Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-08-09
HISTORIC TRAIL.
Over the Road from Nazareth
to Jerusalem.
Land of Rest and Ruins Associated
With Bible Events.
SIGHTS That Recall Patriarchs, Pro-
phets, Kings and Disciples.

Mount Tabor, Main, Endor, across the
foot of the plain of Jezreel, skirting the
of the River Kishon, by Tel-Dothan,
where Joseph was put into the pit, thence
via Samaria, Shechem, Gilgal. Bethel
and Shiloh, the distance, as the crow flies,
is about sixty-five miles, writes William
E. Curtis in the Chicago Record-Herald.
BY the camel trail, avoiding the steep
grades and the untordable brooks and
swampy places, it is eighty miles. There
are no roads, which seems strange to us,
for the history of Samaria is full of char
lots and horsemen. We seldom read of
them in connection with Judea, which is
a country of barren mountains, rocky ans
tortuous ravines, but Samaria has long,
level stretches and easy grades. At the
same time the present population of Sd-
maria needs no highway, for it has no
wheels. | do not believe there is q car
riage in the whole province. There may
be cart or two, hauled by oxen, but all
the transportation and travel is done up
on the back of the ship of the desert
whose long, swinging stride can cover
the distance between Nazareth and Jeru-
salem in about thirty-tive hours If he IS
kept in motion. 1t would be very tedi-
toned to camel riding. Tourists make it
on horseback, sometimes in two days, but
generally in three, stopping over, night a.
Nablus, at Bethel or at some other point
upon the journey and visiting the various
points of interest on the way.
There is nothing to stop for except rest
and ruins, for, with the exception of Ma
blus, which occupies the site of ancient
Shechem, everything has gone to dilapi-
dalton and decay. There are no hotels,
but only khans for the accommodation of
camel trains. which a foreigner could
scarcely endure even with the most lib
eral supply of insect powder and anti
septicS. Geological gardens are Vacuums
compared with them. 1t is not possible
for man accustomed to clean surround
ings to sleep and eat in these places or
accept any of the accommodations to
which an Arab is accustomed. He could
not eat the food, in the first place, even
If he were blind and deaf and his olfac-
tory nerves were paralyzed. L have trav-
eled over good may primitive countries,
in the mountains or Central and South
America, on the pampas of the Argentine
Republic and in the jungles of the tropics,
but have never seen such filth and such
defiance of decency and sanitary law as
may be seen daily in Palestine.
There are several agencies which make
it their business to soften the way for
travellers. They will provide at reason
able expense, from $3.50 to $40 day, &C
cording to the number of the party, sad
die horses or camels, tents cooks and
food, guides and interpreters and every
other necessity for the journey and a
good many comforts. By long experience
they have reduced things to a system,
and the traveller has nothing to do but
to pay his money In advance, follow in
structions and enjoy the journey as much
as he can. 1t is not Il pleasant journey.
People who come here for pleasure will
be disappointed. At the same time the
hardships are no greater than one has to
endure while travelling in all semi-civ-
ilized countries. The food and cooking
are excellent, the tents and beds are
comfortable and afford sufficient protec-
ton against storm and cold. The saddles
are easy and the animals are so accus-
toned to the road and SO melancholy of
themselves and their riders at the same
time The climate at this season of the
year-from the first of March to the first
of June and from the first of October to
the first of December-is very agreeable.
neither too hot nor too cold. The sun
may be little oppressive in the middle
of the day and the nights may be chilly
in the higher attitudes, but it customary
to stop for u couple of hours rest and
luncheon at noon and an extra blanket
Is easily carried.
Nowhere else in the world has expert
ence and ingenuity done so much to make
1t easy and agreeable for tourists. Cook
d Sons are the pioneers, and, having the
largest capital, control the best animals,
the best guides and the best stopping
places. Their equipment Is firSt-class and
they are as reliable as the Bank of Eng
land. Their charges are a little higher
than those of some other agencies, but it
always pays to have the best.
The Lord and His disciples went over
this trail several times on their way be-
tween Galilee and Jerusalem. They trav-
eled on foot or upon the backs of don
KEYS, with Il lO11 OF DreaO ana a lew 1l5S
and olives in their pouches. They Slept
In the caves in the rocks and drank the
water of the wells along the way, which
we are strictly prohibited from drinking
because it Is polluted with all kinds of
microbes and other enemies of the human
race. More tourists have acquired fevers
by drinking out of these holy wells, sa-
cred to the memory of the patriarchs,
You hear of people having typhoid fever
after visiting the Holy Land you may
know that they have violated the rules
of the road and have neglected the ordi-
nary precautions which every traveller
should observe in a strange country. Cook
d Sons and other tourist agencies pro-
vide plenty. of bottled water, or a traveller
may take his own supply, but the water
IN the pool Of Samaria, Jacobs Well and
other places should be avoided as If it
were arsenic or cyanide of potassium
The trail you follow is the great cara
van road between Damascus and Egypt,
way to the sea. The Romans paved it
and took toll from travellers. st. Mat
thew kept one of the toll gates. But in
these degenerate days the pavement has
avoid the mud holes the camels make a
fields are green, the olive groves are
lovely and the numerous villages are
Dozens of dogs will come out and bark
at you as you pass by. Groups of half
naked urchins will scream all manner
of insults and obscene epithets, and may
be they will throw stones. The women,
who are usually washing at the wells or
working in the fields. or sitting by the
threshold of their cabins. hunting for
wild beasts in the hair of their children
will smile pleasantly. and if you draw
your kodak will follow you and clamor
for backsheeSh. The men folks are dig
nified, reserved and reticent. They are
on horseback, with curtains of
white flowing from the backs of their
turbans, and long robes of reddish brown
cotton falling from their shoulders and
the launches of their horses
At their girdles are small arsenals, revo,- |
vers and knives galore. and shotguns are
generally swung over the pommels of !
their saddles, for everybody goes armed |
not so much for offensive and defensive
purposes, but because it is the custom of |
the country.
There is a good deal of shooting how
ever. The Arabs are quick to take Of |
Tense: they are vindictive and violent in |
their passions, and the lex talonis, the |
law OF personal vengeance, still prevails |
A woman sat weeping at the door of q |
mill as we rode by yesterday. and suppos- |
ing that she was i'll or had been badly |
treated. we inquired the cause Of her dis |
tress. We found that ii was only a case |
of murder. Her husband had been shot |
the night before for being too familiar |
with somebody else's property.
You seldom hear of an arrest or a police |
court. The Turkish government exercises |
a general supervision over the country
but the Arab sheilxhs are held responsible |
H. r.1l,. 4