The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-01-08
de was the first great historical poIyga-
mist and poet of passion.

mist and poet of passion.
| But our correspondent asks more par
ticularly about modern Jerusalem and
how to reach it. So let Us pass on rap
idly to speak of these matters OF more
vital interest perhaps to the trifling and
thoughtless worldling.
Starting out from Boston, one would
| cross the common and either take the
| train for New York or ship direct to
the Mediterranean, Constantinople,
whence one can sail across to Jaffa-
Jaffa was formerly Joppa and is in
the province of Syria, 33 miles north
west of Jerusalem. There are 5000
| inhabitants, 81 of whom are Syrian train
hands and the balance beggars.
Jaffa was 8, ZOO years ago the port of
jerusalem, and the cedars of Lebanon
were shipped there from Tyre and thence
per bull team to Jerusalem for the
building of the temple. The harbor is
one of the measliest known to naviga-
ton, for it is filed up with sand, and
the river and harbor appropriation of
Syria is evidently used by the commit
tee in secret session.
During the crusades the Christian ar
mics landed at Joppa, or Jafta, and kill
ed off several rival denominations.
1t is claimed that Jaffa is rapidly
growing, and town lots are on sale with
that understanding, but the Jaffar who
approaches me on this subject will think
he has had appendicitis and been oper-
ated on.
own some cranberry lots already in
North Minneapolis, facing Hudson's
justly celebrated bay and water front.
Those will do me for the present or
until real estate takes an upward turn,
as my farm in North Carolina does at
one end
You can land at Joppa on calm day
by means of a whaleboat, or you can try
it on a breezy day and pay So for being
resuscitated by fragrant physician on
shore.
Some take the railroad to Jerusalem
nowadays, and some hire livery team
in Joppa, but all around the train is the
better way, for, though twice as far by
rail. it costs less and only takes one
half the time.
Jerusalem is very nearly the same ell
ovation as Asheville, N. C.-say 800
feet-but the roads are better after you
get out of town, though, of course, Jeru-
salem has had several thousand years
the start. Still Asheville is preferable
to Jerusalem, and McKissick keeps
good deal better hotel than old Jehoa-
kim Sick-a- Bed Reddin, who runs the
eating works at Jerusalem.
You can go from Joppa to Jerusalem
and return for about 80 via the Flying
Levite train, or you can watch your
chances and catch No. IL, mixed freight,
which goes slower and gives one a
chance to see the oriental stone match
box architecture of the Wady Surar
and the Wady Bittir, with gaudy cam
els dung drying for fuel on the daz
Zling walls. Most Of the wood and tim
Der about Jerusalem has been skun off
in past years and made up into relics of
the true cross, so that now man with
out camel is likely to freeze to death.
1t reminded me of the old days on the
plains of the west when buffalo chips
supplied the fuel for many a sad eyed
tourist across the sands
The train on the Flying Levite con-
sists of two second class coaches and
one first class. The first class coach is
very ordinary, with cane seats, but these
are safer than silk plush in a land where
everything is contagious except soap.
French is spoken by the trainmen and
French money received for tickets as
we'll as for glass revolvers loaded with
pink candy and sold on trains or along
the route. French books can also be
bought at the stations. Some of these |
books explain why there is no God and !
also why there is no virtue, thus giving |
a vivid idea of the set in which no |,
doubt the author moves.
Many of the Jews look for the Messi- |
ah as result of the building of the road, |
and a committee meets all trains. but .