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BISHOP RYAN AND HIS PARTYisftloilidiiyn at tin* Mount ufOllvoM, Itrliumy ihu’iiKio, l.Jltfihl. iluiduii iiml tlio lii'd !M4H.Or_uJericho, Fob, 1S8S.Mlt. ElHTOlt.Thespnug rains not having visited 1 this region and barometer indicating 0 fine weather we deemed it advisable to make our excursion it the Jordan valley first and lake in the eity and | immediate surroundings after. This | journey must be made on horseback, i no carriage can be used even so far as i the Jook Kidron, or make the eir-? | cuil of the city. In all eastern coun-: tries the answer to the question, “how ■-1 far?” is given in hours. To Jericho is • six hours, to Dead Sea and Jordan ; three additional hours, and round -! trip three days We contracted with a dragoman, to furnish horses, ser vants, provisions and all other necessary outfit £or our party of five, three ladies and two gentlemen, all Americans. IS!ext we gave notice at head quarters that an armed, government escort bo furnished. The Turkish government wtlidojthis at its |ov?n expense on demand of all travellers from foreign lands passing over this route. The way now, as in the .New Testament days, is considered extremely dangerous and is infested with robbers and tkieyos, and the bc-♦ | lief is that, a small party without protection would bo likely to fall among thieves, and need the assistance oftbe “good Samaritan Our Turkish escort, as he appeared in his war paint with a long gun with flint lock swinging over his shoulder, an ugly looking sabre and a pair of long silver mounted pistols with Hint locks, mounted on a spirited Arabian mare and rilling a few feet in advance of the party, presented a war like ap-peaiTuu'.v. We could not help thinking but that one Texas cowboy would put one hundred such fellows to flight.,Starting from the J afla gate we passedaround the northern portion of the city and reaching the gate of St. Stephen we descended to and crossed to the cast side of the Kidron over a stone bridge, passing the tomb of the Virgin on the left and the garden of Gethsemano on our right, we ascended along the undent way until tne summit of the Mount of Olivos isreached.Here 18 the nest view of the city and its environs. Eastward can bo seen the valley of the Jordan, the north portion of the Dead Sea and the mountain ranges of Moab. Southward is the llill of Eyil counsel and farther on Bethlehem,and many miles over tbs “way of the wilderness.” Descending the eastern slope and Bethany is reached distant from the city one and one-half miles. Here the puide points out the house of Simon, also of Mary and Martha, and not far distant a rock cave m the mountain side as the tomb or Lazarus The vault has the appearraee of having been lined with masonry but nothing indicating antiquity. Modern opinion is tnat betbpage was a quarter or part and Bethany the other, Now it presents nothing but miserable ruins, and irom its filthy hovels and caves in the rocky hillsides come forth to meet you hundreds of dirty, squalid, miserable, halt-clad beggars, men, women and children, all atone time demanding “Backsheesh.” Being on horseback we could to some extent avoid them. A short stop and we soon entered the country knownas the “wilderness of Judea,” which is a wild, desolate and rocky placewithout verdure or animal life. Noteven a bird or his song can bo seen or heard as you move over this dreary waste In a valley we step at a fountain to water the animals; it is covered with an arch, which also covers a stone trough into which the water flows. Here arc ruins of an ancient Khan and m by-gone days was probably a well known rusting place. The scarcity of water m this region makes all pure water fountains famous. Our travelling in places is over the old Homan road; portions may bo ?seen and frequently evidences of the skill of the engineers Our path now leads along the brink of a famous glen called Wady-ei-KcIt whose rocky sides are 40U or 500 feet ^high and nearly perpendicular, and in tho sides of the walls arc many caves or vaults once occupied by hermits. From this summit of the border range we look over the plains of Jericho and trace the windings of the river in its course to the sea. Descending through a narrow, steep and rocky defile and wo are on the site of ancient Jericho; in view is Riha (New Jericho) some two miles distant on the plain, following a stnall stream called El Kelt from the IWady or glen mentioned. The ancient name of this stream was Chcrith and here, according to tradition Elijah was fed by the ravens during a famine ih Palestine. Our path is under the arch of a finely constructed cut stone aqueduct recently furnished by the Turkish government to bo used in passing j, waterupon Die lower plains for irrigation.The day being too far advanced to proceed