第25章

Thismorning，duringbreakfast，theusualassemblageofsqualidhumanitysatpatientlywithoutthecharmedcircleofthecampandwaitedforsuchcrumbsaspitymightbestowupontheirmisery。Therewereoldandyoung，brown—skinnedandyellow。Someofthemenweretallandstalwart，（foronehardlyseesanywheresuchsplendid—lookingmenashereintheEast，）

butallthewomenandchildrenlookedwornandsad，anddistressedwithhunger。TheyremindedmemuchofIndians，didthesepeople。Theyhadbutlittleclothing，butsuchastheyhadwasfancifulincharacterandfantasticinitsarrangement。Anylittleabsurdgewgaworgimcracktheyhadtheydisposedinsuchawayastomakeitattractattentionmostreadily。Theysatinsilence，andwithtirelesspatiencewatchedoureverymotionwiththatvile，uncomplainingimpolitenesswhichissotrulyIndian，andwhichmakesawhitemansonervousanduncomfortableandsavagethathewantstoexterminatethewholetribe。

Thesepeopleaboutushadotherpeculiarities，whichIhavenoticedinthenobleredman，too:theywereinfestedwithvermin，andthedirthadcakedonthemtillitamountedtobark。

Thelittlechildrenwereinapitiablecondition——theyallhadsoreeyes，andwereotherwiseafflictedinvariousways。TheysaythathardlyanativechildinalltheEastisfreefromsoreeyes，andthatthousandsofthemgoblindofoneeyeorbotheveryyear。Ithinkthismustbeso，forIseeplentyofblindpeopleeveryday，andIdonotrememberseeinganychildrenthathadn\'tsoreeyes。And，wouldyousupposethatanAmericanmothercouldsitforanhour，withherchildinherarms，andletahundredfliesroostuponitseyesallthattimeundisturbed？Iseethateveryday。

Itmakesmyfleshcreep。Yesterdaywemetawomanridingonalittlejackass，andshehadalittlechildinherarms——honestly，Ithoughtthechildhadgogglesonasweapproached，andIwonderedhowitsmothercouldaffordsomuchstyle。Butwhenwedrewnear，wesawthatthegoggleswerenothingbutacampmeetingoffliesassembledaroundeachofthechild\'seyes，andatthesametimetherewasadetachmentprospectingitsnose。Theflieswerehappy，thechildwascontented，andsothemotherdidnotinterfere。

Assoonasthetribefoundoutthatwehadadoctorinourparty，theybegantoflockinfromallquarters。Dr。B。，inthecharityofhisnature，hadtakenachildfromawomanwhosatnearby，andputsomesortofawashuponitsdiseasedeyes。Thatwomanwentoffandstartedthewholenation，anditwasasighttoseethemswarm！Thelame，thehalt，theblind，theleprous——allthedistempersthatarebredofindolence，dirt，andiniquity——wererepresentedintheCongressintenminutes，andstilltheycame！Everywomanthathadasickbabybroughtitalong，andeverywomanthathadn\'t，borrowedone。Whatreverentandwhatworshipinglookstheybentuponthatdread，mysteriouspower，theDoctor！Theywatchedhimtakehisphialsout;

theywatchedhimmeasuretheparticlesofwhitepowder;theywatchedhimadddropsofonepreciousliquid，anddropsofanother;theylostnottheslightestmovement;theireyeswereriveteduponhimwithafascinationthatnothingcoulddistract。Ibelievetheythoughthewasgiftedlikeagod。Wheneachindividualgothisportionofmedicine，hiseyeswereradiantwithjoy——notwithstandingbynaturetheyareathanklessandimpassiverace——anduponhisfacewaswrittentheunquestioningfaiththatnothingonearthcouldpreventthepatientfromgettingwellnow。

Christknewhowtopreachtothesesimple，superstitious，disease—torturedcreatures:Hehealedthesick。Theyflockedtoourpoorhumandoctorthismorningwhenthefameofwhathehaddonetothesickchildwentabroadintheland，andtheyworshipedhimwiththeireyeswhiletheydidnotknowasyetwhethertherewasvirtueinhissimplesornot。Theancestorsofthese——peoplepreciselylikethemincolor，dress，manners，customs，simplicity——flockedinvastmultitudesafterChrist，andwhentheysawHimmaketheafflictedwholewithaword，itisnowondertheyworshipedHim。NowonderHisdeedswerethetalkofthenation。NowonderthemultitudethatfollowedHimwassogreatthatatonetime——thirtymilesfromhere——theyhadtoletasickmandownthroughtheroofbecausenoapproachcouldbemadetothedoor;nowonderHisaudiencesweresogreatatGalileethatHehadtopreachfromashipremovedalittledistancefromtheshore;

nowonderthateveninthedesertplacesaboutBethsaida，fivethousandinvadedHissolitude，andHehadtofeedthembyamiracleorelseseethemsufferfortheirconfidingfaithanddevotion;nowonderwhentherewasagreatcommotioninacityinthosedays，oneneighborexplainedittoanotherinwordstothiseffect:"TheysaythatJesusofNazarethiscome！"

Well，asIwassaying，thedoctordistributedmedicineaslongashehadanytodistribute，andhisreputationismightyinGalileethisday。

