Telegram-herald., 1890-02-03
IN fHB HOLY Land
The Interesting Trip Of Rev.
T. De Witt 7 zlmzge.
JERUSALEM TO THE JORDAN


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NAZAREIa. Dec ls.-PeoP-e ~ho Visit
PalesUns ia Ehe spring hen TIE hill
sllss an4 lie valleys sTD green and
the trees covered with iuxuriAnt 70
lage have delightful experiences, nc
5oabr our from what ! hear and my
own thorough Enjoy ment OF my Uip
am suCngly u the opinion that now Is
tie lest time Of the wear for the strange
Ia TIE Holy Land As DR.. Talmsge puI
&c. Nature now has her gloy>s OF IN
these clear days Of December one gets a.
thlnss with a single glance. Hill and
valleY are clearly defined, and brook and
rYer are seen uuobstTucted by the leaves
Il bordering trees. Ruins, fruitful n
historic suggestion, stand out IN the
hareuees which Is the aptest expression
II their bald antiquity Ia the important
matter Of personal comfort. moreover. II
Is an immeAsurable relief 10 De spared
the torments inflicted IN the warmer
season Of the year BY heas. flies and
other creatures, lnsectlle and Of larger
kind. These, as many much perse-
,uted traveller might attest, make hfe
almost intolerable in the hot months.
We happily escape their infections, and
AZ the same time have a positive pleasure
10 the climate. December in Palestine
IS a luxury. The sun shines Just warm
enough to be agreeable, and tho wind is
,Dly cool enough 10 be refreshing and
tTacing.
The trip We made from Jerusalem 10
the Jordan was as pleasant IN realization
as a fairy tale Is in contemplation.
Glorious were the hills crowned with
light, beautiful. the valleys and crystal
line the waters Of the streams dashing
through them. By day the skies radiant
with sunshine and by night respondent
with stars.
We left Jerusalem by the Jaffa gate
our horses paving the ground impatient
" as eager to begin the journey. Being
the pioneer party of the season, we rode
animals which were thoroughly rested
and fresh for good service. The ladies
wore no wraps and the gentlemen no
overcoats. Our Calcutta hats shielded
our eyes against the rays Of the sun.
Leaving the visitation Of the Mount Of
Olives, the Garden Of Gethsemane, the
Valley Of Jehoshaphat and Bethany, the
nome Of Mary and Martha and Lazarus.
Tor more convenient season We passed
On, making our first stop, that for lunch,
20 the Good Samaritan's inn. This, more
correctly described, is the old Hathrlr
Khan. 1t Is situated about half way be-
tween Jerusalem and Jericho, and is in
q ruinou5 condition. There is nothing to
question the probability that on the same
site on which 1t stands was situated the
inn 70 which the neighborly Samaritan
conveyed the poor fellow who had fallen
among thieves. The region thereabout
is desOlate, and the way affords oppor-
runitics of ambush convenient TO the
operations of highwaymen. Our Lord
knew the place well, for it was on the
road taken by Gahlean travellers on their
way 10 and from Jerusalem. There is
sufficient of biblical interest in the spo:
without giving way 10 credulity, and
the visitor suffers nothing by quietly de-
clining to accept as well authenticated
all the stories told him of the various
places he sees. 1t was enough for US TO
find in the ruinous khan an opportunity
Of repose and refreshment, and to reflect
that it occupies in all probability the site
Of the inn existing in the time of our
Lord, 10 which he made reference in the
beautiful narrative of the Good Samari-
tan. and where be perhaps often rested
awhile in his errands of good viii 10
men.
Rcmounting, we continued our course,
visiting next the Brook CheTith, where
Elijah was sustsi ined with the bread and
meat supplied by ravens. At the present
time large numbers Of these birds fre-
1uent the steep decivity in the noun
tain range through which tho stream
marks IT'S course.
BTniChtfall we had reached what is sup
| posed To be the site Of old jericho, where
we encamped for the night. and Of which
no trace remains. II not here certainly
near it. at the blasts Of Hebrew trum-
pets fell the walls of the doomed city.
| Our camp vas almost at the foot Of what
il now called the Mount Of Temptation,
On which. 1t il claimed, Christ was
| tempted Of the devil The Jericho of
| The time Of our Lord was near. II was
q splendid city. Of which many remains
| exist The hill above its site seems 70
consist largely Of the rubbish Of the
houses. temples and palaces in which
Herod the Great took PRIDE Fragments
u ancient pottery and glass still reward
| the zeal Of the searcher.
Our night az Jericho was the first one
/ IN which We camped out. The new CT
! perience was a pleasant one, disappoint-
lnE aEreeabl7 tho auucipations we had
/ formed II It. Esrly tho next morning
/ we resumed our journey. The first po5nt
- interest that attracted our attention
vas tho peas known as Mounts Pisgah
and Neho. There IS no certainty that
+ the peaks pointed ont 20 us under these
7 names are the exact ones on which re-
! srocd~elr Moses viewed the lsodcape
T scr and ended his mortal life. but the
pro ability is that PisCsh is rightlv i5en-
tfea hecsnse on clear ds7 al Paies-
tire is visible 70 the naked eve from i-s
summit. We were next shown the house
= Lsrcheus. which u a rerasr kabl7 vel
preserved ediace That earnest little
man Who ciimaed into = sycamore tree
to sse Jesus. because - wss htt'e of
F-eru-s. took the hest means r s-~or-