to the sea, and having arrived tho Latin Hospice at Rita, now Now Jericho, wo dismount lor the night. The principal buildings are two hospices and the “Jericho Hotel” operated by Thomas Cook and sons of England The balance i«oo iiposed of a low hundred Arabs and Afnc ms living in miserable tents. A small stream of clear water winds its way through the village and used to irrigate a few gardens planted with fruit trees and il avers now in full bloom. Tho view northward extends up the valley until the side ranges appear to unite. East of the river and valley tho Moab ranges, on the west a Minihu- range, perhaps not bo high or abrupt The ranges present a white or chalky appearance, and are composed mainly of barren rock, with an occasional wady or glen, having the appearance of verdure, The length of the valley is given at 100 miles, and its breadth at this place 10 miles. In the morning we determine tho following as the labors for the day. First visit the sea, at tho entrance of the rtfer, then proceed northward following its westbank,and stop at the fords and bathng places until a point is reached opposite, and east of ancient J tic ho and proceed thither, stopping on the way at the site of G-ilgal. The direction llt; the sea was south cast, and over in the main, a barren sandy plain, hi places a few low lushes, and spjts where seed had been sown among brambles. Two hours ride in the hot sun brings us to the marshes, and on the sandy shores of the eea, our animals fastened to drift wood covered with salt, while making observa tions. The sea is 40 miles long and at this (N) end is five miles wide, its greate-t breadth is said to be 8 andone hall miles and its greatest depth l.JOO feet, its surface 1,292 below kc;i level. That portion where it isstat^l Sodom Gomorrah and other citiesstood the water about throe fed deep. Here the river is about 180 yards wide and some %h rue I eel deep and its banks low. muddy, and very slippery. A short distance from the seashore are three small rocky islands rising but. a few feet above the surface Its waters are clear as crystal, and tho chore is covered with pebbles of various colors, aud a few shells. Having tasted the water, our desires were fully satisfied. For more than two hours we were tormented with the salt and bitter taste. Some of the young men went bathing and repored a similar experience to those who had proceeded them. Our curiosity induced us to make search for the so called Dead Sea apple, aud found them growing on a small bush, some fullv matured and others only in blossom on same bush. The ripe or matured fruit resemble a snuul smoth tomato of yellow color. The burning rays of the meridian sun, the stillness and utter desolation of our surrounding soon, induced the party to consentto moye onward.Our course was north following thewest bank of the river for several miles, and found our tents pitched m a grove of small timber and ourluncheon ready. This location has been used as a camping ground by pilgrims for centuries. Soon other parties joined swelling the number in camp to nearly sixty persons, and double that number of animals. England and America were in the majority, but nearly all nations had one or more representatives m the party. The time passed pleasantly in forming new acquaintances and recounting past travels. The location of the camp is supposed to be on or near the spot “John came preaching in the wilderness of Judea” and Jesus came from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. The stream was muddy and swollen by melted snow from Mt. Hermon, and the size of the CaniMeo at Addison The west bank has but little elevation above the water, while the east bank is 50 to 7r feet high and nearly perpendicular, Several fishermen having nets in the stream oilered fish for sale. A species of mullett, and weighing about half of a pound. Its banks are fringed with broad belts oftamasisk, oleanders, and willow among which are reeds, and underbrush so thick as to form almost impenetrable jungles. Our escort at all times was ornamental, now useful in his talks of leopards, wild boars, and dens of Bedawy robbers here concealed and ready to destroy, and had a bad effect on the noryes of the already weary and tired ladies of the party.We halted and took seats at a place “right against, that is East Jericho” and is tho reputed place where the waters which come down tho yalley stood and rose up in a heap* while those towards the sea “wore cut oft” so that the Israrhtes crossed oyer and the spot where Elijah divided the waters and passed over the dry bed and was taken up into heaven, and when Elisha aa ho came back ( took’ tho mantle of Elijah and smote thewaters Haying “Where ia the Lord God of Elijah?” The Jordan was a third tune divided Hi to is fixed tin* spot ol the baptism ol ourS iviour “John riuni1 preaching m tho wilderness of .Judea,” and Jesus came from (lahlct* to .Jordan unto .John to be bap! !