The Innocents Abroad — Volume 05

The Innocents Abroad — Volume 05

"Rode to-day, altogether, thirteen hours, through deserts, partly, and partly over barren, unsightly hills, and latterly through wild, rocky scenery, and camped at about eleven o'clock at night on the banks of a limpid stream, near a Syrian village. Do not know its namedo not wish to know itwant to go to bed. Two horses lame (mine and Jack's) and the others worn out. Jack and I walked three or four miles, over the hills, and led the horses. Funbut of a mild type." "Broke camp at 7 A.M., and made a ghastly trip through the Zeb Dana valley and the rough mountainshorses limping and that Arab screech-owl that does most of the singing and carries the water-skins, always a thousand miles ahead, of course, and no water to drinkwill he never die? Beautiful stream in a chasm, lined thick with pomegranate, fig, olive and quince orchards, and nooned an hour at the celebrated Baalam's Ass Fountain of Figia, second in size in Syria, and the coldest water out of Siberiaguide-books do not say Baalam's ass ever drank theresomebody been imposing on the pilgrims, may be. Bathed in itJack and I. Only a secondice-water. It is the principal source of the Abana riveronly one-half mile down to where it joins. Beautiful placegiant trees all aroundso shady and cool, if one could keep awakevast stream gushes straight out from under the mountain in a torrent. Over it is a very ancient ruin, with no known historysupposed to have been for the worship of the deity of the fountain or Baalam's ass or somebody. Wretched nest of human vermin about the fountainrags, dirt, sunken cheeks, pallor of sickness, sores, projecting bones, dull, aching misery in their eyes and ravenous hunger speaking from every eloquent fibre and muscle from head to foot. How they sprang upon a bone, how they crunched the bread we gave them! Such as these to swarm about one and watch every bite he takes, with greedy looks, and swallow unconsciously every time he swallows, as if they half fancied the precious morsel went down their own throatshurry up the caravan!I never shall enjoy a meal in this distressful country. To think of eating three times every day under such circumstances for three weeks yetit is worse punishment than riding all day in the sun. There are sixteen starving babies from one to six years old in the party, and their legs are no larger than broom handles. Left the fountain at 1 P.M. (the fountain took us at least two hours out of our way,) and reached Mahomet's lookout perch, over Damascus, in time to get a good long look before it was necessary to move on. Tired? Ask of the winds that far away with fragments strewed the sea." ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 5692
Author: Twain, Mark
Release Date: Jun 22, 2004
Format: eBook
Language: English