Letters from Palestine: Written during a residence there in the years 1836, 7 and 8Paxton, J. D. (John D.)
Religion
Letters from Palestine: Written during a residence there in the years 1836, 7 and 8
Paxton, J. D. (John D.)
Palestine -- Description and travel
I have at length set out to make a tour through Palestine, or at
least a part of it, and will send you some brief notices of what
may particularly engage my attention. The great heat which we felt
in this country, particularly on the plains, induced me to defer my
tour thus long, as I judged it not well to run unnecessary hazard
in my eagerness to see the chosen land, and to visit the places
referred to in the Holy Scriptures. The great heats of summer are
now past, showers of rain have already fallen, and the driving up of
clouds at one time from the north, and at another from the south,
betoken the approach of those copious showers, which the earth,
parched by a whole summer's sun, so much requires, and which man and
beast need to refresh their exhausted system.
We went on board a small vessel on the 28th, but the wind was so
light that we were only off the sands, and still in sight of Beyroot
the next morning. During the next day we had very little wind, and
made but slow progress. Towards night, however, a wind sprang up,
and we passed Sidon, but at too great a distance to have a good view
of it. I hope to obtain this on my return, as my plan is to return
by land, for the purpose of seeing as much as I can of the country.
The mountains appear to retain nearly the same height and appearance
as those near Beyroot. They seemed, however, to fall back from the
sea and leave a wider plain along the coast, and to the south they
appeared to decrease in height. Night came on, and shut out the
land from our observation. With the night, a fine wind arose, and
began to pass rapidly to the south. About midnight we passed Soor,
the ancient Tyre: we were thus unable to see it. It would have been
pleasant to have seen it from the sea, and to have been able to
make some observations on the plains and mountains, by which it is
surrounded on the land side. We passed Acre too early, and at too
great a distance to see it distinctly. It has a wide plain to the
east, and a little to the south-east the great plain of Esdralon
extends from the Mediterranean to the sea of Tiberias. Having a most
favourable wind, we passed on at a great rate, and just as the sun
rose we passed the north end of Mount Carmel. It is a mountain, or
hill as we should call it, a straight and regular ridge, eight or
ten miles long, running north and south; on the top and side next
us, almost wholly destitute of trees, and without cultivation. It
has very little rock on the surface except near the north end--much
less than Lebanon, and appears favourable for cultivation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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