The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-08-24
LIFE IN xODERN pALEsr1xE
1atsrsssius Discoveries while EHcavatiss .
CAliar-Liyiaa Aneae the Druses.

letters from Palestine may remember that last
year took refuge from tho summer heats at
the village Of Esha. on the highest point Of
Mount Carmel whore I erected q temporary
camp. Tho disadvantage Of living under can
vas 10 that. though 1t may secure you cool
nights. 1t affords but insufficient shelter from
the MONDAY sun. I therefore determined to
build myself something more substantial. My
experiences OF house building on Carmel have
been both charac tsrlstic and instructive.
When ! announced my Intention to tho VII
layers Of Esaa. they professod tho creates
enthusiasm. and tho owners OF tho land
which had chosen for . site expressed
their desire to mako me present OF
1t. so anxious did they pretend to he
that should sett 10 among Thorn, I absolutely
reiI1; ,e however to receive cs; anything r. Eit
modestiy. put at $3.50. As the most Trustworthy
ss!imePAIe lconld obtain put its ~ said
scSS s @ rhs Srsi sra them
intense amusement. Offers OF this sort we're
no,Sy ,h they os saa sRa n
the land for nothing was only equallod by their
askinY me twelve times its value. WHICH |
pay tho costs OF the transfer, This l found TO
wss ptSsy hsy &aa tho land
which It would cost $50. expended in brides to
the government. to obtain l suggested that
a valid title from the Government in my own
namo and pay them nothing. seeing that
hh The oHns 81 n' fs
have 6rsn ssspshsh wSuS he
ban live ssrS una s sueh
people who had shown such, dishonest and
n shs ps.aI SSss to tie
Christ1 section q ne r1pulatdi0pn w ,ho
Drnses hold themselves aloof and rcpudiated
Ill PARTICIPATION In tho negotiations express
Inv great indlEnntipIn at the be-, conduct Of the
l was too disgustsd with these latter. how
ever, to be- tempted. to live near them. and was
f Se
shisk Of Dahiieh. tho only other village on
a wao srrvea Great distress to Tell 'n me
that his only spn had lust been drawn as con
script Tor The army. md that ,he whole family,
on tho occasion OF former visit Us ono OF tho
most beautiful girls have eyer seen. were
unabla to pay the k25D which was required to
buy 2 substitute. 1rodo up TO the village to
yard and garden Of fruit trees. with = good
@ aa SMs k AT at at
Esls. The whole village turned out en- masse
To- express their gratitude and make profes.
Druse. ind does not contain II single Christian
inhabtant. felt that these were TO bs re-
lldu uOT. NJ utb tula COuHubuCe
EWES y %SSsm Ssa thus able orpas,unss
render assistance. was the spiritual head Of
BY, slelhsr ,sheik: fhe ste Tor my house was
only divided by terrace from the little Druse
place of worship. where. however, the services
hsde nc
an altitude Of l.8O0 foet above tho sea- which
IL distant US tho crow flies about lyo milos. 1t
o view % Il ana @ M
promontory. while a smiling valley. the sIopnl:
PHI o. which SE9 pSr,sy sIt Mna And var
ons enLars the nlain Of sharon.
r MSUat a a sdm s house y s DC
trees that formed a sort OF bower in which We,
hsa to nssts Snd which sspursf w.
yate for tho foundations han we came upon
hIg. ns'. ,h cut blocks Of stone which
ur beau .if1ly carved corniee. then a coin OF
BysAntjns smpirs. then about : DOZEN "a iron
rings about a. inches In diameter attached to
s ct nss W,S rS Sr
surface, Then came handles Of lars anu frag
apparently the stem q a vase. and Quantities
Of tesserte. showing the, existence OF u tsssel-
sorely tempted to divcrge from building into
s exc but should have destroyed my
6lte lNu6nnll6iy pObtIDuDu mo erection OF the
forfeited my, contract with tho builder. So
have had to do tho barbarous thing Of building
on tho top of what may ba u most interesting
and some, OF tho stone Which composed this
The most OF tho stones Of which the house Is
t% come, noWsysr from the ruins Of Duhil.
md size OF the ,sistsrns, mo huge circular
Fragments OF columns and tina area over which
tend. prove that 1t contained, in the most an
eient times. = larger ponulatlon than any other
Of he a. am aes to s.y ,s
| twenty other sites OF ancient towns on Carmel.
From this almost inexhRustibls quarry Of old
and thus do | live and move and have my being
amid the relies Of most remote past.
menss resr. witch cam" UPON VI e' in m NJ Ii ;
terrace for tho veranda. from which it now
projects rs con.picuous ornament. 1t ~
eight fact long, but ono end has been n good
tapers very slightly at both eXtrcmities aud is
tho ends bainG about two foot ak In diameter.
J. has four raralle! lines Of slots Il!ti. oyer
long and thrso deer. and two Wide It At the i ton,
There IRE four 81 these slots In each line. and
sy rn% hpss to o wn no
We had quite a force Of men to move 1t into its
present position, J loave IT to the wise IN such
matters to conjecture what Its possible use
may have been. ! have seen others scattered
about in some 81 the ruins on tina mountain,
GENERALLY nhar olive presses, think thay had
But by far the most I'm pOrtRnt midland this
WAS not made unit after tho house was fin
ished anu we ware clearing up the dfbris-was
an apctent ristern: and, as luck would have ii. it
WAS Just In the position In which would have
put u cistern had this not appeared ready to
hand thus saving inc nm Expenditure of about
5000; The aperture. cut in the solid rock. is
two is"t three inches square. 1t is then hol-
d.pth Of fourteen feot. with an nvcragr breadth
at tho bottom OF twelve feet. In the bottom Is
deep. This is svidsntly for cleaning 0ut the els
tern AND ,sn good idea. which should suggest
stead Of having n fiat bottom TO aisern. You
have u hole In tho bottom into which you can
swoan al the Dirt. tho process Of cleaning is
clnHn out this old cistern. II contained u great
quantity OF fine mould. some hr0ksn earihrn.