Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-01-23

A most interesting letter and one
Which graphically describes various
places of interest in the Holy Land
has recently been received by Mrs.
Fred Best of East Crescent street
from her husband who is now fin
ishng the last year of six year en-
liStment in the United States navy
and is at the present time serving
as wireless operator about the L. S.
s. Hopkins. The Hopkins is station
cd on the Mediterranean sea and has
been continually moving about for
some time, having steamed 10000
miles in a little over two months.
Mr.. Best is the son of Mr.. and
Mrs. Fred c. Best of II East Ores
cent street, and is a graduate of
Ccny High school and of Harvard
Radio school, serving during the war
as naval radio operator.
lie writes from Beirut. Syria, the
letter being dated November G. 1922,
and had just finished sightseeing
trip to Jerusalem and Bethlehem. In
the letter he tells of going from
Beirut to Jaffa, passing during the
night Tyre and Sidon and st. John
d'Acre where King Richard and the
Saracens fought during the Clusades
Jaffa or Joppa. as it is called in
the Bible is situated on the shore of
the Mediterranean and is about two
miles long by 4 mile wide. 1t has
no harbor and the ships are unload
cd by "bumbOats." Here Mr.. Best
spoke of the peculiar manner in
which the boatman row, standing up
and pushing upon the oars, but still
making good time when necessary
In Holy Land
They left for Jerusalem in an auto
with a Syrian driver. AS they drove
through the town they observed that
like all OF the Eastern towns it was
very dirty and there was a great var
icty of peculiar looking people there,
Indians from the Euphratcs. Bcdou-
ms from the desert of Arabia and
many others, looking Every much as
they used to in oldcn times when
Jesus was on earth and they ride the
same little dOnkeys and ungainly
camels that they used to in oldcn
times"
Jerusalem is about rs miles from
Jaffa and they make the journey in
about an hour and half. The letter
tells of the sights there, "The first
place we visited was the Church of
the Holy Sepulchre, which is situated
on hill called Calvary, where
Christ was crucified by the Romans.
After quite a walk over the slippery
cobble stones we reached the church
and entered. Almost the first thing
noticed is the incense which is burn
ing on the alters and which smellcd
very sweet to me.
eve first went to the spot where
l. 1o; = . ~,
from the Cross. 1t is marked with q
marbel slab on which Christs body
was laid and prepared for burial.
pretty and just long enough for a
person to stretch out on"
He then describes different places
closely associated With the last
hours ofthe Saviour's earthly exist
ence and ofrhe Cave or Grotto whore
he was buried and tells of going
through the opening from which the
stone was rolled away by the angels.
In SoIomon's Temple
Solomon's Temple, or the Temple
of Omar as it is now called, is
Mohammcdan place of worship. 1t is
situated on spot believed to be the
place where Abraham was about to
Sacrifice his son when the Lord sent
down a ram to be used instead. He
tells of getting a nice drink of cool
water from q we'll outside the temple,
and this seems TO be q novelty for
that country, as they carry water in
skins just as they used to do and
they are obliged to store it up in the
winter in what they call winter wafer
places.
The Mount Of Olives. which is the
high hill from which Jesus made his
ascension, was next visited. Here