The Cecil Whig., 1875-05-01
AROUND THE DEAD SEA.

Rev. II. B. Ridgaway gives some Dead
Sea travels in The Methodist:
Our course from Nebo was southeast, by
several Bedouin camps and through numer-
GUS tiocks in sight Of Medaba. to Main,
the Baal Neon, or Beth Neon of Scripture.
This was one of the heights of Baal, and
to this point Balak brought Balaam after
Balaam had met him at Arnon, the borders
of his kingdom, that thence he might see
and curse Israel. The original name was
Baal Neon. There are ruins covering a
square mile, embracing four hills. They
are of the same order-arches, broken
columns and walls, cisterns, &C., and moth
ing perfect. We moved off leisurely in
the direction of Macharus, (Mkaur,) and
were making the top of the first high hill,
when four or five mounted Bedouins were
seen galloping after us, and soon in close
conversation with our sheik. We had
entered the territory of the Hamidehs
without employing them as guides. All
the tribes demand the exclusive right to
conduct travellers through their own bor-
ders; and this tribe was resisting the right
of Zadam, cf the Beni Sakk'rs, to take US
through their domain. The Benz Sakk'rs
are powerful tribe and the Hamidehs
weak one; and here, as in more civilized
countries, might is right, and the Benz
Sakk'rs assume the right to conduct travel
ers simply because they are able to enforce
it. We knew nothing Of the conflict of
interest, and could not at first understand
the parley. We were told that unless we
paid one hundred napoleons they would
cut off every mans head. Our sheik re-
monstrated, but as he had no force with
him, he said we would turn back, but that
he should return and "cut every one of
their heads off, We and our whole pack
train were ordered back. AS the young
sheik turned about an old man of Hami-
dehs caught him by the girdle and implored
him not to go. After we had gone short
distance they came galloping after us, pro-
posing other terms .again we refused, and
continued our retreat, and now they came
proposing to allow us to move on for t5,
and that they would present the Beake
(the Consult with a mare. We declined,
and they then fell back to four napoleons.
We said they had insulted US and we should
give them nothing: but finally our drago-
man promised to give it, and so we wheeled
about and resumed our journey. Some
thought that Goblan had put this people
t,,t tj,a inc, ptharS bat If a trick
of Zadam to make US pay additional buck
sheesh, when he should have shared his
bucksheesh with them. In principle the
Hamidehs were right, though their manner
was wrong. 1t is, however, Arab style.
Once in their territory, and we found them
an inoffensive and obliging people.
The first point of interest in our course
was plateau from which we could look
down the Wady Zerka- Main, in which the
hot sulphur springs of Callirhoe are located.
Turning to the left we came upon the site
of Attarus, the ancient Ataroth, another
pile Of shapeess ruins, where did not see
even an arch. At the foot of the ruins
grows handsome terebinth, wood cut of
which is to be seen in Tristram's Land of
Moab. Near by is Jebel Attarus, from the
summit of which is grand view of the
Dead Sea and regions beyond. This was
once claimed as Nebo; but it is too far
south, as Mt. Gilead is too far north, to
merit any consideration. We turned aside
to see Kureiyat, supposed to be the ancient
herioth, or Kiriathaion-only heaps of
stone. Returning across Attarus, and rid
ing about two hours, we found our camp
pitched on the edge of Mt. kaur. 1t was
| vet early in the afternoon, and SO we at
once scanned the ruins of the town-about
the same story-and descended" the hill
across an intervening valley for about one
mile, till we came to the castle of Macharus.
| Here was high and steep truncated cone.
! Following what was the old approach to
the castle, we clambered up the sides of
| the hill and found the summit a round
plateau about one hundred yards in diane
ter. The hill had evidently been filled up
and tattened at the top like the celebrated
Frank mountain near Bethlehem, in which
the Crusaders made their last stand in
| Palestine. The whole summit was covered
with the castle, the wall of decentralization,
which is yet to be clearly traced, and one
or two other remains, cistern and two
depressions. of one of which the masonry
is yet partially preserved. This castle was
built by Herod the Great, and was one of
his favorite resorts when availing himself
of the hot baths in the Zurka Main
Josephus tells us that John the Baptist
was imprisoned and beheaded here, and
those walled depressions we took to be, in
all probability, the prison in which he was
confined. In addition to the main castle
were outer Notifications, extending on the
same narrow ridge toward the Dead Sea.
The position must have been a strong one
for defense, and the castle is known to have
figured prominently in various wars. For
situation, it is superb. The mountains
about are highly picturesque-the Dead
Sea, the wilderness of Judea Jerusalem
and Bethlehem, are full in view. Here
Herod could revel in sight Of the walls and
domes of his capital. regard the sulphur
springs of Callirhoe as one of the greatest
natural wonders in the world.
A ride-if part ride and part walk and
another part slide can be called ride-of
one hour and ahalf brought us to the bot
tom of Wady Zurka- Main. We soon struck
in the descent rocks which looked as though
of volcanic origin. Whether the base rock
of the hills was of volcanic origin or not,
they were encrusted with sulphurous ashes,
and in some instances large masses of sui
phurous cinders were to be seen. We
could see no smoke-in the Winter smoke
may be seen; but it is clear that there have
been at times great eruptions from these
springs. How far the burning liquid and
ashes may have extended we could not tell.
There are traces of sulphur at many points
on the Sea, and on the west side some
cepious springs. The side of the north
mountain of the Callirhoe is of sandstone