^^^ ,HJ
 
 
 /o. -
 
 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE
 
 THE SHEIK.
 
 PATROLLERS OF 
 PALESTINE 
 
 BY THE 
 
 REV. HASKETT SMITH, M.A., F.R.G.S. 
 
 EDITOR OF 'MURRAY'S HANDBOOK TO SYRIA AND PALESTINE, 1892' 
 
 AUTHOR OF 
 
 'FOR GOD AND HUMANITY: A ROMANCE OF MOUNT CARMEL,' 'THE DIVINE EPIPHANY, 
 'CALVARY AND THE TOMB OF CHRIST,' ETC. 
 
 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 LONDON 
 EDWARD ARNOLD 
 
 41 & 43 MADDOX STREET, BOND STREET, W. 
 
 publteber to tbe SnDia CHce 
 1906 
 
 [All rights rtsen<eid\
 
 PREFACE 
 
 The Author died almost immediately after completing this book, and 
 before any arrangements had been made for its publication. The 
 following brief Note, which was appended to the MS., is therefore 
 inserted in place of a more formal Preface. 
 
 THREE observations only are needed in regard to the 
 following pages : 
 
 1. I have endeavoured most carefully to be strictly 
 accurate in all my historical and geographical state- 
 ments, as also in my description of scenes and incidents. 
 
 2. With exception of the Sheikh himself, none of the 
 members of his tribe are portraits of any actual person- 
 ages, but rather embodiments of different types of 
 travellers whom I have encountered in my many 
 journeys through Palestine. 
 
 3. I only hold myself responsible for the statements 
 of the Sheikh. 
 
 HASKETT SMITH. 
 
 209531B
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 THE SHEIKH AND HIS TRIBE 
 
 PAGES 
 
 The Sheikh The Archbishop The Fossil The Enthusiast The 
 Matter-of-fact Man The Pessimist The Angel The Mala- 
 prop The General Nuisance The Gusher Monte Carlo - 1-16 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 THE ENTRANCE INTO CANAAN 
 
 A night on deck The coastline Askalon The Crusades 
 The Lady of Shallot The rose of Sharon Ebal and Gerizim 
 Jaffa The perils of landing A tragic story - - - 17-32 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE HOLY LAND 
 
 The Jerusalem Hotel, Jaffa Biblical bedrooms The house of 
 Simon the Tanner Camels and their loads Jonah and the 
 whale The Book of Jonah and its interpretation The 
 English Hospital Miss Walker Arnott's school for native 
 children ' BiblePills-' - - - 33-47 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 THE INVASION OF THE IRON HORSE 
 
 Fifteen miles an hour versus four The good old days Cruelty 
 to animals Spurious holy places Lydda Ramleh Ekron 
 Bethshemesh Gezer The Valley of Aijalon Intelligent 
 study of the Bible ' Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon ' 
 The cave of Makkedah The Valley of Sorek Ebenezer 
 A slight misunderstanding - - 4868
 
 viii CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING 
 
 PAGES 
 
 The road to Jerusalem The Montefiore Asylum The British 
 Ophthalmic Hospital Missionary methods The Valley of 
 Hinnom Bishop Gobat's Schools Lepers The Tower of 
 David The Jaffa Gate The Grand New Hotel The view 
 at sunset The effect of associations - - 69-85 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 MOUNT ZION 
 
 Yusef Bethlehem women Christ Church The Church and 
 Convent of St. James The Royal Tombs The Ccenaculum 
 The Palace of Caiaphas The house of St. John the Evan- 
 gelist King Solomon's gardens The Pool of Siloam The 
 Last Supper in art and in reality- ... 86-107 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE TEMPLE AREA 
 
 The Consular Kawass David Street The Cotton Merchants' 
 Bazaar The Court of the Gentiles What happened to St. 
 Paul - 108-119 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 THE DOME OF THE ROCK 
 
 A triumph of Moslem art Divers appreciations History of the 
 Shrine The Dome of the Chain A story with a moral An 
 elaborate interior The Holy Rock David's census and its 
 results The Altar of Burnt Offering - - 120-139 
 
 i 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 THE MOSQUE EL-AKSA 
 
 Further traces of Solomon's Temple The water-supply of Jeru- 
 salem Justinian's Basilica Saladin's Pulpit A judicious 
 Immaum ...--- 140-148
 
 CONTENTS ix 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 THE CENTRAL SHRINE OF CHRISTENDOM 
 
 PAGES 
 
 The Pessimist and the smell Guardians of the peace ' You will 
 find Calvary on the first floor 'The Chapel of the Mocking 
 The Chapel of St. Helena The Chapel of the Invention of 
 the Cross St. Helena's Chair - - 149-166 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 ' THERE is A GREEN HILL FAR AWAY ' 
 
 The Gusher annoys the Fossil The Hospital of the Knights 
 The Ecce Homo Arch Gabbatha The Via Dolorosa The 
 Damascus Gate The real Calvary ' The Place of a Skull ' 
 Death by stoning The scene of the Crucifixion - - 167-187 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 THE TOMB OF CHRIST 
 
 The Catacomb The Church of St. Stephen Sackcloth and 
 ashes Some important inscriptions Joseph's Garden The 
 Sepulchre The story of the Resurrection - - 188-207 
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 BETHLEHEM 
 
 Some curious riding outfits Start of the cavalcade The Valley 
 of the Giants The Well of the Magi A charming prospect 
 The Convent of Elias David and Ahithophel Rachel's 
 Tomb Native rubbish-vendors - - 208-226 
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY 
 
 The story of Ruth Characteristics of the people A genuine 
 site Constantine's Church A discordant ritual The 
 Melchites The Latin and Greek Churches The 'Filioque' 
 question Tombs of St. Eusebius, St. Jerome, and others 
 The Grotto of the Manger The star in the east - - 227-248
 
 x CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 AMONG THE JUD^AN HILLS 
 
 PAGES 
 
 The rival churches A bloodthirsty Kawass A shepherd boy 
 
 Solomon's Pools Emmaus - - 249-266 
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 ' Go TO JERICHO !' 
 
 Perils of the road A fictitious attack The Bedouin Arabs The 
 
 story of Sisera and Jael - - 267-281 
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 THE GOOD SAMARITAN'S INN 
 
 The Garden of Gethsemane Bethany Abu Dis The Apostles' 
 Spring Lunch in the tent A Syrian inn The Nativity 
 The ascent of Adummim The Convent of Elias What 
 were the ravens ? - 282-297 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 THE PLAIN OF JERICHO 
 
 Three Jerichos Oreb and Zeeb The real ravens Camping in 
 
 Palestine An absurd contretemps Poor Pessimist ! - 298-314 
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 THE DEAD SEA 
 
 A summary awakening A swim in Elisha's Spring The sons of 
 the prophets A discussion on miracles A census of the 
 tribe Apples of Sodom A Rabble by the sea Unpleasant 
 bathing A ' female soldier ' - 315-333 
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 NAAMAN'S WONDERFUL CURE 
 
 The Vale of Siddim The Crossing of the Jordan Mud baths 
 for leprosy The two mules' burdens of earth Further 
 explanations - - 334-349 
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 THE RETURN TO JERUSALEM 
 
 ' Gentleman drowning !' The dangers of Jordan Bethshan 
 Bethany again ' He came near and beheld the city ' A 
 rest in camp - - - 350-361
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTEATIONS 
 
 THE SHEIKH - Frontispiece 
 
 DONKEY-BOY - - To face page 4 
 
 WATEK-CAKEIEE 70 
 
 THE RUSSIAN CHURCH AT GETHSEMANE - - ,, ,, 82 
 
 THE DOME OF THE ROCK (EXTERIOR) - 116 
 
 THE DOME OF THE ROCK (INTERIOR) - 132 
 
 MARKET-PLACE OF BETHLEHEM ON CHRISTMAS 
 
 MORNING 226 
 
 KHAN-EL-AHMAR - - - - ,, 290
 
 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 THE SHEIKH AND HIS TRIBE 
 
 The Sheikh The Archbishop The Fossil The Enthusiast The 
 Matter-of-fact Man The Pessimist The Angel The Malaprop 
 The General Nuisance The Gusher Monte Carlo. 
 
 THE leader of the party was by universal acclamation 
 invested with the title of THE SHEIKH. 
 
 Nor was this title inappropriate. 
 
 He had resided for many years in the Holy Land, 
 wearing for the most part the costume of the natives, 
 speaking their language, adapting himself to their daily 
 manners and customs, partaking of their hospitality, 
 conducting business relations with them, indulging in 
 every opportunity of social intercourse and conversation 
 with them, and closely studying the various idiosyn- 
 crasies of their dispositions and ideas. 
 
 By these means he had succeeded in penetrating 
 beneath the surface of the Oriental character, and had 
 become thoroughly imbued with Oriental modes and 
 thoughts of expression. 
 
 Moreover, he had travelled frequently and in all direc- 
 tions through Eastern, Western, and Northern Palestine, 
 so that there was scarcely a town or village which he 
 had not visited from Baalbek to Gaza, from Damascus 
 
 1
 
 2 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 to Kerak, or from the Mediterranean to the Great Syrian 
 Desert. 
 
 Nevertheless, he was a true-born Englishman, and 
 English to the core a typical John Bull in appearance 
 and character. A journalistic interviewer had once 
 described him as ' a pleasing, practical, portly parson, 
 this patroller of Palestine, of robust form and full round 
 voice, with the cool confidence of a clear-headed cosmo- 
 politan who has seen places and people innumerable in 
 variety, and who has a way of taking his companions 
 along with him, not so much as a personal conductor, but 
 as a genial friend, philosopher, and guide.' 
 
 One phrase of this description so fascinated the Sheikh's 
 companions that they appropriated it to themselves, and 
 they became known to their friends as ' The Sheikh and 
 his Tribe ; or, The Patrollers of Palestine.' Eleven of 
 them they numbered altogether seven males and four 
 females and a strange and motley assemblage they 
 looked as they gathered together on the deck of an 
 Austrian Lloyd steamer one sunny morning in early 
 March, peering intently towards the Eastern horizon, 
 where the sacred hills of Canaan were looming in the 
 distance. Enveloped in the haze of the misty dawn, the 
 mountain ranges of Judsea and Samaria appeared to the 
 enraptured gaze of the devoted followers of the Sheikh 
 as though they were in very truth ' the everlasting hills 
 of unearthly mystery.' 
 
 As the steamer slowly advanced to its anchorage in the 
 open roadstead outside the rock-bound harbour of the 
 venerable Jaffa, the Sheikh stood on the upper deck near 
 to the bridge, pointing out to his companions the various 
 scenes and objects of interest which gradually unfolded 
 themselves to their view. 
 
 Immediately at his right hand stood an elderly clergy-
 
 THE ARCHBISHOP 3 
 
 man, -immaculately orthodox and proper. He was 
 arrayed in faultless clerical attire, which he never relaxed 
 upon any occasion. He acquired the sobriquet of THE 
 ARCHBISHOP, in consequence of an amusing incident 
 which had occurred during their short sojourn at Port 
 Said, in the course of trans-shipment from the P. and 0. 
 steamer on which they had travelled from Marseilles to the 
 Austrian Lloyd vessel which was to take them to Jafia, 
 as Joppa is now called. They were compelled to remain 
 at Port Said for about twenty-four hours ; and on the 
 evening of their arrival, the moon being full and the 
 atmosphere delicious, it was decided to take a moonlight 
 excursion on donkeys to the shores of Lake Menzaleh. 
 Accordingly, the Sheikh sent a message to ' Bob ' that 
 he was to be at the door of the hotel at half-past eight 
 o'clock precisely with eleven donkeys, four of which were 
 to be provided with side-saddles. 
 
 Every visitor to Port Said is well acquainted with 
 ' Bob.' He is called a donkey-boy, though in reality he 
 is a man of about sixty years of age ; and, being a devout 
 Moslem, he rejoices in the possession of three wives. His 
 good-natured, round Arab face, his brawny muscular 
 form, his deep sepulchral voice, his inimitable grin, 
 and the ludicrous way in which he pronounces the 
 names which he gives to his donkeys names varying 
 according to circumstances are familiar as household 
 words to every traveller who passes through the Suez 
 Canal. 
 
 On the particular evening in question Bob was very late 
 in keeping his appointment ; and, after waiting in vain 
 for his appearance until long after nine o'clock, the Sheikh 
 and his tribe were on the point of giving up their moon- 
 light trip in despair. Suddenly, however, the sound of 
 donkeys' hoofs was heard, as they came pattering down 
 
 12
 
 4 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 the street from the direction of the Arab part of the town. 
 In a few minutes they were brought to a standstill outside 
 the door of the hotel, and Bob, wiping his forehead with 
 a huge red pocket-handkerchief, began to make his excuses 
 for being so late. 
 
 ' Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen,' he began ; ' I am 
 very much sorry to keep you waiting, but, as I was leaving 
 home, my three wives began quarrelling, and I had to 
 stop and give them all a flogging.' 
 
 Having thus satisfactorily disburdened himself, as if 
 it were the most natural thing in the world for an Arab 
 donkey-driver to flog his wives, as no doubt it is. Bob 
 proceeded to assign the donkeys to their several riders. 
 The four ladies had duly allotted to them ' Mrs. Langtry,' 
 'Lottie Collins,' 'The Princess of Wales,' and 'Hoop-de- 
 Doodm-Doo.' Then came the turn of the gentlemen, and 
 all were rapidly in their saddles, on ' Mr. Gladstone, 
 Gra-and Old Man,' 'President Roosevelt,' 'Joe Chamber- 
 lain,' ' Two Lovely Black Eyes,' and ' Keep your Hair 
 on.' There only remained the Sheikh and the High- 
 Church parson. The former was assigned a donkey 
 whom Bob denominated ' Mr. Slowly Big,' explaining 
 that the donkey would go slowly because the Sheikh was 
 big. The orthodox cleric then put his foot into his stirrup 
 in a pompous and deliberate manner, majestically 
 mounted his animal, and sat there bolt upright with an 
 air of conscious dignity, his long coat-tails flapping over 
 the donkey's hind-quarters, his wideawake pressed well 
 dawn on his forehead, and his neck nearly throttled by 
 a stiff, closely-fitting collar. Altogether he presented a 
 most comical and incongruous appearance. 
 In slow, patronizing tones he said to Bob : 
 ' And what shall be the name of my ass ? ' 
 Bob eyed him and his garb for a moment with a whim-
 
 THE FOSSIL 5 
 
 sical expression of awe, respect, and bewilderment, and 
 then, prostrating himself before him with an irresistible 
 air of mock reverence, he replied : 
 
 ' Archbishop of Canterbury.' 
 
 And thus the worthy parson was henceforth dubbed 
 ' The Archbishop.' An excellent man in his way, but 
 exceedingly narrow-minded, he was pre-eminently a type 
 of that numerous class of people who implicitly believe 
 everything that they find in the Bible, simply and solely 
 because it is in the Bible ; and who are ready to consign 
 to eternal perdition everyone who does not hold exactly 
 the same views as themselves. 
 
 The direct contrast of the Archbishop was a little 
 wizen-faced man who was universally styled THE FOSSIL. 
 He was a confirmed old University Don, steeped to his 
 eyes in classical lore and musty quotations, utterly un- 
 practical, and full of theories, many of which were doomed 
 to be shattered by the relentless force of prosaic facts, 
 before the march of the tribe had come to an end. He 
 affected to be an agnostic in his creed, and professed a 
 profound contempt for what he styled ' the fairy-like 
 myths of the Old Testament records.' This naturally 
 brought him into continual conflict with the Archbishop, 
 who, as became a sound orthodox Churchman, accepted 
 without question the traditional interpretations of all 
 the reputedly miraculous events. 
 
 The arguments and controversies of these two opposite 
 thinkers often led them to forget the occupations on which 
 they were engaged at the time, and the Sheikh was fre- 
 quently obliged to hurry them up during the riding tour 
 through Palestine ; for they would linger far behind the 
 main body of the tribe, allowing their horses to creep 
 slowly along whilst they were hotly contesting some dis- 
 puted points of doctrine or theory.
 
 6 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 The Fossil had a great University reputation as a 
 Hebrew and Arabic scholar, and he was undoubtedly 
 possessed of a profound acquaintance with the classical 
 literature of these two languages. When, however, he 
 tried to talk to the natives of Palestine in their own 
 mother Arabic tongue, neither he nor they could under- 
 stand each other. The language in which he addressed 
 them was that of a long-past era, and it was just as though 
 some foreigner who had only studied the English of 
 Chaucer's time were to give his orders to London cabmen 
 in choice Chaucerian dialect. 
 
 A very amusing story concerning the Fossil found its 
 way by some means into the circle of the tribe. On one 
 occasion he paid a visit to Athens, in order to satisfy a 
 life-long ambition to declaim upon the stage of the theatre 
 of Dionysus some portion of the immortal Greek dramas, 
 on the very spot upon which they had been first presented 
 to the public. On arriving at the famous capital of 
 Greece, he lost no time in hastening to the theatre, 
 accompanied by several friends belonging to the party 
 with which he had travelled from England, as well as by 
 other casual visitors at the hotel which he was patronizing. 
 The conductor of the party was a native Athenian, who 
 was able to speak a little English, and therefore considered 
 himself perfectly competent to guide British and American 
 tourists over the city. Having duly posted his com- 
 panions on the old stone benches of the Auditorium, the 
 Fossil mounted the ruined stage, struck a dramatic atti- 
 tude, and in as loud and theatrical a voice as he could 
 command he proceeded to spout a passage from the 
 ' Agamemnon ' of ^Eschylus. In an ecstasy of enjoyment, 
 he warmed to his task, giving, as he imagined, an exact 
 rendering of the words of the ancient dramatist in the 
 identical language and pronunciation of the Greeks them-
 
 THE ENTHUSIAST 7 
 
 selves. Before he had advanced very far in his oration, 
 the Athenian guide turned round to a member of the 
 party who was seated beside him on the Auditorium, and 
 innocently asked : 
 
 ' What language is that old gentleman talking ? It 
 does not sound to me like English.' 
 
 A very different character from the Archbishop or the 
 Fossil was a gentleman who had left England for the first 
 time in his life, and who thoroughly deserved the title of 
 THE ENTHUSIAST, which he acquired very early in the 
 march. He was a healthy man in the prime of life, with 
 a florid countenance, thick curly brown hair, and a light 
 bushy moustache. His whole life had hitherto been spent 
 in a small provincial town in the Midlands, and his mind 
 had had little scope for enlargement. The chief topics of 
 conversation to which he had been accustomed were 
 horses, cattle, sheep, and the corn markets. Yet he was 
 naturally of an enquiring disposition, and the novel ex- 
 perience of a foreign tour was a delightful revelation to 
 him. He entered into every new scene and experience 
 with all the freshness of youth. His untiring energy and 
 restless desire to see everything that was to be seen was 
 rather embarrassing at times to the other members of the 
 tribe, for he was always eager to be on the move, and never 
 seemed to know when his companions had had enough. 
 
 Before the dawn of day the Enthusiast was up and 
 stirring, clamouring to the camp-servants to get ready for 
 the onward march, and shouting aloud to the less ener- 
 getic and more sensible travellers, who were still reposing 
 comfortably within their tents. His services, however, 
 were very useful on several occasions in spurring up the 
 flagging spirits of the weaker and more faint-hearted 
 members of the tribe, and in urging on the loiterers to 
 more speedy progress.
 
 8 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 His disregard of expense was truly magnificent. He 
 invested recklessly in Oriental curiosities and artistic 
 treasures at all the bazaars which he visited, and he 
 patronized extensively the innumerable vendors of 
 articles who waylaid the tribe on their march through 
 Palestine. It is scarcely necessary to mention that the 
 majority of these treasures which he thus acquired were 
 fictitious trash ; but, inasmuch as he was none the wiser, 
 no very great harm was done. Doubtless many of these 
 curios will be handed down to his children and his 
 children's children, to the third and fourth generation ; 
 and romantic stories of their great ancestor, the famous 
 Palestine patroller, will be woven around these marvellous 
 relics. At any rate, his purchases afforded him unbounded 
 enjoyment at the time, and served as excellent safety- 
 valves for the escape of his superfluous steam of enthusiasm. 
 
 An excellent foil to this indefatigable pilgrim was to 
 be found in THE MATTER-OF-FACT MAN. Utterly devoid 
 of any sense of humour himself, this worthy individual 
 was quite unconsciously the source of constant amuse- 
 ment to his companions by the absolutely commonplace 
 remarks to which he gave utterance in circumstances of 
 the most romantic nature, and by the incongruity of his 
 actions in the most sentimental of scenes. When even 
 the least emotional of the members of the tribe would be 
 moved to rapture and enthusiasm over some incident of 
 extraordinary interest or some vision of exquisite splen- 
 dour, the Matter-of-fact Man would remain solid and 
 undemonstrative, scarcely indicating by word or de- 
 meanour that he was conscious of anything at all out of 
 the way in the place or incident in question. His whole 
 heart and soul appeared to be engrossed in the everyday 
 concerns of this mundane world, and it was difficult to 
 understand what motive had induced him to visit the
 
 THE PESSIMIST 9 
 
 worn-out regions of the past. Sometimes he would sit 
 silent for an hour or more, smoking a foul briar pipe, and 
 apparently listening to an animated discussion on some 
 topic of thrilling interest suggested by the scenes through 
 which the party had been riding that day, and then he 
 would suddenly interpolate some utterly irrelevant remark 
 of the most prosaic nature, which would effectually dispel 
 the glamour of the conversation, and show that all the 
 while he had been far removed in thought from the subject 
 which had been so keenly exciting the interest of his 
 companions. 
 
 Notwithstanding these peculiar idiosyncrasies, the 
 Matter-of-fact Man was in reality a most invaluable 
 member of the tribe, for he was kind-hearted and good- 
 natured to a degree, always ready to help any of his com- 
 rades, and continually doing small acts of service in a 
 quiet and unostentatious way. 
 
 By no means so popular and agreeable a companion 
 was a nervous, discontented, and unhappy bachelor, who 
 invariably looked at matters from the most gloomy point 
 of view, and who, in consequence, was branded by the 
 highly appropriate cognomen of THE PESSIMIST. 
 
 His medical adviser, it appeared, had ordered him 
 abroad for change of air and scene, on account of the 
 hypochondriacal condition into which he had gradually 
 fallen ; and, unfortunately for the little tribe conducted 
 by the Sheikh, he had heard of the expedition, and had 
 enlisted himself a member of it. His face wore the 
 chronic expression of one who has just swallowed a dose 
 of some horribly nauseous physic, and he always had 
 some imaginary grievance to nurse. His grumblings at 
 every trifling inconvenience and contretemps were 
 amusing at first, but they soon became monotonous, and 
 it required all the tact and forbearance of the Sheikh,
 
 10 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 aided by the general good sense of the majority of the 
 tribe, to prevent a serious outbreak of bad temper on 
 more than one occasion. Some of his habits were most 
 peculiar. It was noticed that he invariably placed him- 
 self in the most uncomfortable of seats, and in many other 
 little ways he evinced a perverse pleasure in manufac- 
 turing for himself causes of discontent. 
 
 And yet, in spite of all his fancied troubles, it is doubtful 
 whether any member of the tribe enjoyed the march 
 through Palestine more thoroughly than did the Pessimist 
 in his own sour and dismal fashion. He was never detected 
 in a genuine outburst of laughter, but, when all the others 
 were convulsed at some ludicrous anecdote or mirth- 
 provoking incident, a sardonic grin of lugubrious enjoy- 
 ment would play upon his lips, rendering the castor-oil 
 expression of his features more melancholy than ever. 
 Then, in a slow and mournful drawl, he would murmur : 
 
 ' That amuses me much that amuses me as much as 
 anything I ever heard in my life.' 
 
 Having thus testified to the abundant enjoyment of his 
 soul, he would relapse once more into gloomy silence, 
 looking for all the world as though he had just received 
 intelligence of the death of his dearest friend, or the failure 
 of the bank in which all his money was invested. 
 
 He was the object of the deepest pity and compassion 
 to the camp-servants and attendants of the tribe, who 
 one and all, poor innocent natives ! were convinced 
 that he was suffering from some terrible calamity which 
 had crushed and beclouded his whole life. Not a bit of 
 it ! It was only his peculiar way of enjoying himself. 
 
 Place aux dames ! An apology is due to the ladies of 
 the tribe for having kept them so long in the background. 
 We can only remind them that the sweets and the dessert 
 come after the fish and the solid meat.
 
 THE ANGEL 11 
 
 The Archbishop had a daughter travelling with him, 
 a young lady of about twenty-three years of age. She 
 soon became a general favourite throughout the tribe, 
 and well she deserved to be ; for, as the Sheikh himself 
 often declared, she was almost as perfect a travelling 
 companion as anyone could wish to conduct upon a 
 tour. 
 
 She never gave the slightest trouble to any member of 
 the tribe. She never suffered from the grievances of 
 which the general type of female tourists complain. 
 Her saddle was never improperly adjusted, neither too 
 far forward nor too far back. The girths were never too 
 slack nor too tight. She was always satisfied with the 
 dragoman, the muleteers, the camp-servants, the food, 
 the cooking, and the tents. She was invariably punctual 
 at meals, and never kept the party waiting when about 
 to start on an excursion. She never galloped too far 
 ahead, nor loitered too far behind. She never asked 
 foolish or irrelevant questions. Though affable and 
 pleasant to all her companions, she never monopolized 
 the attention of any one individual. Intelligent and 
 natural in all her ways, she never displayed the slightest 
 symptom of affectation, frivolity, or cant. Lively and 
 full of humour, high-spirited and fond of fun, she yet 
 observed a reverential respect for the sacred sites and 
 associations of the Holy Land. The native servants 
 adored her, and if the whole tribe had resembled her in 
 character and disposition, the march of the Palestine 
 Patrollers would indeed have been one of triumphal 
 progress, of peace, happiness, and concord. 
 
 In a word, the Sheikh considered that there was only 
 one title corresponding to her merits, and on his initiative 
 she was endowed with the appropriate name of THE 
 ANGEL.
 
 12 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 Though as firm and devout a member of the Church of 
 England as her father, the Archbishop, himself, she was 
 far more broad-minded in her sympathies and ideas, and 
 consequently she was more ready to receive the intelligent 
 and rational views of the interpretation of Scripture 
 which have been opened up in the present day as the 
 result of scientific investigation and impartial research. 
 
 She was standing on the left hand of the Sheikh on 
 the deck of the Austrian Lloyd steamer, and by her side 
 was a short stout lady of middle age, ' fair, fat, and forty ' 
 extremely fat and extremely forty. This buxom dame 
 was busily engaged in sharpening a pencil which she held 
 in her hand, whilst a voluminous notebook was tucked 
 under her arm. She was ever taking notes, and had 
 intimated more than once to the tribe in general that she 
 proposed writing a book of the march on her return to 
 British shores. Dear, good soul ! she had the most mar- 
 vellous faculty of getting hold of the wrong end of the 
 story, and of mixing up information in the most hopeless 
 and glorious confusion. She earned for herself the 
 sobriquet of THE MALAPROP. 
 
 The simple fact was that she was so much engrossed in 
 general over her notebook and diary that she failed to 
 listen to the remarks which were made and to the in- 
 formation which was imparted by the Sheikh and others. 
 Consequently, she was continually trying the patience of 
 her companions by requesting that the information 
 should be repeated from beginning to end. She was 
 kind and good-tempered, but remarkably obtuse and 
 self-satisfied, and this was, on the whole, perhaps an 
 advantage to her, for it rendered her quite oblivious to 
 the general cause of laughter, when she perpetrated some 
 egregious blunder. She would on such occasions look 
 round her in bewilderment, as if endeavouring to discover
 
 THE GENERAL NUISANCE 13 
 
 the mysterious subject of mirth. Then, producing her 
 notebook and pencil, she would placidly ask the fellow- 
 traveller nearest to her to be kind enough to tell her what 
 it was that had made the whole company laugh. 
 
 With all her peculiarities, the Malaprop was an in- 
 finitely more desirable member of the tribe than was a 
 certain elderly female who was standing at no great dis- 
 tance from her on the deck, keeping a jealous eye on the 
 luggage of the tribe in general, and on her own personal 
 belongings in particular. The baggage lay piled upon 
 the deck, in readiness for disembarkation ; and a curiously 
 confused mass of articles presented themselves, truly 
 characteristic of the British tourist. Portmanteaux, 
 Gladstone bags, hold-alls, valises, umbrella-cases, hat- 
 boxes, bundles of rugs, and other miscellaneous impedi- 
 menta, lay huddled together in glorious disorder, each 
 separate article adorned with a conspicuous bow of red 
 and yellow ribbon, the distinguishing badge of the pro- 
 perty of the Sheikh and his tribe. The lady who had 
 constituted herself for the occasion the guardian of this 
 heterogeneous collection had already earned for herself 
 the invidious epithet of THE GENERAL NUISANCE, short 
 though the time had been since the tribe had started forth 
 on their march from England. 
 
 A tall, gaunt woman, with spectacles on nose and reti- 
 cule in hand, she stood there bolt upright, apparently 
 engaged in the twofold occupation of challenging any 
 outsider to touch the belongings of the tribe, and of en- 
 deavouring to sniff out the first obnoxious odours of 
 Jaffa, and to prepare for the coming struggle against all 
 the forces antagonistic to propriety which she was 
 anticipating to encounter on her march through Pales- 
 tine. 
 
 According to her own account, she was the right hand
 
 14 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 of the vicar of the parish to which she belonged, and had 
 been sent upon this trip at his personal expense as a slight 
 recompense for her devoted and long-continued services. 
 It was commonly believed, however, by the other 
 members of the tribe that the poor pestered parson had 
 been driven to adopt this course, in order that he might 
 have at least three months' peace and respite from her 
 fussy interference. 
 
 But how she had managed to tear herself away from 
 her multifarious duties was a mystery to them all. 
 Amongst the many parochial and social functions which, 
 as she took care to inform everyone, she discharged, she 
 was superintendent of the Sunday-school, manager of the 
 Band of Hope, secretary of the District Visiting Society, 
 local president of the Women's Christian Temperance 
 Union, correspondent of the Girls' Friendly Society, 
 agent for the Social Purity League, and member of the 
 Board of Guardians. She might doubtless have added, 
 though she kept it to herself, that she was also chief 
 inquisitor of her neighbours' private concerns, parochial 
 mischief-maker, and general prowling prude. To judge 
 from the experience of the Sheikh and his tribe, it was 
 quite impossible for her to refrain from meddling with the 
 business of others, and by her constant habits of inter- 
 ference, she did her best to wreck the harmony and enjoy- 
 ment of the march. Naturally, she prided herself on her 
 own strength of mind and upon the firm determination of 
 her character. Like all people of her class, she was quick 
 enough to resent what she considered any attempt on 
 the part of others to dictate to herself. If one of the 
 tribe mildly ventured a word of suggestion or advice to 
 her, she would draw herself up with an air of injured 
 dignity and say : 
 
 ' Excuse me, when I want your opinion I will ask for it.
 
 THE GUSHER 15 
 
 Until then, I will trouble you not to interfere, ?f you 
 please.' 
 
 The remaining lady of the tribe soon recognised in the 
 Enthusiast a kindred spirit with herself. She belonged to 
 a type of tourist which is very common, especially among 
 the fair sex. The type is frequently encountered in such 
 countries as Switzerland or Italy wherever, in fact, the 
 regions abound in natural beauties or historic associations. 
 It is generally known as THE GUSHER. 
 
 Of all countries in the world, Egypt and Palestine are 
 the happy hunting-ground of the Gushers. At every turn 
 they are to be found, sighing ecstatically, or bubbling with 
 enthusiasm over some sacred scene or some time-honoured 
 monument. They appear to have ransacked the whole 
 vocabulary of the English language for the choicest 
 adjectives and the most rapturous phrases. At first 
 there is something really refreshing in the hyperstatic 
 delight of the Gusher, but when one happens to be her 
 fellow-companion upon a lengthy tour, one's ears are at 
 length palled by the incessant sound of the long-drawn 
 ' 0-h !' and the high-flown interjections of admiration 
 and rapture. 
 
 The Gusher belonging to the Sheikh's tribe was a good- 
 natured creature between thirty and forty years of age, 
 and, but for the somewhat tiresome monotony of her 
 effusiveness, she was a pleasant companion in travel. 
 
 But the heart and soul of the whole party was a jovial, 
 round-faced, close-shaven man, who had joined the tribe 
 at Marseilles, after having spent the winter at Monte 
 Carlo. He was at first regarded with suspicious eyes 
 by the more serious members of the tribe, who could 
 not conceive that anything good could come out of that 
 sink of iniquity. The Archbishop and the Fossil both 
 looked at him askance the former because he considered
 
 16 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 him likely to be irreverent, the latter because he dreaded 
 his frivolity ; whilst as for the General Nuisance, the 
 horror depicted on her face would have afforded a de- 
 lightful study to an artist, when, on the first evening of 
 their voyage on the Mediterranean from Marseilles, the 
 newcomer mischievously introduced himself to her as 
 ' The Man from Monte Carlo.' It soon became apparent, 
 however, that there was no real vice in his nature, and 
 that he had visited that notorious resort of gambling 
 purely from the desire of seeing life in all its phases. It 
 was the same spirit which was now taking him on a pil- 
 grimage through the Holy Land. 
 
 MONTE CAELO, as by his own special request he 
 became known and addressed by all, was a born traveller, 
 who had visited almost every quarter of the globe. A 
 shrewd observer of places and people, with a highly re- 
 tentive memory, he was a perfect storehouse of anecdote 
 and reminiscence, and, consequently, at all times a de- 
 lightful companion. Add to this a keen sense of humour 
 and an inexhaustible fund of animal spirits, and it will 
 readily be understood that Monte Carlo soon established 
 himself on terms of easy fellowship with most of the 
 members of the party, and in a short time became one of 
 the most popular of the Palestine Patrollers.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 THE ENTRANCE INTO CANAAN 
 
 A night on deck The coast-line Askalon The Crusades The Lady 
 of Shallot The rose of Sharon Ebal and Gerizim Jaffa The 
 perils of landing A tragic story. 
 
 THE Enthusiast and the Gusher had remained on deck all 
 night, so as not to miss the first glimpses of the Holy 
 Land when the morning should dawn. 
 
 Some others of the tribe had sat up late, enjoying 
 the ideal beauty of the still, clear night and the moon- 
 lit waters of the still Levant. The weather, indeed, 
 on that ever-memorable evening was almost perfection 
 itself. There was scarcely a breath of air, save that 
 which the vessel herself was making by her own progress 
 through the waters. Not a single cloud obscured 
 the starry sky. Not a ripple on the sea disturbed 
 the steady motion of the steamer. The air was balmy, 
 but not oppressive ; fresh and fragrant, but not cold. It 
 seemed almost a sin to leave the deck for the stuffy 
 cabins below ; and the little group, having comfortably 
 settled themselves down on the folding deck-chairs in a 
 compact circle, spent the first portion of the night in 
 prospective discussions on the country and scenes which 
 lay in front of them. 
 
 The Archbishop and the Fossil, being somewhat ad- 
 vanced in years, had retired early to rest, in order to be 
 
 17 2
 
 18 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 fresh for the enjoyment of their first day's experience of 
 Palestine. The Pessimist had made up his mind to be 
 seasick, and had therefore laid himself down in his berth 
 even before the steamer had left Port Said. The Malaprop 
 had remained below in the saloon after dinner, in order 
 to write up her wonderful diary ; whilst the General 
 Nuisance, offended by a casual remark of Monte Carlo, 
 perfectly innocent in itself, but regarded by her as a 
 personal allusion to herself, had withdrawn in a huff to her 
 cabin. The group on deck had therefore consisted of 
 the Gusher, the Angel, the Enthusiast, the Matter-of-fact 
 Man, Monte Carlo, and the Sheikh. The Angel had been 
 the first of this party to retire below, followed not long 
 afterwards by the Sheikh and Monte Carlo. The Matter- 
 of-fact Man had gone to sleep in his deck-chair, with his 
 pipe in his mouth, long before the conversation had 
 ended, and he looked so comfortable that they left him 
 there without disturbing him in his slumbers. It was 
 not very long before the Enthusiast and the Gusher, 
 having made themselves as comfortable as possible with 
 rugs and cloaks, with a view to maintaining a night-long 
 vigil, had unconsciously followed the Matter-of-fact Man's 
 example, and were as soundly asleep as himself. 
 
 With the earliest light of day, they all three awoke, de- 
 claring that they felt delightfully fresh after their unbroken 
 slumbers in the calm, pure air of the peaceful night. The 
 Pessisimt joined them soon after, complaining that he 
 had been unable to sleep all night, owing to the horrible 
 smells which had entered his cabin, and to innumerable 
 fleas by which he had been bitten. As he emerged from 
 the companion-steps to the deck, he had the melancholy 
 and resigned air of an early Christian martyr ; but he 
 promptly ensconced himself in the chair which the 
 Enthusiast had momentarily vacated, and soon gave
 
 A LOVELY MORNING 19 
 
 evidence by his wheezy snoring that he was making up for 
 the sleepless night. 
 
 It was certainly an ideally lovely morning. Away to 
 the west, directly astern of them, the moon was beginning 
 to set ; and in the long white trail of the wake of the 
 steamer the moonbeams glinted and danced like myriads 
 of diamonds. The Matter-of-fact Man leaned over the 
 rails of the steamer and watched the porpoises disporting 
 themselves gaily in the clear waters of the sea, which was 
 calm as a mill-pond, with a surface like oil. The Gusher 
 and the Enthusiast peered anxiously ahead, striving to 
 make out the land to the east ; but they were still a long 
 distance away from the sacred shores, and the daylight 
 had not yet become clear enough for them to discern it. 
 
 Presently, one by one, the other members of the tribe 
 began to appear on deck. The Archbishop was the first 
 to show himself, all the better for an excellent night's rest. 
 The Angel soon followed her father, and then came the 
 Fossil, the Sheikh, and the General Nuisance in quick 
 succession, the last-named having apparently put on one 
 of her most gracious airs with which to greet the Holy 
 Land. The last to put in an appearance, nearly an hour 
 after the others, were the Malaprop and Monte Carlo. 
 
 Long before these two showed themselves the land had 
 been clearly visible to those on deck. A long, straight 
 stretch of low, sandy hills lined the shore on either hand, 
 north and south, as far as the eye could reach. Behind 
 this low, natural rampart there spread eastwards a broad 
 green plain, running for many miles. Beyond this plain, 
 again, and bounding the distant horizon like a vast 
 uneven, gigantic wall, ran a continuous range of lofty 
 mountains, from twenty to thirty miles away from the 
 shore. Clear and well-defined against the liquid sky, now 
 gradually changing from the faintest gray to the warmest 
 
 22
 
 20 PATROLLEES OF PALESTINE 
 
 shades of yellow and orange, red and purple, as the dawn 
 grew into the rising sun, the highest and most prominent 
 peaks and ridges of this mountain range stood out, as 
 though chiselled by the hand of the mighty sculptor, 
 Nature. 
 
 A more transcendently beautiful and impressive 
 greeting could scarcely be imagined than that which the 
 ancient land of sacred romance offered to the little tribe of 
 Palestine Patrollers who were now approaching her shores. 
 
 ' You observe the coast-line trending away to the south,' 
 the Sheikh was saying to his followers ; ' that is the 
 maritime border of the tract of country which you know 
 as the land of the Philistines. That dark and confused 
 mass on the prominent hill immediately overhanging the 
 shore, yonder to the right in the far distance, is the ruined 
 site of the once famous and important city of Askalon.' 
 
 'Let me see,' said the Archbishop, 'Askalon never 
 belonged to the Hebrews, did it ?' 
 
 ' Well,' replied the Sheikh, ' it was nominally allotted 
 to the tribe of Judah, and was actually held by that tribe 
 for a few years after the conquest of Canaan by Joshua ; 
 but it was soon recaptured by the Philistines, and through 
 all the after-period of Hebrew history it remained one of 
 the strongest and most important cities antagonistic to 
 the Israelites.' 
 
 ' That, I suppose, accounts for the threats and impreca- 
 tions against Askalon that we find so frequently in the 
 inspired writings of the Hebrew prophets,' rejoined the 
 Archbishop. 
 
 ' Precisely so,' returned the Sheikh. 
 
 * To my mind, Askalon presents a far greater fascina- 
 tion from the part which it played in the great Crusades,' 
 observed the Fossil ; ' for there I can feel myself upon 
 historical ground.'
 
 ASKALON 21 
 
 The Archbishop shrugged his shoulders impatiently at 
 this side-thrust against the facts of Old Testament history, 
 but the Sheikh, in reply to the Fossil's remark, said : 
 
 ' Askalon was by no means devoid of historic interest 
 between the days of the ancient Israelites and the era of 
 the Crusades. Herod the Great was born there, and 
 when he became King he rebuilt and enlarged the city 
 with great magnificence and expense. After his death 
 his sister Salome resided for many years in the splendid 
 palace which he had erected.' 
 
 ' Is that palace still in existence ?' asked the Enthusiast. 
 
 ' Unfortunately not,' replied the Sheikh ; ' Askalon 
 is now a deserted ruin. Herod the Great's city has long 
 since disappeared, and even the famous crusading town 
 which stood upon its site is nothing more than a shapeless 
 mass of stones, the greater part of which lies buried ten 
 feet or more beneath the rolling sand, which encroaches on 
 the shore in that neighbourhood at the rate of three or 
 four feet a year.' 
 
 ' The crusading town was erected by our own King, 
 Richard Coeur de Lion,' remarked the Fossil, with the 
 tone of an authority. 
 
 ' Well, not exactly the town itself,' rejoined the Sheikh. 
 ' Richard erected a splendid citadel there, and surrounded 
 it by a semicircular chain of walls and towers, which 
 were nearly two miles in circumference.' 
 
 ' And are any of these walls and towers still to be seen ?' 
 asked the Angel. 
 
 ' Not precisely of those fortifications,' replied the 
 Sheikh, ' for Saladin captured Askalon and destroyed 
 Richard's citadel only a few years after it was completed. 
 Co3ur de Lion, however, reconquered Askalon, and re- 
 stored the greater part of the fortress, which was once 
 more, and finally, overthrown and demolished a hundred
 
 22 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 years later, during the last and most fatal of the 
 Crusades.' 
 
 ' How sad it seems that these glorious old places should 
 be suffered to fall into decay !' sighed the Angel. 
 
 ' Oh, it is too dreadful to think of !' ejaculated the 
 Gusher. ' What an unspeakable monster that Saladin 
 must have been too atrocious for words !' 
 
 ' The howling blackguard !' re-echoed the Enthusiast. 
 
 ' On the contrary,' interjected the Fossil, ' Saleh-ed- 
 Din, which was his correct name meaning, I believe, 
 " The Just Man of Faith " was, as I read my history, a 
 very noble and magnanimous hero, and, in this respect, a 
 most admirable contrast to many of the so-called Christian 
 Crusaders.' 
 
 'So-called Christian Crusaders!' hotly rejoined the 
 Archbishop, ever ready to resent any imputation upon the 
 heroes of Christianity at the hands of his arch-antagonist ; 
 ' I must ask you to have respect for the feelings of others, 
 and to speak with more reverence of those grand soldiers 
 of the Cross.' 
 
 The Fossil's lips curled with an ominous sneer ; and 
 the Sheikh, to check the first rising of an angry contro- 
 versy, remarked : 
 
 ' I hardly think that Saladin should be branded either 
 as a monster or a blackguard ; for he was really a very 
 brave and chivalrous warrior, and in all he did he was 
 merely obeying the precepts and principles of the Moslem 
 faith, of which he was so devoted a follower. As regards 
 his demolition of Askalon and its citadel, his Arab his- 
 torian, Beha-Eddin, expressly tells us that it was with 
 the most sincere reluctance and grief that Saladin found 
 himself compelled by strategic necessity to destroy the 
 fair and noble city. As he gave orders for its destruction, 
 he exclaimed : " In the name of God, I would rather lose
 
 SHALLOTS 23 
 
 my own son than touch a stone of the goodly city ; but 
 it is the will of God, and for the good of Islam it must be 
 done." The historian goes on to say that thirty thousand 
 men were engaged on the ghastly operations for fourteen 
 days, and that when the work of destruction had been 
 completed by fire, every heart was filled with sorrow and 
 mourning at the sight of the once beautiful Askalon now 
 reduced to a heap of scorched and blackened ruins.' 
 
 ' Who destroyed Richard Cceur de Lion's second for- 
 tress ?' asked Monte Carlo, who had hitherto been a silent 
 but interested listener to the conversation. ' I under- 
 stood you to say that it was reduced to ruins about a 
 hundred years after his time.' 
 
 ' Yes,' replied the Sheikh, ' the second overthrow 
 occurred towards the close of the thirteenth century. 
 You will doubtless remember that the Christians were 
 finally expelled from Palestine by the Moslems in 
 1291 A.D. The Mohamedan commander under whose 
 auspices Askalon was for the last time reduced to ruins 
 was a very notorious and fanatical Egyptian potentate, 
 who is commonly known as the Sultan Bibar.' 
 
 ' By the way,' remarked the Angel, ' I fancy that I 
 have read somewhere that the shallots are in some way 
 connected with Askalon. Is this so ?' 
 
 ' Ah, yes,' rejoined the Fossil, before the Sheikh could 
 reply ; ' and a very interesting example we have here of 
 the philological history of words and phrases. A shallot, 
 as you all doubtless are aware, is a particular kind of 
 onion, used chiefly for pickles. This peculiar variety of 
 the well-known and highly useful vegetable was first 
 found growing at Askalon. The Norman Crusaders pro- 
 nounced the place " Eshallon," and when they returned 
 home with specimens of this onion they gave it the name 
 of Eshallon, or Shallon, from the spot whence they had
 
 24 PATROLLERS OF -PALESTINE 
 
 imported it. In process of time the word Shallon has 
 become corrupted into shallot.' 
 
 The Malaprop, who had been so fully occupied with her 
 notebook that she had not been listening very attentively 
 to the conversation, caught the last few sentences, and 
 interposed with the question : 
 
 * Did you say that the Lady of Shallot lived at Aska- 
 lon?' 
 
 ' She may have done so, madam, for all I know,' 
 answered the Fossil curtly ; ' I really had not the pleasure 
 of the lady's acquaintance.' 
 
 ' Oh dear no,' confidently remarked Monte Carlo to 
 the Malaprop, with a merry twinkle in his eye. ' The 
 Lady of Shallot was a personal friend of Lord Tennyson, 
 who gave her that name because of the excellent pickles 
 which he once enjoyed at her hospitable table.' 
 
 Down went this piece of historical information at once 
 in the Malaprop's wonderful diary. 
 
 The steamer was by this time drawing much nearer 
 to the shore, and the wide, green plain between the sea- 
 shore and the distant mountains became clearly visible 
 to those on deck. 
 
 ' Has that extensive plain which stretches as far as we 
 can see both to the north and to the south any particular 
 Bible name ?' asked the Angel. 
 
 ' That,' said the Sheikh, ' is neither more nor less than 
 the famous plain of Sharon itself, though the portion of it 
 which lies at our right hand that is to say, to the south- 
 ward of Jaffa was known more particularly to the 
 Hebrews of old as the plain of Philistia.' 
 
 ' Is the rose of Sharon still to be found upon the plain ?' 
 asked the Archbishop. 
 
 * There is no rose that actually grows upon the plain 
 now,' replied the Sheikh ' at least, so far as I have been
 
 THE^ROSE OF SHARON 25 
 
 able to discover. I have ridden over the greater part at 
 various times.' 
 
 ' Is it known what the rose of Sharon was really like ?' 
 asked the Angel. 
 
 ' Or, rather,' interposed the Fossil, ' was there a rose 
 of Sharon at all ? I take it that the phrase was a mere 
 figure of poetry.' 
 
 ' It is rather a disputed point,' observed the Sheikh. 
 ' I have seen various conjectures on the matter. For 
 my own part, I am inclined to identify it with the cistus, 
 or rock-rose, which, though I have never seen it growing 
 on the actual plain itself, abounds in great luxuriance on 
 the slopes of the hills which run down into the plain. 
 You will doubtless, in the course of our ride through 
 Palestine, have many opportunities of seeing and ad- 
 miring the beautiful white and purple blooms which 
 literally cover the thick bushes.' 
 
 ' As to those mountains in the distance,' exclaimed the 
 Enthusiast, 'you have not yet told us anything about them. 
 I suppose they are of some importance, are they not ?' 
 
 ' I should rather say so,' smiled the Sheikh ; ' they are 
 the backbone of the Holy Land, the ever-famous mountain 
 range of Judaea and Samaria. Do you see that highest 
 point, standing out on the sky-line away to the south, as 
 far as the eye can reach ? That is the hill immediately 
 above Hebron, from the summit of which Abraham is 
 supposed to have watched the conflagration of Sodom 
 and Gomorrah. Further to the north, over there on our 
 right, are the ridges which conceal from our view the city 
 of Jerusalem itself. They are a portion of what the 
 sacred Psalmist alluded to when he said : " The hills 
 stand round about Jerusalem." The whole of that range 
 between Jerusalem and Hebron we read of in the Bible as 
 the hill-country of Judaea.'
 
 26 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' And how far should you say we are from Jerusalem at 
 the present moment ?' asked the Enthusiast ?' 
 
 ' Well, Jerusalem is about forty miles inland, as the 
 crow flies, and we are now, I should say, about ten miles 
 from the shore, so that Jerusalem is now about fifty miles, 
 more or less, from us.' 
 
 ' Oh, fancy being actually within fifty miles of Jeru- 
 salem !' exclaimed the Gusher in ecstasy ; * it is really 
 too exquisitely delightful to realize.' 
 
 ' We shall be a good deal nearer, if all is well, in a few 
 hours,' remarked Monte Carlo, with a smile. ' I hope to 
 have my luncheon there to-morrow.' 
 
 ' I wonder what the food will be like,' murmured the 
 Matter-of-fact Man. 
 
 The Archbishop had been meanwhile gazing earnestly 
 through his field-glasses at the mountains trending away 
 to the north, and he now observed to the Sheikh : 
 
 ' I understand you to say that those are the mountains 
 of Samaria. I have been trying whether I can distin- 
 guish Ebal and Gerizim among them from the pictures I 
 have seen and the descriptions which I have read. But 
 I have failed to do so, and I therefore conclude that they 
 are invisible from this point.' 
 
 * Oh no, indeed they are not,' replied the Sheikh, 
 indicating a direction with his finger. ' On the contrary, 
 they stand out quite distinctly. Those two crested 
 summits which are higher than the rest are the mountains 
 for which you are looking. The one to the left and 
 further away from us, with a rounded shape, is Ebal, 
 whilst the nearer and more pointed one is Gerizim.' 
 
 ' And can we see Shechem ?' breathlessly asked the 
 Angel, as she peered eagerly in the direction in which the 
 Sheikh was pointing. 
 
 ' No ; unfortunately, we cannot see that ancient city,'
 
 JAFFA 27 
 
 said the Sheikh, ' for it lies down in the hollow depression 
 between the two mountains, and is thus entirely concealed 
 from our view. But, all being well, we shall visit it on 
 our journey, when you will be able to appreciate its 
 interest and beauty in detail and upon the spot.' 
 
 At this moment their conversation was interrupted by 
 a shrill whistle from the steamer, and in a few minutes 
 the engines ceased their throbbing, and the anchor was 
 lowered in the open roadstead of Jaffa. 
 
 The quaint and picturesque old seaport, still a flourish- 
 ing centre of commerce, rose up on a conspicuous hill from 
 the seashore, its flat-roofed houses and red-tiled buildings 
 crowded one above another from base to summit. They 
 were now a little more than a mile from the shore, and 
 from the inner harbour there issued forth a perfect shoal 
 of large row-boats manned by eager native boatmen, whose 
 loud shouts of excitement and emulation were wafted far 
 in advance of them along the water to the ears of the ex- 
 pectant passengers on board the steamer. 
 
 The Pessimist, who had but lately awoke from his 
 belated slumbers, turned pale with apprehension and 
 alarm as he watched this motley crowd draw near, and, 
 edging his way nervously to the Sheikh's side, he inquired 
 in a tremulous voice : 
 
 ' Do you think we shall get safely to land ?' 
 
 Monte Carlo, who heard the remark, could not refrain 
 from exclaiming in a loud voice : 
 
 ' I understand that Jaffa enjoys the unenviable reputa- 
 tion of being considered at Lloyd's the very worst and 
 most dangerous harbour in the world.' 
 
 The Gusher gave a little scream of terror and dismay, 
 and murmured something about being ' too, too dread- 
 ful,' whilst the acrid countenance of the General Nuisance 
 assumed a more forbidding expression than ever. The
 
 28 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 Archbishop and the Fossil looked at Monte Carlo as 
 though to express their disapproval at his ill-timed 
 remark, whilst the face of the Enthusiast beamed with 
 healthy enjoyment at the thought of some possible 
 adventure in store. Only the Angel and the Matter-of- 
 fact Man appeared unmoved by the bomb-shell which 
 Monte Carlo had exploded in their midst. 
 
 The Sheikh, however, soon quieted the nerves of his 
 followers by assuring them that on a morning so calm 
 and peaceful as that there could be no possible danger 
 whatever, and that there would not be even a ripple on 
 the waters as their boats shot through between the rocks 
 which girt the little harbour round about. At the same 
 time, he did not disguise from them the fact that when 
 the weather was at all rough the landing was very un- 
 pleasant, and that at times it was dangerous and even 
 impossible. 
 
 As a matter of fact, there is no real harbour at Jaffa at 
 all, in the modern sense of the word, though in ancient 
 days it answered its purpose well for the little sailing 
 vessels which plied along the coast of the Mediterranean 
 Sea. Similar vessels still enter its so-called port, but all 
 craft of any larger size are compelled to anchor in the 
 open sea. There is only a very narrow opening left 
 between the jagged rocks which encircle the small area 
 of smooth water dignified by the name of harbour, and, 
 except in calm weather, the landing from the steamer 
 in the native boat is, to say the least, uncomfortable and 
 alarming. The passengers frequently become drenched 
 to the akin by the water which dashes over the rocks, 
 and in really stormy weather no sensible captain will 
 allow any of those under his charge to attempt to land. 
 
 As soon as the Sheikh's tribe had become thoroughly 
 satisfied that there was no need for anxiety in their own
 
 DIFFICULTIES OF LANDING 29 
 
 case, they began to importune him to relate instances 
 of discomfort and catastrophe which had come under his 
 own personal observation and knowledge. 
 
 ' So like human nature,' grunted the General Nuisance 
 who was still intent upon guarding the luggage ; ' when 
 they find out that there is no danger for themselves, they 
 try to find amusement in the troubles of others.' 
 
 And for once in a way her reflections were just. 
 
 ' There was one very disagreeable experience that 
 happened to a friend of mine,' began the Sheikh, in 
 response to the general question. ' He was a missionary 
 at Jerusalem, with a wife and six children, and, like most 
 missionaries, he was poor. His children took some 
 infantile epidemic I think it was the measles. When 
 they were convalescent the doctor recommended him to 
 take them somewhere for a change of air. With the help 
 of a small grant which he received for the purpose from 
 the missionary society which he represented, he managed 
 to scrape together sufficient money to take his family for 
 a few weeks to the Lebanon. On his homeward journey 
 from Beyrout, when the ship arrived off Jaffa, the 
 weather was so stormy that the captain absolutely refused 
 to allow any of the passengers to land. Consequently, 
 the missionary, with his wife and six children and a 
 servant whom they had taken with them, was carried 
 on to Port Said. There they were compelled to put 
 up at a hotel for five days, before the weather had 
 moderated sufficiently to make the captain of any steamer 
 hold out any prospect of a disembarkation at Jaffa. 
 When they again arrived off this port, it was still too 
 stormy to attempt a landing, and they were taken back 
 to Beyrout, which they had left more than a week before. 
 Here they had to wait as patiently as they could in another 
 hotel for several days longer, until it was practicable to
 
 30 PAT ROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 make another attempt to reach their destination. Finally 
 they did succeed in landing, but they were all drenched 
 to the skin in shooting between the rocks.' 
 
 ' Poor things !' exclaimed several of the tribe in unison ; 
 ' what a terrible chapter of accidents !' 
 
 ' But that was not all,' resumed the Sheikh : ' the boat 
 which followed immediately behind them with all their 
 luggage was capsized, and their belongings went to the 
 bottom of the sea.' 
 
 ' I should not think the poor fellow forgot his holiday 
 in a hurry,' laughed Monte Carlo. 
 
 ' I don't see anything to laugh at,' snapped the General 
 Nuisance, fixing her Argus eye more steadfastly than ever 
 upon the luggage, as if it were in danger of disappearing 
 beneath the waves. 
 
 ' It is indeed a sad story,' sighed the Angel. ' Did 
 they never recover any of their luggage ? ' 
 
 ' They got a portion of it back, but not all. And even 
 that which was recovered was almost hopelessly ruined 
 by the sea.' 
 
 ' Of course, he obtained compensation from the com- 
 pany,' observed the Matter-of-fact Man. 
 
 ' None whatever,' replied the Sheikh ; ' all the lines of 
 steamers which ply upon this coast guard themselves 
 expressly against any risk of that sort. A clause is 
 printed on every passage-ticket to the effect that they 
 will not guarantee that any passenger shall be able to 
 land at Jaffa. All that they will do, or that anyone 
 could expect them to do, is to carry the passengers back 
 to Jaffa from the port to which they were carried on free 
 of charge.' 
 
 ' But isn't this state of things too shocking and dread- 
 ful ?' exclaimed the Gusher. ' Surely the dear kind 
 authorities might find some remedy for it !'
 
 A TRAGIC STORY 31 
 
 ' I am afraid that the " dear kind authorities," as you 
 call them, will not bother themselves about the matter,' 
 replied the Sheikh, smiling, ' if by them you mean the 
 Turkish Government or officials. And, of course, you 
 must remember that it is only at one particular season of 
 the year that is to say, in the depth of winter that 
 such accidents as I have described are likely to occur. 
 For nine months at least the landing is perfectly easy and 
 safe.' 
 
 ' At any rate, no lives were lost, and that was a blessing,' 
 observed the Archbishop, who had listened with great 
 sympathy to the tale of the sufferings and trials of his 
 brother priest. 
 
 ' I wish that I could say the same for another accident 
 which came very close home to me,' said the Sheikh, 
 with unusual gravity and sadness in the tone of his voice. 
 ' A far more tragic event occurred only a few winters ago. 
 A steamer arrived from Beyrout and Haifa, with a large 
 number of passengers on board for Jaffa. The weather 
 was decidedly rough, but one boat ventured out from the 
 inner harbour in order to fetch the passengers to the shore. 
 The captain hesitated a long time before giving permis- 
 sion to anyone to leave the ship. There were, however, 
 so many clamouring to get off that at last he reluctantly 
 consented. No sooner was the boat alongside the vessel 
 than it was filled to overflowing with men, women, and 
 children, all eager to disembark. Including the native 
 boatmen, over forty people crowded into the boat. 
 The captain, seeing it overcrowded, shouted to his sailors 
 not to let them depart. But it was too late ; they had 
 already pushed off from the vessel, and, heedless of his 
 expostulations, they made for the shore. On shooting 
 the narrow passage between the rocks the boat was 
 struck by a terrific wave, which completely swamped it,
 
 32 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 and caused it to overturn. Twenty-eight of the pas- 
 sengers were drowned, and amongst them were five dear 
 friends of my own.' 
 
 A shudder of horror passed through the forms of all of 
 the tribe as they listened to this tragic story, and one or 
 two of the more timid among them began to repent that 
 they had come so far. The Sheikh, however, reassured 
 them by once more pointing out the absolutely calm 
 surface of the sea ; and in due course of time, without 
 any incident to cause any alarm, the whole tribe were 
 landed on the quay at Jaffa, and thus set foot on the 
 actual shores of the Holy Land.
 
 CHAPTER III 
 FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE HOLY LAND 
 
 The Jerusalem Hotel, Jaffa Biblical bedrooms The house of Simon 
 the Tanner Camels and their loads Jonah and the whale The 
 Book of Jonah and its interpretation The English Hospital 
 Miss Walker Arnott's school for native children ' Bible Pills.' 
 
 THE first impressions of the Holy Land produced variously 
 characteristic effects on the different members of the tribe, 
 as they followed the Sheikh through the steep, dirty, 
 narrow, yet withal quaintly picturesque and fascinating 
 streets of Jaffa to the Jerusalem Hotel, in the middle of 
 the German colony. 
 
 The Pessimist scarcely once removed his fingers from 
 his nose, vowing that the stenches were beyond all human 
 conception or endurance. The Enthusiast, on the other 
 hand, was almost wild with excitement, uttering loud 
 exclamations of delight at every novel spectacle which 
 greeted his eyes. 
 
 The Matter-of-fact Man astonished several of the natives 
 by endeavouring to point out to them in English how, 
 in his opinion, they ought to conduct their business. 
 One muleteer in particular was completely overwhelmed 
 with bewilderment when his animal was suddenly stopped 
 by this European stranger, who proceeded leisurely to 
 examine its bit and bridle, discoursing meanwhile in an un- 
 known tongue on the abominations and the shortcomings 
 
 33 3
 
 34 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 of the mule's native accoutrements. The Gusher was 
 literally bubbling over with superlatives, whilst the 
 General Nuisance, for her part, was itching to her finger- 
 tips to inaugurate radical measures of reform with regard 
 to the habits and customs of daily life which scandalized 
 her at every step of her path. As for the Malaprop, so 
 bewildered was she by all that she saw and heard that 
 the memoranda which she jotted down in her note- 
 book became hopelessly confused and involved ; and 
 when she came to transcribe them to her diary in the 
 evening they were absolutely unintelligible even to 
 herself. 
 
 The Archbishop and the Fossil walked through the 
 streets of Jaffa, one on either side of the Sheikh, plying 
 him with innumerable questions and arguments. Behind 
 them came Monte Carlo, regaling the Angel with amusing 
 anecdotes and reminiscences suggested by the scenes 
 through which they passed. 
 
 The whole procession was brought up in the rear by 
 a body of stalwart native porters with the baggage, each 
 bearing a burden which would have crushed the sturdiest 
 railway porter in England. In this manner the whole 
 tribe at length arrived at the entrance of the Jerusalem 
 Hotel. Here they were received in the most reverential 
 and courteous manner by the German landlord, Herr 
 Hardegg by name, an old and esteemed acquaintance of 
 the Sheikh. A most excellent fellow, thoroughly honest 
 and straightforward in all his ways, carefully attentive to 
 the comfort of his customers, deeply religious and serious 
 by nature, with a grave and almost austere demeanour, 
 Herr Hardegg was, nevertheless, though utterly uncon- 
 scious of it himself, a profound humorist. Everything 
 in his hotel bore eloquent testimony to this fact. His 
 very name in the circumstances was irresistibly funny.
 
 BIBLICAL BEDROOMS 35 
 
 ' Fancy stopping at a hotel managed by a Hard Egg !' 
 Monte Carlo dryly remarked to the Enthusiast. 
 
 Nor was this by any means all. The worthy landlord 
 was wont with much gravity to inform his customers 
 that when quite a small boy, living in his native village 
 of Swabia, he had felt a strong spiritual yearning to live 
 in the Holy Land, and that finally, feeling it impossible 
 any longer to repress this internal impulse, he had 
 migrated with his family and settled in Palestine. 
 
 How far that same internal spiritual yearning had 
 influenced him in setting up a hotel in the Holy Land 
 he did not precisely explain. But however that may 
 have been, having established his hotel, he felt it incum- 
 bent upon him to make it harmonize in every way with 
 the sacred associations of the land of his adoption. Con- 
 sequently, he had divided his hotel into two wings, each 
 containing twelve bedrooms ; and in the most serious 
 spirit he had distinguished them by the names of ' The 
 Old Testament Wing ' and ' The New Testament Wing ' 
 respectively. The twelve bedrooms in the Old Testament 
 wing were named after the twelve tribes of Israel, and 
 those in the latter wing after the twelve Apostles. This 
 arrangement of the pious landlord was calculated to give 
 rise to some curious misunderstandings on the part of 
 those who were not acquainted with the facts. For 
 example, the General Nuisance, who had elbowed her 
 way to the very front of the party, and had been the first 
 to attract the attention of Herr Hardegg, was over- 
 whelmed with amazement when the landlord handed her 
 over to one of his domestics, saying : 
 
 ' Take this lady up to Peter.' 
 
 Indignantly turning round to the Sheikh, she 
 demanded : 
 
 ' What does the creature mean ?' 
 
 32
 
 36 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 Even when the situation was explained to her she was 
 but little mollified, and she followed the domestic to the 
 bedroom assigned to her muttering something about 
 ' indecent profanity.' 
 
 The Archbishop, again, was at first painfully shocked 
 when he was drafted off to St. John the Evangelist ; 
 but, after he had had a long conversation with Herr 
 Hardegg, he became convinced of his religious principles, 
 and then the naming of the bedrooms after the tribes and 
 the Apostles appeared to him a very beautiful and 
 appropriate arrangement. 
 
 The Fossil smiled with contemptuous disdain at what 
 he considered ' mere puerile nonsense ' when he found 
 himself assigned to Simon Zelotes ; but the Gusher went 
 into raptures of delight when expatiating on the comfort 
 and excellence of what she called her ' dear sweet Ben- 
 jamin.' 
 
 The Angel and the Malaprop shared between them 
 Judah, which was a double-bedded room, and the former 
 was kept awake till late in the night endeavouring to 
 make the latter understand the difference between Judah 
 and Judas, and between Simeon and Simon. 
 
 In his eagerness to make the best use of all his oppor- 
 tunities, the Enthusiast went up to Herr Hardegg, and 
 said : 
 
 ' Now, look here, my friend, I want you to give me a 
 room which commands the best prospect over the sur- 
 rounding country.' 
 
 ' Sir,' replied the worthy host, ' you cannot do better 
 than look out of the windows of Nathaniel.' 
 
 To Nathaniel in due course the Enthusiast was, to his 
 great delight, conducted. 
 
 As soon as they had all settled down in their respective 
 quarters breakfast was announced, and the whole tribe,
 
 THE HOUSE OF SIMON THE TANNER 37 
 
 after their early rising and the exciting experiences 
 through which they had already passed, were quite pre- 
 pared to do full justice to the well-cooked viands served 
 up by the daughters and nieces of their courteous host. 
 The Jaffa wine, from the landlord's own vineyards, and 
 the beautiful oranges freshly gathered from his garden, 
 added greatly to the interest and enjoyment of the repast. 
 Immediately afterwards they sallied forth in a body 
 to see the principal sights of the city, and in course of 
 time, under the guidance of the Sheikh, they arrived at 
 the so-called ' House of Simon the Tanner,' the great 
 show-place par excellence of Jaffa. The native guides 
 and dragomans inform the tourists that it was in this 
 identical house that St. Peter lodged nearly nineteen 
 hundred years ago. As a matter of fact, the house itself 
 is scarcely eighty years old, but that is a mere detail. 
 What is of genuine interest about it is that it stands in 
 the midst of the quarter of modern Jaffa which is still 
 devoted to the industry of tanning ; and as few changes 
 ever take place in that wonderful land of the past, it 
 is tolerably certain that the tanneries of ancient Joppa 
 were situated in the same locality. Therefore, if the flat- 
 roofed house of the present day does not stand on the 
 actual site of old Simon's abode, it must be somewhere 
 in the immediate neighbourhood ; and, as one stands on 
 the roof and gazes over the bright blue Mediterranean, 
 and allows one's eyes to range along the coast, northwards 
 towards the ruins of Csesarea, or southwards as far as the 
 solitary mounds of Askalon, one feels that, at any rate, 
 the sea and the sky, the mountains and the plains, have 
 not materially altered since the Apostle's time, and that 
 one is looking on much the same scene as St. Peter himself 
 must have witnessed on that memorable day when he 
 saw that mystic vision which led to the first preaching of
 
 38 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 the Gospel to the Gentiles, in the person of Cornelius, 
 the Roman centurion of Csesarea. 
 
 As the Sheikh and his tribe stood on the roof gazing on 
 the historic scene, the events connected with the ancient 
 seaport naturally formed the subject for conversation. 
 The Matter-of-fact Man was the unconscious means of 
 introducing the theme, by drawing the attention of his 
 companions to a couple of camels which were leisurely 
 walking along the shores of a small bay lying below them 
 on the left. 
 
 'Good gracious !' he exclaimed suddenly, 'what on earth 
 have those camels got upon their backs ? They look like 
 huge blocks of timber, but surely no living animal could 
 carry such weights as those would be if they were solid 
 wood.' 
 
 ' They are baulks of timber,' replied the Sheikh, 
 looking in the direction indicated, ' and really those 
 burdens are by no means excessively heavy for camels ; 
 it is astonishing what loads they can carry, as you will 
 have many opportunities of judging for yourself before 
 our journey through Palestine is completed. And, by 
 the way, the sight which you are looking at reminds me 
 to tell you that it was to this very port of Joppa that the 
 timber was floated down in rafts from the Phoenician 
 ports of Tyre and Sidon, after it had been hewn down 
 from the cedar groves of Lebanon, for the building of 
 Solomon's temple. No doubt, if we had been standing 
 here in the time of Solomon, we should have seen crowds 
 of camels lining that bay, being laden with the timber 
 as it was washed ashore, and starting off in long strings 
 along that path which you see climbing the hill towards 
 the inland ; for there is no doubt that the wood was carried 
 up on the backs of camels such as those from Joppa to 
 Jerusalem.'
 
 A BEDOUIN FABLE 39 
 
 ' I should think the poor animals must have a pretty 
 hard time of it,' remarked the Angel. ' I noticed that 
 many of the camels seemed to be terribly overladen as 
 we passed them through the streets of Jaffa this morning.' 
 
 ' The brutes of drivers seemed to be treating them very 
 cruelly,' said the Matter-of-fact Man. 
 
 ' And many of them looked so thin and miserable,' 
 replied the Archbishop, ' that I should think that they 
 get barely enough food to keep them alive.' 
 
 ' Your observations remind me of a very amusing and 
 characteristic fable which was once related to me over a 
 Bedouin camp-fire,' observed the Sheikh. ' I was travel- 
 ling at the time in Eastern Palestine, and on that particu- 
 lar evening I was enjoying the hospitality of an Arab 
 Sheikh. After our evening meal we were sitting on the 
 ground in front of his hut, smoking our nargilehs pre- 
 viously to retiring to rest, and our conversation had 
 drifted on to the subject of the Sultan of Turkey and the 
 Ottoman Government in general. You must know that 
 the genuine Arabs of the desert, though they nominally 
 profess allegiance to the Sultan, in reality hate and 
 abhor the Turks ; and if they could only become suffi- 
 ciently united in themselves, they would not hesitate to 
 throw off the Ottoman yoke. They regard the Sultan 
 himself as an unwarrantable usurper, since he can claim 
 no lineal descent from the prophet Mohamed, and there- 
 fore, as they say, he has no right to assume sovereign 
 sway over the Mohamedan world. You must clearly 
 understand this before you can properly appreciate the 
 force of the fable which my Arab host related to me. 
 
 * One thing you may have noticed is that every string 
 of camels, as they proceed along their journey in single 
 file, is headed by a donkey. One of the camel-drivers 
 rides the donkey, and holds over his shoulder in one hand
 
 40 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 the rope which is attached to the halter of the leading 
 camel. Each camel is united to the one in front of him 
 by a similar rope through his halter, the other end of 
 which is tied either to the saddle or to the tail of the 
 camel before him. This also it is necessary to explain, or 
 you would miss the whole point of the fable. Here it is : 
 ' Once upon a time a camel-driver lay at the point of 
 death at the door of his tent. His camels crowded round 
 him, embittering his dying moments with terrible curses. 
 " Master," they said, " we curse thee. Not because thou 
 hast laden us with grievous burdens too heavy to be borne, 
 though, as thou knowest full well, this has often been OUT 
 lot. Not because thou hast beaten us with merciless 
 blows, though, as thou thyself can see, we still bear on 
 our bodies the marks of thy cruelty. Not because thou 
 hast half-starved us, though, as thou must confess, we 
 never have had sufficient to eat. Not for any of these 
 injuries do we curse thee now ; these we might have 
 pardoned thee. But there is one insult which is beyond 
 forgiveness, and for this we send thee into the next world 
 with our undying curses. The gross iniquity for which we 
 curse thee is that thou hast never let us go forth except 
 at the tail of a donkey." Thereupon the dying camel- 
 driver's features became illuminated with an unutterable 
 expression of relief, satisfaction, and peace, as, raising 
 himself with difficulty on his elbow, he replied : " If that 
 is the only reason why you curse me, then I die happy 
 and blessed indeed, for, so far from insulting you, I have 
 been conferring upon you the greatest honour ; in making 
 you follow the lead of a donkey, I have only been likening 
 you to the Turkish Ministers at Constantinople, who are 
 all of them led by that donkey the Sultan." And, 
 breathing a sigh of placid tranquillity, he laid himself 
 down and died.'
 
 CRUELTY TO CAMELS 41 
 
 ' By Jove ! that's a capital fable !' exclaimed Monte 
 Carlo ; ' I must book that for my store of reminiscences.' 
 
 ' But why ?' interjected the Matter-of-fact Man, who 
 had evidently been pondering over the camel's burdens 
 whilst the Sheikh had been relating the fable ; ' it must 
 have been precious hard work for those camels, carrying 
 all that heavy lumber you spoke of just now up into the 
 mountains of Jerusalem.' 
 
 ' How far is it from here to Jerusalem by the road which 
 they would have taken ?' asked the Archbishop. 
 
 ' And how high is Jerusalem above the level of the sea ?' 
 asked the Angel. 
 
 ' The distance by the old bridle-track is a little over 
 forty-five miles,' replied the Sheikh ; ' and Jerusalem 
 stands nearly two thousand six hundred feet above the 
 sea-level.' 
 
 ' And how long did they take in accomplishing that 
 journey ?' inquired the Enthusiast. 
 
 ' About two days, I suppose,' answered the Sheikh. 
 ' Orientals frequently take matters very leisurely. But 
 if the camel-drivers were pressed for time, they could 
 have got their animals over the ground in little more than 
 a day.' 
 
 ' They wanted the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty 
 to Animals in those days,' growled the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' I am sorry to say there is plenty of scope for their 
 work in Palestine at the present day,' sadly answered the 
 Sheikh. ' Before we have finished our journey through 
 this country you will have seen many evidences of 
 heartless cruelty which the natives display towards the 
 dumb creatures.' 
 
 ' Oh, please don't talk of such horrors !' impetuously 
 exclaimed the Gusher. ' It is really too dreadful to 
 think about.'
 
 42 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' I guess you will have plenty of opportunities of venting 
 your disgust,' chimed in Monte Carlo ' that is to say, 
 unless these people are very different from most Orientals. 
 I tell you, there is nothing which makes a fellow's blood 
 boil with indignation like the brutal manner in which 
 most Orientals treat their animals.' 
 
 ' Just let me catch one of them at it, and he'll remember 
 it for some time,' quietly remarked the Matter-of-fact 
 Man ; and it was evident that he meant what he said. 
 
