Page images
PDF
EPUB

and we set off at seven. Saw a mountain at a great distance on our right, and a village far off on our left. In the course of the day the four camels were found at a distance, and brought into the encampment at evening. At two, after travelling seven hours, we pitched our tent at Mahsima. Thermometer in the tent 84°, in the sun 104°. Here is a well of what we call here in the desert, good water. The goatskins, which we took to carry water in, were new, and have given the water a reddish color, and an exceedingly loathsome taste.

"In the evening we found that the butter, which we put up at Cairo for our journey, had bred worms, so that we could not use it.

11. This forenoon the passports of the different companies were thrice demanded by Arab soldiers, >who patrol this part of the desert for the purpose of stopping travellers who are destitute of passports.

"Far off on our right hand, we saw a range of mountains. Our course in the morning was nearly E.; afwards it varied to nearly N. At two, after more than seven hours travel, we pitched our tent at Jissar. Those places in the desert where there are wells, or where caravans are accustomed to encamp, have in consequence received names. We give the names as they are repeated to us by our guide. Our road hitherto has been alternately loose, moveable sand, and hard sand mixed with gravel.

"After some refreshment, we took a Persian Testament, and Genesis in Arabic, and went to Hadgi Mohammed, the dervish. We sat down with him on his blanket spread on the sand, with the sun beating on our heads, and then showed him our books. He reads well in Persian and Arabic. Of the other dervishes, not one knows how to read. While we were reading with him, most of the dervishes, and. several Turks and Armenians, gathered around and listened. Mohammed read in Genesis, and said it was very good. Another Turk then took it, and read

[ocr errors]

that God rested on the seventh day, and said angrily, that it was infidelity to say that God rested. Mr. Wolff tried to explain, but to no purpose, till he said he had given such a book to the mufti of Jerusalem, who said it was good. This argument silenced him at once. We gave the book of Genesis to Mohammed. While we were sitting with him, Elias the Maronite began to beat his mother, because she did not cook his victuals as he wished. Mr. Wolff went to him, and reproved him severely for such conduct. The Turks said tauntingly, 'He is a Christian.' We were glad they heard Mr. Wolff's admonition, in which he shewed them how inconsistent his behavior was with the commands of the Gospel. The unnatural man at length relented, and went to his mother and kissed her hand in token of acknowledgment. Towards evening two Turks had a dispute which finally led to blows. Hadgi Ibrahim (the Anakite) interfered, and by loud words and a few blows, settled the quarrel. After this, the dervish Mustapha became very angry with his ass, and like Balaam fell to beating him, and concluded by calling him a Jew.

"12. Saw several flocks of sheep and goats, guarded by Bedouin shepherds, and feeding on the scanty vegetation of the desert. Met also a caravan of 150 camels going to Cairo. As we proceeded in a north-easterly direction, we found less vegetation, and more sand-hills than heretofore.

"13. It is the Sabbath on which we wish to rest. But we are in the midst of the wilderness, with but a scanty supply of provisions, and no water except what is very offensive; and we have a journey of four days, before we can reach any human dwelling. The case is a clear one, that we must seek the divine blessing and proceed on our way, and in our meditations endeavor to find Him, who

'Is ever present, ever felt,

In the void waste, as in the city full.'

"Read the 84th Psalm, and sympathized with David in his exile, when banished from the house of God. Thought of our brethren and friends at home, who are enjoying the privileges of the sanctuary; and, contrasting our present situation, exclaimed;-'I am cast out of thy sight, yet will I look again towards thy holy temple. After travelling eight hours we pitched our tent near a grove of palm-trees. Our course has varied from east to north, among hills of light sand. The water here is better than has been found since entering the wilderness; though it is such as the cattle would not drink in New England.

