At the time of this writing there is a railroad extending from
Damascus to Mecca, but at the time of my visit the terminus was at
Mezarib, a small town about fifty miles south of Damascus, near
the northern boundary-line of Gilead. It was in my plan to travel
that distance by rail; hence my presence at the city railroad
station.
The ride to Mezarib, through Bashan, especially that part of it
now known as the Hauran, is one of more than ordinary interest.
For the first twenty-five miles the land is literally covered with
black basaltic rocks, as is also part of the remaining distance.
How it is cultivated I can scarcely understand, for I am sure that
the American horse could not be made to serve well here. But I was
told that the natives do cultivate it, and that they raise
excellent crops of grain. When I looked upon them at work with
their crude wooden plows and brush harrows, and then heard that
they raise excellent crops of grain, I was satisfied that the land
must be very fertile; and I was reminded of a certain humorist's
remark about the fertility of some land in Kansas, of which he
said, "All you need to do is to tickle the ground with a hoe, and
it will laugh with a big harvest." Farther on the rocks almost
entirely disappear, and there is spread out a beautiful valley,
extending far to the south, whose fertility and pasturage
attracted the Israelites on their march to Canaan, and which, ever
since, has caused the name "Bashan" to be a synonym for "plenty."
And, because of its abundant production of grain, which finds a
ready market in Damascus, it has been aptly called the "granary of
Damascus."
The manner in which this grain is put on the market is quite novel
to me. I see hundreds of camels loaded with large sacks of grain
moving with slow, swinging tread toward Damascus, or returning
unloaded to the desert. The camels proceed in single file, usually
ten or more in a train, and each is led by means of a rope
fastened to the animal next in front--the rope of the foremost of
all being fastened to the saddle of a donkey, on which the owner,
or driver, usually rides. Many grindstones also are shipped from
this country, one large stone constituting a load for a camel.
This land is, also a great grazing region, and for more than three
thousand years Bashan has been celebrated for its fine breed of
cattle.
Some distance south of Damascus I cross the headwaters of the
Pharpar River, whose clear, sparkling water Naaman considered much
more suitable for a general's bath than the muddy water of the
Jordan. At my place of crossing an athlete could clear the stream
at a single bound.
The distant scenery deserves more than a passing notice, though
but little more can be given here. Off to the west, in plain view,
is Mount Hermon, whose towering, snow-capped summit in all
probability looked upon the transfigured person of the Son of Man.
To the east is the Lejah, in, or near which is Edrei, where Og,
the giant king of Bashan, was slain in the attempt to hold his
realm against the home-seeking Israelites under the leadership of
Moses. South of the Lejah are the Hauran Mountains, now occupied
by the Druses, a people of a peculiar religious faith--a faith
which is a mixture of Mohammedan, Christian, and Zoroastrian
elements. One of their beliefs is that the number of souls in
existence never varies. "Accordingly, all the souls now in life
have lived in some human form since the creation, and will
continue to live till the final destruction of the world." To them
prayer is thought to be an unwarrantable interference with the
Almighty. They, having colonized this mountain, are at present
causing the Turkish government much trouble. They number about
90,000, and are almost continuously at war with the neighboring
Bedouin tribes. And because of the feuds which prevail here, it is
expected, and I believe is a matter of law, that all visitors to
this region must have an escort either of soldiers or Bedouins.
Were not robbery and bloodshed so prevalent in the East-Jordan
country, its ruins and scenery would attract hundreds of tourists
where now but a few ever suffer their curiosity or interest in
Bible lands to turn them aside from the beaten paths of travel. In
my course I pass through a portion of the land of which we read in
Deut. 3:3-5, noted for its many "rock cities." I look upon the
ruins of a number of these, but have little opportunity for a
close examination. The most noted ruins that I see are at Sunamein
and at Mezarib. But those who have pressed farther east, and who
have made a careful study of the best preserved of these "rock
cities" of Bashan, tell us that everything about them is of stone-
doors, gates, windows, stairs, rafters, galleries, cupboards,
benches, and even candlesticks. So perfectly preserved are some of
these "dead cities," that of one, Salcah, Doctor Porter says that
some five hundred of the houses are still standing, and that "from
three hundred to four hundred families might settle in it at any
moment without laying a stone or expending an hour's labor on
repairs." Of Beth-gamul another traveler says in part: "The houses
were some of them very large, consisting usually of three rooms on
the ground floor, and two on the first story, the stairs being
formed of large stones built in the house walls, and leading up
outside. The doors were, as usual, of stone; sometimes folding
doors, and some of them highly ornamental. I wandered about quite
alone in the old streets of the town--entered one by one the old
houses, went up-stairs, visited the rooms, and, in short, made a
careful examination of the whole place; but so perfect was every
street, every house, every room, that I almost fancied I was in a
dream, wandering alone in this city of the dead, seeing all
perfect, yet not hearing a sound. "Much of the work in most of
these cities is on such a large scale as to indicate that the
houses were built by, and intended for a race of giants. When we
think of these fortresses of strength defended by their mighty
occupants, and remember that they were probably in existence at
the time of the exodus of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage,
the victories of Moses gained here become sublime.
We are nearing Mezarib. All forenoon has been consumed in covering
a distance of only about fifty miles. But by twelve o'clock we
have passed almost completely across the land where Og was king,
especially that part of his kingdom which, not long after being
wrested from him and his giant followers, was assigned to the
eastern half-tribe of Manasseh for a permanent possession.
Before leaving Beyrout my dragoman telegraphed to Jerusalem for a
muleteer and three horses to be sent to this railroad terminus.
Must we be disappointed in this! We are both solicitous. My guide
is leaning far out of the car window long before the train stops
to learn, if possible, whether or not his order has been obeyed. I
watch that dark, anxious, perplexed face with much solicitude. Ah,
he smiles! The sunshine of satisfaction chases the clouds of
anxiety and doubt from his countenance, and that dark face looks
beautiful to me. He is happy, and I share in his happiness. Our
muleteer and horses are awaiting us.
"Among Bedouins"