The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-06

sea coast. while the fig trees are ,ulti-
waited on the hil.sides and in the valleys.
The country is wonderfully situated and
Is separated from ihs surrounding coun-
and rugged mountains. whose sides il
seems impossible 10 climb. IL fact IL is
with each other those living on the hill-
sides were never molested by the warning
ones, as 1t was next TO impossible 10 get
10 them. so steep were the hills and SO well
fortified were their cities and places of
abode. There are many ruins OF the an
Gent dwellings, on the hillsides Yet. visible.
Agricultural pursuits were carried on on
the sides Of the hills and mountains. where
the earth was very fertile and the climate
rTopitious- In some OF these. places the
old retaining walls still remain and pa
ture has done her part so that i; is i'm
possible 70 tell where the artificial began
and the .natura. ended. The walls were
down the mountain sides during the rainy
season. which lasts little more than two
months. Most Of the mountain side farm
ing has been abandoned and now only the
old stone walls. which are rapidly crumbi-
ing TO pieces are left.
AS in most of the eastern countries,
agriculture ns Is prac,sed in mos; primi,
used 10 TIL the field or gather the crops.
This is owing partly to the Incidence and
Ignorance of the inhabitants and partly to
the bad government and exactions OF the
tax gatherers. who leave the people only
sufficient 10 live on. and in many cases not
even tHat iDuGn remains aIter tUSy nave
made their rounds. A great deal Of atten-
ton is paid by the inha bitants to pastoral
pursuits. and flocks of sheep and goats
are found everywhere on the mountain
There is very little beef raised in the coun-
try. and that which is Is very poor. A
great portion OF that part OF Palestine
which borders on the southern and eastern
deserts is well adapted for pasturage on4y.
and the people who inhabit those sections
are little more than savages.
the land was populated in the early ages:
1t is supposed that during the tine OF
Christ 1t was more. th!ckly settled than
most of the countries of the same size
either in Europe or Asia. The population
has decreased. and at the present time it
is believed there are not more than 10000
Mohammedans. Some of them are Turks,
and they hold the high offices. while the
others. the. common people. have Arab.
population is very small. The Jews are
found mostly at or near Jerusalem, He
bron.. Tiberias and safed OF late years
colonies of German and Polish Jews have
been founded in Palestine. Many more
would have settled there. especially those
who were expelled from Russia. but the
Sultan of Turkey refused 10 give his con-
sent He would not. he said, allow per
sons of an alien race and religion to set.
tie in great numbers in distant part OF
his dominions.
AS in most places under the rule OF the
sultan of Turkey. few or no improvements
have been made in any OF the cities or In
fact in any part OF the Hoy Land. Most
of the cities are reeking with filth; and
II is wonder there are not more deadly
diseases among the people. The means OF
communication and travel throughout
Palestine are exceedingly bad. Mary of
the roads are in the same condition as
when Christ and His disciples travelled
over them from place to place. The best
road is from Yafl to Jerusalem, while
the only railroad runs from Yafa to Ram
len. and is being extended to Jerusalem.
Tie filth of Jerusalem is worse than in
any city in the world. The streets Of the
passageways can be called streets are
very narrow. but what they lack In width
they make up in dirt, ard it Is often
found necessary TO wade through garbage
which has been thrown out by the occu-
pants Of the houses. This Is also true OF
many other cities. There is nothing mod