Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-12-17
THE VEGETATION.

As to the vegetation, there are some
farms in the upper part Of its course,
and the sultan has sugar plantation
half way between Gailec and the Dead
sea, where he works soldiers rs labor
ers There are small fields including
millet, wheat and barley here and
there, ana am told that rice and in
digo can be grown.
Down near the Dead sen there is con-
siderable cultivation on the Jericho
plain. The land is irrigated by
stream from the mountains of Judea
and by the spring of Elisha. II is cut
up into small patches, which are COW
cred with orange groves, almond or
chards and vineyards. Much of the
fruit goes up to Jerusalem. There are
also fields of egg plants, tomatoes and
melons. and dates could undoubtedly
be grown. All the way from here to
old Jericho a distancelof three or more
miles, 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 Savior was made
HOW THE JORDAN LOOKS.
The Jordan is not navigabl 1t has
no harbors, no boats and no cities or
villages of. any account along its whole
course. It has numerous fords. but no
bridges of any size. There is n wooden
bridge about six miles above the Dead
sea. It 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 Galilcc to the
Dead sea the river parrows ana widens
Now 1t Is a swift. black, sullen current
flowing between ugly mud banks COW
cred with refuse, now it comes close to
tho mountains which border the valley
on either side. and down here mt the
Dead sea ii reaches a width of 500 feet
being so shallow that you could almost
wade across It.
The water catches the foundations OF
the mountains. It changes in color
from season to season, and In the
spring ii spreads out in foods over tho
valley. II is said that the parting OF
the water in order that tho Israeliscs
might pass over was when tho river
was at its highest. Just now 1t Is low
and Is almost clear
BAPTlSArAL WATER.
It is not a sweet water at this point
in its course. for it has gathered the
SiiIIS anu OllltI numerals from llllS uTS
thirsty country. and it is so full OF
bad matter that those who carry II
home for baptisms have to boil and fl
ter II to keep 1t from smelling. ! have
several cunteens which ! filled myself
from the stream. or rather with tho
water which | brought here In wine
bottles from the Jordan and had boiled
and filtered before 1t was put into ths
cans. If I ever have grnndchild II
4 4, tlxt VI.
cantcens | bought at the Jordan hotel
here at Jericho. They are kept on hand
to be sold to tourists and pilgrims and
u vast number of them are carried
away every year.
CROSSING THE JORDAN.
But let us visit the river and cross
it to the land where tho Moabites live
1t is only few miles from Jericho
and we can drive there in carriage
AS we start the great white blazing
sun is climbing the blue above Mount
Ncbo and the faint streak of the
Dead sea. with the haze that hangs
always over it, can be seen down the
valley. Our soldier GallopS in front t.
scare off the Bedouns ana we, vino
our way lazily in and out through the
whcathclds. Leaving these we enter
u desert on the edge of which stands
GilgGl, where the lshnnelites first en-
Campcd after crossing the Jordan, and
then go on down through thorny scrub
among tho gullcs and hills until We
approach the long frinscs OF thickct
which border the river. There is more
vegetation as we near this and we 60
through the bushes until we come to n
creek, which Is no wider than the
average street of an American city. 1t
looks Ike many of the small streams
of our central states I@know OF such
IN Indiana, Illinois. and Ohio, and there
Is one of just about the Same size
which goes by the name OF Goose
creek In LoudOun county, Va, The
Rhine and the Hudson, the Potomac. or
even the Shenandoah, could swallow
the Jordan without hulging. and lust
now It Is so small that in tho United
States it would not be known as n
river. ttags rns tN.a
i Nevertheless, the current is swift ut
sthis place and we hired n fisherman to
take US across. He charged IS cents
FOR tho boat, and for this rows us up
and down stream for an hour He
stands up Us he rows ana leans on the
oars. We go to the other side OF the
Jordan and climb out through tho
willows. How quiet 1T Is! The only
sound is the ripple of the stream as
1t washes the banks and tho sweet
voiced birds which sing in the trees at
our left. AS we return we lean over
and battle our hands lin the Jordan.