_Venice.—A Gondola.—The Pigeons.—Trieste.—Piræus.—Athens.—Paul and
Mars’ Hill.—Sickness.—From Athens to Smyrna.—Man Overboard.—A Lesson
of Unselfishness.—Smyrna.—A Cruel Father.—Ephesus.—Paul’s Missionary
Journey.—The Vesta.—Beyrut.—Jaffa Landing._
You may go with me, in your mind, to Venice, a city in Italy, where we
found ourselves very early one winter morning. Day had not yet dawned,
and darkness reigned supreme. Lamps were burning inside of the depot,
giving just light enough for passengers to see every object plainly.
At the foot of a flight of steps not far away stood two men, and as we
were in search of a hotel porter we immediately walked toward them. Upon
their cap-band, in large letters, was the name of the hotel we desired
going to, and without speaking one word our traveling bags were taken
and placed in a small boat, and we followed after, taking a seat near by
them. We were strangers, ignorant of the language, cold and tired.
The boatmen dipped their oars with a splash, and in the mean time talked
loudly to each other. The townspeople, no doubt, were in bed asleep, for
not a sound but that of our boatmen was heard, and no lights were seen,
excepting the lights which marked the corners. The distance seemed
great, for we paddled up one canal and down another, until we knew not
where the starting point was, and had no idea where the men were taking
us.
Venice was the strangest city we had ever visited. Front doorsteps
extended out into the water, and boatmen pulled up alongside of them
with their little gondolas. A large door showed us the entrance to the
hotel; but it was closed, and with a great deal of energy our fist came
down against it. After patiently waiting, admittance was gained, for a
winking, blinking-eyed servant, with hair standing straight up over his
head, had heard the noise and appeared to find out the cause. In one
hand he held a candle, and with the other kept tight hold of the door.
At first thought an entrance seemed out of the question; but after his
eyes were opened more widely he saw better and knew we were guests of the
hotel; so forthwith the door opened and we passed into the hall, where a
man who was not dazed took charge of us and we were glad to be taken to
our room, where in a short time after we were warmly covered up in bed.
Our journey had been long and tiresome, and the next morning found us
still tired and not willing to rise early.
Venice was the meeting point for us, as a party of tourists, and from
there we were to go on to Jerusalem together. We were ahead of time, so
decided to go sightseeing by ourselves; and an enjoyable time was had
going from one point to another.
History tells us much about the city I’m writing about, but time and
space will not allow me to repeat it to you. I will, however, tell you
that Venice is said to stand on one hundred and seventeen islands. There
are one hundred and fifty canals, and those canals are spanned by three
hundred and eighty bridges. There are a few narrow streets where people
can walk, and when standing in the middle of one with arms outstretched,
the walls of the houses on either side can easily be touched. There are
also a few streets a little wider than the first named, but I must say
only a very few.
Horses and wagons are never seen in the city, and the people who never
go from home do not know what a horse looks like. Do you wonder how the
people get along without horses and wagons? Well, they use little boats
called gondolas. A gondola is long and narrow, with a flat bottom. One
man rows it, using one oar, and always standing at the stern of his boat.
He is called a gondolier. It is very interesting to watch the gondolier
as he guides the little boat, turning corners as swiftly as a driver
turns a street corner with horse and buggy, never once running into an
object.
Notes of warning are called out continually as they glide along, and
you are impressed with the thought of their carefulness. We hired a
gondola for three hours, and did not get out of it during that time. The
gondolier did not understand a word of English, so we could not talk to
him; but we knew well enough what he meant when he stopped every once in
a while. We shook our heads, No, no, and motioned for him to go on, when
reluctantly he moved forward. You see Italians like strong drink, and he
always pulled up in front of a saloon. When he could stand it no longer
he did as he pleased and stopped for the drink, leaving us seated quietly
in the boat.
Gondolas are all painted black, and most of them have cabins which serve
to shield the passenger from sun or rain. They are very comfortable boats
to ride in, and one does not get tired of skimming over the water. There
is one canal larger than any of the rest, which is known as the Grand
Canal. The water in it is deep enough to float large sized vessels, and
many of them stop there to load and unload freight, and also to take on
passengers for other ports. The water was perfectly calm, and our ride
was interesting and enjoyable.
