Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. V, No. XXIX., October, 1852Various
Religion
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. V, No. XXIX., October, 1852
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
The tolling of the bell which the travelers heard, proceeded from the
Convent of Mar Saba, a rude and lonely structure, situated in the
middle of the desolate gorge which the brook Kedron forms in traversing
the mountains that lie between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. The place of
the convent was seven or eight miles from the shore where our travelers
were encamped, but yet the tones of the bell, calling the monks to
their devotions, made their way to the spot through the still evening
air. The travelers felt cheered and encouraged in their solitude, by
being thus connected again, even by so slender a bond as this, with
the common family of man, from which they had seemed before to have
undergone an absolute and total separation.
THE VOYAGE TO EN-GEDI.
After remaining a day or two at Feshkah, and making various excursions
across the sea and along the shores, from that station, for the
purpose of measuring distances and taking soundings, the party broke
up their encampment, and prepared to proceed to the southward. They
made arrangements for taking every thing with them on board the boats,
except a load from one single camel, which was to be sent along the
shore. Their intention was to proceed to En-gedi, and to encamp there
at the foot of the cliffs, on the little plain which Robinson had
visited about ten years before. This encampment at En-gedi was to be a
sort of permanent station for the party during all the time necessary
for the survey of the middle and southern portions of the sea. It was
a suitable spot for such a post, on account of its central position,
and also on account of the abundant supply of fresh water which could
be obtained there from the fountain. The company were obliged to hasten
their departure from Feshkah; for the water of the fountain at the
place of their first encampment was brackish and unfit for use, while
the supply which they had brought from the Jordan was nearly exhausted.
Their stock of provisions, too, was well-nigh spent, and Lieutenant
Lynch felt a considerable degree of uneasiness in respect to the means
of sufficiently replenishing it. He sent off detachments from his
party to Hebron and to Jerusalem, to procure supplies, directing them
to bring whatever they could procure to En-gedi. He also sent an Arab
chieftain, named Akil, round to the eastern side of the sea, to Kerak,
to purchase provisions there. The Arab, if successful, was to bring
down his stores to the sea, at the peninsula, and at the proper time,
Lieutenant Lynch was to send one of the boats across from En-gedi to
receive them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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