a ride across palestine-第4部分

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…so　much　per　head　per　night；　including　the　use　of　hot　water。

Standing　there；　close　by　the　wayside；　we　could　see　not　only　the
garments　and　faces　of　these　strange　people；　but　we　could　watch　their
gestures　and　form　some　opinion　of　what　was　going　on　within　their
thoughts。　　They　were　much　quieter；tamer；　as　it　were；than
Englishmen　would　be　under　such　circumstances。　　Those　who　were
carried　seemed　to　sit　on　their　beasts　in　passive　tranquillity；
neither　enjoying　nor　suffering　anything。　　Their　object　had　been　to
wash　in　Jordan；to　do　that　once　in　their　lives；and　they　had
washed　in　Jordan。　　The　benefit　expected　was　not　to　be　immediately
spiritual。　　No　earnest　prayerfulness　was　considered　necessary　after
the　ceremony。　　To　these　members　of　the　Greek　Christian　Church　it　had
been　handed　down　from　father　to　son　that　washing　in　Jordan　once
during　life　was　efficacious　towards　salvation。　　And　therefore　the
journey　had　been　made　at　terrible　cost　and　terrible　risk；　for　these
people　had　come　from　afar；　and　were　from　their　habits　but　little
capable　of　long　journeys。　　Many　die　under　the　toil；　but　this　matters
not　if　they　do　not　die　before　they　have　reached　Jordan。　　Some　few
there　are；　undoubtedly；　more　ecstatic　in　this　great　deed　of　their
religion。　　One　man　I　especially　noticed　on　this　day。　　He　had　bound
himself　to　make　the　pilgrimage　from　Jerusalem　to　the　river　with　one
foot　bare。　　He　was　of　a　better　class；　and　was　even　nobly　dressed；　as
though　it　were　a　part　of　his　vow　to　show　to　all　men　that　he　did　this
deed；　wealthy　and　great　though　he　was。　　He　was　a　fine　man；　perhaps
thirty　years　of　age；　with　a　well…grown　beard　descending　on　his
breast；　and　at　his　girdle　he　carried　a　brace　of　pistols。

But　never　in　my　life　had　I　seen　bodily　pain　so　plainly　written　in　a
man's　face。　　The　sweat　was　falling　from　his　brow；　and　his　eyes　were
strained　and　bloodshot　with　agony。　　He　had　no　stick；　his　vow；　I
presume；　debarring　him　from　such　assistance；　and　he　limped　along；
putting　to　the　ground　the　heel　of　the　unprotected　foot。　　I　could　see
it；　and　it　was　a　mass　of　blood；　and　sores；　and　broken　skin。　　An
Irish　girl　would　walk　from　Jerusalem　to　Jericho　without　shoes；　and
be　not　a　penny　the　worse　for　it。　　This　poor　fellow　clearly　suffered
so　much　that　I　was　almost　inclined　to　think　that　in　the　performance
of　his　penance　he　had　done　something　to　aggravate　his　pain。　　Those
around　him　paid　no　attention　to　him；　and　the　dragoman　seemed　to
think　nothing　of　the　affair　whatever。　　〃Those　fools　of　Greeks　do　not
understand　the　Christian　religion；〃　he　said；　being　himself　a　Latin
or　Roman　Catholic。

At　the　tail　of　the　line　we　encountered　two　Bedouins；　who　were　in
charge　of　the　caravan；　and　Joseph　at　once　addressed　them。　　The　men
were　mounted；　one　on　a　very　sorry…looking　jade；　but　the　other　on　a
good　stout　Arab　barb。　　They　had　guns　slung　behind　their　backs；
coloured　handkerchiefs　on　their　heads；　and　they　wore　the　striped
bernouse。　　The　parley　went　on　for　about　ten　minutes；　during　which
the　procession　of　pilgrims　wound　out　of　sight；　and　it　ended　in　our
being　accompanied　by　the　two　Arabs；　who　thus　left　their　greater
charge　to　take　care　of　itself　back　to　the　city。　　I　understood
afterwards　that　they　had　endeavoured　to　persuade　Joseph　that　we
might　just　as　well　go　on　alone；　merely　satisfying　the　demand　of　the
tariff。　　But　he　had　pointed　out　that　I　was　a　particular　man；　and
that　under　such　circumstances　the　final　settlement　might　be
doubtful。　　So　they　turned　and　accompanied　us；　but；　as　a　matter　of
fact；　we　should　have　been　as　well　without　them。