Venice is a very interesting city to visit, for there are many public
buildings, such as the arsenal, which contains a museum of interesting
objects, and Saint Mark’s church. It alone would keep one occupied many
days if he examined closely every object of interest in it; for it was
constructed of the spoils of many buildings in almost every country in
the far East. It has marble columns and panels dating back to the fourth
century. It has been said that “St. Mark’s body was brought to Venice
secretly, from Alexandria, and placed in a vault in the chapel.” We do
not know how much truth there is in the guide’s story; but, be that as
it may, the church is a wonderful structure, and its panels, columns and
mosaics are well worth examining.
Hundreds of pigeons have their nests in the cornice of St. Mark’s, and
no one dare drive them away. They ruin the beautiful molding, and one
cannot help but wish it were different. The pigeons are quite tame, for
they come down and sit upon the head, shoulders and hands of any one
who will feed them. Some one bequeathed a certain sum of money for the
feeding of the pigeons, and for years and years feed has been furnished
them from the interest money. I am very fond of pets; so it pleased me
greatly to see them come down by the hundreds for the food which was
thrown them.
The streets were usually crowded with a set of lazy looking people,
and we had a good chance to see them as we walked up one street and
down another. There were many little shops where cooked victuals were
on sale; in the windows could be seen crisp fried fish, and at the
doors were large iron kettles filled with steaming hot boiled potatoes.
Those articles were sold at reasonable prices, and I’m sure it was
a convenience for the class of people who were too lazy to cook for
themselves. The Italians are said to be a dirty set of people, and I am
made to believe there is a good deal of truth in that saying.
By the time our party was ready to leave Venice we felt quite well
acquainted with every street and canal, and to this day we look back with
pleasure to the time when we visited the city of one hundred and fifty
canals.
Our mind is now turned toward Athens, a city in Greece. Once again
passage on a steamer was taken, for it proved to be the only way by which
we were able to reach that place. There were seven of us now, and the
personal conductor besides; yet not any of us had ever met before.
Trieste is an Austrian seaport town, and from there we sailed. The sea
was as calm as a river, and sailing was delightful. Our first stopping
place was at the Island of Corfu, where the anchor was cast and four
hours spent in waiting for passengers. The whole company desired to go
ashore, and after making proper arrangements with the boatmen were taken
to land, where carriages were procured and a long drive in the country
taken.
Oranges were plentiful in that country and little boys ran after the
carriages just as fast as they could, wanting to sell their fruit. The
party bought as many oranges as they desired, thinking the little fellows
would discontinue the chase; but we were mistaken, for they followed on
for miles, proving to be little nuisances.
Sea voyages are very tiresome, so the change was enjoyed by all, and the
time spent on the steamer did not seem so long after the ride.
Piræus is the port of Athens, and is six miles from the city. Carriages
had been ordered ahead, and we found them waiting at the landing. It took
but a few minutes to settle ourselves in them, and we found the ride over
the clean, broad, shaded road more agreeable than the rocking motion of
a steamship. By this time you must surely know I am a lover of land, and
prefer it to water. Reaching the city in an hour after, we were driven
to a hotel on one of the principal streets.
The hotel was new, and the appearance pleasing. Many guests were there
from different parts of the world, and every one seemed intent on
seeing the sights of Athens. Very little time was spent in resting, for
there was too much to be seen to spend time idly. Just in front of our
hotel was the great public square, and at stated times the band played,
bringing together crowds of people. Across the square from the hotel was
the royal palace, built of beautiful white marble, and surrounding it
were the palace gardens.
The language and customs of the people were different from those of other
countries, and a guide was hired to take the entire party to places
of interest as well as to talk for them. Each person was therefore
privileged to ask questions, which he answered according to his best
knowledge. The climate was mild, quite like that of Italy, and the
exercise which walking gave kept us as warm as at home in the months of
July and August.
