees-olive, orange,
lemon, pomegranate, and other fruits in
cidental to the climate, which are irrigated
by the mountain stream PharphaT, which
is conducted through them by means of
aqueducts and channels The plain is
surrounded by lofty barren mountains.
The city contains but one hotel worthy
of the name, and that kept by an Arab.
Six D. m, was the starting hour Of the
diligence Our plan was to return TO
Stohrer about half way, then, taking a
dragomaD and horses, proceed to Balbec'
and return in time for the diligence Of
the following night. The agent of the
diligence, with whom we had some diff
Guilty to converse, was determined to
charge US full through fare for each half
of the route. and not until he found US
decidedly in earnest did he listen to our
protests. 1t may be imagined with what
facility our conversation was carried on,
when neither could understand word Of
the others language.
We had but one fellow passenger, and
he Greek. Sleep IN the diligence, go
ing up and down the mountains, was out
Of the question. At a. NJ, we reached
! Htnhrer and IN an aonr were of for Bal
bee, accompanied by a single Arab, arm
ed with a large revolver. We did not
know whether he intended to shoot u.s. as
we were to be several hours out Of the
reach Of human aid, except from travellers
or some wandering Bedou;n, but we took
our chances, and they were favorable
Our little revolver lay snug in the bottom
J # liCn pair E.
ford to burden ourself with it when we
paid an escort, our protection was his bus
mess.
Our route lay over plain two to five
miles wide, bounded on either side by
lofty barren mountains, on the SUBMITS
of which were lying numerous patches Of
snow. One half the distance the plain
was extensively cultivated, the other half
contained little vegetation. We passed
numerous Arabs armed with clubs, rifles
or revolvers, as customary there. At
/ daylight, the people were at work in
their harvest fields, shepherds were. abroad
with their focks of goats and sheep, and
herdsmen with their cattle, camels and
donkeys.. The grain is cut by hand with
small sickle, and carried away to the
thresh1ng floor, near a village, on the
backs of camels and donkeys Two Amer
lcan laborers with rake and cradle, would
cut and bind as much grain in an hour as
a dozen Arabs in whole day. They are
not lazy, but their labor is done by the
hardest process everything is hfted, roI
be transported, and carried on their own
backs, or on the backs of animals The
people live in villages, as is usual with
the rural population, near the foot Of the
mountains, and their towns presented a
more thrifty appearance than any we had
SEEN. The plains reminded us Of pastoral
and rural scenes Of old scripture times.
We saw, in imagination, the shepherd
boy David tending his focks and playing
his flute, Of which we have procured q
specimen. Boaz among his reapers, and
Ruth among the cleaners, while numer-
Gus flocks and herds were scattered over
the plains as far as we could see, and
prominent among them large herds OF
camels.3 cdt .9aw ah7 81 'aoaI aaoa@ +
We were highly favored BY the wealth
era cool and invigotating breeze, as
cool as could be expected in this climate
at mid day prevailing almost the entire
day. The latter half of the journey was