The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-06-10

rage IOr JerlcnO, tne JOrQan ana DeaC
Sea. Jericho has about $50 population
living mostly in mud huts and tents
The Sheck or head man, took US tC
his lodge where we saw the sorrow
dance as the cholera killed 80 of their
number recently. In fact the quaran.
tine was only raised three days before
we were there. We went down by
the road travelled by the Good Samari-
tan when We found the traveller bleed
lug and robbed by the wayside. An
inn now stands on the same spot
where the inn of old stood. I
stopped there and got cup of black
coffee.
We passed the brook where Eliza
was fed by the ravens, not birds but a
tribe of Arabs that dwelt there at
that time. So the miracle goes to
pieces.
After spending the night at an inn
in Jericho called the GilgaI, we visited
the mountain where Christ was tempt
ed and by Satan was shown all the
world and was offered it if he would
fall down and worship him. The
mountain overlOOks the valley of the
Jordan from the Dead Sea about %
miles north and the desert beyond the
river. The whole thing would be
high at 30 cents for it is only barren
waste. / then drove to the Dead Sea
aud afterward to the sacred spot by
the Jordan where the waters parted
and let Israel's host cross. They
could have built bridge in couple
of days as it isn't over 40 feet wide
and not deep, small, muddy stream.
At this spot is where the Saviour was
baptized.
Many other historic spots were
visited on the return. This was a
drive of 60 miles through rain and
mud, over mountains and through
swamps.
The flowers OF Palestine are beauti-
full. The lily of the field is the incest
wild flower that grows; but not a
living creature is seen (nothing but
fleas.)
After my return to the Holy City !
spent one.half day IN the church OF
the Holy Sepulchre. This covers
the ground where Christ was crucitied
and buried, also the grave of Adam,
the center of the earth, and many
other holy places.
The church is large, many stories
high, has several domes, and caves
under it. Four sects own it and SOL
diers are stationed here also TO keep
them from fighting. Only last year
three men were killed here in free
for all to settle the question as to who
hoI irrh fn
ulchre of the Virgin Mary, the tomb
of A Absalom, the pools of Sloan and
Jove and many other places were
visited, but have neither time nor
space to describe them.
| have tried to give you short
sketch of lower Palestine, not as seen
by one prejudiced in any way. but
just as it is. The city has about
$4,000 inhabitants, of all nations,
colors and creeds and hard lot they
are. Will mail this from Carlo,
Egypt, as there has not been q mail
here for over three weeks and Turkish
postal laws are very queer, as only a
part of the mail sent out ever reaches
its destination. The time must come
when Turkey will be blotted from the
map. The Sultan has got Il dynamo
and dyamite mixed in his fertile
brain and will not allow any electric
lights in the kingdom for fe; r they
will blow him up. A primitive rail
road CONNECTS Joppa and Jerusalem.
The engines are built by the Baldwin
people of Philadelphia.
On the way from Smyrna to Joppa
| stopped at Bayrout one day. The
American college here is credit to
any country. We also made a halt at
Mount Carmel. I am glad to leave
here. l now ego down into Egypt"
DR.. G. w. Allaman.