Athens is not a city I should desire to have as a permanent place of
residence, and we did not go there expecting to select a home; but we
went to visit the city where years and years ago a great man introduced
the Gospel. He was “of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin,
a Hebrew of the Hebrews.” Who was that man? Ah, Paul! Yes, you think
rightly; but he was not always a Christian; no; he persecuted them at
one time, for you know he stood by and watched the stoning of Stephen,
that faithful Christian man. If he had been a follower of Christ, such
cruelty would not have been countenanced. Shortly after the stoning of
Stephen the Lord called Paul, he was converted, and his boldness for the
new cause was marvelous. Paul was an educated man, and able to talk to
learned men wherever he went; and there was no end of Christian work for
him to do.
The people in those times had kings to rule over them; so when Paul came
around and told them of a person who was greater than their king, “one
Jesus,” it troubled them greatly. They were so enraged when Paul told
about Jesus that it was feared the people would take his life. So he was
sent away by night, and the place they took him to was Athens, the very
city I’ve been writing about.
In Paul’s time Athens was known all over the world as a city of great
learning and one that paid great attention to the worship of the gods. In
every direction could be seen temples, altars and other sacred buildings.
Mars’ Hill is the place where the learned men took Paul, “saying, May we
know what this new doctrine whereof thou speakest is? Then Paul stood in
the midst of Mars’ Hill and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in
all things ye are too superstitious.” He had no fear of man, but gave
them the truth without one bit of polishing. We stood on Mars’ Hill, and
called to mind the time when this great man was there preaching to the
pleasure-loving, idol-worshiping Athenians. All around us were the ruins
of the great temples of the time of Paul.
[Illustration: _Mars’ Hill._]
Paul left Athens after this, and since then his great sermon has been
read and reread; and these days many people turn to Christ through his
wonderful preaching. Children, do you love the meek and lowly Jesus of
whom Paul spoke? Think of it, my little readers, and may the Lord help
you to be little workers for him.
All was not pleasure and joy while in Athens. Sickness comes to us
whether at home or abroad, and many sad hours were spent at the bedside
of the one who is very dear to me. The fever, which is so common in that
country, fastened itself upon him, and the outlook seemed sad indeed
to me. Many were the tears shed, and many were the prayers sent to the
Father above, from the heart which seemed too heavy to perform its
function; but the dear Father heard the prayers, and it was his will
to raise the stricken one, so that the journey might be completed; and
to-day we bless his name.
The time had come for us to leave Athens, and we were all taken back to
Piræus, where we took ship for Smyrna. Three hundred miles were to be
traveled on this trip, and then another rest. The wind blew quite hard
at the start of the journey, and a rough voyage seemed to be in store
for us; but we decided bad weather could be endured a couple of days,
for soon rest would come. The wind had a splendid chance to blow, and
after getting out into the open sea our little ship rolled and rolled,
more than was agreeable to the poor creatures who were inclined to
seasickness, and no doubt they wished for land; but the seasickness
passed off after a while, and then the hollow-eyed people came forth
from their staterooms to see whatever was to be seen along the way.
We passed an island and a city called Chios. Do you remember that Paul,
on his journey, passed this very same island too? He did not stop there,
because he was very anxious to reach Jerusalem by the day of Pentecost.
Well, we did not stop either; our plans were to go right on, as we were
on our way to Jerusalem too.
Sitting on deck was more agreeable to the passengers than remaining in
the stateroom, so almost all of the time was spent on deck, even when the
wind blew hard. One grew tired sitting all the time, so by way of change
we walked back and forth. One time when we were sitting quietly a scream
for help was heard; quickly every one of us rushed to the side of the
ship, and there in the water below was a man. A sailor had been furling
a sail—rolling it up—when, without a moment’s warning, a strong gust of
wind took him out to sea.
Life-buoys were fastened here and there along the railing of the ship,
placed there to be used in case of necessity; that time had come, and
quick as thought my husband cut the cords that bound one and immediately
threw it far out in the water—toward the unfortunate man. By this time
the excitement on board the ship was great. Other passengers cut loose
life-buoys, and, strange to say, threw them out in quite a different
direction from that in which the poor fellow was. The first buoy,
however, was carried by a wave to the man. Almost breathless we stood
watching him as he reached out and grasped the canvas-covered coil of
cork. When his arm and head had been placed through it our breath came
easier, for there was a possibility now of his being saved.
