Old and New Jaffa
T
T was late in the afternoon of the I twenty-seventh day of June that we embarked in Port Said on the English vessel “Khedevian” for Jaffa. We found the steamer crowded to its fullest capacity; a throng of passengers of different nationalities pressed together. Every variety of Oriental costumes was visible. Veiled women who sat apart with children on theis laps, turbaned Arabs with white and brown striped “Abbas” or mantels, sitting crossed-legged, an Arab in his “Keyfi- yeh” or head shawl, which consists of a band of camel’s hair rope, very soft, round the head to keep the flowing gear in its place, engaged the attention of foreign spectators. Patriarchal looking Syrians and Egyptians with red fezes and flowing robes moving from one end of the vessel to the other, Jewish merchants returning with wares from Alexandria and Cairo discussing their bargains, Christian pilgrims of many lands talking of Palestine as the home of the founder of their faith, and Zionists, among them a number of enthusiastic Jewish students of Warsaw who were going to make a foot journey from Dan to Beer Sheba as a holiday sport for their summer vacation.
The night had been pleasant and the sea smooth. The easterly wind which was refreshing and salubrious had done much to relieve the exhausting effect of the sun of Egypt. From the middle deck the Jewish National Anthem “Hatikvah” as sung by the Russian student, filled the air, while on the upper deck the recital of selections from famous operas by a young Greek woman held the attention of the passengers.
Some of my friends insisted that the gratifying surroundings were due to the vicinity of Erez Israel. Bethat as it may, few of the passengers retired that night as the scene was too inspiring to lose in sleep.
A half an hour after five, the purple hills of Judea began to show themselves. It was hard to distinguish them from the fleecy clouds above them. Soon it became
plain that we were in sight of our historic land. It is extremely difficult to describe the state of mind at that time. The recollections were so numerous and 0 varied that it is very hard to record them. The imaginations of our little company went wild with expectations when the eyes received the first reflections of our historical country. Soon we shall stand upon the land of the Patriarchs, Prophets and Kings, walk over the ruins of fortresses, temples and homes of our glorious ancestors, wander through the ancient wonder-fields and cities of the Bible, gaze at the time--honored streams, and _ travel through the plains, mountains and valleys that have been conquered and defended by the heroes of our history and are the sole surviving witness of Israel’s national life in times gone by.
Soon the entire line of coast was distinctly seen. The twhite mountains of Judea were in full view, and the City of Jaffa which is a cluster of flat-roofed houses, loomed up on the slope of one of the Judean Mountains, appearing like an on-phitheatre.
About eight in the morning, the “Khe- divian” cast anchor a mile or so from shore. for Jaffa lies upon the open sea and has no harbor. In unfavorable weather steam- boats are often obliged to pass the port without being able to land either freight cr passengers. They are compelled to go to Haifa or Beirout for safer landing. In view of the uncertainty of landing, the Mediterranean steam-boats make a practice of arriving at Jaffa in the early morning in that calm period when the winds and waves alike await the movements of the sun, to avoid the possibility of a strong westerly wind that might drive the boats on the rocks.
II.
These rocks have been the fear of navigators from early days. The beach has always been covered with wrecks after great storms, before steam enabled vessels to go away from shore and escape. Almost