The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1914-01-16

WWN ~ ' iSl Ailt Ilbls ishllh ~ a aSh
n that many people prefer not to
a run; they would rather keep
III the picture OF Jerusalem In
their minds than witness the
degradation OF an ideal Jerusalem
where humbug preys upon credultty
at SO many shillings per holy site"
indeed, the faith and ignorance OF a
Russian pilgrim seems necessary II
one would retain unspoilt the child
hoods glamour OF many scenes OF
Bcriptural association, In spite OF
drawbacks, however, the everincreas-
ing facilities OF travel draw thousands
and thousands to Palestine, many OF
whom return with faith stimulated
and Imagination strangely yiyiiied. For
the danger OF disillusion is confined
more or less to the cities, whose
vulgar modcrnlzation so utterly de-
stroys any glamour of the past The
country, the atmosphere, the climate
remain fortunately unchanged. To
follow the route OF the lsraelitish eX-
odus. for instance. challenges compar.
ison less crudely. TO visit the scenes
Of the 80 years wanderings in the
wilderness, apparently holds less risk
of disilusiOnmout For the desert
does not change; the granite peaks of
Sinai may have crumbled, but II has
not yet a funiculnr railway to bring 1t
up 10 date: and no tramway line
makes convenient, though hideous. the
desolate shores of the wonderful Red
sea.
Rock Moses Smote.
With II thrill OF reverent awe one
looks upon the rock that Moses smote
for water, the slope where grew the
brilliant burning bush, the gray. waste
plain where the golden calf onflamed
the ldolators. and the bleak, limestone
heights whence Moses watched the
battle against the Amalekites while
Aaron and Hur held up his aching
arms.
From cairo by train to lsmalia,
thence to Suez and across the Red sea
from The Valley OF Moses, some eight
miles down the coast-and then. by
easy camps, always prepared in ad.
vance by Cooks dragoman, 10 Mount
Sinai and It's monastery. A good map
shows the route, while the brief de-
scription and the striking photo
graphs persuaded the reader that he
had almost witnessed a swift cinemat-
ograph performance. Formalities were
considerable. Il seems; n permit from
the war Office had to be obtained,
while the necessary camel and Bedou-
In for the journey were engaged
by contract from no less q per
sonage than the archbishop of
Sinai! All the Arab tribes, from Suez
to Sinai are under the control of the
Sinai convent, each tribe in turn sup
plying travellers with camels. The
dragoman, in this instance. was typi-
cal of his race. and the actual start
was attended with as many difficulties
and delays as those of the lsraelites
themselves experienced. For Mr.. SUIT
ton made the mistake OF believing that
When Iesa said a thing was done. ii
had been done!
From the Journey itself enc gets n
vivid impression OF dceolate and
bowling wilderness, "howling" with
wind, not savage animals; OF waterless
wadIs, unbroken by any sign OF plant
or creature life, their sandy !. floors
strewn with gigantic boulders that
earthquakes have shaken down from
the surrounding peaks; Of occasional
delightful cases where the wells.
though sometimes brackIsh. were plen-
tifufly filled; OF crystal atmosphere,
fierce beat, and gorgeous sunsets. The
temperature varied between 3s de-
grees Fahrenheit; often the track
made by came.s only was fat enough
to allow a motor car TO travel srnooth-
iy: the average camel pace was three