CHAPTER 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.
WE have bathed in the Sea of Galilee and played with the pebbles on its sandy beach; we have visited places named in Holy Writ, and henceforth their mention will have for us an additional charm. And now we will fold our tents like the Arabs, (or let the Arabs fold them for us,) and as silently steal away. Our faces are turned towards Jerusalem.
Our horses toil slowly up the ascent—a long and weary one—which leads from the shore of the sea of Galilee. At Tiberias we are six hundred feet below the level of the Mediterranean. The plain which we are now approaching is five hundred feet above us, and consequently we must make an elevation of eleven hundred feet to gain it. The way is rough in many places, and we wonder how it has been allowed to remain so in all the thousands of years that it has been in use.
As we emerge from the deep basin which encloses the lake we see before us a mountain, like a huge mound or tumulus, rising out of the plain and dominating it in all directions. It is Mount Tabor, and beyond it is the plain of Esdraelon. Between us and the base of the mountain lies an undulating plateau over which we find an easier road than the one we have just been climbing.