The　sun　was　beginning　to　fall　in　the　heavens　when　we　reached　the
actual　margin　of　the　Dead　Sea。　　We　had　seen　the　glitter　of　its　still
waters　for　a　long　time　previously；　shining　under　the　sun　as　though
it　were　not　real。　　We　have　often　heard；　and　some　of　us　have　seen；
how　effects　of　light　and　shade　together　will　produce　so　vivid　an
appearance　of　water　where　there　is　no　water；　as　to　deceive　the　most
experienced。　　But　the　reverse　was　the　case　here。　　There　was　the
lake；　and　there　it　had　been　before　our　eyes　for　the　last　two　hours；
and　yet　it　looked；　then　and　now；　as　though　it　were　an　image　of　a
lake；　and　not　real　water。　　I　had　long　since　made　up　my　mind　to　bathe
in　it；　feeling　well　convinced　that　I　could　do　so　without　harm　to
myself；　and　I　had　been　endeavouring　to　persuade　Smith　to　accompany
me；　but　he　positively　refused。　　He　would　bathe；　he　said；　neither　in
the　Dead　Sea　nor　in　the　river　Jordan。　　He　did　not　like　bathing；　and
preferred　to　do　his　washing　in　his　own　room。　　Of　course　I　had
nothing　further　to　say；　and　begged　that；　under　these　circumstances；
he　would　take　charge　of　my　purse　and　pistols　while　I　was　in　the
water。　　This　he　agreed　to　do；　but　even　in　this　he　was　strange　and
almost　uncivil。　　I　was　to　bathe　from　the　farthest　point　of　a　little
island；　into　which　there　was　a　rough　causeway　from　the　land　made　of
stones　and　broken　pieces　of　wood；　and　I　exhorted　him　to　go　with　me
thither；　but　he　insisted　on　remaining　with　his　horse　on　the　mainland
at　some　little　distance　from　the　island。　　He　did　not　feel　inclined
to　go　down　to　the　water's　edge；　he　said。

I　confess　that　at　this　moment　I　almost　suspected　that　he　was　going
to　play　me　foul；　and　I　hesitated。　　He　saw　in　an　instant　what　was
passing　through　my　mind。　　〃You　had　better　take　your　pistol　and　money
with　you；　they　will　be　quite　safe　on　your　clothes。〃　　But　to　have
kept　the　things　now　would　have　shown　suspicion　too　plainly；　and　as　I
could　not　bring　myself　to　do　that；　I　gave　them　up。　　I　have　sometimes
thought　that　I　was　a　fool　to　do　so。

I　went　away　by　myself　to　the　end　of　the　island；　and　then　I　did
bathe。　　It　is　impossible　to　conceive　anything　more　desolate　than　the
appearance　of　the　place。　　The　land　shelves　very　gradually　away　to
the　water；　and　the　whole　margin；　to　the　breadth　of　some　twenty　or
thirty　feet；　is　strewn　with　the　debris　of　rushes；　bits　of　timber；
and　old　white　withered　reeds。　　Whence　these　bits　of　timber　have　come
it　seems　difficult　to　say。　　The　appearance　is　as　though　the　water
had　receded　and　left　them　there。　　I　have　heard　it　said　that　there　is
no　vegetation　near　the　Dead　Sea；　but　such　is　not　the　case；　for　these
rushes　do　grow　on　the　bank。　　I　found　it　difficult　enough　to　get　into
the　water；　for　the　ground　shelves　down　very　slowly；　and　is　rough
with　stones　and　large　pieces　of　half…rotten　wood；　moreover；　when　I
was　in　nearly　up　to　my　hips　the　water　knocked　me　down；　indeed；　it
did　so　when　I　had　gone　as　far　as　my　knees；　but　I　recovered　myself；
and　by　perseverance　did　proceed　somewhat　farther。　　It　must　not　be
imagined　that　this　knocking　down　was　effected　by　the　movement　of　the
water。　　There　is　no　such　movement。　　Everything　is　perfectly　still；
and　the　fluid　seems　hardly　to　be　displaced　by　the　entrance　of　the
body；　but　the　effect　is　that　one's　feet　are　tripped　up；　and　that　one
falls　prostrate　on　to　the　surface。　　The　water　is　so　strong　and
buoyant；　that；　when　above　a　few　feet　in　depth　has　to　be　encountered；
the　strength　and　weight　of　the　bather　are　not　sufficient　to　keep
down　his　feet　and　legs。　　I　then　essayed　to　swim；　but　I　could　not　do
this　in　the　ordinary　way；　as　I　was　unable　to　keep　enough　of　my　body
below　the　surface；　so　that　my　head　and　face　seemed　to　be　propelled
down　upon　it。