/.•*lt;! of him, Immediately after Jesus was “led up of the spirit into tit' v'llderne,svi to be tempted of the devil,” Here is the bathing place of the pilgrims in the Jordan, and on Monday of Passion wo»*k a thousand camp on the siie uf Gilgal, and every Christian state of Europe and Asia, has its representative At the head of the vast concourse marches the Turkish Governor of Jerusalem, and all take a bath in the sacred river, and is acoremony whim they believe will bring upon them many blessings. After the bath or babtmm they return again to Jerusalem, The bathing place of the Latin pilgrims is near the ruined convent of St, John and that of Die Greeks is lower down.The location ol Ancient Gilgal is a matt“r of doubt and a question is made whether tin* name has application to a city, or a plan*- suitable fora largo encampment. The site we visited is East of Jericho and a local tradition says that a large tamarisk tree now standing is on tin* site of the “City of Brass.” Th“ ruins art* insignificant, a pool choked with dirt, several monads, a largo number of small hewn stones is all that now rrti! mums to mark the spot where the Isra-liti-a first pitched their tents in | the “Land of Promise” and set up the Tabernacle. Tin* remorseless hand of 1 tune, anil long centuries ago, has | blotted out forever tho external evi-i deuce of the location, or perhaps the ! existence ol a once famous city culled t Gi'gu!.: in order to convey an idea ofi: Jericho, we will yro.-s to the W. side : of the plain and take our station at i the lootoi the pass through which we ! came yes ter d iy. Faring E and be-! v oud Jordan is Mount, Nebo aud wherei -7; Moses died and was buried. South ofj the pass are the remains of. an ancientreservoir I 57 feet long and 19b feet wide, and scattered about are extensive ruins consisting of mounds of rubbish, foundations of buddings, c. North and extending ix-yond the banks ol the Kelt, a small stream issuing fnmit ie\V',idy-e|-Ive!t are similar rums and a large fountain of pure water bursting out from the b tscof a mound and of sufficient volume to turn a null, it is called “The Fou1 tain of Elisha ” Its waters were in old I times collected in a large reservoir and conveyed over the adjoining plain for irrigation. Its main branch pass os Riha and watt rs the garden at the tluspice where we stop. The mound-, piles of stones, and broken potteryhere seen are the remains of Ancient Jericho, or Jericho of the time of theProphets. Those S. of the Kelt are of Jericho of tho lime of Herod, or the ; New Testament. This is the city Jesus visited on his way to Jerusalem and where he lodged with Zaeeheus, and healed the blind men. The Bible states that Elisha after healing the waters of the fountain went up the mountain pass to Bethel, (it-, location is not far distant) where m a forest lurked “two she bears” that “tare the forty and two” wicked children. From Holy Writ we again read the | account given of the fearful punishment inflicted on these “forty and two” wicked children, I think they ire.rn boys I While meditating our thoughts carried us back to our boyhood home at “Old Burns,”and again we listened to the voice of our deari' mother, long years ago passed to her . rewards, as she related this story : from the Bible to her wicked children, i with motherly advice to be good boys,iand refrain from doing evil, aud by so doing would avoid a similar late; Otherwise, two she bears would tare the five wicked boys m pieces. On our arrival at the Hospice we learned ! witJi pleasure of tho arrival of Bishop j Ryan and party, and wo take the Jib erty of mentioning the names ot Bishop Burke uf Cheyenne, Wyoming 'and Father Uastaldi of Albion. X. Y.,' of the Bishop’s party. They kindly extended an invitatiou to call at theirTquarters, and we were but too glad to accept. They were the first gentlemen : we had met since leaving home whoij knew of tho city of houxellsville,laud mention wm mad© of mutualfriends, and latest news from distanthome. It was our further pleasure tomeet them again at the sea of Gailee,and later to become fellow passengerson ship board from Havre to NewYork, Our knowledge is, that theBishop and his party had hosts offriends and admirers wherever they went, and often we heard the expressed opinion that they were fine representatives of America, aud her institutions. It is our wish that long livo Bishop Ryan and his party.Yours, c.,lb tf.An addition is to be built on St. Ann’s church.
Newspaper Details
Hornellsville Weekly Tribune
Hornellsville, New York, US
Fri, Jun 15, 1888
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
GB 18 Jun 2021
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