The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-06-25
FOREIGN LETTER.
AUsTRo- HUNGARIAN STEAMER Aus !
TRIA,
Between Cypress and Rhodes. [
April 18th, 1886.

April 7th, 1885.
There are number of Americans on
the ship returning from Palestine. The
splendid package of home papers, which
reached me at Jappa, | have scattered
among my friends on deck, and they
are very welcome guests.
The weather is beautiful-gentle swell
on the dark blue sea, bright sun over
head, and the snow-capped mountains
of Asia Minor only few miles distant
on our starboard bow. We reach
Rhodes tomorrow, and shall have few
hours to go ashore. At Constantinople,
where we are due the 18th, I shall be
back once more nearly to the parallel of
my old home on Lake Michigan. The
North star has been steadily rising in the
heavens since we entered the Red Sea,
and will soon be where it will seem right
to- have it.
I have been to Jerusalem, landing at
.Jappa, which is; avery ancient and
picturesque town, but is only pretty as
seen from the deck of a ship at anchor
in the boisterous roadstead. Steamers
are frequently unable to call here, be-
cause Of the violent sea which rolls in
over the outlying reef of rocks a greater
portion of the year. With us twas &C
tive employment, not wholly without
danger, but we accomplished it in safety,
and as we rushed for the beach in surf
boats, manned by Arabs, thought for
moment OF the day some thousands of
years ago when the timbers from the
| forests of Lebanon were landed here at
Jappa for conveyance to Jerusalem, to
be used in the temple built by wise
King Solomon, the foundation walls of
which we were to see, feel and reflect up
on some few days hence. Jerusalem
Lis. some 40 miles from the coast-12
hours journey over'the fertile plains of
Sharon and the mountains of Jadea. 1t
seems strange to be travelling over aroad
| that was ancient when the Christian era
began, and so hear from the lips of our
dragoman, as he pointed out places OF
| Interest along the way, the names we
became distinctly familiar with in child:
hOod. Thezview of Jerusalem from the
Mt. of Olives is one of the prettiest OF
pictures The city at short range seems
filthy and peopled with lepers and beg
gars, so many did we meet. The church
of the sepulchre is the great resort OF
ipilgrims, where everything is in nut
shell, from the burial place Of Adam and
Eve down to the crucifxion of Christ
even Calvary is here, and more dirty
people than / ever believed possible.
The Mosk of Omar is very fine, indeed.
1t was built 1000 years ago, on the site
and foundation walls of Solomou's Tenn
pie. The Jews assemble on the outside
| of one of these massive walls Friday
afternoon, to wall and lament audibly
for the loss of their city. 1t was curl
Gus experience-this " wailing of the
jews going to see, which we
did last Friday afternoon, in drench-
ling rain.
The trip to the Dead Sea and Jordan,
returning by Jericho, Bethlehem, Geth-
semane and Olivette, was extremely en-
tjoyable, and the bath in the sea my first
experience Of utter helplessness in water.
The buoyance is sufficient to support
one, despite effort to get under the sur
face; swimming is out of the question,
because it is impossible to keep hands
and feet in it. / was nearly as. helpless
AS chip. but managed to scramble out
through it for distance of about twenty
yards. sat up in it, or rather on it for
a time, and finally lay down upon the
surface and foated ashore like a bit of a
cork. You may not quite believe this,
any more than I did similarly elongated
stories when first heard them, but it is
as true as that Jordan is a hard road to
travel" which you may vouch for, and
refer any disbellevers to me. We lunch
ed by the river Jordan, which is, or rath-
er was, when saw it, about the COM
plexion of the Minnesota during ex-
Itremely high waterloo muddy 10 at
tempt a bath, and with current of about
four miles an hour. We lodged at Je-
richo, and returned the following day.
Fleas, beggars, and lepers seem to have
gained a firm footing upon the brown,
barren, unillviting hills of J,ldea and,
finally, it seems to me the beggars and
lepers must succumb, leaving the rocky
surroundings to their active tormentors,
who must quickly follow them. Thous-
ands of pilgrims go to Jerusalem annual
ly to see the tomb of Christ, and rest
their weary feet on Calvary, to tread the
rugged "via Dolorosa" from Gethse-
name to the scene of the crucifixion, to
stand on the summit of the Mt. of Olives,
to visit Bethlehem, seven miles distant,
and linger for moment in the sepul-
chral silence and the dim candle light
of the secluded spot where our Savior
was born TO enter the tomb of the Vir-
gin, to visit the chamber of the Last
Supper, and the multitude of places in
and about Jerusalem that are scriptural-
ly and historically sacred. The plains of
Sharon are beautiful. We stopped at
Beyrout long enough for me to ride up
the first Lebanon range, from which ele-
Walton the view was extensive and very
beautiful. You will not wonder at my
interest in the Temple of Solomon,
where excavations have recently been
made revealing its gigantic walls and sure
foundation. <
At last, April Ia, we are at Constantine
| pie, where we stay week, thence on to
Athens. We called at Smyrna, where
We W0HI 10 Tie TulHS OI EpH0SuS, at
Tenedos and Dardanelles. This city Is
lovely sight, as seen from the anchor
age, spread out, or rather piled up, upon
hills. Mosks, domes and minarets are
numerous, and present a lovely sight.
The Sultan's palace is just over the hill
yonder. We shall see him Friday, but
expect to find as Indifferent looking q
Turk as the throngs we see daily on the
streets. <
This letter cannot go until Saturday,
my friends, mails being rare articles in
this locality only two per week. The
papers you so kindly sent ma London /
have enjoyed very, very much. The ac-
count of the Ice Palace and Carnival
caused me to enthuse to degree quite
unnatural NOWADAYS. The storming