244

HOUSE OF ZACCHEUS.

themselves. The only city which would naturally be inquired after would be Jericho.

I have an impression that there were three Jerichos, from the ruins to be met with stretching along from the point of our exit from the mountains to a point on the north-west, at the Fountain of Elisha, which we shall visit. The Jericho of the time of Joshua was probably a small town, very near the Fountain of Elisha; and in order to a more satisfactory understanding, we now take a general view, and descend from our little tower, which is so sad a comment on the romance that lies couched in its name, "the Castle of Jericho." We would rather hide it under the less familiar term of Bordj-er-Riha, or Tower of Eriha. Perhaps we might be tempted to call it, with the tradition which even now obtains a hearing, "the House of Zaccheus," undoubtedly the same Zaccheus whose shortness of stature was made a blessing to him by attracting the attention of the Saviour, which resulted in that notable visit to his house. But, whether or not, the monks thought that so short a man, from the little they can gather as to his ambitious spirit, would have naturally built a tall house, it seems that the tradition carries us back no further than the fifteenth century, when (in 1479) it was first so called. Rahab's house, spoken of about the same time as somewhere nearer the fountain, has disappeared.

CHAPTER XXI.

RETURN FROM JORDAN-FOUNTAIN OF ELISHA-JERICHO -DOMESTIC LIFE-VISIT TO THE DEAD SEA.

DESCENDING, we remount our horses, and pass rapidly by the brush-heap walls of the town and by some tombs not far off. Little green and cheerful groups of trees appear at a distance, as far off as trees can easily be distinguished. After two miles' ride north-westerly, we arrive at the Ain es Sultan, the "Fountain of Elisha," so called from the supposition that this was the fountain, near Jericho, which the prophet, after losing his master, restored to its sweetness (2 Kings ii. 19, 22). There can be no reason to doubt that this is the spring which flowed into the city; for "Elisha went forth unto the spring of the waters,' and healed it, and caused even the land to become fruitful which before was barren; and the rich verdure which follows its outgoings, the delicate, fringe-like beauty of the branches and graceful tendrils, so soft and slender and varied, as they crowd together running their roots and fibres into the stream, adding to the music of its waters beauty of scenery, all attest the lasting power of those words of Elisha, "there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land," forming a beautiful commentary on the verses, "He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into water-springs. And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation" (Ps. cvii. 35-36). The spring is east of some mounds, which themselves are some minutes' walk from the foot of the bold cliffs of the mountain Kuruntal, or Quarantana ("forty"), by tradition the mountain of our

246

SUGAR-CANE CULTIVATED.

Saviour's forty days' temptation. At its head, it springs up in hundreds of little spots, each one of which throws up the sand. The water is quite clear and rather sweet, though at first taste slightly salt. These numerous little springs, in a wide basin, form, at the distance of one hundred or one hundred and fifty feet from the source, a stream two to three feet wide, with an average depth of about four inches, and running with a velocity and volume quite sufficient to turn a mill, though there are nothing but ruins of mills near at hand. The spring seems once to have been carefully surrounded by stones, bearing the marks of antiquity in the manner in which they have been cut. The temperature of the water is seventy degrees, though pleasant to drink; and there are little fish sporting in the waters, which reminds us of Elisha's healing words, "there shall not be from thence any more death." Ruins and fragments of pottery are seen not far from the spring. A few minutes toward the mountain are remains of buildings and mills, bearing the name of Tawahin-es-Sukkar, or sugar-mills." The ruins are massive, and were probably erected in the times of the Crusades; for a writer (William of Tyre), who was in 1174 made Bishop of Tyre, speaks of an abundance of the sugar-cane growing near and around Tyre and north of it, upon which the Crusaders refreshed themselves during their toils, and which yielded a juice called zucra (sugar), which at that time was unknown in Western Europe. And another writer (Jacob de Vitry), made Bishop of Akka about 1220, relates that, in his time, it was cultivated extensively in this region, and that the hermits here lived upon it, accounting it the honey of John the Baptist. The process is described by him by which the cane, compressed, gives out a juice exceedingly sweet (succo dulcissimo), which, after being reduced by heat, yields "a honey," and then the substance zucra (sugar). Hence the origin of the word; and the above-mentioned method is that pursued upon the sugar-plantations at the present day in America.

66

RUINS EVERYWHERE.

247

Riding south from the Ain es Sultan, along the base of the mountains, we continually pass ruins, loose rock, which increase very perceptibly near the Wady Kelt, where masses of confused ruins appear, walls and débris, fragmentary foundations, and pieces of reservoirs, one exceedingly extensive, south of the brook, and which we passed on our first approach to the plain. This is probably more than six hundred feet long, the depth being uncertain from the sediment. It was probably intended to catch the wintertorrent water for the purposes of summer irrigation. There is scarcely any definite limit to the ruins and rocks, none of which, as far as we could see, gave any idea of magnificence or architectural skill, though we looked even among the fragments used in more modern erections and taken as spoils from walls and masonry. Even on the way from Eriha to the fountain we passed evident foundations, and one plastered wall, a few inches above ground. Indeed, ruins are everywhere; and the impression haunts you, if you stop to entertain it a moment, that all Palestine is a weeping, mournful mass of ruins, solitary-nay, fearful.

There are scarcely any towns, or villages, or buildings, or khans, which do not speak of dismantled strength, faded glory, and fallen hopes. The curse, or prophecy, of the Saviour, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate,” is most emphatically, solemnly, morally, fulfilled. And often I am inclined to pass ruins without asking anything about them they are everywhere, everywhere. Not a day can you travel, though that day afford you but three hours' ride, without meeting ruins suggesting the saddening thought that the places which once knew inhabitants know them no more for ever; and it is often in vain even to guess at their ancient names and limits.

We now arrive at the brush gate of Eriha,-ever open, simply because there is nothing wherewith to shut it. Our horses are confined by cords to an iron spike driven into the ground, and we are introduced to our palace, with its mud surroundings. Finding it impossible to get inside

248

THE PHANTOMS OF JERICHO.

accommodations, we sit under our brush-formed festoons, through which the rain finds easy access to our baggage and to ourselves. But we have left our tents, and bargained to be satisfied with the best we could find at Jericho ; and, having long since become reconciled to anything an Arab can live in or on, we make the best of our accommodations.

We now survey the lodgings which are to be ours for to-night and to-morrow and the next day, and perhaps our head-quarters for some time. Our yard, or rather that portion of earth between our brush-heap and the next, is like all the rest of the town, and resembles more than anything else the barn-yard of a negligent farmer. We all wonder where the cattle can be whose former presence appears so positively indicated. But our master of ceremonies has already tumbled off our camp-stools and our little jointed table, and immediately prepares for our dinner, which, from some fatality, is never ready till near sunset. The entering herds now afford abundant answers to our previous question. Sheep with Roman noses and long, drooping ears, goats with a tame, woe-begone walk, which speaks of rocky travel and hard-earned meals, and other animals whose skeleton forms have hung thereon pliant hides, indicating, while they protect, their osteology most painfully, slowly gather in, and, like dirty phantoms, dissolve away here and there, disappearing behind the various corners, dirt-heaps, and crooks. Two or three, turning their pensive looks upon us, as if they pitied our outside misery, passed almost over our laps, and walked deliberately by us into the door-hole where were our host and his descendants; and there they apparently met a hearty welcome from old and young.

The people of Eriha are by character the worst class of Arabs, the smallest end" of their nation, morally and socially. They are the Ghawarineh* Arabs (or inhabit

*Pronounced Gaw-wa-ree-ney.