Morning journal and courier., 1890-02-05
THE PALESTINE PARTY.
At HBelrut-A GrOsesque Crowd-Learn-
ing Arabic Under AHA
-America Versus Arab Boatmen-In-
tercsslnE and Impressive scenes.
1uuIruayrar nok


AZ ssirut-A Grosesque Crowd-Learn-
ing Arabic Under Dlmcultles-JaGa
-AmerIca Versus Arab Boatmen-In-
tcrcsslnE and Impressive scenes.
JERUaALEM, Oct. II.
To the Editor OF the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
loving to the fact that my original letter Of the
compelled, after many weeks of frutlsss waiting,
to reproduce it, which I have done as nearly as
possible. N. H.
The camping tour began at Beirut at an
early hour, Monday, October 7th. Long be-
fore the dawn of day the confused babel of
voices beneath our hotel windows, proceed
ing from Arab drivers, dragomen and ser
wants of various descriptions, were distinct-
ly heard. Added to this were the paving
and stamping of fifty horses, with occasional
whinneying from the poor beasts. which
made it quite obvious that sleep for that
night at least had s'gone where the woodbine
twineth."
Having from my boyhood been an early
riser, seldom sleeping beyond q. M, I at
length arose, dressed and packed my luggage
for the long tour of eleven days that
stretched out before rs over hot roads and
dizzy precipices. After a hasty breakfast
the hour for starting arrived. With some
delay, and few mistakes, the tourists get
ting on to wrong horses, with a little jeal-
ousy on the part of one or two, who sup
posed that the best horses had been appro-
priated by other members of the party, We
slowly wound our way out of the quaint old
city of Beirut. Like the party described
elsewhere by DR.. Shaft, we presented o gro
tesque if not bswildering appearance to
the natives. Some of the party were ex-
ceedingly tall; others were less than medium
height. One wore linen duster, with q
faded umbrella under his arm; few had
leggings, while one gentleman made the en-
tire trip with pocket handkerchief futter-
ing over his face and neck. I had dreaded
the camping feature for months prior to our
departure from home. knew nothing of
horseback riding. A few times, when boy.
had ridden q short distance on the back Of
the old farm horse. Now am mounted on
q spirited Arabian horse. Mr.. Rolla Floyd,
my personal and esteemed friend-the most
noted dragoman in Palestine, who escorted
General Grant and party during his memora-
BILE visit in Palestine, has chosen the best
horse that can be had-a good walker and
loper. The animals are all "tender bitted, !"
we are told. so we must carry slack rein.
We are to speak to them in Arabic, but dis
cover that learning the language during an
exceptionally hot morning on the back of the
brute are not the most favorable conditions
under which the task might be accomplished. 1.
| A faint, dizzy feeling crept over me, due IN
part to the half sea-sick condition produced
while landing In the small Arab boat from
the steamer the night previous, the lack OF
sleep, the heat of the morning and my ner-
vousness in learning to ride on the back of a
strange Arabian horse. The caravan was
out Of sight, though we were still within the
| city. All efforts to guide the quadruped
through the meager lesson given me proved
fruitless. Feeling decided disinclination
to have eleven days of such mockery fol
| happiness while on so-called "pleasure
touin--knowing that the intense heat would
be almost unbearable at mid-day, dis
mounted and decided to abandon the camp