The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-12-20

NuOuS series Oh CdSCdOGS lIOAl4 iCA
almost to the sea OF Gallilee.
he Seas OF Lite anu Death
The remainder of the 9
course runs between the seas Of life
and death. I refer to the Sea Of Gal
lilee on the north, and the Dead Sea at
the South. The first is sweet. full or
fish and surrounded by verdure The
h is saitier than any other water
on earth, and so bitter and poisonous
that no living thing can live within 1t.
The distance between these two seas
in a straight line north and south Is
about SIS miles n the slope from
one to the other is almost twelve feet
to the mile, or over 600 feet.
.ng them is this great trough Of the
Jordan from one to sixteen miles wide.
Through it the sacred river runs. 1t
winds about like a cork-screw. max
ing so many turnin6s that II covers a
course OF more than 200 miles in its
sixty miles distance. It goes with great
force. has tWenty-seyen cascades. n
there are numerous falls where cleo
trio plants might be put In. The land
on each side might be turned to rich
farms, If it could only have water.
and it may be that the good fairy or
electricity will some time bring the
dead earth to life.
The Vegetation.
As to Vegetation there are some
1Si liz III III NPbN@ b"AN VI
and the Sultan has a sugar plantation
half way between Gallisee and the
Dead Sea. where he works soldiers as
laborers. There are small fields of
grain, including millet, wheat and
barley here and there, n | am tod
that rice and indigo can be grown.
Down near the Dead Sea there 3
considerable cultivation on the Jericho
plain. The land is irrigated by a
stream from the Mountains OF Judean
and by the spring OF Elisha. 1t is cut
up into small patches which are COW
cred with orange groves, almond orch
ards ant vineyards. Much Of the fruit
goes up to Jerusalem. There are also
fields of egg plants, tomatoes and mel
ons, and dates could undoubtedly be
grown. All the way from here to old
Jericho, a distance of three or more
mileA are orchards, vineyards and
gardens. They are fenced with thorn
bushes the thorns on which are great
hooks turning inward. They are said
to be the same thorns as those OF
which the crown of our Saviour was
made
How the Jordan Looks.
The Jordan is not n~avigable. 1t has
no harbors, no boats and no cities OF
villages Of any account along its whole
course 1t has numerous lords, but NJ
bridges OF any size. There is a wooden
bridge about six miles above the Dead
Sea. 1t is a toll bridge, with fords
above and below it. The people use
the bridge only when the river is high
At other times the caravans save the
toll by passing over the fords.
On Its course from Galilee to the
Dead Sea the river narrows and
widens. Now it is a swift, black, sui
len current flowing between ugly mud
banks covered with refuse, now /,
comes close to the mountains which
border the valley on either side, and
down here at the Dead Sea it reaches
a width Of 500 feet, being so shallow
that you could almost wade across it
n water catches the d~enudations
Of the mountains. 1t changes in color
from season to season., and in the
spring 1t spreads out in floods over the
valley. 1t is said that the partings
or the water in order that the Israe.
nteS might pass Owe was when tn
river was at it's highest. Just now i
is low and is almost clear.
Baptlsmal Water.
II IS not a sweet water at this .poin
IN It's course. for it has gathered tn,
salts and other minerals from this dry
thirsty country. and it is so full Of bat
matter that those who carry it HON,
for baptisms have to boil and filter !,
to 1T from smelling. I have sew
era1 canteens which / filled mysel
from the streams, or rather with tn
water Wnlcn l rough here in win
bottles from the Jordan and had bofle,
and filtered before it was put int
the cans. If I ever have a grandchil,
it shall be baptized with his water
The canteens l bought at the Jorda,
Hotel here at Jericho. They are KEEP
on hand to be sold to tourists an,
pilgrims and a vast number Of then
are carried away every year.
Crossing the Jordan.
But let us visit the river and cross
to the land where the Moabites live. ]
is only q few miles from Jericho, an
we can drive there In a carriage. A
we start the great white blazing su
is climbing the blue above Noun
) Nebo, and the faint streak OF the Dea
Sea. with the haze that hangs alway
; over it. can be seen down the VALLEY
) Onr soldier gallops IN front to scar
: off, the Bedouins ana we wind GU
wav lazilv in and out through tn
: wheat fields. Leaving these we en-
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