Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-05-01

Through the Plain Of Sharon runs the
Aujeh riyer-which is noted as the
shortest river In Palestine and, next
to the Jordan, the largest. 1t is but
ten miles in length but has a consid-
cradle volume Of water. The Sharon
plain, proper, about forty miles long
and six totwelye miles wide, is an UNI
broken stretch Of u~ndulating prairie,
or pasture land, diversified with an
occasional grove Of orange, pomegran-
ates or palms Near Jaffa arenumerous
orange groves, the JaiIa oranges being
esteemed the finest In the East. Now,
as In Old Testament times, the Plain
is a fayorite resort for herdsmen. A
falrer pastoral scene could not be
found In Palestine.
RAMLEH AND LUNCH UNDER A CARoB
TREE.
The carriage-road TO Jerusalem Is
marked by two score Of watch-towers.
They are dlsmantled and falling 70
pieces now, but when erected in 1860
were necessary to protect from attack
pilgrims who were on their way to
Jerusalem. The coming Of the railway
has helped TO promote civilization and
safety.
The largest town between Jaffa and
Jerusalem-and the dlrtiest in Pales-
tine-is Ramleh. 1t has a population
OF 5000 packed as close together as a
can OF decayed sardines and suggestive
in odor of the same. 1t is a modern
town and is not referred to in the
scriptures. Its most remarkable mon
ument is the White Mosque with its
great tower from which an admirable
view Of the plain, the sea and the sill
very Judean mountains is obtained.
Beyond Ramleh at Babel Wad-
which is Arabic for the gate Of the
yalley-we had our first lunch in Pal
estine. 1t was on a huge fiat rock, like
those employed for threshing floors,
and under a carob tree. 1t was
the husk Of the carab tree
which, usually fed to swine, the
prodigal son OF the most beautiful Of
parallels, in his hunger ate. The tree
grows wild throughout Palestine,
somewhat resembles the white oak; its
bean-like pods are used occasionally as
food by the poyerty-stricken Arabs. 1t
tastes not unlike an inferior quality Of
bean eaten raw. 1t must not be in
ferred that because we were in a "faI
country and lunched under a carol
tree that we ate as did the prodigal
We had a fatted calf-or kid. We arc
not certain which. Goat is not SO bad
after one gets used to IL.
THE SCENIC BEAUTY OF PALESTINE
Travellers in Palestine frequently
tell their friends that there Is ne
scenic beauty in the Holy Land. I'm
less the historic and sacred influence,
Of the country appeal to one, they de
clare, there will be no interest or at
traction. There was never a more
~Rrievous mistake. Palestine is ex
tremsly picturesque. We doubt whether
any other country In the world is NOR,
so. or course, 1t is chiefly interesting
for other reasons but no one who love-
beauty Of landscape and charm Of colo
can fail 10 find much In Palestine o.
beauty unsurpassed elsewhere In the
world. The highway 10 Jerusalem
one OF the two or three roads In all thu
Holy Land upon which carriages MAJ
be used-affords the first glimpse ant
one Of the finest. 1t is as the roaC
comes out OF a narrow, stony valley
upon a mountain ridge and looks dow
into the next wady-which in Arabic
means valley. Here and there are lit
tie fat-rooffed towns like white specki
upon the green fields; further up are
the brown bills, not the dull brown o.
barrenneSs, but the sparkling brown
Of possible fertility; beyond ar,
the hills Of Judea almost matchinG
the azure sky in color. 1t is glorious
introduction to the landscape lowell
ness Of Palestine.
On all the latter half Of the carriage
journey from JaiTa one is confronted
by one village Of Latrum, the tradi
ti0nal home of the thief who died i'm
penitent upon the cross. Alta turn In
the road the town disappears only t.
come back again into full view a few
yards further on. The village is still
full Of thieyes-and impenitent.
To the northward Of the carriage
road stretches the valley of Ajalor
where Joshua for military purposes
brought about a stoppage in the heav.
emily bodies, To understand the char.
acter and location Of this valley and
its neighboring ones is to understand
the wars which have been fought on
the western watershed OF Palestine
from JoShua's time TO Saladin's. Here
was a paSsage-way into the heart Of
the mountain stronghold OF Judea and
here the enemy always attacked. II
appears a broad, green upland vale,
three valleys as we afterwards saw
from Mlzpeh, converging in Its upper
basin and from it by way Of these mar.
now water courses, three ancient road.
ways lead up to the city Of JeruSalam.
The most famous Of these was the
route by way Of the Beth-horon pass
10 the plateau Of El-jlb or Gideon i've
miles north OF Jerusalem. "'This has
always BEEN" said the Shekh, 'the
easiest passage from the coast to the
capital OF Judea.h Here Joshua pur.
sued the neeting hosts Of the Amo-
rites. Here the Philistines frightened
the yeE soul out Of Saul and here
Jonathan and David, at different
times, smote these perennial enemies
q Israel With great slaughter. In CO,
A. D., a Roman army under Cestiu.
Gallus was driven down this rugged
deiile BY the Infatuated Jews and cen.
turtles afterward the first army OF the
Crusaders marched up the same val.
ley. 1t is peaceful enough now. Moth.
Ing more war.like than a shepherds
stick was een 10 all the valleys ex.
tent No Palestinian shepherd uses a
crook. He employs instead a club
with a knob on the head, usually th,
natural prOtuberance Of a root, a,
large a. two clinched fists and with
this be persuades the sheep and pun.
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