The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-10-09
CAMP LIFE In PALESTINE.
TARRYINe IN THE LAND OF eALILEe.
A Storm On Mount TabOr-stoned AS n
Nazarine-The Home of Jesus On
GaliIee's shOres-Capernaum,
Tiberias and Nazareth.

the first time since leaving Jerusalem,
arose early in the morning that l might
see "The Jocund God of Day stand tip-toe
on the misty mountain top" or to be less
poetical, view the glorious sunrise for
which Mt. Tabor is famous. But, alas l
was doomed to disappointment as the
heavens were still black and lowering with
the continuation of the previous nights
storm. However, no ruin was now falling,
and after a hurried breakfast L babe
adieu to the good Father Alphonse and
fastened away, hoping to make the de-
scent Of the mountain before a renewal OF
the downpour Unfortunately we had
gone but short distance when one of the
most terrific storms came on that have
ever witnessed, and in our elevated posi-
ton among the clouds we were apparently
not below it but actually in the midst
of it. There was no thought OF
riding without danger of being fairly
blown from the animals backs,
and we therefore dismounted and STUN
bled along down the rocky path blinded
by the wind and rain, as we led the
frightened horses. After more than an
hour of this unpleasant experience we
reached the bottom as wet as the pro-
verbal drowned rat. The storm cleared
away shortly after but too late to tee OF
any benefit to US and we were compelled
10 ride for the rest OF the days journey
In our wet clothes. / was not quite so
badly off in this regard as my companions,
as heavy cloak or "burnouse" OF coarse
cancels hair protected the upper part of
my body to a considerable degree, but
still / was sufficiently damp, wet and dis
agreeable not to enjoy the situation.
The children of the village of Deburieh,
at the base of the mountain, added insult
10 injury by greeting US with a shower OF
stones as we passed, accompanied by jeer-
ing cries of ''Nozrani," or NaZarene. De-
burieh is an ancient town of
Zebulun, and is believed to have
been the place of residence of the
prophecies Deborah, from whom 1t takes
its name. Under the circumstances our
ride to Tiberias by way OF 'Khan-el-
Tuggar and the Algerian colony of "Kefe
Sabt," was not an especially enjoyable one,
although for the time being the storm was
not renewed, but just as we We're descend
ing the hillsides to our destination, on
the shores of the sea OF Galilee, the rain
began to come down furlOusly again,
whereupon we hastily dismOunted and
took refuge in an Arab hut that CHANGED
to be near by. There was no one present
but an old woman, who glared at us
with all the hatred Of Mahom-
medan ianaticism; refused to reply
to our friendly salutatlOns and finally
commanded us to be gone. We tried
10 mollify her by request Tor coffee and
an offer of ''backsheesh," but even that
magical word had no effect on this true
daughter of Islam, for we were hated
Christians, and she did not want her
filthy mud hovel polluted by our inidel
presence. Notwithstanding her protests,
we held the fort, Sasoor and myself agree
ing that ii the worst came to the worst
we could together lick any old sick Arab
woman that ever lived. Finally, the fall
OF rain having sufficiently lessened, we
departed amid the maedictionS of our
hostess, Notwithstanding that had thrown
some OF the silver coin OF the realm at her
feet as a solace for the contamination
caused by our enforced presence. Arriv-
ing at Tlberias we found our tents and
equipage generally in such a dampened
condition that it was thought best not to
attempt to occupy them, and 1 again took
refuge with the hosDitable Franciscan
without any apparent authority to oc-
cupy the site of the house of Peter, the
apostle, and my first act on arising in the
morning was TO take swim
IN the sea Just back OF the
monastery, where it is claimed the
miraculous draught of fishes was made by
Simon Peter" at the command of the
Savior, after the delivery of His sermon TO
the multitude that pressed upon Him to
hear the word OF God" Luke, V, j. Hbe-
Tias is quite modern, as compared with
Jerusalem and the other famous cities of
Syria, and ii Is not mentioned in the old
testament, having only been in existence
some eighteen hundred and seventy years,
which is young for this part of the world.
1t is now, however, one of the fonr holy
cities of the Jews, the other three being
Jerusalem. Hebron and Safed. It's inhab-
itants number some four thousand per-
sons, two-thirds OF whom are Jews, who
are easily distinguished by their large
black hats and peculiar costumes and
their long ringiets, with a curl combed
down in front of each ear. The marriage
able maidens of Tiberias go about with
their dowries of silver coins strung
from their heads around under their
chins, serving as advertisements for their
wealth as wellas ornaments to their beauty,
anu do -4dIk 4 Haili has luulliy
some OF them have accumulated as much
as mine dollars and half" and are re-
garded as great matrimonial catches.
The Sanhedrim was located here in the
second century, and the city became the
great seat of Jewish learning and after the
destruction OF Jerusalem by Titus and both
the Mishna and MasOrah were published
here. The Hebrew cemetery is the burial
place of the great rabbi Ben Israel, the
philosopher, Maimondes, and some
twenty-five thousand other Jews, it is
said. One OF the fayOrite local traditions
is that when the Mess ah comes He will
arise from the waters of Galilee and march
from Tiberias to the holy city of Safed
near by, at the head OF His faithful follow
ers. The celebrated sea of Galilee or Lake
Tiberias, on the shores OF which the CITY
stands, is sometimes referred to as
the Lake of Gennesaret by which
name st. Luke speaks of it, and the
''Bahr Tubeiryeh, ~ the name by which the
natives know it. To call it sea is some
thing Of a misnOmer, as it is more prop
erly a fresh-water lake. Nearly every
spot among these venerated shores is fully
identified with the life and works OF
Jesus, for il was in the country round about
the sea of Galilee that He preached His
greatest sermons and performed His most
wondrous miracles. Chartering a boat
manned by Arab oarsmen, / started at an
early hour for a tour OF the historic sea
which Is altogether some thirteen miles