The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-07-17

the long bright sweep of the Mediterranean,
It's nearer waves broken by the reefs
famous in ancient story as the rocks of
Andromeda. Today the black wave-worn
hull Of Russian merchantmen, wrecked
there two years ago, rocks and rolls at
every blow Of the pounding sea. In the
town, the winding streets are narrow,
dirty and mal-odorous. Donkeys and
camels are frequently met, but no vehicles.
In the suburbs extensive orange groves
abound laden with fruit of rare flavor and
unusual size, many specimens measuring
fifteen inches IN circumference, and as
great number OF trees are in flower as well
as fruit the bloom laden air in the evening
and early morning is delightful.
on THE ROAD TO JERUSALEM.
From Jaffa diligence took me up an
ascent of 1900 feet and distance OF forty
miles TO Jerusalem over road used in all
ages. A railroad has been commenced and
few miles of tracking done, but l saw no
rolling stock or other equipment, and no
hands at work. / think It's projectors have
the gravest reasons for doubling the sue
cess OF an enterprise that If completed,
must depend almost EXCESSIVELY on the pat
ronage OF few isolated travellers
The howery plain OF Sharon is passed
through and the valley of Ajaon, where
Joshua obtained the victory over the five
kings OF the Amorites, and the sun stayed
It's downward course until the people had
avenged themselves upon their enemies.
Within view from the roadside are the
ruins of Gezer, captured aud burned by
Pharoah. who gave it ''for present TO his
daughter, SolOmon's wife, Il. Kings, tx
l5-l7). Proceeding toward Jerusalem, the
traveller zig-zags his course along a steep
defle. where on every hand the hills are
gray, bald ana rugged. Wild flowers
grow among the bleak crevices, but the
few trees or bushes seen are stunted
aud spare. a wild and desolate region
seven-eighths sterile and rocky, and if
geology Is not q dream, it rs rock in
place." AS the wild, high table land is APP
preached the most dispassionate of men
may well reflect on the associations con
nected with the road he is urRyerslng.
Along it the ark of God was borne in
triumph TO Mount Zion: somewhere along
the route Christ joined the two disciples
On their way to Emmaus. From age to
age thousands of lsraelltes have gone up
there 10 tue solemn feasts of Jerusalem.
And in after times these desolate regions
(for al is desolate round the City of David1,
have echoed 10 the tramp of Roman legions
and the victorious shouts Of the crusaders.
THE CITY OF SOLOMON.
Most travellers have a sense of disap-
poiutment on first seeing Jerusalem. its
magnitude is so mucn less than the imaei-
nation had pictured. Associated as it is
with the greatest and most sacred events
OF history, il is difficult TO feel that this
little town, whose walls you may circle in
an hour, is the Holy City And, indeed, it
is not, for the city whose streets the
Savior trod was of far greater mag
nitude. che gorgeous City of Solomon
lies buried under the debris of sixtee
sieges and sixteen times It fell. Excava-
lions have shown that The foundations OF
the ancient walls are, in some places, 100
feet below the surface. In digging the
foundations of new buildings the workmen
sometimes pass down through a series of
structures, showing that one city has liter
ally been built upon the ruins OF another
All this throws grave dcubt upon many
sacred places both within and without the
present walls; he real localities lie buried
far beneath. But the natural features of
the country round remain unchanged The
present population is about fifty thousand.
The Jews number about thirty thousand.
They are mainly sustained by puplic char
ity, Jews everywhere having sent contii-
buttons 10 their poor brethren of the Holy
Land. Many came here as an act OF piety,
aud am ong deyout Jews burial at Jerusa-
lem is looked upon as fitting end TO q