WITH THE TURKS IN PALESTINE BY ALEXANDER AARONSOHN [ILLUSTRATION: DJEMAL PASHA] 1916 TO MY MOTHER WHO LIVED AND FOUGHT AND DIED FOR A REGENERATED PALESTINE _What have I done, or tried, or said In thanks to that dear woman dead_? MASEFIELD ACKNOWLEDGMENT To the editors of the _Atlantic Monthly_, to the publishers, and to the many friends who have encouraged me, I am and shall ever remain grateful CONTENTS INTRODUCTION I. ZICRON-JACOB II. PRESSED INTO THE SERVICE III. THE GERMAN PROPAGANDA IV. ROAD-MAKING AND DISCHARGE V. THE HIDDEN ARMS VI. THE SUEZ CAMPAIGN VII. FIGHTING THE LOCUSTS VIII. THE LEBANON IX. A ROBBER BARON OF PALESTINE X. A RASH ADVENTURE XI. ESCAPE ILLUSTRATIONS DJEMAL PASHA _Photograph by Underwood & Underwood_ SAFFÊD _Photograph by Underwood & Underwood_ THE AUTHOR ON HIS HORSE KOCHBA _Photograph by Mr. Julius Rosenwald, of Chicago, in March, 1911_ SOLDIERS' TENTS IN SAMARIA NAZARETH, FROM THE NORTHEAST _Photograph by Underwood & Underwood_ HOUSE OF THE AUTHOR'S FATHER, EPHRAIM FISHL AARONSOHN, IN ZICRON-JACOB IN A NATIVE CAFÉ, SAFFÊD _Photograph by Mr. Julius Rosenwald_ A LEMONADE-SELLER OF DAMASCUS _Photograph by Mr. Julius Rosenwald_ RAILROAD STATION SCENE BETWEEN HAIFA AND DAMASCUS _Photograph by Mr. Julius Rosenwald_ CAMELS BRINGING IN NEWLY CUT TREES, DAMASCUS _Photograph by Mr. Julius Rosenwald_ THE CHRISTIAN TOWN OF ZAHLEH IN THE LEBANON _Photograph by Underwood & Underwood_ HAIFA _Photograph by Underwood & Underwood_ HAIFA AND THE BAY OF AKKA. LOOKING EAST FROM MOUNT CARMEL _Photograph by Underwood & Underwood_ THE BAZAAR OF JAFFA ON A MARKET DAY _Photograph by Underwood & Underwood_ STORMY SEA BREAKING OVER ROCKS OFF JAFFA _Photograph by Underwood & Underwood_ THE AUTHOR'S SISTER ON HER HORSE TAYAR _Photograph by Mr. Julius Rosenwald in March, 1914_ BEIRUT, FROM THE DECK OF AN OUTGOING STEAMER _Photograph by Underwood & Underwood_ INTRODUCTION While Belgium is bleeding and hoping, while Poland suffers and dreams of liberation, while Serbia is waiting for redemption, there is a little country the soul of which is torn to pieces--a little country that is so remote, so remote that her ardent sighs cannot be heard. It is the country of perpetual sacrifice, the country that saw Abraham build the altar upon which he was ready to immolate his only son, the country that Moses saw from a distance, stretching in beauty and loveliness,--a land of promise never to be attained,--the country that gave the world its symbols of soul and spirit. Palestine! No war correspondents, no Red Cross or relief committees have gone to Palestine, because no actual fighting has taken place there, and yet hundreds of thousands are suffering there that worst of agonies, the agony of the spirit.