The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-05-11

Church of Scotland. and furnish neat but
limited quarters.
The baths We're called Hammath in the
Old Testament. but are known as Hum
mon now. The springs are four in num-
Der. The water has a normal tempera-
ture Of IA degrees Fahrenheit, and its
chief properties. as shown by analysis,
are carbonate OF lime, muriatic salts ard
chloride of magnesium. There is cave
in the hill upon which an old castle
stands, which is supposed to be connected
by subterraneap passages with the
springs, for it has a high temperature
and is continually filed with steam. Per
sons afflicted with govt or rheumatism
receive almost immediate relief by sitting
in this cave and submitting 10 the contin-
uous and profuse perspiration which its
high temperature excites
Down in this pit. in the days of the
crusaders, the ambition of christemdom
was scorched to the heart Tempted b.
treachery. the knights of the cross at
tackled Saladin. The dust and heat were
intense, for there had been a long drought
and the earth was parched The Arabs
set IRE to the trees and shrubbery. The
knights choked in their armor The foot
soldiers, blinded by smoke and dust,
were trampled down by the Bedouirs
Although they fought sun. fire, heat and
sword with terrible desperation. their de-
feat was utter. The entire force was an
initiated. and nearly every man who cs-
capped death was captured, and taken into
the desert as slave.
Above the beach. around the lake. is a
succession of grassy slopes and rocky
cliffs with groups of oleanders. whose
blossoms are more brilliant than can be
found elsewhere. At the head of the
lake the entrance to the river Jordan is
marked by a rich green plain. The river
comes down through rocky gorges with
succession Of foaming rapids. passes
through jungle OF i;WuTiant blenders
and then bursts INTO the clear waters Of
Gaillee- A group Of five palms and a
clump Of thorn trees mark It's month. on
The south. where the Jordan leaves the
lake. 1t enters a muddy plain and silently
cuts its way through the hanks gather
ing clay and other earth 10 solutioa until
it becomes very turhld. Upon the eastern
side Of the lake the desert sands come
almost to the water. Vegetation and
fertility is found almost exclusively upon
the western side. and it has always been
SO. II Is believed that the soil Of the
eastern shores is just as rich and might
be IS easily irrigated, but through all the
centuries. and until > ccntiy il has been
exposed 10 the forays of the Bcdonlns
who do not hesitate 10 harvest other
mems fields
Al present there are no farms ard few
houses and the emily lights to be seen are
the cam Ares az the Bedouins
The most sacred resion e the lake. and
&c one Of religious sentiment a region
invested with unparalleled interest. is
the northwestern shore. where orr Lord
dwelr with nen. where he preached from
q ship. waiked on the waves. s2er, IN
the STERN. rebukcd the winds. Gained the
sea, performed the miracles of the fishes
cast out devils. and preached the -oSnel
Of love and peace Tor three years These
shores. however. are desolate now. o.
al the numerous cities and toans IN what
thickly ucopled district Of Palestine. hut
one Observation-Disclosures and a ccl-
lection % e few novels called MejdeI.
which is supposed 70 have been the an
Client Masdsia the hone Of Mary ire
Mlgdaleae Josephus who governed
this province thirty-four years after the
crucifcuon- tells Us thar there were nlne
cities or the lake Ia his time. bot they
have All disappeared and few of their
sites car be identified. In some part II
this desoiated region the home OF Christ