The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-04-20
TRAVELS IN PALESTINE

Graphically described by One who has
Journoyed thoro-Customs the Same ms
In Bible limos.
An interesting lecture on n iavoritc
theme was delivered by Rev. A. b.
Marshall at tho First Presbyterian
church last night. Travels in Palcs-
tine" described by Rev. Mr.. Marshall,
who wandered all over tho Holy Land,
held tho Interest OF tho audience from
beginning to end.
In his lecture Mr.. Marshall described
a stone bridge near Damascus, which is
still standing, having lasted eighteen
centuries longer than tho old stone
bridge that used to span Wheeling
creek. Mr.. Marshall said that tho bridge
looked US II It might stand many years
longer, though ono OF the arches needed
pointing. He described the road from
Damascus to Joppa MS q trail which had
been used by ages forstle nations us a
pathway to the sea. For great portions
OF tho way 1t is covered with huge rocks,
between which tho donkcys OF tho trav-
cling party, threaded their way. Accord
ing to the theories Of those yersod in
historic lore and Of scientists, tho road,
for this reason, can never have been
Travelled by wheeled vehicles. Tho only
manner III which it could have been
Travelled was by. filling up tho inter
stices OF the rocks with smaller stones
or with clay. Tho stones would OF
course still ROMAN, and ii clay filling
had been used, 1t also would still re.
main, MS tho road Is very level md tho
clay therefore could never have been
washed away.
There is very little rain in that eli
mate and country, but some very 70.
markablc springs, wide distances apart,
furnish u STEADY supply OF water. Some
OF tho springs burst out Of the ground
and, form brooks, eight and ton feet
wide and from afoot to six inches deep.
At Cacsarea Philippi a spring comes
from the ground and forms u stream
two rods wide and from two to three
feet deep.
The entire country, with. the exccp-
ton Of several cultivated places, is a
barren waste. On nearly all the hill
tops arc ruins, ruins Of churches built
by tho Crusaders, ruins of churches
built by the early Christians, ruins Of
Jewish and even Canaanitish cities.
The mountain sides and the hill sides
are as barren as any rocky surface in
America. Thousands OF acres on the.
hill sides do not even grow weeds.
There arc no trees but tho cultivated
trees, chiefly figs and olives. The plains
nrc as barren as the hill sides. The val
10y OF the Jordan, forty miles long and
ten miles wide, is o great desert, as is
the great plain-of Esdralon. II the
land is so barren, how could it ever
have been described us n land flowing
with milk and honey? Tho answer to
this is contained in the TACT that the
valleys and hills are naturally rich, and
ii irrigated produce fruits and grain as
fine MS are raised in this country. The
Prophet spring near Jericho irrigates
GOO acres, wherein there is q magniti-
cent orchard OF lemons, oranges and
different nuts. Certain portions OF
the plain of Esdralon arc irrigated and
the landresponds wonderfully. In parts
OF the country the hillsides are ter
raced and planted with wheat. The in
crease is frequently a hundred fold.
Around old Sikar and the town OF Beth
lehem the hills are terraced and pro-
duce bountiful crops Of wheat.
The climate is delightful, with scarce
~ any winter. Roses are in bloom
every month during5 the year. Sheep
and goats are plentiful, and bees fill in.
terstices in the rocks with honey.
Four races people the country, of
which the Turks are tho ruling class.
The Syrians transact the bulk OF the
business. Besides these the Jews and
the Arabs form q large proportion Of
the population. There are about 49,
900 Jews in Jerusalem alone. The
Arabs, Mr.. Marshall described as a
squalid, dirty race; the Bedouins Of the
desert, though naturally thieves, are
true to their word, and having once
broken bread withthcm their promises
may be depended upon. In the towns
the Arabs and tho donkeys live in the
same houses, though occupying differ
ent rooms. The women do most OF the
work, and Mr.. Marshall and his party
saw a woman and calf hitched to the
light pillow Of the country, while the
team loru anu master nelu tne
handles.
According to Rev. Mr.. Marshall's de-
scription the land has changed but lit
tie, except that it is now q sterile coun.
try, from what it was at the time OF
Christ. The fruits are the same, the
way of harvesting is the same, the oxen
and drivers with the,goad, and the OK
kicks against the pric5s as Of yorc. The
pillow is composed OF wood and merely
scratches the soil. The wheat is thrcsh-
cd out to this day by the feet OF I'M
muzzled oxen, and is winnowed with q
fan, held in the hand OF the laborer.
The shepherd still divides the goats from
the sheep at night. The diseases are
tho came as described in the Bible.
Leprosy and unfortunates with withered
limbs are still seen.-on the highways.
The women still grind in the mill and
the same mo and customs obtain
as in the days Of Christ.