the number of boys and girls attending number 4,000.
Dr. Paul Nathan and his secretary, Dr. Mittwoch, of the Hilfsverein, have arrived here from Galilee. They everywhere met with a cordial reception. Dr. Nathan appears satisfied with all he saw, and believes that Palestine has a great future before it. He thinks that the Hebrew language has made rapid strides in Palestine, and that its revival is no more a delusion.
The financial crisis abroad has had its effect also in Jerusalem. Three great firms failed, and have increased the general distress here. Fortunately, the Anglo-Palestine Company, Ltd., will be no great sufferer, thanks to the discretion of its director.
Jırra, October 3.—The Jaffa military band, being very much behind in their knowledge of music, the Kaimakam of Jaffa asked the -Jewish band to conduct the musical part at the celebration of the Sultan’s birthday. The band accepted the invitation, and performed to the great satisfaction of the ofhcials, as well as to the foreign consuls who came to pay homage to his Imperial Majesty at tlıe Government House 'On the band’s refusing, from feelings of loyalty, to receive any remuneration for their work, the Kaimakam was much impressed and presented them, as a mark of gratitude, with red caps, such as are worn by the Turkish ofhcials.
When Leib Medalia, the owner of the mill at the village of Faluja, near Kastinieh, tried to relight the petroleum engine during the machinery at his mill, his clothes took fire. Hearing his cries for help, an Arab workman and his grandfather rushed into the engineroom. But the fire, having in the meantime rapidly spread, overpowered them also. The Arab was immediately reduced to cinders. Medalia and his grandfather died after a few days' terrible suffering.
One of the finest seasons of the year in Palestine is the vintage season. The vine-growing colonies, as well as some villages which occupy themselves with raisin-making, are full of life, thrilling with the exultant shouts and songs of the vintagers. The women folk also take an active part in gathering the delicious grapes and carrying them in baskets to the collecting vans or camels. The joyous scenes in the vineyards are suggestive of ancient days, happy times, and no less inspiring hopes for the future. The vintage at the Jewish Colonies was of rather short duration this year. The production of grapes, though not inferior, was much smaller than last year or the past few years. At the Hebron district and the mountainous parts of the country the vintage is still going on. At Hebron and Sault, raisin-making is carried on in a large scale, and proves a very profitable industry. It is a pity that the Jewish wine-growers never tried to turn some of their grapes into raisins, which is a very paying and profitable article in this country. The harvest at the Judea Colonies was below the average. At Gaza there was a total failure of the crop, and many of the Arabs are starving. At Galilee the harvest turned out much better than it was expected.
On our return to Jaffa, we visited the colonies of Castinia and Katra. Castinia contains only 5,000 dunam of land and grows barley. The crop this year, considering the failure around the Gaza district, is good. The bank and Consul Knesevich have done much to reduce this year's government tithes. Much land around Castinia could be acquired, and the colonists deplore the opportunities that are neglected by our societies. The Ricinus tree has been introduced in Castinia, and the colonists told me that if the experiment should prove a success, they see a good future before them.
Katra presents a livelier appearance. The state of the colonists here is far better. We were delighted to see our farmers threshing their crops. The vines, too, are ripening and the vintage will take place within a month.