 'To return to Joppa,' interposed the Archbishop. 
 ' It was from this port, was it not, that Jonah embarked 
 on his disastrous voyage when he tried to escape from 
 his mission to Nineveh ?' 
 
 * Oh, come, come !' snapped the Fossil, ' you are not 
 going to rake up that exploded story, are you ?' 
 
 Several of the tribe looked at the old don with expres- 
 sions of outraged sentiment and surprise as the Arch- 
 bishop hastily rejoined : 
 
 ' Exploded story indeed, when it is solemnly recorded 
 in the Bible ! You really must respect the feelings of 
 your fellow-travellers, if you please.' 
 
 ' I should rather think so,' muttered the General 
 Nuisance. 
 
 ' But, my dear Archbishop,' exclaimed Monte Carlo, 
 laughing, ' do you seriously mean to say that you believe 
 that the whale swallowed Jonah, and that Jonah survived 
 the three days' lodging inside of his capacious stomach 
 notwithstanding the effects of his gastric juice, to say 
 nothing of suffocation for want of air, or drowning from 
 the water ?' 
 
 ' Certainly I do,' replied the devout parson meekly. 
 ' I find it in my Bible, and that is sufficient for me. It 
 is no business of mine to question the how or the why.' 
 
 ' And if the Bible said that Jonah swallowed the
 
 JONAH AND THE WHALE 43 
 
 whale, and belched him up alive three days after, I 
 suppose you would have believed that equally ?' sneered 
 the Fossil. 
 
 ' As the Holy Bible does not make any such statement, 
 I am not called upon to consider any hypothesis so profane 
 and ridiculous as you have stated,' replied the Archbishop 
 haughtily, and in a tone which implied that he thought 
 his answer irresistibly crushing. 
 
 ' For the life of me,' returned Monte Carlo, ' I cannot 
 see why the one hypothesis should be more profane and 
 ridiculous than the other, with all due respect to your 
 Reverence. Indeed, the only plausible explanation I 
 ever heard of the story is that there was a public-house 
 on the seashore with the sign of the Whale, and that 
 after Jonah had been soaking there for three days and 
 three nights he was summarily ejected by the landlord, 
 having expended all his cash.' 
 
 The poor Archbishop nearly fainted at this profane 
 levity, and the General Nuisance threw up her hands in 
 pious horror ; even the Angel turned her head aside to 
 hide the blushes caused by this rude shock to her in- 
 stincts of reverence and propriety. The Malaprop, how- 
 ever, gravely proceeded to make a note of the explana- 
 tion in her memorandum book, not in the least realizing 
 that it was merely a joke on the part of Monte Carlo at 
 the narrowness of the Archbishop's ideas. 
 
 The Enthusiast, somewhat bewildered by the turn the 
 conversation had taken, looked towards the Sheikh with 
 an inquiring expression on his face, saying : 
 
 ' Perhaps you will be able to throw some light upon 
 this strange and mysterious incident.' 
 
 The Sheikh had been listening silently to the foregoing 
 discussion with a smile upon his lips, and he now said, in 
 response to the" e Enthusiast's^appeal :
 
 44 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 * It seems to me that far too much has been made of the 
 so-called mystery surrounding the incident in question. 
 The real explanation is very simple. All the difficulties 
 which have arisen on the one side or the other have been 
 due to a misapprehension of the nature of the record. 
 Both the devout believer and the sceptical objector have 
 taken it for granted that the Book of Jonah is a prosaic 
 narration of history. As a matter of fact, the Book of 
 Jonah is simply a dramatic poem, and I am sure that our 
 learned friend here will corroborate me in this.' 
 
 ' Quite so, quite so,' nodded the Fossil approvingly, 
 as the Sheikh turned to him whilst saying these words. 
 
 ' I would go further, however,' continued the Sheikh, 
 ' and describe it as an inspired drama.' 
 
 ' Inspired most certainly, and beyond all doubt,' 
 murmured the Archbishop. 
 
 ' Well, now,' pursued the Sheikh, ' like most dramatic 
 poems with a moral and didactic purpose, the Book of 
 Jonah has introduced a figurative incident or series of 
 incidents, just such as, for example, we find in such dramas 
 as " Faust " and the " Merchant of Venice," or in such 
 a dramatic poem as Browning's " Pied Piper of Hame- 
 lin." In these and similar compositions we do not pause 
 to inquire whether the persons or the events therein de- 
 picted were actual historical realities ; we know that that 
 is entirely beside the question. The moral purpose of 
 the poem or drama is not in the least degree affected by 
 such a consideration as to whether such people as Faust, 
 Mephistopheles, Shylock, Portia, and the like ever lived 
 or no, or as to whether any old man was ever supernaturally 
 transformed into a youth ; whether a pound of flesh was 
 really ever demanded from a human breast, or whether a 
 mysterious stranger really ever charmed by the magic of his 
 music the rats and the children of a German city into the
 
 THE INTERPRETATION OF THE BOOK 45 
 
 supernaturally open bowels of a German mountain. We 
 understand in each and every case that the only matter 
 worth our study and consideration is the moral purpose 
 which the author had in view in the composition of his 
 drama or poem, and the moral lesson we are intended to 
 derive from its perusal. Apply this principle to the Book 
 of Jonah, and all difficulty vanishes at once. The moral 
 purpose, or, in other words, the genuineness of its in- 
 spiration, is not in the least affected by the question as 
 to whether a human being was ever swallowed by a whale, 
 and after a certain time was really belched up from the 
 depths of his belly on to the seashore, or whether a huge 
 gourd really ever sprang up miraculously in a single 
 night in the literal sense implied by a superficial study of 
 the events described in the Book of Jonah. The impor- 
 tant point is the moral and doctrinal teaching imparted 
 by the poem. If a person deliberately opposes his own 
 will and inclination to the dictates of God, as clearly 
 revealed to him by the external law or by the promptings 
 of his conscience, that person is certain to find himself 
 sooner or later in circumstances as desperate and dis- 
 agreeable as Jonah would have been in the whale's belly. 
 If the Divine mercy and forbearance is so wonderful as is 
 pictured by the incident of the gourd, man must be merci- 
 ful and forbearing too. This is briefly, as I take it, the 
 true purpose of the Book of Jonah in the canon of the 
 inspired Word of God.' 
 
 A general murmur of gratified conviction passed through 
 the circle of the Sheikh's earnest listeners, and the Angel 
 was the first to express her thanks audibly for the ex- 
 planation which had just been given. Even the Fossil 
 said : 
 
 ' You are certainly right. I am ashamed that this has 
 never occurred to me before.'
 
 46 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 Monte Carlo at the same time cried out in enthusiasm : 
 
 ' Bravo ! bravo ! I withdraw my public-house in favour 
 of your dramatic poem.' 
 
 ' But stay, my friend,' objected the Archbishop, who 
 alone of the tribe appeared still unconvinced ; ' this 
 ingenious explanation of yours will hardly hold water, 
 for our blessed Lord has deliberately stamped His seal 
 on the actual fact. He distinctly said : " As Jonah was 
 three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall 
 the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart 
 of the earth." ' 
 
 ' Pardon me,' replied the Sheikh, ' I fully expected that 
 you would put forward that objection, but there is really 
 no force in that argument at all. The poem of Jonah 
 was well known to those whom Christ was addressing, and 
 He merely used the familiar dramatic episode as an illus- 
 tration of the great truth which He desired to enunciate. 
 By so doing He in no way implied that He regarded that 
 episode as an actual fact of history. If I were expostu- 
 lating with a hard-hearted and relentless creditor who 
 was demanding his utmost dues from some poor miserable 
 wretch of a debtor, I should probably say to him : " You 
 are as bad as Shylock. As he demanded his pound of 
 flesh, so you are demanding yours. ' ' By so doing I should 
 not be understood to be asserting my belief that Shylock 
 was really an actual character of history. If I liken a 
 tempter to Mephistopheles, I do not claim the story of 
 Mephistopheles and Faust as an actual historical event.' 
 
 ' You are right,' said the Archbishop after a moment's 
 reflection, frankly extending his right hand to him. ' I 
 begin to see that there is a danger in looking at these 
 records from too literal and narrow a point of view, and 
 already I feel that my pilgrimage through this country 
 will assist me to a broader and more intelligent attitude.'
 
 ' BIBLE PILLS ' 47 
 
 This latter observation he made in a somewhat confi- 
 dentially low tone to the Sheikh as they descended 
 together the stone staircase from the roof of the tanner's 
 house in the rear of the general body of the tribe. 
 
 Having visited the excellent English hospital dedicated 
 to the memory of a lady named Miss Mangan, who 
 literally sacrificed her life to its foundation and erection, 
 they called for a few minutes at the equally beneficent 
 institution known as Miss Walker-Arnott's school for 
 native children, and then they returned to the Jerusalem 
 Hotel, whence they started the following morning for 
 Jerusalem. As then* courteous host bade them one and 
 all farewell he put into the hands of each member of the 
 tribe a little printed pamphlet of his own composition, 
 consisting of some moral reflections on a text of Scripture 
 for every morning and every evening of the year. On 
 examining this pamphlet they found the following 
 inscription on the title-page : 
 
 BIBLE PILLS 
 
 BY HERE HARDEGG. 
 
 ONE TO BE TAKEN EVERY MORNING AND EVERY EVENING, 
 TO ASSIST YOUR SPIRITUAL DIGESTION.
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 THE INVASION OF THE IRON HORSE 
 
 Fifteen miles an hour versus four The good old days Cruelty to 
 animals Spurious holy places Lydda Ramleh Ekron 
 Bethshemesh Gezer The Valley of Aijalon Intelligent study 
 of the Bible ' Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon ' The cave of 
 Makkedah The Valley of Sorek Ebenezer A slight misunder- 
 standing. 
 
 ' I MUST say I think this is rather a prosaic way of going 
 up to Jerusalem,' observed the Enthusiast to the Gusher 
 as the train slowly moved away from the station at 
 Jaffa. ' I almost wish that I had taken the carriage road 
 instead.' 
 
 ' Oh dear, oh dear,' answered his companion, fanning 
 herself vigorously, for the day was very warm, ' I hardly 
 know which I should like best ; it is all so truly, truly 
 delightful. I scarcely know whether I am awake or 
 dreaming. Everything is so deliciously new and strange 
 to me.' 
 
 ' Would it not have been better to have gone by 
 carriage ?' said the Enthusiast again, addressing himself 
 this time to the Sheikh. ' I should have thought it would 
 have been so much more romantic, and that we should 
 have seen the country so much better.' 
 
 ' I can quite appreciate your feelings,' replied the 
 Sheikh, ' though I do not entirely agree with your con- 
 clusions. When the railroad was being constructed I 
 
 48
 
 THACKERAY'S PROPHECY FULFILLED 49 
 
 was one of the strongest in my objections against the 
 project, for it seemed to me, as to so many other people, 
 to be such an act of vandalism, and to run so entirely 
 counter to all one's natural and religious sentiments upon 
 the subject.' 
 
 ' I entirely agree with you,' said the Angel, ' and I feel 
 almost as if we were committing a profanity in travelling 
 in the Holy Land in a common railway train.' 
 
 ' On the other hand, we are very comfortable, and we 
 get over the ground much faster,' remarked the Matter- 
 of-fact Man. 
 
 ' Do you remember Thackeray's cynical prophecy ?' 
 observed the Fossil ; ' I have been thinking of it ever 
 since we arrived at the station, and trying to imagine 
 his feelings if he were with us now.' 
 
 ' What was that prophecy ?' asked the Gusher. ' Oh, 
 do please, please tell us. Anything that Thackeray said 
 must be lovely ; I adore Thackeray.' 
 
 'It was somewhere about the middle of the last century,' 
 replied the Fossil, ' just at the time when the great railway 
 mania was at its height in England the palmy days of 
 the famous railway king, Hudson, though I dare say most 
 of you have never even heard of his name such is fame ! 
 Thackeray indited a sparkling satire in the pages of Punch 
 against what he and many other people considered a 
 senseless and temporary craze, for there were few persons 
 in those days who ever dreamt that railway locomotion 
 would have developed to its present proportions.' 
 
 ' That I remember well,' interposed the Archbishop. 
 ' When I was a young boy ' 
 
 ' If you will excuse me I will finish my story first,' said 
 the Fossil, glaring at his old antagonist for interrupting 
 him. ' As I was saying, Thackeray wrote the satire, and 
 in it he said, as nearly as I can at this moment recollect, 
 
 4
 
 50 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 something to this effect : " If this state of things goes on 
 much longer even the Holy Land itself will not be safe 
 from the invasion of the Iron Horse. The shrill whistle 
 of the engine will resound over the Plain of Sharon, and 
 the stentorian voice of the guard will be heard shouting : 
 " Ease her, stop her ! Change for Joppa !" Poor 
 Thackeray ! what would he say now ?' 
 
 ' He would probably say that his prophecy had been 
 fulfilled,' observed the Matter-of-fact Man. 
 
 ' He certainly would,' assented the Sheikh, ' for here 
 are we, just emerging from this sandy cutting on to the 
 Plain of Sharon itself.' 
 
 ' You have not yet told me why you disagree with my 
 conclusions as to the carriage road being the better way 
 of travelling,' said the Enthusiast, who had not by any 
 means become reconciled up to the present with the 
 prosaic train. 
 
 ' There are two reasons why I am free to confess that 
 I am by no means sorry that the railway has come into 
 existence, and why I should always advise my friends to 
 travel by it. In the first place, there is the material and 
 practical reason. Here we are, gliding smoothly and 
 comfortably along at the rate of about fifteen miles an 
 hour, not too fast to observe the country on either side 
 out of these large and convenient windows, and we shall 
 arrive at our destination comparatively fresh and un- 
 fatigued hi about three hours and a half from the time 
 of our departure from Jaffa. Formerly we were jolted 
 along for more than thirteen weary hours over a rough, 
 uneven, stony road in a wretched old ramshackle con- 
 veyance drawn by three miserable, half -starved horses, 
 and driven by a native Jehu, whose one and sole idea of 
 horsemanship was to let the reins loose over the animals' 
 backs, take the whip in both his hands, and thrash
 
 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS 51 
 
 unmercifully into the poor beasts from the beginning to 
 the end of the way.' 
 
 ' I'd have thrashed unmercifully into the brute himself, ' 
 exclaimed the General Nuisance, and for once in a way 
 she had the sympathies of the whole tribe with her. 
 
 ' But I suppose you could stop him from doing it, 
 couldn't you ?' said the Matter-of-fact Man. 
 
 ' It was not so easy as you would think,' replied the 
 Sheikh. ' In the first place, the passengers were generally 
 inside this conveyance, which would have curtains all 
 round, to be raised or lowered according to the weather, 
 and one of the curtains would be between the passengers 
 and the driver, so that they would not see what was going 
 on. Then, again, these drivers were the most stubborn 
 and obstinate beasts in the world, and they paid not the 
 slightest heed to all your remonstrances and expostula- 
 tions. If you proceeded to extremities and took their 
 whip away from them they would as soon as not drive 
 the whole thing into a ditch or over a precipice. I tried 
 it on myself on one occasion when driving from Jerusalem 
 to Hebron with a couple of friends, and we had no less 
 than nineteen accidents on the road before we returned 
 to our quarters in safety. Every one of these accidents, 
 we were perfectly certain, was the result of deliberate 
 malice on the driver's part. He pretended that the 
 horses had become unmanageable owing to his no longer 
 having the whip with which to control them. Another 
 pleasant little episode that would vary and enliven the 
 proceedings about every quarter of an hour, in the good 
 old days when we used to drive from Jaffa to Jerusalem, 
 would be the snapping of a trace, or the breakage of some 
 portion or another of the rotten harness and tackle. 
 The driver would then descend from his perch in the most 
 leisurely fashion, and calmly proceed to produce sundry 
 
 42
 
 52 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 pieces of twine from various recesses and folds of his 
 garment, and, whistling or singing to himself some 
 lugubrious Arabic ditty, would commence to tie up the 
 disjointed fragments in the most casual manner in the 
 world, paying no more heed to your objurgations as to the 
 delay or your entreaties to him to hurry up than if you had 
 never spoken at all. Altogether it is not a change very 
 much for the worse, speaking from the point of material 
 comfort, that we have now a railway from Jaffa to 
 Jerusalem.' 
 
 Most of the tribe saw the matter in the same light, 
 and even the Enthusiast began to think that the glamour 
 of romance might sometimes be purchased too dearly. 
 
 ' Really it seems very disgraceful that these people 
 should be allowed to treat their animals so cruelly, does 
 it not ?' said the Angel. ' One would think that their 
 own instincts would teach them to be more humane.' 
 
 ' Cruelty to animals is ingrained in them from their 
 earliest childhood,' replied the Sheikh. ' The first toy 
 which a mother gives her infant is a little live bird for 
 the child to play with by plucking out its feathers, and 
 it is the commonest thing in the world, if you go into any 
 Oriental house, to see a child amusing itself by holding 
 in its hand a piece of string, the other end of which is 
 fastened tightly round the leg of a chicken, the amusement 
 being to allow the chicken to get to the end of its tether, 
 and then to jerk it back again with all the force that the 
 child can exert. Now and then, by way of variation, the 
 child will stand up and deliberately whirl the unfortunate 
 chicken over its head, having shortened the string in its 
 hand. With a training like this one cannot be surprised 
 at the cruelties which are so rampant all over the country. 
 Indeed, I believe that in many of the cases the people 
 do not realize that the animals have any feeling, for
 
 RAILWAY AND CARRIAGE ROAD 53 
 
 the common mass of Orientals are a desperately ignorant 
 lot.' 
 
 ' Brutes !' exclaimed the Enthusiast. ' I should like 
 to flay them alive, and see how they would like it !' 
 
 ' Yes,' replied Monte Carlo, ' they would offer a most 
 appropriate subject for the experiment of Gilbert's 
 " Mikado," and of making the punishment fit the crime.' 
 
 ' You said just now that there were two reasons why 
 the railway is preferable to the carriage road,' remarked 
 the Archbishop to the Sheikh, as though he felt it were 
 time to change the subject of conversation. ' What is 
 the second reason ?' 
 
 ' Simply this,' replied the Sheikh : ' the railway traverses 
 a far more interesting tract of country than is the case 
 with the old carriage road. Indeed, by the latter route 
 there is scarcely one single spot of genuinely sacred interest 
 the whole way from Jaffa to Jerusalem.' 
 
 ' What do you mean by that ?' exclaimed the General 
 Nuisance. ' I have with me a volume of sermons by an 
 eminent American preacher who travelled in this country 
 a few years ago, and those sermons are entirely devoted 
 to the different sacred sites and scenes which he had 
 visited on the carriage road to Jerusalem from Jaffa. 
 They were preached to enthusiastic and crowded congrega- 
 tions on his return to New York, and I frequently study 
 them myself with the greatest pleasure and profit. 
 Indeed, only last evening before retiring to rest I read a 
 most interesting discourse upon the conflict between 
 David and Goliath, which included a graphic and glowing 
 description of the very scene where the memorable incident 
 occurred, and which the preacher expressly states that he 
 visited himself a few hours before he reached Jerusalem.' 
 
 ' And surely,' added the Archbishop, ' I have read in 
 books written by travellers that, amongst other places,
 
 54 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 Arimathsea, Kirjath Jearim, and Emmaus all lie upon 
 this road.' 
 
 ' What you state is perfectly true,' replied the Sheikh, 
 smiling. ' Such statements do occur in many books. 
 And as for the volume of sermons by the American 
 preacher, I am well aware of it myself. No doubt they 
 were very eloquently delivered, and the moral lessons 
 derived from them are unimpeachable. The only draw- 
 back is that not one single spot upon which the preacher 
 expatiates is in reality genuine or authentic. Every one 
 of the so-called sacred spots are spurious, including those 
 which have been mentioned.' 
 
 The General Nuisance gave a grunt of offended in- 
 credulity, and the Archbishop said : 
 
 ' But how could these errors which you assert have 
 arisen ?' 
 
 ' Simply enough,' responded the Sheikh. ' Several 
 causes have contributed to the gradual introduction of 
 fictitious sites. The ignorance of geographical and 
 historical matters in the times of the Crusades is re- 
 sponsible for many of the errors which have crept in. 
 Then, again, the rapacity of the mediaeval monks, and 
 their anxiety to extort as many votive offerings as possible 
 from the devout and superstitious pilgrims, led them to 
 invent all sorts of imaginary sites and relics at the most 
 convenient and frequented spots. So that it is no 
 wonder that along so common a pilgrim-road as that 
 from Jaffa to Jerusalem these spurious holy places should 
 have sprung up.' 
 
 ' So like those grasping ecclesiastics,' murmured the 
 Fossil, whose remark was fortunately unheard by the 
 Archbishop. 
 
 ' But, after all, many of the inventions are of com- 
 paratively modern growth,' added the Sheikh, 'and they
 
 SPURIOUS HOLY PLACES 55 
 
 are merely instances of the law of supply and demand. 
 You see, the traveller through the Holy Land was until 
 lately almost at the mercy of a native dragoman or native 
 guide. Well, the dragoman class has considerably 
 altered for the better during the last few years, and many 
 of those native guides are now well informed, intelligent, 
 and reliable. But twenty or thirty years ago the ordinary 
 dragoman was a self-educated Syrian, who had picked up 
 a little smattering of English at one of the missionary 
 schools, and who, therefore, thought himself perfectly 
 qualified to become a personal conductor of English- 
 speaking tourists through the country. He had learned 
 his lesson like a parrot, and took his travellers over the 
 beaten track of the ordinary tourist. If he found himself 
 a mile or two to the right or left of this track he did not 
 know where he was. Well, then the British or American 
 tourist came to Palestine, fulfilling the dream of a life- 
 time, and spending a lot of money. Naturally, he wished 
 to see as much as he could for his money. In the course of 
 his ride through the country he came, we will say, to some 
 village or town. He inquired of the dragoman what had 
 happened there. If the innocent reply came, "Nothing 
 happened here that I know of," the immediate answer 
 was : " Then something ought to have happened here. 
 What is the use of wasting my time and money bringing 
 me to a place where nothing happened ?" The dragoman 
 made a mental note of this, and the next time he brought 
 a party to the spot he took care that something had 
 happened there. That is literally the way in which many 
 of the holy sites of Palestine have been manufactured.' 
 
 ' It must be very unsatisfactory travelling through the 
 Holy Land under such auspices,' remarked the Angel. 
 ' One must be constantly at a loss to know what is true 
 and what is false.'
 
 56 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 * Oh, things are much better now,' said the Sheikh. 
 ' The Palestine Exploration Survey has cleared away 
 many misconceptions and errors, and what with the latest 
 edition of handbooks, which have incorporated the most 
 trustworthy and up-to-date information, and what with 
 the superior training of many of the dragomans, it is in 
 a great measure the fault of the traveller himself if he 
 fails to acquire reliable intelligence.' 
 
 By this time the train was drawing near to a railway 
 station, and the tribe caught sight of a picturesque 
 village surrounded by extensive olive groves. 
 
 ' What is the name of this place ?' inquired the 
 Enthusiast. 
 
 ' It is now called Ludd,' replied the Sheikh, ' but most 
 people would be better acquainted with it under its 
 scriptural name of Lydda.' 
 
 ' Lydda !' exclaimed the Archbishop, as everyone 
 looked eagerly out of the windows at the mention of the 
 name. ' Why, this, then, is the place where St. Peter 
 raised ^Eneas from his sick bed. This is intensely 
 interesting.' 
 
 ' The Romans, I believe, called this town Diospolis, or 
 the city of Jupiter,' remarked the Fossil. 
 
 ' That is so,' assented the Sheikh, ' and several of the 
 early Christian Fathers, Jerome and Eusebius amongst 
 the rest, mention it under that name.' 
 
 ' Is there any reference to it in the Old Testament ?' 
 inquired the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' It is incidentally mentioned three times under the 
 name of Lod in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah and 
 the first Book of Chronicles, but all we gather from these 
 is that it originally belonged to the tribe of Benjamin,' 
 replied the Sheikh. ' But from the second century of 
 our era it has been the seat of an Episcopal diocese.'
 
 LYDDA RAMLEH 57 
 
 ' I fancy that I have read somewhere that Lydda 
 was the birthplace of the English patron saint, George,' 
 remarked the Angel. 
 
 ' Your memory is quite correct,' answered the Sheikh, 
 ' and if you look well away there to the left you can just 
 see a ruined church beyond those trees. That church is 
 named after St. George ; it is a fine specimen of Crusading 
 architecture, and dates from the middle of the twelfth 
 century. Underneath the church is a crypt in which 
 the tomb of St. George is still shown.' 
 
 Their route now took them through the midst of the 
 dense olive groves for nearly two miles, and almost 
 immediately after emerging from these groves they 
 found themselves at the next station, on the outskirts 
 of a large and flourishing town, of a very attractive 
 appearance. A carriage road crossed the line immediately 
 beyond the station. 
 
 ' This town is called Ramleh, and, as you see, it stands 
 on the old highway from Jaffa to Jerusalem. This road 
 which we are now crossing is the identical carriage road 
 of which we have been talking,' said the Sheikh. 
 
 ' Then here we are at another sacred place,' observed 
 the Archbishop, ' for, if I mistake not, this is the birth- 
 place of Joseph of Arimathaea.' 
 
 ' No, you are quite wrong there,' replied the Sheikh ; 
 ' you have got hold of one of those fictitious sites to 
 which I have alluded. This is the third of such places 
 which would have been pointed out to you by the ordinary 
 dragoman if you had gone with him along the old 
 carriage road. The first would have been a house just 
 outside Jaffa, which, for no apparent reason, except that 
 it stands on the highway of the pilgrims, has been fixed 
 upon as the original home of Tabitha, or Dorcas. The 
 second is a dirty mud-village called Yazur, where, for no
 
 58 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 reason whatever, you would have been gravely assured 
 that Samson set the foxes' tails on fire. The third 
 spurious holy place, as I have just said, is this pretty 
 modern little town of Ramleh. Owing to some imaginary 
 resemblance between the words "Ramleh " and " Ramah," 
 the mediaeval monks pitched upon this place as the site 
 of Arimathaea, the Greek representative of the Hebrew 
 Ramah. But the monks only showed their ignorance in 
 so doing, for Ramleh and Ramah have nothing whatever 
 to do with one another. Ramah signifies " a hill," and 
 is a very common name throughout the country ; 
 Ramleh means " sandy," and is so called from the nature 
 of the soil which you see around you here. So far as we 
 know, this place is not mentioned at all in the Bible, 
 though it played a very important part during the time 
 of the Crusades, chiefly because it stood at the junction 
 of what were then the two principal roads in Palestine 
 the one from Jaffa to Jerusalem, and the other from 
 Egypt to Damascus.' 
 
 The line now struck in a south-easterly direction across 
 the Plain of Sharon, and myriads of wild-flowers, principally 
 scarlet anemones, delighted the eyes of the travellers. 
 Presently, directing their attention to a village surrounded 
 by trees, which was clearly visible about a mile and a half 
 to the right of the line, the Sheikh informed them that 
 that was undoubtedly the site of the ancient Philistine 
 city of Ekron, whither the Ark of the Covenant was 
 brought from Gath, and whence it was carried up to 
 Bethshemesh. This latter place is now represented by 
 a small village called Ain Shems, close to the next station 
 where the train stopped. Bethshemesh signified ' the 
 House of the Sun,' and Ain Shems meant ' the Fountain 
 of the Sun.' 
 
 Before they reached this spot, however, they passed
 
 GEZER 59 
 
 immediately round the base of a prominent and solitary 
 hill on their left, the upper portion of which had been 
 artificially levelled, so as to afford an even plateau on 
 which to build a village or town. The Sheikh pointed 
 this out to his companions, and explained to them that 
 that was the custom of forming settlements in olden 
 days in order to render them safer from attack. Three 
 sides of the hill were made as precipitous as possible, the 
 only approach to the village on the summit being up the 
 steep gradient on the fourth side. 
 
 ' These hills are now called Tells,' he said, ' and this 
 particular one is known as Tell Jezar. There, on that 
 broad, level expanse on the top stood the once important 
 Canaanitish city of Gezer.' 
 
 ' Let me see, what happened there ?' asked the 
 Enthusiast. 
 
 ' We do not know of any especial event that happened 
 on the spot,' replied the Sheikh, ' but we read that when 
 Joshua and the Israelites were conquering the country, 
 Horam, King of Gezer, came up to help Lachish, and 
 Joshua utterly annihilated him and his forces. The 
 name of Gezer occurs several times during the wars 
 between David and the Philistines, and it was afterwards 
 captured by one of the Pharaohs of Egypt, who gave it 
 as a dowry to his daughter when she married Solomon.' 
 
 ' I suppose that Gezer must have been the capital of a 
 large tract of country around here,' said the Archbishop, 
 ' for the Bible speaks of the King of Gezer.' 
 
 'Oh no, not at all,' replied the Sheikh. ' When you 
 read of these Kings as, for example, the King of Gezer, 
 the King of Lachish, the King of Eglon, and so forth 
 you must only understand the chiefs of the respective 
 villages or small towns ; in fact, what we should call 
 nowadays the Sheikhs of the various places.'
 
 60 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 * Then I suppose that they were not very mighty folks 
 after all,' observed the Fossil. 
 
 * Oh dear no ; Bible readers in general get a very 
 exaggerated idea of the size of everything connected with 
 this country. Those enormous battles about which the 
 Jewish writers made such a fuss were after all but very 
 puny affairs little more than affrays between the 
 neighbouring villages of African savages of which we so 
 often read in the pages of travellers' records.' 
 
 ' Was not the Cave of Makkedah, where the five Kings, 
 or Sheikhs, as I suppose I must call them in future, hid 
 themselves after the Battle of Aijalon, somewhere near 
 Gezer ?' asked the Archbishop. 
 
 ' Yes, and we are not far off it now. It lies about four 
 miles away to the right yonder, but we cannot see it from 
 this point. But if you wait till we get from behind this 
 hill you will be able to see the valley of Aijalon quite 
 plainly in the distance to the north-east of us.' 
 
 ' That was where Joshua is supposed to have ordered 
 the sun to stand still, was it not ?' said Monte Carlo, who 
 had hitherto been in the smoking compartment, and who 
 had only joined the party a minute or two before. ' Now, 
 I should like to know what you make out of that 
 arrangement.' 
 
 ' A ridiculous fable, fit only for children, which ought 
 to be expunged from the Bible or any sensible book,' 
 opined the Fossil. 
 
 ' Well, it does seem bosh, I must confess,' remarked 
 the Matter-of-fact Man. 
 
 The Archbishop said nothing, and probably he was 
 beginning to be diffident about asserting his unqualified 
 belief in the very literal interpretation of these old 
 records. The General Nuisance, who was always ready 
 to chime in with the Archbishop, and back him up in his
 
 INTELLIGENT STUDY OF THE BIBLE 61 
 
 expressions of literal acceptance, seemed on this occasion 
 to be nonplussed by his silence, for even she also held 
 her tongue. Monte Carlo, however, turned to the Sheikh, 
 and remarked : 
 
 ' You seem to have an explanation ready for most of 
 these Bible stories. Perhaps you may be able to 
 enlighten us upon this V 
 
 ' Well, one thing is certain,' replied the Sheikh ; ' the 
 record as we have it now cannot possibly be literally true 
 in the sense in which it is usually understood. We need 
 not expect to be tortured in these days if we say, like 
 poor Galileo in the Dark Ages, that the earth moves 
 round the sun, and not the sun round the earth ; there- 
 fore we must look for some other explanation. Now, I 
 have no doubt whatever that the main facts as recorded 
 in the Bible are historically correct ; for, as I have already 
 more than once told you, every research and investigation 
 that I make convinces me more and more of the historical 
 accuracy of the Bible from the point of view of the 
 original writers. All we have to do if we would under- 
 stand these records intelligently, then, is to try as far 
 as we can to grasp the writers' point of view. In doing 
 this there are one or two fundamental principles which 
 it is necessary for us diligently to remember. I will tick 
 them off on my fingers first, and afterwards I will explain 
 myself more fully. Here are the fundamental principles : 
 
 ' 1. The Bible was written by Hebrews, from the point of 
 view of Hebrews. 
 
 ' 2. The writers for the most part knew little or nothing 
 of the natural and scientific laws of cause and effect. 
 
 ' 3. The Hebrews, like all Orientals, attributed every- 
 thing that they could not understand to the direct 
 intervention of the Deity. 
 
 ' 4. The Hebrews as a nation did not understand that
 
 62 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 there was only one God, to the exclusion of other gods 
 and goddesses. 
 
 * 5. Jehovah was, in the eyes of the Hebrews, their own 
 particular tribal and national God, just exactly as Baal 
 was the national God of the Phoenicians, Chemosh the 
 national God of the Moabites, and Milcom the national 
 God of the Ammonites. 
 
 ' 6. Consequently, when the Hebrews fought against any 
 other nation, it was, in their idea, Jehovah fighting against 
 the national God of that opposing nation. 
 
 ' Keep these fundamental principles in view in the study 
 of the Old Testament, and many of your difficulties will 
 disappear.' 
 
 ' But surely the Hebrews must have understood that 
 there was only one God, for look at the First Command- 
 ment,' objected the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' The First Commandment precisely proves my point,' 
 answered the Sheikh, ' for when Moses makes Jehovah 
 say, " Thou shalt have none other gods but Me," he 
 distinctly implies that there were other gods, but that 
 the Hebrews were not to have any of them as their tribal 
 or national gods.' 
 
 ' I never thought of it in that light before,' remarked 
 the Archbishop. 
 
 ' But look at it in that light now, and you will see 
 how simple everything is,' said the Sheikh. ' It is, to my 
 mind, a most unfortunate thing that in our translation 
 of the Bible the Hebrew word " Jehovah " is almost 
 always rendered " the Lord." With us the term " the 
 Lord " is so thoroughly understood to be the one only 
 God that we lose the force of the word as it was presented 
 to the minds of the Hebrews of old namely, as that of 
 their own national Deity. If you will take my advice, 
 and read the word " Jehovah " wherever you find " the
 
 f INTELLIGENT STUDY OF THE BIBLE 63 
 
 Lord " in the Old Testament, bearing in mind the idea of 
 Jehovah as I have explained it to you, you will find how 
 vastly more intelligible very many passages will become 
 to you.' 
 
 ' Of course, now I see how simple it is,' exclaimed the 
 Angel. ' Instead of being, " I am the Lord thy God who 
 brought thee out of the land of Egypt," it is really, " I am 
 Jehovah, thy God, who brought thee out," and so forth. 
 How much clearer and more intelligible that is !' 
 
 'Yes,' responded the Sheikh; 'and then, again, "I, 
 Jehovah, thy God, am a jealous God." Do you not see 
 how plain that is, Jehovah being jealous of the intro- 
 duction of any other god into the Hebrew hierarchy ?' 
 
 ' You will soon convert me into being a devout Bible 
 student if you go on* like this much longer,' said the 
 Fossil ; ' you really are making me begin to feel that there 
 is some thread of intelligence running through its pages.' 
 
 ' I shall be grievously disappointed if you have not 
 discovered how magnificently intelligent and interesting 
 the Bible is from every point of view by the time that we 
 reach Damascus,' replied the Sheikh. ' I know of nothing 
 like a tour through the country, under proper auspices, 
 to open the eyes both of those who disbelieve in the 
 Bible and of those who give it a blind and unreasoning 
 allegiance.' 
 
 ' Meaning me by the first, I presume,' smiled the Fossil. 
 
 ' And me by the second, I suppose,' added the Arch- 
 bishop. 
 
 ' But where is Joshua and the sun all this time ? ' inter- 
 posed the Enthusiast. 
 
 ' Standing still over the Plain of Aijalon, of course,' said 
 Monte Carlo, laughing. 
 
 ' It is about time that it moved on, then,' dryly 
 remarked the Matter-of-fact Man.
 
 64 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' Yes, I am dying to know the explanation of that 
 incident, so please enlighten us, dear Mr. Sheikh,' added 
 the Gusher. 
 
 ' The explanation is not difficult,' replied the Sheikh, 
 ' if you bear in mind all that I have just been saying. I 
 am sorry to have kept you so long with these introductory 
 remarks, but they were of the utmost importance, and I 
 should have had to bring them before you when we com- 
 menced our explorations of the land, so that I thought 
 that this would be as good an opportunity as any. Now 
 as to that hackneyed story of Joshua and the sun. Read 
 the narrative carefully, and discriminate between the 
 actual facts, the poetical passages, and the ideas of the 
 Jewish writers, and you will soon bring order and intelli- 
 gence out of what seems an almost hopeless tangle. 
 First as to the facts. Joshua and his army were fighting 
 against the allied forces of five Amorite Sheikhs from 
 Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. The 
 battle commenced at Gibeon, where Joshua put the 
 allied forces to flight, and the fugitives endeavoured to 
 escape down the mountain pass of Beth-horon to the 
 Plain of Sharon, and so across the level country to their 
 respective homes. Now, I will point out to you presently 
 where all these places are situated, for their identifications 
 are complete, and you can see from the train at least the 
 direction where most of them lie. As the Amorites were 
 fleeing down the pass, pursued by the Israelites, suddenly 
 a terrific hailstorm burst upon them, and the size and 
 weight of the hailstones killed a vast number of them. 
 The five Sheikhs managed to escape, and hid themselves 
 in a great cave at Makkedah. Meanwhile Joshua, seeing 
 the effects of the terrific hailstorm, had ordered his army 
 to desist from the pursuit, and doubtless they sheltered 
 themselves from the storm on the heights of the mountain
 
 'SUN, STAND THOU STILL' 65 
 
 range, the fugitives, in their headlong flight and blinded 
 by the storm, imagining that they were still being pursued 
 by them. When Joshua saw the terrific storm burst 
 upon the hosts of his enemies, and recognised that the 
 forces of Nature were doing the work of destruction even 
 more effectually than he and his army could do, he 
 naturally imagined, with his ideas about Jehovah, that 
 this hailstorm had been directly sent by Jehovah himself, 
 and in the excitement and triumph of his emotion he 
 burst out into an old Hebrew war-song which was in a 
 collection of songs known at the time as " The Book of 
 Jasher," paraphrasing it to suit the place where he was. 
 The war-song commenced, " Sun, stand thou still . . . 
 and thou, moon," so the song as uttered by Joshua ran 
 thus : 
 
 ' " Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon ; 
 
 And thou, moon, in the Valley of Aijalon. 
 
 And the sun stood still, 
 
 And the moon stayed, 
 
 Until the people had avenged themselves 
 
 Upon their enemies." 
 
 'The expression "Stand thou still " is really "Be thou 
 silent," an equivalent in Hebrew for " Do not let thyself 
 be seen." Joshua hoped and prayed that the storm would 
 last long enough to enable them to complete the dis- 
 comfiture of the enemy. This is simply the plain solution 
 of what has been exaggerated into a mysterious miracle 
 merely from the want of an intelligent understanding 
 of the modes of thought, ideas, and expressions which 
 prevailed in the days of the Hebrew writers. Now if you 
 will come to this left-hand side of the carriage and look 
 out of these windows, I will point out to you the scenes 
 of that historical event. 
 
 ' You notice a slight gap in the hillside away over there 
 
 5
 
 66 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 beyond the valley, where there is a slight depression in 
 the mountain ridge. That gap is the pass of Beth-Horon, 
 and beyond it, on the other side of the crest of the 
 mountains, stands Gibeon, hidden, of course, from our 
 view. You will see it, however, later on when we ride 
 from Jerusalem to Bethel. Just on the brow of the hill 
 at the head of the pass stood Beth-Horon the Upper, for 
 there were two villages of the same name, the Lower 
 Beth-Horon being situated just at the foot of the pass. 
 They are there still with virtually the same names. The 
 Valley of Aijalon is that upon which you are now looking 
 between us and the foot of the pass. Now come to the 
 other side of the carriage, and look out of these windows. 
 Away to the south-west of us, or, rather, more nearly to 
 the south, is situated, near the entrance to a mountain 
 gorge, similar to this which we are now approaching, and 
 up which we are about to ascend, the well-known mound 
 called Tell-el-Hesy, which has been identified with 
 Lachish beyond the shadow of a doubt. A little more 
 than three miles to the south of that site, and in the same 
 valley, is another mound called Tell Nejileh, which is 
 equally certainly the position of Eglon. Jarmuth lay 
 somewhat further to the west, whilst you are already 
 acquainted with the positions of Jerusalem and Hebron 
 amongst the mountains. So there you have the lay of 
 all the places mentioned in that narrative. The modern 
 name of Makkedah is Mughar, which literally signifies 
 " caves," because of the remarkable caves which are 
 situated in the side of a low naked ridge behind the 
 village, and, curiously enough, in one of these caves 
 Conder discovered five ancient loculi or graves roughly 
 hewn in its sides, the number suggesting the possibility 
 that they were the tombs of the five Sheikhs whom 
 Joshua killed and buried there.'
 
 THE VALLEY OF SOREK 67 
 
 The interesting explanation and accounts which the 
 Sheikh had been giving formed the subject of discussion 
 amongst the tribe as they slowly wound their way up 
 the wild, majestic, and romantic mountain gorge along 
 which the railway track gradually ascends to Jerusalem. 
 This gorge is known in the Bible as the Valley of Sorek, 
 and many of the scenes in the life of Samson and Delilah 
 occurred in its immediate neighbourhood. Zorah, the 
 birthplace of Samson, stands conspicuously on the summit 
 of a lofty hill which rises directly above the railway track 
 on the left, and not far off from it is the railway station 
 of Deir Eben, which is none other than the site of 
 ' Ebenezer ' itself, where the Philistines defeated the 
 Israelites and captured the Ark in the time of Eli, and 
 where Samuel afterwards set up the ' Stone of Help.' 
 
 In due course of time, and without any further incident 
 worthy of note, the tribe arrived safely at the end of 
 their journey, and found themselves nearly torn to 
 pieces by a noisy and excited rabble of natives clamouring 
 to relieve them of their baggage, and to show them the 
 way to their hotel at the modern railway station which 
 the invasion of the iron horse has brought into existence 
 on the outskirts of Jerusalem. 
 
 Shortly before their arrival at their destination the 
 Malaprop sat down by the side of the Fossil, notebook in 
 hand, and said : 
 
 ' Can you tell me how long Thackeray has been dead ?' 
 
 ' Some forty years or so, madam, I should say, speaking 
 from memory,' he replied. 
 
 ' How long has this railway been built ?' he called out 
 to the Sheikh, who was at the other end of the carriage. 
 
 ' It is rather more than ten years since it was opened, ' 
 he answered. 
 
 ' Now, that's something that I don't understand,' she 
 
 52
 
 68 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 said, scratching her forehead with the tip of her pencil. 
 ' How could Thackeray have helped build this line if he 
 has been dead so many years ?' 
 
 ' Thackeray help to build this line, madam !' exclaimed 
 the Fossil. ' What can you be talking about ?' 
 
 ' But you said so just when we were starting from 
 Jaffa,' persisted the Malaprop. ' At least, I have got it so 
 in my notebook.' 
 
 ' I beg your pardon, madam, I said nothing of the 
 kind,' replied the Fossil indignantly. ' I hope I never 
 shall be guilty of such historical anachronisms.' 
 
 ' What did you say, then ?' asked the poor lady in 
 confusion. 
 
 ' I said that fifty years ago or more Thackeray pro- 
 phesied in cynical derision that, if the railway mania 
 lasted, the iron horse would invade the Holy Land, and 
 that a railway would spring up between Joppa and 
 Jerusalem. That is what I said, madam.' 
 
 And he coiled himself up as if to forbid any further 
 misconstruction of his valuable observations, whilst the 
 Malaprop retired, having humbly apologized by saying : 
 
 ' Oh, I am so sorry ; I beg your pardon ; I must have 
 misunderstood you. I am afraid that I must have been 
 paying attention to something else when you were 
 talking.'
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING 
 
 The road to Jerusalem The Montefiore Asylum The British Oph- 
 thalmic Hospital Missionary Methods The Valley of Hinnom 
 Bishop Gobat's Schools Lepers The Tower of David The Jaffa 
 Gate The Grand New Hotel The view at sunset The effect of 
 associations. 
 
 THE railway has at least one sense of decency it does 
 not actually penetrate within the Holy City, its termina- 
 tion being nearly a mile distant from the time-honoured 
 walls of Jerusalem. 
 
 On alighting at the station, the Sheikh was accosted by 
 a tall, broad-shouldered, handsome Syrian, with a full 
 moustache and a pleasant face, full of good-nature. He 
 greeted the whole tribe with hospitable warmth, and was 
 introduced to them by the Sheikh as the manager of the 
 Grand New Hotel, whither they were bound. 
 
 He at once took charge of all the arrangements for the 
 transport of the baggage to the hotel, and then conducted 
 the tribe to carriages which he had provided for them 
 at the entrance to the station. Most of the tribe, how- 
 ever, preferred to walk, though the General Nuisance, 
 the Malaprop, the Fossil, the Pessimist, and the Matter- 
 of-fact Man decided to adopt the easier, if less energetic, 
 mode of transit. 
 
 The Archbishop, the Angel, and Monte Carlo had 
 already started on their way, and they were soon after 
 
 69
 
 70 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 joined by the Enthusiast and the Gusher, who had 
 remained a few minutes behind to gaze on the busy and 
 novel scene presented on the station platform. The 
 Sheikh, having seen the carriage party safely off, was 
 not long before he overtook the pedestrians. 
 
 ' I am glad you have come up,' laughed Monte Carlo 
 in his cheery voice, when the Sheikh joined the merry 
 party ; ' I was just trying to persuade his Reverence to 
 divest himself of his boots, socks, and hat so that he 
 might enter the city like a true pilgrim, barefoot and 
 bareheaded, as so many of his devout brethren have 
 done in the days of old. But he does not seem to see it, 
 I am afraid.' 
 
 ' No, no,' said the Archbishop good-humouredly ; ' I 
 have the greatest respect for those holy pilgrims, and I 
 am truly sensible that I am treading on holy ground, but 
 this wretched road is really too stony and rough for me 
 to venture to take my shoes from my feet.' 
 
 ' Oh dear, oh dear !' ejaculated the Gusher, as she 
 trotted along by the side of the Enthusiast, endeavouring 
 vainly to keep pace with his long and rapid strides. ' I 
 feel as if I could take off my boots or do anything eccentric 
 at this moment, it is all so delightful.' 
 
 ' Why, I do believe I can see the actual walls of Jeru- 
 salem itself !' exclaimed the Enthusiast in rapture. 
 
 ' You would be very blind or short-sighted if you did 
 not,' replied the Sheikh, laughing, ' for there they are, 
 immediately in front of us.' 
 
 At this moment they turned out of the new road which 
 has been made to the railway terminus, and passed on 
 to a comparatively broad highway leading directly to 
 the Jaffa Gate of Jerusalem. 
 
 ' This is the identical road to Bethlehem and Hebron 
 which the patriarchs travelled in the days of old,' ex-
 
 WATER-CARRIER.
 
 THE ROAD TO JERUSALEM 71 
 
 plained the Sheikh in response to a query of the Angel, 
 ' though it is probably in a better condition now than it 
 was in their day.' 
 
 ' And was it, then, along this road that the Wise Men 
 trudged after their fruitless search for the King of the 
 Jews in Jerusalem ?' inquired the Archbishop. 
 
 ' The very road,' responded the Sheikh. ' If you look 
 behind, you can see it winding along the plain to the 
 south. That is the Plain of Rephaim, or the Valley of 
 the Giants, where David fought more than one successful 
 engagement with the Philistines.' 
 
 The Gusher sighed at the mention of these sacred 
 associations, and protested more than once that she 
 could not believe that she was awake, she really couldn't, 
 whilst all the party, not including Monte Carlo, were 
 more or less affected by the spirit of the surroundings. 
 
 ' How gloriously blue and purple those mountains 
 look in the distance !' exclaimed the Enthusiast, pointing 
 far off to the eastern horizon. 
 
 ' Those are the Mountains of Moab,' explained the 
 Sheikh. ' Though they look so clear and distinct, they 
 are in reality about twenty-five miles from this spot.' 
 
 ' Twenty-five miles !' cried Monte Carlo ; ' I would 
 have bet a sovereign that they were not more than ten 
 miles away.' 
 
 ' What a wonderful climate this must be !' remarked 
 the Angel. 
 
 ' And those mountains, are they really beyond the 
 Dead Sea and the Jordan ?' exclaimed the Archbishop, 
 shading his eyes with his hand in order to get a better 
 view. 
 
 ' They are, of course,' replied the Sheikh. ' And stay,' 
 he added, halting suddenly, and directing the attention 
 of his companions to a small patch of deep blue down
 
 72 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 in a deep hollow several miles away ; ' there is actually a 
 glimpse of the Dead Sea itself.' 
 
 The Gusher gave a little scream of delight, and the 
 Enthusiast clapped his hands in excitement as his eyes 
 rested on the famous sea, which had hitherto been to 
 him nothing more than a vague name of romance. 
 
 ' I had no idea that the Dead Sea was visible from 
 Jerusalem,' exclaimed the Angel ; ' and how close it 
 seems to be !' 
 
 ' Yet in reality it is about eighteen miles away as the 
 crow flies,' observed the Sheikh, ' and nearly four thou- 
 sand feet below our level.' 
 
 ' Truly the atmosphere is wonderfully clear in this 
 climate, and distances are very deceptive,' remarked the 
 Archbishop as the party proceeded upon its way. 
 
 As they began to descend a short but rather steep hill, 
 the Enthusiast pointed to a long row of neat, modern- 
 looking houses which were standing on a terrace on the 
 left-hand side of the road. 
 
 ' There doesn't appear to be anything ancient about 
 those buildings,' he remarked. ' What are they ?' 
 
 ' Those are almshouses for poor and aged Jews,' replied 
 the Sheikh. ' They are known as the Montefiore Asylum, 
 since they were erected at the expense of the philan- 
 thropic centenarian, the late Sir Moses Montefiore.' 
 
 ' And what is this very modern and substantial build- 
 ing which we are now passing on our right ?' asked the 
 Archbishop. 
 
 That is one of the most admirable institutions in or 
 around Jerusalem,' was the Sheikh's reply. ' It is the 
 British Ophthalmic Hospital, built and endowed by the 
 Grand Priory of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. 
 The Order is under the direct patronage of our King, 
 who takes the greatest personal interest in the working
 
 THE BRITISH OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL 73 
 
 of this hospital. An English medical officer resides here, 
 and his wife acts as superintendent of the hospital.' 
 
 ' Would it be possible to visit it during our stay in 
 Jerusalem ?' asked the Angel. ' I always take a deep 
 interest in hospital work, and it would delight me more 
 than I can tell you to see the work which is carried on 
 in such sacred surroundings as these.' 
 
 ' By all means,' answered the Sheikh. ' I will certainly 
 take you there.' 
 
 ' I suppose, being an English institution, this hospital 
 is under the immediate direction of the Anglican Bishop ?' 
 said the Archbishop. 
 
 ' Not officially,' replied the Sheikh, ' although Bishop 
 Blyth is keenly interested in it, and himself pays for the 
 endowment of one bed. Another is endowed by the 
 Orthodox Greek Patriarch of Jerusalem. The institu- 
 tion, itself, however, is purely unsectarian.' 
 
 ' Why is that ?' asked the Archbishop, implying by 
 the tone of his voice that he considered that a mis- 
 fortune. 
 
 ' The principles of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem 
 are strictly unsectarian,' answered the Sheikh ; ' and the 
 medical officer and superintendent are strictly forbidden 
 to allow the religion of the patients to be interfered with 
 in any way.' 
 
 ' But isn't that a pity !' said the Archbishop mourn- 
 fully. ' It seems to me that so many admirable oppor- 
 tunities for missionary work must be lost.' 
 
 ' On the contrary,' said the Sheikh, ' the principle and 
 the practice has been found to produce the most bene- 
 ficial results. The doctor and his wife have told me of 
 many instances in which the prejudices of the natives 
 against Christianity have been overcome by the simple 
 fact that, whilst they received such comfort and blessing
 
 74 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 to the physical eyes, no attempt had been made to tamper 
 with the religious faith and convictions.' 
 
 ' Now that seems to me to be the right plan upon which 
 to proceed,' remarked Monte Carlo with enthusiasm. 
 ' Do you know, in the course of my travels, I have often 
 witnessed instances which have jarred terribly upon my 
 British instincts of justice and fairness. We get these 
 unfortunate creatures into our hospitals, we put them 
 under a series of obligations to us, and then we take 
 advantage of their physical condition, and we trade upon 
 their sense of innate gratitude by preaching to them a 
 doctrine contrary to that which they have held from 
 their infancy, and endeavouring to persuade them to 
 turn traitors to the faith of their fathers.' 
 
 ' I don't in the least agree with you,' returned the 
 Archbishop warmly. ' You have not stated the case 
 fairly at all.' 
 
 ' I think he has,' interposed the Sheikh gravely, ' and 
 I must confess that I cordially agree with that view of 
 the case. I have had a tolerably wide experience of 
 missionary work and missionaries, not only here in Pales- 
 tine, but all over the globe, and I must say that I thor- 
 oughly disapprove of the principles and methods which 
 are so often adopted by our zealous and indiscreet people, 
 with the best intentions in the world. Like the Pharisees 
 of old, they compass sea and land to make one proselyte ; 
 and in too many cases they are not as particular as they 
 might be about the methods they adopt to gain that 
 proselyte, nor as to the genuineness of that proselyte's 
 conversion.' 
 
 ' Now, it has never occurred to me in that way before,' 
 said the Angel ; ' but when you mention it, I can see what 
 a wonderful amount of truth and force there is in what 
 you say.'
 
 THE VALLEY OF HINNOM 75 
 
 By this time the little band of pedestrians had crossed 
 the valley at the bottom of the hill, and were beginning to 
 ascend the incline which leads up to the Jaffa Gate. 
 
 ' This valley which we have just crossed,' explained 
 the Sheikh, ' forms the boundary - line between the 
 ancient tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The railway 
 station was in Judah ; the city itself is in Benjamin. 
 The valley, which, as you see, comes down southward 
 from up yonder, and here turns sharply round to the east, 
 forms on this side the western boundary of Jerusalem, 
 and behind this hill it bounds the city on the south. If 
 you were to follow this path down the valley eastward, 
 you would find yourself very rapidly descending, until at 
 the further end you would be five hundred feet below the 
 level of the city walls. This valley you are all familiar 
 with, for it is called in the Bible the Valley of Hinnom. 
 This hill which rises up to the right is Mount Zion itself, 
 and that angle of the wall which you see immediately 
 above us is the south-west corner of the city.' 
 
 ' What are those buildings in the angle ?' asked the 
 Enthusiast. 
 
 ' They are known as Bishop Gobat's Schools,' replied 
 the Sheikh ; ' and they are well worth a visit, not only on 
 account of the admirable scholastic work that is accom- 
 plished there, but also from an antiquarian point of view. 
 I shall take you all there, I hope, and in the grounds 
 belonging to the school I shall be able to show you some 
 wonderful remains of the old rock-fortress of the original 
 city of the Jebusites, before the time of David himself.' 
 
 ' That must be, then, one of the most ancient relics 
 in Jerusalem,' said the Archbishop. 
 
 ' That is so,' replied the Sheikh ; ' perhaps the most 
 ancient of all.' 
 
 The attention of the travellers was now arrested by the
 
 76 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 sound of piteous lamentations, accompanied by a whining 
 cry of ' Librus, librus !' from many throats. Looking in 
 the direction whence the sounds proceeded, they saw, 
 to their surprise and horror, a number of the most 
 ghastly-looking specimens of humanity that they had 
 ever seen in their lives. These wretched creatures were 
 of both sexes, and their limbs and features were distorted 
 and eaten away, so that they seemed almost to have lost 
 their very humanity itself. They were, moreover, filthily 
 dirty, and clad in the most repulsive rags. Each one had 
 a small tin can, and, thrusting this forward in their 
 eager anxiety to arrest attention, they were clamorously 
 appealing for alms. 
 
 ' Oh ! oh ! oh ! what are those hideous things ?' cried 
 out the Gusher, running to the other side of the road ; 
 ' surely they are not human beings, are they ?' 
 
 ' Those are lepers, poor wretches !' replied the Sheikh. 
 ' They haunt all the roads outside the city walls, but 
 especially this road and the one to the east of Jeru- 
 salem, leading to the Mount of Olives, because the tourists 
 are mostly to be encountered there. No,' he added 
 suddenly, checking the Enthusiast, who was about to 
 throw a handful of small coins amongst them, ' don't do 
 that.' 
 
 ' Why not ?' he asked in astonishment. 
 ' I am sorry to restrain your impulses of charity,' 
 replied the Sheikh, ' but it is for your own sake that I 
 do so. Your life and that of us all would be rendered an 
 intolerable nuisance to us during the whole time that we 
 are here if you distributed your largesse amongst them 
 in that profuse manner ; for they would recognise you 
 every time you set foot outside the city walls, and they 
 seem to have a sort of freemasonry amongst themselves 
 by which they notify all their fellow-lepers in the neigh-
 
 LEPERS 77 
 
 bourhood, so that, no matter where you went, you would 
 be followed and pestered by them.' 
 
 ' And shall we meet wretched beings like these every- 
 where in Jerusalem ?' asked the Archbishop. 
 
 ' No, thank goodness,' replied the Sheikh ; ' they are 
 not allowed inside the city walls.' 
 
 ' Where do they live, then ?' asked the Gusher. 
 
 ' Mostly in the deserted old rock-cut tombs and caves 
 in the Valley of Hinnom and elsewhere in the vicinity,' 
 replied the Sheikh. 
 
 ' Poor things ! it seems a great shame that no better 
 provision is made for them than that,' sighed the kind- 
 hearted lady. 
 
 ' Now, just fancy one of those creatures being cured 
 by ducking his head in water !' said Monte Carlo. ' I 
 say, Archbishop, that story of Naaman is rather a 
 stickler, eh ?' 
 
 ' It was merely a question of faith,' replied the Arch- 
 bishop piously ; ' with God nothing is impossible.' 
 
 ' The story of Naaman and his cure has nothing what- 
 ever remarkable about it, except the absurdly incorrect 
 interpretation that has been put upon it,' observed the 
 Sheikh ; ' it is one of the simplest cases of disease and 
 remedy that you could find on record anywhere.' 
 
 ' By Jove ! I should like to know how that could be,' 
 said Monte Carlo. 
 
 ' And so you shall, all in good season,' replied the 
 Sheikh ; ' but there is no time to discuss it now, for here 
 we are at the Jaffa Gate, and in three minutes we shall 
 be at our hotel.' 
 
 ' Before we enter, I should like to know something 
 about this handsome tower, standing on those massive 
 foundations, just outside the gate,' said the Arch- 
 bishop.
 
 78 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' I ought to have drawn your attention to it myself,' 
 answered the Sheikh, ' but our conversation about the 
 lepers made me forget it. That massive masonry is the 
 lower portion of one of three great towers built by Herod 
 the Great to fortify the walls of Jerusalem. These were 
 called respectively the Tower of Hippicus, the Tower of 
 Phasaelus, and the Tower of Mariamne. The two latter 
 have disappeared, but this is the foundation of the Tower 
 of Hippicus.' 
 
 ' And is that the original tower itself above ?' asked 
 the Fossil. 
 
 'No,' replied the Sheikh; 'that is comparatively 
 modern. It was built by the Turks about three hundred 
 years ago, and is now known generally as the Tower of 
 David. It may be regarded as the citadel of modern 
 Jerusalem, and serves as barracks for the Turkish 
 soldiers.' 
 
 The Enthusiast and the Gusher were lost in wonder and 
 delight at the strange and picturesque street scenes which 
 met their eye as they passed through the Jaffa Gate, and 
 found themselves for the first time inside the walls of 
 the actual city of Jerusalem itself. But they had no 
 time to linger then, for the Sheikh was anxious to get them 
 on to their destination at the hotel. 
 
 It was close at hand, for in less than a hundred yards, 
 after they had entered the city, they reached an open 
 square, and, passing through an archway into a covered 
 arcade, bounded on either side by shops full of all sorts 
 of Oriental curiosities, they passed up a flight of stone 
 steps on the left-hand side of the arcade, and found them- 
 selves welcomed by the manager and the rest of their 
 tribe in the handsome and spacious drawing-room of 
 the Grand New Hotel. 
 
 About half an hour before sunset the Sheikh took the
 
 THE VIEW AT SUNSET 79 
 
 whole tribe up on to the roof of the hotel to show them the 
 view of Jerusalem from that splendid point of vantage. 
 It was, in truth, an ideal spectacle that burst upon their 
 enraptured eyes, and the Gusher was not the only one 
 who gave utterance to ecstatic exclamations of surprise 
 and delight. Immediately in front of them stretched 
 away the crowded and quaint-looking houses of the sacred 
 city, in the midst of which stood out, like fairy spindles 
 of stone pointing upwards to the liquid sky, the minarets 
 of the mosques in the Moslem quarter. Beyond them 
 glittered in the slanting rays of the setting sun the upper 
 portion of the loveliest building on which their eyes had 
 ever rested the richly-coloured encaustic tiles which 
 adorned its walls glowing with a deep blue hue, and its 
 magnificent leaden dome shining like silver, whilst the 
 gilded crescent which surmounted the summit appeared 
 as burnished gold. Behind this grand and glorious 
 shrine rose a steep and lofty hill, with a modern cathedral 
 of many cupolas half-way up its slopes, and a tall and 
 slender tower, of several stories in height, crowning its 
 crest, and standing out clear and distinct against the 
 gradually reddening sky. A village with white, flat- 
 roofed houses and a picturesque minaret was situated 
 near the summit of the hill. 
 
 To the right of this mount an undulating tract of 
 country at a considerably lower level stretched away 
 into the distance ; and beyond this, like a huge natural 
 wall, a range of mountains, purple in hue, closed in the 
 scene upon the far horizon. These were the Mountains of 
 Moab. 
 
 The castellated walls of the city could be seen at in- 
 tervals beyond the roofs of the closely compacted build- 
 ings, and here and there could be discerned the loftier 
 battlements of the city gates. The rise and fall of the hills
 
 80 PATROLLERS OP PALESTINE 
 
 and valleys upon which Jerusalem is built revealed many 
 glimpses of the Oriental architecture which would other- 
 wise have been hidden from their view. Not far off 
 them to the left stood a venerable pile, with two large 
 black domes and a tower like that of some old English 
 church ; and nearer still, in a hollow depression between 
 the houses, lay an oblong pool or basin of water, which 
 might easily be taken for a swimming-bath. This is 
 known as ' Hezekiah's Pool.' 
 
 The heights to the right were covered with handsome 
 erections, the scene being enlivened by luxuriant foliage, 
 afforded by clusters of ancient and noble trees, chiefly 
 cypress and evergreen oak, which evidently adorned the 
 spacious gardens of one or more monastic establishments. 
 A little to the left of these green groves, and in the midst 
 of one of the most crowded portions of the city, two high 
 and elaborate domes stood prominently up, betokening 
 places of worship. 
 
 Having allowed his companions time to take in the 
 principal features of this wondrous scene, the Sheikh 
 began to enlighten them as to the identities of the various 
 objects which were presented to their gaze. 
 
 ' You will, of course, have already recognised the Mount 
 of Olives,' he said, pointing to the lofty hill immediately 
 facing them beyond the city ; ' that huge church halfway 
 up its side has lately been erected by the Russians, and, 
 though it is doubtless a splendid specimen of their par- 
 ticular style of ecclesiastical architecture, it has, in my 
 opinion, completely spoiled the Mount, and robbed it of 
 the beautiful primitive simplicity which was so charming 
 a feature of the sacred hill until the church and its appur- 
 tenances were built.' 
 
 ' And what is that unsightly tower at the top ?' asked 
 the Fossil ; ' to my mind, that is a greater eyesore still.'
 
 THE VIEW AT SUNSET 81 
 
 ' That also belongs to the Russians,' replied the 
 Sheikh ; ' and, although its modern appearance is cer- 
 tainly out of harmony with the ancient associations of 
 the place, I must say that I prefer it to the church ; for 
 it acts as a magnificent landmark for all the district 
 around for many miles, and enables one to identify the 
 Mount of Olives in the midst of many a distant landscape. 
 The view from its topmost story is also very extensive 
 and magnificent, as those of you who choose to climb its 
 steep and winding stairs will be able to judge for your- 
 selves.' 
 
 ' So that is the scene of our blessed Lord's Ascension !' 
 murmured the Archbishop in an undertone of reverence 
 and devotion. ' It seems hard to realize that mysterious 
 event now that one is actually gazing upon the very spot 
 where it occurred.' 
 
 ' Whereabouts is Bethany situated ?' asked the Angel. 
 
 ' Directly behind the Mount, a little more to the right, 
 or south, of that portion which we are immediately facing,' 
 answered the Sheikh. ' You can plainly see the road 
 leading to it, as it gradually ascends the slopes of the hill 
 and passes round that lower shoulder there to the right.' 
 
 ' And where stood the Temple of Solomon ?' asked the 
 Enthusiast. 
 
 ' You see that glorious dome down there, below the 
 Mount of Olives, which has already riveted your atten- 
 tion. That stands on the middle of the old Temple Area, 
 and occupies as nearly as possible the site of Solomon's 
 and of Herod's temples.' 
 
 ' Oh, then, that is the Mosque of Omar, is it ?' said the 
 Archbishop. ' I thought it could not be anything else.' 
 
 ' It is the so-called Mosque of Omar,' replied the Sheikh, 
 ' though it is a mistake to give it that name ; for, strictly 
 speaking, it is not a mosque at all. The Arabic word 
 
 6
 
 82 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 " mosque " signifies " a place of worship," and that would 
 not apply to that lovely building.' 
 
 ' What is it, then ?' inquired the Archbishop in astonish- 
 ment ; ' I was always under the impression that that was 
 its correct designation.' 
 
 ' It is merely a sacred Moslem shrine,' replied the 
 Sheikh ; ' the Moslems themselves call it " Kubbet-es- 
 Sakhrah," which means " Dome of the Rock," and that 
 is really its proper name, and the one by which it ought 
 always to be known.' 
 
 ' But why has it got that rum name ?' asked Monte Carlo. 
 
 ' Because, in the first place, as you see, it is a dome, 
 or, perhaps I should more accurately say, it has a dome ; 
 and, secondly, because that dome is built immediately 
 over a bare surface of rock, that rock being the original 
 summit of Mount Moriah itself.' 
 
 ' Do you mean to say that that is Mount Moriah 
 there ?' exclaimed the General Nuisance, with a shade of 
 contempt in her tone ; ' I cannot see any elevation at all, 
 much less a mountain.' 
 
 ' Well, it is rather disappointing, is it not ?' answered 
 the Sheikh ; ' but you will have a good many disillusions 
 of that sort before you have finished, especially in regard 
 to the size of things. There is a tendency in most 
 persons' minds to imagine everything in connection with 
 this land to be on a very much larger scale than it really 
 is. For example, it would be much more in accordance 
 with the fitness of things if we spoke of " Mound Moriah "; 
 for really the hill on which Solomon built his temple was 
 little more than a mound. From this present point of 
 view it seems even to be in a hollow ; for the level of the 
 temple plateau is considerably lower than that of the 
 ground on which this hotel stands more than a hundred 
 feet lower, in fact. But when you get down into the
 
 THE VIEW AT SUNSET 83 
 
 Valley of Jehoshaphat, between the temple area and the 
 Mount of Olives, you will see that from that position 
 Moriah does present the appearance of quite an imposing 
 hill. I hope to take you there to-morrow morning.' 
 
 ' Whereabouts is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre ?' 
 inquired the Archbishop ; ' that is the most interesting 
 spot in Jerusalem to me.' 
 
 The Sheikh indicated the building to their left, with the 
 two domes and the medieval tower, and said : 
 
 ' There it is, or, rather, there is the so-called holy 
 sepulchre, for it is really a fraud and a delusion.' 
 
 ' Oh, don't say that,' replied the Archbishop sadly ; 
 ' that church has always been to me the central shrine of 
 all my religious sentiments and devotion, and I cannot 
 bear to hear you speak of it as a fraud and a delusion.' 
 
 ' Nevertheless, I am afraid that regard to the interests 
 of truth must compel me to speak of it thus,' answered 
 the Sheikh ' at least, so far as its claims to stand on the 
 site of Calvary and the tomb of Christ are concerned. 
 Apart from these claims, I quite agree with you that the 
 church itself is eminently deserving of our most reverent 
 and devout affection, inasmuch as it has been the scene 
 of innumerable pilgrimages, heartfelt devotions, and costly 
 votive offerings of holy and self-sacrificing Christians for 
 fifteen centuries and a half.' 
 
 ' But how do you know that the site is not correct ?' 
 said the General Nuisance ; ' I don't see how there could 
 be any chance of a mistake about a thing like that.' 
 
 ' We shall have occasion to discuss that point fully 
 another time,' replied the Sheikh, ' and it is too long a 
 matter to enter into now.' 
 
 ' Now, all this elevated portion of the city to the right 
 of us is Mount Zion, I presume,' said the Fossil. ' Where 
 are all those trees ?' 
 
 62
 
 84 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' They are principally in the grounds of the Armenian 
 Convent,' answered the Sheikh ; ' the Armenians are rich 
 and powerful as an ecclesiastical force in Jerusalem, and 
 their church on Mount Zion, dedicated to St. James, 
 contains most costly and magnificent vestments and 
 appurtenances, besides a collection of absolutely priceless 
 old tiles and other decorations.' 
 
 * I hope we shall go there,' said the Enthusiast. 
 
 ' Yes,' replied the Sheikh ; ' that will be one of the first 
 places that we shall visit to-morrow.' 
 
 ' And what are those two large churches to the left of 
 the Armenian Convent ?' inquired the Enthusiast. 
 
 ' They are not churches, but Jewish synagogues ; they 
 are comparatively new, and all that crowded district 
 around them is the Jewish quarter of the city.' 
 
 ' Oh, look at all those beautifully-dressed people coming 
 up that curious narrow street with flat steps up it, and 
 crowding in that open square !' exclaimed the Gusher. 
 
 ' I guess those dresses wouldn't look so beautiful if you 
 were near them,' said Monte Carlo ; ' for they are only 
 ordinary peasants, and those gay colours are on very dirty 
 garments, I can assure you at least, if the natives of Jeru- 
 salem are like other Orientals, as I should judge they were 
 from what I saw as we were coming along from the station.' 
 
 ' Horribly dirty and smelling !' ejaculated the Pessi- 
 mist, who now spoke for the first time since they had 
 mounted the roof. ' Altogether, I must say that I cannot 
 see what you people have to rave about in this prospect 
 of Jerusalem, for to my eyes there seems nothing but 
 filth and squalor visible on all sides.' 
 
 * And I must say,' added the Matter-of-fact Man, ' that 
 Jerusalem seems a precious small city to make such a 
 fuss about.' 
 
 ' They do say that the first impressions of Jerusalem
 
 THE EFFECT OF ASSOCIATIONS 85 
 
 are generally disappointing,' rejoined the Angel, ' though 
 I cannot say that it is so in my case, for I think this view 
 is perfectly enchanting.' 
 
 ' Yes, but wait till you get down into the streets, 
 and are jostled about by the odoriferous crowd to- 
 morrow,' said Monte Carlo, ' and then I shall be very much 
 surprised if you are not woefully disenchanted.' 
 
 ' Do you think Jerusalem disappointing ?' asked the 
 Angel, turning to the Sheikh. 
 
 ' That all depends upon what the visitor expects to 
 find,' he answered. ' If you ask me my candid opinion, 
 I should say that to the majority of travellers Jerusalem 
 is undoubtedly more or less disappointing at first. It is, 
 as our friend here justly remarks, very much smaller 
 than most people have pictured to themselves ; it is 
 emphatically dirty, its streets are narrow, and its inhabi- 
 tants squalid and poverty-stricken. But, as I think you 
 will agree with me before we leave this city, as one goes 
 " round about Zion and tells the towers thereof " ; as 
 one wanders through its valleys and climbs its hills ; as 
 one ruminates upon Olivet or the green hill of Calvary ; 
 as one treads the courts of its temple area ; as little by 
 little the associations of the past become impressed upon 
 one's heart and memory, so, gradually, Jerusalem twines 
 itself around one's inmost affections in a manner quite 
 distinct from that of any other place or city in the world 
 with which I am acquainted, until at length one feels 
 within one's self a strong re-echoing of that devout 
 sentiment uttered by the Hebrew captive on the banks 
 of the waters of Babylon : " If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, 
 let my right hand forget its cunning." Notwithstanding 
 all its dirt, its misery, its squalor, and its fallen condition, 
 Jerusalem is, and ever can be, nothing less than the " City 
 of the Great King," the " Joy of the Whole Earth." '
 
 MOUNT ZION 
 
 Yusef Bethlehem women Christ Church The Church and Convent 
 of St. James The Royal Tombs The Ccenaculuni The Palace 
 of Caiaphas The house of St. John the Evangelist King 
 Solomon's gardens The Pool of Siloam The Last Supper in 
 art and in reality. 
 
 NEXT morning, after breakfast, the Sheikh was in the 
 vestibule of the hotel with the greater part of the tribe, 
 waiting for one or two of the laggards to turn up previous 
 to starting for a long morning ramble around the walls 
 and outskirts of the city, when a handsome and athletic- 
 looking native, seemingly about thirty years of age, 
 entered with haste, and, gazing around him till his eyes 
 rested on the Sheikh, hurried forward, with a look 
 of happy delight upon hL manly countenance, and, 
 seizing hold of the Sheikh's right hand, saluted it 
 with a kiss of homage and respect. 
 
 He was dressed in a long flowing cotton garment, 
 called a kombaz, of a brilliant yellow colour with thin 
 red stripes, which was girded round the waist with a 
 sash of many hues. Over this he wore a striped abbayeh. 
 as the outer robe or burnoose is called in Syria, and on 
 his head was a handsome silk koofiyeh, or kerchief, with 
 tassels flowing over his broad shoulders, and a fillet of 
 black goat's wool across his forehead, to keep the koofiyeh 
 
 86
 
 YUSEF 87 
 
 in its place. He had on his feet a pair of bright yellow 
 riding-boots reaching up to his knees, which he had 
 purchased some years past in the Damascus bazaars. 
 He looked hot and travel-worn, and had evidently only 
 that moment arrived. 
 
 ' Marhabah, ya Hawajah,' he said, as he bowed low 
 before the Sheikh; ' keef halak ? Inshallah mabsoot.' 
 
 The meaning of this greeting in English was : 
 
 ' Welcome, honoured sir ; how do you do ? By the 
 grace of God, I trust you are well.' 
 
 Having returned this respectful salutation in an 
 equally warm and hearty manner, the Sheikh turned 
 to his companions and said : 
 
 ' I must introduce you to Yusef, my faithful friend 
 and body-servant. Yusef is indispensable to me and my 
 friends when we are travelling through the country, and 
 I have scarcely ever made a journey in Palestine without 
 having him with me. I feel happy now that he has 
 arrived, for everything is sure to go all right with his 
 assistance.' 
 
