Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1909-03-28
INTERESTING LETTER
 FROM THE HOLY LAND
C. s. K. Tells of Ephesus, Smyrna, Damascus, the River Jordan and Sea of Galilee.

On Board s. s. Arabic. March ,, l909.--We are now sailing in the Ae- gean Sea on our way to Caifa, Pal estine. We passed the island of Rhodes this a. m., but could not sight the place where the Colossus was. We are now passing over the waters where Paul sailed
 Yesterday morning We landed at Smyrna, and about ninety Of us went in horse cars to the depot, where we took the train for Ephesus, forty five miles distant.
 The ride was most interesting; we passed many trains of camels, some had sixteen camels loaded with iner- chandise (embroidery, lace, etc., from the interior going to Smyrna. We saw many flocks of sheep led by the shepherds. The peasants were till ing their fields, and the costumes were most picturesque. Some had on dark blue, full, baggy trousers, light blue shirt, red sash and white turbans; there were many combina- tions of colors, but the touch of red was always in evidence.
 The scenery was typically Oriental. It gave me a strange feeling when "Ephesus" was called out. Around the depot were few miserable huts and small, but clean. hotel. After walking about half mile we reached the ruins of the city. We walked through what was called the Gate of Persecution, used as entrance to the citadel in Justinian's time-then to the Church of St. John, where he was the minister. I believe Timothy also preached here. Six councils of the church were held at Ephesus, and Paul stayed here three years and a half. We saw ruins of mosques one had some of the pillars of the Temple of Diana Then we saw the ruins of this temple ,one of the Sev- en Wonders of the Notwithstanding left but mass of broken marble. understand the best marble from this ruin has been placed in the British museum. l was very much disap- pointed not to see the theater where Paul was when the scene ill the 18th chapter of Acts took place. It was sad to see nothing but ruins of a city that was once so great-the first
 of the seven churches of Asia. 1 could not help comparing it with Smyrna, also the comparison given in the 2d chapter of Revelation.
 We saw Paul's prison, the ruins Of
 Roman equaducts, etc.
 On the way back to Smyrna our guide pointed out to us Mount Olym-
 pus, the home of the gods, in Syria,
 and the river on which Homer is said to have been born. Smyrna is also the alleged home of Croesus. It Is the second city in the Turkish En-
 psre, after Constantinople. Much shipping from her port. but few points
 of interest
 We reach Caifa tomorrow after
 noon. From there we go to Damas-
 GUS and will spend next Sunday on
 Lake Galilee, and will reach Jeru-
 salem on the 11th.
 March 3.-We landed about 12 m
 at this place, Caifa. in the bay of Acre, off the Mediterranean. The sea was like glass. After getting settled at our hotel we went by carriages to the top of Mount Carmel. The view on the way up is beautiful. A Ger man colony Is near here, and the green of the farms, interspersed with the patches of freshly plowed earth,
 the quaint city and the sea all make , charming picture. The historic city of Acre is opposite. On top of Mount
 Carmel is Carmelite monastery. They claim to be the descendants of ; Elijah. The building is over cave, in which 1t is said Elijah hid from
 Ahab. It is also believed that there Gahazas, Elijah's servant, saw the . cloud ss big as mans hand. The
 scene of the sacrifice and fireacoming
 from heaven is some miles distant.
 There Is monastery on the spot.