The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1900-03-30
FROM THE HOLY LAND.
An Interesting Letter From Palss-
tine by Delos Johnson.
JERUSALEM, PALESTINE, I
February, q, 1900. I

fcpTudTy, ~, loVV'
Brother Turner, Chanute, Kan
We sailed from Boston, Feb. l, 1900,
five hundred and twenty-five strong
besides the crew of the boat and Mr..
Clark and his assistants. We were
out OF sight of land for seven DAYS
when we sighted the island OF Ma
deria and a small part Of the crew
landed in small boats at the capital.
Funchal; reaching Gibralter the 10th.
where most of the passengers landed,
viewing the strong fortress.
Our next stop was at Alglers, teD'
II, where we spent a delightful day in
viewing the quaint city and strange
costumes. The next stop, Feb. IA,
was at Malta, landing 10 very fine
harbor and next to Gibralter, the
strongest fortress in the world. The
island averages about 1850 people to
the square mile and is quite fertile.
Our next stop was at Alexanoria,
Egypt, then by rail through the ME
valley up to the renown city OF CAIRO
where we spent four days viewing the
strange sights, then back to Alexan.
dria, and then to the ancient city OF
Joppa where we remained over night
and some OF US went oy carriages to
Jerusalem.
We are now In the land Of promise
having visited some Of the land OF the
Pharaos with some of its wonders In
more ways than its ruins and fallen
temples. From Alexandria up the
Nile is surely one of the most fertile
valleys in the world, and now In mid
winter 1t is covered with fine
growth of vegetation Of various kinds;
among them is the wheat now almost
ripe and alfalfa clover being cut for
feed. 1t is utterly impossible to de-
scribe II upon paper either with pen
or brush, 1t has to be seen and stud
led to fully comprehend its wonders
and fertility, and the visitor needs to
be well informed in ancient history.
The people appear to enjoy very
good deal of prosperity under English
rule and appear to be contented with
their lot but to us it would be con-
sidered only staying and not much
life about it.
1t is truly wonderful to mingle
among the Egyptians and the people
of Palestine and witness the amount
of superstition that there is shown
here. You would be surprised too at
the many places pointed ont as the
real place of this and that event, and
what is very common is to be shown
the footprint of some one that has
been made in the solid rock and is be
ing kissed by some pilgrim.
Nowhere, perhaps, is there more OF
this kind of worship shown than IN
Jerusalem, and particularly in the
church of the Holy Sepulchre. For
instance, there is shown you the cen
ter of the earth and the tomb OF
Adam, and that there was paradise,
and lust over it the cross stood, and
various things too numerous to men
ton.
Around the Holy Sepulchre there
are numerous rooms where the var
ious orders of the old Pagan church
have to worship in and rot the least
to receive the contributions or the
numerous pilgrims who vlslt the var
| iOus shrines of the various orders.
They are watching the mighty penny
instead of the dollar, but they will
Jump at the dollar. The most OF the
work of marking the various places
was done by CONSUMES mother and
has been received by the various Or
ders as the genuine places.
We visited this morning the
mosque of Omer which the Turks
have built upon the site OF Solo.
mans Temple enclosing the rock of
Sacrifice. But what surprises me
most is that the Mohammedans hold
the name of all the ancient worthless
in such high esteem and veneration.
claiming them as their brethren and
of their faith.
We are having lots Of rain and the
Jordon is out of its banks which Will
prevent US from getting a good view
of the Dead Sea which we are booked
| to visit March l. This will be away
after date when it reaches you so 90
with it as you think best.
DELOs JOHNSON.