 Yusef went round in turn to all the members of the 
 tribe, and gave them the same graceful form of salute, 
 in true Oriental fashion, by bending in front of them 
 with the shoulders slightly bowed and placing his right 
 hand successively on his forehead, his mouth, and his 
 heart, whilst his left hand was resting on the folds of his 
 girdle. By this symbolical action the Oriental implies 
 that all his vital energies, brain, mouth, and heart, are 
 at the service of the one he thus greets ; or, since the brain 
 is the seat of the thought, the mouth of the word, and the 
 heart of the action, by this beautiful and expressive 
 motion he virtually says : ' In thought, and word, and 
 deed, I am thy servant.' 
 
 In only too many cases this profession of service is
 
 88 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 a mere idle form of politeness, and the person who per- 
 forms it will probably cheat you the very first oppor- 
 tunity that he has ; but in Yusef 's case it was thoroughly 
 genuine, for a truer-hearted or more faithful fellow never 
 breathed on God's earth. He had been attached to the 
 Sheikh for many years, and the latter was delighted to 
 see his faithful henchman appear, though he fully ex- 
 pected that he would that morning arrive. He had 
 sent him notice of his coming several weeks beforehand, 
 and Yusef never failed to put in an appearance on the 
 morning of the arrival of the Sheikh at Jerusalem. It 
 was the third day since his departure from his home on 
 Mount Carmel, a Druse village named Dalieh, where the 
 Sheikh had resided for some years with his beloved 
 friend, the late Laurence Oliphant. Yusef was a Druse 
 himself, and one of the best specimens of that exceedingly 
 interesting and attractive race, certainly the finest and 
 purest type of any of the native races of Syria. 
 
 The Sheikh sent him off immediately to have something 
 to eat, and by the time that everyone was ready to start 
 on the morning's excursion Yusef had finished his simple 
 repast, and was quite prepared to enter upon his duties 
 at once as general attendant, to minister to the needs 
 and comfort of all. He immediately relieved the ladies 
 of their wraps and parasols, and thus laden, he sallied 
 forth at the head of the party to marshal their progress 
 and to clear a way for them through the crowded and 
 narrow streets and lanes of Jerusalem. 
 
 In straggling array they passed out of the arcade in 
 which the entrance to the hotel is situated, and emerged 
 into an open square, on the right-hand side of which stood 
 the citadel known as the Tower of David. A narrow 
 bridge across a dry moat connected the citadel with the 
 square, which was the principal market-place of the city.
 
 BETHLEHEM WOMEN 89 
 
 A Turkish soldier in well-worn uniform stood on sentry 
 duty at the entrance to the citadel, and on the pavement 
 in front were a crowd of native women and children 
 squatting upon the ground, and chattering together in 
 shrill voices over their huge baskets of vegetables. 
 
 ' Where in the world have all these creatures come 
 from ?' exclaimed the General Nuisance, eyeing them as 
 if she would like to pounce down upon them and either 
 reform them to her own ideas or wipe them off the surface 
 of the earth. 
 
 ' They are peasants from the villages in the country- 
 side around the city,' replied the Sheikh, ' and they 
 have brought the produce of their gardens to the market.' 
 
 The Matter-of-fact Man went up to one of the women, 
 and, utterly regardless of the clamouring which she set 
 up, proceeded deliberately to overhaul the contents of 
 her basket, examining the vegetables one by one, to 
 compare them in his mind with those which he had seen 
 so often exhibited for sale in the market-place of his 
 own Midland home. 
 
 One of the children thrust an evil-smelling basket in 
 the very face of the Pessimist in her eager efforts to 
 enter into a bargain with him ; and the poor man was 
 so overcome by disgust and annoyance that he made as 
 though he would at once have returned to the hotel if 
 he had not been taken in hand by Monte Carlo and the 
 Enthusiast. 
 
 ' Oh, do look at those lovely, dear, quaint costumes !' 
 exclaimed the Gusher, pointing to a group of picturesque 
 women who were clad in a distinctive garment of their own 
 
 ' Those are Bethlehem women,' explained the Sheikh 
 ' Most travellers are struck with their fashion of dress- 
 which is, indeed, exceedingly becoming and graceful.' 
 
 The Archbishop now caught sight of a very English-
 
 90 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 looking church, on the left-hand side of the square, and 
 remarked on the pleasing familiarity of its architecture 
 and appearance. 
 
 ' That,' said the Sheikh, ' belongs to the London Jews 
 Society, and is known as Christ Church. As you say, 
 there is no mistaking the nationality of those who de- 
 signed and erected it. It dates from the year 1842, the 
 foundation being laid by Bishop Alexander, the first 
 Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem.' 
 
 Crossing to the further or southern end of the square, 
 the Sheikh led his tribe into a narrow lane, paved with 
 rough cobbles, and bounded on either side by lofty walls. 
 
 ' We are now approaching Mount Zion,' he said, ' and 
 I am going to take you in the first place to the Armenian 
 Convent and Church of St. James.' 
 
 As he spoke these words he passed through a broad 
 arched doorway which stood on the left-hand side of the 
 lane, and the whole tribe followed him into the precincts 
 of a large and massively-built convent. Two long- 
 bearded priests clad in the garb of the Armenian clergy 
 came forward to meet them, and, having greeted the 
 Sheikh in Arabic as an old acquaintance, one of them 
 courteously waved to the others to follow him, and led 
 the way across a paved courtway to the door of the 
 ancient church belonging to the convent. 
 
 An exclamation of suppressed admiration and surprise 
 escaped from more than one of the party as they entered 
 the church, for the interior of the edifice was magnifi- 
 cently and elaborately decorated, and there was about 
 the whole an air of barbaric splendour which rendered 
 it very distinct in all its arrangements from any other 
 churches or cathedrals with which they were acquainted. 
 The floor was paved with large slabs of marble of various 
 colours and shades, and the walls were covered with oil-
 
 CHURCH AND CONVENT OF ST. JAMES 91 
 
 paintings in massive frames, the pictures being evidently 
 extremely ancient, curious and quaint in their subject 
 and composition, and the majority of them certainly 
 more striking than beautiful. An enormous glass chan- 
 delier hung from the centre of the massive domed ceiling, 
 and encircling it was a large framework of iron, from 
 which was suspended a number of costly lamps, inter- 
 mingled with innumerable ostrich eggs. The latter were 
 purely for the purpose of ornament, and they are not 
 unfrequently to be found in great abundance in Oriental 
 places of worship, whether they be Christian churches 
 or Moslem mosques. 
 
 The altar was laden with a profusion of vases con- 
 taining huge bunches of artificial flowers, which had 
 evidently been there for many years, and were for the 
 most part incrusted with dust. A countless number of 
 hanging lamps were suspended by chains from the roof 
 of the altar sanctuary. In addition to these extensive, 
 though somewhat tawdry, decorations, the church con- 
 tained many works of art which were really beautiful 
 and exquisite, most of them being of great antiquity, and 
 some literally priceless in their value. 
 
 The rails which separated the sanctuary from the body 
 of the church were of massive construction and of ad- 
 mirably-wrought workmanship ; and immediately within 
 them to the left stood an elaborate throne, surmounted 
 by a canopy of cedar-wood inlaid with ivory and tortoise- 
 shell of a lovely design, the whole being most satisfying 
 to the eye. A smaller throne without a canopy stood 
 beside it, and this was appropriated to the use of the 
 Armenian Patriarch in Jerusalem. The canopied throne 
 is never used, being considered by the Armenians to be 
 too sacred an object. According to Armenian tradition, 
 their convent and church stand on the site of the building
 
 92 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 in which the first Apostolic Council was held, and at which 
 St. James the Less, first Bishop of Jerusalem, is recorded 
 in the Acts of the Apostles to have presided. This is 
 the reason why the church is dedicated to St. James, and 
 the sacred throne within its sanctuary is supposed by 
 the Armenians to be the identical chair on which the 
 presiding Apostle sat at that first great council. ; 
 
 All this the Sheikh explained to his companions whilst 
 they were examining with wonder and curiosity this 
 ancient and interesting church. 
 
 ' Oh, how exquisitely delightful to think of that chair 
 having been used by one of those dear old Apostles !' 
 exclaimed the Gusher. ' Do you think I might be 
 allowed to sit down on it ?' 
 
 ' Please do not attempt anything of the sort,' replied 
 the Sheikh. ' You would send this poor priest into a 
 fit at once, and no one is allowed even to touch it ; and 
 the priest whose duty it is to dust it has to wash his 
 hands first with holy water, and to repeat the operation 
 when he has finished.' 
 
 ' You ought to be ashamed of yourself for suggesting 
 such a thing,' put in the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' You don't imagine, madam, for a single moment, do 
 you, that that chair was really used by the Apostle James ?' 
 said the Fossil, with a smile of contempt at the Gusher's 
 credulity. 
 
 ' Of course. Why not ?' she exclaimed indignantly. 
 ' I don't see that we ought to disbelieve these dear good 
 people's word.' 
 
 ' And how are these dear good people, as you call 
 them, to know any better than ourselves what happened 
 eighteen hundred years and more ago ?' he asked. 
 
 ' I am afraid that your faith in this ancient relic is 
 rather misplaced,' remarked the Sheikh, turning round
 
 THE CHURCH OF ST. JAMES 93 
 
 to the Gusher. ' There is not the slightest probability, 
 or even possibility, of this being a genuine relic. In those 
 very primitive days of simplicity, when those poor 
 Galilean peasants and fishermen met to discuss the 
 matters connected with their infant religion, they would 
 hardly have had such an elaborate and costly article of 
 furniture as that for the chair on which one of their 
 number was to sit.' 
 
 ' Perhaps they had the original chair converted into 
 this gorgeous arrangement,' suggested the Enthusiast. 
 
 ' Perhaps !' replied the Sheikh, smiling, ' but not in the 
 remotest degree probable.' 
 
 The priest next conducted them to a chapel or recess 
 in the northern wall of the church, on the marble floor 
 of which was a carved cross with a lighted lamp sus- 
 pended above it. The entrance to this chapel had for 
 its doorway a couple of folding panels hung upon hinges, 
 and made of the same inlaid woodwork as the canopy 
 of the throne, but far more costly and beautiful. It is 
 doubtful, indeed, whether any more exquisite specimen 
 of Oriental inlaid work can be found anywhere, unless 
 it be the pulpit of Saladin in the Mosque of Aksa, on the 
 temple area in Jerusalem. 
 
 ' This chapel is said by the Armenians to stand upon 
 the spot where St. James was beheaded by Herod's 
 orders,' explained the Sheikh, ' and the cross on the floor 
 marks the supposed place where his head fell. But the 
 Armenians have committed a strange error of confusion ; 
 for it was St. James the Great, the brother of St. John, who 
 was beheaded by Herod, whilst the St. James who pre- 
 sided at the Apostolic Council, and to whom this church 
 is dedicated, was St. James the Less, the son of Alpheus.' 
 
 ' That Alpheus is believed to be identical with the 
 Cleopas mentioned by St. Luke as being one of the two
 
 94 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 disciples on the way to Emmaus,' observed the Arch- 
 bishop in parenthesis. 
 
 ' Oh, indeed !' remarked the Fossil curtly. 
 
 Before they left the church their Armenian guide, who 
 seemed most anxious that they should miss nothing, took 
 them to another side-chapel in the south aisle, the walls 
 of which were covered with extremely ancient encaustic 
 tiles of a rich deep blue and white, many of them repre- 
 senting Biblical scenes and characters, executed in the 
 quaintest and most primitive manner possible. The 
 Sheikh informed his hearers that each separate slab was 
 almost worth its weight in gold. He also told them that 
 the ecclesiastical and eucharistic vestments belonging to 
 that church were probably the richest and most valuable 
 in Christendom. Unfortunately, as the priest informed 
 him in answer to his inquiry, the sacristan of the church 
 was gone down to the market-place, and had taken the 
 keys of the vestry with him, so that he was unable to 
 show them these costly vestments. 
 
 As the tribe filed singly out of the church, the Armenian 
 priest stood at the door with a phial of scented water in 
 his hand, and with this he sprinkled their faces and 
 handkerchiefs, by way of a parting salute and benedic- 
 tion. On their return across the courtyard to the en- 
 trance gateway, they were met by the other priest whom 
 they had seen on their first arrival, and by him they were 
 conducted along the road to another arched gate in the 
 lofty walls. Having opened this, he ushered them into a 
 deliciously cool and sheltered garden, with a romantic 
 old-world air about it, and shaded by venerable trees of 
 considerable height, with thick, branching foliage. These 
 were some of those cypresses and evergreen oaks which 
 they had observed the evening before from the roof of 
 their hotel, and the garden belonged to the Armenian
 
 BAB-NEBY-DAOOD 95 
 
 Convent, being the favourite resort of retirement of the 
 Patriarch himself, who delighted to wander in solitude 
 amongst its shady walks, meditating on religious matters, 
 or pondering over any difficult questions that he might 
 have to decide. 
 
 ' This reminds me of that verse in the well-known 
 
 hymn : 
 
 ' " Thy gardens and thy goodly walks," ' 
 
 remarked the Archbishop to his daughter. 
 
 ' Yes,' replied the Angel ; ' one might almost fancy that 
 one was in Paradise itself.' 
 
 ' In other words, we might now be in the New Jeru- 
 salem instead of in the Old,' he answered, with a smile. 
 
 The Sheikh could not allow the tribe to wander long in 
 this cool and shady retreat, for time was hastening on, 
 and they had much to see that morning. Having bidden 
 farewell to their courteous Armenian host, they proceeded 
 southwards along the lane, till they reached a fine old 
 gateway in the city walls. 
 
 ' This,' explained the Sheikh as they passed through it, 
 ' is known to the natives as Bab-neby-Daood, or the gate 
 of the prophet David, because the pathway along which 
 we are now going leads to the traditional site of the royal 
 sepulchres of David, Solomon, and nine of the Kings of 
 Judah. You see that group of picturesque buildings in 
 front of you those are supposed to stand immediately 
 above the tombs.' 
 
 * But surely that question can be definitely decided by 
 excavation,' observed the Archbishop. 
 
 ' Unfortunately, that is just what is impossible at 
 present,' replied the Sheikh ; ' for the place belongs to a 
 very fanatical sect of Moslems, who are extremely jealous 
 of anyone visiting the spot, and who absolutely refuse to 
 allow any excavations to be made.'
 
 96 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' But what is your own opinion on the subject ? 
 asked the Enthusiast ; ' do you think that the sepulchres 
 are really there ?' 
 
 ' Perhaps it would be better to ask, " Do you think 
 that there are any sepulchres there at all ?" ' remarked 
 the Fossil. 
 
 ' There can be little doubt upon that point,' replied the 
 Sheikh, ignoring the veiled sarcasm of the Fossil's ob- 
 servation. ' The sepulchres were undoubtedly some- 
 where on Mount Zion, and excavations have failed to 
 discover them elsewhere. Moreover, this site is regarded 
 as genuine by all natives, Christians, Jews, and Moslems 
 alike ; and whenever this is the case there is always a 
 strong primd facie probability in favour of the tradition.' 
 
 ' We are on Mount Zion, then, are we ?' asked the 
 Enthusiast. 
 
 ' Yes ; the Bab-neby-Daood, through which we have 
 just passed, is commonly called in English " Zion Gate," 
 because of a hill on which it stands.' 
 
 ' I always understood that the royal sepulchres were 
 inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,' said the Angel 
 ' at least, I fancy that I have read so in the " Memoirs 
 of the Palestine Exploration Society." 
 
 ' Such a conjecture was certainly suggested by one of 
 the explorers,' replied the Sheikh ; ' but there is nothing 
 to support that theory, and the locality in no way agrees 
 with the description given in the Old Testament records.' 
 
 ' But surely the tombs of the Kings are well known ?' 
 mildly interposed the Pessimist ; ' I am sure that I have 
 seen photographs of them.' 
 
 ' There are some remarkable rock-cut sepulchres which 
 are commonly, though erroneously, called by that name,' 
 said the Sheikh ; ' but they are entirely out of the question 
 as regards David and his successors, for they are a long
 
 THE ROYAL TOMBS 97 
 
 way from Mount Zion, on the northern road from Jeru- 
 salem. We shall see them another day, and then I will 
 tell you more about them.' 
 
 ' Oh, dear Mr. Sheikh, what I want to know is whether 
 any treasures would be found in these wonderful tombs 
 if they were discovered and opened,' cried the Gusher. 
 
 ' Not the slightest chance of that,' replied the Sheikh. 
 ' Josephus tells us that the royal sepulchres were plun- 
 dered by Hyrcanus in the second century before Christ, 
 to provide funds for his pressing needs when he was being 
 besieged by Antioclus. Herod the Great also afterwards 
 opened the tombs with the object of obtaining treasure 
 for himself, and was grievously disappointed to discover 
 that the greater part of it had already disappeared.' 
 
 ' You may bet your bottom dollar that precious little 
 is left if that old scoundrel Herod had a go at them,' 
 remarked Monte Carlo. ' From what I have read and 
 heard about him, he was the wrong sort of fellow to leave 
 anything behind him that he could carry away for his 
 own royal coffers.' 
 
 ' If there isn't any thing to see here,' snapped the 
 General Nuisance, ' I don't see the use of our wasting our 
 time here any longer. Let's get on to something else.' 
 
 ' Oh, but there is something to see, quite independently 
 of the royal tombs,' said the Sheikh, ' and I am going to 
 take you to it now. If it were undoubtedly genuine, it 
 would be one of the most interesting and sacred spots in 
 or around Jerusalem, but I am bound to tell you that the 
 tradition concerning it is by no means reliable.' 
 
 He therefore summoned Yusef , who had been standing 
 a little way apart from the main body of the tribe en- 
 deavouring to satisfy the Matter-of-fact Man's curiosity 
 as to the method of adjusting and fastening the various 
 articles composing his Oriental costume. 
 
 7
 
 98 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' Tell that man I want to speak to him,' said the Sheikh 
 to Yusef, indicating an unprepossessing-looking native 
 who had all along been eyeing the party with jealous sus- 
 picion, tempered, probably, with the hope of baksheesh. 
 
 Yusef soon brought the man to the Sheikh's side, and 
 a short altercation ensued between them in Arabic, 
 which resulted in the man's moving forward, with ap- 
 parent reluctance, to a stone staircase on the outside 
 of a portion of the buildings. A doorway stood at the 
 top of the staircase, and this the man proceeded with great 
 deliberation to unlock and open. On passing through it, 
 the tribe found themselves in a large vaulted chamber, 
 divided into two aisles by a single row of columns. 
 
 ' This place is usually known as the Coenaculum,' the 
 Sheikh explained to his followers, ' and, according to 
 medieval tradition, it is the very upper chamber where 
 the Last Supper of the Lord was held. The tradition 
 further goes on to say that it was in this same room that 
 the disciples were gathered together on the day of Pente- 
 cost, when the outpouring of the Holy Spirit took place.' 
 
 ' How solemn and beautiful !' murmured the Arch- 
 bishop in low, reverential tones ; ' this is indeed a holy 
 place.' 
 
 * But that must be all rubbish,' objected the Fossil in 
 a hard, dry manner which jarred upon the ears of several 
 members of the tribe ; ' this building is clearly not older 
 than the fourteenth century, at the earliest, as the style 
 of its architecture shows.' 
 
 * That is true,' replied the Sheikh, ' as regards the actual 
 edifice, for it is a portion of a church which was erected 
 here by the Franciscan monks. But it is equally certain 
 that it stands upon the site of ajar earlier church ; for 
 Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, who lived in the fourth 
 century A.D., makes mention of this site with considerable
 
 99 
 
 reverence as being, even in his day, connected by tradition 
 with the Last Supper and the Pentecostal incidents.' 
 
 ' Then surely the tradition is probably true, if it is as 
 early as that ?' pleaded the Angel. 
 
 ' That does not follow altogether, I am afraid,' replied 
 the Sheikh ; ' for, as you will see when we examine the 
 question of the true position of Calvary, all certainty 
 about the early Christian sites had been lost long before 
 the time of Cyril.' 
 
 ' I think it is very annoying that there should be so 
 much doubt about all these places,' exclaimed the General 
 Nuisance in a tone which seemed to imply that she con- 
 sidered these uncertainties to be a personal affront against 
 herself. 
 
 ' It is a pity, of course,' replied the Sheikh, smiling ; 
 ' but I am afraid there is no remedy for it at this late 
 period of time.' 
 
 ' Oh, but I think it so very, very nice, do you know, 
 that we should have these lovely things to see and to hear 
 about, even if they are not perfectly certain,' said the 
 Gusher. ' I believe they are all true myself I do, indeed 
 and that is quite enough for me.' 
 
 ' Quite enough, my dear lady,' agreed Monte Carlo ; 
 ' you are very wise to believe them all, and I should 
 certainly go on doing so, if it affords you any pleasure 
 and gratification.' 
 
 ' Now,' said the Enthusiast, moving towards the door, 
 is there anything more for us to see in this neighbour- 
 hood ? I vote that we go and see something else.' 
 
 ' Oh, there is plenty more for those who don't mind 
 about being very particular as to the genuineness of what 
 they are shown,' remarked the Sheikh, as he placed a coin 
 in the hand of the man who had opened the door for them. 
 ' For example, if you will follow me a few yards, I will 
 
 72
 
 100 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 show you a house which, according to the Armenians, to 
 whom it belongs, was the scene of many remarkable 
 incidents.' 
 
 He led them to the house of which he had spoken, and 
 which was evidently of comparatively modern construc- 
 tion. 
 
 * Now, this,' he said, ' if we are to believe the Armenian 
 tradition, ' is the actual palace of the High Priest Caia- 
 phas ; and in the grounds belonging to it, if you are 
 credulous enough to believe it, they will show you the 
 very spot where Peter stood when he denied Christ, and 
 even the stone on which the cock was perched when he 
 crowed.' 
 
 ' What childish rubbish !' observed the Fossil. 
 
 ' I don't exactly think that,' said the Archbishop, 
 ' though I confess that such details as those do not appeal 
 to me personally very much. Still, I can conceive that 
 they are useful to many people as memorials of the 
 sacred events.' 
 
 ' Oh, but I assure you that there are thousands of devout 
 pilgrims who visit these and similar so-called holy sites 
 every year, believing from their heart that everything 
 that is shown to them is literally true,' said the Sheikh. 
 
 ' The world is full of fools,' sententiously remarked 
 the Matter-of-fact Man. 
 
 ' And knaves too,' warmly rejoined Monte Carlo ; ' for 
 one cannot suppose for a moment that the blessed monks 
 believe in these things themselves. They only invent 
 and keep up these fictitious impostures in order to extort 
 offerings from the ignorant, deluded pilgrims.' 
 
 ' How do you know ?' exclaimed the General Nuisance. 
 ' T consider that you have no right to make such gratuitous 
 remarks.' 
 
 ' T hope you won't think me very, very foolish,' said
 
 HOUSE OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST 101 
 
 the Gusher shyly, ' but I really should like very much to 
 go and see the stone where the cock crew, and the place 
 where Peter stood.' 
 
 ' So should I,' exclaimed the Enthusiast. ' Can we 
 go?' 
 
 ' Yes ; Yusef shall take you,' said the Sheikh good- 
 humouredly ; and Monte Carlo accompanied them, 
 followed by the Malaprop and the Pessimist. 
 
 Meanwhile the Sheikh pointed out to the rest of the 
 tribe a smaller house adjoining the one at which they had 
 been looking, and told them that pilgrims were informed 
 that that was the house of St. John the Evangelist, to 
 which the Virgin Mary was taken on the day of the 
 Crucifixion. 
 
 ' But we have had enough of these false sites for one 
 day,' he concluded ; ' so let us move on our way, and the 
 others will soon overtake us.' 
 
 They turned towards the east, skirting the exterior of 
 the city walls, and presently they came to a deep incline 
 which formed the southern slope of Mount Zion. A 
 remarkable prospect here opened to their view : a series 
 of terraces led down to a deep valley below, and as far as 
 the eye could reach this valley stretched between rows 
 of undulating hills. On the horizon the mountains stood 
 out, clothed with a rich purple hue. At the bottom of the 
 garden terraces a pool of water glistened in the sunlight. 
 The Sheikh halted his party at this spot, and, directing 
 their attention to the landscape in front of them, he said : 
 
 ' Those gardens which you see beneath us are known 
 to the present day as the King's Gardens, and they 
 undoubtedly were in ancient times the famous royal 
 gardens, originally laid out by King Solomon himself. 
 The valley stretching away in the distance is the Valley 
 of the Kedron, which is formed by the junction of the
 
 102 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 two great valleys of Hinnom and Jehoshaphat. You 
 can see the mouth of the Valley of Hinnom down there 
 to the south, whilst that of Jehoshaphat, which is at 
 present hidden from our view, but which I shall show 
 you by-and-by, runs behind the ridge on which those 
 gardens stand, and between them and that native village 
 which you see clambering up that hillside yonder to the 
 east. That village is Siloam, and that body of water 
 which you see down in the hollow, just where Hinnom 
 and Jehoshaphat meet, is the Pool of Siloam itself.' 
 
 ' How delightfully interesting !' exclaimed the Gusher. 
 ' I hope you will take us down to the pool.' 
 
 ' I have little thought,' said the Archbishop, ' when I 
 have been joining in that glorious hymn, 
 
 1 " By cool Siloam 's shady rill," 
 
 that I should ever visit that sacred spot myself.' 
 
 ' And if you take my advice,' said the Sheikh, ' you 
 never will. I should recommend you to rest contented 
 with gazing upon its waters from this elevated point of 
 vantage. For if you ever were disillusioned in your 
 life, you would be if you ventured in close proximity to 
 the Pool of Siloam. The good Bishop Heber, who wrote 
 that famous hymn, could certainly never have been there. 
 Had he been he would have known that, in the first place, 
 it is not cool ; in the second, it is not shady ; and in the 
 third, it is not a rill at all. As you can see for yourselves 
 now, it lies right down at the bottom of that deep valley, 
 and being exposed to the scorching rays of the noontide 
 sun in its aspect towards the south, it is almost the hottest 
 place anywhere about Jerusalem. So far from being 
 shady, it lies in a treeless, stony soil, and, instead of being 
 a rill, it is a dirty stagnant pool, little better than a 
 common cesspool. The sewage of the city pours down
 
 THE LAST SUPPER IN ART 103 
 
 the open ditches in the hillside, and congregates beside 
 the pool, rendering it a horribly odoriferous, noxious, and 
 pestilential nuisance.' 
 
 ' And so ends another of our childhood's romances,' 
 remarked the Matter-of-fact Man, as they proceeded on 
 their way. 
 
 The afternoon of that, their first day in Jerusalem, 
 was spent by the members of the tribe in various ways. 
 The General Nuisance had a letter of introduction to an 
 English lady who was doing amateur mission-work on 
 her own account in Jerusalem, and was anxious to present 
 herself to her without delay. She insisted upon the 
 Angel accompanying her, which that unselfish creature 
 consented to do, though much against her inclination ; 
 and the Matter-of-fact Man, seeing that it was an un- 
 welcome task to her, good-naturedly offered to escort 
 them. The Gusher, the Malaprop, the Enthusiast, and 
 Monte Carlo sallied forth under the guidance of Yusef 
 to explore the shops and bazaars of Jerusalem. 
 
 The Pessimist, on the plea of over-fatigue from the 
 morning's ramble, retired to his chamber to rest, and 
 the Sheikh remained in the smoking-saloon of the hotel 
 to keep the Archbishop and the Fossil company. Their 
 conversation naturally turned upon the scenes which 
 they had visited that morning, and, speaking of the 
 Upper Chamber, the Archbishop remarked : 
 
 ' What a terrible pity it is that Leonardo da Vinci's 
 masterpiece at Milan should be fading so rapidly away. 
 I have always regarded that fresco as being the most 
 magnificent representation of the Last Supper that art 
 has ever produced.' 
 
 ' I quite agree with you in lamenting its decay,' said 
 the Sheikh ; ' for as a work of art it is supreme. But as 
 regards its representation of the Last Supper I must
 
 104 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 differ from you in toto, for I look upon it as having been 
 the means of conveying to the modern mind in general 
 an entirely erroneous and misleading conception of what 
 actually took place.' 
 
 ' Indeed !' exclaimed the Archbishop in surprise. ' I 
 always thought it so very realistic and accurate.' 
 
 'Nothing could well be further from the truth as far as the 
 physical conditions of the scene are concerned,' returned 
 the Sheikh, ' though I readily admit that the devotional 
 spirit of that solemn incident is admirably portrayed.' 
 
 ' But how is it inaccurate ?' urged the cleric. 
 
 ' In the first place, the long trestle table with the flow- 
 ing white cloth is utterly wrong,' replied the Sheikh ; 
 ' then the plates, knives, and forks are equally inaccurate ; 
 and finally, the attitudes and postures of our Lord and 
 the Apostles are as far as possible from the original 
 reality. If you had been present at that scene in the 
 Upper Chamber, you would have observed no table, no 
 cloth, no seats, none of the modern appliance of eating 
 which are depicted by Leonardo da Vinci and the other 
 famous painters. The whole party would have been 
 sitting on the floor, either cross-legged or squatting on 
 their haunches, round a large circular straw mat, upon 
 which would have been placed two dishes, the one con- 
 taining the principal article of food, probably a pile of 
 lentils with scraps of cold meat around it, and the other 
 containing the sop, which was a mixture resembling 
 curds and whey, prepared from sour goat's milk.' 
 
 ' But surely,' interposed the Fossil, ' you are forgetting 
 that the Jews at that time were under Roman influence, 
 and hence it is most probable that the triclinium and 
 table had been introduced in Palestine then.' 
 
 ' If the party in the Upper Chamber had belonged to 
 the higher classes of society there would have been some
 
 THE LAST SUPPER IN REALITY 105 
 
 force in your objection,' replied the Sheikh, ' but you 
 must remember that, after all, they were but poor Galilean 
 peasants, and that they would certainly have taken their 
 meals like other peasants of their class. Now, there 
 can be little doubt that as the peasants feed in this 
 country at the present time, so they fed in the time of 
 Christ ; for in these matters and amongst that class 
 scarcely anything changes as the ages pass by. More- 
 over, if there had been any change at all, it would cer- 
 tainly have been in the way of evolution rather than 
 otherwise that is to say, if there were any difference, 
 the customs would have been even more primitive in 
 those days than they are at present.' 
 
 ' I follow you there,' said the Fossil, and the Arch- 
 bishop also nodded his acquiescence. 
 
 ' Well, then,' continued the Sheikh, ' whilst I was living 
 on Mount Carmel I was determined to obtain a photo- 
 graph of the way in which the peasants take their meals. 
 I therefore invited the principal Sheikhs and farmers of 
 my village to partake of a midday meal at my house. 
 The meal was spread upon the floor of the verandah, 
 immediately outside my principal sitting-room, exactly 
 in accordance with the native custom. My servant Yusef, 
 in obedience to my request, arranged the preparations 
 and presided at the feast. Meanwhile I had a camera, 
 carefully concealed from view by a curtain, adjusted in 
 the window in my sitting-room, and whilst my guests 
 were in the act of eating, the photographer took an 
 instantaneous view of them, none of them being aware 
 of what was done. In this way I secured a perfectly 
 genuine picture of the scene, and here it is.' 
 
 The Sheikh at these words produced a photograph from 
 his pocket-book, and handed it to his two companions, 
 who examined it minutely and with great interest.
 
 106 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' You will notice how they are seated on the ground,' 
 said the Sheikh, ' exactly in the postures which I have 
 already described. You see the two dishes, and you 
 will observe how they are dipping their hands together 
 into the principal dish. That white thing on the ground 
 by the side of the dish containing the sop is the bread. 
 It is not in loaves, like our bread, but rather in the 
 form of elongated pancakes. They tear off a strip of 
 this, dexterously twirl it up like a ladle or spoon, 
 dip it in the sop, which they thus convey to their 
 mouths. If there is a specially honoured guest at the 
 meal, the host will dip the piece of bread into the sop, 
 and offer it to him, just as Christ offered the sop to 
 Judas. There, again, you can recognise Yusef in the 
 foreground to the left, and you will notice he holds a 
 cup in his hand. Now they never drink whilst they are 
 eating their meal ; but when it is over, and not before, 
 the host or his representative takes the cup in his hand, 
 says reverently, " Nish Kar Allah ; Hamdillah,' which 
 signifies, " Let us thank God ; praise God," and then 
 takes a draught himself. This is to show his guests 
 that there is no poison in the cup. He then hands the 
 cup to his neighbour, saying " Ishraib," which means 
 " Drink," and turning to the whole company, he adds 
 " Ishribum Kulu," which means, " Drink ye all." The 
 cup is then passed round, each guest in turn giving 
 thanks before he drinks. You will remember that we 
 are expressly told that it was after supper that Christ 
 took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave 
 it to His disciples, saying, "Drink ye all of this." Here, 
 then, you have the whole scene properly reproduced in 
 this snapshot photograph of an actual meal.' 
 
 ' How intensely interesting !' sighed the Archbishop ; 
 and the Fossil seemed scarcely less impressed.
 
 THE LAST SUPPER IN REALITY 107 
 
 ' What completes the realism of the picture,' con- 
 cluded the Sheikh, ' is the curious coincidence that there 
 are actually thirteen persons at this feast. That was 
 quite an accident, and I did not realize it until after- 
 wards. I can give you each a copy of this photograph ; 
 and thus you will be able to carry about with you as true 
 a representation of that scene of the Last Supper as the 
 mediaeval pictures are inaccurate and misleading.'
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE TEMPLE AREA 
 
 The Consular Kawass David Street The Cotton Merchants' Bazaar 
 The Court of the Gentiles What happened to St. Paul. 
 
 A LOUD knock came at the door of the Sheikh's bedroom 
 on the following morning, just as he was finishing his 
 toilet. He opened the door, and the Enthusiast entered. 
 
 ' There is a magnificent and gorgeous fellow asking for 
 you in the saloon,' he said ; ' he may be anything from 
 the Sultan's chief bottle-washer to the Mikado of Japan. 
 To judge from his appearance, he seems to me a sort of 
 half-breed between a Mansion-House flunkey on Lord 
 Mayor's Show day and the Commander-in-Chief of the 
 British army ; only he is not a Britisher. And then, his 
 raiment of divers colours of needlework ! Most certainly, 
 Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like him. Who- 
 ever can he be ?' 
 
 ' I know him,' laughed the Sheikh heartily ; ' he is the 
 Consular Kawass ; I sent word to him to come this 
 morning.' 
 
 ' And what on earth may a Consular Kawass be ?' 
 asked the Enthusiast. 
 
 ' He is the official servant of the British Consulate,' 
 he replied ; ' and a very important and valuable func- 
 tionary I assure you he is.' 
 
 ' There is no doubt about his importance,' replied the 
 
 108
 
 THE CONSULAR KAWASS 109 
 
 Enthusiast ; ' he bears all that sufficiently conspicuously 
 on his person and apparel ; nor is there much doubt either 
 about his value, for I should think if he were put up to 
 auction just as he stands, he would fetch garments, 
 sword, pistols, silver-topped wand, and all at the very 
 lowest estimate ten thousand pounds, without reckoning 
 in his overwhelming military moustache. But, seriously, 
 what is his practical use ?' 
 
 ' You will very soon discover that for yourself,' was the 
 reply ; ' for without his presence and patronage we 
 should be absolutely unable to obtain admission to-day 
 into the Haram-esh-Shereef.' 
 
 ' The Harem what !' exclaimed the astonished Enthu- 
 siast ; ' you never told me that we were going to be taken 
 into a harem. By Jove ! this is stunning ! I thought 
 you had arranged for us to spend the greater part of the 
 day at the Temple Area.' 
 
 ' And so we shall,' answered the Sheikh, laughing 
 again at his companion's mistake. ' The Haram-esh- 
 Shereef is not the sanctum of some Turk's or Syrian's 
 seraglio, as you appear to imagine. It is merely the 
 native name for the Temple enclosure.' 
 
 ' And why, by all that's holy, do they call it by that 
 outlandish name ?' 
 
 ' It may sound outlandish to you, but probably not 
 more so than the words "Temple Area " would sound to 
 them ; " Haram-esh-Shereef " simply signifies " The Noble 
 Sanctuary," which is the very excellent and appropriate 
 title given by the Moslems to the sacred enclosure upon 
 which now stands the Dome of the Rock, and where 
 formerly stood the Jewish Temple.' 
 
 ' Well, but why could we not be admitted there, unless 
 we had the presence and patronage of this gorgeous swell ?' 
 
 ' Simply because it is the noble sanctuary. That is to
 
 110 ,;; PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 say, the Moslems consider the enclosure so noble and so 
 sacred that, if they dared, they would not allow anyone 
 except a Moslem to enter within its precincts ; and, 
 indeed, until comparatively a few years ago, everyone else 
 was rigorously excluded from it. Nowadays, owing to 
 the pressure put upon the Sultan by the Christian Powers, 
 this rigid exclusiveness is so far relaxed that Christian 
 visitors are permitted to penetrate within its precincts, 
 provided that they are attended by the Kawass of the 
 Consulate of the country to which they belong. He 
 becomes the outward symbol of the protection afforded 
 by the Government he represents to its subjects, and any 
 insult or violence offered to visitors under his charge 
 would be considered as tantamount to insult and violence 
 offered by the Ottoman Empire to the Government 
 represented by the Kawass. Now you see what I meant 
 when I said that your pompous and highly-decorated 
 friend is an important and valuable personage.' 
 
 As soon as possible after breakfast though this was 
 not as soon as might be expected, and as the Enthusiast 
 and some others desired, for one or two kept the rest 
 waiting for over a quarter of an hour the Sheikh led 
 forth his tribe from the hotel, headed by the Kawass and 
 followed by Yusef, to capture the noble sanctuary from 
 the hands of the infidel Moslems. 
 
 They turned to the left on emerging from the arcade, 
 and soon began to descend the most curious street that 
 most of them had ever seen. It was very narrow, and 
 had no side-walks ; in fact, the whole street might be said 
 to be merely a footpath, for it was impossible for any 
 vehicles to pass along it, though it was, as a matter of 
 fact, the principal street of Jerusalem. It is commonly 
 known as David Street, and it traverses the whole length 
 of the city, from the Jaffa Gate on the west to the Temple
 
 DAVID STREET 111 
 
 Area on the east. During the first part of the way it 
 descends a somewhat steep incline by means of broad, flat 
 steps or terraces, up and down which camels and donkeys, 
 overladen with burdens, pass and repass with the ease 
 which comes from habit, jostling with the utmost uncon- 
 cern in the world the dense crowds of people which 
 frequent the street. 
 
 Amongst this mob of human beings and animals the 
 Kawass cleared a way for the Sheikh and his tribe with 
 the most consummate ease, his official uniform, his 
 sword, and his silver-headed staff acting like magic upon 
 the natives. When they had proceeded a certain dis- 
 tance, they turned off from David Street into a still 
 narrower and dirtier lane, which was, however, a little 
 less crowded, and presently they stopped in front of a 
 Turkish military guard-house. Into this the Kawass 
 entered, and presently reappeared, accompanied by a 
 Turkish soldier, whose bedraggled uniform rendered him 
 a very inferior object in comparison with the magnificent 
 representative of His Gracious Majesty King Edward VII. 
 He was, nevertheless, an equally indispensable appanage 
 to the tribe, for his presence betokened the Sultan's 
 guarantee that no molestation should be offered to them. 
 
 After threading their way through one or two more 
 narrow and quaint-looking lanes, they arrived at a street 
 considerably wider than any of those along which they 
 had come, and entirely arched over from end to end. On 
 both sides of this street ran rows of old shops, constructed 
 of stone, and each having an arched doorway of medieval 
 design ; but all these shops were entirely deserted. In 
 fact, the whole street was silent and solitary, presenting 
 a striking contrast to the rest of the city. 
 
 ' This place was once one of the most important and 
 busy resorts in Jerusalem,' said the Sheikh to his com-
 
 112 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 panions as they entered the street. Its name is Sook-el- 
 Cotonin, which means " The Cotton-Merchants' Bazaar." 
 All through the Middle Ages it was one of the great 
 emporiums of trade and commerce between the shores of 
 the Mediterranean and the distant countries of Asia ; but 
 it is now just four hundred years since its doom was 
 sealed.' 
 
 ' How was that ?' inquired the Fossil. 
 
 ' By the discovery of the passage to India round the 
 Cape of Good Hope,' replied the Sheikh. ' From that 
 time the traffic gradually dwindled away, and this street 
 or bazaar lost its importance. But you can see from the 
 richness of the arches and other indications that the 
 merchants who once traded here were men of wealth and 
 taste.' 
 
 At the further end of this covered street they passed 
 through a handsome gateway, and found themselves inside 
 the enclosure of the Noble Sanctuary. The exquisite 
 building commonly called the Mosque of Omar but, as 
 has already been intimated, more correctly known to the 
 natives as the Dome of the Rock now burst upon the 
 enraptured gaze of the party in all its glory and splendour. 
 They would have made their way direct to this building, 
 but the Sheikh guided them to the left, until they arrived 
 at the north-west corner of the vast and magnificent 
 enclosure. 
 
 ' It will be better/ said he, ' to make our inspection of 
 all that is to be seen in a methodical manner, so that you 
 may be able to carry off with you a clear and intelligent 
 impression of the whole. Now, in the first place, you 
 notice that a very extensive level platform stretches before 
 you, and that it is surrounded by high walls on all sides. 
 Of course, you are well aware that no traces whatever 
 remain of either Solomon's or Herod's temple. Literally
 
 THE COURT OF THE GENTILES 113 
 
 and truly, so far as the actual temples themselves are 
 concerned, our Lord's prophecy has been fulfilled, and 
 down to the lowest foundation not one stone has been left 
 standing upon another. Indeed, until the last few years 
 the very site of the temples has been a matter of doubt 
 and dispute. That doubt has been satisfactorily removed 
 by the excavations and researches of the Palestine 
 Explorers, and I shall be able to show you presently 
 where, almost of a certainty, the temples stood. 
 
 ' But, though the temples themselves have disap- 
 peared, the Temple Area still remains, and on that we 
 are gazing now. This Mount Moriah, upon which, as 
 you know, we are standing, was before the time of Solo- 
 mon simply a low, bare, irregular, rocky elevation. In 
 order to provide a level platform or terrace upon which 
 to build the Temple, it was necessary in some parts to cut 
 away the solid rock, and in others to erect massive and 
 substantial walls with arches, so as to support the terrace 
 on a level with the other portions. And, in order to 
 make the approaches to the Temple as imposing and con- 
 venient as possible, Solomon laid out the hill in a series 
 of terraces, rising one above the other, and connected 
 with each other by flights of broad stone steps. These 
 terraces are what we read of as the " Courts of the 
 Temple." The lowest and largest of all was that on 
 which we are now standing, and which was known as the 
 " Court of the Gentiles." It was so called because any- 
 body, whether Jew or Gentile, was allowed to roam at will 
 over its area. It was on this terrace that the seats of the 
 money-changers and of the sellers of doves, etc., stood ; 
 and some portions of the court were planted with trees, 
 just as you see them here now. In these trees the birds 
 built their nests, and to this custom we find frequent 
 references in the Bible. At this end of the terrace, or 
 
 8
 
 114 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 court, you will notice that the flooring is all of the solid 
 rock, which has been artificially levelled by cutting away 
 vast masses of the original hill ; for it was at this end that 
 the inequalities of Moriah showed themselves in a rising 
 hillock, a portion of which had to be removed bodily 
 in order to continue the level of the court.' 
 
 ' And was all this enormous work done during those 
 few years when Solomon was building his Temple ?' asked 
 the Angel. 
 
 ' No ; this particular work of levelling at the northern 
 end was performed at a much later date not until the 
 time of the Maccabees, in fact ; and it was done more for 
 strategical purposes than for anything else. The original 
 court of Solomon's Temple was considerably smaller than 
 the enclosure which you see at present, and at this 
 northern end it was dominated by a hill, which, whilst it 
 acted as a citadel to it as long as it was in possession 
 of the friends and guardians of the Temple, was, on the 
 other hand, a source of great danger to the sacred edifice 
 during the time of civil wars and disturbances. This 
 danger was very practically demonstrated during the 
 wars of the Maccabees, and, in consequence, when the 
 country became pacified under the sway of their dynasty, 
 a large section of the crown of rock was cut away to the 
 level of the court, so as to remove the elevated ground as 
 far as possible from the Temple buildings. Now, if you 
 will turn round and look in this direction towards the 
 north, you will see that the boundary wall of the Temple 
 Area is at this point formed by a vertical face or scarp of 
 solid rock. This is the face left by the Maccabean work- 
 men when they removed the other portion of the hill.' 
 
 * Then I suppose that this solid rocky terrace upon 
 which we are now walking is virtually the same as it was 
 in our Lord's time, is it not ?' said the Archbishop.
 
 THE TURKISH SERAI 115 
 
 ' Precisely so,' replied the Sheikh ; ' He must often 
 have walked over this rocky floor for Himself, so that 
 we may be said to be treading here in the very footsteps 
 of our Lord.' 
 
 ' Oh ! oh ! just think of that !' exclaimed the Gusher ; 
 ' I feel that I should like to kneel down and kiss the very 
 ground upon which I am standing.' 
 
 ' You had better do it, then, if you want to make 
 yourself look ridiculous,' rejoined the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' You notice that there are some buildings on the 
 summit of the scarped rock,' continued the Sheikh ; 
 ' those are barracks for the Turkish soldiers ; and 
 immediately behind them, though hidden from view, is 
 the Serai, or official residence of the Turkish Governor of 
 Jerusalem. You will observe those steps cut into the 
 face of the rock, leading up from this terrace to an 
 entrance gateway at the top which opens into the bar- 
 racks. You can go up them, if you like, and from the 
 top you will get a very commanding view over the whole 
 of the Temple Area. Now, in the days of our Lord and 
 of the Apostles a large and important castle stood upon 
 the very spot where those barracks are, and, curiously 
 enough, like them, it served partly as barracks for the 
 Roman soldiers, and partly as the official residence of the 
 Roman Governor. It was in that portion, which stood 
 almost on the site of the modern Serai, that our Lord 
 was tried before Pontius Pilate.' 
 
 ' This is a remarkable illustration of the way in which 
 history repeats itself,' observed the Fossil. ' In those 
 days the natives of this country were under the dominion 
 of a foreign Power, just exactly as they are at the present 
 time. Substitute Turk for Roman, and everything is the 
 same. The Turkish Serai occupies the position of the 
 Roman Governor's palace ; the Turkish barracks overlook 
 
 82
 
 116 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 the Haram of the Moslems, just as the Roman barracks 
 overlooked the Temple Area of the Jews.' 
 
 * That is so,' answered the Sheikh ; ' and this gives me 
 the opportunity of helping you to realize from this spot 
 one of the dramatic incidents in St. Paul's life, as it is 
 related in the Acts of the Apostles. You will remember that 
 we are told that on one occasion St. Paul was accused by 
 the Jews of bringing certain Gentiles into the Temple 
 enclosure, and that they set upon him and would have 
 killed him, had he not been rescued by a Roman captain 
 and a band of soldiers under his command. Now, by the 
 aid of the description which I am about to give you, you 
 will be able to imagine the whole scene almost as clearly 
 as if you saw it passing before your eyes at this present 
 moment. You notice where the higher terrace, or plat- 
 form, on which now stands the Dome of the Rock, rises 
 above the Court of the Gentiles, and you can see very 
 plainly from here the flights of stone steps leading up 
 from this court to the other. That elevated terrace was 
 known in the time of the New Testament as the " Court 
 of the Israelites," as it was reserved entirely for them. 
 One portion of this court was railed off and covered in 
 for the accommodation of the female members of the 
 Jewish Communion, as they were not allowed to mingle 
 with the men. This was called the " Court of the 
 Women." Between the Court of the Gentiles and that 
 of the Israelites there ran a stone balustrade, except 
 where the steps passed up. This balustrade was about 
 four feet high, and was very beautifully carved and deco- 
 rated. At certain intervals along it there were large stone 
 tablets, with notices or inscriptions in Greek and Latin, 
 and probably in Hebrew. In the year 1871 one of these 
 identical tablets was discovered by M. Clermont Ganneau, 
 and the inscription, which was in Greek, was still per-
 
 THE DOME OF THE ROCK.
 
 WHAT HAPPENED TO ST. PAUL 117 
 
 fectly legible and distinct. As this notice illustrates 
 very remarkably the incident happening to St. Paul 
 which we are now discussing, I may as well tell you the 
 translation of it. It was as follows : 
 
 ' " No stranger may enter within the balustrade round the Sacred 
 Enclosure. Whosoever shall be caught will be responsible to himself 
 on account of the death which will follow his act." ' 
 
 ' Is that tablet still in existence ?' asked the Fossil. 
 
 ' Certainly it is,' replied the Sheikh ; ' so interesting 
 and ancient a relic would not be suffered to be destroyed. 
 Several facsimiles of it have been made, and you can see 
 the inscription for yourself on your return to England, 
 if you choose to go to the offices of the Palestine Explora- 
 tion Fund, in London.' 
 
 ' And do you mean to say that one can actually see with 
 one's own eyes the very notice which was erected on the 
 Temple Area in our Lord's time ?' asked the Enthusiast. 
 
 ' The very same,' replied the Sheikh. 
 
 ' Oh dear ! oh dear !' exclaimed the Gusher, 'whatever 
 I do, I must not forget to go and see that when I get 
 back to London.' 
 
 ' I guess that a notice placarded on the walls of St. 
 Paul's Cathedral at the present day will scarcely be legible 
 eighteen hundred years hence,' said the Matter-of-fact 
 Man. 
 
 ' Scarcely,' acquiesced the Sheikh. ' Well, as I was 
 saying, this barrier passed all the way round. Within it, 
 at the top of the flight of fourteen steps, ran a terrace 
 thirteen feet wide, and this, again, had a wall running 
 round it between it and the Court of the Israelites. Now, 
 what happened to St. Paul was this : he went up one of 
 these flights of steps into the Court of the Israelites, and 
 at the head of the steps was an arched gateway, with 
 iron gates, which were generally kept open, but which
 
 118 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 could be closed at will. Accompanying St. Paul were 
 one or two of his disciples, whom he had brought with him 
 on his return to Jerusalem from his last missionary tour. 
 The Jews took it for granted that these foreigners were 
 Gentiles, and that therefore, having passed beyond the 
 barrier of the balustrade, they and St. Paul himself had 
 committed an act of sacrilege which could only be expiated 
 by death. The Court of the Israelites was at that time 
 crowded with Jews, who, outraged and infuriated, seized 
 hold of the Apostle and his companions, dragged them out 
 of the enclosure and down the steps into the Court of the 
 Gentiles below that is to say, this terrace on which we 
 are now standing and the iron gates at the top of the 
 steps were immediately closed upon them. 
 
 ' As soon as this uproar commenced, the soldiers in 
 the barracks on the top of this rock, seeing from their 
 elevated post of observation an unusual disturbance on 
 the Temple Area, reported the matter to the Roman 
 officer on duty. Taking with him a company of soldiers, 
 he left the castle barracks by the doorway at the top of 
 this flight of stone steps immediately behind us, and, 
 crossing this court, he arrived at the scene, and found 
 St. Paul in the act of being mobbed, and with his very life 
 in danger. He rescued him from his persecutors, and, 
 having bound him with chains, he had him conducted to 
 the castle. And so you can picture the whole scene to 
 yourselves now : the Roman soldiers, with their prisoner 
 in their midst, followed by the howling, raging mob of 
 the Jews, from whom they had the greatest difficulty in 
 protecting their charge. As they were ascending these 
 steps leading up to the castle, St. Paul asked and obtained 
 permission from the Roman officer in command to 
 address the mob ; and it was whilst he was standing up 
 there on those steps, and the crowd of Jews were congre-
 
 THE COURT OF THE ISRAELITES 119 
 
 gated on the very spot where you and I now are, that that 
 memorable speech was delivered which is recorded in the 
 twenty-second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.' 
 
 ' I could scarcely have believed that an actual visit to 
 the spot could have made that incident so much more 
 real to one's mind,' observed the Angel, when the Sheikh 
 had finished his graphic description. 
 
 ' Well, now,' said the Sheikh, ' I think we have lingered 
 long enough in the Outer Court, and as there are no 
 longer any tablets or notices threatening us with death if 
 we penetrate into the Inner Sanctuary, we will now make 
 our way to those steps in front of us and ascend to the 
 higher terrace, where once stood the Court of the 
 Israelites, and which now serves as the platform from 
 the midst of which rises our magnificent friend, the Dome 
 of the Rock, misnamed the Mosque of Omar.' 
 
 ' But where was the Court of the Priests ?' asked the 
 Archbishop. 
 
 * That Court stood on a yet higher terrace, which was 
 reached from the Court of the Israelites by a flight of two 
 or three steps only,' explained the Sheikh. ' It was so 
 called because it supported the actual Temple itself ; but 
 when the Moslem architect who designed the Dome of 
 the Rock was laying its foundations, he found that there 
 was not sufficient space on this topmost terrace to accom- 
 modate his building, and it was accordingly lowered to 
 the level of the Court of the Israelites. Hence there are 
 now remaining only two terraces, instead of the three 
 which were in existence in the days of the Hebrews.'
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE DOME OF THE ROCK 
 
 A triumph of Moslem art Divers appreciations History of the 
 Shrine The Dome of the Chain A story with a moral An 
 elaborate interior The Holy Rock David's census and its 
 results The Altar of Burnt Offering. 
 
 ' SURELY this must be the most exquisitely perfect 
 building in the world !' exclaimed the Enthusiast, when 
 the tribe had reached the upper terrace, and were gazing 
 at the sublime Dome of the Rock from the south-east 
 side, where the sun was shining full upon it and illumi- 
 nating all its glories. 
 
 Truly it was a magnificent sight, and one well calculated 
 to arouse the enthusiasm of even the least emotional 
 among the tribe. Graceful and majestic before them rose 
 the octagonal building with its crescent-crowned dome. 
 Each of the eight sides was nearly seventy feet long, and 
 was divided into seven bays, the lower portion being 
 constructed of exquisite marble in square blocks of various 
 grains, colours, and sizes, the blocks being arranged in 
 picturesque geometrical designs, which greatly enhanced 
 the beauty of their appearance. The upper portion of 
 each bay was pierced with a stained-glass window of 
 splendid brilliancy, the colours being fitted together in 
 minute mosaic patterns, intricate as a Chinese puzzle. 
 The windows were surmounted by pointed arches formed 
 
 120
 
 A TRIUMPH OF MOSLEM ART 121 
 
 of glazed tiles, and each bay was separated from its 
 neighbours by a projecting pilaster, the lower portion of 
 which was formed of plain blocks of marble, and the 
 upper of mosaic work like the windows, but of polished 
 encaustic tiles. Above the windowed portion of the 
 building a course of square glazed tiles of the deepest and 
 richest blue, ran all the way round the octagonal shrine, 
 and above this, again, ran a frieze composed of passages 
 from the Koran, most elaborately and skilfully executed 
 in the form of illuminated Arabic manuscript characters, 
 which from the distance appeared like delicate filigree. 
 
 The circular drum supporting the grand dome rose 
 from the middle of the octagonal structure, and was 
 divided into four quadrants by means of projecting but- 
 tresses facing the four points of the compass. Each 
 quadrant was divided into five portions, of which the 
 central and two outside portions were formed of mosaic 
 marbles, the two other compartments being pierced with 
 windows of the same character as those below. The 
 dome itself was covered with lead, and was divided into 
 a great number of partitions by means of projecting ribs, 
 which radiated from the apex of the dome to the circum- 
 ference of the circle which united it with the drum. 
 Above all a gilded crescent on the top of a carved pole 
 indicated the religion and nationality of the builders of 
 this superb sanctuary. The symmetry of all the various 
 parts of the shrine was perfect ; the patterns and designs 
 of the marbles, the mosaics, and the stained-glass windows, 
 were arranged with the most admirable regard to taste 
 and splendour, whilst the infinite varieties of colour and 
 shade blended together in incomparable harmony. 
 
 Long and earnestly the tribe gazed on this wondrous 
 triumph of Moslem art, slowly passing from side to side 
 and vie whig it from every aspect. Many and varied
 
 122 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 were the comments passed upon it, according to the dif- 
 ferent impressions produced upon the diverse tempera- 
 ments of the members of the tribe. 
 
 The Gusher firmly protested her unwavering resolution 
 to live and die beneath the shadow of the dome ; for she 
 constantly averred, amid many ejaculations and sighs of 
 rapture, that she was quite, quite sure that she could 
 never, never tear herself away from this enchanted scene. 
 The General Nuisance politely begged her not to make 
 such an arrant fool of herself, and gave it as her opinion 
 that, though the thing was certainly well worth looking at, 
 she did not see what cause there was to go into raptures 
 over a building which, after all, was un-Christian in its 
 character. The Angel quietly begged to differ from the 
 General Nuisance in that sentiment ; for, as she justly 
 observed, she did not see why they should introduce any 
 religious or controversial sentiment when they were 
 considering it purely as a work of art. The Archbishop 
 thought it a very great pity that such an exquisite shrine 
 could not be taken from the Moslems and consecrated 
 into a Christian church ; and he added that, if he had the 
 direction of matters, he would assign it as a cathedral for 
 the Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem. The Fossil was of 
 opinion, on the other hand, that it ought to be converted 
 into a grand national museum for the accommodation of 
 all the interesting archaeological and antiquarian relics 
 that might from time to time be discovered in the course 
 of Palestine exploration. The Matter-of-fact Man re- 
 marked that, as the Moslems had gone to the trouble and 
 expense of designing and building it, he supposed that they 
 had as much right to it as anyone else a sentiment which 
 Monte Carlo heartily applauded, adding that he should be 
 very sorry to see it perverted to any other uses than that 
 for which it had originally been erected.
 
 DIVERS APPRECIATIONS 123 
 
 The Malaprop, clinging closely to the Sheikh, plied him 
 incessantly with silly questions, which only tended to 
 reveal her sublime ignorance of the first rudiments of 
 history and of architecture. A shade of melancholy 
 gloom on the Pessimist's countenance deeper than that 
 which he habitually wore indicated that he was enjoying 
 the scene to the very bottom of his soul, though Yusef 
 confided to the Enthusiast his fears that the poor gentle- 
 man was going to be very ill. As for the Enthusiast him- 
 self, his impressions were summed up in the exclamation 
 which he had made at first, and which he again repeated 
 more than once : 
 
 ' Surely this must be the most exquisitely perfect 
 building in the world !' 
 
 On one occasion he made this observation direct to 
 Monte Carlo, who replied : 
 
 ' Well, I do not know that I am prepared to go quite 
 so far as that. It is certainly a very perfect gem of art ; 
 but I think I have seen some other buildings in the course 
 of my travels which rival, if they do not excel, it. Take, 
 for instance, the Taj Mahal at Agra in India.' 
 
 ' Do you think that more beautiful than this, then ?' 
 asked the Angel. 
 
 ' Upon my word, I hardly know,' replied Monte Carlo. 
 ' It is scarcely fair upon this building to pass a com- 
 parison at present, and I must beg to be allowed to 
 suspend my verdict until after we have been inside and 
 I have seen all that is to be seen there.' 
 
 ' But, so far as the exterior is concerned, you prefer 
 the other, do you ?' inquired the Sheikh. 
 
 ' I almost think I do,' was the reply. 
 
 ' I ask you this question,' said the Sheikh, ' because 
 I find so many different opinions on that point. I have 
 never seen the Taj Mahal myself ; but several friends
 
 124 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 whom I have brought here have, and some say that 
 they prefer this, others that they think the Taj the 
 lovelier of the two. Almost all, however, are agreed that 
 the Taj Mahal and the Dome of the Rock are the two 
 most perfect specimens of artistic and architectural taste 
 that they have ever seen.' 
 
 ' I don't think this building comes up to many of our 
 cathedrals in England,' remarked the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' It is absurd to think of comparing this with them, 
 madam,' rejoined the Fossil ; ' the style of architecture 
 is so entirely different.' 
 
 The Fossil invariably addressed the lady members of 
 the tribe as ' madam ' whenever he spoke directly to 
 them, which was as seldom as he could possibly help. 
 He was not a ladies' man, poor old fellow ! and he stood 
 in special dread of the General Nuisance. The only 
 exception that he made was in favour of the Angel ; in 
 fact, he seemed at times actually to court her society. 
 
 ' Still,' observed the Archbishop, who never lost an 
 opportunity of arguing a point with the Fossil, ' I think 
 it is quite reasonable to compare one's impressions as to 
 buildings of totally different styles of architecture. For 
 example, I would say that, whilst I regard Lincoln 
 Minster as the grandest edifice which I have ever seen, 
 and Salisbury Cathedral as the most elegant and well- 
 proportioned, I should be inclined to give my vote in 
 favour of this Dome of the Rock in regard to harmony 
 of colour and expression, so far as my somewhat limited 
 experience of the world's famous structures goes.' 
 
 ' At any rate,' observed the Enthusiast, ' one could 
 scarcely wish or expect to find anything more satisfying 
 to the eye than this.' 
 
 ' Who was this Omar, whose name you have so often 
 been mentioning ?' asked the Malaprop of the Sheikh.
 
 HISTORY OF THE SHRINE 125 
 
 ' He was one of the bravest and most devoted of 
 Mohamed's personal friends and followers,' was the 
 reply ; ' and he was the second Khalif.' 
 
 ' What do you mean by a Khalif ?' asked the Enthu- 
 siast. 
 
 ' It is an Arabic word signifying " successor," an- 
 swered the Sheikh ; ' and it was the title which was 
 assumed on Mohamed's death by Abu Bekr, who was 
 elected as the head of the Moslems in immediate suc- 
 cession to the prophet himself. He only reigned a short 
 time, and, after his death, he was succeeded by Omar. 
 During the latter's reign Syria and Palestine were con- 
 quered by the Moslems, and in the year 637 A.D. Jerusalem 
 was captured. The seat of the Molsem Empire was at 
 that time at Medina, in Arabia, and Omar resided there, 
 leaving the conquest of Syria to two brave and illustrious 
 generals, Khaled and Abu Obeidah ; but he made an 
 express journey from Medina himself in order to assist 
 at the capture of Jerusalem, as this was considered the 
 most important prize which the Moslems had up to that 
 time secured. He came in state to the old Temple Area, 
 which he found encumbered with vast masses of debris. 
 On clearing these away, the bare rock which formed the 
 original summit of Mount Moriah, and on which had 
 formerly stood the Altar of Burnt Offering, was exposed 
 to view. On this he determined to build a sacred shrine, 
 as a lasting memorial of the sanctity which he attached 
 to the spot ; but it does not appear that this shrine was 
 actually completed until just fifty years afterwards. An 
 inscription, which is still to be seen on the interior of the 
 dome, gives the date of its erection as the year 686 A.D., 
 when the Khalif Abd-el-Melek was reigning, so that to 
 the latter must be accorded the principal honour of this 
 glorious shrine. It was not, however, until one hundred
 
 126 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 and fifty years after that these outer walls were added 
 by a Sultan called Mamnn, in 831 A.D. Nor did it even 
 then present the same elaborate and beautiful appearance 
 that it does now, for several additions and improvements 
 were made to it from time to time. The principal of 
 these is not much more than three hundred and fifty 
 years old ; for the most illustrious of all the Sultans that 
 have reigned upon the Ottoman throne, Soleiman the 
 Magnificent, adorned the exterior with those lovely 
 porcelain tiles which you see on the upper portion of the 
 body of the Shrine, and he also added the mosaic windows 
 between 1520 and 1560 A.D. The dome itself was par- 
 tially destroyed by an earthquake in the early part of 
 the eleventh century, but it was soon after restored, and 
 has been frequently repaired since, the latest of these 
 reparations being executed in 1875 by the Sultan Abdul 
 Aziz.' 
 
 ' What a tragic end was his !' remarked the Fossil. 
 ' You remember that he was found dead in his palace at 
 Constantinople with the veins of his left arm cut open 
 by a pair of scissors, which were lying at his side.' 
 
 ' He committed suicide, did he not ?' said the Arch- 
 bishop. 
 
 ' So it was officially stated at the time,' replied the 
 Sheikh ; ' but it is now known that he was really assas- 
 sinated by two of his principal Ministers.' 
 
 ' And so,' added Monte Carlo, ' in the words of Punch, 
 " The Sultan Abdul Aziz became the Sultan Abdul As 
 Was." ' 
 
 This sally was received with a general laugh, and then 
 the Sheikh said : 
 
 ' We will now go inside the Dome of the Rock, and I 
 think you will agree with me that the interior is, 
 if possible, even finer than what you have seen outside.'
 
 THE DOME OF THE CHAIN 127 
 
 He led the way to the eastern entrance, accompanied 
 by one of the Moslem Sheikhs or officials, whose business 
 it is to guard the noble sanctuary and to escort visitors 
 over its sacred precincts. The Consular Kawass and the 
 Turkish soldier still continued in attendance, and alto- 
 gether the tribe had a picturesque and imposing retinue. 
 
 Immediately outside the eastern doorway there stands 
 another domed erection, of the same octagonal shape as 
 the Shrine itself, but of very much smaller dimensions 
 and without any exterior walls. It is supported by two 
 concentric rows of pillars, and is also of very beautiful 
 design. 
 
 The Sheikh paused to draw the attention of the tribe 
 to this small dome. 
 
 ' There is no doubt,' he said, ' that this was originally 
 erected by the Arab architect who designed the Dome 
 of the Rock, and that it was merely intended as a model 
 for the guidance of the builders of the Shrine itself. If 
 the outer walls of the latter were removed and, as I 
 have already told you, they were an addition of later 
 times the inner skeleton, as you will see for yourselves 
 presently, would be found to be of the same pattern as 
 this, the only difference being in the size of the dimen- 
 sions. But the Moslems have another tradition with 
 respect to the matter. They call this " The Dome of the 
 Chain," and sometimes " The Dome of Judgment." 
 According to their account, the spot over which this 
 dome is erected was divinely indicated to King David 
 as the place where he was to sit when he tried the causes 
 of his subjects. Being thus divinely selected as the 
 place of judgment, divine measures were taken that 
 there never should be any miscarriage of justice, and a 
 chain was suspended from heaven, which came down to 
 within three feet of the ground, immediately where the
 
 128 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 centre of this dome at present is. When a trial was being 
 held, each witness was required to take hold of the chain 
 with both his hands as he was giving his evidence. If he 
 testified to the truth, nothing happened ; if, however, he 
 was giving false evidence, one link dropped off the chain, 
 and so everyone knew that he was telling a lie.' 
 
 ' Oh, what a clever and wonderful plan !' exclaimed 
 the Gusher. ' I think those dear old Jews were such 
 marvellous people. Fancy it being impossible to tell a 
 lie without being found out.' 
 
 ' But you do not imagine that that story is true, do 
 you, madam ?' said the Fossil, with a cynical smile. 
 
 ' Oh, you dear, nasty, disagreeable old man !' she 
 ejaculated ; ' why do you spoil all these delightful and 
 romantic tales ? Of course I believe it. I believe anything 
 that is told me about these charming old people.' 
 
 ' More fool you, then !' muttered the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' But it was not always possible, even with those pre- 
 cautions,' continued the Sheikh, ' for a liar to be detected, 
 as you shall hear. It so happened that, on one occasion, 
 there was a lawsuit between a Moslem and a Jew.' 
 
 ' I'll bet the Jew was in the wrong,' observed the 
 Matter-of-fact Man casually. 
 
 ' I'll bet the Jew gained his case,' added Monte Carlo. 
 
 ' You shall hear,' said the Sheikh. ' The Moslem had 
 been on the Haj, as the sacred Mohamedan pilgrimage 
 to Mecca is called. Before he had started he had en- 
 trusted a sum of money to the Jew. to keep for him until 
 his return, instructing him what to do with it in the 
 event of his death. His case was that the Jew had 
 neglected or refused to hand over to him the money 
 which he had entrusted to his care. They were both 
 brought to this spot, and ordered to give their evidence 
 on oath, each taking hold of the chain in turn. The
 
 A STORY WITH A MORAL 129 
 
 Jew was called upon first by the judge to state his 
 version of the case. He was an old man, with a long 
 gray beard and stooping shoulders, and he had a thick 
 and heavy staff, on which he leaned. The Moslem was 
 standing beside him, and, in order to take hold of the 
 chain with both his hands, he gave the stick to the 
 Moslem to hold for him. Then, taking hold of the chain, 
 he said : " I solemnly swear that I have repaid the money 
 to the Moslem, and that he has it in his possession at this 
 present moment." Nothing happened to the chain. 
 Then it came to the turn of the Moslem, who, handing 
 back the stick to the Jew, took hold of the chain, and 
 said : " I solemnly swear that I have never received the 
 money from the Jew." Thereupon the chain suddenly 
 disappeared up to heaven, and has never been seen since.' 
 
 ' What a stupid story !' remarked the Malaprop, who 
 for once in a way had been listening attentively ; ' I don't 
 see anything in it, and you haven't said who was right 
 and who was wrong.' 
 
 ' I had not finished the story,' quietly replied the 
 Sheikh ; ' the whole point is yet to come. The crafty old 
 Jew had concealed the money in the hollow of his thick 
 and heavy staff, and therefore, when he handed the stick 
 to the Moslem to hold for him, he did literally repay him 
 the money which he owed him. But, inasmuch as he 
 meant to deceive, he was virtually telling a lie, whilst at 
 the same time his actual testimony was so entirely in 
 accordance with facts that the chain could not openly 
 protest against it. On the other hand, the Moslem swore 
 to what he honestly believed to be the truth, and yet he 
 was unconsciously stating something which was not 
 strictly the fact. And the moral of all this is, that not 
 even a chain let down from heaven can always tell whether 
 a man is telling the truth or not.' 
 
 9
 
 130 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' That is a capital story !' exclaimed Monte Carlo, ' and 
 I must try to remember it for future use.' 
 
 ' But do you think it really happened ?' asked the 
 Gusher, addressing herself to the Sheikh ; ' I do hope, I 
 really do, that it did ; for I cannot bear to hear these 
 things, which I always believe, and then to have some 
 naughty, disagreeable man tell me that they are all 
 rubbish.' 
 
 She looked at the Fossil as she spoke, and shook the 
 forefinger of her right hand at him as if to show her dis- 
 pleasure. But she was not a very vindictive or formidable 
 antagonist, and the Fossil did not look much alarmed. 
 
 ' I am afraid that you will have to take the story for 
 what it is worth,' answered the Sheikh ; ' but, at any rate, 
 the moral is instructive.' 
 
 With these words, he led the way towards the door of 
 the Shrine, where they were stopped by another grandly- 
 dressed Moslem official, who was surrounded by a mass 
 of shabby Oriental slippers, large enough, apparently, for 
 the feet of a giant. 
 
 ' Hulloa !' exclaimed the Enthusiast, as the Sheikh 
 informed the tribe that each of them would be obliged to 
 put on a pair of the slippers over their own boots or 
 shoes ; ' what awful rot it seems to have to stick these 
 things on every time we go inside one of these blessed 
 Mohamedan buildings !' 
 
 ' I suppose it does not seem any more rot to us than it 
 does to a Moslem to have to take ' 'ff his hat when he goes 
 inside a Christian building,' replied the Fossil. 
 
 ' Only he does not do so,' remarked Monte Carlo ; 
 ' that's just the difference. I have seen many Moslems 
 go into Christian churches, and I have never seen them 
 remove their fezzes or kuffiyehs.' 
 
 * Then they should be made to do so,' replied the
 
 AN ELABORATE INTERIOR 131 
 
 General Nuisance ; ' I should like to see a Moslem or any 
 other man venture to come into our church in England 
 without taking off his hat. I make bold to say he would 
 not do it a second time.' 
 
 ' That I can quite believe,' quietly observed the Matter- 
 of-fact Man. 
 
 They had by this time satisfactorily passed through 
 the ordeal of having the huge down-heeled slippers tied 
 on over their own shoes, and as they entered the interior 
 of the Dome of the Rock they could at first discern 
 nothing clearly at all, so great was the contrast between 
 the dazzling glare of the sun outside and the ' dim, 
 religious light ' of the sacred Shrine. By degrees, how- 
 ever, their eyes became accustomed to the subdued semi- 
 darkness, and they began to realize that they were within 
 a building of extraordinary beauty and richness. 
 
 A corridor of from twelve to fifteen feet in width ran 
 round the eight sides, between the outer walls and a row 
 of columns and piers which supported the roof of the main 
 building, but not the dome itself. There were on each 
 side two pillars between the piers, which formed the 
 angles of the octagon, so that altogether there were 
 sixteen columns and eight piers. All these were appar- 
 ently constructed of marble, and they belonged to the 
 Corinthian order of architecture. Above the capitals 
 ran a horizontal architrave, and above this again were 
 pointed arches. This was originally the outer portion of 
 the Shrine, corresponding to the exterior row in the Dome 
 of the Chain, which the Sheikh had already explained to 
 have been the pattern upon which this larger Shrine was 
 modelled. Within these columns and piers there ran a 
 second corridor, more than twice as wide as the outer 
 one, and beyond it were other columns and piers arranged 
 in a circle, and employed to support the dome. There 
 
 92
 
 132 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 were four piers of very massive construction, and com- 
 posed of white marble. Between each of these piers 
 there were three splendid columns with Corinthian 
 capitals, most of them being of a green shade. These 
 supported substantial semicircular arches, composed of 
 alternate stones of black and white marble, and the spaces 
 between the arches were filled in with highly decorated 
 marble masonry. A lovely screen of wrought-iron work 
 ran all the way round this circle of arches, and reached to 
 the height of about twelve feet from the floor of the 
 edifice. The drum and dome were covered with the most 
 magnificent and costly mosaic work, arranged in ara- 
 besques, with long inscriptions and quotations from the 
 Koran. The whole was gilded throughout from crown to 
 base. 
 
 As the tribe gradually took in all the details of the 
 entrancing scene, the Sheikh pointed out to them the 
 chief features of interest and beauty, and then, leading 
 the way through one of the doors in the wrought-iron 
 screen, he caused them to mount a stone slab which goes 
 round the interior of the screen at the height of about two 
 feet from the ground. Then they saw for the first time 
 the sacred object to enshrine which the glorious dome 
 had been built. 
 
 Guarded on all sides by a carved wooden railing, so 
 that no one should profane it by setting hand or foot upon 
 it, was the actual, original summit of Mount Moriah, 
 commonly called ' The Holy Rock.' It was perfectly 
 smooth, but very ragged and uneven. In some places 
 there were cuts upon its surface, evidently made artifi- 
 cially and for some set purpose. In others there were 
 curious holes and indentations, clearly natural, and 
 around these the Moslems have woven fantastic and 
 ridiculous legends. The whole surface of rock exposed
 
 o y
 
 THE HOLY ROCK 133 
 
 was about sixty feet long from north to south, and about 
 three-quarters as wide from east to west. It was not, 
 however, rectangular in shape, being considerably wider 
 towards the south than towards the north ; and, whilst 
 the west side was as nearly as possible a straight line, the 
 east was an irregular curve. The artificial holes were 
 principally near the south-east corner, most of them being 
 of an oblong shape and small ; but there was one hole 
 much larger than the others, and of a circular form. On 
 the western side the rock had been cut down into three 
 descending steps. The whole surface of the rock was kept 
 scrupulously clean. 
 
