Letters from the Holy LandButler, Elizabeth (Elizabeth Southerden Thompson)
Religion
Letters from the Holy Land
Butler, Elizabeth (Elizabeth Southerden Thompson)
Palestine -- Description and travel
that we were nearing our camp. That signal is the dashing forward of
Isaac at full gallop and the pushing forward of the "flying column" (the
man on the chestnut horse with the bags), whose place is at other times
in the rear. The staff in camp being warned by these cavaliers of our
approach tea is got ready, and very welcome it is on our arrival. W. was
on ahead as we scrambled up a higher hill than ever, and when I saw him
wave his helmet to cheer me on for a final spurt I knew rest was close
at hand. Our camp looked very lovely just at sunset on a plateau
overlooking the hills and valleys of green Samaria and the far-off
mountain-tops of Galilee! The moon shone brightly and the air felt quite
frosty as we went to rest. I always take a little meditative walk before
going to bed, a sweet ten minutes each evening. The hurried start in the
morning and the rough riding all day leave one little time for quiet
thought, and at our mid-day halts, when circumstances permit, I sketch
with concentrated intensity against time.
_Saturday, 18th April._
To-day was breezy and the country less stony. Waving corn as in
Philistia refreshes the eye. We are now in the goodly land of Ephraim,
which deepens in richness as we advance. We passed through Shiloh, where
the Ark of the Covenant rested so long, and the little Samuel heard the
call of God. The place is marked by some old ruins--Roman or Crusader?
and a forlorn dead tree lies athwart them. A glorious cultivated plain
opened out before we reached our halting-place, Jacob's Well. How I had
longed to see this well, where Our Lord conversed with the Samaritan
woman. But I was disappointed at being unable to make the sketch of it I
hoped for so much. The well is about five feet below the surface of a
mass of ruins. An early Christian chapel once enclosed it, but this has
fallen in and all but buried the well. But you can imagine one's
feelings as one rests one's hand on its edge and realises that Our
Saviour sat there as He spoke to the woman who had come to draw water.
You remember that it was at this well that He told His disciples to look
up at the fields "already white unto harvest." There they are, those
fields, filling the valley of Sychar. But you cannot see them from the
well now, in the pit enclosed by ruins, nor the town to which the
disciples went "to buy meats," nor even the two great mountains of Ebal
and Gerizim that rise so high quite close by.
This well is like the Cave of Machpelah,--accepted by all as authentic
beyond question.
I cantered my horse all the way up to our camp, high up in an olive-wood
on the other side of the town, for I must say I was longing to get the
ride over and have a good rest. But Society duties awaited me! The
ministers of various denominations came to call on us, and when later on
the Catholic priest (an Italian) honoured us with a visit I was called
upon to take over Isaac's duties as interpreter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account