The steamer was stopped as soon as possible, and the anchor cast out to
steady her, but by that time the man was far away, and he looked like a
mere black speck in the distance. The captain stood by the railing of the
ship, and in loud tones called to the unfortunate man to be brave and
hold up, for soon help would come to him.
Three brave sailors manned one of the ship’s boats, and when it was
lowered faithfully and diligently rowed toward the dark speck in the
distance. Everybody on that steamer watched the men, as nearer and nearer
they drew to the object. What if he should drown? Just at that moment
the unfortunate one was reached, then taken into the boat, and their
faces soon after were turned shipward. Every dip of the oars brought
them closer and closer to the ship, and oh how glad we were when at last
their voices were heard near by. Steps were lowered, but the sea was so
wild that every time the little boat came alongside of them a wave dashed
it away. Finally they were successful, and soon after the dripping wet
sailor stood before us.
The sailors who had gone to his rescue had great difficulty to get aboard
the ship, and at times it seemed as though their little boat would surely
be dashed to pieces. The sailor whose life had just been saved saw the
perilous condition of his comrades and made a move to go to help them,
but the captain seeing this in stern tones ordered him to go to his
quarters. The man obeyed, but very reluctantly. The rest of the men came
aboard shortly afterward, and once more quiet reigned.
I think I shall never forget with what sorrow we watched the poor fellow
in the angry deep. His black hair and white face are still in my mind as
we saw him floating along in the water, and his cry of distress still
rings in my ears while I am writing this to you.
The language of the wet sailor was strange to us, and yet I knew he
was unselfish. How did I know it? Because he had a desire to help his
comrades when he in turn saw them in peril. A bruised body and dripping
wet clothes were no hindrance to him; all was cast aside, and self was
out of the question.
My little readers, can you not learn one good lesson from the conduct of
the poor, half drowned sailor on the Mediterranean Sea? Yes, I believe
you can. What is it? That of unselfishness. Help those who help you. Is
that enough? No; no; go still farther; help those who are in distress,
no matter whether they ever did a favor for you or not. Remember that
deeds of kindness are never forgotten. Don’t do acts of kindness for
the reward; but because there is much love in your hearts for humanity.
Cultivate a kindly disposition while young; and, believe me, you will be
happier for it in after years.
Smyrna was reached at last, and just as the steamer reached the landing a
large caravan of camels, about seventy in number, put in an appearance.
A donkey with a man upon his back led the caravan, and they were all
joined together with a rope, the leader holding tight to one end of
it. They moved along slowly in single file, looking quite awkward with
the heavy burdens upon their backs. Camels are said to be patient and
enduring. In case of a scarcity of water they are able to go without it
for from eight to ten days. Horses and donkeys could not endure crossing
the desert, but camels can, because their feet are cushion like, and
therefore enlarge when placed upon the ground, making traveling easier
for them when going through the sandy soil.
Smyrna is one of the cities which was spoken of in the Book of
Revelation, and there one of the Seven Churches of Asia was located. A
busy crowd of people were upon the streets, and in almost every direction
dogs were seen in every attitude. One of the distressing things to me
was the abundance of fleas which hopped upon us, biting as they went. We
desired to keep away from dogs, but their home had been in Smyrna long
enough to have the city well stocked with the little pests, and strangers
were not long in finding it out, for, whether near by or far away from a
dog, you were sure to be pestered.
The streets of Smyrna are narrow and dirty, with pools of
disease-breeding water standing here and there upon them. The houses are
not very large, and from the outside have an uninviting appearance. The
dress of the people seemed odd, and indeed so did everything we looked at.
In walking over the city we saw many Mohammedan mosques, and near them
was a tall, slender tower from which a priest called the hour of prayer.
Now those towers are called minarets, and the priest is a muezzin.
“Allah-el-Allah” is called in loud tones, and all the faithful ones bow
down and pray; no matter whether they are buying a bill of goods or on
their way to the mosque. We have seen them upon their knees on board of
steamers, and they seemed not one bit afraid of attracting the attention
of the tourists who stood looking on. Do you believe those people pray to
be seen of men? We wondered about it, and since we have no right to judge
we leave the matter with them.
