The City of Nain—“Spoiling the Egyptians”—Ruins of an old Philistine City—Curious Strategy—The Torches in Pitchers—Kleber and the Turks—Ahab’s Palace—Tropical Picture—A Crusader’s Church—More “Backsheesh”—The Samaritans of To-day—The Mount of Blessings and the Mount of Cursings—A Despised People—A Strange Religious Belief—A Parchment Thirty-five Centuries Old—Jacob’s Well—Its Present Appearance—The Tomb of Joseph—The Scene of Jacob’s Dream—The Philistines’ Raid,........[...355]
CHAP XXVIII—FROM DAMASCUS TO JAFFA.—INCIDENTS OF THE TRIP.
Once More in Damascus—Taking the “Short Route”—Starting for Bcyrout—The Fountains of Damascus—Rain-Storm in the Anti-Lebanon—Stora and its Model Hotel—Poetical Fancies—A Compliment to Mine Host—The “Doubter” as a Rhymist—Climbing Mount Lebanon—Tropic Suns and Arctic Snows—View from the Summit—A Vision of Fairy-Land—Coming Down on the Double-Quick—In Sight of the Mediterranean—Taking Ship for Jaffa—Sidon to a Modern Tourist—Tyre—Jaffa—A Dangerous Roadstead,........[...362]
CHAP XXIX—ENGAGING A DRAGOMAN.—OUR START FOR JERUSALEM.
Views of Jaffa—A Queer-Looking City—The Oldest Inhabited Town in the World—The Massacre of Jaffa—A Stain upon the Memory of Napoleon—A Contract with a Dragoman—A Close Margin—The Value of Credentials An Honest Arab—Getting into Saddle—An American Colony—Their German Successors—The Fruits of the Country—Generous Conduct of the “Doubter”—On the Road to Jerusalem—A Night at Ramleh—In a Russian Convent—The Gauntlet of Beggars—The Pest of the Road—Begging as a Fine Art—The “Gate of the Glen”—Among the Mountain Passes—In Sight of the Holy City,........[...370]
CHAP XXX—THE LIONS OF JERUSALEM.—THE TEMPLE, THE SEPULCHRE, AND THE HOLY OF HOLIES.
First Sights in Jerusalem—Appearance of the Streets—What the “Doubter” Thought—A Change of Opinion—The Tower of David—The Street of David—Church of the Holy Sepulchre—Scenes Around It—Palace of the Knights of St. John—Via Dolorosa—Damascus Gate—Walls of the Holy City—Visiting the Temple—The Ilarem and Mosque of Omar—Visiting the Substructions—A Triple Veneration—Place of Wailing—The Quarries—Remains of an Ancient Bridge,........[...381]
CHAP XXXI—AMONG THE MONKS.
From the Gates of Jerusalem to Bethlehem—A Touching Incident—Tent-Life at Bethlehem—The Milk Grotto—Its Miraculous Character—The “Doubter” Expresses Himself—The Oldest Christian Church in the World—Quarrelsome Monks—A Deadly Fight—Remarkable Conduct of the “Doubter”—Pious Pilgrims—A Christmas Festival—A Corpulent and Hospitable Monk—A Wearisome Ceremony—The Monks in Costume—The Women of Bethlehem—A Bevy of Beauties—Under Guard—Armenian Soldiers—Travelling to Saba—Among the Monks—A Curious Convent—Armed against the Bedouins,........[...398]