Goldsboro semi-weekly argus., 1909-08-04
MR.. We'll IN PALESTINE
New Reason Why the Whale
Retained Jonah For
Three Days.
He Visits Jaffa, Bethlehem, the Plain
of Sharon and Jerusalem, and
; Writes Most Interestingly
Of All He Saw.
Dear Joe Argus


Dear Joe Argus:
Jaffa lies upon the open sea; it ha:
no harbor, and it is only under favor
able conditions that a small veSSe
can effect a landing. Our captai1
gives us little encouragement to coun
for a certainty on making the port
in fact, the week before our arrival {
steamer sailed the coast for some
days, and finally had to give it up
without landing it's passengers. AL
steamers, even in landing, have to an
Choir about two miles away and COLI
vey the passengers in small boats
which have to make a passage be-
tween lodges of rocks that jut out OF
the water and which cannot be seen
in high sea. 1t is no wonder that
the whale found it difficult to dis
charge Jonah without stranding itself
and had to wait three days for a fav-
orable opportunity By the way, the
unique adventure of the prophet
brings to my mind that he must have,
in a manner, anticipated the cigar
shaped submerged sea vessels.
We were very fortunate, however,
in respect to landing. The morning
of our arrival the sea was very calm
and we reached the landing stage
without any incident-only that we
were made to pay what we considered
an extravagant price for the short
trip from our steamer to the town.
How could we have expected other
wise, as we were literally in the hands
of the Philistines. A later experience
,of mine, demonstrated this fact even
more plainy. 1t was when 1 engaged
"a carriage for a few hours drive. The
sdriver of the conveyance named his
price, to which | agreed; but one of
the guides accompanying us insisted
that he should charge a greater
-amount-undoubted so he could get
the overplus. 1t was only after |
threatened to leave the carriage that
he agreed to the terms first made
We start out to see the sights of
the city, which are few. We visited
the house of Simon the Tanner, which
is nothing more than a large vaulted
a stone curb is just outside the door.
This is quite much worn by constant
use in drawing the water. Simon
probably tanned with it. But if this
is really the original house, I can't
see how he could have shown much
hospitality to such distinguished
guest as ST. Peter, whom he is sup
Jaffa is not a very large town, and
/ should highly recommend a bond is
sue for street improvements, for the
streets are very dirty and have no
drainage; however, it may be possi-
BILE that the inhabitants prefer the
streets to match their own appear
ance, in which event no changes are
necessary.
The gardens and environs of Jaffa
are noted for the prolific growth of
oranges. We take a drive alongside
some of these gardens. The road is
lined by cactus hedges. 1t is, indeed,
a beautiful sight to see these large
orange groves, ladened with fruit 20
their utmost capacity. The fruit is of
excellent quality; they are more juicy
and of a finer flavor than any other
oranges.
We are now in the Plain of Sharon
The country looks SO enticing that we
conclude to ride through it as far as
the time at our disposal allows us
This part of Palestine is the best and
most highly cultivated land; il
stretches from the sea to the foothills
of Judea a distance of some fifteen
miles, ami is probably some fortj
miles long. The principal crops are
grasses, V heat oats, Indian corn. 3nC
trees. The mode of cultivation is
rather primitive, as in the case o
most Eastern countries. There are {
great many flowers growing wild
mostly poppies and other varieties
such as are grown in the United
States ] looked in vain for the Ros'
of Sharon. Our guide later told MI
that the rose of Sharon is in realit.
not rose, but more on the order o
a peony About two miles north o
Jaffa we approach two hills perfectl
cone shaped and probably seventy fiv
feet high, an unusual sight in a per
fectly level plain. Our guide tells u
that Napoleon, when invading thi
country, threw up these mounds an
planted his artillery here, and in thi
manner bombarded and conquered tn
city, which was impossible for him t
do with his fleet
It was somewhere near this plac
that the massacre of Jaffa occurred
This was in the last year of the eigH