Writing about Mohammedans brings to mind an incident which will no doubt
interest you. On board the steamer was an ugly old man who had two wives
and several children with him. They did not occupy staterooms, but took
up their abode upon the deck, and were known as deck passengers. The
women did not sit upon chairs, as did the rest of us, but flat upon the
floor. As a shelter from the wind and the glances of the passengers an
umbrella was used. We tried hard to peep under the covering to get a
glimpse of the women’s faces, but that privilege was never granted us,
for the umbrella was sure to come between us. The old man walked back and
forth for exercise, and the children ran to and fro before us; but the
women never stirred from their first sitting place.
The wind blew very hard and the air was quite chilly even to those of us
who were warmly clad. The children wore neither shoes nor stockings, and
their clothing was of the thinnest kind of cloth. Their feet were pink
with cold, and they had a season of crying as a result. The father was
displeased, and raising a heavy stick which he carried let it come down
upon the cold feet and ankles of the children. What a cruel act! And of
course that kind of treatment brought forth cries louder than ever. In
angry tones he scolded in a language we did not know, and quiet reigned
when the sobbing little ones were taken under the umbrella with the women.
A guide accompanied us everywhere we went and talked for us, and as a
party we kept him busy.
One beautiful, clear day we all went to Ephesus, another noted place of
Bible times. The city once had a port and landing place for vessels,
and its location at one time was such as to command great commerce; but
these days the city is gone, and no port is to be seen; instead there are
marshes which breed fever and disease, and every one who visits there
fears to remain long lest the disease germ be taken into the system.
The people of Ephesus were given to the worship of idols, and not far
from there was a temple called “the temple of Diana.” Now Diana was a
goddess, and the people thought she had come down from heaven; and they
imagined she had the power to watch over all of their streams, and their
wealth too. Well, in this temple were many beautiful things, for the
wealthy people had beautiful gold and silver images made and placed there
in honor of the great goddess, “whom all Asia and the world worshipeth.”
Each year there was a great display made of the images, for they were
carried in a procession so that everybody could see them. The making of
shrines and images became a great business, and many people were engaged
in the work, and they grew rich from the proceeds. Paul was a missionary
in the true sense. He never failed to tell the people wherever he went to
believe on the Lord. You know from Athens he went to Corinth, and from
there to the city I have been telling you about.
We read that he found disciples at this place and that he began asking
them questions. He said to them, “Have ye received the Holy Ghost since
ye believed?” And they told Paul that they had never heard of such a
thing before. Immediately Paul told them they should believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ. Quite willing were they to accept what Paul had told them,
and after that were baptized. Then Paul laid his hands upon them, and
about twelve disciples—quite a body of workers for the Lord—received the
Holy Ghost, and after this they talked and prophesied.
The city was full of wickedness, so there was a splendid chance for
Paul and the disciples to work; and very earnestly and faithfully they
did work. When Paul began to preach the image-makers became alarmed; so
much so that there was a great stir among them. A man by the name of
Demetrius, who was a silversmith, became very angry. He called together
the other workmen and sympathizers, and they, too, were angry. There
was a wonderful time, “and the whole city was filled with confusion.”
They were not quieted until the town clerk talked to them. Don’t you
think there must have been a great time in Ephesus then? And don’t you
think Paul was a wonderful man to stay two years in a city like that,
persuading the people to turn from their idols? For “all that dwelt in
Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.” Yes, he was
a powerful preacher, and the Word of God grew and prevailed because of
Paul’s preaching.
The Lord does not countenance wickedness; so there came an end to the
prosperity of Ephesus. Years and years ago the city and temple were
destroyed; after which they were never rebuilt. Their ruins were covered
up with mud and dirt for years, and so completely were they covered that
no one knew exactly where their location was.
About twenty-four years ago a gentleman by the name of Wood hunted and
dug until he found the ruins; then he worked faithfully until the temple
of Diana was excavated. Now visitors have the pleasure of standing on the
marble floors of the “temple of Diana of the Ephesians.”
Instead of Ephesus, there stands a dirty little village called Ayasalouk,
and here and there in the village can be seen marble columns and other
pieces of fine marble taken from the once beautiful temple. The trip was
an interesting one to us, because we knew that at one time Paul was in
this very same country, and perhaps stood right where we stood.
