The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-08
Picturesque Scenes.

Picturesque Scenes.
 The streets of Hebron are filled with in- teresting and peculiar sights to western eyes. The principal shopping street is a narrow tunnel covered by long canopy of canvas, rendering 1t dark, with only occasional glimmers of light from the openings in the archways. These stores are only closets raised above the level of the street. The owner sits crosslegged in the center of the store, smoking a narghile. On the shelves around him lie the goods close to his hand in order that he can display them to the buyer without rising. The purchaser stands in the mar row street, which has no sidewalks, and runs the risk of getting jolted by the boxes on the backs of the donkeys rush ing past while he bargains at great length with the merchant. The wares of silk and embroidery are exquisitely beautiful.
 On the site of David's royal palace tannery now stands, and this Is one of the great industries of Hebron. In this tannery goat skins are prepared for use as water bottles. It Is interesting to watch this Arab industry. The skins, still covered with hair, are half tanned. then sewn up and filled with water and the apertures carefully pitched. They are left in the open air for several days and covered with strong decoction of tanning. Water is pumped into them to keep them from shrinking.
 The other industry is pottery and glass work for lamps and ornaments chiefly bracelets, which are sent to Jerusalem for sale.
 The natives of Hebron also prepare raisins for the Jerusalem market from the large quantities of grapes which grow in the vineyards or they make kind of syrup for the drinking of wine is against the Mohammedan religion.
 In the center of the town Is a pool of water 133 feet square, which furnishes Hebron with it's water supply. This is the pool over which David hanged the mur- derers of Ishbosheth.
 Abraham's Oak.
 The site of Abraham's oak Is a subject of interest and dispute. Some distance outside the city is place called Ranch, which is held by some to be the true site of ancient Mamre, where Abraham sat at the door of his tent and was visited by angels. But the oak has long since van ished. Here are interesting remains of a basilica of Constantine's day. Some of the stones lying here are 150 feet long. The large and well built we'll seems to be of very ancient date and is believed by many to have been built by Abraham. The stones are of immense proportions and highly polished. Remains of stone pillars suggest that there must have been at some time a stone canopy over this we'll to offer shade and rest to the weary traveller in dry land. As for 40O0 years water has been drawn from this well the ropes to which the buckets were fastened have worn deep ridges into the hard lime- stone.
 The other site, more generally accepted because of the existence of a very an- cient oak tree, is that belonging to the Russian pilgrims, and a high watch tower. This oak Is the most venerable tree in Palestine, excepting an olive tree In Gethsemane. It's trunk measures 30 feet in circumference, and it's crown divides itself into four colossal branches, which. extending out, offer broad shade. The Russians have inclosed the tree by stone wall. The hill on which the oak and hospice stand is mile and half from Hebron, and is one of the sacred sites in Palestine to the Russians.