The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-09-25
CAMP LIFE In PALESTINE.
THE INTERIOR OF THE HOLY LAND.
From sinjal TO Nablous-The Ruins of Old
ShiIoh-Lunching With the Arabs
Jacobs Well and Joseph's Tomb
The Samaritans-Shechem.

NABLous, Palestine - Especial. i After
an enjoyable breakfast at Sinjal, nv little
horse, "Aman," was soon picking his way
along among the stones that line the en-
tire road from Jerusalem to Nazareth.
1t is hardly justice to call it a road, how
ever, as it is simply bride path through
the toughest possible country, over which
there is seldom any progression faster than
a walk, and as we went up one mountain
and down the other was constantly look
ing back and wondering how we had ever
managed to get over the rough places that
we had just passed. But these hardy lit
tie Syrian steeds know how to hang on by
their toe nails to the mountain sides,
which is the more remarkable, consider
ing that they are smoothly shod, and in
many places fall would most likely roll
the rider into the New Jerusalem. These
paths are frequently not wide enough for
two horses to pass one another comforta-
bly,, and when big camel comes swaying
along with heavy load on his back and
scrapes you clean off your horse, it is not
calculated to induce serenity of temper.
But nothing seems to disturb this placid
beast. and he goes numbering along,
awkwardly swinging out his big cushion
like feet, with his tinkling bell about his
neck and his head high in the air. utterly
oblivious to all surroundings, even to the
stick of the Arab who sits astride his
| great hump greeting us with dignifed
mar haba" (welcome), or "Salaam au
Lakem" Peace be with YOU
The first place of interest to which we
turned our steps on this, the second day
en- route. was to the celebrated site of
ancient Shiloh. where we went in accord
ance with the instructions of the Lord,
through the prophet jeremiah, who said {:
Go We now unto my place which
was in Shiloh where | set nv name
at the first and see what / did
to it for the wickedness of my people
Israel" Jeremiah vii, 12l, and certainly
what He ''did TO it" was sufficiently severe
in punishment of the wayward Israelltes,
for a more complete and desolate ruin it
would be hard to imagine. 1t was here
that the ark of the covenant rested for
500 years, and "the child Samuel min
istered unto the lord before Eli" the
venerable priest and his good old Mother
Hannah came from year to year" offer
ing the annual sacrifice and bringing with
her the little coat" which in her maternal
pride and love she had made for the
child, "lent to tine Lord" Il Sam, j,
III. Continuing on from Shiloh we
stopped for lunch at an Arab village of
mud-houses and dug outs, called Hawiyeh,
where a storm coming up suddenly we
were compelled to seek refuge in a native
hut. 1t was not the cleanest or most
attractive spot in the world. but
it was better than Drawing the storm, and
/ squatted on the floor after the Arab
fashion and munched my frugal repast
before the admiring eyes of the entire
village population who eagerly crowded
about the door to watch the curiosity and
see it eat keeping UP a running fire of
comments on its manners and general APP
pearance.
Those more favored ones who had re-
served seats on the inside of the house
were regarded with great envy by the mob
outside, and regretted that l had not in
structed Sasoor to sell tickets at the door
for the performance, feeling sure from the
interest displayed thai several piastres
would have been realized. | affected not
to notice the furore | was creating, and
busted myself with studying the curious
surroundings. There were of course no
seats, and all squatted cross-legged on the
hard dirt floor. as is usual with Orientals.
Like most of the Bedouins the faces ofthe
women were tattoed and not covered, and
quite a good-looking young girl busted
herself in making Turkish coffee for
the Nazarine "Hadji," while her mo-
Their sat upon the floor grinding or
pounding a few handfuls of grain
into coarse -four in a primitive stone
mill. This, with a few olives piled
up in a corner made up the general food
supply of the family, but after seeing the
bread made l hardly relished the piece
politely offered me. The house was made
of loose powders, plastered over with
mud, and the roof of branches and twigs
piled heavily on top of each other, the
only opening for light ventilation or es-
Gaping smoke being small hole in the
roof, which, of course, let in the rain also,
The entire structure consisted OF but one
small room, and here the whole family
slept on the floor together, and In addi-
ton to the human occupants there
were also a donkey and goat
that shared the apartment with them on
terms OF perfect equality. The rain hay
ing ceased, after the proper distribution
. OF rewards among our entertainers, we
mounted our horses and rode away, sur
rounded by bowling mob
, all crying loud and long fol
, "backsheesh." True, we had fully re-
Enumerated our hosts, but that cut nc
figure in the premises, for in this land, as
has been truly said, every child learns to
lisp "backsheesh" with its first breath
and keeps up the cry continuously fol
the rest of its mortal days.
From here we descended into q level
plane, where we were enabled to move more
rapidly, and we soon arrived at Jacobs
! WeI,' one of the best authenticated
among biblical sites. The well is ninety
t feet deep and is carved out of the solid
rock. and from its waters not only drank
Jacob, "his children and his cattle.
but in later years Jesu:
of Nazareth, being "wearied with
His journey" while travelling to Gallilet
''sat thus on the welr' and had that marvel
Gus conversation with the woman OF Sa
maria, so wildly described in the gospel
to whom He said, give me TO drink, offer
ing her in return the water springing VI
into everlasting life" John iv). Near t
the we'll in this same parcel of ground
5 which Jacob bought of the sons of HamOr
the father of Shechem, for hundred
pieces of silver" stands the noted tomb
erected over ''the bones of Joseph, which
the children of Israel brought UP out OIL
Egypt" Joshua xiv, S2). 1t is only
about mile from Jacobs web to the city
of Nabous or Shechem, where now, as il
/, ! the days of the Savior the Samaritan