 ' Now, here we are in the presence of one of the most 
 sacred and interesting objects in the world,' said the 
 Sheikh, when the tribe had had sufficient time to make 
 themselves familiar with the rock and its distinctive 
 features. ' It was probably on this very rock that 
 Abraham offered up Isaac. Here was certainly the 
 threshing-floor of Oman, or Araunah, the Jebusite. On 
 this very rock David reared the altar to Jehovah when he 
 desired to pacify Him, because he imagined that He had 
 sent a pestilence which had broken out in the land. Here 
 he offered the burnt-offerirgs and peace-offerings, which 
 were soon after followed by a cessation of the plague 
 which circumstance confirmed David in the belief that 
 Jehovah had smitten the people in His wrath, and that 
 He had removed the pestilence because He was pleased 
 at the oxen being sacrificed to Him.' 
 
 ' You speak as if you did not regard the plague as 
 really a judgment from God,' said the Archbishop, inter- 
 rupting him ; ' I do not see what warrant you have for 
 your assumption that the Bible is incorrect in its state- 
 ments or its conclusions.' 
 
 ' I purposely worded my remarks as I did,' replied the
 
 134 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 Sheikh ; ' for this incident is an admirable illustration of 
 the principles which I have already enumerated as neces- 
 sary for a right understanding and interpretation of the 
 Bible. With David's conscience accusing him of having 
 done something that savoured of distrust in the power 
 and protection of Jehovah, in numbering his people to 
 see what human force he had at his disposal, he would at 
 once conclude, when the epidemic broke out in the land, 
 that this was the direct work of the offended Jehovah ; 
 and this conviction would be confirmed by the reproofs 
 and assertions of the prophet Gad, who, no doubt in 
 perfect honesty, persuaded him that there was no way of 
 propitiating the vengeance of the national Deity, except 
 by offering a sacrifice to Him. The epidemic passed away 
 in the natural course of events, almost immediately after 
 the sacrifice had been offered ; for it had already virtually 
 ceased, as the Bible narrative expressly states. In 
 accordance with his frame of mind and with the ideas 
 which prevailed about Jehovah, David believed that 
 Jehovah had removed the plague because He had been 
 satisfied with the sacrifice on the threshing-floor. But you 
 cannot take the narrative in its bald, literal sense without 
 violating all your instincts of common-sense and all your 
 respect for the just and holy God. For, if you do take it 
 thus, see what it amounts to. It makes God a most deceit- 
 ful, tyrannical, unjust, and bloodthirsty demon. This 
 is strong language, but not one whit too strong, if we are 
 to take the story as mathematically exact in all its details. 
 ' In that case, this is what happened : God became 
 angry with the Israelites for some cause which is not told 
 us, and, in order to have an excuse for destroying a vast 
 number of them, He deliberately put it into the mind of 
 David to have a census taken of his subjects. Why it 
 should be such a terrible sin to take a census, by
 
 DAVID'S CENSUS AND ITS RESULTS 135 
 
 the way, is not very apparent, but we will let that pass. 
 David acts upon God's suggestions, and takes the census, 
 whereupon God rises up in vindictive wrath, and proceeds 
 to kill seventy thousand people, because David has so 
 grievously offended Him by carrying out His own instruc- 
 tions. How many thousand more would have been killed 
 it is impossible to say, if David had not then appeased the 
 thirst of the avengeful God by slaying a lot of innocent 
 oxen and offering them up for sacrifice to the Deity. 
 Most mercifully, God graciously deigned to be satisfied 
 with this holocaust, and stayed His hand from slaughter- 
 ing the thousands.' 
 
 ' Whereupon,' added Monte Carlo, ' David returns to 
 his palace, and composes a hymn to Jehovah, extolling 
 His goodness, His justice, and His loving-kindness, for 
 His mercy endureth for ever.' 
 
 ' But it seems to me,' objected the Archbishop, ' that 
 somehow you have not stated the case quite fairly.' 
 
 ' Show me any construction which I have put unfairly 
 on the story, if we are to take it literally,' answered the 
 Sheikh, ' and I will retract it. I have honestly tried to 
 do it perfect justice, and I have done so in the utmost 
 spirit of reverence ; for, from the point of view in which I 
 read the narrative, there is nothing but an excellent 
 moral lesson in the whole incident, whereas in the gene- 
 rally accepted interpretation it is, to my mind, a blas- 
 phemous insult upon the good and holy God.' 
 
 ' Well, in the first place,' replied the Archbishop, 
 ' unless my memory plays me false, you have made a mis- 
 statement at the very beginning. You said that God 
 moved David to number the people, and the main part of 
 your argument was based upon that fact. Now, so far as 
 I recollect, the Bible says distinctly that it was Satan, 
 and not God, that tempted David.'
 
 136 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 f X 
 ' You are right in one way, but wrong in another,' 
 
 replied the Sheikh. ' The writer of the Book of Chronicles 
 does put down the suggestion as proceeding from Satan ; 
 but this is a later version of the original story, which is to 
 be found in the last chapter of the Second Book of 
 Samuel. There you will find that it is stated that " the 
 anger of the Lord that is, Jehovah was kindled against 
 Israel, and He moved David against them to say, Go, 
 number Israel and Judah." Evidently the later writer 
 saw the incongruity and appreciated the dilemma, and 
 he therefore changed Jehovah into Satan. Not that it 
 really made so very much difference, because, if the narra- 
 tive were an actual record of God's dealings, and not of 
 David's ideas and impressions, the act would have been 
 equally diabolical on God's part.' 
 
 ' I understand the moral lesson, then, of that story is 
 that David committed an action which was, with his 
 ideas about Jehovah, an act of sin in his case,' said the 
 Angel, ' and that, being afterwards seized with a remorse 
 of conscience for what he felt to have been a want of 
 trust in Jehovah, he thought that the plague which 
 broke out was a direct punishment for his sin.' 
 
 ' That is the way in which I look at the matter,' an- 
 swered the Sheikh ; ' and viewed thus it is a beautiful 
 and instructive record of the extremely human liability 
 to error and the delicate tenderness of conscience, com- 
 bined with religious devotion and faith, which David 
 possessed according to his lights.' 
 
 ' To return to this rock, from which the discussion has 
 strayed,' said the Fossil : ' what did you say stood upon 
 it in the time of Solomon's Temple ?' 
 
 ' The Altar of Burnt Offering,' replied the Sheikh , 
 ' and I have little doubt that the small artificial holes 
 which you see on its surface were made by Solomon's
 
 THE ALTAR OF BURNT OFFERING 137 
 
 workmen, to be the sockets into which were fitted the 
 stone pedestals which supported the altar.' 
 
 ' Was this altar inside the Temple or in the open air ? ' 
 asked the Angel. 
 
 ' In the open air, and immediately oustide the Temple, 
 which stood to the west of it.' 
 
 ' What is that big round hole ?' asked the Enthusiast. 
 
 ' It goes right through the rock into the hollow cave 
 beneath,' replied the Sheikh ; ' and we will now descend 
 into that cave, if you will follow me. I shall then be 
 able to show you more plainly what was the purpose of 
 that round hole.' 
 
 They passed to the south-eastern corner of the rock, 
 where they found a flight of steps descending into the 
 cave. It was not very large, and some portions of its 
 walls were covered with old plaster. There were three 
 small altars in it, which, as the Sheikh explained, were 
 dedicated by the Moslems to David, Solomon, and Elijah 
 respectively. In the top of the roof could be seen the 
 hole to which the Enthusiast had referred. Immediately 
 beneath it, in the floor of the cave, was a marble slab. 
 
 ' Lie down on the ground, and apply your ear to that 
 slab,' said the Sheikh to him. ' Can you hear anything ?' 
 
 ' Yes,' exclaimed the Enthusiast, ' there is a lot of 
 water rushing by.' 
 
 ' Oh, let me listen to it,' cried the Gusher, going down 
 on her knees and applying her ear to the floor of the cave 
 in a very undignified and by no means graceful attitude. 
 ' Oh yes, oh yes, I hear it distinctly. Oh, it is so curious ; 
 there must be quite a cascade.' 
 
 ' And yet, though everyone fancies that they can 
 hear water, it is all imagination,' said the Sheikh ; ' there 
 is no water at all there.' 
 
 ' What is it, then ? ' asked the Enthusiast in astonishment.
 
 138 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' If you were to ask the Moslems,' replied the Sheikh, 
 ' you would get several kinds of answers. Some will tell 
 you that the sound proceeds from the wailing of lost 
 souls, who come hither to pray for pardon. Others 
 assert that the river of Paradise flows beneath this spot ; 
 whilst others, again, declare that this slab covers the gate 
 of hell, and that what you can hear are the distant echoes 
 of the noises in the infernal regions.' 
 
 ' Which of these is correct ?' asked the Malaprop. 
 
 ' Why, none at all, of course,' answered the Sheikh. 
 ' The sound simply comes from the currents of air in a 
 hollow rock-cut passage. If this slab were removed, you 
 would see that there is another large hole in the floor of 
 this cave, corresponding to this one in the roof imme- 
 diately above it, and from this lower hole there runs a 
 remarkable passage or channel, which has been bored 
 right through the solid rock, and which goes southward 
 under the Temple Area, and through the heart of Mount 
 Moriah, coming out over the Valley of Hinnom, near 
 to the Pool of Siloam. There is little doubt that these 
 two holes and that rock-cut passage or sewer were made 
 by Solomon's workmen, in order to carry off the blood 
 and refuse of the innumerable sacrifices which were 
 offered up on the Altar of Burnt Offering ; and it is the 
 existence of these holes and of this secret sewer which 
 effectually settles the disputed question as to the actual 
 site of the original Temple. They prove that the Altar 
 of Burnt Offering must have stood upon the Rock, which 
 you have seen above. This point thus satisfactorily 
 established, the starting-point has been obtained for 
 recovering the position of all the other portions of the 
 Temple buildings and surroundings by the simple process 
 of accurate measurements.' 
 
 He led the way up out of the cave into the interior
 
 JACHIN AND BOAZ 139 
 
 of the Dome of the Rock once more, and, proceeding with 
 the tribe to the west door of the Shrine, he said : 
 
 ' The two pillars, Jachin and Boaz, which stood at the 
 entrance to the Holy Place, must have been situated as 
 nearly as possible where these two columns stand now, 
 immediately inside this western door, and dividing the 
 two corridors which run round the Shrine. We are, 
 therefore, standing at this present moment on a spot 
 which was inside the Holy Place in the Jewish Temple, 
 and, as we emerge from this door into the open court, we 
 see before us that broad flight of steps leading down to 
 the terrace below. That flight of steps coincides in posi- 
 tion almost exactly with the site of the Holy of Holies ; 
 and as the natural rock itself has been cut away here by 
 the Moslem builders for the construction of these steps, 
 you will see that all traces of the Jewish sanctuary have 
 for ever disappeared. Literally and truly, as regards the 
 Temple itself, not one single stone has been left standing 
 upon another.'
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 THE MOSQUE EL-AKSA 
 
 Further traces of Solomon's Temple The water-supply of Jerusalem 
 Justinian's Basilica Saladin's Pulpit A judicious Immaum. 
 
 NOTHING would satisfy the Enthusiast but that he must 
 purchase from the Moslem guardian of the slippers the 
 pair which he had worn inside the Dome of the Rock 
 ' Just as a memento, you know,' he said, ' of this memor- 
 able visit.' And so Yusef remained behind with him 
 to assist him in the bargaining, whilst the rest of the 
 tribe followed the Sheikh along the handsome paved 
 courtyard which stretches to the south of the glorious 
 building which they had just quitted. They descended 
 a broad flight of stone steps to the pavement below, thus 
 passing, as the Sheikh explained to them, once more to 
 the Court of the Gentiles. 
 
 ' You will notice,' he said, ' that the court presents a 
 very different appearance on this southern end from 
 that at the northern. There is no longer any rock terrace 
 artificially levelled, as in the former case ; but here we 
 have a regular paved platform, which is supported from 
 below by enormously massive and extensive ranges of 
 columns and arches. Of course, you can't see them 
 now, but I will take you to them some other time, and 
 you will be able to judge for yourselves what an enormous 
 amount of labour and expense the construction of them 
 
 140
 
 FURTHER TRACES OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE 141 
 
 must have involved. The whole substructural portion is 
 commonly known as " Solomon's Stables," but there is 
 nothing to justify this name in connection witn them. 
 A great number of solid masonry cisterns also lie beneath 
 our feet, and you will notice that there are several holes 
 dotted about here and there all over this paved surface. 
 Those holes are for the purpose of conveying the water 
 that falls upon this terrace into the cisterns below.' 
 
 ' What a magnificent view one has from this terrace of 
 the Dome of the Rock !' observed the Archbishop, pausing 
 to look back along the direction by which they had come. 
 
 ' By Jove, you're right !' exclaimed Monte Carlo ; 'and 
 really I think this edifice now is more beautiful even than 
 the Taj Mahal of Agra. It is hardly fair, though, after all, 
 to compare the two, for their excellences are of different 
 natures. The loveliness of the Taj Mahal consists of the 
 pure cream whiteness of its marble material, making it 
 look like a gigantic piece of exquisite china ; whilst the 
 most striking feature of this building, to my mind, is 
 the wondrous harmony of the innumerable colours and 
 shades of hue with which it dazzles yet delights the eye.' 
 
 ' That is certainly the case here,' said the Angel ; ' and 
 see how gloriously the sun illuminates every portion on 
 this side. Yes, this is undoubtedly the best aspect from 
 which to view it.' 
 
 ' Oh ! do come here,' cried out the Matter-of-fact Man, 
 who had been examining a large round enclosure, which 
 looked like a basin or reservoir, standing in the centre of 
 the platform, but which was entirely destitute of water. 
 ' What are those two curious creatures which are crawling 
 about on the other side of this tank ? ' 
 
 ' Those are lizards,' said the Sheikh. ' They are very 
 common in Palestine, and, though they look somewhat 
 weird and forbidding, they are really perfectly harmless.'
 
 142 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' Oh, do you think you could catch one for me ?' called 
 out the Gusher in ecstasy. ' How I should love to take 
 home one of those darling ugly creatures with me !' 
 
 ' I think I should let them alone,' remarked the Sheikh ; 
 * I am afraid they would be rather a nuisance than other- 
 wise. And I think,' he added, turning to the Gusher, 
 ' you would get rather tired of them before we had got 
 to the end of our journey.' 
 
 ' But what is this large round tank used for ?' asked 
 the Angel. 
 
 ' It occupies the site of what we read of in the Book 
 of Bangs as the " great sea " of Solomon's Temple,' 
 replied the Sheikh. ' Originally it was fed by an aqueduct 
 of masonry work which ran along the hillside from a spot 
 about nine miles to the south of Jerusalem, where there 
 are some magnificent reservoirs of very ancient con- 
 struction, still known as " Solomon's Pools." We shall 
 visit them in a few days, and you will be able to see them 
 for yourselves.' 
 
 ' I presume that the aqueduct has been destroyed, ' 
 observed the Fossil, ' inasmuch as no water appears to 
 be brought to this spot now.' 
 
 ' No, the aqueduct has not been actually destroyed,' 
 replied the Sheikh ; ' but the water has been diverted by 
 the inhabitants of Bethlehem, close to which town it 
 passes, and the consequence is that, whilst that town is 
 always supplied with an abundant quantity of pure fresh 
 water, Jerusalem is at the present time virtually destitute 
 of any proper water-supply whatever.' 
 
 ' Where does the water come from, then, for the domestic 
 purposes of the city ?' inquired the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' The inhabitants of Jerusalem are always entirely 
 dependent upon the water which they catch off the flat 
 roofs of their houses during the rainy season,' replied
 
 THE WATER-SUPPLY OF JERUSALEM 143 
 
 the Sheikh. 'And almost every house has an underground 
 rock-cut cistern belonging to it, and the water is conducted 
 into this cistern by means of artificial channels from the 
 roofs of the houses or the surface of the paved court- 
 yard.' 
 
 ' But surely this water must be very impure ?' remarked 
 the Fossil. 
 
 ' Rather so,' assented the Sheikh. ' When you consider 
 that the great mass of the people virtually live upon 
 their housetops for many months in the year, and when 
 you take into account their utter ignorance and neglect 
 of the very first principles of cleanliness and sanitation, 
 you can imagine what the condition of the water must 
 be which washes off the roof into the cisterns when the 
 rainy season begins.' 
 
 'And how often do they clean their cisterns out ?' 
 asked the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' The great majority of them have not been touched 
 for hundreds of years, I should think,' replied the Sheikh. 
 
 ' What an awful state of things !' exclaimed many of 
 the tribe in unison ; and the Matter-of-fact Man added : 
 
 ' Now I can understand why there is a notice promi- 
 nently posted up in every room of the hotel stating that 
 every drop of water used there has been carefully boiled 
 and filtered beforehand.' 
 
 ' But surely Jerusalem must be a very unhealthy city 
 to live in,' exclaimed the Fossil, ' if this is the state of 
 affairs. ' 
 
 ' Well, a great friend of mine, who has been an English 
 doctor here for nearly thirty years, has told me that he 
 can never remember the time since he first began work 
 here when he could have honestly certified that Jerusalem 
 was entirely free either from small-pox or typhoid fever,' 
 replied the Sheikh.
 
 144 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' But what are the authorities about ?' indignantly 
 exclaimed the General Nuisance. ' Do you mean to say 
 that they deliberately acquiesce in such an abomination 
 and disgrace ?' 
 
 ' One instance will suffice to enlighten you upon that 
 point,' replied the Sheikh. ' Some years ago the Baroness 
 Burdett-Coutts offered to spend 100,000 in order to have 
 Jerusalem properly supplied with water ; but the Turkish 
 authorities refused to allow the work to be carried out.' 
 
 ' The idiots !' ejaculated the Enthusiast in disgust. 
 
 ' But why did they refuse ?' asked the Archbishop in 
 astonishment. 
 
 ' Simply because they were convinced that no one in 
 London, whether male or female, would desire to spend all 
 that money in Jerusalem, unless there was some secret, 
 underhand, political motive behind. They judged other 
 people by themselves, and suspected accordingly a sinister 
 intrigue.' 
 
 * Then, at the door of the Turkish authorities lies the 
 guilt of murder for all the deaths that have occurred in 
 Jerusalem since that time, owing to the defective nature 
 of the water-supply,' solemnly declared the General 
 Nuisance. 
 
 ' And a precious lot they care for that,' said Monte 
 Carlo, laughing. 
 
 ' But,' remarked the Matter-of-fact Man, who had 
 taken the greatest interest in the discussion, for the 
 practical nature of the subject appealed to him, ' what I 
 cannot understand is this : why do not the people of 
 Jerusalem prevent the inhabitants of Bethlehem from 
 tampering with their aqueducts ?' 
 
 ' I can only answer by reminding you that these people 
 are Orientals, living under the regime of the Ottoman 
 Government,' said the Sheikh. ' As Orientals, they
 
 JUSTINIAN'S BASILICA 145 
 
 are mostly fatalists, and universally indolent and careless, 
 and, moreover, they are quite satisfied with the water 
 which they have in their cisterns. In fact, they would 
 rather object than otherwise to water which had neither 
 taste nor smell.' 
 
 ' De gustibus non est disputandum,' remarked the 
 Fossil, as the tribe moved away from the cistern, which is 
 called by the natives ' El Kas,' or ' The Cup.' 
 
 The Malaprop, who had all along been making volu- 
 minous entries in her note-book, concluded by the ob- 
 servation that the Fossil had said that the matter was 
 ' disgusting beyond dispute.' 
 
 The Palestine Patrollers now found themselves face to 
 face with a quaint and picturesque edifice, resembling a 
 medieval church, which stands at the southern extremity 
 of the Haram-esh-Sheref, or Temple Area. 
 
 ' This noble building,' explained the Sheikh, ' was 
 originally built by the Roman Emperor Justinian nearly 
 one thousand four hundred years ago. He was, as you all 
 doubtless know, a very eminent patron of Christian 
 ecclesiastical architecture, and this church, or basilica, as 
 it was called, was dedicated by him to the Blessed Virgin 
 Mary.' 
 
 ' I did not know that there was actually a Christian 
 church on the Temple Area !' exclaimed the Archbishop 
 in delighted surprise. This is indeed an unexpected 
 pleasure which you have been reserving for us.' 
 
 ' Unfortunately, I must nip your enthusiasm in the 
 bud,' responded the Sheikh ; ' this is no longer a Christian 
 church. During the second Crusades in the twelfth 
 century the famous Saracenic hero Saladin, of whom we 
 have already heard in connection with Askalon, captured 
 Jerusalem, and converted this building into a Mohamedan 
 mosque. It remains so to the present day.' 
 
 10
 
 146 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 vV Oh, what a beastly shame !' exclaimed the Enthu- 
 siast. ' And I'll bet that those Mohamedan fellows do not 
 appreciate it at its true worth.' 
 
 ' Yes, they do,' replied the Sheikh. ' With the single 
 exception of their great central mosque at Mecca, where 
 the prophet Mohamed himself was born, the Moslems 
 consider this the most sacred building which they possess 
 in the world. They have, therefore, given it the name of 
 " El-Aksa," or " The Distant Mosque," in order to distin- 
 guish it from that at Mecca, which they call " The Near 
 Mosque," because it adjoins the prophet's birthplace.' 
 
 ' Still, I don't see what right they have to this church,' 
 urged the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' Possession is nine points of the law,' said Monte Carlo. 
 
 They entered the sacred edifice by the main door in the 
 centre of the fa9ade, and all were deeply impressed with 
 the noble appearance of the grand old nave. 
 
 ' Those are the identical pillars, capitals, and arches 
 belonging to Justinian's own time,' said the Sheikh. 
 ' The nave is scarcely altered at all from what it originally 
 was.' 
 
 As they slowly wandered down the aisle and ruminated 
 in the transepts, more than one of the tribe breathed a 
 silent prayer that the time might not be far distant when 
 Jerusalem should once more be wrested from the hands of 
 the Moslems, and when this glorious old edifice should be 
 consecrated for the Christian worship for which it was 
 first designed. 
 
 At the further end of the building the Sheikh pointed 
 out to the tribe an exquisite work of art, which he told 
 them was known as ' Saladin's Pulpit.' 
 
 It was constructed mainly of oak and cedar wood, 
 inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl. A pair of elabo- 
 rately chased folding-doors stood at the bottom of a
 
 SALADIN'S PULPIT 147 
 
 handsome staircase, which led up to the pulpit itself. 
 This, again, was surmounted by a magnificsnt canopy 
 entirely composed of enamelled work, the predominant 
 colour of which was green, the sacred colour of the 
 Moslems. This, however, was relieved by many other 
 colours, harmoniously blended together. The whole 
 erection was a thing of beauty, eminently satisfying to 
 the eye. 
 
 ' There is an interesting history attaching to this pulpit,' 
 said the Sheikh. ' You know, of course, that the inhabi- 
 tants of Damascus have been famed from time immemorial 
 for their wonderful skill in the manufacture of this kind of 
 inlaid wood-work. Saladin, who was a native of Damascus, 
 was anxious to hand down to posterity some substantial 
 and worthy memorial of the sense of dignity and honour in 
 which he regarded this sacred place of worship which he 
 had secured for the Moslem faith. He therefore ordered 
 the artisans of Damascus to cease for awhile from their 
 ordinary occupations, and to combine together to design 
 and construct the most exquisite pulpit which had ever 
 been made. When it was finished, it was brought to 
 Jerusalem and placed on this spot in the Mosque El-Aksa, 
 and here it has remained ever since.' 
 
 ' All I can say,' remarked the Matter-of-fact Man, after 
 most of the tribe had uttered their expressions of admira- 
 tion, ' is this : if a man could not preach a good sermon 
 from that pulpit, he could not preach a good sermon 
 at all.' 
 
 ' Don't talk rubblish !' growled the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' The Moslems have a very amusing tradition to relate 
 in connection with this pulpit,' said the Sheikh. ' Once 
 upon a time, so the story goes, a famous Mohamedan 
 preacher from Bagdad visited Jerusalem, and he was asked 
 to deliver a series of sermons from this pulpit. Friday, 
 
 102
 
 148 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 as you know, is the sacred day of the week for the 
 Moslems, and it was accordingly arranged that this series 
 of sermons should be preached on successive Fridays. 
 Naturally, the fame of this Immaum, as he was called, 
 being so great, there was a crowded congregation assem- 
 bled to hear him when he mounted this pulpit on the first 
 Friday of the course. Amidst breathless silence, he 
 opened his lips to utter his first sentence. It was as 
 follows : " I take it for granted that all here present are 
 well-informed in the principles of our great and holy 
 faith." Whereupon all present shouted out : " Yes, we 
 are." " I am delighted to hear that," said the renowned 
 preacher, " for it will save me the trouble of expounding 
 them to you." Then, to the general dismay, he descended 
 from the pulpit. The following Friday, on putting the 
 same question, he was met with the cry, " No, we are not." 
 " I am sorry to hear that," said the Immaum, " for I really 
 cannot waste my valuable time in preaching to such a lot 
 of ignorant people." And down he came from his pulpit. 
 On the third Friday the congregation came together 
 fully primed with their answers, and when, as they antici- 
 pated, they heard the same opening sentence from the 
 venerable orator's lips, half of them cried out " Yes," and 
 the other half "No." "That's capital," said the 
 preacher, " for it will save me a lot of trouble. Those of 
 you who do know can teach those who do not." And 
 that was all the sermon that the noted Bagdad Immaum 
 ever preached in Saladin's Pulpit.'
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 THE CENTRAL SHRINE OF CHRISTENDOM 
 
 The Pessimist and the smell Guardians of the peace ' You will find 
 Calvary on the first floor ' The Chapel of the Mocking The 
 Chapel of St. Helena The Chapel of the Invention of the Cross 
 St. Helena's Chair. 
 
 ' HTJLLOA, old boy ! what in the name of fortune is the 
 matter with you ? Have you seen the bogie man, or 
 have you taken a dose of poison ? You are as white as 
 a sheet, and look frightened to death.' 
 
 It was Monte Carlo's hearty voice that uttered these 
 words, and it was the Pessimist who was thus addressed. 
 
 The former was crossing the open square in front of the 
 Church of the Holy Sepulchre, in the company of the 
 Enthusiast and Yusef, on their way to visit the church, 
 when they met the Pessimist hurrying away from the 
 sacred edifice, with a scared and woe-begone look upon his 
 face, and holding his handkerchief to his nose. They had 
 lingered behind the rest of the party at a shop in Christian 
 Street, where the Enthusiast had seen some strings of 
 amber beads of great size and beauty which had attracted 
 his attention. Monte Carlo remained with him to assist 
 him in his bargaining, whilst they kept Yusef with them 
 to act as their interpreter. Thus, the others had arrived 
 at the church about a quarter of an hour before them. It 
 was with no little surprise, not unmingled with amuse- 
 
 149
 
 150 PATROLLERS OP PALESTINE 
 
 ment, that they met the Pessimist apparently fleeing for 
 his very life. 
 
 ' Oh, horrible ! horrible !' he gasped ; ' I fear I have 
 caught a fever. The foulest stench I have ever en- 
 countered has assailed my nose within that dreadful 
 place.' 
 
 There was certainly some excuse for the poor hypo- 
 chondriac's alarm and apprehension ; for of all the pene- 
 trating, fever-breeding smells that are to be met with, 
 even in Jerusalem itself, those which are sometimes to be 
 found pervading certain portions of the Central Shrine of 
 Christendom, as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is 
 often styled, are the worst. There is a large cesspool in 
 a courtyard on the north side of the passage leading from 
 the Rotunda to the Chapel of Helena ; and as this cesspool 
 is generally in an extremely foul condition, the odours 
 which permeate the church are inconceivably noxious and 
 offensive. Many a person with far less delicate olfactory 
 nerves than those of the Pessimist has been driven in 
 disgust from the precincts of the sacred edifice, which is 
 supposed to contain within its walls the sites of the 
 Crucifixion and Burial of the Saviour of the world. 
 
 Monte Carlo and the Enthusiast left the Pessimist to 
 pursue his way back to the Grand New Hotel, and con- 
 tinued their course to the door of the church, undaunted 
 by the perils which had been depicted to them. No 
 sooner had they entered the church than they saw on 
 their left a raised Turkish divan, on which were reclining 
 about half a dozen soldiers sipping coffee. 
 
 ' That's a fine sight to greet one's eyes inside a Christian 
 church !' exclaimed Monte Carlo, laughing. ' What are 
 those chaps there for, Yusef ?' 
 
 ' To keep the Christians from fighting,' he said. 
 
 ' Fighting whom ?' asked the Enthusiast.
 
 GUARDIANS OF THE PEACE 151 
 
 ' Fighting one another,' answered the Druse. 
 
 It is a melancholy fact that Yusef spoke but the simple 
 truth. Several of the Christian sects have altars and 
 chapels within the church, chief amongst these being 
 the Orthodox Greeks, the Latins as the Roman 
 Catholics are called in Palestine the Armenians, and the 
 Copts. The result has been that, until the Turkish 
 authorities intervened to keep the peace, scarcely a day 
 used to pass without some scenes of strife, quarrelling, 
 and even bloodshed, occurring between the votaries of 
 the different religions. One would have thought that, of 
 all places in the world, there, in the heart of the Holy 
 City and in the Central Shrine of Christendom, surrounded 
 as they are by the Moslem and Jewish despisers of their 
 faith, the professed followers of the " Prince of Peace " 
 would have been most careful to have preserved, out- 
 wardly, at least, the unity, peace, and concord which are 
 among the first principles of the religion of Christ. In 
 the pure and primitive days of early Christianity, when 
 the disciples of the faith were drawn together by mutual 
 sympathy and mutual danger, their harmony was so 
 conspicuous as to draw from even the heathen themselves 
 the exclamation of wonder and admiration : ' See how 
 these Christians love one another !' Now in scorn and 
 derision the Moslems and the Jews exclaim : ' See how 
 these Christians hate one another !' Sad indeed it is, 
 but only too true. 
 
 A man of dark complexion, and dressed in the Oriental 
 garments of a Syrian Christian, accosted them as soon as 
 they had entered, and proffered his services to conduct 
 them over the church, and to show them all the sacred 
 sites and relics. They told him that they belonged to a 
 party who were already in the church, and that they had 
 appointed to meet them in the Chapel of Calvary. They
 
 152 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 asked the man where Calvary was, and the answer they 
 received from him was short and to the point : 
 
 ' Turn to the right, go upstairs, and you will find 
 Calvary on the first floor.' 
 
 Following these instructions, they reached on their 
 right hand a flight of stone steps, and, passing up these, 
 they entered a vaulted chamber with a marble floor, 
 where the Sheikh and the rest of his tribe were awaiting 
 their arrival. The chamber was fitted up as a church or 
 chapel, and was divided into two portions, in each of which 
 there was an altar, with all its appurtenances of vases, 
 crosses, hanging-lamps, etc. The arrangements and 
 decorations of these two altars showed at once that one 
 of them belonged to the Latins and the other to the 
 Greeks. No special religious functions were going on at 
 either altar at the time, but the place was filled by a 
 crowd of pilgrims, chiefly Russians, as was evident from 
 their dress and aspect. These pilgrims approached the 
 altars prostrate on their knees, kissing the floor at frequent 
 intervals, and manifesting the most sincere and devout 
 belief in the sanctity and genuineness of all the various 
 ' holy sites ' which were accumulated in the chamber. 
 But their chief attention and devotion were concentrated 
 on a hole in the marble slab under the altar in the Greek 
 portion of the chapel. A long string of pilgrims were 
 waiting to take their turn at adoring and kissing this 
 hallowed spot ; and, as each person approached it, he or 
 she fell full length on the floor, in an attitude of the most 
 profound reverence and self-abasement, crossing himself 
 or herself profusely, and in many cases actually shedding 
 tears of devotion and holy grief. There was something 
 very touching in the evident sincerity of their adoration, 
 and in the unquestioning faith in which they one and all 
 accepted everything which they had been told.
 
 RUSSIAN PILGRIMS 153 
 
 ' What is there particularly sacred about that hole ?' 
 asked Monte Carlo of the Sheikh, as soon as he and the 
 Enthusiast had rejoined the tribe, who were looking on at 
 the solemn, and yet in some respects melancholy, scene 
 which was passing before their eyes. 
 
 ' That is supposed by them to be the identical hole into 
 which the cross of Christ was fixed,' replied the Sheikh. 
 ' You see, we are here on the traditional site of Calvary.' 
 
 ' Well, but this seems to me to be merely the floor of a 
 chamber on an upper story,' said Monte Carlo in surprise. 
 
 ' And so it is, neither more nor less,' answered the 
 Sheikh. 
 
 ' How, then, can any sane person believe for one 
 moment that Christ was crucified on that spot ?' he 
 replied. 
 
 ' Oh, these persons are not sane,' interposed the Fossil ; 
 ' they are all hopeless imbeciles, driven mad by the witch- 
 craft of sacerdotalism.' 
 
 ' That is rather strong language, I venture to assert, 
 my dear sir,' rejoined the Archbishop, ' and, if I might be 
 permitted to say so, it seems to me very uncharitable.' 
 
 ' At any rate, there goes one lunatic,' sneered the Fossil, 
 pointing to the Gusher, who had taken up her post in the 
 line of pilgrims, and was now devoutly prostrating herself 
 beneath the altar, and fervently kissing the sacred hole 
 in the floor. ' If these poor, ignorant Russian peasants 
 cannot be expected to know any better, at least one might 
 have hoped that no English lady, nor anyone in the same 
 company with myself, would have been so utterly desti- 
 tute of common-sense and self-respect as to make such 
 an idiot of herself.' 
 
 He turned away in contempt and disdain, as though he 
 would be demeaning himself by even watching such a 
 spectacle ; and he made his way to the steps, declaring
 
 154 PATROLLERS OP PALESTINE 
 
 that he had seen enough tomfoolery there, and that if 
 there was nothing better worth seeing in the Church of 
 the Holy Sepulchre, he should return to the hotel and 
 write some letters. And so the Fossil was driven away 
 by the scenes in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, just 
 as the Pessimist had been driven away by its smells. 
 
 ' Poor man !' sighed the Archbishop, as he watched his 
 old antagonist depart ; ' he talks about the narrow- 
 mindedness and intolerance of the clergy, but he is very 
 intolerant and narrow-minded himself.' 
 
 ' But really,' said Monte Carlo, laughing at the Fossil's 
 virtuous indignation, ' is it not a little too absurd to 
 expect rational men to swallow such a story as this ? 
 How could the Crucifixion have taken place on an upper 
 floor ? for, as I understand it, there is another chamber 
 beneath this one, is there not ?' 
 
 ' There is,' replied the Sheikh ; ' and I will take you 
 there when we have finished our visit to this chapel. In 
 it you will be gravely shown the tombs of Adam and of 
 Melchizedek. I have been assured that, if you choose to 
 pay a little extra baksheesh, the priests are prepared to 
 show you Adam's skull ; but, as I have never been suffi- 
 ciently curious in the matter to put my hand in my 
 pocket over it, I cannot vouch for the truth of that 
 statement.' 
 
 ' But how do they account for the fact that Calvary is 
 in a room ?' asked the Angel. 
 
 * They have a most ingenious answer for you, if you ask 
 them that question,' replied the Sheikh ; ' they will tell 
 you that this chapel was originally built upon a small 
 hilly rock, but that the Empress Helena, who was the first 
 in the long line of devout pilgrims to visit this shrine, 
 took away a large portion of the rock beneath as a sacred 
 relic to Rome, and the countless pilgrims who have sue-
 
 CARRYING AWAY CALVARY 155 
 
 ceeded in her train have each of them carried off a little 
 bit as a private relic for themselves. The consequence 
 is that Calvary has by this time entirely disappeared, but 
 the hole in the floor occupies the same position in space as 
 the original hole did, so that that is all right.' 
 
 ' And do you not think that this may be the case ?' asked 
 the General Nuisance ; ' I do not see anything very im- 
 probable in that.' 
 
 ' There is one fatal objection to that excellent theory,' 
 replied the Sheikh : ' it is now established, as nearly as 
 anything can be established, beyond a doubt that this 
 Church of the Holy Sepulchre stands nowhere near the 
 true scene of the Crucifixion.' 
 
 ' And is not the Holy Sepulchre itself genuine either ?' 
 asked the Angel. 
 
 ' There is nothing whatever genuine about it,' answered 
 the Sheikh ; ' the whole church, and everything connected 
 with it, from the blasphemous ceremony of the so-called 
 Holy Fire downwards, is simply a fraud and a delusion.' 
 
 ' But how could that possibly be ?' objected the Arch- 
 bishop, in a tone that showed that he thoroughly dis- 
 approved of the Sheikh's assertions ; ' this site has been 
 accepted by the universal voice of the Church and 
 Christianity at large for nearly sixteen centuries.' 
 
 ' That makes no difference in the matter,' answered the 
 Sheikh ; ' if a thing starts by being false at first, even the 
 universal voice of the Church and Christianity at large 
 for sixteen centuries cannot make it true at last.' 
 
 ' Your arguments are ridiculous !' exclaimed the General 
 Nuisance abruptly ; ' how could sites so well known and 
 important as those of the Crucifixion and Burial of our 
 blessed Lord have ever been mistaken ? It is perfectly 
 absurd upon the face of it.' 
 
 ' Nevertheless, however ridiculous and absurd it may
 
 156 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 appear to you,' replied the Sheikh quietly, ' it is simply 
 a matter of history that the sites were lost, and I will tell 
 you when and how. After the destruction of Jerusalem 
 under Titus in the year 70 A.D. the city lay in a state of 
 ruined desolation, until it was rebuilt by the heathen 
 Roman Emperor Adrian in 135 A.D., who effectually 
 erased all traces of Jewish or Christian remains, converting 
 the place into a purely heathen city, and changing its 
 very name into that of ^Elia Capitolina.' 
 
 ' What on earth did he give it that outlandish name 
 for ?' asked the Matter-of-fact Man. 
 
 ' His own first name was ^Elius,' said the Sheikh, ' and 
 so the title meant the Capitoline of Adrian. For three 
 generations that is to say, for close upon a hundred 
 years no Christian or Jew was allowed to enter the city. 
 The consequence was that when they did return there was 
 not a soul living who remembered the Jerusalem anterior 
 to Adrian's reign ; and so, as Eusebius himself says, 
 " That illustrious monument of immortality, the Holy 
 Sepulchre of Jesus Christ, had become lost in darkness 
 and oblivion." 
 
 ' Why, then, was this spot selected, if no one knew of 
 the real site ?' inquired the Angel. 
 
 ' You have doubtless heard of " Holy Cross Day," or 
 the Day of the " Invention of the Cross," in the Roman 
 Calendar,' replied the Sheikh, ' and you would find it also 
 in the Calendar of the Greek Church. We will now leave 
 this chapel, and descend the steps, and I will take you to 
 another portion of this Church of the Holy Sepulchre, 
 where I will explain to you both the origin of that day in 
 the Roman and Greek Calendars, and also the reason why 
 this church has been for fifteen centuries and a half the 
 Central Shrine of Christendom.' 
 
 On arriving at the foot of the stairs, they turned to the
 
 THE CHAPEL OF THE MOCKING 157 
 
 right, and passed along a dark passage, paved with marble. 
 After proceeding a short distance, they came to an altar 
 in a recess on the right-hand side. An oil-painting over 
 the altar represented Jesus seated on a stone pedestal, 
 crowned with thorns, and with a group of Jews around 
 Him, scoffing at Him. Underneath the altar was a fragment 
 of a gray marble column. The Sheikh pointed this out 
 to the tribe, telling them that this was one of the numerous 
 so-called sacred sites in the church, and that it was known 
 as the ' Chapel of the Mocking.' The broken column 
 below the altar is pointed out to faithful pilgrims as 
 being the identical place on which Jesus sat when the 
 Jews crowned Him with thorns. The Gusher was very 
 anxious to go down on her knees and kiss this stone, and 
 she was very loth to listen to the Sheikh when he assured 
 her that this and all the other sites which she would see 
 before, they had finished their journey round the church 
 were spurious and fictitious. 
 
 Immediately beyond this chapel they came to a broad 
 flight of steps leading down to a large chamber consider- 
 ably below the level of the rest of the church. This 
 chamber looked like the crypt of some old cathedral, 
 being lighted only by a small dome with four windows in 
 it, situated in the centre of the roof. There were two 
 rows of very short columns, with Byzantine capitals 
 supporting the roof, which was rudely decorated by a 
 groined ceiling. This crypt was thus divided into three 
 aisles. At the further end of the centre and left aisle 
 were altars, whilst at the further end of the right aisle 
 was another staircase cut out of the solid rock, and 
 leading down to a sort of vault. Near these steps was a 
 very ancient-looking marble seat or chair. The Sheikh 
 first of all conducted the tribe to the altar at the end of 
 the left aisle.
 
 158 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' This altar,' said he, ' is dedicated to the penitent 
 thief, who, according to ecclesiastical tradition, was 
 known as St. Dimas. But there is no need to linger here, 
 for this other altar and the vault below those steps are 
 the real objects of interest to occupy our attention here. 
 This whole chapel is known as the Chapel of St. Helena, 
 and the altar in the centre is dedicated to her. The 
 vault, into which we will now descend, has, as you per- 
 ceive, another altar and a crucifix. This vault is called 
 the Chapel of the Invention of the Cross. We will re- 
 ascend these steps into the larger chapel, where I will 
 relate to you all the circumstances which have led to the 
 erection of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and to its 
 position through all these centuries as the Central Shrine 
 of Christendom.' 
 
 ' Has that large stone chair got any history ?' asked the 
 Enthusiast, as they were coming up the steps from the 
 vault into the Chapel of St. Helena. 
 
 ' Yes,' answered the Sheikh ; ' that is called Helena's 
 Chair, and you will presently hear why it has received that 
 name. Helena, as you all probably know, was the mother 
 of Constantino the Great, the first Christian Roman 
 Emperor. She lived in the earlier part of the fourth 
 century of the Christian era. She was a very devout, 
 earnest, holy woman, but, like most people of that age, 
 exceedingly superstitious and fanatical. It was essen- 
 tially an age of credulity, ignorance, and relic-hunting. 
 There was a mania for erecting shrines and churches on 
 every imaginable holy site, and the Empress Helena herself 
 was one of the most zealous and active devotees in this 
 particular phase of religious fervour. An ardent desire 
 fired her breast to make a pilgrimage to the Holy City, 
 and to build a shrine over the site of Calvary and the 
 tomb of Christ. This aspiration was sedulously fostered
 
 ST. HELENA'S REMARKABLE DREAM 159 
 
 by all who were interested in the matter. Those who 
 were pious and devout, like herself, were naturally de- 
 lighted at the prospect of such a sacred memorial being 
 erected over the very scenes of the death and burial 
 of their Lord. The less scrupulous of the priests and 
 ecclesiastics in Jerusalem welcomed the undertaking ; for 
 they saw in it an increase to their importance and renown, 
 as also a source of constant revenue to their spiritual 
 coffers, through the offerings of the multitude of pilgrims 
 who would henceforth crowd to the Holy Sepulchre. In 
 addition to these, there were at the royal court of Helena 
 a body of sycophantic followers, whose interest it was to 
 see that all the good lady's aspirations were realized, and 
 that all her pious designs were fulfilled. Under such 
 circumstances, and with such attendants, the Empress 
 set out on her pilgrimage to Jerusalem. 
 
 ' When she arrived here, she found herself confronted 
 at the very outset by a serious and unexpected difficulty. 
 There was not a soul living who could tell her where 
 Calvary and the Sepulchre were situated. In \.iAa 
 dilemma she had one night a remarkable dream. She 
 dreamed that if she dug in a certain place, which was 
 pointed out to her in her vision, she would find three 
 crosses buried there. These crosses, she was informed, 
 were those of Christ and of the two thieves ; and she 
 further learned in her dream that they had been buried 
 there by the first disciples, in order that they might be 
 preserved as sacred relics, and that no one might discover 
 where they were concealed until some faithful Christian, 
 like herself, should come along to build a church over 
 their hiding-place. She told her dream next day, of 
 course, to her followers ; and, under all the circumstances 
 of the case, it is not very surprising that when they came 
 to dig, a couple of days afterwards, in the spot of which
 
 160 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 she had dreamed, three crosses were, sure enough, dis- 
 covered a short distance below the surface of the ground. 
 That dream was pronounced by the ecclesiastical author- 
 ities of the church to be miraculous ; nor could they well 
 have adjudged it otherwise, seeing that the Empress was 
 the mother of the all-powerful Emperor, Constantine. 
 The day on which the crosses were unearthed was canon- 
 ized under the name of " Holy Cross Day," and this 
 chapel was erected at the scene of the discovery and 
 named the " Chapel of the Invention of the Cross." 
 From that time till the present century no one seems to 
 have ventured to dispute or discuss the genuineness of 
 the miracle ; and such is the wonderful force of eccle- 
 siastical tradition, especially when confirmed by the 
 lapse of centuries everybody has unhesitatingly accepted 
 this spot as the divinely-revealed site of Calvary and the 
 Tomb of Christ.' 
 
 ' Nor do I see any reason why the dream should not 
 have been a miraculous vision,' remarked the Archbishop ; 
 ' for, seeing how pious and devout the good St. Helena was, 
 and how well-pleasing to God her intentions must have been, 
 I can readily understand that God would have adopted 
 this plan to point out the true site of the most sacred 
 events which have happened in the history of the world.' 
 
 ' I am afraid that I do not see the matter in that light 
 at all,' replied the Sheikh, ' and, moreover, a few simple 
 considerations will, I think, convince any unprejudiced 
 person at once that the whole story is absolutely unre- 
 liable as a basis of historical criticism.' 
 
 ' Oh dear !' sighed the Gusher, ' why will you always 
 bring in your unromantic historical criticisms ? I do 
 love to think that all these things are true ; and it is very 
 cruel of you, it is indeed, you naughty, naughty man ! to 
 upset all these beautiful stories.'
 
 A SUPERSTITIOUS AGE 161 
 
 ' You need not listen to the criticisms, if you do not 
 like to hear them,' observed the General Nuisance. ' Now, 
 I like to hear all sides of a question, though I always 
 reserve to myself the right to hold my own opinion after 
 having heard everything that is to be said on the matter.' 
 
 ' Quite right,' ejaculated Monte Carlo ; ' mind you 
 stick to your own opinion, whatever happens.' 
 
 ' Trust her for that !' remarked the Matter-of-fact Man 
 in an undertone to the Angel, who was standing beside 
 him. 
 
 ' Now tell us, please,' said the Enthusiast, ' why you 
 consider it so impossible that the ecclesiastical tradition 
 about this site should be correct.' 
 
 ' In the first place,' replied the Sheikh, ' the very last 
 thing in the world that the first disciples would have 
 thought of doing, or would have wished to do, would be 
 to cherish as a sacred relic the wooden instrument of 
 death upon which their dear Friend and Master was 
 innocently executed. The day for attention to sacred 
 relics had not then arrived. It was the creation of an 
 after age, an age of superstition and credulity the very 
 age, in fact, in which the Empress Helena lived. Indeed, 
 she must be regarded as more responsible than any other 
 human being for the introduction of the sentiment with 
 regard to sacred relics, which has been fostered by the 
 ecclesiastics of the Greek and Roman Churches for purposes 
 of their own. There is not the slightest probability that 
 the early disciples ever gave a thought at all to the actual 
 cross upon which Christ died ; but if they did, it is certain 
 that it would have been with a feeling of abhorrence and 
 repulsion that they would have regarded it, and not with 
 any sentiment of reverence or devotion. Had they 
 desired to do anything with it, their natural impulse 
 would have been to have burnt it or destroyed it in some 
 
 11
 
 162 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 way anything to get rid of the accursed thing. It 
 would have been as abhorrent to them as would be the 
 gallows to us upon which any dear and venerated friend 
 of ours should be innocently hanged.' 
 
 ' But,' objected the Angel, ' that could hardly be, 
 surely ; for does not St. Paul expressly say, " God forbid 
 that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ " ? This seems to show that the Apostles did 
 regard the cross as an object of veneration.' 
 
 ' St. Paul was not alluding to the wooden instrument 
 of death when he wrote those words,' replied the Sheikh, 
 ' but to the act itself of the crucifixion, the self-sacrifice 
 of Jesus Christ in dying on the cross.' 
 
 ' And even supposing that the first disciples did regard 
 the cross of Christ as a sacred object, and therefore might 
 have wished to preserve it as a sacred relic, I do not see 
 what there could possibly have been sacred to them in 
 the crosses of the two thieves,' suggested Monte Carlo. 
 
 ' Exactly so,' said the Sheikh ; ' I was just coming to 
 that point. Finding three crosses proved too much, 
 there would have been much greater plausibility in the 
 discovery if only one cross had been found.' 
 
 ' But do you think,' said the Matter-of-fact Man, ' that 
 if the object of those disciples in burying the crosses 
 even supposing those discovered were genuine had been 
 to preserve them as sacred relics and to prevent them 
 from being discovered, they would have buried them in 
 the very place where the Crucifixion occurred, and where 
 anyone would naturally look for them ?' 
 
 ' Of course not,' replied the Sheikh ; ' and, even upon 
 the hypothesis of those three crosses being the crosses of 
 Christ and of the two thieves, as the ecclesiastical tradition 
 would have us believe, the very fact of this being the 
 place where they were concealed is a strong argument
 
 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE 163 
 
 against its being the true site of the Crucifixion. But 
 the question has been almost entirely settled, as far as 
 the claims of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre are con- 
 cerned, by the discoveries of the last few years. It has 
 long been thought by intelligent and unprejudiced ex- 
 plorers that the spot where we are now standing must 
 have been inside the walls of Jerusalem in the time of 
 Christ, just as it is at the present day. The wall which 
 surrounded the city then is commonly known as the 
 Second Wall, and its direction, between the present Jaffa 
 Gate and Damascus Gate, was pretty clearly defined by 
 the descriptions of Josephus. There was some doubt, 
 however, about the construction of a passage in his 
 account which enabled the advocates of the claims of 
 this church to draw an imaginary plan of the direction 
 of the wall by a very eccentric and unlikely course, so 
 as to make this spot outside the city in the time of Christ. 
 There have been discovered three distinct portions of 
 the foundations of the Second Wall within the last few 
 years, and these distinctly show that the walls circled 
 round from near where the Grand New Hotel at present 
 stands to the Modern Damascus Gate, which stands as 
 nearly as possible on the very site of the gate through 
 which the road to Damascus went out of Jerusalem in 
 the time of our Lord. This places the site of the Church 
 of the Holy Sepulchre a long way inside the city in those 
 days, and proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that 
 Calvary and the Tomb of Christ could not by any possi- 
 bility have been near this spot.' 
 
 ' I do not follow you in that argument,' said the General 
 Nuisance ; ' please explain yourself more clearly.' 
 
 ' Our Lord was undoubtedly crucified and buried 
 outside the city walls,' replied the Sheikh. ' St. John 
 expressly tells us that " the place where He was crucified 
 
 112
 
 164 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 was nigh, unto the city," but not in it ; whilst the writer 
 of the Epistle to the Hebrews states that " He suffered 
 without the gate." Apart from these two testimonies, 
 we know, moreover, that as an historical fact criminals 
 were never executed, nor anyone buried, inside the city 
 walls.' 
 
 ' So much, then, for this church and all that it professes 
 to contain !' exclaimed Monte Carlo. ' I should imagine 
 that it would take the gold medal from all the world for 
 being a humbug and a fraud.' 
 
 ' But, if this is not the true site of Calvary, can you 
 tell us where it is ?' said the Angel. ' For I can see but 
 little object in overthrowing the devout tradition of so 
 many centuries unless you are able satisfactorily to sub- 
 stitute for it the undoubtedly true scene of our Lord's 
 crucifixion and burial.' 
 
 ' I entirely agree with you,' answered the Sheikh, ' and 
 unless I had been prepared to do so, I should never have 
 mooted the question at all. I propose to take you this 
 afternoon to the genuine spot, where I shall be able to 
 point out to you the evidences in its favour. We will 
 now, if you please, devote the rest of our morning to 
 seeing the other objects of interest and reputed sacred 
 spots within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Only I 
 would again remind you that you must not accept as 
 real facts the fictitious sites that are pointed out to you.' 
 
 ' Before we leave this place,' remarked the Enthusiast, 
 ' I should like to remind you that you have not told us 
 the history of this stone chair.' 
 
 ' Its history is told in a very few words,' replied the 
 Sheikh. ' It is called St. Helena's chair because tradition 
 reports that the aged Empress sat upon it whilst she was 
 watching the operations connected with the Invention of 
 the Cross.'
 
 LORD CHESTERFIELD'S ADVICE 165 
 
 ' Oh, I must go and sit in it !' exclaimed the Gusher, 
 suiting the action to the word. 
 
 ' I suppose that it is no more genuine than anything 
 else here, is it ?' said the Angel. 
 
 ' Probably not,' answered the Sheikh. ' It is scarcely 
 likely that this marble throne, for so it may be called, 
 would have been forthcoming on the spot ; and it is much 
 more probable that it has been constructed and placed 
 here by some of the mediaeval monks, as an extra adorn- 
 ment to the moral of the tale. But we will now move 
 on, and see all that remains to be seen.' 
 
 ' Do you think it is worth while bothering ourselves 
 to see anything else ?' said the Matter-of-fact Man. 
 ' For if there is nothing more genuine in the Church of 
 the Holy Sepulchre than the rubbish which we have 
 already inspected, it strikes me that our time might be 
 much better employed in going and looking at something 
 else.' 
 
 ' Oh no, let's see everything !" exclaimed the Enthu- 
 siast. ' I don't much care whether a thing is genuine 
 or not as long as I can say that I have seen it.' 
 
 ' You remember what Lord Chesterfield said to his 
 son when he wanted to go down a coal-mine,' said Monte 
 Carlo. ' He asked him why on earth he wanted to ruin 
 his clothes and dirty himself by going down a coal-mine ; 
 and the son replied that he wanted to be able to say that 
 he had been down. " Well, then, my boy, say so," replied 
 the cynical father. So I say to you, if you want to say 
 that you have seen all these blessed sights, by all means, 
 my dear fellow, say so.' 
 
 * If what you have told us is true, I think it a very sad 
 and shocking thing that all these poor pilgrims should be 
 so deluded, and made to believe that these places are 
 genuine,' said the General Nuisance.
 
 166 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' I do not quite agree with you,' observed the Arch- 
 bishop ; ' for, apart altogether from the question of the 
 genuineness and authenticity of the sacred spots to which 
 they are taken, there seems to me to be a very useful 
 purpose which these holy shrines serve in acting as 
 visible memorials of the sacred events which they com- 
 memorate, and in impressing upon the minds of the 
 pilgrims the various incidents in the life of our Lord in 
 a more powerful and permanent manner than would 
 otherwise be possible.' 
 
 ' Besides,' added his daughter, ' there is something to 
 my mind inexpressibly solemn and beautiful in the 
 thought of the devout prayers and reverent worship 
 which have been offered up by millions and millions of 
 faithful Christians within the precincts of this church 
 during all the centuries since Helena's time.' 
 
 ' There is a great deal of force in that sentiment,' 
 replied the Sheikh, ' and, persuaded as I am of the utter 
 fictitiousness of everything connected with the Church 
 of the Holy Sepulchre from the point of view of historical 
 and geographical accuracy, I never enter the church 
 without being rilled with heartfelt devotion and reverent 
 solemnity because of the innumerable company of saints 
 who have worshipped within its walls. If I want to 
 realize the doctrine of the Communion of Saints, I come 
 to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre ; but if I want to 
 realize the Crucifixion of our Blessed Lord, I go to the 
 green hill outside the Damascus Gate, to which I purpose 
 to take you this afternoon.'
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 ' THERE IS A GREEN HILL FAR AWAY ' 
 
 The Gusher annoys the Fossil The Hospital of the Knights The 
 Ecce Homo Arch Gabbatha The Via Dolorosa The Damascus 
 Gate The real Calvary ' The Place of a Skull 'Death by 
 stoning The scene of the Crucifixion. 
 
 ' WHY did you run away this morning ?' asked the Gusher 
 of the Fossil, as she sat next to him at luncheon in the 
 saloon of the Grand New Hotel. ' You don't know what you 
 missed. There were such lots of beautiful things to see.' 
 
 She was in blissful ignorance of the fact that he had 
 left in indignation at what he considered her idiotic 
 enthusiasm. 
 
 ' They were not the kind of things that I care to see, 
 madam,' he replied curtly. 
 
 ' Oh, but you should have seen them, you really should,' 
 she rattled on, quite oblivious of his evident distaste for 
 the subject. ' I can scarcely remember all there was, 
 but I will try to tell you as well as I can.' 
 
 ' Pray do not give yourself that trouble, madam,' he 
 said in as freezing a tone as he could command. But she 
 was too much wrapped up in her own ecstasy to notice 
 his manner. 
 
 ' Oh dear me ! it is no trouble at all, I assure you,' 
 she said innocently ; ' in fact, I want to see if I can recall 
 everything we saw. Let me see ! First, there was the 
 
 167
 
 168 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 lovely marble chair in which that darling old lady sat 
 what was her name ? Helena. I think at any rate, she was 
 an Empress, I know ; and then there were a lot of, oh ! 
 such lovely altars : there was one on the very spot 
 where the soldiers cast lots to see who should get Christ's 
 garment ; then there was one on the exact spot where 
 that centurion man stood at the Crucifixion, and another 
 where our Lord was put into prison before His execution 
 though I had forgotten, by-the-by, that He was put 
 into prison, but He must have been, because there are 
 the very two holes in the ground where His feet were 
 placed in the stocks, so, you see, it must have been true. 
 And then there was a divine little church, belonging to 
 the Latins, I think they call them, where our Lord was 
 scourged, and that must be true, because the very pillar 
 is there still to which He was bound, though we could not 
 see it, because there is a sort of wall built all round it ; 
 but I know it was there, because the good kind priest 
 who showed us the place told me to poke the tip of my 
 parasol through a round hole in the wall, and I did so, 
 and I could feel the pillar quite distinctly at least, I 
 felt something, and the priest said it was the pillar, so 
 of course it was. And then there was the exact spot 
 where our Lord appeared to Mary Magdalene after His 
 resurrection, and, of course, that was true, because there 
 is a marble slab with a cross upon it in the ground to show 
 where it was, so that there could be no mistake. And then 
 there was oh dear ! I quite forget what there was besides, 
 but oh ! lots and lots of other beautiful and wonderful 
 things like these, and all so real and true.' 
 
 ' And did you go down on your knees and kiss all these 
 places, may I inquire, madam ?' asked the Fossil in a 
 tone which he intended to be so cuttingly sarcastic as to 
 put a stop to her ceaseless chatter.
 
 THE GUSHER ANNOYS THE FOSSIL 169 
 
 He might have saved himself the trouble, for she did not 
 heed it in the least, and replied in as natural a manner as if 
 he had asked her the most ordinary question in the world : 
 
 ' Well, no, not exactly all. You see, the others were 
 in such a terrible hurry to move on at times that they 
 would not give me time to do so ; and then there was that 
 nasty, unkind Sheikh telling them over and over again 
 that all these things were false and not to be believed ; 
 but I did kiss as many as I could, and I am going to ask 
 that dear, delightful Druse man, Yusef, to take me 
 back there one day all by myself, and then I can spend 
 as much time as I like, and do the same as all those dear 
 pilgrims, who are, I think, quite too lovely in their 
 devotions. But I have not told you nearly all yet.' 
 (The poor Fossil heaved a deep sigh, and tried to turn 
 to his other neighbour, but the Gusher pinned him to 
 attention by plucking hold of his sleeve.) ' Well, there 
 was a large round church with a great glassed dome at 
 the top of it, and I think they said it was called the 
 Rotunda, and in the middle of it there was, oh ! oh ! such 
 a lovely yellow stone building, one of the most beautiful 
 things I have ever seen in my life, and it had no end of 
 silver lamps hung all over it, and some magnificent 
 candlesticks all about it, and no wonder it was so grand, 
 for it was the very Sepulchre where our Lord was buried. 
 But the Bible must be wrong, because it is not cut out of 
 the rock at all, but it has two rooms in it, and you have 
 to stoop down to get into them because the doors are 
 so low, and in the middle of the first room which is so 
 dark that you are obliged to carry a tallow candle in 
 your hand, and the tallow has run all over my dress and 
 spoilt it ; but I don't mind that, because it was only an 
 old dress, and, besides, I can easily get the grease out, 
 because I always carry a bottle of benzine about with
 
 170 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 me and in the middle of this room there is the very 
 stone on which the angel sat after it had been rolled away 
 from the door of the Sepulchre the stone, I mean, not 
 the angel though I don't quite see how a stone of the 
 shape that that one was could have been used to block up 
 a door ; but I don't pretend to be so wise as some people. 
 And then there was another little low door into the second 
 room, and I nearly broke my back stooping down to get 
 through it. But oh ! it was so lovely when I got inside. 
 It is only a little tiny place, and it has what looks like 
 one of those old-fashioned big tomb-stones we see in our 
 village churchyards, and it is covered with a white 
 marble slab, and actually the slab is nearly worn through 
 in one place by the lips of the pilgrims who have kissed 
 it ; and there was such a lot of smoke from the lamps 
 and the incense that I was nearly choked ; but I kissed 
 the slab, and then went out backwards stooping through 
 the door, because I found it easier to do so than to go 
 forwards. Oh ! and I must not forget to tell you that 
 we went into another such a curious place, where there 
 were some long narrow holes, just like coffins, cut in the 
 stone floor, and somebody said that they were old Jewish 
 tombs, and that Nicodemus was buried in one of them. 
 Fancy poor Nicodemus being put in a hollow box like 
 that cut out of the rock ! I think they might have put 
 him into a proper coffin and given him a decent funeral. 
 I am sure I should not like to be buried in one of those 
 holes ; I think I would rather be cremated first, I really 
 think I should, would not you ?' 
 
 ' Really, madam,' replied the Fossil, whose patience 
 had long since been exhausted, and who had been trying 
 in vain to get a word in edgeways ' really, madam, the 
 whole subject interests me so little that I must beg you 
 not to weary me with it any further.'
 
 THE HOSPITAL OF THE KNIGHTS 171 
 
 And this time he did succeed in turning round to the 
 Angel, who was on his other side, and entering into a 
 conversation with her. As soon as lunch was over he 
 went up to the Sheikh, and said : 
 
 ' I must beg you as a favour, if you please, so to arrange 
 matters that I am not obliged to sit next to that gushing 
 creature at my meals. She has entirely destroyed my 
 appetite to-day.' 
 
 Their route in the afternoon took them a short way 
 down David Street, out of which they turned to the 
 left, along the same cobbled lane, called Christian Street, 
 which they had traversed in the morning on their way to 
 the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Turning to the 
 right, and descending the steps which led to the open 
 courtyard in front of the church, they continued their 
 way eastward through a narrow gateway at the south- 
 eastern angle of the courtyard. Here they emerged on a 
 broader street on the right hand of which was a handsome 
 mass of buildings, evidently of considerable age, but 
 recently restored. 
 
 ' This,' the Sheikh explained to his companions, ' is a 
 very interesting relic of Crusading times. It was known 
 as the Muristdn, or " Hospital of the Knights," and its 
 grand old church, dedicated to Santa Maria Maggiora, 
 was presented to the late Emperor Frederick of Germany 
 by the Sultan of Turkey some years ago. As you see, 
 it has been very carefully and finely restored to almost 
 exactly its original form and appearance. It is now 
 used as the Lutheran Church for the German residents 
 of Jerusalem.' 
 
 ' And what is this building on our left hand ?' asked 
 the Archbishop. 
 
 ' That is a hospice belonging to the Russian Church,' 
 replied the Sheikh. ' In its grounds were discovered, a
 
 172 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 few years ago, the foundations of very massive walls, 
 and these were at once identified by the advocates of the 
 claims of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as a portion 
 of the old city walls, thus placing the church itself outside 
 Jerusalem. There is, however, but little doubt that they 
 were not the foundations of a city wall at all, but of one 
 of the many towers which we know did once stand in 
 several quarters of the city.' 
 
 Proceeding still further eastward, the tribe came at 
 last to a narrow street which was spanned by a very 
 ancient arch. 
 
 * Now here,' said the Sheikh, ' we are on genuine 
 historic ground. This is known as the Ecce Homo Arch, 
 and it is undoubtedly the remains of the gateway which 
 opened into the grand quadrangle in front of the Roman 
 governor's palace, in the audience chamber of which the 
 trial of Christ before Pontius Pilate took place. Tradi- 
 tion says that our Lord was brought to the top of this 
 arch and shown to the surging mob in the street and 
 quadrangle below, in accordance with the Gospel narra- 
 tives.' 
 
 * And you think that this tradition is correct ?' inquired 
 the Angel. 
 
 * I think it more than probable,' answered the Sheikh. 
 ' This large building to our left is known as the Convent 
 of the Sisters of Zion, and over the altar in its chapel is 
 the smaller archway, which formed another portion of 
 the quadrangle entrance of the gateway. In its precincts 
 can be clearly seen the remains of the quadrangle itself, 
 with a portion of the identical Gabbatha or pavement 
 mentioned in the sacred narrative. On one of its stones 
 there is still a carved chequered square, where the Roman 
 soldiers used to amuse themselves by playing with the 
 dice.'
 
 GABBATHA 173 
 
 ' Oh, do let us see that !' cried the Gusher and the 
 Enthusiast in unison ; and several others of the tribe also 
 expressed their desire to inspect, if possible, so interesting 
 a spot. 
 
 Accordingly, the Sheikh knocked at the door of the 
 convent, which was presently opened by one of the sisters, 
 who received the company with quiet grace and courtesy. 
 They were shown into a neat reception-room, and pre- 
 sently the Lady Superior came in to welcome them. 
 Under her escort, they visited the well-kept chapel and 
 other portions of the convent which were open to visitors. 
 It is in reality an orphanage, where about eighty little 
 native children are most lovingly kept, fed, and taught, 
 and all the arrangements connected with the establish- 
 ment gave evidence of a veritable labour of love. 
 
 The old pavement with its interesting remains was fully 
 inspected, to the great delight of all ; and then, having 
 bidden the kind hostess farewell, the tribe returned once 
 more to the street. 
 
 ' You will understand now,' said the Sheikh, ' from all 
 that you have seen and heard, that it was almost of a 
 certainty through this archway that Jesus came when He 
 left the Praetorium for Calvary, bearing the cross.' 
 
 ' This, then,' said the Archbishop, uncovering his head 
 reverently, ' must be the commencement of the Via 
 Dolorosa.' 
 
 ' You are quite right,' replied the Sheikh ; ' and I am 
 now going to conduct you as nearly as can be determined 
 along the actual road to the Crucifixion itself. But, first 
 of all, I must make you clearly understand that we shall 
 not be treading the identical pathway ; for here, as else- 
 where throughout Jerusalem, the present level of the street 
 is considerably higher than it was in the time of Christ.' 
 
 ' How is that ?' asked the General Nuisance.
 
 174 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' It is owing to the enormous accumulation of rubbish 
 and debris which has resulted from the destruction of the 
 city itself by Titus, and by the numerous sieges and 
 transformations to which Jerusalem has been exposed 
 during the eighteen centuries which have elapsed since 
 then.' 
 
 ' I believe that I have read that some of the original 
 streets have been discovered and in part examined by the 
 Palestine Explorers,' observed the Fossil ; ' is this the 
 case ?' 
 
 ' It is,' replied the Sheikh, ' and I myself have seen some 
 portions with my own eyes. For example, I shall indicate 
 to you in a few minutes a spot where the original Via 
 Dolorosa still exists nearly thirty feet below the present 
 surface.' 
 
 Retracing their steps in a westerly direction for a few 
 hundred yards from the Ecce Homo Arch, the Sheikh and 
 his tribe presently arrived at a place where the road 
 bifurcated in two directions. 
 
 ' Here we come to the point of divergence in the two 
 different theories concerning the actual route of the Via 
 Dolorosa. If we take this left-hand path, we shall be 
 returning along the very road which we have already 
 traversed this morning on our way from the Church of the 
 Holy Sepulchre to the Ecce Homo Arch. In other words, 
 that is the route which has for so many centuries been 
 regarded by ecclesiastical tradition as the way to Calvary. 
 This other path, on our right hand, along which I am about 
 to conduct you, is, I believe, the correct direction, and I 
 may add, in passing, that this theory is corroborated by 
 the examination of the ancient street of which I have just 
 spoken ; for it follows the main line of this narrow way, 
 the portion of which I mentioned as having seen myself 
 thirty feet below the surface, lying immediately below this
 
 THE DAMASCUS GATE 175 
 
 lane. It led in the days of Christ, as this now leads, to 
 the principal gateway in the northern walls of the city, 
 known as the Damascus Gate.' 
 
 ' What is this large building at the^corner here ?' asked 
 the Enthusiast ; ' what high walls it has all round it !' 
 
 ' That is another hospice, a very beneficent institution 
 for Roman Catholic pilgrims to Jerusalem,' replied the 
 Sheikh. 
 
 Pursuing their way along the quaint, gloomy, and 
 narrow street indicated by the Sheikh, the obscurity of 
 which was enhanced by many overhanging arches which 
 stretched across it from wall to wall, the tribe in a few 
 minutes reached the Damascus Gate. 
 
 ' Before we pass out through the archway,' said the 
 Sheikh, ' let me draw your attention to a very interesting 
 and important relic of ancient Jerusalem.' 
 
 He indicated to them four large stones, wedge-shaped 
 and massive, which evidently formed the crown of an 
 old archway, the rest of which was hidden from sight 
 beneath the surface. This crown was built into the 
 modern walls, and only reached to three or four feet 
 above the ground. 
 
 ' Here you see,' remarked the Sheikh, ' the keystone 
 and crown of the original Damascus Gate, which was 
 standing in its present position in the time of our Lord. 
 If we were to excavate here, to the depth of from twenty 
 to thirty feet, we should doubtless uncover the whole of 
 that gateway, probably in a well-nigh perfect condition. 
 This will give you some idea of how the original level of 
 the streets and ground of Jerusalem has been raised since 
 the olden times, as I explained to you just now. We are 
 here at least twenty-five feet higher than the level of the 
 threshold of the gate in Christ's time. But the presence 
 of this old gateway proves beyond all contradiction that,
 
 176 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 except in the matter of levels, the modern Damascus Gate, 
 out of which we now pass, is on the actual site of the old 
 gateway. It was through this gate, as I shall prove to you 
 presently, that Jesus came bearing His cross on His way to 
 Calvary. In all probability it was just here that the pro- 
 cession encountered Simon of Gyrene, coming out of the 
 country and about to enter the city, and along all the 
 rest of the way that I am about to take you Simon was 
 compelled to carry the cross.' 
 
 The Damascus Gate is the most picturesque and orna- 
 mental of all the gates of Jerusalem. The form of its 
 turrets, battlements, and other decorations indicates the 
 date of its construction in the Middle Ages. The road 
 which passes out of the gate goes northwards through 
 Palestine, by way of Bethel and Shechem, to Damascus, 
 and hence the name of the Damascus Gate. About a 
 hundred yards further on it is crossed by another road, 
 which runs from west to east outside the northern walls 
 of the city, and connects the Jaffa road on the one side 
 with the road to Bethany, Jericho, and the Jordan on the 
 other. These two cross-roads the one from south to 
 north, and the other from west to east still are, as they 
 always have been, the main roads of Jerusalem. 
 
 At the junction of the roads, and in the north-east angle 
 formed by them, there stands a low grassy mound, with a 
 gently sloping incline on the north, east, and west sides, 
 but with a perpendicular rocky face towards the south 
 that is, looking in the direction of the city walls. This 
 vertical side is about eighteen to twenty feet in height, 
 and in its face is a remarkable natural formation, bearing 
 the most striking likeness to a skull. On both sides of 
 this skull the rock has been rent asunder from top to 
 bottom by the shock of some earthquake in former ages. 
 The Sheikh conducted the tribe a short distance along the
 
 THE REAL CALVARY 177 
 
 cross-road in an easterly direction until they arrived at a 
 rising spot, whence the skull formation could be very 
 clearly perceived. Here he halted them, and addressed 
 them thus : 
 
 ' This mound at which we are now looking is, in my 
 opinion, beyond a doubt, the true scene of the Cruci- 
 fixion. Here is the real Calvary. The hill is known to 
 the present day by the Jews of Jerusalem as the " Hill of 
 Execution." It is also sometimes called " Beth-ha- 
 Sekilah," or the " House of Stoning." The latter name 
 is given to it because the punishment of death by stoning 
 was carried out on this hill, and I will explain to you 
 presently what the stoning really was. It was very 
 different from what you have probably hitherto imagined. 
 Now, it is not likely that there would be two places of 
 execution in the immediate vicinity of the city. One 
 such accursed spot would be quite enough ; and that this 
 mound was held accursed from time immemorial is an 
 ascertained historical fact. No Jew will under any con- 
 sideration pass it after nightfall, for he holds it to be 
 haunted on account of its abhorrent associations ; and 
 even in the daytime every Jew that passes the hill 
 mutters a curse as he does so. An old Rabbi once told me 
 the words of the curse : " Cursed be He that destroyed 
 our nation, by aspiring to be the King thereof !" 
 
 ' Why, that must surely refer to Christ !' exclaimed the 
 Archbishop ; ' for, as we all know, one of the excuses 
 made for His crucifixion was that He said He was the King 
 of the Jews.' 
 
 ' Precisely so,' responded the Sheikh ; ' and, so far as we 
 know, it can refer to no one else. This constitutes a 
 strong argument in favour of this being the real site of 
 Calvary. But there are others stronger still. We all 
 know that Jesus was crucified at a place called Golgotha, 
 
 12
 
 178 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 which is explained in our Authorized Version of S. John's 
 Gospel as meaning " the place of a skull." Some com- 
 mentators have taken this to signify that Calvary was a 
 cemetery, and even on this supposition this mound would 
 exactly answer the description ; for, as you see, it is to 
 the present day used as a burying-ground. It belongs to 
 the Moslems now, but there is little doubt that it was a 
 Jewish cemetery in ancient times. I do not, however, 
 think that Golgotha derived its name from the fact that 
 skulls were dug up there, but rather from the natural 
 conformation of the place. As to this, again, there are 
 two reasons why the place might have received its name : 
 either from the shape of the mound itself, or from some 
 peculiar appearance in a portion of it. General Gordon, 
 the hero of Khartoum, who spent some considerable time 
 in Jerusalem, and was an enthusiastic advocate of this 
 site, took the trouble to survey and measure every part 
 of the hill with the greatest care and accuracy. A 
 German sculptor, then living here, made some plaster 
 casts from Gordon's measurements, and one of these 
 casts I have in my possession now. It is impossible to 
 look at it, even in the most casual manner, without 
 being struck by its remarkable likeness to a human 
 skull.' 
 
