CHAPTER. LL 
CROSSING THE RIVERS. 
The heavy rains during our stay in Jerusalem had swollen 
the rivers, so that on our journey from Jaffa along the coast 
we were frequently stopped, and compelled to make a detour 
of several miles in order to find a crossing-place. Even then, 
owing to flats and marshes, we were subject to danger and 
inconvenience, and sometimes reduced to the necessity of dis¬ 
mounting, and hiring some of the neighboring Arabs who 
were acquainted with the fords to drive our horses before us 
and carry ourselves across on their backs. The mules usually 
contrived, about midway in these difficult passages, to get 
fast in the mud, and upset 
themselves and the bag¬ 
gage ; which always oc¬ 
casioned the most intense 
excitement among the 
Arabs. To give any idea 
of the shouting, and shriek- 
y mg, and flourishing of 
sticks ; the frantic lamen¬ 
tations on all sides; the 
thundering reproaches of 
Yusef; or the remon¬ 
strances of the Howadji 
against the damage of 
their precious curiosities, 
would be entirely out of 
the question. I shall 
content myself bv leaving 
