Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-06-09

years old? 1t would require a stretch =
statement to write it 400 years old. TIL
tree has three main branches. one of whicl
Is supported with prop to prevent i
breaking down. The branches are abou
nifty feet each in length, and no
above thirty inches in diamete,
at the trunk. The main bod,
OF the tree is about seven feet in diameter
and the trunk about nine feet high to the
parting OF the branches. Nearly one-hal
of the trunk is in an advanced state of de-
cay. l have seen trees in California of The
same kind as this one, much larger and
apparently older, for which not even 2O(
years was claimed
When the herdsmen of Lot and those OF
Abraham quarreled, because "the land was
not able to bear them (Gen. xiii, 81. that
they might dwell together: for their sub
stance was great that they could not dwell
together" Abraham ''came and dweIt in
the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron.
and built there an altar unto the Lord u
My visit to Hebron is one among the i'm
portant places that | so much desired to
see. Moses wrote of it as being
built seven years before Zoan in
Egypt" (Num. xiii, 22) 1t was
anciently called Kirjath-arba {" City of
Arba y. 1t is certainly one of the most
ancient cities of the world still existing.
Nearly forty centuries have passed since
Abraham dwelt there, and there he is
buried.
After visit to the pool of Hebron we
wound about through the meandering and
filthy streets until We came to Machpelah.
As we were passing native house three
Mohammedan women looked down upon
us and cursed US. l asked the guide what
they said, and was told that they
called us infdel dogs and cursed us with
an angry voice. In Jafia mere child
pronounced the curse of Mohammed upon
u.s. Poor victims of ignorance and fear.
When We reached Machpelah the ma
tive guide, the son of the Sheik, stepped
upon the first stone of the ascending stairs
and there ordered US to halt We stopped
aud were told that infidels were forbidden
to go further. But, for our consolation, he
pointed to an aperture in the wall and
told lis TO reach in. | thrust in the right
hand, but we were permitted no other
entry. We were allowed to walk about
and ascend the hill back of it and to look
down upon it, but to enter it was forbid
den
The history of the death of Sarah. and
of the purchase of this burial place (the
first purchase of real estate of which the
world furnishes any history, is recorded
IN the twenty-third chapter of Genesis
And Sarah was an hundred and
seven and twenty years old; these were
the years of the life of Sarah and Sarah
died in Kirjath-arba the same is Heb
ron IN the land of Canaan; and Abraham
came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for
her."
The cave is inclosed by a structure
called Ell kdraAs, and bears the marks of
Jewish architecture. 1t is 200 feet long,
$50 feet wide and 60 in hight. There is a
mosque in their building, under the roof
of which is the cave. In 1862 the Prince
of Wales was permitted to enter it. DIR.
Stanley has given an account of its inte-
rior construction. He says the building is
on the upper slope of the hill. and so far
above the level as to admit of the sacred
cave, and adds that the mosque was evil
IDENTIFY originally a byzantine church.
The Scriptures state that Abraham, Sarah.
Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Leah, are
all buried there. The Prince was allowed
to enter into that of Abraham, because he
was full OF loving kindness; he had
withstood even the resolution of God
against Sodom and Gomorrah; he was
goodness himself, and would overlook any
ettront." The shrine is guarded by silver
gate. 1T IS encased in marble. The tomb
consists of a coffin-Gke structure about six
feet high, over which hangs 4 carpet of
green, embroidered with gold There are
shrlnes for each of the six persons buried
there. The cave was not opened, but in
the shrine of Abraham was circular hole
about eight inches across, passing through
the solid rock. This evidently led TO the
cave, in which may yet be found the sar-
cophaSl, and perhaps remains Of the sacred
dead who have slept there for LOCO wears.
The Prince was told that $500 years ago
a servant of a great King descended it,
and that at the time he went down he was
in full possession of his faculties and of
remarkable corpulence, but when he re-
turned he was blind, deaf, withered and
crippled. Since then the opening was
closed, and this aperture only left so the
molly air could come from the cave into the
mosque to be scented by the faithful.
We must now return to camp, although
we could linger here many days and re-
view the early history Of Hebron and
Mamre. David had here his throne for
seven years. About these rocky elevations
were fought the great battles with the sons
OF Anak and other enemies of Israel. Here
the prosperity of the Jewish nation began
to attract the attention of surrounding ma
tions. From here David sent out his vic
torious armies, led by Joab, who dislodged
the naughty Jebusites, and Jebusi (Jeru-
salem) fell into his hands. There are
about 10000 inhabitants in Hebron now,
among whom are 10000 Jews. The filth
Is uncomfortable to persons but semi-cleanly
in taste and habit. In this respect Jews
and Mohammedans are alike.
On our return we passed over portions
of the g old Roman pavement that led
from Hebron to Jerusalem. 1t is all
broken up, but shows that it was a re-
marEable construction and was built at
great expense. II. J. BECKER.