 ' I cannot see any resemblance to a skull in this mound,' 
 observed the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' From this point of view, probably not,' replied the 
 Sheikh ; ' but from certain aspects as, for example, from 
 the top of that flat-roofed house which you see on the 
 highest point of the city, immediately above the walls a 
 little to the east of our present position, the resemblance 
 is really very striking. But I do not consider myself that 
 this hill was called " the place of a skull " from that fact, 
 but rather from another peculiarity in its natural con-
 
 'THE PLACE OF A SKULL' 179 
 
 formation. If you look up the Greek version of the 
 passage in St. John to which I have already referred, you 
 will find that the accurate translation would be that Jesus 
 was brought to a place called " The Skull." Not that this 
 makes any material difference, but it helps to define a 
 little more clearly the nature of the Golgotha. Now look 
 straight at the hill, and you will see that the face of the 
 rock has been broken away, partly by natural influences, 
 and partly by artificial means, leaving the surface nearly 
 vertical. That huge cave which is immediately in front 
 of us is generally known as " Jeremiah's Grotto," because 
 that prophet is said to have hidden himself in it when 
 King Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, sought to take his life. 
 Whether that is so or not one cannot say, but it would be 
 a very probable hiding-place, for it has within it some 
 secluded recesses. Directly to the east of the mouth of 
 this cave that is to say, on our right as we are looking 
 towards it you will notice that the face of the rock has 
 evidently been artificially cut into a smooth and vertical 
 scarp. On the other side of the cave, however, the for- 
 mation of the rock is purely natural. Now, fix your eyes 
 on that, and gaze at it long and steadfastly. You know 
 that if you were to take up a human skull in your hand 
 and look at it, you would see the forehead, the eye- 
 sockets, the hollow where the nose had been, the mouth, 
 and the lower jaw. Can you not see all those appearances 
 quite distinctly in the face of that rock ?' 
 
 They all looked carefully in the direction which he 
 indicated, and after a short time the Fossil declared that 
 it was perfectly apparent to his eyes. 
 
 ' By Jove, yes !' exclaimed Monte Carlo, in almost the 
 same breath ; ' there it is, as clear as possible. Don't 
 you see, a few feet below the ridge of the hill there are 
 those two hollow caverns side by side, exactly like gigantic 
 
 122
 
 180 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 empty eye-sockets, and the surface of the rock above 
 them is rounded like the forehead of the skull.' 
 
 * Yes,' chimed in the Enthusiast, ' and just below 
 them there is another hollow, which would correspond 
 to the position of the nose.' 
 
 ' And below that again,' said the Angel, ' there is a 
 long slanting slit, which looks like a mouth very much 
 awry ; and at the bottom of all the rock looks just like 
 a jaw. Oh yes, it is all quite clear.' 
 
 ' Oh dear, oh dear !' exclaimed the Gusher, in excited 
 agony, ' I can't see it ; indeed, indeed, I can't I really 
 can't. Oh, do, please, someone, point it out to me. I 
 mustn't lose my skull.' 
 
 ' It would not be much loss, so far as the contents are 
 concerned,' thought the Fossil to himself ; and the 
 General Nuisance uttered aloud a sentiment to the same 
 effect, which, fortunately, the Gusher did not hear in 
 her eager anxiety not to miss anything that was to be 
 seen. 
 
 The Pessimist presently observed in a lugubrious voice 
 that he had seen it all along, even before the Sheikh had 
 pointed it out to them, and that it had pleased him much, 
 for he was very fond of skulls. 
 
 ' I believe you, old boy !' ejaculated Monte Carlo. 
 ' No wonder you always wear the expression of an under- 
 taker. I suppose you spend your whole time in medi- 
 tating upon the shortness and uncertainty of life.' 
 
 Here the Gusher gave a little scream of delight, and 
 exclaimed that at last she had been able to make out 
 the dear, precious, ugly old skull. The Enthusiast had 
 by this time climbed over a low, loose stone wall, in order 
 to get a nearer view of it. The Archbishop, meanwhile, 
 was gazing earnestly through his spectacles at the face 
 of the hill ; but, as he had looked at the wrong spot all
 
 'THE PLACE OF A SKULL' 181 
 
 the time, he had not yet discerned the skull. The Angel, 
 however, pointed it out to him at length ; and when he 
 had quite satisfied himself as to the similarity of its 
 aspect to a distorted human skull, he asked the Sheikh 
 how he could account for the fact that it had preserved 
 its clearness of outline through all the centuries since the 
 time of Christ. 
 
 ' That is not difficult to understand,' replied the 
 Sheikh, ' for the rocky hill is formed of nummulitic 
 limestone of the hardest and most imperishable quality ; 
 and in this climate there would be no natural influences 
 powerful enough to affect it seriously. Moreover, the 
 very fact of the mound having been used all along as a 
 cemetery would make it sacred in the eyes of the people ; 
 and, therefore, no operations of quarrying and so forth, 
 which might have disturbed the face of the rock, have 
 taken place. Hence it is quite easy to account for its 
 present appearance being much the same as in the time 
 of our Lord.' 
 
 ' Do you notice those curious splits in the rock, on 
 either side of the skull ?' said the Angel. ' They look as 
 if they had been caused by an earthquake.' 
 
 ' And so they undoubtedly have,' answered the Sheikh ; 
 ' and here we have probably a remarkable confirmation 
 of the Gospel narrative as to the physical convulsions of 
 Nature that occurred at the time of the Crucifixion, 
 for we read that the rock was rent in twain from the top 
 to the bottom by an earthquake ; and the effect would 
 be precisely that which we see here.' 
 
 ' How wonderfully interesting !' sighed the Angel, who 
 always felt a keen delight in any corroboration of the 
 secred record. 
 
 ' You said just now that you would explain to us about 
 the punishment by stoning,' remarked the Archbishop.
 
 182 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' I shall be interested to learn if there is any new light 
 that you have to throw upon that ceremony ; for I was 
 always under the impression that that was a very simple 
 affair, and that nothing fresh could be told us about it.' 
 
 ' Why, of course, everyone knows what happened,' 
 said the General Nuisance ; ' the smallest Sunday-school 
 child could tell that.' 
 
 ' And what do you imagine did happen ?' asked the 
 Sheikh. 
 
 ' Imagine ? Why, I know. There's no imagination 
 in the matter at all,' she indignantly replied. ' Of course, 
 they took the man who was to be stoned to the appointed 
 place, and they simply stoned him to death.' 
 
 ' But in what way exactly was the stoning carried out ?' 
 persisted the Sheikh. 
 
 ' In what way was the stoning carried out ?' she ex- 
 claimed impatiently. ' Why, in the usual way, of course. 
 The man knelt down on the ground, and they gathered 
 round him, and hurled great stones at him until he was 
 killed. I should have thought everyone had seen enough 
 pictures of the scene to know what it was like.' 
 
 ' I thought that probably your impression of what 
 occurred was more or less as you have described it,' 
 replied the Sheikh quietly ; ' but, with all due deference 
 to the pictures of which you speak, they are for the most 
 part as ridiculously inaccurate and misleading as are 
 many other pictures upon sacred scenes and subjects 
 which are to be found upon the walls of Sunday-schools 
 and in the pages of Sunday-school books.' 
 
 The General Nuisance gave a snort of incredulous de- 
 fiance, whilst the Sheikh continued : 
 
 ' We will now fix our attention, if you please, upon that 
 portion of the face of the hill which has been artificially 
 made smooth and vertical that, I mean, to the east of
 
 DEATH BY STONING 183 
 
 Jeremiah's Grotto. The height from the level of the 
 ground to the brow of the hill is from sixteen to eighteen 
 feet ; and, when we go up, as we shall immediately, to 
 the summit of the mound, and look over the brow, you 
 will see that the ground itself at the base of that per- 
 pendicular scarp has also been artificially levelled, and 
 made into a smooth horizontal floor of solid rock. Now, 
 what happened in the process of stoning was as follows : 
 The condemned criminal was taken up to the brow of the 
 hill, above that vertical scarp ; his hands were tied be- 
 hind his back, and the principal witness against him 
 pushed him forcibly over the cliff. Falling headlong 
 from that height on to the rocky floor, he would, in nine 
 cases out of ten, be instantaneously killed, or at any 
 rate many of his bones would be broken. The witnesses 
 and others taking part in the execution then leaned over 
 the brow of the hill and dropped large stones upon the 
 unfortunate man, who was literally pounded to a jelly. 
 That, you see, was a very different process from what is 
 generally to be seen in the pictures of which you speak.' 
 
 ' That is indeed a new light thrown upon the subject,' 
 said the Archbishop, ' and I thank you for it. It ex- 
 plains what has often puzzled me namely, why the 
 people of Nazareth should have taken Jesus up to the 
 brow of the hill on which their city was built in order that 
 they might cast Him down headlong when they thought 
 that He had spoken blasphemy.' 
 
 ' Precisely so,' replied the Sheikh ; ' the punishment for 
 blasphemy was stoning, and the Nazarenes were pro- 
 ceeding to carry out that punishment in a regular and 
 formal manner. There is another passage in the Gospels, 
 which is made intelligible when you understand what 
 the process of stoning was. You will remember that our 
 Lord on one occasion says : " Whosoever shall fall on
 
 184 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 the stone shall be broken ; but on whomsoever it shall 
 fall, it shall grind him to powder." Here you see both 
 parts of the process referred to, the falling on the stone 
 so that the bones are broken, and the stone falling on 
 the person and grinding him into powder. There is no 
 doubt that, when Christ spoke those words, He was 
 alluding to the official punishment of stoning.' 
 
 ' But, surely,' said the Angel, ' we are told on one 
 occasion that the people took up stones to cast at Him, 
 which seems to indicate that our pictures are sometimes 
 right.' 
 
 ' That to which you refer was merely the spontaneous 
 action of an infuriated mob,' answered the Sheikh ; ' it 
 was not the formal execution of a judicial sentence.' 
 
 They now ascended the green mound by a pathway 
 from the eastern end, and soon were all assembled on the 
 top. They first made their way to the brow of the hill, 
 and examined the scene of the stoning from above. 
 After that, the Sheikh bade them all look around, and 
 take in with their eyes the principal objects presented 
 to their view in Jerusalem and its vicinity. 
 
 ' There is one special point to which I wish to direct 
 your attention,' he said. ' We are probably standing 
 now as nearly as possible close to the spot where the cross 
 was erected. Imagine the Saviour of the world hanging 
 here, with His face, as it would almost certainly be, 
 turned towards the city. Along those two roads which 
 skirt the base of this hill there would be crowds of people 
 passing to and fro, at that busy Passover season, and so 
 we read : " All they that passed by wagged their heads 
 at Him in scorn and derision." But, apart from the 
 actual suffering and persecution which He was then 
 enduring, all the scenes of His passion would be hidden 
 from His view. Gethsemane is out of sight, down in the
 
 THE SCENE OF THE CRUCIFIXION 185 
 
 hollow of the valley beyond the city to the south-east of 
 us. The palaces of Caiaphas, of Herod, and of Pontius 
 Pilate were concealed, behind the intervening heights 
 with the crowded buildings upon them, in the foreground 
 of Jerusalem, just behind the city walls in front of us. 
 Even the Temple Area itself is invisible from this spot. 
 But, as you must have noticed already, there is one 
 prominent object which attracts the eye, and upon which 
 the Saviour would look, as He hung upon the cross. That 
 object is the Mount of Olives. It was from the heights 
 of Olivet that His ascension to His Father's home was to 
 take place, after He had endured the suffering, under- 
 gone the death, and risen a triumphant Victor from the 
 grave.' 
 
 ' What a grand and magnificent thought !' said the 
 Angel reverently, as the Sheikh paused in his observa- 
 tions. ' If we believe as we must that our Divine 
 Lord foreknew what was in store for Him after He had 
 been faithful unto death, what a solace, comfort, and 
 support it must have been to have had before His very 
 eyes the scene of His final joy and glory, as He hung 
 and suffered all the shame and agony of the cross !' 
 
 ' Yes,' added the Archbishop, removing his hat as he 
 spoke, as if the sacredness of the thought rendered the 
 very spot a consecrated temple ; ' and now, for the first 
 time, I realize the full force and the literal meaning of 
 that wonderful passage in the Epistle to the Hebrews, 
 where the sacred writer speaks of " Jesus the Author and 
 Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before 
 Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set 
 down at the right hand of the throne of God." I never 
 understood how literally He had the joy set before Him 
 whilst He was enduring the cross, and how it must have 
 helped Him to despise the shame.'
 
 186 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' I shall try to come here as often as I can during our 
 stay in Jerusalem,' quietly remarked the Angel ; ' for 
 I feel as if I realize here the Crucifixion and its lessons 
 more solemnly and truly than I could possibly do any- 
 where else.' 
 
 ' This is indeed an ever-memorable day,' exclaimed the 
 Enthusiast, ' and, like you, I mean to come here again 
 and again.' 
 
 ' I confess to feeling the influence of this spot myself,' 
 observed the Fossil, in humbler and less dogmatic tones 
 than he was wont generally to assume ; ' I have no doubt 
 that this is the actual spot where Jesus of Nazareth was 
 crucified.' 
 
 ' And is it not, I ask you all, a most refreshing contrast 
 to come on to this quiet and peaceful mound, after all 
 the humbug which was shown us in that Church of the 
 Holy Sepulchre this morning ?' said Monte Carlo. 
 
 ' Surely,' said the Angel meditatively, as though com- 
 muning aloud with her own thoughts, ' Mrs. Alexander 
 could have been little less than inspired when she wrote 
 that immortal hymn : 
 
 4 " There is a green hill far away, 
 
 Outside the city wall, 
 Where our dear Lord was crucified, 
 Who died to save us all " ; 
 
 for this spot exactly answers her description, and that 
 hymn must, I suppose, have been composed before the 
 modern investigations had discoveerd this true site of 
 Calvary.' 
 
 ' Yes,' chimed in the Archbishop ; ' and certainly the 
 Church of the Holy Sepulchre in no way bears out the 
 idea of that hymn.' 
 
 ' You are quite right,' observed the Sheikh ; ' Mrs. 
 Alexander could not possibly have known of this hill,
 
 THE SCENE OF THE CRUCIFIXION 187 
 
 which so admirably fits in with her words, as you so justly 
 observed.' 
 
 They turned away with reluctance, for the Sheikh had 
 other things yet to show them, and the afternoon was 
 hastening on. As they descended the western side of 
 the mound, Monte Carlo went up to the Enthusiast and 
 said to him : 
 
 ' I say, old fellow, when one visits a scene like this, 
 and thinks of the directions which that fellow gave us, 
 this morning in that church when we asked where 
 Calvary was, it makes one feel quite sick that people 
 should be so deluded. Bah ! Do you remember the 
 directions ? " Turn to the right, go upstairs, and 
 you'll find Calvary on the first floor !"
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 THE TOMB OF CHRIST 
 
 The Catacomb The Church of St. Stephen Sackcloth and ashes 
 Some important inscriptions Joseph's Garden The Sepulchre 
 The Story of the Resurrection. 
 
 ON reaching the base of the hill, the Sheikh turned to 
 the left, followed by his tribe ; and, after proceeding a 
 few paces along a narrow lane with a new wall about 
 ten feet high on its western side, he stopped at a closed 
 door in the wall, by the side of which was a bell-handle 
 at the end of a chain. Having rung this bell, the door 
 was almost immediately opened by a monk in the clean 
 white garment of the Dominican Order, who courteously 
 made way for the tribe to enter. 
 
 They found themselves inside a large enclosure, which 
 looked like a garden, but the greater part of which was 
 occupied by ruined fragments of columns, capitals, and 
 other signs of an ancient church, which had fallen into 
 complete decay and demolition, and which had evidently 
 been but lately excavated from the mass of earth, stones, 
 and debris which had covered it over for many centuries. 
 The newly-discovered remains were arranged with great 
 care, so as to occupy as nearly as possible their original 
 positions in the old church, of which the foundations and 
 lower portions of the walls, to the height of one or two 
 feet above the ground, were in a tolerably perfect state 
 
 188
 
 THE CATACOMB 189 
 
 of preservation. At any rate, it was easy to see from 
 them what was the size and form of the ancient church. 
 Just inside the doorway in the outer walls, through which 
 the tribe had entered, there was a level platform of 
 cement, which had only been constructed of late years, 
 and which was on the same level with the rest of the 
 ground. At the further end of this platform, or court, 
 a flight of stone steps ran down to a door about fifteen 
 feet below, a hollow space which had been excavated in 
 the ground on that side of the court revealing a wall, and 
 showing that the platform was merely the roof of an 
 underground crypt or vault. The Dominican monk led 
 the way down the flight of steps and unlocked the door 
 leading into the crypt. 
 
 The Sheikh and his tribe followed, and they entered 
 a spacious vaulted chamber, the roof of which was sup- 
 ported by arches on columns of modern construction. 
 A few memorial tablets were attached to the walls, and 
 the chamber looked like a mausoleum, or like the vesti- 
 bule to some old church. The monk produced several 
 long tapers, which he lit, giving one to each of the visitors 
 to hold, as the place which they were about to explore 
 was quite dark. 
 
 ' This hall,' said the Sheikh, addressing the tribe, ' is 
 the antechamber to a remarkable catacomb, or series of 
 subterranean tombs, cut in the solid rock. They are all 
 Christian tombs, and date from the early centuries of the 
 Christian era. I have purposely brought you here to 
 visit and examine them before taking you to the tomb 
 of Christ Himself, because I consider them of great im- 
 portance in their bearing upon the question of the 
 identical sepulchre of Joseph of Arimathaea, in which our 
 blessed Lord was buried. If you will now follow me, we 
 will descend into the catacomb.'
 
 190 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 He led the way into an inner chamber of the vestibule, 
 and in the floor of this chamber there was a large square 
 hole with a ladder inside it, leading down to the vaults 
 below. With some considerable difficulty the whole 
 party descended, and found themselves in a very con- 
 fined and cramped space, among a great number of 
 loculi, as the stone receptacles for the dead bodies in 
 the rock-cut sepulchres are called. These loculi were 
 crowded together, and at the head of most of them a 
 raised embossed cross of primitive design was carved in 
 the rock. These crosses proved that these tombs had 
 been constructed in Christian times, and that they were 
 sepulchres of early Christians. Beyond this, there was 
 nothing of special interest to detain the company in the 
 stuffy vault, and they soon returned up the ladder to the 
 vestibule, and thence to the open air again. 
 
 ' You will have observed,' said the Sheikh, when they 
 had reached once more the level of the natural surface, 
 and were walking across the enclosure to the ruined re- 
 mains of the ancient church in the centre of it, ' that this 
 property surrounded by these high walls belongs to the 
 Dominican Order of Latin, or Roman Catholic, monks. 
 When they purchased the land a few years ago, it was 
 apparently an ordinary plot of ground, without anything 
 very interesting about it, and it was being sold for build- 
 ing purposes. There were no signs of these remains 
 which you now see scattered about in such profusion, 
 nor was the existence of the catacombs which we have 
 just visited known or suspected. All these discoveries 
 have been made by the Dominican brothers in the course 
 of their most intelligent and thorough researches. This 
 fine old early Christian church which they have now 
 recovered, and of which the foundations are so perfect, 
 is called by them the " Church of St. Stephen," and
 
 THE CHURCH OF ST. STEPHEN 191 
 
 they believe that the first Christian martyr was killed 
 and buried here. It is quite possible that they are correct 
 in one part of their belief, and that the remains of St. 
 Stephen were laid to rest somewhere on this enclosure 
 even, it may be, in the very catacomb from which we have 
 now emerged. About this we have no certain data, but 
 its very proximity to what I believe to be the Tomb of 
 Christ renders it highly probable that St. Stephen was 
 buried in this immediate neighbourhood. But he cer- 
 tainly was not martyred here ; for I have already pointed 
 out and explained to you the Place of Stoning, and there 
 is no doubt that that was really the place where that 
 dastardly deed took place. This church here I believe 
 to have been dedicated to the Resurrection of our Lord ; 
 for there were some stone slabs discovered in the cata- 
 comb by the Dominicans, and these slabs had been used 
 to cover the loculi. They had Greek inscriptions on 
 them in a more or less mutilated and illegible condition ; 
 but some of these inscriptions have been tolerably well 
 deciphered. I am now about to take you to that modern 
 building which you see across the enclosure, and which 
 the Dominicans have erected as a museum for the anti- 
 quities and relics which they have discovered here. In 
 that museum you will see these slabs or tombstones ; 
 and I will point out one or two of the most interest- 
 ing and important. You will then see why I connect 
 this old church with the resurrection of our Blessed 
 Lord.' 
 
 ' How would you like to sleep for a night or two down 
 amongst those tombs, old fellow ?' said Monte Carlo to 
 the Pessimist, as they were crossing the enclosure to the 
 museum. ' You said a little while ago that you liked 
 skulls ; you would have a good opportunity of ruminating 
 over them there, in a most appropriate place.'
 
 192 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' Oh, please do not talk of such an idea,' replied the 
 melancholy man ; ' you make me feel quite sick. Think 
 of the horrible damp smells there. I am nauseated to 
 my stomach now, and wish I had never gone down into 
 that nasty hole.' 
 
 And he stopped and put his hand up to his mouth, as 
 if he were actually going to carry his nausea to its bitter 
 end ; and Monte Carlo, fearing a denouement, hastened on 
 to join the others. 
 
 ' Is he not a love of a man ?' he heard the Gusher say 
 to the Enthusiast, as he caught them up. 
 
 ' Now, now, you should not talk of me behind my 
 back, or, at least, you should take care that I was not 
 near enough to overhear you,' laughed Monte Carlo ; 
 ' you make me blush with modest confusion.' 
 
 ' I was not talking about you, you silly, conceited man !' 
 she answered. 
 
 ' Oh, don't spoil it, I beseech you,' he said, assuming a 
 comical air of disappointed vanity. ' Of whom were you 
 speaking, then, may I ask, in that highly flattering 
 manner ? Lucky man, whoever he be.' 
 
 ' Why, that dear, delightful gentleman in that beautiful 
 white flowing robe, of course,' she replied, pointing to the 
 Dominican brother, who was walking by the Sheikh's 
 side and conversing with him. ' I have really and truly 
 fallen desperately in love with him. I have indeed ; I 
 mean it. You needn't grin like that, you nasty, dis- 
 agreeable man.' 
 
 ' Is it the man or his dress that has captivated your 
 fancy, may I inquire ?' laughed Monte Carlo again. 
 
 ' I don't know exactly, I really don't ; but I think it 
 is the whole thing. He has such a dear, sweet, contented 
 face, and such a lovely silky beard, and he looks so clean 
 and'nice !'
 
 SACKCLOTH AXD ASHES US 
 
 * Xow r do you know what he has got on 
 that Ixanlifal white robe F he 
 
 Y ; : - 1 : _ i n . : ~~~ 
 
 know what hn 
 
 WdDL I win tefl pom, 7 be 
 wears next to Iris skin am old 
 just what* they mse far* putting 
 this sackcloth off; and 
 handful of ashes and poors 
 doth and his body. So yom 
 dean man he is. One of these 
 whom I met in Italy, fold me that he had 
 doth for otd thiity jcajtt,withomt( 
 
 " Oh. how disgmsting ! how wrr ^kiM> f 
 out, not perceiving that he 
 chaffing her. * I wish yom had not told me. I 
 getting so iliiiminglj romantic over that silky-bearded 
 
 ImnODlL* aMJi IKZDmU^S T^ff* QOQB Immlw ^PBBBT Vmntt flmCHBlflRElL* 
 
 Do yon think that it is qmite, qmite eertain that he ones 1 
 
 *I shoold irfommnnd jnm to go ai 
 her tormentor. 
 
 She was actoa% abomt to do as he 
 called her back, saving : 
 
 - On second thoughts perhaps pom had better not do 
 so. It might be moir proper if I aatod him mjaUC.^ 
 
 When they got inside the mmmam, they ftmmi moot 
 of the other memban of the tribe gathered m boa* of w 
 ehhmg atone dab, mbomt fo^fe 
 
 which was leaning against the watt. The stone was evi- 
 1 dmmflw vwrr Amnmt mr it ' 
 
 It 
 
 bmt most of the letters 
 
 diimcmlt to 
 
 13
 
 194 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 The Fossil was down on his knees in front of it, examining 
 it critically through his glasses ; and the Archbishop was 
 standing over him, eyeing him with a smile of amuse- 
 ment on his lips, for it was evident that, with all his 
 boasted classical attainments and erudition, he could not 
 make head or tail of the inscription on the stone. 
 
 * Well, what do you make of it ?' he said, after a short 
 time. 
 
 ' The stone is so much worn away that I confess my 
 inability to decipher the words,' he replied slowly, rising 
 from his knees. ' Perhaps it was more legible when it 
 was first discovered. What has been made out of it ?' 
 he inquired, turning to the Sheikh. 
 
 ' If you will allow me,' replied the Sheikh, advancing 
 to the stone, and taking his stand beside it, ' I think I 
 can help you to make a good deal of it. Here, for ex- 
 ample, you see the letters : 
 
 NflNfiKAIONESIMfi, 
 and the next word clearly is the Greek for " deacons " 
 
 AIAKONOI2. 
 The whole inscription may be read as follows : 
 
 ' " To Nonus and Onesimus, Deacons of the Church of the Witness 
 of the Resurrection of Christ." ' 
 
 ' Ah, now I see it quite clearly,' said the Fossil. 
 
 ' Yes, when it is pointed out to you,' muttered the 
 General Nuisance. 
 
 ' This inscription clearly shows that there was in this 
 immediate vicinity in the early Christian days a church 
 which had been erected as a perpetual witness or memorial 
 of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This church would, 
 of course, be naturally erected close to the scene of the 
 Resurrection, or, in other words, close to the Tomb of
 
 SOME IMPORTANT INSCRIPTIONS 195 
 
 Christ. In all probability the church of which you 
 have seen the remains in this Dominican enclosure is 
 the one referred to in this inscription ; and, in that case, 
 the tomb of our Lord and the garden of Joseph of Arima- 
 thsea must be close at hand. This theory is strongly 
 corroborated by a fragment of another funereal inscrip- 
 tion which is on this broken stone, but which is even more 
 illegible than the one we have just been examining.' 
 
 Whilst he was speaking he had moved to another stone 
 which was placed on the ground a short distance away. 
 
 ' On this stone, when it was first discovered,' he said, 
 
 ' the words 
 
 ' " Buried near his Lord " 
 
 could be clearly deciphered in Greek. This seems to 
 prove that those Christian tombs which we have visited 
 are adjacent to the Tomb of Christ. Now I think we 
 have seen the most important things in this Dominican 
 enclosure, and, as it is getting rather late in the after- 
 noon, we will bid good-bye to our courteous friend here, 
 and make our way to the next place which I have to 
 show you.' 
 
 At this moment the Malaprop called out : 
 
 ' What a strange-looking stone, and what curious 
 figures there are upon it ! Do you know what it is all 
 about ?' 
 
 ' Why, good gracious ! we have just been having it all 
 explained to us,' said the General Nuisance. ' Why 
 ever do you not listen whilst things are being shown 
 to us ?' 
 
 ' I was looking at those curious old saucer things in 
 that glass case,' she said ; ' and I really was not paying 
 attention. What are those saucer things ?' she added, 
 turning to the Sheikh. 
 
 ' They are simply lamps,' he replied ; ' the oil was 
 
 132
 
 196 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 poured into the hollow, and the cotton wick, or sometimes 
 a piece of stranded cord, came out of that little round 
 hole you see, and the light was burned there.' 
 
 ' Why do you call those things saucers ?' said the 
 General Nuisance. ' I don't see anything like a saucer 
 in their appearance, for they have a cover over them at 
 the top, and, besides, they have a handle.' 
 
 * Well,' replied the Malaprop, ' they would be rather 
 like saucers if their lids were taken off, and if they had no 
 handles.' 
 
 ' She might just as well say,' remarked the Matter-of- 
 fact Man to his neighbour, the Enthusiast, ' that she 
 would be clever if she were not such a fool.' 
 
 Almost immediately facing the door through which 
 they emerged into the lane there was, on the other side 
 of the narrow passage, another arched gateway with a 
 wooden door in it, leading into a garden. This door 
 was locked, but the Sheikh had brought the key with 
 him from the hotel, where it was generally kept. Open- 
 ing the door, he passed into the garden, followed by the 
 tribe. It was a considerable-sized enclosure, bounded on 
 its south and west sides by a low, rudely-built wall ; 
 but towards the north and east it ran into the face of 
 the mound which had already been visited by them as 
 the true Calvary. A few olive-trees were growing in 
 the garden, and the ground had been sown for barley. 
 At the northern end that is to say, directly on their 
 left-hand side as they entered the garden the rocky 
 face of the mound had been artificially made vertical, 
 and in its side, some five or six feet below the present 
 surface of the ground, was the entrance to a rock-cut 
 tomb. This tomb with its entrance would have been in- 
 visible had not a wide trench to the depth of several 
 feet been dug away from the garden at this its northern
 
 JOSEPH'S GARDEN 197 
 
 boundary. By means of rough steps cut in the trench 
 they were able to descend to the entrance of the tomb. 
 Before they did so, however, the Sheikh drew their 
 special attention to the statement made by St. John as 
 to the locality of the sepulchre where Christ was buried. 
 
 ' Assuming that this mound is the true site of Calvary,' 
 he said, ' the garden in which we now are seems almost 
 of a certainty to be identical with that of Joseph of 
 Arimathaea. The Evangelist distinctly says : " Now in 
 the place where He was crucified there was a garden ; 
 and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never 
 man yet laid. There laid they Jesus, therefore, because 
 of the Jews' preparation day ; for the sepulchre was nigh 
 at hand." You will notice how exactly that description 
 is borne out here. This garden literally runs into the 
 hill of Calvary ; in this garden there is this sepulchre ; 
 and this sepulchre is nigh at hand to the scene of the 
 Crucifixion. If you will come down with me to the door 
 of the sepulchre, you will see from the strata of the soil 
 hi the side of this trench that the original level of the 
 garden was at least five or six feet below the present 
 surface. The ground has been raised here, as in so many 
 other places in and around Jerusalem, by the debris re- 
 sulting from the many destructions of the city ; so that 
 the very existence of this tomb has been unknown for 
 centuries, and in all probability it was completely covered 
 long before the Empress Helena visited Jerusalem hi 
 search of the Holy Sepulchre. It has only been discovered 
 within the last twenty-five or thirty years ; and I have 
 little or no doubt myself that it is the genuine Tomb of 
 Christ.' 
 
 They descended into the ditch, to enter the rock-cut 
 tomb through a low doorway. Besides this doorway 
 there was another opening in the rocky face of the tomb,
 
 198 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 a little further to the east and at a higher elevation. 
 This latter opening was evidently the original hole made 
 by the workmen who excavated the sepulchre in the 
 rock. The very marks of the tools were still plainly 
 visible in the walls of this opening. The Sheikh bade 
 his friends look through this opening one by one, and all 
 could see, though dimly and indistinctly, to the bottom 
 of the tomb at its further end. This being the original 
 opening, and the Tomb of Christ being still incompleted 
 at the time of His burial, it would have been this opening 
 against which the stone was rolled, the lower doorway 
 being clearly an addition of later days. Therefore, as 
 the Sheikh explained to the tribe, on the supposition of 
 this being the actual tomb, it was through this hole 
 that St. John looked when he came to the sepulchre on 
 the first Easter morning ; and, with the level of the 
 garden at that time, he would have to lean forward, or 
 stoop down, to look in properly. The Sheikh begged 
 his companions to pay particular attention to this point ; 
 for, he said, it had an important bearing on the proof of 
 the resurrection of Christ, as he would explain to them 
 presently. When all had looked through and expressed 
 their satisfaction at being able to see inside, the Sheikh 
 unlocked the door, and they all penetrated into the 
 interior of the tomb. 
 
 It was an oblong chamber, the ceiling, floor, and four 
 walls of which were, of course, formed of the mother rock. 
 It was divided into two compartments by a low partition, 
 which ran from north to south, and which had been left 
 when the solid rock was cleared away from the rest of 
 the chamber. This partition itself was in two separate 
 portions, the one on the north and the other on the south ; 
 and between them there was a passage about two feet 
 wide connecting the two halves of the rock - hewn
 
 THE SEPULCHRE 199 
 
 sepulchre. The western half had no loculi, or receptacles 
 for corpses, in it, and it was probably intended to serve 
 as a sort of antechamber to the other portion, though 
 a groove cut in its western wall towards its northern side 
 seemed to indicate that the workmen had commenced 
 to prepare for a loculus there, which they had never 
 completed. In the eastern chamber, which was the 
 principal and more interesting half, there were loculi 
 which had been made for two, or perhaps three, bodies ; 
 for, with regard to one of these constructions, it appears 
 doubtful whether it was originally intended for a burial- 
 place, or whether it is not the ruined remains of an 
 altar which had been erected in the chamber in the 
 earliest ages of Christianity. On the east wall imme- 
 diately over the centre of this place an old frescoed cross, 
 painted in red pigment and with the sacred monograms 
 on either side of it, was to be faintly seen when the 
 tomb was first discovered and cleared of the earth and 
 rubbish with which it had been completely filled up ; 
 but almost all traces of this have now disappeared, having 
 faded away by the exposure to the air. Of the two re- 
 maining loculi, only one had ever been finished and used, 
 and that was against the north wall at the eastern end, 
 and directly opposite to the opening in the face of the 
 tomb. To this loculus the Sheikh now directed the 
 attention of the tribe as being in all probability the very 
 place in which the body of Jesus had been laid. 
 
 ' I have already detailed one or two of the arguments 
 in favour of this being the genuine sepulchre,' he said. 
 ' I have shown you how exactly the position of the garden 
 and tomb with respect to Calvary agrees with the descrip- 
 tion in the Gospel narratives ; and this of itself is almost 
 sufficient to identify the place. Then you have seen 
 those early Christian tombs which we entered from the
 
 200 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 Dominican enclosure across the lane, and in which were 
 found those remarkable tablets, showing that Christ's 
 tomb must have been close by. Those tombs are sepa- 
 rated from this one by only a very narrow thickness of 
 wall in the natural rock ; for in approaching them in the 
 underground vestibule, we really passed underneath the 
 lane to this side. Therefore, if this is the Tomb of Christ, 
 the Christian whom that second tablet commemorated 
 was literally " buried near his Lord." 
 
 ' Now I will briefly enumerate to you the other evidences 
 which prove, as conclusively as anything can, that this 
 is the genuine tomb. In the first place, it is undoubtedly 
 a Jewish tomb, which was excavated in the Herodian 
 period ; for, if you will bend over this finished loculus, 
 you will see that at the bottom there is a hollow cavity 
 scooped out of the eastern wall, where the head of the 
 corpse would be laid. This hollow, which is technically 
 known as the " head-cavity," is a distinctive feature of 
 tombs of that period, the idea being that, when the body 
 should be laid to rest, the natural rock should serve as a 
 canopy of honour over the head. This places the tomb, 
 then, at or about the time of Joseph of Arimathaea. 
 Then, again, this tomb was evidently intended for a 
 man of wealth and importance, such as Joseph was ; 
 for the loculus is, as you notice, very long and wide, and 
 this, again, was a token of honour and respect. Moreover, 
 as I have already pointed out to you, this tomb was 
 never really finished. Only this one loculus has been 
 completed. For some reason or another, after one body 
 had been buried in it, it was abandoned as a sepulchre ; 
 and apparently, from the ruined altar if this be an 
 altar and from the frescoed cross with the monograms 
 of Jesus Christ on the wall above it, it was used as a 
 church or sanctuary of worship in the earliest days o*
 
 THE STORY OF THE RESURRECTION 201 
 
 the Christian Church. If Christ was buried here, that 
 circumstance would account for both these facts ; and 
 if, as is most probable, this place was filled up and covered 
 by earth in the time of Adrian, when he attempted to 
 efface all traces of Christian sanctuaries, we can easily 
 account for the fact of the site of the holy sepulchre 
 having been lost when Helena came to Jerusalem. All 
 this chain of evidence seems to prove satisfactorily to 
 any unprejudiced investigator that this undoubtedly is 
 the sepulchre where Christ was buried. 
 
 ' But there is one other argument which, to my mind, 
 is stronger than all. This is the only tomb which I have 
 ever seen or examined and I think I have examined 
 almost every known tomb in the neighbourhood of this 
 city where the events which St. John records in the 
 twentieth chapter of his Gospel could possibly have 
 occurred ; and, as I will show you now, everything in 
 this tomb admirably illustrates and corroborates his 
 plain and straightforward story. He tells us that on 
 the morning of the third day after the Crucifixion the 
 women came in a great state of agitation to him, and 
 informed him that the stone had been rolled away from 
 the door of the sepulchre, and that the body of Jesus 
 was gone. Thereupon he and St. Peter hastened with 
 all speed to the tomb. He, being the younger and more 
 active of the two, arrived first upon the scene ; and, 
 leaning forward or stooping down, he looked in through 
 the opening, as you have done just now, and saw some- 
 thing in the dim and indistinct light. What he saw was 
 simply the linen winding-sheet which had been wrapped 
 round the body of Jesus. He says nothing about seeing 
 the napkin or turban which had been twisted round the 
 head ; for, that being in this head-cavity assuming 
 that this is the actual tomb would be invisible from
 
 202 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 the outside. The appearance of the winding-sheet, as 
 he saw it, caused him, as he distinctly intimates, to 
 refrain from going in. Now why, do you imagine, did 
 he so refrain ?' 
 
 ' Simply from a feeling of reverence,' suggested the 
 Archbishop. 
 
 ' Or from nervousness, I think probable,' said the 
 Gusher. 
 
 ' I have always supposed that it was a sort of religious 
 scruple that restrained him,' said the Angel. 
 
 ' To tell you the truth, I don't think I have ever stopped 
 to think about it,' confessed the Matter-of-fact Man. 
 
 ' And I expect that that has been the case with most 
 people,' replied the Sheikh. ' Now, I will tell why he 
 did not go in, and probably it will throw a new light upon 
 the whole story to you. His impression was, from what 
 he thus indistinctly saw, that the women had made a 
 mistake, and that the body of Jesus was still there. 
 You will see why I say this when we consider what 
 followed. St. John goes on to say that, on the arrival 
 of St. Peter, the latter, being more bold, impulsive, and 
 rash than his companion, immediately ventured inside. 
 He came up to the spot where we are now standing ; he 
 looked over into this loculus and examined it carefully. 
 What he then saw convinced both him and St. John of 
 the actual fact of the Resurrection. Mark closely the 
 exact words which St. John uses. He says : " He saw, 
 and believed. For up to that time they knew not the 
 Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead." 
 You will notice that he plainly tells us that those two 
 men came to the sepulchre that morning with all their 
 prejudices against the idea of a resurrection ; they went 
 away absolutely certain that Jesus was risen ; and that 
 certainty influenced the whole tenor of their lives and
 
 THE STORY OF THE RESURRECTION 203 
 
 characters from that time forward. Furthermore, the 
 certainty was borne in upon them simply and solely 
 by the appearance of the winding-sheet and the head- 
 turban. This appearance is described in our English 
 Bible thus : " He seeth the linen clothes lie, and the 
 napkin that was about His head, not lying with the linen 
 clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself." 
 What has been your idea about the appearance of these 
 things ?' 
 
 ' I really cannot see that there can be any interpre- 
 tation but one, and that the one which is commonly 
 understood,' replied the Archbishop. ' The linen clothes, 
 or, if you choose to term it so, the winding-sheet, was 
 neatly folded up, as one would fold up a table-cloth 
 after one's meal, and deposited in one place by itself, 
 whilst the napkin which had been twisted round the 
 head was equally neatly folded up, as one might fold up 
 a dinner napkin, and deposited in another place by 
 itself.' 
 
 ' But,' objected the Matter-of-fact Man, ' anybody 
 might have done that, after having stripped the corpse 
 before carrying it away.' 
 
 ' Yes,' assented the Angel ; ' that thought has often 
 occurred to me.' 
 
 ' I must confess for myself,' said Monte Carlo, ' that 
 that would never have convinced me of a resurrection.' 
 
 ' Nor anyone else who had any common-sense,' said 
 the Fossil. ' Those Galilean fishermen must have been 
 in a very excited condition, or else poor gullible fools, 
 to have allowed such a trifling circumstance to have 
 overcome all their rational scruples.' 
 
 ' I wish you would not always talk like that upon 
 sacred subjects, and offend people's ears,' said the 
 General Nuisance. ' I can quite understand how the
 
 204 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 Apostles were persuaded of the Resurrection by the 
 orderly arrangement of the funereal garments. It 
 showed how very calmly and deliberately everything 
 was done, and that there was no haste about the matter, 
 as there would have been if robbers had carried off the 
 body.' 
 
 ' Yes, I know,' replied the Fossil ; ' that is the stock 
 argument, which you will find in every commentary of 
 the Bible. But it always seems to me a very poor piece 
 of special pleading, and only reveals the extraordinary 
 weakness of the whole case.' 
 
 ' There I quite agree with you,' said the Sheikh, ' or, 
 rather, I should agree with you, if that were the real 
 meaning of the account which St. John gives. But the 
 interpretation as commonly understood is absolutely and 
 grotesquely incorrect. The appearance of the winding- 
 sheet and the head-turban was nothing like what you 
 all imagine. If we take the original Greek, we shall 
 find that there are two most unfortunate mistranslations 
 which are in our English version. What is the correct 
 meaning and etymological force of the Greek word 
 entetuligmenon ?' 
 
 This question he addressed to the Fossil, who replied 
 in a scholastic tone : 
 
 ' Entetuligmenon is the perfect passive participle of 
 the verb entulisso. Tulisso means " to twist "; entu- 
 lisso means " to twist up "; entetuligmenon means " having 
 been twisted up " and remained so.' 
 
 * Precisely,' said the Sheikh ; ' and now what is the 
 correct force of the Greek expression eis hena topon ?' 
 
 ' Eis hena topon would properly mean " inside of one 
 place," or receptacle,' answered the Fossil. 
 
 * Thank you, my friend,' replied the Sheikh ; ' you 
 have given exactly the renderings that I should have
 
 THE STORY OF THE RESURRECTION 205 
 
 done ; but I preferred them to come from you. Now, you 
 will all observe what a vital difference these translations 
 make to the whole story. For entetuligmenon is the word 
 which is translated " wrapped together " in our English 
 Bible in reference to the head-turban ; and eis hena 
 topon is merely rendered " in one place." Substitute 
 the translations which our friend here has given you, 
 and see what the passage becomes : " He seeth the 
 winding-sheet lying (lying undisturbed, as the true force 
 of the original is), and the turban, or napkin, that had 
 been about His head, not lying mixed up with the wind- 
 ing-sheet, but still twisted up (like a turban, as it had 
 been twisted round the head) inside of one place or 
 receptacle by itself." That place or receptacle is, clearly, 
 this head-cavity, in which the head had been laid, and 
 owing to the turban remaining in it, St. John, we have 
 already observed, could not see it from the outside of the 
 tomb. Here, then, we have at last the actual spectacle 
 that those two disciples saw, and which convinced them, 
 as by a flash of intellectual and spiritual lightning, of 
 the fact that the Man Jesus, whom they had seen die on 
 Calvary, and whose dead body they had assisted to lay 
 in the sepulchre, was actually and indisputably risen, a 
 glorified body, from the tomb. They saw the winding- 
 sheet lying at the bottom of the loculus, still retaining its 
 folds, as if it was still wrapped round the body ; they saw 
 the turban which had been twisted round the head, still 
 retaining its twisted form, and still remaining in the 
 exact position in which it had been laid in the head- 
 cavity. In other words, nothing whatever had been dis- 
 turbed. The only thing that had happened was that the 
 body itself was gone ! That risen, glorified, etherealized, 
 spiritual body, on which henceforth the limitations and 
 barriers of time and space had no effect, had passed
 
 206 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 through the winding-sheet and the turban without dis- 
 turbing them ; thus proving to St. Peter and St. John, 
 and through them to all mankind in all ages, the abso- 
 lute, certain, incontrovertible fact of history that the 
 very Man who had died on Calvary had risen from the 
 dead, the first-fruits of them that sleep.' 
 
 A solemn hush fell on all assembled within that tomb 
 as the Sheikh concluded, and for some minutes no one 
 spoke. The whole theme was so inexpressibly sacred, 
 and the new light which had been thrown upon the 
 historical proof of the Resurrection was so startling and 
 convincing, that comments seemed superfluous and almost 
 profane in that very tomb where, in all probability, the 
 scene itself had actually occurred. The Archbishop 
 reverently uncovered his head, as he bent forward and 
 looked down at the head-cavity, and all the other men, 
 even including the Fossil himself, quietly followed his 
 example and removed their hats. The place whereon 
 they were standing was indeed holy ground. 
 
 Presently the Sheikh added : 
 
 ' I should like to point out further to you the reason 
 why, in the providence of God, the stone was rolled 
 away from the entrance to the sepulchre. It was not to 
 let the Lord out. The spiritual Body which had passed 
 through its funereal cerements also passed through the 
 rock, as it did that same evening later on pass through 
 the walls and closed doors of the Upper Chamber where 
 the disciples were gathered together. The Resurrection 
 had already taken place before the earthquake occurred 
 which removed the stone from the entrance. No ; the 
 stone was not rolled away to let the Lord out : it was 
 rolled away to let those two disciples in. Our Lord 
 would have risen if the tomb had for ever remained 
 hermetically closed ; but we should never have had this
 
 THE STORY OF THE RESURRECTION 207 
 
 proof of His resurrection. It was necessary for that 
 purpose that those two men should be able to visit that 
 tomb as soon as possible after the Resurrection had 
 occurred, before sufficient time could have elapsed to 
 raise any doubt as to whether the body had not crumbled 
 into dust, and before anyone else should be able to dis- 
 turb those cloths ; that they should see with their own 
 eyes and hand down to posterity this absolute proof of 
 the Resurrection. Doubtless it was for this reason that 
 the Roman soldiers were providentially frightened away 
 from the sepulchre, and that the women themselves, 
 whose testimony would not have been so valuable as 
 that of the two Apostles, were prevented by an angelic 
 apparition from venturing too near and disturbing the 
 cloths.' 
 
 ' That is so, no doubt,' observed the Archbishop 
 solemnly ; ' but I feel almost too overpowered for words.' 
 
 One by one the Sheikh and his tribe passed out of the 
 tomb in silence, more than one remaining behind a short 
 while in quiet prayer and meditation ; and the sun was 
 sinking behind the western hills as they slowly wended 
 their homeward way. 
 
 NOTE. Lest it should be imagined that the above arguments 
 and descriptions were plagiarized from the late Rev. Henry Latham's 
 book on the ' Risen Lord,' it may be as well to state that the whole 
 subject was introduced to the public and discussed fully by me in 
 Murray's Magazine some five years before Mr. Latham's book was 
 published. H. S.
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 BETHLEHEM 
 
 Some curious riding outfits Start of the cavalcade The Valley of 
 the Giants The Well of the Magi A charming prospect The 
 Convent of Elias David and Ahithophel Rachel's Tomb 
 Native rubbish-vendors. 
 
 GREAT was the commotion and excitement amongst the 
 tribe on the morning when the preliminary trial of the 
 horses, mules, and other appliances in connection with 
 the camping-tour through Palestine was to take place. 
 
 The Sheikh had arranged that an excursion should be 
 made to Bethlehem and Solomon's Pools, and back to 
 Jerusalem by way of Urtas, which, in his opinion, was 
 identical with the Emmaus of the New Testament. 
 The whole trip is about sixteen miles in length, and, as 
 there are frequent intervals for rest on the way, owing to 
 the many sights that are to be seen, it is a very excel- 
 lent trip for a preliminary canter, preparatory to the more 
 extended and arduous task of a three or four weeks' 
 riding-tour through the country. 
 
 The day set apart for this excursion was the last of their 
 sojourn in Jerusalem. On the following day they were 
 to ride down to Jericho, which was to be the first stage 
 in their regular camping-tour. They had spent ten days 
 in the Holy City, and almost every hour of their time 
 had been occupied with sight-seeing, until most of them 
 
 208
 
 SOME CURIOUS RIDING OUTFITS 209 
 
 felt that they had really got Jerusalem and its suburbs 
 by heart, and that they were almost as intimately ac- 
 quainted with it as if they had lived there all their lives. 
 Long before the majority of the tribe had made their 
 first appearance at breakfast in the morning the 
 Enthusiast had been out in the lane at the back of the 
 hotel, where a whole troop of horses ready saddled and 
 bridled were collected together in a confused mass, under 
 the charge of several noisy, shouting, squabbling natives, 
 in picturesque but dirty garments. He had mounted 
 every one of the animals in turn, and had cantered them 
 up and down the lane, determined to justify the old 
 proverb, ' First come, first served,' by selecting the best 
 animal for himself. He had engaged the services of 
 Yusef to assist him in his selection, and at length, after 
 having made up and altered his mind over and over again, 
 he had chosen a fine-looking gray horse, with a long tail 
 and a flowing mane. Then came the question of a saddle ; 
 and at least half an hour had been expended in testing 
 the respective merits of the varied assortments, most 
 of them more or less worn out and rotten, before he could 
 finally come to a decision as to the one which suited him 
 best. Then he had made Yusef show him the way to a 
 shop where he could purchase a riding-whip and gaiters. 
 After an enormous amount of bargaining, in which Yusef 
 had to act the part not only of interpreter, but also of 
 arbitrator between him and the native shopkeeper, he 
 returned to the hotel resplendent in a pair of bright 
 scarlet Oriental riding-boots, and flourishing a plaited 
 leathern thong, which was attached to his wrist by a 
 leathern loop. He had also purchased a huge broad- 
 brimmed helmet, around which he had caused a green 
 muslin veil or pugaree to be wound ; and at a bazaar 
 which he had passed on his way from the shop to the 
 
 14
 
 210 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 hotel he had seen hanging up a white burnoose with 
 broad yellow stripes running vertically down it. This 
 he had promptly secured ; and thus gorgeously attired, 
 he burst like a meteor into the saloon of the hotel, where 
 . the rest of the tribe were discussing their meal. 
 
 A general exclamation of amusement, wonder, and 
 good-humoured chafi greeted his appearance. Several 
 of the others were also arrayed in more or less extraor- 
 dinary garments, according to each one's individual 
 idea of the correct costume for a camping tour. It 
 seems to be the generally accepted notion that, to be 
 strictly en regale, a British or American tourist in 
 Palestine, whether male or female, must make himself 
 or herself as hideous and ungainly as possible. If this 
 be the fashion, no one could deny that the tribe of 
 Palestine Patrollers for the most part strictly conformed 
 to etiquette. The only one of the ladies who looked her 
 natural self was the Angel, who, in a neat and well-fitting 
 riding-habit, and a becoming hat with a veil gracefully 
 arranged around it, might have been about to take a 
 ride in Rotten Row or to be starting for a meet in the 
 Midlands. The others were almost too astonishing for 
 description. The Malaprop had arrayed herself in a 
 brand-new brown holland riding-skirt, which was at 
 least six inches too long, and she wore a blouse which 
 was three sizes too large for her, and was of conspicuously 
 glaring colours and pattern. On her head was a hat 
 as much too small for her as the rest of her apparel was 
 too large. Altogether, she would have made a very 
 excellent figure at a waxworks show. The Gusher had 
 on a double-breasted jacket which went round her like 
 a sack, and on her head was an Arab kerchief of many 
 colours and with long tassels which flowed over her 
 shoulders, the whole arrangement being attached to her
 
 SOME CURIOUS RIDING OUTFITS 211 
 
 head by a black velvet band which went round her 
 forehead. She presented the appearance of a curious 
 mixture between a sedate British matron and a gay and 
 giddy Oriental damsel. The General Nuisance had 
 managed to make herself look even more stiff and formal 
 than usual, and her rigid attire was crowned by a gigantic 
 mushroom-shaped helmet and blue veil. A pair of blue 
 spectacles to protect her eyes from the glare of the sun 
 completed a costume which eloquently bespoke the 
 character of the wearer. 
 
 The Fossil, like the General Nuisance, had armed him- 
 self with a pair of coloured goggles, of a very pronounced 
 and obtrusive type, and he wore a pair of black gaiters 
 round his ordinary trousers, the gaiters being so much 
 too wide for his ' shrunk shanks ' that he had been 
 obliged to tie them round with pieces of string. The 
 Pessimist looked as if he were going to a funeral, and he 
 would have appeared in a tall silk hat if the Sheikh had 
 not seen him emerging from his room with that head- 
 gear on, and persuaded him, much against his will, to 
 wear a high-crowned ' Panama,' with a wide brim and 
 with a broad black ribbon around it. Monte Carlo 
 looked very blooming and jolly in a light brown suit of 
 chequer pattern, consisting of a cut-away shooting- 
 jacket, a double-breasted waistcoat, tight-fitting riding- 
 breeches, and top-boots. The Matter-of-fact Man wore 
 an everyday costume calling for no special remark ; but 
 the Archbishop, like the Pessimist, might have been 
 going to a funeral, though merely as the officiating 
 minister, so faultless and correct was the attire in which 
 he appeared. 
 
 So many were the difficulties and the drawbacks which 
 the majority of the tribe encountered in the course of 
 the preliminaries that it was fully an hour after they hai 
 
 142
 
 212 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 emerged from the hotel before they had fairly started 
 on their way. 
 
 The Enthusiast, the Angel, and Monte Carlo started 
 off at the head of the procession, followed by the Matter- 
 of-fact Man, behind whom rode the Pessimist by himself 
 on a raw-boned animal which looked as miserable and 
 lugubrious as his rider. The Gusher and the Malaprop 
 had experienced the greatest difficulty in getting them- 
 selves comfortably into their saddles. The muleteers had 
 to fetch three different saddles before the Malaprop 
 could be suited ; whilst the Gusher had the length of the 
 stirrup altered at least half a dozen times before she could 
 get it to her liking. Then she found that the girths 
 were too loose, and that her saddle was slipping round ; 
 and after she had gone a few steps she requested to have 
 them slackened again, for she declared that her poor, 
 dear animal could scarcely breathe. The Fossil was 
 nearly as difficult to please, for this was his first experience 
 on horseback in his life, and he was in reality terribly 
 nervous, though he did his best to hide the fact. The 
 Archbishop, who, on the other hand, was an accom- 
 plished rider, good-naturedly assisted the poor professor 
 to adjust his equilibrium in the saddle, thus heaping 
 coals of fire upon his chronic antagonist. 
 
 But it was with the General Nuisance that the Sheikh 
 had the most difficulty in arranging matters satisfac- 
 torily. The moment she mounted she declared that her 
 head was swimming, that she was certain her horse was 
 vicious, that he pricked up his ears in a way that alarmed 
 her, and that she would prefer to walk the whole 
 distance rather than trust herself on his back. Finally, 
 she was in a measure pacified and reconciled to her 
 position when the Sheikh told off a muleteer to walk 
 at her horse's head, and to hold its bridle the whole way.
 
 START OF THE CAVALCADE 213 
 
 At last the Sheikh managed to get everyone in riding 
 trim, and he started off in pursuit of those who were 
 already in front, leaving the Gusher and the Malaprop 
 to toil painfully after him ; whilst the Archbishop and 
 the Fossil proceeded leisurely behind, engaged in con- 
 troversial disputes which were varied from time to time 
 by friendly advice from the Archbishop as to the way 
 in which the Fossil should hold his reins, and how he 
 should prevent himself from being shaken to pieces when 
 his horse began to trot. 
 
 The rear was brought up by the General Nuisance 
 and her escort, the worthy spinster sitting bolt upright 
 in her saddle, looking the picture of injured innocence 
 and outraged dignity. 
 
 The Enthusiast had galloped ahead, but he was not 
 long to remain in advance, for, passing a long string of 
 camels with jingling bells, his steed became restive and 
 plunged about, finally depositing its rider ignominiously 
 on his back in the middle of the road. Monte Carlo and 
 Yusef, who had witnessed the accident, dashed forward 
 to his assistance, the former seizing his horse, and the 
 latter stooping to render assistance to the fallen hero. 
 Fortunately no great damage had been done, and the 
 Enthusiast dashed off again as if nothing had happened. 
 
 This little contretemps was not altogether without its 
 use, for it gave time for the others to come up, and the 
 cavalcade now marched forward in a body. 
 
 They had already passed the turning to the railway- 
 station, and were skirting a broad and level tract of land 
 to their right, which gradually declined in the distance 
 to the west into the opening of a valley descending the 
 hill country of Judaea. It was up that valley that they 
 had come in the train on the day of their journey up 
 from Jaffa to Jerusalem.
 
 214 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 * This plain to our right is mentioned in the Bible,' 
 said the Sheikh before they started on their way, after 
 having condoled with the Enthusiast upon his mishap. 
 ' It is called the Plain of Rephaim, as some people think, 
 though I am not myself inclined to identify it with that 
 spot. There is no doubt whatever, though, that this is 
 the " Valley of the Giants " referred to in the fifteenth 
 chapter of Joshua, where a description is given of the 
 border-line of the tribe of Judah.' 
 
 ' Let me see, I almost forget how the border-line is 
 described there,' said the Archbishop. 
 
 ' After stating that the line ran up the Valley of 
 Hinnom,' said the Sheikh, ' it says that it went up to 
 the top of the hill west of the Valley of Hinnom and 
 north of the Valley of the Giants. This can only mean 
 the hill which we have just come up, and on the slopes 
 of which are the almshouses of Sir Moses Montefiore ; and, 
 therefore, this must be the Valley of the Giants.' 
 
 ' Then what tribe are we in now ?' asked the Angel. 
 
 ' We are now in Judah,' replied the Sheikh, ' and shall 
 continue to be so all day until we cross the Valley of 
 Hinnom again on our return to the city this afternoon.' 
 
 ' What happened on the Plain of Rephaim ?' said the 
 Enthusiast. ' I think that was the name you mentioned 
 just now.' 
 
 * Soon after David removed his capital from Hebron, 
 where he was for the first seven years of his reign, to 
 Jerusalem, the Philistines came up to attack him in his 
 new metropolis, and they pitched their camp on the 
 Plain of Rephaim,' answered the Sheikh. 
 
 ' And why do you think, then, that this is not the 
 plain ?' asked the Archbishop. 
 
 ' Because the Biblical narrative says that David went 
 " up " from Jerusalem to meet them,' said he ; ' and my
 
 THE WELL OF THE MAGI 215 
 
 experience of this country has convinced me that the 
 two little words "up " and " down " invariably have the 
 literal meaning of " uphill " and " downhill " in the 
 Bible. The remembrance of this fact is often useful in 
 helping to determine the locality of a Biblical site. Thus, 
 in this case, if the Plain of Rephaim had been here, David 
 would not have gone " up " to meet the Philistines. 
 Then, again, from 2 Samuel v. 25, it is evident that the 
 Plain of Rephaim was close to Geba. Now Geba is 
 undoubtedly identified with a place called Jeba, which 
 lies right on the opposite side of Jerusalem, on the road 
 to Michmash, and, to reach it from Jerusalem, David, 
 having crossed the Valley of Jehoshaphat, would have 
 had to climb the steep path up the southern end of 
 Mount Scopus. This is in exact accord with the Biblical 
 story, and therefore I think we may dismiss from our 
 minds any idea of this being the Plain of Rephaim. But 
 here we are, you see, by a wayside well, and we will halt 
 beside it for a few minutes, for there is a very ancient 
 tradition connected with it.' 
 
 ' Oh, do please tell us all about it,' impulsively ex- 
 claimed the Gusher, entirely disregarding the fact that 
 the Sheikh had deliberately stopped the party for the 
 express purpose of relating the anecdote. 
 
 ' It is called the Well of the Magi,' said the Sheikh, 
 quietly ignoring the Gusher's interruption, ' and the 
 tradition which I am about to relate goes back appar- 
 ently to the earliest centuries of the Christian era. I 
 need not, of course, point out to you that we are now 
 pursuing the identical road which was taken by the 
 Wise Men from the east, commonly known as the Magi, 
 when they left Jerusalem for Bethlehem in accordance 
 with the instructions which they had received from the 
 Jewish chief priests. The story goes that, as they were
 
 216 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 trudging along this road, weary, thirsty, and dispirited 
 with their fruitless search for the King of the Jews in 
 Jerusalem, they reached this wayside well just as the 
 shades of evening were coming on. Here they halted, 
 with their camels and followers, for a much-needed rest 
 and refreshment, and they proceeded to draw some of 
 the water from the well to quench their own thirst 
 and that of their animals. Stooping for this purpose 
 over the well, they saw, to their inexpressible surprise 
 and delight, clearly reflected in the calm, still surface 
 of the water, that identical heavenly apparition which 
 had brought them from their Eastern homes to Jerusalem. 
 This caused them to raise their eyes towards the sky, 
 and, then in the words of the Bible itself, " Lo, the star 
 which they saw in the east appeared unto them and 
 went before them, till it came and stood over the place 
 where the young child was." 
 
 ' That is a wonderfully pretty legend,' said the Angel, 
 when the Sheikh had finished. ' I must not forget to 
 make an entry of it in my diary.' 
 
 ' And of course it is quite, quite true, is it not ?' added 
 the Gusher. ' Now, please do not say that this is all 
 humbug, like you say of every other nice and lovely 
 thing, you cruel man !' 
 
 ' I see no reason why the story should not be true,' 
 replied the Sheikh, smiling. ' At any rate, I will not 
 undertake to say that it is false.' 
 
 ' Oh, you nice, dear man ! I do love you this time !' 
 exclaimed the vivacious little woman, sparkling with 
 delight. 
 
 ' At least, it is a very attractive tradition,' remarked 
 the Archbishop, ' and I also shall make a note of it.' 
 
 He did not add that he meant to introduce it into a 
 sermon on the first available opportunity after his return
 
 A CHARMING PROSPECT 217 
 
 home, but that was the idea that was passing through 
 his mind at the time. 
 
 ' What beastly water !' suddenly exclaimed the Matter- 
 of-fact Man, who had got Yusef to procure him some 
 from the well. ' If it were as muddy as this then, I 
 guess those Oriental gentlemen must have been remark- 
 ably wise indeed if they could see anything in the world 
 reflected in it.' 
 
 ' Oh, but you must remember it was a miracle,' said 
 the Fossil, with a cynical grin and sneer, as the party 
 moved on their way again. 
 
 Presently they surmounted a rising portion of the road, 
 and passed a large, monastic-looking building on their 
 left. Immediately afterwards an extensive prospect over 
 a hilly and undulating country to the south burst upon 
 their view. The landscape was charming. In the 
 foreground a deep valley opened up beneath them, and 
 their road wound round the head of it on the west. 
 Beyond this valley rose a beautiful range of well-wooded, 
 excellently cultivated land, slightly higher than that 
 where they were standing. Two populous villages or 
 towns crowned these heights, or, rather, clambered up 
 their sides to the summits ; the one of these towns was 
 on the west of the road along which they had to go, and 
 which they could see trailing along for some miles in 
 front of them ; the other was on th,e east of it. Away in 
 the far distance to the east and south-east there stretched 
 a wild, barren series of rounded hills and mountains, 
 gradually assuming a lower elevation, and revealing 
 glimpses of deep and awful-looking ravines and gorges 
 in their midst. In an opening between these mountains 
 a depression lower than that of any of the ravines was 
 visible, and in this depression there glistened in the sun 
 the waters of the Dead Sea, of a blue so deep that it
 
 218 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 almost assumed the colour of indigo. Beyond this again 
 the glorious range of the Mountains of Moab stood up 
 clear and distinct against the cloudless sky. 
 
 ' This is a grand scene !' exclaimed the Angel, who 
 was leading the procession at the time in company with 
 the Enthusiast, and who now reined up her horse in 
 order to take in the view at her ease. ' What are those 
 two villages that we see before us ?' 
 
 ' The one to the right is called Beit Jala now,' replied 
 the Sheikh, ' though its ancient name was probably 
 Giloh. You will doubtless remember Ahithophel the 
 Gilonite, who, after having been the boon companion 
 and friend of David from boyhood, turned traitor against 
 him at last, and nearly broke his heart in consequence. 
 That is the place where his home was. The other and 
 larger town to the east is Bethlehem itself.' 
 
 ' Bethlehem ! Bethlehem !' murmured the Archbishop 
 softly and reverently, ' how often have I gazed on thee in 
 thought ! How little have I ever dreamed that I should 
 actually gaze upon thee with my bodily eyes !' 
 
 ' I scarcely expected to find Bethlehem so beautifully 
 situated,' said the Angel. ' I always imagined, I do not 
 know why, that it was in the midst of rocky and barren 
 hills. Look at all those dense and fruitful olive-groves in 
 which it seems to be embowered.' 
 
 ' And look also at the extensive vineyards which we 
 see on every side,' added Monte Carlo. ' I declare, this 
 reminds me of some Italian scene.' 
 
 ' It has, however, some indescribable feature peculiarly 
 its own, and which differentiates it from any landscape 
 I have ever witnessed in Italy or any other European 
 country,' remarked the Fossil. 
 
 'That is so,' said the Sheikh; 'I have often felt the 
 same thing myself, and have tried to define the difference
 
 THE CONVENT OF ELIAS 219 
 
 in my own mind, but I hardly know what it exactly is. 
 It is not that the houses are for the most part flat-roofed, 
 for I have frequently seen the same in Greece and Italy. 
 Nor is it the olive-groves and vineyards, for these also 
 are abundant and luxurious in those countries and else- 
 where. What, then, is it ?' 
 
 ' I suppose,' suggested the Angel, ' that it is partly 
 owing to the unconscious effect upon one's mind of the 
 sacred associations connected with the scene.' 
 
 ' And it seems to me also that there is something 
 about the atmosphere here different from any European 
 country I have ever visited,' said the Archbishop. 
 
 ' Probably those two facts may be the main causes of 
 the impression,' replied the Fossil. 
 
 ' Whatever it may be, there is, no doubt about the 
 charm and fascination of this landscape,' observed the 
 Enthusiast, as he urged his animal forward again at 
 the head of the troop, regardless of his late fall. 
 
 ' Has the monastic building on our left any particular 
 history ?' asked the Angel. 
 
 ' It is called the Convent of Elias,' answered the Sheikh, 
 ' and the monks will tell you that it is built on the site 
 of the spot where Elijah rested on his way to Beersheba, 
 when he was fleeing for his life from the vengeance of 
 Jezebel.' 
 
 ' Did he stop in that very house ?' asked the Malaprop. 
 
 ' Scarcely,' replied the Sheikh, ' seeing that that house 
 is not three hundred years old ; but if you will look at 
 that piece of rock just outside the gate, you will see a 
 curious impression upon it.' 
 
 ' Oh yes,' exclaimed the Enthusiast, who had turned 
 his horse round and had come cantering back when he 
 heard the Sheikh begin talking about the Convent, 
 determined not to lose anything if possible ; ' I see it
 
 220 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 quite distinctly. What has made that strange mark 
 in it ?' 
 
 ' What do you think it looks like ?' said the Sheikh. 
 
 ' Nothing that I can think of,' replied the Enthusiast. 
 
 * I tell you what I think it appears like,' said the 
 Matter-of-fact Man. ' One might fancy that some human 
 being lay down upon the rock when it was soft like putty, 
 and that the impression of the body has been left there 
 ever since.' 
 
 ' You have just hit the idea,' replied the Sheikh. 
 ' The tradition goes that Elijah lay down on this stone 
 to rest, and that the marks of his sacred presence have 
 been miraculously preserved there ever since.' 
 
 ' What awful rot !' exclaimed Monte Carlo. 
 
 ' Oh, don't say that, please !' ejaculated the Gusher. 
 ' I think it is a very beautiful idea, and very likely to be 
 true, I do indeed !' 
 
 And down it went in the Malaprop's diary as a bond 
 fide fact of history. 
 
 ' I suppose there is generally some foundation of fact 
 for these ridiculous legends,' remarked the Fossil ; ' but 
 I cannot for the life of me see on what foundation such a 
 fable as that could have arisen.' 
 
 ' The name of Elias, or Elijah, has become connected 
 with this monastery from circumstances entirely inde- 
 pendent of the prophet Elijah, and this building has in 
 reality nothing to do with him,' said the Sheikh. ' There 
 was a certain bishop named Elias, who lived in the 
 Middle Ages, and who founded this convent, and it is 
 named after him. He is said to have been buried within 
 its walls, and, as a matter of fact, travellers who visited 
 this country a couple of hundred years ago state that 
 they saw his tomb. That, however, seems to have 
 disappeared long since, though it is strange how it has
 
 DAVID AND AHITHOPHEL 221 
 
 done so, for the tombs of saints and founders of religious 
 institutions are generally preserved with the greatest care.' 
 
 As they rode on towards Bethlehem, around the head 
 of the intervening vaUey, the Archbishop came up to 
 the Sheikh's side and said : 
 
 ' I have been thinking, since you told us that that 
 village to the right is the site of Giloh, the early home 
 of Ahithophel the Gilonite, what a flood of light this 
 throws upon that dramatic episode of David's life. For 
 one can easily understand, as one gazes on the respective 
 situations of Giloh and Bethlehem, and observes their 
 close proximity the one to the other, how David and 
 Ahithophel commenced that intimate friendship and 
 affection which lasted through the greater part of their 
 lives, until it was so rudely destroyed by the treachery 
 of Ahithophel. Doubtless they were shepherd boys at 
 the same time, tending their fathers' flocks on the same 
 wild mountain-sides ; and I presume that those pas- 
 turages would be on those treeless upland ranges which 
 we see in front of us, beyond Bethlehem and Giloh, would 
 they not ?' 
 
 ' Undoubtedly,' replied the Sheikh ; ' the shepherds of 
 Beit Jala and Beit Lahm as Bethlehem is now called by 
 the natives still feed their flocks on those hillsides. 
 If you were acquainted with the inhabitants of those 
 two places, you would often see shepherds from each 
 place chumming together while their respective flocks 
 were peacefully feeding side by side.' 
 
 ' Then that fully bears out my thought,' answered 
 the Archbishop gladly. ' I have been picturing those 
 two shepherd lads, David and Ahithophel, playing to- 
 gether whilst their flocks were grazing around them. 
 We all know that there are, after all, no friendships like 
 those cemented in youth ; and I seem to feel, more clearly
 
 222 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 now than ever before, the awful anguish that it must 
 have been to David's warm and generous heart when the 
 chum of his boyhood at length turned against him.' 
 
 * Yes,' responded the Sheikh, ' and what a vivid reality 
 it imparts to that infinitely tender and pathetic lamenta- 
 tion : " It is not an open enemy that hath done me this 
 dishonour ; for then I could have borne it. Neither was 
 it mine adversary that did magnify himself against me ; 
 for then perad venture I would have hid myself from him. 
 But it was even thou, my companion, my guide, and 
 mine own familiar friend. We took sweet counsel to- 
 gether, and walked in the house of God as friends." It 
 is considered almost certain, I believe, that David com- 
 posed that Psalm chiefly in sorrow and sadness of heart 
 at the treachery of his life-long friend and counsellor.' 
 
 ' Let me see,' said the Angel, who was riding by the 
 side of the Sheikh, ' on what occasion was it that Ahitho- 
 phel thus turned traitor ?' 
 
 * At the rebellion of Absalom,' replied the Sheikh, ' he 
 sided with David's undutiful son against him, and played 
 a very double part which only rebounded upon himself. 
 When his treachery was discovered, David, in considera- 
 tion of his long friendship, took no measures of vengeance 
 against him ; but his own remorse killed him, for he 
 committed suicide in his native home that is to say, in 
 that very village over against us to our right ; and amongst 
 the rock-cut sepulchres in the hillside adjacent to the 
 village Ahithophel was buried.' 
 
 They had by this time arrived at the point where the 
 road to Bethlehem branches off to the left from the 
 main highway to Hebron. Immediately opposite to 
 this, on the right-hand side of the road, they came to an 
 ancient tomb with a square building surmounted by a 
 circular dome.
 
 RACHEL'S TOMB 223 
 
 ' The structure which you see here is known in Arabic 
 as Kubbeh Rahil,' said the Sheikh, when all the party 
 had arrived at the spot ; ' in other words, this is Rachel's 
 Tomb.' 
 
 ' Now is this really the Tomb of Rachel ?' asked the 
 Gusher ; ' or are you going to say that this is all rubbish 
 again ?' 
 
 ' Well, it is, and it is not,' replied the Sheikh. ' That 
 is to say, the actual building which we see before us now 
 is comparatively a modern erection. But, at the same 
 time, there is scarcely any doubt that it stands over the 
 ground where Rachel was really buried. This is one of 
 the places of which we can be tolerably sure, for the 
 Biblical narrative identifies the locality with tolerable 
 certainty, and Jews, Christians, and Moslems all agree 
 in revering the spot. I think I have already told you 
 that, when this is the case, it is always a strong argument 
 in favour of the genuineness of a site. We are told in 
 the Book of Genesis that Rachel died and was buried in 
 " the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem," and that 
 Jacob buried her on the spot, and set up a pillar over her 
 grave, in order that the place might be remembered for 
 all generations. Every Friday many of the Jews from 
 Jerusalem come here to pray and to commemorate the 
 wife of their patriarchal ancestor, Jacob.' 
 
 Turning off to the east, and heading for Bethlehem, 
 the cavalcade passed along a well-made carriage road, 
 which wound in the form of a crescent along the head of 
 a highly cultivated valley planted with olives and filled 
 with growing crops of barley. A slight incline through- 
 out the whole of this road, extending over half a mile 
 in length, gradually brought them to the first buildings 
 of Bethlehem, which opened up to their view, with its 
 crowded houses, flat-roofed and white-walled, on the
 
 224 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 upper slopes of the spur of the hill-country of Judaea, 
 upon which Bethlehem stands. Here the good road 
 suddenly came to an end, and a steep and difficult climb 
 over stony and uneven streets brought them at length 
 to a large open square, which forms the market-place, or 
 principal rendezvous, of the inhabitants of Bethlehem. 
 At the further end of this market-place there rose a 
 massive and venerable pile of buildings, and in the wall 
 of this pile immediately facing them was a low doorway, 
 evidently leading to the interior of a church. 
 
 Long before they had reached this open square they 
 had been beset by a noisy crowd of men and boys, most 
 of them speaking broken English, the men pestering 
 them to visit their shops of relics and curiosities, the boys 
 meanwhile offering themselves as guides to the city, or 
 clamouring to be allowed to hold their horses. The 
 General Nuisance was especially annoyed and bewildered 
 by the mob which surrounded her, and Yusef had to 
 exert all his Oriental powers of persuasions, threats, and 
 objurgations to keep them at a distance. 
 
 ' See, ma'am,' he said, to pacify her agitated spirits, 
 ' these people no harm. They only fool people, want sell 
 rubbish. You tell them no good, not buy now, buy after.' 
 
 ' Oh, do please go away, my good people,' cried out 
 the poor Gusher in nervous pain, for she also was being 
 besieged. ' I will buy something from you afterwards, 
 I will indeed, if you will only keep away from me now. 
 You will frighten my horse, I am sure you will.' 
 
