Orange County observer., 1897-10-07

WHICH was 50 reveafNO 10 a. mORX N
dream, the monastery established, and
afterward appropriated by the Turks.
The plains Of Jericho are the private
property Of the Sultan; are titled for
his benefit by the local peasantry. and
are kept free from grasshoppers by q
primitive and thoroughly oriental
method. When the stcrks make their
first appearance in the spring. the IN
habitants know that the grass hoppers
viii not be long in coming. and the To-
cal supervisor sends word to the Pasha
in Jerusalem that the hopper crop is
nearly ready AS soon as the Pasha
feels equal 10 the Necessary exertiol
he sends word 10 the men Of the vii.
lagos nearest 10 the Jordan TO hold
themselves in readiness 70 protect he
Sultan's crops. When the 'hcppers be
yin 10 move, all the population turns
ont in force. armed with sticks, broOms
poles. brush. punches Of cane and simi
lar means of offensive warfare. and
forming q line, advances on the hop
per infested district Every crasShop-
per that can be found is killed. and
after tie carnage which generally lasts
only q day or two the pest is subdued
and the people go back 10 their homes.
he Jericho plains are slnGularly fer
tile. and under any other rule than that
of the Turk would be one Of the choice
garden spots Of Palestine. Now. little
is grown there save wheat, which is
produced in quantity and of quality
unknown elsewhere in the Holy Land
Midway through the fats runs the
Jordan. ard tradition has pointed our
III the vicinity Of Jericho and along its
fertile plain many spots noted in sa-
cred lore. AT one pool in the river, &C.
cordng 10 the popular legends. Christ
was baptized and here the Russian
pilgrims fill their bottles with water
| from the Jordan. TO be taken home as
| holy relic. At another is shown the
/ tree which ZacchcuS climbed to get
/ above the heads of the crowd; at still
another are a few scattered stones,
| stated TO he those Of the identical walls
| which fell at the blast of the Jewish
| trunpets a cave in the side of a hill
| is StOutly affirmed to be the veritab bic
| hole in the ground into which Lot re-
] cities of the plain. While beneath the
'tWaters of the sea a few hewn stones.
! still III position. as q wall, are supposed
10 mark the location of one of the
doomed cities
The Immediate neighborhood of the
Sea Of the Dead presents few attrac-
tionS to the tourist. and does not in
| vite stay of more than q few hours
Not 4 bird in the air. not Il fish in the
sea. not a sign OF life along it's shores
but Il glimmering above the waters
from the constant evaporation. intense
| heat. reflected from the rocks and
| waters and utter silence. The sec
Well deserves its name, and after !:
survey Of the vicinity it is easy to un
dcrStand why the dwellerS in the plains
of Jericho believe the region to res
under a perpetual curse. and that
after nightfall, it is infected by the
uneasy ghosts of the wicked dWellers
in Sodom and GomOrrah.
But the old superstitions are rapidly
fading out in the light Of modern i'm
prOvement which reaches even the vi
cinity Of the Dead Sea. Jericho ha,
two good hotels railroad is projected
to connect the city with Jerusalem
and when this is finished the jOurne.
Will be reduced from four or five day
to as many hours. and the conductors
cry "All aboard for Jericho and h
Dead Sea" Will attract the attention
Of ten times as many tourists as a
present toll over the rough and dan
gerous road which leads from the II OIL
City TO the fords of the Jordan.