Page:Domestic Life in Palestine.pdf/314

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ARRIVAL AT JERUSALEM.
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journey, always provides himself with a flint and steel, some tinder and prepared charcoal, and a little round wire work basket, about two inches in diameter, suspended by three chains, more or less ornamented with beads and silk tassels. When a pipe is required, a piece of tinder is lighted, and placed with some charcoal in the basket, which is whirled rapidly round and round. The charcoal soon becomes so thoroughly red-hot that it is ready to be placed on the moistened tumbac in the bowl of the pipe. This explained the mystery of the nimbus round the head of my guide.

As soon as we reached the hights of Tel-el-Fûl — the "Hill of Beans"-I could see, in the west, the well remembered and marked outline of Neby Samuel, and in the far east the long, level line of the mountains of Moab, and southward, straight before us, I recognized the hills round about Jerusalem. Soon afterward, from the summit of Scopus, we perceived the dark minarets and domes of the Holy City and the Mount of Olives, where a light was burning in the little tower which was then called "Graham Castle."

It was half-past eleven when we stood by the crenellated walls of Jerusalem. The gates were closed, and there was death-like silence there, till the kawass knocked loudly against the west or Yâfa Gate. The sentinels within were roused, and they cried, "Who is there?" We explained, and then one of the sentinels said, "The gate was kept open till ten o'clock, but now the key is with the Governor." The Governor was living at the other end of the town; however, a messenger was immediately dispatched to him to ask for permission to admit us. Another messenger was sent to the Consulate to announce our safe arrival. We, in the mean time, tired and hungry, were shivering in the midnight air outside the gate, and twenty minutes elapsed before it was thrown open for us. Then I entered in with joy; for I felt at home there, and safe.