Turning our Faces Eastward—The Land of the Sun—Palmyra, Bagdad, and Babylon—The Desert in Summer and Winter—A Dangerous Road—The Robbers of the Wilderness—Ruins in the Desert—A City of Wonders—The Haunts of the Bedouins—Engaging an Escort—The Start for Palmyra—On a Dromedary’s Back—The Environs of Damascus—A Bed on the Sand—“Every One to his Taste”—A Knavish Governor—Winking at Robbery—In the Desert—On the great Caravan Track—Caravansaries, What Are they?—The High Road to India—An Arab Fountain,........[...300]
CHAP XXIII—TENT-LIFE AMONG THE BEDOUINS—THE WARRIORS OF THE DESERT.
Among the Bedouins—A Genuine Son of the Desert—High-Toned Robbers—A Sample of Bedouin Hospitality—Etiquette in an Arab Encampment—A Case of Insult—Tent-Life and its Freedom—A Nation of Cavalry-Warriors—Bedouin Dress, Manners and Customs—Their Horses and Weapons—A Singular Custom—A Caricature Steed and his Rider—Arab Scare-Crows—On the Road to Palmyra—A Mountain of Ruins—The Grand Colonnade—The Temple of the Sun—A Building Half a Mile in Circumference—An Earthquake, and What It Did—The City of the Caliphs,........[...307]
CHAP XXIV—ADVENTURES IN THE MOUNTAINS OF SYRIA.
“Doing” Syria—The “Short” and the “Long” Route—How to Choose Them—Engaging a Dragoman—Farewell to Damascus—Preying on Travellers—The Wonderful Rivers of Syria—Crossing the Desert—A Picture of Desolation—Scene of St. Paul’s Conversion—A Striking Contrast—Ancient Ruins and Modern Hovels—A Night with the Bedouins—A Hard Road to Travel—A Glorious View—The “Doubter’s” Mischance—The Lizard in the Boot—A Ludicrous Scene—Gustave’s New Joke—Mollifying a Native—The Massacre at Hasbeiya—Treachery of a Turkish Colonel—Scene of Christ’s Labors—In the Holy Land,........[...318]
CHAP XXV.—“FROM DAN TO BEERSHEBA”—JOURNEYING THROUGH THE HOLY LAND.
Our First Morning in Palestine—Breaking Camp at Banias—“From Dan to Beersheba”—Explanation of the Phrase—The Cup of the Hills—The Golden Calf of Jeroboam—Story of Vishnu and his Idol—An Incident and its Moral—The Battle-fields of Joshua—A Singular Species of Plough—The “Doubter” in a Quandary—Joseph’s Pit—The Sea of Galilee—Fishing with Poisoned Bait—Capernaum and its Ruins—Scene of Christ’s Miracles—The Birthplace of Mary Magdalen—A Horde of Beggars—A Pitiful Spectacle—The Robber’s Cave—Herod and his Strategy—The Jews of Tiberias—A Seedy Crowd—Ruins of the Ancient City—The Spot where Christ Fed the Multitude,........[...329]
CHAP XXVI—IN THE HEART OF PALESTINE.
Bathing in the Sea of Galilee—Standing on Holy Ground—How the “Doubter” was Unhorsed—A Second Absalom—Lunching on the Summit of Tabor—Saracenic Vengeance—A Reminiscence of the Crusades—A Magnificent Sight—Discussing “Backsheesh” with the Natives—The “Doubter” as a Cashier—The Grotto of the Holy Family—Mary’s House—The House of Loretto—The Story of the Miracle—The Monk and the “Doubter”—Dean Stanley’s Explanation—Joseph’s Tool Chest—The “Doubter’s” Demand—The Witch of Endor “At Home”—Blood-Revenge—A Pertinacious Feud—Saul and the Witch,........[...341]