Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-03-25
NOTES ON THE WAY.
From the Sea TO Mount Zion.
JERUSALEM: February

from the Sea TO Mount Zion.
JERUSALEM: February, 1879
The vessel that carried us to Jaffa reached
her anchorage, about a mile and a-half from
the town, some time before day light, and when
we went on deck the little light house OF that
port was still slowly flashing its alternate
blaze Of red and yellow across the rocky and
restless waves OF Its harbor,-if harbor 1t MAJ
| De called. 1t was not long, however, until the
sun came up, bright and warm, from behini
| the low bank OF clouds han nging over the hills
OF Samaria, in the distance, and preparations
| were made to go ashore. This is not usually
| considered much of feat in the United States
! or England, but in most of the Mediterranean
! ports 1t Is rather serious undertaking, as well
ON account OF the actual inconvenience as the
| dearen1ng and confusing noises attending it
| At Jaffa the landing is made in large, Open
| strongly-built boat, the motive power for
| when Is furnished by dozen or so Of stout
Arab boatmen,-au blessed with good lungs, as
well. The entrance to the landing place pro-
! per is through narrow and shallow gateway
! lying between the lodges OF rocks that serve as
! natural breakwater for the inner harbor. and
| so difficult is the passage that vessels never
undertake to put off or take on passengers
when the weather is at all rough, but carry
| them on to another port, where the risks are
! Lot SO great.
On getting ashore at Jaffa the first thing for
the traveller to do is to accompany his baggage
| to the So called custom house. for examination
| and the payment OF duties. Up to the point Of
| visiting the custom house, the rules are very
| strict, and must be strictly observed Once
| inside the door, however, and their relaxation
! seems natural and easy. On the payment by
! our draeoman OF half franc for each one OF
| our party. the formalty OF even unstrapping
| the packages was dispensed with. This is more
| expeditions and much cheaper than the same
| service In the United States, but 1T is probably
| less remunerative to the government. may
| add here that the same routine is performed
| when the traveller leaves Palestine,-a duty
being laid as well on articles carried out Of the
! country as on those coming in.
| Being anxious to get through to Jerusalem
| the same day, we had tried to make arrange
ments to that end by telegraphing from Port
| Said the day before. But In oriental countries
! nothing is done In hurry or with energy
| except. perhaps, making noisy fuss about the
meIest trif'es. That pastime is carried on with
degree Of vigOr that could hardly be SUR
passed, il not the life alone but also the eternal
salvation OF the whole native race depended on
1t. Instead of getting started at seven, as we
| O'Clock, before we were fairly under way to
Mount Zion.
The suburban grounds and orchards of Jaffa
trees as rare as they are Beautiful to eyes So un.
used to tropical and oriental foliage The list
includes, among Others the Tamarisk, Pepper,
the wide-spreadlng Sycamore Of the east, i and
ruit-bearing. Cactus, with trunks as thick as
the average human body. l have never seen
as 80 nor Sf aden as M eae o1apge trees
|
orange grown there is, however, not equal in
| flavor or delicacy OF texture to some of the
is soo naa We Ep oaad s the e Ee
delicious and refreshing in riding through the
hot, dry Hill country Of Palestine. But at Jaffa
paste and the picture a by the 81 large rye
| globes OF gold hanging thick among the rich
dark green leaves, as we wound out OF the city
| on our way to Jerusalem, was a most fascinat-
| ing one, and one long to be remembered.
THE ROAD TO JERUSALEM
! But before commencing the journey, let me
anticipate q little, and say In a preliminary way
| few words about the road itself over which
we are to travel. The present carriage way
! was constructed about ten years ago, uy Com
! mand OF the Sultan, La order that the then En-
| peror and Empress OF the French might be able
! TO make the journey TO Jerusalem in a pleasant
/ and comfortable manner; but for some reason,
I which have not heard, they never passed over
it. It is about forty miles in length, and was at
| though at present it is sadly out OF order, and
| in many places much in need OF repairs, which
there Is little prospect of its getting. AS the
work OF constructing 1t was done by forced or
consclipted labor its exact cost Is not known.
! toll Is collected from all animals and vehicles
! passing over 1t, but nobody but those who re-
money, as none OF it is expended in keeping the
| road In order. As a matter Of sentiment, per-
haps, the engineers who laid down the route
| followed or Kept very near to the Old caravan
!; path between the two cities, which had been
! 1rodden by so many devOut and holy men for SO
| many generations. AS a consequence many of
the curves are rather sharp, and some OF the
grades are quite steep. But On the whole, it
very well answers all required purposesfor, If we
| except the patronage OF a comparatively small
number OF Invalid or comfort-loving tourists,
, there is little need OF wagon road here, or
rather 1t is not used as such. No freight of any
| kind Is carried over 1t on wheels. Everything
taken from the sea side to supply the wants OF
the people of Jerusalem Is packed on the backs
OF camels and asses; and, with the exception
above noted, all travel between the TWO cities
is still on horseback or on foot. AS for exports,
| there Is nothing sent out from the interior but
few skins Of olive Oil, which are shipped to
France to be refined for market, and these are
almost invariably carried by cameis. AT inter
line OF the road stand substantially built stone
watch houses originally constructed at the ex-
Eense OF the Russian government, for the bene-
fit of the large number of its subjects who an.
| nually visit the Holy land as pilgrims. These
| are occupied or rather used by the native
mounted mo police + force who patrol the road for
! though some OF the doubling ones do say there
Is more danger TO person and property from the
they pretend to guard against. When It is
added that single wire telegraph line follows
the course OF the road throughout, the reader
| viii pretty well understand the general Situa-
| ti0n en- route.
THE PLAINS OF SHARON
The morning We left Jafra was most lovely
one heavy rain which fell the evening be-
fore had rendered the atmosphere clear and
balmy, and gave new life and freshness to
| vegetation. Lilies OF the valley literally COW
cred the ground in some places, often forcing
! their way up between rocks where one would
think nothing could grow In others the bright
short stemmed poppy made the earth fairly
crimson, while here and there little patches OF
! young wheat gave pleasant color to the other
wise rather tawny landscape. But, as the
Lotus grows 10 more in Egypt, so there are no
longer any Roses on the Plains of Sharon,-fOr
1t Is upon this memorable ground that we enter
Immediately after leaving JafTa. These plains
! constitute an extensive and reasonably fertile
track of rolling land much in appearance
cept in color, which is generally of a reddish
brown,-like the rolling prairies of northern
| Illinois. Properly cultivated, they would doubt
less produce iiberaiiy: but, owing TO excessive
and capriciouS taxation, and the discourage
ments generally under which all agricultural
| pursuits are carried On under Turkish rule
they now yield comparatively nothing
AMONGST SCRIPTURE SCENES
] Al once the traveller sets foot in .Jaffa he is
amongst scenes and names made familiar by
the scriptures. In the city the house of Simon
the Tanner is pointed out, and little way on
=. the Jerusalem road small five -domed fountain
marks the site OF the House OF DOrcas, where
| woman nj rtycy1y