Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-05
Where the Caravans Gross.

of SueZ, because 1t Is the crossing place OF
the great caravans of camels that furnish
transportation between the two continents
of Asia and Africa and travel regularly
between Cairo, Damascus and Bagdad; also
because biblical historians believe that here
the waters of the Red sea opened $500
years ago and allowed 3O00,O0 of the chill
dren of Israel to cross over upon a dry bot
tom.
On the other side of the Red sea, which,
by the way, is not red, but blue-as blue as
the sky In June-you can see the purple
peaks of the Siniatic range and a few miles
from the shore, which you can reach In
three hours by donkey, one of those re-
markable GASES that are frequently found
in the desert. This particular one is called
the Wells of Moses. There is comfort
less hotel, kept by an Arab, where beds
and refreshments can be obtained bat il Is
better to start early in the morning, SO as
to get back the same day, and take a
luncheon in a basket from Suez The trip
can be easily made while the vessel is
coalng.
The children of Israel, according to the
Bible, wandered three days in the Wilder
ness or Shur and found no water and when
they came to Marah they could not drink
the waters, for they were bitter, and the
people murmured against Moses saving
What shall we drink" and he cried unto
the LORD and the Lord showed him tree
which he cast into the waters and the
waters were made sweet And thew came
TO Elm, where there were twelve wells of
water, and three score and ten palm trees
and they encamped there by the waters.
And Miriam, the prophecies, the sister of
Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand. and
al the women went out after her with tim
brels and with dancea
That beautiful scene. one of the most
uranauc IN the whole Bible Is believed to
nave taken place here. for these wells are
the wells of Elm. and three score and fen
palm trees still shelter a collection ~ q
dozen or more springs. The village is neo-
pied with naked Arabs. sinewy, springy en-
curing fellows, whose flesh shines like mol
1shed mahogany and who must rasonnhIa
the young men of Israel when thew started
on the journey that was not finished for
forty years Luz
they happened to be wanderinp aho,,t NV w
long down here. If you will look at tbo
map you Will see that Suez is almost on a
line with Cairo. and it was the most natn-
raj rendezvous for the tribes who were
scattered all along the Nile from Memnbis
which Is just above Cairo, to Thebes whinh
is just below Luxor "iASA
The Red sea is 400 miles long and its
greatest width is 200 miles, 1t is about
the shape OF a sausage, and tapers at hoth
ends On one side is Arabia the rnost
mysterious and primitive Of ali countrias
ana on the other side are Egypt, Nubia and
the SUDAN At the north end what 10
known as the Sianitic peninsula proiacts
southwark and divides the sea into two
arms, and near the point Of the peninsula
Is Tor. the landing place for Sinai Oppo-
site Tor is Jebel Ez-Zeit, which means
the mountain of OIL" where petroleum.
was discovered some years ago and created
great excitement. Hundreds of thousands
of dollars have been expended In Sinking
wells and building docks, warehouses and
refneries; but they have all been aban-
doned, because, for some reason, the man
ufacturers could not compete with the
Standard Oil Company or the Russian fac
tories on the Black and Caspian seas
No Incentive to Industry.
People think that there is good deal
more wealth in Arabia than we know of.
1t was once Of greater Importance than
now, and in ancient days produced consid-
cradle gold and other metals, but now it
ships little but dates. wool and coffee. and
that is gradually falling OF. Mocha coffee
is produced at the extreme end Of the Ara
bian peninsula in province called Yemen,
and derives it's name from the little port
it is shipped from. But the people have
no enterprise, the coffee orchards have
been injured by insects and blight. and the