The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-09-04

ing OF enamel on, ana we were glad 10
mount our horses and ride away
toward the Jordan-an hour dis
tant-where a fresh water bath
gave us relief from irritating sensations
caused by the salt, which is especially I'M
pleasant where it finds an abrasion of the
skin to work on.
We pitched our camp near the place
where the Israelites are said to have
made their famous crossing into
the land of Canaan, and where
Christ was baptized by John
coming 'up straightway out OF the water"
as the great voice rang out from heaven
saying: This is my beloved son IN whom
am well pleased" (Matthew iii, ~ 1t
was here also that Elijah and Elisha with
the wonderful mantle "smote the waters
and they were divided hither and
thither" IIKings ii, 81, and here Naaman,
the great Syrian captain, was cured of
leprosy by dipping "seven times in
Jordan" at the command of Elisha. Any
one who has seen both streams will know
how to sympathize with Naamans obiec-
ton to the muddy waters of Jordan as COM
pared with his own beautiful "Abana and
Pharpar rivers of Damascus" II Kings
V, r. This famous ford is now, as it was
in the days of the bible, the chief crossing
of the highway between the land of
Gilead and the plain of Jericho and the
land of Judea beyond. While we were
there we saw two large tribes of Bedouins
cross the river on their way TO their win
ter homes over in Moab. These nomads
had come down into the valley for the
summer grazing, and were now returning,
accompanied by all their possessions,
which now, as in the days OF Abraham.
or do Of 4 l. -
taken with them wherever they 90. In
one drove | counted over three hundred
camels, and polite Bedouin herder ten
tered me cup of camePs milk, fresh from
one of them, as a great delicacv, but after
one swallow | was compelled to forego
further attempts at showing my APP
probation OF the courtesy, as it wasn't
exactly nectar. They also mad large focks of
goats and sheep. besides many donkeys and
few horses. The Bedouins of Moab are
very wild and fierce. and travel by tour
lists on that side of the river is impossible
unless accompanied by a company of we'll
armed Turkish soldiers, and even then
they are sometimes attacked. However,
while much more dangerous and uncivil-
lied, they are decidedly more manly and
honorable than their brethren on the
Judean side, who are of the sneaking,
petty thieving kind, while those of Moab
and Gilead are warlike and brave, with
many rude ideas of honor As we rode
up to the ford we found the banks lined
with excited Bedouins, rushing wildly
about, while the women crouched upon
the ground, rocking themselves to and
fro, and uttering those peculiar piercing
cries and walls by which they
always evince grief and mourning
We soon discovered that the cause
OF all this commotion was that one men,
Der of the tribe had only a few moments
before been carried away by the swift cur
rent and drowned while attempting to
make the crossing. We gave them every
assistance possible, but all efforts 10 re-
cover the body were futile, it having been
quickly swept far down the treacherous
river.
The Jordan is a narrow, muddy, ugly
stream, with rapid current, whose wind
ings, eddies and fast flowing undertows
made it exceptionally dangerous for the
rash and venturesome bather, and the
Bedouins have tradition that certain
number OF victims are sure to be claimed
by it every year. The shores of the river
are lined with trees and under
growth, and the oleander, loranthus
and jujube tree flourish in profusion
The famed "Rose of Jericho"
grows further back in the plain
according to the claims of the guides who
say it sprung from the places here, where
the Virgins feet touched the ground as
she walked along. The red jungles by
the river bottoms contain wild boars,
leopards, etc, and in the old days lions
were found here also, but these have now
been driven out into new pastures. After
the drowning of the Bedouin we watched
the fCrding of the stream by the rest of
the tribe, and it was a novel and interest
ing sight to witness the manner in which
they induced the animals to cross. The
camels and donkeys were gotten over
without trouble, but it was different with
the tiInid sheep and goats, who had to be
pitched into the water head first before
they could be persuaded to make the at
tempt. 1t is to this celebrated ford that
thousands upon thousands of Chris
tan pilgrims come every year
from all parts of the world
at Easter to battle in the consecrated wat
ers and they come in such great numbers
that in their zeal many have been drowned
in the past as they rushed irantically into
the sacred but dangerous river As MANY
as 10000, it is said, have bathed here in
single Easter day. In view of the death
of the poor Arab that had just occurred,
Sasoo- insisted that we should not enter
the water, but we were determined to
battle in the exact place, if possible, where
Christ had been baptized and the Father
of Israel had crossed over, and so we
plunged in, and with difficulty swan the
narrow but rapidly flowing stream to the
opposite shores. Here we stood for a time
like the Mosaic wanderers of old, looking
longingly over ''to Canaan's fair and hap
py land" and ready to sing with them:
On Jordan's stormy banks stand,
And cast wistful eye.
However, after much anxiety on
the part of the faithful dragoman,
we got back in safety, and
shortly after we had left the water.
another tribe OF Bedouins, bound for
Moab, came up, led by a warlike looking
sheik, mounted upon a gorgeous capari-
soned Arab horse. They were a fierce
looking lot, and as soon as they began to
cross, Sasoor quietly called us away from
the ford, and our two guards, badly fright
ened, hastily left us and concealed them
selves in the bushes. Sasoor explained
that there was "bad blood" between this
tribe and the one to which our escort be-
longed, and there was danger that the lat
ter would be attacked, should their enc
mics get glimpse of them. After they
had all reached the other side and appar-
emily passed out of sight, our men emerged
from their hiding place and ventured into
the river like good Mahommedans, to take
their customary bath before the hour of
PRAYER. In a few moments they