 In a moment a shower of cards were thrust into her 
 hand from all sides, each card announcing that Salim 
 Khouri, or Hanna Massad, or Ibrahim Antoun, or some 
 such vendor of Oriental curiosities, was the only reliable 
 merchant in Bethlehem from whom might be procured, 
 at the very lowest prices, rosaries, mother-of-pearl crosses,
 
 NATIVE RUBBISH-VENDORS 225 
 
 crucifixes, baptismal shells, goblets, and dishes of Dead 
 Sea stink-stone, cameos, amulets, charms, and every 
 article that superstition could devise or credulity could 
 cherish. Of all places in the world, Bethlehem takes the 
 palm for importunate sellers of spurious relics and trashy 
 articles of so-called sacred interest. It is true that, if 
 you only knew how to set about the matter, you may 
 frequently pick up some really valuable and genuine 
 mother-of-pearl treasure at a ridiculously small cost, but 
 the ordinary tourist generally has a lot of utter rubbish 
 palmed off on him at a most exorbitant price. For sheer 
 obstinacy and pertinacity, admitting of no denial, the 
 shopkeepers and hawkers of Bethlehem have scarcely 
 their equals in the wide world. 
 
 The Enthusiast had already fallen a prey to some of 
 these harpies before the Sheikh, whose attention had 
 been occupied in assisting some of the other members of 
 the party to alight from their horses, could intervene to 
 protect him from their importunities. The Sheikh was 
 well known to all the Bethlehem inhabitants, and one 
 word from him was sufficient to cause them all to retire 
 on one side, and to leave him and his tribe free from 
 molestation. The crowd, however, still continued to 
 gape at the visitors, as though they were not accustomed 
 to have numbers of tourists visiting their city every 
 day. 
 
 The Fossil had with some difficulty succeeded in dis- 
 mounting from his horse with the kindly aid of the Arch- 
 bishop and Monte Carlo, and he was trying to pull himself 
 together, feeling uncommonly stiff and sore, when he 
 noticed a young urchin of about eight or ten years of age 
 standing in front of him, and gazing up into his face 
 with mingled pity., astonishment, and awe. The Fossil 
 probably did not look his youngest just then, for he was 
 
 15
 
 226 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 shaken and haggard from his ride. But he was scarcely 
 prepared for the remarks of the youngster in reply to 
 his somewhat surly inquiry as to what he was looking at. 
 
 ' You very old ; you die soon !' 
 
 The outraged Fossil made a slash at the boy with his 
 riding- whip, but the agile urchin was too quick for him, 
 and was out of his reach in a moment, and grinning at 
 him safely from a distance. 
 
 The Pessimist seemed bewildered beyond description 
 by the mass of humanity which crowded around him ; 
 whilst the General Nuisance expressed her decided 
 opinion that there was ample scope for missionary work 
 amongst the rude inhabitants of that dirty town. The 
 Gusher, on the contrary, thought that they were the 
 dearest and most picturesque people she had ever 
 seen in her life ; and the Matter-of-fact Man observed 
 that there was no doubt about their being the dearest 
 people in the world, if the prices which they had already 
 asked him for their stuff was any criterion of the case. 
 The majority of the tribe, however, were too much 
 interested in listening to the reminiscences which the 
 Sheikh was recalling to their minds of ancient Bethlehem 
 to pay much attention to the rabble of the modern city.
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 THE CHURCH OP THE NATIVITY 
 
 The story of Ruth Characteristics of the people A genuine site 
 Constan tine's Church A discordant ritual The Melchites The 
 Latin and Greek Churches The ' Filioque ' question Tombs of 
 St. Eusebius, St. Jerome, and others The Grotto of the Manger 
 The star in the east. 
 
 ' FROM time immemorial,' said the Sheikh, ' this must 
 have been a spot noted for the fertility of its soil and the 
 natural wealth of its resources, for the first name by 
 which we hear of it is " Ephratah," or " Ephrath." Now 
 these words signify " fruitful," and Bethlehem was 
 therefore known in the most ancient times as " the 
 fruitful place." This blessing it seems to have never 
 lost, and at the present day, as you can see with your 
 own eyes, Bethlehem and its territory are amongst the 
 fruitful spots of the Holy Land. Look down at those 
 fields, vineyards, and olive-groves beneath our feet ; 
 notice how terrace below terrace descends to the smiling 
 valley, every terrace beautifully cultivated and abounding 
 hi rich products of mother earth. Even as we are gazing 
 now at this fertile and beautiful scene before us, so might 
 Boaz have gazed from the door of his house on the day 
 when Naomi returned to her home at Bethlehem, accom- 
 panied by her daughter-in-law, Ruth the Moabitess.' 
 ' How strange and lonely Ruth must have felt as she 
 
 227 16 2
 
 228 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 came amongst all the women and girls of this place, who 
 would naturally look askance at her as belonging to a 
 hostile race,' said the Angel. 
 
 ' And how far did she and Naomi have to come ?' asked 
 the Archbishop. 
 
 ' FoUow me to yonder corner of this open square,' said 
 the Sheikh, ' and we shall be able to see Ruth's native 
 land quite clearly.' 
 
 As he spoke he moved off to the spot which he had 
 indicated, and his tribe followed in his train. From that 
 point of view the whole range of the Mountains of Moab 
 appeared clear and distinct to them, on the further side 
 of the Dead Sea. 
 
 ' The atmosphere is not quite so transparent to-day 
 as it is sometimes,' said the Sheikh, as he directed their 
 gaze towards the land of Moab ; ' nevertheless, you can 
 easily discern the glens and ravines in the mountain- 
 sides. From this point I have often been able to make 
 out the very bridle-paths up the hills, and to trace the 
 routes over which I have myself travelled. Here and 
 there you can see the white villages dotted about, though 
 Moab is at present but very sparsely inhabited. In the 
 days of Ruth there would have been such villages arid 
 towns on almost every hilltop and convenient site, and 
 no doubt many of these would be quite familiar to her.' 
 
 * Perhaps even her own native home may have been 
 visible from here,' suggested the Angel. 
 
 ' That is very possible nay, even probable,' replied 
 the Sheikh ; ' and I have often thought, as I have stood 
 and gazed out over those hills, what a vivid touch of 
 reality it imparts to that romantic and fascinating story 
 to picture to one's self that Moabitish young woman, 
 whose nature was so tender, devoted, and constant, 
 peering from the threshold of the house of her mother-
 
 THE STORY OF RUTH 229 
 
 in-law, Naomi, or from the flat roof of the home of her 
 husband, Boaz, at the country scenes of her childhood's 
 home. How her affectionate heart must have yearned 
 towards her kinsfolk and friends, apparently so near and 
 yet in truth so far away, since she had for ever severed 
 herself from them by the deliberate choice which she 
 had made under the dictates of a religious and con- 
 scientious impulse.' 
 
 ' Poor Ruth !' sighed the Angel ; ' I often think what a 
 terrible effort that choice must have cost her.' 
 
 ' And yet,' added the Archbishop, ' what a reward was 
 hers ! She became in a sense one of the very mothers 
 of the Saviour of the world, for she was an ancestress of 
 Jesus Himself.' 
 
 ' And her name has been immortalized for ever among 
 the heroines of humanity,' said Monte Carlo thoughtfully. 
 ' No, I do not think that Ruth was much to be pitied.' 
 
 ' That is all very well,' remarked the Matter-of-fact 
 Man ; ' but I guess she did not know much of this reward 
 and this renown whilst she was living here, away from 
 her own relations and in the midst of strangers, some of 
 whom, you may be sure, were not very kind to her, or 
 they would have been different from the Jews of all 
 other ages.' 
 
 This was quite a long speech for the Matter-of-fact Man 
 to make, and when he had made it, he retired into the 
 background, as if he were almost ashamed of having 
 committed himself. But there was, nevertheless, a great 
 deal of common-sense in the remarks to which he had 
 given utterance. 
 
 ' A pretty little idyll, that story of Ruth,' remarked 
 the Fossil to Monte Carlo, as they followed the Sheikh 
 away from the spot where this conversation had taken 
 place. ' I fancy that there may have been somoJfounda-
 
 230 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 tion of fact at the bottom of it, for it seems almost too 
 natural to have been the mere creation of a poet's 
 imagination. And yet, I do not know, what can be more 
 pathetic and natural than " Enoch Arden," for instance ?' 
 
 ' And how do you know that that had not some founda- 
 tion in fact, old fellow ?' answered Monte Carlo. ' But 
 why question this story of Ruth ? I tell you what it 
 seems to me, if you don't mind my saying so bluntly : 
 you appear to go out of your way on purpose to try and 
 make yourself disbelieve the Bible stories, just because 
 they are in the Bible. Now, don't you think, my dear 
 friend, that in so doing you are sailing very near the 
 wind, and making yourself quite as unreasonable as 
 those whom you deride for swallowing implicitly all that 
 they find in the Bible ?' 
 
 The Fossil did not answer this forcible yet kindly 
 home-thrust ; but he was unusually silent during the 
 rest of the day, and it is more than probable that the 
 plain words of the easy-going, light-hearted Monte Carlo 
 sank deeper into his conscience than all the arguments 
 of his controversial friend, the Archbishop. 
 
 ' They say that nothing ever changes in this country,' 
 said the Angel to the Sheikh, by whose side she was 
 walking as they recrossed the open square. ' I have 
 been wondering whether Bethlehem looks at the present 
 day at all like what it was in the days of David.' 
 
 ' No doubt the flat-roofed houses, the narrow, crooked, 
 steep, and stony thoroughfares, the terraced olive-groves, 
 the vineyards, and the fields are much the same,' replied 
 the Sheikh ; ' Lut Christianity has affected the general 
 appearance of this city almost more than that of any 
 other place in Palestine, unless it be Jerusalem and 
 Nazareth.' 
 
 ' In what way ?' inquired the Archbishop.
 
 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PEOPLE 231 
 
 ' First of all, in the large number of convents, churches, 
 and other religious Christian buildings with which 
 Bethlehem abounds,' he answered. ' Then in the occu- 
 pations of the inhabitants, for the principal industry of 
 the Bethlehemites of modern times is the manufacture 
 of all these Christian relics, trinkets, and mementoes, 
 which their sellers are so anxious to compel you to 
 purchase ; and lastly, in the costumes of the natives, 
 which are, I fancy, considerably different from those of 
 David's time. You will notice, as we go through the 
 Holy Land, that the people of this city wear a costume 
 entirely their own, and quite distinctive from those of 
 other places.' 
 
 ' They are wonderfully graceful and picturesque,' said 
 the Angel. ' Why do you imagine that they are of 
 modern date ?' 
 
 ' I do not say that they are modern exactly,' replied 
 the Sheikh ; ' though I think they are of purely Christian 
 origin, and certainly they are quite different from the 
 costumes of the Hebrew women in the olden days.' 
 
 ' Why do some of the women wear white veils, and 
 others have that curious head-dress with great strings of 
 coins hanging from it ?' asked the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' That is to distinguish the married from the unmarried 
 women,' replied the Sheikh ; ' the married women have 
 a red tarboosh under their veil, as you can see. These 
 tarbooshes are generally covered all over with coins sewn 
 upon them ; these and the coins which hang under their 
 chin constitute the principal part of their bridal dower. 
 From their earliest childhood they save up these coins 
 to add to others which they shall receive at the time of 
 their marriage.' 
 
 ' Bethlehem seems to be extremely well-to-do,' remarked 
 Monte Carlo.
 
 232 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' Yes, they are a thriving and industrious set of people,' 
 answered the Sheikh ; ' and if they were not so impor- 
 tunate and obtrusive, the inhabitants of the city would 
 be nice people to deal with. Bethlehem means the 
 " House of Bread," and this seems to imply, as its former 
 name of Ephratah, that the place has always been cele- 
 brated for its fertility. This has probably been con- 
 sidered all the more noteworthy because of its contrast 
 with the barren country which stretches away to the 
 east of it.' 
 
 * This is essentially a Christian town, is it not ?' said 
 the Archbishop. 
 
 ' Almost entirely,' replied the Sheikh ; ' there are very 
 few Mohamedans in it, and practically no Jews at all.' 
 
 * And what sect predominates here ?' asked the Angel. 
 ' The Latins, as the Roman Catholics are called in this 
 
 country, slightly outnumber the Orthodox Greeks, 
 though there is not much difference between them in 
 regard to figures. There are about one thousand Ar- 
 menians, more or less, and these three branches of the 
 Christian Church virtually embrace the whole population.' 
 
 ' Do you mean to say that there are no Protestants 
 here, then ?' said the General Nuisance. ' Surely, with 
 all the money that has been spent upon missionary work 
 in the Holy Land, there ought to be a good number of 
 members of our Church in Bethlehem.' 
 
 ' A mere handful,' answered the Sheikh ; ' the majority 
 of the few Protestants in this city belong to the German 
 Lutheran Church.' 
 
 They had now arrived at the low door leading into 
 the church at the further end of the open square. Before 
 entering it, the Sheikh gathered his tribe around him and 
 said : 
 
 ' We are now about to visit one of the most interesting
 
 A GENUINE SITE 233 
 
 places in Palestine, or, indeed, in the whole world. This 
 is called the Church of the Nativity, and it is interesting 
 and important for two reasons. First, there is no doubt 
 that we are here on a genuine site, and, amidst so much 
 that is false and spurious, it is very gratifying when we 
 may be practically certain as to the identity of any spot 
 that we are visiting. And we may be quite sure that 
 this church stands on the site of the old khan, or inn, 
 to which Joseph and Mary went, and amongst the beasts 
 and cattle of which our blessed Lord was born. The 
 second reason why this is so interesting is that it is 
 probably the oldest church in the whole world where 
 Christian worship has been uninterruptedly carried on, 
 day after day, week after week, month after month, year 
 after year, and century after century, from the day of its 
 first consecration in 327 A.D. down to the present time.' 
 
 ' How do you know that this church stands on the site 
 of the very same inn as that mentioned in the Gospels ?' 
 asked the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' Within a short timer of the erection of this church 
 by Constantine the Great, one of the most celebrated of 
 the early Christian Fathers, St. Jerome, lived, wrote, 
 died, and was buried within the precincts of this very 
 church ; we shall see by-and-by the very chamber or cell 
 in which he translated the Vulgate, and we shall also 
 visit his tomb. Now, St. Jerome tells us in his writings 
 that there were old men and women still living in Beth- 
 lehem in his day who well remembered the ruins of the 
 ancient khan upon the foundations of which Constantine 
 built his church. 
 
 ' And how did he know that that ruined khan was the 
 one to which Joseph and Mary went ?' asked the Matter- 
 of-fact Man. 
 
 ' Because there was not, and never has been, any other
 
 234 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 khan but that one in Bethlehem,' said the Sheikh. ' You 
 see, it is different out here from what it would be in 
 England or on the Continent. There, in a town of this 
 size, there would probably be a large number of inns or 
 hotels, and this would naturally cause a doubt to arise 
 as to any particular individual hostelry. But out in 
 the East things are different. These khans stand at 
 certain intervals, chiefly along the principal highways, 
 and they occupy the same position for centuries and 
 thousands of years. The Bethlehem khan was the first 
 stage on the great southern road from Jerusalem to 
 Hebron, and across the desert to Egypt ; and there is 
 no doubt that the khan spoken of by Jerome was the 
 same as that in which Joseph and Mary found it so 
 difficult to obtain accommodation. To-morrow, on our 
 way down to Jericho, we shall stop to rest for a short 
 time at one of these Oriental khans ; and I will then be 
 able to explain to you better what is meant in the Bible 
 when it says that there was " no room for them in the 
 inn." I shall also be able to describe more clearly to 
 you what the actual scene of the Nativity was probably 
 like. Till then I will defer all discussion upon this 
 vitally interesting and important subject ; and to-day 
 we will content ourselves with visiting Constantino's 
 grand old church, and seeing the evidences which are 
 here, as elsewhere, of the web of legend and tradition 
 which has been woven by ecclesiastical superstition and 
 fraud around the simple facts of history.' 
 
 They entered the building by the low door, which 
 was barely four feet in height, and which necessitated 
 their stooping to pass through it. The door opened on 
 a dark passage, or vestibule, beyond which was another 
 doorway, but this time large and high, which brought 
 them into the nave of the church itself. The fine old
 
 CONSTANTINE'S CHURCH 235 
 
 western porch, which originally formed the entrance to 
 the church, has, at some time or another, been entirely 
 destroyed, probably during the wars of the Crusades, 
 and the wretched dark vestibule and low door of the 
 present day substituted in its place. 
 
 ' How beautifully quiet and cool this place seems after 
 the heat and bustle outside !' remarked the Pessimist to 
 the Angel with a sigh of relief, as they followed the 
 Sheikh to the west end of the nave, whence a full view 
 of the interior of the church was to be had. The nave 
 was divided into five isles by four rows of columns, the 
 centre aisle being considerably wider than any of the 
 others. The pillars were of no great height, and were 
 surmounted by massive Corinthian capitals. Unlike 
 most churches of that style of architecture, these pillars 
 did not support arches, but a straight row of solid blocks 
 of stone ran above the tops of the capitals on either side 
 of the central aisle, and on this row of blocks of stone the 
 clerestory walls were built. Old windows deeply let into 
 the walls pierced the clerestory at frequent intervals. 
 Above all was a pointed roof. 
 
 ' Is all this nave of the date of Constantine ?' asked 
 the Fossil, when the tribe had been viewing the scene in 
 silence for some few minutes. 
 
 ' All except the roof, and those fragments of frescoes 
 which you see on the clerestory walls,' replied the Sheikh. 
 ' The wall with the doorway in it, which forms the dividing 
 screen between the nave and the sanctuary beyond, and 
 which you see facing us at the further end of this centre 
 aisle, is, however, quite modern, being, indeed, only a 
 little more than fifty years old.' 
 
 ' Do you know the date of those frescoes ?' asked the 
 Archbishop, as they proceeded up the centre aisle of the 
 nave towards the sanctuary.
 
 236 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' They were executed about the middle of the twelfth 
 century,' replied the Sheikh. 
 
 ' And why do they cover only patches on the walls, 
 instead of the whole of the walls themselves ?' inquired 
 the Enthusiast. 
 
 * Either the frescoes were never finished, or, as is more 
 probable, the rest was damaged, either by the weather 
 or by some wanton mischief. No one knows exactly 
 why they have disappeared and their places been filled in 
 with this common plaster and whitewash.' 
 
 * Whatever may have been the cause, it is a thousand 
 pities that only these fragments are left,' observed the 
 Fossil ; ' for they are exceedingly quaint and beautiful.' 
 
 ' More quaint than beautiful, I think,' rejoined the 
 General Nuisance ; ' I cannot see anything beautiful 
 about them ; for in my opinion they are badly drawn and 
 inartistically coloured.' 
 
 ' That is a matter of taste, I presume,' remarked the 
 Angel ; ' to my mind, they appear fine specimens of 
 mediaeval art.' 
 
 ' So they are considered by most connoisseurs,' said the 
 Sheikh. 
 
 ' I cannot quite make out the subject,' said the Arch- 
 bishop, who had been intently gazing up at them through 
 his spectacles ; ' I can see several figures, some of them 
 singly and some in groups, and I can also make out a lot 
 of foliage and ornamentation work.' 
 
 ' You will notice, if you look,' replied the Sheikh, ' that 
 there are five rows altogether. The top row is merely an 
 ornamental frieze between the windows and the roof. 
 Then, in the spaces between the windows there are figures 
 of angels. Below the windows, again, you will notice 
 another frieze of foliage, corresponding to that above. 
 Beneath this is a row depicting several groups ; these
 
 A DISCORDANT RITUAL 237 
 
 groups are the representations of the various early 
 Christian councils. The lowest stratum of all is occupied 
 by a series of human figures, supposed to represent the 
 ancestors of our Lord.' 
 
 They passed through the doorway in the screen wall at 
 the east end of the nave, and found themselves in the 
 beautiful and interesting sanctuary of the church. A 
 large circular apse stood at the east end, and in front of it 
 was a Greek altar, enshrined within an elaborate screen, 
 hung all over with eikons, or sacred pictures, and with 
 any number of hanging lamps suspended above and in 
 front of it. Inlaid wooden and mother-of-pearl seats 
 and thrones were before the altar shrine, and some sort of 
 a religious function was going on at the time when the 
 party arrived. There were several priests present, with 
 the peculiar head-gear characteristic of their order ; and 
 a number of men and boys, some arrayed in cassocks 
 much the worse for wear, some in their ordinary Oriental 
 garments, were assisting in the service, as a kind of choir. 
 They were most of them provided with some primitive 
 musical instrument, and those who could not get anything 
 better had armed themselves with a brass plate and a 
 knife, and they added to the horrible din and discord by 
 striking the knife against the edge of the brass plate with 
 more vigour than discretion. The result of the general 
 performance was decidedly the reverse of devotional or 
 soul-inspiring, and the Druse, Yusef an excellent fellow 
 in his way, and instinctively reverent in the presence of 
 true devotion, though, like all his tribe, bitterly preju- 
 diced against native Christianity in any shape or form 
 stood for some few minutes riveted to the spot which he 
 had occupied on entering the sanctuary, behind the 
 Sheikh and his tribe, in astonishment and contempt at 
 the jargon of discord. Gradually his face assumed an
 
 238 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 expression of unutterable disgust, as the Matter-of-fact 
 Man and Monte Carlo, who were standing near him, 
 observed to their amusement ; and at length, unable to 
 contain his virtuous wrath any longer, he gave vent to a 
 short but emphatic ejaculation in a loud voice : 
 
 ' All lies !' 
 
 Then, turning round abruptly, he stalked out of the 
 church in a state of the utmost indignation. To his un- 
 tutored mind, accustomed only to the plain and simple 
 ritual of the Druse worship (and, as the writer knows 
 from his own personal experience, the ritual of the Druse 
 worship is plain and simple indeed), the superstitious 
 formalities of the curious Greek rite seemed nothing more 
 than a blasphemous mockery, being, as they literally 
 were, mere sounding brass and tinkling cymbals. 
 
 Nor was it only on Yusef 's mind that the same impres- 
 sion was produced. Most of the tribe felt an innate 
 repulsion at the travesty of Christian worship as it 
 appeared to them. 
 
 ' I respect that fellow,' remarked Monte Carlo to his 
 neighbour, as they watched Yusef's retreating form ; ' I 
 confess that I do not remember to have ever seen or heard 
 such a performance as this even in a Buddhist temple or 
 a Hindoo shrine.' 
 
 ' I suppose they think that they will be heard the better 
 the bigger noise they make,' answered the Matter-of-fact 
 Man. 
 
 ' Well, if I were the Almighty,' responded Monte Carlo, 
 ' I think that I should be inclined to grant their requests, 
 whatever they are, if only to stop their hideous row.' 
 
 ' Are the Greek functions always like this ?' inquired 
 the Angel of the Sheikh. 
 
 ' No, not so bad as this,' he replied ; ' I don't exactly 
 know what they are up to to-day, but I have not in-
 
 THE LATIN AND GREEK CHURCHES 239 
 
 frequently witnessed scenes quite as repellent as this, 
 and in some cases even worse.' 
 
 ' I can scarcely imagine anything more irreverent 
 according to our ideas,' she observed ; ' but then, we must 
 always remember that what seems irreverent to us may 
 not be so really to them.' 
 
 ' That is perfectly true,' answered the Sheikh ; ' it is 
 almost impossible for us, with our highly educated and 
 refined conditions, to sound the depths of ignorance and 
 childishness which characterize these Oriental Christians. 
 It would horrify you if I were to tell you the scenes which 
 I have witnessed in some of these churches in Palestine, 
 especially in those of the Melchites.' 
 
 ' Who are the Melchites ?' asked the Archbishop. 
 
 ' They are a sort of mongrel cross-breed between the 
 Latins and the Greeks,' replied the Sheikh ; ' their tech- 
 nical name is " Greek Catholics." Some two hundred 
 and fifty years ago the Franciscan, Jesuit, and Lazarist 
 Orders of the Roman Church determined to make a 
 vigorous effort to wean away the Syrian Christians from 
 their loyalty to the Greek Orthodox Church, which had 
 claimed to be the mother-Church of Palestine from the 
 days of the Byzantine Empire. With this end in view, 
 large numbers of the priests and monks belonging to 
 those three orders came and settled in the country. They 
 commenced their undertaking in the secret and under- 
 hand methods which are so characteristic of the Roman 
 Church. They did not openly try to make converts or 
 proselytes at first, but, settling among the people, they 
 stirred up party spirit and strife amongst the Orthodox 
 Greeks by every kind of insidious stratagem, and they 
 represented to the masses the advantages which the 
 Latins, who acknowledged the supremacy of the Pope, 
 derived from the protection of His Holiness, which was
 
 240 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 in those days a very real force. Having by these means 
 gradually weakened the allegiance of many to the faith 
 in which they had been brought up, they began to adopt 
 more open measures of missionary work among them, en- 
 deavouring to persuade them by warnings and promises to 
 acknowledge their communion with the Church of Rome.' 
 
 ' I am not quite sure that I know exactly what are the 
 points of difference between the Roman and Greek 
 Churches,' said the Angel. 
 
 ' The differences were originally twofold,' answered the 
 Sheikh. ' One of these was of a religious nature, and the 
 other purely political. At the time when the rupture 
 took place which divided Christendom into its two great 
 parts, known generally as the Eastern and Western 
 Churches, there were two great cities in Europe which were 
 contesting severely for the supremacy of the civilized 
 world. These two cities were Constantinople and Rome. 
 The rivalry between them reached its culminating-point 
 in the fourth century, and the bishops and priests took 
 an active part in espousing the causes of the opposing 
 political factions. Naturally, the inevitable result fol- 
 lowed ; party prejudice led to personal animosity, and this 
 personal animosity intensified the religious and dogmatic 
 differences which had gradually sprung up between the 
 two parties. The final result was a formal breaking away 
 of the West from the East, and the establishment of the 
 two disunited branches of Christendom the one calling 
 itself the Latin Church, with its headquarters at Rome ; 
 and the other known as the Greek, with its metropolis at 
 Constantinople. To emphasize its own claims, each party 
 adopted a title to indicate its position ; the Latins claimed 
 that they were Catholic, whilst the Greeks asserted 
 that they were Orthodox. Hence the terms " Roman 
 Catholic " and " Greek Orthodox." '
 
 THE ' FILIOQUE ' QUESTION 241 
 
 ' But you have not yet made clear the point upon which 
 I am in the dark,' remarked the Angel. ' I wanted to 
 know what were precisely those religious and dogmatic 
 differences upon which the two branches finally split.' 
 
 ' The differences may be classed under six headings,' 
 replied the Sheikh : ' (1) What is commonly known as 
 the "Filioque " question ; (2) the Date of Easter ; (3) the 
 Supremacy of the Pope ; (4) the Language of the Liturgies ; 
 (5) the Administration of the Sacramental Elements ; 
 and (6) the Celibacy of the Clergy.' 
 
 ' What the dickens is the " Filioque " question ?' asked 
 Monte Carlo. 
 
 ' A most important point !' replied the Archbishop 
 dogmatically. ' We, the members of the Western branch 
 of the Church Catholic, hold that the Holy Ghost proceeds 
 from the Father and the Son, whilst the Eastern Churches 
 assert that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and 
 not from the Son.' 
 
 ' And, pray, can you tell me whether you or anyone 
 else knows what is meant by this Procession, whether it 
 be of the one nature or of the other ?' said the Fossil. 
 
 ' It is a deep mystery,' replied the Archbishop solemnly ; 
 ' but we have the warrant of Holy Scripture and of the 
 most illustrious of the Early Fathers for our belief.' 
 
 ' May I further ask what practical difference such a 
 dogmatic quibble makes to any human being's daily life 
 and character ?' said the Fossil. 
 
 ' That concerns me not,' replied the Archbishop ; ' if 
 the Church considered it so vital a matter as to cause the 
 disruption of the Body of Christ into two irreconcileable 
 portions, it must be a principle of the most fundamental 
 importance.' 
 
 ' There is an alternative to that,' remarked Monte Carlo. 
 ' It is just possible that those old ecclesiastics, heated as 
 
 16
 
 242 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 they were by party prejudice and political animosity, 
 made use of this controversy about a point which none of 
 them comprehended in the least as the pretext for an 
 open rupture.' 
 
 ' I confess,' said the Sheikh, ' that I have discussed this 
 dogmatic controversy with priests and dignitaries of the 
 Anglican, Roman, and Greek Churches, and, though I 
 have frequently found them most positive and resolute 
 in their adhesion to the particular view which their own 
 Church held of the matter, there is not a single one of them, 
 when the point has been pressed home to them, who has 
 been able to show that they have possessed a clear and 
 intelligent idea of what is really the practical meaning of 
 the abstruse and mysterious subject in dispute. It is evi- 
 dent also that the Roman Catholics do not really at heart 
 attach much importance to the dogma, save as a handle of 
 controversy with the Greek Church ; for the Latin mis- 
 sionaries who invaded this country in the manner that 
 I mentioned just now did not insist upon it when 
 they were trying to make their converts. You will 
 notice that, of the six points of difference between the 
 Latin and Greek Churches which I enumerated just now, 
 there are three which may be called more or less theo- 
 retical, whilst the other three are eminently practical. The 
 " Filioque " question, the date of Easter, and the doctrine 
 of the Supremacy of the Pope, would none of them interfere 
 greatly with the convenience or necessities of the people. 
 Therefore the shrewd Franciscan, Jesuit, and Lazarist 
 missionaries made a great deal of these points, and in- 
 sisted upon them as the great conditions for admitting 
 their converts into communion with Rome ; whilst, on 
 the other hand, they pretended that the other three 
 matters namely, the language in which the Mass was 
 said, the administering of the cup to the laity, and the
 
 THE 'FILIOQUE' QUESTION 243 
 
 marriage of the clergy were of minor importance, and 
 that upon them they would not insist. As a matter of 
 fact, these very points were of such importance in the 
 minds of the people that, had the missionaries insisted 
 upon them, they would have made no converts at all. It 
 mattered little to them whether they kept Easter a 
 fortnight sooner or later ; the supremacy of the Pope was 
 a mere pious opinion which did not affect their daily life ; 
 and, as we have already seen, the " Filioque " doctrine was 
 beyond them altogether, one way or another. But the 
 priests would not submit to enforced celibacy ; the laity 
 would rebel against the cup being withheld from them in 
 the Mass ; and both priests and laity would equally refuse 
 to have the Mass conducted in Latin, which none of them 
 understood. Hence, by the subtle and judicious manipu- 
 lation of the conditions of conversion, the Latin emis- 
 saries succeeded in drawing large numbers of the Syrian 
 Christians away from the Greek Orthodox Church. 
 These Greek Catholics, or Melchites, are therefore, as I 
 have said, a hybrid cross between the Latins and Greeks.' 
 
 ' And, like all half-castes, I presume, they have all 
 the vices without any of the virtues of the opposite 
 stocks from which they have sprung,' said Monte Carlo. 
 
 ' I do not know that I would quite say that,' answered 
 the Sheikh ; ' but they certainly are a very debased 
 branch of the Church Catholic, and their ignorance and 
 superstition are something appalling. I once attended 
 an Easter Mass in their church at Haifa, and the scenes 
 which I witnessed there are almost incredible. Shouting 
 and laughter were going on all the time ; a young boy 
 essayed to read the Gospel amidst a running fire of chaff 
 and criticism from the worshippers in the body of the 
 church ; before he had got half way through he broke 
 down and burst out laughing, whereupon the celebrating 
 
 162
 
 244 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 priest turned round from the altar, seized the book out 
 of his hand, cuffed him on the ear, kicked him in the 
 hinder quarters, sent him flying down into the nave 
 holloaing and crying, and concluded the Gospel himself. 
 At the time of the administering and receiving of the con- 
 secrated bread and wine several young fellows literally 
 and truly played leap-frog over one another's backs 
 up to the altar ; a regular scramble ensued around the 
 priest, each one endeavouring to snatch the bread out of 
 his hands before the others ; and in the midst of it all 
 three or four guns were discharged with blank cartridge 
 in the choir of the church. A friend of mine, himself a 
 Melchite, and a fervent member of his church, took me 
 there and stood beside me all the time. He entered into 
 the whole ceremony with the utmost zest, shouting and 
 chaffing as loudly as anyone, and turning round to me 
 every now and then to ask me quite seriously whether 
 I did not think it beautiful. When, on retiring from the 
 church at the conclusion of the Mass, I ventured to 
 express my surprise and distaste at what I had seen, 
 he was really quite astonished and disappointed, and he 
 did not for a moment see anything irreverent or repulsive 
 in the performance.' 
 
 ' Come, come, Sheikh, a joke's a joke !' exclaimed 
 Monte Carlo. ' But you're not going to make a fellow 
 swallow all that.' 
 
 ' Nevertheless, I assure you, I have not in the least 
 overstated the facts ; indeed, I have purposely omitted 
 some details which were really too repellent to be des- 
 cribed. But to these people there is nothing at all 
 abnormal in all this, for they are brought up in a perfect 
 hotbed of ignorance and superstitious mummery, and 
 what we have just been witnessing in this church you 
 could see at almost any native Oriental function.'
 
 THE TOMB OF ST. EUSEBIUS 245 
 
 The General Nuisance smacked her lips and sniffed 
 the air audibly, as if scenting an excellent field for her 
 missionary labours ; and more than one of her fellow- 
 pilgrims devoutly hoped that she would feel so distinct 
 a call to the work that she would remain behind them to 
 carry it into execution. There was no such luck for them, 
 however, as her pious aspirations ended in a sniff. 
 
 They had left the sanctuary where the Greek function 
 had been proceeding long before this, and the greater 
 part of the conversation had been carried on in the Latin 
 church on the north side of the choir. From this Latin 
 church a flight of stone steps descended to a dark series 
 of underground, rock-cut passages and cells. Having 
 procured waxen tapers from the Latin monk in charge, 
 they descended the steps, headed by the Shiekh, and 
 attended by the monk himself. In the various cells 
 there stood altars, over which were hanging-lamps, 
 casting a very dim, religious light. The Sheikh explained 
 that most of these altars marked the tombs of early 
 Christian saints. 
 
 ' Here is the tomb of St. Eusebius,' he said ; 'but you 
 must not confound him with the famous ecclesiastical 
 historian. I cannot tell you what particular claim to 
 canonization or fame this Eusebius had. Here are the 
 tombs of St. Paula and her daughter, St. Eustachia ; you 
 have probably heard or read about them. They were 
 two holy Roman ladies who abandoned their home and 
 comforts in order to become the pupils and disciples of 
 St. Jerome. And here, opposite to their resting-place, is 
 the very tomb of St. Jerome himself.' 
 
 ' I suppose there is no doubt about the genuineness of 
 this, is there ?' said the Archbishop, bending reverently 
 over the tomb . 
 
 ' Scarcely any doubt whatever, I should say,' replied
 
 246 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 the Sheikh. ' I think you may be quite sure that you 
 are here on historic ground.' 
 
 ' Oh, let me kiss the tomb !' exclaimed the Gusher, 
 pushing her way forward in the narrow and confined 
 space. ' I must kiss the tomb of that dear, good, holy 
 Jerome.' 
 
 She had probably never heard of his name before that 
 day, but his tomb was pronounced by the Sheikh to be a 
 genuine holy site, and that was quite enough for the 
 excitable and impulsive little woman. 
 
 ' Now I am going to take you to a very interesting 
 place,' observed the Sheikh, leading the way up another 
 flight of steps at the end of the cell in which were the 
 tombs of the Christian father and of his faithful disciples. 
 
 They entered a chamber which had evidently been 
 originally a natural cave, but which is now fitted up 
 as a chapel with altar, hanging-lamps, etc., and the 
 Sheikh, standing in the middle of the chamber, said : 
 
 ' This was the study of St. Jerome for many long 
 years. Here he wrote his immortal works, and here was 
 translated the Latin version of the Bible, commonly 
 known as the Vulgate, and the authorized version in use 
 in the Roman Church.' 
 
 Passing out of this chamber, and proceeding along 
 another dark passage with one or two more altars in 
 narrow recesses on either side, they came to a door 
 which the Latin monk opened, and, going through it, 
 they found themselves in a long low vault or crypt, 
 profusely hung with lighted lamps suspended from the 
 ceiling by elaborate chains, and with an altar at the 
 further end. 
 
 ' We are here immediately under the Greek altar in 
 the choir of the Church of the Nativity,' said the Sheikh 
 when all the tribe had assembled within the vault.
 
 THE GROTTO OF THE MANGER 247 
 
 ' Directly over our heads that function which we wit- 
 nessed was going on. You will observe, if you look at 
 the walls and ceiling of this vault, that this was evidently 
 originally a cave or grotto, which has been converted 
 into a Christian shrine. It is generally known as the 
 " Grotto of the Manger," and it is so called because this 
 is the traditional spot fixed upon by the ecclesiastical 
 authorities of former ages as the stable of the inn to 
 which Joseph and Mary went.' 
 
 ' And is this genuine ?' asked the Enthusiast. 
 
 ' Certainly not,' replied the Sheikh. ' As we shall see 
 to-morrow in the khan where we shall rest on our way to 
 Jericho, our Lord, it is practically certain, was born in 
 the open air.' 
 
 ' Why, then, did they say that He was born here ?' 
 said the General Nuisance. 
 
 Why indeed !' answered the Sheikh. ' Simply be- 
 cause they will not be contented with the broad fact 
 that the church stands on the site of the inn, but they 
 must needs go on to pretend to fix the exact spot where 
 the stable stood. Not satisfied, indeed, with this, they 
 even undertake to point out the very place where Jesus 
 was born, and where the manger stood. You observe 
 that silver star let into the ground immediately under 
 the altar ?' 
 
 ' I have noticed it already,' observed the Fossil, ' and 
 was going to ask you its meaning.' 
 
 ' If you will examine it closer,' said the Sheikh, ' you 
 will find a Latin inscription upon it, which you will 
 perhaps read out and translate for the benefit of the 
 others.' 
 
 The Fossil put on his glasses, knelt down, and read 
 aloud the following words : 
 
 ' Hie de Virgine Maria Jesus Christus Natus Est.'
 
 248 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' Oh !' ejaculated the Gusher, ' I can understand that ! 
 It says : " Here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin 
 Mary." I must kiss that dear star, I must indeed !' 
 
 ' I suppose that's all bosh, is it not ?' said Monte 
 Carlo. 
 
 'It is,' replied the Sheikh ; ' and yet not half such 
 bosh as some of the dragomans make out of it. You 
 will scarcely believe me, I fear, but I assure you I am 
 about to tell you the simple truth. The first time I 
 came here (it is a good many years ago now) I had a 
 young fellow as dragoman whom I had picked up at the 
 hotel, and who had been recommended to me by the 
 hotel-keeper as an excellent and well-informed guide. 
 I was considerably greener then than I am now, and 
 swallowed many things he told me as Gospel truth. But 
 he opened my eyes when we came to Bethlehem. He 
 brought me down to this grotto, he pointed out that 
 silver star on the floor, and said : " Do you know what 
 that star is ?" " No," I replied ; " what is it ?" " That 
 star, sir," he answered gravely, looking at me as inno- 
 cently as if he believed it himself and expected me to 
 believe it also " that star, sir, is the identical star which 
 the Wise Men saw in the east !"
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 AMONG THE JUD^AN HILLS 
 
 The rival churches A bloodthirsty Kawass A shepherd boy 
 Solomon's Pools Emmaus. 
 
 THE Malaprop had not been paying much attention to 
 what the Sheikh had been saying, for her eyes had been 
 fixed on a Turkish soldier who, rifle in hand, was standing 
 on sentry duty in the Grotto of the Manger. She was 
 wondering what he was there for, and why he wore such 
 a dirty and disreputable uniform, and therefore she only 
 caught the last words of the anecdote which the Sheikh 
 had been relating. At the same time she became aware 
 of the silver star fixed in the ground, and she connected 
 it rightly enough in one sense, though wrongly in 
 another with the words that she heard. Her im- 
 pression was that the Sheikh had asserted as his own 
 opinion that that was the identical star which the wise 
 men saw in the east. She had a confused remembrance 
 of the legend which he had related at the wayside well of 
 the Magi ; and the result of it all was the following 
 instructive and original entry in her diary that evening : 
 
 ' I learned to-day what I never knew before namely, 
 that it was a silver star that the wise men saw in the 
 east. How it got up into the sky I don't exactly know ; 
 but I must inquire from the Sheikh about that. Anyhow, 
 it fell into a well that stands by the roadside between 
 
 249
 
 250 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 Jerusalem and Bethlehem, and the Wise Men found it 
 floating there when they stopped at the well to get some 
 water to drink, for they were thirsty. They fished it out 
 of the water and took it to Bethlehem, and they fixed it 
 in the floor of the grotto there. And so the story of the 
 Wise Men must be true, and nobody who goes to Bethle- 
 hem can help believing it, for there is the silver star itself 
 still there, and I have seen it with my very own eyes.' 
 
 The Malaprop was not the only one who noticed the 
 presence of the Turkish soldier in the Grotto of the 
 Manger, for, as the tribe were proceeding down the 
 church on their way back to the open air, the General 
 Nuisance wanted to know why they insulted the Chris- 
 tians by sticking an infidel wretch of a Turk in the sacred 
 chapel, to intimidate decent and honest people with his 
 murderous rifles and daggers. 
 
 ' Unfortunately,' replied the Sheikh, ' sad experience 
 has proved the necessity here, as at the Church of the 
 Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, of having soldiers posted 
 at intervals throughout the church, in order to keep the 
 peace between the members of the different Christian 
 bodies. I can assure you that no decent and honest 
 people need be intimidated by the presence of these 
 soldiers, for they are perfectly harmless, and even cour- 
 teous and obliging, to all peaceable and well-disposed 
 persons. It is only those who do not know how to re- 
 strain their evil passions, and who allow their religious 
 zeal to lead them into excesses, that need be under any 
 uneasiness about these Turkish soldiers.' 
 
 * But, surely,' said the Archbishop, ' the days when 
 armed soldiers are needed to keep the peace are over. 
 None of these priests or simple worshippers would think 
 of interfering with other people, or of committing breaches 
 of the peace.'
 
 THE RIVAL CHURCHES 251 
 
 ' I wish from my heart that it were so,' replied the 
 Sheikh, ' but, alas ! it is not. If these sentries were with- 
 drawn for a single day, in all probability there would be 
 an outbreak of fighting between the Latins and the 
 Greeks, and it would be a providential thing if blood 
 were not shed on either side or on both.' 
 
 ' Can that indeed be the case in these enlightened 
 days ?' said the Angel. 
 
 ' I am afraid that the days are not yet very enlightened 
 for the Oriental Christians,' answered the Sheikh. 
 ' Bigotry and fanaticism were never more rampant than 
 they are still amongst the Latin, Greek, and Armenian 
 churches in Jerusalem and Bethlehem, and two cases 
 have happened since I have known the places personally 
 which are sufficient to show you how sadly true this 
 statement of mine is. Both cases occurred within the 
 walls of this Church of the Nativity. The first happened 
 some few years ago now, but the memory of it is still 
 rife both among the Latins and the Greeks. There were 
 two masses going on at the same time at the two altars 
 of the opposing factions. A lusty old Greek Bishop was 
 celebrating at the Greek altar and a Franciscan priest 
 at the Latin. You must understand that every inch of 
 ground, every altar, every lamp that you see hanging 
 from the roof and ceilings, is carefully allotted to the rival 
 sects. Many a bloody strife has arisen over the posses- 
 sion of a few square inches of floor or walls, and about 
 the right of entry through a particular door, or up and 
 down particular steps. On the occasion in question one 
 of the hanging-lamps belonging to the Greeks went out 
 in the middle of the Mass. The priest whose duty it 
 was to look after the lamps had been careless or negli- 
 gent, and had omitted to trim it and to replenish the oil. 
 It is considered a matter of such supremely vital im-
 
 252 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 portance that every lamp should be alight during the 
 progress of the Mass, that the very efficacy of the ser- 
 vice is supposed to be imperilled unless this is the case. 
 When, therefore, the lamp went out, it was necessary to 
 relight it, or to substitute another lighted lamp for the 
 one which had gone out. Accordingly, one of the Greek 
 priests who were assisting the Bishop in the celebration 
 of the Mass rose from his knees to repair the disaster. 
 Instead of procuring one of the lamps belonging to the 
 Greeks, or fetching oil to retrim the defective lamp, the 
 Greek priest calmly walked over to the Latin quarters, 
 and proceeded to appropriate a hanging-lamp belonging 
 to the latter community. He was immediately seized 
 by a couple of the Latin priests, and in a moment there 
 was a general affray. The Masses on both sides were 
 suspended, whilst the priests and their attendants fought 
 with fury. Censers, crucifixes, and other formidable 
 weapons of a like nature which were at hand were brought 
 into requisition, and soon blood was flowing profusely 
 the blood of sainted followers of the Prince of Peace. 
 Foremost in the fray might be seen the burly Greek 
 Bishop himself, lustily brandishing his episcopal crozier, 
 and dealing with it some destructive blows. A frightened 
 spectator had meanwhile run out of the church and given 
 the alarm to the Turkish authorities, and a small band of 
 soldiers was marched forthwith into the church, to 
 separate the combatants and restore peace. With 
 scarred cheeks, bleeding noses, and other signs of their 
 sanguinary conflict, the Bishop and priests returned to 
 their respective altars, and resumed their Masses at the 
 points where they had been thus temporarily interrupted.' 
 ' Do you mean to say that that is a simple fact ?' ex- 
 claimed the Archbishop in horror. ' I could scarcely 
 have believed that such a disgraceful thing was possible.'
 
 THE RIVAL CHURCHES 253 
 
 ' Oh,' laughed Monte Carlo, ' the Sheikh has been 
 drawing upon his imagination a little in order to produce 
 a graphic picture.' 
 
 ' I do assure you solemnly,' replied the Sheikh, ' that 
 I have not in the least overstated the case. I was in 
 Jerusalem myself at the time, so that you have the 
 account almost at first hand.' 
 
 ' Oh dear ! oh dear !' cried the Gusher. ' Did you 
 ever hear such a story ? Now, did you ever, indeed ? 
 Fancy that big wicked old Bishop fighting with his great 
 what-do-you-call-it ! Oh, I should have liked to have 
 seen it I should indeed ; but no, I shouldn't. At least, 
 I don't know what I should have liked exactly.' 
 
 The Fossil edged away from the Gusher, by whose 
 side he happened to be standing, and said to the 
 Sheikh : 
 
 ' What was the upshot of the affray ?' 
 
 ' It was characteristic and amusing,' answered the 
 Sheikh. ' The Latins made a complaint to the Pope, and 
 the Greeks to their Patriarch in Constantinople. A long 
 and acrimonious correspondence ensued between the 
 Pope and the Patriarch, and in the end the Sultan him- 
 self stepped in. He sent a couple of officials from Con- 
 stantinople to hold an inquiry into the matter. After a 
 thorough, and I must say very impartial, investigation, 
 they decided that, though both sides were to blame, the 
 Greeks were deserving of the greater censure, since the 
 conflict had been caused by the unjustifiable abstraction 
 of the Latin lamp by the Greek priest. The Sultan con- 
 sequently ordered the removal of the Greek Bishop from 
 Jerusalem, and this was done by his appointment to 
 another bishopric, one of the wealthiest in Syria.' 
 
 ' Scandalous altogether !' exclaimed the General Nuis- 
 ance in virtuous indignation, and with a look which im-
 
 254 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 plied that she would have liked to have had that Greek 
 Bishop under her tongue for an hour or two. 
 
 ' Was it the Bishop of Jerusalem himself that was in- 
 volved in this matter ?' asked the Enthusiast. 
 
 ' No ; he is called the Patriarch of Jerusalem,' replied 
 the Sheikh. 
 
 ' But you said that the Bishop was ordered to be re- 
 moved from Jerusalem,' answered his inquirer. 
 
 ' That is perfectly true,' said the Sheikh ; ' but the 
 Greeks have a curious system with regard to their Bishops. 
 There are in Palestine, under the jurisdiction of the 
 Patriarch of Jerusalem, eight bishoprics those, namely, 
 of Gaza, Lydda, Nablous, Samaria, Acre, Nazareth, 
 Philadelphia, and Petra. But only one of these that 
 is to say, the Bishop of Acre resides in his diocese ; 
 all the others live together in the convent at Jerusalem, 
 adjoining the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.' 
 
 ' What do they do that for ?' asked the Archbishop. 
 
 ' I suppose they find it more pleasant and sociable for 
 one thing,' replied the Sheikh ; ' and then, also, it is more 
 convenient for their plotting and strategical schemes.' 
 
 ' But their dioceses must be grievously neglected,' said 
 the Angel. 
 
 ' Certainly they are ; but that does not bother them 
 much,' he answered. ' You can have little or no idea of 
 the state of rottenness and corruption of the Greek 
 Church in this country. The whole system of patronage 
 is one gross mass of bribery, and the morality of the 
 parish priests is infamous to a degree. There is no 
 proper supervision of any kind, and religion is murdered 
 by political intrigue and personal self -indulgence.' 
 
 ' That is a very sad picture that you draw,' remarked 
 the Archbishop. 
 
 * It is, nevertheless, only^too sadly true,' replied the
 
 THE PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM 255 
 
 Sheikh. ' But what else can you expect, when I tell you 
 that every spiritual office is put up to auction, from the 
 patriarchate of Jerusalem down to the most insignificant 
 village cure ? The Sultan of Turkey has the patronage of 
 the patriarchate of Jerusalem as his own right. This 
 patronage he naturally exercises in such a manner as to 
 get out of it the most money he can for his private purse, 
 and, accordingly, when a vacancy occurs, he sells the 
 office to the highest bidder. Now, the position is one of 
 vast political importance to the Russian Government, 
 who always have an eye upon the Holy Land in general 
 and Jerusalem in particular. They can afford to outbid 
 any private applicant, and the consequence is that they 
 invariably purchase the presentation, and put in a political 
 agent of their own, who forthwith commences to con- 
 spire against the Turkish Government and against all 
 the other European powers, both civil and ecclesiastical.' 
 
 ' But, surely, the Sultan cannot be such a fool as to 
 allow the agent of so powerful a political rival as the 
 Czar of Russia to be officially planted in the midst of 
 Jerusalem,' said the Fossil. 
 
 ' It does seem strange, does it not ?' answered the 
 Sheikh ; ' but, then, you must remember that it is only 
 against the Ottoman Government that the plotting goes 
 on, whereas the money obtained by the sale of the office 
 goes into the Sultan's own private pocket, so that he does 
 not so much care. Besides, he knows perfectly well the 
 situation, and his pashas and officials in Jerusalem are 
 always keeping their eyes open, and they flatter them- 
 selves that they can outwit the Greek patriarch in 
 cunning and intrigue.' 
 
 ' It is a curious state of affairs altogether,' remarked 
 Monte Carlo, laughing ; ' but I suppose, like everything 
 else, it is nothing when you are accustomed to it.'
 
 256 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' You said that there was a second incident that 
 happened to your knowledge in the church here of strife 
 and bloodshed,' observed the Enthusiast, who took good 
 care never to allow the Sheikh to forget any story or 
 information that he had promised to impart. 
 
 ' That incident was even more tragic and disastrous in 
 its results than the former,' replied the Sheikh, ' though 
 it does not reflect so much disgrace upon the priests and 
 professors of the Christian sects. It illustrates, however, 
 very forcibly the rancorous animosity that exists between 
 the adherents of the rival churches. But I will tell you 
 the story after we have had our luncheon, for I expect that 
 you are all tolerably hungry and thirsty after all this sight- 
 seeing, and Yusef tells me that the lunch is quite ready.' 
 
 They crossed the open square, and turned to the left 
 into another smaller open space, surrounded on three 
 sides by houses and shops. The Sheikh led the way into 
 one of these shops, which was filled with all kinds of 
 specimens of articles of curiosity and sacred relics manu- 
 factured in Bethlehem, and behind this shop, separated 
 from it by thick hanging curtains, they passed into a 
 small room, fresh and cool, with windows looking out 
 upon terraced olive-groves. On a long narrow trestle- 
 table they found their luncheon spread. It had been 
 brought with them from their hotel at Jerusalem, and 
 it consisted of cold chicken and mutton cut up into 
 fragments, hard-boiled eggs, oranges, dates, and cheese. 
 A few bottles of white wine, manufactured from the vine- 
 yards of Bethlehem itself, were placed at intervals on 
 the table to help wash down the acceptable viands. 
 The Bethlehem shopkeeper and his two young sons, all 
 picturesquely arrayed in their Oriental garments, all very 
 courteous, voluble, and demonstrative, were at hand to 
 a,ssist Yusef in waiting upon the Sheikh and his tribe.
 
 A BLOODTHIRSTY KAWASS 257 
 
 They were not long in discussing their lunch, for, as 
 the Sheikh had said, they were all quite ready for it ; 
 and when they had finished, he related to them the 
 incident which the Enthusiast was impatient to hear. 
 
 ' It was, as nearly as I can recollect, in the year 1891,' 
 he began. ' that the event which I am about to narrate 
 to you occurred. Two tourists, a German Count and a 
 Russian friend of his, arrived at Jerusalem in the spring 
 of the year, and put up at the Russian hospice that 
 enormous cluster of massive buildings which you have 
 frequently seen just outside the walls of Jerusalem, on 
 the north-western side of the city. There was a Kawass, 
 or official servant, attached to the hospice, whose duty 
 it was to escort visitors of importance about Jerusalem 
 and the neighbourhood. The Kawass was a Montenegrin 
 by birth, and an Austrian subject, though he was officially 
 a representative of the Russian Government in his capacity 
 of Kawass to the Russian hospice. He had been selected 
 for the office principally on account of his ferocious and 
 imposing personal appearance. Six foot three in height, 
 and broad in proportion, with thick black eyebrows and 
 a terrific moustache, he certainly did look a most for- 
 midable object when arrayed in his gorgeous official 
 garments and armed with daggers and a revolver in his 
 girdle and a long sword at his side. Nor was he only 
 formidable in appearance, for he was the terror of all 
 with whom he had to do. Hot-headed and impulsive, 
 he gave way to passion on the slightest provocation, and 
 had often committed acts of violence of a more or lees 
 serious nature. 
 
 ' Being a devout and bigoted member of the Greek 
 Orthodox Church, he naturally regarded the Latin 
 priests as the principal objects of his hatred and 
 malice. On the day in question the German Count and 
 
 17
 
 258 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 his Russian friend were paying a visit to Bethlehem, 
 under the escort of this Montenegrin Kawass. They 
 entered the Church of the Nativity, and, after having 
 inspected the other places of interest, they proceeded 
 to descend into the Grotto of the Manger by the stone 
 steps which lead down into that chapel from the south 
 side of the choir. Just at that moment a procession of 
 Latin priests and monks, headed by a lay brother, who 
 had the charge of the keys of the convent, were descend- 
 ing the opposite steps into the Grotto from the Latin 
 portion of the Church, to hold a religious function before 
 the altar of the manger, beneath which is that silver 
 star. On seeing the Kawass approaching, followed by 
 the two travellers, the Latin lay brother stepped forward, 
 and requested the Kawass to wait until they had finished 
 their religious functions. Meanwhile, the priests, march- 
 ing in double file, were taking up their positions, one 
 rank behind the other, on the floor of the grotto, facing 
 the altar, and as each pair arrived at its post they knelt 
 down and commenced their devotions. Probably, en- 
 gaged in their religious duties, they were not aware of 
 the presence of the visitors, but they were soon very 
 practically and tragically made acquainted with it. 
 When the lay brother requested the Kawass to stand 
 back, the latter, in a rude and brutal manner, endeavoured 
 to push him out of the way, remarking that he had as 
 much right to enter the place as the Latin priests had, 
 and that their religious functions were no concern of his. 
 The lay brother then placed his hands upon the shoulders 
 of the Kawass, in order to push him back and prevent 
 him from intruding further upon the religious ceremony. 
 Unfortunately, the head of the tall Kawass came into 
 contact with one of the numerous hanging-lamps which 
 you saw suspended from the roof of the grotto, and a
 
 259 
 
 rather painful blow was inflicted upon him. Thereupon, 
 losing all self-control in his impulsive passion, the Kawass 
 whipped out his revolver from his girdle, and deliberately 
 shot the lay brother dead. His bleeding corpse fell 
 down upon the very silver star itself, which at least 
 commemorates, if it does not actually localize, the birth 
 of the Prince of Peace. Of course all the priests imme- 
 diately rose up in confusion, and attempted to capture 
 the Kawass. The German Count and his friend also 
 stepped forward to seize the offender, but before he was 
 finally captured and disarmed he had fired off two 
 more bullets from his revolver, each of which wounded 
 a Latin priest, one of whom subsequently died from its 
 effects.' 
 
 ' What a dastardly deed !' exclaimed the Angel in 
 indignant horror. ' Of course, the man was hanged for 
 the outrage.' 
 
 4 1 am not quite certain about his ultimate fate,' replied 
 the Sheikh ; ' but the whole circumstance gave rise to a 
 strange and amusing political complication which at one 
 time threatened to involve two or three of the European 
 nations in a misunderstanding ; and even some people 
 feared the possibility of the outbreak of a general 
 European war in consequence.' 
 
 ' How was that ?' asked the Fossil. 
 
 ' Well, you see, the priest who was killed was, like all 
 the Latins, under the protection of the French Govern- 
 ment ; the assassin was an Austrian subject : he was the 
 representative officially of the Russian Government, and 
 he was for the moment the escort and protector of a 
 German. The murder was perpetrated in the Turkish 
 dominions, and naturally, therefore, the Turkish author- 
 ities in Jerusalem desired to take cognizance of the 
 outrage, and to try the prisoner. But, claiming the 
 
 172
 
 260 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 protection of the Austrian Government, he had mean- 
 while been carried off to the Austrian Consulate, where 
 he had been interned under close surveillance whilst the 
 Austrian authorities were considering what was the best 
 thing to do with him. The French Consul intervened 
 in the dispute which arose between the Austrian Consul 
 and the Turkish Pasha of Jerusalem, claiming that the 
 prisoner should be handed over to him for trial, as he 
 had murdered a man under the protection of France. 
 The Russian and the German Consuls also put in their 
 claims to have the man handed over to them ; the former 
 because he was tha Kawass of the Russian hospice, and 
 the latter because he was, at the time of the occurrence, 
 the escort of the German Count. The relations between 
 the various Consuls and the Turkish Pasha became very 
 strained for a time, and none of them would speak to 
 any of the others. Finally, the Montenegrin was officially 
 notified to have disappeared from the Austrian Consulate, 
 and I never heard what really became of him, but it was 
 commonly believed that he had been surreptitiously 
 spirited away to his native country, where probably he 
 is at the present moment enjoying his ease and freedom. 
 But come, we must be hastening on, as it is time that we 
 were in our saddles again, and off for Solomon's Pools.' 
 
 Some considerable delay occurred, however, before they 
 were fairly on their way again, for several of the tribe 
 lingered behind in yielding to the blandishments and 
 importunities of their host and his two sons, and pur- 
 chasing various articles in the store. Meanwhile the 
 General Nuisance was safely deposited in her palanquin, 
 and her cavalcade started in advance. Finally, amidst 
 much bustle, confusion, and noise, the rest of the party 
 mounted their horses, and Bethlehem was soon left in 
 their rear.
 
 A SHEPHERD-BOY 261 
 
 They retraced their steps as far as Rachel's Tomb, 
 where they rejoined the main road from Jerusalem to 
 Hebron. Turning to their left, they proceeded south- 
 wards for about two miles and a half, along a wild and 
 stony upland district, where the only signs of life were 
 scattered flocks of sheep and goats, who were feeding on 
 the scanty herbage amongst the gray limestone boulders 
 of the hill-country of Judaea. Every now and then a 
 shepherd was visible, pacing leisurely among his flocks 
 with a long staff in one hand and a rod, or club, in the 
 other. Once a shepherd lad was seen reclining under the 
 shadow of an overhanging rock and playing upon a 
 primitive reed-pipe, which was evidently of home manu- 
 facture. 
 
 ' You will notice,' said the Sheikh, reining up his horse 
 to allow those of the tribe who were near him to listen 
 to his remarks, ' that these shepherds almost invariably 
 carry the staff and the club. The former is not merely 
 a walking-stick, but it is used to clear away the bushes 
 from the path ; and the latter is employed for the purpose 
 of beating down obstructions, and also at times as a 
 weapon of warfare. It is doubtless to these that David 
 refers in the twenty-third Psalm, when he says, " Thy rod 
 and staff comfort me." See that youngster playing upon 
 his pipe ; he is doubtless a Bethlehem shepherd-boy, and 
 it was just on such a pipe as that that the Bethlehem 
 shepherd-boy, David, used to play in the days of old.' 
 
 No sooner had the Sheikh uttered these words than the 
 Enthusiast was off on his horse to the shepherd- boy's side, 
 to negotiate with him for the purchase of his pipe. He 
 found a difficulty, however, in making the lad under- 
 stand what he wanted, and the offices of the Sheikh had 
 to be called into requisition before the purchase was 
 completed, and the Enthusiast was able to ride off s in
 
 262 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 triumph with his newly-acquired treasure. Looking 
 back, he saw the shepherd-boy with the coin in his open 
 palm, upon which he was gazing with mingled sorrow 
 and pleasure sorrow at parting with what had been to 
 him a really valued companion, and pleasure at having 
 received what in his eyes was so large a sum of money in 
 return for its loss. 
 
 * Oh, what is that grand, castle-looking place down 
 there in the hollow ?' exclaimed the Gusher shortly 
 afterwards, as she rode in front of the tribe, and a short 
 distance ahead of the Sheikh. 
 
 ' We are about to visit that place,' he replied. ' That 
 building dates from the time of the Crusades, and it was 
 erected in those stormy days to protect the huge reser- 
 voirs of which you can just see a portion beyond it, and 
 to prevent the forces of the foes from availing themselves 
 of the supplies of water which the reservoirs contained.' 
 
 Turning aside from the main road to the left, they 
 cantered across an open field to the main entrance of 
 the now deserted building, which in the Middle Ages had 
 served partly as a castle-fortress, and partly as a wayside 
 khan or inn. Here they dismounted, the General Nuis- 
 ance having already arrived before them. A fine and 
 inviting prospect opened before them to their view. 
 Nestling in the hollow of a valley between two ranges 
 of the Judaean hills were three ancient and massively 
 constructed basins or reservoirs, which were partly ex- 
 cavated out of the solid rock and in other parts built 
 up of huge blocks of stone, the whole being thickly 
 plastered over with a coating of strong and durable 
 cement. They were in gradually descending scales of 
 depression, and were so arranged that the top of the 
 lowest pool was beneath the level of the bottom of the 
 middle one, the top of the latter being in its turn lower
 
 SOLOMON'S POOLS 263 
 
 than the bed of the uppermost. The middle pool or 
 reservoir was nearer to the upper than it was to the 
 lower, the distances being about fifty and eighty yards 
 respectively. The reservoirs increased in size and 
 capacity as they descended, and it had evidently been the 
 object of the original constructors of these vast en- 
 gineering works to make them collect and hold as large 
 a quantity of water as possible. Masses of wild flowers, 
 of all colours and shades, were growing on the hillsides 
 and in the valley around the pools. 
 
 ' These are known as Solomon's Pools,' explained the 
 Sheikh. ' It is said that they were constructed by that 
 Jewish King, in order to supply the Temple at Jerusalem 
 with the vast quantities of water required for ablutions 
 and for sacrificial purposes. You will doubtless remember 
 my pointing out to you a large round basin on the Temple 
 Area, to the south of the Dome of the Rock. I then told 
 you that originally this basin was supplied with water 
 from some pools among the Judsean hills by means of a 
 stone aqueduct which ran around the hillside and passed 
 under the walls of Jerusalem. These are the pools to 
 which I then referred.' 
 
 ' And do you think that they really are as old as 
 Solomon's time ?' asked the Enthusiast. 
 
 ' There is no question whatever about their antiquity,' 
 replied the Sheikh ; ' and it is evident from the enormous 
 labour, expense, and time that must have been spent 
 on their construction that the works must have been 
 executed during such a time of peace and prosperity as 
 we read of under Solomon's reign.' 
 
 ' Is there any allusion to them in the Bible ?' inquired 
 the Angel. 
 
 ' None that I am aware of,' answered the Sheikh, 
 * though it is just possible that they may be indirectly
 
 264 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 referred to in one or two passages of the Song of 
 Solomon.' 
 
 * Nor does Josephus give any account of them ?' asked 
 the Fossil. 
 
 ' He makes no reference to them, so far as I am aware,' 
 said the Sheikh, ' and I have particularly studied his 
 writings, for this and other purposes. I confess that it 
 has always been a matter of wonder to me that we find 
 no detailed account of these wonderful reservoirs, either 
 in his works or in the Bible.' 
 
 ' Whence comes the water in such quantities as to fill 
 these reservoirs ?' asked the Matter-of-fact Man. 
 
 ' The whole of the hillsides around us abound with 
 copious springs,' replied the Sheikh, ' the principal one 
 of which is covered over by that small vaulted erection 
 which you see over there, between the castle and the 
 uppermost reservoir.' 
 
 ' And what use is made of these reservoirs now ?' asked 
 the Malaprop. 
 
 ' Good gracious, woman !' exclaimed the General 
 Nuisance, ' what is the use of telling you anything ? 
 We had it all over the other day on the Temple Area.' 
 
 ' Oh dear !' replied the good-natured creature, without 
 any resentment at this interference in her tone. ' I beg 
 your pardon. I am sorry. I had quite forgotten.' 
 
 'We must now remount our horses,' said the Sheikh, 
 ' and we will proceed down this valley beyond the reser- 
 voirs. You will find it a very stony and difficult path ; 
 but if you give your horses their heads, they will carry 
 you safely through, for they are wonderfully careful and 
 sure-footed. Do not attempt to guide them against their 
 will, or you will be very apt to come to grief.' 
 
 No mishap of any importance occurred, though one or 
 two of the ladies were in a high state of nervousness, and
 
 EMMAUS 265 
 
 every now and. then gave little screams of fright when 
 their animals stumbled or slipped. A short distance 
 down the valley, after leaving Solomon's Pools, the 
 Sheikh and his tribe came upon a little village, most 
 picturesquely nestling in the hollow, embowered in green 
 orchards and enriched with fruitful gardens, which were 
 fed by a sparkling and refreshing stream, flowing down 
 the bed of the valley from the lowest of the reservoirs 
 which they had left behind them. 
 
 ' Oh dear !' cried out the Gusher ; ' now this is really 
 and truly one of the most charming, delightful, lovely 
 villages that I have ever seen in my life.' 
 
 ' I brought you this way on purpose to see it,' said the 
 Sheikh, ' for it is not only a very pretty spot, but 1 believe 
 it to be also a place which has been rendered immortal 
 by one of the most interesting and fascinating scenes in 
 connection with the history of our Lord's life upon earth. 
 I have no doubt that this place is mentioned, too, indi- 
 rectly in the Old Testament as being the site of Solomon's 
 gardens. Josephus tells us that there was a city, or 
 village, near to Bethlehem, where there were gardens and 
 rivulets of waters, to which Solomon was in the habit of 
 taking a morning drive frequently. This would exactly 
 answer that description, and I know of no other place in 
 the neighbourhood of Bethlehem that would.' 
 
 ' What is its present name ?' asked the Archbishop. 
 
 ' It is called Urtas,' replied the Sheikh ; ' and this very 
 name appears to corroborate what I have said ; for 
 " Urtas " is evidently merely an Arabic corruption of the 
 Latin word Tiortus, which signifies " a garden." It must, 
 therefore, have been renowned for its gardens in the time 
 of the Romans that is to say, in the time of our Lord 
 and His disciples. It would be a favourite country 
 resort for the inhabitants of Jerusalem : and we can
 
 266 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 easily imagine its villagers making a trip to the city in 
 the morning and returning on foot towards eventide. 
 There are remains of old Roman baths still existing here, 
 and I am going to take you down now to see them. But 
 before I do so I want you fully to appreciate the sacred 
 romance of the spot. The word " Emmaus," as every- 
 one knows, is merely the Greek form of the old Hebrew 
 Hammath, or the Arabic Hammam ; and this signifies 
 " baths." Emmaus, in fact, corresponds to our English 
 city of Bath. The distance of this place from Jerusalem 
 is just seven miles and a half, or, in Biblical language, 
 threescore furlongs. There are other places which have 
 been conjectured by various authorities to be the site 
 of the Emmaus, but, having visited and carefully ex- 
 amined them all, I have come to the undoubted con- 
 clusion that this village of Urtas, and none other, is the 
 true site of that small and sequestered village towards 
 which the two disciples were wending their homeward 
 way when Jesus Himself drew nigh, and to which He 
 accompanied them. It was here that they invited Him 
 to rest with them, because the day was far spent and 
 the night was at hand. It was in one of the homes of 
 this peaceful village that He made Himself known to 
 them in the breaking of the bread. So come with me, 
 and let us try to wean our thoughts away from this poor 
 modern village, and dwell for the time in meditation in 
 the sacred village of Emmaus. Hence we shall return to 
 Jerusalem in the track of those two disciples, though in 
 the opposite direction ; and by the time that we reach 
 our hotel it seems to me that with us, as with them, it 
 will be a case of the day being far spent and of the 
 night being at hand.'
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 'GO TO JERICHO!' 
 
 Perils of the road A fictitious attack The Bedouin Arabs The 
 story of Sisera and Jael. 
 
 ' WELL, I'm blowed if there is not another gorgeously 
 arrayed, heavily armed, ferocious-looking individual wait- 
 ing for us outside !' exclaimed the Enthusiast, bursting 
 into the dining saloon of the Grand New Hotel on the 
 morning of the departure of the tribe from Jerusalem 
 on their visit to Jericho, the Dead Sea, and the Jordan. 
 ' It seems as if we cannot venture anywhere in this 
 blessed country without having a lot of these ornamental 
 appendages attached to our tails. Whoever is this new 
 nurse for us poor babies, come to take us out for a walk ?' 
 
 The Sheikh and the rest of the tribe, who were dis- 
 cussing their breakfast at the time, laughed heartily at 
 the Enthusiast's indignation, and the former replied : 
 
 ' The formidable gentleman whom you have so graphic- 
 ally described has a no less formidable name, to which, 
 however, I have no doubt you will become soon enough 
 accustomed, as you will to the individual himself. His 
 name is Mohamed-el-Achmed-el-Arikat-el-Abu-Dis.' 
 
 ' Well, now, of all good solid jaw-breaking names, 
 commend me to that !' exclaimed Monte Carlo. ' Pray, 
 what does it all mean ?' 
 
 ' It is very simple when you come to analyze it, like 
 
 267
 
 268 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 a good many other things which seem complicated at 
 first,' replied the Sheikh. ' Mohamed is the man's own 
 individual name ; Achmed is the name of his father ; 
 Arikat, the name of the tribe to which he belongs ; and 
 Abu Dis that of the village where he lives. El is the 
 Arabic for " of "; it literally means " the," but is used 
 here in the sense of " of." Thus, his real title is Mohamed, 
 the son of Achmed, of the tribe of Arikat, of the village of 
 Abu Dis.' 
 
 ' And who is this mysterious individual ?' asked the 
 General Nuisance. 
 
 ' He is the Bedouin Arab who is to be our escort down 
 to Jericho,' said the Sheikh. 
 
 ' Whatever do we want with an escort to Jericho ?' 
 asked the Enthusiast. 
 
 ' It is a custom with which we are compelled to comply,' 
 answered the Sheikh ; ' you see, directly we begin to 
 make preparations for our journey through the country 
 we are at once practically reminded of the wonderful 
 accuracy of the Bible records, especially with regard to 
 the geographical and physical conditions of the land. 
 For example, here we are to-day about to start for 
 Jericho. We shall follow virtually the same road as the 
 man in the parable who went down from Jerusalem to 
 Jericho and fell among thieves. You will soon see how 
 literally we go down.' 
 
 * Oh dear ! oh dear !' ejaculated the Gusher, inter- 
 rupting the Sheikh in his remarks. ' I do hope that we 
 shall r not fall among thieves to-day I really do hope that 
 we shall not. Oh, would it not be too dreadful for words 
 if we should ?' 
 
 The Pessimist turned pale and trembled, but no words 
 came from his lips. 
 
 ' Well,' replied the Sheikh calmly, but with a smile of
 
 PERILS OF THE ROAD 269 
 
 malicious amusement, ' we certainly shall. Nay, we 
 have already ; for the heavily armed, ferocious-looking 
 man with a jaw-breaking name, as our friend Monte 
 Carlo aptly describes it, is nothing but a thief himself.' 
 
 ' What do you mean ?' cried out the General Nuisance 
 in alarm. ' Do you seriously say that you are going to 
 entrust us to the care of a thief and a robber ?' 
 
 ' You need not be under any serious apprehension about 
 the matter,' answered the Sheikh, smiling again ; ' the 
 only thing of which he is likely to rob us is the amount of 
 money which we shall pay him as his fee ; but that is 
 robbery, none the less.' 
 
 ' How do you make that out ?' inquired the Archbishop. 
 
 ' Well, you see, the fiction is still kept up that the road 
 from Jerusalem to Jericho is dangerous, owing to the 
 marauding Bedouins who infest the district. Conse- 
 quently no European travellers are allowed to undertake 
 the journey except under the escort of a duly qualified 
 guide, for whose services they have, of course, to pay 
 pretty dearly. This is what I mean by the robbery of 
 which I have spoken.' 
 
 ' And who are these duly qualified escorts ?' asked the 
 Fossil. 
 
 ' They are the very Bedouin Arabs themselves who 
 infest the district,' replied the Sheikh. ' The escort who 
 is waiting for us at this present moment outside the hotel 
 is one of these Arabs, and he gets his living entirely by 
 conducting travellers to the plain of Jericho and back 
 to Jerusalem.' 
 
 ' And is the road really so very dangerous ?' inquired 
 the Pessimist nervously. 
 
 'It is, and it is not,' replied the Sheikh. ' That is to 
 say, natives, both male and female, go up and down it 
 with perfect safety, and without any escort whatever.
 
 270 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 But at the same time, if we were to attempt to do like 
 them, and were to refuse an escort, it is practically cer- 
 tain that we should share the fate of the man in the 
 parable before our journey was completed. A band of 
 robbers would attack us, and we should be very fortunate 
 if we escaped with nothing worse than a fright. One or 
 two of our horses would at least be certainly wounded 
 or killed, and we ourselves might possibly share the same 
 fate.' 
 
 ' In that case,' sententiously observed the Matter-of- 
 fact Man, in the calm manner of one who was undis- 
 mayed by the Sheikh's warning, ' I fail to see what good 
 our Arab guide will be to us. Surely six or seven English- 
 men like ourselves would be more efficient in such an 
 emergency than one miserable native, however formidable 
 may be his outward appearance and array.' 
 
 1 Ah. but you fail to see the position,' returned the 
 Sheikh ; ' that one man is an absolute guarantee against 
 any real danger, for the only reason why we should be 
 attacked would be our rejection of his services. Our 
 aggressors would be this very man and his kinsfolk, who 
 would feel it incumbent on them to make a public 
 example of us, in order to deter future tourists from 
 equally dispensing with their services.' 
 
