The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-01
A JOURNEY THROUGH HOLY LAND.
An Interesting Lecture by Mrs. Sarah F.
Wells, the Lady Traveller.

The distinguished lady traveller, Sarah
Furness Wells. lectured last night at the Friends
Church, on North Delaware street, on the sub
ject Palestine" Mrs. Wells has spent four
teen years in travelling about the world with her
husband, and has become thoroughly acquainted
with the manners, CUSTOMS and scenery of
thirty i've different countries.
The speaker said that Palestine is the most
interesting country which she had visited, on
account of its intimate associations with Bible
history. Travellers in Palestine find it most
difficult to obtain hotel accommodations, and
generally appeal to the converts and resident
Catholics for food and shelter The guide is indis-
pensable. as he alone is able to dispense the
hordes of beggars that swarm around travelling
visitors The sole method of travelling is on
horseback and in rude wagons. The appearance
of the Holy Land is that of very beautiful and
fertile country In some spots, but barren and
desolate in others. The 1epers and beggars of
Palestine are best repulsed by throwing out coin
to them, and travellers find it convenient to carry
about them small quantity of coppers for this
purpose. Jerusalem is a beautiful city to the eye
if approached from the north by the Damascus
road, but it appears deserted and repulsive il
seen from the Joppa highway. Jerusalem is
now small place, Of about $1,000 inhabitants
being surrounded by wall about three miles in
circumference. Here the Holy Sepulchre is the
principal attraction, and it has to be guarded
constantly by armed Turkish soldiers, on &C
count of the frequent fights that occur there
between the Greeks and Roman Catholics
The Garden of Gethsemane, where the Savior
spent his hour Of terrible agony, is beautiful
place, and the olive trees are still reported to
stand under which Jesus knelt. The atmosphere
of Palestine is exceedingly transparent, and
travellers frequently calculate objects to be very
near which are found to be far in the dis
lance. All the cities of Palestine are surrounded
by high walls, as in olden times. The land of
Benjamin, en- the north of Jerusalem, contains a
ruin for almost every hilltop. These were con-
structed by the Benjamlnites of old, whom the
Bible speaks of as the defenders of Jerusalem.
The agriculture of Palestine is crude and simple,
the pillow being simply a crooked stick, with an
iron point The we'll of Jacob. around which
the Savior gathered with his disciples, is full
of rubbish, but is very deep and contains water.
The missionaries who go out among the wild
Arabs are compelled to wear coarse sackcloth,
for better clothing would be stripped from their
backs by robbers.
1t is the custom of travellers to travel early in
the morning and late in the evening, as to
escape the great heat Of the day. Nazareth Is a
clean, pretty place, surrounded by fig trees. 1t
has been destroyed several times by earthquakes.
There is an English and also an American school
at Nazareth, where the natives are taught
English and the simpler branches. Travellers in
Palestine are often stoned by beggars If they
refuse to give them ''baeksheesh" Ladies who
wear the white veil, however, are never molested
The wild Arabs, or Bedouins are still a source
Of great danger to travellers. and many are still
killed or carried off into captivity for the money
which they possess. The lecturer and her hus-
band were once captured by band of Arabs
but they finally escaped with their lives by pay
ing heavy ransom.
Travellers on the deserts of Palestine must not
drink coffee, as it seems to have a bad effect on
the system. Boiled water must be- carried and
drunk in preference to all other beverages The
beds in Palestine made on the hard floor, and
the feas, which infest all public places,
ntolerable nuisance. Many travellers carry
hammocks with them, thereby escaping this
disagreeable annoyance. Damascus is busy
town, and the noise of the hammer and loom is
constantly heard. At night the city is dark and
dangerous, there being no system of public
lighting. The women. who are considered in
ferior to men, never walk beside their husbands.
but decently follow a few PAGES behind, like
faithful and trusty animals