The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-24

traveller TO find suitable accommodation
He can only pass through these places
and admire them enroute.
Wilder country one may find across the
Jordan. IN spite of the fact that the Cir
cassians, settled by the Turkish govern
ment in the ruins Of the ancient Ammon,
or Philadelphia. at Gerash and elsewhere.
are ruthlessly destroying the oak forests
OF Alum. there are still considerable
stretches of forest land in the hills OF
Gilead. One of the most picturesque
spots 70 be found there is the town Of
Ajlun itself Even in midsummer
stream runs through the valley, the
neighboring hills are covered everywhere
with oak forests. while above the town on
a picturesque bluff rises the old castle.
wonderfully preserved. from the summit
OF which there is a wide and glorious
view. There are few ruined castles any
where in Europe more picturesque than
this old castle of Alum.
The air Of the highlands of Gilead is
bracing and strong and indeed il we'll
may be when one considers the altitude.
AT one point. Jebel 'Osha. almost 400
feet above the sea. not far fran the
modern town of es-Salt. there is a sacred
tree and a little Moslem shrine, dedicated
TO the memory of the Prophet Hosea. to
whom sacrifices are offered by Christian
and Moslem alike A mile or so south
ward of this point. by much scrambling
through vineyards and scrub oak. on
comes to a commanding point from which
the whole land Of Palestine is visible. I'm
mediately at your feet seeming as though
YOU could spring down 10 with one
leap. lies the Jordan valley. visible
through almost it's whole extent. from
snow-clad Hermon to the southern end
of the Dead Sea. Almost directly oppo-
site across the Jordan is the shoulder
in whic hthe ancient town of Shechem
lay CShechem in Hebrew means shouIder).
through which you can look Westward
to the blue waters Of the Mediterranean
Far to the north you see the high hills
of upper Galilee. then the broad plain
Of Esdraelon, next the broken mountains
Of Samaria passing over at Bethel into
a high plateau, which stretches south
ward until it slips III gradually into the
steppes OF the Nejeb. south of Judea.
Jerusalem itself is not visible. but you see
the Russian tower on the Mount of Oh
to the south. Gilead; about you and to
the northeast in the distance. the vol
canic mountains of Hauran beyond the
plains of Bashan. II one of the most
wonderful views to be had anywhere in
the world. 1 suppose.
But there are beauties of another sort
to be found in Palestine. Waterless as
the country generally is. there are here
and there. even in midsummer. streams
OF living water east of the Jordan. These
are singularly picturesque on account OF
the bordering rows of huge oleanders
thick with pink flowers. II is a charm
ing sight TO stand high up on the noun
tains of Gilead and trace far below you
the waters of the Zerka-here delicate
line of pink, there a glimmer of water
sparkling in the sun. Even in Judea there
are places. like the Wady Fara and the
wady Kelt. where one finds streams run
ming the year around. But for abundance
of water one must seek the sources Of the
Jordan There are few places more pic
turesque than Banias. the ancient seat
of the worship OF the god Pan. Caesarea
Philippi of the New Testament. The
river springs out with a roar from great
sources at the foot of Mount Hermon and
flows through and under the old town
where ruins OF Arabic and Crusading
walls and houses still remain. Every
where there is luxuriant and beautiful
vegetation. At the sources themselves
are ancient grottos and remains of
shrines dedicated TO the old heather del
ties. Down on the plain, a couple Of
miles away. is the ancient Dan, the site
of one of the temples of the Israeites.
Today It is a mound standing on the
plain of the Jordan with great cool
springs gushing out of the ground with
mighty roaring. while a Iuxuriant veg
citation covers everything.
Fourteen hundred feet above Banias.
on one Of the lower peaks of Hermon. is
an enormous and fairly well preserved
castle Subeib4h. and here in nlidsum-
ner in an old cistern l found abundant
water cold and pure as crystal. These
old castles. built by the Crusaders and
rebuilt by the Saracens. lend wonderful
picturesqueness to this part of the coun-
try From Subeibeh across the Jordan
on another hill one sees the castle OF Hin
in and far away on the road towards
Tyre and Sidon, on the summit Of a bluff.
rising $500 feet sheer fromthe green wa
ters OF the Litani. the grand old castle
OF Belfort Is visible.
OF course the Jordan valley and the
plains OF Esdraelon. Sharon. and Philis-
tia are hot almost intolera bly, hot in
summer In the Jordan valley especially
one feels a strange depression. 1t is 50
far below the sea that the added weight
Of atmosphere rests upon one Ike huge
weight OF atmosphere rests upon one like
a huge mass Of blankets. light and Yet 50
heavy on the PhilIstine plain there Is
nothing OF this One has. for the most
part a breeze from the Mediterranean.
but there is not that inauguration in the
night atmosphere which one finds on the
summit OF the Judean hills
But between the Phnistine plain and
Judea proper lies a charming country.
the ShepheIah unfortunately little known
TO travellers in Palestine. The shephelah
is q line OF foothills from 100 20 100
feet n height. separated on the one side
from the Judaean mountains and or the
other from the Philistiae plain Tho
hills are OF a soft limestone. 50 soft as
n be almost chalk. ard everywhere they
are honeycombed with innumerabie caves.
From the prehistoric period onward he
inhabitants have burroVed into these hills
making IN them homes store houses.
places OF refuge .tomhs. sancruaries. cis-
terms. What one generation has buslt
for one purpose. a succeeding has used
FOR another. What ore generation com