The Maccabaean

(Concluded)

The idealists, the dreamers, the student and the maskil followed the leadership of the Hovevei Ziyyon organization, taking for their motto, "Back to the Soil; Back to Palestine!" Unlike the early settlers of other countries, who, as a general rule, were of a type picked out to do pioneer work, well developed physically and trained in agricultural pursuits from childhood, the average Jewish colonists of Palestine lacked all these qualifications for rural life. They were unprepared either by training or by practical experience, for agricultural enterprise, nor were they physically fit to endure the hardship that confronted them in their dreamland, which to their great disappointment they found to be in a state of devastation caused by many centuries of ravage, wars, destruction and disuse. The previous occupation of these pioneer colonists was confined to the book, or the business counter. Such was the condition of the first settlers of Palestine.

As soon as the nine original colonists of Rishon arrived in Jaffa, unscrupulous agents urged upon them to by 3360 D. (2) land which was available for sale at Ajun Kara (see article Rish le Zion Mac. Feb. number) situated two hour's walk from Jaffa and half an hour from the sea. They went to examine the land and were favorably impressed with its general aspect, and the splendid position of the proposed territory. On the ninth day of Ab the bargain was closed, for which they paid the sum of 42,900 francs. The land had the advantage of being in close proximity to Jaffa, beautifully located and possessing suitable stones for building of houses and other structures, but the main purpose for which the land was bought was wanting.

(2) A dunum is 924 meters or 1,600 sq. yds., about one-third the size of an American acre, which is 4,840 sq. yds. It was absolutely useless for agricultural

purposes. With the little money left they began upon their arrival to make roads and to secure a water supply. The Templars of the German colony Shaarona advised them that the best position for a well was in the uppermost part of the colony. Their object was presumably to get sufficient water pressure so when the houses would be erected at a lower level, they would be supplied with water in their houses by means of tubes, thereby saving trouble and inconvenience of carrying water. The young settlers dug into the hill about 28 meters deep, and seeing no water forthcoming, they gave up that position and began to dig at a lower level, but they met with no better results in their new place. Here, after the well was ready, the twenty meter stone walls collapsed and closed up the well.

This last failure disheartened them very much. They were obliged to carry water from the village Beth Dagon an hour distance, and by the time it reached Rishon the water was warm and was not fit to drink. The food also was of a poor quality such as they were not accustomed to eat, and many a day they lived on "Battich" (watermelon). After a hard day's work under the sub-tropical sun, they were disturbed at night, for they had no houses where they could find shelter from the cold air of the night and protection from the wild beasts and savage tribes. They found themselves in the position of Jacob of old, who said: "Thus I was, in the day the drought consumed me and the frost by night and my sleep departed from mine eyes." In the meantime the rainy season came on, the time for ploughing and preparing the soil for sowing, but they had no agricultural implements, and no seeds. The last money they could scrape together was spent on the ineffectual experiment of obtaining water. They found themselves, like their ancestors, in the desert, no bread to