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

for all this and also to Re present at the
dedication of the German Lutheran cnurcn
q, Jerusalem did William undertake his
crusade into the land where Christianity
was born.
With the advent into the Holy Land OF
the German emperor a new interest has
arisen i'm the most historic country in the
world. and all eyes are now turned on the
place which is Dot only memorable be
cause Christ was born within AIS borders,
but also because of its records. which are
stained with the blood of hundreds OF thou
sands of brave men and women VINO Went
there 10 take the land out or the hands or
non-belieyers
Palestine borders on the Mediterranean
sea and is In the southern portion of Asia
Minor. 1t lies between Turkey in Asia
proper on the north and Arabia Petraea on
the south. The limits OF the country can
not be stated with any degree Of exactness.
So far as can be ascer.ained its length is d
Ntte more than l5o miles, with varying
width OF from twenty-elght TO eighty miles
The area Of the portion west of the Jordan
is 500 square miles while that of the east
has been estimated at !. 500 square miles
This is the modern Palestine. The ancient
Palestine was much smaller. 1t included
only the southern portion OF the coast re-
glon. In its geographical makeup the
country is more peculiar than any of the
surrounding lands. 1t is a place of hills
and valleys and a wonderful variety Of
temperatures. Through the center is a
iahle-land with an average elevation of 1850
feet, upon whose rugged edges stand sew
eral Of the ancient cities with their old for
tiiications gradually going TO pieces.
Along the coast the land is low and bar
rem. Here the heat is intense. while the
hills piateaus and mountain sides the tenn
perature varies. Ii never grows exceeding
~ cold, however. and while snow falls
about Jerusalem and on the hills. IL is
never cold enough TO freeze the ground.
The descent from the central tableland on
the east is very steep. On the west the
slope Is gradual TO the plains OF Phllista.
The mountain ranges, which run through
the country from one end to the other. are
rugged and disconnected. The highest
peaks are on the central plateau. They
are Mount Hebron, $500 feet: Jerusalem,
200 feet: Mount Gerizim. 2.si9 feet Mount
E,hal, 3.W7 feet. and Mount Tabor. l.si3
feet.
Almost directly through the center OF
the country runs that great and historic
water course. the River Jordan. of which
the prophets wrote. II runs from the
ret, known to the ancients as the Sea OF
Ga!ilee and made immortal by Christ and
his disciples. Thence 1t finds its way into
the valley of Coela-Syria and the great
hill In the north. 1t twists and turns and
covers q great territory The vast Gre
vase through which the Jordan flows is
places very deep AT the bottom of the
Dead sea it reaches depth of $3.50 feet.
and the sea itself is more than quarter
ranean II Is this great stream that sup
plies the larger portion Of Palestine with
water The valley of the Jordan IS ex-
ceetAngly fertile and wen wooded. In this
section the chief occupation of the inhabi-
tants Is agricultural pursuits and the main
products are barley. wheat. maze and rye
This however is but one section of the
wonderfully fertile valley Of the Jordan.
Tire plains of EsdraeIon and Jericho are
extremely fertile. and enormous crops are
harvested from them. They raise chiefly
peas. beans, potatoes. tobacco. cstton
sugar cane and large quantities of rice
which grows In the low and marshy lands
along the borders of the Jordan and Its
many tributaries. The cultivated fruits
are grapes pears. apricots. plums. apples
oranges, lines bananas. olives and al
nonds the oils from some of which arr
among the principal articles of export
The grapes Of Palestine are famous fol-
their size and delicious flavor. The date
palm is found only in the south and on the