 ' Then you really think, apart from the contingency 
 which you have described to us, there is no danger at 
 all of any attacks upon travellers in Palestine ?' said the 
 Fossil. 
 
 ' No danger of any dangerous attacks,' said the Sheikh, 
 ' though cases have come under my notice in which par- 
 ticularly nervous parties have been wrought up to a state 
 of terrible alarm by fictitious attacks on their camp at 
 night, especially on the Plain of Jericho.' 
 
 ' In what way ?' asked the Pessimist anxiously.
 
 A FICTITIOUS ATTACK 271 
 
 ' Shortly before retiring to rest/ answered the Sheikh, 
 ' the dragoman would come into the saloon tent in a 
 mysterious manner, and tell the party in a hushed voice 
 that they had just heard from the Bedouin escort that a 
 band of robbers is in the neighbourhood, and that a mid- 
 night attack on the camp has been arranged. The 
 dragoman would enlarge on the fearful dangers they were 
 in ; but he would assure them that they would be per- 
 fectly safe if they kept inside the tents and left everything 
 to him. Having wrought them up to the utmost pitch 
 of terror and alarm, he would enjoin them to retire imme- 
 diately to their tents, reminding them that the whole 
 safety depended on their not even putting their noses 
 outside their tent-door. In the middle of the night, 
 which would be especially chosen when there was no 
 moon and all was total darkness, a terrible noise would, 
 safe enough, indicate that an attack had been made on 
 the camp. There would be a furious stampede, a general 
 confusion, shouting and clattering of arms, as of men in 
 conflict. Guns would be fired and screams heard. In the 
 height of the uproar the dragoman and the native escort 
 would cautiously insert their heads inside the travellers' 
 tents in turns, imploring them, as they valued their lives, 
 to make no sign, but to leave everything to them.' 
 
 ' Oh, but this is too dreadful !' gasped the Gusher ; ' and 
 are we really to be exposed to such dangers as these ?' 
 
 ' Be quiet, please, and let us hear the end,' interposed 
 the General Nuisance, whose countenance betrayed that 
 she was growing extremely nervous. 
 
 ' Having informed the trembling travellers that they 
 had to deal with a most bloodthirsty set of ruffians,' 
 continued the Sheikh, unheeding the interruptions, 'the 
 dragoman would add that he and the escort were about 
 to parley with them at the risk of their own lives, for
 
 272 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 which, however, they did not care at all, if only they 
 could protect and save their honoured charge. Then 
 they would depart from the tents for a time, and the 
 hubbub would cease as suddenly as it began. The 
 travellers would await the issue of the parley in trembling 
 expectancy, and presently their protectors would return 
 and tell them that, after much bargaining, entreaties, 
 threats, and persuasions, they had induced the robbers 
 to accept, say, ten or fifteen pounds to leave the camp in 
 peace. Of course, the money was immediately forth- 
 coming from the terrified travellers, and the whole inci- 
 dent would be satisfactorily closed.' 
 
 Monte Carlo and the Enthusiast burst out laughing, 
 but their mirth was promptly checked by the General 
 Nuisance, who observed that she considered the whole 
 subject far too serious for amusement, and that, for her 
 part, she considered that the Sheikh had behaved in any- 
 thing but a straightforward manner in not having in- 
 formed her of all these prospective perils before she had 
 joined the party. 
 
 ' Madam,' remarked the Fossil, assuming a somewhat 
 comical expression of superior dignity and contempt, 
 ' you have evidently failed to grasp the situation. As I 
 understand the case, there was no genuine attack at all, 
 but it was really a dramatic entertainment arranged be- 
 tween the two scoundrels themselves at the expense of 
 their unfortunate patrons.' 
 
 ' You could not have expressed the facts better,' re- 
 plied the Sheikh, laughing heartily. ' Of course, the 
 dragoman and the escort had plotted the whole affair 
 between them. They had enlisted the service of the 
 muleteers and camp-servants to create the disturbance. 
 Having given them a small part of the money which they 
 had extorted from the travellers, they would divide the
 
 A FICTITIOUS ATTACK 273 
 
 spoils between themselves, and would enjoy together a 
 hearty laugh over the clever way in which they had 
 tricked the unwary foreigners.' 
 
 ' And what is more,' added Monte Carlo, ' as I know 
 from my own experience, the travellers, when writing 
 home to their friends the account of the incident, would 
 take care that the narrative as presented by them would 
 lose nothing in the way of dramatic exaggeration.' 
 
 ' Just so,' assented the Sheikh ; ' but even that is not 
 all. On the morning following this fictitious attack the 
 escort and dragoman would make a great palaver to the 
 travellers about their valuable services, and the perils 
 which they had encountered on their behalf, telling them 
 that if it had not been for them they would have all 
 been bleeding corpses by that time. So successfully 
 would they work upon their feelings that the hat would 
 be sent round, and a handsome sum would be presented 
 to the escort for his devoted bravery. As for the drago- 
 man, he would lose no opportunity of reminding the party 
 how instrumental he had been in saving their lives, and 
 he would be rewarded by a liberal baksheesh at the end of 
 the trip, and a written testimonial would be signed by any 
 number of the party enlarging upon his devotion, honesty, 
 and his attention to their interests. His name would be 
 recorded in their diaries, and on their return home they 
 would recommend him strongly to any friends of theirs who 
 might be contemplating a trip through the Holy Land.' 
 
 ' All this sounds very sad and very shocking,' remarked 
 the Archbishop, in a serious tone of voice. ' But do such 
 things really go on now ?' 
 
 ' Very seldom,' replied the Sheikh. ' I have already 
 said that the genus of dragoman has vastly improved of 
 late years, partly owing to a better education on their 
 side, partly to the influence of the tourist agencies, who 
 
 18
 
 274 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 soon detect and dismiss any incompetent or fraudulent 
 employes, and partly to the natural law of evolution and 
 progress, which gradually abolishes rotten systems and 
 causes the survival of the fittest. In justice to the 
 dragoman of the present day, I must admit that most of 
 them try their utmost to look after the interests of their 
 patrons, to learn more accurately to discriminate be- 
 tween the true sites and the false, and to give genuine 
 satisfaction by every means in their power. But I know 
 as a positive fact that most of those accounts which 
 one used to read in the memoirs and letters of tourists 
 about the dangers of travelling in the Holy Land have 
 arisen from the kind of fraudulent trick such as I have 
 described, which has been palmed off upon them by 
 the people whom they have employed to protect and 
 escort them and to look after their interests.' 
 
 ' Then you think that travelling in Palestine is really 
 quite safe ?' said the Angel. 
 
 ' As safe as travelling in England, on the Continent, or 
 in the United States,' answered the Sheikh. ' I can only 
 tell you that I have travelled all over this country, on 
 both sides of the Jordan, frequently with no other com- 
 panion or protector than my faithful servant Yusef, and 
 that I have never carried any weapon of any sort with 
 me. Not only have I never met with the slightest 
 molestation, but I cannot remember a case even of dis- 
 courtesy or incivility. I wish I could say the same with 
 regard to my travels on the Continent or in America.' 
 
 ' But how about the Bedouin Arabs on the east of the 
 Jordan ?' said the Fossil. ' I have always understood that 
 they are a very wild, turbulent, and dangerous people.' 
 
 ' I do not deny,' answered the Sheikh, ' that one has 
 sometimes to be on one's guard with respect to them ; but 
 even hi their case there is one infallible talisman of safety.'
 
 THE BEDOUIN ARABS 275 
 
 ' And what is that ?' asked the Archbishop. 
 
 ' If in the course of your riding through the country you 
 come unexpectedly upon an encampment of Bedouins 
 about whom you are not quite certain, it is the greatest 
 folly to stop or hesitate, as if you were surprised and 
 alarmed. It is absolutely fatal to attempt to turn 
 back. They will immediately conclude that either you 
 are hostile to them, or that you have something valuable 
 about you that you wish to conceal from them, and 
 the chances are that you will be attacked. The only 
 thing to do is to ride straight up to the tent of the Sheikh 
 of the encampment, which you can always tell, because 
 it is twice as long as any of the others. You must make 
 it appear as if the one object of your ride had been to 
 pay a visit of courtesy to him. You throw yourself off 
 your horse, make your salaams, and ask for a glass of 
 water or milk. It will never be refused you ; and the 
 moment it has passed your lips your person is inviolable, 
 not only as long as you are in the encampment, but 
 whilst you are in the district belonging to the tribe of those 
 particular Arabs. The Sheikh will send one of his men 
 with you as an escort and protection ; and when you arrive 
 at the confines of his district, he will hand you over to 
 the care of an Arab of the neighbouring tribe, and so on.' 
 
 1 Hospitality is regarded by them as a sacred duty, 
 then, from what you say,' returned the Fossil. ' I sup- 
 pose it is really a part of their religion.' 
 
 ' Not so much of their religion as of their traditional 
 sentiment and instinct,' replied the Sheikh. ' There are 
 three fundamental instincts upon which these children 
 of Nature live and act.' 
 
 ' And what are they ?' asked the Archbishop. 
 
 ' Hospitality, propriety, and self-preservation,' he 
 answered. ' You cannot understand the story of Sisera 
 
 182
 
 276 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 and Jael, for example, unless you thoroughly appreciate 
 and remember this fact ; but bearing this in mind, you 
 will have no difficulty in comprehending Jael's conduct.' 
 
 ' I should be glad to have that explained,' said the 
 Angel ; ' f or I confess that I have always looked upon 
 Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, as a most dastardly 
 and treacherous murderess.' 
 
 ' Her conduct was simply diabolical, and no one can 
 make it anything else,' opined the Fossil. 
 
 ' On the contrary, I think she was quite justified in 
 slaying the intruder,' remarked the General Nuisance. 
 
 * That must be so,' rejoined the Archbishop, ' for we 
 have the seal of the approval of the Divine word for it.' 
 
 * What !' exclaimed Monte Carlo, ' invite the poor 
 fellow into her tent, to treat him with such hospitality, 
 and then, when, in reliance upon her honour, he had 
 comfortably gone off to sleep, to murder him by ramming 
 a huge tent-peg into his temples ! It seems to me rather 
 grotesque, to say the least of it, to talk about an action 
 like that being righteous and well-pleasing to the Supreme 
 Being.' 
 
 ' What right have you to presume to dictate to the 
 Supreme Being as to what is well-pleasing to Him ?' said 
 the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' The right of the common-sense and reason which that 
 Supreme Being has given me,' replied he. 
 
 ' ^ot when it goes contrary to the revealed word of 
 God,' answered the Archbishop. 
 
 ' Revealed fiddlesticks !' interjected the Fossil. 
 
 ' What was this Jael, anyway ?' inquired the Malaprop. 
 ' I quite forget all about the story.' 
 
 ' Don't you remember ?' replied Monte Carlo jocosely, 
 rather glad of this opportunity to escape from his passage- 
 at-arms with the General Nuisance. ' She was the wife
 
 THE STORY OF SISERA AND JAEL 277 
 
 of the gaoler at Philippi, of course, and Sisera was one of 
 the prisoners, whom she put to death.' 
 
 All of which went down gravely into the Malaprop's 
 diary. 
 
 ' Seriously, what is the explanation of Jael's conduct ?' 
 said the Angel to the Sheikh. ' You said that there was 
 no difficulty in understanding it.' 
 
 ' I have been listening silently but with interest to the 
 various remarks which have been made upon the matter,' 
 answered the Sheikh, ' because they all show how little 
 the story is really understood by people in general. 
 Some of you have applauded Jael's conduct, and some 
 of you have been equally unsparing in your censure. As 
 a matter of fact, if you will allow me to say so, you all 
 are equally wrong in your judgment. The conduct of 
 Jael was neither meritorious nor deserving of unqualified 
 condemnation. It was simply the natural act of a woman 
 of her race in the circumstances in which she was placed. 
 But, first, let me clear away one misapprehension. The 
 Archbishop has spoken as if the sentiment expressed 
 by Deborah and Barak in their song of triumph over the 
 death of Sisera and the destruction of his army was an 
 authoritative oracle from on high. Disabuse your minds 
 of that at once. The Bible distinctly says " Thus sang 
 Deborah and Barak." The Song of Deborah and Barak 
 was no more inspired by God than any other chant of 
 victor's exultation after any glorious conquest. You 
 must not forget what I have already impressed upon you 
 more than once namely, that the Hebrews, like all 
 Orientals, looked at everything solely from the point of 
 view of their own personal or national interests. For 
 exactly the same reason that they regarded the Egyptian 
 Pharaohs as unmitigated sinners, because their actions 
 did not suit them, so, in like manner, they upheld Jael
 
 278 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 as " blessed above all women that lived in the tent " 
 simply because her action in ridding them of a dangerous 
 foe in the person of Sisera was to their advantage. It 
 was only Deborah and Barak who pronounced Jael 
 blessed for her deed ; there is no Divine commendation 
 to be understood or implied. 
 
 ' This gets rid of the difficulty of one view of the case. 
 Now for the other side. We have seen that there is no 
 reason why we should be compelled against our better 
 judgment to consider Jael's deed as a righteous and holy 
 act ; there is equally no reason why we should go to the 
 opposite extreme, and denounce her deed as a treacherous 
 and dastardly murder. Jael was simply a Bedouin 
 woman ; her husband Heber was the Sheikh of a Bedouin 
 encampment. Now, I have just told you that these 
 Bedouins act under three great natural impulses or in- 
 stincts hospitality, propriety, and self-preservation. You 
 will see how admirably the story of Jael and Sisera illus- 
 trates these features of the Bedouin character. Jael is 
 in her husband's tent when Sisera rushes in in terror, and 
 implores her shelter and protection. She at once acts 
 upon the impulse of the first instinct hospitality. She 
 has no time to think of anything else, nor is she a creature 
 of reason, but of impulse, like all the women of the 
 Bedouin tribes. Now, I shall, I hope, have plenty of 
 opportunities of showing you a Bedouin encampment, 
 and you will see that the Sheikh's tent, which I have 
 already told you is about twice as long as any of the 
 others, is divided into two portions, separated from each 
 other by a curtain of the same material as the rest of the 
 tent, and this curtain hangs from the roof to the floor 
 of the dwelling. The curtains in front of one portion are 
 generally kept raised during the day, and this portion 
 belongs to the male members of the family, and is used 
 also as the reception compartment for guests. The other
 
 THE STORY OF SISERA AND JAEL 279 
 
 portion, which is always kept closely covered, is for the 
 female members of the family, and it is as sacred as any 
 Turk's harem. No man is allowed to intrude into that 
 sanctum ; and any woman who admitted him there 
 would be certainly punished by death, as well as the in- 
 truder himself. It was into this woman's portion of the 
 tent that Sisera rushed. The curtains of the other 
 portion would be raised, and therefore there would have 
 been no shelter or concealment for him there. In his 
 blind fear he forgets the laws of Bedouin propriety, and 
 invades the sanctum of Heber's harem. So long as she 
 is busied in dispensing the duties of hospitality to this 
 poor, hunted fugitive who has sought her succour, Jael 
 gives no thought to the enormity of the offence that he 
 has committed in passing beyond the curtain which 
 secludes her sanctum, nor of the terrible risk which she 
 is running in allowing him to remain for a single minute. 
 Like a true Bedouin woman, she dispenses that hos- 
 pitality in the most thorough manner. She gives the 
 guest of the very best which she has to offer ; and doubt- 
 less she fully expects that, when he is duly refreshed and 
 rested, he will at once speed forth upon his way. Instead 
 of that, he calmly lies down on the ground, and goes off 
 to sleep in the woman's portion of the tent. 
 
 ' The instinct of hospitality having now been obeyed, 
 and Jael being left to her reflections, the risk of the situa- 
 tion possesses her mind, and with it the sense of out- 
 raged propriety. It is almost impossible for us to 
 realize the extreme strictness of the sentiment of the 
 Arabs in regard to sexual propriety. They are un- 
 doubtedly the most rigidly moral race with whom I 
 have ever had any dealings. By acting on her instinct 
 of hospitality, Jael begins to realize that she has com- 
 mitted an act of indiscretion of so serious a nature that, 
 unless she does something promptly to vindicate her
 
 280 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 innocence and her modesty, she will inevitably meet with 
 condign punishment of the utmost rigour. 
 
 ' And here comes in the third and last instinct of the 
 Bedouin race self-preservation. The only way to save 
 herself is to sacrifice Sisera. It may be that some other 
 man or woman of her husband's encampment or tribe 
 will discover the fact that she has had a man in her 
 sanctum. Nay, it is by no means unlikely that he was 
 seen to enter, for there must have been other people 
 about. However that may be, there must be no hesita- 
 tion in the matter. The man who has violated the laws 
 of propriety must die. It is unfortunate that he is her 
 guest ; but, after all, he is an uninvited guest, and he has 
 brought his fate on his own head. She must, for her 
 very life's sake, be able to point to his dead body and 
 say : " This man has penetrated into my portion of the 
 tent, and I have slain him in consequence." Thus, and 
 thus only, can she hope to escape suspicion, accusation, 
 punishment, and death. The resolution once formed, 
 she acts as promptly and thoroughly upon it as she has 
 already acted upon the impulse of hospitality, and so 
 the unfortunate Sisera meets a violent and awful death at 
 her hands. This is the plain and simple explanation of 
 the story of Sisera and Jael, which, whilst it relieves 
 Jael from the stigma of base treachery on the one hand, 
 disposes equally of the traditional idea that she received 
 a commission direct from God to perpetrate the murder.' 
 
 ' Thank you very much,' said the Angel, when the 
 Sheikh had concluded ; ' I now understand the whole 
 narrative far better than before.' 
 
 ' Allow me also to add my thanks,' remarked the Fossil ; 
 ' you have made the story wonderfully reasonable and 
 clear. I have no doubt that your explanation is per- 
 fectly correct.'
 
 THE STORY OF SISERA AND JAEL 281 
 
 ' Nor I either,' acquiesced the Archbishop ; ' and, to 
 tell you the truth, I am much relieved to be able to 
 think that Jael acted under her own impulses, and not 
 from any directions from on high. The mystery of the 
 incident has always been a stumbling-block in my mind, 
 though I have never allowed myself consciously to con- 
 fess the fact, even to my own soul.' 
 
 At this moment Yusef came in and informed the Sheikh 
 that all was in readiness for the start to commence. 
 
 He was followed by the heavily armed and ferocious- 
 looking Arab who had excited the Enthusiast's astonish- 
 ment and indignation. The latter prostrated himself 
 before the Sheikh with the usual Oriental mode of re- 
 spectful homage and recognition, and the latter intro- 
 duced him to the tribe as ' Mohamed-el-Achmed-el- 
 Arikat-el-Abu Dis,' adding in a lower tone : 
 
 ' This is the robber who is to prevent us from robbery 
 as we go down from Jerusalem to Jericho.' 
 
 As the tribe were proceeding to the door of the hotel, 
 to mount the animals which were waiting for them out- 
 side, Monte Carlo observed to the Enthusiast : 
 
 ' By Jove ! the Sheikh has got the Archbishop and the 
 Fossil to agree for once in a way. Did you notice how 
 they each of them actually confessed that they had had 
 erroneous ideas about the story of Jael and Sisera ?' 
 
 ' Yes,' replied the Enthusiast ; ' we are getting on, and 
 if the Sheikh does not look out, he will have the two old 
 fogies embracing one another and declaring that they 
 hold the same faith before he has done.' 
 
 So saying, he gaily mounted his Arab steed and 
 galloped after the Bedouin escort, who was already 
 guiding his splendidly-caparisoned mare along the narrow 
 lane at the back of the hotel which led towards the 
 ' New Gate ' at the north-western angle of the city.
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 THE GOOD SAMARITAN'S INN 
 
 The Garden of Gethsemane Bethany Abu Dis The Apostles' 
 Spring Lunch in the tent A Syrian inn The Nativity The 
 Ascent of Adummim The Convent of Elias What were the 
 ravens ? 
 
 IT is quite true, as the Sheikh said, that one appreciates 
 the force of the opening sentence of the parable of the 
 Good Samaritan as soon as one begins to undertake the 
 journey from Jerusalem to Jericho. Not only is one 
 supposed to be in danger of falling among thieves, unless 
 one is provided with a proper escort, but in a very literal 
 sense indeed one does go ' down ' from the former city 
 to the latter. As the crow flies the distance between the 
 two places is not much more than fourteen miles, and yet 
 one drops nearly 4,000 feet. Jerusalem is situated 
 2,600 feet above the level of the sea, whilst Jericho, 
 the lowest inhabited place on the earth's surface, is nearly 
 1,000 feet below the sea-level. The consequence is that, 
 as may naturally be imagined, the Plain of Jericho is 
 intensely hot during the summer, and, indeed, after the 
 early part of spring. The oppressiveness of the atmo- 
 sphere is unbearable to ordinary human beings for the 
 greater part of the year, though during the winter and 
 early spring the climate is delightful. No doubt it was 
 owing to the fact that pilgrims were frequently over- 
 
 282
 
 ' GO TO JERICHO !' 283 
 
 come by the fearful heat which they experienced on 
 their way across the Plain of Jericho to the Jordan at cer- 
 tain seasons of the year that Jericho came to be regarded 
 by them as the type of the infernal regions, and that 
 thus a polite way of consigning bores to the realms of 
 Satan was invented under the phrase ' Go to Jericho !' 
 
 Quite a new light is thus thrown on the esoteric meaning 
 of our Lord's parable, for, Jerusalem being always taken 
 in the Bible as the type of heaven, the ' New Jerusalem,' 
 if Jericho is to be understood as the type of hell, then 
 the man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho is a 
 type of the sinner on the downward path, with his back 
 to heaven and his face towards hell. He travels alone 
 and unprotected like the man in the parable ; for he has 
 rejected the services of the Holy Spirit, the only duly 
 qualified escort and guide. Sooner or later he is sure to 
 fall among thieves : there are the devil and his angels, 
 ready to rob him of his innocence and purity ; evil com- 
 panions, to rob him of his fortune and his good name ; 
 vicious habits, to rob him of his bodily health and his 
 mental abilities ; and ruin, destruction, and death stare 
 him in the face, unless, happily for him, before it be too 
 late, he comes across ' the Good Samaritan.' 
 
 All of which the Sheikh pointed out to his fellow- 
 travellers as they proceeded together on the steep down- 
 hill road that conducts the wayfarer from Jerusalem to 
 Jericho. 
 
 They left the holy city, as has been said, by the New 
 Gate, near the north-west angle of the walls, which has 
 only been re-opened of recent years, after having been 
 hermetically closed for centuries. Turning to the right, 
 they descended the hill which leads down eastward to the 
 crossing of the Damascus road. They passed along the 
 southern base of the Skull Hill of Calvary, and skirted
 
 284 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 the exterior of the north-east angle of the city walls. 
 Thence descending rapidly into the Valley of the Kedron, 
 they crossed the little dry mountain-torrent bed which 
 rejoices in the name of the ' Brook Kedron,' though there 
 is not a drop of water in it for nine months out of the 
 twelve ; and then, leaving on their left hand the quaint 
 old three-arched doorway which opens into the so-called 
 ' Tomb of the Virgin Mary,' they arrived at the Garden of 
 Gethsemane, peacefully reclining at the base of the 
 Mount of Olives. Here three paths up the mountain- 
 side diverge, and each of these paths has a distinct 
 sacred interest of its own. Here the Sheikh halted on 
 his horse until the cavalcade of the tribe had all col- 
 lected, and pointing to the most northerly of the three 
 paths, he said : 
 
 ' It was up that very path that David went when he 
 fied from Jerusalem at the time of the rebellion of Ab- 
 salom ; and it was just over the brow of the hill at the 
 top that Shimei met him, cast stones at him, and cursed 
 him. This second path, which winds so steeply up the 
 hill to the right and above the Garden of Gethsemane, is 
 the ordinary path for pedestrians over the Mount of 
 Olives to Bethany. It was up this path that our Lord 
 and His disciples went, evening after evening, during the 
 last week of His life of humiliation on earth ; and some- 
 where along that path occurred the incident of the barren 
 fig-tree. This lower path beneath the west wall of the 
 garden is, as you will perceive, by far the easiest and 
 least steep of the three. It passes over a lower shoulder 
 of the mountain-side, and joins the steeper path on the 
 other side of the mount, shortly before arriving at 
 Bethany. From time immemorial this has been the 
 path which has been used by animals, camels, horses, 
 mules, donkeys, and so forth ; and, as you see, it is now
 
 BETHANY 285 
 
 a tolerably good carriage road. It is along this road 
 that we shall now proceed, and it was beyond a doubt 
 along this same road that our Lord made His triumphal 
 entry into Jerusalem, riding upon an ass.' 
 
 Most of the tribe were already familiar with the greater 
 part of the information which the Sheikh thus imparted, 
 for they had ascended the summit of Olivet by the second 
 of the three paths several of them more than once 
 during their ten days' sojourn at Jerusalem, whilst a 
 few of them had also made the excursion to Bethany, 
 though the greater part had reserved their visit to that 
 village until this day, when they should pass through it 
 on their way to Jericho. 
 
 The modern name of Bethany is ' El-Azariyeh,' which 
 is evidently an Arabic corruption of El-Lazariyeh, or 
 the village of Lazarus. Thus, even at the present day, 
 the memory of the friend of Jesus, the brother of Martha 
 and Mary, clings to the little poverty-stricken village 
 where, in Bible times, he made his home. It is generally 
 stated that Bethany signifies ' house of rest '; but Hep- 
 worth Dixon was probably correct when he suggested 
 that the name really implies ' house of poverty.' Cer- 
 tainly that name well befits the place at the present day, 
 for Bethany, or El-Azariyeh, is as poor and poverty- 
 stricken a hamlet as one may wish to meet with in his 
 travels over the globe. The inhabitants are the most 
 degraded and importunate beggars, even in Palestine, 
 and that speaks volumes for the misery of the village. 
 The whole place is depressing in its squalor and dis- 
 illusionment, and there is little or nothing to tempt the 
 visitor to linger among the ragged and repulsive natives. 
 The so-called tomb of Lazarus has nothing whatever 
 to mark it as a genuine site ; whilst the ruined building 
 which is shown as the house of Simon the leper is simply
 
 286 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 the remains of some Crusading edifice, and the miserable 
 modern hovel which purports to have been the original 
 home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus is too evidently a 
 fraud to be worthy of even a passing notice. 
 
 The Sheikh, therefore, did not waste much time in 
 keeping his tribe hanging about in the village of Bethany, 
 and they were soon once more on their way, plunging 
 rapidly down into the steep descent, along the excellent 
 carriage road which has lately been constructed through 
 the wilderness of Judaea to the Plain of Jericho. 
 
 A picturesquely situated village on a hill to their 
 right caught the eyes of the Enthusiast almost imme- 
 diately after they had left Bethany behind them, and, 
 pointing to it, he asked the Sheikh whether it had any 
 name of importance, and whether there were any associa- 
 tions of interest attaching to it. 
 
 ' That is the village of Abu Dis,' replied the Sheikh, 
 ' where our friend Mohamed-el-Achmed, who is riding 
 so majestically there at the head of the tribe, dwells with 
 his kinsfolk and acquaintances.' 
 
 ' But I thought you said that he was a Bedouin Arab, 
 and that the Bedouin Arabs live in tents without any 
 settled villages or residences of their own,' answered the 
 Enthusiast.' 
 
 ' These fellows have become so stuck-up and civilized 
 by their contact with European travellers that they 
 have degenerated from the simple ways of their fore- 
 fathers, and have settled in that village,' replied the 
 Sheikh ; ' and, what is more, they are actually contracting 
 the European style of domestic architecture, and are 
 outdoing the native villagers themselves in modern pro- 
 gress. Not content with the primitive flat roof which 
 characterizes the ordinary Oriental house, these Arabs 
 are affecting the slanting tiles of Western civilization.
 
 THE APOSTLES' SPRING 287 
 
 You notice that high house with a conspicuous red-tiled 
 roof in the middle of the village. That is the very 
 dwelling-place of Mohamed himself.' 
 
 ' tempora, O mores /' ejaculated the Fossil, who was 
 riding near the Sheikh and endeavouring with difficulty 
 to get a comfortable position on his horse's back, but 
 who tried to appear nonchalant and at his ease. ' To 
 think of the free-born children of the desert themselves 
 sinking to the depth of effeminate luxury, and building 
 houses to dwell in !' 
 
 ' What else can you expect of people who earn their 
 living by pretending to be daring freebooters, when they 
 are nothing more than vile impostors in brigandage ? ' 
 answered the Enthusiast. 
 
 At the foot of a long zigzag descent they came upon a 
 wayside fountain with a quaint arched erection over it, 
 and a picturesque group of natives shepherds, camel- 
 drivers, women, sheep, goats, and camels was clustered 
 around the well. 
 
 ' This place is commonly known as " the Apostles' 
 Spring," explained the Sheikh. ' Its native name is 
 Ain Shems, which means " the sunny fountain." This 
 name seems to indicate that we are here on the site of 
 En-Shemesh, which is mentioned in the Book of Joshua 
 as being one of the boundary marks between the tribes 
 of Judah and Benjamin. In fact, almost the whole way 
 along this road we are passing on the border-line be- 
 tween those two tribes. Judah, of course, is on our right, 
 and Benjamin on our left.' 
 
 ' Why is this called the Apostles' Spring ?' asked the 
 Archbishop. 
 
 ' I suppose, probably, because our Lord and His 
 Apostles must have passed it several times during their 
 journeys between Jericho and Jerusalem,' said the
 
 288 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 Sheikh, ' and this would be quite sufficient for the 
 mediaeval monks to have converted it into a holy site 
 and connected it with the name of the Apostles.' 
 
 ' Oh !' exclaimed the Gusher ; ' perhaps St. Peter and 
 St. John have drunk of the water of this well. I must 
 have some indeed I must. Will you ask one of those 
 beautiful, dirty people to bring me some in one of their 
 jars ?' 
 
 ' I will get you some,' said the Matter-of-fact Man, 
 alighting from his horse ; ' I also must have a drink, for I 
 feel thirsty.' 
 
 There was nothing of note to vary the monotony of 
 their ride for the next hour or two, until they came to an 
 old Khan by the roadside, where arrangements had been 
 made for their mid-day halt. Beneath the exterior walls 
 and on the shady side, a tent had already been erected 
 for their accommodation, and Yusef was assisting a 
 couple of other natives to spread out the lunch on an 
 Oriental carpet in the centre of the tent. The tent itself 
 was double-lined ; on the inside the hangings were deco- 
 rated with the elaborate and many-coloured patch- 
 work for which the tent-makers of Cairo and Damascus 
 are famous. There were no chairs or camp-stools, and 
 the party had to arrange themselves around the interior 
 of the tent, sitting as comfortably as they could upon 
 their crossed legs or their haunches. This was quite a 
 new experience for many of them, and they found con- 
 siderable difficulty in adapting themselves to the situa- 
 tion, though the novelty had a charm of its own, which 
 made them forget the discomfort of the position. The 
 repast consisted of sundry scraps of cold mutton and 
 chicken, very stringy and tough, hard-boiled eggs, 
 sardines, cheese, raisins and dates. It was not a very 
 tempting array which was displayed on enamelled plates
 
 LUNCH IN THE TENT 289 
 
 upon the ground ; but they were all hungry after their 
 ride, and were not in a humour to criticise their fare. 
 
 ' Where are the rest of our tents ?' asked the Enthusiast, 
 who seemed to have expected the whole encampment to 
 have been pitched for their lunch. 
 
 ' We shall find them all ready for our reception when 
 we arrive at our camping-ground on the Plain of Jericho,' 
 replied the Sheikh. ' They started a long time before us 
 this morning, and have gone straight forward to their 
 destination.' 
 
 ' And are these two individuals a portion of our 
 retinue ?' said Monte Carlo, pointing to the two natives 
 who had assisted Yusef to prepare the lunch, and who 
 were now handing round the viands to the several 
 members of the tribe. 
 
 ' Yes,' answered the Sheikh ; ' one of them is the 
 muleteer who has charge of the luncheon-tent, and whom 
 you will see every day of our camping-tour when we 
 reach our noonday halting-station. The other is one 
 of our two waiters, and with him you will all become very 
 familiar before our journey is over, for he and his com- 
 panion waiter are most necessary and indispensable 
 functionaries to minister to our comforts ^and require- 
 ments. I had better, therefore, make you acquainted 
 with him at once. What is your name ?' he added in 
 Arabic, turning to the waiter in question. 
 
 ' Salim,' he replied. 
 
 ' Can you speak English, old chap ?' said Monte Carlo 
 to him. 
 
 ' A leetle, sir,' answered the native, grinning from ear 
 to ear. 
 
 He was rather a fine-looking young fellow, dressed in 
 semi-Oriental, semi-European costume that is to say, 
 he wore European trousers and coat, with Oriental 
 
 19
 
 290 
 
 waistcoat, head-dress, and slippers. He had a black 
 moustache, of which he was evdiently very proud, for 
 it was carefully trimmed and cosmetiqued. There was 
 a good-natured expression on his face, and he was lithe 
 and active in frame. The Sheikh spoke a few words to 
 him in Arabic, commending the ladies and gentlemen of 
 the tribe to his care, and intimating that the amount of 
 baksheesh which he would receive at the end of the tour 
 would depend upon the satisfaction which he gave to the 
 company in general. He then introduced him to the 
 tribe, and Salim made his salaams in the wonderfully 
 graceful and courteous manner which is so characteristic 
 of every Oriental, even of an Oriental waiter. 
 
 At the close of their repast the Sheikh took the tribe 
 into the square enclosure of the khan or inn. The entrance 
 was through a wide archway in the side nearest to the 
 road, and this archway opened into a covered courtyard 
 with two similar arches at the further end, and doors 
 leading into chambers on either side. Beyond the covered 
 court was a spacious open square, surrounded on three 
 sides by the high walls of the khan, and on the fourth 
 bounded by the chambers and the court. A man in 
 native costume was at one corner of the covered court, 
 making coffee over a charcoal brazier, and at the same 
 time filling and preparing a narghileh. There were 
 several of these narghileh pipes arranged on a shelf near 
 the brazier. The man was the innkeeper, or, as he is 
 known by the natives, the khanidjeh. A few muleteers 
 and other wayfarers were squatting or lying on the floor 
 of the court, and some horses and mules were tethered in 
 the open square within. 
 
 Neither the innkeeper nor his "guests paid much atten- 
 tion to the entry of the Sheikh and his tribe beyond a 
 passing glance of recognition and a brief greeting in
 
 a 8
 
 A SYRIAN INN 291 
 
 Arabic between the innkeeper and the Sheikh. The 
 Enthusiast and the Gusher immediately began to take 
 stock of everything and everybody in the khan, with many 
 exclamations and expressions of interest ; whilst the 
 General Nuisance and the Pessimist, casting one sidelong 
 glance of scorn and contempt at the native wayfarers, 
 edged away from them as far as possible, and hastened 
 through the court to the open enclosure beyond, the 
 General Nuisance declaring that there she could breathe 
 the fresh air without the contamination of the odour 
 of humanity, a sentiment which the Pessimist mournfully 
 re-echoed. 
 
 Meanwhile, the Matter-of-fact Man was examining the 
 manner in which the innkeeper was making the coffee, 
 and endeavouring vainly by means of gestures and signs 
 to explain to the bewildered and amused khanijeh how 
 he thought the coffee ought to be made. 
 
 ' You will see at once,' remarked the Sheikh to those 
 of the tribe who cared to listen to him, ' that a Syrian 
 inn is as different as one can possibly conceive from what 
 we understand by an inn in England. This covered court 
 is called the liwdn, and it is the principal rendezvous of 
 the travellers during the daytime ; you wiU generally see 
 men like these here present lounging about from morning 
 to night, smoking pipes and sipping coffee. In fact, 
 pipes and coffee are the only things which the Oriental 
 innkeeper provides. The guests of the khan have to 
 bring their own food with them, and their beds, too, for 
 the matter of that !' 
 
 He then led the way through one of the doors into a 
 chamber, which was absolutely bare and destitute of 
 furniture of any sort or kind. The walls were coated 
 with a grayish plaster, and the floor was covered with a 
 coarse cement. 
 
 192
 
 292 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' Tliis,' said he, ' is one of the rooms of the inn proper, 
 and when the travellers rest for the night, they spread 
 upon the floor a sort of quilt or mattress, which they use 
 as a saddle-cloth on which to ride during the daytime. 
 Thus every native literally carries his bed about with him 
 when he travels.' 
 
 ' How many rooms are there in this inn ?' inquired the 
 Archbishop. 
 
 ' Three or four, I think,' answered the Sheikh, ' but we 
 can easily see for ourselves.' 
 
 ' Then this inn cannot accommodate many guests,' said 
 the Angel. 
 
 ' On the contrary,' replied the Sheikh, ' upon occasion 
 a great number of native travellers could be put up here.' 
 
 * But you don't mean to say that they would put a lot of 
 strangers together in one room ?' said the Archbishop. 
 
 ' Why not ?' rejoined the Sheikh ; ' no Oriental thinks 
 of undressing to go to bed. They simply loosen their 
 girdles, lie down on their mattresses, curl themselves up 
 in their outer cloaks, and go to sleep in happy uncon- 
 ventionality.' 
 
 ' And would members of both sexes occupy the same 
 chamber ?' asked the Fossil. 
 
 ' In cases of emergency they would undoubtedly, 
 especially if they were Jews or Christians,' replied the 
 Sheikh. ' The Moslems would be more particular.' 
 
 ' Then I suppose that a person has to take his chance 
 of finding an available space for spreading his mattress ?' 
 remarked Monte Carlo. 
 
 ' Exactly so,' responded the Sheikh ; ' and in times 
 when there is much travelling about, a person who arrives 
 somewhat late at the khan may find a difficulty in securing 
 room. In that case, he has to sleep in the liwdn, or, if 
 that also is full, then he has to go into the open enclosure,
 
 THE NATIVITY 293 
 
 and spread his mattress on the ground amongst the 
 horses and cattle that are tethered there.' 
 
 ' You told us when we were at Bethlehem that Jesus 
 must have been born in the open air,' said the Angel ; 
 ' I think I can understand now what you mean. Joseph 
 and Mary could find no place wherein to spread their 
 mattresses in the chambers or liwdn, and so had to go 
 into the open enclosure amongst the beasts and cattle.' 
 
 ' You have exactly apprehended the facts of the case,' 
 replied the Sheikh, ' and I was just about to explain that 
 circumstance to you.' 
 
 ' But how about the manger ?' said the Archbishop. 
 ' Where would that be placed ?' 
 
 ' Come with me into the open enclosure, and I will 
 show you,' he replied. 
 
 In the centre of the open square there was a large 
 cubical block of stone, with its upper surface hollowed out 
 into the form of a huge bowl ; and, leading his friends to 
 this stone, the Sheikh said : 
 
 ' Here you see what is in all probability a fac-simile of 
 the manger at the Bethlehem inn. This is used to put 
 the fodder in for the horses and cattle to feed from, and 
 when the infant Jesus had been wrapped in His swathing- 
 bands, He was most likely laid in a manger like this.' 
 
 ' This is deeply interesting,' observed the Archbishop, 
 after he had gazed thoughtfully upon the enclosure and 
 its contents for some time ; ' and it throws quite a new 
 light upon the scene of the Nativity.' 
 
 ' I suppose this is a very ancient inn ?' remarked the 
 Fossil. 
 
 ' I do not think that this actual khan is very old,' 
 replied the Sheikh ; ' but at any rate it stands either on 
 the foundations of or close to a khan which must have 
 been here from time immemorial. Look on that hill
 
 294 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 there, to our left. You see a ruined building. Some 
 people think that that is the remains of the original inn ; 
 but I have examined it carefully, and am inclined to the 
 opinion that it is an old Crusading or Saracenic fortress, 
 erected in those troublous mediaeval times to guard this 
 inn, which must always have been a place of great im- 
 portance, as it is the only house of rest and accommodation 
 between Bethany and Jericho. I believe that the tradi- 
 tion which assigns to the place in which we now are the 
 name of " the Good Samaritan's Inn " is correct, and 
 that it was to this very inn that our Lord referred in His 
 well-known parable.' 
 
 1 Can you show us the exact spot where the man in the 
 parable fell among the thieves ?' asked the Gusher. 
 
 The others laughed at this question, and the Fossil 
 remarked that she had better first inquire whether the 
 man himself ever really lived. But the Sheikh replied 
 that he could show them, a short distance after they 
 should have started again on their way, the place where, 
 if a man was attacked by robbers, the scene would 
 probably have occurred. 
 
 Accordingly, when, an hour afterwards, they had 
 resumed their journey, they reached about a mile further 
 on their way a place where a wild ravine branched off 
 steeply to the right, and, halting the party at this spot, 
 the Sheikh said : 
 
 ' That ravine bears the name at the present day of 
 " Talaat Ed-Dumm," which means " the Bloody Ascent." 
 If you will look in your Bibles when we arrive at our 
 encampment, you will find in the 15th and 18th chapters 
 of the Book of Joshua that mention is made of the 
 " Ascent of Adummim," as another of the marks on the 
 boundary-line between the tribes of Benjamin and Judah. 
 Now, the Hebrew word " Adummim "is the same as the 
 Arabic word " Ed-Dumm," and there is no doubt that
 
 THE ASCENT OF ADUMMIM 295 
 
 this ravine is what is mentioned in Joshua, so that you 
 may imagine the boundary-lines between the two tribes 
 passing off there to the right. The very fact of this 
 gruesome name, the " Bloody Ascent," being given to 
 the place shows that from time immemorial, even before 
 the days of the entrance of the Israelites into the country, 
 this spot has always been associated with deeds of rapine 
 and bloodshed ; and, therefore, it is not unlikely that our 
 Lord and His hearers may have pictured to themselves 
 the very spot where we now are as the most appropriate 
 scene of the attack made by the robbers on the wayfaring 
 man in the Parable.' 
 
 It was indeed a place well calculated to inspire evil 
 reputation ; for nothing more dreary, desolate, and for- 
 bidding could well be imagined than the whole district 
 which the Sheikh and his tribe were now traversing. 
 Deeper and deeper they descended into this barren wilder- 
 ness, and, after another hour's ride, the Sheikh suddenly 
 led the way off the main road to the left, climbing up a 
 steep ascent, on the summit of which he dismounted from 
 his horse and waited for the rest of the tribe to come up. 
 
 A scene of unexpected grandeur and sublimity burst 
 upon their view. They found themselves on the very 
 crest of an almost precipitous descent, which went sheer 
 down five hundred feet or more into one of the most 
 stupendous ravines which any of them had ever seen. 
 Immediately facing them, and about halfway down the 
 opposite cliff of the ravine, was a remarkable castle-like 
 cluster of buildings literally clinging to the hillside. The 
 refreshing sound of running water could be distinctly 
 heard at the bottom of the ravine, though it was too deep 
 and narrow for them to see the stream or rivulet which 
 produced the sound. There was, however, a highly 
 picturesque old arched bridge, which spanned the ravine 
 a short distance above the spot where they were standing,
 
 296 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 and which was clearly visible to their eyes. They all 
 stood riveted to the spot for some minutes before they 
 could recover from their surprise and delight at coming so 
 unexpectedly upon such a scene of natural awfulness 
 and splendour in the midst of the dreary and uninteresting 
 tract of country through which they had been riding. 
 
 ' That wonderful building opposite to us, which seems 
 almost suspended in mid-air, is a monastery belonging to 
 the Orthodox Greek Church,' said the Sheikh, when he 
 had allowed them sufficient time to gaze upon the scene, 
 ' and it is known as the Convent of Elias or Elijah. It 
 is so called because it commands a view over this wild 
 and romantic gorge, which is connected with one of the 
 most memorable incidents in the life of that great Hebrew 
 prophet. The stream which flows at the bottom of this 
 ravine, and the bubbling sounds of which you can now hear, 
 is that which is called in the Bible the Brook Cherith, and 
 it was in this ravine that Elijah hid himself from Ahab.' 
 
 ' This the Brook Cherith !' exclaimed the General 
 Nuisance ; ' why, this is not in the least like the pictures 
 that one always sees of it.' 
 
 ' Oh dear no !' echoed the Gusher ; ' I have always seen 
 the dear old prophet, with his long white beard, seated on 
 the bank of a delightful smiling stream flowing through the 
 sweetest green meadows, with beautiful flowering shrubs 
 and bushes around him, and with those darling black ravens 
 flying towards him so fondly with the great big buns in 
 their beaks. That is my idea of Elijah and the ravens, and 
 I do not mean to give it up for this horrible, gloomy, dark 
 ravine, even if you tell me to, you naughty, nasty man !' 
 
 ' I am really very sorry to spoil your pretty picture,' 
 said the Sheikh, laughing ; ' but in the interests of truth, 
 I am bound to tell you that not one single detail which 
 you have described is in accordance with fact.'
 
 WHAT WERE THE RAVENS ? 297 
 
 ' Not even the ravens ?' said the Matter-of-fact Man 
 in a dry tone, which seemed to imply that he had caught 
 the Sheikh tripping. 
 
 ' Not even the ravens,' replied the Sheikh ; ' there were 
 no birds whatever in the case.' 
 
 A look of incredulous surprise overspread the counte- 
 nances of most of his hearers at this bold statement, and 
 a smile of grim satisfaction might have been seen upon the 
 face of the Fossil, as he saw the look of outraged sentiment 
 on the part of the Archbishop and the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' I say, old fellow,' exclaimed Monte Carlo, ' you had 
 better look out what you are saying. We must have 
 those ravens, you know, at any cost. We can't afford 
 to give them up. Why, they are part of the stock-in- 
 trade of our childhood's fancies.' 
 
 ' For all that, I am afraid you will have to give them 
 up,' replied the Sheikh, looking very much amused at the 
 consternation which his words had caused. 
 
 ' Do you mean to say that the Bible is wrong again ?' 
 exclaimed the General Nuisance indignantly. 
 
 ' Not by any means,' answered the Sheikh ; ' the Bible 
 is all right it is only the commonly accepted interpreta- 
 tion of it that is wrong.' 
 
 ' I do not understand you at all,' said the Archbishop 
 seriously, ' and I must really ask you for an explanation.' 
 
 ' Which, of course, I fully intend to give you,' he replied, 
 ' or I should not have broached the subject at all. But 
 I must ask your patience until we arrive at our destina- 
 tion this afternoon, for I must show you something else 
 before you will be able thoroughly to understand and 
 appreciate the explanation which I shall give you. We 
 have not very much further to ride, and I think we had 
 better remount our horses at once, and complete our 
 journey as soon as possible.'
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 THE PLAIN OF JERICHO 
 
 Three Jerichos Oreb and Zeeb The real ravens Camping in Pales- 
 tine An absurd contretemps Poor Pessimist ! 
 
 IT may not be generally known that there are three 
 Jerichos, all distinct from one another, and each about 
 two miles distant from either of the others. In other 
 words, these three Jerichos are situated, as it were, at the 
 three angles of an equilateral triangle, each side of which 
 is about two miles long. 
 
 The Jericho of the present day, which is called by the 
 natives ' Eriha,' is a miserable collection of mud hovels 
 inhabited by a people of the lowest and most degraded 
 type, but surrounded by a most luxuriant paradise of 
 verdure and flowers in the winter and spring time of the 
 year. Adjoining the village are two hotels, affording 
 very comfortable accommodation in the tourists' season. 
 One is called the Jordan Hotel, and the other the Hotel de 
 Voyageurs. A short distance from them are two other sub- 
 stantial buildings, the one in a ruined condition, and the 
 other quite new. The latter is a Russian hospice, which 
 has been erected for the convenience of the thousands of 
 Russian pilgrims who visit Palestine every year, and all 
 of whom come down to the Plain of Jericho in order to 
 bathe hi the sacred waters of the muddy Jordan. The 
 other is an old Crusading castle, which was originally built 
 
 298
 
 THREE JERICHOS 299 
 
 for a similar purpose namely, to shelter and protect the 
 Christian pilgrims of the Middle Ages. The stream which 
 flows from the wild gorge of the Cherith, now called the 
 Wady Kelt, passes through the midst of Eriha, and its 
 banks are lined with dense thickets of thorny briars, of 
 the species from which, according to ecclesiastical tradition, 
 the crown of thorns for Jesus' brow was formed. The 
 whole village does not date probably from an earlier period 
 than the time of the Crusades. 
 
 The second Jericho is that which was in existence in the 
 time of Christ. This is the Jericho which Josephus calls the 
 ' City of Palm-trees,' and it must have been exceedingly 
 magnificent when Jesus and His disciples visited it. It 
 was one of the many cities which owed so much of their 
 glory to the munificent and extravagant patronage of 
 the notorious Herod the Great. That monarch purchased 
 it from the no less notorious Queen Cleopatra, to whom it 
 had been presented by Mark Antony after the conquest 
 of Syria by the Romans. It occupied a strong and com- 
 manding position at the very spot where the mountain 
 pass from Jerusalem merges into the great Plain of 
 Jericho. It was here that Zacchseus the Publican lived, 
 and it was at the gate of this Jericho that Bartimaeus sat 
 by the wayside begging. This mighty city has virtually 
 disappeared, nothing being left of it but ruined reservoirs, 
 aqueducts, towers, and several mounds of shapeless 
 stones. The palm-groves and the sycamore-trees for 
 which it was famous are now nowhere to be seen, and the 
 whole hillside is a treeless desert. But even the poor 
 scattered relics are sufficient to give the experienced 
 traveller some slight indication of the size and splendour 
 of this Jericho when in the full tide of its prosperity. 
 The ruined gateway at the upper end of the ancient city, 
 where the road to Jerusalem passed out of Jericho, can
 
 300 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 still be clearly traced, together with the fortress-tower 
 built by Herod to protect it ; and here, beyond doubt, is 
 to be located the scene of the meeting between the blind 
 Bartimaeus and Jesus of Nazareth. The view from this 
 point over the extensive plain beneath is wondrously 
 attractive and beautiful, and here the Sheikh halted his 
 tribe for several minutes before finally descending into 
 the plain. At the foot of a double-headed hill about a 
 couple of miles to the north the white tents of their en- 
 campment were plainly to be discerned in neat array, 
 inviting them to refreshment and repose. 
 
 After having pointed out to them the modern village, 
 embowered in its orchards and shrubs, two miles to the 
 east of them, and having discussed the associations of 
 the ruined Jericho by the ancient gateway of which they 
 were now standing, the Sheikh drew their attention to 
 the two-headed mound above their tents, and said : 
 
 ' Our encampment is pitched in a romantic spot, for 
 it was on that hill which rises above it that stood the 
 noted Jericho of Joshua's time, which was destroyed in 
 so signal and complete a manner. So from this point of 
 vantage you are able to see clearly the relative position of 
 the three Jerichos that of the old Testament days, 
 that famed in the New Testament, and that modern 
 pollution of the natural beauty which surrounds it, which 
 passes at the present day by the time-honoured name of 
 its famous predecessors.' 
 
 ' Truly, this is a wonderfully beautiful scene which lies 
 outspread before us, north, east, and south,' remarked 
 the Fossil with unwonted animation. 
 
 ' How grand and noble is that vast stretch of the 
 Mountains of Moab, now that we are so near to them !' 
 added the Angel. 
 
 ' And how marvellously rich is the deep blue of the
 
 OREB AND ZEEB 301 
 
 Dead Sea, away yonder to our right !' said the Arch- 
 bishop. 
 
 ' But where is the Jordan ?' asked the General Nuis- 
 ance. ' I thought that it flowed through this plain.' 
 
 ' And so it does,' replied the Sheikh, ' but its bed lies 
 down in so deep a hollow that, even from this point of 
 elevation, we cannot see its waters. You can, however, 
 clearly trace its course as it flows from north to south 
 about ten miles away over there across the plain, for 
 there is, as you can see, an almost continuous belt of 
 verdure which grows upon its banks. To-morrow, if all 
 be well, we shall be in the midst of that belt of verdure, 
 and then you will be able to see the sacred Jordan itself.' 
 
 ' Oh, look ! oh, look !' exclaimed the Gusher, pointing to 
 a low spur of hills running eastward from the mountain 
 range of Judsea into the plain some eight or ten miles 
 to the north of them ; ' did you ever see two such curious 
 pointed hills as those which stand out over there ?' 
 
 ' Those two hills are very prominent and conspicuous 
 landmarks from almost any point of the plain,' answered 
 the Sheikh, ' and, what is more, they have a very inter- 
 esting and important association. The conical peak to 
 the right is called " the Raven's Nest," or in Arabic 
 " Oesh El-Ghoreb," and the other one is known as 
 ' ' Tuweil Ez-Dhiab "that is, " the Wolf's Peak." Ghoreb 
 in Arabic is the same as Oreb in Hebrew, and Dhiab the 
 same as Zeeb, so that in these two hills we have the names 
 of Oreb and Zeeb, who, as you doubtless all remember, 
 are mentioned in the Book of Judges as being two princes 
 of the Midianites who were conquered and slain by 
 Gideon.' 
 
 ' By the way, talking of them,' interposed the Arch- 
 bishop, ' there is one thing in that narrative that I 
 never quite understand, and I wonder whether you are
 
 302 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 able to enlighten me upon my difficulty. We are told 
 that Oreb was put to death upon Oreb, and that Zeeb 
 was put to death on Zeeb. Now, what does that mean ?' 
 
 ' I was just about to explain that very point,' said the 
 Sheikh, 'and, as this is a very good spot for surveying 
 the whole scene, we will, if you please, remain here a short 
 time before we descend into the plain, so that we may 
 rest our horses, whilst at the same time I unfold to you 
 one or two most interesting facts of Old Testament 
 history.' 
 
 The greater part accordingly dismounted from their 
 horses, saying that they preferred to walk down the 
 steep declivity into the plain after the Sheikh should 
 have finished what he had to say, and the muleteers in 
 attendance were sent forward with the horses to await 
 their arrival at the foot of the hill. 
 
 ' I need hardly recall to your minds, I suppose, the 
 main facts of the conflict between Gideon and the Midian- 
 ites,' began the Sheikh, as soon as they had all settled 
 down to listen to his remarks ; ' but, briefly, you must 
 understand that the Midianites were simply tribes of 
 those wandering Arabs whom we know at the present 
 day under the name of the Bedouin. Now, like all semi- 
 civilized native tribes, the Arabs have from time imme- 
 morial been distinguished by certain titles or nicknames, 
 and these nicknames have often been derived from birds 
 or animals, probably characteristic of the particular 
 types of people belonging to the tribe. We find this very 
 commonly the case all over the globe. For example, 
 amongst the North American Indians I have come across 
 a tribe of the Bulls, and another of the Deer ; and amongst 
 the Australian aboriginals there were the tribe of the 
 Sharks, the tribe of the Kangaroos, and so forth. So, 
 amongst these Bedouin Arabs, called in the Old Testa-
 
 THE REAL RAVENS 303 
 
 ment Midianites, there were two tribes, known respect- 
 ively as the Ravens and the Wolves. The head man 
 of each tribe called in the Bible " the Prince," but as 
 he would be now termed, " the Sheikh " was known 
 par excellence as the Raven and the Wolf. Thus Oreb, 
 the Raven, was the Sheikh of the tribe of the Orebim, 
 or Ravens ; whilst Zeeb, the Wolf, was the Sheikh of the 
 Zeebim or Wolves. These two tribes especially infested 
 this plain which we see before us, and those two prominent 
 hills were in the centre of their respective districts. The 
 Raven's Nest was in the centre of the district inhabited 
 by the Ravens, and the Wolf's Peak was in the centre of 
 the district inhabited by the Wolves. 
 
 ' The great battle between Gideon and the Bedouin 
 tribes took place about thirty miles to the north of this 
 plain, and nearly a thousand feet above it. We shall 
 visit the battlefield in a few days' time, as we travel 
 northwards through the country. It is in what is known 
 as the Valley of Jezreel. Now, when Gideon routed these 
 Bedouin Arabs, and took their Sheikhs prisoners, he de- 
 sired to make a public example of them in such a manner 
 as to strike terror into the heart of their tribes, and to 
 give them such a lesson as they would not be likely to 
 forget for many years to come. He therefore did a 
 most politic thing. He brought the Sheikhs down to 
 the very districts which their tribes inhabited, and he put 
 them to death, each on the conspicuous peak in the 
 centre of his own district. Oreb, the Raven, he put to 
 death on the Raven's Nest ; and Zeeb, the Wolf, he put 
 to death on the Wolf's Peak. Therefore you are un- 
 doubtedly looking out now upon the very scene where 
 those dramatic incidents occurred.' 
 
 ' Wonderful ! wonderful !' murmured the Archbishop ; 
 ' I could scarcely have believed that a personal visit to
 
 304 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 this land could have thrown so new and vivid a light 
 upon the scenes of Holy Writ.' 
 
 ' By Jove, though, that is awfully interesting !' ex- 
 claimed the Enthusiast. * I have never studied the Bible 
 much, but I think that in future, if we have many more 
 such illustrations, I shall find the book as fascinating as 
 any history or romance.' 
 
 ' I have not finished yet, by any means, continued the 
 Sheikh, ' and there is something much more important 
 and interesting behind. Many of you were shocked and 
 astonished when I said an hour ago, as we were gazing 
 down into the gorge of the Cherith, that Elijah was not 
 fed by birds at all. You will perhaps understand now 
 what really occurred. In that ideal hiding-place which 
 he had chosen in that weird and awful ravine, the only 
 people who would have discovered his whereabouts were 
 the Bedouin Arabs. Nothing ever escapes them, and 
 they probably became aware of his presence before 
 he had been there half a day. They would inquire what 
 he was doing, and why he was hiding ; and when they 
 learned that he was an outlawed refugee, hiding from 
 the face of the King, they, being also natural outlaws 
 and enemies of the royal government, would receive him 
 with open arms, treat him with true Oriental hospitality, 
 and see that he was duly supplied with food all the time 
 that he was there. Now, as I have just been pointing 
 out to you, these Arabs who infested this district belonged 
 to the tribe of the Orebim, or Ravens. Thus, you see, 
 the Ravens who fed Elijah were not birds, but Bedouin 
 Arabs.' 
 
 ' Bang goes another pretty picture and another child- 
 hood's illusion !' exclaimed Monte Carlo, laughing. ' But, 
 seriously, for my part, I welcome your explanation 
 heartily, and thank you for it, for it has the true ring of
 
 THE REAL RAVENS 305 
 
 common-sense and intelligence, and I do not see how 
 anyone could doubt its correctness.' 
 
 ' Nor I either,' assented the Fossil ; ' and, upon my word, 
 I really believe, like our enthusiastic friend, that, if the 
 Sheikh gives us many more such explanations, I shall 
 become an interested student of the Bible, and cease 
 to regard it as a collection of fables.' 
 
 The General Nuisance sniffed in disdain at the Fossil's 
 remarks, as she almost invariably did at everything that 
 he said, and, in a characteristic spirit of opposition, she 
 put her spoke into the wheel by saying : 
 
 ' I do not accept your explanation at all, nor do I 
 thank you for it. I much prefer to stick to my birds ; 
 and there seems to me one irreconcilable fact which 
 completely refutes your theory. The Bible tells us that 
 the Ravens brought Elijah bread and flesh in the morning, 
 and bread and flesh in the evening. Now, if, as you 
 make out, these Ravens were men, they would certainly 
 not have taken the trouble to make the journey twice a 
 day, when they could easily have brought him sufficient 
 supplies at one time to last him for a day or two at least.' 
 
 She glanced around the company with a triumphant 
 air, evidently thinking that her objection was a crusher, 
 and it certainly had made a considerable impression upon 
 the minds of some of the tribe. But the next few words 
 in which the Sheikh replied showed conclusively how 
 untenable her objection was. 
 
 ' The very passage which you quote is one of the most 
 remarkable evidences of the historical accuracy of the 
 Biblical record,' he said, 'and it is also a most potent 
 argument in favour of the Ravens being the Bedouin 
 Arabs. For in that hot and oppressive ravine, and at 
 this great depth below the level of the sea, it is found 
 quite impossible after the middle of the spring for any 
 
 20
 
 306 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 food to keep good above half a day. The Arabs are 
 obliged to cook all their provisions twice a day, every 
 morning and every evening. Thus you see how this little 
 incidental remark helps to prove, as I have said, not only 
 the truth of the narrative, but also the fact that the 
 Ravens were Arabs.' 
 
 * But how did the mistake creep into our Bible, then ?' 
 asked the Angel. 
 
 ' That is very easy to understand,' replied the Sheikh ; 
 ' the translators of our English Bible knew nothing what- 
 ever about these Bedouin tribes and their nicknames. 
 They saw the word Orebim in the Hebrew, and they 
 knew that it meant Ravens. They could, therefore, do 
 neither more nor less than they did do, and thus the 
 erroneous idea has crept in.' 
 
 ' And has no one ever suggested that the ravens were 
 Arabs before now ?' asked the Archbishop. 
 
 ' Oh dear, yes,' said the Sheikh : ' as long ago as the 
 fourth century of the Christian era St. Jerome, whose 
 tomb we saw in the Church of the Nativity at Bethlehem, 
 and who was an excellent authority on all matters 
 Palestinian, says distinctly that Elijah was fed by Arabs 
 who were called Ravens.' 
 
 ' It seems strange that the translators of our English 
 Bible were not aware of that, does it not ?' said the 
 Enthusiast. 
 
 ' I don't think they were so learned in patristic lore in 
 those days as you may imagine,' remarked the Fossil, 
 ' and probably none of the translators had ever come 
 across the statement of Jerome. Even if they had, they 
 were not unlikely to ignore it ; for those ecclesiastics then, 
 like many ecclesiastics now, dearly loved to make a 
 miracle out of everything.' 
 
 He cast a sidelong glance of half-malicious merriment
 
 THE REAL RAVENS 307 
 
 at the Archbishop as he spoke, but the latter did not 
 seem to take the hint. 
 
 ' We have earlier authorities even than St. Jerome,' 
 added the Sheikh ; ' for the Jewish Rabbis themselves 
 understood that there were no birds in the question, as 
 we gather plainly from the Talmud and other Rabbinical 
 writings. Indeed, I think we may now say, without 
 any hesitation, that the birds may be consigned to the 
 limbo of exploded myths.' 
 
 ' I suppose it must be so,' rejoined the Archbishop, with 
 a sigh ; ' but I confess that I hardly like all these encroach- 
 ments on our time-honoured beliefs.' 
 
 ' You are not going to convince me,' stoutly asseverated 
 the General Nuisance ; ' I shall continue to cherish my 
 faith in the miraculous providence of God.' 
 
 ' A woman convinced against her will is of the same 
 opinion still !' exclaimed Monte Carlo, laughing. 
 
 ' And surely,' observed the Angel quietly, ' the over- 
 ruling providence of God was manifested equally, whether 
 the instruments of His providence were men or birds !' 
 
 ' There is one point which has not yet been mentioned 
 in connection with this subject,' observed the Fossil, 
 ' and though it has never occurred to me before, I can 
 see the force of it now. The Hebrew word " Oreb "is from 
 a kindred root with the word " Arab," and, as I take it, 
 the passage in dispute might very fairly be rendered : 
 " The Arabs brought him his food every morning and 
 evening." 
 
 ' Hear ! hear !' ejaculated Monte Carlo ; ' that seems a 
 good one, if it is true.' 
 
 ' There is no doubt about the soundness of your remark,' 
 said the Sheikh to the Fossil ; ' for, though Oreb and 
 Arab are not exactly identical, they are from kindred 
 roots, and are therefore sufficiently allied for all intents 
 
 202
 
 308 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 and purposes ; and the Arabs received their name from 
 their raven-like propensities.' 
 
 1 1 do so much enjoy these valuable elucidations of 
 incidents in the Bible,' remarked the Enthusiast to the 
 Angel, as they were descending the hill together. 
 
 * And so do I, more than I could express in words,' 
 rejoined his companion ; ' scarcely a day passes that I do 
 not thank God from my heart for the privilege of making 
 my pilgrimage through this country under such favourable 
 auspices as those which we enjoy.' 
 
 Once fairly on the plain and having remounted their 
 animals, the Sheikh and his tribe lost no time in arriving 
 at their encampment, where they found everything in 
 readiness for their reception. 
 
 Thanks to the improvements of modern civilization, 
 the art of camping through the Holy Land has been 
 reduced to a state as nearly bordering on perfection as 
 possible. Of course, those who expect to carry about with 
 them all the luxuries and conveniences of their drawing- 
 rooms and best bedrooms had better not attempt to 
 undertake the journey at all. Such persons, indeed, should 
 never travel abroad ; for they will, in the most favourable 
 circumstances, be constantly finding themselves in un- 
 pleasant situations. But, short of this, there is everything 
 that could in reason be expected to render a camping 
 tour in Palestine most enjoyable and easy. The tents, 
 as we have already intimated, are double-lined, in order 
 to keep out the wind and the rain, and, except in storms 
 of unusual violence, they may virtually be considered 
 water-proof. Clean Oriental rugs spread upon the ground 
 give to the interior of the tents the appearance of a car- 
 peted floor. A washing-stand on trestles is provided 
 with every necessary convenience, and hooks are sus- 
 pended from the tent-pole for hanging up clothes. The
 
 CAMPING IN PALESTINE 309 
 
 bedsteads themselves are ingeniously constructed of iron 
 framework, which can be fixed up or taken to pieces in a 
 minute. Across this iron framework a piece of canvas is 
 stretched, with straps at either end to tighten it into its 
 position. On this canvas the mattress is spread, and the 
 beds are neatly made by the native waiters in attend- 
 ance. If, after seven or eight hours in the saddle each 
 day, one cannot sleep comfortably in such circumstances 
 as these, one does not deserve to sleep at all. There are 
 three sizes of sleeping-tents, to hold one, two, or three beds 
 respectively ; but the Sheikh never arranged in any of his 
 parties for more than two travellers to occupy one tent. 
 A large double-poled booth in the centre of the encamp- 
 ment served as the dining-saloon and general sitting-room 
 of the tribe, and next to this booth was the cooking-tent. 
 The sleeping-tents were arranged in a semicircle on either 
 side of these, the ladies' tents being on the one side, and 
 the gentlemen's on the other. 
 
 It had been a matter requiring the most anxious con- 
 sideration and diplomacy on the part of the Sheikh to 
 arrange the occupants of the various tents, but finally they 
 were disposed in the following manner : The General 
 Nuisance and the Angel, who alone could be relied upon 
 by the Sheikh to keep the peace with that uncertain indi- 
 vidual, occupied the tent immediately adjoining the 
 saloon on the further side from the cooidng-tent. The 
 Gusher and the Malaprop were companions in the tent 
 on the other side of this. Adjoining the kitchen was a 
 tent in which the Sheikh and the Fossil were domiciled. 
 The Archbishop shared the next with Monte Carlo, and 
 then came the Enthusiast and the Matter-of-fact Man. 
 The Pessimist had expressly desired to be alone, and 
 therefore a single tent for his accommodation completed 
 the circle of the encampment.
 
 310 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 Those who have never undergone the experience can 
 scarcely imagine the skill and success with which a native 
 cook who understands his business can turn out a dinner 
 with the limited appliances at his disposal . Every evening 
 the pilgrims were treated to excellent courses of soup, 
 entrees, joints, sweets, cheese, and dessert, all served up 
 in a manner which would have reflected credit on a 
 London kitchen. Notwithstanding innumerable diffi- 
 culties and drawbacks, the meals were always ready punc- 
 tually at the appointed time, the waiters also discharging 
 their duties in a thoroughly efficient and cheerful spirit. 
 Indeed, the good temper and obliging willingness of all 
 the native servants attached to the camp were the 
 constant themes of admiration on the part of the majority 
 of the tribe. 
 
 But even in the best-regulated institutions accidents 
 and mishaps will sometimes occur, and, curiously enough, 
 such a mishap did take place on this the very first night 
 of their camping experience. By a strange fatality, too, 
 the victim was the one of all the tribe to whom the Sheikh 
 would have been least willing that it should happen 
 the poor, hypochondjiacal, nervous Pessimist himself. 
 
 It was a perfectly ideal evening, without a breath of 
 wind to disturb the calm serenity of the atmosphere ; 
 not a cloud obscured the bright, starlit skies, and so still 
 and peaceful was the scene that the tribe had gathered 
 together in the middle of the encampment, some on camp- 
 stools and some reclining on the ground, after the con- 
 clusion of their evening meal ; and there, for an hour or 
 more, they had enjoyed themselves, discussing the asso- 
 ciations of the romantic district in the midst of which they 
 were encamped, and revelling in the novelty of their un- 
 wonted experience. The gray outline of the mountains of 
 Gilead to the north-east, and of Moab to the south-east,
 
 AN ABSURD CONTRETEMPS 311 
 
 stood out clear and distinct against the evening sky, 
 as though chiselled by the hand of some Titanic sculptor. 
 Amongst the latter the Sheikh had pointed out the 
 summit of Nebo, whence Moses had taken his first and 
 only survey of the Promised Land ; and amongst the 
 former, the lofty crest of Peniel, where Jacob had wrestled 
 with the angel and halted on his thigh. The siege of 
 Jericho by Joshua and his army had naturally come in for 
 its share of the discussion, whilst the still waters of the 
 Dead Sea, which shimmered like silver hi the rays of the 
 moon, now in its first quarter, had led to a conversation 
 on the physical causes of the destruction of Sodom and 
 Gomorrah, and of the other cities which had once stood 
 upon its shores. The Sheikh had explained that the whole 
 region had undoubtedly been subject to earthquakes 
 and volcanic disturbances in the remote ages of the past, 
 and he had also given it as his opinion, from researches 
 which he had made, that petroleum wells in all probability 
 existed beneath the surface along the shores of the Dead 
 Sea. In his view of the case, the physical cause of the 
 overwhelming destruction of the cities of the plain had 
 been the outburst of a vast jet of petroleum or some 
 similar mineral fluid, which, having been ignited either 
 by lightning, by volcanic action, or by some other means, 
 had literally rained down fire upon the devoted cities 
 and calcined them out of existence. 
 
 In due course of time, with their minds filled with what 
 they had been discussing, the members of the tribe retired 
 to their various tents ; and the Sheikh was undressing in 
 his tent after having made some final arrangements with 
 the camp servants, and having strictly enjoined the 
 Bedouin escort Mohamed not to allow any disturbances 
 to break in upon the midnight slumbers of the tribe 
 when suddenly the stillness of the evening air was rent
 
 312 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 asunder by a piercing shriek proceeding from the Pessi- 
 mist's tent. 
 
 The Sheikh immediately rushed out to inquire into the 
 cause of this alarming outcry, and he found all the mule- 
 teers, the waiters, the cook, Mohamed, and Yusef hasten- 
 ing in a hubbub towards the tent from whose recesses 
 the cry of distress had proceeded. One or two female 
 heads in various stages of deshabille appeared through 
 openings in the doors of their tents, and little screams of 
 frightened inquiry showed that the whole camp had been 
 fully aroused. On entering the Pessimist's tent, the 
 Sheikh could scarcely refrain from laughing at the ludicrous 
 scene which presented itself. There was the poor Pessi- 
 mist, with his head well up in the air at the head of the 
 bed, and his toes on an equally high level at the foot, 
 the rest of his body being tightly jammed in in the form 
 of a concave semicircle between the iron framework of his 
 bedstead, into which he had sunk mattress, bedclothes, 
 and all. The Sheikh at once saw what had happened . The 
 canvas upon which the mattress lay had split from head 
 to foot, and let the Pessimist down just as he was dosing 
 off to sleep. The terrified man, however, literally thought 
 that an earthquake had happened, and that he had been 
 swallowed up alive. When the Sheikh bent over him 
 and stretched out his hand in order to assist him to arise 
 from his uncomfortable position, the Pessimist, in a voice 
 trembling with nervous emotion, cried out : 
 
 ' Where are you ? Are you above-ground ?' 
 
 ' Above-ground !' exclaimed the Sheikh, laughing ; ' of 
 course I am.' 
 
 ' But has not an earthquake happened ? Am I not 
 swallowed up ?' gasped the unfortunate traveller, still 
 scarcely able to assure himself that he was safe and sound. 
 
 ' Swallowed up by an earthquake ! Nonsense ! nothing
 
 POOR PESSIMIST! 313 
 
 of the kind,' replied the Sheikh ; ' the only thing that has 
 happened is that your bed has given way, and the acci- 
 dent can be immediately repaired.' 
 
 Meanwhile, some of the camp servants, with more zeal 
 than gentleness, had extricated the poor fellow from his 
 comical dilemma, whilst one of the muleteers had rushed 
 out, and now reappeared, bearing with him a large coil 
 of rope. This rope they wound backwards and forwards 
 across the iron framework of the bedstead over and over 
 again, until they had made a strong temporary support 
 for the mattress, and then, replacing this, and arranging the 
 bedclothes upon it, they hoisted the Pessimist on to his bed, 
 covering him up with the blankets and sheet. After this 
 they retired, with oft-repeated assurances in the Arabic 
 language, which of course he did not understand, that he 
 would now sleep as soundly and as comfortably as a king. 
 The Sheikh spoke a few words of comfort and encourage- 
 ment, expressing his regret at the unfortunate accident and 
 his hope that he would now settle down to sleep. Having 
 wished him good-night, he returned to his tent, and com- 
 pleted his toilet preparatory to his own night's repose. 
 Before getting into bed, it occurred to him that it would 
 be kind to go back to the Pessimist's tent once more, and 
 see whether he had in any measure recovered from the 
 nervous shock which he had sustained. 
 
 On entering the tent, a sight almost as ludicrous as 
 that which had first met his gaze aroused within him a 
 feeling of mingled amusement and pity. There was the 
 Pessimist crouching on his bed, with his chin tucked in 
 between his knees, shivering like an aspen-leaf, whilst all 
 the bedclothes lay huddled in confusion on the floor. 
 
 ' Oh, come ! come !' exclaimed the Sheikh in a cheery 
 voice, ' this will never do. Let me make you comfort- 
 able.'
 
 314 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 With that he proceeded to cover him up neatly with the 
 sheet, blankets, and counterpane, tucking him well in 
 on all sides, whilst, with his teeth chattering from nervous 
 excitement, the Pessimist whined : 
 
 ' h ! I should be so grateful if you would do anything 
 to make me a little less utterly miserable and wretched 
 than I feel at this present moment. O h, o h, I am 
 so unhappy and distressed !' 
 
 ' A cheerful prospect for the commencement of a three 
 weeks' camping tour,' thought the Sheikh to himself, 
 as he finally let down the curtain of the Pessimist's tent 
 and returned to his own comfortable bed. ' I hope to 
 goodness that we are not going to have any more contre- 
 temps of this nature.' 
 
 He laid down on his bed and tried to go to sleep, but 
 it was a long time before he could succeed in doing so, 
 for the picture of the Pessimist in his mind's eye, com- 
 bined with the stentorian snoring of his tent-companion, 
 the Fossil, effectually overcame his efforts to slumber.
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 
 THE DEAD SEA 
 
 A summary awakening A swim in Elisha's Spring The sons of the 
 prophets A discussion on miracles A census of the tribe 
 Apples of Sodom A Rabble by the sea Unpleasant bathing 
 A ' female soldier.' 
 
