Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-06-14

aIist Party.
Dr. Dunnings ConCreCatonrllst party is
at last camping in the Holy Land
On leaving Cairo. April u. we travelled
through the land of Goshen in the Nile
delta. bv train For miles Goshen was
beautiful cultivated plain, made so by irri-
cation. and then along the SueZ canal il
was a drearv desert.
At Port said. the last and wickedest
city in Egypt, we boarded French steamer
for Jatta. The voyage was but for one
night and at 5 A. NJ we were safely landed
in Holy Land 1t seemed like getting
home to New England. both as to climate
and green country. This landing at Jatfa
is often a critical matter A halt-mile
from there we leave the steamer for row
boats which must be guided with great
care between the rocks on both sides. If
the water is rough no landing is possible
and one must remain on the steamer till its
return or till landing is possible.
At SIX next morning we mounted our
unknown horses and started for Jerusa-
lem. riding 20 miles that day through the
green plain OF Sharon, with the single red
poppy growing everywhere. The prettiest
thing we see throughout Palestine is this
poppy growing by the roadside and dottlng
the green fields.
After passing the fertile plain OF Sharon
we rode for miles between the rugged, IN
inhabited hills of the tribe of Benjamin.
only seeing an occasional little village on
the hillside. one was pointed out as the
birthplace of John the Baptist. and an
other as the town where Mary visited Eliza
beth This is a hne permanent carriage
road from Jatfa 10 Jerusalem or ''Jerusa-
lem to the sea, said to have been built by
Napoleon.
We reached Jerusalem. 40 miles from
Jatfa. early the next afternoon. From the
Jaf1u entrance one gets but a small view of
the city, but we rode right on to the Da-
mascus gate. meeting the ouaintest pilgrim
like looking people. There we dismOunted
and walked the few steps TO Calvary. One
seemed to feel that the little mount was
Calvary. for right beneath it is the tomb
where he was laid. To many II was the
most touching and real scene OF our expe-
rience in the Holy Land. The Mount Cal
vary is now a dilapidated Mosielm Gene
tery IL overlOOks the whole OF Jerusalem
and would be q most conspicuous place for
the crucinXion Jerusalem looks like a
tne large city from here. OF stone houses
with red tile roofs. surrounded by the beau
tiful Olivet, Zion and other hills.
The first evening in Jerusalem we en-
tered a small doorway in the wall opposite
Calvary and walked ''half way under the
city" in solomon quarries. where the
stone was hewn and fitted for Solomon s
temple.
The ride to Jericho. 20 miles was taken
the next day over a good macadamized
road most OF the way. and between high
rocky hills We passed the little village OF
Bethany where we saw the ruins of the re-
puted house OF Mary and Martha. 1t was
large house with cacli and trees grow
nc inside the walls. We luncned by
Bethany Oh our return. There seemed
TO be no one living here. but there was a
modern village on an opposite hill and very
pretty children gathered about us.
From Jericho we rode through the level,
treeless wilderness of Judea. ten miles
TO the Dead sea. where many OF the com
pany enjoyed a swim. The water was
clear and ripping, IN tact, there was quite
d surf. 1t has a wide. rocky shore and we
picked up pretty colored pebbles. and an
occasional shell. Its shore is the lowest
depression in the world moi covered by
water. Fish from the fresh water Jordan,
on entering the very salt Dead sea, soon die.
When we reached our lunching place by
the banks OF the Jordan no one cared TO
battle as some had rather planned TO do.
The narrow stream was muddy and ii has
a muddy. abrupt bank and muddy bottom.
We had expected to see a clear, rocky New
England stream. In leaving Jerusalem for
Jericho and also III regaining Jerusalem
We ran a gauntlet of lepers. They
stretched out their eaten hands saying,
"LeprOuS, teprOuS, bHcESteesh back
sheesh." in most pititul gasplng tones. 1t
is a sad and pitittul sight. 1t Is said that
the lepeTs are permitted to marry. Their
children are beautiful al first. but the dis
ease sooner or later appears They are
not allowed inside the city walls.
All the places mentioned thus lar in Pal
estine could be visited by carriage. as some
OF our party preferred TO do. and 60 no
further north but III travelling north no
one should attempt it VINO is not al home
on horseback. The Damascus road is sim
ply trail over hill and through dale. and
one whole day through a swamp, We had
rough experience III crossing the shoulder
of MI HeTmon before reaching Damascus.
We were 5000 feet above the sea level
The piercing wind, accompanied with rain
and hail, blew q hurricane which we could
not have faced, and which blew the horses
al times out OF the path The cliffs lust
ABOVE us were white with snow We
Cdmpeu TWO nights IN lQlS region, Inc vino
blowing a constant gale. Men were up all
night readlustIng tent rlggings. The road
or trail crossing these Lebanon hills was
very rough, Tor miles slippery rocks. 1t
seemed like the damp bed OF a river. Ii
was Just after a rain. We forded many
streams
The rich green plain OF Esdraelou iI
Samaria, through which We rode all one
day before reaching Nazareth is beyond
description, surrounded by Carmel. Tabor
LHlle Hermou and Gilboa Wheat j.
largely the product OF these plains. Their.
are no roads, only a path Tor single fiji,
riding, and ii is the direct route Tor Damas
Gus. IL was a hne days ride through thi,
plain. and finally. late in the afternoon. W,
passed the hill from which they wished u
throw Jesus, and climbing a hill descended
10 our camp inst in the edge of Nazareth
getting q nne view OF Nazareth. which il
built on hills or hillsides
1t seemedsto be the most prosperous place
we had visited in Palestine and the mos