But here are we,
among great mountains, rugged and cleft, fantastic shapes in high
relief, in the moonlight. We might be in the moon itself! Not a
sign of life, not a bird nor an animal!
"By mid-night we have dropped 1,100 feet, and gradually the ground
grows less rocky, the hills on the right swing away, and on the
left, just ahead, is the square-topped El-Kuruntal, the so-called
'Mountain of Temptation,' and the gateway of the Jordan Valley.
Reaching the plain the pace grows faster, and clouds of dust arise
worse than ever. Our connecting files find great difficulty in
keeping in touch, so that every now and then those in rear must
gallop to keep up. A small wadi to be crossed makes the pace still
more uneven. We cross the Wadi Nueiame and reach our camping
ground. Again the putting down of lines; again supperless and tired
out to lie down on a blanket in the dust, in that unnatural hollow
1,250 feet below the SEA-LEVEL, THE PLACE OF SWELTERING SUN,
SAND-SPOUTS, SCORPIONS, SNAKES, SPIDERS AND SEPTIC SORES; OF
SCORCHING WIND AND SHADOWLESS WASTE; THAT HELLISH PLACE--THE JORDAN
VALLEY!"
FOOTNOTES:
[16] _See St.
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