I　turned　round　and　floated；　but　the　glare　of　the　sun　was　so　powerful
that　I　could　not　remain　long　in　that　position。　　However；　I　had
bathed　in　the　Dead　Sea；　and　was　so　far　satisfied。

Anything　more　abominable　to　the　palate　than　this　water；　if　it　be
water；　I　never　had　inside　my　mouth。　　I　expected　it　to　be　extremely
salt；　and　no　doubt；　if　it　were　analysed；　such　would　be　the　result；
but　there　is　a　flavour　in　it　which　kills　the　salt。　　No　attempt　can
be　made　at　describing　this　taste。　　It　may　be　imagined　that　I　did　not
drink　heartily；　merely　taking　up　a　drop　or　two　with　my　tongue　from
the　palm　of　my　hand；　but　it　seemed　to　me　as　though　I　had　been
drenched　with　it。　　Even　brandy　would　not　relieve　me　from　it。　　And
then　my　whole　body　was　in　a　mess；　and　I　felt　as　though　I　had　been
rubbed　with　pitch。　　Looking　at　my　limbs；　I　saw　no　sign　on　them　of
the　fluid。　　They　seemed　to　dry　from　this　as　they　usually　do　from　any
other　water；　but　still　the　feeling　remained。　　However；　I　was　to　ride
from　hence　to　a　spot　on　the　banks　of　Jordan；　which　I　should　reach　in
an　hour；　and　at　which　I　would　wash；　so　I　clothed　myself；　and
prepared　for　my　departure。

Seated　in　my　position　in　the　island　I　was　unable　to　see　what　was
going　on　among　the　remainder　of　the　party；　and　therefore　could　not
tell　whether　my　pistols　and　money　was　safe。　　I　dressed；　therefore；
rather　hurriedly；　and　on　getting　again　to　the　shore；　found　that　Mr。
John　Smith　had　not　levanted。　　He　was　seated　on　his　horse　at　some
distance　from　Joseph　and　the　Arabs；　and　had　no　appearance　of　being
in　league　with　those；　no　doubt；　worthy　guides。　　I　certainly　had
suspected　a　ruse；　and　now　was　angry　with　myself　that　I　had　done　so；
and　yet；　in　London；　one　would　not　trust　one's　money　to　a　stranger
whom　one　had　met　twenty…four　hours　since　in　a　coffee…room！　　Why；
then；　do　it　with　a　stranger　whom　one　chanced　to　meet　in　a　desert？

〃Thanks；〃　I　said；　as　he　handed　me　my　belongings。　　〃I　wish　I　could
have　induced　you　to　come　in　also。　　The　Dead　Sea　is　now　at　your
elbow；　and；　therefore；　you　think　nothing　of　it；　but　in　ten　or
fifteen　years'　time；　you　would　be　glad　to　be　able　to　tell　your
children　that　you　had　bathed　in　it。〃

〃I　shall　never　have　any　children　to　care　for　such　tidings；〃　he
replied。

The　river　Jordan；　for　some　miles　above　the　point　at　which　it　joins
the　Dead　Sea；　runs　through　very　steep　banks；banks　which　are　almost
precipitous；and　is；　as　it　were；　guarded　by　the　thick　trees　and
bushes　which　grow　upon　its　sides。　　This　is　so　much　the　case；　that
one　may　ride；　as　we　did；　for　a　considerable　distance　along　the
margin；　and　not　be　able　even　to　approach　the　water。　　I　had　a　fancy
for　bathing　in　some　spot　of　my　own　selection；　instead　of　going　to
the　open　shore　frequented　by　all　the　pilgrims；　but　I　was　baffled　in
this。　　When　I　did　force　my　way　down　to　the　river　side；　I　found　that
the　water　ran　so　rapidly；　and　that　the　bushes　and　boughs　of　trees
grew　so　far　over　and　into