THE HOLY "Those holy fields, Over whose acres walked those blessed feet, KING HENRY, IV. "Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation, Our holy and our beautiful house, Where our fathers praised thee, Is burned up with fire; And all our pleasant things are laid waste." BIBLE. THE HOLY LAND. CHAPTER I. DEPARTURE FROM EGYPT-VOYAGE FROM ALEXANDRIA TO JAFFARIDE FROM JAFFA TO JERUSALEM. CAIRO, EGYPT, March 15, 1861. In our work on Egypt and Sinai, we have taken the reader to some of the most interesting localities of Lower Egypt; have looked upon its remaining monuments, and reflected among its ruins. We have also taken him through the dreary desert of Sinai, and stood with him amid the sublime scenery of the Mount of the Law. These rambles have been full of interest, and many an instructive voice have we heard, impressing upon us lessons not soon to be forgotten. We are now to resume our travels, and make the tour of the Holy Land. The Holy Land! How the heart beats high with expectation at the very thought! A land dear to the Jew, and the very mention of which kindles the devout emotions of every Christian heart! As I have before stated, I met in this place two American gentlemen, with whom I made arrangements to make the tour of Palestine with me. Our preparations were soon completed, and on the 15th of March we bade adieu to Grand Cairo. A ride of one hundred and thirty miles on the Viceroy's fine railroad brought us to Alexandria. This journey can be made for about nine dollars and a half, five dollars or two dollars, according to the class of cars selected. Time, about six hours. Saturday was spent mostly in business arrangements preparatory to our departure. In getting drafts on London cashed here, in British or French gold, we found the rate of exchange and commission about four per cent. against us. In Cairo, it was about the same. We called on the American Consul and had our passport recognized, though a vise for Syria is not necessary here, if one has been procured in England or FranceEgypt and Syria being under the same government. Our consul here assured us it was necessary, and took from us a fee for doing it, but we found no use for it. Our passports were not called for in any port or city in Syria; and after leaving Alexandria, we had no call for them by any government official till we reached Smyrna, in Turkey. SUNDAY-SCHOOL IN ALEXANDRIA. In the evening we called upon the American Missionaries of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. The mission is in charge of a Rev. Mr. Hoge and his lady, of Scotland. A Miss Dale, of Philadelphia, and a Miss McCullouch, of Ohio, are assistants. We had an interesting interview with them, and on Sabbath morning accompanied them to their Sabbath school. After wending our way through many of the narrow lanes of the city, and in the thickest portions of it, we were taken to one of those strange looking eastern houses, which I cannot describe, and up two pairs of stairs to the school room. Here we found about fifty children, a large proportion of them girls, neatly clad, looking sprightly and intelligent, listening with apparent interest to the instruction given. They were all shades of color, and the representatives of several different nations-native Egyptians, Copts, Jews, Italians, French, Syrians, Maltese, etc. Some of them, the teacher informed me, could speak several different languages, and some of them could write the Lord's prayer in four different languages. I was much interested in two Syrian young ladies, assistant teachers, from Damascus. They had lost their mother by death, and their father was killed in the recent massacre of the Christians in Syria. They were accompanied by two little brothers, who, with them, had escaped, and had been driven to this place for protection. Their story was a sad one, and touched the sympathies of my heart, but I rejoiced in the thought that in Jesus they had found a friend dearer than any earthly one, and in God a father, who has given his special pledge to provide for |