Our stay at this place was not very long, for it was near train time, and
we were compelled to go with the rest of our company. We tramped over the
hills and among the ruins of Ephesus until we had gone eight miles. We
were tired, and rest was welcome. A little before dark we were safe in
Smyrna again, ready for a warm meal and a good rest.
Soon after this we left Smyrna for Jaffa. This time we had a distance of
perhaps eight hundred miles to travel, and the voyage took five days.
Many times we wished more of our traveling could have been upon land, and
yet, when we think of it, many pleasant days were spent upon the sea,
even though it was rough and stormy at times.
Our company consisted of Americans and English people, some from our own
State,—Illinois,—some from New York. I must say that the most agreeable
people of the company were Americans.
We took passage on the steamer Vesta, and Smyrna was left behind; we were
started on our five days’ journey to Jaffa. The voyage was pleasant and
the scenery varied, for we passed many islands. Our boat stopped a short
time at the Island of Cyprus, another one of Paul’s missionary points and
also the native place of Barnabas, who, having heard the bold speeches of
Peter and John, sold his land “and brought the money, and laid it at the
apostles’ feet.” Barnabas is frequently spoken of in the New Testament,
for he was a good man and “full of the Holy Ghost and of faith;” and he,
with Paul, made many missionary tours through this same Island of Cyprus.
About three hundred Greek and Armenian pilgrims wanted to be taken aboard
at this place; but there were too many of them, the captain thought, so
he took some and left the rest to wait for another ship. They made so
much noise we felt almost sure there was some disturbance brewing; but it
proved to be only their earnest way of talking, for they seemed peaceable
enough.
Each year hundreds of them make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem; they go there
to enjoy the Easter ceremonies. Many of them walk from Jaffa to Jerusalem
with pebbles in their shoes, or bare-foot. If some great sin has been
committed, they take upon themselves some torture which may bring about
suffering to the flesh.
The Vesta carried passengers who came from many parts of the
world,—merchants, tourists and pilgrims,—some on their way to Jerusalem,
others to Damascus, and still others to Egypt. There were ever so many
Turks on board, and right outside of our stateroom were a number of
Turkish women and children. There was a sofa in our stateroom by the
window, and I often sat there listening to their strange language. I
tried hard to see their faces, but that seemed out of the question, for
the women were veiled, which is a custom among them. Occasionally the
veil was thrown back, but just as soon as there was the least suspicion
of any one looking at them it was hurriedly pulled down. The women who
are seen with uncovered faces are considered bold.
The women and children were deck passengers, and during the trip stayed
there close by my window. They had plenty of bedding which was very clean
and nice looking. At night they slept upon it, and in the daytime used
it to sit upon. The men kept baskets well filled with the finest of
oranges, and no doubt there were plenty of good things besides for them
to eat. The women wore large earrings in their ears, and the prevailing
fashion among them was to stain the fingernails black; and thinking to
add to their looks they put a streak of black under the lower eyelid.
One of the Turks had several women under his care, and among the number
was a young girl whose father and mother were dead. She did not want to
leave her home in Constantinople, but the man who had her in charge took
her regardless of her wishes. This man was an uncle to the girl, and
therefore had a right to do as he pleased; but it so happened that she
never reached Damascus, the place aimed for.
There was great confusion among the Turkish women one night, and
everybody on board the Vesta was aroused from slumber. Overhead there was
an unusual amount of walking and talking, and above all could be heard
the stern voice of the captain. We were very sure something had gone
wrong, for the confusion lasted several hours and the captain seemed to
have great trouble in quieting the people. After a while they settled
down and we fell asleep. The next morning we learned that the young girl
had disappeared during the night. All search seemed in vain, and after
finding her clothing upon deck they concluded she had jumped overboard.
Surely her Damascus trip was ended, and sad indeed must have been the
heart of the poor, motherless girl who found a resting place in the
Mediterranean Sea. That event brought sadness to our hearts, and yet we
had a strong desire to know more of the life of the poor Turkish maiden;
but there was no need of dwelling longer on this subject, and therefore
we cast it aside for more cheerful thoughts.
