The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-01-17
A WHEELING PILGRIM.
Deacon Stone in the Holy Land.
Description Of a Journey From Jerusalem to
the Dead Sea and the Jordan.
JERUSALEM, October o5lb, ISIS,

the Dead Sea OF three days, to start at
O'Clock A. NJ. Wednesday, November 14th
As going down from Jerusalem to the
Dead Sea, descending over 1900 feet to.
wards the center otgravltation, and !, $50
feet below the level OF the Mediterranean,
we were notified that It would be neces.
sary for US to make due preparations fol
not only heated journey on the way, but
for greater heat in the great valley be.
low, and cautioned us, as far as possible,
to cover up our black hats and clothing as
Jerusalem is not the best market in the
world, excepting for high price, and rs we
did not exactly like to turn our shirts on
the outside, we did the next thing to It.
We each purchased yard and half Of
bleached muslin, and dressed our hats so
as to cover the whole dark surface, brim
included, and gathered It behind 80 that
a long white curtain like sun bonnet ex.
tended back over the shoulders and back,
and then, each. further protected by large
umbrella, we mounted our steeds, and at 0
O'Clock, instead Of s, we marched out Of
Jaffa Gate-and across the head OF the val i
ley Of Gihon through a most miserable
pathway amid the loose lime rock. We
started across the Valley Of Rephaim, our
guide termed it the plain of Bethlehem,
which is a small, comparatively, level
tract Of ground on the sides OF the hills OF
Judea. And here may as well stop to
give some definition of terms" that are
often used in travel in Palestine and Syria.
Almost every level or comparatively level
piece Of ground, whatever may be its ex-
tent, is called plain. Some Of these are
simply the level bottoms OF deep gorges or
mountain tracts; others arc fields on the
tops Of high mountain ranges, while 9TH
ers still are vast pGmp1S, or real plains, ex-
tending for day, orseveral day journey.
Valleys are what we would term in Amer
lea deep gulches or ravines, that some
times are so steep on their siCes Us to be
difficult OF ascent. All springs OF wafer,
even though you have 10 dig some dis
lance to obtain them, are fountains. Well the
plain OF Bethlehem is one OF these noun
tain levels, Our caYalCade consisted Of
ten horses for tho party to the Jordon,
two for the guard, who were Shieks armed
for battle-one for our Dragoman, Ber-
nard Heilpurn, and one for our Factotum,
Abon Hasson, who brought up the rear
and carried water and lunch for the party
The balance OF the train, with tent equip
page, luggage, camp tools, beds, bedding,
etc., went by a different route, and was
under the especial conduct Of Rolla Floyd,
the genial agentf for Cook particsin Pales-
tine, and consisted Of ten mule and donkey
loads.
We went out on the direct road to Beth
lehem and Hebron, and what was once the
great road of travel from Jerusalem to
Egypt But nowadays happy is the man
who can keep astride his horse while he
picks his way among the rocks. After an
hours travel We pass the Pool OF the Wise
Men, where, tradition says, they discovered
the lost star that had been their guide from
the East. Tradition says while they tar
ried here TO drink they saw the light Of the
star rejecting on the water Of the pool. A
few hundred feet further on We were
shown the rock OF Elijah. on which he
rested and slept when fleeing from Jeze-
bel. 1t is needless to say that there is a
large depression in the rock, showing
where the prophet lay. On hill near by,
the Greeks have built a convent called
"Iar Elias" , ts''q77-" 81
forgotto say we were pointed out the
identical tree on which Judas hanged him
self, on the hillside, after crossing the Val
ley Of Gihon. 1t is near the boundary line
between Judah and Benjamin. = -, il
Aiterleaving the Rock OF Elijah We come
10 the tomb OF Rachel. 1t is small, mod
ern building with O dome. This, We were
informed, was the veritable place; so ac-
knowledged by Christians, Greeks and
Moslems, where Jacob buried the idol OF
his heart. Here Benoni, asshe called him,
but Benjamin, was born. The affecting
story may be read in Gen. IS, 10 To 20, also
Gen. IS, I. Here the direct road to Beth
lehem bears. to the, left, but we take the
right, and passing near Belt Jala, The resi-.
dence OF both Latin and Greek patriafchs,
and said to be the ancient Zelyah, where
Saul was met by the men who told him the
asses were found, but lIisfather was griev.
ing for him-l, Sam. 0, 10. Others claim
1t 10 be the ancient diloh, tho birthplace
Of Ahithophel. The modern village Is
built Of stone and contains about 5000 In.
habitants. From here, in two hours; We
arrive at the Pools OF Solomon. They are
three in number and OF immense size, and
built Of marble masonry. Twill give thu
measurements as find them in the guide
book: uH g$aE ls iaa'iT
'a6 Breadth. = ~ Depth
ktsDgsS ESss end sS 'wSst end E4s5 enc
Made S r poo. - ~ 20 ~ isS S' - q .
Upper pooi...:.sso /" 80 j" 10 IS /"
Ds'aHSs Of middle POOL rpm lcSeS pool ~ 4;
m. uppsi ., ' .",I ? ' o'-.'''i ~ .
Dr. thompson says, ~ reiaion 70 tn'
lower poor, when iult u WoIlu noa. tHt
largest nl;1n'oi'war tn'at eyer plougned ths
ocean. -, ,.tyl he ~.
Near me upper Pool is On immcnst
building WIN observation-disclosures. probably
saracenle, age n2s known' ABOUT ?Ot
yards aoeSe w upper poS n Is Is ths sealec
6o,n have reSUlSteT bns Seonr y tS co no