The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-05-27
OH Grareller.
Letters from Syria and Palestine!
Sacred Scenes-Mt. Tabor sea of Galilee, Valley of
the Jordan Damascus

DAMASCUS. SYRIA. March %. 1882.


DAMASCUS, Syria. March %, 1882.
Having remained two days at Nazareth
by way of rest to ourselves and tired horses
we continued our journey over a very rougl
road to the foot of Mt Tabor. This noun
tain, upon which our divine Lord was
transfgured before his disciples, command,
view of nearly all Palestine The ascent
by zigzag path is very difficult, but from
the heights at the southeast angle Of Tabor
We enjoyed a superb view Situated l.20t
feet above the beautiful valley of Esdre.
Ion, it affords a sight of the mountain of
the Beatitudes, the northern part of lake
F. Tiberias and the Great Hermon covered
with snow On the other side. towards
the west, the chain of Carmel extends as
far as the sea, and, to the northwest we
see the hill of the Precipice. Independent
of the miraculous effect of our Saviour )
TRANSPORTATION. II Is no wonder thar st.
Peter said, Lord IT is good for us to be
herr"
+ On the eighth day of our trip We came
to Liberals. village on the Sea OF Galilce.
We were now in-the very midst OF the
scenes Of sacred events, Everywhere we
were forcibly reminded of some important
place in which miracles were wrought by
our blessed Lord. The very air seemc6
hallowed with heavenly associations The
Sea of Galilee, also called lake Tiberias or
Genesareth. Is about l. miles long and
from { to : miles wide. Ii is between GOO
and zoe fee; below the level Of the Med5-
terraneau Sea and presents lovely appear
ance amid the mountains Its filed with
elegant FISH. Not unmindful of the labors
of the apostles. we took 2 boat TO % T.
fishing and explore the towns on the other
side We were hours in rowing across
the sea Did not succeed in catching fish.
because cur bats were too mcacre. Cold
s;ccl without nsea: or bread j. too po1r
die; even for ash The men who rowed
the boat caught large numbers Of them BY
mcaus e a net should judge there l.
nos the slightest improvement IN the way
IT beating aud fishing here during the iasJ
~ centuries, lIence We oaald easily an
dcrSyand the words Of the apslstlz- when
they said We labored al the uizhs and
caught nothing We weu, 60 sce the
ruins II Cspharuean, seains, which the
must terrible prophcSies werr pTciictcd
The SIZES ~ Beth.aiia and C0ruEain were
also visited by US during ihe day Ia tht,
region. round about the shores Of this sea.
our Lord spent che principal pars Of His
public life Nine cities then ,1ool upon
its shores They are uow in ruins and IN
dicaie. a. iudsy,d al Palestine dos. thar
the spin; a, God has 5od i.rsm this yuau-
try Pulling up our TENTS, We passe3
through Tiberias, which Is Known as the
town 81 aoas Judging frssn thc e,ndi-
ton ~ the ssrc,fs ani things in general
DO uos daub, the ,jtle 10 Be . juss one
The towns in the Holy Land ara al dirty
and mean booking. But the streets of t.
bcriaS csnno, be surpassed IN Glib and
nassincsS. NV reader, ans afraid vrastld
rcbel we're 60 desrribc shem
We mkt cucampe,l a. Sa;cj 2 u10 fert
higher in elevation than Tlterias We
passed pyer stecP. PRESCRIPTIONS bids during
; h1urs What wild romantic scenery
presents itsclf among the mountains az
tialilee Al stony and Vet heTe and there
fertile spots arr cultivated Sheep and
goats arr numerous here. aud >ccm Ia b.
the principal supper; II the inhabitants
The grass looks ike orr timothy bHt l.
seems 50 grow natural No clover any
where vet tina, have secn y traces here
and there NAV be met with Poverty un-
speakah!c is everywhere visible No fuel
EXCEPT little hr,ishwt-od The hcar blse,i>
in sympathy for the poor women WIN are
ibli-ci to Ks ;0 the umlntain- o. gather a
few sprigs and dried olive branches whcr,
with To- c.sok their slender meal Here
lisa. n ia Egypt. dried dung of animals l.
lscd a. inel Continuing cur cour,e from
Safei among the mountains, W rested over
night a, Mex
The following day W. mounted par
horses under very threatening >ky and
directed cur way 10 BaBiss. oar next camp-
NJ ground Before thr rain came wc
,cached q large villsgt and travelled ,hrougu
nost picturesque scenery, eomprehending
he Valley OF the jordan, the Plain and
lake Of Hutch and the whole range uf
Iernou In the Valley Of the Jordan We
aw many Bedgslins encsmped 20 watch
heir sheep and goats grazing These b.
louins are hard looking customers. They
AVE a dark yellow complexion long teeth
nd dishovelled hair Their garments are
oarse and such that no one can describe,
: there are no two alike. Their outer
-armeut i much Ike a long salt ssck thrown
ooselv over their shoulders. Dirt and 9Th
re no expressions for their general mp
,earance. feel quite certain that, did
ne Of them appear in the streets of Get
ysburg. the liytle children would run away
nd cry. They are said 10 be dangerous
elbows, but 50 far We had no trouble
During this, our eleventh DAY out We
ad rain storm which Knocked all the
oetry out of camp life in Syria. In fact
became ike one of the jews Of old sigh
n and lamenring 10 be in Jerusalem again
D reconsider NV proposition Of camping
at for thirty days We saw no rain for
early three months, and did not think to
ave any in SYRIA But it did rain straight
n during thirty hours, amid thunder and
ghtning. We became thoroughly drench- 4
1 on our horses The paths were full Of
ocks and exceedingly PERCEPTIONS. \ sin ,
lie misstep OF our horses would have cost t
5 our lives 1t is truly amazing with what :
RECESSION our horses get over these roads. 8
american horses could not be trained to {
ass over them Mashud. my sorrel steed. t
doing wonderfully well He has gone I
long precipices which caused me dizziness /
/ looking down With my limited know 5
.dge of horsemanship, | am at times as c
,nished that yet live, because the paths c
e pass over are such rs seem almost in
We at last reached Banias.
here our tents We're pitched on the wet f
round. We had to remain here two days Z
amp, cold, wet, disagreeable was this time
h how the poetry of camping ont did e
lnish Had not some Mahomedan given 5
a place with a little charcoal fire we e
light have succumbed under this trying b
-deal But we managed TO get through /
ithout becoming sick, and started out on T
lie thirteenth day our journey for Kefr- {
.auwar Q
Immediately after leaving Banias the L
cent of the Hermon range began. The "
ads were very bad by reason of the heavy t
inns. We assembled nearly all day until a