AmonghispatientswasthechildoftheShiek\'sdaughter——foreventhispoor，raggedhandfulofsoresandsinhasitsroyalShiek——apooroldmummythatlookedasifhewouldbemoreathomeinapoor—housethanintheChiefMagistracyofthistribeofhopeless，shirtlesssavages。Theprincess——I

meantheShiek\'sdaughter——wasonlythirteenorfourteenyearsold，andhadaverysweetfaceandaprettyone。ShewastheonlySyrianfemalewehaveseenyetwhowasnotsosinfullyuglythatshecouldn\'tsmileafterteno\'clockSaturdaynightwithoutbreakingtheSabbath。Herchildwasahardspecimen，though——therewasn\'tenoughofittomakeapie，andthepoorlittlethinglookedsopleadinglyupatallwhocamenearit（asifithadanideathatnowwasitschanceornever，）thatwewerefilledwithcompassionwhichwasgenuineandnotputon。

ButthislastnewhorseIhavegotistryingtobreakhisneckoverthetent—ropes，andIshallhavetogooutandanchorhim。JerichoandIhavepartedcompany。Thenewhorseisnotmuchtoboastof，Ithink。

Oneofhishindlegsbendsthewrongway，andtheotheroneisasstraightandstiffasatent—pole。Mostofhisteetharegone，andheisasblindasbat。Hisnosehasbeenbrokenatsometimeorother，andisarchedlikeaculvertnow。Hisunderliphangsdownlikeacamel\'s，andhisearsarechoppedoffclosetohishead。Ihadsometroubleatfirsttofindanameforhim，butIfinallyconcludedtocallhimBaalbec，becauseheissuchamagnificentruin。Icannotkeepfromtalkingaboutmyhorses，becauseIhaveaverylongandtediousjourneybeforeme，andtheynaturallyoccupymythoughtsaboutasmuchasmattersofapparentlymuchgreaterimportance。

WesatisfiedourpilgrimsbymakingthosehardridesfromBaalbectoDamascus，butDan\'shorseandJack\'sweresocrippledwehadtoleavethembehindandgetfreshanimalsforthem。ThedragomansaysJack\'shorsedied。

IswappedhorseswithMohammed，thekingly—lookingEgyptianwhoisourFerguson\'slieutenant。ByFergusonImeanourdragomanAbraham，ofcourse。

Ididnottakethishorseonaccountofhispersonalappearance，butbecauseIhavenotseenhisback。Idonotwishtoseeit。Ihaveseenthebacksofalltheotherhorses，andfoundmostofthemcoveredwithdreadfulsaddle—boilswhichIknowhavenotbeenwashedordoctoredforyears。Theideaofridingalldaylongoversuchghastlyin—quisitionsoftortureissickening。

Myhorsemustbeliketheothers，butIhaveatleasttheconsolationofnotknowingittobeso。

IhopethatinfutureImaybesparedanymoresentimentalpraisesoftheArab\'sidolatryofhishorse。InboyhoodIlongedtobeanArabofthedesertandhaveabeautifulmare，andcallherSelimorBenjaminorMohammed，andfeedherwithmyownhands，andlethercomeintothetent，andteachhertocaressmeandlookfondlyuponmewithhergreattendereyes;andIwishedthatastrangermightcomeatsuchatimeandoffermeahundredthousanddollarsforher，sothatIcoulddoliketheotherArabs——hesitate，yearnforthemoney，butovercomebymyloveformymare，atlastsay，"Partwiththee，mybeautifulone！Neverwithmylife！Away，tempter，Iscornthygold！"andthenboundintothesaddleandspeedoverthedesertlikethewind！

ButIrecallthoseaspirations。IftheseArabsbeliketheotherArabs，theirlovefortheirbeautifulmaresisafraud。Theseofmyacquaintancehavenolovefortheirhorses，nosentimentofpityforthem，andnoknowledgeofhowtotreatthemorcareforthem。TheSyriansaddle—blanketisaquiltedmattresstwoorthreeinchesthick。Itisneverremovedfromthehorse，dayornight。Itgetsfullofdirtandhair，andbecomessoakedwithsweat。

Itisboundtobreedsores。Thesepiratesneverthinkofwashingahorse\'sback。Theydonotshelterthehorsesinthetents，either——theymuststayoutandtaketheweatherasitcomes。Lookatpoorcroppedanddilapidated"Baalbec，"andweepforthesentimentthathasbeenwastedupontheSelimsofromance！

Chapter46

Aboutanhour\'srideoverarough，rockyroad，halffloodedwithwater，andthroughaforestofoaksofBashan，broughtustoDan。

Fromalittlemoundhereintheplainissuesabroadstreamoflimpidwaterandformsalargeshallowpool，andthenrushesfuriouslyonward，augmentedinvolume。ThispuddleisanimportantsourceoftheJordan。

Itsbanks，andthoseofthebrookarerespectablyadornedwithbloomingoleanders，buttheunutterablebeautyofthespotwillnotthrowawell—balancedmanintoconvulsions，astheSyrianbooksoftravelwouldleadonetosuppose。

FromthespotIamspeakingof，acannon—ballwouldcarrybeyondtheconfinesofHolyLandandlightuponprofanegroundthreemilesaway。Wewereonlyonelittlehour\'stravelwithinthebordersofHolyLand——wehadhardlybeguntoappreciateyetthatwewerestandinguponanydifferentsortofearththanthatwehadalwaysbeenusedto，andseehowthehistoricnamesbeganalreadytocluster！Dan——Bashan——LakeHuleh——theSourcesofJordan——theSeaofGalilee。Theywereallinsightbutthelast，anditwasnotfaraway。ThelittletownshipofBashanwasoncethekingdomsofamousinScriptureforitsbullsanditsoaks。LakeHulehistheBiblical"Wat