The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-06-30
LOST TRIBES OF ISRAEL
Legends Pertaisins to Their Wsnderzns
I'm and Down the Earth.

Legends Pertaiafng to Their WsnderzESs
Up and Down the Earth.
It may not be inappropriate TO recall
an old legend extant among the ortho-
Iiox Jews of Russia regarding this sub
iect, and which confirms the report OF
the explorer.
Years and years ago; so the story
runs, an exiIcd Jew on the bieSk wilds
Of northern Siberia, in an effort TO
reach an overhanging branch of tree,
placed his foot upon log Hosting on
the water. No sooner had his foot
touched the log than it seemed inspired
with life and moved rapidly OF. bearing
the exile away toward the vasti ice fields,
which were plainly visible and plentiful
toward the north. Rapidly the cur
rent swept the log nortbward, bearing
with il the unfortunate Jew, who was
so benumbed with fear and cold that
he was unable to formulate plan or
escape from his perilous position.
For three consecutive days and
nights the prisoner chung to the log,
passing through towering fields of Joe
bergs and dashing under arches cut by
the current through the sky-scraping
fields of ice. Out into beautiful sun
shine our traveller eventually emerged.
The grass was green and the trees were
CARRIED in the spieDdor of nature and
birds made merry music on every
branch. People great in numbers were
congregated on either bank of the
stream all dressed in holiday raiment
of the finest texture, but similar in
character to the clothing worn by our
ancestors 1000 years ago. The current
of the stream ceased to flow, the log
drifted to the bank and the almost FAM
ished and thoroughly frightened trav-
eler repeated for the thousandth tirlo
the Hebrew words, "Shama-Israel."
and in uncertain manner dismounted
from the log.
The Inhabitants crowded about, and,
speaking in Hebrew, with which lam
guage he was thoroughly conversant,
learned of his need of food and rest and
supplied these wants, after which they
inquired whence he came and whittier
he WAS going. Numerous inquiries
were made regarding the people who
lived beyond their circumscribed world,
who N reciprocity informed him OF
themselves and their mode of living,
which had in nowise changed since
the advent of the Christian era
They worked and worshiped even as
did the Jew in ancient times when
Palestine was garden and Jerusalem
the center of civilization. The trav-
eler learned that these people were the
lost tribes Of Israel, who had migrated
10 this goodly country, led by tho
descendants of Aaron-naned Joseph
who had passed away without leaving
any descendants. With them they had
brought many vessels and much Of the
parephe<nalia of Solomon's temple, and
patterned their house of worship after
this famous temple of Jerusalem.
Tho traveller was told that the
streams current was active six days In
the week and on the seventh became
quiet and did not move, but Is he was
a member of a different tribe to them
selves he would not be allowed to re-
main within the country. So he was
placed in boat, which was pushed out
into the current and was borne by
cirouitous route back 10 Siberia Aft
erward he was pardoned. returned to
Russia and told his sdvanture.-Atian'
IA Jewish Sentiment.