CHAPTER II.
THE COAST OF PALESTINE.
The Pilgrimage Commences — The Muleteers — The Mules — The Donkey — Journey to Sidon — The Foot of Lebanon — Pictures — The Ruins of Tyre — A Wild Morning — The Tyrian Surges — Climbing the Ladder of Tyre — Panorama of the Bay of Acre — The Plain of Esdraelon — Camp in a Garden — Acre — the Shore of the Bay — Haifa — Mount Carmel and its Monastery — A Deserted Coast — The Ruins of Cæsarea — The Scenery of Palestine — We become Robbers — El Haram — Wrecks — the Harbor and Town of Jaffa.
"Along the line of foam, the jewelled chain,
The largesse of the eyer-giving main."
R. H. Stoddard.
Ramleh, April 27, 1852.
We left Beyrout on the morning of the 22d. Our caravan consisted of three horses, three mules, and a donkey, in charge of two men — Dervish, an erect, black-bearded, and most impassive Mussulman, and Mustapha, who is the very picture of patience and good-nature. He was born with a smile on his face, and has never been able to change the expression. They are both masters of their art, and can load a mule with a speed and skill which I would defy any Santa Fé trader to excel. The animals are not less interesting than their masters. Our horses, to be sure, are slow, plodding beasts, with considerable endurance, but little spirit; but the two baggage-mules deserve gold medals from the Society for the Promotion
