The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-06-24
Tho Jordan and the Dead Sea.
BY DIR. HURST.

The journey to the Jordan and the Dead
Sea requires about five days, provided you
extend it-as it should by all means be
done-to Bethlehem and Hebron. 1t is an
excursion on which one needs company
perhaps more than any other in Palestine,
both for the purposes of companionship and
safety; for you have to pass through a
most desolate and dispiriting region, and
the Bedouins lose no opportunity to way
lay travellers when they have any reason
able hope of escape. was, therefore, very
glad to learn that two gentleman at our
hotel-the Rev. DR.. G. E. Boardman, of
Philadelphia, and congenial layman of
the same city, DR.. Darby-were proposing
to start at tho same time that had deter
mined on, and we accordingly arranged to
make the tour together. At the appointed
hour, our dragoman George announced
horses, tents, provisions, and everything
else ready. We went out of the Jaffa gate,
and wound around the north side of the
old wall, leaving to our left the hill on
which the Romans encamped, and from
which they besieged and took the city
We crossed the now dried brook Kidron,
and, after gradually ascending one of the
outer slopes of the Mount of Olives, found
ourselves i'll Bethany. They will show you
almost anything you ask for there, and so
beautifully has tradition dealt with this
place, that you will be led to the top of the
house in which Mary and Martha lived,
and down a slippery and break-neck stone
way into tie tomb of Lazarus.
inquired of some of tho villagers who
stood around if any children there were
called by either of these three names, and
learned in reply that there was one child in
the place called Martha, but none who had
the name of Mary or Lazarus. Bethany
must impress every one who is attracted to
this country by an interest in sacred assO-
Citations for it was the favorite home Of
up the very rocky hill from Jerusalem which
he assembled every evening, in order to
escape from the hustle and distraction Of
the city by seeking tho society of the little
domestic circle at Bethany. There is one
point in the approach to Jerusalem from
Bethany where the whole city breaks sud-
denly upon the eye going eastward, as We
were, we as suddenly lost sight of it
Here it would seem certain that Christ, the
temple and the city starting as by magic
before him, wept over it and uttered his
lamentation for its sins. Down this very
way he was surrounded by the multitude
as he made his triumphal entry into Jeru-
salem, and on either side of these still bald
rocks stood the people, who cried: "Ho-
sauna to the Son of David y How could
l help thinking, as my horse was slowly
picking his way up tho rocky activity, and
occasionally stumbling over tho loose stones
that no hand ever casts out of the path, Of
the memorable words: 81 tell you, that if
these should hold their peace, the stones
would Immediately cry out ?'
After passing Bethany and group of
houses which George said was Bethpage-
though the critics tell US this latter place
has not been identified-the country became
wild, desolate, even more hilly than before.
1t was one vast and unrelieved scene of
riven rocks. DR.. Olin says truly The
mountains seem to have been loosened from
their foundations, and rent to pieces by
some terrible convulsion, and then left to
be soathod by the burning rays of the SUM-
Yet what history has this region! Over
our worn pathway through the rocks Christ
had passed it was the "desert" where
he was tempted where John the Baptist
spent his solitary hours where Elijah was
fed by the ravens during the famine in Pal.
ostine. On gaining the top of the noun
tain range, the Jordan Valley, the Dead
Sea, and the long and regular Moabite
mountains beyond, with Nebo and Pisgah
easily distinguishable, came suddenly into
view. had seen all this from the top OF
Olivet, but for once tho nearness gave
euchantment to the view, and could hardly
wait for my horse to find his way down the
| sides of the abyss at whose bottom the
brook Cherith still murmurs its way Jor
danward.
Our guard of two soldicas, who hat
joined us near Bethany, acted as if appre
hensive of danger, and kept sharp lool
out. have since seen that these two fel
lows were great towards, and have no ques
ton whatever that they would have takel
flight at the first appearance of mounted
Bedouins. They stayed with us two days
and their timidity was no welcome ingre
dent in our cup. Last year, an American
family were robbed near this place, ant
the guard made flight as fast as their Aral
horses could carry them.
CAMPING AT JERICHO.
On reaching tho base of tho mountain
and fording the Chcrith, VIC came to fe,
mounds, all there is left Of old Jericho
The desolate appearance of the broad plai
stretching to the Jordan, only relieved b.
these sepulchral mounds, is comment enoug
on the prophecy: "Curscd be the ma
before the Lord that riseth up and buildetl
this city Jericho" Just beside the Cher
it'll, stopped my horse to pluck few O
the Dead Sea apples. They drop to piece
in the hand under only slight pressure
they arc about the size of large walnut
and of yellow color. They look very muc
like the small yellow tomato that VIC hav
in America. The tree was some twelv
feet high, and the fruit, at distance
looked as if it might DO delicious. On