[Illustration: _Woman with Veiled Face._]
The weather was fine almost all of the trip, and much time was spent on
deck watching the waves chase each other as we dashed along. Watching
waves seemed like a trivial thing to do, but when passengers must depend
upon themselves for amusement they are often intensely interested by the
very smallest thing, especially when nothing is seen but sky and water
for miles and miles and miles.
There are few secure harbors along the Mediterranean. Vessels always
cast anchor out from shore from half a mile to a mile, and passengers
as well as cargo must be taken ashore in small boats. If the sea should
be boisterous the vessels are compelled to lie by until a calm; then
discharge the cargo. That seemed to be our fate at Beyrut, for on
reaching the port there was a stiff breeze which resembled a gale; and
instead of stopping only a few hours we remained until the day following.
The heavy sea twisted the Vesta and caused her to drag the anchor a
little. We did not enjoy that part of it, for a restless, uneasy feeling
in our stomach made us think of seasickness, which came very near
following. Some passengers went ashore at Beyrut because it was the end
of their journey, and others went for a change of scene. As we were not
of the venturesome kind we decided to remain where we were until the next
stopping place was reached, and that would be Jaffa.
Jaffa seemed very far away when we first thought of taking a journey
through Palestine; but each day shortened the time until less than
twenty-four hours remained, and then the next thing we knew the city was
in view. The tourists commenced to talk about the dangerous landing and
wish it were over with; and we of course were among the number.
Almost every one going to Jerusalem goes to the port of Jaffa. It is a
very dangerous landing, because of its rocky coast. There are large,
black rocks extending far out in the sea, and when the waves run high
the little boats are dashed upon them, and all are lost. Sometimes ships
are obliged to go on to the next port without landing a passenger or
discharging the cargo.
There was so much noise and confusion at the landing, almost enough to
scare a timid person. Boatmen crowded around the passengers and shouted
at the top of their voices, each one trying to see how many passengers
he could get, just like the cabmen at depots in our cities. I kept away
from the noise as much as possible, and found a good hiding place in the
stateroom, where they were not allowed to go. There I stayed until almost
all the passengers had gone ashore.
There was a flight of steps on one side of the steamer, held in place
by ropes, and quite a thick rope was used for a railing. The steps were
used only by the passengers, and when needed no more by them were drawn
up and fastened to the side of the ship. Those steps were somewhat
shaky, for every time a person went down one step the whole flight
took to shaking. Oh, how it made me tremble! for it seemed as though it
were loose and would surely come down, and the passenger along with it.
Sometimes the little boat was at the foot of the steps (for I have told
you it was necessary to go ashore in small boats), and sometimes it was
far away from them; so there was a quick movement needed if you were to
be successful in getting in before a wave washed it away.
The boatmen are strong looking fellows, and the great sinews stand out
on their arms so plainly that every one can be counted if you desire to
do so. Their shirt sleeves were rolled up above the elbow, and no shoes
were upon their feet. To see them is to impress one with their strength.
One by one the gentlemen and ladies passed down the steps, each keeping
his feelings to himself. Our turn came, so with weak and trembling
knees we went down, keeping our eyes upon the boat which was tossing
and pitching at a rapid rate at the foot of the steps. It seemed almost
out of the question to step into it. Just as the attempt was to be made
one of the Arab boatmen took me, and without much of an effort seated
me in the little boat. The transfer was sudden, yet I shall always feel
grateful for the kind act. Very cautiously the men rowed, passing between
the rocks which were seen more plainly as we drew nearer and nearer the
shore. No wonder all passengers dread the Jaffa landing, and no wonder
many lives have been lost in landing when storms were raging.
Strong men are always glad when the ordeal of landing at Jaffa is over
with. Is it any wonder then that timid women rejoice over the fact that
there is only one Jaffa landing?
You can imagine we were rejoiced to be on solid ground again, and when
the guide took us to the hotel we retired to our room; and there on
bended knees we thanked our kind heavenly Father for his protecting care
over us. Our hearts were full of thankfulness, and tears of gratitude
filled our eyes. Though far, far from home, it was a pleasing thought to
feel that the Lord was with us all the way.
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