The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-01-21
orr or THE WAY PA cEs IN PALESTINE

owing to the fact OF its having been purchased
BY the Central jewish Colonization Society OF
Roumpnia. with view OF placing upon II emil
grants Of the Hebrew persuasion who have
been compelled to quit the country OF their
adoption in consequence OF the legal disabili-
ties to which they are subjected In II. and who
have determined upon making n bona flde at
tempt to change the habits OF their lives and
engage in agricultural pursuits. I was invited
by the local agent In charge Of this enterprise
to accompany him on visit to tho new prop
erty. whittier he was bound with
view OF making arrangements for hous-
ing and placing upon 1t the first
settlers. Travcrsing tho northern portion of
. the fertile plain OF Sharon. which extends from
Jaffu to Carmel. we enter by gorge into the
lower spurs Of the Carmel range. which Is dis
tant at this point about three miles from
the seacoast and winding up steep path.
find ourselves upon n fertile plateau about 400
feet above the level OF the sea. Here over n
thousand acres Of pasture and arabic land have
been purchased. on which q small hamlet OF
half a dozen native houses and storehouse
belonging to the lato proprietor compose the
existing accommodation. This hamlet Is at
present occupied by the iellahin who worked
the land for its former owner. and it is pro-
posed to retain their services as laborers and
copartners in the cultivation OF the soil until
the newcomers shall have become sufficiently
iIdoctrinatcd in the art Of agriculture to be
able to do for themselves.
The experiment OF associating Jews and
Moslem iellahin in field labor will be- an inter-
esting ono to watch. and the preliminary dis
cussions on the subject were more picturesque
than satisfactory. The meeting took place in
the storehouse. whore Jews and Arabs squatted
promscuously amid the heaps Of grain. and
.ra Il fl,a 81 ttofs
partnership. 1t would be difficult to imagine
anything more utterly homogeneous than the
spectacle thus presented-the stalwart fellah-
In. with their wild. shaggy black boards. the
brass hits OF their pistols projecting from their
Wristbands, their tasseled kufeilahs drawn
tightly over their heads and girdled with
course black cords their loose. flowing abbas.
and sturdy bare legs and feet: and the ring
ans resssx Smoss To GeT ws ankles IL cas-
hs * s reg their S"S%S Sssn or
the basnns hsass Of aSs latter
fresh from the Ghetto of some houmanian
OF exercise than that OF, their wits. but already
quite convinced that they knew more about
OF suspicion Of ali advice rendered to them. and
animated by n pleasing self-conildence which l
fear the first practical experience will rudely
belize. In strange contrast with these Rouma-
MAN Jews was the Arab Jew who acted IA IN
terpreter-a stout. handsome man, in Oriental
the feahin themselves. Ny friend and myself.
IN the ordinary costume Of me British or
American tourist. completed the party
The discussion was protracted beyond mid
night-the native peasants screaming in Ara
bic, the Roumanian Israelites endeavoring to
outtalk Them in German JarEOn. ths inter-
prefer vainly trying to make himself heard,
everybody at cross purposes because no one
finished, or modest enough TO wish to hear any;
body speak but 1T himself Tired out; snrIsd
clnully stuffed with eaS but sought in
Sna n b AT ss n" rupture WAS Arrived w #
eounseis to both Sides Sides and an arrange range
which am afraid has only to be put into opera
ton to fail sgnal!y. There is nothing more sim
In OF Palestine Il you go the right way to work
about t. and nothing more hopeless II at
ffyobaSy a whGh asy
loss of time money. and especially OF temper,
more practical nodus oper,Gndi will be arrived
any aversion on. no part Of the Mosem fellah
IN to the proprie, rrship by Israelites q their
lay in the division Of labor and of profit where
the owners OF the land wore entirely ignorant
OF agriculture and therefore dependent on the
congregation of the peasants. on terms to be de-
eagerly welcomed the first streaks of dawn
to get out OF the close atmosphere in which
three had been sleeping besides myself. and
watch the sun rise over the eastern mountains
in rear Of the hamlet. enjoyed a magnificent
view. To the south the eye followed the const
panS SsSs ss the
prospect; From tho plain of Sharon, behind
It, the hills rose IN g., swelling pndIat.ops mnt
OF about 1000 feet. tho smoke OF numerous
VILLAGES mingling with the morning haze In
be discerned the lofty submits Of Hermon,
md in thu; middle distance the rounded top OF
my %e the "a IN Wth the
While exploring the ewly-purchased tract
i came upon what were evidently the traces
they could hardly be called the ruins, OF an an
far from the bamiet. My attention was iirst
attracted by, what had evidently been an old
M W pes the oSy vsS J Of h the raeE
Further on were the marks Of ancient quarry.
ing, the spaces in the rock, about two feet
been hewn. The former owners Of the prop
erty. observing the interest with which On
the natives in aaa s had %n cart
piece, OF wall composed q stone blocks
Of the same size sisDs neatly tGd Ind
monument. the meaning Of which, / was for
Of three sides of a square excavation hewn out
OF the solid rock Of the hillside; uncovered
"a the @ d s s Oh hs wa" sds sheS to ha
accumulated. Upon the faces of the, chamber
thus formed rows OF small inches had been
carved. each niche about u foot high. six
inches wide, and six. inches deep. The inches
Were about two inches apart. and on one face
| counted six rows or tiers OF eighteen inches
each. The other sides We're not SO perfect and
the rock had broken away in places: finally
decided that the whole had probably in ancient
times been II vault appropriated to the rccep-
ton Of cinerary urns. but the matter Is one
which must leave to some more experienced
antiquarian than am to dcterm inc definitely.
am not sure whether this out of tho ayruin
has come under the notice OF the Palestine eN-
ploration survey.
One of the feliahn now told US OF marvel
In the neighborhood. 1t was hole in tho rock.
to which. BY apply ing ones ear. one could hear
the roar Of mighty river. Attracted by tho
prospect of so singular a phenomenon. We
scrambled through the prckly underwood with
which the hilsides are thickly covered, and
finally emerged upon u small valley, at the head
OF which was an open grassy space ana near
1t u table Of fiat limestone rock. In the centre
Of 1t was an oblong hole, about two inches by
three. the sides Of which had been worn smooth
by tho curious or supcrstitious. who had proha-
bly, visited this spot from the most extreme an :
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