"14. Hitherto we had generally enjoyed a refreshing north wind, which has served to mitigate the heat, and rendered our journey less tedious, than we had feared it would be. This morning a strong scorching wind from the south-east commenced. It was indeed distressing. The air sometimes seemed as if it issued from the mouth of an oven. Many of the Arabs bound a handkerchief over their mouths and noses, as a defence against it. After riding six hours and a half, we pitched our tent on the plain of Loolia, near a well of miserable water. The thermometer in our tent stood at 999. The country we passed was full of sand-hills. The wind sometimes blew the sand over the hills like snow in a storm. This has been a dreadful day.

"15. To avoid the heat of the day we arose at midnight, and proceeded on our journey till noon. The wind continued from the S. E. during the night, and we anticipated another dreadful day. But in the forenoon it changed to the S. W., and we were refreshed by a cooling breeze. The night was so cloudy that not a star appeared. The loaded camels, which during the day travel like a flock, were all tied together when we travelled in the night. One is surprized to see how the Arabs, who are accustomed to the desert, will find their way in a dark

night. After eleven hours ride, we pitched our tent at Aboo Jilbana. After the heat of yesterday, and our ride last night, we all find ourselves unwell.

"16. Resumed our journey at five in the morning. Soon came upon a harder road than we had found for several days. It was at no great distance from the sea. The salt water had overflowed it, and had been evaporated by the sun, leaving a considerable thickness of salt on the ground. At two, we came upon the shore of the Mediterranean, where the waves were rolling, and foaming, and breaking, in a most beautiful and majestic manner. Turning from the sea-shore, and passing over a mountain of sand, we came in a little while to El Arish, a village situated in the desert. At Messaoudia, a watering place on the sea-shore, the caravan separated, and one part took a different rout for Gaza. After riding ten hours and a half, we pitched our tent on the plain near the village. Our shekh belongs to this place. When he and his attendants met with their friends, we had an opportunity to observe a singular mode of salutation. They took each other by the hand, put their foreheads together, and smacked their lips, but without bringing their faces in contact. They repeated this joining of foreheads and distant kissing four or five times, saying, 'Peace;' 'Well?' Thank God;' 'How are you? Thank God;' Peace.' 'God give you peace.' 'God bless you.'

"In conversation with the Greek, who is from Tocat, he told us that there are in that place 100 or 150 Greek houses, a bishop, six priests, and two churches. One priest is from Greece, and knows Greek; the rest understand only Turkish, though they perform their service in Greek, repeating the words, parrotlike, without understanding them.

TO REV. DR. WOODS OF ANDOVER.

"April 17. I sit down to address you in my tent near a little village, El Arish, of perhaps 200 inhabitants, after travelling eight days over hills and plains of sand, without a human dwelling. We are still in the desert, and have to travel one day more before reaching the cultivated country. I can form a better idea now, then I ever could before, of the strength of those temptations which led the Israelites to murmur in the desert. Alas! I fear many, who call themselves Christians, murmur in circumstances a thousand fold less trying than theirs. Our heavenly Preserver has kept us, and we now look forward with inexpressible interest to the moment, when we shall enter the HOLY CITY."

"18. Crossed some cultivated fields, and through the day found the country exhibiting more of verdure, than we had seen before since entering the desert. About noon there was a shower of rain, soon after which we crossed the valley of Zaaka, and found a monument erected at the grave ofa Mussulman shekh.

"After riding nine hours and a half, we pitched our tent at Bur el Khoor, a large plain covered with grass and shrubs, on which several large flocks of sheep and goats were feeding, under the direction of Arab shepherds and shepherdesses. We walked up to the top of a sand hill near our tent, where we had a delightful view of the plain. After being so long in the wilderness, this view was indeed cheering. We have now just left the dominions of Mohammed Ali Pasha, and entered modern Syria. Whether we are yet within the limits of ancient Palestine, or not, we do not know. The valley of Zaaka is no doubt a torrent in the rainy season, Possibly this is the river of Egypt. See Gen. xv, 18, and Josh. xv, 4. If so, we are already in the promised land. While in the desert, we have found comfort in singing,

« PreviousContinue »