Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-07-25
WATERS or HANNAH.
Baths in GaIlee Which Have Been
Used Since 1859 B. c.


Used Since 1850 3. c.
STOPPING, / put my hand in the
water. 1t was hct-so hot, in fact,
that the thought took hold of me, if
entered that water to battle,
might peradventure stay there to be
boiled
But knowledge cometh only by ex-
perience; so l removed my garments.
and dipped an experimental foot in
the steaming fluid. 1t needed some
resolution to give it the company of
its fellow; and there SGT humbly on
the stonework, awaiting courage for
further immersion. Gaining conf
dence by degrees, anon the two Eng
fish bathers stood upright on the
margin of least depth fetching their
breath how they could in the clouds
of steam. Then my brother, plunging
headlong, swan across the bath, and,
| he returning none the worse (but,
| indeed, much uplifted in spirit), L
found heart to copy his behavior. So
| that presently the pair of us were
swimming in full enjoyment to and
fro across the little bath, drawing
| CALCULATIONS of enthusiasm from the
Bedouin bathers, who it would seem,
could not put their arms and legs
to such service.
That water, hot from the inside of
the earth, had a soft and silky feel
though pleasantly sulphurous to the
taste and smell. From our new point
OF view the dome was seen above this
disk of water, so that in form the
| bath Though the present building is
only some sevety years old resem-
bles those of antiquity.
In subsequent soapings and SLUG
ings by bakshish-expectant attend
ant, experiences in a Turkish bath
found their counterpart. A notable
shortcoming of the establishment
then revealed itself. 1t had no dress
ing room An apartment of a lower
temperature was manifestly essential
if the burden of clothes were to be
resumed in any comfort, and if ono
were to confront the cold night air
with confidence and closed pores. We
had perforce to take the rIsK-and,
indeed, we did not contract the chills
we courted.
1 have since seen the Hamman in
full daylight. You hear the water
gurgling within the closed-in remnant
of a former bath, and chinks in the
| ancient masonry give out evil smells
from the pent-up sulphur fumes. Sew
eral springs gush forth openly beside
the shore, the copious supply of hot
water being available to all who may
| desire to profit by its use.
At one of the steaming pools
| saw two industrious Arab women
washing the bright raiments of those
| they love; and water at a tempera-
| ture of 144 degrees Fair, must be
excellent for the purpose. 1t remains
to state that since 1850 B. c. these
| hot baths have been credited with a
| great efficacy in rheumatic COM
| plants, though neither my brother
| nor | was qualified to test any vir'
! tue of that sort which may belong to
/
] them.
We have made acquaintance With
! another hot spring of Galilee. In a
| little boat we sailed northward over
| the small, calm sea, gliding by I'll.
berias and the fowery shore that lies
beyond. And the day being glorious
ly warm, we dropped anchor and
bathed. This was to have experience
of two sorts of water-one luxurious
ly warm, the other benumbingly cold
We were but thirty yards from the
shore at a point where a hot stream
came tumbling over dark stones into
the sea. So considerable was the
volume of this tributary that it's wa
tiers were spread far over the surface
of Galilee. We swan into patches
of warmth, and the water between
and underneath felt, by contrast, icy.