Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-06-28
FROM JERUSALEM AND ATHENS.


Modes of Travel, &c.
We are kindly permitted by lady
friend and reader of the CHRONICLE to
make some extracts from an exceedingly
interesting letter, written by a gentleman
formerly of this city, now travelling in the
East.-[EDs. CHRONICLE
JERUSALEM, April o, 1871.
We landed at Alexandria the 10th of
March, spent day there, and then nine
days at Cairo. / found the latter city eX-
tremely interesting 1t Is one of the larg
est and most characteristic of Oriental cit
les, much more so than 1 had supposed
Indeed, as soon as / had landed in Egypt
| found that / was in a new world. The
difference between that country and Eu-
rope is far greater than between Europe
and America, not only i'm the language,
but also in the appearance and customs of
the people, in all their ways of living and
working. 1t was like being transported
to the land of the Arabian Nights. We
visited the Pyramids, of course, and the
other places of interest in the vicinity,
but found inexhaustible entertainment
in the city itself, with its Mosques, its
Bazars, its wonderfully picturesque mar
row streets and endless variety of street
scenes. We took a sail down the great
Suez Canal, on leaving the country, and
the 18th of March saw us in Jaffa or
Joppa. About four o'clock the next day
we made our entry into Jerusalem by the
Damascus Gate.
We have been to the top of the Mount of
Olives four times and to Bethany twice,
and if | should go on and give list of the
places have visited, as the Valleys of the
Kidron and of Hinnom, Gethsemanc, the
Pools of Sloan and Bethesda, Mount
Zion, Mount Moriah, where the Temple
stood, (now the sacred enclosure of the
Mohammedans, with the Mosque Of Omar
in its CENTER the Via Dolorosa, the church
of the Holy Sepulchre, with its host of
sacred spots Gf one could only believe
them genuine to say nothing of the walls
and gates of the city, and the multitude
of ancient tombs all about, the list would
not be very satisfactory as description of
Jerusalem, coming from one who is on the
ground, but IL may serve to show you that
L am enjoying myself We are here at
just the right time as it is the Holy Week
and Jerusalem is full of pilgrims of
the various Christian sects from all
parts of the world so that we see an end
less variety of faces and costumes. There
are also many special ceremonies, as the
carrying of palm branches on Palm Sun
day, the washing of the feet (of the Bish-
ops or Elders) by the Patriarchs of the
Latin and Creek Churches, and various
Others
But we have not only seen Jerusalem !;
we have alsohad some experience in Pales-
tine travel. Last Monday we followed
the throng of pilgrims to the Jordan, GO
ing "down from Jerusalem to Jericho"
with our dragoman and tents. We had
armed guards for our protection, as there
is still danger of failing among thieves"
We looked at the site of ancient Jericho
and then encamped at Gilgal, where the
Israelites had their first encampment after
crossing the Jordan. The host of pilgrims
were also there with their tents. The
next morning we went down to the Jor-
Aar anh oxyt lima hot ha hon
journeyed to the Dead Sea and took a bath
ourselves, returning to Jerusalem by the
way of Marsaba and Bethlehem. The
journey occupied three days, and we had
to be from five to eight hours in the saddle
each day. 1t is generally considered diff
ficult excursion, even for experienced
riders, but we were fortunate enough to
have unusually cool weather. and l came
off with very little fatigue at the end.
Since returning to Jerusalem we continue
to live in our tent, which is pitched just
outside the walls. l enjoy tent-lie very
much. We have good dragoman, cook
of our own, who travels with us with a
separate tent, of course,) and we live quite
as well and have nearly as many OF the
conveniences and comforts of life as we
should in hotel, along with the romance
of migratory and patriarchal life. To-
morrow we take up our tents and journey
southwark TO Hebron, and expect to en-
camp with Abraham on the Plains OF
Mamre or in the Valley of Eshcol We
shall return to Jerusalem Tuesday night
and then start on our long journey norh-
ward, across the country to Beyrout.
ATHENS, May 10th.
This second part of my letter, which
must also be brief, will write from place
of some historical interest and one from
which you have not often probably had
letters. The journey through Palestine
from Jerusalem to Beyrout by way OF
Bethel, Shiloh, Shechem, Samaria, Tibe-
rias. Sea of Galilee, Mt. Tabor, Nazareth
Carmel and a host of other places with ia
miliar and sacred names, was successfully
accomplished, and / certainly need not say
it was one of the most interesting and de
lightful journeys that / ever made. Travel
in Palestine has its slight Inconvenience
it is true, but they are nothing i'll compare
son with its pleasures, at least, to one who
is interestedin the Bible. for il makes, one
might almost say, an entirely new book o
that. Although there is very little of the
ancient cities left, even in the way oi
ruins, still the general features of the couu-
try. of course, remain the same and it j,
wonderful too how little change has
taken place in the ways of the people.
From Beyrout we took French steamer
on the eth of A pril and sailed along tho
coast of Asia Minor, Gin st. Paul's track
to Smyrna, where we staid three days ant
then came across the Archipelago 10 Attn
ems. We had excellent weather all the
way and interesting scenery, with quits