 NEXT morning, at five o'clock, the whole camp was 
 aroused by an unearthly din. Jumping out of bed, and 
 hastily raising the canvas door of his tent, the Enthusiast 
 witnessed, to his wonder and amusement, the cause of 
 the mysterious row. 
 
 A procession of the camp servants was slowly parading 
 around the tents, each man lustily doing his part to add 
 to the musical discord. At the head marched Elias-el- 
 Ashi, the cook, with a large tin bowl in one hand and his 
 charcoal tongs in the other, with the latter of which he 
 was beating the former as if his very life depended upon 
 his exertions. Behind him came the two waiters, Sab'm 
 and Abdullah, the one hammering on a large brass tray 
 with a tent-peg, and the other clashing together two tin 
 plates, like cymbals. Then followed the whole retinue 
 of muleteers, each one armed with a set of mule-bells, 
 from six to ten for every person, and every bell apparently 
 at jarring discord with the rest. The rear of the proces- 
 sion was brought up by Yusef, who was marching slowly 
 and majestically along, crying out incessantly at the top 
 
 315
 
 316 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 of his voice, which could be heard clear and distinct 
 above the clamour of the music : 
 
 ' Time to get up ! Time to get up !' 
 
 Thrice in this manner they paraded round the enclosure 
 of the camp before they had satisfied themselves that 
 they had sufficiently aroused the tribe. 
 
 This was the daily reveille throughout the camping 
 tour, Sundays alone excepted. 
 
 On this first morning the effect was startling, and 
 almost everyone was dressed and in the saloon tent even 
 before the breakfast was ready. The comments upon the 
 summary manner in which they had been awoke from 
 their slumbers were of a varied nature. 
 
 ' By Jove !' exclaimed Monte Carlo, as he entered the 
 saloon fully equipped for his day's ride over the Plain of 
 Jericho to the Dead Sea and the Jordan, ' I can quite 
 believe now that the walls of ancient Jericho were over- 
 thrown at the blast of trumpets and the shouting of the 
 Israelites. Our tent was very nearly blown down this 
 morning by that awful hurly-burly.' 
 
 ' Do you know,' remarked the Archbishop seriously, 
 ' I was dreaming about ancient Jericho, and I thought in 
 my vision that I was marching with Joshua at the head 
 of his army around the city walls. When I was awoke by 
 that discordant noise, I literally was under the impression 
 for a moment that the sound proceeded from the trumpets 
 and the shouting, and that it really was the signal for 
 the destruction of Jericho.' 
 
 ' That accounts, then, for your jumping up in your bed 
 and screaming out : " The sword of the Lord and of 
 Joshua !" ' returned Monte Carlo. 
 
 ' No ; did I really do that ?' asked his reverence. 
 
 ' You did indeed, I can assure you without joking,' 
 replied his tent-companion ; ' and at first I was alarmed
 
 A SUMMARY AWAKENING 317 
 
 lest the sudden tumult had unhinged your senses, until I 
 saw that you were still more than half asleep.' 
 
 ' It was enough to unhinge anyone's senses,' grumpily 
 observed the General Nuisance ; ' I call it simply disgrace- 
 ful that the peaceful repose of decent people should be 
 rudely disturbed in that uproarious manner.' 
 
 1 Oh, now, I thought it a delightfully novel and enjoy- 
 able experience I did indeed,' said the Gusher. 
 
 ' Novel certainly, but scarcely enjoyable,' dryly re- 
 marked the Fossil. 
 
 ' At any rate,' observed the Matter-of-fact Man, ' it 
 appears to have answered its purpose, for here we all are 
 in very good time, and I doubt if we should have mustered 
 so punctually otherwise.' 
 
 ' I was so sorry to hear of your unfortunate accident last 
 night,' said the Angel kindly to the Pessimist, who sat 
 beside her at breakfast, and who looked more than ever 
 the picture of misery ; ' I hope you have recovered by 
 this time from the shock which you received.' 
 
 ' Oh, terrible ! terrible !' he whimpered ; ' my nerves 
 are completely shattered. It was bad enough to have 
 been alarmed by the fear of an earthquake, and it kept 
 me awake almost all the night ; but to have been startled 
 from the broken sleep into which I had only just fallen 
 by that horrible and diabolical noise this morning is too 
 much too much ! I fear that I shall never get over it, 
 and I repent greatly of having ever ventured to travel 
 with such a disorderly and disturbing crew.' 
 
 ' I would not take it so seriously if I were you,' answered 
 the Angel gently ; ' it is nothing, after all, now that you 
 know what it means. You will soon get accustomed to the 
 sights and sounds of our camp-life, and I predict that 
 you will thoroughly enjoy yourself once you have re- 
 covered from this slight shock to youi nervous system.'
 
 318 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 This well-meant remark scarcely produced its desired 
 effect, for the wretched man was in a frame of mind which 
 persisted in being discontented and miserable. He only 
 replied : 
 
 ' Nothing will induce me to enjoy myself so long as I 
 am exposed to rotten beds by night, rude shocks in the 
 morning, and disgusting smells all day.' 
 
 Having thus unburdened his mind, he proceeded in 
 gloomy silence to eat the heartiest breakfast at the table. 
 
 ' I say, Sheikh !' exclaimed the Enthusiast from the 
 other end of the table, ' that was a glorious swim that 
 Monte Carlo and I had this morning in that reservoir, or 
 whatever you call it, just beyond our encampment.' 
 
 ' It was indeed !' echoed Monte Carlo ; ' the water was 
 so fresh and clear. It seems to come from a very copious 
 spring welling out of the ground at the base of the mound 
 which rises above our tents.' 
 
 ' That,' replied the Sheikh, ' is now called " Ain-es- 
 Sultan," or " the Sultan's Fountain," because it, as well 
 as the land around it, is the private property of the Sultan 
 of Turkey. But it also has a sacred association, for it ig 
 supposed, and probably correctly supposed, to be the place 
 referred to in the second chapter of the Second Book of 
 Kings. In consequence of this, it is commonly known as 
 " Elisha's Spring." ' 
 
 ' Let me see, I forget the circumstance to which you 
 allude,' said Monte Carlo. 
 
 ' The men of Jericho complained that the water was 
 unwholesome with which their city was supplied, and 
 Elisha is reported to have removed the impurities by 
 putting some salt into the spring whence the water 
 flowed,' responded the Sheikh. ' This has from time 
 immemorial been regarded as the spring in question, and 
 there seems every reason to consider it as such, for it
 
 ELISHA'S SPRING 319 
 
 certainly must have been the source whence the people of 
 Jericho drew the water for their domestic purposes.' 
 
 ' Now, I suppose that was a miracle, was it not ? J said 
 the Angel. 
 
 ' There is no reason why we should go out of our way 
 to make a miracle of it,' replied the Sheikh. ' In all 
 probability it was a simple case of the natural purifica- 
 tion of the water by the admixture of the proper chemical 
 salts. There was doubtless some ordinary cause for the 
 poisoning of the water, which was easily removed by the 
 application of some equally ordinary remedy.' 
 
 ' That seems to me to beg the question,' rejoined the 
 Archbishop ; ' for how could Elisha have known the 
 proper remedy without miraculous inspiration ? There 
 were no doctors or chemists in those days who knew any- 
 thing whatever about physics or science.' 
 
 ' That is just the point upon which you and so many 
 other people are mistaken,' answered the Sheikh. ' There 
 is every reason to believe, both from what we read in the 
 Bible and from the testimony of the Hebrew Rabbinical 
 authors, that physics and science were far better under- 
 stood by a certain class of people in the time of the Jewish 
 Kings than is generally imagined. The great mass of the 
 people, of course, knew nothing about the laws of Nature 
 and of science, for they were not educated as are the chil- 
 dren of our day ; but for all that, there were universities, 
 colleges, and schools in Palestine at least as far back as 
 the times of Elisha and Elijah, where students were 
 instructed in various branches of knowledge and learning.' 
 
 ' Was that so ?' exclaimed the Archbishop ; ' this is 
 quite news to me.' 
 
 ' Have you never read about the sons of the prophets 
 in your Bible ?' rejoined the Fossil, whose knowledge of 
 the Hebrew history enabled him to appreciate the truth
 
 320 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 of the Sheikh's observations. ' They were simply the 
 students of these colleges and universities.' 
 
 ' I have always regarded them as being trained solely 
 for the prophetical office,' replied the Archbishop, ' and 
 I did not suppose that they were engaged in any secular 
 education.' 
 
 ' Nevertheless, with all due respect to you, they un- 
 doubtedly were,' said the Sheikh ; ' and the prophets of 
 whom we read were frequently men who were distin- 
 guished, not merely for their piety and deep spiritual 
 discernment, but also for their knowledge of physical 
 science, and of the workings of natural laws and forces. 
 Many of them were physicians and doctors of no ordinary 
 skill, and of these none attained to greater eminence in 
 their profession than Elisha.' 
 
 ' It does sound so strange to hear you talk about 
 Elisha as a physician,' remarked the Angel. ' It is so 
 contrary to one's ordinary notions on the subject.' 
 
 ' And so profane, I think,' added the General Nuisance 
 in an undertone. 
 
 ' Strange or not, it is true,' answered the Sheikh ; 
 ' and the sooner you grasp this fact, the sooner you will 
 be able to understand his so-called miracles. Almost 
 without exception, you will find, upon intelligent study, 
 these are merely the results of the application of the laws 
 of Nature and science, which to the ignorant and super- 
 stitious people appeared in those days, just exactly as they 
 do now to the natives of these Oriental countries, to be 
 the working of superhuman miracles.' 
 
 ' How fond you are of trying to discredit the miracles 
 of the Bible !' exclaimed the General Nuisance. ' I really 
 cannot for the life of me see how you can consistently do 
 so and retain your position as a minister of the Anglican 
 Church.'
 
 A DISCUSSION ON MIRACLES 321 
 
 ' Pardon me,' he replied courteously, and without deign- 
 ing by his manner to show that he noticed the rudeness 
 of the remark ; ' so far from discrediting the records of 
 the Bible, I venture to affirm that no one here present 
 is more firmly convinced than myself of the accuracy and 
 truth of those records. I have frequently stated, during 
 the course of this tour, that all my investigations and 
 researches in this country have confirmed my faith in 
 the historical accounts of the Old Testament in a mar- 
 vellous degree, and I thought that I had made my posi- 
 tion perfectly clear. But, in order that there may be no 
 mistake for the future, let me repeat, once for all, that 
 the fact of these accounts being supposed to be records of 
 miraculous events has arisen from a want of proper under- 
 standing and appreciation of the state of society, and of 
 the modes of thought and expression which prevailed in 
 this country at the time when those records were written. 
 The events themselves, when rightly understood, are 
 found to have been for the most part simple incidents 
 resulting from the ordinary laws of Nature ; but by the 
 ignorant natives, who knew nothing about science or 
 physics, they were regarded as supernatural wonders. 
 It is exactly the same thing at the present day. The 
 modern Arabic name for a doctor is precisely identical 
 with that for a prophet ; or, in other words, a doctor is 
 regarded by the natives as a prophet and miracle-worker 
 simply because the common people are ignorant of natural 
 laws, and therefore imagine that a doctor is supernaturally 
 endowed with wisdom from on high. This notion has been 
 encouraged by the more unscrupulous of the learned, for 
 their own personal aggrandisement and renown ; and in 
 all ages, out in these Oriental countries, there have been 
 people who have deliberately traded on the ignorance 
 
 21
 
 322 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 and superstition of the natives, and led them to believe 
 that what has been due to the simplest natural causes 
 has really been the result of supernatural magic. Hence 
 has arisen the belief in magicians, astrologers, and 
 soothsayers which we find so universal in all Oriental 
 books.' 
 
 ' But I hope you do not class the Hebrew prophets 
 among these unscrupulous charlatans, do you ?' inter- 
 posed the Archbishop. 
 
 ' Most certainly not,' replied the Sheikh ; ' nor will you 
 find, if you study your Bible carefully, that Elisha and 
 his fellow-prophets claim their works as miracles. The 
 incidents are narrated in a plain and simple way, without 
 comment or assertion as to any miraculous agency, and 
 it is only the interpretation which has been put on the 
 incidents by readers and students of after-ages which is 
 accountable for the miraculous idea.' 
 
 ' Why, then, are the incidents recorded at all, if there 
 was nothing miraculous or supernatural about them ?' 
 asked the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' Simply because, in most instances, there was a moral 
 lesson to be drawn from them,' replied the Sheikh ; 
 ' and this moral lesson has only too often been over- 
 looked in the erroneous glamour of the supposititious 
 miracle.' 
 
 ' Besides,' said the Angel, whose observations were 
 generally marked by sound common-sense, ' these inci- 
 dents are almost always of more or less interest in them- 
 selves, apart altogether from any question as to their 
 miraculous nature, to say nothing of the valuable insight 
 that they often give us into the manners and customs of 
 the ancient Orientals.' 
 
 ' That is so, I grant you,' replied the Archbishop ; ' still,
 
 A DISCUSSION ON MIRACLES 323 
 
 for all that, I like to cling to my old-fashioned beliefs 
 in the miracles.' 
 
 ' Chacun a son godt,' murmured the Fossil contemp- 
 tuously. 
 
 ' I do not think that even yet you quite understand my 
 position,' said the Sheikh, addressing himself more 
 directly to the Archbishop ; ' I do not for a moment deny 
 or impugn miracles, if by miracles you mean incidents 
 which occur beyond our present means of explanation, 
 and, of course, I should be a fool to do so in the light of 
 everyday experience. Nor do I doubt that God is 
 constantly working, either directly or, more probably, 
 through the agency of unseen intelligences and powers 
 in such manners as appear supernatural to us. Hence 
 result events which we call miraculous ; but these are 
 liable to occur quite as frequently now as in the days of 
 old. What I am so anxious to impress upon you, with 
 regard to the incidents related in the Bible, is that there 
 is no use in going out of our way to insist upon their 
 miraculous nature when a plain and simple natural cause 
 can equally well explain their occurrence. The more 
 clearly we realize this point, the more real will become 
 the Bible to us, and the more intelligent will be our faith 
 in the Word of God.' 
 
 ' That I am perfectly ready to concede,' answered the 
 Archbishop ; ' but, to return to Elisha and his wonderful 
 works, surely you will be candid enough to acknowledge 
 that the cure of Naaman, the Syrian leper, can be ex- 
 plained in no way short of a miracle.' 
 
 ' I am very glad that you have mentioned that case,' 
 replied the Sheikh, ' and you have but anticipated me in 
 doing so ; for I was about to quote that very example as 
 one of the most excellent arguments of my proposition. 
 
 212
 
 324 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 The story of Naaman and his cure is one of those typical 
 incidents in the Bible which are seized upon by scoffers 
 and sceptics as a splendid mark for their shafts of ridicule 
 and objections ; and, on the other hand, it is one which 
 is accepted by the faithful solely because they find it in 
 the Bible. Both classes agree to regard it as the record of 
 a miracle, whereas, as a matter of fact, the whole narrative 
 is as simple a case of disease and remedy as you would 
 find in the pages of any medical journal of the present 
 day. There is nothing whatever supernatural or miracu- 
 lous about it ; no intimation is given in the account that 
 the writer of the record so regarded it ; and the miraculous 
 halo which has gathered around it has been merely due 
 to what I am so constantly insisting upon namely, the 
 want of proper understanding of the conditions of life, 
 the modes of thought and expression, and the intellectual 
 status of the mass of the people in the country and ages 
 wherein the Bible was originally written.' 
 
 ' You astound me !' exclaimed the Archbishop, with 
 open eyes ; ' and I am quite at a loss to conceive how 
 you can account for Naaman's cure upon purely natural 
 grounds.' 
 
 ' I hope that I shall be able with complete success to 
 clear away your doubt upon this matter,' answered the 
 Sheikh ; ' but as the explanation in all its details will 
 necessarily occupy some considerable time, and as every- 
 thing is now ready for our start upon our day's excursion, 
 we must postpone our consideration of this interesting 
 subject till a more suitable occasion. Our programme 
 for to-day will be as follows : We shall ride through the 
 dense foliage which covers this portion of the plain at 
 the present season of the year to the modern village of 
 Eriha, as the present Jericho is called. Thence we shall 
 strike southwards across the plain, and make directly
 
 A CENSUS OF THE TRIBE 325 
 
 for the northern shores of the Dead. Sea, which are about 
 eight miles distant from Eriha. We shall linger there 
 for about an hour, allowing time for those of you who 
 desire it to retire to a distance and have a bathe. After 
 that we shall remount our horses, and ride another five 
 miles in a north-easterly direction to the fords of the 
 Jordan. There we shall spend some three or four hours, 
 for our midday meal and rest, after which we shall return 
 to our camp here, following as nearly as possible the 
 line which the Israelites took after crossing the Jordan on 
 their march to Jericho. On our way we shall pause for a 
 few minutes on the site of Gilgal, which, you will remem- 
 ber, was the first halting-place of the Israelites on their 
 entrance into the Promised Land, and traces of which 
 still remain.' 
 
 ' As we shall spend three hours on the banks of the 
 Jordan, and as the Jordan was the scene of Naaman's 
 cure, I should suggest that it will be a very good oppor- 
 tunity for you to give us your promised explanation of 
 that incident during our halt this afternoon,' observed 
 the Angel. 
 
 ' A very good idea,' replied the Sheikh ; ' and I shall be 
 happy to fall in with your wishes. And now, as I see 
 that the muleteers are impatient for us to be off, we 
 had better mount into our saddles without any further 
 delay.' 
 
 At this moment the Matter-of-fact Man, who had been 
 absent from the saloon tent for the last quarter of an 
 hour, returned with a pencil and paper in hand, and full 
 of some information which he was desirous of imparting 
 at once to his fellow-travellers. 
 
 ' I have been making a list of all the human beings and 
 animals comprised in our party,' he said ; ' and here is 
 the result of my investigations :
 
 326 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 HUMAN BEINGS. 
 
 Female members of tribe - 4 
 
 Male members of tribe - 7 
 
 Cooks and waiters - 3 
 
 Bedouin escort - - 1 
 
 Yusef - 1 
 
 Muleteers and camp servants - -22 
 
 Total - - 38 
 
 ANIMALS. 
 
 Horses - - - 18 
 
 Mules - - 22 
 
 Donkeys - 5 
 
 Total - - 45 
 
 So that you see there are no less than eighty-three mouths 
 to be fed every day.' 
 
 ' Upon my word, Sheikh,' exclaimed Monte Carlo, 
 when the Matter-of-fact Man had gravely read out this 
 list in the tone of an auctioneer or a town-crier, ' you 
 need the qualifications of the commander-in-chief of an 
 army to manage the conduct of such a party as this.' 
 
 ' Yes, indeed,' rejoined the Archbishop ; ' our Sheikh 
 must be a very Moses himself.' 
 
 The freshness of the morning was delightfully ex- 
 hilarating as the Sheikh rode forth at the head of his tribe, 
 just as the hands of his watch indicated the hour of seven. 
 All nature seemed to be conspiring to render the com- 
 mencement of their day's excursion enjoyable. The 
 rays of the sun had not yet had time to become too 
 powerful, and they were tempered by a cool and refreshing 
 breeze. The path lay through a succession of thorny 
 copses, the foliage of which was clothed with the brightest
 
 APPLES OF SODOM 327 
 
 green of springtide. Innumerable creepers with brilliant 
 flowers covered the prickly bushes, and the songs of birds 
 were heard on every side. Every now and then the 
 narrow and winding bridle-path passed through a shallow 
 stream of clear and sparkling water, which was very 
 grateful to the horses' feet. Conspicuous amongst the 
 foliage was a small shrub on which hung clusters of 
 yellowish-green fruit, somewhat resembling in outward 
 appearance the crab-apple or the medlar. These shrubs 
 were very abundant, and the Enthusiast asked the Sheikh 
 whether they were good to eat. 
 
 ' No,' he replied ; ' those are the notorious apples of 
 Sodom, which are said to crumble away at the touch. 
 This is not strictly accurate ; but, if you will keep these 
 for some little time, you will find that as they ripen the 
 insides wither up, and when you open them they are 
 nothing but dust.' 
 
 So saying, he stooped down from his horse, and gathered 
 a few of the apples from a bush, and these he handed to 
 his fair companion. Most of the other men in the tribe 
 followed his example, and soon all the ladies and gentle- 
 men had their pockets well filled with the apples of 
 Sodom. 
 
 Having passed through Eriha, where there was nothing 
 of interest to detain them, they emerged upon the broad 
 and level plain, with the glorious range of the Mountains 
 of Moab on their left, and the hill-country of Judaea 
 rising away to their right. Before them stretched clear 
 and distinct the deep blue waters of the Dead Sea, 
 apparently almost close at hand. In fact, the Enthu- 
 siast, the Gusher, and Monte Carlo dashed forward at a 
 hard gallop, expecting to reach its shores in a very short 
 time ; but they soon discovered the deceptive nature of 
 that clear and crystal climate. The farther they rode,
 
 328 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 the more the waters of the Dead Sea seemed to recede 
 from them, and it was not until they had been fully two 
 hours in the saddle that they finally reached its pebbly 
 beach. 
 
 When they did so, a curious and unexpected scene 
 burst upon their view. The Sheikh had prepared his 
 followers for a quiet and peaceful solitude, and he had 
 given it as his opinion that one of the greatest charms of 
 the Dead Sea lay in its absolute retirement from the bustle 
 and turmoil of life. But, instead of this lonely and seques- 
 tered calm which they had been led to expect, they found 
 as noisy a rabble upon the margin of the inland sea as if 
 they had been at Brighton or Margate. An enterprising 
 tourist-agent had chartered a steamer for a cruise in the 
 Mediterranean Sea, and had filled it with some four 
 hundred passengers, more or less, who had been induced 
 to take the trip by the absurdly low terms which he had 
 offered. It was altogether a cheap and nasty affair, and 
 the trippers themselves were evidently of the tenth-rate 
 class of tourists. In the course of their peregrinations, 
 they had arrived off the port of Jaffa, and four days had 
 been allowed them wherein to visit the Holy Land. Had 
 they been sensible, they would have devoted the whole 
 of those four days to Jerusalem alone, and then they would 
 have exhausted not one-half of its treasures. But, being 
 mdrely tourists, and not travellers in the truest sense of 
 the term, their one idea was to get as much as they could 
 for their money, and to be able on their return home to 
 say that they had seen as many places as possible. 
 Therefore, nothing would satisfy them but that they 
 must devote three days out of the four to a hasty rush 
 down to the Plain of Jericho, in order that they might 
 catch a glimpse of the Dead Sea and the Jordan. Ac- 
 cordingly, the enterprising tourist-agent had hastily
 
 A RABBLE BY THE SEA 329 
 
 chartered in Jerusalem all the wretched hacks and worn- 
 out animals which the ordinary agencies and dragomans 
 had rejected, and, having hired rotten and disused saddles, 
 he had mounted his rabble upon these miserable steeds. 
 Putting them in charge of half a dozen dragomans who 
 were out of work, he had packed them off on their down- 
 ward journey ; and when the Sheikh and his tribe reached 
 the shores of the Dead Sea, they found this crowd already 
 in possession. 
 
 They were, of course, of both sexes, and of almost 
 every age from seventeen to seventy. The costumes in 
 which the majority of them were clad were fearful and 
 wonderful indeed, such as might have been seen on 
 Hampstead Heath or at Herne Bay on an August Bank 
 Holiday. Several of the grown-up men and women 
 had already divested themselves of their shoes and 
 stockings, and were actually wading in the Dead Sea. 
 They did not, however, keep that little game up long, for 
 the terribly sharp pebbles which form the bed of the sea 
 near the shore soon drove them to resume their ordinary 
 protections for their feet. Some few of the more sensible 
 of the men had retired to a spot some half a mile distant 
 from the main body of the crowd, and were enjoying a 
 regular bathe in the saline and buoyant waters of the 
 famous sea. 
 
 Not that a bathe in the Dead Sea is the most enjoyable 
 of all recreations. Most visitors to its shores are moved 
 with the impulse to throw aside their clothes and plunge 
 into its blue and inviting-looking bosom ; but most of 
 those who do so repent. Everyone knows that the specific 
 gravity of the lake is so great that one cannot sink in it, 
 but everyone does not know that there is generally so 
 strong an undercurrent that one cannot stand in it. No 
 sooner has one plunged into the water than one is whipped
 
 330 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 off one's feet, and goes bobbing helplessly about like a 
 wretched cork. In the effort to regain one's footing and 
 to get back to the shore, one's feet and shins are barked 
 by the jagged stones and pebbles ; and when at length 
 one does emerge from its treacherous bosom, with the 
 lower limbs bleeding and torn, one becomes aware of a 
 horribly tingling and burning sensation in eyes, ears, 
 nostrils, mouth, and almost every pore of the skin, from 
 the brine and bitumen which have penetrated everywhere. 
 Unless great care is taken, the bather in the Dead Sea is 
 liable to an eruption which breaks out all over his body, 
 and which is commonly known as the ' Dead Sea rash.' 
 The best antidote to this is to hurry across the plain as 
 quickly as possible to the river Jordan, and to take a 
 second plunge therein. The soft and muddy waters of 
 that sacred but dirty stream will effectually remove the 
 salt that has encrusted the body. 
 
 Two adventurous photographers, with an eye to busi- 
 ness, had followed the rabble down from Jerusalem, and 
 they were now reaping an abundant and well-deserved 
 harvest for their enterprise and activity. The shores of 
 the Dead Sea are lined with logs and branches of trees, 
 which have been brought down from the wooded heights 
 of the mountains of Galilee by the rushing waters of the 
 Jordan and deposited in the lake. The strong back- 
 currents have carried these limbs to the shores, where the 
 waves engendered by the winter storms have washed them 
 high and dry on land once more. During their passage 
 through the Dead Sea they have become denuded of 
 their bark and of every sign of life, and there they lie on 
 the stony beach in all manner of fantastic shapes, grim 
 and gruesome evidences of the destructive nature of the 
 salts with which the ' Bahr Lut ' (or Sea of Lot), as the 
 Arabs call that dreary expanse of water, is impregnated.
 
 A RABBLE BY THE SEA 331 
 
 Some of these barkless branches and trunks were utilized 
 by the trippers for the posing of picturesque groups, 
 and here the photographers were busily at work, immor- 
 talizing group after group with unremitting assiduity. 
 
 The six unfortunate dragomans in charge of the party 
 were armed each one of them with a primitive kind of 
 horn, on which from time to time they blew the shrillest 
 and most discordant of sounds, apparently in the futile 
 hope of keeping the disorderly rabble in subjection. 
 
 To complete the scene, some ten or a dozen Bedouin 
 Arabs, simple children of the desert, attracted to the 
 spot by this unwonted invasion of their peaceful haunts 
 of solitude, were standing in a cluster about fifty yards 
 away from the centre of the hubbub, and were surveying 
 the scene with a comical expression upon their faces 
 an expression which plainly indicated confused sensa- 
 tions of wonder, amusement, indignation, and contempt. 
 
 Amongst the crowd of holiday-makers there was one 
 figure which made itself conspicuous by its grotesque 
 ungainliness, and which soon riveted the attention of 
 one of the Arabs. It was a tall, gaunt specimen, in the 
 most pronounced form, of the 'New Woman.' This 
 remarkable female, who stood at least six feet in her 
 stockings, had on her head a two-peaked cap made of a 
 checked woollen material. A full stiff white linen shirt 
 enclosed her breast, and a flaring scarlet tie done up as a 
 sailor's knot was pinned in front of it. She wore a black 
 velvet shooting- jacket with pockets at the sides, and her 
 lower limbs were encased in a pair of gray plush knicker- 
 bockers, beneath which were thick brown stockings, with 
 leather gaiters around them. A stout pair of riding- 
 boots, and a hunting-whip in her hand, completed her 
 truly marvellous get-up. She was very emphatic in 
 her demands to be photographed ; and, when she had
 
 332 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 succeeded in appropriating one of the two photographers, 
 she seized hold of a dragoman and made him station 
 himself beside her, close to a dead log of wood, where she 
 struck an imposing attitude, as she imagined, and ordered 
 the operator to fire away. 
 
 The Bedouin Arab, who had particularly noticed her, 
 now gradually and diffidently sidled nearer to the spot 
 where she stood ; and, having slowly paraded around her 
 from a safe distance and surveyed her from every point 
 of the compass, he came up to Yusef , who was standing 
 just behind the Sheikh and the rest of the tribe. They 
 had alighted from their horses at some little distance 
 from the rabble, and were looking on, like the Arabs 
 themselves, with mingled amusement and disgust. The 
 Sheikh, who, of course, was thoroughly acquainted with 
 the Arabic language, was highly entertained at the 
 following conversation which he overheard between the 
 Bedouin and Yusef : 
 
 The Bedouin, pointing to the New Woman : ' What is 
 that he or she ?' 
 
 Yusef, laconically : ' She.' 
 
 The Bedouin, after a pause, during which he again 
 inspected the curiosity : ' What is she ?' 
 
 Yusef, without a moment's hesitation : ' A female 
 soldier.' 
 
 This appeared to satisfy the Arab, for he at once re- 
 turned to the place where the rest of his fellows were 
 standing, and the Sheikh observed him reporting the 
 prodigy to them, as he could tell by his significant 
 gestures. 
 
 At length all those who desired to have themselves 
 immortalized amid their novel and romantic surroundings 
 had been duly photographed ; the bathers returned 
 to the main body ; the dragomans tootled on their horns ;
 
 THE RABBLE LEAVE THE SEA 333 
 
 a general scramble was made for the horses, and the 
 rabble mounted their steeds amidst a perfect Babel of 
 confusion. The leading dragoman headed for the fords of 
 the Jordan ; the troop followed him in disorderly and 
 straggling array ; and soon the shores of the Dead Sea 
 were restored to their customary quietude, and the 
 Sheikh and his tribe were left in peace.
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 NAAMAN'S WONDERFUL CURE 
 
 The Vale of Siddim The Crossing of the Jordan Mud baths for 
 leprosy The two mules' burdens of earth Further explana- 
 tions. 
 
 THEY lingered on the shores of the Dead Sea longer than 
 the Sheikh had originally intended, in order to allow time 
 for the rabble to clear away from the banks of the Jordan 
 before their arrival there. 
 
 But the time was not wasted, for there was plenty to 
 see and to talk about in the physical associations and 
 surroundings of the place. During the last portion of 
 their ride across the plain from Jericho they had passed 
 through a weird and desolate region, of a most remark- 
 able geological formation, totally unlike anything that 
 most of them had ever seen before. The soil was of a 
 light grayish colour, and composed of a material which, 
 when dry, as it was at that time, was exceedingly friable 
 and crumbly. The ground was split up into a vast 
 quantity of small rounded hillocks, conical in shape, and 
 fantastically eaten away in their slanting sides, as if by 
 the action of water in former ages. When taken up in 
 the hand and carefully examined, the earth gave the 
 appearance of having been at some time or another 
 thoroughly calcined by exposure to a tremendous heat. 
 Though not without a certain grim picturesqueness of 
 
 334
 
 THE VALE OF SIDDIM 335 
 
 its own, the region could scarcely be anything but for- 
 bidding and melancholy in its impression on the traveller. 
 
 ' The only districts in the world where I have ever 
 seen anything resembling that,' observed Monte Carlo, 
 when one of the party had alluded to the curious forma- 
 tion in the course of conversation, ' are in the United 
 States. There is something resembling the formation of 
 this region in Colorado ; and there is another tract of 
 country almost exactly like it near the Missouri River 
 in North Dakota. I once was nearly lost in the latter 
 place ; for there had been a great deal of rain, and the 
 soil had become so slimy and sticky that my horse extri- 
 cated himself from it with the utmost difficulty.' 
 
 ' You would find this tract just the same in wet weather,' 
 replied the Sheikh ; ' and there is little doubt that these 
 are the very " slime-pits " referred to in the Book of 
 Genesis.' 
 
 ' I do not know the passage to which you allude,' said 
 the Angel ; ' would you mind telling us the connection in 
 which it occurs ?' 
 
 ' Certainly,' replied the Sheikh ; ' you will find it, I 
 think, so far as I recollect, in the fourteenth chapter of 
 that book. It is there related that a great battle took 
 place, in the time of Abraham, between certain Kings 
 of the Euphrates Valley, of whom Chedorlaomer, King of 
 Elam, was the most renowned, on the one hand, and the 
 Kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, and the other cities of the 
 plain, on the other ; and that this battle occurred in 
 " the Vale of Siddim, which is the Salt Sea." That, of 
 course, means this plain on the borders of the Dead 
 Sea ; and we are distinctly told that the Vale of Siddim 
 was full of slime-pits.' 
 
 ' That, then, must have been the Vale of Siddim through 
 which we have just passed,' remarked the Archbishop ;
 
 336 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 and, if so, then I suppose that the city of Sodom itself 
 must have been situated somewhere very close to the 
 spot where we are now standing.' 
 
 ' Undoubtedly so,' answered the Sheikh ; ' and, if you 
 will remember, I told you last evening that I believe the 
 physical cause of the destruction of Sodom and the other 
 cities was the outburst of some natural oil-jets from the 
 earth, such as petroleum or something of the same kind, 
 which, becoming ignited, burnt up the cities and the 
 district around. You noticed, as we rode through, the 
 evidences of calcination in some bygone period, and 
 this seems to corroborate my theory.' 
 
 ' What are all those curious black masses floating 
 about on the surface of the sea ?' asked the Matter-of- 
 fact Man. 
 
 ' Bitumen,' replied the Sheikh. ' The whole neighbour- 
 hood teems with this natural product, out of which, if 
 this country were under a decent Government, a very 
 lucrative trade could doubtless be made.' 
 
 There was nothing of special interest in the course of 
 then* five miles' ride over the plain from the Dead Sea 
 to the particular spot on the banks of the Jordan to 
 which visitors are generally taken, and where, in certain 
 seasons of the year, it is possible to ford over the 
 river. 
 
 At this spot the scene is very beautiful. The banks of 
 the river are fringed with broad belts of tamarisk, 
 oleanders, and willows ; and, in the midst of these dense 
 groves, the undergrowth of shrub and the tangled clumps 
 of reeds render the margin of the stream almost im- 
 penetrable, except at the open space which has been 
 cleared away for ages to enable travellers to cross the 
 Jordan by the ford. It is said that the wild boar and the 
 leopard haunt these jungles, but, if so, they diligently
 
 THE CROSSING OF THE JORDAN 337 
 
 keep out of the way of travellers, for no one ever sees 
 them. The river runs with a very rapid course past this 
 spot, and its swirling eddies, as it rushes round the many 
 winding bends of its banks, render it a dangerous thing 
 to venture far from the shore, if one purposes to take 
 a bathe. The banks are deep, muddy, and soft, and 
 one must be very careful how one attempts to wade into 
 the waters at all. 
 
 The mob of tourists had already abandoned the spot 
 by the time that the Sheikh and his tribe arrived upon 
 the scene ; but they had left many tokens of their visit 
 behind in the shape of broken bottles, orange-peel, and 
 innumerable pieces of paper bags. They had evidently 
 taken their hasty mid-day meal there, before they had 
 been hurried on by their impatient native guides. Salim 
 and Yusef soon found a comparatively clean and cool 
 place under the shade of a gigantic tamarisk, close to the 
 borders of the river, and here they immediately pro- 
 ceeded to spread the lunch. Meanwhile the Sheikh 
 pointed out to the tribe the precise locality where the 
 Israelites were supposed to have crossed the Jordan. 
 
 ' Now, that story is one which is calculated to tax one's 
 credulity,' observed the Fossil, whose tone, however, was 
 by no means so scoffing as it had sometimes been hereto- 
 fore when he referred to Biblical incidents ; ' but I have 
 no doubt that, if we understood it, there is some purely 
 simple natural cause to account for the sudden drying 
 up of the stream.' 
 
 ' Most undoubtedly there is,' answered the Sheikh ; 
 ' and, what is more, I can explain it to you in a very few 
 words. You will observe that the Jordan flows between 
 high muddy banks, and that its course is both winding 
 and rapid. These features are even more noticeable at 
 some other portions of its course than they are here. 
 
 22
 
 338 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 Indeed, so tortuous is the stream, that if you were to 
 get into a canoe at the place where it flows out of the 
 Sea of Galilee, as " Rob-Roy " Macgregor did, and follow 
 its course to the Dead Sea, you would traverse more 
 than double the distance that you would do if you 
 mounted a horse at the same spot and rode straight down 
 the valley to the same destination.' 
 
 ' That reminds me of an answer which one of my 
 school-fellows sent up at an examination,' interposed 
 Monte Carlo. ' The question on the paper had been, 
 " Describe the course of the river Jordan." The chap's 
 answer was : " The Jordan is a river which runs straight 
 down the middle of the map of Palestine ; but, if you 
 look at it very closely, it wiggles about" 
 
 ' And a capital answer, too,' replied the Sheikh, laugh- 
 ing, ' for the Jordan does so nearly run down the middle 
 of the map that the two portions of Eastern and Western 
 Palestine are almost exactly equal in area.' 
 
 ' But what has that to do with the Israelites crossing 
 the Jordan ?' said the General Nuisance. 
 
 ' We are coming to that now , ' replied the Sheikh . ' Owing 
 to the rapid speed of the Jordan and to the sharp windings 
 of its banks, as well as to the soft and muddy nature of 
 their soil, the river, as it rushes along, works deep holes 
 in the banks in many places, and gradually undermines 
 the overhanging earth. Eveiy now and then, and 
 especially when the earth has become sodden with 
 heavy rains, a collapse of this overhanging portion takes 
 place, and the whole mass falls into the river. There is 
 one spot where the banks attain to a considerable height 
 that is to say, over thirty feet on either side and, 
 when they become undermined and give way, they com- 
 pletely choke up the bed of the river for a short time and 
 form a natural dam , until the weight of the waters coming
 
 THE CROSSING OF THE JORDAN 339 
 
 down from above bursts through the obstruction again. 
 Meanwhile, of course, the water of the river below this 
 temporary dam flows along on its course to the Dead 
 Sea, and very soon the bed of the river is left dry, except 
 in the deeper holes. Now, the place where these banks 
 are the highest, and where this natural obstruction would 
 most readily occur, is identically that which is expressly 
 mentioned in the Bible as the place where the waters 
 were cut off at the time when the Israelites crossed the 
 river. It is there stated that the waters which came 
 down from above stood and rose up upon a heap far 
 away at " the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan, and 
 those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even 
 the salt sea, failed, and were cut off ; and the people 
 passed over right against Jericho." There are two 
 ancient sites, the one on the eastern and the other on 
 the western side of the river, close to the place where 
 the banks are the highest and muddiest ; and these are 
 called respectively at the present day Damieh and 
 Zarthan. Damieh is, beyond doubt, the city Adam ; 
 whilst Zarthan is, of course, Zaretan. They are situated 
 nearly thirty miles north of this spot where we now are, 
 and the description of the Bible narrative identifies them 
 precisely. The natural phenomenon which thus ren- 
 dered the passage of the Israelites over the Jordan easy 
 has occurred many times since then ; and there is a re- 
 markable case in point mentioned by a mediaeval writer 
 where another army was enabled to cross the river in 
 almost exactly the same way as the Israelites under 
 Joshua. In the latter instance, as in the former, the 
 people, not understanding the natural cause, attributed 
 the fortunate occurrence to a miracle wrought for their 
 own special benefit.' 
 
 ' Your explanation is very interesting, and I^have no 
 
 222
 
 340 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 doubt that it is correct, as far as it goes,' remarked the 
 Archbishop ; ' but you do not say anything about the 
 fact that this phenomenon occurred just exactly at the 
 moment when the Israelites arrived on the margin of the 
 river. Surely, we must admit that the coincidence was 
 so remarkable that it can scarcely be considered other 
 than miraculous.' 
 
 ' Why, my dear sir,' replied the Sheikh in astonish- 
 ment, ' I should hardly have expected that observation 
 from so close a Bible student as yourself. So far from 
 the occurrence happening just at the time when the 
 Israelites reached the Jordan, they had been encamped 
 on the plain over there on the eastern side of the river 
 for some considerable time, for that is the Plain of Shittim, 
 where the host was stationed when Balak summoned 
 Balaam from the Euphrates valley to curse them. There 
 they would have undoubtedly remained for an indefinite 
 period longer had it not been for the lucky or shall we 
 say providential ? collapse of the banks in the manner 
 which I have described, which gave them their long- 
 looked-for opportunity of marching into the Promised 
 Land.' 
 
 * Would this collapse be likely to take place at the par- 
 ticular season of the year when the Israelites are said 
 to have crossed the Jordan ?' asked the Angel. 
 
 ' Precisely at that very season,' answered the Sheikh ; 
 ' and one could scarcely imagine a more direct corrobora- 
 tion of the accuracy of the Bible record than the^inci- 
 dental observation that is made therein, fixing the time 
 when the event occurred. We read that it was at the 
 time of harvest, when the Jordan overfloweth her banks 
 that is to say, in the month of April or the latter end of 
 March, when the harvest does take place upon the 
 Plain of Jericho, and when the Jordan is full to over-
 
 341 
 
 flowing, owing to the vast body of water which is brought 
 down by the melting of the snows on Hermon and the 
 mountains of Upper Galilee. It is, naturally, at this 
 precise period that the pressure of the water upon the 
 banks is most severely felt, and that the collapse would 
 therefore take place. All similar collapses of which 
 history speaks have occurred at this very season of the 
 year, and I myself witnessed the phenomenon of the 
 land-slip at this time a few years ago, though it was only 
 upon a comparatively small scale, and did not cause the 
 whole bed of the river to be dammed up. I saw, how- 
 ever, quite enough to convince me that that was what 
 really happened at the crossing of the Israelites.' 
 
 The luncheon was now announced by Yusef, and at 
 its conclusion the Sheikh, according to his promise, 
 proceeded to give his explanation of Naaman's wonderful 
 cure. 
 
 ' You are, of course, I presume, all acquainted with 
 the details of that narrative as recorded in the Bible,' 
 he said, ' and therefore I need not waste any time in 
 relating them to you. Naaman, you will remember } 
 lived at Damascus, and was commander of the Syrian 
 army. He was afflicted with leprosy. Now, you must 
 bear in mind that, though leprosy in its fully-developed 
 and virulent stage is, humanly speaking, practically 
 incurable, it can, nevertheless, in its incipient stage, be 
 wholly cured by the proper remedies. Moreover, it is 
 necessary to add that any kind of skin complaint is 
 generally styled leprosy by the Oriental natives. It is 
 certain that Naaman could only have been afflicted with 
 leprosy in its incipient and curable form. Had he been 
 a fully-developed leper, it would have been impossible 
 for him to have held his command in the Syrian army 
 nay, more, he would have been banished from his home,
 
 342 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 and compelled to herd on the outside of the city with the 
 other miserable beings afflicted like himself. The little 
 Hebrew girl who had been captured as a prisoner of 
 war in one of the Syrian raids into Palestine, and who 
 was then a slave in Naaman's household, directly she 
 discovered her master's disease, instinctively exclaimed 
 to her mistress : " Why does he not go and consult 
 Elisha ?" 
 
 ' Now, I have already pointed out to you that Elisha, 
 in addition to being a holy man of God inspired with 
 spiritual wisdom, was also a skilful doctor, as far as medical 
 skill in those days went ; and, from the Hebrew maiden's 
 observation, it is evident that she had already heard of 
 the reputation which he had achieved for dealing with 
 cases of that sort. Naaman, upon his wife's suggestion, 
 determined to follow his little slave's advice, and accord- 
 ingly, after a preliminary visit to the King of Israel, he 
 finally arrived with great pomp, attended by a large 
 body of retainers, at the door of Elisha's abode on Mount 
 Carmel. The proud Syrian officer naturally expected to 
 make a great impression upon the humble Hebrew doctor ; 
 and, being the superstitious Oriental that he was, he fully 
 anticipated from Elisha a great show of imposing incan- 
 tations, charms, and other outward manifestations of 
 mysterious signs. He was accustomed to the fraudulent 
 practices of the Syrian doctors in Damascus, who then, 
 as now, mystified their ignorant patients by a mighty 
 display of pretended magic, and then gave them some 
 simple potion, such as a dose of Epsom salts or some 
 equally homely remedy, which in reality effected the 
 cure that they superstitiously ascribed to supernatural 
 agency. Instead of this, however, Elisha, being an 
 honest man, having diagnosed Naaman's disease, pre- 
 scribed for him the very treatment which any physician
 
 THE SYMBOLICAL NUMBER FORTY 343 
 
 of the present day who knew his business would have 
 prescribed under similar circumstances.' 
 
 ' What !' exclaimed the General Nuisance ; ' do you 
 mean to say that a London doctor would expect to cure 
 a leprous patient by dipping his head seven times in 
 water ?' 
 
 ' It depends upon the nature of the water, as well as 
 of the disease,' replied the Sheikh ; ' and to this I am 
 now coming. You must not imagine, as you appear to do, 
 that when Elisha ordered Naaman to go and bathe seven 
 times in the river Jordan, he told him merely to strip 
 himself and plunge seven times into the river. In the 
 first place, you must understand that numbers do not 
 generally represent to Orientals the same ideas that they 
 do to ourselves. With our highly-trained, accurate, 
 mathematical minds a number always represents a 
 certain fixed quantity of units ; but it is not so with 
 Orientals. To them numbers are, and always have been, 
 symbolical rather than arithmetical ; and this fact must 
 always be borne in mind, if we would intelligently study 
 the Bible. Thus, for example, the number " forty " is 
 generally the symbol of preparation. Moses was forty 
 years old when he was providentially led into the Arabian 
 desert, where for forty years he was being prepared for 
 his mission as deliverer of the Israelites from Egypt. 
 They themselves were forty years in the wilderness, as a 
 preparation for their entry into the Promised Land. 
 Again, Moses was forty days on Mount Horeb preparatory 
 to the delivery of the law. Jonah was commissioned to 
 allow the people of Nineveh forty days in which to pre- 
 pare themselves for the punishment which would fall 
 upon them if they did not repent. Our Lord Himself 
 was forty days and forty nights in the wilderness, in 
 preparation for His ministry. He was forty days pre-
 
 344 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 paring His disciples to carry on His Church between 
 His resurrection and ascension. Similarly, the number 
 " seven " generally symbolizes Completion, or Perfec- 
 tion, as you will see for yourselves if, with this hint 
 in your minds, you notice the passages in which that 
 number occurs. Therefore, although in some cases it may 
 have happened that the number did represent its exact 
 quantity of units, it does not by any means necessarily 
 follow that this was generally the case. For instance, 
 it may have been that seven baths were literally sufficient 
 to effect Naaman's cure, or it may have required a great 
 many more. That does not affect the narrative in the 
 least. What Elisha really ordered Naaman to do was 
 to go and take a regular course of baths in the Jordan 
 until he was perfectly and completely cured of his disease. 
 ' Now, here comes in the true moral of the whole 
 incident. It was the very property of the Jordan which 
 Naaman despised that was, under God, the means of 
 his cure. On receiving Elisha's message, the Syrian 
 leper at once exclaims that, if it were merely a case of 
 bathing, he might just as well have stopped at home at 
 Damascus, and bathed in the Abana or the Pharpar. 
 You will see these rivers, I hope, in a few weeks, and 
 before we reach Damascus you will have crossed " that 
 ancient river, the river Kishon." The Jordan and the 
 Kishon are the two principal rivers of Palestine, and, 
 as you will see for yourselves, they are both of them 
 muddy in the extreme, and, apparently, most unsuitable 
 for the purposes of cleansing. The rivers of Damascus, 
 and especially the Abana, are, on the other hand, de- 
 lightfully clear, fresh, and inviting, and, judging from 
 outward appearances, Naaman's proud boast was amply 
 justified. Yet the Abana would never have cured his 
 disease, however frequently he might have bathed in it,
 
 MUD BATHS FOR LEPROSY 345 
 
 simply because it lacks the ingredients which the Jordan 
 so abundantly possesses. There is scarcely any spot in 
 the whole of its course where you could wade into the 
 Jordan without sinking to your knees, and often to your 
 waist, in soft, thick, slimy mud. Any medical prac- 
 titioner of the present day will tell you that the very 
 best remedy for skin diseases is a proper course of mud 
 baths. At many points along the banks of the Jordan 
 traces can still be found of old medicinal mud baths. 
 The baths at Gadara and Callirhoe may be mentioned 
 as cases in point. There is little or no doubt that the 
 physical means of Naaman's cure was the peculiar nature 
 of the soil, held in solution by the muddy waters of the 
 Jordan.' 
 
 ' Now that seems to me a most sensible and scientific 
 solution of the story !' exclaimed the Fossil ; ' and, really, 
 I am beginning to think that my want of belief in the 
 Bible records has been due to my own fault rather than 
 to that of the Bible itself. I, in common with almost 
 everyone else that I know, have seriously misunderstood 
 and misinterpreted those records.' 
 
 ' You remind me of an incident that happened to me a 
 few years ago,' replied the Sheikh. ' I was lecturing one 
 evening in London on Damascus, and there were several 
 well-known physicians amongst the audience. At the 
 conclusion of the lecture, one of these, a man renowned 
 as a specialist in skin complaints, introduced himself to 
 me, and expressed his great satisfaction at this explana- 
 tion of Naaman's cure. He said that, as a doctor, he 
 had sometimes smiled with incredulity at what he had 
 hitherto taken for granted was the reputed account of 
 a man in the virulent stage of leprosy being cured by 
 simply ducking his head in water. He added : "I feel 
 perfectly sure that your explanation is correct, and I
 
 346 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 trust and believe that I have learned a lesson to-night 
 which I shall never forget. That lesson is that, if I find 
 things in the Bible which I cannot understand, I shall 
 be ready to believe that it is not the fault of the Bible, 
 but of myself ; it is not that the Bible story is wrong, but 
 that I have not the clue to the proper interpretation. In 
 other words, the Bible narrative is probably right, but I 
 am too big a fool to understand it !' 
 
 ' That was certainly a grand admission, coming from 
 such a man,' said the Archbishop ; ' and yet I am not 
 altogether happy at having the glamour of the super- 
 natural removed from the incident.' 
 
 ' There are one or two minor details about that story 
 of Naaman which I should like to have explained, if 
 possible,' said the Angel. ' Why, for example, did 
 Naarnan want to take back two mules' burden of earth 
 to Damascus with him ?' 
 
 ' He gives the reason why,' observed the Archbishop ; 
 ' it was to erect a sacrificial altar to the God of Israel in 
 Damascus.' 
 
 ' Excuse me,' interrupted the Sheikh, ' you are quite 
 wrong in that respect. Naaman certainly confesses, 
 when he asks for the earth, that in future Jehovah shall 
 be the only God to whom in his heart he will do sacrifice. 
 But that did not imply that that was the reason for which 
 he wanted the soil, and I think I can easily show you 
 what was really passing in his mind. Let us for a moment 
 picture the scene between Elisha and himself. When he 
 found himself cured of his disease, the easiest thing for 
 Naaman to have done, so far as his own personal con- 
 venience was concerned, would have been to have pro- 
 ceeded to Damascus direct from the Jordan. He was 
 already nearly half-way to his home, and it must have 
 been at the cost of a great deal of time and fatigue that
 
 MUD BATHS FOR LEPROSY 347 
 
 he went back to Mount Carmel. But Naaman was a 
 gentleman, and, as such, he desired to report his cure to 
 his doctor, and to offer him his fee. Elisha, being both 
 a wise and holy man, saw that it would make a much 
 better impression upon his patient's spiritual nature if 
 he refused to accept any fee, but, in doing so, he took 
 the opportunity of explaining to Naaman that it was 
 the very property of the soil of Palestine, held in solution 
 as mud in the Jordan, which had been the natural instru- 
 ment of his cure. Though the Bible narrative does not 
 tell us this in so many words, yet the context renders it 
 certain that some such conversation took place, and 
 Naaman's request was the direct consequence of the 
 explanation which Elisha had given him. He wanted 
 the earth in case any symptoms of a return of his disease 
 should manifest themselves at Damascus. He could then 
 mix the soil with water there, and so take his mud baths 
 without having to undergo the trouble and expense of a 
 journey to the Jordan for the purpose.' 
 
 ' That's capital !' ejaculated Monte Carlo. ' What a 
 mighty deal there is after all in these old Bible stories 
 when you come to analyze them and to understand them 
 properly !' 
 
 ' But there is one thing yet that you have not ex- 
 plained, and I don't see how you are going to get out of 
 a miracle there,' objected the General Nuisance. ' How 
 about the leprosy of Naaman cleaving immediately to 
 Gehazi ?' 
 
 ' There is no difficulty whatever about that,' answered 
 the Sheikh, ' and that part of the story is just as simple 
 as all the rest. Gehazi, like many another servant of 
 after-ages, had been playing the eavesdropper, and had 
 overheard the conversation which had gone on between 
 his master and Naaman. He thought to himself that,
 
 348 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 if his master had been fool enough to refuse to take any- 
 thing from this rich and mighty Syrian stranger, he 
 would, at any rate, avail himself of the opportunity of 
 getting something out of him. Accordingly, by his false 
 and lying pretences, he obtained a couple of suits of 
 clothes, in addition to a considerable sum of money. We 
 shall doubtless meet some Oriental travellers during the 
 course of our ride through Palestine, and, if you will 
 remind me, I will then point out to you the way in which 
 they carry their luggage and belongings with them. All 
 their clothes, new and old indiscriminately, are tied up 
 together in bundles, and though Naaman would certainly 
 have given Gehazi new clothes, yet, mixed up as they were 
 with those which he had often worn, there is little doubt 
 that the infection of the leprosy was conveyed to Gehazi 
 through the clothes. And thus you see the splendid 
 moral of this part of the narrative : Gehazi's sin literally 
 brought its own punishment with it.' 
 
 ' That is all very well,' persisted the General Nuisance, 
 ' but your explanation will hardly do, for the Bible 
 distinctly tells us that Gehazi was struck down with the 
 most virulent kind of leprosy there and then : "He went 
 out of Elisha's presence a leper as white as snow." I 
 think even you will acknowledge that it must have been 
 a pretty stiff kind of infection that could have produced 
 such stupendous results in that incredibly short space of 
 time.' 
 
 ' Your objection seems to be a poser, I admit,' replied 
 the Sheikh, smiling, ' but it is so only in appearance. 
 Here again the difficulty arises simply from the want of 
 rightly understanding Oriental phrases and modes of 
 expression. To stand in a person's presence is the 
 regular phrase for being in a person's service. It is so 
 amongst the modern natives. It was equally so in the
 
 FURTHER EXPLANATIONS 349 
 
 days of the old Hebrew monarchy. You will find the 
 phrase frequently in the Old Testament in that same 
 signification. For example, both Elisha and Elijah use 
 the expression, " Jehovah, before whom I stand," mean- 
 ing, " Jehovah, whose servant I am." The presence of 
 Jehovah is over and over again employed to signify " the 
 service of Jehovah." Indeed, so familiar and well known 
 is the phrase and its application, that there is no need 
 for me to enlarge further upon it. Suffice it to say that 
 when a servant leaves his master's service, he is said to 
 " go from his presence." When, therefore, we read, as 
 a fitting conclusion to the whole of the dramatic story 
 which we have been considering, that Gehazi went out 
 from Eiisha's presence a leper as white as snow, we know 
 exactly what that statement conveys. It does not inform 
 us that, whilst Gehazi was in the very act of being inter- 
 viewed by Elisha, he became so saturated by leprosy on 
 the spot that, before he quitted the prophet's room, 
 he was as white as snow. It does tell us, on the other 
 hand, that Gehazi's act of deceitful fraud involved him 
 in a terrible retribution, since he literally caught the 
 infection of Naaman's leprosy from the clothes which he 
 had thus obtained, and in course of time he became so 
 hopelessly pronounced and virulent a leper that he was 
 compelled to leave the service of Elisha altogether. Now, 
 I hope that I have succeeded in clearing away all diffi- 
 culties connected with this most interesting historical 
 narrative.'
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 THE RETURN TO JERUSALEM 
 
 ' Gentleman drowning !' The dangers of Jordan Bethshan Bethany 
 again ' He came near and beheld the city ' A rest in camp. 
 
 AT this moment they were startled by a sudden cry and 
 commotion. Yusef and Salim had been clearing away 
 the luncheon, whilst the Sheikh and his friends had been 
 sitting in a group on the border of the river, a short dis- 
 tance away from the tree beneath which they had had 
 their repast. Only a portion of the tribe had listened 
 to the explanation of the story of Naaman, for the 
 Enthusiast and the Matter-of-fact Man had determined 
 to have a bathe in the Jordan, and the former had per- 
 suaded the Pessimist, somewhat against his will, to join 
 them. Meanwhile the Malaprop had retired to a solitary 
 spot under the shade of a branching willow to write up 
 an account of the scene on the shores of the Dead Sea in 
 her wonderful diary ; whilst the Gusher had wandered 
 off to look for wild flowers among the brushwood of the 
 copses. 
 
 Mohamed-el-Achmed, the Bedouin escort, who had been 
 quietly smoking the pipe of peace in another sequestered 
 place within sight of the bathers, now appeared on 
 the scene in a highly excited condition, and shouted 
 out at the top of his voice to Yusef and Salim in Arabic. 
 The two latter at once abandoned the occupation on 
 
 350
 
 ' GENTLEMAN DROWNING ! ' 351 
 
 which they were engaged, and ran hastily in the direction 
 of Mohamed-el-Achmed. The muleteer in charge of 
 the luncheon requisites, who was indulging in a mid-day 
 siesta by the side of his mule, also started to his feet at 
 the sound of the Bedouin's cry, and joined in the stam- 
 pede. As Yusef passed the spot where the Sheikh and 
 his companions were seated, he cried out excitedly : 
 
 ' Gentleman drowning !' 
 
 All thoughts of Elisha, Naaman, and Gehazi were at 
 once driven out of the minds of all, and they were rudely 
 brought back from the scenes of twenty-eight centuries 
 ago to the perils and exigencies of the present day. Monte 
 Carlo and the Sheikh immediately hastened after Yusef 
 and the natives, followed at a somewhat slower pace by 
 the elderly Archbishop, whilst the Fossil calmly con- 
 cluded to remain behind, in order to soothe the agitated 
 nerves of the ladies of the party. 
 
 When the Sheikh and Monte Carlo reached the place 
 where the bathers had undressed, they found that 
 Mohamed, like a true Oriental, had exaggerated the 
 danger of the case. The Pessimist, it is true, was wring- 
 ing his hands and giving other indications of a serious 
 shock to his system, as he sat on the ground by the side 
 of his clothes, with a towel around his loins. But the 
 Enthusiast had already commenced to dress, though a 
 close observer might have noticed a certain tremor in 
 his actions, whilst the Matter-of-fact Man was drying 
 himself with as much placid composure as if nothing 
 whatever had happened. Nevertheless, when the story 
 came to be told, it was manifest that the incident had 
 been sufficiently alarming, and that, if it had not been for 
 the cool presence of mind f of the Matter-of-fact Man, 
 the Enthusiast might have met with a fatal accident. 
 
 It appeared that the Pessimist had been alarmed by
 
 352 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 the depth to which his feet had sunk in the soft mud of 
 the banks as he attempted to wade into the river, and 
 had accordingly beaten a hasty retreat, and steadily 
 refused to venture again near the stream. To convince 
 him that there was no danger, the Enthusiast had plunged 
 boldly in, and had at once struck out for the opposite 
 shore. But he had not proceeded far before he was 
 caught in a whirling eddy, against which he struggled in 
 vain. The Pessimist gave a scream of dismay, as he saw 
 him being carried helplessly along the rapid current of 
 the river ; and the Matter-of-fact Man, attracted by the 
 cry, at once grasped the critical condition of affairs. 
 It was at this moment that the Bedouin escort had rushed 
 off to give the alarm, and before he returned the Matter- 
 of-fact Man had rescued the Enthusiast from his danger- 
 ous position. Mohamed-el-Achmed, like most Bedouin 
 Arabs, carried a long spear when he rode, and this spear 
 lay on the ground by his side, at the place where he had 
 been reposing. The Matter-of-fact Man rushed to the 
 spot, seized hold of the spear, and ran with all speed to 
 a bend in the river, towards which the current was fast 
 bearing the helpless Enthusiast, and where the eddy 
 bent close to the bank. Calling out to his companion to 
 be ready to grasp hold of the spear, the Matter-of-fact 
 Man leant over as far as he could, and the Enthusiast 
 was providentially enabled to obtain a firm hold of the 
 weapon, and by this means was drawn to the bank in 
 safety. 
 
 The accident supplied a very practical illustration of 
 the rapidity of the Jordan, and of the danger that there is 
 in a stranger attempting to cross the river to the other 
 side. Naturally, this incident formed the chief subject 
 of conversation on their way back over the plain to their 
 encampment at Jericho, and it was alluded to more than
 
 THE DANGERS OF JORDAN 353 
 
 once in the course of the discussion after the evening 
 meal. 
 
 ' No wonder the Israelites hesitated to attempt the 
 passage of the Jordan until the landslip which you ex- 
 plained this morning temporarily dried up the bed of 
 the river,' remarked the Enthusiast, when for the 
 hundredth time he had been congratulated upon his 
 narrow escape. ' It strikes me that a few of the women 
 and children would have gone to glory if they had 
 attempted to cross whilst the river was in full flow.' 
 
 ' You remind me of the old Baptist minister,' observed 
 Monte Carlo. ' He was holding a grand general bap- 
 tizing function in a river upon a certain occasion. The 
 current of the stream was tolerably rapid ; and just as he 
 had got hold of a fair young damsel in his arms, and was 
 ducking her under the water, she was swept away out 
 of his grasp, and was seen by the excited congregation 
 fast hurrying along to her death in the eddying tide. 
 Without making any effort to save her, the pious Baptist 
 minister calmly raised his arms aloft to heaven, and 
 gravely cried out : " One gone to glory ; bring another !" 
 
 ' Don't be so profane, man,' growled the General Nuis- 
 ance, to whom the humour of the anecdote in no way 
 appealed. 
 
 ' Talking of baptizing, is it true that St. John the 
 Baptist discharged his office at the place where we were 
 this morning ?' asked the Angel. 
 
 ' Certainly not,' replied the Sheikh, ' although the 
 ec jlesiastical tradition has placed it there, as the spot 
 is a convenient locality for pilgrims to reach who desire 
 to bathe in the place where our Lord was baptized. 
 The true scene of His baptism was many miles further 
 north, almost immediately opposite to the ancient city 
 of Bethshan.' 
 
 23
 
 354 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' How do you know that ?' inquired the Archbishop. 
 
 ' The site was identified with a probability which 
 almost amounts to a certainty by the Palestine Ex- 
 ploration Surveyors in 1874,' replied the Sheikh. ' You 
 will find in Gender's " Tent-Work in Palestine " a very 
 interesting and convincing discussion on the subject. I 
 need only say that the very word Bethebara still remains 
 under the form of " Mahhadet Abara," or the Ford of 
 Abara, and that the distance of the spot from Kefi 
 Kemea, the site of ancient Cana of Galilee, exactly 
 answers the requirements of the Gospel narrative.' 
 
 ' You said that the scene of our Lord's baptism was 
 near Bethshan, I believe,' remarked the Enthusiast. 'I 
 seem to have heard of that place somewhere, but I 
 really forget the connection. Did anything remarkable 
 happen there ?' 
 
 ' Why, you surely don't forget that the bodies of 
 Saul and Jonathan were nailed to the walls of that city 
 by the Philistines !' exclaimed the Archbishop, who, like 
 many other erudite scholars of the Scriptures, could not 
 realize that everyone was not so intimately acquainted 
 as himself with all the details of the sacred narrative. 
 
 ' I am afraid that I have temporarily allowed that 
 interesting fact to escape my memory,' answered the 
 Enthusiast, somewhat abashed by the rebuke implied 
 in the Archbishop's tone of voice, ' and I am much 
 obliged to you for recalling it to my mind.' 
 
 ' Is Bethshan still in existence ?' asked the Angel. 
 
 ' Yes, under the slightly modified form of Beisan,' 
 replied the Sheikh. 
 
 ' If my memory serves me correctly,' observed the 
 Fossil didactically, ' that was the place which, under the 
 name of Scythopolis, attained to considerable importance 
 and renown during the earlier ages of the Christian era.
 
 BETHSHAN 355 
 
 The Romans, I believe, knew it as the " City of Temples," 
 on account of the number and splendour of its sacred 
 buildings and shrines of worship.' 
 
 ' That is so,' assented the Sheikh ; ' and there are 
 many fine ruins still remaining there, quite sufficient to 
 indicate the extent of its glory and magnificence in the 
 days of long ago.' 
 
 ' Oh, I do hope you will take us to visit those dear, 
 beautiful ruins !' ejaculated the Gusher impulsively. 
 
 ' If I can arrange our journey northwards through 
 Palestine in such a way as to enable me to take you to 
 Beisan, I will do so most willingly,' answered the Sheikh. 
 ' I should be glad for you to see them for two reasons 
 first, because they are eminently worthy of inspection; 
 and, secondly, very few travellers in the Holy Land ever 
 see them, as they lie off the beaten track of the Palestine 
 tourist.' 
 
 ' Whereabouts is it situated, then ?' asked the Angel. 
 
 ' Just where the Valley of Jezreel joins the Plain of the 
 Jordan,' replied the Sheikh. 
 
 ' I am not much wiser than I was before,' said the 
 General Nuisance ; ' for I don't know where the Valley 
 of Jezreel is.' 
 
 ' No doubt you will become wiser in that respect, 
 madam, when we have visited the valley itself, as I 
 understand that we shall in all probability do in the 
 course of a few days,' interposed the Fossil, who enjoyed 
 in his dry way an occasional hit at the expense of one of 
 the betes noires of his present existence. 
 
 ' I didn't ask your opinion,' she snappishly replied, 
 turning her back upon the shrivelled professor, and 
 leaving the salon tent to retire to rest. 
 
 This unexpected little incident served to break up the 
 party for the night, and in a few minutes the whole tribe 
 
 2Z2
 
 356 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 were ensconced in their respective tents, and the camp 
 became enveloped in silence and darkness. 
 
 No untoward incident marred the tranquillity of the 
 night's repose, and everyone enjoyed a refreshing and 
 unbroken sleep after their long day's ride in the open 
 air. 
 
 Next morning they were again astir soon after break- 
 fast, for a somewhat wearisome and fatiguing journey lay 
 before them. They were returning from Jericho to 
 Jerusalem, and, before they had reached the end of the 
 day's ride, more than one of the tribe dejectedly com- 
 plained that the way seemed far longer and more 
 monotonous than on the downward journey of two days 
 before. Of course, the steep and long-continued ascent 
 told upon the physical powers much more severely than 
 the comparatively easy descent. Then, again, they had 
 started on their trip to the Jordan Valley in all the 
 freshness of spirits and elasticity of body engendered by 
 the novel experiences of the situation. They had some- 
 thing new to engage their attention and to occupy their 
 thoughts from one end to the other of that memorable 
 day's ride ; and they had little or no time to worry 
 themselves about any of the aches or inconveniences 
 connected with the mode of travel to which so few of 
 them had been accustomed. Now they were returning 
 over a path already trodden and explored ; their limbs 
 were stiff with the three days' ride ; the excitement of 
 novelty was beginning to wear away ; and, with most of 
 them, a sense of reaction and lassitude made itself more 
 or less unpleasantly felt. 
 
 The Sheikh, however, allowed them to take a good 
 long rest at the Good Samaritan's Inn, and again at the 
 Apostles' Spring ; and before they finally reached Jeru- 
 salem, the grumblings had for the most part died away,
 
 BETHANY AGAIN 357 
 
 and good- temper and enjoyment were once more upper- 
 most. 
 
 At Bethany they halted again to visit the traditional 
 tomb of Lazarus, and to bid farewell to their Arab 
 escort, ' Mohamed, of the jaw-breaking name,' as the 
 Enthusiast called him. He had discharged his duties 
 in a manner to win the approbation of all. Even the 
 Pessimist was heard to say that he did not think he 
 smelt quite so offensively as did some of the other 
 natives. 
 
 The Gusher insisted on shaking hands effusively with 
 him when she said good-bye to him ; and the Matter-of- 
 fact Man and the Enthusiast accompanied him a short 
 distance along the road from Bethany to Abu-Dis. He 
 returned to his relatives and friends with a goodly sum 
 of Turkish dollars, or medjidies, presented to him as 
 baksheesh by the Sheikh and his tribe. 
 
 As the latter proceeded on their way from Bethany to 
 Jerusalem, the general conversation naturally turned 
 upon the triumphal march undertaken by the meek and 
 lowly Son of the Nazarene carpenter along the very 
 road which they were now treading a march which has 
 for ever rendered that route inexpressibly sacred to all 
 followers of Jesus Christ. 
 
 The first part of their way wound round a deep bay in 
 the eastern base of the Olivet range, and thus Jerusalem 
 itself and its immediate vicinity was entirely hidden 
 from their view. 
 
 At length, turning an exceedingly acute angle in the 
 road, they came quite suddenly, and without any previous 
 warning, immediately in the face of the Holy City itself, 
 which lay outspread before them in all its extent, on the 
 other side of the narrow Valley of Jehoshaphat. 
 
 They all reined up their horses to gaze in silent ad-
 
 358 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 miration on the wonderful scene, for, indeed, even now, 
 comparatively fallen and unlovely as is modern Jeru- 
 salem, the view is so picturesque, enthralling, and grand, 
 that it can scarcely fail to arouse deep and powerful 
 emotions, even in the most callous and irresponsive 
 breast. 
 
 The Gusher was the first to break the silence by one 
 of her ecstatic bursts of rapture, and even the General 
 Nuisance and the Fossil were too absorbed in their con- 
 templations to rebuke her on this occasion. 
 
 ' What a glorious scene !' exclaimed the Enthusiast. 
 ' See, there is the Temple Area immediately in front of 
 us. How lovely the Dome of the Rock looks from this 
 point ! and there in the distance is the Church of the Holy 
 Sepulchre. Yes, and surely that is Mount Zion behind 
 the Temple Area !' 
 
 ' Surely this must be the very best point of vantage 
 from which to view Jerusalem,' said the Angel quietly. 
 
 ' And surely,' added her father, the Archbishop, ' this 
 must be the very place alluded to by St. Luke when he 
 tells us that in our dear Lord's triumphal march " He 
 came near and beheld the city." ' 
 
 ' Undoubtedly you are right,' said the Sheikh. ' The 
 statement in the sacred narrative identifies this spot 
 beyond all reasonable doubt.' 
 
 " If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in thy 
 day, the things that belong unto thy peace," ' murmured 
 the Archbishop reverently, and in a low tone. 
 
 ' How sad it all seems !' said the Angel, the tears 
 gathering in her eyes. ' When one thinks of the Jeru- 
 salem that once was and the fate which befell it, one can 
 scarcely trust one's self to words.' 
 
 ' By Jove ! I should have liked to have seen it in 
 all its glory,' exclaimed the Enthusiast.
 
 LAST NIGHT IN CAMP 359 
 
 ' As the eyes of the blessed Lord beheld it,' added the 
 Archbishop solemnly. 
 
 ' Can you describe to us exactly how it used to look ?' 
 asked the Gusher of the Sheikh. 
 
 " Well, hardly, I am afraid,' he replied. ' That is one 
 of those things best left to the imagination, almost im- 
 possible to picture, quite impossible to describe.' 
 
 ' And to think that it might have been as beautiful as 
 ever now,' exclaimed the Enthusiast, ' but for those 
 wretched, rebellious Jews and those abominable Romans 
 who smashed it up.' 
 
 '"Of all sad words of tongue or pen, 
 
 The saddest of these, It might have been," ' 
 
 sententiously quoted the Fossil. 
 
 They moved on one by one, still gazing on the sacred 
 and historical city, so fair and so fascinating even in its 
 fall, and, crossing the Kedron Valley near the Tomb of 
 the Virgin, they skirted the north-east angle of the city 
 walls and arrived at length at the camp, which they 
 found already pitched in a most inviting spot surrounded 
 by olive-trees, almost adjoining the new buildings erected 
 by the Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem, and within three 
 hundred yards of the Calvary Hill. 
 
 A few days later the whole of the tribe were foregathered 
 on the deck of the Austrian Lloyd steamer, waving their 
 farewells to Yusef and Salim, who were returning to 
 shore after having seen them all safely and comfortably 
 deposited with their baggage on the vessel. Conflicting 
 feelings of sad regret and satisfied pleasure filled the 
 minds of the majority of the Sheikh's tribe as they gazed 
 for the last time on the sacred shores which they were 
 leaving.
 
 360 PATROLLERS OF PALESTINE 
 
 ' Truly a lovely finale to our delightful journey through 
 this realm of sacred romance,' sententiously observed 
 the Fossil, as he pointed to the exquisite scene presented 
 by the city of Beyrout and the mountains behind. 
 
 ' Yes, I really think that Beyrout, as seen from the 
 sea, must be one of the fairest visions upon earth,' sighed 
 the Angel. 
 
 ' Quite too really charming and heavenly !' ejaculated 
 the Gusher. 
 
 And even the General Nuisance seemed to feel the in- 
 fluence of the scene. 
 
 ' Do you know,' thoughtfully remarked the Archbishop, 
 ' I seem to feel that life henceforth will always bear to 
 me somewhat of a new and higher aspect than it ever has 
 before. There is something which one can sense, but 
 which one can hardly describe, that permeates one's 
 whole being, arising from the sacred and sanctifying in- 
 fluences of the scenes through which we have been passing.' 
 
 ' I think I can understand your feelings, dear father,' 
 replied the Angel softly. ' Yes, the journey through the 
 Holy Land has been emphatically hallowing in its in- 
 fluences.' 
 
 1 " Where'er we tread, 'tis haunted, holy ground ; 
 No earth of Thine is lost in vulgar mound," ' 
 
 murmured the Fossil quietly. 
 
 ' And I have such a beautiful diary of it all,' exclaimed 
 the Malaprop. 
 
 ' A pity there are so many smells and so much dirt in 
 the country, though,' interjected the Matter-of-fact Man. 
 
 ' Well, all I have to say is,' heartily ejaculated the 
 Enthusiast, ' it has been an experience never to be for- 
 gotten so long as one shall live. And have we not been 
 gloriously favoured in every respect ? Scarcely a drop
 
 THE INCORRIGIBLE PESSIMIST 361 
 
 of rain to damp our spirits. Thanks to our good friend 
 the Sheikh, and the excellence of Cook's arrangements, 
 not one single hitch, so far as I can remember, to mar the 
 full enjoyment of the trip. Hurrah for Palestine ! 
 Hurrah for our glorious tour ! Three cheers for the 
 
 Sheikh ! Hip, hip, hip !' 
 
 ' Oh, but think,' whined out the incorrigible Pessimist, 
 true to his nature to the last ' think how miserable it 
 would have been if it had been raining all the time !' 
 
 THE END 
 
 BILLING AND SONS, t.TD., PRINTERS, GUILDTORD
 
 University of California 
 
 SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 
 
 305 De Neve Drive - Parking Lot 17 Box 951388 
 
 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90095-1388 
 
 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed.
 
 A 000 046 622 7
 
 u