The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-08-01

GUS t1ocks of cattle, sheep and goats. The
darkness overlook us, but far away the glow
of the brush fires, kindled by the drivers of
the pack camels, cheered us on. They had
preceded us around the base of the noun
tain, and when we arrived the tents were
pitched and dinner was ready. Justice was
done to the hot soup, even though our souls
loathed this hsacy bread. The children of
Israel just here loathed "this light bread"
Mum. xxi, 5.
Our next objective point was Kadesh-
Barnea. In the morning we were instructed
by our conducting Sheik Arb, that we must
all keep close together, as there was an old
feud between the Petra tribe and the tribe
through which we were about to pass
Two and ahalf hours brought US to the
Arabah, and then for the whole day our
course lay northwesterly across it. We
met but few Arabs, but the whole plain
was dotted with their black encampments,
their camels with their young ones, their
goats and sheep grazing. My boy, Suleim,
always ready for some mischief, came near
getting into scrape with strange Be-
douin. l missed him for awhile, and soon
after saw him at distance in a wrangle.
He had slipped off, and finding matronly
camel whose distended bag was inviting, he
had refreshed himself with dinner of milk
at the expense of the little colt camel, and
this had called down upon him the wrath
of the boy who was tending the tiecks.
The Arabah is very level, of loamy soil,
and not very fertile. The sterility is from
want of water. 1t is one of the largest
and most varied valleys in the world, ex-
tending from Antioch on the Mediterranean
to the Gulf Akabah. Formerly it was sup
posed that the Dead Sea once flowed
through it to the Red Sea, but now it is
agreed that its bed is too far above the level
of the sea for it ever to have been its chan
mel. Several mirages. looking like lakes of
water, with trees growing in them, fitted
before US during the day.
That evening, from a little hill by our
camp, l looked back toward Edom; its
peaks, glowing in the crimson sunset,
formed marked contrast with the soft
haze of the white limestone cliffs of the Tih
which we had now approached. Here was
Ain Weibeh, the supposed kadesh- Barnea
of Scripture. From this point the spies
passing up in disguise through Moab, Am
mon, ETC., and striking across to the north
ernmost part Of Palestine, came down
through the land, and from Hebron, the
Valley of Eshchol, bore the grapes, and SO
brought them verbal and tangible report of
the country. Here Israel made his fatal
choice, and falling through unbelief, failed
of the promise. They rsbelled; Gods de-
cision was made against their entrance;
they, the day after, repented, but it was
too late-henceforth wanderings and deaths
in the wilderness. At present there are
four walls or springs at Ain Weibeh-a
small one with offensive water, another
whose water is comparatively sweet, an
other larger one with good water, and still
another whose water is sulphurous. The |
whole immediate vicinity is springy, and |
overgrown with reeds, flags and bushes.
There is no rock near by which could cor
IcSpOuu Will Ouo W WulCh NlOoCS W do Coul-
manded to speak to obtain water. The
rock might have been at some distance, and |
the water have flowed down the valley.
A days journey brought US near the
pass of Sufuh, the name which corresponds
so we'll with Tephath, the Scriptural name
of the place where the children of Israel
having attempted to force passage into
the land after Moses told them God would |
not 90 with them, were driven back by the |
Amoritcs. A dreary ride, indeed, and the
pass one of the most difficult in all our
journeyings. 1t was as much as our camels |
could do to get over the mountain with
their burdens. But that evening, amid
luxuriant flowers, we camped within the
boardcrs of the goodly land, on the edge of
the Nyeb or south country, at a little place
called Kurmel, the ancient Thawarah.-
Here were extensive ruins, the remains,
probably, Of the Roman and Christian
period. Travelling was now a luxury as
the next day we wendell our way through |
fragrant fields. Touching at the ancient
Aroer, to whose people David in his day
had left portion of the spoils of the
Amalekites, after the raid upon Ziklag, now
only valley of green, and thence skirting
Milh jMolahah), mere heap of stones,
pausing by its old deep wells, which must
have been dug in patriarchal days. These
wells were about forty feet deep, walled up
with limestone in the most substantial
manner. The water is drawn mp by cords
attached to earthen pots, and | measured
grooves cut in the stones by the friction
of the cords four and six inches deep
The valley in which we were now is the
same which runs westerly to Beersheba and
on to GAIA. There under our eyes were
occurring just such scenes as took place
when Abraham passed up and down
through the plain as he could find pasture
for his flocks. That night, tented in a
deep glen not far from the ancient Tell
Arad. In the morning the ground was
covered with heavy dew, the first we had
seen. A hard climb through the pass
Taiyibeh, several hilltops turned, and 10,
the Mosque of Modena, Ell khulil or He
bron, is in view We lunched under the
shadow of Kurmel, the ancient Carmel,
where the churl Nabal lived and died and
David found the fair Abigail. Early in the
afternoon we were encamped at Hebron,
with more than pisions of fresh bread,
oranges, and habitations. Not without a
pang we said goodbye to our camels and
Bedouin. After thirty-six days we were
out of the Desert.-The Methodist.
THE BENEFITS OF CAMPING OUT.
The best article in Lippincotts Magazine
for August is the one on "The Camp