The holy land! What profound and thrilling associations do
these words awaken! The tender memories of childhood rustle like
the moving of angel wings – the hallowed lessons received from
parental lips and earliest teachers loved and revered, but now at rest,
are revived – with many a wondrous story of Patriarch, prophet
and the blessed Land of Life and Glory. And now as the land
of Egypt recedes while the steamer sails out of the harbor of Al-
exandria, I am pleasantly and strangely impressed with the
nearness of that wonderful territory around which so many interests
cluster, and where I have so often been in thought, imagination
and sacred revery. O Land of Promise! I have heard of the
With the hearing of the ear, but now, by the favor of Providence,
mine eyes shall soon see the, and long visions shall
be realized.
On the second morning, March 15th, our steamer anchored off
the ancient city of Jeppen – now commonly called Jaffa – and the
Coast of Palestine was in view.
About sunrise we were ready to debark; and I was now for the first
time to plant my feet on the soil of the Holy Land. The little
boats that took us ashore glided along between the rocks to greet the
city coming down to the water’s edge. Situated compactly on a conical
or rounded hill, it has a fine appearance, as you see almost the whole
city at a glance, as you approach it from the west or north west. Its
grayish brown stone or plastered buildings rise picturesquely one alone
another, till an old castle like edifice sits like a crown at the top.
But distance lends enchantment to the view. Enter, and you find
it like other Oriental towns. The houses are huddled together in
strange confusion, as if the builders cared nothing for coonliness or
convenience. The streets are narrow, crooked, and filthy; and
as we wound up a fronthine alley to our hotel, we passed a mul-
titude of horses, camels and donkeys, waiting to carry away pilgrims
or goods. Indications of considerable thrift and business and
not wanting. Persons are moving about, hearing burdens on
their heads; and I noticed that the people are of a lighter